affection and tendernes as if a thousand yeeres had bin past since their loues had first begon between them And that day they all taried there with as great ioy and pleasure as by such a new commenced loue might be imagined vntil the next day in the morning when the two Shepherds and the Shepherdesse taking their leaue of the sage Ladie Felicia and of Felismena and Belisa and likewise of all the Nymphes with great ioy returned to their villages whither they came the verie same day And faire Felismena who had that day put on againe her Shepherdesses weeds taking her leaue of the sage Ladie and being particularly and well aduised what to doe with many teares embraced her and accompanied of all those Nymphes went forth into the great Court before the Palace gate where embracing euerie one by her selfe shee went that way that they did direct her Felismena went not alone neither did her imaginations giue her leaue so to do for on the one side she went thinking of that which the wise Ladie had told her and considering on the other what little hap and lesse successe she had yet in her loue which made her doubt of her future happines With these contrarieties of thoughts did she go warring in her minde which though on the one side they made her wearie yet on the other they did entertaine her with their company so that in the meane time she forgot her solitarie and painefull way She had not trauelled far in the mids of a faire valley when towardes the west part therof she espied a far off a Shepherds coat which at the entrance of a green wood stood amongst many high Okes and inuited thither by her importunate hunger and wearines and also bicause the heate of the day began to come on so fast that shee was forced to passe it away vnder the shadow of those braunchie trees she bended her steps directly towards it Comming to the coate she heard how a Shepherd said vnto a Shepherdesse that sat neere vnto him these wordes Entreate me not good Amarillis to sing since thou knowest what great causes I haue to sigh and weepe all the dayes whilest my languishing soule shall not forsake this wearied and fainte bodie For though musicke is no small meanes to encrease his melancholie that is euer sadde and pensiue as his ioye and mirthe whoe liues a merry life yet my greefe is not of such a qualitie that by any humane arte or industrie may be increased or diminished Heere hast thou thy baggepipe play and sing faire Shepherdesse for well maist thou do it hauing thy hart as free as thy wil exempt from the bondage of loue Then the Shepherdesse answered him againe Be not such a niggard of thy skill Arsileus which the heauens and nature haue so bountifully bestowed on thee for she that doth aske it at thy hands will not denie to pleasure thee in any thing she may Sing if it be possible that song which at the request of Argastus thou didst make in the name of thy father Arsenius when for hir loue you both serued and sued to the faire Shepherdesse Belisa Thy condition is strange Amarillis saide the Shepherd againe still demanding that of me which doth least of all content me What shall I do for perforce I must please thee and yet not perforce since he were very discourteous to say the truth that would not of his own accord do thee any seruice he could But now thou seest how my ill fortune doth euer narrowly pursue me when I woulde faine take some small respite and ease from my greeuous thoughts And seeing the great reason I haue Amarillis to burst out in continuall lamentations and teares why dost thou then command me to sing What pleasure dost thou take to offende the occasions of my sorrowe I pray God thou maist neuer haue the like to feele the greefe that I do bicause Fortune might not so greatly to thy cost informe thee of my paine Thou knowest well enough I haue lost my Belisa and that I liue without hope of her recouerie Why dost thou then commaund me to sing But since I will not haue thee conceiue an opinion of me to be discourteous for it was neuer my manner and condition to be accounted so amongst faire Shepherdesses to whom we Shepherdes and my selfe especially for my Belisas sake owe all respect of loue and dutie and are so much beholding I will endeuour though most against my minde to content thee Whereupon taking vp his Rebecke that lay hard by him he began to tune it and doe that which the Shepherdesse requested him Felismena that was listening to their talke might heare very well what speeches passed betweene them And when she sawe they talked of Arsenius and Arsileus seruants to faire Belisa both which she tooke to be long since dead as Belisa had told not only her but the Nymphes also the Shepherds when they found her in the Shepherds coat in the Iland she verily thought that all that she heard and sawe there was but a meere dreame or some fantastick illusion But giuing attentiue eare she perceiued how the Shepherd began to touch his Rebecke so diuinely that she thought it to be some celestiall musicke who hauing plaide on it a little with a more heauenly then humane voice began to sing this song following O Vainiest hopes Alas how many Daies Haue I beene bondslaue to a braue Deceite And how in vaine haue these two wearied Eies With show'rs of teares watred this pleasant Vale Appaid I am of cruell Loue and Fortune And knowe not yet whereof I doe Complaine No small harmes I must passe smce I Complaine For to endure framed are all my Daies The traunces and deceites of Loue and Fortune But whence Complaine I of a braue Deceite Of such a Shepher desse within this Vale On whom to my great harme I cast mine Eies Yet am I much beholding to my Eies Although with greefe of them I doe Complaine Since by their meanes I sawe within this Vale The fairest thing which neuer in my Daies I thought to see And this is no Deceite In proofe whereof aske it of Loue and Fortune Though on the other side instable Fortune And time occasion and my dolefull Eies And not suspecting this most braue Deceite Caus'd all the ill whereof I doe Complaine And so I thinke to end my wofull Daies Counting my greefes and passions to this Vale. If that the riuer hill the meade and Vale Earth heauen and fate and cruell Loue and Fortune The howers and the moments yeeres and Daies My soule my hart and these two wearied Eies Doe aggrauate my greefe when I Complaine Who then can say I liue by fond Deceite Deceiu'd I was but this was no Deceite For that I haue beheld within this Vale So rare perfection I doe not Complaine But to behold how Loue and cruell Fortune Would signifie vnto these wearied Eies That there should come a helpe after some Daies
by the fountaine whose waters seemed with her swelling teares to increase where after she had a great while busied her selfe in diuers and sundrie thoughts she began thus to say May it be possible Alanius that thou art the man whose eies I neuer saw dried vp from teares in presence of mine And he who falling downe so many times at my feete with louing and pitifull wordes craued mercie and clemencie at my handes the which to my great harme and greefe I so gently bestowed on thee Tell me Shepherd the falsest that liues on earth is it true that thou louedst me to cloy thy minde with my fauours and so soone to be wearie of the loue that thou didst beare me Thou mightest imagine that it was no lesse in my power to forget and despise thee as thou hast forgotten me For it is the part of those that handle not their matters of loue so well as they shoulde to thinke that their Mistresses may play the like partes with them as they haue done before though some vse it for a remedie and policie to make their loue encrease the more And others that iealousie the occasion whereof most commonly they faine may so captiuate their Mistresses mindes that as they make them beleeue they are not able to settle their affection in any other place whereupon most of them come by little and little to manifest all that they fained before whereby more cleerely they discouer their disloyaltie All which extremes at last result to the greefe and preiudice of vs poore soules who not considering how the endes of such things commonly fall out doe so deepely sinke into that kinde of assured affection that we neuer leaue of to loue you nor you to requite vs with ingratitude and inconstancie as thou dost that loue disloyall Alanius which I haue borne and doe still beare thee So that which of these thou hast bene I cannot coniecture But wonder not Seluagia that thou vnderstandest so little in matters of disdaine that art so well practised in loues affaires Thou didst euer beare an honest and vertuous pretence by thy wordes whereby I neuer looked for lesse by thy deedes which made me thinke that that loue whereby thou mad'st me beleeue that thy desire extended to wish no more of me then pure loue againe should neuer haue an end for if any further drift had bene in thy desires I woulde neuer haue suspected firmnesse in thy loue O wretched woman how soone haue I begun to know thy intentions and yet how late to preuent my harmes Come thou to me my pretie Bagpipe and with thee will I passe the time away for had I spent it onely in thy exercise and delight it had bene better for me and after she had plaied a while on it she began to sing this Sextine following WAters that fall from top of these steepe Hils With such a noyse into these lowe deepe Vales Why thinke you not of those which from my Soule Continually distill my wearied Eies And what 's the cause of them Vnluckie Time In which hard fortune robbed all my Ioy. Loue gaue me hope of such a golden Ioy That ther 's no Shepherdesse in all these Hils That had such cause to praise a happy Time But after he did put me in these Vales Of swelling teares that fall from both mine Eies Not to behold such greefe as kils my Soule Such is the paine that wounds a louing Soule That in the end I know what thing is Ioy O where shall I then turne my wearied Eies If that the medowes woods the plaines and Hils The pleasant groues and fountaines of the Vales Still to my thoughts present so sweete a Time Who would haue thought that such a happy Time Should be so fierce a torment to my Soule Or cruell fortune banish me the Vale Wherin all things were obiects of my Ioy Vntill the hungrie woolfe which to the Hill Ascending vp was pleasant to mine Eies But fortune now what may my drenched Eies Behold which saw their Shepherd many a Time Driuing his lambes before him downe this Hill Whose name for ay shall rest within my Soule O fortune foe vnto my former Ioy How doe I languish in this irkesome Vale But when so pleasant and so fresh a Vale Is not delightfull to my wearied Eies And where I cannot finde content and Ioy And hope not now to haue it any Time See what extremes enuiron then my Soule O that he came againe O that sweete Hill O highest Hils and fresh and pleasant Vale Where once my Soule did rest and both these Eies Tell me shall I in Time haue so much Ioy About this time Syluanus was with his flockes in a thicket of Mirtle trees neere to the fountaine musing and imagining diuers things in his minde but when he heard Seluagias voice awaked as it were out of a slumber he gaue attentiue eare to the verses that she did sing But as this Shepherd was cruelly intreated of loue and contemned of Diana so his passions made him wander a thousand times out of his wits as that he now spake ill of loue and by and by praised it sometimes merrie and other times more pensiue and sad then the most sorrowfull man in the world to day speaking ill of women to morrow extolling them aboue all mortall creatures And thus did this sorrowfull Shepherd leade a life which as to all so especially to those that are free from loue would be tedious and difficult to describe But hauing heard Seluagias sweete verses and obtained leaue of his sad thoughts he tooke his Kit and to the tune thereof began to sing that which followeth TO heare me wearied is the cleerest riuer Tedious I am to euery vale and mountaine And now to heare O loue my sorrowes giuer My plaining wearied is each cristall fountaine The Sicamour the Oke and Elme are wearie Spring Sommer Autumne and the winter season Hearing my cries are sworne not to be merry With teares I melt these rocks and yet all reason Of pitie Tigresse thou dost still deny me When trees and stones for greefe are dying by me A bondslaue of a freeman thou hast made me And of a man of reason cleane contrarie With life and death by turnes thou dost inuade me And to tormenting greefe my soule dost carrie Of affable and one that liu'd so gayly Made me thou hast to frowards disdaining Of one that did conuerse with all men daily Made me thou hast their company refraining Eies had I once now blinded with desire I was a man of flesh but now of fire What 's this my hart thy torments dost thou double Tell me mine eies and are you still a weeping My soule sufficeth not my passed trouble My teares and are ye yet in riuers steeping My wandring wits and are you not molested More then ynough with such incessant sorrow And are ye not my senses also wrested From your right course resting not euen nor morrow How know I then weepe see
