Resolute Captain at the head of a gallant Party of Horse that had command to cut those Rogues in pieces hee had nothing but Fire Sword Slaughter and Revenge in his Discourse Pomeran more serious and temperate answered with much more Modesty and Reservedness and judging that a brave Spirit ought to say nothing but the truth hee told them really his Opinion and what hee esteemed ought to bee said for the Honour of Serife in these words Gentlemen it is not good handling a burning Coal nor an Iron red hot without Tongs you have Him in your Hands in whose you are and who hath the power to Exercise an horrible Revenge upon you if you do him the least Displeasure I advertise you that this Lady whom you have imprisoned and who hath given herself the Name of Serife is your Palatine IPHIGENES whom the love of Almeria hath thus transformed and Almeria is no other than Calliante who hath made those People that have caused us to be put here believe hee was her Brother but I can assure you hee is the same Almeria who is likewise a Gentleman of quality I confess this Changing of cloathes is against the Lawes but these Lawes are but like Spider's Webs which catch onely the smaller Flies Great persons whose recreations are Extraordinary are exempted from their Rigor For mine own particular I am a Gentleman of the Palatine's train who beeing come with Him into these Woods to take my pleasure in Hunting to comply with his humour did fit my self with this Peasant's habit not thinking fit to leave him whilest hee amused himself in the conversation of this Creature whom hee Love's It concern's you to make your benefit of my Deposition which will serve you as an Advertisement if you make the right use of it if not it will prove the presage of a grand Destruction that will befall this Place in case you should be so unadvised as to attempt any thing that may incense him who is able to ruine You utterly Those that have gotten the repute of Liars are so unhappy as not to be believed when they speak Truth Pomeran seeming to speak more wisely than the rest was held to bee the greatest Fool and his Predictions were as little regarded as those of Cassandra by the Inhabitants of Troy Boleslaüs beeing last of all to Answer desired to speak in private with him that was to examine him and knowing that nothing was impossible nor impenetrable by the Power of God dazled his Eyes with some pieces in hand and the promise of a greater summe in case hee qualified that business and restored to liberty so many Persons of Honour who were not accused for any crime and at the worst could be convinced onely of a piece of Youthfull folly The Judge who went in as fierce as a Lyon came out again after this Conference as gentle as a Lamb having promised Boleslaüs to let them all out by the golden Gate but for the more clear Escape it would bee requisite that they should make themselves a Bridge of Silver This done for Form's sake hee examined Him again and the rest in the Presence of their Accusers and Adversaries whose Hearts were ready to flie out of their Mouths for joy to see themselves triumphant over those that would have affronted them All their answers were so ambiguous and their ambiguity so different that it was no less difficulty to expound them than those ancient Oracles which had severall Faces and divers Senses In summe there was nothing said whereon they could build any conjecture At length these Gentlemen asked leave to write to Serife that by her authority shee might deliver them out of trouble This was granted upon condition that the Judge first saw their Letters who found sport enough in the diversity of their styles For one called her Madam another Sir the third My Lord which made the doubt greater and so puzled those thick-scull'd fellowes that they could not devise what to censure Those Officers of Justice like Surgeons and Physitians whose profit is by tedious sicknesses and wounds that are a long time healing thought by protracting this business to make themselves all rich But whilest our Prisoners are learning Patience in it's true school let us see what is acted more seriously upon the Theater of the World and how these passages were but a shadow and a weak representation of that which passed contrary to Iphigenes knowledge in places where hee had interest and reason to preserve more tenderly his Reputation It is a frequent observation of Historiographers that before Wars which are God's Scourges begin in any Country there are seen certain signs which serve for presages of Civill Dissentions as terrible Meteors Apparitions and Armies seeming to joyn Battle in the Air. These Rurall recreations which wee have here represented were in like manner the fore-runners of the troubles and divers For tunes which attended Iphigenes as will appear in the sequele of this Narration The Actions of great Persons and of those who are placed like Luminaries in the Orbes of eminent Charges can bee no more kept hidden than the Light which in how close a place soe're it bee discover's it self by sending it's Rayes and Splendor through some little hole or cranny The Palatine's disguisement could not bee long disguised at Plocens What hee thought to do in private was said openly what hee practised in the secret retreats of the Forest was the common table-talk in the City either by the indiscretion of his own Hunts-men or the Relation of some