and seemed to be a Monument of the fidelity of the â—ultanesses to the Ottoman Emperors but Love is an odd kind of 〈◊〉 fellow to whom every ordinary â—ccident becomes formidable and â—e will alwayes have Wonder and Romance in his intrigues 't is enough to make a man execrable who finds an invincible necessity to Love him The Duke spoke these words with so much earnestness that the Dutchess could not forbear smiling to observe it and making him remember he spoke to the Mistress of a great King Let us proceed to the Sultaness my Lord Duke said she and leave the Sultan He seemed to be somewhat confus'd at his digression and returning to his Story with as much seriousness as if it had been real he continued Madam she was so â—ovely that whatever I can tell you of her beauty is infinitely less than those Ideas I have of her in my own mind she had such a Stature and Mine as inspir'd respect and admiration her hair was a shining black which exceedingly set off the whiteness of her skin and her complexion bright and dazling her mouth haâ— a thousand charms that cannot bâ— express'd and her fair eyes which with the sparkling of the black haâ— the languishing of the blue spokâ— such a passionate language thaâ— 't was impossible to meet the glances and not understand them or without being transported with love for whatsoever they said The pourtract of the Sultaness Asteria so perfectly resembled the Dutchess of Valentinois and the Duke look'd upon her with 〈◊〉 much passion while he made it that she was like to interrupt him in that part of it but her curiosity over coming her impatience she let him go on in this manner The happy Venetian saw her upon a day of the Sultans triumph and though he selt his heart wounded by her at first sight yet he hop'd she took notice of it This person thought himself Insensible till that day and took a pride to appear so Fortune was his only Divinity and Policy seemed to rule all his Actions but Love never triumphs more than â—n the midst of great difficulties This dangerous Seraglio which would have frighted any but a Lover seemed not worthy our Ambassadors consideration the desires to please and the fear of not pleasing were the only things that merited his reflections and having found the secret to discover his love and that he was not hated the easily found a way to be introduced to the fair Asteria's Apartment having engaged an Eunuch who was privy to the adventure and who disguis'd him so well that he was not suspected by any of the Guards He found his beautiful Sultaness alone upon a bed of Flowers and took her for the Goddess of Pleasure her fair eyes shew'd him nothing of cruelty and thâ—â— amorous Venetian's spoke the greatest passion in the world What shall I tell you further Madam iâ— short he was so tempted to steal 〈◊〉 kiss from her fair lips that he had much ado to overcome his transport Does this presumption make you blush Madam said the Duke earnestly looking upon the Dutchess who indeed blusht and if the incomparable Madam de Valentinois had been the Sultaness Astevia the Ambassador could never have been so favoured by Love as in this occasion That was according to the excess of his passion and the Idea which the Lady conceiv'd of it reply'd the Dutchess looking on the ground Ah Madam cry'd the Duke in rising and stealing a kiss from the Dutchess how well the Venetian understood Love and the divine Sultaness him The fair Diana shew'd all necessary signs to make the Duke believe he stole that kiss against her will But the cunning Farnese easily perceiv'd the appearance from the truth and continuing his History as if it had not been interrupted was going to make his pretended Ambassador so happy that Octavo would have been glad to participate his good fortune but the Dutchess perceiving this History to be a Fable after what had happen'd Not so fast my Lord Duke said she to him I have heard enough of this Adventure for the first day we may know the rest in good time but a History of this nature requires more warning than I have leasure to take now Ah Madam reply'd the Duke with an unparallel'd fervency those who told me this story assur'd me that which made the Venetian so fortunate was that he perswaded the Sultaness they ought to make use of all occasions who meet with them but seldom I 'le warrant you said the Dutchess smiling they who imploy the first opportunity so well can easily find a second As the Dutchess spake these words the King entred the Garden follow'd by the Scotch Earl and the whole Court the Ambassador did so many extravagant actions in Madam de Valentinois sight that the Duke thought it convenient to follow his example and retir'd into his Closet so fill'd with Love and flattering hopes that these inchanting thoughts imploy'd all the rest of the day and part of the following night The Seventh Day 'T Is so much the property of Love to inspire young Lovers with Poetry that our Duke could not be dispenc'd with from this general Law he made an Italian