Admirable events: selected out of foure bookes, vvritten in French by the Right Reverend, Iohn Peter Camus, Bishop of Belley. Together with morall Relations, written by the same author. And translated into English by S. Du Verger.

THE FRVSTRATED INTENTIONS.

The Second Relation.

IT shall here suffice mee to name the Province of Champagne, and to say that in one of his chiefest Cities, there was a widdow Lady, who having foure Chil∣dren, two Sonnes, and two daughters, labored to bring thē ••p in the feare of God and good manners, and al∣though she was left yong enough with a Husband, even at such an age as would have permitted her to m••rry, yet she would persevere in her widowhood, and remaine ••••uly a Widow, that is to say, flying ••••light and occasions of being wooed or sought ••••ter for marriage: but as it is the common desire of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to advance their Families, and tor••ise their

Children unto honour, she having not power to do any thing for hers, but preserve that whith they had, and by sparing make them feele the fruites of her Wardship, be-thought herselfe by a human prudence frequent enough in families, to destinate two of them to the Church, thereby to make the other two, richer and greater, and more advanc••d in the world; but even as the ende which is last •••• in the execution, is first in the intention, so the in∣tention which is first in the thought is last in the ef∣fect, and betweene thinking and doing is a great di∣stance, the divine disposings agree not alwayes with human purposes, forasmuch as the East is not farther distant from the West, then the wayes of God are from the wayes of men, this good woman Priscilla was led herein by the advice of her kin∣dred, and chiefly by a man of justice, and authority, who was substituted to the Guardianship of her children, such are the disignes of a subject, whose ballances have a waight, but waight and ballances deceiptfull and without equality, because they make the elevation and riches of the one, by the a∣basement and poverty of the other; the meanes of these younger children was remarkable, for each one of their parts amounted to twenty thousand French crownes, besides the right of the eldest (I speake as knowing the perticulars thereof) well then the youngest brother, is d••stinated to bee a Ward, a Knight of Malta, and they stay but only untill he be of age, to give him eyther the Co••vle or the Crosse, the younger D••ughter is pu•• into a Monastery, there to be brought up among other lit∣tle

girles, with intent to make her a Nunne, hoping that she will not contradict the will of her Parents therein, as for the eldest Daughter a great portion is promised with her, whereby she soone becomes the object of desire unto many Suiters, as there is no beauty so great whereunto painting may not adde something to prove it; so ho•• noble, faire, & vertuous a M••id be, yet the rich Dowry doth ever augment the desire of possessing her; among divers Matches profered for this eldest, one was very ad∣vantagious, and forasmuch as the two youngest, destinated to the monestary were yet farr from the age not only of profession but of vesture, the freinds durst not give in marriage with this more then twenty thousand French Crownes which was her assured part, and her Suitor tooke her with that upon the infallible hope they gave him that hee should get another like sonne, from the succession of those two creatures which were to be sacrificed for the greatnes of the two eldest: they must put the yonger brother into a Monastery but his humor ••uteth not thereunto, the Cowle is too troublesome, he had rather have a sword, the Crosse of Malta doth not so much dislike him but he knoweth not well yet what to chuse; whilst he takes time to think and deliberate thereon his Parents must take pati∣ence. Let us now come to the yongest daughter who is the principall subj••ct of this relation; she makes not so much resistance but what judgment hath a Girle of some tenne or eleven yeares of age; she is put into a Monastery where a great Lady of Picardie is Abbesse there she is brought up with in∣tent

