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
removed from his heart But as youth is like soft wax that receives all forts of impressions and keeps not one so Philippin promises what one would have him being resolv'd not to maintain any thing that the apprehension of fear makes him say his love being far stronger then his fear When retired from his fathers sight like a Criminal from the Tribunal of his Judge it was then he blamed himself of weakness and want of courage and giving himself a thousand injurious names accusing his fearfulness and protesting a new loyalty and service to this Idol which swam in his fancy he rubbed his sore and invenomed his wound by this constraint disanuling all he had said in prejudice of his promise he renews his meetings and secret practises with Herman But being sold by his Lacquays in whom he trusted most who for hansel of their treachery put many of his letters and those of Isabels into the hands of Timoleon by which he understood that reciprocal promises had been given on both sides which made him enter into such an extream choler as he had never had the like sometime threatning to ruine Pyrrhe and all his house and then to be revenged on his son for this disobedience as also to publish the shame of Isabella Being transported to these extremities by his choler he calls his son the second time and after having reviled him with all the outragious speeches that could be imagined esteemed this relapse worse then his first fault This young Lyon having taken courage for the shame of his last flight like him which said of himself If I fled at the first encounter it was to return the second time to fight with more resolution setting aside those invective speeches of his father which his duty bound him to endure after some holy protestations of the honour and reverence which he would always give him he told him plainly and in a fashion of that height more then the spirit of Timoleon could endure that he would lose a thousand lives rather then to fail in the least point of his love that his honour was engaged by word and by writing and that his soul should never receive other impression but that of Isabella's the which was a Gentlewoman and of that birth as she could receive no reproach for her Nobility having no other wants but the goods of fortune esteeming rather to chuse a wife which had vertues and perfections in abundance then one with great wealth which should have nothing more unpleasing then herself and that this affection of his was led rather by reason then passion honour and marriage having been the end of his pretensions and if there Were any thing worthy reprehension it was his carriage not any thing in Isabella or Herman and for himself he was resolved never to leave their friendships for all the violence could be used on him chusing rather to suffer the extremity of cruelty and the worst of indignities which should be like flames to purifie his fidelity to the proof And as God lives answered Timoleon we will see whose head is best yours or mine How now Gallant what scarce born and are you at your defiance with me I 'll make thee as supple as glove and to bend to my will and break that stubborn will of yours though it cost me my life and goods and yours too I will teach you the duty of a son and the authority of a father said he And so turning from him he commanded to put Philippin in a chamber which served for a prison to the end to teach this young bird to sing another tune Philippin goes very joyfully contented to give a testimony of his firmness and constancie of his flames But that which put him in an extream agony was to hear that his father having searched his chamber and his secret Cabinet wherein were his sweetest tyes amongst a thousand Letters seised of the Promise of Isabella at which he made a trophie of mockery and laughter and would have made a sacrifice of it and of his choler to the fire For now as being transported what says he not against his father and his ill fortune and against heaven Truly those things which ought not to be repeated but throughly blamed Yet nevertheless comforting himself upon the word of his Mistress which he esteemed beyond all the writings in the world he resolves upon the common remedy of all the ills of the world Patience Not but that the wearisomness of a prison was extreamly sensible to this stirring spirit active and full of heat yet in this extream youth which is nothing but fire and life the tediousness is redoubled by being deprived of news which served at least in this his constraint of liberty to diminish his flame Before he hoped all and feared nothing now fears all and hath no hope But in the faith of the brother and sister He fears that those Letters should come to the hand of Pyrrhe and Valentine they would not take occasion to ease their childrens ill His thoughts are so troubled as when he rests in this prison he thinks he is invironed with a thousand thorns he suspects all which come near him as he had reason being made so many spies by Timoleon's means He wants wherewith to corrupt them this metal which changes courages fails him and his servants whom his father had made his dare not yield to pitty this young Lord. He thinks to entertain them with discourse yet seeing pitty dead in some and affection in others refused all to entertain himself with his own private thoughts the onely recreation that accompanied him which in stead of diverting him nourished his displeasures 'T is Musick which hath that property to make them merry which are content and those which are sad more melancholy He plays reasonable well on the Lute and sings well enough for a young Cavalier who was more given to violent exercises then to these sweet and peaceable One day for to expell the grief he felt in these words expressing Hopeless and helpless in my sad distress I sink my griefs admitting no redress Thus the imprisoned Philippin comforted himself the best it was possible But at last being not able to bear this weak and melancholy life nor having any with whom he might freely converse his thoughts giving way to the vehemencie of his desires he was constrained to yield himself to the mercy of a sickness which brought him so low as within a foot of his grave had it not been for his youth good temper and strong disposition with the help of the Physitians and good means applied he was even at the last point to lose his life and that most affected the sad father to see at point of death his onely son Knowing the cause which brought him to this pittifull estate he repented a thousand times the cruelties he had used an hundred times he promised him but with words far from the thoughts of heart to give him Isabel to wife
