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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 Embas∣sadors of the Spring, and that Nature (deliuered frō the bar∣raine 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 ar∣mye of inuincible fortune: The vnhappy and forlorne Shepheard Credulo being come to the foot of the moun∣taine Tagetus, from whose large distributed skirts, ranne an euen and wel leuiled plaine, through which the siluer-flowing Erimanthus had made many curious and enter∣changeable windinges, till she deliuered the abundance of her tribute into the bosome of the Oceās vnruly trea∣surie: and being arryued at the vtmost of the earths pro∣specte, he encountred with his companion (both in for∣tunes and desires) the forsaken Carino, whose eyes (long Page  [unnumbered] 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, & cast∣ing their eies vpon the waues (whose vast solitarines pre∣sented to their mindes the liuely Idaeas of their vnaccom∣panied lamentations) began bitterly to complaine, that hauing ouer-laden hearts, broke & deuided with com∣plaints (which by incessant bemoanings they sought ho∣werly to disburden) foūd neither ease nor respet, but ra∣ther a more augmentation of their continuall child-bea∣ring 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 gol∣den treasure of her workmāship, in a receptacle for grea∣test 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 Page  2 remembrances of dead worthines: And shall the master of them, and their knowledges, make his goodliest pyra∣med, a monument for vnblushing shamefulnes? it is too preposterous to imagine, and irreligious to beleeue; on∣ly 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 Dis∣daine, our vowes inrespected; our loues fruitles, our tor∣ments pittiles, & our deaths Tomblesse) to vs I say these accidents of inhumane aduersitie, are but awaking thun∣ders, or Night-Rauen cryes to our laboring remēbran∣ces, drawing in them and before them, the models of those mishappes where-with our owne soules are attain∣ted. 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 dy∣ing hopes? How oft vpon this Plaine haue wee in darke Eglogues discoursed the pure intent of our honest serui∣ces? 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 in∣to the Sea, as a seale to the great deed of our induring af∣fection, 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 Fe∣uer 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 found an end in our speaches? the Page  [unnumbered] gods forbidde. O Cinthia, Cinthia, our Fieldes Garland, our Winters spring, our Sommets shade, our Haruests fruit, and the liuing cause of all Creatures happy liuings be thine eyes the witnesses of our vowes, and our owne deedes the test monies of our faithes: be thine admirati∣on as great as our loues, for our loues shalbe as bound∣les as the infinite world of thy perfections: Continue the miracle of time, as thou art the wonder amōgst women; that when Enuy after this day shall boast Queene Hellen of Corinth was vertue, yet thy vertue succeeding all ages, may still ingraft (in remembrance) an induring and vn∣blotted excellence.

Heere an extreame violence to speake much in the praises of deuine Cinthia (whom with equall ardor they both most sincerely adored) ouer came the power of much speaking, and with dumbe Oratorie conuerted his language to dumbnesse; whilst Carino thus replied.

What needes (my Credulo said he) this inditement against the hope of our contentment, whose desperate re∣solution long since hath pleaded guiltie before the great∣est iudge of our Fortunes? To reckon our cares, were to number the starres: to measure our loues, were to make a circle greater then the greatest either is or can bee: and to vnlade our affectionate desires, were by spoonfulls to conuay the Sea into some contrary Channell: what they are we feele, and when they shall determine, the all-seeing all-thinges only hath knowledge: as easie can the Sunne be remooued from his diurnall passage, as our thoughts from her remembrance, or our hearts from the loue of her vertues: Haue not we succeeded both in our loues and admirations, the truely louing Strephon and Claius whose induring constancies, & forlorne indurances, hea∣ued Page  3 their Vrania beyond the degree of superlatiue? And is there likelyhood we will either seeke the abridgement of our woes (which is the badge of our sufferance) or the end of our loue (which is the heauen of our cogitations) no, no my Credulo, it was Vertue that brought foorth wonder, wonder knowledge, knowledge loue, and loue the eternitie of our neuer to be slaine affection: Be then the world by vs fil'd full of the praises of deuine Cinthia, and euery Mothers child taught to adore the Starre can lead to so heauenly perfections. But whether are we car∣ried with the force of her remembrance, and the vio∣lence of our owne duties? arose wee thus early for this? came we to complaine to the Ocean for this? wette we our vn-dride cheekes with new teares for this? or are our moanes sencelesse to all be moanings but this only? In∣deed as euery place is for ornamēt beholding to this sub∣iect; so is this subiect indebted to euery place for a grate∣full relenting, and inticing acceptance. But we came as I remember, to remember that being the Vassails, & bōd∣slaues to Beauty; we owe some rent of greife to the ouer∣throw of a rare Beauty. Ah Hellen, faire Hellen, vnhappily happy in thy fairenes, who hauing al the possible meanes of alluremēts in thy perfections, findest nothing but im∣possibillities in attaining the meanest of thy wishes! thou art vnhappy, thou art vnhappy.

And as he would haue further pursued the agony of his passion, which euen then Credulo was ready to secōd with an hoste of most bleeding arguments; they were both interrupted with an extraordinary noise (full of ter∣ror & amazement) which to the first apprehension, they imagined to be a peale of Thunder, running post before the violence of an insuing storme: But more considerat∣ly Page  [unnumbered] beholding the marble cleernes of the well disposed skye; and attentiuely hearing the continuance of the for∣mer rumor; they found the error of that conceit; where∣vpon comparing with the suruay of their eyes, (cast vp∣pon euery adioyned obiect) the hollownes of the sound, and hard distinguishment of the clamors, both which gaue testimonie of a farre cōming exclamation: they cast their sightes to the Sea-ward, euen so farre as the deuisi∣on of the ayre would giue limitte to their seeing; and at the furthest end of that prospect, they might perceiue like a small duskie cloud rising from the water, which by lit∣tle and little creeping more neere the leuel of their iudge∣ments, they saw increase both in quantitie & affright to their eyes (vnaccustomed to such spectacles) for as if Ioue and Neptune had bene in combat for their birth-rightes, either striuing with the predominant qualities of his kingdome to annoy each others habitation; so might one see through the clouds-thicknes, flames of fire dauncing vpon the waters, and immediatly mountaines of water rise vp to sporte with those fires: there was to be seene by the eye of imagination, a combate without weapons, yet many times weapons and no combate: a feare with-out danger, yet more danger then feare could compre∣hend: at last what with the helpe of the windes, which comming from the Sea-ward, blew directly (with a re∣coyling force) against the shoare, they might plainly di∣scerne a Galley & a Gallioon, like an Eliphant and a Ser∣pent grapled together in an austere and reuengefull con∣tention; the fury of the fight augmenting with the conti∣nuance of the fight, as if strength were to be-gotten by stroakes, or freshnes by wearinesse; so power-full were the handes of those actors, and so pure the spirites which Page  4 then commaunded the vse of such handes: But amongst the rest, and aboue all that then were without rest, they might perceiue two, in whom as it seemed a vindicatiue resolution, had made them the wrathfull ministers of an inexpiable malice: so the manner of exercising, attested an incomparable vertue both in the dexteritie of their valours, and in the vnamazed pursuite of their reuenges satisfaction: for as it seemed, they two contended against all, or all sought the ouer-throwe of those two: many handes being erected agaynst one head; and yet many heads cut off by one hand. This fight continued in the viewe of the Sheapheards by the space of two howres, with no lesse terrour to them (who arm'd with so spaci∣ous a distance as might giue assurance from any assaile∣ment, had notwithstanding through their eyes receiued the wound of feare vpon their hearts) then repentant sor∣row in those that vnder-went the reuenge of so haughty courages: But by and by they sawe the Ships which till then had as it were kist one an other, & hung togither by an vnfriendly & boystrous imbracement, disseuer them∣selues, & the Gally, what with the force of her Oares, and a little helpe of a quarter winde which breath'd vpon her Sayles, made her way directly foorth into the Sea, with such eagernesse of speede, as many times we see a Pirate when he hath in chase a rich and well laden home-retur∣ning Marchant; but contrary to that, the Gallyoon with al the canuasse she could put forth, boare before the wind as euen vpon the shoare as might be imagined, yet might they still beholde (as long as the vertue of their sightes could hold the knowledge of any obiect) one of the fore∣noted Champions in the Gally, not onely continue, but in more mortall and desperate manner; continue the vn∣speakable Page  [unnumbered] bloudines of the first combat, till the length or distance had depriued their eyes of that spectacle: The o∣ther in the Gallioon with no lesse but rather a more inau∣spitious hād of death ouer his incoūterers, by how much more neer he grew vnto the iudgemēts of the beholders, augmented both his owne rage, & their opinions touch∣ing the excellency of his rage; distributing such vnresista∣able blowes, that his sword was seen sildom or neuer fall with his hand, but a body deuided from a soule fell dead at his foote; so that as it was most likely to be imagined the poore in-habitants of that vessell, growne to the des∣perate willfullnesse of absolute desperatenes (which is by death to shunne death) willfully ran the ship against the Rocks, whose armed brest of too hie proofe for so slender timber, split her in one instant into many thousand dis∣ioyned peeces; the suruiuing remnant more willingly of∣fring vp their liues into the hands of the mercilesse Sea, whose mercy they had not tasted; then to the subiection of his sword, whose vigor in punishing their breathles companions bodies, in their floating witnessed. But nei∣ther did the daring of their dispaires (which was the vn∣expected entrance to this euill, neither the danger it selfe (wherein the preciousnes of his deare life was imballan∣ced) neither the inacquaintance of the soyle whereon he was ship-wrackt, neither his many wounds, the losse of Fortune, Hope, Honour, Wealth, or other expectati∣on breed in him either amazement, feare, or desistance from the continuance of that reuenge, which from the begīning he with so great vertue pursued; for being now left to struggle with the vnruly waues, whose imperious billowes (many times counter-checking his desires) gaue him a feeling remembrance of his mortall constitution, Page  5 he gathered new life, by the hazard wherwith the old life stoode indangered: and swimming with such beautifull cōlinesse as Triton is feined to do, whē he vshers Neptune to Venus banquets, with his sworde in his hand, which often ensigne-like he flourished about his head, as who should say, Danger is but the hand-maid to Vertue, or as if he would haue chalenged moe perils then those, impu∣ting the escape of this no worthie reputation; without turning his eie backe vpon his owne safetie, he followed on still the ruine of those to whome was left no comfort but in ruinous perishing, and made such slaughter, that not a breathing soule was left to complaine, that so ma∣nie by one were become breathlesse; But hee had no sooner finished the effect of what hee hoped for: And Furie (wanting a subiect whereon to worke more fury) had giuen place to the feeling of other passions, when instantly his ouer-laboured bodie grew weake and able∣lesse to deliuer him a liuing soule, made free from those perils; yet with an vnyeelding vertue that was euer (or euer seemed to be) strongest in his weakest fortune, he many times mounted vp himselfe, and sprang vpon the waues, ioyning both Arte & courage togither as means for his deliuerance. But euen at the last pinch, when strength had as it were finished the need of strength, vn∣kindly strength forsooke him, and he sunke downe, vn∣able any longer to preserue that life, which still then had preserued the life and estate of many kingdomes: but the guilty waters (ashamed to bee guiltie of so execrable a murther) opened their bosoms, & brought him vp again into the aire, where by the force of the siege of the Sea he was borne vpon the sands, and lay to the iudgement of the Shepheards (who till then vpon their knees, were Page  [unnumbered] adoting him as a coelestial deitie) breathlesse and with∣out motion, in-so-much that with all their powers they ranne and recouered him ere the siege could come againe, which as appeared, greedie of another imbrace∣ment, made more then vsual haste to ouer-take him: and when daungerlesse they had laid him vpon a neighbour banke vnto the shore, they behelde a person of so rare and vnmarchable proportion (in whom all the beauties of the worlde were most liberally dis-iested) that prodi∣gall Nature in the worke seemd vtterly to haue beggerd herselfe, and becom'd penurious to all succeeding ages: It was not long before they had brought him to life and the knowledge of the daunger whereunto his life was ingaged; when sodainly he start vpon his feete, and ga∣zing like a wounded Deere vpon his concealed persecu∣tor, he cried; O Thamastus, Thamastus, liuest thou with men or Angels? vnhappie that I am, shal I liue to inquire if thou liue? I will not, I will not, my breath is not mine owne if thou be breathlesse, nor shall my dayes bee aug∣mented an houre after thy destruction, forsaken Pyro∣phylus, deiected Pyrophylus: with that he wilfully would haue throwne him-selfe into the Sea againe, as in loue with the perill which he hated, or the death which with such difficultie hee escaped. But the amorous Shep∣heards hearing him name those two names, which kept the world both in awe and admiration, ranne ha∣stily vnto him, and folding him in their armes, with the vttermost of their force, (which the loue of those names had stretched to the highest scale of their puis∣sance) stayed him from the vnnaturall selfe-killing com∣batte; and with the best oratorie that the simplicitie of their bringing vp could then instruct their tongues, they Page  6 perswaded him from impouerishing the world of those excellent hopes which his verie presence promised in most admirable aboundance: and coniuring him by those two rarely beloued and praise-worthie names, (which with such feeling sorrow hee hat vttered, and all the Nations of the worlde with vnspeakeable reuerence entertained) not to let that day bee registred in misfor∣tunes calender, as the day of greatest misfortune, by the losse of so diuine an expectation; assuring him by those especiall tokens which they had noted during the con∣flict, that if his friend whom he bewailed, were that vn∣cōquered spirit which in the gally had done such match∣lesse feats of chiualrie; that then there was no feare of his perishing, inasmuch as they had seene him make himself Lord of the Gally, ere the wind or Oares had caried her beyond the cōpasse of their sights. Further they humbly vpon their knees besought him, that if he were eyther of those two Princes, whose sweete names were resweet∣ned by his vtterance, that it would please him not to conceale it from their knowledges, who all be they were but Shepheards, yet had that vertuous feeling of noble∣nesse, which taught them a seruiceable duty to the incō∣parable greatnes of such dignified states, The Prince Py∣rophylus (for such was his name) a little pacified, and ho∣ping by this hope in their speeches to kill his hopelesse Dispaire, was content to be ouer-ruled; though manie times the feruencie of his loue had almost ouercom'd that not certainly grounded resolution: in the ende, cal∣ling to minde that their fight was both begun and occa∣sioned vpon the Hellespont, and that this place was alto∣gither beyonde the bounde of his knowledge, fearing the Sestian lawe, which for the losse of the two faithfull Page  [unnumbered] 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 begin∣ning of his first knowledge, had held in singular admi∣ration 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 a∣gaine restored; and therewithall desired to knowe of them, vpon what coast he was ship-wracked, to the in∣tent 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, ad∣ioyning to the Frontiers of Arcadia; which hauing beene long time gouerned (all be with many insurrecti∣ons, and rebellious commotions) by the renowned Ba∣silius, was after his discease, by the power of his testa∣ment (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 Page  7 Thamastus and Pyrophylus he stood in the eie of the world vnmatch-able and beyond comparison; Pirophylus hea∣ring them name Amphyalus (whom he had euer respect∣fully reuerenced for the rariety of his perfections) de∣maunded 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 insupport∣able discontentment, as Atlas or Olimpus with their ioyntlesse shoulders could stand vnder; the reason wher∣of 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 iniu∣diciall 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 vnble∣misht reputation, euen Hellen Queene of Corinth, that harmles faire, and faire harmles hurt creature, a Lady of a mightie humblenes and an infinite mightines; vertu∣ously 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;