they thinke by any meanes to receiue it If I should tell thee faire Shepherdesse that I could helpe thy greefe what doth it auaile if the same will not giue thee leaue to beleeue me To tell thee that in thine owne iudgement and discretion thou dost help thy selfe I know thou hast it not so free that thou canst do it Of one thing yet good Shepherdesse thou maist be assured that there is no meanes in the whole world to rid thee from this painfull life which I would not giue then if it lay in my power And if this good will deserueth any thing at all I beseech thee for their sakes that are heete present and for mine owne to tell vs the cause of thy greefe because there are some in this companie that haue as great neede of remedie and whom loue hath driuen to so narrow a streight that if Fortune do not succour them the sooner I knowe not what will become of their liues The Shepherdesse hearing Doria speake these wordes came out of her melancholie cell and taking her by the hand carried her vnto a fountaine in a little greene meadowe not farre off Whither the Nymphes and Shepherdes went after them and about the same sat them downe altogither when golden Phoebus had made an end of his diurnall course and siluer Diana began hers with such brightnes as if it had beene midday Where being in such sort as you haue heard the faire Shepherdesse began to tell this which followeth AT that time faire Nymphes of the chaste Goddesse when I was free from loue I heard once a certaine thing the experience whereof did afterwardes beguile me finding it cleane contrarie to that which I heard reported For it was tolde me that there was no kind of greefe but by telling it was some lighting ease to her that did suffer it I finde that there is not any thing that more augments my mishap then to call it to memorie and tell it her that is free from the like For if I thought otherwise I durst not beleeue me recount vnto you the historie of my annoies But because it is true that the telling of it to you shall be no cause of comfort to my balefull soule which are the two causes most abhorred of me giue eare and you shall heare the most strange and haples accidents that euer fell in loue Not farre from this valley towards that part where the sunne doth set there is a village in the middes of a forrest neere to two riuers which with their currants do water and giue life to the greene trees whose shadowed bowes are so delightfull and thicke togither that one house may hardly be discerned from another Euerie one of them hath their limits rounde about them where the gardens in sommer time are decked with fragrant flowers besides the aboūdance of pleasant orchards which are there naturally brought foorth though helped by the industrie of them which in great Spaine are called Freemen by reason of the antiquity of their houses linage In this place was the vnfortunate Belisa borne for this name I tooke from the funt where I would to God I had left and lost my life Heere liued also a certaine Shepherd one of the chiefest for birth and riches that was in all that countrey called Arsenius and married to the fairest Shepherdesse in all her time but vntimely death because her destinies woulde haue it so or else for auoyding some other inconuenience that her beautie might haue caused did within a fewe yeeres after she was married cut asunder her vital thred The greefe that Arsenius felt for the death of his beloued Florida was so extreme that he was almost in danger of loosing his life the which yet he preserued by the comfort of a sonne she left behinde her called Arsileus whose beautie and comely feature so farre excelled others that they matched the gifts so highly commended and descended to him from Florida his mother And yet did Arsenius for the losse of her leade the most sorrowfull and desolate life that might be But seeing his Sonne in sufficient yeeres to set him to some vertuous exercise knowing That idlenes in boyes was the curse of vices and an enimie to vertue he determined to sende him to the famous Academie of Salamanca with intent to haue him learne those sciences which make men mount vppe to higher degrees then men and so sent him thither indeede But fifteene yeeres being nowe past since the death of his mother it fell out that I going on a daie with others of our neighbours daughters to the market kept in a prettie towne not farre from ours vnfortunate Arsenius to his owne harme and alas to mine and to the preiudice of his haplesse sonne by chance espied me This sight kindled an extreme kinde of loue in him as it appeered afterwardes by the strange effects he shewed for he endeuoured to make me know it sometimes in the fielde as I was going to carrie the Shepherds their dinner sometimes againe as I was going to the riuer to rince my clothes and somtimes for water to the fountaine where he neuer missed of purpose to meete me But I that was till then but a nouice in matters of loue although by heare-saie I vnderstoode some of his disordinate effects sometimes dissembled the matter as though I vnderstoode not his meaning and sometimes made but a mocke of them and was angry to see him so importunate and earnest But my wordes were not able to defende my selfe from his continuall suites nor the great loue he bare me suffered him to leaue of to woe me more and more And in this sort I passed away more then fower yeeres in which space he left not of his fond attempt nor I to resolue with my selfe to giue him the lest fauour in the worlde About this time came his haplesse sonne Arsileus from his studie who amongst other sciences that he had studied was so brauely seene in Poetrie and Musicke that he excelled all others in his time His father tooke such exceeding ioy in him that he could neuer be out of his sight and not without great reason bicause Arsileus was such an one indeed that he deserued to be beloued not onely of his father whom nature constrained to loue as his sonne but of euery one else in the worlde And so in our towne he was so much esteemed and regarded of the cheefest and vulgar sort that they talked amongst themselues of no other thing then of the great wisedome graces gentilitie and many other good parts more which beautified the flourishing prime of his youth Arsenius was so secret to his sonne that by no meanes he would let him vnderstand any thing touching his loue whom although Arsileus had seene on a day very sad yet he durst not aske him the cause of his heauines but rather thought those passions to be the reliques of that sorrow which yet for the vntimely death of his faire mother remained in his
therof thou wouldest but remember how much I haue loued do yet loue thee here hast thou thy sword in thy hand let none therefore but thy selfe reuenge the offence that I haue done thee When the Knight heard Felismenas words and knew them all to be as true as he was disloyall his hart by this strange sudden accident recouered some force againe to see what great iniurie he had done her so that the thought thereof and the plenteous effusion of blood that issued out of his woundes made him like a dead man fall downe in a swoune at faire Felismenas feete Who with great care and no lesse feare laying his head in her lap with showers of teares that rained from her eies vpon the Knights pale visage began thus to lament What meanes this cruell Fortune Is the periode of my life come iust with the last ende of my Don Felix his daies Ah my Don Felix the cause of all my paine if the plenteous teares which for thy sake I haue shed are not sufficient and these which I now distill vpon thy louely cheekes too fewe to make thee come to thy selfe againe what remedie shall this miserable soule haue to preuent that this bitter ioy by seeing thee turne not into occasion of vtter despaire Ah my Don Felix Awake my loue if thou dost but sleepe or beest in a traunce although I would not woonder if thou dost not since neuer any thing that I could do preuailed with thee to frame my least content And in these and other lamentations was faire Felismena plunged whom the Portugall Shepherdesses with their teares and poore supplies endeuored to incourage when on the sudden they saw a faire Nymph comming ouer the stony causey that lead the way into the Ilande with a golden bottel in one hand a siluer one in the other whom Felismena knowing by and by saide vnto her Ah Doria could any come at this time to succour me but thou faire Nymph Come hither then thou shalt see the cause of al my troubles the substance of my sighs the obiect of my thoughts lying in the greatest danger of death that may be In like occurrents saide Doria vertue and a good hart must take place Recall it then faire Felismena and reuiue thy daunted spirits trouble not thy selfe any more for nowe is the ende of thy sorrowes and the beginning of thy contentment come And speaking these wordes she besprinkled his face with a certaine odoriferous water which she brought in the siluer bottle whereby he came to his memorie againe and then saide vnto him If thou wilt recouer thy life Sir Knight and giue it her that hath passed such an ill one for thy sake drinke of the water in this bottle The which Don Felix taking in his hande drunke a good draught and resting vpon it a little founde himselfe so whole of his wounds which the three knights had giuen him and of that which the loue of Celia had made in his brest that now he felt the paine no more which either of them had caused in him then if he had neuer had them And in this sort he began to rekindle the old loue that he bare to Felismena the which he thought was neuer more zealous then now Whereupon sitting downe vpon the greene grasse hee tooke his Lady and Shepherdesse by the hands and kissing them manie times saide thus vnto her How small account would I make of my life my deerest Felismena for cancelling that great bond wherein with more then life I am for euer bound vnto thee for since I enioy it by