ardent on Octaviane's part then cunningly dissembled by Florent In meane time doe not you admire the severall parts which Love doth act in humane brests and are you not amaz'd at these strange intricacies Seeing at once two Enemies infinitely enamour'd of each other and two Lovers mortall Enemies And each of the three principall Actours in this scene Clione Laurean and Octaviane were in love with what they hated and hated what they lov'd Who would not say that all this were inchantment were it not apparent that Florent's attractive beauty and disguise were the origine and cause of these charmes Meane time while the Spirits of these three Lovers are thus incumbred and involv'd in this Labyrinth of confusions arrives a new subject of disorder which will produce many different effects of passion Montdor a young Gentleman of the County Venaissin having listed himselfe amongst the Suitours of our Penelope I meane Clione in her absence makes his addresses to Fructule her Uncle and gardian demanding his consent He knowing to what Fortunate dying had ingag'd his Neece and the resolution she had taken to performe her Mother's injunction which was to admit of no man to be her husband but him that should bring her Laurean's head conceal'd not this condition from him assuring him withall that he would deliver Clione into his hands if he could but effect it Love and the desire he had to advance himselfe two powerfull goades to an ambitious youth soone made Montdor accept the tearmes although he knew the injustice of the cause and the sad successe of divers that had preceded him To this effect furnished with very good Armes and an excellent Horse he comes to a Village within three leagues of Laurean's house whence he sends a Challenge inclosed in a packet which he pretended was sent from Court Laurean who was acquainted with such kinde of messages read it without ever changing his Countenance or giving the least suspicion of the Contents resolving with himselfe to give the same satisfaction to this new Combatant as he had to the rest onely he was to beware lest under pretence of a single Duell there might be some treachery intended and so he might basely be deprived of that life which he had expos'd with such unparallel'd gallantry However he could not carry his businesse so secretly but his designe was discover'd by the preparation of his Horse and Armes It was presently nois'd through the whole Castle and came to Octaviane's Florent's and Nartal's eares What diversity of thoughts thinke you were Laurean's and his Ladies minds then possessed with his onely care was to preserve his honour and his life and make his Enemy feeling the sharpnesse of his Sword repent too late the temerity of his resolution Florent and Nartal Studied nothing so much as by what meanes they might divert or compose this quarrell Octaviane employed all her Rhetorick but in vaine to disswade her kinsman from answering the challenge For besides that he was of himselfe too magnanimous to refuse that party by a Womans perswasions onely hee stop't her mouth with her owne reasons representing to her the desperate designe she was so inflexibly bent upon to fight her selfe with Clione And the offer she made him of employing one of her Lovers to chastise the rashnesse of his Challenger he rejected as a proposition highly injurious to his Valour and reputation Here Florent took her at her word to whom she had rendred many testimonies of affection not onely by her actions and demeanure but also by her owne confession although accompanied with a bashfullnesse that becomes modest and chaste Virgins Florent would â—ot let slip this opportunity but made it serve as a specious pretence to cover the designe he had already fram'd either to fight himselfe with Montdor in Laurean's stead or at least to be his second against him But Laurean taking these offers as affronts and as disadvantageous to his honour imposing silence to his kinswoman entreated Florent to excuse him if he could not commit so base an action as to suffer him to goe in his place since 't was a thing contrary to all the Lawes of Honour and of Armes neither could he accept of him for his Second since Montdor's Ticket mentioned that he would fight single being unwilling to engage any other in that Duell At least then replyed Florent you shall permit me to goe before and view the place he assignes you neer the Village where he expects your Answer that there may be as little Treachery on his part as there is much generosity on yours Laurean suspecting and conjecturing aright the wile of this Cavalier who desired that Commission for no other end but to quarrell with Montdor and prevent their Combate would by no meanes be perswaded to consent to that employment But not to discontent him altogether he suffered with much entreaties Nartal to performe that Office guessing by his deportment that he was not a man fit to contest with Montdor who had the repute of the most expert and compleat Horseman of that County Florent was enforced to be satisfied with that since no more could be obtained Whereupon he dispatch'd a Letter by Nartal to