husband make great suit to the Iudges that they may for a short time see and speake one with the other but it will not be graunted them When Harcourt being as confident of his owne life as hee was of his wifes death makes secret proffer by some friends of his to the Iudges of all his lands and demaynes to save his wife but they resembling themselves doe so much feare God and reverence and honour the sacred Name of Iustice as they are deafe to his requests The next morning according to her sentence she is brought to the place of her execution but at her earnest and importunate request so early that very few people were present at her death where being ascended the Ladder she there againe cursed the name and execrated the memory of that wretched Villaine Tivoly and wished much prosperity and happinesse to her Husband Harcourt when turning her eye about and seeing a Cosen Germaine of his there present named Monseiur de Pierpont shee cals him to her and is so vaine at this last period as it were of her life as she takes off her glove and bracelet from her right hand and arme and prayes him to deliver it to his Cosin and her Husband Harcourt and to assure him from her that shee dyed his most loving and constant wife which Monseiur Pierponte faithfully promised her to performe then a Subordinate officer of justice being there to see her dye tells her that hee was now commanded by the Iudges his Superiours to tell her that shee being now to leave earth and so ready to ascend into heaven they prayed her in the name and feare of God to declare to all those who were present if her Husband Harcourt yea or no had any hand or were knowing or accessary with her in the poysoning of his first wife La Precoverte and that shee should doe piously and christianly to discover the truth thereof which would undoubtedly tend to Gods glory and the salvation of her owne soule When she solemnely vowed to him and to all the people that her Husband Harcourt never knew nor in thought word or deed was any way accessary knowing or consenting with her or Tivoly in poysoning of his wife and this which shee now spake was the pure truth as she hoped for Heaven And now after a few teares shee most vainely and idely fell praysing and commending of him especially how tenderly and deerely hee loved her with other ridiculous and impertinent speeches tending that way which I hold every way unworthy of my mention and repetition but had not the grace either to looke up to heaven or to God with repentance or the goodnesse to looke downe into her owne heart conscience or soule with contrition and sorrow for all those her foule Adulteries and Murthers Neither to pray to God for her selfe or to request those who were present to pray to God for her And so shee was turned over all wondring and grieving at her bloody crime and therefore some few lamenting or sorrowing for this her infamous death But shee there speakes not a word or the shadow of a word either of her Husband Harcourts pistolling to death of his Brother her first husband Vimory or of her knowledge thereof or consent thereunto Now though Harcourt seemed outwardly very sorrowfull for this shamefull death of his wife Masserina yet hee is inwardly exceeding Ioyfull that her silence at her death of murthering his Brother Vimory hath preserved his life with his reputation and his reputation with his life Whereupon being the same day freed and acquitted by the Iudges of Sens both of his pretended cryme as also of his imprisonment Hee composing his countenance equally betwixt joy and sorrow returnes to his house of Saint Symplician where now thinking himselfe absolutely discharged and cleered of all these his former Adulteries as also of his late cruell murthering of his Brother Hee within two or at most within three moneths after his wife Masserinaes Execution casts of his mourning apparell which he wore for her death and neither thinking of his soule or his conscience or of heaven or hell he â—…antes and froliques it out in brave apparell and because hee is now fortunately arrived to bee chiefe Lord and master of a great Estate both in Lands and money therefore hee thinkes it not his pride but his glory and not his vanity but his generosity to dight and put himselfe now into farre richer apparell then ever formerly hee had done whereof all the Gentlemen his neighbours yea all the Citty of Sens with no little wonder tooke especiall notice therof Yea hee is so farre from once dreaming or thinking either of his murthering of his Brother Vimorye or of the deplorable and untimely ends of his two wives as with much vanity and with farre more haste then discretion or consideration he now speedilyresolves to take and marry a third But his hopes will deceive them because God in his sacred Iustice and Iudgements will deceive his hopes For when he thinkes himselfe secure and safe not onely from the danger but likewise from the suspition of any fatall or disasterous accident which can possibly befall him then the triumphant power of Gods revenge will both suddenly and soundly surprise him His honest man Noell with an observant eye and a Conscionable and sorrowfull heart hath heard of La Precovertes poysoning and of Vimories pistolling to death and hath likewise seene the hanging both of Tivoly and of his last Mistris Masserina In all which severall accidents as one way hee wondereth at the malice of Sathan So another way hee cannot but infinitely admire and applaud the just judgements of the Lords Hee likewise knowes what his Master Harcourt is to him and hee to his master and in the time of his service and attendance under him what different and severall passages of businesse and secrets have past betweene them Hee hath remarked farre more vices then vertues in his Master whereat hee much grieveth but hee was infinitely more enforced then desirous either to see or know them and this againe doth exceedingly rejoyce him Hee well knowes that fidelity is the glory of a servant and yet it is a continuall sensible griefe to his heart and vexation to his soule to see that his Master serves God no better Hee doth not desire to know things which concerne his said Master whereof hee is ignorant but doth wish and pray to God that he were ignorant of many things which hee knowes and of more which he feares and being very often perplexed in his minde with the reluctation of these different causes and their as different effects Hee cannot but in the end satisfie himselfe with this resolution That as Harcourt is his Earthly Master so God is his Heavenly Master But here betides an unexpected and unwished Accident to this Noell which will speedily try of what temper and mettall both himselfe his heart his conscience and his soule is made and what infinite
