had done for him and presently yeelded her infinite thankes Finall and Enemond were recalled from their exile and the honour and peace of this family was attributed to the wise government of this prudent mother THE DISCREETE CHILDREN The Third Event THE former Event hath shewed you in a prudent mother the care that parents have of their children and in this Event you shall see the reverence and obedience due unto parents by the story which I shall relate unto you which will shew you the great wisedome and discretion of children that endeavour to hide and beare with the infirmities of her who had brought them into the world On that great and famous River of Rhine which heretofore served as a bound unto our Gaule there are divers Earles which in the language of that Country are called Rhinegraves It is well knowne that of all nations there is none that so jealously preserve their Nobility as the German nor more feare to undermatch themselves so that an Earle will never give his daughter to a Baron nor a Marquesse will not marry with the daughter of an Earle and in this manner are families carefully preserved in their state and dignity thus much I say because the knowledge thereof serves for a ground to our story An Earles daughter whom we will call Crisolite having also married an Earle of the Rhine or a Rhingrave had by him many children whereof foure to wit two sonnes and two daughters were living when as he dyed and left her a widdow at the age of forty yeeres and by reason that she had beene married very young her children were then of good yeeres so that the eldest was in the two or three and twentieth yeere of his age This Lady for a time managed their estate with all the diligence and care of a mother who truly and entirely loves those that are blood of her blood and flesh of her flesh In the cold time of her widdowhood there kindled in her such ardours as could not honestly be quenched but in a second marriage This good Dutch woman who went plainly to worke in this her intent casts her eyes divers waies to find out a match equall to her birth for Noble men of that quality are farre more scarce there then in France and Italy and besides among those that she could either have wished or intended to have had there was none found that was willing to match with a widdow of her age and charged with children so that all hope being taken from her that way her lookes which did but seeke to find a Rocke worthy her shipwracke went no great voyage ere they found it a young Gentleman one of her subjects who was ordinarily among the followers of her children was the marke whereat she aimed This faire image slipping through her eyes into her heart ingraved it selfe so deeply there that it was wholly past her power to raze it out truly there lye hid great incommodities in greatnesse amongst many this is one to be alwayes in view and yet to have no liberty to act what we would and this is it that kils Crisolite who agitated by her new flames can neither quench them nor manifest them dâ—ring neither by word nor by signe to evaporate the least sparkle thereof with what contradictions is she tormented on the one side representing unto her selfe the perfections of her new beloved which her imagination augmented after the manner of those that love on the other side the glory and quality of her birth which she blemished in so much abasing her affections towards a subject so farre disproportioned The German Nation free as the French is not capable of long concealment after Crisolite had in vaine imployed her whole endeavours to drive from her mind this delectable Idaeâ— which so willingly persecuted her she resolved to discover her flame whose pretentions were just being they aimed at marriage unto whose conficient person she therefore first reveales it to one of her Gentlewomen one of a stayed age and whose fidelity she had tryed before in weighty matters but this woman well knowing the custome of the country did so mislike that her Mistris should so unequally bestow her selfe that in stead of moderating the passion of this gentle Lady by milde words she more augmented it by her contradictions so farre rejecting what Crisolite had said unto her that shee would scarce have patience to heare her The Countesse repulsed on this side gave her woman charge to keepe all secret and promised her though farre from her intent to thinke no more of Fleuriall so will we call this Gentleman but she soone addressed her selfe to one of her domesticalls from whom she hoped to have fewer replyes and more service wherein she was no whit deceived for great persons find too many favourers and furtherers of their passions how unjust and unreasonable soever they be this mans name was Leuffroy unto whom his Lady having committed her secret in trust he promised to execute faithfully all that she should command him nothing else I desire said she of thee but that thou faithfully make knowne unto Fleuriall his good fortune in the greatnesse and purity of my affections Leuffroy failed not so to doe and having made this Gentleman understand the passions that the Countesse suffered for him which tended only to marriage Fleuriall stood more amazed at this discourse then if he had beene stricken with a thunder-clap he was not so simple but that he knew to what height of wealth and greatnesse this love called him but he considered withall that the highest aicents make the deepest precipes and that the sorest falls follow extraordinary raisings he supposed that if he should correspond with Crisolites desires he should arrive unto such wealth as he durst never have so much as hoped for on the other side he feared the wrath of her children who comming to know this practise would terare him in a thousand pieces as he very well knew the humour of fortune who deceitfull as she is deales with men as the Eagle with the Tortois raising them very high for to shatter them in pieces by casting them downe and that rubbing the glasse on the top with hony she makes the drinker taste the Wormewood in the bottome he would not trust too much therein nor be taken like a silly bird by the glistering of this faire glasse feare overcame his ambition at first and made him sleight Leuffroyes recitall giving no other answer but that speaking without letters of credence he could not perswade himselfe otherwise but that he intended thereby to mock his good meaning If that be all replyed Leuffroy I shall soone certefie you that I speake not of mine owne accord but well authorized by her who gave me this charge not long after he brought him letters from the Countesse whose hand he knew very well which caused him not to doubt of Leuffroyes commission notwithstanding whether it were that he continued in his feares or
by Taddees confession and held for innocent being that only in their owne defence and without any other designe they had committed this murther Androgeo absented himselfe for a time but by change of aire he changed not his evill manners nor the malice he conceived against the two brothers of his Step-mother but on the contrary being doubly animated by the death of his brother and thinking it a dishonour if he revenged it not he resolved to dispatch them to take them both together he had at his owne cost experienced how dangerous it was therefore he determined with his complices to take them asunder and rid them one after the other Returning backe secretly into the City and having divers times watched his adversaries hee at length met with Willerme going alone in the street thinking on nothing lesse then on the misfortune which happened unto him for he lost his life having not so much time as to lay hand on his sword it was by a pistoll shot wherewith Androgeo hit him in the head and dasht his braines about the pavement an infamous act unworthy not onely of a Christian buâ— of any man that hath never so little honour before his eyes upon this he betakes himselfe to flight therby to save himselfe for had he fallen thereby to save himselfe for had he fallen into the hands of justice nothing could have prevailed towards the saving of his life pardons being never granted for such deeds notwithstanding it was presently knowne that he was the man that had done this filthy action whereof Sostene was no lesse sorrowfull than his new wife for the losse of her brother The other brother which was Tibere sweares by all the Starres that Heaven containes hee will bee righted either by way of justice or by force the bloud of his brother calling on him daily to seeke revenge but time the Physitian of all the wounds of the mind moderated a little his fury so that hee slackned the pursuite of justice Sostene deprived of his eldest sonne by death and his other sonne by exile sees now though too late that his indiscreete passion and unseasonable love were the grounds of all these mischiefes yet will he not cast the helve after the hatchet nor let that sparke of his race goe out which only remained in Androgeo and to conjure this tempest hee makes use of his wifes wit who moderated the boyling anger of her brother and in fine for his better satisfaction Sostene gave him his eldest daughter in marriage with such a competent portion that Tibere had no reason to thinke ill of any thing that had past all matters where hereupon accommodated and mercy taking the place of justice Androgeo by an abolishment of his former malice reenters into his estate But what agreement soever was made it was never possible to reunite the devided hartes of these two brothers in law nether the alliance by their two sisters nor the thought of the misery past nether the entreaties of freinds nor the teares of the poore old man could ever recall the fury of Androgeo he lookes awry sowrely and doggedly at Willerme who seeing this could not but do as much for being no lesse haughty minded than he by the like despisalls hee mockt his arrogancy from these lightnings of looks proceeded thunders of threats and from the thunder of wordes tempests ofdeeds For behold in mid-day meeting in open street they