A word of comfort

An Example of Constancie in Tribulation.

WE are able to endure more then we thinke. For there are none but sleight evils, which cause us readily to deplore, and which raise a great noise, like to those brooks that purle among pibbles; whilst great ones passe through a generous soule, as huge rivers which drive their waves along with a peacefull majesty.

This manifestly appeareth in the death of Sosa and Eleonora, related by Maffaeus in the sixteenth Book of his History of the Indies. This Sosa was by Nation a Portingale, a man of quality, pious, rich, liberall, and valiant, mar∣ryed to one of the most vertuous women in the whole Kingdome. They having been already some good time in the Indies, and inflamed with the desire of see∣ing their deare Countrey againe, embarked at Cochin with their children very yong, some Gentlemen and Officers, and with about six hundred men. The beginning of their navigation was very prosperous; but being arrived at Capo de bona speranza, they there found the despaire of their returne. A Westernly wind beat them back with all violence; clouds gathered, thunders roared, heaven it selfe seemed to break into fire over their heads, and under-foot they saw nothing but abysses and images of death. If they would anchor, the O∣cean tosseth them; if returne to the Indian coast, contrary winds blow to stay their passages. Their sayles are torne, mast crack'd, rudder broken, their ship shaken with surges begining to leake, industry of men fruitlesse, and all let loose to the sway of tempests.

To conclude their unhappinesse another Southern wind violently thrust them into the port, where they met with shipwrack. They must avoyd this counter-buffe if they would not be buried in the waves. They cast anchor to stay the ship, and leaped into cock-boats to recover shore with the more safety. Sosa first of all saved himselfe, his wife and children, carrying with him his gold, silver, and jewels, so much as so imminent a danger would per∣mit. The boats after a returne or two were scattered, the cable unto which the anchor of their ship was fastned brake, the sides leaked, the keele opened, every man sought to save himselfe, many were drowned, other strugled with the Ocean, golden coffers, painted cabbinets, and the goodly riches of the Indies swo•…•…, with men halfe-dead tossed by the waves amongst fardells and packs, and losing life, lost not (as yet) the sight of that which made them live. Some became black with the buffe••s they received, others bedewed the sea with their bloud, yet all desired to reach the haven; so much desire of life possesseth us. Scarcely got they thither, but they saw their vessell sinke downe to the bottome, leaving them not any hope of returne. The dead bodies of their companions with the dolefull baggage utterly spoiled with sea-water, were cast up at their feet. On what side soever they reflect, nothing is seen but calamity. Here the dead which begged buriall, there the living all drenched in water, laden with wounds, overwhelmed with toyle, worne with hunger to arrive in a savage Countrey, where having nothing almost to hope, they have all to feare.

All that poore Sosa could was to kindle fire, and draw our some tainted vi∣ctuals wherewith to take refection; his heart was seyzed with apprehension of this disaster, in which he saw all he esteemed most pretious involved, not∣withstanding clearing his brow he comforted this afflicted company, and said,

It was not time to thinke upon their losses, but to give God thanks he had saved their lives. That they were not so ignorant of the sea, as not to know full well when one makes account to embrake thereon, he must expect hunger, thirst, losses, shipwracks, and all the miseries of mankind. And therefore when they happen they must be regarded as things already foreseen, and profit made of evils for expiation of sins. As for the rest, being so distitude of all things in a strange Country, there was no better riches then mutuall correspon∣dence, which would preserve the whole body adhering together, as discord infallibly ruineth divided members. He added (fetching a deep sigh) they might behold their poore Lady with her tender infants in the extremity of pe∣vill, and that although both sexe and age required they should be somewhat as∣sisted, he would neither spare himselfe nor his for common safety.

All answered with teares in their eyes, he might confidently lead them where he pleased, and that they had no farther hope of their lives, but in the obedience they resolved to yeeld to his commands. Having then remained thir∣teene dayes in this miserable Port, barricadoed with huge stones and costers left as remainders of their shipwrack to defend them by night from thieves and wild beasts, they put themselves in the way to bend towards the East, directly to a great river, which the Portingales had heretofore named of the holy Ghost. Sosa went foremost with his wife, who shewed masculine courage in a tender constitution: she had her little children by her sides, whom turne by turne every one carryed. Andrew de Vase the Pilot was in the same rank, bearing the standard of the Crosse, attended also by about fourscore Portingales, and an hundred servants who bore Armes. Then followed Mariners, poore creatures, and other inferiour people who were not yet cured.

