their family, that ſhould convey it to poſterity all had made herſelf a caft-away; for ſo, in their paſſionate mood, they expreſſed her to be. Antonio was glad to ſee them thus wrought upon; and the ſtorm of their firſt grief ſpending itſelf, being allayed by falling tears, they began to conſult more maturely, how this misfortune might be reverſed; and, after many things were debated, Antonio's device of lodging her in a nunnery, (where ſhe might be reſtrained from heretic books, as he ſaid, and the company of any ſeducers, and alſo be infructed by virtuous nuns, till her Lord came home, and determined what might farther be done in it) was approved.
What was to be done with the Gardener, was the thing to be conſulted; whether to make him away ſecretly, or deliver him up to juſtice; the prieſt was for the former, but the parents conſciences were tender in that, and could not conſent to ſuch wickedneſs; but Antonio alledged, that the whole buſineſs would be made public, if he were delivered up to juſtice, and their daughter would be brought in as criminal; and, perhaps, for her obſtinacy, her lord might loſe his honours and preferments at court. This made them conſider farther, and, at laſt, leave it to the wicked prieſt, or thoſe he ſhould appoint, to do as he or they pleaſed. They would have born him company to Alanſon's houſe, to ſee what their perſuaſions might do; but he urged, it would only be a means to diſcover the matter; that it would be beſt for them to come and moderate things when the Count came home, of which he would give them the firſt notice; ſince, at prefent, what was to be done, required ſecrecy: that in the mean time, ſhe
would
