I blith me not Blame me not man since sorrow is my sweet So willeth Loue and Phoebe thinkes it meet And kind Montanus liketh well his lot Coridon Oh staylesse youth by errour so misguided Where will prescribeth lawes to perfect wits Where reason mournes and blame in triumph sits And folly poysoneth all that time prouided With wilfull blindnesse bleard prepard to shame Prone to neglect Occasion when she smiles Alas that Loue by fond and froward guiles Should make thee tract the path to endlesse blame Ah my Montanus cursed is the charme That hath bewitched so thy youthfull eyes Leaue off in time to like these vanities Be forward to thy good and fly thy harme As many bees as Hibla daily shields As many frie as fleet on Oceans face As many heards as on the earth do trace As many flowers as decke the fragrant fields As many stars as glorious heauen contains As many storms as wayward winter weepes As many plagues as hell inclosed keepes So many griefs in loue so many pains Suspitions thoughts desires opinions prayers Mislikes misdeeds fondioies and fained peace Illusions dreames great paines and small increase Vowes hope acceptance scorns and deepe despaires Truce warre and wo do wait at beauties gate Time lost laments reports and priuy grudge And last fierce Loue is but a partiall Iudge Who yeelds for seruice shame for friendship hate Montanus All adder-like I stop mine eares fond swaine So charme no more for I will neuer change Call home thy flocks betime that stragling range For loe the Sunne declineth hence amaine Terentius In amore haec insunt vitia induciae inimicitiae bellum pax rursum incerta haec situpostules ratione certa fieri nihilo plus agas quam sides operam vt cum ratione insanias The shepheards hauing thus ended their Eglogue Aliena slept with Ganimede from behind the thicket at whose sodayne sight the shepheards arose and Aliena saluted them thus Shepheards all haile for such wee deeme you by your flockes and Louers good lucke for such you seeme by your passions our eyes being witnesse of the one and our eares of the other Although not by Loue yet by Fortune I am a distressed Gentlewoman as sorrowfull as you are passionate and as full of woes as you of perplexed thoughts wandring this way in a forrest vnknown onely I my Page wearied with trauel would faine haue some place of rest May you appoint vs any place of quiet harbour bee it neuer so meane I shall bee thankfull to you contented in my selfe and gratefull to whosoeuer shall be mine Host. Coridon hearing the Gentlewoman speake so courteously returned her mildly and reuerently this answere Faire Mistresse wee returne you as hearty a welcome as you gaue vs a courteous salute A shepheard I am and this a louer as watchful to please his wench as to feed his sheep ful of fancies and therefore say I full of follyes Exhort him I may but perswade him I cannot for Loue admits neither of counsaile nor reason But leauing him to his passions if you be distrest I am sorrowfull such a faire creature is crost with calamitie pray for you I may but releeue you I cannot marry if you want lodging if you vouch to shrowd your selues in a shepheards cottage my house for this night shall be your harbour Alinea thankt Coridon greatly and presently sate her downe and Ganimede by hir Coridon looking earnestly vpon her and with a curious suruey viewing all her perfectious applauded in his thought her excellence and pitying her distresse was desirous to heare the cause of her misfortunes began to question with her thus If I should not faire Damosell occasionate offence or renue your griefs by rubbing the scar I would faine craue so much fauour as to know the cause of your misfortunes and why and whither you wander with your page in so dangerous forrest Aliena that was as courteous as she was sayre made this replie Shepheard a friendly demaund ought neuer to be offensiue and question of curtesie carry priuiledged pardons in their forheads Know therefore to discouer my fortunes were to renue my sorrowes and I should by discoursing my mishaps but rake fire out of the cynders Therefore let this suffice gentle shepheard my distresse is as great as my trauaile is daungerous and I wander in this forrest to light on some cotage where I and my page may dwell for I meane to buy some Farme and a flocke of sheepe so become a shepheardesse meaning to liue low and content mee with a country life for I haue heard the swaines saye that they drunke without suspition and slept without care Marry mistres quoth Coridon if you meane so you came in good time for my Landflord intends to sell both the Farme I tyll and the flocke I keepe and cheape you may haue them for ready money and for a shepheards life oh Mistres did you but liue a while in their content you would say the Court were rather a place of sorrow then of solace Here mistresse shal not fortune thwart you but in mean misfortunes as the losse of a few sheepe which as it breedes no beggery so it can bee no extreame preiudice the next yeare may mend all with a fresh increase Enuy stirres not vs we cauet not to climbe our desires mount not aboue our degrees nor our thoughts aboue our fortunes Care cannot harbour in our cottages nor doe our homely couches know broken slumbers as wee exceed not ill dyet so we haue inough to satisfie and Mistresse I haue so much Latin Satis est quod sufficit By my trueth shepheard quoth Aliena thou makest mee in loue with your countrey life and therfore send for thy Landslord and I will buy thy Farme and thy slocks and thou shalt still vnder me bee ouerseer of them both onely for pleasure sake I and my Page will serue you lead the flocks to the field folde them Thus will I liue quiet vnknowne contented This newes so gladded the hart of Coridon that he should not be put out of his farme y t putting off his shepheards bonnet he did hir all the reuerence that he might But all this while sate Montanus in a muse thinking of the crueltie of his Phoebe whom he wooed long but was in no hope to win Ganimede who stil had the remembrance of Rosader in his thoughtes tonke delight to see the poore shepheard passionate laughing at loue that in all his actions was so imperious At last when she had noted his teares that stole down his cheeks and his sighes that broke from the center of his heart pittying his lament she demāded of Coridon why the yong shepheard looked so sorrowfull Oh sir quoth he the boy is in loue Why quoth Ganimede can shepheards loue I quoth Montanus ouer-loue els shouldst not shou see me so pensiue Loue I tell thee is as pretious in a shepheards eye as in the lookes of a King we cuntry swains
the bride in the most seemliest sort that might bee but howsoeuer shee helpt to prancke out Aliena yet her eye was still on Ganimede who was so neat in a sute of gray that he seemed Endymion when he won Luna with his lookes or Paris when he playd the swain to get the bewtie of the Nymph Oenone Ganimede like a prettie Page waited on his mistresse Aliena and ouerlookt that all was in a readines against the bridegroom shuld come Who attired in a Forresters sute came accompanied with Gerismond his brother Rosader early in y e morning where arriued they were solemnly entertained by Aliena the rest of the country swains Gerismond very highly commending the fortunate choice of Saladyne in y t he had chosen a shepheardesse whose vertues appeared in her outward bewties being no lesse fair than seeming modest Ganimede comming in and seeing her father began to blush Nature woorking affects by her secred effectes fearce could she abstain from teares to see her father in so low fortunes he that was wont to sit in his royal Pallaice attended on by twelue noble Peeres now to be contented with a simple Cottage and a troupe of reuelling woodmen for his traine The consideration of his fall made Ganimede full of sorrowes yet that she might triumph ouer Fortune with patience and not any way dash that merry day with her dumps she smothered her melancholy with a shadow of mirth and verie reuerently welcommed the king not according to his former degree but to his present estate with such diligence as Gerismond began to commend the page for his exquisit person and excellent qualities As thus the King with his Forresters frolickt it among the shepheards Coridon came in with a faire mazer full of Sidar and presented it to Gerismond with such a clownish salute that he began to smile tooke it of the old shepheard very kindly drinking to Aliena and the rest of her faire maydes amongst whome Phoebe was the formost Aliena pledged the King drunke to Rosader so the carrowse went rounde from him to Phoebe c. As they were thus drinking and ready to goe to Church came in Montanus apparelled all in tawny to signifie that he was forsaken on his head hee wore a garland of willow his bottle hanged by his side whereon was painted dispaire and on his sheephooke hung two Sonnets as labels of his loues and fortunes Thus attired came Montanus in with his face as full of griefe as his heart was of sorowes shewing in his countenance the map of extremities Assoone as the Shepheards sawe him they did him all the honor they could as being the flower of al the swaines in Arden for a bonnier boy was there not seen since the wanton wag of Troy that kept sheep in Ida. He seeing the King gessyng it to be Gerismond did him all the reuerence his country curtesie could afford Insomuch that the king wondring at his attire began to question what he was Montanus ouerhearing him made this reply I am sir quoth he loues swaine as ful of inward discontents as I seeme fraught with outward follies Mine eyes like bees delight in sweet flowers but sucking their fill on the faire of beauty they carry home to the Hiue of my heart farre more gaul than hony and for one drop of pure deaw at tun full of deadly Aconiton I hunt with the Fly to pursue the Eagle that flying too nigh the Sun I perish with the Sun my thoughts are aboue my reach and my desires more than my fortunes yet neither greater than my loues But daring with Phaetō I fal with Irarus and seeking to passe the mean I die for being so mean my night fleeps are waking slombers as full of sorrowes as they be far from rest my dayes labors are fruitlesse amors staring at a star stombling at a straw leauing reason to follow after repentance yet euery passion is a pleasure thogh it pinch because loue hides his wormeseed in figs his poysons in sweet potions shadows preiudize with the maske of pleasure The wisest counsellers are my deep discontents and I hate that which should salue my harm like the patient which stung with the Tarantula loaths musick and yet the disease incurable but by melody Thus Sir restlesse I hold my selfe remediles as louing without either reward or regard and yet louing bicause there is none worthy to be loued but the mistresse of my thoughts And that I am as full of passions as I haue discourst in my plaintes Sir if you please see my Sonnets and by them censure of my sorrowes These wordes of Montanus brought the king into a great wonder amazed as much at his wit was as his attire insomuch that he tooke the papers off his hooke and read them to this effect Montanus first Sonnet Alas how wander I amidst these woods Whereas no day bright shine doth finde accesse But where the melancholy fleeting floods Darke as the night my night of woes expresse Disarmde of reason spoilde of natures goods Without redresse to salue my heauinesse I walke whilest thought too cruell to my harmes With endles grief my heedles iudgement charmes My silent tongue assailde by secret feare My traitrous eyes imprisoned their ioy My fatall peace deuourd in fained cheare My heart inforst to harbour in annoy My reason robde of power by yeelding eare My fond opinions slaue to euery toy Oh Loue thou guide in my vncertaine way Woe to thy bow thy fire the cause of my decay Et florida pungunt When the King had read this Sonnet he highly commended the deuice of the shepheard that could so wittily wrap his passions in a shaddow and so couertly conceale that which bred his chiefest discontent affirming that as the least shrubs haue their tops the smallest haires their shadowes so the meanest swaines had their fancies and in their kynde were as charie of Loue as a King Whelted on with this deuice he tooke the second and read it the effects were these Montanus second Sonnet When the Dog Full of rage With his irefull eyes Frownes amidst the skies The Shepheard to asswage The fury of the heat Himselfe doth safely seat By a fount Full of faire Where a gentle breath Mounting from beneath Tempreth the aire There his flocks Drinke their fill And with ease repose Whilest sweet sleep doth close Eyes from toylsome ill But I burne Without rest No defensiue power Shields from Phoebes lower Sorrow is my best Gentle Loue Lowre no more If thou wilt inuade In the secret shade Labour not so sore I my selfe And my flock◠They their loue to please I my selfe to ease Both leaue the shadie oakes Content to burne in fire Saith Loue doth so desire Et florida pungunt Gerismond seeing the pithy vaine of those Sonets began to make further enquiry what hee was Whereupon Rosader discourst vnto him the loue of Montanus to Phoebe his great loialite her deep crueltie and how in reuenge the
