promised you continue likewise yours with the same honesty that your vertue promises me otherwise hence forth I breake all familiarity with you and protest neuer to loue you I may as the custome of them that are beloued is abuse you but I vse it not because I freely wish you should know that if you liue otherwise then you ought you are neuer to haue hope in my amity She added yet other words which so astonied Celion that he knew not what to answere Only he cast himselfe on his knees and without other discourse with this submission demanded pardon and then protested to her that his amity proceeded from her and that she might rule it as that which she had bred If you vse your selfe thus replied then Bellinde you shall bind me to loue you otherwise you shall constraine me to the contrary Faire shepheardesse replied he my affection is borne and such as it is it must liue for it cannot die but with mee so that I cannot well remedy it but by time yet to promise you that I will study to make such as you command I sweare it vnto you and in the meane time I desire neuer to be honored with your good fauour if in all my life you knew any action that for the quality of my affection may displease you At last the shepheard consented to bee beloued on condition shee might know nothing in him which might offend her honesty So these louers began an amity which lasted very long with such satisfaction to them both that they had cause to reioyce therein for their fortune Sometimes if the yong shepheard were letted hee sent his brother Diamis to her who vnder the colour of some fruite brought her letters from his brother She often returned answere with such good will that hee had cause to be contented and this affection was carried with that prudence that few perceiued it Amaranthe though she were ordinarily with them was ignorant of it had it not bene that by hap she found a letter which her companions had lost and see I beseech you what the effect was and how dangerous a thing it is for a yong soule to come neere these fires Vntill this time the shepheardesse had not not only the lesst feeling of loue but not a thought to be beloued and as soone as shee saw this letter were it for that she bare some enuy to her companion whom shee esteeâ—â—d not to be the fairer yet she saw her often wooed by this honest shepheard were it for that she was of an age which is proper to such burning that they can no sooner come neere the fire but they feele it were it for that this letter had so liuely heates that she had noyce to resist them So it was that she tooke a certaine desire not to loue for loue it may be would not attache her at the first in extremity but to be loued serued of some shepheard of worth and in this point shee read the letter oftentimes which was thus Celions letter to Bellinde FAire shepheardesse if your eyes were as full of variety as they are to cause loue the sweetnes which they promise at the first would make me adore them with as much of coÌ„tentment as they haue produced in me of vaine hope But so far are they from performance of their deceitfull promises that they will not so much as confesse them and are so wide from healing my hurt that they will not call themselues authors Yet can they hardly deny it if they consider well who she is hauing no likelihood that any other beauty then theirs could do so much And yet as if you had a purpose to equall your cruelty to your beauty you haue ordained that the affection which you haue caused to be borne shall cruelly die in me O God was there euer a more vnpittifull mother But I who held more deare that which comes from you then my life being vnable to suffer so great an iniustice am resolued to carry this affection with me into the graue hoping that the beauens moued at last with my patience will bind you at sometimes to be as pittifull as you are deare and cruâ—ll to me for the present Amaranthe read this letter ouer diuers times and without heed taking dranke vp the sweete poyson of loue no otherwise then one weary suffers himselfe by little to fall asleepe If her thought set before her eies the face of the shepheard oh how full of beauty found she it to be if his behauiour how pleasing did it seeme if his spirit how admirable did she iudge it briefely she saw him so perfect that she thought her companion happy to be beloued of him Then taking againe the letter she read it ouer but not without much pawsing on the subiects that touched her most at the heart And when she came to the end and that shee sawe the reproach of cruell she flattered her desires which lately borne call for foeble hopes as their Nurces with opinion that Bellinde as yet loued him not and so she might more easily winne him But the poore soule heeded not that this was the first letter that he had written to her and that since many things might be changed The amity which shee bare to Bellinde sometimes drew her backe but presently Loue ouertopped that amity At last the conclusion was that she writ such a Letter to Celion Amaranthes Letter to Celion YOur perfections may excuse my errour and your courtesie receiue the amity which I offer you I wish euill to my selfe if I loue any thing more than you But for your merit I make my glory whence would proceed my shame for any other If you refuse what I present you it must be for want of spirit or courage From which of these two it is it shal be as dishonourable to you as to me to be refused Shee gaue this letter her selfe to Celion who not able to imagine what she would as soone as hee was in a priuate place he read it but with no lesse astonishment than disdaine and had he not knowne her to be infinitely beloued of his mistris hee would not haue vouchsafed her an answer yet fearing it might offend her he sent this answere by his brother Celions answer to Amaranthe I Know not what there is in me to moue you to loue me yet I account my selfe as happy that such a shepheardesse will dayne to regarde me as I am vnfortunate in not being able to receiue such a fortune I would it pleased my destiny that I could as freely giue my selfe to you as I am wanting in power Faire Amaranthe I should thinke my selfe the happiest that liueth to line in your seruice but being no longer at mine owne disposition accuse not if it please you neither my spirit nor my courage of that whereto necessity compells me It shall alwayes be much to my contentment to be in your good grace but yet more grieuous to you to note at
without any likelihood of hope but that which I haue told you vntill the time that Clidaman was chosen by fortune to serue her then he had almost lost resolution and had it not beene that he knew by me that he should be no better vsed I know not what would haue become of him Yet though this gaue him some comfort the greatnesse of his Riuall gaue him more of iealousie I remember once he gaue me this answer vpon that which I told him that he should not grieue so much for Clidaman Faire Nymph answered he I will freely tell you whence my care proceeds and then iudge if I haue wrong It is long time since I haue prooued that Siluie cannot be mooued neither by fidelity of affection nor by extremity of Loue that it is without doubt that she will neuer bee wounded on that side Notwithstanding as I haue learned of the wise Adamas your vnckle euery person is subiect to one certaine force the stroke whereof they cannot auoyd when ought it is touched And what may I think may be that of this faire if it be not the greatnesse and power and as I feare the fortune not the merits of Clidaman his greatnes and not his affection But indeed herein he hath wrong for neither the loue of Ligdamon nor the greatnesse of Clidaman can euer mooue one glance of good will in Siluie And beleeue not but loue reserues her for an example to others purposing to punish her by some vnusuall meanes Now at that time there fel out a great testimony of her beauty or at least of the force she hath to make her beloued It was the day so celebrated which euery yeere we make holy the sixt of the Moone of Iuly and on which Amasis vsed to make that solemne sacrifice as well for the honour of the Feast as for being the day of Galathees brith When they were at Sacrifice there came into the Temple a number of men clad in mourning in the middest of whom was a Knighr so full of Maiesty aboue the rest that he was easily iudged to be their master He was so sad and melancholy that it appeared that he had somewhat in his soule that troubled him His habite blacke infashion of a mantle trayning on the ground which kept the beauty of his proportion from sight but his face vncouered and his head bare the haire where of yellow and crisped shamed the Sun drew the eyes of all men to him He came with a stately pace to the place where Amasis was and after he had kissed her robe he withdrew waiting till the sacrifices were done and by fortune whether good or bad for him I know not he stood right ouer-against Siluie A strange effect of loue He had no sooner set his eyes vpon her but he knew her though he neuer saw her before and to be better assured he demanded of one of his followers who knew vs all his answer was accompanted with a deepe sigh from the stranger and all the while the sacrifice lasted his eye neuer went off her At last the sacrifice being ended Amasis returnes to her Palace where audience being giuen him he spake before them all in this sort Madam though the mourning you see in my garments be much more blacke in my soule yet can it not equall the cause I haue And though my losse be excreme yet thinke I not I am the onely man that haue lost for you are particularly weakned in your faithfull seruants of one which it may be was not the least affectioned nor the most vnprofitable in your seruice This consideration hath made me hope to obtaine of you some reuenge of his death against his murderer But since I entred into this Temple I haue lost all hope iudging that if the desire of reuenge die in me that am the brother of the wronged by much stronger reasou should it shrinke in you Madame in whom the compassion of the dead and the seruice which he vowed you may without more adoe cause some good will to arise Notwithstanding since I see the armes of my brothers murderer prepared already against me not to auoyd such a death but to instruct others I will tell you as briefly as I can the fortune of him whom I lament Though Madame I haue not the honor to be knowne to you yet I assure my self that at the naming of my brother who neuer loued but your seruice you will acknowledge me for your most humble seruant His name was Aristander and we were both the sonnes of that great Cleâ—mire which for your seruice visited so often the Tyber the Rhine the Danuâ—y and for that I was the younger it may be about nine yeers as soone as he saw me able to beare Armes he sent me into the Army of the great Meroue the delight of men and the most pleasing Prince that euer came into Gaule To tell you why my father sent me rather to Meroue then to Thierry King of the Visigots or to that of the Burgonyans it will be hard for me Yet I am of opinion it was that I might not serue a Prince so neere your estates that fortune might make your enemy So it was that my successe was such that Childerick his sonne a Prince warlike and of great hope seeing me neere about his age was pleased more especially to fauour me with his loue then any other When I came first to him it was about the time that great and wise Aetius treated of a peace with Meroue and the Franks for so he called all that followed him to resist that scourge of God Attilla king of the Huns who hauing gathered together from the Desarts of Asia an incredible number of people euen to 500000. fighting men discended like a deluge sacking furiously all the countrys where he passed and though this Aetius Lieutenant generall in Gaule of Valentinian was come with a purpose to make war on Meroue who during the gouernmeÌ„t of Castinus was possest of a part of Gaule yet thought he it better to make him his friend and the Visigots Burgonians like wise rather then to be ouerthrowne by Attilla who lately hauing trauersed in Germany was about the baÌ„ks of Rine where he stayd not long without aduancing himselfe so into Gaule that he besieged the towne of Orleance where the coÌ„ming of Thierry king of the Visigots made him raise his siege take another way but beset by Meroue Aetius with their coÌ„federates in the field of Cathalona he was defeated more by the valiance of the Franks the wisedom of Meroue then all the other force Since Aetius hauing bene killed it may be by the commandement of his master for some discontentment Meroue was receiued at Paris Orleance Sens other neighbour townes for Lord and King and all that people haue since borne him such affection that they wil not only be his but cause theÌ„selues to be called by the name of Franks to please him the
