did and intreated him to be pleas'd that she might serve him at least as a slave since Fortune had depriv'd her of the meanes to serve him as a Princesse The cruell Nephizus losing all sence of humanity goe infamous Princesse said he go and run after thy Mescenarez and Tyndarache Thou hast chosen them to glut thy lascivious desires go find them out and never shew thy self to him that hates thee more then death At those words of lascivious and infamous Benzaida grew pale as if she had been ready to swoon and almost assoone the fire flying into her face and flaming forth her eyes Monster cried she more dreadfull then all those thy Affrica ever produc'd Hangman that inhumanly dashest a ponyard into my brest is this the effect of thy promises and assurances which thou gavest me by Alalita and Zamaella O dismall Names to my remembrance pernicious councellors who are the causes of my afflictions as well as of my faults Come and see that Nephizus which you represented to me so generous and so worthy of the quality of a Prince But I accuse you unjustly you were the first deceived and the forsworn man who would make use of you to throw me headlong where I am first put out your eyes before he employed you in that office Pardon me my reproaches too-dear too-credulous freinds T is thee alone Nephizus which I ought to accuse for all my misfortunes and all my offences But shew not so much scorne and aversion to me I shall not be much longer troublesome to thee T is fit only that for my justification I make thee know that I am innocent and guiltlesse of those impurities which thy unclean mouth chargeth me withall and that the execrable Mescenarez and the too-faithfull Tindarache never shared in that which I only reserv'd for thee Heare then my Innocence And should'st thou reject her testimony thy vanquisher and thy Love whom I beseech to receive my deposition will publish for the discharge of my memory the truthes I am about to tell them Know then and thou knowest it but too well that wonne by the perswasions of Alalita and Zamaella I lov'd thee and without regard to my reputation which I hazarded made thee absolute Master of the better part of my selfe But alas that joyes are but of a short continuance and felicities are but â—…ll upheld that have no other foundation but the faith of such traytors as thee No sooner had I a Lover but I found my selfe expos'd to the outrages of an Enemy and mark that in the same time when I thought my self at the Port an unexpected tempest shipwrack'd me Thy unthought-of departure or rather thy pre-mediated flight overthrew al my designes and ruin'd al my hopes I found that I was truly robd of al my former fortune and that the Tyrants of Castile triumphed over Benzaida even before they had set on the miserable Granada Thy absence after it had taken from me my hope and comfort deprived me of my Judgement and after my judgement of the Love which I had alwayes borne to my parents and subjects I wish'd the loss both of the one and the other Boabdilez himselfe good heaven shall I speake it became odious to me and holding for Enemies all the Princes and Knights that served me I discharg'd my choler on them but particularly on the ambitious and rash Mescenarez He returned from the frontiers of Granada a little after thou hadst forsaken me and would have taken the boldnesse to entertaine me as othertimes he had done But becoming almost furious in seeing him chid him for his impudence and rashnesse and told him that his impudence should have been long since corrected But when he was gone and I had permission to speak freely what said I not against the providence of our great Prophet against the starrs against love against fortune in briefe against all nature And that Traytor to the end I might say nothing against thee Yet I was quickly in spight of me compeld to make thee a partner The terrible object of thy treason presented it selfe before me and I saw thee so horrible that I could not look on thee without hatred nor to hate without reviling thee as thou hadst deserved It may augment thy rage to repeat them But how excessive soever I make them by my words they will never be equall to the miseries which thy ingratitude hath made me suffer And now Traytor cri'd I thou hast left Africa and cross'd the Sea only to abuse an Innocent and betray the facility of a maid whose love and age made her capable of beleeving all What do'st thou hope for for thy treason VVhat recompence is there reserv'd for so shamefull an action Art thou so much degenerated from thy Ancestors or is Africa that was late the retreat of loyalty and truth perverted that thou canst not there keepe the place that thy birth gave thee without making thy selfe famous by some extraordinary treason But is it not some old hatred that obligeth thee to treate me so unworthily Canst not indure that the Race of the Great Mansor should reign in some corner of the world Art thou not content that thy predecessors drove him out of Africa Art thou leagu'd with the Enemies of our Religion to exterminate the Beleevers and ravish from the Alcoran that power which is left it in Spaine Assure thy selfe that I never took part in the quarrells of our houses Assoone as I saw thee I gave thee my heart and made no distinction between the Race of Marin and that of Mansor But I invented reasons to justifie thy disloyalty which can have no other but that thou art a man and an African that is that thou art doubly disloyall Would to Heaven that the ambition and avarice of our Fathers had been confined within the limits of their Provinces and that their darings had not violated the sacred bounds with which Nature had seperated their Regions The Prince of Fez had not then ever heard speak of the Princesse of Granada and the honor of that poore Mayden should not be as it is now the sports of thy inconstancy and subject of calumnies But why stick I at these vaine considerations Go Miscreant triumph at thy pleasure over my heart and reputation Leave nothing undone to make the horrors of thy life without Example and vaunt thee in the presence of thy Africans who may be are as simple as I that 't was for the love of them thou falsifiedst thy faith to a Granadine Lady and neglected that which Spaine had in most adoration Without doubt thy vanity brought the like discourse within thee But what 's that to me if it were so Is it not enough that I too truely know that thou hast betraid me Neither the great Mahomet on whose Prophesies thou swor'st to be true to me nor the feare which the black Angells should imprint in the Soules of the perfidious nor my innocency nor my love nor in briefe
