and survive the grave And many times our Timoleon would suddenly say to his son Bring me a daughter that I may resigne The house to her who must keep me and mine But this young Lord which we will call Philippin without much disguising the name he received at his birth very neer that of the famous Apostle which converted the Eunuch of the Queen of Candace applying himself to games and pastimes conformable to his humour and his years gave little attention to these fatherly admonitions for what can one ingrave upon a Mercury not fixt or upon a running water which is never firm Hunting is the principal exercise of this Adonis for to what could this generous and noble spirit addict himself better then to this occupation which is in peace the lively image of war Timoleon goes sometimes but rarely and sometimes to those which had more strength for the benefit or if you will the ill effect of years began now to make him unable for these exercises he loves his stable better then the following hounds or the prey then to hunt it On the contrary Philippin delighteth rather in the pursuit then to see it in the dish The young Gentlemen thereabouts came often to this young Lord he is much made of honoured and respected of all as it is the custom of Courtiers to adore rather the sun rising then the going down Whilst the Father feasts it with the aged Philippin spits the woods in company of the youth like that young Ascanio neer the Prince of the Poets of the Romans full of strength and valour he asks no more but even to encounter some huge Bore or furious Wolf or some old Stag to shew his strength by the greatness of his prize But after so many preys he becomes a prey after so many prizes he himself is taken and all his strength thrown to the ground not by the teeth of a cruel Bore nor by the horns of a Stag nor by a ravenous Wolf but by the glance of an eye worse then that of Basilisk for this glance is his death and which is worse a miserable death There was in a fair valley very neer to Bellerive a little house belonging to a Gentleman that was Tenant to Timoleon the situation of which shall be the occasion to call it Vaupre by reason it was invironed with delicate meadows and pleasant brooks which made the seat very delightfull and pleasing you would have said having seen it though little but very well composed and trussed together that it shewed like a nosegay in the midst of a garden of sweet flowers It was possest by a Master in goods of fortune poor but of a brave and resolute courage which will be well known in this our history under the name of Pyrrhe without altering his own but in one letter This same had of children a son and a daughter sprung from a mother generous in all her actions which we will name Valentine So that as Eagles do not ingender Doves these Children were nothing but courage and generosity The daughter which we must call Isabella brought into this condition by her brother which shall be known under the name of Harman leaving in her most tender yeares the occupations ordinary to her sexe gave herself to exercises of arms and hunting with such strength and address that she was much admired of all the neighbourhood and esteemed another Amazon Her Father liking this humour in her was well pleased to see her ride a horse like man to run at the ring and to vault to fence and handle a harquebuzer and to these contributed his own help and industry The mother was not displeased as judging there was no point of honour lost of which she was very jealous So now as things strange and new are most esteemed so these qualities extraordinary gave such a fame to this maid that all the vallies did resound of nothing but her praises and the eccho's gave an envy to the hearers to see this wonder to all those that heard of her There was no assembly of hunting where she was not yet always accompanied with either her father or brother And as she was alone in her fashions so she shewed with so much the more advantage and always accompanied with so much modesty as her presence unaccustomed filled the hearts and eyes of the beholders with admiration and astonishment For she had been very well brought up very ready in any thing she undertook she spake with great discretion her actions were composed and at pleasure detained and although she gave som what a lively natural liking to these exercises so far from her condition yet nevertheless it was with so much simplicity and so little vanity as if malice it self should have strove to have bit she made herself not only irreprehensible but commendable And would to God that she had either continued in these terms or that she had been retained within the bounds of those exercises fitting her sexe we should not then see her defamed as she will be nor the only instrument of these tragick businesses the which bloodies the course of this History The reputation of this Diana was not long before it came to the ears of Philippin the which more for curiosity then for any affection he had ever experimented desired to see her a hors-back and made this request to her father whom he saw often who would not deny so small a courtesie to his Landlords son and the which should one day be his chief jewel There is a match made for hunting the Stag Pyrrhe and Herman bring Isabella to the sport who without any other design then that which all those