Montdor wherein he forbade him expressely under pain of his perpetuall dis-favour to fight with Laurean for reasons which he should know at their first meeting This he wrote with his owne hand and subcribed Clione Nartal with this Letter and other private instructions from Clione takes his way towards Montdor where being arrived he delivers the Letter the Contents whereof distracted Montdor's mind with a thousand confused imaginations for knowing very well the hand and bearing a respectfull awe to the absolute Command of that severe Mistresse who had no lesse authority to make her Lovers fear her than Beauty to attract their Loves Love solicites hard for Obedience to that Command representing often to him Clione's threats to deprive him of that which he sought for in that Duell with perill of his owne life since he had no other occasion to be Laurean's enemy But to revoke the Challenge he had sent he thought that would make too great a breach in his reputation and that exposing himself to the blame of Cowardise would staine him with perpetuall infamy At last he concludes in favour of his Honour and to the prejudice of his Love choosing rather to be deprived of Clione than of that glory which such magnanimous Spirits aspire by vertue of their Armes So to be rid of Nartal's importunity who pressed him extreamly to acquiesse at Clione's entreaty he fained to believe that the Letter Nartal had delivered him though he knew it to be of Clione's own penning was counterfeited by some other but would by no meanes tax Laurean with it lest that might give occasion of deferring the Enterprize which he then was too deeply engag'd in to repeale with Honour Hereupon Nartal pray'd him to observe well his Physiognomy seeming to wonder that a mans Habit and
shall thinke this Worme cald Man dares boast Who him offends offends the holy Ghost We reade how Musique Charm'd Beasts Fish Fowle Trees Maist thou charm Man more easily drawn then these And we will crowne with groves of Lawrel Boughs Th'Embleme of Peace the Prize of wit thy browes AUG RIVERS To Major WRIGHT upon his Excellent Translation of the LOVING ENEMY TH'ingenious Fabler Metamorphosies Gods into Men Men into Deities â—et by inchanting Verse his feigning Pen â—hapes out inhumane Gods and godlesse Men. But the just Metamorphoser BELLAY Such heav'nly transformations doth display As ev'ry hellish passion they controule And of a vicious Frame a virtuous Soule Witnesse this Story where pure Love and Peace Make cruell Hatred Bloudy Discord cease Yet English mindes this profit this delight Had wanted had'st not thou Judicious WRIGHT What thy BELLAY in choicest French hath sed Into like English Metamorphosed John Chapperline To my Noble Friend upon his Translation of the LOVING ENEMY IF generous actions merit any Praise And Heavens Crown their active heads with Bayes Then may all say as well as I there 's skill And Elegance â—â— the Translators Quill Who here presents unto the world well drest His like-spent houres bien a la mode and lest Detraction Envy Malice or despite Mis-judge my Friend 't was done by Loyall WRIGHT John Lillie To my Dear Friend Major WRIGHT on hiâ— Learned Translation Entituled THE LOVING ENEMI FEw words I know were they as neatly drest As thy Translation would become me best And could I couch like some in every Line A New-borne-Fancie stamp thee All-Divine But as my Genius's Rude and Stale and Dry The Best I am's A Loving Enemy An Enemy to BELLET and his Lines Both stain'd at once with my unhappy-Rythmes An Enemy to Language most to thee Thus hung with Raggs in stead of Tapistry Nor is it fit indeed that I should be A Friend to that which is Thine Enemy Were it not Loving and averse the Times Which count best Vertues but the worst of Crimes And tells Ambitious-Man wherein he failes Where to Cast Anchor when to Hoist his Sailes With such a Mixture of Refined Wit The Question is If Man Composed it And if a Man What Angell's Hand did steer The Lucky-Vessell that Arriv'd it here With so much Skill and in a Dresse so fine BELLEY will swear 't is none of His but thine Strange that a Goale such Tempting-fruit should bear Without the help of Sun or Raine to chear The Soile and it not Blasted in the Bud Or Burnt like other things for be'ng too good And yet more Strange to find so Plump a Stile ' Mongst such Leane-Canters in a Schoole so Vile But Prisoners Advantage have in this They 're Punished before they Act Amisse And have their Muses freed from all Extreamés Beâ—ng seldome fired by Contracted-Beames Nor yet Debased to such Slavist-straines As speak them more of Guts than Subtile Braines Thus Captives are the Men abound with Sence Free-men but Panders to their Eloquence Geo Wharton To my very much honoured and judicious Friend Major WRIGHT upon his LOVING ENEMIE THis Booke Sir needs no fillet on the browes Or silken Muse to grace it Beauty growes In every line and borrow'd Grace defies Tie Ribbons where you meane to sacrifice Oh had this faire composure been my owne I should have boasted some perfection And my exalted Soule reach'd that degree Before I dy'd to Love my Enemie But