fear of disheartning the souldiers but it was quickly known throughout the Camp for all our endeavours to hide it and had so dismay'd them that they already began to fear the successe The chief Officers and my self had work enough all that night to resettle their minds and to perswade them to fight the next day Assoon as it appear'd having had very little time to rest I arm'd my self and being they were wholly left to my dispose I drew them out of the Camp leaving a sufficient Guard within and having divided them into two equal parts I gave the care of one to the best deserver and one whose courage was not seen to fail named Etruscis and the other I intended for to lead my self We were in a very spacious Plaine and where no advantage was to be perceiv'd the Romans seeing our intentions very readily presented themselves and by that time the Sun was up we were ready to joyn I was very sensible that on this battel depended the ruin or renewing of our hopes and therefore I used all the meanes I was capable of to infuse courage into their soules and I spar'd for no paines that I might accomplish my design I rode through every rank armed except my head and seeking to stirre them up to their dutie I uttered words somewhat to this purpose VAliant Asturians methinks I see in your countenances so great a propensity to this battel that I need not use words to animate such resolute men but being I am honoured with the title of your Captain and General there shall not be any thing neglected by me that belongs to the place And though I am perswaded that I cannot infuse more courage than you already have and a more desire of revenge for the death of your valiant Head then you retain yet will I put you in mind that you now sight not so much for glory riches and esteem as you do out of a necessity to defend your lives Liberties and your Rights Your renown lyeth not now alone at the stake but your wives your children your goods your houses your lands and that Liberty so dear to you are all now ready to be offer'd up as a prey to your insulting foe and your selves born a free people to become their slaves if you prevent it not with your own valour for it is the issue of this Encounter that will determine it which will make you glorious and a terrour to your Enemies or else slaves and a scorn to your foes The Romans are neither immortal nor invulnerable but men as you are and though fortune hath hitherto declared on their side you ought not to fear but Justice and your valour will overcome her If the covetous desires of Renown and riches can infuse such animosity into the Romans sure this necessity of saving all that is near and dear to you by your valour should be more powerfull to infuse it into the Astures the Astures that are the redoubted of all Spain and that have so often foyl'd the Romans and that have shewed no lesse valour and prowesse then they in all their actions Let this therefore move you that your enemies are not many more than you that your courage equals theirs that the Justice of your cause will oppose their fortune and that not only by this you will redeem your selves wives children lands and liberties but gain a perpetual renown and hinder the Romans from the like attempt by the powerfull remembrance of your valour Let this I say move you to acquit your selves like men and to declare to all the world that you esteem your liberties more than your lives and that you have as much courage to lose your lives in the midst of your enemies as the Gallicians who effected their own deaths rather than to accept of a servile life I will not go about to encourage your generous soules with the hope of reward or booty because these more necessary considerations ought to move you Besides I know your earth plentifully affords you that which makes the insatiable Romans to endeavour your subversion and to make you their slaves for the fulfilling their greedy desires There is therefore a necessity either you must fight it out valiantly turn your backs cowardly or submit to the yoke basely or as the Gallicians did turn your swords against your selves dâ—sperately and wickedly To turn your backs upon them and to flye will render you infamous to all the world and would not save your lives from the pursuing Romans but that is so contrary to your wonted custome that I fear it not for I know you know not what it meanes to flye before your enemies it is impossible for the renowned Astures to be so cowardly But to yield to the yoke of these insulters will brand you with an Eternal infamy and make you lose that reputation you have acquired throughout the world in that with so much valour hitherto you have maintain'd your liberty No I cannot perswade my self that you can admit such a thought having spent so much blood in the maintainance of it to acquit it so basely and infamously and you cannot think of it being used to liberty without suscitating an anger capable to make you conquer the whole world if they went about to deprive you of it And then if you think of doing as the Gallicians did to run upon your own deaths desperately you had better expose your lives to your enemies with your weapons in your hands and sacrifice theirs with your own and so to die like valiant persons making thousands of them to accompany you in your deaths than to effect it your selves and give them leave to laugh at your dispair There is no other way then you see without cowardize infamy and an unworthy precipitation but that you must acquit your selves like men and offering the lives of these Romans to your just resentments exhibit to all the world that it is impossible for the Asturians to be conquered or to yield to the yoke of the Romans I quickly perceiv'd that my words had wrought the desired effect upon the soules of most that heard me for with chearfull countenances and great shouts they testified how willing they were to sacrifice their lives for the good of their Countrey they cryed to me to lead them on and they would follow me even to death it self At that time observing that the Romans had us'd the same form with us and that one of their bodies began to move I put on my Cask and gave order to Etruscis to joyn That first Encounter was very violent on both sides and many were slain by the impituousnesse of the first storm of Arrowes but being mingled together pell-mell the Ranks grew thin on both sides by the deaths of their Companions our party very valiantly defended themselves and for a long time permitted not the Romans to gain the least advantage over them but at last I perceiv'd them to retire when I advanced and quite
