in me certayne sparkles of goodwill to him How Madam said Leonide will you loue a shepheard Do you not remember who you are I do so Leonide said she I remember my selfe well enough but you must also know that these shepheards are as good as Druides or Knights their Nobility is as great as others being all descended from the antiquity of the same stocke so that the exercise where to they addict themselues cannot make vs others then we are from our birth so that if this shepheard be wel borne why should not I think him as worthy of me as any other Finally Madam said she he is a shepheard how euer you disguise him In fine said Galathee he is an honest man how euer you will qualifie him But Madam answered Leonide you that are so great a Nymph the Lady after Amasis of all these goodly Countries wil you haue a minde so base to loue a man borne of the meaner sort of people a clowne a shepheard a fellow of no worth My friend replyed Galathee leaue these reproches and remember that Enone made her selfe a shepheardesse for Paris and when she had lost him she lameuted and wept away in hot teares Madame said Leonide he was the sonne of a King and besides the errour of another ought not to cause you to fall into the same fault If it be a fault answered she I referre my selfe to the gods who haue counselled me by the Oracle of their Druide but that Celadon is not borne of as good bloud as Paris my friend thou hast no brayn if thou sayst so for are they not sprung of one originall Moreouer haue you not heard what Siluie talkt of him and his father You must know that they are not shepheards for not hauing meanes to liue otherwise but to buy by this sweete life an honest quietnesse And how Madame reioyned Leonide haue you also forgot the affection and seruices of the gentle Lindamaur I would not said Galathee that forgetfulnesse should be the reward of his seruices neither would I also that the loue Lought to bear him should be the ruine of all my contentments Ah Madame said Leonide remember how faithfull he hath beene Ah my friend said Galathee consider that this is the way to be eternally vnhappy For my part answered Leonide I shrug with my shoulders at these iudgements of loue and know not what to say but onely that extreme affection and intire fidelitie the employment of an whole age and a continuall seruice should not be so long receiued or receiued deserue to be payd with other money then a change For Gods sake Madame consider how deceitfull they are that tell other mens fortunes that for the most part they are but sleight imaginations which their dreames brought forth for the most part lying that of an hundred accidents which they fore-tell hardly one falls out to be true and for the most part ignorant since busying themselues to know the fortune of another they cannot finde their own And doe not you for the fantasticall discourse of this fellow make so miserable the man that is so deare to you Set before your eyes how hee loues you in what dangers he hath beene thrust into for you what combate he had with Polemas and what his despaire hath bin what griefes doe you now prepare for him and what deathes will you cause him â—oinuent for his destruction if he haue knowledge of this Galathee wagging her head answered her You see Leonide the businesse is not now about the choyce of Lindamaur or Polemas as here to fore but of my wel or euil doing The considerations which you haue are good to you whom my misfortune touches not but by way of compassion yet to me they are exceeding dangerous since it is not for a day but for euer that this misfortune threatens me If I were in your place and you in mine it may be I would aduise you as you doe me But vndoubtedly an euerlasting misfortune terrifies me as for the lyes of these men you speake of I will beleeue for your sake that it may be it will not so fall out yet it may be also that it will fall out and then tell me I pray you thinke you that party for wise that for the contentment of another wil leaue on the ballance it may be all his good or euill If you loue me hold not on this discourse otherwise I must thinke that you respect more the contentment of Lindamaur then mine And touching him make no question but he will seeke his consolation by some other meanes then death for both reason and time are both soueraigne helpes to this fury and indeed how many haue you seene of these great despairers vpon like occasion that some while after haue not repented of their despaires Thus did these faire Nymphs discourse when far off they saw Siluie returne from whom because she was so yong Galathee was desirous to conceale it as I said This was the cause she cut off her discourse so short yet she forbare not to say to Leonide If euer you loued me you would make it appeare to me at this time since it is not only far from my contentment but from my felicity also Leonide could not answere her because Siluie was so neere that she might ouerheare Being come Galathea knew that Celadon was awake for at the doore she heard him grone and sigh And it was true for in a while after they were gone out of the chamber he waked suddenly and because the Sun shone full on his bed thorow the glasse at the opening of his eyes he was so dazeled and confounded with so great brightnesse that he knew not where he was the trauaile of the day passed had so weakned him yet by this time he felt no maner of grief so that calling into his mind his fall into Lignon and the opinion that hee had had a little before of being dead seeing himselfe now in so confused a brightnesse he knew not what to iudge except it were that Loue had taken him vp into heauen for a reward of his faithfulnesse and that which abused him more in this point was that when his sight began to extend it selfe hee saw nothing about him but the deckings of gold and of lightsome pictures with which all the roome was adorned which his feeble eyes could not as yet discerne from counterfait On the one side hee saw Saturne leaning on his sickle with his haire long his forehead rough his eyes hollow his nose hooked like an Egle his mouth dropping with bloud full with the morsels of his children whereof he held one halfe eaten in his left hand in which in the opening which he had made on the side with his teeth a man might see the lights as it were to pant and the heart to tremble A sight indeed full of cruelty for that child had the head writhed ouer the shoulders the arme hanging forward and the legs stretching out
aside and with his Sword gaue him such a blow vpon one of his pawes that he cut it off whereat the Beast in furie so suddenly came on him that he cast him to the ground but his fortune was such that in falling and the Lyon ramping ouer him he could but hold out his Sword which fell out so luckily to be vnder his belly that he fell downe dead almost as soone as the former In the meane while that Ligdamon was disputing for his life behold a Lady faire among the Normans that cast her selfe on her knees before the Iudges beseeching them to cause the execution to cease vntill she had spoken They that knew her to be of the principall of the Countrey willingly yeelded her that fauour and indeed it was shee for whom Lidias had slaine Aronte her name was Ameryne and then she spake to them in this sort with a modest voyce My Lords Ingratitude is to be punished as Treason because it is a kind of it Therefore seeing Lidias condemned for being on the contrary side I feare I should be counted so if not of you yet of the Gods if I thought not my selfe bound to saue his life that hazarded his to saue my honour This is it for which I present my selfe before you relying on our priuiledges which ordaine That a man condemned to death shall be deliuered when a maid demaunds him for her husband As soone as I knew of your Iudgement I came with all diligence to require it and I could not be here so soone but he hath run the fortune that all men haue seene yet since God hath preserued him so happily for me you are not iustly to deny me All the people that heard this demaund cryed with a ioyfull voyce Grace Grace And though the enemies of Lidias labored the contrary yet was it concluded that the priuiledges of the Countrey should take place But alas Ligdamon came out of this danger but to enter into a greater for being brought before the Iudges they let him know the customes of the Country were such That any man attainted conuicted of any Crime whatsoeuer might be deliuered from the rigours of Iustice if a maid demaunded him for husband so that if he would marry Ameryne he should be restored to his liberty and might liue with her He that knew her not found it hard to answer notwithstanding seeing no other remedy to escape the danger wherein he was he promised it hoping that time would bring out some commoditie to free him out of the Labyrinth Ameryne that had alwayes found Lidias so amorous of her was not a little astonied at this coldnesse yet iudging that the affrightment of the danger wherein hee was had made him thus besides himselfe shee had the more pitty on him and carried him to Lidias mothers house who was she that procured the marriage knowing there was no other remedy to saue her sonnes life besides that shee was not ignorant of the loue betweene them which made her presse the conclusion of the marriage the most that possibly shee could thinking to please her sonne But on the contrary this was to hasten the death of him that could doe no more then he had done Ah my deare Master when I call to mind the last words you spake to me I know not how it is possible for me to liue All things were ready for the marriage and it must be dispatched the next day when the night before he tooke me aside and said Egide my friend didst thou euer see such a fortune as this that they will make me beleeue that I am not my selfe Sir said I me thinkes it is not euill Ameryne is faire and rich all that call themselues her kinsmen are the principall of this Country what would you desire more Ah Egide said he thou speakest for thine owne ease If thou knewest the case wherein I am thou wouldst haue pitty on me But haue care of what I say and aboue all the Obligation that thou owest me and the loue which I haue alwayes found in thee fayle not as soone as to morrow I shall haue done that I am resolued of to beare this Letter to the faire Siluy and relate to her all that thou hast seene and moreouer assure her that I neuer loued any but her and neuer shall At this word he gaue me this Letter which I kept very carefully vntill the next morning when at the houre that he was to goe to the Temple he called me and commanded me to be about him and made me sweare againe to seeke you out with diligence At the same time one came to him to place him in the wedding Chariot where already the faire Ameryne was set with one of her vnckles whom she loued and honoured as her father She was in the midst between Ligdamon and Caristes so her vnckle was named all couered with a yellow vayle and hauing on her head as well as Ligdamon the Garland It is true my Masters was of Sifymber and Amerynes of picked and sweete Aspharagon Before the Chariot went all the family and after only the kinsmen and neerest allies and friends In this Triumph they came to the Temple and were brought to Hymens Altar before which fiue Torches were lighted On the right side of Hymen they had placed Iupiter and Iuâ—o on the left Venus and Diana As for Hymen he was crowned with flowers and sweet Marioram holding in his right hand a Torch and in his left a Vayle of that colour that Amerynes was as also the buskins which hee had on his feet When they entred into the Temple the mother of Lidias and Ameryne lighted their Torches and then the great Druide comming neere directed his speech to my Master and demaunded Lidias will you haue Ameryne for the mother of your Family he stayed somewhile without answer at last he was constrayned to say yes Then the Druide turning to her And you Ameryne will you haue Lidias for father of your Family and shee answering yes then taking their hands and ioyning them together hee said And I in tho behalfe of the great Gods giue you each to other and for earnest you must eat the Condition together and then taking the Wheaten Cake Lidias cut it into pieces and shee laying them together of which according to the custome they both eate There remayned no more of all the Ceremonies but to take the Wine when turning to me hee said Now friend for the most pleasing seruice that euer thou didst me reach me the Cup. I did so alas with a mischiefe ouer diligent As soone as he had it in his hand with a voyce lowd ynough he said O powerfull Gods said he that know who I am venge not my death vpon this faire Lady who taking me for another man more happy then I hath brought me to my death and at this word drunke all that was in the Cup which was contrary to the custome because the husband was to drinke but halfe and
