Alanius ALthough my quiet it doth let Rather then blame discredit me For God forbid that I forget Let me with wrong forgotten be Not onely where obliuion raineth There is no loue nor can be none Nay where there is suspicion There is no loue but such as faineth Great harme it is to loue where set In bootelesse hopes the minde they free But God defend that I forget Forgotten though a iest it bee If that I loue why then loue I To sport or leaue to loue at all For what more honor can befall Then die for that for which I die To liue therefore and to forget Is such a shamefull life I see That I had rather loue one yet Forgotten though to death I bee When I had made an ende of my song the Shepherdes teares but those especially of faire Ismenia were so many that of force they made me participate some of her greefe which thing I might well haue left vndone for no fault could iustly haue bene attributed to my great mishap as to all those that were there it was sufficiently knowen After this euery one of vs went to their owne towne bicause it was not meete for vs to be out of them at such inconuenient and late howers And the next day my father without telling me the cause why caried me out of our towne and brought me to yours placing me there in the house of Albania mine aunt and his sister whom you knowe well where I haue remained a few daies since my comming hither not knowing the cause of my sudden exile but haue heard of late that Montanus hath married Ismenia and that Alanius was about to marrie a sister of hers called Syluia whereupon to conclude I wish that he may liue since it was not my good fortune to haue him as ioyfull a life with his new spouse that nothing may want to the full accomplishment of their content and happinesse For the loue which I beare him will suffer me no lesse then to wish him all the felicitie of this life When Seluagia had made an end of her sorrowfull tale she began to weepe so bitterly that both the Shepherdes being a kinde of friendly dutie wherein they had no small experience began also to helpe her with their teares and after hauing spent a little time in this sort Syrenus saide vnto her Great is thy greefe faire Seluagia and yet I iudge thy patience and discretion greater Take example by other mens harmes looke into their paines consider their woes if thou wilt the better support thine owne And bicause it growes now towardes night let vs be iogging towardes our towne and to morrow passe away the heate of the day neere to this cleere fountaine where we will all three meete Let it be as thou saiest said Seluagia but bicause betweene this and the towne there is a pretie way let euery one of vs to passe it away with some thing sing a song befitting the condition and qualitie of his loue The Shepherdes answered if she would begin they would follow which Seluagia did all three going on softly towardes the towne SHepherd who can passe such wrong And a life in woes so deepe Which to liue is to too long As it is too short to weepe Greeuous sighes in vaine I waste Leesing my affiance and I perceiue my hope at last With a candle in the hand What time then to hope among Bitter hopes that euer sleepe When this life is to too long As it is too short to weepe This greefe which I feele so rife Wretch I doe deserue as hire Since I came to put my life In the handes of my desire Then cease not my plaints so strong For though life her course doth keepe It is not to liue so long As it is too short to weepe With a burning sigh that came from her afflicted soule Seluagia ended her song saying How vnfortunate alas am I that see my selfe buried in iealousie despaire which cannot in the end but bring my life to no other passe then to that which is infallibly expected of them After this forgotten Syrenus to the tune of his Rebecke began to sing this song following WEepe not my dolefull eies But if you weepe thinke at the lest They tolde no trueth but lies And then it may be you may rest Since that imagination Doth cause so much in euery state Thinke that she loues thee as of late And thou shalt haue lesse passion And if you will mine eies Haue ease imagine then the best And that they told you lies And so perhaps you may haue rest Thinke that she loues as well As euer she did heretofore But this sad men caunot restore To thinke what once befell Then mournfull eies where lies Your helpe Yet thinke of some at lest If not weepe still mine eies Or make an end and you shall rest After that sorrowfull Syrenus with many teares had made an end of his song despised Syluanus began his thus MY life yoong Shepherdesse for thee Of needes to death must post But yet my greefe must stay with mee After my life is lost The greeuous ill by death that cured is Continually hath remedie at hand But not that torment that is like to this That in slowe time and fortunes meanes doth stand And if this sorrow cannot be Ended with life as most What then doth this thing profit me A sorrow wonne or lost Yet all is one to me as now I trie A flattring hope or that that had not bene yet For if to day for want of it I die Next day I doe no lesse for hauing seene it Faine would I die to end and free This greefe that kils me most If that it might be lost with me Or die when life is lost And in this sort the two Shepherdes went homewardes in companie of Seluagia departing from one another with accorde to meete the next day following at the same place The end of the first booke of Diana The second Booke of Diana of George of Montemayor NOw did the Shepherdes which fed their sheepe in the fieldes of Ezla begin to shew themselues euery one with his flockes along the bankes of those cristalline waters each Shepherde knowing choosing out the best place before the Sun did rise the better to passe away the burning heate of the day when the faire Shepherdesse Seluagia came down from the hil which frō her towne did leade to a thick wood driuing her gentle sheepe and lambes before her who after she had put them amongst the lowe shrubs which grew very thicke thereabouts and seeing them busie in knobbing the yoong and tender boughes to stanch their hunger went directly to the fountaine of the Sicamours where the day before in companie of the two Shepherds she had passed away the noone-tide heate and seeing the place so agreeable to melancholie and contemplation of her sorrowes she thought it not amisse to take the opportunitie of the time and place and to sit downe
so deerely againe it seemed that fortune would make an end of all my ioy with the most haplesse euent that was euer seene before For thus it was that Arsileus and I appointing to meete together on a certaine night too darke and dismall for me bicause I neuer since knew perfectly what day meant we concluded that he should come into my fathers orchard and I to my chamber windowe which opened right vpon a Mulberie tree whereon he might easily get vp to be necre vnto me there to talke togither of our matters Accursed Belisa that shalt neuer conceiue to what purpose I brought him to such danger when as euery day sometimes in the fielde sometimes at the riuer side and sometimes at the wood when I carried my kine to pasture and sometimes when I driue my sheepe to the folde he might at pleasure haue talked with me as he did many daies before But my hard hap was the cause that fortune would be paied for the content which she had lent me till then with making me liue all my life time without it For now the appointed hower which was the ende of his daies and the beginning of my woes being come Arsileus came iust at the time and to the very place where both of vs talking together of those things which they may imagine that haue sometimes loued well his wretched father Arsenius that accustomed many nights to walke vp and downe about our house to see if he could see me which if I had so well remembred for it was so far out of my thoughtes as if I had neuer knowen any such matter I would neuer haue consented to put him in such danger in the ende happened to come thither that night and iust at that hower when his sonne was in the tree and so priuily that though he had quickly espied vs we could neither heare nor see him And knowing it was I that was speaking out at the window but not his sonne that was in the Mulberie tree not imagining who he might be it was the principall cause of our ill successe For thereupon he conceiued such great wroth and iealousie that without any noise at all he bied him home where bending a Crossebowe and putting a poisoned arrow in it came againe to the place where we were and aimed so right at his sonne that the arrow pearcing his tender hart he fell immediately downe dead from the tree saying How little time my deere Belisa doth fortune lend me to serue thee according to my great good will desire Which wordes he could scarce vtter when the accursed father who by his speech knew that he was the homicide of his owne sonne with a desperate outcrie saide Thrise wretched and accursed may I euer be if thou art my sonne Arsileus who seemest to be no other by thy voice Whereupon comming vnto him and by the light of the moone that shone vpon his face knowing him well and that he had giuen vp the ghost he saide Since cruell Belisa my vnfortunate sonne by thy means hath bene slaine it is not meete that the murdering father suruiue to lament his vntimely death At which wordes taking out his Woodknife he thrust it into his hart and fell downe presently dead O vnhappie chaunce O strange case neuer heard of nor seene before O greeuous scandale to their eares that shall he are the lamentable discourse of my balefull tragedie O miserable Belisa may thy guiltie hart thinke of these things and not take that way which both father and sonne haue taken for thy sake Alas it shall be great impietie not to mingle thy blood with theirs who desired so much to serue thee But when wretched soule I sawe this vnluckie accident without any more adoe I left my fathers house and went vp and downe wearying the heauens with importunate complaints and burning the aire with smokie sighes vntill I came to this place where accusing cruell fortune and hatefull death that had in so short time taught me to feele the woundes of their cruell dartes I haue liued sixe monethes without seeing or speaking to any person and not desirous of any companie or consolation whatsoeuer Faire Belisa hauing made an end of her pitifull tale began to weepe so bitterly that euery one there was forced with their teares to helpe to bewaile her dire misfortune And adding further she saide This is faire Nymphes the sorrowfull historie or rather dolefull tragedie of my haplesse loues and of their bloodie successe Behold then if this be such an ill that fortune or time may cure and remedie O Arsileus how often did I feare it without thinking of that which I iustly feared But she that will not beleeue her feare and preuent it let her not maruell when she sees that come to passe which she feared for well I knew thou couldst not be any long time without meeting me and that my ioy could endure no longer then when Arsenius thy father perceiued any thing of our loues I woulde to God it had so fallen out that the greatest hurt that he could haue done me had bene but to banish thee his sight and our towne For an ill which is cured with time may with lesse harme be suffered O Arsenius the death of thy sonne is no impediment to the greefe that I also conceiue for thine for the loue which thou didst continually beare me thy vertuous and pure zeale wherewith thou didst euer loue me thy bountie and cost bestowed on me the tempestuous and ill nightes that thou hast passed for my sake will let me doe no lesse then lament and bewaile thy disastrous end for by this time I had bene married vnto thee if thy sweete sonne Arsileus had not come to our towne If I should say that I did not loue thee well I should deceiue the world for in the end there is no woman if she knowes she is truly beloued but will loue little or much againe although otherwise she manifest the same But now my toong holde thy peace since thou hast told more then thou wert asked And pardon me faire Nymphes if I haue bene tedious in my sorrowfull narration bicause so great mishaps cannot be comprised in fewe wordes Whilest the Shepherdesse was telling that which you haue heard Syrenus Syluanus Seluagia and faire Felismena and the three Nymphes coulde not giue eare without some secrete teares although the Nymphes as women neuer touched with loue felt her paine and greefe but not the circumstances of it But faire Doria seeing the comfortlesse Shepherdesse did not leaue of her bitter complaint began to comfort her in this sort Let thy teares cease Belisa since thou seest what small remedie thou hast of them and waigh that two eies are not able to bewaile so great a greefe But what sorrow can there be which is not ended or endes not her that suffers it and yet I could shew thee the way whereby I could a little lighten thy paine Wherefore I pray thee goe with vs
