how he managed it they could not be perswaded from giving his Holiness a view of him In this Equipage therefore they conducted him to the Popes Palace It was a pretty piece of Grotesque to see this famous Fraticel who never shew himself in publick but in Sackcloth and his head covered with Ashes traversing the Grand Piazza in Rome in this Metrmorphosis Those which carried him along took delight in manifesting his shame by not suffering him to hid his face and the people which past by seeing the Beard of a Monk peep out of an old Womans Coife Is this the new Apostle cryed one who boasted that he practised Christiantity in perfection Do you see that Hypocrite says another who plays the Anchoret all day and goes the Rounds at night in Mascarade to play the amorous Gallant I always thought said one who pretended to be a man of understanding there was nothing but ostentation and outside in the piety of these Fryars Forbear your Judgment replied another more easie of belief perhaps it is upon some charitable instigation he hath taken up this Habit and these kind of Conjectures and Ejaculations accompanied the poor Fryar to the Tribunal where he was no sooner arrived and examined but he was convict and condemned of most horrid impieties he was delivered over to Execution four days after he was apprehended the Sect of the Fraticelles declared Hereticks all their Followers excommunicated and Herman the happy Herman as they styled him was by his Holinesses Decree dig'd up out of his Grave and his bones publickly burnt This Act of Justice pleased Hortensia and Anthony very well but it was not so grateful to all the rest of the World Those who were of the Faction of the Fraticelles gave relief to a great number of those kind of Libertines who would have fallen from excess into necessity if vice and vicious people should have been utterly extermined Some of this sort of debaucht persons preserved a good Party of the Fraticelles and conveyed them to Lyons where they remained during the disorders in the Church and from this infected Fountain it is perhaps such Torrents of Bigotteries and Phanaticisms do flow all the World over The Libertines joyned themselves to their fellow-Libertines The Penitents who had been really abused were glad to be brought out of their Errours and were converted in carnest in which number the innocent Valantina was one But such as pretended to believe that they might have a pretence to feed were much troubled at the destruction of the Fraticelles and some of this sort of Fellow-sufferers it must be who took care to provide Fryar Conrard with an Epitaph which with much ado we have recovered and could not possibly be composed but by some of them EPITAPH HEre rests a man who one may say Ne're rested till his dying day And whether now or no be rest I cannot tell 't is he knows best Whilst he was here in parts outvied And Love-tricks the whole World beside Ten Husbands in one night would be Ease of their Nuptial Drudgery Which is so much I fear none can Or will believe there rests a man THE ANNALS OF LOVE THE FOURTH PART DEbauchery is an infernal seed so marvellously fruitful One dissolute Example produces a thousand and whereas Vertue makes its Conquests upon Vice by degrees and that with much labour and patience Vice over-runs Vertue like a Torrent The Sect of the Fraticelles appeared at first like the effect of an Inchantment It s progress imitated the suddenness of its beginning and dilated so fast the continued care of five of Bonifaces Successors were scarce sufficient to extinguish it In imitation of the Fraticelles every man set up one Sect or other after his own Mode But amongst all of them no one carried it so far as Dulcinus King of the Lombards an ingenious Prince and fertile in all witty Experiments This Prince lived twelve or fifteen years after the Condemnation of the Fraticelles the Ecclesiastical State was at that time infested with Wars and those Wars hindred his Holinesses inspection into Foreign disorders The Seat of the Wars having lain so long upon Lombardy it was so exceedingly depopulated that it took up all Dulcinus his care to repeople it He publisht his Decrees forbidding all persons upon pain of death to live Bachelors past the age of fourteen He contributed out of his own Estate towards Marriages that were unequal He granted great Priviledges to Foreigners to inveigle them thither but Margaret his Wife called in History the Volupuous perceiving this new way of repeopling his Country did withal diminish her Husbands Revenue she bethought her self of a way as effectual and not so pernicious to the Soveraign She advised Dulcinus to grant a general permission to his Subjects to change Husbands and Wives as they should think it convenient The advice was judged to be good and put in Execution immediately and the Prince being much pleased with the invention of the Princess not only exhibited an Edict of Divorce as she had counselled him but promised Sanctuary and Protection to all Strangers which made use of that Priviledge This Declaration being rumour'd in all the Kingdoms of Enrope there was nothing to be seen but Navies of people of all Sexes from all Nations coming in daily to establish themselves in Lombardy and enjoy the Liberty of that Country insomuch that in a short time there wanted Corn for the Inhabitants though of it self it is one of the most fertile Countries in the World And it being part of the Policy of a Soveraign to give Example in the things he commands the Prince