thy means I thinke it no more then right to restore thee that which is thine owne With what eies can I behold thy peerelesse beauty which though vnaduisedly I knew not to be such yet how dare I for that which I owe thee cast them in any other part What wordes are sufficient to excuse the faults that I haue committed against thy faith and firmest loue and loyaltie Wretched and accursed for euer shall I be if thy condition and clemencie be not enclined to my fauour and pardon for no satisfaction can suffice for so great an offence nor reason to excuse me for that which thou hast to forget me Truth it is that I loued Celia well and forgot thee but not in such sort that thy wisedome and beautie did euer slide out of my minde And the best is that I knowe not wherein to put this fault that may be so iustly attributed to me for if I will impute it to the yoong age that I was then in since I had it to loue thee I shoulde not haue wanted it to haue beene firme in the faith that I owed thee If to Celias beautie it is cleere that thine did farre excell hers and all the worlds besides If to the change of time this shoulde haue beene the touchstone which should haue shewed the force and vertue of my firmenes If to iniurious and trayterous absence it serues as little for my excuse since the desire of seeing thee should not haue been absent from supporting thy image in my memorie Behold then Felismena what assured trust I put in thy goodnes that without any other meanes I dare put before thee the small reason thou hast to pardone me But what shall I doe to purchase pardon at thy gracious hands or after thou hast pardoned me to beleeue that thou art satisfied for one thing greeues me more then any thing else in the world and this it is That though the loue which thou hast borne me and wherewith thou dost yet blesse me is an occasion perhaps to make thee forgiue me and forget so many faults yet I shall neuer lift vp mine eies to behold thee but that euerie iniurie which I haue done thee will be worse then a mortal incision in my guiltie hart The Shepherdesse Felismena who saw Don Felix so penitent for his passed misdeedes and so affectionately returned to his first thoughts with many teares told him that she did pardon him bicause the loue that she had euer borne him would suffer her to do no lesse which if she had not thought to do she would neuer haue taken so great paines and so many wearie iourneyes to seeke him out and many other things wherewith Don Felix was confirmed in his former loue Whereupon the faire Nymph Doria came then to the Knight and after many louing words and courteous offers in the Ladie Felicias behalfe passed betweene them she requested him and faire Felismena to goe with her to Dianas Temple where the sage Ladie with great desire to see them was attending their comming Don Felix agreed thereunto and taking their leaue of the Portugall Shepherdesses who wondered not a little to see what had happened and of the woefull Shepherd Danteus mounting vpon the horses of the dead Knights that were slaine in the late combate they went on their waie And as they were going Felismena told Don Felix with great ioy
so duly And aftervvardes if that the same deceased Body and soule may be in loue increased In life and death and after death so hainous Seluagia shall for euer loue Syluanus Syrenus being very glad for the contentment of their companie and to see them both loue one another with such mutuall and great affection and knowing that it belonged to the dutie of friendship and though he had refused that they woulde entreate him in the end to sing without more ado tooke his Rebecke and sung thus THe Gods graunt you to frolicke in your hall His yeeres that so long time vvith nature striue And that in happie fortune you may liue Free from all kinde of sorrovves great or small And in your loue one haire may neuer fall Of iealousie a plague eid like a sieue Let heauens to temporall 〈◊〉 their fauours giue Fire aire sea earth and nature at your call The rot may neuer touch your soundest stockes Feare of the vvoolfe your shades may not molest And vvily foxe not feare your pretie lambes In plenty may encrease your goodly stockes Tvvo kids may yeerely yeane your fruitfull dams And your faire Evves vvith double tvvinlings blest The Shepherds hauing made an end of their sweete songs rose vp and casting their hairy scrippes on their shoulders staying themselues vpon their knotty sheephooks began to go on their way Who being comen out of that pleasant place into a faire meade to passe the time away and lighten their trauell and length of their way went inuenting and exercising diuers pastorall sports of which they made Seluagia iudge betweene them both sometimes throwing with their slings at some white or marke that they could espie within their reach vpon the side of some hill or tree sometimes trying with great dexteritie the goodnes of their slings to see who coulde giue the greatest cracke with them sometimes striuing who coulde throwe his Sheepehooke farthest sometimes contending to pitch them neerest to some white or Daisie in the way before them and whether of them with the strength of his arme could come nighest to some other marke as farre as they could reach and sometimes striuing who could smite a stone fardest with them In this sort they passed the time and wearines of their way vntill the broade mantell of the darke night beginning to ouerspred those plaines and fieldes made an ende of their sports and warned them to take their rest where they lodged that night The next day in the morning betimes when the prety birdes with their warbling notes filling the aire not yet fully cleere with harmonie foretold the comming of the Vermillion morning they began to make an end of their former iourney And now did the sunne cast downe his beames hotter vpon their heads and with greater heate shewing his forces when the three Shepherds came in sight of their knowne fieldes and plaines so often troden of them before Whereupon they now began to know their wandring flockes and amongst those Dianas sheepe although they were mingled with the flockes of her vnwoorthy husband Delius And so as Syluanus was saying These are the flockes of the vngratefull and disdainfull Shepherdesse Diana and of the Shepherd Delius happie without desert Seluagia saide It is not good to go by and not salute Diana if we finde her there And so they went that way to seeke her out where they had not gone farre but they sawe her standing very sadde and leaning against a great Oke with her elbow vpon her sheepehooke and her cheeke vpon the palme of her hande whereby one might haue iudged the care and sorrow that so much troubled her pensiue minde After a little while as though she was angrie with herselfe for casting her-selfe into so great a greefe she put her hand into her bosome and tooke out a fine little Baggepipe the which putting to her mouth to play on it in that very instant she threwe it to the ground and without more adoe sliding downe along the bodie of the tree sat her downe as if for great feeblenes she had not beene able to staie herselfe on her feete and casting out a sorrowfull sigh and looking vpon her harmlesse Baggepipe she spake these words Accursed Baggepipe consuming fire burne thee for the greefe and anguish that thou hast giuen me I brought thee with me to lighten and asswage my cruell sorrow in which dutie thou hast not onely failed but redoubled it the more Thou shalt not then accompanie me any more for the ill requitall of that loue wherewith I did euer cherish thee Now I am not any more for thee nor thou to serue my turne There shalt thou lie for the parching sunne to open thee making thee as drie as I am comfortlesse and for the raine to rotte thee making thee as moist as my cheekes spunged with continuall teares Ah woe is me how am I deceiued in thinking that the silly and sencelesse Baggepipe is in fault of that which enuious Fortune hath made me feele and in forgetting being so skilfull in other things how more abundantly my fortune surchargeth my soule with paine and troubles then this poore Baggepipe with any fault or iniurie How do I afflict and molest my selfe for a smal cause hauing so many to wearie me withall O God how comes it to passe that the cause of my passed ioy and gladnes is now the occasion of my present sorrow and that those things which before were light and easie are now most greeuous torments and burdens to me Howe soone is pleasure exiled from my poore soule wherein it was woont to make so sweete a soiourne In how short a time haue I lost my deere content whylom my only trustie companion And how easily am I depriued of all ioy and happines which I once so much at will possessed To what end doth it auaile me to be endowed with beauty and wit which with modestie I may chalenge since all do affirme the same in me vnlesse they were sufficient to remooue some part of my greefe But I beseech the soueraigne Gods that I were so farre from beautie and wit as I am at this present from ioy and comfort so that either the first had not brought me to this painfull condition of life or want of the second passed it away without feeling it so sensiblie O Syrenus and Syluanus how are yee now reuenged of me although it be vnknowne to you thou Syluanus of the contempt I did vniustly beare thee thou Syrenus of the ill requitall I gaue thee for thy sincere and earnest loue How neere alas doth the sorrowfull memorie of that ioyfull time come to my minde that did so soone slide out of my hands I would the Gods had beene so pitifull to me at one and selfe-same time to haue ended my daies and those delightfull howers When she had spoken these words she gaue so great a sobbe and such vehement sighes that it seemed she had no more life left to animate her afflicted
