The extravagant shepherd, the anti-romance, or, The history of the shepherd Lysis translated out of French.

The Eighth BOOK

'TIs an ordinary humor in all Romances, that Europeans should be found in Affryca, or Affrycans in Europe, that no man knows how they came thi∣ther, nor how they come by the language, only we are to suppose, these judicious Authors will needs have their Adventurers speak languages as well as St. Paul; for let them come where they will, if the language do them any good, they have it infus'd. But Polidor desirous to reconcile Probability and Romance, tells you his father being a French man, brought him up in the language and fashi∣ons of his Country, even in the Court of Persia.

As for the Lillies, Roses, Fires and precious Stones of a Beauty, Polidor abuses the Poets in their own excellent fancies, yet is not half so extravagant; for whe∣ther is madder, he that says that the attractions of a Mistress can draw Rocks? or he that says only, they may draw a Cart out of the mire? and where Polidor says his Mistresses eyes melted the lead in the windows and the gutters, this is nothing to those eyes that can give us light instead of the Sun, and can restore Summer.

But yet Polidor made only use of a little whites of eggs against this heat, a secret he had learn'd of the great Albertus.

As for his Knives hafted with Remora's teeth, and his Fan of Phoenix feathers; if there be no such things in nature, lets laugh at those that first advanc'd them. The Remora stops a ship in her course; I'll tell you how this came up. A certain boat ran a ground on a bank of sand, being overturn'd, the Mariners found this fish stuck to the keel, and so they believ'd that hindred the boat, and brought it on the sand. As for the Phoenix, the stories of it are so monstrously ridiculous, that out of them I shall only observe the strange sottishness of mans minde, that suffers it self to be carried away by the torrent of tradition, though in things that are in open hostility against all probability. But those that say it is individual, and hath no female, let them consider whether they abuse not God, who for the perpe∣tuation of every species, was content to go the ordinary way of male and female; which he bid multiply.

The History of Meliantes is also as judicially begun; but yet there want not Authors who tell us, that the Persians live much like the French, and that was it made the Author of Lysander and Calista tell us in Suza there is an Exchange, where are fold Gloves, Muffs, Ribans, Hats, Masks; whereas others tell us there's no Bands, nor Masks, nor Hats worn there, nor are they clad there as we are. Meli∣antes says he is also come into France to finde out Lysis, as well as his companions; this is also an imitation of the Romances, where you finde people of the several quarters of the world more strangely brought together, and to less purpose then ours.

Here we have Hircan turn'd Conjurer again, to raise up the Cherry-tree Nymph, whom he raises by Horta, who was the Goddess of the Gardens. As for Lysis's thinking Amaryllis like Lucid••, these resemblances, and the mistakes that arise there∣on, are a great part of our Romances. In the Pastorals of Julietta, Delio, a Knight of Barcelona being gone to the wars, his Mistress Catulla expected him every day; but being at the utmost of despair for him, there comes into the Town a certain German that was very like him. Catulla having heard of it, sends her woman to give him directions how to come to her in the night, which was by the help of a ladder of cord. He, though a stranger, yet perceiving the mistake, would needs trust himself to Fortune; but going at his hour appointed, he meets the Watch, draws on them; and after he had kill'd two, was taken and carried to prison, and the next day condemn'd. Catulla hearing of this, knew there was no way to save him but to beg him, which she did by her maid. This was a notable resemblance, that could not be discovered all the time: But that which put me on this story is, that custom of begging condemn'd persons: 'Twas a priviledge of common whores, who upon promise of amendment of life, had such as were destin'd to the gallows bestow'd on them. One reason of this is, the affinity of the sins of those people. Besides that, it was thought a work of Charity to put together two bad livers, who repenting, might haply bring forth children full of courage, and honest, fit to peo∣ple Colonies: And such were the founders of old Rome, a sort of Vagabonds, High∣waymen, Tories and Bandits, who having made a Troop, came afterwards to give Laws to all the world.

But I come to the famous history of Carmelin, who though an inconsiderable person, yet shall exceed the Romancists. All he saies are fancies and hyperboles. For the littleness of his Master, you must note, that the Poets describing a thing, observe less probability; else what meant he that said, That a little man having gotten up on the back of a Pismire, thought himself upon an Elephant, but on a sudden got a fall from it as high as that of Phaeton. For Taupins changing his name, and thinking to grow bigger with it, Carmelin had read some Romance, where he found a Gyant called Nagibuscantropocara, a name proportionable to his body. There was a certain Roman, who besides the making of his cloathes too big, as Taupin did, would not eat of any small creature, lest it should make him little like what he eat, and that made him love Beef better then Partridge. His sauce was

made of Pompions, but for Pease and beans he could not endure the sight of them. This was a little beyond ours.

Carmelins several conditions are certainly as pleasant as any thing of Lazarillo de Tormes: and his description of the Joyners life and house-keeping, is a true re∣presentation of a Frenchman.

