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<DATE>2011-01-20</DATE>
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<NAME>Leah Yurasek</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<P>THE Heroine Mu&s;queteer: OR, THE FEMALE Warrier. A TRUE HISTORY: Very delightful, and full of Plea&s;ant Adventures in the Campagnes of 1676, &amp; 1677.</P>
<P><HI>Tran&s;lated out of</HI> French.</P>
<P><HI>London:</HI> Printed for <HI>James Mag|es</HI> and <HI>Richard Bentley,</HI> in <HI>Ru&s;&s;el|&s;treet</HI> in <HI>Covent-Garden,</HI> near the <HI>Piazza</HI>'s, and <HI>Richard Ton&s;on</HI> near <HI>Grays-In-Gate</HI> in <HI>Grays-In-Lane.</HI> 1678.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<HEAD>To the Right Honou|rable the Count <HI>De Louvigny,</HI> Governor of <HI>Navar</HI> &amp; <HI>Bearn.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>My Lord,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>IN making you a Pre&s;ent of the <HI>He|roine Mu&s;queteer,</HI> I do but re&s;tore you what already belongs to you: <HI>Bearn,</HI> where &s;he was born, is a Province &s;o &s;en&s;ible of its Real Obli|gations
<PB REF="3">to my Lord Mar&s;hal, your Father, and You, that the Ho|nours paid you as Fa|thers of your Country, exceed tho&s;e they owe you as Governours of it. The kindne&s;s you have for the Province in general, and particu|larly for tho&s;e of <HI>Bearn,</HI> is &s;o well known, that many younger Brothers quit their Fathers Hou|&s;es with incredible Con|fidence,
<PB REF="3">and run com|monly into the Armies, without any thing to tru&s;t to but your Prote|ction, which generally proves more u&s;eful to them than their Patri|mony, by your bounty and liberality to &s;uch as are in need of it, and the Favours and Imploy|ments you help them to who de&s;erve it. This, my Lord, gives me hopes you will vouch|&s;afe
<PB REF="4">your Protection to a <HI>Heroine</HI> you have in|gag'd in the &s;ervice by the Fame of your Great Actions in <HI>Poland, Flanders, Holland,</HI> and <HI>Germany,</HI> which &s;ick|ne&s;s only and infirmities have been able to put a &s;top to. My intere&s;t, (had I no other rea&s;ons, would have ingag'd me to pay you this Ho|mage, the be&s;t defence I could provide for my
<PB REF="4"><HI>Book,</HI> being the prefix|ing your Name to it. It belongs properly to the Juri&s;diction of the Fair Sex to pa&s;s &s;entence on Works of this Nature; and I have rea&s;on to be|lieve my little Story, ap|pearing under the Pro|tection of a Per&s;on of your Quality (who are not only the greate&s;t Gallant of the Court, but have the be&s;t Meen, and are mo&s;t in favour
<PB REF="5">with the Ladies) will be kindly received, as having been written on|ly for your diverti&s;e|ment, and to give me the occa&s;ion of a pub|lick acknowledgement with what Profound Re&s;pect I am,</P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>My Lord,</SALUTE> <SIGNED>Your Lord&s;hips mo&s;t hum|ble and most obedient Servant,
Prechac.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD>THE Heroine Mu&s;queteer: OR, THE FEMALE WARRIER.</HEAD>
<DIV2 TYPE="parts">
<P><HI>BEARN,</HI> though one of the lea&s;t Provinces &s;ubject to the Crown of <HI>France,</HI> may be accounted a|mong the mo&s;t con&s;iderable, for the great number of Soldiers it &s;ends into the Armies. It hath the honour of giving Birth to the Re|nowned Prince, <HI>Henry</HI> the Great, and the Priviledges he granted it are &s;ufficient proof of the e&s;teem he had for the Inhabitants. And tho&s;e who now &s;erve the King in
<PB N="2" REF="6">his Wars, have made it appear they have not degenerated from the vertues of their Ance&s;tors. Be&s;ides, as if it were not enough for this Province to produce Heroes in an Age, when all parts of <HI>France</HI> fur|ni&s;h &s;uch plenty of them, it hath &s;ignaliz'd it &s;elf in giving Birth to a Heroine, who &s;eems to have for|got the infirmities of her Sex, to a&s;&s;ume the vigour and genero&s;ity of the Ma&s;culine, without lo&s;ing the beauty and &s;weetne&s;s of her own, and to compo&s;e of both, the mo&s;t perfect Per&s;on in the U|niver&s;e.</P>
<P>Her Name is <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> Daugh|ter to the Baron of <HI>Meyrac,</HI> one of the mo&s;t Eminent of the Province, though le&s;s known at Court than in his Countrey, where he &s;pent all his days. He had an only Son brought up at the Colledge of <HI>Pau</HI> whom he de&s;ign'd to &s;end timely to <HI>Paris</HI> to learn his Exerci&s;es, the bet|ter
<PB N="3" REF="6">to fit him for the King's &s;ervice, in the Armies where he intended to provide him employment. <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> was bred at home with her Parents as their darling: &s;he natural|ly had that &s;trong inclination for Arms, &s;he knew &s;ooner how to di&s;|charge a Gun, than to handle a Di|&s;taff; and at nine years old could handle and u&s;e all &s;orts of Fire|arms with incredible dexterity. She was extremely aver&s;e from Learn|ing to read, and to per&s;wade her now and then to look on a Book, they were oblig'd to permit her to go a-hunting twice a week; but to purcha&s;e a pound of Powder &s;he would do any thing, how difficult &s;oever. This for a time was a di|verti&s;ement to her Parents; till <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having one day &s;hot at Pidgeons in a Barn full of Corn, it unfortunately took fire, which con&s;um'd a great part of it, though a great many hands were pre&s;ently
<PB N="4" REF="7">at work to quench it. At this, the Baron was &s;o offended with his Daughter, that he would not &s;ee her for many days, nor pardon her, but upon condition &s;he would ne|ver handle a Gun. Poor <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was very glad to be re-admitted upon any terms into the favour of a Father, &s;o &s;evere as &s;he knew hers to be: but that way of living be|ing quite again&s;t her temper, a week was &s;carce pa&s;t, but there appear'd a vi&s;ible alteration in her looks. This alarm'd her Mother, who tenderly lov'd her, and having often, but in vain, endeavour'd to prevail with her Husband in fa|vour of his Daughter, to remit a little of the rigour of his orders; &s;he order'd a Gun to be carried to a Neighbour's, where <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> by agreement with her Mother, &s;ome|times re&s;orted: And not daring to go a-Hunting, le&s;t the Father &s;hould know it, &s;he &s;hot at a mark
<PB N="5" REF="7">for her exerci&s;e. This re&s;traint but heightned her pa&s;&s;ion for Hunting and Shooting, as &s;he made &s;uffici|ently appear by the advantages &s;he took of her Father's ab&s;ence, in a Journey about that time.</P>
<P>The Baron in the Vacations &s;ent for his Son home; and Hunting being the principal Recreation of Countrey-Gentlemen, &s;carce a day pa&s;t, but his Son made a match with his Friends for that &s;port: He never went forth, but <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was cruelly vext, &s;he could not make one of the Game; and when he return'd, &s;he was not le&s;s trou|bled for the plea&s;ure &s;he fancied he had enjoy'd, and &s;he was unju&s;tly debarr'd from, and &s;eeing her Bro|ther come every day home laden with Game that he had taken, &s;he could not forbear tormenting her &s;elf for fear he would leave none for her.</P>
<P>One day, as the Baron and his
<PB N="6" REF="8">Son were a-Hunting, a Farmer came to the Ca&s;tle to make his complaint of the great &s;poil done in his Corn by a wild Boar, and to beg a&s;&s;i&s;tance for killing him. The Barone&s;s being a&s;&s;ur'd the Boar ne|ver fail'd coming to the Corn in the Twilight, promis'd to take order in it, and di&s;mi&s;t the Countrey|man. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having over-heard the di&s;cour&s;e, &s;aid not a word to her Mother, le&s;t &s;he might endea|vour to divert her from her de&s;ign; but charg'd her Gun with two bul|lets, and as it began to be dark, went away to the place the Coun|trey-Man had &s;poken of; and to make the &s;urer work, got up into a Tree a little di&s;tant from the Corn, with a re&s;olution to wait there the coming of the Boar. The &s;ame Countrey-man having met the Baron's Son as he return'd from Hunting, told him the &s;tory, who loth to lo&s;e &s;o fair an occa&s;ion in|&s;tantly
<PB N="7" REF="8">turn'd back into the Field, and fearing he was come too late, &s;tole gently a cro&s;s the Corn, and attended the Boar's coming near half an hour: But growing impa|tient of longer &s;tay, he re&s;olv'd to retire. His Si&s;ter in the Tree, not well able to di&s;cern what &s;he ima|gin'd &s;he &s;aw, the Corn being high and night come on, made no doubt but it was the Boar &s;tirring up and down; and to lo&s;e no time di&s;|charg'd her Gun, and kill'd her Brother. As he fell he cry'd out for help, which &s;o troubled the unfor|tunate <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> that &s;he pre&s;ently fell down from the top of the Tree. The Countrey-man running in at the noi&s;e of the Gun, immediately met <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> tearing her &s;elf like a Woman di&s;tracted, and thought the Boar had wounded her: He ask'd her &s;everal que&s;tions, which &s;he an&s;wer'd not, but he took her up, and help'd her to walk a few
<PB N="8" REF="9">&s;teps. When &s;he found her &s;elf in a condition to go alone, &s;he order'd him to make all the ha&s;te in his power to let the Baron know his Son lay a-dying, having been dan|gerou&s;ly wounded by the Boar; with that &s;he made away as fa&s;t as &s;he could po&s;&s;ibly, not know|ing whither to betake her &s;elf. Having travell'd above an hour &s;he found her &s;elf near a Ca&s;tle belong|ing to the Abbot <HI>Dize&s;te,</HI> who was extremely &s;urprized to &s;ee her &s;o bloated with crying, and at that time of the night. But <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> having given him as good an ac|count of her misfortune as &s;he could in the ca&s;e &s;he was in, the Abbot who was her Fathers very near Kin&s;man, in&s;tantly got on Hor&s;e-back, and arriv'd at the Ca|&s;tle, the very moment they brought in the body of the poor Gentleman, who having lo&s;t much blood for want of help, dy'd in the
<PB N="9" REF="9">Arms of the Chirurgeon who fir&s;t dre&s;t him. All things in the Ca&s;tle were in &s;uch a confu&s;ion, the Abbot could not learn the truth of the accident. The people would needs believe the Boar had kill'd the Gentleman, though they found two bullets in his body: But the Baron and his Lady, not finding <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> made no doubt but it was her act; and though they be|liev'd &s;he had don't by misfortune, the Baron was &s;o tran&s;ported with pa&s;&s;ion, for the lo&s;s of his Son, that he made &s;earch for his Daugh|ter all over the Town, with his Pi|&s;tol in his hand, to &s;acrifice her to his Wrath. The Abbot being told of it, ran after him, and ha|ving &s;aid to him all that might be expected on &s;uch an occa&s;ion, he brought him back to the Ca&s;tle, where he made u&s;e of many tedi|ous di&s;cour&s;es to comfort him, but all to no purpo&s;e. Two Capuchins
<PB N="10" REF="10">came in at the noi&s;e of the di&s;a&s;ter; and the Abbot having left them the care of comforting of the Ba|ron, return'd home to bring <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> the news of her Brother's Death, and the danger &s;he was in, if her Father &s;hould di&s;cover where &s;he was; yet he a&s;&s;ured her of his protection, and that he would ne|ver for&s;ake her.</P>
<P>Returning two days after to <HI>Mey|rac,</HI> he was not a little &s;urpriz'd to find the Capuchins exhortations had not abated in the lea&s;t the grief of the Baron, nor dimini&s;h'd his anger, but that he per&s;i&s;ted in his re&s;olution to be the death of his Daughter, and would not admit of his Wife into his pre&s;ence, becau&s;e &s;he had been prevailed upon to &s;peak to him a word or two, in fa|vour of the unfortunate <HI>Chri&s;tina.</HI> This oblig'd the Abbot to hold a conference with two or three Kin&s;|men more of the Barons, and to
<PB N="11" REF="10">debate the bu&s;ine&s;s with them, and find out &s;ome means to &s;ave her from her Father's re&s;entment. Af|ter long di&s;cour&s;e, it was agreed &s;he &s;hould be &s;ent into <HI>Spain;</HI> and <HI>Ar|ragon</HI> being not above nine or ten Leagues from <HI>Bearn,</HI> and the Ab|bot having a Brother &s;ettled at <HI>Sa|rago&s;a</HI> many years, he was intreat|ed to bear her company thither, and recommend her to his Brother, which he readily promis'd. <HI>Chri|&s;tina,</HI> troubled as &s;he was, receiv'd with joy the re&s;ult of this confe|rence, and put her &s;elf in a po&s;ture to be gone on the morrow, accord|ing to order: but the Abbot ha|ving reflected in the night on the con&s;equences of the intended Journey, found in it &s;o many diffi|culties, that he had almo&s;t alter'd his re&s;olution by morning. He fore|&s;aw the beauty of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> would make a great noi&s;e in a &s;trange Countrey, being at twelve years old
<PB N="12" REF="11">far taller and hand&s;omer than Maids of that Age ordinarily are, and e&s;pecially in <HI>Spain,</HI> where the Women are generally very low: be&s;ides, he apprehended the frank humour of his Kin&s;-woman, and the inclinations &s;he had &s;o different from the re&s;t of her Sex, would hardly ever agree with the Genius of a Nation, where Women are oblig'd to live with a great deal of circum&s;pection, and that it might prove very trouble&s;ome to his Bro|ther. But the bu&s;ine&s;s was urgent, and he mu&s;t re&s;olve: <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> perceiving him waver, ask'd him the rea&s;on; he acquainted her with the difficulties he apprehended, and added, it was not decent or fit a young Maid &s;hould run rambling into a &s;trange Countrey. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> longing to get out of her Father's reach, whom &s;he fear'd, and having a pa&s;&s;ionate de&s;ire to &s;ee <HI>Spain,</HI> pro|pos'd to the Abbot, that if he
<PB N="13" REF="11">would give her leave, &s;he would put on Boys Cloathes: And that &s;he might have a plau&s;ible pretence for &s;taying in <HI>Spain,</HI> he need no more but tell his Brother he brought him a young Kin&s;man to learn <HI>Spani&s;h,</HI> and &s;tudy &s;ome Months in the Uni|ver&s;ity of <HI>Sarago&s;a.</HI> The Abbot at fir&s;t boggled at the propo&s;al as ri|diculous and childi&s;h. But find|ing her per&s;i&s;t in it, and promi&s;ing &s;he would &s;o di&s;gui&s;e her &s;elf, they &s;hould never di&s;cover her Sex, he was per&s;waded by her. And hav|ing cau&s;ed her to be privately put into a habit &s;uitable to her inclina|tions, he thought &s;he became it &s;o well, that he made no more &s;cru|ples, but parted the next day with her for <HI>Sarago&s;a.</HI> Being arrived there, they were receiv'd by his Brother with incredible joy and a|bundance of thanks, that he would tru&s;t him with the Education of a Kin&s;man of &s;o promi&s;ing a meen.
<PB N="14" REF="12">The Abbot returned, and Don <HI>Lo|renzo</HI> his Brother, took plea&s;ure in making provi&s;ion of nece&s;&s;aries for his young Kin&s;man. Schollars in <HI>Spain</HI> wear long, loo&s;e, black Ve&s;ts like the <HI>Je&s;uits;</HI> a Habit that &s;erved very well to make <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> look taller and hand&s;omer, and her Hair being of a delicat|brown, and cut after the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI>-mode, had an admirable effect up|on the beholders. She no &s;ooner appear'd in the Univer&s;ity, but &s;he drew after her the Eyes and the Hearts of the Students. It is incre|dible what an advantage this was to the <HI>French</HI> Nation; for <HI>Spain</HI> being a Countrey inconvenient for Travellers, few Per&s;ons of Quality go thither. And they &s;eldom have among&s;t them any <HI>French,</HI> unle&s;s it be &s;ome poor Labourers of the Mountains of <HI>Auvergne, Limo&s;in,</HI> and <HI>Bigorre,</HI> who for very &s;mall wages do all manner of Drudgery. And
<PB N="15" REF="12">the <HI>Spaniards,</HI> who are naturally lazy, are willing to imploy <HI>French</HI>-men who &s;erve them for money. This is the rea&s;on the People of tho&s;e Countreys, who &s;eldom travel abroad, &s;light the <HI>French</HI> as they do, judging of the whole Nation by tho&s;e they &s;ee among&s;t them. This general prejudice heightened their a&s;toni&s;hment, who admir'd the beauty of <HI>Christina,</HI> and call'd her <HI>The Hand&s;om Frenchman.</HI> E|very one &s;trove to be acquainted with the Stranger; and her Repu|tation was in a &s;hort time &s;o well &s;ettled at <HI>Sarago&s;a,</HI> that tho&s;e of the be&s;t Quality there order'd their Children, to get acquaintance with the young <HI>Frenchman,</HI> and to make him their Friend.</P>
<P>The Marque&s;s <HI>d'O&s;&s;eyra</HI> then a Student there, went every morn|ing to take him with him in his Coach to the Univer&s;ity, and Don <HI>Philip de Palafox,</HI> Sonto th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">e Mar|que&s;s
<PB N="16" REF="13"><HI>d'Arizza,</HI> brought him back for the mo&s;t part in his. He vi&s;ited the&s;e two young Lords oftner than any other, e&s;pecially the Marque&s;s <HI>d'O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> who took plea&s;ure to teach him <HI>Spani&s;h,</HI> and tell him when he &s;poke ami&s;s. This Gen|tleman had a Si&s;ter married to the Marque&s;s <HI>d'Aytona;</HI> who having heard an excellent Report of the hand&s;ome <HI>Frenchman,</HI> de&s;ired her Brother to bring him with him to her Hou&s;e, propo&s;ing to her &s;elf the plea&s;ure to be expected from the Conver&s;ation of two young Lads of their Age. But &s;he found it more charming, and was &s;o &s;ati&s;|fied with the fir&s;t Vi&s;it, that &s;he pray'd her Brother to bring him often to her; being extremly de|lighted to &s;ee him and hear him &s;peak. To engage him to come again, &s;he pre&s;ented him with a Sword, and her Brother with an|other; which they carried com|monly
<PB N="17" REF="13">under their Gowns, as the Schollars in <HI>Spain</HI> u&s;ually do. This Pre&s;ent was fatal to them both: For as they were going homewards one Evening very late, they met other Schollars who knew the <HI>Hand&s;om-Frenchman,</HI> and could not forbear (out of a Natural-antipathy again&s;t the <HI>French</HI>) to give him ill-language and call him <HI>French-bougre.</HI> The Marque&s;s <HI>d'O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> thinking him&s;elf concern'd in their ill-u&s;age and in|civility, and not daunted with the number of his Enemies, charged them vigorou&s;ly with his Sword in his hand. The <HI>Hand&s;om-Frenchman</HI> &s;econded him &s;o well, that they two beat back five Men above thir|ty paces; till putting on too far, they were at la&s;t forc'd to give Ground, oppre&s;t with numbers of fre&s;h a&s;&s;ailants. The Marque&s;s had a &s;light wound on the Face; and the <HI>Hand&s;om-Frenchman</HI> receiv'd a
<PB N="18" REF="14">went &s;ometimes with him to the Comedies and Opera's: About that time was pre&s;ented the Opera of <HI>Cadmus,</HI> and took very much; <HI>D'Ango&s;&s;e</HI> made u&s;e of the occa&s;ion to take Places for S. <HI>Aubin</HI> and him&s;elf, in a Box, over-night. Ha|ving receiv'd his Ticket, he &s;ent the Duche&s;s word of it, and advis'd her and the Marchione&s;s to take Places in the Box right again&s;t them, to have the better view of S. <HI>Aubin;</HI> which was done accordingly. <HI>D' Ango&s;&s;e</HI> and S. <HI>Aubin</HI> having taken their Places, the two Ladies little minded the Opera, being wholly taken up with viewing S. <HI>Aubin.</HI> Having taken exact notice of him, they thought they were not de|ceiv'd this time; yet the Duche&s;s, who could &s;carce believe a Maid ca|pable to run through &s;o many Ad|ventures, would be better &s;atis|fi'd. She &s;ent for a Lacquey, who was a witty Fellow; and having
<PB N="19" REF="14">&s;hew'd him S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> bid him put off his Livery, and having put on another Coat, follow that Gentle|man when he went out of the Play-hou&s;e; but be &s;ure to do it &s;o clo&s;ely that &s;he might have a certain account where he lodg'd. The Lacquey perform'd, and gave his Mi&s;tre&s;s an account. She and the Marchione&s;s re&s;olv'd on a Fro|lick to try if S. <HI>Aubin</HI> were in truth the <HI>Heroine Mu&s;queteer,</HI> as they were made believe: After &s;everal Expe|dients, propos'd and rejected, they pitch'd upon &s;ending him a Billet that Evening, which was to this ef|fect,</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>Whoever you are, you are a dan|gerous Gentleman. I never &s;aw you but once at the Opera, and you force me to a confe&s;&s;ion which the hand|&s;ome&s;t Gentlemen of</HI> France <HI>have, by long &s;ervice and great a&s;&s;iduity, in vain endeavour'd to draw from me: I love you, Sir, and am a&s;ham'd to
<PB N="20" REF="15">let you know it, yet pleas'd with the thought of it. How great &s;oever you are you mu&s;t expect no more. I de|&s;ire a quarter of an hours di&s;cour&s;e with you: my Quality debars me en|tertaining a &s;tranger in Publick: follow this Lacquey, he will bring you to a &s;ight of me. If afterwards you think me worthy the e&s;teem and addre&s;&s;es of a Man of Honour, I dare not pa&s;s my word, but Time and your good Meen may triumph over my weakne&s;s.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P>They read the Billet &s;everal times over: The Duche&s;s thought it too free, and would have burnt it; but the Marchione&s;s told her it mat|ter'd not, being written to a Maid, and by an unknown hand. The Duche&s;s, &s;way'd with the&s;e Rea|&s;ons, call'd for the Lacquey; and having in&s;tructed him what to do, gave him &s;trict charge of the Billet. The Lacquey being come to the
<PB N="21" REF="15">Hou&s;e where S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was quar|ter'd, went to his Apartment and deliver'd him the Billet; which he read, and was not a little &s;urpriz'd. Having read it, he was very much perplex'd, having a thou&s;and thoughts in his head, not knowing what cour&s;e to take: He was fear|ful of engaging in an affair might be difficult to get rid of: On the o|ther &s;ide, he knew that a Lady of Quality, if &s;lighted, is a dangerous Enemy: This, and his natural Cu|rio&s;ity, made him de&s;ire the Ladies acquaintance. He read the Billet over again, and feeing nothing de|&s;ir'd but what he thought might be granted, and judging others as re&s;erv'd as him&s;elf, he re&s;olv'd to follow the Lacquey; and having wrapt up him&s;elf in a Cloak, bid the Boy lead the way. Probably the Reader may think a Maid &s;carce capable of &s;uch a Re&s;olution; but he is to con&s;ider our <HI>Heroine</HI> was
<PB N="22" REF="16">naturally couragious and bold, yet as tender of her honour (in the E&s;|&s;entials) as the mo&s;t re&s;erv'd. I have heard her &s;ay, &s;he thought her &s;elf &s;afer in Mans Habit, than that of her Sex; as expo&s;ing her more to di&s;cour&s;e commonly us'd to Women, if tolerably hand&s;ome, which at length leaves an impre&s;&s;i|on. About Eleven a Clock the Foot-Boy led him through a little Gate, of which he had the Key for the purpo&s;e; S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;taid in a Clo&s;et while the Lacquey gave no|tice of it to the Dutche&s;s, who was then with the Marchione&s;s. It &s;urpriz'd them to hear the Gentle|man was come, as appointed; they began to repent their ha&s;ty en|gagement, fearing they &s;hould meet with a &s;econd Marque&s;s <HI>de Me&s;ples.</HI> The Duche&s;s being a Lady of eminent Vertue, and high|ly concern'd to pre&s;erve her Repu|tation, was upon &s;ending him a|way
<PB N="23" REF="16">without &s;eeing him; and po&s;|&s;ibly had done it, but for fear of her Letter, which S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> if a Man, (as for ought &s;he knew he was) might make very ill u&s;e of: The de&s;ire &s;he had to have it again in her hands, and her natural Cu|rio&s;ity, made her re&s;olve to admit him entrance. The fir&s;t Civilities being over, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> being alone with the two Ladies, who ey'd him very narrowly, appear'd &s;o hand&s;ome that they believ'd him of their Sex. The Duche&s;s, wil|ling to get her Billet into her hands, told him he might perhaps have a very ill opinion of a Lady who ap|pear'd &s;o forward, yet &s;he thought &s;he could not do too much to make &s;ure of &s;o hand&s;ome a Gentleman: The Lady you &s;ee with me is my Confident, and we two fram'd the Billet I &s;ent you. I fear it may ap|pear too pa&s;&s;ionate, and being not &s;o well acquainted with you as to
<PB N="24" REF="17">leave in your hands a Paper of that freedom, I de&s;ire you to re&s;tore it me: hereafter po&s;&s;ibly I may know you &s;o well, as to put my Reputati|on into your hands. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> pre|&s;ently took it out of his Pocket, and the Duche&s;s receiving it threw it in the Fire: and changing her tone, I mu&s;t confe&s;s Sir, &s;ays &s;he, my Curio&s;ity hath expos'd me to a great deal of folly. We have read a Book, call'd <HI>The Heroine Mu&s;que|teer,</HI> and had a de&s;ire to be ac|quainted with &s;o extraordinary a Per&s;on. We were a&s;&s;ur'd &s;he was at <HI>Paris,</HI> and that you were inti|mate with her: you will highly ob|lige us to bring us acquainted with her. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was &s;o a&s;toni&s;h'd at the di&s;cour&s;e he had not a word to &s;ay. The Marchione&s;s perceiving it, made u&s;e of that Moment for the tryal &s;he had unhappily made upon <HI>Me&s;ples,</HI> and found whad &s;he look'd for: The Ladies embrac'd
<PB N="25" REF="17">our <HI>Heroine,</HI> and made her a thou|&s;and obliging offers of their &s;ervi|ces. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> a&s;ham'd to &s;ee her &s;elf di&s;cover'd, an&s;wer'd them with as much civility as the di&s;order &s;he was in would permit. The Du|che&s;s conjur'd her to tell her &s;in|cerely if all that was written of her was true. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> declar'd what was true, and what was of the Au|thors invention. The Duche&s;s was &s;o well &s;atisfi'd with our <HI>Heroine's</HI> mode&s;ty and di&s;cour&s;e, that &s;he pre&s;s'd her very much to take a Chamber in her Hou&s;e, a&s;&s;uring her &s;he &s;hould be us'd as a Per&s;on of Quality and Merit. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> re|fus'd, and gave &s;o good rea&s;ons for it that the Duche&s;s was &s;atisfi'd, but pray'd her to vi&s;it her as often as po&s;&s;ible: <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> promis'd it, and after a long di&s;cour&s;e, and mu|tual promi&s;es of &s;ecrecy, retir'd. But for all their a&s;&s;urance of keep|ing her Coun&s;el, &s;he doubted their
<PB N="26" REF="18">performance; and could not rely on their di&s;cretion without &s;cruple and diffidence, which gave her no &s;mall di&s;quiet.</P>
<P>About this time S. <HI>Aubin</HI> receiv'd news from <HI>Bearn,</HI> that upon a re|port of his death &s;ome of his Kin|dred had po&s;&s;e&s;t them&s;elves of part of his E&s;tate. The Abbot <HI>Dizett</HI> who had the management of his Affairs advis'd him to make a Jour|ney to <HI>Bearn,</HI> to di&s;&s;ipate, by his pre&s;ence, the fal&s;e reports of his death, and to take order for other matters. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> loth to go &s;o far from the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> and expecting, with impatience, the end of the Campaign in order to Marriage, cho&s;e rather to hazard the lo&s;s of his E&s;tate, than engage in bu&s;ine&s;s that would rob him of tho&s;e precious Moments he thought better be&s;tow'd in thinking of his Love. Upon a &s;econd Letter to the &s;ame purpo&s;e, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> de&s;ir'd
<PB N="27" REF="18"><HI>D' Ango&s;&s;e</HI> to undertake the bu&s;i|ne&s;s; he readily took the Charge of it, and &s;et out for <HI>Bearn</HI> within two days.</P>
<P>S. <HI>Aubin</HI> reflecting on his En|gagement to vi&s;it the Duche&s;s, thought him&s;elf indi&s;pen&s;ably o|blig'd to be as good as his word. He went to her, and was kindly re|ceiv'd; there was commonly good Company there. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was treated in &s;o obliging a manner, that every one took notice of it, and inquir'd who that young Gentle|man was, and very few knew him. A Principal Lord of the Court had long been in Love with the Du|che&s;s and vi&s;ited her frequently, but found his addre&s;&s;es fruitle&s;s, and had no further advantage by them, than an opportunity to gain an intere&s;t in the Servants by his Liberality. He was not di&s;cou|rag'd by the &s;evere Vertue of the Duche&s;s from &s;eeing her often, in
<PB N="28" REF="19">hopes to prevail with her at Long-run. The Count <HI>d' Ex</HI> (for &s;o was the Gentleman call'd) was &s;o far in Love that he ea&s;ily became jealous, and could not with patience endure to &s;ee how familiarly the Duche&s;s convers'd with this Stranger: He que&s;tion'd the Maids of his Party about it, but they could not give him a &s;atisfactory account; the Lacqueys were as much to &s;eek as the Maids. He whom the Du|che&s;s had employ'd to carry the Billet to S. <HI>Aubin</HI> being no more proof than others of his Coat to the temptations of Gain, and finding no advantage from being his Mi|&s;tre&s;&s;es Confident, would not &s;lip the opportunity of getting &s;ome|thing from the Count on this oc|ca&s;ion. He told the Count of the Billet, and how he thought the Du|che&s;s became fir&s;t engag'd with the Stranger, not forgetting the Pa&s;|&s;age at the Opera. Here I cannot
<PB N="29" REF="19">forbear blaming the inju&s;tice of mo&s;t Men, to be &s;o ea&s;ily per&s;wa|ded of the ill Conduct of Women: How many are there who are very vertuous, yet have not e&s;cap'd be|ing condemn'd for debauch'd, upon the Report of a Maid-&s;ervant di&s;&s;atis|fi'd, or a Foot boy mi&s;-inform'd? This Report pa&s;&s;es to other Women, and &s;eldom fails of coming to the Ears of one or other, who will be glad of the occa&s;ion to &s;peak as ill of a|nother, as &s;he knows her &s;elf to be de&s;ervedly &s;poken of; and will be fure to divulge it very carefully, in hopes to confound the Criminal with the Innocent: The Story lo|&s;es nothing by the Carriage, every one adds &s;omething to &s;et it off the better; and there needs no more to de&s;troy a Womans Reputation: Of which, I could give you &s;everal In&s;tances.</P>