this Piece to your Art owes all her Glory And I but late admitted to your story Am onely now concern'd to wonder how You should throne Love and Malice in one brow So sweet I knew not as the flames were drest Whether the Fiend or Angell pleas'd me best For still Clione ravish'd as she mov'd Her rage as excellent as when she lov'd Had there been lesse of either in her blood I had repented Laurean was so good But with what reason some bold Crittick sayes Should I on you translate the Authors praise This was Bellay's Divide me 'twixt you two But what I understand I owe to you J. SHERLEY THE LOVING ENEMIE AS when insulting Neptune musters his turbulent waves against the boystrous windes and tosseth sometimes his billowes to the Sky then hurries them againe into his restlesse bottome seeming to threat the Earth with Pâ—ssundation yet all his stormes produce nothing but Froth for the All-seeing Providence hath so set forth his bounds to the limits of her prefiction that a small sandy bank bridles in his untam'd exorbitance Such is the vaine potency of men that oppose themselves to the decrees of Heaven In vaine doe Monarchs load the Ocean with Ships and fill the Earth with Armies if the great God of Hosts assist not in their Battells these multitudes of Men and all these Martiall preparations are soon of themselves dissolv'd and dissipated They make great noise but to so small purpose for God is onely he that gives the Victory reserving to himself the disposall of the Events of Warre without respect to the disparity of the Combatants No force can Rout the Party he maintaines for who can withstand his Chosen or break those squadrons that have his Banners for Protection I speak this only as calling to mind that numerous Army which the Emperour Charles the Fifth brought by Sea and Land to sackage France which he had already swallowed in his Fancy It was at that time when he fell into Provence by the Coast of Genua with so powerfull an Army that it seem'd no force was able to oppose him But God who hath taken to his particular charge the preservation of this flourishing Monarchy since by his Holy Writ we are taught that amongst all the Flowers the Lilly is his choisest favourite cast confusion in the face of this mighty Prince who seem'd to place his confidence in the multitude of his Souldiers And at the first sight of our King Henry the Seconds Army confounded and overthrew all his Designes to shew him how vaine are all attempts against Gods immutable Decrees and that the Honour of th' Immortall flower de Luce shall continue as long as the World hath being The Egyptians said Israel relyed upon the force of their Chariots and their Horse-men but Gods People put all their confidence in him and onely trust in that Almighties aide that fram'd both Heaven and Earth The violent incursion of this so formidable Hoste compos'd of so many severall Nations that the different Idioms made it seeme a kind of Babel found an unexpected Remora and in very short time was quite discomfited by a strange contagious Sicknesse that swept the men away by thousands which blasted the Vaine hopes of the Ambitious Emperor A certain French Gentleman that was taken Prisoner by the Spaniards his horse being kill'd under him gave a notable check to his aspiring thoughts by a witty and generous Answer This Prisoner being brought before the Emperor amongst divers other Questions he was askt How many dayes
night constrained him to retire into his Chamber and called them to theirs It was but to spin out the howers instead of sleeping in continuall ravings which still began againe when he did thinke to end them losing himselfe in a Labyrinth of restlesse Imaginations Who ever saw a blinde Creature in Love with a thing he never saw and passionately seeking after that he loves without knowing what it is Such is the disquietnesse of Laurean's troubled minde vehemently desiring he knowes not what and suffering strange effects whose cause he was not able to for penetrate Weake is the force of art against the instinct of Nature Florent's perfections display their attractive power through the Shadowes of all these artificiall disguises It 's true 't was no small Alarum which Love gave to Clione's heart where triumphing like a Victorious Generall he put all other passions to the route and made a strange disorder in her brest But Laurean's distemper is farre greater feeling sometimes much pleasure in his passion then presently tormented with Dolours unexpressable being inclin'd to love an object which he could not enjoy in the manner he did desire How oft did he accuse Nature of mistaking in placing in the body of a man as he thought Florent to be beauty and qualities that seemed much more Suitable to a Lady for the lineaments of his face were in his eye so exquisite his complexion so delicate his discourse so quainte his Voyce so feminine his gestures so comely and all his actions so little savouring of any Martiall breeding that he was much perplex't to finde such rare perfections in a person whom the Divine lawes as well as those of Nature forbade him to love with that horrible lust which