tooke their leaues of the Queene and the dead reputed Amphyalus and so returned backe to the place from whence they were departed The Queene left alone to accompany her dead Lord sauing that she had onely twentie horsemen and sixe Ladies which had beene her gardiants in that wofull voyage commanded the coffin to bee set downe vpon a faire banke of flowers by the riuers side and then taking her Lute to the delicacie of whose sound she maried a more dilicate voyce sung this funerall Sonnet Strong heart my strong cares vnconsumed throne How bigge thou swellst with euer feeding griefe I hop'd that worne to nothing with my mone Nothing to nothing would haue brought reliefe And you mine eyes that enuie these faire streames Because they flow not ouer like your teares Learne by this riuer to abate extreames Sith coolest woes breede longest liu'd dispaires But O mine Eyes you haue immortall springs Fed by a heart which feedes vpon distresse And thou my heart art wed to sorrowing Sorrow that sorrows-selfe cannot expresse Then heart grieue still and Eies augment your founttaines Till one make Seas the other cloud-hie Mountaines Here casting the Lute from her hands that she might cast her hands with more feeling ardencie about the beloued bodie which with such vnspeakeable adoration she had inshrined in the faire Temple of her spotlesse heart After my vnsympathised imbracements and cold kisses taken from his vnfeeling lips shee thus began to second her well tuned moanes with vntuned lamentations Alas Amphyalus sayd she alas thou that in the infinitenesse of thine vnbounded Disdaine hast had such an immortall soueraigntie as to bee the all onely director both of my thoughts and actions how much mightier had beene the amplified honor of thy royall spirit if the great Godhead of thy diuinitie had proceeded from a gracefull pitty to the gnawing torrent of my miserable distresse But I was vnworthy and woe is me that thy worthinesse did not esteeme me a worthy subiect to be ennobled by thy loues worthinesse yet was I not fatall to the long liued kingdome of thy vertues thou shouldst not haue brought a consuming fire from Corinth nor should my wombe haue deliuered a fire-brand to waste Arcadia O yes I was prodigious to thy birth-right and as a blasing starre at thine vnlooked for funerall For me though not from me came that first knowledge of thy first euill when thy deare Phyloxenus ende became the beginning of thy hate to my desires Tymotheus death a Seale to that reuers-lesse deed of thy disdain which no time or opinion shall euer cancell O vnspeakable miserie O maruellous doome of my fore-doomed persecution O most wonderfull impietie of a haplesse beautie O singular affliction to an euer afflicting memorie and O iust iudgement of my starre-crost destinie O sorrow iust sorrow be thou henceforth the iustnesse of my mediation O fearefull sorrow in the extremitie of my fearfulnes increase my sorrowes augmentation and let me sorrow that euer sorrowing my sorrows are not amplifyed to a sufficient greatnesse But why talke I of sorrow that am not worthy of so gentle a sleepe-killing cōpanion O rest thee thou faire foe to my rest thou weeping eye of a soft heart thou reuenge of weaknesse vnkindnesse satisfaction and the key which vnlockes the closet of a concealed affection O image of sleepe sleepe with my forgetfulnesse and forgotten contentments And come Death vgly Death vntimely Death the rack to a burdned conscience the soules bitternesse the bodies graue and the mindes immortall affliction come thou and accompanie my calamities leade mee to my Lorde that he may beholde in thee his Lordship ouer mee there is no reason I liue being reasonlesse left of the loue I adored And here as if shee woulde haue drowned herselfe in newe teares or prooued that the greatnesse of griefe is euer begotte by the greatest expence of griefe shee wept in such violent abundance that the extremitie of that ouerflowe brought her to a motionlesse dumbnesse in-so-much that one of her Ladies whose eye had taken a full draught from that cup of patheticall griefe taking the falne Lute into her hande awakened her Queene with these mournfull Stanzies Night like a mourner creepes vpon moanes Yet troubles me because it lets me see The blacke fac'd image of my hideous groanes Which still vnstill increase to martyr me O eyelesse night the portrature of death Noise hating mistresse of the hearts calme griefe That charm'st our cares and quiettest our breath O thou that art calamities reliefe In thy downe-footed stealing steale away Woes memorie approching with the day O not thou night the Sunne set follower The generall closer of all mortall eyes O thou art not my sad hearts sucoorer Euen thee I waste and tyre with agonies But thou eternall night Deaths elder borne Thou night of nights more powerfull then the Sunne Throw mountaines on me that am most forlorne Most abiect haplesse wofull and vndone O let my woes be into darknesse hurld Or plast a burning Comet ore the world This song did so aggrauate the extremitie of her passion which now like an ouer-wittie Sophister whose fluent braine presents him more arguments then his tongue can discharge euer most in loue with that which lies