the comfortable day O let those eyes which are so much the fayrer by how much my torment is made greater by them to pittie the anguish I haue got by gazing on them Melidora with a blushing countenance whose rosie colour gaue a signe of heauenly anger eyeing the Shepheard with an appauling Maiestie demaunded of him if hee were not that Thirsis who comming but lately into these walks had made those curious hookes and baites with which her-selfe and the other Nymphes had so oft taken so manie fish He made her answere it was hee shee demaunded againe if it were not he that had made the curious Nets wherewith himselfe and the Shepheards had taken so manie birdes hee made her answere it was hee why then said Melidora Shepheard farewell I will no longer stay with thee lest I bee likewise taken by thee but hee staying her againe said Excellent Ladie how can you be made captiue by your prisoner or howe can your subiect alter anye of your determinations alas most excellent creature you know my seruice hath attended you in the woods in the Medowes on the Mountains at the springs at the riuers by day by night I at euery silent time and yet hath my thoughts bin pure without the staine of villanie I saide Melidora but when yong desires begin to sting and bee inflamed you giue me cause to fear the effects of frenzie I hope said Thirsis by that to purchase my glorie when you beholding mine anguish shall admire my patience O but you may forget your selfe said Melidora I le near forget said Thirsis to doe that which shal cōtent you I le neare attempt that which in my knowledge shal offend you I take you at your worde saide Melidora henceforth I charge you that you forget to loue me for there is nothing in the world can bring my minde better contentment againe I charge you that you tarrie no longer in my presence for nothing in the worlde is more offensiue vnto me Madam saide Thirsis both your commaunds are extreame yet to the first I must needs make answere I can neuer forget to loue you because all my thoughtes doe and must euer so doe liue in you Why said Melidora will you loue mee in despight of me O no said Thirsis not in despight though I cannot retyre Well said Melidora if thy disposition be as full of curtesie as thy words are of care auoyde from mee or let me goe from thee I hope said Thirsis that Time who is the worlds conquerour will eyther conquer you or consume me I humbly take my leaue And with that rising from the ground in such an heauie perplexitie that sorrow was neuer to bee seene in a more sorrowfull taking he departed from her and went not respecting where or whither onely desirous to hide his heade in some dark Caue where none but Miserie and he might liue togither Siluagio that sawe him thus depart like a condemned man and was a witnesse of the heauie sentence that shee his cruel Iudge had pronounced wondring that infernall furie should be found in a heauenly bodie and cursing nature that had placed a flintie heart in a silken Cabinet followed his friend with infinite pensiuenesse as well to preuent the aduauntage Dispaire might take of griefe as to fortifie that wounded hope which now was euen at his last breathing But Melidora all-be the excellēcie of her owne disposition could haue affoorded a more milder repulse yet at this time her mind being caried away with such an earnest affection as may well be comprehended within the title of loue would not suffer her tongue to deliuer any other satisfaction And this was the reason There is a gallant yong Shepheard who some three yeares agone hauing seated himselfe in Tempe hath lyued there with much happinesse more admiration but most loue his beautie inticing his good disposition confirming and his vertue binding vnto him all those with whom at any time he conuersed His rurall profession was beautified with a Cittie-gouernment his homely attyre had a courtly fashion and his plainest discourses were interlyned with wittie and morrall constructions his words were queint his behauiour ciuill and his desires lofty insomuch that he was called the courtly shepheard or the noble Pastor exceeding all his fellowe-Shepheards excepting onely the most rare Thirsis whom he could exceede in nothing but in the blisse of affection This worthie Swaine had long time before Thirsis came into these parts with his noble deseignes which promised more then could be comprehended in a countrey fortune had so won the heart of the excellent Princesse Melidora that shee did not disdaine to call him her seruant and with many graces did so adorne his blisfulnesse that his loftie fortunes might well contend with any Monarchs greatnesse in-so-much that loue who had euer liued prisoner in her eyes began to dart his beames into the Shepheards heart and with a wanton recoyling to looke nowe and then downe into her bosome making his dayly seruice the witnesse of his assured loue and her Fauour an Herauld to pronounce that by possibilitie shee might loue Nowe it happened that this day beeing the great Sabboth of Diana the Princesse had promised her Shepheard Diatassan for so was he named after the Rites and Ceremonies were finished to meete him in a most pleasant Arbor seated in a delicate groaue dedicated to the Goddesse Chloris to which none but her selfe onely had priuate accesse there to discourse vnto him the order the pompe and the manner of the Ceremonies which were due to the greate Goddesse and to that ende she was walkt foorth as before I haue rehearsed and beeing nowe entred into the Arbor finding her Shepheard not come taking vp a Lute which lay ypon a bed of flowers hard by to whose sweete sound coupling her more sweeter voyce she sang this Sonnet I Doe not now complaine of my disgrace O cruell Loue O loue too cruell crost Nor of the hower season time nor place Nor of my foyle for any freedome lost Nor of my minde by my misfortune daunted Nor of my wit with ouer-weening strooke Nor of my sense by any sound inchaunted Nor for the force of fierie poynted looke Nor of the steele that stickes within my wound Nor of my thoughts by worser thoughts displac'd Nor of the life I labour to cofound But I complaine that being thus disgrac'd Fierd feard fettred shot through slaine My death is such as I dare not complaine She had scarce made an ende of her song before the courtly Shepheard Diatassan entred into the groaue blushing to see his absence condemned of all negligent errors by her presence humbly besought her Maiestie to pardon his slow-footed attendāce alledging the care of his folde the feare of suspect and many other prettie excuses but aboue all he alledged the losse of a most dainty lambe which he had most curiously brought vp and wherewith Melidora was much delighted to play saying that morning the cruel wolfe had
vnto Thirsis and his vertues called him now foorth to seeke some cure for his friends maladie where-vpon ranging vp and downe through euerie Desart by path and vnfrequented harbour he might at last beholde the most pensiue Shepheard lying vnder the protection of an olde withered Oake whose aged armes being the witnesses of his intollerable woes seemed to be more olde through his lamentings which lamentings made euen the ayre in teares to lament for companie After Siluagio had well vndertaken the sight of the sad Shepheard his eies commaunding his feete to stay least the sodainnesse of his approach might bee stayned with an vnfriendly welcome yet with great priuacie drawing so neare that his eares might be copartners of the wordes which the louing Shepheard deliuered after some little pawse hee might heare him vnto his Pype sing this Sonnet following IN vaine my wittes you labour to excuse The vgly torments of my care-slaine minde Alledging Reasons Reason to abuse Sence made by loue a slaue by passion blinde O wit that dost to appite appeare Like Princes flatterers smooth and delicate Keeping an open passage to that eare Whereto thy Mermaids songs are dedicate Delude me now no more but let me see The naked Image of my forlorne thought Shew me the great woes in my loue which be And those much greater my dispaire hath wrought Nay shew me that which of woes greatest is My follies fault to loue and sure to misse After he had sung this song throwing himselfe vpon the ground and folding his armes one within another he began to complaine in this maner Miserable forlorne and deiected that I am howe oft hath the crie of my complaints and the sad sorrowe of my speech compelled the hard rockes the senselesse trees and the humble shrubbes to a shiuering pittie and how oft alas hast thou my Pype intyced the Valleys Medowes and running Springs with a siluer Eccho to replie vnto my sad sighing and in a murmuring fashion to beare the burden of my lamentation But sith I finde thou hast no power to breath pitty nor sweetnes which may stir coÌ„passion in that most excellent brest whose divine resolutions holds the determination of my life euen as my hart breaks break my Pipe with that breaking his Pipe into as many peeces as his heart was mangled with many tormeÌ„ts he fel into a swouÌ„d which perceiued by Siluagio to whom friendship presented the cause of pittie and pittie the effect of speedie assistance he ranne vnto the Shepheard and folding him in his â—â—â—es after life had got a little vpper hande of passion he spake thus vnto him What meanes my Thirsis these confounding agonies which rather makes thee trouble these fayre springes with the deluge of thy teares then giue comfort to the Skie by thy diuine melodie But Thirsis casting his countenance vpon Siluagio yet such a countenance as rather commanded Pittie to suffer then Wisdome to chide the errour of his passion saide vnto him Ha Siluagio Siluagio I am eueÌ„ like vnto my Pipe whose tune is answerable to the fingers touch when it strikes it for if the touch be smooth soft the hermony is pleasant if rude and rough it iarres distasteth the hearers and so of my selfe My songs are lamentations touched with the bitternesse of sorrows fingers O but yet said Siluagio let me coniure thee first by our loues which euen Sauadges haue accounted an honorable friendship next by the pleasures of our former meetings when with the eagernes of our desires we haue atteÌ„ded the Nimphs in their chasings and lastly for the Muses sakes who as true Mystresses of Memorie inrich thee with those conceites which shall out-liue all remembrances that thou wilt vouchsafe to discharge thy sorowes into my bosom wherin if my counsell cannot amend yet shall not mine endeuours end til I endeuour to end thy misfortune Hee grieues not Siluagio said Thirsis that can tell howe much hee grieueth for heauie cares sit heauye on the soule they be but light shadowes which leape from the tongues vttererance yet if it please thee to sit downe and leane against this tree I will bee content to disclose what to these woodes this banke these bushes yond streames and these Birds I haue long since disclosed onely to no Shepheard it is reuealed and yet me thinkes sith I feele my death so neere t were fitter to conceale my folly and onely graue it in some tender barke by which my bodie shall bee interred that when