so much defameth th' Orientall climates but never so much as entreth into the thoughts of the Septentrionalls How much did it torment him to withdraw his eyes from an object which was so pleasing that he could never satisfie himselfe with looking upon it and yet could not contemplate it without a Crime had he lived in the age of the Metamorphoses how would he have importun'd the Heavens to have made one according to his desire Amongst many other particulars that passed whilst Florent and Nartal remained in Laurean's house I will only relate two or three which seeme no lesse remarkable than delightfull One day as they were discoursing of the Combates which this Gentleman had fought against those that through the instigations of Clione had challeng'd him there was one of the Company that fell into high Exclamations against the Cruelty and Malice of that Lady reviling her with the tearms of a Viper a Fury and a Fell-savage Beast wishing her out of the world that Laurean's life might be secured from so many dangers to which her irreconcileable hatred dayly exposed him For in effect every moment he expected such kind of Messages and every time any one knockt at his Gates he fancyed himself to be in one of those enchanted Castles of the Ancient Romans where those that remained must alwayes be ready arm'd and in a posture to answer some new Challenge But Laurean not suffering him to proceed in such Violent railings against a Lady that he esteemed full of Honor. You blame her says he for her hatred to me and do not consider that it proceeds from the extream love she beares to the memory of her Parents Her Mother dying made her swear my Ruine as Asdrubal made Hannibal and Amilcar his Children swear the destruction of the Romans and make a solemne Vow upon the Altars never to be reconciled to them And in this she doth an act both of Honour and Piety in so severely keeping her Oath and Promise Besides according to the Lawes and Maximes of the world who knowes not that Revenge is held a point of Courage and Magnanimity If she be possessed with this Errour she doth but follow the streame of the generall opinion which transports oft times the most discreet and considerate persons Moreover she takes me if not for her Father's murtherer at least for the Son of him that kill'd him and in this respect how can she but abhor me and why should not she endeavour to deprive him of life whom she looks on as her Fathers Homicide It is true I could object many very lawfull excuses in regard the Battell was fought according to the Lawes of Armes without Treachery and that my Father is since deceased of the wounds which he received from hers that my hands were not otherwise dipped in her Fathers blood but in the just defence of my own Fathers cause and quarrel and that I my self was brought off the Field with more probability of Death than Life But a heart possess'd with prejudice and ulcerated with an incurable passion can admit of no reason though never so just if the light of Truth and Equity could but once penetrate the brest of this faire Enemy with it's resplendent rayes and dissipate the misty clouds of this savage and inhumane Opinion which she hath conceiv'd against me I am confident it would abate her fury and that she would acknowledge me to be more ready to honour and serve Ladyes of her quality and merits than shee imagines I have had the thought a hundred times to write her this resentment of my Soul that being the onely meanes I had to accost her for my sight I know is most odious to her But a vaine shadow of honour still retained me fearing lest she should make trophyes of my Letters and that some indiscreet readers might believe that the apprehension of Death had dictated them to me seeing my selfe daily attack't with fresh Combatants and no sooner cured of my first wounds but enforc'd to hazard the opening them again in a second Duel Indeed had I but one Enemy to deal with in a moment our difference would be ended by the death of one or other but I must Encounter as many as the Beauty of my dear Enemy which charmes even those that have the least inclination to love produceth every day I believe really that nothing but death can release me from this misery It being impossible but that Hercules himself must at last fall under so many Adversaries But besides the comfort I have from the goodnesse of my Cause which is but a just defence so that I die honourably without any staine to my reputation I am satisfied Happy beyond my deserts if this faire Enemy having sacrific'd me to her Vengeance by the hand of some new Lover may one day acknowldge her Errour and how she had shortned the dayes of a Gentleman of Honour that ambitioned nothing more than to be her Servant These last words pronounc'd so feelingly and with such a grace as was enough to have made the very rocks sensible of a relenting disposition struck Florent's heart with such tendernesse that the blood started out of his eyes and the teares trickling like Pearles of dew amongst the Roses of his cheeks