the workemanship The entry was very high and spatious On the two sides in stead of pillars were two Termes which on their heads sustained the boughts of the vault of the portall The one figured Pan the other Syrinx which were very curiously adorned with stones of diuerse colours the haire the eye-browes the mouthchatos the beard and the two hornes of Pan were of Cockles from the sea and so workemanly set in that the ciment appeared not Syrinx that was on the other side had her haire of Roses and somewhat vnder the nauill one might see them swell by little and little the tower of the gate on the outside was of rusticke fashion and ropes of coquils fastened in foure corners hung downe finished neere the heads of the Termes Within the Vault there was a rocke which seemed in many places to drop with Salt peter and ouer the midst it opened with an ouall forme through which the light came in This place both without and within was enriched with a great number of Statues which falling into their cesternes made diuerse fountaines and all represented some effect of the power of loue In the middle of the caue one might see the tombe raysed the height of ten or twelue foote which at the top ended like a crowne and all about garnished with tables whereof the painting was so well done that the sight deceiued the iudgement the distance of euery table was filled by halfe pillars of blacke wrought marble the coynes of the tombe the bases and the capitall of halfe colours and the cornishes which round about in fashion of a girdle held vp the tables and though of diuerse peeces yet made but one well composed frame which was of the same marble The curiositie of Celadon was great after he had considered altogether to desire to know the particularities and that he might giue the Nymph occasion to tell him something hee commended the inuention and cunning of the workman These are said the Nymph the Spirits of Mandrake which after some time haue beene left here for witnesse that Loue will no more pardon the gray head then the yellow haire and alwayes to relate to them that come hither the vnfortunate and faithfull loues of Damon of her selfe and of the shepheardesse Fortune And how replyed Celadon is this the fountaine of the truth of Loue No answered the Nymph but that is not farre hence and I would I had spirit ynough to make you vnderstand these Tables for the History is worthy to be knowne As shee drew neere to expound them to him she saw Adamas enter in who being returned and not finding the Nymphs at their Lodgings iudged they were gone forth to walke where after he had â—id the Habits which he brought he came to seeke them so fitly that it seemed Fortune conducted him thither to make him handle the loues of this Fortune Galathee no sooner spyed him but she cryed out O my Father you come in good time to free me from the paine wherein I am and then turning to Celadon See him shepheard that will satisfie the desire which you haue to know this History And after hee had asked him how hee did and that the salutations were made on both sides Adamas to obey the Nymphs commandement and to content the curiositie of the shepheard going with them to the Tombe began in this fort The History of Damon and Fortune As the Workeman playes with his worke and doth as pleases him so the great Gods by whose hand we were formed take pleasure to make vs play vpon the Theater of the World the part that they haue chosen for vs. But among all there is none that hath imaginations so various as Loue for he makes the old young and the young old in as short a time as the light lasts of a good eye And this History which is truer then I would it were will giue proofe that hardly it can be withstood as by the processe of my discourse you will confesse The first Table SEe you in the first place this Shepheard set on the ground his backe leaning to an Oake his legge acrosse that playes on his pipe This is the faire shepheard Damon who hath name of faire for the perfection of his face This yong shepheard fed his sheepe along your sweete Lignon being borne of one of the best families of mount Verdun and no farre remoued kinsman of the old Cleontine and of Leonides mother and by consequent in some sort my kinsman Marke how this visage besides that it is faire represents very liuely a person that had no care but of his owne contentment for you may see I know not what open and cleere countenance without trouble or cloude of busie imaginations And on the contrary turne your eyes vpon the shepheardesses which are about him you may iudge by the fashion of their visages that they are not without paine for as Damon had a free spirit and restfull so had the shepheardesses their hearts passionated for him Yet as you see he vouchsafeth not to looke towards them and therefore it is that they haue painted on the right side in the ayre that little naked childe with his bow and torch in his hand his eyes b'inded his backe winged his shoulders charged with a quiuer that threatens him on the other hand This is Loue who begin offended at the contempt which this shepheard shewed towards these shepheardesses swore that he would be reuenged on him But for the better setting forth of the Table note how well the Art of the painting is obserued You may see me thinks the arme of the shepheard sinking a little vnder the swelling of the instrument and how the cane where he blowes hath lost his colour that is because his moyst mouth had put it out Marke on the left hand how the sheepe feede see some of them lying in the shade some licking their feet others that astonied looke on the two Rammes that run to push at one another with all their might Obserue the turning that this makes of his necke for he hoâ—deth downe his head so that the other encounters only his hornes But the winding of the other backe is also very artificiall for nature that teacheth him that vertue vnited is more strong makes him so locke himselfe in an heape that he seemes almost round The dutie euen of the dogs is not forgotten which to oppose against the courses of the Wolfe comes vnder the wings of the wood side And it seemeth they are set â—ike three 〈◊〉 on the higher places to the end they may see the farther off or as I thinke that they might see one another and succour them in their necessitie But consider the carefull industry of the Painter whereas dogges that sleepe without care vse to put themselues into a round and oftentimes hide their head vnder their pawes to keepe from them the light these that their are painted here are lying in another fort to shew that they sleepe not but
onely rest for they are couched on the foure feete and haue their nose along their forefeet holding alwayes their eyes open as curiously as a man can But let vs see the other Table The second Table BEhold the second Table which is cleane contrary to the former for if that were full of Neglect this is full of Loue if that shew nothing but Pride in this appeares nothing but sweetnesse and submission and loe here the cause Marke this Shepheardesse set against a bush how faire she is and neatly attired her haire raised vp before sporting at libertie ouer her shoulders it seemes the wind enuies nature by his blowing makes them frizle in a round but being iealous of the small loues which they finde hid and which goe bewraying their wearinesse it will disperse them And indeede see some of them carried by force others which foulding into knots which they haue made and others which assay to returne but cannot so much is their yet enfeebled wing contraried by the importunitie of Zephirus This is the faire shepheardesse Fortune of whom Loue would serue himselfe to do the vengeance promised against Damon who is the shepheard that you see by her leaning on his shephooke Consider these little loues which are all busied about them and how attentiue euery one is about that he doth Behold one that takes the measure of the browes of the shepheardesse and giues it to another that with his knife markes his bow that he may compasse the like at his returne And see another that hauing stolne some haires of this faire of so faire theft would make a string for his companions bow See how he is set on the ground how he hath tyed one end of his string to his great toe which giues backe a little as being too hard drawne Marke how to twist it the better another brings him a handfull of a louers teares for him to wet his fingers Consider how he holds the raines I know not how twisted that vnder the right arme you may see the half appeare before though he shew all behind the right shoulder Behold another that hauing put a string to one of the nockes of his bow that he might do the like in the other bowes downe on that side to the earth and with his left knee bends the bow against his stomack and giues vpward with his left hand and with his right endeauours to make the string slide to the bottome Cupid is a little higher whose left hand holds his bow holding the right as yet behind his eare as if he newly had let his arrow slip for see him with rest vp his arme drawne backe the three former fingers wide open and stretched out and the other two drawne into his hand and indeed his shot was not in vaine for the shepheard was so wounded that death ouely could heale it But behold a little on the other side and you shall see this Aâ—teros which with chaines of roses and flowers tyes the armes and necke of this faire shepheardesse Fortune and then puts them into the hands of the shepheard this is to make vs know that desert loue and seruices of that louely shepheard which are figured by these flowers bindes Fortune to a reciprocall loue towards him But if you thinke it strange that Auteros is represented here greater then Cupid know that this is to shew you that loue that growes from loue is alwayes greater then that whence it proceeds But let vs pasie to the third The third Table THen Adamas went on See your faire riuer of Lignon see where it takes a double head the one comming from the mountaines of Coruieres the other from them of Chalmasel which come to ioyne a little aboue the marchant towne of Bâ—ing How well are these passages made and the winding shores of this riuer with these little Elder trees that grow there ordinarily Know you not this wood which confines on this great pasture where most vsually the lasie shepheards vse to feed their flocks Mee thinkes that great tust of trees on the left hand this little byas which creepes on the left side and this halfe moone which makes the riuer on this corner may well set it before your eyes that if it bee not at this present altogether alike it is not for that the table is false but for that some trees since that time are dead others growne vp that the riuer in some places hath gotten and in other is beaten backe and yet no great change Now marke a little lower along Lignon see a flocke of sheepe in the shadow how some of them chaw the cud and others hold their nose to the ground to draw out the freshnesse This is Damons flocke that you may see if you turne your eyes hitherward in the water to the middle Consider how these yong lopped trees doe hide it from the beames of the sunne and yet seeme to to reioyce that other besides themselues may see it And yet the sunne is so curious that he finds passage betweene some of their leaues for some of his beames Note how well this shadow and this brightnesse is represented But certainly it must be confessed that this shepheard cannot be surpassed in beautie Consider the draughts and proportions of his face his stature strait and tall his flanke round his brest hie and see if he haue any imperfection yet some what stooping to serue himselfe of the water and with his right hand he rubs his left arme so it is he doth doth not that action that may hinder the knowledge of his perfect beautie Now cast your eye on the other side the riuer if you be not afraid to looke on the deformed in her perfection as in his owne you haue seene the faire for among these fearefull bryars you may see the magician Mandrake be holding the shepheard in his bath Behold her clothed almost in despite of them that looke on her haire spread one arme naked her gowne on one side trussed vp aboue her knee I think she comes to some in chantment But iudge here the effect of a beauty This olde Crone that you see so wrinkled that euery moment of her life hath set a furrow in her face leane little al gray her haire halfe cut all crooked and for age fitter for the coffin then to liue is not ashamed to doate on this yong shepheard If loue come by simpathy as they say I know not how it may bee found betweene Damon and her See what countenance she makes in her extasie Shee thrusts out her head with her long necke shrugs vp her shoulders holds downe her armes at length and her hands clasped in her lap and the sport is when shee thought to smile she made a mouth So it is that such as she is yet forbeares she not to seeke the loue of this faire shepheard Now rayse vp your eyes a little and see within that cloud Venus and Cupid who beholding this new louer seeme to laugh outright
to be desirous to know what maketh him so abashed that if you consider the astonishment which is painted in his face you would iudge he had some great cause Mandrake had made him see in a dreame Maradon a young shepheard that taking an arrow from Cupid opend the bosome of Fortune and tooke out her heart He that following the ordinary course of louers was yet in doubt and as soone as it was day ranne to this fountaine to see if his mistresse loued him I beseech you consider his abashment for if you compare the visages of the other Tables to this you shall see the same draughts though the trouble wherein hee is paint the chaunge much Of those two Figures which you doe see in the Fountaine the one as you may plainely know is of the Shepheardesse Fortune and the other you may see is of the Shepheard Moradon whom the Magician made to bee represented rather then another because he knew he had a long time bin a seruant of the shepheardesse and though she vouchsafed not to regard him yet loue which easily beleeues the thing it feares presently perswaded the contrary to Damon beleefe that made him resolue to dy Marke I pray you how this water seems to tremble this is for that the Painter would represent the effect of the teares of the shepheard which fell into it But let vs passe to the second action See how the continuation of this Caue is made and how truly this seems to be more declining This dead man that you see on the ground is the poore Damon who in dispaire thrust his speare through his body The action which he doth is very naturall You may see one leg stretched out the other drawne vp as with paine one arme layd vnder the body as hauing bin surprised by the suddennesse of the fall and not hauing force to come againe to himselfe and the other languishing along the body yet he holds gently the speare in his hand his head hanging towards his right shoulder his eyes halfe shut and halfe turned vp and he that sees him in such a case may well iudge him to be a man in the trances of death his mouth somewhat opened the teeth in some places discouered a little and the passages of his nose shrunke vp all signes of a late dead man Also he hath not figured him as wholly dead but betweene death and life if there be any separation betweene them See here the speare well represented you may see the breadth of the Iron halfe hidden in the wound the staffe on the one side bloody on the other of the colour it was before But how great hath the Painters diligence bene he hath not forgot the nayles which go as weeping towards the end for the nearer the shaft as well the as wood the more they were staynd with blood It is true that through the blood you might know them Now let vs consider the spurting out of the blood issuing out of the wound Me thinkes it is like a fountaine which being led by long channels from some higher place when it hath bene restrained as they open it skips in fury this way and that way for see these streames of blood how well they are represented consider the boyling which seemes to raise it selfe to bubbles I thinke nature cannot represent any thing more truely The sixt Table NOw for the sixt and last Table which contaynes foure actions of the Shepheardesse