now the consideration of De Mora's great wealth and nobilitie makes him fully to disdaine him and commands his daughter likewise to doe the same But shee not considering the premises and loving Palura's youth as much as shee hated De Mora's age shee was neverthelesse so inconstant by nature and so proud and ambitious by sex as she could find in her heart and resolution rather to bee a rich Lady than a poore Gentlewoman and so to leave Palura to espouse and marrie De Mora but first her crime her conscience makes her send for Palura and seriously to consider and debate hereon with him which they doe so Palura perceiving by Bellindas lookes and observing by her sâ—…eeches that De Mora's wealth was far more powerfull with her than his poverty and that shee notwithstanding still aimed to keepe him for her husband and himselfe for her friend hee at last tells her that hee will consent and content himselfe that shee shall marry Don Alonso De Mora conditionally that shee will first â—…aithfully promise him to grant and performe him three requests and artâ—…les So shee bids him propose them to her the which hee doth to this effect 〈◊〉 that hee shall still have the use and pleasure of her bâ—…dy as here â—…ofore and aâ—… oâ—…en as hee pleaseth secondly that from time to time she shall be â—…ow some competency of De Moras wealth on him to support his weake estate and poverty and thirdly that if De Mora die before him that within three moneths after his death shee shall then marry him Which three unjust demands and ungodâ—…y conditions of â—…alura's his sweet heart Bellinda betwixt sighes and smiles immediatly grants him yea shee feales them with many oathes and confirmes them with a world of kisses and to adde the more pâ—…tie I may truly say the more prophanesse to this their contract and attonement they fall to the ground on their knees and invoking God and his Angels for witnesses hereof they with their hands and kisses againe ratifie and confirme it but poore sinfull soules how doth Sathan abuse you and your intemperate and lascivious lusts betray you for God will not be mocked and his holy Angels cannot be deluded by these your blasphemies and impieâ—…ies for you shall in the end see with griefe and feele with repentance that this vicious league and obscoene contract of yours will produce you nothing but shame misery and confusion of all sides By this time is Bellinda's moneth expired which shee gave her father and De Mora for her resolution of marriage and now doe they both of them repaire to her to understand and receive it when her pride and ambition having far more prepared and disposed her tongue than her affection shee as if shee were a pure Virgin yea a Diana for chastitie making a low reverence to her father and a great respectfull courtesie to De Mora delivers her resolution to them in these tearmes that in humble obedience to her father and true affection and zeale to Don Alonso De Mora God hath now so disposed her heart and mind that shee is resolved to wait on his commands and to bee his hand-maid and wife whensoever hee shall please to make himselfe her Lord and husband This answer of Bellinda is so pleasing to her father and so sweet and deâ—…icious to De Mora that in acceptance of her love and requitall of her consent hee gives her many kisses and then claps a great chaine of pearle enterlaced with sparkes of Diamonds about her necke and an exceeding rich Diamond ring on her finger and so most solemnly contracts himselfe to her and within eight daies after in great pompe state braverie marries her whereat his kinsfolkes and friends and all the nobilitie and gentrie of these parts doe very much admire and wonder some condemning his folly in marrying so poore and so young a gentlewoman others praising and applauding her good fortune in matching with so rich and so great a Nobleman Here wee see the marriage of De Mora and Bellinda but wee shall not goe far before wee see what sharpe and bitter sweet fruits it produceth for here truth gives a law to my will and so commands mee to relate and discover that hee is too old for her youth and shee too young for his age yea her I must crave excuse of modestie to affirme that shee is so immodest as shee finds him not to bee so bold and brave a cavallier as shee expected in regard his best performance to her consists oâ—…ly in desire Thus being in bed together whiles hee turnes to his rest so doth shee to her repentance but shee knowes how to repaire and remedy this her misfortune for whiles her husband De Mora only kisseth her shee in her heart and mind kisseth and embraceth her young and sweet Palura who many times comes over in shew to visit her husband 〈◊〉 effâ—…ct to 〈◊〉 and as formerly so now hee â—…sciviously 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 in a word very often performes and acts that 〈…〉 husband cannot Now within lesse than two moneths 〈…〉 seeing that hee is not capable to deserve much â—…sse to 〈…〉 dainties of his wives youth and beautie and 〈◊〉 â—…ving alâ—… that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begins