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
question she after a world of sighes and teares tearmes her accusers devils and witches vowes by her part in heaven and upon the perill of her owne soule that she is innocent of that crime whereof she accused her and that neither indeed or thought she was ever dishonest or unchast with any man of the world much lesse with her Master But this will not satisfie incensed La Vasselay neither are these speeches or teares of Gratiana of power to passe current with her jealousie but reputing them false and counterfeit shee cals in her chamber-maid and cookemaid when shee had purposely led there and bids them unstrip Gratiana naked to her wast and to bind her hand and foot to the bed post which with much repyning and pitty they are at last inforced to do When commanding them forth the chamber and bolting the doore after them she not like a woman but rather as a fury of hell flies to poore innocent Gratiana and with a great burchen rod doth not onely raze but scarifie her armes backe and shoulders when harmelesse soule she though in vaine having no other defensive weapons but her tongue and her innocency cries aloud to heaven and earth for succour But this old hag as full of malice as jealousie hath no compassion of her cries nor pitty of her sighes yea neither the sight of her teares or blood which trickling downe her cheekes and shoulders doth both bedew and ingraine her smocke are of power to appease her fury and envy untill having spent three rods and tyred and wearied both her armes shee in the heat of her choller and the height of her revenge delivers her these bitter and scoffing words Minion this this is the way yea the onely way to coole the heate of thy courage and to quench the fire of thy lust When calling in her two maids she commands them to unbinde Gratiana and to helpe on her clothes When triumphing in her cruelty she furiously departs and leaves them who cannot refraine from teares to see how severely and cruelly their Mistris hath handled this her poore Gentlewoman Gratiana the better to remedy these her insupportable and cruell wrongs holds it discretion to desemble them and so providing herselfe secretly of a horse and man she the next night steales away rides to La Ferte and from thence to her father at Nogent le Retrou where he was superintendant of the Prince of Condes house and Castle in that Towne and where the Princesse Dowager his mother built vp the greatest part of her sorrowfull residence whence whiles he was detained prisoner in the Castle of Boys de Vincennes neere Paris La Vasselay grieves at this her sudden and unexcted departure the which she feares her husband De Merson and her father Mounsieur De Bremay will take in ill part wherein shee is no way deceived for the one grieves and the other stormes thereat yea when De Merson through flattery and threats had drawne from the Chamber-maid and Cooke-maid the truth of his wives cruell whipping of Gratiana as also the cause thereof her jealousie He justly incensed and inraged flies to this his sottish and cruell wife tells her that jealousie comes from the devill whose part he affirmes she hath acted in acting this upon innocent Gratiana then whom there lives not a chaster maid in the world That although she were poore yet that she was aswell descended as her selfe In which regard if she did not speedily right and redeeme her wrongs and seeke meanes to pacifie and recall her that he would forth-with leave her yea and utterly forsake her which cooling card of his to his wife makes her looke on her former erronious cruelty towards Gratiana rather with outward griefe than inward repentance But seeing that her jealousie must now stoope and strike saile to her husbands Choller and that to enjoy his company she must not be exempted and deprived of hers she contrary to her desires and will which still retaines the fumes and flames of jealousie as that doth of revenge is inforced to make a vertue of necessity and so to beare up with the time feigning her selfe repentant and sorrowful for what she had formerly done to Gratiana she to reclaime her buyes her so much wrought black Taffety for a Gowne and so much Crimson Damaske for a Petticoate and with a bracelet of Pearle which she accustomed to weare upon her right arme she sends it to Nogent to her by La Vilette a Gentleman of her husbands and accompanieth it with a letter to her father Mounsieur de Bremay which contained these words LA VASSELAY to DE BREMAY HAving vindicated Truth from Error and metamorphosed Iealousie into Iudgement I find that I have wronged thy daughter Gratiana where at I grieve with contrition and sorrow with repentance sith my husbands vowes and oathes have fully cleared her Honour and Chastity which my foolish incredulity and feare rashly attempted both to ecclips and disparage In which regard praying her to forgive and thy selfe to forget that wrong I earnestly desire her speedy returne by this bearer and yee both shall see that I neuer formerly hated her so much as henceforth I will both loue and honour her I have now sent her some small tokens of my affection and ere long she shall find greater effects and testimonies thereof for knowing her to be as chast as faire In this De Bremay I request thee to rest confident that as she is now thy daughter by Nature so she shall be henceforth mine by adoption LA VASSELAY De Bremay having received this letter and his daughter Gratiana these kind tokens from her Mistris La Vasselay his choller and her griefe and sorrow is soone defaced and blowne away so hee well satisfied and she content and pleased he sends her backe from Nogent to Mans by La Villette by whom he writes this ensuing letter to his Mistris La Vasselay in answer of hers DE BREMAY to LA VASSELAY THy Letter hath given me so much content and satisfaction as thy undeserved cruelty to my daughter Gratiana did griefe and indignation And had shee beene guilty of that crime whereof thy feare made thee jealous I would for ever have renounced her for my daughter and deprived her of my sight for as her Vertues are her best wealth and her Honour her chiefest revenew so if shee had failed in these or faltered in this I should then have joyned with thee to hate her as I doe now to love her But her Teares and Oathes have cleared her innocencie and in hers thy husbands In which regard relying vpon her owne merits and thy professed kindnesse shee forgetting and I forgiving things past I now returne her thee by thy servant La Villette hoping that if thou wilt not affect her as thy adopted Daughter yet that thou wilt tender her as thy obedient and observant handmaid DE BREMAY Gratiana's hopes and her fathers credulity of La Vasselaye's future affection towards her as also
