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
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
faithfull louers Hero and Leander adiudged present death to the aproach of any neighbour-bordering straunger and not forgetting the contract betwixt him and Thamastus that they should neuer be knowne where euer they were disioyned answered the Shepheards that how euer they might mistake his vtterance or his vtterance beguile the intent of his owne meaning it was so that hee was called Adunatus Prince of Iberia who from the beginning of his first knowledge had held in singular admiration the memorie of Thamastus Prince of Rhodes and Pyrophilus Prince of Macedon so that if hee had spoke of them it was but like a dreaming man whose braine from the superfluitie of his thoughts apprehends diuers remote and farre distant imaginations but for his own part at that instant hee said he was both carelesse and worthlesse and worthie to bee so vnworthily carelesse sith his fortune had lost him that rich blessing which in any but the selfe same thing could by no Fortune be againe restored and therewithall desired to knowe of them vpon what coast he was ship-wracked to the intent he might make the spediest search was possible to recouer the great losse hee had sustained to which the Shepheards replied that the Country in which he now was was called Laconia a Prouince in Peloponessus adioyning to the Frontiers of Arcadia which hauing beene long time gouerned all be with many insurrections and rebellious commotions by the renowned Basilius was after his discease by the power of his testament and as a man fit to curbe so vnruly a generation giuen to the noble and famous Amphyalus his sisters sonne a man so excellently seasoned with the salt of all vertuous vnderstanding that excepting the hope of Thamastus and Pyrophylus he stood in the eie of the world vnmatch-able and beyond comparison Pirophylus hearing them name Amphyalus whom he had euer respectfully reuerenced for the rariety of his perfections demaunded where he kept his Court and how long hee had hung his easefull armour by the walles to meditate more safely vpon the actions of other Nations They answered that his Court was abandoned desolate and forsaken of all in whō griefe by the greatnes of his birth-right challeng'de not a fee-simple inheritance and for the place of his residence it had bene vnknowne to his subiects by the space of these three yeares at what time he departed thence with as great a burthen of insupportable discontentment as Atlas or Olimpus with their ioyntlesse shoulders could stand vnder the reason wherof being though many times suspitiously coniectured neuer sufficiently vnderstood or daringly entred into by any deuining or all-knowing iudgement was they said now at last but heauen knowes how long they wil last which calles such excellencie to the last account of life-lasting both knowne censured and to many iniudiciall eares malitiously deliuered to the disgrace of the worlds best beautie the destruction of a most famous queene euer till then wondred for a wonderfull vnblemisht reputation euen Hellen Queene of Corinth that harmles faire and faire harmles hurt creature a Lady of a mightie humblenes and an infinite mightines vertuously alluring because she was vertuous and that vertue married to an euer-adored beautie Of a maiestie fit for such greatnes and a gracefulnes answerable to a pure wisedome in truth such she was as such they should bee that haue so great perfections as such a celestiall Hellen This name of Hellen thunder-strooke Pirophylus and as if his passion had had a metamorphosing deity stone-like he stood without sence or motion till reason the ensigne of the soules holynes called backe his spirites to their vsuall attendance and hee earnestly besought the Shepheards aswel for the bettering of his knowledge to whose taste he euer coueted to present the nourishing milke of discourse as for a burning ardor he had to make his fortune the releif-master to a forlorne and destressed Ladies afflictiōs to vnfold vnto him euen from accident to accidēt al that had befalne to that most beautiful Queen of Corinth of whō thogh in the coolnes of his intreaties he gaue no shew either of familiarity or acquaintāce as indeed there was not hauing neuer in their liues seen one the other yet almost frō there childhoods they had married one to another a vertuous opinion of honorable estimation being by alyance of blood nearely conioyed togither but especially and aboue all for the neare nearnesse both of affinitie and loue twixt her and Melidora the only Goddesse to whose feet he laid al the sacrifices of his swords honor or dutie Carino who euer more and more gathered out of the rarenesse of his cariage and sweet disposure of his gestures a height or exhaltation of honour beyond the comprehensiue conceit of his vnderstanding both to be found dutifull to his cammandements and to beget a further continuance of so wished a presence after the Prince