thou purpose to destroy me When wilt thou make an end with woundes to noy me Not stretching foorth thy cruell hand to kill me Tell me the cause why dost thou so much will me To visit thee and with such words dost ioy me That to my death I rather would imploy me Then by such present pangs and greefes to spill me Woe to my soule since this doth cause thy sorrow That such a little fauour thou hast done me Little it is in sooth if it be peased With all my teares that neuer yet haue ceased To fall that to my death haue almost woon me They great this small those giue I this I borrow Firmius had scarce done when Faustus asked Diana how she knew that his loue to her was so small Who answered In that hoping to enioy thee inflamed in my loue thou complainest no purpose of a few teares thou hast spilt for my sake as if these were not as incident and requisite for loue as pasture for sheepe and oyle for the lamp To which wordes Faustus taking vp his Rebecke did thus answere her THou dost desire My life as thou dost say To see me in thy loues inflam'd at lest And yet an vncouth meanes thou dost suggest Which is to giue me care from day to day Dost thou not see the fier to decay Waxe cold and quench't within my louing brest With swelling teares which trickle without rest Out of mine eies to see thy hard delay The meade with raine her goodly greene redeemes The oile doth in the lampe the flame maintaine And loue with teares augmented is no lesse But loue the lampe and meadow as it seemes If that too much of these they doe containe Is spent is quench't and drowned in excesse As Faustus had thus made an ende Firmius said for all that I coulde not then heare he tolde me afterwards we are well content Diana that thou delightest thy selfe with our sorrowes since thou wilt take no pleasure in any of our other things if thy sweete voice in lieu of that might sound in our desired eares with some happie song Diana excused herselfe requesting them to pardon her saying she coulde not therein pleasure them since she wanted so much her owne content of minde They endeuouring to comfort her gaue her some hope saying that in the end sorrowes and griefes are not perpetuall and that she should remember that common song that saith Continuall griefe and sorrow neuer wanteth c. Bicause therefore you may see said Diana how ill this saying is vnderstoode tune your Bagpipe with your Rebecke and walking towards our flockes bicause it is now time to gather them vp although I thought not to doe it yet will I sing as well as I can vpon this theame and you shall take the tune of the song as of a woman so much tuned in miseries and mishappes as nothing more Firmius and Faustus made no delay And then Diana like a desperate woman with a mournsull and sorrowfull voice began thus taking for her first verse that which they had alreadie alleaged for her comfort COntinuall greefe and sorrow neuer wanteth Where feeding hope continues not decaying But euermore despaire that greefe recanteth From former course of minde doth cause estraying The glosse Riuers arise and run into the seas And waters without number day by day And yet the same seeme neuer to decay But new doe spring and run and doe increase So endlesse woes arise and multiplie Redoubled one vpon anothers head For one in truth is with another fed Still doe they come and yet they neuer die For since their fertill rootes each moment planteth Continuall greefe and sorrow neuer wanteth Torments of minde and vilest miseries Are sworne to dwell within a haplesse soule And there her ioies and pleasures doe controule As to my selfe my sweete content denies Then let not any Louer thinke to gaine The meanest thing that liues in any hope But liuing so to fall into a scope And wander in a world of greefe and paine For miseries men say continue staying Where feeding hope continue not decaying Who knowes it not Alas I knowe it well That if a wofull soule is hoping still She seldome doth enioy her mind and will But that her hope must euer be her hell So of this hope that flatters me I finde And doe confesse that with the same I liue But still in feare and therefore I would giue It for despaire to ease my doubtfull minde I wish not this false hope my iotes that scanteth But euermore despaire that greefe recanteth If any whit of goodnes euer came By vile despaire it comes to me in prime And it could neuer come in better time Then to be hoping still to haue the same The wisest and most prudent man at last Wanting the good that long he doth attend Which nourished by hope he did suspend Seeing the time that fed his hope is past And all his ioy by hope that is decaying From former course of minde doth cause estraying The Shepherds importuned Diana to proceed in her song or else if it pleased her to take some new matter for it was to be thought that Dianas song pleased them wel but they could not obtaine it at her hands for she rather requested them to sing something whilest they were going towardes their flockes Firmius then remembring that which a little before she had told him that he loued her not so much as he might began thus to tune his voice Faire Shepherdesse Iean no more But faine I would Loue thee more if that I could As this made also for Faustus purpose for the same cause he likewise sung to the same effect And so Firmius and Faustus sung by turnes and answered one another as followeth Firmius OF mine owne selfe I doe complaine And not for louing thee so much But that indeede my power is such That my true loue it doth restraine And onely this doth giue me paine For faine I would Loue her more if that I could Faustus Thou dost deserue who doth not see To be belou'd a great deale more But yet thou shalt not finde such store Of loue in others as in mee For all I haue I giue to thee Yet faine I would Loue thee more if that I could Firmius O trie no other Shepherd swaine And care not other loues to prooue Who though they giue thee all their loue Thou canst not such as mine obtaine And would'st thou haue in loue more gaine O yet I would Loue thee more if that I could Faustus Impossible it is my friend That any one should me excell In loue whose loue I will refell If that with me he will contend My loue no equall hath nor end And yet I would Loue her more if that I could Firmius Behold how loue my soule hath charm'd Since first thy beauties I did see Which is but little yet to mee My freest senses I haue harm'd To loue thee leauing them vnarm'd And yet I would Loue thee more if
pitie on her but they rather gaue to the Traitour sufficient prouision who went to imbarke himselfe againe with Clenarda whom poore soule at her perill she must needes follow from which time hitherto I neuer saw nor heard any newes of them There was I left all alone bound hand and foote and pinched with intolerable hunger But that which most of all greeued me was Alcidas want and sorrow who was likewise left alone in the Iland Formentera and in lieu thereof regarded not mine owne which was presently remedied For at the noise of my loude and lamentable outcries certaine Marriners came to me who being more pitifull then those before gaue me some meate to stanche my extreme hunger And at my incessant request they armed for my sake a Fregantine and carrying with them some store of meate and wine with weapons and other necessaries embarked themselues in my companie and within a short time with swift and speedie oares it came to the Iland of Formentera where Alcida was left a sleepe But for all that I could doe by seeking vp and downe in it and hallowing in euerie place and calling aloud on Alcidas name I could neither finde her nor by any signe perceiue that she was there I then thought that she had desperately throwen her self into the sea or else that she had beene deuoured of wilde beasts But yet seeking vp and downe the plaines and shoares and all those rockes and caues and most secret corners of the Ilande in a peece of a rocke made in forme of a quarriâ—… found these verses with a sharpe point of steeled knife engrauen which said thus O Sandie desart and drie barren meade Thou that hast heard the sound of my lament O swelling seas fierce winde to changing bent Chang'd with my sighes that are in sorrow bread Hard recke wherein for euer may be read My torment heerein grauen and permanent Truly report my paines which you present For that Marcelius heere hath left me dead My sister stolne he hath forgotten mee His faith his sailes and then my hope forlorne Commend I to the windes and witnes yee That loue I will not any man that 's borne To scape those seas where calmes are neuer any Nor combat foes that are so fierce and many I cannot tell thee faire Shepherdesse how deepe a wound my soule felt when I read these letters knowing that for anothers fault and vile deceit and by the hard euent of cruell fortune I was so suddenly abhorred of Alcida wherefore resoluing with my selfe not to lead a life replenished with such woes and miseries I woulde forthwith with one of their swordes haue pierced my heauie hart had not one of those marriners who suspected such a thing by maine force hindred mee from it With comfortable words therefore they brought me backe againe halfe dead into their Fregatte and being mooued at my importunate and pitifull praiers for a peece of money caried me towards the coast of Italy and landed me in Gayeta in the kingdome of Naples Where enquiring of euery one that I knew and met after Alcida and publishing certaine tokens of her at the last by certaine Shepherds which came thither in a ship of Spaine I heard some newes of her which ship passing by Formentera found hir there al alone tooke her in and that she had taken vpon her the habite of a Shepherdesse with as strong a resolution to hide her-selfe from me as strange to liue vnknowne in those disguised weedes Which when I vnderstood I also apparelled my selfe like a Shepherd the better to finde her out and wandring vp and downe and seeking her thoroughout all that kingdome coulde neuer finde her nor heare which way she was gone vntill a long time after I vnderstoode that she knew how I had notice of her which made her flie the farther from me and to passe into Spayne in a shippe of Genua Then I embarqued my selfe presently to follow her and hither I am come into Spayne where hauing troden the greatest part of it in seeking her vp and downe haue not yet found any one that coulde tell mee any newes of this cruell one whom with so great greefe and trouble of minde and bodie I am continually seeking and can neuer finde This is faire Shepherdesse the tragedie of my life this is the cause of my death and this the processe of al mine ils In which so sad discourse if I haue been too tedious the fault is thine since my vnwilling toong by thy importunate requestes was constrained to tell it And that which now I craue of thee gentle Shepherdesse is that thou wouldest not trouble thy selfe to applie any remedies to my sorrowe nor comfort my cares nor to stop the teares which with so iust cause are due to my cordiall greefe Marcelius hauing ended his sorrowfull historie began to make a most dolefull complaint and to sigh so forciblie that it was great pittie to beholde him Faine would Diana haue told him tidings of his Alcida which was not long since in her companie but to performe her worde which she had promised not to discouer her vnto him and also for that she sawe it would but haue tormented him more by giuing him notice of her who extremely hated him helde her peace And rather wished him to comfort himselfe by entertaining an assured hope and confidence of his future gladnes since she herselfe doubted not before it was long to see him very ioyfull in the presence of his beloued Mistresse For if it was true as he beleeued that Alcida went wandring vp and downe in the companie of Shepherdesses and Nymphes of Spaine she could not then saide Diana bee long vnhidden from him and so she promised him to cause an enquirie and search to bee made in the strangest remote and solitarie places and in the fieldes most frequented by them but especially charging him to haue a regarde to his owne life and promising him to performe that which she had offered For which vnexpected curtesies Marcelius yeelding her infinite thankes would haue taken his leaue saying that after a fewe daies he thought to returne thither againe and to giue her a full account of al those accidents that in seeking out Alcida might happen vnto him But Diana staying him saide I will not be so great an enimie to mine owne content to let thee goe out of my companie but would rather bicause I see my selfe forsaken of my husband Delius as thou art of thy Alcida haue thee staie and eate if it please thee a little of my simple cheere to refresh thy selfe who hast it seemes no small need thereof And after when the shadowes of the trees and hils waxe greater we will both go home to our village wherewith that rest which continuall greefe will suffer vs to take we will passe the night away and in the morning betimes hasten vs towardes the Temple of chaste Diana where the sage Lady Felicia makes her abode whose secret wisedome will minister
