which you see in me and the sighes which giue me no rest proceed not from the prison wherein I am for this is pleasant in respect of that which was propounded but to thinke how this perfidious and cruell Lipandas will without doubt commit him into the hands of his enemies who expect no other thing but to see a deplorable and shamefull end for of the fifteene dayes which he gaue tenne are passed so that I almost despayre to be able to doe this last office to Lidias At this word the teares hindered her voyce that she was constrayned to hold her peace but with such demonstration of displeasure that Clidaman was mooued and to comfort her said You are not said he couragious Melandre so to lose your courage that you may not maintaine that generousnesse in this accident which you haue shewed in all the rest that God which hath preserued you in so great perills will not forsake you in the lesser You are to beleeue that what may depend on me shall be alwayes disposed of to your contentment But for that I am vnder a Prince whom I may not displease your libertie must come from him yet doe I promise you for my part whatsoeuer you may hope from a good friend And so leauing her with these good words hee went to seeke out Childericke and besought him to procure of King Meroue the liberty of this young prisoner The young Prince who loued my sonne and who knew well how willing the King his father would be to oblige Clidaman without longer stay went to demaund it of Meroue who graunted what his sonne asked And because the time was so short that the least part of it lost would hurt Melandre hee went to seeke her at her Lodging where hauing led her aside he said Sad Knight quoth he you must change that name for if your misfortunes haue heretofore giuen you cause to beare it it seemes you shall shortly loose it The Heauens begin to looke on you with a more pleasing eye then of wont And as one euill comes not alone so good fortunes march alwayes in companies and for proofe of that I say know Knight for so your will is I should call you since your generousnesse hath of good right wonne you that Title that henceforth you are at liberty and may dispose of your actions as you please The Prince of the Franks hath giuen mee leaue to dispose of you and the dutie of a Knight binds me not onely to set you at liberty but to offer you all the assistance that you thinke I may affoord you Melandre hearing a word so vnhoped for leaped with ioy and casting her selfe at his feet kissed his hand by way of thankes for so great a grace for the good which shee imagined to receiue from him was to be put to a ransome and the inconueniences of paying it made her despayre of being able to doe it so soone as the terme of fifteene dayes were run out But when shee heard so great courtesie Truly said she to him Sir Knight you make it appeare that you know what it is to loue since you haue pittie on them that are taynted with it I pray God vntill my selfe be able to requite it that hee would make you as happy as hee hath made you courteous and worthie of all good fortune and at that very houre shee would haue beene gone which Clidaman would not suffer because it was night The next morning then very early she set on her way and stayed not till she came to Callais where by chance she arriued the day before the terme That euening she would haue made her comming knowne to Lipandas had shee not beene of the minde considering the perfidiousnesse of him with whom shee had to doe to attend for the day that the more persons might see the wrong hee did her if haply hee should be fayling of his word The day being come and the houre of Mid-day hauing strucke that the chiefe men of the place to honour the Gouernour were then in his house behold the sad Knight presenting himselfe at the first hee was not knowne for they had not seene him but in Combate where it may be feare had altered his countenance and then euery man drew neere to heare what hee would say Lipandas said he I come hither in the behalfe of the kinsmen and friends of Lidias to heare some newes of him and to charge you with your word or to referre him to some other new condition otherwise they send you word by me that they will proclay me you for an vnhonest man Stranger answered Lipandas you may tell them that Lidias fares better then he shall doe within few dayes because that this day being past I will deliuer him into the hands of them that will auenge me that for my word I thinke I am quit in giuing him ouer into the hands of lustice for this Iustice what other thing is it but true Libertie As for the new conditions I will haue no other but that which I haue already propounded which is that they put into my hands him that fought against me that I may doe my will of him and I will deliuer Lidias And what is that said he that you will doe When I am to giue account of my actions to you answered hee you shall know And how said he are you yet of the same mind Altogether of the same mind replyed Lipandas If it be so added the sad Knight send for Lidias and I will deliuer you him whom you demaund Lipandas that aboue all things desired to be reuenged of his enemie for he had turned all his hatred on Melandre sent for him immediately Lidias that knew well that that day was the last of the terme which he had set beleeued it was to lead him to the Lords of Iustice notwithstanding hee fore-saw his assured death yet did hee chuse it rather then to see him that had fought for him in that danger for his sake When hee was come before Lipandas hee said Lidias see the last day that I haue giuen thee to present thy Champion into my hands this young Knight is come hither for that cause if he doe it thou art at liberty Melandre while those few words were speaking found the meanes to turne her face aside that shee might not be knowne and when shee would answer shee turned wholly towards Lipandas and said Yes Lipandas I haue promised and I will doe it Doe you keepe your word as well for I am hee whom you demaund behold me that feare neither rigour nor cruelty whatsoeuer prouided that my friend be freed from paine Then euery one cast his eyes on her and calling to memory the fashion of him that combated knew she sayd true Her beauty her youth and her affection mooued all them that were present except Lipandas who thought himself infinitely offended with hâ—r commanded she should presently bee put in prison and suffered Lidias to goe at libertie Hee that desired
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
I thinke on it I am yet ready to die for shame yet my haire was dispersed and almost couered mee on it I had no other ornament then the garland which the day before hee had giuen me When the others were gone backe and when he saw me in this sort by him I obserued that twice or thrice he changed colour but I neuer suspected the cause for my part shamefastnesse had tainted my cheek with so fresh a colour that hee hath since sworne vnto me he neuer saw me so louely and he would haue beene contented hee might haue beene suffered to stay all the day long in that contemplation but fearing to be discouerd he was cōpelled to shorten his contentment and when he saw I said nothing for shame had tied vp my tongue And how Astrea sayd het hinke you your cause so good that you need not as well as others seek the Iudges good will I doubt not Orithee answered I that I shall haue more need to seduce my Iudge by my words then Stella or Malthe but I know wel also that I must as well giue place to them in perswading as in beauty so that but for the constraint whereto the custome tyes mee I had neuer come before you in hope to win the prize And if you beare it away answered the shepheard what will you do for me I shall haue sayd I the greater obligation to you by how much I thinke it merits lesse How then replied he will you make me no other offer The demand sayd I must come from you for I cannot teach you who deserues to be receiued Sweare to me said the shepheard you will giue me that which I shall demand and my iudgement shall be to your aduantage After I had promised him hee asketh of my haire to make him a bracelet which I did and after he had folded it in a paper hee sayd to me Now Astrea I will keepe these haires for a pledge of the oth which you haue made that if euer you gainesay it I may offer it to the goddesse Venus and demand vengeance of her That sayd I is superfluous since I am resolued neuer to faile Then with a smlling countenance hee sayd to me God be thanked faire Astrea that my designe hath falne out so prosperously for know that which you haue promised me is to loue me aboue any in the world and to receiue me as your faithfull seruant who am Celadon and not Orithee as you suppose I say that Celadon by whom loue hath giuen proofe that hatred is not of power sufficient to disappoint his effects since euen among the displeasures of our fathers he hath made me so yours that I had no feare to dye at the gate of this temple to giue you testimony of my affection Iudge wise Diane what became of mee for loue forbade me to seeke reuenge of my shamefastnes and yet shame encouraged mee against loue at last after a confused disputation it was impossible for me to consent to cause him dye since the offence which he made proceeded not but of too great loue to me yet knowing him to be a shepheard I could no longer stay before his eies and without making other answere I ranne to my companions whom I found almost dressed and taking vp my garments scarce knowing what I did I made my selfe ready as soone as was possible But to be short when we were all ready the dissembled Orithee placed her selfe at the entry of the gate and hauing vs all three before her I ordaine saith she that the prize of beauty be giuen to Astrea in witnesse whereof I present her the golden apple there is no cause any body should doubt of my iudgement since I haue seene her and though a maide yet I haue felt the force In saying those words he presented mee the apple which I receiued being much troubled and the father when with a loude voyce he sayd Receiue this Apple as a pawne of my affection which is as infinite as this is round I answered him Be content rash man that I receiue it to saue thy life and that otherwise I would refuse it as cōming from thy hand He durst not reply for feare he might be heard and knowne and because the custome was that she that receiued the Apple was to kisse the Iudge by way of thankefulnesse I was constrayned to kisse him but I assure you had I not knowne him vntill then I should then haue discouered him to be a shepheard for it was not the kisse of a maide Presently the noyse and the applause of the company separated vs because the Druyde hauing crowned me caused mee to be borne in a chaire to the place of the Assembly with so much honour that euery one wondered I was no more cheerefull But I was so troubled and so sore beaten betweene Loue and Despite that I scarce knew what I did As for Celadon as soone as he had finished the ceremonies he lost himselfe amongst the other shepheardesses and by little and little without the heeding of any body got out of the company and put off his borrowed garments to put on his owne naturall clothes with which hee came agayne to vs with a face so confident that no man would euer haue suspected him As for me when I sawe him I might scarce turne mine eyes to him being full of shame and choler But he that noted it and made no shew of it found the meanes to come to me and to say loude enough The Iudge which hath giuen you the prize of beauty hath shewed good iudgement and me thinkes that albeit the Iustice of your cause do well deserue so fauourable a sentence yet must not you be fayling to beare him some kinde of obligation I beleeue shepheard answered I softly enough that he is more obliged to me then I to him for that if he gaue me an apple which in some sort was due to me I haue giuen him life which his rashnesse merited to lose So he told me answered presently Celadon that hee would preserue it onely for your seruice If I had not more respect replyed I to my selfe then to him I had not let him goe without chasticement for so great a presumption But enough Celadon let vs cut off this discourse and content your selfe that if I haue not punished you as you deserue it was onely for feare of giuing occasion to others to talke their pleasure of me and not for want of will to see you punished If there be nothing but that sayd he to hinder my death tell me in what fashion you will haue me die and you shall see I haue no lesse courage to satisfie you then I haue had of loue to offend you This discourse would be too long if I should tell you all our talke in particular So it was that after many replies now on the one side and the other whereby it was impossible for me to doubt of his affection if at least the
awhile she raised her voyce and spake singing to him in this sort he likewise that she might not want answer replied A Dialogue betweene Stelle and Corilas STEL. VVHat will you then my shepheard bee For want of an inconstant loue COR. To follow your quicke spirit free Requâ—â—â— a wing 〈…〉 ble â—o â—â—ue Much rather then a courage high To follow you were foolery STEL. You haue not alwaies thought it so That louing me is such a crime COR. Speake not of times past long age He liues not well mâ—nds not in time Nothing returnes that 's past before And I remember it no more STEL. What 's this but not to know to loue Yet brag the contrary thereto COR. Wherefore will you me so reproue For that your selfe knowes not to do You loue out of opinion And not out of election STEL. I loue you and will loue you still Though your loue chang'd be in this wise COR. Mineâ— no no change I neuer will Her where my soule engaged lies Thinke not that euery day like you I change my old loue for a new STEL. What are you then resolued tell To seeke a loue that 's fresh and rare COR. If heretofore you pleas'd me well I iudg'd you then to be more faire But now in very deed I see Your beauty in a poore degree STEL. Will you vnfaithfull bring to nought An amity that was so great COR. You charge me with your owne default So makes an ends he whom you â—eate But you may say what fitt your braâ—uâ— The thing that was comes not againe STEL. But if you loued me indeed What makes you then so soone to start COR. When one his errour better heeds To change his minde is wisedomes part It 's better to repent though late Then still to hâ—ld a wandring gate STEL. Can neither duty nor yet honor Know such an humor to subdue COR. What if I can see in you more That may this amity renew Wherein your fainings sâ—ared me Which I mistooke so sillily STEL. I may you see for my reuenge Another loue and not be loued COR. Right soone of such disease to change Shall heale me as in yours I proued And if I then do otherwise I must haue lâ—st my Iudgements 〈◊〉 STEL. Haue you then no kind of r 〈…〉 se For so great infidelity COR. I haue prâ—nâ—â—nst that loue of forcâ— She owes me hers that asketh me But you may aske and make your moâ—â— All Lâ—â—â— 'twixt vs is dead and gone The shepheardesse seeing hee stood not without reply to her demands leauing to sing said And why Corilas is there no more hope in you No more said he then faithfulnesse in you and thinke not that your fained nor fayre words can change my resolution I am too much grounded in this opinion so that it is in vaine for you to try your armes against mee they are too feeble I feare their blowes no more I counsell you to proue them on others whose knowledge may make them misprize them as I haue done It cannot be but you shall finde some whom the heauens to punish some secret fault haue ordained to loue you and they shall be the more pleasing to you for that nouelty delights you aboue all things At this bout the shepheardesse was stung in earnest but fayning to turne the offence into laughter she said as she was going away I make good sport Corilas both at your selfe and your choler we shall see you shortly in your good humour In the meane time be content that I patiently suffer your fault which you cast on me I know replyed the shepheard it is your custome to make sport with them that loue you But if the humor which I haue last I assure you you may longer play vpon me then on a man that shall loue you So parted these two enemies and Adamas who had heard them hauing knowledge by their names of the families of which they were was desirous to know more of their affaires and calling Corilas by his name made him turne to him and because the shepheard seemed to be astonished at this surprize for the respect which is had to the habite and quality of a Druyde that he might be more assured he caused him to sit downe by him and then talked thus vnto him My childe for so I may call you for the loue I haue alwayes borne to them of your family there is no cause you should be sorry for your speaking so freely to Stelle before me I am glad that I haue seene your wisedome but I desire to know more that I may the better counsell you in this affaire that thereby you may commit no errour And for me I know not that there should be any difficulty since the lawes of coiuility and curtesie do more binde me it may be then you may imagine As soone as Corilas had the sight of the Druyde he knew him well hauing often seene him at diuers sacrifices but hauing neuer spoken to him he had not the boldnesse to tell thorowout what had passed between Stelle and him though he much desired that euery one might know the iustice of his cause and the vnfaithfulnes of this shepheardesse which Adamas perceiuing that he might encourage him gaue him to vnderstand that he knew a good part already and that many had reported it to his wrong which hee heard with no great pleasure for the loue he had alwaies borne to his It will said Corilas be losse of time for you to heare the particularities of our villages So far is it replied he it shal be a great satisfaction to know that you haue not beene wronged and besides I meane to passe away some part of the heate here and so the time may be employed The History of Stelle and Corilas SInce you command it so said the shepheard I must beginne my discourse somewhat higher It is a good while since Stelle remained the widdow of an husband whom the heauens had giuen her rather for name sake theÌ„ effect for besides that he was sickly his age which drew neer to 75. yeeres so weakened his forces that it constrained him to leaue this young widdow almost before she was truely married the loue she bare him wrought in her no great feeling of his losse no more did her humor which was neuer wonted to take neere to heart the accidents that befell her Remaining then well satisfied in her selfe so see her selfe freed at one blow of two so heauy burthens to wit the importunity of an angry husband the autority which her pareÌ„ts accustomed to haue ouer her presently she thrust her selfe in good earnest into the world and though her beauty such as you see bee not of that sort that may tempt men to loue her yet her behauiour for the most part displeased not them that saw her She might be about 17. or 18. yeeres an age fit enough to commit many follies when they be at liberty This was the cause that Saliam her
â—ongue will pardon nothing no not that which is not That men haue not spoken of it answered Diane I am more bound to our good intent then to our discretion and for the affection of the shepheard you may iudge what it is by the discourse which I shall make But the heauens which knew our pure and cleane intents would fauour vs from that good houte The first time that I sawe him was on the day we celebrate to Apollo and Diane when he came to the game with a sister whom he resembled so much that they held on them the eyes of the greatest part of the assembly And because she was neere of kinne to my deare Daphnis as soone as I sawe her I embraced her and I welcomed her with a face so open that from that time she thought her selfe bound to loue me her name was Callyre and was married on the coast of Furan to a shepheard called Gerestan whom she had neuer seene vntill the day whereon she was married which was the cause of the little loue she bare him The entertainement which I vsed to the sister gaue occasion to the brother to tarry by me so long as the sacrifice lasted and by fortune I know not whether I should call it good or euill for him I set out my selfe that day as well as I could thinking by reason of my name that this feast concerned me more particularly then others He that comming from far had no other knowledge of the shepheards nor shepheardesses then that which his sister gaue him for sooke vs not all that day so that in some sort thinking my selfe bound to entertaine him I did what I could to please him and my labour was not vnprofitable for from that time this poore shepheard gaue birth to an affection which neuer ended but with his death And euen yet I am assured that if in the graue they haue any remembrance of the liuing hee loues me and in the very ashes conserues the pure affection hee swore to me Daphnis tooke note both of the day and the deed being that night in bed because that Filidas not being well could not come to the games she told me it but I reiected this conceit so long that she said I see wall Diane that this day wil cost me many prayers and Filander much paine but howsoeuer it happen you shall not be quite exempted She vsed to warre on me with such assaults because she perceiued I feard them this was the cause that I stayed not to giue her answer So it was that this aduertisement was cause that the next day me thought I found some apparâ—â—e of â—hat which she had told mee After dinner wee vsed to gather together vnder some trees and to daunce to the voyce where we sate downe in a round and spent the time with the discourse which we liked best of that wee might disquiet our selues in that assembly as little as possibly we could It fell out that Filander being vnknowne but to Daphnis and me came and sate betweene her and mee and attending to knowe whereto all the troope would resolue not to be dumbe I beganne to enquire of that which I I thought he could best answer which Amidor taking heede of entered into so great iealousie that forsaking the company without shewing the cause hee went singing this Towne-song hauing before cast his eyes on me to make it knowne that it was of 〈…〉 e he meant to speake A TOWNE-SONG Of Amidor THat man shall haue hâ—â— in the end That serues her last in place of friend Of heart that hundred time is moued More shifting then the nimble winde Who thinkes himselfe to be beloued May not be held for wise of minde For he shall haue her in the end That serues her last in place of friend The weather-cocke to all winds moues That stands on top of Tower tall So she to euery proffering lone Turnes both her heart her head and all For he shall haue her in the end That serues her last in place of friend The Hunter doth not much esteeme That which he takes though fat it were Th' inconstant ouerpasseth him Disliking such as hold her deare But he shall haue her in the end That serues her last in place of friend As one naile driues another forth The last that comes into her grace Shall of the first for all his worth Right suddenly vsurpe the place Therefore shall he haue her in th' end That serues her last in place of friend I had had sufficient command ouer my selfe to stay me from giuing knowledge of the displeasure which this song brought me had it not bene that euery one looked on me and without Daphnis I could not tell what would haue become of me But she full of discretion not staying for the end of this song interrupted it in this sort addressing her selfe to mee A MADRIGALL Of Daphnis on the loue which she bare to Diane SInce at your birth beauteous Diane Loue made you Loadstoone of all harts Why should they say that I profane Such beauty when my loue imparts Worship to you by destiny If Loue that is most absolute Of likenesse growes as it is sayd Then ours should be of strongest sute Since you and I one sexe are made And that I might better hide my blushing and make them thinke I tooke no heed to the words of Amidor as soone as Daphnis had made an end I answered her thus A MADRIGALL Of the same substance VVHerefore should it be thought so strange That being as you are a maide My Loue on you should be so stayde If Louer to be loued change The change in me were not so hard A shepheardesse to shepheardesse As shepheardesse vnto a shepheard After we had euery one as we sate on a rowe sung some verses and Filander who had a good voyce when it came to his turne sayd this with a good grace STANZA'S Of Philander on the birth of his affection THat his desires are great and his attempts in vaine His Loues full of great fires and fuller much of paine That loues and cannot finde requitall of desire Or if he be belou'd he takes but small delight Vnlesse he might haue hope or if he hope oh spight It is but to the end to set him more on fire Thus on my cradles head by fatall ordinance Hard Destiny it selfe did nine sad times pronounâ—e What should infallibly accompany my dayes Vpon the right hand heauen thick clouded thunder had And since I knew too well that these presages sad Cast eye on my designes and follow them alwaies Then be not you amaz'd if after this decree My Loue commencement take when I your beauty see That if I must be beat out of designe fore-told It to my solace is that men shall guilty finde The Loue of my hard Fate and praise my faulty minde Saying A heart that 's base durst neuer be so bold So when the thoughtfull care of an vnfertile Loue Consumes it selfe in beames
know him yet Daphnis made no question he knew so well to counterfeit And because it was late after supper wee withdrew apart whilst Callire and Filidas walked vp and downe the chamber for my part I knew not their discourse but ours grew onely from assurances of Loue which Filander vsed to me out of so intire affection that it was easie to iudge that if so often and in another habit he sayd nothing to me wee must not blame his want of will but of boldnesse onely And I likewise made the same shew to him for taking him for a woman I thought my selfe bound for his good will for his merit and for the kindred betweene her and Daphnis From that time Amidor that formerly had borne mee good will beganne to change his loue and to loue the fained Callire for that Filander who feared lest his abode might displease that young man did what hee could to giue him contentment The flitting humour of Amidor could not permit him to receiue these fauours without becomming amorous which I thought not strange for that the beauty the iudgement and the curiosity of the shepheard which in nothing belied the perfections of a mayd had giuen him ouer-great cause See what a foole Loue is and how he passeth his time Filidas that is a mayd he caused to fall in loue with a mayd and Amidor a man and that in such passion that for one particular that onely subiect was sufficient to entertaine vs. God knowes if Filander knew how to play the mayd and if Callire counterfeited well her brother and whether they wanted wisedome to draw on either his new Louer The coldnesse that Callire vsed to mee was cause that Filidas had no iot of suspition besides that his loue was a sufficient hinderance And I must confesse that seeing her so strongly to draw towards Filidas Daphnis I were of opinion that Fiâ—â—nder had changed his mind whereupon I receiued extreme contentment for the loue I bare his sister Seuen or eight dayes passed in this sort no one thinking the time too long because euery one had a particular defigne But Callire who feared her husband might be grieued at this stay sollicited her brother to make his purpose knowne to mee saying there was no likelihood but that the familiarity betweene him and mee might haue permitted mee to haue refused his seruice but hee assaying on all sides had neuer the hardinesse to discouer himselfe and to abuse Gerestan He desired her to goe to her husband in the habit which she had assuring her hee would finde out nothing and to let him know that by the aduice of Daphnis shee had left Callire at Filidas house that at more leasure she might treate of the marriage of Amidor and his Niece At the first his sister was astonished for her husband was very froward At last desirous to giue all contentment to her brother shee resolued and to make this excuse seeme more probable they spake with Daphnis about the marriage of Amidor which she long time misliked for many considerations which she layd before them but knowing they tooke this course to get leaue from Gerestan which otherwise they could neuer haue had she that delighted in their company acquainted me with it and we were of opinion that it was needfull to make shew that this alliance might bee easily compassed and on this resolution she wrote to Gerestan counselling him to let his wife stay somewhile with vs that our friendship might be a meane that this allyance might finde the lesse difficulty and that she beleeued all things should be well ended With this resolution Callire so attyred goes to finde out her husband who being beguiled by the habit tooke her for her brother and receiued the excuses for the stay of his wife beeing well pleased shee should stay there for that cause Iudge faire shepheardesses if I might not be deceiued when her husband could not know her So it was that by this the good will he bare me so increased that there was no other meane to conceale it whatsoeuer he could do the conuersation hauing that vertue with it that it makes that which was loued to be more beloued and more hated what is found euill And acknowledging his owne weakenesse hee aduised himselfe to perswade me that though he were a woman yet hee failed not to be in loue with me with such a passion and more then if hee had beene a man and spoke it so feelingly that Daphnis that loued mee dearely sayd Vntill that time shee neuer knew him But that it was true that she likewise was in loue which one might not thinke strange since Filidas who was a maÌ„ in such sort loued Filander the dissembled Callire swore that one of the most forcible occasions which constrained her brother to goe away was the suite hee made to him whereof they could alledge mee so many reasons that iealousie suffered my selfe to be perswaded that it was so determining with my selfe that there was nothing in it that imported me Hauing then receiued this fiction she made no difficulty to speak freely to me of her passioÌ„ but yet like a woman because she swore vnto me that the same feeling and the same passions that men haue for loue were in her and that it was a great solace to her to expresse them often being alone represent vnto mee her true affections and euen Daphnis who liked well of it would sometimes auow it Twelue or fifteene dayes passed thus with such pleasure to Filander that as he since swore to me he neuerspent more happy dayes though his desires gaue him extreme impaciencies and that was the cause of the daily increase of his affection and pleasing himselfe in his thoughts hee would oftentimes withdraw himselfe alone to entertaine them and because he would not remoue from vs in the day many times in the night when he thought euery body was asleepe he went out of his chamber and entred into a garden where vnder some trees he passed a great part of time in these his considerations and for that many times he went out in this sort Daphnis obserued it who lay in the same chamber and as commoÌ„ly we sooner suspect euill then good she had some conceit of her Amidor for the kindnesse which the yong shepheard did her and for more certainty she watched so that seeming to sleepe she perceiued the fayned Callyre to steale out of her bed and followed her so close that she was almost as soone in the vtter yard as the young shepheard casting ouer her but one garment for haste and following her step by step by the light of the Moone she sawe her goe out of the house thorow a doore not well locked and enter into a garden which was vnder my chamber window and passing into the midst of it saw her sit downe vnder some trees and lifting his eyes vp to heauen heard him say aloude So my Diane doth surpasse
