Pyzander and what is this that I undertake to speak to thee of those eyes in whose presence there is none other able to looke up or contest never so little without being dazelled which was the cause that I my selfe was constrained ever and anon to cast downe mine eyes and let them fall on her faire necke although it were onely a diversion of them from flames and lightnings to loose them in the Snow of her bosome and breasts where I could see no more on each side they being by chance halfe covered than a small Cressant of those two little but truely Celestiall Globes which were in continuall motion and who as scorning to be restrained of liberty forced open her garment as much as possibly they could so that if they could not fully display their dazelling whitenesse and beauty at least they gave ample testimony of the perfection of their round forme and if they troubled not the eye yet spared they not to shake the imagination Herein it is Pyzander that the most eloquent would become dumbe and therefore will I speake no more of it least the onely remembrance thereof should render me speechlesse and leave me nothing else but sighes All those places rejoyced in the presence of this Goddesse who seemed to have made another Olympus of Mount Lathmos As for me I was so fraught and replenished with contentment that enjoying whatsoever can in this life be most delightfull me thought I then first began to live I was wholly ravished with the wonders of so rare an object when as directing towards me her lookes every motion whereof seemed to bee conducted by the Graces themselves Endymion sayes shee with a voice so cleare and pleasant as would with the first word have charmed any breast thy vowes have touched me even in Heaven and thine affection hath beene acceptable to me I know what care thou takest to imprint my glory and greatnesse in the knowledge of the Mortalls if I should not be sensible of it thou wouldst have just reason to complaine of me and to publish over all the World that Ingratitude is lodged as well in Heaven amongst the gods as on Earth amongst men Make use therefore of thy good Judgement and aske of me whatsoever thou wilt wherein I may have opportunity to testifie mine acknowledgment and doubt not of the grant I remaining wholly mute and confounded not onely by seeing her and receiving so great honour at her hands but also for that admiration and respect equally enjoyned me silence had not the power to desire any thing esteeming my paines and watchings too fully recompenced with one only looke of hers or the least word she had vouchsafed to speak to me Insomuch that at first I was not able to speake at all and although I could I knew not what to say unto her and this forced silence wa◠advantagious to me in that she gave me by an act of her accustomed goodnesse some small time to bethinke and recollect me I was once minded to beg of her the same thing which my Father obtained of Jupiter which was to live and dye according to his good liking At length finding that I must needs speake the consideration of my duty surmounting my feare and furnishing me with subject of discourse in despight of the distraction wherewith I was possessed I thus answered her Great Goddesse the honour thou dost me doth infinitely exceed my condition grant me therfore what thou thinkest fitting for what could I request of thee I forget all that is past and can thinke of nothing for the future being so throughly possessed with what I at present enjoy Give me leave rather to offer my selfe to thee and if thou gratifie me so farre as to receive me I will beleeve thou hast granted me all things I would gladly begge of thee that the happinesse I now enjoy might be made everlasting but she well observing the extasie wherein so unwonted a felicity had cast me and which having in the beginning deprived me of speech went on also to seize upon my understanding replying askes me how wouldst thou be able said she to endure that long which in a moment hath so distempered thee as thou hadst need of some body to restore thee to thy selfe And as for that which thou requirest thou couldst not obtaine it albeit thou werest in the principall Ranke amongst the Immortals thinke therefore quickly on some other suite that I may be no longer detained Assuredly said I to her mortall men who live so short a space have great reason to thinke time precious since the very gods themselves whose Nature is infinite are so tender and carefull to loose none of it But whereunto dost thou oblige me ô Goddesse for considering thee as Diana I doe not see what I can aske of thee suitable to my desire since the honour of attendance and perpetuall serving of thee belongeth onely to thy Nymphs and for me I can esteeme nothing gratefull that shall enjoyne me a long separation from thy presence I will therefore speake unto thee as to the Moone beseeching thee that by the power thou hast in Heaven thou wilt be pleased to allow me some place amongst the Starres and that I may be one of those which goe least out of thy sight and most frequently waite on thy Chariot whither soever thou goest Or if the number of the Starres be so compleate that not one more can bee added thereunto and if the Fates resist me herein grant me at least the priviledge amongst the Mortals of rendring thee the most acceptable Vowes and Sacrifices and of employing my whole life in thy services Hereat the Goddesse not content to testifie her approbation by a gracious nod of her head onely with a smile able to ravish both gods and men added these words Well saies she be it in Heaven or on Earth I will never omit any occasion of gratifying thee neither would I have thee doubt of mine affection or memory of thee Scarce had she said those words when on a suddaine I lost the sight of her and heard onely a small noise of the Arrows and Quiver which shooke upon her shoulders as she turned her selfe to be gone In the meane time I forgot not to meditate on that which I had often heard speech of to wit that the gods have a forme of going different from that of men and that without the trouble of putting one foote before another they have power in the twinkling of an eye to transport themselves where they please and that every way on Earth or in Heaven is alike easie to them But alas I much over-saw my selfe in that I procured her not to sweare by the River Stix an Oath inviolable amongst the gods Endymion sayes Pyzander either the gods are not or else they are true and doe infallibly acknowledge the love is borne them for if they faile us whom shall wee trust all things must faile us with them but this Hill will bee sooner
