a party against him Therefore seeing the assured losse of his friend he resolued vpon any danger whatsoeuer to saue him There was at Vsson as I told you a place so strong that it might seeme a folly to any other to vndertake to get him out yet his friendship that found nothing so difficult as to liue without Clindor was such as he made an assault to defeat them which were of Pimanders part So making shew to retire himselfe as discontent he went with twelue other and one day of March presenting themselues at the Port of the Castle in the habite of clownes and carrying vnder their garments short swords and baskets on their armes as men that went to sell I haue heard him say there were three fortresses one within another These resolute Pesants came to the vtmost where few of the Visigots remayned for the most part were gone downe to the base towne to see the market and to prouide themselues of what was necessary for the garrison Being there they offred their wares at so good a price that almost all that were within drew downe to buy Then my father seeing the occasion good and fit laying hold of the necke of him that kept the gate thrust his sword into his body And euery of his companions at the same instant did like him and entring in put the rest to the edge of the sword and suddenly shutting the gate they ranne to the prisons where they found Clindor in a corner and so many others that they iudged being armed sufficient to defeat the rest of the garrison To make short I tell you Madame that though by the allarme the gates of the towne were shut yet they got out without the losse of a man though the Gouernour that in the end was slayne made all the resistance he could Thus you see Clindor saued and Alaricke aduertised that it was my father that had done this enterprise whereof he was so much displeased that he demanded iustice of Amasis and she which would not lose his amitie was willing enough to content him and sent presently to apprehend my father but his friend gaue him such aduertisements that hauing set his battell in order he went out of this Countrey and being incensed against Alaricke more then is credible went to put himselfe to a Nation that but lately was entred into Gaule and who being warrelike seized on both the sides of Rosue and Arar and a good part of the Allobroges and being desirous to enlarge their bounds they made continuall warre on the Visigots Ostrogots and Romanes He was welcome with all those whom he would conduct and being knowne for a man of valour he was presently honoured with diuers charges But some yeeres being passed Gondioch king of this Nation comming to die Gondebaut his sonne succeeded to the Crowne of Bourgonny and desirous to assure his affayres at the beginning made a peace with his neighbours marrying his sonne Sigismund with one of the daughters of Theodoricke king of the Ostrogots and to please Alaricke who was infinitely offended with Alcippe promised him to keepe him no longer with him So that with his leaue he withdrew to another people which on the side of Rhenes was seised of another part of Gaule in despite of the Gaules and of the Romanes But this discourse would be cumbersome to you if particularly I should recount all his voyages For from them he was constrained to go to London to the great King Arthur who at the same time as I haue heard him often tell instituted the Order of the Knights of the Round Table From thence he was enforced to go to that Realme which beares the name of Port du Gaulois and in the end being sought for by Alaricke he resolued to passe the Sea and to goe to Bisantium where the Emperour gaue him charge of his Gallies But because the desire of returning into our Countrey is aboue all others my father though very great with these great Emperours yet had nothing neerer his heart then once more to see his owne chimnies smoke where so often he had beene made a wanton and it seemed Fortune gaue him a fit meane when he least looked for it But I haue heard say sometimes by our Druides that Fortune is delighted to turne on the other side when the change is least expected Alaricke came to die Thierry his sonne succeeded him who for that he had many brethren had much to do to maintaine his estate without heeding the hatred of his father And so desirous to giue content to euery man for Bounty and Liberality are the two louers that draw all loues to them at the entrance to his reigne he proclaimed a generall abolition of all offences done in his kingdome See a good beginning to compasse the returne of Alcippe yet might he not returne because Pimander had not forgotten the iniury receiued notwithstanding as the Visigots were the cause of his banishment so Fortune would haue them serue as the instrument of his calling backe Some little time before as I told you Arthur king of great Brittaine had instituted the Knights of the Round Table which was a