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 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
discouered not Yet was this in vaine for they found no more newes for all their search only Siluander met Polemas alone not far from that place where a little before Galathe and the other Nymphs had taken vp Celadon and because he had the commaund of all the Countrey vnder the authority of the Nymph Amasis the shepheard who had often seene him at Marsellis did him all the honour he could in his salutation and for that he asked what it was he searched for along the shore he told him of the losse of Celadon whereat Polemas was displeased hauing alwayes loued them of that family On the other side Licidas which was wandring with Phillis after he had beene somewhile silent at last turning to her Well faire shepheardesse what thinke you of the humor of your companion She which as yet was ignorant of the ielousie of Astrea answered It was the smallest displeasure that might be fall her and that in so great sorrow he might well be permitted to auoid and fly from all company For Phillis thought he had complained for that she was come forth alone It is true said Licidas it is small but yet I hold that in truth it is the greatest and I must tell you she is the most vnthankfull in the world and most vnworthy to bee beloued See for Gods sake what her humor is my brother neuer had any desire nay so far was he of he had not the power to loue any but her onely she knew it well enough cruell as she is for the proofes which he hath giuen her leaue nothing in doubt the time hath bene ouerpast the difficulties or rather the impossibilities cōtemned the absences ouercame the parents anger neglected her rigors her cruelties her disdaines sustained and that for so long time that I know no man could do more then Celadon and yet for all this will not this fickle piece who as I thinke hauing ingratefully changed her mind is sorry to see him longer liue whom at other times she hath done little lesse then cause to dye by her rigours and whom at this time she knew shee hath vnworthily offended this fickle piece I say will not who dissembling vnder a new pretence of hate and iealousie commands him to eternall exile and a despaire euen to seeking out of death O God said Phillis all amazed what doe you tell me Licidas is it possible that Astrea should commit such a fault It is too true answered the shepheard she told me a part of it her selfe the rest I may easily iudge of by her discourse But well though shee triumph ouer the life of my brother and that her perfidiousnesse and ingratitude giue a vizard to her fault as if she had ouerloued him yet will I sweare vnto you that neuer Louer had more affection and fidelity then he not that I care she should know it vnlesse it might bring her some extreme displeasure by the knowledge of what might haue falne our by her error for hence forth I will be as much her mortall enemie as my brother hath bene her faithfull seruant and she vn worthy to be beloued So went Licidas and Phillis discoursing he infinitely displeased with the death of his brother and as much enraged against Astrea and she sorry for Celadon troubled with the griefe of Licidas and astonished at the ielousie of her companion but seeing that the stroke was yet very sensible she would not as yet apply any strong remedies but only gentle preparatiues to sweeten not to confound for in any case she would not that the losse of Celadon should cost her Licidas and she considered well that if the hatred should continue betweene him and Astrea of necessity shee must breake with one of them and yet loue was vnwilling to giue place to friendship and friendship to loue and so the one would not consent to the death of the other On the other side Astrea euen full with so great occasions of sorrow as I haue told you giuing such way to her teares and so languished in her dolors that for not hauing teares enow to wash away her errour nor words to expresse her sorrow her eyes and mouth gaue vp their office to her imagination so long that weakned with ouer-much griefe shee fell asleepe with such thoughts The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE of Astrea and Celadon WHile these things passed in this sort among the shepheards and shepheardesses Celadon receiued from the three Nymphs in the palace of Isour◠all the best helpes that possibly they might but the weakenesse which the water brought him was so great that notwithstanding all the remedies they applied he could not open his eies nor giue other signe of life but by the beating of his heart In this sort hee passed the rest of the day and a good part of the night before he came to himselfe and then when he opened his eyes it was not without great astonishment to finde himselfe where he was for he remembred well enough what befell him on the shore of Lignon and that despaire had made him leap into the water but he knew not how he came into this place and after hee had stayed some while confounded with these thoughts hee asked himselfe whether he were aliue or dead If I liue said he how is it possible that the cruelty of Astrea doth not cause me to die Or if I be dead what is it O Loue that thou commest to search for in darkenesse Art thou not contented to haue had my life but thou wilt among the cinders kindle afresh the ancient flames And because the busie care wherein Astrea had left him was not abandoned called to his minde all his thoughts hee went on And thou most cruell remembrance of my passed good why doest thou represent vnto mee the displeasure which shee sometimes had for my losse to make my too true hurt worse by her thoughts whereas in place thereof for mine ease thou shouldest rather tell mee the contentment she hath for the hatred she beares me With a thousand such imaginations this poore shepheard fell into so sound a sleepe that the Nymphs had leasure to come and see how he did and finding him asleepe they softly opened the windowes and the curtains and sate down about to view him the better Galathee after she had somewhile considered was the first that said in a low voyce that they might not awake him How is this shepheard changed from that he was yesterday how fresh a colour is come into his face in so short time For my part I am not sorry for the trauaile of my iourney since we haue saued his life For as you say mayd turning to Siluie he is one of the principall of that Countrey Madame answered the Nymph it is most true for his father is Alcippe and his mother Amarillis What said she that Alcippe of whom I haue heard so much and who to rescue his friend brake vp the prison of
the hatred he bare to this stranger by reason of his arrogancy and cruelty and presently caused the Visigot to be aduertised by an Herauld of armes To make short my father ouer came him and presented the sword to Pimander and without the knowledge of any body but Amarillis that saw him out of Cleantes house he returned to Bisantum where he was receiued as before In this space Cleante that desired nothing more then to see him at liberty in Forests discouered him to Pimander who was very desirous to know the name of him that fought with the stranger He at the first astonyed in the end moued with the vertue of this man demaunded if it were possible he should be aliue Whereto Cleante answered recounting to him all his fortunes and all his long voiages in the end what accompt he was of with all the Kings whom he serued Without doubt then sayd Pimander the vertue of this man merits to be esteemed and not to be banished besides the great pleasure he hath done me Therefore let him returne and assure himselfe that I will esteeme of it and loue him as he deserues And hence forth I pardon him all that he hath done against me Thus my father after he had stayed 17. yeres in Greece came into his country honored of Pimander and Amasis who gaue him the chiefe charge that was about their persons But see what we are of our selues One may delight him with all things in aboundance and the desire satiated remaines without force As soone as my father enioyed the fauours of fortune as he could desire behold he lost the taste and disdained them And then some good Angell that was willing to draw him out of this gulph where so often he was like to make shipracke represented to him as I haue heard him say these considerations Come hither Alcippe what is thy desire Is it not to liue happily so long as Clotho spins out thy life If this be it or thinkest thou to finde this good but in quiet rest or it may be out of affaires how can they beare the ambition of the Court since the happinesse of ambition is the multiplicity of affaires Hast not thou sufficiently proued the inconstancy whereof they are so full at least haue but this consideration in thee Thy ambition is to command many euery of them hath the same desire that thou hast these their desires propound the same wayes going the same wayes cannot they come to the same that thou art and attaine it since ambition is a place so strait that it can hold but one alone so that either you must oppose against a thousand that will set on you or else giue way to them If thou oppose what can bee thy quiet since you are to haue an eye to your friends and to your enemies and that day and night their weapons are whetting against thee If thou giue way to them there is nothing so miserable as a country decayed Then Alcippe come againe into thy selfe and remember that thy fathers and grandfathers haue bene much wiser then thou be not more selfe willed but fixe the diamond nayle at the wheele of this fortune which thou hast so often proued changeable come backe to the place of thy birth leaue this purple and change it into thy former habits let thy launce be turned into a sheephook thy sword into a culter to open the earth and not the bellies of men there shalt thou finde that repose which for so many yeeres thou couldst neuer haue elsewhere See Madam the considerations which led my father to his formeÌ„r profession And thus to the great astonishment of all but with the great prayses of the wiser sort he came to his former estate where hee caused our ancient statutes to be renewed with so good liking of all men that he might say he was at the height of ambition though he were impouerished since he was so well beloued and honored of his neighbours that they tooke him for an Oracle And yet this was not the end of his paines for being after the death of Pimander retired to himselfe hee had not beene long in our grounds but Loâ—â—e renewes his old blowes there being of al Loues arrowes none sharper then that of conuersation Then behold Amarillis so high in his thoughts that she gaue him more paine then all his former trauailes It was at that time that he tooke againe the deuice which he had borne during all his voyages of the Pen of a Iay meaning to signifie Peinjay Of this loue came great hatred for Alce the father of Astrea was infinitely amorous of this Amarillis and Amarillis during my fathers exile had permitted this suite by the commandement of her parents and at this time she cannot withdraw it without so great trouble that he is ready to despaire On the other side Alcippe that casting off the habite of a knight but had not left the courage could not suffer a Riuall came to handy strokes manytimes with Alce who wanted not courage and a man may thinke but for the parents of Amarillis who resolue to bestow her on Alcippe there had beene much mischiefe betweene them But though by this marriage they cut off the boughs of this quarrell yet their hatred liued so and grew so high that there was neuer familiarity betweene Alce and Alcippe And this is said Celadon addressing himselfe to Siluie faire Nymph which you heard them talke when you were in our hamlet for I am the sonne of Alcippe and of Amarillis and Astrea is the daughter of Alce and Hipolite It may be you may thinke it strange that not parting from our woods and pastures I know so many particulars of the neighbour Countries But Madame all that I haue learned was but from my father who recounting vnto me his life hath beene driuen withall to tell me the things you haue heard So ended Celadon his discourse and indeed not without paine for speaking hurt him much hauing his stomake as yet distempered and this was the cause that he recounted the History much shorter then otherwise he could But Galathes rested more satisfied then he imagined for that she knew of what Ancestors this shepheard was descended whom she loued The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF Astrea and Celadon WHile the day lasted these faire Nimphs yeelded so good company to Celadon that had he not been displeased with the change of Astrea he had had no cause of griefe for these were both faire and full of iudgement yet in the case wherein he was all this was not enough to stay him from wishing himselfe to be alone And because he saw it could not be without the helpe of the night that would constraine them to withdraw hee wished for it euery houre But when he thought to haue beene alone theâ— found he more coÌ„pany for the night being come and these Nimphs goâ— into their chambers his thoughts came to accompany him with so cruell remembrance
so that she went on since the place is taken I see a double difficulty arise against our enterprise This happy shepheardesse hath much offended him and a generous heart will hardly suffer a disdaine without any sence of it Madam answered Leonide on the one side I wish you were contented and on the other I am well pleased with the discōmodities for you do your selfe so much wrong if you continue thus that I know not if euer you can deface it Thinke you though you be neuer so secret that this life of yours will not bee knowne and what will become of you if it be discouered the iudgement which was neuer wanting in the rest of your actions is it possibile that in this accident it should faile you what would you iudge of another that should lead this life You will answer you do no euill Ah Madam it is not sufficient for a person of your quality to bee voyd of crime but you be so also of blame If this were a man worthy of you I could brook it wel but though Celadon be one of the chiefe of this country yet is he but a shepheard and is knowne for no other And this vaine opinion of good or ill lucke shall it haue such power ouer you that it shall so much abate your courage that you will equall these keepers of sheepe these Rusticks and these halfe-Sauages to yourselfe for Gods sake come to your selfe and consider with what minde I speake these words She had gone forward had not Galathee in choler interrupted her I haue told you I would not haue you vse this discourse I know not on what I shall resolue when I aske your counsell giue it me and once for al talke no more to me of it if you will not displease me At this word she turned on the other side in such furie that Leonide knew well she had throughly angred her Indeed there is nothing strikes more to the quicke then to oppose honor against Loue for though all the reasons of Loue be vanquished yet will Loue stil be strong in his will Soone after Galathee turnes againe and sayes I neuer thought till now that you had had a minde to be my gouernor but now I begin to haue such a beliefe that you figure such a thing to your selfe Madam answered she I neuer mistooke my selfe so much but I know what I owe to you but since you take in so ill part that which my duty made me speake I protest from henceforth I will neuer giue you occasion for this cause to enter into choler against me This is a strange thing in you replied Galathee that you must alwayes haue reason in your opinion what likelihood is there that any should know that Celadon is here There are no more then we three Merill my Nurse his mother as for Merill he goes not forth and besides he hath discretion enough for his age for my Nurse her fidelity is well knowne to me and it is partly by her desire that all is thus carried for as hauing told her what the Druide foretold me she that loues me more tenderly then if I were her owne child counselled me not to contemne this aducrtisement and because I propounded the difficulty of the great number which would resort to the place where I am her selfe aduised me to make shewe that I would take phisicke And what is your purpose sayd Leonide To worke so answered she that this shepheard may wish me well and till that be not to let him go away that if once he come to loue me I may leaue the direction of the rest to Fortune Madame sayd Leonide God giue you all the contentment you desire But suffer me to tell you this once you go about to ruine your selfe in your reputation What time must there bee to the rooting out of an affection so thorowly grounded which he beares to Astrea whose beauty and vertue they say is without a second But presently interrupted the Nymph She scornes him she is angry with him she hath driuen him away thinke you not he will haue courage enough to leaue her Oh! Madam put this out of your hopes said Leonide if he haue no coragē he will neuer feele this and if he haue a man generous will neuer turne aside for the difficulties Remember your selfe for example how many contempts haue you layd on Lindamer and how cruelly haue you handled him and what hath he done the lesse for these disdaines or cruelties But be it so that Celadon because he is a shepheard haue not the courage of Lindamor and that he hath bentat the blowes of Astrea what good hope you there of thinke you that a spirit once deceiued will easily be deceiued the second time in one kind No no Madam howsoeuer he be both by birth conuersation of the homelier sort yet can he not be so but he wil dread the fire when the smart of it is yet in his soule There must be and that is it which you may best hope for some time allowed to heale him soundly of this burning before he can turne his eyes vpon some such like obiect And what time will it aske and in the meane time can it be possible to let but that the gard which is in the base court will come to the knowledge of it or in seeing him for you cannot alwaies keepe him close in one chamber or by the prattle of Merill who as discreet as he is for his age yet is but a child Leonide said shee cease to trauell longer in this businesse my resolution is such as I told you if you wil make me beleeue you loue me fauour my designe in what you may and for the rest referre it to my care This morning if the weakenesse of Celadon permit it mee thought yesterday he was reasonable well you may lead him into the garden for this day I finde my selfe not well and I shall hardly rise out of my bed tell towards night Leonide being very sad gaue no other answere but that she would be ready to do that that might be to her content While they were thus discoursing Meril did his message and hauing found the shepheard awake gaue him the good morrow in the name of the Nymph and presented to him the papers Oh! how presently he raised himselfe in the bed he made him open the curtaines and windowes not hauing the leasure to rise such haste he made to see that which had cost him so much sorrow Hee opened the little bag and after hee had many times kissed it O secretary said he of my life most happy how camest thou into the hands of strangers At this word he layd all the letters on the bed that he might see if he wanted any one he placed them in their order according to the time he receiued them and seeing there remained a little scrowle he opened it and read these words CEladon I would have you know that Galathee
loues you and that the heauens haue permitted the disdaine of Astrea for that they like not that a shepheardesse should any longer possesse that which a Nymph desires acknowledge your good hap and refuse it not The astonishment of the shepheard was great notwithstanding seeing that Merill obserued his actions he would make no shew of it Then locking them againe together and lying downe in his bed he asked who gaue them to him I tooke them said he out of my Ladyes deske and but for the desire I had to put you out of the paine wherein I saw you I durst not haue gone for them for that she is not well at ease And who is with her demanded Celadon The two Nymphs which you saw yesterday where of the one is Leonide the Niece of Adamas the other is Siluie the daughter of Diante the glorious and indeed she is not his daughter without reason for shee is the most lofty in her behauiour that you shall lightly see So receiued Celadon the first aduertisement of the good will of Galathee for though there were neither cipher nor seale to the scroule hee had receiued yet iudged he that it would not haue beene done without her knowledge And then he fore-saw that this would be a surcharge to his sorrowes and that he must vndergoe it Seeing then that halfe of the day was almost passed and finding himselfe in good case he would keepe no longer in bed thinking that the sooner he left it the sooner he might take his leaue of these faire Nymphs And being risen in this deliberation as he was ready to goe out to walke he met with Leonide and Siluie whom Galathee not daring to rise nor yet shew her selfe to him for shame of the scroule she had writ had sent to giue him entertainment They went downe into the garden And because Celadon would hide his sorrow he shewed a countenance as pleasant as he could dissemble and seeming to be curious to know euery thing he saw Faire Nymphs said he to them is it not heereabout that the Fountaine of the truth of Loue is I am very willing if it be possible to see it It is hard by answered the Nymph for wee must goe downe but this great Wood. But it is impossible to see it and you must thanke this faire that is the cause poynting to Siluie I know not replyed she why you accuse me For for my part I neuer heard the sword blamed which cut the foole that laid his finger vnder it It is true answered Leonide but if I be not deceiued that which wounds and your beauty are not in the number of those that are seene without homicide Such as it is answered Siluie with a little blushing it hath lynes strong enow euer to let that goe that it hath once tyed vp She said this vpbrayding her with the infidelity of Agis who hauing somtimes loued her for aielousie or for an absence of two months was entirely changed and for Polemas whom another beauty had robbed her of the which she vnderstood well enough So I confesse my sister replyed she my lines are easie to slide but that is because I would neuer take the paine to stiffen them Celadon hearing with great pleasure their prety disputation that they might not breake off too soone he sayd to Siluie Faire Nymph since from you the difficulty proceedes of seeing this admirable Fountain we shall a little be obliged vnto you if from your selfe we know how this fell out Celadon answered the Nymph somewhat smiling You haue businesse enough of your owne without need to search into any other yet if curiosity can haue any place in your loue this prattler Leonide if you request her will tell you the end since without any motion she hath so well told the beginning Sister answered Leonide your beauty makes all them to speake much better that discourse of it and since you giue me leaue to tell of one effect the world should take knowledge of yet lest we too much should trouble the shepheard I wil abridge for this bout as much as I can possibly Not for that interrupted the shepheard but to giue leasure to this Nymph to yeeld you the like Make no doubt of that replied Siluie but according to her vsage of mee I shall see what I haue to doe So what by the one and what by the other Celadon shall learne from their owne mouth their life in particular and that in the deliuery he might better heare them they placed him betweene them and walking a soft pace Leonide beganne in this manner The History of Siluie THey that say that to be beloued there needes nothing but to loue haue not tryed it neither in the eyes nor courage of this Nymph otherwise they were to know that as the water of the Fountaine runs incessantly from the spring so the Loue which rises from this faire wanders from her as farre as it can If when you haue heard the discourse which I am to make to you you will not auerre that that I say I am willing you should accuse me of small iudgement Amasis the mother of Galathee hath a sonne named Clidamon accompanied with all the amiable vertues that a person of his age and quality may haue for he seemeth to be borne to all that pertaine to Armes or Ladyes It is about three yeeres since that to giue some proofe of his gentle nature with the permission of Amasis he became seruant to al the Nymphs and that not by election but by lot For hauing put all the names of the Nymphs into a vessell and all the young Knights into another before all the assembly he tooke the youngest among vs and the youngest among them to the man he gaue the vessell of the Nymphs and to the mayd that of the men And then after the sound of the trumpets the Youth drew and the first name that came out was Siluie and the same instant the lot was drawne by the youngest Nymph who drew that of Clidamon Great was the applause of euery one but greater the gentlenesse of Clidamon who after he had receiued the scroule came with one knee on the ground to kisse the hands of this faire Nymph who out of shamefastnesse would not suffer him without the commandement of Amasis who said it was the least part of seruice that was due vnto her in the honour of so great a god as Loue. After her all the rest were called to some it fell out as they desired to others not so it was that Galathee had a most accomplished person named Lindamor who as then was but lately come from the Army of Meroue As for mine he was called Agis the most inconstant and deceitfull that euer was Now of those that were thus bestowed some serued onely in shew others of good will ratified to these faire the deuotion which fortune had made of them and they that maintained themselues best were such as before had conceiued some affection