last vnreuealed was conceyted that shee could vtter more wounding lamentations then she yet had vttered began to create new methods of complaining till shee was interrupted by a discrete Gentleman her attendant who perswaded her from that wearinesse of mourning chiefly where no ease-procuring sorrowe made the laboursome day eternall with vaine labour and brought no night of rest to her so long vnrested diliberations arguing that these delayes in her moanes would if shee woulde continue them bring her anguish to a more desperate state of miserie the necessitie of this extremitie crauing no spurres but winges to conuey her hope to the ende of that rare arte wherein all her hope was builded This speech laid such holde vpon her reason that adorning her faire cheekes with the rosie blush of shamefastnesse she rose vp and commaunded the coffin to be put into the litter in which her selfe rode and so followed on her iourney yet at euerie such conuenient houre wherein either the reliefe of Nature or the extremitie of the hot burning Sun commanded a desistance from trauailing she omitted not still to doe the like lest any ouer-curious eye should imagine that the trauell of her mind receyued ease when her body wanted motion obseruing the humour of an absolute couetous person whose desires grow greater when he enioies the greatest part of that he desired After many daies nights all-be dayes and nights were not by her distinguished with any difference thus pitiously consumed she arriued near vnto her owne most goodly and beautifull Citie the Citie of Corinth whither newes of her approaching was some fewe dayes before comed as heauinesse hath euer moe Fames then one running before it insomuch that Phalantus a gallant Knight and base
THE ENGLISH ARCADIA Alluding his beginning from Sir Philip Sydneys ending By Iaruis Markham LONDON Printed by Edward Allde and are to bee solde by Henrie Rocket at his shop vnder Saint Mildreds Church in the Poultrie 1607. To the Reader THe innumerable tortures wherewith seuere censures will torment and whip me their pewes their pyshes their wrye lookes Apish iestures and vntunable pronuntiations haue not so much retained me any time this halfe-score yeares from the publication of this morall Historie as the imputations of arrogancie immitation affectation and euen absurd ignorance which I euer feared Enuie would vniustly lay vpon me but hauing by custome and the weaknesse of detraction loosed my selfe from such shadowie fetters and with a more airie spirit freed my soule from such insubstantiall feares I haue aduentured to cast into the world this Orphan which how-euer it was once begot by noble parents and bosomed in the most celestiall eares that euer was worthie to retaine noble mysteries is now like a vagabond inforst to begge and liue vpon miserable charitie yet for vertues sake whom I euer desire to satisfie with my best powers before I be araignd at the barre of bitternesse I am willing to make this defence for the crimes which crueltie may suggest against me First for the Title thogh it be only excellēt in the most excellēt creature that first taught vs the sound of excellent writing yet hath it likewise beene vsed by others in sundrie pamphlets without either pride or ostentation men taking libertie to lay their hystories in Countries by them most affected next for mine allusion and imitation which beareth a colour of much greater vain-glorie mine excuse must onely bee the worthinesse of former presidents as Virgill from Homer Ariosto from Baiardo famous Spencer from renowned Chaucer and I with as good priuiledge from the onely to be admired Sir Philip Sydney whose like though neuer age hath or shall present to memorie yet shall it be renowne to the meanest that indeuour to liue by the crummes of his Table who were our age but blest with his liuing breath he would himselfe confesse the honie hee drew both from Heliodorus and Diana For other faults I must answere with Maister France if there were a bond to compell men to read there should then be an authoritie likewise to bind vs that write to delight But since both haue free will my counsell is to reade no longer then till your appetite be either cloyed or filled and so by preseruation of your stomackes make them apt to taste others better labours to which and to your owne content I commit you I. M. THE FIRST PART OF THE FIRST BOOKE of the Morall English Arcadia alluding his beginning from Sir Philip Sidneyes ending AT such time as the flowers appearing vpon the earth had summoned the ayrie quiristers to entertaine the first Embassadors of the Spring and that Nature deliuered frō the barraine wombe of Winter had shewed her selfe lyuelie as the morning faire as the nightes Gouernesse pure as the Sunne and as almighty as an armye of inuincible fortune The vnhappy and forlorne Shepheard Credulo being come to the foot of the mountaine Tagetus from whose large distributed skirts ranne an euen and wel leuiled plaine through which the siluer-flowing Erimanthus had made many curious and enterchangeable windinges till she deliuered the abundance of her tribute into the bosome of the Oceās vnruly treasurie and being arryued at the vtmost of the earths prospecte