Bacchus doth our lewd and deboshed Scholler Maurice continually drinke drunke not onely forgetting his learning but himselfe and which is worse his God having neither the power to remember to repent or grace to pray nor to remember any thing but his cups so beastly is hee inclined so swinishly and viciously is hee affected and addicted and what doth this either prognosticate presage or promise to produce in him but inevitable affliction misery and ruine of all sides As the shortest errours are best so those Vices which have longest perseverance and predominance in us prove still the most pernicious and dangerous It is nothing to crush a Serpent in the egge but if we permit it to grow to a Serpent it may then crush us a plant may be removed with ease but an old tree difficultly To fall from sinne to repentance is as great a happinesse as it is a misery to fall from repentance to sinne and indeed to use but one word for the affirmation and confirmation of this truth there can no greater misery befall us than to thinke our selves happy when through our sinnes we are miserable Here in Losanna Maurice esteemes this his beastly sinne of drunkennesse to bee a Vertue not a Vice in him yea in paying for all shots and reckonings in Tavernes hee sottishly and foolishly thinkes it the shortest and truest way to bee beloved and honoured though indeed to bee contemned of all and therefore without feare or wit yea without the lâ—…st sparke of Grace or shadow of consideration his stomacke like the Devils spunge and his insatiable throat like a bottomlesse gulfe so devoures his wine and his wine his money as that which should bee the Argument of his glory hee makes the cause of his shame and his money which should fortifie his reputation hee converts and turnes to ruine it But as poverty in a just revenge of our Vanity rejoyceth to looke on us because we first disdained either to looke on or regard it so he having spent the fragrant Summer of his folly and prodigality in wasting the moneyes his mother gave him in wine now the deprivation thereof makes him feele the frosty Winter of that want which hee can better remember than remedy rather repent than redresse The Fellowes and Students of his Colledge looke on him and his drunkennesse some with the eyes of pity others with those of joy according as their friendship or malice their Charity or Envy either conduct their passions or transport and steere their resolutions and inclinations As for his Tutor Varesius how can hee possible seeke or reclaime this his Pupill from Vicâ—… to vertue when hee is so wretchedly dissolute as by the publike vote and voyce of the Vniversity hee himselfe is already wholly and solely relapsed from Vertue to Vice In which respect this vitious young Student Maurice having neither Vertue nor Tutor money nor credit discretion nor friend to secure him from the shelves of Indigence or the rockes of Poverty and Misery whereon hee is rashly and wilfully rushing hee like a true deboshed Scholler or indeed as a Master of Art in the Art of deboshednesse first sels away his bookes then his gowne and cloaths and next his bed being desirous to want any thing but wine and confidently though vainly and foolishly assured that if he have wine enough that then he wants nothing A miserable consideration and condition a wretched estate and resolution onely tending and conducing to direfull miserie and to deplorable poverty and desolation But to replenish his purse to repaire his credit and apparell and to continue his cups and drunkennesse hee hath no other hopeâ—… or reâ—…ge than againe to cast himselfe on the affection and courtesie of his mother whom hee re-visits with severall Letters which are onely so many humble insinuating petitions againe to draw and wrest moneyes from her But hee is deceived in his hopes and expectation or at least they distinctly and severally and his mother joyntly with them conspire to deceive him For I write it with griefe because by an uncontroulable relation of the truth shee dictates it to my penne with teares that as well by all those of Morges who came from Losanna as by all those of Losanna who came to Morges she is most certainly and sorrowfully advertised of her sonnes deboshed and dissolute life of his neglect of Learning and too frequent affecting and following of drunkennesse of the sale of his clothes bed and bookes of the irreparable losse both of his time moneyes and reputation and withall how the dregges and fumes of wine hath metamorphosed his countenance and not graced but filthily disgraced it with many fierie Rubies and flaming Carbunkles as also how it hath stuffed and bombasted vp his belly and body as if the dropsie and hee contended who should first seize each on other and therefore shee being with a mournfull unwillingnesse enforced not onely to take notice but sorrowfully to rest assured and confident of these diasterous premises the infallible predictions and Symptomes of her Sonnes utter ruine and subversion Shee peremptorily and absolutely refuseth his requests answereth his Letters with many sharpe complaints and bitter exclamations against his foule sinne of Drunkennesse which threatens no lesse than the ruine both