sending foorth now and then a sorrowfull and painefull sigh said thus Then woe is me vnfortunate Shepherdesse that can finde no remedie sufficient to comfort my sorrowes when those which take away from others a great part of their paine doe bring to me a continuall and burning greefe I can now Marcelius no longer hide the paine which I suffer the force whereof though it compels me to publish it yet for one thing I am bound to thanke it that it constraines me to tell it in such a time place where thou art onely present since thy noble minde and experience in like passions will not I hope condemne it for a meere trifling follie especially when thou knowest the cause thereof I am to be plaine with thee Marcelius tormented with the like greefe that thou art and am also forgotten as thou art of a Shepherd called Syrenus of whom in times past I was greatly beloued For cruell Fortune which ouerturneth humane intents married me to Delius enforced more by the hard commandement of my parents then by mine owne will and to my great greefe made me a bondslaue to such a husband the intollerable thought of whose continuall iealousie besides the sufferance of many other greefes more is onely sufficient to kill this miserable soule Whose iniurious suspects I could be content yet to suffer if I might but enioy the presence of Syrenus who taking a iust occasion by my forced marriage to forget me forsooke our towne bicause he would not see me and as I vnderstande is in the Temple of Diana whither we are now going Whereupon thou maiest imagine what kinde of life I leade being alwaies troubled with the iealousie of my husband and tormented with the absence of my louer Then Marcelius said I cannot chuse but pittie thy greefe nowe I know it gracious Shepherdesse and am sorrie that I haue not heard it till now God grant I may neuer enioy any happie content if I wish it not as well to thy hart as to mine owne But bicause thou knowest how generall Loues arrowes are with what small partialitie they hurt the stoutest harts and most free and vertuous mindes then blush not to manifest his wrongs since it shall neuer the more be an empeachment to thy good name but an occasion to make me esteeme the better of thee And that which comforts me heerein is that I knowe that the torment of thy husbandes iealousie a greater corsiue to the hart then the absence of the thing beloued will suffer thee to take a little rest since Delius who is following the flying Shepherdesse shall now be separated from thy companie Enioy therefore the time and occasion that Fortune presents thee and comfort thy selfe for it shall be no small ease vnto thee to passe away the absence of Syrenus being now free from the importunous trouble of thy iealous husband I wold not esteem these iealousies so hurtful to me said Diana if Syrenus had them aswel as Delius bicause I would then thinke that they had their foundation and beginning of loue For it is manifest that they that loue would be glad to be loued againe must esteem the iealousie of the thing beloued to be good lawfull since it is a manifest token of loue springing from loue incident to loue euer accōpanied with it And for my selfe I am able to assure thee that I neuer thought my selfe more in loue then when I was a litle iealous neuer iudged my self to be iealous but when I was ascertained that I was most in loue To the which Marcelius replied thus I neuer thought that a pastoral plainnes was able to alledge such wise reasons in so difficult a question whereupon I must needes condemne that for an olde approoued errour that maintaines that onely in cities and in the court the finest wits and exquisite conceits do dwell when I finde them as well to be amongst the thicke woodes and in countrey and plaine cottages Yet for all this I will gainsay thy opinion whereby thou wouldst seeme to prooue that iealousie is the messenger and companion of loue as if loue could not be where iealousie is not ioyned with it For though there are fewe louers but are a little iealous yet we must not therefore say that the Louer that is not iealous is not a more perfect and truer louer For he rather sheweth being exempt from iealousie what valour and force he hath in loue and the qualitie of his desire which is pure and cleere and not troubled with the miste of iealous imaginations Such an one was I with modestie be it spoken in my most happie and passed times and so highly then prised my good Fortune that with my publike verses I did manifest the same And amongst many other times that Alcida maruelled to see me so much in loue and free from iealousie I tooke in hand on a time to write this Sonnet to her to that effect A Sonnet THey say Loue sware he neuer would be frend If mortall Iealousie were not in place And Beautie neuer be in any face Vnlesse that Pride did on her thought attend These are two hags which hideous hell doth send Our sweete content to trouble and disgrace The one the ioy of loue to paine doth chace The other pitie from the hart defend Beautie and Loue were both for sworne by mee And thee by making my vnsure estate In ioy and happinesse so fortunate Bicause smce first thy figure I did see Being so Faire yet Prouder wast thou neuer Nor I in Loue that could be Iealous euer The pleasure that my Alcida tooke when I rehearsed this Sonnet to her was so great perceiuing thereby the integritie of my loue that a thousand times shee would sing it knowing that I had well pleased her fansie with it And truely faire Shepherdesse I hold it for a great errour that such a horrible monster as iealousie is should be accounted a good thing as to say that it is the token of Loue and that it is not but in an enamoured hart For by this assertion we may say that a feauer is good bicause it is a token of life for it is neuer but in a body most likely to liue But both are manifest errours since iealousie affoords no lesse paine then a feauer For it is a plague of the soule a frensie disturbing the thoughts a madnes that weakens the bodie an anger consuming the spirits a feare abasing the minde and a furie that fils the will with folly But bicause thou maist the better iudge of iealousie to be most abhominable imagine the cause of it and thou shalt finde that it is nothing else but a little feare of that which is not nor shall be a vile contempt of ones owne deserts and a mortall surmise which cals the faith and sinceritie of that which is beloued in doubt and suspition The pangs of iealousie with words gentle Shepherdesse cannot be decyphered for they are such that do infinitely
fortunes and helpe to receiue it at her hands who wrought such miracles and woonders Diana bicause she would know something of Syrenus said thus vnto her The great hope of content that thou hast giuen me faire Nymphe by telling me of that which is in Felicias Palace for Alcidas comming is not small but yet greater should I haue if thou wouldest tell me what Shepherds of account are there also There are many woorthie Shepherds answered Arethea but those that I do best remember are Syluanus and Seluagia Arsileus and Belisa and one other more principall then these called Syrenus whose vertues and deserts Felicia hath in great estimation but he is such an enimie to loue that he makes all the rest that are there to woonder at him Alcida is of like qualitie and condition in so much that euer since she came thither both of them haue not beene asunder discoursing of hate obliuion and disdaine And so I am verie certaine that Felicia made them come to her Court to marrie them togither being both of one minde and their conditions being so semblable one to the other For though he be but a Shepherd and she a noble Ladie Felicia yet by her supernaturall powers can giue him valour force riches and wisedome which is the truest nobilitie of all the rest And Arethea following on her speech turning to Marcelius she said thus vnto him By this Shepherd thou seest how thy ioy is in hazard to fall to anothers lot defer not therefore the time bicause if thou commest betimes thou maist preuent Syrenus of his match But when Diana heard these words she felt the greatest griefe that might be and had shewed it by teares and outcries if bashfulnes and modestie had not beene an impediment to it Marcelius suffered the like paine for the same cause and was so tormented with it that he thought to haue dyed for verie anguish of minde So that on knife wounded Marcelius and Dianas hart one iealousie molested their soules Marcelius feared Alcidas marriage with Syrenus and Diana the marriage of Syrenus with Alcida The faire Nymph knew Marcelius Diana very well those that were with them but she disembled it very cūningly as Felicia had told her how telling Marcelius first a true tale to giue him an vnexpected ioy after a fained matter to kindle his desire Dianas more also bicause by these bitter news the gladnes that they afterwards receiued might be greater more sweet Being now come to a broad most faire Court which was before the palace gate they saw a reuerēd old Lady cōming out of it apparelled with a long gowne of black veluet hauing a vaile on her head of white tynsell which hung down ouer her shoulders being accompanied with three most faire Nymphes representing a most venerable and diuine Sybill This Ladie was Felicia and her Nymphes were Dorida Cynthia and Polydora When Arethea was come before her Ladie and Mistresse but first telling her company that she was Felicia she kneeled downe and kissed her hands and so did all the rest Felicia seemed to be verie glad of their comming and with a merie countenance said vnto them Woorthie Gentlemen Lady and famous Shepherds although the ioy that I haue of your comming is great yet the same that you shall reape by my sight hereafter shall be no whit lesse But bicause you are somewhat wearie with your iourney go and take your rest and forget your griefes bicause you cannot want the first in my house and the second with my great knowledge shall be soone amended They all humbly thanked her shewing themselues verie glad of their louing entertainment and at last Felicia left them Shee made Polydorus Clenarda to stay there saying that she had to talke with them and the rest being guided by Arethea went to a chamber in the rich Palace where they were seasted that night and serued with all things needfull for their rest This house was so sumptuous and magnificent and so full of all kinde of stately riches of curious and costly gardens that there was not any other comparable vnto it But I will not trouble my selfe in making any particular recount of the beautie and riches of it since that was declared at large in the first part of this worke I will onely tell how Marcelius Diana and Ismenia were lodged in two chambers in the Palace hanged all about with rich Tapistrie curiously wrought with gold and siluer lodgings vnacquainted to simple Shepherds They were there entertayned with a daintie and plenteous supper serued with plate of gold and cristall and when they went to sleep layde in stately beds whose bodies yet though with trauell paine they were not a little wearied with the softnes sweetnes of them with the hope also that Felicia had giuen them were inuited to a sweet reposed sleepe On the other side Felicia in company of her three Nymphes and of Polydorus and Clenarda telling them by the way that they should say nothing of Marcelius Dianas and Ismenias comming thither went to a most pleasant garden where they sawe Eugerius passing the time away with his daughter Alcida Don Felix and Felismena Syrenus Syluanus and Seluagia Arsileus and Belisa and another Shepherd were sitting togither a pretie way off them about a fountaine Alcida had yet on the same pastorall weedes that she came apparelled with that day to the pallace but she was presently knowne by her brother and sister The ioy that the brother and two sisters had to see themselues altogither and the gladnes that the father had to see himselfe and them so well and happely met moreouer the great affection wherwith they embraced each other the louing talke that passed betweene them and the sundry questions that they asked of one another cannot be with words nor writing declared Alcida was rapt with ioy to see her brother and sister but was gladder to see Polydorus then Clenarda for the great presumption that she had that Marcelius went away with her leauing her in the desolate Iland all alone But Felicia purposing to cleere all these mistes errours to make an end of so many hard fortunes spake thus vnto them Though Fortune hath neuer so much faire Alcida by many kindes of iniuries shewed herselfe thy mortall enimie yet thou canst nor denie but that with this content that thou now enioyest thou art fully reuenged of all her wrongs And bicause the false imagination and deceit wherein thou hast liued hitherto hating without cause thy louing Marcelius if thou liuest still in it is enough to alter thy hart and to giue him much sorrow and greefe it shall be therefore very needfull for thee to shake off this cōceit iniurious fuspicion out of thy mind That which thou thinkest of Marcelius is cleane contrarie bicause it was not his fault when hee left thee in the Iland but the deceite of a vile traytour and of Fortune who now to satisfie
