that you may make question of my good will yet if the care I haue had to instruct your youth haue not giuen you sufficient knowledge of it I would you should take notice of it because I desire to do for you You know that my sonne Azahyde who tooke you and brought you to mee hath a daughter whom I loue as my selfe and because I determine to passe the few dayes behinde in quietnesse and tranquillity I haue a purpose tomarry you to her and to giue you so good a part of my wealth that I may liue with you so long as it pleaseth God And thinke not that I haue had this purpose on a sudden for it is long since I prepared for euery thing In the first place I was desirous to know what your humor was euen when you were a childe to iudge if you could frame your selfe to be with me for that in such an age there could be but little art and so might we see as naked all the affections of a soule and finding you such as I wished Azahyde to be I thought good to settle the repose of my last dayes vpon you and for that cause I put you to study knowing well that there is nothing makes a soule more capable of reason than the knowledge of things And during your long absence from me I haue determined to marry my young daughter to you who to please me desires it almost as much as my selfe It is true she would gladly know who and of what place you are And to satisfie her I haue enquired of Azahyde many times in what place he tooke you but he hath alwayes told me that he knew nothing but that it was at the riuer of Rosne of the prouince of Viennois and that you were giuen by one that brought you two dayes iourney for exchange of some armors But it may be you can remember better for you might be about fiue or sixe yeeres of age and when I asked him whether the cloaths which you then wore might not giue some coniecture of what parents you were descended he answered no for that you were then so young that hardly could one iudge by your habit of what condition you were So that my sonne if your memory doe not helpe you herein there is no body can free vs of this paine So the good old Abariel held his peace and taking me by the hand besought me to tell him all that I knew Whereto after all the thankes I could giue him as well for the good opinion he had of me as for the nourture hee had giuen me and for the marriage which hee propounded I made him answere that in truth I was so yong when I was taken that I had no remembrance neither of my parents nor of my condition This is replyed the good old man somewhat combersome yet we will not let to proceed further prouided you like of it not greatly caring to speake with Azahyde but to know your good will And when I had answered him that I were very ingratefull if I did not wholy obey his commandement at that instant causing mee to go aside he sent to seeke out his sonne and to tell him his purpose which before my returne hee knew of by his daughter and the feare of losing the goods which Abariel would giue vs made him so much to dislike it that when his father spake to him of it hee so long reiected it and with such reasons that in the end the good old man not being able to get his consent told him frankely Azahide if you will not giue your daughter to whom I will I wil giue my goods to whom you would not and therefore resolue to agree to Siluander or I will chuse him to be mine heire Azahyde who was very couetous and fearing to lose that good seeing his father in these termes came better to himselfe and besought him to giue him some few dayes space to think of it whereas his father being a good old man easily condescended desiring to do all things with gentlenesse and after told me of it yet he needed not haue done it for I perceiued so much by the eyes and speech of his sonne who began to deale so roughly with me that I could hardly endure it Now during the time that he had taken he commanded his daughter who had a better minde then hee on paine of death for he was a man of blood and murther to make shew to the old man that she was sorry her father would not satisfie his will and that she could not helpe it but with her disobedience that she was ready to marry me secretly and when it was done time might worke her fathers content and this he had in purpose to procure my death The poore wench was much entāgled for on the one side the ordinary threatnings of her father whose mischieuous nature she knew too well egged her on to play this part on the other side the loue which from her childhood shee bare me with held her So it was that her tender yeeres for shee had not passed aboue halfe an age would not let her haue resolution enough to denie and so al trembling she came to vse that speech to the good man who receiued it with that confidence that after hee had kissed her fore-head twice or thrice at last he resolued to put it in practice as she had sayd and enioyned me so peremptorily that notwithstanding all the doubts I had in it I durst not contradict it Now the resolution was taken in such sort that I was to climbe thorow a window into the chamber where I must marry her secretly This Towne is seated on the vtmost bounds of the Allobroges on the side of the Heluecians and it is on the banks of the great lake Leman in such sort that the waues beat vpon the houses and then disgorge themselues into Rosne which passeth thorow the middest of it The meaning of Azabyde was because their lodgings were that way to draw mee vp with a cord halfe the height of the wall and then to let me fall into the lake where being drowned they might neuer heare more newes of mee because that Rosne with his swiftnesse would haue carried me farre off or touching on the hard rocks I might haue beene so bruised that no man could haue knowne me And without doubt his designe had taken effect for I was resolued to obey the good Abariel had it not beene that the day before this was to be done the poore wench that was commanded to shew me good countenance that I might be the more abused moued with compassion and out of horrour to bee the cause of my death could not hold from discouering it to mee all trembling saying to mee a little after You see Siluander in sauing your life I procure mine owne death for I know well Azahyde will neuer pardon me but I had rather dye an innocent then liue guilty of your death After I
talk of another matter sayd to me Know you how Fleurials Aunt doth I answered that since he went I knew nothing Truely sayd she I would be very sorry if the old woman should not do well you haue reason sayd I Madam for she loues you and you haue had many seruices of her which are not yet fully acknowledged If she liue said she I will do it and after her I will remember Fleurial for her sake Then I answered Both the seruices of the aunt those of the Nephew deserue some good recompence and especially Fleurial for his faithfulnesse and affection cannot be bought It is true sayd she but because you speake of Fleurial what great matter had you to say to him or hee to you when he went away I answered coldly I recommended mee to his aunt Recommendations sayd she were not so long then she came neerer me and layd her hand on my shoulder Tell truth continued shee you spake of some other thing And what might it bee replied I if it were not that I had no other businesse with him Now I know sayd she that at this present you dissemble why did you say you had no other businesse with him and haue had so much for Lindamor O! Madam I little thought you would haue remembred a man so vnfortunate and then holding my peace I fetched a deepe sigh What is the matter sayd she that you sigh tell me true where is Lindamor Lindamor answered I is no more then earth How cried shee out Lindamor is no more No indeed answered I the cruelty which you haue vsed towards him hath rather slaine him then the strokes of his enemy for going from the combat and knowing by the report of many the euill satisfaction which you had of him he would neuer suffer himselfe to be dressed and because you haue such a desire to know that was it that Fleurial told mee whom I commanded to assay if he could wisely withdraw the letters which wee haue writ him to the end that as you haue lost the remembrance of his seruices by your cruelty so might I consume in the fire the memories which might remaine O God sayd she what is that you tell me Is it possible he should be so lost It is you sayd I that may say you haue lost him for his part hee hath gained by dying since by death hee hath found rest which your cruelty will neuer permit him while hee liued Ah! Leonide sayd she you tell me these things to put mee to paine confesse the truth hee is not dead Would to God it were so sayd I but for what cause should I tell you I answere his death or life are indifferent to you and specially since you loued him so little you may be glad to be exempted for the importunity he would haue giuen you for you are to beleeue that if he had liued hee would neuer haue ceased from giuing such proofes of his affection as that of Polemas Indeed then sayd the Nymph I am sorry for the poore Lindamor and sweare vnto you that his death touches me more to the quicke then I though it would but tell me had he neuer no remembrance of vs at his end and did hee not shew to be grieued to leaue vs See Madam sayd I a question which is not vsuall He died for your sake and you aske if hee remembred you Ah! that his memory and his sorrow had not bin too great for his helth I beseech you talke no more of him I assure my selfe he is in the place where he receiues the reward of his fidelity and where it may bee hee shall see himselfe reuenged at you cost You are in choler sayd she You must pardon me sayd I Madam but this is the reason that constraines me to speake thus for there is none that can giue more testimony of his affection and fidelity then I and of the wrong you haue done him to giue him so vnworthy a recompence for so many seruices But sayd the Nymph let vs set this aside for I know that in some thing you haue reason but I haue not done so much wrong as you impute And tell mee I pray you by the loue you beare me if in his last words hee remembred mee and what they were Must you sayd I triumph in your soule at the end of his life as you haue done ouer al his actions since he begā to loue you If this must be to your contentment I will satisfie you As soone as he knew that you went about to blemish the honor of his victory and that in stead of pleasing you he hath by this fight got your hatred it shal neuer be sayd he O iniustice that thou shalt for my cause lodge longer in so faire a soule I must by my death wash away my offence Then hee tooke all the clouts which hee had on his wounds and would no more suffer the hand of the Chirurgion his wounds were not mortall but the ranckling brought it to those termes that he perceiued small strength in him to liue he called Fleurial and being alone hee sayd My friend Fleurial thou now lofest him that had great care to do thee good but you must arme your selfe with patience since it is the will of heauen I would yet haue one piece of seruice from thee which shall better please me then that thou euer didst And hauing drawne from him a promise that hee would do it hee continued You must not faile in what I bid you As soone as I shall be dead rip vp my belly and take out the heart and carry it to the faire Galathee and tell her that I send it her that at my death I may keepe nothing that belongs to any other At these last words hee lost both speech and life Now this foole Fleurial that hee may not bee wanting in that which was commanded him by a person whom he held so deare hath brought hither the heart and without me would present it to you Ah! Leonide sayd she is it certaine he is dead Oh God that I knew not his sicknes and you would neuer tell me of it I would haue found some remedy O what a loss haue I sustained how great is your fault Madam answerd I I knew nothing for Fleurial stayed with him to attend him because he had none of his owne but if I had knowne I thinke I should not haue spoken to you of it I knew your mind was so far remoued from that subiect At these words resting her head on her arme she commanded me to leaue her alone to the end as I thought that I might not see her teares which already encreased their drops but hardly was I gone before shee called me backe and without lifting vp her head shee bid mee command Fleurial to bring her that which Lindamor had sent her in what fashion he listed And presently I went out fully assured that the knights affaires for whom I pleaded would fall out
before men and gods that as she is the most faire and the most vnfaithfull in the world so I am the most faithfull and most affectionate that liues with assurance notwithstanding neuer to haue contentment but in my death We no sooner cast our eyes on this writing but we knew it all three to be from Celadon which was the cause that Licidas ran to draw out the others which floated on the water but the streame had carried them so farre that hee could not come by them yet we ghessed thereby that hee abode about the head of the Lignon which caused Licidas in the morning to goe seeke him luckily and vsed such diligence that three dayes after he found him in solitarinesse so changed from that that he was wont that he might scarce know him but when hee told him that he must come to me and that I so commanded him he could hardly be perswaded but that his brother came to deceiue him At last the letter which hee brought from me gaue him such contentment that within few dayes hee came to his former countenance and came to finde vs out yet not so soone but that Alcippe dyed before his returne and some few dayes after Amarillis followed him And then wee were of opinion that fortune had done her worst against vs since these two were dead that contraried vs most But it fell not out so by the mischiefe that the suite of Corebe went on so that Alce Hippolite and Phocion would giue mee no rest and yet it was not from them that our mischiefe came though Corebe were in part a cause for when hee came to make suite to mee because hee was very rich hee brought with him many shepheards among whom was Semire a shepheard indeede repleate with good qualities if he had not beene the most pērfidious and subtill fellow that euer was As soone as hee cast his eye on me he had a purpose to serue me forgetting the friendship that Corebe bare him And because Celadon and I to cloke our amity had layd a plot as I told you to dissemble he to make loue to al the shepheardesses and I to suffer indifferently the wooing of all sorts of shepheards hee thought at first that the good acceptance that I gaue him was the breeder of some greater affection and he had not so soone knowne what was betweene Celadon and me if by mischance he had not found my letters For though to his last losse it was well knowne hee loued mee yet there were few that thought I loued him I carried my selfe so coldly since Celadons last returne And because the letters which Alcippe had found at the foote of the tree cost vs deare wee would no more rely on those we wrote our selues but inuented a new trick which wee thought more assured Celadon had fastened to a corner of his hat on the inside a little piece of felt so cunningly that he could hardly see it and this was locked with a button on the out-side