<P>The Count was much &s;urpriz'd at the di&s;cour&s;e of the Lacquey:
<PB N="30" REF="20">He believ'd it without examinati|on, and his Jealou&s;ie made him be|lieve much more: It fail'd not to repre&s;ent to him, that a Stranger of Quality, perhaps as ob&s;cure as his Name, was in favour with a Lady of her Merit and Rank, when &s;he &s;lighted him who was inferi|our to few in the Kingdom, for hand&s;omne&s;s, Birth, or Imploy|ment. This made him re&s;olve to be reveng'd of his Mi&s;tre&s;s, by de|priving her of her Favorite. The Count, though otherwi&s;e very ci|vil, was ha&s;ty of humour, and fiery: His Jealou&s;ie requir'd him to make his Rival a Victim, which the goodne&s;s of his Nature would hard|ly con&s;ent to: It would have been no hard matter to ruine his Rival, but his revenge would not have been compleat, if &s;ome part of it fell not on his Mi&s;tre&s;s. After much irre&s;olution, he pitch'd upon a fatisfaction no le&s;s cruel, than
<PB N="31" REF="20">gallant: He had a Dome&s;tick, ve|ry witty and intelligent, to whom he di&s;cover'd his de&s;ign, and told him he intended to tru&s;t him with the execution; that his fir&s;t care mu&s;t be to find out a Wench who had been debauch'd through want of Money and Experience, and lik'd it &s;o well that &s;he continued the Trade; that he could not fail of choice in &s;o great a Town, and therefore mu&s;t pick out the hand|&s;ome&s;t he could find, but &s;he mu&s;t be &s;uch as could do him a kindne&s;s he &s;hould have cau&s;e to remember while he liv'd: And to that pur|po&s;e, he was not to &s;pare co&s;t or pains; but withall, to put her into excellent Habit, lodge her in the be&s;t Apartment of the Hou&s;e, and in&s;truct her how to counterfeit, in her deportment, a Lady of Quality. The Servant found a Per&s;on excel|lently qualifi'd for the &s;ervice his Ma&s;ter de&s;ir'd from her, and &s;o wit|ty
<PB N="32" REF="21">that &s;he quickly learnt her Le&s;|&s;on. This was &s;o well perform'd, that the Count, who had re&s;olv'd to have S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;tolen away, com|mitted the care of it to the &s;ame Servant; and took him along with him to the Duche&s;s's to &s;hew him S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> to prevent a mi&s;take. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> went commonly in a Chair, and u&s;ually retir'd from the Du|che&s;s's at ten or eleven Clock at Night. The Count's Servant ha|ving made the Chair-men drunk, got others to wait in their room: S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> at coming off from the Duche&s;s, not finding his Chair|men, made u&s;e of the next at hand. Three Men, well-arm'd, had order to guard the Chair: One of them, by the way, whi&s;pers S. <HI>Aubin</HI> in the Ear, that a Lady of Quality, being pa&s;&s;ionately in Love with him, had order'd them to &s;teal him to her: adding, 'twas in vain to re&s;i&s;t, for they were able to force
<PB N="33" REF="21">him. St. <HI>Aubin,</HI> though &s;urpriz'd at the Complement, was &s;o us'd to extraordinary Adventures, that he permitted him&s;elf to be quietly car|ryed where the pretended good Fortune waited him: As &s;oon as he was arriv'd, two Men &s;eiz'd him, and led him in the dark up a back &s;tair; and having cro&s;s'd two Apar|tments, thru&s;t him &s;omewhat rude|ly into a Chamber full of Lights, and nobly furni&s;ht: One of them who brought him thither took care to &s;hut the Door fa&s;t enough. The Illu&s;trious Per&s;onage, who was there ready to receive him, would not give him time to know her, but took him about the Neck with de|mon&s;trations of a pa&s;&s;ionate joy, as true as what is affected can be; you would have thought the rich Ha|bit &s;he was in had made her forget the meanne&s;s of her condition. S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> re&s;olv'd what to do, was not daunted at all, but an&s;wer'd her
<PB N="34" REF="22">pa&s;&s;ion with all the civility and re&s;|pect imaginable: But the&s;e were not the Entertainment &s;he look'd for, and after long di&s;cour&s;e the fair Lady having in vain endea|vour'd by an affected mode&s;ty to rai&s;e the Gentlemans Spirits, was quite tyr'd with his re&s;erv'dne&s;s, and attributing his want of bold|ne&s;s to the trouble he &s;aid he was in at &s;ight of her; I come not, &s;ays &s;he, to give you trouble, but to receive Love from you: At this, &s;he hid her face with her Fan, as if &s;he had been a&s;ham'd &s;he had let fall expre&s;&s;ions &s;o free. S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> who thought of nothing more than how to get well out of the Bryers, was in &s;ome hopes ob&s;erving her mode&s;ty, and a&s;&s;ur'd her he had a great inclination to love her, that he was unworthy &s;o much favour, but would make it his bu&s;ine&s;s to merit it by his &s;ervices: I will di&s;|pence with you in that point, re|plyes
<PB N="35" REF="22">&s;he, and, &s;ince I mu&s;t tell you all, I de&s;ire we may &s;pend this night together: S. <HI>Aubin</HI> who could not believe what he had heard &s;ay of the impudence of &s;ome women, and expected not &s;o very plain Engli&s;h, &s;tood a while mute; And &s;eeing no other cour&s;e to take fell at her feet (whom he thought a per&s;on of Quality) and confe&s;&s;'d ingenuou&s;ly he was a Wo|man: The poor Wench who was made believe &s;he &s;hould be largely rewarded, was in a lamentable fear to lo&s;e what was promis'd her, if it were once known &s;he had not not done the &s;ervice expected from her: which troubl'd her the more, for that &s;he had de&s;ign'd the money for &s;everal nece&s;&s;ary u&s;es, particu|larly for getting rid of that which made her &s;o fit for the pre&s;ent pur|po&s;e of her payma&s;ter, &s;he then fell at S. <HI>Aubins</HI> feet, and told him word by word all the intrigue, adverti&s;|ing
<PB N="36" REF="23">him the ma&s;ter of the hou&s;e (whom &s;he knew not) was jealous of &s;ome per&s;on of quality. It was no hard Matter for S. <HI>Aubin</HI> to gue&s;s it was the Dutche&s;s, and re|flecting with horror on the Regale provided for him, he made the Wench &s;en&s;ible it was their com|mon intere&s;t to keep mutual &s;ecre|cy, which was accordingly pro|mi&s;'d, and having agreed what to &s;ay; the Wench went to bed, which &s;he took care to tumble &s;o as if two had lain there: S. <HI>Aubin</HI> lay up|on the &s;tooles. And on the morrow a little before day the Wench went according to order to give, a boy who was in an antichamber hard by, notice of what pa&s;t, a&s;&s;uring him he might when he plea&s;'d &s;end away the Gallant who was &s;o &s;ound|ly pepper'd &s;he undertook he &s;hould never forget that nights work. The boygave his Ma&s;ter this account, and he was very well &s;atisfied. He &s;ent
<PB N="37" REF="23">the Wench word &s;he &s;hould blind|fold her lover, and per&s;wade him to be led &s;o into the place Royal, it being too early to get a Chair: and it might concern her how &s;he got ryd of him. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> well plea&s;'d to &s;ee an end of an adven|ture had &s;o terribly frightn'd him; forgot not to give her who had &s;o faithfully &s;erv'd him, &s;ome marks of his acknowledgment: His ver|tue prompted him to exhort her to live hone&s;tly, which he &s;econded with giving her &s;ome means to do it, he follow'd his guides, and a&s;&s;oon as he was at liberty went to his lodging to bed.</P>
<P>When he had re&s;ted &s;ufficiently he went to the Dutche&s;s's a&s;&s;oon as he thought her in a condition to to be &s;een, and praid her to &s;end one for the Marchione&s;s, a&s;&s;uring her &s;he had news to tell them would make them very merry: A&s;&s;oon as &s;he was come they lock'd them&s;elves
<PB N="38" REF="24">up in a room where S. <HI>Aubin</HI> told them the particulars of the adven|ture he had met with the night be|fore: The Dutche&s;s, who very well knew the kindne&s;s the Count had for her, and was &s;ufficiently ac|quainted with his jealous humour, pre&s;ently &s;u&s;pected he had the principal hand in it, which was confirm'd by the circum&s;tances, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> related. To put it out of doubt, they agree'd that S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;hould not for two days appear at the Dutche&s;s's, and that when fir&s;t the Count came thither, the Mar|chione&s;s &s;hould in&s;en&s;ibly fall into di&s;cour&s;e of S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> and the Dut|che&s;s &s;hould expre&s;s much &s;orrow for his &s;ickne&s;s; which would cer|tainly produce a di&s;covery of the Counts thoughts of the bu&s;ine&s;s. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> vani&s;ht, the Count came, as he was wont, to the Dutche&s;s, and &s;av'd the Marchione&s;s the trou|ble of the di&s;cour&s;e agreed on, by
<PB N="39" REF="24">asking the Dutche&s;s why &s;he look'd &s;o &s;ad: The Marchione&s;s an&s;wer'd that S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> whom the Dutch|e&s;s had a value for, was &s;ick, and that &s;he was troubl'd for want of his good company: the Count was &s;o glad at the news that he could not forbear asking very merrily what he aild; the Marchione&s;s, who knew the rea&s;on of the que&s;ti|on, &s;aid &s;he knew not, and proceeded no further.</P>
<P>The Duche&s;s, who liv'd very lovingly with her Husband, had told him the &s;tory of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> and how &s;he had got acquaintance with that maid in Mans Clothes: And being glad of an occa&s;ion to make him merry, &s;he &s;crupl'd not to tell him the adventure of the Count, at which they laugh'd very heartily.</P>
<P>It was a fine time for going into the Country: The Duke having a hou&s;e within fifteen Leagues of <HI>Paris,</HI> was minded to &s;pend &s;ome
<PB N="40" REF="25">time there, and told his Wife &s;he would do him a plea&s;ure to bring &s;ome good company thither. The Marchione&s;s being a very Jovi|al Lady promi&s;'d to make one; they had a great de&s;ire to have S. <HI>Aubin</HI> along with them, and the Duch|e&s;s had invited him two or three times but could not prevail: when he came to take his leave of the&s;e Ladies the day before their depar|ture, the Marchione&s;s told him, if he would not go along with them &s;he would di&s;cover the &s;ecret of his &s;ex. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was loth to go far from <HI>Paris</HI> for fear of expo&s;ing him|&s;elf (as tis &s;aid) to new adventures, though it was for another rea&s;on; yet he was &s;o mov'd with the Mar|chione&s;s's threats that he re&s;olv'd to go along: the Duke was very glad, and they promi&s;'d all to keep S. <HI>Au|bins</HI> Councell. When they were got into the Country the Ladies thought of nothing but their plea|&s;ures;
<PB N="41" REF="25">Hunting, Gameing, walk|ing and making good cheer took up their time: The Dutche&s;s having con&s;ider'd that the Count continu|ed his mi&s;take, and &s;till thought her Criminal, was troubled &s;he had not undeceiv'd him, &s;he &s;poke of it to her Husband who thought &s;he had rea&s;on, it being ever to a Ladies di&s;advantage to give any cau&s;e of &s;u&s;pecting her Conduct. They re&s;olv'd the Duke &s;hould write him a Letter to invite him in|to the Country: The Count who thought very ill of that Journey the Duche&s;s had taken, though he did not know S. <HI>Aubin</HI> went with her, was glad the Duke had given him the occa&s;ion of vi&s;iting them, and imagin'd the Duke had written without acquainting his Duche&s;s. He got thither within two days, and was &s;urpriz'd to find &s;o good company; there care was taken at his fir&s;t arrival to have S. <HI>Aubin</HI> out
<PB N="42" REF="26">of the way. After Supper the Mar|chione&s;s &s;aid, &s;he had lighted that day on the plea&s;ante&s;t &s;tory in the World: they pray'd her to acquaint the company with it; &s;he excu&s;'d her &s;elf &s;aying, &s;he had a very ill memory: with that, &s;he &s;tept a little from the table, and taking a book out of her pocket where &s;he had writ what &s;he had to &s;ay, &s;he pretended to make u&s;e of it to help her memory, and &s;aid that a per&s;on of quality had been jealous of a Maid in Mans Clothes, and &s;o went ongiving an exact and particular ac|count of all that happend to S. <HI>Aubin</HI> at the Counts, and how he had been deceiv'd when he thought him&s;elf reveng'd: the Duke and his Duche&s;s the mean while ob&s;erv'd the Count, who knowing him&s;elf by the de|&s;cription to be the party intended, chang'd colour and countenance at every word: The Marchione&s;s hav|ing made a &s;top at the feigned &s;ick|ne&s;s
<PB N="43" REF="26">of S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> the Duche&s;s was earne&s;t to know if the Count had been di&s;abus'd: The Marchio|ne&s;s takes her Book in hand, and read that; the Lady principally concern'd, went &s;hortly after into the Countrey, and having &s;crupl'd the leaving the Count in a mi&s;take &s;o di&s;advantageous to her, had prai'd her Husband to invite the Count to come and vi&s;it them. But how did &s;he ju&s;tify her &s;elf, &s;ays the Duche&s;s, my Book &s;ays no more replyes the Marchione&s;s. This Gentleman, the Count being newly arriv'd from <HI>Pa|ris,</HI> may probably inform you. Never was Man more out of Countenance then he: The Duke pittying the Di&s;order he was in, told him S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was, <HI>The Heroine Mu&s;que|teer;</HI> the Count begg'd the Duch|e&s;s pardon, giving her many &s;orry rea&s;ons to ju&s;tify him&s;elf, which &s;he little valued: They &s;ent for S. <HI>Aubin</HI> having fir&s;t ingag'd the
<PB N="44" REF="27">Count not to di&s;cover the &s;ecret: they had good laughing at the ad|venture; but the Count was &s;o confounded at it that he dur&s;t no more &s;peak to the Duche&s;s, and &s;hortly after return'd to <HI>Paris.</HI></P>
<P>S. <HI>Aubin</HI> in the mean time was not &s;o merry as formerly, the &s;ame rea&s;on that &s;topt his Journey to <HI>Bearn</HI> would not permit him to be long ab&s;ent from <HI>Paris</HI> with pa|tience: He expected news from the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> but re|ceiv'd not any, though they had taken care to agree a way to main|tain a Corre&s;pondence. As he was walking one day with the Duche&s;s, he &s;pi'd three <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Souldiers re|turning home-wards from <HI>Flanders,</HI> he &s;poke to them in Spani&s;h and ask'd them a hundred que&s;tions a|bout the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra:</HI> One of the Souldiers hearing him repeat &s;o often the Marque&s;s's name, ask'd him boldly if he knew him,
<PB N="45" REF="27">and had any concern with him. I have been his pri&s;oner, &s;ays S. <HI>Au|bin,</HI> and he u&s;'d me &s;o well I &s;hall acknowledge it while I live: The Duche&s;s perceiving by S. <HI>Aubins</HI> countenance how glad he was to di&s;cour&s;e with the &s;trangers, was willing to give him time enough to do it at his lei&s;ure, and order'd one of her Servants to entertain them that day, and take care of them: They were &s;carce got into the Hou&s;e, but S. <HI>Aubin</HI> found them out, and ad|dre&s;&s;ing him&s;elf to the Souldier, who &s;eem'd be&s;t acquainted with the Marque&s;s, he ask'd a Thou&s;and particulars concerning him. The Souldier a&s;toni&s;ht to find a Gentle|man &s;o acknowledging, and per|ceiving him the Marque&s;s's very good friend, confe&s;&s;'d he was his dome&s;tick, and had by the way met with tho&s;e two Souldiers going for <HI>Spain:</HI> But as for him he went nofur|ther than <HI>Paris,</HI> on bu&s;ine&s;s from his
<PB N="46" REF="28">Ma&s;ter: S. <HI>Aubin</HI> Ravi&s;hed at the newes, and thinking him&s;elf con|cern'd in the Journey, ask'd if he had not Letters for <HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> The <HI>Spaniard</HI> a&s;toni&s;ht to find him &s;o wellacquainted with the Marque&s;s's affairs, told him he had &s;everal for her; give 'em me then &s;ays <HI>Chri&s;ti|na,</HI> forgetting her &s;elf to be S. <HI>Aubin.</HI> The <HI>Spaniard</HI> look'd attentively on him, and with the cool gravity u&s;ual in tho&s;e of his Nation, an&s;wered he would rather part with his life: I am <HI>Chri&s;tinas</HI> Bro|ther and a good friend of your Ma&s;ters, &s;ays S. <HI>Aubin.</HI> And you may tru&s;t me with them: but the <HI>Spaniard</HI> was not to be per&s;waded out of them. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;eeing it and being impatient to have a &s;ight of Letters &s;he &s;o dearly long'd for, confe&s;&s;'d &s;he was <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> and had that day di&s;gui&s;ed her &s;elf into Mans habit for hunting: Old birds are not caught with chaff,
<PB N="47" REF="28">&s;ays the <HI>Spaniard,</HI> I'll as &s;oon part with my life as my Letters, which he bound with two or three Spani&s;h oaths, and quitting S. <HI>Aubin</HI> went &s;trait to his Comrads and &s;et for|ward immediately for <HI>Paris:</HI> S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was upon the point of fol|lowing them to &s;et upon them by the way, and force the Letters from them; but fearing the Con&s;equence of an action &s;o ra&s;h in a Kingdome where &s;uch violence is not allow'd, he pray'd the Duche&s;s to give or|der for hor&s;es to carry him pre&s;ent|ly to <HI>Paris,</HI> fearing if the <HI>Spaniard</HI> mi&s;t of him there, he would return pre&s;ently for <HI>Flanders.</HI> The Duch|e&s;s not knowing the rea&s;on of this ha&s;te, endeavour'd very civilly to engage him to longer &s;tay. S. <HI>Anbin</HI> vext at her un&s;ea&s;onable ci|vility acquainted her with what had pa&s;t between him and the <HI>Spaniard:</HI> The Dutche&s;s in com|pa&s;&s;ion to a Lovers impatience &s;ent
<PB N="48" REF="29">hor&s;es the &s;ame day to wait S. <HI>Aubins</HI> coming by the way, who on the morrow went off in her Coach, and in a &s;hort time arrriv'd at <HI>Paris.</HI> He fail'd not to go to the place where he knew the Marque&s;s would addre&s;s his Letters, and thought it requi&s;ite to put on wo|mans habit, le&s;t the incredulous <HI>Spaniard</HI> &s;hould &s;cruple delivering him the packet: &s;oon after the <HI>Spaniard</HI> arriv'd, and having de|&s;ir'd to &s;peak with <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> he deliver'd the Letters, applaud|ing him&s;elf much that he had not tru&s;ted them with a young Gentleman who would have &s;ur|priz'd him with untruths: But he had mi&s;taken his mark, for he could have rather parted with his life than his Letters: <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> more intent about reading her Let|ters than hearing his bravadoes, o|pen'd &s;everal which plea&s;ed her well: I would have in&s;erted them
<PB N="49" REF="29">here for the Readers &s;atisfacti|on, but there are a &s;ort of Letters very good for the writer and for the party they are writ|ten to, but flat and in&s;ipid to others who have not the key to un|der&s;tand the meaning and appre|hend the delicacy of them: I &s;hall only give you one I thought ea&s;ie&s;t to be under&s;tood.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>Attribute my &s;ilence to the Exce&s;s of my Love: when my letters are written I look upon them as yours, which makes them &s;o dear to me That I cannot find in my heart to expo&s;e them to the danger of falling into the hands of &s;trangers. By all tho&s;e I &s;end you by the expre&s;s, you will find you wholly take up my thoughts. It is an age &s;ince the beginning of this Campagne: why &s;hould the ima|nary progre&s;s of our armyes &s;top that of my Love. If po&s;&s;ible draw near one of the conquer'd Towns that I
<PB N="50" REF="30">may have the plea&s;ure at la&s;t to think I am not far from you, and that if we lay a &s;iege, as the di&s;|cour&s;e is, I may flatter my &s;elf with the hopes of having you my pri&s;oner: But for Heavens &s;ake, be not in the place, for I fore&s;ee the Cannon will be ill &s;erv'd when I think it may be di&s;charg'd again&s;t you. And I would choo&s;e rather to lo&s;e my office than do it on &s;uch an occa&s;ion.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> in Reading the &s;everal Leters had all the joy a per&s;on in love is capable of after long ex|pectation of news from her Lover.</P>
<P>This was her An&s;wer.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>I am very well plea&s;'d with your Letters: they are all very pa&s;&s;ionate. But you alarm me in telling me you are going to form a &s;iege. I trem|ble for you that the &s;ucce&s;s will not an&s;wer your hopes: Let me intreat you to think of nothing but loving me,
<PB N="51" REF="30">there you are &s;ure of Conque&s;t, the o|ther is uncertain. I will draw to|wards the Frontiers, becau&s;e you de|&s;ire it; I know I &s;hall be better at ea&s;e, and I take plea&s;ure before|hand to think I &s;hall hear from you oftner: Make an end of this Cam|pain as &s;oon as you can, Love will make you amends for the damage your glory &s;uffers by it.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;ent back the Mar|que&s;s's Man with this an&s;wer, and re&s;um'd her Mans Habit, and the Name of S. <HI>Aubin.</HI></P>
<P><HI>D' Ango&s;&s;e</HI> in the mean time was return'd from <HI>Bearn,</HI> and had, with the help of the Abbot <HI>d' Izette,</HI> happily ended what he had to do there on S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s account, and much to his advantage; for which <HI>D' Ango&s;&s;e</HI> expected no &s;mall ac|knowledgment. He could not i|magine but <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> would at length be &s;en&s;ible of his affection
<PB N="52" REF="31">for her: And when S. <HI>Aubin</HI> would have made him a con&s;iderable Pre|&s;ent, proportionable to the &s;ervice he had done him, <HI>D' Ango&s;&s;e</HI> took it for an affront, and told <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> he thought him&s;elf not unworthy of her affection. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was &s;o well acquainted with the boldne&s;s natural to tho&s;e of his Country, that it &s;urpriz'd him not at all: But to undeceive him, once for all, told <HI>D' Ango&s;&s;e</HI> he had a very high e|&s;teem and value for him, and would evidence it on all occa&s;ions; but intreated him for the future to or|der his thoughts better, than to give him occa&s;ion to forbear his compa|ny, and forbid him further Vi&s;its; which he would infallibly do, if he continued to di&s;cour&s;e him at that bold rate. <HI>D' Ango&s;&s;e</HI> was too much a <HI>Ga&s;con</HI> to be di&s;courag'd at this, &s;o that S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> to be rid of trou|ble&s;ome importunities, was forc'd to change his Lodging.</P>
<PB N="53" REF="31">
<P>There was about this time, a re|port that the Confederate Army had inve&s;ted <HI>Charleroy,</HI> and begun already to form the Siege: Mo&s;t of the young Gentlemen at Court, and other Volunteers, left <HI>Paris</HI> upon the news, and went for the <HI>French</HI> Army, not doubting but the Mar&s;hal <HI>Luxemburg,</HI> who Com|manded it, would attack the Ene|my in their Lines. The Army in|creas'd extremely in two or three days, Volunteers coming in Po&s;t from all Parts, and not finding Hor&s;es on the great Roads, &s;ome were forc'd to take by-ways to fur|ni&s;h them&s;elves, that they might come in time. The Marque&s;s <HI>de Fervaques,</HI> willing to be there with the fir&s;t, to &s;ignalize him&s;elf on this, and other occa&s;ions, had the mi&s;|fortune to be taken by the way, by a Party of the Enemies. The Offi|cer who Commanded the Party, having &s;eiz'd &s;ome Books among
<PB N="54" REF="32">Mon&s;ieur <HI>Fervaques</HI>'s Baggage, o|pen'd one, which prov'd the <HI>He|roine Mu&s;queteer:</HI> the Title made him eager to read it. This Officer had been bred Page to the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> and not a little &s;urpriz'd to find the Marque&s;s's Name &s;o of|ten in the Book, he &s;ent it the Marque&s;s, who was extremely a|&s;toni&s;ht at it.</P>
<P>While every one wondred at the Confederates Re&s;olution to lay Siege to <HI>Charleroy,</HI> having former|ly attempted it in vain. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> allarm'd to hear the expedition ge|nerally cry'd down as ra&s;h and un|advis'd, and all <HI>France</HI> confident it would come to nothing, began to be afraid for the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra.</HI> He had not the patience to wait information, by the Pub|lick News, what was become of the Marque&s;s; but pu&s;h'd on by a love, to which no difficulty was in&s;upe|rable, rid Po&s;t to <HI>Charleroy,</HI> pre|tending
<PB N="55" REF="32">the cau&s;e of his Journey to be only a de&s;ire of honour, natural to the <HI>French</HI> Gentry: Every Hor&s;e-man he met by the way he fancy'd might me a Courrier to carry news of the defeat of the Con|federates. But when he came to the Army, he found the Confede|derates had been &s;o wi&s;e to &s;ave him the fright his Love might have put him to for danger to the Mar|que&s;s. They had, upon the ap|proach of the King's Army, rais'd the Siege, as the be&s;t of their Game. The Confederates having made a very good Retreat, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;aw there was no cau&s;e of further fear on their account, the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> being &s;afe; but he could not find in his heart to return for <HI>Pa|ris,</HI> without giving the Marque&s;s notice: He was &s;o pleas'd with be|ing &s;o near the Man he lov'd be&s;t of any living, that he re&s;olv'd to &s;tay in <HI>Flanders:</HI> And having en|gag'd
<PB N="56" REF="33">him&s;elf in the beginning of the Campain to &s;pend &s;ome time at <HI>Valenciennes,</HI> at <HI>Mariana</HI>'s Fa|thers, he took that occa&s;ion to con|tinue nearer the Marque&s;s: And con&s;idering it would be difficult hearing from him at <HI>Valenciennes,</HI> where Count <HI>Magalotti</HI> the Go|vernor was very &s;trict to prevent intelligence with the Enemy, he made &s;ure before-hand of a <HI>Ligeois</HI> Lad, who under pretence of car|rying Victuals, went indifferently to both Armies; and was admit|ted into the <HI>Spani&s;h,</HI> as well as <HI>French</HI> Towns. The <HI>Ligeois</HI> ha|ving promis'd to &s;erve him faith|fully, he went into <HI>Valenciennes,</HI> and &s;ent the Boy into the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Army with this Letter.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>Your Enterprize of</HI> Charleroy <HI>put me in &s;uch a fright, that I could not wait the &s;ucce&s;s in quiet: How could I be at re&s;t, when I was to expect
<PB N="57" REF="33">every hour de&s;igns again&s;t you<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> Where-ever I went, judge what con|dition I was in, who could not wi&s;h the glory of my Country, without giv|ing an allarm to my Love; nor pray for your pro&s;perity, without breach of my allegiance: Make me a-mends for the trouble you have caus'd me, by letting me hear often from you at</HI> Valenciennes, <HI>where I re&s;olve to &s;tay and &s;ee what will become of you.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P>When the <HI>Ligeois</HI> came to the Confederate Army to deliver the Letter, he found all in di&s;order there, by mi&s;-under&s;tanding be|tween the Generals; one blaming the other for the mi&s;carriage of the bu&s;ine&s;s of <HI>Charleroy.</HI> He was told the <HI>Spaniards</HI> were withdrawn and that the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> Commanded a Body a-part about <HI>Ghent:</HI> The <HI>Ligeois</HI> found him there, and having deliver'd the Letter, the Marque&s;s rewarded
<PB N="58" REF="34">him &s;o, that he had cau&s;e to wi&s;h he might have more &s;uch Letters to carry, and &s;oon after &s;ent him back with this An&s;wer.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>I am extremely oblig'd to you for the fright you were in, though it be the greate&s;t harm our Army hath done. We are &s;o us'd to ill &s;ucce&s;s, we are not at all mov'd at it: yet I &s;hould be he artily &s;orry for it, but that I am per&s;waded you make a dif|ference between me and others; and believe did I act a part, I would allarm you oftner. But why &s;hould our Billets &s;till &s;peak of War, which ought to be full of &s;weetne&s;s and ten|derne&s;s? Do you know, our bu&s;ine&s;s is grown Publick, and that there's a Book Printed, Intituled</HI> The Heroine Mu&s;queteer? <HI>Since we are made the Subject of Romances, let's make an end as &s;oon as we can, and enjoy the fruits of our Love, without di|verting the Publick any longer at our co&s;t.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<PB N="59" REF="34">
<P>This Letter was delivered S. <HI>Au|bin</HI> at <HI>Valenciennes,</HI> where he was receiv'd by <HI>Mariana</HI>'s Parents with Demon&s;trations of very great joy, and Evidences of a &s;incere kind|ne&s;s. They flatter'd them&s;elves &s;till with the hopes of having him their Son-in-Law; and being con|firm'd in this opinion, by his return, they made him very welcom, and gave him the be&s;t entertainment they could. Only <HI>Mariana</HI> ap|pear'd troubled at the &s;ight of S. <HI>Aubin:</HI> An <HI>Italian</HI> Captain in <HI>Ma|galottes</HI>'s Regiment, had, by his &s;ubtil in&s;inuations, got that ad|vantage over the &s;implicity of the hone&s;t <HI>Hemyn,</HI> that &s;he told him all that had pa&s;s'd between her and S. <HI>Aubin;</HI> and the de&s;ign of her Pa|rents to make her his Wife, not|with&s;tanding his great indifference for her. The <HI>Italian</HI> pretending him&s;elf very much concern'd for her, us'd all his endeavours to un|deceive
<PB N="60" REF="35">her thoughts of that chi|mericall Marriage, a&s;&s;uring her, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> who apparently was a per|&s;on of quality, had no thoughts of marrying her, having not as much as writ her a line &s;ince he left her: I know, adds he, the French well enough, they engage them|&s;elves with women only for diver|ti&s;ement, Ambition and the thir&s;t of Glory are their predominant pa&s;&s;ion: But, 'tis no &s;mall pre|judice to a fair Lady &s;o lovely as you are, to be expos'd to the &s;lights of a pre&s;umtuous young&s;ter, who perhaps makes &s;port in his Coun|trey with the obliging offers your parents have made him.</P>
<P><HI>Mariana</HI> having been frequently di&s;courag'd thus, found it no hard matter to forget S. <HI>Aubin:</HI> And the Captain finding her &s;o well di&s;po&s;'d, fail'd not to offer her his &s;ervice; and to make her &s;en&s;ible of the great de&s;ire he had to merit