soule The wise in ancient times a God thee nam'd Seeing that with thy power and supreme might Thou didst such rare and mighty woonders make For thee a hart is frozen and inflam'd A foole thou mak'st a wise man with thy light The coward turnes couragious for thy sake The mighty Gods did quake At thy commaund To birdes and beasts transformed Great monarches haue not scorned To yeeld vnto the force of beauties lure Such spoiles thou dost procure With thy braue force which neuer may be toulde With which sweete loue thou conqu'rest euery soule In other times obscurely I did liue But with a drowsie base and simple kinde Of life and onely to my profit bend me To thinke of loue my selfe I did not giue Or for good grace good partes and gentle minde Neuer did any Shepherdesse commend me But crowned now they send me A thousand garlands that I woon with praise In wrestling daies by daies In pitching of the bar with arme most strong And singing many a song After that thou didst honour and take hould Of me sweete loue and of my happy soule What greater ioy can any man desire Then to remaine a captiue vnto loue And haue his hart subiected to his power And though sometimes he taste a little sower By suffring it as milde as gentle doue Yet must he be in lieu of that great hire Whereto he doth aspire If louers liue afflicted and in paine Let them with cause complaine Of cruell fortune and of times abuse And let them not accuse Thee gentle loue That dost with blisse enfoulde Within thy sweetest ioies each louing soule Behold a faire sweete face and shining eies Resembling two most bright and twinkling stars Sending vnto the soule a perfect light Behold the rare perfections of those white And Iuorie hands from greefes most sure bars That minde wherein all life and glorie lies That ioy that neuer dies That he doth feele that loues and is beloued And my delights approoued To see her pleas'd whose loue maintaines me heere All those I count so deere That though sometimes Loue doth my toies controule Yet am I glad he dwels within my soule There was not one there amongst them all but tooke great delight in the Shepherds songs But Eugerius comming to giue his verdict praise and reward to him that had sung best could not so soone conclude of the matter he stept aside to Montanus to heare his opinion whose iudgement was that one had sung as well as another Then Eugerius turning to Syrenus and Arsileus said My opinion is cunning Shepherds that you are equall in the subiect of this contention and that if old Palemon were reuiued and made an indifferent iudge betweene you hee could not confesse I thinke any superioritie in your skill Thou art Syrenus worthie to beare away the cristall cup and thou Arsileus deseruest it as well so that I should offer you great wrong if I did not define who is conqueror and who is conquered To resolue my selfe therefore of this doubt with Montanus opinion I say that to thee Syrenus is allotted the Cristall cup and to thee Arsileus this Calcedonian cup of no lesse value which worthily thou hast wonne To both of you therefore I giue cups of like value both of them of account amongst Felicias treasure and by her bountifull hands bestowed on me The Shepherds were well pleased at the wife iudgement and rich rewardes of bountifull Eugerius to whom they gaue many thankes But Alcida by this occasion calling to minde her passed times said If the deceitfull errour wherewith I haue beene blinded so long had endured till now I would not then cōsent that Arsileus should be rewarded equally with Syrenus But since I am now free from it and wounded afresh with the loue of my betrothed Marcelius for the paine which I suffer for his absence I like well of that which Syrenus did sing and for the ioy and sweete delight which I expect I also commend Arsileus song But take heed carelesse Syrenus that these complaints which thou makest of Diana be not like to those wherewith I blamed Marcelius bicause thou maist not repent thee of thy hardnes of hart and disdaine as I haue done Syrenus smiled at this and said What greater blame may be laide vpon that Shepherdesse who after she had forsaken me married her selfe to a iealous peruerse and vnfortunate husband Then Alcida answered Vnfortunate indeed he hath beene enough since he cast his eies vpon me and bicause it comes fit to the purpose I will tell thee that which yesterday by reason of Felicias discourses and affaires with me I could not declare vnto thee when as we were talking about Dianas matters and to this end especially bicause thou mightest forget all iniuries past and shake off thy wrongfull obliuion when thou shalt vnderstand of the strange and vnluckie accident that by my contempt befell to miserable Delius I haue told thee before how I was talking and singing with Diana at the fountaine of the Sicamours and how iealous Delius came thither and sorrowfull Marcelius after him in a Shepherds habit at whose sight I was so grieued that I fled from him incōtinently into a wood that was hard by But when I came to the other side of the wood I heard a far off a voice that still cryed Alcida Oh Alcida stay stay which made me to thinke that Marcelius followed me and bicause I would not fall into his hands I ran as fast as I could away But by that which afterwards happened I knew that it was Delius husband to Diana that came running after me And bicause I had run a great way and began to be wearie I then went so easily that he followed me in sight I knew him and staied to know what he would haue not thinking once of him nor of the cause of his comming And when he was before me what by the faintnes of his running and by the anguish of his minde that troubled him he was not able to vtter one word At the last with rude and ill formed reasons he said that he was in loue with me praying me after his homely manner to loue him againe and many other things I know not what which shewed his little wit and simple behauiour To tell the very truth I laughed at him and the best I could endeuoured to comfort him and to make him forget his folly but it auailed nothing for the more I disswaded him from it the more foole he was In faith Shepherd I sweare vnto thee that I neuer knew man in my life so assotted with sudden loue But as I went on my waies and he following me at an inch we came to a village a mile distant from his towne and there when he perceiued my rigour that I had flatly denied him for verie griefe and anguish of minde he fell sicke He was lodged there by a Shepherd that knew him who as soone as morning came certified his mother of
serued in and most of them in plate of great value Dinner being done and returning to their former pleasures they made much sport and merriment with many feastes and pastimes which shall be set downe in the Booke following The end of the fourth Booke The fifth Booke of the third Part of Diana THese Louers were so well pleased with their happie estate euerie one seeing himselfe in his desired companie that they quite forgat their former troubles But wee that a farre off beholde and marke the paines and troubles that their contentment cost them the dangers that they were in and the mishaps and crosses that they had before they came to this happines must be well aduised and take good heed that we put not our selues into like inconueniences although our after reward and repose were more certaine then theirs and the rather being so vncertaine and doubtfull that for one that hath good happe a thousand there are whose long and painefull liues with desperate death haue beene rewarded But leauing this aside let vs entreate of those feastes and pastimes which were made in Felicias garden for ioy of the new espousals and obliuion of old iniuries and deceits although it is not possible to set them downe in particular Felicia at whose command all were obedient and in whose direction the whole order and substance of the feast consisted willed the Shepherds for their first pastime to dance togither to the tune of certaine songs that they themselues should sing And so sitting downe with Eugerius Polydorus Clenarda Marcelius Alcida Don Felix and Felismena she declared vnto the Shepherds her will and pleasure Then they all rose vp and Syrenus taking Diana by the hande Syluanus Seluagia Montanus Ismenia and Arsileus Belisa began to foote so braue and sweete a dance as anie that the fairest Driades and Napees with their yealowe haire like threedes of fine Arabian golde hanging loose and blowen abroad with the winde were euer wont to dance in the greene and pleasant forrestes There was no curteous contention amongst them who should begin to sing first For Syrenus who was the chiefest man in all that feast being somewhat ashamed of the small regard hee had of Diana till that time the thought whereof he also suspected was likewise a hinderance vnto him from iustly excusing himselfe resolued in song to tell Diana his minde which shame woulde not permit him to acquaint her with in familiar talke Therefore without any more adoo the rest answering him as it was decreed he sung as followeth I Should haue dide and neuer viewed thee Faire Shepherdesse vnwoorthily forgot Since that I durst presume to liue and bee Before thy sweetest sight and loue thee not A happy loue and fortune I should prooue Both which my paines and sorrowes should abate If by remembring of thy deerest loue I should forget the greefe of former hate For now the feare of death and leesing thee I feare will be my guerdon and my lot Since that I durst presume to liue and bee Before thy sweetest sight and loue thee not Diana was of a contrarie opinion For hauing satisfied her old obliuion and disdaine that she had of Syrenus with a renewed and entire loue of him againe and seeing herselfe sufficiently recompenced for her passed paines and greefes she had now no cause to lament the small care she had of him in times past but rather