the Goddesse shall passe by for whose sake I consumed she may tryumphing say Loe heere lyes the victory of mine eyes and my beauties conquest But Siluagio impatient to bee delayed beganne againe to importune him with such vnresistable perswasions that thus in the end Thirsis began to deliuer his fortunes At such time Siluagio as euery Budde began to make his tender leafe appeare vppon the earth and that euery wooddy Querrister skipping from bough to bough chaunted fayre welcomes to the Springes first comming my selfe lying vnder the shadowe of a pretty bush tuning my Pype to the delicacye of their sweete notes made in my conceite so harmonious a consort betwixt Arte and Nature that the poore fooles in their contentment seemed to play and daunce about me In the midst of this sportiue merryment like a nimble Roe came the fayre Milidora tripping by her hayre in most louely quantity hanging about her shoulders which the windes being in loue withal most sweetely kissing not rudely stirring seemed in their gentile motion to quiuer like the Aspen leaues as I perceiued shee came for counsaile to a holy Fountaine hard by to tye them all vp againe in a well ordered proportion which doone she cast a vaile of siluer ouer the rich Mine of that golden treasure and bordering that vaile with a Corronet of all the flowers that euer Mother-nature could boast of for eyther smell or colour shee seemed in mine eye much brauer and more sumptuously adorned then eyther Iunoes Byrde or the statue of Venus O how me thought the Sunne did stoppe stand still admyre and gazing seemed euer desirous to gaze vppon her the stately Trees bow'd their tall heades to honour her that gaue an honour both to the heauenly and earthly mansion her beautye me thought was the spring time to our Fieldes the comforte to our Flockes and the onely foode to the soules of men liuing But whilst in the gloriousnesse of this eternall glory shee trac'd about the banke of the fountaine viewing her face in the christall water mee thought I sawe a blush like lightning breake from the skye of her countenance and she smil'd to see how the beautye of her face staynd all the other beautyes with which she was adorned whereby she appear'd to say thus within her selfe Alas I sticke not these flowers about me to adorne my beauty but to disgrace their owne glories when euery creature shall beholde how exceedingly I exceede them But see alas Siluagio whilst thus my labouring imagination
the end imagining her eye did chide his eye for his ouer curyous wōder turning his face away he thus said vnto himself O Gods whilst Disdaine Rigor drew blacke cloudes of dispayre betwixt the Princesse and mine affection how mee thinkes the Sunne hath dissolu'd them and made my Starre shine fayre vppon my misseyre alas it may bee it is done but to this ende that when I shall draw neare vnto the heauenly fire of her beautie I may there consuming ende my dayes with felicitie how euer euen as the bird that is intangled in the snare of the fouler doth at the last gaspe take delight to heare that sound which brought her to imprisonment so doe her lookes which brought this bitter anguish to my heart not onely refresh my senses in their dispairefull extremities but comforteth my soule when she is readie to take her flight from my dying bodie And whilst he was thus talking in himselfe the Princesse O that so faire should haue so foule a fault founde in them without thankes without acknowledgement or without leaue-taking departed from his presence not so much fearing the daunger shee had so lately escaped as desirous to auoid his presence whom sith shee could not affect she could not acknowledge any bonde wherein she stood indebted which when the wofull Shepheard by his turning about perceiued although he inquired of the Nymph Ethera who then was as gratefull as the Princesse was cruell whither the Goddesse of his fortunes was departed hee coulde not chuse but let the verie thought of her vnkindnesse strike him to the soule with such intollerable agonies that although his sighes his sobs his teares his broken heart and his groaning spirit were testimonies sufficient of her too much ingratitude yet euen striuing with life he made his tongue deliuer these dolours And is she gone said he is there no curtesie no speech no fauour no thankes O you immortall Gods and thou great Nature that of nothing haue made this vniuersall habitation how negligent haue you beene in the framing of her most delicate composure placing in her all the diuine graces that can outwardly imbellish and adorne the most excellentest substance that euer was created and leauing the sacred intellectuall parts of her vnderstanding soule where Pittie that is onely proper to her sexe should holde his continuall residence vtterly neglected abandoned and forsaken but alas alas it is not your omission but my miserie not her want of pittie but my pouertie in desert I am vnfortunate alas I am most miserable which sith mine ouerburdned heart can no longer vndergoe to ease it and please her thus finish my dayes And euen as he was thus speaking hee ranne his head with all the strength and power of his bodie so furiously against that tree from which Melidora was but euen a little before loosed that all be the hande of some supernall power who no doubt in that hower reserued him for farre greater happinesse did compell the blowe not to take that wished effect the wofull Shepheard desired which was vtterly to haue finished loue and life in a moment yet had it so great efficacie that it strake him backewarde stone deade to all imaginations Ethera beholding this bloodie tragidie being as full of pittie as the Shepheard was of dispaire she ran vnto him and laying his heade vppon her lappe after shee had wiped his wound and couered it with part of her silken garments with long chaffing and rubbing him shee at last brought him againe to life which was no sooner reuiued but accompanied with his seruant Memorie the Shepheard lifting vp his heauie tyes and looking vpon the busie Nymph he said Alas Ethera haue I not paine inough but that thou also wilt giue newe life to my passions thou art vnkinde alas thou art vnkinde and here plucking out his knife he offred a second assault vpon his breast which the Nimph withstanding she thus with a friendly chyding beganne to admonish him Fie Thirsis fie said shee thou shalt not thus vnnaturally robbe vs of delight and thy selfe of honour for shame let not one tempest make thee dispaire of the Sommers beautie what foolish sayler will for one storm strike sayle and trust no more to Sea-fortune why man if euerie blast should bring thy sheepe to the folde how shouldst thou profite or they prosper But thou hast indured no tempest no storme no blast it is onely calme silence which hath euer beene constred a consent or acknowledgemēt which by thy mis-interpretation brings thee to this malignitie I imagine her bashfull Nature which without blushing could not deliuer thee the desert of thy merite by her dumbe departure hath left thee to suppose shee thought as much or more then thine owne will would haue desyred and as shee was thus expostulating with the wounded Shepheard a graue Swaine well stricken in yeares whose name was Opicus hauing amongst the rest of the Forresters and Shepheards met with the Princesse and heard of her aduenture past leauing his fellowes to attende her to her Lodge hee came to the place where Thirsis lay whom for the excellent vertues hee had euer behelde in him hee loued most intyrely whome assoone as Ethera beheld she called him vnto her and shewing him the pittifulnesse of his estate and the cause why his estate was so pittifull shee besought him to ioyne with her either in counsell or comfort sith she was perswaded that if his dispaire continued his life could not be of indurance Opicus as full of wisedome as then Thirsis was of discomfort after he had shewed him the vglinesse of his sinne and the vnnaturalnesse of a selfe-combate prouing all pusylanimitie stupiditie and blockishnesse in such a monstrous conflict in as much as the minde forgoeth thereby Hope which is the golden treasure of our vnderstanding firme Trust which is the assured rocke of all mortall safetie and diuine Loue which bindeth together all our ioyes all our desires and all our prospirities Now for this other loue said Opycus which hath little or no communitie with this heauenly loue I mean this loue of beautie O Gods that euer men should bee so sottish as to seeke it through their soules perditions But I will not distast thee Thirsis by chyding thy follyes but rather confirme thee to attaine wisedome I tell thee in this eye-loue there is no impossibilitie but the continuance of our affections nor no maine assurance worthie any certaine despayre but our owne furies for howe euer the tyde runne it falleth as it floweth and this deluge of thy sorrowe Time can make to bee a worker of thy best comfort I tell thee Time brings to passe mightie things of infinite importance euen those vnconquered Beauties which makes a conquest of all the worlds best hearts forcing sense to wonder and soules to Idolatrize shall in the end strike the gallant top-sayles of their glories to the great Maiestie of vncontrolled Time euen that impetious Time who captiues moe subiects with his
better to abridge my dayes Then vrge her more to saue my life O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower How crosse hath heauen beene to my fate Since first I got the vse of breath She that me loues alas I hate She that I loue desires my death O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Cruell Loue why didst thou strike me With a Dart so full of woe If both my euer doe dislike thee Nor my life thou wilt let goe O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower What bootes it thee to see me beare This raging fire in which I burne But that to men it may appeare What fortunes thou canst ouerturne O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Yet if thou ru'st on any smart Rue on my woe that wofull is But thou hast an obdurate hart And stonie minds wants Pitties blisse O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Alas why shouldst thy chast faire sight His glorie gaine by killing me And so against all law and right Win an abusiue victorie O Apheliea thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower Why didst thou giue life to my flame If hope to kill were thy regard What worser chance can crowne thy name Then still to loue and lacke reward O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deathes hower And shall the showers of teares I show Gaine no remorse for all my smart Alas sterne Loue doth answere No For why he dare not touch her hart O Apheleia thy loues power Is my liues date and my deaths hower It is in vaine I am asham'd That thus I seeke cure for my griefe For hearts that are inhumane fram'd Loue woe so well they hate reliefe O Apheleia thy loues power Is Diatassans dying howers The Princesse attentiuely hearing this song but not seeing the singer after her eares had drunke the sounde of her Shepheards name coupled with another as