THE TRIVMPHES OF GODS REVENGE Agaynst The Cryinge Execrable Sinne of Willfull premeditated Murther Expressed In Thirtye Severall Tragicall Historyes Digested into Sixe Bookes w ch contayne great variety of Mournefull Memorable Accydents Amorous Morall Divine The whole Worke nowe Compleatlye finished Written By Iohn Reynolds LONDON Printed for W. Lee and are to be sould at the Turks head in Fleetstreet ouer against Fetter Lane THE TRIUMPHS OF GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND EXECRABLE SINNE OF Willfull and Premeditated Murther VVith his Miraculous Discoveries and severe Punishments thereof In Thirtie severall Tragicall Histories Digested into Sixe Bookes committed in divers Countries beyond the Seas never published or Imprinted in any other Language Histories which containe great varietie of mournfull and memorable Accidents Historicall Morall and Divine very necessary to restraine and deterre us from this bloodie Sinne which in these our dayes makes so ample and large a Progression With a Table of all the severall Letters and Challenges contained in the whole sixe Bookes Written by IOHN REYNOLDS PSALME 9. 16. The Lord is knowen in executing Iudgement and the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hand PROVERBS 14. 27. The feare of the Lord is a well-spring of Life to avoyd the snares of death LONDON Printed for WILLIAM LEE and are to bee sold at his shop in Fleetstreet at the signe of the Turkes Head over against Fetter Lane 1635. TO MY SACRED SOVERAIGNE CHARLES KING OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE and IRELAND Defender of the Faith c. SIR AS Rivers though in their passing they fall into many neighbour Currents yet finally empty themselves into the Sea so let these my poore Labours though formerly Dedicated to divers Illustrious Peeres of this your Realme bee suffered at last to terminate in the Ocean of your Princely Greatnesse and Goodnesse whereinto all vertuous endeavours as so many lines in their Centre desire to be united What private respests might challenge of me towards their Honors the same towards your Majesty will claime the publicke Bond of Common Allegiance whereby I am more eminently and more universally obliged I am not so overâ—… weening of my weake Endeavours as to thinke them worthy of your Majesties view much lesse able to adde any thing to your Royall Uertues Rivers adde nothing to the Maine yet thither they naturally send the Tribute of their Streames and if my Loyaltie reach me to doe the like it will not I hope be conceived as done out of an opinion of Merit but onely out of a desire to discharge the Duty of a Subject to your Majestie And I am the rather imboldned to this Confidence because I have formerly adventured the like when to your Princely View being then the Second Hope of this Kingdome I about eleven yeares since presented a Translation of a Worke of Monsieur de Refuges intituled A Treatise of the Court the Gratious and Undeserved Acceptance whereof if it hath inspired me with farther Courage to present You now advanced to a greater State with a greater Increase of mine owne Labour your Majestie will not I hope condemne me of groundlesse Presumption The former three Bookes had the Honour and Happinesse to bee perused by the Iudicious Eye of King IAMES your Renowned Father of happy Memory In whose incomparable Iudgement they failed not of Approbation though Dedicated to Inferiour Names the more am I now incouraged to Inscribe and Intitle the whole Sixe to your Sacred Majesty as being no lesse Heire of His Uertues then of His Crowne and Dignitie And one thing more arising from the Consideration of the Subject it selfe made me thinke it a Present not altogether unworthy of your Regall Estate for the Contents of it being the Execution of Iustice upon the unnaturall Sinne of Murther where can it bee more fitly addressed then to the Great Patron of Iustice among us God's immediate Vicegerent by whose Sword as the Minister of Heaven such odious Crimes are to bee chastised and Innocent Bloud justly expiated with Guilty And it may more fitly sute with your Majesty who as you excell in the carefull Administration of Iustice upon all Offenders so especially upon those most hainous of all others the Violaters of Gods sacred Image in the perpetration of wilfull Murther towards whom Clemencie even changeth her nature and becomes Cruelty to the Weal-publicke Never had any Land lesse cause to complaine of too much Indulgencie this way then ours as may well appeare both by the rarenesse of such Occurrences in your Kingdome and the severe vindication of them whensoever they happen or by whom or howsoever performed These Histories therefore which may serve as a Looking-glasse to all Nations shall to these of Yours be a speciall Ornament and Mirrour of their felicity and set forth and publish Your Praise in the peaceable and quiet Government of your People whose Climate seldome or never affords such Tragedies nor will doe whiles Your Christian resolution shall continue to prevent them in the Spring and to punish the lighter degrees of Bloudinesse with due retaliation The great Author of Iustice who is Goodnesse and Iustice it selfe long preserve your Majesty to Vs and the Happinesse Wee enjoy in your Sacred Person so neere resembling Him whose Authority and Image You beare So prayeth Your Majesties most humbly devoted in all Dutifull Allegiance IOHN REYNOLDS THE AVTHOR HIS PREFACE TO THE READER CHRISTIAN Reader we cannot sufficiently bewaile the Iniquity of these last and worst dayes of the world in which the crying and scarlet sinne of Murther makes so ample and so bloody a progression for we can now searce turne our eare or eye any where but wee shall be enforced either to heare with pitty the mournefull effects or to see with griefe the lamentable Tragedies thereof as if we now so much degenerated from our selves or our hearts from our soules to thinke that Christ were no longer our Shepheard or we the sheepe of his Pasture or as if we were become such wretched and execrable Atheists to beleeve There were no Heaven to reward the Righteous or Hell to punish the ungodly But if we will divert our hearts from Earth to Heaven and raise and erect our soules from Satan to God we shall then not onely see what engendereth this Diabolicall passion in us but also find the meanes to detest and roote it out from amongst us To which end it is requisite wee first consider that our enemies who oppose our tranquillity in this life and our felicity in that to come are neither so few in number nor so weake in power that we should thinke our selves able to vanquish ere we fight with them for wee have to encounter with the bewitching World the alluring Flesh and the inticing Devill not with three simple Souldiers or poore Pigmies but with three valiant and puissant Chief-taines subtill to incampe dangerous to assaile and powerfull to fight The World that it may bewitch us to its