Fortune The first is a Dreame which Mandrake made her haue The other how shee went to the Fountayne to cleare her doubt The third how shee complaynes of the inconstancie of her Shepheard and the last how shee dyes which is the conclusion of this Tragedie Now let vs see all things particularly See the rising of the Sunne note the length of the shadowes and how on the one side the Heauen is yet lesse cleare See these clouds which are halfe ayre as it seemeth which by little and little flye lifting vp these little birds which seeme to sing as they mount and are of those kinde of Larkes that rise from the deaw in the new Sunne These ill-formed birds which with vncertaine flight goe to hide themselues are of those Owles that auoid the Sunne whereof the Mountaine couers a good part and the other shines to cleare that one cannot iudge that it was other thing then a great and confused brightnesse Let vs goe forward Behold the shepheardesse Fortune asleepe shee is in bed where the Sunne that enters by the window open by negligence discouers halfe her brest She hath one arme carelesly stretched along the side of the bedstead her hand a little hanging from the boulster the other hand stretched along her thigh without the bed and for that her smocke sleeues is by chance thrust vp you may see it aboue the Elbowe there being nothing that hides any of the armes beautie See about her the diuels of Morpheus wherewith Mandrake serues herselfe to giue her a will to go to the fountaines of the truth of Loue. See on this side what she casteth vp for hauing dreamed that her shepheard was dead and taking his death for the losse of his amitie she came to know the truth Beholde how the sorrowfull visage by the sweetnesse of it mooues pittie and makes vs take part in her displeasure because shee no sooner casts her veiwe into the water but she perceiues Damon But alas hard by him the shepheardesse Melide a faire shepheardesse indeed and which was not without suspition of louing Damen yet vnbeloued of him Deceiued with this falsehood see how shee is retyred into the inwarrd parts of the Denne and commeth vnawares to lament her displeasure in the same place where Damon was almost dead Behold her set against the rocke her armes acrosse her brest which choller and griefe made her discouer in tearing that which was vppon it It seemeth that shee sighes and her brest pants her face and eyes lifting vp and asking vengeance from heauen for the perfidiousnesse which shee thought was in Damon And because the transport of her euill made her lift vppe her voyce in her complaynt Damon whom you see by her though hee were euen at the last of all his life hearing the laments of his fayre Shepheardesse and knowing the voyce hee then enforced himselfe to call her Shee which heard these dying words suddenly turning her head went to him But O God what a sight was this She quite forgot seeing him in this case and the occasion shee had to complayne of him shee demaunded who had dealt so fouly with him It is sayde hee the change of my fortune it is the inconstancie of your soule which hath deceiued mee with such demonstrations of goodwill Briefely it is the happinesse of Macadon whom the Fountaine from whence you came shewed mee to bee by you And doe you thinke it reasonable that hee should liue hauing lost your loue that liued not but to bee beloued of you Fortune hearing
least of your desires Then the shepheardesse answered in choler Let vs leaue this discourse Licidas and thinke it cannot turne to your brothers benefit but if he haue beguiled me and left me displeased that I no sooner found out his deceits and craft he is gone with a great spoyle and faire markes of his vnfaithfulnesse You make me amazed replied Licidas wherein haue you found that which you reproach him with Shepheard added Astrea the story would be too long and grieuous content your selfe if you know it not you onely are in ignorance and all along this riuer of Lignon there is not a shepheard but can tell you that Celadon loued in a thousand places and not to goe farre yesterday I heard with mine owne eares the discourse of loue which he had to his Aminthe for so he called her whereto I had made longer stay but for shame and to tell true I had some businesse else-where that stood mee more vpon Then Licidas as one transported cries out I will no more enquire the cause of my brothers death it is your iealousie Astrea and iealousie grounded on great reason to be the cause of so great euill Alas Celadon at this time I see well thy prophecies fall out true of thy suspitions when thou saidest this wench will put thee to so much paine that it will cost thee thy life yet knewest thou not on which side this blow should be giuen Afterward addressing himselfe to the shepheardesse Is it credible said he Astrea that this disease is so great that it can make you forget the commandements which you haue so often enioyned him I can witnesse that fiue or sixe times at the least he hath falne on his knees before you to entreat you reuoke them Doe you not remember that when he came out of Italy it was one of your first ordinances and that within yonder bowre where I saw you meete together so often hee besought you to award him death much rather then to make shew to loue any other Astrea would he say while I liue I shall remember the very words it is not for that I refuse but because I am vnable to obserue this iniunction that I cast my selfe at your feete and beseech you that to make proofe what power you haue ouer me you command me to die rather then to ferue any other whomsoeuer but Astrea And you answered him my sonne I require this proofe of your loue and not your death which cannot be without mine owne for besides I know it is most hard to you yet will it bring vs a commodity which we especially are to looke after which is to shut vp both the eyes and mouthes of the most curious and reproachfull whether hee oftentimes replied hereto and whether hee made all the refusall which the obedience to which his affection bound him vnto you might permit I referre to your selfe if you haue the minde to remember it so farre am I from thinking he euer disobeyed you but for this onely cause and in truth it was so heauy an imposition that at all times when he returned from the place where he was enforced to dissemble he was compelled to take his bed as if he came from some great piece of seruice and there he would rest himselfe some while and then he vndertooke it afresh But now Astrea my brother is dead so it is whether you beleeue it or not beleeue it it will doe him neither good nor hurt so that you are not to thinke that I speake to you in his behalfe but onely for the truths sake yet may you credit me as you thinke good if I sweare vnto you that it is not aboue two daies since I found him engrauing of verses on the barke of these trees that stand by the great meddow on the left hand of the Beech and I assure my selfe that if you will vouchsafe to turne your eyes you may perceiue it was he that cut them for you may too well know his characters if forgetfull of him and of his passed seruices you haue not lost the remembrance of whatsoeuer concernes him but I am assured the gods will not suffer it for his satisfaction and your punishment The verses are these MADRIâ—AL I Haue my selfe at such a bent Although my Loue be violent That I can gaine this fauour small To say I doe not loue at all But to dissemble loue else-where Tâ— adore an eye the conquering part As I doe yours with trembling feare I know not how to haue the hart And if it must be that I die Dispach me hence then presently It may be some seuen or eight daies past that hauing had occasion to go for a time ouer the riuer of Loyre by way of answer he wrote me a letter which I am willing you should see and if in reading it you confesse not his innocency I will beleeue that you haue purposely lost for his sake all kinde of iudgement and then taking it out of his pocket he read it to her It was thus INquire no more what I doe but know that I continue alwaies in my ordinary paine To loue and not to dare shew it not to loue and sweare the contrary deare brother is all the exercise or rather the punishment of thy Celadon They say true contraries cannot be at one time in one place yet Loue and dissembled loue are ordinarily in my actions but wonder not at it for I am compelled to the one out of perfection and to the other by the commandement of Astrea If you thinke this manner of life strange remember that Miracles are the ordinary workes of gods and what would you my Goddesse should worke in me but Miracles It was long before Astrea would answer because the words of Licidas had almost put her beside her selfe So it was that iealousie which as yet helâ— some force in her soule made her take the paper as doubting if Celadon writ it And although she well knew it was he yet argued she the contrary in her mind following the custome of many moe persons who will alwaies strongly maintaine a thing as if it were their opinion And much about that time came diuers shepheards from seeking Celadon where they found no notice of him but his hat which was nothing to the sad Astrea but a fresh renewing of sorrow And because she remembred her selfe of a sleight which loue made them deuise and she was loth it should be knowne she made signe to Phillis to take it and then euery one betooke them to their lamentations and praises of the poore shepheard and there was not any that repeated not some vertuous action onely she that felt most was inforced to fit mute and to make lesse shew knowing well that the maine wisedome in loue is to hold affection hidden or at least not to discouer it vnprofitably And because the violence she did her selfe herein was great and she could hold out no longer she drew neere to Phillis and prayed her
one way and other all red with the bloud which issued from the wound which the olde man had made whose long beard locks in many places were stained with the bloud which fell from the morsels which he tore out to deuoure his armes and legs full of nerues and were in diuers places couered with haire his thighs leane and flesh-falne vnder his feete lay great pieces of bones where of some were white for age some began but to bee bare and others ioyned with a little skin and flesh halfe consumed shewed that they were but lately layd there Neere him one might see nothing but Scepters in pieces torne Crowns great buildings ruined that in such sort that hardly remained any liuely resemblance of what they had bene Not farre from thence one might see the Corebantes with their Cymballs and Hoboyes hide the little Iupiter in a den from the deuouring teeth of that father Then a little besides you might see him grown great with a visage enflamed but graue and full of maiestly his eyes milde but striking an awe a Crowne on his head in his left hand a Scepter which he rested on his thigh where was yet to be seene the skarre of the wound which he made when through the imprudence of the Nymph Semele that he might saue the little Bacchus he was constraind to open that part and to beare him vntill the end of the terme In his other hand he had the lightening cast into three poynts which was so liuely represented that it seemed then to flie in the aire He had his feete on a great Globe and by him you might see a great Eagle that bare in his hooked beake a thunderbolt and came neere him raysing the head toward him as high as his knees On the backe of this Bird was the young Ganimede attired after the fashion of theÌ„ that dwell in the mount Ida fat plump white his lockes golden and frizled that with one hand stroked the head of the Bird and with the other reached foorth to take the lightening from Iupiter who with his elbow and not otherwise gently thrust aside his feeble arme A little aside might one see the Cup and Ewre in which this little taster that serued Nectar to his Master so liuely set out that this young seruitour striuing to waite at Iupiters hand stumbled with one foote it seemed to be ready to fall and the little one purposely turned his head to see how it came At the foote of this god was a great vessell on the right hand was the good and on the other the euill and within were vowes prayers and sacrifices diuersly figured for the sacrifice was represented by the smoke intermingled with fire and within the vowes and supplications seemed like quicke Ideaes and halfe marked but so that the eie might discerne it It would be too long a Discourse to relate particularly all those pictures So it was that euery part of the Chamber was full euen Venus her selfe within her marine shell among other things casteth her eye on the starre the Greeks had made her in the warres of Troy And on the other side you might see little Cupid making much of her with the hurt on his shoulder from the lampe of the curious Psiche And this so well represented that the shepheard could not discerne it from counterfeit And after he had beene long in these thoughts the three Nymphes entred the Chamber the beauty and maiesty of whom rauished him yet into a greater admiration But that which perswaded him the rather to the opinion that he was dead was that when he saw the Nymphes he tooke them to be the three Graces and especially seeing the little Merill come in with them whose height youth beauty with his haire frizled and louely fashion made him iudge him to be Loue. And though he were confounded in himselfe yet so it was that that courage which he had alwayes greater then fitted the name of a shepheard gaue him assurance after he had saluted them to demaund in what place he was Where to Galathee answered Celadon you are in a place where they haue a desire to recouer you wholy we are they that finding you in the water haue conueyed you hither where you haue all at your command Then Siluia raysing her selfe Celadon said she is it possible you should not know me doe you remember you haue seene me in your hamlet I know not faire Nymph answered Celadon if the state wherein I am may excuse the feeblenesse of my memory How sayd the Nymph remember you no better that the Nymph Siluie and two of her companions went to see your sacrifices and sports the day that you consecrated to the Goddesse Venus The accident befalne you hath it made you forget that after you had won the prize from your fellowes at the Lute Siluie was she that gaue you for reward a garland of flowers which presently you see on the head of Astrea I know not if all these things bee blotted out of your memory but this I know wel that when you layd the garland on the fâ—ire haire of Astrea euery one wondred because of the hatred that had bene betweene your two families and particularly betweene Alcippe you father Alce the father of Astrea And then was I desirous to know the occasion but they so confounded me that I could know nothing else but that Amarillis hauing beneÌ„ beloued of these two shepheards and that betweene the riualls there hath alwayes bene small friendship they came oftentimes to handblowes vntill Amarillis espoused your father and then Alce and the wise Hipolita whom hee after married nourished so great hatred against them that it would neuer after suffer them to conuerse together Now see Celadon if I know you not well enough and if I giue you not good tokens of that I say The shepheard hearing these words by little and little came to memory of that which she said and yet hee was so astonished that he knew not what to answere For not knowing Siluie but for the Nymph of Amasis and by reason of his country life hauing had no familiarity with her nor with her companions he could not iudge for what cause nor how he was at this present among them In the end he answered That which you say faire Nymph is very true that on Venus her day three Nymphes gaue the three prizes whereof I had that for the Lute Licidas my brother that for the course which he gaue to Phillis and Siluander that for the song which he presented to the daughter of the faire Belinde but remember the names which they had I can not so that being hindered from our sports all that wee were content to know was that they were the Nymphs of Amasis and Galathee For as for vs as our bodies part not from our pastures so our sports make vs nothing curious And then replyed Galathee Haue you knowne no more That which informed my knowledge answered the