she thought much vnworthie of so hie preheminence as if all such adoration had beene most damnable blasphemies all-bee the sound did not chalenge anie thing from his voyce yet restlesse Iealousie strake such strange fire into her bosome that not able to containe her selfe she came foorth of the Arbour with a more then vsuall haste Anger making the Lillies of her face couer all the Roses But when shee sawe the deceyte and that it was but onelie the Nymph Ethera newe Gilliflowers springing about the Throne of Roses smiling vpon the Nymph she said I am glad my Ethera that thy pleasant free thoughts stirring vp thy siluer voice will giue vs the comfort of thy song beleeue mee I feard thy last affright would haue robbed both from thee and me all taste of solitarie pleasure But I pray thee fayre Nymph tell me what song was this which thou didst euen now so passionately vtter was it of thine owne or of others composing The Nymph Ethera with a downe-cast looke and an humble reuerence teaching her cheekes so artificiall a blush as might verie well deceiue Nature bowing herselfe before the Princesse and first crauing pardon for her bolde presumption in that shee had come so neare the place of her priuate retiring assuring her with many prettie protestations that she was vtterly ignorant of her there aboade in the ende shee tolde the Princesse that for the song which shee had sung it was none of her owne inuention but made by the famous Shepheard Diatassan in honour of the loue hee bare to the faire Nymph Apheleia which she of late hearing had now newly bequeathed to memorie O God! had the Nymph Ethera out of an implacable anger taken a vow vtterly to haue confounded the Princesse or had the Princesse beene the vtter confusion of all the generation from whence the Nymph was descended had the Princesse beene her riuall in affection the barre to her desires or had the Princesse said what no woman can endure to haue saide that shee had not beene faire shee coulde neither haue founde a more readie poyson nor a more sharpe reuenge then the vtterance of these wordes which shee deliuered they were Daggers in the Princesse heart they were woundes in her soule and liuing deathes of dying liues anguish what passion was there with which shee did not communicate what feare what distrust what iealousie what madnesse what amazement and what else that may take vpon it the name of absolute euill But in the ende Reason that could neuer indure that such euils as these should become maisters of his fairest habitation but like Carniuall masquers to haue onely a moments entertainment and no further summoning his best accomplices as Vertue Constancie Consideration and such like beganne to warre agaynst the former with these arguments First she called to minde the vertue of his former life his innocent thoughts his plaine dealing tongue and his vndisembling actions the seueritie of his gouernment giuing no libertie to inconstancie and his honourable imitations being euen assurances of the best goodnesse insomuch that Passion being accompanied with his onely companion easie beliefe and both they attended on by Anger their seruant casting a threatning cloude ouer the chearefull Firmament of her diuine lookes shee thus spake to the Nymph Ethera Well I perceiue than the vse of sinne brings the Euill both to a delight and easinesse in sinne nothing in them augmenting their ripenesse more then the warmth of their owne wickednesse of this hath thine immodestie giuen mee a double experience thy first vnchast perswasions being now seconded with a most shamefull slaunder lightnesse and impudencie striuing how to create murther O Ethera thou art doublie vnkinde vnkind to vertue the shadow of whose countenance hath brought thee to much honour but most vnkinde to truth whom thou seekest to kill with a false witnesse be thy folly therfore thy scourge and both my hate and refusals of thy counsels profes of that detestation wherein I holde thee hencefoorth I charge thee neither to frequent these walkes nor acknowledge my memorie but liuing an eternall exile complaine to the worlde what woes falshoode and shame haue brought vpon thee Alas poore Diatassan the vertue hath begot thee infinite enuie and thine imaginarie happinesse seekes to inrich thee with most cottaine mischiefe but thy goodnesse hath taken such well grounded roote in mine vnderstanding that nothing shall draw from thee the blisse of my good opinion liue but as happie as thou art constant and euen Angels shall finde want in thine vnbounded prospetiue And as she spake these words tears rising in her eyes as it were to make a question in the worlde which were the more purer Diamonds she offered to depart But the Nymph after the custome of disgrast Tragedians whose first act is entertained with a snakie salutation falling vpon her knees and staying her by her garments with all the humilitie that either Art
found an end in our speaches the gods forbidde O Cinthia Cinthia our Fieldes Garland our Winters spring our Sommets shade our Haruests fruit and the liuing cause of all Creatures happy liuings be thine eyes the witnesses of our vowes and our owne deedes the test monies of our faithes be thine admiration as great as our loues for our loues shal be as boundles as the infinite world of thy perfections Continue the miracle of time as thou art the wonder amōgst women that when Enuy after this day shall boast Queene Hellen of Corinth was vertue yet thy vertue succeeding all ages may still ingraft in remembrance an induring and vnblotted excellence Heere an extreame violence to speake much in the praises of deuine Cinthia whom with equall ardor they both most sincerely adored ouer came the power of much speaking and with dumbe Oratorie conuerted his language to dumbnesse whilst Carino thus replied What needes my Credulo said he this inditement against the hope of our contentment whose desperate resolution long since hath pleaded guiltie before the greatest iudge of our Fortunes To reckon our cares were to number the starres to measure our loues were to make a circle greater then the greatest either is or can bee and to vnlade our affectionate desires were by spoonfulls to conuay the Sea into some contrary Channell what they are we feele and when they shall determine the all-seeing all-thinges only hath knowledge as easie can the Sunne be remooued from his diurnall passage as our thoughts from her remembrance or our hearts from the loue of her vertues Haue not we succeeded both in our loues and admirations the truely louing Strephon and Claius whose induring constancies forlorne indurances heaued their Vrania beyond the degree of superlatiue And is there likelyhood we will either seeke the abridgement of our woes which is the badge of our sufferance or the end of our loue which is the heauen of our cogitations no no my Credulo it was Vertue that brought foorth wonder wonder knowledge knowledge loue and loue the eternitie of our neuer to be slaine affection Be then the world by vs fil'd full of the praises of deuine Cinthia and euery Mothers child taught to adore the Starre can lead to so heauenly perfections But whether are we carried with the force of her remembrance and the violence of our owne duties arose wee thus early for this came we to complaine to the Ocean for this wette we our vn-dride cheekes with new teares for this or are our moanes sencelesse to all be moanings but this only Indeed as euery place is for ornamēt beholding to this subiect so is this subiect indebted to euery place for a gratefull relenting and inticing acceptance But we came as I remember to remember that being the Vassails bōdslaues to Beauty we owe some rent of greife to the ouerthrow of a rare Beauty Ah Hellen faire Hellen vnhappily happy in thy fairenes who hauing al the possible meanes of alluremēts in thy perfections findest nothing but impossibillities in attaining the meanest of thy wishes thou art vnhappy thou art vnhappy And as he would haue further pursued the agony of his passion which euen then Credulo was ready to secōd with an hoste of most bleeding arguments they were both interrupted with an extraordinary noise full of terror amazement which to the first apprehension they imagined to be a peale of Thunder running post before the violence of an insuing storme But more consideratly beholding the marble cleernes of the well disposed skye and attentiuely hearing the continuance of the former rumor they found the error of that conceit wherevpon comparing with the suruay of their eyes cast vppon euery adioyned obiect the hollownes of the sound and hard distinguishment of the clamors both which gaue testimonie of a farre cōming exclamation they cast their sightes to the Sea-ward euen so farre as the deuision of the ayre would giue limitte to their seeing and at the furthest end of that prospect they might perceiue like a small duskie cloud rising from the water which by little and little creeping more neere the leuel of their iudgements they saw increase both in quantitie affright to their eyes vnaccustomed to such spectacles for as if Ioue and Neptune had bene in combat for their birth-rightes either striuing with the predominant qualities of his kingdome to annoy each others habitation so might one see through the clouds-thicknes flames of fire dauncing vpon the waters and immediatly mountaines of water rise vp to sporte with those fires there was to be seene by the eye of imagination a combate without weapons yet many times weapons and no combate a feare with-out danger yet more danger then feare could comprehend at last what with the helpe of the windes which comming from the Sea-ward blew directly with a recoyling force against the shoare they might plainly discerne a Galley a Gallioon like an Eliphant and a Serpent grapled together in an austere and reuengefull contention the fury of the fight augmenting with the continuance of the fight as if strength were to be-gotten by stroakes or freshnes by wearinesse so power-full were the handes of those actors and so pure the spirites which then commaunded the vse of such handes But amongst the rest and aboue all that then were without rest they might perceiue two in whom as it seemed a vindicatiue resolution had made them the wrathfull ministers of an inexpiable malice so the manner of exercising attested an incomparable vertue both in the dexteritie of their valours and in the vnamazed pursuite of their reuenges satisfaction for as it seemed they two contended against all or all sought the ouer-throwe of those two many handes being erected agaynst one head and yet many heads cut off by one hand This fight continued in the viewe of the Sheapheards by the space of two howres with no lesse terrour to them who arm'd with so spacious a distance as might giue assurance from any assailement had notwithstanding through their eyes receiued the wound of feare vpon their hearts then repentant sorrow in those that vnder-went the reuenge of so haughty courages But by and by they sawe the Ships which till then had as it were kist one an other hung togither by an vnfriendly boystrous imbracement disseuer themselues the Gally what with the force of her Oares and a little helpe of a quarter winde which breath'd vpon her Sayles made her way directly foorth into the Sea with such eagernesse of speede as many times we see a Pirate when he hath in chase a rich and well laden home-returning Marchant but contrary to that the Gallyoon with al the canuasse she could put forth boare before the wind as euen vpon the shoare as might be imagined yet might they still beholde as long as the vertue of their sightes could hold the knowledge of any obiect one of the forenoted Champions in the Gally not onely continue but in more mortall and