know that which till then she had hid from her But Siluie although young yet full of iudgement to pacifie all things indeuoured to excuse Leonide what she could possibly knowing well that if her companion meant a despite and it should come to be knowne they could not but bring much shame to their Mistris And therefore she sayd vnto her after many words You know well Madam you neuer acquainted me with this businesse and yet I must tell you of these particulars you may not iudge me so ignorant as I seemed to be but my humour is not to thrust my selfe into things where I am not called It is some pretty while since seeing my companion so diligent about Celadon I suspected that Loue was the cause and not Compassion of his disease and because it is a thing that toucheth vs all I resolued to be assured before I would speake of it and after that I beganne to looke into her actions more narrowly then of wont and wrought so that yesterday I got on the furder side of the shepheards bed while he slept and by and by Leonide came in who by opening the doore waked him without knowing any thing After many cōmon discourses she came to talke of the loue he bareto the shepheardesse Astrea and Astrea to him But sayd she beleeue me this is nothing to the price of the affection that Galathee beares you To me said he Yes to you replyed Leonide and make it not so strange you know how often I haue told you yet is she greater then my words Faire Nymph answered the shepheard I can neither merit nor beleeue I shall haue so great happinesse Besides what should her meaning be to me that am a shepheard borne and desire to liue and die so Your birth returnes my companion cannot but be great since it hath giuen beginning to so great perfections O Leonide said then the shepheard your words are full of mockery but were they plaine haue you an opinion that I know not what Galathee is who I am I know it indeed faire Nymph and can well measure my meannesse and her greatnesse with duety True answered Leonide I thinke you will vse the measure that men doe that is good for them that will buy and sell And doe not you know that gifts will not be measured and Loue being nothing but a gift why will you draw it to the ell-wand of duty Doubt no more of that which I tell you and not to be wanting in your duty render her as much of loue and of affection as she hath giuen you I sweare vnto you Madam till that time I imagined that Leonide spake for her selfe and I haue no cause to lie from the beginning this discourse astonished me but since hauing seene with what discretion your actions haue beene carried I much commend the power you haue ouer them knowing very well that it is an harder matter to haue absolute commaund ouer ones selfe then ouer any other Mayd answered Galathee if you knew the occasion I haue to seek the loue of Celadon you would commend it and aduise mee to the same desseigne For do you remember that Druyde that foretold vs our fortune I remember it well said she it is not so long since You know continued Galathee how many true things he hath told you and Leonide also Now know withall that he assured me that if I married any otherthen Celadon I should be the most vnhappy person on earth and do you think it fit that hauing had such proofe of his predictions I should contemne them that touch me so neere And this is it that I finde such fault with that Leonide should be so much misaduised to march my pace making the same declaration to him Madam said Siluie enter not into that doubt for in truth I lie not And me thinkes you should not anger her too much for feare that in her complaints she discouer this dessigne to any other Friend said Galathee embracing her I doubt not of that you told me and I promise you I will deale with Leonide as you haue aduised me In the meane time that they discourse thus Leonide goes to seek out Celadon to whom she recited word for word the talke that Galathee and she had for his cause and that he was to thinke that the place where hee was bare the shew of liberty but indeede it was a prison which strucke him so to the quick that whereas before his disease he went but as it were creeping now it grew so violent that that very night the feauer took him againe so burning that Galathee being come to see him and seeing him so much impayred was in great doubt of his life The next morning his disease increasing so fiercely he swowned away twice or thrice betweene their armes and albeit these Nymphs were neuer further off but that the one was at the head and the other at the feete of the bed without other repose then that by broken sleepes extreme heauinesse came stealing on them yet so it was that he was very poorely attended hauing there nothing fit for a sicke man and not daring to fetch it else-where for feare of being discouered So that the shepheard ran in great hazard of his life and in such sort that that one night he felt himselfe in great extremity so that the Nymphs esteemed him as a dead man but in the end hee came back to himselfe and shortly after lost a great deale of bloud which weakened him so that hee desired to rest That was the cause that the Nymphs left him alone with Merill And being retired Siluie all afraid at this accident addressing her selfe to Galathee said Me thinkes Madam you are ready to fall into a great confusion if you take not the better order Iudge how great paine it will be to you if this shepheard perish in your hands for fault of succour Alas sayd the Nymph since the relapse of his disease I found it too true that which you say but what remedy is there We are heere altogether vnprouided of things necessary for him and to haue them from else-where if my life lay on it I would not doe it for the feare I haue it would be knowne Leonide whom affection had made more resolute then Siluie sayd Madame these feares are good when they touch not the life of a man but where it doth we are not so much to consider or preuent other inconueniences which may arise If this shepheard die thinke you his death can be kept vnknowne Since it can sort but to punishment you must beleeue the very heauens will discouer but let vs take it at the worst and that it be knowne the shepheard be heere What of that May you not couer it with the cloke of Compassion whereto Nature inclines vs all And if it please you to referre this businesse to me I assure my selfe to carry it so discreetly that no man shall discouer any thing For Madam I haue as
both that they sware so firme a league betweene them that they neuer after separated and this was the first day that Astrea came out of her lodging So that these her two faithfull companions were now with her but they were no sooner set down but they might perceiue farre off Semire who came to finde her This shepheard had long time beene amorous of Astrea and knowing that she loued Celadon thought that he was the cause of his bad successe beeing now perswaded that hauing driuen away Celadon he might easily obtain his place he came to seeke her out that he might beginne his designe but he was much deceiued for Astrea hauing found out his craft conceiued such an hatred against him that when shee spyed him shee would lay her hand ouer her eyes that she might not see him and desired Phillis to tell him from her that he should neuer present himselfe to her And these words were spoken with such a change of looke and so great a vehemency that her companions easily found out her great stomake which more readily incensed Phillis against the shepherd When he heard this message hestood so confused in his thoughts that it seemed he could not moue At last ouercome enforced by the acknowledgement of his error he said Discreete Phillis I protest the heauens are iust in giuing me more sorrow then an heart is able to beare since they cannot equall their punishment according to mine offence hauing beene the cause of the breach of the fairest and most intire loue that euer was But that the gods may not more rigorously chastise me tell this faire shepheardesse that I aske pardon both of her and of the cinders of Celadon assuring her that the extreme affection which I bare her without more was the cause of this fault that banished from her and from her eyes iustly offended I may goe lamenting all my life long At this word hee went away so vncomfortable that his repentance mooued Phillis to some pittie and beeing come backe to her companions shee told them his answer Alas sister sayd Astrea I haue more reason to fly this wicked man then to weepe iudge you if I ought not this is he without more that hath beene the cause of all my sorrow How sister said she is Semire the cause of your sorrow Hath he such power ouer you If I durst tell you his wickednes sayd Astrea and mine owne folly you would say that he hath vsed the greatest Arte that the craftiest spirit could inuent Diane knowing that that was the cause that she spake no more plainely to Phillis for that it was yet but eight or ten dayes that they grew to that familiarity said to them that it was no part of her purpose to take any thing from them by constraint And you faire shepheardesse said shee turning to the sad Astrea giue me occasion to thinke that you loue me not if you be more reserued to me then to Phillis for that though it be not long that I haue inioyed the good of your familiarity yet are you to be no lesse assured of my affection then of hers Phillis then answered I assure my selfe that Astrea will alwayes speake as freely before you as before her selfe her humor being not to loue by halues since she hath sworne to be such she hath nothing in her soule to conceale It is true continued Astrea and that which held me from saying more was onely for that the putting the weapon againe into the wound will but poyson it Yet so it is replied Diane that oftentimes you must vse the weapon to heale it and for me I thinke that to speake freely of the disease to a friend is to make him a party and if I durst desire you it would be a great satisfaction to know what your life hath beene as my selfe also will not make it dainty to tell you mine when you shall be desirous to know it Since you will haue it so answered Astrea that you haue a mind to partake in my sorrowes I will so that afterwards you impart to me of your contentments and that in the meane time you suffer me to vse that breuity in the discourse which you desire to vnderstand from me and truly an history so vnfortunate as mine will not please but by being short And being all three set in a round she began to speake in this manner The History of Astrea and Phillis THey that know what it is when friendship or hatted passe from father to son may well conceiue Celadons fortune and mine and without doubt may affirme that they be not deceiued For faire Diane I beleeue you haue often heard speech of the old hatred betweene Alce Hippolite my father and mother and of Alcippe and Amarillis the father mother of Celadon their displeasures accompanying them euen to their graue which hath beene cause of so great trouble among the shepheards of this Country that I assure my selfe there is no man ignorant of it along the shore of the cruell and dishonoured Lignon And yet it seemeth that Loue to shew his power of persons so opposite would vnite two so straitly that nothing could breake the lines but death For hardly had Celadon reached to the age of foureteene or fifteene yeeres and I of twelue or thirteene but that at an assembly which was had at the Temple of Venus which is on the top of this mountaine seated in the Plaine right ouer against Montsur about a mile from the Castle of Monbusor this young shepheard sawe me and as he hath told me since he had long before conceiued a good liking vpon the report which was made of me But the let which I told you our fathers tooke from him all meanes and I must tell you that I do not thinke he bare a greater liking then did I for I know not how when I heard speech of him my heart danced in my belly and this was but a presage of the troubles which since befell mee on that occasion Now at the instant when he saw me I know not how he found matter of loue in mee so that within a while after hee resolued to loue me and to serue me And it seemeth that at this first view both the one and the other of vs was at this passe that wee must loue so that as often as it was told mee that hee was the sonne of Alcippe I found a certaine change in my selfe which was not ordinary and thenceforth all his actions began to please me and much more agreeing to my liking then of all the other yong shepheards of his age and for that as yet he durst not come neere me that speech was denied him his lookes at his commings and goings spake to me so often that at last I knew he had a longing to tell me more and to effect it at a game that was kept at the foot of the mountaine vnder the old elmes that yeelded a pleasant shade he vsed such
arte that before I was aware and seeming to bee through want of heed hee got vnder my hand for my part I seemed not to note it vsed him as I did al the others but he on the contrary tooke mee by the hand so that making shewe to cast downe his I perceiued his mouth on mine This act made me blush and making shew not to heed it I turned my head away as hearkening to the brawle we danced This was the cause that he stayd somewhile before he spake to me not knowing as I thinke where to begin At last vnwilling to lose this opportunity which he had so long sought he aduanced himselfe before me and rounded in the care of Corilas that led me in that dāce so loud yet faining to whisper that I heard these words I wold to God Corilas the contention betweene the father of this shepheardesse mine might be ended in vs two and then went to his place And Corilas answered him loud enough Make not you this attempt Celadon for it may bee you neuer attempted any thing more dangerous What hazard so euer it hath answered Celadon aloud I will not deny that I haue spoken giue my hart in pawne In such promises replied Corilas they vse not to offer lesse assurance then that yet within a while after it is gainesaid Whosoeuer reioyneth the shepheard makes difficulties to run such a fortune as you threaten I shal hold him for a man of small courage It is a vertue answered Corilas to be couragious but it is also a folly to be rash By proofe replied Celadon you shall know what I will do and in the meane time I promise you at a word that I will neuer gainesay it And because I made shew not to heed their discourse directing his words to me he sayd And you faire shepheardesse what is your opinion I know not answerd I of what you speake He hath told me sayd Corilas that to draw a great good out of a great euill hee wishes your fathers hatred were changed into loue betweene their children How answerd I seeming not to know him are you the sonne of Alcippe And hauing answered me Yea and moreouer my seruant Me thinks sayd I it were fitter for you to ioyne to some other that may haue more occasion to agree with you then I. I haue heard it sayd replied Celadon that the gods do punish the offences of the fathers on their children but among men it hath not bene the custome which is not for that it is not allowed to your beauty which is diuine to vse the same preuiledges that the gods do but if it bee so you are like then to grant pardon when it is demanded of you Is it so shepheard interrupted Corilas that you begin your combat with crying mercy In this combat answered he to be ouercome is a kind of victory for my part I am willing enough prouided that she wil take the spoyle I thinke they had continued their discourse longer if the dance had held out longer but the end of it separated vs and euery one went to his place Somewhile after they began to propound prizes for diuers exercises which they were accustomed vnto as the Lute to Runne and cast the Barre whereto Celadon for being too yong was not admitted but only to the course whereat he won the prize which was a garland of diuers flowers which was set on his head by the whole assembly with great commendation that being so yong had ouercome so many shepheards Hee without any long dreaming tooke it off came to me to set it on my head saying very low See the confirmation of what I sayd I was so surprized that I could not answere had it not bene for Artemis your mother Phillis I had giuen it him againe not for that comming from his hand it pleased me not but because I feared Alce Hippolite would not think wel of it But Artemis that rather desired to quench then kindle these ancient hatreds commanded me to take it and to thanke him which I did so coldly that euery one might well thinke it should not haue bene done but by the command of my Aunt All this day passed thus the next day also the yong shepheard losing no occasion to make his affection appeare to me And because that on the third day they had a custome to represent in honor of Venus the iudgement which Paris gaue of the three goddesses Celadon resolued to thrust himselfe among the maids vnder the habit of a shepheardesse You know well that on that third day about the end of the feast of the great Druide they haue vsed to cast among the maids an apple of gold whereon are written the names of the three shepheardesses whom they thinke to be the most faire in the company with this word Be it giuen to the most faire of the three And that after they haue dressed her which is to represent the person of Paris who with the three shepheardesses enter into the Temple of Beauty dedicated to Venus where the doores being shut shee giueth iudgement of all three when she sees them naked but onely a thinne Lawne which couers them from the girdle-stead almost to the knees And for that once it was abused and that some shepheards had thrust themselues among the shepheardesses it was ordayned by a publique Edict That he that did commit the like fault should without remission be stoned by the Maides at the gate of the Temple Now it hapned that this Youth without consideration of the great danger that day attired himselfe like a shepheardesse and forcing himselfe into our company was taken for a maide and as Fortune would fauour him my name was written on the Apple and Malthe and Stella and when they came to set downe the name of her that bare the personage of Paris I heard him name Orithee which was the name that Celadon had taken God knowes if his soule receiued not all the delight it was capable of when he sawe his dessigne succeed so well In the end we were brought into the Temple where the Iudge being set in his seat the doores being shut and we three onely remayning with him we beganne according to the order to vnclothe ourselues and because euery one must go apart and speake to him and make the offers that the three goddesses had sometimes made to Paris Stelle who was most forward to put off her clothes went first to present her selfe to him whom he beheld some while And after he had heard what she would say he caused her to returne to giue place to Malthe who was got before me for that ashamed to shew my selfe naked I delayed as much as I could the putting off of my clothes Celadon thinking the time long and after he had some short while entertayned Malthe seeing that I came not called for mee In the end not able to delay it no longer I was constrained but O God when
diuers changes of countenance might bewray any thing I sayde to him seeming to be in choler Bethinke you shepheard of the hatred of our fathers and beleeue that that which I beare shall not turne to nothing if you euer more importune me with your follies which your young age and my honour pardon for this time I vsed these last words to giue him the lesse courage For it is true that his beauty courage and affection pleased me and that he might make no further answer I turned to talke with Stella who was not farre off He all astonied with this answer withdrew from the company so sad that in few dayes he was scarce to be knowne so solitary that his haunt was in the places most desolate and sauage of all our woods Whereof being aduertised by some of my companions who told me without conceit that I was the cause I began to thinke of his paine and resolued in my minde to search some meanes to giue him satisfaction And because as I told you he forsooke all company I was constrayned that I might meet him to driue my flocke that way where I knew he resorted most And when it fell out twice or thrice to be in vaine at last one day as I was seeking for him me thought I heard his voyce among some trees and I was not deceiued for comming softly towards him I sawe him lye along on the ground and his eies wet teares so bent vpward to heauen that they seemed vnmooueable The sight of him mooued me so to pittie beeing somewhat inclined thereto before that I resolued no longer to leaue him in this paine Therefore after I had considered of it awhile and not willing it might appeare to him that I sought him out I withdrew some good way from the place whereseeming not to heede him I sung so high that my voyce came to his eares As soone as he heard me I might see hee raised vp himselfe in a dumpe and turning his eyes to the place where I was hee stood like one rauished to heare me which when I marked that I might giue him commodity to come neere me I made as though I would sleepe and yet I held mine eyes halfe open to see what it would come to and indeed it failed not of that I purposed for comming softly towards me he came kneeled as close to me as hee could and after hee had long time stayed in this sort when I made shew to be fast asleepe to giue him the more hardines I perceiued that after some sighes hee stoopes downe softly against my mouth and kisses me Then thinking he had taken courage enough I opened mine eyes as if I had beene waked when he touched me and rising vp I sayd to him seeming to bee angry Vnciuill shepheard what hath made thee so vnmannerly to come to disquiet my sleepe in this sort He then al trembling and not raising his knees It is you faire shepheardesse said he that haue constrained me and if I haue offended you must punish your own perfectiōs which are the cause These are alwaies said I the excuses of your malipertnesse but if you holde on to displease mee thus beleeue it shepheard I will not beare it If you call it a displeasure answered he to be loued and adored in good time beginne to study what punishment you will inflict on mee for now I sweare vnto you that I shall displease you in this sort all my life and no rigor of your cruelty nor enmity of our fathers nor any let in the world can diuert mee from this designe But faire Diane I must shorten these pleasing discourses being so contrary to the vnfortunate season wherein I am and must onely tell you that in the end being ouercome I said to him But shepheard what end is your designe like to haue since that they which may frame you to their pleasure disallow it How replyed he presently Frame to their pleasure So farre is it that Alcippe hath power ouer my will that I haue it not my selfe You may dispose of your selfe said I at your owne pleasure but not of the obedience you owe to your father without cōmitting a great fault The obedience answered he which I owe him may not passe that which I can ouer my selfe for this is no faulting not to doe that which one cannot But be it so that I owe him it since of two euils wee are to shun the greatest I choose rather to be failing toward him that is but a man then against your beauty which is diuine Our discourse in the end held on so farre that I must suffer him to be my seruant and because wee were young both the one and the other so that we had not Arte enough to couer our designe Alcippe within a while took notice of it not being willing that this loue should passe further on he resolued with his old friend Cleante to cause him to vndertake a iourney so long that absence might blot out this young impression of Loue. But this distance auayled as little as all the other crafty tricks with which hee serued himselfe since For Celadon though hee were young yet had a resolution to ouercome all difficulties that whereas others others meete their contraries with paine hee tooke them for trials of himselfe and called them the touchstones of his faithfulnesse and for as much as he knew his voyage would be long he desired me to giue him the commodity to bid me adieu I did it faire Diane but if you had seene the affection wherewith hee besought me to loue him the oathes by which he assured me neuer to change and the coniurations by which hee bound mee neuer to loue other without doubt you would iudge that things most impossible might fall out sooner then the losse of this amity In the end not daring to stay longer he said My Astrea for so hee did in priuate call mee I leaue you my brother Licidas from whō I haue not concealed any one of my designes he knows what seruice I haue vowed vnto you promise me if it please you that I may depart with contentment to receiue as comming from mee all these seruices that he shall doe you and that by his presence you renew the memory of Celadon And indeed he had reason to make this request for Licidas during his absence shewed himselfe so curious to obserue what his brother had giuen him in charge that many thought he succeeded in the affection which his brother bare me That was the cause that Alcippe after he had kept him three yeeres out of this Countrey called him back being of opinion that so long a time had defaced the light impression which Loue had made in a soule so young and that growing more wise hee might easily draw Licidas from affecting me But his returne was a strong assurance to me of his faithfulnesse For the chilnesse of the Alpes which he had twice passed thorow could nothing diminish the
marry him vnto Malthe the daughter of Forelle for commodity as he pretended of their neighbourhood The words which were vsed betweene vs at our departing haue beene but too much published by one of the Nymphes of Belinde For I know not how that day Licidas who was at the foot of the rocke fell asleepe and that Nymph as she went by heard vs and wrote downe in her Tables all our discourse And what interrupted Diane are those the verses which I haue heard sung to one of my mothers Nymphes at the departure of a shepheard These be they answered Astrea and because I would not discouer that it any thing touched me I durst not demaund them Trouble not your selfe replyed Diane for I will giue you a copie to morrow And after Astrea had thanked her she went forward Now during this absence Olympe the daughter of shepheard Lupeander dwelling on the confines of Forest on the side the riuer Furant came with her mother into our Hamlet and because this good olde woman much loued Amarillis as hauing in their youth beene bred together shee came to visite her This young shepheardesse was not so faire as she was conceited and had so good an opinion of her selfe that shee thought all the shepheards that looked on her were in loue with her which is a rule infallible for all those that loue themselues That was the cause that as soone as she came into the house of Alcippe that shee began to busie her selfe with Licidas thinking the ciuility hee vsed toward her proceeded of Loue. As soone as the shepheard perceiued it hee came to tell vs and know how he should behaue himselfe wee gaue aduise that hee might the better couer the affection he bore to Phillis to maintaine Olympe in this opinion And shortly after it fell out by mischance that Artemis had some affaires on the coast of Allier whither shee carried Phillis with her notwithstanding all the cunning we could inuent to keepe her back During this absence which might bee about fiue or sixe moneths the mother of Olympe returned leauing her daughter in the hands of Amarillis with a purpose that Licidas should marry her iudging according to that they saw that he loued her very dearely And because it was an aduancement to her she was counselled by her mother to carry her selfe as louely as she could And assure you faire Diane she dissembled not for thenceforth she rather sued vnto him then was sued vnto by him So that one day when shee found him at leasure as shee thought within the inward parts of the wood of Bonlieu where by fortune hee went to seeke a wandring sheep after some common speeches she laid her arme on his neck and after she had kissed him sayd Gentle shepheard I know not what I haue in mee so vnpleasing that I cannot by any demonstrations of good will finde place in your good graces It may be answered the shepheard smiling because I haue none He that should say as you doe replied the shepheardesse may be thought to be as much blinded as your selfe if you see not the offer which I make of my amity till when shepheard ordaine you that I loue without being beloued and that I shal still seek you without finding acceptance I cannot thinke that the other shepheardesses whom you make so much of are more louely then my selfe or haue any thing aboue me but the possession of your good graces Olympe vttered these words with that affection that Licidas was moued at it Faire Diane at all other times when I remember this accident that befell the shepheard I could not refraine from laughter but now my misfortune forbids me yet me thought I could be angry with none but Phillis who had so charged him to loue her for this fayning at last turned to earnest Hereupon this miserable Olympe thinking by her fauours to make her selfe beloued the more made her selfe to be so much dis-esteemed that Licidas hauing had of her all that he might disdained her so that he could not abide she should be neere him Presently after this fortune befell hee came to tell me with such apparance of displeasure that I thinke hee was sorry for his fault and yet it fell not out so for this shepheardesse committed such folly that shee grew to bee with childe and about the time shee first perceiued it Phillis returned from her iourney and if I expected her with great paine I likewise welcōmed her with much cōtentment But as commonly they first demād of that which neerest toucheth the hart Phillis after two or three former words failed not to aske how Licidas did how he behaued himselfe with Olympe Very well answered I and I assure my selfe hee will not bee long before hee come to tell you newes I cut my speech the shorter for feare I might tell her somewhat that might anger Licidas who for his part was not without paine not knowing how to aboord the shepherdesse at last he resolued to suffer al things rather thē to bee banished from her sight and came to finde her in her lodging where he knew I was As soone as shee saw him shee ran to him with open armes to salute him but giuing a little backe he sayd Faire Phillis I haue not hardines enough to come neere you except you pardon me the fault I haue done you The shepherdesse thinking he had excused himselfe for comming no sooner as hee was accustomed answered him There is nothing can hold me backe from saluting Licidas and when he hath offended mee I must pardon him alwaies At this word shee came forward welcommed him with great affection but it was his pleasure when hee brought her backe to me to pray me tell his errour to his Mistris that hee might speedily know to what she would condemne him Not for that the griefe saith he shall not accompany me to my graue but for the desire I haue to know what you ordaine of me This word brought colour into the face of Phillis doubting that her pardon was greater then her meaning whereof Licidas taking heed I haue not courage enough said he to me to heare the declaration you shall make of me Pardon me then faire Mistris turning to Phillis if I break company so soon if my life be vnpleasing to you and that my death may giue you satisfaction be not couetous of my bloud At this word though Phillis called him back yet would he not come but contrarily pulling the doore after him left vs alone You may not thinke that Phillis made dainty to aske if there were any newes whence so great feare came Without stay in lōg discourse I told her as it was and withall laid al the fault on our selues who did not foresee that his youth could no longer resist the assaults of this folly and that his displeasure was so great that his error was pardonable At the first I could not obtaine that I desired of her but some few