finding her hart filled with all content and ioy that she could wish and free from all paine by manifesting her gladnes and blaming Syrenus needlesse excuse she answered him with this song MY soule doth leape for ioy to haue My wished loue againe For there 's no other ioy to craue Nor greefe to giue me paine I doe not thinke of sorrowes past Our loue it may offend Of any present greefe to taste For hate that hath an end Reioice my soule such blisse to haue Since with so high a gaine There is no other ioy to craue Nor greefe to giue me paine While Diana was singing her song there came a most beautifull Shepherdesse to the fountaine but newly as it seemed come to Felicias Palace and being tolde that the Ladie was in the garden she came thither to see her and to talke with her Being come to the place where Felicia was she kneeling downe before her kissed her hands and said vnto her Pardon good Lady my boldnes for comming into this presence without leaue since the desire I had to see you and the neede which I haue of your skill and wisedome was so great that I was forced hereunto I bring with me my hart surcharged with greefe the remedie whereof is onely in your handes but it is so great that it requireth some fitter time occasion and place to tell it at large bicause it is against good manners to interrupt this merrie companie with matter of sorrow and greefe Melisea for so was this Shepherdesse called was yet on her knees before Felicia when she perceiued a Shepherd comming along in an Alley of the Orchard towards the fountaine and in seeing him saide This is an other greefe good Ladie so troublesome and painfull vnto me that for the deliuerie of the same also I haue no lesse neede of your gracious helpe and fauour By this time the Shepherd whose name was Narcisus came in presence of Felicia and of those Lordes and Ladies that were with her and making lowe obeisance he began to make a great complaint against the Shepherdesse Melisea that was present there saying that he suffered great torments for her sake and receiued not from her again one fauourable or gentle word Insomuch that in pursute of her loue and company to that place he had come very farre and she not suffred him so much as to declare his greefe to her cruell and disdainfull eares Felicia commanded Melisea to rise vp and cutting off their troublesome contentions saide It is not now time to harken to long and tedious complaints wherefore be content for this time Melisea and giue Narcisus thy hand and go both into that dance and for the rest wee will heereafter finde out a remedie at fitter time The Shepherdesse would not gain saie the Ladies command but hand in hand with Narcisus she went to dance with the other Shepherds And at this time happie Ismenia that was readie to sing shewing by her outward countenance signes of inward content which after so long sorrow she inioyed sung in this sort SVch ioy I feele doth in my soule surmount That now againe I thinke it nothing strange If that a pleasure of so great account Doth cost two thousand torments for exchange Rtill did I looke but still my comforts staied But when my soule did once enioy the same With their content and sweete delight I paied My staying and their tariance did not blame Let paines therefore within my soule surmount Sorrowes and plaints to me shall not be strange If for a pleasure of so great account They giue me
would be best me thinkes if both did sing one song and one answere another in it for it shall be lesse troublesome to them and more pleasant to vs. All of them seemed to take great delight at that kinde of singing bicause they knew how the readines and liuelines of their wits would be shewed and tried by it And so Syluanus and Arsileus seeming to be well content leading their daunce about againe sung in manner following Sylu. SHepherd why dost thou hold thy peace Sing and thy ioy to vs report Arsil My ioy good Shepherd should be lesse If it were told in any sort Sylu. Though such great fauours thou dost win Yet deigne thereof to tell some part Arsil The hardest thing is to begin In enterprises of such arte Sylu. Come make an end no cause omit Of all the ioies that thou art in Arsil How should I make an end of it That am not able to begin Sylu. It is not iust we should consent That thou shouldst not thy ioies recite Arsil The soule that felt the punishment Doth onely feele this great delight Sylu. That ioy is small and nothing fine That is not told abroad to many Arsil If it be such a ioy as mine It can be neuer told to any Sylu. How can this hart of thine containe A ioy that is of such great force Arsil I haue it where I did retaine My passions of so great remorce Sylu. So great and rare a ioy as this No man is able to withhold Arsil But greater that a pleasure is The lesse it may with words be told Sylu. Yet haue I heard thee heeretofore Thy ioies in open songs report Arsil I saide I had of ioy some store But not how much nor in what sort Sylu. Yet when a ioy is in excesse It selfe it will vnfold Arsil Nay such a ioy should be the lesse If that it might be told The Shepherds would haue sung one verse or two more when a goodly companie of faire Nymphes as Felicia had appointed came to the fountaine and euerie one playing vpon her seuerall instrument made strange and delightfull harmonie One of them plaied on a Lute another on a Harpe another made a maruellous sweet countertenour vpon a Recorder another with a peece of a fine quil made the siluer stringed Cyterne sweetely to sound others the stringes of the base Viall with rosined haires others with Virginals and Violins made delicate changes in the aire and filled it with so sweete musicke that in a manner it astonished them that heard it and made them to maruell no lesse at it These Nymphes were strangely apparelled and passing faire to behold euerie one in her proper colours their locks of golden haire hanging loose to the wauering winde with fine coronets on their heads and sweete flowers tied togither with threds of gold and siluer The Shepherds seeing this melodious quier of angels left of the daunce that they had begun and sat downe giuing attentiue eare to the heauenly musicke and concent of the sundrie sweete instruments that they plaied on which ioyned sometimes with cleere and delicate voices mooued strange and rare delight Then came out by and by sixe Nymphes apparelled with crimosin Satten embrodered with flowers leaues of gold and siluer wearing rich caules vpon their heads which were filled and wrought with Rubies and Emerauldes from the which hung downe vpon their fairest browes Diamantes of incomparable value with pendants at their eares of the rarest Pearles and richest Diamonds that could be founde They had crymosin Buskins on their legs that were finely printed and gilt with their bowes in their hands and their quiuers of arrowes hanging behinde their shoulders In this sort they began to dance to the sound that the instruments made but with so braue a grace that it was a rare sight to behold them And being in the middes of their dance there lept out on the sudden a stately white Hart marked all ouer with little blacke spots which seemed very pleasant to the eie his painted hornes with golde were large high and branchie In breefe it was such an one as Felicia could best deuise to make that companie sport When the Nymphes espied the Hart they ranne rounde about him and dancing neuerthelesse without missing one straine of the musicke that plaied still with a braue concord they began to shoote at him the which leaping from one side to another after the arrowes were once flien out with manie nimble and pretie skips did the best to defend himselfe But after they had a pretie while sported themselues with this pastime the Hart beganne to breake out from them amongst the orchards and courts the Nymphes pursuing him amaine vntill they chased him out of the Garden who with their ioyfull cries and pleasant hallowing made a delicate noise which the other Nymphes Shepherds seconded with their voices taking a most singular delight in this dance And with this sport the Nymphes made an end of their musicke In the meane time sage Felicia bicause there should not want some profitable lesson to be gathered out of those pleasures for the direction and instruction of life meaning to trie their conceits about the obscure mysteries and significations of that dance saide to Diana Canst thou tell me faire Shepherdesse what is ment by the chase of this goodlie Hart besides the thing it selfe To whom she saide againe I am not so wise gracious Ladie that I am able to expounde mysteries nor to dissolue your hard questions Why then will I tell thee said Felicia what matter is conteined vnder that inuention The Hart is mans hart made faire with delicate thoughts and rich with quiet content It submitteth it selfe to humane inclinations which shoote mortall arrowes at it but with discretion remoouing it selfe into diuers parts and applying it selfe to honest exercises it must defend it selfe from so many hurtfull arrowes that ayme so cruelly at it And when it is pursued of them it must flie away speedilie thereby to saue it selfe though those humane and fraile inclinations which shoote such arrowes will not cease to pursue it and will neuer leaue to accompanie it vntill it escapes out of the orchard of life How can I vnderstand saide Diana so difficult and Morall a conclusion as this when as the questions and Riddles which wee Shepherdesses exercise and disport our selues with to this but plaine and easie I could neuer yet dissolue nor expound Make not thy selfe so vnskilfull saide Seluagia since I haue knowne the contrarie in thee and that there was neuer any Riddle so hard but was easie enough in thy vnderstanding In good time saide Felicia for now we may wel try her cunning which pastime wil affoord no lesse delight then the other before Propound her therfore euery one of you a Riddle for I know Diana will acquite herselfe with you all It liked them all well but Diana who had not such confidence in her cunning that she durst oppose her skil to such difficult
