Page played his part by depainting foorth their properties in their liuely colours And because I thought nothing more commodious for my rest and for the enioying of my desire then to follow Fabius his counsell I answered him thus In truth I determined to serue none but now since fortune hath offered me so good a seruice and at such a time when I am constrained to take this course of life I shall not do amisse if I frame my selfe to the seruiee of some Lord or Gentleman in this Court but especially of your Master because he seemes to be a woorthy Gentleman and such an one that makes more reckoning of his seruants then an other Ha thou knowest him not as well as I said Fabius for I promise thee by the faith of a Gentleman for I am one in deede for my father comes of the Cachopines of Laredo that my Master Don Felix is the best natured Gentleman that euer thou knewest in thy life and one who vseth his Pages better then any other And were it not for those troublesome loues which makes vs runne vp and downe more and sleepelesse then we woulde there were not such a Master in the whole worlde againe In the end faire Nymphes Fabius spake to his Master Don Felix as soone as he was come foorth in my behalfe who commanded me the same night to come to him at his lodging Thither I went and he entertained me for his Page making the most of me in the worlde where being but a fewe daies with him I sawe the messages letters and gifts that were brought and caried on both sides greeuous wounds alas coruiues to my dying hart which made my soule to flie sometimes out of my body euery hower in hazard to leese my forced patience before euery one But after one moneth was past Don Felix began to like so well of me that he disclosed his whole loue vnto me from the beginning vnto the present estate and forwardnes that it was then in committing the charge thereof to my secrecie and helpe telling me that he was fauoured of her at the beginning and that afterwards she waxed wearie of her louing and accustomed entertainment the cause whereof was a secret report whosoeuer it was that buzzed it into her eares of the loue that he did beare to a Lady in his owne countrey and that his present loue vnto her was but to entertaine the time while his busines in the Court were dispatched And there is no doubt saide Don Felix vnto me but that indeede I did once commence that loue that she laies to my charge but God knowes if now there be any thing in the world that I loue and esteeme more deere and precious then her When I heard him say so you may imagine faire Nymphes what a mortall dagger pierced my wounded heart But with dissembling the matter the best I coulde I answered him thus It were better sir me thinkes that the Gentlewoman should complaine with cause and that it were so indeed for if the other Ladie whom you serued before did not deserue to be forgotten of you you do her vnder correction my Lord the greatest wrong in the world The loue said Don Felix againe which I beare to my Celia will not let me vnderstand it so but I haue done her me thinkes the greater iniurie hauing placed my loue first in an other and not in her Of these wrongs saide I to my selfe I know who beares the woorst away And disloyall he pulling a letter out of his bosome which he had receiued the same hower from his Mistresse reade it vnto me thinking that he did me a great fauour thereby the contents whereof were these Celias letter to Don Felix NEuer any thing that I suspected touching thy loue hath beene so farre from the truth that hath not giuen me occasion to beleeue more often mine owne imagination then thy innocencie wherein if I do thee any wrong referre it but to the censure of thine owne follie For well thou mightest haue denied or not declared thy passed loue without giuing me occasion to condemne thee by thine owne confession Thou saiest I was the cause that made thee forget thy former loue Comfort thy selfe for there shall not want another to make thee forget thy second And assure thy selfe of this Lord Don Felix that there is not any thing more vnbeseeming a Gentleman then to finde an occasion in a Gentlewoman to leese himselfe for her loue I will saie no more but that in an ill where there is no remedie the best is not to seeke out any After he had made an end of reading the letter he said vnto me What thinkest thou Valerius of these words With pardon be it spoken my Lord That your deedes are shewed by them Go to said Don Felix and speake no more of that Sir saide I they must like me wel if they like you because none can iudge better of their words that loue well then they themselues But that which I thinke of the letter is that this Gentlewoman would haue beene the first and that Fortune had entreated her in such sort that all others might haue enuied her estate But what wouldest thou counsell me saide Don Felix If thy griefe doth suffer any counsell saide I that thy thoughts be diuided into this second passion since there is so much due to the first Don Felix answered me againe sighing and knocking me gently on the shoulder saying How wise art thou Valerius and what good counsell dost thou giue me if I could follow it Let vs now go in to dinner for when I haue dined I will haue thee carie me a letter to my Lady Celia and then thou shalt see if any other loue is not woorthy to be forgotten in lieu of thinking onely of her These were wordes that greeued Felismena to the hart but bicause she had him before her eies whom she loued more then her-selfe the content that she had by onely seeing him was a sufficient remedie of the paine that the greatest of these stings did make her feele After Don Felix had dined he called me vnto him and giuing me a speciall charge what I should do because he had imparted his griefe vnto me and put his hope and remedie in my hands he willed me to carie a letter to Celia which he had alreadie written and reading it first vnto me it said thus Don Felix his letter to Celia THe thought that seekes an occasion to forget the thing which it doth loue and desire suffers it selfe so easily to be knowne that without troubling the minde much it may be quickly discerned And thinke not faire Ladie that I seeke a remedie to excuse you of that wherewith it pleased you to vse me since I neuer came to be so much in credit with you that in lesser things I woulde do it I haue confessed vnto you that indeede I once loued well because that true loue without dissimulation doth not suffer any thing
Felix Felismena the three Nymphes and the Shepherds desirous to knowe who these fower were and for what cause Parisiles in so great an anger would haue killed the Shepherd that lay asleepe and all the rest of his fortunes would faine haue demanded the same on him But yet they did not bicause they suspected he would not tell it them Whereupon they reserued it till Felicia was come to entreat her to mooue Parisiles or the rest thereof bicause they knewe they could not then excuse themselues Lord Felix therefore with the rest praied Parisiles to obey the sage Felicia by discoursing some noueltie vnto them But they seemed importunate troublesome vnto him for he would not willingly haue beene one moment from the louing embracements of his beloued daughter Stela so did not one minute when from any other forced thing he ceased cast his tender eies off her whereby he gaue Stela no meanes to looke vpon the vnknowne Shepherd on whom her eies and hart attended but euery time that she might steale a looke from her Father Parisiles making as though she sat not well or as though she would spit or cough then with earnest desire and affection she beheld him But in the end the old man hauing no good excuse to acquite himselfe from Felicias commaund nor from the requests of that faire companie which so seriously demaunded it of him began to say in this sort My louing Sonnes for by the priuiledge of mine age I may call you so for as much as the greater part of my life hath beene dedicated to the worship and seruice of our most soueraigne Gods and especially of our Goddesse Isis whose vnworthy Priest from the entrance of my youth I haue beene it would be most agreeable to my condition to entreat of the maner that ought to be obserued in worshipping of her and how much we are bound to performe the same But bicause you haue for your Ladie and mistresse for so I take her to be bicause you do accompanie and follow her the sage Felicia to whom not I my selfe the lowest of all Priests but the best in all the world may iustly be disciples it must needes be a part beyonde all courtesie and good manners to enterprise any such taske And this difficultie besides doth offer it selfe to my minde in that I know not with what historie to delight al your eares For the difference of estates which in this noble companie I perceiue strikes a doubt into my minde vpon the choise of my discourse considering with my selfe that that which will please some will perhaps offend others To these Shepherdes I could present some things requisite for their poore estate and vocations and profitable for them and their flockes and some curious secretes which they shoulde knowe happily neuer yet thought on amongst Shepherdes As likewise from whence the playing on the fluite or Bagpipe first came and when the honour of their God Pan and the customes and rites which in old times they obserued in their sacrifices were first in vse and why those are decaied and other now admitted in their places To you noble personages I could present a thing perhaps which would best fit your desires whereof loue was first engendred and how he worketh and for what cause the God of Loue doth keepe no reason being honored as a God we holding it for a rule infallible That the Gods are iust and that in all things they obserue due iustice and equitie And this is that which I would more willingly entreate of bicause in these meadowes heere a question was once mooued which touched not the simplicitie of the Shepherd that did aske it But bicause to declare it well it were necessary to entreate of the powers of the soule and the duties thereof and what place euery one of them hath in mans body a disputation more fit for Philosophers schooles then for the fieldes where none but flockes are I will not explaine it reseruing it onely for any one that will thereof be priuately instructed But bicause I haue heere a thing before mine eies which filleth me with admiration although it may be that many that haue beene heere haue perhaps touched the same I will make my beginning thus Do you not see how nature and arte the one borrowing that of the other wherein either of them was defectiue haue done their vtmost in making this Iland or meadow calling it as it shall best please you the very paterne of the Elysian fieldes But leauing aside many things that I could note vnto you about this matter I will declare vnto you why this Oke is placed heere in the middes of these Laurell trees bicause you may vnderstand that there was nothing done nor placed heere but with great wisedome and conceite The loues of Apollo and Daphne are sufficiently knowen vnto you I meane of Apollo with Daphne as also the preheminences wherewith this God endowed the Laurell tree whereinto this Nymph was transformed But how Doria at these words interrupting his discourse saide Me thinkes noble Parisiles thou hast plaied the part of a gentleman Sewer that hast at our chiefest appetite taken away our best dishes Since then these noble personages pointing to Lord Felix and Felismena whom the subiect of loue did more narrowly touch and these Shepherds pointing to Syrenus Syluanus and Seluagia to whom the first point belonged haue let thee passe on without interruption my selfe to whom it chiefely appertaines to heare the accidents of so famous a Nymph bicause I am one my selfe will not with my will giue thee leaue to proceed any farther before thou hast told vs the beginning of Apollos loues why Daphne refused and disdained so high a God Syluanus and Seluagia blushing for shame and anger that Doria had pointed to Lord Felix and Felismena and not to them when she saide that the questions of loue belonged more to Lord Felix and Felismena taking Parisiles by the hande saide And how thinkest thou Nymph Are we in respect of these two so farre from loue that to them onely and not to vs the treatise of this demand is more appertaining Euery one laughing at the Shepherds words Doria answered I haue made a fault Shepherds and so I confesse it It pleaseth me well faire Nymph said Parisiles to obey thee heerein But if I begin at the very beginning it may be I shall not make an end before the sage Lady commeth where being constrained to end abruptly I shall perhaps do you more wrong then if I had not begun at all Leaue not of for this saide Felismena for if it be so we will request her to giue vs leaue to heare out the rest Since then you will haue it so saide Parisiles giue attentiue eare for I will recite it vnto you as I did see it written in Apollo his Temple THat deluge of reuengement being past Determined that was by Gods aboue For guilt of wickednes of mortall men The earth of moisture yet
vpon his bodie it can do no harme but he that in high and loftie houses lodgeth though the thunderclap smite him not may be killed or wounded with the stones timber or some other thing that may fall from thence And may also be burned or choaked with the smoke of the fire that is kindled in the wood all which by experience haue beene often seene But bicause of good will you inuite me to do that which you request me I will go in although I was determined to lay me downe and sleepe if I had found out some fit place for the purpose bicause the thunderclap spareth those they say that are asleepe Thou wilt liue too long said Seluagia since with so many defences thou dost arme thy self Heereof thou maiest be ascertained said the Shepherd for there is not any who desires his life and health more then I do So me thinkes said Seluagia and the cause of it must be that thou art not in loue Naie rather the contrarie said the Shepherd which my song did euen now speake of Dost thou loue then saide Seluagia I loue said he with the greatest blisse and ioy as thou hast euer heard of Not onely heard but seene said Seluegia For they are before thee And this do I say said he And I that said she Leaue of these speeches said Lord Felix and let vs go in And do vs so much pleasure good Shepherd to tell vs by the way if thou beest in loue I am said he Are these loues thine own said Lord Felix They are mine said he none others I say not so said Lord Felix but if they be properly of thee thy selfe I haue not so many good parts said the Shepherd to be enamoured of my selfe and yet there is not any I thinke that loues me as much as I do my selfe But leauing this aside I loue as much as possiblie I may a most faire yoong Shepherdesse Thy loue is not perfect said Lord Felix bicause thou saiest there is none whom thou louest as much as thy selfe Why doth this hinder it said the Shepherd that it is not perfect Why not said Lord Felix Then by this I vnderstand said the Shepherd that there is none that loues in this degree But rather beleeue the contrarie saide Lord Felix for heere thou seest some who woulde gladly hazard their heades for them whom they loue This is an easie thing saide the Shepherd to saie it And easier said Lord Felix to do it I promise you sir saide the Shepherd if death knocked at your dore and if it were in your election to go with it your selfe or to sende your loue that it might be seene what I say But rather that which I affirme saide Lord Felix I thinke it a hard matter saide the Shepherd With these demands and answers they came to the Temple where they rested themselues and feasted that new guest who was well entertained of the sage Felicia bicause she knew him woorthie of it After they had made an end of their great dinner all of them requested him to sing the song that he came singing when he left it off at their sight He saide he was well content and glad if they woulde lende an eare vnto it not for his voice which was not woorth it but for the matter which deserued any good whatsoeuer But requesting that some instrument might play to him bicause his song might be the better set foorth Doria by Felicias command tooke a Harpe and tuning it to the highest note that he would sing the rest being all attentiue to him he began thus LOuers record my memorie and name For one that is more happie then the rest And solemnize my conquest and my fame which I haue got in being onely blest Extoll my glorie to the loftie sunne Which with this famous triumph I haue wonne To be the happiest man that hath beene borne Of all that haue to loue allegeance sworne What louer yet was found vnto this howre Though in his loue most fauour'd he had beene Of greefe that had not tasted yet some sowre And had not felt some paine and sorrowes seene Or who hath with such sweete his loue endured Though of his Mistresse he were most assured And though she loued him with truest hart That felt not yet a little iealous smart Amongst all these I onely am exempted From sorrowes troubles from mishaps and paines With both handes full I liue in ioies contented And more if I did tell yet more remaines Secure I am that in my happy brest Vile iealousie shall neuer build her nest And that I may with greefe be neuer paid A strong and firme foundation I haue laid Nothing in all the world shall breake this chaine If cruell death doth spare me with her dart And yet if loue in sepulcher remaine Death shall not there dissolue it in my hart See then how that most strong it needes must be Since to my will I wrought the same in me And for you may not say that I doe mooue it With blazons harke with reasons I will prooue i Who to himselfe could be so inhumane Vnlesse he were depriued of his wit That swimming in a pleasant Ocean Of ioies would wish for greefe not finding it Such ioies I taste as neuer more I could My loue admits no sadnes though I would For yet admit that I would now procure it My loue is such that it will not endure it I haue good fortune at mine owne commaund Since I haue fauours at mine owne free will My loue to her her loue to me is pawn'd Which fortunes spite and time shall neuer spill But now if ought with greefe my minde may mooue It is to haue Corriuals in my loue But they my ioy and glorie doe augment For more they are the more is my content If any care for these Corriuals dooe These faithfull louers in my brest remaine Then see how that with earnest suites I wooe And seeke them for my Shepherdesse againe And truly if it lay within my power A thousand I would send her euery hower But since I am so rude and but a clowne I cannot set her golden praises downe If that with all the faire one should resort Shewing her vertues and each goodly grace Little should then my homely praise import Hauing the world at her commaund and trace For saying naught her praise she better would Her selfe disclose though I said all I could And how much more since I want skill and art Of her to blazon foorth the meanest part But now behold how far from that aboue I haue estraied my promise and intent My promise was with reasons now to prooue That crosse nor care my ioies could not preuent I know not if by rashnes or aduice It was my thought that did my toong entice For when I thinke to praise my Shepherdesse Then straight my toong doth in her fauour presse It takes no heede and hath but small remorce To whom what where how oft why
how and when Her praises be nor of her little force Nor vertues of this fairest one But then All in a heate her praise begins to babble And I to stay such furie far vnable For thousand times I sharply chide the same But more I chide the more it is to blame Counsell I giue it and with counsell threate That neuer it presume to meddle heere By telling it it is too base a seate For her high praise that neuer had her peere But shamelesse it replies let this not greeue thee And boldly saies T' is true I doe beleeue thee For I confesse I neuer did suffice But such a want I hope my will supplies As to a foole seeing her follies such Sometimes I yeeld at length to leaue the raine If then my Nymph so basely it doth touch It doth deserue no punishment nor paine For howsoere she praise her In the end I feare not that my loue it will offend But to returne fro whence my toong did run Breefly I will conclude what I begun Another Cupid raignes within my brest Then Venus sonne that blinde and franticke boy Diuers his works intent and interest His fashions sportes his pleasure and his ioy No slightes deceites nor woes he doth inspire He burnes not like to that vnseemely fire From reason will my loue cannot entice Since that it is not placed in this vice For beautie I loue not my Shepherdesse Although she may be lou'd for passing faire Beautie in her the lest part doth possesse Though hers doth make all others to despaire For mildnes wisedome and for vertues sake This zealous loue I first did vndertake And so my loue is honest chaste and sure Not wanton fleshly filthie nor vnpure I wish my flockes greene grasse may neuer finde Nor cleerest springs their burning thirst to slake Nor shades enioy in heate nor coolest winde And that they may no profit to me make That March may come with rigour to their harme And sheds and sheltor want to keepe them warme If euer any wicked thought had past My loue but what was honest cleene and chaste The Iuniper oile may neuer helpe my flockes With lothsome mangie being ouerrun Milke faile my sheepe decay my countrie stockes And little kid by hunger be vndone And let my masty lay him downe to sleepe So that the woolfe doth kill him and my sheepe If in my loue I euer had inuention Of wickednes bad thought or bad intention But thinke not that my loue so chaste and pure Without the slaine of vaine and wanton thought And louing so sincerely and so sure From vertue of mine owne proceedeth not Onely from her alone it is proceeding That no foule thought doth suffer to be breeding Dishonest motions in a fleshly soule Her modest sight most brauely doth controule For plainly and not vainly I suspect That if some boldface yonker did bewray His wanton loue or did to her detect His thoughts that did from honestie estray In looking on her onely I durst sweare His wordes would freeze within his mouth for feare And that he could not onely speake for shame But neuer durst againe presume the same If in this song I purposed to touch Her honestie and vertues to explaine I knowe I am not worthy for so much When thousand bookes cannot the same containe And more that once I somewhat sung and saide Before and that my voice was then afraide For being so base Now must it erre as lately Since that her praise is growne more high and stately Then louing as you see with such successe I doe not feare disfauours any whit Musing alone on my faire Shepherdesse Fauours doe come by heapes my minde to fit And so of her I neuer beg nor craue them But in this sort continually I haue them As many as my handes can hold and borrow Wherefore I liue in ioy deuoid of sorrow Louing in this samesort there is no feare Of iealousie that 's either true or fained A riuall heere sweete companie doth beare And all that in chaste loue in one are chained Yet name of Riuall fits not well this place Since chastitie together all imbrace Nor different mindes we can be said to carie Since our intents in no one point doe varie Come then all you that loue come by and by Leaue euery one his Shepherdesse and loue Come loue my Shepherdesse and for her die In that that 's pure and commeth from aboue And you shall see how that your fortunes far It dignifies to loue this radiant star Of vertue and the time you shall auerre Ill spent that is not spent in louing her They could not hold their laughter at the Shepherds admonition to whom Syluanus said By my faith friend Shepherd thou commest too late with thy counsell For to leaue of that which we haue already for this yoong Shepherdesse I thinke there is no remedie And if thou termest this time lost we are not sorie for it a whit I would you were better aduised said the Shepherd but I doe but my dutie It is well said Felicia that you my sonnes are content with your lots and he with his good fortune of one thing I assure you leauing aside your loue bicause we will make no comparisons that this Shepherd loueth and with the greatest reason in the world a soueraigne yoong Shepherdesse endowed with many gifts and perfections the lest whereof in her as he said in his song is peregrine beautie And his loue to her is so infinite and pure as he also said that though he be many times in her presence yet neuer any wanton thought turned his minde awrie Which in truth proceedes from her excellent and singular vertue And so no man I thinke hath gone beyonde him in purer loue then he as by his song you might well perceiue With what greater purity said Syrenus could any Shepherd loue his Shepherdesse then I did Diana Indeede it was very great said Felicia but in the ende thou didst presume to tell her of thy loue It is true said Syrenus why then behold said Felicia how far the loue of this yoong Shepherde extendes that he durst neuer manifest this sound and perfect affection to his Shepherdesse thinking by doing so he should greatly offend her honour Then let him tell vs said Lord Felix if thou thinkest it good reuerend Ladie some part of his chaste loues which thou commendest so much bicause we may passe away with something this gloomie euening To this the Shepherd answered It would content me greatly to spend this cloudie euening in so ioyfull a discourse if I were able to end it But now in my song if you be remembred I told you that I had another time sung of her and that for her great perfections and desertes I came very short of her due praise Being therefore somwhat afraid I am determined to hold my peace the rather bicause I haue no longer time to stay for I am going to seeke out a pretie fawne which my
this sort as you haue heard euery one tormented for them who loued them not againe Alanius to the tune of his Fiddle by this dolefull song began to complaine of Ismenias crueltie NO more O cruell Nymph now hast thou prayed Ynough in thy reuenge prooue not thine ire On him that yeeldes the fault is now apayed Vntomy cost now mollifie thy dire Hardnes and brest of thine so much obdured And now raise vp though lately it hath erred A poore repenting soule that in the obscured Darknes of thy obliuion lies enterred For it fals not in that that doth commend thee That such a Swaine as I may once offend thee If that the little sheepe with speede is flying From angrie Shepherd with his wordes affraied And runneth here and there with fearfull crying And with great greefe is from the flocke estraied But when it now perceiues that none doth follow And all alone so far estraying mourneth Knowing what danger it is in with hollow And fainting bleates then fearefull it returneth Vnto the flocke meaning no more to leaue it Should it not be a iust thing to receiue it Lift vp these eies Ismenia which so stately To view me thou hast lifted vp before me That libertie which was mine owne but lately Giue me againe and to the same restore me And that milde hart so full of loue and pittie Which thou didst yeeld to me and euer owe me Behold my Nymph I was not then so witty To knowe that sincere loue that thou didst shew me Now wofull man full well I knowe and rue it Although it was too late before I knew it How could it be my enemie say tell me How thou in greater fault and errour being Then euer I was thought should'st thus repell me And with new league and cruell title seeing Thy faith so pure and woorthy to be changed And what is that Ismenia that doth binde it To loue whereas the same is most estranged And where it is impossible to finde it But pardon me if herein I abuse thee Since that the cause thou gau'st me doth excuse me But tell me now what honour hast thou gained Auenging such a fault by thee committed And thereunto by thy occasion trained What haue I done that I haue not acquitted Or what excesse that is not amply paied Or suffer more that I haue not endured What cruell minde what angry brest displaied With sauage hart to fiercenes so adiured Would not such mor tall greefe make milde and tender But that which my fell Shepherdesse doth render Now as I have perceiued well thy reasons Which thou hast had or hast yet to forget me The paines the greefes the guiltes of forced treasons That I haue done wherein thou first didst set me The passions and thine cares and eies refusing To heare and see me meaning to vndoe me Cam'st thou to know or be but once perusing Th'vnsought occasions which thou gau'st vnto me Thou should'st not haue wherewith to more torment me Nor I to pay the fault my rashnes lent me Thus did my Alanius end his sweet song wherewith I would my life had also ended not without great cause since my mishap could not be more extreme then to see him whom I loued more then my selfe before mine eies to pine so much for the loue of another and so strangely to forsake me But as I was not alone in these misfortunes I did dissemble them for that time as well as I could as also bicause faire Ismenia casting her eies vpon her Montanus began to sing that which followeth HOw fond am I to hope for any rest In endlesse plaints vaine sighes and bootelesse teares The present now at hand to be exprest Yet few to these that with ten thousand feares I haue powr'd out vnto thy cruell eares And if at any time my life did tend To other loues in earnest or in iest This loue by that I neuer could offend Bicause I did but then begin to prooue And learne how well Montanus I could loue Then did I learne to loue my selfe I taught To loue by him who lou'd me not againe For I suspected that I should be brought Vnto thy loue Montanus when in vaine I loued him that did my loue disdaine I try'de I say my free and carelesse hart Of loue to taste some sorrow that it sought And let that Shepherd with his loue depart That loues with thee for all his paine and greefe Is but in vaine when vaine is his releefe Let none accuse me then if I disdaine Alanius loues whose loues are but a showe For I could neuer loue nor entertaine Any but thee for whom I will bestowe My deerest life since heauens will haue it soe And if at any time I fein'd to like I lik'd I say but how I did I knowe For neuer any Shepherd els could strike My hart indeede but thou to whom I giue My faith kept for thee since I first did liue Let burning sighes go forth and still increase Let both mine eies become two springs of teares Let accidents repugnant to mine ease Arise for thoughts which now my minde for sweares Shall neuer hurt that loue which now it beares Let sorrow goe and ill which way they will And now let ioies returne which way they please For where they are there will I houer still Since that no harme my purpose may reclame Nor cruell death it selfe although it came Ismenia by this song had reuenged me of cruell and disloyall Alanius if in the loue at the lest which I did beare him any desire of reuenge could befall but Montanus staied not long from requiting Ismenia againe who casting his eie vpon me sung this song as followeth FOolish loue ah foolish louer I for thee thou for another I am a foole and seeme no lesse For thee who will not be For he 's a foole I doe confesse That is not one for thee And yet this doth not well agree To be a foolish louer Or foole for her that is a foole for louing of another Now seeing thee thou seest not mee And diest for my foe Eate me with sauce that loueth thee Of him thou louest soe So shalt thou make me to my woe To be a foolish louer And such a foole for louing thee as thou art for another When he had made an ende of the last verses notwithstanding the present agonie and sorrow that we al suffered we could not choose but laugh hartily to see how Montanus would haue me deceiue my taste by looking on him with the sauce and appetite of Alanius whom I loued as if it might haue fallen in the compasse of my thought to suffer it to be deceiued by the apparance of an other thing But now with greater firmnesse then the rest I began to tune and play on my Bagpipe and to sing a song to it as you shall heare for by the same I thought to shew how more constantly then any of the rest there I had perseuered in my loue to
Alanius ALthough my quiet it doth let Rather then blame discredit me For God forbid that I forget Let me with wrong forgotten be Not onely where obliuion raineth There is no loue nor can be none Nay where there is suspicion There is no loue but such as faineth Great harme it is to loue where set In bootelesse hopes the minde they free But God defend that I forget Forgotten though a iest it bee If that I loue why then loue I To sport or leaue to loue at all For what more honor can befall Then die for that for which I die To liue therefore and to forget Is such a shamefull life I see That I had rather loue one yet Forgotten though to death I bee When I had made an ende of my song the Shepherdes teares but those especially of faire Ismenia were so many that of force they made me participate some of her greefe which thing I might well haue left vndone for no fault could iustly haue bene attributed to my great mishap as to all those that were there it was sufficiently knowen After this euery one of vs went to their owne towne bicause it was not meete for vs to be out of them at such inconuenient and late howers And the next day my father without telling me the cause why caried me out of our towne and brought me to yours placing me there in the house of Albania mine aunt and his sister whom you knowe well where I haue remained a few daies since my comming hither not knowing the cause of my sudden exile but haue heard of late that Montanus hath married Ismenia and that Alanius was about to marrie a sister of hers called Syluia whereupon to conclude I wish that he may liue since it was not my good fortune to haue him as ioyfull a life with his new spouse that nothing may want to the full accomplishment of their content and happinesse For the loue which I beare him will suffer me no lesse then to wish him all the felicitie of this life When Seluagia had made an end of her sorrowfull tale she began to weepe so bitterly that both the Shepherdes being a kinde of friendly dutie wherein they had no small experience began also to helpe her with their teares and after hauing spent a little time in this sort Syrenus saide vnto her Great is thy greefe faire Seluagia and yet I iudge thy patience and discretion greater Take example by other mens harmes looke into their paines consider their woes if thou wilt the better support thine owne And bicause it growes now towardes night let vs be iogging towardes our towne and to morrow passe away the heate of the day neere to this cleere fountaine where we will all three meete Let it be as thou saiest said Seluagia but bicause betweene this and the towne there is a pretie way let euery one of vs to passe it away with some thing sing a song befitting the condition and qualitie of his loue The Shepherdes answered if she would begin they would follow which Seluagia did all three going on softly towardes the towne SHepherd who can passe such wrong And a life in woes so deepe Which to liue is to too long As it is too short to weepe Greeuous sighes in vaine I waste Leesing my affiance and I perceiue my hope at last With a candle in the hand What time then to hope among Bitter hopes that euer sleepe When this life is to too long As it is too short to weepe This greefe which I feele so rife Wretch I doe deserue as hire Since I came to put my life In the handes of my desire Then cease not my plaints so strong For though life her course doth keepe It is not to liue so long As it is too short to weepe With a burning sigh that came from her afflicted soule Seluagia ended her song saying How vnfortunate alas am I that see my selfe buried in iealousie despaire which cannot in the end but bring my life to no other passe then to that which is infallibly expected of them After this forgotten Syrenus to the tune of his Rebecke began to sing this song following WEepe not my dolefull eies But if you weepe thinke at the lest They tolde no trueth but lies And then it may be you may rest Since that imagination Doth cause so much in euery state Thinke that she loues thee as of late And thou shalt haue lesse passion And if you will mine eies Haue ease imagine then the best And that they told you lies And so perhaps you may haue rest Thinke that she loues as well As euer she did heretofore But this sad men caunot restore To thinke what once befell Then mournfull eies where lies Your helpe Yet thinke of some at lest If not weepe still mine eies Or make an end and you shall rest After that sorrowfull Syrenus with many teares had made an end of his song despised Syluanus began his thus MY life yoong Shepherdesse for thee Of needes to death must post But yet my greefe must stay with mee After my life is lost The greeuous ill by death that cured is Continually hath remedie at hand But not that torment that is like to this That in slowe time and fortunes meanes doth stand And if this sorrow cannot be Ended with life as most What then doth this thing profit me A sorrow wonne or lost Yet all is one to me as now I trie A flattring hope or that that had not bene yet For if to day for want of it I die Next day I doe no lesse for hauing seene it Faine would I die to end and free This greefe that kils me most If that it might be lost with me Or die when life is lost And in this sort the two Shepherdes went homewardes in companie of Seluagia departing from one another with accorde to meete the next day following at the same place The end of the first booke of Diana The second Booke of Diana of George of Montemayor NOw did the Shepherdes which fed their sheepe in the fieldes of Ezla begin to shew themselues euery one with his flockes along the bankes of those cristalline waters each Shepherde knowing choosing out the best place before the Sun did rise the better to passe away the burning heate of the day when the faire Shepherdesse Seluagia came down from the hil which frō her towne did leade to a thick wood driuing her gentle sheepe and lambes before her who after she had put them amongst the lowe shrubs which grew very thicke thereabouts and seeing them busie in knobbing the yoong and tender boughes to stanch their hunger went directly to the fountaine of the Sicamours where the day before in companie of the two Shepherds she had passed away the noone-tide heate and seeing the place so agreeable to melancholie and contemplation of her sorrowes she thought it not amisse to take the opportunitie of the time and place and to sit downe