certaine number of vertuous young men obliged to go seeke aduentures to punish euill doers to do iustice to the oppressed and maintaine the honour of Ladies Now the Visigots of Spaine which then abode in Pampalâ—ne in imitation of that chose out Knights who were to go diuers wayes to shew their force and helpe It fell out that at this time one of the Visigots after he had run thorow many couÌ„tries came to Marsellis where hauing made his defiance accustomed he ouercame many of Pimanders Knights whose heads he cut off and out of extreeme cruelty for proofe of his valour sent them to a Lady whom he serued in Spaine Among others Amarillis lost an vncle who like my father vnwilling to abide the quiet of the country life had followed the mystery of armes and because that while hee was abroad she had beene curious to haue of ordinary some newes of him by meanes of some yong boyes which hee and shee had appointed for it as soon as this mis-hap was come to her knowledge she wrote to him not in mind that he should returne but as acquainting him with her displeasure Loue which is neuer in a good soule without replenishing it with a thousand generous dessignes would not suffer my father to know that Amarillis was offended with any man but presently he takes a resolution to chastise this wrong and so with the leaue of the Emperour came disguised into the house of Cleante who knowing his deliberation attempted many wayes to diuert him but Loue had stronger perswasions then he And in a morning as Pimander was going to the Temple Aloippe presents himselfe before him armed throughout though he had his vizard vp yet was he not knowne for his beard which grew since his departure When Pimander knew his resolution he made much of him for
which of all the world you hold most deare which is your chastity Now mistrisse since there remayneth nothing more to my contentment but onely one poynt by the affection which you haue found in Philander I heartily pray you to grant it mee to the end that this happy soule may goe to expect you in the Elisian fieldes with this satisfaction from you He spake this in broken words and with much payne And I that sawe him in this case to giue him all the contentment he could desire answered him Friend the gods haue not raysed in you so good and honest affection to extinguish it so presently and to leaue vs nothing but sorrow I hope they will giue you yet so much life that I shall make you know that I giue not place to you in loue no more then you doe to any other in merit And for proofe of that which I doe say demaund you that onely thing which you would gladly haue of me for there is nothing that I can or will deny you At these last words he tooke me by the hand and laying it to his mouth I kisse sayth he this hand by way of thankes for the grace and fauour you haue done me and then lifting vp his eyes to heauen O God sayd he I desire of you but so much life as may serue for the accomplishment of the promise which Diane comes to make me and then addressing his speech to me with such paine that he could hardly vtter a word he sayd thus vnto me Now fayre Mistrisse heare then what it is I require of you Since I feele not the anguish of death but for you I coniure you by my affection and by your promise that I may carry this contentment out of the world that I may say I am your husband and beleeue me if I doe obtayne it my soule shall most contentedly goe into what place soeuer it must passe hauing so great a testimony of your goodwill I sweare to you fayre shepheardesses that these words strucke me so to the quicke that I knew not how I was able to sustayne my selfe and I thinke for my part it was onely the desire I had to please him that gaue me the courage This was the cause that he had no sooner ended his demaund but I griping his hand sayd Philander I graunt you that you demaund of me and I sweare to you before all the gods and particularly before the deities which are in this place that Diane giues herselfe to you and that she taketh you both in heart and soule for her husband and in speaking these words I kissed him And I sayd he take you my fayre mistris and giue my selfe to you for euer right happy and content to beare the most glorious name of Diane Alas this word of Diane was the last word he vttered for hauing his arme about my necke and drawing me to him to kisse me he dyed breathing his last vpon my lippes How I looked when I beheld him dead you may easily iudge fayre shepheardesses since I so truly loued him I fell groueling vpon him without pulse and without sence and fell into a swowning so that I came to my selfe without my owne knowledge O God! how liueth my heart since I felt this losse and found that to be too true which so oftentimes he had foretold me that I should loue him more after his death then during life for I haue so liuely preserued his remembrance in my soule that me