but on words onely but for my part I finde that he that offends howsoeuer it be is an enemy and therefore I may well giue you that name To me replied she I would neyther haue the deed nor the thought for I make too great account of your merit See adioyned the shepheard one of the blowes wherein you offend mee more in telling mee one thing for another then if truly you would acknowledge in me that which you say for that I hold my selfe wronged by you in asmuch as you say you fauour me But I see well you thinke it enough to beare Loue in your eyes and in your mouth without giuing him place in your heart The shepheardesse then finding her selfe surprised as not hauing vnderstood his speech of loue answered him I make account Alcippe of your vertue as I ought and not beyond my duty and touching that you talke of loue beleeue it I will haue it neyther in mine eyes nor in my heart for any man and much lesse for those base spirits which liue like Sauages among the woods I know well replyed the shepheard that it is not the election of Loue but my destiny which compels me to be yours since that if Loue ought to arise from the resemblance of humour it would be very hard that Alcippe should not be for you who from his Cradle hath hated this countrey life and protesteth vnto you if I must change my condition to haue a part in your loue from hencefoorth I forsake the Sheephooke and my Flockes and will liue among men and not among Sauages You may well answered Amarillis change your condition but not make me change being resolued to be neuer lesse mine owne then I am now to giue place to any stronger affection if you will wee should continue the life which we haue led for the time past change this discourse of affection of Loue into that you were wont to vse to me heretofore or else thinke not strange that I banish my selfe from your company it being impossible that Loue and the honest Amarillis should remaine together Alcippe that lookt for no such answere seeing himselfe so far from his hopes was so confounded that he staid somewhile before he could answere In the end being come to himselfe he began to perswade himselfe that the bashfulnesse of her age and sexe and not want of good will towards him had made her hold this course Therefore it was that he answered her Whatsoeuer you thinke of me I shall neuer be other then your seruant and if the commandement you giue me were not disagreeing with my affection you were to thinke that there is nothing in the world that might make me contradict it you must then excuse me and suffer me to hold on my purpose which is but a testimoniall of your merit and wherein will you nill you I am resolued The shepheardesse turning her eyes sweetly towards him I know not Alcippe said she whether for a wager or out of obstinacy you talke thus It is answered he for both for I haue laid a wager with my desires to conquer you or to dye and this resolution is changed into obstinacy there being nothing that can diuert me from the othe which I haue made I would be well pleased replied Amarillis that you had taken any other for the But of such importunities You may name my affections sayd the shepherd as it pleaseth you yet shall not this make me change my mind Nor you must not thinke much replied Amarillis if I be as firme in my obstinacy as you in your importunity The shepheard would haue answered but that hee was interrupted by many shepheardesses that came to them So that Amarillis for conclusion sayd very softly to him You may do me a displeasure if your purpose be knowne for I am contented to know your follies and it will be small pleasure that any others should vnderstand it So ended the first discourse betweene my father and Amarillis which did but encrease the desire in him to serue her for nothing addeth so much to Loue as honesty And by fortune in the way this company met with Celion and Bellinde who were stayed to behold two turtles who were cheering making loue each to other no whit afraid to see many about them Then Alcippe remembring the commandement which Amarillis had giuen him could not hold from sighing out these verses A Sonnet of the restraint of Honor. VEnus deare birds doues louing ouer all That double without end your kisses true And tyrde with cares do still by them renew Now your sweete peace and sometime your sweete brall When I behold you rest or stirre your wings As rauisht with the ease wherein you are O God then vs how be you happier far That freely'nioy the sweets your true loue brings Your fortune giues you leaue freely to shew The thing which we must hide that none may know By lawes vniust which honor graunteth vs Faint honor that makes vs turne our owne foes For cruell reasonlesse she wills it thus That stealth in Loue alone with pasport goes After this time he so suffered himselfe to be transported with his affection that there was no bound which he ouer-passed not and she on the contrary shewed her selfe alwaies more cold and icy to him and one day when he was requested to sing he sayd such verses A Madtigall on the coldnesse of Amarillis HEr heart of yce her eye all fire And mine directly contrary I freeze without but inwardly I scorch with flame of my desire Alas that Loue hath chosen to possesse My heart and thâ—eies of my faire shepheardesse Gods grant that once it may be well reuerst I in mine eyes she haue it in her brest At this time as I told you Alce made suite to Amarillis and because he was a right honest shepheard and esteemed wise the father of Amarillis inclined rather to giue her to him and not to Alcippe because of his turbulent courage and on the contrary the shepheardesse better loued my father because his humour came neerer to hers which the wise father well perceiuing and not willing to vse any violence nor absolute authority ouer her he thought that farre distance might diuert her from this will and so resolued to send her for some time to Artemis the sister of Alce who dwelt about the bankes of the riuer of Allier When Amarillis knew the deliberation of her father as alwaies they endeuour to things forbidden she tooke a resolution not to goe away before she had giuen Alcippe assurance of her good will in this dessigne she wrote these words YOur obstinacy hath ouer-passed mine but mine shall likewise ouer-passe that which constraines me to aduertise you that to morrow I goe away and that this day if you may find me on the way where we met yesterday that your loue can content it selfe with words it shall haue occasion to bee there and adieu It would be ouer-long Madame to tell you
couered with teares Stanzaes on the death of Cleon. THe beauty which to cinders death doth turne Despoyling it of mortall state so soone Like lightning mounts and doth like fire burne So short a life hath so great beauty wonne Those eyes late authors of sweete vndertakings From more deare Loues are clos'd for euer fast Faire eyes that were of such a wondrous making That none beheld but lou'd them e're they past If this be true beauty from vs departs Loue vanquish'd weepes that conquered heretofore And she that gaue life to a thousand hearts Is dead yet liues in my heart euermore What good henceforth is worthy of our loue Since perfectest is soonest ranisht still As shaddow doth after the body mooue So euery good is seconded with ill Cleon it seemes thy destiny hath sworne Euen in thy East to finish vp thy day And that thy beauty dead as soone as borne Should meete her coffin in her cradles way No thou diest not it is much rather I Since all my life I liuing tooke from thee If louers life in thing beloued lie I hauing lou'd thee thou reuiu'st in me So if I liue Loue giues the world to know That his command he can to death impart Or being God his mighty power to shew Makes Louer liue without or soule or heart But Cleon if the will of Fate be so Of humane frailty that the smart you trie Loue wils to yours my fortune equall grow You by my plaints I by your death doe die Thus I powre forth my plaints that new life brings Death to surprise my sorrow being lame And my two eyes changed to lasting springs Bewaile mine ill but cannot lesse the same When Loue with me to shew compassion Laments this faire losse whence my paines dâ—still Drâ—e saith he teares mourne in another fashion So much all teares are lesser then our ill Licidas and Phillis were very curious to know the griefe of this shepheard if their own would haue giuen them leaue but seeing he had as much need of consolation as themselues they would not ioyne another mans euill to their owne and so leauing the other shepheards attentiue to finde it out they held on their way no man following them for the desire euery one had to know what this vnknowne company might be Licidas was not gone far before they heard another voice some good way off which seemed to come towards them and they willing to harken were hindred by the shepheardesse who held the shepheards head in her lap with these complaints Well thou cruell well shepheard without pitty how long shall this obstinate humour of thine indure against my prayers How long hast thou determined that I should be disdained and contemned for a thing that is not and for the sake of one dead I should bee depriued of that which cannot profit it Consider Tyrcis consider thou Idolater of the dead and enemy to the liuing what the perfection of my loue is and begin at last begin to loue the person that liues and not them that are dead whom you must leaue in rest to God and not disquiet their happy cinders with vnprofitable teares and take heed lest in holding on thus you draw not on you the vengeance of your cruelty and iniustice The shepheard not turning his eyes to her answered coldly Would to God faire shepheardesse I might be suffered to giue you satisfaction with my death for to free you and my selfe also of the payne wherein we are I would choose it rather then my life but since as you haue told me this were but to increase your griefe I beseech thee Laonice enter into thy selfe and consider how small reason thou hast to make my deare Cleon dye twice It is sufficient since my mis-hap will haue it so that she hath once paid the tribute of her humanity then if after her death she be reuiued in me by force of my loue why cruell will you haue her dye againe by the forgetfulnesse which a new loue will cause in my soule No no shepheardesse your reproaches shall neuer haue such power ouer me to make me to consent to so wicked a counsell because that which you call cruelty I name faithfulnesse and that which you thinke worthy punishment I iudge it to deserue high commendation I haue told you that in my Tombe the memory of my Cleon shall liue by my bones that which I haue sayd to you I haue a thousand times sworne to the immortall gods and to this faire soule which is now with them and thinke you that they will suffer Tyrcis to goe vnpunished if forgetfull of his oath he become vnfaithfull Ah! I shall sooner see the heauens cast forth their lightning on my head then euer offend either my oath or my deare Cleon. She would haue replied but that then the shepheard that went on singing interrupted them by comming vpon them with these verses The Song of Hylas IF she disdaine me then adew I leaue the cruell with her scorne Not staying till the morrow morne Before I chuse a mistrisse new It were a fault my selfe to pine By force to draw her loue to mine They for the most part are so wise They make no reckoning of our loues Wherein their heart a fire moues But that the flame must not arise So that we kindle other fires While we pursue our owne desires The ouer-faithfull vow-keeper Abused by his loyalty Loues beauty stuft with cruelty Seemes be not I doll worshipper That from an Image nothing strong Neuer findes succor for his wrong They say Who open passage leaue To be importunde euery day At last must giue himselfe away But so we little good receiue When we may easly meete some one To be importunate vpon These Louers lo that faithfull are Are alwaies full of dolorous feares Deepe sighes complaints and showring teares Are commonly their daintiest fare It seemes the Louers chiefest part Is onely to weepe out his heart A man how can you call him well That manly honour layd aside Cries like a boy cannot abide Apples losse or Wall-nuts-shell May you not rather call him foole That loues such displing in Loues schoole But I who all such follies flye That nothing bring with them but care By others harmes warn'd to beware Doe alwaies vse my liberty And am not discontent at all That they doe me inconstant call At these last verses the shepheard was come so neere to Tyrcis that he might discerne the teares of Laonice and because though they were strangers yet they knew one the other and to busie them a while by the way the shepheard knowing the sorrow of Laonice and Tyrcis rowsed himselfe to accost them in this manner O desolate shepheard for by reason of this sadde time of life such was the name that euery man gaue him if I should be like you I should thinke my selfe most vnhappy Tyrcis hearing him speake rose vp to answer him And I Hylas if I were in your place how might you call me vnhappy
both that they sware so firme a league betweene them that they neuer after separated and this was the first day that Astrea came out of her lodging So that these her two faithfull companions were now with her but they were no sooner set down but they might perceiue farre off Semire who came to finde her This shepheard had long time beene amorous of Astrea and knowing that she loued Celadon thought that he was the cause of his bad successe beeing now perswaded that hauing driuen away Celadon he might easily obtain his place he came to seeke her out that he might beginne his designe but he was much deceiued for Astrea hauing found out his craft conceiued such an hatred against him that when shee spyed him shee would lay her hand ouer her eyes that she might not see him and desired Phillis to tell him from her that he should neuer present himselfe to her And these words were spoken with such a change of looke and so great a vehemency that her companions easily found out her great stomake which more readily incensed Phillis against the shepherd When he heard this message hestood so confused in his thoughts that it seemed he could not moue At last ouercome enforced by the acknowledgement of his error he said Discreete Phillis I protest the heauens are iust in giuing me more sorrow then an heart is able to beare since they cannot equall their punishment according to mine offence hauing beene the cause of the breach of the fairest and most intire loue that euer was But that the gods may not more rigorously chastise me tell this faire shepheardesse that I aske pardon both of her and of the cinders of Celadon assuring her that the extreme affection which I bare her without more was the cause of this fault that banished from her and from her eyes iustly offended I may goe lamenting all my life long At this word hee went away so vncomfortable that his repentance mooued Phillis to some pittie and beeing come backe to her companions shee told them his answer Alas sister sayd Astrea I haue more reason to fly this wicked man then to weepe iudge you if I ought not this is he without more that hath beene the cause of all my sorrow How sister said she is Semire the cause of your sorrow Hath he such power ouer you If I durst tell you his wickednes sayd Astrea and mine owne folly you would say that he hath vsed the greatest Arte that the craftiest spirit could inuent Diane knowing that that was the cause that she spake no more plainely to Phillis for that it was yet but eight or ten dayes that they grew to that familiarity said to them that it was no part of her purpose to take any thing from them by constraint And you faire shepheardesse said shee turning to the sad Astrea giue me occasion to thinke that you loue me not if you be more reserued to me then to Phillis for that though it be not long that I haue inioyed the good of your familiarity yet are you to be no lesse assured of my affection then of hers Phillis then answered I assure my selfe that Astrea will alwayes speake as freely before you as before her selfe her humor being not to loue by halues since she hath sworne to be such she hath nothing in her soule to conceale It is true continued Astrea and that which held me from saying more was onely for that the putting the weapon againe into the wound will but poyson it Yet so it is replied Diane that oftentimes you must vse the weapon to heale it and for me I thinke that to speake freely of the disease to a friend is to make him a party and if I durst desire you it would be a great satisfaction to know what your life hath beene as my selfe also will not make it dainty to tell you mine when you shall be desirous to know it Since you will haue it so answered Astrea that you haue a mind to partake in my sorrowes I will so that afterwards you impart to me of your contentments and that in the meane time you suffer me to vse that breuity in the discourse which you desire to vnderstand from me and truly an history so vnfortunate as mine will not please but by being short And being all three set in a round she began to speake in this manner The History of Astrea and Phillis THey that know what it is when friendship or hatted passe from father to son may well conceiue Celadons fortune and mine and without doubt may affirme that they be not deceiued For faire Diane I beleeue you haue often heard speech of the old hatred betweene Alce Hippolite my father and mother and of Alcippe and Amarillis the father mother of Celadon their displeasures accompanying them euen to their graue which hath beene cause of so great trouble among the shepheards of this Country that I assure my selfe there is no man ignorant of it along the shore of the cruell and dishonoured Lignon And yet it seemeth that Loue to shew his power of persons so opposite would vnite two so straitly that nothing could breake the lines but death For hardly had Celadon reached to the age of foureteene or fifteene yeeres and I of twelue or thirteene but that at an assembly which was had at the Temple of Venus which is on the top of this mountaine seated in the Plaine right ouer against Montsur about a mile from the Castle of Monbusor this young shepheard sawe me and as he hath told me since he had long before conceiued a good liking vpon the report which was made of me But the let which I told you our fathers tooke from him all meanes and I must tell you that I do not thinke he bare a greater liking then did I for I know not how when I heard speech of him my heart danced in my belly and this was but a presage of the troubles which since befell mee on that occasion Now at the instant when he saw me I know not how he found matter of loue in mee so that within a while after hee resolued to loue me and to serue me And it seemeth that at this first view both the one and the other of vs was at this passe that wee must loue so that as often as it was told mee that hee was the sonne of Alcippe I found a certaine change in my selfe which was not ordinary and thenceforth all his actions began to please me and much more agreeing to my liking then of all the other yong shepheards of his age and for that as yet he durst not come neere me that speech was denied him his lookes at his commings and goings spake to me so often that at last I knew he had a longing to tell me more and to effect it at a game that was kept at the foot of the mountaine vnder the old elmes that yeelded a pleasant shade he vsed such
chuse but be assured of his affection Where to she answered that she neuer had the thought to dissemble with me and she would be very angry I should haue that opinion of her and to giue me more proofe since I desired she should intertaine Licidas she would obey me when she should know that he loued her as he said That was the cause that Celadon often finding her after with me gaue her a Letter that his brother had written by my aduice A Letter of Licidas to Phillis IF I haue not alwayes loued you let me neuer be beloued of any and if my affâ—â—tion do euer change let my present misfortune neuer change It is true that some-while I haue hidden my loue within my heart so that I haue not suffered it to appeare in my eyes nor words If I haue offended in it accuse the respect I carry you who haue ordained I should doe so If you beleeue not the oath which I haue made you take what proofe you will of me and you shall know that you haue me more yours then I can assure you by my true but most feeble words In the end wise Diane after many replies on both sides we so wrought that Licidas was entertained and from that time we began all foure one life which was not vnpleasing either of vs fauouring the other with the most discretion we could possibly And that we might the better couer our dessigne we inuented many meanes were it to talke were it to write in secresie It may be you haue noted that little rocke that standeth vpon the great way to the Rocke you must needs know that it is painefull to get vp but being there the place is so fenced that a man may be there vnseene of any and because it stands on the hie way wee made choice of it to meete in that none might spy vs and if any mette vs going by wee made shew to be on our way and that neither the one nor the other might go in vaine we put in the morning some bough at the foote of it for a marke that we had somewhat to say It is true that we were so neere vnto the high way that our raysed voyce might easily be heard of them that passed by this was the onely cause that vsually we left either Phillis or Licidas to watch that at what time soeuer they sawe any come afarre off they should cough to giue vs warning And because wee were vsed to write alwayes when we were letted or hindered and could not come to that place wee chose out along that little riuer that runnes by the great way an olde Willow tree halfe eaten for age in the hollow whereof we alwayes layd our letters and that we might more easily make answer wee vsually left some paper and an inkehorne To be short wise Diane we turned on euery side that wee possibly could to keepe vs from discouery And namely wee forthwith tooke this course not to talke together Celadon and I nor Licidas and Phillis so that there were many that thought that Celadon had changed his minde because that as soone as he saw Phillis he would haste to intertaine her and she shewed him all the good countenance she could and I likewise alwayes when Licidas came in place brake company from any other to go talke with him It fell out in successe of time that Celadon himselfe was of opinion that I loued Licidas and I beleeued he loued Phillis and Phillis thought Licidas loued me and Licidas suspected that Phillis loued Celadon in such sort that vnawares we found our selues so cumbred with these opinions that iealousie made vs know that a little shewe will cause him breed in an heart that loueth well Indeed interrupted Phillis we were Louers and Schollers at that time for to what purpose serued it to conceale that we truly loued by making men beleeue a loue that was not since you may as well feare that men should thinke you beare good will to Licidas as to Celadon Sister sister replyed Astrea clapping her hand on her shoulder we feare not when men doe thinke of vs that which is not and on the contrary the least suspition of that which is true giues vs no rest Truly iealousie continued she turning toward Diane so attached vs all foure that I thinke that life had long lasted among vs if some good spirit had not wrought in vs a cleering in the presence each of other Some seuen or eight dayes passed that we sawe not each other in the rocke and that the letters which Celadon and I layd were so differing from those we formerly vsed that it seemed they were differing persons At last as I told you some good spirit hauing care of vs caused vs by chance to meete all foure in that place without other company And the loue of Celadon therein more strong then the rest in that it compelled him to speake first put these words into his mouth Faire Astrea if I thought time could giue remedy to the paine I feele I would referre my selfe to that which it might bring but since the older it growes the more it increaseth I am enforced to seeke out a better by the complaint that I am to make to you of the wrong I receiue and I am more readily brought to it for that I am to make my complaint both before my Iudges and my aduersaries And as he was going forward Licidas interrupted him saying that he was in payne that in greatnesse differed not from his In greatnesse sayd Celadon it is impossible for mine is extreme And mine replyed Licidas is without comparison While the shepheards talked together I turned to Phillis and sayd You see sister these shepheards will complaine of vs. Whereto shee answered me But we haue more cause to complaine of them But yet sayd I although I haue great cause to complayne of Celadon yet I haue more of you who vnder the colour of the friendship you seeme to beare me haue drawne him from that hee made shew of to me so that I may say you haue robbed me And for that Phillis stood so confused at my words that she knew not what to answer Celadon turning to me said Ah faire shepheardesse but fleeting as fayre Is it so that you haue lost the memory of the seruices of Celadon and of your owne othes I complayne not so much of Licidas though he haue fayled in his duty of proximity and amity betweene vs as of you to your selfe knowing well that the desire which your perfections may bring into an heart may make it forget all respect of duty But is it possible that so long a seruice as mine so absolute a power as you haue euer had ouer me and so entire an affection as mine cannot somewhat stay the inconstancy of your soule or in good time if yet all that commeth from me be of so small force how comes it that your fayth so often sworne and the gods so often called
to witnesse cannot with-hold you from making a new election before my face At the same time Licidas taking the fayre hand of Phillis after a great sigh hee sayd Faire hand wherein I had entirely placed my will can I liue and know that thou delightest to be borne to another heart then mine then mine I say that haue merited so much of fortune if a man may be worthy by the most great most sincere and by the most faithfull loue that euer was I could not heare the other words that Licidas went on with for I was constrained to answer Celadon Shepheard shepheard said I all these words of faithfulnesse and of amity are more in your mouth then in your heart and I haue more cause to complaine of you then to heare you But because I make no more reckning of any thing that comes from you I will not vouchsafe to complaine so should you doe if your dissimulations would suffer you But since our affayres be at these tearmes go on Celadon loue Phillis well serue her well her vertues deserue it and if in speaking vnto you I blush it is for spite that I haue loued that which was so vnworthy and hath so grossely deceiued me The astonishment of Celadon was so great hearing the reproches I vsed to him that he stayed a long time not able to speake a word which gaue me opportunity to heare what Phillis answered Licidas Licidas Licidas let him that ownes me demaund me You call me fleeting and you know well that that terme agrees best with your actions But thinke you in complaining first you can purge the wrong you doe me I falter not but your selfe for it is more shame to you to change then it is losse to me in your change But that which offends me is that you will accuse me for your owne fault and faine a good reason of your owne vnfaithfulnesse Yet it is true that he that deceiueth a brother may fayle her that is not so neere him And then turning her selfe to mee she sayd And you Astrea thinke that the gayne you haue made by diuerting him from my amitie can no longer last then vntill some other obiect present it selfe though I know well your perfections haue that power that if it be not an heart all of feathers they are able to slay it Phillis replyed I the proofe shall witnesse that you are a flatterer when you speake so of the perfections which are in me since hauing depriued me of Celadon they must needes be feeble not being able to hold him after they had gotten him Celadon falling on his knee before me It is not said he that I misprize the merits of Phillis but I protest before all the gods that she hath not kindled the least sparke of loue in my soule and that I beare with lesse griefe the offence you doe me in changing then that you commit against my affection in blaming it of inconstancy It is to no purpose wise Diane to particularize all our discourse for they would be too long and might offend you so that before we parted we were so well reduced to our good sences that I must tell you we acknowledged the small reason we had to suspect one another And we haue good cause to thanke heauen that we made this declaration all foure together for I thinke otherwise it had beene impossible to roote out this errour from our soule and for my owne part I assure you that nothing could haue made mee vnderstand reason if Celadon had not spoken after this manner before Phillis Now since that time we went with lesse heede then we were wont But to leaue this trauaile I enter into another no lesse troublesome for we could not so well dissemble but Alcippe that lay in watch knew that his sonnes affection to mee was not altogether extinct and for his more assurance hee looked so heedfully to his actions that noting with what curiosity he went alwaies to the old Willow where we layd our letters one morning he came first and after he had long sought noting the path which wee had made on the grasse by often going hee tooke it for his guide and the tract brought him right to the foote of the tree where he found a letter which I had layd there ouer-night It was thus The letter of Astrea to Celadon YEsterday we went out of the temple where we were assembled to bee present at the houres which they did to Pan and Siringue celebrating their day I should haue sayd feasting if you had beene there but the loue I bare you is such that not the diuine things if it may be lawfull for me to say so without you can please mee I finde my selfe so vnfit for our common businesse that but for the promise which I made to write daily to you I know not if this day you should haue heard any newes from me Receiue them then at this time for my promise set When Alcippe had read this letter he layd it in the same place againe and hiding himselfe to see the answer his sonne was not slacke in comming and not finding any paper he writ on the backe of my Letter and hath told me since it was thus The Letter of Celadon to the Shepheardesse Astrea YOu binde me and vnbinde me at one time pardon me if this word offend you when you tell me you loue me can I haue any greater obligations to all the gods But the offence is not small that you had not written at this time but for that you promised me For I am indebted to your promise and not to your loue Remember I beseech you that I am not yours because I haue promised you but because I am truly yours and that in like sort I desire not Letters for the conditions that are betweene vs but for the sole witnesse of your goodwill not welcomming them as merchandises but as being sent me from an entire good will Alcippe knew not who the shepheardesse might be to whom this letter was directed for there was no name to it but see how it came from a spirit that would be crosse he thought not much of his paine to stay in that place aboue 5. or 6 houres to see who she should be that would come to seeke it assuring himselfe the day would not be fully past but some one would come fetch it It was late before I went but presently when he sawe me for feare lest I should take him he turned himselfe and made shew as if he were asleepe And I that I might giue no cause of suspition turning my pace fayned to take another way He contrarily well satisfied for his payne as soone as I was gone tooke the Letter and carried it with him Whereupon incontinently hee made his dessigne to send away his sonne for that he would not in any case there should be alliance betweene vs for the extreme hatred betweene Aloe and him but rather to the contrary hee had a purpose to
