Last Part of this History shall most Faithfully relate The End of the Second Part. THE AMOURS OF PHILANDER AND SILVIA Being the Third and Last Part OF THE Love-Letters Between a NOBLE-MAN AND HIS SISTER LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by most Book-Sellers 1687. TO THE LORD SPENCER My Lord WHEN a New Book conies into the World the first thing we consider is the Dedication and according to the Quality and Humour of the Patron we are apt to make a Iudgment of the following Subject If to a States-man we belive it Gravâ— and Politick if a Gown-man Law or Divinity if to the Young and Gay Love and Gallantry By this Ride I believe the gentle Reader who finds your Lordship's Name prefix'd before this will make as many various Opinions of it as they do Characters of your Lordship whose youthful Sallies have been the business of so much Discourse and which according to the Relator's Sence or good Nature is either aggravated or excused though the Womans Quarrel to your Lordship has some more reasonable Foundation than that of your own Sex for your Lordsâ—ip being Form'd with all the Beauties and Graces of Man-kind all the Charms of Wit Youth and Sweetness of Disposition derived to you from an Illustrious Race of Hero's adapting you to noblest Love and Softness they cannot but complain on that mistaken Conduct of â—ours that so lavishly deals out those agreeable Attractions Squandering away that Youth and Time on many which might be more advantageously dedicated to some one of the Fair and by a Liberty which they call not being Discreet enough robb 'em of all the Hopes of Conquest over that Heart which they believe can fix no where they cannot carress you into Tameness or if you sometimes appear so they are still upon their Guard with you for like a Young Lyon you are ever apt to leap into your Natural Wildness the Greatness of your Soul disdaining to be conâ—ined to lazy Repose tho the Delicacy of your Person and Constitution so absolutely require it your Lordship not being made for Diversions so rough and fatigueing as those your active Mind would impose upon it Your Lordship is placed in so Glorious a Station the Son of so Great a Father as renders all you do more perspicuous to the World than the Actions of common Men already the advantages of your Birth have drawn all Eyes upon you and yet more on those coming Greatnesses to which you were born if Heaven preserves your Lordship amidst the too vigorous Efforts and too dangerous Adventures which a too brisk Fire in your Noble Blood a too forward desire of gaining Fame daily exposes you to and will unless some force confine your too impatient Bravery shorten those Days which Heaven has surely designed for more Glorious Actions for according to all the Maxims of the Iudging Wise the little Extravagancies of Youth accomplish and perfect the Riper Years 'T is this that makes indulgent Parents permit those Sparks of Fire that are Gleaming in Young Hearts to kindle into a Flame knowing well that the Consideration and Temperament of a few more Years will regulate it to that just degree where the noble and generous Spirit should â—ix it self And for this we have had the Examples of some of the greatest Men that ever adorned History My Lord I presume to lay â—t your Lordship's Feet an Illustrious Youth the unhappy Circumstances of whose Life ought to be Written in lasting Characters of all Languages for a President to succeeding Ages of the Misfortune of â—eedless Love and â— too Early Thirst of Glory for in him your Lordship will find the fatal Effects of great Courage without Conduct Wit without Discretion and a Greatness of Mind without the steady Vertues of it so that from a Prince even ador'd by all by an imprudence that too often attendss the Great and Young and from the most exhalted Height of Glory mis-led by false notions of Honour and falser Friends fell the most pityed Object that ever was abandoned by Fortune I hope no One will imagine I intend this as a Parallel between your Lordship and our mistaken brave Vnfortunate since your Lordship hath an unquestioned and hereditary Loyalty which nothing can deface born from a Father who has given the World so evident Proofs that no fear of threatned danger can separate his useful Service and Duties from the Interest of his Royal and God-like Master which he pursues with an undaunted Fortitude in disdain of Phanatical Censures and those that want the Bravery to do a just Action for fear of future Turns of State And such indeed is your true Man of Honour and as such I doubt not but your Lordship will acquit your self in all times and on all occasions Pardon the Liberty my Zeal for your Lordship has here presumed to take since among all those that make Vows and Prayers for your Lordship's Health and Preservation none offers them more devoutly than My LORD Your Lordships Most Humble and Obedient Servant A. B. THE AMOURS OF PHILANDER and SILVIA OCTAVIO the Brave the Generous and the Amorous having left Silvia absolutely resolv'd to give her self to that doting fond Lover or rather to sacrifice her self to her Revenge that unconsidering Unfortunate whose Passion had expos'd him to all the unreasonable Effects of it return'd to his own House wholly transported with his happy Success He thinks on nothing but vast coming Joys Nor did one kind Thought direct him back to the evil Consequences of what he so hastily pursu'd he reflects not on her Circumstances but her Charms not on the Infamy he should espouse with Silvia but of those ravishing Pleasures she was capable of giving him he regards not the Reproaches of his Friends but wholly abandon'd to Love and youthful Imaginations gives a Loose to young Desire and