Madrigal and repeated it the next day to the Queen as a piece of Gallantry sent him from his own Countrey who being an Italian and knowing all the delicacies of that tongue lik'd it so well that several French Poets were ambitious to translate it and 't was done so happily that the King who loved Musick commanding an Ayre should be composed to these words he and all the Court sung no other Song Madrigal FOr ev'ry Blessing double thanks we owe First for the simple Gift we are in debt Then from those petty sums much larger grow To th' interest of our joys no bounds are set No Laws controll that Usurie Nor will it stinted be But addes and still without controll addes more And then it doubles what it gave before 2. Though millions for my happiness are due That balmy Kiss which has my wounded soul But one apply'd half cur'd They are but few But very few compar'd with that vast scroul Which the blest Interest does fill And with much more yet will The dreams the pleasing thoughts and extasies The sweet remembrance of 't has given and give 3. Ah wou'd my Fair one grant another Boon Or but the very same she gave before In spight of envious fate which does so soon Destroy e'en what she gives and makes us poor By the same hand of Time which brings The store I 'le clip his wings And make him stay or I 'le beg if 'twont be Then I my self will giv 't Eternitie It shall for ever live live in my memorie 4. Nature in vain thou striv'st to guard the heart In vain 's the prudent care that wall'd it in Though one would think it safe on ev'ry part In vain alas thy care and cost has been Love has a passage found he has
his wit to those she observ'd in his person she had such an extreme desire to know him more particularly that if it might not be call'd Love 't was at least a great inclination to become so The Fourth Day 'T Is not to be imagined how desirous the Dutchess was to shew the Duke the Princesses he had so much praised were not the fairest in the World upon her first sight of the King she assured him she found her self well enough to take the air that day his Majesty telling her he expected a Scotch Prince who came to desire his assistance for the young Queen whom the English would take by force for Edward their King she being desirous to see his Reception there needed no more to make his Majesty comply with her inclination He ordered they should cause the Earl to pass by a Terrass built the length of her Apartment and deferr'd his Audience till Diana could conveniently be upon it from whence she not only saw the Ambassador but all the persons of Quality of the Court who were commanded to receive and conduct him to his Audience as they passed in order before the place where she was seated The fair Diana was in a careless dress but exceeding magnificent and well contrived her natural beauty of it self assuredly charming was adorned with so many Jewels as dazled the Duke of Parma who saw her several times as he pass'd by and the Earl was pierced to the very hearts stopping at the sight of her as if he had been Planet struck The Dutchess observing with pleasure this effect of her beauty redoubled such piercing glances as made him from that very moment the most passionate of all Lovers but perceived with grief her charms were not so powerfull upon the Duke Octavo's heart For although he thought her admirably fair the Kings goodness was so continually before him that he shun'd her eyes as some dangerous Rock This cunning woman who understood the dumb language of the eyes and who was experienced in all the little gestures and motions of the body with displeasure remarkt the Duke Farneses In the evening she told the King she would be glad to see some company who brought her the Duke of Parma and the Scotch Earl whom she received leaning upon a Couch strewed with Flowers where she pretended her indisposition caus'd her to rest This posture and the Dutchesses amorous carriage touched our Insensible to the quick so that the fair Diana perceived he was not so much a Philosopher as the night before The Fifth Day SHe would be assured the next day and commanded Saint Brune to satisfie her desire this apt â—irle who had Wit and as they say experience in Amorous affairs quitâ—ed her self worthy the trust reposed 〈◊〉 her She went to the Kings Masse and chose her Seat so well that without shewing any design she was beâ—ide the Duke of Parma who took notice of her by the respect was â—hewn her and had the curiosity to â—sk who she was being informed 〈◊〉 was St. Brune the best beloved by Madam de Valentinois of all her women he whisper'd in her ear some Gallantries upon her seeming Devotion All France knew so well what an absolute power the fair Diana had with the King as had the Duke only consulted his Politicks he ought not to have slipt that opportunity of being acquainted with her Favourite But beside this consideration St. Brune was exceeding Lovely yet the great Motive was he thought her Mistress the Evening before the most charming Person