dangers that his affection imagined beyond all humane ability At last the authority of the great Priest interposing Quazmez was forc't to consent to this separation 'T is true that the great courage of a King contributed much to this resolution He burnt with impatiency to beâ—… cleer'd of what he was to act that he might know the name and qualitie of those that gave him life Quazmez and the Queene his wife twice or thrice swounded at this parting and dividing all their apprehensions for two affections wherein they found no difference saw themselves brought to such a strait that they wished continually that the King would depart and yet could not endure that hee should go away The great Priest desiring that Zelmatida might not losâ—… a time that was so favourable to his enterprize put an end to his fruitlesse griefes and made him resolve to be gone Zelmatida presently left the Pallace and notwithstanding all the sadnesse and affliction that his noble disposition threw on him to leave those personages to whom hee was so much oblieged he tooke what servants he thought fitting and began his journey The great Priest conducted him many daies by waies unknowne to him and made him goe through all the kingdome of Quazmez entertayning him with nothing else â—…ut with the brave adventures that were reserv'd for him When he was on the frontieres of Mexico he brought him into a little wood overhung and covered with two great Mountaines and led him into a Cave which was the usuall place of his abode After they had rested there a while the venerable old man drawing aside my Lord the Inca it is here said he that I must leave you and let you perfect an act for whose good successe I can contribute nothing but my prayers and teares Yet before we part I will acquit my selfe of the promise I made you and acquaint you what the gods have deign'd to make knowne to mee touching your byrth and adventures I would I could buy with my blood and the rest of my life as perfect a knowledge of all that concernes you that I might free you from the travell and paines whereinto I foresee you entring Content your selfe with what is permitted you to know and without further enquiring know that you are the sonne of a great King and a Queene excelling all others for endowments The rest shall be some time yet concealed from you Whilest the High-priest spake thus he perceived by the actions and disquiets of my Lord the Inca how much the desire to know the truth of his Originall troubled his spirits To take him out of this torment he thus continued his discourse Understand that Quazmez had a daughter the fayrest that ever trod on earth almost at the same time that you were borne He had beene above twenty yeeres married ere he had any childe This crosse neverthelesse did but increase that piety which to him is naturall Instead of complayning for his misfortune he made his recourse to the gods and to make them favourable to him redoubled his prayers and Sacrifices In the greatest heate of his devotions his Queene found her selfe with childe and brought such a generall consolation to all the kingdome that it seemed with the byrth of her childe there were to be borne some felicities which were not to be found on Earth They called that which she went withall Given of the Gods and when he was borne Quazmez receiv'd him for such And as soone as hee was permitted to carry it out of the chamber he tooke it in his armes and carried it himselfe to the Temple and to the Altar of his gods He sacrificed to them an exceeding great number of all kindes of beasts to render them thankes for the birth of that daughter he consecrated her to them in giving her the name of Xaira and to this present added such offrings that people goe at this day to see as the miracles of piety and royall liberality His paternall love stayed not at these good workes but it had a curiosity for the time to come and would knowe to what Fate the gods reserv'd this little creature I found fault with this desire and advised him eyther not to diminish his contents or to increase his misfortunes by foreseeing them Besides since the mournfull accident that made me forsake the World and which my skill made me vainely foresee since I cannot avoyd it I had made an oath to containe my selfe in the ignorance of man and not to make my selfe doubly miserable in searching to know more then others Notwithstanding all this the commandment of Quazmez and that secret inclination which easily makes us seeke after those things we have sometimes affected constrain'd me to consult and overlooke my forsaken bookes and observe the Starres with the same pleasure and the same observations as I look'd on them before my misfortune But what indignation what malevolence sawe I not in Heaven against this poore Innocent Truly there is not a starre of any disastrous aspect that was not turn'd against Xaira I knew it and if I dare say so knew infallibly that that Princesse was threatned with five or sixe all extraordinary accidents I sawe her stolne away in the cradle nourished by the hands of the King her fathers greatest enemies condemn'd to serve one day for a Sacrifice to the cruelty of thâ—…se Barbarians and if shee chanc'd to escape this last misery destin'd to wander through the world and to suffer all the indignities that a slave is capable to undergoe These prodigious objects so amazed me and absolutely mastred my sences that without an ability for farther inquiry I forsooke my speculation to throw me at the feete of the Altars and besought the gods that they would divert those dire portents which would induce some miscreants to doubt eyther of their goodnesse or providence After I had perfected all preparations requisite for the receiving my gods and to be filld with their inspiration I felt their presence and heard their voices which speaking within me said Know that within this moneth shall be executed the blackest and most detestable treason that ever perfidious Subjects can perpetrate against their Soveraigne Quito now triumphant shall be theâ—…ad Theater of this bloudy Tragedy Without the walls of that City shall be done such an abhominable act by the death of an incomparable Princesse Let some try to finde her and give her her last honours and let the new borne Infant be taken up who comming from the wombe of his mother shall be received by the pawes of pittifull Tigers By the valour of this childe Xaira shall be restored to her Father his enemies shall be punished for their inhumanity and the greatest Empire of the world shall be the reward for the miseries and virtues of that Princesse who must be unfortunate for her owne glory The gods having thus spoke to me left me and I found my selfe much comforted Assoone as it was day I came to Quasmez and