by the Sunnes aid which then shined hotly against the rockes had both dried his apparel and refresh'd his halfe drowned spirits thus set the key of his bermonious tongue in tune to tell the vtmost of his knowledges Although most excellēt Prince said he frō the clowdy darknesse of our little knowing remembrances can arise no expectfull matter of memorable cōsequence the qualitie of our obscured estates depriuing vs the mean wherby Princes affairs should be vnfolded vnto so vnworthy eares as well because the weaknesse of our iudgements cannot looke into the causes of their fortunes as the insufficency of our counsels that can preuent no effect of fortune how aduerse soeuer proceeding frō those causes yet inasmuch as the worlds rumor is many times retained for an Oracle and the liberal tongue of Fame wil in the most respectlesse eares couer the worlds publique counsels I wil declare vnto your excellent wisdom what the inuenomed instrument of Enuyes tongue to all this whole nation most bytterly hath declared At such time as the noble Amphyalus who being loues true prisoner kept imprisoned the truest loue and the truest beauty that euer had power to commaund loue I meane the incomparable Princesses Pamela Phyloclea with the Macedonian Pyrocles at that time the Amazonian Zelmane had got the absolute vnderstanding of his mothers flint-hearted crueltie against those immortall Paragons of the worlde to whom he had euen slaued the subiection of his diuine soule sawe by the Caracters of their misfortunes the desperate euil wherunto the lothsomnes of his life growne vgly with the deformed disdain which had mangled his thoughts in peeces would headlong conuey the wretcednes of his hopes when he had with a selfe-killing hand made that sworde wherewith he had ouerthrowne so many Kings conquerours and invincible Gyants giue a deadly assault vnto the bosome of his hearts Cabanet seeking by vntimely death to ruinate that glorious worke of Nature wherein the excellencie of the first workmaster had showed the best power of his artes working This beautifull Queene of Corinth of whose dolours my braine
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
tooke their leaues of the Queene and the dead reputed Amphyalus and so returned backe to the place from whence they were departed The Queene left alone to accompany her dead Lord sauing that she had onely twentie horsemen and sixe Ladies which had beene her gardiants in that wofull voyage commanded the coffin to bee set downe vpon a faire banke of flowers by the riuers side and then taking her Lute to the delicacie of whose sound she maried a more dilicate voyce sung this funerall Sonnet Strong heart my strong cares vnconsumed throne How bigge thou swellst with euer feeding griefe I hop'd that worne to nothing with my mone Nothing to nothing would haue brought reliefe And you mine eyes that enuie these faire streames Because they flow not ouer like your teares Learne by this riuer to abate extreames Sith coolest woes breede longest liu'd dispaires But O mine Eyes you haue immortall springs Fed by a heart which feedes vpon distresse And thou my heart art wed to sorrowing Sorrow that sorrows-selfe cannot expresse Then heart grieue still and Eies augment your founttaines Till one make Seas the other cloud-hie Mountaines Here casting the Lute from her hands that she might cast her hands with more feeling ardencie about the beloued bodie which with such vnspeakeable adoration she had inshrined in the faire Temple of her spotlesse heart After my vnsympathised imbracements and cold kisses taken from his vnfeeling lips shee thus began to second her well tuned moanes with vntuned lamentations Alas Amphyalus sayd she alas thou that in the infinitenesse of thine vnbounded Disdaine hast had such an immortall soueraigntie as to bee the all onely director both of my thoughts and actions how much mightier had beene the amplified honor of thy royall spirit if the great Godhead of thy diuinitie had proceeded from a gracefull pitty to the gnawing torrent of my miserable distresse But I was vnworthy and woe is me that thy worthinesse did not esteeme me a worthy subiect to be ennobled by thy loues worthinesse yet was I not fatall to the long liued kingdome of thy vertues thou shouldst not haue brought a consuming fire from Corinth nor should my wombe haue deliuered a fire-brand to waste Arcadia O yes I was prodigious to thy birth-right and as a blasing starre at thine vnlooked for funerall For me though not from me came that first knowledge of thy first euill when thy deare Phyloxenus ende became the beginning of thy hate to my desires Tymotheus death a Seale to that reuers-lesse deed of thy disdain which no time or opinion shall euer cancell O vnspeakable miserie O maruellous doome of my fore-doomed persecution O most wonderfull impietie of a haplesse beautie O singular affliction to an euer afflicting memorie and O iust iudgement of my starre-crost destinie O sorrow iust sorrow be thou henceforth