many teares and farre fetched sighes he lastly bids the world farewell when enviting the Executioner to doe his Office he is turned over And such was the vitious life and deserved death of this Execrable Sonne and bloody Villaine Maurice wherein I must confesse that although his end were shamefull and sharpe yet it was by farre too too milde for the foulenesse of his crime in so cruelly murthering his deere Mother Christina whom the Lawes both of Nature and Grace commanded him to preserve and cherish Yea let all Sonnes and Daughters of all ages and ranckes whatsoever looke on this bloody and disasterous example of his with feare and feare to commit the like by the sight of his punishment It is a History worthy both of our meditation and detestation whether we cast our eyes on his drunkennesse or fix our thoughts and hearts on his murther Those who love and feare God are happy in their lives and fortunate in their deaths but those who will neither feare nor love him very seldome proove fortunate in the one never happy in the other and to the rest of our sins if wee once consent and give way to adde that scarlet and crying one of Murther that blood which we untimely send to Earth will in Gods due time draw downe vengeance on our Heads from Heaven Charity is the marke of a Christian and the shedding of Innocent blood either that of an Infidell an Atheist or a Devill O therefore let us affect and strive to hate it in others and so wee shall the better know how to detest and abhorre it in our selves which that we may all know to our comforts and remember to our consolaâ—…itions direct us O Lord our God and so we shall bee directed FINIS THE TRIVMPHS OF GODS REVENGE AGAINST THE CRYING AND Execrable Sinne of Murther Expressed In thirty severall Tragicall Histories digested into six Bookes which containe great variety of mournfull and memorable Accidents Amorous Morall and Divine Booke IV. Written by IOHN REYNOLDS LONDON ¶ Printed by Iohn Haviland for VVILLIAM LEE and are to be sold at his shop in Fleetstreet at the signe of the Turks-Head neere the Mitre Taverne 1634. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE PHILIP EARLE OF PEMBROKE and Montgomery Lo. Chamberlaine to the King one of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter RIGHT HONOURABLE HAving formerly dedicated the third Book of these my Tragicall Histories of Gods Revenge against Murder to your Incomparable Lord and Brother William Earle of Pembroke who now lives with God I therefore held my selfe bound by the double obligation of my duty and your own generous merits likewise to present this Fourth Booke to your Protection and Patronage because as England so Europe perfectly knowes that you are as true an heire to his Vertues as to his Fortunes and to his Goodnesse as to his Greatnesse and that therfore it may properly be said he is not dead because they as well as himselfe do still survive and live in you with equall lustre and glory as having made either a happie Metamorphosis or a blessed Transmigration into your Noble breast and resolutions and therefore as it was my sincere respects and zeale to his Honour that then drew me to that ambition so it is entirely the same which hath now both invited and induced me to this prâ—…sumption to your Lordship having no other ends or object in this my Dedication but that this booke of mine having the honour to be countenanced by so great a personage and the felicity to be protected by so honourable a Mecaenas may therefore encounter the more safely with the various humors it shall meet with and abide more securely the different censures of this our too fastidious age How these Histories or the memorable accidents which they containe and relate will relish with your Lordships palate or judgement I know not Only because you are a Noble Son of Gods Church and an Excellent Servant to your Prince and Countrey I therfore rather hope than presume that your Honor will at least be pleased to see if not delight to know and consider how the Triumphs of Gods Revenge and punishments doth herein secretly and providently meet with this crying and scarlet sinne of premeditated Murther and with the bloudy and inhumane Perpetrators thereof who hereby as so many mercilesse Butchers and prodigious Monsters of mankind doe justly make themselves odious to Men and execrable to God and his Angels God hath deservedly honoured your Lordship with the favour of two great Earthly Kings your Soveraignes as first of our royallKing Iames the father and now of our present most Renowned King Charles his Son and yet this externall Honour and favour of theirâ—… is no way so glorious to you as that maugre the reigning vices of the world you serve the true God of heaven in the purity of your heart and feare and adore him in the integrity of your Soule And to represent you with naked Truth and not with Eloquence or Adulation This Heavenly Piety of yours I beleeve is the prime reason and true Essentiall cause of all this your earthly Honour and sublunary Greatnesse and that this is it likewise which doth so rejoyce your heart and inrich and replenish your House with so numerous and Noble an Issue of hopefull and flourishing Children who as so many Olive branches of Vertue and Syents and Plants of Honour doe both inviron your Bed and surround your Table and who promise no lesse than futurely to magnifie the bloud and to perpetuate and immortalize the Illustrious Name and Family of the Herberts to all Posterity Goe on resolutely and constantly Noble Lord in your religious Piety to God and in your Candide and unstained Fidelity to your Prince and Countrey that your life may triumph o're your death and your Vertues contend to out-shine your Fortunes and that hereafter God of his best favour and mercy may make you as blessed and as glorious a Saint in Heaven as now you are a great Peere and Noble Pillar here on Earth which none shall pray for with more true zeale nor desire or wish with more reall and unfained affection than Your Honours devoted and Most humble Servant Iohn Reynolds The Grounds and Contents of these Histories History XVI Idiaques causeth his sonne Don Ivan to marrie Marsillia and then commits Adultery and Incest with her She makes her Father in Law Idiaques to poyson his old wife Honoria and likewise makes her owne brother De Perez to kill her Chamber-maid Mathurina Don Ivan afterwards kils De Perez in a Duell Marsillia hath her braiâ—… dasht out by a horse and her body is afterwards condemned to be burnt Idiaques is beheaded his body consumed to ashes and throwne into the ayre History XVII Harcourt steales away his brother Vimoryes wife Masserina and keepes her in Adulterie She hireth Tivoly an Italian Mountebanke to poyson La Precoverte who was Harcourts wife
hereat but how to remedy it she knowes not For his discontent hath made him so vicious his vices so obstinate and his obstinacie so outragious and violent as his Mother surfets with his Love-sute to Eleanora and will no more entermeddle with it Hee prayes and reprayes her to make one Iourney more for him to Vercelie to see what alterations time may have wrought in the hearts of Cassino and Eleanora but shee is as averse and wilfull as he is obstinate and peremptory and therefore constantly vowes neither to write nor ever to conferre more with them herein But this resolute answer of the Mother breeds bad blood in the Sonne yea it makes a Mutiny in his thoughts a Civill warre in his heart and a flat Rebellion in his resolutions against her for the same to which the Devill the Arch-enemy and Incendiary of our soules blowes the Coles For he who hereâ—…ofore looked on his Mother with obedience and affection cannot or at least will not see her now but with contempt and malice yea hee is so devoid of Grace and so exempt of Goodnesse that hee lookes from Charitie to wrath from Religion to Revenge from Heaven to Hell and so resolves to murther her thinking with himselfe that if hee had once dispatcht her he should then be sole Lord of all her wealth and that then this his