shepheard was the discourse which my father made me often of his fortunes in the which I haue often heard him make mention of Amasis but not of any thing particularly that concerned her though I haue earnestly desired him This desire replies Galathee is very commendable to giue him satisfaction and therefore I will tell you particularly both what Amasis is and what we are Know then gentle shepheard that of antiquitie this Country which at this present is called Forrests was couered with great Lakes of water and that there was nothing but the high mountaynes that you see round about that was vncouered except some points within the middle of the Plaine as the rocke of the wood of Isoure and of mount Verdun so that the Inhabitants abode on the toppes of the mountaines And therefore it is that euen yet the ancient families of this Countrey haue the buildings of their names in the more lofty places and in the high mountaines And for proofe of that I say you may yet on the toppe of Isoure and mount Verdun and about the Castle of Marsellis see great rings of yron in the rocke where the vessels were fastened there begin no likelyhood they could serue for any other vse But it may be about some foureteene or fifteene ages since a certaine Romane who in ten yeeres conquered all the Gaules caused some mountaines to be cut downe by which the water voyded away and not long after the bosome of our Plaines were discouered which seemed so pleasant and fertile that he purposed to haue it inhabited and for this purpose he made all those that liued in the mountaines and within the forrests to descend and willed that the first building that was then made should beare the name of Iulius which he had and because the place was moist and slimy it yeelded great store of trees Some say the place was called Forrests and the people Forresters in stead of Segusiens which they were named before but they are much deceiued For the name of Forrests commeth of Forum which is Feurs a little towne which the Romanes caused to be built and which they named Forum Segusionorum as if they would say The place or the March of the Segusians which properly is but the place where they kept their armies during the time that they gaue order to the neighbour countries See Celadon what they hold for certaine of the Antiquity of this Prouince but there are two opinions contrary to this which I would tell you The Romanes say that from the time that our plaine was yet couerd with water the chaste Goddesse Diana delighted so much in it that she abode in it almost continually for her Driades and Amadriades liued and hunted in this great Wood and high mountaines which inuironed this great quantity of waters and because there were store of fountains she came oftē to bathe her selfe with her Nayades which kept there ordinarily But when the waters were voyded the Nayades were constrained follow them and to go with them into the bosome of the Ocean so that the Goddesse found her selfe at one instant destitute of the halfe part of her Nymphes And this was the cause that not being able with so small a troop to cōtinue her ordinary pastime she chose out some daughters of the chiefe Druides and knights whom she ioyned with the Nymphes that remained to whom she gaue likewise the name of Nymph But it fell out as in the end the abuse peruerts all order that many of them which in their youth had beene bred in the house some among the commodities of a louing mother others among the allurements of sights and seruices of Louers not able to hold out in the trauaile of hunting nor banish out of their memories the honest affections of those that sometimes made suite vnto them would retire to their owne home and marry and some others whom the Goddesse denyed leaue failed in their promises and in their honesty which so much prouoked her that she resolued to forsake that profane countrey as she took it for this vice which she so much abhorred But because she would not punish the vertue of some with the error of others before she went away she ignominiously chased out and for euer banished out of the Countrey all those which had offended made choyce of one to whom she gaue the same Authority which she had ouer all the Countrey and willed that for euer the race of her should haue all the command and then permitted them to marry but with expresse prohibition that the men should neuer succeed Since that time there was neuer any abuse among vs and the lawes haue inuiolably beene obserued But our Druides talke in another manner for they say that our great Princesse Galathee the daughter of the King Celtes wife of the great Hercules and mother of Galathee who gaue name to the Gaules who formerly had beene called Celtes full of loue to her husband followed him whither his courage and vertue carried him among the Monsters and against the Gyants And by fortune at that time the mountaines which separated vs from Auerne and those which bend towards the left hand which they call Cemene and Gebenne serued for a place of retrait to some Gaints which by their force made themselues terrible to all men Hercules being aduertised hereof came and because he loued very tenderly his deare Galathe◠he left her in this country which was next neighbour and wherein she tooke great pleasure what for the game what for the company of the daughters of that country And for that she was Queene of all the Gaules when Hercules had vanquished the Gaints and that the necessity of his affaires compelled him to go other where before their departure to leaue an eternall memory of the delight she tooke in this country she made those ordinances which the Romanes say the Goddesse Diana did But were it Galathee or Diana so it is that by a supernaturall priuiledge we haue beene particularly maintained in our franchises since that of so many peoples which like a torrent were powred out ouer all Gaule there was not one that hath disquieted vs in our repose Euen Alarick◠king of the Visigots when with Aquitaine he had conquered all the Prouinces on this side Loyre hauing knowne our statutes confirmed our priuiledges and without vsurping any authority ouer vs left vs in our ancient franchises It may be you may thinke it strange that I talke to you so particularly of the things which are beyond the capacity of those of my age but you must know that Pimander who was my father hath beene curious to search out the antiquities of this Countrey in such sort that the more vnderstanding Druides discoursed to him ordinarily while he was at his meale and I that almost alwayes was with him remembred that which liked me best And thus I knew that in one continued line Amasis my mother was descended from them whom the goddesse Diana or
you know for my vnkle Adamas Prince of the Druydes from whom no secret of Nature nor vertue of hearbs are hidde he is a man of great discretion and iudgement and I know he hath a particular inclination to doe you seruice if you will imploy him in this occasion I make no question but it will sort to your contentment Galathee stood some while without answer But Siluie that saw it the most expedient and foreiudged that by meane of the wise Adamas they might diuert Galathee from this shamefull life answered very readily that this way in her opinion was the safest Whereto Galathee consented not being able to inuent a better There resteth saith Leonide to know that I goe not beyond your commandement what your will is I should say to Adamas what I should conceale There is nothing answered Siluie seeing Galathee stand silent that more binds a man to secresie then frankly to discouer an intire trust and contrarily nothing that more constraines to bewray then apparant mistrust So that it seemeth best to tie Adamas more strongly to be secret you must tell him before he comes all things that he is like to discouer when he shall be here I am said Galathee so quite besides my selfe that I hardly know what to say and for that cause I referre all to your discretion So departed Leonide with her desire though the beginning of the night were very darke and rested not till she came to her vnkle whose abode was at the turning of the mountaine of Marsellis not farre from the Vestals and Druides of Laignieu but her iourney was longer then she looked for for reaching thither by breake of day she found he was gone to Feurs and that he would not returne of two or three dayes which was the cause that without long abode shee set forward on her way but so weary that had not the desire of the shepheards recouery been which gaue her no rest without doubt shee had stayed for Adamas there whereas now shee stayed but halfe an houre for that not hauing beene vsed to such iourney shee found it very hard when she was a little refreshed shee went the same way shecame But hardly had she gone a mile but she might see farre oft a Nymph alone comming towards her the same way that she had gone whom afterwards she knew to be Siluie This meeting brought her but a little cōfort beleeuing that she came to deliuer the death of Celadon but it was cōtrary for she vnderstood by her that since her departure he had taken good rest at his waking he found himselfe without the feuer and therfore Galathee had sent her to ouertake her and to tell her so much and to say that the shepheard beeing in so good case there was no neede to bring Adamas nor to acquaint him with the businesse It will bee hard to expresse the contentment that Leonide had hearing of the recouery of the shepheard whom she loued And after she had thanked God shee said to her companion Sister since I know by your speech that Galathee hath not concealed from you her desire which shee hath touching the shepheard it is necessary that I should frankly tell you that this kinde of life infinitely distastes mee and that I hold it very shamefull both for her and vs for she is so passionate that for all the small reckoning the shepheard makes of her yet can she not with-hold her selfe and so hath before her eyes the predictions of a certaine Druide that shee thinkes all her happinesse depends vpon this Loue and this is the good which she thinkes euery one ought to affect as well as she as if all looked with her eyes and that is my griefe for she is become so iealous of me that she can hardly indure me to be neere him Now sister if this life come to be knowne as without doubt it will since there is nothing so secret but shall be discouered iudge you what they will talke of vs and what opinion wee shall haue of all others that heare of it I haue done what I could possibly to diuert her from it but all to no purpose Therefore am I resolued to let her loue since she will loue prouided that it be not at our cost I haue made you this discourse to shew you that it is very expedient we should seek some remedy and that I finde no meane more ready then by making my vnkle a party who will bring it to good passe by his counsell and wisedome Sister said Siluie I infinitely commend your desine and to giue you the commodity of bringing Adamas to her I will returne backe and say I haue beene at Adamas his house but could neither finde you nor him It were very fit answered Leonide that we go to rest our selues in some thicket that as it seemeth you haue long sought for me so am I so weary that I must sleepe a little if I meane to finish my voyage Let vs goe sister replyed Siluie and beleeue you shall effect no small matter to free vs of Celadon For I well perceiue the humour of Galathee that with the time will turne to your great displeasure At this word they tooke hands and looking about for some place to spend a part of the day in they spyed one on the other side of Lignon which they thought fit for their purpose Passing ouer the bridge of the Botresse and leauing Bonlieu the place of the Druides and Vestals on the left hand and going downe along the riuer they came to bestow themselues in a thicke groue which ioyned hard on the high-way and wherein there was an Arbor that affoorded a pleasant seate at all times out of which when they had made choyce of the most shadowed corner they fell asleepe one after another And while they thus rested Astrea Diane and Phillis came by chance driuing their flocks into that place and not seeing the Nymphs they sate downe neere them and because the amities which are begunne in bad fortune are more straightly riuited in then those that are conceiued in happy times Diane who was tyed in a fast league with Astrea and Phillis since the mis-hap of Celadon bare them so great good will and they to her that almost all the day they left not each other and indeed Astrea had great neede of consolation the rather for that about that time shee lost Alce and Hippolite her father and mother Hippolite for the fright shotooke for the losse of Astrea when she was in the water and Alce for griefe at the losse of his deare companion which yet was a poore helpe to Astrea who might bewaile the losse of Celadon vnder the couer of that of her father and mother and as I told you Diane the daughter of the wise Bellinde that she might not bee wanting in the duty of a neighbour went often to visite her and found her humour so pleasing and Astrea againe hers and Phillis that of them