to your seruice Semire sayd I I am bound to you for this good will but I shall be much more if you finish that which you haue begunne Ah shepheardesse said he I haue told you too much but it may be you shall in time know more of it and then you shall judge that indeed Semire is your seruant Ah most malicious how true hee seemed in his wicked promises for I haue since knowne but too much to leaue in mee onely the desire to liue So it was that at that time he would tell me no more to make me the more desirous and he thought it was time one day when according to custome I pressed him to let me know the end of my contentment and I coniured him by the power which I had sometimes ouer him to tell me all that which he had begunne He answered Faire shepheardesse you so coniure me that I hold it a great fault to disobey you I would I had neuer begunne that discourse which I foresee the end will bring you And after I had assured him of the contrary he had the skill so well to perswade me that Celadon loued Aminthe the daughter of the sonne of Cleante that Iealousie the ordinary companion of soules which loue dearely beganne to perswade me that it might be true and this was a mischiefe extreme that then I remembred not the commandement which I gaue him to make shew of louing other shepheardesses Notwithstanding desirous to make an end to dissemble my displeasure I answered Semire that I did neuer beleeue nor would that Celadon made particular choice of me before others that if it seemed we vsed any familiarity it was but by reason of the long acquaintance which we haue had together but as for his loue-suites they were indifferent Now answered the crafty companion I thanke God your humour is such but since it is so you cannot choose but take pleasure to heare the passionate discourse which he had to his Aminthe I protest to you wise Diane when I heard him name his Aminthe I changed colour and because he offred me to heare their words me thought I was not to shunne the knowledge of the perfidiousnesse of Celadon alas more faithfull then I well aduised and so I tooke his offer and indeede hee fayled not in his promise For within a while after he came running to me and assuring mee that hee left them close together and that Celadon layd his head in Aminthes lap who sate and rubbed his head telling me the particulars the more to torment me I followed him so besides my selfe that I remember neither the way I went nor how neere he brought me to them yet they perceiued me not because as I haue iudged since they cared not who heard and therfore regarded not who hearkened So it was I found my selfe so neere that I could heare Celadon say Beleeue me fayre shepheardesse there is no beauty can be more liuely printed in a soule then that which is in mine But Celadon answerd Aminthe how is it possible that an heart stirring as yours can haue the hardinesse to hold long that which loue can graue Naughty shepheardesse replyed my Celadon let these reasons goe by measure not me by your wand nor weights of any other honor me with your good graces and you shall see if I will not preserue them as well in my soule and as long as my life Celadon Celadon replyed Aminthe you shall be wel punished if your iest turne to earnest and if the heauens in my reuenge make you loue this Aminthe whom you now sport your selfe with Hitherto there was nothing but in some sort it might be bom But O God! to faine what was the answer he gaue I pray Loue sayd he faire shepheard if I mocke that he cause the mockery to light on mee if I haue deserued any grace from him that he inflict on mee the punishment you threaten Aminthe not able to iudge his intent by this discourse answered him not but with a smile and with a casting of her hand ouer her eyes which I interpreted in my language that she refused not but that she beleeued his words for true But that which touched me most to the quicke was that Celadon after he had beene some-while without speech fetcht a deepe sigh which she accompanyed presently with another And when the shepheard rose vp to speake to her she layd her hand ouer her eies waxed red as halfe ashamed that this sigh had so escaped her which was the cause that Celadon lying downe in his former place a little after sung these verses A Sonnet when he knew how they fayned to loue FAyning to loue me she complaines in want on wise And after me she sighes when me she sighing spiâ—s And by her fayned teares would witnesse to endure The heate which in my soule she knowes is ouer-sure The lower most expert when she the Maske puts on Of her deceitfull traines knowes no way to be gone He must be without heart not to desire a whit To be so sweetly gullâ—d by such her forging wit My selfe deceiue my selfe in fashood that I see And my contentments all confederate against mee My hearts glasse traitors lights that vntrusty are I know you all right well your iuggling trickes I spie But whereto serues it me since Loue doth me deny Seeing your treasons trickes I should thereof beware After he had held his peace awhile Aminthe sayd And why Celadon doe you trouble your selfe so much I feare said he rather to trouble her whom in any sort I would not but please And who is that said she since we are alone Ah! that she had deceiued her selfe so and it had been well for my part as any other in the company It is but you answered Celadon that I feare to importune but if you command mee I will goe forward I dare not replyed the shepheardesse vse any commandement where euen the payer is vndiscreete You may vse replied the shepheard what termes please you but in the end I am but your seruant And then he began again in this sort A MADRIGAL Vpon a resemblance of his Lady and himselfe I May be bold to say our hearts Are both made of the hardest rocke Mine that indures such rig'rous smarts And yours in that it beares the shocke Both of Loues blowes and of my teares But when the griefes I call to minde Which makes my sufferings euer be In this extremity I finde I am a rocke in constancy And so are you in cruelty Faire Diane it was beyond my power to stay longer there and so stealing softly from them I returned to my flocke so sad that from that day I opened not my mouth And because it was very late I draue my sheepe into their folds and passed a night such as you may imagine Alas all this had beene nothing if I had not ioyned thereto the folly which I shall bewaile as long as I haue teares neither know I who
in loue to him And as for the recompences which you demand for the seruices and for the letters which Laonice carried from one to the other let her remember the contentment which she receiued how many happy daies she passed before this deceit which otherwise she should haue speÌ„t miferably let her ballance her seruices with that payment I assure myselfe shee shall bee found their debtor Thou saist Hylas that Tircis hath be guiled her This is no beguiling but a iust punishment of Loue that hath made her blowes fall on her owne selfe since her purpose was not to serue but to delude the wise Cleon that if she haue cause to coÌ„plaine of any thing it is that of two deceyuers she hath beene the lesse crafty See Siluander how briefly I haue thought fit to answer the false reasons of this shepheard and there remaines nothing but to make Laonâ—ce confesse that she hath done wrong to pursue this iniustice which I will easily doe if it please her to answer me Faire shepheardesse said Phillis tell me doe you loue Tircis well Shepheardesse replyed she no man that knowes me doubted euer of it If it were of constraint replyed Phillis that he were to goe farre off and that some other came in the meane time to woo you would you change this loue No sayd she for I should alwayes hope hee would come backe And reioyned Phillis If you knâ—w he would neuer returne would you cease louing him No certainely answered she O faire Laonice continued Phillis thinke it not then strange that Tyrcis who knowes that his Clâ—on for her merits is lifted vp into heauen who knoweth that from aboue shee sees all his actions and ioyes in his fidelity will not change the loue he bare her nor suffer that the distance of place should separate their affections since all the discommodities of life haue no more to do Thinke not as Hylas hath sayd that neuer any came backe ouer the floud of Acheron Many who haue beene beloued of the gods haue gone and returned and whom shall we rather thinke than faire Cleon whose birth hath beene beheld by the Destinies with so sweet and fauourable an eye that she neuer loued any thing whereof she gayned not the loue O Laonice if it were permitted your eyes to see the Diuinitie you might behold this Cleon who without doubt is at this houre in this place to defend her cause and is at mine â—are to prompt the words that I must speake Then you would iudge that Hylas hath done wrong to say that Tyrcis loues but cold cinders Me thinks I see her in the midst of vs clothed with immortality in stead of a frayle body and subiect to all accidents which reproches Hylas for the blasphemies which he hath vsed against her And what wilt thou answer Hylas if the happy Cleon say to thee Thou inconstant wouldst trayne vp my Tyrcis in thy vnfaithfulnesse if he haue heeretofore loued me thinkest thou it was my body if thou sayst Yes I answer He ought to be condemned since no louer is euer to withdraw himselfe from a loue begunne to loue the ashes which I haue left him in my coffin so long as they endure If hee confesse he loued my spirit that is my principall part then why inconstant will hee change that will at this time when it is more perfect than euer it was Heeretofore so will the misery of the liuing haue it I might be iealous I might be importunate I must serue I was marked by more then him but now freed from all imperfections I am no more capable to beare his displeasures And thou Hylas thou wouldst with thy sacrilegious inuentions turne from me him in whom onely I liue in earth and by a cruelty more barbarous than hath beene heard of assay to lay on me another death Wise Siluander the words which I deliuer sound so sensibly in mine eares that I doe not thinke but you heare them and feele them at your heart This is the cause that to leaue this diuinity speaking in your soule I will hold my peace after I haue onely told you that loue is so iust that you are to feare the punishments in your selues if the pitty of Laonice rather than the reason of Cleon moue and carry you At this word Phillis rising with a curteous reuerence made signe she would say no more for Tyrcis When Laonice would haue made an answer Siluander forbade it saying It was not now time to defend her selfe but to heare onely the sentence which the gods pronounced by his mouth and after he had some while considered with himselfe the reasons of them both hee pronounced such a sentence The iudgement of Siluander THe principall poynt of the causes debated before vs is to know if Loue may die by the death of the thing beloued Whereupon wee say that a loue that may perish is no true loue for it ought to follow the subiect that gaue it birth Therefore it is that they which loue the body onely must enclose all their loues of the body in the same tombe where it is shut vp but they that beyond this loue the spirit ought with their loues to flie after this beloued soule to the highest heauens no distances being able to separate them Therefore all these things well considered we ordayne That Tyrcis alwayes loue his Cleon and that of the two loues which may be in vs the one shall follow the body of Cleon to the tombe and the other the spirit into heauen In like sort it is ordered That suites of Laonice be forbidden that shee no longer disquiet the repose of Cleon for such is the will of the gods that speakes in me Hauing sayd thus without regarding the complaynts and reproches which he foresawe in Laonice and Hylas hee made a great reuerence to Leonide and the rest of the company and so went away without other companion than Phillis who would stay no longer to heare the sorrowes of this shepheardesse And because it was late Leonide withdrew into the Hamlet of Diane for that night and the shepheards and shepheardesses as they were accustomed except Laonice who infinitely offended with Siluander and Phillis sware not to goe out of that Countrey before she had done them some notable displeasure it seemed that Fortune brought her as shee could haue wished For hauing left that company and being placed in the thickest of the wood to mourne at liberty at the last her good spirit set before her eyes the insupportable contempt of Tyrcis how much vnworthy he was to be beloued of her and made her so ashamed of her fault that a thousand times she sware to hate him and for his cause Siluander and Phillis It fell out while these things thus passed in her memory that Licidas which some dayes before beganne to be euill satisfied with Phillis by reason of some coldnesse which he thought he found in her perceiued Siluander to come talking with her It was
had thanked her I told her she should not feare the fuâ—y of Azahyde and that I would so prouide that she should haue no displeasure that for her part shee must onely doe that which her father had giuen in charge and that I would finde a remedy both for her safety and mine owne but aboue all things she must be secret And then toward night I prouided my selfe of all the money I could get without the knowledge of Abariel and set so good an order to that I was to doe that the houre being come when I must goe to the place appoynted after I had taken leaue of the olde man who came with me to the shore I mounted into a little barke which hee had prouided and then going softly vnder the window I made shew to tye vp my selfe but it was onely my clothes filled vp with grauell and suddainely withdrawing myselfe aside to see what would happen I heard them fall at once into the lake where with the ore I gently beat the water that they might thinke when they heard the noyse that it was I that beat so but I was quickly compelled to be gone from thence because they cast downe so many stones that I could hardly saue my selfe and soone after I saw a light set in the window whereby fearing to be discouered I hid my selfe in the boat lying all along groueling This was the cause the night being very darke and my selfe gotten a prety was off that they could not see me but thought the boat did float so of it selfe Now when euery one was gone from the window I heard a great noyse about the place where I left Abariel and as I might iudge me thought I heard his exclamations which I tooke to be occasioned by the noyse that hee had heard in the water fearing I was drowned so it was that I resolu'd neuer to go to him more not that iâ— grieu'd me to serue him in his old dayes for the great obligation that I was tied to him in but for the ouer-great assurance of the euill will of Azahyde I knew well that if it were not at this brunt it would be at another that he would accomplish his wicked designe So then being come to the chaines which lock the port I was forced to leaue my boat to goe swimming ouer to the other side whither being come with some danger by reason of the darkenesse of the night I went to that place where I had hid my other clothes and whatsoeuer I had of worth and taking the way of Agaune I came by the poynt of day to Euians and I assure you I was weary for hauing gone fast I was constrained to rest all that day there where by fortune not beeing knowne I was willing to take counsell as others did in their most vrgent affaires of the wise Bellinde who is mistrisse of the Vestals which are along the lake and as I learned since is the mother of my faire mistrisse so it was that letting her know all my disasters shee consulted the Oracle and the next day she told me that the god commanded me not to be distempered for so great aduersities and that it was necessary if I would be gone to seek our the fountaine of the verity of Loue because in that water was my onely remedy and as soone as I should be there I might know both my father and my country And asking her in what place this fountaine was she gaue me knowledge that it was in this countrey of Forrests and then told me the property and the enchantment with that courtesie that I am infinitely yet bound vnto her From that time I resolued to come hither and taking my way by the towne of Plancus it is some moneth since I came where the first that I met with was Celadon who at that time was returned froÌ„ a long voiage by whom I vnderstood where this admirable fountaine was but when I should go I fell sicke so that I came not out of my chamber for sixe moneths togeather somewhile â—fteâ— finding my selfe strong enough so that I set my selfe on the way I vnderstood by them there-abouts that a Magician by Clidamans procurement had put it vnder the custody of two Lyons and two Vnicornes which he had enchanted and that the sorcery might not bee vndone but with the blood and death of two the most faithfull Louers that euer were in this countrey God knowes whether this news brought not me sorrow seeing my selfe almost out of hope of that I desired yet considering this was the Countrey which the heauens had destined for me to know my parents I thought fit stay here and it may be these faithfull in loue may at last be found out but yet it is a merchandize so rare that I dare not haue too great an hope With this purpose I resolued to clothe my selfe in shepheards weeds that I might more freely liue with such good companies which are along the riuer of Lignon and that I might not be idle I imployed all the remnant of my money which I had vpon cattell and a little cabbin to which I haue since retired See faire Leonide that which you desired to know of mee and behold my payment to Phillis for the place which she sold me which hereafter she shall not haue the boldnesse to take since she hath giuen it for so good a price I am much delighted answered Leonide in hearing you tell your fortune and I must tell you that you ought to hope well of your selfe since the gods by their Oracles shew themselues to haue such care of you for my part I pray them for it with all my heart And so do not I comes in Phillis writhing her selfe for if he were knowne it may bee the worth of his father might make him carry away our mistrisse it being very certaine that good and alliance may do more in marriages then their worth or loue Take heede what you say said Siluander you are so farre from wishing me so much hurt that I hope by your means to come to the knowledge I desire By my meanes answered she how can that be By your meanes continued the shepheard for since it must be that the Lyons shall die by the bloud of a Louer and of a faithfull beloued why may not I thinke that I am this Louer and you the Beloued Faithfull I am it is true answered Phillis but valiant I am not so that in well louing my mistris I will giue place to none but for my bloud life talke no more of it for what seruice can I doe her when I am dead I assure you answered Diane that I wish your life of the two and not your death and I desire rather to be in danger my selfe then to see you so by my occasion While they discoursed in this sort and as they drew neer to the bridge of the buttresse they might see sarre off a man comming apace towards them and drawing neerer
could not but more strengthen himselfe thereby in his iealousie which Phillis greatly regarded not thinking she had giuen proofs great enough of her loue so that in reason he was not to doubt it but ignorance knowes not that iealousie in Loue is Iuie that drawes to it selfe the nourishment which should goe to the good branches and good fruit and the greater it is the more it shewes the fertility of the place and the strength of the plant Paris that admired the great spirit of Siluander knew not what to iudge of him and thought that if he had beene bred among ciuill folke he had beene without paralell since liuing among shepheards hee was such that he knew none more gentle That was the cause that he resolued to make friendship with him more freely to enioy his company And to procure theÌ„ to hold on their disputation he turned to Hylas said that he must confesse he had taken the worse part since he stood so long mute He neede not be astonied for that said Diane since there is not so violent a iudge as the conscience Hylas knowes well hee argues against the truth and it is onely to flatter his fault And though Diane held on this discourse some while yet Hylas answered not a word being busie in beholding Phillis who when she was neere Licidas entertained him coursely enough and because Astrea would not haue him ouer-heare what she said to him she diuers times interrupted him vntil at last she constrained him to say If Phillis be so importuned I will not loue at all Truely shepheard said she expressely to hinder him from harkening if you bee as vngracious to her as vnciuill to vs shee will make no great account of you And for that Phillis without taking heede to this dispute held on her discourse Diane said to her What Phillis doe you thus shew the duty you owe me Will you leaue mee then to entertaine a shepheard Whereat Phillis surprized answered I would not mistrisse this errour should displease you for I was of opinion that this goodly discourse of gentle Hylas would haue kept you from heeding mee who in the meane time was giuing order to an affaire that this shepheard spoke of to mee and indeede she lyed not for she was much busied for the coldnesse shee â—ound in him It were good then Phillis said Diane with the words of a true mistrisse you thinke to pay all your faults with excuses but remember that all these defects are but small proofes of your little loue and that in time and place I shall remember in what fashion you serue me Hylas had taken Phillis by the waste and not knowing the wager of Siluander and her was amazed to heare Diane speake so therefore seeing her ready to beginne her excuse he preuented her saying Who would say faire mistrisse that this glorious shepheardesse would handle you thus coursely will you yeeld to her in any thing Commit not this fault I beseech you for though she be faire yet haue you beauty enough to make you a part and which it may be giues no place to hers Ah! Hylas said Phillis if you knew against whom you speake you would rather choose to be mute the rest of your life then to be prouided of a word that might displease this faire shepheardesse who in the twinkling of an eye may if you loue make you the most vnhappy mâ—n that euer loued On me said the shepheard she may rayse or cast downe open or shut her eyes but my misfortune no more then my happinesse shall neuer dependâ— neither of her eyes nor of her whole face and yet I loue you and will loue you If you loue mee added Phillis and I haue any power ouer you shee hath much more for I may be moued either by your loue or by your seruices not to vse you hardly but this shepheardesse being neither loued nor serued of you will neuer haue pitty And what neede haue I sayd Hilas of her pitty Yes certainely replyed Phillis you want her mercy for I will nothing but what she wills and can do nothing but what shee commands for behold the Mistris I loue whom I serue and whom I adore so that she is all my loue all my seruice and all my deuotion Now fee Hylas whom you haue offended and what pardon you are to sue for Then the shepheard casting himselfe at the feete of Diane all astonied after he had a little be held her sayd Mine owne faire Mistris if he that loues may behold any other thing then the subiect beloued I might well haue seene in some sort that euery one was to honor and do reuerence to your merit but since I haue mine eyes closed against al other things but my Phillis you shuld shew too great cruelry if you pardoÌ„ not the fault which I confesse for which â—â—ry you mercy Phillis that was sorry to be thus pâ—stred with this man that she might talke with Lieidas as he had desired made haste to answer him before Diane and to tell him that Diane would not pardon him but with condition that he should tell them the suites and aduentures which hee had had since hee beganne to loue for it was impossible but the discourse would be very pleasing since he had serued in so many sorts the accidents must needes be accordingly Truely Phillis sayd Diane you are a great diuiner for I had a purpose neuer to pardon him but with that condition and therefore Hylas resolue to do it How sayd the shepheard will you constraine me to tell my life before my Mistris and what opinion will shee haue of me when shee shall heare say that I haue loued aboue an hundred that to some I haue bid farewell before I left them and left others before I sayd any thing to them when shee shall know that at one and the same time I was diuided among many what will she thinke of me Nothing worse then shee now thinkes sayd Siluander for she will then but iudge you inconstant as she doth already It is true sayd Phillis but that you may not enter into this doubt I haue businesse elsewhere whither Astrea shall go with me if she please and in the meane time you shall obey Diane's commandement At this word she tooke Astrea by the arme and with-drew to the side of the wood where Licidas was euen now gone and because Siluander had ouerheard her answere to Licidas he followed afarre off to see what his meaning was whereto the euening somewhat serued his turne that he might not be seene for it waxed late besides that he went behind the bushes hiding himselfe so that hee followed them at pleasure vnseene and came so fitly that he heard what Astrea sayd to her what humor is this of Licidas to desire to speake with you at this howre and in this place hauing so many other commodities that I know not what he meanes to choose out so vnfit a time I know not
was Aymee and could not reach aboue 18. or 20. yeeres and though shee was of Carmague yet shee knew me not because her husband being ielous as ordinarily old men are that haue yong and faire wiues and her mother in law suspitious held her so short that she neuer came into any assembly At the instant that I saw her she pleased me and what purpose soeuer I had to the contrary I must loue her but I then foresaw well I should find some paine being to deceiue the stepmother and the daughter in law Yet not to yeeld to the difficulty I resolu'd to employ all my wits and iudgeing that I was to beginne my enterprise by the mother for shee kept me from comming neere my enemy I thought nothing fitter then to make my selfe known to her and that could not be for that being of one place no ancient amity of our family or some former alliance would make easie the meane to grow familiar with her but the occasion afterwardes taught mee what I had to do I was not deceiued in this opinion for as soone as I told her who I was and that I had fained some bad reason to cloake that I went about which she tooke for good and that I had assured her that that which made mee discouer my selfe to her was but to desire her freely to make vse of me My sonne answered shee I do not wonder that you should shew such good will towards me for your father loued me so well that you should much degenerate if you had not some sparkes of that affection Ah my child thou art the sonne of an honest and the most louing man that was in all Carmague and speaking these words she tooke me by the head and holding me to her brest and sometimes kissing my forehead and her kisses made me remember the harths that yet retaine a gentle heate after the fire is out for my father should haue married her and it may bee he had done her too much seruice for her reputation as I vnderstood afterward but I that little cared for such kindnesses but as they might be profitable for my purpose fayning to receiue them with much obligation thanked her for the loue she had borne my father beseeching her to turne that good will towards the sonne and that since the heauens had made mee heire to the rest of his goods shee would not dis-inherrit me of that which I esteemed most of which was the honor of her good graces and that for my part I would succeed in the seruice which my father had vowed to her as to the best of all his fortunes To bee short faire shepheardesse I knew how to flatter my old woman so that shee loued nothing more then mee and contrary to her custome to gratifie me she commanded her daughter in law to loue me Oh how well had she bene aduised if she had followed her counsell but I neuer found any thing so cold in all her actions so that though I were with her all the day yet had I not the hardinesse to make my purpose appeare by my words till we came neere to Auignion for Stilliane had made me lose much of that opinion which I had of my selfe But besides this she was alwayes at the feete of the old woman who intertained me with the times passed It fell out that this company with which we went as I haue told you and many marchants assembled together made a faire to traffique in the Iland neere Auignion and for as much as we that were not vsed to such voyages found our selues benummed with sitting so long while the boatemen were about their businesse wee set foote on land to walke about and among others the mother of Aymee was of the company As soone as my shepheardesse was in the I le she began to runne along the riuer and to play with the other wenches which were come forth of the boate of that company and I thrust my selfe among them to haue the meane to take time for my purpose while the old woman was walking with other women of her age And by hap Aymee being somewhat separated from her companions gathering floures that grew by the waters side I aduanced my selfe and tooke her by the arme and after wee had gone some while without speech at last as comming from a sound sleep I sayd vnto her I should be ashamed faire shepherdesse to be so long mute so neere you hauing so good cause to speake to you if I had not more to hold my peace and if my silence did not proceed from thence whence my words should arise I know not Hylas said she what cause you haue to hold your peace nor what you may haue to speake and lesse what words or silences you meane Ah faire shepheardesse sayd I the affection which consumes me with a secret fire giues mee such occasion to shew my hurt that hardly can I hold my peace and on the other side that affection makes me feare so to offend her whom I loue in declaring it to her that I dare not speake so that the affection which ought to put words into my mouth is that which denies mee them when I am neere you Me sayd she presently Think you well Hylas of what you say Yes of you replied I and beleeue you not but I haue well thought of what I say before I durst vtter it If I thought these words were true I will speake to you in another sort If you doubt sayd I that these words be true cast your eyes on your perfection and you shall be fully assured And then with a thousand oathes I told her all that I had in my heart Shee without being moued answered me very coldly Hylas accuse not that which is in me for your owne follies for I know well to remedy it so that you shall haue no cause as for the rest since the loue which my mother beares you nor the condition wherein I am cannot turne you from your bad intent beleeue that that which duty cannot worke in you it shall in me and that I will auoide all manner occasions for you to continue that you shall know I am such as I ought to be you see how coldly I speake to you it is not for that I feele not sencibly enough your indiscretion but to let you know that passion transports me not but that reason only makes me speake thus that if I see that this meane will nothing preuaile to alter your dessine I will after run to some more extreme These words deliuered with such coldnesse touched me more to the quicke then I can tell you yet could not this withdraw mee for I knew well that the first skirmishes are ordinarily maintained in this fashion But by chance when Aymee seeing me without words and so astonied turned away without saying more there was one of her companions that seeing me so mated came towards me and blowing her nose passed by twice or thrice with