he encountred with his companion both in fortunes and desires the forsaken Carino whose eyes long before that time drown'd in their owne teares were now ouer earlie awaked to bathe them-selues in the tearye sea of others more deere afflictions And being mette in that alone lonelinesse which extreamest of all miseries had chosen out as a plat-forme whereon to build that day a stage for an immortal Tragedie they sate downe casting their eies vpon the waues whose vast solitarines presented to their mindes the liuely Idaeas of their vnaccompanied lamentations began bitterly to complaine that hauing ouer-laden hearts broke deuided with complaints which by incessant bemoanings they sought howerly to disburden foūd neither ease nor respet but rather a more augmentation of their continuall child-bearing mischiefes where-upon Credulo commenting in the sadnesse of his coūtenance more large volumes of griefe then his weake tongue could deliuer thus spake Ah Carino said he hither are we come to behold not the last act though as bleedingly pitious as the latest can be of Infortunes worst Tragedie presented to the stony eyes of creatures insensible because barbarous and acted by the greatest Beautie that euer before this day arose in the skie of anie womans countenance Alas that miserie should be so Imperious as to dare to take possessiō in the Pallace of Vertue or vertue so fearfull as for any disaster in-fortune to forgoe the habitation of Beautie Will the Almightie Iustice in his Diuine prouidence create excellēt frames to ignoble vses or Nature spend the golden treasure of her workmāship in a receptacle for greatest imperfections It is impossible it is impossible The Arts-masters of this lowe rounds nations striue in their works exquisite to portrait their owne vertues the best of which endeuours remaine after them liuing remembrances of dead worthines And shall the master of them and their knowledges make his goodliest pyramed a monument for vnblushing shamefulnes it is too preposterous to imagine and irreligious to beleeue only to thee and mee whose care-consumed imaginations direct all their leuells against the marke of mis-fortunes as hauing our hopes giuen ouer into the handes of Disdaine our vowes inrespected our loues fruitles our torments pittiles our deaths Tomblesse to vs I say these accidents of inhumane aduersitie are but awaking thunders or Night-Rauen cryes to our laboring remēbrances drawing in them and before them the models of those mishappes where-with our owne soules are attainted How oft haue thou and I my Carino from the top of yon Mountaine sent our eyes with the imbassage of our heartes conueying in blood-drawing sighes speedy messengers of dispaire the occurrents of our dying hopes How oft vpon this Plaine haue wee in darke Eglogues discoursed the pure intent of our honest seruices How oft vpon these Sandes haue wee wrtten her name with our Sheep-hookes which the iealous Sea in loue with hath greedily snacht into his bosome And how oft from yon aspiring Rocke haue wee wisht so she would beare witnes to our wish to fal head-long into the Sea as a seale to the great deed of our induring affection and yet haue found neither hope in our desires comfort in our loues nor end in our dispaires Haue we at any time desisted from the violēce of our first passion Hath there euer been seen coolenesse in the burning Feuer of our desires Haue our mindes slept at all in the shade of a reputed obliuion Or hath the Historie of her praises at any time
is now euen great in laboure withall hearing not of that but of another most daungerous wound he had receiued in a former combate betwixt him and the excellent Musidorus after a tedious and wearie iourney wherein only loue tooke away the bitter feeling of wearines she ariued in those parts of Arcadia with assured hope of his recouery by means of a most excellent Surgion whom then in her country she retained But in such an inauspitious hower of vnluckines that finding the feare of danger taken from the daunger she feared there was now an inrecouerable perrill wedded to a desperat fearefulnes for the foe was his owne hande and that hand guided by so hopeles a loue that hating all thinges which the loue he loued would not pittie he himselfe had vsed against himselfe that violence which else no violence could haue vsed In briefe when she came to his presence she found him bathing in his owne selfe-spilling bloode and if not absolutly dead yet so neare the confines of deathes Kingdome that not the seuerest iudgement could say or hope he liued To discribe the liuely sorrow which assending from her dying hearte appeared in the watry Sun-shine of her eyes how oft she swounded reuiued and againe and againe re-dyed what bloode-wasting sighes she vttered what groanes shee disburdened how lamentably she bewailed how desperatly she raged the war betwixt her faire handes and her bosome betwixt her torne haires and the windes motion her teares burning in the beautie of her cheekes and her beautie drowned in the Channell of her teary Ocean her cōfusiō in sorow making an vniformity is heauines yet that heauy vniforme a barbarous Chaos of miserie to describe this I say were labor infinite and innecessarie