Did he said Tircis love Astrea I have heard say that there was a most inveterate enmity betwixt their Families The beauty of this shepheardesse answered Silvander was greater then their hatred and since he is dead I hope there is no danger in saying so Nor do I believe there would said Diana if he were alive for he being so discreet and Astrea so wise their affection could not offend any Astrea hearing what they said of her though her eyes were not yet dry she could not chuse but answer them These tears said she which I cannot hide do testifie that Celadon did love me but these Manuscripts do testifie that Astrea hath rather offended against Love then Duty But to give him satisfaction after his death I will ingenuously confesse more then decency would permit me when he was alive and say I did love him Upon these words all the company came to her and Diana shewing her the papers which she had in her hand Is this said she Celadon's writing Doubtlesse it is answered Astrea Then said Diana it is a signe he is not dead Unto which Phillis answered That is it of which we have been speaking but she tells me that Celadon's soul which wonders about the River Lignon did write them Why said Tircis was he not buried That 's the reason said Astrea why he wanders thus for they never made him a Tombe This said Paris was most carelesly done to let so brave a soul as Celadon's suffer so long pain for want of a little care You may see said Tircis how little those that are alive do care for the dead so as I esteem them to be wise who bury themselves alive Indeed said Diana it is very strange that this shepheard so much loved and lamented not only by all his Kindred but by all the Neighbourhood should not have that charitable office done him which many have who are lesse loved Perhaps said Thorsander the gods did so ordain it to the end he should not so soon have that place he had so much loved and being recompensed with his love he had rather stay some while neer her he had adored However I conceive said Tircis that even as our bodies cannot be in the Aire Water or Fire without much pain because being ponderous and heavy they must perpetually be unquiet as long as they are in such pure Elements as have no solidity in them to rest upon so the soul seperated from the body not being in its proper Element as long as it is amongst us is in continuall pain untill it enter into the Elizian fields where it will finde another Earth another Aire another Water and another Fire more perfect proper and suitable unto its nature then unto our dull and grosse bodies And therefore when my dearest and so much loved Cleon dyed I was in a resolution not to bury her that I might have retained her dearest soul the longer about me but our Druides convinced me of that error and told me as I have told you For my part said Sivander since for went of buriall men shall stay some time longer in the place where they dyed I heartily desire all my friends that if I do die in this Country not to bury me that I may the longer look upon my fairest Mistresse for there are no joyes in the Elizian fields comparable unto that blessed vision nor any pains that a soul can suffer by being out of its proper Element but are recompensed by it That would do very well said Tircis if after we be separated from our bodies we did retain our affections but our Sages tell us that our passions are only â—ibutes of humanity and the gods did bestow them upon us to the end the race of men should not fail but after death soules being immortall and not in a capacity of engendring our Passions and our Loves are lost in it even as our desires of eating or drinking or sleeping But said Silvander if Celadon did write these Papers it is not likely he hath lost his affection love unto this Shepheardesse Who knowes said Tircis but that the gods who are infinitely just were pleased to give him that particular satisfaction in recompence of that pure and sacred affection which he had unto that shepheardesse If so said Silvander why should not I hope to finde the gods as just and favourable unto me as him since my affection shall not yield unto him or any other either in purity or zeal But said Astrea if the gods do shew him this as a favour would it not be impiety to deprive him of that contentment by endeavouring to give him a buriall and so set him out of this world No said Tircis for the gods do favour him in it only as a comfort in the pains which he is continually in being constrained to be absent from heaven so contrary to its nature The Shepheards were thus discoursing when Phillis espied a place which seemed as if some had been upon their knees for such marks were imprinted upon the earth and because it was just opposite to the Altar and she also spying a piece of Parchment close by it she went to see what it was and opening it she found these words A Prayer unto the goddesse Astrea OH great and puissant goddesse although your perfections cannot be equal'd and though all our sacrifices come infinitely short of your merits yet I beseech thee let them be acceptable in thy sight since if you should receive none but such as are worthy of you the gods themselves must be the Victim This which I here most humbly offer unto your divinity is a Heart and a Will which were never dedicated unto any but only your selfe If this offering be acceptable look with the eyes of pitty upon that soul who ever found them full of love and by an act worthy of your selfe â—rid it out of that pain in which it hath long languished I do most heartly beg this favour by the name of Celadon if ever the name of your most faithfull and affectionate servant can merit from your divinity so much glorious satisfaction Phillis making a signe with her hand and calling Astrea Come hither Sister said she see what Celadon asks and you will finde what Tircis said to be true Then all comming neer she read aloud this prayer whilst Astrea did accompany every word with a tear though she did strive all that possibly she could to restrain them When Phillis had ended Truly said Astrea I shall satisfie his most just demand and if his Parents will not build him a Sepulcher which they are obliged unto by Consanguinity he shall receive one from me as his friend Upon this word going from that place all the Company went back to Hylas who was not idle all the while for seeing them all very serious and intentive in the other Arbour he came into that where was the twelve Statutes of the Lawes of Love and taking the Picture in his hand he
