Fortune brought me to Dardancas seruice whose beautie and golden vertues are the woonder of our age When Disteus had read the letter softly to himself for he would not read it aloud before he had viewed the contents of it he said to Anfilardus I would haue read this letter vnto thee Anfilardus if I had thought it would haue made thee glad or sorrie and also bicause it is so obscurely written that I can scarce vnderstand one clause thereof The contents of it perswade me not to be carefull nor trouble my wits by inquiring out the cause of her departure vntill time doth manifest it when as then she saieth she shall be as free from fault as I from complaint With this also she writes me that she is content with Dardaneas seruice for proofe whereof she extols her highly with onely two wordes saying That she is the woonder of our age She that is of such excellent beautie saide Anfilardus enchased with all precious gems of vertue deserues no lesse assuring you Sir that Palna if with so much truth she iustifies that which she hath done as she hath reason for that she hath spoken may be blameles and excused to all the worlde wherein I must needes say she hath beene wise hauing no good discharge and excuse of her fault by putting you in a doubtfull loue and hope of a thing you knowe not to the ende that in the meane while you might forget and ouerpasse your anger by such thoughts and that she might not neede heereafter to excuse her-selfe I told thee not long since saide Disteus that though I feele Palnas absence very neere yet I must dissemble it with thee by meanes whereof happe good or ill I will still shewe one semblant prouided that I know the cause of it for indeed I could neuer perswade my selfe that this was no more but a dreame since I had euer so great confidence in her loue and fidelitie Whereupon I thinke some iust cause must needes mooue her to doe it for my behoofe and benefit as she writes vnto me which though it were not so I will not Anfilardus otherwise conceiue nor imagine In that which toucheth the fauour you do me said Anfilardus by imparting to me the contents of the letter I am bound to kisse your handes And in the rest as in this you shew my Lord your selfe what you are and maintaine the title of your noble minde In these and like speeches they spent a pretie time though Disteus sometimes altered his talke asking him of Dardaneas qualities beautie and wit for he tooke a great delight to heare that so many good parts in so high a degree were iointly found in one woman which Anfilardus did so brauely set forth as one that knew them well and to whom he was so much bound that the eloquence of the golden mouthed Lord of Ithaca had beene needlesse there All which was to cast an amorous and secret powder into Disteus foule that he might thereafter haue been set on fire On the other side mine Aunt Palna with great respect of dutie and discretion discoursed sometimes vnto Dardanea but with far fet circumstances of Disteus his honorable disposition and noble vertues which she so wisely insinuated as if she meant nothing lesse then to praise him Disteus now gaue leaue to his imaginations to be only imploied in Dardaneas beauty so that he loued melancholy sadnes abandoned al sports publick places He now delighted only in solitarines not only the company of strangers but of his own friends serūats was troublesom vnto him who neuer suspected that any amorous thought had so forcibly raigned in him but rather attributed this alteratiō to the greef that he had for Palnas absēce which if they had not beleeued they wuld not haue left to aske him the cause therof though it had bin but in vaine when he himself did scarce know it Disteus spent som daies in these considerations wherein his fansies being not meanly occupied he vsed these words O God how needlesse is it for thee my mother to tell me what reason thou hadst to leaue me for this excellent Ladie O ten times art thou happie that hast before thee as often as thou wilt the cleerest mirrour of our times Onely heerem from this day foorth I will not cease to blame thee for leauing me so late if any fit occasion had beene offered thee to defend thee with the shield of Dardaneas bountie and beautie for both which all mortall men are bound to serue and obey her Thou hast soone performed thy word that at length I should see thy iust cause Pardon therefore good mother my errour by reproouing thee although the same if thou dost marke it well was not my fault but the great loue that I did euer beare thee But wretch that I am what haue I done by not answering thy wise and louing letter and thrise vnhappy mee if thy nephew returned the sharpe answere from the venemous mouth of thy vnwoorthy sonne Ah then thou shalt haue more reason to detest the vnfruitfull