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14 changed for a better; and his coarſe and homely commons to be enlarged, above what was uſual to thoſe of his profeſſion and degree.

But now Antonio the chaplain, however he had appeared like a faint to his maſter, began to ſhew himſelf a devil to his miſtreſs, and too plainly ſhewed his cloven foot; for though above fifty years of age, he had for ſome time, harbourde, luſtful deſires towards the fair and beautiful Deidamia, that he was now reſolved to attempt her chaſtity. And though her virtue and ſpotleſs chaſtity might very well have kept him from purſuing his unclean deſires, yet he flattered himſelf with hopes of obtaining his end, by corrupting the judgement: in which he found himſelf very much miſtaken, as the ſequel will declare. For the Divine Goodneſs had a farther work to do for Deidamia; who being altogether ignorant of what this wretch deſigned againſt her honour, frequented her beloved garden as ſhe uſed to do; and one evening hearing the gardener reading in a lonely arbour, where he thought himſelf ſecure (for he had induſtriouſly concealed his being a Proteftant from any of the family) her curioſity to hear him, made her draw nigh ſo ſoftly, that he could not hear her: he was then reading the firſt chapter of the epiſtle to the Romans, from the 20th to the end of the 23d verſe, viz. 'For the viſible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; ſo that they are without excuſe, becauſe that when they knew God they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh hearts were darkened; profeſſing themſelves to be wiſe they became fools, and changed the