understanding from himselfe a part of those adventures had befaln him and the persecutions wherewith fortune had crossed his virtue Her sisters and her selfe would willingly know the rest and that they intreated him to give them that contentment and not condemne for too much boldnesse a curiosity which grew only from the esteeme they had of him My deare Master from thence taking occasion to begin a discourse that might serve for his Love I have said he too much proofe of the Justice or rather of the hatred of the gods to beleeve that there hath ever any thing happened in my life may be worthy your esteeme or curiosity 'T is for you and those incomparable beauties about you that those powers reserve all that can be call'd glory value and admiration Men are for no other end in the world but that you might have slaves and that the Altars which you have merited may be perpetually laden with offrings and sacrifices O how happy may they esteeme themselves who have purity enough to be offered in so famous an oblation I but who dares vaunt of so much purity Izatida foreseeing what would ensue on this discourse broake it off and reviving the first You may have liberty of speech said she to Zelmatida but you cannot deprive us of that opinion which the publique voice hath given us of your valour and we know well I speake for my sisters and my selfe how to distinguish your humility from that which fame hath made us to admire in you before your arrivall What could report speake in my behalfe reply'd Zelmatida who being bâ—…t one most miserable whom fortune left to wander through the world to make her power to be feared am brought to that cruell necessity to end my dayes without a name without any rest or hope Izatida who questionlesse knew what he intended reply'd I have never heard that a man of spirit would so absolutely give himselfe into the hands of fortune but that he would reserve a meanes to be reveng'd when he found that he had her in his power You have hitherto done such things that they are so many witnesses whereby that enemy hath made you acquire more glory then shee hath been cause of the losse of your repose and by consequence hath given you more then ever she tooke from you Quit then that ill opinion which you have of your fortune and your selfe and assure your selfe thâ—…t there are not many felicities which your virtues may not with reason pretend to This discourse had longer continued if Izatida's sisters had not interrupted her and by their jealousies as it were ravished from Zelmatida the occasion to make himselfe knowne to be no lesse winning in his conversation then he was redoubtfull in his combats This while the Queene had perfected her dispatches and then returned where she left her daughters with Zelmatida and from thence going into her bed-chamber gave her new Guest the good-night As soone as he was gone forth ten or twelve Officers came and accompanied him to the lodgings provided for him He was brought into a chamber so faire and richly furnished that if he had not too well remembred the losse Izatida had made him 〈◊〉 he might there have refreshd and unwearied himselfe of all his former travells But his affections hindred him from enjoying that rest which his valour made him finde in the very midst of his Enemies Sometimes he entertaind himselfe with Izatidaes sweete eyes sometimes with the whitenesse of her complexion then with the beauty of her stature and after with the colour of her hayre But when he passed from the allurements of her body to those of her minde he was no more capeable to feare the disasters wherewithall Quasmez high-Priest had threatned him Prophet said he so lowd that he was heard by his followers give me leave to accuse you of injustice in your councells Why would you have me to defend my selfe when I see no enemie to assaile me if you give not that name to the sole Author of my lives felicity Certainely you little knew the power of Isatida's eyes when you thought me able enough to resist them But what said I No no you had a perfect konwledge of it and well foresaw my captivity when you foretold me that I should be victorious in this last combate if I were alwaies my selfe You were not ignorant that that would be impossible for me since to behold this wonder and to be master of himselfe was to trenche upon the wisdome of the very gods and to act something beyond their miracles In the like discourse he passed the rest of the night and without comforting himselfe with any of those hopes wherewithall Lovers are accustomed to flatter themselves made no other resolution then to force Xaira from her prison and himselfe to abide eternally in that of Isatida In this thought he called his servants Those that they had given to serve him dressed him whilst he entertained himselfe only with his passion He was in this melancholy till the Queen was up and when he knew that she was ready to goe to the Temple he came forth to accompany her Hismalita obliged him to spend most of the day with her and the houre being come at what time she was used to walke she brought him into those faire Meadowes where he saw her the first time and her Daughters were with them Isatida who that day had begun to borrow something of art to make her more lovely appeared to the Kings eyes as if beauty it selfe seated in her Throne imperiously commanded him neither to doe nor thinke any thing but for her As soone as those who carried the Queene and the Princesses had set them downe Zelmatida was engaged to be with Hismalita and constrained not to discourse with Isatida but with his eyes and thought The Queene intertained him a long time with the state of her affaires and the secret factions that the jealousie of divers Caciques and the arrivall of some unknowne men had hatched among her Subjects The nothing-to-thepurpose speeches wherewith Zelmatida interrupted the Queenes discourse and the councells out of all likelihood which he would have her accept as the safest made him so unlike himselfe that Hismalita had small cause to take him for that famous Heire of Quasmez who had made himselfe dreadfull to all the Potentates of our world And to say truth who would ever have thought that this great Prince who till then had never any passion but for fame who had so absolutely renounced all the pleasures of youth and sence and who by the strength and solidity of his deliberations had astonished the ancientest Councellors of the State of Quasmez had been capable of such an alteration Yet he was so and added so many extravagancies to those which had already weariedH ismalita that she diverted her speech to some others that were neere her to have no more on her hands a man that was such ill company This disgrace was to
