as well, and give a more gentlemanly Turn to the Epigram. But, under favour of him and all other fuch fine Gentlemen, I cannot be perfuaded but that the Paffion a Bridegroom has for a virtuous young Woman, will, by little and little, grow into Friendship, and then it is afcended to a higher Pleasure than it was in its first Fervour. Without this happens, he is a very unfortunate Man who has enter'd into this State, and left the Habitudes of Life he might have enjoy'd with a faithful Friend. But when the Wife proves capable of filling ferious as well as joyous Hours, fhe brings Happiness unknown to Friendship itself. Spencer fpeaks of each kind of Love with great Juftice, and attributes the higheft Praise to Friendship; and indeed there is no difputing that Point, but by making that Friendship take place between two married Perfons. Hard is the Doubt, and difficult to deem, For natural Affection foon doth ceafe, And quenched is with Cupid's greater Flame; No less than perfect Gold furmounts the meaneft Brajs T VOL. VII. D Tuesday, N° 491 Tuesday, September 23. Digna fatis fortuna revifit. I Virg. Æn. 3. v. 318. A juft Reverfe of Fortune on him waits. T is common with me to run from Book to Book to exercise my Mind with many Objects, and qualify myfelf for my daily Labours. After an Hour fpent in this loitering way of Reading, fomething will remain to be Food to the Imagination. The Writings that please me moft on fuch Occafions are Stories, for the Truth of which there is good Authority. The Mind of Man is naturally a Lover of Juftice, and when we read a Story wherein a Criminal is overtaken, in whom there is no Quality which is the Object of Pity, the Soul enjoys a certain Revenge for the Offence done to its Nature, in the wicked Actions committed in the preceeding part of the Hiftory. This will be better understood by the Reader from the following Narration itself, than from any thing which I can fay to introduce it. HEN Charles Duke of Burgundy, firnamed The W Bold, reigned over fpacious Dominions now fwal lowed up by the Power of France, he heaped many Favours and Honours upon Claudius Rhynfault, a German, who had ferv'd him in his Wars against the Infults of his Neighbours. A great part of Zealand was at that time in fubjection to that Dukedom. The Prince himself was a Perfon of fingular Humanity and Justice. Rhyn jault, with no other real Quality than Courage, had Diffimulation enough to pafs upon his generous and unfufpicious Mafter for a Perfon of blunt Honefty and Fidelity, without any Vice that could bias him from the Execu tion of Juftice. His Highness prepoffeffed to his Advantage, upon the Deceafe of the Governor of his chief Town of Zealand, gave Rhynfault that Command. not long feated in that Government, before he cast his He was Eyes Eyes upon Sapphira, a Woman of exquifite Beauty, the Wife of Paul Danvelt, a wealthy Merchant of the City under his Protection and Government. Rhynfault was a Man of a warm Conftitution, and violent Inclination to Women, and not unskilled in the foft Arts which win their Favour. He knew what it was to enjoy the Satisfactions which are reaped from the Poffeffion of Beauty, but was an utter Stranger to the Decencies, Honours and Delicacies, that attend the Paffion towards them in elegant Minds. However he had fo much of the World, that he had a great share of the Language which ufually prevails upon the weaker part of that Sex, and he could with his Tongue utter a Paffion with which his Heart was wholly untouch'd. He was one of thofe brutal Minds which can be gratified with the Violation of Innocence and Beauty without the leaft Pity, Paffion, or Love to that with which they are fo much delighted. Ingratitude is a Vice infeparable to a luftful Man; and the Poffeffion of a Woman by him who has no thought but allaying a Paffion painful to himself, is neceffarily followed by Distafle and Averfion. Rhynfault being refolv'd to accomplish his Will on the Wife of Danyelt, left no Arts untried to get into a Familiarity at her Houfe; but he knew his Character and Difpofition too well, not to fhun all Occafions that might infnare her into his Converfation. The Governor despairing of Succefs by ordinary means, apprehended and imprisoned her Husband, under pretence of an Information that he was guilty of a Correspondence with the Enemies of the Duke to betray the Town into their Poffeffion. This Design had its defired Effect; and the Wife of the unfortunate Danvelt, the day before that which was appointed for his Execution, prefented herself in the Hall of the Governor's Houfe, and as he pafs'd thro' the Apartment, threw herself at his Feet, and holding his Knees, befeeched his Mercy. Rhynfault beheld her with a diffembled Satisfaction, and affuming an Air of Thought and Authority, he bid her arife, and