desperate manner continue the vnspeakable bloudines of the first combat till the length or distance had depriued their eyes of that spectacle The other in the Gallioon with no lesse but rather a more inauspitious hād of death ouer his incoūterers by how much more neer he grew vnto the iudgemēts of the beholders augmented both his owne rage their opinions touching the excellency of his rage distributing such vnresistaable blowes that his sword was seen sildom or neuer fall with his hand but a body deuided from a soule fell dead at his foote so that as it was most likely to be imagined the poore in-habitants of that vessell growne to the desperate willfullnesse of absolute desperatenes which is by death to shunne death willfully ran the ship against the Rocks whose armed brest of too hie proofe for so slender timber split her in one instant into many thousand disioyned peeces the suruiuing remnant more willingly offring vp their liues into the hands of the mercilesse Sea whose mercy they had not tasted then to the subiection of his sword whose vigor in punishing their breathles companions bodies in their floating witnessed But neither did the daring of their dispaires which was the vnexpected entrance to this euill neither the danger it selfe wherein the preciousnes of his deare life was imballanced neither the inacquaintance of the soyle whereon he was ship-wrackt neither his many wounds the losse of Fortune Hope Honour Wealth or other expectation breed in him either amazement feare or desistance from the continuance of that reuenge which from the begīning he with so great vertue pursued for being now left to struggle with the vnruly waues whose imperious billowes many times counter-checking his desires gaue him a feeling remembrance of his mortall constitution he gathered new life by the hazard wherwith the old life stoode indangered and swimming with such beautifull cōlinesse as Triton is feined to do whē he vshers Neptune to Venus banquets with his sworde in his hand which often ensigne-like he flourished about his head as who should say Danger is but the hand-maid to Vertue or as if he would haue chalenged moe perils then those imputing the escape of this no worthie reputation without turning his eie backe vpon his owne safetie he followed on still the ruine of those to whome was left no comfort but in ruinous perishing and made such slaughter that not a breathing soule was left to complaine that so manie by one were become breathlesse But hee had no sooner finished the effect of what hee hoped for And Furie wanting a subiect whereon to worke more fury had giuen place to the feeling of other passions when instantly his ouer-laboured bodie grew weake and ablelesse to deliuer him a liuing soule made free from those perils yet with an vnyeelding vertue that was euer or euer seemed to be strongest in his weakest fortune he many times mounted vp himselfe and sprang vpon the waues ioyning both Arte courage togither as means for his deliuerance But euen at the last pinch when strength had as it were finished the need of strength vnkindly strength forsooke him and he sunke downe vnable any longer to preserue that life which still then had preserued the life and estate of many kingdomes but the guilty waters ashamed to bee guiltie of so execrable a murther opened their bosoms brought him vp again into the aire where by the force of the siege of the Sea he was borne vpon the sands and lay to the iudgement of the Shepheards who till then vpon their knees were adoting him as a coelestial deitie breathlesse and without motion in-so-much that with all their powers they ranne and recouered him ere the siege could come againe which as appeared greedie of another imbracement made more then vsual haste to ouer-take him and when daungerlesse they had laid him vpon a neighbour banke vnto the shore they behelde a person of so rare and vnmarchable proportion in whom all the beauties of the worlde were most liberally dis-iested that prodigall Nature in the worke seemd vtterly to haue beggerd herselfe and becom'd penurious to all succeeding ages It was not long before they had brought him to life and the knowledge of the daunger whereunto his life was ingaged when sodainly he start vpon his feete and gazing like a wounded Deere vpon his concealed persecutor he cried O Thamastus Thamastus liuest thou with men or Angels vnhappie that I am shal I liue to inquire if thou liue I will not I will not my breath is not mine owne if thou be breathlesse nor shall my dayes bee augmented an houre after thy destruction forsaken Pyrophylus deiected Pyrophylus with that he wilfully would haue throwne him-selfe into the Sea againe as in loue with the perill which he hated or the death which with such difficultie hee escaped But the amorous Shepheards hearing him name those two names which kept the world both in awe and admiration ranne hastily vnto him and folding him in their armes with the vttermost of their force which the loue of those names had stretched to the highest scale of their puissance stayed him from the vnnaturall selfe-killing combatte and with the best oratorie that the simplicitie of their bringing vp could then instruct their tongues they perswaded him from impouerishing the world of those excellent hopes which his verie presence promised in most admirable aboundance and coniuring him by those two rarely beloued and praise-worthie names which with such feeling sorrow hee hat vttered and all the Nations of the worlde with vnspeakeable reuerence entertained not to let that day bee registred in misfortunes calender as the day of greatest misfortune by the losse of so diuine an expectation assuring him by those especiall tokens which they had noted during the conflict that if his friend whom he bewailed were that vncōquered spirit which in the gally had done such matchlesse feats of chiualrie that then there was no feare of his perishing inasmuch as they had seene him make himself Lord of the Gally ere the wind or Oares had caried her beyond the cōpasse of their sights Further they humbly vpon their knees besought him that if he were eyther of those two Princes whose sweete names were resweetned by his vtterance that it would please him not to conceale it from their knowledges who all be they were but Shepheards yet had that vertuous feeling of noblenesse which taught them a seruiceable duty to the incōparable greatnes of such dignified states The Prince Pyrophylus for such was his name a little pacified and hoping by this hope in their speeches to kill his hopelesse Dispaire was content to be ouer-ruled though manie times the feruencie of his loue had almost ouercom'd that not certainly grounded resolution in the ende calling to minde that their fight was both begun and occasioned vpon the Hellespont and that this place was altogither beyonde the bounde of his knowledge fearing the Sestian lawe which for the losse of the two
is now euen great in laboure withall hearing not of that but of another most daungerous wound he had receiued in a former combate betwixt him and the excellent Musidorus after a tedious and wearie iourney wherein only loue tooke away the bitter feeling of wearines she ariued in those parts of Arcadia with assured hope of his recouery by means of a most excellent Surgion whom then in her country she retained But in such an inauspitious hower of vnluckines that finding the feare of danger taken from the daunger she feared there was now an inrecouerable perrill wedded to a desperat fearefulnes for the foe was his owne hande and that hand guided by so hopeles a loue that hating all thinges which the loue he loued would not pittie he himselfe had vsed against himselfe that violence which else no violence could haue vsed In briefe when she came to his presence she found him bathing in his owne selfe-spilling bloode and if not absolutly dead yet so neare the confines of deathes Kingdome that not the seuerest iudgement could say or hope he liued To discribe the liuely sorrow which assending from her dying hearte appeared in the watry Sun-shine of her eyes how oft she swounded reuiued and againe and againe re-dyed what bloode-wasting sighes she vttered what groanes shee disburdened how lamentably she bewailed how desperatly she raged the war betwixt her faire handes and her bosome betwixt her torne haires and the windes motion her teares burning in the beautie of her cheekes and her beautie drowned in the Channell of her teary Ocean her cōfusiō in sorow making an vniformity is heauines yet that heauy vniforme a barbarous Chaos of miserie to describe this I say were labor infinite and innecessarie the rather sith it stands in a memoriall by the most memorable pen that euer recorded matter worthie of memorie But at last when sorrow had as it were in the iudgement of all her beholders called to so straite an account all the sorrowes of her remembrance that there was no other matter left saue onely sorrow in her imaginations and that so full of imperious commaund as it was high treason against her soule to thinke it was not eternall euen then the eye of wisdome cleared by those afflicting clouds which muffled her affections began to discouer the error in her forgetful passions her weeping making her neglect the meanes should bring her to not weeping and her complaints drawing on a certaine end to worke in her endlesse complainings whereupon turning from the dead reputed coarse that her returning might adde more violent extremitie to her compassionate languishment and a little depriuing her eies the blessednesse of their sights that with the same sight they might bee more diuinely endeared shee humbly threw herselfe at the feete of those Princes whose heauie eyes not without abundant teares were spectators of that immortally bemoaned tragedy but especially she conuerted all her speeches to the world contemning Anaxius a man whose selfe-louing opinion had drawne into him a beleefe of impossible atchieuements and to him shee declared the olde age of her tedious dispised loue the vnremoueable constancie of her confident affection and the world-wondring end her sorrow would consumate as soone as her hopes were depriued the blisse of their expectation euer and anon mingling amongst her compassionate bemoanings such an intyre adoration to the name of Anaxius preferring it before Angells and recording it first of all in the mightie inrolment of God-heades that he whose blindnesse could apprehend nothing but his owne greatnesse grew now great