quarrell draw and Willerme receiving a hurt in the shoulder repaid Androgeo with two others the second whereof laid him dead on the ground although this was done by incounter in combatâ— and in heate of bloud yet Willerme got away chusing rather to justifie himselfe a farre off then neer Imagine now the poore old mans sorrowes when he beheld his last sonne lye wallowing in bloud and dead before his eyes and moreover kild by him that was his brother in law and son in law Let us leave his teares and despaires as a disease contagious because perhaps his griefe may passe into those who have the reading of these lines more for recreation then to procure pensivenes he now sees himselfe without heires male and his inheritance like to passe into the hands of strangers yea even of those who are imbrued in the bloud of his children O what a heart breaking was this too late did the scales fall from his eyes whereby he saw and felt that his foolish love had beene the spring and originall of all these deplorable Events at length being cast downe with languor and overwhelmed in sorrow and discontent a sicknesse seased on him which in few dayes layd him in his grave whereunto this griefe accompanied him to see all his house turned topsie turvie as we may say his estate disordered his second wife taking what she could get his two younger daughters unprovided his sonnes killd and his eldest daughter married unto a fugitive O old men learne hereby to overcome and moderate your doting passions and endeavour to become so prudent and wary as to avoyd any occasion which may induce such fooleries both dishonouring you shortning your life and hastning your body into the grave trust not too much unto the Snow of your head the Ice of your blood nor the coldnesse of your stomacke The flesh is a domesticall enemy which ceaseth not to molest us untill death The flesh is that enemy who lyeth in ambush for the heele that is to say to the extremities of our life so long as one breath is in our lips so long there is a spark of that fire still in our bones moreover it is a very ridiculous thing and no waies pardonable to see an old man foolishly passionate and who thinketh of a marriage bed when he had more need thinke on his grave THE GOOD FORTVNE OF HONESTIE The Seventh Event THE Romans in times past built two Temples the one they consecrated to Honour the other to Vertue These were so joyned and contrived together that none could enter the former but they must goe through the latter this served as an Embleme to shew that there can be no progresse to honour but by vertue And that glory is a perfume fit to smoake no where but before the Altar of vertue and indeed doe but marke what cleere lustre and bright sparkling you see in a Diamond or what light comes from a great fire the same is honour in vertuous actions which are of themselves so resplendent that they produce rayes of esteeme and praise to reflect on those out of whom they issue The Psalmist goes further and will not only have glory to accompany the just man but also riches to enter into his house and to remaine there from age to age in his posterity so that if the ancients had had any knowledge of this doctrin they would surely have added a third Temple unto the two former which they would have dedicated unto good hap or good fortune which should have beene entred through that of honour for
vertue he sent unto Heraclee the double of that portion which he had before caused to be proffered unto her when he laboured to winne her to his will but here behold another great act of this maides vertuous mind she refused this money for feare lest it should be thought to be the shamefull price of her integrity At length the Marquesse caused her to be married unto one of his officers who received this portion from the hand of his Lord and also a maide who with a little blemish but a glorious blemish of her former beauty brought him vertues far more worthy estimation This is yet but the first Trophe of Heraclees victory over fortune there is another farre beyond this which you shall see in the sequell of this history Not long after the Marquesse entred againe into wedlocke marrying a Catalonian Gentlewomen of a great and illustrious house she being come into the house of Ctesiphon could not long be ignorant of the history of chaste Heraclee whose husband as officer to the Marquesse was commonly with his Lord his wife also was often there to doe her duty to her Lady this face whose honourable markes made themselves as remarkable as her beauty which made her commendable became suspected by the Marchionesse who seeing her selfe not so well advantaged by nature as this faire subject feared lest the former flames of Ctesiphon should rekindle at the presence of this object iâ— fine not to extend my selfe in this relation she became jealous and gave such evident signes thereof that it was perceived by the Marquesse who knowing himselfe cleare from any such thought was willing to augment these thoughts in his wifes head taking a delight to see her in this pleasant humour and would alwaies seeme more merry and jocond neere Heraclee then he was wont by this his behaviour increasing the suspitions of Anastacy so was the Marchionesse called he brought upon her such a melancholy that he had much adoe to disswade her from the thought of what he was not she proceeded so farre one day that she endeavoured to drive Heraclee out of her Castle and to forbid her the entrance thereof with bitter threats and injurious words as farre wide from truth as she was full of passion Heraclee suffered all this with an incredible patience and modesty knowing that in remitting vengance to the power will of Almighty God he would at lenght repay it in more exemplary manner then she her selfe was able during this her disgrace she made her husband the father of divers fine children amongst the rest of one daughter unto whom heaven had rendred with interest the beauty which Heraclee had sacrificed to the preservation of her chastity The Marchionesse had children also but she could never bring up any of them save one daughter At last her suspitions dispersed themselves and she knew that shee had done Heraclee wrong in conceiving so many bad thoughts of honesty and in signe of the pacifying of her wrath she tooke unto her the eldest daughter of Heraclee which was but a child for to keepe company with her in those sports and playes which are ordinarie amongst children This little child whose name was Patacule had so many springing graces appearing in her face that she promised ere long to be a Paragon of beauty whereunto if you adde her fine wit and wonderfull modesty you shall find her full perfection I have already shewed you that Ctesiphon had a sonne of his first marriage named Sabinian who was but three or foure yeeres elder then Patacule being then brought up together this young Marquisin addicted himselfe so extreamely by delight unto the humours of Patacule that he loved her by sympathy ere he knew what love was wonderfully was the love of these two children talked of for Patacule had no lesse inclination to him then he to her and Ctesiphon calling to mind his former passions tooke an extreame delight to consider the reciprocall motions of these two innocent minds Their love increased with ther age untill such time as malice opening their eyes they became more reserved in their entertainments at last knowledge being growne in them they must be severed according to the rigorous lawes of the Country Sabinian was by his Father sent unto the Court as well to learne Court fashions as also to make himselfe known and Patacule remained in the service of the Marchionesse Hee was bred up as Page unto Philip the second whose death is so uncertainly spoken of and in short time he purchast many friends and great credit there and among other great favours he obtained a Crosse of Calatrane which afterward got him a command of much revenue He came often to Arragon to see his father who loving him as his only sonne and heire rejoyced infinitely to see him grow so well in vertue and reputation The first impression in the heart is a great matter so many faire faces so many licentious companies which are at Madrid could not blot out of his imagination the Idea of his Patacule he still persevered in good will to her but this was guided with so much discretion and dissimulation that the father could not observe therein any more then a common and well-beseeming curtesie Going and comming thus from his fathers house to the Court and being at Madrid he received the unwelcome newes of his fathers extreame sickenesse whereupon he presently takes post but he could not get home soone enough to see him alive he was not then above two or three and twenty yeeres old when he lost his father after which he passed some yeers in his house being their retained by the care of his domesticall affaires in the managing whereof he shewed himselfe as frugall a husband as his father had beene a great spender yet not prodigall every one wished him a wife fitting his estate and quality for his perfect establishment but the love of Patacule had rooted it selfe so deâ—pe in his heart and his soule was so filled with this object that there was no place voyde for any other he loved her sought her in marriage and what resistance soever both she and her mother Heraclee made unto this match seeing the extreame unequality thereof what oppositions soever his kindred shewed what counsell soever his friends gave him to divert him from it how terribly soever the Marchionesse his mother in law stormed being not able to yeeld that she who had bin her servant should be her fellow and that she who had served her daughter should be wife unto her sonne in law and heire of all yet never would he give over this his intent but more and more regarding the vertues of Patacule then riches and nobility he married her and set her at his side The Dowager Anastacy being not able to endure this intended to retire her selfe into Catalognia to her friends there which Sabinian was willing unto except shee would rather make choice of some other of the lands which appertained unto
