528 lord’s DISCOVERY Of THE BANIANS AND PERSEES. . •

banner in her countenance, and majeftic fury fparkled in her eyes, bearing wltnefshow much fhe thirfted after conqueft; and the woman’s name was Toddicaftree.

In the firft encounter fhe made her chuckery bear the mefiage of her difpleafure,giving entertainment with the,.inftrument of battle, which was fuch as Cuttery expended,and no kinder behaviour did he intend to proffer, as preferring the Iiarfh effects of vio-lence, before the mollifying power of beauty. With this hard greeting did they pafsthe firft day, giving wounds on each fide, fhe with her chuckery, he with his fvvord ;both being much fpent in the conflict, and often breathing when extremity of exercifehad languifhed their powers, they renewed their battle by frefh aggreflion and onfet,till darknefs did prohibit the ufe of arms, leaving the firft day as an indifferent arbiterof the battle, neither of them able to boaft of advantage.

The light of the next day inviting them to a new experiment of valour, they accoftone another, renewing the remembrance of their injuries with fecond attempts of vio-lence : the day well near fpent in fight, Cuttery gaining fome advantage with his fwordhewed her chuckery in two pieces ; but favourable darknefs, looking with a partial eyeon the battle and patronizing the difadvantage, (haded the woman with her brokeninftrument from the purfuer ; by the benefit of which intermiffion fhe converted herbroken chuckery into a bow, having provided arrows, to requite the ‘force of theadverfary by this new ftratagem, who was now big with the hopes of her overthrow.

The light being the belt herald they had to call them to battle, a third time theymet, hopeful to conclude this ftrange duel or Angle combat, which urged on her fideby her new invented inftrument, and on his by the thought of former advantage gained,made the affault more vehement ; making therefore her enemy the butt into which fhemeant to transfix her pointed (hafts, fhe frefhly encountered him. But he, perceivingher advantage, whofe power was to wound,far off, and his injuries were moft forciblein little diftance, expofing himfelf to greater peril, that he might be owner of a betteradvantage, drew nearer, and in a clofe, exchanging the lofs of weapons for hand vio-lence, they thus proved their forces together, wearinefs having abated their vigours foequally, that neither of them was fo ftrong to overcome, nor fo weak to yield, thebalance of viftory fo juftly poifed between them, as inclined with partiality to neither,it was fit the tongue fhould conclude that war, that the power of the hand was no longerable to profecute.

Hereupon in this doubtful ftrife, Cuttery having feized her by the treffes of her hairto bring her to bondage; and exercife having put a frefh and lively colour into hercheeks, fuch as in Cuttery’s eyes made her rather feem lively, than one to be injured,he faid, “ Oh thou wonder of living creatures for ftrength and beauty ! why fhould furymanage fo ftrange a contention between us two ? If I fhould in this combat have (lainthee, I fhould have curfcd this right hand, forbearing an inftrument to ruin fo goodly aproportion ; and. if thou hadft flain me, thou fhouldeft but have laboured with anguifhof foul for thine own difcontents and difcomforts, who knoweft not what pleafure thoumayeft reap by my fociety. Why fliould one excellent creature feek the ruin of another ?Will there not be one the lefs? And thy being will be nothing augmented by my difan-nulment. Did God to this end confer boldnefs on us to make it the caufe of oneanother’s perdition, who are both worthy of prefervation ? Surely courage in thee (hallbe nothing impaired by my friendfhip and aid ; but united virtues make moft powerfulaflaults, and are bed muniments againft injury. Befides, the world, now an infant,and of fhort (landing, ought rather by all means to have her iffue multiplied, thanimpaired or diminifhed. Efpecially felf-love binds us to ftudy our own prefervations;to which fince unity did belt confer, he would not follow the humour of his high fpirif,

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