thinketh I haue him alwayes before mine eyes and without ceasing he sayth to me vnlesse I will be vngratefull I must loue him So I doe O good soule and with the most entire affection that I can and if where thou art there be any knowledge of that which is done heere below receiue O deare friend this good will and these teares which I doe offer in testimony that Diane loueth euen to her coffin her dearest Philander The end of the sixt Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE of Astrea and Celadon AStrea to interrupt the sad thoughts of Diane But faire shepheardesse said hee who was that miserable wretch that was cause of so great misfortune Alas said Diane why would you I should tell you He was an enemy that came not into the world but to be the cause of my euerlasting teares But yet answered Astrea was it neuer knowne what he was They said replyed she some time after that he came out of certaine barbarous countries beyond the Straits I know not whether I can name the right which they call the pillars of Hercules and the cause that brought him so farre for my mischiefe was that he became amorous of a Lady in those countries who commanded him to seeke throughout Europe to know whether there were any other as faire as she and if he met with any Louer that would maintaine the beauty of his Mistrisse hee was bound to fight with him and to send her his head with the picture and name of the Lady Alas I would it had pleased the heauens that I had not bene so ready to flie when he pursued me to kill me that by my death I might haue preuented that of poore Filander At these wordes shee set her selfe on weeping with such abundance of teares that Phillis to diuert her changed the discourse and rising vp first We haue said she fate long enough me thinks it were good to walke awhile At this word they all three rose and went toward that part of their Hamlet for it was well neere dinner time But Leonide who was as I told you harkening lost not one word of these shepheardesses and the more she heard of their newes the more she desired to heare But when shee saw them goe away without speaking a word of Celadon shee was much troubled yet in hope she might staying that day with them discouer somewhat as before she purposed When she saw them gone a little off she rose out of the bush and making a short turne shee set to follow them for she would not haue them thinke shee had ouer-heard them By chance Phillis turning backward as they were going espyed her a far off and shewed her to her companions who stayed but seeing she came towards them to doe her the duty which her condition merited they returned backe and saluted her Leonide full of courtesie after she had returned them their saluation addressing her selfe to Diane sayd Wise Diane I will this day be your ghâ—st prouided that Astrea and Phillis bee of the company for I came this morning from my vncle Adamas with a purpose to passe all this day with you to know if that which I haue heard of your vertue Diane of your beauty Astrea of your merit Phillis answere the report that is divulged of you Diane seeing her companions referred themselues to her answered Great Nymph it were better for vs haply that you had knowledge of vs onely from report since that is very fauourable on our side yet since it
duties are of an honest man I not onely not mistrust a fauourable iudgement but hold for certaine that if you were in the roome of Tircis you would be ashamed to be noted for such an error I will hold my selfe then from seeking out more reasons for this cause which is so cleere of it selfe that all other light would serue but for a shaddow and I will onely say that the name which he beares of man ties him to the contrary of that he doth and that the lawes and ordinances of heauen and of nature command him to dispute no longer about this cause Doe not the duties of courtesie ordaine to render good turnes receiued Doe not the heauens command that for enery seruice some reward should bee giuen And doth not Nature constraine to loue a fayre woman that loues him and to abhorre rather then to cherish a dead body But this quite contrary for the fauors receiued of Laonice he renders discourtesie and in stead of seruices which himselfe confesses she hath done him seruing him so long vnder the couerture of Cleons loue he payes her with ingratitude and for the affectioÌ„ which she hath borne him from her cradle he makes no shew but of misprisall Are you so honest a man Tircis and doe you so seeme to know the gods and yet me thinkes this shepheardesse is such an one that were it not that her influence easts her into misfortune it were more proper for her to make others feele then for her selfe to feele the wrongs where of she complaines If thou beest a man knowest thou not that it is proper to a man to loue the liuing and not the dead And if thou acknowledge the gods knowest thou