the iustnesse of my mediation O fearefull sorrow in the extremitie of my fearfulnes increase my sorrowes augmentation and let me sorrow that euer sorrowing my sorrows are not amplifyed to a sufficient greatnesse But why talke I of sorrow that am not worthy of so gentle a sleepe-killing cōpanion O rest thee thou faire foe to my rest thou weeping eye of a soft heart thou reuenge of weaknesse vnkindnesse satisfaction and the key which vnlockes the closet of a concealed affection O image of sleepe sleepe with my forgetfulnesse and forgotten contentments And come Death vgly Death vntimely Death the rack to a burdned conscience the soules bitternesse the bodies graue and the mindes immortall affliction come thou and accompanie my calamities leade mee to my Lorde that he may beholde in thee his Lordship ouer mee there is no reason I liue being reasonlesse left of the loue I adored And here as if shee woulde haue drowned herselfe in newe teares or prooued that the greatnesse of griefe is euer begotte by the greatest expence of griefe shee wept in such violent abundance that the extremitie of that ouerflowe brought her to a motionlesse dumbnesse in-so-much that one of her Ladies whose eye had taken a full draught from that cup of patheticall griefe taking the falne Lute into her hande awakened her Queene with these mournfull Stanzies Night like a mourner creepes vpon moanes Yet troubles me because it lets me see The blacke fac'd image of my hideous groanes Which still vnstill increase to martyr me O eyelesse night the portrature of death Noise hating mistresse of the hearts calme griefe That charm'st our cares and quiettest our breath O thou that art calamities reliefe In thy downe-footed stealing steale away Woes memorie approching with the day O not thou night the Sunne set follower The generall closer of all mortall eyes O thou art not my sad hearts sucoorer Euen thee I waste and tyre with agonies But thou eternall night Deaths elder borne Thou night of nights more powerfull then the Sunne Throw mountaines on me that am most forlorne Most abiect haplesse wofull and vndone O let my woes be into darknesse hurld Or plast a burning Comet ore the world This song did so aggrauate the extremitie of her passion which now like an ouer-wittie Sophister whose fluent braine presents him more arguments then his tongue can discharge euer most in loue with that which lies last vnreuealed was conceyted that shee could vtter more wounding lamentations then she yet had vttered began to create new methods of complaining till shee was interrupted by a discrete Gentleman her attendant who perswaded her from that wearinesse of mourning chiefly where no ease-procuring sorrowe made the laboursome day eternall with vaine labour and brought no night of rest to her so long vnrested diliberations arguing that these delayes in her moanes would if shee woulde continue them bring her anguish to a more desperate state of miserie the necessitie of this extremitie crauing no spurres but winges to conuey her hope to the ende of that rare arte wherein all her hope was builded This speech laid such holde vpon her reason that adorning her faire cheekes with the rosie blush of shamefastnesse she rose vp and commaunded the coffin to be put into the litter in which her selfe rode and so followed on her iourney yet at euerie such conuenient houre wherein either the reliefe of Nature or the extremitie of the hot burning Sun commanded a desistance from trauailing she omitted not still to doe the like lest any ouer-curious eye should imagine that the trauell of her mind receyued ease when her body wanted motion obseruing the humour of an absolute couetous person whose desires grow greater when he enioies the greatest part of that he desired After many daies nights all-be dayes and nights were not by her distinguished with any difference thus pitiously consumed she arriued near vnto her owne most goodly and beautifull Citie the Citie of Corinth whither newes of her approaching was some fewe dayes before comed as heauinesse hath euer moe Fames then one running before it insomuch that Phalantus a gallant Knight and base
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
exile but his owne resolution him-selfe that is the God of his Fortune and his Resolution a decree like Fate neuer to he controlled Is it likely that he who most preiudicately sawe his owne ill and eschewed it will seeke to reuiue that euill and anew to returne vnto it It cannot be imagined or if it could the vowes he hath throwne throughout the world are impregnable Bulwarkes to withstande his returning hauing sworne by his princely hand neuer againe to beholde Laconia If he then be valiant that spirit will detaine him if he be wise his wisdome will make his vowes lawfull and if he be iust there can no iniustice shine in his actions And to the first let his conquests speake to the next his gouernment and to the last both the world you that are his people Thus is our amends frustrate and