Fancy that deludes him with a thousand soft Ideas He reflects not that his gentle and easy Temper was most unfit to joyn with that of Silvia which was the most haughty and humorous in Nature for tho' she had all the Charms of Youth and Beauty that are conquering in her Sex all the Wit and Insinuation that even surpasses Youth and Beauty yet to render her Character impartially she had also abundance of disagreeing Qualities mixt with her Perfections She was Imperious and Proud even to Insolence Vain and Conceited even to Folly she knew her Vertues and her Graces too well and her Vices too little she was very Opinionated and Obstinate hard to be convinced of the falsest Argument but very positive in her fancied Judgment Abounding in her own Sense and very critical on that of others Censorious and too apt to charge others with those Crimes to which she was her self addicted or had been guilty of Amorously inclin'd and indiscreet in the Management of her Amours and constant rather from Pride and Shame than Inclination fond of catching at every trifling Conquest and lov'd the Triumph tho' she hated the
Charity and Honour he as little excels as in Gratitude Obedience and Loyalty What then my dear Philander is it his weakness Ah there 's the Argument You all propose and think to govern so soft a King But believe me oh unhappy Philander nothing is more ungovernable than a Fool nothing more obstinate willful conceited and cunning and for his gratitude let the world judge what he must prove to his Servants who has dealt so ill with his Lord and Master how he must reward those that present him with a Crown who deals so ungraciously with him who gave him Life and who set him up an happyer object than a Monarch No no Philander he that can cabal and contrive to dethrone a father will find it easie to discard the wicked and hated Instruments that assisted him to mount it decline him then oh fond and deluded Philander decline him early for you of all the â—â—est ought to do so and not to set a helping hand to load him with Honours that chose you out from all the World to load with infamy remember that remember Mertilla and then renounce him do not you contribute to the adoring of his unfit head with a Diadem the most glorious of Ornaments who unadorn'd yours with the most inglorious of all reproaches Think of this oh thou unconsidering Noble Youth lay thy hand upon thy generous heart and tell it all the fears all the reasonings of her that loves thee more than life a Thousand Arguments I cou'd bring but these few unstudyed falling in amongst my softer thoughts I beg thou wilt accept of till I can more at large deliver the Glorious Argument to your Soul let this suffice to tell thee that the like Cassandria I rave and prophesie in vain this Association will be the eternal ruine of Philander for let it succeed or not either way thou art undone if thou pursu'st it and I must infallibly fall with thee if I resolve to follow thy good or ill Fortune for you cannot intend Love and Ambition Silvia and Caesario at once No perswade me not â—he Title to one or t'other must be laid down Silvia or Caesario must be abandon'd this is my fixt resolve if thy too powerful Arguments convince not in spight of reason for they can do 't thou hast the tongue of an Angel and the Eloquence of a God and while I listen to thy Voice I take all thou say'st for wondrous sense Farewell about Two hours hence I shall expect you at the Gate that leads into the Garden Grove Adieu remember SILVIA To Silvia HOw comes my charming Silvia so skill'd in the Mysteries of State where learnt her tender heart the Notions of rigid business where her soft Tongue form'd only for the dear Language of Love to talk â—f the concerns of Nations and Kingdoms 't is true when I gave my Soul away to my dear Councellor I reserv'd nothing to my self not even that secret that so concern'd my Life but laid all at her Mercy my generous Heart cou'd not Love at a less rate than to lavish all and be undone for Silvia 't is Glorious ruine and it pleases me if it advance once single joy or add one demonstration of my Love to Silvia 't is not enough that we tell those we Love all they love to hear but one ought to tell 'em too every secret that we know and conceal no part of that Heart one has made at present to the person one Loves 't is a Treason in Love not to be Pardon'd am sensible that when my story 's told and this happy one of my Love shall make up the greatest part of my History that those that Love not like me will be apt to blame me and charge me with weakness for revealing so great a trust to a Woman and amongst all that I shall do to arrive at Glory that will brand me with seaâ—less but Silvia when Lovers shall read it the men will excuse me and the Maids bless me I shall be a fond admir'd president for them to point but to their remiss reserving Lovers who will be reproached for not persuing my example I know not what opinion Men generally have of the weakness of Women but 't is sure a vulgar error for were they like my adorable Silvia had they her wit her vivacity of spirit her Courage her generous fortitude her command in every graceful look and Action they were most certainly fit to rule and Reign and Man was only born robust and strong to secure 'em on those Thrones they are form'd by Beauty Softness and a Thousand Charms which men want to possess Glorious Woman was born for command and Dominion and though custom has usurpt us the name of Rule over all we from the beginning found our selves in spight of all our boasted prerogative slaves and Vassals to the Almighty Sex Take then my share of Empire ye Gods and give me Love let me toyl to gain but let Silvia Triumph and Reign I