of her sexe have to seem pleasing to the eyes of those which did with curiosity consider her put herself in such order as her natural graces not being small were much heightened with art that it was very easie for her to draw upon her the eyes of all that troop I will not trouble my self with the description of her form nor of the habit For although the picture of her fashion might much set forth and beautifie this discourse being dressed yet nevertheless to shew the beauty of vertue and deformity of vice rather then to present corporal perfections it shall suffice me to shew the cause by the effect in saying that fire takes not hold so soon of the Napâ—hâ— of Babylon or of the herb called Aproxis as this of Love seised on the heart of this young Philippin at the presence of this object which appeared to him the fairest that ever he had seen The sight of his person was so ravished in this contemplation carrying such a dimness into that of his understanding that he lost both his liberty and the knowledge of himself so as may be said of him these words of an antient Poet His optick-nerves when this star shin'd Were Planet-smitten and turn'd blind This great blow struck him in such sort as he remained pensive and astonished all
to outrage and full of confidence flatters himself with some aiery hope by these words If Heaven on my forsaken head The influence of his Grace shall shed In melting showrs and once more shine Vpon this drooping soul of mine From gray I shall grow green each night shall bring The morn and turn my winter into spring But why do I delay so long to let you see the rock of precipitation the end of scandal and shelf of shipwrack of these souls in effect innocents yet in appearance will become horrible guilty Alas the bird which produces the feather is taken and the Eagle oftentimes furnishes the feather which makes the arrow that wounds her to death After they had long fighed in one anothers ears their griefs and cursed their miserable condition which had hindred their being one anothers after having many times desired that Philippin had been Isabels and Andronico Elise's the laws which are not always conformable to the desires of Lovers were found to contradict these alliances for the knot which God ties cannot be cut but by the axe of death After many reciprocal words of good will followed with a thousand protestations to enjoy one another in marriage if death in punishing the perfidies of Philippin would give way to their loves after many Letters which contained the same language coming so forward falling by little and little into pits which in stead of snaring drew them out at length to strangle them that they made reciprocal promises one to the other which could have no other ground but the death of Philippin which neither the one nor the other had any thought to procure by any way but to attend it by the hand of God Here is all their fault And certainly 't is true vertuous Elise that by a vain assurance of fidelity which will be as strongly tied to your heart as to the paper you put in great hazard both your honour and life This was the highest degree and end of Andronico's designs for he knew too well the humour of Elise to pretend of her any thing which was not honorable nothing passing between them of that which this honest wife ought to her legitimate although barbarous husband for she had her purity in such a recommendation that modesty ruled not only her actions and words but also her thoughts O must she to prevent the title of ingratitude which could not have been given but by the mouth of Andronico fall into such an imprudence which will make her die in the sight of all the world in quality of an infamous adulterer and bloody homicide of her own husband although in effect or in will she was no ways guilty Thus a sparkle sometime blown far increases to a great fire and a small hurt neglected becomes an incurable ulcer a little spring increasing to a flood runs with a large compass into the salt sea But how shall this Promise be discovered which should not see the day but when the sun should leave to see Philippin on earth Yet you will understand it by a means that will force you to cry with the great Apostle O height of riches of the wisdom of God whose judgments are incomprehensible and his wayes unsearchable The whilst Philippin is at Gold-mount in Possession of the body of Isabel with whom he consumes his days in abominable and unlawfull delights gilding his evils with the fair name of marriage and by a false malicious conscience esteeming her his wife Andronico is in the town in possession of the heart of Elise who laments no more the absence of Philippin by enjoying the presence of Andronico their conversations all pure and spiritual have nothing that the most severe censurers can justly blame and living under the eye and discipline of a Sophie who trusted not so much her daughter as that she had not always an eye on her conversation Thus whilst the Process of Philippin for dissolving his marriage is drawn out still longer 't is a web cannot be untangled Pyrrhe enraged by these dalays murmurs and threatens to kill Philippin if he pursues it not to an issue as he had promised him So that the sollicitation of this business calls Philippin to town having many points in his cause which could not be decided but in his presence