with childe of imaginarie diuinitie and though for the death of Amphyalus he had vowed a detestation of all women yet in loue with his owne glorie hee was content with a deformed smile to commend her that thereby he might backe againe call to minde his owne commendations and swoare by himselfe for greater than himselfe his great heart would neuer acknowledge that the royall humour of her greatnesse gaue her an excellent inspection and a determinate meane of wel iudging the singularitie of others perfections but yet he who had neuer accustomed himselfe to condiscende to any desire of vertue because his Religion was grounded vppon this heresie that honour was got by contradiction and greatnesse most feated by a perticular deniall of a generall intreatie notwithstanding all the dartie Launces of her well tempted Oratorie would haue vtterly withstood her sute which was onely to haue the cōueyance of the body of Amphyalus into her own countrey had not his two brothers called Zoylus and Lycurgus to whom ambitious Nature had not beene full out so prodigal though by a great deal too much much too liberall in the same humor of ostentation taken a more liuely taste of bitternesse from her teares and ioyned in the approbation of her reasonable demaund drawing the strength of their arguments from this ground that sith hee was a desperate forsaken patient whom no Phisition or Surgion in those parts durst in the least hope giue a light of suruiuing if any other part there were an insearchable skill vnreuealed it was necessarie to approue it because nothing could draw the daunger to a greater height then it was alreadie raysed besides they boasted what honour it would be to them to conduct the dead bodie to the bordering skirts of Basilius armie which of necessitie they must doe as it were in despight without eyther controlment or damage to the intents they purposed This last speech though the other auailed found a more insinuating acceptance in the Sunne-scalding ayme of Anaxius so that he agreed to all her desires giuing her leaue to embalme the body with such preseruatiues as for that purpose she had brought with her and tolde her that as well for the vertues hee found in her of which himselfe could better iudge then any other creature as for a carefull hope he had of his frends recouerie she should haue that day not onely her wish but also a God meaning himselfe to be her sanctuarie defendant and one who would in such safetie conduct her through the tents of his enemies that to her well seeing iudgement should appeare the terror of his greatnes The comfortlesse Lady to whom the want of comfort serued as a comfortable companion taught by her griefe a politike cariage in griefe soothed vp his vanities by amplifying vpon his vaine grounds and with heartie humblenesse offered to kisse his hand as a testimonie of the assurance she reposed in his magnanimitie All things being prepared fit for so great a solemnitie Anaxius and his traine attending on the hearse and the faire Queene Hellen issued in a most solemne tragicke manner from the Castle of Amphialus and so conducted her to the banks of the swift-falling riuer Ladon without either impeachment or disturbance where after many confused shewers of vncontrollable teares seeming as if they would ioyne with the riuer to ouerflow and drowne the neighbour plaines Anaxius and his brothers Zoylus and Lycurgus
brother to the Queene at that time and in her absence commanding as her Vicegerent with the absolute authoritie of her Scepter desirous to giue her that intertainment which might be most sutable to those lamētable delights whervnto was cōtracted al the thoghts of her vnderstanding gathered togither the old remembrances of his own former disquieted happinesse when the Varnish of Artesias beautie blearing his eyes made him imagin his hart was wounded with an army of Launces caused these nourishing showes of displeasure pleasingly to bee presented vnto her first in her passage ouer the riuer Tegea which runs some two leagues from the Citie as soone as she was entred into her Barge and lanched from the shore with the artificiall noyse of sundrie vessels prepared for the purpose there arose to her imagination a strong and fierce storme with such dreadfull clappes of thunder and lightning that to an vnwel-apprehending sense Art might seeme not to borrow but to lend much to the diuinitie of Natures perfection After these foregoers of amazement followed a tempestuous shewer of raine which as if Iuno had beene at a newe intreatie with Aeolus and offered not Diope but Hellen her-selfe for his Paramour was so violently carried with the seeming powers of many windes that the Barge-men who had the conduct of the Queene all be they were agents in these deuised extremities yet seeing the effect of the worke go so farre beyond the effects of their knowledges grew forgetfully astonished and beganne to lay downe their Oares and crie to bee deliuered from that feare which them-selues had created to shew the power of fearfulnes Neuer till nowe did the solitarie Queene cast vp her eies or in the least chaunge of countenance giue notice she had noted their proceedings but with the constantnesse of her sorrow taught them that the picture of true wo was by no Idaea to be taken yet whether stirred by their to no purpose exclamations or imagining their stay a signe of her arriuall on the other side and that they cried out but onely to companion her bemoanings she arising looked forth but sawe all the ayre so smoothered vp in an vnnaturall perfumed myst wherein all delicate odours had with such an attonement symbolizd them-selues togither to make a perfite vse of absolute sweetnesse that it bred in her a delightful wonder with a respectiue carelesnesse so that she cast her sight about her with a more stedfast inquirie to behold the euent of the stratagem when the vapour a litle clearing yet not so much that any brightnesse of the day might from the inamaled fore-head of the heauens bee perceiued shee sawe or seemed to see directly vpon the shoare before her the modell of an ancient Castell the curious frame of whose building by reason of the fogge could not be well discouered onely as it was most likely either from some hic erected window or from the top of some well raysed Tower shee might behold a burning Lampe that with his oft in and out appearing sometimes violently flaming and immediately dampt and depriued for a long space of his shining showed the implacable warre of two contrarie conioined Elements and the madnesse of that storme tyrannizing ouer so little a spot of inflamation But as shee fixed her sight thereupon suddenly a wrastling in the waters close by her Barges side inuited her eyes to a nearer obiect and sheee sawe swimming vpon the waues in most amiable gracefulnes and with such an art-full dexteritie as gaue an ornament to the siluer liquid a most beautifull and faire young man close at whose heeles followed the Sea-god Neptune with his Trident in one hand and in the other small remnants of innumerable treasures which hee carryed as figures of that inestimable abundance which is concealed in the bottomlesse wombe of the Oceans darknesse and with them as it were wooed the louely youth whose minde borne vpon the wings of contrarie affections conueyed him with an inrespectiue motion from the presence of the God often times in shrikes crying O Hero Hero I haue tardy armes and slowe forces vnworthy attendants for so sweete a beautie at which the God with a mourning pitiousnes diued downe into the deepe and was no more descerned At this the care-wasted Queen apprehended the deuice and presently called to memorie that first storie of loue which euer in writing was bequeathed to memorie of the infortunate Hero and Leander but with such greedinesse that all-be she knew it was a deuise begotten to delight her passion yet forgot that either it was deuised or that her passion should delight in such sorrowfulnesse wherfore as if it had beene the substance of that shadow it presented she gaue it such a memorable entertainment as in despite of reason she brake forth into these weepings O excellent Hero said she that hadst triumph in thy loue vertue in thy faith admire in thy cōstancy in thy death a most blessed blessed martyrdom thou wert vnhappie in thy too much happines happie in the worst ende of thy sowre fortune thou didst infinitely loue and wert much more infinitely affected so that if thou didst euer sigh it was because thou couldest not loue beyond infinitenes how cōtrarie am I to the state of thy proceedings whose loue is bondage whose faith respectlesse constanciesse auaile death by a remotenesse too obstinately helples thy Leander loued that he might be disdained mine disdained because he desired to bee hated thine swam a Hellespont to inioy thee mine an Ocean to be remoued frō me thine made a perfit work ere an imperfit ending mine ouerthrew all labor because in the end should be no perfection O Amphyalus Amphyalus if euer those entombed eyes had power to heaue vp the coffins which incloud their brightnes make cleare those sweet circles and looke with pitie if not with loue vpon pittious Leander see how he plowes the waters to reape a forraine desired haruest whilest thou hast a greater ryches falling vpon thy bosome see how he mournes for the slownesse of his blisse whilest I crie out at the swiftnesse of my miserie O Fortune how doest thou auerse the countenance of thy fauour and in the Atrocitie of my mishaps buildest the glorie of thy Kingdome when wilt thou bring backe thine aspectiue mildnesse and let mee see againe those Halcion dayes of calmenesse which in my first age I enioyed O vnbegotten intreatie thou art as farre from effect as I from reason and both shall neuer meete with our wishes And hauing thus said she fell to a new maner of old lamenting when the onely eye imagined storme imitating a tragicke disposition to make the last act the extremest broke into an instant violence his companion darknes which euer runnes before him hauing put on the worst habite of his worst countenance so that as if the clouds had beene rent in peeces with thunder the ayre burnt to cinders with lightning and the earth thirsted to haue bin drowned in an other Ducallidon all