ask no more no more than the led slave at her Chariot Wheels to gaze on my Charming Conqueress and wear with joy her Fetters oh how proud I shou'd be to see the dear Victor of my Soul so elevated so adorn'd with Crowns and Scepters at her feet which I had won to see her smiling on the adoring Crown distributing her Glories to young waiting Princes there dealing Provinces and there a Coronet Heavens methinks I see the lovely Virgin in this State her Chariot slowly driving through the multitude that press to gaze upon her she drest like Venus richly gay and loose her Hair and Robe blown by the flying Winds discovering a Thousand Charms to view thus the young Goddess look't then when she drove her Chariot down descending Clouds to meet the Love-sick God in cooling Shades and so wou'd look my Silvia ah my soft lovely Maid such thoughts as these fir'd me with Ambition For me I swear by every power that made me Love and made thee wondrous fair I design no more by this great enterprize than to make thee some glorious thing elevated above what we have seen yet on Earth to raise thee above Fate or Fortune beyond that pity of they duller Sex who understand not thy Soul nor can never each the flights of thy generous Love no my Soul's joy I must not leave thee lyable to their little natural Malice and scorn to the impertinence of their reproaches No my Silvia I must on the great design must move forward though I abandon it 't will advance and 't is already too far to put a stop to it and now I 'm enter'd 'tis in vain to retreat if we are prosperous 't will to all Ages be call'd a Glorious enterprize but if we failâ— 't will be base horrid and infamous for the world judges of nothing but by the success that cause is always good that 's prosperous that is ill that 's unsuccessful Shou'd I now retreat I run many hazards but to go on
upon for a future love or use he wou'd have rusht in and have made the guilty Night a Covert to a Scene of Blood but even yet he had an awe upon his Soâ—l for the perjur'd Fair One tho at the same time he resolv'd she shou'd be the the object of his hate for the Nature of his honest Soul abhor'd an Action so treacherous and base He begins in a moment from all his good thoughts of her to think her the most Jilting of her Sex he knew if int'rest cou'd oblige her no man in Holland had a better pretence to her than himself who had already without any return even so much as hope presented her the vallue of eight or ten thousand pound in fine Plate and Jewels If it were looser desire he fancy'd himself to have appear'd as capable to have serv'd her as any man but oh he considers there is a fate in things a destiny in Love that elevates and advances the most mean deform'd or abject and debases and contemns the most worthy and magnificent Then he wonders at her excellent art of dissembling for Philander he runs in a minute over all her Passions of rage jealousie tears and softness and now he hates the whole Sex and thinks 'em all like Silvia than which nothing cou'd appear more despicable to his present thought and with a smile while yet his heart was insensibly breaking he fancies himself a very Coxcomb a Cully an impos'd on Fool and a conceited Fop Valâ—e's Silvia as a common fair Jilâ— whose whole design was to deceive the World and make her self a Fortune at the price of her Honour one that receives all kind bidders and that he being too lavish and too modest was reserv'd the Cully on purpose to be undone and Jilted out of all his fortune This thought was so perfectly fixt in him that he recover'd out of his excess of pain and fancy'd himself perfectly cur'd of his blind passion resolves to leave her to her beastly entertainment and to depart but before he did so Silvia who had conducted the Amorous Spark to the Bed where the expecting Lady lay drest rich and sweet to receive him return'd out of the Chamber and the light being a little more favourable to his â—yes by his being so long in the darkâ— he perceiv'd it Antonett at least such a sort of figure as he fancy'd her and to confirm him saw her go into that Chamber where he knew she lay he saw her perfect dress and all confirm'd him this brought him back almost to his former confusion but yet he commands his passion and descended the Stairs and got himself out of the Hall into the Street and Silvia having forgot the street door was open went and shut it and return'd to Antonett's Chamber with the Letter which Briljard had given to Antonett as she lay in the Bed believing it Silvia for that trembling Lover was no sooner enter'd the Chamber and approacht the Bed side but he kneel'd before it and oâ—â—er'd the price of his happiness this Letter which she immediately gave to Silvia unperceiv'd who quitted the Room and now with all the eager hast of impatient love she strikes a Light and falls to reading the sad contents but as she read she many times fainted over the Paper and as she has since said 't was a wonder she ever recover'd having no â—ody with her by that time she had â—â—nisht it she was so ill she was not able to get her self into Bed but threw her self down on the place where she sate which was the side of it in such agonies of grief and despair as never any Soul was possest of but Silvia's wholly abandon'd to the violence of Loves and despair it is iâ—possible to paint a torment to express hers by and tho' she had vow'd to Antonett it shou'd not at all effect her being sâ— prepossest before yet when she had the confirmation of her fears and heard his own dear soft words addrest to another object saw his transports his impatience his languishing industry and indeavour to obtain the new desire of his soul she found her resentment above â—age