thorow the valley In the middes of that moate was an Iland wherein grew some greene trees amongst the which stoode a Sheepe-cote and about the same a flocke of sheepe went seeding of the greene and tender grasse The Nymphes thinking this a fit place to passe away the night which was neere at hand vpon a fine causey of stones most artificiallie as it seemed laide in order they passed all ouer into the iland and went directly to the cote which they sawe before them But Polydora going in first for she was a little before the rest was scarce entred in when she came foorth as fast againe and looking towards her companie did put her singer vpon her mouth in token that they should come softly on without any noise which the Nymphes the Shepherdes perceiuing with the least they could came into the cote and looking into it espied a bed in a corner not made of any other thing then of the greene bowes of those Sicamours that were growing about it and of the greene grasse that did growe about the water brinkes Vpon the which they sawe a Shepherdesse lying a sleepe whose beautie stroke them with no lesse admiration then if on a sudden they had seene faire Diana before their eies She had on a light skie coloured petticoate and vnder that a gorget of so passing fine net-worke that they might at pleasure behold the delicate proportion of her snow white brest and comely feature of her euen body for the vpper part being of the same colour with the rest hung so loose about her that they might take a perfect view of her fine and daintie waste Her yellowe haire in brightnes surpassing the sunnie beames were loose and hanging downe without any order But neuer did frizeling and adorned periwigge of any Lady in stately court beautifie in such sort as the carelesse disorder that these had and her white legge being bare by the negligence of her harmelesse sleepe laie seemely out of her petticoate but not so much that the lookers on might perceiue any part but what with modestie they might well beholde And by manie teares that sleeping yet went trickling downe her faire and rosie cheekes her sleepe it seemed should not hinder her sorrowfull imaginations The Nymphes and Shepherds were so amazed at her beautie and at her inward sorrow which by outward signes they well coniectured did trouble her waking soule that they knew not what to saie but were forced to shed teares for pittie of those which they sawe the Shepherdesse powre foorth who as with pittie and admiration they were looking on her turned her on the other side and with a greeuous sigh fetch 't from the bottome of her hart saide thus to her selfe How vnfortunate art thou Belisa that thy greefe consisteth in no other thing but in that thy life is of so small value that it is not able to pay those things with extinction thereof which by thine owne occasion are destroyed and lost And then with a sudden sursault she awaked in such sort that the end of her daies it seemed was neere at hand But when she sawe the three Nymphes and two such faire Shepherdesses with two Shepherds she was so amazed that it was a good while before she came to her selfe againe who at last lifting vp her eies to looke on them againe without stopping her teares which continually she powred out or putting silence to her burning sighes which her afflicted hart sent foorth began to speake in this sort Howe great a comfort to so comfortles a sonle as mine is should it be if I were assured that none by worde nor deede woulde endeuour to giue me any at all bicause the great reson that I haue faire Nymphes to liue enwrapped in such sadnes as I doe hath put such a kinde of emnitie betweene me and the consolation of my greefe that if I thought at any time to enioy it I would my selfe be the authour of mine owne death Whereat maruell not faire Nymphes or that I woulde seeke to preuent me of this remedie since there is no other that can greeue me more then this your sudden sight and comming to this vncouth cote a place selected out and fit for no other thing but to bewaile remedilesse greefes Wherefore let it be a warning to those that are attending their torments to go quickly out of this place bicause the misfortunes of loue haue stopped vp the waies in such sort that they neuer let any hope of comfort or remedie enter in But what hap hath ledde such a faire companie to this place where nothing is that yeelds content What is it thinke you that makes the greene grasse of this iland growe and the waters that encompasse it rounde about to encrease but my ceasles teares What is it that moues the trees of this faire valley but the voice of my piteous outcries and the violent breath of my sorrowfull sighes which filling the aire do execute that office for it which for it selfe it cannot do Why do the pretie birdes sing among these springes when golden Phoebus is in all his force but to helpe to lament and bewaile my mishaps Wherefore is it that the timerous wilde beastes come foorth to the greene meadowe but to heare my continuall plaints I pray God your fortune hath not brought you faire Nymphes to this place to that end that mine hath bicause nature according to the sorrowfull life that I doe passe in it hath for no other thing it seemes framed it but for those that are troubled with the incurable malladies of loue therein to passe away their sorrowfull liues If any of you therefore be in this extremitie let her passe on no farther if not let her go quickly from hence againe least by staying heere long she be forced by the nature and qualitie of the place The faire Shepherdesse spake these words with so many teares that there was not any amongst them that coulde staie theirs They were all amazed to see the spirit gesture and countenance wherewith she spake them for they came as it appeered from the verie center of her painfull soule And she coulde do no lesse then this because the sorrowfull successe of her loue did take away all manner of suspicion that that greefe which so extremely she shewed was either counterfaite or fained But faire Doria spake thus vnto her What is the cause faire Shepherdesse that hath driuen thy beautie to these extremities What greefe so strange coulde loue make an occasion of so manie teares accompanied with so sole and solitarie a life as thou dost leade in this place But what do I aske when seeing thee to complaine of loue thou tellest me more then I am able to aske thee It was thy desire when we came hether to be assured that none of vs would offer thee any comfort wherein I cannot blame thee since it is the propertie of sorrowfull soules not onely to abhorre comfort but to flie from them by whom
they thinke by any meanes to receiue it If I should tell thee faire Shepherdesse that I could helpe thy greefe what doth it auaile if the same will not giue thee leaue to beleeue me To tell thee that in thine owne iudgement and discretion thou dost help thy selfe I know thou hast it not so free that thou canst do it Of one thing yet good Shepherdesse thou maist be assured that there is no meanes in the whole world to rid thee from this painfull life which I would not giue then if it lay in my power And if this good will deserueth any thing at all I beseech thee for their sakes that are heete present and for mine owne to tell vs the cause of thy greefe because there are some in this companie that haue as great neede of remedie and whom loue hath driuen to so narrow a streight that if Fortune do not succour them the sooner I knowe not what will become of their liues The Shepherdesse hearing Doria speake these wordes came out of her melancholie cell and taking her by the hand carried her vnto a fountaine in a little greene meadowe not farre off Whither the Nymphes and Shepherdes went after them and about the same sat them downe altogither when golden Phoebus had made an end of his diurnall course and siluer Diana began hers with such brightnes as if it had beene midday Where being in such sort as you haue heard the faire Shepherdesse began to tell this which followeth AT that time faire Nymphes of the chaste Goddesse when I was free from loue I heard once a certaine thing the experience whereof did afterwardes beguile me finding it cleane contrarie to that which I heard reported For it was tolde me that there was no kind of greefe but by telling it was some lighting ease to her that did suffer it I finde that there is not any thing that more augments my mishap then to call it to memorie and tell it her that is free from the like For if I thought otherwise I durst not beleeue me recount vnto you the historie of my annoies But because it is true that the telling of it to you shall be no cause of comfort to my balefull soule which are the two causes most abhorred of me giue eare and you shall heare the most strange and haples accidents that euer fell in loue Not farre from this valley towards that part where the sunne doth set there is a village in the middes of a forrest neere to two riuers which with their currants do water and giue life to the greene trees whose shadowed bowes are so delightfull and thicke togither that one house may hardly be discerned from another Euerie one of them hath their limits rounde about them where the gardens in sommer time are decked with fragrant flowers besides the aboūdance of pleasant orchards which are there naturally brought foorth though helped by the industrie of them which in great Spaine are called Freemen by reason of the antiquity of their houses linage In this place was the vnfortunate Belisa borne for this name I tooke from the funt where I would to God I had left and lost my life Heere liued also a certaine Shepherd one of the chiefest for birth and riches that was in all that countrey called Arsenius and married to the fairest Shepherdesse in all her time but vntimely death because her destinies woulde haue it so or else for auoyding some other inconuenience that her beautie might haue caused did within a fewe yeeres after she was married cut asunder her vital thred The greefe that Arsenius felt for the death of his beloued Florida was so extreme that he was almost in danger of loosing his life the which yet he preserued by the comfort of a sonne she left behinde her called Arsileus whose beautie and comely feature so farre excelled others that they matched the gifts so highly commended and descended to him from Florida his mother And yet did Arsenius for the losse of her leade the most sorrowfull and desolate life that might be But seeing his Sonne in sufficient yeeres to set him to some vertuous exercise knowing That idlenes in boyes was the curse of vices and an enimie to vertue he determined to sende him to the famous Academie of Salamanca with intent to haue him learne those sciences which make men mount vppe to higher degrees then men and so sent him thither indeede But fifteene yeeres being nowe past since the death of his mother it fell out that I going on a daie with others of our neighbours daughters to the market kept in a prettie towne not farre from ours vnfortunate Arsenius to his owne harme and alas to mine and to the preiudice of his haplesse sonne by chance espied me This sight kindled an extreme kinde of loue in him as it appeered afterwardes by the strange effects he shewed for he endeuoured to make me know it sometimes in the fielde as I was going to carrie the Shepherds their dinner sometimes againe as I was going to the riuer to rince my clothes and somtimes for water to the fountaine where he neuer missed of purpose to meete me But I that was till then but a nouice in matters of loue although by heare-saie I vnderstoode some of his disordinate effects sometimes dissembled the matter as though I vnderstoode not his meaning and sometimes made but a mocke of them and was angry to see him so importunate and earnest But my wordes were not able to defende my selfe from his continuall suites nor the great loue he bare me suffered him to leaue of to woe me more and more And in this sort I passed away more then fower yeeres in which space he left not of his fond attempt nor I to resolue with my selfe to giue him the lest fauour in the worlde About this time came his haplesse sonne Arsileus from his studie who amongst other sciences that he had studied was so brauely seene in Poetrie and Musicke that he excelled all others in his time His father tooke such exceeding ioy in him that he could neuer be out of his sight and not without great reason bicause Arsileus was such an one indeed that he deserued to be beloued not onely of his father whom nature constrained to loue as his sonne but of euery one else in the worlde And so in our towne he was so much esteemed and regarded of the cheefest and vulgar sort that they talked amongst themselues of no other thing then of the great wisedome graces gentilitie and many other good parts more which beautified the flourishing prime of his youth Arsenius was so secret to his sonne that by no meanes he would let him vnderstand any thing touching his loue whom although Arsileus had seene on a day very sad yet he durst not aske him the cause of his heauines but rather thought those passions to be the reliques of that sorrow which yet for the vntimely death of his faire mother remained in his
so deerely againe it seemed that fortune would make an end of all my ioy with the most haplesse euent that was euer seene before For thus it was that Arsileus and I appointing to meete together on a certaine night too darke and dismall for me bicause I neuer since knew perfectly what day meant we concluded that he should come into my fathers orchard and I to my chamber windowe which opened right vpon a Mulberie tree whereon he might easily get vp to be necre vnto me there to talke togither of our matters Accursed Belisa that shalt neuer conceiue to what purpose I brought him to such danger when as euery day sometimes in the fielde sometimes at the riuer side and sometimes at the wood when I carried my kine to pasture and sometimes when I driue my sheepe to the folde he might at pleasure haue talked with me as he did many daies before But my hard hap was the cause that fortune would be paied for the content which she had lent me till then with making me liue all my life time without it For now the appointed hower which was the ende of his daies and the beginning of my woes being come Arsileus came iust at the time and to the very place where both of vs talking together of those things which they may imagine that haue sometimes loued well his wretched father Arsenius that accustomed many nights to walke vp and downe about our house to see if he could see me which if I had so well remembred for it was so far out of my thoughtes as if I had neuer knowen any such matter I would neuer haue consented to put him in such danger in the ende happened to come thither that night and iust at that hower when his sonne was in the tree and so priuily that though he had quickly espied vs we could neither heare nor see him And knowing it was I that was speaking out at the window but not his sonne that was in the Mulberie tree not imagining who he might be it was the principall cause of our ill successe For thereupon he conceiued such great wroth and iealousie that without any noise at all he bied him home where bending a Crossebowe and putting a poisoned arrow in it came againe to the place where we were and aimed so right at his sonne that the arrow pearcing his tender hart he fell immediately downe dead from the tree saying How little time my deere Belisa doth fortune lend me to serue thee according to my great good will desire Which wordes he could scarce vtter when the accursed father who by his speech knew that he was the homicide of his owne sonne with a desperate outcrie saide Thrise wretched and accursed may I euer be if thou art my sonne Arsileus who seemest to be no other by thy voice Whereupon comming vnto him and by the light of the moone that shone vpon his face knowing him well and that he had giuen vp the ghost he saide Since cruell Belisa my vnfortunate sonne by thy means hath bene slaine it is not meete that the murdering father suruiue to lament his vntimely death At which wordes taking out his Woodknife he thrust it into his hart and fell downe presently dead O vnhappie chaunce O strange case neuer heard of nor seene before O greeuous scandale to their eares that shall he are the lamentable discourse of my balefull tragedie O miserable Belisa may thy guiltie hart thinke of these things and not take that way which both father and sonne haue taken for thy sake Alas it shall be great impietie not to mingle thy blood with theirs who desired so much to serue thee But when wretched soule I sawe this vnluckie accident without any more adoe I left my fathers house and went vp and downe wearying the heauens with importunate complaints and burning the aire with smokie sighes vntill I came to this place where accusing cruell fortune and hatefull death that had in so short time taught me to feele the woundes of their cruell dartes I haue liued sixe monethes without seeing or speaking to any person and not desirous of any companie or consolation whatsoeuer Faire Belisa hauing made an end of her pitifull tale began to weepe so bitterly that euery one there was forced with their teares to helpe to bewaile her dire misfortune And adding further she saide This is faire Nymphes the sorrowfull historie or rather dolefull tragedie of my haplesse loues and of their bloodie successe Behold then if this be such an ill that fortune or time may cure and remedie O Arsileus how often did I feare it without thinking of that which I iustly feared But she that will not beleeue her feare and preuent it let her not maruell when she sees that come to passe which she feared for well I knew thou couldst not be any long time without meeting me and that my ioy could endure no longer then when Arsenius thy father perceiued any thing of our loues I woulde to God it had so fallen out that the greatest hurt that he could haue done me had bene but to banish thee his sight and our towne For an ill which is cured with time may with lesse harme be suffered O Arsenius the death of thy sonne is no impediment to the greefe that I also conceiue for thine for the loue which thou didst continually beare me thy vertuous and pure zeale wherewith thou didst euer loue me thy bountie and cost bestowed on me the tempestuous and ill nightes that thou hast passed for my sake will let me doe no lesse then lament and bewaile thy disastrous end for by this time I had bene married vnto thee if thy sweete sonne Arsileus had not come to our towne If I should say that I did not loue thee well I should deceiue the world for in the end there is no woman if she knowes she is truly beloued but will loue little or much againe although otherwise she manifest the same But now my toong holde thy peace since thou hast told more then thou wert asked And pardon me faire Nymphes if I haue bene tedious in my sorrowfull narration bicause so great mishaps cannot be comprised in fewe wordes Whilest the Shepherdesse was telling that which you haue heard Syrenus Syluanus Seluagia and faire Felismena and the three Nymphes coulde not giue eare without some secrete teares although the Nymphes as women neuer touched with loue felt her paine and greefe but not the circumstances of it But faire Doria seeing the comfortlesse Shepherdesse did not leaue of her bitter complaint began to comfort her in this sort Let thy teares cease Belisa since thou seest what small remedie thou hast of them and waigh that two eies are not able to bewaile so great a greefe But what sorrow can there be which is not ended or endes not her that suffers it and yet I could shew thee the way whereby I could a little lighten thy paine Wherefore I pray thee goe with vs
artificiall tower Comming to the portall they staied a little to behold the strange workmanship and the imagerie that was so liuely grauen in it that it seemed rather a naturall then artificiall worke or wrought by humane industrie wherein were two Nymphes of massie siluer that stood on the tops of two pillers and helde vp betweene them a polished table of smooth Ieat with golden letters grauen in it that saide thus WEll let her life that enters heere be waighed And if she hath not chastitie estranged And she that loues or Loues lawes hath essaied If for anothers loue she hath not changed And if from former faith she hath not straied And kept her first true loue and hath not ranged May enter heere into Dianas temple Whose soueraigne grace to such appeeres most gentle When faire Felismena heard this she saide to the Shepherdesses Belisa and Seluagia I thinke we may safely enter into this sumptuous Palace without breach of the lawes that this table doth depaint vnto vs. Syrenus answering to that saide But faire Diana coulde not doe so bicause she hath not onely gone against them but against all that good and honest loue commaunds to be obserued Be not angrie with her Shepherd saide Felicia for before many daies hence thou shalt wonder that thou wert so much angrie and laugh at this harde opinion thou hadst of her And so handes in handes they went into the sage Felicias chamber which was richly hanged with cloth of golde and tissue of inestimable value And by and by after they were come in supper was made ready where fine white clothes being spred on the tables and furnished with daintie cates euery one was placed in order Felismena was set next to the sage Lady Felicia and the Nymphes tooke the Shepherdes and Shepherdesses betweene them whose talke at the boord was full of modest mirth and delight There were the rich tables of Cedar and stooles framed out of Iuorie with cushions of fine needle worke wrought with golde and siluer many cups goblets and glasses of diuers formes and mettals were common there and all of no small price some of them artificially made of strange glasse others of fine Cristall with the feete and handles of pure golde others all of golde and siluer most richly garnished with precious stones of inestimate value They were serued with such plentie of sundrie daintie dishes as is almost impossible in order to set downe After that supper was ended three Nymphes came into the hall one of them playing on a Harpe another on a Lute and the third on a base Vial de gamba but with such sweetenesse and melodie that they that were present were as it were enchaunted and rauished with it They placed themselues in one side of the hall and the Shepherdes and Shepherdesses being louingly requested by the three Nymphes and by sage Felicia placed themselues right ouer against them on the other side with their Rebeckes and a Bagpipe whereon Seluagia sweetely plaied And then the Nymphes began to sing this song and the Shepherdes to answere them in manner following The Nymphes THe authours of subiections Fortune and Loue and of most peeuish fashions Aboue the moone affections Doe place and hard reiections And in the same extremest paines and passions The Shepherdes Lessemay he vaunt and boast For ioy whom Loue did neuer yet molest Then he that loueth most And fauours euer lost Since they that suffer more are euer best The Nymphes If Loues extremes releene you And did not gainsay reason as we view them Perhaps we would beleeue you But seeing how they greeue you Happy are we that can so well eschew them The Shepherdes The hardest things the stoute And valiant persons euer take in hand And that of greatest doubt Braue courage brings about For t' is no honour small things to withstande The Nymphes The Louer well doth see To fight it out it is not Loues intent With magnanimitie In torments he must be Of those that suffring them are most content The Shepherdes If any ioy we sought By any ill of Loue which we obtaine It cannot be the thought Vnto the passion brought But he 's more happy that endures more paine The Nymphes The best estate and fare Where he doth see himselfe that loueth best Brings nothing els but care And yet doth neuer spare With flames to burne the dame and seruants brest And he that 's fauour'd most Is changed in the twinkling of an eie For with disfauours tost And in obliuion lost It kils his hart and makes his ioyes to die The Shepherdes To leese a good estate By falling from it is a greefe and paine Blamelesse is Loue but fate It is and Fortunes hate That no exception makes from his disdaine Vniust and far vnfit Is death if Loue doth say that we shall liue If death it promis'd yet No fault he doth commit For in the ende his promise he doth giue The Nymphes Fierce Loue they doe excuse That finde themselues entangled with his fetter And blame those that refuse Him but of these to chuse The blamed mans estate is far the better The Shepherdes Faire Nymphes it is denied The free and bond with one toong to debate Liue men and those that died The loued and defied All speake according to their owne estate Sage Felicia and the Shepherdesse Felismena gaue attentiue eare vnto the musicke that the Nymphes and Shepherdes made and to the sundry opinions which on both sides they shewed by singing And Felicia smyling on Felismena saide to her in her eare Who beleeues not faire Shepherdesse but that most of these words haue touched thy soule to the quicke who with a milde and sober grace answered her againe Such were the words good Lady that whose soule they did not touch the same should not be touched with such loue as mine is Felicia then lifting vp her voice a little higher saide vnto her In these loue matters I note a certaine conclusion which I finde for the most part true That the generous minde and delicate witte by many degrees excelleth him in affection that hath not these gifts Because as loue is a vertue and vertue doth euer choose her being in the best place it is cleere that persons of valour and dignitie are more enamoured and as they are properly termed better louers then those of baser condition and estate The Shepherds and Shepherdesses hearing what Felicia saide seemed to be somewhat angry in their mindes which made Syluanus to thinke that her words ought not to escape without an answer who therefore saide thus vnto her Wherein good Ladie doth a noble minde and fine witte consist Felicia who by and by perceiued to what purpose the Shepherd demanded this question because she woulde not giue him anie occasion of discontent saide In no other thing but in the proper and sole vertue of him that loues as to haue a liuely and quicke witte a mature and good iudgement a thought tending to high and stately things
her The Nymph Doria sat her downe with Syluanus in one place of the greene meadowe and the Shepherdesses Seluagia and Belisa went by themselues with the most beautifull Nymphes Cynthia and Polydora into another so that though they were not farre asunder yet they might talke togither well enough and not trouble one another But Syrenus desiring that their talke and conuersation might be conformable to the time place and person with whom he talked began to saie in this manner I thinke it not sage Lady much beyond the purpose to demand a certaine question to the perfect knowledge whereof as I could neuer yet attaine so do I not meanely desire by your Ladiships wisedome to be resolued therein and this it is They do all affirme that would seeme to know something That true Loue doth spring of reason which if it be so what is the reason that there is not a more timerous and vnruly thing in the worlde then loue and which is left of all gouerned by it As this Question answered Felicia is more then a simple Shepherdes conceite so is it necessarie that she that must answer it ought to haue more then a sillie womans wit But to satisfie thy minde with that little skill I haue I am of a contrarie opinion affirming that Loue though it hath Reason for his mother is not therefore limited or gouerned by it But it is rather to be supposed that after reason of knowledge and vnderstanding hath engendred it it will suffer it selfe to be gouerned but fewe times by it And it is so vnruly that it resultes oftentimes to the hurt and preiudice of the louer since true louers for the most part fall to hate and neglect themselues which is not onely contrarie to reason but also to the lawe of nature And this is the cause why they paint him blinde and void of all reason And as his mother Venus hath most faire eies so doth he also desire the fairest They paint him naked because good loue can neither be dissembled with reason nor hidden with prudence They paint him with wings because he swiftly enters into the louers soule and the more perfect he is with more swiftnes and alienation of himselfe he goeth to seeke the person of the beloued for which cause Euripides saide That the louer did liue in the body of the beloued They paint him also shooting his arrowes out of his bowe because he aymes right at the hart as at his proper white And also because the wound of loue is like that which an arrow or dart maketh narrow at the entrance and deepe in his inward soule that loueth This is an inscrutable and almost incurable wounde and very slowe in healing So that thou must not maruell Syrenus that perfect loue though it be the sonne of reason is not gouerned by it bicause there is nothing after it is borne that doth lesse conforme it selfe to the originall of his birth then this doth Some saie there is no other difference betweene vertuous and vicious loue but that the one is gouerned by reason and the other not but they are deceiued because excesse and force is no lesse proper to dishonest then to honest loue which is rather a qualitie incident to euerie kinde of loue sauing the one doth make vertue the greater by it and the other doth the more encrease vice Who can denie but that in true and honest loue excessiue and strange effects are oftentimes founde Aske it of many who for the onely loue of God made no account of themselues and cared not to leese their liues for it although knowing the reward they looked for did not worke Io much in their minds And how many againe enflamed with the loue of vertue haue gone about to cast away themselues and to end their liues to get thereby a glorious and suruiuing name A thing truely which ordinarie reason doth not permit which doth rather guide euery effect in such sort that the life may honestly preserue it selfe But what diuersitie of examples could I bring thee Syrenus of many who onely for the loue of their friendes haue lost their liues and euery thing that with life is lost But let vs leaue this loue and come againe to that which nature hath bred betweene man and woman wherein thou must know that if the loue which the louer beares to the mistresse of his affections although burning in vnbridled desire doth arise of reason and of true knowledge and iudgement as by her onely vertues he doth iudge her woorthy to be beloued That this kinde of loue in my opinion and yet I am not deceiued is neither vnlawfull nor dishonest bicause all loue being of this qualitie doth tende to no other end but to loue the person beloued for her owne sake without hoping for any other guerdon or effect of his true and sincere loue So that this is as much as me thinkes may be saide in answer of thy question which thou hast put me Syrenus then saide vnto her I am resolued sage Lady of that which I desired to vnderstande and also belceue that by your gracious wisedome which is great and bountie which is no lesse I shall be thorowly instructed of whatsoeuer I woulde desire to know although some finer capacitie then mine were more requisite to conceiue these deepe reasons so perfectly alledged by your learned assertions Syluenus that was talking with Polydora saide It is strange faire Nymph to see what a sorrowfull hart that is subiect to the traunces of impatient loue doth suffer because the lest ill that it causeth in vs is the depriuation of our iudgement the losse of our memorie and the surcharging of our imaginations with his onelse obiects making euery one to alienate himselfe Iron himselfe and to impropriate himselfe in the person of his beloued What shall that wofull man then do who sees himselfe so great an enimie to pleasure such a friende to solitarines so full of passions enuironed with feares troubled in his spirits martyred in his wits sustained by hope wearied with thoughts afflicted with griefes haunted with iealousies and continually worne with sobs sighes sorrowes and woes which he neuer wanteth And that which makes me more to maruel is that the mind doth not procure this loue being so vntolerable and extreme in crueltie nor hath any desire at all to part from it but doth rather account it her enimie that giues it any counsell to that effect All this is true saide Polydora but I know well that Louers for the most part haue more words then passions This is a signe saide Syluanus that thou canst not conceiue them faire Nymph because thou canst not beleeue them nor that thou hast beene euer touched with this pleasing ill And I wish thou maist not the which none can beleeue nor knowe the multitude of woes proceeding from it but onlie she that doth participate of his bitter effects Why dost thou thinke faire Nymph when the louer that findes himselfe continually
