answere this I cannot well replie Let it suffice thee that the lest suspect Of any harme thou hast doth make me die And worse then death torments me in effect Deere Lady then I would not haue thee prooue The cruell shaft of angrte Nemesis For first let each infernall power mooue Their plagues against me of eternall Dis. But now I would be glad if thou wouldst tast The sweete and golden flight of Cupids powre Bicause my torments which are gone and past Pitie thou might'st and those I feele this howre For if thou knew'st my paines and pitious case With pitie and teares thou wouldst my life deplore Not for my merits which are very base But for my loue which well deserueth more Each thing that is created heere so fit An equall hauing in a diuers kinde In such like kinde a paiment doth admit By measuring the debt that is behinde But as fell loue no equall doth containe In such a diuers kinde and different By selfe same thing it paies it selfe againe Loue must be paid with loue of good intent Then since it is most euident and cleere That I doe prize thy loue at such a rate Thou must requite my loue againe so deere If Nemesis ingratitude doth hate But if thou dost not purpose to requite The loue that I haue borne and beare thee still And with like loue to ease my heauie plight And greeuous paines for thy procuring ill My hands of life shall then vndoe the chaine But not of loue by death to ease my death And so requite me when no other meane Is left to make me still enioy this breath For sure if that my life be of this sort My life is death and dying is my life My death is sweete a pleasure ioy and sport Lining in such a world of amorous strife But now I cease my teares fall in such store And painfull soule for greefe can write no more O how wisely hast thou done Martandrus said Lord Felix by warning vs to be attentiue for this letter doth well beseeme the person of a discreete and enamoured Gentleman with what modestie and feare did he write it And how true is that said Danteus which is almost in the end of it That all things in this worlde in a different kind may be paide as grasse with sheepe sheepe with cloth and finally all with money but onely loue the which bicause with no other thing it hath neither equalitie nor proportion cannot but with loue be recompenced againe For touching my selfe I know that though my Shepherdesse Duarda would giue me all that she hath in the world yet she could not pay me that she owes me if she denied me her loue Felismena preuenting Duarda that was about to answere him said Let vs leaue this for this time And as you loue your selfe Sir tell on bicause we may know what this Ladie did with such a letter for I know not what she was able to answere againe but to yeelde her selfe to his loue whereupon I thinke she durst not take in hand to answere so wise reasons Not so Ladie said Martandrus for I assure you that Dardanea is not such an one that the high sence and stile thereof could put her to a non-plus in proofe whereof you shall see it by her answere But bicause we may not discontinue so sweete a discourse I will proceede This letter was of so great effect in Dardaneas tender hart that now in euerie point she perceiued her selfe yeelded to Cupids forces The which her cristalline teares that issued out of her cleere eies did make so manifest that she was vnable to stay them although many times in vaine she laboured the contrarie But as she could not satifie her selfe with reading it once or twise ouer the more she read it the more her loue encreased For knowing Disteus his vertues and valour to bee great and therewithall considering the qualitie of his person and with what milde modestie and discretion he wrote this letter the well conceiued words thereof were so forcible in her minde imprinted that they strangely disposed it to entertaine most louing thoughts of him that wrote them Her kinde and tender hart was no lesse pierced with pitie and compassion when she vnderstoode in what extremities his loue consisted since by the sequell of his letter she perceiued how abruptly he ended whereby he manifested the forcible passion that he had in writing of his paines and sorrowes To all which no meane motiues in her conquered minde this moreouer occurred that he offered to expose himselfe to any danger of death for Sagastes his mortall enemie onely to do her seruice that neuer yet had shewed him the least fauour in the world So that loue assayling her on the one side which till then had not notably signorized in her and her honour and vertuous reputation which she had euer religiously obserued pressing her on the other droue her vsetled thoughts into such suspence and troubled her doubtfull minde that being ignorant what course to take or what remedie to choose out for the best since she would neither offend this could not choose but obey that she was between two contraries so mightily assaulted that to yeelde to one without preiudice to the other shee would in a manner haue lost her deerest life which sorrowfull thoughts hiding in her secret breast and the letters in her amorours bosome she went to her chamber where casting her selfe vpon her bed and lying flatling vpon her pillow thus shee lamented to her selfe O what shall become of thee Dardanea being assailed by two such opposite enimies O heauenly Diana O inuincible Venus How haue you both with your diuine powers seised on my yeelding soule How could you being so great Goddesses make your habitation and seat in so humble a sublect and in so base and little a house as this is And being so contrarie and capitall enimies how haue you determined to your content and my losse to deraigne a hard and mightie battel in such a tender and weake field Why will you execute your vnresisted forces in the feeble breast of a yeelded and captiue woman Faine would I not open the gates Diana whose name I honor to thy cōtrarie but pardon me since I haue not my wonted forces for importunate Venus knowing how strongly this tower of thinc was defended being driuē many times from it hath now emploied all hir force in the enterprise and conquest of it O noble Disteus if thy words be fained which the Gods forbid then is my death certaine But why should I thinke so when as thou are Disteus whose name includes all generous virtues and I Dardanea whose minde such thoughts doth ill beseeme Alas poore Gentleman how vngratefully doth Palna thy nurse requite thy fauours which she confesseth thou hast bountifully bestowed on her since from thy first desire a matter but of small consequence she so bitterly repelled thee by denying to giue me a letter which to her hands