view of them streight after the Regiments joyn'd and made up foure batalions The Officers that were wont to give them the Oath came to the head of the troopes and after five or six words spoken made them raise such a shoute that it lasted neere a quarter of an houre This noyse being ended the Sergeant-Major gave another word and presently the batalyons marched and in marching separated into Companies the one halfe tooke to the left hand and the other to the right and both of them by their evolutions making a crescent shut it up at last and represented a perfect ovall Bajazet and all his officers were inclosed in the midst while all the Captaines left their companies and that according to their age or merit they came neere to Bajazet they brought him a horse on which he was no sooner mounted but he made a signe that he would speake At that action all the troopes drew and pressed so neere that men and armes touched and there being a generall silence Bajazet began thus My Companions we are not reduc'd to the cruell necessitie of that people which are govern'd by Masters that know not the Lawes or know them but to violate them Here neither the fantasticknesse of the Soveraigne nor the interest of a Favorite nor the consideration of byrth nor the necessitie of affaires give commands to those that deserve them not Our valour and services are the only staires by which we mount thither and the most ambitious amongst us would think himselfe guilty of a weakenesse that he would not pardon in his owne brest if he had had a thought to gaine his companions eyther by bribes or promises But we must avow for our honour that as there are no corruptors amongst us so there is not one that will be corrupted Let us this day renew so ancient truth by the election we are bound to make Let us give our Suffrages to great Services to many wounds and to long experience and since the honour to command is the destin'd wages for the actions of the heart let us fill the vacant places with those that we shall thinke most worthy I know 't is very hard to give a voice for some one amongst this infinite number of brave souldiers that encompasse us But why doe we frame to our selves these difficulties Our lawes prescribe us what to doe If two be equally worthy of a charge let the eldest be chosen Those with whom their age leaves the contentment of hope ought not to envy others the comfort of being recompenced Bajazet for speaking thus was no lesse admired for his wisedome then he had beene at other times for his courage All the Rovers witnessed their admiration by a certaine humming of their voyces passing amongst them and the three Princes ravished with the eloquence of this illustrious Corsary avowed that he deserved to be not the Captaine of a Troope of Theeves but the absolute Master of all the people of Africa Whilest they thus entertain'd themselves with the prayers of Bajazet he that thought on somewhat else was dismounted from his horse and caus'd his troopes to be ranked that they might give their voices after the accustomed manner Every Company carried their ticket to their Captaine and every Captaine delivered with his owne which was worth foure into the hands of his Collonel the Collonels were bound to put all these billets into order and to meete together to conferre the one with the other These cockets being filed together were carried to the foure chiefe of the Councell Those Officers reserv'd none but those wherein were writ the names of the most ancient Souldiers and went presently to deliver them to the Generall The power of the Generall appeared particularly in this occasion He had liberty to choose amongst them all those that pleased him best and his Suffrage was of so great esteeme that when he had chosen them they were reputed more old then the others though indeede they were the younger All these particularities being observ'd in this last election and Bajazet neither augmenting nor lessening the age of those that were named drew twenty little scroles where were the names of twenty Souldiers which were mounted to the dignity of Captaines in the places of those that had beene buried in the morning These preferrements pleas'd them all and the news being presently carried to the ships you might see on the one side the ayre enlightned with artificiall fire-works and on the other darkned with the smoake of the Canon During this noyse and confusion the Generall assisted with all his Captaines went through his Troopes to finde out those that had changed their condition by this election but those old Souldiers receiv'd it with countenances that testified enough that they put no difference betweene their present fortune and their passed condition Those who had beene their Captaines came and tooke and told them that hence forward they were companions It is above twenty yeares since you gave us that name reply'd the new Captaine besides we that never saw you command any thing that was not just have receiv'd your injunctions as proofes of your wisdome and not as signes of your authority Bajazet admired this reasoning and said alowd that there was great apparence those Captaines would command admirably well since they knew so well how to obey And therewith tooke the Baudricks and Colours of the dead one after another and presented them to their Successors Our lawes command said he that you make us an abridged relation of your life before wee give you the last markes of the command whereto you are lawfully called They without any astonishment did what they were enjoyned and spoake of things so strange and so ridiculous that Bajazet as well accustomed as he was to their manner of life had much a doe to refraine from laughter The rest of the day and all the night following were spent in playes and feasts But the three Princes being retyred with Bajazet sate downe at table and presently after Polexander causing every one to depart the roome tooke Garruca and made him seate himselfe by him and this generous Favorite knowing well what the Prince desired of him spoake thus The continuance of the adventures of Zelmatida and Isatida I Will since it is your pleasure begin my discourse where it was interrupted and will continue it by the jealousies and suspitions of Hismalita This Queene had melancholy fits and disquietings which amazed all her Court and made the wisest avoide all occasions of seeing her She endured not Zelmatida but by constrayning her selfe Shee sought every day some pretext to be rid of him and the consideration of this stranger made her to hate her owne blood she gave to Isatida divers proofes of an anger that was the more to be feared because it was lesse broken out Whilest this secret hatred crossed the felicity of those innocent Soules and made them feare all that their amorous imaginations could frame the most horrible and fearfull
