the Lady would either resolve to put him from his importunity either accusing of him to her husband or making it known to her kindred who assuredly would not let pass unpunish'd so foolish a temerity which endeavoured to stain with notes of infamy the honest reputation of another mans Family Love admits of no advise he acknowledgeth the truth of reason in his friends words but it being not possest by him the words were but cast into the air with this answer onely leaves he him You shall soon see saith he whether I or who else it is that shall be lost His friend was astonished and afflicted that he could nothing move him from avoiding those dangers which threatned him if he should obstinately pursue his intentions Many daies were not past when Eusebio going to a Villa of his was shot in the flank with a brace of bullets he knew not from whence and having enmity with no man he could not imagine from whom it should come This hurt made him fall to the ground from his horse so that he could not help himself til some Country men passing by who knew him put him on their Cart which was loaded with Corn going for the City and brought him home to his wife who for the disaster which had befaln him was unmeasurably afflicted The Physitians and Chirurgians were sent for who knowing the wound to be mortal gave him over yet they did not forbear to apply the best remedies they knew which were but all in vain the miserable man at the end of the seventh day was forc'd to leave his life and his wife I should say his wife first since by him she was preferr'd before it What sighs and complaints she made how she toar with her white hands her golden locks and beat her candent brest cannot be exprest the excess of them was so great that men would hardly find faith to beleeve the truth of them The last day of the month was scarce at an end the fair having perform'd the obsequies of her deceased Husband when Gelindo was observ'd more then he was wont frequently to go about the Ladies house and with words and gestures to discover himself more enflam'd then ever with her unparalell'd beauty He often tempts by means of a neighbour of hers that she might procure her for him to wife causing her in his name to make as generous offers as could be made from a heart which loves immoderately But all vainly succeeds for she was resolv'd never to consent to any the rather for that although she was not assured yet she very much doubted that her husbands death had been effected by none but by Gelindo so that she did not onely deny to exchange love but she return'd him one of the fiercest hatreds that ever woman bore a man Women as well in hatred as in love have no bridle but have both in excess The most beautiful Widow nourishing the fire of this disdain within her heart against Gelindo who ador'd her often meditates to revenge her wrong'd and murther'd husband and because she could finde out no way more secure then one which was to execute it with her own hands she deliberates with her self to dispatch it after this manner It was about the end of the year of her mourning widowhood when on a day she cals one of the most faithful amongst her maids and having shut themselves up together in a secret Chamber she speaks to her after this manner Fosca for so was her name My long experience of thy fidelity towards my person assures me that I may confide in thee even one of the highest resolutions which I ever made in the whole course of my life but before I discover it think well upon it whether you can be sure to keep it secret for if you finde that you have not resolution enough to silence it tell me that I may not speak it and I shall take another expedient for to accomplish my thought It s needless to relate what Fosca answer'd it s enough that her words were such that Limisinda pursued her already began discourse I have alwaies heard say that its impossible for a young woman that 's handsom and that hath tasted the delights of her husbands embraces to live long after his death without the company of a man I have prov'd the truth thereof from the affections of my minde I have endeavoured a long time since the death of my dear Eusebio who is now amongst the Stars to violence my self and to repress the heat of youth which a fresh fomented my desires of those amorous pleasures but because I perceive it impossible any longer to overcome the force thereof I have taken a resolution that I will not live altogether the rest of my life unaccompanied of a man It s true I would not subject my self to that Noose which is not to be unloosed betwixt man and woman unless by the death of the one or other of them Other thoughts other desires possess my mind The Maid remain'd a while suspended at these words of her Mistris who observing it continued Wonder not my Fosca at what I am to tell thee and if you see me chang'd in my opinion which in the esteem of all was of an unparalell'd honesty I must hereafter live otherwise Resolve therefore on what I shall impose upon thee for I am confident you will one day praise me