milke thou gauest him then he had to condemne thee for thy iust departure and with greater cause to curse the vngratefull nouriture that thou hast bestowed on him then he hath now to blame thy forced absence O Disteus inconsiderate youth how rash wert thou in answering Palna thy graue and wise mother and how ill hast thou deserued to aduantage thy selfe by her gentlenes and helpe And thus thinking he had done a hainous offence by not answering her in haste he called for inke and paper and going about to write he was a good while in suspence and knew not how to begin for faine he would haue shewed her how willing he was not onely to forgiue her but also to haue craued pardon of her both which he durst not doe neither was it wisedome before Palna had cleerely made her iustification And therefore he wrote in such sort that my Aunt might take no offence thereat and did what became him the tenour whereof was this Disteus his letter to Palna BIcause thou maist haue no defence whereby thou maist not be bound to shew that innocencie which thou saiest thou hast and maist also vnderstand how I haue better plaied the part of an humble sonne then thou of a louing mother I haue strained my selfe to take pen in hand to answere thee By and by after I had read thy letter I would haue setled my selfe to this taske wherein I had so many contraries of I and no that not knowing what to determine or to which of both to adhere I haue till now suspended it If the loue I beare thee did sollicite me to do it the anger thou gauest me did forbid it If the faith which euer thou foundest in me did admonish me thereof the disloyaltie that then I sawe in thee did disswade me from it If my good minde towards thee did force an I thy impietie to me did forge a No. So
and I carrie it alwaies about me bicause I like it well And heere it is But will you heare me reade it vnto you or reade it your selfe Thou hast wisely asked me this question said Lord Felix for of this point I haue seene diuers good conceites and from whence the cause proceedes I knowe not but let it goe For of conceites and opinions they say there is no disputing But I take more pleasure to reade it my selfe to stay and studie vpon that which likes me best and to vnderstand it the better Read it therefore aloude said Placindus that euerie one may vnderstand it and that I may tell you when you must leaue I read it said Lord Felix and therefore giue attentiue eare for thus it saith It fitteth not my song To deigne to answer with direction Men of such wit and small perfection That offer her such wrong For Fortune doth onely to those belong That haue the vse of reason and election For declaration whereof we must presuppose the learning and opinions of the Peripatetickes That Fortune is an accidentall cause which doth seldome happen and comes onely to them that worke by election ordained to some end It woulde be too long a labour to expound euery particular part heereof and tell how it is vnderstood and if it be distinguished from the fower causes which the Philosophers doe assigne and if it be not distinguished bicause then there should be fiue to which of the fower it is reduced and what difference there is betweene Chaunce Fortune and Fate and many other things touching this subiect But to fulfill our purpose it sufficeth to vnderstand That if one did dig or turne vp the ground to sowe or burie some thing and digging did finde some treasure this digging should be termed Fortunate which was the cause of finding the treasure And it is called the Accidentall cause bicause that digging was not ordained to finde treasure but to burie a dead thing For if it had beene knowne that it was there and he had digged to that end it could not be termed Fortune It came to one that vsed election for it lay in his choice to digge which he might haue left vndone if he would considering besides howe finding of treasure doth seldome happen It must be called good Fortune if the effect be good as finding of treasure ill if the effect be naught as when he found treasure he found a viper that bit him It may be called great if the effect be great little if the effect be little Whereupon it may begathered for our purpose or intent for they vse all in one signification for this present disputation that it may be called Fortune So that in fooles and children that haue no reason there is no Fortune Whereupon you shall vnderstand that if the stone whereof they make the aulters or the woode whereof they make the statues of the Gods they poetically call Fortunate it is by a figure called Metaphora or likenes that those stones and woode hath in respect of others with fortunate men and those which are not But there is one thing to be noted that insensible things participate of Fortune