thou chancest to be troubled with the knowledge of it remember to lay the blame thereof to the charge of thy curiosity and not of mine obedience It is thy beauty Diophania which wounds all men and which assuredly will kill me since the remembrance and consideration of thy quality and time so farre different causes on my side a continuall dispaire to accompany my love It is a poore enterprize of his to think to be able to resist so many attracts and charmes in what estate soever he sayes her or beholds her he is not able to be Master of himselfe or subsist and what action soever shee imployes her selfe in seemes to him a continuall killing of him So that one day being surcharged with his sorrow he determined to implore her pitty without which hee could no longer live or at least beg leave of her to bewaile his condition but she not onely not contented her selfe to interrupt and refuse audience to his lamentation but under pretext of sending him to seeke in absence the cure of a Disease which tooke hourely increase in presence shee absolutely forbad him to come any more neare her which sentence shee could not pronounce without some passion and a kind of cholerick motion which rendred her eyes more fervently darting than usuall and made her thereby seeme the more beautifull At this instant Love seeming not content to use his ordinary shafts armed himselfe with a Thunder-bolt not onely to threaten Hermodan but to overturne him and in one moment reduce him to ashes Ah woe is me Diophania sayes he that such an expresse command requires so prompt an obedience lest therefore my life may hereafter be offensive to thee accept not onely the farewell of separation thou hast ordained me but also that of Death which I am going to suffer This being uttered his mouth was not able in a long time to utter any one word nor his eyes to shed any teares and yet Diophania had the heart to breake company first and leave him to the mercy of dispaire and frenzy which seized him He calls upon Death without intermission and finding himselfe deprived of his beloved grows weary of the company of his life But his Fate was not conformable to his will nor any way plyable to his intreaties to whom then shall he have recourse It is to no end to sigh amongst the Woods and Wildernesses for in respect of a Lovers lamentation the Desarts the Rocks and Diophania are all one and have one and the same eares This poore Shepheard who thought continually on his Birth and extraction and in whom the gods had with noblenesse and generous courage supplyed the defects of his Fortune was never negligent in the service of their Altars as knowing well that upon their conduct and providence depends the good or ill Fortune of men But as on Earth hee bore an extreame love to Diophania so in Heaven he performed a particular Devotion to the Sun to him he addresses his vowes and supplications and thus falling cut of one extreamity into another hee who whilome invoked the most dreadfull of the Goddesses now againe implores and calleth upon the fairest of the gods O great Apollo sayes he thou Fountaine of life and light which givest being and increase to all things if ever the Oblations which I with an innocent minde and undefiled hand have offered thee have beene acceptable give eare to my present request and if there be any errour in my thoughts or wayes let the voluntary confession I make thereof expiate the offence But first looke whether the stroke that wounds me be inevitable and whether I have not had cause enough to doubt thy sole and absolute authority O thou great Author of Ages grant me the grace of being loved where I love and adore to wit of the Sunne and Diophania These prayers sent from a heart surcharged with passion touched the Sunne but the beauty of Diophania had struck him before and he who sees every thing saw nothing more worthy to bee looked upon than shee as indeed there was nothing more like unto him or more worthy of his love I have sundry times heard that which I never yet could beleeve that is that love hath oftentimes moved the gods yea Jupiter himselfe to forsake Heaven and come downe on Earth the verity whereof is so confirmed by this History that it must for ever remaine indubitable for though I cannot say that the Magitians charmes are able to draw the Moone from Heaven yet well I know that those of Diophania have prevailed so farre upon the Sun whose beauty may be truely said to appeare as a Sun in the Sunne it selfe On a certaine day as this faire but over-cruell Shepheardesse avoiding perchance the love and presence of her Shepheard had driven her Flock into a place more solitary and quiet than ordinary not farre from that part of this sacred Forrest which is nearest to the City where she thought she might bee most exempt from the encounter of any thing that might disturbe or molest her This god whose eye pierces the most secret corners and whose darting beames Hell it selfe cannot easily shun presents himselfe before her with his beauty which gives him the advantage above all the rest of the gods and with a good part of that great lustre which renders him generally knowne where-with she was so surprized that her feare making her betake her selfe to flight she would have bin so glad that any one would have lent her wings to increase her speed that if Love himselfe had offered her his she would not have refused them She runnes a great way into the Wood where albeit she was safe enough at the first entry yet shee forbeares not to runne continually every shade to her seemes to shine and on which side soever she sees any day she thinks she is pursued At length feare having as it were emboldened her she thinks there is no safety for her but in that most horrid darknesse and obscurity which at other times was wont to affright her Take courage Hermodan and draw a good Augury from this accident she thinkes if thou hadst not bin separated from her this affright had not surprised her she repents her over-sight and begins to wish for thee And thou Diophania goe boldly out of these shady places for thy feare is the vainest in the World Of all the gods this whom thou last sawest is least terrible and I wonder by what chance it happens that he who chases away all affrights hath so distempered thee In the meane time the Sunne howsoever so very swift of foote that hee could easily have stayed her seeing her flye in such manner would not follow her The example of Daphne having tempered him so farre that he then tooke an Oath never any more to make any violent pursuit in the like case and therefore chuseth rather to worke by perswasions than constraint But hee finding that his many faire qualities rendred him more dreadfull and
