extraordinary importance when he was approached Francion told him that Bergamin was one of the most delightfull Companions in the world and that he would make him to believe that he had promised marriage to Emilia Raymond who had heard some Discourse concerning that Lady did begin to give ear to what was spoken but Bergamin redoubling his assurances did speak in this manner I am glad that you have called hither a witnesse for you shall both perceive that I speak nothing but what is to the purpose and most credible Take heed Francion that you are not deceived your self I protest unto you that Emilia hath assured me that you have promised to marry her upon the faith of a Gentlemen and that you ought not to conclude any thing with Nays to the prejudice of your Word and Honour Her Mother hath requested me to come unto you and to advise you not to be so disloyal as to proceed further in that marriage To this Bergamin did joyn a long Discourse against the unfaithfullnesse of Lovers where he shewed the excellence of his memory in reciting several Authors which he had read and he made apparent also the vivacity of his Spirit in appropriating several choice things of his own invention Sometimes he incouraged himself and gave more grace unto his words by the gesture of an Orator and kept his Countenance so well that he seemed to be as excellent an Orator as he was a Comedian Francion knew not well how he should deport himself whether he should laugh or whether he should be angry Neverthelesse he said unto Bergamin that by how much the better he did speak by so much he did testifie that he knew the better how to dissemble Bergamin made answer that in truth Francion had seen some mimick fictions proceed from him but they were appropriated to such persons as deserved to be abused and not to Francion who ought to be intreated in another manner and that he was resolved to speak no more unto him for suddenly he would hear of other assurances which would be more forcible than any which he had spoken of as yet Speaking those words he departed in a great passion to observe that because heretofore he was accustomed to prevaricate with Fables they did now believe that he neither was or ever could be able to speak one word of Truth By this manner of his abrupt departure it was collected That what he did speak was in earnest for had it been in jeast he would have at last turned into laughter all that he had said knowing well enough that he had not novices to deal with When he was departed Raymond said to Francion I am consident that your Conscience is clear of the Crime which is imposed on you Yes replyed Francion I dare assure you that there is no such thing and howsoever it be carried it must needs be some scandalous invention but it moves not me at all for I am above all these assaults They had some other Discourse on this subject and afterwards they parted to go to their repose The next morning Francion would wait upon Nays to give her a good morrow but thinking to enter into her House with that liberty which he thought did belong unto him one of the Servants came to acquaint him that Nays was not yet ready He stayed therefore some time below of his own accord but believed whatsoever the Customs of the Italians were that he might be permitted to come unto her if she were but half ready considering the Condition in which he was and having a little time continued in this Patience he attempted to go up the Stairs again but it was told him That on that day Nays was not disposed to see any one Francion replyed I believe you do not know me honest Friend or at least you pretend that you do not know me If Nays should give order that no Man should have accesse unto her I believe I ought to be excepted Tell her therefore It is I who am here and ask her If she cannot make a distinction betwixt me and others The Messenger made hast to perform the Command and there came one of her Pages from her to acquaint him from his Mistresse That on that day she would neither speak with him nor any one else but for the dayes following it might be she would admit some others to speak unto her but not himself Francion was so moved to understand this answer that he could willingly with his Cane have corrected the young Man for his sawcinesse were it not for the respect which he did bear to the Livery and the Colours of his Mistress At the first he perswaded himself that this Answer proceeded from the Invention of this malicious Servant but afterwards he concluded that he would never have been so unadvised as to bring such an answer to him if he had not received a Commandment expresly for it Believing therefore that this Answer came from Nays he could not find the Cause of this so sudden an alteration He asked those who were with him What they conceived should be the reason of this denyal but they could not render him any satisfaction to his demands Sometimes he represented to himself that it was altogether impossible that Nays should so undervalue him and that all this was but a Device to solace her self a little and he thus discoursed with himself thereon If it were a Camisade which my Mistresse is pleased to give me I shall give her a greater occasion to laugh at me if I should return without seeing her as having too great an apprehension to displease her so that it would be better to use violence and enter with confidence into the place where she is for all the advertisements of her Servants for although she should be a little angry I know how to appease her and the contract for our Marriage being already passed I am confident I may be well allowed to assume that liberty But on the contrary if it be true that she doth disdain me and that she already repenteth what but yesterday she did to what purpose should I go unto her would it not cause her choler to increase against me And were it not better to proceed more gently on this affair The Spirit of Francion was hereupon in a great Incertainty and sometimes he would conclude with himself that it was no easie thing to put up this affront and if shame had not diswaded him he would have forced his way to the sight of Nays but he considered with himself that if he could not then see her for all the violence he should use she would but laugh at him the more so that at the last he concluded that it was better to use some artifice and to dissemble that the Message sent unto him did not much displease him and to return without the least noise Having better thought upon it he said unto some of the Servants who were then about him I must professe unto