the rather sith it stands in a memoriall by the most memorable pen that euer recorded matter worthie of memorie But at last when sorrow had as it were in the iudgement of all her beholders called to so straite an account all the sorrowes of her remembrance that there was no other matter left saue onely sorrow in her imaginations and that so full of imperious commaund as it was high treason against her soule to thinke it was not eternall euen then the eye of wisdome cleared by those afflicting clouds which muffled her affections began to discouer the error in her forgetful passions her weeping making her neglect the meanes should bring her to not weeping and her complaints drawing on a certaine end to worke in her endlesse complainings whereupon turning from the dead reputed coarse that her returning might adde more violent extremitie to her compassionate languishment and a little depriuing her eies the blessednesse of their sights that with the same sight they might bee more diuinely endeared shee humbly threw herselfe at the feete of those Princes whose heauie eyes not without abundant teares were spectators of that immortally bemoaned tragedy but especially she conuerted all her speeches to the world contemning Anaxius a man whose selfe-louing opinion had drawne into him a beleefe of impossible atchieuements and to him shee declared the olde age of her tedious dispised loue the vnremoueable constancie of her confident affection and the world-wondring end her sorrow would consumate as soone as her hopes were depriued the blisse of their expectation euer and anon mingling amongst her compassionate bemoanings such an intyre adoration to the name of Anaxius preferring it before Angells and recording it first of all in the mightie inrolment of God-heades that he whose blindnesse could apprehend nothing but his owne greatnesse grew now great with childe of imaginarie diuinitie and though for the death of Amphyalus he had vowed a detestation of all women yet in loue with his owne glorie hee was content with a deformed smile to commend her that thereby he might backe againe call to minde his owne commendations and swoare by himselfe for greater than himselfe his great heart would neuer acknowledge that the royall humour of her greatnesse gaue her an excellent inspection and a determinate meane of wel iudging the singularitie of others perfections but yet he who had neuer accustomed himselfe to condiscende to any desire of vertue because his Religion was grounded vppon this heresie that honour was got by contradiction and greatnesse most feated by a perticular deniall of a generall intreatie notwithstanding all the dartie Launces of her well tempted Oratorie would haue vtterly withstood her sute which was onely to haue the cōueyance of the body of Amphyalus into her own countrey had not his two brothers called Zoylus and Lycurgus to whom ambitious Nature had not beene full out so prodigal though by a great deal too much much too liberall in the same humor of ostentation taken a more liuely taste of bitternesse from her teares and ioyned in the approbation of her reasonable demaund drawing the strength of their arguments from this ground that sith hee was a desperate forsaken patient whom no Phisition or Surgion in those parts durst in the least hope giue a light of suruiuing if any other part there were an insearchable skill vnreuealed it was necessarie to approue it because nothing could draw the daunger to a greater height then it was alreadie raysed besides they boasted what honour it would be to them to conduct the dead bodie to the bordering skirts of Basilius armie which of necessitie they must doe as it were in despight without eyther controlment or damage to the intents they purposed This last speech though the other auailed found a more insinuating acceptance in the Sunne-scalding ayme of Anaxius so that he agreed to all her desires giuing her leaue to embalme the body with such preseruatiues as for that purpose she had brought with her and tolde her that as well for the vertues hee found in her of which himselfe could better iudge then any other creature as for a carefull hope he had of his frends recouerie she should haue that day not onely her wish but also a God meaning himselfe to be her sanctuarie defendant and one who would in such safetie conduct her through the tents of his enemies that to her well seeing iudgement should appeare the terror of his greatnes The comfortlesse Lady to whom the want of comfort serued as a comfortable companion taught by her griefe a politike cariage in griefe soothed vp his vanities by amplifying vpon his vaine grounds and with heartie humblenesse offered to kisse his hand as a testimonie of the assurance she reposed in his magnanimitie All things being prepared fit for so great a solemnitie Anaxius and his traine attending on the hearse and the faire Queene Hellen issued in a most solemne tragicke manner from the Castle of Amphialus and so conducted her to the banks of the swift-falling riuer Ladon without either impeachment or disturbance where after many confused shewers of vncontrollable teares seeming as if they would ioyne with the riuer to ouerflow and drowne the neighbour plaines Anaxius and his brothers Zoylus and Lycurgus