giue mee more knowledge than these words too well deliuered to proceed from affection For I haue heard say affection cannot be without passion and passion wil not suffer the spirit to haue so free a discourse But when the time shall haue told me as much as you you are to beleeue that I am not of stone nor so voyd of vnderstanding but your merits are knovvne to me and your loue may moue me Till then hope not of me no more than of the rest of my company in generall The Knight would haue kissed her hand for this assurance but because Galathee looked on Knight said she be discreete euery one hath eye on vs if you do thus you vndoe me And at this word she rose and came among vs that were gathering of flowres Behold the first discouery that they had of their good wils which gaue Galathee occasion to meddle in it For perceiuing what had passed in the Garden and hauing of long time a purpose to winne Polemas she would know that night what was done betweene Leonide and him and because she alvvaies made her selfe very familiar with you Neece and had acquainted her with the particulars of her secrets the Nymph durst not altogether deny the truth of this loue-suite It is true that she concealed what concerned her ovvne will and vpon this discourse Galathee would knovv the very words that they had vsed wherein your Neece satisfied her in part and in part dissembled So it was that she said enough to encrease the purpose of Galathee so that from that day she resolued to be beloued of him and vndertooke this worke with that cunning that it was impossible it should fall out othervvise At that meeting shee forbade Leonide to go on in that affection and after told her that she should cut off all the rootes because she knevv well that Polemas had another dessigne and that this would serue but to delude her Besides that if Amasis came to knovvledge of it she would be offended Leonide who at that time had no more malice than a childe tooke the words of the Nymph as from her Mistrisse without searching into the cause which made her say so and so remained some dayes estranged from Polemas who knevv not from whence it might grovve At the first this made him more earnest in his suite For it is the ordinary custome of yong spirits to desire with more eagernesse that which is hard to come by and indeed he went on in that sort that Leonide had much enough to doe to dissemble the good will she bore him and at last knew so little how to doe it that Polemas perceiued he was beloued But see what Loue had appointed This young louer after he had three or foure moneths continued this suite with the more violence as he had the lesse assurance of the good will he desired as soone almost as hee was certaine lost his violence by little and little loued so coldly that as Fortune and Loue when they beginne to decline fall at once the Nymph perceiued not that shee alone went on in this affection It is true that Galathee who came on was in part the cause For hauing a dessigne on Polemas she vsed such craft and sped so well what by her authority and what with time that one might say shee robbed her insensibly for that when Leonide handled him roughly Galathee fauoured him and when the other fled from his company she drew him to hers And this continued so long and so openly that Polemas beganne to turne his eyes towards Galathee and shortly after the heart followed For seeing himselfe fauoured by a greater than her that neglected him hee blamed himselfe for suffering it without sence and minded to embrace the fortune which came smiling on him But O wise Adamas you may see what a gracious encounter this was and how it pleased Loue to play with their hearts It is some while since by the ordinance of Clidaman Agis was allotted seruant vnto your Neece and as you know by the election of Fortune Now though this young Knight was not giuen to Leonide out of his owne choyce yet he agreed to the gift and approoued it by the seruices which he afterward did performe and that she misliked not was shewed by her actions But when Polemas beganne to serue her Agis as a couetous man that hath his eyes alwayes on his treasure tooke notice of the growing loue of this new Louer and sometimes complayned to her of it but the coldnesse of her answers instead of extinguishing his iealousies onely by little and little deaded his loue for considering what small assurance he had in his soule he laboured to get a better resolution then formerly he had had and so that he might not see another triumph ouer him he chose rather to withdraw farre off A receit that I haue heard say is the best that a soule infected with this euill can haue to free it selfe for as loue at the beginning is brought forth by the eyes so it seemeth that the contrary should be for want of sight which can be in nothing more then absence where the forgetfull couered as with ashes the ouer-liuely representations of the thing beloued And indeed Agis happily attained his purpose for he was hardly gone but loue likewise parted from his soule lodging in the place of it the neglect of this flitter So that Leonide purposing by this new plot to winne Polemas lost him that already was intirely hers But the confusions of Loue ended not heere for he would that Polemas likewise for his part should haue sence of that which hee made the Nymph to feele Almost about the same time the affection of Lindamor tooke birth and it fell out that as Leonide had disdained Agis for Polemas and Polemas Leonide for Galathee so Galathee disdained Polemas for Lindamor To tell the follies of them all would be an hard piece of worke So it was that Polemas seeing himselfe payed in the same money in which hee payd your Neece yet could not lose not hope nor loue but contrariwise searched al sorts of plotting to enter again into her fauor but all in vaine It is true that as he could get nothing more to his owne benefit yet hee hath so wrought that he who was the cause of his euill is not come to bee possessor of his good for whether it were by his cunning practices or by the will of the gods that a certaine deuout Druyde hath imparted to him since that time Lindamor is no more beloued and it seemeth Loue hath a purpose not to suffer the heart of Galathee to be at rest the memorie of the one being no sooner defaced in her soule but another takes place And now behold vs at this houre reduced to the loue of a shepherd who for a shepheard in his quality may deserue well but not to be the seruant of Galathee and yet is she so passionate that if her euill hold on I
the workemanship The entry was very high and spatious On the two sides in stead of pillars were two Termes which on their heads sustained the boughts of the vault of the portall The one figured Pan the other Syrinx which were very curiously adorned with stones of diuerse colours the haire the eye-browes the mouthchatos the beard and the two hornes of Pan were of Cockles from the sea and so workemanly set in that the ciment appeared not Syrinx that was on the other side had her haire of Roses and somewhat vnder the nauill one might see them swell by little and little the tower of the gate on the outside was of rusticke fashion and ropes of coquils fastened in foure corners hung downe finished neere the heads of the Termes Within the Vault there was a rocke which seemed in many places to drop with Salt peter and ouer the midst it opened with an ouall forme through which the light came in This place both without and within was enriched with a great number of Statues which falling into their cesternes made diuerse fountaines and all represented some effect of the power of loue In the middle of the caue one might see the tombe raysed the height of ten or twelue foote which at the top ended like a crowne and all about garnished with tables whereof the painting was so well done that the sight deceiued the iudgement the distance of euery table was filled by halfe pillars of blacke wrought marble the coynes of the tombe the bases and the capitall of halfe colours and the cornishes which round about in fashion of a girdle held vp the tables and though of diuerse peeces yet made but one well composed frame which was of the same marble The curiositie of Celadon was great after he had considered altogether to desire to know the particularities and that he might giue the Nymph occasion to tell him something hee commended the inuention and cunning of the workman These are said the Nymph the Spirits of Mandrake which after some time haue beene left here for witnesse that Loue will no more pardon the gray head then the yellow haire and alwayes to relate to them that come hither the vnfortunate and faithfull loues of Damon of her selfe and of the shepheardesse Fortune And how replyed Celadon is this the fountaine of the truth of Loue No answered the Nymph but that is not farre hence and I would I had spirit ynough to make you vnderstand these Tables for the History is worthy to be knowne As shee drew neere to expound them to him she saw Adamas enter in who being returned and not finding the Nymphs at their Lodgings iudged they were gone forth to walke where after he had â—id the Habits which he brought he came to seeke them so fitly that it seemed Fortune conducted him thither to make him handle the loues of this Fortune Galathee no sooner spyed him but she cryed out O my Father you come in good time to free me from the paine wherein I am and then turning to Celadon See him shepheard that will satisfie the desire which you haue to know this History And after hee had asked him how hee did and that the salutations were made on both sides Adamas to obey the Nymphs commandement and to content the curiositie of the shepheard going with them to the Tombe began in this fort The History of Damon and Fortune As the Workeman playes with his worke and doth as pleases him so the great Gods by whose hand we were formed take pleasure to make vs play vpon the Theater of the World the part that they haue chosen for vs. But among all there is none that hath imaginations so various as Loue for he makes the old young and the young old in as short a time as the light lasts of a good eye And this History which is truer then I would it were will giue proofe that hardly it can be withstood as by the processe of my discourse you will confesse The first Table SEe you in the first place this Shepheard set on the ground his backe leaning to an Oake his legge acrosse that playes on his pipe This is the faire shepheard Damon who hath name of faire for the perfection of his face This yong shepheard fed his sheepe along your sweete Lignon being borne of one of the best families of mount Verdun and no farre remoued kinsman of the old Cleontine and of Leonides mother and by consequent in some sort my kinsman Marke how this visage besides that it is faire represents very liuely a person that had no care but of his owne contentment for you may see I know not what open and cleere countenance without trouble or cloude of busie imaginations And on the contrary turne your eyes vpon the shepheardesses which are about him you may iudge by the fashion of their visages that they are not without paine for as Damon had a free spirit and restfull so had the shepheardesses their hearts passionated for him Yet as you see he vouchsafeth not to looke towards them and therefore it is that they haue painted on the right side in the ayre that little naked childe with his bow and torch in his hand his eyes b'inded his backe winged his shoulders charged with a quiuer that threatens him on the other hand This is Loue who begin offended at the contempt which this shepheard shewed towards these shepheardesses swore that he would be reuenged on him But for the better setting forth of the Table note how well the Art of the painting is obserued You may see me thinks the arme of the shepheard sinking a little vnder the swelling of the instrument and how the cane where he blowes hath lost his colour that is because his moyst mouth had put it out Marke on the left hand how the sheepe feede see some of them lying in the shade some licking their feet others that astonied looke on the two Rammes that run to push at one another with all their might Obserue the turning that this makes of his necke for he hoâ—deth downe his head so that the other encounters only his hornes But the winding of the other backe is also very artificiall for nature that teacheth him that vertue vnited is more strong makes him so locke himselfe in an heape that he seemes almost round The dutie euen of the dogs is not forgotten which to oppose against the courses of the Wolfe comes vnder the wings of the wood side And it seemeth they are set â—ike three 〈◊〉 on the higher places to the end they may see the farther off or as I thinke that they might see one another and succour them in their necessitie But consider the carefull industry of the Painter whereas dogges that sleepe without care vse to put themselues into a round and oftentimes hide their head vnder their pawes to keepe from them the light these that their are painted here are lying in another fort to shew that they sleepe not but
these words Ah Damon how lying is this Spring to our vndoing since it made mee see Melide neare vnto you whom I now see die for so dearely louing me So these faithfull louers knew well the falsehood of this Fountaine and more assured then euer of their affection they dyed embracing Damon of the wound and shee for griefe of his death Behold the shepheardesse set against the rock couered with mosse and see Damon leaning his head in her lappe and who to giue her the last farewell reached foorth his arme and necke to her seeming to straine and raise himselfe a little to kisse her in the meane time shee all couered with blood held his head and bowing her selfe to come neare his face layd her hand vnder him for to heaue him vp a little This olde gray headed which is by them is Mandrake the magitian who finding them dead curses her Art detesteth her diuels teares her hayre and batters her brest with blowes The gestures of lifting her hands aboue her head holding her hands ioyned and contrarily casting downe her head almost hiding her chinne in her bosome folding and tossing the body in her lappe are signes of her violent displeasure and of the sorrow which she had for the losse of two so faithfull and peâ—â—â—â—t louers besides the losse of all her contentment The face of this olde woman is hidden but consider the maner of her hayre how it hangs downe low and to the nape of the necke and those that are more short seeme to sticke vp Behold a little farther off Cupid weeping see his bowe and arrowes broken his torch put out and his scarffe all wet with teares for the lesse of two so faithfull louers Celadon was all the while very attentiue to the discourse of the wise Adamas and often repented himselfe for his want of courage that could not finde a like remedy to that of Damon and because the consideration of this held him some while mute Galathee as shee went out of the caue and taking Celadon by the hand what thinke you sayd shee of these loues and of these effects That these are answered the shepheard the effects of imprudence and not of loue and it is a popular errour to couer our owne ignorance or to excuse our faults to attribute alwayes to some diuinitie the effects whereof the causes are hidden from vs. And how sayd she thinke you there is no loue If there be sayd the shepheard it should bee nothing but sweetnesse But howsoeuer it bee you speake Madame to one so ignorant as any that liues for besides that my condition will not permit â—mee to know much my grosser spirit hath made me much more incapable Then the sad Siluy replyed It is some while since I saw you in a place where one might hardly beleeue this of you for there were so many beauties for you to take and you are too honest a man to suffer your selfe to be taken Faire Nymph answered the shepheard in what place soeuer this was since you were there it is without question there was much beautie there but as too much fier burns rather then warmes so your beauties are too great for our rusticke hearts and make themselues rather admired then beloued and rather adored then serued With such talke this faire company went to their lodging whither the houre of repast called them The end of the eleuenth booke THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF ASTREA AND CELADON BY that time the day began to appeare Leoâ—ide following the resolution which in the euening Adamas her companion and Celadon had taken together came into the shepheards chamber to put on him the habite which her vncle had brought But the little Merill that by the commandement of Galathee ordinarily tarried with Celadon to spy Leoâ—ides actions as well as to waite on the shepheard hindred them long time from doing it At last some noyse they made in the court caused Merill to go foorth that hee might bring them some newes Then presently Celadon rose and the Nymph behold to what Loue abases her helped him to cloath himselfe for he could not do it without her Within a while after see the little Merill that came running backe so fast that he must needs take them in the manner but Celadon that had an eye to him got into a wardrobe expecting when he should returne He was no sooner entred but hee asked where Celadon was He is within the wardrobe sayd the Nymph he will come presently but what would you with him I would tel him answered the boy that Amasis is comming hither Leonide was a little surprised fearing shee should not be able to finish what she had begun yet to take some counsell with Celadon she sayd to Merill little Merill I pray thee runne to informe my Lady of it for it may be she will be ouertaken The child ran out and Celadon comes laughing forth at these newes And why sayd the Nymph do you laugh Celadon at her comming you may wel be taken No such thing sayd he onely hold you on in dressing mee for I may easily steale away in the confusion of so many Nymphes But while they wereabout their businesse see Galathee commeth in so suddenly that Celadon could not get into the Cabinet you may well iudge that the Nymph and Celadon were surprised but the subtilty of Leonide was greater and quicker then it was credible for seeing Galathee enter she tooke hold on Celadon who would haue run to hide himselfe and turning toward the Nymph did what she could to stay him Madame sayd she if it please you not to do somewhat that my Lady your mother come not hither we are all vndone for my part I haue done what I could to disguise Celadon but I feare I cannot bring it about Galathee who at the first knew not what to iudge of this Metamorphosis commended the spirit of Leonide for inuenting this shift and comming neerer to consider Celadon so well disguised vnder this habit that she could not hold from laughter answered the Nymph Friend we had bin vndone but for you for there was no meane to hide the shepheard from so many persons as come with Amasis where being clad in this habit we are not onely more assured but withall I would haue you let your other companions see her that they may take her for a maide And then she went on the other side and was rauished in beholding him for his beauty by these ornaments made the greater show In the meane time Leonide the better to play her part told her that she might be gone for feare lest Amasis came suddenly on her So the Nymph after she had resolued that Celadon should call himselfe the kinswoman of Adamas named Lucinde went out to entertaine her mother after she had commanded Leonide to bring her where they were as soone as she could be drest I must confesse the truth sayd Celadon after she was gone in my life was I neuer more astonished then at
to aske your pardon for the fault I know not of but onely to make you see that it is the end I choose to put him out of the world whom you make shew to haue in such horror But she whom choler had transported without turning her eyes to him struggled with that fury that she escaped from him and left nothing but a ribon on which by chance he had layd his hand She was wont to weare it on her garment before sometimes to set out her partlet with sometimes to winde about flowers when the season serued at this time it had a ring at it which her father had giuen her The sorrowfull shepheard seeing her depart in such choler stood a long time without moouing not knowing what hee held in his hand though he had his eyes on it At last with a deepe sigh comming out of his pensiuenesse and knowing the ribon Be witnesse said hee O deare string that rather then I would breake one of the knots of my affection I choose to lose my life to the end that when I am dead and that the cruell shall see thee about me thou maist assure her that there is nothing in the world can be better loued then she is of me and a Louer worse vnderstood then I. And then fastning it about his arme and kissing the ring And thou said he the token of an intire and perfect amity be content not to part from me at my death to the end that this may remaine with me at least for a gage from her who hath made me such promise of affection He had scarce ended these words when turning his eyes toward Astrea hee cast himselfe into the riuer with his armes acrosse In this place was Lignon very deepe and the streame strong for there was a world of waters and the casting back of the rocke made a kinde of counter-mount so that the shepheard was long before hee could sinke to the bottome and yet longer before hee could rise vp and when hee appeared the first was a knee and after an arme and then ouer-whelmed suddainely with the working of the waues hee was carried farre off vnder the water In the meane time was Astrea set on the banke seeing that which she had so dearely loued and which she could not yet hate so neer to death for her cause was surprised with such feare that in stead of giuing helpe she fell into a swoune so neere the brink that at her first mouing which she made when shee came to her selfe which was long time after shee fell into the water with such danger that all that some shepheards that were there could doe did but saue her with the helpe of her clothes which held her aboue the water they had leasure to draw her to the shoare but so farre besides her selfe that without any feeling of her part they brought her to the next Lodge which they found to belong to Phillis where some of her companions shifted her wet clothes shee not beeing able to speake shee was so much dismayed both for the danger her selfe had runne into and for the losse of Celadon who in the meane time was carried by the water with such violence that hee was driuen aland a farre off on the other side of the riuer among some little shrubs but with small signe of life As soone as Phillis who at that time was from home knew the accident befalne her companion shee set her selfe to runne with all her might and had it not beene that Licidas met her she could not haue beene stayed by any other whosoeuer he had beene yet she told him in few words the danger into which Astrea had runne not speaking any thing of Celadon and indeed she knew nothing of him This shepheard was Celadons brother betweene whom the heauens had tied a knot more straite then that of parentage on the other side Astrea and Phillis besides that they were cousin germanes were so linked with so straite an amity that it well deserues to be compared to that of the two brethren that if Celadon had simpathy with Astrea Licidas had no lesse inclination to serue Phillis nor Phillis to loue Licidas By fortune at this time that they came in Astrea opened her eyes and they were very much changed from that they were wont to be when victorious Loue shewed it selfe triumphant ouer all those which saw them and which they saw their looke was slow and abated their lids heauy and sleepy and their brightnesse turned into teares but teares holding of a heart all inflamed whence they came and of those eyes scorching as they passed by which burnt vp both with loue and pitty all those that were neere her when she perceiued her companion Phillis it was a new cause of astonishment and much more when she saw Licidas and though shee were vnwilling that they which were by should know the principall cause of her euill yet was she compelled to tell him that his brother had endangered himselfe while he sought to helpe her This shepheard at these newes was so amazed that without longer stay he ran to the vnlucky place with all the shepheards leauing Astrea and Phillis alone who afterwards set themselues to follow them but so sadly that though they had much to say yet were they not able to speake In the meane time the shepheards comming to the banke side and casting their eyes now this way and after that way found no shew of that they sought for except it were some that falling more low found a great way off his hat which the streame of the water had driuen downe and which by chance was staied among some trees which the washing of the riuer had loosened at the roote and impaired This was all the newes they could meete with of that they sought for hee was farre enough driuen away in a place where it was impossible for them to finde him because that before Astrea could be recouered of her swounding Celadon as I haue said driuen by the water fell on the other shore among some trees where hee might hardly be seene And while he was thus betweene death and life there came to that place three faire Nimphs whose loose hayre hung wauing on their shoulders crowned with a garland of diuers pearles they wore their bosome bare and the sleeues of their garments trust vp to the elbow from whence issued a very fine lawne that gathered vp ended toward the hand where two great bracelets of pearle seemed to fasten it Euery of them had at their side a quiuer full of arrowes and bore in her hand a Bow of Iuory the lower part of their garment before turned vp behinde that their gold-wrought buskins were seene to the mid-legge It seemed they came thither for some desire for one of them spake thus This is the place see heere the bending of the riuer behold where it comes with violence from aboue dashing against the other shore which breakes the force of it