they made an insurrection wherein with ten gentlemen more of their kinred they conspired to kill the King land to diuide the kingdome amongst themselues so to be reuenged of the vnworthie disgrace receiued by him This conspitacie whether it was true or false was discouered before it could be put in practise and they apprehended and condemned to die before the citizens had intelligence thereof who without all doubt for the great loue they bare them would haue risen not consenting that iustice should haue beene done vpon them For carying them to exequution it was the strangest spectacle in the world to see the lamentations that some made the priuie murmuring of one to another and the bootlesse excuses that for compassion of these gentlemen were generally made in all the citie They ran all to the King and offered to buie his mercie with great summes of gold and siluer but such was his seueritie that it expelled all motions of pitie and clemencie Which when the people beheld they began to weepe and lament againe The Lords Knights and gentlemen did weepe and mourne with whom they were wont to keepe companie The tender Ladies and Damsels of the Court wept whom they loued and serued And all the whole citie wept for the great honour and auctority that such noble citizens gaue them The lamentations and outcries were so many and so loud as if the earth had sunke or the world beene drowned anew But the King who to all these teares lamentations and pitifull outcries did stop his eares commaunded that his definitiue sentence should be presently executed So that of all that house and linage there remained not one man aliue that was not beheaded that day except my father and mine vncle who were not found complices in that conspiracie These ils resulted to them besides this miserable chaunce that their houses were ruinated they proclaimed traitours to the King their goodes lands and possessions confiscated And that no Abenceraje should liue any longer in Granada except my father and mine vncle and they but with this condition that if they had any issue they should send the men children as soon as they were borne to be brought vp out of the citie neuer to returne into it againe and if they were women and marriageable to be married out of the Realme When the Gouernor heard the strange discourse of Abyndaraez and the termes wherewith he complayned of his misfortune he could not stop his teares but did shew by them the sensible greefe which of such a disastrous accident could not be but felt And therefore turning himselfe to the Moore saide vnto him Thou hast good cause Abyndaraes to be sorrie for the fall of thy noble house and kinred whose heads I thinke coulde neuer hatch so great treason And were it for no other proofe but that so worthie a gentleman as thy selfe came out of it this onely were sufficient to make me beleeue that they neuer pretended such wickednes This gentle opinion which thou hast of me said the Moore and of the goodnes of my auncestors I know not worthie Gouernour how to requite but onely with vnfained and humble thankes But now when I was borne into the world with the inheritance of the selfe same mishap of my kinred they sent me because they would not infringe the Kings edict to be nursed and brought vp in a certaine fort belonging sometimes to the Christians called Cartama committing the charge and care of me to the Gouernor thereof with whom my father had ancient familiaritie acquaintance A man of great account in the kingdome vpright in the maner of his life and verie rich but chiefly in a daughter that he hath which is the greatest â—…ie which I account of in this life the which I wish I may neuer enioy if in any â—…g but onely her I euer tooke content pleasure With her was I brought vp 〈◊〉 my childhood for she was borne but three yeeres after me and as we were â—…erally thought of all to be brother and sister for like such was our education so did we also thinke our selues to be The loue that I did beare Xarifa for thus is the Lady called that is mistresse of my libertie were but little if I could tell it Let it â—…fice that time hath so confirmed the same that I would giue a thousands liues if â—…ad them but to enioy one momentarie sight of her faire face Euerie day encreased our age but euerie hower augmented our loue and so much that now me thought I was made of another kind of mettall then of consanguinitie I remember that Xarifa being on a day in the orchard of the Iesemynes dressing her faire head by chaunce I espied her amazed at her singular beautie and how me thought it greeued me that she was my sister And by the extreme passion of my loue driueÌ„ out of my musing I went to her who as soone as she saw me with open armes came to receiue me And sitting vpon the fountaine by her she said vnto me Why hast thou good brother left me so long alone It is sweete Ladie said I againe a good while since I hauing sought thee in euerie place found not any that could tell me what was become of thee my hart at last coniectured where thou wert Buttel me now I pray thee what certaintie hast thou that we are brother and sister No other saide she then of the great loue I beare thee and to see how euerie one doth call vs so and that my father doth bring vs vp like his sonne and daughter And if we were not brother and sister saide I wouldest thou then loue me so much as thou dost Oh seest thou not saide she that we shuld not be suffered to go so coÌ„tinually together al alone if we were not But if we were depriued of this ioy that which I feele in my selfe is a great deale more At which words her faire face being tainted with a vermillion blush she said vnto me What couldest thou leese by it if we were brother and sister My selfe and thee to said I. I vnderstand thee not said she but me thinkes being brother and sister it binds vs to loue one another naturally Thy onely beauâ—… said I doth oblige me to this brotherhood which rather qualifieth my loue 〈◊〉 sometimes distempers my thoughts At which words blushing for too much bolâ—…es casting downe mine eies I saw her diuine figure in the cristalline fountaine so liuely represented as if it had beene she her selfe and in such sort that wheresoeuer she turned her head I still beheld her image and goodly counterfaite truely translated into verie hart Then said I softly to my selfe O if I were now drowned in this fountaine where with pride I behold my sweete Lady how more fortunate should I die then Narcissus And if she loued me as I do her how happie should I be And if fortune would let vs liue euer together what a happie life should I
thou art a Gentleman to come to my Castell of Alora there to yeelde thy selfe my prisoner within three daies I doe saide he and with solemne othe binde it Then goe saide the Gouernour and good fortune with thee and if thou standest in neede of mine owne person to accompany thee or of any other thing for thy way speake and thou shalt haue it The Moore thanked him very much but tooke no more but a horse which the Gouernour gaue him for his owne was hurt in the late encounter betweene them and went very heauie being also wearied and faint with much blood which he lost by the way and so turning the raines he rode as fast as he coulde towardes Coyn. Rodrigo of Naruaes and his Gentlemen returned homewardes to Alora talking by the way of the valour and goodly behauiour of the Abenceraje The Moore was not long according to the great speede he made in comming to the Fort of Coyn where going directly as he was commanded he first went about all the wals vntill at last he found a posterne gate and the Centrinels on the wals fast asleepe who though he had a great desire and made no lesse haste to enter in yet he staied a little looking about him on euery side least happily he might be espied or in danger of some thing else But when he perceiued that all was quiet he knocked with the punch of his launce at the wicket for that was the watchworde that his Mistresse had giuen him by the gentlewoman that went to call him the which was immediately opened vnto him by the same gentlewoman who saide vnto him Sir your long tarying hath put my Ladie in a great feare for she hath staide this good while for you Alight and I will bring you vp where she is attending your presence in great perplexitie he then dismounted from his horse and set him vp in a secret place that he founde there where also leauing his Launce against a wall with his Target and Cymitarre the gentlewoman tooke him by the hande and very softly led him vp a paire of staires for feare of being heard by them in the castle and brought him into Xarifaes chamber Before whom when he was come with a sudden sursault of ioye she ranne to receiue him and both of them with such extreme passions of loue and gladnes embracing one another were not able to speake one worde for the infinite ioy they had at each others sight But comming to themselues againe at the last she saide thus vnto him What the cause may be that thou hast staied so long my louing Lord I knowe not but what sorrowe and anxieties of minde I haue passed for thy slowe comming my impatient loue is able to testifie I hope thou dost imagine faire Lady saide he againe that it is not by my fault and negligence but mens disseignes doe not alwaies fall out fit to their desires So that if there be any trueth in me thou maist well beleeue me that it was not in my power to come sooner then I haue done But breaking him off in his excuses she tooke him by the hand leading him into a rich chamber they sat them downe vpon a faire bed where thus she said vnto him I was desirous my thrise beloued Abyndaraes to haue thee see how captiues in loue can fulfill their promise for from the very day that I gaue thee my word for pledge of my hart I haue sought the meanes to discharge me of it I sent for thee to come to this Castell to be my prisoner as I am thine But now I haue brought thee in hither to make thee Lord of me and of my fathers treasure vnder the honourable name of a lawfull husband whereunto my estate nor thy loyaltie cannot otherwise consent I do knowe well that my fathers will wil be contrarie to our workings who being ignorant of thy valour and not knowing thy deserts as well as I doe will perhaps bestowe some richer husband on me but I esteeme thy noble personage and thy vertuous and valiant mind more then the greatest riches in the world And hauing saide thus vnto him she hung downe her head blushing not a little that she had so much discouered her selfe and in so plaine and open termes declared her affection vnto him The noble Moore tooke her in his armes and many times kissing her white hands for such louing and curteous wordes saide thus vnto her I haue no new thing sweete Lady of my soule to giue thee in requitall of such great good as thou dost offer me bicause I am no lesse as I was before wholy thine Onely this pledge I giue thee in token of my vnspeakable loue that I receiue thee for my beloued Lady and wife And heerewithall thou maist lay aside for a while that modest shamefastnes and maidenly teynt which continually thou hast had since thou hast taken me for thine owne Vnwillingly she did the same And vpon this conclusion they went to bed where with a new experience they rekindled the flames of their enamoured harts In which amorous enterprise passed on either side many louing wordes and deedes fitter for imagination then to be written The Moore being in so great ioy and pleasure fetched on the sudden a profound and painfull sigh and turning from her began to lie so sad and pensiue that faire Xarifa perceiuing it was much amazed and troubled in minde to see so sudden an alteration who lying still heard him breath foorth a deepe and dolefull sigh with turning his body on euery side The Lady vnable to suffer so great an iniurie to her beautie and loyaltie thinking he was displeased with the one or both rising vp a little in the bedde with a milde and merrie voice though somewhat troubled saide vnto him What meanes this Abyndaraes It seemes thou art offended with my mirth I heard thee sigh and tumble and tosse thy body on euery side why man if I am wholy thy ioye and thy delight why dost thou not tell me for whom thou dost sigh and if I am not why hast thou thus deceiued me If thou hast found any fault in my person that hath abridged the delight of thy imagination cast thine eies and minde vpon my will which is sufficient to supply many wants and vpon my zealous and louing hart that wisheth it the fairest and finest in the world for thy sake If thou seruest any other Lady let me know her that I may serue her to And if thou hast any other greefe which shall not offend me tell it me for I will either die or rid thee from it And clasping him with a kinde of violent and forcible loue she turned him to her againe who being then confounded and ashamed for that he had done and thinking that it might be an occasion if he did not tell her the cause of his sorrow to fill her head full of iealousie and suspicion with an appassionate sigh he said vnto her If I did
not my sweetest life loue thee more then mine owne soule I woulde neuer haue made such signes of inwarde greefe for the wounding thoughts which I brought with me whē I came with my selfe all alone I passed away with a better hart but now that I am constrained to go from thee I haue no force to endure them at all And because thou shalt be no longer in suspence of knowing the cause of my sorrow I will tell thee what lately passed And then he told her all the matter not leauing any thing out in the end of his tale with many teares saying thus vnto her So that thy captiue faire Lady is also prisoner to the Gouernour of Alora And the paine of that imprisonment which thou hast cast vpon me and taught my hart to suffer I feele not but the torment and bondage by liuing without thee I account woorse then any death Wherupon thou seest that my sighes are rather arguments of greater loyalty then of any want thereof And with this he began againe to be so pensiue and sad as he was before he had tolde her his greefe But then with a merrie countenance she said vnto him Trouble not thy minde Abyndaraes with these thoughts for I will take the care and remedie of this greefe vpon mee as a thing that toucheth mee most of all and the more since it is not denied any prisoner that hath giuen his worde to returne to prison to satisfie it by sending the ransome that shall be demaunded of him Wherefore set thy selfe downe what summe thou wilt for I haue the keyes of al my fathers treasure which I will put into thy hands leaue it all at thy disposition Rodrigo of Naruaez is a curteous gentleman a good knight and one who gaue thee once thy libertie And as thou hast acquainted him with the trust of these affaires so is he now the more bound to vse greater virtue and gentlenes towardes thee I am sure he will be contented with reason for hauing thee in his power and prison he must perforce set thee at libertie when he hath the value of thy ransome I see well faire Ladie said the Abencerraje againe that the loue which thou dost beare me will not suffer thee to giue me the best counsell for I will neuer commit so foule a fault as this For if I was bound to fulfill my word when I was alone and without thee now that I am thine the bond is greater I will therefore returne to Allora and yeeld my selfe into the Gouernors hands and when I haue done what I am bound to do let Fortune do with me what she will Nay let me rather die saide Xarifa if thou goest to be prisoner then once desire to remaine here at libertie For being thy captiue by duetie I am bound to accompanie thee in this iourney for the extreme loue that I beare thee whereas also the feare of my fathers frownes which I haue purchased by offending him will let me do no lesse The Moore weeping for ioy to heare these words embraced her saying Thou neuer ceasest my deerest soule to heape fauours vpon my happie head do therefore what thou wilt for this is my resolution With this determination they rose before it was day and prouiding some necessarie things for their iourney they went verie secretly towards Allora and when the day began to waxe cleere Xarifa went with her face couered with a maske for feare of being knowen and by reason of the greath aste they made they came in good time to Alora where going directly to the castle knocking at the gate it was opened to them out of hand by the Centrinels who had notice of that was past and what they should do The valiant Gouernor receiued them curteously and Abyndaraes going to the gate and taking his wise by the hand brought her vnto him said Behold Rodrigo of Naruaez if I keepe not well my word and appointed time For promising thee to returne thy prisoner insteed of one I bring thee two for one was enough to ouercome many Behold here my Ladie iudge if I haue not iustly suffered for her sake accept vs now for thine for in thy virtuous and noble minde I repose my whole trust and confidence and into thy hands commit her deere and chiefest honour The Gouernor was verie glad to see them both and said to Xarifa I know not faire Ladie which of you haue conquered each other in loue and curtesie but truely thinke my selfe greatly bound vnto you both Come in therefore and rest you in your owne house the which from henceforth as also the master of it accept for none other After this friendly entertainement they went with him into his dining chamber where after a little while they refreshed themselues bicause they came somewhat wearie The Gouernor asked the Moore how he did for his wounds I thinke said he that what with the way and what with paine they are somewhat rankled which faire Xarifa hearing with an altered an appalled countenance said vnto him Alas how comes this to passe my Lord Haue you any woundes about you and I not knowe them Who escapes saide he from thine needes little to care for any other Truth it is that at our late skirmish in the night I got two little woundes which my troublesome iourney and negligence in curing them hath made somewhat worse but all is but little or nothing It is best saide the Gouernour that you lay you downe and I will send for a Chirurgeon that is heere in the Castell to cure them Following which counsell faire Xarifa caused him to put off his apparell and though she set a good face on the matter bicause she woulde not giue him any occasion to feele her inwarde greefe yet was she altered much and troubled in her minde The Chirurgeon came and searching his wounds saide that they were not dangerous bicause the signe was not in those places when he receiued them and also bicause they were smitten ouerthwart would not be long in healing For with a certaine ointment that he made out of hand the paine of them was somewhat asswaged and in fower daies by meanes of the great care the Chirurgeon had in healing them hee was as sound and whole as euer he was before But one day after dinner was done the Abenceraje saide thus vnto the Gouernour As you are wise Rodrigo of Naruaez so can you not choose but by the manner of our being at Coyn and of our comming hither imagine more then you haue seene which affaires of ours by our owne misfortunes driuen to this desperate though happy euent wherein they nowe are must be I hope by your aduise and helpe brought to some good end This is faire Xarifa of whom I tolde you This is my Lady and my deerely beloued wife In Coyn she woulde not stay for feare of her Father For though he knowes not what hath passed betweene vs yet she feared least this accident
long desired And saying thus she went into the Coate and the Shepherd and Shepherdesse rose vppe offering her their places and all three sitting downe againe Arsileus saide to Felismena Haue you euer seene mee before faire Shepherdesse or hath any body tolde you of my name I knowe more of thee Arsileus saide Felismena and of thy estate then thou thinkest although thou art in a Shepherdes weede far different from that I sawe thee in when thou wert a student in the famous Academie of Salamanca If there be any thing heere to eate I pray thee giue it me for I will tell thee afterwardes a strange and true thing which thou hast desired long since to knowe This will I doe with a good will saide Arsileus though I can doe no kinde of seruice due ynough to the great apparance of thy vertues and deserts Whereupon Arsileus and Amarillis taking of their seuerallscrips gaue Felismena such victuals as they had And after she had refreshed her selfe desirous to make him a ioyfull man who liued so long a time in greefe and sorrow she began to speake to him in this sort There is nothing in the world Arsileus that ought more religiously to be kept then firmnesse and most of all in a womans hart where it is seldomer wont to be found But the reason thereof I plainly perceiue that men for the most part are occasions of their small constancie towardes them I speake this for the greatbond wherein thou art obliged to a Shepherdesse that I knowe who would not if she knew thou wert aliue exchange her ioy and content for all that the whole world could affoord And then she began to tell him in order all that was past from the time that she killed the three Sauages vntill she came to the Lady Felicias house In which discourse Arsileus heard the golden newes of the thing which he so deerely loued and all that had passed betweene her and the Nymphes when they found her sleeping in the Iland of the Lake as you haue heard before And that ioie which he then felt when he vnderstood that the loue and faith which his Shepherdesse did beare him remained yet sincere and inuiolate in her hart and the place certaine where he might finde her out was so extreme that he fell downe in a traunce betweene them both by putting his life in hazard with surfeit of that sudden passion But comming to himselfe againe he said to Felismena With what wordes shall I sufficiently faire Shepherdesse thanke thee for the great curtesie thou hast done me and with what deedes acquite that singular content wherewith thou hast now blessed me the like whereof I pray God so amply in euery thing may giue thee as thy hart can either wish or desire O my sweete Belisa is it possible that I shall see those eies so soone againe that had so great power ouer mine to kisse those delicate hands that made so intricate a knot in my hart to heare those angelicall words and see that singular beauty that rauished so much my admiring senses And that after so many troubles of minde and turmoiles of Fortune such soueraine felicitie to succeede in their places And speaking this with many teares he tooke Felismenas hands and with great reuerence kissed them And so did the Shepherdesse Amarillis saying Thou hast reuiued faire Shepherdesse the most sorrowfull man that euer I did see and filled him full of ioye who did lest deserue to haue it Sixe monethes hath Arsileus liued in this Cotage so sorrowfull and desolate a life as none coulde imagine the like without all manner of consolation but that cortaine Shepherdesses seeding their flockes in these plaines of the which I am one sometimes come in to visite him and to affoord him that comfort which his greefe were it at the lest capable of any at all woulde giue him leaue to embrace This is not such a greefe saide Felismena againe that he that hath it may thinke to take any comfort in any thing but in the first causer thereof or by whom he heareth such newes as I haue now tolde him which are so good for me faire Shepherdesse saide Arsileus that they haue reuiued a liuing hart in me which was mortified and worne almosT out with the clogge of continual care So much did the Shepherds words teares vttered and powred foorth for ioy mollifie her tender hart as by her owne she gaue manifest proofe thereof And in this sort they tarried there vntill the heate of the day was past and then Arsileus taking his leaue with great thankes to both the Shepherdesses with infinite ioy went towards the Temple of Diana the same way that Felismena did direct him Syluanus and Seluagia with that content as they are wont to haue which after a long absence enioy the sight of their desired Loue did goe towardes the pleasant meadowes where their flockes went feeding in companie of the Shepherde Syrenus who went also free and deliuered from that kinde of content that hee behelde in them and from the paine which the want thereof is wont to procure bicause hee neither thought of louing well nor cared whether he was beloued or no Whereupon Syluanus said vnto him Euerie time that I see thee my deere friend Syrenus thou shouldest not be the man me thinkes that thou wert wont to be but that iointly with thy former thoughts and affection thou art thy selfe also chaunged On the one side I haue in a manner pitie of thee on the other it greeues me not to see thee carelesse of loues misfortunes In what respect said Syrenus hast thou pitie on me Bicause I thinke it saide Syluanus the most malecontent and worst estate of life not to loue well nor to be beloued againe It is not long since that thou didst vnderstand this cleane contrarie said Syrenus And for mine owne part I pray God that Fortune may still preserue me in this ill estate and thee in that ioy pleasure which thou takest in seeing thy Seluagia For though there might arise some emulation of thy loue and being beloued of so faire a Shepherdesse yet can I assure thee that Fortune doth not neglect to tune you the content that you receiue of your mutuall loue The hurt said Seluagia that she may doe vs with her disordinate effects can neuer be so great as my ioy is to see my selfe so well bestowed Ah Seluagia said Syrenus to her I haue also seene my selfe as well beloued as none might be more and thought as little to see an end of my loue as you do now but let none account without Fortune nor lay his foundation without the consideration of the mutabilitie of time But I doe owe no small respect of loue and duetie to the sage Ladie Felicia whom the heauens requite For I neuer imagined to speake so freely of mine ill in such a time when I thought to feele it so little But I am more indebted to her saide Seluagia bicause shee was the
imagination of the suspect that I had of her honestie hath bredde in her so great despite and hatred against me that to be reuenged of me she hath hitherto perseuered therein which greeuous torment she is not onely content to lay vpon me but when she sees me before her eies flies from my presence as the fearefull Hinde from the hungry and pursuing Hounde So that by the loue which thou owest thy selfe I pray thee good Shepherdesse iudge whether this be a sufficient cause to make her thus abhorre me and if my fault on the other side be so great that it deserues such endles and extreme hate Filemon hauing made an end of the cause of his greefe and iniurie wherewith his Shepherdesse tormented him Amarillis began to shape her answer thus This Filemon faire Shepherdesse that sits before thee hath loued me well I must needes confesse or at the least made a fine shewe thereof and such haue his seruices beene towards me that to say otherwise of him then he deserues it would ill beseeme me But if for his sake in lieu and recompence of that affection I haue not reiected the suites and seruice of many iolly Shepherds that feede their flockes vpon these downes and in these pleasant vales and also for his loue haue not contemned many countrey youthes whom nature hath enriched with no lesse perfections then himselfe let himselfe be iudge For the infinite times that with their amorous sutes I haue beene importuned and those wherein I haue kept that firmnes due to his faith haue not I thinke beene at any time out of his presence which neuerthelesse should be no sufficient cause for him to make so small account of me as to imagine or suspect any thing of that wherein I am most of all bounde to my selfe For if it be so as he knowes well enough that for the loue of him I haue cast off many that died by mine occasion how coulde I then forget or reiect him for the loue of another A thousand times hath Filemon watched me not leesing a steppe that the Shepherd Arsileus and I haue troden amiddes these greene woods and pleasant vales but let him say if he euer heard Arsileus talke to me of loue or if I answered him any thing touching such matter What day did Filemon euer see me talke to Arsileus whereby he might conceiue any thing else by my words but that I went about to comfort him in such great forrow as he suffered And if this be a sufficient cause to make him thinke ill of his Shepherdesse who can better iudge it then himselfe Behold then faire Shepherdesse how much he was giuen to false suspects and wrongfull iealousie that my wordes could neuer satisfie him nor worke with him to make him leaue off his obdurate minde by absenting himselfe from this valley thinking therby to haue made an end of my daies wherein he was deceiued when as he rather ended his owne ioy and contentment if for me at the least he had euer any at all And this was the michiefe besides that Filemon being not onely content to beare mee such a kinde of vniust iealousie whereof he had so small occasion as now faire Shepherdesse thou hast seene hee did likewise publish it at euerie feast in all bridales wrestlings and meetings that were made amongst the Shepherds of these hilles And this thou knowest good Shepherdesse howe it did preiudice mine honour more then his contentment In the ende hee absented himselfe from mee which course since hee hath taken for a medicine of his malladie which it seemes hath the more increased it let him not finde fault with me if I haue knowne how to profit my selfe more thereby then he hath And now that thou hast seene faire Shepherdesse what great content that I felt when thou toldst the Shepherd Arsileus so good newes of his Shepherdesse that I my selfe was most earnest with him to haue him go and seeke her out it is cleere that there could not be any thing between vs that might ingēder such cause of suspition as this Shepherd hath wrongfully cōceiued of vs. So that this is the cause that hath made me not only so cold in the loue that I did beare him but not to loue any more wherby to put mine honor good name in hazard of false suspects since my good hap hath brought me to such a time that without forcing my selfe I may do it at mine own choise libertie After Amarillis had shewed the small reason the Shepherd had to giue so great credit to his iealous imaginations and the libertie wherein time and her good fortune had put her a naturall thing to free harts the woefull Shepherd replied in this sort I doe not denie Amarillis but that thy wisedome and discretion is sufficient to cleere thee of all suspition But wilt thou now make nouelties in loue inuent other new effects then those which we haue heretofore seene When a louer would loue well the least occasion of iealousie torments his foule how much more when those were greater which by thy priuie conuersation and familiaritie with Arsileus thou hast giuen me Dost thou thinke Amarillis that for a iealousie certainties are needfull Alas thou deceiuest thy selfe for suspicions be the principall causes of their entrance which was also no great matter since I beleeued that thou didst beare Arsileus good will the publishing whereof was as little preiudiciall and lesse offensiue to thine honour since the force of my loue was so great that it made mee manifest the ill that I did feare And though thy goodnes assured mee when at stealth and deceite of my suspectes I thought thereof yet I alwaies feared least some aduerse successe might befall vnto me if this familiaritie had beene still continued But to that thou saiest faire Shepherdesse that I absented my selfe I answere that vpon a stomacke or to giue thee any offence or greefe thereby I did it not but to see if I could haue any remedie in mine owne not seeing the cause of my great mishap and greefe before mine eies and bicause my pursutes might not also offende thee But if by seeking remedy for so great an ill I went against that which I owed thee what greater punishment can I haue then that which thy absence hath made me feele If thou saiest thou didst neuer loue Arsileus it giues me greater occasion to complaine of thee since for a thing of so small importance thou didst forsake him who so greatly desired to serue thee So that I haue the more cause to accuse thee the lesse thy loue was to Arsileus And these are the reasons Amarillis and manie more which I do alleage not in mine owne excuse and fauour whereby I thinke not to helpe my selfe at all since in matters of loue they are woont to profite so little onely requesting thee gentle Amarillis that thy clemencie and the faith which I haue euer borne thee may be of my side and mooue thee
then thinke that a poore vnfortunate Louer that loues wel is able to do what griefe thinkest thou he passeth when he knowes that his Shepherdesse is in the armes of her new married husband and he bewailing and weeping his disgrace and ill Fortune in the streete And this is not all the torment when such a mischeefe and death remaines yet thereof that he must not complaine of it at all but must suffer silly man and holde his peace bicause by complaining he shall be thought no lesse then a foole or a madde man a thing as contrarie to his rest as may be For if the iealousies were of some other Shepherd that serued her by complayning of the fauours she doth him and by hearing her excuses the Louer might better passe away his greefe but this is such a kinde of torment that in an instant one shall loose it if he haue no stay in his desire Leaue of this talke said Diana for thou hast no neede to loue nor to be beloued In respect of not hauing it to loue saide Syrenus I am glad in not hauing it also to be beloued Strange is thy libertie said Diana but stranger was thy forgetfulnes said Syrenus if thou dost remember well the words thou spakest to mee at my departure But let vs as thou saiest leaue of to speake of things which are past let vs thanke time and Lady Felicia for those that are present And thou Syluanus take thy Pipe and I will tune my Rebecke to it and let vs sing some verses togither although so free a hart as mine cannot sing of anie thing that may giue content to thine that is of another qualitie I will giue thee a good remedie for this saide Syluanus For let vs imagine that we are both in the same case as this Shepherdesse made vs liue when we filled these hils and dales with our amorous complaints Syluanus deuise liked them all well but Seluagia was a little displeased thereat who for that time bicause she would not seeme to be iealous where she was ascertained of so great loue helde her peace And the Shepherds began to sing in manner following Syrenus IF teares cannot with tendernesse relent thee How can my song thy cruelty assured Since nought of mine could euer yet content thee What hart was euer that so much endured That to deride thou neuer canst suffice thee Agreefe that hath the worlds wonder procured Ah blinde conceite let loue nor time disguise thee And such a thought of change that neuer told me But to thy good and my content a duise thee Ah wilt thou in such cares and greefes enfold me Fierce Shepherdesse and in such lamentations To spend my dolefull yeeres wilt thou behold mo A hart that 's thine dispos'st thou in such fashions Intreat'st thou thus a soule to thee affied That the lest greefe it is to suffer passions Syluanus Loue such a knot that 's endles thou hast tied That 's blinde and thou and I more blinde intended She is blinde for whom my life 's denied For I sawe not my life and pleasure ended Nor she how I for her to death imploy me Nor thou that I in flames am thus incended Fell Loue shall faire Diana now destroy me With absence then conclude since hate surrounds it To end my life and fortunes that annoy me Ioy 's slowe time flies and with his shortnes wounds it Hope dies an amorous thought liues still augmented Loue shortens it prolongs it and confounds it To speake I am ashamed thus tormented And though it greeues me yet with ceaslesse payning Without the same I cannot liue contented Syrenus O soule forsake not now thy dolefull plaining And you my wearied eies Cease not in swelling teares my cheekes to steepe Since you haue learn'd to weepe And waile the chiefest cause of all my cries Syluanus And waile the chiefest cause of all my cries Yet cruell Shepherdesse Sometimes they were of my most sweete content O thoughts in sorrow spent How small time lasts a ioy and happines Syrenus How small time lasts a ioy and happines And that sweete gracious smile Fortune wherewith I sawe thee not accoyd Now all is well imployd In him whom time doth counsell and beguile Syluanus In him whom time doth counsell and beguile Loue works his behest But in his things who can him well aduise Or his deceites who spies O cruell Shepherdesse O cruell brest Syrenus O cruell Shepherdesse O cruell brest Whose crueltie is no Whit lesse then her braue beautie and her grace And my mishap and case How to my cost my sorrowes doe I knowe Syluanus My Shepherdesse in white and red more cleere Then both those roses pluckt in May we see And brighter then the sunne beames sent From their coruscant Orient By morning that vpon thy foldes appeere How can I liue if thou forgettest me My Shepherdesse thy rigour then impaire For crueltie becomes not one so faire Syrenus My faire Diana more resplendant then The Emerauld or Diamond in the night Whose beautious eies doe cease My sorrowes that increase if gently that perhaps to me they bend So maist thou with thy flocke so faire and vvhite Come to my shadovved sheepefold in the heate That such a vvretch thou vvould'st not ill intreate Syluanus My Shepherdesse when that thy yellow haire Thou combest in the beames of shining sunne Dost thou not see the same obscured My pride andioy by them procured That am from hence beholding it so faire Woon now with hope now with despaire vndone But so maist thou thy beautie braue enioy As thou wouldst giue ameane in such annoy Syrenus Diana whose sweete name in all these hils The wilde beastes tames and crueltie rebates And whose surpassing beautie to it Doth subiect fortune and vndoe it And feares not loue but wars against his wils Respecting not occasion time nor fates To thee thy flockes and folds such ioy may giue As carelesse of my greefe thou wouldst not liue Syluanus The heate is past Syrenus and doth cease The Shepherds to their folds begin to goe And wearie grashoppers doe hold their peace The night will not stay long which hid belovve Is comming in vvhile Phoebus in our skie Doth heere and there his vading light bestovve Therefore before the darkest shade shall lie Vpon the ground and vvhile the vvren doth sing In top of this greene Sicamour on hie Our vvandring flockes together let vs bring And driue them vvhere Diana novv doth stay For vs vvhile in the vvoods our voices ring Syrenus My friend Syluanus goe not yet avvay Since all his beames not yet the sunne doth hide And that vve haue sufficient of the day There 's time for vs and for our flocke beside And time to driue them to the riuer cleere For in this meade to day they shall abide And Shepherd let my song be ended heere All the while that the Shepherds were singing the Shepherdesse Diana was leaning her faire face vpon her hand whose sleeue falling downe a