ignorant of the cause of my comming hither for if the noyse wee lately made were heard by the Moone much more should it bee come unto thine eares to awake thee out of the deepest slumber thou couldst be cast into So farre was I from sleeping as thou imaginest saies Endymion that I was in a place farre remote from hence where me-thought I was cast into an everlasting slumber From whence I was freed like one that dreames finding my selfe in this place without perceiving how or which way I came hither I confesse there was even now a great noyse which did doe me a very ill office and made mee wish that all things had beene more quiet and that an universall slumber had rendred all the creatures on earth as dumbe as those of the water Indeed Endymion saies Pyzander I understand thee not for thy latter Discourses are more obscure than thy former I beseech thee therefore keepe me no longer ignorant of that which our friendship should make common Tell me thy good or ill adventures for thou knowest it is the property of communication to render contentments more full and increase the power of them as also on the contrary to extenuate and ease afflictions and crosses Alas replies Endymion where shall I beginne or how shall I end Shall I robbe thee of thy rest this night by recounting unto thee my sufferings wherein my owne spirit shunnes the remembrance of whatsoever most delights it so much am I grieved to see fortune so unworthily insult over my torments and patience Thus Endymion would have excused himselfe touching the Discourse but that Pyzander still adding more intreaties and requests to his former got him at length to sit downe by him and to begin in this manner Cr Pas inu The Starre that in the Forrest raignes A thousand favourable straines Vpon thee with her beames shall dart But in the end those shall depart And thou be forc'd to thinke and tell Inconstancy in the gods doth dwell As the desires are violent Th' attempts are faint not prevalent 'T is hard the gods to trace A heavy-light enchantment doth Stoppe and make thee wander both It kills it gives thee grace And so retiring her selfe Polydamon told me he thought she was mad for said hee what acquaintance is there betwixt you but I instead of answering him pondered what she had told me and ghessing that there was some extraordinary matter in it savouring rather of a Goddesse than a Woman and inclining more to inspiration than frenzy for my more full satisfaction I instantly demanded of one of her Neighbours what shee was who answered me Art thou a Grecian or a Barbarian that thou knowest not the Virgin Parthenopea one of the chiefe of the Race of the Iamides who usually doe prophesie at the Olympian Festivalls But another told me in more courteous tearmes that she whom we tooke for a Woman was a Maiden of at least an hundred yeares old and who besides that she was indeed of that race of the Prophets issued of Apollo and Evadne having constantly vowed her Virginity to Diana and employed her whole life in her service had in plentifull measure received from her the gift of fore-telling things to come The greatest feare I then had was lest I might have forgotten some of the words shee had spoken to me wherein the measure of the Verses stood me in good stead for by often turning and repeating them with my selfe and by the helpe of the severall parts I had in a short time imprinted the whole in my memory wherewithall I could not enough entertaine me for my spirit already began to anticipate my good fortune by hope and a thousand kinds of differently delightfull imaginations The sweete aspects which were promised me in the beginning did so fully deprive me of the consideration of the crosse adventures which threatned me towards the end that the most rigorous afflictions that could befall me seemed delightsome honourable because they were to be for Diana's sake From thence forward mine eyes found none other object that could content them except such as put me in minde of her and shunning all variety or diversion I was still contemplating either her Portraict in the Temple or her Starre in the Heaven But chiefly after my returne from Ephesus I desired to remaine on the top of this Mountaine where I slept the greater part of the day that I might imploy the night in this sweet contemplation which begot an opinion in divers that I slept alwayes By this course I saw the Sunne lesse ordinarily than the Moone whose lustre was to me a thousand times more pleasing than that of the fairest dayes I did so seldome let her goe out of my sight that I was able to give the world accompt of the wayes she held in the Heaven from the house of Helles even to that of Astrea or that of Erigone and thence to Ganymedes and farther yea even when in her Chariot drawne by Dragons she parts from the Celestiall Mansions to goe take her walke in the Countries of some of the Daughters of Atlas whether on the one side she goe to visite Cassiope Andromeda and the whole family of Cepheus or on the other she goe to hunt towards Orions quarter or by chance in the hot weather shee sometimes for her recreation retire to the Caves of the Centaure or in the coole of the Evening shee walke upon the shoare of the great Celestiall River which is diversly named by some Nilus by others Erydanus And the Goddesse tooke the diligence and affection I had to make her glory knowne in all parts so well that shee became as willing to shew her selfe as I was desirous to behold her in so much that I cannot say if mine eyes were either more comforted by her favour and lesse dazeled by her light or that by being accustomed to this exercise they with the more ease pierced the Heaven But as if she were descended into the middle Region of the Ayre me thought I saw her Chariot rowle upon the Clouds and to endeare and gratifie me the oftener she inclined her looke towards me with the same aspect wherewith shee beholds the Sacrifices that most delight her She darted for my sake the sweetest lookes that her heart was able to send forth through the passage of her eyes wherewith these places were so enlightened that they seemed not sensible of the absence of the day O wonder of Fate Nature A Goddesse forgetteth all the Gods for the cōtemplation of one simple man and finds that thing on earth which makes her despise the Heavens There is nothing lowlier than the subject which ordinarily retains her looks and thoughts and by her affection she seemeth to become as it were mortall and humane And on the contrary a mortall contemplates onely heavenly things hath nothing but a Deity in his thought and hath his eye fixed onely upon beauty it selfe that is on Diana But what an extraordinary proofe did