their children who durst not revenge themselves of me but I did so cunningly plead mine owne cause that they were constrained to avouch that I had all the reason in the world to correct those absurdities which they committed Oftentimes hearing my Father discourse of Universities in which there were Colleges to instruct youth and where all kind of peoples children were admitted of I passionately desired to go thither for to enjoy so good company whereas at home I onely conversed with Countrey Louts and bruite Coridons My Father perceiving that I was naturally inclined to Learning would not at all divert me from the same in respect he full well knew that it was but a very ill Trade for me to follow the Warres as he had done Now whereas the Colleges of our parts were not according to his Phantasie notwithstanding all my Mothers obstacles and moans he himselfe having some urgent affaires at Paris took me along with him and boorded me with the Master of the College at Lysieux unto whom was recommended by some of his friends having given me in charge unto a certain Advocate of his old acquaintance whom he desired to furnish me with all necessaries he returned into Britaine leaving me to the mercy of Pedants who having dived into my small capacity they declared me to be fit for the fifth Classis though it was by favour too But marke you what a sad alteration I met withall and how farre I was to seek being gotten quite beyond my byas for I came very short of the enjoyment of those pleasures which I promised my selfe and you may imagine that it was very strange unto me to be absent from my Father who oftentimes took me along with him unto severall Lordships which he had in Britain and where I was alwayes called my young Master and you may imagine how it angred me to have lost that sweet liberty which I enjoyed by galloping from place to place in the Countrey going a Nutting and plucking of grapes in the Vineyard without feare of the Farmers as also in following the Doggs and Hunts-men for that as now I was more cloystered up by these Fryers and was forc't to keep houres to be assisting at the Divine service at Meales and at the Lectures when as the Bell told by which all our Actions are regulated and in lieu of my former Master the Parson who never gave me so much as an ill word I had now to doe with a Regent who had a terrible aspect and who walked alwayes with a whip in his hand with which he could as well fence as any one of his Calling Nor doe I believe that Dionysius the Tyrant who after a strange change of his Fortunes became Scholemaster to the end that he might still command had a more majesticall haughty and terrible countenance than himselfe Now the most difficult taske which I met withall under this Mans dominion was that I was never to speak but in Latin and I could as well have been hanged as not to let slip some words of my Mother-tongue insomuch that I ever and anon incurred the penalty of receiving a blow with a Ferule for my part I once resolved to doe as Pythagoras his Scholler did to keep silence for seven yeares together in regard as soon as I opened my Mouth I was accused and reviled with as hainous words as if I had been the greatest monster in the world but they might as well have cut out my Tongue as have debarred me from speaking truth besides I inclined so much towards the property of my Mothers sexe as that I would not let my Tongue grow mouldy for want of using of it insomuch that to let it have its full scope and carriere I was constrained to make it pronounce the quaintest Latin words that I could devise or had learned unto which I added others in Pedlers French to patch up my discourse withall My Chamber-Pedant was as proud and impertinent an Ape as possible could be he caused himself to be called Hortensius out of a vaine-glory as if he had been descended from that famous Orator who lived at Rome in Cicero's time or that he were as elegant as he I suppose his right name was Master Heurt eur but that he purposely altered it to the end people might believe he had something of a Roman in him and that the Latin was as naturall to him as his Mother-Tongue In like manner divers Authors of this our Age have more ridiculously clad their names in a Roman disguise and have them terminated in an ius that their books might have a better vent and that the Vulgar and Ignorant might believe that they were composed by antient writers Nor shall I need to trouble my selfe to name them farther you need but to repaire to Pauls Church yard or to Ducke Lane where you may know them by their workes But notwithstanding that my Master committed the like folly and that he was endowed with an innumerable quantity of such like mock-vertues All of us Scholars were not a jot sorry for it not so much I will promise you as to finde his inexpressable dogged and miserable covetous condition which made