doe him any notable service he would make more esteeme of that littâ—…e time he had yet to live then of his forepassed threescore and ten yeares But my Lord said he I beseech you to beleeve my Protestation without obliging me to perswade you by any Rhetorick Father I believe you replyd 〈◊〉 and without deâ—…ay to put my selfe in possession of that good you so freeâ—…y give me I desire if you please to entertaine you to my full content and at leasure the remainder of this day The old Shepheard bowed to intimate his readinesse to obey Polexander's commands Alcippus and Diceus straight took the young Shepheard and proposing to him some other diversion to winne him cut of the King's Chamber left their master with the old man Polexander made him sit down by him for all his civilities and excuses and told him he was a neighbour to that Iland a Canaryan by birth and somewhat considerable amongst those of his own Country That some two monthes since he shipp'd himselfe for Africke but crosse windes putting him from his couâ—…e had forâ—…'d â—…s Vessell into a little River of that Iland the name whereof he kâ—…w noâ—… That he Intreated him to know what the Isle was call'd under what kind of Government the people liv'd and whither there might be acceâ—…e got ten for them neere any of the Princes or Magistrates The old Shepheard wâ—…o â—…ad been very attentive to all Polexander's demands seeing he went noâ—… one â—…pake to him thus I have knowne by many experiments that person equally credible have not been equally beleev'â—… and that Truth hath had need oâ—… an unusuall assistance to make an impression in our minds If two men report one same thing and the one of them is of a condition more 〈◊〉 or of greater merit then the other the testimony of that person of eminence shall be farre otherwise accepted then the same from a person of a vulgar quality The thought of this hath made me piuck out of my Ancestors Graves an oâ—…d Nobility which I had there intombd together with my hopes and to tell you that the habit I weare is not a signe of my births meaneâ—…esse but of the benefit I have received by the study of Philosophy I was borne in the â—…plendour of a very ancient Family bred up in the Court of the Kings of this Island and growing old in the service of the last deceased I retyr'd me into a very faire Village a dayes journey hence to recover among those Shepheards which inhabit there that innocency and quiet whereof the â—…te of Court had depâ—…iv'd me I think this to be sufficient to gaine credit to 〈◊〉 course and to free you from wondring aâ—… the hearing my relation of such things as come not within the verge of a Shepheards knowledge I will first therefore tell you this Iâ—…e is called the happie Island and that it is so and with a great deale of Iustice our Ancestors have given it that proud Name T is besides caâ—…ld the wonderfull and the inaccessible Iâ—…and because by a particular favour from Heaven and Nature one might say it privily withdrawes and hides it selfe from the curiosity of those which search after it And indeed never any stranger arriv'd here but as you have done I meane either by chance or tempest This Iâ—…e is farre greater then it seemes because it extends not in length as others doe but properly resembles a Pomegranet It is waterd with a great many Rivers Brookes and fountaines It hath Lakes Ponds and Forrests of an extraordinary greatnesse They have harvest twice a yeare and at all times may be seen on our Tâ—…ees fruit appearing in the midst of blossomes some ripening and others already â—…pe We have Mines of all metalls but the most abundanâ—… are those of Gold and Silver Towards the South we have a plaine Strand oâ—… above thirty mâ—…es long environd witâ—… Rockes whence are drawne very faire Diamonds and Emeralds Towards the East the Sea ingulphs it selfe in the Land and receives the Tribute of many little Rivers which all breed an infinite quantity of fish within whose shells are found as great and orient Pearles as those which are fishd in the Eastern Indies But why doe I number our riches to you Your curiosity is too generous to be delighted among the excrements of the Land and Sea I shall doe better in entertaining you with the manner of our government with our Lawes and Mannors This Iland hath been governed from all times by Kings or Queens for both the one and the other Sex may indifferently raigne there For our Lawes they have been established rather to put us in mind of those vertues which are naturall to us then to refraine us from Vices But I passe by particular Lawes to speake of those of State The first commands us to believe but one God in Heaven and by consequence to adore but one on Earth The second forbid our Kings to take any Stranger Princesses to their Wives and declares that if any one undertake to travell against the fundamentall Law of the State and happens to marry with a stranger the Children proceeding from that marriage cannot succeed their Father in any inheritance if they be not borne in this Iland This old Law hath been exactly kept even to this day or to say better no occasion hath call'd on a necessity of putting it in practice Yet the last deceass'd King my good Master gave birth to one but the Eternall wisdome which works all for the best strangled it almost as soone as it was borne That great Prince by name Alcidus leaving the Isle to have the knowledge of other people and Countries then his own saves himselfe reduc'd to the extremity of either violating this fundamentall Law or to leave among the number of the vulgar and private persons a pretious gage which he had receiv'd from the love of one of the fayrest Princesses of the world I will sincerely relate to you the History since thereby I shall make answer to all your questions To take it then from the beginning you may please to know there is in this Kingdome a third fundamentall Law which ordaines that every yeare the King chuse one of his Sonnes or some other person of eminent vertue to the end that as Soveraigne Priest he make a voyage to an Iland not farre from this to pay the tribute of Love and celebrate the Sacrifice of alliance whereto our Predecessors have engaged us towards the true God which is ador'd in this Island under the forme of the Sunne The King Cleonidas Father of the late King my Master commanded that his son with an extraordinary stately preparation and equipage should gâ—…e and present to that Deity the testimony of his publike acknowledgement The Prince went that voyage but came not backe as he set forth For transported with a desire to see the world he cross'd the Ocean and arriv'd in England where he became desperately in love with a Princesse