not that they can punish them that contradict their ordinances and that Loue neuer pardons him that neuer loues If thou confessest that from the cradle she hath serued thee and loued thee O God shall it be possible that so long an affection and so pleasing seruices should at last be payd with contempt But be it that this affection and these seruices being voluntary in Laonice and not sought for of Tyrcis may weigh little with an ingratefull soule yet will I not beleeue that you will award O iust Siluander but that the deceiuer is to giue satisfaction to the party deceiued and as Tircis by his dissimulation hath so long time deluded this fayre shepheardesse shall he not be bound to repayre this iniury to her with as much true affection as he hath made her take lies and falshoodes that if euery one ought to loue his like will not you our Iudge ordayne that Tyrcis loue a person liuing and not one dead and place his loue there where he may liue and not among the cold a shes in a coffin But Tyrcis tell mee what may be thy dessigne after thou hast met with a floud of teares the sad relickes of the poore Cleon thinkest thou that thou canst rayse her vp agayne with thy fighes and teares Alas they pay Caron but once and they neuer but once enter into his boate You may well call her backe from thence but he is deafe to such cryes and neuer sendeth out person that comes aboord him It is impiety Tyrcis to goe about tormenting the rest of those whom the gods call away Loue is ordayned for the liuing and the Coffin for those that are dead Desire not to confound their ordinances in such sort that to a dead Cleon thou giue a liuing affection and to a quicke Laonice a graue And herein doe not arme thy selfe with the name of Constancy for it hath no right to it Dost thou thinke it fit that a man should go naked because he hath worne out his first garments Beleeue me it is as much worthy of laughter to heare thee say that because Cleon is dead thou wilt neuer loue more Re-enter re-enter into thy selfe confesse thine error cast thee at the feet of this Fayre acknowledge thy fault and so thou shalt auoyde thy constraint whereto our iust Iudge by his sentence will subiect thee Hylas ended in this sort to the great contentment of all but Tyrcis whose teares gaue notice of his griefe Then Phillis after she had commandement from Siluander lifting vp her eyes to heauen answered thus to Hylas The answer of Phillis for Tyrcis OFaire Cleon which vnderstandest from heauen the iniury which they purpose to doe thee inspire me with thy Diuinity for such I will esteeme thee if the Vertues may euer make a mortall become diuine and worke so that my ignorance may not weaken the reasons that Tyrcis hath that he should neuer loue but thy perfections And you wise shepheard that knowes better what I should speake in her defence than I can conceiue supply the wants which are in me by the abundance of reasons which are in my cause and to beginne I will say Hylas that all the reasons which thou hast alledged to prooue that beeing beloued one ought to loue though they be false yet they are agreed vpon for good but wherefore wilt thou conclude by it that Tyrcis must leaue the loue of Cleon to beginne a new with Laonice Thou demaundest things impossible and contraries impossible because no man is bound to do more than he can and how wouldst thou haue my shepheard loue if hee haue no will Thou laughest Hylas when thou hearest me say that hee hath none It is true interrupted Hylas what hath he done with it He that loueth answered Phillis hath giuen his very soule to the person beloued and the will is but one power But replyed Hylas this Cleon to whom you would he should be sent being dead hath nothing remaining of a person and so Tircis is to take that againe which was his Ah! Hylas Hylas answered Phillis you speake as if Loue were a Nouice for the donations which are made by his authority are alwaies irreuocable And what reioyned Hylas shall become of this will since the death of Cleon This little losse said she hath followed that great extreme losse which he had in losing her for that if pleasure be the obiect of the will since now he can haue no more pleasure what hath he to doe with will and it hath followed Cleon so that if Cleon be no more no more is his will for he neuer had it but for her but if Cleon be yet in any place as the Druides teach vs this will is in her hands so content to be in that place that if shee her selfe would dâ—â—â—e it away it would not returne to Tircis as knowing well it should bee vnprofitable but would goe into her coffin to rest with the beloued bones And this being so why accuse you the faithfull Tircis of ingratitude if it be not in his power to loue elsewhere And see how you command not onely a thing impossible but contrary to it selfe for if euery one bee bound to loue that that loues him why will you not that he loue Cleon who neuer fayled