You see how Clarimond begins Lysis's History: I'll tell you how D'audiguier begins that of Lysander; Under the memorable Reign of the great Henry, the re∣doubted father of our invincible Monarch, there flourished in France a yong Gentle∣man, whose heroick vertue is rendred more illustrious by the glory of his vertues, then by the antiquity of his race, &c. Methinks the Epithets here are very cheap, what need a mans valour come in to tell us of his son: but that word Flourishing troubled Lysis most; 'tis so like the Legend, for alas he was afraid that for that word men would have doubled the truth of his History.

Lysis believes Hircan took off the beards of the Gods of the waters; how faithful is his memory! he remembred Hercules, snatch'd a horn from the River Achelous, and that the Satyr Marsias was flead by Apollo, from the soals of his feet to the crown of his head, a sad encounter for a God.

What Philiris saies touching the thoughts of Lysis, and his description of the night, are true Poetick imaginations; his putting personages on the clouds and winds, puts me in minde of a certain petty Romance, wherein there was

The fight of the four Seasons of the year; Summer and Winter were the two Generals. Ge∣neral Summer was discontented, that such a Tyrant as Winter, with a confus'd Army of Winds, Mists, and others, Highlanders, Scythians and Deserteers, should make such spoil on his fine Champion Country, rob his Forrests, and trample his Meadows, and imprison the fairest Flowers in his Garden, and cause himself to fly for refuse to the Antipodes. The Autumn and the Spring took part with the Summer, by the means of Cupid. Venus also sent him the Cyclopes with some Thunderbolts for his Artillery. Ceres, Pomona and Bacchus promis'd to finde him provisions. He drew up his forces in the Vale of Esam; but he was no sooner in the field, but he had intelligence that his brother Autumn was routed the other side the sea. That they had discovered the advance of a Brigade of sharp bluster∣ing Winds, with which a company of Mists came up as resolutely, as if they had been Swissers; after which came up the Canon and Artillery, which was guard∣ed by several Regiments of Frosts, Rains, Hail and Snow, with Scaling Ladders, and Bridges of Ice. That three hours after they discovered a Squadrons of Fogs, all in disorder, and led up by the Amazon Cold, which was follow'd by the main battel of General Winter, who had four Legions of Flakes of Ice had prest the frigid Zone, and all old and grey Travellers, who had provision for five months and odde days; and that these forces had quite routed Autumn. General Sum∣mer was not much troubled at this news, who thought it his best course to joyn battel with his enemy before his forces were refresh'd. While he was thus busie, a Page comes from Spring-Garden, and tells him he had there seen two or three Gentlewomen get green gowns, which made him believe that Winter could not be so near. Whereupon he giving himself over to some little enjoyment. Win∣ter advances with some Troops of Hoar-Frosts, which made Summer retreat in∣to his works: Some days were thus spent in skirmishes to no great advantage of either side; for what the Hoar-frosts did in the morning, Captain Phoebus re∣covered at noon. But Winter brought up all his forces, and took the works, and froze the hearts of the hottest Champions among them. Summer in the mean time rallies, and brings on the rays of Phoebus, which were come to his succor from the high Countrey; but Winter had set a sort of good resolute Fogs all about, who assoon as they perceiv'd the rays, rise up and gave alarm, having let Captain Ayr pass their guards. The signal of the Battel was a Blustering wind on the one side, and on the other Thunder. The Battel being joyn'd, Phoebus would needs succor the Summer, but the Mists being of the other side, came and cover'd both Armies, so that he could not see them. The Duke of November

would needs with a select troop of Fair days reinforce the fight; but the Earl of Shrove-Tuesday came with a drunken desperate crue, and took him off. Sum∣mer seeing himself put to the rout, fought stoutly; but at last was forc'd to flie to the Antipodes, to raise new forces against the next Campagn.

This seems pleasant enough; and there is another fight between the Flesh-days and Fish-days, but it is too long for this place: but for this, I think it is much more ingenious then Homers between the Mice and the Frogs. For what difference could happen between two sorts of Creatures, that had no acquaintance one with another? one living in the water, the other in warm holes in houses. That humor of arraigning Banquet of certain crimes of Drunkenness, Qnarrels and Fornica∣tion, and referring her to the punishment of Famine, was not much better in our old Poets. Clysters and Julips are brought to purge away her noxious hu∣mours.

Now we come to Lysis's unwillingness to take arms: he remembers that Love∣songs, Madrigals and Ecclogues are the ordinary entertainments of Shepherds; but where he says, that he will only contend who shall give the best kisses; he remem∣bers Myrtil in the Faithful Shepherd; as also Ronsard, who in the Temple he in∣tends for his Mistress, will have her statue, close by which shall stand by his, as it were going to kiss her, and that all that are in Love, must come thither once a year upon their feast day; and he that should give the best kiss, whether wet or dry, should have some reward.

But Hircan's Prophesie assures him as to the taking of arms; there are two or three such in the History of Lysander, where I shall leave them.