him pocket up the greatest part of our boord Wages to feed us onely on Poore John or empty Platters And as then to my great griefe and regret I did learne that all the words which doe expresse the disasters and misfortunes of Scholars doe by a very remarkable fatality begin with a P. as first of all touching our Masters themselves they are Pedants and Penurious fellowes we the Scholars are pitifull poor painfull punisht pennilesse and such like Epithets which are so numberlesse that there would be three maine things wanting to summe them up unto you a good Dictionary a great deale of Patience and a good deale of Leisure As for our Breakfast and after-noons Lunchins we were even at the mercy of a most accursed mercilesse person who purposely to bereave us of our pittances took a walk by his Masters command at the very instant that he should have delivered them unto us purposely to spare charges and to make us fast out a bad dinner when as nothing was set before us but what my Master had a minde we should eate nor could we ever crave so much favour at his hands as to obtaine any Redishes Sallat Mustard or Vinegar lest they might beget in us a comming appetite or a good stomach to our victualls Master Hortensius my learned Tutor was one of those who loved such like Sentences as those which were engraven on Apollo's Temple and therefore he wrote Nequid nimis over our Kitchin doore that the world might take notice that it stood not with his good liking that a Man should surfeit with the Banquets and Quickshawes which were there to be made ready Good God! a most pittifull messe in comparison of that which the very Swine-heards of our Village did daily feed on and for all that we were termed to
Elementary fire shall never quench thy thirst although thy Physician with a nose as red as a Lobster doth perscribe thee to flea an Eel by the tail and to rost it against the Wind with the end of a great Log that shall go directly into Germany to protest unto the Protestants that Chitterlings do fly like a Tortoise and that on the year passed we shall see the Water of Seine sold more cheap than the blood of a Bullock Having ended this goodly Speech he did begin to laugh as loud as possibly he could and you may believe that those who heard him did not forget to doe the like but Clerantes Chamberlain did laugh more loud than any which the Advocate perceived and having given him two or three sound blowes with his fist he said unto him Canst thou not hold thy Peace thou ignorant Dost thou think I came hither to make thee laugh Hold your peace all of you said Clerantes I observe he hath some businesse of importance to declare unto me I will relate unto you a little Fable said he which steals into my Fancy from the backward shop of my Brain The Cacochymick Aesop hath nothing of it The Eagle more mindfull of Prey than Honour did one day mootch from the Thunder which lame Vulcan had made as crooked as himself for Almighty Iupiter A very fool the Eagle was to commit so great an oversight for every one did honour him before as the bearer of those Arms with which that great God doth punish all offences but be took more pleasure to be at freedom and plunder the Inhabitants of the Air. Iupiter being angry took two Pigeons and did prefer them to the same Office in which the Eagle was This is enough Gentlemen to inform you that the Court shall know if it pleaseth that my cause is right enough it being grounded upon an Hypothesis It was Saturn himself who played his part on my side when he was a Sergeant There came a great Thunderbolt which troubled all things The Sun fell into the Sea with fifty Stars who were his Pages They drank so deep that in the twinkling of an eye you might see them lye all dry upon the Sands which is the place from whence ever since we have received their light After that I threw my hat amongst the Stones and I know not what is become of it or any thing else In the pursuce of this humour he did speak a thousand times without reason by which it was perceived that he had a troubled brain Clerantes conceiving that I was he who brought him to his Chamber did imagine I had done it to give content unto him having called me he understood that I knew nothing of the distraction of the Man But to put the Advocate in a good humout I caused all those idle fellowes to depart the room who did too much incense him with their petulancies I did speak friendly and pleasantly unto him and giving him respect I did seem to a dmire his words which did invite him to return as pleasing words to me and I did put on so discreet a Restraint that I did not seem to laugh at all On the same day there came certain men to demand him his Servants brought them to Clerantes to whom they declared that he was their Kinsman and had a troubled Spirit for the grief he received in the losse of all his estate being overthrown by his Adversary in a Sute of Law and that in charity they would provide for him in their own houses although he had done them great mischief in the violent fits of his distempers I will ease you of that trouble said Clerantes he is come to offer himself to me I have a desire to retain him and give him good use His Kinsmen being glad to be discharged of him did leave him with Clerantes who immediatly did give him thâ— name of Collinet and commanded that he should be apparalled like a Gentleman There passed away some Weeks before he fell into his excesse of madnesse and during that time he would deliver himself very acutely and sometimes very eloquently although to speak the truth he was always extravagant in his Discourse The prohibition which was given to all the Servants not to incense him by their provoking words was the cause that he did not