passiuely as obiects by meanes whereof men are fortunate Giue it me againe said Placindus to Lord Felix for you go too far that which is read is sufficient for the vnderstanding of the foresaid verses Truely said Parisiles it is learnedly handled and I thinke that the point which Lord Felix desired to know is sufficiently vnderstoode and that he cleerely shewed it by that which he read considering the obscuritie of the matter I am satisfied said Lord Felix but I should take great pleasure if now the sence of the verse taken with the intent were quadrant to my minde I am content said Placindus to tell it Hauing said in the beginning if you remember that whosoeuer speaketh ill of Fortune was a foole answering to his reasons he prooues himselfe to haue no reason whereupon that it is inferred in that staffe which you aske that since they haue no reason at that time when one entreates of Fortune it is not meete to talke with them nor they to meddle with things of Fortune Since Fortune onely commeth to him that hath reason Nowe that I am resolued said Lord Felix returne to your Historie againe You made an end in telling how Beldanisus had interrupted the musicke leauing his brother and cosens in the reregard I brake it off at this worde Distcus that now And since I interrupted your continued discourse it is reason that I helpe you to knit it and reduce you to it againe Well then from that place I will begin said Placindus Disteus that now had come somewhat neere desirous to taste of that dainty musicke euen then when he saw violent hands laid on Sagastes although he hated him mortally yet to do his Lady Dardanea seruice he ranne in and stept betweene Eeldanisus and Sagastes for he had now also drawne his sword saying Keepe out Lord Sagastes and receiue this small peece of seruice for my Mistres Dardanea your sisters sake Beldanisus was so wroth to see Sagastes taken away that like an angrie Beare despoiled of her yoong ones with enraged furie he ran vpon Disteus to wreake his anger wholly vpon him and thinking he had beene but of small courage and partly incensed with violent despite and choler without any feare he ranne within him and lifting vp his sworde with all his strength did manfully discharge it vpon him But Disteus like a stout and couragious Gentleman knowing it was no time to dally when he sawe such a furious blowe comming before it was discharged by closing with him tooke it vpon his buckler wherewith he thumped him so strongly on the brest that he felled him to the ground where hauing knocked his head by the terrible fall he lay senceles for a space and was not able to rise vp againe Sagastes and his page would haue come in to helpe Disteus but that Beldanisus brother and his cosens seeing swordes drawne in Sagastes fauour two of them fell vpon Disteus thinking it had beene Sagastes with intent to haue made but a short peece of worke of it bicause they could not stay long about that busines for so the fower had concluded betweene them and the other two fell vpon Sagastes and his page whom they thought to be Sagastes men But it fell out cleane contrarie and in vaine came they in so soone for Disteus had now smitten Beldanisus to the grounde where his brother seeing him lie without a worde thought verily that he was slaine Wherefore determining either to die or to reuenge his death with one of his cosens he assailed Disteus who without any signe of feare or cowardise manfully receiued them both But yet he sawe him selfe narrowly beset bicause they were both hardy youths besides that the wrath and desire of reuenge to see Beldanisus on the ground made them desperate But they were not able to
greefe may any comfort giue Loue vnto feare subiected euer driue A soule to coldest ice O bitter woe That he whom Fortune did contrarie so Continually with iealousie must liue The fault I must Montanus lay on thee And all my greefe on thee I doe complaine O cruell soule that pitie dost disdaine For if thou hadst but taken part with mee I would not care though gainst me did conspire Heauen Earth and Loue and Fortune in their ire After that the Shepherdesse had sweetely sung enlarging the raines of her bitter and dolefull complaint she powred out such abundance of teares and gaue so many sighes that by them and by the wordes she spake they knew that a cruell deceit of her iealous husband was the cause of all her greefe But bicause they would know better what she was and the cause of her passion they went to the place where she was and found her sitting al alone in the shadowe which the thicke boughes made on euerie side vpon the fine and greene grasse neere to a little spring which rising out of the foote of an oke ranne by diuers waies thorow that little woode They curteously saluted her and she although