right gratefully accepted his offer and so after many accōpliments twixt him and the worthie Adunatus they departed on vpon their iourney where hauing past through the Countrey of Lacenia and a great part of Peloponesus without any aduenture worthie noting they came at length to those sands which lie agaynst the I le Cythera from whence by an euen line they may passe to Tenedos there they found attending for the Queene Euronusa sixe Gallies which had formerly wasted her ouer into which so soone as the Queenes were readie to enter the most excellent Adunatus with a countenance as full of Maiestie as loue yet neuer any countenance more dearly beloued humbly besought the Queenes that hee might attende them no further in that iourney but that like an exammated carkas or a soul-lesse man for other he protested he was not he might spend some few dayes in the quest of his friend whose absence was vnto him the absence of all comfort whatsoeuer which friend he saind hee had lost by shipwracke immediately before his incounter with the Queene Euronusa to this intreatie he adioyned a solemne oath and an inuiolable protestation once euer in forty dayes to giue notice to the Queenes where or in what place hee remained that whensoeuer he should bee called eyther by Amphyalus or any other hee woulde bee prepared to giue an account both for his owne and the desolate Queenes fortune The Queenes greeued at his desire yet were loath to grieue at anie thing hee should desire loath in themselues to countermaund any his demaundes yet wishing a power to commaund his demaundings with teares in their eyes the true messengers of their loues and humblenesse in their lookes perfite badges of their obedience they answered him that since in his vertues was the felicitie of their liues and that as lesser Spheares they were onely moued by the power of his greatnesse it became them not eyther to question or contradict onely this they besought him to imagine that his presence was vnto them as the Sunnes faire beames to the storme-wrackt Mariner and his absence like the hower of indurance in the house of affliction but sith his content must be begot by their discontents they were willing to bee pleased with their greatest discomfort Thus after innumerable teares shed and many hearty departures the Queene hauing appointed her choysest Galley to attend the Prince in his iourney giuing him sundry most rich iewels for the testimonies of her friendship they went all aboord the two Queenes and Phalantus directing their iourney for Tenedos the Prince Adunatus holding his course for Cythera and the lower Ilands but there he found nothing but that hee would not haue found a certain absence of his friends presence thence he returned backe into Greece to see if at the Olympian games he were present but the sports were to him wearisome or not at al because Thaumastus was not there at all from the Olympian games hee went to the games Pithii celebrated in the honor of Apollo but foūd them lonely because without his friendes companie from thence to Corinth and to the strait of Isthmus to see if at the games Isthumi founded by Theseus in the honor of Neptune his friend might bee found but no place yeelding him the comfort of his friend he grew comfortlesse in himselfe Thence hee went to the games Nemei thence in Creete to see if at Pirrhus daunce hee were present but finding euerie place as speechlesse as him-selfe was hopelesse hee directed his way-vp into Thessalia where hauing trauailed some fewe dayes hee came to the skirts of the Mountaine Ossa whose well-raised Brow seemed to be a counsell-keeper with the Firmament and whose well proportioned hugenesse and well apparelled beauty testified the great diety of our first grandame Nature Keeping his way by this mountaine he arriued at the head of the riuer Penaus whose smooth delicacie and delicate smoothnesse did forcibly inuite the eye of the traueller to wonder at the smoothnesse Here the Princes horse finding his maisters care carelesse of his labour began to tyre and with a suddaine stop taught him to know that violence is without continuance whereupon the Prince alighting from his backe and plucking off his Bridle gaue him leaue to feede vpon the choysest grasse whilest himselfe withdrawing himselfe into a goodly wood of Pine-trees neare adioyning where thinking to make the neglect of sleepe a comfort to ouer busie care hee began to lay himselfe down vnder the Canopie of a goodly Pine but a little keeping his eyes open that they might after close with more safetie he might beholde hard by him a thicke darke and most obscure groaue where bramble Thorne and Brier had with so many interlacings and interchangeable windings knit co-vnited their branches together that the all-pearcing Sunne had not power to dart his smallest beames through the wydest Casement at this the Prince a little amazedly looking thinking that Nature should not bestow so great Arte vpon so base matter he might behold though halfe obscured with the lesser trees a little Arch which men might imagine a doore yet such a doore as would scarse giue entrance to a Pigmy without stooping so cunningly cut through