Gods had made the curious Nymph amorous of yoong Ganimede Upon this discourse y e king was desirous to see Phoebe who being broght before Gerismond by Rosador shadowed the beauty of her face with such a vermilion teinture that the Kings eyes began to dazle at the puritie of her excellence After Gerismond had fed his lookes a while vpon her faire he questioned with her why she rewarded Montanus loue with so little regard seeing his desertes were many and his passions extreame Phoebe to make reply to the Kings demaund answered thus Loue sir is charitie in his lawes and whatsoeuer hee sets downe for iustire bee it neuer so vniust the sentence cannot be reuerst womens fancies lende fauours not euer by desert but as they are inforst by their desires◠for fancy is tied to the wings of Fate what the starres decree stands for an infallible doome I know Montanus is wise womens ears are greatly delighted with wit as hardly escaping the charme of a pleasant toong as Vlisses the melody of the Syrens Montanus is bewtifull and womens eyes are snared in the excellence of obiects as desirous to feede their lookes with a faire face as the Bee to suck on a sweet floure Montanus is welthy an ounce of giue me perswades a woman more than a pound of heare me Danae was won with a goldon shower when she could not be gotten with all the intreaties of Iupiter I tell you sir the string of a womans heart reacheth to the pulse of her hand and let a man rub that with gold tis hard but she wil prooue his hearts gold Montanus is yoong a great clause in fancies court Montanus is vertuous the richest argument that Loue yeelds yet knowing all these perfections I praise them and wonder at them louing the qualities but not affecting the person because the Destenies haue set downe a contrary censure Yet Venus to ad reuenge hath giuē me wine of y e same grape a sip of the same sauce string me with the like passiō hath crost me with as il a penance for I am in loue with a shepheards swaine as coy to mee as I am cruel to Montanus as peremptory in disdain as I was peruerse in desire that is quoth she Alienaes page yong Ganimede Gerismond desirous to prosecute the ende of these passions called in Ganimede who knowing the case came in graced with such a blush as beautified the Christall of his face with a ruddie brightnesse The King noting well the phisnomy of Ganimede began by his fauours to cal to mind the face of his Rosalynd and with that fetcht a deepe sigh Rosader that was passing familiar with Gerismond demanded to him why he sighed so sore Because Rosader quoth hee the fauour of Ganimede puts mee in minde of Rosalynde At this word Rosader sight so deepely as though his heart would haue burst And whats the matter quoth Gerismond that you quite mee with such a sigh Pardon mee sir quoth Rosader because I loue none but Rosalynd And vpon that condition quoth Gerismond that Rosalynd were here I would this day make vp a marriage betwixt her and thee At this Aliena turnd her head and smilde vpon Ganimede and shee could scarce keep countenance Yet shee salued all with secrecie an Gerismond to driue away such dumpes questioned with Ganimede what the reason was he regarded not Phoebes loue seeing she was as faire as the wantō that brought Troy to ruine Ganimede mildly answered If I shuld affect the fair Phoebe I should offer poore Montanus great wrong to winne that from him in a moment that hee hath labored for so many monthes Yet haue I promised to the bewtiful shepheardesse to wed my self neuer to woman except vnto her but with this promise y t if I can by reason suppresse Phoebes loue towards me she shall like of none but of Montanus To y e q. Phoebe I stand for my loue is so far beyond reason as it wil admit no persuasion of reason For iustice q. he I appeale to Gerismond and to his censure wil I stand q. Phoebe And in your victory q. Montanus stands the hazard of my fortunes for if Ganymede go away with conquest Montanus is in conceit loues Monarch if Phoebe winne then am I in effect most miserable We wil see this controuersie q. Gerismōd then we will to church therefore Ganimede let vs heare your argument Nay pardon my absence a while quoth shee and you shall see one in store In went Ganimede and drest her self in womans attire hauing on a gowne of greene with kirtle of rich sandall so quaint that she seemed Diana triumphing in the Forrest vpon her head she wore a chaplet of Roses which gaue her such a grace y t she looked like Flora pearkt in the pride of all hir floures Thus attired came Rosalind in presented her self at hir fathers feete with her eyes full of tears crauing his blessing discoursing vnto him all her fortunes how shee was banished by Trismond and how euer since she liued in that country disguised Gerismond seeing his daughter rose from his seat sel vpon her necke vttering the passions of his ioy in warry plaints driuen into such an extasie of content that hee could not vtter one word At this sight if Rosader was both amazed ioyfull I refer my selfe to the iudgement of such as haue experience in loue seeing his Rosalynd before his face whom so long and deeply he had affected At last Gerismond recouered hi spirites and in most fatherly tearmes entertained his daughter Rosalynd after many questions demanding of her what had past betweene her and Rosader So much sir quoth she as there wants nothing but your Grace to make vp the mariage Why then quoth Gerismond Rosader take her shee is thine and let this day solemnize both thy brothers and thy nuptials Rosader beyond measure cotent humbly thauked the king imbraced his Rosalynde who turning to Phoebe demanded if she had shewen sufficient reason to suppresse the force of her loues Yea quoth Phoebe so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perswasiue that if it please you Madame and Aliena to giue vs leaue Montanus and I will make this day the thirde couple in marriage She had no sooner spake this word but Montanus threw away his garland of willow his bottle where was painted dispaire cast his sonnets in the fire shewing himselfe as frolicke as Paris when he hanseled his loue with Helena At this Gerismond and the rest smiled and concluder that Montanus and Phoebe should keepe their wedding with the two brethren Aliena seeing Saladyne stand in a dumpe to wake him from his dreame began thus Why how now my Saladyne all a mort what melancholy man at the day of marriage perchaunce thou art sorrowfull to thinke on thy brothers high fortunes and thyne owne base desires to chuse so meane a shepheardize Cheare vp thy hartman for this day thou shalt bee married to the
againe reconciled and put vp all forepassed iniuries with a peaceable agreement liuing together for a good space in such brotherly loue as did not onely reioice the seruantes but made all the Gentlemen bordering neighbors glad of such friendly concord Saladine hiding fire in the straw and concealing a poysoned hate in a peaceable countenance yet deferring the intent of his wrath till fitter oportunity he shewed himselfe a great fauorer of his brothers vertuous endeuors where leauing them in this happy league let vs returne to Rosalynd Rosalynd returning home from the tryumph after she waxed solitary Loue presented her with the Idea of Rosaders perfection and taking her at discouert stroke her so deepe as she felte her selfe grow passing passionate shee began to cal to minde the comlinesse of his person the honor of his parents and the vertues that excelling both made him so gratious in the eies of euery one Sucking in thus the hony of loue by imprinting in her thoughts his rare qualities shee began to surfet with the contemplation of his vertuous conditions but when she cald to remembrance her present estate and the hardnesse of her fortunes desire began to shrink fancie to vale bonnet that betweene a Chaos of confused thoughts she began to debate with her selfe in this maner Rosalynds passion INfortunate Rosalynde whose misfortunes are more than thy yeares and whose passions are greater then thy patience The blossoms of thy youth are mixt wich the frosts of enuy the hope of thy ensuing fruits perish in the bud Thy father is by Torismond banisht from the crown thou the vnhappy daughter of a King detained captiue liuing as disquieted in thy thoughts as thy father discōtented in his exile Ah Rosalynd what cares wait vpon a crown what griefs are incident to dignity what sorrows haunt royal pallaces The greatest seas haue the sorest stormes the highest birth subiect to the most bale of al trees the Cedars soonest shake with the wind smal Currents are euer calme lowe valleys not scortcht in any lightnings nor base men tyed to anie baleful preiudice Fortune flies if she touch pouerty it is with hir heele rather disdaining their want with a frown then enuying their welth with disparagement Oh Rosalynd hadst thou beene born low thou hadst not falne so high yet beeing great of blood thine honour is more if thou brookest misfortune with patience Suppose I contrary fortune with content yet Fates vnwilling to haue me any waies happy haue forced loue to set my thoughts on fire with fancie Loue Rosalynd becommeth it women in distresse to thinke on loue Tush desire hath no respect of persons Cupid is blind and shooteth at random assoone hitting a ragge as a robe and piercing assoone the bosome of a Captiue as the brest of a Libertine Thou speakest it poore Rosalynd by experience for being euery way distrest surcharged with cares and ouer growne with sorrowes yet amidst the heape of all these mishaps Loue hath lodged in thy heart the perfection of yong Rosader a man euery way absolute as wel for his inward life as for his out ward lyniaments able to content the eye with beauty the eare with the report of his vertue But consider Rosalynde his fortunes and thy present estate thou art poore and without patrymony and yet the daughter of a Prince he a yonger brother and voyd of such possessions as eyther might maintaine thy dignities or reuenge thy fathers iniuries And hast thou not learned this of other Ladies that louers cannot liue by looks that womens ears are sooner content with a pound of giue me then a dram of heare me that gold is sweeter than eloquence that loue is a fire and wealth is the fewel that Venus coffers should be euer ful Then Rosalynd seeing Rosader is poore thinke him lesse beautiful because hee is in want and account his vertues but qualities of course for that he is not indued with wealth Doth not Horace tell thee what methode is to be vsed in loue Querenda pecunia primum post nummos virtus Tush Rosalynd be not ouer rash leape not before thou looke either loue such a one as may with his landes purchase thy libertie or els loue not all Chuse not a faire face with an empty purse but say as most women vse to say Si nihil attuleris ibis Homere foras Why Rosalynd can such base thoughts harbour in such high beauties Can the degree of a princesse the daughter of Gerismond harbour such seruile conceites as to prize gold more than honor or to measure a Gentleman by his wealth not by his vertues No Rosalynd blush at thy base resolution and say if thou louest eyther Rosader or none and why because Rosader is both beautiful and vertuous Smiling to her selfe to thinke of her new intertained passions taking vp her Lute that lay by her she warbled out this dittie Rosalynds Madrigall Loue in my bosome like a Bee doth sucke his sweete Now with his wings the playes with me now with his feete Within mine eyes he makes his nest His bed amidst my tender brest My kisses are his dayly feast And yet he robs me of my rest Ah wanton will ye And if I sleepe then pearcheth he with pretty flight And makes his pillow of my knee the liuelong night Strike I my lute he tunes the string He musicke playes if so I sing He lends me euery louely thing Yet cruell he my heart doth sting Whist wanton stillye Else I withroses euery day will whip you hence And binde you when you long to play for your offence Ile shut mine eyes to keepe you in Ile make you fast it for your sinne Ile count your power not worth a pinne Alas what hereby shall I winne If he gainsay me What if I beate the wanton boy with many a rod He wil rapay me with annoy because a God Then sit thou safely on my knee And let thy bower my bosome be Lurke in mine eies I like of thee O Cupid so thou pittie me Spare not but play thee Scarce had Rosalynd ended her Madrigale before Torismond came in with his daughter Alinda many of the Peers of France who were enamoured of her beauty which Torismond perceiuing fearing least her perfection might be the beginning of his Preiudice and the hope of his fruit ende in the beginning of her blossomes he thought to banish her from the court for quoth he to himselfe her face is so ful of fauour that it pleads pittie in the eye of euery man her beauty is so heauenly and deuine that she wil proue to me as Helen did to Priam some one of the Peeres wil ayme at her loue end the marriage and then in his wiues right attempt the kingdome To preuent therefore had I wist in all these actions shee tarryes not about the Court but shall as an exile eyther wander to her father or else seeke other fortunes In this humour with a sterne countenance