I thinke on it I am yet ready to die for shame yet my haire was dispersed and almost couered mee on it I had no other ornament then the garland which the day before hee had giuen me When the others were gone backe and when he saw me in this sort by him I obserued that twice or thrice he changed colour but I neuer suspected the cause for my part shamefastnesse had tainted my cheek with so fresh a colour that hee hath since sworne vnto me he neuer saw me so louely and he would haue beene contented hee might haue beene suffered to stay all the day long in that contemplation but fearing to be discouerd he was cōpelled to shorten his contentment and when he saw I said nothing for shame had tied vp my tongue And how Astrea sayd het hinke you your cause so good that you need not as well as others seek the Iudges good will I doubt not Orithee answered I that I shall haue more need to seduce my Iudge by my words then Stella or Malthe but I know wel also that I must as well giue place to them in perswading as in beauty so that but for the constraint whereto the custome tyes mee I had neuer come before you in hope to win the prize And if you beare it away answered the shepheard what will you do for me I shall haue sayd I the greater obligation to you by how much I thinke it merits lesse How then replied he will you make me no other offer The demand sayd I must come from you for I cannot teach you who deserues to be receiued Sweare to me said the shepheard you will giue me that which I shall demand and my iudgement shall be to your aduantage After I had promised him hee asketh of my haire to make him a bracelet which I did and after he had folded it in a paper hee sayd to me Now Astrea I will keepe these haires for a pledge of the oth which you haue made that if euer you gainesay it I may offer it to the goddesse Venus and demand vengeance of her That sayd I is superfluous since I am resolued neuer to faile Then with a smlling countenance hee sayd to me God be thanked faire Astrea that my designe hath falne out so prosperously for know that which you haue promised me is to loue me aboue any in the world and to receiue me as your faithfull seruant who am Celadon and not Orithee as you suppose I say that Celadon by whom loue hath giuen proofe that hatred is not of power sufficient to disappoint his effects since euen among the displeasures of our fathers he hath made me so yours that I had no feare to dye at the gate of this temple to giue you testimony of my affection Iudge wise Diane what became of mee for loue forbade me to seeke reuenge of my shamefastnes and yet shame encouraged mee against loue at last after a confused disputation it was impossible for me to consent to cause him dye since the offence which he made proceeded not but of too great loue to me yet knowing him to be a shepheard I could no longer stay before his eies and without making other answere I ranne to my companions whom I found almost dressed and taking vp my garments scarce knowing what I did I made my selfe ready as soone as was possible But to be short when we were all ready the dissembled Orithee placed her selfe at the entry of the gate and hauing vs all three before her I ordaine saith she that the prize of beauty be giuen to Astrea in witnesse whereof I present her the golden apple there is no cause any body should doubt of my iudgement since I haue seene her and though a maide yet I haue felt the force In saying those words he presented mee the apple which I receiued being much troubled and the father when with a loude voyce he sayd Receiue this Apple as a pawne of my affection which is as infinite as this is round I answered him Be content rash man that I receiue it to saue thy life and that otherwise I would refuse it as cōming from thy hand He durst not reply for feare he might be heard and knowne and because the custome was that she that receiued the Apple was to kisse the Iudge by way of thankefulnesse I was constrayned to kisse him but I assure you had I not knowne him vntill then I should then haue discouered him to be a shepheard for it was not the kisse of a maide Presently the noyse and the applause of the company separated vs because the Druyde hauing crowned me caused mee to be borne in a chaire to the place of the Assembly with so much honour that euery one wondered I was no more cheerefull But I was so troubled and so sore beaten betweene Loue and Despite that I scarce knew what I did As for Celadon as soone as he had finished the ceremonies he lost himselfe amongst the other shepheardesses and by little and little without the heeding of any body got out of the company and put off his borrowed garments to put on his owne naturall clothes with which hee came agayne to vs with a face so confident that no man would euer haue suspected him As for me when I sawe him I might scarce turne mine eyes to him being full of shame and choler But he that noted it and made no shew of it found the meanes to come to me and to say loude enough The Iudge which hath giuen you the prize of beauty hath shewed good iudgement and me thinkes that albeit the Iustice of your cause do well deserue so fauourable a sentence yet must not you be fayling to beare him some kinde of obligation I beleeue shepheard answered I softly enough that he is more obliged to me then I to him for that if he gaue me an apple which in some sort was due to me I haue giuen him life which his rashnesse merited to lose So he told me answered presently Celadon that hee would preserue it onely for your seruice If I had not more respect replyed I to my selfe then to him I had not let him goe without chasticement for so great a presumption But enough Celadon let vs cut off this discourse and content your selfe that if I haue not punished you as you deserue it was onely for feare of giuing occasion to others to talke their pleasure of me and not for want of will to see you punished If there be nothing but that sayd he to hinder my death tell me in what fashion you will haue me die and you shall see I haue no lesse courage to satisfie you then I haue had of loue to offend you This discourse would be too long if I should tell you all our talke in particular So it was that after many replies now on the one side and the other whereby it was impossible for me to doubt of his affection if at least the
went in and as they stood by the fire she began to speake thus In the end shepherd it is impossible I should longer liue with you and dissemble I must put off the maske to al my actions and so you shal know that poore Stelle whom you haue accounted so slitting is more constant then you imagine and desires onely that you should know it that for the satisfaction of the wrongs you haue done mee you would freely confesse you haue wronged me But said shee suddainely breaking off that speech what haue you done with the promise which you haue had of mee in the behalfe of Corilas for if you haue deliuered it him that onely may breake off our affaires who being in the place of Lisis would not beleeue shee loued him and would not be deceiued like him This shepheard being of opinion that shee would doe that for him for which she refused me without difficulty gaue her this promise which hee had alwaies kept most charily and most secretly as soone as she had it she tore it and going neere the fire made it a sacrifice and then turning toward the shepheard smiling shee sayd There is no more for you to doe gentle shepheard but you may hold on your way for it is ouer-late O God cried Lisis finding her practices Is it possible that the third time I should be receiued by one person And what cause haue you said Stelle to say you are deceiued Ah! perfidious and disloyall said he did you not come out to tel me that you would make it plaine that this last fault was to repaire the former and to make proofe that you are constant you layd open your naked heart and intentions Lisis said shee you come alwaies with your iniuries if I neuer loued you am I not constant not to loue you now And haue I not made you see what my heart is and whereto tend my actions but hauing that I would of you I leaue you in peace Beleeue that all the words which you haue made me lose for an houre together was but to recouer this paper and now since I haue it I pray God to giue you the good night What an amazement thinke you was the shepheard in It was so great that without speech or spending further time halfe besides himselfe hee went homeward But certainely he hath had since good occasion to bee reuenged For Semire as I haue told you which was the cause of my euill or rather of my good so I may cal that separation of amity feeling in himselfe yet the displeasure of the first disgrace which she had done him seeing this extreme leuity and considering that it might be she might serue him so he resolued to preuent it and so hauing abused her as we were Lisis and I he broke the treaty of marriage in the middest of an assembly which he had purposely caused to be made which procured many to say that by the same weapon whereby a wound is giuen oftentimes the punishment is receiued Corilas ended in this sort and Adamas smiling said My child the best counsell that I can giue you herein is to shun the familiarity of this deceiuer and to keep your selfe from her practices and to giue contentment to your parents that with great impaciency desire to see you married and when any good proffer is offered receiue it and stay not on these youthful tricks of Loue for there is nothing that can better warrant you from the plots and surprizes of this deceiuer nor which will make you more esteemed among your neighbours then to marry not so much by Loue as by reason it beeing one of the most important actions that you can euer doe and wherein all the happinesse or misfortune of a man may depend At this word they parted for it beganne to waxe late and euery one tooke the way to his lodging The end of the fifth Booke THE SIXTH BOOKE OF Astrea and Celadon ON the other side Leonide not hauing found Adamas at Feurs went backe the same way she came not staying but the time shee was to dine and because she resolued that night to abide among the shepheardesses which shee had seene the day before for the desire shee had to haue more particular knowledge