and fixing his eyes upon her he uttered these Lines A Comparison between DIANA and the Moon MOst glorious Star that shines so clear And radiant in the spangled Sphear As makes the Night like Day appear Just so does my Diana fair Like to thy self so chast her breast With so much cruelty is drest As it is fond Acteons best To court her with no loose request Of all the Tapers in the Night 'T is thou that gives us greatest light Of all the Beauties none so bright Diana is the prime delight Yet when Diana I think upon You doe not hold comparison For you had one Endymion But my Diana ne're had one Oh heavens cryed he out then what then will become of thy Silvander since she will not admit of any Endymion Can it possibly be that Nature who cannot chuse but be pleased with her workmanship should not finde one in all her Treasury worthy of her Can she possibly bestow so much beauty upon this Shepheardesse and make her incapable of Love However they have no eyes that are not delighted with so rare a piece of excellency Does not the gods allow that as our hearts receive the greatest blowes so our hearts should resent the greatest contentment Did they make her so fair and not to be loved Or if we do love her did they make her to consume us Ah! alas I see that as this beauty was made to be loved so it is for her own glory and for the torment of those who love her as I do This thought gave him such a stop that he left walking and after a long agitation of thoughts he uttered these Lines That no Consideration whatsoever can hinder him from loving his Mistresse WHy does my thoughts suggest And bid me not to love her But set my heart at rest She 's aimed for another If for a Mortall why Not I as any other If for a god then I Will worship and adore her ' Mongst mortalls there is none Can equall flame with me Nor ' mongst the gods not one That can more zealous be What though this cruell soul Disdains all them that love her Love will at last control Or Reason needs must move her If Reason will but do 't By Merit I 'le her gain If Love will bring her to 't I 'le love and love again The Moon then as if purposely to invite him to a longer stay in that place did seem to lend him a double lustre And because he had left his flock with Diana's and assured himselfe she would out of her curtesy take all requisite care over it he resolved to spend part of the night there according to his usuall custome for he took abundance of delight in entertaining himselfe with his new thoughts that retiring from all company he used to get into some private valley or some solitary wood and day would oftentimes overtake him before he began to think of any sleep making his long and amorous thoughts see both the evening and the morning Thus at this time did he wander chusing that path which by chance his foot did fall into and after he had fancyed a thousand Chimera's he found himselfe in the midst of a thick wood and knew not where he was and though at every step almost he stumbled against something or other yet could he not give over his pleasing thoughts all that he saw furnished his fancy with some conceit and fed his imagination If he chanced to stumble upon any thing I found greater rubs would he say in my desires If he heard the leaves shake when they were moved by some blast of winde I tremble more for fear would he say when I am by her and when I would acquaint her with my reall passions which she thinks to be fained If he look'd up and saw the Moon he would say The Moon in the heavens and my Diana upon earth This solitary place silence and the pleasing light of the night caused this shepheard to walk so long with the sweet entertainment of his thoughts that being got into the thick of the wood he lost the light of the Moon which was 〈◊〉 by the leaves of trees and desiring to get out of that gloomy place he no sooner looked about to make choice of a good path but he heard one not far off talking and though he made choice of that place for privacy yet his curiosity invited him to know who those were that passed away the night without sleep assuring himselfe that they were some that were sick of his own disease and making it appear by this that every thing lookes for its like and that curiosity hath a great power in Love since when he was so sweetly taken up with his own thoughts that he despised all the world in comparison of them except the sight of Diana yet was he content to forsake them to see who these were so as quitting them for a time and giving way to his curiosity he turned that way from whence he heard the voice He had not gone above fifteen or twenty paces but in the most obscure part of the wood he found himselfe close by two men whom he could not possibly know as well by reason of the darknesse as because their backs were towards him yet he knew by their habits that one of them was a Druide and the other a Shepheard They were set under a Tree which spread its leaves over a chrystall fountain whose pleasing murmur invited them to spend part of the night in that place When Silvander was mostdesirous to know them he heard one answer the other thus But Father it is very strange and I cannot sufficiently admire it that you should by your discourse intimate as much as if it must be confessed that there are many other beauties more perfect then the beauty of my Mistresse which truly I cannot believe without an unpardonable offence For certainly every one does think his own the fairest and to confesse she is not is a crime both against his Mistresse and against Love Then he heard the Druide answer in this manner My Son there is no doubt of what I say nor any fear of offending her Beauty or Love and I am confident that I shall in a few words make you understand it You know that all beauty proceeds from that soveraign goodnesse which we call God it is a Ray of himselfe and transcends all his other creatures and as the Sun which we see does enlighten the Aire the Water and the Earth with the same beams so also the eternall Sun does enlighten the angelick Understanding the rationall Soul and the Matter But as the cleernesse of the Sun appears more bright in the Air than in the Water and in the Water then in the earth so the illumination of God appears with greater lustre in the Angelick Understanding then in the Rationall Soul and in the Rationall Soul more then in the Matter Into the first he hath infused Ideas into the second Reason