<PB N="61" REF="35">her good opinion. Tis no wonder a young maid who fanci'd all Men as &s;hy as S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> &s;hould be tak|en at la&s;t with the a&s;&s;iduity of a &s;mooth tongu'd, and cunning <HI>Itali|an.</HI> Love, that you may be lov'd is a maxime &s;eldom fails, and whe|ther it were that the Captain was in love with <HI>Mariana,</HI> or pretend'd it only, &s;he was quickly comforted for the ab&s;ence of S. <HI>Aubin</HI> by the care this <HI>Italian</HI> took to entertain her with frequent di&s;cour&s;es of the pa&s;&s;ion he had for her, and the in|difference of S. <HI>Aubin:</HI> when he re|turn'd to <HI>Valenciennes</HI> &s;he had di&s;|pos'd of her affection, and all her Parents cares to the <HI>Frenchman</HI> were but &s;o many pieces of morti|fication to <HI>Mariana,</HI> who com|plain'd of them to the Captain. But when &s;he reflected on her ob|ligations to him, and the plea&s;ure of being beholding to &s;o hand&s;ome a Gentleman, her &s;en&s;e of grati|tude
<PB N="62" REF="36">could not but reproach her for loving another. She acquainted the <HI>Italian</HI> with her reflections, who alarm'd at the di&s;cour&s;e, made u&s;e of all the intere&s;t his &s;uttleties had gain'd in the credulous Girl: And con&s;idering he might never have &s;o good an opportunity for making his fortune, he was &s;o fearful S. <HI>Aubins</HI> pre&s;ence might revive <HI>Marianas</HI> former inclinations, and &s;o loth to lo&s;e what he thought him&s;elf al|mo&s;t ma&s;ter of, that he made u&s;e of &s;uch means to make &s;ure of <HI>Ma|riana,</HI> it was not in her parents pow|er to di&s;po&s;e of her to another. He forgot neither promi&s;e nor oath, and pre&s;&s;'d her &s;o hard that &s;he thought it but rea&s;onable togrant him the high|e&s;t favours his love could expect: her mother reproach'd her for enter|taining the Captain &s;o con&s;tantly and &s;lighting S. <HI>Aubin.</HI> But her Mothers di&s;cour&s;e and S. <HI>Aubins</HI> cold civilities were merely thrown away upon her, who had receiv'd
<PB N="63" REF="36">&s;uch effectual proof of the Captains kindne&s;s: S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was &s;o taken up with writing Letters to the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> and &s;o pleas'd with reading his an&s;wers, that 'tis no wonder he concern'd not him&s;elf much with other peoples bu&s;ine&s;s. <HI>Mariana</HI> having improv'd her wit by conver&s;ing with the <HI>Italian,</HI> advis'd him to get ac|quaintance with S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> as an infallible means to be welcome to her parents, by rea&s;on of the e&s;teem and kindne&s;s they had for that <HI>Frenchman.</HI> Another man would have &s;crupl'd &s;eeing a Rival &s;o dangerous as S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> but an <HI>Ita|lian</HI> hath an ab&s;olute command of his pa&s;&s;ion: The Captain di&s;&s;em|bling the hatred he had for S. <HI>Aubin</HI> on <HI>marianas</HI> account, did him all the civilities imaginable, of which the <HI>Italians</HI> never are Niggards; S. <HI>Au|bin</HI> as courteou&s;ly return'd them. The ouning <HI>Italian</HI> ea&s;ily had the ad|vantage of the <HI>Frenchmen</HI> that in a
<PB N="64" REF="37">&s;hort time they were intimate Friends: and the Captain to di&s;|cover S. <HI>Aubins</HI> de&s;igns upon <HI>Ma|riana</HI> frequently made her the &s;ubject of their di&s;cour&s;e. S. <HI>Au|bin</HI> frankly declar'd he had an e&s;t|eem for her, The Captain willing to try him further, and know whe|ther he lov'd her, repli'd cun|ningly that few are &s;atisfi'd with a bare e&s;teem of a young Lady of <HI>Mariana's</HI> qualities: I can go no further, &s;ays S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> I have en|deavour'd to di&s;abu&s;e her parents; and &s;hould be very &s;orry they &s;hould for hopes which can never take effect, let &s;lip the opportunities of &s;etling their daughter. The <HI>Itali|an</HI> well &s;atisfi'd with an an&s;wer &s;o agreeable to his de&s;ires, concluded from S. <HI>Aubins</HI> di&s;cour&s;e he was very well born, and thought not of matching into an inferior family, which made him ever after make his Court to S. <HI>Aubin</HI> with extra|ordinary deference.</P>
<PB N="65" REF="37">
<P><HI>Marianas</HI> Father was every day more and more charm'd with S. <HI>Aubin's</HI> behaviour and carriage, and heartily &s;orry to &s;ee him &s;o little concern'd for his daughter. The <HI>Ita|lian</HI> frequented the hou&s;e under pretence of &s;eeing S. <HI>Aubin. Maria|na's</HI> Father taking him to be a di&s;|creet man and one that had an in|tere&s;t in S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> whom he vi&s;ited &s;o often, took an occa&s;ion to tell him how much his family was ingag'd to S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> and that he de&s;ign'd to have him his &s;on in law, though he &s;eem'd not very fond of the alli|ance. The Captain glad of this confidence re&s;olv'd to make good u&s;e of it, he pre&s;ently fell to giving him Coun&s;el, and offer'd to &s;peak of the bu&s;ine&s;s to the <HI>Frenchman,</HI> which the Father accepted of with a great deal of plea&s;ure. The <HI>Ita|lian</HI> being now become mediator in the affair con&s;ulted <HI>Mariana</HI> what an&s;wer he &s;hould return her
<PB N="66" REF="38">Father from S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> and amus'd the good man with delays and put-offs to gain time for a favoura|ble occa&s;ion, for <HI>Mariana</HI> to declare to her Parents the nece&s;&s;ity &s;he was under of being marry'd to the Cap|tain. Lovers once Fortunate flatter them&s;elves with hopes they &s;hall continue &s;o &s;till: But a Cruel acci|dent, which is &s;o trouble&s;ome to Marri'd Women, &s;o terrible to maids, and &s;ometimes fatal to widows, was like to have broken all the mea&s;ures the&s;e Lovers had taken. <HI>Mariana</HI> found her &s;elf troubl'd with qualms, and with fitts occa&s;ion'd by the familiarities of the <HI>Italian,</HI> &s;o that &s;he thought it high time to make her Parents ac|quainted with it: and believing her mother more tender and com|pa&s;&s;ionate (in &s;uch ca&s;es e&s;pecially) &s;he confe&s;s'd ingenuou&s;ly the condi|tion &s;he was in, and was &s;o far from complaining of him who had
<PB N="67" REF="38">caus'd it that &s;he extold his merit in very pa&s;&s;ionate terms; praying her to keep the bu&s;ine&s;s private, her Lover who had promis'd her marriage, having important rea|&s;ons to conceal it for &s;ome time. The Mother thinking &s;he &s;poke of S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> was &s;o far from blaming her daughter that &s;he excu&s;ed the matter, and promis'd to &s;peak it to her Father, that order might be taken to have them privately mar|ryed. The hone&s;t <HI>Fleming</HI> was &s;o glad of the news of a marriage he &s;o pa&s;&s;ionately wi&s;h'd for; that he pre&s;ently &s;ent for a notary to draw the Marriage-&s;etlement, wherein he gave his Daughter very great ad|vantages in favour of her pretend|ed Husband that was to be: The two Lovers had &s;ign'd, and the Fa|ther had the pen in hand for the &s;ame purpo&s;e, but mi&s;&s;ing S. <HI>Au|bins</HI> name in the contract; he told the Notary he had ob&s;erv'd on the
<PB N="68" REF="39">like occa&s;ions that the parties to be married fir&s;t writ their names, and others afterwards to make good the contract as Parents or Relati|ons, or to render it authentick as witne&s;&s;es: Having &s;o &s;aid he gave the Notary the Pen, which put <HI>Mariana</HI> into a terrible fright, and all the wit the <HI>Italian</HI> had taught her was little enough to help her out: &s;he told her Father S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was the name of a place, but that the Name he found in the in&s;tru|ment was that of his Family. This convinc'd the Father that he took the pen again and &s;ign'd the deed. Being one of the mo&s;t con&s;iderable Burge&s;&s;es of the town, and willing to pay a re&s;pect to the Governour, he prayd the Captain who &s;tood by, and pa&s;t for S. <HI>Aubins</HI> good friend to accompany the Notary to Count <HI>magalotts,</HI> and de&s;ire his leave for the Marriage: The Governour having been po&s;&s;e&s;t of the thing by
<PB N="69" REF="39">the Captain, and glad an officer of merit had found an occa&s;ion to make his fortune, readily gave his con&s;ent, and agreed the Ceremony &s;hould be perform'd that evening in his Chappel. <HI>Mariana</HI> had the wit to order her bu&s;ine&s;s &s;o well, that her Parents went not to the Chappel, but rely'd on an Aunt of hers &s;he had gain'd: This was done with &s;uch &s;peed, that S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was mar|rie'd in the imaginations of <HI>Mar|iana's</HI> Parents before ever he heard of it. The Mother gave &s;o &s;trict a charge to all her family, to keep the matter private, that every one thought him&s;elf &s;ole confident of the intrigue: while the Ceremo|nies were a doing, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> with|drew to his ordinary retirement. A maid who open'd him the door, de&s;irous to in&s;inuate her &s;elf into his favour, whom &s;he look'd upon as her new Ma&s;ter, wi&s;h'd him joy: The Father &s;eeing him enter, and
<PB N="70" REF="40">thinking that out of respect to him he was loth to appear to him, till he had repair'd his Daughters honour, embrac'd him with great tran&s;ports of Joy. <HI>Mariana's</HI> mother having &s;pi'd her imaginary &s;on-in-Law, would not give her Husband time to &s;peak, but took him about the neck, calling him her dear Son. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> who under&s;tood not the meaning of their trouble&s;ome car|e&s;&s;es, thought them mad. As he was going to an&s;wer their imper|tinent di&s;cour&s;e, a friend of the fa|mily who alone was made privy to the bu&s;ine&s;s prevented him by giving him Joy: never was man more perplex'd than S. <HI>Aubin.</HI> He prai'd them &s;eriou&s;ly to be un|deceiv'd one for all, &s;ince for very &s;ub&s;tantial rea&s;ons it was not in his power to marry their daughter. The Mother angry at &s;o unexpect|ed a declaration, reply'd that &s;ince tho&s;e rea&s;ons had not been &s;trong
<PB N="71" REF="40">enough to keep him from di&s;hon|ouring her Daughter, they were too weak to dispence with his mar|rying her; adding, if he did it not, &s;he would puni&s;h their infamy by &s;trangling them both with her own hands: The quarrell increas'd, and S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was in danger of being ill us'd had not the Governour come in with the new-marryed couple. This looks &s;o like the la&s;t &s;cene of a Comedy that the Reader will &s;carce believe it. But I pretend not autho|rity over mens opinions, I allow e|very one Liberty to think what he plea&s;es. My Memoires tell me <HI>Ma|riana</HI> fell at her parents feet and pre&s;ented them her Husband, whom they were oblig'd to re|ceive, the marriage having been celebrated with all the formality u&s;ual, and <HI>Mariana</HI> in a very hopeful condition to make them Grand&s;ires in a &s;hort time. At la&s;t they were all &s;atisfi'd, the <HI>Italian</HI> that he had got a good fortune,
<PB N="72" REF="41"><HI>Mariana,</HI> that &s;he was Married to whom &s;he lov'd; and S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> that he was delivered from her Pa|rents per&s;ecutions.</P>
<P>But the mind of Man is never content, and the <HI>Italian,</HI> (like o|thers ingenious in tormenting them&s;elves) though he &s;aw him|&s;elf Ma&s;ter, by his Marriage, of a con&s;iderable Fortune, and far be|yond his hopes; comparing the plentifulne&s;s of his pre&s;ent Fortune, with tho&s;e former wants all his In|du&s;try was &s;carce able to pre&s;erve him from, he had a Crotchet in his Pate; there was &s;omething more than ordinary in the matter, that a Gentleman of <HI>Bergamo,</HI> no otherwi&s;e con&s;iderable than for a Company of Foot which he had gain'd by the ordinary means, &s;hould Marry a rich Heire&s;s, unle&s;s there were &s;ome &s;ecret rea&s;ons for it. In a word, his good Fortune had &s;o refin'd his Fancy, that he pa&s;s'd the
<PB N="73" REF="41">&s;ame judgment of his Wife mo&s;t Men do, who&s;e Wives &s;uffer them before-hand to know what they &s;hould have been ignorant of till af|ter the Wedding, and imagin'd <HI>Mariana</HI> had been as kind to &s;ome other as to him. Of all he could think of, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> appear'd the mo&s;t likely to be the Man: Having con&s;ider'd it well, he applauded him&s;elf &s;ecretly for his penetration, and was con|firm'd in his opinion that he had but S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s leavings, and was be|holding for his &s;ettlement to <HI>Ma|riana</HI>'s being with Child; who, not daring to let her Parents know it, re&s;olv'd to be Marry'd to him, when S. <HI>Aubin</HI> had refus'd her: He doubted not but they had long held Corre&s;pondence, and continu'd it; and loath to be any longer their Cully, re&s;olv'd to ob&s;erve their mo|tions. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> who had former|ly avoided being alone with <HI>Ma|riana,</HI> that &s;he might not have oc|ca&s;ion
<PB N="74" REF="42">to think he lov'd her, was often in her company after &s;he was Marry'd; the rea&s;on for ab&s;enting him&s;elf being now over, and her Conver&s;ation more witty than for|merly, &s;o that having rea&s;onable good Company at home, he thought he might well &s;ave him&s;elf the trou|ble of &s;eeking it abroad. S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s A&s;&s;iduities with <HI>Mariana,</HI> gave the Captain new umbrage: He dur&s;t not yet complain of it to <HI>Mariana,</HI> or forbid her his company: his Jea|lou&s;ie the while repre&s;ented the mo&s;t innocent Actions as criminal. He was the more troubled to &s;ee mo&s;t of the <HI>French</HI> Gentry in <HI>Flan|ders</HI> going for <HI>Paris,</HI> when S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> who probably had no great bu&s;i|ne&s;s at <HI>Valenciennes,</HI> &s;aid not a word of returning for <HI>France,</HI> for which he could not imagine any cau&s;e, but a Corre&s;pondence with his Wife: He watch'd them &s;o nar|rowly, that he quickly perceiv'd
<PB N="75" REF="42">S. <HI>Aubin</HI> often imploy'd the <HI>Ligeois</HI> into the Country, and at his re|turn quitted all bu&s;ine&s;s to &s;peak with him. The Captain's &s;u&s;pi|cions made him fearful of every Shadow: He was very de&s;irous to know what bu&s;ine&s;s the <HI>Ligeois</HI> was &s;ent about, and gave order to an <HI>Italian</HI> Foot-Boy, a very tru&s;ty Fel|low, to hide him&s;elf in S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s Chamber, and hearken diligently what the <HI>Ligeois</HI> &s;aid. The Foot-Boy did as he was Commanded, and reported to his Ma&s;ter that the <HI>Ligeois</HI> &s;aid not a word, but gave S. <HI>Aubin</HI> a Letter which he read very attentively, and &s;igh'd often in reading it. The Captain, well ac|quainted with Love-tricks, was &s;o po&s;&s;e&s;t with Jealou&s;ie, that he pre|&s;ently fancy'd the Letters were his Wife's, who perhaps had &s;ome Confident in the Town who con|vey'd them to the <HI>Ligeois.</HI> This &s;u&s;picion, how ill-grounded &s;oever,
<PB N="76" REF="43">gave our <HI>Italian</HI> no &s;mall di&s;tur|bance. He re&s;olv'd to find out the bottom of the bu&s;ine&s;s; and, with the help of the Foot-Boy, found the means one day to draw the <HI>Ligeois</HI> into a Chamber of the Hou&s;e, &s;ome|what remote from S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s, or a|ny other Lodging-room: Having lock'd him up there, he threatned to run him pre&s;ently through, if he would not tell him truly whence the Letters came he carry'd S. <HI>Au|bin</HI> &s;o often: The <HI>Ligeois</HI> not know|ing what Relation S. <HI>Aubin</HI> had to the Marque&s;s, but judging by the good u&s;age of the one, and liberality of the other, that the bu&s;ine&s;s was of Moment, was very loath to an&s;wer him; under&s;tanding how dange|rous a matter it is to hold Corre|&s;pondence with an Enemy, e&s;peci|ally in a place of War. The trou|ble the <HI>Ligeois</HI> appear'd in height|ned the <HI>Italian</HI>'s Curio&s;ity, that he repeated his threats, and put him|&s;elf
<PB N="77" REF="43">in a po&s;ture to execute them. The <HI>Ligeois</HI> affrighted at it, pro|mis'd to tell him all if he would but &s;ave his life: The <HI>Italian</HI> pro|mis'd it, and the Wretch made him acquainted with the Corre&s;pon|dence between S. <HI>Aubin</HI> and the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra.</HI> The Cap|tain &s;urpriz'd at the news, made no doubt but they held intelligence again&s;t the State, and was glad at heart for &s;o favourable an occa&s;ion to be reveng'd of S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> under a pretence of zeal for the King's &s;ervice. The &s;malle&s;t things are of con&s;equence in matters of this na|ture, &s;o that notwith&s;tanding his promi&s;e to the contrary, he made no &s;cruple of &s;ecuring the <HI>Ligeois,</HI> the Maxims of <HI>Italy</HI> having taught him he was not oblig'd to be a &s;lave to his word: He advertis'd the Governour; who, having que|&s;tion'd the <HI>Ligeois,</HI> &s;ent an Officer, with fifty Souldiers, to arre&s;t S.
<PB N="78" REF="44"><HI>Aubin,</HI> who had receiv'd notice the <HI>Ligeois</HI> was a Pri&s;oner; and though he knew not the rea&s;on, yet he apprehended he might have let fall &s;omething in di&s;cour&s;e about the Letters he brought him: and that they might not be &s;een, he burnt them; but it went &s;o much again&s;t the grain, and he did it &s;o &s;lowly, that he was bu&s;ie about this cruel Sacrifice, when the Officer &s;ent to take him entred his Chamber, and after a &s;orry Complement or two led him into Pri&s;on. The Of|ficer fail'd not to give the Gover|nour an account what he found in S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s Chamber, and what a &s;ight of Letters there was in the Fire. This la&s;t Circum&s;tance made every one think him Crimi|nal, and that he had burnt the Let|ters to prevent their being made u&s;e of as evidence again&s;t him. This bu&s;ine&s;s made a great noi&s;e, and, as 'tis u&s;ual on &s;uch occa&s;ions for eve|ry
<PB N="79" REF="44">one to add &s;omething to the Re|port, this rais'd the news that pa&s;s'd then currant, of a great Plot di&s;cover'd at <HI>Valenciennes.</HI> The <HI>Ligeois</HI> was examin'd very &s;trictly, and &s;o frightned with the tortures they threatned to put him to, that he confe&s;s'd all he knew, and a great deal more: His frequent Journeys to the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Army, the Money received from a General of the Enemies, and the burning of the Letters were evidences &s;o clear, in the opinion of the Publick, that no doubt was made both the Wretches would &s;hortly &s;uffer. S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s good Meen, and Curio&s;ity, gain'd him Compa&s;&s;ion from all that &s;aw him: Every one pity'd, but none dur&s;t excu&s;e him, for fear of being brought in as acce&s;&s;ary to &s;o tickli&s;h a Crime. He was the while under extreme perplexity in Pri&s;on, every thing &s;eem'd to fall out cro&s;s: His &s;tay at <HI>Valenciennes</HI>
<PB N="80" REF="45">was look'd upon as my&s;terious, e&s;pe|cially after he had declar'd he had no de&s;ign to Marry <HI>Mariana.</HI> It was hard to ju&s;tifie him&s;elf without confe&s;&s;ing his Sex, which he could &s;carce find in his heart to do. Be|ing examin'd, he defended him&s;elf with &s;aying he had written to the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> as his particu|lar Friend; but that his Letters had nothing in them that related to the King, or the State. The Judges were not &s;atisfied with his an&s;wer, and perhaps would have con|demn'd him, had not the Gover|nour interpos'd his Authority, at the reque&s;t of &s;ome Ladies, to have the judgment &s;u&s;pended till he might receive orders from the Court.</P>
<P>As they &s;eiz'd what was in S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s Chamber, an Officer be|longing to the Governour had the Curio&s;ity to read &s;ome Books found there. Among the re&s;t he read
<PB N="81" REF="45">the <HI>Heroine Mu&s;queteer,</HI> where he &s;aw the names of the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> and S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;o often re|peated, that he fancy'd S. <HI>Aubin</HI> the Pri&s;oner might be the &s;ame with S. <HI>Aubin Chri&s;tina.</HI> He told the Governour, and &s;hew'd him the Book. The Governour read it with plea&s;ure; and having, among&s;t S. <HI>Aubin</HI>'s things, found a very ten|der Letter of the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;|&s;eyra</HI>'s, perhaps the only one had e&s;cap'd the Fire, he was fully per|&s;waded S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was the <HI>Heroine Mu&s;queteer,</HI> but was willing to be further a&s;&s;ur'd of it. He &s;ent for the Pri&s;oner, &s;hew'd him the Let|ter, and told him he doubted not but that which appear'd only a Let|ter of kindne&s;s, was a Cypher to cover &s;ome matter of State. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;hew'd him &s;o many rea&s;ons to the contrary, that the Governour believ'd him incapable of holding intelligence again&s;t his allegiance;
<PB N="82" REF="46">but demanded of him a Letter to the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> to forbid further Corre&s;pondence. This Propo&s;al put S. <HI>Aubin</HI> to the groan; and not able to give a good rea&s;on for refu&s;ing to write &s;o, he ap|pear'd &s;o di&s;order'd, that he thought it might be ju&s;tly taken for a clear conviction of his Crime, yet this trouble ju&s;tifi'd him more than all his Eloquence: For the Governour imputing it to his love, di&s;cover'd him to be <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> and no longer criminal. The bu&s;ine&s;s was hu&s;h'd up, and S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;et at liberty. The whole Town was glad of it, and e|&s;pecially <HI>Mariana's</HI> Parents, who &s;till had kindne&s;s for him, and had been afraid to lo&s;e him, the <HI>Italian</HI> had taken &s;uch care to inform them daily of &s;ome new Circum&s;tance of his Crime.</P>
<P>While S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was in Pri&s;on, the Captain, who made account to have his revenge of S. <HI>Aubin</HI> in
<PB N="83" REF="46">the puni&s;hment the State would inflict on him, could not forbear telling his wife &s;omething of it, and at the &s;ame time reproaching her with her fal&s;ene&s;s. A reproach a Woman truly vertuous is mo&s;t &s;en&s;ible of: And the Husband who u&s;es &s;uch language to his Wife, doth but rai&s;e in her a de&s;ire to be reveng'd of an unju&s;t &s;u&s;pition by real di&s;loyalty, when &s;he &s;ees him make &s;o &s;lght account of the re&s;er|vation &s;he values her &s;elf upon: <HI>Mariana,</HI> who no otherwi&s;e knew of any di&s;loyalty but by her Hus|bands di&s;cour&s;e, and could reproach her &s;elf for nothing but having been too credulous, was &s;o touch'd to the quick with her Husbands ingratitude, that &s;he re&s;olv'd to puni&s;h him for his Jealou&s;ie; it was long ere her re&s;entment ma&s;ter'd her vertue, being unre&s;olv'd whom to make choice of to a&s;&s;i&s;t her in her revenge: But when S. <HI>Aubin</HI>
<PB N="84" REF="47">was &s;et at liberty, &s;he fixt her choice on him; and loooking on him as an In&s;trument very fit for her turn, &s;he us'd him more obligingly than u&s;ual: Every day &s;he re&s;olv'd to make him acquainted with her de|&s;ign, but when they were toge|ther &s;he had not the power to do it, flattering her &s;elf perhaps he would gue&s;s at it. After vain ex|pectation he would &s;ave her the confu&s;ion a complement of that nature would put her in, &s;he ac|quainted him at length with the inju&s;tice of her Husband, but had not the power to &s;ay all &s;he intend|ed, &s;hame &s;topt her mouth; and S. <HI>Aubin</HI> contented him&s;elf with blaming the <HI>Italian,</HI> without mak|ing any offer of his &s;ervice to flat|ter her hopes.</P>
<P><HI>Mariana</HI> not di&s;courag'd at this, added, a man of his humour de|&s;erv'd to have a wife that would be reveng'd of him. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> repli'd
<PB N="85" REF="47">coldly, it was an hone&s;t womans part to think more of her duty to her &s;elf than her Husband. This would be &s;ufficient to keep her from any act of di&s;loyalty, and for his part he little valu'd a woman who was re&s;erv'd on no other ac|count but that of her Husband. <HI>Mariana</HI> who expected S. <HI>Aubin</HI> would have offer'd to go halves in the revenge &s;he de&s;ign'd, was extremely &s;urpriz'd to hear him preach hone&s;ty to her. And not a|ble to endure longer the vexation it gave her, retir'd into her Cham|ber, to weep it out there.</P>
<P>'Tis natural to de&s;ire what ap|pears difficult to obtain. S. <HI>Aubins</HI> re&s;i&s;tance heightned <HI>Marianas</HI> pa&s;|&s;ion: to ju&s;tify the di&s;cretion of her Lover; &s;he fanci'd he an&s;wer|ed her thus, only to plea&s;e her, who he knew was no Lover of very free di&s;cour&s;e: I &s;hould have ex|plain'd my &s;elf better, &s;ays &s;he,
<PB N="86" REF="48">how el&s;e &s;hould a man I have al|ways us'd hardly perceive a &s;udden change &s;o much to his advantage. With that &s;he re&s;olv'd to &s;peak more plainly, having ob&s;erv'd her time to make a new tryal, &s;he told him &s;he had reflected on what he had &s;aid to her of hone&s;t womens duty to them&s;elves, but found tho&s;e rea&s;ons too weak to re&s;i&s;t the mo|tions of a predominant pa&s;&s;ion. I cannot indure my Husband, and the de&s;ire I have to be reveng'd of a man who makes &s;o ill acknow|ledgment of what I have done for him, makes me forget all I would have regarded on another occa&s;i|on: And &s;ince I am extremely con|cern'd to make choice of a di&s;creet man, I have pitch'd upon you: &s;he &s;topt there, thinking &s;he had &s;aid e|nough: S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> who at fir&s;t un|der&s;tood not what revenge &s;he in|tended, thought &s;he would have made away her Husband, and ab|horring
<PB N="87" REF="48">&s;o violent a de&s;ign, blam'd her extremely, telling her, a Wife mu&s;t bear much with her Husband, that the happie&s;t marriages are at|tended with trouble; and that if all Wives who are not &s;atisfi'd with their Husbands &s;hould take &s;uch violent re&s;olutions, no man would dare marry; adding, he would wil|lingly adventure his life again&s;t any one had offended her, but that he thought it not the part of a wi&s;e wan to meddle between Husband and wife. And leaving <HI>Mariana</HI> (in the di&s;&s;order you may imagine) he thought fit to acquaint her Pa|rents with the pa&s;&s;ages, and to take mea&s;ures with them to prevent further inconvenience; but he had the di&s;cretion to tell them no more than that they would do well to prevent di&s;&s;orders mightari&s;e out of &s;ome &s;mall difference between the <HI>Italian</HI> and his wife, for he per|ceiv'd they were both too much dis|pos'd
<PB N="88" REF="49">to quarrel: S. <HI>Aubin</HI> at their reque&s;t took it upon him to &s;peak to the Captain, and advis'd them the mean time to calm <HI>Mariana;</HI> he found out the <HI>Italian,</HI> and having told him he had &s;omething of con|&s;equence to acquaint him with, he made him a long di&s;cour&s;e of the extravagant humours of mo&s;t women, and the unhappine&s;s of Husbands, who have not the art of complying with their weakne&s;&s;es, in&s;inuating it was a wi&s;e mans part to prevent noi&s;e, and cover hand|&s;omely the extravagances of an hu|mour&s;ome woman; the <HI>Italian</HI> not knowing what the di&s;cour&s;e tend|ed to; took it wor&s;e from S. <HI>Aubin</HI> than he would from any man, fan|cying he intended to in&s;ult over him, by reproaching him with the ea&s;ine&s;s of his wife. Being a man of courage he had not the patience to endure the affront, but laid his hand on his Sword, without giving
<PB N="89" REF="49">S. <HI>Aubin</HI> time to fini&s;h the di&s;cour&s;e, S. <HI>Aubin</HI> &s;tood upon his guard, and defended him&s;elf, but they were part|ed without advantage on either &s;ide.</P>
<P><HI>Marianas</HI> Parents tyr'd them|&s;elves with preaching to her to live in peace with her Husband, when a Servant brings them news of a duel between S. <HI>Aubin</HI> and the <HI>Italian,</HI> which &s;urpriz'd them all, though on different accounts: The Father-in-law believ'd his Son had ill taken the good offices S. <HI>Aubin</HI> would have done him, and &s;o oc|ca&s;ion'd the quarrel: <HI>Mariana</HI> ap|plying all to her love, fanci'd S. <HI>Au|bin</HI> had a genero&s;ity refin'd to that extremity that he pretended him|&s;elf unconcern'd for her that he might be in in a condition the better to vindicate her. But the re|venge &s;he expected was of ano|ther nature, &s;uch as &s;he intended to &s;hare in the plea&s;ure of it with him who took it. The Captain
<PB N="90" REF="50">arriving, complain'd to <HI>Mariana's</HI> Father of the injury he pretended done him by S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> and told him he would no longer endure the in&s;olence of that <HI>Frenchman,</HI> who abus'd the re&s;pect they had for him. The Father heard his com|plaints with attention, and was &s;ur|priz'd at the news of an intrigue between his Daughter and S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> which might be likely enough: The Governour being told of the quarrel, &s;ent for the Captain, who confidently told him the rea&s;ons he had to draw upon S. <HI>Aubin.</HI> The Governour not able to for|bear Laughing at a jealou&s;ie &s;o ill grounded, brought the Captain to him&s;elf, by telling him S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was a woman.</P>
<P>S. <HI>Aubin</HI> perceiving the &s;ecret he was &s;o careful to conceal, was grown puplick, left <HI>Valenciennes,</HI> and went to <HI>Mons,</HI> being about five Leagues off, giving out he
<PB N="91" REF="50">was an <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Gentleman, related to the hou&s;e of <HI>Crouy:</HI> The Duke of <HI>Ar&s;chot</HI> who was Covernour re|ceiv'd him very kindly: and as di|&s;tru&s;tful as he was of &s;trangers in a Gari&s;on of that importance, he could not believe a young Gentleman of &s;o good a meen capable of any ill de&s;ign. A <HI>Walloon</HI> Collonel, who had &s;erv'd in <HI>England,</HI> was very civil to him; and the morrow after his arrival invited him to &s;up|per. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was no &s;ooner come into the Collonels hou&s;e, but he &s;aluted his wife, &s;he was a Lady too well qualifi'd to be capable of ingra|titude, and having been with her Husband at <HI>Cambray</HI> when it was taken, &s;he pre&s;ently knew S. <HI>Au|bin</HI> to be the Mare&s;chal <HI>Luxembourgs Aid de Camp,</HI> who had complemen|ted the Ladies there from his Ge|neral; &s;he was extremely glad to &s;ee him, and to have that occa&s;ion to expre&s;s her acknowledgment of