where he fayned to bind vp the brimme of his hat in that he put his letter and making shew to play either he cast me his hat or I tooke it from him or he let it lye or fayning to runne or leap better cast it on the ground and so I tooke and returned the letter I know not by what misfortune one day when I had one in my hand to giue him running after a Wolfe which came neere my flocks I let it fall vnhappily for me which Semire that came after took vp and saw it was thus The letter of Astrea to Celadon DEare Celadon I haue receiued your letter which was as welcome to me as I know mine are to you and I finde nothing that doth not satisfie me except the thankes you giue which me thinkes is to no purpose neither for my loue nor for Celadon who of long time is wholly giuen mine For if they be not yours know you not that whatsoeuer wanteth that title can neuer please mee And if they be yours why do you giue me separated that which at once I haue receiued when you gaue your selfe to me Vse it no more I pray you if you would not haue me thinke that you haue more ciuility then Loūe After he had found this letter he purposed to speake to me no more of Loue vntill he had done some euill to Celadon and began in this sort In the first place hee besought me to pardon him for being so rash that hee durst raise his eyes on me which my beauty compelled him to doe but he well knew his smal merit and therefore he protested to me neuer to mistake more onely he desired me to forget his boldnesse And after that he made himselfe so great a friend familiar to Celadon that it seemed there was nothing which hee loued more and to abuse mee the more hee neuer met me without finding some occasion to speake to the aduantage of my shepheard couering his intent so cunningly that no man would thinke that he had any such designe These praises of the person whom I loued as I told you deceiued me so that I took extreme pleasure to entertaine him and so two or three moneths passed right happily for Celadon and me but this was as I beleeue the more to make me feel that which since I cease not nor euer shall cease to bewaile At this word in place of speech her tears represented her displeasures to her cōpanions with such abundance that neither the one nor the other durst open their mouth fearing to increase her sorrow for the more you labor by Reason to dry the teares the more they increase their springs At last she began again thus Alas wise Diane how can I remember this accident not die From that time Semire was so familiar both with Celadon and me that for the most part we were together And when hee thought hee had gotten sufficient credit with mee to perswade that which he meant to vndertake One day when he found me alone after we had long talked of diuers treasons that the shepherds did to the shepheardesses whom they made shew to loue But I wonder much said he that there bee so fewe shepheardesses that take heede to their deceits though otherwise they be very circumspect That is answered I for that Loue hath shut vp their eyes Without fayning replyed he I beleeue so for otherwise it were not possible but you should know what they would doe to you and then holding his peace he seemed to prepare himselfe to say more but as if he repented that he had told me so much he beganne againe in this sort Semire Semire what thinkest thou to doe Seest thou not that shee delights in thy deceit Why wilt thou trouble thy selfe And then addressing himselfe to me he went on I see well faire Astrea that my discourse hath brought you some displeasure But pardon me for that I haue bin compelled to it by the affection which I haue
Amasis and Clidaman tied him to stay some long time To deferre his departure he could not and to goe was death At last heÌ„e resolued presently to write to her yet a course rather to hazzard then to hope for any good fortune Fleurial did what hee could to present it speedily to Galathee but he could not doe it for that she feeling this displeasure at her heart was not able to beare this dis-vnion but with such griefe that she was constrained to keepe her â—ed out of which she rose not many dayes Fleurial at last seeing Lindamor gone tooke the hardinesse to seeke her chamber and I must tell you true because I wished ill to Polemas I did what I could to piece vp this affection of Lâ—ndamor and for this cause I gaue meanes for Fleurial to enter If Galathee were surprized iudge you for shee looked rather for any thing then that yet she was constrained to dissemble and to take that which he presented which were but flowers in appearaÌ„ce I would be in the chamber that I might be of the counsell and to bring somewhat that might be to the contentment of poore Lindamor And indeed I was not altogether vnprofitable for after Fleurial was gone and that Galathee found her selfe alone she called me and told me shee thought to haue bene exempted from the importunity of the letters of Lindamor when hee had bene gone but for ought she saw he had nothing to be his warrant I that would serue Lindamor though hee knew nothing of it knowing the Nymph to bee in an humor to talke of him made it very cold knowing well that if I contraried her at first it was the way to lose all and to affirme that which shee sayd would serue the more to punish her for though she were not well satisfied toward him yet loue as yet was the more strong and in herselfe she was willing that I should take Lindamorâ— part not to giue me way but to haue more occasion to speake of him and put her choler out of her soule so that hauing all these considerations before mine eyes I held my peace the first time she spake to mee She that would not haue this silence added But what thinke you Leonide of the arrogancy of this man Madame sayd I I know not what to say but if he haue fayled he must do penance But sayd she what may I thinke of his rashnesse why goes he disgracing me with his tales had hee no other fitter discourse then of me and then after she had looked on the letter he writ I haue some what else to do that he continues to write to me to this I answered nothing After she had held her peace a while she sayd And why Leonide answere you me not haue I not reason to complaine Madame sayd I is it your pleasure I should speake freely You shall please mee sayd shee I must tell you then continued I that you haue reason in all except it bee when you seeke for reason in loue for you must know that he that referrs himselfe to the lawes of iustice puts the principall authority out of himselfe which is to be subiect but to himselfe so that I conclude that if Lindamor haue failed in that he loues you he is culpable but if by the lawes of reasou and prouidence it is you that deserue chastisment that will put loue that is free and commands others vnder the seruitude of a superior And why sayd she haue I not heard it sayd that loue to make it praise worthy must be vertuous If this be so he must bee tied to the lawes of vertue Loue answered I is a thing some what greater then this vertue of which you speake and therefore it giues it selfe lawes without the publishing of any other person but since you command me to speake frankly tell me Madam are not you more culpable then hee both in that for which you accuse him and in that which concernes loue for if hee haue had the hardnesse to say he loued you you are the cause in that you haue sufferd him Though it bee so answered shee yet by discretion he was bound to conceale it Complaine you then sayd I of his discretion and not of his loue But hee hath more occasion to complaine of your loue since vpon the first report at the first conceit that hath beene giuen you you haue chased from you the loue you bare him without taxing him that he hath bene wanting in affection Excuse me Madam if I speake so frankly you do the greatest wrong in the world to vse him in this sort at least if you would condemne him to so great a punishmeÌ„t it ought not to be without coÌ„uincing him or at leastwise to make him blufh at his errour She stood somewhile before shee answered me at last she sayd Well Leonide the remedy shall be timely enough when hee returnes not that I am resolued to loue him nor to permit him to loue me but to tell him where in hee hath failed and so I shall content you and bind him from importuning mee more if hee bee not aâ— impudent as rash It may be Madam you will deceiue your selfe to think it will be time enough at his returne if you knew what the violencies of loue are you would not beleeue that these delayes were like other affairs at least looke on the letter That is to no purpose replied she for by this time he is well gone and with that word she gaue it mee and saw it was thus The letter of Lindamon to Galathee SOmtimes loue at this time the despaire of loue hath put the pâ—n into my hâ—â—d with a purpose if it returne mee no asswagement to change it into a sword which promiseth 〈◊〉 a full though a crâ—â—ll healing This blaâ—â—â— paper which you haue sent me for an answere is a true testimony of my innocency since it is as if it had sayd you haue found nothing to accuse me of but it is also an assurance to me of your disdaine for from whence can this silence proceed vnlesse it be from â—t the one contents mee in my selfe the other makes mee despaire in you If you haue any remembrance of my faithfull seruice for pitty I demand of you or life or death I depart the most desperate that euer had cause of despaire It was an effect of Loue which brought a change in the carriage of Galathee for I sawe her much mollified but this was no small proofe of her lofty humour not to giue knowledge of it and not beeing able to commaund her countenance which was become pale shee so tyed her tongue that she spake no word which might accuse her of relenting but going out of her chamber to walke in the garden not speaking a word of the Letter for the Sunne beganne to grow lowe and her disease which was but trauaile of spirit might finde more refreshing out of the house than in the bed so after she was quickely made
to aske your pardon for the fault I know not of but onely to make you see that it is the end I choose to put him out of the world whom you make shew to haue in such horror But she whom choler had transported without turning her eyes to him struggled with that fury that she escaped from him and left nothing but a ribon on which by chance he had layd his hand She was wont to weare it on her garment before sometimes to set out her partlet with sometimes to winde about flowers when the season serued at this time it had a ring at it which her father had giuen her The sorrowfull shepheard seeing her depart in such choler stood a long time without moouing not knowing what hee held in his hand though he had his eyes on it At last with a deepe sigh comming out of his pensiuenesse and knowing the ribon Be witnesse said hee O deare string that rather then I would breake one of the knots of my affection I choose to lose my life to the end that when I am dead and that the cruell shall see thee about me thou maist assure her that there is nothing in the world can be better loued then she is of me and a Louer worse vnderstood then I. And then fastning it about his arme and kissing the ring And thou said he the token of an intire and perfect amity be content not to part from me at my death to the end that this may remaine with me at least for a gage from her who hath made me such promise of affection He had scarce ended these words when turning his eyes toward Astrea hee cast himselfe into the riuer with his armes acrosse In this place was Lignon very deepe and the streame strong for there was a world of waters and the casting back of the rocke made a kinde of counter-mount so that the shepheard was long before hee could sinke to the bottome and yet longer before hee could rise vp and when hee appeared the first was a knee and after an arme and then ouer-whelmed suddainely with the working of the waues hee was carried farre off vnder the water In the meane time was Astrea set on the banke seeing that which she had so dearely loued and which she could not yet hate so neer to death for her cause was surprised with such feare that in stead of giuing helpe she fell into a swoune so neere the brink that at her first mouing which she made when shee came to her selfe which was long time after shee fell into the water with such danger that all that some shepheards that were there could doe did but saue her with the helpe of her clothes which held her aboue the water they had leasure to draw her to the shoare but so farre besides her selfe that without any feeling of her part they brought her to the next Lodge which they found to belong to Phillis where some of her companions shifted her wet clothes shee not beeing able to speake shee was so much dismayed both for the danger her selfe had runne into and for the losse of Celadon who in the meane time was carried by the water with such violence that hee was driuen aland a farre off on the other side of the riuer among some little shrubs but with small signe of life As soone as Phillis who at that time was from home knew the accident befalne her companion shee set her selfe to runne with all her might and had it not beene that Licidas met her she could not haue beene stayed by any other whosoeuer he had beene yet she told him in few words the danger into which Astrea had runne not speaking any thing of Celadon and indeed she knew nothing of him This shepheard was Celadons brother betweene whom the heauens had tied a knot more straite then that of parentage on the other side Astrea and Phillis besides that they were cousin germanes were so linked with so straite an amity that it well deserues to be compared to that of the two brethren that if Celadon had simpathy with Astrea Licidas had no lesse inclination to serue Phillis nor Phillis to loue Licidas By fortune at this time that they came in Astrea opened her eyes and they were very much changed from that they were wont to be when victorious Loue shewed it selfe triumphant ouer all those which saw them and which they saw their looke was slow and abated their lids heauy and sleepy and their brightnesse turned into teares but teares holding of a heart all inflamed whence they came and of those eyes scorching as they passed by which burnt vp both with loue and pitty all those that were neere her when she perceiued her companion Phillis it was a new cause of astonishment and much more when she saw Licidas and though shee were vnwilling that they which were by should know the principall cause of her euill yet was she compelled to tell him that his brother had endangered himselfe while he sought to helpe her This shepheard at these newes was so amazed that without longer stay he ran to the vnlucky place with all the shepheards leauing Astrea and Phillis alone who afterwards set themselues to follow them but so sadly that though they had much to say yet were they not able to speake In the meane time the shepheards comming to the banke side and casting their eyes now this way and after that way found no shew of that they sought for except it were some that falling more low found a great way off his hat which the streame of the water had driuen downe and which by chance was staied among some trees which the washing of the riuer had loosened at the roote and impaired This was all the newes they could meete with of that they sought for hee was farre enough driuen away in a place where it was impossible for them to finde him because that before Astrea could be recouered of her swounding Celadon as I haue said driuen by the water fell on the other shore among some trees where hee might hardly be seene And while he was thus betweene death and life there came to that place three faire Nimphs whose loose hayre hung wauing on their shoulders crowned with a garland of diuers pearles they wore their bosome bare and the sleeues of their garments trust vp to the elbow from whence issued a very fine lawne that gathered vp ended toward the hand where two great bracelets of pearle seemed to fasten it Euery of them had at their side a quiuer full of arrowes and bore in her hand a Bow of Iuory the lower part of their garment before turned vp behinde that their gold-wrought buskins were seene to the mid-legge It seemed they came thither for some desire for one of them spake thus This is the place see heere the bending of the riuer behold where it comes with violence from aboue dashing against the other shore which breakes the force of it