of his Reputation Friends Learning Fortune and Life if not of his Soule Maurice seeing himselfe wholly abandoned of his Mother he knowes not how to live nor yet how to provide the meanes to maintaine life which not onely surpriseth his thoughts but amazeth and appaleth his cogitations with feare yea hee takes this discourtesie of hers so neare at heart and withall is so extreamly impatient to see himselfe forsaken of her whom hee knowes the Lawes of Nature hath commanded to affect and cherish as forgetting himselfe to bee her Sonne and shee his Mother yea forgetting himselfe to bee a man and which is more a Christian his wants and Vices so farre transport him beyond the bounds of Reason and Religion of Nature and Grace as hee impiously and execrably degenerates from them all and secretly vowes to his heart and soule or to say truer to the Devill who inâ—…hanteth the one and infecteth and intoxicateth the other that hee will speedily send her into another world in a bloudy Coffin if shee will no releeve his wants and maintaine him as her Sonne in this So alas here it is that hee first gives way to the Devill to take possession of his thoughts and heart and here it is that hee first assumes bad bloud and suggests bloudy designes against the safety and life of his deare and innocent Mother When like a miserable wretch and a wretched and impious villaine his thoughts and studies like so many lines running to their centre are now in continuall action and motion how to finish and bring this deplorable Tragicall businesse to an end yea the better to â—…eed this his 〈◊〉 bloudy appetite and to quench the quenchlesse thirst of his Matracidious revenge hee
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
was a crying Sinne which despight of sorcery and of Hell would in Gods due time draw downe vengeance to Earth from Heauen on their Authors That if he were guiltie of his accusation he had no better plea than confession nor safer remedie than repentance That contrition is the true marke of a true Servant of God and though we fall to Nature and sinne as being men yet wee should rise againe to grace and righteousnesse as being Christians That to deny our Crimes is to augment them and consequently their punishments both in Earth and in Hell and that he was not a Christian but an Infidell who would attempt to save his life with the losse of his soule with many other religious exhortations concurring and looking that way But all this notwithstanding Idiaques his Faith and Conscience was yet so strong with Sathan and therefore so weake with God that he left no excuse policy or evasion uninvented to bleare the eyes of these Corigadors and so to make his innocency to passe current with them But his eloquence and asseverations cannot prevaile with the solidity of their Iudgements for God will not suffer them to bee led away with words nor seduced or deluded with shadowes But from the circumference of circumstances they now flie to the centre of truth and to the Authour and giver yea to the life and soule thereof God So they againe adjudge him to the rack for his second accusation of Murther as they formerly had done to him for his first At the pronouncing of which sentence If wee may judge of his heart by his face hee seemed to be much afflicted appaled and daunted which his Iudges perceiving before they expose him to his torments they in Honour to his Age and qualitie but farre more to Truth and Iustice whom they know to be two Daughters of Heaven they now hold it a point of Charity and Piety to send him two Diuines to his prison to worke upon his Conscience and Soule which they doe And God in the depth of his goodnesse and the richnesse of his mercy was so mercifully propitious and indulgent to him that hee added such efficacy to their perswasions and power to their exhortations as at the very sight of the racke hee with teares in his eyes then and there confessed unto them That hee was innocent of Mathurinaes murther but guiltie of poisoning his owne wife the Ladie Honoria for the which he said he most heartily and sorrowfully repented himselfe Whereupon his Iudges and the rest present admiring with wonder and praising God with admiration for the detection of this his foule bloody and lamentable crime they pronounce sentence against him That for expiation thereof hee at eight of the clocke the next morning shall have his head cut off at the place of common execution in that Towne When Idiaques who yet adhered so much to Satâ—…an that hee could never be devested of his mortall sinnes before he were first deprived of his sinfull life doth yet still flatter himselfe with some further hope of life and so hee appeales from the judgement and sentence of this Court of Coimbra to that of Santarem as being native and resident thereof as also because he committed his murther there for which they not his competent Iudges adjudged him to death Whereat although the Corigadors of Coimbra for the preservation of the priviledges of their Court and Towne doe obstinately expose and vehemently contest it yet at last well knowing and being conscious with themselves that smaller Townes and Courts in Portugall are bound and subject to depend of the greater They therefore making a vertue of necessitie and contenting themselves to give way to that which they cannot remedie doe ordaine that Idiaques should bee conveighed and tryed at Santarem But yet before they suffer him to depart their Towne they in honour to Iustice in wisedome to themselves and in reputation to their Towne and Court doe seriously and religiously charge him in the name and feare of God to declare truly to them whether his unburyed Daughter in Law Marsillia were not likewise accessary with him in poysoning his Wife the Lady Honoria which at first he strongly denies to them But then they send away for the two Divines who had formerly dealt with him and his Conscience in Prison who exhort him to carrie a white and candyd soule to Heaven and threaten