happinesse without which he was no longer able to live he invented a figment to deceive you and all this time hath been an impostor and now knowing through a strange providence how nearly you have been engaged to his brother he quits all pretensions of being your servant any further than the laws of civillity and duty bind Atalanta at that instant let goe my hand and looking upon me with an eye in which I saw at once both pity and anger killed and revived my soul at the same time Blushes and palenesse took their turnes in her cheecks and amazed she stay'd in a suspence not knowing how to answer which caused me to speak thus Maddam behold a criminall that implores your goodnesse though I must confesse my crimes of so high a nature that they are almost impardonable with the most mercifull I deserve to be hated if I had been innocent in that I am allied so nearly to hatefull Marcipsius But ah Atalanta forget these resentments and let pity exuscitate your pardon remember that you have promised of what nature soever my crimes were to grant it remember the love you have borne Sabane let it not be converted to hatred to Lonoxia That is it I beg may be continued that your opinion of my goodnesse may not be diminished by this knowledge Alas to forgive my crimes and to hate me is but to kill me through grief I will freely offer my life as an expiament for my imposture so that after my death you will but retain me whole in your memory without remembring my crimes Remember that Sabane though an impostor never did any thing that may make your virtue blush to remember it It was love made me excurre into this crime on that I lay all the fault that you may be the better induced to forgive me since your selfe have been deceived by him Love I say Love hath been of such force as to make me thus disguise my self happy disguise under which I have received so many favours of divine Atalanta under which I have received that content which might have been envied by the Gods under which I have enjoyed the sight of my titular angell But cursed disguise under which I have prov'd an Impostor to innocent Atalanta I have loved you hoping rhat time might have made me worthy through my long services to have attained to that which now is not lawfull to thinke on But by a peculiar providence of the Gods finding that my brother hath made you his though accursed he hath forsaken you my designes which were honest are diverted and I forced at length after my sorrow and sicknesse to confesse it neverthelesse though I desire nothing at your hands my Love is inconvertible but it beares the same stamp that a brothers hath to a sister or is the same that your self divin Atalanta bore to the faigned Sabane after this free agnition let the remembrance of Sabane stir up your pity your pity your pardon and your pardon give life to Lonoxia who else dies to satisfie you for his imposture I ended with these words and my eyes being full of tears I awaited her sentence Remaining thus for somtime I saw that this sudden and unexpected accident had made her immovable What maddam said I cannot you yet determine what sentence to passe on this wretch whether life or death Alas though you 'r lought to emit so severe a sentance from so meak a soul I perceive you 'd have the impostor dye but you 'r lought to passe the sentance from your mouth you are not in a suspence whether he ought to live or no but whether you ought to command it Well! I le satisfie you without bidding the crime is too great to be pardoned yet say dear Atalanta as I have been an impostor so â— have been obsequious and faithfull in the love I bore you consider all the ancidents of Sabane and you will be forc'd to say that although Lonoxia followed the motions of his love passion yet he never transcur'd the bounds of vertue and lastly say I was wlling as far as able to satisfie for all my crimes At that instant trembling and casting my eyes about I espied a knife at the beds feet which I suddenly snatched and plucking open my bosome I will I will Madam cryed I give you satisfaction this shall execute your will As I lifted up my hand to have let her seen that I regarded my life lesse than her love and fear'd the loosing of it lesse than the acquiring her anger she caught hold on my arme Sabane said she so I must yet call you I cannot consent to this rigorous chastizement I confesse you have much amazed me and I should be more difficult to believe what you tell me did I not see the same virtue Sabane hath hitherto exhibited to remain still in Lonoxia But I command if my words may have any power that you forbear to injure your self and give me some time to revolve this accident in my mind Madam said I letting go the knife which she took from me I obey you I have wholly devoted my self to your service and though I may have purchased your hatred and displeasure it shall never be acquired by my disobedience Saying this I kissed her hand and departed I betook my selfe to the solitary walks and found a great relaxtion in my mind in that I had passed over that difficulty that so oppressed me and that I perceiv'd the Love she bore me in the faign'd condition of Sabane had taken too great an impression to be obliterated by the knowledge that I was Lonoxia I had not walked two hours but that the confident of Atalanta came to invite me to her mistris's chamber I followed her with perturbation enough I there found her governesse with her to whom she had related who I was who riseing from her bed side as I came in I know not said she what compellation to give you not how to behave my self towards you since the knowledg of your sudden Metamorphosis We are so accustomed to Sabane that we know not how to call you Lonoxia But since you are no longer what we have taken you for you must not be discontented if we are more severe since modesty commands it You have put Atalanta into no small passion by the knowledg of what you are since she has shewn those favours to Sabane which shames her to think they were given to Lonoxia And indeed it was enough justly to purchace her hatred had not the love she bore to Sabane made her consider the virtuous deportments of Lonoxia and forces her not to follow the dictates of her irritated humour I have at last pacified her and she hath given me leave to tell you that she will equally ballance the vertuous cariage care love and troubles of Sabane against all the crimes of Lonoxia and the Love she bore you under that name against the hatred you might have acquired under this So that she seales