least of your desires Then the shepheardesse answered in choler Let vs leaue this discourse Licidas and thinke it cannot turne to your brothers benefit but if he haue beguiled me and left me displeased that I no sooner found out his deceits and craft he is gone with a great spoyle and faire markes of his vnfaithfulnesse You make me amazed replied Licidas wherein haue you found that which you reproach him with Shepheard added Astrea the story would be too long and grieuous content your selfe if you know it not you onely are in ignorance and all along this riuer of Lignon there is not a shepheard but can tell you that Celadon loued in a thousand places and not to goe farre yesterday I heard with mine owne eares the discourse of loue which he had to his Aminthe for so he called her whereto I had made longer stay but for shame and to tell true I had some businesse else-where that stood mee more vpon Then Licidas as one transported cries out I will no more enquire the cause of my brothers death it is your iealousie Astrea and iealousie grounded on great reason to be the cause of so great euill Alas Celadon at this time I see well thy prophecies fall out true of thy suspitions when thou saidest this wench will put thee to so much paine that it will cost thee thy life yet knewest thou not on which side this blow should be giuen Afterward addressing himselfe to the shepheardesse Is it credible said he Astrea that this disease is so great that it can make you forget the commandements which you haue so often enioyned him I can witnesse that fiue or sixe times at the least he hath falne on his knees before you to entreat you reuoke them Doe you not remember that when he came out of Italy it was one of your first ordinances and that within yonder bowre where I saw you meete together so often hee besought you to award him death much rather then to make shew to loue any other Astrea would he say while I liue I shall remember the very words it is not for that I refuse but because I am vnable to obserue this iniunction that I cast my selfe at your feete and beseech you that to make proofe what power you haue ouer me you command me to die rather then to ferue any other whomsoeuer but Astrea And you answered him my sonne I require this proofe of your loue and not your death which cannot be without mine owne for besides I know it is most hard to you yet will it bring vs a commodity which we especially are to looke after which is to shut vp both the eyes and mouthes of the most curious and reproachfull whether hee oftentimes replied hereto and whether hee made all the refusall which the obedience to which his affection bound him vnto you might permit I referre to your selfe if you haue the minde to remember it so farre am I from thinking he euer disobeyed you but for this onely cause and in truth it was so heauy an imposition that at all times when he returned from the place where he was enforced to dissemble he was compelled to take his bed as if he came from some great piece of seruice and there he would rest himselfe some while and then he vndertooke it afresh But now Astrea my brother is dead so it is whether you beleeue it or not beleeue it it will doe him neither good nor hurt so that you are not to thinke that I speake to you in his behalfe but onely for the truths sake yet may you credit me as you thinke good if I sweare vnto you that it is not aboue two daies since I found him engrauing of verses on the barke of these trees that stand by the great meddow on the left hand of the Beech and I assure my selfe that if you will vouchsafe to turne your eyes you may perceiue it was he that cut them for you may too well know his characters if forgetfull of him and of his passed seruices you haue not lost the remembrance of whatsoeuer concernes him but I am assured the gods will not suffer it for his satisfaction and your punishment The verses are these MADRIâ—AL I Haue my selfe at such a bent Although my Loue be violent That I can gaine this fauour small To say I doe not loue at all But to dissemble loue else-where Tâ— adore an eye the conquering part As I doe yours with trembling feare I know not how to haue the hart And if it must be that I die Dispach me hence then presently It may be some seuen or eight daies past that hauing had occasion to go for a time ouer the riuer of Loyre by way of answer he wrote me a letter which I am willing you should see and if in reading it you confesse not his innocency I will beleeue that you haue purposely lost for his sake all kinde of iudgement and then taking it out of his pocket he read it to her It was thus INquire no more what I doe but know that I continue alwaies in my ordinary paine To loue and not to dare shew it not to loue and sweare the contrary deare brother is all the exercise or rather the punishment of thy Celadon They say true contraries cannot be at one time in one place yet Loue and dissembled loue are ordinarily in my actions but wonder not at it for I am compelled to the one out of perfection and to the other by the commandement of Astrea If you thinke this manner of life strange remember that Miracles are the ordinary workes of gods and what would you my Goddesse should worke in me but Miracles It was long before Astrea would answer because the words of Licidas had almost put her beside her selfe So it was that iealousie which as yet helâ— some force in her soule made her take the paper as doubting if Celadon writ it And although she well knew it was he yet argued she the contrary in her mind following the custome of many moe persons who will alwaies strongly maintaine a thing as if it were their opinion And much about that time came diuers shepheards from seeking Celadon where they found no notice of him but his hat which was nothing to the sad Astrea but a fresh renewing of sorrow And because she remembred her selfe of a sleight which loue made them deuise and she was loth it should be knowne she made signe to Phillis to take it and then euery one betooke them to their lamentations and praises of the poore shepheard and there was not any that repeated not some vertuous action onely she that felt most was inforced to fit mute and to make lesse shew knowing well that the maine wisedome in loue is to hold affection hidden or at least not to discouer it vnprofitably And because the violence she did her selfe herein was great and she could hold out no longer she drew neere to Phillis and prayed her
If I must lament reioyned he as you do for all the Mistresses that I haue lost I should haue cause to complaine longer then I haue to liue If you do like me answered Tyrcis you should lament but onely for one If you do like me replyed Hylas you should lament for none of them all Heerein it is sayd the desolate that I account you miserable for if nothing can be the sufficient price of Loue but Loue you were neuer loued of any seeing you neuer loued any and so you may trade in many loues but not buy any not hauing the money which is payed for such a commoditie But how know you answered Hylas that I neuer loued I know it said Tyrcis by your perpetuall changes We are said he of a differing opinion for I beleeue the more expert the workman is the more he exercises the mysterie whereof he makes profession It is true answered Tyrcis when one followes the rules of Art but when they do otherwise it falleth out to them as to men out of their way the further they go the more they wander from it Therefore it is that as the stone that continually roules gets no mosse but rather durt and filth in like maner your lightnesse may gaine you shame but neuer loue You must know Hylas that the stripes of loue will neuer be healed God keepe me said Hylas from any one such stripe You haue reason replyed Tyrcis for if euery time you are strucke with a new beauty you had receiued an incurable wound I know not whether in all your body you had had a free place But so you should be depriued of those sweetes and happinesses which loue brings to the true louers and that miraculously as all his other actions by the same stroke that he gaue them so that if the tongue were able to expresse that which the heart cannot entirely rellish and it were permitted you to heare the secrets of this god I do not beleeue but you would willingly renounce your infidelity Then Hylas smiling Without faining said he you haue reason Tyrcis to put your selfe into the number of them whom Loue vseth so kindely As for me if he vse all others as he doth you I will willingly forgoe my part and let you enioy alone your felicities and contentments and feare not that I shall euer enuy you It is aboue a moneth since we ordinarily met together tell me the day the houre or the moment in which I could see your eyes without the wished company of teares and on the contrary name me the day the houre and moment in which you heard me onely sigh for my loues Euery man that hath not his taste peruerted as you haue your iudgement will he not find the delights of my life more pleasing and louely then the ordinary pangs of yours And turning to the shepheardesse which had complained of Tyrcis And you insensible shepheardesse will neuer take the courage to free your selfe of the tyranny in which this vnnaturall shepheard makes you liue Will you by your patience make your selfe companion in his fault Know you not that he glories in your teares and that your supplications raise him to such an arrogancie that he thinkes he bindeth you wonderfully to him when he heares you with misprisall The shepheardesse with a great alas answered him It is easie Hylas for him that is in health to counsell the sicke but if you were in my place you would know how vaine it is thus to aduise me and that this griefe may well driue my soule out of my body but not by reason chase this ouer-strong passion out of my soule So that if this beloued shepheard exercise any tyranny ouer me he may do it with more absolute commaund when it pleaseth him not hauing power to wish more of me then his authoritie ouer me reacheth to already Then giue ouer your counsels Hylas and cease your reproches which can but encrease my euill without hope of asswaging For I am so entirely the possession of Tyrcis that I haue not command of mine owne will How said the shepheard is not your will your owne What will it profit to loue and serue you Laonice answered As much as the amity which I tender to this shepheard auayles me That is to say replyed Hylas I shall lose my time and my paines and when I discouer vnto you my affection this is but to waken in you the words wherewith you may serue your owne turne when you speake to Tyrcis What would you Hylas that I should say more to you but that it is long since I haue gone bewayling this mis-happe but much better in my consideration then in yours I doubt not sayd Hylas but since you be of this humour and that I haue more power ouer my selfe then you can ouer yours Go take the shepheardesse sayd he reaching forth his hand or giue me leaue or take it of me and be assured that if you will not I will not be long before I goe backe as being ashamed to serue so poore a Mistris Shee answered him very coldly Neither you nor I shall receiue any great losse at the least I assure you this shall neuer make me forget the hard vsage which I haue from this shepheard If you haue answered he as much knowledge of that which you lose in losing me as you shew small reason in the pursuite you vndertake you will rather complaine for the losse of me then to wish for the affection of Tyrcis But the sorrow which you take for me shall be very small if it can not equall that which I haue for you and then sung out these verses as he went away A SONNET SInce we must needs pull vp that deep-set roote Which Loue in seeing you plants in my brest And which Desire with so great longing thirst Hath with so great care nurâ—'d to so small boote Since it must be that Time which saw it borne Must triumph in the end as Conquerour Attempt we brauely freed from Sorrowes power Let vs at one blow cut both flowre and thorne Chase we all these desires those fires put out Breake we those lines knotted with many boughes And of our selues let vs take free farewell So shall we vanquish Loue that vntamed Lord And wisely do out of our owne accord That whereto Time at last will vs compell If this shepheard had come into this Country in a time lesse troublesome without doubt he had found many friends but the sorrow for Celadon whose losse was so fresh as it made all them that dwelt thereabout so heauy that they could not attend his conceits and therfore they let him go without being curious to question either him or Tircis what was the cause that led them thither Some of them returned to their lodging and others continued on their search for Celadon and coasted now on this side and then on that side the Riuer not leauing euen a brier nor tree nor bush whose shaddowed hollownesse they