besides that he could have no better Sollicitor then himself Being thus imployed in all companies wheresoever he came he was still speaking invective words against Scevole and his daughter which made him odious to all that heard him For wronging her whom all held his wife was it not to gather filth to cover his head and to throw hot burning coals in his own face He was then doubly blamed and mocked of those which knew the integrity of the father and worth of the mother of vertuous Elise who attributed all these words to the lightness of his understanding nourished in vice and rotten in his debauches But when many times his wisest friend would reproach him with his inconstancie presenting to him the ill opinion which was spread in the world of this vile life he lived with Isabel in stead of taking these admonitions with the right hand he receives them with the left is displeased with these truths or turns them to laughter rejoicing in his misfortune and vice and glorying in his ills For many time in the company of Ladies where he was for this most persecuted in a vain humour he describes the graces of his Diana and deciphers what shall I say rends the ill form of poor Elise He makes them see that all the precepts of the art of well-speaking have nothing that gives greater eloquence then passion For as love made him fruitfull in one subject hatred makes him as wild in the other having a voice equally strong to praise and blame excessive in both Andronico frequents as well as he these companies welcomed wheresoever for being full of worthy parts that made him commendable which he accompanied with as much wisdom and staidness as Philippin shewed lightness He hears sometimes recited the indiscreet discourse of this Lord who spake without punishment what he pleased And being pricked in the tendrest part of his affection knowing the vertues of Elise could not suffer they should be so cruelly defamed by the tongue of Philippin But as then fearing to discover his love in sustaining this innocence finds himself reduced into strange agonies Nevertheless at the assault of these reports which took him sometimes on the sudden he could not contain himself from replying as sharp and biting words against Philippin as he received sweet from Elise sometime accusing him of backbiting and indiscretion and often of falshood saying that Scevole wanted not friends to sustain the contrary of that he so unworthily sought to advance sometimes affirming it was a shame for a Cavalier to have to do with one of the Gown and more to tail against a Woman who had no other arms but her tears many times for mirth makes Satyrs
of Isabel not only to his nose but also with the pen He Writ certain verses against her and long ones but because they were too biting I would not black this paper with then Often in defending Elise he publishes her worth and patience saying that Philippin abused her goodnes was not worthy of such a wife for in following the dissolution of his marriage he sought his own ruine and shame His ruine for without the wealth of Scevole his house remains engaged without hope of recovery his shame in having married one he covers with infamie and dishonour And for the insupportable disdain that pride drew from the spirit of Philippin against the family of Scevole he said that the inequality in condition made him not less noble Justice being during peace that which Military art is during wars That if Nobility were drawn from its first and most just measure which is Vertue it would be found greater of the fathers side then of the son-in-law's That according to the course of the world a new Nobility accompanied with great riches ought to be in as great esteem as an antient boasting under miserable poverty As the wind carries often a small sparkle here and there which at length is cause of great flames so there want not in the world reporters which like Smiths bellows serve to light and kindle cholers and to put fire into mens courages The speeches of Andronico come by these means to the proud ears of Philippin who at first began to carry himself with threats appearing as a cowardly dog that barks more then bites It was true that for antiquity and greatness of descent Andronico was much the inferior yet was he a Gentleman and of a descent too good to endure any thing unworthy When Philippin spake of a cudgel he replied he would answer him with a blade of steel and being born a Gentleman might measure his sword with any man that wore iron at his side By an ill encounter they met in a company where at the first sight after the lightning of looks succeeds the thunder of words and had come to the hail of blows if they had not been by the multitude of their friends parted Andronico not having lost any thing in this encounter retains himself within modesty but furious Philippin foaming with rage challenges him with as much noise as small effect For it was never in their powers to meet the Justice having set guards on them and the Governour desirous to agree them had straitly forbid them fighting The whilst Philippin besides the spight to see himself braved by a man he thought not worthy to be his servant redoubling his injuries not only against Scevole and Elise but also against Andronico obliges his patience to return sharp replies Philippin enquires from whence this humour of Andronico's