I receive one day of her goodwill when as the Heavens all covered with Clouds which seemed jealous of my good fortune kept me from seeing her and how happy was it for me that there had beene some few dayes so cloudy as it were on purpose For in that time I was advertised by the faithfull relation of one of her Nymphs that shee was as much troubled therewith as I and that shee had bemoaned her selfe of it to the Goddesse Iris in this manner Iris said she it would not trouble me much to be a while deprived of seeing a good part of the Earth provided that I might at least behold those places which doe most delight me Now I will tell thee freely that I have lately taken a particular affection to Caria and yet it is full foure dayes since I last saw it I had rather be debarred the sight of the Isle Delos or of my native Mountaine the name whereof I beare Disperse therfore I pray thee the Clouds a little divert them either towards Lycia or Ionia or any way else so that any hand thou hide not the City of Heraclea nor Mount Lathmos from mine eyes Immediately after this there appeared a great opening in the Clouds and the darke vapours vanished at the presence of the goddesse who beganne to appeare in her fairest and most perfect lustre and as if she had assembled all her beames about me I found my selfe in an instant wholly environed with light O happy and fortunate Endymion sayes Pyzander if the sweete lookes of the Moone can be able to render a man so But tell me what couldst thou be doing and how couldst thou dispose of thy selfe all the times she appeared not in the Heavens Even that which she her selfe doth when she is deprived of the light of the Sunne answered Endymion Shee attires her selfe in a blacke vaile as if she could not misse the sight of him one houre without mourning for his absence Even so what light soever shone I seemed to live in darknesse and had no other exercise but a continuall wandring up and downe the Woods to trye whether I could learne any newes of her or whether my Fate or her favour would give me leave to finde her Wherein I laboured a while in vaine but at length as it is the custome of the gods sometimes to prevent our hopes and otherwhiles to come when our expectations are tyred so this good happe chanced to mee when I least thought of it The night had already begunne to furle up her sailes and a gentle coole gale the fore-runner of light sweetly cherished slumber and with the force of its wings drove before it a cleare thinne Cloud laden onely with a light dew besprinkling with drops the whole earth like Pearles which sparkled even as little eyes in the faces of the flowers and Plants When as awaking and finding an ayre more pleasing than ordinary and such a one as the gods have in Heaven or do bring with them when they come downe to the earth I came out of the Cave being moved thereunto by a certaine pleasing violence which had no lesse power over me than if some voice had called me forth And scarce had I passed the threshold when as I saw before me upon the edge of the Hill a woman for such at first I tooke her to be but having a little nearer observed her beauty her stature and more than humane Majesty I knew that it was some of the goddesses With what tearmes now shall I possibly expresse that which then mine eyes beheld and from whence shal I draw comparisons to represent unto thee that which being beyond compare can admit none I shall have sooner done if without attempting to demonstrate light by obscurity I bid thee fixe the eye of thy imagination so farre forth as thou art able abovt all the Heavens and there behold Beauty it selfe fitting accompanyed with an everlasting youth and such as can neither suffer alteration or be impaired by any accident whatsoever O Pyzander how farre are the Divine beauties different from these here below how soon did they beget in my soule a contempt of all that before I had ever seene But I tasted this felicity in the most absolute degree of all when perceiving the Bow she held in her hand and the Cressant which shone upon her head I found it to bee the goddesse to whom my heart addressed all its vowes this I say made me imagine that the day tooke his being thence and not from the rising of the Sunne Endymion sayes Pyzander as I desire not to ingage thee in impossibilities or to busie thee overmuch in a long and vaine description of things which cannot be represented So will I yet entreate thee to give mee some figures of this Divine beauty as much as our humane language can permit thee Amongst so many perfections sayes Endymion I know not which I should first observe and the desire I had to behold them all hindred me from taking particular notice from any one and was cause I saw them but confusedly One while I was amazed to see that in so perfect a stature wherein she farre surpassed the best formed of women she seemed to be of so tender an age for her complexion was tenderer and fairer than that which appeares in the first bloome of youth it selfe being mixed with certaine darting glances which seemed to participate of both flames and flowers and accompanyed with a vertue so Divine as that it defended it from the injuries of the Seasons and freed it for ever from the jurisdiction of Yeares Sometimes I admired in her a kinde of Majesticke demeanour which as it had force to attract the noblest courages wanted not also austerity enough to checke those whom pusillanimity accused of want of worth and to prohibite them to approach her Honour and Majesty seemed to sit in her Countenance as in a seate of well polished Ivory keeping a perpetuall residence under the rich ornament of her faire Tresses some whereof were plaited and wreathed others bound up and curled after the Laconian manner with farre more grace than Art there being no neede of addition either to their lustre or number Some others carelesly dispersed and as it were escaped from the bands and captivity of the rest danced on her vermillion cheekes and faire shoulders catching and captivating in their sporting both Love and Zephirus round about her Corrall Lippes appeared the sweetest smiles and the most delicate of all the Graces both which joyntly with their attracts and courtings did there manure the Gilly-flowers amidst the Lyllies and Roses Which way soever shee turned her faire eyes both browne and cleare the ayre became in an instant so sweete and pure that every thing was beautified and refreshed therewithall Those eyes are really the two Starres who at their pleasure doe beget a new Spring on Earth and appease the Sea when it rageth and is troubled But what dost thou embarke me in