<PB N="92" REF="51">his civilities: She fancy'd her Hu&s;|band, to plea&s;e her with the &s;urprize, had brought him in as an <HI>Engli&s;h|man;</HI> and &s;he, to be even with her Husband, ask'd S. <HI>Aubin</HI> (as if &s;he had not known him) what News from <HI>England.</HI> S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> not per|ceiving him&s;elf di&s;cover'd, an&s;wer'd very naturally, and like a Man of that Country, affecting to &s;peak broken <HI>French,</HI> and giving &s;o ex|act an account of Affairs, that the Collonel's Wife thought her &s;elf mi&s;taken, in taking him to be S. <HI>Aubin:</HI> She excus'd her &s;elf for it, and her Husband made her mi&s;take the Subject of his Raillery all Sup|per-time. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> having dex|trou&s;ly e&s;cap'd di&s;covery here, re|&s;olv'd not to appear before the Du|che&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot,</HI> knowing &s;he had great Relations at <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> and would not fail to let her Friends know of it. He gave the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> notice of his being at <HI>Mans</HI> by this Letter.</P>
<PB N="93" REF="51">
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>The difficulties I found in receiv|ing news of you, and giving you an account of my &s;elf, made me re&s;olve to come hither. Your Campaign is at an end, and I am in a Town you have no &s;u&s;picion of: Con&s;ult your love, and tell me what I &s;hall do to keep within the Rules of Decency. I will wait your an&s;wer before I ap|pear at the Duche&s;s of</HI> Ar&s;chots, <HI>that I may not expo&s;e my &s;elf to the noi&s;e may be thereby occa&s;ion'd; And you &s;hall find, under the Name of S.</HI> Au|bin,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><HI>Your</HI> Chri&s;tina.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</LETTER>
<P>S. <HI>Aubin</HI> having &s;ent this Letter to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> by a tru&s;ty Me&s;&s;enger, re&s;olv'd to wait an an&s;wer in his Chamber, but was deceiv'd: For the Collonel's Wife having vi&s;ited the Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot,</HI> for want of other di&s;cour&s;e, told her of the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Gentleman, who had &s;upp'd the Night before at her Hou&s;e,
<PB N="94" REF="52">and how &s;he mi&s;took him for a <HI>French</HI> Gentleman &s;he had &s;een at <HI>Cambray:</HI> Having added a great deal about his Wit and good Meen, &s;he rais'd in the Duche&s;s a de&s;ire to &s;ee him. The Collonel undertook to bring him to her, found him in his Chamber, and having magni|fi'd the good &s;ervice his Wife had done, in giving the Duche&s;s a Cha|racter of his good qualities, he of|fer'd to bring him to the Duche&s;s. S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> vext at his officiou&s;ne&s;s, excus'd him&s;elf with &s;aying his Head ak'd. The Collonel, who ex|pected not a refu&s;al, and had en|gag'd to bring him, pre&s;s'd him to go along, a&s;&s;uring him he &s;hould not &s;tay a Moment. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was perplext, being loth to &s;ee the Du|che&s;s before he had an an&s;wer to his Letter, and not well able to get rid of the Collonel's importunity, he pray'd him to allow him a lit|tle time of re&s;t, and he would go
<PB N="95" REF="52">with him in the Evening. The Collonel went away well &s;atisfi'd with the promi&s;e, and S. <HI>Aubin</HI> continued unre&s;olv'd what to do. Having thought well of the mat|ter, and knowing the Duche&s;s a generous Per&s;on, he cho&s;e rather to &s;ee her privately, and be known to her; than expo&s;e him&s;elf pub|lickly to the &s;urprize his di&s;gui&s;e might occa&s;ion. He left his Cham|ber before the Collonel return'd, and being got to the Duche&s;&s;es, &s;ent her word there was a Stranger had bu&s;ine&s;s of con&s;equence with her, and de&s;ir'd private Audience: The Duche&s;s went pre&s;ently into ano|ther Room, where S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was &s;oon after admitted. As &s;oon as S. <HI>Aubin</HI> appear'd, the Duche&s;s at fir&s;t &s;ight knew who it was; and without allowing her time to &s;peak, kindly embrac'd her, expre&s;|&s;ing much joy to &s;ee her. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> gave her a brief account of Affairs,
<PB N="96" REF="53">and the de&s;ign brought him thi|ther; and thinking it better to ap|pear to the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> in Maids Habit, pray'd the Duche&s;s admittance once more into her Fa|mily; which the Duche&s;s readily granted. All things agreed on, the Gentleman made as if he with|drew; and pre&s;ently after return'd by another Door the Duche&s;s or|der'd to be open'd on purpo&s;e. S. <HI>Aubin</HI> had provided a Suit of Wo|mans Cloaths at <HI>Paris,</HI> and having quickly &s;hifted the Habit and Name of S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> into that of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> the Duche&s;s produc'd her as a Gen|tlewoman of <HI>Lille,</HI> who was come to &s;pend &s;ome time with her. It is the Prerogative of Great ones to be believ'd without examinati|on of Particulars by Inferiours; and <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was taken by all, for what the Duche&s;s declar'd her to be. The Duke of <HI>Ar&s;chot</HI> was the fir&s;t deceiv'd: The Collonel in the
<PB N="97" REF="53">mean time was return'd to S. <HI>Au|bin</HI>'s Lodging, where he was told the Gentleman was gone. Re|flecting then on what had pa&s;s'd at Table, he made no doubt but the pretended <HI>Engli&s;h-man</HI> was the <HI>French-man</HI> his Wife had &s;een at <HI>Cambray.</HI> He was &s;orry he had been &s;o credulous, and re&s;olv'd not to appear at the Governour's, for fear of being ask'd news of the Stranger. The Duche&s;s, willing to divert her &s;elf with the Adven|ture, &s;ent for the Collonel and told him, that being his Friend, &s;he took that occa&s;ion to let him know the Duke was much &s;urpriz'd to hear he held Corre&s;pondence with the Enemy, and had entertain'd at his Hou&s;e, at Supper the la&s;t Night, a <HI>French</HI> Spy, though his Wife knew him to be an <HI>Aid de Camp</HI> of the Duke of <HI>Luxemburg</HI>'s. The good Collonel, a&s;toni&s;h'd at the di&s;cour&s;e, pray'd the Duche&s;s to continue his
<PB N="98" REF="54">Protectore&s;s; a&s;&s;uring her, by all that's &s;acred, he was innocent, and had taken that young Gentleman to be an <HI>Engli&s;h man.</HI> The Du|che&s;s, pretending her &s;elf &s;atisfi'd, promis'd to clear him.</P>
<P>The Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot,</HI> fearing to draw trouble on her &s;elf, writ to one of her Friends at <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> de|&s;iring advice how to govern her &s;elf, as to <HI>Chri&s;tina;</HI> and whether the <HI>Spaniards</HI> would not take it ill &s;he entertain'd a <HI>French-woman.</HI> The Duche&s;s <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a</HI> &s;aw the Letter, and &s;he told her Hu&s;|band of it. The Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;|&s;eyra</HI> was in the mean time gone to <HI>Mons,</HI> in &s;earch of S. <HI>Aubin;</HI> but could have no account what was be|come of him. The Collonel in|form'd of the Marque&s;s's arrival, waited on him to tender his &s;ervice; but finding him troubled S. <HI>Aubin</HI> was gone, he thought they had di&s;cover'd &s;ome Plot, and made
<PB N="99" REF="54">ha&s;te away for fear of being appre|hended as having had a hand in it. The Marque&s;s could not, with de|cency, be long at <HI>Mons</HI> without vi&s;iting the Duke and Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot:</HI> He went to their Hou&s;e, and was receiv'd with all the re|&s;pect due to his Birth and Merit. The Duche&s;s, who gue&s;s'd the cau&s;e of his coming, perceiving, by the di&s;traction appearing in his Coun|tenance, the trouble he was in, told him they had that day &s;urpriz'd a <HI>French</HI> Spy, drawing a Map of the Town; and that &s;he had much a|do to prevail with her Husband not to cau&s;e him to be hang'd up immediately. The Marque&s;s full of fear for S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> ask'd her, with much trouble, what was become of the Criminal. You may que&s;tion him if you plea&s;e, &s;ays the Du|che&s;s, for he is yet in my Cham|ber; and I am &s;ure you will be for giving him his Life: Having pa&s;s'd
<PB N="100" REF="55">into another Apartment, There is the Criminal, &s;ays the Duche&s;s, &s;hewing him <HI>Chri&s;tina.</HI> The Reader may well think they embrac'd one another e're &s;he could make an end of her Complement. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> charming as &s;he was, appear'd much more &s;o to the Marque&s;s. They were both &s;o well &s;atisfi'd at the &s;ight of each other, after &s;o ma|ny cro&s;s Accidents, that they con|tinued &s;ome time looking one upon another, not able to &s;peak a word to expre&s;s their joy. They fail'd not afterwards to &s;ay all the kind things two Lovers are capable of on &s;uch an occa&s;ion. The Marque&s;s thank'd the Duche&s;s for the plea&s;ant Cheat put upon him, and confe&s;s'd he was come with a de&s;ign to Marry his dear Mi&s;tre&s;s, and pray'd her the Ceremony of it might be per|form'd at her Hou&s;e. The Du|che&s;s, not expecting &s;o &s;udden a Re&s;olution, could not hand&s;omly
<PB N="101" REF="55">refu&s;e him; but de&s;ir'd time to think on't, and to receive an An|&s;wer from <HI>Bru&s;&s;els;</HI> adding, he would do well to &s;end a Courrier to the Bi&s;hop for a Licen&s;e. <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> &s;aying &s;he thought that very nece&s;&s;ary, and de&s;ir'd it might be &s;o; the Marque&s;s &s;ent away a Gentleman expre&s;s to the Bi&s;hop, and charg'd him to di&s;patch that Affair with all expedition. The two Lovers, with a plea&s;ing impa|tience, expected the return of the Courrier, and rejoic'd the while to &s;ee their Con&s;tancy &s;o near be|ing Crown'd with mutual Enjoy|ment. The Marque&s;s was per|&s;waded <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s thoughts were altogether Heroick, that &s;he lov'd none be&s;ide him, and was above the weakne&s;&s;es commonly incident to tho&s;e of her Sex. How odd &s;o|ever it might appear, that a Man of his Quality &s;hould Marry a Maid that had run through &s;o many dif|ferent
<PB N="102" REF="56">Adventures, his love, and the knowledge he had of the Ver|tues of his Mi&s;tre&s;s, prevail'd with him above all other con&s;iderations. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> who had not on any other occa&s;ion been &s;en&s;ible of Love, but yielded her &s;elf to the &s;ole merit and per&s;everance of the Marque&s;s, was extreme glad to &s;ee her trou|bles &s;o near an end, and her &s;elf up|on the point of being united to the only Man of the World, who had the &s;ecret to plea&s;e her, and &s;he thought worthy of her affections: But this Joy was &s;hort-liv'd, and the &s;atisfaction they had to be together &s;ome hours, &s;eem'd granted them only to heighten the grief that was quickly to &s;ucceed upon their ab|&s;ence from each other, with &s;mall hopes of ever &s;eeing one another again.</P>
<P>The Duche&s;s of <HI>Benavidez,</HI> who, after the taking of <HI>Cambray,</HI> was re|turn'd into <HI>Spain,</HI> and could not
<PB N="103" REF="56">pardon the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> his in&s;en&s;ibility, had inform'd his Mo|ther of the Pa&s;&s;ion he had for <HI>Chri|&s;tina,</HI> and had given her &s;o ill-fa|vour'd a De&s;cription of that poor Maids Di&s;gui&s;es and Adventures, that the Mother was per&s;waded her Son was bewitch'd: And at|tributing his Pa&s;&s;ion to &s;omething &s;upernatural, &s;he pray'd <HI>Don John</HI> of <HI>Au&s;tria</HI> (who had a re&s;pect for her, having long known her at <HI>Arragon,</HI>) to obtain an Order from the King, to the Governour of the <HI>Low-Countries,</HI> to ob&s;truct the Mar|riage of the Marque&s;s with <HI>Chri&s;ti|na;</HI> and (if need were) to inter|po&s;e the King's Authority to pre|vent it. The Order was &s;ent into <HI>Flanders,</HI> as &s;trict as the Marchio|ne&s;s could wi&s;h it, and the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a,</HI> very zealous for the &s;ervice of his Prince, and de&s;i|rous to demon&s;trate an exact Con|formity to the Orders of the Court,
<PB N="104" REF="57">and repair, by performing what was in his power, the misfortune he had to lo&s;e many places it was not in his power to defend better than he had done; being adver|tiz'd, by the Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot</HI>'s Letter, of <HI>Chri&s;tina's</HI> arrival at <HI>Mons,</HI> pre&s;ently &s;ent thither the Captain of his Guards, with the King's Or|der addre&s;s'd to the Duke of <HI>Ar&s;|chot,</HI> declaring he mu&s;t be an&s;wer|able to the King to have <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> forth-coming. And being told the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> was gone from <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> he pre&s;ently thought him gone for <HI>Mons;</HI> which oblig'd him to di&s;patch a Courrier thither, to tell the Marque&s;s he mu&s;t pre|&s;ently attend him. The Courrier arriv'd as &s;oon as the King's Order; and the Marque&s;s (from whom the Duke conceal'd the Order he re|ceiv'd) believ'd the <HI>French</HI> intend|ed to attacque <HI>Bru&s;&s;els;</HI> and went a|way in all ha&s;te, having taken leave
<PB N="105" REF="57">of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> and recommended her earne&s;tly to the Duche&s;s. When the Marque&s;s came to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> he was extremely &s;urpriz'd when the Governour &s;hew'd him the Order from <HI>Spain,</HI> and pray'd him not to &s;tir out of Town; for if he did, he mu&s;t interpo&s;e his Authority to hinder him. The Marque&s;s was upon the point of returning for <HI>Mons</HI> in &s;pight of the Governour's orders, when a Letter was brought him from the Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot,</HI> acquainting him &s;he was much troubled a Higher Power had put it out of hers to expre&s;s her re&s;pects for him in the Per&s;on of his Mi|&s;tre&s;s, who was now in a Covent, where &s;he &s;hould be us'd very civil|ly; but was not to be &s;poke with by any but the Abbe&s;s of the place, the Order from <HI>Spain</HI> being po&s;i|tive in that Particular. This was a deadly blow to a Man in Love, as the Marque&s;s; but it mu&s;t be born
<PB N="106" REF="58">with, and he mu&s;t be content to write into <HI>Spain</HI> to endeavour to obtain a Revocation of the Order. Several Per&s;ons of the highe&s;t Qua|lity writ in favour of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> giv|ing her the Character of an extra|ordinary Per&s;on; and that her Ver|tue, and excellent Qualities, de|&s;erv'd to be us'd with particular re&s;pect. The good Offices intend|ed the Marque&s;s by Letters &s;o much to the advantage of his Mi&s;tre&s;s, had an effect quite contrary to his Friends expectation. The King of <HI>Spain</HI> having been told of her, and &s;carce believing what was reported of her, expre&s;s'd a great de&s;ire to &s;ee &s;o rare a Per&s;on: And having ask'd if it were not po&s;&s;ible to have her brought into <HI>Spain, Don John</HI> of <HI>Au&s;tria</HI> promis'd &s;he &s;hould. It being <HI>Don John</HI>'s Cu&s;tom to make the King acquainted with the great|e&s;t Affairs of <HI>Europe,</HI> by way of Di|verti&s;ement; as in the beginning
<PB N="107" REF="58">of his Mini&s;try he made him de&s;i|rous to learn to write, by &s;hewing him a Letter from the Duke of <HI>Sa|voy,</HI> all of the Hand-writing of that young Prince; and a&s;&s;uring his Maje&s;ty he might, if he pleas'd, do as much in three Months. The King thought well of it, and learnt to write. Order was &s;ent to the Governour of the <HI>Low-Countries,</HI> to Embarque <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> to be con|vey'd into <HI>Spain:</HI> the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a,</HI> willing to &s;ave the Mar|que&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> the trouble the re|moving his Mi&s;tre&s;s to &s;uch a di|&s;tance might occa&s;ion him, kept this Order very private. When <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was told &s;he mu&s;t go a Ship-board, &s;he was at Death's-door; e&s;pecially when &s;he heard &s;he was to go into <HI>Spain</HI> and the Mar|que&s;s to &s;tay in <HI>Elanders,</HI> with &s;o little hopes of ever &s;eeing her more. The&s;e Reflections made her forgot &s;he had ever been S. <HI>Aubin,</HI> and
<PB N="108" REF="59">yield her &s;elf wholly to the Senti|ments of <HI>Chri&s;tina;</HI> her love draw|ing Tears from her in abundance, which the fear of Death was never able to force from her. She took Shipping at <HI>O&s;tend,</HI> in a Ve&s;&s;el fit|ted, and arm'd, on purpo&s;e to con|vey her for <HI>Spain.</HI> She was recom|mended with &s;o much care to the Officers of the Ship, that they thought her a Prince&s;s of &s;ome So|veraign Family, which the <HI>Spani|ards</HI> had &s;tolen away for rea&s;ons of State. The Gentry of that Nation are great adorers of Women, and tho&s;e in the Ship us'd her with that re&s;pect that help'd her to bear her misfortunes more patiently, a Wo|man, what condition &s;oever &s;he is in, being &s;till &s;en&s;ible of the defe|rence expre&s;t for her. An Officer in the Ship (whether Lieutenant, or En&s;ign, I know not) po&s;&s;e&s;t with an opinion of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s Highne&s;s, and having perhaps read in <HI>Don
<PB N="109" REF="59">Quixot,</HI> that the fir&s;t duty of a Ca|valier is to &s;uccour Ladies in di|&s;tre&s;s, ob&s;erving <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> one day all bloated with crying, watch'd an opportunity to &s;peak to her in private, and told her if &s;he was &s;o aver&s;e again&s;t going to <HI>Spain,</HI> as her tears and her &s;ighs gave him cau&s;e to believe, &s;he might &s;ignifie her plea&s;ure to him, who would bring her where &s;he de&s;ir'd, or &s;et fire of the Ship. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> well acquaint|ed with the extravagance of the <HI>Spaniards,</HI> in what concerns Ladies, doubted not but he &s;pake in good earne&s;t; but looking on his Propo|&s;al as impracticable, &s;he thank'd him, pretending &s;he would not con&s;ent to it, for fear of expo&s;ing a Gentleman of &s;o much bravery to &s;o certain danger. Who ever knows the humour of the <HI>Spaniards</HI> will ea&s;ily believe &s;uch an an&s;wer, from a fair Lady, was more than &s;ufficient to oblige this Officer to
<PB N="110" REF="60">undertake impo&s;&s;ibilities for her &s;ake: He conjur'd her to employ him in her &s;ervice, a&s;&s;uring her he would endeavour to an&s;wer the good opinion &s;he had of his worth. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> unwilling to act any thing ra&s;hly, advis'd him to con&s;ider a lit|tle of the matter; and becau&s;e they could not, without &s;u&s;picion, di&s;|cour&s;e long together, &s;he pray'd him to put in writing the means he thought proper to bring about his de&s;ign by: The Officer promis'd it, and withdrew to perform it. As he was drawing up his Memo|rial two Ve&s;&s;els of <HI>Tripoly</HI> attack'd the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Ship: I will not trouble the Reader with a tedious Relation of the Sea-fight, but acquaint him only that <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> chu&s;ing rather to go into <HI>Spain,</HI> where &s;he might hope to &s;ee the Marque&s;s <HI>D'O&s;&s;eyra</HI> once more, than to fall into the <HI>Turks</HI> hands, did extraordinary Actions in the Fight; and having
<PB N="111" REF="60">ob&s;erv'd a Souldier who &s;carce knew how to handle his Arms, took them out of his hands, and made &s;o good u&s;e of them, that &s;he contri|buted very much to the &s;hameful Retreat the <HI>Turks</HI> were forc'd to make.</P>
<P>When all was quiet again in the Ship, the Captain and Officers, who all their life had been under the vulgar errour, that a Woman is in|capable of Actions of Valour, were a&s;toni&s;ht at <HI>Chri&s;tina's</HI> dexterity and courage. They Complemented her for it, but having not in their Language Terms &s;uficiently expre&s;|&s;ive of their admiration, they ex|pre&s;s'd it by looking on her with|out &s;peaking a word. The <HI>Spani|ards</HI> are great Bouncers, much given to Hyperboles, one call'd her the Queen of <HI>Amazones,</HI> another &s;aid &s;he was an Angel de&s;cended from Heaven for their aid. They were &s;o well &s;atisfi'd with the Mi|racles
<PB N="112" REF="61">&s;he had done (for &s;o they call'd them) that had &s;he taken her advantage of the favourable di&s;po|&s;ition they were then in, &s;he might have ea&s;ily per&s;waded them to land her in <HI>France:</HI> But &s;he had a very &s;taid wit, not apt to be led with fancies, &s;o that &s;he never thought of it. In the mean time the Offi|cer who had offer'd her his &s;ervice, being confirm'd in the fancy he had of her high Birth, by the Actions he had lately &s;een, took a new re&s;o|lution to &s;et her at liberty; and blindly, following his fancy, drew up an extravagant Project, &s;uitable to the Capacity of a Man bred ve|ry meanly. It was divided into Articles too ridiculous to be in&s;ert|ed. The &s;ub&s;tance was,</P>
<P>That he would &s;teal <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> by killing the Centinel at her Cab|bin Door; and becau&s;e this could not be done without noi&s;e, he pre|tended he had provided again&s;t it
<PB N="113" REF="61">by a hole he had made in the Ma|gazin of Powder, at which he would di&s;charge a &s;mall Gun, &s;et fire of the Powder-Room, and blow up the Ve&s;&s;el, as &s;oon as they were got away, to a convenient di&s;tance, in the Long-boat. The only Re|ward he de&s;ir'd for this brave Acti|on, was to be &s;ent to <HI>London</HI> with the Character of Amba&s;&s;adour from the Prince&s;s, to de&s;ire his Maje&s;ty of <HI>England</HI>'s Protection. He was &s;o pleas'd with the fancy of his Project, that one day he told <HI>Chri&s;ti|na</HI> &s;he would without fail be at li|berty in few days, all things being near ready, and pre&s;ented her the Paper; Read it, &s;ays he, and you will find I have taken my Mea&s;ures very right. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> who had al|ready no great opinion of his wit, receiv'd his Memorial, imagining he might write with more judg|ment than he &s;poke. The extrava|gances of the <HI>Spaniard</HI> would at a|nother
<PB N="114" REF="62">time have made her excel|lent &s;port: But now &s;he pitty'd his folly; telling him, coldly, her mind was alter'd, and that &s;he was very de&s;irous to &s;ee the Court of <HI>Spain.</HI> Any Man, but a <HI>Spaniard,</HI> would have been offended at the &s;light; but what ever happens a <HI>Spani|ard</HI> finds Fewel in it to feed the Fire of his Vanity: He reply'd &s;he could not do better than go &s;ee the Gran|deur of the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Court, which, in his opinion, was the mo&s;t Ma|je&s;tick of the Univer&s;e.</P>
<P>The Ship this while drew near the Coa&s;t of <HI>Spain,</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;ti|na,</HI> not forgetting &s;he was &s;till further and further from the Mar|que&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> afflicted her &s;elf every day &s;o much the more. As &s;oon as they landed, the Ma&s;ter of the Ve&s;&s;el took Po&s;t to carry the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a</HI>'s di&s;patches to Court. When he arriv'd there, they ask'd him a hundred &s;everal
<PB N="115" REF="62">Que&s;tions about <HI>Chri&s;tina.</HI> He &s;poke much in commendation of her beauty, but when he came to the Particulars of the Engagement with the Ve&s;&s;els of <HI>Tripoli,</HI> he ex|toll'd to the Skies, the valour and courage of our <HI>Heroine.</HI> This ap|pear'd &s;o &s;trange, in a Country where Women &s;pend their time in an exce&s;&s;ive &s;oftne&s;s, and are gene|rally fearful, that all who heard the News, &s;poke of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> with great admiration. He who fir&s;t gave the King an account of her, and occa&s;ion'd his de&s;ire to &s;ee her, fail'd not to acquaint him with what the Captain &s;aid of her: The King was willing to hear the Cap|tain him&s;elf, and &s;ent for him. The King's pre&s;ence, and the de&s;ire to plea&s;e him, in&s;pir'd Eloquence in|to the Captain, who gave his Ma|je&s;ty an account of the Fight, and particularly of what <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had done; which he di&s;play'd with
<PB N="116" REF="63">&s;uch advantage, it heighten'd the King's de&s;ire to &s;ee her. A Coach of the King's was immediately &s;ent away, to bring her with more con|venience, and expedition to Court; where, by the diligence of the Per|&s;on employ'd to attend her, <HI>Chri&s;ti|na</HI> arriv'd in very few days.</P>
<TRAILER>The end of the Third Part.</TRAILER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="part">
<PB N="117" REF="63">
<HEAD>THE Heroine Mu&s;queteer: OR, THE FEMALE WARRIER.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">The fourth and la&s;t Part.</HEAD>
<P><HI>CHRISTINA</HI> being ar|riv'd at <HI>Madrid,</HI> was much troubled to find e|very one there &s;o earne&s;t|ly de&s;irous to &s;ee her: The Coun|te&s;s of <HI>Benavidez</HI> had given &s;o &s;trange an account of her, and the Captain of the Ve&s;&s;el, in which &s;he was tran&s;ported into <HI>Spain,</HI> was &s;o careful in publi&s;hing her
<PB N="118" REF="64">Action again&s;t the Cor&s;aires, (to which the People added &s;o many fabulous Circum&s;tances) that her valour was generally attributed to a &s;upernatural principle. Some confidently affirm'd &s;he was a Witch; but this ridiculous report vani&s;h'd as &s;oon as &s;he appear'd at Court, where &s;he an&s;wer'd exactly all the Que&s;tions <HI>Don John of Au|&s;tria</HI> ask'd her in the Kings pre|&s;ence. She had the good Fortune to &s;ee whatever &s;he &s;poke was plea&s;ing and well taken; to which her Mo|de&s;ty, good Meen, and &s;peaking <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> &s;o well, did very much contribute: The Court was well &s;atisfy'd with her di&s;cour&s;e, and the Prince <HI>Don John of Au&s;tria</HI> a&s;&s;ur'd her &s;he &s;hould be well us'd, and treated with re&s;pect: When &s;he was retir'd, the King, and the Prince his Brother, &s;poke much to her advantage: The Courtiers, as well out of a natural inclina|tion
<PB N="119" REF="64">the <HI>Spaniards</HI> have to &s;peak always in favour of Ladies, as of cu&s;tom to approve whatever the King likes, highly applauded his Maje&s;ties &s;entiments. They made particular Ob&s;ervations and Re|marks on all that appeared charm|ing in <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> and di&s;cover'd &s;uch excellency of wit in expre&s;&s;i|ons dropt ca&s;ually from her, that the King was per&s;waded they had done her wrong who had cen&s;ur'd her conduct; and of all tho&s;e Gentlemen who waited on his Ma|je&s;ty, there was not one but could have wi&s;h'd him&s;elf the place of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> in her fa|vour: <HI>Don John</HI> gave order &s;he &s;hould have Lodging and Dyet at the Kings charge: The&s;e di&s;tin|gui&s;hing favours, and the oblig|ing character given her by tho&s;e who knew her, made &s;everal La|dies, of the highe&s;t Quality, very de&s;irous to &s;ee her. 'Tis not to be
<PB N="120" REF="65">expected they &s;hould have, for one of their Sex, the complai&s;ance of Gentlemen, who, taken at fir&s;t &s;ight with the &s;plendour of a beautiful Lady, ob&s;erve not her defects, or at lea&s;t pa&s;s over and excu&s;e them: Women, on the contrary, over|look, or (at be&s;t) take very &s;light notice of any thing that appears plea&s;ing and agreeable in ano|ther, and apply them&s;elves with diligence to magnifie and blazon all her imperfections, and whate|ver they believe di&s;plea&s;ing or un|hand&s;ome. As &s;oon as the Ladies had &s;een <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> they blam'd their weak judgments who had cry'd up her beauty, and endea|vour'd to make them &s;en&s;ible of &s;e|veral defects in it, though all the World is not yet of the&s;e Ladies Opinion in the ca&s;e: The Coun|te&s;s <HI>de Benavidez</HI> perceiving the pre&s;ence of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> would de|face the ill impre&s;&s;ions &s;he had gi|ven
<PB N="121" REF="65">of her, endeavour'd to prepo&s;|&s;e&s;s the Courtiers to her di&s;advan|tage: But being fru&s;trated on that &s;ide, and looking on the La|dies as better di&s;po&s;ed to &s;erve her de&s;ign, who are u&s;ually pleas'd to hear any thing to the prejudice of one of their Sex, who has gain'd the reputation of eminent; &s;he &s;poke of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> with that &s;corn and contempt, that &s;everal of the Ladies were unwilling to appear in the &s;ame Room with her. Not|with&s;tanding the diligence of the Counte&s;s, and the di&s;cour&s;e of the Ladies of her Cabal, the young Gentlemen of the Court lik'd <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> very well: But the Count <HI>Talara,</HI> fir&s;t Gentleman of his Ca|tholick Maje&s;ties Bed-Chamber, no longer able to &s;tifle the Flame kindled in his affections, frequent|ed her company, and omitted no|thing to make her &s;en&s;ible he was in love with her. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> per|ceiving
<PB N="122" REF="66">it, did all that could be ex|pected from a vertuous Lady to di&s;|abu&s;e him, and us'd all the Di&s;|cour&s;es and Arguments, a Woman, who would di&s;courage a Lover and had no de&s;ire to be lov'd, could invent on that occa&s;ion: The Count <HI>de Talara,</HI> not di&s;couraged by her &s;everities, continued to love and wait upon her wherever &s;he was to be &s;een, being not of the opinion of that experienced Lover, who &s;aid it was in a Womans power to deterr any from loving her, by a cold entertainment, and at two or three &s;everal times telling them dryly &s;he was not pleas'd with the addre&s;s. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having follow'd this maxim, and &s;everal others for curing the Count, thought it in vain to di&s;courage him any more, but re&s;olv'd (without giv|ing her &s;elf the trouble of unde|ceiving him further) &s;o to order her actions, and &s;hape the conduct