Now when shee was com'd to the port of the Citie and was readie to enter in she was there met with all the Damzels and virgins thereof who attyred Nymph-like in loose silkes which the breath of eue ie ayre wantonly carried and moued about them with baskets of Roses and the most choyse smelling flowers which that clime affoorded vpon their armes strewing all the Streetes through which the Queene should passe the out-side of the houses thereof being that day apparelled eyther in Tissue cloath of Gold Veluet or rich Arras as if the richnesse of such cloathing should either hide from her the wofulnesse which for hir woes was concealed within them or that making a Sabboth for her home-come euery one triumphed in his wedding garment And as the Virgins passed thus along some with Timbrils some with Kyttes and some other newe inuented Instruments to which they accorded the heauie accents of their most sorrowfull voyces they sang this mournfull and Elegiacke passion O Tedious howers that ouer-take swift time And in the end bringst backe our wisht for cares By which as by a circle we may climbe Vnto the endlesse height of our dispaires Adde to our grieues great ages of Lament Lorne in our selues and loathed of content Thou elder brother to the first of all Whom men consume but neuer can make lesse Thou smiling ayme crier at Princes fall Father of death husband of heauinesse Adde to our greeues great ages of lament Lorne in our selues and loathed of content For since there is no hope in our restore But like thy minuts so our moanes must rise And put to most this multiplying more Woe on woes fall as teare on teares from eyes Adde to our grieues great ages of lament Lorne in our selues and loathed of content And when the world shall blame thy cruell minde That heapes affliction where Afflictions â—well Say long-liu'd Sorrow men doe seldome finde And least we may a flowrie pleasure smell Adde to our grieues great ages of lament Lorne in our selues and loathed of content Say Passion Humor Fashion and Dispight Beguile the eye of Sorrow with false teares To which that men and Angels may doe right By scorning them that shadowes onely beares Adde to our greeues immortall liu'd lament Lorne in our selues and loathed of content This infinite consort consisting of all the innumerable parts of true sorowe like a Riuer-swallowing Behemoth dranke vp the vniuersall teares of the worlde so that the spectators of this egregious lamentation adiudged this Cittie nothing else but a vaste sadde and disconsolate Trophonius whose entrance vrged euen the eye of delight to a relenting tearfulnesse so that euen to such if such in such a place could bee as had no feeling of the cause of this felt woe yet the touch thereof in the effects of others participated a sympathized wayling to their rockie senselesnesse and the more when they more earnestly behelde in whom and from whom the greatest part or rather the whole which to others lent part yet like the Sunne had no part lesse of that in which she triumphed was as from a goodly Fountaine deriued But in the ende when shee was brought in this mourner-like royaltie to her pallace which was a most goodly Castell verie defensiuely fortifyed and curiously built of rich Marble in the verie heart of the Cittie After many thankes interrupted with many teares both to Phalantus for his care of her and to the rest for the sufferance of her follie through which she gat the knowledge of their loues she with the dying Amphyalus betwixt whom and death was almost sealed the deed of perpetuitie with-drew her selfe and was no more seene in publique so the space of fortie dayes during all which time shee bequeathed the desperate case of her loues Lord into the hands of the skilful Physition A maÌ„ of such age decrepidnesse that euen his life acknowledged a loathsomnesse in her habitation and Nature whome the hande of Arte by mending regenerated with a malicious enuie languished her continuance being bettered by that which for her slaue she created He was by birth an Arabian and well trayned in the vse of letters whose neare alliance with the Sun inspiring him with a spritie humor of ambitious knowledge led him to delight in trauell and the taste of vnexperienced customes to that coÌ„ming vpon a day to the mount Ida he met with a Nymph belonging to the fount Gaballine of whoÌ„ being inquisitiue to know the maners of that place he got the knowledge of the learned Wel of the habitation of the Mules and the court of memorie yet vnsatisfied and wandring further hee came into the groue where Paris first wooed Oenon saw where they pitched their toyles where they made their Pitte-falles where in the heate they lay and mocked the Sun which could not warme them and in the coole where they bathed while the Sunne with his gentlest heate did refresh them and amongest many reliques left there for remembrances of their loue hee found that heauenly and rare Booke which Apollo when he was ouer-gone with affection and desire of her beautie gaue her as a monument to eternize her name before many multitudes of admirable women in it was the portratute of all hearbs plants Mynerals or what euer belonges to the sacred studie of Physicke together with their vertues compositions effects and vses this he tooke for this Oenon had carelesly cast away when confounded with the burden of care she was become an out-cast in the worlde and forlorne of Paris And hence came those vncurable cures which in the opinions of men made his name with such vnspeakable reuerence adored and this still he practised vpon the wounded Amphyalus with such prosperous seruiceablenes that in few dayes he brought backe vnto him life and his seruant remembrance who yet not peace with that life which with former vpbrayding he had violently put forward to destruction began afresh to gall him with newe thoughts of that auntient Disdaine wherewith the most excellent Phyloclea had disfigured and ouerthrowne the beautie of his fortune so that the inuisible wound of his soule tankled and kept open the Vlcer of his bodie his newe life being an olde death worse then the bodie and the breathles diuorcement which once perceyued by this most learned father of science he immediately applyed those Antidots to his vnderstanding which drowned all the faculties of his mind in a Lethe of forgetfulnesse and he became such an Iris in the mutable exchange of his resolutions that hee had all the colours in the which any passion could be disguised except that in which the memorie of Phyloclea alone was clothed and that from the Genuine sense of his best thoughts had such an Anathema or deuided excommunication that like a Rauens-foster line cast vp into the woods to seeke a desolate fortune hee had vtterly forgone and shaked off the memorie of her which being the most precious thing in the worlde hee had made of
immediatlye built himselfe a moste curious house euen in the midst thereof where wanting nothing that might breede delight hee found the excesse thereof did breede sometimes a loathing of pleasure neare vnto his owne house and round about the bordering skirts of this Tempe hee built manye prettye and conuenient cottages in which hee placed certaine Shepheardes whose well tempered myndes finding the ambition of better aduaunced people smallye auayle to the attainement of true felicitye are the onelye schooles to teach their forrayne Neighbours that their industrye and prouidence neyther giueth hope of disturbance nor example of generall or priuate quarrell into this place he would seriously retire himselfe in the voide time of his progresse as much to renewe his remembrance with his past knowledges as to better his instant knowledge with newe matter worthye of moste excellent remembrance so exceeding wittye were the Shepheardes by him there placed and so much excellencye did his presence administer to them which were but simplye witted neare vnto his owne house hee buylt a fayre and sumptuous Temple Circular and in forme of the auncient Iewes Sinagogue the outside of marble containing fiftie Arches euerye Arch a dore each dore seauen windowes each window seauen Pyllasters of Iet and porpherye each pillaster seauen images of the Saints Sages and worthies of past ages This Temple hee dedicated to the greate Goddesse Diana and indowing it with a Metropolitan authoritie subiected not onely vnto those lawes which lawes are ingrauen in certaine Pillars of Copper and Marble adioyning to the Temple and other places the Residents home borne and straungers in that prouince but euen himselfe his crowne and succession In this place and in this rurall companye hee tooke a more then most contented delight they seeking by Eglogues pastoralles shepheardly contentions and other sports of witte and courage as running leaping wrastlinge throwing the Darte the Stone and the Massye axel-tree to ingrafte in his setled Iudgement a setled continuance of those harmles commendations This continuing the happy daies of this more happy King death comming to challenge his subiect nature taking from the eye of the world what the worlds eye moste dearely esteemed I meane this renowned Musidorus hee left behinde him as the onely heyre of his Kingdome and perfections the alone incomperable Mellidora natures wonder the Muses subiect and the Booke of Beautye the day of delight the life of loue and the Iewell of eternitye But she to whome the strangenes of griefe made the euill shape thereof by many degrees much more ouglye tooke such an incurable surfait through her impatience that esteeming no commaundemēt the Fates hauing taken away her onely commaunder shee gaue herselfe clerely from the commaundement both of her owne and other passions and by no perswasion would eyther take care for the common wealth to her by her Fathers death so deepely ingaged not comforte in the Crowne without which the great man imagines there can bee no true felicitie for which errour when the Sages of her Kingdome had with an humble chyding shewed her the faults of her wil the office of her calling in the one painting the effects of her weaknesse in the other the seale which must aduaunce her to eternall happinesse she with a sad resolution made them this answere I know my Lords as sound men doe the effects of Physicke but cannot digest taste of the potions I know mine euill but my passion ouer-rules me therefore I beseech you be suffering as my selfe will be patient giue me the name take vpon you the nature of mine office rule you my Kingdome let me only rule my thoughts deale you with reasonable men whilest I deale with vnreasonable passions for I protest I will intermeddle with no subiect but the subiect of my sorrowes To what end faire Prince shall I wade further into the Laborinth of her woes suffice it me thus to say the vertuous Melidora referring the gouernment of her kingdome to a well chosen Senate and betaking her selfe with a conuenient retinue of Ladies and attendants into this delicate Tempe hath euer since her fathers death liued Nymph-like exercising hunting throwing the Dart running and such Goddesse-like pleasures wherin she doth so farre exceede all possible imaginations that if Cephalus him-selfe were yet liuing hee would become a suter for her knowledge Into this Tempe is prohibited by an especiall Edict vppon paine of death the approach or arriuall of any Prince Noble-man or other of Citie qualitie the innocencie of the place desiring no commercement but with innocent creatures except only at that time when the yong Princes of Delphes came to offer to Apollo their nine yeares Sacrifice Into this place not long sithence there is come a yong Shepheard whose name is Thirsis borne as he saith in Pelagonia and recommended thither by especiall Letters from diuers of the ancient Shepheards of Arcadia who hauing Wit the contriuer Money the meanes which onely in this age doth aduance fortunes falling into acquaintance with a silly block-headed swaine called Corridon one who made folly his best wisdome and extreame