suddenly after the interment however I resolved to follow him and perpetrate my design though in the armes of his beloved With this resolution without discovering my selfe I left Lixus and at last arrived at Tingis Some few dayes I awaited an opportunity to meet with him which at last was given me as happily as I could wish for walking in a little grove hard by the pallace it being almost evening I saw him come forth of a back dore of the pallace garden only with one squire He descended into the grove and musing with himselfe gave me liberty to come very near him before he espied me when I was come up to him my resentments stimulating me to a revenge Traitor said I laying my hand upon my sword at this very instant thou must give satisfaction with thy blood and life for two murthers committed by thee that of thy father and that of thy wife Marcipsius was startled at this sudden encounter steping back and being nothing daunted drew his sword I am lougth reply'd he to take away your life for your temerity but you ought before you encounter any with your tongue to observe them well with your eyes and not let your rashnesse induce you into errors that would with one lesse mercifull than my self before this time have cost you your life No Monster reply'd I am not deceiv'd 't is you that are deceived in thinking so I see you know me not but know I know you to be the most perfidious and patricidicall Marcipsius to be the ravisher and vitiator of divine Atalanta who suffered the stroke of death in bringing into the world the infant form'd of thy most lustfull seed it is to her Ghost that the expiation of thy life in the first place must give satisfaction and in the next place to thy empoysoned father who through thy venefication scelerous wretch hath ended his dayes and this must be by the hand of Lonoxia who hath liv'd hitherto but to give satisfaction to their Umbrae by immolation of thy life He was much amazed in seeing me and seeing me ready to sacrifice his life with the sword of vengance he saw there was no time to delay defending himself for I assaulted him with a free violence His fury and despair assembled in him an unwonted force and had I not with the like agility evaded his first thrust he had stocadoed me and given a period to my Life and fury our duel lasted some time till at length he fell having a thrust through his right arme and another through his body so that I thought him dead and leaving him I departed that night in a vessel for Spain As we were passing the narrow frete that divides Spain from Affrica we were set upon by a vessell of resolute pyrates we were but few in number to them and they thought it a folly to gain death by a resistance but I that sought ardently for that megre champion since I had obey'd the commands of Atalanta resolved to loose it desperately amongst them and at the last extinguishing of my taper to give the greatest blase of my valour Assoon as they had boarded us I alone resisted them and leaping amongst them irritated them by the blowes I gave them at first thinking me mad with folly or rashnesse they did not much regard me but when that they saw how fast I fell'd them they all began to dispute it with me with their swords and to deprive me of the life I was resolved to loose but with their deaths In this encounter fell their captain with nine more that expired through their blood and wounds at last everpowred I was born down and expecting death fortune to spight me gave me life I looked for no generosity amongst those Barbarians nor no pity from such irritated soules But they made it appear that valour had some estimation amongst them and that they were not altogether so Brutuall as I thought them Taken with the small puissance that I had shewed amongst them they preserved my life and proffer'd me my liberty notwithstanding the slaughter I had made And seeing their captain dead they all joyntly prayed me to accept of their vassallage and his place and power I many times deny'd them and proffer'd to be their companion but they told me that my valour which they so much respected deserved the preeminency and that they should account themselves happy under my protection and that they would fear nothing under my conduct but if I would accept of their proffers that they would swear a blind obedience to my commands and would follow me to death it selfe I pondered for some time on their words and believing that to be the readiest way to find the death I sought I yielded to them and accepted of their offer For my sake they spared the vessel they had assaulted and carrying me to a strong fort on the side of Affirica placed between two rocks sufficient to frustrate the efforts of a strong army where when all their pyratick vessels were come in they proclamed me with a generall consent to be their captain and with ceremonies peculiar amongst themselves crowned me with a Diadem made of cable ropes untwin'd in which was placed many precious stones and swore their obedience to me never to forsake me though in the greatest peril never to disobey my commands or thwart my designes or to ransaek the prey but to stand to my division of it amongst them By this means they ever were in obedience amongst themselves and in their common storehouse had treasure enough to defray the charges of an army of an hundred thousand men I led this pyratick life about two years in which time I receiv'd a thousand proofs of the Pirats valour and obedience which was as perfect as the greatest monark could receive from his meanest subjects In it I found a life if I may say so for the consideration of the unlawfullnesse of it that was pleasant and free from the versatilousnesse of Fortune and I seemed now as if I tryumph'd over the power of that deity There was nothing the world could afford or the industry and power of men could gaine so absolute a regency had I acquir'd over the hearts of those that serv'd me that if I desired it they would sacrifice all their lives but they 'd content me All outward blisse attended me and I wanted nothing of the pleasures and deliciousnesse of the greatest princes But yet Atalanta was a spectre that alwayes appear'd before my eyes and seem'd to desire my company in the Elisium Indeed I sought death every where where I hop'd I might finde it I led them to most apparent dangers which yet their valour still conquered and in the greatest atchivements came off victorious and without murmuring at my actions and with a desperatnesse of a man resolv'd for death I fought against all opposers and incurr'd all dangers which rashness they accounted the effects of an extream valour and their love made them
