sity; and the young Wives, to make the best of a
bad Market.

In _Iper_, a Town, not long since, in the Dominions of the King of
_Spain_, and now in possession of the King of _France_, there liv'd a
Man of Quality, of a considerable Fortune, call'd, Count _Henrick de
Vallary_, who had a very beautiful Lady, by whom, he had one Daughter,
call'd _Isabella_, whose Mother dying when she was about two years old
to the unspeakable Grief of the Count, her Husband, he resolv'd never to
partake of any Pleasure more, that this transitory World could court him
with, but determin'd, with himself, to dedicate his Youth, and future
Days, to Heaven, and to take upon him Holy Orders; and, without
considering, that, possibly, the young _Isabella_, when she grew to
Woman, might have Sentiments contrary to those that now possest him, he
design'd she should also become a Nun; However, he was not so positive
in that Resolution, as to put the matter wholly out of her Choice, but
divided his Estate; one half he carried with him to the Monastery of
_Jesuits_, of which number, he became one; and the other half, he gave
with _Isabella_, to the Monastery, of which, his only Sister was Lady
_Abbess_, of the Order of St. _Augustine_; but so he ordered the matter,
that if, at the Age of Thirteen, _Isabella_ had not a mind to take
Orders, or that the Lady _Abbess_ found her Inclination averse to a
Monastick Life, she should have such a proportion of the Revenue, as
should be fit to marry her to a Noble Man, and left it to the discretion
of the Lady _Abbess_, who was a Lady of known Piety, and admirable
strictness of Life, and so nearly related to _Isabella_, that there was
no doubt made of her Integrity and Justice.

The little _Isabella_ was carried immediately (in her Mourning for her
dead Mother) into the Nunnery, and was receiv'd as a very diverting
Companion by all the young Ladies, and, above all, by her Reverend Aunt,
for she was come just to the Age of delighting her Parents; she was the
prettiest forward Pratler in the World, and had a thousand little Charms
to please, besides the young Beauties that were just budding in her
little Angel Face: So that she soon became the dear lov'd Favourite of
the whole House; and as she was an Entertainment to them all, so they
made it their study to find all the Diversions they could for the pretty
_Isabella_; and as she grew in Wit and Beauty every day, so they fail'd
not to cultivate her Mind; and deli