great and absolute estate would soone induce Cassino and Eleanora to accept of his affection But he reckons without his soule and without God and therefore no marvell if these his bloody hopes deceive and betray him his Religion and Conscience cannot prevaile with him neither hath his Soule either grace or power enough to divert him from this fatall busines and execrable resolution for he will be so infernall a Monster of nature as to act her death of whom he received his life He consults with himselfe and the Devill with him whether hee should stab or poyson her but he holds it farre more safe and lesse dangerous to use the Drug then the Dagger and so concludes upon poyson to which â—…nd he being resolute in his rage thus to make away his Mother he as an execrable Villaine or indeed rather as a Devill provides himselfe of poyson the which hee still carries about him waiting for an opportunitie to give an end to this deplorable busines the which the Devill very shortly administreth him The manner thus This refusall of Cassino to her Sonne Alphonso and his miserable relapse to whoredome drunkennesse and neglect of prayer doth exceedingly distemper the Lady Sophia his Mothers spirits and they her body so that she is three dayes sicke of a Burning feaver when to allay the fervor of that unaccustomed heate shee causeth some Almond-milke to bee made her the which shee compoundeth with many coole herbes and other wholesome Ingredients of that nature and quality which she takes three times each day morning after dinner and before shee goes to bed So the third day of her sicknesse walking in the afternoone in one of the shaddowed Allies of her Garden with her Sonne and there with her best advice rectifying and directing his resolutions from Vice to Vertue she is unexpectedly surprised with the Symptome of her Feaver when sitting downe and causing her waiting Maid to hold her head in one of the Arbours she prayes her Sonne Alphonso to runne to her Chamber and to bring her a small wicker Bottle of Almond milke the which he doth but bloody Villaine that he is nothing can withhold him but his heart being tempered with inhumanitie and crueltie hee first poures in his poyson therein and then gives it her who good Lady drinkes two great draughts thereof when a sweat presently over spreading her face and shee beginning to looke pale he as a wretched Hypocrite makes a loud outcry from the Garden to the house and calling there Servants to her assistance hee likewise cals for a Chaire so she is brought to her Chamber and laid in her bed and within few houres after as a vertuous Lady and innocent Saint she forsakes this life and this world for a better and the ignorance of her Servants and her bloody Sonne drench'd as it were in the rivolets of his fained teares together with his excessive lamentations doe coffin her dead body up somewhat privately and speedily so that there is no thought nor suspicion of poyson and thus was the lamentable Murther and deplorable end of this wise and religious Lady Sophia committed by her owne wretched and infernall Sonne Now this Devill Alphonso to set the better luster on his forrowes and the better varnish and colour on his mourning for the death of his Mother gives her a stately Funerall the pompe and cost whereof not only equalized but exceeded their ranke and quality For he left no Gentleman or Lady in or about Cassall uninvited to be at her buriall and his Feast and dighted himselfe and all his Kinsfolkes and Servants in mourning attire thereby the better to carry off the least reflexion or shaddow of suspicion from him of this his foule and inhumane Murther The newes of the Lady Sophia's death runs from Cassall to Vercelie where Cassino and his Neece Eleanora understanding thereof they both of them exceedingly lament and sorrow for it in regard she was a very Honourable Wise and Religious Lady and to whom the tender youth of Eleanora was infinitly beholding and indebted for many of her sweet vertues and perfections so that as her Vncle honoured her so this his Neece held her selfe bound to reverence her as making her eminent and singular vertues the mould and patterne whereon shee framed all her terrestriall comportments and actions which in few moneths after were so many and so excellent that as she was knowne to bee one of the most beautifull so shee was likewise justly reported to be one of the wisest young Ladies of all that Citie and Countrie which together with her owne great Estate as also that of her Vncle Cassino's to the full enjoying whereof in contemplation of her vertues and consanguinity he had justly both designed and adopted her his sole heire the which made her to be sought in marriage by divers young Gallants of very noble and chiefe houses most whereof were superiour to Alphonso both in blood and wealth When her Vncle at last with her owne free affection and consent privately marries her to Signior Hieronymo Brasciano a rich and brave young Gentleman of Vercelie who was Nephew and Heire to the Bishop of that Citie but he being likewise very young the tendernesse of both their ages dispenced them from as yet lying together and both the Bishop and her Vncle Cassino for some important reasons best knowne to themselves caused this their marriage as yet to bee concealed from all the world with great privacie and secrecie hee for the most part living with the Bishop his Vncle at the Citie of Turin which is the Court of the Duke of Savoy and she in Vercelie
now the consideration of De Mora's great wealth and nobilitie makes him fully to disdaine him and commands his daughter likewise to doe the same But shee not considering the premises and loving Palura's youth as much as shee hated De Mora's age shee was neverthelesse so inconstant by nature and so proud and ambitious by sex as she could find in her heart and resolution rather to bee a rich Lady than a poore Gentlewoman and so to leave Palura to espouse and marrie De Mora but first her crime her conscience makes her send for Palura and seriously to consider and debate hereon with him which they doe so Palura perceiving by Bellindas lookes and observing by her sâ—…eeches that De Mora's wealth was far more powerfull with her than his poverty and that shee notwithstanding still aimed to keepe him for her husband and himselfe for her friend hee at last tells her that hee will consent and content himselfe that shee shall marry Don Alonso De Mora conditionally that shee will first â—…aithfully promise him to grant and performe him three requests and artâ—…les So shee bids him propose them to her the which hee doth to this effect 〈◊〉 that hee shall still have the use and pleasure of her bâ—…dy as here â—…ofore and aâ—… oâ—…en as hee pleaseth secondly that from time to time she shall be â—…ow some competency of De Moras wealth on him to support his weake estate and poverty and thirdly that if De Mora die before him that within three moneths after his death shee shall then marry him Which three unjust demands and ungodâ—…y conditions of â—…alura's his sweet heart Bellinda betwixt sighes and smiles immediatly grants him yea shee feales them with many oathes and confirmes them with a world of kisses and to adde the more pâ—…tie I may truly say the more