thee my deere Arsileus were but little if with words it might be told Let it suffice thee to know in what continual panges and dangers of my life thy supposed death hath put me and by that thou shalt see what a world of ioy thy renewed life hath brought to this my mournfull soule At the ende of which words by reason of an issue of swelling teares ascending vp from the center of her sorrowfull hart into her eye brinkes she was not able to vtter out the rest of her minde which the tender harted Nymphes being mollified with the milde and pitifull words of both these louers to one another did helpe and accompany with theirs And bicause night was comming on they went all to Felicias house telling to each other the discourse accidents of their liues which till then they had both passed Belisa asked her Arsileus for his father Arsenius who told her that as soone as he knew she was gon he went to one of his Farmes not far from thence where he liues as quiet and contented a life as he could wish hauing put all mundane affaires in obliuion whereat Belisa was verie glad and so they came to the Palace of sage Felicia where they were welcommed with great ioye and feast whose hands Belisa kissed many times saying euermore that shee was the cause of her good Fortune And so did Arsileus to whom Felicia shewed an earnest will to do euer for him what lay in her power The end of the fifth booke The sixth Booke of Diana of George of Montemayor AFter that Arsileus was gone Felismena staied still with the Shepherdesse Amarillis that was with him demaunding of one an other the course of their liues a common thing to them that finde themselues in like places And as Felismena was telling the Shepherdesse the cause of her comming thither a iolly Shepherd came to the Coate though very sad by his countenance and gate When Amarillis sawe him she rose vp in great haste to be gone but Felismena taking hold by her garment and suspecting what the cause of her sudden departure might be said vnto her It were not reason Shepherdesse that I should receiue this discourtesie at thy hands who desires so much to serue thee But as she striued to be gone from thence the Shepherd with many teares said vnto her My desire is Amarillis hauing respect to that which thou makest me suffer not to see thee sorie for this vnfortunate Shepherd but to consider what belongs to thy wisedome and beautie and that there is nothing in the worlde worse beseeming a Shepherdesse of thy braue qualities then to intreate one so cruelly that loues thee so entirely Beholde these wearied eies Amarillis that haue shed so many teares and then thou shalt see what reason thine haue to shew themselues so angrie against this miserable man Alas that thou fliest away from me not seeing the reason thou hast to abide my presence Stay Amarillis and harken to my complaints and to my iust excuses and if thou wilt not answere me at all yet I will be content so that thou staiest still What can it hinder thee to heare him whom it hath so deerely cost to see thee And looking vpon Felismena with many teares he besought her not to let her goe who with sweete and gentle wordes intreated the Shepherdesse not to vse him with so small pitie whom he shewed to loue more then himselfe or that she would at the lest harken vnto him since she could not hurt hir selfe much by doing so litle But Amarillis said Intreat me not faire Shepherdesse to giue eare to him who beleeues his thoughts more then my words For behold this Shepherd that stands in this fained sort before thee is one of the most disloyall men that euer liued one of them that most of al troubles our simple louing Shepherdesses with his false deceits dissimulatiōs Then said Filemon to Felismena My onely request and desire is faire Shepherdesse that thou wouldst be iudge in the cause betweene Amarillis and me wherein if I am found culpable or the iust prouoker of that anger and ill opinion that she hath wrongfully conceiued against me that then I may loose my life and if she be that I may haue no other thing for satisfaction but her confession how much she hath iniured and owes me To leese thy life said Amarillis I am sure thou wilt not bicause thou wilt not wish thy selfe so much harme nor me so much good as for my sake to put thy life in aduenture But I am content that this faire Shepherdesse be iudge if it please her betweene vs to consider of our reasons and to declare which of vs both is more worthie of blame Agreed said Felismena and let vs sit downe at the foote of this greene hedge neere to the flourishing meadow before our eies for I will see what reason you haue to complaine of one another After they were all three set downe vpon the greene grasse Filemon began thus to say I trust faire Shepherdesse if thou hast at any time beene touched with the force of Loue that thou shalt plainly perceiue what small reason Amarillis hath to be angrie with me to conceiue so ill an opinion of the vnstained faith I beare her which makes her surmise that which neuer any other Shepherdesse hath euer yet imagined of her louing Shepherd Knowe therefore faire Shepherdesse that the fates not onely when I was borne but long before determined that I should loue this faire Shepherdesse which fits before thy faire my sorrowfull eies whose intents I haue answered with such effect as there is no loue I thinke like mine nor any ingratitude like to hers It fell out afterwardes that from my childehood seruing her in the best manner I coulde there are fiue or sixe moneths past since my mishap brought a Shepherd hither called Arsileus who went vp and downe seeking a Shepherdesse called Belisa which by some ill successe of Fortune wandred like an exile heere and there amongst these woodes groues And as his sorrow was very great it fell out that this cruell Shepherdesse either for great pittie she tooke of him or for the little she had of me or for what cause else she knowes best herselfe woulde neuer be out of his companie To whom if by chance I did but speake thereof she was ready to kill me with anger for those eies which thou seest there procure death no lesse when they are angry then life when they are milde and gentle But now when all my sences were thus occupied mine eies with teares my eares with hearing denials my thoughts with a bitter taste of sorrow my soule with a rare and vnspeakeable kind of affection and my vnderstanding with the greatest iealousie as the like neuer any had I made my complaint to Arsileus with sighes and to the earth and these groues with pitifull and bitter lamentations shewing them what iniuries Amarillis did me Her deceiued
senses Dreame so should it be For Sure this is the Oke wherewith despaire She lean'd vnto and heere the grasse yet lies And field that she did water with her eies What doubt I then mine Eies see it so plaine For Sure I knowe this is the very Meade And tree that did her tender lims sustaine This is the Bagpipe which my Nymph did treade Vpon This is the Oke the happy beame Whereto she lean'd I knowe this is no Dreame But if I Dreame that thinking with mine Eies All this I see and all doth prooue but nought And if this Oke in dreame I doe surmise And see this Meade but onely in my thought Where my faire Nymph did print her goodly feete O Sure it were a dreame to me most sweete Ioue thee I pray if this I doe but feare And if my Dreame doth fall out Sure or no By all the loue to Nymphes that thou didst beare Open mine Eies the trueth that I may knowe Helpe me to pray him greene and flowrie Meade Helpe me to pray him Oke with branchie heade What hath deseru'd this faire and stately Oke Why that should not be Sure which I doe see What hainous fault could this fine Meade prouoke Why things in deede should seeme but Dreames to mee Vnto mine Eies what is befallen of late Why that they should not see my Nymphes estate This Bagpipe of my Nymph I will deuise To hang it heere faire Oke to honour thee A woorthy Trophee though before mine Eies Lying disgrac't for teares they cannot see If it be Sure or if I dreame in vaine Spoil'd in this Meade with parching sunne and raine That gracious Nymph that gaue my hart the stroke In this greene Meade I sawe a heauenly prize And if I dreame not leaning to that Oke Nay Sure I did be hold her with mine Eies O that she had but seene me then againe Or that I had but seene or dream'd in vaine Thus as he made an end of his song gathering vp the freshest and sweetest flowers he could finde he adorned Dianas Bagpipe so finely with them that one would haue thought it had beene that Horne that Hercules tooke from Achelous transformed into a Bull the which the Naiades decked with plentie of coloured Apples and flowers whereupon it tooke the name Cornu copia or the Horne of plentie When he had done thus he hanged the Bagpipe vpon the Oke whereunto she had leaned and hard by it as afterwards they perceiued wrote these verses I am Dianes th' Arabian bird in beautie and in grace Let no man therefore once preseume to take me from this place Syrenus who of purpose it seemed would haue had Diana shew some loue to Firmius stept before his company and pulling Firmius by the lappe of his coate behinde for his backe was towards him said vnto him I will shew thee Shepherde a brauer and fresher bowe then this and more woorthy of this Trophee and which will perhaps giue thee more content then this Bagpipe and such a thing that shall be no lesse welcome to it then to thy selfe Firmius desired him to shew it him Then Syrenus pointing to Diana with his finger said vnto him Dost thou see it there Firmius was so altered with the sudden sight of faire Diana that though he would faine haue dissembled it neither the colour in his face nor the faintnes of his legs would giue him leaue to do it for that was gone and these were not able to support the bodie without great paine But in the end borrowing a little strength of his weaknes in the best sort he could he incouraged his hart to hide that which was so openly manifest and answered Syrenus There should be other Trophees of higher honour placed in this bowe By this time came the two Shepherdesses and Syluanus and saluted him but he was in such a case seeing Diana so neere him that he gaue no great heed to their salutations Whereupon Diana turning to Seluagia said This Shepherd should belike talke to none but to himselfe alone for in company me thinkes he hath no list to answere vs. You must needes be the cause thereof saide Seluagia for he neuer wanted talke for vs. Now as thou louest thy life said Diana aske him how he knew my name This I can tell thee said Seluagia without asking him For when thou threwest downe thy Bagpipe in this place talking with thy selfe thou didst name thy selfe which I know to be true for we our selues heard it and then she told her in what sort they saw her and how they found Firmius and what he then did and said when she was gone and told her moreouer that they had asked the same things of Firmius himselfe bicause in his song hee had many times named her If it be thus saide Diana he knowes more of my matters then I would he did But let vs heare what thy Syluanus sayeth vnto vs. We haue requested Firmius saide hee to sing heere a little and we can by no meanes entreate him but as I vnderstande by others and partely by mine owne coniecture that if thou wilt but speake the worde vnto him hee will doe it by and by There is no reason saide Diana by condescending to my requestes that hee should denie you yours But if you be not able to entreate him heere is Seluagia that can enforce him Indeed in thy beautie said Seluagia all the force and vertue that is sufficient to mooue greater matters then this doth consist But let vs leaue this do that I pray thee which my Syluanus requesteth thee Diana then looking vpon Firmius saide vnto him Vrged more by the importunate requestes of these Shepherdes then by any confidence of thy part or assurednes of mine owne I pray thee yoong Shepherd satisfie their desires Firmius comming neere to Diana said vnto her and so softly as they could not heare him As these Shepherdes are in a safe hauen so would they not by their wils but be euer singing and merrie but as I am continually in stormy tempestes and suffring shipwiacke for thy sake not knowing on what shelfe of disgrace my fortune will cast me would not be but euer weeping and sad But bicause I neither can nor will disobey thy will vnlesse it be in leauing of to serue thee which yet at thine own desire I can not do what shall please thee I will sing though it be with a hoarce voice like to the dying swanne diuining her ensuing death Thou art not so neere thy ende saide Diana that death should helpe thee I am so neere ended saide Firmius that I looke onely but for death I did neuer yet see any saide Diana die for this cause but with words and do beleeue besides there are not any such And speaking a little lowder bicause they might all heare with dissembling that which she had secretly spoken vnto him she saide Thou wouldest belike haue me tell thee Firmius and the rest that I am desirous to heare thee
sing and bicause thou art such a friend to wailing and sadnes it were not meete thou shouldst sing at my will and pleasure but to leaue it to thine own But yet let vs tune concord with these Shepherds and aske them what thou shalt sing Thou commest too late to agree and concord with vs now said Syrenus but bicause it pleaseth thee so entreat him to expresse by his song the cause of his sorrow and passions Let him sing what thou wilt saide Diana and what hee will bicause thou maist not say that I neuer knew how to consorme my selfe with thee Then did Firmius take his Rebecke and began to sing in manner following SHepherds giue eare and now be still Vnto my passions and their cause And what they be Since that with such an earnest will And such great signes of friendships lawes You aske it me It is not long since I was whole Nor since I did in euery part Sreewill resigne It is not long since in my sole Possession I did knowe my hart And to be mine It is not long since euen and morrow All pleasure that my hart could finde Was in my power It is not long since greefe and sorrow My louing hart began to binde And to deuoure It is not long since companie I did esteeme a ioy indeede Still to frequent Nor long since solitarily I liu'd and that this life did breede My sole content Desirous I wretched to see But thinking not to see so much As then I sawe Loue made me knowe in what degree His valour and braue force did touch Me with his lawe First he did put no more nor lesse Into my hart then he did view That there did want But when my brest in such excesse Of liuely flames to burne I knew Then were so scant My ioies that now did so abate My selfe estranged euery way From former rest That I did knowe that my estate And that my life was euery day In deathes arrest I put my hand into my side To see what was the cause of this Vnwonted vaine Where I did feele that torments hied By endlesse death to preiudice My life vvith paine Bicause I savve that there did vvant My hart wherein I did delight My deerest hart And he that did the same supplant No iurisdiction had of right To play that part The iudge and robber that remaine Within my soule their cause to trie Are there all one And so the giuer of the paine And he that is condemn'd to die Or I or none To die I care not any way Though without why to die I greeue As I doe see But for bicause I heard her say None die for loue for I beleeue None such there bee Then this thou shalt beleeue by mee Too late and without remedie As did in breefe Anaxarete and thou shalt see The little she did satisfie With after greefe The Shepherdes gaue a diligent eare to Firmius song to see if by the same hee would giue some light of the loue that he did beare to Diana but he was so vigilant to the contrarie that though hee reported the cause of his passion yet they could vnderstand no more then they did at the beginning It was needlesse for the three Shepherdes to know Firmius passion by hearing him sing who wished rather that he had manifested it by words that he might not afterwards denie it or to say better confesse it when any such speech shoulde bee offered thereof For whensoeuer they tolde him of it he spake of it so obscurely that hee neither confessed nor denied that he loued her And so to this intent he finely cloaked with Syrenus that Diana by his meanes should demand the cause of his sorrow thinking with himself that for any thing that might ensue being demanded by her he woulde not deny to manifest it vnto her But if he could haue concealed his loue as well by deedes as he did by wordes the Shepherds might haue beene as wise as at the first for euer knowing it But it fell not out so to Diana who vnderstood well by his last verse that all the rest were onely ment of her for it answered to the latter end of her speech when they both talked so secretly togither And so she made great account of Firmius for his wittie and short answer Euery one commended his singing and Diana as well for this and for that which he sung on the Baggepipe as also for that which he had spoken to Syrenus was somewhat enclined to like him thinking verie well of that which he had sung and spoken Considering besides that the trouble which the Shepherd felt being in her presence was no small cooling carde and a sharpe bridle to his toong For this feare which Diana cleerely perceiued was for her sake she soone tooke away bicause Firmius might be more accepted of her if there were at the lest any thing acceptable or pleasant to one that found her-selfe in so miserable an estate as she was But when the song was ended Diana said she would depart bicause she had staied there a great while and would go seeke out her husband Delius who would not willingly haue beene one moment out of her sight and companie Being determined therefore to depart Syrenus entreated her to take her Baggepipe againe with her if so it pleased her bicause none other should vnwoorthely enioy such a sweete Trophee as Firmius had made of it She tooke it bicause she thought thereby to shewe some especiall fauour to Firmius And taking it from the tree she said vnto it God knowes I do not carrie thee as a meane to ease or mittigate my passion and sorrow my intent being cleane contrarie for though I might seeke some fauour and helpe to sustaine them being so many as they are yet will I not aduantage me with any such remedy but I do take thee with me bicause those Shepherds might not haue an occasiō to blame me for discurtesie When she had spoken this she turned to them and asked them when they would depart who told her in the morning for now they had set all things in good order and durst not stay any longer bicause Felicia about that time would looke for their comming whom they had promised to returne assoone as they had set their flockes in good order and in the custodie of some faithfull Shepherdes Their departure greeued Diana not a little though she woulde not manifest so much but saide Since it is then so the Gods be fauourable vnto you and be your guides They thanked her againe and praied her not to sorget to looke to their affaires as they would be carefull for hers and charged her besides to thinke vpon Firmius and his busines and to supply his wants if in their absence he stoode in need of any thing And that the pleasures and fauours that she did him they would esteeme as much as if she had bestowed them on themselues since hee remained there to keepe and