<PB N="123" REF="66">of her life, as not to give him cau&s;e of the lea&s;t hope of &s;ucce&s;s: The Count attributing <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s &s;lights to &s;ome particular a ver&s;ion he ap|prehended &s;he might have again&s;t him, fancy'd &s;he was otherwi&s;e inclin'd, and being a Per&s;on infe|rior to none, in hand&s;omne&s;s, qua|lity, or wit, was troubled extremely with this imagination: To &s;atisfie him&s;elf in this particular, he made &s;ome Per&s;ons, who now and then vi&s;ited <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> acquainted with his pa&s;&s;ion, and pray'd them not to &s;ee her any more. The Gentlemen of <HI>Spain</HI> have that deference and re&s;pect one for another, that a re|que&s;t of this kind is not extraordi|nary there: <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> very careful|ly avoided all occa&s;ions of being alone with the Count, and went frequently to Court to entertain his Maje&s;ty with an account of pa&s;&s;ages in <HI>Flanders.</HI> And having one day expre&s;t a great de&s;ire to &s;ee
<PB N="124" REF="67">the <HI>E&s;curial,</HI> to know whether that famous Hou&s;e an&s;wer'd the reputation it had in <HI>Europe;</HI> the King was glad there was any thing in <HI>Spain</HI> could move the curio&s;ity of a Per&s;on who had &s;een &s;o many varieties, and pray'd two Ladies of the Court to bear her company thither, to &s;hew her the magnifi|cence of that Pallace, and the rare devi&s;es in &s;everal Apartments there, which <HI>Philip</HI> the &s;econd put &s;o great a value upon: Order was given the Ladies &s;hould be &s;umptuou&s;ly treated there: Count <HI>Talara,</HI> having heard of it, would fain have been one of the compa|ny, but was indi&s;pen&s;ably oblig'd by the duty of his place to attend the Kings per&s;on, and as things then &s;tood in the Court of <HI>Spain,</HI> there was no ab&s;enting him&s;elf without manife&s;t hazard of his Fortune. As he was thinking of a Per&s;on he might confide in, to
<PB N="125" REF="67">&s;peak in his favour to <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> on this occa&s;ion, news was brought him that the high Steward of the Kings Hou&s;hold, who was his Kin&s;man and Friend, was newly re|turn'd from the Army in <HI>Catalonia,</HI> where he had a command; the Count gave him a vi&s;it, and hav|ing confe&s;t he was de&s;perately in love with an excellent &s;trange La|dy, who was to be on the morrow at the <HI>E&s;curial,</HI> with &s;everal other Ladies; he conjur'd him to make u&s;e of the Priviledge of his place, in going to the entertainment, where it would be in his power to do him good offices with his Mi|&s;tre&s;s, under pretence of taking care of the Ladies. A Gentleman never refu&s;es an imployment of this nature, and this Friend of the Counts, readily accepting the charge he gave him, promis'd to acquit him&s;elf well of it. He fail'd not to go the next day to the <HI>E&s;|curial;</HI>
<PB N="126" REF="68">where, having given the nece&s;&s;ary orders, he went into a Gallery the Ladies were walking in; who, having notice of his ar|rival, advanc'd to receive him, be|lieving he had taken this Journey meerly out of re&s;pect to them: He had &s;carce begun to pa&s;s a Complement of civility upon them, but having ca&s;t his Eyes on <HI>Chri|&s;tina,</HI> he &s;tood &s;till as a Statute: The Ladies were a&s;toni&s;ht, e&s;peci|ally <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> who fixing her Eye earne&s;tly on him, knew him to be <HI>Don Philip de Palafox,</HI> of whom I &s;poke in my fir&s;t Volume, as the Per&s;on who pa&s;s'd the <HI>Pyrences</HI> to &s;teal her away. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> cry'd out, frightned to &s;ee her &s;elf &s;o near a Per&s;on who had been deep|ly in love with her, and one whom &s;he thought &s;he had highly offend|ed. <HI>Don Philip</HI> had not heard of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;ince he went into the Army in <HI>Catalonia,</HI> whence he
<PB N="127" REF="68">return'd but once to Court, to take his Oath of High-Steward of the Hou&s;hold, the place being void by the death of the Marque&s;s <HI>Da|rizza</HI> his Father; &s;o that 'twas no wonder he was &s;urpriz'd at &s;o un|expected a &s;ight of a Per&s;on who had been &s;o dear to him, and by her in&s;en&s;ibility had made him re&s;olve to go into the Army: Tho&s;e who have had any experi|ence in Love, will ea&s;ily agree, the &s;ight, after long ab&s;ence, of a per&s;on we have tenderly lov'd, and never prevail'd with, cannot but cau&s;e extraordinary emotions in the heart of a Lover. All Men are apt to flatter them&s;elves in their pa&s;&s;ions, and <HI>Don Palafox,</HI> not able to imagine what &s;trange For|tune &s;hould bring <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> (a <HI>French-woman</HI>) into <HI>Spain,</HI> when the Two Crowns were &s;o deeply engag'd in War, pre&s;ently fancy'd &s;he had repented her ill u&s;age of
<PB N="128" REF="69">him, and probably was return'd into <HI>Spain</HI> in &s;earch of him. And continuing to interpret all things to his advantage, he thought the &s;lights Count <HI>Talara</HI> complain'd of, and the loud cry her late a&s;to|ni&s;hment, at fir&s;t &s;ight of him, had forc'd from her, effects of her pa&s;|&s;ion for him. Being full of the&s;e fancies, he &s;aid a thou&s;and extra|vagances; and <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was &s;o &s;ur|priz'd, &s;he an&s;wer'd not a word: The Ladies who &s;tood by, taking notice of the a&s;toni&s;hment on ei|ther &s;ide, help'd to bring them to them&s;elves again; and finding <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> much di&s;ordered by the pre&s;ence of <HI>Don Philip,</HI> they pray'd him to withdraw, which he could not deny them; yet hoped the di&s;order he &s;aw <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> in boded him much good. He was no &s;oon|er gone, but <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> ob&s;erving that the Ladies were in pain to know the cau&s;e of her trouble,
<PB N="129" REF="69">yet &s;o di&s;creet as to forbear asking her, acquainted them with what had pa&s;t in her Country, and what|ever el&s;e had any relation to her concern with <HI>Don Philip:</HI> This le&s;&s;en'd their wonder at her a&s;to|ni&s;hment, and was ea&s;ily believ'd by them, who were well acquainted with the head&s;trong humour of that Gentleman.</P>
<P><HI>Don Philip</HI> the while con&s;ider'd the accident he had newly met with, and being naturally vain, flatter'd him&s;elf with an opinion <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was in love with him. It was a pretty while ere he came to a re&s;olution whether to return to the Ladies, or retire to &s;ave <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> the confu&s;ion he fear'd his pre&s;ence would put her in before the Company: After much debate it was carry'd for the retirement, in confidence his Mi&s;tre&s;s would thank him for his di&s;cretion, and e&s;teem him the better for't. Count
<PB N="130" REF="70"><HI>Talara</HI> impatient to hear the &s;uc|ce&s;s of his Friends Journey, had given order he &s;hould have notice as &s;oon as <HI>Palafox</HI> arriv'd: And go|ing to his Hou&s;e &s;oon after his ar|rival, he ask'd him, with much concern, what news of his Mi|&s;tre&s;s: You have a Rival, an&s;wer'd <HI>Don Philip,</HI> who hath long been in love with the fair <HI>French woman,</HI> and he is a Gentleman I have a great intere&s;t in, and my very good Friend. Know you not, reply'd the Count, thinking he meant the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> that the King hath explained him&s;elf in that par|ticular, and declar'd, he will not con&s;ent to their Marriage: You &s;urprize me, &s;ays <HI>Don Philip,</HI> (not comprehending the Counts mean|ing,) I did not think the Court &s;o well inform'd of the affair. A Kin&s;man of <HI>Don Philips</HI> coming in, interrupted their di&s;cour&s;e, and prevented farther explication: The
<PB N="131" REF="70">Count took his leave, and <HI>Don Pallafox</HI> remained very unquiet at the news he had newly told: Go|ing to the King on the morrow, he found <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> there, giving his Maje&s;ty an account of every thing worthy ob&s;ervation at the <HI>E&s;curial:</HI> They ask'd if &s;he thought it a better Hou&s;e than <HI>Ver&s;ailles;</HI> there is no proportion between them, &s;ays <HI>Chri&s;tina, Ver&s;ailles</HI> being more con&s;iderable for the Waters, and delicate Gardens a|bout it, than the magnificence of the Buildings, which are neat and convenient, but not &s;tately; but the <HI>E&s;curial</HI> is a Pallace of very large extent.</P>
<P><HI>Don Philip</HI> pretending he knew not this &s;trange Lady, ask'd tho&s;e who &s;tood by who &s;he was, while &s;he &s;poke to the King: They told him what they had heard of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI>'s pa&s;&s;ion, the Fights &s;he had been in, in <HI>Flan|ders,</HI>
<PB N="132" REF="71">and, in a word, all tho&s;e Stories the Publick had added to the truth of her Adventures. The King be|ing gone to Coun&s;el, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> re|tir'd, and <HI>Don Philip</HI> gave her his Hand to bring her to her Appart|ment, which &s;he would not refu&s;e him, for fear of notice being taken of it in &s;o publick a place: As &s;oon as he came where he might &s;peak to her in private, he a&s;&s;ur'd her he had always lov'd her, and that if he had been guilty of di&s;re&s;pect in endeavouring to &s;teal her, &s;he ought to pardon it, as an effect of the exce&s;s of his pa&s;&s;ion, his inten|tions having been always very good. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> willing to di&s;a|bu&s;e him, told him his explicati|ons were to no purpo&s;e, &s;ince &s;he had di&s;pos'd of her Heart to ano|ther, and waited only a favoura|ble opportunity to complain to the King of the inju&s;tice of her Ene|mies, and to intreat his Maje&s;ties
<PB N="133" REF="71">protection, if &s;he &s;hould marry the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra;</HI> otherwi&s;e, that &s;he might have liberty to &s;pend her life in a Covent. With that &s;he bur&s;t out into Tears, at the thought of the Marque&s;s; which <HI>Don Philip</HI> &s;eeing, (that he might not afflict her more by di&s;cour&s;e he perceived trouble&s;ome to her) went away, but was &s;o much con|cern'd for her, that he made it his bu&s;ine&s;s to be better in&s;tructed in the particulars of her affairs.</P>
<P>Having remembred him&s;elf that the Counte&s;s <HI>de Benavidez</HI> had re|&s;ided long in <HI>Flanders,</HI> he gave her a vi&s;it, and falling in&s;en&s;ibly into di&s;cour&s;e of <HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> The Counte&s;s gave him a de&s;cription of her, much like that &s;he had for|merly given the Marchione&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> and many others; in&s;inu|ating that all her di&s;gui&s;es were the effects of a criminal pa&s;&s;ion; which <HI>Don Philip</HI> was &s;o far per&s;waded of, that he repented he had ever lov'd
<PB N="134" REF="72">her: Mo&s;t Men are di&s;po&s;ed to be|lieve what they hear reported of the ill conduct of Women, and the gro&s;s Error of mo&s;t &s;trangers, e&s;pecially <HI>Spaniards,</HI> in the hard cen&s;ures they pa&s;s of the liberty Women enjoy in <HI>France,</HI> did not a little contribute to confirm <HI>Don Philip</HI> in the &s;entiments the Coun|te&s;s had in&s;pir'd him with. He thank'd her for her information, and having that Evening met with Count <HI>Talara,</HI> as the King was going to Bed, he told him he would cure him of the pa&s;&s;ion he had for <HI>Christina,</HI> a&s;&s;uring him he knew by a very good hand, &s;he was unworthy the affection of a Per&s;on of Honour: The King ha|ving that In&s;tant call'd the Count upon bu&s;ine&s;s belonging to his Place, he had not the time to an|&s;wer <HI>Don Philip;</HI> and pre&s;ently after, every body withdrew: The Count, by his priviledge of fir&s;t
<PB N="135" REF="72">Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber, was to lye there that Night: The pa&s;&s;ion he had for <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> made him mu&s;e all Night of <HI>Don Philips</HI> Di&s;cour&s;e; at la&s;t, reproaching him&s;elf for having endur'd Lan|guage &s;o much to the di&s;advan|tage of a Per&s;on he lov'd, he thought him&s;elf oblig'd, as a Gentleman, to demand &s;atisfacti|on, and got up with a re&s;olution to fight <HI>Don Philip,</HI> though Duels are forbidden in <HI>Spain:</HI> But the Prince di&s;pen&s;ing very much with the &s;everity of the Edicts, they are not ob&s;erved there as exactly as in <HI>France,</HI> &s;o that Gentlemen fight Duels there on very &s;light occa&s;ions. Count <HI>Talara</HI> having written a Billet to <HI>Don Philip,</HI> he deliver'd it to one of his Servants, a <HI>Navarrois</HI> in whom he plac'd great confidence, commanding him to carry it to <HI>Don Philip:</HI> Challenges being out of fa&s;hion in
<PB N="136" REF="73"><HI>France,</HI> I have in&s;erted the form of this, tran&s;lated word for word, being as follows.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>Whoever dares &s;peak to the di&s;|advantage of</HI> Chri&s;tina, <HI>lyes: She is of unque&s;tionable Vertue; and he cannot be a Man of Honour, who judges otherwi&s;e of her: If you are of a contrary Opinion, let me find you at one a Clock after Midnight, at the</HI> Toledo-Gate, <HI>where you &s;hall receive the Puni&s;hment due for the wrong judgment you have pa&s;t of her.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P>The Count recommended this Billet &s;o often, and with &s;o &s;trict a charge to the Boy, that it gave him the curio&s;ity to know what it contain'd. He was much &s;urpriz'd at the reading it, and having been born near <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> and heard &s;o many extraordinary things of her, he had a kind of inclination for her, and thought he might do her
<PB N="137" REF="73">&s;ome &s;ervice in letting her &s;ee a Billet &s;he was &s;o much concern'd in; and &s;lipt privately into her Lodging to &s;hew it her: <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having given him &s;ome Fruits of her acknowledgment, charg'd him to carry it &s;afe to <HI>Don Philip,</HI> and acquaint her with his an&s;wer, tel|ling him, (the better to engage him to it) it was of very great con|&s;equence to her.</P>
<P><HI>Don Philip,</HI> having received the Billet, was extremely offended with the outrageous Language the Count had made u&s;e of, and told the Boy it required no an&s;wer, but he would give his Ma&s;ter an an|&s;wer at the place appointed. The <HI>Navarrois</HI> gave <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> an ac|count, and then his Ma&s;ter: While the Count was fitting him&s;elf to appear at the a&s;&s;ignation, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was in Tears, unre&s;olv'd what to do. She con&s;ider'd, that as things were carried, this Duel mu&s;t needs
<PB N="138" REF="74">produce very ill effects, &s;ince the Relations of both the Gentlemen, would infallibly joyn with the Marchione&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> to ruine her, and perhaps prevail with the Court to take &s;ome violent re&s;olu|tions again&s;t her. She was &s;en&s;i|ble likewi&s;e the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> would be extremely di&s;pleas'd, to hear &s;he had been concern'd in &s;o publick a manner, and in a bu&s;i|ne&s;s of &s;uch noi&s;e in the Face of all <HI>Spain:</HI> A Woman, how &s;mall &s;oe|ver a &s;hare &s;he hath in a Quarrel happened on her account, being &s;ure to &s;uffer by it; the publick (which judges of things by appea|rances, without examining the truth) being always ready to blame her: Having made the&s;e reflecti|ons, &s;he re&s;olv'd to prevent their fighting; &s;he had &s;carce form'd the de&s;ign, but &s;he repented it, re|proaching her &s;elf for being &s;o lit|tle &s;en&s;ible of her reputation, bold|ly
<PB N="139" REF="74">and &s;ecurely wrong'd by <HI>Don Philip.</HI> With that &s;he gave her &s;elf up wholly to what her Anger, her Courage, and de&s;ire of Re|venge &s;ugge&s;ted to her, and with the help of a <HI>French</HI> Merchant, got her a Suit of Mans Cloths, a Sword, and a Perruke. About an hour before the time of the a&s;|&s;ignation, &s;he cunningly gave it out, the Count <HI>Talara</HI> was to fight a Duel; without mention|ing <HI>Don Philip:</HI> This was enough to alarm the Counts Friends, who arre&s;ted him in his Hou&s;e. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> in the mean time went to the place of Rendezvous, and having &s;py'd <HI>Don Philip,</HI> though the Night be|gan to grow very dark, &s;he attack'd him &s;o briskly, that &s;he gave <HI>Don Philip</HI> a de&s;perate Cut, which he had certainly reveng'd, had he not been in&s;tantly hem'd in by five or &s;ix Men, who &s;eiz'd both the Combatants. Count <HI>Talara</HI>'s Boy,
<PB N="140" REF="75">who lov'd his Ma&s;ter well, and fear'd the &s;ucce&s;s of the Duel, had given notice of it to a Gentleman who was both their Friends, and having got together &s;ome other, ran with them to the Gate of <HI>To|ledo</HI> as they began to fight: They had put out their Flambeaus for fear of di&s;covery, and 'twas &s;o dark, they could not di&s;cern one Per&s;on from another, but ha&s;tily feiz'd on them; and having put them into &s;everal Coaches, carry'd them to <HI>Don John</HI>'s Apartment, that the Prince, who is extremely belov'd by the Nobility, might take up the matter. But the Wound <HI>Don Philip</HI> had received, oblig'd them to take him to a Chirurgions, who (perhaps to heighten the va|lue of the Cure) pre&s;ently &s;aid it was very dangerous, but that he would warrant the Cure. One of tho&s;e who had parted them was already got to <HI>Don Johns</HI> to
<PB N="141" REF="75">adverti&s;e him of the bu&s;ine&s;s; and as he began to give him an account of the Particulars, he &s;py'd Count <HI>Talara</HI> &s;tanding very quiet in <HI>Don John</HI>'s Chamber: He was &s;o di&s;|order'd, to &s;ee there a Man he thought he had left in his Friends hands in another place, that it was not in his Power to continue his di&s;cour&s;e. The Prince, ob&s;erving the a&s;toni&s;hment of the Man, told him he had &s;ent for the Count, that he might be inform'd of the Affair, and that he would take care there &s;hould be no Swords drawn. <HI>Don Philip</HI> is mortally wounded, &s;ays the Gentleman, and we thought it had been by Count <HI>Talara.</HI> They were all &s;urpsiz'd at this, e&s;pecially when told, that he that wounded <HI>Don Philip</HI> was in a Coach at the Prince's Gate. As they were un|der the impatience to know who it was, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> and her Compa|ny enter'd the Chamber. Every
<PB N="142" REF="76">one wonder'd to &s;ee a young Man of &s;o good a Meen. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> ad|dre&s;&s;ing her &s;elf to <HI>Don John,</HI> in|form'd him what had oblig'd her to di&s;gui&s;e her &s;elf; and the cour&s;e &s;he had taken for &s;taying the Count, that &s;he might revenge, in Per&s;on, the injurious di&s;cour&s;e of <HI>Don Philip:</HI> Her re&s;olution was commended by all, and her courage admir'd. The Prince, to divert his Maje&s;ty with the &s;ight of this di&s;gui&s;e, led her in|to his Maje&s;ty's Chamber; telling him, as he enter'd, he was come to beg his Maje&s;ty's pardon to be granted that Criminal, who had wounded one of the brave&s;t Men in his Kingdom. The King fixing his Eyes on <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> pre&s;ently knew her, and thought the di&s;cour&s;e of the Prince, his Brother, had no relation to <HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> But when he was inform'd of what had hap|pen'd, he blam'd <HI>Don Philip</HI> ex|tremely, for drawing that misfor|tune
<PB N="143" REF="76">on him&s;elf, and a&s;&s;ur'd <HI>Chri|stina</HI> of his Protection. <HI>Don Phi|lip</HI> being &s;oon after almo&s;t cur'd of his wound, <HI>Don John</HI> made him and the Count embrace one ano|ther, and oblig'd <HI>Don Philip</HI> to ask <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> pardon. He was &s;o a|&s;ham'd to have been wounded by a Woman, that he left the Court, and accompany'd his Brother into <HI>Cicily,</HI> where he was to take Po&s;|&s;e&s;&s;ion of the Arch-Bi&s;hoprick of <HI>Palermo.</HI></P>
<P>While matters went thus in <HI>Spain,</HI> the Marque&s;s <HI>D' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> was in <HI>Flanders,</HI> where the Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot,</HI> who had a de&s;ign to have him marry'd to a beautiful young Lady her Relation, amus'd him continually, pretending to &s;end him every day &s;ome news of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> whom the Marque&s;s thought &s;till &s;afe in the Covent, &s;o careful had they been to conceal from him her Voyage into <HI>Spain.</HI> He fan|cy'd
<PB N="144" REF="77">the long &s;ilence of his Mi&s;tre&s;s an effect of her mode&s;ty, as know|ing her Letters were to pa&s;s through the hands of the Duche&s;s; and he expected every hour to receive Li|cen&s;e to return into <HI>Spain,</HI> where he de&s;ign'd to beg his Maje&s;ty's permi&s;&s;ion to marry whom he pleas'd. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was alarm'd with continual fears the Marque&s;s had forgotten her, having heard nothing of him &s;ince &s;he left <HI>Flan|ders.</HI> The late Duel had occa&s;i|on'd a thou&s;and new Tales of her, in a Court where they are po&s;&s;e&s;t with an opinion Women are good for nothing but matters of Love, not a Per&s;on but was infinitely de|&s;irous to &s;ee her; &s;o that &s;he could not &s;tir a foot but &s;he found her &s;elf compa&s;s'd with a Throng of Peo|ple, which made her re&s;olve to beg his Maje&s;ty's leave to go into a Co|vent.</P>
<P>An illu&s;trious Prince&s;s, who owes
<PB N="145" REF="77">her Birth to <HI>Italy,</HI> had her Educa|tion in <HI>France,</HI> and by I know not what Freaks of Fortune is now in <HI>Spain,</HI> having heard various Re|ports of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s Conduct, had the Curio&s;ity to inquire &s;trictly in|to it; and to be &s;atisfi'd of the truth of her Adventures, writ for that purpo&s;e into <HI>France,</HI> and the <HI>Low-Countries.</HI> Soon after &s;he receiv'd Letters which confirm'd the judg|ment &s;he had formerly given in her favour, and a&s;&s;ur'd her, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s di&s;gui&s;e was a pure effect of a Mar|tial inclination &s;he had a little too eagerly pur&s;u'd. This Prince&s;s, who by her own experience knew a Woman may, without prejudice to her Vertue, love Travelling, Hunting, and &s;everal other Exer|ci&s;es, commonly look'd upon as proper only for Men, pray'd his Ma|je&s;ty he would be pleas'd &s;he might take <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> into her Hou&s;e. The King was content, and <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>
<PB N="146" REF="78">accepted the offer with the greater acknowledgment, as being upon the point of entring into a Covent, where &s;he expected vexation e|nough from the Reflections of the Nuns, who, though little acquaint|ed with the World, might have waggery and malice &s;ufficient to torment her. 'Tis hard to expre&s;s whether the Prince&s;s was more &s;a|tisfi'd with the good humour and Complai&s;ance of our <HI>Heroine,</HI> or &s;he with the goodne&s;s and obliging|ne&s;s of her Protectore&s;s: They a|greed &s;o well in their tempers, they quickly came to have an intire con|fidence in one another, and mutu|ally imparted their mo&s;t impor|tant Secrets. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having one day declar'd &s;he was troubled there were Books publi&s;h'd of her Ad|ventures. You have no rea&s;on to be troubled at that, &s;ays the Prin|ce&s;s; 'tis my fortune too, with this difference, that tho&s;e which con|cern
<PB N="147" REF="78">you are true Relations of what hath happen'd to you; whereas I have not had a hand in any thing they have written of me, though the Writers have had the malice to interlard their Relations with Cir|cum&s;tances &s;o probable, many take them for true. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> ob&s;erv|ing the Prince&s;s concern'd, advis'd her to publi&s;h an account of her Life, to di&s;own all others, and di&s;co|ver their fal&s;ities; and gave &s;o ma|ny rea&s;ons for it, that the Prince&s;s (who is a Lady of great wit) ap|ply'd her &s;elf to the writing it on the Morrow. Her fir&s;t de&s;ign was to write it in <HI>French,</HI> as a Language &s;poken in mo&s;t Courts of <HI>Europe;</HI> but having con&s;ider'd there are few under&s;tand it in <HI>Spain,</HI> where &s;he was concern'd to clear her &s;elf, &s;he publi&s;h'd her Memoires in <HI>Spa|ni&s;h,</HI> and &s;ome Copies of it have been tran&s;mitted into <HI>France.</HI></P>
<P>The Prince&s;s lodg'd at <HI>Madrid,</HI>
<PB N="148" REF="79">with a Lady of the highe&s;t Quality, and a Relation of the Prince her Husband. This Lady was a Wi|dow, and one who more than any other, blam'd the lea&s;t liberties Wo|men take; &s;aying, there was little difference between a Woman real|ly faulty, and one that's but &s;u&s;|pected; the Reputation of a Wo|man being &s;o delicate, that a meer &s;u&s;picion, however ill-grounded, may ruine it. The Prince&s;s had often, but in vain, endeavour'd to convince her of her errour, and per&s;wade her that a Woman may be &s;o vertuous as to have nothing to reproach her &s;elf with; but it is not in a Womans power to &s;top the Mouths of her Enemies, from venting Stories, and Tales of her; which is too common in the World. The Widows &s;everity was proof to all rea&s;ons. The Prin|ce&s;s was di&s;cour&s;ing one Evening to <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> the fooli&s;h and ob&s;ti|nate
<PB N="149" REF="79">conceitedne&s;s of this Woman, and what difficulty there was in dealing with a Per&s;on wedded to &s;o inconvenient and unju&s;t an o|pinion, and that &s;he was troubled &s;he was oblig'd in decency to &s;ee her &s;o often. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> who &s;tu|dy'd to divert the Prince&s;s, promis'd her to Act a Part which &s;hould un|deceive the Widow by her own experience: She was fully inform'd of all that pa&s;s'd at the Widows, and had ob&s;erv'd &s;he was very &s;hort-&s;ighted: She was a <HI>Catalonian</HI> by Birth, and would be thought to de&s;cend from the ancient Counts of <HI>Barcellona.</HI> Whenever a Per|&s;on of Quality of that Province came to Court, &s;he would be very angry, and think him ill-bred, if he came not to do her homage. <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> knowing all this, put on a Gentlemans Habit; and having taken order that if any came to the Gate, an&s;wer &s;hould be made, the
<PB N="150" REF="80">Widow was not to be &s;een that day: She gave her a vi&s;it under the name of <HI>Don Artal de Cardona,</HI> newly arriv'd from <HI>Catalonia.</HI> The Widow, who was &s;omewhat &s;uper|annuated, being much pleas'd a Gentleman &s;o hand&s;ome and well born &s;hould give her a vi&s;it, and &s;peak &s;o much in prai&s;e of her Fa|mily, (for <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had attacqu'd her weak &s;ide) &s;he gave <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> the kinde&s;t reception imaginable: Their-di&s;cour&s;e was long, and be|fore parting the Widow pray'd <HI>Don Artal de Cardona</HI> to do her the honour to &s;ee her again often: <HI>Don Artal</HI> promis'd it, and withdrew, and gave the Prince&s;s an account of the &s;ucce&s;s of the fir&s;t vi&s;it. She admir'd the wit and addre&s;s of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> and pray'd her not to o|mit any thing to make the Widow in Love. The Prince&s;s having vi|&s;ited her the &s;ame day, &s;he could not forbear falling pre&s;ently into di&s;|cour&s;e
<PB N="151" REF="80">of the hand&s;ome <HI>Catalonian,</HI> and relate &s;everal Particulars to his advantage, being liberal of her prai&s;es, and extolling his wit and good Meen; adding, &s;he knew him from a Child, and that then he promis'd great matters.</P>
<P>Two days after, the pretended <HI>Don Artal</HI> went to &s;ee the Lady a|gain, and knowing very well what prai&s;es plea&s;e a Woman be&s;t, e&s;pe|cially one who is preci&s;e, and &s;tands much on her hone&s;ty, he fell a commending her Vertue and Con|duct, and by little and little &s;lipt in&s;en&s;ibly into the Subject of her Beauty. Di&s;cour&s;es of this kind never di&s;plea&s;e a Woman, e&s;pecial|ly a Widow, who&s;e condition, age and pretences to Vertue oblige her to live retyr'd. She heard all with delight, and the concern &s;he began to feel in her &s;elf for this Gentleman, engaging her to eye him clo&s;er, and more attentively
<PB N="152" REF="81">than before, he appear'd &s;o hand|&s;ome, &s;he thought &s;he had never &s;een any Man &s;o lovely. A Wo|man in years being more coming than others, at the third vi&s;it &s;he was de&s;perately in love with him. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> gave the Prince&s;s an ex|act account of all, who not com|prehending <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s de&s;ign to a|bu&s;e the poor Widow thus, ask'd her one day what &s;he propos'd to her &s;elf by it: I will convince her, &s;ays <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> how vertuous &s;o|ever a Woman is, it may be ac|counted a piece of merit in her to re&s;i&s;t the Attacks of a Man of good Meen, and &s;ome indulgence is due to tho&s;e who are every day expos'd to temptation.</P>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;ometimes waited on the Prince&s;s to the Widows, be|cau&s;e they lodg'd in her Hou&s;e, and took great care to alter her voice in di&s;cour&s;ing with them. Being alone with her, &s;he had the wag|gery
