Rosalynde. Euphues golden legacie found after his death in his cell at Silexedra. Bequeathed to Philautus sonnes, noursed vp with their father in England. Fetcht from the Canaries by T.L. Gent.

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 Mon∣tanus saw day at a little hole, and did perceiue what passion pin∣ched her: yet (that he might seeme dutifull to his Mistresse in all seruice) he dissembled the matter, and became a willing Messen∣ger 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 Pomegra∣nade tree sorrowing for the hard fortunes of her Rosader. Mon∣tanus saluted him, and according to his charge deliuered Gani∣mede 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, vn∣ript 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 say∣ing: 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 dis∣content 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 fan∣cies, 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 Daph∣ne, 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 roa∣uest 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 fu∣ell: 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 Scor∣pion, 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 boot∣les, 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 despai∣ring louer, that liuest without ioy, and louest without hope: but what shal I do Montanus to pleasure thee? shal I despise Phoe∣be as she disdaines thee? Oh (quoth Montanus) that were to re∣new my griefs, and double my sorrows: for the sight of her dis∣content were the censure of my death. Alas Ganimede, though I perish in my thoughts, let not her die in her desires. Of all passi∣ons, 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 martyr∣dome: yet if she be pleased I wil brooke it with patience, & try∣umph 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 re∣solution 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 determi∣nation, 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 Gani∣mede 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, tain∣ting

her face with as ruddy a blush, as Clitia did when shee be∣wrayed 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 kin∣deled in my thoughts, that to finde ease for the flame, I was for∣ced 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 ver∣tues 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. Wa∣ter 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 af∣fection. 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 de∣sires haue been so resolute, & his thoughts so loyall: but thou al∣ledgest that thou art forst from him by fate: so I tell thee Phoe∣be, 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 mar∣riage; 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 Festi∣na 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 mor∣ning, & 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 not, remaining indifferent til time & loue makes me resolute. Therefore Phoebe seek not to suppresse affection, and with the loue of Montanus quench the remembraunce of Ganimede, striue thou to hate mee as I seeke to like of thee, and euer haue the duties of Montanus in thy minde, for I promise thee thou mayest haue one more wealthy, but not more loyall. These wordes were corasiues to the perplexed Phoebe, that sobbing out sighes, and straining out teares, shee blubbered out these words.

And shall I then haue no salue of Ganimede but suspence, no hope but a doubtfull hazard, no comfort, but bee posted off to the will of time: iustly haue the Gods ballanst my fortunes, who bee∣ing cruel to Montanus, found Ganimede as vnkind to my selfe: so in forcing him perish for loue, I shall die my selfe with ouer∣much loue. I am glad quoth Ganimede, you look into your own faults, and see where your shoo wrings you, measuring now the pains of Montanus by your owne passions. Truth q. Phoebe, and so deeply I repent me of my frowardnesse towards the shep∣heard, that could I cease to loue Ganimede, I would resolue to like Montanus. What if I can with reason perswade Phoebe to mislike of Ganimede, wil she then fauour Montanus? When reason (quoth she) doth quench that loue that I owe to thee, then will I fancie him: conditionally, that if my loue can bee supprest with no reason, as being without reason, Ganimede will onely wed himselfe to Phoebe. I graunt it faire Shepherdesse quoth he: and to feed thee with the sweetnesse of hope, this resolue on: I wil neuer marry my selfe to woman but vnto thy selfe: & with that Ganimede gaue Phoebe a fruitlesse kisse, and such wordes of comfort, that before Ganimede departed shee arose out of her bed, & made him and Montanus such cheare, as could bee founde in such a country cottage. Ganimede in the midst of their banket rehearsing the promises of either in Montanus fauour, which highly pleased the Shepheard. Thus all three content, and soo∣thed vp in hope, Ganimede tooke his leaue of Phoebe & depar∣ted, leauing her a contented woman, & Montanus highly plea∣sed. But poore Ganimede, who had her thoughtes on her Rosa∣der, when she cald to remembrance his wounds, fild her eies full of teares, and her heart full of sorrowes, plodded to finde Aliena

at the Folds, thinking with her presence to driue away her passi∣ons. As she came on the plaines, shee might espy where Rosader and Saladyne sat with Aliena vnder the shade: which sight was a salue to her griefe, and such a cordiall vnto her heart, that shee tript alongst the Lawnes full of ioy.