to disrespect and sleight him and yet that shee 〈…〉 pleasant to all gentlemen who aâ—…oord and 〈◊〉 his house 〈…〉 on her now hee growes jealous of her and so far forgetâ—… 〈…〉 selfe that he curseth all those who in right of the lawes of 〈…〉 honour come to kisse her but more especially Palura 〈…〉 his house and so frequently conversing with his young Lady 〈…〉 on makes him jealous and his jealousie confident that with too 〈…〉 and dishonestie he usurps upon his free hold dishonoureth him in â—…ing his bed and defiling his wife the which to discover 〈…〉 her of her libertie so that she sees and grieves to see her selfe to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much her husbands prisoner as his wife yea hee sets 〈◊〉 eyâ—… 〈◊〉 as so many Sentinells to watch her and her actions and for himselfe 〈◊〉 jealousie gives him more eyes than ever Argus had to espie out what familiaritie 〈◊〉 betweene her and her sweet heart Palura Bellinda takes this discourtesie and hard measure of her husband in verie ill part at his hands yea she bites the lip thereat and though out wardly shee seeme to grieve and sorrow yet inwardly shee vowes to requite and revenge it he is so jealous of her and so fearefull that she plaies false play with him that as soone as ever Palura comes to his house hee carries his eye and eare everie where to see if hee can espie and hearken out 〈◊〉 and his wives love-trickes together yea hee is so eurious in this quest and so vigilant and turbulent on this his research and disquisition as if hee delighted to â—…ow that whereof it were his happines to be ignorant or as if hee had an â—…ing desire to make his glory prove his
one sent and directed from him to his Father the other to his wife Marsillia That to his Father spake thus DON IVAN to IDIAQVES WAs there no other woman of the whole world for you to abuse but my wife and was your faith so weake with God or you so strong with the Devill that you must therefore make her your Strumpet because shee was my wife If Nature would not informe you that I am your Son yet you are my Father and it should have taught you to have beene more naturall to â—…se more honourable to the world more respectfull to your selfe and more religious to God and not to have made your selfe guilty of these foule crimes of Adultery and Incest with her the least whereof is so odious to God and so detestable to men that I want tearmes not teares to expresse it For hereby as you have made my shame infinite so likewise you have made your owne infamie eternall the consideration whereof gives me so much griefe and the remembrance sorrow that holding you for ever unworthy of my sight and she of my company I have therefore left Portugall for Spaine and forsaken Santarem to live and die here in Madrid And when hereafter God shall be so mercifull to your soule to let you see that the Winter of your age makes you fitter for your grave than for my bed and for your winding-sheet than for my wife you will then hâ—…ld this resolution and proceeding of mine towards you as honourable as this your crime to me is unnaturall the which if you henceforth redeeme not with an Ocean of bitter teares and a world of repentant and religious Prayers to God I rather feare than doubt that his Divine Majestywill make you as miserable as you have made me unfortunate DON IVAN His Letter to his Wife spake this language DON IVAN to MARSILLIA WHat Devill possessed thy heart with lust and thy soule with impiety to make thee violate thy vow which thou gavest me in marriage by committing those damâ—…able sinnes of Adultery and Incest with my naturall father And if the consideration that I was thy Husband could not in Grace deterre thee from it yet me thinks the remembrance that hee was my father should in Nature have made thee both to abhorre and detest it And although my tender affection to thee and filiall obedience to him made mee expect more goodnesse from thy youth and Grace from his age yet God is a just Iudge and your hearts are true witnesses of these your unnaturall crimes and foule ingratitude towards me which hath cast so great a blemish and scandall on mine honour and dashed my joyes with so many untimely afflictions and immerited sorrowes that I have abandoned Portugall and Santarem for thy sake and betakeâ—… myselfe to live and die in Madrid in Spaine for mine where I will strive to make my selfe as contented as discontent can make mee and so leave this thy enormous crime and the punishment thereof to God in whom thou mayest bee happy but without whom thou wilt assuredly be miserable And thinke to what just calamities and miseries thine inordinate lusts and lascivious desires and delights have already deservedly reduced and exposed thee Sith henceforth I will no more esteeme thee my Wife or myselfe thy Husband and that God will assuredly lookâ—… on thee with an eye of indignation and the world of contempt DON IVAN Idiaques having read and perused that Letter of his sonne and Marsillia this of her Husband Don Ivan they are therewith so touched in heart