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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 en∣signe 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 & destres∣sed Ladies afflictiōs, to vnfold vnto him euen from acci∣dent to accidēt al that had befalne to that most beautiful Queen of Corinth, of whō thogh in the coolnes of his in∣treaties he gaue no shew either of familiarity or acquain∣tāce (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 ho∣norable 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 cari∣age, and sweet disposure of his gestures, a height or ex∣haltation 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 Page  8 darknesse of our little knowing remembrances, can arise no expectfull matter of memorable cōsequence, the qua∣litie of our obscured estates depriuing vs the mean wher∣by 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 in∣sufficency of our counsels that can preuent no effect of fortune (how aduerse soeuer) proceeding frō those cau∣ses; yet inasmuch as the worlds rumor is many times re∣tained 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 Amazo∣nian Zelmane had got the absolute vnderstanding of his mothers flint-hearted crueltie against those immor∣tall Paragons of the worlde, to whom he had euen sla∣ued the subiection of his diuine soule, & sawe by the Ca∣racters of their misfortunes, the desperate euil wherunto the lothsomnes of his life (growne vgly with the defor∣med 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 con∣querours, and invincible Gyants, giue a deadly assault vnto the bosome of his hearts Cabanet, seeking by vn∣timely death to ruinate that glorious worke of Nature, Page  [unnumbered] wherein the excellencie of the first workmaster had sho∣wed the best power of his artes working; This beauti∣full Queene of Corinth (of whose dolours my braine 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 Mu∣sidorus; after a tedious and wearie iourney (wherein on∣ly loue tooke away the bitter feeling of wearines) she a∣riued 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 inauspi∣tious hower of vnluckines, that finding the feare of dan∣ger, taken from the daunger she feared; there was now an inrecouerable perrill wedded to a desperat feareful∣nes; for the foe was his owne hande, and that hand guid∣ed 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, re∣uiued, and againe and againe re-dyed; what bloode-wasting sighes she vttered, what groanes shee disburde∣ned, 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: Page  9 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 innecessa∣rie, 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 ac∣count all the sorrowes of her remembrance, that there was no other matter left saue onely sorrow in her imagi∣nations, 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 tur∣ning from the dead reputed coarse, that her returning might adde more violent extremitie to her compassio∣nate 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 hea∣uie eyes not without abundant teares were spectators of that immortally bemoaned tragedy, but especially she conuerted all her speeches to the world, contemning A∣naxius, 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 af∣fection; and the world-wondring end her sorrow would consumate as soone as her hopes were depriued the Page  [unnumbered] blisse of their expectation, euer and anon mingling a∣mongst 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 in∣rolment 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 acknow∣ledge) 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 groun∣ded vppon this heresie, that honour was got by contra∣diction, and greatnesse most feated by a perticular de∣niall of a generall intreatie, notwithstanding all the dar∣tie 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 coun∣trey) had not his two brothers, called Zoylus and Lycur∣gus, (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 Phi∣sition Page  10 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 ap∣proue 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 de∣spight without eyther controlment or damage, to the intents they purposed; This last speech (though the o∣ther 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 sanctu∣arie defendant; and one who would in such safetie con∣duct 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 va∣nities by amplifying vpon his vaine grounds, and with heartie humblenesse offered to kisse his hand as a testi∣monie of the assurance she reposed in his magnanimitie.

All things being prepared fit for so great a solem∣nitie, 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 Page  [unnumbered] conducted her to the banks of the swift-falling riuer La∣don, without either impeachment or disturbance: where after many confused shewers of vncontrollable teares, seeming as if they would ioyne with the riuer to ouer∣flow and drowne the neighbour plaines. Anaxius and his brothers Zoylus and Lycurgus, tooke their leaues of the Queene, and the dead reputed Amphyalus, and so re∣turned backe to the place from whence they were de∣parted.

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 ta∣king her Lute, to the delicacie of whose sound she maried a more dilicate voyce, sung this funerall Sonnet.

Page  11

Here casting the Lute from her hands, that she might cast her hands with more feeling ardencie about the be∣loued 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 lamen∣tations.

Alas Amphyalus (sayd she) alas, thou that in the infi∣nitenesse 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 mise∣rie! O maruellous doome of my fore-doomed persecu∣tion! O most wonderfull impietie of a haplesse beau∣tie! O singular affliction to an euer afflicting memorie! and O iust iudgement of my starre-crost destinie! O sor∣row, Page  [unnumbered] 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 am∣plifyed to a sufficient greatnesse: But why talke I of sor∣row that am not worthy of so gentle a sleepe-killing cō∣panion? O rest thee thou faire foe to my rest; thou wee∣ping eye of a soft heart; thou reuenge of weaknesse; vn∣kindnesse 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 bo∣dies 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 abun∣dance, 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 in∣to her hande, awakened her Queene with these mourn∣full Stanzies.

This song did so aggrauate the extremitie of her pas∣sion, 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 la∣boursome day eternall with vaine labour, and brought no night of rest, to her so long vnrested diliberati∣ons, arguing that these delayes in her moanes, would if shee woulde continue them, bring her anguish Page  [unnumbered] 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 rea∣son, that adorning her faire cheekes with the rosie blush of shamefastnesse, she rose vp, and commaunded the cof∣fin 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 extre∣mitie 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 a∣ny 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 brother to the Queene, at that time, and in her absence commanding (as her Vicegerent) with the absolute authoritie of her Scepter; desirous to giue her that intertainment which might be most sutable to those lamētable delights wher∣vnto was cōtracted al the thoghts of her vnderstanding; gathered togither the old remembrances of his own for∣mer disquieted happinesse, (when the Varnish of Arte∣sias beautie blearing his eyes, made him imagin his hart was wounded with an army of Launces) & caused these Page  13 nourishing showes of displeasure pleasingly to bee pre∣sented vnto her; first in her passage ouer the riuer Tegea (which runs some two leagues from the Citie) as soone as she was entred into her Barge, and lanched from the shore; with the artificiall noyse of sundrie vessels (pre∣pared for the purpose) there arose to her imagination, a strong and fierce storme, with such dreadfull clappes of thunder and lightning, that to an vnwel-apprehending sense, Art might seeme not to borrow, but to lend much to the diuinitie of Natures perfection. After these fore∣goers of amazement, followed a tempestuous shewer of raine, which as if Iuno had beene at a newe intreatie with Aeolus, and offered not Diope but Hellen her-selfe for his Paramour, was so violently carried with the see∣ming powers of many windes, that the Barge-men who had the conduct of the Queene, all be they were a∣gents in these deuised extremities, yet seeing the effect of the worke go so farre beyond the effects of their know∣ledges, grew forgetfully astonished, and beganne to lay downe their Oares, and crie to bee deliuered from that feare which them-selues had created to shew the power of fearfulnes. Neuer till nowe did the solitarie Queene cast vp her eies, or in the least chaunge of countenance giue notice she had noted their proceedings; but with the constantnesse of her sorrow taught them that the picture of true wo, was by no Idaea to be taken; yet whe∣ther stirred by their (to no purpose) exclamations, or i∣magining their stay a signe of her arriuall on the other side, and that they cried out but onely to companion her bemoanings she arising, looked forth, but sawe all the ayre so smoothered vp in an vnnaturall perfumed myst, (wherein all delicate odours had with such an attone∣ment Page  [unnumbered] symbolizd them-selues togither, to make a perfite vse of absolute sweetnesse) that it bred in her a delight∣ful wonder, with a respectiue carelesnesse, so that she cast her sight about her with a more stedfast inquirie to be∣hold the euent of the stratagem; when the vapour a litle clearing, yet not so much that any brightnesse of the day might from the inamaled fore-head of the heauens bee perceiued, shee sawe or seemed to see directly vpon the shoare before her, the modell of an ancient Castell, the curious frame of whose building by reason of the fogge could not be well discouered, onely as it was most likely either from some hic erected window, or from the top of some well raysed Tower shee might behold a bur∣ning Lampe, that with his oft in and out appearing, sometimes violently flaming, and immediately dampt, and depriued for a long space of his shining, showed the implacable warre of two contrarie conioined Elements; and the madnesse of that storme, tyrannizing ouer so little a spot of inflamation: But as shee fixed her sight thereupon, suddenly a wrastling in the waters close by her Barges side, inuited her eyes to a nearer obiect, and sheee sawe swimming vpon the waues in most amiable gracefulnes, and with such an art-full dexteritie as gaue an ornament to the siluer liquid, a most beautifull and faire young man; close at whose heeles followed the Sea-god Neptune, with his Trident in one hand, and in the other, small remnants of innumerable treasures, which hee carryed as figures of that inestimable abun∣dance, which is concealed in the bottomlesse wombe of the Oceans darknesse; and with them, as it were, wooed the louely youth, whose minde borne vpon the wings of contrarie affections, conueyed him with an inre∣spectiue Page  14 motion from the presence of the God; often times in shrikes, crying, O Hero, Hero, I haue tardy armes and slowe forces, vnworthy attendants for so sweete a beautie, at which the God with a mourning pitiousnes diued downe into the deepe, and was no more descer∣ned. At this the care-wasted Queen apprehended the deuice, and presently called to memorie that first storie of loue which euer in writing was bequeathed to me∣morie of the infortunate Hero and Leander: but with such greedinesse, that all-be she knew it was a deuise be∣gotten to delight her passion, yet forgot that either it was deuised, or that her passion should delight in such sorrowfulnesse; wherfore as if it had beene the substance of that shadow it presented, she gaue it such a memorable entertainment as in despite of reason she brake forth in∣to these weepings.