leap into his rages nor become to mischievous as he and others of his distemper are accustomed to be One could not but receive coutentment in his Company and there was not any man of quality who came unto the house but would be glad sometimes to listen to him and to see him perform some pleasant actions I was his only Governour he called me good Master and Clerantes good Lord. When I would touch any one to the quick I would by one artifice or other discover his vices to him of which he would afterwards upon any occasion give so lively a Character that many who heard him discourse so to the purpose would believe that he was not out of his wits but counterfeited In his youth he had so clear a Spirit that the marks thereof did still remain Sometimes he would give admirable answers without any instructions of mine Having heard us to speak of a Signior who was baffled in his reputation and yet was accounted by some to be an affable and a courteous man he mantained that he was the most discourteous man in the World the reason being demanded he said that the day before he observed him to be so incivil that he would not go out of the way to give his Brother the upper hand who to his knowledge was more aged and more deserving than himself It being told him that he mistook for that Signior had no Brother at all He made answer I do know he hath many Brothers and he that passed by him was one of them he was one of the gallantest Asses that ever I saw Another time as we were making a motion to play at dice he said he would not play against the Signior because he always carryed an Ace under his Doublet Having met him one day in the Louvre he approached to him and gave him hay out of his Pocket The Signior turning to him and asking him what he did mean by it Make much of that which I give you said Collinet it will prove good food for thee in time of necessity The Signior was so full of Honour that he would not be angry but did turn it into laughter But not long afterwards intending to be revenged of him he called him to him and did command him to hold his Fauchion for him a little while Collinet having drawn it The Signior took it out of his hand and did put his foot upon the blade as if he would have broken it Whereupon Collinet cryed out Behold Gentlemen the great miracle which is done to my Sword I brought it hither without any Hilts or defend five guard at all and now see they have put the greatest
was not so hardy as the others for he had not so clean a Conscience he did blow so softly that he made the flame of the Torch hardly to tremble Francion perceiving by it that he undoubtedly was the guilty person did goe to look out the Master of the House and told him that he had nothing to doe to acquaint him whether his Torch were blown out or not but only did assure him that he who came last to blow was the thief that had stollen away his Pork The Labourer sent to the house where his Servants Wife did lodge and found that she was then putting into the Pot a piece of that Pork which her Husband had stollen He was convinced of the crime and Francion highly commeded for his knowledge and recompensed with some money which at that time was very wellcome to him He afterwards was so believed by every one to be one of the greatest Diviners in the World that being to travell and the way very difficult to find out he very civilly demanded of a Man who knew every turn on the rode thereabout which was his readiest way he could receive no other answer from him but Ha Ha you doe well to mock at such poor Ignorant Men as my self Do you ask the way of me who know the whole World your self and all that is done in it Having spoke those words he left him and Francion meeting with no man else of whom he might learn the right way did wander so far out of it that he was inforced to take up his lodging in a Wood for that Night We have made mention before that when he made Verses he would speak so punctually that those who heard him did believe that he held Discourse with some familiar Spirit His Mistress at the same time had the same belief Oftentimes she would say unto her self This young fellow is of a jovial complexion and inclined to love I do not well know how it comes to passe that he doth refuse the Courtesie which I have offered him If I were one of the foulest Slutts in the world yet such a fellow as he is should be glad me-thinks sometimes to have me to abate the beat of his concupiscence What mystery is there in it that he should so much undervalue me It necessarily must fall out that he hath some other Mistresse on whom he doth discharge the extravagancies of his fourth Concoction which doth trouble the repose of his Spirits and his Bloud Thus did she argue with her self but she could not discover so much as one Nest amongst all those Birds to which he was accustomed to retire himself for he carried his affairs the most privatly in the world One evening she came softly to him as he was lying on the grasse and in a frolick humor making a Sonnet which began thus How laden am I now with bliss My Chloris that I shall thee kiss He oftentimes repeated that couplet aloud being not able to finish the Stanza His Mistresse thinking that he did speak to some Girl whom he had in his Arms shot forth her discontented eye as far as ever she could to find who was that Maid that was so happy but perceiving not any one near unto him and that he stretched forth his armes in the remembrance of some passed pleasures she reflected on a thought which deserves to be recorded in this Story On the Sunday before she had heard the Curat affirm in his Pulpit That there were Magitians who did lie with Devils transformed into Women that were called Succubae She immediately