The good servants moved with compassion of Eleonora, whom they beheld walking on foot, framed her a kind of Litter, and sought all they might to comfort her; but that lasted not long. Needs in the end must the poore La∣dy travell through places, where nothing was to be seene but wild beasts, and Cafres more inhumane then beasts; over rocks inaccessible, mountains which raised their heads above the clouds, valleys not to be looked downe into with∣out horrour, torrents swolne with showers, marshes cloy'd with mud, and which was most irksome, they must goe at randome through wayes of which every one was ignorant, nor could any direct them; so that they made an hundred leagues of thirty. Their little store of victuall failing, they eate, first, pieces of rotten whale, and other garbages of the sea, then wild fruits, leaves, and lastly spared not the carcases of beasts, which they found in the desert. From that tolerable, they must seeke it among Moo es and tygers, and buy it at eight Crowns the pint. There were many, who (overwhelmed with these hideous dis∣asters) left the spoile of their bodies of cruell Aethiopians, to birds and beasts, bidding a sad adieu to their companions, with the last words that they desired to be delivered to their friends and kinred. But the feares and

present calamities of every one made them to forget the dead with their re∣quests.

The unfortunate Sosa oppressed with sorrow, considering so many mishaps redoubled one upon another, and beholding his wife, who to comfort him shewed her selfe indefatigable both in mind and body, she carrying her chil∣dren in her turne, and encouraging all the rest, it most sensibly wounded his heart to see a Lady so tenderly bred endure with such constancy the utmost of worldly miseries.

At last after foure months travell, they came to the river of the holy Ghost ere they were aware, where a petty King commanded, who very curteously re∣ceived them, partly moved with the sight of so great a calamity, and partly also desiring by this opportunity to make use of the Portingales favour, where∣of he stood in need for his affaires. He let them understand, as well he could, his desire of their stay with him, in expectation of the commodity of re-em∣barking. Otherwise, should they hazard themselves to proceed forward on their way in this miserable equipage, they would be in danger to be robbed by a neighbour Prince, one of the greatest theeves in the Countrey.

The more this Barbarian King shewed himselfe curteous, so much the more Sosa grew suspicious of his proceedings, and sinisterly judged, that such sweet∣nesse in a man unknowne was but the cover of an evill purpose. He thanked him for his favour, and very earnestly besought him to accommodate them with Boats to passe the River, which the other unwillingly did, seeing the pe∣rill whereinto they hastned to fall. They went, there remaining not above six score of five of six hundred men, and having been five dayes on the river, they landed at adventure, rather constrained by night, then invited by the com∣modiousnesse of place.

The next day they descryed a squadron of about two hundred Aethiopians, who came towards them, which made them prepare for defence: but troubled at their armes, they shewing themselves peaceable enough, the other by ge∣sture and signes discovered their infinite miseries. These people wholly pra∣cticed in tricks of deceit, and who would make benefit of this occasion, let them with much adoe understand they might passe along to the Kings Palace, where they should be very well entertained; which they attempted, but ap∣proaching to the City in Armes, the King of these Barbarians timerous, and wicked, forbad them entrance, and confined them to a little wood, where they remained certaine dayes, passing the time in a poore traffick of knives and trifles, which they bar••ered for bread.

But this treacherous Prince, who meant to catch them in the snare, seeing they had some commodities, sent word to Sosa he must excuse him that he de∣nyed entrance into the City, and that two causes moved him to it. The first whereof was the dearth of victuall among his people, and the other the feare his subjects had of the Portingales Armes, they never as yet being accustomed thereto. But if they would deliver their weapons, they should be received into his City, and his people consigned to the next townes to be well entertained. This condition seemed somewhat harsh, but necessity disgested all. They a∣greed with one consent to satisfie the King, Eleonora onely excepted, who ne∣ver would consent to betray their defences in a place where they had so much

need of them. Behold •…•…m disarmed and separated, some dispersed into seve∣rall villages here and there: Sosa with his wife, his children, and about twenty other brought to the Regall City.

