especially Hannibal in whose Face was not only seen sadness but Death Painted from the time he heard talk of this Marriage But the News which arrived that King James of Arragon prepared to renew the War more hot than ever giving other thoughts and cares to King Charles than those of making Nuptials were a great ease to the despair of these unhappy Rivals This Prince having learnt that King Charles contrary to the Faith of the last Treaty had caused the Pope to give him the Investiture of the two Sicities animated with hatred and resentment resolved to be revenged and made incessantly Warlike Preparations to go and attack him in his own Country Charles the Second as vigilant as a generous Prince had not wanted foresight judging that his Enemy would not leave him long in Peace He had Soldiers enough but the losses that the Kingdom had had upon the Sea while that he was in Prison in the two last Rencounters there had been wherein Count Raynaud on the one side and the Count of Montfort on the other had been defeated had so weakened him in that part that all that the King had been able to do since the little time he was returned to Naples was to prepare a Fleet of Thirty Galleys with which he could not pretend to show himself against the Forces of the King of Arragon who had more than Fourscore Sail under the Conduct of the Famous Roger de Loria However the time pressed the News came that King James was arrived in Sicily that by his Cabals he had caused part of Calabria to revolt and that Catenzano had yeilded up to him in so pressing a necessity his allies finding themselves incommoded or at least discontented at the losses they had had in the two last Engagements not to be able to assist him so soon he knew not what Councell to take nor to whom to have recourse for the helping him to extinguish the Fire which was just lighted in his own Kingdom being more necessary for him to have forces by Sea to hinder the Succours of Sicily than an Army by Land in which he was strong enough when there appeared in the Port of Naples Six Galleys which brought an Ambassador that the King of Majorca sent to King Charles to demand of him the Princess Mary in Marriage in considedration of which he offered him Forty-Galleys and Six Hundred Men at Armes who were ready to set Sail at the first Order they should have This Ambassador was received with that Joy and Honour as so obliging offers merited and which came so conveniently as those did It is true that there was little Proportion between the Youth and the Qualities of that fair Princess and the Age and Humour of this King but the necessity of the time and the advantage of an Alliance with a Prince so powerfull at Sea and who becoming an Enemy by the refusal that should have been made him would not have sailed to have took the part of the Arragonians were reasons which prevailed over all the others and over the particular tenderness the King had for that Princess he proposed Blanche or Eleonora but the demand was express for Mary to the Exclusion of all the others Insomuch that in fine he was forced to resolve of this Sacrifice and the Affairs of the Kingdom obliging the King to press the Conclusion of this Marriage for the sooner having the Succours he expected it was almost as soon done as proposed The astonishment of all our Lovers was as great as cruel they had no sooner learnt the Subject of that Embassy than that they saw that Negotiation brought to an end The King endeavoured to satisfy the most Considerable as the Count of Boulogne Prince Philip the Marquess d' Este and Henry of Narbonne there being other fair Princesses enough in his Family for to repair that loss if that the Honour of his Allyance bound them to his Person For Hannibal's part he had nothing but grief from whose Succours he hoped to put quickly an end to his pains at the same time with his life But that which made him quite desperate was that the Princess who had more Confidence in him than in any other Lord of the Court imparted to him part of her troubles and the little satisfoction she expected in this Marriage complaining to him of the Cruelty of her Destiny with Termes so touching the Soul of the sad and passionate Hannibal that notwithstanding all the constraint he made upon himself he could not hinder sighing without daring to look upon her for fear his Eyes which he could not so well govern as his mouth should have acquainted her with a secret it was less time than ever she should know The Fatal Day arrived at length that she was to depart all the Court was to take leave of her except the Count Hannibal whom she caused to be sought for every where without being found He even knew not what was become of himself so much the greif of so Cruel a Separation had put him besides himself he too well knew the weakness of his Heart for to expose himself in the middle of all the Court to bear so cruel a moment as that of the departure of that Charming Princess that the most indifferent could not see without Tears He went out of the City attended only by his Gentleman of the Horse and from the Sea Shoar where he stayed he saw the Galleys of Majorcâ— depart with an immoveable Air and almost without Sentiment they carrying from him all that he had most dear in the World without being able to retire from that Contemplation so long as his sight could accompany them The City of Majorca which bears the Name of the Isleland is one of the prettyest Scituations in the Mediteranean Sea and the Castle of Belver Palace where the Kings resided and which is a Work oâ— the Antient Moors half a League from the City is one of the most lovely Place in the World But to what use is the agreableness of Places to a Young Princess if it be not joyned to that of Persons She was hardly arrived there than thaâ— the King her Husband would send back the few People that accompanyed her and this order was Executed notwithstanding all the Opposition she brought to it So strange a beginning could not fail of having sad Consequences She quickly found a great difference between that gloomy and desert Court and that of the King her Father where all smiled but seeing dayly some Change in the things that concerned her and that her Liberty diminished by the same degrees that her pains augmented she had many more Complaints to make This Conduct appeared to her by so much the more rude in that having been brought up in an Air of Grandeur and Liberty Honoured Served and if it may be said adored by all the Princes and Lords at the Court of King Charles her Father she saw none about her but Old Women who served her