If I must lament reioyned he as you do for all the Mistresses that I haue lost I should haue cause to complaine longer then I haue to liue If you do like me answered Tyrcis you should lament but onely for one If you do like me replyed Hylas you should lament for none of them all Heerein it is sayd the desolate that I account you miserable for if nothing can be the sufficient price of Loue but Loue you were neuer loued of any seeing you neuer loued any and so you may trade in many loues but not buy any not hauing the money which is payed for such a commoditie But how know you answered Hylas that I neuer loued I know it said Tyrcis by your perpetuall changes We are said he of a differing opinion for I beleeue the more expert the workman is the more he exercises the mysterie whereof he makes profession It is true answered Tyrcis when one followes the rules of Art but when they do otherwise it falleth out to them as to men out of their way the further they go the more they wander from it Therefore it is that as the stone that continually roules gets no mosse but rather durt and filth in like maner your lightnesse may gaine you shame but neuer loue You must know Hylas that the stripes of loue will neuer be healed God keepe me said Hylas from any one such stripe You haue reason replyed Tyrcis for if euery time you are strucke with a new beauty you had receiued an incurable wound I know not whether in all your body you had had a free place But so you should be depriued of those sweetes and happinesses which loue brings to the true louers and that miraculously as all his other actions by the same stroke that he gaue them so that if the tongue were able to expresse that which the heart cannot entirely rellish and it were permitted you to heare the secrets of this god I do not beleeue but you would willingly renounce your infidelity Then Hylas smiling Without faining said he you haue reason Tyrcis to put your selfe into the number of them whom Loue vseth so kindely As for me if he vse all others as he doth you I will willingly forgoe my part and let you enioy alone your felicities and contentments and feare not that I shall euer enuy you It is aboue a moneth since we ordinarily met together tell me the day the houre or the moment in which I could see your eyes without the wished company of teares and on the contrary name me the day the houre and moment in which you heard me onely sigh for my loues Euery man that hath not his taste peruerted as you haue your iudgement will he not find the delights of my life more pleasing and louely then the ordinary pangs of yours And turning to the shepheardesse which had complained of Tyrcis And you insensible shepheardesse will neuer take the courage to free your selfe of the tyranny in which this vnnaturall shepheard makes you liue Will you by your patience make your selfe companion in his fault Know you not that he glories in your teares and that your supplications raise him to such an arrogancie that he thinkes he bindeth you wonderfully to him when he heares you with misprisall The shepheardesse with a great alas answered him It is easie Hylas for him that is in health to counsell the sicke but if you were in my place you would know how vaine it is thus to aduise me and that this griefe may well driue my soule out of my body but not by reason chase this ouer-strong passion out of my soule So that if this beloued shepheard exercise any tyranny ouer me he may do it with more absolute commaund when it pleaseth him not hauing power to wish more of me then his authoritie ouer me reacheth to already Then giue ouer your counsels Hylas and cease your reproches which can but encrease my euill without hope of asswaging For I am so entirely the possession of Tyrcis that I haue not command of mine owne will How said the shepheard is not your will your owne What will it profit to loue and serue you Laonice answered As much as the amity which I tender to this shepheard auayles me That is to say replyed Hylas I shall lose my time and my paines and when I discouer vnto you my affection this is but to waken in you the words wherewith you may serue your owne turne when you speake to Tyrcis What would you Hylas that I should say more to you but that it is long since I haue gone bewayling this mis-happe but much better in my consideration then in yours I doubt not sayd Hylas but since you be of this humour and that I haue more power ouer my selfe then you can ouer yours Go take the shepheardesse sayd he reaching forth his hand or giue me leaue or take it of me and be assured that if you will not I will not be long before I goe backe as being ashamed to serue so poore a Mistris Shee answered him very coldly Neither you nor I shall receiue any great losse at the least I assure you this shall neuer make me forget the hard vsage which I haue from this shepheard If you haue answered he as much knowledge of that which you lose in losing me as you shew small reason in the pursuite you vndertake you will rather complaine for the losse of me then to wish for the affection of Tyrcis But the sorrow which you take for me shall be very small if it can not equall that which I haue for you and then sung out these verses as he went away A SONNET SInce we must needs pull vp that deep-set roote Which Loue in seeing you plants in my brest And which Desire with so great longing thirst Hath with so great care nurâ—'d to so small boote Since it must be that Time which saw it borne Must triumph in the end as Conquerour Attempt we brauely freed from Sorrowes power Let vs at one blow cut both flowre and thorne Chase we all these desires those fires put out Breake we those lines knotted with many boughes And of our selues let vs take free farewell So shall we vanquish Loue that vntamed Lord And wisely do out of our owne accord That whereto Time at last will vs compell If this shepheard had come into this Country in a time lesse troublesome without doubt he had found many friends but the sorrow for Celadon whose losse was so fresh as it made all them that dwelt thereabout so heauy that they could not attend his conceits and therfore they let him go without being curious to question either him or Tircis what was the cause that led them thither Some of them returned to their lodging and others continued on their search for Celadon and coasted now on this side and then on that side the Riuer not leauing euen a brier nor tree nor bush whose shaddowed hollownesse they
intelligences with our soule to suffer it so freely to come neere his powers without suspition of treason The shepheard soone perceiued it but the affection which hee bare to Astrea which yet exceedingly raged would not suffer him to indure this growing loue with patience That was the cause that hee resolued to take his leaue of Galathee when he began to find himselfe somewhat better But as soone as hee opened his mouth about it How is it said shee Celadon are you hardly vsed by me that you will be gone before you be throughly recouerd And when he answerd it was for feare of troubling her and for some busines he was constrained to returne to his Hamlet to assure his parents his friends of his health she interrupted him saying No Celadon doubt not my trouble so I see you want nothing and as for your affaires and friends without me whose company it seems mislikes you much you shall not be in this paine since you will no longer And me thinks the greatest businesse that you haue to do is to satisfie the obligation which you haue to me that your ingratitude should not be smal if you grudge mee some moments of your life which you hold all of mee Henceforth you must not fet your eies on things so base as your life passed but you are to leaue your hamlets and your flocks to them that haue not the merits that you haue and for the time to come you must place your eyes on me that can and will do for you if your actions alter not my minde Though the shepheard seemed not to vnderstand this discourse yet hee conceiued it easily enough and from that time auoided what hee could possibly to talke with her in priuate But the displeasure which this life brought him was such that almost losing all patience one day Leonide hearing him sigh demanded the cause seeing hee was in place where they desired nothing more then his contentment He answerd her faire Nymph among all miserable men I may hold my selfe to bee the most extremely handled by fortune for commonly they that be in griefe haue permission to complaine and haue the comfort to be moned but I dare not for that my misfortune comes couered with the most of the contrary and therefore in stead of being bemoned I am rather blamed as a man of small iudgement that if you and Galathee knew how bitter the wormewood is wherewith I am fed in this place happy indeed to any other but me I assure my selfe you would take pitty of my life And what want you said she to comfort you At this time sayd he I only want leaue to be gon Would you replied the Nymph I should speake of it to Galathee I beseech you sayd he by whatsoeuer you hold dearest Then it must be as by your selfe sayd the Nymph blushing and not turning her head toward him she went out of the chamber to seeke where Galathee was whom she found alone in the garden and who now began to suspect there was loue on Leonide's part fearing shee nothing forwarded the charge she had giuen her though she remained since all the day from him for that knowing how sharpe the weapons of the beauty of the shepherd were she thought it might as well part two as one yet being constrained to passe thorow her hands she went about to deceiue her selfe as well as was possible and so set on the same countenance toward the Nymph as she had accustomed and when she saw her comming toward her shee raised her selfe to aske how the shepheard did and hauing knowne hee was in the same state she left him she held on her walke and hauing gon some paces without speaking shee turned to the Nymph and sayd But tell me Leonide was there euer man so insensible as Celadon since neither my actions nor your perswasions can giue him any feeling of that hee ought to render me For my part answered Leonide I had rather accuse him of want of spirit and courage then of vnderstanding for I thinke either he hath not the iudgement to know whereto my actions tend or if he know my words he hath not the courage to attempt so high and so how much the loue of your perfections and fauours may raise him to you so much the weight of his owne small merit and condition may abase him But you must not thinke this strange since the Appletree beareth Apples and the Oake Acornes for euery thing brings foorth according to his nature So what can you hope the courage of a villaine can produce but the designes of a weake and base soule I thinke well answered Galathee the great difference of our conditions do worke in him a great respect but I shall neuer imagine if he knew the difference but he hath spirit enough to iudge to what end I vse him with this sweetenesse except it be that hee be so farre engaged to Astrea that he cannot goe backe Assure you Madame replied Leonide it is not respect but sottishnesse which makes him so misprising For I may auerre as you say that it is true he loues Astrea but if he had iudgement would he not contemne her for you who deserue so farre beyond comparison Yet is he so ill aduised that at euery turne when I speake to him of you hee answers me but with griefe for being so farre remoued from his Astrea with such displeasure that one may thinke that his stay here is infinitely troublesome to him And this morning hearing him sigh I asked him the cause He made me answer which would moue the stones to pitty and in the end the conclusion was that I should desire you he might be gone Yes replyed Galathee red with choler no longer able to dissemble her iealousie Confesse the truth Leonide he hath mooued you It is true Madam he hath moued me to pitty and me thinkes since he hath such a desire to be gone you ought not to hold him by force For Loue neuer enters into the heart for the blowes of a whip I thinke not replyed Galathee but he had moued you to pitty but speake no more of it it may be when he is recouerd he shall sooner find the effects of despight which he hath caused to be bred in me then those of loue which he hath wrought in you In the meane time to speake freely let him resolue not to go hence at his owne pleasure but at mine Leonide would haue answered but the Nymph interrupted her No more Leonide sayd shee it is enough content your selfe that I say no more but that this is my resolution So Leonide was forced to hold her peace and to bē gone taking this iniurie so to heart that she resolued to goe to Adamas her vnkle and to take no more care of Galathees secrets who at that time called Siluie that was walking in another alley alone to whom against her former purpose she could not hold in complayning of Leonide from making her
of my affection for the little you know of it since none can loue you but in extremity you may sweare that my loue is wonderfull great and yet being such I demaund of you as yet but a beginning of good will Celadon and I were so neere that we could well heare this declaration and the answere also that Phillis gaue him which indeede was more rude then I expected from her For long time before she and I well enough knew by the eyes and actions of Licidas that he was in loue with her and we haue often talked of it and I haue found in her rather goodwill to him then otherwise yet at this brunt she answered him so bitterly that Licidas went away in despayre And Celadon who loued his brother more then ordinary not able to endure to see him vsed in this sort and not knowing how to take it grew almost angry with me whereat I could not hold from smiling and at last I told him Be not grieued at this answer Celadon for we are straitly tyed to it since the shepheards of these times for the most part delight to make euery one beleeue that they haue better fortunes then indeede they haue thinking that the glory of a shepheard shall be increased by the diminution of our honour And that you may know that I know well the humour of Phillis I tooke the charge vpon me to bring Licidas into her good grace prouided that he continue and that he haue a little patience But I must tell you that when I first talked with her she put me off so farre that I could but onely hope so that I resolued to winne her in time But Licidas who had no patience had a purpose to loue her no more and at that time he would ordinarily goe singing these verses STANZA'S On a resolution to loue no more VVHen I see those faire eyes that play the conqu'rers part I strait yeeld vnto them as princes of my heart Thinking that rigour should be banished from thence But finding now too well their cruelties offence I thinke to eternize on vs their tyranny This cannot well be loue but rather trechery It 's true it is of them from whence alway arise To meanest of their traines some am'rous nouelties But whereto serueth this that like as from the head No sooner water springs but instantly 't is fled Right so it is with loue which with a ranging thirst Flies far from those same eies that brought it forth at first By his example then fly we from those faire eies Fly them and let vs thinke in it our safety lies And when they will haue vs to follow where they list Let vs not stay for blowes which we cannot resist For better it is far to saue our selues by flight Then to attend the death which we may well acquite I thinke Licidas had not so readily put end to the cruelty of Phillis in refusing his affection if by fortune one day shee and I according to our manner going forth to walke by Lignon had not met this shepheard in an I le of the riuer in a place very darke and where there was no appearance of dissembling We saw him from one side of the riuer which was large and deepe to hinder vs from going to the place where hee was but not from hearing the verses which he went with complaining and drawing as it seemed some ciphers on the sand with the end of his sheephooke which wee could not know for the distance betweene vs but the verses were these A MADRIGALL That he should not hope to be beloued THinke we in louing her Our faithfull loue can cast A ground-worke that may last Alas in vaine it were I hold to my great paine That that which with my hand I write in flitting sand Will longer time remaine Then I for my auaile In her soule various Shall fixe in louing thus The hold that will not faile Within a while we heard after he had beene silent some time he tooke againe his speech in this manner with a great alas and lifting vp his eyes to heauen O God if thou beest angry with mee for that I haue adored with more deuotion the worke of thy hands then thine owne selfe why hast thou not compassion of the errour which thou causest me to commit Or if thou beest not pleased that Phillis should be adored either thou shouldest haue put lesse perfection in her or in me lesse knowledge of her perfections for is it not a kinde of profaning a thing of that merit to offer it lesse affection I thinke the shepheard held on in such like discourses but I could not heare them because Phillis taking me by force by the arme carryed me away with her And when we were some pretty distance remoued I sayd Naughty Phillis why hast thou no pitty on this shepheard whom thou seest ready to die for thy sake Sister answered she the shepheards of this countrey are such dissemblers that often their heart denies that which their mouth promiseth that if without passions we looke into the actions of such as hee wee shall finde nothing but cunning And for the words we heare for my part I iudge that hauing spyed vs afarre off he purposely set himselfe in our way that we should heare his dissembled complaints otherwise would they not as well be spoken to vs as to these woods and wilde riuers But sister answered I you haue forbid him See replyed she a great proofe of his small loue Is there any commandement strong enough to stay a violent affection Beleeue me sister the loue that may bend is not strong Thinke you not that if he disobey my commaundement I should thinke he loued me the better But sister in the end sayd I he obeyed you And well replied she hath he obeyed me and herein I held him very obedient but in that he hath quite giuen ouer his suite to me I hold him for a man very passionate And why was he of opinion that at the first discouery of his good will to me I should haue taken some witnes that he might not hereafter gaine-say it If I had not interrupted her I thinke shee had held on her discourse very long but because I desired that Licidas might be vsed in another fashion for the payne that Celadon suffered I told her that these kind of speeches were of some purpose to be vsed to Licidas but not to me who knew well that we are bound to shew more discontentment when they talke to vs of loue then we feele that thereby wee may trie what minde they haue that speake to vs that I would commend her if she vsed those terms but it is great wāt of trust toward me who haue not cōcealed from her that which was most secret in my soule that for conclusion since it was impossible she could auoyde the being beloued of some it was much better it might be by Licidas then by any other since she could not
dayes after Licidas by my counsell came to cast himselfe on his knees and she ranne into another chamber that she might not see him and from thence into another flying from Licidas who still followed her and was resolued as hee said not to let her rest till he had either pardon or death In the end not knowing whither to fly further she stayed in a closet where Licidas entring and shutting the dores he set himselfe on his knees before her and without speaking any other thing attended the sentence of her will This affectionate obstinacy had more force in her then any perswasions and so staying some while without speaking to him Goe sayd she to him importunate it is thy importunity and not thēe that I pardon At this word hee kissed her hand and came to open mee the doore to giue me to vnderstand that he had got the victory and then seeing his affaires in so good case I would not let them part asunder vntil all actions were intirely forgiuen and Phillis so pardoned the shepheard that seeing him distressed extremely to hide Olympes belly which now grew great to the view she offered to assist him in all that possibly shee could Certainely interrupted Diane see a strange proofe of good amity to pardon such an offence which is intirely against amity and more to prouide that she which caused it take no displeasure Without fayning Phillis this is too much and for mee I protest my courage knowes not how to brooke it yet my amity did so then answered Phillis and by that you may iudge of what quality it was in me Let vs leaue this consideration apart replyed Diane for it would be too hard for you since the not feeling the offences which be done against amity is rather a signe of defect then the ouer-abundance of Loue and for my part if I had beene one of the friends of Licidas I should haue interpreted rather to the disaduantage of your good will Ah! Diane said Phillis if you as well knew what it is to loue as you doe to cause your selfe to bee beloued you will iudge it needfull the friend should know himselfe but heauen is pleased to haue you be beloued and not to loue If it be so sayd Diane I am more bound to it for such a benefit then for my life but I may be capable without louing to iudge of Loue. It cannot be interrupted Phillis I had rather hold my peace answered Diane then speak with so deare a permission but if you will allow me the fauour that you giue to the Physician who talkes and iudges indifferently of all sorts of diseases though he neuer had them I would tell you that if there be any thing in amity whereof wee may make reckoning it ought to be the amity it selfe without more for all other things that please vs are but to be ioyned with it and therefore there is nothing that more offends him that loues then to spie any defect in loue and not to feele such offences is indeed to haue a spirit feeble for that passion And will you haue mee tell you what I thinke of Loue It is a musike of many voyces that well concording giues a right sweet harmony but if there be but one discord it not onely displeases but makes you forget all the pleasure which they yeelded before So said Phillis Naughty Diane you would say that if a man haue serued you long the first offence must blot out all the memory of that is passed The very same said Diane or little lesse O gods cryed Phillis shall not hee that loues you haue worke enough He that loues me replyed Diane if he wil that I loue him must beware he offend not my loue And beleeue me Phillis that at this bout you haue done more iniury to Licidas then when he offended you before Then sayd Phillis smiling At another time I will say that it is Loue that made me do it but at this time I will say it is Reuenge and to the most curious I will deliuer the reason which you haue taught me They will iudge replyed Diane that at another time you know to loue but at this time you know what it is to loue Whatsoeuer it be answered Phillis if it be of defect it proceedes of ignorance and not of want of loue For I thinke I am bound but if euer he returne I will look to my selfe for falling backe againe And you Astrea are ouerlong silent then tell vs what assistance I gaue for the birth of this childe Then Astrea tooke it vp againe in this sort As soone as this shepheardesse had made this offer of her selfe Licidas accepted of it very boldly and after that sent a yong shepheard to Maine to bring with him the wise woman of that place her eyes being closed that she should not discerne which way she went Then Diane as astonished laid her finger on her mouth and saies Faire shepheardesse this is not so secret as you thinke I remember I haue heard them speake of it I pray you said Phillis tell vs what you haue heard that we may know whether it hath bene told you true I know not added Diane if I well remember the poore Philander was he that told it me and I assure my selfe he had it from Lucina the wise woman to whose eare it came and that shee would neuer haue spoken of it if any trust had bene reposed in her One day as she walked into the Parke which is betweene Mont-brison and Maine with many other her companions shee saw come towards her a man whom she did not know who at his comming did commendations from diuers of her kins-folks that were at Feurs and then he told her some particular that hee might separate her a little from the other women which were with her when he saw her alone he gaue her to vnderstand that a better occasion had brought him to her for it is said he to coniure you by all the pitty you euer had to giue your helping hand to an honest woman that is in danger if you deny your aide The good womā was a little surprized to heare him change his discourse at once but the yong man besought her to hide her astonishment as well as she could that he had rather dye then any should suspect this businesse Lucina being assured and hauing promised to be secret and that he should only tell her at what time shee should be ready You must make no iourney for these two months sayd the yong man and that you may not lose by it behold here the money which you might gaine elsewhere in that space At that word hee gaue her some pieces of gold in a paper and returned without passing thorow the towne but after he had knowne of her whether she could trauaile by night and she answered seeing the gaine so great No time could stay her within fifteene or sixteene dayes after as shee went out of Maine
Whereupon Alcippe meaning to make vse of it deuised this crafty tricke I tell you There was a shepheard named Squilinder dwelling on the bounds of the Forrest in an Hamlet called Argental a cunning fellow and vntrusty and who among his other industries knew so well to counterfet all kinde of Letters that the man whom he initated can hardly discerne thefalshood To him Alcippe shewes what he found at the foote of the tree as I haue told you before and causes him to write another to Celadon in my name which was thus The counterfeited Letter of Astrea to Celadon CEladon since I am compelled by my fathers commaundement you may not thinke it strange that I pray you to end this loue which heeretofore I haue coniured you to hold eternall Alce hath giuen me to Corebe and though the match be to my aduauncement yet can I not leaue to feele sensibly the separation of our amity Yet since it is folly to contrary that which must not fall out otherwise I counsell you to arme your selfe with resolution and so to forget all that is passed betweene vs that Celadon haue no more memory of Astrea as Astrea is constrayned from henceforth to lose for dueties sake all the remembrance of Celadon This LeÌ„tter was brought so sinely to Celadon by a young shepheard vnknowne O God! what was he at the encounter and how great was the displeasure that cut his heart Then sayd hee by Astrea It is true that there is nothing of duraÌ„ce in the world since that firme resolution which you haue so often sworne is so readily changed Now you will make me be a witnesse that what perfection soeuer a woman may haue she can not bereaue her selfe of her inconstancie by nature Haue then the heauens agreed that for my greater punishment my life should remaine after the losse of your amity to the end that I should onely liue more extremely to feele my disastor And then falling into a swowne he came no sooner to himselfe but the complaints were in his mouth And that which most easily perswaded him of this change was this that the Letter did but confirme the common report of the marriage betweene Corebe and me He lay all that day on a bed vnwilling to speake to any person and the night being come he depriued himselfe of his companions he tooke to the largest and desolatest wood shunning the meeting of men more like a sauge beast desiring to die farre from the society and companie of men since they were the cause of his sorrow In this resolution hee ranne thorow all the mountaines of Foreste on the side of Ceruieres where at the last he chose a place which he thought least frequented of purpose to finish the rest of his sad and mournefull dayes there The place is called Lapau where riseth one of the springs of the disastrous riuer Lignon for the other spring proceedeth from the mountaynes of Cholmesel Now on the sides of this fountaine he built a prety Lodge where he liued retired more then sixe moneths during which time his ordinary nourishment were teares and plaints It was at that time that hee made this song A SONG Of Celadon vpon Astreat change IT must be that my constancy Hath quite bereaued me of sence If I feele not the iniury Your change hath wrought to my offence And feeling it I should remaine Without recourse to your disdaine For sworne you haue disdained mee For one you scarce had in your eye Because he hath more it may be Of goods and wealthier is then I. Vnfaithfull dar'st thou be so bold To sacrifice to Calfe of gold Where are the othes which we did make Where are the teares that showring fell To gods when we our leaue did take No doubt the heauens did marke them well Though your heart do it now forget Yet your owne month did publish it Periured eyes vnfaithfull flame That louest nothing but to change Let Loue on beauty like the same Of thine for me worke vengeance strange That makes a shew of bearing loue Only the greater flame to moue So ouer-prestwith sad distresse In Loue betraid one'gan complaine When it was told him his Mistresse Did for another him disdaine And thundring heauen for meere pitty Promis'd to venge his amity The wretched downe himselfe he threw Neere Lignon floud and as he sate Vpon the sand with finger drew There ciphers as he vs'd of late This happy cipher oh said he To vs no more will proper be And then a teare chill'd of the paine Which dolour iust thrust in his face Vpon the sand dropping amaine These double ciphers did deface Deface sayd he oh showring teare Them in my heart but not these there Thou Louer that right cowardly So long bewayl'st so dolefully A soule all made of forgery Since thou her change know'st certainly Either thou shortly art to die Or else recâ—â—er presently The solitarinesse of Celadon had beene much longer but for the commandement that Alcippe gaue to Licidas to seeke out his brother hauing a purpose in himselfe since he so well saw how vnprofitable his trauaile was no more to crosse this amity Now Licidas had long sought him but for a chance that befell vs the same day I was vpon the banks of Lignon and held mine eies ouer his streame thinking at that time of the losse of Celadon and Phillis and Licidas talked together some good while when we saw some little balles that lay swimming on the water The first that tooke heed to it was Phillis who shewed it to vs but we could not ghesse what it might bee And because Licidas knew the curiosity of his mistrisse to giue her satisfaction he went as far as he could into the water and so reached with a long branch that he tooke one but seeing that it was but waxe because hee was wet and angry that he tooke such paine for a thing of so small worth hee cast it in a rage against the ground and breaking it vpon a great flint stone it fell all in pieces and there remained nothing but a paper which had beene put therein which Phillis ranne presently to take vp and hauing opened it we read these words Goe paper more happy then him that sends thee to see these shores so much beloued where my shepheardesse dwels and if accompanied with teares wherewith I make this Riuer to swell it chances thee to kisse the sands where her steps are imprinted stay thy course and abide with good fortune where my mishap denies me to be If thou happen to come to her hands which haue taken from me my heart and she demand of thee how I doe tell her O faithfull paper that day and night I turne my selfe into teares to wash away her vnfaithfulnesse and if touched with repentance she wet thee with some teares tell her that by vnbending the bow she can neuer heale the wound which she hath made in her faith my Loue and that my griefes are witnesses both