Adjute and beeing favoured by the mother of this gentlewoman who without intermission pressed Fabian to conclude this marriage it was in fine resolved and ended to the contents of the parties Iule gathering the harvest of what the others had sowne in their bloud Thus rowles the event of humane things and thus the harme of some is the profit of others meane time we will principally observe in this relation the folly and blindnesse of Audifax who on a weake conjecture on a thought ill cleared put his life to the hazard of a duell his extravagancy not to admit the just satisfaction which the true excuse of Adiute presented him his rashnesse and his arrogancy having bin the two wings of waxe which melting hastned him unto the grave certainly this Oracle cannot lye which saies who loves danger shall perish therein THE VANQVISHED Mans Trophy The thirteenth Relation LEt us continue this matter of Duels whose extravagancy is so great both in form and in cause that I cannot better compare it then to the Labyrinth of Crete and to its Mynotaure it is a Labyrinth where mens spirits twirle about and stray into acts so unreasonable that they end in folly it is a minotaure for there are none but men beasts who uphold this bruitishnesse for to doe their selves justice to make themselves Iudges in their owne cause is a maxime which strikes at all the rules of equity and yet is it the fundamentall faith of all Duels therefore how just soever the cause appear it may be called unjust justice and we shall in this relation see this unjust justice chastised by a just injustice it being so permitted to punish the pride of an insolent man and make the vanquished beare away for a Trophey the cause of the combat and the fruit of the victory you may well thinke it is not many parts of France are so unfortunately fertill in these single combats that we will goe to seeke this history Champagne was the theater thereof by the occasion which I am going to relate An old Knight named Proiect who had in his time made faire proofes of his valour but having followed a side which was not so much for his credit as it might have beene his services were but ill acknowledged hee then withdrew himselfe into his owne house where all he could doe was to make the Serpents head joyne to the tayle I meane make the first day of the yeare touch the last without borrowing then could he not hoord up much neither could hee forgoe any part of his land without much inconveniency a weake body being very sensible of the least shocke His sonnes went to warres thereby to augment their fortunes and the fortunes of three daughters which he had two of them were put into Monasteries the eldest and the yongest the middlemost called Callinice which was likeliest to be put off remained in the world to expect when her beauty rather then her fathers money would purchase her a husband she was perfectly faire and besides so vertuous and modest that if deserving were having a good match she had been the best provided but how beautifull soever a Maid be some would have her for a Mistresse that would feare to take her for his wife if she brings not wherewithall to make the pot boyle She had many complementors and admirers few sutors thus passed she her time in long attendance supported by small hope I say passed her time beeause already the age of twenty and two yeares put her in the number of tall if not of ancient Maids although she were in the prime of a beauty mature and compleat which appeared with a great brightnesse this iustre hit into the eyes of Thyrse a Gentleman of forty or it may be more yeares of age who had done well in the Armies where he had beene a Commander and had had good issue in many good occasions he was of these discreet men who feare the yoke of marriage and whose reflecting spirits finde fault in all things Atlast the gracefull carriage of Callinice surprised his prudence he was touched with the vertue of her beauty and with the beauty of her vertue the age stature discretion conversation and all liked him in this Maid and if he be to make shipwracke of his liberty it must be at this faire rocke He was accommodated with a sufficient forrune without expecting much from a wise and this goes well for Callinice who hath so little that this little is as nothing at least wise our wary Thyrse shall not sell away his power or mastery being he shall not haue a great portion nor can his wife cast much in his teeth seeing she brings him not much wealth Vpon this resolution he imbarks himselfe in this sute where he was received with open armes Dry ground doth not so much desire raine or dew as Proiect wished to see his daughter provided for but to see so advantageous a match for her as Thyrse that is it which transports him with joy because it surpassed his desire and his hope and besides he beleeves this sonne in law may helpe him in his need all these interests joyned together with the age of his daughter and his own which prest him cause the conclusion to be soone made and the agreements soone past before our prudent lover imbarked himselfe he had taken leisure to know the humour of the minde and had found it so to his liking that he knew not which hee loved most in her either the minde or the body and indeed Callinice who betweene the wisedome and the vertue of Thyrse saw her fortune evident in this match so discreetly mannaged her behaviour that she charmed him quite but it was by the good and right charmes of meâ—kenesse and honesty never was the like correspondency and Thyrse had reason to beleeve that he had met with a match whereof he might hope for a marriage without thornes but here comes some that will prick him to the bloud will shew him that in this world Roses are not gathered without hurt the agreements being made up there chanced to come into that Country a yong Gentleman of a good house but a yonger brother whom we will call Vincent he newly returned from Holland with his head so full of winde that in regard hee had been in some sieges and encounters he thought he had part in all the victories of Grave Maurice he told many faire tales he had bin in all places and by his owne talke he was able to leade an Army and he had fought so many duels he haâ— kild he had given life and thus did he giddy every ones head with his bravadoes like unto those students who returning from the Vniversities spit out at their mouth the superfluities of their memory and to shew they have studied much it appeares they have no judgement and that their learning is rather heaped up or gathered together confusedly then well ordered Yet true it is that this yong Gentleman
soever they be they must never be opposed so that by degrees sweetning the bitternesse of his spirit and promising him satisfaction and that if he could recover Enemond he should have her for his wife by these two liâ—â—ments the extremity of his fury was tempered and somewhat asswaged and his feaver became more moderate so that this her faire speech worked the same operation in him as musicke doth unto those in Calabria that are stung by the venemous Spider Tarantula he began shortly to amend and shew signes of his recovery but very often would he urge his mother to reiterate her promise that he should have Enemond when he began to grow dull for the greater furtherance of his health they caused this maid to come to him which had almost cast him into a relapse for hearing her speak as she was by them instructed he was on a sudden so overjoyed that he redoubled his Feaver which was farre more dangerous then at the first at last Fronesse thinking with her selfe that when he recovered his health he would constrain her to keep these promises which were made but as lures to bring him forwards devised a stratageme which tooke happy effect Now began Thierry to walke about his chamber and to aske for Enemond To whom answer was made that she with the griefe that she tooke for his sicknesse was her selfe fallen into so violent a Feaver that she was thought to be in great danger this soone assaulted the heart of Thierry who would not so soone have appeased himselfe but that he imagined this newes to be fained he hath a great desire to goe visite this sicke maide and continually entreates that he may be led to her but Fronesse ordered the businesse in another manner and to cut up the roote of all these fooleries in her sonne she presently caused Finall to be married to Enemond and gave three hundred French Crownes in portion to this maide upon condition that she and her husband should goe into Picardy and there live for a yeere or two Now said she wee must make Thierry beleeve that Enemond is dead and because that he will scarce beleeve his owne eyes for the verity thereof we will give her a sleepy potion that shall so soundly benume her senses for three or foure houres that she shall seeme as dead indeed then shall he see her in this state yea wee will cause her obsequies to be prepared and a fantasme or species to be put into the grave so that generally she shall be said to be dead Finall Enemond and her parents all agreed unto Fronesse her will Enemond counterfeits her selfe sicke and takes the sleepy potion the newes of her death is spred about the towne and brought to Thierry he sees her in this case and beleeves she is dead a buriall is fained whilest she and her husband are going in a voluntary exile to the furthest part of Picardy Thierry abandons himselfe and spends his time only in sorrow and teares tearming himselfe the unfortunatest of all lovers sometimes he seeks to end his dayes by hunger another time by poison againe by some steeled weapon whereupon some grave religious men are brought to him who prevailed over his passion so farre by their good exhortations that they quite rooted up these unnaturall and desperate resolutions of his minde The prudent mother who now knowes the amorous inclination of her sonne and that if his love remaine without an object such a melancholly may