O excellent Hero (said she) that hadst triumph in thy loue, vertue in thy faith, admire in thy cōstancy, & in thy death a most blessed, blessed martyrdom: thou wert vn∣happie in thy too much happines, & happie in the worst ende of thy sowre fortune; thou didst infinitely loue, and wert much more infinitely affected, so that if thou didst euer sigh, it was because thou couldest not loue beyond infinitenes: how cōtrarie am I to the state of thy procee∣dings, whose loue is bondage, whose faith respectlesse, constanciesse auaile, & death (by a remotenesse) too ob∣stinately helples; thy Leander loued that he might be dis∣dained; mine disdained because he desired to bee hated: thine swam a Hellespont to inioy thee; mine an Ocean to be remoued frō me: thine made a perfit work, ere an im∣perfit ending; mine ouerthrew all labor, because in the end should be no perfection. O Amphyalus, Amphyalus, Page  [unnumbered] if euer those entombed eyes had power to heaue vp the coffins which incloud their brightnes, make cleare those sweet circles, and looke with pitie if not with loue, vpon pittious Leander, see how he plowes the waters to reape a forraine desired haruest, whilest thou hast a greater ry∣ches falling vpon thy bosome! see how he mournes for the slownesse of his blisse, whilest I crie out at the swift∣nesse of my miserie! O Fortune how doest thou auerse the countenance of thy fauour, and in the Atrocitie of my mishaps, buildest the glorie of thy Kingdome: when wilt thou bring backe thine aspectiue mildnesse, and let mee see againe those Halcion dayes of calmenesse, which in my first age I enioyed? O vnbegotten intrea∣tie, thou art as farre from effect, as I from reason, and both shall neuer meete with our wishes. And hauing thus said she fell to a new maner of old lamenting; when the onely eye imagined storme (imitating a tragicke dis∣position to make the last act the extremest) broke into an instant violence, his companion darknes, which euer runnes before him, hauing put on the worst habite of his worst countenance: so that as if the clouds had beene rent in peeces with thunder, the ayre burnt to cinders with lightning, and the earth thirsted to haue bin drow∣ned in an other Ducallidon, all things were put into a confused amazement; during which outrage, the lampe was seene to be put out with the winds, and sundry most lamentable shrikes to follow the departure; as if it had beene the Idaea of some soules happines, when presently after the heauens cleared, the waters calmed, the windes ceased, and a Serene mildenes was disperced ouer all the continent, at what time the Queene with her carefull charge of cares arriued at the foote of the former deser∣ned Page  15 Castle, whose statelinesse in building, though it con∣sisted of the weakest state of continuance; yet was so sha∣dowed with the best of Arts inuention, that the first ap∣prehension of the eye would haue adiudged it at an in∣estimable valew, like the most curious portrature of Ve∣nus, laid vpon an otherwise dispised board, or a remnant of vselesse Canuas. As soone as she had set her foote vp∣on the shore, which was no sooner then the coffin could be discharged of the Barge, there might she see vpon the sands, Leander drowned, and Hero lamenting ouer him, in her Nunne-like and virgin-stained apparell; who with all the impossible passions of an impossible to be appea∣sed furie, acted with such liuely tremor, the worst despe∣ratenesse of a decayed fortune: that Hellen stood as much amazed to behold her, as grieued to see so much woe in a counterfeyt discontentment; and in her amazement looked first vpon Hero, then vpon her selfe; after vpon Leander, lastly vpon Amphyalus, and thus many times sent her lookes to and fro poasting without intermissi∣on, euery looke bringing her backe matter of more mourning; in the ende bowing downe her heauenly countenance, she said, if there were an end in woe, it were nothing to be woe begone: but being eternall, it is a sadde Dietie; and with that passed forward on vp∣on her iourney. But she was not gone halfe a league fur∣ther vpon the sands, ere she sawe a Nymph running be∣fore her, whose haires being loosed, partly by the winds, but chiefly by the violēce of her tyrannous white hands, followed after her in such a dispearsed length, that if at any time she stoode still, they seemed to kisse the base earth in the falling, or couer it in the golden riches of their beautie; as if she would make that barraine mould Page  [unnumbered] to be esteemed before any other element; her necke was naked, only a costly Rebat of flowers, (halfe loose) hung fallingly vppon her shoulders; her garments which were of a Sea-coloured silke, curiously embrodered with a Minataurian Laborinth, were in many places torne, but so as euerie eye might see the disgrace was begot more through a wilfull madnesse, then eyther a negligent carelesnesse, or a wantfull needinesse; thus as shee ranne, shee sometimes threwe her armes from her, as if she would beat away the winds that flew wan∣tonly about her; sometimes drew them backe, and lockt them in togither, as if she woulde imbrace or hold the ayre from fleeting; and sometimes linking her Iuorie fingers one within another, raise them aboue her heade to the Sky-ward, as if with that gesture shee would call pittie from the heauens. And with these passionate moti∣ons filled the eies of her beholders, till come within the compasse of their eares hearing, they might more plain∣ly vnderstand her dolours, which with a burden of tea∣rie sighes made euermore their conclusiō with the name of Theseus, accusing him of flintie hardnesse in not re∣lenting; of vnkindnesse in not louing; of tyrannie, in not pittying; of falshoode in dissembling; and of in∣gratenes in iust deserts vnrewarding. By this the Queen perceyued it was forsaken Aryadne, left to the worlde by vniust Theseus, in the memorie of whose mishaps (as in an excellent myrror) she saw the liuely image of her wo∣fulnesse; wherevpon she staid with wonder, and won∣dred with pitie at that which in her-selfe she could nei∣ther pittie nor wonder at: and as she stoode in this vn∣accustomed pause with teare-filled eyes, shee sawe olde Sylenus vppon his lazie Asse, eyther in a dead sleepines, Page  16 or a drunken deadnesse, come ambling with such an ex∣pectation of falling, that his vntoward motions, which in others bred a laughing scornfulnesse; in her sad Lady stirred vp a remorsiue fearfulnesse; after him and about him went a troupe of Satyres pyping, and dauncing; with bautrickes of Iuie, and Garlandes of Poppie a∣bout them: then came in couplettes a multitude of Bacchanals crowned with swelling Grapes, and redde Roses; some bearing in their handes carrowsing Cannes, some Myrtle boughes, some burning Ta∣pers, and some downie Cowches of Mossie softnesse; altogether like wild: Goates, running and dauncing with such measurelesse preportions, that it was not of∣fensiue to say it was barbarous; yet was it so orderly be∣fitting the actions of such persons, that it shewed there was a prescript forme in vnnaturall rudenes. After all these came the youthfull God Bacchus, drawne by foure snow-white Harts, and two sauadge Boros, in a Vinetree chariot, couered & invecked with clusters of ripe grapes, and faire smelling flowers. They marched directly to∣wards Aryadne, insomuch that Hellen grew afraied, lest their rudenesse should adde mislike to the lost-Ladies sadnesse, till she sawe Bacchus with a diuine carefulnesse take her vp into his chariot, and bear her from her view, as she supposed towards the heauens; so that she cried, O happy Gnossian Aryadne, that thy woes hast foūd a diety to eternize thy wofulnes: shine euer in the heauens, and be thou euer my Sunne that I may see no light but thy memorie: Many such like moanes she vttred in the cō∣tinuance of her iourney, being euer & anon incountred with such like deuises, one seconding another so swiftly that they left her no time to ruminat of any one precisely Page  [unnumbered] which to recount to your alreadie-wearied hearing, would but lengthen my too-ill musicke and ouer-poise with trouble your attention; therefore I will omit the storie of Pyrramus and Thysbie; of Phyllis and Demo∣phoon, and many other records of fore-going ages.

Hellen being now com'd almost within the view of the cittie Phalautus, mounted vpon a most faire Neapolitan Courser, & accompanied with an hundred knights, be∣sides Esquires, and baser attendants, in a most solemne and stately maner, met her vpon the way; and hauing (when she had lesse cause to make much of melancholy) made tryall of her resolution in miserie, omitted all ma∣ner of ceremonious perswasions, and onely gaue her that intertainment which stoode most agreeable with her distemperature, adding teares to teares, sighes to sighes, and out-cries to lamentations hauing learned all this Phylosophie, that to sooth Melancholy, is to take a∣way Melancholy, and not to contradict the humor, is to giue it knowledge of the errour in the humor. After him came all the Magistrates and chiefe Burgers of the citie, whose low lookes and vnpleasant gestures, gaue assu∣rance, that where the best part is diseased, there the vn∣der-seruing members must of necessitie pine in a langui∣shing weaknesse. And thus they marched in a sad trium∣phantnesse, like an ore-comming host, that vanquishing many, by the losse of one particular, is notwithstanding subiect to a subdued heauinesse. Now when shee was com'd to the port of the Citie, and was readie to enter in, she was there met with all the Damzels and virgins thereof, who attyred Nymph-like in loose silkes, which the breath of eue ie ayre wantonly carried, and moued about them, with baskets of Roses, and the most choyse Page  17 smelling flowers which that clime affoorded, vpon their armes; strewing all the Streetes through which the Queene should passe, the out-side of the houses thereof being that day apparelled, eyther in Tissue, cloath of Gold, Veluet, or rich Arras, as if the richnesse of such cloathing, should either hide from her the wofulnesse which for hir woes was concealed within them; or that making a Sabboth for her home-come, euery one triumphed in his wedding garment. And as the Vir∣gins passed thus along, some with Timbrils, some with Kyttes and some other newe inuented Instruments, to which they accorded the heauie accents of their most sorrowfull voyces, they sang this mournfull and Ele∣giacke passion:

This infinite consort consisting of all the innume∣rable parts of true sorowe, like a Riuer-swallowing Be∣hemoth, dranke vp the vniuersall teares of the worlde, so that the spectators of this egregious lamentation, ad∣iudged this Cittie nothing else but a vaste, sadde, and disconsolate Trophonius, whose entrance vrged euen the eye of delight to a relenting tearfulnesse; so that e∣uen to such (if such in such a place could bee) as had no feeling of the cause of this felt woe, yet the touch thereof in the effects of others participated a sympathi∣zed wayling to their rockie senselesnesse; and the more when they more earnestly behelde, in whom and from whom the greatest part, (or rather the whole, which to others lent part, yet like the Sunne had no part lesse Page  14 of that in which she triumphed) was as from a goodly Fountaine deriued: But in the ende, when shee was brought in this mourner-like royaltie to her pallace, which was a most goodly Castell, verie defensiuely fortifyed, and curiously built of rich Marble, in the ve∣rie heart of the Cittie.