At last Coridon who was with them spied Ganimede, and with that the Clown rose, & running to meet him cried, Oh sirha, a match, a match, our Mistres shalbe maried on sunday. Thus the poore peasant frolicke it before Ganimede, who comming to the crue saluted them all, and especially Rosader, saying that he was glad to see him so wel recouered of his wounds. I had not gone a∣broad so soone quoth Rosader, but that I am bidden to a marri∣age, which on Sunday next must bee solempnized betweene my brother and Aliena. I see well where Loue leads delay is loath∣some, and that small wooing serues, where both the parties are willing. Truth quoth Ganimede: but a happy day should it be, if Rosader that day might be married to Rosalynd. Ah good Ga∣nimede (quoth he) by naming Rosalynd renue not my sorrowes: for the thought of her perfections, is the thrall of my miseries. Tush, bee of good cheare man quoth Ganimede, I haue a friend that is deeply experienst in Negromancy and Magicke, what art can do shall be acted for thine aduantage: I wil cause him to bring in Rosalynde, if either France or any bordring Nation harbour her: and vpon that take the faith of a yoong shepheard. Aliena smilde to see how Rosader frownd, thinking that Ganimede had iested with him. But breaking off from those matters, the Page (somewhat pleasant) began to discourse vnto them what had past between him and Phoebe: which as they laught, so they wondred at, all confessyng, that there is none so chast but Loue wil change. Thus they past away the day in chat, and when the Sun began to set, they tooke their leaues and departed: Aliena prouiding for their marriage day such solemne cheare and handsome roabes as fitted their country estate, & yet somewhat the better, in that Ro∣sader had promised to bring Gerismond thither as a guest. Ga∣nimede (who then ment to discouer her self before her father, had made her a gowne of green, and a kirtle of the finest sendal, in such sort that she seemed some heauenly Nymph harboured in Coun∣try attire.

Saladine was not behind in care to set out the nuptials, nor Ro∣sader vnmindfull to bid guests, who inuited Gerismond and all his folowers to the feast: who willingly granted, so that there was nothing but the day wanting to his marriage. In the mean while, Phoebe being a biddē guest, made her self as gorgious as might be to please the eye of Ganimede: and Montanus suted himself with the cost of many of his flocks to be gallant against that day: for then was Ganimed to giue Phoebe an answer of her loues, and Montanus either to heare the doome of his miserie, or the censure of his happinesse. But while this geare was a brewing. Phoebe past not one day without visiting her Ganimede, so far was she wrapt in the beauties of this louely swaine. Much prat∣tle they had, and the discourse of many passions, Phoebe wishing for the day (as she thought) of her welfare, & Ganimede smiling to thinke what vnexpected euentes would fall out at the wedding. In these humors the weeke went away, that at last sunday came.

No sooner did Phoebus Hench-man appeare in the skie, to giue warning that his maisters horses should be crapt in his glori∣ous couch, but Coridon in his holiday sute maruellous seemely, in a russet iatket welted with the same, & faced with red worsted, hauing a paire of blew chamblet sleeues, bound at the wrests with foure yeolow laces, closed afore very richly with a dosen of pew∣ter buttons: his hose was of gray karsie, with a large sloppe bard ouer thwart the pocket holes with three faire gards, stitcht of ei∣ther side with red threed, his stock was of the owne sewed close to his breech, and for to bewtifie his hose, he had trust himselfe round with a dosen of new thredden points of medley colour: his bon∣net was greene wheron stood a copper brooch with the picture of Saint Denis: and to want nothing that might make him amo∣rous in his old dayes, hee had a faire shyrt band of fine lockeram, whipt ouer with Couentry blew of no small cost. Thus attired, Coridon bestird himselfe as chiefe stickler in these actions, and had strowed al the house with flowers, that it seemed rather some of Floraes choyce howers, than any country cottage.

Thether repaired Phoebe with all the maides of the Forrest, to set out 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. Ga∣nimede 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 ar∣riued, they were solemnly entertained by Aliena & the rest of the country swains, Gerismond very highly commending the fortu∣nate 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 for∣tunes: he that was wont to sit in his royal Pallaice: attended on by twelue noble Peeres, now to be contented with a simple Cot∣tage, and a troupe of reuelling woodmen for his traine. The con∣sideration 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 melancho∣ly 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, drin∣king 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 forsa∣ken: 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 coun∣try 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 in∣ward 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 nei∣ther 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 repen∣tance: yet euery passion is a pleasure thogh it pinch, because loue hides his wormeseed in figs, his poysons in sweet potions, & sha∣dows preiudize with the maske of pleasure. The wisest counsel∣lers 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 re∣ward 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.