which made me that I could not consent to the death of one so considerable whose death would inevitably bring sharp wars upon him and so might be the utter ruine of them all and the making of their common foe without the greatest piece of ingratitude which could be offered These considerations with an ambition I had not to be out-brav'd in vertue made me return him this answer ' The gods forbid that ever I should desire the death of a person whose valour hath made him so remarkable and by whose fall I have gained more glory then could have been expected by his death but especially in that he holds the place of a Son in Lilibili's affections for which only consideration I not only desire his life but his pardon in that I have offended one so near to Lilibilis and shall stifle all resentments whatsoever for his friendship I cannot imagin what hath made him my enemy nor caused in him that violent desire of my death I was sorry his obstinacy made me bring him to that exigent but I am not only glad that he lives but that I live also to do him service for never shall Lilibilis his friends be my foes These speeches were uttered with much reluctancy and contrary to the desires of my heart not but that I could have forgiven the greatest injury that could have been done to my person but considering him as my Rival I could not think on him but as my mortal foe Lilibilis embraced me as stricktly as the tenderness of my wounds would permit and highly praising me for my vertue told me ' He would disown him for a son if he did not acknowledge me as the doner of his life and crave pardon at my feet for the injury he had done me After many speeches to divert him from requiring any such thing of him I besought him to let me know the cause of his enmity The cause was so false said he that since he hath been assured to the contrary he is ashamed of his credulity and repents of what he hath done seeming by his speeches much to desire your friendship but not to hide it from you he had heard and I believe from some of Amenia's servants how you were like to have depriv'd him of the happiness of enjoying my daughter and that you had gain'd much upon her affections and that these Justs were held only for her sake this news so netled him that he never stood to examine the truth but enraged as he was left Juliobriga to put in execution what the gods and your innocency deter'd When I knew the cause my self and all that were near Amenia assured him the contrary and I was fain to make him new assurances of my daughter to asswage those violent motions these considerations had cast him in he would have had the like assurances from Amenia but she answered him as she did ever That she would never disobey the will of her father and whomsoever he should design for her husband she should accept without murmuring and that all inclinations whatsoever should stoop to those of duty We pacified him at last and then I sharply reprov'd him both for his credulity and temerity but his repentance mov'd me to beg his pardon at your hands After some expressions by me of my innocency in the suscitation of Mandone's Jealousie he left me but to those tormenting thoughts that you may imagin his discourse had rais'd I begin to see all my hopes dejected and cast in the dust and that structure which I had built in my Imaginations to be broken all to pieces I saw it was a folly to gain an inclination which her vertue would force to cede to duty I look'd upon my self in a deplorable condition and I saw Mandone already Possessor of Amenia by her fathers promise and hers in obedience to him my only hopes were I did not see she bore him any inclination nor would accept of him did not duty force her On the other side Amenia though unknown to me was no less troubled at this accident than I and falling into her wonted lacrymations put her Melanthe to her usual divertisements duty and love had many a sharp conflict in her soul and neither obtaining the victory gave her unsufferable Cruciations she detested Mandone for what he had done to me and bewail'd me with a great deal of interest my last performances were too greedily intuited to be forgotten and my valor in overcoming so considerable an enemy was preserv'd with much interest in that feminine breast O how often did she wish he had dyed by my hand and how little she thank'd the gods for their assistance in his preservation Melanthe was her only comfort who by a thousand Sophistries mitigated her dolor My Rival passed his time with no less torment for shame and dispight in being overcome by me and his manifest treachery making him odious to many generous souls fill'd him with anxiety And though he dissembled it he could not so satisfie his humour but that he still imagined me his Rival and bore me an implacable grudge The thoughts and inward commotions proceeding from his troubled humour retarded the cure of his wounds and caus'd inflammations that made them in fear of his life For my part that trouble which continually assaulted my soul through those considerations in three dayes space had cast me into a violenr feaver and my wounds bleeding afresh so debilitated me that they thought I could never sustain the loss of so much blood and the Surgions almost despaired of my ever recovering Clotuthe by the special command of Lilibilis visited me every day and with her Amenia we could not entertain one another because the Surgions thought it might conduce to my disrepose but with a dying eye I gave Amenia many sad glances which testified the anxiety of my soul I found a great desire in my self to die so I might but have the happiness as I accounted it to have assured Amenia that I died hers So foolishly vain are the thoughts of those involved in the snares of love to account it the chiefest bliss and greatest happiness next to the enjoyment of the beloved object than can betide them to assure those they love they die for their sakes and precipitateing themselves in an amorous humour find death sweet in such assurances and receiving its cold kisses with ardent desires testifie a content not to be measured in the expiration when such souls whom they expire for account it an idle humour or believing when they saw they could not live thought to oblidge them by telling them they dyed theirs This was hardly liked by Argelois but for the interrupting of his story he would have replyed but considering he might have been accounted by some unmannerly he bit in his words and heard him proceede thus Clotuthe visited me every day sitting sometimes an hour or two upon the side of the bed where she shed so many tears and expressed her self with so many