to your seruice Semire sayd I I am bound to you for this good will but I shall be much more if you finish that which you haue begunne Ah shepheardesse said he I haue told you too much but it may be you shall in time know more of it and then you shall judge that indeed Semire is your seruant Ah most malicious how true hee seemed in his wicked promises for I haue since knowne but too much to leaue in mee onely the desire to liue So it was that at that time he would tell me no more to make me the more desirous and he thought it was time one day when according to custome I pressed him to let me know the end of my contentment and I coniured him by the power which I had sometimes ouer him to tell me all that which he had begunne He answered Faire shepheardesse you so coniure me that I hold it a great fault to disobey you I would I had neuer begunne that discourse which I foresee the end will bring you And after I had assured him of the contrary he had the skill so well to perswade me that Celadon loued Aminthe the daughter of the sonne of Cleante that Iealousie the ordinary companion of soules which loue dearely beganne to perswade me that it might be true and this was a mischiefe extreme that then I remembred not the commandement which I gaue him to make shew of louing other shepheardesses Notwithstanding desirous to make an end to dissemble my displeasure I answered Semire that I did neuer beleeue nor would that Celadon made particular choice of me before others that if it seemed we vsed any familiarity it was but by reason of the long acquaintance which we haue had together but as for his loue-suites they were indifferent Now answered the crafty companion I thanke God your humour is such but since it is so you cannot choose but take pleasure to heare the passionate discourse which he had to his Aminthe I protest to you wise Diane when I heard him name his Aminthe I changed colour and because he offred me to heare their words me thought I was not to shunne the knowledge of the perfidiousnesse of Celadon alas more faithfull then I well aduised and so I tooke his offer and indeede hee fayled not in his promise For within a while after he came running to me and assuring mee that hee left them close together and that Celadon layd his head in Aminthes lap who sate and rubbed his head telling me the particulars the more to torment me I followed him so besides my selfe that I remember neither the way I went nor how neere he brought me to them yet they perceiued me not because as I haue iudged since they cared not who heard and therfore regarded not who hearkened So it was I found my selfe so neere that I could heare Celadon say Beleeue me fayre shepheardesse there is no beauty can be more liuely printed in a soule then that which is in mine But Celadon answerd Aminthe how is it possible that an heart stirring as yours can haue the hardinesse to hold long that which loue can graue Naughty shepheardesse replyed my Celadon let these reasons goe by measure not me by your wand nor weights of any other honor me with your good graces and you shall see if I will not preserue them as well in my soule and as long as my life Celadon Celadon replyed Aminthe you shall be wel punished if your iest turne to earnest and if the heauens in my reuenge make you loue this Aminthe whom you now sport your selfe with Hitherto there was nothing but in some sort it might be bom But O God! to faine what was the answer he gaue I pray Loue sayd he faire shepheard if I mocke that he cause the mockery to light on mee if I haue deserued any grace from him that he inflict on mee the punishment you threaten Aminthe not able to iudge his intent by this discourse answered him not but with a smile and with a casting of her hand ouer her eyes which I interpreted in my language that she refused not but that she beleeued his words for true But that which touched me most to the quicke was that Celadon after he had beene some-while without speech fetcht a deepe sigh which she accompanyed presently with another And when the shepheard rose vp to speake to her she layd her hand ouer her eies waxed red as halfe ashamed that this sigh had so escaped her which was the cause that Celadon lying downe in his former place a little after sung these verses A Sonnet when he knew how they fayned to loue FAyning to loue me she complaines in want on wise And after me she sighes when me she sighing spiâ—s And by her fayned teares would witnesse to endure The heate which in my soule she knowes is ouer-sure The lower most expert when she the Maske puts on Of her deceitfull traines knowes no way to be gone He must be without heart not to desire a whit To be so sweetly gullâ—d by such her forging wit My selfe deceiue my selfe in fashood that I see And my contentments all confederate against mee My hearts glasse traitors lights that vntrusty are I know you all right well your iuggling trickes I spie But whereto serues it me since Loue doth me deny Seeing your treasons trickes I should thereof beware After he had held his peace awhile Aminthe sayd And why Celadon doe you trouble your selfe so much I feare said he rather to trouble her whom in any sort I would not but please And who is that said she since we are alone Ah! that she had deceiued her selfe so and it had been well for my part as any other in the company It is but you answered Celadon that I feare to importune but if you command mee I will goe forward I dare not replyed the shepheardesse vse any commandement where euen the payer is vndiscreete You may vse replied the shepheard what termes please you but in the end I am but your seruant And then he began again in this sort A MADRIGAL Vpon a resemblance of his Lady and himselfe I May be bold to say our hearts Are both made of the hardest rocke Mine that indures such rig'rous smarts And yours in that it beares the shocke Both of Loues blowes and of my teares But when the griefes I call to minde Which makes my sufferings euer be In this extremity I finde I am a rocke in constancy And so are you in cruelty Faire Diane it was beyond my power to stay longer there and so stealing softly from them I returned to my flocke so sad that from that day I opened not my mouth And because it was very late I draue my sheepe into their folds and passed a night such as you may imagine Alas all this had beene nothing if I had not ioyned thereto the folly which I shall bewaile as long as I haue teares neither know I who
approched I came to the doore where the first that I met with was Leonide and for that she was ready to enter thrusting her backe a little I sayd to her very rudely Leonide the Diuinity which I serue commands you not to profane his Altars At these words she stept backe halfe amazed for my habit of a Druyde made them giue me honour and the name of the Diuinity gaue me feare and after shee was assured she said to me The Altars of your God whosoeuer he be cannot be profaned by receiuing my vowes since I come but to render the honor which heauen demands of vs. Heauen answered I demaunds indeed vowes and honour but not differing from that they ordaine so that if the zeale of the Diuinity which I serue hath brought you hither then must you obserue that which it commaunds And what is his commaundement sayd Siluie Siluie sayd I if you haue the same intent that your companion hath doe you both that which I tell you and then your vowes shall be pleasing to him Before the Moone begin to wane wash your right leg to the knee before day and the arme to the elbow within this riuer that runnes before this holy Caue And then the leg and arme being naked come hither with a garland of Veruine and a girdle of Succorie after that I will tell you what you are to doe to be partakers of the sacred mysteries of this place which I will open and declare to you And then taking her by the hand I sayd Will you for testimony of the graces wherewith the diuinity whom I serue fauours me that I tell you part of your life and what shall befall you Not I sayd she for I haue no such curiosity But you my companion sayd she addressing her selfe to Leonide I haue seene you heretofore desirous to know it Now satisfie your desire I beseech you sayd Leonide presenting her hand to me Then remembring that that you told me of these Nymphes in particular I tooke her hand and asked her if she were borne in the day or night and knowing that it was in the night I tooke her left hand and after I had sometime coÌ„siderd of it I said This line of life clean wel mark'd long shews that you shall liue from the diseases of your body in good health but this little crosse which is in the same line almost at height of the angles which hath two little lines aboue and three beneath and these three also which are at the end of the line of life towards the turning shew in you the diseases which Loue shall giue you which will hinder you from that health of spirit which you haue of body And those fiue or sixe points which like little graines are sowed heere and there on the same line make me iudge that you neuer will hate them that loue you but rather that you delight to be beloued and serued Now marke this other line which takes his root from that we haue already spoken of and passing through the middle of the hand lifts it selfe against the mount of the Moone they call it the naturall Meane those cuttings that you see which skant appeare signifie that you are easily angry with them ouer whom Loue giues you authority And this little starre which turnes against the ground of the pulse shewes that you are full of bounty and sweetenesse and that quickly you will lose your choler But behold this line which we call Mensale that ioyneth with the meanes naturall so that they two make one angle this sheweth you shall haue diuers troubles in plotting for loue which will make your life some-whiles vnpleasing which I iudge the rather considering that soone after the meane failes and that meets with that of life so that they seeme to be the angle of the Mensale and of the other but this tells mee that late or neuer you shall haue the conclusion of your desires I would haue gone on when she tooke away her hand and sayd this was not the thing she demaunded for I speake too much in generall but she would cleerely know what would become of a dossigne which she had Then I answered her The heauenly powers themselues onely know that which is to come but onely that that by their bounty they giue knowledge of to their seruants and that sometimes for the publike good sometimes to satisfie the ardent supplication of them that often importune their Altars and many times to shew that nothing is hidden from them and yet it is the part of a wise Interpreter to tell nothing but what he thinketh necessary because the secrets of the gods are not to be divulged without cause I tell you this that your curiosity might content it selfe that I haue discoursed with lesse cleerenesse then you desire for it is not necessary I should say otherwise vnto you And that you may know that God is not so sparing of his graces but that he talketh familiarly with me I will tell you the things which haue befalne you by which you may iudge how much I know In the first place fayre Nymphs you know I neuer sawe you before and yet at the first meeting I called you all by your names which I did for that I am willing you should thinke mee to know more then the common sort not to the end that any glory should befall me that were too great a presumption but to the Deity which I serue in this place Now you must beleeue that all that I shall say to you I haue learned from the same Master and in this I lyed not for it was you Polemas that told mee it but because continued I it may be the particularities will make me oâ—ex-long it will not be amisse to place our selues vnder these nâ—â—ror trees At this word we went and then I began againe in this sort Truly interrupted Polemaâ— you could not carry this beginning with more aâ—te You will iudge answered Climanthe that the proceeding was with no lesse wisedome I began my speech then in this sort Faire Nymph It may be about three yeeres that the gentle Agis in a full assembly was giuen you for seruant at the beginning you were indifferent for till then the young yeeres of you both was the cause that your hearts were not capable of the passions which Loue conceâ—ued but since that your beauty in him and his suite in you began to kindle by little little these fires whereof Nature gaue the first sparkes in vs at the houre of our birth so that that which was indifferent became particular to you both and Loue in the end formed it selfe and was borne in his soule with all the passions which vsually accompany it and in you a good wil which made you like better of his affection and seruices then of any other The first time that in earnest he made his ouerture was when Amasis going to walke in the faire gardens of Montbrison hee tooke you vnder the
arme after he had stayed some while without speech he told you at last Faire Nymph it is not for nothing that I dispute in myselfe whether I should or whether I should not declare that which I haue in my soule for to dissemble may bee allowed in that which may sometimes bee changed but that which constraines mee to speake at this time shall accompany me euen to my Tombe Here I stayed and sayd to her Will you haue me repeat Leonide the same words which you answered Without lie then said Polemas you put your selfe into great hazard of being discouered Not a whit answered Climanthe and to giue you proofe of perfection of my memory I will tell you the very words But replyed Polemas what if I had forgot to tel them you Oh adioyned Climanthe I doubt not of that but so it is that the subiect of the words was that that you told me she her selfe doth not remeÌ„ber the words theÌ„selues so that out of the opinion that it was a god that had told me she beleeued they were the very same If you had not 〈◊〉 so familâ—ar with her as your secre 〈…〉 affectioÌ„ made you I had not so easily vnder taken it but remembring that you had told mee that you had serued her long and that seruice was well accepted of till the time that you changed affection and that you are become the seruant of Galathee and namely that that was the cause that to do you a displeasure she held on Lindâ—â—â—ors part against you I boldly told her all that had passed at that time knowing Loue would not suffer that one should conceale any thing from the person whom they loue But to come againe to our purpose she answered I am willing you shuld say what you please but we will beleeue what we list This she said as beeing a little pricked with that which shee would should haue beene concealed from her companions I went on Well Leonide you may beleeue what you please for I assure my selfe that I haue said nothing which in your soule you haue not found for true You answered him as seeming not to vnderstand what he would say You haue reason Agis not to hide by dissimulation that which must accompany you so long as you liue otherwise it beeing impossible but it must be discouered you shall be taken for a double person a name which is honourable to no sort of people but much lesse to them who make the profession that you doe This counsell then answered hee and my passion constraine mee to tell you faire Nymph that neither the inequality of your merits to me nor the small good will which I haue found in you could not hinder my affection nor my boldnesse that they haue not raysed me vp to you so that if not the quality of the gift but the will is to be receiued I may say with assurance that none can offer you a greater sacrifice for that heart which I giue you I giue with all the affections and with all the powers of my soule and so all that which after this deuotion is not found to be yours I disauow and renounce it as not appertaining to me The conclusion was that you answered Agis I will beleeue these words when the time and your seruices shall haue told me them as well as your mouth See the first declaration of amity which you had of him whereof afterwards he gaue you such proofe as well by sute hee made to marry you as by the quarrells which he had against many whom hee was iealous of It was at that time that when you would haue frizeled your haire you burnt your cheeke whereupon he made this verse A SONG Of Agis on the burning of Leonides cheeke VVHile Loue did please himselfe to play Within the gold of your faire haire A sparkle of his fiers rare Vnhapp'ly on your cheeke did stay You cruell Nymph may iudge thereon How sâ—re the smart of fire stings Since that but one small sparke alone So much of dolour with it brings Meane while that your eye forth did dart When yet with it the conquest goes So many fires against my heart Your cheeke was hurt by one of those You cruell Nymph may iudge thereon How sore the smart of fire stings Since that but one small sparke alone So much of doloâ—r with it brings While that my heart that flaming was To dart as you had purposed His fire that could no further passe Burned your cheeke in your foules sted You cruell Nymph may iudge thereon How sore the smart of fire stings Since that but one small sparke alone So much of dâ—â—our with it brings And to make it appeare to you that I truely know these things by a diuinity which canot lie whose eie eare perceth euen to the depth of the heart I will tell you a thing on this subiect that no man could know but you and Agis She was afraid I would discouer some secret which would anger heâ— and it was my purpose to giue her that apprehension and that was the cause that she sayd to me much disquieted Man of God though I beleeue not but that you and others may say that on this subiect which imports me yet this discourse is so sensible that it will bee hard to handle it with so gentle an hand but the wound will bleed therefore I beseech you to make an end She vttered these words with such a change of countenance and a voyce so broken that for her better assurance I was constrained to say You are not to thinke me of so small a consideration that I know not how to conceale that which may offend you nor that I am ignorant that the least wounds are sensible enough in that part which I touch for it is to the heart that all these strokes are directed but because you will know no more I will hold my peace And it is time that I goe to the Diuinity that calls me And at that instant I arose and gaue them the good day Then after I had made some shewes of ceremonies ouer the riuer I sayd very loud O soueraigne Deity which abidest in this place behold how with this water I cleanse my selfe and vncloath me of all the prophanenesse which the conuersing among men might leaue in me since I came out of thy holy Temple At these words I dipped my hands thrice into the water and then taking vp in the hollow of the one I receiued it thrice into my mouth my eyes and hands lifted vp to heauen and so went to my Cabbin without speaking to them and because I doubted they had the curiosity to come see what I did I went before the Altar where making a shew to cast my selfe on the ground I drew out the horse haires which taking their effect let the little steele table that stood before the glasse fall which fell so to purpose on the flint that it strucke fire and instantly tooke hold on
the composition which was vnder it so that the flame burst forth so suddainely that the Nymphs which were at the doore seeing at the first the Mirrour glister and presently the fire so suddaine and violent tooke such a feare that they returned with great opinion both of my holinesse of the respect to the diuinity which I serue Could this beginning bee better carried then it was No certainly answered Polemas and I thinke well for my part that euery body which had not knowne of it before might be easily deceiued While Climanthe talked thus Leonide harkened to it so rauished from her selfe that she knew not whether she slept or waked for she saw well that all that he told her was very true yet could she not well beleeue that it was so and while she disputed in her selfe she heard Climanthe beginne againe Now these Nymphs went away and I could not know what report they would giue of me yet by coniecture there was no likeli-hood but they would tell to euery one the admirable things which they had seene and as renowne increases alwaies the Court was full of nothing but of me And at that time I had much adoe to continue my enterprise for an infinite company came to see mee some of curiosity others to be instructed and many to know if that which they talked of me was so And I was driuen to vse great cunning Sometimes to auoyd them I gaue out that that day was a mute day for the Deity that I serued another time that some body had displeased it and that it would not answer vntill I had appeased it by fasting another time I set downe conditions for the ceremonies which I caused to vse which they could not performe without some good time and sometimes when all was finished I found matter to say that either they had not well obserued all or that they had done too much or too little and so I made them begin againe and went winning time As for them whom I knew any thing by I dispatched them quickly and that was the cause that others desirous to know as much as the former submitted themselues to what I would Now during that time Amasis came to see mee and with her Galathee After I had satisfied Amasis about that which shee de maunded which was in summe to know what the voyage should be that Clidaman had vndertaken and I had told her that he should runne an happy fortune that hee should be wounded and be in three battels with the Prince of France but that in the end he should returne with all sort of honour and glorie she went from me wonderfully contented and desired mee to commend her sonne to the Deity which I serued But Galathee much more curious then her mother drawing me aside said Father bind me intelling me what you know of my fortune Then I said she should shew me her hand I stood looking on it some-while and made her scratch thrice vpon the ground and hauing set the left foote forward I turned her towards the East and there made her looke vpward I took the measure of her foote and of her hand after that the compasse of her necke and with that measure I measured the girdle in height and in the end looking at once on both her hands I said Galathee you are happy if you knew your houre thrice-happy if you let it not passe either out of coldnes or for loue or wāt of courage But if you make not your self incapable of that good whereto heauen hath destinated you you can not wish to attaine to more happinesse and all that good or all that euill is prepared you by loue Be aduised then to take firme resolution not to suffer your selfe to be intangled with the perswasions of Loue nor the counsell of friends nor commandement of parents which vnlesse you do I thinke there is not any thing vnder heauen so miserable as you shal be O God! said Galathee you amaze me Be not amazed said I for that which I tell you is but to your good and that you may carry your selfe with all wisedome I will discouer vnto you all that the Diuinity that instructed me shal permit but remember to keepe it so secret that you trust no liuing creature with it After shee had promised mee I continued in this sort Daughter for the office whereunto the gods haue called mee suffer me so to name you you are and shall be serued of many great and worthy Knights whose vertues and merits may diuersly excite and mooue you but if you shall measure your affection either by your merites or by the iudgement you shall haue of their loue and fauour and not according to that that I shall declare vnto you you fill your selfe as full of misfortune as any creature out of the graces and fauours of the gods may in any wise bee For I which am the Interpreter of their will and pleasure in telling you this I take from you all excuse of igaorance so that now you are disobedient to them if you doe contrary and you know that the heauens rather demaund obedience and submission rather then any other sacrifice and therefore bethinke your selfe well of what I am to tell you That day that the Bacchanals runne thorow the streets raging and storming full of the Euthusiasme of their god you must be in the towne of Marseilles where many gallant Knights shall see you But take good heede to him that is clothed with cloth of gold and greene and whose whole suite shall be of that colour if you loue him I henceforth bewayle your misfortune and you cannot say other but that you shall be the marke of all disasters and of all misfortune for you shall then feele that which I may not tell you Father answered she somewhat astonished I know a good remedy for this not to loue at all My childe replied I this remedy is very dangerous for that not onely you may displease the gods in doing that which they will not but also in not doing that which they will Therefore take heede to your selfe And how replied she must I behaue my selfe I haue told you heeretofore answered I what you ought not to doe at this time I will tell you what you ought to do It is necessary in the first place that you know that all things corporall or spiritual haue euery one their contraries and their sympathisants from the least we may come to the proofe of the greatest but for the knowledge which you ought to haue this discourse may be vnprofitable and this that I say to you is to no other end but to cause you giue the better heed that as you haue this misfortune contrary to your happinesse so haue you a destiny so capable of making you happy that your felicity can not be expressed and in this the gods will recompence that to which they haue subiected you Since it is so answered she I coniure you father by
one might haue murmured for you know how much a man that deales in matters of state is subiect to enuie and slander I gaue three moones after to the end that if you falle one day you might be there another I told her that if shee saw you first that shee should easily fall in loue with you that if it were you it should be otherwise and that only because I knew well that you should see her first so that she should find this difficulty of Loue true in her selfe for as you know she loued Lindamor I told her I must bee gone the next day that she should not thinke it strange if she came to seeke me out for some curiosity for hauing performed that which wee resolue on I had reason to make haste that I might not bee knowne of any Druide who would haue caused me to bee punished and you know well that hath alwayes bene my feare Thinke you I haue forgot any thing No certainely sayd Polemas but what might that be that hath kept her backe so long time For my part sayd Climanthe I know not except it bee for that shee hath mis-taken the daies of the moone but since no businesse presses you and you may yet stay here the time that I haue set her I would aduise you to do it and euery morning two dayes before and after you faile not to goe in good time for it is true that the first day wee were too late And what will you sayd Polemas that I should do The losse of the shepheard that drowned himselfe was the cause and you know the shore of the riuer was so full of folke that I could not stay there alone without suspicion but wee haue not foreslowed much and there is no likelihood that shee was there that day for I assure my selfe that the same occasion which hindred me hath likewise stayd her lest she shuld be seen You shal neuer perswade mee so replied Climanthe shee was too desirous to obserue that which I appointed But it seemes to be time to rise that you may be gone and then opening the windowes he saw the day breake Without doubt sayd he before you be at the place where you shuld be the houre will be past make haste for it is better to haue many houres to spare thē a momēt too short And will you sayd Polemas that wee go now being more then 15. dayes since the time is past It may be she hath reckoned wrong let vs not faile to finde her Leonide who feared to be seene either of Polemas or Climanthe durst not rise before they were gone and that shee might know the face of Climanthe when it was day she beheld him so that shee thought it impossible hee could disguise himselfe to her and as soone as she saw they were out of the house she dressed her selfe and hauing taken leaue of her hoast held on her voiage so confused in her selfe at the malicious impostures of these two persons that she thoght any other might as well bee deceiued as shee so it was that the small esteeme which Polemas made of her beauty strucke her so to the quicke that she resolued to preuent his malice with her wisedome and to worke so that Lindamor in his absence might not feele the effects of this treason which she thought she could not better do then by the meane of her vncle Adamas to whom she had a purpose to declare all that she knew In this resolution she hasted to go to Feurs where she thought to find him but she came too late for that morning hee was gone home-wards hauing the day before dispatched that which belonged to the sacrifice And the Sun began to wax hot by that time he came into the plaine of Mont-Verdun and because on the left hand he perceiued a tuft of trees which as he thoght gaue a louely shaddow hee turned his step thither to rest himselfe a little As soone as hee was there hee spied afar off a shepheard comming that seemed to seeke out that place for the same cause that brought him and because hee seemed to bee very sad when hee came lest hee might draw him from his thought hee would not salute him but without shewing himselfe to him he would harken what he went talking to himselfe and shortly after he was set down on the other side of the bush he heard him vse these words And why should I loue this fleeter In the first place her beauty cannot constraine me for it is not enough to giue her the name of faire and then her merits are not such as if they be not ayded with other considerations may hold an honest man in her seruice and lastly her loue which was all that bound me to her is so changeable that if she haue any impression of loue in her hart I think it be not only of wax but of wax newly wrought she so easily takes the figures of al nouelties and it is like her eyes that receiue the figures of all that is represented to them but lose them as soone as the obiect is no more before them that is I loue her I must avow it is because I thinke shee loues mee but if it be not so I excuse her for I know well she thinks she loues me This shepheard had gone on but a shepheardesse by fortune came to him who seemed to haue followed him afar off and though shee heard some words of her selfe yet made she no shew but now contrary sitting downe by him shee sayd Well Corilas what new care is this that makes you so sad The shepheard answered her as disdainefully as hee could without turning his head on that side It is that which makes me search with what new deceit you will beare them whom from this time you shall beginne to loue And why sayd the shepheardesse can you beleeue that I affect any other then you And you sayd the shepheard can you beleeue that I thinke you affect me What thinke you then of me sayd the shepheardesse All the worst answered Corilas that you can beleeue from a man whom you hate You haue added she strange opinions of me And you said Corilas strange effects in you O God sayd the shepheardesse what a man haue I found in you It is I answered the shepheard that with more reason may retort it on you Stelle what a woman haue I found for there is nothing more capable of loue thē you you I say who take no delite but to deceiue those that trust in you and who imitate the huntsman who pursueth the beast with such care whose heart afterwards he giues to his dogs You haue said shee so small reason in that you say as he should haue lesse that will stay to answere you I would to God said the shepheard I might alwayes haue as much in my soule as I haue now in my words I should not haue that sorrow that afflicts me And after they had both held their peace