this sort as you haue heard euery one tormented for them who loued them not againe Alanius to the tune of his Fiddle by this dolefull song began to complaine of Ismenias crueltie NO more O cruell Nymph now hast thou prayed Ynough in thy reuenge prooue not thine ire On him that yeeldes the fault is now apayed Vntomy cost now mollifie thy dire Hardnes and brest of thine so much obdured And now raise vp though lately it hath erred A poore repenting soule that in the obscured Darknes of thy obliuion lies enterred For it fals not in that that doth commend thee That such a Swaine as I may once offend thee If that the little sheepe with speede is flying From angrie Shepherd with his wordes affraied And runneth here and there with fearfull crying And with great greefe is from the flocke estraied But when it now perceiues that none doth follow And all alone so far estraying mourneth Knowing what danger it is in with hollow And fainting bleates then fearefull it returneth Vnto the flocke meaning no more to leaue it Should it not be a iust thing to receiue it Lift vp these eies Ismenia which so stately To view me thou hast lifted vp before me That libertie which was mine owne but lately Giue me againe and to the same restore me And that milde hart so full of loue and pittie Which thou didst yeeld to me and euer owe me Behold my Nymph I was not then so witty To knowe that sincere loue that thou didst shew me Now wofull man full well I knowe and rue it Although it was too late before I knew it How could it be my enemie say tell me How thou in greater fault and errour being Then euer I was thought should'st thus repell me And with new league and cruell title seeing Thy faith so pure and woorthy to be changed And what is that Ismenia that doth binde it To loue whereas the same is most estranged And where it is impossible to finde it But pardon me if herein I abuse thee Since that the cause thou gau'st me doth excuse me But tell me now what honour hast thou gained Auenging such a fault by thee committed And thereunto by thy occasion trained What haue I done that I haue not acquitted Or what excesse that is not amply paied Or suffer more that I haue not endured What cruell minde what angry brest displaied With sauage hart to fiercenes so adiured Would not such mor tall greefe make milde and tender But that which my fell Shepherdesse doth render Now as I have perceiued well thy reasons Which thou hast had or hast yet to forget me The paines the greefes the guiltes of forced treasons That I haue done wherein thou first didst set me The passions and thine cares and eies refusing To heare and see me meaning to vndoe me Cam'st thou to know or be but once perusing Th'vnsought occasions which thou gau'st vnto me Thou should'st not haue wherewith to more torment me Nor I to pay the fault my rashnes lent me Thus did my Alanius end his sweet song wherewith I would my life had also ended not without great cause since my mishap could not be more extreme then to see him whom I loued more then my selfe before mine eies to pine so much for the loue of another and so strangely to forsake me But as I was not alone in these misfortunes I did dissemble them for that time as well as I could as also bicause faire Ismenia casting her eies vpon her Montanus began to sing that which followeth HOw fond am I to hope for any rest In endlesse plaints vaine sighes and bootelesse teares The present now at hand to be exprest Yet few to these that with ten thousand feares I haue powr'd out vnto thy cruell eares And if at any time my life did tend To other loues in earnest or in iest This loue by that I neuer could offend Bicause I did but then begin to prooue And learne how well Montanus I could loue Then did I learne to loue my selfe I taught To loue by him who lou'd me not againe For I suspected that I should be brought Vnto thy loue Montanus when in vaine I loued him that did my loue disdaine I try'de I say my free and carelesse hart Of loue to taste some sorrow that it sought And let that Shepherd with his loue depart That loues with thee for all his paine and greefe Is but in vaine when vaine is his releefe Let none accuse me then if I disdaine Alanius loues whose loues are but a showe For I could neuer loue nor entertaine Any but thee for whom I will bestowe My deerest life since heauens will haue it soe And if at any time I fein'd to like I lik'd I say but how I did I knowe For neuer any Shepherd els could strike My hart indeede but thou to whom I giue My faith kept for thee since I first did liue Let burning sighes go forth and still increase Let both mine eies become two springs of teares Let accidents repugnant to mine ease Arise for thoughts which now my minde for sweares Shall neuer hurt that loue which now it beares Let sorrow goe and ill which way they will And now let ioies returne which way they please For where they are there will I houer still Since that no harme my purpose may reclame Nor cruell death it selfe although it came Ismenia by this song had reuenged me of cruell and disloyall Alanius if in the loue at the lest which I did beare him any desire of reuenge could befall but Montanus staied not long from requiting Ismenia againe who casting his eie vpon me sung this song as followeth FOolish loue ah foolish louer I for thee thou for another I am a foole and seeme no lesse For thee who will not be For he 's a foole I doe confesse That is not one for thee And yet this doth not well agree To be a foolish louer Or foole for her that is a foole for louing of another Now seeing thee thou seest not mee And diest for my foe Eate me with sauce that loueth thee Of him thou louest soe So shalt thou make me to my woe To be a foolish louer And such a foole for louing thee as thou art for another When he had made an ende of the last verses notwithstanding the present agonie and sorrow that we al suffered we could not choose but laugh hartily to see how Montanus would haue me deceiue my taste by looking on him with the sauce and appetite of Alanius whom I loued as if it might haue fallen in the compasse of my thought to suffer it to be deceiued by the apparance of an other thing But now with greater firmnesse then the rest I began to tune and play on my Bagpipe and to sing a song to it as you shall heare for by the same I thought to shew how more constantly then any of the rest there I had perseuered in my loue to
of Spaine The end of perfect beautie and of grace A royall hart that euer doth maintaine Valour and bountie in a vertuous race That looke so modest and so sweete againe Adorned with so faire and milde a face Giuès Lady Anne of Aragon such fame That Loue himselfe is captiue to her name Her sister Lady Bettrice that you see Is next if that you can behold such light Whom none can praise for this is onely shee Whom none can praise according to her right That Painter that did make her so must bee Her praiser and her giftes he must reeite For where all humane wit cannot attaine My poore conceite doth labour there in vaine The Lady Frances of great Aragon Shew you I vvould but she is alvvaies hid Her svveetest beauties leaues not any one With life for so her starlike eies forbid Our mortall sight to vievv the same alone In life and death her vertues euer did Subiect each hart to loue and admiration As fame can tell in euery forrain nation Now Lady Magdalene you may reueale Sister vnto those three which I haue showne Behold her well and see how she doth steale Her gazers harts and subiect liues to none Her peerelesse beautie threats and in a chaine Leades little Cupid turn'd into a stone None see her but they die and none there ar But she doth conquer without armes or war Those two bright stars that heere and there doe vaunt Their shining beames that dim the starrie skie And making that illustrous house of Gaunt In all the world with high renowne to flie This day their wisedome and their beauties daunt Each humane thought and euery mortall eie For who sees Magdeline and Marguerite That doth not die for loue at such a sight But will you see the thing that hath vndone All wits and made them all to wonder so Behold a