and given over to a more silent and less supportable torment brought her self into a high Fever where she lay without so much as calling for Aid in this extremity not that she was afraid the cheat she had put on Octavio would be discover'd for she had lost the remembrance that any such prank was plaid and in this multitude of thoughts of more concern had forgot all the rest of that Nights action Octavio this while was traverâ—ing the street wrapt in his Cloke just as if he had come from Horse for he was no sooner gone from the door but his resenting passion return'd and he resolv'd to go up again and disturb the Lovers tho it cost him his life and fame But returning hastily to the door he found it shut at which being inrag'd he was often about to break it open but still some unperceivable respect for Silvia prevented him but he resolv'd not to stir from the door till he saw the fortunate rogue come out who had given him all this torment at first he câ—rst himself for being so much concern'd for Silvia or her actions to waste a minute but flattering himself that it was not love to her but pure curiosity to know the man who was made the next fool to himself tho the morâ— happy one he waited all Night and when he began to see the day break which he thought a thousand years his Eye was never off from the door and wonder'd at their confidence who wou'd let the day break upon them but the Close drawn Curtains there cry'd he favours the happy Villainy Still he walk'd on and still he might for any Rival that was to appear for a most unlucky accident prevented Briljard's coming out as he doubly intended to do first for the better carrying on of his cheat of being Octavio and next that he had challeng'd Octavio to fight and when he knew his Error design'd to have gone this morning and ask'd him pardon if he had been return'd but the Amorous Lover over Night ordering himself for the incounter to the best advantage had sent a Note to a Doctor for something that wou'd incourage his spirits the Doctor came and opening a little Box wherein was a powerful Medicine He told him that a Dose of those little flies wou'd make him come off with wonderous Honour in the Battail of Love and the Doctor being gone to call for a glass of Sack the Doctor having laid out of the Box what he thought requisite on a piece of Paper and leaving the Box open our Spark thought if such a Dose wou'd incourage him so a greater wou'd yet make him do greater Wonders and taking twice the quantity out of the Box puts 'em into his pocket and having drunk the first with full directions the Doctor leaves him who was no sooner gone but he
takes those out of his pocket and in a glass of Sack drinks 'em down after this he bathes and dresses and believes himself a very 〈◊〉 that cou'd have got at least twelve Sonâ— that happy Night â— But he was no sooner laid in Bed with the Charming Silvia as he thought â—ut he was taken with intollerable gripes and pains such as he hâ—d never felt before insomuch as he was not able to lie in the bed this enrages him he grows mad and asham'd sometimes he had little intermissions for a moment of case and then he wou'd plead softly by her Bed side and ask ten thousand pardons which being easily granted â—e wou'd come into bed again but then the pain wou'd seizâ— him anew so that after two or three hours of distraction he was forc'd to dress and retire but instead of going down he went softly up to his own Chamber where he sate him down and 〈◊〉 the World himself and his hard â—ate and in this extremity oâ— pain shame and grief he reremain'd till break of day By which time Antonett who was most violently afflicted got her Coats on and went to her own Chamber where she found her Lady more dead than alive She immediately shiâ—ted her bed Linnen and made her Bâ—d and conducted her to it without indeavouring to divert her with the History of her own misfortune and only ask'd her many questions concerning her being thus ill to which the wretched Silvia only answer'd with sighs so that Antonett perceiv'd 't was the Letter that had disorder'd her and begg'd she might be permitted to see it she gave her leave and Antonett read it but no sooner was she come to that part of it which nam'd the Countess of Clarinau but she ask'd her Lady if she understood who that person was with great amazement At this Silvia was content to speak pleas'd a little that she shou'd have an account of her Rival No said she Dost thou know her Yes Madam replyed Antonett particularly well for I have serv'd her ever since I was a Girle of five years old she being of the same Age with me and sent at six years old both to a Monastery for she being fond of my play her Father sent me at that Age with her both to serve and to divert her with Babies and Baubles there we liv'd seven yearsâ— together when an old rich Spaniard the Count of Clarinau fell in love with my Lady and married her from the Monastery before she had seen any part of the World beyond those sanctified Walls She cry'd bitterly to have had me to Collen with her but he said I was too â—ouug now for her service and so sent me away back to my own Town which is this and here my Lady was born too and is Sister to Here she stopt fearing to tell which Silvia perceiving with a briskness which her indisposition one wou'd have thought cou'd not have allow'd sate up in her Bâ—d and cry'd Haâ— Sister to whom Oh how thou wou'dst please me to say to Octavio why Madam wou'd it please you said the blushing Maid Because said Silvia 't wou'd in part revenge me on his bold Addresses to me and he wou'd also be oblig'd in honour to his Family to revenge himself on Philander Aâ— Madam said she as to his presumption towards you