giue mee more knowledge than these words too well deliuered to proceed from affection For I haue heard say affection cannot be without passion and passion wil not suffer the spirit to haue so free a discourse But when the time shall haue told me as much as you you are to beleeue that I am not of stone nor so voyd of vnderstanding but your merits are knovvne to me and your loue may moue me Till then hope not of me no more than of the rest of my company in generall The Knight would haue kissed her hand for this assurance but because Galathee looked on Knight said she be discreete euery one hath eye on vs if you do thus you vndoe me And at this word she rose and came among vs that were gathering of flowres Behold the first discouery that they had of their good wils which gaue Galathee occasion to meddle in it For perceiuing what had passed in the Garden and hauing of long time a purpose to winne Polemas she would know that night what was done betweene Leonide and him and because she alvvaies made her selfe very familiar with you Neece and had acquainted her with the particulars of her secrets the Nymph durst not altogether deny the truth of this loue-suite It is true that she concealed what concerned her ovvne will and vpon this discourse Galathee would knovv the very words that they had vsed wherein your Neece satisfied her in part and in part dissembled So it was that she said enough to encrease the purpose of Galathee so that from that day she resolued to be beloued of him and vndertooke this worke with that cunning that it was impossible it should fall out othervvise At that meeting shee forbade Leonide to go on in that affection and after told her that she should cut off all the rootes because she knevv well that Polemas had another dessigne and that this would serue but to delude her Besides that if Amasis came to knovvledge of it she would be offended Leonide who at that time had no more malice than a childe tooke the words of the Nymph as from her Mistrisse without searching into the cause which made her say so and so remained some dayes estranged from Polemas who knevv not from whence it might grovve At the first this made him more earnest in his suite For it is the ordinary custome of yong spirits to desire with more eagernesse that which is hard to come by and indeed he went on in that sort that Leonide had much enough to doe to dissemble the good will she bore him and at last knew so little how to doe it that Polemas perceiued he was beloued But see what Loue had appointed This young louer after he had three or foure moneths continued this suite with the more violence as he had the lesse assurance of the good will he desired as soone almost as hee was certaine lost his violence by little and little loued so coldly that as Fortune and Loue when they beginne to decline fall at once the Nymph perceiued not that shee alone went on in this affection It is true that Galathee who came on was in part the cause For hauing a dessigne on Polemas she vsed such craft and sped so well what by her authority and what with time that one might say shee robbed her insensibly for that when Leonide handled him roughly Galathee fauoured him and when the other fled from his company she drew him to hers And this continued so long and so openly that Polemas beganne to turne his eyes towards Galathee and shortly after the heart followed For seeing himselfe fauoured by a greater than her that neglected him hee blamed himselfe for suffering it without sence and minded to embrace the fortune which came smiling on him But O wise Adamas you may see what a gracious encounter this was and how it pleased Loue to play with their hearts It is some while since by the ordinance of Clidaman Agis was allotted seruant vnto your Neece and as you know by the election of Fortune Now though this young Knight was not giuen to Leonide out of his owne choyce yet he agreed to the gift and approoued it by the seruices which he afterward did performe and that she misliked not was shewed by her actions But when Polemas beganne to serue her Agis as a couetous man that hath his eyes alwayes on his treasure tooke notice of the growing loue of this new Louer and sometimes complayned to her of it but the coldnesse of her answers instead of extinguishing his iealousies onely by little and little deaded his loue for considering what small assurance he had in his soule he laboured to get a better resolution then formerly he had had and so that he might not see another triumph ouer him he chose rather to withdraw farre off A receit that I haue heard say is the best that a soule infected with this euill can haue to free it selfe for as loue at the beginning is brought forth by the eyes so it seemeth that the contrary should be for want of sight which can be in nothing more then absence where the forgetfull couered as with ashes the ouer-liuely