the loue I bare him he shall not beare the blame of the ill that I shall procure by mine owne desire but my selfe Lay not before mine eies the seruices that this Shepheard hath sometimes done me nor tell me the reasons that he giues thee to mooue me for the time is now past when they once helpt him He promised to marrie me and behold he hath married another What would he nowe haue Or what pretendes this enemie of my quiet rest What now that his wife is dead would he haue me marrie him O God forbid that I should doe my selfe so great iniurie Let him go Armia let him go for if he loues me so much as he saith this loue shall serue me for a renenge of his deepe deceite The other ioyning her smiling face to Duardas srowning countenance and louingly imbracing her with milde gentle wordes replied thus How wel hath all becomen thee gracious Shepherdesse which thou hast said I would neuer desire to be a man but euen now to loue thee more then mine owne selfe But tell me Duarda why art thou so desirous to haue Danteus leade so sorrowfull a life He saith the reason that thou hast to complaine of him serues him for his excuse For before he married being with thee one day neere to the hedge of Fremoselle he saide vnto thee Duarda my father wil marrie me what is thy aduise in this matter And that thou didst answere him roughly How now Danteus Am I so olde or haue I so great power ouer thee that thou dost aske my opinion and leaue for thy marriage Thou maiest doe what thou list and what thine owne will and thy fathers shall oblige thee to for in the like case I my selfe would do no lesse And this was spoken with an estranged countenance and not with that woonted kinde of milde and gentle speech but as if it had beene quite past thy memorie that thou didst once loue him well Callest thou this an excuse said Duarda If I knew thee not Armia so well as I doe thy wisedome and discretion should hazard their credit with me What should I answere a Shepherd who published euery where that there was nothing in the world wheron he would cast an affectionate eie but on me how much more then that Danteus was not so ignorant but that he vnderstood by my countenance and manner of my wordes that with my will I would not haue answered him as I did What a mockerie was this I pray thee Armia for him to meete me one day before this came to passe neere to the fountaine and with many teares to say thus vnto me Why are thou so vngratefull Duarda to the good will which I beare thee that thou wilt not be married to me without thy fathers consent when time thou knowest will weare out the anger that they may conceiue thereof Whom I then answered thus Content thy selfe Danteus that I am thine and that I can neuer be any others whatsoeuer shall befall vnto me And thy word and promise which thou hast giuen me to be my husband contents me well ynough desire not then in respect of staying a little time longer a thing whereof such mischiefe may ensue At which wordes he tooke his leaue telling me the next day that his father would marrie him and requesting me to giue him leaue and not content with this but to be married in deede three daies after Dost thou not therefore thinke this Armia a sufficient reason for me to vse the benefite of that libertie which with such trouble of my thoughts I haue at last obtained These are things saide the other soone spoken and passed betweene the truest louers but must not be taken so much at the hart nor so narrowly interpreted as thou dost vnderstand them For those which are spoken thou hast reason Armia but for those that are done thou seest it well ynough if they touch not our soules too neere that loue well In the ende Danteus married and it greeues me not a little that so faire a Shepherdesse liued so small a time and more to see that one whole moneth after her buriall being scarce past new thoughts began to occupie his minde againe God tooke her away said Armia to the end that Danteus might be thine for indeede he could be no others but thine If this be so said Duarda that he that is ones cannot be anothers I finde my selfe now to be mine owne and therefore cannot be Danteus his But let vs leaue of a thing not worth the losse of time that is spent about it which shal be better imployed in singing a song And then both of them in their owne toong with a sweete grace began to sing that which followeth TImes change and shall as we doe see And life shall haue an ende But yet my faith shall euer bee Whereon my eies depende The daies and moments and their scope The howres with their changes wrought Are cruell enemies to hope And friendes vnto a louing thought Thoughts still remaine as we doe see And hope shall haue an end But yet my faith shall not leaue me Her honour to defend Inconstancie in trust contriued Causeth great danger in conclusion And life that is of hope depriued Standes not in feare of disillusion Times goe and come as we doe see And life shall haue an end But yet my faith shall neuer bee Distan'd for foe or friend This song being ended Felismena came out of the place where she had hid herselfe directly to that place where the Shepherdesses were who amazed at her sudden sight but more at her rare grace and beautie went to her and with louing embracings welcommed her asking her of what countrey she was and from whence she came To which demaundes faire Felismena could not answer but with manie teares asked them what countrey that was wherein they nowe where For by her owne toong she cleerely made them knowe that she was of Vandalia and that for a certaine mishap she was banished from her countrey The Portugall Shepherdesses with their pitifull teares did the best they could to cōfort her being very sorrie for her exile a common thing to that nation more proper to the inhabitants of that prouince And Felismena asking them what citie that was which she had left where the riuer with his christalline streames and speedy course came running on with great force and bicause she also desired to know what castle that Montemayor was which was scituate on the hill higher then the rest and many other demands one of them called Duarda tolde her that the citie was Coymbra one of the most famons principall cities not onely of that kingdome but of all Europe for the braue territories fieldes about it which that great riuer called Mondego watred with his cleerest waters And that all those fieldes where with great swiftnes it ranne were called the fieldes of Mondego And that the castle which she sawe before her was the ancient
good but iust no more Then it is meete for them to haue Fauours I craue by heapes of thee That thou wouldst giue me Shepherdesse But yet perhaps they may kill me For little force I doe possesse It hurts the driest field and meade As much to cast in them great plentie Of water as if they lay deade Of water and of moisture emptie So fauours in the selfesame sort If that they haue no rule nor measure Suffice to make ones life more short As wel as scornes hates and displeasure But in the end and howsoeuer Take thy full ioy although I die Whether it be with death for euer Or with my life I care not I. Mocke and with me doe what thou list And happen will what happen may My will thy will shall not resist But thy commaund shall still obay Commaund me then to be thy loue Commaund me in thy loue to end And he that rules and is aboue All harts commaund thy hart to bend Since mightie Loue commaunds my hart Of force thy louer I must bee Ioine thou with loue and take his part Then all the world shall honour thee But I haue written to be plaine Enough since thou hast not thy fill By giuing me continuall paine Desiring yet to serue thee still But in the end now will I cease Although my torment doth not end Desire is conquerd by the feare I haue thy patience to offend When Syrenus had made an end of reading this letter the Shepherd tooke it out of his hands without staying any longer went his waies singing That which he sung whilest they could heare him giuing great eare vnto him was to the purpose of that which he had told them before he shewed them the letter A Sonnet I Plaid with Loue Loue plaid with me againe I mocked him but I was mockt in deede He would not let my hart his art exceede For though a Boy yet mocks he doth disdaine A friend he is to those that doe not faine My iestes it seemes doe true affection breede And now if Loue is not reuenged with speede My hart can witnes that with earnest paine Goe louers then to iest it out apace With this God Cupid but a boy and blinde And you shall see if it be good or noe Thinking to haue delight you shall haue woe Seeking cold water fire you shall finde Who plaies with boies comes often to disgrace They maruelled not a little at the sweetenes of his song were no lesse sorrie bicause they knew not what Shepherd he was but seeing it was not then possible to know him they went on their nighest waies Some haste they made to passe away the heate of the day in that Iland where they found the desperate Shepherdesse Belisa taking the same to be a more fresh and pleasant place and more quiet for their recreation then any other Whereunto being come they saw how a little brooke couered almost all ouer with sweet and smelling herbs ranne gently thorow a little greene meadow amongst a ranke of diuers trees that were nourished and maintained by the cleere water vnder the shadowes of which as they were now determined to rest themselues Syrenus said Let vs see if you thinke good from whence this little spring doth issue foorth It may be the place is more fresh and cooler thereabouts if not or if we cannot finde out the fountaine from whence it flowes we will come hither againe It liked his company well and so they desired him to leade the way Euerie place and part that all the brooke vpwards they troad on inuited them to pleasant rest being all alike to the verie fountaine whereupon Seluagia said If we cannot finde out the beginning of this spring we shall not finde at the least any discontent for our selues or suffer any trouble in returning backe againe since so conuenient places as better and more pleasant we cannot wish for our desired rest in going vp higher are offered vnto vs. Hauing now gone vp a little along the running brooke and not found out the head and that euerie step as I said presented vnto them a pleasant place of rest they went staying somtimes somtimes reasoning with themselues where they might sit one of them saying This place is more fresh and another answering no but this let vs sit downe heere for this is more pleasant no but here said another So that the pleasant obiect of euerie place held them in such suspence that none of them could choose out the best But resoluing at the last vpon one they tooke the scrips of their shoulders and passing their sheepehookes from their left hands they tooke them in their right to lay them downe to rest when they saw that with greater quantitie of waters and fresher shades of green trees the brooke ranne vp higher so that for a new hope a new aire and place was obiected to them They had not yet scarce begun to goe vp a little farther when the brooke forsaking her right course towardes the left hand made them turne their steps backe againe where they discouered a great thicket and spring of diuers trees Comming to the which they saw a very narrow entrance and somwhat long whose sides were not of wals fabricated by artificiall hand but made of trees by nature the mistresse of all things so that the wooddy place was no lesse enobled and imbelished with the naturall verdure then the stately chambers with embossed gold For there was seene the deadly Cypresse the triumphant Laurell the hard Oke the low sallow the inuincible palme the blacke and ruggie Elme the Oliue the prickie Chestenut the high Pineapple one amongst another whose bodies were bound about with greene Iuie and the fruitfull vine and beset with sweet Iesmines many other redolent flowers that grew very thicke togither in that place Amongst the which many little birds inhabitants of that wood went leaping from bough to bough as in scornefull cages making the place more pleasant with their sweete and siluer notes The trees were in such order set togither that they denied not the golden sunbeames to haue an entrance in betweene the boughes and leaues to paint forth the greene ground with diuers colours which reuerberated from the flowers that were neuer steadie in one place by reason that the mooueable leaues did disquiet them This narrow way did also lead to a little greene couered all ouer with fine grasse and not touched with the hungrie mouthes of deuouring flockes At the side of it was the fountaine of the brooke hauing a care that that place should not drie vp sending forth on euerie side her flowing waters The water of this cleere fountaine came out of a stony rocke which a great Oke with his hard rootes did imbrace on either side whereof stood two great Laurell trees This fountaine did rise towards that place where the sunne beginnes to mount declining somewhat to the septentrionall part The same rockie stone whereby the water ranne out
serued both for a mouth and channell which was not wrought with the blow of the hard Chesil but by the continuall running of the gentle water and so it was in some places a little more worne then in others being more soft or to say more properly lesse hard in one place then in another and by reason of the concauitie of the stone there was seene an inequalitie that represented a more pleasant and gracious running bicause it made the water come out more merily with high and low fals representing certaine cristalline in cleeres and shadows a pleasant and delightfull sight to the greedie eie The water fell into a fountaine of the same rockie stone wrought after the same forme as the channell was It was fouresquare and euery side was fower foote in bredth and in depth sixe or a little more The Petrenall was not right to smite fire with the blowe of hard steele bicause it was not blacke but so white that had it not beene for the hardnes thereof none would haue thought but that it had beene Alablaster And though it was not so curiously cut out and wrought like marble yet was it maruellous and strange for the turne it serued And so for the clecrenes of the water as also for the whitenes of the rockie stone it was so christalline that if any foule thing did fall therein it was so apparant to his sight that came thither that maugre his will hee was forced not to suffer it to receiue such iniurie but to bring it againe to the former purenes For which cause it was euer kept verie cleere and cleane The water ranne out of it into an Ilande on both sides to enuironne the greene plat which was set round about with white Poplars blacke Elmes and greene Sallowes It was in length about a hundred and fiftie paces and a hundred and twentie in bredth There was no entrance into it but where the Shepheds went in and by another way right ouer against the same made almost in the selfe same forme and fashion for the thicknes of the trees stopped vp all other waies and also bicause the water that ranne by the sides issuing towards the side without in some places of that brooke did wax so broad between the place of the trees that by the playne it could not by reason that it was somewhat higher Neere to this fountaine did the Shepherds sit vnder the shadow of a braunchie Oke and certaine Laurell trees and taking out some of those victuals that Doria had prouided for them after they had rested themselues a little they ouercame their importunate hunger satisfying their appetites sufficiently with the same and bicause they had a good way to goe that day they tooke not their rest as much as the place and their desires did inuite them but before all the heate of the day was past least the time should also passe away with it they were about to goe from that place But as they were preparing themselues to rise and to be gone Syrenus saide to Syluanus It is not reason Syluanus that liuing now in such ioy and content and in the presence of thy beloued Seluagia thou shouldest let thy Bagpipe waxe so drie nor is it meete that from this pleasant place the friendly entertainment and delights whereof thou hast enioyed thou shouldest depart without requiting it with the sweetnes of thy melodie and song With greater reason answered Syluanus should the Hamadryades preseruers of these trees and the Driades inhabitours of these green woods complaine of thee that wouldest go away without giuing them some part of thy sweete harmonie and melodious voice Let vs leaue this courteous contention said Syrenus and doe that which I request thee for the great reason which thou hast to do it for that which I told thee first though thou wilt not perhaps for that which I alleaged last For the first indeed I cannot deny thee said Syluanus but in faith I know not what to sing that might not grieue thee that art so far from loue or offend me that am so full of amorous thoughts so that in the end I can sing nothing vnlesse it be to mine owne griefe but that which belongs thereunto To heare thy delicate songs and inioy the sweetnes of thy voice saide Syrenus I will be content with any thing but since it must needes be in such sort in thy song I pray thee shew how far the firmnenes of thy loue extendeth which thou bearest to thy louing Shepherdesse for by occasion heereof I know she cannot nor will not choose but answere thee againe in whose sweet voice and song I shall take no lesse delight then in thine I am content said Syluanus And then thus he began Syluanus IT may fall out the heauens may turne at leisure And stay themselues vpon the highest mountaines And Ezla and Mondego at their pleasure With hastie course turne backe vnto their fountaines And that the flaxe or reede laid to the fire May not consume in flames but burne like wire But yet the day and time shall happen neuer When Syluan shall not loue Seluagia euer Immediately without any entreatie Seluagia bicause she would not die in Syluanus debt nor be beholding to him in this respect taking her Baggepipe vp in this sort did answer him Seluagia The ground shall first be void nor trod nor vsed Leesing her nature and her proper being First shall the raine and vvater be refused Of plants no moisture round about them seeing First shall our life vvith aire be not sustained And first the foode of hunger be disdained Before the vvorld shall see a deede so hainous Seluagia not to loue her deere Syluanus Syluanus The presence of the vvoolfe that doth deuoure The sillie lambes in shades shall not be feared As little shall the hare vvithin her bovvre The yalping hounds nor harts of lions teared Nor Mouse of Cat All hate shall be extruded And louing peace tvvixt all shall be concluded But yet the time and day shall happen neuer When Syluan shall not loue Seluagia euer Seluagia The flocke of little chickes the dams deere treasure Of rauening kites and gleades shall be eschevved The Partridge shall securely liue in pleasure Of praying Goshauke being not pursued The pullaine shall not be of Foxe molested But peace and truce tvvixt all shall be suggested But neuer lies a deede in her so hainous As that Seluagia should forget Syluanus Syluanus I say vvhile any part shall be maintained Of thy Syluanus vvith blood and vitall povvres And vvhilst each member of the same sustained Shall be vvith soule vnto their latest hovvres And if besides the soule can loue expired When to the graue the body is retired In life in death else let him prosper neuer Syluan sshall loue his Shepherdesse for euer Seluagia I say vvhile liuing breath shall not be vvanting In thy Seluagia louing thee so truly And vvhile her soule vvithin her body panting Shall make aboade and gouerne it
After they had agreed vpon these matters they determined to know of Firmius if he woulde remaine in those parts any long time and if it were his will to take vpon him the charge and keeping of their flockes till their returne wherupon they went to him and asked him his name and knowing it would haue knowne from whence he came and what he was But perceiuing these demands did not like him very wel they would not vrge him farther then his own will pleasure but they told him what they had agreed vpon if he thought good to do it He gaue them many thankes for the good opinion and confidence they had in him not knowing what he was saying he was very glad to do it For though he was minded not to stay in that countrey yet to do them any seruice he could he woulde at such time make his abode there during the time they went about their other busines In the end after they had agreed with him they deliuered him their flockes which he kept so well and charily all the time that they were yet at home that they were very glad they had founde out so good a keeper but hee was more that his fortune was so good to haue so fit an occasion to remaine where hee thought he might somtimes enioy Dianas presence with so good an excuse and not of intent to procure the same In these daies though they were but a fewe none durst take in hande to play on their Bagpipes and Rebecks for so sweete were Firmius his songs and so melodious his voice wherewith so greatly he rauished the rest that they thought their time but ill bestowed that was not spent in hearing him They went many times to intreate with Diana for him but she was so froward and disdainefull that their conuersation and speeches with her and her answers to them againe pleased not each other verie well Not her not bicause she was not glad to see those Shepherds and Syrenus especially but bicause it was a great griefe and torment to her minde to haue him before her eies solliciting for another who was sometimes all her ioy and delight hauing yet some few reliques of her former loue she bare him and to see him now so obliuious of all the same Not the Shepherds bicause being so iocond merry they woulde not haue any sad in their companie especially Diana to whom they wished all the good that might be though now in another sort then in times past they did it And the company both of the one and other neither pleased Diana nor themselues bicause that sorrow and solitarines which pleased Diana the Shepherdes eschewed and fled and the delights and ioyfull companie that the Shepherds sought out Diana did vtterly forsake So that if they went to see her it was onely to driue out of her minde if they coulde her great and greeuous thoughts Into the which Seluagia seeing her on a day so plunged to ridde her from them saide So may the Gods be fauourable vnto thee Diana and giue thee that content which thou most desirest if thou wouldst sing and play on thy Bagpipe a little How art thou deceiued Seluagia said Diana by thinking that I should hope for content when I know assuredly there is none at all left for me bicause all the waies whereby it shoulde haue passage into my soule are now stopped vp And this is my greatest greefe that I haue no hope at all neuer to be ridde from my continuall sorrow One onely meane whereon my chiefest hope dependeth is left which is vntimely death And yet fortune being in euery thing so contrary to me hath taken it away also from me since I cannot giue it my selfe without great infamie and shame to remaine me euer after to my name and memorie which shoulde not yet be a hinderance to the performance of it nor I would not care for the same if there were not another matter in the way Thou dost request me to singe and alas I can do nothing but weepe The day that you came home I essaied to do it but demand of my hart if not of my Baggepipe what passed for this remained afflicted and full of greefe and that throwen away in a profounde and painfull passion where yet I thinke it lies beseeching the Soueraigne Gods that as I had strength and a hart to cast my senceles Bagpipe away I had also the power to cast my hart from mee that then and nowe doth feele such excessiue woes So that now hauing forgotten my singing and left my Bagpipe pardon me if herein I cannot pleasure thee Then said Syrenus to Seluagia It is not in Dianas power faire Shepherdesse to do any thing against thy will Nor in her power said Diana to haue any thing fall out to her owne will But since in times past saide Syrenus when the conquering of thee did most of all behooue me thou didst euer carrie away the victorie why then in this wherin I loose nothing nor care to be ouercommed need I pretend to be conquer our I will not enter into disputations with thee and therefore let it be as thou wilt O how manie inward sighes did euerie one of these words and the remembrance of that which was past cost afflicted Diana But for loue of thy selfe said Syrenus to Diana let vs goe and seeke out thy Bagpipe for it is no reason thou shouldest requite it so ill that hath done thee so good seruice And by the way we will goe to our flockes and bring thee acquainted with Firmius of whom I haue told thee sometimes before and if we could intreate him to sing I know thou wouldest take great delight to heare him the one for his great iudgement and wisedome the other bicause he is as sorrowful as thy selfe whereby thou mightest I thinke receiue some comfort and content But if Syrenus had knowen what should afterwards haue befallen vnto him of these praises and of other things which he told of Firmius he would not onely haue left vndone what he did nor spoken at all in the matter but not once haue had a thought thereof Thou hast tolde me so much of this new Shepherd said Diana that I must needes goe see him for there are two things in him thou tellest me befitting my humours so well but especially his melancholie and sadde life wherein I shall best conforme my selfe with him Now were they come in sight of the place where Diana had left her Bagpipe when they saw Firmius singing to the tune of his Rebecke We are come in good time said Syrenus for Firmius is singing and happily I must needes say since so seldome he is wont to do it being continually so full of sad and pensiue thoughts Comming therefore softly and secretly on bicause they would not be seene of him they heard him singing this transuersed Sextiuen IN this greene Meade mine Eies what doe you see The Bagpipe of my Nymph so passing faire Vnlesse my
senses Dreame so should it be For Sure this is the Oke wherewith despaire She lean'd vnto and heere the grasse yet lies And field that she did water with her eies What doubt I then mine Eies see it so plaine For Sure I knowe this is the very Meade And tree that did her tender lims sustaine This is the Bagpipe which my Nymph did treade Vpon This is the Oke the happy beame Whereto she lean'd I knowe this is no Dreame But if I Dreame that thinking with mine Eies All this I see and all doth prooue but nought And if this Oke in dreame I doe surmise And see this Meade but onely in my thought Where my faire Nymph did print her goodly feete O Sure it were a dreame to me most sweete Ioue thee I pray if this I doe but feare And if my Dreame doth fall out Sure or no By all the loue to Nymphes that thou didst beare Open mine Eies the trueth that I may knowe Helpe me to pray him greene and flowrie Meade Helpe me to pray him Oke with branchie heade What hath deseru'd this faire and stately Oke Why that should not be Sure which I doe see What hainous fault could this fine Meade prouoke Why things in deede should seeme but Dreames to mee Vnto mine Eies what is befallen of late Why that they should not see my Nymphes estate This Bagpipe of my Nymph I will deuise To hang it heere faire Oke to honour thee A woorthy Trophee though before mine Eies Lying disgrac't for teares they cannot see If it be Sure or if I dreame in vaine Spoil'd in this Meade with parching sunne and raine That gracious Nymph that gaue my hart the stroke In this greene Meade I sawe a heauenly prize And if I dreame not leaning to that Oke Nay Sure I did be hold her with mine Eies O that she had but seene me then againe Or that I had but seene or dream'd in vaine Thus as he made an end of his song gathering vp the freshest and sweetest flowers he could finde he adorned Dianas Bagpipe so finely with them that one would haue thought it had beene that Horne that Hercules tooke from Achelous transformed into a Bull the which the Naiades decked with plentie of coloured Apples and flowers whereupon it tooke the name Cornu copia or the Horne of plentie When he had done thus he hanged the Bagpipe vpon the Oke whereunto she had leaned and hard by it as afterwards they perceiued wrote these verses I am Dianes th' Arabian bird in beautie and in grace Let no man therefore once preseume to take me from this place Syrenus who of purpose it seemed would haue had Diana shew some loue to Firmius stept before his company and pulling Firmius by the lappe of his coate behinde for his backe was towards him said vnto him I will shew thee Shepherde a brauer and fresher bowe then this and more woorthy of this Trophee and which will perhaps giue thee more content then this Bagpipe and such a thing that shall be no lesse welcome to it then to thy selfe Firmius desired him to shew it him Then Syrenus pointing to Diana with his finger said vnto him Dost thou see it there Firmius was so altered with the sudden sight of faire Diana that though he would faine haue dissembled it neither the colour in his face nor the faintnes of his legs would giue him leaue to do it for that was gone and these were not able to support the bodie without great paine But in the end borrowing a little strength of his weaknes in the best sort he could he incouraged his hart to hide that which was so openly manifest and answered Syrenus There should be other Trophees of higher honour placed in this bowe By this time came the two Shepherdesses and Syluanus and saluted him but he was in such a case seeing Diana so neere him that he gaue no great heed to their salutations Whereupon Diana turning to Seluagia said This Shepherd should belike talke to none but to himselfe alone for in company me thinkes he hath no list to answere vs. You must needes be the cause thereof saide Seluagia for he neuer wanted talke for vs. Now as thou louest thy life said Diana aske him how he knew my name This I can tell thee said Seluagia without asking him For when thou threwest downe thy Bagpipe in this place talking with thy selfe thou didst name thy selfe which I know to be true for we our selues heard it and then she told her in what sort they saw her and how they found Firmius and what he then did and said when she was gone and told her moreouer that they had asked the same things of Firmius himselfe bicause in his song hee had many times named her If it be thus saide Diana he knowes more of my matters then I would he did But let vs heare what thy Syluanus sayeth vnto vs. We haue requested Firmius saide hee to sing heere a little and we can by no meanes entreate him but as I vnderstande by others and partely by mine owne coniecture that if thou wilt but speake the worde vnto him hee will doe it by and by There is no reason saide Diana by condescending to my requestes that hee should denie you yours But if you be not able to entreate him heere is Seluagia that can enforce him Indeed in thy beautie said Seluagia all the force and vertue that is sufficient to mooue greater matters then this doth consist But let vs leaue this do that I pray thee which my Syluanus requesteth thee Diana then looking vpon Firmius saide vnto him Vrged more by the importunate requestes of these Shepherdes then by any confidence of thy part or assurednes of mine owne I pray thee yoong Shepherd satisfie their desires Firmius comming neere to Diana said vnto her and so softly as they could not heare him As these Shepherdes are in a safe hauen so would they not by their wils but be euer singing and merrie but as I am continually in stormy tempestes and suffring shipwiacke for thy sake not knowing on what shelfe of disgrace my fortune will cast me would not be but euer weeping and sad But bicause I neither can nor will disobey thy will vnlesse it be in leauing of to serue thee which yet at thine own desire I can not do what shall please thee I will sing though it be with a hoarce voice like to the dying swanne diuining her ensuing death Thou art not so neere thy ende saide Diana that death should helpe thee I am so neere ended saide Firmius that I looke onely but for death I did neuer yet see any saide Diana die for this cause but with words and do beleeue besides there are not any such And speaking a little lowder bicause they might all heare with dissembling that which she had secretly spoken vnto him she saide Thou wouldest belike haue me tell thee Firmius and the rest that I am desirous to heare thee