the middes of the thicket that it gaue the eye a little more liberall passage into the bowels of that night-like darkenesse The Prince wondring at his imaginations which presented him with nothing but imaginarie wonders might at last perceiue come creeping vpon his hands and knees through that little Arch a most decreeped and aged old man who with the help of his Crutch the onely companion of his weakenesse raysing himselfe from the ground he discouered the only Monument of Nature Time and mans weaknesse his bald-head circled with a few milk-white haires and his long gray beard girdling his withered cheekes looked like the flakes of snow vppon the Alpes or Pyreneans his hollow eyes hid in red cabarets neuer weary of weeping for their youthes wantonnesse looked like two decayed Lampes whose Oyle was consumed next his skin he wore haire-cloath for repentance and vpon it a gray gowne for warmth which maintaining life made more large his repētance At his girdle his Beads in his hand a Book whose leaues were worne with often turning and sullied with the teares of his true contrition Thus being come forth to sucke vp the ayre of this wholesome place sitting downe vpon a neighbour banke vnto the groue and lifting his eyes to heauen the Prince might heare him deliuer these or suche like speeches O Ambition thou neighbour vnto Kings companion with greatnes why dost thou bewitch vs with societie yet giuest the first taste of solitarinesse why seekest thou to be alone yet vsurpest on many kingdomes O it is not thy dietie ouer vs but the sickenes of our soules within vs which Reason and Wisedome must cure els can no place or distance recouer thou dost present the shape of lonelinesse to make vs alone miserable But rest with thine vnrest
in the bosome of greatnesse whilest I salute thee my true solitarines thou which makest Content depend vpon our selues and vntiest the knots which bindes vs vnto others gaining vnto men this triumph that in liuing solitarily men liue at ease thou which euer presents vnto our mindes the Idaeaes of Vertue whose well ordered gouerment sets in order all disordered imaginations containing mans selfe in himselfe without the assistance or helpe of forreine societie bringing vnto mans knowledge all true felicitie which enioyed according to the measure of vnderstanding rests in himselfe satisfyed without further ambition of long life or vaine-glorie Loe sacred Pan this is my true and pure Phylosophie which inspired by thy God-heade makes blisse-full my solitarinesse And here he paused as if his breath had enuyed his vtterance or his heart beene greeued that he should throwe into the ayre the Heauen of her cogitations at which the Prince arysing vp seeing there was no hope of further meditation and putting off his Helmet that the cheerefulnesse of his face might bannish the terror of his armour with a maiestie full of beautious loue and louely curtesie hee saluted the olde man wishing him those happie howers which might make age most happie and that life which to those yeares might neither bee tedious nor loathsome Desiring him therewithall strst to let him knowe the condition of the soyle wherein hee nowe was next the state of his olde age and solitarye abyding lastly what aduentures were vnachieued which might bring honour to the vertuous Excellent sonne saide the olde man for I dare not call thee Pyrophylus least in denying thy name thou giue me cause to suspect thy vertue knowe this soyle whereon thou treadest is a part of Thessalia one of the most fruitfullest and delectablest Prouinces in all Greece this Mountaine is called Ossa yond Riuer Penaus which glyding with gentle pace twixt it and Olympus watereth and beautifyeth the onely excellent worke of Nature and Garden of the worlde the Thessalian Tempe for my selfe I am called Eugenio whom nintie nine Winters hath Frost-nypt and distempered and as manie Sommers hath Sunne-burnt and inflamed I haue seene the change of many Kings and many alterations in Religion Men call me Prophet but I professe my selfe onely a Priest vnto the greate God Pan whose Chappell standes within this groaue and on whose Altar I dayly burne the sacrifice of the righteous As for aduentures in this place though there bee none so worthie as may by due make challenge to thy vertue yet bee there some so vertuous as please thee to approoue will adde much to thine infinite goodnesse The Prince hearing himselfe called by his owne name in a place where euer till that time hee had beene an vtter Straunger and with all vnderstanding howe neare hee was vnto the Paradise of all delights the Thessalian Tempe the report whereof had in former tyme so inchaunted his eares that his heart could haue no quiet till his eyes might bee made the Iudges of such notable perfections but aboue all and which in him had a Superlatiue gouernement exceeding all the promise of some vertuous aduenture grewe so much surprised with amazement and that amazement seconded with such an vnresistable Desire that perswading himselfe his onely deare friend the renowmed Thamastus being the groūd of his desire could not be absent from a place so infinitely desired with a most humble curtesie mightily remarkable in such an heroycall