presented these delightes to my desiring soule the moste excellent Princesse tourning about her fayre quicke eye O eyes to whome all eyes are homagers spyde the bush to mooue wherein I was so safely coutched whereat as mistrusting treason to her person shee slung downe her flowers and like the light windes which scorne to presse the grasse in their motion fledde from my presence beeing the lightest Nimph on foote that euer was behelde by eye or by imagination And heere with a big-swelling sigh he stayed from further speaking till Siluagio a new reuiuing his remembrance desired him to proceede and showe what effectes sprang from the cause of this enterviewe This this quoth Thirsis I instantlye felt a boyling Spring arise in my heart which with a bubling murmure making his passage through euery Veine and Artery of my bodye like the shallowe streame which breakes his way through the pibble stones incited mee with a new desire to follow her but being with-held by Obedience I was content to perrish with Loue But said Siluagio did you neuer see her since yes yes qd Thirsis in Damson tyme when it pleased her amongst the Nymphes and Shepheards to gather the earely fruite of the Sommers rypening she commaunded me to mounte vp into the Trees and to shake the plumbes downe into her lappe O how I did enuy the sencelesse fruites happinesse to see it fall and sporte vpon that bosome where euen Gods and Angels might haue beene proude to haue reposed yet did this fauour so inrich my fortune and my seruiceablenesse drawe on the fauour of further seruice that when it pleased this Princesse or rather Goddesse at anye time for her delight to goe angle in the lesser brookes onelye I was commaunded to prouide the baytes I onely had the charge of her hooke of her line and her angle how oft I kist the Cane because her hand in touching had kist it how oft I imbraste the lyne that had beene wantonlye intangled about her how oft in my deliuerye I stole the touch of her prettye fingers Iudge Loue Iudge Louers iudge all that are beloued O God yet me thinkes I see with what delight the silly fish would glaunce at Melidoras beauty through the glassie streame whilst deceiu'd with her bayte she had strooke them all with her hooke onely the last nibled so long about the line that when the Princesse thought to pull her pray to the shoare the murdering hooke it selfe was taken quite away at which sight my passion quickning my blood and my blood reuiuing the spirrit of my wordes I could not forbeare to say behold thou all conquering Empresse of mens hearts the glorious blaze which this angling beautye layes to catch mens soules shall euen in this manner bee gnawne and taken away by the Yron teeth of consuming tyme and where shall then be the future power of killing yet louely Maide tryumph ouer me whome you haue already taken euen mee that like this simple frye delight in my perishing and if you doe as your fayre eyes are witnesses bemone the fish which hath swallowed downe your hooke whose lingring torment is a signe of certaine death then pittye me your slaue the merryt of whose affection shall farre exceed the compassion due to any vnreasonable creature And what saide Siluagio did the Princesse answere to this pretty gloze Sparkes of displeasure sayde Thirsis flew with such a disdaine from her eyes that I was euen Phaeton-like thunder-strooke from the Charriot of mine ambition whilst casting her louely countenance to the humble earth and knocking her siluer chinne against her Iuorye bosome with a silence that spake as much as could be vnderstood by Anger threwe downe her angle departed from my presence her departure telling mee that the ending of her sportes should bee the continuance of mine affliction Canst thou not said Siluagio by neglecting her fashion thine eye to finde some other object How shall I finde other answered hee and in her haue lost my selfe By forgetting her remembrance sayde Siluagio Shee is my remembrance answered Thirsis and will not bee forgotte whilst I retayne my memorye Then sue againe sayde Siluagio thy teares may extorte some pittye I dare not cryde Thirsis least I offend her patience Why tell mee sayde Siluagio what if shee were within this Forrest begyrt with Tygers Lyons or with Sauage Beastes I durst quoth Thirsis attempt her in such a case because it were a rescue for the pretious Iewell of her life What sayde Siluagio if thou sawst her taken by Theeues by Satyrs or by wilde Sauadges Why quoth Thirsis I durst charge an Armye to relieue her honour What Rocke so steepe that for her sake I would not climbe What Flood so deepe that for