with shame and stung in conscience with sorrow for their foule crimes of Adultery and Incest that they blush each at other and both of them most bitterly curse the name and memory of Mathurina who was the first authour of this report to him and which so suddenly incensed him and occasioned his departure So to beare up their reputations to the world and their fames to him they resolve without either asking leave or pardon of God to justifie their innocencie hereof to him and so to pursue and solicite his returne To which effect they write and returne him by his owne servant their two severall Letters in answer of his whereof that of Idiaques his father carried this message IDIAQVES to DON IVAN THou doest wrong thy selfe and the truth God and thy Conscience and thy wife and me in so basely taxing us of those foule sinnes of Iâ—…eest and Adultery whereof we are as truly innocent as thou falsely and malitiously deemest us guilty For I have not abused her nor made her my Strumpet although not God but the Devill in the slanderous tongue of Mathurina hath made thee to beleeve so For Nature hath taught mee more Grace and goodnesse not so little impiety for that I know they are sinnes more â—…dious to God and detestable to the world than either thy sorrowes can expresse or thy anger depaint me Neither have I made thy shame infinite or canst thou make my infamy visible much lesse eternall although herein thou shew me thy indignation together with thy disobedience by leaving Portugall for Spaine and Santarem for Madrid whereof because thou wilt not make thy duty I will content my selfe to make thy discretion Iudge betwixt us If thou have not done me more wrong than either thy selfe and the truth right herein and offered a scandall likewise to thy Wives honour who made thy company her chiefest joy as now shee doth thy absence her sharpest miserie and affliction How then can I goe to my grave with content when thou for sakest her bed with malice and my house with disdaine My innocencie in thy accusation hath no way irritated or offended God and if therefore with teares and Prayers thou wilt resolve to 〈◊〉 God thy Wife and me forgivenesse for this thy foule crime and monstrâ—… ingratitude towards us then mine armes shall bee as open as â—…ver they have beene to receive and my house to welcome thee and therein thou shalt make thy selfe as truly happy as thou falsly and uncharitably thinkest that God will make mee miserable IDIAQVES The answer of his wife Marsillia to him was couched in these tearmes MARSILLIA to DON IVAN IT 〈◊〉 neither Lust nor the Devill which can make me infringe or violate my Vow given thee in marriage although thou art as far from the truth as from God to beleeve it But how shall I hope that thy tongue will excuse me of these thy pretended foule crimes of Adultery and Incest when to my astonishment and griefe I see thou likewise condemnest thy old father to be guilty thereof with me And if this be any way affection to me or obedience to him let all other Husbands judge and all Sons define and determine But to returne thee truth for thy falshood His age expected and deserved more grace and my youth and Vertues more affection and goodnesse from thee than to have beleeved those false calumnies and impostures upon the bare report and malitious
extreamely fearing the dangerous consequence of this deplorable accident he with teares in his eyes sorrow in his lookes and sighes in his speeches repaires speedily to the Iudges to whom sorrowfully and humbly casting himselfe almost as low as their feet hee prayes them to thinke of his age and of his imprisoned Daughters youth and that having unfortunately lost his eldest Daughter that they would not deprive him of his youngest nor cast her life away either upon bare presumption or circumstance or upon the wrongful reports and malice of his and her enemies But these grave and Lynce-ey'd Magistrates who looke as deepely into the priviledge and dignity of Iustice as hee doth into the passions of paternall affection and nature cut him off with this sharpe reply That they honour his age and respect his Daughters youth that she shall have justice and that by the lawes of Florence he must expect no more with which cold answer hee returnes home to his house as disconsolate as hee came foorth sorrowfull beeing not permitted but defended to see or speake with his Daughter Amarantha in prison onely hee hath permission to bury his murthered Daughter Babtistyna the which hee performeth with farre more griefe and sorrow then solemnity The truth and decorum of this History must now invite the Reader to visite Amarantha in prison who being there debarr'd from speaking with any or any with her except those miserable comforters her Sergeants and Goalers shee now seeing the imminencie of her danger and fearing the assurance of her death for that shee heard a secret inckling from the lower Court through her Chamber window That her Sister Babtistyna was murthered her Mayd Pierya imprisoned and shee her selfe vehemently suspected for the same Shee therefore