With Allowance May 12. 1676. Roger L'Estrange ASTERIA AND TAMBERLAIN OR THE Distressed Lovers A NOVEL Written in French by a Person of Quality And rendred into English by E. C. Esq LONDON Printed for Robert Sollers at the Flying Horse in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1677. TO THE HONOUR'D MADAM Madam M. P. I Have made bold to dedicate this little piece to your Ladyship to give the World a publick Testimony how great an honour I receive from the friendship you are pleas'd to make me blest with I never had any reason to accuse my self of guilt from any haughty vanity before I became known to you I was till then so inconsiderable I thought there was nothing capable to give me the least Elevation But Madam I have felt since the force of your Charms wherever you bestow so high a favour there 's no resisting the fate of that pride which unavoidably attends it and I can't but glory now in my exaltedness which springs from your bounty which otherwise would render me a no mean Criminal One may have good thoughts of ones self for being a Religious Votary to Heaven and Madam I know not wherein the fault lies if I ingenuously confess I have at present no indifferent ones as to my own regard in being with so much Devotion yours especially when that awful respect I bear you is received with so great an acknowledgment of kindness from you You 'll find the ensuing History full of various and perplexed Accidents from which your distress'd Asteria is at last happily delivered through the constancy of her Love to the as faithful and generous Adanaxus And Madam let me humbly intreat you what ever Risque I may run of displeasing you by this hardy adventure to give me your pardon for the rash address I have made to you since it was beyond my power to overcome the Ambition I had to signalize my self by the quality of Honoured Madam Your most Humble and Obedient Servant E. C. ASTERIA OR TAMBERLAIN A NOVEL The First PART WIth a great deal of Reason is Fortune made to stand upon a Globe which is under an Impossibility of having any solid steadiness being the first Principle of all Revolutions We are furnished from Antiquity with several notable Examples of her Capricious humour The Rise of Monarchies the Elevation of mean and obscure persons to places of the highest rank and dignity the Down fal of an Infinite Number of Kings and the ruine of Empires are as so many signal Instances of her Inconstancy But because we will n◠absolutely relie upon those of the past distant Ages for the Justification of this Truth we will make our reflections upon Accidents less remote and see in the misfortunes o Bajazet with what Soveraignty she at pleasure does dispose of the Destiny of Mankind Bajazet was of the Illustriou Blood of Ottoman his Birth had exalted him to the Empire of the Turks and his Valour was so bright that it dazled the glory of those four great Princes who preceded him in it he had almost brough Europe under his submission as he had made all Asia tremble Hi Laws were revered in the most remarkable Parts of the Earth and never had any man acquired to himself a Renown more glorious Tamberlain Emperour of th Tartars put a stop to the course of this prosperity he was of a low and obscure birth but having with violence through the succour of Arms placed himself upon a Throne which others with trembling ascended his happy destiny surmounted that of Bajazet's he triumphed over him and at that time when he look'd upon Europe and Asia as easie conquests he desolated his Country reduced his Family to a peregrine condition and carried him Captive to Samarcanda which was Tamberlain's most beloved City as being built by him The Wife and Daughter of Bajazet were partakers of his misfortune the former of whom died a little while after but the Daughter being either more couragious or of a more robust and resolute Spirit was better able to resist the attaques of Fortune and became the admiration of the Tartars as she had been of all those who had seen her in her Fathers Palace Themir Tamberlain's Eldest Son who was one of the first felt the effect of this admiration he had an absolute Empire over his Father's mind and had abused it by his ill conduct even to the banishing of Adanaxus from the Court otherwise called the Prince of Tanaïs his yonger Brother and he had improved this affection to a thousand cruelties against the unfortunate Bajazet it was He who had sacrificed in his sight the eldest and dearest of his Sons ruined the famous City Sebastia took away the Princess Asteria his Daughter from the Palace of Bursa and without any pity abandoned all the Empire of that miserable Prince to the violence of the Tartars But Love punished him for all those Inhumanities and his heart as barbarous as it was was sensible of the Charms of the fair Asteria so that much against his will he did learn the use of sighs and though they were prevented with too great outrages from being favourably regarded yet his Rage to see himself despised by the