approched I came to the doore where the first that I met with was Leonide and for that she was ready to enter thrusting her backe a little I sayd to her very rudely Leonide the Diuinity which I serue commands you not to profane his Altars At these words she stept backe halfe amazed for my habit of a Druyde made them giue me honour and the name of the Diuinity gaue me feare and after shee was assured she said to me The Altars of your God whosoeuer he be cannot be profaned by receiuing my vowes since I come but to render the honor which heauen demands of vs. Heauen answered I demaunds indeed vowes and honour but not differing from that they ordaine so that if the zeale of the Diuinity which I serue hath brought you hither then must you obserue that which it commaunds And what is his commaundement sayd Siluie Siluie sayd I if you haue the same intent that your companion hath doe you both that which I tell you and then your vowes shall be pleasing to him Before the Moone begin to wane wash your right leg to the knee before day and the arme to the elbow within this riuer that runnes before this holy Caue And then the leg and arme being naked come hither with a garland of Veruine and a girdle of Succorie after that I will tell you what you are to doe to be partakers of the sacred mysteries of this place which I will open and declare to you And then taking her by the hand I sayd Will you for testimony of the graces wherewith the diuinity whom I serue fauours me that I tell you part of your life and what shall befall you Not I sayd she for I haue no such curiosity But you my companion sayd she addressing her selfe to Leonide I haue seene you heretofore desirous to know it Now satisfie your desire I beseech you sayd Leonide presenting her hand to me Then remembring that that you told me of these Nymphes in particular I tooke her hand and asked her if she were borne in the day or night and knowing that it was in the night I tooke her left hand and after I had sometime coÌ„siderd of it I said This line of life clean wel mark'd long shews that you shall liue from the diseases of your body in good health but this little crosse which is in the same line almost at height of the angles which hath two little lines aboue and three beneath and these three also which are at the end of the line of life towards the turning shew in you the diseases which Loue shall giue you which will hinder you from that health of spirit which you haue of body And those fiue or sixe points which like little graines are sowed heere and there on the same line make me iudge that you neuer will hate them that loue you but rather that you delight to be beloued and serued Now marke this other line which takes his root from that we haue already spoken of and passing through the middle of the hand lifts it selfe against the mount of the Moone they call it the naturall Meane those cuttings that you see which skant appeare signifie that you are easily angry with them ouer whom Loue giues you authority And this little starre which turnes against the ground of the pulse shewes that you are full of bounty and sweetenesse and that quickly you will lose your choler But behold this line which we call Mensale that ioyneth with the meanes naturall so that they two make one angle this sheweth you shall haue diuers troubles in plotting for loue which will make your life some-whiles vnpleasing which I iudge the rather considering that soone after the meane failes and that meets with that of life so that they seeme to be the angle of the Mensale and of the other but this tells mee that late or neuer you shall haue the conclusion of your desires I would haue gone on when she tooke away her hand and sayd this was not the thing she demaunded for I speake too much in generall but she would cleerely know what would become of a dossigne which she had Then I answered her The heauenly powers themselues onely know that which is to come but onely that that by their bounty they giue knowledge of to their seruants and that sometimes for the publike good sometimes to satisfie the ardent supplication of them that often importune their Altars and many times to shew that nothing is hidden from them and yet it is the part of a wise Interpreter to tell nothing but what he thinketh necessary because the secrets of the gods are not to be divulged without cause I tell you this that your curiosity might content it selfe that I haue discoursed with lesse cleerenesse then you desire for it is not necessary I should say otherwise vnto you And that you may know that God is not so sparing of his graces but that he talketh familiarly with me I will tell you the things which haue befalne you by which you may iudge how much I know In the first place fayre Nymphs you know I neuer sawe you before and yet at the first meeting I called you all by your names which I did for that I am willing you should thinke mee to know more then the common sort not to the end that any glory should befall me that were too great a presumption but to the Deity which I serue in this place Now you must beleeue that all that I shall say to you I haue learned from the same Master and in this I lyed not for it was you Polemas that told mee it but because continued I it may be the particularities will make me oâ—ex-long it will not be amisse to place our selues vnder these nâ—â—ror trees At this word we went and then I began againe in this sort Truly interrupted Polemaâ— you could not carry this beginning with more aâ—te You will iudge answered Climanthe that the proceeding was with no lesse wisedome I began my speech then in this sort Faire Nymph It may be about three yeeres that the gentle Agis in a full assembly was giuen you for seruant at the beginning you were indifferent for till then the young yeeres of you both was the cause that your hearts were not capable of the passions which Loue conceâ—ued but since that your beauty in him and his suite in you began to kindle by little little these fires whereof Nature gaue the first sparkes in vs at the houre of our birth so that that which was indifferent became particular to you both and Loue in the end formed it selfe and was borne in his soule with all the passions which vsually accompany it and in you a good wil which made you like better of his affection and seruices then of any other The first time that in earnest he made his ouerture was when Amasis going to walke in the faire gardens of Montbrison hee tooke you vnder the
awhile she raised her voyce and spake singing to him in this sort he likewise that she might not want answer replied A Dialogue betweene Stelle and Corilas STEL. VVHat will you then my shepheard bee For want of an inconstant loue COR. To follow your quicke spirit free Requâ—â—â— a wing 〈…〉 ble â—o â—â—ue Much rather then a courage high To follow you were foolery STEL. You haue not alwaies thought it so That louing me is such a crime COR. Speake not of times past long age He liues not well mâ—nds not in time Nothing returnes that 's past before And I remember it no more STEL. What 's this but not to know to loue Yet brag the contrary thereto COR. Wherefore will you me so reproue For that your selfe knowes not to do You loue out of opinion And not out of election STEL. I loue you and will loue you still Though your loue chang'd be in this wise COR. Mineâ— no no change I neuer will Her where my soule engaged lies Thinke not that euery day like you I change my old loue for a new STEL. What are you then resolued tell To seeke a loue that 's fresh and rare COR. If heretofore you pleas'd me well I iudg'd you then to be more faire But now in very deed I see Your beauty in a poore degree STEL. Will you vnfaithfull bring to nought An amity that was so great COR. You charge me with your owne default So makes an ends he whom you â—eate But you may say what fitt your braâ—uâ— The thing that was comes not againe STEL. But if you loued me indeed What makes you then so soone to start COR. When one his errour better heeds To change his minde is wisedomes part It 's better to repent though late Then still to hâ—ld a wandring gate STEL. Can neither duty nor yet honor Know such an humor to subdue COR. What if I can see in you more That may this amity renew Wherein your fainings sâ—ared me Which I mistooke so sillily STEL. I may you see for my reuenge Another loue and not be loued COR. Right soone of such disease to change Shall heale me as in yours I proued And if I then do otherwise I must haue lâ—st my Iudgements 〈◊〉 STEL. Haue you then no kind of r 〈…〉 se For so great infidelity COR. I haue prâ—nâ—â—nst that loue of forcâ— She owes me hers that asketh me But you may aske and make your moâ—â— All Lâ—â—â— 'twixt vs is dead and gone The shepheardesse seeing hee stood not without reply to her demands leauing to sing said And why Corilas is there no more hope in you No more said he then faithfulnesse in you and thinke not that your fained nor fayre words can change my resolution I am too much grounded in this opinion so that it is in vaine for you to try your armes against mee they are too feeble I feare their blowes no more I counsell you to proue them on others whose knowledge may make them misprize them as I haue done It cannot be but you shall finde some whom the heauens to punish some secret fault haue ordained to loue you and they shall be the more pleasing to you for that nouelty delights you aboue all things At this bout the shepheardesse was stung in earnest but fayning to turne the offence into laughter she said as she was going away I make good sport Corilas both at your selfe and your choler we shall see you shortly in your good humour In the meane time be content that I patiently suffer your fault which you cast on me I know replyed the shepheard it is your custome to make sport with them that loue you But if the humor which I haue last I assure you you may longer play vpon me then on a man that shall loue you So parted these two enemies and Adamas who had heard them hauing knowledge by their names of the families of which they were was desirous to know more of their affaires and calling Corilas by his name made him turne to him and because the shepheard seemed to be astonished at this surprize for the respect which is had to the habite and quality of a Druyde that he might be more assured he caused him to sit downe by him and then talked thus vnto him My childe for so I may call you for the loue I haue alwayes borne to them of your family there is no cause you should be sorry for your speaking so freely to Stelle before me I am glad that I haue seene your wisedome but I desire to know more that I may the better counsell you in this affaire that thereby you may commit no errour And for me I know not that there should be any difficulty since the lawes of coiuility and curtesie do more binde me it may be then you may imagine As soone as Corilas had the sight of the Druyde he knew him well hauing often seene him at diuers sacrifices but hauing neuer spoken to him he had not the boldnesse to tell thorowout what had passed between Stelle and him though he much desired that euery one might know the iustice of his cause and the vnfaithfulnes of this shepheardesse which Adamas perceiuing that he might encourage him gaue him to vnderstand that he knew a good part already and that many had reported it to his wrong which hee heard with no great pleasure for the loue he had alwaies borne to his It will said Corilas be losse of time for you to heare the particularities of our villages So far is it replied he it shal be a great satisfaction to know that you haue not beene wronged and besides I meane to passe away some part of the heate here and so the time may be employed The History of Stelle and Corilas SInce you command it so said the shepheard I must beginne my discourse somewhat higher It is a good while since Stelle remained the widdow of an husband whom the heauens had giuen her rather for name sake theÌ„ effect for besides that he was sickly his age which drew neer to 75. yeeres so weakened his forces that it constrained him to leaue this young widdow almost before she was truely married the loue she bare him wrought in her no great feeling of his losse no more did her humor which was neuer wonted to take neere to heart the accidents that befell her Remaining then well satisfied in her selfe so see her selfe freed at one blow of two so heauy burthens to wit the importunity of an angry husband the autority which her pareÌ„ts accustomed to haue ouer her presently she thrust her selfe in good earnest into the world and though her beauty such as you see bee not of that sort that may tempt men to loue her yet her behauiour for the most part displeased not them that saw her She might be about 17. or 18. yeeres an age fit enough to commit many follies when they be at liberty This was the cause that Saliam her
â—ongue will pardon nothing no not that which is not That men haue not spoken of it answered Diane I am more bound to our good intent then to our discretion and for the affection of the shepheard you may iudge what it is by the discourse which I shall make But the heauens which knew our pure and cleane intents would fauour vs from that good houte The first time that I sawe him was on the day we celebrate to Apollo and Diane when he came to the game with a sister whom he resembled so much that they held on them the eyes of the greatest part of the assembly And because she was neere of kinne to my deare Daphnis as soone as I sawe her I embraced her and I welcomed her with a face so open that from that time she thought her selfe bound to loue me her name was Callyre and was married on the coast of Furan to a shepheard called Gerestan whom she had neuer seene vntill the day whereon she was married which was the cause of the little loue she bare him The entertainement which I vsed to the sister gaue occasion to the brother to tarry by me so long as the sacrifice lasted and by fortune I know not whether I should call it good or euill for him I set out my selfe that day as well as I could thinking by reason of my name that this feast concerned me more particularly then others He that comming from far had no other knowledge of the shepheards nor shepheardesses then that which his sister gaue him for sooke vs not all that day so that in some sort thinking my selfe bound to entertaine him I did what I could to please him and my labour was not vnprofitable for from that time this poore shepheard gaue birth to an affection which neuer ended but with his death And euen yet I am assured that if in the graue they haue any remembrance of the liuing hee loues me and in the very ashes conserues the pure affection hee swore to me Daphnis tooke note both of the day and the deed being that night in bed because that Filidas not being well could not come to the games she told me it but I reiected this conceit so long that she said I see wall Diane that this day wil cost me many prayers and Filander much paine but howsoeuer it happen you shall not be quite exempted She vsed to warre on me with such assaults because she perceiued I feard them this was the cause that I stayed not to giue her answer So it was that this aduertisement was cause that the next day me thought I found some apparâ—â—e of â—hat which she had told mee After dinner wee vsed to gather together vnder some trees and to daunce to the voyce where we sate downe in a round and spent the time with the discourse which we liked best of that wee might disquiet our selues in that assembly as little as possibly we could It fell out that Filander being vnknowne but to Daphnis and me came and sate betweene her and mee and attending to knowe whereto all the troope would resolue not to be dumbe I beganne to enquire of that which I I thought he could best answer which Amidor taking heede of entered into so great iealousie that forsaking the company without shewing the cause hee went singing this Towne-song hauing before cast his eyes on me to make it knowne that it was of 〈…〉 e he meant to speake A TOWNE-SONG Of Amidor THat man shall haue hâ—â— in the end That serues her last in place of friend Of heart that hundred time is moued More shifting then the nimble winde Who thinkes himselfe to be beloued May not be held for wise of minde For he shall haue her in the end That serues her last in place of friend The weather-cocke to all winds moues That stands on top of Tower tall So she to euery proffering lone Turnes both her heart her head and all For he shall haue her in the end That serues her last in place of friend The Hunter doth not much esteeme That which he takes though fat it were Th' inconstant ouerpasseth him Disliking such as hold her deare But he shall haue her in the end That serues her last in place of friend As one naile driues another forth The last that comes into her grace Shall of the first for all his worth Right suddenly vsurpe the place Therefore shall he haue her in th' end That serues her last in place of friend I had had sufficient command ouer my selfe to stay me from giuing knowledge of the displeasure which this song brought me had it not bene that euery one looked on me and without Daphnis I could not tell what would haue become of me But she full of discretion not staying for the end of this song interrupted it in this sort addressing her selfe to mee A MADRIGALL Of Daphnis on the loue which she bare to Diane SInce at your birth beauteous Diane Loue made you Loadstoone of all harts Why should they say that I profane Such beauty when my loue imparts Worship to you by destiny If Loue that is most absolute Of likenesse growes as it is sayd Then ours should be of strongest sute Since you and I one sexe are made And that I might better hide my blushing and make them thinke I tooke no heed to the words of Amidor as soone as Daphnis had made an end I answered her thus A MADRIGALL Of the same substance VVHerefore should it be thought so strange That being as you are a maide My Loue on you should be so stayde If Louer to be loued change The change in me were not so hard A shepheardesse to shepheardesse As shepheardesse vnto a shepheard After we had euery one as we sate on a rowe sung some verses and Filander who had a good voyce when it came to his turne sayd this with a good grace STANZA'S Of Philander on the birth of his affection THat his desires are great and his attempts in vaine His Loues full of great fires and fuller much of paine That loues and cannot finde requitall of desire Or if he be belou'd he takes but small delight Vnlesse he might haue hope or if he hope oh spight It is but to the end to set him more on fire Thus on my cradles head by fatall ordinance Hard Destiny it selfe did nine sad times pronounâ—e What should infallibly accompany my dayes Vpon the right hand heauen thick clouded thunder had And since I knew too well that these presages sad Cast eye on my designes and follow them alwaies Then be not you amaz'd if after this decree My Loue commencement take when I your beauty see That if I must be beat out of designe fore-told It to my solace is that men shall guilty finde The Loue of my hard Fate and praise my faulty minde Saying A heart that 's base durst neuer be so bold So when the thoughtfull care of an vnfertile Loue Consumes it selfe in beames
of that worlds starre aboue It seemes in following it to say Sunne of my skie Burne me with thine owne raies make that I die by thee At least in dying so this pleasure rests with me That other fire could not burne me but thine eye When Phoenix bird alone out of composure rare By Nature taught thereto doth first her selfe prepare From relickes of her tombe her cradle yet to haue Sheâ— saith to that great fire the garden of her soule I shall in glory rise by dying in thy cole And take my life againe from ashes of my graue He sayd some others but I haue forgotten them so that mee thought it was I to whom these words were directed and I know not if that which Daphnis had told me made me think so or his eyes which yet spake more plainely then his mouth But if this verse gaue me knowledge his discretion witnessed it much more afterwards for it is one of the effects of true affection to serue with discretion and not to giue knowledge of his disease but by effects ouer which they can haue no power This young shepheard finding the humour of Amidor and for that Loue had made him curious and inquiring if it were but of Filidas hee thought that the best point of Arte to shut vp the eyes of them both was to compasse a strait league with them not giuing any shew of that he bare me Loue made him so cunning and wise that holding on his designe hee deceiued not onely Amidor but my eyes also because that vsually hee would leaue vs to goe to him and he would neuer come but in his company It is true that the crafty Daphnis found it presently because said shee that Amidor is not so louely that he can draw so honest a shepheard as Filander to vse so carefull a search so that it must needes be for a more worthy subiect She was the cause that I began to haue a care of my selfe and I must confesse that then his discretion pleased me and if I could haue suffred my selfe to be beloued it should be of him but the houre was not then come that I should bee strucke on that side yet did I not forbeare to please my selfe with his actions and to approue his designe in some sort When hee was to take his leaue of vs hee accompanied vs a good way and at our parting I neuer heard such assurance of amity as he gaue to Amidor nor so many offers of seruices as to Filidas and the foole Daphnis vnhappy whispered in mine care Conceaue you that it is to you that he speakes and if you doe not answer him you doe great wrong And when Amidor beganne to thanke him she said Oh what a foole he is to beleeue that these offerings are ordained for his Altar but he could so well dissemble that hee made Amidor wholly his and got such ground on his good will that when he returned and was to deliuer that which Filander had on his part desired him to say to Filidas that this maid had a desire to see him and some dayes after hee added so many ouer-lashing commendations not saying any thing to me of it because that when I spake of him it was with such a coldnesse that it seemed to bee out of neglect they sent for him desiring him to come and see them God knowes whether he neede bee sollicited more then once for it was the thing he desired thinking it was impossible that his designe should haue a better beginning And by fortune the day that he was to come Daphnis and I went out to walke vnder some trees which are on the other side of that pasture that is next to this scarce knowing to whom to go while our flocks were feeding we went vncertaine whither our feete without election guided vs when wee heard a voyce farre enough off and wee thought it some strangers The desire to know it made vs turne directly to the place where the voice conducted vs and by reason Daphnis went first she spied Filander before me and made a signe to me to tread softly and when I came neer her she whispered in mine eare naming Filander who sate leaning against a tree entertaining his thoughts wearied as it seemed with the length of his way and by chance iust as we came he beganne in this sort A SONNET IN pride of heart I did misprize Loue with his crafts and sorceries When changing armes to these of yours The crafty greater ayde procures And yet before he did me wrong He vsde this language with his tongue A God against my Lawes growne proud For hauing got the victory Ouer a serpent disallowde The glory that is due to me But what I made him Daphne loue On him my greater force to proue The fire that burnt that glorious Came but from Nymphs eyes beauteous Whom he without her feeling lou'd But I will yours more fiery prou'd Comes not from Nymph but Dian selfe When I heard my selfe named fayre shepheardesses I trembled as if I vnawares had set my foot on a serpent and without longer stay I went away as softly as I could that I might not be seen albeit Daphnis to cause my returne suffered me to goe a great way alone At last seeing I kept on my way she stole away from him by little and little that shee might not be heard and at last ouertooke me and being scarce able to take her breath she went crying out a thousand broken reproches And when she could speake Vnfainedly sayes she if the heauens do not punish you I shall beleeue they are as vniust as you and what cruelty is this of yours not to heare him that complaynes To what end sayd I should I haue stayed longer To heare sayd she the euill you haue done him I answered I You iest in saying that I doe hurt the man that I thinke not of That is replyed she whereof you labour most for if you thought often of him it were impossible but you should haue pitty I blushed at that word and the change of colour gaue Daphnis to vnderstand that these words offended me This was the cause that smiling she sayd I am pleasant Diane that I said was but to passe the time away and beleeue not that I thinke it and concerning that he sung when he named your name it is for certaine that it was for another that bare your name or to refresh himselfe he sung these verses which he had receiued of some other We went discoursing in this sort and so long that being weary of walking we came backe another way to the same place where Filander was For my part it was by errour it may well be that Daphnis did it of purpose and finding him so neere vs I could not choose but looke on him at the first he was sitting and leaned against a tree but now wee found him layd all along on the ground one arme vnder his head and it seemed he was awake for
such wisedome must be vsed that she must loue you as soone as she may know that you loue her out of loue For being once embarked she cannot retire her selfe into the hauen though she see likelyhood of torment round about her It seemes hither to you haue beene guyded by great wisedome but you must proceed The shew which you haue vsed to be in loue with her although you be a woman is to good purpose it being certayne that all loue which is suffered in the end will prooue answerable But you must goe forward We doe easily many things which we thought very hard if Custome had not made them easie Therefore it is that they which are not acquainted with a meate find it at the first to be of an harsh raste which by little and little afterward becomes pleasing to the vsage You must frame your selfe to vse amorous discourses to Diane to make it more easie that by custome that which she hath not bin vsed vnto may be ordinary and the better to attayne it you must deuise some inuention to make her more to delight in your wooing and that you may do though you be a woman in the same termes that the shepheards vse For as the eare which is accustomed to musike is capable to fit his voyce both by raysing and abasing it to tunes that be harmonious though otherwise they know nothing in that arte In like manner the shepheardesse which often heaâ—es the discourse of her louer yeelds the powers of her soule albeit she know not how to loue letting her selfe to be carried in an insensible manner to the feelings of loue I meane shee loueth the company of that person in feeling a farre off some pitty of his euill and in conclusion loues in effect without thinking so much Looke to it Filander you make profit of these instructions else-where and think that if I loued you not and did not pitty you I would not discouer this secret out of the schoole but take that which I say as an earnest of that I desire to doe for you With such words seeing the day approched they returned into their lodging not without iesting at the loue of Amidor who tooke him for a mayd reporting some part of his speech to laugh at it And about morning falling asleepe in this resolution they lay longer in bed to recompence the losse of the night which gaue commodity to the young Amidor to surprize them And had it not beene that at that time I came into their chamber I beleeue he had found out their deceit for addressing himselfe to the bed of the fayned Callire though she played her part well speaking with as great modesty as was possible setting on it a seuere countenance to put him by the hardinesse to hazzard himselfe yet it may be his affection would haue found licence and his vnwise hands might haue discouered her bosome But immediately vpon my comming in Daphnis desired me to stay him which I did to the great contentment of Filander who sayning to thanke me for it kissed my hand with so great affection that if I had beene any thing suspitious I should haue perceiued that indeed it had come of loue After I had giuen them the good day I tooke Amidor away with mee that they might haue leisure to clothe themselues And because they had a purpose to performe that which they had propounded presently after dinner when wee were withdrawne as of custome vnder some trees to enioy the fresh ayre though Amidor were there Daphnis thought the occasion fit being well pleased that it was in his presence to put him from all suspition and that if at any time by mischance hee heard them speake like a man hee should not thinke it strange when making a signe to Filander that hee would further this dessigne she sayd to him And what is it Callyre can make you dumbe in the presence of Diane Because answered he I go making many wishes to my selfe for the desire I haue to the seruice of my mistris and among others one which I neuer thought to desire What is that interrupted Amidor That is continued Filander that I wish to be a man to doe more seruice to Diane How added Daphnis are you amorous of her More answered Filander then all the rest of the world is aware of I rather desire said Amidor you should be a woman as well for my good as for that of Filidas The consideration neither of the one nor the other replyed Filander shall not make mee change my desire And what reioyned Daphnis are you of opinion that Diane loues you againe I am to hope said Filander by the lawes of Nature if it be not that as in her beauty shee out-goes her forces in her humour she will not disdaine her ordinances You may thinke of me as it pleaseth you said I I truely sweare vnto you that there is no man in the world that I loue more then you So replyed hee to me there is no person that hath vowed so much seruice to you but this happinesse will last with me but vntill you finde my small merit or some other better subiect present it selfe Doe you thinke me replyed I so flitting as you make mee to bee It is not answered hee for that I suppose in you the imperfections of inconstancy but I know well I am the cause of the defaults that be in me The defaults said I be rather on my side and at that word I embraced him kissed him with as sincere an affection as if he had bene my sister Whereat Daphnis smiled in her selfe seeing me so much abused But Amidor interrupting vs iealous as I beleeue of them both I thinke saith he it is in good earnest and that Callire mocks not How said he I mook Let the heauens punish mee more rigorously then they euer chastised periured wretch if there were euer any loue more violent nor more passionate then that which I beare to Diane And you were a man added Daphnis you would learne well to vse mens wordes to declare your passion Though said she I haue lesse spirit yet so it is that my extreme affection will neuer suffer me to be dumbe in such an occasion Let vs see fayre said Amidor if it be no trouble to you how you will behaue your selfe in such an enterprize If my mistrisse said Filander permit mee I will doe it with promise notwithstanding that she condiscend to three supplications which I shall make to her The first that shee answere that I demand the other that she thinke it not dissembled which vnder another person then Callire I shall represent vnto her but take them for true though feeble passions And lastly that shee neuer suffer any other then mee to serue her in this quality I that saw they all tooke pleasure and likewise in truth loued Filander vnder his sisters habit answered that for the second and last demand they were granted as shee desired that for
