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
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
but through the eyes of Sapor suffered her selfe to be drawne to this match whereof none was more joyfull then Numerian in so much that it is hard to expresse the contentment he tooke being as it were in extasie or transportation of his spirit The first time that the Prince made them talke together Rosana with that manly and generous gesture which was both usuall and naturall in her spake to this Gentleman as followeth Sir here is your Master and mine who hath a desire to joyne us together in the lawes of Hymen But before I embrace his proffer and before I will be made subject to your power I must propound two conditions without the which I cannot nor will not be perswaded to take you for my husband my body shall be thine and so entirely thine that never any but thy selfe shall have part therein I shall come a Virgin to thy bed and if it be so that I must loose the flower of that integrity which I did intend to preserve all my life time yet it shall perish at least with honour in lawfull wedlocke first then thou shalt not need to watch over my fidelity because I shall be more jealous thereof then thou canst and if I should chance to offend therein although I rather wish all the thunders of heaven to fall on my head yea the earth to open and swallow me up my hand should prevent thine in the revenge of so great a wrong and if death permits me to survive thee be sure that even to thine ashes I will keep a body pure and a troth inviolable I will love thee as my husband with all my heart but for to prevent jealousies know thou this that I will love Sapor as my Prince and deere Master but imagine not him to have any part thereby in any thing which shall appertaine to thee nor to be arrivall or shâ—rer in thy bed he hath no such thought and if he had he should finde his expectation frustrate and if thou dost 〈◊〉 that this friendship which is so pure honest just â—â—â— lawfull should be contrary to the loyalty I owe to thee and that it may be a meanes to dâ—vide my heart Then even at this present I renounce thy love and alliance for I am resolved to carry to my grave this first and glorious flame wherewith my heart hath beene fed and my spirit pleased even from my cradle hitherto and if you thinke these things agreeable with the duties I shall owe to thee heere I am ready to obey him whose desires are lawes to me The other condition is that thou take me not as a house Dove to imploy my selfe in spinning sowing and keeping the chimney corner thou knowest that I have beene bred in another manner and according to that I desire that thou permit me to exercise my selfe in armes and hunting and such like recreations and if thy courage doe call thee at any time forth to warre either of thy owne accord or with our Master that thou then make me partaker of thy labours and thy hazards and also of thy laurells and palmes On these conditions I am ready to obey and to follow thee in life or death Numerian no lesse ravished at the spirit and courage of this maide then with her beauty which indeed though meane yet embellished with extraordinary graces agreed unto all she desired joying much in having met with a mate with whom hee might reape as many laurells as myrtles The young Duke honoured this marriage with such pompe and magnificence that he could not have expended more liberally at the marriage of his owne sister he gave also large gifts to the married couple which were but in earnest for greater things that he intended to effect for their advancement Numerian remained still with the Prince and in greater authority in the house and Rosana with the Dutches Dowager who was very glad of this marriage which freed her from the feares she had that her son passionately affecting this maid should have a desire to marry her Not long after Sapor wedded a young Princesse of Bohemia and at this wedding did Rosana among the joyes she had to see her Prince so highly matched make her grace and ability appeare in the Maskes Turnaments and other things which Knights did to honour this feast she bore away many prizes which wonne her great praise yea without envy of her competitors who admired the good carriage and dexterity of this Amazon But the richest Iewell that she then wonne was the heart of the young Princesse who tooke such an affection unto her that she seemed to dispute the preheminence thereof with her husband thus doth vertue purchase estimation wheresoever it comes and in this manner doth it draw hearts unto it She with Numerian had such credit and authority in the Princes house that all passed through their hands and nothing was well thought on but what came from them Thus they passed some yeers rich in wealth and children when the warres of Hungary a kingdome neighbouring unto Slesia came to disturbe this calme The Prince Sapor being call'd by the Emperour had great command in the Army whereunto he went with a traine befitting his greatnesse Numerian who was alwaies at his side intended not to forsake him in this voyage whereunto his owne courage was a sufficient sollicitor beside the loyalty and love he bore to his Master He intended to leave his wife to waite upon the young Dutchesse but she unwilling replied unto him as followeth Numerian said she thou dost ill remember our contract of marriage thou wrongest our love in desiring alone to runne the hazard of warre heaven having made me thy partner and I shall continue so as well in things that tend to profit and also in those that tend to the hazard of your person neither is it thy part to hinder me from entring into the least part of the honour thou art going to purchase I can despise life and defie death chiefly if I see my noble Master and thy selfe witnesses of my valour and fidelity Never had I said Numerian the least distrust either of thy faith or thy courage neither is it that which makes me desire thee to abide with the Princesse but only to be a comfort and an associate in the absence of the Prince besides the events of war are uncertaine and I wish that thou maist survive me to bring up our children and to preserve my memory No no replied Rosana I am dâ—stinated to some other matter then to governe a family others shall have that charge the love I beare to my Master and to thee permits me not to forsake you if you die I will die also if you live I will live whether you go I will follow separation cannot have place in our union Be it than as thou wilt said Numerian I will not envie the glory which thou mayst purchase it shall be common to us both let us goe and hazard our lives in the service of
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
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