Redresse slaine vtterly dead for euer Is it then in your opinions tollerable to loose him to lacke remedie neither to him nor vs yeeld any satisfaction the gods forbid then our satisfaction must be the abolishing of that euill by which our first euill was ingendred which is the life of Hellen euen Hellen the too-early late-crowned Queene of our Country she that hath ouerthrown the goodly temple of her vertue by an inuertuous communicating of those beauties which to him onely should haue bin for euer most dearly preserued she that in her loue hath beene false to Amphyalus dishonorable to herself and an vtter ruine to vs you this country If then you will haue your King restored restore him by her death for in her ending must cōsist the best of his liuing and in this action doth the world infinitely gaze vppon you to see whether any vaine title of beauty or perfections can rebelliously with-draw your minds frō the execution of iustice restore vnto your selues your auncient honours by banishing out of the land your dishonours which is onely she by whom all our infamies are maintained and that this may bee performed by such a direct mean of wel intending that no seuere iudgemēt may attach vs of crueltie thus haue the Senat Lords of Laconia decreed that Hellen shall bee conuaid into a Caruill mastlesse sailelesse vnmand vnuittaild of all munition vnfurnished which being toaed forty leagues into the maine Ocean there be left to the mercy of the gods the seas and her own furtune if she be blameles her preseruation will be doublesse if faulty her end will be swift and without pittie how euer in vs will be nothing but the discharge of a most loyall dutie wherefore as many as loue Amphyalus wish for Amphyalus or hope for the benefite of his blessed sight throw vp their hats as a signe of consent to the execution of this noble iustice The whole assembly whose minds were variously caried vp and and downe with a desire and feare or a fearfull desire to wish nothing that might put them in feare of ensuing good fortune And euen those betwixt whose lippes yet stucke the worde of safetie to the neuer-ill deseruing Queene Hellen were so inchaunted with the plaine Rhetoricke of this honest-seeming Oration that as if all their seuerall bodies had had but one mind that mind one head that head but one tongue to vtter their cogitations cast vp their caps and cried the iudgement was excellent and not to be reuersed all be euen at the beginning of the speech scarce any two agreed one in opinion some consenting more for feare then cōscience some dissenting as much vpon will as loyaltie some to bee reputed strickt performers of Iustice some to bee thought charitable in pittying the innocent some to seeme to vnderstand deeper misteries then were hid in plaine dealing and some to picke a thankes-giuing of such as might pursue like hard fortune All in such mutinie of censures that it was impossible either to discerne Pitie Mercy or Iustice vntill the colours of this speech as alwayes the eyes of common multitude are bleared with showfull reportinges had brought them to concurre and agree in one Opinion and consent of her destruction the fearefull fearing the scourge of disobedience the wilfull willing to haue their willes performed the seuere as delighting in crueltie the charitable for a counterfaite loue to their Country the wise to be renowned for their deepnesse and the flatterers to draw to them a good opinion of well meaning which no sooner was perceiued by the most politike Queene Euronusa whose heart enkindled her braine with a fierie wisedome to see the desperate estate where-unto the ayre of wordes drewe her dearest beloued but breaking through the multitude and opposing face to face with the Nobilitie of Laconia lifting vp a well tuned voyce guarded with so reuerent a countenance of glorious Maiestie as did not onely intice but astonish the beholders drawing their attentions to a silent dumbnes she thus made answere to the former Oration You Princes Lords and Commons of Laconia let neither my presence how greatly so euer at this time inexpected nor my wordes though farre vnsutable to this voluntarie consent you haue giuen for the killing of a worthe innocent breede in you so much wonder as your inconsideracie neuer till this time knowne or attached stirreth in me an admiration beyond the compasse of common admiring the rather when I behold your grauities directed and led by the blinde eye of no reason why whither are your Noble iudgements fled till nowe the Schooles of other Nations where are your faiths where are your loues and where are your wisedomes Are all slaine with insubstantiall wordes with broken arguments and vngrounded supposes O that it were as lawfull for me to chide you as it is most necessarie for your selues in your selues to condemne your selues as blame-worthy you haue this day by your consents hurt onely Amphyalus dishonoured onely Amphyalus and adiudged to death not Hellen but in Hellen the liuing soule of