to make her a Nunne, tenn thousand franks are promised with her parte at her vesture, the rest at her profession, this Abbesse was often visited by one of her Brothers a comely younge Gentleman, but yet a yonger Brother which is as much to say as ready to catch, and who had nothing but only valour; indeed wee must grant the case of yonger Brothers of qualitie to be deplorable, in that they have as much courage as the eldest, as be∣ing borne of the same bloud and brought up with the same care and greatnes, but the foundations fayle them, and they have not wherewithall to up∣hold that generosity, which is naturall unto them; therefore we commonly see, that to attaine unto ri∣ches there are noe manner of hazards whereunto they precipitate not themselves, nor any maner of meanes which they attempt not for gaine; this yong Gentleman cast his eie upon this Girle which was put into this Monastery, who although she were lowly enough yet twenty thousand French crownes portion, raysed as well the fea∣tures of her face as his courage, he projects on this match and acquaints his sister therewith. She ap∣proves thereof and becomes his confederate there∣in, he sees this yong Gentlewoman when he will by his sisters permission: In fine, the Brother and sister spend two or three years time on hammering of this young Maid to worke it into their fashion, and frame it unto their will, but all this while whether through naturall Antipathy or for feare of offend∣ing her parents, this Girle whom we will call by the name Marcionille, could never firmely setle her

affections on Salve Brother to the Abbesse, shee knowes that she is destinated unto the Cloyster, and so hard a matter it is to take from a vessell the taste of the first liquor that was put into it, that she could not blot out of her minde the first impressions that were put therein, yet shee sees her selfe betwixt the anvill and the hammer: all the letters that her mo∣ther writes her, are so many exhortations to dispose her selfe to receive the veile. Meane time the Ab∣besse reads her a lesson of the felicity of marriage, and pleasures of the world, representing to her the contentment she shall have with her brother, a pro∣per compleat gentleman, who would honor & love her infinitely: alasse what could this young minde have done, tossed betwixt such different blasts?

This Abbesse made her write letters conforma∣ble unto her will, wherby she gave her mother Pris∣cilla to understand, that she felt her selfe no way in∣clining to a Cloisteral life, and that she would not take upon her a yoke which she thought her self not able to beare with honour and perseverance: That a particular vocation was requisite thereunto, which she felt not in her selfe, and that shee had rather not vow, than afterwards not to keepe promise. These letters, which the Abbesse had dictated, she accom∣panied with letters of her owne, counselling Priscil∣la to take her daughter into the world again, because she was no way fit for any Order whatsoever, but it were better for her to enter into the state of marri∣age. That the life could not bee embraced by all persons, and none must be constrained thereunto a∣gainst their will; and many other fine reasons, as

faire in shew as in effect far from truth. Mean while the time of taking the Novices Veile approaches, Priscilla requires her daughters finall resolution; the Abbesse answers for her, or if she answers for her∣selfe, it is by the organ or direction of the Abbesse.

In fine one day Marcionille far from affection to Salve, pressed by her first desire, and imagining with her selfe, that if she remained in that monasterie, the Abbesse whose intentions shee frustrated would ne∣ver use her well; on the other side foreseeing, that if she returned into her mothers house she should there be ill handled, resolved to write at large to Priscilla, and to discover unto her filially as unto her good mother, the true feeling of her soule, and all the turnings and windings of her minde, intreating that if she loved her rest, she would be pleased to put her to be in some other monastery, disavowing all the letters which the Abbesse had made her write, for to attaine unto the end which she had plotted, which was to make her marry Salve. By this letter Priscilla discovered that there was contra∣diction in the city, and knew clearly the art that had been used to win the mind of her daughter, and to lead her into a designe far wide from her intention; she conferres thereof with Isidorus her subrogated Gardian, who advisedly as a man of affaires made a countermine against that of the Abbesse and Salve, to reduce their projects into smoake; but in the end both his counsell and Priscilla's, and also the inten∣tions of the Abbesse and Salve shall be turned top∣side-turvy. Priscilla goes to fetch her daughter out of the monastery: Isidore advised her to say that she

would leade her home to her owne house, to settle her in the world by some good match. But as wo∣men cannot keepe a secret, much lesse forbear spea∣king what is forbidden them to say, she could not conceale that they had stifled in her daughter the desire of a single life, but that she could make it re∣vive againe, by putting her into another monastery. Hereupon from word to word the Abbesse and she began to enter into contestation, and at last Pris∣cilla revealed all the mysterie of Salve, and cast it in the teeth of the Abbes, adding thereunto sharp & stinging words, where with my pen will not blacke this paper. There is now all the cabal discovered, & poore Marcionille in the greatest confusion that can be imagined, seeing her selfe as it were the butte or mark of the contradiction both of her mothers and the Abbesses tongues; this glowing iron of choller is beaten on her back, her griefe may better be ima∣gined than described.