it greeued her that they had interrupted her lamentation yet iudging by their countenances that they were Shepherds of good regard was not greatly discontented at their comming hoping to haue had the fruition of their good company therefore said vnto them To my remēbrance faire Shepherd and Shepherdesse I neuer receiued so great contenment that might be compared with this in seeing you now since the time that I was vniustlie forsaken of my cruell husband which is so great that though continuall greefe compels me to ceaselesse plaints yet will I make a pause of them a little while to enioy your peaceable and discreete companie To this Marcelius answered I praie God I may neuer see my torments cease if that it greeues me not to see thine and the same maiest thou also beleeue of faire Diana whom thou seest in my companie The Shepherdesse hearing Dianas name running vnto her did with the greatest gladnes that might be embrace her shewing a thousand louing signes and making the most on her in the world bicause she was desirous long since to knowe her for the great report that she heard of her wisedome and beautie Diana maruelling to see herselfe so entreated by a Shepherdesse whom she knewe not requited her yet with like curtesies againe and desiring to know who she was saide vnto her The great fauours that thou hast done me and the pittie which I take of thy complaints make me desirous to know what thou art wherefore tell vs faire Shepherdesse thy name and discourse vnto vs the cause of thy greefe bicause that after thou hast tolde it thou shalt see how our harts will helpe thee to passe it away and our eies readie to bewaile it The Shepherdesse then with a gracious speech began to excuse herselfe from telling the substance of her owne fall yet vrged in the ende by their importunate requestes she sat downe againe vpon the grasse and began thus to saie By the report of Seluagia that was borne in my towne and in thine too faire Diana which is now married to the Shepherd Syluanus thou hast beene told I thinke of the vnfortunate name of Ismenia that is now beginning to tell her sorrowfull tale And I thinke that she tolde thee at large when she was in thy towne howe against my will I deceiued her in the Temple of Minerua in the kingdome of Portugall and how by my owne deceite I was ouertaken then perhaps she hath also tolde thee how I fained to loue Montanus her mortall enimie to be reuenged of Alanius who for the loue that he did beare her forgot me quite and how this fained loue with the riper knowledge of his vertues and accomplishments fel out at last so true that by means of it I suffer this intolerable sorrow greefe which euen now I complained of Therefore passing on farther in the history of my life thou shalt vnderstand that when Filenus father to Montanus came sometimes to my fathers house about certaine of his affaires and bargaines that he had with him for flockes of sheepe and had espied me on a time although somewhat aged yet he was so extreemely enamoured of me that he became almost out of his wits A thousand times a daie he wooed me and euery hower reckoned vp to me his greefes but all in vaine for I would neither harken vnto him nor regard his wordes Yet bicause he was a man of more sufficiencie and of fewer yeeres then many other in his case I did not altogither forget him and the rather for his sonne Montanus sake whose loue had made me now his captiue before The old man knew not of the loue that Montanus did beare me for he was alwaies so carefull and dutifull a son and so discreetly handled the matter that the father had not any notice thereof fearing mightilie if it had beene knowne his fathers displeasure and that with bitter and angrie wordes he might haue iustly corrected him for it And as wisely did the father conceale from his sonne Montanus his owne follie for the better to chastise and amend what he thought amisse in his sonne he was very vigilant not to discouer his owne and greater faults Although for all this he neuer ceased with continuall suites to sollicite my loue importuned me to take him for my husband He discoursed to me a thousand odde matters and made me as many great offers he promised me many costly garments rich iewels and sent mee many letters thinking by those meanes if not to ouercome me at least to mollifie my hard refusals He was a Shepherd in his flourishing age no lesse commended for al youthful sports then cunning in all pastorall exercises one that could tell a smooth tale and with great wisedome and discretion bring his purpose to good effect And bicause you may the better beleeue me I will rehearse vnto you a letter that once he wrote vnto me the which although it altered my minde nothing yet it greatly contented me and thus it said Filenus