and Princess were the first which began themselves to reduce into practice what they had preacht to other people Being prudent and just they desired to know how their Subjects would chuse and upon what grounds they would change and therefore they made themselves Judges to examine all such as demanded Liberty of Divorce Dulcinus he interrogated the men about the Complaints they made against their Wives that he might learn by them inclinations of her whom he designed to take in the place of his own Wife and Margaret having the same project in her brains in the Examination of the Women she would needs be commissioned to hear their Objections Dulcinus was not a little troubled to determine as to the Accusations of the Husbands He found all of them had so much reason of their sides and told their stories so smooth he could not but suspect the sincerity of their Informations he thought it impossible there should have been so many ill Wives in the whole World as he found in his Muster-rolls and thinking his own Wife more tolerable than other peoples though she was not without her faults he concluded he should be forced to stick to his first Wedding how strong soever his desire was to a seconde Those which were handsom were either wanton or proud the ill-favour'd were jealous the witty imperious and perverse the sober
Coverlet as if she had been but fifteen and her vertue in the greatest danger imaginable Alphonso excused himself told her he was a Stranger who knew not whither the stairs would carry him beg'd her pardon for surprising her in that condition and desired her to inform him if she could where the Count d' Atrevalo had got the Picture which hung in a Chamber hard by Is it Feliciana's Picture you mean said the old Woman with her head in the Bed all the while Yes replied Alphonso 't is she I speak of Don Fernand that Governours Nephew replied the old Woman caused it to be drawn by the life And where is that Lady cryed Alphonso in haste The Governess was much offended with Feliciana's escape she found her imployment very good could not pardon the African for making it cease and the disgusts of such kind of persons go seldom without a touch of ill language She is rambling about the World said the malicious old Woman she was two months together in this House where the Cont d' Atrevalo caused her to be treated as she had been the best Lady in Castille but not being willing to be restrained and as it seems not accustomed to be contented with one Servant she got away this very night out of her Chamber Window by the fidelity of a Bed-cord I am damned if jealous Don Fernand had not a hand in it I observed kibg since there was a kindness betwixt them and when she sate for her Picture I durst have sworn by their gloating the poor Count would be betrayed The old Matron had scarce finisht these words but two or three of her other Women hearing a noise from the next Chamber where they were came in to see what was the matter They no sooner cast their eyes upon Alphonso but they took him for Feliciana one could not forbear expressing her joy to see her returned another upbraided her by the fright into which she had been put Alphonso perceived their mistake and told them they took him for another person but they observing him to be preparing to be gone and not being able to believe but this was Feliciana they threw themselves upon him cryed out for more help and in short seized upon him in spight of all his protestations that he was none of Feliciana Whilst these things were in transaction the Count d' Atrevalo arrived he had been told of Feliciana's escape by the first he met and understanding afterwards what had passed in the Governesses Chamber he repaired thither with all speed to see what was the matter Which way have I disobliged you Feliciana said he to Alphonso whom he took at first for his African what have I done that should cause you to disguise your self to escape from me I love you I confess Feliciana but I appeal to your self whether that passion had ever any effects that might constrain you to this Metamorphosis Submissive Representations have hitherto been to only Interpreters of my Heart I have not left you any thing to suspect me of that was unworthy I have required nothing of you but what was lawful I have kept you two months together in my House without abusing my power and you have restrained my affections t the severe bounds of Civility why then Feliciana do you flye from me or what one thing have I done to disoblige you Had it not been for the Conference he had had with the old Governess this Discourse coming out of the Rivals own mouth would have amply resolved his suspicions but it was not now the Count he was jealous of so much as Don Fernand. I am not she you take me for Sir said he to the Count I know my resemblance is great enough to authorize your mistake but though Nature hath created that resemblance in our faces Heaven hath formed our mind of different Constitutions hers is as disloyal as mine is faithful and the perjury of which she is guilty betrays me with as much ingratitude as I am charged with for not betraying of her The Count having had leisure whilst Alphonso was speaking to examine him more strictly discerned some difference betwixt him and his African His stature was the larger of the two his Features more remarkable and he perceived some glimmerings of a beard he began to think it must be Alphonso and therefore looking upon him now rather as his Rival than his Mistress he caused him