her I would not sounde What flame would I not indure What frost would I not suffer nay what Hell would I not ransacke with Hercules so that the end of my labour might but bring my loue within the looke of entertainement Beleeue mee said Siluagio shee were Flynt it selfe if shee heard thee and did not yeelde thee the fauour of her countenance but come aryse my Thirsis and cast off this sorrow being no attrybute to Vertue but rather the Tytle of malignitye beeing euer an hurtfull foolish quality full of base thoughts and cowardize Arise I say and as wee walke along I will if thou please to kill thy passion show thee the errors of thy passion or if otherwise thy taste cannot indure such bitternesse I will to flatter thy Loue speake much in Loues commendations well sayde Thirsis since thy knowledge is so well able to declaime of euerie facultie in our pssions I am content both to attende thee and lend thee mine attention so that in thy discourse thou exceed not the limits of modestie by speaking against loue to whom I am a slaue nor against beautie to whose perfections I am an eternall inthralled prysoner And with that Thirsis arising from the ground walked along with Siluagio hoping ere long to finde some occasion which might occasion him to retyre to his former solitarinesse and in their walking Siluagio began thus to discourse vnto him Of all the excellent humors wherewith the minde of man doth commerce or find it selfe busied my Thirsis there is none either more hot more sharpe or more full of prayse-worthie action then this of loue which howe euer more colder capacities shall intitle Ague-like vncertaine obseruing fittes and times without eyther modest stayednesse or constant perseuerance yet in the well setled iudgement of the vertuous it is found a generall fame of an equall composure constant and firme smooth and sweete not raising desires beyond the Moone nor pursuing Tantalus fruit which flyeth vs in following neither doth it when willes are vnited and married togither as men suppose mourne and consume as if ending in enioying but enioyeth according to the excellencie of the desire that holds it retayning a spirituall residence in a minde made pure with long vse and custome excelling
all other affections and passions of the minde like a most excellent picture that is bordered about with Antike Boscage or Crotesko works of slight estimation This loue is not the most fruitlessest and base of all Passions as being begot by Desire and Sloath as working vppon weake hearts and frenzies as onely accompanying mutinous passions and discomfortable ielousies and in the ende aspyreth to a minutes Delight which is vsherd with much paine and followed by an eternall future repentance No no my Thirsis true loue and true louers doe mingle and confound themselues so in each other with a generall mixture that they out-weare and loose the port or gate of their first entrance Reason being taken away and a more excellent and more fatall power made Mistresse of that neuer to be vntied vnion these passions which they feigne to be his consorts are sicknesses of the minde which enuying loues exquisitenesse seeke with their poysons to confound his beauties but in the ende like cloudes betwixt the Sunne and our eiesights doe but darken loue that when loue breakes out it may be more resplendant As Siluagio was thus going on and discoursing praysing loue with disprayses Thirsis whose minde was busyed about much higher thoughts woulde suffer his eares to retayne nothing saue onelye the sounde of his speeches till in the ende lifting vppe their heades they might espie the onely Paragon of this worldes knowledge the excellent Melidora somewhat a farre off comming in the selfe same path in which them-selues walked in so much that except they retyred they must perforce meete her eye to eye and visage to visage Shee was Nymph-like cloathed in sundrie coloured silkes which being placed one vppon another were of an equall distance one shorter then another the in-most being longest as brauing of his most inwarde and familiar acquaintance yet all of them ioyning their beautyes together made round about her an arteficiall Rayne-bowe her hayre beeing wound vp in a lace of golde was intermingled with manye Flowers all which beauties as if they had beene too glorious for heauen or to rich for earth were shadowed and all ouer-cast with a large vaile of white Cypresse In this sorte shee was returning from the Temple of Diana that day beeing the great Saboath dedicated to the Goddesse whereby the auncient ordinances and edictes of that place all the Nimphes are to make their