of them she came backe to that place where shee met them when looking about her shee seemed to see some but not being able to know them for they were so farre off with a great compasse she came as neere to them as she might and then looking on their faces she found they were the same whom she sought for She might bee glad of this meeting for by fortune they were come out of their Hamlet with a purpose to passe the rest of the day together and the better to spend the time they had a meaning there should be no more then they three that they might more freely speake of their greatest secrets so that Leonide could not haue come in a better time to satisfie her curiosity especially since they were but newly come Lying then to listen she heard Astrea taking Diane by the hand say Now is the time wise shepheardesse that you should pay vs that which you promised since vpon your word Phillis and I haue not made dainty to tell you all that you desired to know of vs. Faire Astrea answered Diane without doubt my word shall bind mee to discourse vnto you my life but much more the amity that is betweene vs kowing well that to conceale any thing in the soule from the person wee loue is to bee guilty of a very great fault that if I haue beene so slack to satisfie that which you desire of mee it was for that leasure would not permit mee for though I bee most certaine that I know not how to relate to you my youth without blushing yet it will be easie for mee to ouercome this shame when I shall thinke it is to please you Why should you blush said Phillis since there is no other fault but to loue If it be not replyed Diane yet at least it is a resemblance of a fault and they are so like that oftentimes they are taken one for another They replied Phillis which deceiue themselues so haue a very ill sight It is true answered Diane but it is our misfortune that there are more of that sort then of the good You will displease vs interrupted Astrea if you haue that opinion of vs. The loue which I beare to you both answered Diane may assure you that I know not how to giue bad iudgement For it is impossible to loue that which we esteeme not Moreouer that which puts me to payne is not the opinion which my friends may haue of mee but all the world besides for that with my friends I liue alwayes so as my action may content them and by that meanes opinion cannot be very strong in them but with others it is impossible so that with them reports may greatly preiudice one and for
him and giue him the most cruell displeasure that any might haue O Lindamor how vayne are these thy propositions At this time Clidaman being departed with Guymantes to seeke the aduentures of armes and then hee went to the army of Merone and though hee went priuately yet his actions made him well enough knowne and because Amasis would not haue him stay there in that sort she leuied all the forces she could make to send to him and as you know gaue the charge to Lindamor and kept Polemas for gouerner vnder her of all her prouinces vntill the comming of her sonne which she did as well to giue satissaction to these two great personageÌ„s as to separate them a little for euer since the returne of Lindamer they haue had some brabble together were it for that there is nothing so secret which in some sort is not discouered and for that Polemas had some coniecture that it was hee against whom he fought or that loue only was the cause so it was that all men knew how little good will they bare each to other Now Polemas was wel content and Lindamor went away with no ill wil the one that he might be neere his Mistrisse the other that hauing occasion to do seruice to Amasis he might thereby binde her hoping by this way to make easie the passage to that good which hee aspired But Polemas that knew by the eye how much hee was out of fauour and contrarily how many fauours his riuall had receiued hauing now no hope neither in his seruices not in his merits ran to subtilty And behold how he sets vp a man but the most crafty and deceitful that euer was in his mistery whom without acquainting any in the Court he caused secretly to see Amasis Galathee Siluie Silere me and all the other Nymphs and not only shewed him their face but told him what he knew of theÌ„ all namely the things most secret whereof being an old Courtier hee was well informed and after desired him to faine himselfe to be a Druid or great diuine Hee came into that great wood of Sauigneu neere the faire gardens of Mont-brison where by asmall riuer where he might passe ouer he made his lodging and tarried there some while seeming to be a great diuiner so that the bruite of him came to vs and specially Galathee went to him to know her fortune This crafty companion could so well play his part with such circumstances and ceremonies that I must confesse the truth I was deceiued as well as others So it was that the conclusion of his cunning was to tell her that the heauens had giuen her by influence the choice of a great good or a great euill and it was wisedome to choose That both the one and the other was to proceed from that which shee should loue and if she neglected his aduice she should be the vnhappiest woman in the world and contrarily most happy if she made a good election that if she would beleeue him he would giue her so certaine knowledge both of the one and the other that she had no more to do but to discerne them And looking in her hand and after on her face hee sayd Such a day being within Marsellis you shall see a man clad in such a colour if you marry him you are the most miserable in the world Then hee let her see in a mirrour a place which is by the riuer of Lignon said You see this place go at such an houre you shall finde the man that shall make you most happy if you marry him Now Climanthe so is this deceiuer called had eunningly knowne both the day that Lindamor was to depart and the colour of his cloaths and his dessine was that Polemas seeming to go hunt should be at the place which he shewed in the glasse Now heare I pray you how all fell out Lindamor failed not to come forth apparelled as Climanthe had foretold and that day Galathee who had good remembrance of Lindamor stood so astonied that she could not answere to what hee sayd The poore knight thought it was for the griefe of his departure so farre off so that after he had kissed her hand hee went away to the Army more contented than his fortune required If I had knowne she had beene of that opinion I would haue endeuoured to haue diuerred her from it but shee kept it so secret from me that as then I had no knowledge of it Afterward the day drew on that Climanthe had told her that she should finde about the Lignon him that should make her happy Shee would not tell mee all her dessigne onely shee let me vnderstand if the Druyde were true in that which he said that the Court was so empty that there was no pleasure in it that for a while Solitarinesse would be more pleasing that she was resolued to goe to her Palace of Isour as priuately as shee could possibly and that of her Nymphs she would haue but Siluie and me her Nurce and the little Merill As for me that was cloyed with the Court I sayd that it would be fit to withdraw a while and so letting Amasis know that she would take physicke shee might be gone the next morning But it was her Nurce that confirmed her in that opinion for this good old woman that loued her Nurce-child very tenderly easily being drawne to credite these predictions as for the most part all of her age are counselled her to it and pressed her so that finding her already so inclined It was an easie thing to thrust her into this Labyrinth For my part I was neuer more astonied for suppose there be but three persons in this great building But the Nymph which well marked the day that Climanthe had set prepared the euening before to goe thither and in the morning dressed her selfe the most to her aduantage she could and commaunded vs to doe the like In that sort we went in a Coach to the place assigned where being arriued by chance at the houre which Climanthe had sayd we found a shepheard almost drowned and halfe couered with mud and grauell whom the fury of the water had cast on our shore This shepheard was Celadon I know not if you know him who by chance being faine into Lignon wanted of drowning himselfe but wee came so fitly that wee saued him for Galathee be leeuing it was hee that was to make her happy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time beganne to loue him so as shee thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paine to her vs lay him in the Coach and then to the Palace he all this whiâ—â— not coming to himselfe As then the saâ—â— the fright of death the scratchâ—â— he had in his face kept him that his beauty could not be perceiued And for my part I ourse the Inchanter and Diuine vvhich was the cause we tooke so much paine for I sweare I neuer had the like in my life But after hee came to himselfe and that his face
giue mee more knowledge than these words too well deliuered to proceed from affection For I haue heard say affection cannot be without passion and passion wil not suffer the spirit to haue so free a discourse But when the time shall haue told me as much as you you are to beleeue that I am not of stone nor so voyd of vnderstanding but your merits are knovvne to me and your loue may moue me Till then hope not of me no more than of the rest of my company in generall The Knight would haue kissed her hand for this assurance but because Galathee looked on Knight said she be discreete euery one hath eye on vs if you do thus you vndoe me And at this word she rose and came among vs that were gathering of flowres Behold the first discouery that they had of their good wils which gaue Galathee occasion to meddle in it For perceiuing what had passed in the Garden and hauing of long time a purpose to winne Polemas she would know that night what was done betweene Leonide and him and because she alvvaies made her selfe very familiar with you Neece and had acquainted her with the particulars of her secrets the Nymph durst not altogether deny the truth of this loue-suite It is true that she concealed what concerned her ovvne will and vpon this discourse Galathee would knovv the very words that they had vsed wherein your Neece satisfied her in part and in part dissembled So it was that she said enough to encrease the purpose of Galathee so that from that day she resolued to be beloued of him and vndertooke this worke with that cunning that it was impossible it should fall out othervvise At that meeting shee forbade Leonide to go on in that affection and after told her that she should cut off all the rootes because she knevv well that Polemas had another dessigne and that this would serue but to delude her Besides that if Amasis came to knovvledge of it she would be offended Leonide who at that time had no more malice than a childe tooke the words of the Nymph as from her Mistrisse without searching into the cause which made her say so and so remained some dayes estranged from Polemas who knevv not from whence it might grovve At the first this made him more earnest in his suite For it is the ordinary custome of yong spirits to desire with more eagernesse that which is hard to come by and indeed he went on in that sort that Leonide had much enough to doe to dissemble the good will she bore him and at last knew so little how to doe it that Polemas perceiued he was beloued But see what Loue had appointed This young louer after he had three or foure moneths continued this suite