not fauoured with some remedie I know well faire Shepherdesse pardon me for saying so that reading these ill compacted lines thou wilt be in suspence to know the man that shewes himselfe so much appassionate for thy sake if any such thing occur to thy thoughts demaund it I beseech thee of a hart which thou hast lately got into thy subiection for that shal tell thee so sincere and pure a truth as here by a sencelesse wit simply set down Alas for me that going to visite one wounded with a knife I returned from thence wounded by thy Iuorie hand thou going to comfort a weake man in bodie did'st leaue me wounded in soule Behold therefore if being compassionate with him thou hast not beene cruell to me Thou wilt say perhaps thou didst not thinke any such thing would fall out which I beleeue verie well when as the same did as little fall in the compasse of my thought But yet thou canst not be iustly excused from fault and punishment since no lesse then her that with suspitious and priuie weapons armes her selfe thou art woorthie of both Who then can carrie about her such secret weapons as thou hast done assayling my soule vnarmed then and without defence with such a victorious and wounding hand I will not trouble thee any more with my vnpolished simple reasons vntil the string of my iarring fansies be tuned by thy most soueraigne hande which the immortall Gods defend with their mightie handes as thou maist me with thy milke white hand This letter being short and sententious pleased the Shepherdes verie much But when it was read out Faustus said Behold here good Shephedes the estate wherein I am attending the sentence of my glorious death or happie life written by that incomparable white hand Entreat gentle Shepherdes the Amorous God of loue if your sacrifices be acceptable to him to wound her like my selfe with his golden headed arrow and hide his leaden one from her If the seruants of this little boy enamoured Shepherd said Seluagia may preuaile any thing to obtaine such fauour of him thou shalt be soone deliuered from these passions by the milde entreaties of my Shepherd Syluanus here and of my selfe But it is needlesse to make this Shepherd Syrenus a meane and intercessour for thee bicause he is the most iniurious rebell to loue that dwels in these villages here abouts O Iupiter said Faustus Is it possible that I inioy the thing before mine eies that next to my most soueraigne Shepherdesse I desired to see whose loues haue wearied fame so much in euerie place I was about to aske you who you were and which way you trauelled wherein it onely remaines for you to satisfie my desire since of the first I am not ignorant Although first I would rather aduise thee Syrenus for keeping my promise to Cupid and pray thee besides hauing mature consideration to his inuincible might to follow and obey him and to beware to rebell against his soueraigntie bicause thou maist not say that I haue not warned thee before I thanke thee for thy good will said Syrenus but for thy coūsel I care not Well said Faustus herein I haue discharged my duty thou maist do what thou thinkest best But yet take heed least somtimes hereafter thou beest not punished like my selfe But then Syrenus bicause he would not haue him talke any more of that matter told him whither they went but could not tell him of their returne I am sorrie for that said Faustus bicause at your returne I would willingly goe with you to see the vngratefull Shepherdesse Dians whom I haue heard woonderfully commended for beautie and fine graces and to behold in what hart such forgetfulnes could harbour hoping that if for the great desire I haue to see her I stay here till your returne to accompanie you home thou w◅ not be angrie Syrenus Not I said Syrenus but as I must warne you to take heed so must I tell you that this counsell is better for you then that which you gaue me In these and other speeches they passed the time away vntill the hower of their departure came wherein with profered courtesies and gentle offers on both sides they went euerie one his way With some small force yet went vermillion Apollo shining ouer the face of our old mother when the three Shepherds comming neere to the Iland where they had beene before at their last departure did see a companie of people together and as they came neerer to them knew it was Felicia some of her Nymphes with Don Felix and his Lady Felismena Not a little amazed thereat they staied and perceiued how they came guiding their steps towardes them But they maruelled verie much to see them come so silent and not talking a worde But Felicia being come and the Shepherds hauing in dutifull sort saluted her and the rest asked her the cause of their comming that way and of their vnwoonted silence Whom she answered saying The desire I haue my friendly Shepherds to pleasure Lord Felix and Felismena and the loue I beare to you to giue you all possible content hath mooued me to bring them hither against your comming bicause you might in so delightfull a place as this recreate your mindes altogither The cause of my comming in such silent sort and without any singing of these louers or of my Nymphes is bicause their noise may not depriue both them and you of a sight woorthie the marking which shal by by ensue wherby you shall know that as you your selues are not onely in loue so all alone you do not suffer troubles and sorrowes for your deerest loues And therfore I will you all to follow me as softly as you can The Lady then going vp with her companie along the Spring in the Iland the way which I said before did lead to the pleasant meade where the fountaine of the Laurell trees was came vnawares to the very entrance of it The which Lord Felix and his beloued Ladie not hauing seene that place before imagined it to be some earthly paradise or that they were in the pleasant fieldes of Elysium although they were not suffered to take any other delight therein but only the pleasant view therof with their wandring eies bicause for the strict silence inioyned them with wordes and woorthy praises they durst not extol that place of paradise nor had leaue to demand any thing concerning the same At the entrance of it Felicia sat her downe and all the rest after her who staied there a pretie while not daring almost to breath and sawe no more then the trembling Sunne-beames that with force seemed to passe betweene leafe and leafe amongst the greene trees that grewe neere togither whereupon their thoughts went wandring and musing of many matters and their harts were constrained to bite on the bit of forced patience And faine they would haue changed in their iudgements the pleasure to see that which Felicia promised them to
treacherous counsell she gaue her husband as also for her dishonest loue and life that she leades with Alanius may likewise receiue due correction Filenus had scarce ended his tale when there arose such a noise amongst the people that all the towne seemed to haue suncke And the harts of all the Shepherds and Shepherdesses were so much altered at these words that they conceiued a mortall hatred against Montanus Some saide that he deserued to be stoned to death others to be throwen into the deepest place of the riuer Duerus others that he should be cast forth to be deuoured of hungrie woolfes so that there was not one almost amongst them all who allotted not his doome and manner of his death It mooued them also not a little to despite to heare that which Filenus falsely reported concerning my life but they were so incensed with anger and hate against Montanus and his pretenses that they had no leysure to thinke of mine When Montanus vnderstoode how his Father had openly before all the towne accused him of this deed and of the hurly burly and awaite that was laide to catch him he fell into a woonderfull desperation And besides this knowing what his Father had told of me before them all he tooke such a deepe conceit and griefe thereat that the like was neuer heard of From hence did all my sorrowes rise this was the cause of my perdition and here did my painfull life begin For my beloued Montanus knew that in times past I had loued Alanius and was beloued of him againe and imagining that old and mortified loues might oftentimes be reuiued seeing Alanius whom now for his sake I had quite forgotten to be in loue with me as much as euer he was by making daily suites to me for my loue with those kinde of pastorall feasts and sports that louers are woont to please their Shepherdesses withall he vehemently suspected that the false report which his Father Filenus had told of me was true and the more he thought of it the more he beleeued it to be so indeed In so much that waxing almost mad and desperate for the treacherie that Sylueria had wrought him and for that which he suspected I had done him he fled from the towne and countrey thereabouts and since was neuer more heard of And I then who knew of his departure and the cause thereof by the report of certaine Shepherds his friends whom he fully acquainted with his vnfortunate estate left also our town to seeke him out and while I liue will neuer leaue seeking vntill I haue found my deere husband to acquite my selfe of this crime which he suspectes although I shoulde die by his owne handes for my labour It is a good while since I haue gone vp and downe wandring and enquiring after him and for all that I haue sought in the cheefest townes and amongst all the Shepherdes and cottages Fortune neuer yet gaue me any notice of my Montanus The greatest accident that in these my trauels chanced vnto mee since I forsooke my towne was that I found the trayteresse Sylueria who knowing the voluntarie exile of Montanus went vp and downe following to tell him the plot and drift of the secret trecherie that she had done him and to aske him forgiuenes for it being verie penitent that she had committed such abhominable wickednes But as yet till then she had not spoken with him and when she sawe me she told me openly howe the matter stoode which was no small ease vnto my minde to know the maner how we were betraied I thought with mine owne handes to haue killed her though I was but a weak woman yet I did it not bicause it lay in her only to helpe my greefe by confessing her owne wickednes I praied her to seeke out my beloued Montanus in all the haste she could to certifie him of the matter and how it stoode and so I left her to seeke him out some other way I came hither to day to this woode where being inuited by the pleasantnes of the place I rested mee to passe the heate of the day away And since that Fortune for my great comfort hath brought you hither and that it is now the hottest part of the day I beseech you let me enioy your gracious companie while the heate of the sunne shall last Diana and Marcelius were glad to heare the historie that Ismenia tolde them and to knowe the cause of her greefe It pleased them also well to heare the discourse of her life who then gaue her some comfort to ease her greefe promising her all the fauour and helpe that they might possiblie bestow on her for remedie of her paine and trauels They praied her also to go with them to Felicias pallace bicause it was most like that there she should finde out some kind of comfort to make her glad againe And they both thought good to passe the time away there while the heate of the Sunne did last as Ismenia requested them But bicause Diana was very skilfull in that ground knew very well the woods fountaines forrests and the pleasant and shadowed places of it she told them that there was not farre from thence a more delightfull and pleasant place then that was for it was not yet full midday So that all three of them rising went a little way and came by and by to a forrest where Diana led them which was as pleasant coole and delightful a place as any of those hils or fieldes that euer was with fame renowned in the pastorall Arcadia There were in it faire and greene Sicamours Sallowes Ashes Byrch and Beech trees which round about the brinks of the chrystalline fountaines and in euery part thereabout being softly blowen with a coole and sweete winde made a pleasant and gentle noise There the aire did so sweetely resound with the tuned melodie of the little birdes which went skipping vp and downe the greene boughes that it cheered vp the minde with a gracious kinde of welcome It was couered all ouer with greene and small grasse amongst the which were many faire and coloured flowers which painting the place with knots in many places did with their sweete sinell recreate the most sorrowfull and melancholike spirits There were the Hunters woont to finde Heardes of fearefull Harts wilde Goates and of other little beasts in which games and sports they tooke no small pastime and delight They came into this forrest following Diana their guide that went in first for she went before to seeke out a little thicke groue of trees that she had marked out in that place where she was woont to resort to rest and refresh herselfe many times And they had not gone farre when Diana comming neere to the place that she thought the most pleasant of all the wood and where shee minded to haue passed away the heate of the daie putting her finger to her mouth she made signes to Marcelius and Ismenia to come on softly