Amphyalus in-so-much that if the backe-looking eye of your vnderstanding doe not recall that vnaduised euill of your too-suddaine verdite it will be too manifestly true as this Gentleman hath ouer-wel deliuered with an ill intention that your losse will bee vnspeakable your redresse vnrecouerable and no satisfaction though the sacrifices of your owne wiues and children will in the eye of the world be esteemed auailable for it is most certaine that in loosing her you loose that Prince that vertue that power that strength that wisdome that honour that Lion that Lambe and that goodnesse he hath spoke of nay that King that hade that ornament that maintenance and colombe of your safeties and more then this and more then hee or I can or haue spoken the diuine father of your kingdome sith the Sacramentall misterie of two moste intirely louing hearts co-vnited and inseparably ioyned together hath made them one flesh one spirit and one bodie so that they are not two but one creature not he Amphyalus but Hellen nor she Hellen but him you seeke to
in the bosome of greatnesse whilest I salute thee my true solitarines thou which makest Content depend vpon our selues and vntiest the knots which bindes vs vnto others gaining vnto men this triumph that in liuing solitarily men liue at ease thou which euer presents vnto our mindes the Idaeaes of Vertue whose well ordered gouerment sets in order all disordered imaginations containing mans selfe in himselfe without the assistance or helpe of forreine societie bringing vnto mans knowledge all true felicitie which enioyed according to the measure of vnderstanding rests in himselfe satisfyed without further ambition of long life or vaine-glorie Loe sacred Pan this is my true and pure Phylosophie which inspired by thy God-heade makes blisse-full my solitarinesse And here he paused as if his breath had enuyed his vtterance or his heart beene greeued that he should throwe into the ayre the Heauen of her cogitations at which the Prince arysing vp seeing there was no hope of further meditation and putting off his Helmet that the cheerefulnesse of his face might bannish the terror of his armour with a maiestie full of beautious loue and louely curtesie hee saluted the olde man wishing him those happie howers which might make age most happie and that life which to those yeares might neither bee tedious nor loathsome Desiring him therewithall strst to let him knowe the condition of the soyle wherein hee nowe was next the state of his olde age and solitarye abyding lastly what aduentures were vnachieued which might bring honour to the vertuous Excellent sonne saide the olde man for I dare not call thee Pyrophylus least in denying thy name thou giue me cause to suspect thy vertue knowe this soyle whereon thou treadest is a part of Thessalia one of the most fruitfullest and delectablest Prouinces in all Greece this Mountaine is called Ossa yond Riuer Penaus which glyding with gentle pace twixt it and Olympus watereth and beautifyeth the onely excellent worke of Nature and Garden of the worlde the Thessalian Tempe for my selfe I am called Eugenio whom nintie nine Winters hath Frost-nypt and distempered and as manie Sommers hath Sunne-burnt and inflamed I haue seene the change of many Kings and many alterations in Religion Men call me Prophet but I professe my selfe onely a Priest vnto the greate God Pan whose Chappell standes within this groaue and on whose Altar I dayly burne the sacrifice of the righteous As for aduentures in this place though there bee none so worthie as may by due make challenge to thy vertue yet bee there some so vertuous as please thee to approoue will adde much to thine infinite goodnesse The Prince hearing himselfe called by his owne name in a place where euer till that time hee had beene an vtter Straunger and with all vnderstanding howe neare hee was vnto the Paradise of all delights the Thessalian Tempe the report whereof had in former tyme so inchaunted his eares that his heart could haue no quiet till his eyes might bee made the Iudges of such notable perfections but aboue all and which in him had a Superlatiue gouernement exceeding all the promise of some vertuous aduenture grewe so much surprised with amazement and that amazement seconded with such an vnresistable Desire that perswading himselfe his onely deare friend the renowmed Thamastus being the groūd of his desire could not be absent from a place so infinitely desired with a most humble curtesie mightily remarkable in such an heroycall spirit taking the old man by the hand said Most holy Priest and diuine father of contemplation in whose breast the heauens haue lockt vp the treasure of their counsailes vouchsafe I beseech thee vnto me a man to discharge those knowledges which may concerne the honour I professe or the reliefe of any innocent creature distressed and I protest that all-be the life I haue lost being mine owne life lodged in the bosome of one by much many decrees dearer then my breathing calles me