be ridde of the discontent which their silence did procure them Which thing when she perceiued it made her smile a little to herselfe Being thus therfore in this pleasant meadow and tedious mutenes Felicia pointed with her finger to an entrance thereof right ouer against them to haue them all looke that way where casting their eies they sawe a reuerend old man comming in graue in his countenance person and disposition as also in the manner of his habite and apparell for in euery point he seemed to represent a most woorthie priest of Iupiter Hee came holding a staffe in his right hand and sustained vpon it his olde and wearied body whereon sometimes leaning he looked stedfastly on the grounde like a man full of imaginations and sometimes againe lifted vp his eies to heauen like one most sorrowfull and comfortlesse He made such sundrie kindes of motions and gestures of his body obseruing yet alwaies the due grauitie of his noble person that he did not onely mollifie the tender harts of them that were looking on him but had been able to haue made the cruell Hircanian Tygres milde and gentle if they had beene present especially with the outward shewes of sorrow that he represented of some inwarde greefe for in the middes thereof he gaue a turne about viewing the heauens on euery side and speaking against Fortune of whom he seemed to make his chiefest complaint he vttered this that followeth IN each created thing One motion onely and of might Predominant continually is found Which still doth keepe and bring The same one way and course aright That 's alwaies like and vniforme and round And none can be vnbound From this compacted order though he would None can againe the same forsake Or any other take And yet it would not though perhaps it could Thou Fortune art alone Without it in disorder onely one That first and highest Sphere That mooues and is not moou'd againe Of any other heauen that mooues one whit The which with his Careare And swiftest course doth turne away The lowest heauens and caries after it An order doth admit And doth maintaine not erring in the lest For it doth cary them with speede And with more haste indeede The nearest heauen to it from East to West But rule thou dost disdaine And onely without order dost remaine The circled Elements Of qualities most opposite The fire the aire the sea and earth belowe In motions not inuents A nouell course but mooue aright And euer keepe good order as they goe None erreth no. The earth about his lowest Centre mooues The water next in circle wise The aire next that that lies And fire to that a gallant order prooues But Fortune in thy Spheare Thou run'st without good order rule or feare The heauie fals downe right Vnlesse it haue impediment Vnto the Centre of his proper Spheare And that which is but light If that it haue an open vent Mounts to his highest region euery where And so each thing doth beare Good order and good rule continually In generation it doth spring Corruption it doth bring In fine all things by order liue and die Without it thou dost range Fortune that with disorder still dost change In this world nothing is If out of order it be gone But ordred it may be in time againe Ther 's nothing in blacke Dis Though there be all confusion Nor order kept for there it were but vaine But may indeede remaine In order in their manner forme and kinde And may be call'd to order fit If we consider it Though nought but paines and plaintes are there assign'd Thou worse then hellish thought In no point canst not be to order brought Thy motion out of kinde So far besides proportion lies That it can neuer be to order brought Swifter sometimes then winde With hastie speede so soone it flies That it is neuer seene nor felt nor thought The Parthian neuer wrought Nor sent an arrow out of steeled bowe With such great haste and maine Sometimes with sloth againe Like to the snaile or Tortuse she doth goe Blinde Fortune thou dost reele And more doth he that sits vpon thy wheele He had no sooner made an end of the complaints which he declamed against Fortune when walking towards the fountaine from the which he was not twentie paces on the sudden they saw him fling away his staffe and with a lustie kinde of agilitie contrary to his aged limmes laie hand on his Faulchion which from vnder a side garment that he wore he tooke out to smite a certaine Shepherd that laie a sleepe in that side of the meadow When they that were thus beholding him perceiued with what furie he ranne vpon the silly Shepherd whom hitherto they had not seene and with his naked Faulchion in his hande they would all haue runne to helpe him but that sage Felicia with signes which she made vnto them willed them to sit still telling them the matter should not need it But the old man was now lifting vp his Faulchion to smite him on the head when two beggerly and foule ragged Shepherdesses which were at hand rising from the ground tooke hold on him the one with a sorrowfull voice saying vnto him O my good Father But the old man vnwinding himself from them stept back making as though he would smite hir that went about to hinder him Wherupon she that had first spoken perceiuing that he knew her not spake to him againe saying O my deer Father Parisiles for this was his name The angry afflicted old man amazed at the tender voice he now knew and like the marble stone benummed in all his sences let his Faulchion presently fall out of his hands whom then the Shepherdesse calling him by the same name as before most louingly embraced as he was falling downe to the ground Who comming to himselfe againe and with the teares of milde loue supplying the interrupted voice of his brest threwe his aged armes vpon her and that face of hers which with lothsome mudde and durt was so much defiled sweetely beganne to kisse Felicia turning to her companie that being nowe ridde from the greefe of their late passed silence was laughing with a scornfull delight at the present sight to see him kisse that foule ill fauoured face said Maruell not my sonnes and daughters to see you reuerend old man kisse those deformed cheekes for fatherly loue extendeth to more then that so that if she seemes foule in your eies he thinkes her faire and no lesse doth the Shepherd that lieth there asleepe Like will to like saide Felismena It is so saide Felicia but bicause so great an iniurie may not be offered to the honorable old man as to be embraced with such an vnseemelines let vs go to put them asunder Whereupon they went towards them and making as though they had not seene them before Felicia said vnto them God saue this noble companie The other Shepherdesse yeelded her due thankes and a courteous answer
thee to goe in with vs for it was neuer my condition to force any against their wils whereby to giue thee any occasion to complaine of me and to say that like a forced captiue I carie thee in Your words good Ladie said Delicius are different from your deedes For whosoeuer should heare you say that you did not perforce carie me in would not I thinke beleeue your wordes for I frankly confesse before them all that you carrie me in as a prisoner forced and taken Wherein if they will not credit me for themselues at the least they must needs beleeue me for I will gage my head that all will affirme no lesse and say that you haue moreouer forced and made them captiue to your wil and commaund They all laughed at Delicius answere seeing how well he had acquited himselfe of Felicias iest whereupon they all told Felicia that the Shepherd said true and that she should not care for satisfactions with wordes And who shall iudge this betweene vs said Felicia for I confesse to that you carie me no lesse constrained and forced to your wils and desires But leauing this doubt to be decided let vs go our waies Then all of them obeying the sage Felicia followed her and with the pleasant discourses which they mooued there amongst themselues made the way seeme lesse and shorter so that sooner then they would some of them came to the royall Palace It was now well entred into night when being come neere to Dianas Temple and Felicias Palace a great number of faire Nymphes being richly attired came foorth to meete them and euerie one with a torch of virgin waxe in her hand to light them in thereby the rather to manifest the great magnificence and maiestie of Felicia then for any neede of their light at all For the moone did shine so bright that it seemed she endeuored nothing more then with her sociable presence to behold and hearken to that noble companie They that were neuer before in that rich Palace maruelled to see the stately and sumptuous buildings of it But when vpon the chiefe portall and entrance thereinto they saw two Nymphes made all of massie siluer stand vpon the Chaptrees of two columnes with these verses WHo comes into this place let her take heede How she hath liu'd and whether she hath kept The gift of chastitie in thought and deede And see besides if she hath euer stept With wauering minde to forren loue estranged And for the same her first afection changed May enter in DIANAS Temple heere Whose grace and vertues soueraine appeere Delicius said This aduise Ladie Felicia speaketh me thinkes onely of women but I would faine know why it toucheth not as well men as if there were not some in whom that is also found which warranteth an entrance into this place If the Goddesse of chastitie bicause it is the Temple of Diana delighteth onely in the companie and conuersation of women then must al men consequently be forbidden to come in And whereas it saieth that she that in all those points findes her selfe guiltlesse may come in my desire is to know if any woman failing in any of them happen to come in what would ensue thereof Syrenus before Delicius passed any further said It is wittily demaunded or els I vnderstand it not and truly my desire is no lesse to know what harme would befall to her that with breach of her first faith and loue entered in thereby to warne the faithlesse Shepherdesse Diana But now another scruple said Delicius ariseth in my mind which is That when we were comming towards this rich Palace I asked one of these faire Nymphes what euery one of this noble and vertuous companie might be who briefly satisfying me in euerie point amongst other things that she told me made me especially to maruell at this That some of these heere were married in this place Whereupon I would faine know if in the Temples of the Goddesse of chastitie it be vsuall to solemnize any marriage bicause that mysterie is as strange to mine eares as the reason therof to my conceit If by resoluing thee in these demaunds said Felicia I thought to preuent thee of any more replies I would endeuour to pleasure thee heerein but because I know thou wilt not therewith content thee but that with many doubts that in my answers may perhaps occurre thou wilt yet vrge me further I am minded to leaue it of for this time and the rather bicause it is time to go in to take our wonted foode and rest Whereupon they went in to supper which by this time was sumptuously made readie for them Hauing supped they went to bed without singing or playing on their instruments for there were some that desired more their rest then recreation and sleepe then solace thinking their late meriment past suffised them for that day The end of the third booke The fourth Booke of the second Part of Diana of George of Montemayor AMongst many other times that Felicia caried her guestes to disport themselues at the fountaine of the Laurell trees a place more pleasant then any other on a day when they were going into the little meadow where that faire fountaine did arise they sawe two louely Shepherdesses though by their coye lookes shewing a kinde of signorie and statelinesse aboue any other that were sitting harde by the goodly spring both of them endowed with singular beautie but especially the one that to their iudgements seemed the yoonger Right ouer against them on foote stoode a yoong Shepherd who with the lappe of his side coate wiped away the teares that fell downe thicke vpon his blubbered cheekes in requitall whereof and of his inward greefe the Shepherdesses did nothing else but by looking vpon one another affoorde him a gracious smile Syrenus Syluanus and Seluagia knowing it was the same Shepherd that shewed them the letter when they were going from Felicias palace towards their owne towne withdrew themselues aside and euery one of them doing the like Syrenus very softly said O how glad am I to see this yoong Shepherd here for if he would but sing you should see that the sweetenes of his songs which we haue so much commended to you were no fained thing But it greeues me not a little to see him in these termes that he is not like to make me nowe as good as my worde Take no care for that said Felicia for he will not forget to do it and bicause you may heare him the better come softly on with me for I will bring you to such a place where they shall not see you but where you may at pleasure delight you with his sweete musicke The Shepherdesses were talking with the Shepherd when Felicia brought them as neere vnseene as they could be but yet not so neere that they were able to tell what they were talking togither More faire then curteous are those Shepherdesses saide Lord Felix that request not the Shepherd to
sit downe by them It is not for that saide Felicia but for great respect of loue and dutie that he beareth to the yoonger who in her presence could neuer finde in his hart to sit but onely when others were in companie from whom he thought it best to conceale his passions Why is he so sadde saide Seluagia for as I remember and coulde gather by his letter his Shepherdesse could not doe nor say anie thing wherein he tooke not great ioy and contentment I but Fortune hath nowe turned her wheele saide Felicia for then and euer since for the reward of his loue he onely enioyed the presence and sweete company of his Shepherdesse the force from whence his ioyes and comforts sprung but now for some certaine daies he is forced to depart from her which farewell breedeth no lesse his present greese sorrow And that which giues him greater paine is that he knowes not when hee shall see her againe But harke and giue attentiue care for now they command him to sing whereupon they sawe him take his Rebecke out of his scrip and with a playning voice began thus to sing PHillis my faire yoong Shepherdesse That from thee by and by I must depart O heauinesse O that no but woe that I. O from the world that now I might depart Since that I must my ioy forgo thy sight For now I liue too long Then kill my hart Mishap if thou wilt grant me so much right Or fatall sisters now consent That she or I might die I craue it to a good intent O that no but woe that I. Pardon it is not I that doe desire Thy sudden and thy wrongfull death not I. It is my loue my hot and burning fire That made my toong so much to goe awrie And feare it is that mooues my hart And thoughts of iealousie Since thou dost stay and I depart O that no but woe that I. Such iealousies they are not thou must thinke That thou some other loue wilt entertaine For I doe knowe that loue can neuer sinke Into thy brest vnto my cruell paine But iealousie thou wilt forget Heereafter and denie That one did see another yet O that no but woe that I. But if thou dost faire Shepherdesse suspect To burie me in Lethes lake let greefe Before thou shouldst so ill my loue respect Consume my life let death be my relcefe Then thou shouldst thinke but such a thought First faire one let me die Although it shall be deerely bought O that no but woe that I. To rid my selfe from such n cruell paine I would destroy my selfe and purchase rest But then to kill thee I doe feare againe Bicause thou dwellest heere within my brest Doe then a noble deede my life From thence with speede to flie That then I may conclude this strife O that no but woe that I. Bargaine with me let me this fauour craue To leaue my hart that so thy harme doth dread Thy place againe then after thou shalt haue If thou maist come to it when it is dead For if thou once goest foorth I will To death with courage hte And then my vitall powers kill O that no but woe that I. As if it lay within thy handes and powre Sweete Shepherdesse forsake my wofull hart But yet thou canst not goe from thence one howre Neither can I although I would depart Nor yet I would not though I might I say I would not die But yet bicause I loose thy sight O that no but woe that I. If that I am in any thing to thee Gratefull this fauour then of thee I pray Thou wouldst when I am gone remember me And say where is my Shepherd all this day Then would I count my greefe but small If thou wilt not deny This thing or thinke of me at all Woe that no but O that I. Then say but I although it be in iest And neuer meanst thy promise to maintaine Thou shalt thereby procure some little rest Vnto my parting soule which I will faine Little I craue to ease my hart And paines yet let me trie This fauour Then I will depart O that no but woe that I. As he thus made an end of his song they rose vp and the yonger called Phillis made a signe to the Shepherd with her singer to reach her vp her scrip and Sheepehooke that lay on the ground at whose hands though in most dutifull manner he did it she receiued them with no more thankes or shew of courtesie then if one of hir swaines had giuen it her And then with a word or two of the Shepherdesses but with his many teares the mournefull Shepherd tooke his leaue whereat Phillis being mooued to some small sorrowe and to no lesse greefe for his departure tooke out of her scrip a fine little spoone the same perhaps that she her selfe did eate with and gaue it him wherewith the Shepherd did somewhat mitigate his helpelesse sorrow and then they went out of the meadow one way and the Shepherd another Might it not be well done saide Felismena to Felicia to talke with those Shepherdesses before they goe Not now answered Felicia for heereafter you shall knowe all when their due time shall come wherein you shall then take as great delight to see and conuerse with Phillis and Castalius for so is the Shepherd called that was with them as now perhaps some little greefe for their departure whereas besides it is not now so conuenient bicause I knowe we should make them not a little ashamed The Shepherdesses therefore being now gone out they went into the little meadow to the christalline fountaine where in set daunces and sweete songs accompanied with pleasanthistories and gracious speeches they spent the time till Felicia thought it good for them all to goe to the Temple when she came to warne them Who it seemed did neuer awake or take care for any other thing then where and after what maner she might best delight that noble companie Whereupon she caried them sometimes to the goodly plaine before the Temple other times to another pleasant meadow neere to the wood and sometimes to the Laurell fountaine Truth it is that to haue all possible ioy Don Felix and his faire Lady Felismena Syluanus and his louing Shepherdesse Seluagia needed not to seeke it out in exteriour things since their inwarde ioy to see themselues all fower with mutuall affection so happily beloued was so great that all others in respect of this were but meere shewes and shadowes Syrenus tooke a singular pleasure to beholde the contentment of them all whom so vnfainedly he loued The Nymphes not onely procured it for themselues but to delight them all in generall And Parisiles his anger being now past with that which Felicia had told him and shaking off his former sadnes by enioying the presence of his daughter was no lesse ioyfull then the rest But Stela and Crimine were in suspence betweene solace and sorrow comfort and care being cheered on
knowe The poore soule takes his greefe and holdes his peace Which to reueale he wanted meanes of late Once did he goe about it But stratght then did he doubt it With saying naught his paine that doth increase He passeth not to loose his woonted state For though she be in all the world alone The fairest yet as hard as any stone Then Shepherdesse this rigour lay aside And flie not him that paines so much for thee It is a great defect Such hardnes to detect Let not so ill a thing with thee abide Where each thing is as good as good may bee And since in thee there should be not hing vicious Pay then the loue thou owest vnto Delicius These two last staeffs so liuely touched Parthenius that sung them that being forced to craue that for another which he would haue had himselfe he could scarce make an end of them Which was cleere and manifest for after the maner of those that sobbe he redoubled some syllables whereby he gaue vs to vnderstande that he felt some sorrow in his distempered hart which more euidently we suspected seeing how with som inward sighs he ceased without making an end of his song But yet we could not attaine to the cause of his greef wherof though earnestly we craued it on him he told no more then by fained apparances far from the truth indeed we were able to coniecture To whom therefore with a modest smile I said I would not be of thyqualitie gracious Shepherd to praise thee in thine owne presence as thou hast done thy friend although he excels thee not perhaps in any thing since in sweete voice and good grace thou art as like him as in faire shape and figure But for all this Delicius is beholding to thee for so me thinkes thou callest him but Bicause the praise in ones presence is held for no lesse then a gloze I woulde counsell thee to reserue it to some other time when he is out of thy sight and hearing Thou must not condemne me gracious Nymph answered Parthenius without hearing first what I can say for it may be thou wilt iudge it though thy accusation seeme iust to thee cleane contrarie when by good reason I shall resolue thee heerein premising that this rule is not so vniuerfall That none must not be praised in presence but that necessitie may oftentimes infringe it whereby not onely one may praise another in his presence but that he may do the same by himselfe for his owne behoofe What necessitie is requisite for that said Stela To this when Parthenius held his peace turning to Delicius she saide vnto him If thy friend will not answer tell thou vs what it is Delicius although he knew it not presuming yet to tell it saide I saie nothing but that in my vsurped name he sings of his owne praises and deserts Parthenius going about to replie to this I stept in betweene and saide Let there bee no more time spent in curtesies but tell vs if it please you from whence you are for your habites denie you to be of any place heereabouts and whither your way lies and especially if you meane to stay any long time in this countrie And bicause we know alreadie one of your names to oblige you the more to make vs know the others know that I am called Crimine and my friend and companion heere Stela Delicius then taking her by the hand answered Our incertaine doubtfull pilgrimage is to seeke out our Fathers with certaine tokens that we carrie with vs to know them for being children they left vs yoong as yet neuer knowing how they are called or from whence they are which are no other but to seeke out a faire yoong Shepherd and a graue olde woman both which at one time but in different places gaue vs to certaine nurses to be brought vp The name of my companion and friend is Parthenius Mine as thou saiest by my friends song Our tarrying heere shall be no longer then it shall please both you If it be referred to our pleasure said Stela take vs not for such simple ones that we know not how to profit our selues by enioying so good conuersation and so sweete and vnwoonted musicke Yet woulde we not be so ill aduised to preferre our pleasure before your due pietie nor without content to hinder your good intent The most religious intent sweete and fairest Stela said Delicius and that which toucheth our soules neerest is thy gracious command to haue vs staie still in this countrey bicause we may not leese so pleasant howers as these be I will not hinder so commendable a purpose said Stela although I would be glad if now returned and your fathers found it liked you to liue stil heere in these parts to spend those few howers that we vse to come abroad in honest seemly recreation Then I calling that to minde which Parthenius had sung That Delicius on a pride and brauerie had despised all women for onely one whom hee loued more then himselfe with smiling I answered And now Shepherd I will command thee to staie at the least to see if I must also be put in the number of disdained women or if I am onely beloued of thee With these and such like speeches we passed away the heate of the day with this agreement in the end that they should stay a certain time therabouts to inquire out some newes of their vnknowne parents in those parts and not forget to passe away the heate of the day in that same place where we would not faile to keepe them companie Which being agreed on Stela said vnto me Let vs now go if thou thinkest good my friend Crimine for it is a pretie while since we came foorth bicause we will not giue our keeper an occasion to blame vs for our long tarying But bicause you may better vnderstand this which Stela said you must know that by all meanes possible we procured to giue Stela all the content and pleasure we could for which cause we did let her go with company to disport her-selfe vp and downe in that greene forrest But being afraide of fierce Gorphorost one of vs euer remained at the riuers side vnder a palme tree that stoode almost right ouer against that part where there was but one passage to the end that if the vgly Shepherd had come downe she might haue warned vs by sounding of a cornet to hie vs home againe with Stela Taking our leaues therefore of the Shepherds no doubt without some inward sighes of theirs we returned to our dwelling places and they staied still in the forrest The next day going very softly about the same hower and by secret places to see how they were occupied we founde them sitting vpon the greene grasse and Sleeping in such sort that they shewed that that was not their principall intent for the christalline teares that trickled downe their burning cheekes in corriualitie signified more store of
art that I might with that libertie that thou hast tell thee the cause of my cōplaints or that thou wert as I am to heare with my subiection What reason I haue to make them and to accuse thee But in the end with the possibilitie that I shall attaine to and as shortly as I can I will tell it thee to take away that suspition which thou hast of me and not to conceale any secret matter from one another an vnlawful part to our right of mutual friendship The reason that iustly moues me to complaine of thee is that thou wilt not go see Delicius and this is for another matter then thou thinkest of and therefore be attentiue It is now cleere enough to thee what great loue and amitie is betweene both the brothers which hath made Parthenius feele the griefe of his friend Delicius no lesse then he did himselfe whereby he is in as great dauunger of his life For when Delicius falling downe had lost his colour and was in such an agonie Parthenius was in no lesse to see his friend in such a case that thou wouldest haue thought the last period of both their liues had beene come who had beene long since deliuered from their paines if by some small hope I had not reuiued them yet thinking that either of them would be glad to liue not for himselfe but bicause the other might liue for both of them knew well that one of their liues could last no longer then the other enioyed his so that denying to go see Delicius thou leauest Parthenius in great danger Thou wilt perhaps aske me what I haue to do with the good or ill fare of this vnhappie Shepherd by seeling it so much as I do faine would I haue another tell thee this but in the end setting all virgin modestie aside with thee since it lies in my power to do no lesse Thou must know that since these Shepherds came hither for their ill I will not say for mine for though their sight cost me tenne thousand liues I cannot yet denie but that I haue beene happie I am not able to tell thee how I yeelded to loues commaund being forced to loue Delicius no lesse then Parthenius for I neuer found any thing wherein I liked the one more then the other with which doubt not knowing to what side to adhere I was certaine daies in suspence but afterwards knowing that Delicius was in loue with thee and Parthenius free I thought it best not to make my selfe subiect to him who was alreadie a captiue but to the other whose loue hath made so forcible an impression in my vnarmed hart that without him my life is hatefull to me Thou seest therefore by this faire Stela how for that which concernes me so much I wish some content to Delicius It can cost thee but a little deere friend to pardon him for the good that I shall gaine when also no harme can redound to thee thereby the rather since he craues pardon of thee with protestation neuer after to offend thee Thou demandest a hard matter at my hand saide Stela but bicause I see thy teares which I cānot suffer to issue out in such abundance wherby thou dost manifest the greefe which thou feelest and bicause thou maiest not haue any occasion to complaine of my friendship I will do that which I thought not to do but on such a condition that thou shalt neuer complaine on me againe if by committing anie other such fault I denie Delicius my sight for euer whom I would also knowe that neither he nor any desert of his part could obtaine pardon for so great a fault if he had not procured so good a mediatour for it is not my will that for his sake thou shouldst thanke me for it Embracing her then for this curtesie and gentle offer that she made me I thanked her for it and with her good leaue went my waies imagine how glad to seeke out my Shepherds and found Delicius all alone for Parthenius was with Gorphorost Needlesse it is to tell you if Delicius was glad to see me come to him with another kinde of countenance then I was woont some daies before for as I promised him so I performed to go and see him who perceiuing now my signes of gladnes said vnto me The only hope of my health comfort in my cares dost thou bring thy noble hart so ioyful as thy gracious countenance so full of content Tel me quickly without more circūstances for thou knowest that A good deed quickly done is twise done although it be but one by which words knowing him to be Delicius I said To morrow thou shalt see Stela What do I liue saide Delicius If between this and then thou dost not die saide I. In her good grace said he If thou wilt said I. O good words said he But thou must do better deedes said I. Doubt not of that said he but that I do and will make it the highest and best deed in the worlde to loue Stela my truest soule O Delicius saide I how do I conceiue that thy great loue or the small dissembling thereof I will not say small knowledge will be heere-after hurtfull to thee Let come what will saide Delicius for I will rather ioy to suffer for louing too much if there be any excesse in loue then to bee harmed for louing too little I will not counsell thee said I not to loue for it would auaile mee nothing at all But I must tell thee that it is expedient for thee not a little to dissemble thine affection especially before Stela if thou wilt not be onely odious vnto her but also depriued of her desired presence By performance whereof knowe that she will make truce with thee for her part and for thine Not for my part answered Delicius although I should yet passe greater harmes by this occasion which cannot be greater then these which I haue alreadie suffred But in the end she hath made such truce according to her will that she hath seemed the conquerour since none is able to come to resist her hand to hand Well well said I time consumeth many things and it may be that amongst so many the anger of thy Stela may also be forgotten God grant it answered Delicius but not to the preiudice of my great loue Tell me said I what is become of thy brother or where is he that he is not with thee In faith stept out Doria and said I was not a little woondring with my selfe that all this while thou didst not aske for thy Parthenius since thou wert so pained and lost or at the least as thou hast made shewe so much in his loue which made me long to aske thee the cause thereof Lost saidest thou nay rather found said Crimine and happie in it But I will answer to that which thou hast asked If assoone as I came I had asked for him Delicius woulde haue thought that
Parisiles the comming of Palna to Disteus was very pretie for I was nowe halfe sorrie with my selfe not knowing what Palna would haue said when he spake aloud that both might haue heard For Dardanea knew that she would send him to spie out Sagastes and Disteus vnderstood that it was to go for a Chirurgian And so with great discretion she spake that out aloud which answered both their intents in that he was sent to goe his waies and so to deceiue them both by these means Dardanea bicause she might not know that it was Disteus and Disteus bicause he might not then sinell out the deceit that Palna vsed with him by making him beleeue that Dardanea was hurt but she came to him hauing told him that Dardanea bad him go his waies fit to the purpose for then if he had passed further his speech might haue marred all the matter and discouered the fine deceit Truly said Lord Felix she must needs be wise in althings and well she manifested the same by setting the candle before Dardanea For these fauourable notes Gentlemen which by the way you haue gathered of mine Aunt to confirme them saide Placindus I giue you my word that she was accounted for such an one and bicause I am her kinsman I hold my peace concerning that which might be spoken more in her praise and also bicause by the processe of my tale you shall see it To proceede therefore As she came neere to Disteus turning to Dardanea she said Do you command him any other seruice and I will tel it him No said Dardanea but he shall do me a pleasure if heerein he doe his diligence Mine Aunt then tooke Disteus by the hande to bring him foorth whereat hee seemed to make some small resistance vnloosing his hand from hers as though he woulde haue put on his cloake that fell downe which when mine Aunt perceiued with an angrie countenance she saide softly vnto him You shall come no more hither I promise you Who hearing her sharpe threatning with the teares in his eies answered Pardon good mother the body that is loath to depart from the soule whereupon they went out and mine Aunt went talking with him and asked him if he was nowe cleered of the fault that she made by her departure Whereunto he answered not a word for by contemplating of that soueraigne beautie he was so much distraught in minde that he heard not what she said But afterwardes being come to himselfe againe with a profound sigh he said O what shall become of thee Disteus wherewith he helde his peace She blamed him for this speech and reprooued him for that he had done telling him plainly that these were not the meanes to deliuer him from his passions Some speeches being past betweene them she opened vnto him the whole deceit which she had fayned of her Mistresse breaking off her arme and why she did it and telling him all euen to that point when I or rather he was sent foorth she said You must now therefore bicause my mistresse Dardanea commands this to be done go by and by to your lodging and giue my cosin his garments and tell him what I said to you that Dardanea doth pray him not making mention of any other matter and I cammaund him to goe about his errant with all diligence But Disteus aunswered God neuer graunt that another fulfill that which was commaunded me In mine owne person I will doe that which my Mistresse commaunded mee being but disguised and counterfeit Doe as you thinke good saide mine Aunt but in such sort that it may bee thought that my nenephew did it Leaue that to me said he and take you care for the rest And with this they tooke their leaue of one another He went straight to his house where he found me waiting for him and said vnto me Heere thou maiest safely stay Placindus this night for I will go walke a little vp and downe the citie and weare thy garments And though thine Aunt commands thee to goe of an errant which she gaue me in charge to tell thee bicause my waie lies thereabouts I will my selfe do it And bicause thou maiest not be found with my garments on if any come to seeke me thou shalt locke thy selfe in for I will bid my seruants if any aske for me saie that I am a sleepe and open the dore to no bodie vnlesse hee say he is Placindus bicause when I come they may then let mee in With this aduise that hee gaue me he went into an inward chamber and tooke a buckler and a good broad sword that many daies since was hung vp against the wall bicause it was somewhat too heauie for his hand though now Dardaneas loue had added more strength force to his arme did put on a shirt of maile a good head-peece Being thus armed he went to looke when Sagastes came forth and in this sort went least in the night any harme might haue hapned vnto him When hee came to Sagastes house hee heard a tuning of certaine instruments for it fell out that hee went that night to bestowe some musicke on his Mistres Marthea After a little while that he had staied there which might be about eleuen of the clocke he heard them comming downe and bicause hâ—â—oulde not be seene as though hee stoode there to watch them hee passed ouer the streete going his waies Sagastes had so great a presumption of the authoritie and countenance that he had by the kings fauour in the citie that hee thought none durst offend him and therefore went accompanied but onely with a page that caried his rapier and the musicions weapons Disteus least by the brightnes of the Moone he might haue beene descried followed aloofe off to Martheas house where all of them staying one of the musicions began to sounde a cornet aloud I thinke to awake the people and to call vp Marthea and after that euery one playing on his seuer all instrument as on a Lute a Harpe a Recorder a Bandora and others with such concent and melodie that it seemed as in their song they said to staie the course of the night To which melodious notes not long after a boye with a passing sweete voice did sing this Dittie which Sagastes caused to be made for his owne purpose LEt the silence of the night At my will her dutie showe Harken to me euery Wight Or be still or speake but lowe Let no watching dog with spight Barke at any to or fro Nor the Cocke of Titan bright The foreteller once to crowe Let no prying goose excite All the flocke to squeake a rowe Let the windes retaine their might Or a little while not blowe Whilst thy eare I doe inuite On this ditty to be slowe In the which I nill recite Thy deserts which euer growe Nor thy beauties so bedight Fairer then the rose or snowe Nor how with thy grace of right Thou dost conquer others soe Nor thy vertues exquisite Which