Nymph more faire then orient sunne Or louely rose or lilly hard by Po This Phoenix name that through the world doth runne Is Lady Caterine Milane for so Valencia cals her and the world doth say She is as faire and wise as liues this day Lift vp your eies faire Nymphes and now behold The Lady Mary Pexon çannoguere How by the riuer banks her locks of gold She kembes adorning of her shining heare Whose beautie wisedome and braue giftes are told For rarest in our Europe euery wheare Behold her eies her faire and Cristalline face Her sweete demeanour and her heauenly grace Those two behold the rest that doe excell Inperfect wisedome and in quicke conceate And for braue beautie beare away the bell A paire sans peere whose starlike eies doe threate Despaire and death to those that view them well For there sits Cupid in his proper seate Their blessed names doe with their nature fit Faire Bettrice Vigue and Bettrice Fenollir What time Diana went to sport and play With her most soueraine face and more diuine Amorning star arose in moneth of May Like to that Star that neere the Moone doth shine Which when she sawe so glorious euery way A famous place to her she did a ssigne Her beauties tell you if her name you seeke That she 's the peerelesse Lady Anna Vigue Faire Nymphes behold the Lady Theodore Carroz that is great Lady and the Queene Of such braue beautie neuer seene before Wisedome and grace as like was neuer seene Each thing of hers enamours more and more The brauest mens deserts haue neuer beene Such as they durst attempt or euer sought By them to place in her an amorous thought See Shepherdes Lady Angelas braue grace Of Borja looking on Diana bright And how to her the Goddesse turnes her face To view those eies that all eies doe inuite And mightie Loue himselfe weeping apace And how the Nymph derides his conquer'd might And laughes to see the cruell Tyrant lying Wrapped in chaines to her for mercy crying Of that most famous stocke of çannoguere A flowre sprung out so perfect and so pure That liuing yet but yong she neede not feare Any that may her beauties blaze obscure Her mothers heire she is for she doth beare The praise which she did with her giftes procure So hath Lady Hieronyma you see In grace and wit obtain'd the high'st degree Now in a wonder Nimphes will you remaine And see what fortune gaue to her alone How wisedome beautie and the goodly traine Of vertues make in her the chiefest throne Lady Veronica Marrades see againe For onely by her figure it is knowne That she hath all and nothing wants to serue her Vnlesse it be that none can well deserue her The Lady Luise Penaroje we see In more then humane beautie and in grace In euery thing most excellent is shee All beauties els she staines and gaineâ—…pace Loue dies for her and he will not agree That any should behold so sweete a face Who sees it dies vnlesse he see it againe And seene it then his sight augments his paint Now see I Nymphes that you are seeing her On whom my thoughts continually deuise And yours perforce from her can never stirre Cupid for robs and in her loue he dies See how her beauties make the world to erre See but beware such light blinde not your eies The Lady Iane Cardona that faire star It is to whom loues powres subiected 〈◊〉 That beautie which exceedeth humane thought Which you doe see if that you can behold it She whose estate was blest esteeming nought Of fortune time or chaunce that could enfold it She to the world that such rare giftes hath brought She that 's my Muse and Parnasus vntold yet Lady Ione Anne of Catalane The end She is of all that e're I did commend Neere vnto her there is a great extreme In purest vertue high and sublimate In comely grace the fairest in this Realme Her golden haire her necke most delicate Each gracious eie a firie pointed beame A noble wit and name of heauens estate The Lady Angela Fernando named Whom nature to her name like gifts hath framed Next to her sits the Lady Marian Who hath not in the world her paragon Neere to her sister fairer then the swan In cristall streames or fine Vermillion Proud is our age of both of them that can In tender yeeres haue no comparison For wisedome for so much they may presume As thousand toongs can tell or golden plume The two fine sisters Borjas which you see Hyppolita and Isabell so faire With grace and giftes that so adorned lee That Phebus brightest beames they doe empaire And see how many liues that once were free Their beauties conquers Cupids onely snare Behold their haire their countenance and eies This gold that sweete and those like stars in skies Behold the Lady Mary Cannoguere Who wow is Lady of sure Catarasse Whose beautie and sweete grace doth euery where Conqueâ—… 〈◊〉 with vnrepaired losse Fame on her wings â—…row out the world doth beare Her vertues rare that shine like gold to drosse Since each one them that
Nay thou shalt maruell yet more after they awake bicause thou shalt see so strange a thing as thou didst neuer imagine the like And because the water hath by this time wrought those operations that it shoulde do I will awake them and marke it well for thou shalt heare and see woonders Whereupon taking a booke out of her bosome she came to Syrenus and smiting him vpon the head with it the Shepherd rose vp on his seete in his perfect wits and iudgement To whom Felicia saide Tell me Syrenus if thou mightest now see faire Diana her vnworthy husband both togither in all the contentment and ioy of the worlde laughing at thy loue and making a sport of thy teares and sighes what wouldest thou do Not greeue me a whit good Lady but rather helpe them to laugh at my follies past But if she were now a maide againe saide Felicia or perhaps a widow and would be married to Syluanus and not to thee what wouldst thou then do My selfe woulde be the man saide Syrenus that woulde gladly helpe to make such a match for my friende What thinkest thou of this Felismena saide Felicia that water is able to vnloose the knottes that peruerse Loue doth make I woulde neuer haue thought saide Felismena that anie humane skill coulde euer attaine to such diuine knowledge as this And looking on Syrenus she saide vnto him Howe nowe Syrenus what meanes this Are the teares and sighes whereby thou didst manifest thy loue and greefe so soone ended Since my loue is nowe ended said Syrenus no maruell then if the effects proceeding from it be also determined And is it possible now said Felismena that thou wilt loue Diana no more I wish her as much good answered Syrenus as I doe to your owne selfe faire Lady or to any other woman that neuer offended me But Felicia seeing how Felismena was amazed at the sudden alteration of Syrenus said With this medicine I would also cure thy greefe faire Felismena and thine Belisa if fortune did not deferre them to some greater content then onely to enioy your libertie And bicause thou maist see how diuersly the medicines haue wrought in Syluanus and Seluagia it shall not be amisse to awake them for now they haue slept ynough wherefore laying her booke vpon Syluanus his head he rose vp saying O faire Seluagia what a great offence and folly haue I committed by imploying my thoughtes vpon another after that mine eies did once behold thy rare beautie What meanes this Syluanus said Felicia No woman in the world euen now in thy mouth but thy Shepherdesse Diana and now so suddenly changed to