reserving after the recovering of her liberty the punishment of this madness even with the sword if there were occasion and to purge him by this means of his error and folly And as she was practised in the arts of love knowing well how to counterfeit the person of a Maid that is easie to be won Roboald imagines he may win her heart and make himself as well as Philippin possessor of her body He flatters her and speaks of love but in such generall terms that he left always place to some exception and made as if he sighed for an object absent but she sees well that it was her presence that drew these sighs from his breast Here are two cunning Gamesters that play who shall be cozened Roboald protests he would not entertain her with so ill discourse as that of his affections if they were not sincere and legitimate But it being the greatest comfort one can have in their sorrows to communicate them to a faithfull friend and he thinking she had felt for Philippin all the stings that this passion is accustomed to incite in their hearts that receive it Thy counsel can asswage my swelling grief And to my sufferings give me some relief It is true replied Isabel that I might give some sort of remedy to your wound if I knew the particularities but there is nothing more needfull to a singular evil then general remedy for according to the circumstances it changes ordinarily the face of the business Roboald besought her to excuse him that he could not declare to her the cause of his unquietness for fear to be held too presumptuous that would would plunge him rather into despair then any way bring him consolation esteeming it less worthy of healing then of blame Isabel whose eyes were so piercing as they saw into his darkest thoughts and into this breast covered with the cloud of dissimulation excused herself also to give remedy to an evil she was ignorant of and complains on the other side of the small confidence Roboald had in her draws him insensibly to discover his design just as when the birds are in love it is then they are taken with more ease for by the different notes they warble to one another they make themselves fall into the nets and pits finding the end of their lives where they thought to meet and enjoy their pleasures it will take Roboald even so who by an undiscreet love goes to twist a cord to strangle himself It is not without reason that the Antients heve painted Love naked by reason it can conceal not secret from the thing beloved Who knows not how the perfidie of Dalilah by the sweet violence of love drew out the secret of the strength of generous Sampson whom she brought afterwards to his fall and ruine You will understand in this history somthing like that for Roboald in imitation of Sampson after having given some fained excuses to Isabel desiring to make her believe that he loved the daughter of a Gentleman a neighbour there by without daâ—ing by any demonstration to make shew of his thoughts resolves rather to die an obscure death then to make known a design so presumptuous Isabel that saw well that her fained neighbour was meant by herself hiding a profound fury in the depth of her soul comforted Roboald the best she could as thus that being all-inflamed for and object of merit he should not be astonished if it rise high that it was a mark of the goodness of his courage in which he was more commendable for generosity then blameable for presumption and that although he were not born a Gentleman it was a title that rather depended on fortune then desert and that he was not the first of mean birth that had derâ—d to set his affections on a Gentlewoman that true nobility was in valour and in that he would not yield to whatsoever Gentleman and that she knew well that there was not any business in which he would not be led by Pyrrhe with as much affection as Herman himself would be for the antient servants in a house held the quality of children That the inequality of conditions should not disparage him that since she had dared to lift her thoughts even to Philippin that was her Lord to whom she ought homage he might well raise his to Gentlewoman and that a faithful Lover ought to promise himself all things happy since hope was the wings of love and that love equalized Lovers that Kings loving their subjects have submitted their scepters to their affections that according to her judgment there was not a more eminent greatness in love then love it self and the greatest amongst Lovers he that loves most Imagine if this discourse cast not oil into the fire of Roboald in a Country where Coblers make themselves Gentleman and the Gentleman Princes by an humour that Nation hath But when she added that if she knew that Gentlewoman and had but liberty to speak to her there was no sort of good offices she would not do for Roboald to favour his design honoring his passion in another subject whereby she would esteem herself honored It was now that this saucy Jailer touched the stars with his forehead promising to his presumption all that he had heretofore desired rather hoped Methinks I see the picture of the feeling of this soul swelled with vanity of his own desires well represented in the the rich Verses of one of the Mistresses of the Muses of our France Knowing my flame is aiery and divine I can love nothing but what Gods incline With courage I 'll pursue my enterprise And if I fall from heaven shall be my rise No more on Earth shall flourish my desires I higher will enhance my love and fires I 'll Eagle-like rather by thunder die Then from some â—ur receive my destinie While I do soar so high no rocks I fear Nothing shall make me cowardly retire That for a bridle which doth serve to some Shall unto me a golden spur become I love my aim although by Fortune crost The harder is the task the more I 'll boast Things easie to obtain have small desert Honours on hard designs use to revert Although this man had presumption enough to dare to love a person more high then his duty could permit him yet the same love that gave him courage to fix his affections so eminently for his condition took from him the daring to discover it retained by that respectful fear that ordinarily accompanies this passion fear that proceeds of the apprehension of despairing of the object beloved He seeks in the corners of his fancie some artificial invention to tell her that he durst not utter and to make her understand that he durst not speak But the more he troubles himself to meet with it the less he finds it the confusion of his thoughts being a Labyrinth from whence he cannot get out His desire is like quick silver the more he presses the less it is