prophanesse to this their contract and attonement they fall to the ground on their knees and invoking God and his Angels for witnesses hereof they with their hands and kisses againe ratifie and confirme it but poore sinfull soules how doth Sathan abuse you and your intemperate and lascivious lusts betray you for God will not be mocked and his holy Angels cannot be deluded by these your blasphemies and impieâ—…ies for you shall in the end see with griefe and feele with repentance that this vicious league and obscoene contract of yours will produce you nothing but shame misery and confusion of all sides By this time is Bellinda's moneth expired which shee gave her father and De Mora for her resolution of marriage and now doe they both of them repaire to her to understand and receive it when her pride and ambition having far more prepared and disposed her tongue than her affection shee as if shee were a pure Virgin yea a Diana for chastitie making a low reverence to her father and a great respectfull courtesie to De Mora delivers her resolution to them in these tearmes that in humble obedience to her father and true affection and zeale to Don Alonso De Mora God hath now so disposed her heart and mind that shee is resolved to wait on his commands and to bee his hand-maid and wife whensoever hee shall please to make himselfe her Lord and husband This answer of Bellinda is so pleasing to her father and so sweet and deâ—…icious to De Mora that in acceptance of her love and requitall of her consent hee gives her many kisses and then claps a great chaine of pearle enterlaced with sparkes of Diamonds about her necke and an exceeding rich Diamond ring on her finger and so most solemnly contracts himselfe to her and within eight daies after in great pompe state braverie marries her whereat his kinsfolkes and friends and all the nobilitie and gentrie of these parts doe very much admire and wonder some condemning his folly in marrying so poore and so young a gentlewoman others praising and applauding her good fortune in matching with so rich and so great a Nobleman Here wee see the marriage of De Mora and Bellinda but wee shall not goe far before wee see what sharpe and bitter sweet fruits it produceth for here truth gives a law to my will and so commands mee to relate and discover that hee is too old for her youth and shee too young for his age yea her I must crave excuse of modestie to affirme that shee is so immodest as shee finds him not to bee so bold and brave a cavallier as shee expected in regard his best performance to her consists oâ—…ly in desire Thus being in bed together whiles hee turnes to his rest so doth shee to her repentance but shee knowes how to repaire and remedy this her misfortune for whiles her husband De Mora only kisseth her shee in her heart and mind kisseth and embraceth her young and sweet Palura who many times comes over in shew to visit her husband 〈◊〉 effâ—…ct to 〈◊〉 and as formerly so now hee â—…sciviously 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 in a word very often performes and acts that 〈…〉 husband cannot Now within lesse than two moneths 〈…〉 seeing that hee is not capable to deserve much â—…sse to 〈…〉 dainties of his wives youth and beautie and 〈◊〉 â—…ving alâ—… that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begins to disrespect and sleight him and yet that shee 〈…〉 pleasant to all gentlemen who aâ—…oord and 〈◊〉 his house 〈…〉 on her now hee growes jealous of her and so far forgetâ—… 〈…〉 selfe that he curseth all those who in right of the lawes of 〈…〉 honour come to kisse her but more especially Palura 〈…〉 his house and so frequently conversing with his young Lady 〈…〉 on makes him jealous and his jealousie confident that with too 〈…〉 and dishonestie he usurps upon his free hold dishonoureth him in â—…ing his bed and defiling his wife the which to discover 〈…〉 her of her libertie so that she sees and grieves to see her selfe to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much her husbands prisoner as his wife yea hee sets 〈◊〉 eyâ—… 〈◊〉 as so many Sentinells to watch her and her actions and for himselfe 〈◊〉 jealousie gives him more eyes than ever Argus had to espie out what familiaritie 〈◊〉 betweene her and her sweet heart Palura Bellinda takes this discourtesie and hard measure of her husband in verie ill part at his hands yea she bites the lip thereat and though out wardly shee seeme to grieve and sorrow yet inwardly shee vowes to requite and revenge it he is so jealous of her and so fearefull that she plaies false play with him that as soone as ever Palura comes to his house hee carries his eye and eare everie where to see if hee can espie and hearken out 〈◊〉 and his wives love-trickes together yea hee is so eurious in this quest and so vigilant and turbulent on this his research and disquisition as if hee delighted to â—…ow that whereof it were his happines to be ignorant or as if hee had an â—…ing desire to make his glory prove his
next to Palura's sight and presence was the chiefest joy of her heart and the sweetest felicity and content of her mind the which considering she therefore absolutely beleeves that the detection and perusall of this letter was the sole cause of her Lord and husbands jealousie as that was of her sweet Palura's death wherein indeed shee is nothing deceived for some six weekes after hee feturnes home to her from Lisbone where in favour of his Noble birth and discent of his many great friends and of a huge some of money hee in absence of the Viceroy had obtained his pardon from the chamber of that cittie and the very first salutations that hee gave his Lady Bellinda the which I know not whether hee delivered to her with more contempt or choler was thus Minion quoth hee how many prayers and oraysons hast thou said for the soule of thy Ruffion and adulterer Palura when she being exceedingly galled to the heart with these his scandalous speeches she yet to justifie her owne honour and innocency dissembles her griefe for Palura's death as much as her jealous husband triumphes and insults thereat and so frames him this short reply that Palara was not her adulterer but a Gentleman of honour and therefore shee besought God to forgive him his owne heynous sinne and execrable crime for so fouly basely murthering of him De Mora nettled with this his Ladies apologie and justification which hee knew to bee as false as her and Palura's crime of adultery was true hee produceth this letter to her then reads it her and in a great rage and fury immediately teres and burnes it before her face now although the sight and knowledge of this letter as also her husbands burning thereof doe exceedingly vex and perplex our Lady Bellinda yet shee was herewith no way daunted but againe very boldly tels him that she cannot prevent any Gentleman to write and send her a letter and although in the conclusion of this his letter to her had simply and sinisterly mentioned kisses and embraces yet shee peremptorily vowed and swore to him that the first had not exceeded the bounds of civility nor the last violated the lawes and rules of honour so wise and politicke was she in her answers so false and hyppocriticall in her justification towards her husband The which he well observing and