spirit taking the old man by the hand said Most holy Priest and diuine father of contemplation in whose breast the heauens haue lockt vp the treasure of their counsailes vouchsafe I beseech thee vnto me a man to discharge those knowledges which may concerne the honour I professe or the reliefe of any innocent creature distressed and I protest that all-be the life I haue lost being mine owne life lodged in the bosome of one by much many decrees dearer then my breathing calles me to an howerly quest of mine onely beloued yet for vertues sake father which hath euer beene my Goddesse and for your owne sake whom I finde to be Vertues admirer I will not spare any time or danger to accomplish what thy reuerence shall thinke meete for mine vndertaking The olde man replied sonne sit downe by me vpon this greene banke and I will tell thee a storie of much crueltie more inconstancie but most almightie loue wherein if thou shalt heare any thing to grieue thee with Democretes laugh at the worlds vanity if any thing to make thee smile weepe with Heraclytus that loue should make Reason foolish what euer thou hearest applie to this present age and say the world is old must needs goe vpon Crutches With that the Prince sitting downe and locking his attentiue eares vnto the olde mans speech Eugenio thus began This Countrey of Thessalia amongst all his neighbor Kingdomes was euer held in singular account as well for the stately scituation fruitful soyle faire buildings as for the noble inclinatiō of the people who hated disobedience as the image of a barbarous nature ambitiō as an engine to ouerthrow the Towers of great ones but aboue all her honour hath of late beene especially aduaunced through this miracle of Time and Nature this excellent composition of all terrestriall perfections I mean this most famous Tempe which being but a small plot of ground in comparison of the great kingdome of Arcadia dares yet to make boast of her Shepheards of her flowers and of her sheepes reuenewes This Tempe was at first called Natures Eden because in it was no part of mans workmanship yet the worke in Arte more strāge thē the Art or work of mā could correct the trees did not ouergrow one another but seemed in euen proportions to delight in each others euennesse the flowers did not striue which should be supreme in smelling but cōmunicating their odours were content to make one intyre sweete sauour the beddes whereon the flowers grew disdained not the grassie Allies but lending to them their lustre made the walkes more pleasant the faire ryuer Penaus would at no time ouerflow his bankes to drowne their beauties but with gentle swellings wash them like a deawie morning the springs did not challenge the riuer because his water was not as theirs so wholesome but paying their tribute into his bosome made him able to beare shippes of burthen the houses were not angrie that there were Arbors for pleasure but shadowing thē vnder their hie roofes did safegard them from tempests what shall I say Tempe wanted nothing that could make it faire yet all that it possessed made it but most beautifull in so much that the most famous and euer to bee admyred Prince Musidorus after his retourne fourth of Arcadia into his Thessalia with his Pamela in remembrance of his Shepheards life and in honour of that life in which he had got the honour of his contentmēt taking a curious suruey both of Tempe and all her best beautyes hee
faithfull louers Hero and Leander adiudged present death to the aproach of any neighbour-bordering straunger and not forgetting the contract betwixt him and Thamastus that they should neuer be knowne where euer they were disioyned answered the Shepheards that how euer they might mistake his vtterance or his vtterance beguile the intent of his owne meaning it was so that hee was called Adunatus Prince of Iberia who from the beginning of his first knowledge had held in singular admiration the memorie of Thamastus Prince of Rhodes and Pyrophilus Prince of Macedon so that if hee had spoke of them it was but like a dreaming man whose braine from the superfluitie of his thoughts apprehends diuers remote and farre distant imaginations but for his own part at that instant hee said he was both carelesse and worthlesse and worthie to bee so vnworthily carelesse sith his fortune had lost him that rich blessing which in any but the selfe same thing could by no Fortune be againe restored and therewithall desired to knowe of them vpon what coast he was ship-wracked to the intent he might make the spediest search was possible to recouer the great losse hee had sustained to which the Shepheards replied that the Country in which he now was was called Laconia a Prouince in Peloponessus adioyning to the Frontiers of Arcadia which hauing beene long time gouerned all be with many insurrections and rebellious commotions by the renowned Basilius was after his discease by the power of his testament and as a man fit to curbe so vnruly a generation giuen to the noble and famous Amphyalus his sisters sonne a man so excellently seasoned with the salt of all vertuous vnderstanding that excepting the hope of Thamastus and Pyrophylus he stood in the eie of the world vnmatch-able and beyond