whereof prov'd of most availe to their entire reconciliation by a meanes which in all probability was absolutely contrary But as it hapneth that the excesse of drinking so much forbidden those that are in Feavers sometimes cureth them so Laureans free-hartednesse and Courage by an action full of heroick noblenesse in one instant drew away all the malignity from Fructule's heart imitating in that the lightning which falling upon a Serpent takes away all his Venime without killing him He assembles his kinsmen and most trusty Friends who being all well arm'd he desires them to accompany him to Fructule's house first informing them of the treachery Montdor had discovered They all agreed resolving to goe so strong that they would master that Traytour and make him suffer the same punishment that he had prepar'd for them But Laurean pray'd them to moderat their Choller for he desir'd the conversion not the death of his wicked Unkle Thinking himselfe sufficiently reveng'd if he could cast the burning coales of shame and confusion in his face by manifesting before his Friends the secret of his darke designe Being arrived there Fructule entertained them with all kinde of demonstrations of a most sincere friendship so expert was this man in dissembling his unworthinesse As they were all come within the Hall that was prepared for the tragedy he fell into a long discourse of the quarrells betwixt their two Families reckoning up their Duells and Combats and how much blood had beene shed upon that occasion protesting withall how joyfull he was after so many bloody conflicts and murthers that all those debates were so neere an end hoping that thence forwards they should live peaceably together having smothered all their former enmities in good cheere and wine That he was more rejoyc'd to see them there then the best Friends he ever had in his life and that he was most ready to resigne them the place and give them free possession both of that house and all the estate that belong'd unto them Thus he exprest himselfe not thinking that his Powder plot was discover'd But t' is in vaine saith the holy writ to lay nets for birds that Soare a loft Laurean knowing that all this smooth language tended to nothing else but onely to prepare them for the Sacrifice which he had destin'd to his fury That Fructule might not have the leisure to put in execution his designe nor to mingle in their meates any other powders no lesse dangerous then that he had hiden under the Hall without any further delay said Perchance some others lesse circumspect then he or his Friends might have beene entrap't by his Syrenicall complements but the train having been discovered if they perish'd he should perish with them himself and the Friends he had invited thither also which were but very few that would be complices of so damnable a project then in the presence of all his Friends he laid in Fructule's dish all his former basenesses and the present treachery he intended to execute as things most unworthy of a man sprung of so noble illustrious a Family as his having so many waies besides to satisfie his revengefull mind many degrees more honorable Shewing him to what danger he had expos'd himselfe through his unlawfull desire of Vengeance seeing that he then had the strongest Paâ—â—â— in the House and could if he pleaâ—â—â— inflict upon him the punishment his perfidiousnesse deserved Yet he entreated his friends that came thither with him to pardon that offence protesting for his owne particuler that both that and all the former attempts he had so unworthily made upon his life should absolutely be buryed in oblivion to the end that this extraordinary goodnesse joyn'd to the shame which Fructule ought to have resented for so ignoble an action might somewhat induce him to repentance and to acknowledge the preservation of his life as an act of grace and favour from them who had then the power to deprive him of it and yet spar'd him However Fructule's obdurate heart relented nothing at this incomparable Courtesie the moment of his visitation being not yet come But rather emboldned by the danger he saw himselfe then in never offred to dâ—ny â—or excuse the designe they taâ—â—â—â—â— him with quite contrary with a multitude of words as confusedly pronounced as his Countenance was unsetled he set himselfe to justifie the fact alleadging that he had reason to seek revenge for so much bloud as Laurean and his friends had drawn out of the Veines of those of his family and that he could never enjoy any content or quietnesse of minde untill he had sacrific'd unto his Ancestours Ghosts the Authour 's of their Death 's yeilding himselfe willingly into their hands to inflict upon him the same torments which he would have made them suffer had they beene in his power as he then acknowledg'd himselfe to be in theirs This answer no lesse desperate then presumptuous astonish'd the whole Company who seeing the obstinacy of his inflexible heart began to consult amongst themselves what to doe to him 〈◊〉 how to make him feele a punishment suiteable to such horrid treachery But Clione who fear'd to be a spouse of bloud and Laurean who desir'd his marriage should have an end rather comicall then