Apartment of the Princess, and to entertain her oftentimes with
Discourse, when he was not near enough to hear what he spoke; but still
watching their Eyes, he found those of _Henrick_ full of Tears, ready to
flow, but restrain’d, looking all dying, and yet reproaching, while
those of the Princess were ever bent to the Earth, and she as much as
possible, shunning his Conversation. Yet this did not satisfy the
jealous Husband; ’twas not her Complaisance that could appease him; he
found her Heart was panting within, whenever _Henrick_ approach’d her,
and every Visit more and more confirmed his Death.
‘The Father often found the Disorders of the Sons; the Softness and
Address of the one gave him as much Fear, as the angry Blushings, the
fierce Looks, and broken Replies of the other, whenever he beheld
_Henrick_ approach his Wife; so that the Father, fearing some ill
Consequence of this, besought _Henrick_ to withdraw to some other
Country, or travel into _Italy_, he being now of an Age that required a
View of the World. He told his Father, That he would obey his Commands,
tho’ he was certain, that Moment he was to be separated from the Sight
of the fair Princess, his Sister, would be the last of his Life; and, in
fine, made so pitiful a Story of his suffering Love, as almost moved the
old Prince to compassionate him so far, as to permit him to stay; but he
saw inevitable Danger in that, and therefore bid him prepare for his
Journey.
‘That which pass’d between the Father and _Henrick_, being a Secret,
none talked of his departing from Court; so that the Design the Brother
had went on; and making a Hunting-Match one Day, where most young People
of Quality were, he order’d some whom he had hired to follow his
Brother, so as if he chanced to go out of the Way, to dispatch him; and
accordingly, Fortune gave ’em an Opportunity; for he lagg’d behind the
Company, and turn’d aside into a pleasant Thicket of Hazles, where
alighting, he walk’d on Foot in the most pleasant Part of it, full of
Thought, how to divide his Soul between Love and Obedience. He was
sensible that he ought not to stay; that he was but an Affliction to the
young Princess, whose Honour could never permit her to ease any Part of
his Flame; nor was he so vicious to entertain a Thought that should
stain her Virtue. He beheld her now as his Brother’s Wife, and that
secured his Flame from all loose Desires, if her native Modesty had not
been sufficient of itself to have done it, as well as that profound
Respect he paid her; and he consider’d, in obeying his Father, he left
her at Ease, and his Brother freed of a thousand Fears; he went to seek
a Cure, which if he could not find, at last he could but die; and so he
must, even at her Feet: However, that it was more noble to seek a Remedy
for his Disease, than expect a certain Death by staying. After a
thousand Reflections on his hard Fate, and bemoaning himself, and
blaming his cruel Stars, that had doom’d him to die so young, after an
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