in the whole world all these reasons made him say a thousand kind things to her woman during Masse this crafty Favourite answer'd him so wittily and wholly engaging that without hâ— suspecting any hidden design she insensibly obliged him to lead her to her Chamber as they went the Duke could not forbear praising her Wit and Beauty when she was past the danger of being over heard she turn'd suddenly to him and said my Lord Duke I know to whom you address your Compliments you tell them me only to say them over again and the reward you expect for your kindnesses is that I assure the Dutchess you know how to distribute them Octavo thought he should have fallen down at this discourse he did but just believe himself that Madam de Valentinois was Beautifull nor had he reveal'd it to any and looking upon this as a design to ruine him with the King who I cry'd â—e I love Madam Valentinois yes yes you do love her reply'd St. Brune counterfeiting a great freedom and gave her a hundred looks yesterday that assured her of it and 't is by her Order I inform you she takes notice on 't and is exceedingly surpriz'd to see so wise a man as you seem to be should thus preferre his desires before his Interest She sayes she thinks boldness becomes young folks very well but thought you not capable of what she observed and in fine she conjures you not to give way to this Passion The King being with the Dutchess St. Brune was fain to run into her Mistresses Chamber to carry her some Spanish Gloves which she knew she would present his Majesty and left the Duke in the greatest confusion he ever was in He had too much wit not to perceive St. Brunes precise remonstrance to be an ingenuons Lesson what he should do and not a reproach for what he had already done and this advance from one of the Loveliest persons in the World and beloved by a Great King pleasingly flattred his Vanity his first emotion was a transport of Joy which appear'd in his Eyes and Face then again that respect which he owed to the King and the fear of losing so necessary an assistance should he disagree with France made him look upon that as ill Fortune which just before he thought the greatest happiness his mind was so full of various thoughts that to hinder the Knowledge of his disturbance from any curious Eyes he walkt alone into a Wood there two whole hours going backwards and forwards at a great rate then stopping on a sudden without knowing positively what to determine but in the end Love remain'd Victorious The Duke being of an Age wherein 't is hard to be Cruel when Beauty makes the first overtures and besides he knew a woman contemn'd is capable of the greatest Cruelty Revenge can inspire He went to the Queens Lodgings where St. Brune wittily informed him the Dutchess would spend a part of that day and there counterfeiting an extreme distraction and languishing had a thousand private Assurances he was observ'd the Dutchess several times asked the Ladies and the Courtiers if the Duke used to be so Melancholy and being told they never saw him so gloomy before she seem'd to think it was the unhappy state of his Affairs that made him so out of Humour and shewing an obliging Compassion for his misfortunes Courage my Lord Duke said she we should not be dismay'd by the blows of Fortune
that which seems the most difficult is many times the most easily accomplished we are in a business where our Interest is great enough to foretell you a happy Issue As the Dutchess said this by the by so he suspecting those about him made no other answer than with his Eyes but pleased himself with the thoughts that he was understood The Sixth Day HOw pleasant was the Night that followed this happy Day the fair Dutchess of Valentinois was continually in Octavo's Imagination anticipating his Discourse and in some sort his desires See what a great Soul is said he to himself thus all women of sincerity and wit should do and if the rest of women-kind knew so well the value of each Moment we need not spend half our lives making pittiful faces and useless sighs These reflections gave him such an Idea of the Pleasures to come as made him enjoy one little less for the present his pleasing thoughts making him forget he was alone and the extravagance of talking when there 's none to answer how Lovely she is continu'd he and how Charming is this Procedure to a man of a generous Mind these thoughts entertaining him the greatest part of the Night he wak'd so late the next morning that Montmorency and the Marquess of Jarnac who came to fetch him to Dinner with the Duke D'aumale where the Scotch Earl also was found him in Bed Ha! cry'd Montmorency entring the Chamber pray sâ—e how Loves Enemies imploy their time they seem to be i' th World for nothing but to sleep and the Suns Rising is a Beauty of Nature too Precious for their Sight Why then reply'd the Duke of Parma smiling d' you think sleep so great an evil that you reproach it to my Indifference as a Crime Yes said Montmorency smartly whatever