and cause him by absence to forget her and indeed this was the intent of Rogat Contrariwise Maximian renewes the vowes of loyaltie in his soule and also in writing for not content to write letters unto Hermile by every ordinary messenger hee over and above sent her a promise or contract of marriage thereby to tye himselfe vnto her with such bonds as he should not be able to breake without losing the quality of a man of faith and of his word The father keepes him at home and labours by all meanes to divert him from his love but as the sonne cannot winne the Father much lesse can the Father alter the will of the Sonne the one remaines stedfast in the negative the other destinated in the affirmative Rogat judgeth that hee shall not be able to draw out this nayle but with another and that the way to roote this affection out of the heart of Maximian is to marry him matches are not wanting in his neighbour-hood Daughters are plants which grow but in too great a number but although they have greater portions yet have they not in Maximians opinion such graces neyther in body nor soule as Hermile Hermile alone hath first possest his affections and Hermile only and lastly shall possesse them even unto the grave the wind puts out small fires but great ones augment thereby absence and contradiction extinguish common slight flames but strong and excellent ones take vigor by time and opposition Maximian refused all the matches which were offered him being resolved never to marry or to have her whom hee desired Some Physitians say that there is a certaine disease called Exotique otherwise Melancholy of love which ought to bee dealt withall after the manner of the Hyppocondriacks by condescending in some sort unto the fantasies of these craized braines Rogat made use of this industry to heale the sicke mind of Maximian hee found out a young man that could artificially counterfeit all manner of hand writing then caused he a report to be spread that he was upon marrying his son Maximian that all was agreed upon that the wedding day approached and made this report fly unto Hermile and her Father by a suborned passion and such subtile meanes with so much likelihood that it passed in their credence for a trueth then wholy to accomplish this deceipt he made the fore said yong man dexterously to counterfeit the hand of Maximian and in his name write letters to the Father and daughter whereby he excused the breach of his word and promise upon the constraint used by his Father who forced him to a match against his will and inclination and after many protestations complaints and exclamations against this violence witnessing much sorrow for the breach of this band of love so often knit by oathes He leaves Hermile at liberty to take her fortune protesting that being he could not by any meanes have her for his wife he would eternally love her as his sister these letters fell so patly into the hands of Hermile and her Father whose mindes were preocupated with the newes of Maximians marriage that they made no more doubt of this change which they attributed to the difficulties and oppositions and with all too inconstancy so naturall in men The Suitors which Hermile had refused for to keep her word with Maximian hearing of this rupture renewed their sutes amongst the rest an ancient Captaine who had been caught by the eies with the face of Hermile shewed himselfe most earnest and above all made her the most advantageous proffers this wise maid who saw but through the eies of her Father let him choose for her guide the Articles of this Marriage at his pleasure being resolved to yoak her desires and never to have any particular inclination seeing she had lost the hope of possesing Maximian in few dayes all was agreed upon and concluded and ready to passe on a publike betrothing when as Hermile received by the post of Brittaine a letter from Maximian the stile whereof was so farre wide from the precedent that she could not imagine how the selfe same caracter could be capable of so different imaginations true love never goes without suspition no more then without feare the last letter wholy conformable to so many former continues his affection with a constancy which abhorreth nothing more then change the date is latter then of the other therefore there must needs lie hereunder some falsity and deceipt which time father of trueth may draw forth of Democritus well The betrothing is deferred untill they heare againe from Maximian but under other pretences and how earnestly soever Captaine Severin prest the Master he was still put off with delaies both Father and Daughter writ at large to Maximian and dispatch away a man expresly who lets him see his counterfeit letter hee cries out on the falsity and without any more words reporting that hee intended to ride a hunting steales from his Fathers house and making no other answere to his letters takes post to Paris where as soone as hee ariveth without any other counsell but what hee takes of his anger hee challenges Severin who meetes him at the place appointed Hermile having notice thereof without any regard eyther to her sex or condition repaires thither to part them where a flash of her beauty so much honoured by these two great courages hinders them from passing further on so much they feared her indignation more then death whose affrightfull grimme face scared them not They returne home each of them leading her under an arme you would have taken her for a Venus taming Lions and fastning them to the Chariot of her triumph being come to her Fathers house there matters were scand Rogats shuffling laid open and his deceipt discovered and declared the Captain acknowledges that without open injustice he cannot pretend any thing in Hermile thus tyed to Maximian and Maximian to her by so many promises and vowes meane while Rogat missing his Sonne doubts not but that this Iron is fled to its Loadstone he would faine recall him but hee is not a bird of Lure hee leaves him without meanes but the young man places himselfe with the Governer of Brittaine a Prince who can be no other then a Caesar since he is born of the bloud of Great Henry this Prince entertaines him and allowes him meanes so is he now at Court and neere the object that gives life to his affections hee remained there some yeares expecting eyther the death or consent of his Father Meane while age grew on Hermile but her vertues which decayed not by yeares made her still more acceptable unto Maximian at last Rogat fell sicke and Maximian made hast unto him to yeeld him the devoires of a Sonne The father feeling his end approach conjured his sonne as much as he could to cast off this affection and to take a match more fitting and advantageous But Maximian who made more account of his word than of all the
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
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