to be shut up close sent to give notice to old Cueva of his detention and swore he would dye but he would make young Ribiero marry Hypolita In the mean time Feliciana was making her escape not knowing whither she was going nor in what place she could find any protection She durst not continue in Castille she could not resolve to go back into Barbary much less would she go to the place where she had appointed Don Fernand to meet her She took the right hand way where she had promised to take the left and the left where she was to have taken the right and being equally fearful of losing and not losing her way she marcht on in a most unutterable perplexity It is not to be questioned whether she made use of any imprecations against the ingrateful person had run her upon these difficulties whether she resolved to hate his person as much as she detested his infidelity and whether in repenting she had loved him she did not resolve to love him no longer all these confusions were the common effects of jealousie and anger and never was Lover in Feliciana's condition but was sensible of them Being in the highest of these sorrowful reflections and entred into a Wood she knew not which was the way out of she was in great danger of passing not only the rest of the day but the whole night in that solitude when by accident she met with a Cavaliere who having lookt wishly upon her once or twice made up to her with design to accost her The poor Feliciana was so prepossest with fear that forgetting her Disguise she apprehended this Gallant would prove some new Amouroso and clapt Spurs to her Horse to escape him if she could But the Cavalier crying out after her Hold Seigneur Alphouso 't is your most faithful Mandoce she recollected her self and became so curious as to look back She resolved to make advantage of this accident and replied I did not know you indeed as I was passing but well how does the fair Hypolita Hypolita Sir said Mandoce would not receive your Letter she told me you were a Traitor and that she abhorred your very Name that she would not prosecute your death that she was so generous as to rejoyce that you were safe but that you should not presume for the future to abuse her integrity unless you desired to provoke her fury again I intreated her to explain her Discourse and assured her I knew nothing of it but my ignorance was taken for an artifice and she threatned to have me
vehemence he supposed very prudently he had some private reasons for what he did and being unwilling to contradict a Person of his Authority he replied very coolly I have not seen Sir all the persons whose Pictures I have with me some of them are Copies as Adelaid and Elvira who are both of them dead others were taken by some of my Companions who have assisted me in satisfying the impatience of my Master But for those I have done my self I dare assure his Majesty I have added nothing to the life This prudent and judicious answer one would have thought might have eased the Count of his trouble but the King was so surprised with the contemplation of Alfreda's Picture that he took no notice of what had been said What says he in great transportation is it possible but the features of this face must make the handsomest Woman in the World Tell me Ethelwold and tell me ingenuously has your Wife these Eyes this Mouth this Nose and in short this Tour or mould of her Face Yes Sir replied Ethelwold much distracted with those kind of questions she has all of them and if your Majesty be pleased to recollect you may remember that in the description I have of her I told you that never an ugly Woman was so well provided to be handsom and that all the features in her Face were excellent but they are not so well laid and connected in her Face as in the Picture The Majestick and vigorous Air you behold is but the fancy and strong imagination of the Painter and not at all visible in the life I will see this Prodigy replied the King with some eagerness For if Alfreda has all these lineaments as his Pencil has represented and be ill-favour'd notwithstanding she is in my judgment the greatest Miracle in the World This Proposition of Edgars made both Ethelwold and Wilfred tremble and though Ethelwold did his utmost to constrain himself and answered the King as if he had bin nothing concerned that his Wife would be much honoured with such a Visit yet nothing is more certain than that he turned every stone that might divert his resolution He admonisht Wilfred to contribute what she could he counterfeited Letters that Devon was visited with the Plague and when he had done opened them in the presence of the King he bribed all the Physicians to oppose themselves against his Journey but all to no purpose The Picture of Alfreda had inspired so fierce a Curiosity in the breast of the King that no danger nor dissiculty could withstand it he appointed a Hunting-match at a Country-house he had about a days journey from Devon and resolved to see the Countess the next day All the Count could obtain was the liberty to go two or three hours before to give the Duke notice of his coming There is no difficurty to conceive how his thing It s were imployed all the while he was upon the Koad His Ambition and his Love divided them equally When he considered the crime he had committed against his Majesty in betraying his confidence and the inevitable danger he was in of being discovered he believed he could do no less than to deliver up his Wife with his own hands to the King and to try how