should proceed to sustain so ardently the cause of Elise And having learned his ordinary frequenting the house of Scevole with some addition by the calumnious reporter as it is ordinary adding something to flatter his passion we need not ask if he added to the letter As those which are ill think all are like themselves he accuses her of dishonour who was as innocent as he guilty calling ordinarily Andronico in mockery the Squire of Elise a word in apparence simple but furred with black malice and to be understood as sharp as it appeared subtile The courteous Andronico turning to laughter these mockeries said his madness made him spit at heaven and his own filth returned on his head Which was true for if Elise had been such as Philippin had described her and his marriage with her not yet declared null who sees not that that which he said to dishonour her returned infamy on himself But in that he shot his arrow at a rock which returns to hurt him that shot it And Andronico to shew he wanted not wit nor spirit to defend himself with a tongue more then the other that assailed him would say that if he had lived in the time of the antient Palatines which made profession to revenge the wrongs done by the strongest to the weakest as also to defend the afflicted innocent and principally to vindicate the honour of Ladies he would easily have been drawn to the field as Elise's Knight to make known by a victory the justice of this Lady so unjustly accused and unworthily used by her barbarous husband But since they were so strictly watched that they could not join and the use of those antient Combats abolished accommodating themselves according to the time bear patiently the yoke the laws had imposed and observing the customs of the place they live in all these contestations of words seemed like storms and thunder which after much lightening in dark mists of rain and noise leave no sign of their passage but only darkness For after these reports and bitings all these bravado's end in air which filled with filth the authors themselves as snails which soil themselves in their own scum But at last as lightning is ordinarily followed with thunder-claps even so choler passes ordinarily from the tongue to the hand A Gentleman of Philippin's whom we will call Valfran mad to see his Master could not be revenged of a meaner then himself resolves on a base and unworthy act which was to shoot a pistol at the head of Andronico He takes his time and as day was shut in for these shamefull actions require darkness having learnt he was in a company where he passed his time in hearing a pleasing Consort of musick he sent to him by one of his Lacquays saying he was to speak with him from the Lord Philippin and would attend him at the chamber door The Lacquay tells his Master secretly who full of the furious courage of our French Nation that esteems most valor in single Combats although it be nothing but brutality and dead with envy to see this Rodomonts sword in his hand hoping to abate his pride and make his day by his death to the promise of Elise steals subtilly from his company as if he would but go into another chamber and stepping to the door he no sooner appeared but the traiterous murderer which attended him with his foot firm without saying any word presents his pistol to his head Andronico slips quickly aside and so happily that the blow given with a noise such as you may judge against the door burst it like thunder Hereat all the house and neighbourhood is in alarms the Consort ceases and yields to this hellish musick The murderer would have drawn his sword but Andronico throwing himself resolutely upon him rolls him down the stairs Above and below were many blows given the Lacquays cry murder all run to the rescue of Andronico but the place was so strait that the sword of Valfran was of no use Andronico is altogether unarmed who perceiving the murderer sought his poniard to offend him having more strength gets it and holding it to his throat says
Remember thou mist me but I will not fail thee and strikes it twice or thrice into his body The murderer cries out fearfully He would have ended him but desirous to know from whence this should come he leaves him yet with some part of life Andronico's friends came with their swords in their hands and thinking this enterprise was followed run up and down the streets to find out the Complices of Valfran but finding none the Justice is sent for into whose hands the Traitor is remitted who confessed in the place that he was incited to this base act unworthy a Gentleman as he was because he saw his Master could not meet Andronico to end their quarrel and that he could not endure that a meaner then his master should resist him so strongly Philippin advertised of this accident loving Valfran as much as he hated Andronico knows not of which side to range himself For if he sustain the traitor he covers himself with shame and infamy and although he protest will be thought partaker in the treason and to renounce him would be to imbrace the cause of his enemy and abandon his friend But honour bears him above friendship and blaming this way as altogether shamefull and illbecoming a generous courage he disavows Valfran yet beseeches the Justice to content themselves with his wounds without putting him to a shamefull death But they were found such as