of Celian's Neighbours In summe hee could not keek his Fire so close but that it was discovered by it's smoak An ignominious report is like a spot of Oyl which increaseth as incessantly as insensibly The Court was already filled with these Rurall Affections of Iphigenes and as the least failings of Favorites are sifted and aggravated by their enviers Heaven know's with what Glosses they adorned this simple Text. Every one censured him according to their humours Some pittied others fed their Envy with his folly Onely the King could not believe so extreme an over-sight of him whom hee had alwayes found so extraordinary discreet beyond what could bee expected from his years His Calumniators without considering that this Report might bee false published it for an evident truth with all the amplifications their Malice could suggest But among so many Objects that were taken with the presence of Iphigenes none beeing inamored comparably to the Princess Respicia you may imgaine with what pleasure her Ears received this news what a multitude of confused thoughts immediately assembled in her braine Shee grew exceedingly impatient concerning her expeditions from Rome which according to the Form and Matter of their Seal go but with Leaden Feet this occurrence redoubled her longing and set a spur in her Heart which pricked her to know a truth no less than shee feared to finde it Shee laboured all shee could at Court to smother this report
thus replied Let not that trouble you for the Judge himself you may tell him shall have his share of the Cake I intend more for him than all that I have given and promised you If you will have a testimony of my beeing a Man and the same Iphis whom you have so often seen in the company of Almeria look not upon the Effeminacy of my Face but consider the strength of my Arm with that shee shook them so forcibly that Merinda fell to the ground and the rest had much adoe to keep upon their Feet By this continued the stout Virago you may see what I am and accordingly you may assure the Judge of my Sex As for Calliante what bravadoes soever hee make's believe mee hee is a Woman and the same Almeria whom you have all known already Therefore if you have any Order to search her content your selves with my Relation otherwise in regard shee is so robust and so used to all manly Exercises for which I love her more than for her Beauty I fear you will finde but a sorry welcome Wherefore make your Report according to my Declaration and fear not that I shall make you avouch any thing contrary to the Truth For witness whereof see the advantages that will redound to you besides the immortall Obligations that you will acquire upon Iphis and Almeria The Goddess Perswasion with her golden Tongue having inthroned herself by these words in Serife's Mouth there was not one of the three Searches but judged this good Office as feasable as reasonable In this Resolution they went forth and having met the Judge with the Swains who expected their return they remained some while speechless counterfeiting as much bashfulness as if they had been seeing some strange business Which gave some of the Rusticks occasion to cry out Oh! oh Did not wee guess right to say that Lady was a Man Indeed Master Judge answered Merinda it was not so well done of you to scoff in this manner at our simplicity and send such as wee are to see Men that laugh at our folly Then Belida who beeing a Married Wife had somewhat more confidence laughing full mouth said By my Soul if that bee a Lady my Husband may bee a Lady too For I am sure they are both made alike and turning towards Lupicin See friend said shee upon what employments you send your Wife This made an hooting suiteable to the condition of the persons before whom this Comedy was acted That done the Judge gave them Order forthwith to go to Calliante Which they refused with much seeming unwillingness and far-fetch'd excuses untill the Judge holding his gravity of President iterated his Command telling them that they must obey the Ordinances of Justice if not hee knew how to compell them Whereupon replied the crafty Belida that shee was contented to obey so that shee and her Sisters might first confer with him in private That request beeing thought too reasonable to bee denied shee told him punctually what had passed betwixt them and Serife and that there was nothing more sure than her beeing a Man and Calliante a Woman Then they shewed him the presents they had received of her besides the promise of three thousand Crowns for themselves and twice as much for him if hee would bee iudulgent in the Execution of that Order This made him as gentle as an Ermine's skin and open both his Ears to their Proposition But to enhaunce his Justice to the highest rate hee resolved to gather with both Hands as if hee had been in a Treasury in a Mine or at an Harvest of Gold Therefore after a little pause This is not enough said hee to them Wee have now before our Eyes the fairest opportunity of inriching our selves that can bee presented wee must take it by the fore-lock and beat this Iron whilest it is hot onely if you can bee prudent and secret otherwise in stead of gaining wee shall undoe our selves You are now going to search one that is really a Woman if the other who is a Man beeing frighted with his Crime and Imprisonment hath given and promised you so much what may you not get of her