Scarcely was he arrived, but all his company were robbed, beaten with bastonadoes, and used that very night like dogs; whilst himselfe had little bet∣ter entertainment: For this Prince of Savages took all his gold and jewels from him, and drave him away as a Pyrate, leaving him onely life and his poor garments. As they went out of this calamity deploring their misery, behold a∣nother troup of Cafres, armed with javelins, who set upon them, and let them know they must leave their apparell, if they meant not to forsake their skins. They were so confounded, they neither had strength nor courage to defend themselves: Behold the cause why they yeelded what was demanded, as sheep their fleece. There was none but Eleonora, who preferring death before naked∣nesse, stood a long time disputing about a poore smock with these savages: but in the end, Violence bereaved her of that, which Modesty sought by all means to keep.

The chaste and honourable Lady seeing her selfe naked in the sight of her domestiques, who cast downe their eyes at the indignity of such a spectacle, presently buryed her selfe in sand up to the middle, covering the rest of her body with her dishevelled haire, and every moment having these words in her mouth, Where is my Husband? Then turning towards the Pilot, and some of her Officers there present, she sayd unto them with a setled countenance, My good Freinds, you have hitherto affoorded to my husband your Captaine and to me your Mistresse all the duty may be expected from your fidelity: It is time you leave this body, which hath already payd to earth the moity of it's tribute. Goe thinke upon saving your lives, and pray for me and mine: But if any one of your returne to our native Country, he may recount to those who shall please to remember the unfortunate Eleonora, to what my sinnes have reduced me. Having spoken these words she stood immoveable in a deep silence some space of time, then lifting her eyes to heaven, added,

My God, behold the state wherein I came from my mothers womb; and the condition whereunto I must quickly returne on earth, one part of me being al∣ready as among the dead. My God, I kisse and adore the roddes of thy justice, which so roughly, though justly have chasticed me. Take between thy arms the soul of my honoured husband, when he dies. Take the soule of my poore Chil∣dren which are by my sides. Take mine, now on my lipps, and which I yeeld to thee, as to my Lord and Father. There is no place farre distant from thee, nor any succour impossible to thy power.

As she spake this, Sosa her husband came, having escaped out of the hands of these theeves who had robbed him, and finding his wife in this state, he stood by her not able to utter a word. The Lady likewise spake onely with her eyes, which she sweetly fixed upon him to give comfort in the violence of these insup∣portable afflictions. But hee feeling his heart wholly drenched in bitter∣nesse, hastned into a Wood of purpose to meet with some prey, at least to feed his little children, which were as yet by their mothers side. Thence hee ere long returned, and found one of them already dead, to which with his owne

hands he gave buryall, immediately after he went againe into the Forrest to hunt as he had accustomed, finding no other comfort.

His heart was perpetually in Eleonora's, where he survived more then in his owne body, and comming to behold her once againe for his last, he perceived she was already deceased, with his other child, who dyed neere her: there be∣ing onely left two poore maids, who bewayled their Lady, and made the Wil∣dernesse resound with their sad complaints. He commanded them to retire a little aside, then taking Eleonora by the hand, he kissed it, standing a long time with his lips fixed unto it, and nothing to be heard but some broken sighs. That done with the help of the maids, he buryed her neere his two children without any complaint or utterance of one word. In a short space after he re∣turned into the thickest of the Forrest, where it was thought he was devoured. So joyning his soule at least to hers, who had tyed her heart to his in death, with examples of her constancie.

Behold here a lively patterne of constancie in tribulation, in the persons of Sosa and Eleonora, who even now we beheld resplendently glittering in gold and jewels, guarded by a numerous attendance, and in an instant not onely de∣spoiled of these worldly vanities, but even reduced to the greatest extremities imaginable, to shew that this world hath nothing in it, which deserves to be an object for our affection: But that we ought alwayes to have our hearts and minds irremoveably fixed upon the riches of Almighty God, who can when he pleaseth raise the afflicted to the height of glory, and throw downe the most glorious to the bottome of affliction.

Notes

• Muffaeus Hist. Indicar. l. 16.