generous but resolute Princess threw him into the last extremity of desperation He was violent and furious in his Temper and though he had been capable of Sentimenrs more moderate yet the Princess was inspired with no mean and inconsiderable ones He spoke as soon as he perceived himself prest to it but it was with so much boldness that Asteria found she was coming under a new persecution more afflictive and tormenting to her than all the other she answered the passionate Declarations of Themir with a disdainful fierceness which many times set him in such a heat and fury that cannot be expressed but with a great deal of difficulty He imagined that Bajazet whose courage was not rebated by his misfortunes did fortifie this aversion and by a new piece of Injustice removing him from his Daughter he was shut up in a prison at a good distance from the Palace and Asteria kept in her Apartment with a greater Guard than she had before This procedure gave an accession to the Princesse's hatred and inraged her more than ever which made Themir become more furious He went to visit Bajazet in his Prison and indeavoured sometimes by intreaties and sometimes by threatnings to bring him to a compliance but having made an unprofitable attempt he straight had recourse to the blind Friendship of his Father and discovering his passion to him and the fatal consequences that might attend it he did so effectually prevail upon his tenderness that he brought him to that pass of undertaking all things that might be for his satisfaction He went then directly to Asteria's Apartment with a resolution not to spare any means likely ro make her flexible He made her offers intreaties and from thence fell to reproaches and still finding her constant in despising his gists and
the Princess to obtain of them the consent they desired but at last perceiving the more they were prest to it the more they shewed their stubborness and resolution the Ottoman Prince was taken from his Prison and conducted to the place where Criminals were commonly put to death All those Tartars that made any profession of vertue detested that action Axalla Tamberlain's favourite and one who was greatly renowned for his extraordinary valour used his utmost indeavours to prevent it but the Prince had a greater influence upon his Father's spirit and the unfortunate Bajazet was unworthily conducted to the Scaffold where he was condemned to lose his head But how considerable soever the person was yet was not this Imperial Majesty suffered to have any respect he went to the fatal place as if he was the meanest of all Mankind without any thing to distinguish him besides his resolution and an Air of greatness which it was impossible for all his miseries to despoil him of he was sorrowful but withal sedate and if his eyes had not in them all that vigour and sprightliness as before they lost not their vivacity from any prospect of fear or weakness The houses were desolate for all people flockt to the place of execution And that confusion having obliged a cavalier who was just then arrived at Samarcanda to demand the cause of it of some Inhabitants he no sooner understood it but spurring on his Horse with all the violence imaginable to the Scaffold he rode through the throng and came up close to it just in that particle of time as they were going to put a period to the days of one of the greatest men in the World His cryes and name suspended that fatal blow Hold cryed he out it is Adanaxus it is the son of Tamberlain who commands it of you This Prince was dearly beloved by the Tartars and they with an extream affliction resented his absence so that they solemnized his return with showts of joy which for some little time he gave way to and then pray'd thâ—â—ouldiers who assisted at that action to stay till he had seen the Emperour before they proceded any further He ran to the Palace where he gave an agreeable surprise to those whom his absence had afflicted and particularly to Axalla who alwayes had a most passionate love for him Notwithstanding the difference Tamberlain had put between his two Sons the merit of Adanaxus disputed in his breast against the natural inclination he had for Themir and his unexpected sight caused in him so sensible a joy that it forced him to express it in a shower of Tears the Prince received his embraces upon his knees and continuing in this submissive posture Seignior said he to him you see again at your feet a rash man who assured of your goodness is come to demand of you a favour of the last importance 'T is not the pardon of an absence which you have not approved I am willing to be puâ—â—shed for it but Seignior it is the life of Bajazet for which I am here upon my knees an humble sollicitour of your generosity 'T is an Enemy of a famous name and of a blood that is illustrious who is no longer in a condition to prove fatal to you and whose precipitated loss may be a blemish to your reputation Think Seignior how happy it is to be in an estate to do favours of this