believed that Francion had then with him one of those gallant Mistresses because he pronounced words more amorous than the former and lively expressed all that which can be spoken in the full enjoying of a Beauty After that time she did take no more thought to understand with what Woman he asswaged the desires of his youth and looked not upon him but with a horror onely thinking that he had alwayes a Devill at his tayl And she then believed her self That it was his Succubae that did so last her because she had so great a desire to lye with him To reflect a little on these last gallantries They were contrived on purpole to punish Vice It was well done to whippe this inconstant Countrey Wife who forgot the Faith which she had promised to another and would have her Servant to commit Adultery It is true enough that she was disagreeable and that her Beauties had not attractions enough for the curious eye of Francion but let us not look so â—uch upon the Cause the Effect is always good As for the contrivances which remarkably expresse themselves they may serve to instruct those who have failed to make them acknowledge their errors Such was the transgression of the Maid who forfeited her honour and of the Servant who stole that from his Master the theft whereof Francion did discover In this the greatest Criticks will be inforced to approve his Actions As for the rest which is here contained I doe not much lay to my heart their choler or their complaints for I describe only those Vices which are commonly practised and make mention of no act which hath not been committed and we may see how Ingenious Spirits are deluded and circumvented with fond Inventions when only Ignorants and Ideots are condemned to be surprized by them The End of the Ninth Book THE TENTH BOOK OF THE COMICAL HISTORY OF FRANCION IT is true that the stiles Comical and Satyrical are as profitable as they are delightfull For your Example you may here see all things represented to the life All actions doe appear without dissimulation when in Books more serious there are certain respects which doe hinder the Authors from expressing themselves with so much liberty and this is the Reason that Histories are so imperfect and filled more with Fables than with Truth If we will be curious as in effect we ought to be where can it better be expressed than here I am of opinion that in this Book you may find the French Tongue most intire and that I have not omitted those words which the vulgar doe use which neverthelesse is not to be seen throughout the whole Book for in those passages which are more immodest we are not allowed the liberty to make use of them neverthelesse oftentimes the wantonesse of those humble conceits are more delightfull than those which are more high Nay which is more I have represented to the life as much as possibly may be all the humours and actions of those great personages whom mystically I have here inserted and my adventures can be no lesse agreeable than many others which are highly esteemed I make freely this confession for being supported by many proofs it will passe with the more authority There are many who will read this Book who understand not what it meaneth believing that to make a Book compleat we are only to heap words on words without regarding any
fear that he might spoil her Coats and Stockings with the durt of them did only pull his Boots but half off and fled away leaving him so intangled that on the first step he made to follow her he fell down amongst the thorns which lamentably and revengfully did scratch and tear his face Behold here a sad accident but it is to be imputed only to his own folly who suffered himself to be so much abused Boots are not to be thought the worse of for that misfortune It is with those the Curate doth gallop to a benefice with those the Merchant doth adventure to his Traffick with those the Lovers do ride to see their Mistresses There is a necessity for gallant men to wear them if they will appear to be that which they are and for other men to wear them also if they will appear to be that which they are not If a man be cloathed in black he is taken for a Citizen if he be in colours he is taken for a Player on the Viol or peradventure for some Judggler specially if he wears silk stockings of a colour different from his cloaths but if he hath Boots on it doth enrich and ennoble all manner of habiliments Let no man blame me therefore for being Booted if he will not appear to be of a Spirit Heteroclital This was the substance of the demonstrative Oration which Hortensius made for Boots and I would I could remember the Latine passages which he intermingled with it We pretended that we did like it excellently well and the first time afterwards that Escluses saw him he presented him with these verses on the same subject Boots in such reputation are As Hortensius doth declare And warm as well as they adorn That by our Minions they are worn O' th' Gods who by that fashion rise Amongst the Gentry of the Skies The Destintes for grief look thin Because they want a Ruffia skin Their Shoes are old and out of date And time in Pantofles of Matt Believes he should not move so slow If he could once but booted goe And to pursue this thriving strain I have a whimsey in my Brain Tells me how needfull 't is and meet To put in Boots my Verses Feet That they may prove as swift as terse And gallop through the Vniverse O how these Verses were pleasing to Hortensius who believed that Escluses did highly esteem him he loved him after that better than other men and my fine Poet continuing to dissemble obtained of him whatsoever he desired They never stirred from one another and it seemed to me that they two were but one