answered Siluander the lesser yeelds alwaies to the greater part where you are these shepheardesses must doe as you doe And why added Diane disdainefull shepheard esteeme you so slenderly of vs You should rather thinke answered Sluander that it is for the good opinion I haue of you that I thus speake for if I thought hardly of you I would not say that you were a part of this great Nymph since that thereby I make you no whit her inferiour but that she deserues to be beloued and respected for her beauty for her merits and for her condition and you for your beauties and merits You mock your selfe Siluander answered Diane I would haue you thinke that I haue sufficient to winne the affection of an honest shepheard She spake thus for that hee was so farre from all Loue that among them hee was alwaies called the vnsensible and she delighted to make him talke Whereto he answered Your conceit may be as pleaseth you yet I must tell you that for effecting this you want one of the principall parts And what is that said Diane The will replyed he for your will is so contrary to this effect that said Phillis interrupting him Siluander would neuer loue more The shepheard hearing her speake drew aside to Astrea saying that they ouer-charged him and that hee was wronged when so many set against him The wrong said Diane is turned onely to me for this shepheardesse seeing me in the hands of so strong an enemy and conceauing a sinister iudgement of my courage and force would haue helped me It is not in this said he faire shepheardesse that she hath offended you for she had had small iudgement if she thought not your victory certaine but it was for that seeing me already vanquished she would robbe you of the honor in attempting to giue me a blow at the end of the combate but I know not what her meaning was for if you meddle no further I assure you she shall not so easily get this glory as she thinkes Phillis who of her nature was pleasant and who on this day resolued to passe away the time for Leonide answered him with a certaine lifting vp of her head It is good Siluander that you haue an opinion that to vanquish you is a thing to be desired and honourable for me I say for mee who will place this victory among the least that euer I wanne You should not so much vnder-valew it said the shepheard since this serues not but to be the first that hath conquered me As much replyed Phillis as there is honour to bee the first in that which is of worth so much shamefull is it in the contrary Ah shepheardesse interrupted Diane speake not so of Siluander for if all the shepheards which are lesse then he should bee vnder-valewed I know not him that we are to esteeme See Diane answered Phillis the first blowes by which you come ouer him without doubt he is yours It is the custome of these haggard wilde spirits to suffer themselues to be taken at the first attracts and for that they haue not beene acquainted with such fauours they receiue them with such a taste that they haue not power to resist them Phillis spake these words to mock him yet it fell out that the gracious defence of Diane made the shepheard thinke that he was bound to serue her by the lawes of courtesie And after that that opinion and the perfections of Diane had that power ouer him that hee conceaued this bud of Loue that time and conuersation might encrease as we will tell you afterwards This disputation held some while among the shepheardesses to the good contentment of Leonide who wondred at their gentle spirit Phillis at last turning her selfe to the shepheard said But whereto serue so many wordes If it bee true that you are such let vs come to the proofe of it and shew me what shepheardesse makes any speciall account of you She answered the shepheard whom you see me make especiall account of You meane added Phillis that you seeke not after any but that proceeds from want of courage Much rather replyed Siluander from want of will And then going onward And you which vnder-valew me so much tell vs what shepheard it is whom you loue so especially All them who haue spirit and courage answered Phillis For whosoeuer sees that which is louely without louing it wanteth spirit or courage That reason sayd Siluander bindes you then to loue me or accuse your selfe of great want But let vs not speake so generally name one in particular whom you loue Then Phillis with a countenance graue and seuere I would with a good will there were boldnes enough to vndertake it That is then added Siluander for want of courage Rather said Phillis want of will Wherefore then cryed out Siluander would you it should be thought more out of want of will in you than in me Would it be well sayd the shepheardesse that the actions which do besit you should be permitted me Would you thinke well of it if I should runne play on the Lute or leape as you do But our disputation is too long about so bad a subiect let Diane set downe the conclusion and see if I be not confident in the iustnesse of my cause since I take a partiall iudge I shall be alwayes answered Diane according to the reason of my knowledge Well sayd Phillis when words cannot make good that which they would vphold is he not bound to come to his proofes Yes without doubt answered Diane Condemne then this shepheard sayd Phillis to giue proofe of the merit which hee sayes is in him and that on this occasion to vndertake to serue and loue a shepheardesse of that sort that he will enforce her to confesse that hee deserues to be beloued that if he cannot that hee freely acknowledge his little valour Leonide and the shepheardesses found this proposition so reasonable that by a common voyce it was enacted Not sayd Diane smiling that he be constrayned to loue her For in Loue Constraint can do nothing and his birth must grow from a free will But I ordayne that hee serue and honour her as you say My Iudge answered Siluander though you haue condemned mee without hearing me yet will I not appeale from your sentence but onely I require that she whom I must serue may merit and know how to acknowledge my seruice Siluander Siluander sayd Phillis because your cunning fayles you seeke out starting-holes But I will put you besides all these meanes by her whom I will name for it is Diane in whom there is wanting neyther spirit to know your merit nor desert to giue you will to serue her For my part answered Siluander I acknowledge more then you can speake prouided that it be no profaning of her beauties to serue them for wages Diane would haue spoken and excused her selfe of this charge but at the request of Leonide and Astrea she consented yet with this
if they haue any compassion of the afflicted but if they will not I onely desire of them so much life as may satisfie the commandements which you make me and then permit me to follow you that if they cut not off my threed and my hand be free assure your selfe fayre Mistris you shall not be long without me Friend answered she I enioyne you beyond this to liue as long as the gods please for in the length of your life they shall shew themselues pittifull vnto vs since that by this meanes I shall make relation in the Elisian fields of our perfect amity you may publish it to the liuing and so the dead and liuing men shall honour our memory But friend I perceiue my disease enforces me to leaue you farewell the most louely and the best beloued among men At these last words she dyed leaning her head on the bosome of her shepheard To tell you the displeasure hee tooke and the complaynts hee made were but to strike the sword deeper into the wound besides that his gashes are yet so open that euery man seeing them may well iudge what the blowes were O death cryed Tyrcis that hast robbed me of the better part of my selfe either restore me that thou hast taken or take away the rest And then to giue roome to teares and sighes which this remembrance pluckt from his heart he held his peace for a while when Siluander told him he was to resolue himselfe since there was no remedy and that for things happened and may no more be complaints were but witnesses of weakenesse So much the rather sayd Tyrcis find I occasion of complaynt for if there were any remedy it were not the part of a man aduised or one of courage to complayne but he may be well allowed to bewaile that which can find no other asswagement Then Laonice taking agayne her speech continued in this sort At last this happy shepheardesse being dead and Tyrcis hauing rendred the last offices of loue hee tooke order she should be buryed by her mother but the ignorance of them to whom he gaue the charge was such that they placed her else-where for as for him he was so afflicted as he stirred not from off his bed there beingnothing to preserue his life but the cōmandements she had giuen him Somes dayes after enquiring of those who came to visit him in what place the body so beloued was layed hee knew it was not by her mother whereat he conceiued such a displeasure that contracting for a great summe with those that vsed to bury they promised to take her vp and to lay her with her mother And indeed they went about it and hauing opened the ground they tooke her vp betweene three or foure of them but hauing carryed her a little way the infection was so great that they were compelled to leaue her in mid-way resolued rather to die then to carry her furder Where of Tyrcis being aduertised after he had made them yet greater offers and seeing they would not respect it And why sayd he aloud canst thou hope that the loue of gayne may do more in them than thine in thee Ah Tyrcis this is too great an offence to thy Loue. Hee spake thus and as one transported he runnes to the place where the body was and though it had beene three dayes buryed and that the stinke was extreme yet tooke he it betweene his armes and carryed it to her mothers graue which was by that time couered And after so good a deed and so great a testimony of his affection withdrawing himselfe out of the Towne he stayed forty nights separated from all men Now all these things were vnknowne to me for one of my Aunts being sicke of the like disease almost at that time we conuersed not with any and the same day that he came backe I returned like wise Hauing vnderstood onely of the death of Cleon I went to him to know the particularities but comming to his chamber doore I layd mine eye to the key-hole because I came neere I heard him sigh and I was not deceiued for I saw him on his bed his eyes lifted to heauen-ward his hands ioyned together and his face couered with teares If I were astonished gentle shepheard iudge you for I did not thinke he had loued her and came in part to delight my selfe with him At last after I had beheld him some while with a sigh which seemed to part his stomake in pieces I heard him bring foorth these words Stanzaes on the death of Cleon. VVHy dowe hide our teares this is no time to faine A Loue which her sad death by my dole maketh plaine Whoceaseth to haue hope ought likewise cease to feare The hope that fed my life lies closed in her beare She liued once in me and I alwayes in her Our sprites with thousand knots so strait combined were Each knit to other so that in their faithfull loue We two were but an one and each as two did moue But in the poynt that Loue vpon a firme laid ground Assur'd me pleasures I the quite contrary found For that my happinesse had toucht the poynt that was Allotted me to reach and not to ouer-passe It was in Paris towne that those delightfull thoughts Which Loue infusde in me her death did bring to nought What time a man might see the Gaules right sore distrest Against th' inuading force of strangers doe their best And must there be a tombe of lesse celebritie Then Paris holding that I nurc'd so charily Or that my ill should fall in times lesse sorrowing Then when all Europe stood at poynt of perishing But I am wide O God my Cleon is not dead Her heart to liue in me farre from her selfe is fled Her body enely dyes and so by contrary My spirit dyes in her and hers dath liue in me O gods what became of me when I heard him speake thus my amazement was such that vnawares leaning against the doore I entred but halfe in whereat he turned his head and seeing me he made none other signe but holding out his hand to me prayed me to sit on the bed by him and then wiping his eyes for so he should alwayes need an handkercher hee spake to mee in this sort Well Laonice the poore Cleon is dead and we are left to bewayle her rauishment And because the paine I was in gaue me no power to answer he went onward I know well shepheardesse that seeing me in this plight for Cleon you are amazed that the fayned loue I bare her should giue me so true feelings But alas leaue that errour I beseech you so me thinkes I should commit a greater fault against Loue if without cause I should hold on that dissembling whereto my affection till now commaunded me Know then Laonice that I haue loued Cleon and that all other suites were but to cloake that and if you did euer beare me friendship for Gods sake Laonice condole with me this disaster
about the village to see when his new mistrisse would come forth and as soone as hee spyed her hee came toward her singing these verses STANZA'S On an high raysed Desire HOpes like Ixions in boldnesse Disdaining heauens dire menacoâ— Will you aspire aboue your size With Icarus t'assaile the skie Is but to tumble from on hiâ— Forbeare not yet to enterprizâ—â— Euen so sometimes Prometheus With brest peckt by birds raâ—enous His torments did immortall make By stealing downe Celestiall fire He said to this good I aspire To doe what none dares vndertake My heart on rock of constaney Deuoured by my paciency Will say The sprights of loftiest size Haue they not dar'd to steale that coale So may this glory take my soule To doe what none dares enterprize Eccho that for Narcissus loue Bewrayes her griefe the rocks to moue Comforts her selfe in her dismay And tels them in her angry moode If I of this be not belou'd There is no other else that may Phillis that was of a pleasant disposition and would well discharge her selfe of the experiment whereto she had beene enioyned turning to Diane Mistrisse said she will you hereafter giue any credit to the words of this shepheard Yesterday he loued you not at all now hee is dead at least for loue Since he would say so much he ought to begin in a better houre to serue you or pause somewhile before he proffer such words Siluander was so neere that he might heare Phillis that made him cry out a farre off O mistrisse shut your eares against the euill words of mine enemy And then being come at them Ah naughty Phillis said he is it so that by the ruine of my contentment you seeke to build your owne You doe well answered Phillis to talke of your contentment haue not you with others this perfection of the most part of shepheards wâ—o out of a vanity say they are infinitely content and fauoured of their mistrisse though contrarily they bee hardly vsed talke you of contentment You Siluander haue you the boldnesse to vse these words in the presence euen of Diane what will you say in other places when you haue the sawcinesse to talke so before her She had gone on but that the shepheard after he had saluted the Nymph and the shepheardesses interrupted her thus You would haue my mistrisse mislike that I should speake of the contentment which I haue in her seruice and why will you not haue me say so if it be true Is it true answered Phillis see what vanity this is will you say yet that she loues you and that she cannot liue without you I may not say replyed the shepheard that it is so but I may well say I wish it were so but you seeme to thinke it so strange that I say I haue contentment in the seruice which I tender my mistris that I am coÌ„pelled to aske you if you haue not At least said she if I haue I doe not brag of it It is ingratitude replyed the shepheard to receiue good from any without thanks and how is it possible we can loue that person to whom we are vnthankfull By that interrupted Leonide I iudge that Phillis loues not Diane There are few that giue not the same iudgement answered Siluander and I beleeue she thinks so her selfe If you haue reasons good enough you may perswade me replyed Phillis If there want nothing but reason to proue it said Siluander I haue no more to doe for whether I proue a thing or deny it it cannot make it other then it is so that since I want but reasons to prooue your small loue what haue I to doe to conuince you That that is to be done that you loue not Diane belongs to you to prooue Phillis here staid a little troubled to answer and Astrea said to her It seemes sister you approue that which the shepheard saith I doe not approue it answered she but I am much troubled to disproue it If it be added Diane you loue me not at all for since Siluander hath found the reasons which you demand and against which you cannot resist you must confesse that that which he saith is true At this word the shepheard came to Diane and said Faire and iust mistrisse is it possible that this enemy shepheardesse hath yet the hardinesse not to suffer me to say that the seruice which I yeeld to you brings me contentment when this cannot be for the answer which you make so much to mine aduantage In saying answered Astrea that Phillis loues her not she doth not say therefore you do loue her or that she loues you If I could heare these words answered he I loue you or you loue me out of my mistrisses mouth it should not be a contentment but a transport that rauisheth me from my selfe for ouer-great satisfaction and yet if hee that holds his peace seeme to consent to that he heares why may not I say my faire mistrisse confesses that I loue her since without contradiction she heares what I say If Loue replyed Phillis consist in words you would haue more then all other men together for I doe not thinke they will euer faile you as bad a cause as you haue Leonide tooke wonderfull pleasure at the discourse of these shepheardesses and had it not beene for the payne wherein she was for the disease of Celadon she would haue tarried many dayes with them for albeit she knew he was out of his feuer yet she could not but feare his relapse That was the cause she desired them to take with her the way of Laigneu to the riuer for that she might the longer enioy their company They agreed willingly for besides courtesie so commaunded them they were exceedingly pleased with her company So then taking Diane on the one side and Astrea on the other shee went toward the Buttresse But Siluander was deceiued who by chance was gone furder from Diane than was Phillis so that she tooke that place that he desired Whereat Phillis being very glorious went mocking the shepheard saying that his Mistris might easily iudge that hee was too slouthfull to serue her Shee may grant so much answered he to your importunity but not to your affection For if you loued her you would not haue left mee the place you had That should rather be a signe of the contrary sayd Phillis if I suffer another to come neerer than my selfe for if the party that loues desires almost to be transformed into the thing beloued hee approacheth neerest and so attaynes the perfection of his desires The louer answered Siluander that hath more regard to his owne contentment than of the person beloued deserues not that title at all So that you which regard more the pleasure which you take in being neere your Mistris than you do her commodity may not say you loue her but your selfe onely For if I were in the place you are I would helpe her to goe and you do but let her If my
sayd Phillis I haue found him very sad this euening and I cannot tell what hath befalne him but he hath so coniured me to come hithor that I cannot delay it I beseech you to walke â—here-about while we are together for aboue al he desires I should be alone I will do answered Astrea what pleaseth you but take heed it bee not euill thought of to see you talke with him at so vnfit houres especially being alone in this darke place It is for that cause answerd Phillis that I haue put you to the paine to come hither therefore I pray you to walke so neere vs that if any one come on vs hee may thinke that we three are together While they talked thus Diane and Paris preÌ„ssed Hylas to tell them his life to satisfie the commandement of his Mistris and though he made much difficulty yet at last hee began in this sort The History of Hylas YOu will then mine owne faire Mistris and geÌ„ntle Paris that I tell you the aduentures befalne me since I began to loue Thinke not that my refusal was for that I knew not what to say for I haue loued too much to want matter but rather for that I haue too little day to haue the leysure not to tell you all that would be too long but not to begin alone Yet since for obedience I must satisfie your wil I pray you harken to me while I put you in mind that all things are subiect to some superior power which almost enforceth vs to actions which it pleaseth vs and that whereto mine enclines so violeÌ„tly is loue for otherwise it may be you wold woÌ„der to see me so carried that there is no chaine either of duty or obligation that may withhold me And I freely confesse that if euery one must haue some inclination of nature mine is of inconstancy for which I am not to bee blamed since the heauens ordaine mee so Haue this consideration before your eyes while you heare the discourse which I am to make Among the principal Countries that the Rosne in his swift course visits after it hath receiued Arar Isere Durance other riuers he comes dashing vpon the ancient walls of the towne of Arles chiefe of that country and the most peopled and richest of the Romane prouince Neere this faire towne there incamped a great while since as I heard our Druides tell a great Captaine named Cains Marins before the notable victory which he got against the Cimbres Cimmerieux and Celtoseites at the foote of the Alpes who being deuided by the deepe Scitique Ocean with their wiues and children purposing to sacke Rome were so ouerthrowne by this great captaine that there remained not one aliue and if the Romane armes had spared any one the barbarous fury that was in their courage made them turne their owne hands against themselues and in rage kill themselues that they might not liue being vanquished Now the Romane army to assure their allies and friends of their common wealth comming to encampe as I told you neere that towne and according to the custome of that wary nation compassing their campe with trenches it fel out that being nere to Rosne this riuer which is most violeÌ„t and which threatens and beates incessantly his bankes by little and little in time met with these large deepe ditches and with maine strength entring into the chanell which he found already made runs with such fury that makes the ditches stretch out to the sea where hee goes discharging himselfe by this meanes two wayes for the ancient course hath alwayes followed his ordinary way and this new one is growne so great that it equalls the greatest riuers making betweene both a most delectable and forcible Iland and because they were the trenches of Cains Marins the people by corruption of the word call it Carmage of his name and since for that the place is inuironed with these two armes of Rosne and the midland sea they call it the Isle of Camarge I would not haue sayd so much about the originall of this place had it not bene that it was the countrey of my natiuity and where they of whom I am descended haue long time dwelt for by reason of the fertility of the place and that it is as it were cut out from the rest of the land there is a number of shepheards that are withdrawne thither which for the abundance of pasturage they call Pasture and my fathers haue alwayes bene held in some consideration among the principall were it for that they were thought good and vertuous men were it for that they had honestly and after their condition acquired the goods of fortune so they left me sufficiently prouided for when they died which was without doubt too soone for me for my father died the day that I was borne and my mother bred me vp with all manner of delicatenesse an only child or rather a marred child endured but till I was twelue yeeres of age Iudge what master of an house I was like to proue among other imperfectious of youth I could not auoyd that of presumption supposing there was not a shepheard in all Camarge which ought not respect me But when I was a little aduanced and that Loue began to mingle with this presumption mee thought all the shepheardesses were in loue with me and that there was not one which receiued not my loue with obligation And that which fortified me in this opinion was that a faire and wise shepheardesse my neighbour called Carlis made me all the honest showes which neighbour-hood might challenge I was so yong as yet that none of the incommodities which loue vses to bring to the louer by his violent transports could reach me that I felt nothing but sweetenesse and on that subiect I remember that some time I went singing these verses A SONNET On the sweetnesse of Loue. VVHen speakes my shepheardesse or rather when she sings Or with her eies sweets glaâ—ce to mine she daz'ling brings Loue seemes to talke in her and with her gracious sounds Rauishes vs by thâ—â—are with charmes our sight confounds Not as you see him when he cruelly torments The hearts that are possest with passions violent But then when like a child full wantonly he moues Plaies on his mothers lap and formes a thousand loues Nor when he sports himselfe with those the Paphean maids Nor when on graces lap himselfe to rest he laid You could see him so pleas'd as neere my shepheardesse But when he burteth so may we him Loue confesse He is so when he playes and makes his place of rest In Carlis bosome sweete as on his mothers brest Though the age wherein I was suffered me not to know that it was Loue yet forbare I not to delight my selfe in the company of that shepheardesse and to vse those deuices wherewith I vnderstood that they whom they call Louers serued their turne so that the long continuance made many thinke that I knew more
her hand before her eyes and afterwards began to run as if shee had allured mee to run after her At the first I was so amazed with the blow I made as though I heeded it not but when she came back the second time I fell on running after her and she after she had somewhat run about her cōpanions started from them and when she was a litle from them faining to bee out of breath lay downe behind a thicke bush I that at first ran without any dessine seeing her on the ground and in a place where shee might not bee seene seeming desirous to bee reuenged for the paine shee had put mee to began to clap her whereto shee made a small resistance but so that she shewed this priuacy displeased her not especially for that seeming to defend her she discouered purposely as I thinke to make her white skin seeme whiter by much then one would iudge by her face At last being risen vp she sayd to mee I did not thinke Hylas you had bene so rude a gamester otherwise I would not haue meddled with you If this displease you said I I craue pardon but if it be not so I was neuer in my life better payd for my indiscretion then now How meane you that sayd shee I meane said I faire Floriante that I neuer saw fairer then that I spied eene now See said shee what a lier you are and at this word strooke me gently on the cheeke and ran backe to her companions This Floriante was the daughter of an honest knight that then was sicke and kept neere the shore of Arar and shee hearing of her fathers sickenesse went to seeke him out hauing stayed somewhile with one of her sisters who was married in Arles her face was not very faire for she was somewhat browne but she had such conceits and was of so liuely an humor that I must tell you this meeting made me lose the will I had to Aymee and that so quickly that I felt little displeasure in leauing her so that the contentment in finding this cleered me of all griefe I then forsooke Aymee me thought and addicted my selfe wholy vnto Floriante I may say me thought for it was not true altogether seeing that often when I saw her I tooke pleasure to talke with her though the affection which I bare the other drew me with a little more violence but indeed when I considered sometime what I sayd I found that whereas I was wont to loue but one I did now serue two It is true that this was with no great paine for when I was neere Floriante I neuer remembred Aymee and when I was neer Aymee Floriante had no place in my memory And ther was nothing so much tormented me as when I was far from them both for I was sorry for them both together Now gentle Paris this entertainement lasted with me to Vienna but being by chance at our lodging for almost euery night we went ashore and specially when we passed by any good townes lo there comes a shepherdesse to intreat the master of the boate where I was to let her haue a place as farre as Lyons because her husband being wounded by some enemies had sent vnto her to seeke him out The master who was curteous receiued her willingly so the next morning she placed her selfe in the boate with vs. Shee was faire but somodest and discreet that she was to be no lesse commended for her vertue otherwise so sad and full of melancholy that she moued pitty from all the company And because I haue alwayes had much compassion on the afflicted I had it infinitely ouer this endeuored to comfort her the best I could wherat Floriante was not contented what countenance soeuer she set on it nor Aimee neither for conceiue gentle Paris that though a woman dissemble yet shee cannot choose but feele the losse of a louer for that it seemeth to be a wrong to her beauty and beauty being the thing that this Sexe most esteemes is the most sensible part in her Yet I that with my compassion beganne to mingle a little loue not seeming to looke on those two wenches I held on talke with her and among other things to the end our discourse might not fayle and to haue the greater knowledge of her I intreated her to tell me the cause of her sorrow She then full of courtesie began to speake thus The compassion which you haue of my paine bindes me courteous stranger to giue you more satisfaction than that you demaund and you would thinke it a great fault if I refused so small a thing But I beseech you to consider withall the state wherein I am and to excuse my discourse if I abridge it as much as I can Know then shepheard that I was borne about the bankes of Loyre where I was as charily brought vp to the age of fifteene yeeres as one of my sort might be My name is Cloris and my father is called Leonce the brother of Gerestan into whose hands I was deliuered after the death of my father and my mother being of the age I told you and from that time I beganne to feele the blowes of Fortune for my vncle hauing more care of his owne children than of me thought himselfe ouer-layd with my charge All the comfort I had was from his wife called Collire for she loued me and prouided for what she could possibly without her husbands knowledge But the heauens would afflict mee in all for when Filander the brother of Collire was slaine she tooke such a griefe that none could perswade her to suruiue him so that within few dayes after she dyed and I abode with her two daughters who were so young that I had little contentment to be with them It fell out that a shepheard of the prouince of Vienna named Rosidor came to visit the Temple of Hercules that stands on the shore of Furan on the top of a rocke that rises in the midst of the mountaines much aboue them all that are there-about On that day there were together a great company of vs young shepheardesses For it was a solemne day for for that place I should vse but needlesse words to tell you the speech we had together and the fashion wherewith he shewed me his loue So it was that from that day he gaue himselfe to me so that hee neuer made shew of contradicting it He was young and goodly for his wealth he had much more than I might hope for for the rest his spirit so like that which appeared outwardly in his body and there was a perfect agreement His suite lasted foure yeeres and I cannot say that in all that time he either did or thought any thing wherewith he acquainted me not and asked my aduice This extreme submission so long continued made mee most certaine of his loue and his merits which then had not a little bound mee to loue him haue since that time wonne me in