seaze on him that he may thereby fall into a consumption seekes on all sides for a match fitting for him Wives are as easie to be found for rich elder brothers as difficult to be found for poore younger brothers but Thierry must be cured by a remedy proportionable to his disease beauty hath wounded him beauty must therefore be the antidote that must cure him Fronesse not much respecting wealth makes choice of a very faire and vertuous Gentlewoman named Gaudence who was the wonder of all eyes that beheld her she delayes no time but presently communicates her mind and desire to the maids parents they considering how advantagious and profitable this alliance might in time grow to be held themselves much honoured in granting her request but said Fronesse you must adde your helping hand for we must deale in this matter as with a sicke mind therefore I hold it not convenient to speake to him of suppressing his old flames by new affections as yet for you know that the want of appetite or relish in sicke persons causes them to dislike the best meates we must be industrious and so worke the matter that he may be snared of his owne accord without perceiving any thing at all of the businesse There was no more comparison to be made betweene this Gaudence and and the other country maid with whom he was so farre taken then betweene the day and the night but as those that have beene a long time in darknesse must of necessity have sometime to use themselves to light and to know its worth so it is needfull for this poore man almost out of his sences to returne to reason by little and little and to acknowledge by degrees rhe difference betweene a faire noble and well bred Gentlewoman and a rude country wench be pleased therefore said she speaking to the mother of Gaudence to visit me as as a neighbour and to give you the more cause to come the oftner we will fain some businesse which you desire to be decided betweene us and bringing your daughter with you I am sure her presence will do more of it selfe then I should be able to doe by all my authority or instructions This discreete plot was approved on by the parents and succeeded so happily that without inlarging my selfe any further on the particularity of this new love I will say in a few words that Thierry became so amorously taken with the beauty of Gaudence that hardly any memory of his first doting affection remained in him crafty Fronesse seeing him tyed in affection to this faire face and ingaged by desires to this object tooke no small delight in seeing her bird so intangled and the more to augment these desires she proposed difficulties by reason of the unequality of the match and seemed backward in giving consent to that which she desired no lesse then Thierry Not long after this match was consummated with such content to this Gentleman that his joy cannot be exprest but by the words of such who have beene in the like manner ravished and transported as he was about two or three yeeres after his mother seeing him still more and more possessed with the love of his spouse and jesting with him at the passion he was in for Enemonde she discovers the whole stratageme whereof she had made use by that meanes to draw him from the match whose inequality would have beene an everlasting reproach unto his posterity now this was the time wherein Thierry acknowledged the good his mother
arrived by shipping in the haven of Athens to be his and that all the Marchants were but his Factors his friends getting him cured by a skilfull Physitian of the debility of his brain in liew of giving them thanks for this good office he reviled them saying that whereas he was rich in conceit they had by this cure made him poore and miserable in effect Harpaste a foole that Senecaâ—s wife kept and whose pleasant imagination this grave Phylosopher doth largely relate being growne blind could not perswade her selfe that she was so but continually complained that the house wherein she dwelt was dark that they would not open the windowes and that they hindred her from setting light to make her beleeve she could see nothing hereupon this great Stoick makes this fine consideration that every vitious man is like unto this foole who although he be blind in his passion yet thinks not himselfe to be so casting all his defect on false surmises whereby he seeks not only to have his sinne worthy of excuse and pardon but even of praise the same say the covetous ambitious and voluptuous persons in defence of their imperfections but in fine as the Psalmist saith all that must passe away and the images thereof come to nothing as the dreame of him that awaketh from sleepe If a bucket of water be as truly water as all the sea the difference only remaining in the quantity not in the quality why shall we not say that our poore Brabander was a Soveraigne Prince for the space of foure and â—â—â—enty houres being that he received all the honours and commodities thâ—reof how many Kings and 〈◊〉 have not lasted longer but have dyed 〈◊〉 â—very day of their Elections or Coronations Aâ— for those other pompes which have lasted longer what are they else but longer dreames This vanity of worldly things is a great sting to a well composed soule to helpe it forward towards the heavenly kinâ—dome THE OLD MAN passionate in Love The Sixth Event IT is a thing seldome seene for old men to goe to warre much lesse to become amorous Mars and Venus two deityes spoken of by the Poets are irreconcileably angry with old men because they are dismissed as it were from their service I grant there are many couragious old men but when strength failes wherto serves courage As there are white Swannes which draw the Chariot of the Goddesse of Cyprus so there are likewise old men who enter into passions scarce pardonable in those that are young but if in deeds of armes these men commit many faults what follies doe they not commit when this abortive called love makes them grow childish againe how many dangerous fooleries this frenzie was cause of in the person of an old man you may behold in the sequell of this History In a City of one part of France one of these which are seated on the river of Rosne I will not otherwise specifie it a man of threescore whose yeares ere then might have read him a good authenticall lesson of coldnesse and temperance tenderly quietly brought vp his children which he had had by his wife deceased some yeers past they were two sons reasonable big and two daughters more then marriageable his family and household affaires went forward in good manner when this little hobgoblin to whom Poets attribute a bowe quiver wings and torches came and cast into his bones an artificiall fire which laid hold on his Ice and shewed that there may be some few sparkes of fire among the ashes and the flame is never so quick as in drie-wood there were not far from him certaine children that were orphants but children at least the males able enough to governe their estate they were two young brothers whom necessity kept united together because if they should part their stocke either of them could scarce live on his part they had one sister of reasonable age and sufficient to performe their huswifery they lived thus in good fashion partly by their industry partly by their meanes That wee may speake more cleerely and to avoide confusion we will name the old man Sostene the two brothers Tâ—bere and Willerme and their sister Eufronie This maide having been well instructed by her deceased mother in all manner of needle workes was become very expert therein and taught them unto other maides and children with great dexterity Sostene having daughters who desired to perfect themselves in these occupations so beseeming their sexe very often called Eufrony unto them who taught them most part of her skill with a great deale of grace and sincerity she was faire but never the lesse vertuous and this vertue was accompanied with such a quicknesse of wit that her conversation was well thought on by every one The good old man Sostene never thought of the treason wrought against him by that little aforesaid spirit who lay in ambuscado in thâ— eyes of Eufronie During the long winters nights shee spent the best part of the evening with the three daughters of Sostene which with two sonnes he had by his former wife the good old man sitting in the chimney corner in his furred gowne tooke great pleasure in hearing the tales that these wenches told whilest they were at their worke and the songs which they sung and other such pleasantnesse yet all within the limits of honesty and vertue but in all these things as well as in the workes Eufronie excelled and was as Diana amongst her nimphs By degrees for fire requires time to melt ice and then to make the water boyle which comes of it the actions the countenance the speeches of Eufronie delighted him the features likewise of her face her smiles her lookes and her other graces imprinted themselves on his heart so that hee desired shee might alwayes accompany his daughters and he amongst them a faire not golden but silver lockt Apollo amidst the Muses he became very impatient within himselfe when Eufronie came not and when the care of her house or the service of her brothers retained her from thence he was so sad and so froward that nothing could content him to imagine the cause of this his humour was a hard matter for it might better have been attributed to his age then any passion In fine not to insist too long on this old mans dotage after some few dayes himselfe having handled his wound and found the shaft entred so deepe into his heart that he could not possibly get it out he resolves with him selfe to seeke the remedy in the subject of his smart and attempt this Danaes Tower by Iupiters golden shower had his thought aimed at mariage although Hymen were out of season for him yet had there beene cause wherewith to justifie his designe and perhaps so many disorders might not have happened thereby but God Almighty by his just judgement permitted him to fall into the snares which he prepared to intrap the honestie of Eufronie To tell you in what manner he