with the more violence as he had the lesse assurance of the good will he desired as soone almost as hee was certaine lost his violence by little and little loued so coldly that as Fortune and Loue when they beginne to decline fall at once the Nymph perceiued not that shee alone went on in this affection It is true that Galathee who came on was in part the cause For hauing a dessigne on Polemas she vsed such craft and sped so well what by her authority and what with time that one might say shee robbed her insensibly for that when Leonide handled him roughly Galathee fauoured him and when the other fled from his company she drew him to hers And this continued so long and so openly that Polemas beganne to turne his eyes towards Galathee and shortly after the heart followed For seeing himselfe fauoured by a greater than her that neglected him hee blamed himselfe for suffering it without sence and minded to embrace the fortune which came smiling on him But O wise Adamas you may see what a gracious encounter this was and how it pleased Loue to play with their hearts It is some while since by the ordinance of Clidaman Agis was allotted seruant vnto your Neece and as you know by the election of Fortune Now though this young Knight was not giuen to Leonide out of his owne choyce yet he agreed to the gift and approoued it by the seruices which he afterward did performe and that she misliked not was shewed by her actions But when Polemas beganne to serue her Agis as a couetous man that hath his eyes alwayes on his treasure tooke notice of the growing loue of this new Louer and sometimes complayned to her of it but the coldnesse of her answers instead of extinguishing his iealousies onely by little and little deaded his loue for considering what small assurance he had in his soule he laboured to get a better resolution then formerly he had had and so that he might not see another triumph ouer him he chose rather to withdraw farre off A receit that I haue heard say is the best that a soule infected with this euill can haue to free it selfe for as loue at the beginning is brought forth by the eyes so it seemeth that the contrary should be for want of sight which can be in nothing more then absence where the forgetfull couered as with ashes the ouer-liuely representations of the thing beloued And indeed Agis happily attained his purpose for he was hardly gone but loue likewise parted from his soule lodging in the place of it the neglect of this flitter So that Leonide purposing by this new plot to winne Polemas lost him that already was intirely hers But the confusions of Loue ended not heere for he would that Polemas likewise for his part should haue sence of that which hee made the Nymph to feele Almost about the same time the affection of Lindamor tooke birth and it fell out that as Leonide had disdained Agis for Polemas and Polemas Leonide for Galathee so Galathee disdained Polemas for Lindamor To tell the follies of them all would be an hard piece of worke So it was that Polemas seeing himselfe payed in the same money in which hee payd your Neece yet could not lose not hope nor loue but contrariwise searched al sorts of plotting to enter again into her fauor but all in vaine It is true that as he could get nothing more to his owne benefit yet hee hath so wrought that he who was the cause of his euill is not come to bee possessor of his good for whether it were by his cunning practices or by the will of the gods that a certaine deuout Druyde hath imparted to him since that time Lindamor is no more beloued and it seemeth Loue hath a purpose not to suffer the heart of Galathee to be at rest the memorie of the one being no sooner defaced in her soule but another takes place And now behold vs at this houre reduced to the loue of a shepherd who for a shepheard in his quality may deserue well but not to be the seruant of Galathee and yet is she so passionate that if her euill hold on I
which you see in me and the sighes which giue me no rest proceed not from the prison wherein I am for this is pleasant in respect of that which was propounded but to thinke how this perfidious and cruell Lipandas will without doubt commit him into the hands of his enemies who expect no other thing but to see a deplorable and shamefull end for of the fifteene dayes which he gaue tenne are passed so that I almost despayre to be able to doe this last office to Lidias At this word the teares hindered her voyce that she was constrayned to hold her peace but with such demonstration of displeasure that Clidaman was mooued and to comfort her said You are not said he couragious Melandre so to lose your courage that you may not maintaine that generousnesse in this accident which you haue shewed in all the rest that God which hath preserued you in so great perills will not forsake you in the lesser You are to beleeue that what may depend on me shall be alwayes disposed of to your contentment But for that I am vnder a Prince whom I may not displease your libertie must come from him yet doe I promise you for my part whatsoeuer you may hope from a good friend And so leauing her with these good words hee went to seeke out Childericke and besought him to procure of King Meroue the liberty of this young prisoner The young Prince who loued my sonne and who knew well how willing the King his father would be to oblige Clidaman without longer stay went to demaund it of Meroue who graunted what his sonne asked And because the time was so short that the least part of it lost would hurt Melandre hee went to seeke her at her Lodging where hauing led her aside he said Sad Knight quoth he you must change that name for if your misfortunes haue heretofore giuen you cause to beare it it seemes you shall shortly loose it The Heauens begin to looke on you with a more pleasing eye then of wont And as one euill comes not alone so good fortunes march alwayes in companies and for proofe of that I say know Knight for so your will is I should call you since your generousnesse hath of good right wonne you that Title that henceforth you are at liberty and may dispose of your actions as you please The Prince of the Franks hath giuen mee leaue to dispose of you and the dutie of a Knight binds me not onely to set you at liberty but to offer you all the assistance that you thinke I may affoord you Melandre hearing a word so vnhoped for leaped with ioy and casting her selfe at his feet kissed his hand by way of thankes for so great a grace for the good which shee imagined to receiue from him was to be put to a ransome and the inconueniences of paying it made her despayre of being able to doe it so soone as the terme of fifteene dayes were run out But when shee heard so great courtesie Truly said she to him Sir Knight you make it appeare that you know what it is to loue since you haue pittie on them that are taynted with it I pray God vntill my selfe be able to requite it that hee would make you as happy as hee hath made you courteous and worthie of all good fortune and at that very houre shee would haue beene gone which Clidaman would not suffer because it was night The next morning then very early she set on her way and stayed not till she came to Callais where by chance she arriued the day before the terme That euening she would haue made her comming knowne to Lipandas had shee not beene of the minde considering the perfidiousnesse of him with whom shee had to doe to attend for the day that the more persons might see the wrong hee did her if haply hee should be fayling of his word The day being come and the houre of Mid-day hauing strucke that the chiefe men of the place to honour the Gouernour were then in his house behold the sad Knight presenting himselfe at the first hee was not knowne for they had not seene him but in Combate where it may be feare had altered his countenance and then euery man drew neere to heare what hee would say Lipandas said he I come hither in the behalfe of the kinsmen and friends of Lidias to heare some newes of him and to charge you with your word or to referre him to some other new condition otherwise they send you word by me that they will proclay me you for an vnhonest man Stranger answered Lipandas you may tell them that Lidias fares better then he shall doe within few dayes because that this day being past I will deliuer him into the hands of them that will auenge me that for my word I thinke I am quit in giuing him ouer into the hands of lustice for this Iustice what other thing is it but true Libertie As for the new conditions I will haue no other but that which I haue already propounded which is that they put into my hands him that fought against me that I may doe my will of him and I will deliuer Lidias And what is that said he that you will doe When I am to giue account of my actions to you answered hee you shall know And how said he are you yet of the same mind Altogether of the same mind replyed Lipandas If it be so added the sad Knight send for Lidias and I will deliuer you him whom you demaund Lipandas that aboue all things desired to be reuenged of his enemie for he had turned all his hatred on Melandre sent for him immediately Lidias that knew well that that day was the last of the terme which he had set beleeued it was to lead him to the Lords of Iustice notwithstanding hee fore-saw his assured death yet did hee chuse it rather then to see him that had fought for him in that danger for his sake When hee was come before Lipandas hee said Lidias see the last day that I haue giuen thee to present thy Champion into my hands this young Knight is come hither for that cause if he doe it thou art at liberty Melandre while those few words were speaking found the meanes to turne her face aside that shee might not be knowne and when shee would answer shee turned wholly towards Lipandas and said Yes Lipandas I haue promised and I will doe it Doe you keepe your word as well for I am hee whom you demaund behold me that feare neither rigour nor cruelty whatsoeuer prouided that my friend be freed from paine Then euery one cast his eyes on her and calling to memory the fashion of him that combated knew she sayd true Her beauty her youth and her affection mooued all them that were present except Lipandas who thought himself infinitely offended with hâ—r commanded she should presently bee put in prison and suffered Lidias to goe at libertie Hee that desired