not changed to his benefit Ah shepheardesse you may well thinke that my heart is without feeling of your blowes since it hath so liuely felt those of your eyes How long is it since to talke you haue withdrawne your selfe from me since you took no pleasure to talke with me and that it seemed you send about for other company that you may auoyde mine Or where is the care you were wont to haue of my businesse or the griefe which my stay from your presence brought you You may remember how svveete the name of Licidas hath beene to you and hovv often it slipped out of your mouth for the abundance of your heart when you meant to name some other You may remember your selfe I say and haue at this time nothing in the same heart and in the same mouth but the name and affection of Siluander with whom you liue in such asort that there is not so great a stranger in our Country but knovves that you him And thinke you it strange that I which am the same Licidas which I haue alvvayes yet beene and was not borne but onely for you Phillis haue entred into some doubt of you The extreme displeasure of Licidas raysed so great aboundance of words in his mouth that Phillis to interrupt him could not geÌ„t a time to answer him for if she opened her mouth to beginne he went on with the more vehemency not considering that his complayning made it worse and if there were any thing that might helpe him it was onely her answer which he would not heare and on the contrary not heeding that this torrent of words tooke avvay all leisure for the shepheardesse to ansvver him he iudged that her silence proceeded of the sense of her being guilty so that hee went on amplifying his iealousie at all motions and all actions that he savve her vse Whereat she found her selfe so suâ—prized and so much discontented that she thus letted knevv not with what words to beginne either to complayne of him or to remooue him out of the opinion vvhere in hee was but the passion of the shepheard vvhich vvas so extreme that it gaue him not leisure to dreame of iâ— for though it vvere almost night yet he saw her blush or at least he thought he savve her vvhich vvas the conclusion of his impatience holding that for certaine vvhere of as yet he had no cause to doubt And so vvithout furder stay after he had called twice or thrice on the gods as iust pâ—nishers of the vnfaithfull he ranne into the woods vnvvilling to heare or tarry for Phillis vvho vvent after him to discouer to him his errour but it vvas in vaine For he ranne so svviftly that soone left him in the thicket of the trees And in the meane time Leonice well pleased that she had discouered this affection and savv so good a beginning of her desseigne vvithdrevv as vvas the custome vvith the shepheardesses her companions and Siluander on the otherside resolued vvith himselfe since Licidas tooke such ielousie at so cheape a rate to sell him it for the time to come at a dearer making shew to loue Phillis in sadnesse when he should see him neere her The end of the eight Books THE NINTH BOOKE OF Astrea and Celadon LEonide in the meane time arriued at the house of Adamas and gaue him to vnderstand that Galathee had infinit occasion to vse him and vpon vrgent cause which shee would tel him by the way That he might not disobey he resolued to be gone as soone as the moone would shine which was some halfe howre before day On this resolution as soone as the light began to appeare they set themselues on the way and when they were come to the foote of the little hill hauing no more then one plaine to bring them to the Palace of Isour the Nymph at the request of her vncle began her speech in this sort The History of Galathee and Lindamor MY father for so she called him bee not moued I beseech you to heare that which I haue to say to you and when you haue occasion remember that the same loue caused this which at some other time hath driuen you to the like or more strange accidents I durst not speake to you of it if I had not a commission namely if I had not bene commanded but Galathee whom this businesse concernes is willing since shee hath chosen you as the Phisicion for this sicknesse that you should know both the breeding and the proceeding yet hath she enioyned me to draw some words from you that you will neuer speake of it The Druide which well knew what respect hee was to beare to his Lady for so hee esteemed her answered that hee had wisedome enough to conceale that which he knew might concerne Galathee that therein the promise was more then needed Vpon this assurance continued Leonide I will attempt to tel you what you are to know It is now a long time since Polemas became to be in loue with Galathee to tell you how it grew were vnprofitable so it was that he loued her so that in earnest one might call him amorous This affection passed on so far that Galathee her selfe could not be ignorant