past knowledge----or if thou wert gone, alas I knew not whither; but that was a thought my doubts and fears would not suffer me to ease my soul with; no, I (as jealous lovers do) imagined the most tormenting things for my own repose. I imagined the chariot taken, or at least so discovered as to be forced away without thee: I imagined that thou wert false----heaven forgive me, false, my _Sylvia_, and hadst changed thy mind; mad with this thought (which I fancied most reasonable, and fixt it in my soul) I raved about the wood, making a thousand vows to be revenged on all; in order to it I left the thicket, and betook myself to the high road of the wood, where I laid me down among the fern, close hid, with sword ready, waiting for the happy bridegroom, who I knew (it being the wedding eve) would that way pass that evening; pleased with revenge, which now had got even the place of love, I waited there not above a little hour but heard the trampling of a horse, and looking up with mighty joy, I found it _Foscario_’.; alone he was, and unattended, for he’d outstripped his equipage, and with a lover’s haste, and full of joy, was making towards _Bellfont_; but I (now fired with rage) leaped from my cover, cried, ‘Stay, _Foscario_, ere you arrive to _Sylvia_, we must adjust an odd account between us’----at which he stopping, as nimbly alighted;--in fine, we fought, and many wounds were given and received on both sides, till his people coming up, parted us, just as we were fainting with loss of blood in each other’s arms; his coach and chariot were amongst his equipage; into the first his servants lifted him, when he cried out with a feeble voice, to have me, who now lay bleeding on the ground, put into the chariot, and to be safely conveyed where-ever I commanded, and so in haste they drove him towards _Bellfont_, and me, who was resolved not to stir far from it, to a village within a mile of it; from whence I sent to _Paris_ for a surgeon, and dismissed the chariot, ordering, in the hearing of the coachman, a litter to be brought me immediately, to convey me that night to _Paris_; but the surgeon coming, found it not safe for me to be removed, and I am now willing to live, since _Sylvia_ is mine; haste to me then, my lovely maid, and fear not being discovered, for I have given order here in the _cabaret_ where I am, if any inquiry is made after me, to say, I went last night to _Paris_. Haste, my love, haste to my arms, as feeble as they are, they’ll grasp thee a dear welcome: I will say no more, nor prescribe rules to thy love, that can inform thee best what thou must do to save the life of thy most passionate adorer, PHILANDER. * * * * * _To_ PHILANDER.