told her fhe must follow him to his Clofet; and afking her whether fhe knew the Hand of the Letter he pulled out of his Pocket, went from her, leaving this Admonition aloud, If you will fave your Hufband, you must give me an account of all you know without Prevarication; for every D 2 body body is fatisfied he was too fond of you to be able to hide from you the Names of the rest of the Confpirators, or any other Particulars whatfoever. He went to his Closet, and foon after the Lady was fent for to an Audience. The Servant knew his distance when Matters of State were to be debated; and the Governor laying afide the Air with which he had appear'd in public, began to be the Supplicant, to rally an Affliction, which it was in her power eafily to remove, and relieve an innocent Man from his Imprifonment. She easily perceiv'd his Intention, and, bathed in Tears, began to deprecate fo wicked a Defign. Luft, like Ambition, takes all the Faculties of the Mind and Body into its Service and Subjection. Her becoming Tears, her honeft Anguish, the wringing of her Hands, and the many Changes of her Pofture and Figure in the Vehemence of fpeaking, were but fo many Attitudes in which he beheld her Beauty, and farther Incentives of his Defire. All Humanity was loft in that one Appetite, and he fignified to her in fo many plain Terms, that he was unhappy till he had poffefs'd her, and nothing lefs fhou'd be the Price of her Husband's Life; and she muft, before the following Noon, pronounce the Death or Enlargement of Danvelt. After this Notification, when he faw Sapphira enough again diftracted to make the Subject of their Difcourfe to common Eyes appear different from what it was, he called Servants to conduct her to the Gate. Loaded with infupportable Affliction, the immediately repairs to her Hufband, and having fignified to his Goalers, that she had a Propofal to make to her Hufband from the Governor, fhe was left alone with him, reveal'd to him all that had pafs'd, and represented the endlefs Conflict she was in between Love to his Person, and Fidelity to his Bed. It is eafy to imagine the sharp Affliction this honeft Pair was in upon fuch an Incident, in Lives not us'd to any but ordinary Occurrences. Man was bridled by Shame from fpeaking what his Fear prompted, upon fo near an approach of Death; but let fall Words that fignified to her, he fhould not think her polluted, tho' fhe had not yet confefs'd to him that the Governor had violated her Perfon, fince he knew her Will had no part in the Action. She parted from him with this oblique Permiffion to fave a Life he had The not not Refolution enough to refign for the fafety of his Honour. THE next Morning the unhappy Sapphira attended the Governor, and being led into a remote Apartment, fubmitted to his Defires. Rhynfault commended her Charms, claim'd a Familiarity after what had pafs'd between them, and with an Air of Gaiety in the Language. of a Galant, bid her return, and take her Husband out of Prison: But, continu'd he, my Fair One must not be offended that I have taken care he fhould not be an Interruption to our future Affignations. These last Words foreboded what fhe found when the came to the Goal, her Hufband executed by the Order of Rhynfault. IT was remarkable that the Woman, who was full of Tears and Lamentations during the whole Course of her Affliction, uttered neither Sigh nor Complaint, but food fix'd with Grief at this Confummation of her Misfortunes. She betook herfelf to her Abode, and after having in Solitude paid her Devotions to him who is the Avenger of Innocence, the repair'd privately to Court. Her Perfon, and a certain Grandeur of Sorrow negligent of Forms, gain'd her Paffage into the Prefence of the Duke her Sovereign. As foon as fhe came into the Prefence, the broke forth into the following Words, Behold, O mighty Charles, a Wretch weary of Life, though it has always been spent with Innocence and Virtue. It is not in your Power to redress my Injuries, but it is to avenge them. And if the Protection of the Diftreffed, and the Punishment of Oppressors, is a Tafk worthy a Prince, I bring the Duke of Burgundy ample matter for doing Honour to his own great Name, and wiping Infamy off of mine. WHEN fhe had fpoken this, fhe deliver'd the Duke a Paper reciting her Story. He read it with all the Emotions that Indignation and Pity could raife in a Prince jealous of his Honour in the Behaviour of his Officers, and Profperity of his Subjects. UPON an appointed Day, Rhynfault was fent for to Court, and in the Prefence of a few of the Council, confronted by Sapphira: the Prince asking, Do you know that Lady? Rhynfault, as foon as he could recover his Surprise, told the Duke he would marry her, if his Highnefs would please to think that a Reparation. The Duke feem'd D 3 con |