In beauty other beauties farre As doth the Moone by night deface The brightnesse of each other Starre Though Filander spake these words high enough yet Daphnis heard but some of them by reason she was farre off but taking it somewhat remote she drew toward him without being seene as softly as she could though he were so intentiue to his imagination that had she beene before him he would not haue perceiued it as he since swore to me Hardly had she got neere him but she might heare him fetch a deepe sigh loud enough and after with a lowe voyce say And why will not my fortune haue me as fit to serue her as she is worthy to be serued and why may not she as well receiue the affections of them that loue her as shee giue them extreme passions Ah Callyre how pernitious to my repose hath your disguising beene and my boldnesse punished with a right iust infliction Daphnis heard Filander very attentiuely and though he spake plaine yet could she not comprehend what he meant abused by the opinion that he was Callyre this was the cause that bending an care more curiously she heard him lifting his voyce somewhat higher say But ouer-bold Filander who shall euer excuse thy fault or what great chastisement shall equall thine error Thou louest this shepheardesse and seest not that how much her beauty commands so much her vertue forbids thee how often haue I warned thee and yet thou wouldest not beleeue me Accuse none other of thine euill but thine owne folly At this word his tongue stayed but his eyes and sighes in stead of it beganne to giue testimony what her passion was whereof he had discouered but a little And to diuert him from his thoughts or rather to continue them more sweetly he rose vp to walke as he vsed and so suddenly that he perceiued Daphnis though to hide her selfe she fled away But he that had seene her to know who it was pursued her to the entry of a very thicke wood where he ouertooke her and thinking she had discouered that which he had so concealed halfe in choler sayd What curiosity Daphnis is this to come and spie me out in the night heere It is answered Daphnis smiling to learne of you by craft that which I should not know otherwise and herein she thought she spake to Callyre not hauing yet discouered that it was Filander Well held on Filander thinking to be discouered what great newes haue you learned All sayd Daphnis that I desired to know Will you then sayd Filander satisfie your selfe with your curiosity As well answered she as you and you are like to finde hurt of your deceit For this keeping about Diane and this great affection which you make shew of to her will bring you in the end but trouble and displeasure O God! cryed Filander Is it possible I should be discouered Ah discreet Daphnis since you know so well the cause of my abode heere you haue in your hands my life and my death but if you will bethinke you of what I am and what offices of amity you haue receiued from me when occasion is presented I will rather beleeue that you wish my good and contentment more then my despayre and ruine Daphnis as yet thought she spake to Callyre and had opinion that this feare was because of Gerestan who would take it euill if hee vnderstood that she did this office to her brother and to assure him sayd You ought to be so farre from doubting that I know of your affayres that if you had informed me I should haue yeelded all the counsell and all the assistance which you could desire of mee But tell mee this dessigne from poynt to poynt that your freenesse may binde me more to your seruice than the mistrust you haue had of me gaue me offence I will O Daphnis sayd he prouided that you promise me not to tell it to Diane vntill I giue consent This is a discourse answered the shepheardesse which we shall make to no good purpose to her her humor heerein being more strange then you are aware of That is my griefe sayd Philander hauing from the beginning knowne that I enterprise a dessigne almost impossible For when my sister and I resolued to change habit shee taking mine and I hers I well fore-sawe that all that would be to mine aduantage was that I might conuerse more freely with her for some few dayes so disguised that she might not know me for Filander How interrupted Daphnis all surprized how for Filander and are not you Callyre The shepheard that thought she had knowne it before was halfe mad to be discouered so foolishly but seeing the fault was past and that he could not call backe the words he had spoken thought it to some purpose to preuent her and sayd You may see Daphnis if you haue cause to be sorry for me and to say that I trust you not since so freely I discouer vnto you the secret of my life For that which I will tell you is of that moment that as soone as any other knowes it there is no more hope of health in me but I will rely and so referre my selfe to your hands that I cannot liue but by you Know then shepheardesse that you see before you Filander in the habit of his sister and that loue in me and compassion in her haue beene the cause of our disguising and after went discoursing vnto her his extreme affection the fauours he had of Amidor and Filidas the inuention of Callyre to change habit the resolution to go to her husband attired like a man Briefly all that had passed in this affayre with such demonstration of loue that though at the beginning Daphnis wondred at his hardinesse and at his sisters yet so it was that she lost that wonder when she knew the greatnesse of his affection iudging that they might draw him into more great follies And albeit that if they had called her to thier counsell when they vndertooke the enterprize she would neuer haue aduised them to it yet seeing the effect had sorted to some good she resolued to assist him in all that was possible sparing neyther labour nor care nor art which she iudged fit to imploy and hauing made promise with all assurances of friendship she gaue the best aduice she could which was by little and little to engage me into his loue For sayd she Loue among women is one of those wrongs the words whereof offend more then the blowe It is a worke that none is ashamed to doe prouided the name be hidden So that I hold them the best aduised which cause themselues to be beloued of their shepheards before they speake a word to them of loue So that I oue is a creature that hath nothing rude in it but the name being otherwise so pleasing that there is none offended at it And therefore that Diane may entertayne it it must be without naming it especially without seeing it and
the first I was so vnaccustomed to make such answers that I assured my selfe shee would take small pleasure in them yet that I might deny him nothing I assayed to acquit my selfe the best I could At this word setting himselfe on one of his knees because we were set round taking one of my hands he beganne in this sort I should neuer haue thought faire mistrisse considering so great perfections in you that it should be permitted to a mortall to loue you if I had not proued in my selfe that it is impossible to see you and not to loue you but knowing well that heauen is too iust to command you a thing impossible I haue held for certaine that it pleased you should bee beloued since it suffered you to bee seene On this beleefe I haue fortified with reason the hardinesse I had to behold you and in my heart blesse that weakenesse which as soone subiected me to you as my eye was turned on you Now if the lawes ordaine that to euery one is to be giuen that which is his thinke it not euill faire shepheardesse that I giue you my heart since it is so acquired by you that if you refuse it I will disauow it for mine At this word he held his peace to heare what I would answer but in such a fashion that had hee not beene in the habit he wore hardly might one doubt he spake in earnest And not to contradict that I promised him I made him this answer Shepheardesse were the prayses which you giue me true I might haply beleeue that which you tell mee of your affection but knowing well that they be but flatteries I cannot beleeue but that the rest are dissimulation This too much wounds your iudgement sayd he to me to doubt of the greatnesse of your merit but with such excuses you are accustomed to refuse the things which you like not of I may truely sweare by Teutates and you know well I will not beperiured that you neuer refused any thing that was giuen you from a better nor more intire good will I know well answered I that the shepheards of this countrey are accustomed to vse more words where there is lesse truth and that they keepe among them as a thing approued that the gods doe not harken to nor punish the forswearing of the amorous if it be the peculiar fault of your shepheards I referre my selfe to your knowledge but I that am a stranger should haue no part of their blemish no more then I commit their fault and yet from your owne more cruel words must I draw some satisfaction for my selfe for though the gods doe not punish the oathes of Louers if I be not as it seemeth you make doubt of the gods will not forbeare to send mee the chastisement of periury and if they doe forbeare you shal be constrained to confesse that not being punished I am then no dissembler and if I be a lyer and am not punished you must confesse that I am a Louer And therefore on which side soeuer your fayre spirit turneth it selfe it knowes not how to deny that there is no beauty on earth where Diane is fayre and that neuer beauty was beloued as yours is of that shepheard that lies at your knees and in this case implores the succours of all the Graces to draw one from you which hee thinkes he merits if a perfect Louer euer found merit If I be faire replyed I I referre it to the eyes which behold me with sound iudgement but you cannot deny that you are periured and a dissembler and I must tell you Callire that the confidence with which you spake to mee like a man makes mee resolue neuer to beleeue words since being a woman you know so well to disguise And why Diane said he then smiling interrupt you so often your seruants discourse Do you wonder that being Callire I speake to you with such affection Thinke that there is no weakenesse of condition that shall euer make me diminish but it must rather be an occasion of preseruing it both more violent more eternall since there is nothing which so much diminisheth the heat of desire as the inioying of that which is desired and this not being to be had betweene vs you shal alwaies euen to my coffin be beloued and I alwaies a Louer And yet if Tiresias after he had beene a woman became a man why may not I hope that the gods may do me as great a fauour if it pleased you Beleeue me faire Diane since the gods doe nothing in vaine there is no likelihood that hauing placed in mee so perfect affection they will suffer me to labour in vaine and if nature haue made me a woman my extreme loue will make me such as shall not bee vnprofitable Daphnis who saw that this discourse went sharpely on and that it might be dangerous that this Louer should suffer himselfe to be carried so farre as to speake the thing that might discouer him to Amidor interrupted him saying Without doubt Callire your loue shall not vnprofitably be bestowed so long as you serue this fayre shepheardesse no more then the candle which spends not it selfe in vaine so long as it giues light to them that are in the house for all the rest of the world being but to serue this fayre you shall haue well bestowed your time when you haue spent them in her seruice But let vs change our discourse said Amidor for see here comes Filidas who will take no pleasure to heare it though you be a woman And presently Filidas came who made vs all rise to salute him But Amidor that passionately loued the fained Callire when his cousin arriued made that vse of the time that stealing away with Filander from the company and taking her vnder the arme began to speake thus Is it possible faire shepheardesse that the words you vse to Diane be true or haue you onely spoken them to shew the beauty of your spirit Beleeue me Amidor answered he I am no dissembler and I neuer said any thing more truely then the assurance which I haue giuen her of my affection and if in any thing I haue failed in the truth it was because I spake lesse then I feele but heerein am I to bee excused since there bee not wordes good enough to conceaue Whereto hee answered with a great sigh Since it is so faire Callyre I can hardly beleeue but you will much better conceiue the affection is borne you since you feele the same blowes wherewith you wound others more then them that are altogether ignorant and that shall be the cause that I will not goe to seek out other words to shew you what I suffer for you nor other reasons to excuse my boldnesse then those you haue vsed in your speech to Diane onely I will adde this consideration to the end you may know the greatnesse of my affection that if the blow which cannot bee auoyded must be iudged according to
his sister of all that had happened and that was the cause that the stay of Filidas was not so long as he purposed for seeing that her sister was sicke she constrayned them to returne But this discourse would be too tedious if I should not abridge all our small quarrels So it was that Callire knowing how things had passed sometimes turning them into sport sometimes seeking out some likelihoods of reason knew so well to serue her turne by fayre speech especially being assisted by Daphnis that at last I consented that Filander should stay vntill his sisters hayres were growne knowing well that it might ruine her and my selfe also if I should be ouer-hasty of their returne And it fell out as she well foresawe that during the time that her head grew the ordinary conuersing with the shepheard which at the last was not vnpleasing to me and the tryall of the greatnesse of his loue beganne to flatter mee in such sort that of my selfe I excused his deceit considering withall the respect and wisedome wherewith it was carried So that before he was to goe away he obtayned this fauour which he so much desired to wit that I would forget his crafty deceit and so long as hee went not beyond the termes of his duty I loued his good will and would cherish it for his merit as I ought The acknowledgement which he gaue me of his contentmēt hauing this assurance from me made me al 's as assured of his affection as I was before certayne of his displeasure for he was such an one that he could hardly dissemble While we were in these termes Filidas whose loue went on still increasing could no longer hide the greatnesse of it so that she resolued to set at once on the dissembled Filander With this purpose finding her at leisure one day as they walked together vnder a tuft of trees which tooke vp one of the quarters of the garden he spake vnto her in this sort after he had beene long denyed Well Filander shall it be true that what loue soeuer I can make shew of I cannot haue the happinesse to be beloued of you Callire answered him I know not what more loue you can demaund of me nor how I can returne you more vnlesse your selfe giue me the meane Ah sayd she if your will be such as mine I may well doe it For that triall which you haue had of me till now why will you doubt me Know you not sayd Filidas that extreme desire is alwayes attended by doubt Sweare vnto me you wil not be wanting in poynt of Loue and I will shew you a thing it may be you will be astonished at Callire was somewhat surprized not knowing what she would say yet to know the conclusion she answered I sweare to you I doe At this word for thanks and almost besides himselfe for ioy Filidas taking her by the head kissed her with that vehemency that Callire waxed red and in choler thrusting her off asked what fashion this was I know answered Filidas this kisse amazed you and my actions till now it may be haue made you suspect some strange thing in me but if you will haue the patience to hearken to mee I assure my self you wil rather pity than haue an euil opinion and repeating from the beginning till that bout she gaue him to vnderstand the lawe suite betweene Phormion and Celion the accord which was made to appease them and lastly the policy his father vsed to bring him vp as a man though she were a woman shortly our marriage and all that which I haue told you and then held on in this sort Now that which I desire of you in satisfaction of your promise is that finding the extreme affection which I beare you you will take me for your wife and I will marry Diane to my cousin Amidor whom my father hath purposely brought vp in his house for that cause And then moreouer added such words to perswade her that Callire astonished more then I can tell you and hauing some leisure to come to her selfe answered that vnfainedly she had told him very strange things and such as she could hardly beleeue if she did not assure them in another fashion then by words She then vnbuttoning her selfe opened her bosome Honesty sayd shee forbiddeth mee to shew more but me thinkes this might satisfie you Then Callire that she might winne the leisure to take counsell of vs made shew to be well pleased but that she had parents from whom she hoped to haue all her aduancemēt and without whose aduice she was not to make a resolution of that importance and aboue all besought her to keepe this affaire secret for divulging it would giue men occasion of speech and she should assure her selfe that when there remayned nothing but her consent she would giue proofe of her good will With such talke they ended their walke and returned to their lodging where all that day Callire durst not come neere vs for feare lest Filidas might thinke she had told it vs. But at night she recounted to her brother all the discourse and then they both went to finde out Daphnis whom they made acquainted with it Iudge if the astonishment were great but whatsoeuer it were the contentment of Philander surpassed it farre he thinking the heauens had offered him a fayre way to the conclusion of his desires In the morning Daphnis desired me to go see the fayned Callire and the true one abode neere Filidas to the end he might not doubt it God knowes what became of me when I knew all this discourse I sweare vnto you I was so astonished that I knew not whether it were a dreame But this was the sport that Daphnis complayned infinitely of mee for hauing so long concealed it from her and what oathes I made her that I knew nothing till that time She would not beleeue me to be such a childe and when I told her I thought all men like Filidas she fell a laughing at my ignorance In the end we resolued for feare lest Belinde would dispose of me at her pleasure or that Filidas might make some attempt for Amidor that we must doe nothing at randon and without fore-thinking For as then by the sollicitation of Daphnis and Callire I promised Philander to marry him This was the cause that taking agayne their owne habits after he had assured Filidas that he went to talke with his parents he returned with his sister to Gerestan who neuer tooke notice of this disguising From that time it was permitted to Philander to write to me for sending ordinarily newes to Filidas I had alwayes his letters and that so cunningly that neyther she nor Amidor euer perceiued them Now fayre shepheardesses till this time this passage neuer brought me sorrow but alas it is that which followed that cast me into such a bottomlesse pit that euen to my coffin I must neuer hope to taste any sweet thing It fell out
which of all the world you hold most deare which is your chastity Now mistrisse since there remayneth nothing more to my contentment but onely one poynt by the affection which you haue found in Philander I heartily pray you to grant it mee to the end that this happy soule may goe to expect you in the Elisian fieldes with this satisfaction from you He spake this in broken words and with much payne And I that sawe him in this case to giue him all the contentment he could desire answered him Friend the gods haue not raysed in you so good and honest affection to extinguish it so presently and to leaue vs nothing but sorrow I hope they will giue you yet so much life that I shall make you know that I giue not place to you in loue no more then you doe to any other in merit And for proofe of that which I doe say demaund you that onely thing which you would gladly haue of me for there is nothing that I can or will deny you At these last words he tooke me by the hand and laying it to his mouth I kisse sayth he this hand by way of thankes for the grace and fauour you haue done me and then lifting vp his eyes to heauen O God sayd he I desire of you but so much life as may serue for the accomplishment of the promise which Diane comes to make me and then addressing his speech to me with such paine that he could hardly vtter a word he sayd thus vnto me Now fayre Mistrisse heare then what it is I require of you Since I feele not the anguish of death but for you I coniure you by my affection and by your promise that I may carry this contentment out of the world that I may say I am your husband and beleeue me if I doe obtayne it my soule shall most contentedly goe into what place soeuer it must passe hauing so great a testimony of your goodwill I sweare to you fayre shepheardesses that these words strucke me so to the quicke that I knew not how I was able to sustayne my selfe and I thinke for my part it was onely the desire I had to please him that gaue me the courage This was the cause that he had no sooner ended his demaund but I griping his hand sayd Philander I graunt you that you demaund of me and I sweare to you before all the gods and particularly before the deities which are in this place that Diane giues herselfe to you and that she taketh you both in heart and soule for her husband and in speaking these words I kissed him And I sayd he take you my fayre mistris and giue my selfe to you for euer right happy and content to beare the most glorious name of Diane Alas this word of Diane was the last word he vttered for hauing his arme about my necke and drawing me to him to kisse me he dyed breathing his last vpon my lippes How I looked when I beheld him dead you may easily iudge fayre shepheardesses since I so truly loued him I fell groueling vpon him without pulse and without sence and fell into a swowning so that I came to my selfe without my owne knowledge O God! how liueth my heart since I felt this losse and found that to be too true which so oftentimes he had foretold me that I should loue him more after his death then during life for I haue so liuely preserued his remembrance in my soule that me thinketh I haue him alwayes before mine eyes and without ceasing he sayth to me vnlesse I will be vngratefull I must loue him So I doe O good soule and with the most entire affection that I can and if where thou art there be any knowledge of that which is done heere below receiue O deare friend this good will and these teares which I doe offer in testimony that Diane loueth euen to her coffin her dearest Philander The end of the sixt Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE of Astrea and Celadon AStrea to interrupt the sad thoughts of Diane But faire shepheardesse said hee who was that miserable wretch that was cause of so great misfortune Alas said Diane why would you I should tell you He was an enemy that came not into the world but to be the cause of my euerlasting teares But yet answered Astrea was it neuer knowne what he was They said replyed she some time after that he came out of certaine barbarous countries beyond the Straits I know not whether I can name the right which they call the pillars of Hercules and the cause that brought him so farre for my mischiefe was that he became amorous of a Lady in those countries who commanded him to seeke throughout Europe to know whether there were any other as faire as she and if he met with any Louer that would maintaine the beauty of his Mistrisse hee was bound to fight with him and to send her his head with the picture and name of the Lady Alas I would it had pleased the heauens that I had not bene so ready to flie when he pursued me to kill me that by my death I might haue preuented that of poore Filander At these wordes shee set her selfe on weeping with such abundance of teares that Phillis to diuert her changed the discourse and rising vp first We haue said she fate long enough me thinks it were good to walke awhile At this word they all three rose and went toward that part of their Hamlet for it was well neere dinner time But Leonide who was as I told you harkening lost not one word of these shepheardesses and the more she heard of their newes the more she desired to heare But when shee saw them goe away without speaking a word of Celadon shee was much troubled yet in hope she might staying that day with them discouer somewhat as before she purposed When she saw them gone a little off she rose out of the bush and making a short turne shee set to follow them for she would not haue them thinke shee had ouer-heard them By chance Phillis turning backward as they were going espyed her a far off and shewed her to her companions who stayed but seeing she came towards them to doe her the duty which her condition merited they returned backe and saluted her Leonide full of courtesie after she had returned them their saluation addressing her selfe to Diane sayd Wise Diane I will this day be your ghâ—st prouided that Astrea and Phillis bee of the company for I came this morning from my vncle Adamas with a purpose to passe all this day with you to know if that which I haue heard of your vertue Diane of your beauty Astrea of your merit Phillis answere the report that is divulged of you Diane seeing her companions referred themselues to her answered Great Nymph it were better for vs haply that you had knowledge of vs onely from report since that is very fauourable on our side yet since it
the amazement of the Nymph and all the company he answered to Siluander Gentle shepheard you aske me what brought me and what holdes me in this Countrey Know that it is no other then you and it is you alone whom I haue so long sought for Me answered Siluander how could that be by reason I had no knowledge of you That is in part a cause said he why I seek you If it be so replied Siluander it is a long while since you were with vs who will say that you euerspake to me Because answered Tyrcis I know you not and to satisfie the demand you haue made me for that the discourse is long if it please you I will tell it after you haue againe taken your places vnder those trees which you had before our comming Siluander then turning to Diane Mistrisse sayd he is it your pleasure to sit downe agayne It is Leonide answered Diane of whom you should haue asked that question I know well answered the shepheard that Ciuility commands me so but Loue ordains it otherwise Leonide taking Diane and Astrea by the hand sate downe in the middle saying That Siluander had reason because Loue that hath any other consideration but of it selfe is no true loue and after them the other shepheardesses and shepheard sate in a round And then Tyrcis turning toward the shepheardesse that was with him See the happy day said he Laonice which we haue so much desired that since our first entry into this Country we haue expected with such impatiency It concerneth none more then you that wee get out of this payne as the Oracle hath ordayned Then the shepheardesse without making him other answer directing her selfe to Siluander spake thus The History of Fyrcis and Laonice OF all friendship there is none so farre as I can heare of which is more affectionate then that which is bred in youth because custome which this young age takes hold of by little and little groweth to be changed into Nature which if it be hard to put off they know that endeuour to contrary it I say this to serue my selfe of some kind of excuse then gentle shepheard when you see mee constrayned to tell you that I loue Tyrcis for this affection was almost sucked in with the milke and so my soule raysing it selfe with this nourishment receiues in her selfe as her owne the accidents of that passion and it seemed euerything from my birth gaue agreement to it for wee continued neighbours the friendship betweene our fathers our ages which were very euen and the gentlenesse of the young yeeres of Tyrcis gaue me but ouer-great commodity yet misfortune would that much about that time Cleon was borne in our Hamlet which it may be had more graces then I but out of question with much more better fortune For euen when this Maide beganne to open her eyes it seemed that Tyrcis receiued the flame into his heart seeing that in the very Cradle he tooke pleasure to behold her At that time I might be about sixe yeeres and he ten yeeres old and see how the heauens disposed of vs without our consent From the houre I first sawe him I loued him and from the time he sawe Cleon he loued her and though our liues were such as our yeeres might beare yet were they not so small but there might very well be found the difference betweene vs. Afterward as we grew so did our loue likewise and that to such an extraordinary height as it may be there was not any that might surpasse it In this youth you may weâ—lthinke I went without any great heed taking to his actioÌ„s but growing to more age I noted in him such a want of good will that I resolued to turne another way a resolution which many delights made me conceaue but which no true Louer could execute as I prooued long time after Yet my courage being ofâ—â—â—ded had sufficient power to make me dissemble and if I could not indeed withdraw my selfe intirely yet at least make shew to take some kinde of leaue That which tooke from me all meanes to doe it was that I could not see that Tircis affected any other shepheardesse for all that he did to Cleon could not mooue suspition that it was any thing but childishnesse for that as then she could not be aboue nine yeeres old when she began to grow and that she could feele the tracts of Loue she so remooued from him that it seemed that this withdrawing would haue warranted her against all such blowes But Loue more crafty then shee knew so well to come neere and set before her soule the merits the affection and the seruices of Tircis that at last shee found her selfe in the very middest and so turned on all parts that if she auoyded wounding on the one side the stroke that she receiued on the other was the greater and more deepe So that shee could not flie to a better remedy then dissimulation not to auoyde the blowes but onely to keepe it from the knowledge of her enemy or any other She might well vse this dissembling while it beganne to be but a little scratch but when the sore became great then must shee yeelde and confesse her selfe to be vanquished Thus you see Tircis beloued of Cleon and behold him playing with the honest sweetnesse of an amity though at the beginning he scarce knew what his disease was as these verses witnesse which he made at that time A SONNET O God what ill is this thus tortures me Since time that first I did faire Cleon see I felt within my heart new rising paine Although her eye tooke it from me againe Since by an hot desire I haue beene galde If such a motion may desire be calde Whose iudgement is bewitched in such wise That it my will ioynes to his practices And from that spring my harme beginning takes For this desire so great encreasing makes That I thereby lose both my sleepe and foode In place whereof growes an vnquiet moode That helpes desire to build my seruitude Thus it the ill I feele not vnderstood After Tircis had knowledge of the good will of happy Cleon he receiued it with so great contentment that his heart beeing vnable to hide it he was forced to impart it to his eyes which God knowes how suddainly changed from that they were gaue but too manifest knowledge of their ioy The discretion of Cleon was such that shee gaue no aduantage to Tircis for his duty so that iealousie of her honor perswaded her to make shew of louing me that they which noted her actions might stop at those which were more euident and goe no further to seeke out those which she would conceale She made choyce of mee rather then any other for that she had long before perceiued that I loued him and knowing well it is hard to be beloued and not to loue againe she thought that euery body would beleeue that this friendship not hauing bene long betweene