Salve being without, and hearing of this jangling, was in extream agonies, seeing his plot discovered, that he despaired of ever being able to upholdit: he bethinks himselfe, that if the maid once get out of his sisters hands, he shall no more approach her nor conquer her mind, much lesse get the good will of her friends, who would looke on him rather as a se∣ducer than a lover, and for his part hee had nothing but his sword, and Priscilla nor Isidore are not per∣sons that will give the one her daughter, the other his pupill, to a yonger brother, whose part amounts unto nothing but hope, he findes meanes to speake with his sister, and perswades her to retaine Marcio∣nille

by faire meanes or by force. The Abbesse be∣leeved his counsell, and how loud soever Priscilla gaped, yet she was faine for that time to goe backe without her daughter. Presently she complained to the justice, and presents her petition, shewing the violence which is done her. The Abbesse answers, That contrariwise she seeks but to hinder violence, that the will of this gentlewoman be not forced, who hath no will to be a Nunne, but only to please her mother, or for fear of being ill used by her: That if she will be so, shee is ready to receive her accor∣ding to the agreement made therof; in briefe, not to make here the draught of a law-suit, in lieu of tracing an history, this maid caunot be gottē out of this con∣vent but by the authority of justice, who gave order that she should be put neither into the hands of her mother, nor into any other house, but sequestred in the house of Isidore, who was both her kinsman, and subrogated guardian, to the end that with al liberty and freedome she might there declare what manner of life she would chuse to leade. Being there bred with much tendernesse and suavity among the chil∣dren of Isidore, there often resorted a yong man, son of a great friend of Isidore, who in regard of his fa∣ther and his own proper merit, was there very wel∣come: by I know not what encounter of humours, which Philosophers call sympathie, there was wrought such a correspondence betweene him and Marcionille, that in short time their love was growne to such a point, as nothing could be added to its per∣fection, but onely consummation of the marriage.

As they went on simply in their proceedings, this

affection was soone perceived by Priscilla, who la∣boured to divert Marcionille from it: but it had ta∣ken such root in her mind, that all former thoughts of a Cloyster were quite banished from thence. Isi∣dore advertised hereof, and glad to oblige his friend by this match, perswades Priscilla that it is both a∣gainst nature and reason, thus to presse some Chil∣dren to cast themselves into monasteries, thereby to enrich the rest, that she should do far better to hear∣ken unto this marriage, than violently to force the will of her daughter. This mother yeelded there∣unto, and in few dayes, notwithstanding the violent passions, subtill devises, and oppositions of Salve, Marcionille came into the possession of Eugenian, in whose armes she now leads a happy and contented life. Her former desires of being veiled, were ra∣ther weake motions, than absolute wils, inclinations which the perswasions of others and the weaknesse of her age had bred, rather than designes framed by a mature and setled judgement. Thus the Abbesse saw her selfe frustrated of a good bit, Salve of a bet∣ter, the first project of her mother wholly annihila∣ted, which was to make this child a Nunne; the first counsell of Isidore was changed, and he who first gave it to veile her, gave it likewise to marry her. Eugenian grew so pleasing to the eldest brother of Marcionille, that he became better contented to have him for his brother in law, than to enjoy the inheri∣tance of his sister. The younger brother seeing his sister out of the Cloyster, would not himselfe enter therein, neither would he take upon him the Order of Ma••ta; saying, My elder brother hath enough to

himselfe withall, I need not strip my selfe to give him my apparell. There was none but only he that had married the eldest sister, who grieved and mur∣mured a little at this: but he may learne hencefor∣ward, not to depend upon anothers dish when hee desires to dine; so here are many intentions frustra∣ted, there is none but Marcionille whose feet are now out of the snares which were set for her.