unto him that which she had said before and made him new protestations of love but of a love tending to Marriage if Anastasius had not beene very prudent doubtlesse letting himselfe goe on the wings of the wind his heart had soared up into some vanity which would have wrought destruction as well as that of Icarus but he imitated wise Pilots who strik halfe their Sayles when the winde is to strong for feare lest the Ship should overturne this love must by all meanes be kept close from the care of the new Guardian till such time as Castule had beene in Touraine and taken possession of what was befaine her by the will of her Mother which done and she stablished therein shee promised to send for Anastasius to give him the possession of her estate and person a reward of her fidelity and honesty and it was so done noe sooner did the new star appeare on the Horizon of Touraine but her rayes strooke into the eyes of divers Astrologers I meane of divers Sutors who would gladly have had her for the ascendant of their fortunes nativity but the horoscop destinated her for Anastasius to whom under hand she conveyed meanes to fitt himselfe of all things like a Gentleman so to become a sutor as the rest and having wrought the mind of her guardian to this point that of all those that sought her good will he would leave her at liberty to take her own choise since nothing ought to be more free from compulsion than marriage she gave her voyce to Anastasius who thus saw himselfe preferd before many Tourengeaux who beheld not without enuy the good fortune of this stranger When the Guardian understood how infinitely his Pupill was obliged unto Anastasius in lieu of growing angry at the unequality of the party hee praysed the prudence and Iustice of this maid who though she could not more worthily reward him that had preserved heramidst so many hazards then in giving herselfe to him now with what eare Zotique heard the tidings of this marriage I leave unto the consideration of him who will represent unto himselfe the rage of his love converted into that of wrâ—th Notwithstanding time the Soveraigne Physitian of the soules diseases will moderate all his paines and his Father having married him else where he lost in this new match the remeÌ„berance of his old flames meane time Anastasius who of a fathfull servant was become a Master might rightly terme himselfe a good Artist who had wrought his owne good fortune and that only by the meanes of vertue whereof he was become so constant a partaker and to say trueth it is good to hold with vertue for although her way bee inclosed with thornes yet it ends in Roses and early or late Fortune is constrained to stoope her ensign before her and acknowledge her selfe vanquished the Sunne may be obscured by clouds but never extinguished disasters may crosse or rather give an exercise to vertue but never stifle it it resembles the Vine which profits by it's cutting and the more it is beaten the lesse it is hurt in my opinion the principall thing remarkable in this History is the honourable Infidelity of Anastasius who was really and truly for Zotique as long as his pretenses were honest but revolted as soone as he perceived that malice had overturn'd the heart of this Gentleman and that his projects were unlawfull for if they be blame worthy who are faithfull in evill enterprises and make themselves guilty of anothers fault this Infidelity or disloyalty must needes bee honourable which playeth Bankrupt to evill designes THE FRVSTRATED INTENTIONS The Second Relation IT shall here suffice mee to name the Province of Champagne and to say that in one of his chiefest Cities there was a widdow Lady who having foure Children two Sonnes and two daughters labored to bring theÌ„â—p in the feare of God and good manners and although she was left yong enough with a Husband even at such an age as would have permitted her to mâ—rry yet she would persevere in her widowhood and remaine â—â—uly a Widow that is to say flying â—â—light and occasions of being wooed or sought â—â—ter for marriage but as it is the common desire of 〈◊〉 to advance their Families and torâ—ise their Children unto honour she having not power to do any thing for hers but preserve that whith they had and by sparing make them feele the fruites of her Wardship be-thought herselfe by a human prudence frequent enough in families to destinate two of them to the Church thereby to make the other two richer and greater and more advancâ—d in the world but even as the ende which is last â—â— in the execution is first in the intention so the intention which is first in the thought is last in the effect and betweene thinking and doing is a great distance the divine disposings agree not alwayes with human purposes forasmuch as the East is not farther distant from the West then the wayes of God are from the wayes of men this good woman Priscilla was led herein by the advice of her kindred and chiefly by a man of justice and authority who was substituted to the Guardianship of her children such are the disignes of a subject whose ballances have a waight but waight and ballances deceiptfull and without equality because they make the elevation and riches of the one by the abasement and poverty of the other the meanes of these younger children was remarkable for each one of their parts amounted to twenty thousand French crownes besides the right of the eldest I speake as knowing the perticulars thereof well then the youngest brother is dâ—stinated to bee a Ward a Knight of Malta and they stay but only untill he be of age to give him eyther the Coâ—vle or the Crosse the younger Dâ—ughter is puâ— into a Monastery there to be brought up among other little girles with intent to make her a Nunne hoping that she will not contradict the will of her Parents therein as for the eldest Daughter a great portion is promised with her whereby she soone becomes the object of desire unto many Suiters as there is no beauty so great whereunto painting may not adde something to prove it so hoâ— noble faire vertuous a Mâ—id be yet the rich Dowry doth ever augment the desire of possessing her among divers Matches profered for this eldest one was very advantagious and forasmuch as the two youngest destinated to the monestary were yet farr from the age not only of profession but of vesture the freinds durst not give in marriage with this more then twenty thousand French Crownes which was her assured part and her Suitor tooke her with that upon the infallible hope they gave him that hee should get another like sonne from the succession of those two creatures which were to be sacrificed for the greatnes of the two eldest they must put the yonger brother into a Monastery but his humor â—uteth not thereunto
wealth of the world would never renounce his love Rogat in despight thereof made his will and instituted the younger son his heire in case that Maximian should ever happen to marry Hermile Hereupon he dies and Maximian as eldest takes possession of the inheritance the yonger brother makes protestations conformable to the will which being examined by the judges was declared void or nullified in that respect as made in the hatred of a marriage the soule whereof was freedom seeing that Rogat thereby would extend his paternall power unto a time wherein he should no more bee Then Maximian beeing master both of his meanes and person went to the Court with a brave traine where at the age of three and thirty yeares he married Hermile who was two and twenty All the world extolled his constancy and loyalty and he was held for a rare patterne of love and faithfulnesse To tell you with how many joyes these crosses were recompenced and what felicities followed this long attendance would require the lifting vp of Hymens veile which were not seemely those unto whom these thoughts are not forbidden may stay thereon whilest I shall observe that Hermile hath lost nothing by her staying since that from a meane condition shee sees her selfe raised to the degree of a Lady beloved and cherished by a husband who adores her and in a wealth far above her hopes but in truth there are not Maximians to be found by dozens few young men keep their first flames so constantly Yet on the other side the conservation thereof may bee attributed to the honesty of Hermile who like a Vestall could so carefully keepe the fire of true love by purity that it is no wonder if the successe thereof hath bin happy Fortune being at last forced to fall downe at the feet of Vertue whose partakers are ever crowned with honor and glory THE FOOLISH BOAST The fourth Relation OF all vanities Boasting is the idlest and discovers most the weakenesse of minde and debility of braine it is so ridiculous among judicious persons that as soone as a man brags he is taken to be impertinent but above all when he deckes himselfe with borrowedfeathers and things which he hath done and in fine of all brags the foolishest is that which sets upon the reputation of a weake sex who have no other weapon but tears to oppose the detraction of evil tongues I am sorry that Berard a Noble man of our Nation hath fallen into this basenesse of spirit I had almost said unmanlinesse which at last caused the losse both of his reputation and life together he was naturally faire and so curious in husbanding by Art what beauty nature had given him that he equalled therein the care and curiosity of women he consumed so much time in the mornings in trâ—cking and trimming his head ordering his haire setting his ruffe and cloaths that ere he were quite polisht the day was halfe past I hold it superfluous to say that this new Paris halfe man was given to court women since these abovesaid employments shew plaine enough wooing belongs unto Paris It is thy right trade said that ancient Poet speaking of the faire sonne of Priam that unlucky and fatall torch or destruction of his fathers City and Kingdome our Berard had so great an inclination to this passion that he seemed to be a Marygold whose