kind to persons who have reigned gloriously and who are depressed meerly through the capriciousness of fortune Consider that of all vertues in Monarchs Clemency is the most glorious and deserving praise And at the name of a Son who conjures you to it signalize yours in the favours of a great though now a wretched Emperour Those words of the Prince of Tanais did not less astonish Tamberlain then his return had affected him he could not refrain commending within his breast the generosity of his Son but the importance of his demand ballanced this motion and made him remain unresolved If it was any thing perswasive to him to see prostrate at his feet a Son worthy of esteem and the uncertainty where he had passed his life rendered him yet more dear yet Bajazet contemning and rebellious to his designs kept up his indignation You ought to let me resent the pleasure of seeing you again said he to the Prince without intermixing it with the trouble to demand of me a kindness which it is impossible for me to grant you Bajazet has but too much deserved that death to which he is condemned he is an insolent Captive whose arrogance nothing is capable to moderate who never speaks my name but with contempt and who would not spare my life if he had over it that power which I have over his I have for a long time indur'd it but now my patience is quite worn out and there are so many reasons which authorize what I do that I should be blamed of imprudence or weakness should I act otherwise Whatsoever reasons you are pleased to alledge for his ruine Seignior Answered Adanaxus you yet have more to pardon him The Example you will leave to posterity the pleasure that comes from a good action and your own glory which would be deeply concerned in causing so great a Prince to fall whom his severe destiny has delivered into your hands ought to triumph over all those other considerations Think Seignior that Bajazet has not long since seen what you are at present yet the fate of Arms is capricious it may do again for him what it has done for you and if you are out of a prospect of fearing you have Sons who may one day meet with Conquerours and who may implore the same grace I now demand Do not you then give an Example of inhumanity but make some reflection upon the uncertainty of what future times may prove Tamberlain began to stagger at the pressing Reasons of the young Prince of Tanaïs he revolved in his mind the circumstances of Bajazet's fate what he had been what he was and considering that he himself was risen from a mean fortune to one of the most glorious conditions of life and that he might by some return or other fall into the last of miseries even that in which he saw his Enemy You have conquered me Prince said he to his Son the tenderness I have for you carries me above my resentment and in a day that Heaven sends me a Son which I have lamented it is just Igrant you something may testify how acknowledging I am Let Bajazet live I am willing to consent to it but my Son you must endeavour to overcome his pride and make if possible an unjust Princess compliant whom the condition of a Captive my entreaties my offers the love and submissions of Themir have not been able to get her consent to marry him and if you are as sensible of my satisfaction as I am of yours order it so that the consent of Bajazet to this marriage
will forget nothing that may make me capable of deserving the favours of my charming Princess At the end of these discourses and some others much resembling them Adanaxus who since he found that his Neris was Asteria had never met with an opportunity to demand of her those adventures of hers that he was ignorant of burning with an earnest impatience of knowing them conjured her to give him a Relation of them which she presently consented to and thus began her discourse The History of the Princess Asteria WHen Andronicus defeated the Turks who were to be my guide I was going from Bursa to Sebastia to meet my Mother who was to pass the Winter with the Emperour our Troops were on the side of Thrace Bajazet had designs upon Constantinople and it was not believed that in the Winter Paleologus his Sons hardened by the little opposition they found would venture to go into the lesser Asia but in their way they took us I concealed my name not knowing into what hands I was fallen but having learnt it was in Andronicus's and afterwards understood his sentiments for me I made it my particular business to keep it from being known and through the natural aversion I had for him and the fear of seeing Paleologus approve of his Son's Love and of being the victime of a peace between the two Empires it fell out very luckily for me that I did so the Emperour of Greece would not authorize an alliance unknown and in all probability unequal which gave me a very sensible joy because my hatred for Andronicus augmented as soon as ever I had a sight of you I quickly perceived how my heart pleaded in your favour by the trouble and melancholiness I resented