or make it knowne and by consequence make a noise and she found no lesse perill in the one then in the other For on the one side she considered that should she endure this research without disclosing it to the Prince and he should come to the knowledge of it by some other who might discover it he would have just cause to beleeve she was very well contented with it On the other side she represented to her selfe that in making shew of her discontent she should be the subject of all the Court talke give a faire pretext to all detraction to invent what it lift for her destruction and what more troubled her she should engage the Prince her husband in those broyles as could have none other then a dismall successe On these considerations she took a way worthy a soule high and faire as her owne Shee resolv'd to endure all the extravagances all the talke and prattle and all plaints of those two lovers as long as they could be interpreted to her advantage and thought on but as the ordinary freedome of entertainment or gallantry of young men But if ever they hapned to make known their love to her or to search for occasions to see her in private she resolv'd with her selfe to discover it to her husband After this resolution for six moneths was she forced to suffer the follies of those two lovers She heard them every day sighing by her she saw them blush waxe pale and muse in beholding her and many times she was compell'd to shift place that she might not heare the excessive praises which they gave her beauty But heaven having denoted the fatall point where the mis-fortunes of so many illustrious personages should have their beginning the Earle broke his long observed silence and by mischance seeing Eolinda as she was going in to the Queen stay'd for her at the going forth of that chamber where she was to leave her squire and women He intercepted her in the passage and humbly besought her to accept of his attending to the Queens privy chamber She trembled from head to foot seeing her selfe in a straight which shee had so often and so carefully avoided and standing steadfast was so some small time without walking and answering The young Lover interpreting this disquiet to his owne advantage thought he was no indifferent man with the Princesse and to oblige her by his discretion not to be frighted another time I see well Madam said he I have committed an incivility in thinking to tender you a small proofe of my most humble servitude I will doe penance for it and to make it answerable to what the greatnesse of my fault requires from me I condemne my selfe to passe the rest of this day without the being enlightned by those faire eies which onely give me sight and life In saying so he made her a great reverence and so left the interdicted Eolinda The mother in law to the Princesse at the same instant coming out of the Queens chamber entred into that where our Lover took leave of his Mistresse The dangerous Scottish woman saw the last complement perceiv'd her daughters confusednesse noted she blusht at her seeing her and when she came neere she found her so troubled shamefac'd and confounded that had she bin lesse wicked then she was she would not have forborne to beleeve there were very particular intelligences between that Princesse and the young Earle Presently she resolv'd to draw a great advantage out of that meeting and in her malice causing in her some thoughts of the Divinity which could not be other wise then as of a man as wicked as her self she gave thanks to it for what she had seen with a prayer to be assisted in what she went about to enterprise for the ruine of her daughter in law The unfortunate Princesse being a little come to her selfe would have made her some excuses but the abominable hagge spoke thus Doe not trouble your selfe to seeke for excuses that 's for me to doe for coming so unseasonably to trouble you and with that went her wayes directly to her son to give him under pretext of affection the mortall blow which hath so tragically made him expire before you He was not at home and though the old woman sent on all sides to find him and to effect his coming her as speedily as hee could yet for that time her devilishnesse had no successe and got not the Prince to swallow her poyson till after Eolinda had strengthned him with an excellent Antidote The Princesse seeing her selfe falne into that misfortune she so long feared did nothing all the while she was with the Queen but consult with her self in what manner shee might make that ill potion pleasing which she was to give to the Prince her husband Presently shee turn'd her thoughts on heaven implor'd assistance from thence and its testimony in so tender a businesse and petitioned to be from thence furnished with words which should be proper for the confirming the Prince in that opinion he had continually held of her chastity Shee had no sooner made this prayer but her agitations and feares left her her mind retook its former serenity and as her face was sensible of the troubles of her soul so did it also resent the recovery of her quiet Shee was with the Queen all the evening and was so pleasing in her conversation that her husband who came thither with the King could not sufficiently admire her sweet humour The King and the Queen being retir'd the Prince and Eolinda did so too and being come home severed themselves for different businesses The husband entred his withdrawing chamber to dispatch his most urgent affaires and the wife into her Oratory to implore againe assistance from above and petition for that powerfull and necessary art whereby truth may be beleeved by her greatest enemies Whilst she was in this exercise her husband came into the Oratory I know not said he what my mother would have with mee shee hath sent five or six times man after man and intreates mee to goe to her before I goe to bed about something that concernes me more then my life What doe you think it should be Eolinda who was risen as soone as shee heard her husband My Lord said shee I will tell you if you please but since 't is a thing which should not be knowne to any but your selfe be pleased I may shut the doore that I may the more freely speake to you The Prince did it himselfe and holding her between his armes with as much joy as a covetous man fixeth his eyes on his treasure Tell mee said hee this strange businesse and falsifie it not for feare you anger me what bitternesse soever there be in it I shall there finde sweetnesse since I have it from thy faire lips Eolinda considering the kind speeches of her husband as so many witnesses of that miraculous assistance shee was to receive from the goodnesse shee had implor'd