now beginnes to think of her former bloudy crimes with repentance and of these her inhumane cruelties towards her two elder Sisters with contrition and solemnly vowes to God that if his divine Majesty will now please to save her life shee will henceforth religiously redeeme the first and second with repentance So in the middest of these good thoughts though vaine desires and wishes of hers shee yet still flatters her selfe with this poore hope that if her man Bernardo bee living then her promised Annuity to him written with her owne hand is still sure and therefore tacitly dead in his custody and that both hee and Pierya cannot any way wrong her without infinitely wronging themselves and indangering their owne lives so albeit her Iudges have matter of suspicion yet they can have no cause of death against her or if peradventure they have yet that the power of her Fathers greatnesse and friends are so prevalent in Florence and Tuscany that if the worst fall out he and they can obtaine at least her reprivall for the present if not her pardon for the future But contrary to all these her weake and triviall hopes the very next morning she is sent for before her Iudges to a private examination who after they had made a grave and religious speech to her they demand her first If shee imployed â—…ot her servant Bernardo and Pierya to murther her Sister Babtistyna the which shee firmely and constantly denyes Secondly If shee had not given an Annuity of 150 Duckatons during his life to marry Pierya the which shâ—…e likewise denyes then they produce and shew it her under her owne hand writing whereat they measuring her heart by her countenance shee seemes to be so much perplexd with sorrow and amaz'd with feare as shee cannot refraine from giving them lesse words but more teares Of which her Iudges conceiving a good opinion hope therfore deeming themselves now to be in a faire way and a direct course to obtain the whole truth of this lamentable busines from her they bethinke themselves of a policie thereby to effect and compasse it which is every way worthy of themselves and their offices of their discretion and justice They tell Amarantha that in regard of her youth and beauty and of her Fathers age and nobility they desire and intend to save her if shee will not wilfully cast her selfe away That her safeâ—…y and life now consisteth in her plaine confession and not in her perverse denyall and contestation of being accessary and consenting to the murther of her Sister Babtâ—…styna That they have proofes thereof as cleare and as apparant as the Sunne and that they having caused Pierya to bee executed for the same this morning shee confessed it to them at her death yea and dyed thereon At which speeches of her Iudges and confession and death of Pierya this wretched and unfortunate Lady Amarantha seeing her selfe so palpably convicted of this her bloudy and inhumane crime being wholly vanquished either with feare toward her selfe or choller towards Pierya she falls on her knees to her Iudges feet and with a great showre of teares makes her selfe by her free confession to bee the prime authour of her Sister Babtistyna's murther That shee had hired Bernardo and Pierya to performe it and given him an Annuity of 150 Duckatons per annum and to each of them 50 Duckatons more in hand to that effect concealing no poynt or part therof as we have already formerly understood when contrary to the expectation of her Iudges she most bitterly exclaymed on the name memory and ingratitude of this base wretch Pierya for so shee then termed her in that she could not be contented to die her self but also as much and as maliciously as in her power to think likewise to hazard her owne life with her And now our chollericke and yet sorrowfull Amarantha between these two different extreames of hope and feare layes hold of her Iudges late promise and profered courtesie to her to save her and then and there with many reverences teares and ringing of her hands most humbly beseecheth them for Gods sake and for honours cause to bee good unto her and to give her her life although she confesseth she is most worthy of death in being so degenerate and bloudy minded towards her owne Sister But they having by this commendable meanes and artificiall policie drawn this worme from Amarantha's tongue I meane this truth from her mouth are exceeding sorrowfull and as much detest this her barbarous fact as they pitty her descent youth and beauty but well knowing with themselves that God is glorifyed in the due and true execution of Iustice upon all capitall malefactors and especially on murtherers who are no lesse then monsters of nature the disgrace of their times and the very butchers of mankinde and that the greatnesse of their quality and blood doth onely serve but to make these crimes of theirs the greater therefore I say these wise and religious Iudges proove deafe to her requests and blinde to her teares and so having first caused then to signe this her confession and then confronted her with Pierya who now to Amarantha's face confirmed as much as she her selfe right now confessed