far that would work for his pardon On the other side when he remembred her endued with all the Beauties which were capable to adorn her he resolved to dye a thousand deaths rather than to see her in the possession of another and this last resolution being fortified with the sight of her he used all his Rhetorick to perswade her to counterfeit her self ill and conceal her self from the King But good God! to whom was it he addrest himself Alfreda would have purchased that sight he prohibited with the loss of her life She told him that the humour of concealing her self from the Kings curiosity would but aggravate and augment it that be being King and she his Subject he would see her some time or other is he had made it his resolution that the best way was to appear cheerfully seeing there was no possibility to avoid it These Arguments made the poor Count almost desperate but considering there was reason in what she said and that the King if he saw her not that day would be sure of her another seeing she consented her self he cryed Well then see him if you please see the most curious Monarch in the World he is our Master he will see you and I know very well you are pleased with his resolution but let me desire one thing of you dear Alfreda not to make the best of your Beauty nor exhibit to his Eyes all the Charms with which it is in your power to attaque him let me beg of you at least to be ill drest negligent to speak little and what you do as far as you can from the purpose Alfreda made the same use of his Doctrine as a witty Woman would do she knew by his directions how to displease the King what course she was to steer to give him satisfaction MAXIME II. No you 'r deceived when you suppose Your Wives mill part with Whisk or Cloaths Or paint to purchase your repose If their obedience you design Bid them be proud unconstant fine Their dutiful my life for thine But but confine them though to th' Court The Law of Nature will exsert And God knows what becomes o th' Fort. Whatever he injoyned her Alfreda did clear contrary never was she so handsom nor never so well drest The King went away strangely enamoured he admired and loved her already at his very soul her Wit her Air and every thing took him insomuch that not being able to conceal his resentment of the Counts infidelity he had certainly clapt him in Prison had not the apprehension of displeasing his Wife restrained him It is not to be askt whether Alfreda came to Court after this Visit Edgar found her too handsom to suffer her to languish in the solitudes of the Country He conferred great Offices and Preferments upon the Duke to bring him nearer with his Daughter The Duke came and his fair Daughter along with him Ethelwold forbid his Wife coming near London but to no purpose she had too great a Protector to apprehend any revenge he could design his best play was patience But such kind or usage being troublesom to such Husbands as have more the ordinary affection of their Wives the poor Count took his misfortunes so deeply it would have been charity to have knockt him on the head In a short time he dyed of Melancholy and the love of Edgar being no longer restrained by the presence of Ethelwold it ran up to so high a degree that no less than the Throne of Great Britain was able to circumscribe it and indeed it was not long before Alfreda was advanced to it in spight of all arifices to the contrary the fury her Ambition exercised in so eminent a place makes
were melancholy and in short not a Woman but had some quality or other inconsistent with the sweetness of Society He considered not that none were accused before him but such as were defective and that those Husbands which were contented with their Wives never came near him for the benefit of his Proclamation Margaret was not in such trouble with her Jurisdiction whether she was less difficult to please or that Dulcinus his qualities were so indifferent every one she met with had better But the Princess found sufficient grounds for all the men to plead the Priviledge though the Prince was resolved to keep her He loved a new Wife better than an old one but he found Margaret much better than the rest The first Woman which was brought before the Princess was a lively brown Lass a good presence and a sprightly countenance her habit was neat and well contrived her actions pleasant and easily discerned to be done one purpose to please You may pass Mistress says Margaret as soon as she saw her there is no necessity of examining you to know your Complaint You would have a Gallant and your Husband will not suffer you you have reason indeed to change Husbands of that humour are troublesom and you ought not to be contented till you meet with one will allow you that liberty Alas Madam replied the good Woman my Husband is none of those and if I had though one must have had occasion of Complaint against their Husband before she could enjoy the Priviledge of changing I should scarce have troubled your Majesty or your Kingdom at this time My Husband loves me he is young and handsom not jealous in the least and I have what Jewels and fine Cloaths I will ask Why then will you be changing replied Margaret in a huff for the bare pleasure of changing Madam replied the Woman do not think it an inconsiderable thing to break a Chain that must otherwise hold me as long as I live did you never observe the greatest Epicures and those which are used to the most delicate dishes how they will tower and plume themselves over a Ragoust of Beef