representations of the thing beloued And indeed Agis happily attained his purpose for he was hardly gone but loue likewise parted from his soule lodging in the place of it the neglect of this flitter So that Leonide purposing by this new plot to winne Polemas lost him that already was intirely hers But the confusions of Loue ended not heere for he would that Polemas likewise for his part should haue sence of that which hee made the Nymph to feele Almost about the same time the affection of Lindamor tooke birth and it fell out that as Leonide had disdained Agis for Polemas and Polemas Leonide for Galathee so Galathee disdained Polemas for Lindamor To tell the follies of them all would be an hard piece of worke So it was that Polemas seeing himselfe payed in the same money in which hee payd your Neece yet could not lose not hope nor loue but contrariwise searched al sorts of plotting to enter again into her fauor but all in vaine It is true that as he could get nothing more to his owne benefit yet hee hath so wrought that he who was the cause of his euill is not come to bee possessor of his good for whether it were by his cunning practices or by the will of the gods that a certaine deuout Druyde hath imparted to him since that time Lindamor is no more beloued and it seemeth Loue hath a purpose not to suffer the heart of Galathee to be at rest the memorie of the one being no sooner defaced in her soule but another takes place And now behold vs at this houre reduced to the loue of a shepherd who for a shepheard in his quality may deserue well but not to be the seruant of Galathee and yet is she so passionate that if her euill hold on I
Amasis and Clidaman tied him to stay some long time To deferre his departure he could not and to goe was death At last heÌ„e resolued presently to write to her yet a course rather to hazzard then to hope for any good fortune Fleurial did what hee could to present it speedily to Galathee but he could not doe it for that she feeling this displeasure at her heart was not able to beare this dis-vnion but with such griefe that she was constrained to keepe her â—ed out of which she rose not many dayes Fleurial at last seeing Lindamor gone tooke the hardinesse to seeke her chamber and I must tell you true because I wished ill to Polemas I did what I could to piece vp this affection of Lâ—ndamor and for this cause I gaue meanes for Fleurial to enter If Galathee were surprized iudge you for shee looked rather for any thing then that yet she was constrained to dissemble and to take that which he presented which were but flowers in appearaÌ„ce I would be in the chamber that I might be of the counsell and to bring somewhat that might be to the contentment of poore Lindamor And indeed I was not altogether vnprofitable for after Fleurial was gone and that Galathee found her selfe alone she called me and told me shee thought to haue bene exempted from the importunity of the letters of Lindamor when hee had bene gone but for ought she saw he had nothing to be his warrant I that would serue Lindamor though hee knew nothing of it knowing the Nymph to bee in an humor to talke of him made it very cold knowing well that if I contraried her at first it was the way to lose all and to affirme that which shee sayd would serue the more to punish her for though she were not well satisfied toward him yet loue as yet was the more strong and in herselfe she was willing that I should take Lindamorâ— part not to giue me way but to haue more occasion to speake of him and put her choler out of her soule so that hauing all these considerations before mine eyes I held my peace the first time she spake to mee She that would not haue this silence added But what thinke you Leonide of the arrogancy of this man Madame sayd I I know not what to say but if he haue fayled he must do penance But sayd she what may I thinke of his rashnesse why goes he disgracing me with his tales had hee no other fitter discourse then of me and then after she had looked on the letter he writ I haue some what else to do that he continues to write to me to this I answered nothing After she had held her peace a while she sayd And why Leonide answere you me not haue I not reason to complaine Madame sayd I is it your pleasure I should speake freely You shall please mee sayd shee I must tell you then continued I that you haue reason in all except it bee when you seeke for reason in loue for you must know that he that referrs himselfe to the lawes of iustice puts the principall authority out of himselfe which is to be subiect but to himselfe so that I conclude that if Lindamor haue failed in that he loues you he is culpable but if by the lawes of reasou and prouidence it is you that deserue chastisment that will put loue that is free and commands others vnder the seruitude of a superior And why sayd she haue I not heard it