ignorance the depth of his best knowledge hath purchased from him both his flocke and the priuiledges belonging to his flockes keeping This Coridon becomming now a seruant vnto Thyrsis who to attaine the pleasures of the soyle would not haue disdained to haue called him maister All-be I may iustly say without the feare of reprehension this Thirsis hath shewed himselfe so excellently endewed with all the admirable partes of perfection that he may worthily bee tearmed the miracle of this age he liues in his youth being in the May time of his flourish exceeded with a most exceeding beautie which beautie rauishing all eyes was bettered by vertue that did astonish hearts his iudgements tempered with much knowledge his knowledge coupled to a demure silence what shall I say so excellent were his good parts that hee wanne loue in his companions and admire in strangers euerie one imitating his actions for their prayses and alleaging his words as their best authorities But as we see the Curtaine of the night takes from our eyes the glory of the day yet is the dayes returne no lesse beautifull so a little Melancholie drawne on by a mightie loue distempering his soule brought him to the vse of much solitarinesse which solitarinesse like a slie enemie seeking to steale the minde from the bodie cloathing himselfe in the roabes of vertue and diuine contemplation so imprisoned Thirsis vnder the arrest of his passions that in the ende hee began to forsake all companie sports hee contemned pastoralles he neglected his profites wayned his flock wasted and himselfe consumed which being by all his neighbours with much pittie noted was by many of his best wishers infinitely lamented especially by a famous Forrester thereby named Siluagio whose better profession brought him to a better feeling of the mindes infirmityes and whose best loue being by a strong bonde of not to bee cancelled faith tyed
stolne it away in-so-much that hee pursuing the chase tooke the wolfe at his pray and then had no remedie but to kill him that had killed her play-fellow Melidora smiling made him answer that if she had not some constant trials of his loyaltie she should feare lest some violent mischance would eyther kill or take him from her seruice but hee whose feruent loue could induce no colde suspition to prophesie his apostacie with more then an vsuall earnestnesse besought her not to make doubt of his faithfulnes vowing by Heauen by Earth by Loue by the golden treasure of his hopes by all his comforts past by all his delights to come and lastly by her sacred self who was the great volume which contained the cronicle of his fortunes that no time no chance no change nor no admiration should take from his name the title of her eternall Admirer wishing ruine to his bodie infamie to his name and immortall death to his soule when his pure thoughts shoulde bee blotted with the staine of disloyaltie and with that kissing her hande and shedding some teares thereon desired her not to suspect him till she was inwardly resolued absolutely to kill him which she promising to performe they sate downe togither vpon a flowrie banke within the Arbour whilest Diatassan calling to remembrance her former promise humbly besought her to tell him the manner of Dianas ceremonies what was the pompe the show and the order of their sacrifice to which shee thus answered To tell thee my Shepheard at length without omission all the stately proceedings due this day to our great Goddesse neither could a Sommers day nor Winters night out-last my discoursings wherefore we will omit it till a more coÌ„uenient time for such an argumeÌ„t onely one accideÌ„t as worthie note as loue it selfe is worthy memorie which fell out this day in the Temple I will impart vnto thee and thus it was Amongst all the Nymphs and Mayds which this day made the Altars of the great Diana smoake with perfumed Sacrifice I spyde a virgin who bestirring herselfe like a busie toyling Bee exceeded many of her consorts in praying in sensing in sacrificing and in singing by her gestures I could not suspect her knowledge her garments I knew not her face because of her vaile I saw not and for her speech like the rest it witnessed vnto me that she was a stranger After her sacrifices were ascended she for her more diuinne contemplation retyred into a priuate seate my selfe closely stealing from the rest of the Maydens came and deuoutly ioyn'd me to her side where I had not long seated my selfe but I might perceiue she cast many pretty gazes vpon mee such as by the interpretation of affection are said to carrie loue in their glaunces at first I wondred but at last I encountred her looke for looke making loue an excellent linguist onely by demonstration and all-be the race was but short yet was there a large field for loue to tylt in betwixt each of our gazings my face being couered all ouer with this vaile had onely two loop-holes left for mine eyes to looke through From whence sayd this Nymph she saw such heauenly glimpses issue as matcht the Sunne which straitned betwixt two clouds darts into the worlde faire louely beames of induring brightnesse I tolde her if in me there were any of those glories they onely were borrowed from her and from her beautie with that she whispering in mine eare demaunded my name but I wringing her softly by the silken hande and to make my selfe some prettie sport by this instant accident tolde her that I was a Shepheard not a Nymph and that onely for her sake I had disguised my selfe fearing not the daunger of my life because I had none but by her sufferance meaning in this Temple and at this holy time to consecrate my chaste thoughts to her seruice She againe demaunded of me my name and I answered her it was Diatassan And I pray you Ladie said Diatassan what answered shee to that name Vpon the knowledge of that name sayd Melidora wee concluded that this night when the Nymphs doe come to fetch water at Mineruaes spring shee shall come the hindmost in the traine and that I wayting for her in a mazie Thicke adioyning shall as soone as I perceiue the Nymphes to returne home discouer my selfe to her who fayning odde tryfles to stay behind them woulde administer vnto me al aduauâ—tage of further coÌ„ference Much other talk we had but in the end when the rites were ended she sighing departed my smyles ready to breake into open laughter to see the poore foole so cunningly deceiued But what was her name said Diatassan shee is called said Melidora Apheleia O what sport will this be for thee me wheÌ„ in the cooling shade amongst the rest of thy fellowe Shepheards we passe away the time with toyes with Ridles and with wittie purposes I tell thee this action will bee worthy of a conceited eglogue And as they were thus discoursing a Page beloÌ„ging vnto the Princesse came into the Arbor brought her worde that al the Forresters were attending her Maiestie at the Lodge to knowe in what parte of the forrest she intended the next day to hunt that orderly preparation might be made for her sportes with that the Princesse arysing with such a gesture as did enuye the times swiftnes she tolde her shepheard she must be gone but he desiring leaue to attend her shee earnestly forbad him saying the tutret loue is the cottage hate and so shee departed onely accompained with her Page to her owne Castell As soone as the Princesse was gone Diatassan reuoluing in his minde vpon the aduenture she reported grew into an amazed extasie Desire Wonder breeding in his soule a thousand Chymeras and strange imaginations one while feare appald him least dooing iniurye to the Princesse he might kill his loue and Fauour then presently Desire inflames him to beholde her whose loue liuing vpon his name is derided by fortune Another while Doubt takes him prisoner Reason denying the minde to haue such insubstantiall apprehensions but then Wonder resolues him and bids him but looke into the worke of his owne mindes creation thus beeing carryed awhile with these variable thoughts in the end hee absolutelye concludeth with himselfe that he will goe to Mineruas Spring and in the groaue adioyning shilter himselfe to try what euent will issue of the former passage And so in the end hee did where hauing rested till the Sunnes departure made the night proclayme her gouernment hee might beholde sixe beautifull Nimphes with Golden Flagons in their handes who commning vnto Mineruas spring before they would dippe their vessels into the holy water they in a moste comely order walking about the Fountaine sang this Canzonet THose foolish women are accurst That make of Loue a God though blinde And vnder him the worst of worst Couer the follyes of the minde For vs we doe detest out
right The vulgar maxime as vntrue That he should be a God of might Who breedes the cares makes all soules rue That takes all reason from desire And peece-meale teares the troubled heart Being a moste consuming fire That wastes our inward heauenly part But worse accurst are they by much That on mens beauties fixe their eye And thinke no heauenly comfort such As that which in faire lookes doth lye Alas they doe too much forget That loue and men are of one minde Busie to lay that cruell net Which thralles the simple foolish blinde Returning them most losse at all That loues the best and is most thrall After they had sung this song euery one dipping her golden Flagon in the Fountaine after some little intercourse of speech wherein one gaue prayses to the Goddesse Minerua another commended the vertues of the water and others the ordinances of those Ceremonies In the selfe-same comely order as they came they nowe began to returne But Diatassan who during all the time of their abode had with a curious eye behelde the hindmost Nymph of the traine began to reade within the faire storie of her beauties many remembrances of those ancient thoughts which had long agoe in the Maydentime of his first loue infinitely surprised him Manye tymes his eyes tolde him they sawe nothing but that sight which they had most dearely loued His thoughts tolde him they were inriched with no new cogitations and his heart affirmed that but that Image there was none in it perfectly engrauen to be plaine shee so much resembled a worthy Nymph whom in his first youth he had loued most sincerely till iniurious Death had made a diuorce betwixt their affections that euen now his reuolting eyes began coward-like to yeeld to the assault of her beautie and not content to yeeld alone did so perswade his heart that hee couetous of new honour subiected all that was in him to her obedience Melidora was now in his minde but like that picture which Zuxis desired to see vnder the painted sheete which was mearly nothing as hauing no place or being all that he was was but onely a scrole of this new affection And now beholding Apheleia both with slowe pace and some sleight excuse loiter behind the rest of her felow nimphs he discouered him-selfe and with a gentle pace ouertaking her after his downe-cast lookes and some trembling wordes had like a preface tolde her his talke must be all of loue taking vp her hande and giuing it a louely kisse he demaunded of