in those Cisalpinal regions, to authorize such like impertinencies at
Carnavalian festivals; and that, although, according to the meet
commonly received opinion in that country, after the nature of Load-him,
(a game at cards), where he that wins loseth, he who, at that season of
the year, playeth the fool most egregiously, is reputed the wisest man;
he, nevertheless, not being ambitious of the fame of enjoying good
qualities, by vertue of the antiphrasis of the fruition of bad ones, did
meerly undergo that emancipatorie task of a so profuse liberty, and to
no other end embraced the practising of such roaming and exorbitant
diversions but to give an evident, or rather infallible, demonstration
of his eternally bound duty to the House of Mantua, and all inviolable
testimony of his never to be altered designe, in prosecuting all the
occasions possible to be laid hold on that can in any manner of way
prove conducible to the advancement of, and contributing to, the
readiest means for improving those advantages that may best promove the
faculties of making all his choice endeavours, and utmost abilities at
all times, effectual to the long-wished-for furtherance of his most
cordial and endeared service to the serenissime highnesses of My Lord
Duke, Prince, and Dutchess, and of consecrating with all addicted
obsequiousness, and submissive devotion, his everlasting obedience to
the illustrious shrine of their joynt commands. Then incontinently
addressing himself to the Lords, ladies and others of that rotonda,
(which, for his daigning to be its inmate, though but for that day,
might be accounted in nothing inferior to the great Colisee of Rome, or
Amphitheater of Neems), with a stately carriage, and port suitable to so
prime a gallant, he did cast a look on all the corners thereof, so
bewitchingly amiable and magically efficacious as if in his eys had bin
a muster of ten thousand cupids eagerly striving who should most deeply
pierce the hearts of the spectators with their golden darts. And truly
so it fell out, (that there not being so much as one arrow shot in
vain), all of them did love him, though not after the same manner, nor
for the same end; for, as the manna of the Arabian desarts is said to
have had in the mouths of the Egyptian Israelites, the very same tast of
the meat they loved best, so the Princes that were there did mainly
cherish him for his magnanimity and knowledge; his courtliness and sweet
behaviour being that for which chiefly the noblemen did most respect
him; for his pregnancie of wit, and chivalric in vindicating the honour
of ladies, he was honoured by the knights, and the esquires and other
gentlemen courted him for his affability and good fellowship; the rich
did favour him for his judgment and ingeniosity; and for his liberality
and munificence he was blessed by the poor; the old men affected him for
his constancie and wisdome, and the young for his mirth and gallantry;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account