not answer me because his enemy was come into the field and cryed audaciously To the combat Hereupon Zabaim left me and flew on Baramas as swift as lightning met with him like thunde and had sooner kill'd him then they perceiv'd he was wounded This facility of quelling a man which had the repute of being invincible so astonishâ—…d the beholders and so absolutely changed their first imaginations that all with one voyce cryde out that I was innocent For all this I was brought back to my prison and my deare Lord and husband to his But the people confident of my vertue and enraged at my fathers rigour ran out of the place where I had beene justified and ran to the Palace Great and little rich and poore men and women rushed in and cryed Congo is saved Almanzaira is innocent the Calumniator is dead and the honour of our Prince is redeemed Almanzor who gave not over the being a father though he was a Prince and a Prince exceeding jealous of his authority was ravish'd to heare these transports from his Subjects and those testimonies of love Yet would he not let goe nor forget the affront which in his opinion Zabaim had an intent to put on him Seeing then his subjects would not be appeased he arose and imposing silence My people said he I thought my daughter would have prov'd innocent but this is not enough neither for my selfe nor for her nor for you It behoov'd that she should not have beene suspected Vulgar persons are as those lesser starres which may be obscur'd and yet our eyes not lesse enlightned But those whom heaven hath constituted Princes in this resemble the Sun that being borne to be conspicuous to all the world all their Eclipses are noted and their least blemishes not let passe unknowne I perceive well by your actions and words that you would have me indulgent and you beseech me for the life of her whom you think not unworthy of her birth Well my people I will remember I am a father since that quality is not contrary to the name of Judge and Prince I cannot erre since heaven it selfe hath made so publique a declaration in favour of her Innocency I give you your Princesse but aske me no more This impudent and daring young man who to satiate his brutish appetite hath caused so many troubles amongst us must satisfie our just indignation and restore to my daughter by another way then that of marriage the honour which we may say she hath lost since she was in danger of losing it The people replyed nothing to my fathers words but went out of the Palace all at once blessing his clemency and Justice Almanzor was no sooner retir'd into his privy chamber but two of his Officers came to him The eldest began thus My Lord said he Zabaim hath requested a favour from his Judges which they have denied him because it absolutely depends on you And what is that my father asked It is not said he that you should give him his life nor that you should change his punishment but that you will be pleased the Princesse may be to morrow on the same Scaffold she was to day onely to have the contentment to dye in her presence He entreates you likewise that she come not clad in those mournefull habits which accused her of a crime whereof she was innocent That Magistrate spake no further but attended the Kings answer My father was pleas'd with Zabaims request and to shew he liked it sent one of his Confidents to command me from him to deck my selfe the next morrow as I was wont to do on my birth day This command was the more welcome to me because I thought Almanzor had acknowledged my deare husbands Innocence and so sent his will that I should dresse me for the solemnity of my nuptials On that beliefe I unloaded a part of those afflictions which oppressed me I set my minde at rest for some few houres and my hope of being happy was prevalent enough to shut mine eyes which had not beene closed since I was a prisoner My sleep yet was not so sound but that it was sometimes interrupted by my dreames and affrightings By that little light which came at day-breake into my chamber I fully awaked and calling up those women which served me commanded them to let my Guard know I was so With a great deale of joy they obey'd me and almost assoone I saw enter my chamber the Ladies who had had the care of my breeding At their coming in all my cares vanish'd and I believ'd that he who did me that favour seem'd to promise me many others Those Ladies dressed me and their neatnesse was accompanied with so much diligence that I was ready when I was sent for Out of my prison I came and saw all the streets full of people Joy sate in their countenances and when I entred the Amphitheater the clapping of hands and acclamations assuring me of the publique affection were certaine presages of my approaching felicity A little while after I saw appeare the valiant Zabaim accompanied with his Judges and followed by a great Guard Never did my imagination represent him to me to amiable as he appeared that day He intimated a courage which made no man doubt but that he was really a King In the meane time pity and horror seized upon me when I saw my selfe so farre deceiv'd in my hopes My affrightment was farre greater when Zabaims Judges and Guard placing themselves on the Amphitheaters degrees left him alone on the Sand. We gaz'd on one another with eyes which witnessed the truth of our affection But assoone as I saw one of those dreadfull and furious beasts which was to devoure the Prince I fell after a great shrieke flat on my face and so lay in a swound all the time which my deare husband spent to make himselfe victorious The shoutes of the people the noise of the trumpets and the joy of my women brought me from my fainting I recover'd my â—…ight and the first thing I saw was my beloved Zabaim who planting his foote on the Lions belly and leaning on his sword seem'd to aske whether there were any more enemies to be overcome A litle after that deare Prince came to me and gave me thanks for the good successe of his combat and saying a thousand like victories could not make him worthy my favour he swore to me his utmost desire was to gaine by an honourable death the glory to live continually in my memory They gave him not time to continue his discourse nor me leave to answer him for all the Spectators leaving their places and making their excesse of joy resound through the place came all thronging about my Scaffold Some tooke Zabaim and whether he would or no placing him on the buckler wherewithall he fought put him on the shoulders of ten or twelve men and in that manner carryed him about the Amphitheater Others tooke off the Lions skins and