his malladie Delius mother came thither with a heauie hart in great haste and found her sonne tormented with a burning feauer With much sorrow she lamented his case and did importune him to know the cause of his griefe but no other answer would he giue her but sob sigh and weepe The louing mother powring forth many a bitter teare said vnto him Oh my deere Son what an vnfortunate chance is this Hide not the secrets of thy hart from me behold I am thy mother and perhaps I knowe some part of them alreadie Thy wife told me last night that at the fountaine of the Sicamours thou didst forsake her running after I knowe not what vnknowne Shepherdesse tell me if thy greefe doth grow thereby and be not afraid nor ashamed to impart it to me for ill may that malladie be cured the cause and beginning whereof is vnknowne Oh sorrowfull Diana thou didst this day go to Felicias temple to learn some newes of thy husband and he was neerer to thy towne and weaker then thou wert aware of When Delius heard his mother speake these words he answered not a worde but gaue a great sigh and then redoubled his painefull agonie For before he complained onely of Loue but at these wordes with loue and iealousie he was most greeuouslie molested For when he remembred that thou Syrenus wert here in Felicias pallace and hearing that Diana was come hither fearing least her olde and mortified loue might be rekindled againe in her he fell into such a frantike madnes that being assaulted with two most fierce and cruell torments he ended his life in a furious traunce vnto the greatest greefe of his sorrowfull mother kinsefolkes and lamenting friends In very truth I could not chuse but be sorrowfull for his death knowing my selfe to be the chiefest cause of it but I coulde haue done no lesse for safegard of mine owne content and honor Onely one thing greeued me not a little that not contenting him with any comfortable deede I gaue him not at the least some gentle words whereby he might not then perhaps haue come to so sudden a death In the ende I came hither leauing the poore soule dead and his kinsfolkes weeping for him not knowing the cause of his death Thus haue I digressed yet to the purpose to make thee knowe what harme a cruell disdaine and forgetfulnes procureth and also bicause thou shouldest vnderstand of Dianas widowhood and consider with thy selfe if now it were good for thee to change thine intent since she hath changed her condition and estate But I maruell much that Diana departing from her towne yesterday as Delius mother saide to come to this place is not yet heere Syrenus gaue attentiue eare to Alcidas words and when hee heard of Delius death his hart began somewhat to alter and change There did the secret power also of sage Felicia worke extraordinary effects and though she was not present there yet with her herbes and wordes which were of great vertue and by many other supernaturall meanes she brought to passe that Syrenus began now againe to renewe his old loue to Diana which was no great maruell considering that by the influence of his celestiall constellation he was so much enclined to it that it seemed Syrenus was not borne but onely for Diana nor Diana but for Syrenus The prouident and most wise Ladie Felicia was now in her magnificent and rich pallace enuironed about with her chaste Nymphes working with soueraigne and secret verses the remedies and content of all these Louers And as she sawe by her diuine wisedome that by this time Montanus and Alcida being by their imaginations deceiued had now acknowledged their errours and that hard harted Syrenus had mollified his obstinate and rigorous disposition she thought it now high time vtterly to confound olde errours and to ease the long trauels and troubles of her guestes by exchanging them into ioyfull and vnexpected happines Going therefore out of her sumptuous pallace attended on by Dorida Cynthia Polydora and manie other goodly Nymphes she came to the delightfull garden where the Lordes Ladies Shepherds and Shepherdesses were The first that she saw there were Marcelius Don Felix Felismena Syluanus Seluagia Diana and Ismenia sitting in one of the corners of that little square meadow neere vnto the great gate as is aforesaide When they sawe the reuerend Lady comming towards them they all rose vp and kissed those hands in which they had placed their cheefest hope and remedies She courteously saluted them againe making a signe vnto them that they shoulde all follow her which most willingly they did Felicia attended on by this amorous traine crossing euery part of this great and pleasant garden came at the last to the other part of it to the fountaine where Eugerius Polydorus Alcida Clenarda Syrenus Arsileus Belisa Montanus were They all rose vp in honor of the sage Matron And when Alcida espied Marcelius Syrenus Diana and Montanus Ismenta they were all astonished at the sight one of another and verily thought they were in a dreame standing like enchaunted persons and not beleeuing their owne eies The wise Ladie commanding them all to sit downe againe and shewing by her countenance that she was to entreat of important affaires sat her downe in the middes of them all in a chaire of Iuorie grauen with gold and precious stones and spake in this sort Nowe is the hower come renowned and faire assemblie wherein with my hands I meane to giue you all your long desired and happie contentment for by diuers strange meanes and vntroden waies I haue made you come to my Palace for no other intent and purpose Since you are heere therefore altogither wel met where the matters and meanes of your happie loue and life to come must be determined my desire is that you would follow my will and obey my commands herein Thou art Alcida by the true testimonie and report of thy sister Clenarda cleerelie deliuered from the suspicion of thy deceiued imagination And I knew well enough that after thou hadst forsaken that cruell disdaine the absence of thy Marcelius did not a little greeue thee Come hither therefore and offer thy selfe vnto him for this absence shall not be long which hath rather beene so short that at that time when thou complainedst to me of it Marcelius was in my pallace Nowe thou hast him heere before thee as firme and stedfast in his first loue that if it pleased thee and thy Father brother and sister he would thinke himselfe the happiest man aliue to solemnize this desired marriage long since betrothed The which besides that it must needes cause great ioy and gladnes being betweene such principall and noble personages shall make it more perfect and absolute by reason of Felismena his sisters presence whom Marcelius after many yeeres past hath happely found out in my Palace Thou Montanus by Sylueria herselfe that betraied thee art rid from thy erronious opinion After which time thou
they thinke by any meanes to receiue it If I should tell thee faire Shepherdesse that I could helpe thy greefe what doth it auaile if the same will not giue thee leaue to beleeue me To tell thee that in thine owne iudgement and discretion thou dost help thy selfe I know thou hast it not so free that thou canst do it Of one thing yet good Shepherdesse thou maist be assured that there is no meanes in the whole world to rid thee from this painfull life which I would not giue then if it lay in my power And if this good will deserueth any thing at all I beseech thee for their sakes that are heete present and for mine owne to tell vs the cause of thy greefe because there are some in this companie that haue as great neede of remedie and whom loue hath driuen to so narrow a streight that if Fortune do not succour them the sooner I knowe not what will become of their liues The Shepherdesse hearing Doria speake these wordes came out of her melancholie cell and taking her by the hand carried her vnto a fountaine in a little greene meadowe not farre off Whither the Nymphes and Shepherdes went after them and about the same sat them downe altogither when golden Phoebus had made an end of his diurnall course and siluer Diana began hers with such brightnes as if it had beene midday Where being in such sort as you haue heard the faire Shepherdesse began to tell this which followeth AT that time faire Nymphes of the chaste Goddesse when I was free from loue I heard once a certaine thing the experience whereof did afterwardes beguile me finding it cleane contrarie to that which I heard reported For it was tolde me that there was no kind of greefe but by telling it was some lighting ease to her that did suffer it I finde that there is not any thing that more augments my mishap then to call it to memorie and tell it her that is free from the like For if I thought otherwise I durst not beleeue me recount vnto you the historie of my annoies But because it is true that the telling of it to you shall be no cause of comfort to my balefull soule which are the two causes most abhorred of me giue eare and you shall heare the most strange and haples accidents that euer fell in loue Not farre from this valley towards that part where the sunne doth set there is a village in the middes of a forrest neere to two riuers which with their currants do water and giue life to the greene trees whose shadowed bowes are so delightfull and thicke togither that one house may hardly be discerned from another Euerie one of them hath their limits rounde about them where the gardens in sommer time are decked with fragrant flowers besides the aboūdance of pleasant orchards which are there naturally brought foorth though helped by the industrie of them which in great Spaine are called Freemen by reason of the antiquity of their houses linage In this place was the vnfortunate Belisa borne for this name I tooke from the funt where I would to God I had left and lost my life Heere liued also a certaine Shepherd one of the chiefest for birth and riches that was in all that countrey called Arsenius and married to the fairest Shepherdesse in all her time but vntimely death because her destinies woulde haue it so or else for auoyding some other inconuenience that her beautie might haue caused did within a fewe yeeres after she was married cut asunder her vital thred The greefe that Arsenius felt for the death of his beloued Florida was so extreme that he was almost in danger of loosing his life the which yet he preserued by the comfort of a sonne she left behinde her called Arsileus whose beautie and comely feature so farre excelled others that they matched the gifts so highly commended and descended to him from Florida his mother And yet did Arsenius for the losse of her leade the most sorrowfull and desolate life that might be But seeing his Sonne in sufficient yeeres to set him to some vertuous exercise knowing That idlenes in boyes was the curse of vices and an enimie to vertue he determined to sende him to the famous Academie of Salamanca with intent to haue him learne those sciences which make men mount vppe to higher degrees then men and so sent him thither indeede But fifteene yeeres being nowe past since the death of his mother it fell out that I going on a daie with others of our neighbours daughters to the market kept in a prettie towne not farre from ours vnfortunate Arsenius to his owne harme and alas to mine and to the preiudice of his haplesse sonne by chance espied me This sight kindled an extreme kinde of loue in him as it appeered afterwardes by the strange effects he shewed for he endeuoured to make me know it sometimes in the fielde as I was going to carrie the Shepherds their dinner sometimes againe as I was going to the riuer to rince my clothes and somtimes for water to the fountaine where he neuer missed of purpose to meete me But I that was till then but a nouice in matters of loue although by heare-saie I vnderstoode some of his disordinate effects sometimes dissembled the matter as though I vnderstoode not his meaning and sometimes made but a mocke of them and was angry to see him so importunate and earnest But my wordes were not able to defende my selfe from his continuall suites nor the great loue he bare me suffered him to leaue of to woe me more and more And in this sort I passed away more then fower yeeres in which space he left not of his fond attempt nor I to resolue with my selfe to giue him the lest fauour in the worlde About this time came his haplesse sonne Arsileus from his studie who amongst other sciences that he had studied was so brauely seene in Poetrie and Musicke that he excelled all others in his time His father tooke such exceeding ioy in him that he could neuer be out of his sight and not without great reason bicause Arsileus was such an one indeed that he deserued to be beloued not onely of his father whom nature constrained to loue as his sonne but of euery one else in the worlde And so in our towne he was so much esteemed and regarded of the cheefest and vulgar sort that they talked amongst themselues of no other thing then of the great wisedome graces gentilitie and many other good parts more which beautified the flourishing prime of his youth Arsenius was so secret to his sonne that by no meanes he would let him vnderstand any thing touching his loue whom although Arsileus had seene on a day very sad yet he durst not aske him the cause of his heauines but rather thought those passions to be the reliques of that sorrow which yet for the vntimely death of his faire mother remained in his
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
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
beleeue that which from thy very thoughts and affection thou dost tell me I imagine oftentimes that as thou supposest that I loue thee not by louing thee more then my selfe so must thou thinke that thou louest me by hating me Behold Syrenus how time hath dealt better with thee then thou didst imagine at the beginning of our loues with safetie yet of mine honour which owes thee all that it may wherein is not any thing that I would not doe for thy sake beseeching thee as much as I may not to trouble thy minde with iealousie and suspicions bicause thou knowest how few escape out of their hands with safetie of life which God giue thee with all the content that I wish thee Is this a letter saide Syrenus sighing to make one thinke that obliuion could enter into that hart from whence such wordes came foorth And are these wordes to be passed so slightly out of memorie And that she then spake them and now forget me O sorrowfull man with what great content did I reade this letter when my Mistresse had sent it me and how many times in the same hower did I reade it ouer againe But for euery pleasure then with seuen folde paine I am now apaide and fortune could doe no lesse with me then to make me fall from one extreme to another For it had ill beseemed her with partiall hand to exempt me from that which to all others she is commonly wont to doe About this time from the hill beneath that led from the village to the greene medowe Syrenus might perceiue a Shepherd comming downe pace by pace and staying awhile at euery step sometimes looking vp to heauen and sometimes casting his eies vpon the greene medow and faire riuer bankes which from aloft he might easily view and discouer the thing which more augmented his sorrow seeing the place where the beginning and roote of his mishap did first growe Syrenus knew him by and by and looking towardes the place from whence he came saide Vnfortunate Shepherd though not halfe so much as I am that art a corriuall with me in Dianas loue to what end haue thy bootelesse suites serued thee and the disdaine that this cruell Shepherdesse hath done thee but to put them all on my score But if thou hadst knowen that the finall summe of all thy paines should haue bene like to mine what greater fauour hadst thou found at fortunes hands by preseruing thee still in this haplesse estate of life then by throwing me headlong downe from it when I did lest suspect it But now despised Syluanus tooke out his bagpipe and playing on it a little with great sorrow and greefe did sing these verses following I Am a louer but was neuer loued Well haue I lou'd and will though hated euer Troubles I passe but neuer any mooued Sighes haue I giuen and yet she heard me neuer I would complaine and she would neuer heare me And flie from loue but it is euer neere me Obliuion onely blamelesse doth beset me For that remembreth neuer to forget me For euery ill one semblant I doe beare still To day not sad nor yesterday contented To looke behinde or go before I feare still All things to passe alike I haue consented I am besides my selfe like him that daunceth And mooues his feete at euery sound that chaunceth And so all like a senselesse foole disdaines me But this is nothing to the greefe that paines me The night to certaine louers is a trouble When in the day some good they are attending