<PB N="153" REF="81">to ask the Widow the name of that hand&s;ome Gentleman &s;he &s;aw now and then enter her Apart|ment. The Widow, tickled with the prai&s;es <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> gave a Man &s;he had a kindne&s;s for, told her a long Story of his Birth, E&s;tate, and many other Circum&s;tances; ad|ding, he was her Kin&s;man, which was the rea&s;on &s;he allow'd of his frequent vi&s;its. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> applau|ding all &s;he &s;aid, found &s;he had di&s;|cover'd the Secret to plea&s;e her: And not &s;atisfi'd with playing up|on her under the name and di&s;gui&s;e of <HI>Don Artal,</HI> would needs be her Confident; which &s;he found no hard matter to attain, by continu|ing her Commendations of <HI>Don Artal:</HI> As &s;oon as &s;he had &s;hifted <HI>Don Artal</HI>'s Habit, &s;he would pre|&s;ently run into the Widows Cham|ber, to tell her &s;he had &s;een him pa&s;s by, and that it was plain he was in Love. The Widow de|ceiv'd
<PB N="154" REF="82">by a di&s;cour&s;e that flatter'd her de&s;ires, and fearing <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> might think <HI>Don Artal</HI> was in Love with another, and not with her, re|veal'd to her at la&s;t what &s;he thought to have conceal'd from all the World, and imparted the Se|cret of her love for <HI>Don Artal,</HI> de|&s;iring <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s advice; who an|&s;wer'd, that in matters of that na|ture &s;he had be&s;t con&s;ult her own heart, and con&s;ider the bent of her affections; but that if any Pa&s;&s;ion were excu&s;able in a Woman, it mu&s;t certainly be that &s;he entertain'd for a hand&s;ome Man: <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> could not &s;ay this without blu&s;hing, and her heart having reproach'd her for having been &s;o free in her di&s;cour&s;e, &s;he took her leave.</P>
<P>The de&s;ire we have to prevail for &s;omething we aim at, engages us often in more di&s;cour&s;e than is nece&s;&s;ary; and 'tis &s;ometimes very dangerous to be eloquent. The
<PB N="155" REF="82">Widow, reflecting on all <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had &s;aid in prai&s;e of <HI>Don Artal,</HI> (which yet fell far &s;hort of what &s;he thought he de&s;erv'd) conclu|ded, from <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s di&s;cour&s;e, &s;he did not di&s;like the <HI>Catalonian:</HI> And being through her age more inclin'd to Jealou&s;ie, &s;he re&s;olv'd to put a trick upon <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> by pre|tending all &s;he &s;aid to her was only to di&s;cover what &s;he thought of <HI>Don Artal.</HI> The next vi&s;it &s;he gave her, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> began (as &s;he had us'd) to &s;peak of <HI>Don Artal:</HI> The Widow interrupted her, telling her &s;he might do well to change the di&s;cour&s;e; adding, very &s;eriou&s;ly, &s;he lov'd not the company of Per|&s;ons &s;o coming: She &s;poke this with &s;uch an Air of mode&s;ty, it might have deceiv'd the mo&s;t ju|dicious. Poor <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> found her &s;elf di&s;order'd by &s;o unexpected an an&s;wer, and her own Vertue cau|&s;ing her to approve of the Widows
<PB N="156" REF="83">di&s;cour&s;e, &s;he went away much trou|bled and perplext, not having the confidence to an&s;wer a di&s;cour&s;e that reflected on her mode&s;ty. When &s;he came to the Prince&s;s, &s;he com|plain'd of her misfortune in very lamentable expre&s;&s;ions, as if the mo&s;t innocent actions &s;till turn'd to her di&s;advantage. The Prince&s;s, who was very di&s;cerning, and very much mi&s;tru&s;ted tho&s;e Women who are over careful of outward appearan|ces, told her, &s;he had run too ha&s;ti|ly into the Snare, and that po&s;&s;ibly the Widow did but pay her in her own Coyn. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> who had been frighted at this Adventure, took courage at the judicious di&s;|cour&s;e of the Prince&s;s, and re&s;olving to know the truth, put on her Mans Habit. The Widow the while ap|plauded her &s;elf for the good &s;uc|ce&s;s of her Plot, in ridding her of &s;o dangerous a Rival: She expected, with impatience, her <HI>Cardona;</HI> re|&s;olving,
<PB N="157" REF="83">for the future, to take her advantage of the eagerne&s;s of his addre&s;&s;es: As &s;oon as he came in, &s;he gave him the u&s;ual reception; care&s;&s;ing him in the highe&s;t man|ner imaginable, with de&s;ign to in|&s;pire boldne&s;s into him. And as clo&s;ely as &s;he adher'd to her Ver|tue, her Love made her that day ex|pre&s;s a little forwardne&s;s, which <HI>Don Artal</HI> &s;eem'd not to under&s;tand. The Widow, who had a great o|pinion of his wit, wondered to &s;ee him &s;o dull; and was confounded at his changing his di&s;cour&s;e, and falling upon the Subject of her high Birth, in terms which would have been plea&s;ing enough to the Vanity of the Lady, had &s;he not been that day under a &s;trong influence of the Planet of Love, which for the time had the A&s;cendant of her heart; and <HI>Don Artal</HI> very well knew it, though he had the malice not to take notice of it. She did
<PB N="158" REF="84">all &s;he could to make him rea&s;&s;ume the former di&s;cour&s;e, and he as carefully avoided it, magnifying the brave Actions of one of her Ance&s;tors, who had &s;ignaliz'd him|&s;elf in driving away the <HI>Moors</HI> out of <HI>Granada.</HI> But &s;he was then in|di&s;pos'd for War, and expected a Language le&s;s Martial, and more tender. <HI>Don Artal</HI> &s;oon after took his leave, and the Widow remain'd very ill &s;atisfi'd with his ba&s;hful|ne&s;s. The Prince&s;s, &s;en&s;ible of the di&s;traction &s;he was under, thought it would be a plea&s;ure to her, to have the liberty of mu&s;ing a|lone of her imaginary Lover: and having learnt of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> all the Particulars of the la&s;t Scene, &s;he ob|&s;erv'd how careful mo&s;t Women, e&s;pecially the preci&s;e, are to &s;alve up the appearances, not much re|garding the e&s;&s;ential part, if they may but cheat the World, and be e&s;teem'd Per&s;ons of a &s;evere life,
<PB N="159" REF="84">and &s;trictly vertuous: while tho&s;e who conver&s;e much with the World, making &s;mall account of &s;ome little liberties they take with|out &s;cruple, are not &s;afe from ob|loquy and cen&s;ure, though really provided of a great &s;tock of Vertue; while the others enjoy their A|mours privately, and triumph in publick for the applau&s;e this coun|terfeit re&s;ervedne&s;s procures them. In truth, &s;aid the Prince&s;s, tho&s;e of our Sex are very unhappy in be|ing oblig'd, be&s;ides the &s;atisfaction due to their Con&s;cience, to &s;atisfie the World, which is always di&s;|pos'd to believe the wor&s;t of us. 'Tis certain, reply'd <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> we cannot always blame them, there being Women of all Characters, who by their ill Conduct draw up|on them&s;elves very hard Cen&s;ures, and too often very de&s;ervedly; though it mu&s;t be agreed the Ex|ample of one guilty Woman, gives
<PB N="160" REF="85">occa&s;ion for condemning an hun|dred innocent.</P>
<P>The <HI>Spaniards,</HI> though they hate the memory of the <HI>Moors</HI> and <HI>Sara|zens</HI> expell'd <HI>Granada, Murcia,</HI> and <HI>Leon</HI> by <HI>Ferdinand</HI> and <HI>I&s;abella,</HI> yet they retain to this day &s;everal of their Cu&s;toms; particularly, their Gallan|tries, their Bull-&s;ports, and darting the Cane on Hor&s;e-back, Diverti&s;e|ments the Court of <HI>Spain</HI> is very much taken with, where Opera's are not known, and their Comedies (for the mo&s;t part) ill. It was then a time of great rejoicing at <HI>Madrid;</HI> not for the taking of a Town, but to celebrate the Birth of their Mo|narch. The Prince&s;s was invited to &s;ee the Sports, and took <HI>Chri&s;ti|na</HI> along with her. I &s;hall not give you here a De&s;cription of the&s;e Sports which prove mortal to ma|ny who think their Valour con|&s;i&s;ts in daring a Bull, letting fly at him with their Darts, and then re|tiring
<PB N="161" REF="85">with much skill and agility, though it frequently happens the Bull is too quick for the&s;e Gallants, to&s;&s;es them in the Air, and gores them with his Horns; which &s;ome|times di&s;patches them into another World, and generally maims them in this. This piece of fool-hardi|ne&s;s were excu&s;able in ordinary People, who are drawn to it by Cu&s;tom, and applau&s;e of the Popu|lace; but cannot be too much blam'd in young Gentlemen of the be&s;t Quality, who hazard their life to &s;o little purpo&s;e, in fighting with Bea&s;ts as they do in <HI>Spain:</HI> where you may &s;ee them bravely mount|ed with a Dart in their Hand, ex|pecting, in the middle of a <HI>Piazza,</HI> the coming of a Bull madded by the People; and though he come at them with a fiercene&s;s capable to a&s;toni&s;h the highe&s;t courage, they bravely attacque him, and pierce him &s;o dextrou&s;ly with their Lance,
<PB N="162" REF="86">that &s;ometimes they run him quite through the Body: But you may al&s;o &s;ee the Bull &s;ometimes unhor&s;e them, to the extreme peril of the Rider, and terrible fright of the Ladies. This Solemnity where this Prince&s;s and <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> attended, was like others of the kind, where the fortunate ra&s;hne&s;s of tho&s;e who came off well was applauded, and the tragical mi&s;carriage of others lamented. The Morrow after the&s;e bloody Sports, the Cavaliers run Cour&s;es on Hor&s;e-back, and dart the Cane as they run; which is done in this manner. They ap|pear at the <HI>Barriere,</HI> with a Head|piece, and light Armour, made (one would think) of Steel polli&s;h'd white; and have commonly &s;ome Devi&s;e of gallantry, or &s;ome Motto on their Shields, and a multitude of Ribbands of the colour be&s;t plea&s;es their Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had &s;een &s;everal of the&s;e Cour&s;es,
<PB N="163" REF="86">and having in the Armies per|form'd the mo&s;t violent Exerci&s;es, &s;he thought this not very difficult, where all &s;he had to do was to &s;pur her Hor&s;e, and let fly a Cane with dexterity. She told the Prince&s;s &s;he would gladly run a Career, and ask the Widow for a Devi&s;e, the bet|ter to a&s;&s;ure her of her Pa&s;&s;ion. The Prince&s;s thought her in jea&s;t; but our <HI>Heroine</HI> telling her &s;he doubted not but to come off well, the Prin|ce&s;s undertook to provide her fit Equipage; and <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> under the name of <HI>Don Artal</HI> of <HI>Cardona,</HI> went to the Widow for a Devi&s;e, letting her know &s;he would run a Cour&s;e for love of her, &s;ince other young People did it for their Mi|&s;tre&s;&s;es, only he de&s;ir'd her &s;he would give him a fitting Devi&s;e. The Reader may expect one of tho&s;e witty ones &s;o u&s;ual in <HI>Spain,</HI> but a Woman of her humour orders her life quite otherwi&s;e than the re&s;t of
<PB N="164" REF="87">her Sex: One &s;o preci&s;e being no le&s;s careful to conceal, than an airy vain Coquet to make known &s;he is Courted: The Widow refus'd to give <HI>Don Artal</HI> a Devi&s;e, telling him &s;he was not of tho&s;e Womens humour, who judge of their Ser|vants love by the Colour of their Ribbands. I rely not, adds &s;he, on &s;uch &s;light appearances, too often deceitful; I mu&s;t have better proof of your Pa&s;&s;ion, to per&s;wade me 'tis real: (The truth is, &s;he expect|ed &s;uch proof as <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> could not give:) If you lov'd me, as you pre|tend, you would rather &s;tay with me while they are darting the Canes, and would be more willing to give me proof of your love in my Chamber, than in a publick place: what is done there gene|rally &s;erving only for matter of di&s;cour&s;e to the Spectators. <HI>Don Artal</HI> a&s;&s;ur'd her he lov'd her pa&s;&s;i|onately, and thought to have given
<PB N="165" REF="87">her an Evidence of his e&s;teem of her, in carrying her Colours and Devi&s;e at the Cour&s;e, being ready to do any thing &s;he could de&s;ire to convince her of his love. Were your love as real and &s;incere as you would make me believe, would you put me upon the nece&s;&s;ity of ap|pearing &s;o forward, and not gue&s;s at part of what is expected from you? <HI>Don Artal</HI> returning no an&s;wer, to a di&s;cour&s;e &s;o ea&s;ie to under&s;tand, the Widow was &s;o a&s;ham'd &s;he had &s;poken &s;o freely, and, withall, un|&s;ucce&s;sfully, that &s;he turn'd about pre&s;ently and lock'd her &s;elf in her Clo&s;et, for fear her tears &s;hould be|tray her. Being there alone, &s;he gave vent to a torrent of tears di&s;|pair forc'd her to; con&s;idering with her &s;elf, that having liv'd &s;everal years retir'd from Company, and free from tho&s;e Pa&s;&s;ions young Wi|dows are u&s;ually troubled with, (for at &s;ix and forty years of age &s;he
<PB N="166" REF="88">counted her &s;elf of their number) &s;he had the misfortune to be taken with the addre&s;&s;es of a hare-brain'd young Fellow, who perhaps de|&s;ign'd only to fool her: The next moment &s;he con&s;ulted her Gla&s;s, which telling her &s;he had charms enough left &s;till to procure love, &s;he attributed <HI>Don Artal</HI>'s re&s;erved|ne&s;s, to the tenderne&s;s of his years, and want of experience: She was &s;o pleas'd with this fancy, and thought it &s;o rea&s;onable, that &s;he could no longer doubt but the ti|merou&s;ne&s;s of her Lover, was a pure effect of his &s;mall acquain|tance with the World, being new|ly arriv'd from <HI>Barcellona,</HI> where he had not us'd to &s;ee Per&s;ons of her Quality and Birth; be&s;ides, &s;he knew young Country Gentlemen have &s;uch Chymerical Idea's of La|dies of Quality, that they think it enough to honour and admire them, without daring to pu&s;h on
<PB N="167" REF="88">their Pa&s;&s;ion any further. While the Widow was thus deep in me|ditation, <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> &s;ufficiently a|&s;ham'd at what &s;he had heard, went back to the Prince&s;s, whom &s;he found bu&s;ie about her Equipage for the Cour&s;e, not doubting in the lea&s;t but the Widow had given the Devi&s;e: But when <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> inform'd the Prince&s;s of her an&s;wer, (though her mode&s;ty made her leave out &s;everal particulars) the Prince&s;s could not forbear laughing, e&s;pecially when told by <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;he dur&s;t go no more to the Wi|dows, for fear of being put out of Countenance, and quite &s;ham'd by her forwardne&s;s.</P>
<P>On the Morrow the Prince&s;s and <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> were in a Balcony, near the King, to &s;ee the Cour&s;es. As &s;oon as the Gentlemen appear'd, all Eyes were fixt to ob&s;erve their De|vi&s;es: Count <HI>Talara,</HI> as he pa&s;s'd under the Ladies Balcony, put off
<PB N="168" REF="89">his Head-piece, making them a ve|ry low Reverence: His Motto was, <HI>Quiero mucho, ye &s;pero poco;</HI> that is, <HI>My love is great, and my hope &s;mall.</HI> That concerns you, &s;ays the Prin|ce&s;s to <HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> It put her to the blu&s;h, and the King ob&s;erving it, had the Curio&s;ity to enquire the rea&s;on: The Prince&s;s, very glad of an occa&s;ion to divert him gave him her &s;en&s;e of Count <HI>Talara</HI>'s Motto; and added, that <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> could, if &s;he pleas'd, perform a Career as well as the be&s;t of tho&s;e who were to run. The King &s;aying he did not think it, the Prince&s;s conjur'd <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> to make u&s;e of the Equi|page (&s;he had provided) for one Cour&s;e at lea&s;t. The young Mo|narch expre&s;s'd &s;o earne&s;t a de&s;ire to &s;ee how well <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> would come off, there was no denying him, and the Prince&s;s, their Reque&s;t. That le&s;s notice might be taken, &s;he pretended her &s;elf not well, and
<PB N="169" REF="89">withdrew. Her next care was for a Motto &s;omewhat an&s;werable to Count <HI>Talara</HI>'s; which, being ve|ry witty, &s;he was not long to &s;eek: She caus'd the&s;e words to be writ|ten on her Shield, <HI>No ay que amar, y me nos que e&s;perar de quien tienne duenno; 'Tis in vain to love, much more to expect good from him who is already engag'd. Chri&s;tina,</HI> having &s;et all things in as good order as the &s;hortne&s;s of the time would permit, appear'd boldly at the <HI>Bar|riere,</HI> and call'd for Canes, but was troubled with an Accident &s;he had not fore&s;een: The Order was, that the Cavaliers who pre&s;ented them|&s;elves for the Cour&s;e, &s;hould tell their names, and make them&s;elves known to the Officer appointed to Regi&s;ter them, to prevent di&s;order u&s;ual on &s;uch occa&s;ions. Our <HI>He|roine,</HI> loth to undergo that Law, was deny'd the Canes: The King, who had his Eye upon her, perceiving
<PB N="170" REF="90">her in di&s;order on that account, order'd his Brother <HI>Don John</HI> to let them know it was his Maje&s;ties plea&s;ure that Gentleman &s;hould be di&s;pens'd with from telling his name, or &s;hewing his face. The Kings plea&s;ure was no &s;ooner known, but Canes were deliver'd her: And her refu&s;ing to &s;ubmit to the Rules of the Cour&s;e, and the Kings di&s;pen&s;ation, gave cau&s;e to believe 'twas an extraordinary Per|&s;on not willing to be known. This drew all Eyes upon her, every one gue&s;&s;ing who it &s;hould be. Great notice was taken of the Motto: Count <HI>Talara,</HI> ob&s;erving the op|po&s;ition between it and his, de&s;ir'd, with impatience, to run a Cour&s;e again&s;t this unknown Per&s;on, who mannag'd his Hor&s;e very well; but it was not probable <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;hould be as skillful at handling and darting the Cane, as the <HI>Spa|niards,</HI> who are us'd to that Exer|ci&s;e
<PB N="171" REF="90">from their Youth: And 'tis certain our <HI>Heroine</HI> had run a great Ri&s;que of being unhors'd, had not <HI>Don John,</HI> fore&s;eeing what might follow, given Count <HI>Talara</HI> a pri|vate hint the Stranger (he was to encounter with) was <HI>Chri&s;tina.</HI> You may ea&s;ily gue&s;s the effect this intimation had on the Amorous Count, who was confirm'd in the truth of it by the Motto he had ob|&s;erv'd on her Shield: He could not at fir&s;t find in his heart to run a|gain&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> but having thought better of it, he put him&s;elf in a po&s;ture. The Count, who had al|ready run &s;everal Cour&s;es, with ad|vantage, again&s;t the mo&s;t expert in the Sport, meeting the Stranger, pre|tended him&s;elf di&s;order'd and unrea|dy when he &s;hould have darted his Cane: <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> without lo&s;ing a mo|ments time, threw hers; which the Count appear'd &s;o&s;tunn'd with, that he fell off his Hor&s;e: <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> was &s;o con|founded
<PB N="172" REF="91">founded at the loud acclamations of the People (who judge of things by appearance, without examining the truth,) &s;he knew not whether &s;he had got the better or the wor&s;e, till &s;he was pre&s;ented with a Ro&s;e of Diamonds, the Prize appointed the Conqueror. Our <HI>Heroine,</HI> pleas'd with her &s;ucce&s;s, retir'd, loth to hazard in another Cour&s;e the Re|putation &s;he had gain'd by this.</P>
<P>Count <HI>Talara,</HI> having had a &s;ore fall, was carried home to be blood|ed, which was much to the ad|vantage of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s Reputation. The Count being known to be very expert at that Sport, the whole Court &s;ent to &s;ee how he did. And the Prince&s;s made <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;en&s;ible of the Obligation put upon her by the Count, who had fallen off his Hor&s;e of purpo&s;e, like a true <HI>Spa|ni&s;h</HI> Gallant, and advis'd her to &s;end one to inquire of his health: <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> with &s;ome difficulty, con|&s;ented
<PB N="173" REF="91">to it. The Count, ravi&s;h'd with joy at the Complement, an|&s;wer'd him who was &s;ent, that his fall did not much trouble him, but he had a wound would not be quickly cur'd. It vex'd <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;he had given the occa&s;ion for &s;uch an an&s;wer, fearing the Count would pretend to &s;ome advantages for the Obligation he had put upon her. The Prince&s;s bid her &s;et her heart at re&s;t, and oblige the Widow with the Ro&s;e of Diamonds &s;he had gain'd at the Cour&s;e. <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> though fearful to engage further with &s;o forward a Woman, com|ply'd however with the de&s;ires of the Prince&s;s: She &s;hifted her &s;elf into her Habit of <HI>Don Artal,</HI> and pre&s;ently went into the Widows Apartment, where &s;he found her very much di&s;order'd.</P>
<P>She was &s;o preci&s;e &s;he would not appear at the Sports, but know|ing <HI>Don Artal</HI> would be there, and
<PB N="174" REF="92">being much concern'd what be|came of him, &s;he had &s;ent a tru&s;ty Per&s;on of purpo&s;e to ob&s;erve how things went, and bring her exact information: He brought her the names of all tho&s;e who were Re|gi&s;tred for the Cour&s;e, but not his, for who&s;e &s;ake alone &s;he had the curio&s;ity to read all the re&s;t: She was much concern'd at the mi&s;&s;ing him, a Woman ever pa&s;&s;ionately wi&s;hing the glory of her Lover. Her Spy told her there was a Gen|tleman appear'd <HI>incognito,</HI> and had refus'd to tell his name; and that the King, to prevent di&s;order, had di&s;pens'd with the formality; and that this unknown Per&s;on had un|hors'd the famous Count <HI>Talara,</HI> and retir'd with a Ro&s;e of Dia|monds of very great value. The VVidow wi&s;h'd with all her heart, this Unknown might be no other but <HI>Don Artal;</HI> but then thought &s;he, how &s;hould a Youth, and &s;uch
<PB N="175" REF="92">a Novice in Love, be too hard for a Gentleman of &s;o much skill and ex|perience: with that <HI>Don Artal</HI> en|ters the Chamber; &s;he pre&s;ently ask'd him what news of the Cour&s;e, and why he had not been there. I was unwilling to appear, an&s;wers he, without your Devi&s;e; and &s;ince you refus'd it me, I had no mind to &s;hew my &s;elf where you would not be. I knew you had not appear'd there, &s;aid the VVidow, though the good opinion I had of you made me hope you might be that illu&s;trious Unknown, who &s;o emi|nently &s;ignaliz'd him&s;elf, and car|ry'd the Prize; at lea&s;t my heart gave me none better de&s;erv'd it than you: but I &s;ee our hearts of|ten deceive us. You are not de|ceiv'd in that, Madam, &s;ays <HI>Don Ar|tal;</HI> and &s;ee here (adds he, pre|&s;enting her with the Ro&s;e of Dia|monds) the Mark you may know that unknown Per&s;on by, who hath
<PB N="176" REF="93">had the good fortune to de&s;erve your e&s;teem. The Widow, &s;ur|priz'd at a Pre&s;ent &s;o glorious and unexpected, received it very glad|ly, and embrac'd the occa&s;ion, &s;o luckily given her, to pre&s;ent her Servant with a String of Diamonds of very great value, praying him to keep it as a Pledge of her Love. <HI>Don Artal,</HI> for fear of angring her, dur&s;t not refu&s;e it; but finding &s;he began to fall again into very pa&s;&s;io|nate expre&s;&s;ions, he pretended bu|&s;ine&s;s of ha&s;te, and withdrew; ha|ving promis'd to return on the Mor|row, at an hour &s;he appointed. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having &s;hewn the Dia|monds to the Prince&s;s, who under|&s;tood Jewels very well, was amaz'd to hear they were worth fifteen thou&s;and Crowns. This exce&s;|&s;ive Liberality fully convincing them of the violence of her Pa&s;&s;ion, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had compa&s;&s;ion on her, and told the Prince&s;s &s;he would di&s;|abu&s;e
<PB N="177" REF="93">her: The Prince&s;s having &s;uf|ficiently diverted her &s;elf with the Intrigue, and thinking the VVi|dow had puni&s;hment enough, &s;aid nothing again&s;t it. On the Mor|row, at the hour the VVidow had appointed, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;ent her back her Diamonds, with this Letter.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>'Tis time to di&s;abu&s;e you, Madam; the</HI> Don Artal <HI>you love, is a Man in appearance, but really one of your Sex: I am in good earne&s;t, and unwilling to take the advantage of your Liberality, being incapable to &s;atisfie your Love. You need not fear me; I am well acquainted with the nature of our Sex, and know it a hard matter to re&s;i&s;t temptations; but I pity tho&s;e who have not the power to do it: be you le&s;s Cen&s;ori|ous for the future, and never fear my di&s;cretion.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P>The VVidow, who expected <HI>Don
<PB N="178" REF="94">Artal,</HI> had not forgot any thing that might the better &s;et off the weak Charms of a VVoman of her age: She thought the Pre&s;ent he had made her, the day before, a good Omen, and that &s;he had rea&s;on to expect &s;omething better at the A&s;|&s;ignation. She ta&s;ted before-hand a thou&s;and imaginary plea&s;ures, and began to think long while her Lover arriv'd; when, lo, a Letter is brought her. The String of Dia|monds pre&s;ently alarm'd her: and having read the two fir&s;t Lines, &s;he &s;carce held up from &s;wounding; her &s;urprize was &s;o great, &s;he fan|cy'd her &s;elf not well awake. Ha|ving fini&s;h'd reading her Letter, and reflecting on the beauty, and other Circum&s;tances of her pretended Lo|ver, &s;he believ'd all true that was written. She was not a little taken with her Genero&s;ity, in &s;ending back her Diamonds; and out of a great|ne&s;s of Soul, incident to Per&s;ons
<PB N="179" REF="94">well born, which ordinary People are not acquainted with, or the love &s;he &s;till retain'd for the Memory of <HI>Don Artal,</HI> &s;he had the Genero&s;ity to &s;end back the Diamonds to <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> with a Letter.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>Though you have de&s;erv'd Re|proach for having deceiv'd me, I cannot hate that in a Maid which I lov'd in the counterfeit</HI> Don Artal. <HI>Re&s;t &s;atisfi'd with the advantage you have had over me, and receive again the Pre&s;ent I made you: Yours to me &s;hall be ever dear, and in high e&s;teem with me. I de&s;ire, if you think fit, your acquaintance; and am not in the lea&s;t indi&s;pos'd to be your Friend. And I mu&s;t declare my weakne&s;s is &s;uch, I cannot mi&s;tru&s;t a Per&s;on I have once lov'd.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having receiv'd this Letter, carry'd it to the Prince&s;s, telling her &s;he was much troubled
<PB N="180" REF="95">with this String of Diamonds, and very &s;crupulous of keeping a Pre|&s;ent &s;o con&s;iderable. The Prince&s;s having read the Letter, advis'd her to keep the Pre&s;ent, and think no more of the matter; and would not permit her to be further ac|quainted with the VVidow, (as <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> de&s;ign'd) knowing &s;he would owe <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> a &s;pight, for the di&s;covery &s;he had made of her.</P>
<P>News was then receiv'd in <HI>Spain</HI> of the taking of S. <HI>Gi&s;lain,</HI> by the <HI>French;</HI> which very much alarm'd the Court of <HI>Spain,</HI> who thought the rigour of the &s;ea&s;on (it being <HI>December</HI>) would have hinder'd, or delay'd at lea&s;t, the Conque&s;t of the place. The <HI>Spaniards</HI> vented their rage upon the poor <HI>French</HI> living in <HI>Spain,</HI> without &s;paring tho&s;e who had been thirty years Naturaliz'd. They &s;eiz'd their Goods, bani&s;h'd their Per&s;ons, and exercis'd upon them all &s;orts of vio|lence:
<PB N="181" REF="95">VVhich is no new thing in that Country; for as often as the <HI>French</HI> take a Town, burn a Ship, or obtain a Victory, the <HI>Spaniards</HI> &s;eize all the Goods of the <HI>French</HI> who Trade in their Towns. Judge you then how many Pre&s;&s;ures they are expos'd to under the Reign of our <HI>Lewis</HI> the Great: This com|monly ends in a great Tax laid upon them, after payment of which they let them alone for &s;ome time; but upon the next lo&s;s they have, the Per&s;ecution begins afre&s;h, which happens &s;o often, that many have been forc'd to withdraw and quit the Country. A Merchant of <HI>Bearn</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s acquaintance, and one &s;he was oblig'd to, found him&s;elf under this Storm rais'd a|gain&s;t the <HI>French</HI> upon the taking of St. <HI>Gi&s;lain. Chri&s;tina</HI> protected him openly, having &s;poken in his favour to <HI>Don John</HI> of <HI>Au&s;tria,</HI> and repre&s;ented to him the inju&s;tice
<PB N="182" REF="96">done tho&s;e poor People, who &s;et|tle there, relying upon their Letters of Naturalization, and with great labour and indu&s;try &s;upply the Na|tural lazine&s;s of the <HI>Spaniards,</HI> fur|ni&s;hing them with a thou&s;and Con|veniences they would never know but for the <HI>French.</HI> The Prince, at her intreaty, caus'd re&s;titution to be made this Merchant of all had been taken from him, and promis'd to u&s;e the re&s;t favourably. This got our <HI>Heroine</HI> very great applau&s;e, but the hatred tho&s;e of <HI>Spain</HI> natu|rally bear all Strangers, made them attribute the favour &s;he had obtain'd to &s;omething &s;upernatural: which occa&s;ion'd the reviving the ridicu|lous Report formerly gone about, of her being a Witch, and that with the help of her Art &s;he could effect what &s;he pleas'd. After &s;o many extraordinary matters pub|li&s;h'd of her, 'tis no wonder the dull and &s;otti&s;h People gave credit to
<PB N="183" REF="96">this Report, while the Court laugh'd at it, and the Prince&s;s made &s;port of it with <HI>Chri&s;tina.</HI> But her Ene|mies would not lo&s;e the advantage of &s;o favourable a Di&s;po&s;ition of the people. The Marchione&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> and the Counte&s;s of <HI>Bena|videz</HI> dur&s;t not open their Mouths again&s;t her, &s;ince the Prince&s;s had taken her into her protection; but the favour <HI>Don John</HI> had granted her, awak'd the hatred of the one, and the jealou&s;ie of the other, le&s;t the Court &s;hould at la&s;t con&s;ent to her being Marry'd to the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra.</HI> This made them re&s;olve to u&s;e all their endeavours to fo|ment the opinion of her being a Witch. Having learnt that <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> was that unknown Per&s;on, who had unhors'd Count <HI>Talara,</HI> almo&s;t without touching him; they took care to &s;pread abroad this Circum&s;tance, and others, to confirm the people in their error.