questions as she thought they woulde propounde but bicause she woulde obey Felicia and please her Syrenus who seemed to take a pride and delight therein she was content to take in hand the charge that they imposed vpon hir Syluanus who was very ready in propounding of Riddles made the first saying Bicause I know well faire Shepherdesse that thy pregnant and liuely wit is able to discouer hard and hidden matters and that thy skill is no lesse sufficient to compasse and attaine to intricate and high things I will therefore by thy fauour aske thee a question by answering which I know thou wilt manifest thy delicate and ripe wit Tell me therefore what this Riddle meanes A Riddle NEere to a Shepherd did a damsell sit As leane as withered sticke by scorching flame Her body as full of eies as might be in it A toong she had but could not mooue the same her winde she drew aboue and eke beneath But from one part she neuer yet did change A wofull Shepherd came to kisse her breath Then made she plaints most sorrowfull and strange The more the Shepherd put his mouth vnto Her mouth in stopping it she cried amaine Opening her eies and shutting them againe See now what this dumbe Shepherdesse could doe That when her mouth he did but touch or kisse He waxeth dumbe but she still speaking is This Riddle said Diana although it be somewhat hard shall not trouble my wit much for I haue heard thy selfe propound it on a day at the fountaine of the Sicamours and because there was no Shepherd there that could tell the meaning of it thy selfe didst expound vnto vs saying that the Damosell was a Bagpipe or a Fluite played vpon by a Shepherd And thou appliedst all the parts of the Riddle to the effects that happen commonly in musicke All of them laughed to see how Syluanus memorie had deceiued him and how Dianas so readily found it out wherefore Syluanus to acquite himselfe and to be reuenged of his shame smiling said Maruell not at my weake memorie for this forgetfulnes seemes not so ill as Dianas nor so hurtfull as that of Syrenus Thou hast now paide vs home said Syrenus and better thou shouldest haue done if our obliuions had not beene changed into so perfect affections and happie estates as now they are No more said Seluagia for all is well spoken But answere me Diana to that which I will aske thee for I will trie if I can speake in a darker language then my Syluanus did The Riddle is this A Riddle I Sawe a hill vpon a day Lift vp aboue the aire Which watered with blood alway And tilled with great care Herbes it brought foorth Of mickle woorth Pulling a handfull from that ridge And touching but the same Which leauing neere vnto a bridge Doth cause much sport and game A thing scarce of beleefe Lamenting without greefe Diana looking then towards her husband said Dost not thou remember my Syrenus that thou hast heard this Riddle that night when we were togither in my vncle Yranius his house And dost not thou remember also how Maroncius sonne to Fernasus did propound it I remember verie well said Syrenus that he did put it there but told not as I thinke the signification of it But then I remember it said Diana For he said that the field was that part of the horse from whence they pull out his longest haires wherewith the Rebeckes being strong make a tuned noise although they suffer neuer the more any paine or hurt Seluagia said that it was so and that Maroncius Author of the Riddle had told it for a fine one although he had many more better then that There are many pretie ones said Belisa and one of them is that I will now put wherefore call thy wits togither Diana for this time thou shalt not escape scot free and it is this A Riddle WHat bird is that so light Her place that neuer changeth She flies by day and night In all the world she rangeth Ouer the sea at once she flies Mounting aboue the loftie skies She 's neuer seene by eies And who doth seeke to show her Hath beene accounted wise Yet sometimes we doe knowe her Onely the wals by viewing well Of her close house where she doth dwell Thy Riddle Belisa said Diana hath beene more vnfortunate then the rest before for I had not declared any of their significations if I had not heard them before now and this which thou hast put as soone as I heard it I vnderstood it which of it selfe is so easie and manifest that any indifferent conceite I thinke is able to dissolue it For it is verie cleere that by the birde which thou speakest of ones thought is vnderstood which flies with such swiftnes that is not seene of any body but coniectured and knowen by the outward signes and gesture of the bodie wherin it is included I confesse my selfe ouercommed said Belisa and haue no more to say but that I yeeld my reasons to thy discretion and wit and my selfe to thy disposition and will I will reuenge thee said Ismenia to Belisa for there comes an obscure probleme to my minde that hath posed the wisest Shepherds which I will propound and thou shalt see how I will grauell Diana who shall not be so fortunate I thinke in expounding it as she hath beene in the rest and looking vpon Diana she said A Riddle TEll me what Master he may be Whose Master is his man bound like a sencelesse foole is be Wittie it nothing can Vnlearned yet he doth abound In learning graue and most profound When that I take him by the hand Although I heare him not His meaning yet I vnderstand Though him I haue forgot So wise is he though wordes nor motions showing Yet thousand things he tels me woorth the knowing I would haue beene well contented said Diana and thought my selfe happie to haue beene ouercommed by thee beloued Ismenia but since in beautie and in other perfections and graces thou goest far beyond me I shall gaine no great praise glorie by ouerthrowing thy purpose whereby thou thoughtest to haue entrapped me with thy Riddle It is now two yeeres since a certaine Phisition of Leon came to attend my Father in his sicknes as he had a booke one day in his hands he gaue it me I began to read And the great profit occurring to my mind that is commonly taken in reading of bookes I told him that they were like doombe Masters that were vnderstoode without speaking Then to this purpose he told me this Riddle wherein some rare matters and excellent inuentions of bookes are particularly set downe and noted In good sooth said Ismenia there can none of vs Shepherds ouercome thee wherefore our courage is quailed in passing any farther in this contention vnlesse these Ladies heere meane to giue thee afresh assault with their weapons and to make thee yeeld Alcida which till that time had held her peace
Page played his part by depainting foorth their properties in their liuely colours And because I thought nothing more commodious for my rest and for the enioying of my desire then to follow Fabius his counsell I answered him thus In truth I determined to serue none but now since fortune hath offered me so good a seruice and at such a time when I am constrained to take this course of life I shall not do amisse if I frame my selfe to the seruiee of some Lord or Gentleman in this Court but especially of your Master because he seemes to be a woorthy Gentleman and such an one that makes more reckoning of his seruants then an other Ha thou knowest him not as well as I said Fabius for I promise thee by the faith of a Gentleman for I am one in deede for my father comes of the Cachopines of Laredo that my Master Don Felix is the best natured Gentleman that euer thou knewest in thy life and one who vseth his Pages better then any other And were it not for those troublesome loues which makes vs runne vp and downe more and sleepelesse then we woulde there were not such a Master in the whole worlde againe In the end faire Nymphes Fabius spake to his Master Don Felix as soone as he was come foorth in my behalfe who commanded me the same night to come to him at his lodging Thither I went and he entertained me for his Page making the most of me in the worlde where being but a fewe daies with him I sawe the messages letters and gifts that were brought and caried on both sides greeuous wounds alas coruiues to my dying hart which made my soule to flie sometimes out of my body euery hower in hazard to leese my forced patience before euery one But after one moneth was past Don Felix began to like so well of me that he disclosed his whole loue vnto me from the beginning vnto the present estate and forwardnes that it was then in committing the charge thereof to my secrecie and helpe telling me that he was fauoured of her at the beginning and that afterwards she waxed wearie of her louing and accustomed entertainment the cause whereof was a secret report whosoeuer it was that buzzed it into her eares of the loue that he did beare to a Lady in his owne countrey and that his present loue vnto her was but to entertaine the time while his busines in the Court were dispatched And there is no doubt saide Don Felix vnto me but that indeede I did once commence that loue that she laies to my charge but God knowes if now there be any thing in the world that I loue and esteeme more deere and precious then her When I heard him say so you may imagine faire Nymphes what a mortall dagger pierced my wounded heart But with dissembling the matter the best I coulde I answered him thus It were better sir me thinkes that the Gentlewoman should complaine with cause and that it were so indeed for if the other Ladie whom you serued before did not deserue to be forgotten of you you do her vnder correction my Lord the greatest wrong in the world The loue said Don Felix againe which I beare to my Celia will not let me vnderstand it so but I haue done her me thinkes the greater iniurie hauing placed my loue first in an other and not in her Of these wrongs saide I to my selfe I know who beares the woorst away And disloyall he pulling a letter out of his bosome which he had receiued the same hower from his Mistresse reade it vnto me thinking that he did me a great fauour thereby the contents whereof were these Celias letter to Don Felix NEuer any thing that I suspected touching thy loue hath beene so farre from the truth that hath not giuen me occasion to beleeue more often mine owne imagination then thy innocencie wherein if I do thee any wrong referre it but to the censure of thine owne follie For well thou mightest haue denied or not declared thy passed loue without giuing me occasion to condemne thee by thine owne confession Thou saiest I was the cause that made thee forget thy former loue Comfort thy selfe for there shall not want another to make thee forget thy second And assure thy selfe of this Lord Don Felix that there is not any thing more vnbeseeming a Gentleman then to finde an occasion in a Gentlewoman to leese himselfe for her loue I will saie no more but that in an ill where there is no remedie the best is not to seeke out any After he had made an end of reading the letter he said vnto me What thinkest thou Valerius of these words With pardon be it spoken my Lord That your deedes are shewed by them Go to said Don Felix and speake no more of that Sir saide I they must like me wel if they like you because none can iudge better of their words that loue well then they themselues But that which I thinke of the letter is that this Gentlewoman would haue beene the first and that Fortune had entreated her in such sort that all others might haue enuied her estate But what wouldest thou counsell me saide Don Felix If thy griefe doth suffer any counsell saide I that thy thoughts be diuided into this second passion since there is so much due to the first Don Felix answered me againe sighing and knocking me gently on the shoulder saying How wise art thou Valerius and what good counsell dost thou giue me if I could follow it Let vs now go in to dinner for when I haue dined I will haue thee carie me a letter to my Lady Celia and then thou shalt see if any other loue is not woorthy to be forgotten in lieu of thinking onely of her These were wordes that greeued Felismena to the hart but bicause she had him before her eies whom she loued more then her-selfe the content that she had by onely seeing him was a sufficient remedie of the paine that the greatest of these stings did make her feele After Don Felix had dined he called me vnto him and giuing me a speciall charge what I should do because he had imparted his griefe vnto me and put his hope and remedie in my hands he willed me to carie a letter to Celia which he had alreadie written and reading it first vnto me it said thus Don Felix his letter to Celia THe thought that seekes an occasion to forget the thing which it doth loue and desire suffers it selfe so easily to be knowne that without troubling the minde much it may be quickly discerned And thinke not faire Ladie that I seeke a remedie to excuse you of that wherewith it pleased you to vse me since I neuer came to be so much in credit with you that in lesser things I woulde do it I haue confessed vnto you that indeede I once loued well because that true loue without dissimulation doth not suffer any thing