ful of wrath he breathed out this censure vnto her before the Peers that charged her that that night shee were not seene about the Court for quoth he I haue heard of thy aspiring speeches and intended treasons This doome was strange vnto Rosalynd and presently couered with the shield of her innocence she boldly brake out in reuerent tearms to haue cleared her self but Torismond would admit of no reason nor durst his Lords plead for Rosalynde although her beauty had made some of them passionate seeing the figure of wrath pourtrayed in his brow Standing thus all mute and Rosalynde amazed Alinda who loued her more than her self with griefe in her hart and teares in her eyes falling down on her knees began to intreat her father thus Alindas oration to her father in defence of Rosalynde IF mighty Torismond I offend in pleading for my friend let the law of amitie craue pardon for my boldnesse for where there is depth of affection there friendship alloweth a priuiledge Rosalynd and I haue beene fostered vp from our infancies and noursed vnder the harbour of our conuersing togeather with such priuate familiarities that custome had wrought an vnyon of our nature the sympathie of our affections such a a secret loue that we haue two bodies and one soule Then maruell not great Torismond if seeing my friend distrest I finde my selfe perplexed with a thousand sorrowes for her vertuous and honourable thoughts which are the glories that maketh women excellent they he such as may challenge loue and race out suspition her obedience to your Maiestie I referre to the censure of your owne eye that since her fathers exile hath smothered al griefs with patience and in the absence of nature hath honored you with all dutie as her owne father by nouriture not in word vttering any discontent nor in thought as far as coniecture may reach hammering on reuenge only in all her actions seeking to please you to win my fauor Her wisedome silence chastitie and other such rich qualities I need not decypher onely it rests for me to conclude in one word that she is innocent If then Fortune who tryumphs in varietie of miseries hath presented some enuious person as minister of her intended stratageme to taint Rosalynde with any surmise of treason let him be brought to her face confirme his accusation by witnesses which proued let her die and Alinda wil execute the massacre If none can auouch any confirmed relation of her intent vse Iustice my Lord it is the glory of a King and let her liue in your wonted fauour for if you bannish her my selfe as copartner of her harde fortunes will participate in exile some part of her extremities Torismond at this speech of Alinda couered his face with such a frown as tyranny seemed to sit triumphant in his forhead and checkt her vp with such taunts as made the Lords that only were hearers to tremble Proud girle quoth he hath my looks made thee so light of toong or my fauours incouraged thee to bee so forward that thou darest presume to preach after thy Father Hath not my yeares more experience than thy youth the winter of mine age deeper insight into ciuil policie than the prime of thy florishing dayes The olde Lion auoides the toyles where the yoong one leapes into the nette the care of age is prouident and foresees much suspition is a vertue where a man holdes his enemie in his bosome Thou fond girle measurest all by present affection and as thy heart loues thy thoughts censure but if thou knowest that in liking Rosalynd thou hat chest vp a bird to pecke out thine owne eyes thou wouldst intreat as much for hir absence as now thou delightest in her presence But why doe I alleadge policie to thee sit you downe huswife and fall to your needle if idlenes make you so wanton or libertie so malipert I can quickly tye you to a sharper taske and you mayd this night be packing eyther into Arden to your father or whither best it shal cōtent your humour but in the Court you shall not abide This rigorous replie of Torismond nothing amazed Alinda for stil she prosecuted her plea in the defence of Rosalynd wishing her Father if his censure might not be reuerst y t he would appoynt her partner of her exile which if he refused eyther she would by some secret meanes steale out and followe her or else ende her dayes with some desperate kind of death When Torismond heard his daughter so resolute his heart was so hardened against her that he set down a definitiue and peremptory sentence that they should both be banished which presently was done The Tyrant rather choosing to hazard the losse of his onely child than any wayes to put in question the state of his kingdome so suspitious and fearfull is the conscience of an vsurper Wel although his Lords perswaded him to retaine his owne Daughter yet his resolution might not be reuerst but both of them must away from the Court without eyther more company or delay In hee went with great melancholy and left these two Ladyes alone Rosalynd waxed very sad and sate downe and wept Alinda she smiled and sitting by her friend began thus to comfort her Alindas comfort to perplexed Rosalynd VVHy how now Rosalynd dismayd with a frowne of contrary fortune Haue I not oft heard thee say that hygh mindes were discouered in fortunes contempt and heroycal seene in the depth of extremities Thou wert wont to tel others that complained of distresse that the sweetest salue for misery was patience and the onely medicine for want that pretious implaister of content being such a good Phisition to others wilt thou not minister receipts to thy selfe But perchance thou wilt say Consulenti nunquam caput doluit Why then if the Patients that are sicke of this disease ran finde in themselues neither reason to perswade nor art to cure yet Rosalynd admit of the counsaile of a friend and applie the salues that may appease thy passions If thou grieuest that being the daughter of a prince and enuy thwarteth thee with such hard exigents thinke that royaltie is a faire marke that Crowns haue crosses when mirth is in Cottages that the fairer the Rose is the sooner it is bitteh with Caterpillers the more orient y e Pearle is the more apt to take a blemish and the greatest birth as it hath most honour so it hath much enuy If then fortune aymeth at the fairest be patient Rosalynd for first by thine exile thou goest to thy father nature is higher prised then wealth and the loue of ones parents ought to bee more pretious then all dignities why then doth my Rosalynd grieue at the frowne of Torismond who by offering her a preiudice proffers her a greater pleasure and more mad lasse to be melancholy when thou hast with thee Alinda a friend who wil be a fathful copartner of al thy misfortunes who hath left her father to
alluring with sweet words as the Syrens and after proouing as trothlesse as Acneas Thus promised Demophoon to his Phillis but who at last grew more false The reason was quoth Ganimede that they were womens sonnes and tooke that fault of their mother for if man had growne from man as Adam did from the earth men had neuer been troubled with inconstancie Leaue off quoth Aliena to taunt thus bitterly or els ile pull off your pages apparrell and whip you as Venus doth her wantons with nettles So you will quoth Ganimede perswade mee to flattery and that needs not but come seeing we haue found here by his Fount the tract of Shepheardes by their Madrigalles and Roundelaies let vs forwarde for either wee shall finde some foldes sheepcoates or els some cottages wherin for a day or two to rest Content quoth Aliena and with that they rose vp and marched forward till towards the euen and then comming into a faire valley compassed with mountaines whereon grew many pleasaunt shrubbes they might descrie where two flockes of sheepe did feed Then looking about they might perceiue where an old shepheard sate and with him a yoong swaine vnder a couert most pleasantly scituated The ground where they sate was diapred with Floras riches as if she ment to wrap Tellus in the glorie of her vestments round about in the forme of an Amphitheater were most curiously planted Pine trees interseamed with Lymons and Cytrons which with the thicknesse of their boughes so shadowed the place that Phoebus could not prie into the secret of that Arbour so vnited were the tops with so thick a closure that Venus might there in her iollitie haue dallied vnseene with her deerest paramour Fast by to make the place more gorgious was there a Fount so Christalline cleere that it seemed Diana with her Driades Hemadriades had that spring as the secret of all their bathings In this glorious Arbour satte these two shepheardes seeing their sheepe feede playing on their Pipes many pleasant tunes and from musicke and melodie falling into much amorous chat drawing more nigh we might descry the countenance of the one to be full of sorrow his face to bee the very pourtraiture of discontent and his eyes full of woes that liuing hee seemed to dye we to heare what these were stole priuily behinde the thicke where we ouerheard this discourse A pleasant Eglog betweene Montanus and Coridon Coridon SAy shepheards boy what makes thee greet so sore Why leaues thy pipe his pleasure and delight Yoong are thy yeares thy cheeks with Roses dight Then sing for ioy sweet swain and sigh no more This milk-white Poppy and this climbing Pine Both promise shade then sit thee downe and sing And make these woods with pleasant notes to ring Till Phoebus daine all Westward to decline Montanus Ah Coridon vnmeet is melody To him whom proud contempt hath ouerborn Slain are my ioyes by Phoebus bitter scorn Far hence my weale and nere my ieopardy Loues burning brand is couched in my brest Making a Phoenix of my faintfull hart And though his fury doo inforce my smart Ay blyth am I to honour his behest Preparde to woes since so my Phoebe wils My lookes dismaid since Phoebe will disdain I banish blisse and welcome home my pain So stream my tears as showers from Alpine hils In errors maske I blindfold iudgements eye I fetter reason in the snares of lust I seeme secure yet know not how to trust I liue by that which makes me liuing dye Deuoyd of rest companion of distresse Plague of my selfe consumed by my thought How may my voyce or pipe in tune be brought Since I am reft of solace and delight Coridon Ah Lorrell lad what makes thee Herry loue A sugred harme a poysonfull of pleasure A painted shrine ful-fild with rotten treasure A heauen is shew a hell to them that proue Againe in seeming shadowed stil with want A broken staffe which follie doth vpholde A flower that fades with euerie frostie colde An orient Rose sprong from a withred plant A minutes ioy to gaine a world of griefe A subtil net to snare the idle minde A seeing Scorpion yet in seeming blinde A poore reioyce a plague without reliefe For thy Montanus follow mine arreede Whom age hath taught the traines that fancy vseth Leaue foolish loue for beautie wit abuseth And drownes by folly vertues springing seede Montanus So blames the childe the flame because it burnes And bird the snare because it doth intrap And fooles true loue because of sorry hap And saylers cursse the ship that ouerturnes But would the childe forbeare to play with flame And birds beware to trust the flowlers gin And fooles foresee before they fall and sin And maisters guide their ships in better frame The childe would praise the fire because it warmes And birds reioyce to see the fowler faile And fooles preuent before their plagues preuaile And saylers blesse the barke that saues from harmes Ah Coridon though many be thy yeares And crooked elde hath some experience left Yet is thy mind of iudgement quite bereft In view of loue whose power in me appeares The ploughman litle wots to turn the pen Or bookeman skils to guide the ploughmans cart Nor can the cobler count the tearmes of Art Nor base men iudge the thoughts of mighty men Nor withered age vnmeet for beauties guide Vncapable of loues impressien Discourse of that whose choyce possession May neuer to so base a man be tied But I whom nature makes of tender mold And youth most pliant yeelds to fancies fire Do build my hauen and heauen on sweet desire On sweet desire more deere to me than gold Thinke I of loue O how my lines aspire How hast the Muses to imbrace my browes And hem my temples in with lawrell bowes And fill my braines with chast and holy fire Then leaue my lines their homely equipage Mounted beyond the circle of the Sunne Amazd I read the stile when I haue done And Herry Loue that sent that heauenly rage Of Phoebe then of Phoebe then I sing Drawing the puritie of all the spheares The pride of earth or what in heauen appeares Her honoured face and fame to light to bring Influent numbers and in pleasant vaines I robbe both sea and eath of all their state To praise her parts I charme both time and fate To blesse the Nymph that yeelds me loue sicke paines My sheepe are turnd to thoughts whom froward will Guydes in the restles Laborynth of Loue Feare lends them pasture where so ere they moue And by their death their life renueth still My sheepehooke is my pen mine oaten reed My paper where my many woes are written Thus silly swaine with loue and fancie bitten I trace the plaines of paine in wofull weed Yet are my cares my broken sleepes my teares My dreames my doubts for Phoebe sweet to me Who wayteth heauen in sorrowes vale must be And glory shines where daunger most appeares Then Coridon although
intertaine fancie with as great delight as the proudest Courtier doth affection Opportunity that is the sweetest friend to Venus harboureth in our cottages and loyaltie the chiefest fealty that Cupid requireth is found more among shepheardes than higher degrees Then aske not if suche silly swains can loue what is the cause then quoth Ganimede that Loue being so sweet to thee thou lookest so sorrowfull Because quoth Montanus the party beloued is froward and hauing curtesie in her lookes holdeth disdaine in her tongues ende What hath she then quoth Aliena in heart Desire I hope Madame quoth he or else my hope lost despaire in Loue were death As thus they chatted the Sunne beeing ready to set and they not hauing folded their sheepe Coridon requested she would sit there with her Page till Montanus and hee lodged theyr sheepe for that night You shall goe quoth Aliena but first I will intreate Montanus to sing some amorous Sonnet that hee made when he hath beene deeply passionate That I will quoth Montanus and with that he began thus Montanus Sonnet Phoebe sate Sweet she sate Sweet sate Phoebe when I saw her White her brow Coy her eye Brow end eye how much you please me Words I spent Sighes I senâ— Sight and words could neuer draw hir Oh my loue Thou art lost Since no sight could euer ease thee Phoebe sat By a fount Sitting by a fount I spide her Sweet her touch Rare hir voyce Touch voice what may distain you As she sung I did sigh And by sighs whilst that I tride her Oh mine eyes You did loose Hir first sight whose want did pain you Phoebes flockes White as wooll Yet were Phoebes locks more whiter Phoebes eyes Douelike mild Douelike eyes both mild and cruell Montan sweares In your lampes He will die for to delight her Phoebe yeeld Or I die Shall true hearts be fancies fuell Montanus had no sooner ended his sonnet but Coridon with alowe curtesie rose vp went with his fellow and shut their sheepe in the folds and after returning to Aliena Ganimede conducted them home weary to his poore cottage By the waye there was much good chat with Montanus about his loues hee resoluing Aliena that Phoebe was the fairest Shepherdice in al France that in his eye her beautie was equal with y e Nimphs But quoth he as of all stones the Diamond is most cleerest yet most hard for the Lapidorie to cut as of all flowres the Rose is the fairest and yet guarded with the sharpest prickles so of