a powerfull and secret Sympathie one with another and that life I have accounted amongst the most happiest of my dayes which I have spent in the company of Amenia whose innocent and pleasing conversation often put my soul into a posture of tranquillity and rapt my soul into a contemplative enjoyment of that which afterwards I received more really but hardly with more delight Thus I had almost passed over the winter in the sweet conversation of Amenia never breaking my imposed silence when Lilibilis had notice given him that the Chief of the Gallicians desired him with the chief of his men to meet them on the borders of the Austures that they might consult for the general good concerning their next Campaign and in what manner they should oppose their enemies They sent him word that Caesar was returned to Rome and had left the Legions with Antistius a valiant Captain and who with all speed was mustering his Forces to assail them and to begin the War though it was so soon Lilibilis soon departed with the chief of his Commanders leaving a great charge on Clotuthe to be carefull of me and desired me to contribute what I could to my health that I might be in a condition to render him that help which he hoped for from me and on which he depended more than on his Army I would have perswaded him to let me accompanie him but he utterly refused it in consideration that my weaknsse was not so well recovered but that so sudden a jorney might have thrown me into a relaps When I saw he would not let me accompany him I told him that I would cherrish my self as much as his absence possible could give me leave and that I only desired my life to loose it in his service to which I had destinated the remainder of my daies He replyed in very civil terms having nothing of Barbarism in him and after our mutual imbraces he departed leaving me to the care of those whose love had made them uncapable of having their care of my health augmented by his commands or entreaties The second day after Lilibilis his departue I was set in my chamber by the fire in a very deep melancholy ruminating on the different tyrannies of the God of Love and considering how deeply I was engaged in a passion that had cost me so many tears and so much trouble and yet had receiv'd nothing but a severe Law from the mouth of my goddess when her Melanthe suddenly entred my Chamber and surprized me in the midst of those tears which my ardent passion had extracted from my eyes That Maid whom affection had tied to my interests excused her so sudden and uncivil entrance as she termed it with very good language and desir'd my pardon for her incivilitie I soon made her understand how glad I was of her company and how much I desired an opportunity of entertaining her alone She told me she came from her Mistriss who had sent her to excuse her in that she had not seen me that day by reason of an indisposition which had made her keep her Chamber I replyed I was unworthy the honour she did me in taking so great a care of my well-fare and that I could entertain the assurance of my own death with less trouble then to understand she was indispos'd in her health The Maid reanswer'd that there was no fear of any danger in her Mistriss indisposition and that she made no question but that she would visit me the next day and pay me interest for that dayes neglect we spent some time in these interlocutions till at last after I had forc'd her to sit down I uttered my self in these terms ' Melanthe you cannot be ignorant of the cause of those tears you have surpriz'd me in which are but a small part to what I dailie and almost hourlie offer to a severitie which hath made me mute You know I have manifested my love and you do not ignore to what a cruel silence I was condem'd I have not hitherto transgressed it though all the world is ignorant with what torment I undergo it I continually sigh languish and spend my time in tears and yet dare not declare my misery which is the only and considerable ease others troubled with the like passion enjoy Was there ever such a Law impos'd on any as is on me which makes me live in the continual languishment of my soul and in the dailie conversation and intuition of the object of all my suspirations and still to lock up my lips by severity not to be parralel'd I know Melanthe though sickness hath not kil'd me that grief will if not mitigated by some relaxation but if I die it will be a happiness in that it is by keeping a Law impos'd upon me by that mouth which I so much adore whereby she shall see Euripedes can never be guiltie of transgressing the severest of her commands I find some ease in declaring this to thee what allevament should I find in disburdening my self to her but since she hath enjoyned the contrarie I must I will undergo it with silence to the death and last expiration of a soul totallie hers and which lives onlie to do her service She did not bid me Melanthe to speak of love to no body else therefore I hope I have not transgressed in speaking to you nevertheless I desire you not to make her acquainted with it lest her severity may impute it as a transgression to me I dare not sue or desire O Melanthe to have this imposition taken off but you may conceive with what joy I should receive the revocation of so strict a Law but I doubt I am faulty in in that I desire to have that taken off which was imposed by Amenia though it be more grievous and less easie to be born than death Sir replyed Melanthe your vertues have made me inseparably yours as far as the duty I owe my Mistriss and the pudicity of my sex give me leave I will not tell you how often I have endeavoured her to revoke that which she had impos'd upon you and which I saw you bore with a patience not to be parralel'd because my andeavours prov'd in vain to cause her revoke what she had once commanded I know the severity of her humour is such that she will endure the greatest afflictions rather than break it and this severity is very strange which she useth towards you strange in that she afflicts you whom she desires not to afflict and strange in that she no less afflicts her self in that she is so severe to you and that her humour is so strictly tyed to the severity of her own Law that she will rather endure what she suffers than break it She her self hath told you Sir therefore I may say it without any infidelity to my Lady that you are not indifferent to her but being tied by the cruel Lawes of duty cruel in that it makes her contradict