to an howerly quest of mine onely beloued yet for vertues sake father which hath euer beene my Goddesse and for your owne sake whom I finde to be Vertues admirer I will not spare any time or danger to accomplish what thy reuerence shall thinke meete for mine vndertaking The olde man replied sonne sit downe by me vpon this greene banke and I will tell thee a storie of much crueltie more inconstancie but most almightie loue wherein if thou shalt heare any thing to grieue thee with Democretes laugh at the worlds vanity if any thing to make thee smile weepe with Heraclytus that loue should make Reason foolish what euer thou hearest applie to this present age and say the world is old must needs goe vpon Crutches With that the Prince sitting downe and locking his attentiue eares vnto the olde mans speech Eugenio thus began This Countrey of Thessalia amongst all his neighbor Kingdomes was euer held in singular account as well for the stately scituation fruitful soyle faire buildings as for the noble inclinatiō of the people who hated disobedience as the image of a barbarous nature ambitiō as an engine to ouerthrow the Towers of great ones but aboue all her honour hath of late beene especially aduaunced through this miracle of Time and Nature this excellent composition of all terrestriall perfections I mean this most famous Tempe which being but a small plot of ground in comparison of the great kingdome of Arcadia dares yet to make boast of her Shepheards of her flowers and of her sheepes reuenewes This Tempe was at first called Natures Eden because in it was no part of mans workmanship yet the worke in Arte more strāge thē the Art or work of mā could correct the trees did not ouergrow one another but seemed in euen proportions to delight in each others euennesse the flowers did not striue which should be supreme in smelling but cōmunicating their odours were content to make one intyre sweete sauour the beddes whereon the flowers grew disdained not the grassie Allies but lending to them their lustre made the walkes more pleasant the faire ryuer Penaus would at no time ouerflow his bankes to drowne their beauties but with gentle swellings wash them like a deawie morning the springs did not challenge the riuer because his water was not as theirs so wholesome but paying their tribute into his bosome made him able to beare shippes of burthen the houses were not angrie that there were Arbors for pleasure but shadowing thē vnder their hie roofes did safegard them from tempests what shall I say Tempe wanted nothing that could make it faire yet all that it possessed made it but most beautifull in so much that the most famous and euer to bee admyred Prince Musidorus after his retourne fourth of Arcadia into his Thessalia with his Pamela in remembrance of his Shepheards life and in honour of that life in which he had got the honour of his contentmēt taking a curious suruey both of Tempe and all her best beautyes hee
all other affections and passions of the minde like a most excellent picture that is bordered about with Antike Boscage or Crotesko works of slight estimation This loue is not the most fruitlessest and base of all Passions as being begot by Desire and Sloath as working vppon weake hearts and frenzies as onely accompanying mutinous passions and discomfortable ielousies and in the ende aspyreth to a minutes Delight which is vsherd with much paine and followed by an eternall future repentance No no my Thirsis true loue and true louers doe mingle and confound themselues so in each other with a generall mixture that they out-weare and loose the port or gate of their first entrance Reason being taken away and a more excellent and more fatall power made Mistresse of that neuer to be vntied vnion these passions which they feigne to be his consorts are sicknesses of the minde which enuying loues exquisitenesse seeke with their poysons to confound his beauties but in the ende like cloudes betwixt the Sunne and our eiesights doe but darken loue that when loue breakes out it may be more resplendant As Siluagio was thus going on and discoursing praysing loue with disprayses Thirsis whose minde was busyed about much higher thoughts woulde suffer his eares to retayne nothing saue onelye the sounde of his speeches till in the ende lifting vppe their heades they might espie the onely Paragon of this worldes knowledge the excellent Melidora somewhat a farre off comming in the selfe same path in which them-selues walked in so much that except they retyred they must perforce meete her eye to eye and visage to visage Shee was Nymph-like cloathed in sundrie coloured silkes which being placed one vppon another were of an equall distance one shorter then another the in-most being longest as brauing of his most inwarde and familiar acquaintance yet all of them ioyning their beautyes together made round about her an arteficiall Rayne-bowe her hayre beeing wound vp in a lace of golde was intermingled with manye Flowers all which beauties as