him with the torments of Hell fire if hee doe not When with sighes and teares he confesseth that to them and that it was hee himselfe who administred that poyson to his wife but that his daughter in Law Marsillia bought it for him So these Iudges upon the validity of this free and solemne confession in detestation of this her lamentable crime doe reverently resolve to second and glorifie God in his Iudgements towards her and therefore they presently condemne her dead body to bee burnt that afternoone in their market street the common place of execution which accordingly is then and there performed in presence of a great concourse of people who infinitly rejoyce that God so miraculously destroyed the life and their Iudges the body of so execrable a female Monster By this time we must allow and imagine that our old Lecher and new murthere Idiaques by vertue of his appeale is brought to his owne City of Santarem and I thinke either with a ridiculous hope or a prophane and impious resolution to see whether God will punish him there with death or the Divell preserve and save him from it Hee hath many friends in this Court who are both great and powerfull and therefore builds all his hopes of life on this reeling quicksand this snow this nothing that his great estate of money and lands will undoubtedly act wonders with them for his pardon But still he hopes because still the divell deceives him He is arrived here at Santarem where this faire Citie which might heretofore have proved his delight and glory is now reserved for his shame and appointed and destined for his confusion They cannot brook the sight much lesse the cohabitation and company of such monsters of nature and divels incarnat of men who glory in making themselves guilty of these soule sinnes and crying crimes Adultery Incesâ—… Murther So that Idiaques who hath made himselfe a principall of this number and a monster of Art in these sinnes thinking here in Santarem to find more mercy and pity during his life shall find lesse of both of them after his death For the criminall Iudges of this Court who reverence and honour Iustice because Iustice doth daily and reciprocally performe the like to them doe confirme the sentence of Coimbra that the next morne he shall lose his head but in detestation and execration of these his foule and bloody crimes they adde this clause and condition thereto that both his head and body shall be afterwards burnt and his ashes throwne into the ayre which gives maatter of talke and admiration not onely to Santarem
husband make great suit to the Iudges that they may for a short time see and speake one with the other but it will not be graunted them When Harcourt being as confident of his owne life as hee was of his wifes death makes secret proffer by some friends of his to the Iudges of all his lands and demaynes to save his wife but they resembling themselves doe so much feare God and reverence and honour the sacred Name of Iustice as they are deafe to his requests The next morning according to her sentence she is brought to the place of her execution but at her earnest and importunate request so early that very few people were present at her death where being ascended the Ladder she there againe cursed the name and execrated the memory of that wretched Villaine Tivoly and wished much prosperity and happinesse to her Husband Harcourt when turning her eye about and seeing a Cosen Germaine of his there present named Monseiur de Pierpont shee cals him to her and is so vaine at this last period as it were of her life as she takes off her glove and bracelet from her right hand and arme and prayes him to deliver it to his Cosin and her Husband Harcourt and to assure him from her that shee dyed his most loving and constant wife which Monseiur Pierponte faithfully promised her to performe then a Subordinate officer of justice being there to see her dye tells her that hee was now commanded by the Iudges his Superiours to tell her that shee being now to leave earth and so ready to ascend into heaven they prayed her in the name and feare of God to declare to all those who were present if her Husband Harcourt yea or no had any hand or were knowing or accessary with her in the poysoning of his first wife La Precoverte and that shee should doe piously and christianly to discover the truth thereof which would undoubtedly tend to Gods glory and the salvation of her owne soule When she solemnely vowed to him and to all the people that her Husband Harcourt never knew nor in thought word or deed was any way accessary knowing or consenting with her or Tivoly in poysoning of his wife and this which shee now spake was the pure truth as she hoped for Heaven And now after a few teares shee most vainely and idely fell praysing and commending of him especially how tenderly and deerely hee loved her with other ridiculous and impertinent speeches tending that way which I hold every way unworthy of my mention and repetition but had not the grace either to looke up to heaven or to God with repentance or the goodnesse to looke downe into her owne heart conscience or soule with contrition and sorrow for all those her foule Adulteries and Murthers Neither to pray to God for her selfe or to request those who were present to pray to God for her And so shee was turned over all wondring and grieving at her bloody crime and therefore some few lamenting or sorrowing for this her infamous death But shee there speakes not a word or the shadow of a word either of her Husband Harcourts pistolling to death of his Brother her first husband Vimory or of her knowledge thereof or consent thereunto Now though Harcourt seemed outwardly very sorrowfull for this shamefull death of his wife Masserina yet hee is inwardly exceeding Ioyfull that her silence at her death of murthering his Brother Vimory hath preserved his life with his reputation and his reputation with his life Whereupon being the same day freed and acquitted by the Iudges of Sens both of