could it ease you and you should soon see it pour'd out at your feet did I think it would be pleasing to you but I will ah I will leave this place this place so affected by me since I am the cause of your disrepose and it may be my absence may give you that again which my presence hath rob'd you of Madam with this resolution I leave you seeing I can no otherwise ease you I will not be guilty of the expiration of that life which with my own I should account a happiness to preserve With this making a low obeisance I was about to depart when Clotuthe looking upon me with an aire full of affliction ' O Euripedes said she slay me not immediately nor be the cause of a sudden and unavoidable precipitation you say you will obey me in all things wherein virtue gives you leave let me then demand intreat and implore your stay depart not for if you do that moment shall be the last of my life The fault of Clotuthe is alreadie enough to her husband without aggravating it by the banishment of him on whom Lilibilis puts all his considence for the keeping of our liberties and our lives I had but time to tell her that since she commanded my stay I would obey her and that I would sacrifice my life for their general good since she would not receive it as an oblation to satisfie her for the crime I had made her precipitate her self into by my presence when Amenia came to me and to my joy hindred all other communication I was not sorry she had commanded me to stay for I could not have departed without leaving my life behind me and thereby she would have taken a more cruel revenge than if with her own hand she had given me my death We had but little more discourse before we departed leaving her to her afflictions Amenia had sent to Lilibilis to let him understand of the sickness of Clotuthe he bore her a real affection and that was the cause he came before he was lookt for I was extream joycus for his return as well for the love I bore him as that I hoped his presence would deter Clotuthe in the pursuit of her illicit Love Lilibilis expressed a hearty sorrow for her egritude and embracing her with a tender affection expressed his trouble by melting words the exhibiting of so ardent an affection made me in my thoughts extreamly vituperate Clotuthe for the wrong she had done him Lilibilis made me acquainted that the result of their meeting was to oppose the Romans as they had done the last Summer and to assist one another as opportunity should serve Antistius was drawing his forces together and as we heard by our spies that he intended to march against us with all the speed he could This made Lilibilis to take the field that he might not be prevented by his enemie and gave order to his chief Captains to appear at the Rendezvouze with that celerity as their case required I was then strong enough to bear arms found my self as well able as ever to do Lilibilis service and I long'd to be in the field that I might be free from the supplications of Clotuthe's woman who still persecuted me though I am perswaded it was unknown to Clotuthe and that it was either hope of reward or compassion on her who continued in her sickness that made her seek to effect her desires but she still found me inexorable as also that I might render more proofs of my affection to Amenia from whose presence and sweet conversation I received comfortable to make me bear that silence impos'd upon me with much patience especially when I consider'd it was Amenia's command and that it was a character of my affection and would be look'd upon so by her But when I thought of departing it was with a most sensible affliction and insupportable had it not been for the service of Lilibilis and for particular interests in serving Amenia She assured me afterwards that she entertain'd the thought of my separation as the cruelest displeasure that could have happned and had no lesse grief for it than my self Her goodness was pleas'd to â—â—nde something pleasing in my conversation and her love had tyed her to me inseparably and now she saw me ready to be ravisht from her and it may be never like to return but receive a death in her service she could not but almost evaporate her soul through the sighs and tears that she shed What said she shall Euripedes lose a life a life so dear to me since I love him since I have prov'd his and that with the hardest proofs why should I not confess it to him it may be it will make him more careful of it when he knows he cannot lose it without endangering mine it may be it will so animate him that it may be some conducement to make him returne conqueror over out insulting foe deter it no longer scrupulous Amenia let him know thou acceptest of his affection These motions on my behalf were oppos'd by those of her severity they represented her more criminous by that action than by loving me and that she could not do it without offending against her severity and her duty knowing her father had destin'd her for another Theâ—e conflicts wholly agitated her minde she resolving upon neither when the last day was come wherein Lilibilis intended to take his leave A little before this last dayes approach I exhibited the afflictions of my heart by that trouble which appear'd in my face and by it Amenia read the greatnesse of my affection and of my sorrow She saw my life was ready to leave me at this separation and yet I endur'd her imposition with a patience not to be equal'd but by my affection and that I had resolv'd to die rather than to break it this consideration wrought a compassion joyn'd with her love that made her resolve to give me leave to take my leave of her in private but she was not resolv'd to make known any affection to me Melanthe let me know the favour Amenia intended to do me and truly in spight of all my trouble this favour gave me a real consolation Lilibilis intending to depart very early the next morning considering the illnesse of Clotuthe be would not disturbe her repose so early therefore he took his leave of her that night I was resolv'd not to take my leave of her alone least it should have engag'd her into a discourse which I was not willing to hear After Lilibilis had taken his leave of her with words and actions full of affection and not without many teares I â—pproached her bed which she still kept and with my ordinary Civilities took my leave Lilibilis his presence lockt up her mouth but her eyes shewed she resented that action and that she saw I purposely made use of that time to avoid her reproaches Go Euripides said she at last triumph over those enemies