Neverthelesse their friendship at last began to diminish Ecluses having communicated some verses to Hortensius the Pedant did not approve them and the other maintained they were good Hortensius told him that he did not understand any thing at all and that he ought not to speak any more to him for you must understand that he thought himself knowing and able enough to read a Lesson to us all and believed that he was our King Ecluses also who at other times was pleased to allow him that title or whatsoever other that he would arrogate to himself could not at that time contain himself within the bounds of silence or of complacence but told Hortensius that he was as able every way as himself which did put him into such a choler that with violence he caused him to go out of his Chamber and threatned to beat him if he should persist any longer against him Escluses addressed himself to me to acquaint me with the quarrel that was betwixt them I told him that it was not well done of him seeing Hortensius had lent him money and done him many other courtesies and that he must not fall out with him if he would not have it to be believed that one of them was of as bad a humour as the other and that it belonged to his discretion to dissemble and passe by offences This did prevail so much upon him that on the next morning he very early repaired to Hortensius to make his peace with him He was then in bed but his Servitor opened the door for him and Escluses being entred into the Chamber did speak thus unto him I must sincerely professe Monsieur Hortensius that in your works you are more than a Man but in your choler you are worse than a Beast Hortensius feeling himself touched did rise out of the Bed in a red Cap and a red Wastcoat and made answer to him If I am a Beast I am that Beast of the Paradise of Mahomet who hath Eyes of Saphyre and Feet of Emeraulds his Body of burnished Gold and on his Brest twelve pretious stones that is to say the Sardoix the Yopase the Emerauld the Carbunclc the Diamond the Agatt the Saphyre the Jasper the Amethyst the Chrysolite the Onix and the Beriil If you have all those pretious stones said Esclnses I do vow unto you you are the bravest and the richest Beast in the world I tell you moreover said Hortensius If I am a Beast I am one of those Beasts of Heaven who give light unto the Earth as the Bear the Dragon the Swan the Pegasus the Crab the Scorpion the Capricorn the Whale the Centaure and the Hydra He made such a sound with those words and smiled as he pronounced them as if he had spoken some excellent thing Escluses made answer I doubt not of the truth of that which you speak but which of those Beasts doe you most resemble Do you crawl backwards as a Crab or have you horns in your Forehead as the Capricorn Hortensius replyed that he compared himself to the Swan and Escluses indeavouring to turn all into an upbraiding mirth Hortensius did grow again into a great choler At the same instant I arrived and made them both friends Neverthelesse I could not produce a right understanding betwixt them and Hortensius hating Escluses would hate also all those who did keep him company insomuch that I was in the number of his Enemies which was the occasion that I contrived a way to make my self merry with him One day walking on the New-bridge I saw a man on Horseback towards the Augustines who had on him a furred Coat a Taffety Cloak a Sword hanging on his right side and a Hatband made of Teeth which were filled all to one evennesse His garb was as antick as his Habit so that I stood still a while to look upon him He stayed at the foot of the Bridge and although there were not any one near unto him he began to speak in this manner and to ask questions of his Horse for want of better company Come hither my Horse and tell me Wherefore is it that we are come into this place If thou knewest how to speak thou wouldest make answer To do service to all honest people But some one will say unto me Gentleman of Italy in what is it that you can be serviceable to us To
jealousie and far from that Liberty which you Frenchmen do professe But because the Sollicitor whose Name is Salviati is of a sociable disposition I promise you I will take the opportunity to be more familiar with him Having spoke this Bergamin did withdraw himself to go to Dinner to a Signior who had that morning invited him The next morning he came to me again and told me That he had another conference with Salviati and that he had spoken to him of me and assured him that although I was a Stranger yet my Condition and Deserts did render me most esteemed amongst the Great Ones insomuch that I was very capable to assist those who were in Distresse and that having heard of the Disaster which had befallen the House of Lucinda I had pity of her and wished that it might lie in my power to do her any service He therefore advised him to addresse himself to me and to give me a particular account of the whole businesse for he said I was throughly experienced in the affairs of Law But as for the manner of the Death of Fabius the Husband of Lucinda he said It were better if I would be pleased to take the pains to speak with her my self I promised him said Bergamin to acquaint you with it and behold how all things do succeed according to your Desire Hereupon I did embrace Bergamin being transported with a great joy that I had found the means to be acquainted with Lucinda Bergamin said unto me But stay a little we must be wise and use precautions in this businesse I can speak to Salviati of Lucinda because she is antient and therefore not to be suspected but I know not how to make mention to him of her Daughter With much difficulty I have learned that her Name is Emilia I