fortune has sufficiently reveng'd it at this she hung down her head and look'd very foolishly How said Silvia smiling and rearing her self yet more in her Bed is any misfortuue arriv'd to Octavio Oh how I will triumph and upbraid the daring man tell me quickly what it is for nothing wou'd rejoyce me more thaâ— to hear he were punisht a little Upon this Antonett told her what an unlucky Night she had how Octavio was seiz'd and how he departed by which Silvia believ'd he had made some discovery of the cheat that was 〈◊〉 upon him and that he only feign'd illness to get himself loose from her imbraces and now she falls to considering how she shall be reveng'd on both her Lovers And the best 〈◊〉 can pitch upon is that of sâ—tting them both at odds and making â—em fight and revenge themselves on one another but she like a right Woman cou'd not dissemble her resentment of jealousie what ever art she had to do so in any other point but mad to ease her Soul that was full and to upbraid Philander she writes him a Letter but not till she had once more to make her stark mad read his over again which he sent Octavio Silvia to Philander YEs pâ—rjur'd Villain at last all thy perfidy is arriv'd to my knowledge and thou hadst better have been damn'd of have fallâ—n like an ungrateful Traytor as thou art under the publique shame of dying by the common Executioner than have 〈◊〉 under the grasp of my revenge insatiate as thy Lust false as thy Treasons to thy Prince fatal as thy destiny lowd as thy infamy and bloody as thy party Villain Villain where got you the courage to use me thus knowing my injuries and my Spirit thou seest base Traytor I do not fall on thee with treachery as thou hast on thy King and Mistress to which thou has broke thy Holy vows of allegiance and Eternal Love but thou that hast broke the Laws of God and Nature What cou'd I expect when neither Religion Honour common Justice nor Law cou'd bind thee to humanity thou that bâ—tray'd thy Prince abandon'd thy Wife renounc'd thy Child kill'd thy Mother ravisht thy Sister and art in open Rebellion against thy Native Country and very Kindred and Brothers Oh after this what must the Wretch expect who has believ'd thee and follow'd thy abject fortunes the miserable outcast Slave and contempt of the World what cou'd she expect but that the Villain is still potent in thee unrepented and all the Lover dead and gone the Vice remains and all the Virtue vanisht Oh what cou'd I expect from such a Divel so lost in sin and wickedness that even those for whom he ventur'd all his Fame and lost his Fortune lent like a State Cully upon the publique Faith on the security of Rogues Knaves and Traytors even those I say turn'd him out of their Councels for a reprobate too lewd for the villainous society Oh curst that I was by Heaven and Fate to be blind and deaf to all thy infamy and suffer thy adorable bewitching Face and Tongue to charm me to madness and undoing when that was all thou hadst left thee thy false person to cheat the silly easie fond believing World into any sort of opinion of thee for not one good principle was left not one poor vertue to guard thee from Damnation thou hadst but one friend left thee one true one real Friend and that was wretched Silvia she when all abandon'd thee but the Executioner fled with thee suffer'd with thee starv'd with thee lost her Fame and Honour with thee lost her friend her Parents and all her Beauties
amongst a thousand of finer value His Name and hers was Ingraven instead of a Poesie in it which was only Philander and Silvia and which he took no notice of and parted from each other in the tenderest manner that two young Gentlemen could possible be imagin'd to do tho it were more than so on her side for she was madly in Love with him As soon as Silvia came to Bruxells she sent in the Evening to search out Brilljard for she had considered if he should come to the knowledge of her being in Town and she should not send to him he would take it so very ill that he might prevent all her designs and rambles the now Joy of her Heart she knew she could make him her Slave her Pimp her any thing for Love and the hope of her Favour and his interest might defend her and she should know all Philander's motions whom now tho she lov'd no more she fear'd She found him and he took her Lodgings infinitely pleas'd at the trust she reposed in him the only means by which he could arrive to happiness She continues her Mans Habit and he supplyed the place of Vallet dress'd her and undress'd her shifted her Linen every day nor did he take all these Freedoms without advancing a little farther upon occasion and opportunity which was the hire she gave him to serve her in more Lucky Amours the Fine she paid to live free and at ease She tells him her adventure which tho it were Daggers to his Heart was however the only way to keep her his own for he knew her Spirit was too violent to be restrained by any means At last she told him her design upon a certain young Man of quality which she told him was the same she Incountered She assures him 't was not Love or Liking but perfectly Interest that made her design upon him and that if he would assist her she would be very kind to him as a Man that had gain'd very greatly upon her Heart This Flattery she urg'd with infinite fondness and art and he over-joy'd believed every word as Gospel so that he promised her the next day to carry a Billet to the young Don In the mean time she caus'd him to Sup with her purposly to give her an account of Philander Cesario and Hermione whom she heard was come to Bruxells and liv'd publickly with the Prince He told her it was very true and that he saw them every day nay every moment together for