<PB N="184" REF="97">Their Artifice was &s;o great, and their Emi&s;&s;aries &s;o diligent, that &s;e|veral people of good &s;en&s;e, deceiv'd by a number of probable Circum|&s;tances, gave credit to this extrava|gant Report. That was not all; for, cloaking their malice with a fal&s;e zeal for Religion, they ex|hibited an information again&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> in the Inqui&s;ition.</P>
<P>The Inqui&s;ition is &s;o formida|ble a Court, that the name of an Inqui&s;itor makes them in <HI>Spain</HI> tremble, the &s;evere puni&s;hments inflicted by that Tribunal on <HI>Jews, Moors,</HI> and <HI>Hereticks</HI> there, having gain'd it a high Reputation. The wi&s;er &s;ort &s;peak of it with re&s;pect, the loo&s;e hate the name on't, and the people generally have it in ve|neration. As &s;oon as any Man is inform'd again&s;t in that Court, not a Courtier hath the boldne&s;s to &s;ay a word in his favour, for fear of be|ing brought in as an acce&s;&s;ory, as they
<PB N="185" REF="97">commonly are who are of a diffe|rent Religion. The Kings Autho|rity is of no force at all there; and there is not one Pre&s;ident can be &s;hewn, where the Catholick Kings have intermedled with any Affair the Inqui&s;ition had taken Cogni|zance of.</P>
<P>The people are &s;o afraid of them, that when I was in <HI>Spain</HI> I was a&s;|&s;ur'd, that the Court being met one Afternoon, &s;ome of the Inqui&s;itors &s;tood at a Window which look'd into a rich Burghers Garden, where was a Pear-tree full of excellent Fruit. One of them had a mind to &s;ome of tho&s;e Pears, and &s;ent his Man to de&s;ire &s;ome of them; but the Gardiner having refus'd to give him any, the Inqui&s;itor di&s;patch'd a Familiar (that is an U&s;her of the Inqui&s;ition) to tell the owner of the Garden the Inqui&s;itor would &s;peak with him: The poor Man was &s;o frighted, he was &s;carce able
<PB N="186" REF="98">to go to him; but recover'd him|&s;elf again, being told they de&s;ir'd only a Plate of his Pears: The Bur|gher promis'd to &s;end it, and was glad he came off &s;o. As &s;oon as he got home he &s;ent the Inqui&s;itors all the Pears on the Tree; and to pre|vent being &s;o frighted again, cut down the Pear-tree.</P>
<P>To return to <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> the In|qui&s;itors having receiv'd the Infor|mation, caus'd her to be arre&s;ted; and, (which was wor&s;e) left her in Pri&s;on a Fortnight before &s;he was examin'd: 'Twas in favour to her Sex &s;he was interrogated then, it being ordinary with them to keep a Man a Pri&s;oner &s;ix, or twelve Months before he be examin'd. However the Prince&s;s, though ad|vis'd to the contrary, labour'd pri|vately for her, but to no purpo&s;e, it being not in her power to di&s;|cover the particulars of her Charge. Our <HI>Heroine,</HI> who had no rea&s;on
<PB N="187" REF="98">to fear the Inqui&s;ition, upon the ac|count of Religion, being Orthodox as her Judges, was troubled at the noi&s;e &s;he knew this bu&s;ine&s;s would make; not doubting but it would come to the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI>'s Ears, and that this, and her former misfortunes, would create in him an aver&s;ion again&s;t her, the di&s;|a&s;ters &s;he had met with, though in|nocent, being enough to draw up|on her the &s;light of a Per&s;on of Qua|lity: her bu&s;ine&s;s the while look'd very ill. The Widow I have &s;po|ken of, having heard the news, and con&s;idering her having carry'd a|way the Prize, at the Cour&s;e, from Count <HI>Talara,</HI> made no doubt but &s;he was a Witch; and reflect|ing on what had pa&s;s'd between them two, when &s;he took her for <HI>Don Artal,</HI> &s;he was in horror at the danger &s;he had expos'd her &s;elf to, by Conver&s;ing with a Per&s;on, who, by the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of the Devil, could
<PB N="188" REF="99">appear in what Form &s;he pleas'd; and was ready to make her com|plaint to the Prince&s;s, for bringing &s;uch a one into her Hou&s;e; and would have done it, but for &s;hame of di&s;covering her weakne&s;s: Yet, being &s;crupulous of conceal|ing &s;o aggravating a Circum&s;tance again&s;t the Criminal, &s;he went to the chief Inqui&s;itor, and told him, that to di&s;charge her Con&s;cience, &s;he came to inform him what had happen'd to her with that Woman in Pri&s;on, who had &s;everal times appear'd to her in the &s;hape of a young Gentleman of <HI>Catalonia,</HI> call'd <HI>Don Artal de Cardona;</HI> but &s;he took care not to tell him the o|ther particulars of the Intrigue, chu&s;ing rather to lo&s;e her Dia|monds, than to make it known &s;he had pre&s;ented <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> with them, as a mark of her Love. The chief Inqui&s;itor, out of re&s;pect to the Wi|dows quality, di&s;pens'd with her in
<PB N="189" REF="99">&s;everal formalities, taking only her Hand to the Depo&s;itions, which was one of the &s;tronge&s;t Evidences in the Ca&s;e. It is incredible what a noi&s;e this bu&s;ine&s;s made in <HI>Spain,</HI> where they could hardly believe a Maid could, without the help of Magick, do Actions &s;o extraordina|ry, and &s;o much above her Sex. It was the general di&s;cour&s;e, and they expected every day a &s;olemn Judg|ment and Sentence, &s;uitable to the Learning and Integrity of tho&s;e worthy, and able Per&s;ons, who &s;it on that Bench. The people had al|ready &s;et the day of her Execution, and, I believe, hir'd Windows to &s;tand in to &s;ee it. Some among them, to colour the better their lo&s;|&s;es in the <HI>Low-Countries,</HI> &s;aid there was no rea&s;on to wonder at them, &s;ince this Woman had bewitch'd all their Generals. The Prince&s;s was amaz'd at the ridiculous &s;to|ries &s;he heard every day of the un|fortunate
<PB N="190" REF="100"><HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> The more &s;he ju&s;tifi'd her, the more they con|demn'd her; and the lea&s;t good Office done for her, was very ill ta|ken by the people. The very Court was troubled with it, the greater part not knowing what to think on't, the re&s;t &s;u&s;pending their judgments till the Inqui&s;itors &s;hould pa&s;s &s;entence: The fir&s;t examina|tion was wholly &s;pent in formali|ties. The Inqui&s;itors were &s;ur|priz'd at her confidence, and to &s;ee &s;o little appearance of fear in her looks. This made the Reverend Judges believe &s;he tru&s;ted much to her Art, or was innocent. Two days after &s;he was examin'd again; the fir&s;t que&s;tion was, what Charms &s;he had made u&s;e of to take the &s;hape of <HI>Don Artal de Cardona?</HI> She an&s;wer'd, none other, but what people of wit make u&s;e of to amu&s;e Fools: She told them at large, that the great &s;everity, or
<PB N="191" REF="100">hypocri&s;ie, of the VVidow, made her de&s;ire to put a trick upon her, by vi&s;iting her under the name of <HI>Don Artal:</HI> The knowledge &s;he had that Lady could not &s;ee very well having encourag'd her re&s;olu|tion for that diverti&s;ement, in or|der to the rendring her le&s;s Cen&s;o|rious for the future. Then &s;he was ask'd, how &s;he could, with &s;uch a &s;light Cane, un-hor&s;e Count <HI>Tala|ra?</HI> She an&s;wer'd, he had notice beforehand, &s;he was to run a Cour&s;e, and that his fall was rather an effect of the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Gallantry, than any Charm of hers. She was then que|&s;tion'd what made her di&s;gui&s;e her &s;elf &s;o often, and in Habits &s;o diffe|rent? She an&s;wer'd, that, having from a Child had a &s;trong inclinati|on for Arms, the death of her Parents had given her the opportunity of following that noble Employment? In a word, her an&s;wers were &s;o mode&s;t, and pertinent, that the In|qui&s;itors,
<PB N="192" REF="101">being choice Men, and well &s;een in bu&s;ine&s;s, were per&s;wa|ded of her innocence. And, which is mo&s;t to be admir'd, the Arch-Bi&s;hop of <HI>Sarago&s;a,</HI> who was one of the Inqui&s;itors, and the mo&s;t preju|dic'd again&s;t her, knew her to be the &s;ame he had formerly &s;een in the Covent of <HI>Ur&s;ulines</HI> at <HI>Sara|go&s;a;</HI> and had occa&s;ion'd the repri|mands he gave the Nuns, upon his mi&s;taking her to be a Man: He told the other Inqui&s;itors the &s;tory, and from a &s;evere Judge, became her Protector, and Friend.</P>
<P>As terrible as the Inqui&s;ition is in <HI>Spain,</HI> it cannot fright Love. Count <HI>Talara,</HI> extremely concern'd for the Impri&s;onment of our <HI>He|roine,</HI> being told by the Prince&s;s, the &s;tronge&s;t proof <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s Enemies made u&s;e of to de&s;troy her, was the advantage &s;he had of him in the Cour&s;e, was &s;o troubled to hear &s;o ill u&s;e made of his Gallantry,
<PB N="193" REF="101">that he put him&s;elf voluntarily in|to the Inqui&s;ition, and de&s;ir'd his Proce&s;s &s;hould be made, declaring him&s;elf acce&s;&s;ory to the Crimes of <HI>Chri&s;tina.</HI> The Inqui&s;itors were a|&s;toni&s;ht to &s;ee how ea&s;ily he ren|der'd him&s;elf Pri&s;oner, and the peo|ple fail'd not to &s;ay, the Witch had by her Art forc'd him to't. The Count was examin'd, and his an|&s;wer found to agree with <HI>Chri&s;ti|na</HI>'s. The Inqui&s;itors would have &s;et him at liberty, which he refus'd to accept till our <HI>Heroine</HI> had hers: which was granted her on the Mor|row, to the wonderful a&s;toni&s;hment of all Fools. Count <HI>Talara</HI> was &s;o troubled he had, though innocent|ly, acca&s;ion'd her per&s;ecution, he never dur&s;t &s;ee her more.</P>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had the fate of mo&s;t people in trouble, every one &s;trove to make her believe how much they were concern'd for her, (now the danger was over.) The whole
<PB N="194" REF="102">Court Complemented her upon her delivery, and the King had the goodne&s;s to tell her, he was glad to hear &s;he had clear'd her &s;elf with &s;uch credit. The Widow (fearing <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> to be reveng'd, would publi&s;h the pa&s;&s;ion &s;he had expre&s;t for the pretended <HI>Don Artal</HI>) Court|ed her friend&s;hip, and a&s;&s;ur'd her &s;he had never &s;poken again&s;t her, but to clear her Con&s;cience. <HI>Chri|&s;tina</HI> had the goodne&s;s to pardon her, and they liv'd thence forwards very good friends.</P>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> in the mean time was very much troubled &s;he had no news of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra;</HI> &s;ometimes &s;he was afraid he had forgot her, the next moment &s;he rejected that thought as injurious to the fidelity of her Lover, and in the end remain'd &s;o perplext &s;he knew not what to think. The Prince&s;s, who had great kindne&s;s for her, perceiving her more pen|&s;ive,
<PB N="195" REF="102">and melancholy, than ordinary, did all in her power to divert her, and bring her into humour: She told her all the &s;illy &s;tories the peo|ple made of her Black Art, and gave her a hundred witty Jea&s;ts on that account. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> &s;aid &s;he was not &s;urpriz'd at it, having from her Chamber in the Pri&s;on heard the di&s;cour&s;es of other Pri&s;oners, of the horrible Crimes &s;he was ac|cus'd of. Since you heard their di&s;cour&s;e, 'tis not po&s;&s;ible, reply'd the Prince&s;s, but you mu&s;t be well acquainted with their affairs, it be|ing commonly a comfort to one in mi&s;ery to relate and declare his mi&s;|fortune; and the ordinary enter|tainment of Pri&s;oners, is to tell one another by what mi&s;chance they came thither. I confe&s;s, &s;aid <HI>Chri|&s;tina,</HI> I have hearken'd to them &s;ometimes, with a great deal of at|tention; but mo&s;t of tho&s;e who are Pri&s;oners in the Inqui&s;ition, be|ing
<PB N="196" REF="103">charg'd with impiety, or &s;ome other Crime relating to Religion, they are very mi&s;tru&s;tful, every one taking his Fellow for a Spy, or a Trepan: Yet I remember I often heard the Complaints of a Soul|dier, who blam'd extremely the In|gratitude of his Country, in retain|ing him Pri&s;oner in the Inqui&s;ition, for Actions which would have been highly rewarded in a well|govern'd State.</P>
<P>He boa&s;ted of great &s;ervices he had done his Catholick Maje&s;ty in <HI>Flanders;</HI> where, perceiving the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Regiments grow thin, he married a Wife at <HI>Conde,</HI> by whom he had two Boys: But the place be|ing afterwards taken by his mo&s;t Chri&s;tian Maje&s;ty, he was made a Pri&s;oner of War, and never knew more what became of his Wife. Upon exchange of Pri&s;oners he was not long after &s;et at liberty, and was
<PB N="197" REF="103">in Garri&s;on at <HI>Aire,</HI> where he marri|ed another Wife; but that place having al&s;o been taken afterwards by the <HI>French,</HI> he was carry'd to <HI>Cambray,</HI> where he thought him&s;elf &s;ecure: There he married a third Wife, which began to rejoice his heart with her fruitfulne&s;s, when that place al&s;o was taken by the mo&s;t Chri&s;tian King in per&s;on; that at length, being tir'd with the War, and fearing his per&s;on fatal to the places he enter'd, he quitted <HI>Flanders,</HI> leaving &s;everal brave Boys there, who would in time make good Souldiers for the King, and was return'd to <HI>Madrid:</HI> He ad|ded, that he pa&s;s'd homeward through <HI>France,</HI> and ob&s;erv'd that Kingdom to be &s;o full of people, and the Villages &s;o near one ano|ther, that he thought he had tra|vell'd two hundred Leagues all in one Town, which appear'd to him very extraordinary, who had been
<PB N="198" REF="104">us'd to travel five and twenty, or thirty Leagues in <HI>Spain,</HI> without &s;eeing a Hou&s;e, unle&s;s it were &s;ome pitiful <HI>Venta,</HI> or &s;orry Inn: And having con&s;ider'd with him&s;elf that the misfortune of <HI>Spain</HI> proceeded from its being &s;o de&s;art, he was willing, what in him lay, to repair that defect, by marrying again: But two of the Wives he had left in <HI>Flanders</HI> having follow'd him to <HI>Madrid,</HI> and found him at home with his Wife, it anger'd them &s;o grievou&s;ly that they had recour&s;e to Ju&s;tice, and charg'd him with &s;everal other mi&s;demeanours and impieties: that the Inqui&s;ition ta|king Cognizance of his Crimes had clapt him up in Pri&s;on, and kept him there, though in all he had done, he had no other end but the &s;ervice of his King, and glory of his Country. The Prince&s;s could not forbear laughing at <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s Relation, which gave her &s;o true a
<PB N="199" REF="104">Character of a <HI>Spaniard;</HI> it being certain there is nothing &s;o conceit|edly haughty, as a <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Souldier at his return into <HI>Spain,</HI> from the Army in <HI>Flanders:</HI> he thinks him|&s;elf the only Man that hath pre|&s;erv'd the State, and that now he may be allow'd to follow his incli|nations, and take his plea&s;ure with|out puni&s;hment, or controul.</P>
<P>As &s;oon as our <HI>Heroine</HI> was a|lone, &s;he fell into her former fit of melancholly, as if &s;he had pre&s;ag'd what was a driving on again&s;t her in <HI>Flanders.</HI></P>
<P>The Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> knew no|thing of his Mi&s;tre&s;s being gone in|to <HI>Spain,</HI> but thought her &s;till in the Covent at <HI>Mons;</HI> the Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot</HI> having taken care to keep him in that errour, by writing often to him under pretence of &s;ending him news of <HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> She advis'd him &s;till not to be too ha&s;ty, and a lit|tle patience would certainly make
<PB N="200" REF="105">him happy. But the Duche&s;s had o|ther de&s;igns: the intere&s;t of her Fami|ly, and her particular dependences on <HI>Spain,</HI> made her re&s;olve to have her Niece married to a Gentleman of that Nation. This Niece of hers had not yet appear'd abroad, but was bred in a Covent; all the knowledge they had of her, was that &s;he was very hand&s;ome, and a very con&s;iderable Fortune. The quality and merit of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> made the Duche&s;s think him a fit Match for her Niece. In order to this, &s;he was willing to en|deavour curing him of his pa&s;&s;ion for <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> being fully per&s;wa|ded the Beauty, the Birth and E|&s;tate of her Niece, would be &s;uffi|cient to accompli&s;h her de&s;ign within a &s;hort time after her ap|pearing at Court. But having ob|&s;erv'd by the Marque&s;&s;es Letters, the con&s;tancy of his affection for <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> the Duche&s;s de&s;pair'd of
<PB N="201" REF="105">&s;ucce&s;s, and re&s;pited the &s;ending her Niece to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> for fear her Charms &s;hould have, upon &s;ome le&s;s intere&s;s'd per&s;on, the effect &s;he de&s;ir'd they &s;hould work on the Marque&s;s alone. About that time it was the <HI>French</HI> took S. <HI>Gi&s;tain;</HI> the Duche&s;s fearing, from the &s;cituati|on of the place, <HI>Mons</HI> in the Spring might have the like fortune, which would break all her mea&s;ures, and make it too late to execute her de|&s;ign; &s;he re&s;olv'd to go to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els</HI> to communicate her intentions to the Duche&s;s <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a,</HI> who was very well pleas'd with the zeal &s;he expre&s;t for the <HI>Spaniards.</HI> Di|vers means were propos'd to a&s;&s;ure the &s;ucce&s;s of the Marriage, but all appearing uncertain, or dilatory, they parted without coming to a|ny re&s;olution. The Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> went every day to &s;ee the Duche&s;s <HI>d' Ar&s;chot,</HI> who, very de|firous to penetrate his &s;entiments,
<PB N="202" REF="106">after a great deal of di&s;cour&s;e, by the by, advertis'd him, as his Friend, that <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had in confidence ac|quainted her with her de&s;ign of making her &s;elf a Nun; but if it &s;hould be &s;o, he might be other|wi&s;e provided of a Mi&s;tre&s;s, to &s;up|ply the lo&s;s of this. The Marque&s;s was much alarm'd at <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI>'s re|&s;olution, &amp; intreated the Duche&s;s to give it all the ob&s;truction &s;he could, which &s;he promis'd very frankly. Having given the Duche&s;s <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a</HI> an account of this dif|cour&s;e, &s;he found her no le&s;s than her &s;elf at a lo&s;s what cour&s;e to take: But at la&s;t, feeing them&s;elves &s;traiten'd in time, the report of his Chri&s;tian Maje&s;ty leaving <HI>Paris</HI> in &s;ew days being &s;pread all about, they agreed that the Duche&s;s &s;hould advi&s;e the Marque&s;s to &s;teal his Mi&s;tre&s;s out of the Covent, and marry her as &s;oon as he could get her out. They thought this a very
<PB N="203" REF="106">probable way to effect the de&s;ign, be|cau&s;e the Duche&s;s might ea&s;ily de|ceive him, in &s;ub&s;tituting her Niece in the place of <HI>Chri&s;tina.</HI> The Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot</HI> would not hear of it, as a thing unworthy a per&s;on of her qua|lity to u&s;e any Artifice to make a <HI>Spaniard</HI> marry her Niece; but at length her ambition, and the flatte|ries of the Duche&s;s <HI>de Villa Hermo|&s;a,</HI> prevail'd with her to reject all the&s;e con&s;iderations; not doubt|ing, with her dextrous addre&s;s, &s;he might trap the Marque&s;s; and that the beauty of her Niece, and re&s;pect due to her Birth, would &s;top his com|plaining of a Cheat put upon him &s;o much to his advantage. Soon af|ter this delicate Project, the Marque&s;s came to the Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot</HI>'s: The ordinary expre&s;&s;ions of civility were &s;carce over, but &s;he told him, with &s;ome concern, that word was &s;ent her from <HI>Mons, Chri&s;tina</HI> was ever day more and more re&s;olv'd to
<PB N="204" REF="107">take the Nuns Habit, and that &s;he dur&s;t no longer undertake but &s;he would &s;uddenly do it. The Mar|que&s;s an&s;wer'd her, it would break his heart; and conjur'd her not to for&s;ake him, but u&s;e all her intere&s;t with <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> to divert her from this re&s;olution. To what purpo&s;e, &s;ays the Duche&s;s; for neither the King, nor your Relations will ever give way to your marrying a Stran|ger that has no Fortune, is but of mean Birth, and (as vertuous as I take her for) hath occa&s;ion'd very different judgments of her: To di&s;abu&s;e you, 'tis my opinion you &s;hould no longer oppo&s;e her de&s;ign of turning Nun, it will be more for your Reputation than you are aware of, and this Action alone will ju&s;tifie all the re&s;t of her Life. The Marque&s;s confe&s;s'd &s;he had Rea&s;on of her &s;ide, but that the vi|olence of his Love would not let him yield to it; that he would
<PB N="205" REF="107">make him&s;elf happy to his own &s;a|tisfaction, without troubling him|&s;elf what others thought of it, as being not of their judgment who think a Mans happine&s;s depends on the opinion others have of it. Since you are of that mind, &s;ays the Duche&s;s, I will let you &s;ee how true a Friend I am to you, in doing you a piece of &s;ervice more con&s;i|derable than you could have hop'd for, and &s;uch as &s;hall make you happy all the days of your life. The Marque&s;s a&s;&s;ur'd her he &s;hould ever acknowledge her favours, and promis'd to do whatever &s;he ad|vis'd him to. You mu&s;t then, re|plys the Duche&s;s, &s;teal her out of the Covent, and I will undertake &s;he &s;hall con&s;ent to it; for her de|&s;ire of turning Nun proceeds only from her fear that you have forgot her. And as all Women are very &s;en&s;ible of being &s;lighted, &s;he is glad of amu&s;ing the World, by giv|ing
<PB N="206" REF="108">out &s;he will &s;pend her Life in a Cloy&s;ter, though it be in truth only to &s;ave her credit, in ca&s;e you &s;hould not love her: And that you may be no longer expos'd to the freaks of Fortune, or the violences of the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a,</HI> my Almoner &s;hall marry you in my Chappel, as &s;oon as you have got her out of the Covent. The Mar|que&s;s, overjoy'd at a Project that &s;o plea&s;ingly flatter'd his pa&s;&s;ion, threw him&s;elf at her Feet, not having the power to an&s;wer her a word, but his dumb Eloquence expre&s;t his mind clearly enough: They agreed how all things &s;hould be carry'd, and the Daches on the Morrow went for <HI>Mons,</HI> to di&s;po&s;e things for execution of the de&s;ign.</P>
<P>She told her Niece &s;he had made choice of a Husband for her, with whom &s;he &s;hould have abundant cau&s;e to be &s;atisfi'd; but that there were invincible rea&s;ons to oblige
<PB N="207" REF="108">her to permit her &s;elf to be &s;tollen out of the Covent, and be marry'd without Ceremony; adding &s;he was not to be &s;urpriz'd at it, as be|ing all for her advantage. The young Lady, who in the whole cour&s;e of her breeding had been taught to pay the Duche&s;s very great re&s;pects, &s;ubmitted her &s;elf wholly to her plea&s;ure. The Du|che&s;s having made &s;ure of her Niece, and all others &s;he had u&s;e of, writ to the Marque&s;s <HI>d'O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> to let him know all was in readi|ne&s;s; and that he had no more to do but come the next night to <HI>Mons,</HI> with two of his tru&s;tie&s;t Do|me&s;ticks, and that he might come to her Hou&s;e, where &s;he would tell him how the bu&s;ine&s;s &s;hould be managed. The Marque&s;s, who waited with impatience for news from the Duche&s;s, faild not to &s;et out the hour &s;he appointed. He arriv'd at <HI>Mons,</HI> and went to the
<PB N="208" REF="109">Duche&s;&s;es, as had been agreed on. You &s;ee, &s;ays &s;he, what I expo&s;e my &s;elf to for your &s;ake: But that you may not be blam'd for this Action, I think it very fit you &s;hould write to the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a,</HI> to let him know you are marry'd; and intreat him, that &s;ince 'tis a done thing, that he will write into <HI>Spain,</HI> in your favour, that the Court may agree to it: I will take care your Letter &s;hall be deliver'd him, and &s;end him word the &s;ame time, I have had no hand in your bu&s;ine&s;s. The Marque&s;s con&s;ent|ed to all &s;he de&s;ir'd, but had his Head &s;o full of Love, he would ne|ver have been able to fini&s;h his Let|ter without the Duche&s;&s;es help, who made him write what &s;he pleas'd, without naming <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> with de&s;ign to take her advantage by that Letter to ju&s;tifie her &s;elf to the World, as if the Marque&s;s had indeavour'd to &s;teal away her
<PB N="209" REF="109">Niece, and that he might be forc'd to marry her, if the bu&s;ine&s;s in hand &s;hould unexpectedly mi&s;carry.</P>
<P>All things thus order'd, &s;he for|got not any thing that might heighten the beauty of her Niece. It was no hard matter to &s;et off a young Lady, whom Nature had made very hand&s;ome and amiable: The Duche&s;s having vi&s;ited her a little afore night, gave her new in|&s;tructions for her dre&s;s, and deport|ment, and return'd very well &s;ati&s;|fi'd with her Charms. She ap|pointed her to be at the Covent-Garden Gate, with a Maid who was of the Plot, and to follow the Gentleman who came in &s;earch of them at the hour &s;he had a&s;&s;ign'd them: She charg'd her by any means not to &s;peak, to cover her &s;elf with a great Vail, and not &s;hew her Face, till the Prie&s;t had fi|ni&s;h'd the Ceremony; telling her, it was no more than in decency
<PB N="210" REF="110">was requi&s;ite, to &s;atisfie the Gentle|man, and the Company, of her mo|de&s;ty. The Duche&s;s being re|turn'd home, told the Marque&s;s all things were order'd as he could wi&s;h. At la&s;t, the night &s;o much de&s;ir'd by the Marque&s;s, and per|haps by the Lady as earne&s;tly long'd for, was come; the amorous <HI>Spaniard,</HI> full of good intentions, and led by his pa&s;&s;ion, enter'd the Garden, through a Door, of which they had given him a Key for the purpo&s;e. He found there two per|&s;ons vail'd, one whereof was about the height of <HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> Having approach'd, with a re&s;pect not free from fear, he took her by the hand, and led her to the Duche&s;&s;es with the ha&s;te you may imagine. They went &s;traight to the Chappel, where the Prie&s;t waited their coming: The Marque&s;s fell pre&s;ently at the feet of her he thought his Mi&s;tre&s;s, to thank her for her goodne&s;s, and