In earnest replied Margaret I see we are not all Sots of our Sex I did not believe the Capricio of Change could have been carried so far after which the Princess of Lombardy decreed that this Woman should be placed at the head of the discontented Wives and that she should have her choice of all the men which should happen to be divorced From this Examination she proceeded to a second This was a pale faint languishing Creature whose negligence in her March proclaimed her naturally lazy What complaint do you bring against your Husband said Margaret to her Madam replied poor Pale-face he loves me too much he is always kissing and caressing me and I can never be at quiet O cryed Margaret take away this Woman from the rest or she will be of very ill Example and then setting down her Husbands name in her Table-book she would have sworn he was the man with whom she was her self to put her new Law of Divorce in Execution She had scarce set led her self in that resolution but in comes a third discontent the passion in whose face made her conclude her Complaint would be quite contrary to the former What you are jealous I warrant you said the Princess to her and you must be discharged of your Husband for his Courtship to other Women I wish Madam with all my heart quoth the good Woman your Majesty had been a Prophet I should not have been so miserable as I am there is nothing in my Judgment so convenient as to have such a one for ones Husband he is always neat and perfumed he is always abroad and his fear lest we should pry too far into his affairs obliges him to leave the conduct of ours to our selves But alas Madam mine is not so well disposed he never stirs from home but at Christmas Easter or Whitsontide and judging of my temper by his own he never suffers me one step out of doors but when he is my Gentleman-Usher This good Wife had liberty to change her Husband immediately This being adjudged one of the most lawful Causes of Divorce that could be alledged Margaret continuing her Office a Woman crowded up into the soremost Rank the subject of whose Complaint was very new and odd Her Husband would by all means have her in Love with some body else and the poor Woman could not be perswaded It is then because the Gallant your Husband proposed to you does not please you cryed Margaret No Madam not so replied the Woman for he gives me my choice He tells me honest Women are such Dragons in a house that if I do but rid my self of that good quality he cares not who it be that destroys it And I must confess Madam my honesty makes me a little fierce sometimes Honour is a Jewel and when a Woman can once say she fears no body she is seldom to be vanquisht in domestick Disputes My Husband tells me therefore he would have me like other Women and that a Woman is more tractable and complacent when she hath an amorous Intrigue in her head But Madam I had rather dye a thousand deaths than gratifie him in that my honour is my life I will do nothing shall intrench upon that and I will sooner renounce my Marriage than the Priviledge of speaking loud in my own house as all honest Women may do Margaret lookt upon this Woman as mad and made signs to have her taken away without vouchsafing her an Answer and she had reason to dispatch with her as fast as she could for she had another attended with so much to say that her very story concluded that Audience It was a French Woman originally of Languedoc but so handsom and charming the Princess her self could not look upon her without admiration How is it possible said she any man living should desire to part with you The Stranger returned her no Answer to that but told her her accusation consisted of so many heads she humbly beg'd leave to recite her whole story She was not a person to be denied any thing Margaret therefore complied with her Request and the unknown Lady returning thanks for that favour began her discourse in Italian which she spake as it had been her Mother-tongue in this following manner The History of Nogaret and Mariana I Do not well know where I am to begin the Description of the Knight and the Lady which is the usual beginning of all such Narrations is improper for me in respect your Highness hath me here in your presence and my Husband being but in the next Hall with Dulcinus you may see him too if you please Nor shall I commence with any impertinent Genealogy it not being material to your Highness who were my Ancestors so you have but a true Relation of my Affair I am a Wife and have a
place where she was and the door into her Appartment and in imitation of her the Marquess made as much haste away as he could He that put them to the rout saw nothing but their shadow it was the Count of Boulogne who observing her walk had got in at one of the Gates and was watching upon the same design as had tempted his Rival He was in as much fear of being discovered as they When he heard them he hid himself and suspecting nothing of the truth he gave them as much leisure to escape as they could wish When by the profound silence after they were fled he judged he might come forth without danger he stole to the Princesses Window which he knew lookt into the Garden resolved to knock gently and if it were possible prevail for some moments Converse but he was surprised with a violent showre of rain which made him apprehend the Princess could neither come out her self nor put her head out of the Window so that he was glad to retire very melancholy upon the illness of his success As he was marching