Galathee made choice of And therefore it is that being Lady of all those Countries and hauing yet a sonne called Clidaman she brings vp wiâ—h vs a number of maydens and daughters of the Druides and knights who beeing in so good a schoole learne all the vertues which their age will permit The maides go attyred as you see vs which is a kind of habite that Diana or Galathee vsed to weare and which wee haue alwayes maintained in memory of her See Celadon that which you desire to know of our estate and I make account before you goe away for I would you will see vs all together that you might say that our company giueth place to none other neyther in vertue nor yet in beautie Now Celadon knowing who these faire Nymphes were knew also what respect he was to shew them and though he had not beene accustomed to be among others then Shepheards his like yet such was the good breeding that he had that it taught him well enough what was due to such personages Then after he had done them the honour which he thought he was bound to But sayd he holding on I can not but be astonished to be among so many great Nymphes I that am but a simple shepheard and to receiue so many fauours of them Celadon answered Galathee in what place soeuer Vertue is it deserues to be loued and honoured as well vnder the habite of shepheards as vnder the glorious purple of kings and for your particular you are with vs of no lesse account then the greatest of the Druides or knights in our Court for you are not to giue place to them in fauour sith you doe not in merit And for your being among vs know you that it is not without a great mysterie from our gods which haue appoynted it as you may know at leisure whether it be that they will no longer that so many vertues remayne among the Sauages in the forrest and countrey townes or whether it be that they will worke a dessigne in you aduauncing you greater then you are to make most happy by you the person that loueth you Liue onely in rest and looke to your health For there is nothing you should more desire in the state wherein you are then health Madam answered the shepheard who vnderstood not the words well If I be to desire health the chiefe cause is that I may be able to doe you some seruice in exchange of so many fauours which it hath pleased you to doe me It is true that I neede not tell you that I came from the wood or pastures otherwise the solemne vow which our fathers haue made vnto the gods will accuse vs to them as vnworthy children of such fathers And what oath is it answered the Nymph The history replyed Celadon would be too long if I should tell you the cause that my father Alcippe had to hold it So it is that many yeeres since of a generall accord all those that kept along the riuers of Loyre of Lignon of Furan of Argent and of all other riuers after he had well vnderstood the discommoditie which the ambition of a people called Romanes made their neighbours feele out of desire of dominion assembled together in a great Plaine which is neere the mount Verdun and there by a mutuall agreement sware all to flie for euer from all sort of ambition for that it alone was cause of so much paynes and to liue they and theirs vnder the peaceable habite of shepheards and since that it hath beene obserued the gods so well liked this vow that none of them that made it nor their successors but he had trauell and paynes incredible if he obserued it not and among all my father is an example most remarkeable and most new So that hauing knowne that the will of heauen is that we should keepe in rest that which we haue to liue on we haue of late renewed this vow with so many oaths that he that breakes it shall become most detestable Truely sayd the Nymph I am well pleased to heare that you tell me for it is long since I heard them talke of it and I could neuer yet know why so many good and ancient Families as I he are there are among you imploy themselues out of the townes to spend their age in the woods and places most solitary But Celadon if the case wherein you are will suffer tell me I pray you what hath beene the fortune of your father Alcippe to make him take againe that kinde of life which he had so long time left for I assure my selfe the discourse is worthy to bee knowne Then though he felt himselfe yet euill of the water which he had swallowed yet he constrained himselfe to obey her and beganne in this sort The History of Alcippe YOu command me Madame to tell you the fortune most crosse and diuerse of any man in the world and in which one may learne that he that will worke trouble to another prepares a great part to himselfe But since you will haue it so and that I may not disobey you I will tell you briefly that which I haue learned by ordinary discourse from himselfe to whom al these things haue befalne For that we might vnderstand how happy we were to liue in quietnesse of spirit my father hath often recounted vnto vs his strange fortunes Know then Madame that Alcippe hauing beene bred by his father in the simplicitie of a shepheard had a spirit so differing from his education that euery thing pleased him better then that that sauoured of the village So that this young Infant for a presage of what he would come to and to which when he was in yeeres he addicted himselfe had no greater delight then to make assemblies of other children like himselfe whom he tooke vpon to set in order and to arme some with staues some with bowes and arrows whom he taught to draw right the menaces of the olde and wise shepheards not being able to diuert him The ancients of our Hamlets seeing his actions fore-told of great troubles in these countries and aboue all that Alcippe would be of a turbulent spirit that would neuer rest with in the limits of a shepherd When he came to the balfe part of his age by chance he fel amorous of the shepherdesse Amarillis who at that time was secretly wooed of another shepheard his neighbour called Alce And because Alcippe had so good an opinion of himselfe that he thought that there was not any shepheardesse who would not as freely entertaine his affection as he offered it he resolued to vse no great Art to tell her it so that meeting her at the sacrifice of Pan as she returned home he said vnto her I neuer thought I was of so small force that I could not resist the blowes of an enemy that wounds me vnawares She answered He that wounds by mistaking should not be called an enemy No answered he which rest not on deedes
better their country in stead of Gaul take the name of Frannce While I was entred into armes among the Franks the Gauls the Romans the Burgonians the Visigots and the Huns my brother was among them of loue armes so much the more offensiue for that they turne all their blowes vpon the heart his disaster was such if now I may bee suffered to cal itso that being bred vp by Clidaman he saw the faire Siluie but seeing her hee saw his death also not hauing liued since that but as drawing towards his tombe t◠tell you the cause I cannot for being with Childerick I knew nothing but that my brother was in extremity though I found al the cōtentments that might be as being regarded of my Master beloued of my companions cherished and honored generally of all for a certaine good opinion they conceiue of me for affaires that fell out which it may be got me with them more authority credit then my age and capacity might merit I could not knowing the sicknesse of my brother stay longer time with Childerick but taking leaue of him promising him to returne very shortly I came backe with the haste that my loue required As soone as I was come many ranne to tell him that Guymantes was come for so they call me His loue gaue him strength enough to lift vp himselfe in his bed he imbraced me with the most intire affection that one brother could do to another It would serue but to trouble you and wound my selfe afresh to recount vnto you the things which our amity wrought betweene vs. So it was that either 2. or 3. daies after my brother was brought to that extremity that he could hardly draw his breath and yet that cruell loue inclined him more to sighing then to the necessity hee had of breathing and in all his raging fits we could heare nothing but the name of Siluie I to whom the displeasure of his death was so violent that I could hardly dissemble wished so much euill to this vnknowne Siluie that I could not hold from cnrsing her which when my brother heard and his affection as yet greater then his disease hee enforced himselfe to speake this Brother if you will not bee my greatest enemy for beare I beseech you these imprecations which cannot but displease mee much more then my disease I had much rather not bee at all then that they should take effect and being vnprofitable what will it auaile you vnlesse it be to witnesse to me how much you hate that which I loue I know well my losse will trouble you and therein I haue more feeling of our separation then of my end But since euery man is borne to dye why with me do you not thanke the heauens which haue chosen me the fairest death and the most faire murderer that euer man had The extremity of my affection and the extremity of the vertue of Siluie are the armes by which her beauty is serued to put me into my griefe and why do you bewaile me wish euill to her to whom I wish more good then to my soule I thinke hee would haue said more but his strength failed and I more wet with teares of pitty then when against Attila I was all on a sweat vnder my armor and my armes sprinkled with bloud all ouer me Brother she that takes you from yours is the most vniust that euer was and if she be faire the gods haue done the iniustice in her for either they should haue changed her face or her heart Then Aristander hauing gotten a little more strength replied to me For Gods sake Guymantes blaspheme no more in this sort beleeue that Siluie hath an heart answerable to her face that as the one is full of beauty so the other is of vertue that if for louing her I die doe not you wonder because that if the eye cannot without dazeling abide the beames of one Sun without cloudy how may not my soule remaine dazeled at the beames of so many Suns which glister in this faire that if I haue scarce tasted such diuinities without death I may haue the contentment of him that dies to see Iupiter in his diuinity I would tell you that as her death giues witnesse that no other had euer seene so much of diuinity as shee so that no man euer loued so much of beauty nor so much of vertue as I. Now I that came from an exercise that made mee beleeue there was no loue forced but voluntary with which men go on flattering themselues in idlenesse said to him Is it possible that one sole beauty should be the cause of your death My brother answered he I am in such extremity that I thinke I cannot answere your demands but said he on taking me by the hand for brotherly loue and for our particular which binds vs yet faster I adiure you to promise me one gift I did so Then he said on Beare as from me this kisse to Siluy and then he kissed my hand and obserue that which you finde of my last will and when you see this Nympho you shall know that which you demand of me At this word with a blast his soule flew vp his body lay cold in my armes The affliction that I felt in this losse as it cannot be imagined but by him that hath beene in it so it cannot be conceiued but by the heart that suffered it and hardly can the word reach that which the thought may not attaine so that without longer abode in bewailing this disaster I wil say Madam that as soone as my dolours would suffer me I haue set my selfe on the way as well to render you the homage which I owe you and to demand iustice of you for the death of Aristander as to fulfill my promise which I made him against his homicide and to present that which by his last will he left in writing to the end that I may call my selfe as iust an obseruer of my word as his affection hath beene inuiolable But at the instant when I was presented before you and that I meant to open my mouth against this murderer I haue found my brothers words so true that not only I excuse his death but desire and require the like This shall bee then Madam with your permission which I will performe and then making a great reuerence to Amasis he chose from among vs Siluie and resting one knee on the ground he said Faire murtherer though on this faire brest there fall but one teare of pitty at the newes of the death of the person which was so much yours you cease not to haue entire honourable victory yet if you iudge that to so many flames which you haue lighted in him so small a drop shall not bee a great asswagement receiue at least the burning kisse which hee bequeaths you when presently his soule turned into this kisse which he set in this faire hand rich indeed with the
fire of his loue nor the admirable beauties of those Romanes diuert him from the least part of what he had promised me O God with what contentment came he to meete me he besought me by his brother that I would giue him opportunity to speake with me I thinke I haue yet his letter Alas I haue more charily preserued that which came from him then himselfe And then she drew out letters which she had receiued from him and pulling out the first for they were all layd in order after she had wiped her eyes she read these words FArre Astrea my banishment hath beene ouercome of my patience God grant the like of your loue I went out with such griefe and am returned with so great contentment that not perishing neither in going nor comming I shall alwaies giue proof that one may not die neither of too much pleasure nor too much displeasure Let me then see you that I may recount my fortune vnto you that are my onely Fortune Faire Diane it is impossible I should remember the discourse which we had without wounding my selfe so that the least stroke is as greeuous to me as death During the absence of Celadon Artemis my Aunt and the mother of Phillis came to see her kinsfolke and brought with her this shepheardesse poynting to Phillis And because our fashion of liuing better pleased them then that of the shepheards of Alleer she resolued to dwell with vs which was no small contentment to vs for by this meanes we grew familiar and though the friendship was not so strait as it fell out afterward yet her humour so pleased me that I passed ouer many vnquiet houres reasonably well with her And when Celadon was returned and that he had some while conuersed with her he gaue so good a iudgement that I may truely say he is the ground of the strait amity which hath since beene betweene her and me It was about this time that he being of the age of seuenteene or eighteeneyeeres I of fifteene or sixteene we beganne to carry our selues with more wisedome so that to hide our loue I intreated him or rather I constrayned him to make loue to all the shepheardesses that had any shew of beauty that the suite he made to mee might be iudged to be rather common then particular I say I constrayned him because I thinke but for his brother Licidas he would neuer haue giuen his consent For after he had many times falne on his knees before me to call backe the charge I gaue him in the end his brother told him that it was necessary for my contentment it should be so and that if he knew no other remedy he might therein helpe himselfe by his imagination and when he spake to others he should conceit to himselfe it was to me Alas the poore shepheard had good reason to make such difficulty for he ouer-well foresaw that from it would arise the cause of his death Excuse me wise Diane if my teares interrupt my discourse seeing I haue so iust cause that it were impiety to forbid them me And after she had dryed her eyes shee renewed her discourse in this manner And because Phillis was vsually with me it was she to whom at the first he addressed himselfe but with such inforcement that I could hardly refraine from laughter and because Phillis thought he was in earnest and that she vsed him as they ordinarily doe him that beginneth to be a suiter I remember that seeing himselfe rudely handled he often sung this song which he made on that subiect A SONG VPon a certaine fountaines bankes Which moldy mosse all ouer-growes Whose water with a winding flowes Wandring through plaines in many crankes A shepheard gazing on the waue Sâ—â—g to his pipe these verses graue Cease one day cease too faire for me Before my death cruell to be Can it be that this grieuous paine Which I for louing you indure If gods be not cal'd iust in vaine At last may â—e no good procure Or can it be that such