answere this I cannot well replie Let it suffice thee that the lest suspect Of any harme thou hast doth make me die And worse then death torments me in effect Deere Lady then I would not haue thee prooue The cruell shaft of angrte Nemesis For first let each infernall power mooue Their plagues against me of eternall Dis. But now I would be glad if thou wouldst tast The sweete and golden flight of Cupids powre Bicause my torments which are gone and past Pitie thou might'st and those I feele this howre For if thou knew'st my paines and pitious case With pitie and teares thou wouldst my life deplore Not for my merits which are very base But for my loue which well deserueth more Each thing that is created heere so fit An equall hauing in a diuers kinde In such like kinde a paiment doth admit By measuring the debt that is behinde But as fell loue no equall doth containe In such a diuers kinde and different By selfe same thing it paies it selfe againe Loue must be paid with loue of good intent Then since it is most euident and cleere That I doe prize thy loue at such a rate Thou must requite my loue againe so deere If Nemesis ingratitude doth hate But if thou dost not purpose to requite The loue that I haue borne and beare thee still And with like loue to ease my heauie plight And greeuous paines for thy procuring ill My hands of life shall then vndoe the chaine But not of loue by death to ease my death And so requite me when no other meane Is left to make me still enioy this breath For sure if that my life be of this sort My life is death and dying is my life My death is sweete a pleasure ioy and sport Lining in such a world of amorous strife But now I cease my teares fall in such store And painfull soule for greefe can write no more O how wisely hast thou done Martandrus said Lord Felix by warning vs to be attentiue for this letter doth well beseeme the person of a discreete and enamoured Gentleman with what modestie and feare did he write it And how true is that said Danteus which is almost in the end of it That all things in this worlde in a different kind may be paide as grasse with sheepe sheepe with cloth and finally all with money but onely loue the which bicause with no other thing it hath neither equalitie nor proportion cannot but with loue be recompenced againe For touching my selfe I know that though my Shepherdesse Duarda would giue me all that she hath in the world yet she could not pay me that she owes me if she denied me her loue Felismena preuenting Duarda that was about to answere him said Let vs leaue this for this time And as you loue your selfe Sir tell on bicause we may know what this Ladie did with such a letter for I know not what she was able to answere againe but to yeelde her selfe to his loue whereupon I thinke she durst not take in hand to answere so wise reasons Not so Ladie said Martandrus for I assure you that Dardanea is not such an one that the high sence and stile thereof could put her to a non-plus in proofe whereof you shall see it by her answere But bicause we may not discontinue so sweete a discourse I will proceede This letter was of so great effect in Dardaneas tender hart that now in euerie point she perceiued her selfe yeelded to Cupids forces The which her cristalline teares that issued out of her cleere eies did make so manifest that she was vnable to stay them although many times in vaine she laboured the contrarie But as she could not satifie her selfe with reading it once or twise ouer the more she read it the more her loue encreased For knowing Disteus his vertues and valour to bee great and therewithall considering the qualitie of his person and with what milde modestie and discretion he wrote this letter the well conceiued words thereof were so forcible in her minde imprinted that they strangely disposed it to entertaine most louing thoughts of him that wrote them Her kinde and tender hart was no lesse pierced with pitie and compassion when she vnderstoode in what extremities his loue consisted since by the sequell of his letter she perceiued how abruptly he ended whereby he manifested the forcible passion that he had in writing of his paines and sorrowes To all which no meane motiues in her conquered minde this moreouer occurred that he offered to expose himselfe to any danger of death for Sagastes his mortall enemie onely to do her seruice that neuer yet had shewed him the least fauour in the world So that loue assayling her on the one side which till then had not notably signorized in her and her honour and vertuous reputation which she had euer religiously obserued pressing her on the other droue her vsetled thoughts into such suspence and troubled her doubtfull minde that being ignorant what course to take or what remedie to choose out for the best since she would neither offend this could not choose but obey that she was between two contraries so mightily assaulted that to yeelde to one without preiudice to the other shee would in a manner haue lost her deerest life which sorrowfull thoughts hiding in her secret breast and the letters in her amorours bosome she went to her chamber where casting her selfe vpon her bed and lying flatling vpon her pillow thus shee lamented to her selfe O what shall become of thee Dardanea being assailed by two such opposite enimies O heauenly Diana O inuincible Venus How haue you both with your diuine powers seised on my yeelding soule How could you being so great Goddesses make your habitation and seat in so humble a sublect and in so base and little a house as this is And being so contrarie and capitall enimies how haue you determined to your content and my losse to deraigne a hard and mightie battel in such a tender and weake field Why will you execute your vnresisted forces in the feeble breast of a yeelded and captiue woman Faine would I not open the gates Diana whose name I honor to thy cōtrarie but pardon me since I haue not my wonted forces for importunate Venus knowing how strongly this tower of thinc was defended being driuē many times from it hath now emploied all hir force in the enterprise and conquest of it O noble Disteus if thy words be fained which the Gods forbid then is my death certaine But why should I thinke so when as thou are Disteus whose name includes all generous virtues and I Dardanea whose minde such thoughts doth ill beseeme Alas poore Gentleman how vngratefully doth Palna thy nurse requite thy fauours which she confesseth thou hast bountifully bestowed on her since from thy first desire a matter but of small consequence she so bitterly repelled thee by denying to giue me a letter which to her hands
his chaine To serue Apollos sister sweetest ease And greatest honour by her loue is got Who serues fond loue is drown'd in dolefull seas If after Venus sonne thou art so hot And dost intend to follow his desires If so it please then how maiest thou not I doe not meane to loue what he requires And let this God euen worke with me his fill He neuer shall consume me in his fires Let him not seeke but her that seekes her ill Let him not wound but those that loue his wounds Nor subiect those that care not for his will But now I knowe not to what purpose soundes These reasons that disswade me to imbrace Cupid thy God that reason still confoundes Since that vnto my will he giueth place And on the same his liking doth depend Reason in me his colours doe deface T' is therefore reason to the which I tend And great it is since it doth satisfie My minde and doth the same so well defend Thou writ'st that if to loue thee I denie That I would suffer thee to loue me yet Against my will for loue yet wilt thou die A pretie meanes procoeding from thy wit To pray me not thy deere loue to preuent Yet will I nill I thou to practise it I greeue I cannot hinder this intent But if in fine perforce vnto my paine thou wilt loue me perforce I must consent If that from being lou'd I could remaine As from all loue in faith I neuer would Haue left it to thy choosing to abstaine For he that lou'd me with such rigour should Be punish't that he should haue thence no soule To loue me if his loue preuent I could But I le doe that which no man shall controule Which is that none presume to manifest His loue to me so wanton and so bolde Let therefore punishment thy minde suggest To mooue this fancie from thy idle minde A fancie first conceiu'd within thy brest Of no good ground where hope thou canst not finde Hope is exil'd where honour taketh place Honour is deere to women of my kinde Virgins I meane and liuing in the face Of all the world with honour and renowne Which if it be but staind each other grace She hath with no recou'rie falleth downe If then these few perswasions cannot make Thee change thy minde nor now this present frowne Nor trembling hands which now for anger shake By writing of these lines with little rest Nor feare of punishment make thee forsake This fond conceit nurc'd vainly in thy brest When thou maist neuer hope to haue a day Then let mine honour mooue thee at the lest To make thee hide this fier if you may Wherewith thou saist thy brest is so inflam'd Marke this and let thy wits not so estray If that thou saist that hardly is reclam'd The fire of loue and hardly hid againe To tell it Palna lesse thou shalt be blam'd But since thy hope incertaine is and vaine And all thy harmes most sure then ope the dore To helpe thee to obliuion and disdaine And thus I end in hope to heare no more Martandrus interrupting Felismena that would haue praised the letter and haue noted some things in it prosecuted his tale thus Dardanea hauing made an end of reading the letter was not yet so quiet in minde but that she gaue true tokens of that which remained in her brest Whereupon and by the gentle and milde words in her letter Palna vnderstanding how fitly it made for her purpose did finely dissemble the matter and praised her for answering his letter so well harping still vpon that string that she was obliged to her honour and good name But bicause the seuere stile of the letter might not daunt Disteus she secretly sent him another wherein she aduised him what he had to do after so good a beginning which might be gathered by some wordes of the answere for proofe whereof hee might perceiue that she had written no austere and sharpe letter wherein if any bitternes had escaped her pen vnawares she did straight moderate it with a hidden temper of mildenes Aduising him besides to note that when she warned him to surcease his loue vnto her she saide vnto him if thou canst correcting her-selfe in a matter that made so greatly for her owne minde and to consider how greatly these affaires did trouble her who was continually thinking on them and that she was not perswaded that he loued her from his hart but aboue all things to take heede howe much it stoode him in hand to keepe this secrecie which she committed vnto him Palna moreouer perswaded him to hope well since Dardanea tooke delight in hearing these affaires whereof she made her her onely secretarie Finally not to be tedious to you with so long a discourse a few daies after Palna vsed so great diligence that she got that out of Dardanea which she kept so secret in her breast but could neuer winne her to speake with Disteus vnlesse he would first promise and sweare to marie her which was so ioyfull newes to him who thought he wanted nothing more to make him the happiest man aliue So that this being done Dardanea though at the first she made it somewhat coy gaue him leaue to come to her house where they inioyed a little while each others company in sweete and pleasant conuersation with all respect of reuerence and modestie that was requisite in such a case At the ende whereof the pleasanter the biginning was more bitter was the sequell since at the first loue seldome affoords one little pleasure without distempering it in the end with sorrowe and care it fell out that Disteus hauing gone verie early to Dardanea and Palna not remembring to shut the doore after him they lay togither in one bed which was made readie for them in a faire and large Summer chamber beneath where they had before sometimes lyen togither For Palna when Disteus was come in was warned to shut a certaine doore which was a passage into all the house bicause no maide nor seruant might come downe and goe thorow that way But as she remembred not also to shut the streete doore which they thought was safe enough Sagastes by chance came in suspecting least of all any such matter Disteus perceiuing a greater noise in the chamber then a womans treading could make couered himselfe the best he could with the clothes of the bed If Dardanea was not altered by seeing her brother iudge you Gentlemen though then it stoode her in hand to dissemble it Sagastes sat him downe in a chaire at the beds feete and asked her what the matter was that she went to bed so soone Who answered that shee was not well at ease and was therefore minded to take some Phisicke Sagastes hearing this would haue beene gone but turning his face for now he was on that side of the bed where his sister lay and seeing a little stirring in the bed asked her who was a bed with her Dardanea
to seeke him at his owne house where finding the doore open knewe he was not come and therefore staied for him there vntill he came But when he had awaited there a good while in vaine he suspected he had taken some of his friends houses and therefore went home againe to his sisters lodging vowing to be well reuenged of Disteus though he would faine haue that night satisfied his vnruly anger which was not a little augmented when hee founde neither Dardanea nor Palna maruelling verie much to see howe quiet all his sisters seruants were and howe strange they made it all when Sagastes demaunded the matter of them Disteus that was going home to his house when hee sawe a farre off a great number of people before his doore it made him thinke as it was true indeed that Sagastes was waiting for him whereupon he went to my house whereby he made me knowe what great affiance he had in my friendship which I accounted no small credit vnto me I doubt not Gentlemen but any that hath beene attentiue to my tale will aske me how Sagastes came first to his enemies house since Disteus went before out of the mans house which he was constrayned to take for refuge Wherevnto it may be easily answered that Disteus going as you know almost naked and therefore leauing the open and common streetes to goe about by lanes and secret places came later then Sagastes But when Disteus vnlooked for came into my house without calling but shutting the doore after him least any had followed him he came into my study And his hap was so good that he found me al alone I did not a little woonder to see him in such sort and therefore demaunded the cause of his comming in such a manner Who answered me that he had no time for so large a report but prayed me to giue him some apparell and a horse and what else was needfull for him which I onely denied him not but also preparing my selfe to beare him company he would in no wise let me for he meant to conceale vntill he could no longer his secret loue and affection from me He therefore being apparelled and furnished with the best offensiue and defensiue weapons he could choose out went to helpe Dardanea least her harebraine brother in his furie might haue laide violent hands vpon her or else to die in the quarrell before she should suffer any harme at all Going therefore about this matter he met with Placindus that was comming to seeke him out by his Aunts commaundement whom he asked if he knew any thing Placindus told him how he should finde Dardanea and Palna in his house and that he should goe thither quickly bicause Dardanea was the most sorrowfullest woman in the world for his danger Disteus went thither out of hand but knowing that place to be nothing so conuenient and secret as their present necessitie required bicause by missing Palna Sagastes would out of hand come thither he brought them to my house willing Placindus to lye still and take his rest bicause he might thereby make them beleeue that he knew nothing of the matter All three might come secretly to my house bicause as siths that was not farre from Placindus lodging so were they both out of the concurse of people and walke of neighbours and also bicause Sagastes was gone to the King to complaine of the iniurie that Disteus had done him whom he requested to commaund a search to be made in all suspected houses that were thought most fit to harbour him and Dardanea and Palna The King not only granted hereunto for as you know he desired to haue the least occasion whereby he might throw downe Disteus partie to pleasure Sagastes but tooke this matter vpon him as his owne and sware to behead Disteus and as many as were culpable and euerie one that afterwards helpt him And therefore to fauour him the more made Sagastes himselfe iudge in his owne cause bicause he might take the greater reuenge at his own pleasure Who when he saw so good a means for his desire without more ado beset Disteus house with a priuy watch hauing first searched it all thorow where missing him he went straight to seeke out his sister They emploied all diligence and labour they thought needfull to bring their purpose to effect but my house they ouerslipt bicause as it was not pliable enough to Disteus his partie nor I my selfe held for his friend so was I free from all suspicion that I kept him But when they could not finde him he commaunded a proclamation to be made that euery one vpon paine of his head that harboured them or knew where they were should bring them foorth and afterwards apprehended Anfilardus and Placindus and as many as they suspected could tel of them threatning them to cruel torments yea and putting some in practise though all in vaine to their purpose It could not choose but kill Disteus his hart to see the ruine of his house and the imprisonment of his friends and familie who did neuerthelesse comfort himselfe not a little bicause it was for his Lady and Mistresse sake whom he had nowe in happie possession the which thing he forgot not by many sweete and louing words to manifest vnto her who could not for all this be comforted though she made him not priuie to her inward greefe when she thought of the vniust and ill name a thing that greeued her more then death that was spred abroad of that which she esteemed more then life and when she entred into consideration and feare of the imminent danger wherein her beloued husband was by meanes of the great searching and awaites that Sagastes had laide in all places to finde them out Wherefore taking him aside she saide thus vnto him I know well my Lord that my Fortune would not leaue me without some sorrowfull occurrent in so sweete an estate nor to doe lesse with me then euer turne most bitterly against the pretence of my content It greeues me to see thee take and taste some part of my sorrow wherein yet I do comfort my selfe againe that I shall not be the last in offring vp my life for the least danger for thy sake since I was the first in sacrificing my soule to thy will obtesting almightie God that as I had no force with my feeble iudgment to gainsay thy desire I had also sufficient valour with my life to deliuer thee from these most wrongfull turmoyles I see thee heere in great extremities for mine owne I account but small and therefore my opinion concurring with my desire is that since for many daies we are neither safe heere nor in any other part of the kingdome are like to be no lesse thou wouldst resolue to conuey vs into any place where wee might in more safety ouer passe this cruell storme of Fortune assuring thee my deere Lord that if I sawe thee free from danger I would not take care for the rest
a little greeue you to see Syrenus matched with such dangerous corriuals as these two Shepherds are Syluanus and Seluagia though Delius death did a little greeue them forgot not most humbly to thanke Felicia not onely for her good will and friendlie aduise but also for the approoued affection and desire she had to helpe their beloued friend Syrenus And thereupon said vnto her We cannot but obey your command good Lady although we would be faine heere when Coryneus and his companie comes Well well answered Felicia this Shepherd is not so nigh nor cannot come back so soon nor you so far off but that you may be certified when they are to come Since it is then so said Lord Felix with your leaue good Lady I will take Felismena with me and accompanie these Shepherds in whose amorous strife and riualitie which you but euen nowe spake of I shall take no small pleasure and delight The same affirmed Martandrus Placindus Danteus and Duarda with one voice If it please you so said Felicia on Gods name let it be but it behooues you Gentlemen and thee faire Felismena no lesse least the bashfull Shepherds estrange themselues from your companie to borrowe for a while their pastorall habite and condition the which being no sooner agreed vpon but put in practise they went to Syluanus charging him to carie all in remembrance that passed betweene the corriuals the better to report it afterwards when they should meete all togither Whosoeuer therefore is desirous to see the funerall of Delius the riualitie of Syrenus Firmius and Faustus and be at all their meetings and takes any pleasure to know who Stela is and woulde faine knowe what her troubles and those of Crimine Delicius and Parthenius haue beene and to what ende they came as also the loue of Agenestor prince of Eolia and of Lustea daughter to Disteus and Dardanea let him attende me in the third part of this worke which shall come to light out of hande La vita il fin e'l di loda la sora THE FIRST PART OF ENAMOVRED DIANA made by Gaspar Gil Polo To the most noble and vertuous Lady Don̄a Maria de Austria y fuentes IF you were my singular good Lady that heauenly muse and diuine fire from whence this little creature hath borrowed life and light being most happie that it was borne vnder such a constellation whose beames and influence haue guided and indued it with those perfections which now it presumeth by vertues thereof to possesse Reason and dutie then it were to offer vp vnto your woorthines all the seruice it may and humbly to craue of the same That since now it commeth abroad to euery ones view it may in the forhead carie the imprinted golden character and warrant of your noble and renowned name wherewith being protected it feareth not any malignant spirit that may bite it And little though this be which my zealous and dutifull affection which I haue euer borne to you and your honorable house from whence many gallant personages and rare and learned wits haue sprung out can present to such great bountie and vertue the which nature hauing placed in a most beautifull and christalline figure in euery part spread foorth their beames with loue and admiration Yet respecting the minde of him that offers it and the good will wherewith like bookes haue beene receiued by Kings and great Lordes I hope faire Lady you will not condemne me of too much presumption by dedicating this vnto your high patrocinie when as the affiance which I haue in your gentle Graces noble minde and sweete perfections inforceth me heereunto the which duly to be recommended and recounted require a finer wit and fitter place Which if at any time heereafter my happy fortune shall grant me in nothing else so iustly it shal be imploied then in the deserued praise and seruice of your Ladiship whose illustrous person and house our Lord defend and prosper many yeeres with increase of all happinesse From VALENCIA the ninth of Februarie 1564. The first Booke of Enamoured DIANA AFter that appassionate Syrenus by the vertue of the mightie liquor which sage Felicia had giuen him was now deliuered out of Cupids handes Loue working after his accustomed maner wounded anewe the hart of carelesse Diana reuiuing in her brest forgotten loues bicause she should be captiue to one that was free and liue tormented for the loue of one who from the same was most exempted her greefe being thereby the more augmented when it occurred to her thoughts that the small regard that in times past she had of Syrenus was now an occasion of his forgetfulnes of that great contempt that he did beare her She was not only with these griefs but with many more so fiercely assaulted that neither the holy bonde of matrimonie nor the reynes of seemely shame and modestie were able to staie or mitigate the furie of her immoderate loue nor remedie the sharpnes of her cruell torments vntill with lamentable complaints and pitifull teares she mollified the hardest rockes and sauage beasts Wherefore being by chance on a sommers day at the fountaine of the Sicamours about that time when the Sunne was eleuated to the Meridian point and there calling to minde the great content that in that very place she had many times receiued of her beloued Syrenus and counting her passed delights with her present greefes and knowing that the beginning of her sorrowes and the fault was onely in herselfe she conceiued thereof such greefe and anguish of minde and was with such dangerous affrightes sursaulted that euen then she thought desired death would haue made an end of all her troubles But after she had recouered some small vigour yet the force of her passion the violence wherewith loue reigned in her brest was neuerthelesse so great that it compelled her to publish her torments to the simple birdes which from the greene boughes were listening to her and to the branchie trees that seemed to take compassion of her greefe and to the cleere fountaine that with the solemne murmur of the Christalline waters accorded with the notes of her dolefull song And so to the sound of a sweete Baggepipe which commonly she caried about her she began to sing these verses following LOng haue I felt a silent paine of sorrow Cruell by that my senses it importunes To such extremes that I am forc't to borrow This last releefe against my heauie fortunes To publish them vnto the windes that stay them Thorow out the world with pitie to conuay them Then gentle Aire performe this due of pitie Let euery region know my greeuous anguish Breath out my paines and tell in euery citie The life of her that in Loues want doth languish Forgotten of a Shepherd that disdaines her Who once did die euen for like loue that paines her O that this ill death to my vitall powers Hardly maint ain'd amids these cruell fashions Springs of my late obliuion and those howers
these effects should arise And so they inuented the name of Loue calling him a God bicause he was of many nations and people feared and reuerenced and painted him in such sort that whosoeuer sawe his figure had great reason to abhorre his fashions They painted him like a Boy bicause men might not put their trust in him Blinde bicause they might not followe him Armed bicause they might feare him with flames of fire bicause they might not come neere him and with wings because they might knowe him vaine and inconstant Thou must not vnderstande faire Shepherdesse that the power which men attribute to Loue is or may be any waies his But thou must rather beleeue that the more they magnifie his might and valour the more they manifest their weaknes and simplicitie For in saying that Loue is strong is to affirme that their will is weake by suffering it so easily to be ouercommed by him To saie that Loue with mightie violence doth shoote mortall and venemous arrowes is to include that their harts are too secure carelesse when that so willingly they offer themselues to receiue them To say that Loue doth streightly captiuate their soules is to inferre that there is want of iudgement and courage in them when at the first bruntes they yeelde nay when sometimes without any combate they surrender their libertie into their enimies hands and finally all the enterprises which they tell of Loue are nothing else but matter of their miseries and arguments of their weakenes All which force and prowesse admit to be his yet are they not of such qualitie that they deserue any praise or honour at all For what courage is it to take them prisoners that are not able to defend themselues What hardines to assaile weake and impotent creatures What valour to wounde those that take no heede and thinke least on him What fortitude to kill those that haue alreadie yeelded themselues What honour with cares to disturbe those that are mery and ioyfull What woorthie deede to persecute vnfortunate men Truely faire Shepherdesse they that would so much extoll and glorifie this Cupid and that so greatly to their cost serue him should for his honour giue him better praises For the best name that amongst them all he gets is to be but a cowarde in his quarrels vaine in his pretences liberal of troubles and couetous in rewards Al which names though of base infamie they sauour yet are those woorse which his affectionate seruants giue him calling him fire furie and death terming Louing no better then to burne to destroy to consume and to make themselues fooles and naming themselues blinde miserable captiues madde inflamed and consumed From hence it comes that generally all complaine of Loue calling him a Tyrant a Traytour vnflexible fierce and vnpitifull All Louers verses are full of dolour compounded with sighes blotted with teares and sung with agonies There shalt thou see suspicions there feares there mistrustes there iealousies there cares and there all kindes of paines There is no other speech amongst them but of deathes chaines darts poysons flames and other things which serue not but to giue torments to those that emploie their fancies in it and feare when they call vpon it Herbanius the Shepherde famous in Andolozia was troubled too much with these termes when in the barke of a Poplar with a sharp bodkin insteed of his pen in presence of me wrote these verses following HE that in freedome iets it proude and braue Let him not liue too carelesse of himselfe For in an instant he may be a slaue To mighty Loue and serue that wanton elfe And let that hart that yet was neuer tamed Feare at the last by him to be inflamed For on that soule that proudly doth disdaine His heauie lawes and liues with loftie will Fierce Loue is woont t' inflict a cruell paine And with most sharpe and dire reuenge to kill That who presumes to liue without his power In death he liues tormented euery hower O Loue that dost condemne me to thy iaile Loue that dost set such mortall coles on fire O Loue that thus my life thou dost assaile Intreated ill tormented by thine ire Hencefoorth I curse thy chaines thy flames thy dart Wherewith thou bind'st consum'st and kill'st my hart And now let vs come to Syrenus Sonnet whereby he seemes to make men beleeue that the imagination of Loues enterprises sufficeth to ouercome the furie of the torment For if his operations be to kill to wound to make blind to burne to consume to captiuate and to torment he shall neuer make me beleeue that to imagine things of paine doth lighten the griefe which must rather as I thinke giue greater force and feeling to the passion For when it is more in imagination it remaineth longer in his heart and with greater paine torments it And if that be true which Syrenus did sing I much maruell that he receiuing so deepe a taste in this thought hath now so easily changed it by meanes of so cruell obliuion not onely of loues operations but also of thy beautie which ought not for any thing in the world to be forgotten Alcida had scarce finished these last words when Diana lifting vp her eies for she suspected somewhat perceiued her husband Delius comming downe from the side of a little hill bending his steps towards the fountaine of the Sicamours where they were togither whereupon cutting off Alcidas discourse she said vnto her No more gentle Shepherdesse no more for we will finde fitter time hereafter to heare out the rest and to answer thy weake and common arguments For behold my husband is comming downe yonder hill towards vs and therefore I thinke it best to turne our talke to some other matter and with the tune of our instruments to dissemble it and so let vs begin to sing bicause when he is come neere vnto vs he may not be displeased at the manner of our conuersation whereupon Alcida taking her Cytern and Diana her Bagpipe began to sing as followeth Prouencall Rythmes Alcida WHile Titan in his Coach with burning beames Ouer the world with such great force doth ride That Nymphes and their chaste companies abide In woods and springs and shallowe shadowed streames And while the prating grashopper replies Her song in mourning wise Shepherdesse sing So sweete a thing That th' heauens may bee By hearing thee Made gentle on their owne accord to power Vpon this meade a fresh and siluer shower Diana Whiles that the greatest of the Planets staies Iust in the mids betweene the East and west And in the field vpon the mowers brest With greater heate doth spread his scorching raies The silent noise this pleasant fountaine yeeldes That runs amids these fieldes Such musicke mooues As woonder prooues And makes so kinde The furious winde That by delight thereof their force they stay And come to blowe as gently as they may Alcida You running riuers pure and christalline That all the yeere doe make