personall appearance and to offer solemne sacrifice and other priuate ceremonyes to the Queene of Chastitye beeing all vaylde from the iudyciall censure of the eye-sight least the misprision of a blush or the attaindure of a pale looke shoulde giue occasion to a wanton thought to misdeeme innocence In this Temple vppon this day if there bee found therein or after knowledge bring to light that there might haue beene found therein anye man or creature of the Male kinde it is present death without appeale or iustification In this sorte like the glorious Sunne in his noone-tyde progresse came she tracing along the vallyes her pretty foote scarce pressing downe the flower that it troade vppon But Thirsis eyes which long before had taken a full draught of her beautie being now lightning strooke with the beames of her presence wanting power to retire his soule being retired from al power to cōmand his intendments amazedly stood stil with fixte eyes swolne heart sad thoughts stiffe ioyntes and all the terrors that could accompanye Loue in his desperate estate till Siluagio whose vnrefined spirit did more wonder then retaine the remembrance of what he wondered at awakning Thirsis intranced soule with earnest perswasions desired him once more to incounter the Goddesse of his fortunes alledging that stale hope which is euer most hoplesse that she was a woman and there was no impossibilities But Thirsis who hauing once seene Disdaine carried euer after his remembrance in his bosome like an affrighted child that hides his head when the nurse talkes of a Bugge-beare would faine haue gone aside from his sorrow telling Siluagio it was but labour lost sith both her greatnesse vertue and chast thoughts were in this conflict his mortall enemies But Siluagio taking vpon him the power of Reason to ouerthrow Passiō with a friēdly vpbraiding of Thirsis timerousnesse by no meanes would be withstoode but would force perforce enforce him to meete the Princesse saying who dares not aduenture can neuer attaine neither he which will not hazard vpon peril shall haue the honour of perils ouerthrow therefore aduance thy falne thoughts my Thirsis and pleade their humble seruiceablenesse whilest I with-drawe my selfe into this groaue and pray for thy succeding fortunes At this Siluagio withdrawing himselfe apart yet not so farre but that his eares might haue part of their conference the noble Princesse keeping her direct course and being come euen almost to the place where the loue-thralld Shepheard stoode the poore Swaine most humbly falling vpon his knees gaue her this salutation For euer may the grasse be greene most sacred Nimph which thou treadest vpon with thy more daintie feet and may an eternall Spring flourish in thy walks as thine immortall Beautie flourisheth in the hearts and eyes of all thy beholders To this salute the Princesse in a prettie silent blush giuing him a sleight thanks offered to passe by him as carried away with farre greater deseignes then the note of his fauours But the forlorne Shepheard who before fearing to offend nowe hauing giuen offence imagining Iniurie and it to haue both but one merite staying the Nymph by her sacred garments binding his knees still Apprentices to the base earth thus seconded his former speech after many teares and sighes interruptions Thou onely Superlatiue of all thy sexe euen for thy vertues sake flie not from thy seruants presence but if it be possible that the desperate anguish of my loue may raise any appearance of pittie in the all-sauing Firmament of thy sweete chaste and sober countenacne euen for the honour of thine owne deare name vnto which all the hearts of Kinges are tributarie sende forth some sparke to lighten my darke soule O shunne me not I say alas t' is for the harmelesse Lambe to shunne the deuouring Woolfe you are too fearefull Ladie O you are farre too timerous I am your seruant your vassaile and the worke of your owne eyes making alas I come not to offer violēce but to receiue outrage Deare Goddesse emptie thy Quiuer spend thy Shafts vppon my soule O sticke them vp to the feathers in my heart for well I remember thou diddest long since giue mee that incurable wound which corsiue like eating my heart hath confounded my soule and Reason leauing nothing but thy pittie to call me from eternall bondage O thou immortall mirror where beautie findes out her best beauties thou that art the kingly seat of triumphant loue daine that thy faire eyes which make the morning blush which parch heauen scorch earth fire the woods breakes the frost flowers the earth and turnes the darke night to