And other some doe hope to gaine some double Pleasure by night and wish the day were ending With that that greeueth some some others ease them And all do follow that that best doth please them But for the day with teares I am a crying Which being come for night I am a dying Of Cupid to complaine who euer craue it In waues he writes and to the windes he crieth Or seeketh helpe of him that neuer gaue it For he at last thy paines and thee defieth Come but to him some good aduise to lend thee To thousand od conceits he will commend thee What thing is then this loue It is a science That sets both proofe and study at defiance My Mistresse loued her Syrenus deerely And scorned me whose loues yet I auouched Left to my greefe for good I held it cleerely Though narrowly my life and soule it touched Had I but had a heauen as he once shining Loue would I blame if it had bene declining But loue did take no good from me he sent me For how can loue take that he neuer lent me Loue 's not a thing that any may procure it Loue 's not a thing that may be bought for treasure Loue 's not a thing that comes when any lure it Loue 's not a thing that may be found at pâ—…re For if it be not borne with thee refraine it To thinke thou must be borne anew to gaine it Then since that loue shuns force and doth disclame it The scorned louer hath no cause to blame it Syrenus was not idle when Syluanus was singing these verses for with his sighes he answered the last accents of his wordes and with his teares did solemnize that which he conceiued by them The disdained Shepherd after he had ended his song began to reuolue in his minde the small regarde he had of himselfe and how for the loue of his cruell Mistresse Diana he had neglected all his busines and flockes and yet he reckoned all this but small He considered that his seruice was without hope of recompence a great occasion to make him that hath but small firmnesse easily cut off the way of his loue But his constancie was so great that being put in the middes of all the causes which he had to forget her who neuer thought of him with his owne safetie he came so easily out of them and so cleerely without preiudice to the sincere loue which he bare his Shepherdesse that without any feare he neuer committed any ignorance that might turne to the hurt or hinderance of his faith But when he sawe Syrenus at the fountaine he woondred to see him so sad not that he was ignorant of the cause of his sorrow but bicause he thought that if he had tasted but the lest fauour that Syrenus had sometimes receiued at Dianas handes such a contentment had bene ynough for him all his life time He came vnto him and imbraced him and with many teares on both sides they sat them downe vpon the greene grasse Syluanus beginning to speake in this sort God forbid Syrenus that for the cause of my mishap or at the lest for the small remedie thereof I should take delight or reuenge in thine which though at mine owne pleasure I might well doe yet the great loue which I beare to my Mistresse Diana woulde neuer consent thereunto nor suffer me to goe against that which with such good will and liking she had sometimes fauoured
Alanius ALthough my quiet it doth let Rather then blame discredit me For God forbid that I forget Let me with wrong forgotten be Not onely where obliuion raineth There is no loue nor can be none Nay where there is suspicion There is no loue but such as faineth Great harme it is to loue where set In bootelesse hopes the minde they free But God defend that I forget Forgotten though a iest it bee If that I loue why then loue I To sport or leaue to loue at all For what more honor can befall Then die for that for which I die To liue therefore and to forget Is such a shamefull life I see That I had rather loue one yet Forgotten though to death I bee When I had made an ende of my song the Shepherdes teares but those especially of faire Ismenia were so many that of force they made me participate some of her greefe which thing I might well haue left vndone for no fault could iustly haue bene attributed to my great mishap as to all those that were there it was sufficiently knowen After this euery one of vs went to their owne towne bicause it was not meete for vs to be out of them at such inconuenient and late howers And the next day my father without telling me the cause why caried me out of our towne and brought me to yours placing me there in the house of Albania mine aunt and his sister whom you knowe well where I haue remained a few daies since my comming hither not knowing the cause of my sudden exile but haue heard of late that Montanus hath married Ismenia and that Alanius was about to marrie a sister of hers called Syluia whereupon to conclude I wish that he may liue since it was not my good fortune to haue him as ioyfull a life with his new spouse that nothing may want to the full accomplishment of their content and happinesse For the loue which I beare him will suffer me no lesse then to wish him all the felicitie of this life When Seluagia had made an end of her sorrowfull tale she began to weepe so bitterly that both the Shepherdes being a kinde of friendly dutie wherein they had no small experience began also to helpe her with their teares and after hauing spent a little time in this sort Syrenus saide vnto her Great is thy greefe faire Seluagia and yet I iudge thy patience and discretion greater Take example by other mens harmes looke into their paines consider their woes if thou wilt the better support thine owne And bicause it growes now towardes night let vs be iogging towardes our towne and to morrow passe away the heate of the day neere to this cleere fountaine where we will all three meete Let it be as thou saiest said Seluagia but bicause betweene this and the towne there is a pretie way let euery one of vs to passe it away with some thing sing a song befitting the condition and qualitie of his loue The Shepherdes answered if she would begin they would follow which Seluagia did all three going on softly towardes the towne SHepherd who can passe such wrong And a life in woes so deepe Which to liue is to too long As it is too short to weepe Greeuous sighes in vaine I waste Leesing my affiance and I perceiue my hope at last With a candle in the hand What time then to hope among Bitter hopes that euer sleepe When this life is to too long As it is too short to weepe This greefe which I feele so rife Wretch I doe deserue as hire Since I came to put my life In the handes of my desire Then cease not my plaints so strong For though life her course doth keepe It is not to liue so long As it is too short to weepe With a burning sigh that came from her afflicted soule Seluagia ended her song saying How vnfortunate alas am I that see my selfe buried in iealousie despaire which cannot in the end but bring my life to no other passe then to that which is infallibly expected of them After this forgotten Syrenus to the tune of his Rebecke began to sing this song following WEepe not my dolefull eies But if you weepe thinke at the lest They tolde no trueth but lies And then it may be you may rest Since that imagination Doth cause so much in euery state Thinke that she loues thee as of late And thou shalt haue lesse passion And if you will mine eies Haue ease imagine then the best And that they told you lies And so perhaps you may haue rest Thinke that she loues as well As euer she did heretofore But this sad men caunot restore To thinke what once befell Then mournfull eies where lies Your helpe Yet thinke of some at lest If not weepe still mine eies Or make an end and you shall rest After that sorrowfull Syrenus with many teares had made an end of his song despised Syluanus began his thus MY life yoong Shepherdesse for thee Of needes to death must post But yet my greefe must stay with mee After my life is lost The greeuous ill by death that cured is Continually hath remedie at hand But not that torment that is like to this That in slowe time and fortunes meanes doth stand And if this sorrow cannot be Ended with life as most What then doth this thing profit me A sorrow wonne or lost Yet all is one to me as now I trie A flattring hope or that that had not bene yet For if to day for want of it I die Next day I doe no lesse for hauing seene it Faine would I die to end and free This greefe that kils me most If that it might be lost with me Or die when life is lost And in this sort the two Shepherdes went homewardes in companie of Seluagia departing from one another with accorde to meete the next day following at the same place The end of the first booke of Diana The second Booke of Diana of George of Montemayor NOw did the Shepherdes which fed their sheepe in the fieldes of Ezla begin to shew themselues euery one with his flockes along the bankes of those cristalline waters each Shepherde knowing choosing out the best place before the Sun did rise the better to passe away the burning heate of the day when the faire Shepherdesse Seluagia came down from the hil which frō her towne did leade to a thick wood driuing her gentle sheepe and lambes before her who after she had put them amongst the lowe shrubs which grew very thicke thereabouts and seeing them busie in knobbing the yoong and tender boughes to stanch their hunger went directly to the fountaine of the Sicamours where the day before in companie of the two Shepherds she had passed away the noone-tide heate and seeing the place so agreeable to melancholie and contemplation of her sorrowes she thought it not amisse to take the opportunitie of the time and place and to sit downe
thorow the valley In the middes of that moate was an Iland wherein grew some greene trees amongst the which stoode a Sheepe-cote and about the same a flocke of sheepe went seeding of the greene and tender grasse The Nymphes thinking this a fit place to passe away the night which was neere at hand vpon a fine causey of stones most artificiallie as it seemed laide in order they passed all ouer into the iland and went directly to the cote which they sawe before them But Polydora going in first for she was a little before the rest was scarce entred in when she came foorth as fast againe and looking towards her companie did put her singer vpon her mouth in token that they should come softly on without any noise which the Nymphes the Shepherdes perceiuing with the least they could came into the cote and looking into it espied a bed in a corner not made of any other thing then of the greene bowes of those Sicamours that were growing about it and of the greene grasse that did growe about the water brinkes Vpon the which they sawe a Shepherdesse lying a sleepe whose beautie stroke them with no lesse admiration then if on a sudden they had seene faire Diana before their eies She had on a light skie coloured petticoate and vnder that a gorget of so passing fine net-worke that they might at pleasure behold the delicate proportion of her snow white brest and comely feature of her euen body for the vpper part being of the same colour with the rest hung so loose about her that they might take a perfect view of her fine and daintie waste Her yellowe haire in brightnes surpassing the sunnie beames were loose and hanging downe without any order But neuer did frizeling and adorned periwigge of any Lady in stately court beautifie in such sort as the carelesse disorder that these had and her white legge being bare by the negligence of her harmelesse sleepe laie seemely out of her petticoate but not so much that the lookers on might perceiue any part but what with modestie they might well beholde And by manie teares that sleeping yet went trickling downe her faire and rosie cheekes her sleepe it seemed should not hinder her sorrowfull imaginations The Nymphes and Shepherds were so amazed at her beautie and at her inward sorrow which by outward signes they well coniectured did trouble her waking soule that they knew not what to saie but were forced to shed teares for pittie of those which they sawe the Shepherdesse powre foorth who as with pittie and admiration they were looking on her turned her on the other side and with a greeuous sigh fetch 't from the bottome of her hart saide thus to her selfe How vnfortunate art thou Belisa that thy greefe consisteth in no other thing but in that thy life is of so small value that it is not able to pay those things with extinction thereof which by thine owne occasion are destroyed and lost And then with a sudden sursault she awaked in such sort that the end of her daies it seemed was neere at hand But when she sawe the three Nymphes and two such faire Shepherdesses with two Shepherds she was so amazed that it was a good while before she came to her selfe againe who at last lifting vp her eies to looke on them againe without stopping her teares which continually she powred out or putting silence to her burning sighes which her afflicted hart sent foorth began to speake in this sort Howe great a comfort to so comfortles a sonle as mine is should it be if I were assured that none by worde nor deede woulde endeuour to giue me any at all bicause the great reson that I haue faire Nymphes to liue enwrapped in such sadnes as I doe hath put such a kinde of emnitie betweene me and the consolation of my greefe that if I thought at any time to enioy it I would my selfe be the authour of mine owne death Whereat maruell not faire Nymphes or that I woulde seeke to preuent me of this remedie since there is no other that can greeue me more then this your sudden sight and comming to this vncouth cote a place selected out and fit for no other thing but to bewaile remedilesse greefes Wherefore let it be a warning to those that are attending their torments to go quickly out of this place bicause the misfortunes of loue haue stopped vp the waies in such sort that they neuer let any hope of comfort or remedie enter in But what hap hath ledde such a faire companie to this place where nothing is that yeelds content What is it thinke you that makes the greene grasse of this iland growe and the waters that encompasse it rounde about to encrease but my ceasles teares What is it that moues the trees of this faire valley but the voice of my piteous outcries and the violent breath of my sorrowfull sighes which filling the aire do execute that office for it which for it selfe it cannot do Why do the pretie birdes sing among these springes when golden Phoebus is in all his force but to helpe to lament and bewaile my mishaps Wherefore is it that the timerous wilde beastes come foorth to the greene meadowe but to heare my continuall plaints I pray God your fortune hath not brought you faire Nymphes to this place to that end that mine hath bicause nature according to the sorrowfull life that I doe passe in it hath for no other thing it seemes framed it but for those that are troubled with the incurable malladies of loue therein to passe away their sorrowfull liues If any of you therefore be in this extremitie let her passe on no farther if not let her go quickly from hence againe least by staying heere long she be forced by the nature and qualitie of the place The faire Shepherdesse spake these words with so many teares that there was not any amongst them that coulde staie theirs They were all amazed to see the spirit gesture and countenance wherewith she spake them for they came as it appeered from the verie center of her painfull soule And she coulde do no lesse then this because the sorrowfull successe of her loue did take away all manner of suspicion that that greefe which so extremely she shewed was either counterfaite or fained But faire Doria spake thus vnto her What is the cause faire Shepherdesse that hath driuen thy beautie to these extremities What greefe so strange coulde loue make an occasion of so manie teares accompanied with so sole and solitarie a life as thou dost leade in this place But what do I aske when seeing thee to complaine of loue thou tellest me more then I am able to aske thee It was thy desire when we came hether to be assured that none of vs would offer thee any comfort wherein I cannot blame thee since it is the propertie of sorrowfull soules not onely to abhorre comfort but to flie from them by whom
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