chuse but be assured of his affection Where to she answered that she neuer had the thought to dissemble with me and she would be very angry I should haue that opinion of her and to giue me more proofe since I desired she should intertaine Licidas she would obey me when she should know that he loued her as he said That was the cause that Celadon often finding her after with me gaue her a Letter that his brother had written by my aduice A Letter of Licidas to Phillis IF I haue not alwayes loued you let me neuer be beloued of any and if my affâ—â—tion do euer change let my present misfortune neuer change It is true that some-while I haue hidden my loue within my heart so that I haue not suffered it to appeare in my eyes nor words If I haue offended in it accuse the respect I carry you who haue ordained I should doe so If you beleeue not the oath which I haue made you take what proofe you will of me and you shall know that you haue me more yours then I can assure you by my true but most feeble words In the end wise Diane after many replies on both sides we so wrought that Licidas was entertained and from that time we began all foure one life which was not vnpleasing either of vs fauouring the other with the most discretion we could possibly And that we might the better couer our dessigne we inuented many meanes were it to talke were it to write in secresie It may be you haue noted that little rocke that standeth vpon the great way to the Rocke you must needs know that it is painefull to get vp but being there the place is so fenced that a man may be there vnseene of any and because it stands on the hie way wee made choice of it to meete in that none might spy vs and if any mette vs going by wee made shew to be on our way and that neither the one nor the other might go in vaine we put in the morning some bough at the foote of it for a marke that we had somewhat to say It is true that we were so neere vnto the high way that our raysed voyce might easily be heard of them that passed by this was the onely cause that vsually we left either Phillis or Licidas to watch that at what time soeuer they sawe any come afarre off they should cough to giue vs warning And because wee were vsed to write alwayes when we were letted or hindered and could not come to that place wee chose out along that little riuer that runnes by the great way an olde Willow tree halfe eaten for age in the hollow whereof we alwayes layd our letters and that we might more easily make answer wee vsually left some paper and an inkehorne To be short wise Diane we turned on euery side that wee possibly could to keepe vs from discouery And namely wee forthwith tooke this course not to talke together Celadon and I nor Licidas and Phillis so that there were many that thought that Celadon had changed his minde because that as soone as he saw Phillis he would haste to intertaine her and she shewed him all the good countenance she could and I likewise alwayes when Licidas came in place brake company from any other to go talke with him It fell out in successe of time that Celadon himselfe was of opinion that I loued Licidas and I beleeued he loued Phillis and Phillis thought Licidas loued me and Licidas suspected that Phillis loued Celadon in such sort that vnawares we found our selues so cumbred with these opinions that iealousie made vs know that a little shewe will cause him breed in an heart that loueth well Indeed interrupted Phillis we were Louers and Schollers at that time for to what purpose serued it to conceale that we truly loued by making men beleeue a loue that was not since you may as well feare that men should thinke you beare good will to Licidas as to Celadon Sister sister replyed Astrea clapping her hand on her shoulder we feare not when men doe thinke of vs that which is not and on the contrary the least suspition of that which is true giues vs no rest Truly iealousie continued she turning toward Diane so attached vs all foure that I thinke that life had long lasted among vs if some good spirit had not wrought in vs a cleering in the presence each of other Some seuen or eight dayes passed that we sawe not each other in the rocke and that the letters which Celadon and I layd were so differing from those we formerly vsed that it seemed they were differing persons At last as I told you some good spirit hauing care of vs caused vs by chance to meete all foure in that place without other company And the loue of Celadon therein more strong then the rest in that it compelled him to speake first put these words into his mouth Faire Astrea if I thought time could giue remedy to the paine I feele I would referre my selfe to that which it might bring but since the older it growes the more it increaseth I am enforced to seeke out a better by the complaint that I am to make to you of the wrong I receiue and I am more readily brought to it for that I am to make my complaint both before my Iudges and my aduersaries And as he was going forward Licidas interrupted him saying that he was in payne that in greatnesse differed not from his In greatnesse sayd Celadon it is impossible for mine is extreme And mine replyed Licidas is without comparison While the shepheards talked together I turned to Phillis and sayd You see sister these shepheards will complaine of vs. Whereto shee answered me But we haue more cause to complaine of them But yet sayd I although I haue great cause to complayne of Celadon yet I haue more of you who vnder the colour of the friendship you seeme to beare me haue drawne him from that hee made shew of to me so that I may say you haue robbed me And for that Phillis stood so confused at my words that she knew not what to answer Celadon turning to me said Ah faire shepheardesse but fleeting as fayre Is it so that you haue lost the memory of the seruices of Celadon and of your owne othes I complayne not so much of Licidas though he haue fayled in his duty of proximity and amity betweene vs as of you to your selfe knowing well that the desire which your perfections may bring into an heart may make it forget all respect of duty But is it possible that so long a seruice as mine so absolute a power as you haue euer had ouer me and so entire an affection as mine cannot somewhat stay the inconstancy of your soule or in good time if yet all that commeth from me be of so small force how comes it that your fayth so often sworne and the gods so often called
inueigled me for if I had had any iudgement remaining in me for this new iealousie at the least I might haue inquired of Celadon what his purpose was thogh he would haue dissembled it I shuld easily enough haue found out his fictiō But without other consideration the next morning when hee came to looke me at my flock I talked to him with such disdaine that desperately he cast himselfe into that gulph where drowning himselfe he hath at one blow drowned all my contentment At this word she grew pale like death and had it not beene for Phillis who raysed her vp pulling her by the arme shee had beene in danger of swouning THE FIFTH BOOKE OF Astrea and Celadon THe noyse that the shepheardesses made when Astrea fell into a swoune was such that Leonide waked with it and hearing them talke neer her her curiosity gaue her a mind to know who they were and because after they had refreshed themselues these three shepheardesses rose to goe away all that she could doe was to awaken Siluie to shew them her As soone as she saw them she knew Astrea though she were much changed for the displeasure she tooke for the losse of Celadon And the other two said Leonide what are they The one said she that is on the left hand is Phillis her deare companion and the other is Diane the daughter of the sage Bellinde and Celio◠and I am angry that we haue slept so long for I am assured we should haue heard some of their newes there being some likelihood that the occasion which withdrew them from others was but to talke more freely Truly answered Leonide I protest I neuer saw any more beautifull then Astrea and comparing her with all others I finde her beyond them all Ghesse replyed Siluie what hope Galathee may haue to diuert the affection of the shepheard This consideration touched Leonide also to the quick for her part as well as Galathee But loue which neuer lookes on the expence of any person without giuing them for their payment some kinde of hope would not handle this Nymph more niggardly then others and so though there were no great likelihood yet he would not fayle to promise her that the absence of Astrea and the loue which she made shew to beare him might haply make a change of will and after some other such discourse the Nymphs diuided themselues Leonide taking the way of Feurs and Siluie that of Isoure in which meane time the three fayre shepheardesses hauing gathered together their flockes went shortly after to their Lodges They had hardly set foote in the great pasture where they were wont to assemble but they perceiued Licidas talking with Siluander As soone as the shepheard sawe Astrea he became pale and so changed that for feare lest Siluander should know any thing he brake company with some bad excuse but desirous to auoyde the meeting with them Phillis went to crosse his way with Diane after she had told Astrea the bad satisfaction this shepheard had of her and because Phillis would not lose him hauing till then so charily kept him although he endeuoured to passe beyond them yet she ouertooke him smiling sayd If in this sort you flie from your friends what will you doe to your enemies He answered The company which you so cherish will not suffer you to hold that name She replyed the shepheardesse of whom you complaine suffereth more paine for offending you then your selfe doe That is said the shepheard but to breake the weapon rather then heale the wound By this time Astrea came addressing her selfe to Licidas said thus I am so farre shepheard from saying that the hatred you beare me is vniust that I auerre you know not how to hate me so deadly as you haue occasion Notwithstanding if the memory of him which is the cause of this euil satisfaction be yet as liuely in your soule as it shall euer be in mine you should remember I am that thing in the world he most loued and it will be euill for you to hate me since yet there is nothing that he loued more then me Licidas would you receiue not this satisfaction as you haue had reason hitherto so may you be blamed as much for being vnreasonable Astrea not resting on Dianes speech tooke her hand from his mouth and sayd No no wise shepheardesse restraine not Licidas let him vse all the rigorous words hee pleaseth I know they be the effects of his iust griefe yet I know well also that therein hee hath no more losse then I. Licidas hearing these words and the maner in which she deliuered them gaue testimony with his teares that she had wonne him and not being able to commaund himselfe so readily notwithstanding all the defence that Phillis and Diane could make he freed himselfe from their hands and went on the other side which Phillis perceiuing that she might haue the whole victory followed and knew so well to represent him the displeasure of Astrea and the villany of Semire that in the end she brought him backe to the company But in this meane time Leonide held on her way to Feur◠and though she made great haste yet could she not reach beyond Ponsius because she had slept ouer-long that was the cause that she waked long before day desirous to returne in good time that she might stay some-while in her returne with the shepheardesses whom she left yet durst she not goe vntil the light might shew her the way for feare of losing herselfe though she could not possibly close her eyes all the rest of the night As she lay entertaining her thoughts and as she was heedfully hearkening she heard one talke somewhat neere her for there was but a slight partition that diuided one chamber into two for that the Master of the house was an honest shepherd that out of courtesie the lawes of hospitality freely intertained al passingers without enquiring what they were and because his lodging was scant he was faine to make that diuision to make the more chambers Now when the Nymph came thither there were two stangers lodged but because it was late they were withdrawne already and asleep and by fortune the chamber where the Nymph was lodged was of this sort and hard by theirs without heeding it when she lay downe hearing one murmure hard by her bed for the beds head stood that way that she might the better vnderstand she layd her eare to an open place of the wall and by chance one of them lifting vp his voyce somewhat higher she heard that he answer'd the other thus What would you I shuld say more but that loue makes you so impatient And well either she shall be found wearied or sicke or distempered with some accident that hath made her stay And must one despaire for that Leonide thought she knew the voyce but she could not remember it so well as the other so soon as he answerd But looke you Climanthe that