al our country lasses Phoebe is the brightest but the most coy of all to stoope vnto desire But let her take heed quoth he I haue heard of Narcissus who for his high disdain against Loue perished in the folly of his owne loue With this they were at Coridons Cottage where Montanus parted from them and they went in to rest Alinda and Ganimede glad of so contented a shelter made merry with the poore swaine and though they had but countrey fare and course loâ—ging yet their welcome was so greate and their cares so little that they counted their diet delicate and slept as soundly as if they had beene in the court of Torismond The next morne they lay long in bed as wearyed with the toyle of vnaccustomed trauaile but assoone as they got vp Aliena resolued there to set vp her rest and by the helpe of Coridon swapt a bargaine with his Landslord and so became mistres of the farme and the flocke her selfe putting on the attyre of the shepherdesse and Ganimide of a yong swaine euerye day leading foorth her flockes with such delight that she held her exile happy thoght no content to the blisse of a Countrey cottage Leauing her thus famous amongst the shepheards of Arden againe to Saladyne When Saladyne had a long while concealed a secrete resolution of reuenge could no longer hide fire in the flax nor oyle in the flame for enuy is like lightning that will appeare in the darkest fog It chaunced on a morning very early he cald vp certain of his seruants and went with them to the chamber of Rosader which being open hee entred with his crue and surprized his brother when he was a sleepe and bound him in fetters in the midst of his hall chained him to a post Rosader amazed at this strange chaunce began to reason with his brother about the cause of this sodaine extremity wherein he had wrongd and what fault he had committed worthy so sharpe a penance Saladyne answered him onely with a look of disdain and went his way leauing poore Rosader in a deepe perplexity Who thus abused fell into sundry passions but no means of releefe could be had wherupon for anger he grew into a discontented melancholy In which humour he continued two or three daies without meat insomuch that seeing his brother would giue him no food he fel into despaire of his life Which Adam Spencer the old seruant of sir Iohn of Bourdeaux seeing touched with the dutie loue hee ought to his olde maister felt a remorse in his conscience of his sonnes mishap and therefore although Saladine had giuen a generall charge to his seruants that none of them vpon pain of death should giue either meat or drinke to Rosader yet Adam Spencer in the night rose secretly brought him such victuals as he could prouide and vnlockt him and set him at liberty After Rosader had well feasted himselfe and felt he was loose straight his thoughts aymed at reuenge and now all being a sleepe hee would haue quit Saladyne with the methode of his own mischiefe But Adam Spencer did perswade him to the contrary with these reasons Sir quoth hee he content for this night go againe into your olde fetters so shall you trie the faith of friends and saue the life of an old seruant Tomorrow hath your brother inuited al your kinred allyes to a solempne breake fast onely to see you telling them all that you are mad faine to be tied to a poast Assoone as they come complain to them of the abuse proffered you by Saladyne If they redresse you why so but if they passe ouer your playntes sicco pede and hâ—ld with the violence of your brother before your innocence then thus I will leaue you vnlocke that you may breake out at your pleasure and at the ende of the hall shall you see stand a couple of good pollaxes one for you and another for mee When I giue you a wincke shake off your chaines and let vs plaie the men and make hauocke amongst them driue them out of the house and maintaine possession by force of armes till the King hath made a redresse of your abuses These wordes of Adam Spencer so perswaded Rosader that he went to the place of his punishment and stood there while the next morning About the time appointed came all the guestes bidden by Saladyne whom hee intreated with curteous and curious entertainment
he but they be not about me to morow by dawn of day if your flocks feed in these pastures I will bring them you wherein you shall read my passions whiles I feele them iudge my patience when you read it til when I bid farewel So giuing both Ganimede and Aliena a gentle good night he resorted to his lodge leauing them to their prittle prattle So Ganimede said Aliena the forrester being gone you are mightily beloued men make ditties in your praise spend sighs for your sake make an idoll of your beauty beleeue me it greeues mee not a little to see the poore man so pensiue and you so pittilesse Ah Aliena quoth she be not peremptory in your iudgments I heare Rosalynde praisd as I am Ganimede but were I Rosalynde I could answere the Forrester if he mourne for loue there are medicines for loue Rosalynde connot be faire and vnkind And so Madame you see it is time to fold our flocks or else Coridon will frown and say you will neuer proue good huswife With that they put their sheepe into the coates and went home to her friend Coridons Cottage Aliena as merry as might bee that she was thus in the company of her Rosalynde but shee poore soule that had Loue her loadstarre and her thoughtes set on fire with the flame of fancie could take no rest but being alone began to consider what passionate pennance poore Rosader was enioyned to by Loue and Fortune that at last shee fell into this humour with her selfe Rosalynde passionate alone AH Rosalynd how the Fates haue set down in theyr Sindde to make thee vnhappy for when Fortune hath done hir worst then Loue comes in to begin a new tragedie she seeks to lodge her sonne in thyne eyes and to kindle her fires in thy bosome Beware fond girle he is an vnruly guest to harbour for entring in by intreats he will not be thrust out by force and her fires are fed with such fuell as no water is able to quench Seest thou not how Venus seekes to wrap thee in her Lahorynth wherein is pleasure at the entrance but within sorrowes cares and discontent she is a Syren stop thine eares at her melodie she is a a Basiliscke shutte thine eyes and gaze not at her seast thou perish Thou art now placed in the Countrey content where are heauenly thoughtes and meane desires in those Lawnes where thy flocks feed Diana haunts be as her Nymphes chast and enemie to Loue for there is no greater honour to a mayd than to account of fancie as a mortal foe to their sexe Daphne that bonny wench was not turned into a Bay tree as the Poets fain but for her chastitie her fame was immortall resembling the Lawrell that is euer greene Follow thou her steps Rosalinde and the rather for that thou art an exile and banished from the court whose distresse as it is appeased with patience so it would be renewed with amorous passions Haue minde on thy forepassed fortunes feare the worst and intangle not thy selfe with present fancies least louing in hast thou repent thee at leisure Ah but yet Rosalynd it is Rosader that courts thee one who as he is beutifull so hee is vertuous and harboureth in his minde as manie good qualities as his face is shadowed with gratious fauours and therefore Rosalynde stoope to Loue least beeing eyther too coy or too cruell Venus waxe wroth and plague thee with the reward of disdaine Rosalynde thus passionate was wakened from her dumpes by Aliena who sayde it was time to goe to bed Coridon swore that was true for Charls Waine was risen in the North. Whervppon each taking leaue of other went to their rest all but the poore Rosalynde who was so full of passions that she could not possesse any content Well leauing her to her broken slumbers expect what was performed by them the next morning The Sunne was no sooner stept from the bed of Aurora but Aliena was wakened by Ganimede who restlesse all night had tossed in her passions saying it was then time to go to the field to vnfold their sheepe Aliena that spied where the hare was by the hounds and could see day at a litle hole thought to be pleasaunt with her Ganimede therfore replied thus What wanton the Sun is but new vp as yet Iris riches lies folded in the bosome of Flora Phoebus hath not dried vp the pearled dew and so long Coridon hath taught me it is not fitte to lead the sheepe abroad least the deaw being vnwholesome they get the rot but now see I the old prouerbe true he is in hast whom the deuill driues and where loue prickes forward there is no worse death then delay Ah my good page is there fancie in thine eye and passions in thy heart What hast thou wrapt loue in thy looks and sette all thy thoughts on fire by affection I tell thee it is a flame as harde to be quencht as that of Aetna But nature must haue her course womens eies haue faculty attractiue like the feat retentiue like the diamond they dally in the delight of faire obiects til gazing on the Panthers beautiful skin repenting experience tel them he hath a deuouring paunch Come on q. Ganimede this sermon of yours is but a subtiltie to lie stil a bed because either you think the morning cold or els I being gone you would steale a nappe this shift carries no paulme and therefore vp and away And for Loue let me alone ile whip him away with nettles set disdaine as a charme to withstand his forces and therefore loake you to your selfe be not too bold for Venus can make you bend nor to coy for Cupid hath a piercing dare that wil make you crie Peccaui And that is it quoth Aliena that hath raised you so earlie this morning And with that she slipt on her peticoat and start vp and assoone as shee had made her ready and taken her breakfast away goe these two with their bagge and bottles to the field in more pleasant content of mynd then euer they were in the Court of Torismond They came no sooner nigh the foldes but they might see where their disconted Forrester was walking in his melancholy Assoone as Aliena saw him she smiled and sayd to Ganymede wipe your eyes sweeting for yonder is your sweet heart this morning in deep prayers no doubt to Venus that she may make you as pitifull as hee is passionate Come on Ganimede I pray thee lets haue a litle sport with him Content quoth Ganimede and with that to waken him out of his deep memento he began thus Forrester good fortune to thy thoughts and ease to thy passions what makes you so early abroad this morne in contemplation no doubt of your Rosalynd Take heede Forrester step not too farre the Foord may be deep and you slip ouer the shooes I tell thee flyes haue their spleen the antes choster the least haires shadows and the smallest loues great
desires Tis good Forrester to loue but not to ouer loue least in louing her that likes not thee thou fold thy selfe in an endlesse Laborinth Rosader seeing the faire shepheardesse and her prettie Swayne in whose company he felt the greatest ease of his care hee returned them a salute on this maner Gentle shepheards all haile and as healthfull be your flocks as you happie in content Loue is restlesse and my bedde is but the cell of my bane in that there I finde busie thoughtes and broken slumbers heere although euery where passionate yet I brooke loue with more patience in that euerie obiect feedes mine eye with varietie of fancies when I looke on Floraes beauteous tapestrie checkered with the pride of all her treasure I call to minde the faire face of Rosalynd whose heauenly hue exceeds the Rose and the Lilly in their highest excellence the brightnesse of Phoebus shine puts mee in minde to thinke of the sparkeling flames that flew from her eyes and set my heart first on fire the sweet harmony of the birds puts me in remembrance of the rare melody of her voyce which lyke the Syren enchaunteth the eares of the hearer Thus in contemplation I salue my sorrowes with applying the perfection of euery obiect to the excellencie of her qualities She is much beholding vnto you quoth Aliena and so much that I haue oft wisht with my selfe that if I should euer proue as amorous as Oenone I might finde as faithfull a Paris as your selfe How say you by this Item Forrester quoth Ganimede the faire shepheardesse fauours you who is mistresse of so manyâ— flockes Leaue of man the supposition of Rosalynds loue when as watching at her you roue beyond the Moone and cast your lookes vpon my mistresse who no doubt is as faire though not so royall one bird in the hand is worth two in the wood better possesse the loue of Aliena then catch frinously at the shadowe of Rosalynd Ale tel thee boy quoth Ganimede so is my fancy fixed on my Rosalynde that were thy mistresse as faire as Laeda or Danae whom Ioue courted in transformed shapes mine eyes would not vouch to entertaine their beauties and so hath Loue lockt me in her perfections that I had rather onely contemplate in her beauties then absolutely possesse the excellence of any other Venus is too blame Forrester if hauing so true a seruant of you shee reward you not with Rosalynd if Rosalynd were more fairer then her selfe But leauing this prattle now ile put you in mynd of your promise about those Sonnets which you sayd were at home in your lodge I haue them about mee quoth Rosader let vs sit downe and then you shall heare what a Poeticall fury Loue will in fuse into a man with that they sate downe vpon a greene banke shadowed with sigge trees and Rosader fetching a deep sigh read them this Sonnet Rosaders Sonnet In sorowes cell I layd me downe to sleepe But waking woes were iealous of mine eyes They made them watch and bend themselues to weepe But weeping teares their want could not suffice Yet since for her they wept who guides my hart They weeping smile and triumph in their smart Of these my teares a fountaine fiercely springs Where Venus baynes her selfe incenst with loue Where Cupid bow seth his faire feathred wings But I behold what paines I must approue Cure drinkes it drie but when on her I thinke Loue makes me weepe it full vnto the brinke Meane while my sighes yeeld truce vnto my teares By them the windes