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
if they haue any compassion of the afflicted but if they will not I onely desire of them so much life as may satisfie the commandements which you make me and then permit me to follow you that if they cut not off my threed and my hand be free assure your selfe fayre Mistris you shall not be long without me Friend answered she I enioyne you beyond this to liue as long as the gods please for in the length of your life they shall shew themselues pittifull vnto vs since that by this meanes I shall make relation in the Elisian fields of our perfect amity you may publish it to the liuing and so the dead and liuing men shall honour our memory But friend I perceiue my disease enforces me to leaue you farewell the most louely and the best beloued among men At these last words she dyed leaning her head on the bosome of her shepheard To tell you the displeasure hee tooke and the complaynts hee made were but to strike the sword deeper into the wound besides that his gashes are yet so open that euery man seeing them may well iudge what the blowes were O death cryed Tyrcis that hast robbed me of the better part of my selfe either restore me that thou hast taken or take away the rest And then to giue roome to teares and sighes which this remembrance pluckt from his heart he held his peace for a while when Siluander told him he was to resolue himselfe since there was no remedy and that for things happened and may no more be complaints were but witnesses of weakenesse So much the rather sayd Tyrcis find I occasion of complaynt for if there were any remedy it were not the part of a man aduised or one of courage to complayne but he may be well allowed to bewaile that which can find no other asswagement Then Laonice taking agayne her speech continued in this sort At last this happy shepheardesse being dead and Tyrcis hauing rendred the last offices of loue hee tooke order she should be buryed by her mother but the ignorance of them to whom he gaue the charge was such that they placed her else-where for as for him he was so afflicted as he stirred not from off his bed there beingnothing to preserue his life but the cōmandements she had giuen him Somes dayes after enquiring of those who came to visit him in what place the body so beloued was layed hee knew it was not by her mother whereat he conceiued such a displeasure that contracting for a great summe with those that vsed to bury they promised to take her vp and to lay her with her mother And indeed they went about it and hauing opened the ground they tooke her vp betweene three or foure of them but hauing carryed her a little way the infection was so great that they were compelled to leaue her in mid-way resolued rather to die then to carry her furder Where of Tyrcis being aduertised after he had made them yet greater offers and seeing they would not respect it And why sayd he aloud canst thou hope that the loue of gayne may do more in them than thine in thee Ah Tyrcis this is too great an offence to thy Loue. Hee spake thus and as one transported he runnes to the place where the body was and though it had beene three dayes buryed and that the stinke was extreme yet tooke he it betweene his armes and carryed it to her mothers graue which was by that time couered And after so good a deed and so great a testimony of his affection withdrawing himselfe out of the Towne he stayed forty nights separated from all men Now all these things were vnknowne to me for one of my Aunts being sicke of the like disease almost at that time we conuersed not with any and the same day that he came backe I returned like wise Hauing vnderstood onely of the death of Cleon I went to him to know the particularities but comming to his chamber doore I layd mine eye to the key-hole because I came neere I heard him sigh and I was not deceiued for I saw him on his bed his eyes lifted to heauen-ward his hands ioyned together and his face couered with teares If I were astonished gentle shepheard iudge you for I did not thinke he had loued her and came in part to delight my selfe with him At last after I had beheld him some while with a sigh which seemed to part his stomake in pieces I heard him bring foorth these words Stanzaes on the death of Cleon. VVHy dowe hide our teares this is no time to faine A Loue which her sad death by my dole maketh plaine Whoceaseth to haue hope ought likewise cease to feare The hope that fed my life lies closed in her beare She liued once in me and I alwayes in her Our sprites with thousand knots so strait combined were Each knit to other so that in their faithfull loue We two were but an one and each as two did moue But in the poynt that Loue vpon a firme laid ground Assur'd me pleasures I the quite contrary found For that my happinesse had toucht the poynt that was Allotted me to reach and not to ouer-passe It was in Paris towne that those delightfull thoughts Which Loue infusde in me her death did bring to nought What time a man might see the Gaules right sore distrest Against th' inuading force of strangers doe their best And must there be a tombe of lesse celebritie Then Paris holding that I nurc'd so charily Or that my ill should fall in times lesse sorrowing Then when all Europe stood at poynt of perishing But I am wide O God my Cleon is not dead Her heart to liue in me farre from her selfe is fled Her body enely dyes and so by contrary My spirit dyes in her and hers dath liue in me O gods what became of me when I heard him speake thus my amazement was such that vnawares leaning against the doore I entred but halfe in whereat he turned his head and seeing me he made none other signe but holding out his hand to me prayed me to sit on the bed by him and then wiping his eyes for so he should alwayes need an handkercher hee spake to mee in this sort Well Laonice the poore Cleon is dead and we are left to bewayle her rauishment And because the paine I was in gaue me no power to answer he went onward I know well shepheardesse that seeing me in this plight for Cleon you are amazed that the fayned loue I bare her should giue me so true feelings But alas leaue that errour I beseech you so me thinkes I should commit a greater fault against Loue if without cause I should hold on that dissembling whereto my affection till now commaunded me Know then Laonice that I haue loued Cleon and that all other suites were but to cloake that and if you did euer beare me friendship for Gods sake Laonice condole with me this disaster
that at once haue layd all my hopes in her coffin And if you be in any sort offended pardon Tyrcis the errour which hee hath committed against you that he might not be wanting in that which was due to Cleon. At these words transported with choler I went away so farre besides my selfe that I could hardly finde out my lodging from whence I stirred not of a long time But after wee haue crossed Loue a thousand times yet must we submit our selues and therfore behold me as much to Tyrcis as euer I was I excuse in my selfe the treasons which he had done me and pardon him the wrongs and faynings where with hee offended me naming them in pardoning them not dissemblings nor treasons but violences of loue And I was the easlyer drawne vnto this pardon for the Loue who professeth himselfe a party in this fault went flattring me with a certaine hope to succeed in Cleons place While I was in this thought behold one of my sisters came to tell me that Tyrcis was lost so that he was no more to be seene and no body knew where he was This recharge of griefe surprized me so forcibly that all that I could do was to tel her that this sadnes being ouer-passed he would returne as he went But from that time I resolued to follow him and that I might not be hindered by any I got out so secretly about the beginning of the night that before day I found my selfe farre off If I were astonished at the first seeing my selfe alone in the darke the heauens know it to whom my complaints were directed but Loue which secretly accompanyed me gaue me courage enough to accomplish my purpose So I pursued my voyage following without more adoe the way which my seet met with for I knew not whither Tyrcis went nor my selfe neither So that I was a wandere more than foure moneths hearing no newes of him At last pâ—ssâ—â—â— the mount Dor I met with this shepheardesse said she poynting to Malonthe and with her that shepheard called Thersander sitting vnder the shadow of a Rocke wayting vntill the mid-dayes heate were abated And for that my custome was to demaund newes of Tyrcis of all I met I addressed my selfe to the place where I sawe them and knew that my shepheard by the marks they had giuen me was in those deserts and that he went alwayes bewayling Cleon. Then I told them what I tell you and coniured them to tell me the most certayne newes they could Whereto Mâ—donthe moued with pity answered me with that sweetnes that I iudged her strucken with the same disease that 〈◊〉 was and my opinion was not false for I knew since the long history of her griefes by which I found that Loue strikes as well in the Court as in our woods and for that our fortunes had some sympathy betwixt them she desired me to tarry and end our iourny together since we both made one kind of search I that was alone receiued with open armes this commodity and from that time we parted not asunder But what serues this discourse to my purpose since I will onely relate to you what concernes Tyrcis and me Gentle shepheard this shall be enough to say to you that after we had stayed more then three moneths in that country at last we knew he was come hither where we no sooner arriued but that I met him and so vnseasonably for him that he stood as amazed At the first he receiued me with a countenance good enough but at last knowing the occasion of my voyage he declared to me all at length the extreme affection he bare vnto Cleon and that it was not in his power to loue me Loue if there be any iustice in thee I demaund of thee and not of this ingratefull some acknowledgement of so much trauell passed So ended Laonice and seeming she had no more to say wiping her eyes she turned them pittifully to Siluander as asking fauour in the iustice of her cause Then Tyrcis spake in this sort Wise shepheard though the history of my misfortunes be such as this shepheardesse hath told you yet is the story of my griefes much more pittifull wherewith yet I will entertayne you no longer for feare of troubling you and the company onely I will adde to that which she hath sayd that not being able to endure her ordinary complaints by common consent we went to the Oracle to know what he would ordayne of vs and we had such an answer by the mouth of Arontyne ORACLE On Lignons bankes which glideth peaceably Louer thou shalt a curious shepheard see That first enquires the ill that tortreth thee Beleeue him Heauen appoynts him Iudge to be And though we haue beene long heere yet are you the first that asked of the state of our fortunes therefore it is that we cast our selues into your armes and we desire you to set downe what you will haue vs do And for that nothing may be done but according to the will of God the old woman who gaue vs the Oracle told vs that hauing met with you wee were to cast Lots who should maintayne the cause both of the one and other and for this effect all they whom we met should put a gage betweene your hands in a hat The first that drawes shall bee hee that speakes for Laonice and the last of all for me At these words he desired them all to be willing to it whereto euery one consented By fortune that of Hylas was the first and that of Phillis the last Whereat Hylas smiling Heretofore said hee when I was seruant to Laonice I should hardly haue had the minde to perswade Tircis to loue her but now that I am for Mâ—donthe I willingly obey to that the god commands Shepheard answered Leonide you are to vnderstand by the way what the prouidence of this diuinity is since to mooue each one to change of affection it hath giuen the charge to inconstant Hylas as to him that by vse well knowes the meanes and to continue a faithful loue it hath giuen the perswasion to a shepheardesse constant in all her actions and to iudge of them both it hath chosen a person that cannot be partiall for Siluander is neither constant nor inconstant since he neuer loued any Then Siluander taking the word Since therefore you will O Tircis and you Laonice that I be Iudge of your difference sweare both of you betweene my hands that you will inuiolably obserue it otherwise it will bee but more to displease the gods and for vs to take paine to no purpose Which they did and then Hylas began thus The Oration of Hylas for Laonice IF I were to maintaine the cause of Laonice before a person vnnaturall I would feare it may be lest the want of my capacity might lessen in some sort the iustice which is in it but since it is before you gentle shepheard that haue the heart of a man I meane which know what the
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
about the village to see when his new mistrisse would come forth and as soone as hee spyed her hee came toward her singing these verses STANZA'S On an high raysed Desire HOpes like Ixions in boldnesse Disdaining heauens dire menacoâ— Will you aspire aboue your size With Icarus t'assaile the skie Is but to tumble from on hiâ— Forbeare not yet to enterprizâ—â— Euen so sometimes Prometheus With brest peckt by birds raâ—enous His torments did immortall make By stealing downe Celestiall fire He said to this good I aspire To doe what none dares vndertake My heart on rock of constaney Deuoured by my paciency Will say The sprights of loftiest size Haue they not dar'd to steale that coale So may this glory take my soule To doe what none dares enterprize Eccho that for Narcissus loue Bewrayes her griefe the rocks to moue Comforts her selfe in her dismay And tels them in her angry moode If I of this be not belou'd There is no other else that may Phillis that was of a pleasant disposition and would well discharge her selfe of the experiment whereto she had beene enioyned turning to Diane Mistrisse said she will you hereafter giue any credit to the words of this shepheard Yesterday he loued you not at all now hee is dead at least for loue Since he would say so much he ought to begin in a better houre to serue you or pause somewhile before he proffer such words Siluander was so neere that he might heare Phillis that made him cry out a farre off O mistrisse shut your eares against the euill words of mine enemy And then being come at them Ah naughty Phillis said he is it so that by the ruine of my contentment you seeke to build your owne You doe well answered Phillis to talke of your contentment haue not you with others this perfection of the most part of shepheards wâ—o out of a vanity say they are infinitely content and fauoured of their mistrisse though contrarily they bee hardly vsed talke you of contentment You Siluander haue you the boldnesse to vse these words in the presence euen of Diane what will you say in other places when you haue the sawcinesse to talke so before her She had gone on but that the shepheard after he had saluted the Nymph and the shepheardesses interrupted her thus You would haue my mistrisse mislike that I should speake of the contentment which I haue in her seruice and why will you not haue me say so if it be true Is it true answered Phillis see what vanity this is will you say yet that she loues you and that she cannot liue without you I may not say replyed the shepheard that it is so but I may well say I wish it were so but you seeme to thinke it so strange that I say I haue contentment in the seruice which I tender my mistris that I am coÌ„pelled to aske you if you haue not At least said she if I haue I doe not brag of it It is ingratitude replyed the shepheard to receiue good from any without thanks and how is it possible we can loue that person to whom we are vnthankfull By that interrupted Leonide I iudge that Phillis loues not Diane There are few that giue not the same iudgement answered Siluander and I beleeue she thinks so her selfe If you haue reasons good enough you may perswade me replyed Phillis If there want nothing but reason to proue it said Siluander I haue no more to doe for whether I proue a thing or deny it it cannot make it other then it is so that since I want but reasons to prooue your small loue what haue I to doe to conuince you That that is to be done that you loue not Diane belongs to you to prooue Phillis here staid a little troubled to answer and Astrea said to her It seemes sister you approue that which the shepheard saith I doe not approue it answered she but I am much troubled to disproue it If it be added Diane you loue me not at all for since Siluander hath found the reasons which you demand and against which you cannot resist you must confesse that that which he saith is true At this word the shepheard came to Diane and said Faire and iust mistrisse is it possible that this enemy shepheardesse hath yet the hardinesse not to suffer me to say that the seruice which I yeeld to you brings me contentment when this cannot be for the answer which you make so much to mine aduantage In saying answered Astrea that Phillis loues her not she doth not say therefore you do loue her or that she loues you If I could heare these words answered he I loue you or you loue me out of my mistrisses mouth it should not be a contentment but a transport that rauisheth me from my selfe for ouer-great satisfaction and yet if hee that holds his peace seeme to consent to that he heares why may not I say my faire mistrisse confesses that I loue her since without contradiction she heares what I say If Loue replyed Phillis consist in words you would haue more then all other men together for I doe not thinke they will euer faile you as bad a cause as you haue Leonide tooke wonderfull pleasure at the discourse of these shepheardesses and had it not beene for the payne wherein she was for the disease of Celadon she would haue tarried many dayes with them for albeit she knew he was out of his feuer yet she could not but feare his relapse That was the cause she desired them to take with her the way of Laigneu to the riuer for that she might the longer enioy their company They agreed willingly for besides courtesie so commaunded them they were exceedingly pleased with her company So then taking Diane on the one side and Astrea on the other shee went toward the Buttresse But Siluander was deceiued who by chance was gone furder from Diane than was Phillis so that she tooke that place that he desired Whereat Phillis being very glorious went mocking the shepheard saying that his Mistris might easily iudge that hee was too slouthfull to serue her Shee may grant so much answered he to your importunity but not to your affection For if you loued her you would not haue left mee the place you had That should rather be a signe of the contrary sayd Phillis if I suffer another to come neerer than my selfe for if the party that loues desires almost to be transformed into the thing beloued hee approacheth neerest and so attaynes the perfection of his desires The louer answered Siluander that hath more regard to his owne contentment than of the person beloued deserues not that title at all So that you which regard more the pleasure which you take in being neere your Mistris than you do her commodity may not say you loue her but your selfe onely For if I were in the place you are I would helpe her to goe and you do but let her If my
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
sayd Phillis I haue found him very sad this euening and I cannot tell what hath befalne him but he hath so coniured me to come hithor that I cannot delay it I beseech you to walke â—here-about while we are together for aboue al he desires I should be alone I will do answered Astrea what pleaseth you but take heed it bee not euill thought of to see you talke with him at so vnfit houres especially being alone in this darke place It is for that cause answerd Phillis that I haue put you to the paine to come hither therefore I pray you to walke so neere vs that if any one come on vs hee may thinke that we three are together While they talked thus Diane and Paris preÌ„ssed Hylas to tell them his life to satisfie the commandement of his Mistris and though he made much difficulty yet at last hee began in this sort The History of Hylas YOu will then mine owne faire Mistris and geÌ„ntle Paris that I tell you the aduentures befalne me since I began to loue Thinke not that my refusal was for that I knew not what to say for I haue loued too much to want matter but rather for that I haue too little day to haue the leysure not to tell you all that would be too long but not to begin alone Yet since for obedience I must satisfie your wil I pray you harken to me while I put you in mind that all things are subiect to some superior power which almost enforceth vs to actions which it pleaseth vs and that whereto mine enclines so violeÌ„tly is loue for otherwise it may be you wold woÌ„der to see me so carried that there is no chaine either of duty or obligation that may withhold me And I freely confesse that if euery one must haue some inclination of nature mine is of inconstancy for which I am not to bee blamed since the heauens ordaine mee so Haue this consideration before your eyes while you heare the discourse which I am to make Among the principal Countries that the Rosne in his swift course visits after it hath receiued Arar Isere Durance other riuers he comes dashing vpon the ancient walls of the towne of Arles chiefe of that country and the most peopled and richest of the Romane prouince Neere this faire towne there incamped a great while since as I heard our Druides tell a great Captaine named Cains Marins before the notable victory which he got against the Cimbres Cimmerieux and Celtoseites at the foote of the Alpes who being deuided by the deepe Scitique Ocean with their wiues and children purposing to sacke Rome were so ouerthrowne by this great captaine that there remained not one aliue and if the Romane armes had spared any one the barbarous fury that was in their courage made them turne their owne hands against themselues and in rage kill themselues that they might not liue being vanquished Now the Romane army to assure their allies and friends of their common wealth comming to encampe as I told you neere that towne and according to the custome of that wary nation compassing their campe with trenches it fel out that being nere to Rosne this riuer which is most violeÌ„t and which threatens and beates incessantly his bankes by little and little in time met with these large deepe ditches and with maine strength entring into the chanell which he found already made runs with such fury that makes the ditches stretch out to the sea where hee goes discharging himselfe by this meanes two wayes for the ancient course hath alwayes followed his ordinary way and this new one is growne so great that it equalls the greatest riuers making betweene both a most delectable and forcible Iland and because they were the trenches of Cains Marins the people by corruption of the word call it Carmage of his name and since for that the place is inuironed with these two armes of Rosne and the midland sea they call it the Isle of Camarge I would not haue sayd so much about the originall of this place had it not bene that it was the countrey of my natiuity and where they of whom I am descended haue long time dwelt for by reason of the fertility of the place and that it is as it were cut out from the rest of the land there is a number of shepheards that are withdrawne thither which for the abundance of pasturage they call Pasture and my fathers haue alwayes bene held in some consideration among the principall were it for that they were thought good and vertuous men were it for that they had honestly and after their condition acquired the goods of fortune so they left me sufficiently prouided for when they died which was without doubt too soone for me for my father died the day that I was borne and my mother bred me vp with all manner of delicatenesse an only child or rather a marred child endured but till I was twelue yeeres of age Iudge what master of an house I was like to proue among other imperfectious of youth I could not auoyd that of presumption supposing there was not a shepheard in all Camarge which ought not respect me But when I was a little aduanced and that Loue began to mingle with this presumption mee thought all the shepheardesses were in loue with me and that there was not one which receiued not my loue with obligation And that which fortified me in this opinion was that a faire and wise shepheardesse my neighbour called Carlis made me all the honest showes which neighbour-hood might challenge I was so yong as yet that none of the incommodities which loue vses to bring to the louer by his violent transports could reach me that I felt nothing but sweetenesse and on that subiect I remember that some time I went singing these verses A SONNET On the sweetnesse of Loue. VVHen speakes my shepheardesse or rather when she sings Or with her eies sweets glaâ—ce to mine she daz'ling brings Loue seemes to talke in her and with her gracious sounds Rauishes vs by thâ—â—are with charmes our sight confounds Not as you see him when he cruelly torments The hearts that are possest with passions violent But then when like a child full wantonly he moues Plaies on his mothers lap and formes a thousand loues Nor when he sports himselfe with those the Paphean maids Nor when on graces lap himselfe to rest he laid You could see him so pleas'd as neere my shepheardesse But when he burteth so may we him Loue confesse He is so when he playes and makes his place of rest In Carlis bosome sweete as on his mothers brest Though the age wherein I was suffered me not to know that it was Loue yet forbare I not to delight my selfe in the company of that shepheardesse and to vse those deuices wherewith I vnderstood that they whom they call Louers serued their turne so that the long continuance made many thinke that I knew more