a Loue May neuer any pittie mooue The rather being great and true As that with which I honor you Those eyes whose wanton passages Haue often made me hope in vaine Full of so many forgeries Will they forsweare themselues so plaine They oft haue told me that her heart At last would rigor force to part Agreeing to which false report The rest of her faire face consort But how faire eies of shepheardesse Shall they to such false courses yeeld As are the Courtiers practices It seemes these beauties of the field Though without fucus on their skin Yet can they paint their heart within And learne a lesson in their schooles To giue but words the bane of fooles Enough it is high time O faire To end this ouer-cruell fit And thinke that beauty n'er so rare Which hath not sweetnesse mixt with it Is as an eye that wants day-light And faire that is without loue quite As most vnworthy of that cole Is like a body wanting soule Sister interrupted Phillis I remember it well you speake of and I shall make you laugh at the manner of his speech to me For for the most part it was with such broken language that we had need of an Interpreter to make vs vnderstand them and vsually when he was to name mee he would call me Astrea But see what our inclination is I knew well that Nature had in some sort preferred Celadon before Licidas yet not being able to tell you the reason Licidas was more welcome to me Alas sister sayd Astrea you bring to my remembrance the speech which he vsed about that time of you and of this faire shepheardesse sayd she turning to Diane Faire shepheardesse said he to me the wise Bellinde and your Aunt Artemis are infinitely happy in hauing such daughters and our Lignon is much bound to them since by their meanes it hath the happinesse to see vpon her shores these two faire wise shepheardesses And beleeue me if I know any thing they only deserue the amity of Astrea and therefore I aduise you to loue them for I perceiue by that little knowledge I haue of them that you shall finde great contentment in their familiarity Would to God one of them would vouchsafe to respect my brother Licidas with the like affection that I beare And for that at that time I had no great knowledge of you fayre Diane I answered that I desired he should rather serue Phillis and it fell out as I wished for the ordinary conuersation he had with her at the first brought forth familiarity betweene them and at last he loued in earnest One day when he found her at leisure he resolued to declare his affection with much loue and with the fewest words he could Faire shepheardesse said he you haue knowledge enough of your selues to beleeue that those which loue you can not but loue you infinitely It can not be that my actions haue giuen you any knowledge
this cause since you appoint me to tell you a part of my life I coniure you by our loue neuer to speake of it and both of them hauing sworne she tooke againe her discourse in this sort The History of Diane IT would be very strange if the discourse which you desire to know of me might not be offensiue to you since faire wise shepheardesses it hath made me endure so much displeasure that I thinke not I shall at this time vse more words in telling it then it hath cost me teares in suffering it And since it pleaseth you that at last I shall renew that grieuous remembrance suffer me to abridge it that I may in some sort lessen the happinesse wherein I am by the memory of passed troubles I assure my selfe that though you neuer sawe Celion and Belinde yet you haue heard they were my father and mother and it may be haue knowne the crosses which they had for the loue of the one to the other which lets mee from telling them though they were presages of those I met with But you must know that after the cares of loue were ended in marriage that they might not remayne ydle suites of law and sundry troubles beganne to grow and so plentifully that wearied with charge of processe to make an accord many among the rest a neighbour of theirs named Phormion trauayled so that their friends were of aduice at last that to end all suits they should giue some promises of future alliance betweene them and because neither the one nor the other as yet had any children as hauing not beene long married they swore by Theurales on the Altar of Belenus that if they both had but one sonne and one daughter they should marry together and ratified this alliance with so many oathes that hee which brake them should be the most periured creature in the world Some time after my father had a sonne which was lost when the Gothes and Ostrogots ransacked this prouince Somewhat after that was I borne but so vnluckily for my selfe that my father neuer sawe me being borne after his death This was the cause that Phormion seeing my father dead and my brother lost for these Barbarians had carryed him away and it may be kill'd him or left him to die for want and that my vnkle Dinamis was gone out with displeasure of this losse resolued if he might haue a sonne to pursue the effect of those promises It fell out that some while after his wife lay downe but it was of a daughter and because his wife was old and he feared he should haue no more by her hee made it be giuen out that it was a sonne and vsed so great warinesse that neuer any body heeded it a tricke easie enough because there was no person that would suppose that he would vse such a deceit and vntill a certayne age it is hard by the face to know any thing and the better to deceiue the most crafty he called her Filidas And when she came to age he caused her to vse the exercise fit for young shepheards whereto she was not very vnâ—â—t The dessigne of Phormion was seeing me without father and without vnkle to make himselfe master of my good by this fayned marriage and when Filidaâ— and I should be greater to marry me to one of his nephews which he loued best And indeed he was not deceiued in his former dessigne For Belinde was too religious towards the gods to fayle in that whereto she knew her husband was bound It is true that seeing me taken out of her owne hands for presently after this dissembled marriage I was deliuered into them of Pharmion she tooke so great griefe that not being able to stay longer in this countrey she went to the lake Leman to be mistris of the Vestals and Druydes of Euiens as the old Cleoâ—tin informed her from the Oracle Now behold me in the hands of Phormion who shortly after brought me home to him his nephew to whom he meant to giue me who was named Amidor This was the beginning of my paines because his vnkle let him know that by reason of our young age the marriage of Filidas and me was not so assured but if the one could not like of the other hee could not well breake it yet if it should happen hee wished rather hee should marry me then another that he should make vse of this aduertisement with so much discretion that no man might take notice of it endeuouring in the meane time to winne me to his loue in such sort that I gaue my selfe to him if euer I came to be free This yong shepheard had so good a conceit of this dessigne that as long as this fancie lasted he could not tel how good occasion I had to reioyce my selfe for him About this time Daphnis an honest and wise shepheardesse came from the coast of Furan where she had abode many yeeres and because we were neighbours the conuersation which we had together by chance made vs so good friends that I beganne to be more vexed then of wont for I must confesse that the humor of Filidas was so vnsupportable to me that I could not almost indure it so that the feare which she had that I might come to more knowledge made her so iealous of me that I might not scarce speake to any body Things standing on these termes Phormion on a sudden faâ—leth sicke and the same day was choked with a Catar that he could not speake nor giue any order to his affayres nor mine Filidas at the first was astonished at last seeing her selfe absolute mistris of her selfe and of me resolued to keepe this authority considering that the liberty which the name of a man brings is much more pleasing then the seruitude to which our Sexe is more subiected Besides that shee was not ignorant that when she should discouer her selfe to be a maide she should giue no small cause of talke to all the country These reasons made her continue the name which she had during her fathers life and fearing now more then euer that some one might discouer what she was she held me so strait that I was seldome without her But faire shepheardesses since it pleaseth you to know my young passages you must when you heare them excuse them and withall haue this beliefe of me that I haue had so many and so great troubles for louing that I am no more sensible on that side hauing beene so hardened that loue hath neyther so strong nor so sharpe armes that he can pierâ—â—â—e Alas it is the shepheard Filander of whom I will speake Filander that first could giue me some feeling of loue and who being no more hath carried away all that that might be capable in me Truely interrupted Astrea eyther the loue of Filander hath beene very little or you haue vsed great discretion for that indeed I neuer heard speech of it Which is a rare thing for that the euill
vs might be thought to grow from the good will which I bare him He that had no designe but that which Cleon allowed presently endeuoured to effect that which shee had commanded him O God when I remember the sweete words which he vsed to me I cannot though they were lyes containe my selfe from entertaining them and thanke Loue for those happy moments wherewith he delighted me at those times and wish since I cannot be more happy that I might at least bee alwaies so deceiued And indeed Tircis found it no great paine to perswade mee that he loued me for besides that euery one easly beleeues the thing they desire me thought it might haue bin so because I did not iudge my selfe to be so vnlouely but that so long a conuersing as ours was might haue gayned somewhat of him especially with the care I had to please him Whereby this glorious Cleon oftentimes passed the time with him but if Loue had bin iust he shuld haue made the deceit fal on her self by suffring Tircis to come loue me vnfainedly yet it fell not out so but contrarily this dissimulation was so vnsupportable that he could not continue it and did not Loue shut vp the eyes of them that loue I could not chuse but haue perceiued it as wel as the greater part of them that saw vs together to whom as to my professed enemies I would giue no credit and because Cleon I were very familiar this cunning shepheardesse feared that time the sight I had might put me out of the errour wherein I was But geÌ„tle shepherd it had bin necessary that I had bin as forecasting as she yet the better to hide herselfe she inuented a sleight which was not euill Her purpose as I haue told you was to shadow the loue which Tircis bare her by that which hee made shew of to me and it succeeded as shee set downe for they beganne to talke somewhat loude and to my disaduantage and though it were but they that looked no further then to apparence yet this nuÌ„ber being greater then the other the bruit ran presently and the suspitioÌ„ that they had before of Cleon died at that instant so that I may say that she loued at my cost But she that feared as I told you lest I should come to discouer the practice would cloke it vnder another and counselled Tircis to let me know that euery body beganne to finde out our loue and to censure it shrowdly enough and that it was necessary to cause it to cease by wisedome and that it was fit he should seeme to loue Cleon that by this diuerting they which talked the worst might reforme themselues And you may tell her said she that you haue chosen me rather then any other for the commodity you haue to be neere her and to speake to her I that was all honest and without craft found this counsell good so that with my permission from that day when we three were together he made not dainty to entertaine Cleon as he was accustomed And indeed it was very pleasing to them and to any other that knew this dissimulation for seeing the suite that hee made to Cleon I thought he â—ested and could hardly hold my selfe from laughter On the other side Cleon noting my fashions and knowing the deceit wherein I thought her to be was extremely pained to dissemble it especially when this crafty companion made certaine winks with her eye which oftentimes were so farre from the purpose that I might accuse the loue shee bare to the shepherd and the contentment that this deceit brought him And see if I were in my right minde that of pitty I felt the displeasure which she should haue when she knew the truth But since I found that I complaine in her person yet may I excuse my selfe for who hath not beene beguiled since that Loue as soone as he gets intire possession of a soule spoyles it presently of all distrust in the person beloued And this dissembling shepheard played his part so well that if I had beene in Cleons place it may bee I should haue doubted his shewes had beene true Being sometimes in the middle betweene vs two if hee laboured to make ouer-great demonstration of his loue to Cleon hee would instantly turne to me and aske me in mine care if he had not done well But his master-fraud stucke not at so small a thing heare you I beseech you whereto it passed In priuate he spake more often to Cleon then to mee he would kisse her hand he would bee an houre or two on his knees before her and would not conceale it from me for the cause I haue told you but generally he would neuer budge from me sued to me with such dissimulation that the greatest part held on the opinion they formerly had of our loues which he did of purpose desirous that I onely should see his courting of her because hee knew well I would not beleeue it but hee would not in any case that they who might iudge rightly should come to the least knowledge And when I told him we could not put out of mens heads the opinion of our loue and that none would beleeue it when it was told me that he loued Cleon How answered he will you haue them beleeue a thing that is not So it is that our plots in despite of the worst conceits shall be beleeued in generall But he that was well aduised seeing an occasion presented to passe yet further sayd to mee That aboue all we must deceiue Cleon and if she were once deceiued we had then almost accomplished our purpose that for this cause of necessity I must speake to her for him and I should doe it confidently She saith he that already hath this opinion will with all her heart receiue those messages which you bring her and so we shall liue in assurance Oh! what a miserable fortune doe we oftentimes runne into for my part I thought that if at any time Cleon beleeued that I loued this shepheard I should make her lose that opinion when I prayed her to loue him and confidently spake for him But Cleon knowing what speech I had with the shepheard and seeing in what restraint she liued iudged she might by my meanes haue messages and especially letters This was the cause that she tooke in good part the proposition which I made her and from that time she treated with him as with the man she loued and I serued to no other vse than to carry letters from the one to the other O Loue to what an occupation didst thou then put me Yet may I not complayne for that I haue heard say that I am not tho first that haue done such offices to others thinking to worke for themselues About that time because the Frankes Romans Gothes and Burgonians raysed a cruell warre we were constrayned to go into the Towne which beares the name of that shepheard that was Iudge to the three goddesses