for the benefits she had receiued by his meanes and for the gentle entertainment she had in his Castle And willing to shew her selfe as liberall and thankefull as the rest she sent him a sweete Cypresse chest finely wrought and carued for a present and within it most curious and costly white garmentes for his owne person The valiant Gouernor accepting the presents with great thankes to them that sent them gaue the horses targets and launces incontinently amongest the gentlemen that did accompanie him that night in the skirmish taking the best of each and also the Cyprsse chest with that which faire Xarifa had sent him for himselfe and returning the fower thousand double peeces to the messenger againe he saide vnto him Tell thy Lady Xarifa that I receiue the Duckets for her husbandes raunsome and to doe her seruice sende them backe againe towardes the charges of her marriage and that for her friendship and sweete sake I woulde change all the interests that I haue in the world in lieue that she would make an account of this Castell as her owne and her husbandes also The messenger returned backe to Coyn where he was well receiued and the liberalitie of the noble Captaine of euery one highly commended whose linage doth continue in flourishing estate to this day in Antiquera equiualent in Heroicall and Martiall deedes with the first originall from whence they are descended The historie being ended Felicia did commend the grace and good wordes wherewith faire Felismena did tell it and so did all the rest that were preient who taking their leaue of the sage Lady went all to take their rest The end of the fourth booke The fifth Booke of Diana of George of Montemayor THe next day in the morning the Lady Felicia rose vp and went to Felismenas chamber whom she found not with few teares newly making an end of apparelling her-selfe thinking euery hower she staied there a thousand yeeres And the sage Lady taking her by the hande they went into a gallerie that looked into a garden where they had supped the night before and hauing asked her the cause of her teares and giuing her som comfort and assured hope that her greefes should haue such an end as she her-selfe desired she saide vnto her There is nothing in the world more ready to take her life away whom I loue well then with incertaine hope to depriue her of the remedie of her greefe for there is not an hower that seemes not so long vnto her liuing in this sort as she thinkes the howers of her life short and speedie Because therefore my desire is to fulfill thine and after some fewe troubles to haue thee obtaine the sweet content and rest that Fortune hath promised thee thou shalt depart from thine owne house heere in the same habite that thou camest when thou didst defend my Nymphes from the force and violence of the brutish and cruell Sauages assuring thee besides that when my helpe and fauour may stande thee in steede vnsent for thou shalt alwaies haue it So that thy departure faire Felismena must be presently trust in God that thy desire shall haue a happie end For if I knew it to be otherwise thou maist well thinke I woulde not be without other remedies to make thee forget these thoughts as I haue done to many other Louers more Felismena was glad to heare the graue Ladies wordes to whom she replied thus I know not howe with words discreete Lady I may giue you condigne thankes nor with what deeds and humble seruice make any part of satisfaction of this infinite fauour which I receiue at your Ladiships hands God grant I may liue so long that by proofe your Ladishippe may know the great desire I haue to do you all the seruice I may That which your Ladiship commands me to do I will presently go about which cannot but haue good successe being directed by her counsell that can in euery thing giue the best The sage Lady embraced her saying I hope to see thee faire Felismena in this house more loyfull and contented then now thou art And bicause the two Shepherdes and Shepherdesses are staying for vs it is reason that I go to giue them also some remedy for their sorrowes that need it so much Wherefore both of them going out of the hall and finding Syrenus and Syluanus Seluagia and Belisa attending their comming the Lady Felicia saide to Felismena Entertaine this company faire Lady while I come hither againe and going into a chamber it was not long before she came out againe with two cruets of fine cristall in either hande the feete of them being of beaten golde and curiously wrought and enameled And comming to Syrenus she saide vnto him If there were any other remedy for thy greefe forgotten Shepherd but this I woulde with all possible diligence haue sought it out but because thou canst not now enioy her who loued thee once so well without anothers death which is onely in the handes of God of necessitie then thou must embrace another remedie to auoide the desire of an impossible thing And take thou faire Seluagia and despised Syluanus this glasse wherein you shall finde a soueraine remedie for all your sorrowes past present and a beginning of a ioyfull and contented life whereof you do now so little imagine And taking the cristall cruet which she helde in her left hande she gaue it to Syrenus and badde him drinke and Syrenus did so and Syluanus and Seluagia drunke off the other betweene them and in that instant they fell all downe to the ground in a deepe sleepe which made Felismena and Belisa not a little to woonder to whom the sage Ladie said Discomfort not thy selfe Belisa for I hope in time to see thee as glad as euer any was after their many sorrowes and paines And vntill thy angrie fortune be not pleased to giue thee a needfull remedy for thy great greefes my pleasure is that thou still remaine heere in my companie The Shepherdesse woulde haue kissed her hands at these words but Felicia did not let her but did rather imbrace her shewing how greatly she loued her But Felismena standing halfe amazed at the deepe sleepe of the Shepherdes saide to Felicia If the ease of these Shepherds good Ladie consisteth in sleeping me thinkes they haue it in so ample sort that they may liue the most quiet life in the worlde Woonder not at this saide Felicia for the water they drunke hath such force that as long as I will they shall sleepe so strongly that none may be able to awake them And because thou maist see whether it be so or no call one of them as loude as thou canst Felismena then came to Syluanus and pulling him by the arme began to call him aloud which did profite her as little as if she had spoken to a dead body and so it was with Syrenus and Seluagia whereat Felismena maruelled very much And then Felicia saide vnto her
affection and tendernes as if a thousand yeeres had bin past since their loues had first begon between them And that day they all taried there with as great ioy and pleasure as by such a new commenced loue might be imagined vntil the next day in the morning when the two Shepherds and the Shepherdesse taking their leaue of the sage Ladie Felicia and of Felismena and Belisa and likewise of all the Nymphes with great ioy returned to their villages whither they came the verie same day And faire Felismena who had that day put on againe her Shepherdesses weeds taking her leaue of the sage Ladie and being particularly and well aduised what to doe with many teares embraced her and accompanied of all those Nymphes went forth into the great Court before the Palace gate where embracing euerie one by her selfe shee went that way that they did direct her Felismena went not alone neither did her imaginations giue her leaue so to do for on the one side she went thinking of that which the wise Ladie had told her and considering on the other what little hap and lesse successe she had yet in her loue which made her doubt of her future happines With these contrarieties of thoughts did she go warring in her minde which though on the one side they made her wearie yet on the other they did entertaine her with their company so that in the meane time she forgot her solitarie and painefull way She had not trauelled far in the mids of a faire valley when towardes the west part therof she espied a far off a Shepherds coat which at the entrance of a green wood stood amongst many high Okes and inuited thither by her importunate hunger and wearines and also bicause the heate of the day began to come on so fast that shee was forced to passe it away vnder the shadow of those braunchie trees she bended her steps directly towards it Comming to the coate she heard how a Shepherd said vnto a Shepherdesse that sat neere vnto him these wordes Entreate me not good Amarillis to sing since thou knowest what great causes I haue to sigh and weepe all the dayes whilest my languishing soule shall not forsake this wearied and fainte bodie For though musicke is no small meanes to encrease his melancholie that is euer sadde and pensiue as his ioye and mirthe whoe liues a merry life yet my greefe is not of such a qualitie that by any humane arte or industrie may be increased or diminished Heere hast thou thy baggepipe play and sing faire Shepherdesse for well maist thou do it hauing thy hart as free as thy wil exempt from the bondage of loue Then the Shepherdesse answered him againe Be not such a niggard of thy skill Arsileus which the heauens and nature haue so bountifully bestowed on thee for she that doth aske it at thy hands will not denie to pleasure thee in any thing she may Sing if it be possible that song which at the request of Argastus thou didst make in the name of thy father Arsenius when for hir loue you both serued and sued to the faire Shepherdesse Belisa Thy condition is strange Amarillis saide the Shepherd againe still demanding that of me which doth least of all content me What shall I do for perforce I must please thee and yet not perforce since he were very discourteous to say the truth that would not of his own accord do thee any seruice he could But now thou seest how my ill fortune doth euer narrowly pursue me when I woulde faine take some small respite and ease from my greeuous thoughts And seeing the great reason I haue Amarillis to burst out in continuall lamentations and teares why dost thou then command me to sing What pleasure dost thou take to offende the occasions of my sorrowe I pray God thou maist neuer haue the like to feele the greefe that I do bicause Fortune might not so greatly to thy cost informe thee of my paine Thou knowest well enough I haue lost my Belisa and that I liue without hope of her recouerie Why dost thou then commaund me to sing But since I will not haue thee conceiue an opinion of me to be discourteous for it was neuer my manner and condition to be accounted so amongst faire Shepherdesses to whom we Shepherdes and my selfe especially for my Belisas sake owe all respect of loue and dutie and are so much beholding I will endeuour though most against my minde to content thee Whereupon taking vp his Rebecke that lay hard by him he began to tune it and doe that which the Shepherdesse requested him Felismena that was listening to their talke might heare very well what speeches passed betweene them And when she sawe they talked of Arsenius and Arsileus seruants to faire Belisa both which she tooke to be long since dead as Belisa had told not only her but the Nymphes also the Shepherds when they found her in the Shepherds coat in the Iland she verily thought that all that she heard and sawe there was but a meere dreame or some fantastick illusion But giuing attentiue eare she perceiued how the Shepherd began to touch his Rebecke so diuinely that she thought it to be some celestiall musicke who hauing plaide on it a little with a more heauenly then humane voice began to sing this song following O Vainiest hopes Alas how many Daies Haue I beene bondslaue to a braue Deceite And how in vaine haue these two wearied Eies With show'rs of teares watred this pleasant Vale Appaid I am of cruell Loue and Fortune And knowe not yet whereof I doe Complaine No small harmes I must passe smce I Complaine For to endure framed are all my Daies The traunces and deceites of Loue and Fortune But whence Complaine I of a braue Deceite Of such a Shepher desse within this Vale On whom to my great harme I cast mine Eies Yet am I much beholding to my Eies Although with greefe of them I doe Complaine Since by their meanes I sawe within this Vale The fairest thing which neuer in my Daies I thought to see And this is no Deceite In proofe whereof aske it of Loue and Fortune Though on the other side instable Fortune And time occasion and my dolefull Eies And not suspecting this most braue Deceite Caus'd all the ill whereof I doe Complaine And so I thinke to end my wofull Daies Counting my greefes and passions to this Vale. If that the riuer hill the meade and Vale Earth heauen and fate and cruell Loue and Fortune The howers and the moments yeeres and Daies My soule my hart and these two wearied Eies Doe aggrauate my greefe when I Complaine Who then can say I liue by fond Deceite Deceiu'd I was but this was no Deceite For that I haue beheld within this Vale So rare perfection I doe not Complaine But to behold how Loue and cruell Fortune Would signifie vnto these wearied Eies That there should come a helpe after some Daies
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
cause that I loued him well whose sight I euer enioyed before mine eies But Syluanus turning his eies to her saide This debt I shoulde with great reason my life requite if it were such a thing that might with life bee paied which God grant thee saide Seluagia since without the same mine shoulde be woorse then a continuall death Syrenus seeing the amorous words on both sides with a smiling countenance saide vnto them It is well that euery one can so well acquite himselfe for his good turne done him that the one will neither be in debt nor the other haue any indebted to him and yet in mine owne opinion it is better that you reioyce so much and so louingly entreate of your amorous affections my selfe not being a thirde in them With these and other speeches the newe Louers and carelesse Syrenus passed away the time and length of the way which they made an end of about sunne set And before they came to the fountaine of the Sicamours they heard a voice of a Shepherdesse sweetely singing whom they knew by and by for Syluanus hearing her saide vnto them This is Diana doubtlesse that singes at the fountaine of the Sicamours It is she indeede said Seluagia Let vs go behinde these Myrtle trees neere vnto her bicause we may heare her the better Agreed saide Syrenus although the time hath beene when her musicke and sight delighted me more then now But all three going into the thicket of Myrtle trees and bicause it was about the going down of the Sunne they sawe faire Diana neere to the fountaine shining with such surpassing beautie that they stoode as men that had neuer seene her before amazed and in a woonder Her haire hung downe loose from her head behinde and gathered vp with a carnation stringe which parted them in the middes her eies were fixed on the ground and somtimes looking into the cleere fountaine and wiping away some teares that nowe and then trickled downe her beautifull cheekes she sung this Dittie WHen that I poore soule was borne I was borne vnfortunate Presently the Fates had sworne To foretell my haplesse state Titan his faire beames did hide Phoebe ' clips'd her siluer light In my birth my mother dide Yong and faire in heauie plight And the nurse that gaue me sucke Haplesse was in all her life And I neuer had good lucke Being maide or married wife I lou'd well and was belou'd And forgetting was forgot This a haplesse marriage mou'd Greeuing that it kils me not With the earth would I were wed Then in such a graue of woes Daily to be buried Which no end nor number knowes Yong my father married me Forc't by my obedience Syrenus thy faith and thee I forgot without offence Which contempt I pay so far Neuer like was paide so much Iealousies doe make me war But without a cause of such I doe goe with iealous eies To my foldes and to my sheepe And with iealousie I rise When the day begins to peepe At his table I doe eate In his bed with him I lie But I take no rest nor meate Without cruell iealousie If I aske him what he ailes And whereof he iealous is In his answere then he failes Nothing can he say to this In his face there is no cheere But he euer hangs the head In each corner he doth peere And his speech is sad and dead Ill the poore soule liues ywisse That so hardly married is The time was once when Dianas teares and dolefull song and the sorrow that by her sadde lookes she expressed might haue so much mooued Syrenus hart as put the Shepherdes life in such danger that all other remedies but onely proceeding from the same had beene impossible to haue helpt it whose eies and hart since now they were deliuered out of that dangerous prison tooke no delight to beholde Diana nor greeued at her sorrowfull lamentations And the Shepherd Syluanus had lesse cause in his minde to be condolent for any greefe that Diana had considering she neuer had the smallest regard of the greatest woes which he passed for her sake Onely Seluagia helped her with her teares fearefull by the fall of her ioy of her own fortune whereupon she said to Syrenus There is no perfection beautie nor fauour in natures gift which she hath not liberally bestowed on Diana bicause her beautie is peerelesse her wit and discretion admired her good graces excellent and all other her commendable parts which a Shepherdesse should haue not to be seconded since in the lest of them that made her such a woonder in our age there was neuer any yet that excelled her Onlie one thing she wanted which I euer suspected and feared and this was her good Fortune which woulde neuer accompanie her to haue made her liue a contented and ioyfull life which to speake the truth she euer well deserued She that so vniustly hath taken it from so many saide Syrenus by great reason should not enioy such a happie estate which I speake not that I am not sorrie to see this Shepherdesse so sorrowful but for the great reason I haue not to wish her any content at all Saie not so said Seluagia for I cannot thinke that Diana hath offended thee in any thing What offence did she by marrying compelled thereunto by the constraint of her parents and kinsfolkes and not by her owne will And after she was married what could she do hauing due regarde to her honor and honestie but forget thee Truly Syrenus thou shouldest haue greater cause to complaine of Diana then I haue heard thee hitherto alledge In truth Syrenus saide Syluanus Seluagia hath so great reason for that she saith that none can well disprooue it And if there be any that of ingratitude can iustly accuse her it is I who loued her more then my selfe she requiting it so ill againe and with such cruell contempt as thou knowest well enough Seluagia casting an amorous eie vpon him saide But thou didst not deserue my beloued Shepherd to be so ill entreated since there is no Shepherdesse in the worlde that may not thinke her-selfe blest to enioy thy happy loue About this time Diana perceiued that their talke was of her for the Shepherds were so loude that she might heare them very well Wherfore rising vp and looking among the Myrtle trees she knew the Shepherdes and the Shepherdesse that was sitting betweene them Who perceiuing that she had espied them came to her and curteously saluted her and she them againe with a good grace and countenance asking them where they had beene so long a time Whom they answered with another kinde of wordes and countenance then they were wont to do which seemed so strange to Diana that though she tooke no care for any of their loues yet in the end it greeued her to see them so much altered from that they were wont to be and especially when she perceiued what great ioy Syluanus tooke in beholding faire Seluagia And