a liuely spring And beautifie your banks and euery thing With Cowslips Lillies and sweete Colombine The cruell heate of Phoebus come not neere To heate this fountaine cleere Nor that such sweete Liquour with feete Troubled be not Of sheepe or goat Nor that the teares which fatthlesse louers wast In these fine waters neuer may be cast Diana Greene flowrie meade where natures curious die Hath showen her colours diuers in their kinde With trees and flowers whereto they are combinde Which paintes thee foorth so faire vnto the eie In thee thy boughes of verdure may not knowe The blustring windes that blowe Prosper and giue Flowers and liue Not to be lost By heate or frost Nor angrie heauen in furie doe not sloile Nor hurt so faire a meade and fertill soile Alcida Heere from the hurly burly and the noise Of stately courtes sequestred euery one Reposedly liues by himselfe alone In quiet peace in harmlesse sportes and ioies In shades sometimes laide downe on Floras pride Neere to some riuers side Where birdes doe yeeld Sweete notes in field And flowers fine Odours diuine And alwaies with an order souerâ—…ne The meadow laughes the wood the hill and plaine Diana The noise made heere by silent gentle windes In flowrie boughes the leaues that softly shake Delighteth more then that the people make In great assemblies where their sundrie kindes Of proud demeanours and high maiesties Are foolish vanities Their solemne feastes Breede but vnrestes Their honours name Blinde errours frame And all their holy wordes cleane different From that that in their harts was euer ment Alcida Ambition heere no snares nor nets regardes Nor auarice for crownes doth lay her bates The people heere aspire not to estates Nor hungers after fauours nor rewardes From guile and fraude and passion as we see Their harts are euer free Their faith 's not vaine But good and plaine Their malice small They iust to all Which makes them liue in ioy and quiet peace And in a meane sufficient for their ease Diana To new found worlds nor seas that rage and swell The simple Shepherd neuer sailes in vaine Nor to the furdest Indias for his gaine Thousandes of leagues and duckates there to tell Vnto the field he comes as well content With that that God hath sent As he that spendes Rents without endes And liues perdie As merily As he that hath great flockes vpon his hils And of good ground a thousand acres tils Delius from a far off heard the voice of his faire wife Diana and perceiuing that another answered her made great haste to goe see who was in her companie wherefore hiding himselfe behind a great Mittle neere to the fountaine he listened to their singing as one that still sought occasious of his woonted iealousie But when he vnderstoode that their songs were far from that which he suspected he was well pleased in minde But yet the great desire he had to know the other that was in companie of his wife made him draw neere vnto the Shepherdesses who courteouslie saluted him but especially Diana whom with a smiling and angelicall countenance she most sweetely entertained And being set neere vnto them Alcida saide I thinke my selfe Delius greatly bound to Fortune who hath not onely fauoured me by presenting to mine eies the excellent beautie of thy Diana but also by making me knowe the man whom she hath onely chosen and thought most worthy to possesse so rare a gem by yeelding her libertie so frankly into his hands which choise no doubt as she is wise cannot be but deemed most high and soueraigne So I maruell much againe that in lieu thereof and of that intire loue which she beares thee thou makest so small reckoning of her as to let her goe one step without thy company or be a minute out of thy sight If she be so firmely rooted in thy hart which I may well presume how can that loue thou owest her be so small as only to content thy selfe with her liuely figure engrauen therein and not feede thine eies with the continuall sight of her singular beautie The Diana least Delius by his answere might haue hazarded his blunt wit and rude education tooke him by the hand and said vnto her Delius hath but little reason to thinke himselfe so happie as thou saist to haue me for his wife or so much in his presence as by meanes thereof to forget his flocks and granges matters of more consequence then the poore delight which he may take by viewing that beautie which thou dost vnworthily attribute vnto me Do not to so small purpose said Alcida preiudicate thy comely graces Diana nor offer such iniurie to the generall voice the world hath of thy perfections since it is no lesse beseeming a faire woman to haue some small conceit and opinion of herselfe then a point of rash iudgement to terme her proud and arrogant that doth moderately acknowledge the same Therefore hold thy selfe Delius for the happiest man in the world and with pride inioy this fauour that Fortune hath bestowed on thee who neuer gaue nor can giue any thing that in felicitie may be comparable with the husband of Diana These words so sweetely deliuered by Alcida and that faire face and eies of hers which all the while she was talking Delius both marked and gazed on made so deepe an impression in his hart that at the ende of her gentle and discreet words he was so greatly enamoured of her that like a sencelesse and astonished man he had not one word to answere her againe onely giuing with a new burning sigh a manifest token of the greene wound that Cupid had made in his conquered hart But now about this time they heard a voice the sweetnes whereof delighted them maruellously They gaue therefore attentiue eare vnto it and casting their eies from whence it resounded they saw a Shepherd comming with a wearie pace towards the fountaine and going like one that was surcharged with griefe and anguish of minde singing as followeth I Cannot be by Loues wrath more tormented Nor Fortune can to me be more vnstable There is no soule in hope so little able Nor hart that is with paine so much contented Loue doth inforce my fainting breath that striueth The better to endure my hard reiection And yet with hope my suffrance and affection And life will not consume that yet reâ—tueth O vainest hart sad eies whose teares haue spent me Why in so long a time and with such anguish End not my plaints and spirits deadly languish O woes sufficeth it not what you haue sent me O Loue why dost thou thus my torments nourish And let Alcida in her freedome flourish The Shepherd had scarce ended his song when Alcida knowing who he was trembled like an Aspen leafe in euerie part of her bodie wherefore she rose vp in great haste to be gone before he came to them requesting Delius and Diana not to tell him that she had beene there since it was as
may be called which willingly long since I would haue changed for death Know therefore faire Shepherdesse that my name is Marcelius and my estate far different from that which my habite doth testifie for I was borne in Soldina the chiefest citie in Vandalia of parents for birth and bloud renowned and in all wealth and power abounding In my tender yeeres I was caried to the king of Portugalles court and trained vp there where not onely of all the chiefest Lords and Knights I was beloued but especially of the king himselfe insomuch that I had neuer his good will and leaue to depart from thence vntill at the last he committed to my gouernment a charge of certaine men of warre which he had in the coast of Africa There was I a long time captaine of the townes and fortresses that the king had on the sea side remaining with my chiefest garrison in Ceuta where the originall of all my hard haps was first commenced For in that towne to my great harme dwelled a noble and renowned Knight called Eugerius who had also a charge by the King and gouernment of the same towne whom God besides that he had adorned and inriched him with the gifts of nature and Fortune had blessed with a Sonne called Polydorus valiant without compare and with two daughters called Alcida and Clenarda women of most rare and excellent beautie Clenarda was verie skilfull in drawing of her bow and in shooting but Alcida which was the eldest endowed with incomparable beautie whose vertues so inflamed my hart with burning loue that they haue caused me to leade this desperate kinde of life which I now passe away wishing for death which euerie day I call vpon and attend Her father was so tender and charie ouer her that few times he suffered her to be out of his sight which thing was no small impediment to the opening of my griefe and great loue I bare her except sometimes when it was my fortune to see her by an appassionate eie and many sighes maugre my will came forciblie out of my brest I signified my paines vnto her At one time among the rest I wanted not opportunitie to write a letter vnto her which fit occasion by fauourable fortune granted me I omitted not but wrote to her this letter following Marcelius his letter to Alcida THat maiestie so princely graue and sweete That modest blush that gentle seemely grace Those lookes so chaste and hauiour so discreete Those golden vertues that thou dost imbrace Besides thy beautie which the world resoundes With famous name from heauen that brought their race In such a narrow streight with bleeding woundes Haue set my hart Alcida heauenly faire That euery thing my woonted rest confoundes For that which breedes my loue is my despaire And so restraines my soule that faine it would Say nought although it cost my vitall aire What man of flint that euer did behold The burning beames that thy faire eies doe cast But waxed dumbe and died with mortall cold Who euer sawe those beauties rare and chaste More perfect then the starrie skie aboue Or any liuing now or gone or past That presently felt not a feruent loue The cause whereof his senses so would vse As not to let him speake for his behoue So much I passe by silence that I muse That sad complaintes my hart doe neuer kill Nor breake my brest with anguish so confuse My ioies are none my woes continue still My paine is firme and all my hope is vaine I liue alas and die in greeuous ill And take reuenge vpon my selfe againe That which I most eschew doth take me straight And what I most desire I lest obtaine For that that lest behooues me I awaite Not comfort for my greefe that neuer endes Ioying in paine wherewith my soule I fraight Yet my delight and life so far extendes As thought of that great distance doth abide That twixt thy beautie grace and me dependes For in my soule I doe conceiue a pride That I haue put it in so high a place Where constancie and hope my hart doe guide But yet thy gentle and sweete Angels face Against my soule such mortall war doe threate That thousand liues dare not abide the chace To feare me yet the passage's not so great Nor way so steepe nor craggie that shall stay My forward steps with aanger or deceate I follow then my ruine and decay The path of paine and seeke not to decline From greeuous plaints that force me euery day Yet endlesse ioy my heauie hart doth shrine And glads my life by wished paine opprest That glories strangely in these greefes of mine Paine 's my delight my plaints my sport and iest My sighes sweete soundes my death my glory makes My woundes my health my flames my happy rest Nothing I see which stirs not and awakes My furious torment and her endlesse wheele But happy fortune by the same it takes These ils sweete Mistresse for thy sake I feele And in these passions liue and die tormented With equall paine and suffrance well contented Let then a man despairing of releefe Who to thy loue his doubtfull life assignes Mooue thee to some compassion of his greefe By reading of these hart-breake written lines Since that he craues no helpe for all his mone But onely that his torment may be knowne This was the letter I wrote vnto her the penning whereof had it beene as fine as the purpose fortunate I would not haue changed my skil in posie for famous Homers It came to Alcidas hands in whose hart when finally she knew the summe of my griefe though at the first the contents of my letter with my too great presumption did somewhat offend her it made deeper impressions then I imagined or hoped for Then I began to manifest my selfe for her open Louer by making manie braue Iustes and encounters at Tilt and Tourney running of wilde Buls and juego de Cannas by celebrating for her sweete sake and seruice Moresco sportes on horsebacke in the day time and maskes and stately dances in the night causing consorts of sundrie musicke to delight her and making verses impresas and Anagrammes of her loue and name and many other gallant shewes and inuentions more for the space of two whole yeeres togither At the ende whereof Eugerius thought me woorthie to be his sonne in law and by the request of some great Lords in those parts offered me his faire daughter Alcida for wife We concluded that the espousall rites should bee solemnized in the citie of Lysbone bicause the king of Portugall might with his presence honour them and therefore dispatching a Poste with all haste by him we certified the king of this marriage and requested his maiestie to giue vs leaue hauing commended our charges and affaires to persons of trust to celebrate it there Whereupon the report of this solemne day was published thorow all the citie and places farre and neere which caused so generall a ioy as was due
die for loue of thee And I doe ioy to see the same Although thou laughest at my paine Which laughter is to me no gaine And so when that in me I finde The greeuous ill which makes me die I thinke when that comes to my minde No remedie thou wilt apply Bicause to see thou ici'st thy fill How much my comforts thou dost kill A remedie thou dost disdaine And then my soule with hope to feede I see it is as much in vaine When as it is by loue decreede To haue my life lie in thy hand And death in thy desire to stand I sawe thy shining beauties beames Faire Shepherdesse vpon a day Neere to great Duerus Christall streames Making the fields so fresh and gay And goodly banks to ioy and flourish The which thy beauties feedes nourish And there I sawe thee leane and stand Among those banks not long agoe Vpon thy sheepehooke with thy hand With naked necke as white as snowe And to thine elbowe seeming greeued With naked arme that was vnsleeued Where if there had beene any one That well had viewed euery part Admit he were as hard as stone And had not lou'd thee from his hart Reason would moue me then to say That he his folly did bewray And therefore thus when I had knowne Thy goodly giftes and beautie rare From thinking of them one by one No time nor rest I did not spare Thus I began loues force to trie And in his torments thus to die But if against me thou dost moue Saying It is to me a shame Being an old man thus to loue So yoong amaide and so to blame O giue me no aduice at all But remedies for which I call For I will neuer thinke this part Of mine hath made so great acrime By louing thee with all my hart As bauing lost so long a time Before I euer came to knowe Thy beauties which adorne thee so Alas I knowe that I am olde And that my prime long since did fall Which now I wish I had not tolde But that which greeues me most of all Is that my louing paine appeeres Not equall with so many yeeres Bicause since first I came into This life I would in all that space Haue loued thee as now I doe Since first I sawe thy sweetest face And as I must with Cupids powre Vnto my last and dying howre And let it not thy minde dismay To see my haire so gray and white For it is ill to take away The place from any that of right Belongs to him in any reason Though it comes out of time and season And though my valour not my hart And force not will thou dost exceede It is not yet so iust a part That any man should leese his meede For being old or be vnpaide Bicause a souldier now decaide The buildings newer that they are And lately built in any sort By no proportion may compare For statelines and princely port The which antiquitie doth showe With those of Rome built long agoe And so in things of woorthines Of prime or goodnes any way Of profit ioy or happines Commonly vnto this day They say and yet do say most true That th' old is better then the new Loue wise in that he went about Till now gaue me no sense of paine Bicause he sawe it did fall out That for the most part did remaine In aged men and like to mee More firmnesse as we daily see To loue thee more then I can tell I am resolued till I die And in my firmnesse doe excell Of all loues torments which I trie But olde againe and not to prooue In all my life the sweete of loue Yoong youthes that most of all doe faine Themselues to burne in Cupids heate Are false and double but to traine Beleeuing women to deceate For when they say That they doe die Then doe they liue most merily And so their false and changing loue And paines alledged in the same And all the torments which they prooue Is but their pastime sport and game It is their iest and common fashion It is no will nor any passion Besides Ismenia doe not feare That I am like to one of those Yoong louers that doe euery wheare Their fauours openly disclose For sooner they receiue not one But straight to many it is knowne For though I doe receiue at lest Three hundred fauours one by one Yet in my loue I doe protest To be as much a very stone In hiding fauours which I gaine As that I am in suffring paine But yet as far as I can see Resolued as thou art in minde To kill me with thy crueltie Suer I am that I shall finde Much to endure to be reueal'd Little ynough to be conceal'd For now ingratefull Shepherdesse The greatest fauour which I misse And faine the same would heere possesse Of all the rest is onely this To die bicause I would no more Complaine against thee as before Time onely will I thee accuse O time that art so great a friend To greefes and makest her refuse My loue who loues her without end For he that hath most part in thee Is little woorth in loue we see Alas that euer I did loue Too late a thing so passing faire And reason therefore that I prooue To die for her in deepe despaire Since when her birth day did appeere I was not borne that very yeere If I had beene faire She pherdesse With thee when I was in my prime As now thou art then more or lesse I had not wanted any time Delights and pastimes to present thee Nor thy sweete fauours to content mee For as for playing on a Pipe Or Rebecke with most sweetest sound To touch with many a daintie stripe And dauncing best in all the towne Amongst the youthes to win the prise All in my fauour did arise And therefore maruell not a whit If that in song I doe excell Famous Amphion as vnfit Compar'd with me to beare the bell Since that my singing hath surmounted Better then he was euer counted Of fields that goodly graine doe beare I plowe more acres then the rest And all my mountaines euery where And plaines that are for pastures best With flocks of sheepe and goates I cumber Mark't with my mark that haue no nūber But now what bootes my present store O cruell hap for my delight Or that that hath beene heeretofore Since now it is forgotten quite Nay which is more scorn'd and despis'd And vnto cruell death deuis'd Then sweetest foe let this auaile To make thy hardest hart relent Strike downe of pride thy puffed saile When to thine eies age shall present That in the same thy braue perfection Shall vade and be in times subiection O Shepherdesse thou art more hard Then sturdy rocke consum'd in time But yet perhaps for thy reward When thou hast lost thy golden prime Then freedomes want shall be thy paine Wherewith thou dost me now disdaine Wherefore let Loue take such de spite Reuenging one
togither and when she had set him there she saide vnto him Now thou art come to the place Montanus where thou must shew that thou hast courage and no abiect minde that is requisite in so good a cause goe into this chamber and there thou shalt finde thy mother a bed with the adulterer When she had saide so she ranne away as fast as euer she could Montanus being thus deluded with Syluerias falshood gaue credite to her words and in a furie plucking his dagger out of the sheath brake open the chamber doore with a thrust of his foote like a mad man with these loud exclamations rushed into it saying Here must thou die traytour by mine owne hands now shall the strumpet Felisardas foule loues helpe thee nothing at all And speaking these words he was so wroth that he knew not who he was that lay in the bedde and thinking to haue slaine the adulterer he lifted vp his arme to stabbe his Father as he lay a bedde But yet good Fortune awoke the old man who knowing his sonne by the light that was there thought verily that for the austere words vnkind disgraces which he had done him he came to kill him wherefore lifting himselfe quickly out of the bedde with holding vp his hands he saide O my sonne what crueltie is this that makes thee the butcher of thine owne Father For Gods sake remember thy selfe and spill nor nowe my innocent bloud nor ende my life before the appointed hower from aboue doth come For if I haue heeretofore vsed any rigour against thee heere vpon my knees I craue pardon for it with protestation that from hencefoorth I will entreate thee as louingly and gently as any father in the world may vse his sonne When Montanus perceiued the treacherie that was wrought and the danger that he had almost incurred by killing his owne Father he stoode there so astonished that his hart and arme so failed him whereby the dagger fell out of his hands and neuer felt it Being thus striken in a maze he could not vtter a worde but ashamed and confounded in his owne enterprise he went out of the chamber and out of the house wonderful sorrie for the treacherie that Sylueria had buzzed into his eares and for that which he had almost done but that his fortune was the better Feltsarda who knew all the matter before and how it would fall out when she saw Montanus come into the chamber she lept out of the bed and ranne into another inward chamber and locking the doore after her saued her selfe from her sonne in lawes furie But when she saw her selfe free from danger for now Montanus was gone out of the house shee came into the chamber againe where Filenus was yet shaking for feare and then she incensing the Father against the Sonne with loude vociferations began thus to say vnto him Now Filenus thou knowest well what kinde of Sonne thou hast and now canst tell if it be not true which I haue so often told thee of his wicked conditions and nature O cruell wretch O vile Traytour Montanus why doe not the heauens confound thee Why doth not the earth swallow thee vp Why do not the wilde beasts deuour thee Why do not men persecute thee to death Accursed be thy marriage thy disobedience thy loues and thy Ismenia that hath brought thee to this barbarous crueltie and to commit so horrible a sinne Traytour as thou art thou dost not punish Alanius who to thy shame and disgrace hath too familiar companie with thy Ismenia vsing her dishonestly and whom she loues more then thy selfe and carest not to kill thy owne Father who with tendernes of thy life and credit hath euer made account of thee Bicause he gaue thee good counsell would'st thou therefore kill him O woefull Father O vnfortunate gray haires O grieuous old age What fault didst thou euer commit that thine owne sonne should kill thee for it euen he whom thou hast begotten brought vp and for whom thou hast passed a thousand cares Plucke vp thy hart now leaue of thy fatherly loue giue place to iustice let him be duely punished for if he which perpetrated such wicked crueltie hath not his descrued punishment disobedient sonnes will not be afraide to do the like nor thine owne hereafter to murder thee once againe with his owne hands Old Filenus full of feare griefe and despite hearing the speech that his wife told him and considering his sonnes treason tooke so great displeasure at it that taking vp the dagger that Montanus had let fall early in the morning he went to the market place there assembling the chiefest men of the towne the Iustices togither after many teares and sobs said thus vnto them I inuoke God for witnes most worthie Shepherdes that the discourse which I must tell you torments my soule so much that I am afraide it will flye out of my bodie before I haue told it out Let not any therefore thinke me cruell or vnnatural by comming to publish my sonnes wickednes openly in this place since it is so strange and detestable that the greatest punishment that I am able to giue him is not sufficient for the enormitie thereof The which for that I am vnable my selfe to remedie it I will lay open before your eies that you may see how iust and needfull a thing it is to giue him condigne punishment and to forwarne all other sonnes by his grieuous example Needlesse it is to tell you with what tender loue and affection I haue brought him vp how carefully I haue kept him with what diligence I haue instructed him in commendable qualities what thoughts I haue suffered for him what good counsell I haue giuen him and how mildly I haue chastised him To my great griefe he married Ismenia and bicause I found fault with him for it in lieu of being reuenged of Alanius the Shepherd who as all the countrey knowes liues dishonestly with his wife Ismenia turned his anger towards me and this night would haue done me to death For this last night he found the meanes to get into the chamber where I was a bed with my wife Felisarda and with this naked dagger would haue killed me And had done it but that God did cut off his strength and abated it in such sort that being halfe astonished and afraide he went out from thence not able to put his damnable intent in practise leauing the dagger that fell out of his hands in the chamber This is the true report of that which this last night passed whereof you may be better informed by my louing wife But bicause I certainly know that my sonne Montanus would neuer haue committed so foule a deed against his Father if his wife Ismenia had not perswaded him to it I therefore beseech you all to consider well of this matter First that my sonne may be sufficiently punished for his wicked attempt and then that false Ismenia especially for the
good Fortune And for the great ioy that wee haue receiued by thy sight I thinke wee haue good occasion to go backe againe especially for that we haue left there our Father all alone and comfortlesse I know well that in seeking out Alcida is no small ease to his carefull thoughts but bicause Fortune hath not these manie daies giuen vs any newes of her we shall take the better course to returne backe againe then to suffer our old Father to be depriued so long of our companie After Polydorus had made an end of his discourse euery one was astonished to heare such strange accidents and after Marcelius had wept for Alcida he made a breefe relation to Polydorus and Clenarda of that which had hapned to him since he sawe them last When Diana and Ismenia heard Polydorus make an end of that sorrowfull historie they desired to go the sooner to Felicias court the one bicause she knew assuredly that Syrenus was there the other bicause she conceiued a certaine hope hearing of the woonderfull wisedome of Felicia to haue also some redresse for her greefes Being therefore possessed with this desire Diana although she was minded to recreate herselfe certaine howers in that pleasant place altered her determination esteeming more of Syrenus sight then of the greene hew of that goodly and fine wood Whereupon rising vp she said to Taurisus and Berardus Sit yee merrie Shepherds still and enioy the delight and sweetenes of this pleasant place for the desire that I haue to go to Dianas temple will not let me stay any longer here We are right sorie to forsake so delightfull a shade so good cōpany but we are forced to follow our Fortune in this behalf Wilt thou be so discurteous faire Shepherdesse said Taurisus to depart so soone from our dolefull eies and to let vs so small a while enioy thy sweet sight speeches These Shepherds haue great reason said Marcelius to Diana to demād such a gentle request it is therfore as great again that their demand be not denied them in reward of their constant faith true loue which deserues to enioy thy companie a little while in this pleasant place especially when thou hast time enough to be at Dianas temple before the Sunne wil hide his light All of them were of his opinion and therefore Diana woulde not seeme discourteous to anie of them but sitting down again in her place she would not rather please herselfe then displease so braue a companie as that was Now then louing Shepherds said Ismenia to Berardus and Taurisus since faire Diana doth not denie vs her presence it is not reason that you denie her your songs Sing iolly Shepherds that in your songs roundelaies shewe so great cunning and so perfect loue being for the one commended in al the townes and countries heereabout and moouing the hardest harts with the other to loue and pitie True saide Berardus all harts sauing Dianas and began to weepe and Diana to smile Which when the Shepherd sawe to the sweete sound of his pipe with the swelled teares standing in his eies he sung a glosse vpon this Dittie MY greeuous sighes and sorrowfull teares In stones doe make their liuely print But not in thee harder then any flint The glosse Let not thy Graces rare Be with my seruice any whit offended Since that my greeuous fare And torments past to thy deuotions tended Where neuer yet with greefe of thee lamented Nor with my sighes thy crueltie relented Thy hart was neuer changed with my cries With which I was importunate alwaies To wearied earth and skies Though thou dost see not onely nights and daies Spilt and consum'd with many feares My greeuous sighes and sorrowfull teares In thy conditions strange thou art That dost not cease with stranger deathes to kill me But strangest is my sorrowfull hart That suffring paines wherewith thou dost so fill me And huing in so strange and cruell passion It dies not in most strange and cruell fashion For if an ill a little time relents Although it be the hardest to sustaine It openeth yet some vents To ease and doth not giue such mortall paine But greefe that hath no end nor stint In stones doe make their liuely print Loue is a daintie milde and sweet A gentle power a feeling fine and tender So that those harmes and paines vnmeete Which I doe passe thou onely dost engender Onely to him his torments loue deuiseth That scornes his lawes his rites and loue despiseth And this is now my mortall paine and death That loue since first thy beauties I did see Like to my proper breath Wherewith I liue hath euer beene in mee In me it liues in me it makes his print But not in thee harder then any flint Berardus song pleased Diana well but perceiuing by it that he made her hart harder then the stones she would for her credite haue answered him againe therfore said It is a merrie iest by my life to call her hard that is modest and cruell that is carefull to keepe her honestie I woulde to God Shepherd my soule were no more sorrowfull then my hart is hard But O greefe Fortune hath made me captiue to so iealous a husband that I was many times constrained to shew discurtesie to gentle Shepherds in these hils dales and fieldes bicause I woulde not haue added more sorrow to my troublesome life with him And yet for all this the knot of marriage and reason oblige me to seeke out my rude and ill conditioned husband although I looke not for any thing else at his hands then sorrow care greefe and manie more annoies in his frowarde companie Taurisus taking nowe occasion at Dianas complaints which she made of her vnfortunate marriage began to play on his Baggepipe and to sing speaking as it were to loue and descanting vpon this common song that saieth The Song A Faire maide wed to prying iealousie One of the fairest as euer I did see If that thou wilt a secret louer take Sweete life doe not my secret loue forsake The glosse Beware good Loue beware it is not well To let blinde Fortune haue a greater part In women that in Beautie doe excell More then thy selfe since such an one thou art For Beautie being commended to thy power To grace the same Thou dost thy selfe dishonour euery hower And art to blame By suffring that this thing should euer be A faire maide wed to prying iealousie Thou dost but ill since thou didst euer make Beautie thy friend who therefore had prepared Sorrowes for him that viewed her for thy sake Which otherwise she would haue kept and spared And so my firmnesse and my faith so pure And all my paine A simple sight did not the same procure Nor did maint aine But sight of her and it was onely shee One of the fairest as euer I did see O Loue thou kilst so many without end For murdring is thy pastime and delight That once I hope thy selfe
thou shalt offend For want they shall on whom to worke thy spight Oh then how seemely shalt thou seeme to grone And wounded see Thyselfe with thine owne griefes and then thine owne Captiue to be For thou at last thy selfe shalt not forsake If that thou wilt a secret Louer take Then maist thou giue to Louers double smart And then I will forgiue thee all the care And amorous paines thou didst to me impart When that thy selfe fond Loue thou dost not spare And if I blame thy deedes or do reprooue thee Then shalt thou say But to thy selfe that reason yet did mooue thee To make away Thy selfe and for thy selfe thy death to take Sweete life do not my secret loue forsake All of them liked well of Taurisus song but Ismenia especially For though it touched Diana most of all bicause it spake of those women that were ill married yet the comment vpon it which were complaints against loue was common to all those that were tormented with it And therefore Ismenia who blamed Cupid for her paines did not onely like of those reprehensions that Taurisus gaue Loue but she herselfe to the sound of her Harpe sung a song to the same effect which Montanus was woont to sing when he was a suter vnto her A Sonnet HAuing no cause why in the deepest sound Of amorous seas my fraile barke dost thou swallow O Loue I 'le make thy crueltie to sound Swifter from East to West then flying swallow Though gales of windes doe bluster in my sterne Yet from the gulfe my ship shall neuer part Of thy braue might so furious and so sterne Vntill my sighes doe helpe to blowe a part If being in a storme my face I turne Then my desire is weakned by thy might Thy force controuces my force that striues in vaine I neuer shall arriue with happy turne Into the port and therefore if I might I would let out my life in euery vaine Marcelius deferred not his answere long after them with another song made to the same purpose and of the same forme sauing that the complaintes that he made were not onely against Loue but against Fortune and himselfe A Sonnet STep after step I followe death in sight Through euery field and hill and troden vale For euerie day my spirits he doth cite And warnes my selfe to shrowde me in his vale O death that once thou wouldst consume this light That still deducts my life in blisselesse bale Now that my hope hath past away so lgiht And ioies condemn'd to torments without bale That Goddesse whose continuall frownes I beare And loue that all my ioies asunder teares And I my selfe are foes vnto my hart She praying on me like a hungrie beare He chasing me like to the wounded Hart And I that doe increase my bootelesse teares The desire that Diana had to go to Felicias pallace would not suffer her to staie any longer there nor harken to any more songs but when Marcelius had ended his she rose vp And so did Marcelius Ismenia and Clenarda vnderstanding Dianas mind although they knew that Felicias house was nigh at hand and that they had time enough to be there before night After they had taken their leaue of Taurisus and Berardus they went from the faire fountain that way that they came in and walking thorow the wood at their leysure enioying the pleasures and delights of it at last they came out of it and then they began to go thorow a great and wide plaine passing goodly to behold where they went thinking howe they might recreate their mindes with some myrth while they were going on their waies and euery one told his opinion concerning that matter But Marcelius who had euer the figure of Alcida engrauen in his hart and thoughts tooke no greater delight nor other ioy then to marke the sweete behauiour of Polydorus and Clenarda and to harken to their talke And therefore to delight himselfe fully with this desire he said I beleeue not faire Shepherdesses that all your pastimes are comparable to the delight that you may haue if Clenarda would discourse vnto you any of those things that she hath seene in the fieldes and bankes of Guadalajar I passed that way in my peregrinations but tooke no pleasure in those delights bicause my minde went musing on other matters But bicause wee haue two large howers our iourney being but halfe an howers worke to go to Dianas temple we may therefore walke on softly and she if it please her may tell vs somthing of that goodly and pleasant countrey Diana and Ismenia seemed to be very glad shewing by their amiable countenances that they longed to haue her beginne although Diana was very desirous to come betimes to the temple but bicause she would not make it knowne to them she concealed the great passions of her desire by accommodating her will to their pleasures Clenarda then entreated by Marcelius following on her way beganne to saie in this manner Although I shall offend your daintie eares and offer great iniurie to the worthines of the kingdome of Valentia with a rude and disordered relation to recount the ornaments rarities and pleasures of it yet bicause I will in some part fulfil your gentle requestes I will say something that I haue heard and seene therein I will not make any particular narration of the fertilitie of the yeelding soyle the pleasantnes of the flourishing fieldes the beauties of the shrubby hils the shadowes of the greene woods the sweetenes of the cleere fountaines the melodie of the singing birdes the coolenes of the fresh and calme windes the riches of the profitable flockes of sheepe and goates the fairenes of the populous townes the good nature of the louing people the strangenes of the sumptuous temples nor of many other things more for which that countrey is famous thorow out the worlde bicause it requireth larger time and a better toong But bicause you may knowe the cheefest glorie of that countrey I will tell you that which I heard renowned Turia the principall riuer of that land sing Polydorus and I came on a day to his bankes to aske the waie to Dianas temple of the Shepherds thereabouts bicause they coulde best tell it in those parts and comming to a cottage where certaine herdsmen were wee founde them sweetely singing We asked them that we desired to know and they verie louingly informed vs at large of all we demanded and afterwards tolde vs that since we came in so good an hower that we should not depart from thence vntill we had heard a most sweete song that the famous Turia would make not farre from thence after halfe an hower We were well content to heare it and so we staied to go with them After we had staied a little while in their companie we went vp along the riuer bankes vntill we came to a wide fielde where we sawe a great companie of Nymphes Shepherds and Shepherdesses euery one attending when famous Turia would