approched I came to the doore where the first that I met with was Leonide and for that she was ready to enter thrusting her backe a little I sayd to her very rudely Leonide the Diuinity which I serue commands you not to profane his Altars At these words she stept backe halfe amazed for my habit of a Druyde made them giue me honour and the name of the Diuinity gaue me feare and after shee was assured she said to me The Altars of your God whosoeuer he be cannot be profaned by receiuing my vowes since I come but to render the honor which heauen demands of vs. Heauen answered I demaunds indeed vowes and honour but not differing from that they ordaine so that if the zeale of the Diuinity which I serue hath brought you hither then must you obserue that which it commaunds And what is his commaundement sayd Siluie Siluie sayd I if you haue the same intent that your companion hath doe you both that which I tell you and then your vowes shall be pleasing to him Before the Moone begin to wane wash your right leg to the knee before day and the arme to the elbow within this riuer that runnes before this holy Caue And then the leg and arme being naked come hither with a garland of Veruine and a girdle of Succorie after that I will tell you what you are to doe to be partakers of the sacred mysteries of this place which I will open and declare to you And then taking her by the hand I sayd Will you for testimony of the graces wherewith the diuinity whom I serue fauours me that I tell you part of your life and what shall befall you Not I sayd she for I haue no such curiosity But you my companion sayd she addressing her selfe to Leonide I haue seene you heretofore desirous to know it Now satisfie your desire I beseech you sayd Leonide presenting her hand to me Then remembring that that you told me of these Nymphes in particular I tooke her hand and asked her if she were borne in the day or night and knowing that it was in the night I tooke her left hand and after I had sometime coÌ„siderd of it I said This line of life clean wel mark'd long shews that you shall liue from the diseases of your body in good health but this little crosse which is in the same line almost at height of the angles which hath two little lines aboue and three beneath and these three also which are at the end of the line of life towards the turning shew in you the diseases which Loue shall giue you which will hinder you from that health of spirit which you haue of body And those fiue or sixe points which like little graines are sowed heere and there on the same line make me iudge that you neuer will hate them that loue you but rather that you delight to be beloued and serued Now marke this other line which takes his root from that we haue already spoken of and passing through the middle of the hand lifts it selfe against the mount of the Moone they call it the naturall Meane those cuttings that you see which skant appeare signifie that you are easily angry with them ouer whom Loue giues you authority And this little starre which turnes against the ground of the pulse shewes that you are full of bounty and sweetenesse and that quickly you will lose your choler But behold this line which we call Mensale that ioyneth with the meanes naturall so that they two make one angle this sheweth you shall haue diuers troubles in plotting for loue which will make your life some-whiles vnpleasing which I iudge the rather considering that soone after the meane failes and that meets with that of life so that they seeme to be the angle of the Mensale and of the other but this tells mee that late or neuer you shall haue the conclusion of your desires I would haue gone on when she tooke away her hand and sayd this was not the thing she demaunded for I speake too much in generall but she would cleerely know what would become of a dossigne which she had Then I answered her The heauenly powers themselues onely know that which is to come but onely that that by their bounty they giue knowledge of to their seruants and that sometimes for the publike good sometimes to satisfie the ardent supplication of them that often importune their Altars and many times to shew that nothing is hidden from them and yet it is the part of a wise Interpreter to tell nothing but what he thinketh necessary because the secrets of the gods are not to be divulged without cause I tell you this that your curiosity might content it selfe that I haue discoursed with lesse cleerenesse then you desire for it is not necessary I should say otherwise vnto you And that you may know that God is not so sparing of his graces but that he talketh familiarly with me I will tell you the things which haue befalne you by which you may iudge how much I know In the first place fayre Nymphs you know I neuer sawe you before and yet at the first meeting I called you all by your names which I did for that I am willing you should thinke mee to know more then the common sort not to the end that any glory should befall me that were too great a presumption but to the Deity which I serue in this place Now you must beleeue that all that I shall say to you I haue learned from the same Master and in this I lyed not for it was you Polemas that told mee it but because continued I it may be the particularities will make me oâ—ex-long it will not be amisse to place our selues vnder these nâ—â—ror trees At this word we went and then I began againe in this sort Truly interrupted Polemaâ— you could not carry this beginning with more aâ—te You will iudge answered Climanthe that the proceeding was with no lesse wisedome I began my speech then in this sort Faire Nymph It may be about three yeeres that the gentle Agis in a full assembly was giuen you for seruant at the beginning you were indifferent for till then the young yeeres of you both was the cause that your hearts were not capable of the passions which Loue conceâ—ued but since that your beauty in him and his suite in you began to kindle by little little these fires whereof Nature gaue the first sparkes in vs at the houre of our birth so that that which was indifferent became particular to you both and Loue in the end formed it selfe and was borne in his soule with all the passions which vsually accompany it and in you a good wil which made you like better of his affection and seruices then of any other The first time that in earnest he made his ouerture was when Amasis going to walke in the faire gardens of Montbrison hee tooke you vnder the
the composition which was vnder it so that the flame burst forth so suddainely that the Nymphs which were at the doore seeing at the first the Mirrour glister and presently the fire so suddaine and violent tooke such a feare that they returned with great opinion both of my holinesse of the respect to the diuinity which I serue Could this beginning bee better carried then it was No certainly answered Polemas and I thinke well for my part that euery body which had not knowne of it before might be easily deceiued While Climanthe talked thus Leonide harkened to it so rauished from her selfe that she knew not whether she slept or waked for she saw well that all that he told her was very true yet could she not well beleeue that it was so and while she disputed in her selfe she heard Climanthe beginne againe Now these Nymphs went away and I could not know what report they would giue of me yet by coniecture there was no likeli-hood but they would tell to euery one the admirable things which they had seene and as renowne increases alwaies the Court was full of nothing but of me And at that time I had much adoe to continue my enterprise for an infinite company came to see mee some of curiosity others to be instructed and many to know if that which they talked of me was so And I was driuen to vse great cunning Sometimes to auoyd them I gaue out that that day was a mute day for the Deity that I serued another time that some body had displeased it and that it would not answer vntill I had appeased it by fasting another time I set downe conditions for the ceremonies which I caused to vse which they could not performe without some good time and sometimes when all was finished I found matter to say that either they had not well obserued all or that they had done too much or too little and so I made them begin againe and went winning time As for them whom I knew any thing by I dispatched them quickly and that was the cause that others desirous to know as much as the former submitted themselues to what I would Now during that time Amasis came to see mee and with her Galathee After I had satisfied Amasis about that which shee de maunded which was in summe to know what the voyage should be that Clidaman had vndertaken and I had told her that he should runne an happy fortune that hee should be wounded and be in three battels with the Prince of France but that in the end he should returne with all sort of honour and glorie she went from me wonderfully contented and desired mee to commend her sonne to the Deity which I serued But Galathee much more curious then her mother drawing me aside said Father bind me intelling me what you know of my fortune Then I said she should shew me her hand I stood looking on it some-while and made her scratch thrice vpon the ground and hauing set the left foote forward I turned her towards the East and there made her looke vpward I took the measure of her foote and of her hand after that the compasse of her necke and with that measure I measured the girdle in height and in the end looking at once on both her hands I said Galathee you are happy if you knew your houre thrice-happy if you let it not passe either out of coldnes or for loue or wāt of courage But if you make not your self incapable of that good whereto heauen hath destinated you you can not wish to attaine to more happinesse and all that good or all that euill is prepared you by loue Be aduised then to take firme resolution not to suffer your selfe to be intangled with the perswasions of Loue nor the counsell of friends nor commandement of parents which vnlesse you do I thinke there is not any thing vnder heauen so miserable as you shal be O God! said Galathee you amaze me Be not amazed said I for that which I tell you is but to your good and that you may carry your selfe with all wisedome I will discouer vnto you all that the Diuinity that instructed me shal permit but remember to keepe it so secret that you trust no liuing creature with it After shee had promised mee I continued in this sort Daughter for the office whereunto the gods haue called mee suffer me so to name you you are and shall be serued of many great and worthy Knights whose vertues and merits may diuersly excite and mooue you but if you shall measure your affection either by your merites or by the iudgement you shall haue of their loue and fauour and not according to that that I shall declare vnto you you fill your selfe as full of misfortune as any creature out of the graces and fauours of the gods may in any wise bee For I which am the Interpreter of their will and pleasure in telling you this I take from you all excuse of igaorance so that now you are disobedient to them if you doe contrary and you know that the heauens rather demaund obedience and submission rather then any other sacrifice and therefore bethinke your selfe well of what I am to tell you That day that the Bacchanals runne thorow the streets raging and storming full of the Euthusiasme of their god you must be in the towne of Marseilles where many gallant Knights shall see you But take good heede to him that is clothed with cloth of gold and greene and whose whole suite shall be of that colour if you loue him I henceforth bewayle your misfortune and you cannot say other but that you shall be the marke of all disasters and of all misfortune for you shall then feele that which I may not tell you Father answered she somewhat astonished I know a good remedy for this not to loue at all My childe replied I this remedy is very dangerous for that not onely you may displease the gods in doing that which they will not but also in not doing that which they will Therefore take heede to your selfe And how replied she must I behaue my selfe I haue told you heeretofore answered I what you ought not to doe at this time I will tell you what you ought to do It is necessary in the first place that you know that all things corporall or spiritual haue euery one their contraries and their sympathisants from the least we may come to the proofe of the greatest but for the knowledge which you ought to haue this discourse may be vnprofitable and this that I say to you is to no other end but to cause you giue the better heed that as you haue this misfortune contrary to your happinesse so haue you a destiny so capable of making you happy that your felicity can not be expressed and in this the gods will recompence that to which they haue subiected you Since it is so answered she I coniure you father by
I couered the body with Veruine and made euery one of them a Crowne of Poppeys and put in their mouth some salt which I made them chew Afterwards I tooke three black Heyfers and the fairest that I could choose which had neuer beene knowne of the Ram whose haire black and long was like silke it was so soft and pleasant I draue these beasts without felling to the ditch where turning me to the East side I took hold on them on the head with my left hand and with my right I tooke the haire which grew betweene the hornes and put it into the Cruze mingling it together with milke flowre wine and honey and after I had foure times called Hecate I thrust the knife into the heart of the Beasts one after another and saued the blood in a basm and then calling againe on Hecate I powred it by little and little Then thinking there remained nothing to doe more I raysed my selfe on tip-toe and doing like one transported I said to the Nymphs It is time and taking Galathee by the hand we entered all foure in I was made gastly I looked staring mine eyes rowling in my head my mouth gaping and my body shaking with the holy Eutheusiasme Being neere the Altar I said O holy Deity which abidest in this place grant mee that I may answere this Nymph truely about that which she demands The place was darke and there was no light but that which two little candles gaue which were 〈◊〉 on the Altar and the morning which by this time was cleere gaue a little light to the painted paper that it might be the better represented in the Looking-glasse After I had said some words I fell on the ground and holâ—ing downe my head some while I raysed it and turning to Galathee I said Nymph beloued of heauen dâ—y 〈◊〉 and thy sacrifices are receiued the Deity which we haue called on wâ—ls that by sight and not onely by the eare thou shouldest know where thou art to finde thy good Come neere this Altar and say after me O great Hecate which art resiant at the Lake of Stix let the dog with three heads not barke at thee when thou descendest so let these Altars alwaies sâ—oake with pleasing Sacrifices as I promise euery yeere to charge them with the like prouided great Goddesse that by thee I may see that which I desire At this last word I touched the horse haire wherewith the little table â—ung which falling and nothing hindering it from striking on the flint made the fire accustomed with a flame so quicke that Galathee was surprised with feare But I held her and sayd Nymph be not afraid this is Hecate who shewes you that which you demaund Then the smoke by little and little vanishing the Looking-glasse might be seene but somewhat troubled with the darknes of the smoke which was the cause that taking a wet spunge which hung by for that purpose vpon a Cane I wiped twice or thrice on the Glasse which made it cleere and by fortune the Sunne rose at that time shining so fitly on the painted paper