letter to Ismenia FAire Shepherdesse The cause was Loue Who to acquaint thee with his paine This fault and blame in me did moue To write to thee But to be plaine Who would not be both shent and blamed In thy sweete loues to be inflamed But if my letter doe offend Thy modest eares as to too bold Then vnderstand that in the end The feare I haue to be controld My soule with paine and greefe hath fild And hath the same already kild I haue to thee ten thousand times My torments told wherein I liue Sometimes by speech sometimes by rimes Which first to me thy selfe didst giue The which no more thou dost requite Then mocke vnto thy great delighte With open mouth thou laugh'st at mee And makest it thine onely game To see me
a delightfull and coole shadow defending them from the heat of the radiant sunne which was with some heate mounted vp the Hemispheare Whilest Marcelius Don Felix Felismena Syluanus and the Shepherds were talking togither of these matters at the other end of the garden neere vnto the fountaine as it is saide before were Eugerius Polydorus Alcida and Clenarda Alcida had that day left of her pastorall weedes as Felicia had commanded and was now apparelled and adorned very richly with costly garments and iewels that she willed shoulde be giuen her But as Syrenus was also there Montanus Arsileus and Belisa singing and sporting togither they maruell ouslie delighted Eugerius and his sonne and daughters that were harkening to them And that which did most of all please them was a song which Syrenus and Arsileus did sing one against another in dispraise and fauour of Cupid For they sung with an earnest will and desire in hope of a braue christall cup which Eugerius had promised for a reward and prize to him that did sing best And so Syrenus to the sound of his Rebecke and Arsileus to the tune of his rurall Baggepipe began to sing in maner following Syrenus OEies that are not now as once tormented When first my star enueagled and disguis'd you O ioyfull thoughts and quiet minde absented O carelesse hart now will I once aduise you That since you made Diana discontented To see loue thinke on you let this suffice you That I doe hold your counsell best of many In vaine to see nor loue nor thinke of any Arsileus O eies that haue to greater light attained Looking vpon that sunne your onely treasure O toyfull thoughts in thousand ioies distrained O happy hart the seate of secret pleasure Although Belisa would haue once disdained To see to loue or thinke on me at leisure Yet hold I this a heauen as like was neuer To see to loue and thinke on her for euer Syrenus would haue replyed to Arsileus answer if he had not beene interrupted by Eugerius who said Since you must iolly Shepherds receiue your reward at my hands it is good reason that you sing in such sort as may best content me Sing thou Syrenus first those verses which thy muse shall dictate vnto thee and then thou Arsileus shalt sing as many againe or those which thou shalt best thinke good of It pleaseth vs well said they and then Syrenus began thus Syrenus LEt now the goodly spring tide make vs merie And fieldes which pleasant flowers do adorne And vales meades woods with liuely colours flourish Let plentious flockes the Shepherds riches nourish Let hungrie woolues by dogs to death be torne And lambes reioice with passed winter wearie Let euery riuers ferrie In waters flowe and siluer streames abounding And fortune ceaslesse wounding Turne now thy face so cruell and vnstable Be firme and fauourable And thou that kill'st our soules with thy pretenses Molest not wicked loue my inward senses Let countrie plainnes liue in ioies not ended In quiet of the desart meades and mountaines And in the pleasure of a countrie dwelling Let Shepherds rest that haue distilled fountaines Of teares prooue not thy wrath all paines excelling Vpon poore soules that neuer haue offended Let thy flames be incended In hautie courtes in those that swim in treasure And liue in ease and pleasure And that a sweetest scorne my woonted sadnes A perfect rest and gladnes And hils and dales may giue me with offences Molest not wicked loue my inward senses In what law find'st thou that the freest reason And wit vnto thy chaines should be subiected And harmelesse soules vnto thy cruell murder O wicked loue the wretch that flieth furder From thy extremes thou plagu'st O false suspected And carelesse boy that thus thy sweetes dost season O vile and wicked treason Might not thy might suffice thee but thy fuell Of force must be so cruell To be a Lord yet like a Tyrant minded Vaine boy with errour blinded Why dost thou hurt his life with thy offences That yeelds to thee his soule and inward senses He erres alas and fowly is deceiued That cals thee God being a burning fire A furious