increast and fiercely blow Yet when I sigh the flame more plaine appeares And by their force with greater power doth glow Amids these paines all Phoenix like I thriue Since Loue that yeelds me death may life reuiue Rosader en esperance Now surely Forrester quoth Aliena when thou madest this Sonnet thou wert in some amorous quandarie neither too fearfull as dispairing of thy mistresse fauours nor too gleesome as hoping in thy fortunes I can smile quoth Ganymede at the Sonettoes Canzones Madrigales roundes and roundelaies that these pensiue patients powre out when their eyes are more full of wantonnesse then their hearts of passions Then as the fishers put the sweetest bayt to the fairest fish so these Ouidians holding Amo in their tongues when their thoughtes come at hap hazard write that they bee wrapt in an endlesse laborinth of sorrow when walking in the large leas of libertie they only haue their humours in their inckpot It they find women so fond that they will with such painted lures come to their lust then they triumph till they bee full gorgde with pleasures and then flye they away like ramage kytes to their own content leauing the tame foole their Mistresse full of fancie yet without euer a feather If they misse as dealing with some wary wanton that wants not such a one as themselues but spies their subtiltie they ende their amors with a few fained sighes and so theyr excuse is their mistresse is cruell and they smoother passions with patience Such gentle Forrester we may deeme you to be that rather passe awaâ— the time heere in these woods with wryting amorets then to beâ— deeply enamoured as you say of your Rosalynde If you beâ— such a one then I pray God when you thinke your fortunes â—â— the highest and your desires to bee most excellent then that yoâ— may with Ixion embrace Iuno in a cloude and haue nothing bâ—â— a marble mistresse to release your martyrdome but if you be truâ— and trustie eye-paynd and heart sick then accursed be Rosalynde if shee prooue cruel for Forrester I flatter not thou art worthiâ— of as faire as shee Aliena spying the storme by the winde smile to see how Ganymede flew to the fist without any call but Rosader who tooke him flat for a shepheards Swayne made him this answere Trust mee Swayne quoth Rosader but my Canzon waâ— written in no such humor for mine eye my heart are relatiues the one drawing fancy by sight the other enterteining her by sorâ—row If thou sawest my Rosalynd with what beauties Naturâ— hath fauoured her with what perfection the heauens hath graced her with what qualities the Gods haue endued her then woulâ— thou say there is none so fickle that could be fleeting vnto her Iâ— she had been Aeneas Dido had Venus and Iuno both scoldeâ— him from Carthage yet her excellence despight of them woulâ— haue detained him at Tyre If Phillis had been as beauteous or Ariadne as vertuous or both as honourable and excellent aâ— she neither had the Philbert tree sorrowed in the death of dispaiâ—ring Phillis nor the starres haue been graced with Ariadne but Demophoon and Theseus had been trustie to their Paragons I wil tel thee Swayne if with a deep insight thou couldsâ— pierce into the secert at my loues and see what deep impressionâ— of her Idea affection hath made in my heart then wouldst thoâ— confesse I were passing passionate and no lesse
indued with admiâ—rable patience Why quoth Aliena needs there patience in loue Or else in nothing quoth Rosader for it is a restlesse sore thaâ— hath no ease a cankar that still frees a disease that taketh awaâ— all hope of sleepe If then so many sorrowes sodaine ioyes moâ—mentary pleasures continuall feares daily griefes and nightâ— woes be founde in loue then is not hee to bee accounted patienâ— that smothers all these passions with silenceâ— Thou speakest by experience quoth Ganimede and therfore we hold al thy words for Axiomes but is Loue such a lingring maladie It is quoth he either extreame or meane according to the minde of the partie that entertaines it for as the weedes grow longer vntoucht then the prettie floures and the flint lyes safe in the quarry when the Emerauld is suffering the Lapidaries toole so meane men are freed from Venus iniuries when kings are enuironed with a laborinth of her cares The whiter the Lawne is the deeper is the moale the more purer the Chrysolite the sooner stained and such as haue their hearts ful of honour haue their loues ful of the greatest sorowes But in whomsoeuer quoth Rosader hee fixeth his dart hee neuer leaueth to assault him till either hee hath wonne him to folly or fancy for as the Moone neuer goes without the starre Lunisequa so a Louer neuer goeth without the vnrest of his thoughts For proofe you shall heare another fancy of my making Now doo gentle Forrester quoth Ganimede and with that he read ouer this Sonetto Rosaders second Sonetto Turne I my lookes vnto the Skies Loue with his arrows wounds mine eies If so I gaze vpon the ground Loue then euery floure is found Search I the shade to flie my paine He meets me in the shade againe Wend I to walke in secret groue Euen there I meet with sacred Loue. If so I bayne me in the spring Euen on the brinke I heare him sing If so I meditate alone He will be partner of my mone If so I mourn he weeps with me And where I am there will he be When as I talke of Rosalynd The God from coynesse waxeth kind And seems in self same flames to fry Because he loues as wel as I. Sweet Rosalynd for ptity rue For why then Loue I am more true He if he speed will quickly flie But in thy loue I liue and die How like you this Sonnet quoth Rosader Marry quoth Ganimede for the pen well for the passionill for as I praise the one I pitie the other in that thou shouldest hunt after a cloude and loue either without reward or regard Tis neither frowardnesse quoth Rosader but my hard fortunes whose destenies haue crost me with her absence for did shee feele my loues she would not let me linger in these sorrowes Women as they are faire so they respect faith and estimate more if they be honourable the wit than the wealth hauing loyaltie the obiect wherat they ayme their fancies But leauing off these interparleyes you shall heare my last Sonnetto and then you haue heard all my Poetry and with that he sight out this Rosaders third Sonnet Of vertuous Loue my self may boast alone Since no suspect my seruice may attaint For perfect faire she is the only one Whom I esteem for my beloued Saint Thus for my faith I only beare the bell And for her faire she only doth excell Then let fond Petrarch shrowd his Lawraes praise And Tasso cease to publish his affect Since mine the faith confirmd at all assaies And hers the faire which all men do respect My lines hir faire hir faire my faith assures Thus I by Loue and Loue by me indures Thus quoth Rosader here is an ende of my Poems but for all this no release of my passions so that I resemble him that in the deapth of his distresse hath none but the Eccho to answere him Ganimede pitttying her Rosader thinking to driue him out of his amorous melancholy said that now the Sunne was in his Meridionall heat and that it was high noone therefore wee shepheards say tis time to go to dinner for the Sunne and our stomackes are Shepheards dials Therefore Forrester if thou wilt take such fare as comes out of our homely scrips welcome shall answere whatsoeuer thou wantst in delicates Aliena tooke the entertainment by the ende and tolde Rosader hee should bee her guest He thankt them heartily and sat with them downe to dinner where they had such cates as Countrey state did allow them sawst with such content and such sweete prattle as it seemed farre more sweet than all their Courtly iunckets Assoone as they had taken their repast Rosader giuing them thankes for his good cheare would haue been gone but Ganimede that was loath to let him passe out of her presence began thus Nay Forrester quoth he if thy busines be not the greater seeing thou saift thou art so deeply in loue let mee see how thou canst wooe I will represent Rosalynde and thou shalt bee as thou art Rosader see in some amorous Eglogue how if Rosalynd were present how thou couldst court her and while we sing of Loue Aliena shall tune her pipe and plaie vs melodie Content quoth Rosader And Aliena shee to shew her willingnesse drew forth a recorder and began to winde it Then the louyng Forrester began thus The wooing Eglogue betwixt Rosalynde and Rosader Rosader I pray thee Nymph by all the working words By all the teares and sighs that Louers know Or what our thoughts or faltring tongue affords I craue for mine in ripping vp my woe Sweet Rosalynd my loue would God my loue My life would God my life aye pitie me Thy lips are kind and humble like the doue And but with beautie pitie wil not be Looks on mine eyes made red with rufull teares From whence the raine of true remorse descendeth All palâ— in lookes and I though yoong in yeares And nought but loue or death my dayes befriendeth Oh let no stormy rigour knit thy browes Which Loue appointed for his mercy seat The tallest tree by Boreas breath it bowes The yron yeels with hammer and to keat Oh Rosalynd then be thou pitifull For Rosalynd is only beautifull Rosalynde Loues want ons arme their traitrous sutes with teares With vows with oaths with lookes with showers of gold But when the fruit of their affects appeares The simple heart by subtil sleights is sold. Thus sucks the yeelding eare the poysoned bait Thus feeds the hart vpon his endles harmes Thus glut the thoughts themselues on self deceit Thus blind the eyes their sight by subtil charmes The louely lookes the sighs that storme so sore The deaw of deep dissembled doublenesse These may attempt but are of power no more Where beauty leanes to wit and soothfastnesse Oh Rosader then be thou wittifull For Rosalynd scorns foolish pitifull Rosader I pray thee Rosalynd by those sweet eyes That stain the Sun in shine the morn in cleare By those sweet cheeks where
Loue incamped lyes To kisse the Roses of the springing yeare I tempt thee Rosalynd by ruthfull plaints Not seasoned with deceipt or fraudfull guile But firm inpayn far more than toong depaints Sweet Nymph be kind and grace me with a smile So may the heauens preserue from hurtfull food Thy harmlesse flockes so may the Summer yeeld The pride of all her riches and her good To fat thy sheepe the Cittizens of field Oh leaue to arme thy louely browes with scorne The birds their beake the Lyon hath his taile And Louers nought but sighs and bitter mourne The spotlesse fort of fancie to assaile Oh Rosalynde then be thou pittifull For Rosalynde is onely beautifull Rosalynde The hardned steele by fire is brought in frame Rosader And Rosalynde my loue that any wooll more softer And shall not sighes her tender hart inflame Rosalynde Were Louers true maydes would beleeue them ofter Rosader Truth and regard and honour guid my loue Rosalynde Paine would I trust but yet I dare not trie Rosader Oh pittie me sweet Nymph and do but proue Rosalynde I would resist but yet I know not why Rosader Oh Rosalynde be kinde for times will change Thy lookes ay nill be faire as now they be Thine age from beautie may thy lookes estrange Ah yeeld in time sweet Nimph and pittie me Rosalynde Oh Rosalynde thou must be pittifull For Rosader is yong and beautifull Rosader Oh gaine more great than kingdomes or a crowne Rosalynde Oh trust betraid if Rosader abuse me Rosader First let the heauens conspire to pull me downe And heauen and earth as abiect quite refuse me Let sorrowes streame about my hatefull bower And retchlesse horror hatch within my brest Let beauties eye afflict me with a lower Let deepe despaire pursue me without rest Ere Rosalynde my loyaltie disproue Ere Rosalynde accuse me for vnkind Rosalynde Then Rosalynde will grace thee with her loue Then Rosalynde will haue thee still in mind Rosader Then let me triumph more than Tithons deere Since Rosalynde will Rosader respect Then let my face exile his sorry cheere And frolike in the comfort of affect And say that Rosalynde is onely pittifull Since Rosalynde is onely beautifull When thus they had finished their courting Eglogue in such a familiar clause Ganimede as Augure of some good fortunes to light vpon their affections began to be thus pleasant How now Forrester haue I not fitted your turne haue I not playde the woman handsomely and shewed my selfe as coy in graunts as courteous in desires and beene as full of suspicion as men of flattery And yet to salue all iumpe I not all vp with the sweet vnion of loue Did not Rosalinde content her Rosader The Forrester at this smiling shooke his head and folding his armes made this merrie reply Truth gentle Swaine Rosader hath his Rosalynde but as Ixion had Iuno who thinking to possesse a goddesse only imbraced a clowd in these imaginary fruitions of fancie I resemble the birds that fed themselues with Zeuxis painted grapes but they grew so leane with pecking at shadows that they were glad with Aesops Cocke to scrape for a barley cornell so fareth it with me who to feed my self with the hope of my Mistris fauors sooth my selfe in thy sutes and onely in conceipt reape a wished for content but if my foode bee no better than such amorous dreams Venus at the yeares end shal find me but a leane louer Yet do I take these follyes for high fortunes and hope these fained affections do deuine some vnfained ende of ensuing fancies And thereupon quoth Aliena Ile play the priest from this daye forth Ganimede shall call thee husband and thou shalt cal Ganimede wife and so weele haue a marriage Content quoth Rosader and laught Content quoth Ganimede and chaunged as red as a rose and so with a smile and a blush they made vp this iesting match that after proued to a marriage in earnest Rosader full little thinking hee had wooed and woonne his Rosalynde But all was well hope is a sweet string to harpe on therfore let the Forrester a while shape himselfe to his shadow and tarrie fortunes leysure till she may make a Metamorphosis fit for his purpose I digresse and therefore to Aliena who saide the wedding was not worth a pinne