that it shewed so liuely in the Glasse as I could wish After they had beheld it some-while I sayd to Galathee Remember Nymph that Hecate makes thee know by me that in that place which thou feest represented in this myrrour thou shalt finde a Diamond halfe lost which a faire and ouer-scornefull hath dis-esteemed thinking it to be false and yet it is of inestimable valew take it and keepe it curiously Now this riuer is Lignon this is Sanlag which is there this is the coast of Mont-verdun vnder that hill where it seemed the riuer had his course heretofore Marke well the place and remember it Afterwards leading the Nymph aside I sayd My childe you haue as I haue told you an influence infinitely malicious and another most fortunate as one would wish the malicious I haue told keepe you from it if you loue your contentment The good is that which you see in this Glasse marke then well the place which I haue caused you to see and that you may the better remember it after I haue done speaking to you returne to see it and note it well for the day that the Moone shall be in the same state that it is in now about this very houre or a little sooner or later you shall find him whom you ought to loue If he see you before you see him he shall loue you but hardly shall you loue him on the contrary if you see him first he shall haue somewhat to doe to loue you and you shall presently loue him Now must you by your wisedome ouercome this contrariety resolue then both to vanquish your selfe and him if need be for without doubt in time you shall hit on him if you find him not the first time returne the next Moone after at the same day about the same houre and do so the third time if you meete him not at the second Hecate will not make the day certaine to me It pleaseth the gods to mixe paine in that they giue vs that obedience which herein we render them may witnesse how we esteeme them Then taking a little sticke I came to the looking glasse and pointed with it to euery place Behold sayd I the mountaine of Isoure see the Mont-uerdun see the riuer of Lignon Here see you a lake on the shore of it there and a little lower la Pra you may well remember it hauing passed often that way as you hunted Now Nymph Hecate sends you word by me that if you obserue not that which she sets down to you as you haue promised her she wil augment the mis-fortune which the Destinies threaten And then a little changing my voyce I sayd And I am right glad that before my departure I haue bin so happy too as to giue you this aduice for though I be not of this country yet so it is that your vertue and your piety to the gods haue bound mee to loue you and to beseech Hecate that she would preserue and make you happy and by this you may see I am wholy belonging to that goddesse since she hauing commanded mee to departhence to morrow without gaine-saying I am resolued and bid you adeiu At this word I led them out of my cabbin taking from them the herbes I had set about them I burnt them in the fire which as yet was flaming and then withdrew my selfe I will now tell you why I said It was at the full moone for you were angry that I gaue her so long terme I did it to the end that Lindamor might bee gone before shee went there being no likelihood that Amasis would suffer her before and then you that were to take the charge of all the Prouince must haue some time to stay about Amasis after the going away of all the knights to beginne to set things in order whereas if so presently you should haue gone to hunt euery
one might haue murmured for you know how much a man that deales in matters of state is subiect to enuie and slander I gaue three moones after to the end that if you falle one day you might be there another I told her that if shee saw you first that shee should easily fall in loue with you that if it were you it should be otherwise and that only because I knew well that you should see her first so that she should find this difficulty of Loue true in her selfe for as you know she loued Lindamor I told her I must bee gone the next day that she should not thinke it strange if she came to seeke me out for some curiosity for hauing performed that which wee resolue on I had reason to make haste that I might not bee knowne of any Druide who would haue caused me to bee punished and you know well that hath alwayes bene my feare Thinke you I haue forgot any thing No certainely sayd Polemas but what might that be that hath kept her backe so long time For my part sayd Climanthe I know not except it bee for that shee hath mis-taken the daies of the moone but since no businesse presses you and you may yet stay here the time that I haue set her I would aduise you to do it and euery morning two dayes before and after you faile not to goe in good time for it is true that the first day wee were too late And what will you sayd Polemas that I should do The losse of the shepheard that drowned himselfe was the cause and you know the shore of the riuer was so full of folke that I could not stay there alone without suspicion but wee haue not foreslowed much and there is no likelihood that shee was there that day for I assure my selfe that the same occasion which hindred me hath likewise stayd her lest she shuld be seen You shal neuer perswade mee so replied Climanthe shee was too desirous to obserue that which I appointed But it seemes to be time to rise that you may be gone and then opening the windowes he saw the day breake Without doubt sayd he before you be at the place where you shuld be the houre will be past make haste for it is better to haue many houres to spare thē a momēt too short And will you sayd Polemas that wee go now being more then 15. dayes since the time is past It may be she hath reckoned wrong let vs not faile to finde her Leonide who feared to be seene either of Polemas or Climanthe durst not rise before they were gone and that shee might know the face of Climanthe when it was day she beheld him so that shee thought it impossible hee could disguise himselfe to her and as soone as she saw they were out of the house she dressed her selfe and hauing taken leaue of her hoast held on her voiage so confused in her selfe at the malicious impostures of these two persons that she thoght any other might as well bee deceiued as shee so it was that the small esteeme which Polemas made of her beauty strucke her so to the quicke that she resolued to preuent his malice with her wisedome and to worke so that Lindamor in his absence might not feele the effects of this treason which she thought she could not better do then by the meane of her vncle Adamas to whom she had a purpose to declare all that she knew In this resolution she hasted to go to Feurs where she thought to find him but she came too late for that morning hee was gone home-wards hauing the day before dispatched that which belonged to the sacrifice And the Sun began to wax hot by that time he came into the plaine of Mont-Verdun and because on the left hand he perceiued a tuft of trees which as he thoght gaue a louely shaddow hee turned his step thither to rest himselfe a little As soone as hee was there hee spied afar off a shepheard comming that seemed to seeke out that place for the same cause that brought him and because hee seemed to bee very sad when hee came lest hee might draw him from his thought hee would not salute him but without shewing himselfe to him he would harken what he went talking to himselfe and shortly after he was set down on the other side of the bush he heard him vse these words And why should I loue this fleeter In the first place her beauty cannot constraine me for it is not enough to giue her the name of faire and then her merits are not such as if they be not ayded with other considerations may hold an honest man in her seruice and lastly her loue which was all that bound me to her is so changeable that if she haue any impression of loue in her hart I think it be not only of wax but of wax newly wrought she so easily takes the figures of al nouelties and it is like her eyes that receiue the figures of all that is represented to them but lose them as soone as the obiect is no more before them that is I loue her I must avow it is because I thinke shee loues mee but if it be not so I excuse her for I know well she thinks she loues me This shepheard had gone on but a shepheardesse by fortune came to him who seemed to haue followed him afar off and though shee heard some words of her selfe yet made she no shew but now contrary sitting downe by him shee sayd Well Corilas what new care is this that makes you so sad The shepheard answered her as disdainefully as hee could without turning his head on that side It is that which makes me search with what new deceit you will beare them whom from this time you shall beginne to loue And why sayd the shepheardesse can you beleeue that I affect any other then you And you sayd the shepheard can you beleeue that I thinke you affect me What thinke you then of me sayd the shepheardesse All the worst answered Corilas that you can beleeue from a man whom you hate You haue added she strange opinions of me And you said Corilas strange effects in you O God sayd the shepheardesse what a man haue I found in you It is I answered the shepheard that with more reason may retort it on you Stelle what a woman haue I found for there is nothing more capable of loue thē you you I say who take no delite but to deceiue those that trust in you and who imitate the huntsman who pursueth the beast with such care whose heart afterwards he giues to his dogs You haue said shee so small reason in that you say as he should haue lesse that will stay to answere you I would to God said the shepheard I might alwayes haue as much in my soule as I haue now in my words I should not haue that sorrow that afflicts me And after they had both held their peace
talk of another matter sayd to me Know you how Fleurials Aunt doth I answered that since he went I knew nothing Truely sayd she I would be very sorry if the old woman should not do well you haue reason sayd I Madam for she loues you and you haue had many seruices of her which are not yet fully acknowledged If she liue said she I will do it and after her I will remember Fleurial for her sake Then I answered Both the seruices of the aunt those of the Nephew deserue some good recompence and especially Fleurial for his faithfulnesse and affection cannot be bought It is true sayd she but because you speake of Fleurial what great matter had you to say to him or hee to you when he went away I answered coldly I recommended mee to his aunt Recommendations sayd she were not so long then she came neerer me and layd her hand on my shoulder Tell truth continued shee you spake of some other thing And what might it bee replied I if it were not that I had no other businesse with him Now I know sayd she that at this present you dissemble why did you say you had no other businesse with him and haue had so much for Lindamor O! Madam I little thought you would haue remembred a man so vnfortunate and then holding my peace I fetched a deepe sigh What is the matter sayd she that you sigh tell me true where is Lindamor Lindamor answered I is no more then earth How cried shee out Lindamor is no more No indeed answered I the cruelty which you haue vsed towards him hath rather slaine him then the strokes of his enemy for going from the combat and knowing by the report of many the euill satisfaction which you had of him he would neuer suffer himselfe to be dressed and because you haue such a desire to know that was it that Fleurial told mee whom I commanded to assay if he could wisely withdraw the letters which wee haue writ him to the end that as you haue lost the remembrance of his seruices by your cruelty so might I consume in the fire the memories which might remaine O God sayd she what is that you tell me Is it possible he should be so lost It is you sayd I that may say you haue lost him for his part hee hath gained by dying since by death hee hath found rest which your cruelty will neuer permit him while hee liued Ah! Leonide sayd she you tell me these things to put mee to paine confesse the truth hee is not dead Would to God it were so sayd I but for what cause should I tell you I answere his death or life are indifferent to you and specially since you loued him so little you may be glad to be exempted for the importunity he would haue giuen you for you are to beleeue that if he had liued hee would neuer haue ceased from giuing such proofes of his affection as that of Polemas Indeed then sayd the Nymph I am sorry for the poore Lindamor and sweare vnto you that his death touches me more to the quicke then I though it would but tell me had he neuer no remembrance of vs at his end and did hee not shew to be grieued to leaue vs See Madam sayd I a question which is not vsuall He died for your sake and you aske if hee remembred you Ah! that his memory and his sorrow had not bin too great for his helth I beseech you talke no more of him I assure my selfe he is in the place where he receiues the reward of his fidelity and where it may bee hee shall see himselfe reuenged at you cost You are in choler sayd she You must pardon me sayd I Madam but this is the reason that constraines me to speake thus for there is none that can giue more testimony of his affection and fidelity then I and of the wrong you haue done him to giue him so vnworthy a recompence for so many seruices But sayd the Nymph let vs set this aside for I know that in some thing you haue reason but I haue not done so much wrong as you impute And tell mee I pray you by the loue you beare me if in his last words hee remembred mee and what they were Must you sayd I triumph in your soule at the end of his life as you haue done ouer al his actions since he begā to loue you If this must be to your contentment I will satisfie you As soone as he knew that you went about to blemish the honor of his victory and that in stead of pleasing you he hath by this fight got your hatred it shal neuer be sayd he O iniustice that thou shalt for my cause lodge longer in so faire a soule I must by my death wash away my offence Then hee tooke all the clouts which hee had on his wounds and would no more suffer the hand of the Chirurgion his wounds were not mortall but the ranckling brought it to those termes that he perceiued small strength in him to liue he called Fleurial and being alone hee sayd My friend Fleurial thou now lofest him that had great care to do thee good but you must arme your selfe with patience since it is the will of heauen I would yet haue one piece of seruice from thee which shall better please me then that thou euer didst And hauing drawne from him a promise that hee would do it hee continued You must not faile in what I bid you As soone as I shall be dead rip vp my belly and take out the heart and carry it to the faire Galathee and tell her that I send it her that at my death I may keepe nothing that belongs to any other At these last words hee lost both speech and life Now this foole Fleurial that hee may not bee wanting in that which was commanded him by a person whom he held so deare hath brought hither the heart and without me would present it to you Ah! Leonide sayd she is it certaine he is dead Oh God that I knew not his sicknes and you would neuer tell me of it I would haue found some remedy O what a loss haue I sustained how great is your fault Madam answerd I I knew nothing for Fleurial stayed with him to attend him because he had none of his owne but if I had knowne I thinke I should not haue spoken to you of it I knew your mind was so far remoued from that subiect At these words resting her head on her arme she commanded me to leaue her alone to the end as I thought that I might not see her teares which already encreased their drops but hardly was I gone before shee called me backe and without lifting vp her head shee bid mee command Fleurial to bring her that which Lindamor had sent her in what fashion he listed And presently I went out fully assured that the knights affaires for whom I pleaded would fall out