replyed to him Let me alone with it I will deport my self according to the Italian humor and because you have given such a good report to Salviati of me I will be carefull that you shall not therein be found a Lyar. Bergamin having continued with me a little while after this Discourse did repair into the City and assured me that he would bring Salviati along with him I was unwilling that he should come unto my own Lodging because of the great numbers of French Gentlemen who constantly came to visit me I was at that time brave Raymond lodged in the same House with you and I will not dissemble with you it was from you from whom most precisely I would conceal my self I thought if you had understood of my dealings and practices with the Italians you would have suspected something and hindred my Design Oh no said Raymond To believe that were to doubt of my affection You knew replyed Francion It was at the same time when I was courting of Nays and that was one of the Reasons why I did conceal it from you What said Raymond Do you take me to be an Enemy unto Nature Since you are not yet possessed of Nays Why shall it not be permitted to you to court another Nay Suppose that you had been married to her you would not be the first to whom Love hath given passions to inthrall your self to another Beauty Let us live together as we have been accustomed there is nothing that should disswade you from declaring your Secrets unto me So said Francion We should be guilty of one anothers Debauchments Give me leave to tell you There are some things which even Shame doth forbid us to declare unto our Friends and they ought not to be offended if they do not reveal them for if they be but Indifferences proceeding from Female causes it will no wayes diminish Friendship to conceal them But to perfect my adventure I must acquaint you That I desired Bergamin to bring Salviati with him to a Church where I would be walking Bergamin did applaud the counsel for that said he would be as if by accident we did meet with you and I will not acquaint him that you are waiting there in the expectation of him In this manner it was carried and although I perceived that Salviati did put on a grave and a reserved Countenance I with many Complements did invite them both to Dine with me Salviati seemed to be very unwilling and ceremonious but Bergamin overcame his resistances and we did go together into an Ordinary where we might be accommodated at what rate we pleased There we did enter into a perfect acquaintance and Bergamin taking an occasion to speak of Lucinda did openly professe that I might be very helpfull to her Sir you shall then perform a great work of Charity said Salviati she is a Widdow without Friends and without protection She knows not any one in Rome except my self who have a long time dwelled in Venice but all that I can do is but to follow the Law for her having no countenance at all from the great Officers of Iustice I could wish that she might be so happy as to find one that may assist her not only for the good will I do bear unto her but also for my own consideration for the compassion which I have had on her Misfortunes hath ingaged me in certain round Sums of moneys unto divers Merchants which I know not how to return if her Sute in Law doth not find a happy event I replyed to him That I was acquainted with some Cardinals of the greatest power with whom I had been familiar at Paris before they arrived to that height of Dignity and having saluted them since my comming to Rome they so nobly intertained me that I believe they will not deny any civil courtesie which I shall demand of them He made answer That in truth it is daily observed that those great Personages do render themselves more easie and favourable to Strangers than to those of their own Nation for they undervalue those whom they see every day and in obliging those who are Foreiners they do hope it will render their courtesy and their renown more glorious Those words were not acceptable unto me for they tended not to cause me to understand that if I were high in the favour of the Great Ones it was for some eminent Deserts with which they saw me to be indued I looked on him as a blunt Fellow who knew not what did belong to the Civilities of a Courtier and because they should not entertain a base opinion of me I gave them to understand That it was not my Custom to Dine in such places as where I then was but only at that time I did inforce my self unto it that more freely I might enjoy their Company Speaking those words they both stooped and made many Reverences unto me and having both expressed their thankfull obligations Salviati said unto me That if I would take the pains to give a visit to Lucinda that afternoon she would take it for a great honor and receiving the particulars of her Cause from her own mouth I
came hither quite contrary to the expectation of Valerius and Ergastus who began both again to be Suters to Nays with so much heat and jealousie that they both returned to their antient enmity but understanding that Francion was the only man in favour they did shake hands again to confer on this affair and grew great friends out of a desire to ruine him They have sworn to imploy all the malice of their art and power against him I have declared unto you already what was the design of Valerius to destroy Francion by causing him to be condemned to death neverthelesse he is quite out of favour with his Mistresse for she cares not for him But Ergastus hath proceeded another way as lately I have learned of Salviati a corrupted man whom he employeth in all his affairs He knew that a Venetian called Lucinda was come hither with her Daughter Emilia not so much to sollicite her processe