who will at what rate soever preserve her honour and free herself from the Infamy and Laughter of all these People Go then and manage your business so that you may get a good fleece off her and forget not mee For you know I sit at the Helm and that all must bee done by my Order their Lives Honours Imprisoment and Liberty beeing wholly in my Hands Bee sure you take not Promises for Payment But put Eyes into your Hands to believe what they shall see and receive For if you do her the favour not to search her according to the Order it is but Reason that shee should recompence your Courtesie with some remarkeable Gratification Do not quit Her for less than what Iphis hath given and promised you For the Favour is greater to Her than Him Beeing thus instructed and determined to follow precisely these Instructions they went like Commissaries deputed by the Justice to know of what Category Calliante was And as a Ship saile's swifter when shee is in open Sea and hath the Wind more full So the greater hope these VVomen conceived and the more their desire of having was increased by the advise of that good Judge the more eagerly and cheer-fully did they run to execute this second Commission whereby they hoped to get more than they had done by the former Neither was their expectation frustrated For they were no sooner entred and had made their goodly Speech but Calliante falling into a Lyon-like fury in stead of speaking began to answer them with his Hands making them feele the weight of a Man's Armes The dore which was lock'd again that they might the more secretly and without scandall perform their Office gave him better opportunity of pummelling them For not beeing able to run away they were inforced to indure that storm of blowes without shelter One had her Eyes beaten into her Head with his buffeting another her Teeth struck out the third hee trampled under his Feet which was not without their crying out Murther help help But the Peasants who stayed within hearing thought it had been Almeria whom they three were forcing to a Manifestation which shee could not suffer without striving and shame in stead of succouring them they drowned their cries with laughing till their Lungs were ready to split and calling out to them You are three against one you will overcome her at last continue do what the Justice hath commanded you Judge you what leisure this gave Calliante to kick and beat his Visiters as if they had been three barrs upon an Anvill and his Fists the Hammers At length having layd them all under his feet so tired and sore with blowes that they could hardly breathe one of them swounded another feined her self dead but Belida who seeing Calliante draw a Knife which hung at
worth they cleare discern By teaching Virtues they can Virtues learn Shew young and old the Male the Female state Their Wills their Actions how to regulate Here Wisdome Valour Chastity discreet Comportment true Civilities strong sweet Rules for each Fortune in varieties Of Friends and Foes Noble Fidelities Their parts with such perswasive Graces act That they best Eyes and Hearts of France attract These Hee whose Love is my lov'd Ornament With equall Grace to England doth present That so in English minds his gen'rous Skill Those Virtues and their Habits might instill Though Hee to us this glorious Theater Of Pleasure and of Profit but transfer His Work with so Victorious Art is wrought The Dignity thereof exceeds thy Thought Yet Muse although I grant you are too weak Of all with a due Elogy to speak You with assurance of applause may say WRIGHT writes best English as best French BELLAY John Chapperline To his Friend the STATIONER on the publishing the Famous Romance CALLED THE INNOCENT IMPOSTOR T Will be expected now that I should raise Some Monument unto the Author's prayse The Work 's or the Translatour's else I feare The Reader'll wonder what I do make here T is grown Apocryphall And by the Wits Quite voted down Who hold it not be fits A true-borne Fancy to be Smithfield-wise Put off with Toll and Vouchers This defyes Such Crutches for 't is of so cleare a Nature T will passe without the Chaplins Imprimatur Or our Certificates Besides I carry Such a dislike to all things Customary I 'le cheate all Expectation and will be Thankfull to them but chiefly unto Thee In these Selfe-ended times we only do Or thank or praise those wee 're beholding to So call our Justice Charity and say We do bestow when we do only pay For though the worke be rare yet should it be Still in its Dress what had it been to me And though Translated by this worthy Pen If not exposed to the view of men I had ne're seen 't perhaps But since all three Have Clubb'd in this Production I must be Gratefull to all and to give all your right Must Prayse and Love and thank Bellay Dod Wright ALEX. BROME Vpon BELLEY'S IPHIGENES better'd into English by the Ingenious Pen of His Dear Brother Major WRIGHT I Need not injure Truth to Blazon thee Wer 't in my pow'r with Wit 's false Heraldrie For but to give thee all thy due would swell Too high and turne the Reader Infidell I 'le onely tell him hee 'll finde nothing here But what is Manly Modest Rich and Cleare No dropsi'd-monster-Dropsi'd-Monster-words all sweet and cleane As the smooth Cheeke of bashfull Iphigene Who as thy Pen has made her woo'd and wooe Might passe for Venus and Adonis too Thy melting Language big with nought