Seluagia Syluanus answering her said As the ship discreete Lady sailes floting vp and downe and well-ny cast away in the vnknowen seas without hope of a secure hauen so did my thoughtes putting my life in no sinall hazard wander in Dianas loue all the while that I pursued it But now since I am safely arriued into a hauen of all ioy and happinesse I onely wish I may haue harbour and entertainment there where my irremooueable and infinite loue is so firmely placed Felismena was as much astonished at the second kinde of alteration of Syluanus as at that first of Syrenus and therefore saide vnto him laughing What dost thou Syluanus Why dost thou not awake Seluagia for ill may a Shepherdesse heare thee that is so fast asleepe Syluanus then pulling her by the arme began to speake out aloud vnto her saying Awake faire Seluagia since thou hast awaked my thoughtes out of the drowsie slumber of passed ignorance Thrise happy man whom fortune hath put in the happiest estate that I could desire What dost thou meane faire Shepherdesse dost thou not heare me or wilt thou not answere me Behold the impatient passion of the loue I beare thee will not suffer me to be vnheard O my Seluagia sleepe not so much and let not thy slumber be an occasion to make the sleepe of death put out my vitall lightes And seeing how little it auailed him by calling her he began to powre foorth such abundance of teares that they that were present could not but weepe also for tender compassion whereupon Felicia saide vnto him Trouble not thy selfe Syluanus for as I will make Seluagia answere thee so shall not her answere be contrarie to thy desire and taking him by the hand she led him into a chamber and said vnto him Depart not from hence vntill I call thee and then she went to the place againe where Seluagia lay and touching her with her booke awaked her as she had done the rest and saide vnto her Me thinks thou hast slept securely Shepherdesse O good Lady said she where is my Syluanus was he not with me heere O God who hath carried him away from hence or wil he come hither againe Harke to me Seluagia said Felicia for me thinkes thou art not wel in thy wits Thy beloued Alanius is without saith that he hath gone wandring vp and downe in many places seeking after thee and hath got his fathers good will to marrie thee which shall as little auaile him said Seluagia as the sighes and teares which once in vaine I powred out and spent for him for his memorie is now exiled out of my thoughts Syluanus mine onely life and ioy O Syluanus is he whom I loue O what is become of my Syluanus Where is my Syluanus Who hearing the Shepherdesse Seluagia no sooner name him could stay no longer in the chamber but came running into the hall vnto her where the one beheld the other with such apparaunt signes of cordiall affection and so strongly confirmed by the mutual bonds of their knowen deserts that nothing but death was able to dissolue it whereat Syrenus Felismena and the Shepherdesse were passing ioyfull And Felioia seeing them all in this contentment said vnto them Now is it time for you Shepherds and faire Shepherdesse to goe home to your flocks which would be glad to heare the wonted voice of their knowen masters And make this account that you shall neuer want any helpe and fauour at her handes who is soready to pleasure you in what shee may And the holy end Syluanus and consummation of thy loue shall be when with her whom thou dost so deerly loue thou shalt combine thy selfe in the sacred bonds of chaste and lawfull mariage whereof I will be carefull to put you both in minde when time opportunitie shal serue And faire Felismena prepare thy selfe also for thy departure for to morrow is the day wherein it behooues thee to go from hence After this all the Nymphes came in at the hall doore who now knew of the remedies that their gracious Ladie had giuen the Shepherds for their griefes which thing made them not a little glad Doria especially Cynthia and Polydora bicause they were the principall occasions of their content The two new louers did busie themselues in nothing else but in looking vpon one another with such
that I could Faustus I euer gaue and giue thee still Such store of loue as loue hath lent me And therefore well thou maist content thee That loue doth so enrich my fill But now behold my chiefest will That faine I would Loue thee more if that I could They would not I thinke haue made an ende so soone for want of copie of their theame but that Diana went away from Firmius bicause her sheepe were in one place and his in another Faustus went with her who had nothing else to doe but walke vp and downe those fields in corriualitie with Firmius and waiting on Diana and staying to see when she would come foorth to them If Faustus accompanying Diana did any thing or sing I know not for seeing my Firmius all alone I made haste to him I will not tell you what ioy we both felt what embracing courteous louing speeches passed between two such deer friends meeting so ioyfully togither Partheus went prosecuting his tale when they heard a voice not farre from the place where they were as they thought to haue gon thither Syrenus said Here abouts we found the Shepherd Faustus and truely if that which he now sings be no lesse commendable and delightfull then that which he then sung it would not greeue vs to stay heere a little and lend him a gentle eare But approching neere bicause the song went verie low for that it was mournfull and full of lamentation they saw it was a Shepherdesse who espying them againe held her peace They came to her and saluting each other prayed her courteously not to leaue of her singing You may better say sorrowing said Cardenia for this was her name Be it as thou wilt said Delicius and ouercome vs by entitling it as pleaseth thee and let vs ouercome thee in doing that which we request thee In being conquered by such braue yoong Shepherds as you are answered Cardenia I shall carrie away the victorie If I brought not so much companie with me said Partheus thy selfe being all alone Shepherdesse I would endeuour that with thine answers thou shouldest not get the palme so soone But bicause thou maist aduantage thy selfe with saying that I tooke courage by the countenance which I bring with me I will hold my peace Whereupon dost thou repose such assurance said Syrenus laughing that we would fauour thee and not take this faire Shepherdesse her part Let these amorous iestes cease for a while said Delicius And gracious Shepherdesse deny not I pray thee our requestes Because I would not be thought worthie of reprehension answered Cardenia by denying that which such iolly and faire Shepherds haue requested of me I will enforce my selfe to it And because my sorrow not my song you may better vnderstand Know that it is not long since that Faustus a Shepherd rich in sheep and more in the treasures of nature and good graces whom the heauens fauour did once loue me Who in verie deed I thinke went neuer about to deceiue me although he hath now opened the doore of obliuion to his former loue bicause I am informed accursed be these ill newes that he is caught in the loue of deceitfull Diana whom for my ill and his owne he went to see and yet I feare that Diana though she be so full of guiles and suttleties with others cannot preuaile with them by entertaining my Faustus bicause he goes beyond her in