understanding as also with what a pleasing grace shee spake it his owne lustfull age yet still doting on the freshnes of the youth and beauty of this his young wife seeing that Palura who was the cause and object of his jealousie was now removed and dead he therefore for the preservation of his owne honour and reputation in that of his Ladies doth content himselfe so fat as to bury the greatest part of his discontent and jealousie against her in the dust of oblivion or in that of Palura's grave and to that end he afords her his table still and his bed sometimes as if that obligation of courtesie would reclaime her lascivious thoughts and againe call home her wanton desires to chastity and honour neverthelesse the better to effect and compasse it hee much restraines her of her former liberty and debars her the company and sight of all Gentlemen whatsoever that come to his house A peevish custome which the husbands of Spaine Portugall and Italy tirannically use towards their Ladies whereas contrariwise the Ladies and Gentlewomen of England and France are far more happie because more chaste and honourable towards their husbands in using and not abusing this their liberty and freedome Bellinda with a watchfull eye and a wanton heart observes these passages and comportments of her husband De Mora towards her and in observing laughes at them but because her lascivious mind incessantly tels her that there is no hell to that of a discontented bed therefore hating his age as much as hee loves her youth her Paluro being dead she forth with resolves to make choice of another lover and at what rate soever not to trifle away her time and her youth idly but to passe it a way in the amorous delights of carnall voluptuousnes and sensuality To which effect missing of other Gentlemen and therefore enforced to make a vertue of necessitie she forgetting her selfe her honour makes choice of Ferallo her owne Gentleman-usher a man every way as proper as shee is faire and as well timbred as shee is beautifull and neere of her owne yeares which as yet had not exceeded one and twenty to Ferallo therefore shee freely imparts her affections and favours who as freely receives and as joyfully and amorously entertaines both her them so that to write the best of truth and modesty I must here affirme that as hee was formerly his Ladies usher now hee makes himselfe his Lords follower unknowen to him very often ties her shooc-strings and takes up her maske and gloves for her and many times when the old Nobleman is a sleepe then this ignoble couple of unchaste lovers are waking to their obscoene pleasures and secretly sacrificing up their lascivious desires to wanton Cupid the sonne and to lustfull Venus the mother but they shall find wormewood intermixed in this honey and gall in this sugar For three moneths together our Bellinda the mistris and Ferallo the man drowne themselves in the impietie of these their carnall delights and pleasuâ—…es as if they made it their â—…elicity and glory to continue the practise and profession thereof but at the end and expiration of this time as close as they beare this their adulterous familiarity from De Mora it comes to his knowledge by an unexpected accident and meanes for the reader must understand that Ferallo was heretofore dishonestly familiar with his Lady Bellinda's waiting Gentlewoman named Herodia whom under pretext and colour of marriage hee had many times used at his lascivious pleasure so that Herodia seeing that Ferallo's affections were now wholly transported from her selfe to her Lady Bellinda and that hee sleighted and disdained her to embrace and adore the other she is so inraged with jealousie at the knowledge and consideration thereof as she cals a counsell in her heart and thoughts what to doe herein how to prevent it and againe how to reclaime regaine Ferallo and his affection from her Lady to her selfe and shee is so inflamed with jealousie towards them as shee can reape no peace by day of her mind nor rest by night of her heart before shee have effected it to which end having ranne over a whole world of remedies and expedients shee at last resolves on this to acquaint her Lord and master De Mora with this unchaste and obscoene familiarity betweene his Lady Bellinda and her lover Ferallo and her rage is so outragious as with infinite malice and celerity she performes it At which unexpected and unwell-comed newes our old Lord De Mora hath now his heart a new set on fire with jealousie and malice both towards his Lady
her blew silke garters then lockes the chamber doore and very secretly and surely conveyes and throwes in the key within side then descends to the garden where calling Hellena another of her waiting Gentlewomen to her shee bids her fetch her prayer booke and thus away she goes towards their parish-Church of Saint Iulians on foot which by computation was some halfe a small league distant off their house and forbids any man servant to waite or attend on her thither She is not a furlong off but the more closely to finish her designe shee there purposely sends away her maid Hellena to the parish-Church before her with this invented and colourable errand to seeke out her owne Priest father Sebastian and to prepare him then to say masse to her the which Hellena doth Now the midway betweene her house and the Church is a great deepe pond by the which shee is to passe but a little before shee drawes neere it a poore old maimed Souldiour being cashiered from the Garison of the castle of Castcayes named Roderigo travelling towards his home and seeing this Lady all alone and observing the sweetnes of her beauty and the richnesse of her apparell and attire his poverty inforceth and incourageth him to request and begge an almes of her the which with much humility hee doth But the Lady Bellinda's heart and thoughts were so much surprised and taken up with cruelty as shee knew not what belonged to charitie and therefore having other busines and windmils in her head shee is so offended with Roderigo's begging importunity as flatly refusing to give him any almes shee forgets her selfe so far as in steed thereof shee gives him many harsh words and at last sends him away with some unkind and foule speeches the which poore Roderigo tooke so ill at her hands that in the fumes of a Souldiour hee once thought to have requited it either on her person or her apparell but then againe by her port and bravery deeming her to bee some great neighbouring Lady who that morning had purposely left her followers to take the sweetnes of the aire and therefore fearing his danger more than hee loved his profit hee abandoneth that cholericke and insolent resolution of his when taking his leave of her hee some two buts lengths from her betakes him to sit downe at the foot of a great Pine apple tree where he might see her but not shee him and there looking after her with an eye of discontent and indignation hee bewailes his wants and hard fortune and also condemneth the obduratenesse of this unknowen Ladies uncharitable heart towards him and inquiring afterwards of a mike-maid which passed by what shee was he is informed that shee is the Lady Bellinda widdow to the dead Lord Alonso de Mora and now wife to Don Emanuell de Ferallo who hereat