his pretended cryme as also of his imprisonment Hee composing his countenance equally betwixt joy and sorrow returnes to his house of Saint Symplician where now thinking himselfe absolutely discharged and cleered of all these his former Adulteries as also of his late cruell murthering of his Brother Hee within two or at most within three moneths after his wife Masserinaes Execution casts of his mourning apparell which he wore for her death and neither thinking of his soule or his conscience or of heaven or hell he â—…antes and froliques it out in brave apparell and because hee is now fortunately arrived to bee chiefe Lord and master of a great Estate both in Lands and money therefore hee thinkes it not his pride but his glory and not his vanity but his generosity to dight and put himselfe now into farre richer apparell then ever formerly hee had done whereof all the Gentlemen his neighbours yea all the Citty of Sens with no little wonder tooke especiall notice therof Yea hee is so farre from once dreaming or thinking either of his murthering of his Brother Vimorye or of the deplorable and untimely ends of his two wives as with much vanity and with farre more haste then discretion or consideration he now speedilyresolves to take and marry a third But his hopes will deceive them because God in his sacred Iustice and Iudgements will deceive his hopes For when he thinkes himselfe secure and safe not onely from the danger but likewise from the suspition of any fatall or disasterous accident which can possibly befall him then the triumphant power of Gods revenge will both suddenly and soundly surprise him His honest man Noell with an observant eye and a Conscionable and sorrowfull heart hath heard of La Precovertes poysoning and of Vimories pistolling to death and hath likewise seene the hanging both of Tivoly and of his last Mistris Masserina In all which severall accidents as one way hee wondereth at the malice of Sathan So another way hee cannot but infinitely admire and applaud the just judgements of the Lords Hee likewise knowes what his Master Harcourt is to him and hee to his master and in the time of his service and attendance under him what different and severall passages of businesse and secrets have past betweene them Hee hath remarked farre more vices then vertues in his Master whereat hee much grieveth but hee was infinitely more enforced then desirous either to see or know them and this againe doth exceedingly rejoyce him Hee well knowes that fidelity is the glory of a servant and yet it is a continuall sensible griefe to his heart and vexation to his soule to see that his Master serves God no better Hee doth not desire to know things which concerne his said Master whereof hee is ignorant but doth wish and pray to God that he were ignorant of many things which hee knowes and of more which he feares and being very often perplexed in his minde with the reluctation of these different causes and their as different effects Hee cannot but in the end satisfie himselfe with this resolution That as Harcourt is his Earthly Master so God is his Heavenly Master But here betides an unexpected and unwished Accident to this Noell which will speedily try of what temper and mettall both himselfe his heart his conscience and his soule is made and what infinite
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
hackney coach speedily flying to Putzeole to her aunt Mellefunta for protection and Sanctuary so these fierce and mercilesse sergeants doe presently divert and alter their course yea they furiously and suddainely rush upon them apprehend and constitute them close prisoners in the common goale of thaâ—… cittie placing them in two severall chambers to the end they should not prattle or tell tales each to other where they shall finde more leasure than time both to remember what they have done and likewise to know what hereafter they must doe Whiles thus all Naples generally resound and talke of this mournfull fact and deplorable accident and Seignior Placedo particularly grieves at these his daughters unexpected crosses and calamities as also of those of his coachman Sebastiano the which hee feares hee can far sooner lament than remedy our sorrowfull widdow Bertranna with the assistance of her father De Tores gives her husband the Baron of Sanctifiore a solemne and stately buriall in the Fueillantes Church of Naples correspondant to his noble degree and qualitie And then within two daies after at her earnest and passionate solicitation to the judges Vrsina and her coachman Sebastiano are severally convented before them in their chiefe Forum or tribunall of justice and there strongly accused by her and charged to bee the authors and actors of this cruell murther committed on the person of the Baron of Sanctifiore her husband the which both of them doe stoutly deny with much vehemency and confidence and when the little boy Bartholomeo is face to face called into the court to give in evidence against them hee there maintaines to the judges what hee had formerly deposed to them in the fields but saies hee thinks not that this Lady was that frier nor can hee truly say that this was the coachman who carried him although when his cloake was shewed him hee could not deny but it was verie like it but Bertranna having now secretly intimated and made knowen to the judges all the passages that had formerly past betweene Vrsina and her husband Sanctifiore as his getting of her with child and then contrarie to his promise refusing to marry her they doe therefore more than halfe beleeve that it was her discontent which drew her to this choler her choler to this revenge and her revenge to this murthering of him as also that in favour of some gold shee had likewise seduced and drawen her coachman Sebastiano to bee consenting and accessary herein with her whereupon the next day they will begin with him and so they adjudge him to the racke the torments whereof hee endures with a wonderfull fortitude and