but sense Delight and Wonder equally dispense Thy words fall from Thee like an April Shower Whose every fruitfull drop awakes a Flower Serpent and Dove first gently greet and kisse Then lend each other their best qualities Contract a conjugall alliance whence Springs thy Impostor's cunning Innocence Such rooted sweetnes growes in every part As if wise Nature taught thee all thy Art But why all this to thee may Criticks say Since what begin's the Page confesse Belley T is true wee owe the ground to him to thee Are Debtours for the rich Imbroiderie And t is but just the World should constru't so Rare Titian here copy'd from Angelo Ro. Loveday To my Learned and Judicious Friend Major WRIGHT Upon this Select Piece Intituled NATURE'S PARADOX Or The INNOCENT IMPOSTER DEar Friend I prize Thee high but now I 'le swear Th' art Metamorphoz'd to an Usurer A Paradox indeed I meane of Tongues Where Art 's the Scribe the Creditors Our Lungs Yet such a one that though the Increment Amount at least to Three times Eight per Cent. Maugre the Act which limits it to Six Wee 'l Plead no Forfeit nor Re-pay with Tricks The Reason's this Thy Treasure 's Beaten Gold Nor Wash'd nor Clipt but truly weight and told Th' Inscription Signall Learning Judgement Wit Not simply GOD WITH US but GOD WITH It Wherein there 's no IMPOSTURE no Offence But what concludes in Soveraigne INNOCENCE Nor do'st thou Covet or Extort at all Wee gaine by th' Use as well as Principall Why then an Usurer Because indeed Like unto Him Th' art alwayes Pleading Need A Need of Languages and yet I 'm sure Th' hast Conquered more than the Grand Signiour The Gulph of Venice Bounds that Monarch's Hand Thou gett'st where e're Thou go'st by Sea or Land The Spanish French Polonian and Dutch Italian Irish Welch and Hungry-Scotch Crow'd all within Thee many more beside I doubt ev'n Babell save the Bricks and Pride Learn but the Language of the Starres and then Th' ast both the Languages of Gods and Men. G. WHARTON NATURE'S PARADOX OR THE INNOCENT IMPOSTOR The First Booke ARGUMENT The manner of Government in the Kingdome of Polonia The Death of Rosuald Palatine of Podolia and his Wife Liante and Modestina their Children made Wards to Mieslas who succeeded Rosuald in the Palatinate Aretuza Wife to Mieslas Her Policie to deceive his Crueltie The Birth and manner of Education of Iphigenes His Marriage to Modestina Iphigenes endeavours to contract an Alliance betwixt his Sister Clemencia and Liante Iphigenes is made to understand his own condition by his Mother and Governour Boleslaus His love turn'd from Modestina to Liante His sorrow for having indeared Liante so much to Clemencia His departure from Podolia to the Court. THe Inhabitants of the Kingdome of Polonia do commonly give their Monark the style of the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS Not that they are so prophane as by too execrable a Blasphemie to ravish that eminent quality from him that beareth it ingraven on the blade of his Almighty Justice who disposeth at his will of the Souls of Princes and who is terrible above all the Kings of the Earth But by reason of the form of Government in that Country which is ballanced with somuch Aristocraticall temperature that it seemes their King is Sovereign only by the benefit of Inventarie as it is tearmed For whereas other Kings are extreamly absolute and have an uncontrouleable Power over the bodies lives and estates of their Subjects disposing of them at their wills and pleasure which is but according to the institution of Royalty determined by Gods own Sacred Mouth and couched in express tearms in the holy Scripture It is nothing so amongst the Sarmatians so were the People of Polonia called where the Sea of Monarchie hath its bounds and what storm soever rises in their King's heart what impetuous Surges or motions of Passion soever agitate his breast hee cannot in any proceedings exceed those limits that are prescribed to his Authority by the Power of his States The opinion of that antient Emperor who said That properly to be a Sovereign was to do whatsoever hee lifted is of no
presently if I please from the Gaole to Execution These words shee pronounced with so couragious and Masculine an accent that notwithstanding her delicate Complexion and Feminine dress they began to perswade their fancies that shee was more than a Woman But if Hercules could not resist two what should shee have done against so many It is the naturall disposition of Clowns and such Mechanick Souls as compose the Lees of the People to bee insulting and as inflexible as Lions or Tigres when they have the power in their own hands as they are like meer Cowes and Sheep when they are in subjection They scoffed at Serife's words and according to the custome of such Brutes they imparted their scorn to the Eccho's of that solitude by their lowd shouting After which one more impudent than the rest replied Master or Mistress What shall I call you What or whosoever you bee wee shall teach you to speak otherwise and not to affront People in this manner You must not think to rule us but to bee ordered by us who have power to keep you here untill your Process bee ended or discharge you at our pleasure wee will teach you to obey not command and if need bee wee want neither Bolts nor Manacles for your Feet and Hands nor yet Gags for your Mouth to the end you may know another time how