deceit and also bicause I haue such an affiance of my hard and cruell fortune that Diana onely for my harme will be inforced to leese her wonted fashions These words greeued Syrenus to the hart who now by little and little began to renew his old decayed loue And this is my griefe said Cardenia that the more I procure to lay his ingratitude before mine eies the more doth his loue penetrate my soule Wherefore hearken to that which you requested of me and which I came singing all alone complaining of my iniurious Faustus FAustus in faith thou nill deserue A Shepherds name or keeping sheepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe O that inpassed time of late My selfe had past with that as fast Then of this time I had no tast Hauing enioyed so sweete a fate Once was I in a happie state Which want mine eies in teares must steepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe Ioyfull I was and well content Bicause I sawe vnto my will Thy loue so well thou didst fulfill Which answer'd mine in sweete accent But now I smell thy false intent Which is with suttletie becleepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe Thy faith and more thy solemne othe Then to me firmely didst thou giue Not to forget me while I liue But now thou hast committed both Vnto the windes that also loth Their little woorth abroad to sweepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe If thou dost thinke that to beguile Her that doth loue it is a glorie Alas I cannot be but sorie With thousand such thou maist defile Thy credit and triumph each while Of all that heere doe feede their sheepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe Behold my matchlesse loue most deere And marke thy selfe and who thouart For if thou wilt with guilefull hart Thou maist deceiue a thousand heere Then greater doth my loue appeere Then thy disloyaltie so deepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe Musing I am both night and day And sundrie waies my fancies mooue How that I might forget thy loue And then vnto my selfe I say That since thou dost me so betray My loue shall in obliuion sleepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe But at the time when I decree To practise it then loue doth more Renew his forces then before So that if loue aboundes in mee And that the same doth want in thee What shall I doe shall not I weepe When thou so ill thy faith dost keepe A remedie and very short In th' end to take I will not feare Which shall be lesse for me to beare Then thus to liue in such a sort And death it is mine onely port To which my shiuer'd barke doth creepe Since thou so ill thy faith dost keepe Her syllables were not so many which she pronounced by singing as her teares which she powred foorth by weeping The which by little and little she wiped away with a christalline hand which made the Shepherds not a little to maruell when they sawe it wherefore Syrenus saide If thou hadst not told vs any thing faire and forlorne Shepherdesse thy soueraigne hand had beene enough to haue made me knowe thee O that they were cut off answered Cardenia since they were the cause of my miserable happe All of them being mooued to compassion of her sorrow sometimes accompanying her with teares and sometimes helping her with their comforts at last Syrenus saide vnto her It is not possible but Faustus if he knew thy firmnes and constant loue woulde mollifie his hart and
he could do it well bicause there was no cause as I told you to vse him well but onely that he was brother to her that was his onely ioy But the page thinking it proceeded of ignorāce want of good education mended I think the matter with his Lord touching my homely answer Sagastes woondred and not without great reason when he heard that it was I that had so manfully taken his part and with that false opinion which from that time he had of my valour he went home thinking stil it was I by whom he receiued so great a benefit Disteus also when he saw Sagastes gone went home to his own house where he found me with fear for his long tarying carefully attending his returne But when I saw him so ill entreated I began to chaunge colour thinking he had beene hurt and therefore said vnto him What meanes this Sir How come you home in this sort Trouble not thy selfe said Disteus for I haue no hurt and now that thou hast seene how in thy apparell because I would not be knowen in Dardaneas house I went to see thine Aunt and my mother So I also told thee that thine Aunt was to send thee of an errant the which bicause it lay in my way I would also dispatch The errant therefore that Dardanea did will thee to do was this But giue good eare and loose not a word of that which I will tell thee bicause it behooues thee much and also bicause we may not both be taken in a lye I say Dardanea requested thee to goe watch her brother who as it was told her was accustomed to goe night by night out of his house and to see whither he went But it fell out that this night my selfe doing that which was committed to thy charge after a good while that Sagastes came foorth I followed him and after this he told me particularly all the successe as you haue now heard and somewhat more When I heard of the singular fauour and helpe that Disteus had done to Sagastes I was astonished to see that with so great zeale and courage he had succoured him who was his mortall enemie and therefore saide vnto him You haue filled me Sir full of woonder for it is beyond all sence and conceit that you should be mooued to put your life in danger for one that would bereaue you of yours Stay said Disteus and hearken how the matter fals out thou shalt know the whole cause whereby thou shalt vnderstand how much thou art beholding vnto me Thou must therfore know that to heare the musick the better as I told thee I came somwhat neere thinking that by wearing thy apparell I might not haue been knowen and bicause Dardanea might not thinke of thee the worse that being present there thou didst not helpe her brother in so great danger I thought good not for any loue I bare him whom I would rather haue pursued to death then to defende him from it but for thy sake Placindus to put my person in hazard And therefore bicause it might bee thought that thou wert the man that came to helpe him when I stept in before him I saide Accept this small token of good will Lord Sagastes for my Mistresse Dardaneas sake your vertuous sister And now therefore that thou knowest how al hath hapned and that I charged thee not to forget the least part thereof giue eare to the end whereunto this particular discourse of mine is adressed To morrowe thou shalt goe to my mother and carrie her a letter from me and tell her what thou hast done touching that busines which she had giuen thee in charge wherein all the whole matter shall consist First bicause she may aduise thee howe to behaue thy selfe with Dardanea and with anie other that perhaps may aske thee howe this matter passed Secondly bicause she may set downe some good order for that which is needfull to be done After this thou shalt go and speake with Sagastes to stand to thy word or rather mine to saie better where as thine Aunt shall instruct thee and as I haue aduised thee thou shalt speake vnto him Thou shalt also carrie this sword with thee bicause I thinke he will aske for it for the good proofe that it made on the rapiers