or Love proceeding from similitude of qualities or manners or of morall love generall or particular to men or naturall to children or parents all whose causes are indifferent and besides that passion on which I insist and which cannot be without diversity of sex as the other may But the cause of this as generally the chiefe cause of all love is an attractive power which causeth an expansion or emotion of the soule and spirits to an object which she thinks convenient for her and which must be a conception of need or want of the object Now privation it selfe is evill and love being privation and want of an object is therefore evill for the effect of it beeing desire seeks the possession of that object and so makes the love circular to attract that to the soule which she seemes to want Now if we then wanted nothing we should not desire any thing which shewes we are not compleat in our selves and desire being the exhibition of want and the effect of love shews that the foundation it self is evill for that it is grounded on want Then besides if you look upon the outward cause of attraction whether it be beauty or any other exterior quality of the object beloved and the possession of it desired which is alwayes suffulted with hope the very causes themselves being vanity or not worthy objects for the soules egression to or opperation upon that desire and that love cannot be good the causes themselves being not absolutely good but vain and transitory But this by the way the chief thing I proposed was to insist on the effects of this passion which plainly exhibit the evils of it and out of which as from the fountains head all other evill passions have sprung This also we may consider in relation to the body and to the soule First consider this in relation to the body and that must be relatively and as it is joyned with other passions whose motions cause the diversity of motions in the body Through this the body which is as it were the case of the soul is imbued through the conjunction of the soule with the body with pain with languishing with restlesseness and all the senss feel the effects of this passion upon the soul by exposing the body to danger by wounds by torments and oft times by death all which happen through the exuscitation of other passions Now the soule suffers innumerable evills for first all passions as griefe hatred envie wrath malice revenge disdain and divers other particular passions which spring from this love all which falling upon the body agitate it to diversity of motions and without rest causes the soule to a continuall solicitous care of obtaining the object of its desires which if once hope faile then dispair the foretunner of mischiefe carries the soule into wonderful precipitancies and if in its best estate that hope continues it is never without fear jealousie and a soâ—icitrous care of conserving the object of its love so that the soul is under a continuall agitation by those paâ—sions that necessarily accompany love and so cannot enjoy the rest it ought to have But now to leave this kind of Philosphicall discourse let us speake of it morally and let us consider the evill effects it hath produced in the world and then we will define it thus Love is a most fatall plague a most venemous poyson a most ardent and foolish desire and the source and fountaine of all evill Men when once they are entred into this passion quite lose their former natures for this passion contaminates their reaâ—on tyranizeth over their wills makes them subject to the egregious fancies of the object they seek to acquire it deprives them of Jugdment â—â—ills them with all manner of passions which caries them into aâ—l mannâ—â— of preciptation their minds are continually tost to and fro on the wheel of love being stimulated with that Oestrum they are jacted câ—â—â—â—ted agitated versated by this passion and fill'd with exanimation distinction direption and accompanyed with cares feares jealousies false and faint comforts disquiets languishings longings rage and what not that is evill and all but for the acquiring of a little vain pleasure which vanisheth assoon as 't is caught And besides all these folly lust sinne doings turbulent motions and precipitancies wait on lovers And if we should go about to summe up the bad consequences and effects of this passion with the evils it hath caused we should find them innumerable for what disturbances what commotions what hurly burlies what distractions what battalls what slaughtars hath it caused and what rapes what sinnes what polutions what sueds and what murthers hath it committed was it not the cause of the distruction of ancient Troy was it not the cause of the banishing Kings out of Rome Was it not the cause of the abolishing the Decemveri hath it not been the cause of many murders was it not the cause of the wicked and inhumane slaughter of Absyrtus the brother of Medea was it not the losse of Megara when Nisus lost his fatal hair by his daughter Scylla Alas it would be endlesse to recount these things so well known and generall hated and yet this dispicable unprofitable and dangerous passion cannot be shunned but embraced by those who acknowledge the evills of it but yet wilfully maintaine its interests They cannot take example by others nor shun the precipicies they see others fall into before their eyes but that they also must rush into them Neither can I see any good at all that this passion doth produce but on the contrary those that are free from it enjoy all the quiets felicity ease pleasures and freedome which the other are incapable of and which is most miserable of all of free men and unconstrained they become slaves subjects and bound to obey the motions of their owne passion and will of an inconsiderate mistris who it may be is as dispicable in the unblinded eye of another as she is lovely in his Nor let it serve any to excuse it by saying they are forced and cannot decusse it for it is impossible for all men to mastre this passion if they resolve to set their wills to doe it but so long as they account it good and best for them they are not able to overcome it because they doe not seek it truly but cherish and obey every motion that cometh from it But if they were once convinced of the evill of this passion and were resolved to forsake it I make no question of the possibility of their effecting it There may be divers wayes proposed for the decussion or prevention of this evill the chief of which as I suppose is a constant imployment of the mind either in study or armes whereby it may have no time to fall into that which as they say is accquired by a supine and idle life fit to entertaine such a guest and justly sent as a plague from the Gods to such a soule Other