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
And now the yeeres are past the months and Daies Vpon this confidence and cleere Deceite Wearie with weeping are my watrie Eies Wearie to heare me is the hill and Vale. And in the end thus answered of false Fortune Iesting at that whereof I doe Complaine But wofull man whereof doe I Complaine But of the length of my prolonged Daies Perhaps a slaue to me is cruell Fortune That for my fault she must pay this Deceite Went he not free exempted in this Vale Who did command me to lift vp mine Eies But who againe can tame his greedie Eies Or can I liue if I doe not Complaine Of th' ill which Loue hath done me in this Vale. Curst be that ill that lastes so many Daies But death cannot if this be no Deceite Stay long to giue an end vnto my Fortune Calmes wonted are to come after hard Fortune But neuer shall be viewed of mine Eies Nor yet I thinke to fall in this Deceite O well let the first suffice which I Complaine And will faire Shepherdesse as many Daies As the remembrance lasteth of this Vale. If Shepherdesse that day when in this Vale I did behold thee to my hardest Fortune The finall end had come of all my Daies Or I had lesse beheld those coyest Eies The cause should cease whereof I doe Complaine And I would fall no more into Deceite But purposing to worke me this Deceite When by and by thou sawest me in this Vale Milde thou didst seeme See then if I Complaine Vniustly of false Loue and cruell Fortune And now I knowe not why thou turn'st thine Eies Away vnlesse thou greeuest at my Daies My song of Loue and Fortune I Complaine And since a braue Deceite so many Daies Did last water mine Eies this hill and Vale. This did the Shepherd sing keeping time with his teares and resting with his sighes and the Shepherdesse sat harkening vnto him with great content to see with what a grace he did both play and sing But after the Shepherd had made an end of his song laying his rebecke out of his hand he said to Shepherdesse Art thou now pleased Amarillis for to content thy minde thou maist make me do that which doth vtterly displease me And accursed Alfeus I wish that Fortune would bring thee to that passe wherunto by thy detested forceries I am come bicause thou mightest then know what good cause I haue to hate thee for the cruell despite that thou hast done me O sweet Belisa is there any in the world more bound to thee then I am God graunt I may deduct this sorrowfull life so long that mine eies may once again enioy thy peerlesse beautie that thine may see if I do not acknowledge how much I do owe vnto them These words the Shepherd spake with such plentie of teares that there was no hart had it beene neuer so hard that by hearing them would not haue melted But now that thou hast told me Arsileus said the Shepherdesse vnto him the beginning of thy affection and how thy father Arsenius was the principall occasion of thy seruice and great loue to Belisa bicause when he sued vnto her she did participate and thou profit thy selfe by thine owne letters songs and some times by thine owne musicke of all which he might haue well excused himselfe I pray thee now tell me how thou didst leese her This is a thing said the Shepherd which I would seldome repeat but bicause it is euer thy qualitie to commaund me to tell thee that which is most grieuous vnto my soule hearke then and in a few words I will tell it thee There was a man in our towne called Alfeus who had the name amongst vs to be a great Magician and he loued Belisa extremely before my Father euer began to serue her but she could not abide not onely to see him but not to heare of his name which if any had but founded in her eares they could not haue angred her worse Now when this Coniurer vnderstood I know not how of the appointed meeting betweene me and Belisa to talke together in the night from the toppe of a Mulberie tree in her fathers Orchard Alfeus full of diuels commanded two spirits to take the shape of my father Arsenius mine vpon them that he that took vpon him my shape shuld go to the appointed place the other that took my fathers should come thither shoot at him in the tree with a crosbow arrowe thinking he was not his Son but another then to come presently vnto him knowing him to be his Son should kill himselfe for greefe that he had staine his owne Son to the end that the Shepherdesse Belisa should kill her-selfe seeing my selfe my Father dead or at least do that which afterwards she did This villany did the traitor Alfeus work for despight of that great loue which he knew Belisa did beare me and for the contempt which she had of his vnwoorthy affection When this was in maner aforesaide done and Belisa thought that my Father and I were both staine like a careles and desperate woman she forsooke her Fathers house and is gone where none can yet tel where she is or any tydings of her This did the Shepherdesse Armida tel me and I do verily beleeue it according to that which succeeded after When Felismena had heard what the Shepherd had tolde Amarillis she wondred not a little imagining with her-selfe that all that he tolde did seeme to be true and by the signes that she sawe in him knewe that he was the same Arsileus Belisas seruant whom she thought to be dead and therefore saide to her-selfe It is not reason that Fortune should giue her any content that would denie it a Shepherd that doth so well deserue it and that stands so much in neede thereof I will not at the least depart from this place without giuing him such ioy as he will receiue at the newes of his beloued Shepherdesse Whereupon comming to the dore of the coate she saide to Amarillis Will it please thee faire Shepherdesse to giue the forlorne woman of Fortune that hath lost her way and the hope to finde it out againe leaue to passe away the heate of the day in this place with thee The Shepherdesse seeing on a sudden such exceeding beautie and so comely a feature was so amazed that she was vnable to answer one worde againe but Arsileus saide vnto her There wants no other thing faire Shepherdesse for the performing of thy request but the place which is not so good as thou deseruest but if thou art wont to bee serued with such homely lodging Come in and wherein wee may doe thee any seruice our good wils shall excuse the wants of our abilitie These wordes Arsileus saide Felismena againe seeme well to come out of thy mouth but the ioye that I will leaue with thee in requitall of them I wish may befall to me of that which I haue so
bicause it was now time to go home and that the flockes tooke their accustomed way towards the village they went after them and by the way faire Diana saide to Syrenus There are many daies past Shepherd since I sawe thee in these valleyes But more saide he since I woulde haue lost my life in lieu she had not seene me that made me passe it away in such great greefe whereas in the end it contents me not a little to talke of my passed fortunes that finde my selfe now in a safe hauen Dost thou then thinke this to be a sure estate saide Diana wherein thou now liuest It cannot be dangerous said he when I dare speake thus before thee I neuer remember saide Diana that I sawe thee so much lost for my loue but that thy toong might haue had as much libertie as now it hath Thou art as discreet in imagining this said he as in all other things else Why so saide Diana bicause there are no other meanes saide he to make thee not know that which thou hast lost in me but onely by thinking that I did not loue thee so much that my toong might not haue that libertie as thou sayest But yet for all this I pray God giue thee so much content as sometimes faire Diana thou hast wished me For though my loue be now past yet the relickes therof that remaine in my soule are sufficient to wish thee al the happines in the world Euery word that Syrenus spake was a dagger to Dianas hart For God knowes if she would not haue rather giuen a more willing eare to his wonted complaints then occupied her minde in beleeuing such apparant signes of his newe libertie And though she answered to euery thing the Shepherd spake vnto her with a certaine kinde of carelessenes and did helpe her-selfe by her owne discretion bicause she would not shew any signe of sorrow for their libertie yet in her minde she ruminated the discontent that by their speeches semblances she had so deepely cōceiued And with talking of these and other matters they were come to their village by that time the Sunne had hidden all his beames and taking leaue one of another they went to their owne houses But comming to Arsileus againe who went with great ioye and desire towards the wood where Dianas Temple was to see his Shepherdesse he came to a little brooke that ranne hard by the Temple amongst a row of greene Sicamours vnder whose coole shadowes he sat him downe hoping that Fortune would send some body that way by whom he might make his Belisa vnderstand of his being there bicause he thought it somwhat dangerous to come vpon her on the sudden especially when she thought him long since to be dead And on the other side the vnpatient desire that he had to see her would not suffer him to take any rest at all But the Shepherd consulting with himselfe what was best to be done espied by chaunce a Nymph of wonderfull beautie comming towardes him with her bowe in her hand and her quiuer at her necke looking on euerie side if she could espie any Deare or wilde beast to trie how she could bestow an arrow that she carried in her bow ready bent But seeing the Shepherd she went straight vnto him who rising vp did her such reuerence as was due to so faire a Nymph whom she curteously saluted againe For this was faire Polydora one of the three that Felismena and the Shepherds deliuered from the violent hands of the Sauages and a deere friend to Belisa But both sitting downe againe vpon the greene grasse Polydora asked him what countrey man he was and the cause of his comming thither Whom Arsileus answered thus The countrey where I was borne faire Nymph hath so ill intreated me that me thinkes it greeues me to call it mine although on the other side I am bound to loue it much and more then I am able to expresse And to tell thee the cause that Fortune had to bring me to this place it were first needefull for thee faire Nymph to tell me if thou dost belong to the sage Lady Felicia in whose Palace I heard say my deerest Belisia doth remaine the onely cause of my exile out of my natiue town of that infinit sorrow which her long absence hath made me feel I am of Lady Felicias house said Polydora the gretest friend in the world to the Shepherdesse that thou hast named and bicause thou maist also make such an account of me if I thought I might profit thee any thing by giuing thee some consel I would aduise thee to forget hir if it were possible or if it lay in thy power not once to haue an amorous thought of hir bicause the remedie of thy griefe is no lesse impossible then the helpe of that which she suffers since the cruell ground doth now feede on him who was once the hope of al her sorrow And may this be true said he that the earth doth consume hir seruant Arsileus most true said Polydora for this was he whom she loued more then her selfe and he whom I may iustly call the most vnfortunate man besides thee bicause thou hast setled thy thoughts in such a place where it is impossible for them to haue any remedie For though I was neuer in loue my selfe yet do I hold it for a firme opinion that the passion of death is not so ill as that which one suffers by louing her that hath her affection setled in another place I beleeue it well faire Nymph said Arsileus and that such are Belisas golden virtues and rare constancie that as imperious death cannot make her settle her affection in any other place so there is none in the world that can make her chaunge her minde wherein faire Nymph the whole summe of my felicitie consisteth How doth thy felicitie consist Shepherd said she by louing so as thou saist when as her loue is so strongly fixed in another place This is a strange kinde of affection and neuer heard of before Bicause thou maist no longer faire Nymph maruell at my words nor at the maner of the loue which I beare to Belisa the soueraigne mistresse of my thoughts giue eare a while said Arsileus and I wil tel thee that thou neuer thought'st to heare although the beginning of it thy friend and the loadstarre of my life hath perhaps told thee And then he told her from the beginning of their loues to Alfeus his inchauntments and braue deceit and euerie thing else that till then in his loues aforesaid befell vnto him which the Shepherd told sometimes with teares being loth to recall to memorie his passed mishaps sometimes with sighes that he fetcht from the centre of his hart imagining what his mistresse Belisa might feele in these occurrents and greeuous accidents And by his dolefull words and alterations in his countenance he gaue so great a spirit to that he said and shewed such signes of inwarde griefe that