in loue to him And as for the recompences which you demand for the seruices and for the letters which Laonice carried from one to the other let her remember the contentment which she receiued how many happy daies she passed before this deceit which otherwise she should haue speÌ„t miferably let her ballance her seruices with that payment I assure myselfe shee shall bee found their debtor Thou saist Hylas that Tircis hath be guiled her This is no beguiling but a iust punishment of Loue that hath made her blowes fall on her owne selfe since her purpose was not to serue but to delude the wise Cleon that if she haue cause to coÌ„plaine of any thing it is that of two deceyuers she hath beene the lesse crafty See Siluander how briefly I haue thought fit to answer the false reasons of this shepheard and there remaines nothing but to make Laonâ—ce confesse that she hath done wrong to pursue this iniustice which I will easily doe if it please her to answer me Faire shepheardesse said Phillis tell me doe you loue Tircis well Shepheardesse replyed she no man that knowes me doubted euer of it If it were of constraint replyed Phillis that he were to goe farre off and that some other came in the meane time to woo you would you change this loue No sayd she for I should alwayes hope hee would come backe And reioyned Phillis If you knâ—w he would neuer returne would you cease louing him No certainely answered she O faire Laonice continued Phillis thinke it not then strange that Tyrcis who knowes that his Clâ—on for her merits is lifted vp into heauen who knoweth that from aboue shee sees all his actions and ioyes in his fidelity will not change the loue he bare her nor suffer that the distance of place should separate their affections since all the discommodities of life haue no more to do Thinke not as Hylas hath sayd that neuer any came backe ouer the floud of Acheron Many who haue beene beloued of the gods haue gone and returned and whom shall we rather thinke than faire Cleon whose birth hath beene beheld by the Destinies with so sweet and fauourable an eye that she neuer loued any thing whereof she gayned not the loue O Laonice if it were permitted your eyes to see the Diuinitie you might behold this Cleon who without doubt is at this houre in this place to defend her cause and is at mine â—are to prompt the words that I must speake Then you would iudge that Hylas hath done wrong to say that Tyrcis loues but cold cinders Me thinks I see her in the midst of vs clothed with immortality in stead of a frayle body and subiect to all accidents which reproches Hylas for the blasphemies which he hath vsed against her And what wilt thou answer Hylas if the happy Cleon say to thee Thou inconstant wouldst trayne vp my Tyrcis in thy vnfaithfulnesse if he haue heeretofore loued me thinkest thou it was my body if thou sayst Yes I answer He ought to be condemned since no louer is euer to withdraw himselfe from a loue begunne to loue the ashes which I haue left him in my coffin so long as they endure If hee confesse he loued my spirit that is my principall part then why inconstant will hee change that will at this time when it is more perfect than euer it was Heeretofore so will the misery of the liuing haue it I might be iealous I might be importunate I must serue I was marked by more then him but now freed from all imperfections I am no more capable to beare his displeasures And thou Hylas thou wouldst with thy sacrilegious inuentions turne from me him in whom onely I liue in earth and by a cruelty more barbarous than hath beene heard of assay to lay on me another death Wise Siluander the words which I deliuer sound so sensibly in mine eares that I doe not thinke but you heare them and feele them at your heart This is the cause that to leaue this diuinity speaking in your soule I will hold my peace after I haue onely told you that loue is so iust that you are to feare the punishments in your selues if the pitty of Laonice rather than the reason of Cleon moue and carry you At this word Phillis rising with a curteous reuerence made signe she would say no more for Tyrcis When Laonice would haue made an answer Siluander forbade it saying It was not now time to defend her selfe but to heare onely the sentence which the gods pronounced by his mouth and after he had some while considered with himselfe the reasons of them both hee pronounced such a sentence The iudgement of Siluander THe principall poynt of the causes debated before vs is to know if Loue may die by the death of the thing beloued Whereupon wee say that a loue that may perish is no true loue for it ought to follow the subiect that gaue it birth Therefore it is that they which loue the body onely must enclose all their loues of the body in the same tombe where it is shut vp but they that beyond this loue the spirit ought with their loues to flie after this beloued soule to the highest heauens no distances being able to separate them Therefore all these things well considered we ordayne That Tyrcis alwayes loue his Cleon and that of the two loues which may be in vs the one shall follow the body of Cleon to the tombe and the other the spirit into heauen In like sort it is ordered That suites of Laonice be forbidden that shee no longer disquiet the repose of Cleon for such is the will of the gods that speakes in me Hauing sayd thus without regarding the complaynts and reproches which he foresawe in Laonice and Hylas hee made a great reuerence to Leonide and the rest of the company and so went away without other companion than Phillis who would stay no longer to heare the sorrowes of this shepheardesse And because it was late Leonide withdrew into the Hamlet of Diane for that night and the shepheards and shepheardesses as they were accustomed except Laonice who infinitely offended with Siluander and Phillis sware not to goe out of that Countrey before she had done them some notable displeasure it seemed that Fortune brought her as shee could haue wished For hauing left that company and being placed in the thickest of the wood to mourne at liberty at the last her good spirit set before her eyes the insupportable contempt of Tyrcis how much vnworthy he was to be beloued of her and made her so ashamed of her fault that a thousand times she sware to hate him and for his cause Siluander and Phillis It fell out while these things thus passed in her memory that Licidas which some dayes before beganne to be euill satisfied with Phillis by reason of some coldnesse which he thought he found in her perceiued Siluander to come talking with her It was
left the battaile Polemas had neuer confessed that you or any other should haue heard O poore Lindamor how must I bewaile thy fortune And what is it thou canst doe when thy most notable seruices are offences and iniuries But well Madame it may be you shall not haue long time to vse these cruelties for a most pittifull death may bring end to your mistakings and his punishment and it may be euen now when I speake he is no more and if it be so the Nymph Galathee is the onely cause Why doe you accuse me said she Because replyed I that when you would haue separated them and in recoyling your knee touched the ground hee would haue helped you vp in the meane time that courteous Polemas whom you commend so much wounded him in two or three seuerall places out of that aduantage where I saw the blood make the ground red but if hee dye for this it is lesse euill then that he receiues from you for seeing himselfe mistaken hauing done his endeuour this me thinks is a displeasure to which no other can be equalled But Madame may it please you to remember that heretofore you haue sayd to me in complayning of him that to blot out these speeches of Polamas he knew no other remedy hee was to serue himselfe of sword and blood And now hee hath done that which you iudged he should doe and yet you finde it not well done If Siluie and some other Nymphs had not interrupted vs before I had left off my discourse I had well aswaged this great minde of the Nymph but seeing so many persons we changed our talke And yet my words were not without effect though shee would make no shew of it to me but by a thousand passages I found the truth for from that day I resolued neuer to speake to her more of him vnlesse she asked me some newes She on the other side looked that I should speake first and so more then eight dayes passed without speech But in the meane time Lindamor was not without care to know both what was said of him in Court and what Galathee thought of him He sent Fleurial to me for this cause and to giue me word in a letter He did his message so well that Galathe◠tooke no notice of it his Billet was thus The Billet of Lindamor to Leonide MAdam who doubts of my innocency shall bee no lesse guilty against the truth yet if the closed eyes see not the light though without shadow it shine on them I may be suffered to doubt that my Lady for my misery hath her eyes shut against the brightnesse of my iustice bind mee by assuring her that if the blood of my enemy cannot wash away the staine with which he hath gone about to defile me I wil voluntarily adde thereto mine own that I no otherwise preserue my life which is hers but that her rigour shall make mee ready to render it I enquired particularly of Fleurial how he fared if there were any that knew him and I vnderstood that hee had lost much blood and that much hindred his healing but there was no danger that to bee knowne it could not bee because the Herald was a Franke of the army of Meroue who kept about the banks of Rhine at that time and they that attended him were not suffered to go out of doores and that his Aunt and Sister tooke him but for the knight that fought with Polemas whose valour and liberality wonne them to serue him with that care that they were not to doubt but he would be better that hee had commanded him to come know of me what the bruite was in the Court and what he was to do I answered him that hee should carry to Lindamor that all the Court was full of his valour though he were vnknowne that for the rest hee should looke to his healing and that I for my part would bring what I could to his contentment Thus I gaue him mine answere and told him the day before your departure When Galathee comes into the garden inuent some occasion to go to see your Aunt and take leaue of her for it is necessary for our busines that I speake with you againe He failed not and by fortune the next day the Nymph being come toward euening into the garden Fleurial came to make his reuerence and would speake with her but Galathee that thought it was to giuer her letters from Lindamor stood so confused that I saw her change colour and looked pale like death And because I feared Fleurial would perceiue it I came forward said to her Madam here is Fleurial that would go to see his Aunt because she is sicke and desires you to giue him leaue for some few dayes Galathee turning her eies and words to mee asked what her disease was I thinke answered I it is so many yeeres passed that it takes from her all hope of recouery Then she turned to Fleurial and sayd Go and returne quickly but not before she be well if it be possible for I loue her well for the speciall good will which shee hath alwayes borne mee At this word she held on her walking and I set my selfe to speake to him and shewed in my gesture more then indeed of displeasure and admiration that the Nimph might note it at last I told him See Fleurial you 〈◊〉 sacrer and wise thereon depends all our good or all your euill and aboue all do what Lindamor shall command you After he had promised me he went his way and I disposed my countenance the best I could to sadnesse and displeasure and sometimes when I was in place where the Nymph only might he are I fained to sigh and lift vp mine eies to heauen and strike my hands together and to be short I did al I could imagine to giue her some suspition of what I would She as I told you that looked alwayes when I should speake of Lindamor seeing I sayd nothing but on the contrary auoided all occasions and in stead of that pleasant humor which made mee bee esteemed of among my companions I had but a troubled melancholy by little and little began to bee of opinion that I would giue it her but not all for my purpose was to make her beleeue that Lindamor going from the combat was so sore wounded that he was dead that pity might obtaine that of that glorious soule which neither affection nor seruices could Now as I told you my plot was so well fitted that it fell out as I did fore cast for though she would dissemble yet could she not choose but be as liuely touched for Lindamor as any might be And so seeing me sad and mure she imagined either he was in very hard case or some thing worse and felt her selfe so pressed with this vnquietnesse that she could not possibly longer hold out her resolution Two daies after that Fleurial was gone she made me come into her cabinet and seeming to