flame a playning greefe and clamorous And Venus sonne that in the earth was amorous Gentle and milde and full of sweete desire Who calleth him is of his wits bereaued And yet that she conceaued By proofe so vile a sonne and so vnruly I say and yet say truly That in the cause of harmes that they haue framed Both iustly may be blamed She that did breede him with such vile pretenses He that doth hurt so much our inward senses The gentle sheepe and lambes are euer flying The rauening woolues and beastes that are pretending To glut their mawes with flesh they teare asunder The milke white doues at noise of fearefull thunder Flie home amaine themselues from harme defending The little chicke when puttocks are a crying The woods and meadowes dying For raine of heauen if that they cannot haue it Doe neuer cease to craue it So euery thing his contrarie resisteth Onely thy thrall persisteth In suffring of thy wrongs without defences And lets thee spoile his hart and inward senses A publike passion natures lawes restraining And which with wordes can neuer be declared A soule twixt loue and feare and desperation And endlesse plaint that shuns all consolation A spendlesse flame that neuer is impaired A friendlesse death yet life in death maintaining A passion that is gaining On him that loueth well and is absented Whereby it is augmented Aiealousie a burning greefe and sorrow These fauours louers borrow Of thee fell Loue these be thy recompences Consuming still their soule and inward-senses Arsileus after that Syrenus had ended his song began to tune his Bagpipe and after he had played a little while vpon it answering euerie staffe of his Competitor in order he sung as followeth Arsileus O Let that time a thousand monthes endure Which brings from heauen the sweete and siluer showres And ioies the earth of comforts late depriued With grasse and leaues fine buds and painted flowres Eccho returne vnto the woods obscure Ring foorth the Shepherds songs in loue contriued Let olde loues be reuiued Which angrie winter buried hath of late And that in such a state My soule may haue the full accomplishment Of ioy and sweete content And since fierce paines and greefes thou dost controule Good loue doe not forsake my inward soule Presume not Shepherds once to make you mery With springs and flowres or any pleasant song Vnlesse milde loue possesse your amorous brestes If you sing not to him your songs doe werie Crowne him with flowres or else ye doe him wrong And consecrate your springs to his behestes I to my Shepherdesse My happie loues with great content doe sing And flowres to her doe bring And sitting neere her by the riuer side Enioy the braue springtide Since then thy ioies such sweetnesse doe enroule Good loue doe not forsake my inward
disprooues And can as lesse diminish our estates Since they themselues haue writ as ill of men Beleeue not then their lying toongs and pen. Yet this doth cause some small and little change And alteration in our great desarts For they must needes and sure it is not strange Considering their vile malicious harts In what soeuer they doe write or say To speake the woorst of women that they may But yet among these Authors thou shalt finde Most famous women and most excellent Peruse their works but with indifferent minde And thou shalt see what numbers they present Of good and honest Dames before thine eies Of louing faithfull holy chaste and wise They doe adorne the world with goodly graces And with their vertues giue it golden light The shining beautie of their sweetest faces Doth fill each hart and eie with great delight They bring all comforts gladnes peace and ioy And driue away all sorrowes and annoy By them false men of bad and wicked mindes You get great honour glorie and renowne And for their sakes inuenting sundry kindes Of verses get sometimes the Laurell crowne And for their loue in Martiall feates againe To golden praise and fame you doe attaine You therefore that imploy your wits and time In searching out the course of others liues If that you finde some woman toucht with crime Amongst so many widowes maides and wiues Condemne not all for one poore soules offence But rather hold your iudgements in suspence And if so many Dames so chaste and faire Cannot subdue your proud and hautie harts Behold but one whose vertues are so rare To whom the heauens so many goods imparts That onely she possesseth in her brest As many giftes nay more then all the rest The brauest men and most heroicall And those that are most perfect in conceate I see this Lady far excell them all With her diuine perfections and so great Which Orpheus did sing vpon a day As on his harpe most sweetely he did play Saying That in that happy land where white And chalkie cliffes are steept in Brittish seas A