of Nature could exercise humblie besought her to stay and heare what she had to say for her iustification assuring her by protestations of vnspeakeable earnestnesse that when she had drawne her words before the throne of her owne consideration she should find them so full of substantial credulitie that no maxim whatsoeuer shoulde either bee more true or more certaine At this the Princesse with a little amazement began to stay whilst the Nymph Ethera thus spake How hard and vâ—â—ossible it is Madame for any perswasion to alter or vnground that setled beleef which in our soules we haue planted as a matter immoueable the infinit errors which at this day reigne in the world are liuing presidents the minde creating reasons to defend her opinion and the conscience being so free a spirite as will neither indure bondage nor controlment as of this Madam so wee may speake of Loue whose supreamest power hauing dominion ouer our beliefe makes all thinges impossible which is not within the compasse of our affection from whence hath sprung those prodegies of Nature of which euen the worlde at this houre swels big withall men madder then Pigmalion not affecting well carued Images but doating vpon most deformed loathsome and infecting Sepulchres women worse then Pasiphae not lusting after beasts but monsters MizeÌ„tius cruelty being exercised in euerie Cathedrall so infinite is Loues beliefe and so impossible to be controlled which belief sith in your most excellent selfe it hath found a well furnished habitation my reasons vnable to contend with your wisdome and the credite of my wordes beeing disgrast in your opinion it shal be sand sprinckled in the wind for me to goe about to exchange your conceite by any perswasion yet inasmuch as my clear soule loatheth a spotted garment let mee euen by your vertues sake and your beauties sake coniure you to giue my report this approbation your Maiestie knowes Eugenio the holy Prophet to our great God Pan hee that knowes what was what is and what shall be he that can bind charmes vnloose doubts and euen almost alter destiny to him dear Madam let vs priuately repaire and if what I haue reported he doe not second with moâ—â— substantiall proofes let his truth bee my conuiction and your hate my punishment At these wordes if not Iealousie yet a fancie in all proportion so like Iealousie that it coulde be taken for no wrong to giue him his title beganne to arise in the Princesse thoughtes stirring such a ciuill commotion betwixt Feare and her beliefe that euen with the amazement of their distracted perswasions she grew both astonished and confounded till desirous to know what she most desired not to know after many arguments to approue his vertue and double so many reasons to confirme her opinion in the ende she agreed to come with the Nymph Ethera to this place where by my iudgement and fore-knowing science the one might haue her doubts resolued the other her truth coÌ„firmed Time in this businesse was held so precious that neither of them would agree to the losse of one moment but as it were forgetting all businesse which to this businesse was not appertaining without either greater guarde or better preparation they foorthwith hither directed their iourny where both the princesse and the Nymph ariued at such time as the Sun declining downe from the toppe of the heauenlye Mountaines making his cooler beames shine vppon these walkes with a more sufferable warmenesse had inuited mee forth to entertaine the sweetenesse of his Euening progresse and being set vpon this banke of flowers with a modest gracefulnesse such as Maiestie onely hath power to make admirable the Princesse gaue me a diuine salutation wishing me increase of howers peace of thought and the blisse of mine owne wishes to which when I had returned the best and hartiest of my praiers the Princesse told me she had an earnest sute vnto me which would I vouchsafe to graunt I shuld not only tie her in the best bond of friendship but make her acknowledge to posteritie how much she was a handmaid to my wisedome I that euer haue beene a seruant to the seruants of my God besought her to proceed assuring her that whatsoeuer was either within the compasse of my prayers counsailes or knowledge should with my best endeuours labour her satisfaction and with that euen as she was opening her lips to deliuer her questions the Nymph Ethera interrupted her by deliuering to me these speeches Father said she as our desires are earnest so are our questions tedious and both will extort from thy grauitie either a long discourse or an imperfit satisfaction which to make perfite that