<PB N="211" REF="110">began to &s;ay &s;uch things as Love in&s;pires a Man in his condition withall: But the Duche&s;s ha&s;ten'd the Prie&s;t to do his Office, and &s;aid to the Marque&s;s, he was not to lo&s;e time in fruitle&s;s di&s;cour&s;e, to keep his Mi&s;tre&s;s from the plea&s;ure &s;he propos'd to her &s;elf, in being at li|berty to look upon him, without wronging her mode&s;ty. The Mar|que&s;s having his head full of the thoughts of <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> fancy'd he &s;aw her, without &s;hewing her face: He was &s;atisfi'd with a ki&s;s of her hand, fell on his knees and was mar|ried. The Ceremony was &s;carce ended, but the Marque&s;s cry'd out he was the happie&s;t Man alive, &s;ince it was not in the power of his Ene|mies to prevent his being united to the mo&s;t amiable Per&s;on in the World. Yes, and more happy than you are aware of, replys the Du|che&s;s, throwing off the Brides Vail, &s;ince in marrying you to my Niece,
<PB N="212" REF="111">who might be the Darling of the be&s;t Man on Earth, I have marry'd you to a Lady of great Birth, and a con&s;iderable Fortune. The Mar|que&s;s was &s;o troubled at the di&s;|cour&s;e of the Duche&s;s, and the &s;ur|prizing beauty of her Niece, that for &s;ome time he &s;tood mute. Your Relations, and Friends, have agreed to this Marriage, continues the Du|che&s;s; and nothing but a Merit e|qual to yours could have prevail'd with me to have a hand in a trick of this kind, to make you happy a|gain&s;t your will. The Marque&s;s was &s;o agitated with different mo|tions, he could not an&s;wer a word, needing all the re&s;pect tho&s;e of his Nation have for Per&s;ons of the be&s;t quality, to keep him from breaking out into outrage again&s;t the Du|che&s;s. She was about to &s;peak to him of the advantages of this Affair. Madam, &s;ays the Marque&s;s, inter|rupting her, I pray in&s;ult not over
<PB N="213" REF="111">my grief; for I know not whether I &s;hall be able to take it at your hands. This was but one of tho&s;e expre&s;&s;ions of &s;orrow and regret he let fall, which forc'd tears from the new Marchione&s;s, who had not any hand in her Aunts Cheat, and ex|pected Complements from her Husband of a very different nature. The Marque&s;s mov'd at her tears, and wounded to the heart with his own &s;orrows, went into another Room, and would have left the Hou&s;e with a re&s;olution to go whi|ther&s;oever de&s;pair would lead him: But the Duche&s;s, who fearing the noi&s;e this bu&s;ine&s;s might make, had the fore-&s;ight, and care, to make &s;ure of an Order from the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a</HI> to arre&s;t the Marque&s;s; had it put in execution, by per&s;ons who waited at the Gate for that purpo&s;e. He was &s;o di&s;order'd, he &s;carce knew he was arre&s;ted. An Officer, his Friend, whom the Du|che&s;s
<PB N="214" REF="112">&s;ent for to &s;peak with him, endeavour'd to per&s;wade him to be &s;atisfi'd, but without effect. The Marque&s;s pa&s;s'd all the night in ve|ry great di&s;quiet: the morrow the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a</HI> arriv'd at <HI>Mons,</HI> where he had long di&s;cour&s;e with the Marque&s;s; I know not the particulars, but 'tis probable he &s;hew'd him the advantages of this Marriage, and the nece&s;&s;ity lay upon him to make no more &s;tir a|bout the bu&s;ine&s;s: which if he did, he would be laugh'd at, and pro|voke the Court, his Friends, and the Duche&s;&s;es Family all again&s;t him. The Marque&s;s convinc'd with the&s;e rea&s;ons, and &s;eeing there was no remedy, &s;ubmitted to the advice of the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a;</HI> and thought it be&s;t to return to his Wife, and beg her par|don for what was pa&s;t. But &s;he would not hear him, being re&s;olv'd to pay him in the Coyn &s;he had re|ceiv'd
<PB N="215" REF="112">from him, and avoid his company who had &s;o much &s;light|ed her. The Duche&s;s found all her Authority over her Niece, little e|nough to retain her: She would not afford an Ear to any thing could be &s;aid for him, who had ex|pre&s;t him&s;elf &s;orry he had marry'd her.</P>
<P>A beautiful Lady hath great ad|vantages, her Complaints are mo|ving, her Reproaches wound to the quick, and her Tears find com|pa&s;&s;ion in the &s;tonie&s;t heart. The Marque&s;s, who had approach'd his Lady with a great deal of indiffe|rence, was &s;o &s;en&s;ible of her Com|plaints, her Reproaches and Tears, that he fell on his knees, prote&s;ting the Crime &s;he thought him guilty of, a pure effect of his a&s;toni&s;hment; and that if &s;he would vouch&s;afe him the hearing, he could ea&s;ily clear him&s;elf. She ca&s;t her Eyes upon him, without an&s;wering a
<PB N="216" REF="113">word; her looks, and the difficul|ty &s;he made of being appeas'd, heighten'd in the Marque&s;s the de|&s;ire of reconciliation: He made her &s;o many prote&s;tations, and a&s;&s;ur'd her he would love her eternally, that at la&s;t &s;he yielded to the In|&s;tances of the Duche&s;s, or rather the Oaths of the Marque&s;s: But upon condition he would give her a true account what had occa&s;i|on'd him to expre&s;s him&s;elf trou|bled for having marry'd her, and to ab&s;ent him&s;elf as he had done. The Marque&s;s promis'd it, but whe|ther he kept his word I know not, having not been able to learn the particulars of the account he gave her, which la&s;ted all night; but 'tis very likely &s;he was well enough &s;atisfi'd, having never complain'd of it &s;ince: The Marque&s;s about a Week after brought her to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> and to ju&s;tifie him&s;elf to tho&s;e who were acquainted with his pa&s;&s;ion
<PB N="217" REF="113">for <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> &s;aid, it was not in his power to re&s;i&s;t the Decrees of Hea|ven, where his Marriage had been appointed many Ages ago.</P>
<P>Though <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> had not heard of this Marriage, the news of it ha|ving not yet reach'd <HI>Spain;</HI> 'tis certain her heart mi&s;gave her &s;ome ill was towards her, which ca&s;t her frequently into melancholly the Prince&s;s had much ado to per&s;wade her from, by telling her &s;he was not to afflict her &s;elf beforehand, by fancying &s;he fore-&s;aw the unfaith|fulne&s;s of her Lover. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> confe&s;s'd her &s;elf to blame for't, but could not help it.</P>
<P>Hearing the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Envoy was returning for <HI>London,</HI> &s;he acquaint|ed the Prince&s;s with the great de|&s;ire &s;he had to lay hold on that oc|ca&s;ion, to leave <HI>Spain</HI> and go to the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra.</HI> The Prince&s;s gave many good rea&s;ons to divert her from this re&s;olution, but in vain;
<PB N="218" REF="114"><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> acknowledging the force of her rea&s;ons, but that it was not in her power to yield to them, and that &s;he &s;hould certainly have the di&s;plea&s;ure to &s;ee her die with de|&s;pair, if &s;he oppos'd her de&s;ign any longer. Loth as the Prince&s;s was to part with our <HI>Heroine,</HI> &s;he was however forc'd to let her go, to pre|vent the mortal effects of her de|&s;pair: She gave her a Letter of Re|commendation to the Envoy, in|treating his care of that young <HI>Spa|ni&s;h Gentleman,</HI> being a Per&s;on of Quality and Merit, and very de&s;i|rous to go with him into <HI>England.</HI> The Prince&s;s gave her &s;everal other Letters, in her favour, addre&s;s'd to Per&s;ons in good credit in the Court of his Maje&s;ty of <HI>Great Britain. Chri&s;tina</HI> having re&s;um'd her Mans Habit, and the day of her departure hir'd a <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Foot-Boy, overtook the Envoy two days journey from <HI>Madrid,</HI> not having ventur'd to go
<PB N="219" REF="114">out of Town with him, for fear of being &s;taid, if di&s;cover'd. The En|voy receiv'd her very courteou&s;ly, ea&s;ily believing the good Character the Prince&s;s gave in her Letter to him of young <HI>Montalban</HI> (as &s;he call'd him) who confirm'd by his Meen, and di&s;cour&s;e, the good opi|nion the Envoy had of him at fir&s;t &s;ight.</P>
<P><HI>Montalban</HI> was &s;o pleas'd with the thought he &s;hould &s;hortly have a better opportunity of informing him&s;elf truly of the &s;tate of his Love Coneerns, that he appear'd very chearful and aiery, which the Envoy was much taken with, but could not let him know it for want of skill in the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Language, which he could not &s;peak, though he under&s;tood it very well. <HI>Mon|talban</HI> pretended he had no other Language, but that, he had a &s;mall in&s;ight in the <HI>French,</HI> yet not &s;o much as to &s;peak it. The Envoy,
<PB N="220" REF="115">who had been bred in <HI>France,</HI> was glad of that, and from thence|forth &s;poke to him always in <HI>French,</HI> which <HI>Montalban</HI> an|&s;wer'd in <HI>Spani&s;h.</HI> He maintain'd this Character very well, till one day the Envoy ob&s;erving him in a deep &s;tudy, ask'd him if he had left a Mi&s;tre&s;s behind him at <HI>Madrid. Montalban</HI> having his Head full of Love, and &s;urpriz'd with the que|&s;tion, an&s;wer'd him in <HI>French,</HI> he had not a Mi&s;tre&s;s in the World, and continued &s;peaking in that Lan|guage, till he perceiv'd the Envoy a&s;toni&s;ht at it; whereupon, making u&s;e of that readine&s;s of wit which had done him &s;o good &s;ervice on former occa&s;ions, and few Women want, he fell a laughing at the En|voy's &s;urprize, and pray'd him, in <HI>Spani&s;h,</HI> to tell him truly if he had &s;poken good <HI>French.</HI> The Envoy a&s;&s;ur'd him, a natural <HI>French-man</HI> could not have &s;poke better. In
<PB N="221" REF="115">troth, replys <HI>Montalban,</HI> I thought the Prince&s;s had but jea&s;ted, when, having taught me tho&s;e three or four words, &s;he told me I pro|nounc'd them very well: I will apply my &s;elf to learn <HI>French,</HI> as &s;oon as I come to <HI>London.</HI> You will infallibly attain it, &s;ays the Envoy you are &s;o naturally fitted for't. Our' <HI>Heroine</HI> having, by her wit, retriev'd the fault her di&s;traction made her fall into, avoided carefully all occa&s;i|ons of letting him perceive &s;he could &s;peak <HI>French,</HI> the better to maintain the part &s;he de&s;ign'd to act in <HI>England.</HI> Being arriv'd at <HI>Lon|don, Montalban</HI> deliver'd a Letter from the Prince&s;s, to the Marque&s;s <HI>Borgamanero,</HI> Envoy extraordinary from <HI>Spain.</HI> The Marque&s;s being an <HI>Italian</HI> born, doubted not but the young <HI>Spaniard</HI> was very well de&s;cended, as the Prince&s;s had &s;ig|nifi'd by her Letter: He us'd him with all the civility imaginable,
<PB N="222" REF="116">praying him to accept of an Apart|ment in his Hou&s;e; for, be&s;ides the re&s;pect due to the recommendati|on of the Prince&s;s, an <HI>Italian,</HI> or <HI>Flemming,</HI> employ'd in the King of <HI>Spain</HI>'s &s;ervice, is glad of any oc|ca&s;ion to oblige a natural <HI>Spaniard,</HI> to take off the jealou&s;ie and um|brage they have of Strangers em|ploy'd in Affairs of that Crown. <HI>Montalban</HI> would not lodge at the Marque&s;&s;es, but Din'd there every day, and went often to Court with him, where he was kindly receiv'd by tho&s;e who e&s;pous'd the intere&s;t of <HI>Spain:</HI> this was of incredible advantage to the <HI>Spaniard,</HI> the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> who were us'd to &s;ee tho&s;e of that Nation haughty and huffi&s;h, admiring the civility and good meen of <HI>Montalban.</HI> But he could not be &s;atisfi'd with the care the Marque&s;s took to divert him, nor the civilities he receiv'd from &s;e|veral <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Courtiers, &s;uch was
<PB N="223" REF="116">his impatience to know how things went in <HI>Flanders:</HI> He ask'd every one, what news from thence, and was told of the Preparations made for the Campaign, the provident care of the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Governour for the places mo&s;t in danger to be at|tack'd, and many other particu|lars <HI>Montalban</HI> was not concern'd in, nor car'd for: But not a word of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> nor dur&s;t he enquire after him, in particular, le&s;t his Countenance &s;hould betray him, and di&s;cover the rea&s;on of his Curio&s;ity that way. His heart mi&s;gave him &s;till, and continued the alarms and pre&s;ages of ill &s;uc|ce&s;s to his Love, which &s;o haunted his thoughts he could not relli&s;h a|ny plea&s;ure though frequently in|vited to partake of it. Sometimes he re&s;olv'd for <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> to know how things &s;tood; the next mo|ment he di&s;cover'd rea&s;ons to di|vert him from that de&s;ign. Tor|mented
<PB N="224" REF="117">with this inquietude, and not able to re&s;olve what cour&s;e to take, but inclining to continue in an uncertainty, which left him &s;ome poor hopes of the con&s;tancy of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> rather than hazard the di&s;covery of a truth which might plunge him in de|&s;pair. As he was at Dinner at the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Envoys, a Gentleman of <HI>Flanders,</HI> newly arriv'd from <HI>Bru&s;|&s;els,</HI> came in to &s;alute the Mar|que&s;s <HI>Borgamanero,</HI> and deliver him Letters from the <HI>Low-Countries.</HI> The Marque&s;s having known the Gentleman by name, receiv'd him very civilly, and made him &s;it at Ta|ble with him. When the <HI>Flemming</HI> had drank the Healths of all the Beauties of <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> his Tongue be|gan to run, and he gave them &s;e|veral pieces of choice news from <HI>Flanders,</HI> adding &s;ome Gallantries of the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Generals the Winter pa&s;t; and, interrupting him&s;elf,
<PB N="225" REF="117">now that I am fallen upon the di&s;|cour&s;e of Gallantry, Have you not heard, &s;ays he, of the officious Cheat put upon the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> to cure him of the violent pa&s;&s;ion he had for a <HI>French-woman.</HI> Had any one then ob&s;erv'd <HI>Montalban</HI>'s Countenance, he might have ea&s;i|ly di&s;cover'd the trouble he was in: But they were all attentive to the <HI>Flemmi&s;h</HI> Gentlemans di&s;cour&s;e, who told them, the Duche&s;s of <HI>Ar&s;chot,</HI> by agreement with the Duke <HI>de Villa Hermo&s;a,</HI> on pretence of fa|vouring the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI>'s Marriage with the <HI>French-woman,</HI> had marry'd her Niece to him. Oh Heavens, cry'd <HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> no more minding the Name, or Nation &s;he pretended to, and fell off of her Stooll. The Company thought it &s;ome Di&s;ea&s;e, or Infirmity, and e|very one &s;trove to help her, attri|buting the Exclamation to the vio|ence of the Di&s;temper, and not
<PB N="226" REF="118">dreaming in the lea&s;t of the true Cau&s;e of the Accident. The En|voy of <HI>Spain</HI> was the mo&s;t alarm'd at it, fearing, in a time where poy|&s;onings are &s;o ordinary, it might be thought this <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Gentleman had been poy&s;oned at his Hou&s;e.</P>
<P>Could one have dy'd of violent grief, I am per&s;waded our <HI>Heroine</HI> had taken her leave of this World, upon hearing the Gentlemans news: but a death of that kind happens not in our Age, and &s;he, by the Marque&s;&s;es care, recover'd her &s;trength pretty well, and was carry'd into her Chamber, where, intending to give free vent to tho&s;e pa&s;&s;ions the ill news had occa&s;ion'd, &s;he had the dexterity to get ridd of the importunate care of tho&s;e who accompany'd her, by telling them &s;he was often &s;ubject to Infirmities of that kind, and had learnt by ex|perience that re&s;t was the only, and infallible Cure. As &s;oon as &s;he
<PB N="227" REF="118">was alone, &s;he bur&s;t out into tears, and her fancy, to her further tor|ment, repre&s;ented to her a thou|&s;and unplea&s;ant things to increa&s;e her grief, which was &s;well'd to that height the mo&s;t cruel death would have been welcom. After much debate with her &s;elf, &s;he thought it fit for her to return into her Coun|try, and &s;pend there the re&s;t of her days in a Cloy&s;ter, her Vertue &s;ug|g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> her &s;he was oblig'd to make the World this amends for all the innocent &s;candals &s;he had given it.</P>
<P>Upon the news of the Accident at the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Envoys, the pretend|ed <HI>Montalban</HI> was vi&s;ited by &s;eve|ral Per&s;ons of the be&s;t Quality: The Gentleman, who had brought the news of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;ey|ra</HI>'s being marry'd, thought him|&s;elf oblig'd in civility to give him a vi&s;it. <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> (or, if you will, <HI>Montalban</HI>) was a bed when this
<PB N="228" REF="119">Gentleman came to his Lodging: <HI>Montalban</HI> gave order he &s;hould come in, and the ordinary civili|ties being over, told him he was &s;orry his Infirmity had depriv'd him of hearing the particulars of the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI>'s Marriage: The Gentleman offer'd to make him the Relation; <HI>Montalban</HI> an&s;wer|ing, he would much oblige him in it, the Gentleman acquainted him with all the Circum&s;tances of the Affair, without perceiving the change it produc'd in our <HI>Heroine</HI>'s Countenance, who had (to pre|vent his di&s;covery) drawn her Bed Curtain that &s;he might not be &s;een. The <HI>Flemming</HI> being retir'd, <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> fell again into tears, yet without any murmuring again&s;t the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> whom &s;he could not accu&s;e of infidelity. As &s;trongly as &s;he labour'd to confirm her re&s;olution of going into a Mo|na&s;tery, &s;he found within her no
<PB N="229" REF="119">&s;mall reluctancy again&s;t the putting it in execution: &s;o hard a Task was it to di&s;engage her &s;elf from the in|clinations &s;he had for a Per&s;on &s;he had lov'd &s;o entirely, and e&s;teem'd &s;o worthy of her affection: After much &s;trugling and &s;triving with her &s;elf &s;he re&s;olv'd to &s;end him a Letter, which was written as fol|loweth.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>I &s;hall never believe any one can dye of grief, &s;ince I have &s;urviv'd the &s;ad news of your Marriage, at|tended with &s;uch Circum&s;tances as make me de&s;pair, without leaving me the liberty to complain of you: Was it not enough to lo&s;e you, but I mu&s;t, with the lo&s;s, have the cruel and doleful &s;atisfaction to know I lo&s;t you again&s;t your will? Had you been ungrateful for the affection I bore you, the con&s;ideration of your un|faithfulne&s;s would have, in &s;ome mea&s;ure, allay'd my &s;en&s;e of the lo&s;s of you: But while I adore you, and
<PB N="230" REF="120">you love me, another enjoys you. Par|don the trouble my grief forces me to give you, in bidding you adieu for e|ver. When you know how ea&s;ily I part with the World, you will be &s;en|&s;ible I continued in it thus long only for your &s;ake; and &s;ince you cannot be mine any longer, I &s;hall quickly take leave of it with very little concern.</HI></P>
</LETTER>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> having heard that the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Envoy &s;ent a Gentleman with Letters into <HI>Flanders,</HI> de&s;ir'd him to deliver this to the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra,</HI> and tell him, the Party who &s;ent it expected not his an&s;wer. Our <HI>Heroine</HI> having written this Letter, found her &s;elf &s;omewhat bet|ter at ea&s;e; &s;he weigh'd the de&s;ign &s;he had of entring a Covent, and found it in truth a cour&s;e of Life wholly un&s;uitable to her humour: She con&s;ider'd how many made their Lives unhappy by embracing
<PB N="231" REF="120">a Profe&s;&s;ion out of de&s;pair, or to plea&s;e their Friends, or for other like rea&s;ons contrary to their incli|nations: She cho&s;e rather to &s;eek out an opportunity to peri&s;h glori|ou&s;ly in the Wars, than to lan|gui&s;h many years in an unhappy condition, not doubting but the thoughts of her beloved Marque&s;s would haunt her in the mo&s;t pri|vate retirements. This made her throw off the relicks of weakne&s;s her Sex had left her, and having heard that his Maje&s;ty of <HI>France</HI> had open'd the Campaign by the Conque&s;t of <HI>Ghent,</HI> &s;he continued her di&s;gui&s;e, and went into the Army with two or three <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Volunteers, who went to learn the Rudiments of War under that great Ma&s;ter. The Town of <HI>Ypres</HI> be|ing be&s;ieg'd about that time, our <HI>Heroine</HI> to avoid meeting with tho&s;e who might probably know her, during her long abode former|ly
<PB N="232" REF="121">there, con&s;ulted rather the moti|ons of de&s;pair, than endeavour'd to &s;ignalize her &s;elf by Actions of ex|traordinary valour: She mingled her &s;elf one day with a Detachment of the Regiments of the King's Hou&s;hold, who with Sword in hand took a Half-moon, where <HI>Chri&s;tina</HI> receiv'd a Mu&s;quet-&s;hot, and was carry'd to her Tent. The Chyrurgeons, le&s;s Complai&s;ant in the Army than el&s;ewhere, judg'd her Wound mortal: The <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> who came with her from <HI>London,</HI> and &s;till thought the pretended Gentleman a <HI>Spaniard,</HI> fancy'd he had receiv'd the Wound by endea|vouring to put him&s;elf into the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> &s;ervice, by getting into the Town: This made them acquaint the Marque&s;s <HI>de Conflans</HI> with what had pa&s;t. He was Governour of the place, and having Capitulated that very day to &s;urrender it, the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> let him know there was in
<PB N="233" REF="121">the Camp, a young Gentleman, a <HI>Spaniard,</HI> call'd <HI>Montalban,</HI> who was wounded with a Mu&s;quet-&s;hot, by endeavouring to get into the Town. The Marque&s;s, well ac|quainted with the name, thought he might be one of the Noble Fa|mily of <HI>Montalban,</HI> the head whereof is the now Duke of <HI>Uceda,</HI> and di&s;patch'd a Collonel of the Gari&s;on to enquire of his health, and &s;ee if he were in a condition to be carry'd to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els.</HI> The <HI>Eng|li&s;h</HI> accompany'd the Collonel, and told our <HI>Heroine</HI> they had inform'd the Governour of <HI>Ypres</HI> of his qua|lity, and hurt; and that he had &s;ent thither this Collonel, to know if he would be carry'd to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els. Chri|&s;tina,</HI> amaz'd at the di&s;cour&s;e, was pleas'd however at &s;o good an oc|ca&s;ion of going to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> in hopes to &s;ee the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> be|fore &s;he dy'd: She confirm'd them in their errour, and having an|&s;wer'd
<PB N="234" REF="122">the Collonel's civilities, as well as the condition &s;he was in would permit her, &s;he pray'd him to tell the Marque&s;s of <HI>Conflans,</HI> he would do him a &s;ingular favour to convey him to <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> which was accordingly done. Soon after her arrival there, the Marque&s;s of <HI>Con|flans</HI> inform'd the Court, he had brought thither a young Gentle|man of <HI>Spain,</HI> who was lately come out of <HI>England</HI> to throw him&s;elf into <HI>Ypres,</HI> but was unfortunately prevented by a Mu&s;quet-&s;hot, re|ceiv'd as he was endeavouring to get into the Town. The Per&s;ons of the greate&s;t Quality at <HI>Bru&s;&s;els,</HI> fearing to incommode <HI>Montalban</HI> with their vi&s;its, &s;ent to inquire of his health: But he fell into a Fever, and no hopes of cure. All tho&s;e a|bout him wonder'd at the care he took to inquire who they were who &s;ent to know how he did, which proceeded from the de&s;ire
<PB N="235" REF="122">the &s;uppo&s;ed <HI>Montalban</HI> had to hear the Marque&s;s <HI>d' O&s;&s;eyra</HI> nam'd for one. At la&s;t he was told, that this Marque&s;s, being newly re|turn'd from <HI>Bruges,</HI> had &s;ent a Gen|tleman to enquire of his health. <HI>Montalban</HI> was &s;o glad of it, that tho&s;e who attended him ob&s;erv'd a vi&s;ible change in his looks: Ha|ving fetch'd two or three fighs, he &s;aid, he &s;hould be very glad to &s;ee the Marque&s;s, having &s;ome|thing of Con&s;equence to Com|municate to him. The Marque&s;s being inform'd of it, ran to him immediately, fancying him to be a Gentleman of the Hou&s;e of <HI>Montalban,</HI> who had been of his acquaintance in <HI>Spain.</HI> As the Marque&s;s enter'd the Room, they told him the Gentleman was &s;peechle&s;s. The Marque&s;s went ha&s;tily up to the Bed, and look|ing &s;tedfa&s;tly on the Per&s;on that lay there, knew her to be his
<PB N="236" REF="123"><HI>Chri&s;tina,</HI> a dying: She reacht forth her Arm, and taking him by the Hand, made him &s;en&s;ible of the &s;atisfaction &s;he had, to &s;ee him before &s;he dy'd. The tragick Spectacle &s;o affected the Marque&s;s, he was ready to fall down dead for &s;orrow: He continued many days retir'd in a religious Hou&s;e, and incapable of comfort for be|ing the cau&s;e of our <HI>Heroine</HI>'s death, he re&s;olv'd to quit that Country where a hundred Objects would every day repre&s;ent to his memory, the death of <HI>Chri&s;tina:</HI> He made u&s;e of his Friends to pro|cure him Employment el&s;e-where, and in a &s;hort time after receiv'd Orders from <HI>Spain</HI> to go and Com|mand in <HI>Bi&s;cay.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="123">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