of it so much it wanted that in particular shee made it diuers times appeare that his seruice was not displeasing to her which tied him so fast that nothing since could euer withhold him and without doubt Galathee had some good occasion to fauour Polemas for he was a man that merited much for his race you know hee is of the ancient stocke of Surien that in nobility giues not place to that of Galathee as for his person he is very louely hauing both a face and fashion able to win loue aboue all hee hath great knowledge yet ashamed of it before the wisest But why go I about to tell you these things Your father knows them better then I. So it was that these good conditions made him so commendable that Galathee vouchsafed to fauour him more then any other in the court of Amasis yet it was with that discretion that no man noted it Now Polemas hauing the wind so fauorable liued with that contentment to himselfe as a man founded vpon hopes might But this inconstant Loue or rather this inconstant Fortune which delights in change as in her nourishment was willing that Polemas as well as the rest of the world should feele what the stripes are that come from her hand you may remember that it is somewhile since Amasis permitted Clidaman to bestow vs on his seruants from this occasion as from a swarme haue issued so many loues that besides that the court was pestered with them all the country feeles them Now among others by chance Lindamor was giuen to Galathee hee hath much worth yet she receiued him so coldly as the ceremony of that feast would suffer But he that before it may bee had some such intention which he durst not make shew
giue mee more knowledge than these words too well deliuered to proceed from affection For I haue heard say affection cannot be without passion and passion wil not suffer the spirit to haue so free a discourse But when the time shall haue told me as much as you you are to beleeue that I am not of stone nor so voyd of vnderstanding but your merits are knovvne to me and your loue may moue me Till then hope not of me no more than of the rest of my company in generall The Knight would haue kissed her hand for this assurance but because Galathee looked on Knight said she be discreete euery one hath eye on vs if you do thus you vndoe me And at this word she rose and came among vs that were gathering of flowres Behold the first discouery that they had of their good wils which gaue Galathee occasion to meddle in it For perceiuing what had passed in the Garden and hauing of long time a purpose to winne Polemas she would know that night what was done betweene Leonide and him and because she alvvaies made her selfe very familiar with you Neece and had acquainted her with the particulars of her secrets the Nymph durst not altogether deny the truth of this loue-suite It is true that she concealed what concerned her ovvne will and vpon this discourse Galathee would knovv the very words that they had vsed wherein your Neece satisfied her in part and in part dissembled So it was that she said enough to encrease the purpose of Galathee so that from that day she resolued to be beloued of him and vndertooke this worke with that cunning that it was impossible it should fall out othervvise At that meeting shee forbade Leonide to go on in that affection and after told her that she should cut off all the rootes because she knevv well that Polemas had another dessigne and that this would serue but to delude her Besides that if Amasis came to knovvledge of it she would be offended Leonide who at that time had no more malice than a childe tooke the words of the Nymph as from her Mistrisse without searching into the cause which made her say so and so remained some dayes estranged from Polemas who knevv not from whence it might grovve At the first this made him more earnest in his suite For it is the ordinary custome of yong spirits to desire with more eagernesse that which is hard to come by and indeed he went on in that sort that Leonide had much enough to doe to dissemble the good will she bore him and at last knew so little how to doe it that Polemas perceiued he was beloued But see what Loue had appointed This young louer after he had three or foure moneths continued this suite with the more violence as he had the lesse assurance of the good will he desired as soone almost as hee was certaine lost his violence by little and little loued so coldly that as Fortune and Loue when they beginne to decline fall at once the Nymph perceiued not that shee alone went on in this affection It is true that Galathee who came on was in part the cause For hauing a dessigne on Polemas she vsed such craft and sped so well what by her authority and what with time that one might say shee robbed her insensibly for that when Leonide handled him roughly Galathee fauoured him and when the other fled from his company she drew him to hers