vnlesse there were some cheare nor that bargaine well made that was not striken vp with a cuppe of wine and therefore she wild Ganimede to set out such cates as they had and to draw out her bottle charging the Forrester as he had imagined his loues so to conceipt these cates to be a most sumptuous banquet and to take a Mazer of wine and to drinke to his Rosalynde which Rosader did and so they passed awaye the day in many pleasant deuices Till at last Aliena perceyued time would tarry no man and that the Sun waxed very low readie to set which made her shorten their amorous prattle and end the banquet with a fresh Carrowse which done they all three arose and Aliena brake off thus Now Forrester Phoebus that all this while hath beene partaker of our sports seeing euery woodman more fortunate in his loues than he in his fancies seeing thou hast woon Rosalynde when he could not woo Daphne hides his head for shame bids vs adiew in a clowd our sheepe they poore wantons wander towards their foldes as caught by Nature their due times of rest which tels vs forester we must depart Marry though there were a mariage yet I must carry this night the bride with mee and tomorrow morning if you meete vs heere Ile promise to deâ—â—uer you her as good a mayd as I find her Content quoth Rosader tis enough for me in the night to dreame on loue that in the day am so fond to doate an loue and so till to morrowe you to your Folds and I will to my Lodge and thus the Forrester and they parted He was no sooner gone but Aliena Ganimede went and folded their flocks and taking vp their hookes their bags their bottles hyed homeward By the way Aliena to make the time seeme short began to prattle with Ganimede thus I haue heard them say that what the Fates forepoint that Fortune pricketh downe with a Period that the Starres are sticklers in Venus Court and Desire hangs at the heele of Destenie if it be so then by all probable coniecures this match will be a marriage for if Augurisme be authenticall or the Deuines doomes principles it cannot bee but such a shadow portends the issue of a substance for to that ende did the Gods force the conceit of this Eglogue that they might discouer the ensuing consent of your affections so that ere it bee long I hope in earnest to daunce at your wedding Tush quoth Ganimede all is not malte that is cast on the kill there goes more words to a bargaine than one loue feeles no footing in the aire and fancie holdes it slippery harbour to nestle in
hee had wronged him that Gerismond greatly praised the sparing speech of the yoong Gentleman Many questions past but atlast Gerismond began with a deepe sigh to inquire if there were any newes of the welfare of Alinda or his daughter Rosalynd None sir quoth Saladyne for since their departure they were neuer heard of Iniurious Fortune quoth the King that to double the fathers miserie wrongst the daughter with misfortunes And with that surcharged with sorrows he went into his Cell and left Saladyne and Rosader whome Rosader straight conducted to the sight of Adam Spencer Who seeing Saladyne in that estate was in a browne study but when he heard the whole matter although hee grieued for the exile of his maister yet be ioyed that banishment had so reformed him that from a lasciuious youth he was proued a verteous Gentleman Looking a longer while and seeing what familiaritie past betweene them and what fauours were interchanged with brotherly affection he sayd thus I marry thus it should be this was the concord that old sir Iohn of Bourdeaux wisht betwyxt you Now fulfil you those precepts hee breathed out at his death and in obseruing them looke to liue fortunate and die honourable Well sayd Adam Spencer quoth Rosader but hast any victuals in store for vs A piece of a red Deer quoth he and a bottle of wine Tis Forresters fare brother quoth Rosader and so they sat downe sel to their cates Assoone as they had taken their repast and had wel dined Rosader tooke his brother Saladyne by the hand and shewed him the pleasures of the Forrest and what content they enioyed in that mean estate Thus for two or three dayes he walked vp and downe with his brother to shew him all the commodities that belonged to his walke In which time hee was mist of his Ganymede who mused greatly with Aliena what shuld become of their forester Somewhile they thought he had taken some word vnkindly and had taken the pet then they imagined some new Loue had withdrawne his fancie or happely that he was sicke or detained by some great businesse of Gerismonds or that hee had made a reconcilement with his brother and so returned to Bourdeaux These coniectures did they cast in their heades but specially Ganimede who hauyng Loue in heart prooued restlesse and halfe without patience that Rosader wronged her with so long absence for Loue measures euerie minute and thinkes houres to bee dayes and dayes to bee moneths till they feede theyr eyes with the sight of theyr desired obiect Thus perplexed liued poore Ganymede while on a day sitting with Aliena in a great dumpe she cast vp her eye and saw where Rosader came pacing towardes them with his Forrest bill on his necke At that sight her colour changde and shee said to Aliena See Mistresse where our iolly Forrester comes And you are not a little glad thereof quoth Aliena your nose bewrayes what porredge you loue the winde cannot be tyed within his quarter the Sun shadowed with a vayle Oyle hidden in water nor Loue kept out of of a womans lookes but no more of that Lupus est in fabula Assoone as Rosader was come within the reach of her tongues ende Aliena began thus Why how now gentle Forrester what winde hath kept you from hence that being so newly marryed you haue no more care of your Rosalynd but to absent your self so many dayes Are these the passions you painted out so in your Sonnets and roundelaies I see well hote loue is soone cold and that the fancy of men is like to a loose feather that wandreth in the ayre with the blast of euery wynd You are deceiued Mistres quoth Rosader twas a coppy of vnkindnes that kept me hence in that I being married you caried away the Bride but if I haue giuen any occasion of offence by absenting my selfe these three daies I humbly sue for pardon which you must grant of course in that the fault is so friendly confest with penance But to tel you the truth faire Mistresse and my good Rosalynd my eldest brother by the iniury of Torismond is banished from Bourdeaux and by chance hee and I met in the Forrest And heere Rosader discourst vnto them what had happened betwixt them which reconcilement made them glad especially Ganimede But Aliena hearing of the tyrannie of her father grieued inwardly and yet smothred all things with such secrecy that the concealing was more sorrow then the conceipt yet that her estate might bee hyd stil she made faire weather of it and so let all passe Fortune that sawe how these parties valued not her Deitie but held her power in scorne thought to haue about with them and brought the matter to passe thus Certaine Rascals that liued by prowling in the Forest who for feare of the Prouost Marshall had Caues in the groaues and thickets to shrowde themselues from his traines hearing of the beautie of this faire shepheardesse Aliena thought to steale her away and to giue her to the King for a present hoping because the King was a great leacher by such a gift to purchase all their pardons and therefore came to take her and her Page away Thus resolued while Aliena and Ganimede were in sad talke they came rushing in and layd violent hands vpon Aliena and her Page which made them crye out to Rosader who hauing the valour of his father stamped in his hart thought rather to die in defence of his friends than any way bee toucht with the least blemish of dishonour and therfore dealt such blowes amongst them with his weapon as he did witnesse well vpon their carkasses that hee was no coward But as Ne Hercules quidem contra duos so Rosader could not resist a multitude hauing none to backe him so that hee was not onely rebatted but sore wounded and Aliena and Ganimede had been quite carryed away by these Rascalles had not Fortune that ment to turne her frowne into a fauour brought Saladyne that way by chance who wandring to find out his brothers walk encountred this crue and seeing not onely a shepheardesse and her boy forced but his brother wounded he heaued vp a Forrest bill be had on his neck and the first he stroke had neuer after more need of the Phisition redoubling his blowes with such courage that the flaues were amazed at his valour Rosader espying his brother so fortunately arriued and seeing how valiantly he behaued himselfe though sore wounded rushed amongst them and layd on such loade that some of the crue were slaine and the rest fled leauing Aliena and Ganimede in the possession of Rosader and Saladyne Aliena after shee had breathed a while and was come to her selfe from this feare lookt about her and saw where Ganimede was busie dressyng vp the woundes of the forrester but shee cast her eye vpon this curteous Champion that had made so hotte a rescue and that with such affection that shee began to measure euery part of him with
couered with a green mantle to shrowd her from the Sunne a chaplet of roses from vnder which appeared a face full of Natures excellence and two such eyes as might haue amated a greater man than Montanus At gaze vppon this gorgeous Nymph sate the Shepheard feeding his eyes with her fauours wooing with such piteous lookes courting with such deepe strained sighs as would haue made Diana her selfe to haue beene compassionate at last fixing his lookes on the riches of her face his head on his hande and his elbow on his knee he sung this mournefull Ditttie Montanus Sonnet ATurtle sate vpon a leauelesse tree Mourning her absent pheare With sad and sorry cheare About her wondring stood The Citizens of Wood And whilest her plumes she rents And for her loue laments The stately trees complaine them The birds with sorrow paine them Each one that doth her view Her paine and sorrowes rue But were the sorrowes knowne That me hath ouerthrowne Oh how would Phoebe sigh if shee did looke on me The loue sicke Polypheme that could not see Who on the barraine shore His fortunes doth deplore And melteth all in mone For Galatea gone And with his piteous cries Afflicts both earth and skies And to his woe betooke Doth breake both pipe and booke For whom complaines the Morne For whom the Sea Nymphs mourne Alas his paine is nought For were my woe but thought Oh how would Phoebe sigh if shee did looke on me Beyond compare my paine yet glad am I If gentle Phoebe daine to see her Montan die After this Montanus felt his passions so extreame that he fel into this exclamation against the iniustice of Loue. Helas Tirant plein de rigueur Modere vn peu ta violence Que te sert si grande dispense C'est trop de flammes pour vn cueur Esparguez en vne estincelle Puis fay ton effort d'esmoûoir La fiere qui ne veut point voir En quel fu je brousle pour elle Execute Amour ce dessein Et rabaisse vn peu son audace Son cuer ne doit estre de glace Bien que elle ait de Niege le sein Montanus ended his Sonet with such a volley of sighs and such a streame of teares as might haue moued any but Phoebe to haue granted him fauor But she measuring all his passions with a coy disdaine and triumphing in the poore shepheards patheticall humors smiling at his martyrdome as though loue had beene no maladie scornfully warbled out this Sonet Phoebes Sonnet a replie to Montanus passion Downe a downe Thus Phyllis sung by fancie once distressed Who so by foolish loue are stung are worthily oppressed And so sing I. With a downe downe c. When Loue was first begot And by the mouers will Did fall to humane lot His solace to fulfill Deuoid of all deceipt A chast and holy fire Did quicken mans conceipt And womens brest inspire The Gods that saw the good That mortalls did approue With kind and holy mood Began to talke of Loue. Downe a downe Thus Phyllis sung by fancie once distressed c. But during this accord A wonder strange to heare Whilest Loue in deed and word Most faythfull did appeare False semblance came in place By iealousie attended And with a double face Both loue and fancie blended Which make the Gods for sake And men from fancie flie And maidens scorne a make For sooth and so will I. Downe a downe Thas Phyllis sung by fancie once distressed Who so by foolish loue are stung are worthily oppressed And so sing I with downe a downe a downe a. Montanus hearing the cruell resolution of Phoebe was so euergrowne with passions that from amorous Ditties he fel flat into these tearmes Ah Phoebe quoth he wherof art thou made that thou regardest not thy maladie Am I so hatefull an obiect that thine eyes condemne mee for an obiect or so base that thy desires cannot stoope so low as to lend me a gratious looke My passions are many my loues more my thoughts loyaltie and my fancie faith al deuoted in humble deuoire to the seruice of Phoebe and shall I reape no reward for such fealties The Swaines dayly labours is quit with the euenings hire the Ploughmans toyle is eased with the hope of corne what the Oxe sweates out at the plough he farneth at the cribbe but infortunate Montanus hath no salue for his sorrowes nor any hope of recompence for the hazard of his perplexed passions If Phoebe time maye plead the proofe of my truth twise seauen winters haue I loued faire Phoebe if constancie be a cause to further my sute Montanus thoughts haue beene sealed in the sweete of Phoebes excellence as far from change as shee from loue if outward passions may discouer inward affections the furrows in my face may discouer the sorrows of my heart and the mappe of my looks the griefs of my mind Thou seest Phoebe the teares of despayre haue made my cheeks full of wrinckles and my scalding sighes haue made the ayre Ecchoher pittie conceiued in my plaintes Philomele hearing my passions hath left her mournfull tunes to listen to the discourse of my miseries I haue pourtrayed in euerie tree the beauty of my Mistres the despaire of my loues What is it in the woods cannot witnes my woes and who is it would not pittie my plaints Only Phoebe And why Because I am Montanus she Phoebe I a worthles Swaine and she the most excellent of all faires Beautifull Phoebe oh might I say pittifull then happy were I though I tasted but one minute of that good hap Measure Montanus not by his fortunes but by his loues and ballance not his wealth but his desires lende but one gratious looke to cure a heape of disquieted cares if not ah if Phoebe cannot loue let a storme of frownes end the discontent of my thoughts and so let me perish in my desires because they are aboue my deserts onely at my death this fauour cannot be denied me that al shal say Montanus died for loue of hard hearted Phoebe At these words she fild her face full of frowns and made him this short and sharpe reply Importunate shepheard whose loues are lawlesse because restlesse are thy passions so extreame that thou canst not conceale them with patience Or art thou so folly-sicke that thou must needs be fancie-sicke in thy affection tyed to such an exigent as none serues but Phoebe Wel sir if your market can be made no where els home againe for your Mart is at the fayrest Phoebe is no lettice for your lips and her grapes hangs so high that gaze at thē you may but touch them you cannot Yet Montanus I speak not this in pride but in disdaine not that I scorne thee but that I hate loue for I count it as great honor to triumph ouer fancie as ouer fortune Rest thee content therfore Montanus cease from thy loues and bridle thy lookes quench the
