those who approached him too near, feel the
sharpness of his sword; but not being able to get on horseback, all
his courage, or that of his men, could not prevent him, and them, from
being made prisoners. Several of the conquering party being officers
of justice, they conducted them to Paris, where the soldiers were
disposed of in the common goal, but Natura who was known, was
committed to the care of an exempt, who treated him with the good
manners his station demanded; he had received a pretty deep wound in
the shoulder, and a surgeon was presently sent for; but no artery nor
sinew being touched, no ill consequence was like to attend it.

It may be imagined he passed the remainder of this night in a good
deal of disquiet, as having lived long enough in France to know that
an attempt of the nature he had been engaged in would find little
mercy from the law.--A good part of the next day was passed, before
they carried him to the magistrate, whose office it was to examine
into such causes, his adversaries not having prepared their
accusation; the heads of which were, that he had attempted a rape upon
a married woman of quality; that he had contrived, with other persons,
to take her out of the monastery, and had come with an armed force for
that purpose. These articles having been deposed upon oath, the
magistrate told him his crime was of a double nature, that he had
violated both the civil and ecclesiastic laws; but as his office
extended no farther than the former, he had only to demand of him what
defence he had to make for himself in that part.

Natura had no other remedy than to deny all that was laid to his
charge:--he protested, as he might truly do, that he was so far from
entertaining any criminal designs on any lady in that monastery, that
he did not so much as know the face of any one of them; and pretended,
that being only riding out for the benefit of the air, he found
himself attacked by persons unknown, with whom he confessed he had
fought in his own defence.

But this availed not at all to his justification:--his own soldiers,
who had been examined before himself, had confessed, that they were
commanded by their officer to attend him on a certain enterprize, in
which they were to behave with secresy and resolution; but said, they
did not know of what sort it was, till they saw a woman come to the
gate of the monastery, whom their captain presently took in his arms,
but with what intent they could not