thou art a Gentleman to come to my Castell of Alora there to yeelde thy selfe my prisoner within three daies I doe saide he and with solemne othe binde it Then goe saide the Gouernour and good fortune with thee and if thou standest in neede of mine owne person to accompany thee or of any other thing for thy way speake and thou shalt haue it The Moore thanked him very much but tooke no more but a horse which the Gouernour gaue him for his owne was hurt in the late encounter betweene them and went very heauie being also wearied and faint with much blood which he lost by the way and so turning the raines he rode as fast as he coulde towardes Coyn. Rodrigo of Naruaes and his Gentlemen returned homewardes to Alora talking by the way of the valour and goodly behauiour of the Abenceraje The Moore was not long according to the great speede he made in comming to the Fort of Coyn where going directly as he was commanded he first went about all the wals vntill at last he found a posterne gate and the Centrinels on the wals fast asleepe who though he had a great desire and made no lesse haste to enter in yet he staied a little looking about him on euery side least happily he might be espied or in danger of some thing else But when he perceiued that all was quiet he knocked with the punch of his launce at the wicket for that was the watchworde that his Mistresse had giuen him by the gentlewoman that went to call him the which was immediately opened vnto him by the same gentlewoman who saide vnto him Sir your long tarying hath put my Ladie in a great feare for she hath staide this good while for you Alight and I will bring you vp where she is attending your presence in great perplexitie he then dismounted from his horse and set him vp in a secret place that he founde there where also leauing his Launce against a wall with his Target and Cymitarre the gentlewoman tooke him by the hande and very softly led him vp a paire of staires for feare of being heard by them in the castle and brought him into Xarifaes chamber Before whom when he was come with a sudden sursault of ioye she ranne to receiue him and both of them with such extreme passions of loue and gladnes embracing one another were not able to speake one worde for the infinite ioy they had at each others sight But comming to themselues againe at the last she saide thus vnto him What the cause may be that thou hast staied so long my louing Lord I knowe not but what sorrowe and anxieties of minde I haue passed for thy slowe comming my impatient loue is able to testifie I hope thou dost imagine faire Lady saide he againe that it is not by my fault and negligence but mens disseignes doe not alwaies fall out fit to their desires So that if there be any trueth in me thou maist well beleeue me that it was not in my power to come sooner then I haue done But breaking him off in his excuses she tooke him by the hand leading him into a rich chamber they sat them downe vpon a faire bed where thus she said vnto him I was desirous my thrise beloued Abyndaraes to haue thee see how captiues in loue can fulfill their promise for from the very day that I gaue thee my word for pledge of my hart I haue sought the meanes to discharge me of it I sent for thee to come to this Castell to be my prisoner as I am thine But now I haue brought thee in hither to make thee Lord of me and of my fathers treasure vnder the honourable name of a lawfull husband whereunto my estate nor thy loyaltie cannot otherwise consent I do knowe well that my fathers will wil be contrarie to our workings who being ignorant of thy valour and not knowing thy deserts as well as I doe will perhaps bestowe some richer husband on me but I esteeme thy noble personage and thy vertuous and valiant mind more then the greatest riches in the world And hauing saide thus vnto him she hung downe her head blushing not a little that she had so much discouered her selfe and in so plaine and open termes declared her affection vnto him The noble Moore tooke her in his armes and many times kissing her white hands for such louing and curteous wordes saide thus vnto her I haue no new thing sweete Lady of my soule to giue thee in requitall of such great good as thou dost offer me bicause I am no lesse as I was before wholy thine Onely this pledge I giue thee in token of my vnspeakable loue that I receiue thee for my beloued Lady and wife And heerewithall thou maist lay aside for a while that modest shamefastnes and maidenly teynt which continually thou hast had since thou hast taken me for thine owne Vnwillingly she did the same And vpon this conclusion they went to bed where with a new experience they rekindled the flames of their enamoured harts In which amorous enterprise passed on either side many louing wordes and deedes fitter for imagination then to be written The Moore being in so great ioy and pleasure fetched on the sudden a profound and painfull sigh and turning from her began to lie so sad and pensiue that faire Xarifa perceiuing it was much amazed and troubled in minde to see so sudden an alteration who lying still heard him breath foorth a deepe and dolefull sigh with turning his body on euery side The Lady vnable to suffer so great an iniurie to her beautie and loyaltie thinking he was displeased with the one or both rising vp a little in the bedde with a milde and merrie voice though somewhat troubled saide vnto him What meanes this Abyndaraes It seemes thou art offended with my mirth I heard thee sigh and tumble and tosse thy body on euery side why man if I am wholy thy ioye and thy delight why dost thou not tell me for whom thou dost sigh and if I am not why hast thou thus deceiued me If thou hast found any fault in my person that hath abridged the delight of thy imagination cast thine eies and minde vpon my will which is sufficient to supply many wants and vpon my zealous and louing hart that wisheth it the fairest and finest in the world for thy sake If thou seruest any other Lady let me know her that I may serue her to And if thou hast any other greefe which shall not offend me tell it me for I will either die or rid thee from it And clasping him with a kinde of violent and forcible loue she turned him to her againe who being then confounded and ashamed for that he had done and thinking that it might be an occasion if he did not tell her the cause of his sorrow to fill her head full of iealousie and suspicion with an appassionate sigh he said vnto her If I did
not my sweetest life loue thee more then mine owne soule I woulde neuer haue made such signes of inwarde greefe for the wounding thoughts which I brought with me whē I came with my selfe all alone I passed away with a better hart but now that I am constrained to go from thee I haue no force to endure them at all And because thou shalt be no longer in suspence of knowing the cause of my sorrow I will tell thee what lately passed And then he told her all the matter not leauing any thing out in the end of his tale with many teares saying thus vnto her So that thy captiue faire Lady is also prisoner to the Gouernour of Alora And the paine of that imprisonment which thou hast cast vpon me and taught my hart to suffer I feele not but the torment and bondage by liuing without thee I account woorse then any death Wherupon thou seest that my sighes are rather arguments of greater loyalty then of any want thereof And with this he began againe to be so pensiue and sad as he was before he had tolde her his greefe But then with a merrie countenance she said vnto him Trouble not thy minde Abyndaraes with these thoughts for I will take the care and remedie of this greefe vpon mee as a thing that toucheth mee most of all and the more since it is not denied any prisoner that hath giuen his worde to returne to prison to satisfie it by sending the ransome that shall be demaunded of him Wherefore set thy selfe downe what summe thou wilt for I haue the keyes of al my fathers treasure which I will put into thy hands leaue it all at thy disposition Rodrigo of Naruaez is a curteous gentleman a good knight and one who gaue thee once thy libertie And as thou hast acquainted him with the trust of these affaires so is he now the more bound to vse greater virtue and gentlenes towardes thee I am sure he will be contented with reason for hauing thee in his power and prison he must perforce set thee at libertie when he hath the value of thy ransome I see well faire Ladie said the Abencerraje againe that the loue which thou dost beare me will not suffer thee to giue me the best counsell for I will neuer commit so foule a fault as this For if I was bound to fulfill my word when I was alone and without thee now that I am thine the bond is greater I will therefore returne to Allora and yeeld my selfe into the Gouernors hands and when I haue done what I am bound to do let Fortune do with me what she will Nay let me rather die saide Xarifa if thou goest to be prisoner then once desire to remaine here at libertie For being thy captiue by duetie I am bound to accompanie thee in this iourney for the extreme loue that I beare thee whereas also the feare of my fathers frownes which I haue purchased by offending him will let me do no lesse The Moore weeping for ioy to heare these words embraced her saying Thou neuer ceasest my deerest soule to heape fauours vpon my happie head do therefore what thou wilt for this is my resolution With this determination they rose before it was day and prouiding some necessarie things for their iourney they went verie secretly towards Allora and when the day began to waxe cleere Xarifa went with her face couered with a maske for feare of being knowen and by reason of the greath aste they made they came in good time to Alora where going directly to the castle knocking at the gate it was opened to them out of hand by the Centrinels who had notice of that was past and what they should do The valiant Gouernor receiued them curteously and Abyndaraes going to the gate and taking his wise by the hand brought her vnto him said Behold Rodrigo of Naruaez if I keepe not well my word and appointed time For promising thee to returne thy prisoner insteed of one I bring thee two for one was enough to ouercome many Behold here my Ladie iudge if I haue not iustly suffered for her sake accept vs now for thine for in thy virtuous and noble minde I repose my whole trust and confidence and into thy hands commit her deere and chiefest honour The Gouernor was verie glad to see them both and said to Xarifa I know not faire Ladie which of you haue conquered each other in loue and curtesie but truely thinke my selfe greatly bound vnto you both Come in therefore and rest you in your owne house the which from henceforth as also the master of it accept for none other After this friendly entertainement they went with him into his dining chamber where after a little while they refreshed themselues bicause they came somewhat wearie The Gouernor asked the Moore how he did for his wounds I thinke said he that what with the way and what with paine they are somewhat rankled which faire Xarifa hearing with an altered an appalled countenance said vnto him Alas how comes this to passe my Lord Haue you any woundes about you and I not knowe them Who escapes saide he from thine needes little to care for any other Truth it is that at our late skirmish in the night I got two little woundes which my troublesome iourney and negligence in curing them hath made somewhat worse but all is but little or nothing It is best saide the Gouernour that you lay you downe and I will send for a Chirurgeon that is heere in the Castell to cure them Following which counsell faire Xarifa caused him to put off his apparell and though she set a good face on the matter bicause she woulde not giue him any occasion to feele her inwarde greefe yet was she altered much and troubled in her minde The Chirurgeon came and searching his wounds saide that they were not dangerous bicause the signe was not in those places when he receiued them and also bicause they were smitten ouerthwart would not be long in healing For with a certaine ointment that he made out of hand the paine of them was somewhat asswaged and in fower daies by meanes of the great care the Chirurgeon had in healing them hee was as sound and whole as euer he was before But one day after dinner was done the Abenceraje saide thus vnto the Gouernour As you are wise Rodrigo of Naruaez so can you not choose but by the manner of our being at Coyn and of our comming hither imagine more then you haue seene which affaires of ours by our owne misfortunes driuen to this desperate though happy euent wherein they nowe are must be I hope by your aduise and helpe brought to some good end This is faire Xarifa of whom I tolde you This is my Lady and my deerely beloued wife In Coyn she woulde not stay for feare of her Father For though he knowes not what hath passed betweene vs yet she feared least this accident