To be accounted chaste of euerie one And that her chiefest honour did consist In honest pure and vndefiled life Now therefore as the virgine did not know Bicause her minde was soon vertue bent What thing loue was nor due of marriage rites To hunt it was her onely ioy and sport Then hither came this gallant Nymph to chase Where proud Apollo went by chaunce to hunt Not thinking to finde out so farie a game Bicause his breast free from the thoughts of loue Was onely bent in thinking of his spoile He was so glad and did triumphe so much Within himselfe that he did neuer thinke Of any thing but this till to his harme He cast his wandring eies vnto the place Where he did spie faire Daphne in her chace The good old man Parisiles went prosecuting his historie carrying all his hearers with him verie silent by reason that the substance thereof as also the stile wherewith he told it delighted them verie much when they perceiued the sage Felicia comming with Crimine and the vnknowen Shepherd towardes them whose comming made not Stela a little glad for she lent but a small eare to the tale bicause the Shepherd was not in her companie But Parisiles turning his head and seeing Felicia said Behold how it fals out true which I feared my tale shall breake off till another day when we will haue fitter time and place for it wherein nothing shall be lost hauing made so good a beginning By no meanes saide Doria will I consent hereunto The like did all affirme with one voice Then came Felicia and as they were rising to do her honour they saw the Shepherd that came with her to be the fairest most gracious and goodliest youth of person as euer they beheld before His weedes were of gray cloth to signifie by that colour his troubles and griefes All along the border of his coate and sleeues went three ribons or laces of sundry colours two of them on either side of Lion tawney and Oliue greene to signifie by the first his sorrow and by the second his torment That in the mids of his sorrow and torment was his hope Other things did the Shepherd weare worthie himselfe and to be marked But Parisiles did hinder them bicause Crimine returned now cleane and washed at Felicias request whom now he also knew and therefore with a loud voice with casting vp his eies to heauen he said And is it true O Iupiter which with mine eies I here behold O sweete Nymph my friend and mistresse Is it possible thou art here If I had knowen my deere daughter had gone in thy company I would haue somewhat moderated my griefe for her absence And being come to her with reuerence he louingly embraced her But both of them desiring earnestly to know the meanes of their vnlooked for comming to that place Felicia said Defer this till further time for I know these questions will not hereafter a little delight this companie Come thou Crimine and speake to all this companie who will be verie glad of thine They were a prettie while in congratulations and conuesies wondering at Crimines beautie and therefore at last thus said Why did such a shining gemme as this Ladie Felicia goe hidden in such a base couerture if her conpanion be such another do vs this fauour to make her wash her selfe To auoide all danger by reason of their tempting beautie said Felicia and not to be molested like those that haue suffered many inconueniences for theirs they haue gone thus disfigured in apparell and face As for the washing of this yoong Shepherdesse pointing to Stela it shall remaine at my pleasure when I will request her to doe it for dinner being nowe readie I will deferre it till some other time for feare I should giue you a dinner against your stomacke for washing nowe her fowle face and handes will not perhaps make you eat so much as otherwise you would and make you haue a lesse appetite then to see them in the manner that nowe they be But if you like not of her companie at dinner she shall sit by her selfe and dine with Parisiles in whose eies she is nothing so soule nor ill-fauoured And then turning to her Nymphes she commanded them to bring in dinner who presently came in with it But if you please good Lady said Lord Felix command Parisiles first to make an end of the tale he hath begun Since you will haue it so said Felicia I will entreat not command him It were great reason sage Lady saide Parisiles to hold my peace not to shewe so great rudenes before your singular wisedome if it were not more to obey your iust command It is well saide Felicia leaue off this and do that which all the companie heere requesteth thee Parisiles then began thus Obeying then most willingly great Lady what you haue giuen me in charge and purposing to tell the cause why this Oke was planted betweene these two Laurel trees I haue touched the gifts that Apollo gaue to the Laurell tree when Daphne was turned into it From whence this noble company did not suffer me to passe any further though I alleaged some excuses to the contrary but that I must needes from the beginning recount this transformation of Daphne into a Laurell tree And so hauing told of the glorious victorie that Apollo had of the serpent Python and of the quarrell and contention betweene him and Cupid for carying both one weapon I went on along telling how Apollo being proud of this conquest by chance cast his eies vpon the faire and chaste Nymph Daphne And when you came hither good Lady with Crimine you gaue a gracious impediment to my tale So that now since it is your pleasure I will proccede in it beginning onely but with a worde or two recited before to annexe that and this that followeth the better togither APollo being in this heauenly ioy For victorie by Pythons death obtain'd Lift vp by chaunce his eies and spi'de the Nymphe The fairest Nymphe as euer he did see Whom at the first he onely did behold With an impartiall eye a common thing And onely markt her beautie and her grace And with that common kinde of honest loue In praise of her these louing wordes did moue What Nymph might yonder be So fine with her dishieueled haire That in this forrest hunteth all alone I will goe neere to see If that she be indeed so faire As she doth seeme Ah Godheades there is none In all your heauenly throne No Goddesse nor no power diuine With beautie and good grace That nature doth imbrace Then this in whom most cleerely shine Her giftes and chiefest art As many as to all she did impart But Cupid seeing her in such estate Thought it high time to punish the contempt And brauing words that proud Apollo vs'd And now to be reuenged on his head With more dishonor and with greater shame He did prepare him to assaile his foe
the one side by the hope that Felicia promised them and by knowing that those louers were onely by her meanes recured but sad on the other that by imagination they could not finde out some way or remedie for their paines and passions which were so strange that though to their owne content they craued it yet they could not deuise how to their owne wils and desires they might enioy it For both of them equally loued Delicius and Parthenius but Stela especially who desired not to haue Delicius loue her if Parthentus forgat her nor esteemed of Parthemus his loue if Delicius had despised her Onely Delicius amids such sportes and pastimes as were offered there was far from all comfort by finding himselfe absent from his deere friend Parthenius without whose presence he cared not to enioy his sorrowfull life And the danger besides which shall bee heerafter spoken of wherein he knew his deere friend to be was euery hower so sensibly represented to his greeuous thoughtes that he was many times determined to goe and deliuer him or else to die in that resolution but that he was prohibited on the one side and had no force on the other to forsake Stela the ioy and light of his darke and mournfull life The seldome enioying of whose woonted sweete sight and discontinued speech with her by reason of old Parisiles applied more matter to the heauie burden of his greefe So that he though all the rest did sing and play could neuer be perswaded to keepe them companie from the which but with faint and fained reasons he for the most part excused himselfe Whereupon when opportunely he could do it he closely conuayed himselfe out of their company whose discontentment his yoong Shepherdesses with watchful eie perceiuing it did not a little greeue theÌ„ But sage Felicia seeing how little her promised hope preuailed with the fearefull Shepherd on an euening before them all saide thus vnto him I woulde neuer leaue to complaine on thee sorrowfull yoong Shepherd if I knewe not the great reason thou hast to bee so sad And therefore I beseech you that be heere not to be offended with the course of his melancholike life nor take it in ill part if hee cannot pleasure you as you woulde praying you besides to do me so much fauour not to aske him any more then he is willing of himselfe to tell you and to attende the time when with his gratefull conuersation and sweete discourses he shall fill your hands full Of curtesie then good Shepherd and for shame do no more then what thou shalt see most auailing thy content since we are so glad by al the meanes we can to giue it thee Then answered Delicius I can receiue no greater fauour in any thing most gracious and prudent Ladie vnlesse it be the enioying of my Parthenius his presence then in that which you haue alreadie done me which especiall benefits since my abilitie is so small must needs remaine without due requitall For though in signe of subiection my willing minde and person woulde bee euer ready at your command and seruices yet it were but a friuolous and vndiscreet part to promise you that which by all reason is alreadie due vnto it Don Felix Felismena the Shepherds and the Nymphes with one voice said That they were not a little glad to see Delicius take content in any thing who gaue them many thankes for it crauing pardon of them for the great strangenes he vsed amongst them At whose hands and of Felicia and the rest obtaining a friendly pardon hee passed away his sorrowes all alone going often into that thicke woode to lament his hard and sinister haps wherein he could not choose but many times haue lost himselfe if the shining turrets of Felicias pallace had not brought him thither again when he would Amongst many other daies that heere and there some went to sport themselues in diuers places it fell out that the Shepherdes Syrenus Syluanus and Seluagia for Felicia and Don Felix had gone one way and the rest of the companie another were one day all alone with old Parisiles in a quadrant of the rich pallace to whom Syrenus saide Since it hath pleased you woorthie Parisiles the fewe daies that you haue beene heere to content all our louers with your pleasant and amorous historie of Câ—pid their idolatrous God my selfe that haue not to do with this blinde boye why haue you refused to gratifie with some pleasant discourse touching a Shepherds state The first day that we enioyed your happie companie you propounded diuers things concerning the same from that time surcharging me with more then a meane desire to heate them discoursed by you And especially the manner of the sacrifice of our God Pan and how at the first it was vsed to be done and from what time it was held in reuerence and all the rest that you propounded about this matter So that your tale shall come nowe in good time and to very good purpose since we are heere all Shepherds and alone Whereupon I pray you noble Parisiles ease my impatient minde of the burden of this desire I cannot my friend Syrenus answered Parisiles but obey thee wherein thou crauest to be resolued since it is a thing appertaining to my office to declare the rights and honors due to our Gods and also a conuenient mysterie for you to know and a thing especially belonging to Pan the great God of Shepherds As touching the first you haue great cause to make no small account of your functions and estates when not onely Pan but many other of our Gods haue vsed the like besides many great Emperours Kings worthie personages that haue not disdained this simple and contented kinde of life which was the first charge and vocation that our forefathers in the primitiue world embraced whose names impertinent for you to know and tedious for me to report I meane to leaue vntold So that you must not maruell if I told you that the first to whom we offered sacrifice was this God I know well that I should take my beginning by declaring what God this is but bicause he hath none I cannot put it in any other thing but in himselfe For to say that Pan and Faunus is all one as almost all authors auerre I haue no reason to beleeue it when by them themselues I meane to refell it For they say that Faunus was the sonne of Picus Father to Latinus Pan the sonne of Demogorgon God of the earth To say also as they affirme that Pan and Syluanus is all one it is false for a certaine Autenticall author after he had told that Pan the God of Shepherds came said that Syluanus also came with a root of a tree into the which Cyparisus was transformed Whereupon it is cleerely gathered that one cohereth but ill with the other That which they hit neerest of Syluanus is that he is the God of the dregs of the Elements wherof all
the euening dewe of approching night came stealing on apace with her sable coloured horses when Hercules with his company tooke vp a caue neere to the vineyards of Lidia wherein while supper was a preparing for the seruants Iole for her pleasure or for some other merrie conceit that she had in her head did put her apparell vpon mightie Hercules vnripping the seames to make it fitter for him and tearing that which was too streight On her-selfe she put the Lyons skin and tooke his club on hir shoulder and in her hands her husbands bowe and arrowes In this sort they supped and laid them downe to sleepe and with this habite each of them in a bed by themselues as time and place affoorded them began to sleepe for it was not lawfull for them that night to lie togither bicause the next day they were to offer vp sacrifice to Bacchus And now Pan burning in impatient loue about midnight which was very darke for what doth not a louer enterprize came into the caue and found the seruants what with their great cheere and wine at supper and what with their sports afterwards fast a sleepe thinking the same might be also the cause of their Master and Mistresse sleepe His good fortune therefore falling out so well conducted him to the place where Iole was happie man if he had knowne his good happe where groping vp and down and feeling the Lyons pawe with feare he lifted vp his hand thinking it was Hercules that lay there as the musing traueller by the high way his foote that hath vnawares troden vpon some snake or hidden adder he sawe not Going therefore from thence he met by chance with the couch where Hercules in a habite different from his person lay a sleepe whom when Pan touched and selt Ioles soft and delicate garments thinking he had founde that he sought for at the beds feete began to mount vp and lifting vp his clothes in lieu of finding a soft and tender skin felt a hard flesh and full of haire Hercules awaked out of his sleepe gaue the poore louer such a blowe with his fist that he smote him from the bed to the ground where he laie all along Iole awaked at the noise and calling to her seruants for light found the sillie God on the grounde complaining for the blowe he had receiued which made not onely Hercules and his men but his beloued Iole laugh apace at the infortunate louer You therefore see heere my friends why the God deceiued by the garments doth so much hate them It is well saide Syrenus But tell vs I beseech you as you haue begun how we should know him to bee the God of all by his picture They paint him with two hornes answered Parisiles like to the sunne beames and to the hornes of the Moone his face redde like a firie flame in imitation of the firie Element In his brest a star called Nebrides in representation of the starres which starre I thinke was made of a wilde goates or Hearts skinne bicause Nebrides is as much in signification as a wilde Goate or Heart which skins they vsed in Bacchus sacrifices whereby we may easily gather that he is God of all aboue From the mids of his body downward they paint him full of haire and bristled to signifie the trees and wilde beasts with Goates feete to shew the hardnes of the earth And let this suffice for this time With these and many other like curiosities that the Shepherds demanded of Parisiles the night came on to his great contentment The verie same day as I said Felicia carried with her Stela And Lord Felix Felismena and the Nymphes with Crimine went by themselues to another place To whom after they were set vnder the shadow of some thick Sallowes Lord Felix said So may all thy fortunes succeed happily to thee faire Nymph and according to thine owne desire by seeing thy selfe in the greatest prosperitie in the world as thou wilt deigne to tell vs why Stela and thy selfe go wandring vp and downe so sorrowfull in the company of this faire yoong Shepherd and how long since it is you had acquaintance with him Thou commandest me Lord Felix said Crimine to renew the summe of my sorrowes and extremest griese Alas who can stop my teares from their continuall flowing by awaking such tormenting memories Who can quench my scalding sighes that with such a heauie recitall will come smoking out of my balefull breast How can I tell you my excessiue misfortunes in order since there was neuer any in my innumerable passions Let it content you Lord Felix and you faire Ladies to knowe that you haue before your eies the most haplesse woman of all our sexe and in your presence the verie summe and pattern of all disastrous virgins Hauing thus spoken a profound sigh accompanied with abundant teares hindered the rest of her dolefull words whereupon they came all together to comfort her Felismena saying Beleeue me faire Nymphe my Lord Don Felix woulde neuer haue requested this at thy hands if he had thought to haue giuen thee the least griefe in the world but that he and all we were desirous by knowing the cause of thy sorrowfull life to helpe thee as much as we could in thy cares and troubles O happie Ladie said Crimine how much art thou deceiued and the rest that thinke there is any remedie for my mishaps But for the loue and friendship you shew me and for that which I beare to you all giue attentiue eare vnto my words and vnderstand my misfortunes for I will satisfie you in that which Lord Felix hath demaunded of me And because you may knowe how far my mishaps haue extended and to what end my miseries haue driuen me Know that I am forced to loue one that hath no power to loue me againe that it is not in my power not to account her my deerest friend that entreats me like a cruell foe Which thing because it may perhaps seeme hard to you to beleeue you must vnderstand that I loue this Shepherd that is our guide in our trauels as much as I can can in truth as much as I wil. I loue also Parthenius his friēd as much as I will will truely as much as I can for as it cannot be discerned which is Delicius and which Parthenius and the one impossible to be knowen from the other for like two drops of water they resemble one another so much so cannot I tell which of them I loue most louing both in equall balance of extreme affection I thought once to be content and happie by being beloued of one of them whereof when I was perswaded I was not yet satisfied I cannot with reason complaine of them since both or at the least Delicius I think nay firmly beleeue that my suspition is not in vaine hath forced himself as much as may be to loue me by working al the means he could which neuer yet lay in his