wayes may be taken as they lye convenient to the person but chiefly the diverting of the mind from thoughts which feed the fancie and inflame the soul and a seperation from the object with an intention of the mind on some other thing is the way to acquire a freedome from that slavery I have given you freely my oppinion of this passion I have so well experienced though indeed I enveigh not against it for the detrement I have receiv'd by it but for that it seems to me evill in it selfe and worthy of greater condemnation I know generous Argelios that your generosity will pardon this freedome of speech against that in which you are so interested Argelios seeing he had concluded return'd him an answer thus I will not spake for this passion because I am immerged in it thereby to justifie my self or oppose your gravity but because I think it justifiable therefore I will give you my poor conceptions of it There is scarcely any thing here on the earth that is so pure but that in it there may be found a commixion of drosse nothing so good but in 't there is retained some bad and nothing so convenient but it may have its discommodities We must not be therefore all spiders to extract the poyson and leave the virtue by that means we shall make every thing odious and abhorrible But we must as well denote the good as the evill the benefit as the discomodity of this passion and then you will see the ballance prepond on my side The last night I gave you some touches as I was able on the enormities of this passion which was the only thing that was evill in it But that I may answer so mething to what you have spoken against it since you are pleased to let my weakness exhibit it self I will briefly touch upon what you have said in order and as far as my memory will accommodate me shew that you have only considered the evils and exhorbitancies of this passion against which all those wise men you mention of all ages have declamed but the good it hath and is able to effect you have omitted it is against the irregularities that they have declared and not against the passion it selfe which is neither good nor evill of it selfe yet if it be as you say it effects all evills generally and is therefore to be condemned But I will shew that it is as capable of effecting good as evill and if I grant that evill is most comit monly effected by yet that is the fault of men not of the thing But to answer what you have said I will presuppose that your goodnesse will not be offended at what I shall deliver and that you will think it if I erre to be the weaknesse of my judgement and not the desire of my will and since truth is to be found out by opposition and discussion I hope it will be no peccation to oppose my conceptions to yours First I must deny what you say that this passion is evill of it selfe which is the chiefe and main point For if we conclude so then we must grant that all the passions of the soul are evill of themselves for they were all implanted in man at the same time and they are simply of one nature though different in effect which thing cannot be consentanious with the purity and justice of the Gods who created every thing good for what is evill we acquire it of our selves or have it infused by evill genij so that passions naturally are not evill but are made so by the use or rather the abuse of them Now if you grant as you cannot deny that the Gods created man good and pure what you have said to prove the evilenesse of this passion is to no effect For though this passion be conjoyned with desire which I grant is a token of need or want yet that want is not evill of it selfe for the Gods so created man and made him not alone and of himselfe able to subsist but indigent of some things For if man wanted nothing he were God for not to want is to be a creator therefore that privation you speake of is not evill for to desire which you call the badge of the wanâ— is as natural as to eat and drink and if to want be evill then man is wholly evil for he is made up of indigencies and desires In the next place you say that the objects of our love and desire are not absolutely good so that the causes or foundations being evil or rotten the effects or building cannot be good or found I say as all outward objects or any thing besides the Love and beutitude of the Gods themselves are not absolutely good so are they not absolutely evill but relie on our use or abuse of them For beauty is not evill of it selfe nor any outward accomplishment neither is it evill for us to desire it but the excesse or exorbitancy of desire may make it evill for if we do desire that which we cannot have without detriment to another or wrong to our selves or too much exceed in our desires then it is evill But when we bound them regularly they are not evill but may be used but further desire of it selfe is good for the only scope of it tends to the seeking of good as aversion the eschewing of evill but now if our desires are illuded by our judgements or are guided by our sense and not truly placed by our understandings and will then they are exorbitant and become evill and we oftentimes desire evills not as evils but being illuded in our judgements as good for so they are represented to our understandings and embraced by the will But now to the effects both upon body and soule I believe that I may parallel as much good that they receive by this passion to your evill For as Love and hatred are the Springs from whence all passions slow and receive a mixture of so these evils which you recount stow not soly from them but also those passions or emotions of the soule which we call good such then is joy estimation generosity humility magnanimity hope courage boldnesse pity compassion good-will gratitude lightheartednesse and the like all which serve as much to the comfort of soule and body and those you mention to the discomfort But now to follow you into your morality where you consider the evill effects proceeding from the exorbitancy so I will only ballance and exhibit the good that follows the regularity And first I will give it a contrary definition thus regular Love is a plant sprung from the Gods which sharpens virtue quickens fortitude produceth boldnesse makes smooth the rough makes accute the understanding and opens a passage for all virtues Love in its regularity causes men indeed to forsake their former rough hewen natures and to become humane it is as pollishment to or as a foil to set off the luster of stones to such it makes them