patience so that remembring his oath of secrecy to his Lady Vrsina hee cannot thereby bee drawen to confesse any thing but denies all whereof shee having secret notice doth not a little rejoyce and insult thereat now the very next ensueing morning Vrsina her selfe is likewise adjudged and exposed to the racke the wrenches and torments whereof as soone as shee sensibly feeles God proves then so propitious and mercifull to her soule that her dainty body and tender limbes cannot possibly endure or suffer it but then and there shee to her judges and tormentors confesseth herselfe to bee the sole author and actor of pistolling to death the Baron of Sanctifiore in the same manner and forme as wee have already understood in all its circumstances but in her heart and soule shee strongly affirmes to them that her coachman Sebastiano was not accessary with her herein upon which apparent and palpable confession of hers her judges in honour to sacred justice and for expiation of this her foule crime doe pronounce sentence of death against her that shee shall the next morning bee hanged at the place of common execution notwithstanding all the power and teares of her father and kinsfolkes to the contrary So she is returned to her prison where her father not being permitted to see her that night sends her two Nuns and two friers to prepare and direct her soule for heaven whom in a little time through Gods great mercy and their owne pious perswasions they found to bee wounderfull humble repentant and sorrowfull She privately sends word to her coachman Sebastiano that shee is thankfull to him for his respect and fidelity to her on the racke and wills him to bee assured and confident that shee being to die to morow her speech at her death shall no way prejudice but strongly confirme the safety and preservation of his life Thus grieving far more at the foulnes of her crime than at the infamy and severity of her punishment shee spends most part of the night and the first part of the morning in godly praiers and religious meditations and ejaculations when although her sorrowfull old father Seignior Placedo by his noble kinsman the Prince of Salerno made offer to the Viceroy the Duke of ossuna the free gift of all his lands to save this his daughters life yet the strong solicitation of the first and the great proffer of the last proved vaine and fruitlesse for they found it wholly impossible to obtaine it So about ten of the clocke in the morning our sorrowfull Vrsina is betweene two Nuns brought to her execution clad in a blacke wrought velvet gowne a greene sattin petticoate agreat laced ruffe her head dressed up with tuffes and roses of greene ribbon with some artificiall flowers all covered over with a white ciffres vaile and a paire of plaine white gloves on her hands when ascending the ladder shee to the great confluence of people who came thither to see her take her last farwell of this life and this world with a mournfull countenance and low voice delivered them this sorrowfull and religious speech Good people I want words to expresse the griefe of my heart and the anxiety and sorrow of my soule for imbruing my hands in the innocent blood and death of the Baron of Sanctifiore although not to dissemble but to confesse the pure truth hee betraied his promise to mee of marriage and mee of my honour and chastity without it whereof I beseech Almighty God that all men of what degree or qualitie soever may hereafter bee warned by his example and all Ladies and gentlewomen deterred and terrified by mine I doe likewise here confesse to heaven and earth to God and his Angells and to you all who are here present that I alone was both the author and actor of this foule murther and that my coachman Sebastiano is no way consenting or accessary with mee herein and that albeit I once promised and proffered him a hundred double pistolls of Spanish gold to performe it yet hee honestly and religiously refused both me and it and strongly and pathetically disswaded me from it whose good and wholesome councell I now wish to God from the depth and center of my soule I had then followed for then I had lived as happie as now I die miserable And because it is now no
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
opinion to seize on their ship which is at anchor in the Roade termed the Realto of Venice a name I thinke derived and taken from the marchants Exchange of that ciâ—…ty tearmed the Realto or else from the Realto Bridge which for one Arche is doubtlesse the rarest fairest and richest Bridge of the world which ship was of some three hundred Tonnes and bore some twenty peeces of Ordinance and then presently after to seize on themselves in their Lodging But upon more mature deliberation they resolve to abandon this their opinion and so to seize on their persons but not to arrest or make stay of their Ship and although their reale to justice and hast for their apprehension be very great yet Mercario out of his respects to Imperia and affection to Marosini tripped on through the by Streetes and neerest way to the Key so swiftly as hee had allready secretly related him and his two consorts the sorrowfull newes which Imperia sent them by him Whereat with feare in their hearts and courages and amazement in their lookes and countenances they all three leape from their beds to their swords discharge their Inne packe up their Truncks and bagage and resolve with all possible speed to flie to their ship and then if not with yet against the windes to put into Sea and for their safetie to leave Ancona and saile for Venice But yet here Morosini's heart is perplexed with a thousand Torments to understand of his Imperia's eminent and apparant danger and with many Hels in stead of one to see that hee must now thus sodainly leave her deere sight and company which hee every way esteemes no lesse then either his earthly felicity or his Heaven upon earth But here againe violently called away by the importunate cries of Astonicus and