to respect Officers of Justice If there bee any Magicall operations in all this the illusions will cease by the authority of the Judges and wee shall so conjure those Spirits that in spight of their resistance wee shall bring the truth to light and make it appear to your confusion These words having transported Serife into a more violent fury than ever Anger had kindled in her Brest shee was ready to declare her true Name and Quality and Arcade likewise was much tempted to tell that sawcy Clown that hee should deerly repent that Language yet hee forbore for fear of disobliging him whom hee desired to serve and whose indignation hee dreaded no less than Thunder But without further delay they made him quit the room and having ne're the more cleered their doubts by this confronting of the parties they left Serife to entertain her cholerick thoughts and re-inclosed Arcade betwixt foure walls threatning to torture him if hee told them not the naked Truth The like Message was sent to the other Prisoners and by the Shepherdesse's means came to Serife's Ears which increased her Rage to a resolution of consuming all that Country with Fire and Sword But there was no remedy shee must indure the bitterness of that Pill not having then the Power to declare her Grievances to any but the Walls of her Prison as deaf as her brutall Judges were inexorable Whilest the rest of the Prisoners allarmed with the barbarous intentions of the Rusticks consume their Spirits in impatient sumings threatning and meditating most remarkeable revenges The subtle Bolestaüs who knew that Needles are not thredded by violent stroaks and that Birds beeing fallen into the Fowler 's gins intangle themselves the worse the more they struggle having preferred a Petition to those Country-Judges full of Modest Submissive Tearms besides Promises of revealing great matters to them they went to his Chamber where speaking in private to the same Officer whose hand hee had already oyled and having disposed his Ears to give a favourable audience by replenishing the hollow of his hooked hand with Crowns Sir said hee much mischief may arise by this business if it bee discussed by rigor of Justice in regard it concernes the Honour and Life of Persons of eminent Quality who may resent it in an high nature and nothing can fall to your share by the way of Process but perchance some Forfeitures and Fees to make you bee indulgent to those that prosecute Were it not better for you to oblige so many Persons of Honour who are now in your Power and gain foure times as much The Judge who hungred and thirsted after Justice and who like another Leviathan could have swallowed all the Golden Sand of Tagus without difficulty and let a whole Jordan of Silver run down his throat without slacking his thirst opened with his Ears his Heart to this Proposition and Judas-like answered What will you give mee and I will set you free Whereupon they agreed upon a summe which though immense Boleslaüs promised to make him good knowing that ere long hee should make him vomit that Dose hotter than hee swallowed it and that the Gallowes should bee the salary of his extorting Avarice But that 's not all said the Judge to promise For wee never condemn or quit any but according to what is evidently proved and delivered I have sworn never to play upon ticket with Gentlemen I will not open any dore unless I see the golden Key and the Mony told out upon a Table Sir answered Boleslaus I mean it so and I le assure that the summe you shall receive shall bee all in good pieces and down weight But you know I cannot coin them here either give mee leave to go fetch them or procure mee a trusty Messenger who shall receive them upon a Letter which I hope you will permit mee to write As for going out replied the Judge that is a thing I cannot condescend unto For Prisoners are like Birds which Sing no more when out of the Cage and Nightingales which are observed never to warble but in the Nest where they hatch their Eggs. But for writing I am well contented to permit So that I see your Letter For I am no Man to indure any treacherous dealing I desire no better than that you should read what I write said Boleslaus For my intentions are no other than just and honest Then Paper beeing brought hee traced some lines to a friend of his at Plocens desiring him to send upon sight thereof the summe which hee had indented to deliver that Justice-seller And at the same time hee wrote another note to the Captain of Iphigenes Guards thus It is of no less concernment than the Life and Honour of our Master who beeing fallen into the hands of Theeves is here imprisoned by them that you should come speedily with your troop whither this bearer shall direct you make him give you right Instructions by setting a Pistoll to his Throat But let not Mieslas know any thing of your coming nor of this Accident The first note hee shewed the Judge which was according to his own desire but hid the other in his sleeve The Judge having perused it would have sent it away presently But said Boleslaüs without my own Seal it will bee of no effect therefore give mee leave to seal it in regard the summe as you see is of no small importance The Judge thinking hee spake as really as reasonably gave it him again to close But in seeming to seal it hee slipt this into the place of the other in his sleeve beeing both of one bigness and made