he verily believed they could not live asunder That Philander was every Evening Caballing there where all the male contents of the Reformed Religion had taken Sanctuary and where the Grand Council was every Night held for some great things were in Agitation and debating how to trouble the repose of all France again with new Broils he told her that all the World made their Court to Hermione that if any Body had any Petitions or Addresses to make to the Prince 't was by her sole Interest she sate in their closest Councils and heard their gravest debates and she was the Oracle of the Board The Prince paying her a perfect Adoration while she whose Charms of Youth were ended being turned of thirty fortifyed her decays with all the Arts her Wit and Sex were capable of and kept her Illustrious Lover as perfectly her Slave as if she had ingag'd him by all those tyes that Fetter the most circumspect and totally subdued him to her Will who was without Exception the most lovely Person upon Earth and tho Madam you know him so perfectly well yet I must tell you my opinion of him He is all the softer Sex can wish and ours admire he is form'd for Love and War and as he is the most amorous and wanton in Courts he is also the most fierce and brave in Field His Birth the most elevated his Age arriv'd to full blown Man adorn'd with all the spreading Glories that Charm the Fair and ingage the World and I have often heard some of our Party say his Person gain'd him more numbers to his side than his Cause or Quality for he understood all the useful Arts of Popularity the gracious smile and bow and all those cheap Favours that so gain upon Hearts and without the expence of any thing but Ceremony has made the Nation mad for his Interest who never otherwise oblig'd 'em and sure nothing is more necessary in the great than Affability nor shows greater marks of Grandure or shall more etternize them than bowing to the Crowd As the Maiden Queen I have read of in England who made herself idoliz'd by that sole Piece of politick Cunning understanding well the stubborn yet good Nature of the People and gained more upon 'em by those little Arts than if she had parted with all the Prerogatives of her Crown Ah! Madam you cannot imagine what little Slights govern'd the whole Universe and how easie 't is for Monarchs to oblige This Cesario was made to know and there is none so poor an Object who may not have Access to him and whom he does not send away well pleased tho' he do not grant what they ask He dispatches quickly which is a grateful Vertue in great Men and none ever espoused his Interest that did not find a Reward and a Protection 'T is true these are all the Tools he is to work with and he stops at nothing that leads to his Ambitionâ— nor has he done all that lies in the Power of Man only to set alâ— France yet in a Flame but he calls up the very Devils from Hell to his Aid and there is no Man fam'd for Negromancy to whom he does not apply himself which indeedâ— is done by the Advice of Hermione who is very much affected with those sort of People and puts a very great Trust and Confidence in ' em She sent at great Expence for a German Conjurer who arrived the other Day and who is perpetually consulting with another of the same sort a Scot by Birth called Fergusano He was once in Holy Orders and still is so but all his Practice is the black Art and excellent in it he is reported to be Hermione undertakes nothing without his Advice and as he is absolutely her Creature so his Art governs her and she the Prince She holds her Mid-night Conferences with him and as she is very superstitious so she is very learned and studies this Art taught by this great Master Fergusano And so far is this glorious Hero bewitched with these Sorcerers that he puts his whole Trust in these Conjurations and Charms and so far they have imposed on him that with an inchanted Oyntment which they have prepared for him he shall be invulnerable tho' he face the very Mouth of a Cannon They have at the earnest Request of Hermione calculated his Nativity and find him born to be a King and that before twenty Moons exspire he shall be crown'd in France And flattering his easie
Youth with all the Vanities of Ambition they have made themselves absolutely useful to him This Scot being a most inveterate Enemy to France le ts the Prince rest neither Night nor Day but is still inspiring him with new Hopes of a Crown and laying him down all the false Arguments imaginable to spur the active Spirit My Lord is not of the Opinion yet seems to comply with them in Council he laughs at all the Fopperies of Charms and Incantations insomuch that he many times angers the Prince and is in eternal little Feuds with Hermione The German would often in these Disputes say he found by his Art That the Stop to the Princes Glory would be his Love This so incensed Hermione and consequently the Prince that they had like to have broke with him but durst not for fear he knowing too much to be disobliged On the other side Fergusano is most wonderfully charmed with the Wit and masculine Spirit of Hermione her Courage and the manliness of her Mind and understanding what way she would be served resolved to obey her finding she had an absolute Ascendant over the Prince whom by this means he knew he should get into his sole Management Hermione tho' she seemed to be possess'd so intirely of Cesarrio's Heart found she had great and powerful Opposers who believ'd the Prince lay idling in her Arms and that possibly she might eclipse his Fame by living at that rate with a Woman he had no other Pretensions to but Love and many other Motives were urged daily to him by the Admirers of his great Actions And she feared with