he himselfe had not heeded it had it not been that being constrayned to passe along the Riuer hee found himselfe before the entry whither by fortune being got vp and thinking hee might there be well hidden till night the place pleased him so well that he resolued to passe the rest of his sorrowfull and disasterous dayes there hauing a purpose all the day long not to goe from the hollow of that Caue In this de liberation he beganne to trimme it the best he could sweeping out all the rubbish which the riuer being great had brought in It was nothing but a little rocke which the water being strong had made hollow by little and little and that with great â—ase because that hauing at the beginning found it grauily and tender it was easily vndermined so that the diueâ—s hollowes which the enforced water had made rounded it as if it had purposely bene done Afterward being to lie downe it serued for a bed which was not aboue three or foure paces off The roome might be some sixe or seuen paces long and because it was round it had the greater bredth It was a little higher then a man yet in some places there hung downe some points of the Rocke which the shepheard by throwing grauell stones at it by little and little broke off and because by chance it was found hardest at the bottome the water had not made it â—â—llow in many corners which gaue Celadon cause breaking with little paine the coynes that were highest to make a place for a Bed made out in the hardest of the Rocke which afterwards he couered with mosse which was a great commoditie to him for that when it rayned foundly vpon his Caue which was of a tender Rocke it was pierced through by the water so that he had no other place dry but that delicious Bed Being in short time fitted in this manner he put off his Coat and his Wallet and other Weeds which troubled him most and tying them together layed them on the bed with his Pipe which alwayes he bare in fashion of a Scarfe but stripping himselfe by chance there fell a paper on the ground which he knew full well to come from the faire Astrea This remembrance being hindered by nothing which might draw him other where for nothing was presented to his eyes but the course of the Riuer had such power ouer him that there was no trouble befallen him since his banishment that came not into his memory At last raysing himselfe from these thoughts as from a sound sleepe hee came to the doore of the Caue where vnfolding the deare Paper which he had in his hand after a thousand ardent and amorous kisses he said Ah deare Paper heretofore the cause of my contentment and now the occasion of renewing my sorrowes how is it possible that you should keepe in you the conceit of her that writ you without changing it since the good will which then was there is so changed that she and I are no more that we were wont to be Oh what fault is this A thing without spirit is constant and the most faire of spirits is not so At this word hauing opened it the first thing that presented it selfe was the cypher of Astrea ioyned with his owne This put him in minde of his happinesse passed so liuely in his spirit that the griefe to see himselfe so fallen almost brought him to the terme of despayre Ah cyphers said he witnesses too certaine of the misfortune wherein for hauing beene ouer-happy I now finde my selfe how are not you separated to follow the minde of my faire shepheardesse for if heretofore she hath vnited you it was in a time when our spirits were much more but now when our disaster hath so cruelly separated vs how cyphers most happy remaine you so together It is as I thinke to shew that the Heauens may rayne downe on me all their disasterous influences but neuer can make my will differing from Astreas Hold on then O faithfull cyphers that symbole of my intentions to the end that after my last houre which I wish may be as ready as the first moment that I shall breath you may manifest to all those that shall see you of what qualitie was the loue of the most vnfortunate shepheard that euer loued And it may be it will happen if at the least the Gods haue not lost all remembrance of me that after my death for my satisfaction that faire may find you and beholding you she shall acknowledge that she did as great wrong to thrust me from her as shee had reason to tye you together At this word hee sat downe on a great stone which hee had drawne from the Riuer to the entry of his Denne and after he had wiped away his teares he red the Letter which was thus The Letter of Astrea to Celadon GOd permit Celadon that the assurance which you giue me of your loue may continue as long with me as I yeeld supply of affection to you and to beleeue that I hold you more deare then if you were my brother and that euen to my Tombe I shall be yours These few words of Astrea were cause of much euill to Celadon for after he had often red them he was so farre from finding any asswagement that on the contrary it did but more enuenome his soare so that it called to his memory by one and by one all the fauours this shepheardesse had done him which made him lament so dolefully that had not the night come vpon him hee could hardly haâ—e giuen truce to his eyes which rayned downe that which the tongue bewayled and the heart fuffered But the darkenesse causing him to goe into his Caue interrupted for some while his sad thoughts and permitted his body wearied with his sorrowes and with the length of the way to take some rest at least by sleepe Now twice had the day giuen place to the night before this shepheard remembred to eate for his sad thoughts busied him so and the melancholy so filld his stomacke that he had no appetite to other victuals then that which the remembrance of his sorrowes could prepare softened with so many teares that his eyes seemed two heads of Fountaines and had it not beene for feare of offending the Gods in suffering his owne death and much rather that of loosing by his death that faire Idea which hee had of Astrea in his heart without doubt he would haue beene glad so to end the sad course of his life But seeing himselfe so restrayned he goes to the Wallet which Leonide had well furnished the prouision whereof lasted him many dayes for he did eate as little as he could At last he was forced to runne to hearbes and to the rootes that were most tender He found not farre off a Fountaine which abounded with Water-Cresses which was his most certaine and delicious foode for knowing where to finde that with which he might liue he employed his time but on his sad thoughts and they gaue him so faithfull companie that as they could not be without him so no more could he be without them So long as the day lasted if he saw no body about his little Lodging he would walke along on the grauell and there he often engraued on the tender barkes of young Trees the subiect of his sorrowes sometimes his cypher and Astreas and when hee alighted on them interlaced together suddenly he would deface them and say Thou deceiuest thy selfe Celadon this is no more the season that these cyphers were allowed thee The more constant thou art the more to thy disaduantage are all things changed Deface deface miserable man that ouer-happie testimonie of thy good time passed and if thou wilt set downe with thy cypher that which pleases her most set downe thy marke of teares of paines and of death With such speeches Celadon reprehended himselfe if at any time he forgetâ— himselfe in his thoughts But when the night comes it is then that all his displeasures touch him to the quicke in his memory for darkenesse hath this propertie that it makes the imagination more strong Moreouer he neuer returned home but when it was farre night if the Moone shone he passed the night vnder some Trees where often ouercome with sleepe before he was aware he found himselfe the next morning So went this sad Shepheard drawing on his life which in few dayes made him so pale and leane that one might hardly know him and himselfe sometimes going to drinke at the next Fountaine was astonied when hee saw his Figure in the Water as beeing brought to that passe that hee could not long liue His beard could not make him looke grimme for hee had none as yet but his hayre which was much growne the leanenesse which had changed the roundenesse of his face and made his nose long and sadnesse which had driuen out of his eyes that liuely brightnesse which at other times had made him so gracious now made him become quite other then he was wont to be Ah if Astrea had seene him in that case what ioy and contentment would the paine of that faithfull Shepheard haue giuen her knowing by so assured a testimonie how truly she was beloued of the most faithfull and most perfect Shepheard of Lignon FINIS
griefe and so many teares By fortune one day the amorous shepheard hauing risen very early to intertaine his thoughts leauing his flocks to fresh pastures went to sit downe on the banke of the winding riuer of Lignon waiting for the comming of the faire shepheardesse who stayed not long after him for being kept waking with an ouer-thoughtfull suspition she had not closed her eyes all the night By that time the Sun began to gild the tops of the mountaynes of Isour and Marsellyes the shepheard might perceiue from far a flock which within a while he knew to belong to Astrea for besides that Melampe the so beloued dog of his shepheardesse came fawning on him as soone as it saw him he noted that the sheepe which his Mistris made so much of had not that morning the ribons of diuers colours which it was wont to weare on the head in fashion of a garland because the shepheardesse ouercharged with deepe displeasure had not the leasure to dresse it vp after her manner shee followed after with a soft pace as a man might iudge by her behauiour she had somewhat in her mind that much rauished her and so intirely tooke vp her thoughts that whether of neglect or otherwise passing hard by the shepheard shee cast not her eyes to the place where hee was and went to sit downe farre enough from him on the banke of the riuer Celadon not much heeding it supposed she saw him not or that she went to seeke him where he was accustomed to attend her hearding his flocks with his sheep-hooke draue towards her who beeing set vnder an olde tree her elbow resting on her knees and her hand sustaining her head seemed so pensiue that if Celadon had not beene bewitched with his owne misfortune he might easily haue perceiued that this sadnesse could not grow but from an opinion of the change of his loue al other displeasures being vnable to work so sad pensiue thoughts But for that a misfortune vnexpected is most difficult to be borne I thinke fortune purposed suddainely to assault him that she might robbe him of all meanes of resistance Not knowing then the mis-hap that was so neere after he had made choyce of a commodious place for his sheepe neerest to the flocke of his shepheardesse he came to her to giue her the good morrow full of contentment that he had met with her whom she answered both with countenance and speech so coldly that the winter brings not with it more chilnesse and frost The shepheard that was not wont to see her in these tearmes grew much astonished at it and though hee did not forecast the greatnesse of his disgrace such as he found afterwards yet the doubt that hee had offended her whom he loued so filled him with sorrow that the least part of it was enough to take away his life But if the shepheardesse had vouchsafed to heare him or if her iealous suspition had suffered her to consider what a suddaine change the coldnesse of her answer caused in his countenance out of question the knowledge of such an effect had made her lose all her mistrust but it must not be that Celadon prooue a Phoenix of good fortune as he was of loue nor that fortune doe him more fauour then other men whom shee neuer leaues long in assurance of contentment Hauing then stayed some while thus pensiue at last hee came to himselfe and turning his eye toward his shepheardesse he saw by hap that shee beheld him but with a looke so sad that it left no kinde of comfort in his soule so forgetfull had the doubt wherein he was made him They were so neere the riuer of Lignon that the shepheard might haue touched it with his hooke and the streame held so strong a course that all glorious and charged with the spoyles of his bankes hee descended very mainely into the Loyre The place where they were set was a piece of earth somewhat mounted against which the fury of the water beat in vaine sustained in the bottome with a naked rock but on the top couered with a little mosse From this place the shepheard struck the riuer with his hooke wherewith he raised not more drops of water then he found diuers sorts of thoughts that