then my age would allow of And that was the cause that when I was come to 18. or 19. yeeres I found my selfe engaged to serue her But for that my humor was not to care much for this vaine-glory which the most part of them which trade in Loue will arrogate to themselues that is to be esteemed constant the good countenance of Carlis tyed mee more then this imaginary duty From thence it came that one of my greatest friends tooke occasion to diuert me from her his name was Hermante and without any heede of mine was become so amorous of Carlis that hee tooke no contentment but to be neere her I who was young neuer perceiued this new affection as I had but two little craft to finde it since the subtillest in that mystery are scarce able to do it Hee was older then I and by consequence wiser so that he knew so well to dissemble that I doe not thinke that any at that time suspected him But that which brought him most discommodity was that the parents of this shepheardesse desired there might be a marriage betweene her and me for that they were of opinion that it would be for her aduantage Whereof Hermante being aduertised especially knowing by the speech of the shepheardesse that indeede shee loued me he thought she would withdraw from me if I began to withdraw from her Hee well found out as I told you that I would change as soone as occasion was offered And after he had considered with himselfe how he might beginne this designe he thought that working in mee an opinion of my greater worth he might maâ—â—me neglect for vncertainty that which was most assured to me Hee brought it about very easily for besides that I beleeued him as my friend this good could not be very deare vnto me which befel me without paine made me beleeue I might compasse any thing of the best if I would bestow the study Hee on the other side knew so well to perswade me that I held for certaine that there was not a shepheardesse in all Carmage that would not more willingly entertaine me then I would make choyce of her Assured by this beleefe I thrust Carlis wholly out of my soule after I had made election of another whom I iudged the worthier and without doubt I deceiued not my selfe for she had beauty enough to winne loue and wisedome to carry it her name was Stilliane esteemed among the fairest and wisest of all the Iland otherwise lofty and such an one as I must haue to put me out of the error wherein I was And see what my presumption was Because she was serued by many and they all lost their time I beganne to woo her the more willingly that the world might take better knowledge of my merit Carlis which truely loued me was astonied at this change not knowing what cause I might haue but she must needes suffer it She did much to recall me and at the first vsed all forts of allurements which she could think of which I tooke no heede of to returne I was in the deepe seas there was no meane to come backe to land so readily But if she tooke displeasure at this separation she was fully reuenged on him that was the cause of the euill for conceiting to my selfe that as soone as I assured Stilliane of my loue shee would more willingly giue her selfe to me at the first time I met her to talke within an assembly which was purposely made dauncing with her I said Faire shepheardesse I know not what your force is nor with what charmes your eyes furnish themselues so it is that Hylas sees himselfe now so much become your seruant that no man can bee more Shee thought I mocked her knowing well the loue that I had borne to Carlis which made her answer smilingly These discourses are they of those that you learne in the schoole of faire Carlis I would haue answered when acording to the order of the dance there were that separated vs and I could not come neere her afterward howsoeuer I laboured it so that I was constrained to stay vntill the assembly brake vp And seeing her goe with the formost to withdraw themselues I aduanced my selfe and tooke her by the arme Shee at the first beganne to smile and after said Is it vpon resolution Hylas or commandement that this night you haue enterprized thus on me Why answered I make you this demand Because said she I see so small likelihood of reason in that you do that I can not suspect but from those two occasions It is said I for them both for I am resolued neuer to loue but the faire Stilliane and your beauty commaunds me to loue none other I beleeue answered she that you thinke not that you speake to me or that you know me not and that you may no longer deceiue your selfe know that I am not Carlis and that I call my selfe Stilliane I must be much deceiued answered I to take you instead of Carlis for she is too imperfect to be taken for you or you for her And I know too well for my liberty that you are Stilliane and it were more for my rest that I knew lesse Wee were come as farre as her lodging and yet could I not find whether she liked of it or no. The next morning it was no sooner day but I went to seek out Hermante to tell him what befell me In the euening I found him yet in his bed And seeing me somewhat moued How now fayd he what newes Is the victory obtained without combat Ah my friend answered I I haue found out one I may talke to she disdaines mee she mockes me she sends me at euery word to Carlis to be short she vses me like a Mistris He could not hold from laughter when he had heard all the discourse at length for he expected no lesse But knowing well my changing humour hee feared I would goe backe to Carlis and that she would entertaine me which was the cause that he answered me Did you hope for lesse from heâ— Would you thinke her worthy your loue if not yet knowing in truth that you loue her she should giue her selfe to you How may she giue credite to a few words which you haue vsed hauing heretofore heard so much or that you sweare the contrary to Carlis Vndoubtedly it were a very easie conquest that she should shew herselfe vanquished for so small a fight But said I before I am beloued of her if it be needfull that I tel her what I haue done to Carlis when should this be by your aduice Truely answered Hermante you little know what belongs to Loue you must learne Hylas that when one sayes to a shepheardesse I loue you especially when they make some demonstration she doth not so easily beleeue it for that it is the custome of shepherds well bred to haue it of courtesie and it seemeth their Sexe for the weakenesse of it binds men to serue
I haue of Carlis You say you do loue me If a more credible person than you should tell me so it may be I might beleeue him for I know well I deserue it But I that neuer lied assure you that I loue you not at all and therefore doubt not of it so should I seeme to haue small iudgement to loue an humour so contemptible If you finde these words somewhat tâ—o rude remember Hylas I am constrayned to the end you may not perswade your selfe that you are beloued of me Carlis is witnesse to me of the condition of Hylas and Hylas shal be of mine if at least he will at any time say true If this answer please you giue thankes to the prayer of Hermante if it displease remember you accuse none but your selfe Hermante had not seene this Letter when he deliuered it me and yet he had an opinion there was much coldnesse in it yet did not hee thinke shee should haue made it so strange neyther was he so much astonied as my selfe for I stoode like a man bereaued of his wits letting the Letter fall on the ground and after being come to my selfe I pulled downe my hat ouer mine eares cast mine eyes downe on the earth crossed mine armes ouer my brest and a great pace without speaking began to walke about the chamber Hermante stood immoueable in the middest not so much as casting his eyes towards me We stayed some time in this manner not speaking at last in an instant striking one hand against the other and making a leape in the middest of the chamber At her peril said I aloude let her seeke who will loue her that she may know if there want in Carmaine shepheardesses more faire than she and who wil be wel pleased that Hylas would serue them And then turning to him O what a foole is Stilliane said I if she thinke I will loue by force and I shall haue but little courage if I euer trouble my selfe for her and why thinkes shee her selfe better than another It is true she deserues one should suffer some paine for her I assure my selfe Hermante she resolued it while you talked with her and that could not be without making at least her eyes narrow without biting her lip and without rubbing one hand on another to make them white I scoffe at her fancies and her selfe too if she thinke I take more care for her than I doe for the greatest stranger in Gaule She knowes not how to reproch me but with my Carlis True it is I loue her and in despite of her I will loue her still and I make no question but she shall soone enough finde her want of wisedome but she must neuer hope that Hylas can loue her I spake such like words at which I saw Hermante change colour but I was then ignorant of the cause since I haue iudged it was for the feare he had that I might come againe into the good graces of his Mistris Yet made he no other shew but that he strained himselfe to laugh and told mee it would make them much amazed when they should see that change if I tooke that resolution as readily would I execute it and in that disseine I went to finde out Carlis of whom I asked a thousand pardons for the Letter which I had written to her assuring her that it was not want but transport of affection She that was angry with me as one may well thinke after she had heard me quietly at last answered me thus Hylas if the assurances you make to me of your good will be true I am satisfied if they be false thinke not that euer you can remoue the amity which for euer you haue broken for your humour is very dangerous She would haue sayd on when Stilliane to shew her the Letter I had written to her comming to visit her interrupted vs when she saw me by Carlis Wake I or dreame I sayd she all astonied Is this Hylas that I see or is it some fancy Carlis wel pleased with this meeting It is Hylas indeede companion sayd she deceiue not your selfe and if it please you to come neere you shall heare the sweete words with which he cries me mercy and how he vnsayes all that which he had written to me submitting himselfe to such punishment as shall please mee His chasticement answered Stilliane ought to be no other than to make him continue the affection he beares me To you said Carlis so farre is it that hee sware when you entred in that hee loued none but mee And since when added Stilliane I know well at the least that I haue a good writing that Hermante an howre since brought me in his behalfe and that you may not doubt of that I say reade this paper and you shall see if I lie O God what became of me at these words I sweare vnto you faire shepheardesse that I was not able to open my mouth for my defence And that which ruined me for euer was that by mis-hap many other shepheardesses came in at the same time to whom they told this tale so much to my disaduantage that I could not possibly tarry there any longer but without speaking a word vnto them I came to tell Hermante my misaduenture who had like to haue dyed with laughter as indeed the matter deserued This bruite so spred ouer all Carmague that I durst not talke to any one shepheardesse that cast it not in my teeth whereat I conceiued such shame that I resolued to goe out of the I le for some time You may see if when I was young I tooke such thought to be called inconstant I ought not at this houre to giue backe a step See what it is sayd Paris one must be an apprentice before he be a master It is true answered Hylas and the worst is wee must often pay for our apprentiship But to come to our discourse being no longer able to endure the ordinary warre which euery one made on me the most secretly I could possibly I gaue order for my businesse and referred the whole care to Hermante and after I put my selfe into a great vessell that lanched out with many others I had then no other purpose but to trauell and passe away the time grieuing no more for Carlis nor Stilliane than if I had neuer seene them for I had so lost their remembrance when I lost their sight that I had not the least sorrow But see how hard it is to crosse the naturall disposition I had no sooner set my foote into the Barke but I sawe a new subiect of Loue. There was among many other passengers an old woman which went to Lyons to render her vowes in the Temple of Venus which shee had made for her sonne and carried with her her daughter in law for the same cause and who with good cause might beare the name of faire for she was no lesse then Stilliane and much more then Carlis her name
was Aymee and could not reach aboue 18. or 20. yeeres and though shee was of Carmague yet shee knew me not because her husband being ielous as ordinarily old men are that haue yong and faire wiues and her mother in law suspitious held her so short that she neuer came into any assembly At the instant that I saw her she pleased me and what purpose soeuer I had to the contrary I must loue her but I then foresaw well I should find some paine being to deceiue the stepmother and the daughter in law Yet not to yeeld to the difficulty I resolu'd to employ all my wits and iudgeing that I was to beginne my enterprise by the mother for shee kept me from comming neere my enemy I thought nothing fitter then to make my selfe known to her and that could not be for that being of one place no ancient amity of our family or some former alliance would make easie the meane to grow familiar with her but the occasion afterwardes taught mee what I had to do I was not deceiued in this opinion for as soone as I told her who I was and that I had fained some bad reason to cloake that I went about which she tooke for good and that I had assured her that that which made mee discouer my selfe to her was but to desire her freely to make vse of me My sonne answered shee I do not wonder that you should shew such good will towards me for your father loued me so well that you should much degenerate if you had not some sparkes of that affection Ah my child thou art the sonne of an honest and the most louing man that was in all Carmague and speaking these words she tooke me by the head and holding me to her brest and sometimes kissing my forehead and her kisses made me remember the harths that yet retaine a gentle heate after the fire is out for my father should haue married her and it may bee he had done her too much seruice for her reputation as I vnderstood afterward but I that little cared for such kindnesses but as they might be profitable for my purpose fayning to receiue them with much obligation thanked her for the loue she had borne my father beseeching her to turne that good will towards the sonne and that since the heauens had made mee heire to the rest of his goods shee would not dis-inherrit me of that which I esteemed most of which was the honor of her good graces and that for my part I would succeed in the seruice which my father had vowed to her as to the best of all his fortunes To bee short faire shepheardesse I knew how to flatter my old woman so that shee loued nothing more then mee and contrary to her custome to gratifie me she commanded her daughter in law to loue me Oh how well had she bene aduised if she had followed her counsell but I neuer found any thing so cold in all her actions so that though I were with her all the day yet had I not the hardinesse to make my purpose appeare by my words till we came neere to Auignion for Stilliane had made me lose much of that opinion which I had of my selfe But besides this she was alwayes at the feete of the old woman who intertained me with the times passed It fell out that this company with which we went as I haue told you and many marchants assembled together made a faire to traffique in the Iland neere Auignion and for as much as we that were not vsed to such voyages found our selues benummed with sitting so long while the boatemen were about their businesse wee set foote on land to walke about and among others the mother of Aymee was of the company As soone as my shepheardesse was in the I le she began to runne along the riuer and to play with the other wenches which were come forth of the boate of that company and I thrust my selfe among them to haue the meane to take time for my purpose while the old woman was walking with other women of her age And by hap Aymee being somewhat separated from her companions gathering floures that grew by the waters side I aduanced my selfe and tooke her by the arme and after wee had gone some while without speech at last as comming from a sound sleep I sayd vnto her I should be ashamed faire shepherdesse to be so long mute so neere you hauing so good cause to speake to you if I had not more to hold my peace and if my silence did not proceed from thence whence my words should arise I know not Hylas said she what cause you haue to hold your peace nor what you may haue to speake and lesse what words or silences you meane Ah faire shepheardesse sayd I the affection which consumes me with a secret fire giues mee such occasion to shew my hurt that hardly can I hold my peace and on the other side that affection makes me feare so to offend her whom I loue in declaring it to her that I dare not speake so that the affection which ought to put words into my mouth is that which denies mee them when I am neere you Me sayd she presently Think you well Hylas of what you say Yes of you replied I and beleeue you not but I haue well thought of what I say before I durst vtter it If I thought these words were true I will speake to you in another sort If you doubt sayd I that these words be true cast your eyes on your perfection and you shall be fully assured And then with a thousand oathes I told her all that I had in my heart Shee without being moued answered me very coldly Hylas accuse not that which is in me for your owne follies for I know well to remedy it so that you shall haue no cause as for the rest since the loue which my mother beares you nor the condition wherein I am cannot turne you from your bad intent beleeue that that which duty cannot worke in you it shall in me and that I will auoide all manner occasions for you to continue that you shall know I am such as I ought to be you see how coldly I speake to you it is not for that I feele not sencibly enough your indiscretion but to let you know that passion transports me not but that reason only makes me speake thus that if I see that this meane will nothing preuaile to alter your dessine I will after run to some more extreme These words deliuered with such coldnesse touched me more to the quicke then I can tell you yet could not this withdraw mee for I knew well that the first skirmishes are ordinarily maintained in this fashion But by chance when Aymee seeing me without words and so astonied turned away without saying more there was one of her companions that seeing me so mated came towards me and blowing her nose passed by twice or thrice with
such a fashion that I may say with truth there was nothing in the world better beloued then Rosidor was of Cloris with which he thought himselfe so strongly tyed to me that he encreased his affection if it could haue beene increased We liued so more then a yeere with all the delight that so perfect a loue might bring to two Louers At last the heauens seemed willing to make vs intirely contented suffered that al the difficulties which impeached our mariage were remoued Behold vs now as happy as mortals might be for wee were led into the Temple the voyce of Hymen Hymene sounding on all sides To be shor◠being returned to our lodging nothing might bee heard but instruments of reioycing nothing seene but dances and songs euen then as mischiefe would we were separated by one of the most vnlucky occasiōs that might befall me We were then at Vienna where are the most part of the Rosidors possessions It fell out that some forlorne young men of the villages without Lyoas on that side where our Druides went to lay the Guy where they had vsed it in the forrests of Mars called Ayrieu meant to commit some disorder my husband not able to brooke it after hee had gently admonished them empeached them for executing it where at they were so enraged that thinking the greatest offence they could doe to Rosidor was to hurt me there was one of them about to throw a vyole of inke at my face but seeing it comming I turned my head aside so that I was not touched but on my necke as said she stooping downe you may yet see the markes plaine My husband that saw my brest full of ynke and blood thinking I had beene grieuously wounded and besides conceiuing this outrage to be so great that taking his sword into his hand he strucke it thorow the body of him that gaue the blow and then thrusting among the others with the helpe of his friends hee draue them out of his house Iudge shepheard if I were troubled for I thought I was worse hurt then indeede I was and saw my husband besmeared with the blood of him whom he slew as also of a wound which he had on his shoulder But when this first fray was in part passed and by that the wound was dressed and he apparelled the Iustice came to seize on him and carried him away with such violence that they would not suffer mee to bid him farewell but my affection more strong then their defence made me way at last to him and casting my selfe on his necke clasped so fast about that it was as much as they could doe to put me off He on the other side when hee saw me in this case desiring rather to dye then to be separated from me vsed all the violence which a great courage and an extreme loue was able to worke which was such that all wounded as hee was he got himselfe out of their hands and went out of the Towne This defence kept him from being a prisoner but it made his cause the worse with the Iudge who in the mean time sent out threatnings and Proclamations during all which his greatest displeasure was that hee could not be with me and because that desire pressed him fore he disguised himselfe and came to me one euening and passed all the night with me God knowes what my contentment was but yet my feare was as great for Iknew that they which pursued him vnderstanding the loue which was betweene vs did all they could to surprize him and it fell out as I alwaies feared for at last he was found and brought into Lyons where presently I followed him and to good purpose for him for that the Iudges whom at all houres I sollicited tooke such pitty on me that they shewed him fauour and so notwithstanding all the pursuit of the aduersaries hee was set at liberty If I found much sorrow in this accident and paine when I saw him beleeue courteous shepheard that I had no lesse satisfaction to see him out of danger and acquitted from all that had passed But because the displeasure which he had receiued in the prison had made him sicke he was enforced to stay some dayes at Lyons and I being alwaies about him to giue him the best comfort I could at last being past the danger he prayed me to set things in order at home that we might entertaine our friends with that mirth that hee desired for the good successe of his affaires and behold these dissolute fellowes who had beene the cause of all our paine seeing they could haue no other remedy resolued to kill him in his bed and being entered into his lodging gaue him 2. or 3. stabs with a ponyard leuing him for dead fled away Alas courteous shepheard iudge what I ought to bee and in what repose was my soule like to be that in truth is touched with the most sensible accident that could befall me So ended Cloris hauing her face couered with teares which seemed so many pearles that rowled downe her faire bosome Now gentle shepheard that that I will tell you is a new head-spring of Loue. The affection which I saw in this shepheardesse touched mee with so much compassion that though her face had not beene able to haue wonne my loue yet the pitty struck me so to the quick that I must confesse that Carlis Stilliane Aymee nor Floriante neuer tied me with a stronger chain then this desolate Cloris Which was not for that I loued not the others but I had yet besides their place this voyde in my soule Behold mee then resolued into Cloris as well as into the others but I knew well it was to no purpose to speake to her while Rosidor were either not dead or not healed for the paine wherein she was possessed her altogether Wee came in this sort to Lyons where presently euery one parted It is true that the new affection which I bare to Cloris made me accompany her to her lodging where especially I visited Rosidor to haue some acquaintance with him iudging it best so to beginne thereby to come to the good graces of his wife She that thought him worse hurt then she found it for they alwaies make the euil greater then it is and the apprehension much encreaseth the accident which they doubt changed her countenance and behauiour when she found him vp and walking about his chamber But see what befell me the sadnesse which Cloris had in the boat was as I tolde you the cause of my affection and when being neere Rosidor I saw her ioyfull and content look how the compassion had made this loue to grow so also her ioyfulnesse and contentment caused it to dye proouing well as then that euery euill ought to be cured by the contrary I entred then a slaue and captiue into that lodging and I came out a freeman and master of my selfe But considering this accident I endeuoured to remember Aymee and Floriante and
presently wished to finde them at their lodging and turning on all hands at last I met them by fortune together A good meeting the next day was the great Feast of Venus and because according to custome the day before the solemnity the young women sing in the Temple the Hymnes which are made in the honour of the Goddesse and they watch there vntill midnight I heard them resolue with the mother of Aymee to passe the night as the others that shee might the better performe her vow Floriante at the secret request of Aymee promised to doe so too And because they stayed there a great liberty I had a designe without any speech of it to goe in likewise fayning to be a wench when it should be darke but knowing that the Druides were themselues at the gate when it waxed darke I purposed to hide my sâ—lfe some good while before And indeede beeing got into a corner little frequented and most dark I tarried there till nine or ten of the clock in the night TheÌ„ the TeÌ„ple was shut vp and there were no more men but my selfe vnlesse there were some that were as curious as I and by that time the Hymnes had long continued I came out of my lurking place And because the Temple was great and there was no light but that which the tapers lighted on the Altar might giue all about I easily fet my selfe among the weaches without their knowledge and as I was searching with mine eyes for that part where Aymee might bee I saw a little candle brought to a young wench who rising vp went with it to the Altar and after diâ— some ceremonies she beganne to sing certaine couplets to which at the end all the company answered I know not whether it were for that the light was dimme for sometimes they will helpe themselues by hiding the imperfection of the painting or that indeed she were faire yet so it was that assoon as I saw her I loued her Let them now tell me that say that loue comes froÌ„ the eyes of the partie beloued that canont be for shee could not see me besides that shee turned not her eyes towards me and hardly could I behold her so well that I might know her another time and that was the cause that I thrust forward by curiosity I crept gently among those shepheardesses that were next her But by mis-hap beeing with greater danger come hard by her shee ended her Hymne and sent backe the taper where it was wont to bee so that the place was so darke that hardly though I might touch her could I see her Notwithstanding the hope that she or some other neere her might beginne againe to sing I stayed there a while But I saw to the contrary that the taper was carried into the other Quire and presently after one of those that were there beganne to sing as my new and vnknowne mistrisse had done The difference that I noted whether in voyce or face was great for she had nothing that came neere her whom I beganne to loue which was the cause that beeing no longer able to command my curiosity I went to a Dame that was some what farre off and counterfeiting the best I could I asked what she was that sung before the last You must be a stranger said she if you know her not It may be I know her answered I if heard her name Who knowes her not said shee by her face demands her name in vaine yet to free you of your paine know she is called Cyrâ—â—â—â— one of the fairest maids that dwell on the banks of Arar and so held in all this countrey so that if you know her not you must be of another world Till then I had so well counterseited my voyce that as the night deceiued their eyes so my voyce beguiled their eareâ— but at that time not remembring where I was after many other thanks I said to her that if in exchange of the paine that she had taken I could yeeld her any seruice I did not thinke any man happier then I was How now said she who are you that talke in this fashion And looking more hee defully on mee shee knew by my habit what I was Whereat all astonied said shee How come you to haue the hardinesse to breake our lawes in this sort Know you not that you cannot pay this fault but with the losse of your life I must tell you true that though I knew there was chastisement ordained yet I did not thinke it was such whereat I was not a little astonied yet alledging vnto her that I was a stranger and knew not their Statutes she tooke pitty on me and said that from the beginning she well perceiued it and that I must know that it was impossible to obtaine pardon for this fault for that the law was so rigorous to free those watches from all the abuses which were wont to bee committed Notwithstanding seeing that I came not of any wicked intent shee would doe what she could to saue me And therefore I was not to tarry till the mid-night bell rang for then the Druides came to the gate with their torches and looked them all in the face That now the gate of the Temple was shut but she would attempt to open it and then casting a vaile ouer my head which couered me to the hanches she fitted my cloak so vnderneath it that it could not be discerned in the night from a gown and hauing thus dressed mee shee told some of her neighbours who came with her that shee was not well and they all went to require the key of the most ancient of the company and wee going together towards the gate with a little waxe-candle onely which her selfe bare and which she almost couered with her hand fayning as if she would preserue it from the winde we went out of the prease and thus happily I escaped out of this danger through her courtesie and the better to disguise me withall for the desire I had to know to whom I was so much bound I went with the other to her lodging But faire shepheardesse sayd he turning to Diane this discourse is yet but halfe done and me thinkes the Sunne is downe long since will it not be fit to referre the rest to another time when we haue more leisure You haue reason sayd she gentle shepheard one must not spend all his goods at once that which remaines may cause vs make another pleasing iourney besides that Paris who is to passe the riuer cannot stay longer without committing himselfe to the night There is nothing said he faire shepheardesse that can trouble mee when I am neere you I wish answered she there were any thing in me that might please you for your worth and courtesie binde euery one to yeeld you all sorts of seruice Paris would haue replied but Hylas interrupted him when he said I would to God gentle Paris that I were you and that Diane were Phillis and