comparison Pirophylus hearing them name Amphyalus whom he had euer respectfully reuerenced for the rariety of his perfections demaunded where he kept his Court and how long hee had hung his easefull armour by the walles to meditate more safely vpon the actions of other Nations They answered that his Court was abandoned desolate and forsaken of all in whō griefe by the greatnes of his birth-right challeng'de not a fee-simple inheritance and for the place of his residence it had bene vnknowne to his subiects by the space of these three yeares at what time he departed thence with as great a burthen of insupportable discontentment as Atlas or Olimpus with their ioyntlesse shoulders could stand vnder the reason wherof being though many times suspitiously coniectured neuer sufficiently vnderstood or daringly entred into by any deuining or all-knowing iudgement was they said now at last but heauen knowes how long they wil last which calles such excellencie to the last account of life-lasting both knowne censured and to many iniudiciall eares malitiously deliuered to the disgrace of the worlds best beautie the destruction of a most famous queene euer till then wondred for a wonderfull vnblemisht reputation euen Hellen Queene of Corinth that harmles faire and faire harmles hurt creature a Lady of a mightie humblenes and an infinite mightines vertuously alluring because she was vertuous and that vertue married to an euer-adored beautie Of a maiestie fit for such greatnes and a gracefulnes answerable to a pure wisedome in truth such she was as such they should bee that haue so great perfections as such a celestiall Hellen This name of Hellen thunder-strooke Pirophylus and as if his passion had had a metamorphosing deity stone-like he stood without sence or motion till reason the ensigne of the soules holynes called backe his spirites to their vsuall attendance and hee earnestly besought the Shepheards aswel for the bettering of his knowledge to whose taste he euer coueted to present the nourishing milke of discourse as for a burning ardor he had to make his fortune the releif-master to a forlorne and destressed Ladies afflictiōs to vnfold vnto him euen from accident to accidēt al that had befalne to that most beautiful Queen of Corinth of whō thogh in the coolnes of his intreaties he gaue no shew either of familiarity or acquaintāce as indeed there was not hauing neuer in their liues seen one the other yet almost frō there childhoods they had married one to another a vertuous opinion of honorable estimation being by alyance of blood nearely conioyed togither but especially and aboue all for the neare nearnesse both of affinitie and loue twixt her and Melidora the only Goddesse to whose feet he laid al the sacrifices of his swords honor or dutie Carino who euer more and more gathered out of the rarenesse of his cariage and sweet disposure of his gestures a height or exhaltation of honour beyond the comprehensiue conceit of his vnderstanding both to be found dutifull to his cammandements and to beget a further continuance of so wished a presence after the Prince by the Sunnes aid which then shined hotly against the rockes had both dried his apparel and refresh'd his halfe drowned spirits thus set the key of his bermonious tongue in tune to tell the vtmost of his knowledges Although most excellēt Prince said he frō the clowdy darknesse of our little knowing remembrances can arise no expectfull matter of memorable cōsequence the qualitie of our obscured estates depriuing vs the mean wherby Princes affairs should be vnfolded vnto so vnworthy eares as well because the weaknesse of our iudgements cannot looke into the causes of their fortunes as the insufficency of our counsels that can preuent no effect of fortune how aduerse soeuer proceeding frō those causes yet inasmuch as the worlds rumor is many times retained for an Oracle and the liberal tongue of Fame wil in the most respectlesse eares couer the worlds publique counsels I wil declare vnto your excellent wisdom what the inuenomed instrument of Enuyes tongue to all this whole nation most bytterly hath declared At such time as the noble Amphyalus who being loues true prisoner kept imprisoned the truest loue and the truest beauty that euer had power to commaund loue I meane the incomparable Princesses Pamela Phyloclea with the Macedonian Pyrocles at that time the Amazonian Zelmane had got the absolute vnderstanding of his mothers flint-hearted crueltie against those immortall Paragons of the worlde to whom he had euen slaued the subiection of his diuine soule sawe by the Caracters of their misfortunes the desperate euil wherunto the lothsomnes of his life growne vgly with the deformed disdain which had mangled his thoughts in peeces would headlong conuey the wretcednes of his hopes when he had with a selfe-killing hand made that sworde wherewith he had ouerthrowne so many Kings conquerours and invincible Gyants giue a deadly assault vnto the bosome of his hearts Cabanet seeking by vntimely death to ruinate that glorious worke of Nature wherein the excellencie of the first workmaster had showed the best power of his artes working This beautifull Queene of Corinth of whose dolours my braine