The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

A singular Catastrophe of a Genoese Nobleman and his Lady.

There lived not long since, in Genoa, a young Nobleman, named Marini, who had a large estate in the island of Corsica, whither he went every five or six years to regulate his affairs. At the age of five and twenty he was married to a beautiful lady, the daughter of a Venetian Senator, called Monimia, who had refused the greatest matches in Italy, to prefer the fortunate Marini. As their marriage was founded upon a mutual esteem, their passion increased instead of diminishing by enjoyment, till they became an example of conjugal duty to all that knew them. They had lived many years in this uninterrupted state of felicity, when Marini was obliged to make a voyage into Corsica, which was then disturbed by a rebellious insurrection, in order to secure his patrimony, by encouraging his dependents to stand firm in defence of their country. But the greatest affliction, and which absorbed all the rest, was his being necessitated to part for a while from Monimia, who being then very big with child, was incapacitated to go with him as usual. When the fatal time of parting was come, they embraced with the utmost grief, and the warmest prayers to Heaven for one another's safety. As soon as this afflicting scene was over, Marini embarked, and having a fair wind, arrived safe at Bastia in a few hours. The success of the rebels being stopped, and the affairs of the island a little settled again, our lover began to prepare for his return to Genoa; but as he was walking one day by the harbour where the ships of burthen lay, he heard two sailors who were just arrived, talking of the death of a Genoese nobleman's wife, then absent from the Republic. This casual circumstance greatly alarmed him, and excited his curiosity to listen to their conversation; where after a little pause, he heard one of them mention the name of his dear Monimia. At these words his surprise and affliction was so great, that he had not power to follow the mariners to satisfy his doubt, but instantly swooned away, and when he recovered, found himself surrounded by his own servants lamenting over him. At the same time that this happened to Marini, something of the same nature equally distressed Monimia; for an imperfect account came to Genoa, by the Captain of a Venetian vessel, that a Gentleman named Marini had been surprised near Bastia by a remaining party of rebels, and that he and all his attendants were killed by them. These two accounts involved our unfortunate pair in the greatest distress: they immediately took shipping, in order to be convinced of what they so much dreaded to know; the one for Corsica, and the other for Genoa. They were both sailed, when a violent storm arose, which drove their vessels upon a little island in the Mediterranean. Marini's ship landed first, where, while the rest of the crew were refreshing themselves, the disconsolate widower, (as he thought himself) wandered with one servant only, into a little wood that was near the sea shore, to give a loose to his immoderate grief. Soon after the Genoese ship landed too, and the same motive led Monimia with one of her maids into the wood where her husband was, lamenting her unfortunate condition. They had not been long there, before they heard each other's complaint, and drew nearer mutually, to see if there was any wretch living equally miserable with themselves. But how great was the astonishment of both when they met in a little path, and saw each other! their immoderate joy was such, and the transition from one extreme to the other so instantaneous, that all the power they had was to fall into each other's arms, where they expired in a few minutes after. Their bodies were conveyed to Italy, and were interred with all the solemnity and magnificence due to their quality and eminent virtues.