if they had beene too glorious for heauen or to rich for earth were shadowed and all ouer-cast with a large vaile of white Cypresse In this sorte shee was returning from the Temple of Diana that day beeing the great Saboath dedicated to the Goddesse whereby the auncient ordinances and edictes of that place all the Nimphes are to make their personall appearance and to offer solemne sacrifice and other priuate ceremonyes to the Queene of Chastitye beeing all vaylde from the iudyciall censure of the eye-sight least the misprision of a blush or the attaindure of a pale looke shoulde giue occasion to a wanton thought to misdeeme innocence In this Temple vppon this day if there bee found therein or after knowledge bring to light that there might haue beene found therein anye man or creature of the Male kinde it is present death without appeale or iustification In this sorte like the glorious Sunne in his noone-tyde progresse came she tracing along the vallyes her pretty foote scarce pressing downe the flower that it troade vppon But Thirsis eyes which long before had taken a full draught of her beautie being now lightning strooke with the beames of her presence wanting power to retire his soule being retired from al power to cōmand his intendments amazedly stood stil with fixte eyes swolne heart sad thoughts stiffe ioyntes and all the terrors that could accompanye Loue in his desperate estate till Siluagio whose vnrefined spirit did more wonder then retaine the remembrance of what he wondered at awakning Thirsis intranced soule with earnest perswasions desired him once more to incounter the Goddesse of his fortunes alledging that stale hope which is euer most hoplesse that she was a woman and there was no impossibilities But Thirsis who hauing once seene Disdaine carried euer after his remembrance in his bosome like an affrighted child that hides his head when the nurse talkes of a Bugge-beare would faine haue gone aside from his sorrow telling Siluagio it was but labour lost sith both her greatnesse vertue and chast thoughts were in this conflict his mortall enemies But Siluagio taking vpon him the power of Reason to ouerthrow Passiō with a friēdly vpbraiding of Thirsis timerousnesse by no meanes would be withstoode but would force perforce enforce him to meete the Princesse saying who dares not aduenture can neuer attaine neither he which will not hazard vpon peril shall haue the honour of perils ouerthrow therefore aduance thy falne thoughts my Thirsis and pleade their humble seruiceablenesse whilest I with-drawe my selfe into this groaue and pray for thy succeding fortunes At this Siluagio withdrawing himselfe apart yet not so farre but that his eares might haue part of their conference the noble Princesse keeping her direct course and being come euen almost to the place where the loue-thralld Shepheard stoode the poore Swaine most humbly falling vpon his knees gaue her this salutation For euer may the grasse be greene most sacred Nimph which thou treadest vpon with thy more daintie feet and may an eternall Spring flourish in thy walks as thine immortall Beautie flourisheth in the hearts and eyes of all thy beholders To this salute the Princesse in a prettie silent blush giuing him a sleight thanks offered to passe by him as carried away with farre greater deseignes then the note of his fauours But the forlorne Shepheard who before fearing to offend nowe hauing giuen offence imagining Iniurie and it to haue both but one merite staying the Nymph by her sacred garments binding his knees still Apprentices to the base earth thus seconded his former speech after many teares and sighes interruptions Thou onely Superlatiue of all thy sexe euen for thy vertues sake flie not from thy seruants presence but if it be possible that the desperate anguish of my loue may raise any appearance of pittie in the all-sauing Firmament of thy sweete chaste and sober countenacne euen for the honour of thine owne deare name vnto which all the hearts of Kinges are tributarie sende forth some sparke to lighten my darke soule O shunne me not I say alas t' is for the harmelesse Lambe to shunne the deuouring Woolfe you are too fearefull Ladie O you are farre too timerous I am your seruant your vassaile and the worke of your owne eyes making alas I come not to offer violēce but to receiue outrage Deare Goddesse emptie thy Quiuer spend thy Shafts vppon my soule O sticke them vp to the feathers in my heart for well I remember thou diddest long since giue mee that incurable wound which corsiue like eating my heart hath confounded my soule and Reason leauing nothing but thy pittie to call me from eternall bondage O thou immortall mirror where beautie findes out her best beauties thou that art the kingly seat of triumphant loue daine that thy faire eyes which make the morning blush which parch heauen scorch earth fire the woods breakes the frost flowers the earth and turnes the darke night to
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