After many thankes (interrupted with many teares) both to Phalantus for his care of her, and to the rest, for the sufferance of her follie, through which she gat the knowledge of their loues: she with the dying Amphyalus, betwixt whom and death was almost sealed the deed of perpetuitie, with-drew her selfe, and was no more seene in publique, so the space of fortie dayes: during all which time, shee bequeathed the desperate case of her loues Lord, into the hands of the skilful Physition: A mā of such age & decrepidnesse, that euen his life acknow∣ledged a loathsomnesse in her habitation, and Nature whome the hande of Arte by mending regenerated, with a malicious enuie languished her continuance, be∣ing bettered by that which for her slaue she created. He was by birth an Arabian, and well trayned in the vse of letters, whose neare alliance with the Sun inspiring him with a spritie humor of ambitious knowledge, led him to delight in trauell, and the taste of vnexperienced cu∣stomes; to that cōming vpon a day to the mount Ida, he met with a Nymph belonging to the fount Gaballine of whō being inquisitiue to know the maners of that place, he got the knowledge of the learned. Wel of the habita∣tion of the Mules, and the court of memorie yet vnsatis∣fied and wandring further, hee came into the groue, where Paris first wooed Oenon, saw where they pitched their toyles, where they made their Pitte-falles, Page  [unnumbered] where in the heate they lay and mocked the Sun which could not warme them; and in the coole where they ba∣thed, while the Sunne with his gentlest heate, did refresh them; and amongest many reliques left there for re∣membrances of their loue, hee found that heauenly and rare Booke, which Apollo when he was ouer-gone with affection and desire of her beautie, gaue her as a monu∣ment to eternize her name before many multitudes of admirable women: in it was the portratute of all hearbs, plants, Mynerals, or what euer belonges to the sacred studie of Physicke, together with their vertues, compo∣sitions, effects, and vses: this he tooke, for this Oenon had carelesly cast away, when confounded with the burden of care, she was become an out-cast in the worlde, and forlorne of Paris. And hence came those vncurable cures, which in the opinions of men made his name with such vnspeakable reuerence adored; and this still he practised vpon the wounded Amphyalus, with such prosperous seruiceablenes, that in few dayes he brought backe vnto him life, and his seruant remembrance; who yet not peace with that life which with former vpbray∣ding he had violently put forward to destruction, began afresh to gall him with newe thoughts of that auntient Disdaine, wherewith the most excellent Phyloclea had disfigured and ouerthrowne the beautie of his fortune; so that the inuisible wound of his soule, tankled and kept open the Vlcer of his bodie; his newe life being an olde death worse then the bodie and the breathles diuorce∣ment; which once perceyued by this most learned fa∣ther of science, he immediately applyed those Antidots to his vnderstanding, which drowned all the faculties of his mind in a Lethe of forgetfulnesse; and he became Page  19 such an Iris in the mutable exchange of his resolutions, that hee had all the colours in the which any passion could be disguised, except that in which the memorie of Phyloclea alone was clothed, and that from the Genuine sense of his best thoughts, had such an Anathema, or de∣uided excommunication, that like a Rauens-foster line, cast vp into the woods to seeke a desolate fortune, hee had vtterly forgone, and shaked off the memorie of her which being the most precious thing in the worlde, hee had made of her a more precious and deare estimation. And now for exchange, both his reason, iudgement, and affections, as the Actuaries or setters downe of his wils Cronicle presented vnto him, all the perfections and vertues of the truely louing Hellen. Now he saw in her beautie, which onely beautifying it selfe, beautified all things that to it selfe was adioyned: An eye that spea∣king with many tongues of delight, spake onely with the tongue of true affection; A brow wherein dwelling all the Maiesties of diuine greatnesse, yet onely ruling with one which was the most humblest wisdome. In briefe, he now sawe (that euer before had he not beene will-blind might haue better seene) a Ladie full of annoynted roy∣altie; royaltie exceeded in beautie; beautie in vertue; ver∣tue in wisdom; and wisdome in the excellent prouidence of her generall carriage: in-so-much that as his wound healed, his heart festred; and as his life strengthned, so the loue of that life weakned: euen now feare and shame seaz'd tyrannously vppon him, feare; least his deserts shoulde call in account the punishment of his life: and shame, that he had no Apologie to defend him from the disdaine he feared Feare, and Shame; Deserts, and Dis∣daine, like a quadruple euill, or a torment in foure parts, Page  [unnumbered] rackt thus his mind almost to the height of desperatnes; which no sooner perceiued by her, whose want of pittie had framed al her thoughts in the pitifulst mould of mer¦cie, but instant reliefe, vpon such worthy & honorable cōditions, as might sute with the seuerest respect of ver∣tue, gaue him that life of cōtentment, which euen angels thēselues celebrat as the best thing belōging to our crea∣tion. Excellent & worthy Sir, for my countrey brought∣vp tongue, to ascribe to it self words matchable with the height of those incōparable ioies which in either of these two great ones was vniuersally bestowed, through the blessed cōiunction of their diuine match, were arrogance and weaknesse; because in their humours, and passions, they as farre go beyond the leuels of our capacities, as in their estates, honours, and heroycall promotions: onely let it suffice me to say, Amphyalus at last with a worthie loue enioyed the nobly louing Hellen, the triumph at whose coronation and wedding gained such a Superla∣tiue cōmendations in the praises of al tongs, that I know there is no worthy ear vtterly void of the knowledge, the rather, since al Grece is stil & euer wilbe in labor with the deliuerance of those wonders. Immediatly after this tri∣umphāt mariage, Basilius died, & Amphyalus, with his Q. came into this country of Laconia, whose crown he cha∣lenged & possessed by his vncles testament; but whether the nature of the country, which euer haue bin ominous to the Princes therof, or the star-crost destiny of her poor Lady (to whō euē destenie was deholden for the patient indurance of her affliction) were the nefarius & bloodie conspirators of her vntimely and abortiue euill, I know not: but soothly then this there is nothing more credible that they had not continued togither many yeares, ere Page  16 the cinders of old discōtentment (which whether stirred vp by his flatterers, or inkindled by his spies, those Emis∣saries & canker worms of a peaceful continuance) brake into a prodigious eruption, or maine fire of displeasure in his before best-seeming to be cōtented mind; the par∣ticularities whereof; cannot capitulate against, because they be mysteries concealed from our knowledges, only some two years ago, when the blessednes of his presence made vs forget the miseries would follow his absence, & least fearing what most to be feared, came poasting vpon vs, vnknowne to any but those of his most priuatest coū∣sailes, he departed from this land, disguised in an armor of vnknowne mettall, which the skilfull Arabian his late Physition, by a most vnreuealed Art had beene many yeares in making: and for a remembrance giuen it to Amphyalus, as a Iewell of more woorth then all the worlds treasure: And vnder whose couert hee might compasse those conquests, which should out-reach the height of possibilitie. And doubtlesse if the Erraticall tongue of Fame haue not taken too great a taste of mis∣reporting, he hath since his departure effected wonders, beyond the wonder of expectation. But he had not been absent many Moneths, ere the rupture and impostume of our euils broke like a windie Meteor through the bowels of our fortunes, and ouer all the land (after many night-still mutterings) it was sounded with day-heard exclamations, that Hellen was turned retrograde in her vertues, become dissoyal to her husband, broke her faith with her Loue, dishonored marriage, foyled cōmunitie, slandered beauty, & was the efficient cause of the liuing death, wherein Am•hyalus liued eternally exiled. This generall defamatorie (and as as I hope) libellous Page  [unnumbered] report had so many thousand Proselytes, or children of Error, which with winged tongues gaue it a free way and a nimble passage, that all-be it Bastard-like knewe no father but that Hydra or monster Multitude; tongues accusing tongues, Fame, fame; eares, eares; but no know∣ledge, no true vnderstanding; yet the loue of our King, and such a King of such a diuine integritie, meeting with our feare, which for his absence discouered the least pe∣rill that any way could threaten our estate with hazard, made Beliefe become a slaue to report, and prouidence to wade no further then the limits of a restrained fancie: whereupon the sorrowfull Queene, whose omnipotent sorrow for her Lords losse, might either witnesse her in∣nocence, or haue excused the addition of other woes, since not any was more insupportable then that she car∣ried, being attached by Rumor, was indited by Report, condemned by Heresay, and adiudged by We wil haue it so; Feare lodging in the eyes of Wisedome, and Af∣fection in Iudgement. It was bootlesse to excuse where millions did accuse, and in vaine to wish the truth, when had he come cloathed in contrarie colours, he would neuer haue beene beleeued: in this manner the carefull, comfortlesse, and despised Ladie, continued till within these fewe dayes, when Opinion (by what meanes wee know not) growne to a stronger (but heauen knowes how much better) resolution, called the dying Queene to a publike account of her Countryes ouerthrowe; to which shee not able to giue other answere then teares, sighes, out-cries, and protestations, was forth-with ad∣iudged by a generall Edict of all the now greatest rulers in this land, to be brought to this place, and here to bee put into a mastlesse Caruile, which conueyed by a con∣uoy Page  21 of other shippes into the midst of the Euxine Sea, there to restore her to the mercie of the waters, and the predestinate ende of her vnhappie starres reuolutions. This is the day of her exilement; this the execution place of her iudgement; & her in this creeke lies the Caruile which must carry her to her desirelesse long desired in∣tombment. For this, rise we so earely to bemoane her misaduentures, and to exclaime against the Sea if it would claime interest in the blood of so superexcellent a beautie. And thus you know what wee know: which al-be I deliuer Beare-whelpe-like without shape, or per∣fection, yet may your happie knowledge forme it in some Angel-mould of blessed fortune; and to make you more assured of my reports trunes, if I be not deceiued, yond blacke cloud which ariseth with increasment from the earth, should be the fatal (& in that vnhappy) condu∣ctors of the wofull Q. to her miseries miserable ending.

At these wordes Pyrophilus suddenly lift vp his coun∣tenance, and perceiued from farre a troope of horse, that came poasting thither-ward, at which sight awakened, Honor began to rouse herselfe in his spirit, and lifting vp the cheerfulnes of his hart, he said in himself, O my soul, thou heauenly guest of an earthly mansion, either this day will I make thee a free Citizen amongst the starres, or sending my Fame beyond the starres, plucke Vertue perforce from almightie darknesse: O my life, I haue little loued thee, yet loue thee now dearely, since thou art preserued for so holy, and so worthy an oblation: And this said hee departed from the shepheards, with such an amazed violence, as that if his intraunced senses had but the while before slumbred in a swoundine dis∣course, and now beene awakned with some Elixar of his Page  [unnumbered] owne imaginations, he was caried by himselfe so farre beyond himself, that forgetting the due adiew of cōmon curtesie, he left his vertue to their most seuerest censure: And running to meet the near-drawing troope, placed himself in that way which of force they must passe; And assoone as the first vancurrer incoūtred with him face to face, with fair & reuerent speeches he demāded of whēce the retinue was, what royal person they guarded, and to what ende their iourney was directed? the other whose clay-bred coldnes had no feeling of the heat of honor (& the rather to behold the Princes foot-going weaknesse) in respectiuely without answere would haue passed by him, had not the Prince staid his horse by the head-stall of his bridle; at which the inciuill Squire, not onely with churlish words, but the offer of a blow threatned his own freedom; till the other hauing euer held himself a strāger to such salutations, & more then angry with his immo∣dest behauior, inraged, pulled him frō his horse with such an infinit power, that he brake his neck in the falling, and sent his soule to tell Pluto what is the true desert for inci∣uilitie; whilest at the very instant, the most admirable & heroyicke Pyrophilus mounted vpon his slaine aduersa∣ries horse, and drawing his sword, which he did more to defend his Honor, then to giue honor to any of them by his blowes, fairly paced towardes the rest of the troope, who by this time hauing seene the death of one of their consorts, all with one touch of discontentment, ranne furiously vpon the Prince, and assayled him with the greatest power that any way could proceede from their meane greatnesse: but looke how wee see a Greyhound when hee is inuironed with a multitude of little Curres, standes with a milde scornefulnesse, and receyues the Page  22 worst of their assault; in the ende checking their auda∣citie with a reuengefull deadlinesse; euen so the Prince out of his disdaine, receyued their worst malice, and in requiting of their daring, returned them blowes for blowes; but of such vnequall natures, and of such o∣uer heauie substance, that manie of their deaths, might haue fore-warned many of them from like deathes: But rage that was euer blinde, and feate which then had so got how to escape from rage; madly lead them on to destruction: so that the •ay encreased, and the Prince founde much difficultie in defending him∣selfe from their manie defyances: partlye because hee was loath to spill so much weake blood, and partlye because hee wished a lesse punishment for an offence of rudenesse: But when some small woundes (which for want of care hee had receyued) tolde him the effect of greater mischiefe, he banished the remem∣brance of all mercie, and like a Panther robbed of her yong ones, lest not of thirtie Knights and Squires one breathing soule, to weepe his fellowes ouerthrowes, so much did eyter wrath or power, or rather a powerfull wrath, gouerne and direct his instant actions; which being finished, hee went vnto the Coach, and assuring the Gouernor therof (who either through care, or feare, or a fearefull care, amazedly stoode still, yet in see∣ming readie to runne away like a heauie Foule that often waues his wings ere the ayre can beare him from the earth) that he should haue no hurt, lookt in, and be∣held in the one ende a most comely, graue, and portly Lady, in whom though middle age had chidden from cheekes, the vaine boast of youths decaying beautie; yet was her countenance gouerned with such maiesticke Page  [unnumbered] beames of setled modestie, that all men might reade in her eyes a promise of great wisedome; in the other end, two louely and faire yong Gentlewomen, whose atten∣ding behauiours shewed them to bee no other then her attendants: But the shadow of his countenance was no sooner seene within the Coatch, when the Lady, First in wonder at his attempt being a stranger, and none to counter-check the strangenesse of his attempt, arose, and looking foorth, saw her men slaine, or so neare slaine, that there was impossibilitie in any ones recouerie, with a spirit that might well seeme to lodge in so noble a breast, she demaunded what he was, wherein she had of∣fended, or what triumph hee expected from a victored Ladie? to which with a hie prysed humilitie, that well the beautie of his condition could both deliuer and ad∣orne, he returned this answere.