converted into a Plaine or Valley and sooner shall Meander shunning the Ionian Sea runne retrograde and stoppe in the source than the words of the gods prove instable and chiefely those of Diana that great Ornament of the World who by ordinance of the Destinies doth in so many Countries supply even the place of Jupiter himselfe But good Endymion proceede for I am sorry that I should imploy the time in any thing but hearing thee so much I long to see the successe of thine adventures The sense I had of this so high a favour was for a great while the onely support of my life and raised my contentment to that height that it admitted no comparison no not with the most fortunate amongst men The greatnesse and state of the person I adored and who reciprocally graced me with so much good liking did place all the honours and dignities in the world beneath my condition and glory All conversation yea even that of my dearest friends seemed tedious to me as well for that they onely interrupted the sweetest delights of my soule as for the scruple I made to communicate unto them the least of my thoughts My memory often represented this goddesse to me as vively as if shee had beene before mine eyes Wherein I tooke more pleasure than in the very time in which I enjoyed her presence because as then the excesse of my rapture depriving me of my sences and judgement permitted me not to be mine owne I went a hundred and a hundred times to visit the place where I had seene her and was never weary of seeking some new foote-steps of hers which I had not before taken notice of I kissed the grasse which her feete accustomed to walke in Heaven had bruised and became as strict a Guardian of the place as if it had beene of a Temple or Altar But as my thoughts presented her before mine eyes so also also did my dreames dreames indeed more faire and more resplendent than the day and such as truely I never desired to awake from Sometimes me thought I beheld her speaking to me onely with the language of her eyes which looked on me with so sweete an aspect that no tongue is able to expresse that which they seemed to say unto me Another while me thought she spake to me with a gesture equalling yea exceeding speech it selfe Sometimes casting my selfe at her feete I endeavoured to stay her and kissed the hemme or skirt of her Vaile and sometimes O too presumptuous dreams me thought I kissed her hand it selfe O to what altitude of glory and felicity doth sleepe raise even the most wretched And how much greater favours did it give me taste of then the mouth which received them dares rehearse it being so close shut as if thereby silence had beene imposed upon it and indeed I onely discoursed thereof to my thoughts Oh Heavenly contentments said I are you counterfeit or reall But how counterfeit because so sensible and how reall being onely in a dreame If I would complaine of them or give my vowes and thankes for them to whom should I addresse my selfe to Slumber or to Diana or to both at once The one shutteth mine eyes the other seales up my lippes and with a pleasing violence contrary to it selfe steales my soule from me and yet permits it not to issue Oh goddesse if thou art so favourable to me as that thou assistest and art really present in this sweete Mystery wherefore dost thou make use of the opportunity of slumber Or if thou be not present or bearest no part herein wherefore then dost thou suffer sleep to abuse thine Image for my sake Oh but perchance thou causest the charmes thereof to accompany thine that being thus tempered and the moderation of the one quallifying the force of the other my life may be preserved Is this then the way which the goddesses take to communicate most familiarly with Mortals And are their greater favours of such disproportion with our sences that they must be entranced before they can participate of them or in a manner halfe dead to prevent a full dying It is to me indeed a favourable foreseeing and diverting of what might thence befall me for I doe verily perswade my selfe that if thou when thou daignest to make me thus happy shouldest not take me in my sleepe thou wouldst inflict more than a thousand deaths upon me by an excesse of contentment and so be as many times troubled to restore me my life as thou hadst before deprived me of it Thus Pyzander I knew by day that I was a Man although the night rendred me equall to the gods Pardon me Diana if by chance I discourse freely that which I am not obliged by any Law to conceale The wise man sayes Pyzander conceales the greatest part of his thoughts but what rule of Wisdome tyes us to keepe secret our Dreames Every man takes the liberty to speake of them to whom he pleaseth and forbids not his curiosity to consult with any Interpreters thereby to discover and obtaine according to their feares or desires some light from their obscurity or some certainty from their ambiguity and besides no man can be censured for the follies or vanities of Dreames since to them all manner of liberty and freedome is allowed There is no man Pyzander sayes Endymion but in his sleepe doth sometimes see certaine obscure and cloudy representations of such things as most content and delight the minde being awake but to have as I had every Night continuall visions of Diana to see so cleare mine eyes being closed and so sensibly to enjoy my whole sences being charmed such pleasures as exceed any mention I am able to make of them is a secret which I cannot comprehend The end of the First Booke ENDYMION The Second Booke AWhile after not enduring to feed longer on vaine images or representations how delightfull soever at so great a distance I impatiently longed once more to see on Earth her whom I only beheld in Heaven Wherein albeit a Goddesse and a very favourable one yet to me she seemed tedious and of too slow and small a resolution I durst promise my selfe that she who in respect to the diligence and care I had taken to keepe me in her presence had beene moved to wish so well to me would bee yet more induced thereunto by my words if I might but speak to her And that I might lose no opportunity I frequented for her sake Hunting and Fishing in both which pastimes I knew she as Mistresse of those Exercises tooke especiall delight But all that was in vaine for whilst I went to seeke her in the most desart places about Meander shee was perchance on the Banke of Eurotus or Peneus or else coursing some Lion in Getulia or some Hart in Creta or Tiger in Armenia For there are so many Rivers Forrests and Mountaines more delightfull than those of Caria so many by-waies and turnings and so many Courriers and travailers that