And this continued so long and so openly that Polemas beganne to turne his eyes towards Galathee and shortly after the heart followed For seeing himselfe fauoured by a greater than her that neglected him hee blamed himselfe for suffering it without sence and minded to embrace the fortune which came smiling on him But O wise Adamas you may see what a gracious encounter this was and how it pleased Loue to play with their hearts It is some while since by the ordinance of Clidaman Agis was allotted seruant vnto your Neece and as you know by the election of Fortune Now though this young Knight was not giuen to Leonide out of his owne choyce yet he agreed to the gift and approoued it by the seruices which he afterward did performe and that she misliked not was shewed by her actions But when Polemas beganne to serue her Agis as a couetous man that hath his eyes alwayes on his treasure tooke notice of the growing loue of this new Louer and sometimes complayned to her of it but the coldnesse of her answers instead of extinguishing his iealousies onely by little and little deaded his loue for considering what small assurance he had in his soule he laboured to get a better resolution then formerly he had had and so that he might not see another triumph ouer him he chose rather to withdraw farre off A receit that I haue heard say is the best that a soule infected with this euill can haue to free it selfe for as loue at the beginning is brought forth by the eyes so it seemeth that the contrary should be for want of sight which can be in nothing more then absence where the forgetfull couered as with ashes the ouer-liuely representations of the thing beloued And indeed Agis happily attained his purpose for he was hardly gone but loue likewise parted from his soule lodging in the place of it the neglect of this flitter So that Leonide purposing by this new plot to winne Polemas lost him that already was intirely hers But the confusions of Loue ended not heere for he would that Polemas likewise for his part should haue sence of that which hee made the Nymph to feele Almost about the same time the affection of Lindamor tooke birth and it fell out that as Leonide had disdained Agis for Polemas and Polemas Leonide for Galathee so Galathee disdained Polemas for Lindamor To tell the follies of them all would be an hard piece of worke So it was that Polemas seeing himselfe payed in the same money in which hee payd your Neece yet could not lose not hope nor loue but contrariwise searched al sorts of plotting to enter again into her fauor but all in vaine It is true that as he could get nothing more to his owne benefit yet hee hath so wrought that he who was the cause of his euill is not come to bee possessor of his good for whether it were by his cunning practices or by the will of the gods that a certaine deuout Druyde hath imparted to him since that time Lindamor is no more beloued and it seemeth Loue hath a purpose not to suffer the heart of Galathee to be at rest the memorie of the one being no sooner defaced in her soule but another takes place And now behold vs at this houre reduced to the loue of a shepherd who for a shepheard in his quality may deserue well but not to be the seruant of Galathee and yet is she so passionate that if her euill hold on I
the Wife the rest She smiling said vnto him And how friend Lidias it seemes you haue forgotten the custome you should haue left me my part God forbid said hee wife Ameryne for it is of poyson which I haue chosen to end my life rather then to be wanting in my promise to you and in the affection which I owe to the faire Siluy O God said she is it possible as yet thinking it was her true Lidias but that hee had changed his good will during his absence and vnwilling to liue without him ran with the Cup in her hand where he was that had giuen the Wine mixed for the day before he had caused it to be made at the Apothecaries and before it was knowne what my Master said notwithstanding any forbidding of his because it was the custome they gaue her the full cup which she presently drunke of And then returning to him she said O cruell and ingratefull thou hast loued death more then me and I also loue it rather then thy refusall But if that God which hath hitherto conducted our affections doe not venge me on a soule so periured in another life I shall thinke he hath neither care to heare false oathes nor power to punish them Then euery one drew neere her to heare her reproches and it was then that Ligdamon answered her Discreete Amerine I confesse I haue offended you if I were he whom you thinke I am but beleeue me that am now at the ende of my dayes I am not Lidias I am Ligdamon and whatsoeuer errour may bee of mee at this houre I assure my selfe that time will discouer my iustice And in the meane time I rather choose death then to be wanting to the affection which I haue promised to