The gallery of heroick women written in French by Peter Le Moyne of the Society of Jesus ; translated into English by the Marquesse of Winchester.

EXAMPLE.

Indegundis, and Clotilda of France.

SPAIN was never so well cultivated, nor so Catholick as now it is. It hath had Monsters, and Heresies, Gertons and Arians in a time when 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was ••et a Virgin and when Rebellions and Errors were not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come to disturb her Repose and adulterate her Innocence. We were necessitated to make Alliances and Wars for the instruction of this good Neighbour: And the Faith, whereof she now so much ••aunteth, hath cost us exposed Princesses and ruined Armies. Inde∣gund•••• the Daughter of Sig••••••rt was one of these Princesses exposed for the propagation of Faith, and the reduction of Spain from Arianisme. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 caused her to be demanded in Marriage for Hermenigildus his eldest Son. The Counsel sat long without being able to resolve on this Alliance with an excommunicated House. But God who intended to make a Saint of Indegundis carried it at last against Sigebert, who feared least in seeking to make her a Queen, she were made a Heretick.

The first 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of her Marriage had a most pure serenity, and flowers without thorns or bitternesse. Hermenigildus for all the Crowns of the World would not have changed the pleasing tye, which fastned him to so rare and perfect a Princesse: and possessing in her both Vertue and Graces, he thought that there was nothing more to be asked of Glory or Fortune. But so sweet a season was not to last long, Dark Clouds quickly gathered together which overshaded this fair serenity: There grew Thorns and Wormwood amongst these Flowers: And the sweet Chain which was the Dradem of Hermenigildus Heart, chanced to be broken by the malice of his Step-Mother Gosuinda.

This unhappy Woman, possessed by the Devil of Arianism, undertook to pervert Indegundis and proposed unto her to receive the profane Ba∣ptism of her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Her s••••atagems and wiles having ill success, she imploi∣ed therein, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Tyranny even to that height, as she made her to be cast naked into a Pond, threatning to drown her unless she would change her Religion. The couragious Princess was not daunted at the Death she saw before her Eyes, and as it were upon the Brink of her Lips. She was drawn out from thence with an initiated Martyrdom, and a compleat Victory. And to overcome her self, as she had vanquish∣ed Gosuinda and Heresie, she suppressed the resentment of this injurie, and concealed it even from Hermenigildus himself. But the Eyes of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are more spiritual, and see farther then others: they have some∣thing of prophetical in them: and the most artificial dissimulation with all its Countenances, and Masks, could not make them believe it. The Prince no sooner beheld her as yet pale with the Combat she had lately sought, but he conceived an ill opinion of this Paleness: And

not knowing whether he should take it for a signe of the past evil, or for a presage of evil to come; he suffered in a Moment all that Indegun∣dis either had or could yet suffer. His Intreaties at last having wrested the Truth out of her Mouth, he left the Court with her, and retired to Sivil.

It was there where the Princesse freed from the Importunites and wicked Devices of Gosuinda set upon Herisie in her turn: And gained a second victory over her, which was evidently the Recompence of the first. She was a Soveraign in her Husbands Heart: and though this Soveraignty of Love placed her above all the Empires of the Earth; yet she had a scruple to reign in that Heart, where the Son of God was degraded. Having an Heretical Husband, she could not believe her self to be entirely Catholick: And becoming one self same Flesh and Bo∣die with an excommnnicated Person, she apprehended to be burned or stained with his Anathema: she feared left the sound part might draw putrifaction and infection from the corrupted. But though she were assured of her own salvation by an expresse Revelation from Heaven; yet the eternal Reprobation of her Husband was a frightful Specter, which awaked her every Night, and caused her to have strange Dreams. At every moment she seemed to behold the Sword of the Di∣vine Justice severing two so well united halfs; And the exterminating Angels seized upon the one and cast it into Flames.