Excellent Lady, if the sowrnesse of my fortune in this not rash but defensiue action, hath either in your iudge∣ment made weake the power of your trust, or giuen you occasion to grieue at the impouerishment of this poore succour, let the tender of mine enderest seruice, and the commaundment of my sworde, so much the better by how much it wades before these slaine creatures, in ad∣uantage excuse mine error, and be a witnesse how free my thoughts are from any dishonor to your excellency: but if they were (as be they cannot) the factors of an ill denounced iudgement, to ingrosse vp mischiefs, either a∣gainst your sacred life, or the title of your vertue, be their owne deserts their ruine, and my sword the iustice of an vpright heauen; Diuine Hellen, and sacred Queene of Corinth, for no lesse I take you, and lesse beams I do not see in the skie of thy noble gesture: if there be a iustice Page  23 vnder heauen, or that Iustice which so long since fled to heauen, may bee either discouered by power, or inticed from aboue by vertue, I haue this day inlye sworne to mine one soule, to build her vpon these plaines a newe habitation, and for your sake (vppon whose integritie I will erect the foundation of mine honour) to cancell the vtmost bond of life, or chase away the cloudes which passe betwixt the earth and thy reputation; yet Madam, I protest this bloodie beginning was no intended Pro∣em of my seruice, onely the rudenesse of your atten∣dants, nay, I feare your executioners, who with barba∣rous blowes made answere to a curteous demaund, was it that hath dispeopled you and displeased mee; for which I with a heartie humblenesse, intirelye craue pardon.

The noble Ladie, hauing in his speech taken most amplified notes of a princely magnanimitie; and behol∣ding in the hie top-gallant, of his valour, so low a decline to honour absolute weaknesse, and withall studying vp∣on the error of his conceyte, which had mistaken her for Hellen Queene of Corinth, loath to loose an opportunitie so happily ouertaken, And in feare by too suddaine a discouerie, to hazard that which with an earnest longing shee desired, was contented a little (by no denyall) to maintaine his misbeliefe, and therefore in this sort re∣plyed.

Worthie Sir, if I faile in the homage due to so see∣ming a worthinesse, let my weake sex, and the ignorance attending me in my weaknesse, be the excusefull pardon of my faultinesse: And the lesse I pittie (though euerie death is weepe-worthie) the ouerthrow of these my fol∣lowers, sith their rude eyes were so bad intelligencers as Page  [unnumbered] would not let their hearts vnderstande, that euen in your outwardest showe, was tokens of more then or∣dinarie presence: yet let mee intreate you, and con∣iure you by all those tenders you haue made me of the treasures of your seruice: first to let mee knowe your byrth, fortune, and your hither aduenture, and then not to forsake mee, till as you founde mee you leaue mee againe in the handes of other safe∣tie.

To this he made answere, that as concerning his birth (which he couetted to conceale in the bosom of si∣lence) hee was borne in Iberia, and though vnworthi∣ly, yet Prince and heyre of that Dominion, his name was Adunatus, the bitternesse of whose fortune bore in it such tragicke matter of a life fore-worne, and wa∣sted with the most vnspeakablest miserie that euer abso∣lute miser could intitle miserable; as hee did not onely grieue, but feared to discouer to the worlde the infinite∣nesse of his woes, which (as he was perswaded) went far beyond either comparison, or coniecture of the woful∣lest estate whatsoeuer; and therefore most humblie be∣sought her, that hee might no further reueale the wret∣chednesse of his mishaps, whose vntunefulnesse would but distaste the noble eare of her vnderstanding; lastly, for his aduenture thither, hee said it was a blessed mis∣chance, and a happy shipwracke, because he hoped that her excellencie (of whose wrongs euen Gods & Angels stood agreeued) should from the hand of his danger reap the new inioyment of her absolute safetie, and therefore that she should not need to command his seruice, but ra∣ther study how to imploy his seruice, which all be wor∣thy matter more precious then the dearenesse of his life Page  24 commanded him to other far remoued aduentures, yet for her noble vertues sake he vowed not to depart from her, till her owne free will should giue a resolute libertie to his other next desired indeuours.

This princely legacie (said she) is a royall inrichment to the lowest descent of Fortune: But O this worlds fa∣shion, this courseship of words, this father accomplimēt, this honie aire, this bond of breath, this coppi hold right of friendship, is no other then the shadowes of our bo∣dies, which then at all is not when wee most assuredly imagine it is, and I feare mee this bequest will bee but as the Testament of a liuing man, which is apt to change with the change of euerie opinion.

Thinke not so Madam (replied he) for you shall not finde it so, and with that began to lay protestation vppon protestation, vowe vppon vowe, and oath vppon oath, knitting them all-together with the bond of an vpright Religion; so that the Noble Lady (whose owne opinion, like a true speaking Augure, deliue∣red most large Prophesies of his excellent singularities) vnwilling any longer to detaine him from the know∣ledge of that where-vnto time and her desires must perforce bring him, in plaine and sweete framed wordes, graced with the state of so well setled a coun∣tenance, as shewed Maiestie to bee the birth-right in∣heritance of a royal discent, told him wherin he had mis∣taken her, and that she was not as he supposed Hellen Queene of Corinth; but Euronusa Queene of Tenedos, one that if loue and affection had power to make two, one was in nothing diuided from that dearelye and euer to be beloued Hellen, and that hauing had notice to what damnable vse this Apostate and Postridian Page  [unnumbered] day was reserued, namely the destruction of her, who till this time had beene the sauegard of many kinglie hearts, and hearts Kingdomes, was come either with her prayers, teares, or the threates of a diuine Iustice, who as the apple of his eye maintaineth the oppressed estate of the innocent, to take away, or at least deferre the vniust rigour of her vndeserued condemnation, to which shee had many hopefull, and well pleasing per∣swasions, as her estate, power, and kindred, the lawe of Nations, and the opinion of the worlde, apt to rebell where so vnnaturall tyrannie is offered to an annoyn∣ted soueraigne; but chiefly and aboue all these, an anti∣ent and long exercised acquaintance betwixt her and the noble Phalantus, who (as she heard) being a princi∣pall actor vpon this stage of suspition, was not vnlikely to rule and ouer-rule the tyde of mutinous and barba∣rous misconceyued credulityes, and with him she inten∣ded to deale so effectually, that he should not onely be free from the detection of so monstrous an imagination, but if not for vertues sake, yet for his Honours sake, him-selfe seeke to vndergoe by the iust tryall of a well managed sworde, the happie meanes of her deliuerance: But (said she) fayre Prince, since the heauens (who in their all-knowing vprightnesse, know what is best for their gloryes and our weaknesse) haue allotted you as a sacred Vmpiere in this deuout and most holy action: Be omnipotent in thy resolutions, goe forward and persist euen to the death in this all-loue-gaining atchieuement, so shal thine honor either exceed the glories of thy great byrth, or thy death be crowned with an immortall Dia∣dem of mens prayses and admirations; Neuer did the vnspotted Moone blush with a more bashfull amaze∣ment, Page  25 when mistaking her desires, shee kist the sleeping cheeke of Endimion, then this all-worthie Prince did when hee behelde himselfe thus intrapped within the commandement of an vnexpected obedience: but when he had called into the depth of his consideration, the whole account of both their intentions, and saw the le∣uell of their aymes was the aduancement of one intire glorie, and that what honour and pietie stirred in him, loue and acquaintance kindled in her; hee absolutely without further disputations resolued that hee had well done, in what he had then done, and how euer the losse might redound either to his life or fortune, yet neuer to start aside, or infringe the least article of his honourable concluded bargaine; and with that alighting, and disar∣ming one of her slaine Knights, and arming himselfe with his peeces, he mounted vpon his horse 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 in∣finite 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 ap∣prehended the terror, nor felt in themselues any sympa∣thie 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 con∣uenient Page  [unnumbered] standings, that nothing eyther by worde or acte, coulde passe without their iudgements or know∣ledges, with no lesse expectance of what shoulde then insue then the rest, though with farre contrarie deter∣minations; for in the one of them was a Pittie full of Helpe, in the other a power able, and therefore inward∣ly resolued to helpe, whereas all other succour was but Pittie, and God helpe, the Pyning charitie of a mise∣rable 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 Laco∣nia, 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 Mon∣ster opinion, euer then readie to bee deliuered from the wombe of common multitude) the most noble and valiant reputed Phalantus, armed in a blacke Ar∣mour, curiously damaskt with interwinding wreathes of Cypres, and Ewe, his barbe vppon his horse, all of blacke Ab•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 suppor∣ted by two blake horses, in which the desolate Queene was borne to her murderous exilement: after her roade Page  26 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, con∣ducted by the most principall Captaines of that King∣dome: 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 ves∣sell, 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 vndoub∣ted cause to feare some suddaine insurrection where∣vppon one of hie place (called Cosmos) whose excel∣lent 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 pre∣sence.