comes from a bad Cause can produce no good effect and consequently you must either resolve to quit your Insensibility or I must be no longer of your Friends Ha Sir answer'd the Duke taking Montmorency by the hand if you please then do not deprive me of your Friendship His new Passion forc'd this from him against his Will and fearing the Marquess de Jarnac might take notice of it he added But stay till Love constrain me to complain of him and do not make him Persecute me before hand by being the Author of your aversion for me The Marquess helpt the Duke to defend the freedom of the Mind and Inclinations when passing from this Discourse to the arrival of the Scotch Ambassador Montmorency told Octovo that this Scotch Prince praised Madam de Valentinois so excessively as made the whole Court believe he would soon be in love with her if he were not already This News made Octavo feel a secret envy and shew'd him the fair Diana's Charms had left a deeper impression in his Heart than he imagined Montmorency going into the Gallery of Pictures that the Duke might dress himself with the more conveniency whither he follow'd him with the soonest then they went together to the Duke D'aumales whose good Cheer took up a part of the day From thence all the Company went to the King where he was seeing some Horses rid which the Queen of Scots had presented him The Duke Octavo perceiving the Court so well imploy'd thought he could never find a time more favourable to visit the Dutchess therefore privately withdrew himself from the Company and repair'd to Madant de Valentinois he knew she was in an Arbor of Rock-work that adjoyned to her Summer apartment which doubtless was one of the most agreeable places in the World All its Furniture was little Boles of Fountains Cushions of Cloth of Gold and China Flower-pots fill'd with Flowers a Venus of White Marble form'd a Grotto the length of the Arbor and Eight or Ten Cupids some sleeping others imploy'd in the Goddesses service made as many various spouts of water which reflecting upon several looking-Glasses that adorn'd this Bower glid away with a delicious murmur through small Leaden Pipes At the End of the Arbor was a Couch made Portugal fashion and by a cornish of Rock-work that jetted out hung a thousand branches of Greens intermixt with Flowers which made a Canopy over the Dutchess head who lay under it The Duke thought her so Lovely in this posture that he stood like one in a maze Diana knowing perfectly the effects of her Beauty felt a secret joy for Octavo's Trouble which made her yet more Charming 'T is so customary with Love to produce bashfulness in young Lovers that if Madam de Valentinois had not had more resolution than the Duke of Parma this interview so commodious and worthy to be well imploy'd had been lost in silence and admiration but the fair Dutchess growing weary of this Dumb Musick asked the Duke how his Affairs proceeded A man more experienc'd in these occasions would have answer'd that she knew better than himself since on her only depended his destiny but 't is so true that the most Ingenuous amongst young people are but Asses in the beginnings of their first Loves that our respectfull youth durst not speak one word to discover his Passion but chang'd his Countenance and hesitated as if he was troubled to find something to say the Dutchess pittying his little experience would give him time to come to himself and fell to playing with the Flowers as if she had forgot the Duke was there till remembring she had heard Octavo was a great Traveller for a man of his Age she chang'd their conversation to the subject of his Travels In the mean time the Duke recollected himself he wanted neither wit nor courage to undertake a great enterprize and his timidity which proceeded from Surprize or Transport did but serve to quicken his wit He told the Dutchess he had seen nothing finer in his Voyages than a Statue of the Sultaness Asteria the Mistress of Solyman the second which the Venetian Ambassador at Constantinople since Duke of Venice had caused to be made for her Madam de Valentinois though she was very curious remembring not that she had ever heard of this Statue was surpriz'd that a thing he spoke so admirable should scape her curiosity and earnestly desired the Duke to tell the parcuticulars of this Raritie the witty Italian was not silent to her demands but continued the Fable with as much freedom of wit as if his own memory and not his invention had furnish'd him with it and begun his Discourse in these terms The History of the Sultaness Asteria MAdam the History which you command me to recount is so secret and seems so strange that the Venetian Ambassador should get entrance into the Seraglio of the Emperors Women as if the Statue I told you of did not confirm it and the people of whom I learnt it were not as well known to me as my self I should hardly believe their recital Solyman was one of the greatest Princes in the World he was generous and magnificent