doth not a little both grieve and wonder that so rich and great a Lady was guilty of so much uncharitablnes By this time shee being arived to the pond looking about her and beleeving that no mortall eye had seene her she therein throwes her bloody smocke and razor which as formerly I have said shee had tyed fast together with one of her blew silke gatters and the ponderosity of the brasse weight made it instantly to sinke to the bottome whereof shee being infinitly joyfull away shee tripâ—… to the parish Church and there heares Masse and mumbles out many Ave Maries and Pater nosters to her selfe but the whole world ingenerall and the readeâ—… in particular may imagin with what a foule conscience and a prophane and ulcerated soule shee then and there performes this her devotion Now although this our wretched Lady Bellinda have murthered this her second husband Ferallo with wonderfull secresie and buried these bloody evidences thereof in the pond with such admirable care and privacy that shee thinkes it wholly impossible for all the earth to reveale it loe if earth cannot yet now heaven will So heare before I proceed further let mee in the name and feare of God request the Christian reader here to admire and wonder with mee at the mercy and goodnes and at the providence and pleasure of God in his miraculous detection and condigne revenge and punishment thereof for hee must know and understand that it seemes God had purposely brought placed and seated this poore old weary maimed Souldiour Roderigo at the foot of this Pine tree to to be a happie instrument of his praise and a true Sentinell and discoverer both for his sacred justice and divine honour for here although Bellinda carried away her heart and charity from him yet as if guided by some heavenly power and celestiall influence Roderigo could not possibly carry away his eye from her but as closely as shee threw this bloody cloth into the pond hee espies it and which is more very plainely and palpably discernes the whitnes and rednes thereof when considering and thinking with himselfe that this gallant proud Lady Bellinda might bee as unchaste and lascivious as shee was faire and as vitious as she was young God with his immediate finger imprinted in his thoughts and ingraved in his heart and mind that either her selfe or some one of her waiting Gentlewomen had had some bastard and that shee had murthered it and now throwen it into the pond and was so strongly possessed of this conceit and beleife that neither day or night nor nothing under heaven could possibly beate him from it but for a whiles hee resolves to conceale this conceit to himselfe as referring the truth thereof to time and the issue to God And here the order of our history calles us againe from Roderigo to Bellinda who as soone as Masse is done with her waiting Gentlewoman Heâ—… returnes home to her house by that time they arive there it is nine of the clocke where putting a pleasant face upon her false heart and a sweet countenance upon her soyled and sinfull soule shee presently inquires for her husband Don Ferallo her servants make answer that they have not seene him to day and that they think hee is still in bed whereat shee musing and wondering in regard hee was not accustomed to sleepe at so high an houre shee therefore sends some of her servants to his chamber to see if hee be stirring but finding his chamber doore looked and calling aloud to him they can get no answer from him the which they returne and report to their Lady Bellinda who seeming exceedingly to doubt and grieve thereat shee far more perplexed in countenance than heart ascends with them againe to her husbands chamber where they all call and knock aloud at the doore to him and shee far louder than them all but in vaine for still they heare no newes either of him or from him whereat shee begins outwardly to tremble with apprehension and feare and so commands them to force open the doore of his chamber which they instantly doe where they see their Lord and shee her
husband Ferallo to lie breathlesse in his bed all begored and reeking in his hot and warme blood with his throat cut whereat his servants for true griefe and his Lady Bellinda for false sorrow make a lamentable crie and a pittifull out-cry in his chamber which is over heard in all the house but especially the Lady Bellinda her selfe who so artificially dissembleth her joy and so passionately makes demonstration of extreme griefe and affliction for this deplorable death of her Lord and husband both to her servants and to God that shee is all in teares and cannot because shee will not bee comforted thereat they find the chamber doore locked the key within side and his owne bloody knife on his pillow and therefore they easily resolve and conclude that this their Lord and master Ferallo hath willfully made himselfe away and is undoubtedly the author of his owne death which opinion and resolution of the servants their Lady and mistris Bellinda secretly to her selfe relisheth with much applause and approbation and to make her afflictions and sorrowes the more apparant to them and in them consequently to the world shee doth not refraine from excessive weeping and sighing They leave the dead corps untouched in the bed to acquaint the criminall Corigidores of Stremos with this pittifull accident who come and being amazed at this bloody disaster and accident of Ferallo they veiwing the infinitie of his Ladies teares and the sorrowfull complaints and exclamations of his servants as also considering their severall depositions and examinations and seeing they found his chamber doore fast locked the key within side and his owne bloody knife by him on his pillow they all concurre with them in opinion about the manner and quality of his death and doe absolutely beleeve and affirme that hee hath desperately made himselfe a way which opinion of theirs is presently received voyced and rumored in Stremos and in all the adjacent parishes and country and yet many curious wits in regard of Bellinda's youthfull affections and wanton disposition speake very differently hereof And now doth this our sorrowfull young widdow the better to support her fame and reputation to the world bury this her second husband Ferallo with all requisite ceremony and decency But as the justice and judgements of God conducted by his divine pleasure and inscrutable providence doth many times goe on slowly but still soundly and surely so wee must here againe produce and bring forth our lame old Souldiour Roderigo to act another part on the stage and Theatre of this history Hee is still the same man and still retaines his same former opinion that undoubtedly it was some dead child or bastard which hee saw the Lady Bellinda to throw into the pond and his heart incessantly prompted by his suspition doth still confidently suggest and assure him that that bloody cloth of hers contained some secret invelloped some shamefull mistery towards her which hee thinks all the water of the pond could not deface or wash away so that he now understanding of her husband Ferallo's disasterous bloody end doth no way diminish but rather every way augment this his suspition and jealousie hereof Wee must further understand that Roderigo the better to