and daggers there If he would know where thou hadst it tell him that when thine Aunt was with me I gaue it thee and so I am sure hee will bestow some suites of apparell on thee in recompence of thine which were spoiled and defaced in his defence But thou must do me so much pleasure not to take them at his hands but rather tell him that thou carest not for any other recompence then that thou didst it for Dardaneas seruice being Mistres to thine Aunt In doing whereof thou shalt not onelie binde me to bestow this and more on thee but also her when she shall know howe thou didst aduenture thy life for her sake to requite this good turne and euer hereafter to make more account of thy manhood and fidelitie And by denying to take any reward at Sagastes hands oblige her moreouer to thine Aunt The next daie in the morning I carried the letter that Disteus had written that night to mine Aunt and told her all that had passed As Placindus went on thus telling the pleasant discourse of Disteus and Dardaneas loues they all bent their cares to a certaine noise that a horse and his Master made he to take him that ran vp and downe without his bridle and the horse vnwilling to be caught bicause he liked his libertie better Which when Placindus saw with a merrie countenance he aroseland said I beseech you sage Lady and noble companie pardon me for it shall ill become me if I goe not to helpe that Gentleman to get his horse againe And without more adoe he went and left them all laughing and somewhat greeued to see how abruptly he left them for so small a matter To whom Felicia spake thus Thinke it not a small occasion that hath made him leaue you thus for it should ill beseeme him indeede as he well considered no lesse if he did not helpe him that ran after his horse bicause he is a great friend to Disteus called Martandrus who as you must knowe went out long since in company of Delicius and Parthenius to seeke out Disteus and Dardanea wherefore you should be the rather glad of his comming at this time bicause better then Placindus he can tell you out the rest of these loues that Placindus hath begun If it be so said Lorde Felix and the Shepherdes it shall not be likewise amisse for vs all to helpe him And so rising vp they helped Martandrus to get his horse againe But Martandrus who thou dost bring me I am not so for I know not whether I may recken them in the number of good or consort them amongst the ill On the one side by giuing credit to thy words I
togither and when she had set him there she saide vnto him Now thou art come to the place Montanus where thou must shew that thou hast courage and no abiect minde that is requisite in so good a cause goe into this chamber and there thou shalt finde thy mother a bed with the adulterer When she had saide so she ranne away as fast as euer she could Montanus being thus deluded with Syluerias falshood gaue credite to her words and in a furie plucking his dagger out of the sheath brake open the chamber doore with a thrust of his foote like a mad man with these loud exclamations rushed into it saying Here must thou die traytour by mine owne hands now shall the strumpet Felisardas foule loues helpe thee nothing at all And speaking these words he was so wroth that he knew not who he was that lay in the bedde and thinking to haue slaine the adulterer he lifted vp his arme to stabbe his Father as he lay a bedde But yet good Fortune awoke the old man who knowing his sonne by the light that was there thought verily that for the austere words vnkind disgraces which he had done him he came to kill him wherefore lifting himselfe quickly out of the bedde with holding vp his hands he saide O my sonne what crueltie is this that makes thee the butcher of thine owne Father For Gods sake remember thy selfe and spill nor nowe my innocent bloud nor ende my life before the appointed hower from aboue doth come For if I haue heeretofore vsed any rigour against thee heere vpon my knees I craue pardon for it with protestation that from hencefoorth I will entreate thee as louingly and gently as any father in the world may vse his sonne When Montanus perceiued the treacherie that was wrought and the danger that he had almost incurred by killing his owne Father he stoode there so astonished that his hart and arme so failed him whereby the dagger fell out of his hands and neuer felt it Being thus striken in a maze he could not vtter a worde but ashamed and confounded in his owne enterprise he went out of the chamber and out of the house wonderful sorrie for the treacherie that Sylueria had buzzed into his eares and for that which he had almost done but that his fortune was the better Feltsarda who knew all the matter before and how it would fall out when she saw Montanus come into the chamber she lept out of the bed and ranne into another inward chamber and locking the doore after her saued her selfe from her sonne in lawes furie But when she saw her selfe free from danger for now Montanus was gone out of the house shee came into the chamber againe where Filenus was yet shaking for feare and then she incensing the Father against the Sonne with loude vociferations began thus to say vnto him Now Filenus thou knowest well what kinde of Sonne thou hast and now canst tell if it be not true which I haue so often told thee of his wicked conditions and nature O cruell wretch O vile Traytour Montanus why doe not the heauens confound thee Why doth not the earth swallow thee vp Why do not the wilde beasts deuour thee Why do not men persecute thee to death Accursed be thy marriage thy disobedience thy loues and thy Ismenia that hath brought thee to this barbarous crueltie and to commit so horrible a sinne Traytour as thou art thou dost not punish Alanius who to thy shame and disgrace hath too familiar companie with thy Ismenia vsing her dishonestly and whom she loues more then thy selfe and carest not to kill thy owne Father who with tendernes of thy life and credit hath euer made account of thee Bicause he gaue thee good counsell would'st thou therefore kill him O woefull Father O vnfortunate gray haires O grieuous old age What fault didst thou euer commit that thine owne sonne should kill thee for it euen he whom thou hast begotten brought vp and for whom thou hast passed a thousand cares Plucke vp thy hart now leaue of thy fatherly loue giue place to iustice let him be duely punished for if he which perpetrated such wicked crueltie hath not his descrued punishment disobedient sonnes will not be afraide to do the like nor thine owne hereafter to murder thee once againe with his owne hands Old Filenus full of feare griefe and despite hearing the speech that his wife told him and considering his sonnes treason tooke so great displeasure at it that taking vp the dagger that Montanus had let fall early in the morning he went to the market place there assembling the chiefest men of the towne the Iustices togither after many teares and sobs said thus vnto them I inuoke God for witnes most worthie Shepherdes that the discourse which I must tell you torments my soule so much that I am afraide it will flye out of my bodie before I haue told it out Let not any therefore thinke me cruell or vnnatural by comming to publish my sonnes wickednes openly in this place since it is so strange and detestable that the greatest punishment that I am able to giue him is not