serued both for a mouth and channell which was not wrought with the blow of the hard Chesil but by the continuall running of the gentle water and so it was in some places a little more worne then in others being more soft or to say more properly lesse hard in one place then in another and by reason of the concauitie of the stone there was seene an inequalitie that represented a more pleasant and gracious running bicause it made the water come out more merily with high and low fals representing certaine cristalline in cleeres and shadows a pleasant and delightfull sight to the greedie eie The water fell into a fountaine of the same rockie stone wrought after the same forme as the channell was It was fouresquare and euery side was fower foote in bredth and in depth sixe or a little more The Petrenall was not right to smite fire with the blowe of hard steele bicause it was not blacke but so white that had it not beene for the hardnes thereof none would haue thought but that it had beene Alablaster And though it was not so curiously cut out and wrought like marble yet was it maruellous and strange for the turne it serued And so for the clecrenes of the water as also for the whitenes of the rockie stone it was so christalline that if any foule thing did fall therein it was so apparant to his sight that came thither that maugre his will hee was forced not to suffer it to receiue such iniurie but to bring it againe to the former purenes For which cause it was euer kept verie cleere and cleane The water ranne out of it into an Ilande on both sides to enuironne the greene plat which was set round about with white Poplars blacke Elmes and greene Sallowes It was in length about a hundred and fiftie paces and a hundred and twentie in bredth There was no entrance into it but where the Shepheds went in and by another way right ouer against the same made almost in the selfe same forme and fashion for the thicknes of the trees stopped vp all other waies and also bicause the water that ranne by the sides issuing towards the side without in some places of that brooke did wax so broad between the place of the trees that by the playne it could not by reason that it was somewhat higher Neere to this fountaine did the Shepherds sit vnder the shadow of a braunchie Oke and certaine Laurell trees and taking out some of those victuals that Doria had prouided for them after they had rested themselues a little they ouercame their importunate hunger satisfying their appetites sufficiently with the same and bicause they had a good way to goe that day they tooke not their rest as much as the place and their desires did inuite them but before all the heate of the day was past least the time should also passe away with it they were about to goe from that place But as they were preparing themselues to rise and to be gone Syrenus saide to Syluanus It is not reason Syluanus that liuing now in such ioy and content and in the presence of thy beloued Seluagia thou shouldest let thy Bagpipe waxe so drie nor is it meete that from this pleasant place the friendly entertainment and delights whereof thou hast enioyed thou shouldest depart without requiting it with the sweetnes of thy melodie and song With greater reason answered Syluanus should the Hamadryades preseruers of these trees and the Driades inhabitours of these green woods complaine of thee that wouldest go away without giuing them some part of thy sweete harmonie and melodious voice Let vs leaue this courteous contention said Syrenus and doe that which I request thee for the great reason which thou hast to do it for that which I told thee first though thou wilt not perhaps for that which I alleaged last For the first indeed I cannot deny thee said Syluanus but in faith I know not what to sing that might not grieue thee that art so far from loue or offend me that am so full of amorous thoughts so that in the end I can sing nothing vnlesse it be to mine owne griefe but that which belongs thereunto To heare thy delicate songs and inioy the sweetnes of thy voice saide Syrenus I will be content with any thing but since it must needes be in such sort in thy song I pray thee shew how far the firmnenes of thy loue extendeth which thou bearest to thy louing Shepherdesse for by occasion heereof I know she cannot nor will not choose but answere thee againe in whose sweet voice and song I shall take no lesse delight then in thine I am content said Syluanus And then thus he began Syluanus IT may fall out the heauens may turne at leisure And stay themselues vpon the highest mountaines And Ezla and Mondego at their pleasure With hastie course turne backe vnto their fountaines And that the flaxe or reede laid to the fire May not consume in flames but burne like wire But yet the day and time shall happen neuer When Syluan shall not loue Seluagia euer Immediately without any entreatie Seluagia bicause she would not die in Syluanus debt nor be beholding to him in this respect taking her Baggepipe vp in this sort did answer him Seluagia The ground shall first be void nor trod nor vsed Leesing her nature and her proper being First shall the raine and vvater be refused Of plants no moisture round about them seeing First shall our life vvith aire be not sustained And first the foode of hunger be disdained Before the vvorld shall see a deede so hainous Seluagia not to loue her deere Syluanus Syluanus The presence of the vvoolfe that doth deuoure The sillie lambes in shades shall not be feared As little shall the hare vvithin her bovvre The yalping hounds nor harts of lions teared Nor Mouse of Cat All hate shall be extruded And louing peace tvvixt all shall be concluded But yet the time and day shall happen neuer When Syluan shall not loue Seluagia euer Seluagia The flocke of little chickes the dams deere treasure Of rauening kites and gleades shall be eschevved The Partridge shall securely liue in pleasure Of praying Goshauke being not pursued The pullaine shall not be of Foxe molested But peace and truce tvvixt all shall be suggested But neuer lies a deede in her so hainous As that Seluagia should forget Syluanus Syluanus I say vvhile any part shall be maintained Of thy Syluanus vvith blood and vitall povvres And vvhilst each member of the same sustained Shall be vvith soule vnto their latest hovvres And if besides the soule can loue expired When to the graue the body is retired In life in death else let him prosper neuer Syluan sshall loue his Shepherdesse for euer Seluagia I say vvhile liuing breath shall not be vvanting In thy Seluagia louing thee so truly And vvhile her soule vvithin her body panting Shall make aboade and gouerne it
Nymphes beauties were so ecclipsed at Stelas comming as the cleere stars at the rising of the radiant Sunne whereat all of them did not a little woonder the women not without great emulation procuring yet to comfort themselues by putting some defect therein although indeede there was not any at all which when they coulde finde any such they studied to picke it else-where as out of the basenes of her estate or to attribute it to some other things that they with inquiring and talking amongst themselues are commonly wont to helpe and flatter theirs withall But now saide Felicia you may laugh indeed at Parisiles embracements and you shall see if we did with good cause finde fault with him for conioyning his reuerend visage with so foule a face Then Parisiles rose vp and began to embrace Stela a new saying O my daughter now do I see thee like thy selfe and in the habite of thine owne estate and deserts The vnknowne Shepherd marking all this his colour in his face went and came not bicause hee sawe Stela in so braue a habite for his affection did not augment with the brauerie nor value of her costly garments neither did his loue diminish with the basenes of her pastorall habite but for the remembrance of that time when he had seene her in like ornaments His colour changed also for enuy of Parisiles thinking that those imbracings were more proper and due to him But Felicia must needes come once againe to put olde Parisiles and Stela asunder which done they went to dinner To tell the maner and order of their libationes which they made before they went to dinner and to describe the preparation order and diuersitie of daintie messes as things too prolixe I thinke best to omit The end of the second booke The third Booke of the second Part of Diana of George of Montemayor WHen dinner was done all of them being very desirous to know what these Shepherdesses and the vnknowne Shepherd was for what cause Parisiles shewed himselfe so incensed against him Lord Felix for his owne desire and at the request of his beloued Felismena and the Nymphes and Shepherds praied Felicia in her eare to intreat it of them whom Felicia answered saying By this request I might demand of them a thing which I assure you they themselues cannot tell for the vnknowne Shepherd and the faire Shepherdesse knowe not who they are howe can they then make any report of themselues And it is not now possible for you to know the course of their liues for they are heere in the presence of old Parisiles before whom they dare not vnfold it But yet leaue this charge to me I will find out some means to satisfie you heerein I coulde tell it better then they better I say touching the certaine knowledge who they are Neuerthelesse I meane that you shall heare it from their owne mouthes who can better expresse their owne affections as those that they passed themselues When Felicia had answered thus Lord Felix made signes to her to speake no more of the matter for that time whereupon all of them were content perceiuing it was most conuenient to be so But hauing nowe reposed themselues a little after dinner Felicia saide vnto the vnknowne Shepherd Shewe these Shepherds thy sheepe-hooke and view it well for it deserueth well to be seene The Shepherd then rose vp for it for he had laid it aside with his scrip when he sat downe to dinner And giuing it to the Sepherds and Lord Felix seeing it of a different colour requested onely to see of what woode it was for from a very little sidewise the principall was not deuided which might be from the middes of the pommell vpward which was wrought all ouer and carued very fine and from one side thereof I say this caruing was not seene by reason of the fine workemanship But when Lord Felix holding it in his hande viewed the sheepehooke well he saide Why wouldest thou haue the Shepherds good Lady onely enioy the sight of this sheepehooke Bicause it is a thing said Felicia more properly apperteining to their estate And me thinkes saide Lord Felix it may well beseeme a Prince his hands though it is well enough bestowed where it is If I am of any woorth amongst so good a companie as this saide the Shepherd I will not gainsay you neither is it my minde to pay you with the same money least my base wordes might diminish your high deserts Nowe was Lord Felix answering when Felicia reached foorth her hand saying Heere take it and view it well Then came the Shepherds Syrenus and Syluanus to Lord Felix to looke vpon the curious sheepehooke Which was all blacke with some white spots and the women staied to looke on it afterwardes They varied amongst themselues what wood it might be and there were diuers opinions concerning the same Some of them said it was the wood of Aloës others of Ebony and in the end concluded that it was the roote of an Olife which was verie like to both Then they began to view the sheepe-hooke well which was of length as much as a man of meane stature to the breast from the part beneath to the mids of the head and from the part aboue in the steele a handfull length it was garnished with copper which shined like gold so finely laid in and so euen with the wood that if it were not for the different colour the staffe might hardly haue beene discerned from the metall Then from the metall in the steele without any worke two strikes went downe as broad as two barley cornes the rest of the pommell of the sheepe-hooke was deuided into fower peeces in bredth by fower pedestals Bases Cannyons Chaptrees Architrees Frises and Cornishes And yet bicause all reached not to the steele for all the fower pillars vpheld it vpon euerie one was a little child holding forth his arme and lifting vp one leg the better to reach it with his hand and to support the steele of it Betweene pillar and pillar were fower little figures verie finely wrought so that there were sixteene carued peeces in all the Pommell But betweene euerie pillar one onely fable was carued belonging to sheepe or Shepherds bicause it was a hooke for a Shepherd In the peece that was first offered to their sight was a goodly white Bull in a heard amongst many other Buls and Cowes a fairer Bull then all the rest and with white hornes for the workman helped himselfe by the white streakes of the wood when he had any occasion whereon Europa was putting a garland of flowers which she tooke from her owne head the Bull lying gently standing quietly licking her garments to assure hir the more of his gentlenes A litle before that was she sitting vpon the Buls back who by little and little making as though he went feeding rose vp Aboue the first of these two peeces the Bull turning his head licked the Damsels handes that rodde