assayled him which dashing on him like water were no sooner come then they were driuen away by others more violent There was no one action of his life nor one thought of his that he called not into his minde to enter into accompt with and to know wherein hee had offended but not being able to charge any one of them his Loue constrained him to demand of her the cause of her anger She that either saw not his actions or if shee saw them construed them to the disaduantage of the shepheard went forward to fire his heart with a more burning despight so that when he would haue opened his mouth she would not giue him leasure to bring forth his first words without interruption saying Is it not enough perfidious and dissoyall shepheard to deceiue and coozen the party that deserues it so little but that going forward in thy vnfaithfulnesse thou stickest not to abuse her that hath obliged thee to al faire courses How haue you the hardnesse to come in my sight when you haue so much offended me How dare you shew without blushing that dissembling countenance which hides a soule so double and forsworne Go go deceiue another faithlesse be gone and addresse thy selfe to some one to whom thy perfidious dealings are vnknowne and no longer thinke thou canst disguife thy selfe to me that haue found too much to my cost the effects of thy vnfaithfulnesse and treasons In what case this faithfull shepheard was he which hath truly loued may best iudge if euer such a reproch hath beene vniustly fastned on him Hee fell on his knees pale and gastly like a man dead Is this faire shepheardesse said he to try me or to cause mee to despaire Neither for the one nor other said she but for the truth there being no necessity to try a thing so well knowne Ah! said the shepheard why haue I not put this vnlucky day out of my life It had beene for the good of vs both said shee that not one day but all the dayes that I haue seene thee had beene put out both of thine and mine It is true that thy actions haue made me hold my selfe discharged of one thing which hauing done displeases me more then thy vnfaithfulnesse That if the remembrance of that which is passed betweene vs which I desire for euer might be defaced haue left mee any power bee gone dissoyall and haue a care I see thee not vntill I command otherwise Celadon would haue replyed but loue which vsually heareth readily enough at this time for his great hurt had stopped his eares and for that she would haue beene gone he was constrayned to hold her by the garment saying vnto her I keepe you not back
Among others the yong Ligdamon was one this man fell to Siluie a Nymph indeed amiable enough but not for him who had formerly set his mind otherwhere And certainely it was his good fortune to bee absent then for hee would neuer haue done the fained homage to Siluie that Amasis commanded and that might haply haue wrought him some disgrace for you must know gentle shepheard that he was brought vp very young among vs being not aboue ten yeeres of age when he was placed heere for the rest so faire direct in all his actions that there was not a woman that thought not well of him and aboue all Siluie being very neere his age At the beginning their ordinary conuersation ingendred the amity of a brother to a sister such as their knowledge was capable to receiue By degrees as Ligdamon grew in age so likewise he encreased in affection so that his childhood changing into a state more settled about the age of foureteene or fifteene yeeres he beganne to change his will into desires and by little and little his desires into passions and yet he liued with that discretion that Siluie had neuer knowledge that her selfe caused this desire When he attained to some good vnderstanding and that he knew his euill he iudged within a while what small hope there was of healing not one of Siluies humours being likely to be hid from him So that the ioy and liuelinesse which was in his countenance and all his actions were turned into sadnesse and his sadnesse into so heauy a melancholy that there was no body but might perceiue the alteration Siluie was not one of the last that asked him the cause but she could draw out nothing but broken answers In the end seeing him continue still in this manner of life one day when she beganne to complayne of his small amity and reproching him that she had obliged her to conceale nothing from her she heard that he was no more able to restraine himselfe but that a deepe sigh escaped from him in stead of answer This brought her to be of opinion that loue might be the cause of his euill And see if the poore Ligdamon did not discreetly carry his actions since she was neuer able to imagine her selfe to be the cause I beleeue well that the humour of this Nymph which shrunke not a iot from this purpose might be in part the occasion For hardly do we thinke of a thing estranged from our owne intents But it must be confessed that heerein his wisedome was great and his coldnesse also that it could so wholy couer the heate of his affection She then pressed him more then before that if it be loue she promised him all the assistance and all the good offices that might be hoped for from their amitie The more he did to auoyde it the more she desired to know it in the end not being able to defend it any longer he protested to her it was loue but he had made an oath neuer to name the party For sayd he to loue is a great presumption in me but constrayned by so many beauties it may be excused and to dare name her what excuse can couer the discouery of my rashnesse Is this the friendship presently answered Siluie which you beare me Truly replyed Ligdamon I haue done it and your commandement also which I beseech you set before your eyes and this glasse which will make you see what you desire to know At that word he tooke vp that which hung at her girdle and held it before her eyes Think you how she was surprised incontinently knowing what he would say and she hath since sworne to me that she thought at first it had beene Galathee of whom he would haue spoken In the meane time that he had stood to behold her she stood as rauished to consider his simplicity in choller against him but much more against her selfe seeing well she had drawne this declaration by force from his mouth Notwithstanding her high courage would not suffer her to make any long defence for the lustice of Ligdamon For at an instant she lifts her selfe vp and without speaking to him departs full of despite that any durst presume to loue her arrogant beauty that iudgeth none worthy of it The faithfull Ligdamon stayed but without a soule and as an insensible Statue In the end comming agayne to himselfe he went as well as he could to his lodging out of which he went not some good time because the knowledge which he had of the small loue of Siluie touched him so to the quick that he fell sicke so that there was small hope of life when he resolued to write her such a letter The losse of my life was not of force sufficient to discouer vnto you the rashnesse of your seruant without your expresse commandement yet if you iudge that I must die and hold my peace say also that your eyes must haue had lesse absolute power ouer me For if at the first summons which their beauty made me I could not defend my selfe from giuing them my soule how hauing beene so often vrged could I haue refused the acknowledgement of that gift yet if I haue offended in offering my heart to your beauty I am willing for the fault I haue committed in presenting to such merits a thing of so small valew to sacrifice vnto you my life without sorrowing for the losse eyther of the one or of the other sith they be no more pleasing vnto you This letter was brought to Siluie when she was alone in her Chamber It is true that I came in at the same time and indeed well for Ligdamon for behold the humour of this fayre Nymph She had conceiued so great a despite toward him after he had discouered his affection that not only she blotted out the remembrāce of the amity passed but so lost her will that Ligdamon was like a thing indifferent to her So that when she heard that euery one despaired of his recouery she was no more moued at it then if she had neuer seene him I that particularly obserued it could not tell what to iudge of it but that her youth made her easily lose the loue of men absent But when now I saw her refuse that which one deliuered her in his behalfe I knew well that they needed no bad messenger between them This was the cause that I took the letter that she had refused and which the young boy that brought it by his masters commaundement had left on the table She then lesse heedfull then she would haue beene ranne after me and intreated me not to reade it I will see it sayd I and it be but for the deniall you make Then beganne she to blush and said Reade it not good sister binde me to you for it I coniure you by our friendship And what shall that be then answered I if it may suffer you to conceale any thing from me Thinke you that if it allow
for our place of abode was not farre from thence vpon the banks of the great riuer of Seyne And for that by reason of the great accesse of people which from all parts came to withdraw them there and the want of those commodities which they were vsed vnto in the Champaine the contagious sickenesse beganne to take so violent a course throughout the Towne that euen the great men could nor defend themselues It fell out that the mother of Cleon was attaynted with it And although that this disease were so fearefull that there was neither parentage nor obligation of loue that could retayne the sound about them that were infected yet the good nature of Cleon had such power ouer her that she would not depart from her mother whatsoeuer she sayd vnto her but on the contâ—ary when some of her familiars would haue withdrawne her representing the danger whereinto she thrust her selfe and that it was offensiue to the gods to tempt them in this sort If you loue me would she say vse not this speech to me for doe I not owe my life to her that gaue me it and can the gods be offended that I serue him that taught me to worship them On this resolution she would neuer abandon her mother and staying with her serued her as freely as if it had beene no infectious disease Tyrcis was all the day long at their doore burning with desire to enter into their lodging but the for bidding of Cleon stayed him who would not suffer him for feare lest they that were ready to thinke the worst might iudge his presence preiudiciall to her chastity He that would not displease her not daring to enter caused to be carried to them all things necessary with so great care that they were neuer in want of any thing Yet as the heauens would this happy Cleon would not escape the infectioÌ„ of her mothers disease whatsoeuer preseruatiues Tyrcis could bring When this shepheard knew it it was no more possible to keepe him backe from entring into their lodging thinking it was now no time to dissemble nor to feare the biting of the bad-speaker He then set in order all his affayres disposed of his goods and declared his last will then hauing left a charge to some of his friends to send him succour he shuts himselfe in with the mother and the daughter resoluing to runne the same fortune that Cleon did It would serue to no purpose but to lengthen the discourse to tell you what were the good offices what the seruices that he did to the mother for the consideration of the daughter for he could not imagine more then those which his affection made him performe But when he sawe