sufficient for the enormitie thereof The which for that I am vnable my selfe to remedie it I will lay open before your eies that you may see how iust and needfull a thing it is to giue him condigne punishment and to forwarne all other sonnes by his grieuous example Needlesse it is to tell you with what tender loue and affection I haue brought him vp how carefully I haue kept him with what diligence I haue instructed him in commendable qualities what thoughts I haue suffered for him what good counsell I haue giuen him and how mildly I haue chastised him To my great griefe he married Ismenia and bicause I found fault with him for it in lieu of being reuenged of Alanius the Shepherd who as all the countrey knowes liues dishonestly with his wife Ismenia turned his anger towards me and this night would haue done me to death For this last night he found the meanes to get into the chamber where I was a bed with my wife Felisarda and with this naked dagger would haue killed me And had done it but that God did cut off his strength and abated it in such sort that being halfe astonished and afraide he went out from thence not able to put his damnable intent in practise leauing the dagger that fell out of his hands in the chamber This is the true report of that which this last night passed whereof you may be better informed by my louing wife But bicause I certainly know that my sonne Montanus would neuer haue committed so foule a deed against his Father if his wife Ismenia had not perswaded him to it I therefore beseech you all to consider well of this matter First that my sonne may be sufficiently punished for his wicked attempt and then that false Ismenia especially for the
Syrenus with a cold And trembling feare thou didst protest Thy greefe to me within thy brest If then thy hart so cruell now Is mollified by falling teares How melts it not for greefe and how Consumes it not with many feares At this occasion so vniust To leaue my comfort in the dust Then Shepherd weepe not for in vaine Thy plentious teares and sighes are spent For he that doth lament the paine In whom it lieth to preuent I thinke he is not sound of wit If such a folly he commit But my Syrenus pardon me If my sharpe wordes thine eares offend And giue me leaue to speake with thee In this faire meade where cruell frend Thou leau'st me not one little how'r With my poore selfe nor in my pow'r For I will not nor yet in iest Shepherd from thee my selfe absent Then goe not wilt thou say at lest And to these eies that euer lent Such helpe to thee some pitie keepe And sorrow now to see them weepe Syrenus answered her againe Alas thou canst not choose but knowe By all these teares I spend in vaine If that I doe desire to goe But thou commaundest me to stay And my hard hap to goe away Thy matchlesse beautie when I see Mistresse then am I euer bound Willing at thy commaund to be But wofull Shepherd when I found My hap to beare so great a sway Of force I must the same obay Then my departure forced is But by no fault that I did make And credit me sweete Nymph in this That all the world I would forsake In these faire meades with thee to wende Where now I see my ioyes doe ende My Master that great Shepherd is He that doth make me to depart Whom I may see and wish that his Exempted thoughtes and freest hart Braue loue may punish with such paine As at this parting I sustaine I would to God my going hence Onely to pleasure thee this day By shewing of my iust pretence Lay in my power any way As Mistresse in thy fairest handes My life and death at mercie standes But credit me it is in vaine To that which euer I doe trie And that thou think'st as much againe That neuer in my handes did lie Ought in the world that might but giue Any content to make me liue Another course well might I take And leaue my flocke to stray about I might my Shepherd to forsake And seeke some other Master out But if the end I marke and see This with our loue doth not agree For if I doe forsake my flocke Which vnto me he did commend And take in hand some other stocke Of cattell or of sheepe to tend Tell me how can I come vnseene Without thy harme vpon this greene And if the force of this great flame My willing presence heere detaines It is a signe that I doe frame My thoughts on thee and so it staines Thy honour which to saile is sent Onely sweete life for my content And if they say I doe imploy Faire Shepherdesse my loue on thee And that againe I doe enioy Thy loue so frankly giuen me Thee they condemne thou dost sustaine The onely losse and I no gaine The Shepherdesse at this same season This answer with great greefe did make O Shepherd tell me now what reason Thou hast my presence to forsake Since that in loue there is no sound Of any reason to be found A signe it is not good to vse By daily proofe we see the same That he that can so well excuse His absence from his louing dame If he were gone out of her sight He would account the same but light Ah greefe since going now away I knowe not what will chaunce to thee And forced if I am to stay Nor then what shall become of me Nor there if thou wilt thinke my deere That one did see another heere I knowe not if I am deceau'd By hauing laide before thine eies This painfull greefe that hath bereau'd Me of my ioy where now it dies But that which to my harme must be I knowe shall be most sure in me Thou greeu'st not at my little ease Go Shepherd then take shipping now With brittle barke the Ocean seas In steede of these greene fieldes goe plow Since of my teares these seas alas So quickly thou dost ouerpasse The heauens from stormes thy barke defend From rockes from wrecke and swallowing sand And that thou mai'st my sweetest frend Safely arriue in wished land And fortune better deale with thee Then at this time thou dost with me Alas for very greefe I die Seeing mine eies to take their leaue Of all their sweete contents whereby This greefe and teares doe so bereaue My toong of speech that faine I would Speake more vnto thee if I could And Shepherd I doe wish besides That these two eies which weepe in vaine Before that death my life deuides May see thee heere yet once againe And though their harme thou dost procure They wish thee yet all good be sure He answered her my Mistresse deere A mischeefe neuer comes alone A mortall greefe doth not appeere Without more companie and one That is more mightie then the rest And this it is that wounds my brest For though I see I must depart From my sweete life since from thy sight Not halfe so much it greeues my hart At seeing thee in such a plight For my departure and sustaine Such greefe indeede and cruell paine But if those eies I doe forget The mirrours of my happinesse I wish that God aboue may let Me not this wished life possesse Or if my thoughtes imploied be Sweete life on any but on thee And if that any beautie else Shall make new motions in my minde Though it be neuer so excelse Or in the same content I finde For one small howre of such content I wish eternall punishment And if my firmest faith for strange And forren loue that may befall Or my sincerest loue I change I wish that fortune may recall Me to a life most desperate Throwing me downe from this estate O sweetest Mistresse of my hart Prescribe no time for my retourne For it doth kill me to depart And I shall neuer cease to mourne And passe the greatest greefe and paine Vntill these eies see thee againe She answered him my deere Syrenus If that I shall in any day Though now our destinies doe weane vs Forget thee then I wish the May And freshest flowers in this meade May die when on them I doe treade And if on any man aliue But onely thee my loue I thinke I wish that when my sheepe I driue Vnto the riuer streames to drinke Comming vnto them at my sight The waters may be dry'd vp quite Shepherd receiue this little string Made of my haire for thy sweete sake Bicause by seeing of the thing Thou maist remember thou did'st take Possession of my louing hart And them with which thou doest depart And this ring with thee thou shalt beare With hand in hand as