thou purpose to destroy me When wilt thou make an end with woundes to noy me Not stretching foorth thy cruell hand to kill me Tell me the cause why dost thou so much will me To visit thee and with such words dost ioy me That to my death I rather would imploy me Then by such present pangs and greefes to spill me Woe to my soule since this doth cause thy sorrow That such a little fauour thou hast done me Little it is in sooth if it be peased With all my teares that neuer yet haue ceased To fall that to my death haue almost woon me They great this small those giue I this I borrow Firmius had scarce done when Faustus asked Diana how she knew that his loue to her was so small Who answered In that hoping to enioy thee inflamed in my loue thou complainest no purpose of a few teares thou hast spilt for my sake as if these were not as incident and requisite for loue as pasture for sheepe and oyle for the lamp To which wordes Faustus taking vp his Rebecke did thus answere her THou dost desire My life as thou dost say To see me in thy loues inflam'd at lest And yet an vncouth meanes thou dost suggest Which is to giue me care from day to day Dost thou not see the fier to decay Waxe cold and quench't within my louing brest With swelling teares which trickle without rest Out of mine eies to see thy hard delay The meade with raine her goodly greene redeemes The oile doth in the lampe the flame maintaine And loue with teares augmented is no lesse But loue the lampe and meadow as it seemes If that too much of these they doe containe Is spent is quench't and drowned in excesse As Faustus had thus made an ende Firmius said for all that I coulde not then heare he tolde me afterwards we are well content Diana that thou delightest thy selfe with our sorrowes since thou wilt take no pleasure in any of our other things if thy sweete voice in lieu of that might sound in our desired eares with some happie song Diana excused herselfe requesting them to pardon her saying she coulde not therein pleasure them since she wanted so much her owne content of minde They endeuouring to comfort her gaue her some hope saying that in the end sorrowes and griefes are not perpetuall and that she should remember that common song that saith Continuall griefe and sorrow neuer wanteth c. Bicause therefore you may see said Diana how ill this saying is vnderstoode tune your Bagpipe with your Rebecke and walking towards our flockes bicause it is now time to gather them vp although I thought not to doe it yet will I sing as well as I can vpon this theame and you shall take the tune of the song as of a woman so much tuned in miseries and mishappes as nothing more Firmius and Faustus made no delay And then Diana like a desperate woman with a mournsull and sorrowfull voice began thus taking for her first verse that which they had alreadie alleaged for her comfort COntinuall greefe and sorrow neuer wanteth Where feeding hope continues not decaying But euermore despaire that greefe recanteth From former course of minde doth cause estraying The glosse Riuers arise and run into the seas And waters without number day by day And yet the same seeme neuer to decay But new doe spring and run and doe increase So endlesse woes arise and multiplie Redoubled one vpon anothers head For one in truth is with another fed Still doe they come and yet they neuer die For since their fertill rootes each moment planteth Continuall greefe and sorrow neuer wanteth Torments of minde and vilest miseries Are sworne to dwell within a haplesse soule And there her ioies and pleasures doe controule As to my selfe my sweete content denies Then let not any Louer thinke to gaine The meanest thing that liues in any hope But liuing so to fall into a scope And wander in a world of greefe and paine For miseries men say continue staying Where feeding hope continue not decaying Who knowes it not Alas I knowe it well That if a wofull soule is hoping still She seldome doth enioy her mind and will But that her hope must euer be her hell So of this hope that flatters me I finde And doe confesse that with the same I liue But still in feare and therefore I would giue It for despaire to ease my doubtfull minde I wish not this false hope my iotes that scanteth But euermore despaire that greefe recanteth If any whit of goodnes euer came By vile despaire it comes to me in prime And it could neuer come in better time Then to be hoping still to haue the same The wisest and most prudent man at last Wanting the good that long he doth attend Which nourished by hope he did suspend Seeing the time that fed his hope is past And all his ioy by hope that is decaying From former course of minde doth cause estraying The Shepherds importuned Diana to proceed in her song or else if it pleased her to take some new matter for it was to be thought that Dianas song pleased them wel but they could not obtaine it at her hands for she rather requested them to sing something whilest they were going towardes their flockes Firmius then remembring that which a little before she had told him that he loued her not so much as he might began thus to tune his voice Faire Shepherdesse Iean no more But faine I would Loue thee more if that I could As this made also for Faustus purpose for the same cause he likewise sung to the same effect And so Firmius and Faustus sung by turnes and answered one another as followeth Firmius OF mine owne selfe I doe complaine And not for louing thee so much But that indeede my power is such That my true loue it doth restraine And onely this doth giue me paine For faine I would Loue her more if that I could Faustus Thou dost deserue who doth not see To be belou'd a great deale more But yet thou shalt not finde such store Of loue in others as in mee For all I haue I giue to thee Yet faine I would Loue thee more if that I could Firmius O trie no other Shepherd swaine And care not other loues to prooue Who though they giue thee all their loue Thou canst not such as mine obtaine And would'st thou haue in loue more gaine O yet I would Loue thee more if that I could Faustus Impossible it is my friend That any one should me excell In loue whose loue I will refell If that with me he will contend My loue no equall hath nor end And yet I would Loue her more if that I could Firmius Behold how loue my soule hath charm'd Since first thy beauties I did see Which is but little yet to mee My freest senses I haue harm'd To loue thee leauing them vnarm'd And yet I would Loue thee more if
vnto them Now Fortune beginnes to smile vpon you Parisiles and my daughters and will nowe lift you vp to her triumphant chariot and desist not to carrie you in it vntill she hath placed you higher then you may imagine Happie was the hower wherin you saw the yong Shepherds Parthemus and Delicius and happy that time when first they sawe you for that you by them and they by you shall on ioy a supreme and ioyfull estate And bicause you may know who these yoong fortunate Shepherds are presupposed they are the sonnes of Corineus and Dinia of whom Partheus began to tell you so many strange things The right name of this Shepherd Shepherdesse is Disteus Dardanea Who these be you shal by by know of this Pilgrim their seruant who hath sought for them many yeres togither besides many others that haue made the same iourney amongst the which the yong Prince of Aeolia wandreth vp down seeking out Delicius and Parthenius for the which no meane ioy shall befall to all So that whatsoeuer you shall heare of Disteus and Dardanea you must know that they are these Shepherds whose counterfeit names are these aforesaid and parents to Delicius and Parthenius And I assure you that if you three thinke that you haue deserued the crowne of vnformnate and haplesse weights Disteus and Dardanea their company may presume that the palme of disastrous men should not be denyed them But bicause you may know who they are and for what cause wandring from their countrey they passe away their life in so poore an estate tarie for me heere and I will bring you one hither who shall tell you all the whole matter which I promise you though it touch you will not make you a little glad to heare the strange discourse thereof Parisiles therefore Stela and Crimine remayning there all alone you may now imagine if desirous to see him that should tell that which so faine they would haue knowen especially Stela and Crimine that without comparison cared not to know any other matter then this Felicia sent a Nymph to call Placindus to her who was now gone to view the sumptuous Palace who being come before her she saide thus vnto him O worthie example of a loyall seruant doubt not but that thy good deeds though lately shall be rewarded by the highest assuring thy selfe that the deferring thereof shall more augment the requitall For otherwise if good deeds were not requited by some waies we might haue iust occasion to complaine of his diuine power I say by some meanes as touching that he hath promised vs bicause otherwise he oweth vs nothing but we are rather perpetually obliged to his diuine essence not onely that he hath made vs rationall creatures the highest estate in nature when it lies in his celestiall power to fashion vs to that which is accounted the lowest most seruile in the world vnto the likenes whereof though he might haue made vs who was besides no lesse able to leaue vs without being which is the greatest infelicitie next after eternall damnation But leauing this aside as well bicause larger time then that we haue were necessarie for it as also bicause the place doth not require it I will according to this tell thee in briefe that heere in this house thou hast made an end of thy great iourney finding in the same that which thou couldst not find in so manie countries Here shall thy trauels end and all the troubles of these Gentlemen and with greater prosperitie you shall returne to your desired heauen Here you shall shortly see how many of you wander vp and downe like banished men and more then you thinke of In conclusion in a few daies thou shalt see in this Temple of chaste Diana thy louing Lord and Ladie and thy deer Aunt Placindus at so ioyfull newes breaking off so sweete a speech and not knowing how to requte her prostrate vpon the ground kissed her hands Felicia tooke him vp againe saying It is therefore needfull for thee as a thing that concernes thy Lord and Ladie to tell the beginning of their banishment and the cause of thy long trauell to two faire Nymphes and a reuerend old man whom thou shalt finde attending thy comming in a great broad court before the Palace hall Placindus to obey the sage Felicias commaund without any answer went to the place where she appointed him She that now had caused Lord Felix Felismena Syluanus and Seluagia Danteus and Duarda and the Nymphes to be all togither whiles she was speaking to Placindus being gone to them said Follow you me all None then refusing went after her and came where Placindus Stela and Crimine were iust at that time that Placindus began to tell his discourse To whom Felicia said Because thou maist not want an auditorie for so noble a tale behold my selfe that comes with my companie to take part of it Wherefore let vs all sit downe and thou Placindus without any more courtesies do that which I did of late request thee The end of the sixth booke The seuenth Booke of the second Part of Diana of George of Montemayor THey were all now silent and set downe in order when Placindus being place in the middes began thus to say Of the descent and famous pedegree of Eolus king of Aeolia whom afterwards they called the God of the windes and of whom that countrey tooke the name sprung out two illustrous houses Of the one a most mightie man called Sagastes was cheefe The other a vertuous yoong Gentleman called Disteus made most famous who though in possessions and reuenewes he was not equall to the other yet in vertue wherewith his minde was bountifully enriched farre surpassed him Betweene these two houses was an ancient quarrell and emulation by reason that neither of them would allow any equalitie both still contending for superioritie which to him that desires to beare rule and command is a great and heauie burden Truth it is that in the time of these two principall men Disteus his partialitie went somewhat by the woorse bicause king Rotindus that then reigned fauoured not a little the contrarie part onely for that Sagastes resembled him so much in his bad conditions and disorder of life For both of them were proude cruell libidinous enimies to vertue and imbracers of all kinde of vice whereunto Disteus was a mortall enimie So that the king with continuall fauours enriched Sagastes and fauoured his followers and with perpetuall hatred procured to impouerish Disteus and persecute his friends There were but fewe in the whole kingdome that for feare did not whatsoeuer Sagastes commanded though they hated him in their mindes and none that by their good wils would haue denied to fulfill Disteus pleasure in all things who loued him deerely in their secret harts So that they obeied Sagastes openly for respect of the king and loued Disteus secretly for his owne deserts Who yet with vertuous and sincere
much as her life was worth if that Shepherd whom she hated more then death did either finde or had any knowledge of her They promised her so to do though verie sorie for her sudden and hastie departure Alcida as fast as she could hye her recouered a thicke wood not far from the fountaine and fled with such celeritie and feare as if she had beene pursued by some hungrie and cruell Tygre Immediately after the Shepherd wearied with extreme trauell and trouble came to that place which Fortune it seemed condolent for his griefe had offered him and that cleere fountaine and Dianas companie for some lightning of his paine who being faint after his painfull iourney and seeing the Sunne in the pride of his heat the place verie pleasant the trees casting forth coole shades the grasse fresh and greene the fountaine cleere cristalline and Diana passing faire thought good to rest himselfe a while though the earnest care and haste of that he went seeking and the ceaselesse desire he had to finde it gaue his wearied bodie no place of rest nor ease to his afflicted minde The which Diana perceiuing shewed her selfe as courteous towards him as Delius iealous eie who was present would giue her leaue and yet entertained the strange Shepherd with sweete words as well for his owne deserts which she deemed not small as also for that she perceiued him tormented with the like grief that she was The Shepherd cheered vp by Dianas friendly welcome and seemely fauours of a miserable man thought himselfe happie by finding out so good a chaunce But they being thus togither Diana by chaunce casting her eie aside could not see her husband Delius who newly surprised in Alcidas loue when Diana tooke least heed of him and while she was entertaining the newe Shepherd pursued amaine the Shepherdesse that fled away and tooke the verie same way with a strong resolution to follow her euen to the other part of the world Diana not a little perplexed to see her husband wanting so on the sudden called and cried a good while togither on the name of Delius but all in vaine to get an answere from him in the wood or to make him leaue of his fonde pursuite who rather running after her as fast as he could thought at the last to sease vpon his beloued Alcida Whereupon when Diana perceiued that Delius appeared in no place she shewed her selfe a most sorrowfull woman for him and lamented in such pitifull sort that the Shepherd to comfort her said thus vnto her Afflict not thy selfe thus without reason faire Shepherdesse and beleeue not thine owne imaginations so greatly preiudicially to thy rest and quiet for the Shepherd whom thoumissest is not so long since wanting that thou maiest haue anie cause to thinke that he hath forsaken thee Pacifie then thy selfe a little for it may be that when thy backe was turned he hauing some desire to change place secretly got away vnwilling perhaps that we shoulde see him go for seare of staying him being inuited by the coole shades of those greene Sicamours and by the fresh and pleasant winde that is gently blowing them or else perhaps discontended for my comming hither thinking my companie troublesome whereas now without it he may merrily passe the heate of the day away To this answered Diana By these words gracious Shepherd which thy toong hath vttered and forced cheere which thou dissemblest who cannot conceiue the greefe that consumes thy life Thou shewest well that loue is thy torment and art accustomed to deceiue amorous suspicions by vaine imaginations For it is a common tricke of louers to work their