Commaund him therefore I beseech you righteous Iudges to offer no violence to me for carrying away what is mine owne The Iudges not knowing what to determine in so doubtfull a case Carpostus said I know not graue Iudges why in a matter so manifest as this you should suspend your iust iudgment but that without delay you should proceed to definitiue sentence vnles you seem to make any more doubt herein which if you doe I will cleere it if it please you to send the child backe againe to my lodging by this boy who shall incontinently returne with him againe for whom I will in the meane time remaine heere a pledge bicause it shall not be saide that I tooke possession of him before sentence giuen That being graunted him he willed the boy that brought me but secretly in his eare to carrie me backe and to bring the other childe not forgetting to put on his owne coats who did it incontinently and hauing brought Parthenius there before them all without any more adoe he ranne to his Father Sarcordus and to his knowen nurse Sarcordus wife The Iudges seeing so strange an alteration and thinking he did what he listed with the child for they tooke me and Parthenius to be both one commaunded to lay hands on him for a notable Sorcerer To whom Carpostus seeing whereabout they went said Though here I am worthie Iudges at your disposition and commaund yet do me this fauour I beseech you to suspend your doome vntill you see the end of this matter it may be you will delight your selues with the conueiance rare sequele of it And then he bad the boy carrie back the child commaunding him softly in his eare to bring me and the other childe backe againe but both naked And this he deuised because Parthenius might not be knowen by his coats But before we cam he requested the Iudges to command Sarcordus his wife to go aside or to put themselues amongst the prease of the people so that the child when he was commight not see them They did so behold we were both broght naked thither and playing togither at the sight whereof the standers by maruelled verie much and they that came to behold the fame of that which was past wondring yet a great deale more and others that came after vs in the streetes looking vpon one another in signe of admiration spake not a word but opened their hands and sometimes lifted vp their eies to heauen in token of great wonder admiration Then with a loud voice Carpostus before we came spake thus One of these children is mine the other is Sarcordus his Let him therefore take his owne But bicause the child by seeing him may not know him let him come to claime him behinde the people and I will also hide me heere Sarcordus being therefore come in manner aforesaide and not able to discerne which was his my nurse saide Now do you see graue Iudges and good people assembled to behold the ende of this debate howe I haue this day to delight you with a rare noueltie presented before your eies the strangest wonder in the world bicause you might not woonder at me nor repute me for such a foole as you haue taken me for that which these fewe daies past I haue done with Parthenius beleeuing he was my sonne and bicause you might see whether I had iust cause to claime him with assurednes for mine owne or not They were all passing glad to see this strange conclusion and tooke him for a very wise man in that he had so well contriued the matter to saue his credit And with great reason saide Lord Felix though all was done in my opinion by Calastas counsell albeit I cannot also otherwise thinke but that Carpostus was very wise by knowing how to gouerne himselfe so well against the whole towne When he had saide thus Delicius proceeded in his discourse saying They put on our garments againe and to giue either their owne was no lesse variance and as great difficultie as before for if we of our selues had not made our selues knowne to our nurses either of vs going to his owne we might haue both gone naked home againe But from that time we entred both into such a mutuall league of amitie that by no meanes they coulde part vs asunder for much force had one God I knowe not that reigned in vs ouer each others soule diuining the great and inuiolable friendship that should be betweene him and me I feare me noble Sir and the rest that you would a good while since haue asked me what was become of my deere brother Parthenius for so we euer called one another and other questions that you haue left of not to interrupt mee in my tale Delicius would haue passed on farther but his falling teares would not permit him Wherefore Cynthia came to him saying Drie vp thy teares Shepherd and tell on thy tale for by doing this thou shewest the small confidence and hope thou hast in my Lady Felicias helpe whereas I my selfe haue also diuers times tolde thee before that thy sorrowes shall be remedied Delicius then wiping his eies saide Thou tellest me O Nymph by that which I shew the small trust I haue in Felicia but I tell thee that by thy speech thou dost manifest how little thou art acquainted with my greefe and how lesse thou knowest of like passions to which knowledge I wish thou maiest neuer attaine since ignorance in such matters is much more expedient I could tell thee much about these effects if I thought not to offende this woorthie companie but onely one word I will tell thee That hope doth not pardon the punishment although it doth lighten it a little But thou seemest Shepherde saide Polydora to know the very secrets of our harts bicause as thou hast tolde true touching the desire we had to know what was become of thy deere brother thou didst chaunce to say that we would not giue thee leaue for answers and replies wherefore dissembling thy greefe for a while tell out the rest as thou hast begun With a good will saide Delicius But let it not greeue you woorthie personages if you heare not now of my beloued brother considering that the great greefe which I suffer for him must nowe suffice and that the processe of my historie shall in conuenient place declare it amplie vnto you and if not so at some other time you shall know it when you shall see what great reason I haue to solemnize such a memory with these and many more teares The fame of this strange accident I told you of and of our great likenes within a fewe daies after came to the eares of old Synistius gouernour of the kingdome where we were borne who was placed there by Rotindus king of Eolia for the which cause Synistius commanding that wee should be brought vnto him as well for our great likenes as for the great beautie which we were reported to haue
how much thy departure greeues me but onely to content and please thee for heere will I staie vntill I know what the immortall Gods will determine with me Scarce coulde my louing brother stande vpon his feete when from mine owne mouth he heard that I was enamoured of the faire damsell bicause he had also no lesse then my selfe as by a strange chance I afterwards knew it yeelded vp to her his loue and libertie But bicause it was either my good or ill happe to manifest my passion first Parthenius dissembled his in lieu that I might carie the guerdon away So that on the oneside he was very glad that one thing offred it selfe whereby I might receiue the first fruits of his true friendship and was sorrie on the other to see that his greefe was remedilesse Which perfect function of amitie I would in very truth haue no lesse performed towards him if he had first opened his loue of her vnto me as afterwards I did though yet for all this I must remaine his debtor But bicause I might not perceiue the great good turne he did me and he by disclosing it haue lost the merite thereof he did not onely dissemble it right-out but by words and demonstration made as if no such matter had beene And albeit he striued with himselfe not to loue Stela yet was he not able to performe it but as I saie hidde it in such sort that it might not be perceiued Whereupon to that which I had saide he answered thus The Gods neuer suffer me to profite nor pleasure my selfe with such a leaue deere brother For thou art my father mother to forsake thee I meane not to seeke them out Let them pardon me whosoeuer they be for since they left me in my infancy perhaps without iust occasion it shal be no part of impietie for me to denie them in their old age being warranted by so iust an excuse Many other friendly speeches passed betweene vs both that wheron we concluded was this To go to the next town bicause itwas late there by som other course if at the least some happie meanes did obuiate our desires to informe vs what that Damsell was thereupon to aduise vs what was best to be done Comming therefore neere vnto a little towne not farre from that place we espied this reuerend old Parisiles almost in the very same robes that he now weares who turned his eies on euerie side to see if he might perceiue her comming for whom it seemed he had long looked and lamented To whom in the end a certaine raunger that a farre off came crossing ouer the lawnes appeared who being come vnto him spake some fewe words togither but what we could not heare for we had hid our selues a prettie way off and fewe they were For by and by the sorrowfull old man with a pitifull outcrie fell into a great swoune The raunger seeing him in such a trance thinking he was dead and fearing least his sudden death as he thought might haue beene laide to his charge ran presently away as fast as euer he could when as we all in vaine called and cryed out alowd vnto him so that for that time we could not know the cause of the good old mans sorrow One thing I haue noted in thy disoourse saide Lord Felix that thou euer with reuerence and humanitie entreatest olde Parisiles who as not long since it seemed would haue killed thee And with great reason answered Delicius to whom I doe not onely wish well because he is Father to faire Stela but honour him for his high deserts But returning to my discourse seeing the ranger would not stay we went to the noble Parisiles who was lying as abouesaid distraught of his sences and perceiuing that he came not to himselfe again we both went to seeke out some water to sprinkle on his face ech of vs going a sundry way to bring it the sooner to him Which when after too long seeking as we thought we could not finde we returned backe againe and before we came to the place where we left him we heard him lamenting in this sort O World false world and like to hell belowe Alake of fi lt hinesse and puddle mud A sea where teares and miseries doe flowe A trauell without ease or hope of good A pit of sorrow and of endlesse woe A region full of brambles thornes and brakes Ameadow full of adders toades and snakes A ceaslesse greefe afalse delight and pleasure Of men that goe on wheeles and dancing scope Of him that counteth thee his trust and treasure And of thy worldlings false and vainest hope A heape of woes that hath no end nor measure A hideous hill of care and dwelling place Of monsters and of paine an endlesse race A poison sweete a hony full of gall A dungeon of despaire a dismall field Of wretchednes of seruitude and all Infections that ten thousand deathes doth yeeld A hell a filth a miserie and thrall A care a greefe a paine a plague a sore A slauerte a death and what is more Many that haue endur'd thy yoke of paine Haue gone about in colours to depaint Thy wicked slightes with which thou still dost traine Distressed soules vnto an endlesse plaint And weeping where my cleerest light is hid There wretched man my life I meane to rid By this lamentation whereunto we gaue an attentiue eare we vnderstood the cause of his complaint That the Woodman belike had told him how Stela flying from Gorphorost had cast her selfe into the riuer but not that which afterwardes succceded We were no lesse glad to heare the newes of that we so much desired to knowe as to giue him good tidings whom it behooued vs to make as much beholding to vs as we could for seruing our owne turnes But as we were now determined to goe and talke with him my brother said Let vs stay for if this be Father to thy new Mistresse it is not best that he should now knowe vs when we our selues knowe not what we haue to doe nor how our matters not yet well commenced will fall out And since he saide he will goe to the riuer there to be the minister of his owne death I thinke it best for vs to follow him and demanding what he seekes and whither he goes to tell him what hath passed which I also thinke best to be done when it is somewhat darke bicause speaking to him then he may not knowe vs another time whereas if it might afterwards auaile vs by knowing vs to be the same men that brought him these good newes we shall not want meanes to tell him that at our owne pleasure We thought this to be good counsell and did therefore put it so well in practise that the good olde man being thereby comforted vp a little went backe againe and in requitall of these good newes offered me that was the teller of them his lodging that night Which courtesie of his