reason that some time or other Ambition might get the Ascendant of Love She therefore in her Mid-night Conferences with Fergusano often urg'd him to show her that piece of his Art to make a Philtre to retain fleeting Love and not only keep a Passion alive but even revive it from the dead She tells him of her Contract with him she urges his forced Marriage as she was pleased to call it in his Youth and that he being so young she believed he might find it lawful to marry himself a second time that possibly his Princess was for the Interest of the King and Men of his elivated Fortune ought not to be ty'd to those Strictnesses of common Men but for the good of the Publick sometimes act beyond the musty Rules of Law and Equity those politick Bands to confine the Mobile At this unreasonable rate she plâ—ads her Right to Cesario and he harâ—ens with all Attention and approves so well all she says that he resolves not only to attach the Prince to her by all the force of the black Art but that of necessary Marriage also This pleased her to the last degree and she left him after he had promised her to bring her the Philtre by the Morning for it was that she most urged the other requiring time to argue with him and work him by degrees to it Accordingly the next Morning he brings her a Tooth-pick-case of Gold of rare infernal Workmanship wrought with a thousand Charms of that Force that every time the Prince should touch it and while he but wore it about him his Fondness should not only continue but increase and he should hate all Womankind besides at least in the way of Love and have no power to possess another Woman tho' she had all the Attractions of Nature He tells her the Prince could never suspect so familiar a Present and for the fineness of the Work it was a Present for a Prince For said he no human Art could frame so rare a piece of Workmanship that Nine Nights the most delicate of the Infernals were mixing the Metal with the most powerful of Charms and watch'd the critical Minutes of the Stars in which to form the mystick Figures every one being a Spell upon the Heart of that unerring Magick no mortal Power could ever dissolve undo or conquer The only Art now was in giving it so as to oblige him nâ—ver to part with it and she who had all the Cunning of her Sex undertook for that part She dismissed her infernal Confident and went to her Toilet to dress her knowing well that the Prince would not be long before he came to her She laid the Tooth-pick-Case down so as he could not avoid seeing it The Prince came immediately after in as he ever used to do Night and Morning to see her dress her he saw this gay Thing on her Table and took it in his Hand admiring the Work of it as he was the most curious Person in the World She told him there was not a finer wrought thing in the World and that she had a very great Esteem for it it being made by the Sybils and bade him mind the Antiqueness of the Work The more she commended it the more he liked it and told her she must let him call it his She told him he would give it away to the next Commender He vow'd he would not She told him then he should not only call it his but it should in reality be so and he vow'd it should be the last thing he would part with in the World From that time forward she found or thought she found a more impatient Fondness in him than she had seen before however it was she rul'd and govern'd him as she pleased and indeed never was so great a Slave to Beauty as in my Opinion he was to none at all for she is far from having any natural Charms yet it was not long since it was absolutely believed by all that he had been resolved to give himself wholly up to her Arms to have sought no other Glory than to have retired to a Corner of the World with her and changed all his Crowns of Laurel for those of Roses But some stirring Spirits have roused him anew and awakened Ambition in him and they are on great Designs which possibly ere long may make all France to tremble yet still Hermione is oppressed with Love and the Effects of dayly increasing Passion He has perpetual Correspondence with the Party in Paris and Advice of all things that pass they let him know they are ready to receive him whenever he can bring a Force into France nor needs he any considerable Number he having already there in every place through which he shall pass all or the most part of the Hearts and Hands at his Devotion and they want but Arms and they shall gather as they go They desire he will land himself in some part of the Kingdom and it would be Incouragement enough to all the joyful People who will from all parts flock together In fine he is offered all Assistance and Money and least all the Forces of France should be bent against him he has Friends of great Quality and Interest that are resolved to rise in several places of the Kingdom in Languedoc and Guinny whether the King must be obliged to send his Forces