when you shall entirely know the end of these thoughts which revolve in my minde Servitude fidelity and the importunity of a Lover with the time overcomes the most obstinate rigour of a womans brest I am not the first who have been subdued If thou hadst ever found thy self in the like case thou wouldst compassionate help me so that what thou art to execute may be effected with all possible secrecy that it at no time may be known by any but by us two and Gelindo whom at the shutting in of the Evening thou art to expect at a window of the lower room and when he according to his custome passeth by cast him out this paper wrapt up in this sarsenet and then presently retire thy self that he reading it may think upon what he is to do The wench takes the letter from her Mistris and full of astonishment by reason of the novelty of the accident wonders at so unexpected a resolution Yet she promiseth diligently to perform what was commanded her and so departs to go about her other house affairs till the hour come wherein she was to execute it The Evening being come Gelindo passeth the street and whilst he cast his eyes towards the uppermost windows of Limisinda's house where sometimes he had had the fortune to see her there comes to him thrown by the Maid who stood hid behinde the glass of a Balcony in the lowermost part of the house this letter involv'd and having observ'd him to take it she presently returns to her Mistris to acquaint her with the success
blow towards her it being suggested her by the deceit of the dream she beleeves it a vision rather then the fright of an immaginary appearance His words which might have discovered the fraud saying What troubles thee O my dear were not heard by her or if heard not observ'd or beleev'd effects of his dissimulation wherewith he thought to hide the discover'd perfidiousness of his treachery At last with a sudden fury intoxicated with prejudic'd thoughts which perswaded her that her Love had an intention to murther her She raging throws her self out of her bed and with a cruel disdain seems greedy to tear him in peeces with the same hands wherewith formerly she thought she could never be satisfied to embrace him and then with her tongue she sends forth her shreeks exagerating her exclamations against Niarpe Perfideous perverse and horrid mutherer couldst thou finde no better way to despise the faith of a Lady besotted with thy fictions hadst thou no other means to bring thy treacheries to pass but in the current of my blood with thy Dagger didst thou intend to imprint the Charracters of the disdain wherewith thou loathest me perhaps for being too faithful and therein unlike unto thee wouldst thou thus felicitate our love and remunerate my fidelity ungrateful Traytor fiercer then furies inhumanity in human likeness What! Assault a woman with such Arms a woman sleeping thinking she might securely rest in her Lovers arms a woman who lov'd and serv'd thee thinking to discover the valew or at least to deserve a reward for so much love Whence where hast thou learnt examples of such cruelty Who hath prescribed rules of so much ingratitude Tell me cruel Infidel infamous that thou art when did I ever offend but in loving thee too much whereby have I acquired the proofs of so great a treachery unless for being too kind to thee I thank the Gods that by an oportune advise they have delivered me from thy wounds if on the other side I should not wish to have lost my life that I might not outlive so high an impiety The young man was confus'd astonish'd nay confounded at this accident and both in his colour and immobility seem'd of Marble but that someimes he would open his mouth to make his excuses and with truth undeceive those false conceptions But the unbridled rage of Euridea tenacious of the conceived belief forbad it him ever when he endeavoured to licence his accents out of the prison of his lips Peace she crys out thou base man dare no more to profanate me with thy lying words in vain thou seekest a cloak for thy fraud thy treachery can no longer be hid Those of the house were already come at her out-cry to them she relates the occasion of her complaints He hath attempted quoth she to kill me whilst I slept the hand of heaven hath onely delivered and defended me from death At last cries out upon Niarpe get thee thou wretch out of these gates contaminated with excecrable mischief out of this house and never even with thy imagination perswade thy self thou shalt be suffer'd to reentre be perpetually banish'd my presence and may thy exile be punishment enough for thy perfidiousness And redoubling these orders commands him away while he either heard not being stupified or dislik'd as contrary to his hopes The Assistants observ'd how Euridea grew more furious in her rage her fires encreasing which enflam'd her as the others ashes reduced him pale so that to shun worse encounters they led her to the remotest rooms of the house that she might neither hear nor see the object of her fury which formerly had been the subject of her love