sparkles before they grow to a further flame for in louing mee thou shalt but liue by losse what thou vtterest in words are all written in the wind Wert thou Montanus as faire as Paris as hardy as Hector as constant as Troylus as louing as Leander Phoebe could not loue because she caÌ„not loue at all therfore if thou pursue me with Phoebus I must flie with Daphne Ganimede ouer-hearing all these passions of Montanus could not brooke the cruelty of Phoebe but starting from behind the bush said And if Damzell you fled from mee I would transforme you as Daphne to a bay and then in contempt trample your branches vnder my feet Phoebe at this sodaine replye was amazed especially when shee saw so faire a Swaine as Ganimede blushing therfore she would haue bene gone but that he held her by the hand prosecuted his reply thus What shepherdesse so faire and so cruell Disdaine beseemes not cottages nor coynesse maids for either they be condemned to be too proud or too froward Take heed faire Nymph that in despising loue you be not ouer-reacht with loue and in shaking off all shape your selfe to your owne shadow so with Narcissus proue passiâ—nat and yet vnpitied Oft haue I heard and sometime haue I seene high disdain turnd to hot desires Because thou art beautifull be not so coy as there is nothing more fair so there is nothing more fading as momentary as the shaddowes which growes from a clowdy Sunne Such my faire Shepheardesse as disdaine in youth desire in age and then are they hated in the winter that might haue been loued in the prime A wringled mayd is like to a parched Rose that is cast vp in Coffers to please the smell not worne in the hand to content the eye There is no folly in Loue to had I wist and therefore bee rulde by mee Loue while thou art yoong least thou be disdained when thou art olde Beautie nor time cannot be recalde and if thou loue like of Montanus forâ— as his desires are many so his deserts are great Phoebe all this while gazed on the perfection of Ganimede as deeply enamored on his perfection as Montanus inueigled with hers for her eye made suruey of his excellent feature which she found so rare that she thought the ghost of Adonis had been leapt from Elizium in the shape of a Swaine When shee blusht at her owne folly to looke so long on a stranger she mildely made answere to Ganimede thus I cannot deny sir but I haue heard of Loue though I neuer felt Loue and haue read of such a goddesse as Venus though I neuer sawe any but her picture and perhaps and with that shee waxedred and bashfull and with all silent which Ganimede perceiuing commended in her selfe the bashfulnesse of the mayd and desired her to go forward And perhaps sir quoth she mine eye hath been more prodigal to day than euer before and with that she stayd againe as one greatly passionate and perplexed Aliena seeing the hare through the maze hade her forward with her prattle but in vaine for at this abrupt period she broke off and with her eyes full of teares and her face couered with a vermillion die she sat downe and sighed Wherevpon Aliena and Ganimede seeing the Shepheardesse in such a straunge plight left Phoebe with her Montanus wishing hir friendly that she would be more pliant to Loue least in penance Venus ioyned her to some sharpe repentance Phoebe made no reply but fetcht such a sigh that Eccho made relatioÌ„ of hir plaint giuing Ganimede such an adieu with a piercing glance that the amorous Girle-boy perceiued Phoebe was pincht by the heele But leauig Phoebe to the follies of her new fancie and Montanus to attend vppon her to Saladyne who all this last night could not rest for the remembrance of Aliena insomuch that he framed a sweet conceipted Sonnet to content his humor which hee put in his bosome being requested by his brother Rosader to go to Aliena and Ganymede to signifie vnto them that his woundes were not dangerous A more happy message could not happen to Saladyne that taking his Forrest bill on his neck hee trudgeth in all haste towardes the plaines where Alienaes flockes did feede comming iust to the place when they returned from Montanus and Phoebe Fortune so conducted this iolly Forrester that he encountred them and Coridon whom hee presently saluted in this maner Faire Shepheardesse and too faire vnlesse your beautie bee tempred with curtesie and the liniaments of the face graced with the lowlinesse of mynd as many good fortunes to you and your Page as your selues can desire or imagine My brother Rosader in the grief of his green wounds stil myndful of his friends hath sent me to you with a kynd salute to shew that he brooks his paines with the more patience in that he holds the parties precious in whose defence hee receiued the preiudice The report of your welfare will be a great comfort to his distempered body and distressed thoughts and therefore he sent me with a strickt charge to visite you And you quoth Aliena are the more welcome in that you are messenger from so kynd a Gentleman whose paines we compassionate with as great sorrow as he brookes them with griefe and his wounds breeds in vs as many passions as in him extremities so that what disquiet he feeles in bodie we partake in heart Wishing if wee might that your mishap might salue his malady But seeing our wils yeelds him litle ease our orizons are neuer idle to the Gods for his recouery I pray youth quoth Ganimede with teares in his eyes when the Surgion searcht him held hee his woundes dangerous Dangerous quoth Saladyne but not mortall and the sooner to be cured in that his patient is not impatient of any paines whervpon my brother hopes within these ten dayes to walke abroad and visite you himselfe In the meane time quoth Ganimede say his Rosalynde commends her to him and bids him be of good cheare I knowe not quoth Saladyne who that Rosalynde is but whatsoeuer shee is her name is neuer out of his mouth but amidst the deepest of his passions hee vseth Rosalynde as a charme to appease all sorrowes with patience Insomuth that I coniecture my brother is in loue and shee some Paragon that holdes his heart perplexed whose name he oft records with sighes sometimes with teares straight with ioye then with smiles as if in one person Loue had lodged a Chaos of confused passions Wherin I haue noted the variable disposition of fancy that lyke the Polype in colours so it changeth into sundry humors beeing as it should seeme a combat myxe with disquiet and a bitter pleasure wrapt in a sweet preiudice lyke to the Sinople tree whose blossomes delight the smell and whose fruit infects the taste By my fayth quoth Aliena sir you are deep read in loue or growes your insight into affection by experience Howsoeuer you
are a great Philosopher in Venus principles els could you not discour our secret aphorismes But sir our Countrey amours are not lyke your Courtly fancies nor is our wooing lyke your suing for pore shepheards neuer plaine them till Loue paine them where the Courtiers eyes is full of passions when his heart is most free from affection they court to discouer their eloquence wee wooe to ease our sorrowes euery faire face with them must haue a new fancy sealed with a fore finger kisse and a farre fetcht sigh wee heere loue one and liue to that one so long as life can maintaine loue vsing few ceremonies because we know fewe subtilties and litle eloquence for that we lightly accompt of flattery onely faith and troth thats shepheards wooing and sir how lyke you of this So quoth Saladyne as I could tie my self to such loue What and looke so low as a Shepheardesse being the sonne of sir Iohn of Bourdeaux such desires were a disgrace to your honors And with that surueying exquisitely euery part of him as vttering all these wordes in a deepe passion she espied the paper in his bosom whervpon growing iealous that it was some amorous Sonnet she sodeinly snacht it out of his bosome and asked if it were anye secret She was bashfull and Saladyne blusht which she perceiuing sayd Nay then sir if you waxe redde my life for yours tis some Loue matter I will see your Mistresse name her praises and your passions And wich that she lookt on it which was written to this effect Saladynes Sonnet If it be true that heauens eternall course With restlesse sway and ceaselesse turning glides If aire inconstant be and swelling sourse Turne and returns with many fluent tides If earth in winter summers pride estrange And Nature seemeth onely faire in change If it be true that our immortal spright Deriude from heauenly pure in wandring still In noueltie and strangenesse doth delight And by discouerent power discerneth ill And if the body for to worke his best Doth with the seasons change his place of rest Whence comes it that inforst by furious Skies I change both place and soyle but not my hart Yet salue not in this change my maladies Whence growes it that each obiect workes my smart Alas I see my faith procures my misse And change in loue against my nature is Et florida pungunt Aliena hauing read ouer his Sonnet began thus pleasantly to descant vpon it I see Saladyne quoth she that as the Suâ— is no Sun without his brightnesse nor the Diamond accounted for precious vnlesse it be hard so men are not men vnlesse they be in loue and their honors are measured by their amours not their labors counting it more commendable for a Gentleman to be ful of fancy than full of vertue I had thought Otiasi tollus periere Cupidinis arcus Contemptaeque iacent sine luce faces But I see Ouids axiome is not authenticall for euen labour hath her loues and extremitie is no Pumice stone to race out fancy Your selfe exiled from your wealth friendes and country by Torismond sorrowes inough to suppresse affections yet amidst the depth of these extremities Loue will be Lord and shâ—w his power to bee more predominant than Fortune But I pray you sir if without offence I may craue it are they some newe thoughts or some olde desires Saladyne that now saw opportunitie pleasant thought to strike while the yron was hotte and therefore taking Aliena by the hand sate downe by her and Ganymede to giue them leaue to their Loues found her selfe busie about the foldes whilest Saladyne fell into this prattle with Aliena Faire Mistresse if I be blunt in discouering my affections and vse little eloquence in leuelling out my loues I appeale for pardon to your owne principles that say shepheards vse few ceremonies for that they acquaint themselues with few subtilties to frame my selfe therefore to your country fashion with much faith and litle flattery know bewtifull Shepheardesse that whylest I liued in the Court I knew not Loues comber but I helde affection as a toy not as a malady vsing fancy as the Hiperborei doo their flowers which they weare in their bosome all day and cast them in the fire for fuell at night I lyked all because I loued none and who was most faire on her I fed mine eye but as charily as the Bee that assoone as shee hath suckt honny from the Rose Flies straight to the next Marigold Liuing thus at mine owne list I wondred at such as were in loue and when I read their passions I tooke them onely for poemes that flowed from the quicknesse of the wyt not the sorrowes of the heart But now faire Nymph since I became a Forrester Loue hath taught me such a lesson that I must confesse his deitie and dignitie and saie as there is nothing so pretious as beuty so there is nothing more piercing than fancy For since first I arriued in this place and mine eye tooke a curious suruey of your excellence I haue been so fettered with your beautie and vertue as sweet Aliena Saladyne without further circumstance loues Aliena I could paynt out my desires with long ambages but seeing in many words lyes mistrust that truth is euer naked let this suffice for a country wooing Saladyne loues Aliena and none but Aliena Although these wordes were most heauenly harmony in the eares of the Shepheardesse yet to seeme coye at the first courting and to disdaine Loue howsoeuer she desired Loue she made this reply Ah Saladyne though I seeme simple yet I am more subtile than to swallow the hooke because it hath a painted bayt as men are wily so women are wary especially if they haue that wyt by others harmes to beware Do we not know Saladyne that mens toongs are like Mercuries pipe that can inchant Argus with an hundreth eyes and their words are preiudiciall as the charmes of Circes that transforme men into monsters If such Syrens sing we poore women had need stoppe our eares least in hearing wee proue so foolish hardy as to belieue them and so perish in crusting much and suspecting litle Saladine Piscator ictus sapit hee that hath been once poisoned and afterwards fears not to bowse of euery potion is worthy to suffer double pennance Eiue mee leaue then to mistrust though I doo not condemne Saladyne is now in loue with Aliena hee a Gentleman of great parentage shee a Shepheardesse of meane parents hee honorable and shee poore Can Loue consist of contrarieties Wyll the Fawlcon pearch with the Kistresse the Lyon harbor with the Woolfe Wil Venus ioyne roabes and rags togither Or can there be a simpathie betweene a King and a begger Then Saladyne how can I belieue thee that loue should vnite our thoughts when Fortune hath set such a difference betweene our degrees But suppose thou likest of Alienaes bewtie men in their fancy resemble the waspe which scornes that flower from which she