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 re∣maine, writte in the hearts of you and your successi∣ons for euer; why are you carryed like a Deluge with euerie winde, or affrighted like Babes with insufficient suppositions? O call vp your wonted cou∣rages, and looke into your owne calamities, whilest I intende here first to denounce vnto you your losse which is vnspeakable, your redresse which is vnrecoue∣rable, and the sacrifice for our euill thought most auaile∣able; your losse it is the losse of the most excellent Page  [unnumbered] Amphialus, a Prince in whom Nature, Arte, and won∣der, stroue to extoll the omnipotencie of their powers, in the infinitenesse of his excellencies; a man of such ad∣mirable vertue, that his whole life was the worldes best Academie of deerest beloued goodnesse, powerfull be∣yond controlment, harde without rashnesse; wise with∣out austeritie, and honourable in the vtmost lists of vn∣sufferable 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 co∣lumbe of your selues, your wiues & childrens safeties: he that in his hād beares the calender of your peace, regist∣ring yeres of playful Sabboths, where before laboursome dayes of mourning by cōtinuall garboyls, were hower∣ly numbred and increased; whose sworde was your vic∣torie, & 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 wat∣ching, 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 Laconi∣ans, is your losse, the vertuous Amphialus, your King, your glorie, your beatitude, and your father; will you Page  27 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 repu∣tation, or you your owne safeties. But since the all sur∣ueying eye of Iustice will not so haue it, be not as exa∣minated 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 remem∣brances: O no Countrymen, in that alone is the Super∣latiue of our miseries reserued: there is no redresse for our calamitie, no Baulme for our wounde, nor no re∣peale that can call backe our banished good fortunes; Things hopefull to be amended, may with modestie be lesse by much bewailed; but desperate Vlcers incu∣rable, 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 exile but his owne resolution? him-selfe that is the God of his Fortune, and his Reso∣lution a decree like Fate neuer to he controlled: Is it likely that he who most preiudicately sawe his owne ill, and eschewed it, will seeke to reuiue that euill, and anew to returne vnto it? It cannot be imagined, or if it could, the vowes he hath throwne throughout the world are impregnable Bulwarkes to withstande his returning, hauing sworne by his princely hand neuer againe to be∣holde Laconia. If he then be valiant, that spirit will de∣taine Page  [unnumbered] him; if he be wise his wisdome will make his vowes lawfull; and if he be iust, there can no iniustice shine in his actions. And to the first, let his conquests speake, to the next his gouernment; and to the last, both the world & you that are his people. Thus is our amends frustrate, and Redresse slaine vtterly dead for euer; Is it then in your opinions tollerable to loose him, to lacke remedie, & neither to him nor vs yeeld any satisfaction? the gods forbid! then our satisfaction must be the abolishing of that euill by which our first euill was ingendred, which is the life of Hellen, euen Hellen the too-early late-crow∣ned Queene of our Country, she that hath ouerthrown the goodly temple of her vertue, by an inuertuous com∣municating of those beauties which to him onely should haue bin for euer most dearly preserued; she that in her loue hath beene false to Amphyalus, dishonorable to her∣self, and an vtter ruine to vs, you, & this country. If then you will haue your King restored, restore him by her death, for in her ending must cōsist the best of his liuing, and in this action doth the world infinitely gaze vppon you, to see whether any vaine title of beauty, or perfecti∣ons can rebelliously with-draw your minds frō the exe∣cution of iustice: restore vnto your selues your auncient honours, by banishing out of the land your dishonours, which is onely she by whom all our infamies are main∣tained; and that this may bee performed by such a direct mean of wel intending, that no seuere iudgemēt may at∣tach vs of crueltie; thus haue the Senat & Lords of Laco∣nia decreed, that Hellen shall bee conuaid into a Caruill mastlesse & sailelesse, vnmand, vnuittaild, & of all muni∣tion vnfurnished, which being toaed forty leagues into the maine Ocean, there be left to the mercy of the gods, Page  28 the seas, and her own furtune if she be blameles, her pre∣seruation will be doublesse; if faulty her end will be swift and without pittie; how euer in vs will be nothing but the discharge of a most loyall dutie, wherefore as many as loue Amphyalus, wish for Amphyalus, or hope for the benefite of his blessed sight, throw vp their hats as a signe of consent to the execution of this noble iustice.

The whole assembly whose minds were variously ca∣ried vp and and downe with a desire and feare, or a fear∣full desire to wish nothing that might put them in feare of ensuing good fortune; And euen those betwixt whose lippes yet stucke the worde of safetie, to the neuer-ill de∣seruing Queene Hellen, were so inchaunted with the plaine Rhetoricke of this honest-seeming Oration, that as if all their seuerall bodies had had but one mind, that mind one head, that head but one tongue to vtter their cogitations, cast vp their caps, and cried the iudgement was excellent, and not to be reuersed: all be euen at the beginning of the speech scarce any two agreed one in o∣pinion, some consenting more for feare then cōscience, some dissenting as much vpon will as loyaltie, some to bee reputed strickt performers of Iustice, some to bee thought charitable in pittying the innocent, some to seeme to vnderstand deeper misteries then were hid in plaine dealing; and some to picke a thankes-giuing of such as might pursue like hard fortune: All in such mu∣tinie of censures, that it was impossible either to discerne Pitie, Mercy, or Iustice, vntill the colours of this speech (as alwayes the eyes of common multitude are bleared with showfull reportinges) had brought them to concurre and agree in one Opinion and consent of her destruction, the fearefull fearing the scourge Page  [unnumbered] of disobedience; the wilfull willing to haue their willes performed; the seuere as delighting in crueltie; the cha∣ritable for a counterfaite loue to their Country; the wise to be renowned for their deepnesse; and the flatterers to draw to them a good opinion of well meaning; which no sooner was perceiued by the most politike Queene Euronusa, whose heart enkindled her braine with a fierie wisedome, to see the desperate estate where-unto the ayre of wordes drewe her dearest beloued, but brea∣king through the multitude, and opposing face to face with the Nobilitie of Laconia, lifting vp a well tuned voyce, guarded with so reuerent a countenance of glo∣rious Maiestie, as did not onely intice but astonish the beholders, drawing their attentions to a silent dumbnes, she thus made answere to the former Oration.

You Princes, Lords, and Commons of Laconia, let neither my presence (how greatly so euer at this time inexpected) nor my wordes (though farre vnsutable to this voluntarie consent you haue giuen for the killing of a worthe innocent) breede in you so much wonder, as your inconsideracie (neuer till this time knowne, or at∣tached) stirreth in me an admiration beyond the com∣passe of common admiring, the rather when I behold your grauities directed and led by the blinde eye of no reason; why, whither are your Noble iudgements fled? (till nowe the Schooles of other Nations) where are your faiths? where are your loues? and where are your wisedomes? Are all slaine with insubstantiall wordes, with broken arguments, and vngrounded supposes? O that it were as lawfull for me to chide you, as it is most necessarie for your selues, in your selues, to condemne your selues as blame-worthy; you haue this day by your Page  29 consents hurt onely Amphyalus, dishonoured onely Am∣phyalus, and adiudged to death not Hellen, but in Hellen the liuing soule of Amphyalus; in-so-much that if the backe-looking eye of your vnderstanding doe not recall that vnaduised euill of your too-suddaine verdite, it will be too manifestly true (as this Gentleman hath ouer-wel deliuered with an ill intention) that your losse will bee vnspeakable, your redresse vnrecouerable, and no satis∣faction (though the sacrifices of your owne wiues and children) will in the eye of the world be esteemed auail∣able, for it is most certaine, that in loosing her, you loose that Prince, that vertue, that power, that strength, that wisdome, that honour, that Lion, that Lambe, and that goodnesse he hath spoke of; nay that King, that hade, that ornament, that maintenance and colombe of your safeties; and more then this, and more then hee or I can or haue spoken, the diuine father of your kingdome, sith the Sacramentall misterie of two moste intirely lo∣uing hearts co-vnited, and inseparably ioyned together; hath made them one flesh, one spirit, and one bodie, so that they are not two but one creature, not he Amphya∣lus, but Hellen, nor she Hellen, but him you seeke to kill, which is onely Amphyalus, for no more then the shadow can be remoued from the bodie (and yet bee a shadow) the breath from life, or the falling riuers frō the Ocean: no more may they be separated, diuided, or disioyned; if then you will not loose him, loose not her in whom is his being, if for himselfe you will destroy himselfe, what thankes can you reape of him, or his admirers? were it not most preposterous in your iudgements, by fire to seeke to quench fire, or to heale a paine, by adding to it a greater paine of the selfe nature and condition? O let Page  [unnumbered] Ignorance it selfe, censure in that position; and what is this you now vndertake, other then such proceeding seeking to cure his sick honor with a mortal Apoplexie? nay, let me descend nearer into your errors, and tell me (O you Laconians) who hath accused her, where are the testimonies of her euill, or who dare to affirme with an vnblushing face that she is guiltie? can your lawes of La∣conia by fore-poynted doomes prescribe Princes in ge∣nerall consultations, & find a treason where there is nei∣ther fealtie nor allegeance? strange law of a strāge senate. But be all things as you will, shall not the iust hand of the infinite iustice be stretched against you, and your succes∣sions, euen to the last generation, if you violate the lawes of Iustice? be assured it will; therefore for your own sakes and safeties, repeale your sentence, or at least deferre it for some few dayes, in which if she procure not a cham∣pion that shall with a well ordered sword defend her in∣nocence; let the persecution of her fortune pursue her faultinesse.

At that worde the whole assemblie, with an in∣finite clamour stopt the further passage of her wordes, and flocking about her like a swarme of Sommer Bees, on the Mount of Hybla, cryed, she had but well spo∣ken, and that there was nothing but iustice and rea∣son in all shee had spoken; turning all the rasors of their opinions agaynst that iudgement, for whose maintenance before they were onelye whetted; so variable are the resolutions of the multitude, and so apt to delight in the last sound, how discordante soeuer. Which being perceyued by the politike Queene, who loath that the cold words of any elder wisedome should quench the blaze she had newly kindled; after the bow∣ing Page  30 of her hand for a token of silence, she againe these or such like words vttered.

Howe sutable to your Noble grauities is this ho∣nourable consent (most famous Laconians) who know∣eth not that is worthie of any knowledge, & how much in my selfe it shall be both respected and rewarded, wit∣nesse mine hereafter deseignes, and my present thankful∣nesse, for neuer was there anie example of more iust loue, or of the loue of iustice; yet sith delay is the onely torrent of hope, and Desire the sworne enimie to ex∣pectation, that mine innocent sute may be stained with neither of their imputations, beholde here the most ex∣cellent Prince of Iberia, the famous Adunatus, who wil∣ling to expose his sacred person in so notable a defence, standeth to approoue her neuer to-be blotted innoceny.

Scarce had the Queene deliuered these wordes, when Cosmos againe stept forth, Anger and Disdaine warring in his countenance, willing to defende what was in∣defencible, began to seconde his first speech; But the common people, according to their common custome, when either they heare what they woulde not, or are come to the full poynt of what they expected, be∣gan some to hemme, some to cough, some to spit, ma∣king such a Babell of confused vtterances, that neither were his wordes reteyned, or respected; which percei∣ued by Adunatus, who pressing forwarde with his horse, as a signall of somewhat hee had to say, the people in∣stantly were calmed, and hee lifting vp his Beuer, thus spake.

Fire (my noble Lords) is neuer quencht with swords; nor wel grounded resolutions altred with weak perswa∣sions; then why go you about by aire to alter that which Page  [unnumbered] euen by the destinies I perswade my selfe is foredoom'd and decreed; the offer is noble and not to be refused, the reasons strong and not to bee refelled, and my selfe wil∣ling, neither by any other aduenture whatsoeuer to bee withdrawn or concealed; for a seal to which noble deed I beseech you all, my Lords, remember and publish this my protestation. First, I protest this haplesse Queene to be vertuous, immaculate and innocent, of all her vn∣kinde husbands imputations: and sith she hath no ac∣cuser but his iealousie, euen to that iealousie, and that tongue which hath beene the Herauld to that iealousie, I heare denounce the lie, & will with this constant hand guided with my resolued heart, be readie to defend the same against Amphialus, the world, or by whom so euer I shall be called.

He had no sooner made this protestation, but the people gaue a great showte, and the Nobilitie seeing how this deluge had drowned all their former resoluti∣ons, with vnwilling willingnesse gaue consent to the motion, decreeing the execution should be deferred, and messengers dispatched through all the forraigne parts of Christendome, to giue notice to Amphyalus, of all that had passed in their proceedings: but Euronusa loath to leaue Hellen in the hands of her executioners, fearing ey∣ther the hate of age might worke hurt for policie; or the flatterie of youth might faile in a distressed fortune, shee humbly he sought the Lords of Laconia, that they would deliuer vnto her the vnhappie Queene, whom by the vowes of her princely worde, and all the obligations which could tie so great an Empresse, shee solemnely swore to bring forth vnto them again vpon fortie dayes warning, whensoeuer they should commaund, for the Page  31 tryall and hazard of her fortune.