her if that hande were not the hand which did prodigally cast into his fruitfull breast the faire seed of blooming fancie whose ripe haruest shal returne her milions of gaines or tell me faire Nymph said he are not these glorious eies of yours the war-like Cytadels where all conquering loue sits as in his Empire cloathed with the rich spoyles of many kingly ouerthrowes and for a tryumph hangs out his most beautious colours O God they are therefore let neuer any Shepheard feare Ioues thunder-bolts or in their Carols aduance the vnconquered sword of the God of warre but let them all bee amazed with thy beautie and with that amazement let them record the victories thou hast obtained of the worlde of loue and of me thy seruant Wel I remember that in the April of my yeares I haue been somtimes inticed amongst my fellow Shepheards to taste the delights of youths inuentions and in those delights haue delighted to approue the mindes of many Maidens yet neuer till now haue fixt my constant mind of any till I saw thee I saw not any that coulde content me for whose sake I haue this day desperately aduentured my life by comming disguised into Dianas temple wherefore deare Nymph let the former words which I whispered in thy daintie eares the mutuall agreement of our hither comming and the due attendance I haue performed in my seruice as the messengers of pity plead for my merit and euē as with patience I suffer the bitter anguish of my thoughts so let loue and thy selfe bee curteous to my sad destiny To this she āswered Faire Shepheard according to mine agreemēt here I make good my promise yet not in such sorte that by it thou shalt suppose I stande intangled in those foolish snares which you Thessalians call loue but for it pleased thee without eyther Desire in me or Desert in my perfections to make so franke and absolute a gift of thy hart of thy soule and of thy selfe to rest euer at my disposing so that it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any but me to giue to retaine to keep to change or to dispose any thing within the compasse of thine affection and that al thy thoughts and actions should maiden-like giue a modest and sincere attendance vpon my will which sith I see thou dost effectually performe by this newe seconds of thy former loue be thou pleased with mine acknowledgment that I haue heard thy loue O but said he shall the tender of these my seruices receyue at thy hands no recompence t' is recompence inough said she that I giue credit to thy words acceptāce to thy seruice Why then sayd he let this bondage of my loue bee like those calme blastes which kindle the fire of delight whose flame breaking forth into the world may make vs admyred of all constant beholders As she was about to replie vnto this speech she might perceiue the rest of the Nymphes looking backe and staying for her companie which occasioning her with a shamefast blushing to breake off her conference she told him their many wordes might moue many suspitions which to auoid it was fit that silence should part them yet said she Faire Shepheard take this little remembrance and weare it for my sake and with that she gaue him a very faire Iewell wherein was set a most rich Diamond cut in the fashion of a Spheare or Globe and about it was writ this word Mauens moueor and so she departed But assoone as his eyes had lost her which was their best obiect they instantly conuerted their lookings to her costlye fauor on which when hee had with many curious surueys a good space meditated had to many crosse and cōtrary senses wrested and expounded the cunning deuise at length constantly beholding the frame of the faire Gloabe and marking with what course the reflections and sparkles like little spheares wound about the foil which like the earth the worlds cēter stood in the midst of the Mund he could not forbeare to say Deare Maid be thou the Sky let me be the earth on whom gentle loue may make the morning lightes of grace to arise and giue faire glory to my darknes and although this sullen night make thee withdraw frō mine eyes the beames of thy countenance O yet let thy fauor continually runne about me and how soeuer I mooue let thy loue neuer be remooued from mee many other passionate speeches to like effect he vttered
of Nature could exercise humblie besought her to stay and heare what she had to say for her iustification assuring her by protestations of vnspeakeable earnestnesse that when she had drawne her words before the throne of her owne consideration she should find them so full of substantial credulitie that no maxim whatsoeuer shoulde either bee more true or more certaine At this the Princesse with a little amazement began to stay whilst the Nymph Ethera thus spake How hard and vâ—â—ossible it is Madame for any perswasion to alter or vnground that setled beleef which in our soules we haue planted as a matter immoueable the infinit errors which at this day reigne in the world are liuing presidents the minde creating reasons to defend her opinion and the conscience being so free a spirite as will neither indure bondage nor controlment as of this Madam so wee may speake of Loue whose supreamest power hauing dominion ouer our beliefe makes all thinges impossible which is not within the compasse of our affection from whence hath sprung those prodegies of Nature of which euen the worlde at this houre swels big withall men madder then Pigmalion not affecting well carued Images but doating vpon most deformed loathsome and infecting Sepulchres women worse then Pasiphae not lusting after beasts but monsters MizeÌ„tius cruelty being exercised in euerie Cathedrall so infinite is Loues beliefe and so impossible to be controlled which belief sith in your most excellent selfe it hath found a well furnished habitation my reasons vnable to contend with your wisdome and the credite of my wordes beeing disgrast in your opinion it shal be sand sprinckled in the wind for me to goe about to exchange your conceite by any perswasion yet inasmuch as my clear soule loatheth a spotted garment let mee euen by your vertues sake and your beauties sake coniure you to giue my report this approbation your Maiestie knowes Eugenio the holy Prophet to our great God Pan hee that knowes what was what is and what shall be he that can bind charmes vnloose doubts and euen almost alter destiny to him dear Madam let vs priuately repaire and if what I haue reported he doe not second with moâ—â— substantiall proofes let his truth bee my conuiction and your hate my punishment At these wordes if not Iealousie yet a fancie in all proportion so like Iealousie that it coulde be taken for no wrong to giue him his title beganne to arise in the Princesse thoughtes stirring such a ciuill commotion betwixt Feare and her beliefe that euen with the amazement of their distracted perswasions she grew both astonished and confounded till desirous to know what she most desired not to know after many arguments to approue his vertue and double so many reasons to confirme her opinion in the ende she agreed to come with the Nymph Ethera to this place where by my iudgement and fore-knowing science the one might haue her doubts resolued the other her truth coÌ„firmed Time in this businesse was held so precious that neither of them would agree to the losse of one moment but as it were forgetting all businesse which to this businesse was not appertaining without either greater guarde or better preparation they foorthwith hither directed their iourny where both the princesse and the Nymph ariued at such time as the Sun declining downe from the toppe of the heauenlye Mountaines making his cooler beames shine vppon these walkes with a more sufferable warmenesse had inuited mee forth to entertaine the sweetenesse of his Euening progresse and being set vpon this banke of flowers with a modest gracefulnesse such as Maiestie onely hath power to make admirable the Princesse gaue me a diuine salutation wishing me increase of howers peace of thought and the blisse of mine owne wishes to which when I had returned the best and hartiest of my praiers the Princesse told me she had an earnest sute vnto me which would I vouchsafe to graunt I shuld not only tie her in the best bond of friendship but make her acknowledge to posteritie how much she was a handmaid to my wisedome I that euer haue beene a seruant to the seruants of my God besought her to proceed assuring her that whatsoeuer was either within the compasse of my prayers counsailes or knowledge should with my best endeuours labour her satisfaction and with that euen as she was opening her lips to deliuer her questions the Nymph Ethera interrupted her by deliuering to me these speeches Father said she as our desires are earnest so are our questions tedious and both will extort from thy grauitie either a long discourse or an imperfit satisfaction which to make perfite that neither thine age may be grieued with our coÌ„ference nor we returne with a halfe parted solution so please thee take this Viall fill'd with a strong and well composed liquor whose warme moysture I know will quicken the frost of olde age make the spirit of youth reuiue in thy bosom and drink of it an heartie draught I know it will comfort your veines and make the paine of speech lesse yrksome to your weaknesse and therewithall she drew forth the vial of liquor she had formerly mixed and gaue it me to drinke of which I tooke a full draught the Nymph euer vrging me to drinke againe till I made her this answere that it did not befit the life I had vndertaken either to make proude the flesh or fill my emptie veines with new heat of glowing youthfulnesse whose rebellious spirit holdes an eternall mutinie with the diuine soule but rather by the vse of thinne diet much watching and many cares to humble that Typhon my bodie and make it seruiceable to great Pan my soueraigne and at these words deliuering her viall into her hand I humbly desired the Princesse to proceed to her question who immediatly thus spake I haue heard saide shee graue father that the Syren doth not inchaunt but instruct not bewitch but inrich with wonder the attentiue eare of the Sea-faring or weather-beaten trauailer who delighted with the honie oratorie of their Prophetique and diuine language stayes his busie course and with amazed admiration drinkes the celestiall wisedome of their incomparable knowledge no lesse then theirs nay much more abundant is the report of thy wit reading and excellent experience for whome our fieldes and wee are blest and in whom liues the hope and felicity of our liues comfort O let vs then I beseech thee receiue from thy learned and vnspeakeable wisedome some serious discourse of such things as either to our memories are vnknowne or in the date of our after time by the hand of Destinie shall be fulfilled and beleeue it wee will bind our eares as firmely to thy wisedome as the rocke-bound Mariner to the Musicke of the Mermaide I hearing this prettie sute made from so excellent a mouth tolde her that all-be the liberall heauens had for their owne glories and mans satisfaction created me a vessell for their vse inclosing in mee