On the other side she apprehended that the Conversion of Herme∣nigildus might prove fatal to both their Lives, or at least that it might infire the State. She had reason to fear the Furie of an irritated Step-mother, and the Hands of an Heretical Father, become a Tyrant. It seemed to her, that it would be more proper to suffer God to work; To expect the effect of his Mercie with patience, and to enjoy, mean∣while, the Flower of her Youth, the Fruits of her marriage, and the Offers of Fortune; then to lose all this by an indiscreet Pietie and of Supererogation; and by an Enterprise exceeding her Forces. Faith nevertheless weighed more with her Spirit, then human Considerati∣ons: and the Interest of Eternity prevailed against the Interest of Time. She resolved, whatever might happen, no longer to endure this Divorce of Religion, which profaned her Marriage: No longer to suffer the Excommunication and Anathema of her Head, the Here∣sie and Reprobation of her Husband.

Love was the first Doctor that began the Conference with Hermeni∣gildus: The Graces, who are perswasive without speaking, joyned themselves with Love, and were of the Party. There were neither Texts cited, nor Reasons alleadged in this Dispute: All the Argu∣ments were Tears and Prayers: And Tears and Prayers effected more then all the Divinity converted into Dilemmas and Syllogysms could have done. Hermenigildus, shaken by this first Conference, shewed less opposition at the second, which he had with the Bishop of S. Leander. And the Light of Truth working more efficaciously, and with more

Force upon a Subject, which the fire of Love had prepared, he submit∣ted at last to both. This change made a great noise: and he himself, to give notice of it to all Spain, caused Mony to be coyned which was as it were a publike Act of his Faith, and an abjuration of Heresie, which his Image and Name published thorowout all the Cities.

After this, the Father irritated at the Conversion of his Son, and the Son inflamed with his new received Faith, came to an open Breach. ••n••aged Gosuinda, and the Furious Hereticks enkindled the Wrath of the Father. The Church of Spain being under persecution, and the Catholicks ill treated, increased the Zeal of the Son. Indegundis tryed all sorts of Expedients to bring things to moderation, and to reconcile 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to his Father, as she had reconciled him to God.

She seriously and with Tears represented to him the ill example and dan∣gers of this War, and made him discern, that after a long contention it could lead him but to a decryed and scandalous Victory, or to a dismal Defeat followed by a Tragick Death. She made him call to Minde the Heroick Maximes of that Faith he had embraced: And often repeated to him, that according to this Faith Acts of Injustice might less handsomly be committed, then suffered: and that there was no Sufferes in so bad a Condition, who was not of more value then the most happy Criminal of the World.

But the Fire was al∣ready too much ••nkindled: And there were too many Hands and Mouths, which stirred the Coals on all sides. Hermenigildus who foresaw that it would be great and lasting, resolved not to cast himself all entire into it, and without reserve. He believed that if the dearest part of himself were removed, the other part which he should expose thereunto, would thereby become more Couragious, and be better pre∣pared against all the stroaks of Fortune.

He resolved then to send Indegundis into Africa: And Indegundis was not a little troubled to resolve for this passage: She was in very great apprehension concerning the Life and Liberty of her Husband: but her fear was much greater for his as yet tender Faith, and for his initia∣ted Salvation: And having conjured him at her departure to make an Accomodation with his Father; and to endeavour rather to gain then vanquish him: She added with a serious Tone, and with a more affir∣mative Countenance,

But Hermenin••ldus to what side soever the For∣tune of War shall encline, and what proposition soever shall be ten∣dred you, take heed of entring into any Treaty wherein Religion en∣ters not with you If Peace can be purchased with some losse, remain a looser in Gods Name to obtain it: but let the losse be of your For∣tune, and not of your Piety. Abandon freely to the bad time, your Pretentions and Rights, your Crown and Succession, nay your Head with your Crown, and your Life with your Succession: but proceed in such sort, that you preserve at least your Faith, and rest assured that conserved Faith will render you all things with use.

Hermenigildus promised to remember her good Instructions: He himself took the

Spirit and Zeal thereof from her Mouth. And all that he promised, he kept exactly and with Constancy.