tragicall to stop the course of their fury in the first breaking out and to hinder the bloudy effects such injurious language might produce she sodainly cast her selfe in mid'st of her's her Husbands friends and embracing her Unkle's knees with an exemplary humblenesse the teares trickling from her eyes besought and conjur'd him by all that she could imagine might any way conduce to move so obstinate a Courage that he would please to pardon her disobedience and mitigate the malice and envy he bare her Husband This she pronounce'd so feelingly with so winning a comeliness such dolorous accents as would have mov'd the savagests of beasts so that not to detaine you with any further â—â—â—â—tion she bred Compassion where cruelty had formerly her dominion and Love where hatred had so long rul'd as Empresse Fructule like a lump of lead which for a while resist's the Violence of the fire but at length melts all at once became so chang'd on a sodaine that it was enough to have made those who knew him best suppose him Metamorphosed Clione's teares having made their approach so neer as to undermine and blow up that unmalleable rock which lay invelop'd in his bosome and no lesse seated on his heart that this stone distill'd its water through the Limbick of his eyes But being not yet a perfect Convertite some reluctancy of his conversion reverberated the streame back againe to his heart till the heart surcharg'd with goodnesse and humility together sent the purest Spirits of a relenting expression unto his tongue that like an over-flowing Violl it gave such evident testimonies of a sodaine Change and reall ressentment as therewith he fell upon his Neeces neck still lying at his feet and mingling his sighs and tears with her's confess'd that her goodnesse had overcome him and quite eradicated all his hatred and obstinacy and since that by her meanes his life had beene preserv'd he would upon any occasion employ it and all he had to doe her service conjuring her to forget what formerly had pass'd and reconcile him to her Husband whom he was not willing to embrace as his most deare Nephew to whom thence forwards he would be ready to render with most sincere affection all the devoirs of a good Uncle and faithfull friend and endeavour to give him as many testimonies of hearty good will as he had formerly desir'd and attempted to doe him mischiefe What satisfaction was it to all the friends of both parties to see this cordiall reconcileation so farre beyond all their hopes or expectation But as we see the most delicate and best composed bodies are susceptible of the greatest corruptions the firmest friendships converted oft-times into the deadliest hatreds and the keenest Vineger made of the strongest wines So sometimes it hapneth that an inviolable friendship is fram'd amongst such as have beene most inveterate Enemies This is confirm'd by the remarkable example of Fructule who chang'd in an instant like Polemon in the Metamorphosis of a violent Enemie became so great a friend to Laurean that he could not live without him loving him not as his Nephew but as his owne Sonne This good affection continued to the end of his life which expir'd he invested his Neece in the succession of his Estate induc'd thereto by his owne inclination as well as by the obligation of Nature Thus Clione's and Fructule's violent and implacable hatred ended in Love and amitie Laurean's incomparable Courtesie and Valour crowning his Memory with a never-dying fame FINIS
augmented much that beauty which Laurean contemplated but with too much attention Perceiving his teares What Florent said he is it the default of my courage that breeds this effect of pitty in you No no doe not thinke though I am called every day to Death's doore that I will ever abate the least punctillio of Honour which is so hereditary to my Family Rather bewaile the mis-fortune of those that through Clione's meanes have fallen by my Victorious hand So unworthy a diffidence replyed Florent never entered into my thought the proofes that you have given of your Valour in so many occasions are so publicke that he must be a great stranger in this Province that is ignorant of them I am onely sorry that such eminent vertues should be so unjustly exposed to the Cruelty of a barbarous Maid who cannot deserve for so many unworthy actions that you should esteeme so highly of her as you have exprest And I believe if she knew your true worth she would change her animosity into affection whereby you might gather the roses of friendship in the same plot that produced you the thornes of hatred But that which forceth me to shed these teares is the Sorrow that oppresseth me to see so generous and spotlesse a life exposed to so many deaths and to such a Continued succession of tragicall adventures Would to God that I were able with the effusion of my blood to secure you from these troubles or worthy to receive so much honour from you as to goe a sharer with you in your dangers for I shall never esteeme my life better employed then when it is expos'd to doe you service These complements issued so gracefully out of that sweet mouth