reades these two Letters and consulting them with his judgement findes that they looke two different wayes for Dona Catherina the mother would marry her daughter to himselfe but not to Monfredo and her sonne Martino aymes and desireth to have her marryed to a Nunnery and not to himselfe wherein wealth and covetousnesse are the chiefest ends and ambition of them both without having any respect to the young Ladies content or regarâ—… to her satisfaction and although the speech which Don Pedro delivered him iâ—… the Cordeliers or Gray Friers Church have so much wrought with his affection and so powerfully prevailed with his resolution that hee will no fartheâ—… seeke Cecilliana in marriage yet in common courtesie and civility hee holds him selfe bound to answer their two Letters the which hee doth and returnes theâ—… by their owne messenger That to the Lady Catherina had these words DELRIO to CATHERINA THough you suspect my sincerity yet if you will believe the truth you shall finde that the affection which I intended the Lady Cecilliana your daughter was fervent not feigned and because you are desirous to know the reasons why I forbeare to seeke her in marriage I can give you no other but this that I know shee is too worthy to bee my wife and believe that I am not worthy enough to bee her husband so though envie should dare to bee so ignorant yet it cannot possible bee so malicious either to eclipse the lustre of her beauty or the fame of her vertues sith the one is so sweete a grace to the â—…ther and both so precious ornaments to her selfe that infinite others besides my selfe hold it as great a prophanenesse not to adore the last as a happinesse to see and admire the first For your affection in desiring my selfe hers and shee mine in marriage I can give you no other requitall but thankes for the present and my prayers and service for the future How your daughter hath or will dispose of her affection God and her selfe best know and therefore I shall doe her right and your knowledge and my judgement no wrong rather to proclaime my ignorance then my curiosity herein but this I assure you that if hers to mee had equallized mine to hers I should then thankfully have taken and joyfully received her with a farre lesse portion then you would have given mee with her To your selfe I wish much prosperity and to the Lady your daughter all happinesse I must returne you this mine answer by mine owne servant and whether you make it an argument of my unkindnesse 〈◊〉 affection in pleasing your selfe you shall no way displease mee DELRIO His Letter to Don Martino spake thus DELRIO to MARTINO I Have by my Letter given the Lady thy mother the reasons why I desist from any farther seeking thy sister Cecilliana in marriage and because I know shee will acquaint thee therewith therefore I hope they will suffise both for thee and her I am as thankefull to thee for thy well wishes to have obtained her for my wife as I grieve to understand that thou hast received any bitter speeches either from her or thy brother don Pedro for my sake It rejoyceth mee to see thee of the opinion that inforced marriages proove commonly fatall and ruinous in which beliefe and truth if thou and thy mother persevere I hope you will espouse your sister to don Monfredo and not to a Nunnery because if I am not misinformed her affections suggest and assure her that shee shall receive as much content from the first as misery from the second As thy mother is desirous to see mee so am I to serve her and likewise thy selfe and as thou writest religiously and truely that Marriages should first bee made in heaven ere solemnized in earth so doubtlesse God hath reserved thy sister for a farre better husband then Delrio and him for a â—…rre worse wife then Cecilliana And thus as a Christian I recommend her with â—…ale to the Providence and my selfe with Patience to the Pleasure of Almighty God DELRIO When in regard of his former affection and future respect devoted to the â—…eautie and vertues of Cecilliana and seeing her selfe her Mother and Brother Don Martino bent to dispose otherwise of her in marriage he will yet be so jealous of her good and so carefull of his owne honour and reputation as hee holds himselfe obliged to take his leave of her by Letter sith not in person and so to recommend her and her good fortunes to God the which he doth and gives his Letter to the same bearer but with a particular charge and secret instructions to deliver it very privately into the Lady Cecillianas hands without the knowledge either of her mother or brother don Martino which hee faithfully promised to performe His said Letter to her was charged with these lines DELRIO to CECILLIANA BEing heretofore informed by your brother don Pedro of your deare affection to don Monfredo and your constant resolution to make him your husband I held my selfe bound out of due regard to you and firme promise to him to surcease my sute to you and because the shortest errours are ever best no more to strive to make