delights Thus the poor Lover remain'd I know not with what a sentiment if the effect of so strange a success rendred him not insensible it must be thought impossible in a heart which was not petrified In an act of ready defence thinking to deserve well he saw the Catastrophe of his fortune to the ruine of his felicity even where otherwise he thought to secure himself He could not hate the Lady since she was guiltless onely in being tenacious to such false suspitions a want to be ascrib'd to the imperfection of her sex so that he durst not vindicate himself against that disdain which though unjust did in appearance partly justifie her After many thoughts at last that he might not raise higher outcries to rais the neighbourhood he resolves to obey Euridea's fury He departs hoping that the knowledge of the truth would quickly reconcile him with his beloved In this condion he expected two daies banish'd by this unlucky accident confus'd and stupified with this addition that he despair'd to receive any relief At last the thoughts of belief being risen up the fervor of anger being abated he tempts her by means of a message with a letter which bore this sence Dearest MADAM GIVE me leave to beleeve that your minde being clear'd I shall be free from fearing the thunder which your rigour threatens me withall I desire to be absolv'd from the duty of obeying your commands which you prescribe me to absent my self from your sight that is to say from my Paradice from Justice if not from Pitty I pretend leave to present my self to you to witness the reasons I have why I may still pretend to enjoy your favors I expect an opportunity to abolish the conceits of sacriledge which thought as if I had intended to offend that Diety which I always ador'd give me leave onely to speak with you that I may but discover unto you in what manner Fortune was pleased to deceive you and betray me Then I assure my self that my incorrupted faith will regain your lost affection which is most ardently regreted by Your most Faithful Lover NIARPF At the onely sight of the subscription Euridea renews in her looks the pomps of disdain and her heats makes proof thereof Faithful and Lover she exclaims What Faith what Love dares this impious fellow yet boast of Whereupon quickly tearing the paper wherewith her madness was not content but with despight she must even tread it under her feet an ill presage for the young man who could not hope that his desires should be granted that paper being kick'd away wherein all his hopes were included as under a torch he receives the characters of a new impression wherin he reads the sentence of an unretractable refusal Running afterwards over a flood of reproofs against the woman who carried the leter he begins to believ that he was only to condemn that fate which had imbarrass'd him in such an undertaking After repeated injuries which he loaded the poor woman withal she returns to tempt if at least she might procure some ease to the fury of his distracted passions relating the passages she tells him of the immutable state of her cruelty despairing of any more procuring any means able to relieve his desires and succour him in his urgency whence consequences of death
admiration since all the visible species which that face represented were as many Characters which circumscrib'd the necessity of astonishment It was needless also for them to communicate alternatively the kindled flames of their inward affections since either of them had in him a living fire wherein the most vital spirits of the minde were cousumed But perhaps those looks were with more truth to be call'd effects of the already conceiv'd jealousie of their hearts for those beloved beauties so that they would spy one the others countersigns paralel with their own whereby they might conjecture the others love The winde of a concordant sigh at last blowes away the ashes which hid the fire of love whereupon not to belye the truth they both confest themselves to be Lovers A remedy for ills which might have been bred with the discontent of their wills in consideration of their ancient friendship which ought not to suffer prejudice by this improvident fury rather then affection both of them did glory to yeild this object to the other which the more estimable it shew'd it self it so much the more authenticated the excess of their faith whereby they corresponded with a voluntary privation to felicitate his friend with the possession with the touches of a gentle affection they mutually consecrated to eithers contentment the enjoyment of that beauty which although it was the life of their hearts was willingly renounc'd by them whose mindes were the will and pleasure of his friends this strife lasted long till by an absolute protestation they both denyed themselves to be Lovers The like contest at the same time hapned with the beloved Lady a neighbour and friend of hers who by accident was there at the same time when the two Cavaliers were looking on them The beauties of her face were not despicable but worthy of a