neither thine age may be grieued with our coÌ„ference nor we returne with a halfe parted solution so please thee take this Viall fill'd with a strong and well composed liquor whose warme moysture I know will quicken the frost of olde age make the spirit of youth reuiue in thy bosom and drink of it an heartie draught I know it will comfort your veines and make the paine of speech lesse yrksome to your weaknesse and therewithall she drew forth the vial of liquor she had formerly mixed and gaue it me to drinke of which I tooke a full draught the Nymph euer vrging me to drinke againe till I made her this answere that it did not befit the life I had vndertaken either to make proude the flesh or fill my emptie veines with new heat of glowing youthfulnesse whose rebellious spirit holdes an eternall mutinie with the diuine soule but rather by the vse of thinne diet much watching and many cares to humble that Typhon my bodie and make it seruiceable to great Pan my soueraigne and at these words deliuering her viall into her hand I humbly desired the Princesse to proceed to her question who immediatly thus spake I haue heard saide shee graue father that the Syren doth not inchaunt but instruct not bewitch but inrich with wonder the attentiue eare of the Sea-faring or weather-beaten trauailer who delighted with the honie oratorie of their Prophetique and diuine language stayes his busie course and with amazed admiration drinkes the celestiall wisedome of their incomparable knowledge no lesse then theirs nay much more abundant is the report of thy wit reading and excellent experience for whome our fieldes and wee are blest and in whom liues the hope and felicity of our liues comfort O let vs then I beseech thee receiue from thy learned and vnspeakeable wisedome some serious discourse of such things as either to our memories are vnknowne or in the date of our after time by the hand of Destinie shall be fulfilled and beleeue it wee will bind our eares as firmely to thy wisedome as the rocke-bound Mariner to the Musicke of the Mermaide I hearing this prettie sute made from so excellent a mouth tolde her that all-be the liberall heauens had for their owne glories and mans satisfaction created me a vessell for their vse inclosing in mee
againe and ryding before the Coach paced backe to that place where before hee had left the two vnfortunately louing Shepheards now found conuocated togither on that reserued Theather of the most worst expectations an infinite number of all sorts of pitiful and vnpitying people some shedding teares of true sorrowe for the accident some weeping to see others weepe and some for fashion sake to be thought soft hearted though they neither apprehended the terror nor felt in themselues any sympathie of like misfortune all with one greedinesse like an eye-longing Auditory before the beginning of some hie state-promising Tragedie looking about and wishing to see what they made the world by their sorow beleeue they were loath to see Amongst this assemblie came the Queene Euronusa and the valiant Adunatus placing themselues in so conuenient standings that nothing eyther by worde or acte coulde passe without their iudgements or knowledges with no lesse expectance of what shoulde then insue then the rest though with farre contrarie determinations for in the one of them was a Pittie full of Helpe in the other a power able and therefore inwardly resolued to helpe whereas all other succour was but Pittie and God helpe the Pyning charitie of a miserable giuer But they had not stayed so long in this place that one could well say they had stayed any thing at all when there arriued there two Bishoppes and two graue Lordes of estate whose wisedomes had built them great honours in the Common-wealth of Laconia and with them eyther as a defensiue guarde to maintaine the vprightnesse of their Embassage or as a Bugge-beare to affright the manie headed Monster opinion euer then readie to bee deliuered from the wombe of common multitude the most noble and valiant reputed Phalantus armed in a blacke Armour curiously damaskt with interwinding wreathes of Cypres and Ewe his barbe vppon his horse all of blacke Abâ—osetta cut in broken hoopes vpon curled Cypresse his horse also all blacke and vpon his shield which was sutable to the sadnesse of his attyre there was imbosted a flying Pegasus yoaked to a Plough fastned in the earth vnder which was written a Greeke sentence which signified Compulsion not Desire and before these rode sixe Purseuants not foure Kings at Armes in the rich abilliments of Laconia after them a close Litter couered with blacke