impossibilities possible in persevering to seeke you in marriage whom I see heaven and earth have conspired another must obtaine and injoy And when I looke from my age to your youth and from that to Monfredo's I am so farre from condemning your choyce as I both approve and applaud it praying you to bee as resolute in this confidence as I am confident in this resolution that my best prayers and wishes shall ever wish you the best prosperities And to the â—…d you may perceive that my former affection shall still resplend and shine to you in my future respect I cannot I will not conceale the knowledge of this truth from you that by Letters which right now by this bearer I received from the Lady your mother and brother don Martino they have some exorbitant and irregular designe in contemplation shortly to reduce into action against the excellencie of your youth and beautie and the sweetnesse of your content and tranquillity which howsoever to your selfe and the world they seeme to shadow and overvaile with false colours yet although they make religion the pretext you if you speedily prevent it not will in the end finde that their malice to your lover Monfredo is the true and onely cause thereof God hath indued you with a double happinesse in giving you an excellent wit to second and imbellish your exquisite beauty whereunto if in this businesse you take the advice of your best friend Monfredo and follow that of your noble brother Don Pedro you will then have no cause to doubt but all the reasons of the world to assure your selfe that your affections and fortunes will in the end succeed according to my prayers and your merits and expectation DELRIO The Messenger first publikely delivereth the two former Letters to
affection to Monfredo and therefore with frownes in her lookes and anger in her eyes she thunders out a whole Catalogue of disprayses and recriminations against him and because yet shee despayreth to prevaile with her hereby shee now thinking it high time resolves to divert and change the streame of her affection from him to God and so at last to mew and betake her to a Nunnery whereon her desires and intentions have so long ruminated and her wishes and vowes aymed at to which end calming the stormes of her tongue and composing her countenance to patience and piety she with her best art and eloquence speakes to her thus That in regard she will not accept of don Delrio for her husband with whom shee might have injoyed prosperity content and glory but will rather marry Monfredo from whom she can and must expect nothing but poverty griefe and repentance shee therefore out of her naturall regard of her and tender affection to her hath by the direction of God bethought her selfe of a medium betweene both which is to marry neither of them but in a religious and sanctifyed way to espouse her selfe to God and his holy Church when thinking to have taken time by the forelocke shee depainteth her the felicity and beatitude of a Nunnes profession and life so pleasing to God and the World to Heaven and Earth to Angels and Men When her daughter Cecilliana being tyred and discontented with this poore and ridiculous oration of hers shee lifting up her eyes to Heaven with a modest boldnesse and yet with a bold truth interrupts her mother thus that God hath inspired heâ—… heart to affect Monfredo so deerely and to love him so tenderly as shee will rather content her selfe to beg with him then to live with Delrio in the greatest prosperity which either this life or this world can afford her that although shee had no bad opinion of Nunnes yet that neither the constitution of her body much lesse of her minde was proper for a Nunnery or a Nunnery for her in which regard shee had rather pray for them then with them and honour then imitate them when the Lady her mother not able to containe her selfe in patience much lesse in silence at this audacity and as shee thought impiety of her daughter she with much choller and spleene demands her a reason of these her exorbitant speeches When her daughter no way dejecting her lookes to earth but rather advancing and raysing them to heaven requites her with this answer That it is not the body but the minde not the flesh but the soule which is chiefly requisite and required to give our selves to God and his Church that to throw or which is worse to permit our selves to be throwne on the Church through any cause of constraint or motion of distaste or discontent is an act which savoureth more of prophanenesse then piety and more of earth then heaven that as Gods power so his presence is not to bee confined or tyed to any place for that his Centre is every where and therefore his circumference no where that God is in Aegypt as well as in Palestyne or Hierusalem and that heaven is as neere us and wee heaven in a Mansion house as in a Monastery or Nunnery that it is not the place which sanctifyeth the heart and soule but they the place and that Churches and Cloysters have no priviledge or power to keepe out sin if we by our owne lively faith and God by his