she takes care of as indeed it had beene a wonder for me to have encountred her At last not knowing more what to doe or with whom to consult I called to mind Ismen with whom I had a very familiar acquaintance Thou knowest the esteeme she deserves above all other women and the great judgment and insight she hath both in divine and humane things Apollo himselfe exceeds her not in the knowledge of the power and vertue of Hearbs and the Moone will sooner for her sake come downe from Heaven than for any other Indeed saies Pyzander it is held that she is able to compasse whatsoever shee will undertake and that Thessalia never had her equall I resolving one day to goe see her saies Endymion and to use my uttermost endeavours to charme the most charming of Women did thus accost her Oh blessed Ismena sole honour of thy Sexe and thou whose manners and vertues are such as yeeld no place to the Goddesses themselves What praises shall I spare to set forth thy glory and what a high obligation of duty shall I be bound to thee in if thou wilt befriend me so farre as to free me from the torment and affliction wherewith I am at present enveloped for whosoever distressed in body or minde labours for the honour of seeing thee finds thee presently favourable Thine encounter is a good presage unto all and whither so ever thou goest thou art more desired than present but as thou hast power of doing that good which none can ever be able to requite by any equall retribution so must it necessarily follow that thou findest the recompence thereof in the glory that thou duely gainest thereby Besides what can all mine endeavours adde to the felicity of her who needs not the helpe of any Mortall and to whom her owne vertue is a sufficient supply of whatsoever she hath use of who with an equall power disposeth both of gods and men and can at her owne discretion alter the course of Nature and Destiny If thou wilt in all things exactly imitate the Example of the gods thou knowest it is the hurt they have power to doe which makes them feared but it is their clemency and good deeds which chiefly make them adored and all power is fruitlesse that being implored assists not My supplication and suite is not of such a difficult nature as that ever the Night should thereby be made to surprise men at noone-day or the force of Charmes hinder the course or brightnesse of the Starres The Rivers shall never for my sake run backwards to their sources nor their waves swell in a calme The Husband-mans graine shal not be thereby transported from one field into another to beguile his hopes at Harvest and the Hils or Woods shall not change their scituation or owners Neither doe I petition thee to disquiet the contentment of the living or repose of the dead nor yet that the Ghosts should arise and answer thee and farre lesse that thou shouldst by any charming or sinister potions create or extinguish any affection No I know thou never doest abuse thy skill and for that cause it is that the gods love thee and give thee a daily increase thereof rendring thee equall to themselves But yet I will tell thee freely that I have beene of late moved by a just occasion to a continuall visiting of the most remote and solitarie places of the banke of Rivers Plaines Woods and Mountaines to find if it be possible an opportunity of seeing the Goddesse Diana who hath heretofore obliged me with so great a liberality both of her presence and promises Wherein first I will presume to crave thy advice and then afterwards some effect of thy power and assistance She having awhile silently considered with her selfe lifted up her eyes which were before fixed on the Earth and answered mee thus I should thinke my selfe infinitely happy Endymion in finding any occasion wherein I could be able to serve thee which as I have devoutly wished for so I will not spare to seeke it even amidst the greatest difficulties I confesse there is nothing so hard but may by Art and Discretion be compassed for not onely the Goddesse thou desirest to see whether thou suest unto her as to the Moone Diana or Hecatea but even both the Jupiters and all the gods must at length give place to the power of Charmes The most speciall and important thing now is that care be employed in making a right use of it lest the abuse bring inseparable revenge with it Hast thou never heard that Nemesis the punisher of offences otherwise called Andrastea because shee is inevitable hath her Throne placed upon the Moone according to the representation the Egyptians have made of her that she may thence the more perfectly take a view of the actions of men and punish such as are audacious and rash Knowest thou not also thot others figure her with a Scourge in that hand on which side Hope is seated to the end that none should thinke to escape with impunity if they aspire to such things as are not fit for them to desire If therefore thou instead of bringing downe the Moone wouldst not draw on thy head the anger of Heaven bee carefull that thou call her not but on good and just grounds and with the opportunity of a perfect silence and that when all things even to the very leaves of the Trees be at rest for if the least noyse surprize her before she have set foote on the ground she will presently before thy face returne up to the Heavens with greater speede than shee came downe The gods Endymion with difficulty and much labour are moved to come to men but doe returne with great and easie haste as having alwayes more cause to be averse than favourable to them and the least inconvenience or hindrance is of force to distemper and give interruption to the greatest miseries Especially this one requireth so much observance and dexterity that it must be stolne from the eyes of all the gods and Men and although a generall slumber should seize both the one and the other yet we are taught both by necessity and providence that Jupiter himselfe and hee onely never sleepes If the favour of Heaven towards us Ismena said I be so small perchance that of the earth may be greater And since this goddesse doth equally divide her care and presence to the one and the other if we can encounter her in the Mountaines or Forrests what need have wee to seeke more difficult meanes and with so much danger of losing it to prevent the opportunity which of it selfe may follow us Indeede saies she that is the other meane I intended to tell thee of which also wants not its obstacles or difficulties For although we may sometimes find her in Ionia it selfe or some other part of Greece sometimes in the Woods of Merathon or Erymanthus other whiles on the tops of Hymettus Cytheron Othrys or Pindus yet we