morning star should rise exceeding bright Whose birth will siluer Cynthia much displease In that her golden light and beauties gleames Shall far surpasse her brothers borrowed beames And such a Lady shall she be indeede That she shall ioy each hart with happy chaunce Her woorthy house wherein she shall succeede With titles of great praise she shall aduaunce And make the same more glorious and more knowne Then euer did the Affrican his owne Make triumphes then for birth of such a dame And let each hart be glad that hath beene sorie Retoice Meridian springs from whence she came You linage her she honours you with glorie Her name from East to West from North to South Is well esteem'd and knowne in euery mouth Come then you Nymphes resigne to her your powers Faire Nymphes that follow Cynthia in her chace Come waite on her and strowe the ground with flowers And sing in honour of her matchlesse grace And Muses nine that dwell in mount Parnasse Let verse nor song without her praises passe Thou dar'st not Rome in seeing her presume With Brutus stately Iland to compare But sooner wilt thy selfe with greefe consume To see how far she doth excell those faire Ladies of Rome renowned in their daies In cuery thing wherein they got most praise In bountie Porcia she shall much exceede In wisedome passe Cornelia Pompeies wife In honour Liuia so haue her stars decreed And chaste Sulpitia in modestie of life Her beautie and the vertues in her brest Eugeria staines and conquers all the rest This is the Thought that honours my desire This is my Parnasse and Aonian spring This is the Muse that giues me holy fire This is the Phoenix with her golden wing This is the star and power of such might That giues me glorie spirit plume and light Petrarke had left his Laura all alone Folchet Aldagias praise with loftie stile Guilliaum the Countesse of Rossiglion Raymbald his Lady Morie Verdefueille To grace his verse he would be sides refuse The Countesse of Vrgiel for his Muse Anacreon Euripile defied And Americ Gentile Gascoignes light Raymbald the Lordof Vacchieres denied Of Monferrato Beatrice to delight With sweetest verse to win her noble grace Sister vnto the Marquis Boniface Arnoldo Daniel had as much repented Bouilles praise his Lady long agon Bernard had neuer with his verse contented The faire Vicountesse of Ventideon Though these were Dames of beautie and renowne Gracing each Poet with a Laurell crowne If they had seene this Lady in their time Who all their giftes and beauties doth possesse They had strain'd foorth inuention verse and rime To celebrate so high a Patronesse On her their thoughts and pens they had imployed Happy so rare a Muse to haue enioyed This did Orpheus sing with sweetest verse And Eccho answered to his siluer voice And euery time he did the same rehearse The land and sea did presently reioice To heare the ioyfull newes of such an one By whom their honour should be so much knowne Now then from this day foorth and euermore Let wicked men their false opinions leaue And though there were not as there is such store Of woorthy Dames as vainly they conceiue This onely one with honour shall recall And amplifie the glorte of vs all The praise and defence of women and the braue grace and sweet note wherewith Belisa sung it pleased and delighted them all passing well Wherefore Don Felix acknowledging himselfe ouercommed Belisa was well content and Arsileus her husband not a little proude All the men there consessed all to be true that was said in the song and sung in the fauour of women and all that to be false that was said and sung in the dispraise and disgrace of men and especially those verses which inluriously inuayed against their falshood deceits and dislembled paines in loue with affirmation rather of their firmer faith and truer torments then they outwardly expressed That which most of all pleased Arsileus was the answere of Florisia to Melibeus bicause it was no lesse pithie then pleasant and also bicause he had sometimes heard Belisa sing a song vpon that matter which delighted him very much Wherefore he praied her to reioice so noble and merie companie as that was by singing it once againe Who bicause she could not denie her deere Arsileus although she was somewhat wearie with her last song to the same tune did sing it and this it was POore Melibee of loue and hope forgot Told to Florisia greefes that he hadpast She answered him I vnderstand thee not And lesse beleeue thee Shepherd what thou saiest He saith Mypeerelesse Shepherdesse Behold the paine wherewith I die Which I endure with willingnesse And seeke that greefe which I would flie My hot desires doe burne and die I wot Hope is my life but feare the same doth waste She answered him I vnderstand thee not And lesse beleeue thee Shepherd