wounded and I could not chuse but cell him that I thought it more necessary to seek out a good Chirurgion to dresse his wounds He answered me we shall finde one presently Halladine never fear it I thought he had said true and believed him following him still with abundance of pitty for he had lost a great abundance of blood At last he came to the banks of the River Garrone and to a place where there was such a Precipice as was a terrour to look down Being come unto this place he would light from his Horse but he was so weak with the losse of so much blood as I must needs help him to alight Then leaning his back against the Rock he pulled a Paper out of his pocket and holding it in his hand said unto me This Letter is directed unto the fair Mandonthe be sure you give it unto her Then pulling out the Ring which he took from Thersander Give her this also said he unto me and assure her from me that death is very welcome to me since I have given a testimony that I did deserve it better then he unto whom she gave it and since my sword hath sent him out of the world whom she thought so worthy of it conjure her by her own merits and the affection she once vowed unto me that she never bestow it hereafter upon one whose Love is dishonourable to her and who could no better keep it I took the Letter and the Ring which he gave me but seeing he had not strength enough to sustain himselfe and that he grew very pale I took him under the arme bad him be of good heart and not thus be a murderer of himselfe And pulling out my handkerchiefe I would have stopped that wound which bled the most But he taking it hastily out of my hand Stay stay Hallidane said he never think of living now I am out of Mandonthe's favour Then holding my handkerchiefe under his wound be received the blood as it ran out and when it was almost full he held it to me and spoke these words Make it appear Halladine upon this last occasion that my love to thee and my choice of thee for thy fidelity was deserved And as soon as I am dead carry this Letter and this Ring unto Madonthe and this handkerchiefe full of blood unto Leriana and tell her that since she could never be satisfied with doing me hurt as long as I lived I have sent her this blood to stop her insatiable malice Oh Sir said I unto him shall I live to see you die for any woman living Rather command me to sheath my sword in their hearts and to let them know they are not worthy to use such a noble Cavalier in this manner But see the height and strength of his affection though he was in such a pittifull weak condition that he could hardly speak all he was able to do was to lean against the Rock yet when he heard me utter these words he started up in fury took his sword in his hand and doubtlesse had killed me had I not saved my selfe by nimblenesse And seeing he could not reach me Away away thou wicked and disloyall Servant cryed he out darest thou speak so irreverently of the most deserving Woman in the whole Universe If I live thou shalT die by no other hand but mine Then finding extream feeblenesse to seize upon him he endeavoured to get near the point of the Rock You do lose this day Oh fairest Madonthe said he him whose affection is onely worthy of your merits Then Oh heavens he leaned over the Rock to throw himselfe down and was almost quite gone when I suddenly took hold of his Helmet but his weight and the terrour of the Precipice was more likely to pull me after him than I to pull him out of it and I must confesse that fear of death made me let go my hold to save my own life I ran to the bottom of this Precipice fetching a great compasse round about in hopes to finde him there swimming down the stream But alas I could never see nor ever finde more of the body of my poor Master When I had done all I could and all in vain I thought it my last duty to fulfill his last commands and therefore I came hither It is to you Madam said he that this Letter and this Ring is dueâ— and though they be sprinkled with his blood yet be not afraid to take them for it is the most noble and generous blood that ever came out of a man And this is thy due said he to Leriana and gave her his handkerchief full of blood take it and glut thy damned rage and be sure that if the gods be just they will shoure vengeance upon thee Upon this word he threw the handkerchiefe at her seet and beginning to cry he went away in a sad and desperate sury and would not give one word more I need not tell you how this message went to my heart I cannot if I would expresse my sad apprehensions I was so quite past my selfe as they carried me to my Chamber and as fortune was I met those that brought Thersander who was not quite dead When I was come to my selfe again and my spirits a little better setled I cast my eye upon the Ring which Halladine brought me I took it to be the same I did ordinarily wear and comparing them together I found no difference but that it was a little newer and bigger I could not imagine why they should be made so just alike nor who gave it unto Thersander At last I read the Letter and found it to be thus written Damon's Letter unto Madonthe MADAM SInce Leriana's malice is more predominant in you than my true affection and hath caused you in lieu of being favourable unto me to cast your eye upon a person who is so much unworthy of you and to confirm your good acceptance of him by the gift of a Ring I am resolved to make it appear by Armes that he upon whom you confer these favours is not able to preserve them against him whom you have so unjustly refused And that if either Valour or affection can merit them none can pretend unto them more then my selfe Yet conceiving my selfe not worthy to live and love one that can disdain me for a man of such mean merit and valour if the fate of Armes do favour me as I do not doubt but they will I promise you that the sight of me shall never make you desire any revenge for taking away from you your dear Thersander if either Sword or Water or Fire can give death to a most miserable man These expressions so full of extream transport did make a most strange wound in my soul such an odd stupification of sorrow seized upon me as I cannot tell you what I either said or did So it was that being got to bed I lost my witts thinking alwaies that Damon followed me and the