without doubt this little god happily for some wager which he hath made with his mother hath not forborne one tricke which alwayes ought to be vsed for old age to make so faire a wound Or if it be not for a wager it is to make vs see in this old thing that the dry wood burns better and more easily then the greene or to shew his power on this old hostesse of tombes it pleaseth him to make proofe of the burning of his torch with which it seemes he hath giuen a new soule and to speake in a word whom hee hath made to rise againe and come out of the coffin The fourth Table BVt let vs passe to the other See a night well represented see how vnder the darknesse of these shadowes these mountains appeare so as they shew but a little and so that in effect one cannot iudge what it is Marke how the starres seemes to twinckle see the others so well disposed that one may know them See the great Beare looke how the iudicious workman though she haue twenty seuen starres yet he representeth clearely but twelue and of these twelue yet he makes but seuen clearely shining See the little Beare and consider that for that these seuen starres are neuer hidden though it hath none of the third magnitude and loure of the fourth yet he makes vs see them all obseruing their proportion See the Dragon in which he hath well set the thirty one starres but he hath not shewed them so well as the thirteene fiue whereof as you see are of the fourth magnitude and the eight of the third Behold the crowne of Ariadne who hath her eight starres but there are but sixe of them that are well seeneâ— yet see on of them shining brighter then them all You may see on the other side the Milky way by the which the Romaines hold that the gods come downe into earth and mount backe into heauen But these clouds are well represented which in some places runne through the Skie with great largenesse and in others onely like a light smoake and some allouer and as they be more or lesse raysed are more or lesse bright Now let vs consider the history of this Table see Mandrak in the midst of a circle a white rod in her right hand a booke all greasie in the other with candle of virgins waxe and thicke spectacles on her nose Looke how she seemes to mumble and how she holds her eyes turnd after a strange fashion her mouth halfe open and making a countenance so strange with browes that show she trauels with affection But haue regard how the foot arme and left shoulder are naked that is for that it is the side of the heart these fancies that you see about are diuels which by the force of her charmes she hath constrained to come to her to know how she may be beloued of Damon They tell her of the affection which he beares to Fortune that there is no better meane then to perswade him that this shepheardesse loues elsewhere and to do it more easily she must for this time change the vertue of the fountaine of the truth of Loue. Before you passe farther consider alittle the workemanship of the picture see the effects of the Candle of Mâ—ndrake among the darknesse of the night She hath all the left side of her face bright and the rest so darke that it seemes to be of a different visage the mouth halfe open seemes within to be bright so farre as the opening will suffer the light to enter And the arme which holds the Candle you may see neare the hand very darke because the booke which shee holds shadowes it and the rest is so bright aboue that it makes the blacknesse shew the more beneath And with the like consideration may bee obserued the effects which the Candle giues among the diuels for they all according as they are turned to it are brighter or darker And see another great peece of art in this picture which is distance for the perspectiue is so well obserued that you would thinke that this other accident which he would represent on the other side is out of this table and farre distant from it and yet this is Mandrake that is in the fountaine of the truth of Loue. But to make you vnderstand all know that sometimes before a faire shepheardesse daughter to a learned Magitian fell secretly in loue with a shepheard which her father perceiued not were it for that the charmes of Magicke can do nothing ouer the charmes of loue or were it that altogether attenâ—iue to his study he cast not his eye on hâ—â— So it was that after an hot burning amitie for that in loue there is nothing more insupportable then disdaine and this shepheard neglecting her for that he had long time beene vowed elsewhere she was brought to that passe that by little and little the fire increasing and her strength diminishing she came to die her fathers knowledge not being able to succour her Whereat the Magitian being very sorry when he knew the occasion for a marke of her memory euer after changed her tombe into a fountaine which he named the truth of loue because that he that loues if he looke into it shall see his Lady and if he be beloued he shall see himselfe by her or him whom she loues or if shee loue none she appeares alone And this is that truth which Mandrake would change that Damon comming to see and finding his mistresse loued another he should loose like wise the affection he bare her and so she might haue the place free And see how she enchants it what caractars she makes round about what triangles what squares interlaid with rounds beleeue she forgets nothing which was necessary for this affaires toucheth her too neare Beforetime she had by her charmes assembled all her diuels to finde remedy to her euill but for that loue is more strong then all this they durst not vndertake it against him but onely counselled her to worke this treason to these two faithfull louers And for asmuch as the vertue of the fountaine came by the enchantment of a Magitian Mandrake which surmounted in this science all her predecessors may put it out for a while But let vs passe to the Table that followeth The fifth Table THe fifth Table continued Adamas hath two actions The first when Damon came to this fountaine to free him from the paine which a trouble some dreame had brought him the other when deceiued by the craft of Mandrake hauing seene in the fountaine that the shepheardesse Fortune loued another in despaire he killed himselfe Now let vs see how well they are represented See Damon with his speare for he is in the same sort set out as he was wont to go on hunting Behold the way he followes marke with what care his faithfull beast attends his maister for while he lookes into the fountaine it seemes the eyes are so bent towards him
So continued Amasis now they liue with such honour and commendations that euery man esteemes more of them then any other in the Army I pray God said Adamas to continue them still in such good fortune And while they discoursed thus they saw comming along Leonide and Lucinde with the little Merill I say Lucinde because Celadon as I told you bare that name following the resolution which Galathee had made Amasis that knew her not asked who she was It is answered Galathee a kinswoman of Adamas so faire and so furnished with vertue that I haue desired him to leaue her with me a while she is called Lucinda It seemes said Amasis she is as demure as fayre I assure my selfe added Galathee that her humour will please you and if you thinke it good she shall come Madame with vâ—to Mâ—rcelles At this word Leonide came so neere that Lucinde to kisse the hand of Amasis aduanced forward and setting one knee on the ground kissed her hand with a fashion so well counterfeited that there was none but tooke her for a maid Amasis raysed her vp and after she had embraced her she kissed her telling her that she loued Adamas so well that whatsoeuer touched him was deare to her as her owne children Then Adamas tooke the word by the end for feare that if the fained Lucinde should answer they might find out somewhat by her voice But hee needed not haue feared for she knew so well to counterfeit that her voyce as well as the rest would haue helped the better to make vp the deceit Yet for this blow shee contented her selfe to allow of the answer of Adamas onely with a low courtesie and after drew backe among the other Nymphs attending for nothing but some opportunity to steale away At last the houre of dinner being come Amasis returned to her Lodging where finding the Tables ready spred euery one full of contentment for the good newes they had dined cheerefully except Siluy who had alwayes before her eyes the image of her deare Ligdamon and in her soule the remembrance that he dyed for her This was the subiect wherewith they spent one part of the dinner for the Nymph was willing ynough they should know that she loued the memory of a man both vertuous and so dedicated to her but withall that being dead she should be no more importuned by him nor he benefit himselfe with this good will After dinner all the Nymphs disposed themselues some to play other to see the House some the Garden others to entertaine the time with diuerse discourses in the chamber of Amasis Leonide without the heeding of any making shew to prepare her selfe for the iourney got out of the chamber and shortly after Lucinde and meeting at the Rendeuous that was giuen them fayning to go walke went out of the Castle hauing hid vnder their sleeues eyther of them a part of the shepheards garments and when they were at the Woods end the shepheard vnclothed himselfe and taking his accustomed habite thanked the Nymph for the great helpe she had giuen him and offered in exchange his life and all that depended on it Then the Nymph with a great sigh sâ—â—d Well quoth she Celadon haue I not kept the promise I made you Doe you not thinke you are bound to performe that which you promised me I should thinke my selfe answered he the most vnworthy that euer liued if I should faile Now Celadon said she then remember what you haue sworne to me for I am resolued now to bring it into proofe Faire Nymph answered Celadon dispose of all that I may as of that which your selfe may for you shall be no better obeyed of your selfe then of me Haue you not promised replyed the Nymph that I should inquire into your life passed and that which I could find you might doe for me you would doe it and hee answering it was true Well Celadon continued she I haue done that which you willed me and though they paint Loue blind yet hath it left me light ynough to know that truely you are to continue the loue which you haue so often promised to be eternall to your Astrea for the precisenesse of Loue will not permit a man to be either for sworne or vnfaithfull And so though one haue vsed you hardly yet must not you fayle in your dutie for another mans error will neuer wash away our fault Then loue the faire and happy Astrea with as much affection and sinceritie as you euer loued her serue her adore her and more if more may be for Loue will haue extremity in his sacrifice but withall I well know that the good offices which I haue done you deserue some remembrance of you and without doubt because Loue cannot pay it selfe but by Loue you shall be obliged to satisfie me in the same money if the impossibilitie contradicted it not But since it is true that one heart is capable but of one true loue I must pay my selfe of that which remaynes Then hauing no more Loues to giue me as to a Mistris I demaund your amitie as your sister and from henceforth you loue me you cherish me and hold me for such The contentment of Celadon hearing these words cannot be expressed for he protested that that was one of the things which in his miserie he found some kind of contentment in Therefore after hee had thanked the Nymph for the amitie she bare him he swore vnto her to take her for his sister and neuer to vse her but as that name commaunded him Then lest they should be found out they separated themselues both well contented and satisfied each with other Leonide returned to the pallace and the shepheard held on his voyage shunning the places where he thought hee might meet with shepheards whom he knew and leauing Mountverdun on the left hand hee passed through the middest of a great Playne that in the end led him to a Coast somewhat raysed and from whence hee might know and marke with his eye the most part of the places where he had vsed to driue his flocke to feede on the other side of Lignon where Astrea came to seeke him where sometimes they auoided the ouer-scorching heat of the Sunne Briefely this view set before his eyes the most part of the contentments which he payed so dearely for at that houre and in that consideration being set at the foot of a Tree hee sighed out these Verses Remembrances THen did my faire Sunne take her rest While the other lazie sleeping lay But when he comes at breake of day With Gilly flowers and â—oses drest To chase away th' affrights of night Then chiefely shines with beames most bright The Sunne that my soule doth adore Carrying the day light as she moues Vnto the Playnes she honours more And whom she going fills with loues Vpon that running Riuers side He shewes himselfe in sundry wise Sometimes with scorching heat he fryes Another while his light he hides And seemes as