thoughts to beleeue false and impossible things bicause they would not credite things that are certaine and true Such comforts gentle Shepherd auaile more to quote out the sorrow of my greefe by thee then to remedie my paine For I know well enough that my husband Delius is fledde after a most faire Shepherdesse who went but euen now from hence and in regarde of the great and feruent loue wherewith he beheld her and sighes which for her sake came smoking from his hart I do verily beleeue knowing moreouer how stedfastly he performes that he imagines or takes in hand that he will not leaue following that Shepherdesse though he thinke to come neuer in my sight againe And that which greeues me most is that I know her disposition to be so rigorous and her hart so great an enimie to Loue that she will not onely shew him no pitic but with great despite contemneth the most soueraigne beautie and greatest deserts that may be At these very wordes the sorrowfull Shepherd thought that a mortall dart pierced his chill hart and therefore saide Vnhappie me most wretched Louer what greater reason haue not these harts not made of stonie flint to be sorrowfull for me when thorow out the worlde I seeke the most cruell and pitilesse Damsell that liues on earth Ah faire Shepherdesse thou hast good cause to be sorrie for thy husband for if she whom he followes be so cruelly conditioned as this then must his life be in great danger By these words Diana cleerely perceiued what his greefe was and that the Shepherdesse that ranne away at his comming was the very same whom in so many parts of the worlde he had sought And so she was indeede for when she began to flie from him she tooke the habite of a Shepherdesse by that meanes not to be knowne nor discourered But for that present time Diana dissembled with the Shepherd and woulde tell him nothing of the matter to keepe her worde and promise which she had giuen Alcida at her departure And also bicause it was now a good while since she was gone and ranne with such haste thorow the thicke wood that it was impossible for him to ouertake her All which if she should tell the Shepherd she thought would serue for nothing else but to adde a fresh wounde to an old sore and to trouble his minde more by giuing him some little hope to attaine to his purpose when by no meanes he was able to obtaine it But bicause she desired to know what he was the summe of his loue and the cause of her hate she said vnto him Comfort thy selfe Shepherd in these thy complaints and of curtesie tell me their cause for to lighten them I would be glad to know who thou art and to heare the successe of thy mishap the report whereof will be no doubt delightfull to thee if thou beest so true a louer as I do take thee He then without much entreatie both of them sitting downe by the cleere fountaine began thus to say My greife is not of such quality that it may be told to al kind of people though the good opinion I haue of thy deserts and wisedome and the confidence which thy vertues and peerelesse beautie do suggest to mee vrge me to lay open before thee the totall summe of my life if so it
Iland right ouer against vs and so neere to this There is so great store of venison conies and hares and many other wilde beasts that in great heardes they go togither without feare or danger at all There also dwelleth a certaine Hermite whose celle is neuer without bread oyle and moale I therfore thinke it best that Clenarda who is cunning in shooting and hauing her bowe and arrowes heere so fit for the purpose passe ouer in the boate to the Ilande to kill some of those wilde beasts whom my fellowe and I will transport whilest you staie heere to beare Alcida companie for it may fall out that we will returne before she awake and come hither againe with good store of fresh and sauorie prouision Although Clenarda and I liked Sartofanos counsell well least of all suspecting his suttle secret treacherie yet she would neuer consent to go into the Iland without my company for seare of committing herselfe alone to the rude marriners whereupon she requesting my companie I made many excuses to staie behinde telling her that it was not meete to leaue Alcida alone and sleeping in so solitarie a place Who answered me againe that since the distance of the place was but small the game much the sea somwhat calme for by that time that we were a litle while on lande the tempest began to cease we might go hunt and come againe before Alcida who had not slept so long before awaked In the end she shewed me so many perswasions that forgetting what I had to do in such a case without more adoo I agreed to go with her which thing greeued Sartofano to the hart who had rather had Clenardas company alone for the better effecting of his wicked purpose But yet the Traytour for all this wanted not suttletie to prosecute his diuelish pretence For Alcida being left asleepe and both of vs got into the Sciffe and lanched into the deepe before we came to the Iland all vnawares and vnprouided of weapons for I had left mine in the ship when I skipt out of it to saue my life I was assayled by both the marriners and vnable to helpe my selfe bound both hand foote Clenarda seeing their treason for sudden griefe would haue lept into the sea but she being staied by the Pilot and carried from the place where I was to the other ende of the boate he said thus in secret to her Trouble not thy selfe faire gentlewoman to see vs so rudely entreate this Traitour but quiet thy minde for what is done is all for thy seruice For know faire Mistresse that this Marcelius when we arriued at the desert Iland had some priuate talke with me and prayed me to perswade thee to goe a hunting into this Iland and when we should be at sea to steere the boate directly from that place telling me that he was greatly in loue with thee and that he would leaue thy sister in the Ilande onely and without impediment to enioy his pleasure of thee And the deniall of his companie with thee to this place which faintly he vsed was but dissembled to colour his wicked intent the more But I considering with my selfe what a vile and barbarous a part it was to offer violence to so singular beautie and to so good a Ladie to preuent this inhumanitie from thy great goodnes euen at the verie point when he would haue committed his treason resolued to be loyall vnto thee and so haue bound Marcelius as thou seest with determination to leaue him in this case at the shoare of a little Iland which is neere at hand and afterwards to returne with thee to the place where we left Alcida This is the reason that makes me do thus and therefore consider well what thou meanest to doe When Clenarda heard this smooth tale which the wicked Traitour so cunningly had told her she beleeued it so truely that presently she bare me mortall hatred and was well pleased it seemed that I was carried to the place where Sartofano did meane to lande me For with a frowning countenance she beheld me and for very anger could not speake a word vntill she had a pretie while reioyced in her secret hart to thinke of the reuenge and punishment that should light vpon me not telling me one word of that braue deceit wherewith she was so much abused All which when by her ioyfull countenance I perceiued that my bonds did not grieue her it made me say thus vnto her What meanes this sister doest thou esteeme so lightly of both our paines that so soone thou hast ended thy complaints Perhaps thou art in good hope to see me by and by at libertie to be reuenged of these villanous Traitours Then like a fierce Lyonesse she told me that my imprisonment and bonds where for no other cause but for the cruell intent I had to leaue Alcida and to carrie her away and the rest whereof the false Pilot had wickedly informed her When I heard these words I neuer felt like griefe in my life and instead of laying violent hands vpon these Traitours with vile and outragious words I railed vpon them and with good proofes so well perswaded her of the truth that she perceiued by and by that it was a manifest peece of treason sprung vp of Sartofanos vile and filthie loue Whereupon she made so great lamentation that she fell foorthwith into the pitifull discourse of their deceite which was forcible enough to haue mollified the craggie rockes we passed by with ruthe and compassion though it wrought nothing in the hard harts of those two wicked monsters Imagine then now how the little sciffe that floted vp and downe the wide seas was in a small time carried a great way from the Ilande when vnfortunate Alcida awaking and seeing her selfe all alone and forsaken turned her sorrowfull eies to the maine sea and not finding the sciffe how in euerie part of the shoare thereabout she went seeking vp and downe and found no creature at all Ah thou maist conceiue faire Shepherdesse what anguish of minde she felt in these crosses of vniust Fortune Imagine besides what plenty of teares she powred forth in what extremities and wants she was how sometimes perhaps she would haue cast her selfe into the sea and how often in vaine she called vpon my name But alas we were gone so far that we could not heare her pitifull outcries and might onely perceiue how by shaking a white scarffe vp and downe in the Aire she incited vs to turne backe againe which the wicked Traitour Sartofano would neuer agree to But making the greatest haste away that he could he brought vs to the Iland of Yuiça where disimbarking vs they left me fast bound to an anchor that was pitched in the ground That way by chance came certaine Marriners of Sartofanos acquaintance companions like him selfe whom though Clenarda neuer so much informed of her estate innocencie and misfortune yet it auailed her nothing to make them take
That like a sturdie rocke it standes Against the cruell raues Though fencelesse in the naked sandes Of beating windes and waues And how much more with conquering hand my hart she doth controule By so much doe I adde more heate vnto my burning soule Berardus The woods and mount aines doe not beare Woolues of such crueltie Whose howling threats I feare not theare And yet aiealousie Doth make my hart to quake for feare And yeeld most cowardly I am not able to defend My weake and feeble brest From thousand feares where they pretend To build their strongest nest And with their entrance driue away my hopes my ioy and rest There they commaund and gouerne all And proudly tyrannize And there my soule to endlesse thrall And bodie sacrifice O cruell Loue whom cruell death must needes at last succeede O why with such consuming tortures die I not in deede Taurisus Neere to this Christall fountaine on a day I sawe Diana sitting with her spouse And as by chaunce I crost the woods that way Espied them behinde these hasell bowes Dying with greefe impatience and despite To see which I would not haue seene that sight Nothing he spake but with his clownish hand Did rudely touch and claspe her round about Her tender corpes the smallest in this land Too daintie and fine for such a homely lout And so he sat and did not stir In this vnseemely sort with her But when my iealous eies so basâ—… thing espied With mortall rage I burn'd and cruell enute died Berardus To walke the woods in sweetest moneth of May When winter hides his hoarie head for shame Diana with her husband on a day The glorie of the fairest women came A vaile of Lawne vpon her golden haire With siluer pins enfolded euery where A thousand sportes and pastimes did I see How she found out his minde to recreate And as I lurk'd behinde a Poplar tree How louingly she dallied with her mate Whom I did see reach foorth his hand Vnto her necke as white as swan Wherewith he did vndoe her vaile and loose her shining haire Which sight did kill my hart with feare enwrapped in despaire The Shepherds after they made an end of singing began to gather their flockes togither that went feeding vp and downe the woode And comming towardes the place where Marcelius and Diana were they could not otherwise chuse but see them for they had no handsome shift to hide themselues although they woulde faine haue stept aside At which ioyfull and vnexpected sight they receiued no meane content gladnes And though Berardus was somwhat altered and appalled thereat yet inflamed Taurisus to see the cause of his griefe before his eies kindled more and more his hot desire They curteoufly saluted the Shepherds and requested them not to denie them their companie to the village since good fortune had made them all so happely meete togither Diana whose custome was neuer to be coy nor discurteous was well content to do it So that Taurisus and Berardus praied the other Shepherds that were with them to come after by little and little with their flockes that they had now gathered vp togither towards the village whilest they in companie of Diana and the other Shepherds went on before which they willingly performed Taurisus by the way as he went praied Diana to answere verse for verse to the song that he would sing which she denied him not to doe and so they sung as followeth Taurisus THe cause why that thou dost denie To looke on me sweete foe impart Diana Bicause that doth not please the eie Which doth offend and greeue the hart Taurisus What woman is or euer was That when she looketh could be mou'd Diana She that resolues her life to passe Neither to loue nor to be lou'd Taurisus There is no hart so fierce nor hard That can so much torment a soule Diana Nor Shepherd of so small regard That reason will so much controule Taurisus How falsit out Loue doth not kill Thy crueltie with some remorce Diana Bicause that Loue is but a will And free will doth admit no force Taurisus Bebold what reason now thou hast To remedie my louing smart Diana The very same bindes me as fast To keepe such danger from my hart Taurisus Why dost thou thus torment my minde And to what and thy beautie keepe Diana Bicause thou call'st me still vnkinde And pitilesse when thou dost weepe Taurisus It is bicause thy crueltie In killing me doth neuer end Diana Nay for bicause I meane thereby My hart from sorrowes to defend Taurisus Be bold so foule I am no way As thou dost thinke faire Shepherdesse Diana With this content thee that I say That I beleeue the same no lesse Taurisus What after giuing me such store Of passions dost thou mocke me too Diana If answers thou wilt any more Goe seeke them without more adoo It greatly contented Taurisus that Diana sung with him whereby though hee heard the rigorous answers of his Shepherdesse yet he was so glad in his minde that she deigned to answer him that it made him forget the greefe which by the crueltie of her wordes he might haue otherwise conceiued But nowe timorous Berardus forcing his heauie hart and casting a pittifull eie on Diana not vnlike the sorrowfull Swanne that a little before her death singes sweetely in the cleere and christall brookes lifted vp his faint and fearefull voice which came foorth with great paine out of his panting brest and to the sound of his Baggepipe sung these verses following ENd now my life with daily paines affrighted Since that for all that I haue wept and greeued My teares are not requited And trustie faith not any whit beleeued I am in such a haplesse state of sorrowe That I would be content and so releeue me Vniust rewardes and scornes of her to borrow Onely that she would credit and beleeue me But though my life is thus with woes despited And though to be most constant neuer greeued My paines are not requited And trustie faith not any whit beleeued After that Berardus had ended his song both the Shepherds cast their eies vpon Marcelius and bicause he was vnknowne to them they durst not entreat him to sing But in the end bold Taurisus praied him to tell them his name and if it pleased him to sing them a song wherein they would thinke themselues beholding to him for either curtesie At which words Marcelius looking vpon Diana and making her a signe to touch her instrument without giuing them any other answere with one song pleased them both and satisfied their desire Whereupon fetching out a great sigh he began thus AH such an one I euer was since that My Shepherdesse so cruell I did see That now I knowe not who I am nor what My hap shall be or shall become of mee I knowe right well that if I were a man Greefe had my life consumed long agoe And if a stone I am most certaine then That dropping