Donato and yet farre more by the consideration of his owne proper feare and danger Mercario is no sooner stollen away from them but they all three with their swords drawne rush downe the stayres with equall intents and resolution to exchange their Inne for their Ship and thereby to metamorphose their danger into security But they shall see that these weake and reeling hopes of theirs will now deceive them For they finde all doores of their Inne lockt within â—…ide and surrounded and beleagured without with many armed Serjeants Soldiours and Citizens for their apprehension And although Morosini Astonicus and Donato were so inflamed with their youthful bloud and courage as they were once generously resolved to sell their lives deerely and with their Pistolls and Swords to prefer an honourable to an infamous death yet being farre overmastered with numbers and therefore enforced to take a Law of the stronger Whereunto they the sooner hearken and consent in regard the Serjeants and officers doe politickly cry out to them and pray them to yeeld as affirming that to their knowledg their resolution and feare doth far exceed the danger of their offences They make a vertue of necessity and unlocking the doores of their In and chambers do cheerfully yeeld up their persons pistolls and swords to the Popes Officers of Iustice who as soone conveigh them all three to the common prison of that Citty which was the same wherein our not so sorrowfull as unfortunate Imperia was already entred and where to her unexpressible griefe and Morosini's unparalel'd affliction disconsolation such exact charge was given of the Podestate and such curiousheed observed and taken of the Goaler that he could not possibly be permitted either to see or speak with her or she with him the which indeed they conceived to be farre more sharp than their crime and infinitly more bitter than the consideration either of their feare or danger Now the newes of these lamentable Accidents being speedily posted from Ancona to Loretto our Imperia's cruell Father Bondino no sooner is ascertained thereof But seeing his sonne in law Palmerius murthered in his bed and his wife and his own only daughter Imperia with her Ruffian Morosini and his two consorts to be imprisoned as the Authors and actors thereof hee for the love hee bore to her life and the tender pitty and sorrow hee felt of the infamy of her approaching death sodainly falls sicke and dies Wherof his imprisoned Daughter Imperia understanding shee in regard of his former severity towards her is so much passionate and so little compassionate as shee rather rejoyceth than lamenteth at it Onely shee prayes God to forgive his soule of that crueltie of his in enforcing her to marry Palmerius which shee knowes to bee the the originall cause and fatall cloud from whence have proceeded alâ—… these dismall stormes of affliction and tempests of untimely death which shee feares must very shortly befall both her selfe and her second selfe Morosini Whiles thus Astonicus and Donato grieve at their hard fortune and danger and Morosini and Imperia doe reciprocally more lament and sorrow for their separation then for their imprisonment and that the Podestate and other officers of Iustice of Ancona are resolved first to informe the Pope and then to expect his holinesse pleasure for the arraignment and punishment of these foure prisoners it pleased God exceedingly to visit the towne of Loretto and especially the Cittie of Ancona with the Plague wherof many thousands in a few moneths were swept away so by speciall commission and order from Rome they in company of divers other Prisoners are conveyed to the citty of Polegnio two small dayes journey from Ancona and there to be arraigned and tried upon their lives and deaths At which time as they past by the old little Citie of Tolentino where I then in my intended travells towards Rome lay upon my recovery of a burning feaver When I say the nature of their crimes and the quality of their persons made my curiosity so ambitious as to see and obserue them in their severall chambers of the Inne where they that night lay which was at the signe of the Popes armes as for Astonicus and Donato I found them to be rather sad than merry Morosini to be farre more merry then wise and Imperia to bee infinitly more faire than fortunate and all of them to bee lesse sorrowfull for their affliction and danger than for the cause thereof Within three houres of their arrivall to Foligâ—…io they are all foure convented before the two criminall Judges who are purposly sent from Rome thither and are there and then severally charged with this foule murther of stifling to death the old Signior Palmerius in his bed which all and every one of them apart doe stifly deny Notwithstanding that Fundt the hoast and Richardo the Nephew give in evidence of strong presumption against them and also notwithstanding of Morosini's gloves and Bondino's letter written to his Sonne in law Palmerius and delivered by Herbas as we have formerly understood But these two grave and prudent Iudges yet strongly suspecting the contrary they will not be deluded with the airy words and