for her last refuge she resolued to write vnto Ganimede and therfore destred Montanus to absent himselfe a while but not to depart for she would see if she could steale a nappe Hee was no sooner gone out of the chamber but reaching to her standish shee tooke penne and paper and wrote a letter to this effect Phoebe to Ganimede wisheth what she wants her selfe FAire Shepheard and therefore is Phoebe infortunate because thou art so faire although hitherto mine eyes were adamants to resist Loue yet I no sooner saw thy face but they became amorous to intertaine Loue more deuoted to fancie than before they were repugnant to affection addicted to the one by nature and drawne to the other by beauty which being rare and made the more excellent by many vertues hath so snared the freedome of Phoebe as shee restes at thy mercie either to bee made the most fortunate of all maydens or the most miserable of all women Measure not Ganimede my loues by my wealth nor my desires by my degrees but thinke my thoughtes as full of faith as thy face of amiable fauors Then as thou knowst thy self most beautifull suppose me most constant If thou deemest mee hard harted because I hated Montanus thinke I was forst to it by fate if thou saist I am kind hearted because so lightly I loued thee at the first looke thinke I was driuen to it by desteny whose influence as it is mighty so is it not to be resisted If my fortunes were any thing but infortunate loue I would striue with fortune but he that wrests against the will of Venus seeks to quench fire with oyle to thrust out one thorn by putting in another If then Ganimede loue enters at the eye harbours in the heart and wil neither be driuen out with phisicke nor reason pittie mee as one whose malady hath no salue but from thy sweet self whose griefe hath no ease but through thy grant and think I am a Uirgin who is deeply wrongd when I am forst to woo and couiecture loue to be strong that is more forceable then nature Thus distressed vnlesse by thee eased I expect either to lyue fortunate by thy fauour or die miserable by thy denyall Liuing in hope Farewell She that must be thine or not be at all Phoebe To this letter she annexed this Sonnet Sonnetto My boate dothpasse the straights of seas incenst with fire Filde with forgetfulnesse amidst the winters night A blind and carelesse boy brought vp by fond desire Doth guide me in the sea of sorrow and despight For euery oare he sets a ranke of foolish thoughts And cuts instead of waue a hope without distresse The winds of my deepe sighes that thunder still for noughts Haue split my sayles with feare with care and heauinesse A mightie storme of teares A blacke and hideous cloude A thousand fierce disdaines doe slacke the haleyards oft Till ignorance doe pull and errour hale the shrowds No starre for safetie shines no Phoebe from aloft Time hath subdued art and ioy is slaue to woe Alas Loues guid be kind what shall I perish so This Letter and the Sonnet being ended she could find no fit messenger to send it by and therefore she called in Montanus intreated him to carry it to Ganimede Although poore Montanus saw day at a little hole and did perceiue what passion pinched her yet that he might seeme dutifull to his Mistresse in all seruice he dissembled the matter and became a willing Messenger of his owne Martyrdome And so taking the Letter went the next morne very earlie to the plaines where Aliena fedde hir flocks and there he found Ganimede sitting vnder a Pomegranade tree sorrowing for the hard fortunes of her Rosader Montanus saluted him and according to his charge deliuered Ganimede the letters which he said came from Phoebe At this the wanton blusht as being abashe to thinke what news should come from an vnknowne Shepheardesse but taking the letters vnript the seales and read ouer the discourse of Phoebes fancies When she had read and ouer-read them Ganimede beganne to smile and looking on Montanus fell into a great laughter and with that called Aliena to whome shee shewed the writinges Who hauing perused them conceipted them very pleasantly and smiled to see how Loue had yokt her who before would not stoop to the lure Aliena whispering Ganimede in the eare and saying Knew Phoebe what want there were in thee to performe her will and how vnfit thy kind is to be kind to her she would be more wise and lesse enamoured But leauing that I pray thee let vs sport with this Swaine At that word Ganimede turning to Montanus began to glaunce at him thus I pray thee tell me Shepheard by those sweet thoughts and pleasing sighes that grow from my Mistresse fauours art thou in loue with Phoebe Oh my youth quoth Montanus were Phoebe so farre in loue with me my flocks would be more fatte and their Maister more quiet for through the sorrows of my discontent growes the leannesse of my sheepe Alas poore Swaine quoth Ganimede are thy passions so extreame or thy fancie so resolute that no reason wil blemish the pride of thy affection and race out that which thou striuest for without hope Nothing can make me forget Phoebe while Montanus forget himselfe for those characters which true loue hath stamped neither the enuie of time nor fortune can wipe away Why but Montanus quoth Ganimede enter with a deep insight into the despaire of thy fancies and thou shalt see the depth of thine owne follies for poore man thy progresse in loue is a regresse to losse swimming again the streame with the Crab and flying with Apis Indica against wind and weather Thou seekest with Phoebus to win Daphne and shee flies faster than thou canst follow thy desires soare with the Hobbie but her disdain reacheth higher than thou canst make wing I tell thee Montanus in courting Phoebe thou barkest with the Wolues of Syria against the Moone and roauest at such a marke with thy thoughts as is beyond the pitch of thy bow praying to loue when loue is pittilesse and thy maladie remedilesse For proofe Montanus read these letters wherein thou shalt see thy great follyes and little hope With that Montanus tooke them and perused them but with such sorrow in his lookes as they bewrayed a sourse of confused passions in his heart at euery line his colour changed and euery sentence was ended with a period of sighes At last noting Phoebes extreame desire toward Ganimede and her disdaine towards him giuing Ganimede the letter the Shepheard stood as though he had neyther won nor lost Which Ganimede perceiuing wakened him out of his dreame thus Now Montanus doest thou see thou vowest great seruice and obtainest but litle reward but in lieu of thy loyaltie she maketh thee as Bellephoron carry thine owne bane Then drinke not willingly of that potion wherein thou knowest is poyson creepe not to her
that cares not for thee What Montanus there are many as faire as Phoebe but most of all more courteous than Phoebe I tell thee Shepheard fauour is Loues fuell then since thou canst not get that lette the flame vanish into smoake and rather sorrowe for a while then repent thee for euer I tell thee Ganimede quoth Montanus as they which are stung with the Scorpion cannot be recouered but by the Scorpion nor he that was wounded with Achilles lance bee cured but with the same truncheon so Apollo was faine to cry out that loue was onely eased with loue fancy healed by no medicine but fauour Phoebus had hearbs to heale all hurts but this passion Cyrces had charms for all chances but for affection Mercurie subtill reasons to refell all griefs but loue Perswasions are bootles reason lends no remedy counsell no comfort to such whome fancie hath made resolute therefore though Phoebe loues Ganimede yet Montanus must honor none but Phoebe Then quoth Ganimede may I rightly tearme thee a despairing louer that liuest without ioy and louest without hope but what shal I do Montanus to pleasure thee shal I despise Phoebe as she disdaines thee Oh quoth Montanus that were to renew my griefs and double my sorrows for the sight of her discontent were the censure of my death Alas Ganimede though I perish in my thoughts let not her die in her desires Of all passions loue is most impatient then lette not so faire a creature as Phoebe sinke vnder the burden of so deepe distresse Being loue sicke she is proued hart sicke all for the beautie of Ganimede Thy proportion hath intangled her affections and shee is snared in the beauty of thy excellence Then sith she loues thee so deare mislike not her deadly Be thou paramour to such a paragon she hath beauty to please thine eye and flockes to enrich thy store Thou canst not wish for more than thou shalt win by her for she is beautifull vertuous and wealthy three deepe perswasions to make loue frolicke A liena seeing Montanus cut it against the haire and pleade that Ganimede ought to loue Phoebe when his onely life was the loue of Phoebe answered him thus Why Montanus dost thou further this motion seeing if Ganimede marry Phoebe thy market is cleane mard Ah Mistres q. he so hath loue taught me to honour Phoebe that I would preiudice my life to pleasure her and die in despaire rather than shee should perish for want It shall suffice me to see her contented and to feed mine eye on her fauour If she marry though it bee my martyrdome yet if she be pleased I wil brooke it with patience tryumph in mine owne stars to see her desires satisfied Therefore if Ganimede be as courteous as he is beautifull let him shew his vertues in redressing Phoebes miseries And this Montanus pronounst with such an assured countenance that it amazed both Aliena and Ganimede to see the resolution of his loues so that they pitied his passions commended his patience deuising how they might by any subtiltie get Montanus the fauor of Phoebe Straight as womens heads are full of wiles Ganimede had a fetch to force Phoebe to fancie the shepheard malgrado the resolution of her mind he prosecuted his policie thus Montanus quoth he seeing Phoebe is so forlorne least I might be counted vnkind in not saluing so faire a creature I will goe with thee to Phoebe and there heare her selfe in word vtter that which shee hath discourst with her pen and then as Loue wils mee I will set downe my censure I will home by our house and send Coridon to accompany Aliena Montanus seemed glad of his determination and away they goe towards the house of Phoebe When they drew nigh to the cottage Montanus ran afore and went in and told Phoebe that Ganimede was at the doore This word Ganimede sounding in the eares of Phoebe draue hir into such an extasie for ioy that rising vp in her bed she was halfe reuined her wan colour began to waxe red and with that came Ganimede in who saluted Phoebe with such a courteous looke that it was half a salue to her sorows sitting him down by hir bed side he questioned about hir disease and where the paine chiefly helde hit Phoebe looking as louely as Venus in her night gear tainting her face with as ruddy a blush as Clitia did when shee bewrayed her loues to Phoebus taking Ganimede by the hande began thus Faire shepheard if loue were not more strong than nature or fancie the sharpest extreame my immodesty were the more my vertues the les for nature hath framed womens eyes bashfull their harts ful of feare theyr tongs ful of silence But loue that imperious loue where his power is predominant then he peruerts all wrests the wealth of nature to his owne wil an instance in my selfe fayre Ganimede for such a fire hath he kindeled in my thoughts that to finde ease for the flame I was forced to passe the bounds of modesty seek a salue at thy hands for my harms blame me not if I be ouer beld for it is thy beauty if I bee too forward it is fancie the deepe insight into thy vertues that makes me thus fond For let me say in a word what may be contained in a volume Phoebe loue Ganimede at this shee held downe her head and wept and Ganimede rose as one that would suffer no fish to hang on his fingers made this reply Water not thy plants Phoebe for I dopity thy plaints nor seek not to discouer thy loues in teares for I coniecture thy truth by thy passions sorrow is no salue for loues nor sighs no remedy for affection Therfore frolick Phoebe for if Ganimede can cure thee doubt not of recouery Yet this let me say without offence that it greeues mee to thwart Montanus in his fancies seeing his desires haue been so resolute his thoughts so loyall but thou alledgest that thou art forst from him by fate so I tell thee Phoebe either some starre or else some destenie fittes my mind rather with Adonis to die in chase than be counted a wanton in Venus knee Although I pitie thy martyrdome yet I can grant no marriage for though I held thee fair yet mine eie is not fettred loue grows not like the hearb Spattanna to his perfectiō in one night but creeps with the snaile yet at last attaines to the top Festina Lenter especially in loue for momentary fancies are often times the fruits of follies If Phoebe I should like thee as the Hiperborei do theyr dates which banket with them in the morning throw them away at night my folly should be great thy repentance more Therfore I wil haue time to turn my thoghts and my Loues shall growe vp as the water Cresses slowly but with a deepe roote Thus Phoebe thou maist see I disdaine not though I desire