Phi. What was that?

La. The Alchymist had a criminal Correspondence with a certain Courtier’s Lady:  The Husband beginning to be jealous, watch’d him narrowly, and in the Conclusion, having Intelligence that the Priest was in the Bed-Chamber, he comes Home before he was look’d for, knocks at the Door.

Phi. What did he design to do to him?

La. What!  Why nothing very good, either kill him or geld him.  When the Husband being very pressing to come, threatned he would break open the Door, if his Wife did not open it, they were in bodily Fear within, and cast about for some present Resolution; and Circumstances admitting no better, he pull’d off his Coat, and threw himself out of a narrow Window, but not without both Danger and Mischief, and so got away.  Such Stories as these you know are soon spread, and it came to Balbinus’s Ear, and the Chymist guess’d it would be so.

Phi. There was no getting off of this Business.

La. Yes, he got off better here, than he did out at the Window.  Hear the Man’s Invention:  Balbinus said not a Word to him about the Matter, but it might be read in his Countenance, that he was no Stranger to the Talk of the Town.  The Chymist knew Balbinus to be a Man of Piety, and in some Points, I was going to say, superstitious, and such Persons are very ready to forgive one that falls under his Crime, let it be never so great; therefore, he on Purpose begins a Talk about the Success of their Business, complaining, that it had not succeeded as it us’d to do, and as he would have it; and he-wondered greatly, what should be the Reason of it:  Upon this Discourse, Balbinus, who seemed otherwise to have been bent upon Silence, taking an Occasion, was a little moved:  It is no hard Matter, says he, to guess what the Obstacle is.  Sins are the Obstacles that hinder our Success, for pure Works should be done by pure Persons.  At this Word, the Projector fell down on his Knees, and beating his Breast with a very mournful Tone, and dejected Countenance, says, O Balbinus, what you have said is very true, it is Sin, it is Sin that has been the Hinderance; but my Sins, not yours; for I am not asham’d to confess my Uncleanness before you, as I would before my most holy Father Confessor:  The Frailty of my Flesh overcame me, and Satan drew me into his Snares; and O miserable Wretch that I am!  Of a Priest, I am become an Adulterer; and yet, the Offering that you sent to the Virgin Mother, is not wholly lost neither, for I had perish’d inevitably, if she had not helped me; for the Husband broke open the Door upon me, and the Window was too little for me to get out at; and in this Pinch of Danger, I bethought myself of the blessed Virgin, and I fell upon my Knees, and besought her, that if the Gift was acceptable to her, she would assist me, and in a Minute I went to the Window, (for Necessity forced me so to do) and found it large enough for me to get out at.