sunne was beauty for wheresoever hee met with any ray therof he burned after such a manner that what Poets fabulously write of Clitie was in him a true History this so generall an inclination made him unconstant and in this case hee could not keep from change one might as soon have fixt quick-silver as stayed his vowes long upon one object his heart was like a looking-glasse which presently receives the image of what is represented before it and as soone looses it The first that for a time stayed his pretensions was Stratonice a Gentlewoman much esteemed for her beauty in one of the principall Cities of the ancient Kingdome of Arles where all happened that I shall speake of in this Relation she was the common desire of many wooers but because her meanes was not correspondent unto her beauty and comely grace which amounted unto a high point some could have wished her for a Mistresse who would have shun'd her for a wiâ—e for few will buy a fraile pleasure with a long and troublesome necessity Berard raising his head as farre above his rivals as doth the Moone in her plenitude above the smallest starres which the obscurity of night causeth to glimmer in the skye was likewise looked on with a more particular attention the care which Stratonice had to conquer him as well to establish her fortunes by marrying him as for any inclination she had to his person put so much vanity into the head of our spruce younker as he imagined that not onely Stratonice but all other Maids lookt on him with an eye of desire after he had prattled away some time with Stratonice and taken pleasure in scattering and dispersing of his competitors although in all the time of his accesse unto her shee never permitted him but onely common and well-beseeming favours which honesty forbids not this vaine man raising his head into the sky imagined greater ones should be permitted him he called rigour and disdain what the holy law of Chastity did forbid him to sue for which law this wise Gentlewoman alledged and used as a buckler against his pursuits upon these contestations he takes snuffe and as his wilde affection held but on a small threed he broke it off easily and growing cold left wooing there yet thus farre is there nothing much blameable for people should know before they love and therefore are honest conversations permitted but to breake with violence or rather to teare and rent what moderation counselleth to unsow is a thing which cannot be excused without approving of injustice this man not content to repâ—y with contempt the courteous entertainement which he had received of this honest Gentlewoman betakes himselfe to scoffing and detraction knowing that the honour of a Maid is tender as a flower as soone withered as toucht it resembles a looking-glasse which dimmes even with ones breath the detractors tongue is a sharpe two-edged sword the venome of the Aspe is under his lips and the world hath this evill quality to take the grossest detractions for undoubted truths and true prayses are taken for flatteries Our unconstant man glorying in the evill which he had not done boasted of certaine private favours which the wisedome of Stratonice never had so much as a thought to permit him and although the wisest persons made but a mocking-stocke of his vanity yet the weakest spirits remaine doubtfull of the honesty of the Gentlewoman O faire flowers of reputation are you thus exposed unto the hurtfull haile of evill tongues although that this for a while dispersed those that had an inclination of love to Stratonice yet time father of
speeches constrained Tharsis to reply in this manner She is neitherthy leavings nor mine but deserves a better then thou art and if thou wert wise thou wouldst keepe thy word never any honest man broke it nor never any man of honour wronged a gentlewoman so cruelly The protection which I owe her as a Knight and the just pretention I have to Aldegond makes me wish to see thee and I together with our swords in hand that I might wash the honour off the one in thy bloud and make thee with the losse of thy life lose the hope of the other and it shall be when and where thou wilt that we shall meet Furious Epolon could not heare out the end of this discourse without laying hand on his weapon Tharsis failed not to reply in the same accent and before Philapian and Victor could separate them Tharsis had runne the old man into the body presently they were parted but it was too late for Epolon had received a wound which left him but one dayes life Victor being an intimate friend to Tharsis helpt him away who knowing he could never get his pardon fled into Germany where he died in the Emperours Army Epolon lived untill the next day Heaven having lent him so much time as to call him to account and to make satisfaction for the wrong he had don Barsimee to repaire her honour he gave her his land in signe of marriage but such a marriage whereof death soone unloosed the bond The same day it was assuredly known that Aldegond rather followed Metel than that he had stollen her and that if it were a Rape it was done by her consent Philapian overcome with so many disorders whether of griefe or of an apoplexy which as was thought seized on him dyed suddenly Not long after Metel having married Aldegond in Germany brought all to a good passe again and wrought his peace with the mother who tenderly loved her daughter and disswaded her sonne Victor from attempting to right these affronts by the force of Armes Here the folly of Barsimee and the disloyaltie of Epolon serve to elevate or to make the loyalty and constancy of Metel and Aldegond shew the fairer In briefe the variety of accidents which happened in this rape doe shew unto a good judgement the sundry lusters of good and evill even as the necke of a Dove being exposed before the beams of the Sun doth shew in its feathers sundry transparences THE IVST RECOMPENCE The eleventh Relation ALthough the Maxime of this wicked world be contrary yet such is the beleefe and opinion of the wisest men that it is the nature and property of a base abject courage not to be able to suffer a wrong without some evident revenge The same wise men also teach us that the greatest courages are the most prone unto acknowledgement and that it is as difficult for them to endure a good turne without requitall as for a base minde to put up a wrong without revenging it to the uttermost Which made the Tuscane Poet say That love doth never dispense with not loving the person that loveth From thence comes the common saying love that thou mayst be beloved but with a stronger tone when a man hath given all his goods and all his substance for love hee still thinks he hath not done so much as hee ought so precious a thing is love you shall see the effects of this verity in the relation that I am about to describe In Ascoly a city of Poville a Province of the Kingdome of Naples an honest Marchants sonne whom wee will call Metran fell in love with a Citizens daughter named Valeria who bore away the palme of beauty frō al the Maids of that city now as there was much equality in wealth betweene the parents of both parties so there hapned yet to be a greater concordance of humours dispositions so that the match seemed to bee framed in Heaven even from their births but as many accidents happen betwixt the cup and the lip so these two lovers were like unto those ships which lying at Ankor in the roade and staying but only for the tide to bring them into the desired haven see themselves unawares by a wind from the land driven farre into the sea and in short space at a great distance each from other The Father of Valeria was much obliged to an Earle that dwelt in the City whom wee will conceale under the name of Armentaire this Citizen was under the particular Protection of this Nobleman who on divers occasions had shewed him much assistance which was the cause that amongst those that the Father of Valeria invited at the betroathing of his Daughter he entreated the Earle as his good Lord and Patron to be there whereunto Armentaire condescended as willing to honor this Citizen whom he entirely loved the assembly was come together with much pompe and magnificence and there Metran promised unto Valeria and Valeria unto Metrau to take each other in the face of the Church on the day that it should bee agreed upon betwixt their parents now wanted nothing but only to proceed upon the solemnities and consummation of this Marriage the tearme of few dayes was prescribed to prepare and end it the content of these parties had exceeded had not the adjourning of the day wherein they should have beene united put water into their wine and moderated their joy by ensuing troubles for here comes an unexpected tempest to crosse their quiet navigation whether it were that Valeria had added unto her natural beauty the art of ornaments which made her exceed all the company or whether the Earles eyes were more open that day then they were formerly so it fell out that the flash of this faire face dazled him so that hee lost both judgement and knowledge of himselfe he was very ancient and beside extreamely troubled with the Gout whether it were that he had it as inheritance or that it proceeded from his former intemperancies all this ought to have dispensed him from inrouling himselfe under the Standards of Cupid where the old and gouty are scarce welcome old fooles are reckoned amongst things unfit for use of which Armentaire shewes himselfe to bee one by the foolish part hee playes After hee had made a weake resistance unto the assault made by this innocent beauty he yeelds resolving to cure himselfe of this importunate desire by Marriage hereupon hee goes forthwith to Bonit the Father of this faire conqueresse and weeping like a chlid represents his griefe unto him in such a manner that this good Citizen his ancient freind tooke pitty thereof counted it a great honour and grace that hee should request to have his daughter in marriage but my Lord said he you know shee is betrothed to another and this promise cannot bee broke but by the consent of both parties I shall replyed the Earle deale so bountifully with Metran that in obliging mee hee shall be the better all the