buâ— when she would enter behold a man that cast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her feete and without saying any thing kissed her robe O God sayd the Nymph who is this Fleurial see a man Madame said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an heart that is yours How said she an 〈◊〉 And then she would haue fled away for feare but hee that â—â—ist her to be 〈◊〉 her backe Hearing these words I drew neere and presently I knew it was â—e that Flourial said was his cousin I knew not suddenly what to thinke I saw Galathee and my selfe in the hands of these women the one of 〈◊〉 was vnknowne to vs. What could wee resolue to doe 〈◊〉 wee 〈◊〉 to flye Galathee could not to trust to ouâ— owne 〈◊〉 there was no apparence At last all that I could doe was to castâ—â—â— selfe into the hands of him that held the Nymphs 〈◊〉 not being able to doe more I beganne to scratch and to bite him That which I did was with such speeds that the first thing that he felt was the biting Ah courmous 〈◊〉 said he how do you handle your enemies when you deale so ridely with your seruants Though I were almost besides my selfe yee I almost knew the voyce and asking him who liee was I am sayd her the man that beares the heart of Lindamon to this â—aire Nymph and then not raising him selfe from the earth turning to her he went on I must confesse Madam that this rashnesse is great yet is it no way equall to my affection which hath caused it See the heart of 〈◊〉 which I bring you I hope this present shall be as well accepted from the hand of the giuer as from a stranger yet it my misfortune deny me what Loue hath promised me hauing offended the diuinity whoâ— I only adore condemne this heart which I bring you to all the cruell 〈◊〉 you please for so the paine may satisfie you it shal beare it patiently and with as much contentment as pardon it I easily knew him then to be Lindamor and so did Galathee she seeing him at her 〈◊〉 whom she bewalled for dead and in the place of a Gardiner the Knight that giues place to none in all the Countrey And knowing that Galathee was so surprized I sayd Is it so Lindamer that you surprize Ladyes This is not the act of a Knight especially such as you are I coÌ„fesse said he gracious Nymph that it is not the act of a Knight but withall you cannot deny but it is of a Louer and what am I more then a Louer Loue that hath taught others to spnine teaches me to be a Gardiner Is it possible sayd he turning to the Nymph that this extreme affection which you haue caused is so displeasing to you that you wold haue it end in my death I haue had the hardines to bring you that which you would haue of mine this heart is it not more welcome to you in life then in death Now if it be your pleasure that it die behold here a dagger which may abbridge that which your rigour in time may bring The Nymph to all these words made no answer but Ah Leonide haue you betrayed me and with these words went out into the Alley where she found a seat sit for the purpose for she was so besides her self that she knew not where she was There the Knight cast himselfe on his knees and I came on the other side and sayd How Madame say you you are betrayed Why doe you accuse 〈◊〉 so I sweare by the seruice I haue vowed you that I knew nothing of this act Fleurial hath deceiued me as well as you But God be praised that the deceit is so commodious to cuery one behold one heart of 〈◊〉 which Flourial promised you but see him in a state to do you seruice may you not be glad of this treason It would be too long to tell you all the discourse wee had So it was that at last we made a peace and so that this loue was more strongly tied then euer before yet with condition that for that present he should depart to go whither Amasis and Clidaman had sent him This departure was vnpleasing yet hee must obey and so after hee had kissed Galathâ—â—â— hands without any greater fauour he departed Well hee went in great assurance that at his returne hee might see her at that houre and in that place But to what purpose should I particularize euery thing Lindamor returned to them that being his followers expected him from thence with great â—â—â—gence went where Clidaman thought hee was and by the way hee framed a thousand wise excuses of his stay sometimes accusing the incommodities of the mountaines and sometimes the sicknes which yet appeared in his face by reason of his wounds and thinking that all the while he was absent from from his Lady his businesse was not worth the stay he came backe with the permission of Amasis and Clidaman into Forrests where being arriued and hauing giuen a good account of his charge he was honored and made much of as his vertue deserued But all this went not to his heart in respect of that aspect which he had from the Nymph who since his last departure encreased so her good will that I know not if Lindamor had cause to call himselfe more louing then beloued This suite passed so farre that one night being in the garden he pressed her oftentimes to permit him to demand her of Amasis that he was certaine he had done such seruices to her and her sonne that they would not deny him this grace She answered You may more doubt of their good will then of your deserts you may be lesse assured of your merits then of my good will but I would not that you should speake of it vntill Clidaman be married I am yonger then he I may stay so long You may well answered he but so wil not the violence of my passion at least if you will not agree to this remedy giue mee one that cannot hurt you if your will be as you tell me If I may sayd she without offending my selfe I will promise you After he had kissed her hand Madam sayd hee you haue promised me to sweare before Leonide and the gods that heare our discourse that you will be my wife as I take an oth before them neuer to haue any other Galathee was ouertaken yet fayning that it was partly for the oth she had taken and partly by my perswasion though indeed it were her owne affection she was contented and swearing betweene my hands with condition that Lindamor should neuer come into that garden vntil the marriage were declared and that to preuent the occasion that may make them passe further behold Lindamor the most content that euer was full of al sorces of hope at least of all those that a louer might haue that was beloued and wayting but for the promised conclusion of his desires when Loue or rather Fortune would mocke
must speake plainely to him O God sayd the Nymph is it possible I am assured that if hee will vndertake it it cannot but all turne to my contentment for his wisedome is so great and his iudgement also that he cannot choose but bring about whatsoeuer he beginnes Madame said Leonide I speake not without ground you shall see If you will serue your selfe by him what will bee Now behold the Nymph the most contented in the world already figuring to her selfe the accomplishment of her desires But while they discoursed thus Silâ—y and 〈◊〉 spent the time about the same businesse for the Nymph who was well inquainted with the Druyde talked of them very openly He that was very wary that he might know if his Neeâ—e had told him true prayed her to tell him what she knew Silay that desired in any case to breake off this discourse did it without dissimulation and the shortest she could in this manner The History of Leonide KNow that the better to instruct you of all that you demaund I am constrayned to touch the particulars of some other besides Galathee And I shall doe it the more willingly for that it may be behoouefull for the time to come that they should not be hidden from you It is Leonide of whom I speake whom it seemes destinies would intangle more than ordinary in the dessignes of Galathee This that I tell you is not to blame her or to make it knowne For telling it to you I beleeue it is no lesse secret than if you had not knowne it You must then vnderstand that it is long time since the beauty and merits of Leonide wanne her after long suite the affection of Polemas and because the deserts of that knight were not so slender but they could procure themselues to be beloued Your Neece was not contented to be beloued but she would also loue but she carried it with such discretion that euen Polemas was long without the knowledge of it I doubt not but you haue loued and that you know better than I how hardly Loue will be hidden so it was that at last it burst out and both knew they were louers and beloued yet was this amity so honest that it would not suffer them to dare to shew it After the sacrifice that Amasis made euery yeere on the day that she married Pimander it fell out that after dinner wee were all in the Gardens of Mâ—nt-brison the more cheerefully to passe this happy iourney she and I to defend vs from the Sunne being set vnder some trees which gaue a pleasing shaddow We were scarcely there but Polemas came to sit by vs seeming that it was by chance he met vs but I obserued that he had some good while followed vs with his eye And because we sate without any words and that he had a good voyce I sayd to him that hee should binde vs much to him if he would sing I will said he if that fayre will commaund me poynting to Leonide Such a commaundement said she would be a great indiscretion but I will make vse of my prayer especially if you haue any new thing I will willingly answered Polemas and moreouer I assure you that this which you shall heare was made but in the time of the Sacrifice while you were in your prayers And how said I is my companion then the subiect of this song Yes in deed answered he and I am witnesse And then he began to sing We sate very attentiâ—e and it may be I had knowne more had it not beene for Leonide who fearing that Polemas would shevv that which she would hide from me suddenly as he had ended took hold I dare lay a wager said she that I can diuine for whom this Song was made and then drawing neere his eare made as if she named some but indeed she bade him take heede what he sayd before me He being discreete drew backe and answered You haue not diuined right I sweare vnto you it is not for her whom you named Then I perceiued she would hide her selfe from me which was the cause that fayning to gather some floures I went from them on the other side yet not without hauing an eye to their actions Now Polemas himselfe since hath told me all but it was after his affection was passed ouer for so long as that lasted it was not in my power to make him confesse any thing Being then alone they took vp againe the discourse which they had left and she was the first that beganne And why Polemas sayd shee doe you iest thus with your friends Confesse the truth for whom are these verses Faire Nymph sayd he in your soule you know for whom they are as well as I. How sayd shee doe you beleeue me to be a diuiner Yes certainely answered Polemas and of those that obey not the gods who speak by their mouth but make themselues obeyed of him What meane you by that enigmaticall speech sayd the Nymph I meane sayd he that Loue speakes by your mouth otherwise your words would not be so full of fire and loue that they can kindle in all that behold them so burning coles and yet you obey him not though he commaund that he who loueth should be beloued for disobedient you worke that they who die of loue for you may well feele you faire but neuer louing nor so much as onely pitifull I speake for mine owne particular that may sweare with truth that in the world there was neuer beauty better beloued than yours of me In saying these last words he blushed and she smiled answering him Polemas Polemas the old souldiers shew their skarres for witnesse of their valour and complaine not at all you that complaine of yours would hardly shew them if Loue as your Generall to giue you a worthy reward should demaund to see them Cruell Nymph sayd the knight you deceiue your selfe for I may onely say to him Loue put away thy skarfe and behold the eyes of mine enemy for he can no sooner open his eies but he shall see the wounds that I beare in my heart not as you say in my complaint but in making it my glory to haue so worthy an Author of my wounds So that you may iudge that if Loue will enter into reason with me I can sooner satisfie him than you for hee can perceiue the blowes which you cannot because that the fire cannot burne it selfe no more are you being insensible of your owne beauties to be so of our teares nor offended where the armes of merit cannot resist if those of pitty at the least abate the sharpenesse of your rigours to the end that they that adore you for faire may commend you for courteous Leonide loued this knight but would not he should know it as yet But she likewise feared that putting him quite beside all hope shee might also make him lose his courage which was the cause that she answered him If your loue be such the time will
promised you continue likewise yours with the same honesty that your vertue promises me otherwise hence forth I breake all familiarity with you and protest neuer to loue you I may as the custome of them that are beloued is abuse you but I vse it not because I freely wish you should know that if you liue otherwise then you ought you are neuer to haue hope in my amity She added yet other words which so astonied Celion that he knew not what to answere Only he cast himselfe on his knees and without other discourse with this submission demanded pardon and then protested to her that his amity proceeded from her and that she might rule it as that which she had bred If you vse your selfe thus replied then Bellinde you shall bind me to loue you otherwise you shall constraine me to the contrary Faire shepheardesse replied he my affection is borne and such as it is it must liue for it cannot die but with mee so that I cannot well remedy it but by time yet to promise you that I will study to make such as you command I sweare it vnto you and in the meane time I desire neuer to be honored with your good fauour if in all my life you knew any action that for the quality of my affection may displease you At last the shepheard consented to bee beloued on condition shee might know nothing in him which might offend her honesty So these louers began an amity which lasted very long with such satisfaction to them both that they had cause to reioyce therein for their fortune Sometimes if the yong shepheard were letted hee sent his brother Diamis to her who vnder the colour of some fruite brought her letters from his brother She often returned answere with such good will that hee had cause to be contented and this affection was carried with that prudence that few perceiued it Amaranthe though she were ordinarily with them was ignorant of it had it not bene that by hap she found a letter which her companions had lost and see I beseech you what the effect was and how dangerous a thing it is for a yong soule to come neere these fires Vntill this time the shepheardesse had not not only the lesst feeling of loue but not a thought to be beloued and as soone as shee saw this letter were it for that she bare some enuy to her companion whom shee esteeâ—â—d not to be the fairer yet she saw her often wooed by this honest shepheard were it for that she was of an age which is proper to such burning that they can no sooner come neere the fire but they feele it were it for that this letter had so liuely heates that she had noyce to resist them So it was that she tooke a certaine desire not to loue for loue it may be would not attache her at the first in extremity but to be loued serued of some shepheard of worth and in this point shee read the letter oftentimes which was thus Celions letter to Bellinde FAire shepheardesse if your eyes were as full of variety as they are to cause loue the sweetnes which they promise at the first would make me adore them with as much of coÌ„tentment as they haue produced in me of vaine hope But so far are they from performance of their deceitfull promises that they will not so much as confesse them and are so wide from healing my hurt that they will not call themselues authors Yet can they hardly deny it if they consider well who she is hauing no likelihood that any other beauty then theirs could do so much And yet as if you had a purpose to equall your cruelty to your beauty you haue ordained that the affection which you haue caused to be borne shall cruelly die in me O God was there euer a more vnpittifull mother But I who held more deare that which comes from you then my life being vnable to suffer so great an iniustice am resolued to carry this affection with me into the graue hoping that the beauens moued at last with my patience will bind you at sometimes to be as pittifull as you are deare and cruâ—ll to me for the present Amaranthe read this letter ouer diuers times and without heed taking dranke vp the sweete poyson of loue no otherwise then one weary suffers himselfe by little to fall asleepe If her thought set before her eies the face of the shepheard oh how full of beauty found she it to be if his behauiour how pleasing did it seeme if his spirit how admirable did she iudge it briefely she saw him so perfect that she thought her companion happy to be beloued of him Then taking againe the letter she read it ouer but not without much pawsing on the subiects that touched her most at the heart And when she came to the end and that shee sawe the reproach of cruell she flattered her desires which lately borne call for foeble hopes as their Nurces with opinion that Bellinde as yet loued him not and so she might more easily winne him But the poore soule heeded not that this was the first letter that he had written to her and that since many things might be changed The amity which shee bare to Bellinde sometimes drew her backe but presently Loue ouertopped that amity At last the conclusion was that she writ such a Letter to Celion Amaranthes Letter to Celion YOur perfections may excuse my errour and your courtesie receiue the amity which I offer you I wish euill to my selfe if I loue any thing more than you But for your merit I make my glory whence would proceed my shame for any other If you refuse what I present you it must be for want of spirit or courage From which of these two it is it shal be as dishonourable to you as to me to be refused Shee gaue this letter her selfe to Celion who not able to imagine what she would as soone as hee was in a priuate place he read it but with no lesse astonishment than disdaine and had he not knowne her to be infinitely beloued of his mistris hee would not haue vouchsafed her an answer yet fearing it might offend her he sent this answere by his brother Celions answer to Amaranthe I Know not what there is in me to moue you to loue me yet I account my selfe as happy that such a shepheardesse will dayne to regarde me as I am vnfortunate in not being able to receiue such a fortune I would it pleased my destiny that I could as freely giue my selfe to you as I am wanting in power Faire Amaranthe I should thinke my selfe the happiest that liueth to line in your seruice but being no longer at mine owne disposition accuse not if it please you neither my spirit nor my courage of that whereto necessity compells me It shall alwayes be much to my contentment to be in your good grace but yet more grieuous to you to note at
all times the weakenesse of my affection So that I am enforced by your vertueite beseech you to turne this ouer-ardent passion into a moderate amitie which I entertaine with all my heart For this is not a thing impossible and that which is not so cannot be ouer-hard to me for your seruice This answer had beene sufficient to haue diuerted her if Loue had not been of the nature of powder which is then most violent when it is most restrained For against those former difficulties she opposed some sort of reason that Celion ought not so soone to leaue Bellinde it would be too great lightnesse if at the first summons hee should be gone But Time taught her to her cost to deceiue her selfe For after that day the shepheard disdained her so that he shunued her and often chose rather to be absent from Bellinde than to be forced to see her It was then that so easily she shipped her selfe on so dangerous a sea and so notable for the ordinary shipwracks of them that ventured on them and not long able to beare out this displeasure she grew so sad that shee fled from her companions and the places where in before she delighted and at last fell sicke in good earnest Her deare Bellinde went presently to see her and vnawares desired the shepheard to beare her company But as the sight of the good we cannot get doth but increase the desire so this visitation did but make Amaranthes euill worse The night being come all the shepheardesses withdrew and there stayed but Bellinde with her so sorry for the euill of her companion for she knew not what it was that she tooke no rest and when shee asked her of it for answer she had nothing but sighes Whereat Bellinde at the first being astonied in the end offended with her said I neuer thought Amaranthe had so little loued Bellinde that she could haue concealed any thing from her but by that I see I was deceiued And where as I might haue said heretofore I had a friend I may now say I loue a dissembler Amaranthe who for shame had shut vp her mouth vntill then seeing they were alone and being pressed with such an affection resolued to trie the last remedy which she thought fittest for her defence Casting from her all shame as farre off as she could twice or thrice she opened her mouth to tell her all but her words died so betweene her lippes that this was all she could do to bring foorth these broken words laying her hand ouer her eyes as not daring to looke on her to whom she spake My deare companion sayd she for so they called themselues Our amity will not suffer me to hide any thing from you knowing well that though it be told you what concernes me shal be as carefully kept secret by you as by my selfe Excuse then I beseech you the extreme error which to satisfie our amity I am constrained to discouer to you You aske me what my griefe is and whence it comes know that it is Loue borne from the perfections of a shepheard But alas at this word ouercome with shame and displeasure turning her head another way she held her peace with a torrent of teares The astonishment of Bellinde could not make her coniecture yet to giue her courage to make an end she said I did not thinke that a passion so common to all would haue brought you this trouble To loue is a thing ordinary but that it is from the perfections of a shepheard this happens but to persons of iudgement Tell me then who this happy man is Then Amaranthe taking her speech againe with a sigh drawne from the depth of her heart said But alas this shepheard loues else-where And who is he said Bellinde It is answered she since you will know your Celion I say yours my companion because I know he loues you and that this sole amity makes him disdaine mine Excuse my folly and without seeming to know it leaue me alone to complaine and endure mine euill The wise Bellinde was so ashamed when she heard this discourse of the error of her companion that though she loued Celion as well as any might be loued yet she resolued on this occasion to giue proofe of that she was not And therefore turning towards her she said Indeed Amaranthe I suffer in paine more than I can speake of to see you so transported in this affection for it seemeth our sex will not permit vs so intire an authority of loue but since you are in these termes I thanke God it lights in such a place that I may giue proofe of what I am to you I loue Celion I will not deny it as if hee were my brother But I loue you also as my sister and I wish for I know hee will obey me that he loue you more than mee rest your selfe on mee and reioyce you alone prouided you acknowledge when you are recouered what Bellinde hath beene vnto you After some other like discourse the night constrained Bellinde to withdraw leauing Amaranthe with such contentment that forgetting her sadnesse in few dayes shee recouered her former beauty In the meane time Bellinde was not without paine who studying for some meane to make her purpose knowne to Celion found at last as fit a commodity as she wished By fortune she met him as he was playing with his Ram in the great pasture where the greatest part of the shepheards fed their flockes This beast was the leader of the troopes and so well taught that he seemed to vnderstand his master when he spake to him Whereat the shepheardesse took such pleasure that she stayed long at it At last she would trie if it knew her as well as him but it was much more ready to euerie thing shee willed whereupon drawing aside from the company shee said to Celion What thinke you brother of the acquaintance betweene your Ramme and me It is the pleasantest that euer I sawe Such as it is faire shepheardesse sayd he if you will do me the honor to receiue it it is yours But you are not to wonder that he giues you all obeâ—sance for he knowes well I would else disclame him for mine hauing learned by so many songs which hee hath heard of mee as I passe vp and downe that I was more yours then mine owne This well expresses saith the shepheardesse the obedience of your Ram which I wil not receiue to to bee emploied more for you then mee but since you giue mee so intire power ouer you I will try it by ioyning to a commandement a most affectionat prayer There is nothing answered the shepheard which you may not command me Then Bellinde thinking she had found the commodity she sought for pursued her discourse thus from the day that that you assured me of your amity I iudged the same good will to be in you so also it bindeth mee to loue and honor you more then any person liuing Now though I say