Veluet and supported by two blake horses in which the desolate Queene was borne to her murderous exilement after her roade all the chiefe estates of that Countrey and on eyther side as two guarding wings marched sundrie bandes of the moste expertest Souldiers in those partes conducted by the most principall Captaines of that Kingdome but when they were come into the middest of the prease of common people and that the Barke was towed into the Ocean and a Barge readie to receyue the Queene to beare her aboord the vnfurnished vessell there grew such a murmuring confusion and such a dis-vnion of thoughts amongst the multitude that like the iarring sound of many vntuned Instruments they not onely amazed the Nobilitie but also gaue vndoubted cause to feare some suddaine insurrection wherevppon one of hie place called Cosmos whose excellent vnderstanding was graced with a more excellent eloquence being lifted aloft vppon mens shoulders after solemne Proclaimations made by the sounde of Trumpets for a generall silence thus with a loud voice spake to all that were congregated togither in that presence You people of what kingdome soeuer you be which come to be beholders of this dayes deeds chiefly you O you Laconians to whome the memorie thereof shall remaine writte in the hearts of you and your successions for euer why are you carryed like a Deluge with euerie winde or affrighted like Babes with insufficient suppositions O call vp your wonted courages and looke into your owne calamities whilest I intende here first to denounce vnto you your losse which is vnspeakable your redresse which is vnrecouerable and the sacrifice for our euill thought most auaileable your losse it is the losse of the most excellent Amphialus a Prince in whom Nature Arte and wonder stroue to extoll the omnipotencie of their powers in the infinitenesse of his excellencies a man of such admirable vertue that his whole life was the worldes best Academie of deerest beloued goodnesse powerfull beyond controlment harde without rashnesse wise without austeritie and honourable in the vtmost lists of vnsufferable extremitie a Lion Lambe and a lambe-like Lion an vnuanquisht goodnesse yet a goodnesse thrall to what euer was good reputed Nay more your losse is the losse of your King the head and soueraigne of your now dismembred bodies the ornament of your liues the maintainer of your weales the straite vpholding columbe of your selues your wiues childrens safeties he that in his haÌ„d beares the calender of your peace registring yeres of playful Sabboths where before laboursome dayes of mourning by coÌ„tinuall garboyls were howerly numbred and increased whose sworde was your victorie whose victories were those glories which made you stand admired and adored your losse is the losse of the father of your Countrey that deare father that hath brought her vp to excell all her companions in beautie and perfections hee that hath made red his eyes with manly weeping to see her in her Cradle sicke weake and almost dying hee that hath brooded her vnder his winges fed her with his blood and lodged her in his bosome hee that hath made himselfe leane with watching least she should perish in her sleeping and he that hath slept with pittie when his errours stroue to awake him to take reuenge of her impieties This O Laconians is your losse the vertuous Amphialus your King your glorie your beatitude and your father will you then loose all this and yet reserue to your selues the name of liuing creatures will you cloath this dishonour with sufferance yet expect to be accounted vertuous O that it were possible or that drawing these wrongs in a Lethe of opinion Laconia might either holde her reputation or you your owne safeties But since the all surueying eye of Iustice will not so haue it be not as examinated carkasses but as eternall spirits to redresse these ruines of your fortunes Redresse said I O that there were such a worde left but to guild our remembrances O no Countrymen in that alone is the Superlatiue of our miseries reserued there is no redresse for our calamitie no Baulme for our wounde nor no repeale that can call backe our banished good fortunes Things hopefull to be amended may with modestie be lesse by much bewailed but desperate Vlcers incurable are both the mind and bodies continuall torment were there a time in any time left to beholde his home returning then might the expectation of that season giue some sweete taste to our afflictions but all is taken away all hope all goodnesse all past and to come good fortune for who hath banished him but himselfe and who will maintaine his