a delightfull and coole shadow defending them from the heat of the radiant sunne which was with some heate mounted vp the Hemispheare Whilest Marcelius Don Felix Felismena Syluanus and the Shepherds were talking togither of these matters at the other end of the garden neere vnto the fountaine as it is saide before were Eugerius Polydorus Alcida and Clenarda Alcida had that day left of her pastorall weedes as Felicia had commanded and was now apparelled and adorned very richly with costly garments and iewels that she willed shoulde be giuen her But as Syrenus was also there Montanus Arsileus and Belisa singing and sporting togither they maruell ouslie delighted Eugerius and his sonne and daughters that were harkening to them And that which did most of all please them was a song which Syrenus and Arsileus did sing one against another in dispraise and fauour of Cupid For they sung with an earnest will and desire in hope of a braue christall cup which Eugerius had promised for a reward and prize to him that did sing best And so Syrenus to the sound of his Rebecke and Arsileus to the tune of his rurall Baggepipe began to sing in maner following Syrenus OEies that are not now as once tormented When first my star enueagled and disguis'd you O ioyfull thoughts and quiet minde absented O carelesse hart now will I once aduise you That since you made Diana discontented To see loue thinke on you let this suffice you That I doe hold your counsell best of many In vaine to see nor loue nor thinke of any Arsileus O eies that haue to greater light attained Looking vpon that sunne your onely treasure O toyfull thoughts in thousand ioies distrained O happy hart the seate of secret pleasure Although Belisa would haue once disdained To see to loue or thinke on me at leisure Yet hold I this a heauen as like was neuer To see to loue and thinke on her for euer Syrenus would haue replyed to Arsileus answer if he had not beene interrupted by Eugerius who said Since you must iolly Shepherds receiue your reward at my hands it is good reason that you sing in such sort as may best content me Sing thou Syrenus first those verses which thy muse shall dictate vnto thee and then thou Arsileus shalt sing as many againe or those which thou shalt best thinke good of It pleaseth vs well said they and then Syrenus began thus Syrenus LEt now the goodly spring tide make vs merie And fieldes which pleasant flowers do adorne And vales meades woods with liuely colours flourish Let plentious flockes the Shepherds riches nourish Let hungrie woolues by dogs to death be torne And lambes reioice with passed winter wearie Let euery riuers ferrie In waters flowe and siluer streames abounding And fortune ceaslesse wounding Turne now thy face so cruell and vnstable Be firme and fauourable And thou that kill'st our soules with thy pretenses Molest not wicked loue my inward senses Let countrie plainnes liue in ioies not ended In quiet of the desart meades and mountaines And in the pleasure of a countrie dwelling Let Shepherds rest that haue distilled fountaines Of teares prooue not thy wrath all paines excelling Vpon poore soules that neuer haue offended Let thy flames be incended In hautie courtes in those that swim in treasure And liue in ease and pleasure And that a sweetest scorne my woonted sadnes A perfect rest and gladnes And hils and dales may giue me with offences Molest not wicked loue my inward senses In what law find'st thou that the freest reason And wit vnto thy chaines should be subiected And harmelesse soules vnto thy cruell murder O wicked loue the wretch that flieth furder From thy extremes thou plagu'st O false suspected And carelesse boy that thus thy sweetes dost season O vile and wicked treason Might not thy might suffice thee but thy fuell Of force must be so cruell To be a Lord yet like a Tyrant minded Vaine boy with errour blinded Why dost thou hurt his life with thy offences That yeelds to thee his soule and inward senses He erres alas and fowly is deceiued That cals thee God being a burning fire A furious flame a playning greefe and clamorous And Venus sonne that in the earth was amorous Gentle and milde and full of sweete desire Who calleth him is of his wits bereaued And yet that she conceaued By proofe so vile a sonne and so vnruly I say and yet say truly That in the cause of harmes that they haue framed Both iustly may be blamed She that did breede him with such vile pretenses He that doth hurt so much our inward senses The gentle sheepe and lambes are euer flying The rauening woolues and beastes that are pretending To glut their mawes with flesh they teare asunder The milke white doues at noise of fearefull thunder Flie home amaine themselues from harme defending The little chicke when puttocks are a crying The woods and meadowes dying For raine of heauen if that they cannot haue it Doe neuer cease to craue it So euery thing his contrarie resisteth Onely thy thrall persisteth In suffring of thy wrongs without defences And lets thee spoile his hart and inward senses A publike passion natures lawes restraining And which with wordes can neuer be declared A soule twixt loue and feare and desperation And endlesse plaint that shuns all consolation A spendlesse flame that neuer is impaired A friendlesse death yet life in death maintaining A passion that is gaining On him that loueth well and is absented Whereby it is augmented Aiealousie a burning greefe and sorrow These fauours louers borrow Of thee fell Loue these be thy recompences Consuming still their soule and inward-senses Arsileus after that Syrenus had ended his song began to tune his Bagpipe and after he had played a little while vpon it answering euerie staffe of his Competitor in order he sung as followeth Arsileus O Let that time a thousand monthes endure Which brings from heauen the sweete and siluer showres And ioies the earth of comforts late depriued With grasse and leaues fine buds and painted flowres Eccho returne vnto the woods obscure Ring foorth the Shepherds songs in loue contriued Let olde loues be reuiued Which angrie winter buried hath of late And that in such a state My soule may haue the full accomplishment Of ioy and sweete content And since fierce paines and greefes thou dost controule Good loue doe not forsake my inward soule Presume not Shepherds once to make you mery With springs and flowres or any pleasant song Vnlesse milde loue possesse your amorous brestes If you sing not to him your songs doe werie Crowne him with flowres or else ye doe him wrong And consecrate your springs to his behestes I to my Shepherdesse My happie loues with great content doe sing And flowres to her doe bring And sitting neere her by the riuer side Enioy the braue springtide Since then thy ioies such sweetnesse doe enroule Good loue doe not forsake my inward
soule The wise in ancient times a God thee nam'd Seeing that with thy power and supreme might Thou didst such rare and mighty woonders make For thee a hart is frozen and inflam'd A foole thou mak'st a wise man with thy light The coward turnes couragious for thy sake The mighty Gods did quake At thy commaund To birdes and beasts transformed Great monarches haue not scorned To yeeld vnto the force of beauties lure Such spoiles thou dost procure With thy braue force which neuer may be toulde With which sweete loue thou conqu'rest euery soule In other times obscurely I did liue But with a drowsie base and simple kinde Of life and onely to my profit bend me To thinke of loue my selfe I did not giue Or for good grace good partes and gentle minde Neuer did any Shepherdesse commend me But crowned now they send me A thousand garlands that I woon with praise In wrestling daies by daies In pitching of the bar with arme most strong And singing many a song After that thou didst honour and take hould Of me sweete loue and of my happy soule What greater ioy can any man desire Then to remaine a captiue vnto loue And haue his hart subiected to his power And though sometimes he taste a little sower By suffring it as milde as gentle doue Yet must he be in lieu of that great hire Whereto he doth aspire If louers liue afflicted and in paine Let them with cause complaine Of cruell fortune and of times abuse And let them not accuse Thee gentle loue That dost with blisse enfoulde Within thy sweetest ioies each louing soule Behold a faire sweete face and shining eies Resembling two most bright and twinkling stars Sending vnto the soule a perfect light Behold the rare perfections of those white And Iuorie hands from greefes most sure bars That minde wherein all life and glorie lies That ioy that neuer dies That he doth feele that loues and is beloued And my delights approoued To see her pleas'd whose loue maintaines me heere All those I count so deere That though sometimes Loue doth my toies controule Yet am I glad he dwels within my soule There was not one there amongst them all but tooke great delight in the Shepherds songs But Eugerius comming to giue his verdict praise and reward to him that had sung best could not so soone conclude of the matter he stept aside to Montanus to heare his opinion whose iudgement was that one had sung as well as another Then Eugerius turning to Syrenus and Arsileus said My opinion is cunning Shepherds that you are equall in the subiect of this contention and that if old Palemon were reuiued and made an indifferent iudge betweene you hee could not confesse I thinke any superioritie in your skill Thou art Syrenus worthie to beare away the cristall cup and thou Arsileus deseruest it as well so that I should offer you great wrong if I did not define who is conqueror and who is conquered To resolue my selfe therefore of this doubt with Montanus opinion I say that to thee Syrenus is allotted the Cristall cup and to thee Arsileus this Calcedonian cup of no lesse value which worthily thou hast wonne To both of you therefore I giue cups of like value both of them of account amongst Felicias treasure and by her bountifull hands bestowed on me The Shepherds were well pleased at the wife iudgement and rich rewardes of bountifull Eugerius to whom they gaue many thankes But Alcida by this occasion calling to minde her passed times said If the deceitfull errour wherewith I haue beene blinded so long had endured till now I would not then cōsent that Arsileus should be rewarded equally with Syrenus But since I am now free from it and wounded afresh with the loue of my betrothed Marcelius for the paine which I suffer for his absence I like well of that which Syrenus did sing and for the ioy and sweete delight which I expect I also commend Arsileus song But take heed carelesse Syrenus that these complaints which thou makest of Diana be not like to those wherewith I blamed Marcelius bicause thou maist not repent thee of thy hardnes of hart and disdaine as I haue done Syrenus smiled at this and said What greater blame may be laide vpon that Shepherdesse who after she had forsaken me married her selfe to a iealous peruerse and vnfortunate husband Then Alcida answered Vnfortunate indeed he hath beene enough since he cast his eies vpon me and bicause it comes fit to the purpose I will tell thee that which yesterday by reason of Felicias discourses and affaires with me I could not declare vnto thee when as we were talking about Dianas matters and to this end especially bicause thou mightest forget all iniuries past and shake off thy wrongfull obliuion when thou shalt vnderstand of the strange and vnluckie accident that by my contempt befell to miserable Delius I haue told thee before how I was talking and singing with Diana at the fountaine of the Sicamours and how iealous Delius came thither and sorrowfull Marcelius after him in a Shepherds habit at whose sight I was so grieued that I fled from him incōtinently into a wood that was hard by But when I came to the other side of the wood I heard a far off a voice that still cryed Alcida Oh Alcida stay stay which made me to thinke that Marcelius followed me and bicause I would not fall into his hands I ran as fast as I could away But by that which afterwards happened I knew that it was Delius husband to Diana that came running after me And bicause I had run a great way and began to be wearie I then went so easily that he followed me in sight I knew him and staied to know what he would haue not thinking once of him nor of the cause of his comming And when he was before me what by the faintnes of his running and by the anguish of his minde that troubled him he was not able to vtter one word At the last with rude and ill formed reasons he said that he was in loue with me praying me after his homely manner to loue him againe and many other things I know not what which shewed his little wit and simple behauiour To tell the very truth I laughed at him and the best I could endeuoured to comfort him and to make him forget his folly but it auailed nothing for the more I disswaded him from it the more foole he was In faith Shepherd I sweare vnto thee that I neuer knew man in my life so assotted with sudden loue But as I went on my waies and he following me at an inch we came to a village a mile distant from his towne and there when he perceiued my rigour that I had flatly denied him for verie griefe and anguish of minde he fell sicke He was lodged there by a Shepherd that knew him who as soone as morning came certified his mother of
thousand torments in exchange All the while that Ismenia was singing and before and after she neuer cast her eies off her beloued Montanus But he who was somewhat ashamed of his fonde conceit wherein he had liued so long to the great griefe of his wife durst neuer looke on her but by stealth and at euerie turne of the daunce when she could not see him againe the reason whereof was bicause when sometimes he went about to looke her in the face he was so much confounded with shame of his folly that was yet so fresh in his memorie and was so much ouercome with the light of those two radiant eies of her which with great affection continually beheld him that he was forced to cast his downe to the ground Whereby seeing that he lost a great part of his delight by not looking on her whom he accounted his chiefest felicitie and making this the occasion and matter of the song he sung to his beloued Ismenia in manner following TVrne thy faire eies wherein my shame I see faire Shepherdesse aside For looking on me with the same To looke on thee I am denide With thy two sunnes so dost thou giue And cast me beames with pearcing eie That though by seeing thee I liue Yet when thou look'st on me I die Eies that are of such art and frame Thou must beware to keepe aside For looking on me with the same To looke on thee I am denide Like as the snowe vnto the sunne And as the marke vnto the fight As cloudes are with the windes vndone As waxe before the fires light So doe thy fairest eies with shame Confound me and my soule deuide For looking on me with the same To looke on thee I am denide Behold what mightie loue is bent To doe and fortune doth ordaine To make my sorrowes still augment By the sweete guerdon of my paine Thine eies doe feede my amorous flame And sight of them my life doth guide But if thou view'st me with the same To looke on thee I am denide Melisea who was all this while dauncing against her will with Narcisus whom she could not abide with a disdainfull song thought to be reuenged on this griefe and iust to the purpose of those paines and griefes wherewith the Shepherd said he died euerie daie for her sake making but a mocke and iest of them did sing thus YOng Shepherd turne aside moue Me not to follow thee For I will neither kill with loue Nor loue shall not kill mee Since I will liue and neuer fauour showe Then die not for my loue I will not giue For I will neuer haue thee loue me so As I doe meane to hate thee while I liue That since the louer so doth proue His death as thou dost see Be bold I will not kill with loue Nor loue shall not kill mee Narcisus tooke no meane griefe to heare the cruell song of his deerest Loue but encouraging himselfe with the hope that Felicia had giuen him and forced by the constancie and fortitude of his enamoured hart he answered her with two staues which he adioyned to a certaine old song that said thus IF to belou'd it thee offends I cannot choose but loue thee still And so thy greefe shall haue no end Whiles that my life maintaines my will O let me yet with greefe complaine Since such a torment I endure Or else fulfill thy great disdaine To end my life with death most sure For as no credit thou wilt lend And as my loue offendes thee still So shall thy sorrowes haue no end Whiles that my life maintaines my will If that by knowing thee I could Leaue of to loue thee as I doe Not to offend thee then I would Leaue of to like and loue thee too But since all loue to thee doth tend And I of force must loue thee still Thy greefe shall neuer haue an end Whiles that my life maintaines my will Melisea was so hardened in her crueltie that Narcisus hauing scarce ended the last words of his song and before another did sing she replied in this manner ME thinks thou tak'st the woorser way Enamoured Shepherd and in vaine That thou wilt seeke thine owne decay To loue her that doth thee disdaine For thine owne selfe thy wofull hart Keepe still else art thou much to blame For she to whom thou gau'st each part Of it disdaines to take the same Follow not her that makes a play And iest of all thy greefe and paines And seeke not Shepherd thy decay To loue her that thy loue disdaines Narcisus could not suffer Meliseas song to passe without an answer and so with a milde grace he sung these new verses vpon an old song that said SInce thou to me wert so vnkinde My selfe I neuer loued For I could not loue him in my minde Whom thou faire Mistresse dost abhor If viewing thee I saw thee not And seeing thee I could not loue thee Dying I should not liue God wot Nor liuing should to anger moue thee But it is well that I doe finde My life so full of torments For All kinde of ills doe fit his minde Whom thou faire Mistresse dost abhor In thy obliuion buried now My death I haue before mine eies And heere to hate my selfe I vow As cruell thou dost me despise Contented euer thou didst finde Me with thy scornes though neuer for To say the truth I ioyed in minde After thou didst my loue abhor The contention betweene Narcisus and Melisea delighted them all so much that the generall reioycing of that feast had beene greatly augmented by it had it not bin diminished with the manifest apparance of the rigor that she shewed Narcisus and with the pitie that they had of those paines which he suffered for hir sake After Narcisus had made an ende of his song all of them turned their eies to Melisea thinking she would haue replyed againe But she held her peace not bicause she wanted nipping and cruell songs to encounter and vexe the miserable Louer with nor will to reply but bicause she would not be troublesome to all that merie companie Seluagia and Belisa were afterwards requested to sing who excused themselues by alleaging their in sufficiencie Nay that were not well said Diana that you should goe from the feast without paying your shot And this must not so smoothly passe away said Felismena without the consent of vs all heere who meane to participate the sweete delight of so delicate voices as yours are We will not be slacke said they againe to do you anie seruice little though it be in this solemnitie but pardon our singing I pray you for in all other things we will be willing to do our endeuours I will not for my part giue my consent saide Alcida to exempt you from singing or at the least that some others shall sing for you Who can better do it said they then Syluanus and Arsileus our husbands The Shepherdesses say well said Marcelius and it
as if he went about to preferre her before himselfe For after that the woman hath deliuered herselfe into the possession of her husband she therewithal yeeldeth vp to his iurisdiction the title of her libertie by the sweete and sacred bonde of marriage Whereupon I shall see the loue thou bearest me if thou vsest this pleasant bonde according to the iust lawes thereof by setting aside the superstitious vanities of vnlawfull and wanton loue Syluanus had not let Seluagia escaped so smoothly without an answer if he had not thought it an vndecent part to defer his to the sage Lady Wherfore giuing a becke with his head to his Shepherdesse in token of thanks and that he was well pleased with her louing words he answered Felicia thus Presupposing sage Lady that we must do all that you commaund and set downe and that there is nothing more behoouefull for our welfare then your will and pleasure therein it lies to command vs whatsoeuer I feeling no greater reprehension in mine owne behalfe then that which proceedes from your wise and louing aduise saying that I haue no care of my flocks nor thought of them at all For though I confesse I haue not remembred them as reason woulde I had done yet cannot I therefore be iustly blamed but rather thinke that if I had done otherwise I might haue beene in greater fault For it were not meete since I haue receiued such benefits in your house that I shoulde forget one minute that ioy and content wherewith such sweete and pleasant thoughts are ingendred and preserued to thinke vpon those flockes that feede vpon the vnsauorie grasse And you may also beleeue that if my fewe and silly sheepe nay if the whole worlde should perish and be lost and that if it lay in my hands to helpe them both in respect of employing my high and happy thoughts the least time that might be on my faire and vertuous Shepherdesse my sheepe should remaine without helpe and the world without succour Seluagia that was not vnskilfull in paying such debts with like coine again an swered him thus As it lieth not in me my deere friend so will I not find fault with any thing thou dost which I speake to this end bicause thou shouldest not vse as I told thee before any more words so apparantly manifesting that loue whereof I doubt not Although there is nothing if I must tell the truth after the glorie that I haue conceiued in my ioyfull thoughts by being thine that can please and content me more then to see how farre by wordes and effect thy true loue extendeth For though some say That where deedes be wordes are in vaine yet I take great pleasure in hearing them when they are by all probabilitie correspondent vnto deedes and especially in matters of loue whereof we now talke For since the interiour part is a hidden and secret thing and which is soonest discouered by wordes wee must therefore not meanely account of them that pretend to make the interiour knowne by th'exteriour True it is that such words and outward actes must be measured by the effects of him that pronounceth them For oftentimes we see that many things are vttred by a false and deceitfull toong which were neuer ment in the hart Which I speake not in preiddice of thy loue my deere Shepherd or to 〈◊〉 thee of disloyaltie assuring that I am glad to heare thy words whereby besides the certaintie that I haue of thy truest loue thou makest me the most contented woman in the world And in this I take no small glory and that thy loue not able to containe it selfe within the soule flowes out by the mouth like the little pot which filled with water is hardly set on the fire without running ouer And bicause thou maist not thinke to ouercome me in affection I would wish that as loue hath giuen me deedes it had also lent me some wordes to make a full satisfaction of those true signes of thy vnfained good will which hath brought me so much in thy debt But since they are so strange vnto mee I must with onely offring that which I am able to giue endeuour to discharge my selfe thereof They all tooke great delight to heare what amorous wordes passed betweene the Shepherdes which had not ended so soone if Felicia had not cut them off saying That since the one was satisfied and content with the others answere their complements should now cease and turning to Syrenus she said And thinke not free Shepherd that I haue forgotten thee for thou shalt hereafter see woonders at my hands I know not any thing good Ladie said Syrenus wherein I may truely say you haue forgotten me since you haue made me so much remember my selfe that with cleere eies I may easily discerne not only my follies past but also those which these Gentlemen and shepherds are so fondly fallen into Euerie one laughed at Syrenus words to whom Felicia said In sooth Syrenus all are of thy opinion if not aske thy corriuall Syluanus and his beloued Seluagia The blind man answered Syrenus cannot iudge of colours Whom wilt thou haue then for iudge said Felicia Him said Syrenus that hath the eies of reason And who is he said Felicia If there be no other said Syrenus my selfe So wouldest thou giue sentence said Felicia in thine owne fauour but knowest thou not that the iudge is not admitted when he is not free from passion But I am said Syrenus Otherwise said Felicia thy iudgement would not be allowed Not for me at the least saide Syrenus though it be for others Let vs leaue this for some fitter time said Felicia And Syrenus thou shalt to morrow accompany Syluanus and Seluagia home bicause thou camest in their company hither but with condition as theirs is of thy speedie returne againe Syrenus answered that it pleased him well It is well then said Felicia and therfore let vs go take our rest with some parting song to the tune of thy free Rebecke and Syluanus and Seluagia with their enamoured Bagpipes shall answer thee Then did Syluanus take his Bagpipe for Syrenus to sing to it and Syrenus his Rebecke to play to Syluanus when he had done And so Syrenus leading the song began thus Syrenus WHo hath of Cupids cates and dainties prayed May feede his stomacke with them at his pleasure If in his drinke some ease he hath essated Then let him quench his thirsting without measure And if his weapons pleasant in their manner Let him imbrace his standard and his banner For being free from him and quite exempted Ioyfull I am and proud and well contented Syluanus Of Cupids daintie cates who hath not prayed May be depriued of them at his pleasure If wormewood in his drinke he hath essated Let him not quench his thirsting without measure And if his weapons cruell in their manner Let him abiure his standard and his banner For I not free from him and not exempted Ioyfull I am and proud and
well contented Syrenus Loue 's so expert in giuing many a trouble That now I knowe not why he should be praised He is so false so changing and so double That with great reason he must be dispraised Loue in the end is such a iarring passion That none should trust vnto his peeutsh fashion For of all mischiefe he 's the onely Master And to my good a torment and disaster Syluanus Loue 's so expert in giuing ioy not trouble That now I knowe not but he should be praised He is so true so constant neuer double That in my minde he should not be dispraised Loue in the end is such a pleassing passion That euery one may trust vnto his fashion For of all good he is the onely Master And foe vnto my harmes and my disaster Syrenus Not in these sayings to be proou'd a lier He knowes that doth not loue nor is beloued Now nights and daies I rest as I desier After I had such greefefrom me remoued And cannot I be glad since thus estranged My selfe from false Diana I haue changed Hence hence false Loue I will not entertaine thee Since to thy torments thou dost seeke to traine me Syluanus Not in these sayings to be proou'd a lier He knowes that loues and is againe beloued Now nights and daies I rest in sweete desier After I had such happy fortune proued And cannot I be glad since not estranged My selfe into Seluagia I haue changed Come come good Loue and I will entertaine thee Since to thy sweete content thou seek'st to traine mee The rest of the companie tooke great delight to heare the Shepherds sing and how contrary they were in their opinions commending Syluanus his wit and skill very much which he shewed in euery point with the same termes to contradict Syrenus And after this they went to sleepe the Shepherds then taking their leaue for their departure earely in the morning bicause rising betimes not to trauell in the heate of the day their visiting in the morning might not hinder their quiet sleepe Felicia gaue Doria in charge to fill their scrips that night before with sufficient prouision for their way who like a friendly and louing Nymph that was neuer slacke to serue their necessitie going about it immediately did put into the same good store of victuals The opprobrious and rude shame of the ignominious coniunction had nowe thrust out vermillion and purple Aurora to leaue with her absence the deformed little old man in a solitarie sadnes for feare of being espied by Phoebus and the little stars as most obedient and of lesse force with the comming of the mounting Sunne into our Hemisphere hid themselues when the three Shepherds went from Felicias rich pallace towards their poore Cottages by their accustomed and knowen waies which with their pleasant and merry talke they ouercame and made lesse painfull conferring togither of bitter and sorrowfull memories of times past and entermingling them with recitall of the sweete and ioyfull remedies of their former greefes which by Felicias fauours they enioyed liuing now in a happie and wished estate But Clicies louing friend had scarce lifted vp his chariot ouer the face of the earth when from the side of a hill they espied a Shepherd comming downe with a paper in his hand staying betweene pace and pace and vnfolding it looked into it and put it by and by into his bosome againe and without playing on Bagpipe or Rebecke began to sing this Sonnet A Sonnet FRom whence O Paper mine such happie fauour That vndeseruedly thou must be placed Before that flowre that yeeldes the sweetest sauour Which nature hath with all her powres graced Thou shalt the figure see my louing Paper Where all the vertues make their wished dwelling And of the rest not any one escape her Graces and giftes and beauties most excelling Then when thou com'st before my heauenly treasure Say thus from me to her He sends me hither Who liues to serue thee whilst his life extendeth In onely this his thoughts are musing euer In ioy of this both nights and daies he spendeth To serue thee is his onely sport and pleasure At the very instant when the Shepherd made an end of his Sonnet the three Shepherds met with him for they might well haue come to the valley before where their way and the other Shepherds met both togither in a crosse path but that of purpose to heare him they lingred out the time as they went to whom after they had saluted him they saide Since our Fortune hath beene so good to vs iolly Shepherd to make vs take part of thy sweet Sonnet do not thus leaue vs in suspence by hiding from vs what this happy paper containeth I am content saide the Shepherd vpon condition when you haue read it you will let me go without any more questions as well for that I go in haste as also that it doth not please me to giue any further account and discouerie of my selfe Syrenus taking the paper to read it and seeing it was a letter saide Tell vs in briefe if it please thee the contents heerof bicause thou knowest how hardly otherwise the ground and meaning of letters are vnderstood No more said the Shepherd but this A most faire yoong Shepherdesse to whom in good qualities and excellent parts I come nothing neer I will not speake of the rest since in these she hath not her equall for want of better companie hath vouchsafed to like of mine whereupon she and I to passe away the time haue feined to play the parts of two true Louers Wherein when I tooke least heede I quickly perceiued that the faining of my side was turned to good earnest she remayning still in her former estate and libertie and that her iesting neuer made any true impression of loue in her owne hart as it hath done in mine The rest and almost all if thou wilt diligently reade or harken vnto thou maiest easilie gather Syrenus then beginning to reade it saw that it said thus POore I that am not now for thee If any health I haue to lend To thee that hast each part of me All that I haue I meane to send Receiue this letter left alone That to conuers all his to thine And not in any thing his owne This onely paper is behinde Since I haue giu'n thee all the rest Thine honour it shall not gainstand To take a thing that is the lest Apeece of paper at my hand So poore and base a thing as this Cannot offend thy minde so high Why then it cannot be amisse To take and reade it by and by But in the same if thou dost find Words written ill and not well coucht Knowe that my hand did like the winde Tremble when that my pen it toucht The blots which heere thou see'st disgrace My letter making it to blame My teares they are that fell apace Knowing to thee I wrote the same Reade it I pray thee to the end And make an