teares had melted me like snowe Marcelius is my name who knowes not that And I am hers since first I did her see That now I knowe not who I am nor what My hap shall be or shall become of mee Now did the light begin to giue place to darknes and the countrey villages with their domesticall fires began to smoke apace when the Shepherds being neere to their towne made an ende of their singing Euerie one went to his owne house as men not meanely glad for their passed conuersation but Diana founde no rest at all especially when she remembred that her beloued Syrenus was not in the towne She lodged Marcelius well in Mâ—libeus house cousen to Delius where with great kindnes and their best countrey cheere he was welcommed and after comming home to her owne house she called her husbands and her owne kindred togither and tolde them how Delius had forsaken her at the fountaine of the Sicamours by following a strange Shepherdesse that by chance came thither At which wordes she seemed to make so greeuous complaints and indeed to be so sorrie that in the end she told them all that earely in the morning she was purposed to go to Dianas Temple to enquire of sage Felicia some newes of her husband Delius They were all well content that she should go and offered her all the fauour and helpe they could in her iourney but the intent therof was for no other end but to see Syrenus whom she knew assuredly to be there Wherefore with many thankes she remained verie glad that her determination had so good successe and so with hope of her future ioy she gaue some rest that night to her wearied bodie and felt in her heauie hart a touch of vnwoonted pleasure and content The end of the first booke The second Booke of Enamoured DIANA VNiust and lawlesse loue is of such force that to augment his crueltie it hath the helpe of all things in the world his enterprises being fauoured and maintained by those things which are of most might and valour but especially aided so much by Fortune and by her mutabilities as for bestowing his paines and torments abroad he needs no better friend nor furtherer All which is verified by Marcelius disgraces since Fortune wrought so hard a conceite in his betrothed Alcidas brest that she was forced to giue credite to such a suspicion that though most false she held for an assured or at least an apparant ground of his inconstancie whereof ensued the hating of her husband who loued her deerer then his owne life and who in any thing had neuer offended her Heereupon it may be gathered how strong and certaine a presumption ought to be to make a wise and discreete person giue faith and credite to it since this that had but a colour of certaintie was so farre indeede from the truth of the matter But now though Loue and Fortune so ill entreated Marcelius yet in one thing they highly pleasured him which was that Loue wounded Dianas hart and Fortune conducted him to the fountaine where he found her whereby they might go both togither to sage Felicias house and passe away his sorrowes with lesse annoy in her comfortable and delighfull companie But the time being come when the redde morning with her golden habite did ouercome the starres of the passed night and the birdes with their chirping noise gaue warning that day was come Enamoured Diana wearied with the long and tedious night rose vp to walke the path of her desired iourney and committing the charge of her flockes to the Shepherdesse Polyntia her friend she came out of her towne accompanied onely with her rurall Baggepipe the deceiuer of her sorrowes and with her scrippe stored with some fewe victuals She came downe from the side of a hill which ledde from the towne to a thicke woode where in the bottome of it she sat her downe vnderneath a rowe of greene Sicamours attending for Marcelius companie as she had promised the night before But in the meane time whilest he came not she began to tune her Baggepipe and to sing this song following AWake a little light of cleerest day With calme aspect with milde and gentle grace A poore soule to beguile in sorrowes plight Stretch out that light Apollo from thy face That ioies the desert Champians in decay And driest plants with life and secret might In this most pleasant wood that doth inuite To sweetest rest Tormented thou shalt see my brest With carefull greefe my heauie lot To see it selfe by him forgot Who for my scorne a thousand plaintes did waste The fault is Cupids taste Who giues and takes on purpose discontent Where he perceiues he may the more torment What beastes with mildnesse doe not complaints acquaint What stone by sighes is not to softnes wrought The which a wearied brest doth yeeld with paine What Tigres or what lions are not brought To ruth and pitie hearing a complaint Which hath almost vndone my soule in twaine But to Syrenus I recount in vaine My sorrowfull mishap Who doth as little care for that As furious windes in raging seas The teares that all to little ease The mariners with carefull hart doe shill For more they crie the more it rageth still Thy loue Syrenus was not fine and good Which in these fieldes to me thou didst once beare When as my errour might offend it so Remember Traitour what thou then didst sweare Neere to the riuer sitting in this wood What then doth now thy hardnes seeme to show Shall not a small obliuion long agoe Be helpt by extreme loue And such that shall be far aboue My passed hate and fault before Then since I cannot loue thee more Nor satisfie the same with greater heate For remedie my death I will intreate Liue yet in paine the which I feele at last For thee who mak'st my sorrowes lesse appeere Though more it hurtes my wretched soule I see Bicause to haue thy present figure heere Giues to her thought a sweete delight some tast Who paining for thy sake doth thinke on thee But bend thy hart a little vnto me Ardent in my request Thou seest I liue in paine opprest Sustain'd by this desire alone In all my life to heare but one No if thou wilt in that I most doe loue But from a man so fierce what shall I proue Tell me the fauours how canst thou requite In that time past Syrenus when thy hart Thou hadst more tender now in hardnes dead When Traitour for my cause with enuies smart A thousand Shepherdes thou didst kill outright O ioyfull time and life that I did leade The vale shall witnes and the pleasant meade Where I of Roses white And sweetest flowers with delight Braue garlands for thy head I had Compacted and sometimes did adde Only for thy content some of my haire Which greeuous thought my life doth now impaire Now free thou dost abhorre me in the end Who for thy sake her selfe in paine
sonne Polydorus bicause they would not be depriued of that merrie song which they expected at Belisas handes said vnto her The praise faire Shepherdesse and defence of women is iustly due vnto them and no lesse delightfull to vs to heare it with thy delicate voice repeated It pleaseth me well said Belisa if it like you for there are many sharpe and stinging inuectiues if I could remember all the verses in it but yet I will begin to recite them bicause I hope that in singing them one will reduce another to my minde Then Arsileus seeing that Belisa was preparing herselfe to sing began to tune his Rebecke at the sound whereof she sung the song that she heard Florisia in times past sing which was this Florisias Song FLie storming verse out of my raging brest With furious anger malice and despite Indigned spirits once at my request Powre foorth your wrath and pen prepare to write With scornefull stinging and inuectiue stile Against a people brutish base and vile Avile peruerse and monstrous kinde of men Who make it but their pastime and their game With bar barous mouth and with vnciuill pen To slaunder those who lest deserue the same Women Imeane a work manship diuine Angels in shape and Goddesses in minde Thou wicked man that dost presume too hie Of thy perfections but without desart False man I say accustomed to lie What euill canst thou thinke within thy hart Or speake of her whose goodnes more or lesse Doth fill the world so full of happinesse But onely this that woman was the cause Though not alone of one exceeding ill In bringing foorth constrained by natures lawes A man whose mischiefes all the world doth fill Who after that he is conceiu'd and borne Against his mother proudly liftes his horne Whom if she had not borne poore silly dame With fewer greefes her life she might haue lead For then he should not slaunder thus her name And such a crowe she should not then haue bred That being hatch'd her dam would thus despise And daily labour to plucke out her eies What man in all the world did euer knowe Although the tendrest father he had beene Those cares and greefes that sorrow and that woe Which wiues haue for their husbands felt and seene And how the louing mother for her sonne With sorrow hath beene oftentimes vndone Behold with what affection and what ioy What gentlenes and what intensiue loue The mother dothintreate her little boy Which after doth a Traitour to her prooue Requiting ill her paines and loue so kinde With powring sorrowes still into her minde What iealous feares what fearefull iealousies Doe haunt the mother for her cruell sonne What paine when that in any paine he lies What greefe when that with greefe he is vndone What perfect gladnes and what sweete content When that he is to any goodnes bent Alas how pensiue and how sad they ar If that their husbands suffer any paine What sorrow when they trauell somewhat far What moane when that they come not soone againe A thousand greefes to heare their losse of wealth Ten thousand deathes to heare their want of health But men that are so full of false deceate Our daily sorrowes neuer doe requite Or thinke of them though they be neuer so great But rather such their malice and despite Is that our louing cares both great and small Vniust suspects and iealousies doe call The cause of which surmise is onely this That as these wicked and detested men Of custome are enclined to stray amisse And in false loue their wits and wealth to spend Do thinke it now a burden to their liues To be belou'd so truely of their wiues Then since in louing them we euer finde Our selues a payde with hatefull scorne and blame I thinke it best for easing of our minde Quite to forget their nature sexe and name Or else to leaue our ioies in looking on them Or if we looke not once to thinke vpon them But yet it is a pretie iest to see Some kind of men whose madnes is so great That if the woman will not wholly bee At their desires then in a franticke heat They call her Tygresse cruell and vnkinde And trasteresse vnto a louing minde Then shalt thou see these men vnseemely call The modest women whom they would haue naught Coy and disdainfull to conuerse withall And her that 's chaste vnmanner'd and vntaught Those that be wise and sober full of pride And cruell those whose honesties are tride I would to God that those dishonored names Did fit them all as well as all the rest Then none of them should bide so many shames Nor be deceiu'd by men that loue them lest For being cruell proude and rusticall They would not loue nay could not loue at all For if the thing which they so faine would haue By any meanes they cannot once obtaine Then do they wish for death or for their graue But yet the same no sooner they attaine But make it but a sport and merie game And straight forget that ere they lou'd the same They faine themselues most sorrowfull and sad And wearied with a long and painfull life They still do tell the paines that they haue had And other lyes which are with them so rise They call themselues vnhappie poore and blinde Confounded slaues yet all but words of winde O how they can make Oceans of their eies And terme their flames their torments and their paines And breath out sighes like vapours in the skies And belch out sobs like Aetnas burning vaines In many things the greatnes of their minde They shew contemning base and doubtfull feare As those whose tender loue hath beene so kinde Vnto their husbands when they liuing were That all their moanes and sorrowes for their death They ended soone by stopping of their breath And if for vertue and his chaste intent Hippolytus deserued any praise On th' other side behold that excellent And noble Roman Matrone in her daies With stabbing dagger giuing vp the ghost I meane faire Lucrece for her honour lost It was no doubt great valour in the youth As neuer like hath beene in all the rest Who vowing to his father faith and truth Deni'd his stepdames foule and fond request All which admit Hippolytus is but one But thousands of Lucrecias haue beene knowne Giftes haue we more our beauties set aside For in good letters famous haue we bin And now to prooue our iudgements often tride And sharpnes of our finest wits therein Let Sappho and Corynna well suffice Who when they liu'd for learning got the prise And learned men doetherefore banish vs Their schooles and places where they do dispute For feare if we should argue and discusse With praise we should their arguments confute Too proud therefore they would not by their will That women should excell them in their skill And if some authors scorned in their loues Haue written ill of women in their hate Not this our credits any whit
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
With gentle words proceeding from a minde Incensed more within then outwardly To his braue termes this speech he did reply Too proud thou hast thy selfe Apollo showen In speaking such vile words vnto my face Such rather I embrace With honour and I vse them not but saying Nothing at all in such a wrongfull case I do such things as like were neuer none Hearke then how I am knowen By word of mouth and how much I am swaying After by deed I will bring thee to obaying Neptune and Ioue and Vulcan I do keepe Vnder my mightie will Few Gods there are that with their skill Do free themselues but vnto me do creepe The Goddesses do weepe To heare my name and yeeld with mere consent Vnto my gouernment And Venus though my louing mother be Cannot escape with partiall libertie What man is he neuer so strong in armes That hath escaped in my amorous field Here bootes not speare nor sheeld Nor Mars his weapons nor his strong defence In vaine he fights whom I will haue to yeeld Learning and wisedome here procure but harmes And flie at my Alarmes And staying do imprint a deeper sence Of louing passions and with more offence Women mine ornament do euer hide What neuer was concealed For flames are hardly vnreuealed The birds and sauage bcastes my hands hath tide Vnto my yoke beside That Nature doth her selfe my chariot follow Then tell me now Apollo If that thou think'st to get such puissance As that with these thou shouldst not come to dance Thou dost reioice bicause these armes are due To thee for killing of that monster fell But harke and I will tell How these belong more iustly to my might Although thy shaft in wounding doth excell It neuer yet but beastes and venison slew Apollo this is true But mine shall wound thy soule both day and night And thou shalt sweare mine is the onely flight So that how much each beast not me In mgiht thou dost exceede And gett'st most glory by this deede So much more famous shall my conquest be But now thy follies see In saying that this quiuer and this bowe Did me dishonor so For thee Apollo better had it beene If with my selfe the same thou hadst not seene Thou saist I nill deserue this ornament Bicause mine eies are blinded with a band And therefore that my hand Must needes shoote false bicause that I am blinde And yet besides I tell thee that they stand Against all reason and intendement Harke now to what intent And how this comes so fitly to my minde Then tell me if thou think'st it out of kinde For any God to burne in feruent loue Of any woman heere That more his greefes and paines appeere The more sheshould from him her liking mooue If blinde such things I prooue And studie to reuenge me with my flight Tell me were it not right Then take good heede since thus my bowe doth kill And makes thy reason subiect to my will This said he would no longer with him stay Nor harken more to answeres nor replies Nor did Apollo care to answere him Esteeming nought his childish wordes and threats But Cupid wounding with his golden wings The loftie aire that burned as he went Without delay he gaines the shadowed top Of mount Parnasse where looking round about He staies and waites the meanes to venge himselfe At pleasure of Apollos proude contempt Wherefore out of his quiuer he doth take Two wounding headed arrowes fatall both In colour diuers and in their effects For th' one procureth loue with burning fire The other hate with cold and frozen ice Golden is that that causeth feruent loue Leaden is that that causeth frozen hate And talking with them both as though they did Conceiue his wordes in this sort he did say Come speedy out my louing friendes And shew your valour and your force so high In you my trust and hope doth lie That you will shew whereon my strength depends Beate downe Apollos pride That heere our honour did deride That he may know how well my words agree With earnest deedes as shortly he shall see Since thou that art so sharpe and tride With kindling fire in each louing brest Thou shalt Apollos hart molest That cruell paines and smartes he may abide And thou that art of bluntie lead Strike thou some womans hart so dead In cruell hate that she shall neuer feele The sense of loue no more then stone or steele Apollo there remained very glad Calling the heauens the elements and beastes The trees the meades the springs the birdes and fish To ioy with him in his renowned spoile And victorie by Pythons death he got For in this sort with ioyfull face he said O heauenly frame Whose course and sweete accents Giue earthly things their life that ar Of natures name You circled elements So contrarie in secret war You beastes that far And neere in earth doe make your dwelling place You birdes that in the skie With hastie wing doe flie You fishes that the christall streames imbrace For my braue deede Come shew your selues content in ioies agreed You shadowed treene An ease of sweete delight And fence from Titans burning heate Faire meades and greene And waters sweete and bright This forrest that with liquours weate Greene Iuies seate That liuest still and dy'st not in thy kinde And wind'st about the tree That still vpholdeth thee For this braue deed Come shew your selues content in ioies agreed Apollo being in this ioyfull moode Behold where comes a fine and tender Nymph And fairer then Aurora in her prime Laden with spoiles she got by hunting late A Nymph endow'd with vertues high and rare The father oft vnto his Daphne saide For so they say this fairest Nymph was call'd And Pene was her aged fathers name Daughter to me thou ow'st a sonne in lawe Daughter to me some nephewes thou dost owe. But with a teint like the Vermillion Rose Bespred vpon her face as white as snowe To see her father would haue wedded her The chastest virgine with her tender armes All Lilly white about the louing necke Of her deere father sweetely then did hang Requesting him that he would giue her leaue To leade her life in spotlesse chastitie And liue therein as she had liu'd before Her louing father graunted her request But yet before to hinder her intent With graue aduise vnto her he did tell How heate of youth and wealth and beauties lure Were contrarie vnto the chastest minde And how that each of them alone is able To worke the tender hart like melted wax How much more easie then when all in one Were found as in faire Daphne they did raigne Yet though she did excell in all these giftes She would not leaue to put her chaste intent In practise and Dianas grace to serue And saying it was true her father spake And said if that she had such cause to vaunt That she was rich and faire and nobly borne That it was tenfold deerer vnto her