The Nobilitie, as willing a little to flatter Hellen, whose best fortunes were not altogether confounded, as loath by her detaining to giue larger limits to her hatred, con∣sented to the Queenes requests, & accepting her prince∣ly worde for her redeliuerie, in most humble manner gaue the wofull Hellen to the noble Euronusa's protecti∣on, excusing much of that inexcusable course, which with such wilfulnesse they had pursued. Now was the meeting of these two Queenes full of passion & delight: Passion in their woes, Delight in the excellencie of their woes: but after a little enterchange of sorrow (which hu∣mour though of some it be helde base and coward; yet of others it is esteemed the ornament of Age, Vertue, and Continence) they hauing in their embracements and kisses, told the tongue-tied message of their herts, began now in solemne sort to take their leaues of the Lords and States of Laconia; the wofull Queene Hellen, in her silence, shewing that she desired nothing which themselues did not first desire. But Phalantus humbly crauing her to measure his doings by the power he had to doe, and not to let his silence condemne what his bu∣sie thoughts were in labour to bring to passe, besought both the Queenes to accept his seruice, and that they would vouchsafe him leaue, to attend them into the Ile Tenedos. The Queenes right gratefully accepted his of∣fer, and so after many accōpliments twixt him and the worthie Adunatus, they departed on vpon their iour∣ney, where hauing past through the Countrey of Lace∣nia, and a great part of Peloponesus, without any aduen∣ture worthie noting, they came at length to those sands which lie agaynst the Ile Cythera, from whence by an Page  [unnumbered] euen line they may passe to Tenedos; there they found at∣tending 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 exam∣mated 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 adioy∣ned 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 them∣selues to countermaund any his demaundes, yet wi∣shing 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 ver∣tues 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 Page  32 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 dis∣comfort.

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 friend∣ship, they went all aboord, the two Queenes, and Pha∣lantus, 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 O∣lympian 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 com∣fortlesse 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 speech∣lesse 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 Page  [unnumbered] 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 Pe∣naus, 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 aligh∣ting from his backe, and plucking off his Bridle, gaue him leaue to feede vpon the choysest grasse, whilest him∣selfe withdrawing himselfe into a goodly wood of Pine-trees neare adioyning, where thinking to make the neg∣lect 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 bran∣ches 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 ob∣scured 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 cunning∣ly 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 Page  33 imaginarie wonders might at last perceiue come cree∣ping 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 on∣ly 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, loo∣ked like the flakes of snow vppon the Alpes, or Pyrene∣ans: 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 of∣ten turning, and sullied with the teares of his true con∣trition. 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, compa∣nion with greatnes; why dost thou bewitch vs with so∣cietie, 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 Con∣tent Page  [unnumbered] 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 e∣uer presents vnto our mindes the Idaeaes of Vertue, whose well ordered gouerment sets in order all disor∣dered imaginations, containing mans selfe in himselfe, without the assistance or helpe of forreine societie brin∣ging 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 fur∣ther 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 loue∣ly curtesie, hee saluted the olde man, wishing him those happie howers which might make age most hap∣pie, and that life, which to those yeares might neither bee tedious, nor loathsome, Desiring him therewith∣all 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 ver∣tuous.

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 Page  34 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 Thes∣salian Tempe, for my selfe I am called Eugenio, whom nintie nine Winters hath Frost-nypt, and distempe∣red, and as manie Sommers hath Sunne-burnt and in∣flamed; 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 for∣mer 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 amaze∣ment, and that amazement seconded with such an vnresistable Desire, that perswading himselfe Page  [unnumbered] 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 migh∣tily 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 inno∣cent 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 brea∣thing, calles me to an howerly quest of mine onely belo∣ued; 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, ap∣plie 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 Page  34 for the stately scituation, fruitful soyle, & faire buildings, as for the noble inclinatiō of the people, who hated diso∣bedience 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 ad∣uaunced 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 pro∣portions 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 chal∣lenge 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 Page  [unnumbered] 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 immediatlye built himselfe a moste curious house, euen in the midst thereof, where wanting nothing that might breede delight, hee found the excesse thereof did breede sometimes a loathing of pleasure, neare vnto his owne house, and round about the bordering skirts of this Tempe, hee built manye prettye and conuenient cottages; in which hee placed certaine Shepheardes whose well tempered myndes (finding the ambition of better aduaunced people, smallye auayle to the attainement of true felicitye) are the onelye schooles to teach their forrayne Neighbours, that their industrye and pro∣uidence neyther giueth hope of disturbance, nor example of generall or priuate quarrell: into this place he would seriously retire himselfe in the voide time of his progresse, as much to renewe his remembrance with his past knowledges as to better his instant knowledge with newe matter worthye of moste ex∣cellent remembrance, so exceeding wittye were the Shepheardes by him there placed, and so much ex∣cellencye did his presence administer to them which were but simplye witted; neare vnto his owne house, hee buylt a fayre and sumptuous Temple Circular and in forme of the auncient Iewes Sinagogue the outside of marble, containing fiftie Arches, euerye Arch a dore, each dore seauen windowes, each win∣dow seauen Pyllasters of Iet, and porpherye, each pil∣laster, Page  36 seauen images of the Saints, Sages, and worthies of past ages. This Temple hee dedicated to the greate Goddesse Diana, and indowing it with a Metropolitan authoritie, subiected not onely vnto those lawes (which lawes are ingrauen in certaine Pillars of Copper and Marble, adioyning to the Temple and other places) the Residents, home borne, and straungers in that prouince, but euen himselfe his crowne and succession; In this place, and in this rurall companye, hee tooke a more then most contented delight, they seeking by Eglogues, pastoralles, shepheardly contentions, and other sports of witte and courage, as running, leaping, wrastlinge, throwing the Darte, the Stone, and the Massye axel-tree to ingrafte in his setled Iudgement a setled conti∣nuance of those harmles commendations. This con∣tinuing the happy daies of this more happy King, death comming to challenge his subiect nature, & taking from the eye of the world, what the worlds eye moste dearely esteemed, (I meane this renowned Musidorus) hee left behinde him as the onely heyre of his Kingdome and perfections, the alone incomperable Mellidora, natures wonder: the Muses subiect, and the Booke of Beau∣tye: the day of delight: the life of loue: and the Iewell of eternitye. But she to whome the strangenes of griefe made the euill shape thereof by many degrees much more ouglye, tooke such an incurable surfait through her impatience, that esteeming no commaundemēt (the Fates hauing taken away her onely commaunder) shee gaue herselfe clerely from the commaundement both of her owne and other passions, and by no perswasion would eyther take care for the common wealth (to her by her Fathers death so deepely ingaged) not comforte Page  [unnumbered] in the Crowne, without which the great man imagines there can bee no true felicitie; for which errour, when the Sages of her Kingdome had with an humble chy∣ding shewed her the faults of her wil, & the office of her calling, in the one, painting the effects of her weak∣nesse; in the other, the seale which must aduaunce her to eternall happinesse; she with a sad resolution made them this answere.

I know my Lords (as sound men doe) the effects of Physicke, but cannot digest taste of the potions: I know mine euill, but my passion ouer-rules me; therefore I beseech you, be suffering as my selfe will be patient, giue me the name, take vpon you the nature of mine office; rule you my Kingdome, let me only rule my thoughts: deale you with reasonable men, whilest I deale with vn∣reasonable passions: for I protest I will intermeddle with no subiect but the subiect of my sorrowes. To what end (faire Prince) shall I wade further into the La∣borinth of her woes? suffice it me thus to say, the ver∣tuous Melidora, referring the gouernment of her king∣dome to a well chosen Senate, and betaking her selfe with a conuenient retinue of Ladies and attendants, in∣to this delicate Tempe, hath euer since her fathers death liued Nymph-like, exercising hunting, throwing the Dart, running, and such Goddesse-like pleasures, wher∣in she doth so farre exceede all possible imaginations, that if Cephalus him-selfe were yet liuing, hee would be∣come a suter for her knowledge: Into this Tempe is prohibited by an especiall Edict vppon paine of death, the approach or arriuall of any Prince, Noble-man, or other of Citie qualitie; the innocencie of the place de∣siring no commercement, but with innocent creatures, Page  37 except only at that time when the yong Princes of Del∣phes came to offer to Apollo their nine yeares Sacrifice. Into this place not long sithence, there is come a yong Shepheard, whose name is Thirsis, borne (as he saith) in Pelagonia, and recommended thither by especiall Let∣ters from diuers of the ancient Shepheards of Arcadia, who hauing Wit the contriuer, & Money the meanes which onely in this age doth aduance fortunes, falling into acquaintance with a silly block-headed swaine cal∣led Corridon (one who made folly his best wisdome, and extreame ignorance the depth of his best knowledge) hath purchased from him, both his flocke, and the priui∣ledges belonging to his flockes keeping. This Coridon becomming now a seruant vnto Thyrsis, who to attaine the pleasures of the soyle, would not haue disdained to haue called him maister,: All-be I may iustly say with∣out the feare of reprehension, this Thirsis hath shewed himselfe so excellently endewed with all the admirable partes of perfection, that he may worthily bee tearmed the miracle of this age he liues in; his youth being in the May time of his flourish, exceeded with a most excee∣ding beautie, which beautie rauishing all eyes, was bette∣red by vertue that did astonish hearts; his iudgements tempered with much knowledge, his knowledge cou∣pled to a demure silence; what shall I say, so excellent were his good parts, that hee wanne loue in his compa∣nions, and admire in strangers, euerie one imitating his actions for their prayses, and alleaging his words as their best authorities. But as we see the Curtaine of the night takes from our eyes the glory of the day, yet is the dayes returne no lesse beautifull; so a little Melancholie drawne on by a mightie loue distempering his soule, Page  [unnumbered] brought him to the vse of much solitarinesse, which so∣litarinesse like a slie enemie, seeking to steale the minde from the bodie, cloathing himselfe in the roabes of ver∣tue and diuine contemplation, so imprisoned Thirsis vnder the arrest of his passions, that in the ende hee be∣gan to forsake all companie; sports hee contemned, pa∣storalles he neglected; his profites wayned, his flock wa∣sted, and himselfe consumed; which being by all his neighbours with much pittie noted, was by many of his best wishers infinitely lamented, especially by a famous Forrester thereby, named Siluagio, whose better profes∣sion brought him to a better feeling of the mindes in∣firmityes, and whose best loue being by a strong bonde of not to bee cancelled faith tyed vnto Thirsis and his vertues, called him now foorth to seeke some cure for his friends maladie, where-vpon ranging vp and downe through euerie Desart, by path and vnfrequented har∣bour, he might at last beholde the most pensiue Shep∣heard lying vnder the protection of an olde withered Oake, whose aged armes being the witnesses of his in∣tollerable woes, seemed to be more olde through his lamentings, which lamentings made euen the ayre in teares to lament for companie. After Siluagio had well vndertaken the sight of the sad Shepheard, his eies com∣maunding his feete to stay, least the sodainnesse of his approach might bee stayned with an vnfriendly wel∣come; yet with great priuacie, drawing so neare, that his eares might be copartners of the wordes which the louing Shepheard deliuered, after some little pawse hee might heare him vnto his Pype sing this Sonnet fol∣lowing.

After he had sung this song, throwing himselfe vpon the ground, and folding his armes one within another, he began to complaine in this maner.

Miserable, forlorne, and deiected that I am, howe oft hath the crie of my complaints, and the sad sorrowe of my speech compelled the hard rockes, the senselesse trees, and the humble shrubbes, to a shiuering pittie? and how oft (alas) hast thou my Pype intyced the Valleys, Medowes, and running Springs, with a siluer Eccho to replie vnto my sad sighing, and in a murmuring fashion to beare the burden of my lamentation? But sith I finde thou hast no power to breath pitty nor sweetnes, which may stir cōpassion in that most excellent brest, whose di∣vine resolutions holds the determination of my life, euen as my hart breaks, break my Pipe: & with that, breaking his Pipe into as many peeces as his heart was mangled with many tormēts, he fel into a swoūd, which perceiued Page  [unnumbered] by Siluagio, to whom friendship presented the cause of pittie, and pittie the effect of speedie assistance, he ranne vnto the Shepheard, and folding him in his •••es, af∣ter life had got a little vpper hande of passion, he spake thus vnto him. What meanes my Thirsis? these confoun∣ding agonies which rather makes thee trouble these fayre springes with the deluge of thy teares, then giue comfort to the Skie by thy diuine melodie? But Thirsis casting his countenance vpon Siluagio, yet such a coun∣tenance, as rather commanded Pittie to suffer, then Wis∣dome to chide the errour of his passion, saide vnto him. Ha Siluagio, Siluagio, I am euē like vnto my Pipe, whose tune is answerable to the fingers touch, when it strikes it; for if the touch be smooth & soft, the hermony is plea∣sant; if rude and rough, it iarres & distasteth the hearers, and so of my selfe; My songs are lamentations, touched with the bitternesse of sorrows fingers; O but yet (said Siluagio) let me coniure thee, first by our loues, which e∣uen Sauadges haue accounted an honorable friendship; next by the pleasures of our former meetings, when with the eagernes of our desires, we haue attēded the Nimphs in their chasings; and lastly for the Muses sakes, who as true Mystresses of Memorie, inrich thee with those con∣ceites which shall out-liue all remembrances, that thou wilt vouchsafe to discharge thy sorowes into my bosom, wherin if my counsell cannot amend, yet shall not mine endeuours end, til I endeuour to end thy misfortune.