thou dost see Which for my sake I pray thee weare That though our bodies parted bee Nothing shall part not death alone Two soules vnited both in one He saide with thee what shall I leaue Naught haue I but this Sheepehooke heere The which I pray thee to receiue And Rebecke to the which my deere Thou saw'st me sing in this greene meade And play and many a daunce to leade To sound of which my Shepherdesse A thousand songs to thee I soong Singing of thy great worthinesse Too high for my base song and toong And of our loues and of my passions And of my sweetest lamentations Each one imbrac't the other fast And this I thinke the first time was And as I gesse it was the last Bicause those times did change and passe And loue with time did change and varie From that which once they both did carie For though Diana felt great paine For absence of her louer deere Yet in the same she found againe A remedie as did appeere For after he the seas did passe She to another married was Faire Cynthia hauing made an end of her sweete song Doria and Polydora wondred that a Shepherdesse could be the cause that loue kindled such burning flames and marueiled no lesse how time had cured her greefe which seemed at their farewell to be remedilesse But vnfortunate Syrenus all the while the Nymph with her sweete song did manifest his old cares and sighes forgot not to breath them out so thicke that Syluanus and Seluagia could not by any meanes comfort him for he was now no lesse pensiue then at the very time when he passed them maruelling much how she knew of these particulars which passed betweene him and Diana And Syluanus and Seluagia were no lesse astonished at the passing sweete grace wherewith Cynthia both song and plaied the same But now the faire Nymphes tooke vp their instruments and went walking vp and downe the greene meadow lest of all suspecting that which happened vnto them for hauing gone but a little way from the place where the Shepherdes were secretly abiding three monstrous and foule Sauages came out of a thicket of high broome and bushes on the right hande of the woode armed with corselets and morions of tygres skins and so vgly to behold that to the fearefull Nymphes it was a strange and terrible sight The braces of their corselets were at the endes armed with gasping mouthes of serpents out of the which their armes shewed monstrously great and full of haire and their morions that encompassed their grisely foreheads with dreadfull heads of lyons being naked in euery other part of their body but that it was couered all ouer with long and thicke haire and bearing in their rude hands clubs armed with iron and sharpe steeled points At their neckes their bowes and arrowes and likewise their shields which were broad shels of monstrous Tortuses were hanging downe behinde them who with an incredible swiftnes ranne vpon the fearefull Nymphes saying Now is the time come ingrate and scornefull Nymphes that by our strength and wils you shall be forced to do that which our milde loue and longe suites could neuer bring to passe for it is not reason that fortune should doe such iniurie to our captiue harts with so long and great paine to defer our remedies In fine we haue now in our hands the guerdon of our sighes and lamentations which wearied the birds and beasts of the darke and enchaunted woode where we dwell and the recompence of our burning teares wherewith we made the raging and lothsome riuer that watreth the dreadfull fieldes and plaines of our territories to swell and ouerflowe his banks Since then you haue no other meanes to saue your liues but by easing helping our harmes be not so wilfull by resistance to make our cruell hands take vengeance of that paine which so long you haue made our afflicted harts to feele The Nymphes at the sudden sur-sault of these monsters were so amazed that they were not able to answer to these proude and cruell wordes but onely with silence and teares Albeit faire Doria who had more courage then the rest at last did stoutly answer them thus againe I neuer thought that loue could bring a louer to so foule an extreme as with violent hands and such vnseemly force to sease vpon his beloued It is the manner of cowards to carie weapons and fight with silly women in an open and desart fielde where none is able to defend them but their vertue and honest reasons But of one thing cruell vile beasts you may be ascertained that your menaces shal not make vs leese one iot of that which our honours require and that we will sooner leaue our liues in your barbarous hands then suffer our deer chastities by your beastly forces to be violated It is needlesse Doria saide one of them againe to harken to their reasons who had none at all to handle vs with so great scorne and crueltie wherevpon vnloosing the string from his bowe that hung at his necke he tooke her by both her faire hands and rudely tied them togither and so did his companions Cynthias and Polydoras The two Shepherds and the Shepherdesse Seluagia astonished at the monstrous violence of the Sauages and seeing what beastialitie they beganne to vse to the faire and tender Nymphes not able to endure it resolued to die or to defende them from their cruell handes Wherefore all three taking out their slings and filling their scrips with stones came out of the woode into the greene medowe and beganne to throwe them at the Sauages with such courage and dexteritie as though their liues had lien in their handes And thinking to plie them so fast with stones that the Nymphes while the Sauages were busie about their owne defence might escape and saue their persons from their vile immanitie they redoubled their force with the greatest speede and valour they coulde Whose driftes the suttle Sauages suspecting one of them had an eie to the faire prisoners for running away while the other two by winning ground on their enemies thought to make a quicke dispatch of them But the stones came so dangerously and so many that they had ynough to defende themselues so that as long as they lasted the Sauages fared very ill But as the Shepherdes were afterwardes occupied in stowping downe to take vppe more stones the Sauages came running in to them so speedily with their massie clubs that nowe they were without any hope of life if presently a certaine strange Shepherdesse of such singular beautie and comely feature as made both the Sauages and the rest amazed at her goodly personage had not come out of the thicke wood neere vnto the fountaine where they before were singing She had her bowe hanging on her left arme and a quiuer of arrowes at her shoulder in her hand a fine staffe of wilde oke armed at the end with a long and well steeled pike But when she saw the