dayes of his life and I will so well provide for your daughter that both she and you yea and all yours shall bee glad thereof This newes was carried by Bonit to Metran who poore young man receaved it as the sentence of his death and indeed to rende so strong a love from his heart was no lesse then to teare his soule from his body hee cannot answer but with teares like to the Stag when hee stands at a bay Bonit pressing him to an answer hee fell presently in a swoune shewing thereby that hee could not grant so hard a request but by death here pitty gave new assaults to the soule of his Father and truly hee had beene very barbarous if hee had not beene touched with compassion seeing his daughter so extremly beloved of him whom he had chosen to be his son in law then goes he to his daughter to try her mind who had no other answer but sighs and sobs at last amongst many interruptions hee learned that her will was in the hands of Metran and that having given herselfe unto him shee could noe more dispose of herselfe her Father having left her shee opened the â—â—â—dgatâ— of her teares tore her haire had almost spoyled that faire complexion which nature had set on her face so much did she hate that beauty which seemed pleasing to any other then Metranâ— eies then Bonit returns to this yong man who having with incredible convulsions of mind digested the bitter thought of the ruine of his love which he saw to be evident tooke at last a couragious resolution and such an one as taken contrary to the true intent may seeme blame-worthy but understood aright shall appeare excellent Philosophers distinguish betweene loues say that that which is perfect hath no other end but the good of the person beloved and that which is imperfect tends to thee utility of the person that loveth Metran would shew the perfectioÌ„ of his love to his deare Valeria and seeing the Marriage so evidently advantageous for her freely tooke the bit out of his owne mouth to put it into Armentaires this was the sum of the answere he made to Bonit who tenderly imbraced him and mixing their teares together hee promised ever to account him as much the raiser of his house as the Earle being that herein Armentaire sought nothing but his owne content and on the contrary Metran deprived himselfe of his only in consideration of Valerias good this newes was presently carried by Bonit to his daughter who incredulous desires to here it from her beloveds owne mouth whereupon Metran being come into the presence of Valeria could hardly endure her lookes which seemed to upâ—raidâ— him with disloyalty so to forsake her and to give â—â—â— over unto another and before they could speake both of them fainting fell to the ground palenesse seizing on their faces their lips were forsaken by their naturall colour and they were thought to be yeelding up their lives but at length being a little recovered and come to themselves Metran made it well and sufficiently appeare unto Valeria that she deceived her selfe in accounting that for basenesse of heart and disloyalty which was the greatest act of magnanimity that his heart could shew to renounce its owne proper interests and pleasure in favour of the thing beloved Valeria could not at first conceive this subtilty her soule being united unto the soule of Metran that shee beleeved death it selfe could not divide them what said she hath caused thee so easily to forsake me and so willingly to give mee unto another Ah Metran Metran call you that loving and perfectly loving as for my part I should not onely have preferred you before an Earle but before a King also for I esteeme not men for their wealth and their greatnesse but for their own proper merits Deare Valeria replyed Metran the affection I beare you being as strong at death workes now in mee the same effect since it seperates me from you my vehement desire of your greatnesse makes mee deprive my selfe of the greatest contentment that I could have wished and without which my life hence forward shall be but a death live then great honoured happy rich most deare Valeria and by marrying with Armentaire become the glory of your kindred whilst I goe miserable poore unhappy and forlorne Metran spinning out the remainder of my sad dayes amongst the lovers of solitude much adoe they had to plucke these lovers from each others presence a heart as hard as Adamant could not but have relented at so hard a separation The words of betrothing being rendred backe the very next morrow Valeria is promised to Armentaire who in few dayes makes her a Countesse and withall becomes so idolatrous of her that both his eyes were not enough for him to view her withall meane while Metran who could rather have dyed then indured to see his Mistresse in the armes of another went his way wandring through Italy for the space of some few yeares often changing place but never heart nor affection Armentarie had but one sonne and hee was married but had no childe and that was partly the cause why the Earle did marry againe to get issue but age and the gowt opposed themselves to his desire Moreover it was generally reported that hee was so charmed by the love of a Courtezan that he disdained his lawfull wife but as the kinde of bad women resemble the materia prima which is never satisfied with formes what expence soever Hilaire was at for to stay the covetousnesse of this creature she still flew out and daily bred new distractions in his brain so that on a time being throughly vexed at her he used her like a woman of her trade and marked her face with the slash of a sharpe Rasor which they there call Coustillade This lewd creature seeing her selfe deprived of that little beauty which made her to be esteemed grew so desperate that she caused Halaire to be murthered by another of her lovers with whom she imbarked and got into the Venetian Territories a receptacle for such sort of wares This his sonnes death unmeasurably afflicted the Earle seeing himself deprived of heires and out of all hope of having any children yet the love he bare to his young wife was a charme to all his griefes But indeed this praise must onely be attributed to the vertuous discretion and carriage of Valeria that shee could so well frame herselfe to his humours and so win his heart that he had been insensible if hee had not acknowledged her respects the gowt by little and little wasting the Earles naturall vigour brought him to the threshold of his â—om be and what could he then doe better in the acknowledgement of the service received from his prudent mate then to make her his heir as he did by his solemne will and testament and after that he went the way of all flesh which is the way to the grave so long as he lived
sometimes to Rotemberg sometimes to Melsingnam to see our common parents he was at our house as at his owne and I at his as at myne in briefe wee lived in an incomparable union It happened once as we were at Melsingnam that my friend saw in a company a faire maid named Yoland whose graces so woon his heart that hee did nothing but thinke on her and talked to me thereof out of the abundance of his thoughts Presently I judged him to be stung with her love and hee acknowledged so much unto me at my first asking for hee concealed nothing from mee Truly sayd I to him I am very glad that your affections have addressed theÌ„selves in a place where I may yeeld you assistance for besides that it is in my native Countrey I am somthing allyed unto this gentlewoman and although it be a farre off yet this affinity gives me a more particular accesse unto her and by mee you may with more facility and more commodiously introduce your selfe into her company and from this frequentation passe into her favour you have so much merit that to see you know you and love you goe together Then Incmar with tears in his eyes but they were teares of joy sayd Deare friend thou thinkest that every one considers me as thou dost and that thy passion communicates its contagion unto others I have not so much presumption as to thinke to breed affection in this vertuous minde but it shall suffice mee that shee suffer me to honour her and that the torments that I endure for her being acceptable may bee a testimonie of the sacrifice which I make unto her of my heart Thou art already replied I in those tearmes of Idolatrie which grow in the mouthes of lovers and which as I thinke proceed but from the top of the lippes otherwise these complements would offend heaven and would bee so many blasphemies for they speake but of altars of sacrifices of adorations of flames of victimes of godesses of temples of vowes of praises of perfumes and other such idle thinges wherewith they entertaine their craized imaginations thus replied Incmar doe those that are in health laugh at the actions of them that be sicke of hot diseases in stead of having compassion on them but if thou hast any compassion on mine for every lover is wounded I pray thee to lend me thy helpe and to beleeve that the greatest proofes that thou canst give mee of thy incomparable friendship shal be thy assistance in this occasion my love being to me no lesse precious nor considerable then my life then did I promise to yeeld him all sorts of good offices and because I feared that the issue of this designe would not succeed according to his desires after that I have laboured in vain to diswade him this enterprize wherein I beleeved he should unprofitably loose his time seeing that the obstacles which I represented unto him augmented his ardor and that the difficulties animated him the more unto the pursuit I swore unto him to passe over all considerations for his contentment being nothing was so deare unto mee in the world as to please him I then found meanes divers times to make my faire kinswoman be seene by my freind who having declared unto her his affection and discovered that this maide had an inclination to acknowledge it entred into