that Laurean melting with such enchanting language had much adoe to refraine from teares and expresse himselfe in tearmes suitable to his passion It chanc'd at that same time that Laurean was visited in his house by a kinswoman whose name was Octaviane daughter to one of Poliecte's Sisters and whose Father had beene engaged in the long quarrell betwixt Silvin and Poliecte whose cause for the mothers sake he strove to maintaine and justifie This Lady hearing of her kinsman 's sad condition being every day in danger of his life through the provocations of Clione's Champions ful of a Courage not ordinary in her Sex and animated with a strange Rodomontado like disposition came purposely to break to him the designe she had to challenge Clione to fight with her and so with each of them a dagger to revenge upon one another their Father's Deaths An heroick resolution for a maide had not despaire beene the principall motive to it Laurean received her with the greatest testimonies of respect friendship and Courtesie that could be shewed to so neere a kinswoman and so gallant a Lady But when she discovered her designe although he admired her Amazonian Courage he could not hold from laughing to see how vehement the desire of revenge was in a Sex of so much imbecility like fire that flames with so much violence when it meets with any light and combustible materiall Thence he took occasion to excuse within himself Clione's fury who used all means possible to be reveng'd of him by her Lovers since Octaviane would expose her owne life to so extream and almost inevitable danger to seek satisfaction for her Father's death Oh could he have penetrated the secret of darknesse and discovered Florents disguise he would easily have perceived that Clione's spirit was enrag'd with no lesse fury against Octaviane He absolutely disapproves of his kinswoman's proposition telling her it was not onely a furious rash enterprise and contrary to all reason but impossible to be effected and that comming to the knowledge of the world it would make her the Table-talk of all France Octaviane much distasted would not bate one Ace however of her resolution and what she had communicated to him in private she spared not to speak openly and in Florent's owne hearing whom she did not take to be Clione which struck this disguised Damsell so to the heart that her Face became like a Rain-bow for diversity of Colours and you may well think her spirit was agitated with no lesse diversity of thoughts Her heart working like the troubled Sea one while she resolved to accept Octaviane's defiance and engage that Clione should meet her then the fear of discovering her self enforc'd her to bridle that impetuosity But that which stretch'd the pin of Florent's patience to the uttermost was to hear Octaviane in a Raunting manner say I have no lesse Noble blood in me nor am I inferiour in Estate to that inexorable murtheresse and if my Lovers flatter me not nor my owne Glasse deceive me I think Nature hath been no lesse favourable to me than her I have Suitours as well as she who all make me the highest protestations that may be Were I as cruelly minded as that barbarous Imp or had I as little pity upon those that make Love to me I could impose the same Law upon them and enjoyne them to fight with those that she employes to revenge her Father's death upon a man that 's no way guilty of it But rather then to be the cause of so much Blood-shed I will Encounter her my selfe with a Poniard and make a passage with my Blade for that Black Soule to sally out of her cankered Brest Here Florent was fain to suppresse his Choller with both hands and strive to keep himselfe within the bounds of modesty partly out of respect of his owne Honour and partly out of hope to Chastise by effects the insolency of those outragious words And indeed within a very little time fortune gave him fit opportunity to accomplish that desire for Octaviane having heard him singe and joyne his voyce to the ravishing accords of his Lute and Nartalls Virginalls she was so enchanted with that delicate voyce issuing from a face all of flowers a mouth of pearle and Corall and a breath of amber in an instant she lost the knowledge of her selfe and giving way to this new flame she became all ice to her old Servants Florent not ignorant of the passions that her Sex was subject to suddainly perceived by Octaviane's lookes sighes and carriage that the glances of his beautifull eyes had made no ordinary impression in her heart desirous to make this love an instrument of the hatred he bare her for her invective language against Clione he adds fewell to this new fire by fained demonstrations of a reciprocal affection and augments with high hopes of fruition the desires of this imprudent Damsell like Faulconers and Fishermen that never present their baits to the unwary birds or fishes but to take them and deprive them both of life and liberty You may imagine whether Octaviane bit greedily at that baite Nature enclining us to believe easily what we desire It is not my intent to describe the particulars of this affection no lesse sincere and