was without soile he seemed the goodlieft man that I can tell of besides that he had a spirit sauoring of any thing rather than of a shepheard I haue seene none in our Court moâ—â— ciuill nor more worthy to be beloued in somuch as I do not wonder that Galathe should be strongly inamoured that she can hardly goe from him in the night But indeed she deceiues her selfe because this shepheard is lost for the loue of a sheph ardesse called Astrea Thus all these things gaue no small blowe to Lindamor because the Nymph hauing found that true which this lyer told her is resolued to die rather than to marry Lindamor and studies by all her skill to make her selfe amiable to this shepheard who doth nothing especially in her presence but sigh his absence from Astrea I know not whether the constraint he is in for she will not let him goe from the Palace or whether the water which he swallowed when he fell into the riuer be the cause so it is that euer since he goes puling sometimes in bed sometimes out but at last he hath gotten a feuer so burning that knowing no remedy for his health the Nymph hath commaunded mee to seeke you out diligently that you may see what is necessary to saue him aliue The Druyde was very attentiue during this discourse and gaue diuers iudgements according to the subiect of his Nieces words and it may be neere the truth for he knew well that shee was not altogether exempted neither from Loue nor fault yet as well aduised as he was hee dissembled it and sayd to his Niece that it was no hard matter to serue Galathee especially in the person of Celadon whose parents he had alwaies loued and though he were a shepheard yet descended he from the ancient lyne of Knights and that his Ancestors had chosen that kinde of life for the more quiet and happier then that at Court and therefore he was to be honoured and well serued But this fashion of life which Galathee vsed was neither good for the Nymph nor honorable for her that comming to the Palace and hauing seene the manner of things he would tell her how she should gouerne her selfe The Nymph some what ashamed answered It was some long time since she had a purpose to tell him but she neither durst not met with opportunity for indeede Climanthe was the cause of all the euill O answered Adamas if I can catch him I will make him pay with vsury the false title which he hath vsurped of a Druide That will be easie said the Nymph by a meane that I will tell you He told Galathee that she should returne twice or thrice to the place where she was to finde this man if she found him not the first time I know that Polemas and he hauing bin so tardy the first day will not faile to come the others following he that will take this deceiuer he need but hide him in the place which I will shew you whither without doubt he will come and for the day you may know it of Galathee for for my part I haue forgotten it The end of the ninth Books THE TENTH BOOKE OF Astrea and Celadon WIth this discourse the Nymph deceiued in part the length of the way both of them being so attentiue that almost before they were aware they found they were neere the Palace of Isour But Adamas that desired in any wise to remedy this life instructed her what he would haue her say to Galathee and aboue al not to let her know that he disliked her actions for said he I know wel that the courage of the Nymph must be ouercom with gentlenesse and not with force But in the meane time my Neece remember you to doe your duty that these allurements are shamefull both to those that are attained with them and to them that fauour them He had gone on with his aduices if at the entry of the Palace they had not met Siluie who led them to the place where Galathee was At that time she was gone to walke into the next Garden while Celadon rested As soone as she saw them she came towards them and the Druyde with one knee on the ground saluted her kissing her robe and so did Leonide but lifting them vp she embraced them both thanking Adamas for the paines he had taken in comming with assurance that shee would requite it in those occasions which might turne to his pleasure Madame sayd hee all my seruices cannot deserue the least of these good words I am onely sorry that that which is presented is not a stronger proofe of my affection to the end that in any case you might know that if I be grown old without doing you seruice it is not for want of good will but for that I haue not had the happinesse to be employed Adamas answered the Nymph the seruices which you haue done to Amasis I take for mine those which I haue had from your Neece I take them as from you so that you cannot say but in the person of my mother you haue well serued me and in that of your Neece you haue beene often imployed Alwayes as I may I will acknowledge your seruices together But in that which is offered at this time bethinke your selfe that since there is nothing more grieuous then the strokes that are layd on the part most sensible that hauing my spirit wounded you cannot finde the meanes to doe me more acceptable seruice then in this We will talke of it at leasure in the meane time goe to your rest and Siluie shall bring you to your chamber and Leonide render account to me of what she hath done So the Druide went away And Galathee vsing Leonide more kindly then of wont demanded the newes of her voyage wherein in shee satified her willingly But going forward Madame sayd she I thanke God I finde you more ioyfull then I left you Friend said the Nymph the likely healing of Celadon hath brought mee this good for you must know that you were not gone aboue a mile hence before he waked without his feuer but since he is so much amended that hee himselfe hopes to rise within two or three dayes See answered 〈◊〉 the best newes that I could haue wished to haue had at my returne so that if I had knowne it sooner I had not brought Adamas hither But to the purpose said Galathee what said he of this accident For I assure my selfe you haue told him Pardon me Madame said Leonide I told him nothing but what I thought could not be hidden from him wheÌ„ he was to be here He knows the loue which you beare to Câ—ledoÌ„ which I haue told him proceeded of pitty he knowes well the shepheard and those of his family and assure himselfe he shall be able to porswade him to all things that he shall please and for my part I thinke if you will imploy him he will doe you seruice but you
giue mee more knowledge than these words too well deliuered to proceed from affection For I haue heard say affection cannot be without passion and passion wil not suffer the spirit to haue so free a discourse But when the time shall haue told me as much as you you are to beleeue that I am not of stone nor so voyd of vnderstanding but your merits are knovvne to me and your loue may moue me Till then hope not of me no more than of the rest of my company in generall The Knight would haue kissed her hand for this assurance but because Galathee looked on Knight said she be discreete euery one hath eye on vs if you do thus you vndoe me And at this word she rose and came among vs that were gathering of flowres Behold the first discouery that they had of their good wils which gaue Galathee occasion to meddle in it For perceiuing what had passed in the Garden and hauing of long time a purpose to winne Polemas she would know that night what was done betweene Leonide and him and because she alvvaies made her selfe very familiar with you Neece and had acquainted her with the particulars of her secrets the Nymph durst not altogether deny the truth of this loue-suite It is true that she concealed what concerned her ovvne will and vpon this discourse Galathee would knovv the very words that they had vsed wherein your Neece satisfied her in part and in part dissembled So it was that she said enough to encrease the purpose of Galathee so that from that day she resolued to be beloued of him and vndertooke this worke with that cunning that it was impossible it should fall out othervvise At that meeting shee forbade Leonide to go on in that affection and after told her that she should cut off all the rootes because she knevv well that Polemas had another dessigne and that this would serue but to delude her Besides that if Amasis came to knovvledge of it she would be offended Leonide who at that time had no more malice than a childe tooke the words of the Nymph as from her Mistrisse without searching into the cause which made her say so and so remained some dayes estranged from Polemas who knevv not from whence it might grovve At the first this made him more earnest in his suite For it is the ordinary custome of yong spirits to desire with more eagernesse that which is hard to come by and indeed he went on in that sort that Leonide had much enough to doe to dissemble the good will she bore him and at last knew so little how to doe it that Polemas perceiued he was beloued But see what Loue had appointed This young louer after he had three or foure moneths continued this suite with the more violence as he had the lesse assurance of the good will he desired as soone almost as hee was certaine lost his violence by little and little loued so coldly that as Fortune and Loue when they beginne to decline fall at once the Nymph perceiued not that shee alone went on in this affection It is true that Galathee who came on was in part the cause For hauing a dessigne on Polemas she vsed such craft and sped so well what by her authority and what with time that one might say shee robbed her insensibly for that when Leonide handled him roughly Galathee fauoured him and when the other fled from his company she drew him to hers And this continued so long and so openly that Polemas beganne to turne his eyes towards Galathee and shortly after the heart followed For seeing himselfe fauoured by a greater than her that neglected him hee blamed himselfe for suffering it without sence and minded to embrace the fortune which came smiling on him But O wise Adamas you may see what a gracious encounter this was and how it pleased Loue to play with their hearts It is some while since by the ordinance of Clidaman Agis was allotted seruant vnto your Neece and as you know by the election of Fortune Now though this young Knight was not giuen to Leonide out of his owne choyce yet he agreed to the gift and approoued it by the seruices which he afterward did performe and that she misliked not was shewed by her actions But when Polemas beganne to serue her Agis as a couetous man that hath his eyes alwayes on his treasure tooke notice of the growing loue of this new Louer and sometimes complayned to her of it but the coldnesse of her answers instead of extinguishing his iealousies onely by little and little deaded his loue for considering what small assurance he had in his soule he laboured to get a better resolution then formerly he had had and so that he might not see another triumph ouer him he chose rather to withdraw farre off A receit that I haue heard say is the best that a soule infected with this euill can haue to free it selfe for as loue at the beginning is brought forth by the eyes so it seemeth that the contrary should be for want of sight which can be in nothing more then absence where the forgetfull couered as with ashes the ouer-liuely representations of the thing beloued And indeed Agis happily attained his purpose for he was hardly gone but loue likewise parted from his soule lodging in the place of it the neglect of this flitter So that Leonide purposing by this new plot to winne Polemas lost him that already was intirely hers But the confusions of Loue ended not heere for he would that Polemas likewise for his part should haue sence of that which hee made the Nymph to feele Almost about the same time the affection of Lindamor tooke birth and it fell out that as Leonide had disdained Agis for Polemas and Polemas Leonide for Galathee so Galathee disdained Polemas for Lindamor To tell the follies of them all would be an hard piece of worke So it was that Polemas seeing himselfe payed in the same money in which hee payd your Neece yet could not lose not hope nor loue but contrariwise searched al sorts of plotting to enter again into her fauor but all in vaine It is true that as he could get nothing more to his owne benefit yet hee hath so wrought that he who was the cause of his euill is not come to bee possessor of his good for whether it were by his cunning practices or by the will of the gods that a certaine deuout Druyde hath imparted to him since that time Lindamor is no more beloued and it seemeth Loue hath a purpose not to suffer the heart of Galathee to be at rest the memorie of the one being no sooner defaced in her soule but another takes place And now behold vs at this houre reduced to the loue of a shepherd who for a shepheard in his quality may deserue well but not to be the seruant of Galathee and yet is she so passionate that if her euill hold on I
know not what will become of her So as I may well say I ueuer sawe such a curiosity nor so strange a dreame as she hath had since she endured this euill But this is not all your wisedome sage Adamas in this which I am to tell you must worke one of his ordinary effects Your Neece is so ouertaken with Celadon as I know not if Galathee be more Aboue all â—elousie is so mingled among them and I haue endeuoured to excuse and abate the blowes of it the best I could yet I am out of hope for the time to come Therefore it is that I thanke God for your comming for without fiction I know not how things can be carried without you you must excuse me if I speake to you so freely of that which touches you the 〈◊〉 which I beare them both enforces me to it Thus ended Silâ—â—â— â—er discourse with such a demonstration of mistake to see this euill life that Adamas thought well of her for it and to giue beginning not to the healing of the shepheard but of the Nymphs for that euill was the greater Adamas asked what her aduice was For my part said she will you beginne to remoue from them the cause of this euill which is the shepheard but this must be done with some cunning for that Galathee will not let him goe You haue reason answered the Druyde but while we labour to doe that we must take heede that he fall not in loue with them for that youth and beauty haue no small sympathy and so we trauaile in vaine if he happen to loue them O Adamas said Siluie if you knew Celadon as I doe you would neuer haue this feare he is so farre in loue with Astrea that all the beauty of the world cannot please him and after we shall haue enough to looke to other things than to his healing Faire Siluie said the Druide you speake well like one that neuer knew what Loue meant and as one that neuer felt his forces This little god the more power he hath ouer euery thing the more sport he makes with euery thing so that when there is least likelihood that he should doe any thing it is then especially that he is pleased to make his power to be knowne Liue not you with that confidence for that as yet there was neuer any sort of vertue that could be exempted from Loue. Chastity it selfe could not witnesse Endymion Why presently said Siluiâ— O wise Adamas doe you presage so great a disaster To the end said he that you might arme your selfe against the forces of that god for feare that being ouer-assured in the opinion that it is impossible you bee not ouertaken before you are prepared I haue heard say that Celadon is so goodly so discreete and accomplished that there is no perfection wanting in him which may winne loue If it be so there is danger for that the treasons of loue are so hard to discouer that as yet there was neuer the man that could doe it Leaue the paine to me said she and onely see what you will haue me doe in this businesse we talke of Me thinks said the Druyde this warre must be made by the eye and when I haue seene how the world goes wee will dispose of our affaires to the least hurt that wee can and in the meane time let vs keepe our dessigne secret Then Siluiâ— left him to his rest and went to seeke Galathee who with Leonide was about the bed of Celadon for hauing knowne he was awake neither of them had the power to stay longer from the sight of him The welcomes that he gaue to Leonide were not small for for the courtesie with which she bound him he loued and esteemed well of her though Siluies humour pleased him better Within a while after they fell in talke of Adamas commending his Wisedome his Wit and Bounty whereupon Celadon asked if hee were not the Sonne of the great Pelion of whom he had heard spoken so many maruailes It is the same answered Galathee who is come expressely for your disease O Madame answered the shepheard it must be a good Physician that can heale that but I thinke when he shall know it he will sooner despaire of my health than dare to vndertake the cure Galathee thought he spake of the sicknesse of his body But sayd she is it possible you should thinke you are still sicke I assure my selfe if you will within two dayes you may leaue your bed It may be Madame answered Leonide hee is neuer the better for that for sometimes we carry our sicknesse so hidden that our selues know nothing till we be in extremity Their discourse had held longer had not the Druyde come to finde them that he might see what was necessary for his purpose He found him well disposed for his body for the disease had spent his fury and came to decline but when hee spake to him hee iudged his spirit distempered though he was not of beleefe that it was for these Nymphs and knowing that the wise Physician ought alwaies to apply his remedy to the euill that is ready to offer violence hee resolued to begin his cure on Galathee And on this designe desirous at once to be certified of the will of Celadon at night when al the Nymphs were gone he tooke heed that Meril might not bee by hauing shut the doore hee spake in this sort I thinke Celadon your astonishment is not small to see your selfe suddenly raysed to so good a fortune as that you now possesse for I assure my selfe it is beyond your hope that being borne as you are a shepheard and bred in the villages you now see your selfe cherished of the Nymphs made much of and serued I will not say of Ladyes that haue beene vsed to be commanded but by her that absolutely commands ouer this Countrey A fortune indeede which the greatest haue desired but whereto none could attaine but your selfe for which you are to praise the gods and giue them thanks that they may continue it to you Adamas talked thus to him that he might draw him to tell the truth of his affection thinking that by this meanes making shew to approue it he should make him best discouer it Whom the shepheard answered with a great sigh Father if this be a good fortune then must my taste bee distempered for I neuer felt more bitter Wormewood than that which this fortune that you call good hath made me taste since I came to bee in the state wherein you see me And how added the Druyde the better to couer his craft is it possible you should haue so small knowledge of your good that you see not to what greatnesse this aduenture hath raysed you Alas answered Celadon it is that which threatens a greater fall Why doe you feare said Adamas that this good lucke will not last I feare answered the shepheard it will last longer then I desire But wherefore is it that
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
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
rather his owne destruction then to see himselfe so much obliged made some difficultie But Melandre came toward him and told him in his care Lidias be gone trouble not your selfe for me I haue a meane to get out of prison very easily when I will and if you will doe any thing for me I pray you goe serue Meroue and particularly Clidaman who is the cause that you are at liberty and tell him that it is for my sake that you came to him And is it possible said Lidias that I should goe before I know who you are I am answered she the sad Knight and this shall suffice till you haue better opportunitie to know more So went Lidias away with a resolution to serue the King of the Franks since hee to whom hee twice ought his life would haue it so But in the meane time Lipandas expressely commaunded that Melandre should be well guarded and put her into a Denne with yrons on her hands and feet resoluing to let her lye there till shee dyed through miserie Iudge in what case this young maid was and what complaints she might make against Loue Her food was vile and her lodging fearefull and all other discommodities great that if her affection had not supported these things it is impossible but shee must haue dyed But in the meane time the rumor spred throughout all Normandy that Lidias by the meanes of his friend was deliuered from the prison at Callais and that he was gone to serue the King Meroue this was the cause that his banishment was renewed and he declared Traytor to his Countrey Yet hee forbare not to come to the Campe of the Franks where searching for the Tent of Clidaman it was shewed him As soone as he saw it and that Lindamor and Guymantes spyed him they ran to embrace him but with such affection and such courtesie that he was astonied for they all tooke him for Ligdamon that a little before was lost in the battaile which they had against the Normans whom he so much resembled that all they that knew Ligdamon were deceiued In the end being knowne to be Lidias the friend of Melandre he led him to Meroue where in the presence of them all Lidias discoursed to the King the story of his prison as you haue heard and the courtesie which he had twice receiued of that vnknowne Knight and at last the commaundement which hee gaue him to come and serue him and particularly Clidaman Then Clidaman after the King had entertained him and thanked him for his loue said Is it possible Lidias you know not him that fought and is in prison for you No truely sayd he Behold sayde hee the strangest mistaking that I euer heard spoken of haue you euer seene one resemble him Not as I remember sayd Lidias all astonished Then will I tell the king sayd Clidaman an history the most worthy of compassion that euer loue wrought And thereupon hee began the discourse which Lidias had told that he went into great Brittaine of the contents he found there whereto he adioyned very discreetly the loue of Melandre of the promises he made of the carrying her into Normandie with him if he were constrained to goe of his flight and lastly of his imprisonment at Callais The poore Lidias was so astonished to heare such particularities of his life that he knew not what to thinke But when Clidaman repeated to him the resolution of Melandre to set on her voyage and her attiring her selfe like a man to giue his friends knowledge of it and after to arme and enter in close field against Lipandas and the fortunes of the two combats there was not one of the hearers that was not rauished and much more when he ended all that which I haue tolde you O Gods cryed out Lidias is it possible that mine eyes haue beene so blinded what is there for mee to doe to free my selfe of this obligation There is nothing more sayde Clydaman then to hazard for her that which she hath preserued in you That added Lidias with a deepe sigh me thinks it is but a small thing if the intire affection which she beares me be accompanyed with mine owne In the meane time that they had this discourse they which heard Clidaman said that this maid alone deserued to haue this great Army to assaile Callais In truth sayde Meroue I will neglect all other things rather then not get the libertie to a Lady so vertuous and wee know not how our armes may bee better employed then in such seruice The euening being come Lidias goeth to Clidaman and discouers to him that hee had an infallible enterprise on Callais which hee had noted during the time hee was prisoner that if they would giue him souldiers without doubt he would put them into the towne This aduice being reported to Meroue it was found so good that he resolued to send him So there were giuen him fiue hundred archers conducted by two hundred men at armes to execute this enterprise The conclusion was for I cannot tell you all the businesse Callais was taken Lipandas prisoner and Melandre freed out of captiuitie But I know not how nor why hardly was the tumult of the taken town ceased but it was noted that Lidias and Melandre were gone so that since is vnknowne what is become of them Now during all these things the poore Ligdamon hath been more tormented for Lidias then may well be told for being prisoner in the hands of the Normans he was taken for Lidias and as soone condemned to death Clidaman so wrought that Meroue sent them two Heralds at Armes to let them know how they deceiued themselues but the assurance which Lipandas had newly giuen them made them passe it ouer without giuing credit to Meroue So behold Ligdamon put into the Cage of the Lyons where it is said hee did more then a man might doe but without doubt he had dyed had it not been that a very faire Lady had demaunded him for Husband The custome which permits it to be so saued him for that time but shortly after hee dyed for louing Siluy with such an affection that it would not suffer him to marry any other then her hee rather made choise of a Tombe then that faire Dame so that when they would marry him he poysoned himselfe and she that beleeued it was indeed Lidias who heretofore had loued her so dearely poysoned her selfe also with the same potion So is the poore Ligdamon dead with such lamentation of euery one that there is none among his enemies but bewayles him But that is a gracious reuenge wherewith Loue hath punished the cruell Lipandas for calling to his remembrance the vertue the beautie and the affection of Melandre he is become so farre in loue with her that poore as hee is hee takes no consolation but in speaking of her My sonne sends me word that he doth what he can to get him out of prison and that he hopes to obtaine it
worlds â—â—crâ—ts tâ—â—s shepheard was seruant to Astrea and that which hindred them from marriage was the hatred of their parents And how sayde they replâ—ed Celadon was this shepheard lost They tell it sayd he in diuers soâ—ts some in speaking after their opinion others according to apparances and others after the report of some and so it is told diuersly for my part I came into that coast the same day that he was lost and I remembred I saw euery one so disquieted with that accident that there was no man that could giue me a good account At last and that is the more common opinion because Phillis Astrea and Licidas themselues told it so being layd to sleepe on the riuers banke he must needs fall in and indeede the faire Astrea did the like but her cloathes saued her Celadon then iudged that they three had wisely found this inuention lest they might giue occasion to many to speake some euill of it and was well pleased for hee had alwayes feare that they would suspect somewhat to the disgrace of Astrea and therefore holding on his demands But sayd he what thinke they is become of him That he is dead answered the desolate shepheard and assure your selfe that Astrea carries howsoeuer she dissemble such a loade of griefe that it is incredible how much they say she is changed Yet as it is if Diana be not a let shee is the fayrest of all those that euer I saw my deare Cleon excepted but those three may goe ioyntly Euery other man added Celadon will say as much of his mistresse for Loue hath this property not to shut vp the eyes as some beleeue but to change the eyes of them that loue into the loue it selfe and for that there were neuer soule loues neuer shall a louer finde his mistresse foule That answered the shepheard would haue serued well if I had loued Astrea and Diana but being not capable of it I am a iudge without exception And you that doubt of the beautie of these two shepheardesses are you a stranger or doth hatred make you commit an error so contrary to that which you say proceeds from loue I am neither of them sayd Celadon but indeede the most miserable and most afflicted shepheard in the world That wil I neuer yeeld to vnlesse you put me out of the number for if your euill come from any other thing then loue your stripes are not so grieuous as mine for that the hart being the most sensible part we haue we feel more to the quick the offences of it But if your euill proceede of loue yet must it giue place to mine since of all the euils of loue there is none like to that which hath no hope hauing heard say long agoe where hope may onely licke the sore it is not ouer grieuous Now this hope may mingle it selfe in all those accidents of loue be it disdaine be it anger bee it iealousie be it absence except where death takes place For that pale goddes with her fatall hand cuts off hope at one blow when the thred of life is broken But I more miserable then all others most miserable I go bewayling an euill without remedy and without hope Celadon then answered him with a great sigh Shepheard how are you deceiued in your opinion I will confesse that the greatest euils are those of loue thereof I am too faithfull a witnesse but to say that they that are without hope are the most grieuous so farre is it that they meriâ—e not to be felt at all for it is an act of folly to be waile a thing that cannot be remedied And loue what is it answered hee but a purefolly I will not replyed Celadon enter now into that discourse because I would finish the former But tell me bewayle you this death for loue or no It is answered he for loue Now what is this loue fayd Celadon but as I haue heard it sayd of Siluander and the most vnderstanding of our shepheards but a desire of the beautie which we finde to be such It is true sayd the stranger But replyed Celadon is this a thing in a man reasonable to desire a thing he cannot haue No certainly sayd hee Now you may see sayd Celadon how the death of Cleon ought to bee the remedy of your euills for since you confesse that desire ought not to be where hope cannot reach and that loue is nothing but desire death which by that which you say depriues you of all hope should by consequent put from you all desire and desire dying it should draw away loue into same coffin and hauing no more of loue since the euill you complained of is fallen I know not how you can feele it The desolate shepheard answered Be it loue or hatred so it is that it is truer then I can tell you that my euill is most extreme And for that Celadon would haue replyed hee that could not abide to be contradicted in that opinion thinking that if hee endured to heare the contrary reasons he should offend the ashes of Cleon saide shepheard that which is vnder â—ence is more certaine then that which is in opinion therefore all the reasons which you alledge are to giue place to that I feele And thereupon commends him to Pan and takes another way and Celadon likewise passeth ouer the riuer and because solitude hath this propertie to represent most liuely either ioy or sadnesse being alone he beganne to be so handled for the time by his fortune and loue that he had no cause of torment in him which was not before his eyes He was exempted onely of iealousie yet with such sorrowes that if that monster had taken hold on him I know not what armieâ— had beene able to haue faued him In these sad thoughts holding on his pace hee found the bridge ouer which being passed hee went against the riuer not knowing which way to take for in any case hee would obey the commandement of Astrea who had forbid him to come in her sight vntill she bad him At last being come neare Boulieu inhabited by the vestals hee was as surprised with shame for comming so neare vnwares from whence his resolution commanded him to go and minding to turne he thrust into a wood so large and in some paâ—t so fennie that hâ— could hardly get out this constrained him to draw nearer the riuer for the grauell was lesse trouble some to him then the mudde By fortune being weary of the long way he went about seeking a place wherein he might rest attending till the night might giue him leaue to withdraw himselfe without meeting of any body purposing to go so far where they might neuer heare news of him he cast his eye on a caue which on the side of the entry was washed by the riuer and on the other side was halfe couered with some trees and bushes which by their thicknesse tooke the sight of him from them that passed along that way and