publick esteem had they not been prejudic'd by the vicinity of those which exceeded in beauty even the ordinary power of Nature They both observed the Cavaliers looks wherein they saw the sparks of Loves fire which cannot be hid when they transmit flames from the heart to the eies They were both also onely pleas'd with Irlando who was inferiour in age though superiour in that desert which by youth and beauty prevailes with Ladies In the course of their praises they discover'd either of them unawares their inward affections the more freely having as yet not known the knot of their rivalship but they were no sooner advis'd of the consent of their thoughts which harmoniously agreed to the love of the only beauty but they oblig'd themselves to repentance least they should go too far in their discourse Emilia most of all fearing a treacherous prejudice to her practises being inferiour to the other in beauty thought to dissemble the inclination of her minde absolutely denying to love Irlando to retreeve the error she had before committed by the liberty of her discourse yet within her self she resolves to outgo her with excess of favours forerun the others endeavours who presum'd the victory from the excess of her beauty After some discourses she taking leave seeks to confound the remembrance of Love yet with a sollicitous dilligence by countersigns she sends to enquire that Cavalier's lodging and writes him a letter to this purpose SIR I Cannot withhold my self from acquainting you that I am your Lover 't were to offend the singular merit of your condition to think it hard for you to beleeve your self adoreable even from one who hath learnt it but by the knowledge of a look only I invite you to enjoy me not to return me your love for I dare not pretend such a reward being oblig'd to sacrifice my self since my affections have already destin'd me your victim Besides that I know no qualities in me worthy of you I hope only that I may acquire with a flood of delights the fertility of your love I shall this night expect you preparing a Room for you in my besom where you shall receive the Caresses of that heart which to please you would exviscerate your EMILIA With these invitations she thought to catch the young man who commonly loves but to enjoy Sense predominating causeth that violence with is attributed to affection The end of his amorous thoughts are a bed although he fancy a Celestial beauty for the Sphere The offer of enjoyment was the fittest bait to make a prey of his heart which sooner might be caught by the hook of once delights then colour'd appearances Emilia being thus perswaded resolves to be thus prodigal to triumph over the other whom she supposed to preserve the pride of her beauty in its hight would be more moderate of her favours yet it even subdues the pride of that love which suppresseth Majesty as contrary to its laws She acknowledgeth the necessity of submitting to that power which bragging of his triumphs over the Gods themselves it might more reasonably carry away trophies from her although she had a part of Divinity in her looks Having long strugled with her thoughts she at last yields giving way to a wounded quill to distil floods of ink with the like sentiment of her heart SIR THAT heart which perswades me that it was no temerity to love you hath embolden'd me to discover my self your Lover I shall not multiply attestations to make you beleeve the truth of my Affection My sudden resolution is a sufficient testimony with your singular desert Your being a man and in the quality of a Cavalier prescribes you the duty tomake you know this love I shall expect effects rather then promises Resolve to answer me with your sight consent but to wil what ought secretly to be approv'd by the desires of your ROSALIA This Letter Rosalia writes for so was her name she using Emilia's Mesenger who was also to deliver the other wherewith she was already trusted Their express charge to bury in silence these loves weav'd the net the business chiefly consisting on the mutual secrecy of these Lovers They were Rivals without discordity concurring even to prevail by the same means which they had one way commenc'd and on the other estrang'd themselves from the pretended end The like in the mean time happen'd to the two before-nam'd Cavaliers The revolution of thoughts dissolv'd the promises they had made to love the Lady no more least their concurrance might break the union of their amity either of them being assaulted with an army of passions which warr'd under the same Ensign of that admired Beauty was forc'd to hazard their friendship that they might not vilifie their love Their inseparable conservation gave them no other means but that of letters to instance their affections to their beloved which requir'd for their servitude the reward only of their Mistrisses graces So that unanimously although disjunctively they resolve to put their hopes in by-waies that the tract of their Characters might secure the following steps of their hopes Irlando writes thus Fairest Lady I