as she would make the world to believe as to see if her Daughter could meet with a better fortune in Rome than in Venice He hath heretofore very much frequented the Company of those Ladies and hath been very amorous of Emilia with whom some say he hath been too familiar and will not marry her because she is but poor neverthelesse he would be glad to hear that she had circumvented some other young Gentleman not for any great good will he doth bear unto her but to be well discharged of her and because he knew that Francion was of so amorous a Complexion that he might easily be tempted he perswaded himself that at the first sight he would fall in love with her for according to the sharpest judgement of the most discerning eyes she is believed to be one of the most beautifull young Ladies that ever Nature produced The businesse and the difficulty of it was to lay the plot so happily that he might but any where incounter her to represent unto her the passionate desire he had to be acquainted with her and to arrive thereunto he did assist himself with a certain Mimick called Bergamin who pretended to love Francion entirely but who was far more desirous to oblige Ergastus to him whom he had known a longer time He brought Francion into a Church where he knew Emilia was to be with her Mother he pretended not to know them the better to cover his design He came out of the Church as if he would attend them and about an hour afterwards he came to acquaint Francion who they were Afterward he did make himself known to Salviati who called himself their Sollicitor and who promised to bring him to Lucindaes house that he might behold the fait Emilia who did possesse him with such vehement desires Francion had no sooner seen her but he became desperately inamoured and did write many Letters to her all which Salviati did deliver The businesse was so managed that one Evening he came unto Emilia as she was going to Bed at which time he made a promise of marriage to her He did prevail more in this than Ergastus hoped for he only expected that he should so often frequent Lucindaes house that Nays hearing of it should be so much incensed thereat as absolutely for the time to come to renounce him for his perfidiousnesse but observe now the height of the misfortune of this poor Gentleman who on all sides was entangled in those nets which his Enemies had laid for him Salviati is a man secret enough He never discovered to me one word of it nor ever would have done if I had not made known unto him that I had been imployed by Valerius in the like enterprises and yet I dare swear unto you that he had still contained himself if he had not found this liberty of Speech to discover but this little amongst the Bottles and Tobacco Pipes Here Corsegua made a stop and those who were present were all surprized with wonder to hear so many malicious and bloody contrivances which proceeded from the revengefull Spirits of the Italians They wished that Justice might take such a strict notice of it that punishment accordingly might be afflicted and that Francion m ght be re-estated into his liberty and they promised to themselves suddenly to divulge all the particulars that the Innocence of Francion might be acknowledged Raymond said unto Corsegua that as yet he had no reason to be entirely satisfied if he would not promise to acknowledge before the Judges all that which he had confessed before them He made answer I shall then by this means be out of all hopes to re-establish my self in the favour of my Master Is it not enough for you that I have declared all these secrers No said Raymond For although we should allege them yet no belief would be given to our assertations unlesse that you do justifie them with us Therefore if you do not promise by inviolable oaths to confirm what you have spoken you shall not be exempted from Death But if you shall perform what in reason we shall require I do promise you on my part that you shall not stand in need to be afraid of your Master but that we will very liberally reward you and will take you into France along with us if you have of your self a desire unto it and moreover we will give you that content that you shall have no cause to complain of the Evil which we have done unto you Raymond expressed this with such a freedom of Spirit that Corsegua began to assure himself of the truth of his words and promised to doe whatsoever he would have him and did swear unto him all the Oaths that could oblige a heart to the performance of what he promised But Audebert taking Raymond aside did represent unto him that this man was but a knave and no confi-dence could be reposed in him and probably that on the next day when he should be brought before the Iudges he would deny whatsoever he had spoken and would not be sensible at all of the many imprecations he had made he represented to him that it was therefore better to force from him some other acknowledgement and to cause him to wrire it under his own hand and to sign to whatsoever he had confessed that they might represent it to the Iudge to which if they could perswade him it would be impossible for him to deny it Raymond did approve the motion and although Corsegua did allege that they ought not to mistrust him yet Pen Ink and Paper were brought unto him and he did write that he had caused those false pieces to be conveyed into the Pocket of Francion by the Instigation of his Master and moreover that he had brought into his Chamber a Coffer full of the like pieces together with the Instruments and tools of false Coyners maliciously to accuse Francion and to prove him guilty Having confessed this under his own hand they inforced him to sign it and because he seemed very unwilling