he could do it well bicause there was no cause as I told you to vse him well but onely that he was brother to her that was his onely ioy But the page thinking it proceeded of ignorāce want of good education mended I think the matter with his Lord touching my homely answer Sagastes woondred and not without great reason when he heard that it was I that had so manfully taken his part and with that false opinion which from that time he had of my valour he went home thinking stil it was I by whom he receiued so great a benefit Disteus also when he saw Sagastes gone went home to his own house where he found me with fear for his long tarying carefully attending his returne But when I saw him so ill entreated I began to chaunge colour thinking he had beene hurt and therefore said vnto him What meanes this Sir How come you home in this sort Trouble not thy selfe said Disteus for I haue no hurt and now that thou hast seene how in thy apparell because I would not be knowen in Dardaneas house I went to see thine Aunt and my mother So I also told thee that thine Aunt was to send thee of an errant the which bicause it lay in my way I would also dispatch The errant therefore that Dardanea did will thee to do was this But giue good eare and loose not a word of that which I will tell thee bicause it behooues thee much and also bicause we may not both be taken in a lye I say Dardanea requested thee to goe watch her brother who as it was told her was accustomed to goe night by night out of his house and to see whither he went But it fell out that this night my selfe doing that which was committed to thy charge after a good while that Sagastes came foorth I followed him and after this he told me particularly all the successe as you haue now heard and somewhat more When I heard of the singular fauour and helpe that Disteus had done to Sagastes I was astonished to see that with so great zeale and courage he had succoured him who was his mortall enemie and therefore saide vnto him You haue filled me Sir full of woonder for it is beyond all sence and conceit that you should be mooued to put your life in danger for one that would bereaue you of yours Stay said Disteus and hearken how the matter fals out thou shalt know the whole cause whereby thou shalt vnderstand how much thou art beholding vnto me Thou must therfore know that to heare the musick the better as I told thee I came somwhat neere thinking that by wearing thy apparell I might not haue been knowen and bicause Dardanea might not thinke of thee the worse that being present there thou didst not helpe her brother in so great danger I thought good not for any loue I bare him whom I would rather haue pursued to death then to defende him from it but for thy sake Placindus to put my person in hazard And therefore bicause it might bee thought that thou wert the man that came to helpe him when I stept in before him I saide Accept this small token of good will Lord Sagastes for my Mistresse Dardaneas sake your vertuous sister And now therefore that thou knowest how al hath hapned and that I charged thee not to forget the least part thereof giue eare to the end whereunto this particular discourse of mine is adressed To morrowe thou shalt goe to my mother and carrie her a letter from me and tell her what thou hast done touching that busines which she had giuen thee in charge wherein all the whole matter shall consist First bicause she may aduise thee howe to behaue thy selfe with Dardanea and with anie other that perhaps may aske thee howe this matter passed Secondly bicause she may set downe some good order for that which is needfull to be done After this thou shalt go and speake with Sagastes to stand to thy word or rather mine to saie better where as thine Aunt shall instruct thee and as I haue aduised thee thou shalt speake vnto him Thou shalt also carrie this sword with thee bicause I thinke he will aske for it for the good proofe that it made on the rapiers and daggers there If he would know where thou hadst it tell him that when thine Aunt was with me I gaue it thee and so I am sure hee will bestow some suites of apparell on thee in recompence of thine which were spoiled and defaced in his defence But thou must do me so much pleasure not to take them at his hands but rather tell him that thou carest not for any other recompence then that thou didst it for Dardaneas seruice being Mistres to thine Aunt In doing whereof thou shalt not onelie binde me to bestow this and more on thee but also her when she shall know howe thou didst aduenture thy life for her sake to requite this good turne and euer hereafter to make more account of thy manhood and fidelitie And by denying to take any reward at Sagastes hands oblige her moreouer to thine Aunt The next daie in the morning I carried the letter that Disteus had written that night to mine Aunt and told her all that had passed As Placindus went on thus telling the pleasant discourse of Disteus and Dardaneas loues they all bent their cares to a certaine noise that a horse and his Master made he to take him that ran vp and downe without his bridle and the horse vnwilling to be caught bicause he liked his libertie better Which when Placindus saw with a merrie countenance he aroseland said I beseech you sage Lady and noble companie pardon me for it shall ill become me if I goe not to helpe that Gentleman to get his horse againe And without more adoe he went and left them all laughing and somewhat greeued to see how abruptly he left them for so small a matter To whom Felicia spake thus Thinke it not a small occasion that hath made him leaue you thus for it should ill beseeme him indeede as he well considered no lesse if he did not helpe him that ran after his horse bicause he is a great friend to Disteus called Martandrus who as you must knowe went out long since in company of Delicius and Parthenius to seeke out Disteus and Dardanea wherefore you should be the rather glad of his comming at this time bicause better then Placindus he can tell you out the rest of these loues that Placindus hath begun If it be so said Lorde Felix and the Shepherdes it shall not be likewise amisse for vs all to helpe him And so rising vp they helped Martandrus to get his horse againe But Martandrus who thou dost bring me I am not so for I know not whether I may recken them in the number of good or consort them amongst the ill On the one side by giuing credit to thy words I
enioyed there without any feare and danger their sweete contents and were well beloued and reuerenced of all the Shepherds thereabouts who endeuoured to do them all the pleasure they could sometimes with rurall sports and games other times with dances and pastorall musicke To all which Disteus so well applyed himselfe that in a short time he farre excelled them all And so for this respect as for his affabilitie and mildnes by knowing how to conuerse with all that Shepherd thought himselfe vnhappie that had not some priuate friendship with Coryneus for so he named himselfe after he had changed his habit and Dardanea that named her selfe Dinia was no lesse acceptable to all the Shepherdesses and Palna called Corynea like her sonne was reuerenced of them all When all three went from me Dardanea was gone two moneths with childe but what God sent her or what became of the childe she brought foorth I know not for they had not dwelta whole yeere in that countrey when they went away for what cause or whither I also know not The cause whereof considering the time wherein they went away I suspect was this That in this meane while King Rotyndus married with the Kings sister of that Prouince where they were whose wife 's brother a little while after being dead an vncle of hers called Synistius aspired to the kingdome as Competitor with her For the which cause Rotyndus making warre against him with little losse of his men got the victorie whereupon a peace was concluded betweene them and the gouernment of the kingdome by the intercession of Agenesta his niece for so was the Queene called giuen frankly to Synistius So that Disteus as soone as the noyse of this warre was bruted abroad went as I coniecture bicause he would not be knowen from that countrey with his pettie family From which time I could neuer heare more of them though manie daies haue passed since Ansilardus and Placindus went out to seeke them And omitting mine own trauels Gentlemen and manie troubles that I passed in the like enterprise because they make not any whit to the purpose of your demaund I will onely tell you how theese two seruants of theirs went out so soone being as I told you before imprisoned and I so late being as you haue also heard at libertie When King Rotyndus married his Queene in ioy of the feast all the prisoners were let goe amongst whom Anfilardus and Placindus came out and sixe moneths after to make Sagastes suspect it the lesse by venturing their liues for vpon paine of death it was commanded that none should goe seeke out Disteus they went to the place where I told them they were At which place when they could not find them they cōcluded by seuering themselues to seeke them out appointing to meete at that place a yeere after to know how they had sped and bicause the one might not goe that way or take in hand that the other did Whereof as of all things else though they for the space of sixe yeeres from time to time informed me yet I know not how nor by what sinister meanes it came to passe that in more then twelue yeeres after the end of the foresaid time expired I neuer heard any newes of them nor of their master Whereat being greatly greeued in minde I endeuoured to seeke out some good meanes or rather fained occasion to go about the same errant whereunto by the Kings most streight edict I could neuer directly accommodate my self in regard of which iourney if hope might haue perswaded me to finde them out I would not haue neglected both that and all paines abroad and affaires at home whatsoeuer But being in this impatient desire two braue yoong youths most highly fauoured of Agenestor Prince of Eolia with whom they were both brought vp were also determined to seeke out their parents knowing that those were not the same for whom they had till then taken them These yoong Gentlemen Delicius and Parthenius for so they were called leauing aside how much for their rare giftes and virtues they deserued the loue of all of purpose I endeuoured to make my special friends to this effect that as they were in great fauour with the King and Queene by their meanes and intercession to the Prince I might finde such fauour with them all that if Disteus and his companie were perhaps found out they might get their pardon and be restored againe to their former estates and reputation which we thought might easily be obtained since King Rotyndus by the good examples of his virtuous Queene Agenesta whom God preserue for many yeeres by her holy life conuersation had almost now forsaken his old cōditions Wherby gentlemen we may note how the good examples of a vertuous wife doe oftentimes worke to amend and correct the lewde disposition of a vitious husband And therefore it is saide that the wise is the mirrour of the husband and the woman to the man bicause the man looking into her as into a cleere glasse may frame his life and minde to her modestie and semblance And contrarie the man is the womans glasse for the selfesame cause and reason Wherefore Rotindus loued not now Sagastes so well as in times past and liked lesse his lewde conditions which sauoured nothing of vertue whereon if any humane thought or action be not grounded it is not durable any long time for as vice is nothing being the priuation of vertue so is that of no stabilitie and permanence which is grounded vpon it The fame of Delicius and Parthenius departure and the end thereof was in a few daies spred ouer all the citie whereat though most were sorie yet some who enuied their deserued fauour for noble vertue is euer accompanied with base enuie were not wanting that ioyed to see that day This fit occasion therefore for the effecting of that which you shall heare offering it selfe to my semblable desseignes comming vnto them I vsed these wordes As I cannot be sorie Gentlemen and my deere friends for your departure since it is a thing that concernes you so much So am I not a little glad that it hath so happily fallen out for my determinations if in this iourney my poore companie for onely yours heerein I desired shall not be any waies troublesome vnto you And bicause you may knowe the forcible cause that mooues me heereunto I will vpon that fidelitie and trust which with all men but especially with me you haue alwaies vsed most frankly tell it you As it is not vnknowen to you I thinke what great friendship hath been betweene Disteus and me and for my part shall euer be while my soule shall rule this earthly body So must you know againe that I concealed and kept him close vntill I found out the meanes to put him in some safetie of his life and not content with this would if he had giuen me leaue or if it had not beene preiudiciall to his secret departure haue