next care was to informe themselves of me and of mine offence and to bring me backe to the place where they found me where indeed I could not see the branch I had out but the place of it was all covered with blood which issued from the Myrtle in great abundance Then they cryed out to me O thou sacrilegious wretch who brought thee into this Countrie or what hast thou to doe amongst us thus to draw hither the wrath and vengeance of the gods and specially that of the Goddesse our Protectresse what Euphrates or Thetis will ever suffice to wash away thy crime Presently upon this we perceived the boughs begin to tremble and from the curled top we heard a dolefull voice mixed with such sighs and sobs as moved us to compassion and sorrow which in a confused and ill-pronounced tone pronounced this lamentation under the Barke O wretched man thou that disturbest the repose of the soules whose new being should free them for ever from humane passions or the injuries of Fortune was there any suffering behind which I endured not in my life but was reserved for me to receive at thy hands Know therefore that both thy paines and thine errours are vaine and thou doest herein onely abuse hope and resist the decrees of Heaven Whosoever hath at any time observed a poore Prisoner pale and confounded with the apprehensions of the fatall Sentence of his Death may ghesse the estate whereinto this prodigious Spectacle had reduced me as well in regard these words deprived me of all hope of the contentment I so long and with so much paine and suffering had sought as for that I was in the hands and mercy of these Barbarians This puts me in minde of the Dodonean Forrest sayes Pyzander the so famous residence of the Oracle of Jupiter Chaonian where the Trees give answer Indeed answers Endymion it was also in my thought and I seemed amongst the South-saying Oakes esteeming my Disaster no lesse assured than if the Doves of Chaonia had uttered it But this is not all Pyzander for as they were doubtfully muttering amongst themselves sometimes saying it was the voice and ghost of the last deceased Priest another while that it was one of Diana's Nymphs Heaven permitted them for clearing their doubts and putting them out of trouble to heare these words What gods and men have thus wronged Diophania who under this tough Barke and the protection of so great a Goddesse is yet thus exposed to their violence and out-rage This was all we could comprehend of her Lamentation for here voice failing by degrees turned it selfe into an uncouth mourning and at length insensibly vanished Le. Gaultier incidit There is not any one of you but knowes what was the beauty of Diophania the onely jealousie of Stenobia the Priests Neece or what was her birth her fortune the cruelty and brutishnesse of her Father or the constant and violent suit of Amphidamas but for ought I see you knew not of the love of Hermodan it was the name Pyzander of this poore lover who as I have beene informed was borne of an Amazone having beene in his infancy adopted by a certaine man of inferiour quality whose house was neare unto that of Lycaspis father of Diophania Al these things have produced the strange effects whereof I am now going to give you account You cannot but know saies he that Diophania from her tender youth frequented usually the fields amongst her Fathers flocks and that by a certaine priviledge of Neighbour-hood Hermodan conducted his to the same Pastures and so passing their yonger yeares in pastimes and exercises sutable to that their age of Child-hood they were so accustomed to be together that the one could not live without the other But at length they began to grow and Diophania's beauty tooke an equall encrease with her age and growth and howbeit it became of force to captivate the rudest courage and tame the most rebellious opposition yet she no whit perceived its force or the power of the Charmes of it and which Hermodan beheld on the other side with so much innocence that neither the gods nor men no nor his owne Conscience was able to accuse any one of his thoughts of the least crime And whether the continuall seeing her made her seeme to him lesse rare and wonderfull or whether innocency it selfe carry with it some kinde of insensiblenesse hee had not so soone knowne she was beautifull if he had not so often heard it divulged by a generall consent and report But love without whose aide our sences would remaine in a manner uselesse and indeed voyde of sence layes before him so many allurements that howbeit hee be blinde he quickly made the other understand what use he was to make of his eyes but yet not so perfectly as that he knew yet what was the force or manner of a looke that pierces the breast or was skilfull enough wittingly to inflict on Diophania the least part of the great torment he innocently made her suffer He contents himselfe with the contemplation of her and by his eyes from her lookes to receive the flame which secretly and unknowne to him slidingly creepes into his heart he is so farre from labouring to oppose the violence of an enemy he knowes not or from going about to master that which perchance in the beginning was not untameable that hee not onely not resists it but on the contrary seemes to do every thing that conduces to strengthen it for he immediately suffers himselfe to be lead captive as a triumph to this secret Conqueror and as if hee tooke delight in betraying himselfe he aspires not so much as to the glory of having made the least defence In the meane time he takes pleasure in nothing but in his torment and what before was wont to divert and ease him becomes now too importune and afflict him By night he longs for the day whose light neverthelesse affords him no more contentment than darknesse except it by chance shew him his beloved whom when he sees he is no lesse distempered than before He knowes not what to resolve on and becomes so much changed from what he was that Diophania at length perceiving it thinkes her selfe engaged by her friendship to demand the cause of this so suddaine alteration which she once tryed but got no satisfaction therein in regard Hermodan who felt more than hee was able to expresse and who besides was no lesse troubled to dissemble and maske his griefe than to utter it would have wisht she could have understood it by his eyes or at least would have contented her selfe with the best language her mouth was able to produce on this subject which were his fighes At last she still more and more urging him the necessity of answering made him trample both upon feare and shame which endeavoured to impose everlasting silence upon him Since saies he Diophania it is thy absolute decree that I declare my griefe unto thee if