all-saving grace doe not Which speech of hers as soon as she had delivered and seeing that the Lady her mother was more capable to answer her thereunto with silence then reason she making her a low reverence and craving her excuse departs from her and leaves her here alone in the Garden to her selfe and her Muses Her mother having a little walked out her choller in seeing her daughters firme resolution not to become a Nunne shee leaves the garden and retires to her Chamber where sending for her sonne Martino she relates him at full what conference had there past betweene his sister and her selfe who likewise is so much perplexed and grieved hereat as putting their heads and wits together they within a day or two vow to provide a remedy for this her obstinacie and wilfulnesse As for Cecilliana shee likewise reports this verball conference which had past betweene her mother and her selfe to her brother Don Pedro and Monfredo when according to promise they met that afternoone in the Augustines garden who exceedingly laugh thereat and yet againe fearing lest the malice of their brother Don Martino towards them mought cause his mother to use some violence or indurance to her and so to make force extort that from her will which faire meanes could not they bid her to assume a good courage and to be cheerefull and generous promising her that if her mother attempted it that Monfredo should steale her away by night and that hee as hee is don Pedro her brother will assist her in her escape and flight whereon they all resolve with hands and conclude with kisses Neither did their doubts prove vaine or their feare and suspicion deceive them herein for her incensed mother being resolute in her will and wilfull in â—…er obstinacie to make her daughter a Nunne shee shuts her up in her Chamber makes it no lesse then her prison and her brother don Martino her Guardian or â—…ather her Goaler Poore Cecilliana now exceedingly weepes and grieves at this â—…ruelty of her mother and brother don Martino which as yet her deare brother don â—…dro cannot remedy by perswading or prevailing with them to release her hee acquaints Monfredo herewith and they both consulting finde no better expedient to free her from this domesticall imprisonment then counterfeitly to give her mother to understand and believe that her daughter hath now changed her mind and that by Gods direction shee is fully resolved to abandon Monfredo and so to spend and end her dayes in a Nunnery but contrariwise they resolve to fetch her away by night and without delay Accordingly hereunto Cecilliana acts her part well and pretends now to this spirituall will and resolution of her mother sa before she was disobedient Her mother infinitly rejoyceth at this her conversion and no lesse or rather more doth her brother don Martino who to fortifie and confirme her in this her religious resolution they send some Friers and Nunnes to perswade her to appoynt the precise day for her entrance into this Holy house and Orders which with her tongue shee doth but in her heart resolves nothing lesse or rather directly the contrary The mother now acquaints both her sonnes with this resolution of their sister which is the next Sunday to give her selfe to God and the Church and to take holy Orders when don Pedro purposely very artificially seemes as strongly to oppose as his brother don Martino cheerefully approves thereof now extolling her devotion and piety as farre as the
hee being once dead undoubtedly the faire Dominica will fall for his share and wife So hee is resolute in this his bloody and damnable designe and consults with himselfe whether hee should doe it by himselfe or by some second instrument but finding it dangerous to effect it by another beeause he must then commit his life to his courtesie and seeing that his Gout had now forsaken him hee therefore resolves to doe it by himselfe But first hee thinkes it not improper rather pertinent for him to write Roderigo a letter the which hee doth in these tearmes and sends it him by one of his owne confident Servants HIPPOLITO to RODERIGO WErt thou informed but of the hundred part of my deere affection to the faire young Lady Dominica and reciprocally of hers to me thou wouldst if not out of honour yet out of Iudgement surcease thy suite to her and not make thy obstinacie ridiculons by thinking to obtaine her to thy Wife and although shee feede thee with the sugar oâ—… many sweet protestations and promises to the contrary yet if I have any eyes in my head or thou judgement in thine to discerne the truth hereof thou hast farre more reason to rely upon the integrity of my age than the Vanity and inconstancy of her youth And wert thou not a Gentle â—…an whom I love for thine owne and honour for thy Fathers sake I had not so long permitted thee to frequent her company nor so often to converse with her to the prejudiâ—…e of my content and thy discretion and if this friendly Ambassador of my heart my Letter will not yet induce thee to leave her to mee whom Heauen and Earth God and her Mother have given mee I will