thus to you I would not haue you thinke that I haue diminished this good will for it shall accompany mee to my graue and yet it may be you would do it if I had not forewarned you but bind me by beleeuing that my life and not my amity may diminish These words put Celion into much paine not knowing whereto they tended at last hee answered that hee attended her will with great ioy and great feare with ioy for that he could imagine nothing more beneficial to him then the honor of her commandements and with feare for that he knew not for what cause she threatned him yet death it selfe could not be vnwelcome to him if it befell him by her commandement Then Bellinde held on Since besides your sayings at this time you haue alwayes giuen mee that witnesse of this assurance which you make mee that with reason I cannot doubt I will make no more difficulty not to intreate but to coniure Celion by all the amity with which he fauours his Bellinde to obey her at this time I will not command him a thing impossible much lesse draw him from the affection which he beares me rather on the contrary I will if it may be that he encrease it more and more But before I passe further let me know I beseech you if euer your amity hath bene of other quallity then it is now Celion then shewing a countenance lesse troubled then that which before the doubt had constrained him to haue answered that he began tâ—â—â—ope well hauing receiued such assurance that to satisfie her demand hee would againe auow that hee hath loued her with the same affections and passions and with the same desires that youth did vsually produce in hearts transported furthest by loue and that therein he would not except any one that since her commandement had such power ouer him it had got the like ouer his passion that his sincere amity had so far surpassed his loue that he did not thinke hee should offend a sister to loue her with that mind On my faith brother replyed the shepheardesse for so I will hold you the remainder of my life you so bind me by liuing thus with mee that neuer any of your actions euer got more ouer my soule then this But I cannot see you longer in paine Know then that that which I would haue of you is onely that preseruing inuiolably this good amity which you now beare me you place your loue on one of the fairest shepheardesses of Lignon You may say this is a strange office for Bellinde yet if you consider that she of whom I speake would haue you for her husband and that she is after you the person whom I most loue for it is Amaranthe I assure my selfe you will not wonder at it She hath intreated and I command you by all the power I haue ouer you She made haste to giue him this coÌ„mandement fearing that if she staied long she should not haue the power to resist the supplications which she foresaw What thinke you faire Nymph became of this poore Celion he grew pale like a dead man and so besides himselfe that hee could not for a good while bring forth a word At last when he could speake with such a voyce as they haue that are in the midst of punishment he cryed out Ah cruell Bellinde haue you preserued my life till now to take it from me with such inhumanity This commandement is too cruell to let me liue and my affection too great to let mee die without despaire Alas suffer me to dye but let me die faithfull that if there be no meane to recouer Amaranthe but by my death I may sacrifice my self most willingly for her health the change of this commandement shall be no lesse witnesse that I am beloued of you then whatsoeuer you shall be able to do to me Bellinde was moued but not changed Celion sayd shee let vs leaue all these idle words you shall giue me lesse occasion to beleeue what you say to me if you will not satisfie the first request which I make you Cruell presently sayd the afflicted Celion if you will that I change this amity what power haue you more to comand me but if you wil not that I chaÌ„ge it how is it possible to loue vertue and vice and if it be not possible why for proofe of my affection will you haue a thing which cannot be Pitty thought to ouercome her and though she had â—uch paine for the griefe of the shepheard yet was it some contentment which could not be paralelled to know her selfe so perfectly beloued of him that shee loued so deare and is may bee might haue got something ouer her resolution had it not 〈◊〉 that she would put from Amaranthe all opinion that shee was attainted with her euil though she loued the shepheard and was well beloued yet she enforced her pitty which already had brought forth some teares into her eyes to returne into her heart without giuing knowledge that it was come and in the end that she might not fall againe into the same paine she went away and at her departing she sayd Account of me as pleases you I am resolued neuer to see you vntill you haue effected my praier and your promise and thinke that this resolution shall ouer-liue your obstinacy If Celion were besides himselfe seeing himselfe so farre from all consolation and resolution he may iudge that hath loued So it was that hee stood two or three days like a man lost running into the woods and flying from all those whom formerly he had conuersed with At last an old shepheard a great friend of his fathers one indeed that was very wise and who had alwayes loued Celion passing well seeing him in this case and doubâ—ing there was no passion strong enough to worke such effects but loue so sifted him on all sides that he made him discourse his paine where to he gaue some asswagement by his good counsell for in his youth he had often passed thorow the same straights And at last seeing him a little tractable he mocked at him for that he had such paine for so small a matter telling him that the remedy was so easie that hee might be ashamed that it should bee knowne that Celion esteemed wise by euery man and a person of courage should haue so little vnderstanding that hee knew not how to resolue in an accident that was not very difficult or at the worst could not dissemble and then hee went on But it had bene fit that at the beginning you had made these difficulties for so she shall thinke your affection extremee and this shall tie her to loue you the more but since you haue made that demonstration it wil suffice that to content her you make shew of that which shee commands This counsell at last was receiued of Celion and executed as it was propounded It is true that he wrote this letter to Bellinde before Celions letter
haue hitherto auoyded and since there is none other remedy pacifie your selfe as I doe and it may be the Heauens will turne all things more to our contentment than at this time wee are permitted to wish for For my part I wil breake this misfortune as much as I can possibly But if there be no remedy yet must not we be without resolution rather let vs part asunder These last words brought the despaire of all making him thinke that this great courage proceeded from small amity If it were as easie for me answered the shepheard to resolue against this accident as you I would iudge my selfe vnworthy to be beloued for so feeble an amity cannot merit so great happinesse Well for end and reward of my seruices you giue me a resolution in the assured losse which I see of you and secretly to say to me that I must not despaire though I see you become anothers Ah Bellinde with what eye will you see this new friend With what heart can you loue him And with what fauors will you entertaine him since your eye hath a thousand times promised that it would looke on none other with loue but me and since this heart hath sworne to me that it could neuer loue any but me and since loue hath destined your fauours to no lesse affection then mine Well you command mee to leaue you to obey you I will doe so for I will not at the end of my life beginne to disobey But that which makes me vndertake it is to know assuredly that the end of my life shall not happen before the end of your amity though I call my selfe the most vnhappy that liues yet I cherish my fortune the more for that it hath presented vnto me such an occasioÌ„ to make my loue knowne to you that you may not doubt of it and yet I shall not be satisfied in my selfe if the last moment that remaines be not employed in assuring you I pray the heauen see what my amity is that in this new election it fill you with as much happinesse as you cause in me despaire Liue happy with Ergaste and receiue him with as great contentment as I haue had will to doe you seruice if my dayes would haue permitted me that this new affection full of pleasures which you promise to your selfe may accompany you to your graue as I assure you that my faithfull amity shall close mine eyes for your sake with extreme griefe That Bellinde let Celion talke so long it was for feare that speaking her teares would doe the office of words and that that would encrease the griefe of the shepheard or that it would giue proofe of the small power she had ouer her selfe Proud beauty that louest rather to be iudged to haue too little loue then too little resolution But at last finding her strengthned enough to giue answer she sayd Celion you thinke you giue me proofe of your amity and you doe the contrary for how haue you loued me hauing so euil an opinioÌ„ of me If since this last accideÌ„t you haue conceiued it beleeue the affection was not great which could so readily suffer a change But if you had no euill opinion of me how is it possible you should beleeue that I haue loued you and that now I loue you no more For Gods sake haue pitty on my fortune and conspire not with her to encrease my sorrow consider what small likelihood there is that Celion whom I loue aboue the rest of the world and whose life pleases me as much as mine owne may bee changed for an Ergaste who is vnknowne to me and in whose place I choose rather to espouse my tombe that if I be forced it is the commandement of my Father whom my honour will not suffer me to contradict But is it possible you should not remember the protestations I haue so often made to you that I would not marry my selfe And you ceased not to loue mee whence hath it this change For if without marrying me you haue loued me why can you not now loue me without marrying mee hauing an husband who can forbid mee to haue a brother whom I may alwayes loue with that amity I ought Good will holds mee neerer to you then is permitted me Farewell my Celion liue and loue me who will loue you euen to my end whatsoeuer becomes of Bellinde At this word she kissed him which was the greatest fauour that hitherto she had done him leauing him so besides himselfe that he was not able to frame a word to giue her answer WheÌ„ he was come to himself that he considered that Loue stooped vnder duâ—y and that there was not a sparke of hope remaining which might shine among his displeasures as a person voyde of resolution he went into the Wood and into the places most couert where hee did nothing but complaine of his cruell disaster what aduice soeuer his friends could giue him He liued in this sort many dayes during which he made the roâ—ks to pitty him And that she who was the cause of his euil might haue some feeling hee sent her these verses STANZA'S Of Celion on the marriage of Bellinde and Ergaste DOe then the heauens agree after such loue After such seruices that you should be Another mans sweete heart and so must prâ—â—â—e His deare delight and dearer moity And that I haue at last for loue most true But memory my sorrowes to renew You once did loue me well what ' vaileth me This amity now it is gone and past If you in others armes embrac'd I see And if for her I be constrain'd at last You now turn'd his to keepe in silence still Displeasures cruell that my patience spill If he had more of Loue or of desart Then I I know not what to say but cry Alas Oh is not this a cruell smart That he should gaine in one dayes space well-ny Without desert what heauens will not behâ—â—uâ— To infinite desires of endlesse loue But oh weake reason duty you will say By her sad lawes compels me to doe thus What duty strong or law more holy may Be found then this that cleerely speakes for vs The faith so often sworne when hand in hand We promised a loue for aye to stand May hand you sayd forthwith grow dead and dry My hand as of a person most for sworne If I be failing in the thing that I Assure or if I any thing haue borne Neerer my heart or else hold ought more deare Then this affection which your faith did sweare Ob cruell memory of passed good Be gone and euer banisht from my minds Since happinesse that in such glory stood Alas I now so much defaced finde Deface it then it is not reasonable Thou be in me that am so miserable Though he made it not appeare in any one of his actions that there remained any hope in him yet he alwaies had some little because the contract of marriage was not yet passed and
for that he knew well that oftentimes those meetings were often broke off sometimes they that were thought most certaine But when he knew the articles were signed on both sides faire Nymph how can I tell you the least of his despaires He wrung his hands he tore his haire hebeat his brest with thumpes to be short he was a man transported and so without reason that he oftentimes went out with a purpose to kill Ergaste But when he was ready for it some sparke of consideration which in the middest of so great fury with-held him made him feare to offend Bellinde to whom notwithstanding transported with passion he wrote oftentimes letters so full of loue and reproches that she could hardly reade them without teares Among others he sent her such an one Celions letter to Bellinde in his transport MVst then inconstant shepheardesse my payne suruiue my affection Must it be that without louing you I haue such payne when I know you are in another mans hands Is it not that the gods will punish me for louing you more then I ought Or rather is it not that when I imagine not to loue you yet I haue more loue for you then I had before Yet why should I loue you since you are and cannot be any other mans then one I loue not But on the contrary why should not I loue you since I haue so much loued you It is true that I ought not to loue you For you are an ingratefull soule altogether forgetfull and that hath no sence of Loue yet whatsoeuer you are you are Bellinde and can Bellinde be without Celion loue her Then doe I loue you or if I loue you not iudge in your selfe shepheardesse for for my part I haue a spirit so disquieted that I can discerne nothing else but that I am the man in the world most afflicted At the end of the letter were these verses STANZA'S Excuse I cannot this inconstancy Which wrought this bad change of affection Change to the better I call prudency But to the worse shewes small discretion When Bellinde receiued these letters and verses shee was in paine to send him any of hers because that hearing talke of the strange life he led and the words which he vttered against her she could not suffer it without great displeasure considering what great cause of speech this gaue to them who haue their eares but to listen afternewes of others and tongues to be telling them Her letter was thus Bellindes letter to Celion IT is impossible for me longer to endure the wrong which your strange fashion of liuing brings to vs both I deny not but you haue occasion to complaine of our fortune But I say withall that a wise man knowes how to enioy what is permitted him without the imputation of becomming a foole What a frenzy is this that keepes you from seeing that while you publish to the rest of the world that you dye for loue of me you constraine me to thinke that truely you neuer loued me For if you loued me would you displease me And doe you not know that death cannot be more grieuous to me then the knowledge you haue giÌ„uen to euery man of our amity Forbeare then brother I beseech you and by that name which ties you to haue â—are of that which touches me I coniure you that if at this present you cannot beare this disaster without discouering your sorrow you would at least take are solution to goe so far off that those who heare your complaint may not know my name but condole with you your owne griefe not being able to suspect any thing to my disaduantage If you giue me content in this resolution you shall make me beleeue that it was superfluity and not want of affection which hath made you commit this errour against me And this consideration shall binde Bellinde besides the amity which she beares you to conserue alwayes dearely the memory of that brother that loues her and whom she loues among all these cruell insupportable displeasures Though Celion were so transported that his spirit was almost incapable of reasons which his friends could present him yet so it was that affection opened his eyes at that blowe and made him see that Bellinde had counselled him to some purpose so that resoluing to be gone he secretly gaue order for his voyage and the day before he would depart he writ to his shepheardesse hauing a purpose to obey her and he besought her to giue him the commodity that hee might take leaue of her to the end he might depart with some sort of consolation The shepheardesse that truly loued him though shee foresawe that this farewell would but increase his displeasure would not deny him this request and appoynted the next day in the morning at the fountaine of Sicomores The day had scant begunne to dawne when the desolate shepheard leauing his cabbin with his flocke droue the right way to the Fountaine where casting himselfe at length and his eyes on the waters course he beganne while he attended his shepheardesse to entertaine himselfe about his approching misfortune and after he had beene somewhile silent he breathed out these verses A comparison of a Fountaine to his displeasure THis Spring that euer flowing Doth neuer make an end But aye it selfe renewing By waâ—es that farre extend Resembles mine annoyes whose sorrowes me oppresse For euen like to it that neuer meanes to cease As from a fruitful spring the griefs that I complaine Are still renewed and alwayes borne againe Then with a winding course All as the flowing waâ—e Runnes wandring from it source And no repose will haue So me with troubles great with main many pains As through the somwhile spared sandy plaines The ouer-flowing waters couer quite While I with teares bewayle my heauy plight And as a vagabond It with a murmure flies Where waues the waues beyond Floting along it cries In like sort I complaine of my most sad mischance And againâ—t Loue my murmuring voyce aduance But what auaileth me since in the end I follow that that Destiny doth send While this shepheard talked thus with himselfe and that he vttered loude enough many words at randon he was so troubled with this disafter Bellinde that had not lost the remembrance of the appoyntment which she had giuen him as soone as she could free her selfe from them about her went to seeke him so much trauelled with sorrow to lose him that she could not hide it but that it appeared in her countenance Ergaste who that morning was risen in good time to see her by chance perceiued her afar off and seeing her go alone and as he thought sought out the thickest bushes had a minde to know whither she went That was the cause that following her farre off he sawe shee tooke the way to the fountaine of Sicomors and casting his eye a little furder off though it were very earely he obserued that already there was a flocke feeding Hee that
the Wife the rest She smiling said vnto him And how friend Lidias it seemes you haue forgotten the custome you should haue left me my part God forbid said hee wife Ameryne for it is of poyson which I haue chosen to end my life rather then to be wanting in my promise to you and in the affection which I owe to the faire Siluy O God said she is it possible as yet thinking it was her true Lidias but that hee had changed his good will during his absence and vnwilling to liue without him ran with the Cup in her hand where he was that had giuen the Wine mixed for the day before he had caused it to be made at the Apothecaries and before it was knowne what my Master said notwithstanding any forbidding of his because it was the custome they gaue her the full cup which she presently drunke of And then returning to him she said O cruell and ingratefull thou hast loued death more then me and I also loue it rather then thy refusall But if that God which hath hitherto conducted our affections doe not venge me on a soule so periured in another life I shall thinke he hath neither care to heare false oathes nor power to punish them Then euery one drew neere her to heare her reproches and it was then that Ligdamon answered her Discreete Amerine I confesse I haue offended you if I were he whom you thinke I am but beleeue me that am now at the ende of my dayes I am not Lidias I am Ligdamon and whatsoeuer errour may bee of mee at this houre I assure my selfe that time will discouer my iustice And in the meane time I rather choose death then to be wanting to the affection which I haue promised to the faire Siluy to whom I haue consecrated my life not being otherwise able to satisfie both And then hee continued O faire Siluy receiue this will which I offer you and let this last of all my actions be best receiued because it is imprinted with the best character of my faithfulnesse By little and little the poyson gained on the spirits of these two newly married so that they could hardly draw their breath when turning his eyes on me he sayd Goe my friend finish that thou hast to doe and aboue all truly recount what thou hast seene and that death is welcome to me that keepes me from offending the fidelitie which I haue vowed to the faire Siluy Siluy was the last word hee spake for with that word the faire soule parted from the body and for my part I beleeue that if euer louer were happy in the Elisian fields my maister is attending vntill he may see you againe there And how sayd Siluy is it true that Ligdamon is dead without doubt answered he O God cryed out Siluy At this word all that she could doe was but to cast her selfe on a bed for her heart fayled her and after shee had lyen somewhile with her face towards the beds head she prayed Leonide who was with her to take Ligdamons letter and to tell Egide that he should goe to her lodging because she would haue him serue her So Egide withdrew but so affected that he was couered with teares Then would loue shew one of his puissances for that Nymph that neuer loued Ligdamon while hee liued at this time when she heard of his death shewed so great a feeling that the most passionate in loue could not do more It was vpon this speech that Galathee talking to Celadon fayde that hereafter shee would beleeue it is impossible but a woman once in her life must loue some thing for this young Nymph hath vsed such cruelties towards all them that loued her that some are dead for griefe others euen of despaire haue banished themselues from her sight and especially this whom she be wailes dead she hath heretofore brought to that extremitie that without Leonide the same had befallen him then so that I would rather haue sworne loue might rather haue found place in the Ice of the coldest of the Alpes then in her heart and yet you see now whereto she is reduced Madame answered the shepheard beleeue not that it is loue it is rather pitie In truth she must be harder then euer was stone if the report which this yong man hath made haue not touched her to the quicke for I know not who would not in hearing him relate it though one had no other knowledge of him but this onely action and for my part I must say true I hold Ligdamon happyer then if he were aliue since he loued this Nymph with such affection and shee vsed him with as great rigour as I haue knowne for what greater happinesse can befall him then to ende his miseries and to enter into those felicities which doe accompany them What thinke you was his contentment to see that Siluy laments him sorrowes for him and esteemes of his affection but I meane that Siluy that hath dealt so roughly with him And then what is that which the louer desires more then to bee able to giue assurance to the party beloued of his faithfulnesse and affection and to come to this point what punishments what deaths will he refuse At this time when hee sees from the place where he is the teares of his Siluy when he heares her sight what is his happinesse and what his glory not onely for that he hath assured her of his loue but for him to be certen that she loues him O no Madame beleeue me Ligdamon hath no cause to complaine but Siluy for and in time you shall see it all that shee will represent to her selfe shall bee the ordinary actions of Ligdamon the discourse of Ligdamon his fashion his amitie his valour briefly this I dole will bee ordinarily houering about her almost like an auenger of the cruelties with which shee hath tormented that poore louer and repentance which galling her thoughts will be the executioner of the Iustice of Loue. THese speeches were so lowde and so neare Siluy that shee heard them all and that made her burst for anger for she thought them probable At last after she had endured them some while and finding her selfe too feeble to resist so strange enemies shee went out of that chamber into her owne where there were none to let her from teares For hauing shut the dore after her and prayde Leonide to leaue her alone she cast her selfe on her bed her armes acrosse her stomacke and her eyes toward heauen in her memory shee passed through all their life what affection he had alwayes shewed to her how patiently hee bore her rigours with what discretion he had serued her how long time this affection had lasted and in the end said she all this is now enclosed in a little earth And in this sorrow remembring her owne discourses her adues her impatiencies and a thousand small particularities she was constrained to say Hold thy peace memory
So continued Amasis now they liue with such honour and commendations that euery man esteemes more of them then any other in the Army I pray God said Adamas to continue them still in such good fortune And while they discoursed thus they saw comming along Leonide and Lucinde with the little Merill I say Lucinde because Celadon as I told you bare that name following the resolution which Galathee had made Amasis that knew her not asked who she was It is answered Galathee a kinswoman of Adamas so faire and so furnished with vertue that I haue desired him to leaue her with me a while she is called Lucinda It seemes said Amasis she is as demure as fayre I assure my selfe added Galathee that her humour will please you and if you thinke it good she shall come Madame with vâ—to Mâ—rcelles At this word Leonide came so neere that Lucinde to kisse the hand of Amasis aduanced forward and setting one knee on the ground kissed her hand with a fashion so well counterfeited that there was none but tooke her for a maid Amasis raysed her vp and after she had embraced her she kissed her telling her that she loued Adamas so well that whatsoeuer touched him was deare to her as her owne children Then Adamas tooke the word by the end for feare that if the fained Lucinde should answer they might find out somewhat by her voice But hee needed not haue feared for she knew so well to counterfeit that her voyce as well as the rest would haue helped the better to make vp the deceit Yet for this blow shee contented her selfe to allow of the answer of Adamas onely with a low courtesie and after drew backe among the other Nymphs attending for nothing but some opportunity to steale away At last the houre of dinner being come Amasis returned to her Lodging where finding the Tables ready spred euery one full of contentment for the good newes they had dined cheerefully except Siluy who had alwayes before her eyes the image of her deare Ligdamon and in her soule the remembrance that he dyed for her This was the subiect wherewith they spent one part of the dinner for the Nymph was willing ynough they should know that she loued the memory of a man both vertuous and so dedicated to her but withall that being dead she should be no more importuned by him nor he benefit himselfe with this good will After dinner all the Nymphs disposed themselues some to play other to see the House some the Garden others to entertaine the time with diuerse discourses in the chamber of Amasis Leonide without the heeding of any making shew to prepare her selfe for the iourney got out of the chamber and shortly after Lucinde and meeting at the Rendeuous that was giuen them fayning to go walke went out of the Castle hauing hid vnder their sleeues eyther of them a part of the shepheards garments and when they were at the Woods end the shepheard vnclothed himselfe and taking his accustomed habite thanked the Nymph for the great helpe she had giuen him and offered in exchange his life and all that depended on it Then the Nymph with a great sigh sâ—â—d Well quoth she Celadon haue I not kept the promise I made you Doe you not thinke you are bound to performe that which you promised me I should thinke my selfe answered he the most vnworthy that euer liued if I should faile Now Celadon said she then remember what you haue sworne to me for I am resolued now to bring it into proofe Faire Nymph answered Celadon dispose of all that I may as of that which your selfe may for you shall be no better obeyed of your selfe then of me Haue you not promised replyed the Nymph that I should inquire into your life passed and that which I could find you might doe for me you would doe it and hee answering it was true Well Celadon continued she I haue done that which you willed me and though they paint Loue blind yet hath it left me light ynough to know that truely you are to continue the loue which you haue so often promised to be eternall to your Astrea for the precisenesse of Loue will not permit a man to be either for sworne or vnfaithfull And so though one haue vsed you hardly yet must not you fayle in your dutie for another mans error will neuer wash away our fault Then loue the faire and happy Astrea with as much affection and sinceritie as you euer loued her serue her adore her and more if more may be for Loue will haue extremity in his sacrifice but withall I well know that the good offices which I haue done you deserue some remembrance of you and without doubt because Loue cannot pay it selfe but by Loue you shall be obliged to satisfie me in the same money if the impossibilitie contradicted it not But since it is true that one heart is capable but of one true loue I must pay my selfe of that which remaynes Then hauing no more Loues to giue me as to a Mistris I demaund your amitie as your sister and from henceforth you loue me you cherish me and hold me for such The contentment of Celadon hearing these words cannot be expressed for he protested that that was one of the things which in his miserie he found some kind of contentment in Therefore after hee had thanked the Nymph for the amitie she bare him he swore vnto her to take her for his sister and neuer to vse her but as that name commaunded him Then lest they should be found out they separated themselues both well contented and satisfied each with other Leonide returned to the pallace and the shepheard held on his voyage shunning the places where he thought hee might meet with shepheards whom he knew and leauing Mountverdun on the left hand hee passed through the middest of a great Playne that in the end led him to a Coast somewhat raysed and from whence hee might know and marke with his eye the most part of the places where he had vsed to driue his flocke to feede on the other side of Lignon where Astrea came to seeke him where sometimes they auoided the ouer-scorching heat of the Sunne Briefely this view set before his eyes the most part of the contentments which he payed so dearely for at that houre and in that consideration being set at the foot of a Tree hee sighed out these Verses Remembrances THen did my faire Sunne take her rest While the other lazie sleeping lay But when he comes at breake of day With Gilly flowers and â—oses drest To chase away th' affrights of night Then chiefely shines with beames most bright The Sunne that my soule doth adore Carrying the day light as she moues Vnto the Playnes she honours more And whom she going fills with loues Vpon that running Riuers side He shewes himselfe in sundry wise Sometimes with scorching heat he fryes Another while his light he hides And seemes as