her dead and that there remayned no more then his Mistris whose disease growing worse and worse I do not thinke that this shepheard rested one moment He 〈◊〉 her continually in his armes or else dressed her sores Shee on the other side who had alwayes loued him so dearely acknowledged so great loue in this last action that her owne was much increased so that one of her griefes was the danger wherein she saw him for her cause He on the contrary side tooke such satisfaction that Fortune though his enemy yet had offered him this meane to giue testimony of his goodwill that he could not giue her thankes enow If fell out that the disease of this shepheardesse being in case needfull to be launced there was no Surgeon that would for feare of danger hazzard himselfe to touch her Tyrcis whose affection found nothing hard being instructed what he was to doe tooke the launcer and lifting vp her arme launced it and dressed it without feare Shortly gentle shepheard all the most dangerous things and most noysome were sweet vnto him and very casie So it was that the disease hourely encreasing brought this Nymph beloued Cleon to that estate that there remayned no more strength but to speake these words I am sorry that the gods will no longer draw out the threed of my life not that I haue a desire to liue longer time for this desire can neuer make me wish it hauing had triall of the discommodities which follow mortals but onely that in some sort I would not die so much obliged to you but that I might haue time to giue you testimony that I am not attainted with Ingratitude nor misprising It is true that when I consider what are the obligations which I owe you I thinke the heauens are right iust to take me out of the world since that if I should liue as many ages as I haue done dayes I know not how to satisfie the least of that infinite number which your affection hath brought forth Receiue then for all that which I owe you not an equall good but indeed all that I can which is an oath which I make you that euen death shall neuer wipe out the memory of your loue nor the desire I haue to make all the acknowledgements that a true louing person may yeeld to him to whom she is bound These words were vttered with much payne but the loue she bare the shepheard gaue her the strength to deliuer them Whereto Tyrcis answered Faire Mistris I can hardly thinke I haue bound you nor that euer I shall because that which I haue hitherto done hath not satisfied my selfe and whereas you say you are obliged to me I see well you know not the greatnes of the loue of Tyrcis otherwise you would not thinke that so small a thing was able to pay the tribute of so great duty Beleeue mee fayre Cleon the fauour you haue done me so kindely to receiue the seruices which you say I haue done you charge me with so great a burden that a thousand liues and a thousand such occasions know not how to discharge me The heauens which haue caused me to be borne but for you will accuse me of misprisall if I liue not for you and if I haue any dessigne to employ one single moment of this life other then to your seruice He would haue held on longer but the shepheardesse ouerladen with her sickenesse interrupted him Cease friend and let me speake to the end that the small remainder of my life may be employed in assuring you that you may not be better beloued than you are of me who finding my selfe ready to depart giue you an eternall farewell and intreate you for three things alwayes to loue Cleon to cause mee to be buryed neere my mothers bones and to take order that when you are to pay the duety of mortality your body be layed neere mine that I may rest with this contentment that not hauing the power to be vnited to you in life yet I may be so at least in death He answered The gods should be vniust if hauing giuen beginning to so good an amity as ours they should sunder it so soone I hope they will yet preserue you or at least they will take me away before you
letter of Lindamor to Galathee IT is not to complaine of my Lady that I dare take vp my penne but onely to deplore the misfortune which make me so coâ—â—â—mâ—ed of her that at other times was not wont to vse mee in this sort I am the same man that haue serue you with all sort of respect and submission and you are the same Lady that first was mine siâ—ce you receiued me for yours I am become no lesse nor you greater if it be thus why doe you not iudge mâ— worthy of the same entertainement I haue called my soule to account for her actions since it pleaseth you I will display them all before your eyes for my part I cannot accuse any one of them if you shall iudge otherwise when you haue heard them it shall be no small consolation to the poore condemned to know at least the cause of his punishment This letter was brought her as of custome by Fleurial and so fitly that though she would yet durst shee not refuse it and without lying it was impossible that any other could haue playd this part better then he for his request was so suited with words of pitty and reuerence so well sorting to that which hee seemed to demand that there was 〈◊〉 but might haue bene deceiued and for my part if Galathee had not told me I should neuer haue regarded it but for that it was hard or rather impossible but the tender heart of the Nymph must discharge her selâ—â— of it to some trusty person to whom she might freely impart that which pressed her so sore among the rest she chose out me as the most assured as she thought and most affectionate Now suddenly as shee had receiued this paper faining to haue forgot something in her cabinet she called me and told the other Nymphs that shee would come backe presently and that they should attend her there Shee went vp into her chamber and then into her cabinet without saying any thing to mee I iudged shee had somewhat that troubled her but I durst not aske her for feare of troubling her she sate downe and casting the request of Fleurial on the table shee sayd This beast Fleurial alwayes comes to mollest me with the letters of Lindamor I pray thee Leonide bid him bring me no more I was somewhat astonied at this change yet I knew well that loue could not long last without brawles and that these disputes are as bellowes that do more kindle the coles yet I forbare not to say to her Since when Madam hath he done thus Some good while sayd she and know you nothing of it No truely Madam sayd I. Then she with a little frowning brow It is true sayd she that heretofore I haue liked it but now hee hath abused my fauoues offended me by his rashnes And what is this fault replyed I The fault added she is not great yet it displeaseth mee more then if it were of importance Thinke you what his vanity is to make it knowne that he loues me and that he hath told me so O Madam sayd I this cannot be true his enemies haue inuented it to vndo him both with you with Amasis It is wel replied she but in the meane time Polemas talkes of it euery where and is it possible any should know it and that he only should be deafe at this bruite or if he heare it should not remedy it And what remedy answered I would you hee should haue What sayd the Nymph sword and blood It may bee sayd I â—e doth it with great reason for I remember I haue heard it said that that which touches vs in loue is so subiect to slander that the lesse light is giuen it the better it is See sayd she these good excuses at least he should haue demanded of me what my will was hee should do herein he had done as he ought and I should haue beene satisfied Haue you seene the letter answered I which he wrote you No said shee and I will tell you more I will neuer see them more if it be possible and will auoyde as much as I can to speake to him Then tooke I the paper that Fleurial brought and opening the letter I read aloud that which I tolde you euen now and added at last Well Madame ought not you to loue the thing is wholly yours and not to bee so soone offended with him that hath not committed any fault Then it is well said she Is there any likelihood that he alone should not heare these bruits But dissemble he as long as he will at least I wil coÌ„fort my selfe that if he loue me he shall truely pay the interest of the pleasure which he hath had in vanting of our loue and if he loue me not let him assure himselfe that if I haue giuen him any subiect for the time passed to conceiÌ„ue such an opinion I wil put him out of it hereafter and giue him occasion to smother it how great soeuer it hath beene And to beginne I pray you command Fleurial that he be not so hardy to bring any thing from this arrogant Madame said I I will doe what pleases you to command me yet it shall be very necessary to consider ripely of this affaire for you may doe your selfe much hurt thinking to offend another You know well what manner of man Fleurial is he hath no more spirit then will serue to keepe his garden if you let him know this euill carriage betweene Lindamor and you I am afraid that out of pure feare he will discouer it to Amasis or else runne away that which shall make him discouer it shal be to excuse himselfe of mischiefe For Gods sake Madame consider what displeasure this will bring wil it not be better without breaking forth to deuise some meanes to complaine to Lindamor And if you will not doe it I will and I assure my selfe he will satisfie you or if he doe not then shall you haue occasion to breake off all loue with him telling him so much your selfe without giuing Fleurial knowledge of it How to speake to him I know not said shee and to heare him speake my courage will not snffer mee for I wish him much euill Seeing her to haue a heart so swolne with this offence At the last said I you must write to him Talke no more of that said she hee is too proud he hath too many of my letters already At the last not being able to get other thing at her hands shee suffered mee to fold vp a piece of paper in fashion of a letter and to put it in to the request of Fleurial and to carry it to him And this that he might not perceiue this dissention What the astonishment was of poore Lindamor when he receiued this paper it is hard to say to one that neuer prooued it And that which afflicted him more was that hee must of necessity depart the next morning to goe his voyage where the affaires of