then either by thy Father or by the usuall course of Iustice take that order with thee therein as shall redâ—…d as much to my honour and fame as to thy infamy and disreputation HIPPOLITO Roderigo having received and read this Letter of Hippolito hee cannot refraine from smiling and laughing to see his sottish errour and ridiculous ignorance herein for he perfectly knowes that both Dominica and the Lady Cervantella her mother are long since resolved to heare no more either of him or of his sute and therefore hee holds it more worthie of his laughter than of his observation likewise to see that this old dotard when nature is ready to wed him to his grave that his lust should yet bee so forward to desire to marry so young and beautifull a Lady as Dominica The which considering once hee thought to returne him no other answer but silence but at last respecting his age and Quality more than his indiscretion or power after he had shewne his letter to Cervantella to Dominica and her brother Don Garcia who all concur in opinion with him to make it the publike object as both it and himselfe were the private cause of their generall laughter hee calles for pen and paper and rather with contempt than choller by Hippolito's owne servant returnes him this answer RODERIGO to HIPPOLITO I Have as small reason to doubt of thy affectiâ—…n to the young Lady Dominica as to beleeve that hers is reciprocally so to thee and therefore I see no just cause in honour or solid ground in Iudgement to surcease my sute towards â—…er much lesse to deeme my obstinacy ridiculous in hoping to obtaine her to my Wife And although it bee in thy pleasure yet it is not in thy power to make mee doubtfull of her fairewords or to call in question or suspition her sweet promises and protestations to mee sith that were to prophane the purity of my zeale to her and of her true and sincere affection to mee the which yet to doe thee a courtesie I will rather excuse than condemne in thee because I am consident it exceeds thy knowledge though not thy feare and in this behalfe and assurance thine eyes cannot so much prevaile with my Iudgement but that I will more rely upon the integrity of her youth than the vanity of thy Age. As for thy love to mee or honour to my Father when I finde it so I will acknowledge it to bee as true as now I conceive iâ—… feigned but for thy threates to mee in thinking thereby to make mee forsake the conversation and company of that faire and vertuous young Lady I doe rather pitty than esteeme them and every may moré contemne than care for them assuring thee that I cannot possibly refrâ—… from laughter to see thee so devoid of common sence as to thinke to bee able either to scarre mee with the power of the Law or to daunt me with the prerogative and authority of my father in making mee to forsake her whom in life and death I neither can nor will forsake resolve therefore henceforth to prevent thy infamy and disreputation for I will bee left to my selfe to establish mine owne content and honour as I please RODERIGO Hippolito upon the receit and consideration of this peremptory letter of Don Roderigo is so inflamed and incensed against him to see that perforce he will make him weare a Willow Garland as without any more delayes or expostulations understanding him to bee that very same night which hee received his Letter with his Lady Dominica at her mothers house the Devill causeth him to gather all his malice wits and strength together about him that night to murther him as he issueth forth to goe home which bloody stratagem of his to effect and finish hee chargeth a pistoll with three bullets and hee waites his comming thence but Don Garcia accidentally issuing forth all alone privately to goe visit a friend of his not farre off this wretched old villaine Hippolito taking him to bee Roderigo lets flye at him and all three bullets pierce his body so hee falles downe dead to the ground The blow is heard and the breathlesse body of Don Garcia is found reeking in his blood whose mother sister and Don Roderigo are amazed and astonished at this deplorable disaster and ready to drowne themselves in their teares for sorrow thereof So Roderigo leaving some Neighbours to comfort them hee takes order to finde out the murtherers and goes himselfe speedily throughout the street to that effect When the good pleasure and providence of God directs his course to finde out this old execrable wretch Hippolito going lirping and limping in the street having throwne away his Pistoll and only holding his darke lanthorne in his hand which then the better to collour out this damnable fact of his hee opened to light him Roderigo measuring things past by the present and finding Hippolito there in the streets all alone at this undue and unseasonable houre of the night God prompts his heart with this suspition that hee in likelyhood was the murtherer of Don Garcia and so layes hold of him and causâ—…th him to be committed to the prison notwithstanding all the entreaties meanes and friends which hee could then possibly make to the