the faire Siluy to whom I haue consecrated my life not being otherwise able to satisfie both And then hee continued O faire Siluy receiue this will which I offer you and let this last of all my actions be best receiued because it is imprinted with the best character of my faithfulnesse By little and little the poyson gained on the spirits of these two newly married so that they could hardly draw their breath when turning his eyes on me he sayd Goe my friend finish that thou hast to doe and aboue all truly recount what thou hast seene and that death is welcome to me that keepes me from offending the fidelitie which I haue vowed to the faire Siluy Siluy was the last word hee spake for with that word the faire soule parted from the body and for my part I beleeue that if euer louer were happy in the Elisian fields my maister is attending vntill he may see you againe there And how sayd Siluy is it true that Ligdamon is dead without doubt answered he O God cryed out Siluy At this word all that she could doe was but to cast her selfe on a bed for her heart fayled her and after shee had lyen somewhile with her face towards the beds head she prayed Leonide who was with her to take Ligdamons letter and to tell Egide that he should goe to her lodging because she would haue him serue her So Egide withdrew but so affected that he was couered with teares Then would loue shew one of his puissances for that Nymph that neuer loued Ligdamon while hee liued at this time when she heard of his death shewed so great a feeling that the most passionate in loue could not do more It was vpon this speech that Galathee talking to Celadon fayde that hereafter shee would beleeue it is impossible but a woman once in her life must loue some thing for this young Nymph hath vsed such cruelties towards all them that loued her that some are dead for griefe others euen of despaire haue banished themselues from her sight and especially this whom she be wailes dead she hath heretofore brought to that extremitie that without Leonide the same had befallen him then so that I would rather haue sworne loue might rather haue found place in the Ice of the coldest of the Alpes then in her heart and yet you see now whereto she is reduced Madame answered the shepheard beleeue not that it is loue it is rather pitie In truth she must be harder then euer was stone if the report which this yong man hath made haue not touched her to the quicke for I know not who would not in hearing him relate it though one had no other knowledge of him but this onely action and for my part I must say true I hold Ligdamon happyer then if he were aliue since he loued this Nymph with such affection and shee vsed him with as great rigour as I haue knowne for what greater happinesse can befall him then to ende his miseries and to enter into those felicities which doe accompany them What thinke you was his contentment to see that Siluy laments him sorrowes for him and esteemes of his affection but I meane that Siluy that hath dealt so roughly with him And then what is that which the louer desires more then to bee able to giue assurance to the party beloued of his faithfulnesse and affection and to come to this point what punishments what deaths will he refuse At this time when hee sees from the place where he is the teares of his Siluy when he heares her sight what is his happinesse and what his glory not onely for that he hath assured her of his loue but for him to be certen that she loues him O no Madame beleeue me Ligdamon hath no cause to complaine but Siluy for and in time you shall see it all that shee will represent to her selfe shall bee the ordinary actions of Ligdamon the discourse of Ligdamon his fashion his amitie his valour briefly this I dole will bee ordinarily houering about her almost like an auenger of the cruelties with which shee hath tormented that poore louer and repentance which galling her thoughts will be the executioner of the Iustice of Loue. THese speeches were so lowde and so neare Siluy that shee heard them all and that made her burst for anger for she thought them probable At last after she had endured them some while and finding her selfe too feeble to resist so strange enemies shee went out of that chamber into her owne where there were none to let her from teares For hauing shut the dore after her and prayde Leonide to leaue her alone she cast her selfe on her bed her armes acrosse her stomacke and her eyes toward heauen in her memory shee passed through all their life what affection he had alwayes shewed to her how patiently hee bore her rigours with what discretion he had serued her how long time this affection had lasted and in the end said she all this is now enclosed in a little earth And in this sorrow remembring her owne discourses her adues her impatiencies and a thousand small particularities she was constrained to say Hold thy peace memory