they prevented the punishment of justice for three days after he dyed God by a secret pitty giving him that time to acknowledg his faults which he did demanding a thousand pardons of Andronico for his attempt and understanding the disavow of Philippin which had left him in the point of his greatest necessity cries O how great is the ingratitude of worlings how frail their strength whose amity is enmity to that of God's This death shewed the justice of God which leaves no evil unpunished increased justice in men satisfied Andronico purged Philippin and by this example teaches us the truth of the celestial oracle spoken by the mouth of King David in his Psalm Lean not on th' arm of Princes nor rely On sons of men or humane policy From whom no succors can arrive or come Which can anticipate or divert thy doom When the contracted breath doth upwards draw And like some exhalation flie away The body suddenly returns to earth To take her burial where she took her birth Leaving all empty projects far behind Like atoms scatter'd in the fleeting wind All that Philippin could protest against Valfran notwithstanding in the opinion of the world this shamefull stain rests in his forehead that he was not only cause but also consenting to this abominable act for the fault of the servant is often thrown on the master This raised marvellously the estimation of Andronico who was quitted for stabbing of Valfran Oh how much did Elise find herself bound to him for all this how much love did she protest to him and to keep in her memory an eternal acknowledgment For Andronico was not content to employ his tongue in the defence of her honour in all companies but vowed he would expose his life a thousand times for her protection She must have been insensible to have neglected so many obligations Philippin pursues still his first point to be disengaged in marriage from Elise persevering in his ordinary mockeries and calling Andronico his Rival for so he had been when he first knew Elise being then a Maid and wondring he should contradict him in this separation which he esteemed ought to have been sought by Andronico if he had any design to marry her Thus into what strange speeches was he not transsported saying he should but be too happy being refused and was very glad to yield him a good as he was sorry to take from him And full of many other nipping taunts which I will leave to the conjecture of a good judgment rather then to soil the whiteness of these pages Amongst all these small riots there was great hatred and almost all the Town took part with the one or the other side Those which held with Philippin trumpeted every where the violence Timoleon had used on his will to make him yield to this marriage And Scevole being rich wanted not enviers which rejoyced to see these troubles in his family But this party was least For the insupportable insolence and pride of Philippin in his words and actions made him odious to those which had no interest in his cause So that justice and vertue fighting for Elise made the side of Andronico much more strong and puissant His modesty and discretion contributed not a little to the good will that was borne him by many There was not any that esteemed not Elise to have been happier being his then Philippin's for contentment having been preferred before wealth and riches it is not to be doubted she should have enjoyed as much in the company of this mean Gentleman as this great Lord which uses her with so much cruelty and disdain As things were in this estate there happens to be a marriage not far from Philippins lodging which are common friends to both our Opposites They are both invited to the feast but besought with all affection not to quarrel there for not hindring a Company that was assembled to be only merry and make good cheer Which they both solemnly promise to those that invite them in so free a planner that their inviters hoped I know not what of reconcilation But here is a strange web made For you shall know that Pyrrhe weary to live so long without seeing the issue of his daughters process and not able to support seeing himself the shamefull proverb and object to all his neighbours by a secret suggestion of the devil as it 's to to be believed lets himself be led by the spirit of vengeance esteeming Philippin dealt underhand with his adversary to abuse his patience and the honour of his daughter holding his reputation in suspence during the length of this pursuit He could not come to his ends of Philippin at Bellerive nor at Gold-mount because in the Country he always went so well accompanied in time of his defiance that he had no means to approach him He imagines that walking the streets without suspect it would be easie to surprise him and take the life of him that had made him lose his honour stealing it traiterously as he had ravished and stole his daughter Ill designs are as soon taken as thought on and pernicious counsels as soon followed as proposed For at first discovery he made to his son Herman he offers to execute this enterprise and Pyrrhe himself would be of the party but Herman conjures him to keep his house for the conservation of his goods to the end that if it should come to be discovered after the blow he might having passed the Alps or crossed the seas be assisted by his meanes in Italy or in Spain Pyrrhe though with much