refresh his body to replenish his purse and to repaire his apparell staies soâ—…e three weekes in Stremos and although hee bee a Souldiour and have his sword by his side yet being out of action and pay hee is not ashamed to begge the almes and courtesies of the Gentlemen Ladies and Gentlewomen both in ne ereabout that cittie Among the rest understanding of the Lady Bellinda's great wealth and dignity hee therefore hopes that her new sorrowes and mourning for the untimely death of her husband will now makâ—… her as compassionate to his poverty in her house as lately shee was discourteous and uncharitable to him in the fields whereupon hee repaires thither to her but for three daies together hee is not so happie to speake with her or to see her but being still prest by his poverty and againe emboldned by the consideration of what hee saw her cast into the pond hee the fourth day finds her walking in the next meadow adjoining to her house attended by two of her men-servants and two waiting Gentlewomen all clad in mourning apparell when with a boldnesse worthy of a poore distressed Souldiour hee advanceth to the Lady Bellinda where interrupting her private walkes and distracting her secret thoughts and meditations hee with much observance againe begges some charity of her whereat shee being offended because her heart and mind neither thought nor cared for an old Souldiour but were wholly fixed on some desired new Gallant young husband shee verie cholerikly disdaines him and his request and with much passion and indignation to use her owne words commandeth her servants to see this bold beggerly Souldiour depart and packe away both from her and her house Roderigo hearing these her harsh and discourteous speeches and seeing her servants unkind usage and enforcements towards him hee with much discontent and choler leaves her house but in requitall thereof vowes that his revenge shall not so soone leave her for this her second affront to him puts him all in choler and fire towards her so that hee vowes to God and swears to himselfe to use the best of his power and to worke the chiefest of his wits to perpetrate her disgrace When secretly effectually informing himselfe from others that Don Gaspar de Mora who was nephew and generall heire to her first Lord and husband Don Alonso de Mora was at great variance and bitter contention in suit of law with his aunt Bellinda about some lands and much rich moveables and Utensils which shee unjustly detained from him and therefore that hee would bee exceeding glad to entertaine any invention or proposition whatsoever which might heave her out of the quiet enjoying and possession thereof and thereby procure her utter disgrace and ruine Hee repaires to him and secretly yet constantly acqaints him that some three weekes since and the verie morning that Don Ferallo was found murthered in his bed hee saw the Lady Bellinda his wife to throw a white and bloody linnen cloth into the pond which was some halfe quarter of a league from her house wherein God and his conscience told him shee had wrapt and drowned some bastard infant either of hers or of one of her waiting Gentlewomans adding withall that hee could not possibly have any peace of his thoughts before hee had imparted it to him to the end that hee might reveale it to the criminall judges or Corigidores of Stremos to hunt out and examine the truth thereof Don Gaspar de Mora doth as much rejoice as wonder at this unexpected newes and because his inveterate malice to his aunt in law Bellinda perswads him rather to beleeve than doubt it therefore as malice is still naturally swift and prone to revenge being confident of the truth hereof hee leaves all
taking a solemne and sorrowfull farwell of all the world shee puls downe her vaile over her snow-white cheekes and then often crossing her selfe with the signe of the crosse and saying her last in manus â—…ua the executioner with a flaming torch sets fire to the straw and fagots whereof shee presently dies and in lesse than an houre after her body is there consumed burnt to ashes at which all that great concourse of people and spectators in favour to her youth and beauty as much affecting the piety of her death as they hate and detest the cause thereof I meane the infamy and crueltie of her life doe with far more sorrow than joy give a great shout and out-cry When the judges of that cittie now upon knowledge of this Ladies first horrible crime of poysoning her first Lord and husband Don Alonsâ—… De Mora they in detestation thereof being not able to adde either worser infamy or more exquisite and exemplary torments to her living body they therefore partly to bee revenged on her dead ashes doe cause them curiously to bee gathered up and so in the same place by the common hang-man before all the people to bee scattered and throwen in the aire where at they rejoyce and praise God to see the world so fairly rid of so foule and bloody a female monster And thus was the untimely and yet deserved end of this lascivious and cruell hearted Lady Bellinda and in this sharp manner did the Lord of heaven and earth triumph in his just revenge and punishments against her for these her two foule and inhumane crimes of murthering her two husbands May God of his best and divinest mercy make this her history and example to serve as a chrystall mirrour for all men and especially for all women of what condition and qualitie so ever And now Christian reader having by Gods most gratious assistance and providence here finished this entire and last volume of my six bookes of tragicall histories if thou find that thou reape any profit or thy soule any spirituall benefite by the reading and perusall thereof then in the name and feare of God I beseech thee to joyne thy prayers and piety with mine that as in Christian religion and duty wee are bound so for the same wee may jointly ascribe unto God all possible power might Majesty thanksgiving dominion and Glory both now and for ever Amen Amen FINIS Augusti XVIII 1634. REcensui hunc librum cui titulus The sixt booke of the triumphs of Gods revenge upon Murther qui quidem liber continet folia 99 aut circiter in quibus exceptis quae delentur nihil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quò minus cum publicâ utilitate imprimi queat sub eà tamen conditione ut si non intrà annum proximè sequentem typis mandetur haec licentia sit omnino irrita Guilielmus Haywood Capell domest Archiep. Cant. a Psal 23. 1. b Psal. 100. 3. c Mat. 25. 34. 41 d 1 Ioh. 2. 16. e Col. 3. 5. f 1 Pet. 5 8. g Revel 12. 9. h Ioh 12. 31. Ephes. 6. 12. i 2 Cor. 11. 14. k Luk. 4. 6. 7. l Gen. 1. 27. Psal. 115. 6. m Ioh. 10. 21. 11. 25. o Gen. 2. 7. p Gen. 1. 28. q Isay. 43. 21. r Heb. 13. 14. s Psal. 102 3. Isay 40. 7. t Psal. 39. 5. u 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x Coloss. 3. 〈◊〉 y Ephes. 6. 〈◊〉 b Rom. 5. 3. c Iames 1. 2. d Iam. 1. 13 14. e Psal. 73. 23. f Psal. 9. 10. g Psal. 18. 2. h Hos. 6. 1. i Iames 1. 12. k Psal. 125. 1. l 1. Ioh. 2. 11. m 1 Ioh. 4. 10. n Ephes. 4. 26. o 1 Pet. 3. 9. p Coloss. 3 13. r Psal. 145. 8. s Gen. 4. 8. t 2 Sam. 11. 17. u 2 Sam. 3. 27. x 1 Kin. 21. 13. y 2 Kin. 21. 1. z Psa. 7. 14 15 a Iam. 5. 13. b Psal. 61. 8. c Exod. 15. 15 c Deut. 30. 20. d Psal. 104. 31