haue hitherto auoyded and since there is none other remedy pacifie your selfe as I doe and it may be the Heauens will turne all things more to our contentment than at this time wee are permitted to wish for For my part I wil breake this misfortune as much as I can possibly But if there be no remedy yet must not we be without resolution rather let vs part asunder These last words brought the despaire of all making him thinke that this great courage proceeded from small amity If it were as easie for me answered the shepheard to resolue against this accident as you I would iudge my selfe vnworthy to be beloued for so feeble an amity cannot merit so great happinesse Well for end and reward of my seruices you giue me a resolution in the assured losse which I see of you and secretly to say to me that I must not despaire though I see you become anothers Ah Bellinde with what eye will you see this new friend With what heart can you loue him And with what fauors will you entertaine him since your eye hath a thousand times promised that it would looke on none other with loue but me and since this heart hath sworne to me that it could neuer loue any but me and since loue hath destined your fauours to no lesse affection then mine Well you command mee to leaue you to obey you I will doe so for I will not at the end of my life beginne to disobey But that which makes me vndertake it is to know assuredly that the end of my life shall not happen before the end of your amity though I call my selfe the most vnhappy that liues yet I cherish my fortune the more for that it hath presented vnto me such an occasioÌ„ to make my loue knowne to you that you may not doubt of it and yet I shall not be satisfied in my selfe if the last moment that remaines be not employed in assuring you I pray the heauen see what my amity is that in this new election it fill you with as much happinesse as you cause in me despaire Liue happy with Ergaste and receiue him with as great contentment as I haue had will to doe you seruice if my dayes would haue permitted me that this new affection full of pleasures which you promise to your selfe may accompany you to your graue as I assure you that my faithfull amity shall close mine eyes for your sake with extreme griefe That Bellinde let Celion talke so long it was for feare that speaking her teares would doe the office of words and that that would encrease the griefe of the shepheard or that it would giue proofe of the small power she had ouer her selfe Proud beauty that louest rather to be iudged to haue too little loue then too little resolution But at last finding her strengthned enough to giue answer she sayd Celion you thinke you giue me proofe of your amity and you doe the contrary for how haue you loued me hauing so euil an opinioÌ„ of me If since this last accideÌ„t you haue conceiued it beleeue the affection was not great which could so readily suffer a change But if you had no euill opinion of me how is it possible you should beleeue that I haue loued you and that now I loue you no more For Gods sake haue pitty on my fortune and conspire not with her to encrease my sorrow consider what small likelihood there is that Celion whom I loue aboue the rest of the world and whose life pleases me as much as mine owne may bee changed for an Ergaste who is vnknowne to me and in whose place I choose rather to espouse my tombe that if I be forced it is the commandement of my Father whom my honour will not suffer me to contradict But is it possible you should not remember the protestations I haue so often made to you that I would not marry my selfe And you ceased not to loue mee whence hath it this change For if without marrying me you haue loued me why can you not now loue me without marrying mee hauing an husband who can forbid mee to haue a brother whom I may alwayes loue with that amity I ought Good will holds mee neerer to you then is permitted me Farewell my Celion liue and loue me who will loue you euen to my end whatsoeuer becomes of Bellinde At this word she kissed him which was the greatest fauour that hitherto she had done him leauing him so besides himselfe that he was not able to frame a word to giue her answer WheÌ„ he was come to himself that he considered that Loue stooped vnder duâ—y and that there was not a sparke of hope remaining which might shine among his displeasures as a person voyde of resolution he went into the Wood and into the places most couert where hee did nothing but complaine of his cruell disaster what aduice soeuer his friends could giue him He liued in this sort many dayes during which he made the roâ—ks to pitty him And that she who was the cause of his euil might haue some feeling hee sent her these verses STANZA'S Of Celion on the marriage of Bellinde and Ergaste DOe then the heauens agree after such loue After such seruices that you should be Another mans sweete heart and so must prâ—â—â—e His deare delight and dearer moity And that I haue at last for loue most true But memory my sorrowes to renew You once did loue me well what ' vaileth me This amity now it is gone and past If you in others armes embrac'd I see And if for her I be constrain'd at last You now turn'd his to keepe in silence still Displeasures cruell that my patience spill If he had more of Loue or of desart Then I I know not what to say but cry Alas Oh is not this a cruell smart That he should gaine in one dayes space well-ny Without desert what heauens will not behâ—â—uâ— To infinite desires of endlesse loue But oh weake reason duty you will say By her sad lawes compels me to doe thus What duty strong or law more holy may Be found then this that cleerely speakes for vs The faith so often sworne when hand in hand We promised a loue for aye to stand May hand you sayd forthwith grow dead and dry My hand as of a person most for sworne If I be failing in the thing that I Assure or if I any thing haue borne Neerer my heart or else hold ought more deare Then this affection which your faith did sweare Ob cruell memory of passed good Be gone and euer banisht from my minds Since happinesse that in such glory stood Alas I now so much defaced finde Deface it then it is not reasonable Thou be in me that am so miserable Though he made it not appeare in any one of his actions that there remained any hope in him yet he alwaies had some little because the contract of marriage was not yet passed and
this cause since you appoint me to tell you a part of my life I coniure you by our loue neuer to speake of it and both of them hauing sworne she tooke againe her discourse in this sort The History of Diane IT would be very strange if the discourse which you desire to know of me might not be offensiue to you since faire wise shepheardesses it hath made me endure so much displeasure that I thinke not I shall at this time vse more words in telling it then it hath cost me teares in suffering it And since it pleaseth you that at last I shall renew that grieuous remembrance suffer me to abridge it that I may in some sort lessen the happinesse wherein I am by the memory of passed troubles I assure my selfe that though you neuer sawe Celion and Belinde yet you haue heard they were my father and mother and it may be haue knowne the crosses which they had for the loue of the one to the other which lets mee from telling them though they were presages of those I met with But you must know that after the cares of loue were ended in marriage that they might not remayne ydle suites of law and sundry troubles beganne to grow and so plentifully that wearied with charge of processe to make an accord many among the rest a neighbour of theirs named Phormion trauayled so that their friends were of aduice at last that to end all suits they should giue some promises of future alliance betweene them and because neither the one nor the other as yet had any children as hauing not beene long married they swore by Theurales on the Altar of Belenus that if they both had but one sonne and one daughter they should marry together and ratified this alliance with so many oathes that hee which brake them should be the most periured creature in the world Some time after my father had a sonne which was lost when the Gothes and Ostrogots ransacked this prouince Somewhat after that was I borne but so vnluckily for my selfe that my father neuer sawe me being borne after his death This was the cause that Phormion seeing my father dead and my brother lost for these Barbarians had carryed him away and it may be kill'd him or left him to die for want and that my vnkle Dinamis was gone out with displeasure of this losse resolued if he might haue a sonne to pursue the effect of those promises It fell out that some while after his wife lay downe but it was of a daughter and because his wife was old and he feared he should haue no more by her hee made it be giuen out that it was a sonne and vsed so great warinesse that neuer any body heeded it a tricke easie enough because there was no person that would suppose that he would vse such a deceit and vntill a certayne age it is hard by the face to know any thing and the better to deceiue the most crafty he called her Filidas And when she came to age he caused her to vse the exercise fit for young shepheards whereto she was not very vnâ—â—t The dessigne of Phormion was seeing me without father and without vnkle to make himselfe master of my good by this fayned marriage and when Filidaâ— and I should be greater to marry me to one of his nephews which he loued best And indeed he was not deceiued in his former dessigne For Belinde was too religious towards the gods to fayle in that whereto she knew her husband was bound It is true that seeing me taken out of her owne hands for presently after this dissembled marriage I was deliuered into them of Pharmion she tooke so great griefe that not being able to stay longer in this countrey she went to the lake Leman to be mistris of the Vestals and Druydes of Euiens as the old Cleoâ—tin informed her from the Oracle Now behold me in the hands of Phormion who shortly after brought me home to him his nephew to whom he meant to giue me who was named Amidor This was the beginning of my paines because his vnkle let him know that by reason of our young age the marriage of Filidas and me was not so assured but if the one could not like of the other hee could not well breake it yet if it should happen hee wished rather hee should marry me then another that he should make vse of this aduertisement with so much discretion that no man might take notice of it endeuouring in the meane time to winne me to his loue in such sort that I gaue my selfe to him if euer I came to be free This yong shepheard had so good a conceit of this dessigne that as long as this fancie lasted he could not tel how good occasion I had to reioyce my selfe for him About this time Daphnis an honest and wise shepheardesse came from the coast of Furan where she had abode many yeeres and because we were neighbours the conuersation which we had together by chance made vs so good friends that I beganne to be more vexed then of wont for I must confesse that the humor of Filidas was so vnsupportable to me that I could not almost indure it so that the feare which she had that I might come to more knowledge made her so iealous of me that I might not scarce speake to any body Things standing on these termes Phormion on a sudden faâ—leth sicke and the same day was choked with a Catar that he could not speake nor giue any order to his affayres nor mine Filidas at the first was astonished at last seeing her selfe absolute mistris of her selfe and of me resolued to keepe this authority considering that the liberty which the name of a man brings is much more pleasing then the seruitude to which our Sexe is more subiected Besides that shee was not ignorant that when she should discouer her selfe to be a maide she should giue no small cause of talke to all the country These reasons made her continue the name which she had during her fathers life and fearing now more then euer that some one might discouer what she was she held me so strait that I was seldome without her But faire shepheardesses since it pleaseth you to know my young passages you must when you heare them excuse them and withall haue this beliefe of me that I haue had so many and so great troubles for louing that I am no more sensible on that side hauing beene so hardened that loue hath neyther so strong nor so sharpe armes that he can pierâ—â—â—e Alas it is the shepheard Filander of whom I will speake Filander that first could giue me some feeling of loue and who being no more hath carried away all that that might be capable in me Truely interrupted Astrea eyther the loue of Filander hath beene very little or you haue vsed great discretion for that indeed I neuer heard speech of it Which is a rare thing for that the euill