him and giue him the most cruell displeasure that any might haue O Lindamor how vayne are these thy propositions At this time Clidaman being departed with Guymantes to seeke the aduentures of armes and then hee went to the army of Merone and though hee went priuately yet his actions made him well enough knowne and because Amasis would not haue him stay there in that sort she leuied all the forces she could make to send to him and as you know gaue the charge to Lindamor and kept Polemas for gouerner vnder her of all her prouinces vntill the comming of her sonne which she did as well to giue satissaction to these two great personageÌ„s as to separate them a little for euer since the returne of Lindamer they haue had some brabble together were it for that there is nothing so secret which in some sort is not discouered and for that Polemas had some coniecture that it was hee against whom he fought or that loue only was the cause so it was that all men knew how little good will they bare each to other Now Polemas was wel content and Lindamor went away with no ill wil the one that he might be neere his Mistrisse the other that hauing occasion to do seruice to Amasis he might thereby binde her hoping by this way to make easie the passage to that good which hee aspired But Polemas that knew by the eye how much hee was out of fauour and contrarily how many fauours his riuall had receiued hauing now no hope neither in his seruices not in his merits ran to subtilty And behold how he sets vp a man but the most crafty and deceitful that euer was in his mistery whom without acquainting any in the Court he caused secretly to see Amasis Galathee Siluie Silere me and all the other Nymphs and not only shewed him their face but told him what he knew of theÌ„ all namely the things most secret whereof being an old Courtier hee was well informed and after desired him to faine himselfe to be a Druid or great diuine Hee came into that great wood of Sauigneu neere the faire gardens of Mont-brison where by asmall riuer where he might passe ouer he made his lodging and tarried there some while seeming to be a great diuiner so that the bruite of him came to vs and specially Galathee went to him to know her fortune This crafty companion could so well play his part with such circumstances and ceremonies that I must confesse the truth I was deceiued as well as others So it was that the conclusion of his cunning was to tell her that the heauens had giuen her by influence the choice of a great good or a great euill and it was wisedome to choose That both the one and the other was to proceed from that which shee should loue and if she neglected his aduice she should be the vnhappiest woman in the world and contrarily most happy if she made a good election that if she would beleeue him he would giue her so certaine knowledge both of the one and the other that she had no more to do but to discerne them And looking in her hand and after on her face hee sayd Such a day being within Marsellis you shall see a man clad in such a colour if you marry him you are the most miserable in the world Then hee let her see in a mirrour a place which is by the riuer of Lignon said You see this place go at such an houre you shall finde the man that shall make you most happy if you marry him Now Climanthe so is this deceiuer called had eunningly knowne both the day that Lindamor was to depart and the colour of his cloaths and his dessine was that Polemas seeming to go hunt should be at the place which he shewed in the glasse Now heare I pray you how all fell out Lindamor failed not to come forth apparelled as Climanthe had foretold and that day Galathee who had good remembrance of Lindamor stood so astonied that she could not answere to what hee sayd The poore knight thought it was for the griefe of his departure so farre off so that after he had kissed her hand hee went away to the Army more contented than his fortune required If I had knowne she had beene of that opinion I would haue endeuoured to haue diuerred her from it but shee kept it so secret from me that as then I had no knowledge of it Afterward the day drew on that Climanthe had told her that she should finde about the Lignon him that should make her happy Shee would not tell mee all her dessigne onely shee let me vnderstand if the Druyde were true in that which he said that the Court was so empty that there was no pleasure in it that for a while Solitarinesse would be more pleasing that she was resolued to goe to her Palace of Isour as priuately as shee could possibly and that of her Nymphs she would haue but Siluie and me her Nurce and the little Merill As for me that was cloyed with the Court I sayd that it would be fit to withdraw a while and so letting Amasis know that she would take physicke shee might be gone the next morning But it was her Nurce that confirmed her in that opinion for this good old woman that loued her Nurce-child very tenderly easily being drawne to credite these predictions as for the most part all of her age are counselled her to it and pressed her so that finding her already so inclined It was an easie thing to thrust her into this Labyrinth For my part I was neuer more astonied for suppose there be but three persons in this great building But the Nymph which well marked the day that Climanthe had set prepared the euening before to goe thither and in the morning dressed her selfe the most to her aduantage she could and commaunded vs to doe the like In that sort we went in a Coach to the place assigned where being arriued by chance at the houre which Climanthe had sayd we found a shepheard almost drowned and halfe couered with mud and grauell whom the fury of the water had cast on our shore This shepheard was Celadon I know not if you know him who by chance being faine into Lignon wanted of drowning himselfe but wee came so fitly that wee saued him for Galathee be leeuing it was hee that was to make her happy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time beganne to loue him so as shee thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paine to her vs lay him in the Coach and then to the Palace he all this whiâ—â— not coming to himselfe As then the saâ—â— the fright of death the scratchâ—â— he had in his face kept him that his beauty could not be perceiued And for my part I ourse the Inchanter and Diuine vvhich was the cause we tooke so much paine for I sweare I neuer had the like in my life But after hee came to himselfe and that his face
to Bellinde IF I haue deserued to be soroughly vsed as I haue bene by you I choose rather to dye then to suffer it but since it is to your contentment I receiued it with little more pleasure then if in exchange you had awarded mee death notwithstanding since I am dedicated to you it is reasonable that you should absolutely dispose of me I will endeuour then to obey you but remember you that so long as this constraints lasteth so many dayes of my life must bee crossed out for I can neuer call it life that brings more griefe then death Abridge it then rigâ—â—ous shepheardesse if there be any one sparke not of amity but euen of pitty It was impossible but Bellinde must haue feeling of these words which shee knew came from an entire affection but it was not possible for these words to diuert her from her dessigne She aduertised Amaranthe that the shepheard should loue her that her health only kept back the knowledge of it This aduertisement hastened her recouery so that she gaue proofe that for the health of the body the health of the minde is most profitable How extreme was this constraint to Celion and what paine did he endure It was such that he waxed leane and so changed that he might not be knowne But behold what the seuerity was of this Shepheardesse It was not sufficient to handle Celion thus for iudging that Amaranthe had yet some suspition of their amity shee resolued to push those affaires so forward that neither of them both might gaine-say it Euery man saw the apparant suit that the shepherd made to Amaranthe for it was openly declared and the father of the shepheard knowing the commendable vertues of Leon and how much honoured his familie had alwaies beene did not mislike this suite One day Bellinde desirous to sound him propounded it as a friend and he that iudged it fit agreed willingly to it and this marriage was farre forward without the knowledge of Celion But when he perceiued it he could not be letted from finding a meane to talke with Bellinde to giue her such reproches that she was almost ashamed and the shepheard seeing he must vse other remedy than words ranne presently to the best that was to his father to whom he made this speech I shall be very sorry to disobey you at any time and lesse in this than any other I see you like well of the alliance of Amaranthe you may well know that there is not a shepheardesse that I affect more yet I loue her for a mistris but not for a wife and I beseech you commaund me not to tell the cause The father at this speech suspected that he had found some bad condition in the shepheardesse and in his soule commended his sonnes wisedome that had that command ouer his affections so that blowe was broken and for that the thing was so farre passed that many knew it many also asked why it proceeded so coldly the father could not choose but say somewhat to his most familiars and they to others that at last it came to Amaranthe who at the first tormented her selfe much but afterward setting before her selfe what her folly was to seeke to make him loue her by force by little and little she fell off and the first occasion that shee sawe fit and conuenient to marry her selfe shee tooke hold on So these louers were eased of a burden so hard to be borne But this was not but that they might be ouer-charged with another much more heauy Bellinde was now of age to be married and Philemon infinitely desirous to bestow her to haue in his old dayes the contentment to behold himselfe renewed in that which might come of her Hee would haue receiued Celion but Bellinde that shunned marriage euen as death had forbidden the shepheard to speake onely shee had promised him that if shee were constrayned to marry shee would giue him notice of it that hee might demaund her which was the cause that Philemon beholding the coldnesse of Celion would not offer her vnto him And in the meane time Ergaste a principall shepheard of that Countrey and who was well esteemed of euery one for his commendable vertues procured that shee was demaunded and because hee would not haue it vented before hee were assured he which managed the businesse dealt so secretly and warily as the promise of marriage was as soone knowne as it was demaunded For Philâ—mâ—â— assuring himselfe of the obedience of his daughter bound himselfe by word and after told her of it At the first shee found the resolution hard which she was to take because he was a man whom she had neuer seene yet that good spirit that neuer stoopes vnder the burden of misfortune raysed vp it selfe presently ouercomming that displeasure and would not suffer onely her eye to giue figne of sorrow for that consideration But she could neuer obtaine this ouer her selfe for Celion and of necessity her teares must pay the errour of her ouer-obstinate hatred of marriage So it was that to satisfie in some sort her promise she aduertised the poore shepheard that Philemon would marry her On the sudden hauing the permission so much desired hee so sollicited his father that the same day he spake with Philemon But now was no time for which the father of Bellinde was much grieued for hee loued him better than Ergaste O God! what was the sorrow when he knew the award of his misfortune hee went out of the house and ceased not vntill he found out the shepheardesse At the meeting he could not speake but his face manifested well enough what Philemons answer was And though she stood in as great need of good counsell as he and strength to support this blowe yet would she declare her selfe as wel vn-vanquished by this displeasure as she had alwayes gloried to be in all others But likewise would she not appeare to be so insensible but the shepheard might haue some knowledge that she felt her euill and that it displeased her Whereupon she demaunded to what the demand which hee made to her father amounted The shepheard answered her with the same words that Philemon had said to him adding so many complaints and desperate laments that she had beene a Rocke if she had not beene moued Yet shee interrupted him fighting against her selfe with more vertue than is credible and told him that complaints are proper to weake spirits and not to persons of courage That he did himselfe great wrong and her also to vse that language And sayd she at last what is become of that good resolution which you said you would haue against all accidents but the change of my amity and can you haue an opinion that any thing can shake it Do you not see that these words can not boot vs anything but to make them that heare vs conceiue an euill opinion of vs For Gods sake do not set a stayne in my fore-head which with such paine I
haue hitherto auoyded and since there is none other remedy pacifie your selfe as I doe and it may be the Heauens will turne all things more to our contentment than at this time wee are permitted to wish for For my part I wil breake this misfortune as much as I can possibly But if there be no remedy yet must not we be without resolution rather let vs part asunder These last words brought the despaire of all making him thinke that this great courage proceeded from small amity If it were as easie for me answered the shepheard to resolue against this accident as you I would iudge my selfe vnworthy to be beloued for so feeble an amity cannot merit so great happinesse Well for end and reward of my seruices you giue me a resolution in the assured losse which I see of you and secretly to say to me that I must not despaire though I see you become anothers Ah Bellinde with what eye will you see this new friend With what heart can you loue him And with what fauors will you entertaine him since your eye hath a thousand times promised that it would looke on none other with loue but me and since this heart hath sworne to me that it could neuer loue any but me and since loue hath destined your fauours to no lesse affection then mine Well you command mee to leaue you to obey you I will doe so for I will not at the end of my life beginne to disobey But that which makes me vndertake it is to know assuredly that the end of my life shall not happen before the end of your amity though I call my selfe the most vnhappy that liues yet I cherish my fortune the more for that it hath presented vnto me such an occasioÌ„ to make my loue knowne to you that you may not doubt of it and yet I shall not be satisfied in my selfe if the last moment that remaines be not employed in assuring you I pray the heauen see what my amity is that in this new election it fill you with as much happinesse as you cause in me despaire Liue happy with Ergaste and receiue him with as great contentment as I haue had will to doe you seruice if my dayes would haue permitted me that this new affection full of pleasures which you promise to your selfe may accompany you to your graue as I assure you that my faithfull amity shall close mine eyes for your sake with extreme griefe That Bellinde let Celion talke so long it was for feare that speaking her teares would doe the office of words and that that would encrease the griefe of the shepheard or that it would giue proofe of the small power she had ouer her selfe Proud beauty that louest rather to be iudged to haue too little loue then too little resolution But at last finding her strengthned enough to giue answer she sayd Celion you thinke you giue me proofe of your amity and you doe the contrary for how haue you loued me hauing so euil an opinioÌ„ of me If since this last accideÌ„t you haue conceiued it beleeue the affection was not great which could so readily suffer a change But if you had no euill opinion of me how is it possible you should beleeue that I haue loued you and that now I loue you no more For Gods sake haue pitty on my fortune and conspire not with her to encrease my sorrow consider what small likelihood there is that Celion whom I loue aboue the rest of the world and whose life pleases me as much as mine owne may bee changed for an Ergaste who is vnknowne to me and in whose place I choose rather to espouse my tombe that if I be forced it is the commandement of my Father whom my honour will not suffer me to contradict But is it possible you should not remember the protestations I haue so often made to you that I would not marry my selfe And you ceased not to loue mee whence hath it this change For if without marrying me you haue loued me why can you not now loue me without marrying mee hauing an husband who can forbid mee to haue a brother whom I may alwayes loue with that amity I ought Good will holds mee neerer to you then is permitted me Farewell my Celion liue and loue me who will loue you euen to my end whatsoeuer becomes of Bellinde At this word she kissed him which was the greatest fauour that hitherto she had done him leauing him so besides himselfe that he was not able to frame a word to giue her answer WheÌ„ he was come to himself that he considered that Loue stooped vnder duâ—y and that there was not a sparke of hope remaining which might shine among his displeasures as a person voyde of resolution he went into the Wood and into the places most couert where hee did nothing but complaine of his cruell disaster what aduice soeuer his friends could giue him He liued in this sort many dayes during which he made the roâ—ks to pitty him And that she who was the cause of his euil might haue some feeling hee sent her these verses STANZA'S Of Celion on the marriage of Bellinde and Ergaste DOe then the heauens agree after such loue After such seruices that you should be Another mans sweete heart and so must prâ—â—â—e His deare delight and dearer moity And that I haue at last for loue most true But memory my sorrowes to renew You once did loue me well what ' vaileth me This amity now it is gone and past If you in others armes embrac'd I see And if for her I be constrain'd at last You now turn'd his to keepe in silence still Displeasures cruell that my patience spill If he had more of Loue or of desart Then I I know not what to say but cry Alas Oh is not this a cruell smart That he should gaine in one dayes space well-ny Without desert what heauens will not behâ—â—uâ— To infinite desires of endlesse loue But oh weake reason duty you will say By her sad lawes compels me to doe thus What duty strong or law more holy may Be found then this that cleerely speakes for vs The faith so often sworne when hand in hand We promised a loue for aye to stand May hand you sayd forthwith grow dead and dry My hand as of a person most for sworne If I be failing in the thing that I Assure or if I any thing haue borne Neerer my heart or else hold ought more deare Then this affection which your faith did sweare Ob cruell memory of passed good Be gone and euer banisht from my minds Since happinesse that in such glory stood Alas I now so much defaced finde Deface it then it is not reasonable Thou be in me that am so miserable Though he made it not appeare in any one of his actions that there remained any hope in him yet he alwaies had some little because the contract of marriage was not yet passed and