sayd that loue to make it praise worthy must be vertuous If this be so he must bee tied to the lawes of vertue Loue answered I is a thing some what greater then this vertue of which you speake and therefore it giues it selfe lawes without the publishing of any other person but since you command me to speake frankly tell me Madam are not you more culpable then hee both in that for which you accuse him and in that which concernes loue for if hee haue had the hardnesse to say he loued you you are the cause in that you haue sufferd him Though it bee so answered shee yet by discretion he was bound to conceale it Complaine you then sayd I of his discretion and not of his loue But hee hath more occasion to complaine of your loue since vpon the first report at the first conceit that hath beene giuen you you haue chased from you the loue you bare him without taxing him that he hath bene wanting in affection Excuse me Madam if I speake so frankly you do the greatest wrong in the world to vse him in this sort at least if you would condemne him to so great a punishmeÌ„t it ought not to be without coÌ„uincing him or at leastwise to make him blufh at his errour She stood somewhile before shee answered me at last she sayd Well Leonide the remedy shall be timely enough when hee returnes not that I am resolued to loue him nor to permit him to loue me but to tell him where in hee hath failed and so I shall content you and bind him from importuning mee more if hee bee not aâ— impudent as rash It may be Madam you will deceiue your selfe to think it will be time enough at his returne if you knew what the violencies of loue are you would not beleeue that these delayes were like other affairs at least looke on the letter That is to no purpose replied she for by this time he is well gone and with that word she gaue it mee and saw it was thus The letter of Lindamon to Galathee SOmtimes loue at this time the despaire of loue hath put the pâ—n into my hâ—â—d with a purpose if it returne mee no asswagement to change it into a sword which promiseth 〈◊〉 a full though a crâ—â—ll healing This blaâ—â—â— paper which you haue sent me for an answere is a true testimony of my innocency since it is as if it had sayd you haue found nothing to accuse me of but it is also an assurance to me of your disdaine for from whence can this silence proceed vnlesse it be from â—t the one contents mee in my selfe the other makes mee despaire in you If you haue any remembrance of my faithfull seruice for pitty I demand of you or life or death I depart the most desperate that euer had cause of despaire It was an effect of Loue which brought a change in the carriage of Galathee for I sawe her much mollified but this was no small proofe of her lofty humour not to giue knowledge of it and not beeing able to commaund her countenance which was become pale shee so tyed her tongue that she spake no word which might accuse her of relenting but going out of her chamber to walke in the garden not speaking a word of the Letter for the Sunne beganne to grow lowe and her disease which was but trauaile of spirit might finde more refreshing out of the house than in the bed so after she was quickely made
helped him besides that hauing knowledge of herbes and of the nature of beasts the beasts profited so well vnder his hands that there is none that desires not to put them to him whereof hee makes so good an account that besides the profit that he makes thereof there are few that gratifie him not with something so that at this houre he is in good case and may call himselfe rich for O faire Nymph we want not much to make vs so for that nature being contented with a few things we seeke after nothing but to liue according to it we are as soone rich as content and our contentment being easily compassed our riches are quickly gotten You are sayd Siluie more happy then we But you told me of Diane I know her not but by sight tell me I pray you who was her mother That is Bellinde answered he wife of the wise Celion who dyed young And Diane sayd Siluie what is shee and what is her humour She is said Celadon one of the fairest shepheardesses of Lignon and if I were not partiall for Astrea I would say shee were the fairest for in truth besides that shee is to the eye shee hath so many beauties in her spirit that there is nothing superfluous nor defectiue Many times three or foure of vs shepheards haue beene together to consider of her not knowing what perfection might be wished for that she had not for though she loue nothing of loue yet loues shee all vertue with so sincere a will that she binds more to her by that sort then others most violent affections And how said Silâ—ie is she not serued of many The deceit answered Celadon which the father of Filidas did her is the hinderance that there are none now and indeede it was one of the most not able that euer I heard