that inspires 'em they are the very Brandy that make 'em Valiant and you may as soon beat Sense into their Brains as the very appearance of Truth 't is the very Language of the scarlet Beast to ' em They understand no other than their own and he that does knows to what ends we aim No matter Sir what Tools you work withal so the finisht piece be fine at last Look forward to the Goal a Crown attend it and never mind the dirty Road that leads to 't With such false Arguments as these he wrought upon the easie Nature of the Prince who ordered some thousands of 'em to be Printed ready for their being disperst all over France as soon as they should be Landed Especially among the Parisians too apt to take any impressions that bore the stamp and pretence of Religion and Liberty While these and all other things necessary were preparing Cesario wholly given over to Love being urg'd by Hermione to know the occasion of his last Nights absence unravels all the secret and told my Lord and she one Night at Supper the whole Scene of the Grotto so that Hermione more than ever being puft up with Ambitious thoughts hast'ned to have the Prince press'd to marry her and consulting with the Councillour of her closest secrets sets him anew to work swearing violently that if he did not bring that design about she should be able by her Ascendant o're Cesario to ruin all those they had undertaken and yet turn the Prince from the Enterprize and that it was more to satisfy her Ambition to which they were oblig'd for all the Prince had promised that he had undertaken to Head an Army and put himself again into the Hands of the Hugonots and forsake all the soft repose of Love and Liâ—e than for any Inclination or Ambition of his own and that she who had power to animate him one way he might be assur'd had the same power another This she ended in very high Language with a look too fierce and fiery to leave him any doubt of and he promised all things should be done as she desired and that he would overcome the Prince and bring him absolutely under her power Not said she with a scornful look that I need your aid in this affair or want power of my own to command it but I will not have him look upon it as my Act alone or a thing of my seeking but by your advice shall be made to understand it is for the good of the Publick that having to do with a sort of People of the Reformed Religion whose pretences were more Nice than Wise more seemingly zealous than reasonable or just they might look upon the Life she lead with the Prince as scandalous that was not justifyed by form tho never so unlawful A thousand things she urg'd to him who needed no instruction how to make that appear authentick and just however contrary to religion and Sense But so inform'd he parted from her and told her the Event should declare his zeal for her Service and so it did for he no sooner spoke of it to the Prince but he took the Hint as a divine Voice his very Soul flush'd in his lovely Cheeks and all the Fire of Love was dancing in his Eyes Yet as if he had fear'd what he wish'd could not handsomely and lawfully be brought to pass he ask'd a thousand questions concerning it all which the subtle Wizard so well resolv'd at least in his judgment who easily was convinced of what he wish'd that he no longer deferr'd his happiness but that very Night in the visit he made Hermione fell at her Feet and implores her consent of what he had told her Fergusano had fully convinced him was necessary for his Interest and Glory neither of which he could injoy or regard if she was not the partner of 'em and that when he should go to France and put himself in the Field to demand a Crown he should do it with absolute Vigor and Resolution if she were to be seated as Queen on the same Throne with him without whom a Cottage would be more pleasant and he could relish no Joys that were not as intirely and immediately hers as his own He pleaded impatiently for what she long'd and would have made her Petition for and all the while she makes a thousand doubts and scruples only to be convinced and confirmed by him and after seeming fully satisfyed he leads her into a Chamber where Fergusano waited and only her Woman and his faithful confident Tomaso and Married her since which she has wholly managed him with greater power than before takes abundance of State is extreamly elevated I will not say Insolent and tho they do not make a publick Declaration of this yet she owns it to all her Intimates and is ever reproaching my Lord with his lewd course of Life wholly forgetting her own crying out upon infamous Women as if she had been all the course of her Life an innocent By this time Dinner was ended and Silvia urg'd Brilljard to depart with her Letter but he was extreamly surpriz'd to find it to be to the Governours Nephew Don Alonzo who was his Lords Friend and who would doubtless give him an account of all if he did not show him the Billet all these reasons could not disswade this fickle wanderer whose Heart was at that time set on this young inconstant at least her inclinations He tells her that her Life would be really in danger if Philander comes to the knowledge of such an Intrigue which could not possibly be carry'd on in that Town without noise She tells him she is resolved to quit that false injurer of her Fame and Beauty who had basely abandoned her for other Women of less merit even since she had pardoned him the Crimes of Love he committed at Cologne that while he was in the Country with her during the time of her Lying in he had given himself to all that would receive him there that since he came away he had left no Beauty unattempted and could he possibly imagine her of a Spirit to bow beneath such injuries No she would on to all the revenges her Youth and Beauty were capable of taking and stick at nothing that led to that interest and that if he did not joyn with her in her noble design she would abandon him and put herself wholly out of his Protection Thus she spoke with a fierceness that made the Lover tremble with fear of losing her he therefore told her she had reason and that since she was resolved he would confess to her that Philander was the most perfidious Creature in the World and that Hermione the haughty Hermione who hated naughty Women invited and treated all the handsome Ladies of the Court to Balls and to the Basset Table and made very great entertainment only to draw to her Interest all the brave and the young men and that she daily gain'd abundance