is not any thing but what I would do to hinder it if it depend on me No Madam answered the Count but I have already told you that I shall not explain my self further therein you will know enough in time and whatsoever is the cause it suffices that I tell you that I have a very great reason for what I do and that from the moment I can get from hence I will go give order for my embarking The Countess pierced to the very bottom of her Soul with hearing this news as well as she had joy at the misunderstanding there was between the Queen and him did all that she could to make him change his resolution and told him in respect of her self the most moving things imaginable that she might take advantage of their disunion but that is not all waies the best time for the gaininga Heart which is sometimâ—s themore strongly bound when it is believed to be disengaged by some prevention The Count hardly hearkned to what she said and his Soul more disposed to motions of despair than to sentiments of tenderness did not show that fair Lover one ray of tenderness nor even a spark of complaisance he was in an extreame impatience till day came And he no sooner saw the moment he could retire without danger than that he took his leave of the Lady leaving her as little satisfied with him as one could be and enough for the putting an end to a passion if these contempts did not sometimes rather augment Love than diminish it The Queen who had passed one of those terrible nights that Love takes delight in poysoning with all that is most cruel and bitter no sooner saw the King go out but she arose to go put Don Geronimo out of her Cabinet This Minister who had been as uneasy in this place as she in her Bed fell again upon his knees as soon as he saw her and with a pityfull look and Heart truly contrite he asked hir pardon for all the troubles he had given her The Queen having made him rise told him that all this was nothing in comparison of the grief she had that the Count had found him thus by night in her Cabinet and that if he would repair the fault he had commited and render himself worthy of her pardon he must go find him out and relate to him the true occasion of his being in that place and endeavour to undeceive him of certain impression that he might have taken thereupon it being important for her glory that that Ambassador had better Sentiments of her than so unlucky an accident might give him Don Geronimo who in another occasion would hardly have been perswaded to take upon him such a message humbly submitted himself to this Order too happy to be quit with this satisfaction which he owed to the goodness alone of a Princess whose reputation he had so much hazarded and whom he had brought into a condition of having all the reason imaginable to complain of and to ruine him as she might have done if she had a mind at least according to his opinion but Affairs went quite otherwise than he believed wherefore he promised to the Queen to execute faithfully what she commanded him and having quitted her with great acknowledgment for her goodness he went directly from thence to the Ambassadors Palace where he found that all diligence possible was made for his depart and that the Count having passed the night very ill would not see any body that day at least till it was very late The Queen stayed in her Cabinet loaded with thoughts upon which she formed a thousand designes that the resolutions she made upon the state of her heart inspired her when she saw one of the Count's Pages enter her Chamber who delivered her a Letter from his Master she opened it trembling and the impatience the had at first to Read it not permitting her to think of any thing else the King who was ever listning and spying her actions entered the chamber at that time and slipping softly into the Cabinet came upon her before she hardly with the earnessness she read that Letter perceived him and snatched it out of her hands without her being able to hinder it The grief as well as surprize of that Princess were such as may be easily imagined She ran after the King begging him in the most earnest and moving manner possible to restore her Letter employing even tears but the more pressing she was the suspicions of that jealous Prince the more augmented insomuch that to be freed from the Queens importunity he retired to his own apartment where he might read that Letter with a little more liberty I leave you to think in what a terrible perplexity the poor Queen was that a Letter of the greatest and most dangerous concern in the world was fallen into his hands whom she had most reason to fear of a King jealous and passionate and that in fine there was no means of having it again She knew not what to do in so cruel a conjuncture and her mind floating between fear and danger love and shame she meditated an infinite number of designes without having the Courage to undertake any she went in sine to the Countess to ask her councill she had formerly found it successful but it was now no longer the time She first related to her what had passed that night in her Cabinet between the Count and Don Geronimo and afterwards the misfortune that had happened to her upon the Letter the Count had wrote to her upon that adventure The dissembling Countess overjoyed at so unlucky an accident and that things were so disordered affected the shewing the Queen an extreame regret for that accident but instead of comforting her she only told her things to make her the more despair making her fear the terrible consequences of that Letter and that if she did not take refuge with the soonest in some Convent she would find the fatal consequences it would be of to her The sad desolate Princess suffering her self to be perswaded to follow that advice as it really was the safest tho the Countess gave her that council to be rid of her to have the more liberty of taking according to what should happen such measures as her Love or rather her despair should advise her The Queen â— say resolved to go cast her self into a Convent for avoiding the Kings fury quitted the Countess and prepared her self to execute with the soonest her designe During this Don Geronimo who had not been able to procure to speak with the Ambassador of Naples returning to his House found people who told him that the King had caused him to be sought for every where Is it not said he immediately to himself that he knows that I have passed the night in the Queens Cabinet Every man whose conscience is ulcerated with any crime of which he cannot justifie himself is ever in fear of being accused of it