sugred speeches and protestations of their pretended innocency but consult between themselves what here to resolve on for the vindication of this truth So at last they hold it expedient and requisite first to expose Astonicus to the torments of the Racke the which hee being a strong and robustuous man hee endureth with a firme resolution and constancy every way above himselfe and almost beyond beliefe and still confesseth nothing but his innocency and ignorance of this deplorable fact whereof the Judges resting not yet satisfied they within an houre after adjudge Donato to the tortures of the Scarpines who being a little timbred man of a pale complexion and weake constitution of body his right foote no sooner feeles the unsufferable fury of the fire and his tormentors then confidently promising him all desired favour from his Iudges if hee will confesse the truth but after some sorrowfull teares and pittifull cries hee fully and amply doth and in the same manner and forme as in all its circumstances we have formerly understood The which when the Iudges heare of they cannot refraine first from admiring and wondering there at and then from lamenting that personages of their ranke and quality should bee the Authors and Actors of so foule and lamentable a murther especially of this faire Gentlewoman Imperia to her owne good old husband Palmerius Now by this time also are Morosini Imperia and Astonicus acquainted with this fatall confession and accusation of Donato against them for this murther wherat they do infinitely lament grieve because they are therby perfectly assured that it hath infallibly made them all three liable and obnoxious to death as also for that their supposed firme friend Donato proved himself so false a man and so true a coward to be the cause therof wherin they so much forget themselves as they doe not once thinke and they will not therefore remember that the detection of this their foule murther proceeded immediatly from Heaven and originally from the providence and justice of the Lord of Hostes. The very same after noone the Iudges send for Morosini Imperia and Astonicus to appeare before them in their publike tribunall of Iustice where they first acquaint and charge them with Donatos confession and accusation against them for murthering of Palmerius whereat they are so farre from being any way dismayed ordanted as they all doe deny and reâ—…ell his accusation and so in high tearmes doe stand upon their innocency and iustification But when they see Donato brought into the court in a chaire for his fiery torments of the Scarpines had so cruelly scorched and pittifully burnt away the flesh of the sole of his right foote almost to the bone that he was wholly vnable either to goe or stand and that they were to be confronted face to face with him as also they being also hotly terrified and threatned by the iudges with the torments of the Racke and Scarpines then God was so gratious to their hearts and so mercifull to their soules that they looking mournefully each at other shee weeping and they sighing and all of them dispairing of life and too perfectly assured of death they all confesse the whole truth of this foule fact of theirs and so confirme as much as Donato had formerly affirmed of this their bloody crime of murthering Palâ—…rius in his bed when one of these two reverend and grave Iudges immediately thereupon doe condemne them all foure to be hanged the next morning at the common place of execution of that cittie although Donato because of his confession hereof in vaine flattered himselfe that he should receive a pardon for his life So they are all sent backe to their prison from whence they came where all the courtesie which the importunate requests of Morosini and the incessant sighes and teares of Impreia an obtaine of their Iudges is that they grant them an houre of time to see converse and speak one with the other that night in prison in presence of their Goalers and some other persons before they dye When Morosini being guided towards her chamber such is the weakenesse of his religion towards God and the fervency or rather the exorbitancy of his affection towards her that as he passeth from chamber to chamber he is so far from once thinking much lesse fearing of death as he absolutely beleeves he is going to a Victory and a triumph here Moroâ—…ni with a world of sighes throwes himself into his Imperia's neck brest and here Imperia with a whole deluge of teares embraceth and encloystereth her â—…orosini in her armes when after a thousand kisses they beg pardon one of another or being the essentiall and actuall cause each of others death and doe enterchangeably both kisse and speake sometimes privately and most times publikely before the spectators that if those reports be true which I first heard therof in Tolentino next in Folignio and lastlâ—… in Rome I say to depaint and represent it at life in all its circumstances I should then begin a second history when I am now on the very point and period to end the first neither in my conceit is it a taske either proper for me to undertake or pertinent for my pen to performe because to speak freely and ingeniously I hold the grant and permission of this their amorous visit enterview in prison before they dye to be every way more worthie of the pittie than of the gravity or piety of their Iudges If therefore I doe not content the curiositie I yet hope I shall satisfie the judgement of my Christian Reader here briefly to signifie this their limited houre is no sooner past but to the sharpe affliction of Morosini the bitter anxiety of Imperia they by their Goalers are separated and confined to their severall chambers where by the charity of their Iudges they finde two Friers and two Nuns attending them to prepare their soules for Heaven and in a lesse vaine and a more serious and religious conference to entertaine both their time and themselves from an Earthly to the speculation and contemplation of a divine and heavenly love as also from them to Astonicus and Donato But before I proceed farther Wee must understand that the two Fryers have not been with Morosini and the two Nuns with Imperia above an houre But by the two Iudges there is a cheife subordinate Officers of theirs sent to prison to tel Imperia that her Uncle Seignior Alexandro Bondino a great Senator and famous Iudge of Rome hath obtained her pardon of this present Pope Vrban the eighth But shee is not of glad of this newes as shee is then curious to enquire if her Morosini bee likewise pardoned so the Officer tells her no and that hee absolutely must suffer death then shee weepes farre faster than shee rejoyceth and affirmes that shee will not live but dye The Iudges send for her and perswade her to live but she begges them as importunarely to give Morosini his life as