when I beheld you render your submissions with too much assiduity to the Princess of Greece and time and your procedure having assured me of your heart I blush'd sometimes to think I was the daughter of Bajazet and that when I with scorn refused the vows of Andronicus I hearkened with pleasure to those of one unknown but that confusion produced no effects which were not favourable to you I told you nothing of my true birth not so much out of any mistrustfulness as out of a certain scruple I then had I was very desirous to know whether you had only a kindness for my person but I did it out of policy after you had told me yours I was not ignorant of Tamberlain's hatred to the Ottomans and fearing lest your sentiments should resemble his I made that a secret to you the reserve of which I thought I sufficiently recompenced by my weakness for you I began in the mean time not to be in a power to be silent to you but had insallibly told you all if Andronicus had but for some days suspended the design he had been meditating since the unhappy success of his enterprise at Constantinople but he made me be carried away then when I thought least of it and those fellows more hardly and resolute then those of the Emperour imbarked me in a Vessel which in a short time brought us to a very strange and lovely House which they were assured of At first I accused the Emperour for this second carrying me away but I was undeceived when Andronicus reduced to his flight by the wicked success of those unfaithful enterprises of his against his Father came to find me in the place where I had been conducted I was fearful of all things from the violences of a desperate and furious Spirit and therefore to inspire him with a greater respect then I thought he might have had to one unknown I told him I was daughter to the Emperour of the Turks This news appear'd to him to be much to his advantage and he imagined that in restoring me to Bajazet he might not only obtain me from him but he might with greater facility conquer his Father's Empire in promising to share it with me He then accquainted me with his design and desired me to consider of it as an effect of the passion he had to please me You may easily believe that the hopes of returning to Bajazet made me resolve upon some complaisance at last we arrived at Bursa and we were received there with all the joy that could be inspired into the Emperor and my Mother by the return of a daughter whose loss they had bewailed The Grecian Prince had very extraordinary honours passed upon him but when he explained his Intentions to Bajazet and that he perceived him much averse to favour them he fell to reproaches and from thence to threats which had but too bloody effects He went in great fury from Bursa and marched towards his Father's Army which he found driven back by the valour of Ortobulus who had the command of ours in the Emperor's absence even within sight of Constantinople He made his peace by a thousand submissions related his adventures and seeing the Greeks every way weakned he himself secreetly laboured the relieving of the Tartars Tamberlain sollicited by Andronicus and jealous of Bajazet's glory whom he hated got together all the forces of Asia and brought where ever he went both horror and desolation At last this Tamberlain famous by our disgraces and eminent by our misfortunes without any pitty burnt our Cities sacrificed our people and reduced by that fatal success that did attend him a Prince who was seen ready to share almost the World with the rest of the Princes to that deplorable condition into which he is fallen Whilst these evils were happening notwithstanding my grief I did not loose the remembrance of Adanaxus nor forget the cares of informing my self of him I was confirmed of your absence and was perswaded that you must needs learn who I was I did imagine you had not gone from Tamberlain but only to escape fighting with my Father and this very thought gave me a great consolation at last Seignior Bursa was ravaged afterwards Sebastia Themir haled us from the Palace and made us take this voy age to Asia where we were seen to follow the Chariot of that cruel Conquerour and which cost my Mother her life Our captivity preceded that of Bajazet's some few days and I have often heard him say that being over whelmed with a mortal grief after Ortobulus's misfortune whom Themir had massacred before his eyes and the loss of the last battle having suffered his Horses to carry him up and down without any design or hope through unknown desarts He met with a Shepherd who was all alone by the side of a River pleasing himself with playing some rural airs upon his Oaten pipe the Emperor look'd upon him a long time admiring at the sweetness of his condition and then sighing Oh! Too happy Shepherd said he to him how worthy is thy state of envy to have nothing to spend but thy dayes which bloody ambition never crosses Bajazet's calamities will furnish you with matter for your Songs and you may hereafter