greefe may any comfort giue Loue vnto feare subiected euer driue A soule to coldest ice O bitter woe That he whom Fortune did contrarie so Continually with iealousie must liue The fault I must Montanus lay on thee And all my greefe on thee I doe complaine O cruell soule that pitie dost disdaine For if thou hadst but taken part with mee I would not care though gainst me did conspire Heauen Earth and Loue and Fortune in their ire After that the Shepherdesse had sweetely sung enlarging the raines of her bitter and dolefull complaint she powred out such abundance of teares and gaue so many sighes that by them and by the wordes she spake they knew that a cruell deceit of her iealous husband was the cause of all her greefe But bicause they would know better what she was and the cause of her passion they went to the place where she was and found her sitting al alone in the shadowe which the thicke boughes made on euerie side vpon the fine and greene grasse neere to a little spring which rising out of the foote of an oke ranne by diuers waies thorow that little woode They curteously saluted her and she although it greeued her that they had interrupted her lamentation yet iudging by their countenances that they were Shepherds of good regard was not greatly discontented at their comming hoping to haue had the fruition of their good company therefore said vnto them To my remēbrance faire Shepherd and Shepherdesse I neuer receiued so great contenment that might be compared with this in seeing you now since the time that I was vniustlie forsaken of my cruell husband which is so great that though continuall greefe compels me to ceaselesse plaints yet will I make a pause of them a little while to enioy your peaceable and discreete companie To this Marcelius answered I praie God I may neuer see my torments cease if that it greeues me not to see thine and the same maiest thou also beleeue of faire Diana whom thou seest in my companie The Shepherdesse hearing Dianas name running vnto her did with the greatest gladnes that might be embrace her shewing a thousand louing signes and making the most on her in the world bicause she was desirous long since to knowe her for the great report that she heard of her wisedome and beautie Diana maruelling to see herselfe so entreated by a Shepherdesse whom she knewe not requited her yet with like curtesies againe and desiring to know who she was saide vnto her The great fauours that thou hast done me and the pittie which I take of thy complaints make me desirous to know what thou art wherefore tell vs faire Shepherdesse thy name and discourse vnto vs the cause of thy greefe bicause that after thou hast tolde it thou shalt see how our harts will helpe thee to passe it away and our eies readie to bewaile it The Shepherdesse then with a gracious speech began to excuse herselfe from telling the substance of her owne fall yet vrged in the ende by their importunate requestes she sat downe againe vpon the grasse and began thus to saie By the report of Seluagia that was borne in my towne and in thine too faire Diana which is now married to the Shepherd Syluanus thou hast beene told I thinke of the vnfortunate name of Ismenia that is now beginning to tell her sorrowfull tale And I thinke that she tolde thee at large when she was in thy towne howe against my will I deceiued her in the Temple of Minerua in the kingdome of Portugall and how by my owne deceite I was ouertaken then perhaps she hath also tolde thee how I fained to loue Montanus her mortall enimie to be reuenged of Alanius who for the loue that he did beare her forgot me quite and how this fained loue with the riper knowledge of his vertues and accomplishments fel out at last so true that by means of it I suffer this intolerable sorrow greefe which euen now I complained of Therefore passing on farther in the history of my life thou shalt vnderstand that when Filenus father to Montanus came sometimes to my fathers house about certaine of his affaires and bargaines that he had with him for flockes of sheepe and had espied me on a time although somewhat aged yet he was so extreemely enamoured of me that he became almost out of his wits A thousand times a daie he wooed me and euery hower reckoned vp to me his greefes but all in vaine for I would neither harken vnto him nor regard his wordes Yet bicause he was a man of more sufficiencie and of fewer yeeres then many other in his case I did not altogither forget him and the rather for his sonne Montanus sake whose loue had made me now his captiue before The old man knew not of the loue that Montanus did beare me for he was alwaies so carefull and dutifull a son and so discreetly handled the matter that the father had not any notice thereof fearing mightilie if it had beene knowne his fathers displeasure and that with bitter and angrie wordes he might haue iustly corrected him for it And as wisely did the father conceale from his sonne Montanus his owne follie for the better to chastise and amend what he thought amisse in his sonne he was very vigilant not to discouer his owne and greater faults Although for all this he neuer ceased with continuall suites to sollicite my loue importuned me to take him for my husband He discoursed to me a thousand odde matters and made me as many great offers he promised me many costly garments rich iewels and sent mee many letters thinking by those meanes if not to ouercome me at least to mollifie my hard refusals He was a Shepherd in his flourishing age no lesse commended for al youthful sports then cunning in all pastorall exercises one that could tell a smooth tale and with great wisedome and discretion bring his purpose to good effect And bicause you may the better beleeue me I will rehearse vnto you a letter that once he wrote vnto me the which although it altered my minde nothing yet it greatly contented me and thus it said Filenus letter to Ismenia FAire Shepherdesse The cause was Loue Who to acquaint thee with his paine This fault and blame in me did moue To write to thee But to be plaine Who would not be both shent and blamed In thy sweete loues to be inflamed But if my letter doe offend Thy modest eares as to too bold Then vnderstand that in the end The feare I haue to be controld My soule with paine and greefe hath fild And hath the same already kild I haue to thee ten thousand times My torments told wherein I liue Sometimes by speech sometimes by rimes Which first to me thy selfe didst giue The which no more thou dost requite Then mocke vnto thy great delighte With open mouth thou laugh'st at mee And makest it thine onely game To see me
controll Disteus his courage nor to abate his strength and dexteritie that had by this time wearied them and ended their liues if they had not bin wel armed with defences But when at his pleasure he lifted vp his good sworde to smite one of them he did so hardly entreate them that they thought it best not to come within his reach wherewith he had nowe broken their maile and wounded them lightly in some places The two cosens made Sagastes and his page flie before them and had killed them if they thought Sagastes had beene there being also ignorant in what case Beldanisus and his cosens were But nowe when Disteus had brought them to an ill passe Beldanisus came to himselfe againe for he had no other harme but that onely by the blowe in his head he had lost his sence and knowing what a great shame and dishonour it was vnto him and seeing besides how valiantly the man that came in betweene them had behaued himselfe with two of them he fell fiercely vpon him of purpose to take iust reuenge of him assailing him more aduisedly then before Disteus though he sawe himselfe encountred by three did not yet loose his manly courage but as if the effray had but then begun wounded them cruelly not escaping himselfe without some small wounds cuts in his garments bicause their swordes did not cut like his nor their armes had the strength as his had the cheefest cause whereof was that Disteus did not let them wound him at their pleasure albeit one of the cosins did put him to much trouble For as two of them did set him well a worke he with a long tucke did thrust at him mortall stocados wherupon Disteus thinking that all the victory consisted by ouercomming him he endeuoured to close with him for he perceiued wel that if he had thrust but one to his minde it had beene ynough for him But the other two perceiuing his intent preuented him of his purpose whereupon the other in the meane time reached him a desperate thrust the which with a ready eie auoyding he requited with such a sturdie blowe that he felled him to the ground And to Beldanisus who had wounded him in the shoulder without any pause at all he gaue an ouerthwart blowe on the left arme that he cut the maile from his sleeue and the flesh to the bone With these two blowes they were put in such a feare that they thought it best to giue backe studying rather to defend themselues then offend or hurt their enemie Disteus seeing the victorie in his hands did not cease to plie them still in such sort that he made them by one and one retire But now by this time there was much people gathered togither to part the effray though by the darknes of the night one knew not another Whereupon Disteus taking vp his cloke that he had cast downe got himselfe out of the prease and Sagastes to seeke the man out that had helped him so well in that encounter cared not to pursue his enemies so that they escaped then away vnknowen without getting any thing of their purpose Disteus perceiuing that with so great desire they sought him to doe his feate the better and that which heereafter you shall heare came to Sagastes page and putting a corner of his bandkercher in his mouth bicause he would not be knowen by his speech said vnto him Let not thy Master take any care to knowe who I am for to morrow I will goe my selfe to kisse his handes The page went with this errant but Sagastes not content therewith would haue gone himselfe to haue spoken with him if the page had not disswaded him saying Sir it is no reason to molest him that hath done you no lesse a good turne then the sauing of your life It seemes he would not now be willingly knowne let him therefore alone and trouble him not since he hath giuen you his word to come to morrow and visit you Thou saiest well saide Sagastes and till then I shall not be quiet in minde for it hath put me in a great wonder and confusion to knowe who he might be that so valiantly defended himselfe against three but in a greater when I call to minde the wordes that he spake when he stept in to helpe me That I should take it for a peece of seruice due to my sister and his Mistresse Dardanea For they were such that had I not knowen Dardanea well would haue put me in a great suspicion and iealousie of her And besides this it comes also to my minde that if he be wounded for he could not otherwise escape it shall be ill beseeming me if I doe not the best I can to procure his health and reuenge although by the last he hath sufficiently accuited himselfe Go tell him therefore from me what my desire and good will is towardes him and that before he be gone in haste to helpe himselfe I will not depart from this place The page went and being come to Disteus spake thus vnto him Sir whosoeuer you be my Lord Sagastes doth kisse your hands and by me giues you to vnderstand that he praies the Gods may graunt him but the lest occasion and opportunity to serue you in any thing he may and to requite the great good turne which he hath this night receiued at your hands who would haue come in person himselfe to thanke you but that the vnderstands it is your desire to cōceale your selfe He is also no lesse desirous to know who you are but he is loth to intreat you to any thing against your will lest perhaps you would deny to do that you shal think good although you haue forced him to be euer bound vnto you But for all this he would vrge and oblige you to fulfill your promise to see him to morrow according to your word He praies you moreouer to looke wel to your selfe if you be wounded and to take some speedy order for your safetie saying that vntill he see you go hence he will not depart from the place where he is Tell thy Lord answered Disteus that if I haue done any thing for him it was no more but a due debt which I owe him onely for that he is brother to my Mistresse Dardanea and bicause he may not be greeued in minde by not knowing who I am tell him that I am Placindus nephew to Palna free from wounds and I must needs stay here all alone about certaine busines that I haue agreed vpon and that therefore he may depart since I am greeued in nothing wherein his care may preuaile me assuring him that to morrow I will stand to my word and promise The Page maruelled much that I had so valiantly helped his Lord and him and as he esteemed me in his mind for a tall man so thought me to be ill brought vp by giuing him so rude an answere For Disteus of purpose would not answere him with more humanitie though