hand where with thou maist cut downe all things that hinders thee and make thine owne way through the thickest forrests This gift was infinitely gratefull to the Goddesse the more because it was neatly made light and fit for her hand but through a mischance she had no sooner taken it but going to feele the edge of it with the thumbe of her left hand she could not so gently touch it by reason of the sharpe and subtile edge of it but that she cut her finger that some drops of blood followed which he perceiving said Alas Goddesse I gave it thee not for that use I beleeve it well said shee but since it is so greedy of blood I will for thy sake have it employed in the most pleasing and acceptable Sacrifice that ever was made to me herewith said Ismene she gave it me with command to bring it hither and present it as I have done to the mayden that serves at the Altar Doubt not then to obey the message of the Goddesse and then you shall perceive that obedience joyned with sacrifice is of force even to draw the Gods from Heaven for you shall presently see her come downe if ye be not blinded to gratifie with a gracious acceptance the Oblation you offer her of this yong man She had no sooner said this but there was presently heard a confused murmur of different voyces through the whole assembly the greater part whereof were rejoyced at this alteration as supposed it tended to my delivery but seeing me appoynted for death they re-entred into their former fashion of pitty and compassion Now I leave thee to judge whether I were a little amazed or no to see her from whom onely I was to expect life and delivery carrying the Knife wherewith I was to be killed Then said Timetes with a loud voyce O ye people of Albania lift up your eyes and hearts to Heaven and give thankes to the Goddesse who this day is so carefull of you your Sacrifices And then turning towards me said Endymion whether thou hast beene chosen for the offence thou hast committed or for the generosity that is in thee thou thy selfe plainly seest what confirmation the Goddesse gives to the election we have made of thee It is thy part now to carry thy selfe with such resolution as that we may have no cause to repent us of having offered thee nor the Goddesse of having desired thee I whom the feare of death touched farre lesse than the offence and suspition I had conceived of Stenobeas change as in those extreames the least signe of disloyalty we discover in those who have professed love to us is farre more irksome to us than whatsoever else can crosse us I could not containe my selfe from speaking thus to him Diddest thou not observe said I Timetes that the Goddesse gave expresse command that the Knife should be given to the Virgin that served at the Altar wherefore then dost thou take it out of her hand and hinder her from killing me who of her selfe hath more desire to doe it than thou hast and who appeares so resolute She will doubtlesse acquit her selfe better than thee and the Sacrifice will thereby be much bettered This is not carryed as thou imaginest saies Timetes neither is it the intention of the Goddesse or our custome The stroke must be given Endimon by that person who of all the assembly either doth or should love thee best Ah me said I then it must not be done by Stenobea But she beholding me with the eye of innocence and amazement was mightily surprized at my uttering of these words and her receiving unjustly so great an injury from one whom she had alwayes so highly oblieged and to receive it in such a manner as that the opportunity of justifying her selfe was for ever taken away by my going to death with this opinion which so vively touched her heart that I did more and more perceive in her the extreame griefe she had hereupon contracted which also made her retire behind Timetes whether it were that she would not see me any more or that she desired to cover the alteration which appeared in her looke In the meane time Timetes perceiving that there was nothing wanting but my death to the accomplishment of the sacrifice lifting up his hand wherewith he held the Knife said to me Now is the time Endymion wherein thou must give a notable proofe of that excellent nature which hath beene cause thou hast beene chosen by the gods He had no sooner uttered these words but that suddainly there arose a great murmuring amongst the people that were behind him chiefly amongst the Damosells who were about Stenobea some of which hastened to receive her in their armes seeing her falling downe either dead or in a swone griefe despight and choler all at once seized her and in such a furious and violent manner suffocated her spirits that she became suddainly unable either to speake or breath What sacrifice have we here saies poore Timetes who was utterly lost and desperate Doe the Gods on a suddaine require two in stead of one Endymion for the Moone and perchance Stenobea for the Sunne Why then am not I wretched and miserable man as acceptable to Iupiter to the end that every one of our Gods may have a particular Oblation What became of me Pyzander at the sight of this dying beauty when I discerned the flower and ornament of the whole assembly lying on the ground Woe is me Stenobea said I art thou then indeed so sensible of mine unjust calumnies and am I so little touched with thy good offices Although I have not had just cause to beleeve thy mutability yet I have at least had ground for my suspition of it But in vaine doe I confesse a fault whereof I demand no pardon I just now desired death at thy Hands and have since given it thee How shall I alone be able to suffice to the expiation of so many crimes Alas I have neede to have two lives the one to offer for Diana the other to powre out for Stenobea O Stenobea thou teachest me to dye and I long to follow thee and my spirit in these vaine lamentations loses the opportunity of accompanying thine Then I became incensed against my selfe and mine owne Fate and being growne wholly weary and impatient of life I thrice called upon Timetes but he heard me not being on the other side as busie in the incessant calling upon her as his daughter who indeed was onely his Neece and who by what name soever hee called her was not able to make him any manner of answer At length having by continuall pulling him by the garment gotten him to turne towards me Wherefore said I dost thou lose any more time about her on whom thou gainest nothing or what can thy care adde to her life or contentment Dost not thou know that it is unlawfull to interrupt the sacrifices of the gods for vaine and unprofitable respects