such of quality as came with them were lodg'd in the Appartment of the Arch-Prelate and entertain'd with a magnificence worthy the purity of the place For Polexander hee was brought into the Quarter of the noble Slaves and though it was not the custome to allow any of that condition Servants from abroad yet the Chiefe-Priest gave way for Diceus to waite on Polexander The Quarter where he was lodg'd was sever'd by a high wall from that of the vulgar slaves and made well appeare by the beauty of the lodgings and richnesse of the furniture how great and powerfull the Master was whose Slaves were so stately and so sumptuously lodged Our Heroe was no sooner in his chamber but he put off aswell all his saddish Ornaments as his his triumphant and being laid on a little bed cover'd with branches of Palme-tree at last said he Diceus I am arriv'd at a place where I have for a long time wished me Your Majesty repli'd Diceus may please to pardon me if I take the boldnesse to say that your greatest enemies could not wish you worse Hitherto you have run such hazzards wherein in all likelihood you might have perish'd I have beheld you in those places where your liberty was so extreamly ingaged that I should have been void of Judgement had I ever thought it in possibility to be recovered yet have you never been so captivated nor in so great danger of your life as you are among these Idolaters You may imagine that by some miracle of good fortune which shall betide no man knowes when you may deliver your selfe out of a prison which is the more to be fear'd by being held sacred and meet with a ship which miraculously too shall wast you to Alcidiana's Island But put the case it be so who can assure you that you have yet two daies more to live since but to morrow if it be true what a Priest of this Island lately told me you shall be put among the number of the victimes appointed for the bloody sacrifice and next day too the Arch-Priest may in drawing the lot light on the ball whereon your Name shall be engraven Friend repli'd Polexander thy thoughts leave not their old object but fasten themselves perpetually on such things as are no more But if thou wilt as earnestly take into consideration what is to come as that which is pass'd and be as clear-sighted as I am thou shalt behold such felicities as will make thee forget all our former miseries Know Diceus know that my fortune is alter'd and my long wandrings have found their periods in this Island and after my long and vaine search after the Inaccessible Island at last Love Time and Fortune and what is more admirable Alcidiana her selfe leads me as it were by the hand to the place where resides all my quiet and felicity Understand that this place is questionlesse the very same whither the Kings of the Inaccessible Island have sent yearly to present to the Sun the sacrifice of their Alliance Diceus interrupting the King his Master and falling at his feet Alas Sir said he let your Majesty be pleas'd that I may know how you came to any certaine intelligence of these happy intimations Love repli'd Polexander tells me this truth and I feele so great an alteration in my selfe that it is impossible to proceed from any thing but that important Verity How mightily doe I suspect those Authors Sir repii'd Diceus coldly and how much doe I feare lest Love deceive you with that Imagination aswell as he hath done in all others Rest thy self satisfied answered the Prince in this that I am not wont to flatter my selfe with vaine hopes But that we may contest no longer doe thou learne among those that are shut up with us what Princes usually send their Embassadors and offrings hither and above all forget not to know if thou can'st how long the Arch-Priest hath been in his Office and by what meanes he came to it For I have a suspicion which contributes much to the joy which flashes more in my heart then is to be seen in my countenance I have such a suspicion too aswell as your Majesty said Diceus but I see so little likelihood that I rather hold it for a dreame which I have as waking as I am rather then for a rationall imagination Goe I tell thee repli'd Polexander and after thine ordinary addresse hath got thee some familiarity among my companions faile not in those two businesses I commanded thee Polexander had no sooner ended but two slaves chain'd with gold as himselfe entred his chamber and intimating the desire they had to know so worthy a companion of their fortune spoke to him all that which civility puts into the mindes of men in whom is seen an admirable breeding joyn'd to a birth of most Eminence Polexander after his wonted seemlinesse and grace welcom'd the two famous slaves and rendring them their complements with interest astonish'd them with his Eloquence farre more then he had done with the sweetnesse and Majesty which flew from his face spight of all the scorching heate of the torrid Zone The civilities pass'd they sate down all three on one bed and whil'st Diceus was enquiring after that which his Master had given him in charge they entertained themselves with the cruell condition annexed to their servitude The eldest which was not above eight and twenty or thirty yeares old and who by his olive complexion made him known to be an African with a great sigh began thus I confesse said hee to Polexander that Death which I have so often wished for doth not only begin to be fearfull to me but the further I absent my selfe from the cause that makes me desire it the more doth the horror of its approaching make me repent my too inconsiderate engaging my selfe to the wearing of the chaines I have on me Is it possible repli'd Polexander that Death should be able to terrifie a man who never fear'd to defie it in those places where it hath alwaies been victorious In that repli'd the Slave I confesse my weaknesse and would were it permitted me to break off my chaines run into the midst of a battle to receive from the hand of some valiant man that death which I may meet with here dishonourably from some wretched Sacrificer Ah Benzaida said he lifting up his eies how mortall hath thy beauty been to me or to speak more truly how fatall have the furious fits of my jealousie been to us both Polexander looking earnestly on the Slave Your words said he make mee call to minde the tragicall end of a Lady which bare the same name you but now called on She was indeed a personage for beauty and generousnesse to be admired and well worthy the blood of the Kings of Granado Infortunate man that I am cri'd the Slave 't is the same Princesse whom I now vainly call upon Her beauty made me her servant before the ambition of Spaine had