great hops the element of lovers to see his pretentions arrive unto the port which he desired I was every day at Yolandes eares relating unto her the commendable qualities of Inemar and my owne affection making me eloquent it was easie for me to perswade her what I my selfe beleeved for it is requisit that the Orator be moved who will move others to inspire love one must have a feeling of its sweet flame this young bird by little and little suffered her selfe to bee brought on by my pipe and to bee taken by the inevitable baites of Incmars conversations now was he wholy in Yolands favour but yet although the heart were wonne for to arrive unto the possession of this faire body one of the ornaments of nature these were obstacles which appeared invincible but what is there difficult what is there impossible unto those that will and that love Graciana step Mother unto Yoland had married Raoul Father to this Maid on condition that a sonne that shee had by her first husband should marry this gentlewoman when as age had made her capable of marriage Raoul without any consideration but of gold whose dust dasleth the eyes of the clearest sighted obliged himselfe unto this promise not regarding that so to force the will is rather the part of a tyrant than of a Father and then what obedience could have obliged faire Yoland to give herselfe unto a monster and to love him who had all the causes which can give horror he had a back higher then his head capable to ease Atlas of his burthen as well as Hercules if he had beene tall enough and strong enough but hee was so little as one would almost have thought that since the day of his birth hee had not grown in any part but his haire besides that he was so swollen and so round that one might have taken him for a great hand worme or a middle sizd Bowle his complexion a little whiter then an Ethiopians approached unto the coulour of a sicke Spaniard his lips big his cheekes flat his eyes sunk in and a nose enemy unto all other noses to avoid it one should have had a buckler or rather a rampier of perfumes for though it had no smelling it was to be smelt his stature such as I have described it upheld by two legges so small that the eares of corne which totter in the field with the least breath of wind have firmer foundations those were the columnes of this Hercules which forbid mee to passe on further in his description with all these remedies of love what could he breed in the spirit of Yoland but hatred I beleeve that this aversion helped not a little to lodge Incmar in her affection because that comming to compare so many deformities with so many graces wherewith my friend was rightly stored she found him as worthy of her love as the other to be deprived of it whilst these things passe in this manner and that lovely Incmar possesses the affections of Yoland in the same sort as she possessed his Hugolin that is the name of the beautifull fellow which I have painted you out adding unto all these deformities that of jealousie perceived this correspondency and well judging that this new love made a shadow on his perswasions he advertised Raoul thereof who to keep his word and to see his daughter richly matâ—ht unto this only but singularly ill favoured sonne promised him to discard this brave Courtier he meant Incmar that thus put crickets into his head and in effect hee forbad his daughter to see him any more but seeing this forbidding was to no
purpose because that Yoland replyed that she could not hinder this gentleman from comming into those companies where she chanced to be Raoul talked to Incmar himselfe and advised him to frame no designe on Yoland because shee was promised unto Hugolin and that this ware was no more for sale which was already agreed for and retained This discourse very much angered Incmar who had vomited up his gall against Hugolin and had spoken more harshlie to Raoul if the love of the daughter had not kept him back in respect to him whom he intended should be his Father in law and it had been the way wholy to ruinate his project if hee had vexed this man who was naturally subject to choller and apt to strike he therefore stroke saile as gently as he could yet without obliging himselfe neither to see nor love Yoland not to deprive saide he his eyes his heart of the fairest object and the loveliest in the world but because hee came to know that continuing to see her according as it fell out it caused her to be ill used by her Father and stormed at by her step Mother which was a domesticall fastened unto her coller stirred up thereunto by jealous Hugolin who already tooke upon him the power of a husband over her that was but promised unto him he abstained from seeing her by going to Cassell where the pleasing objects that the court could furnish his eyes with all seemed unto him but as the small starres which night layes out in the sky in absence of the light which makes the day meane while I kept his pâ—ace at Melsingnam neere Yoland who knowing the straight freindship that tied us discovered the feelings of her spirits as sincerely to me as shee would have done to Incmar himselfe I informed him day by day of the invariable fidelitie of this maide in whom since absence nor contradictions changed not affection but as it is hard to be long in the sunne without being tanned and in a perfumers shoppe without drawing from thence good odors it happened unexpected that the conversation of my kinswoman but kinswoman in such a degree as I might have married her without offending the lawes framed I know not what inclination in my soul which became love ere I perceived it I felt not my selfe and her attractions and charmes struck so deepe into my heart that I was a long time in ballance tottering betwixt love and friendship not knowing unto which party to yeeld at last after strange combates friendshippe had the victory honour bearing it away over sense and reason over passion the perfect friendship which I had long before contracted with Incmar represented unto me that if I fastened on Yoland I should commit the most notorious trecherie that can be imagined that I should beheld for aright Chelme which was the cause that making an effort within my selfe I cast of these flatering thoughts wherewith the beauty of Yoland tickled my imagination for to be fathfull to my freind contenting my selfe to love her as a sister whom I wished to see wife to him that I loved as a brother and verely I may well put among the proffes of the greatnesse of my freindship to Incmar this victorie over my selfe and this continuall warre which I made against my selfe being neere Yoland unto whom I did speake of my freind with the same presentment which I had for my selfe Yet did jealous Hugolin penetrate into our proceedings and as none were ignorant that Incmar I were but one he had reason to beleive that I spake for my freind and that under the vaile of kindred I entertained my kinswoman with another alliance then his Now doth he make unto Raoul the same complaints of me as of Incmar the stepmother beholdes me with crosse lookes when I am neer her daughter in law and if Hugoline had had as much courage as Iealousie he might have done me an ill turn what indeavours soever he used he could never cause Yoland to be prohibited seeing me nor make Raoul forbid me to see my kinswoman Blood hath I know not what which ties persons with a straine so strong that it is hard to breake it true it is that Raoul in a more moderate manner then his humor did beare one time represented to me the marriage determined to be betwixt his daughter and Hugolin entreating me not to speake to her of Incmar for feare least the merits of this knight one of the gallantest of the court should make her see cleerer then need was into Hugolins imperfections which were but too apparent and that therein I should doe him a pleasure and the duty of a good kinsman the duty of a good kinsman replied I is to bring backe his kinsman unto reason when hee straies from it now it seemes to me signeur Raoul that you goe from it a little in going about to make a marriage and destroying the foundations thereof which consists in the union of two wills and if you constraine the will of your daughter this constraint being diametrally opposed unto fredom you make the marriage vicious knowing then that shee hath great aversions from this little mishapen creature not to say any thing more cruel against Hugolin theÌ„ what our eies teach us I cannot theÌ„ without breach of the duty of a good kinsman faile to advertise you thereof that as a good Father you may seeke to make your daughter lesse rich and more contented I know said hee how farre paternall power doth extend and my daughter is not ignorant of what obedience she owes me it doth not belong to Maids to meddle in the choyce of their husbands they ought therein to rely on their parents and to have no other will then the will of those that command them and for that matter it is resolved on my word is past the state of mine affaires good of my house requires it whether she will or not it must be so she must not put any other affection into her head but of Hugolin whose mother I should never have had if I had not promised her to make this other marriage of my daughter with her sonne seeing that this man was so setled in this his resolution and that it would bee but labour lost to seeke to remove it out of his mind I left him with good words and complements which satisfied him meane time the beauty of Yoland daily purchast her beholders admirers and new servants which gave many alarums unto Hugolin who seeing himselfe surpassed by all in all manner of things excepting riches feared infinitely to see before his marriage so many enemies on his hands as rivals after his marriage more friends then hee would have at last to make himselfe of a doubtful possessor an absolute Maister and intending to take such order with Yoland that hee should breed him no more suspitions hee resolved to consummate his marriage although hee had not attained unto the twentieth yeare of his age