for that he knew well that oftentimes those meetings were often broke off sometimes they that were thought most certaine But when he knew the articles were signed on both sides faire Nymph how can I tell you the least of his despaires He wrung his hands he tore his haire hebeat his brest with thumpes to be short he was a man transported and so without reason that he oftentimes went out with a purpose to kill Ergaste But when he was ready for it some sparke of consideration which in the middest of so great fury with-held him made him feare to offend Bellinde to whom notwithstanding transported with passion he wrote oftentimes letters so full of loue and reproches that she could hardly reade them without teares Among others he sent her such an one Celions letter to Bellinde in his transport MVst then inconstant shepheardesse my payne suruiue my affection Must it be that without louing you I haue such payne when I know you are in another mans hands Is it not that the gods will punish me for louing you more then I ought Or rather is it not that when I imagine not to loue you yet I haue more loue for you then I had before Yet why should I loue you since you are and cannot be any other mans then one I loue not But on the contrary why should not I loue you since I haue so much loued you It is true that I ought not to loue you For you are an ingratefull soule altogether forgetfull and that hath no sence of Loue yet whatsoeuer you are you are Bellinde and can Bellinde be without Celion loue her Then doe I loue you or if I loue you not iudge in your selfe shepheardesse for for my part I haue a spirit so disquieted that I can discerne nothing else but that I am the man in the world most afflicted At the end of the letter were these verses STANZA'S Excuse I cannot this inconstancy Which wrought this bad change of affection Change to the better I call prudency But to the worse shewes small discretion When Bellinde receiued these letters and verses shee was in paine to send him any of hers because that hearing talke of the strange life he led and the words which he vttered against her she could not suffer it without great displeasure considering what great cause of speech this gaue to them who haue their eares but to listen afternewes of others and tongues to be telling them Her letter was thus Bellindes letter to Celion IT is impossible for me longer to endure the wrong which your strange fashion of liuing brings to vs both I deny not but you haue occasion to complaine of our fortune But I say withall that a wise man knowes how to enioy what is permitted him without the imputation of becomming a foole What a frenzy is this that keepes you from seeing that while you publish to the rest of the world that you dye for loue of me you constraine me to thinke that truely you neuer loued me For if you loued me would you displease me And doe you not know that death cannot be more grieuous to me then the knowledge you haue giÌ„uen to euery man of our amity Forbeare then brother I beseech you and by that name which ties you to haue â—are of that which touches me I coniure you that if at this present you cannot beare this disaster without discouering your sorrow you would at least take are solution to goe so far off that those who heare your complaint may not know my name but condole with you your owne griefe not being able to suspect any thing to my disaduantage If you giue me content in this resolution you shall make me beleeue that it was superfluity and not want of affection which hath made you commit this errour against me And this consideration shall binde Bellinde besides the amity which she beares you to conserue alwayes dearely the memory of that brother that loues her and whom she loues among all these cruell insupportable displeasures Though Celion were so transported that his spirit was almost incapable of reasons which his friends could present him yet so it was that affection opened his eyes at that blowe and made him see that Bellinde had counselled him to some purpose so that resoluing to be gone he secretly gaue order for his voyage and the day before he would depart he writ to his shepheardesse hauing a purpose to obey her and he besought her to giue him the commodity that hee might take leaue of her to the end he might depart with some sort of consolation The shepheardesse that truly loued him though shee foresawe that this farewell would but increase his displeasure would not deny him this request and appoynted the next day in the morning at the fountaine of Sicomores The day had scant begunne to dawne when the desolate shepheard leauing his cabbin with his flocke droue the right way to the Fountaine where casting himselfe at length and his eyes on the waters course he beganne while he attended his shepheardesse to entertaine himselfe about his approching misfortune and after he had beene somewhile silent he breathed out these verses A comparison of a Fountaine to his displeasure THis Spring that euer flowing Doth neuer make an end But aye it selfe renewing By waâ—es that farre extend Resembles mine annoyes whose sorrowes me oppresse For euen like to it that neuer meanes to cease As from a fruitful spring the griefs that I complaine Are still renewed and alwayes borne againe Then with a winding course All as the flowing waâ—e Runnes wandring from it source And no repose will haue So me with troubles great with main many pains As through the somwhile spared sandy plaines The ouer-flowing waters couer quite While I with teares bewayle my heauy plight And as a vagabond It with a murmure flies Where waues the waues beyond Floting along it cries In like sort I complaine of my most sad mischance And againâ—t Loue my murmuring voyce aduance But what auaileth me since in the end I follow that that Destiny doth send While this shepheard talked thus with himselfe and that he vttered loude enough many words at randon he was so troubled with this disafter Bellinde that had not lost the remembrance of the appoyntment which she had giuen him as soone as she could free her selfe from them about her went to seeke him so much trauelled with sorrow to lose him that she could not hide it but that it appeared in her countenance Ergaste who that morning was risen in good time to see her by chance perceiued her afar off and seeing her go alone and as he thought sought out the thickest bushes had a minde to know whither she went That was the cause that following her farre off he sawe shee tooke the way to the fountaine of Sicomors and casting his eye a little furder off though it were very earely he obserued that already there was a flocke feeding Hee that
that I desire it should be the cause of your contentment I know the long seruice which this shepheard hath done you I know with how much honour hee hath wooed you I know with what affection he hath continued these many yeeres and moreouer with what sincere and vertuous amity you haue affected him The knowledge of all these things makes me desire death rather than to be the cause of your separation Thinke not that it is Ielousie that causeth mee to speake in this manner I shall neuer enter into any doubt of your vertue since I haue heard with mine eares the wise discourse which you haue had with him No more thinke you but that I beleeue that losing you I shall likewise lose the best fortune that I could wish for but the onely cause that driueth mee to giue you to him whose you ought to be is this O wise Bellinde that I will not buy my contentment with your euerlasting displeasure and truely I should thinke my selfe to be culpable both before God and men if by my occasion so good and vertuous an amity should be broken off betvveene you I therefore come to tell you that I choose rather to depriue my selfe of the best alliance that euer I shall haue to set you in your former libertie and to giue you backe againe the contentment which mine would haue taken from you And besides that I thinke to do and performe that which I beleeue my duetie commaundeth me it shall be no small satisfaction to me to thinke that if Bellinde be contented Ergaste was an instrument of her contentment Onely I doe require that if heerein I binde you being the cause of the re-vnion of your amity you will be pleased to receiue mee as a third to you two and that you will yeeld mee the same part of goodwill which you promised to Celion when you did thinke to marry Ergaste I meane that I may be a friend to you two and be receiued as a brother Can I faire Nymph shew you the contentment vnhoped for of this shepheardesse I thinke it is impossible for she was so surprized that she knew not with what words to thanke him but taking him by the hand she went to sit downe on the turfes of the fountaine where after she had paused a while and seeing the good will wherewith Ergaste bound her she declared all along what had passed betweene Celion and her and after a thousand kinds of thankes which I omit for seare of troubling you she besought him to goe seeke him for that the transport of Celion was such that hee would not come backe with any man in the world that should seeke him for that he would neuer beleeue that good will of his whom he had neuer giuen such cause to if it were assured him by any other But on the contrary he would imagine it were a trick to bring him backe Ergaste that desired in any case to end the good worke he had begunne resolued to be gone the nextday with Diamis the brother of Celion promising her not to come backe without bringing him with him Beeing then departed with this purpose after hee had sacrificed to Thautates to desire him to direct them to the place where they might find Celion they tooke the way that first offered it selfe to them But they had sought long in vaine before they had any newes if himselfe transported with fury had not resolued to returne into Forrests to kill Ergaste and then with the same weapon to pierce his owne heart before Bellinde not being able to liue and know that another enioyed his good In this rage hee set himselfe on his way and because hee nourished himselfe but with hearbes and fruits which hee found along the way hee was so feeble that he could scarce goe and had not his rage carried him hee could not haue done that yet must he diuers times of the day rest him especially when sleepe pressed him It fell out that wearied in this sort hee lay downe vnder some trees which gaue a pleasing shadow to a Fountaine there after he had some while thought of his displeasures he fell asleep Here Fortune who delighted her selfe with the griefes shee had wrought him disposes to make him intirely happy Ergaste and Diamis passed by this way and by chance Diamis went first on the sudden when he saw him he knew him and turning softly came to aduertise Ergaste who very ioyfull would haue gone to embrace him but Diamis held him backe saying I beseech you Ergaste doe nothing herein that may turne to euill my brother if at once wee should tell him this good newes would dye with ioy and if you knewe the extreme affliction that this accident hath brought him you would be of the same minde Therefore me thinkes it will bee better that I tell it him by little and little and because hee will not beleeue me you may come after to confirme it Ergaste finding this aduice good got behind some trees where he might see them and Dianis went to him And it must needes be that he was inspired by some good Angell for if at the first Celion had spyed Ergaste it may be that following his resolution he had done him some displeasure Now at the time that Dianis came towards him his brother awaked and beginning againe his ordinary entertainements hee set himselfe to complaine in this manner A PLAINT BEsides the wees of humane state Lighting on nought to comfort me Vnlesse it be to wayle my Fate I sigh for death which will not be My shield is hope that cannot fall But that same sword that entting is Which mischiefe angers me withall Is euils too assur'd to misse I hope in my long misery To see my dole some end to haue But how I must not hope to see Vnlesse it be within my grane Count you him not most miserable And all the gods his enemies Whose hope that is most fauourable In death and in his last Fate lies Where are the thoughts of courage high Resolu'd for euill heretofore But where am I or who am I I vnderstand my selfe no more My soule through griefe is so confus'd That what as now it seemes to crane It on a suddaine leaues refar'd Then whom with ease she might it haue Brought to this state it cannot see Nor what it hath nor what it is O wherefore then must we needes be When euery thing tastes â—s amisse Dâ—amis would not come suddenly on him but after hee had harkened somewhile he made a noyse purposely that hee might turne his head towards him and seeing that he beheld him astonished hee went softly to him and after he had saluted him he sayd I thanke God brother that I haue found you so fitly to doe you the message that Bellinde sendes you Bellinde sayd he presently It is possible she should haue any remembrance of me betweene the armes of Ergaste Ergaste said Diamis hath not Bellinde betweene his armes and I hope