War having bin unfortunate to him, and the Imperial Forces which he had called to his aid having betrayed him after a long Siege, he lost Sivil and Cordona. And in this extremity he remembred the tears of Indegun∣dis; and acquainted Leovigildus with the inclination he had to Peace and Obedience. The old Man, who was not ignorant that despair is a dangerous weapon, and that the last Efforts of the vanquished, and the bitings of dying Beasts are equally to be feared, sent his Brother Richardus to him, who ended the matter by perswasion, and brought him in, without giving other Assurance then his Word. This confi∣dence was Hazardous and full of Danger: And it is credible, that the remembrance of Indegundis wrought more effectually therein, then the perswasions of Ricaredus. The old man also having him in his power, forgot his own Blood and Nature; and having in vain tryed him, like a Tempter and a Tyrant, with Offers and Threats, Chains and Prisons, not being able to deprive him of his Faith, he took off his Head

Indegundis received this Newes with a sad Satisfaction, And a Resent∣ment wherein even in Despite of her, Nature was present with Grace. She bewailed her dead Husband, and crowned him a Martyr; And she could not crown him more richly then with her Tears. A few dayes after God called Indegundis to give her a Crown. Affliction, Love, and Zeal loosned her Soul: she died Victorious over Nature and Heresie: And at her expiring cast forth a light which illuminated all Spain, and finished the Conversion of that Countrey under the Reign of Ricare∣dus who succeeded 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

The Combats of Clo••••ld•• were no lesse celebrious, nor lesse glorious to France then these of Indegundis. But Spain drew not thence the same advantage: And the ill treatment it gave her had not so happy a sequel. She was Daughter of the great Clodovens, and of this holy and wise Clo••ld••, whom Christian France acknowledged for her Mother and In∣structresse. The King her Father caused her to espouse Amanlry, who was a Go•••• by Birth, and an Arian by profession. He was ignorant what a Monster is formed of Barbarism and Heresie assembled in one and the same Bodie: but he believed that a far stranger and dreadful Monster might be charmed by the Vertue of his Daughter: He believed that the Name of Clo••••lda was an Apostolical and miraculous Name: and that the second might well effect in Spain, a Conversion like that which the first had wrought in France. But the time for this Conversion was not yet come: Ama••lry imitated those obstinate Asps, which are men∣tioned in Scripture: He shut his Eyes and Stopped his Eares, for fear of being charmed by Clo••lda. So far was he from respecting the Graces, which instructed him; and from submitting to so sweet and pleasing a Vertue, that he became a Tyrant and Executioner to them: He used all possible Inventions to pervert these Graces: He practised all sorts of Violence to betray this Vertue to Heresie. It lay not in his power to

overcome the Courage of Clod••ve••s, and the Sanctity of their Daugh∣ter. The good Princesse armed with their Spirit, and fortified by the remembrance of their Triumphs and Miracles, resisted his Wiles and Violence. How little soever she had complyed and given way to the Tempter, she might have reclaimed the Tyrant, and made him a good Husband: But the preferred Honourable Wounds before deceitful and dangerous Carresses; and rather affected a Tyrant who might crown her, then a Husband who might corrupt her.

It cannot be expressed how costly this crown was to her: and how much she suffered from a Prince and People equally Barbarous and pos∣sessed with the same Devil and Heresie. Her Husband tormented her at Home with the Countenance of a Hangman, and with words of Blood and Death, and abroad she suffered the outrages of an insolent and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Multitude, which followed her with Reproaches and throwing of stones, when she went to Church. The Heretical Ministers added 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to this publick Violence: And Amaulry himself, who authorized it by his Example, did once so outragiously beat the poor Queen, that he covered her all over with Blood, leaving her half dead. Having re∣covered her senses, she sent her bloody Hankerchief to her Brethren Kings The Blood of the Innocent had both Spirit and Voice upon this Linen, and carried Indignation and Wrath thorowout all France. 〈…〉〈…〉 took horse, and marched at the Head of thirty thousand men to require his Sister. This journey cost Amaulry his Life, and Spain cha∣stised, de••••ayed the Charges of it. As for Clo••ilda, she was called to Heaven before her Arrival in France. Peradventure God foresaw that her Merit would suffer some diminution by repose; and that her Crown might be lessened thereby. And intending to give it her compleat and fulls round, he bestowed it on her immediately after her Victory. However it were, Clo••ilda added to Indegundis, to Blanch of Bourbon, and others who followed them, made us believe that Spain was fatal to our Princesses, as it hath been thought to be fatal to those Planets who go thither to expire. In effect all those that have been sent thither dyed very young, and replenished with Life and Light. But this death was only in appearance like that of the Planets. God made them passe from thence to a better Life, and to a Kingdom of longer durance. And it is credible that they have there a particular Lustre, and hold the rank of Princesses amongst highly descended Martyrs, and noble Sufferers.