off he perceived something under his feet which he took up and found it like a Womans Pantoffle or high Shoe and indeed it was one of the Infanta's which she lost as she was running away and durst not stoop to take it up again The Count seized upon it and imagining the Lady which lost it must needs have been in great haste to leave it behind her he concluded the noise he had heard could not be without Mystery and had a great curiosity in himself to find out the bottom of it The Pantoffle being in his Judgment necessary to his design he put it up carefully in his Pocket and went home to his Quarters Being there he began to examine it particularly and found it to be richly embroidred and the form very handsom he sent one of his Servants who wâ—nting no cunning to inquire of all the Work-men in the City for whom that Pantoffle was made and it proved to be made for a young Castellane called Elvira who was one of the Princesses Maids of Honour and having excellent invention in all kind of Trimmings the Princess her self wore many times of her Work The Count de Boulogne being ignorant of the second Destiny of the Pantoffle contented himself with the first and his Intrigue with the Princess carrying more of honour than profit along with it he thought it not incompatible if he had made a little Love to the Castillane She had appeared to him very pretty from his very Arrival and if the honour of having the first-fruits of a Royal Heart joyned with some secret designs upon the score of the Count de Guyenne had not sollicited his desires for the Infanta Elvira had had the first of his devotions He was heartily glad to find his way so well prepared Lovers by the by do not insist so much upon Quality and Greatness the Conquests that are most easie are most acceptable with them He built upon the foundation of a former Rendez-vous and judging of Elviras Complexion by what he thought he knew of her already the first occasion he met with he fancied would be favourable enough Being at a Comedy in the Queens Appartment and a Collation afterwards to which the Embassadours were invited he took Elvira aside towards a Balister and pretending to desire her explication of some Paintings upon the Wainscot which he liked very well 'T is not these Paintings is the business Elvira said he as softly as he could speak that is but the pretence of our discourse I love you and could never be happy in an opportunity of telling you before I know I attempt a Fort has been taken already but it is the custom among the French to dispossess all Usurpers I am not ignorant of your affairs it was I routed you the Queens Garden the other night it was I made you run in such haste and it is I have the Pantoffle in my custody which you lost by the way I have not told any thing of all this to any but your self and will dye a thousand deaths before ever I will tell it But fair Elvira let me remember you such discretion as this deserves some kind of favour recompense it therefore if you please Elvira was young high-spirited one that would not admit of an Intrigue and for whom Nature had liberally done what the Laws and Education do many times find great difficulty to do You address your self very ill Monsieur said she to the Count something angrily you must seek a new Object for your Romances such trifles will not relish with me And what she said she spake with that Emphasis as bold as the Monsieur was she put him out of Countenance Neverteless being assured as he thought Elvira was not so terrible as she desired to appear this sally did but redouble the ardour of his Attaque he watched Elviras Eyes when-ever he was permitted to see her He took all lawful occasions to make her little Presents he gave many Bills to the Princesses Maids and found a way to insinuate they were intended only for her But 〈◊〉 more he concerned himself the less notice she took When he talkt to her of the Garden the Rendez-vous and the Pantoffle she lookt upon him as distracted and he not to drive a thing too far when he perceived she delighted not to hear took himself up and pretending to believe her heart as yet undisposed of beseeched her he might have it in that quality rather than fail She told him very snappingly she would do nothing in that nature and that she was a profest Enemy to those kind of Intrigues but let her say what she would he would have been sworn to the contrary and that it was her caution not her humour deceived him Well he must needs know which of the two spoke truth He had made but one of the Gardiners before he made them all now he understood the Marquess de Villena entred into the Garden that night he found the Pantoffle He sent for the Work-man that made it and examined it himself he assured him he made it for Elvira so that the obstinacy she had exprest began to lose that credit it had almost acquired The Count suspected it an artifice and believing it would be meritorious to convince her of her juggling he resolved to take her in the act Though he had all these designs in his head his Intrigues with the Princess went on nevertheless He accosted her as oft as he could he writ Letters to her every day and invented an hundred ways to convey them sometimes he sent them wrapt up in dryed Sweet-meats and I suppose it was he brought up that custom at his return for it is still practised in France at this day otherwhiles he brought Verses and Songs according to the way of the French Court and then stole in a Letter amongst those the Princess seemed to like He was so