of If it were not painefull to you added Siluie I would bee glad to learne it of you and also to know who this Celion was and who this Bellinde I feare answered the shepheard the discourse will be so long that it will trouble you On the contrary said the Nymph We know not better how to imploy the time while Galathee reades the letters that she went to receiue Then to satisfie your commandement answered he I will doe it as briefly as I can and then hee held on in this sort The History of Celion and Bellinde IT is true faire Nymph that vertue spoyled of all other ornament ceases not to be of it selfe louely hauing so many allurements with which as soone as the soule is touched it must bee beloued and followed but when this vertue meetes with a body that is faire it is not onely pleasing but admirable for that the eyes and spirit are rauished in the contemplation and vision of this beauty which shall bee manifested by the discourâ—â— which I meane to make you of 〈◊〉 Know then that neere the riuer of Lignon there was a very honest shepheard named Philemon who after hee had beene long married had a daughter whom he called Bellinde who comming to growth made as great a shew of beauty in her spirit as might be seene in her body Hard by her house lodged another shepheard called Leon with whom neighbourhood had tyed a strong bond of amity and fortune vnwilling to doe more for the one then for the other gaue him likewise at the same time a daughter whose youth gaue great promise of â—â—ture beauty she was called Amaranthe The friendship of the fathers caused that of the daughters to encrease by frequenting together for they were bred vp together from the cradle and when their age permitted them they led their stlocks alike at night brought them in companies to their lodgings But because as they grew in body their beauty likewise encreased to the view of the eye there were many shepheards that sought their loue whose feruices and affections could not obtaine more of them then that they were receiued with courtesie It fell out that Celion a young shepheard of those quarters hauing lost a sheep came to seek it among Bellindes flock whither it was strayed She restor it with such courtesie that the recouery of his sheep was the beginning of the losse of himselfe and froÌ„ that time he began to feele with what force two faire eies were able to offend for before he was so ignoraÌ„t that the very thoght of it neuer came into his soule But what ignoraÌ„ce soeuer was in him it brought him to that passe that it made him by his wooing know what his disease was and the onely Physician from whom hee was to haue his health So that Bellinde by his actioÌ„s perceiued it almost as soon as himselfe for at the first he knew not what to say his designe was but his affect on growing with his age came to that greatnesse that hee found the discommodity in good earnest and then acknowledged it being constrained to change the pastimes of his youth into a very curious pursuite And Bellinde on the other side though she were serued of many receiued his affection aboue any other yet no otherwise then if he had bene her brother which she made appeare one day when he thought to haue found the coÌ„modity to declare his good will She kept her flocke along the riuer of Lignon and beheld her beauty in the water Whereupon the shepheard taking occasion sayd to her holding after an amorous fashion his hand before his eyes Take heede faire shepheardesse withdraw your eyes from this water feare you not the dangers that others haue runne into by such actions Why say you so answered Bellinde that as yet vnderstood him not Ah then said the shepheard faire and dissembling shepheardesse you represent within this happy riuer more beauty then Narcissus in the fountaine At these words Bellinde blushed and that encreased her beauty the more yet shee answered Since whence Celion haue you wished mee so well without doubt it is well done of you To wish you well said the shepheard it is long time since I did it and you are to beleeue that this will shall be limited by no other termes then that of my life Then the shepheardesse casting down her head on this side said I make no doubt of your amity receiuing it with the same good will that I offer you mine Where to Celion presently answered Let me kisse that faire hand by way of thankes for so great a good and for an earnest of the faithfull seruice which Celion is to render you the rest of his life Bellinde knew as well by the feruour wherewith he vttered these words as by the kisses which he imprinted on her hand that he figured to himselfe his amity of another quality then she meant and because shee would not haue him liue in this error Celion sayd she you are far from that you thinke you cannot sooner banish me from your company then by this meanes if you desire that I should continue the amity I haue