He took courage however and went to that Prince who was alonâ— in a by chamber walking apare and with a paper in his hand Well said he to him so soâ—n as he saw him is it thus Traytor that thou takest care of my honour are these pursued he with a thundring voice in showing him that paper or Letter the Orders that I gave you when I recomended her to thy care by Heavens thou shalt smart for it This poor Minister as soon as he heard the King speak with this fury did not doubt but that the Queen had told him all and casting himself immediately upon his knees and with a lamentable voice Ah â—ir said he to him Heaven is my Witness that I never in my life had any desire that was contrary to your glory and that it would be very easy to make appear my innocence if moderating your anger a little you would be graciously pleased to give me one moment of audience And what canst thou say interrupted the furious Monarch to justifie what I have here Is it not to be criminal to savour the bold and infamous designs that the Ambassador of Naples has upon the Queen I Sir favour so criminal designs replied Don Geronimo who begun to be a little bold Yes thou replied that Prince how can I interpret otherwise the Stories thou daily toldst me that he lived very respectfully with the Queen while they have secreet practices together Can any other serve that Ambassador in this and is it not visible thou art of intelligence with them to deceive me All that you tell me Sir replyed the Minister surprizes me and I know not if I should tell you that in regard of that Ambasador you may be mistaken Ah perfidious man cryed the King transported with rage thou wouldest continue to abuse me thou hadst best deny it I have herewith to confound thee See the insolent testimony of that infamous man which but too well declares my dishonour and afterwards tell me if my suspicions are just and if I have reason to accuse thee thou must pursued he explain to me all the mystery of that letter or thou dyest Don Geronimo took it trembling not doubting by what he heard the King say that there was something in it which concerned him and found these words I ought to believe Madam that after the fatall incounter of last night you will not be surpized at my depart How cruel so ever the thing was I do not complain of you It is of my destiny and of Heaven that I will complain for having made me cast my eyes to the unhappiness of my days upon a Princess it destinied for the love of another A Preference so much the more cruel that the subject is low and unworthy of being preferred to the least of all men This thought alone asassinates me and I should willingly at the price of a thousand lives be still in the error I was and never to have entred that Cabinet where I saw what I never could have beleived O Heaven Can I yet think it after having seen it Farewel too unjust Princess I quit you without regret but it is to go pass the rest of my Life as a man fuller of despair than Love Le C. d' A. D. Geronimo who had thitherto beleived that that Ambasador was really in Love with the Countess of Palomer was very much surprized with reading that letter and haven taken courage by his not being named in it though he perceived that it was of him the Count was jealous he protested to the King that he had never had the thought that the Ambassador of Naples had the least design upon the Queen and that on the contrary he had alwaies beleived him in Love with the Countess of Palomer in sequel of which there had been some jealousie between them upon that account and also for a Proof that their Intelligence was not great it was above Eight Daies since he had spoke to him That if he durst take the Liberty to tell him what he thought of that Letter he beleived notwithstanding the Title of Princess it was addressed to the Countess rather than to the Queen The King little satisfied with all these reasons would however read over that Letter again for to see if there was any appearance of what his Minister told him whom he had thitherto sound very faithfull But the particularity of that Cabinet too much referred to the Queen to attribute it to any other That which most confounded the King was this favoured Gallant of whom the Count complained not knowing upon whom to cast his Eyes there being no other than Don Geronimo of all those of his Court to whom it was permitted to enter the Queens apartment and there was so little appearance of casting his conjectures upon such a man as he that how susceptible soever he was of jealousie it could not fall into his mind He would however be cleared of the truth and force the Queen to confess all things to him and afterwards take such measures as the resentment of such an injury should inspire him and that the Guilty might repent their insolence He went with this design to that Princesses Chamber causing Don Geronimo to follow him and would not suffer him to quit him till he had unfolded all this intrigue He found her not there and thereupon went to the Countesses where he knew the Queen was most commonly but found no Body there He asked in a furious manner what was become of the Queen But could learn no news of her he feared some other Treason and was in a greater despair than ever He threatned all those he met he sent them to seek every where the Queen or the Countess and nothing was heard but rumour through all the Palace He learnt in fine that the former was descended into the Garden and that the other was gone out of the Palace in mans Cloaths All this confounded him and increased his fear and uneasiness He ran towards what most concerned him which was the way the Queen had gone and he was seen like a lost man who comes who turns from one side to the other of the Garden without being able to meet the Queen All his People were frighted he was so himself more than any one and putting all the World in pain he suffered the most cruel tortures that can be imagined Notice was brought him that the Ambassador of Naples prepared to depart and he fancied to discover in that moment what so suddain and so secret a departure threatned him with He gave orders to go stop that Ambassador not doubting but that his design was to carry away the Queen He was told that he was no longer at his Palace and that he was mounted on Horseback to go away with all those of his Train Thus that Old Monarch falling into Exclamations that he was betrayed on all sides and commanding his Guard to take Horse 〈…〉 his faithfull Subjects shoâ—â—◠〈…〉 in a