Hee grieues not Siluagio (said Thirsis) that can tell howe much hee grieueth, for heauie cares sit heauye on the soule, they be but light shadowes, which leape from the tongues vttererance: yet if it please thee to sit downe, and leane against this tree, I will bee content Page  39 to disclose, what to these woodes, this banke, these bush∣es, yond streames, and these Birds I haue long since dis∣closed, onely to no Shepheard it is reuealed, and yet me thinkes, sith I feele my death so neere, twere fitter to conceale my folly, and onely graue it in some tender barke, by which my bodie shall bee interred, that when the Goddesse shall passe by for whose sake I consumed, she may tryumphing say, Loe heere lyes the victory of mine eyes, and my beauties conquest; But Siluagio im∣patient to bee delayed, beganne againe to importune him with such vnresistable perswasions, that thus in the end Thirsis began to deliuer his fortunes.

At such time Siluagio as euery Budde began to make his tender leafe appeare vppon the earth, and that euery wooddy Querrister skipping from bough to bough, chaunted fayre welcomes to the Springes first comming, my selfe lying vnder the shadowe of a pretty bush, tuning my Pype to the delicacye of their sweete notes, made in my conceite so harmonious a consort betwixt Arte and Nature, that the poore fooles in their contentment seemed to play and daunce about me. In the midst of this sportiue merryment, like a nimble Roe, came the fayre Milidora tripping by; her hayre in most louely quantity, hanging about her shoulders, which the windes being in loue withal, most sweetely kissing, not rudely stirring, seemed in their gentile motion to qui∣uer like the Aspen leaues; as I perceiued shee came for counsaile to a holy Fountaine hard by, to tye them all vp againe in a well ordered proportion: which doone, she cast a vaile of siluer ouer the rich. Mine of that gol∣den treasure, and bordering that vaile with a Corro∣net of all the flowers that euer Mother-nature could Page  [unnumbered] boast of, for eyther smell or colour, shee seemed in mine eye much brauer, and more sumptuously adorned then eyther Iunoes Byrde, or the statue of Venus: O how me thought the Sunne did stoppe, stand still, admyre, and gazing, seemed euer desirous to gaze vppon her: the stately Trees bow'd their tall heades to honour her that gaue an honour both to the heauenly and earthly mansion; her beautye me thought was the spring time to our Fieldes, the comforte to our Flockes, and the onely foode to the soules of men liuing. But whilst in the gloriousnesse of this eternall glory, shee trac'd about the banke of the fountaine, viewing her face in the christall water; mee thought I sawe a blush like light∣ning breake from the skye of her countenance, and she smil'd to see how the beautye of her face staynd all the o∣ther beautyes with which she was adorned, whereby she appear'd to say thus within her selfe; Alas I sticke not these flowers about me to adorne my beauty, but to dis∣grace their owne glories, when euery creature shall be∣holde how exceedingly I exceede them; But see alas Siluagio whilst thus my labouring imagination pre∣sented 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 coutch∣ed; 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 ima∣gination; And heere with a big-swelling sigh, he stayed from further speaking, till Siluagio a new reuiuing his Page  40 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 mur∣mure, 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 a∣mongst the Nymphes and Shepheards to gather the earely fruite of the Sommers rypening, she commaun∣ded 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 de∣liuerye I stole the touch of her prettye fingers, Iudge Loue, Iudge Louers, iudge all that are be∣loued. 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 Page  [unnumbered] 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 murde∣ring hooke it selfe was taken quite away; at which sight my passion quickning my blood, and my blood reui∣uing 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 con∣suming 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 tor∣ment 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 Thir∣sis) 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 a∣gainst 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, fash∣ion thine eye to finde some other object? How shall I Page  41 finde other (answered hee) and in her haue lost my selfe? By forgetting her remembrance (sayde Silua∣gio.) Shee is my remembrance (answered Thirsis) and will not bee forgotte whilst I retayne my memorye. Then sue againe (sayde Siluagio) thy teares may ex∣torte 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 Sil∣uagio) 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 o∣therwise thy taste cannot indure such bitternesse, I will to flatter thy Loue, speake much in Loues commen∣dations: well (sayde Thirsis) since thy knowledge is so Page  [unnumbered] 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 Sil∣uagio, hoping ere long to finde some occasion which might occasion him to retyre to his former solitari∣nesse: and in their walking, Siluagio began thus to dis∣course 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 be∣yond the Moone, nor pursuing Tantalus fruit, which flyeth vs in following, neither doth it when willes are v∣nited 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 excel∣lent picture that is bordered about with Antike Bos∣cage, or Crotesko works of slight estimation. This loue is not the most fruitlessest and base of all Passions, as Page  42 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 re∣pentance: No, no, my Thirsis, true loue, and true lo∣uers doe mingle and confound themselues so in each o∣ther, 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 sick∣nesses 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 eie∣sights, doe but darken loue, that when loue breakes out, it may be more resplendant.

As Siluagio was thus going on, and discoursing, pray∣sing 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 Page  [unnumbered] 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 in∣termingled 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 dedica∣ted to the Goddesse, whereby the auncient ordinan∣ces 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 flow∣er that it troade vppon. But Thirsis eyes, which long be∣fore had taken a full draught of her beautie, being now lightning, strooke with the beames of her presence, wan∣ting power to retire, his soule being retired from al pow∣er 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 Page  43 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 incoun∣ter 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 ha∣uing once seene Disdaine, carried euer after his remem∣brance 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 ene∣mies. 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 Prin∣cesse, saying: who dares not aduenture, can neuer at∣taine; 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 Sil∣uagio 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 fal∣ling vpon his knees, gaue her this salutation.

For euer may the grasse be greene (most sacred Nimph) which thou treadest vpon, with thy more dain∣tie feet, and may an eternall Spring flourish in thy walks, Page  [unnumbered] 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, imagi∣ning Iniurie and it to haue both but one merite, stay∣ing 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 inter∣ruptions.

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 Firma∣ment 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 de∣uouring Woolfe; you are too fearefull (Ladie) O you are farre too timerous, I am your seruant, your vas∣saile, 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 Page  44 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 the comfortable day, O let those eyes which are so much the fayrer, by how much my torment is made greater by them to pittie the anguish I haue got by gazing on them.

Melidora with a blushing countenance, whose ro∣sie colour gaue a signe of heauenly anger, eyeing the Shepheard with an appauling Maiestie, demaunded of him if hee were not that Thirsis, who comming but late∣ly into these walks, had made those curious hookes and baites with which her-selfe and the other Nymphes had so oft taken so manie fish? He made her answere, it was hee: shee demaunded againe, if it were not he that had made the curious Nets, wherewith himselfe and the Shepheards had taken so manie birdes? hee made her answere, it was hee; why then said Melidora, Shep∣heard farewell, I will no longer stay with thee, lest I bee likewise taken by thee; but hee staying her againe, said; Excellent Ladie, how can you be made captiue by your prisoner, or howe can your subiect alter anye of your determinations; alas (most excellent creature) you know my seruice hath attended you in the woods, in the Me∣dowes, on the Mountains, at the springs, at the riuers by day, by night, I at euery silent time, and yet hath my thoughts bin pure without the staine of villanie: I saide Melidora, but when yong desires begin to sting and bee inflamed, you giue me cause to fear the effects of frenzie. I hope (said Thirsis) by that to purchase my glorie, when you beholding mine anguish, shall admire my patience; Page  [unnumbered] O but you may forget your selfe (said Melidora) Ile near forget (said Thirsis) to doe that which shal cōtent you; Ile neare attempt that which in my knowledge shal offend you. I take you at your worde (saide Melidora) hence∣forth I charge you that you forget to loue me; for there is nothing in the world can bring my minde better con∣tentment; againe I charge you, that you tarrie no longer in my presence, for nothing in the worlde is more offen∣siue vnto me. Madam (saide Thirsis) both your com∣maunds are extreame; yet to the first I must needs make answere, I can neuer forget to loue you, because all my thoughtes doe (and must euer so doe) liue in you. Why (said Melidora) will you loue mee in despight of me? O no (said Thirsis) not in despight, though I cannot retyre; Well (said Melidora) if thy disposition be as full of cur∣tesie, as thy words are of care, auoyde from mee, or let me goe from thee; I hope (said Thirsis) that Time, who is the worlds conquerour, will eyther conquer you, or consume me, I humbly take my leaue. And with that ri∣sing from the ground in such an heauie perplexitie, that sorrow was neuer to bee seene in a more sorrowfull ta∣king, he departed from her; and went, not respecting where or whither, onely desirous to hide his heade in some dark Caue, where none but Miserie and he might liue togither.

Siluagio that sawe him thus depart like a condemned man; and was a witnesse of the heauie sentence that shee his cruel Iudge had pronounced, wondring that infer∣nall furie should be found in a heauenly bodie, and cur∣sing nature that had placed a flintie heart in a silken Ca∣binet, followed his friend with infinite pensiuenesse, as well to preuent the aduauntage Dispaire, might take of Page  45 griefe, as to fortifie that wounded hope which now was euen at his last breathing. But Melidora, all-be the ex∣cellēcie of her owne disposition, could haue affoorded a more milder repulse, yet at this time her mind being ca∣ried away with such an earnest affection, as may well be comprehended within the title of loue, would not suffer her tongue to deliuer any other satisfaction. And this was the reason:

There is a gallant yong Shepheard, who some three yeares agone, hauing seated himselfe in Tempe, hath ly∣ued there with much happinesse, more admiration, but most loue, his beautie inticing his good disposition con∣firming, and his vertue binding vnto him, all those with whom at any time he conuersed: His rurall profession was beautified with a Cittie-gouernment; his homely attyre had a courtly fashion, and his plainest discourses were interlyned with wittie and morrall constructions: his words were queint, his behauiour ciuill, and his de∣sires lofty, insomuch that he was called the courtly shep∣heard, or the noble Pastor, exceeding all his fellowe-Shepheards, excepting onely the most rare Thirsis, whom he could exceede in nothing but in the blisse of affection.

This worthie Swaine had long time before Thirsis came into these parts with his noble deseignes, which promised more then could be comprehended in a coun∣trey fortune; had so won the heart of the excellent Prin∣cesse Melidora, that shee did not disdaine to call him her seruant, and with many graces did so adorne his blis∣fulnesse, that his loftie fortunes might well contend with any Monarchs greatnesse, in-so-much that loue, who had euer liued prisoner in her eyes, began to dart his Page  [unnumbered] beames into the Shepheards heart, and with a wanton recoyling, to looke nowe and then downe into her bo∣some, making his dayly seruice the witnesse of his as∣sured loue; and her Fauour an Herauld to pronounce that by possibilitie shee might loue. Nowe it happened that this day beeing the great Sabboth of Diana, the Princesse had promised her Shepheard Diatassan (for so was he named) after the Rites and Ceremonies were finished, to meete him in a most pleasant Arbor, seated in a delicate groaue, dedicated to the Goddesse Chloris, to which none but her selfe onely had priuate accesse, there to discourse vnto him the order, the pompe, and the manner of the Ceremonies, which were due to the greate Goddesse, and to that ende she was walkt foorth as before I haue rehearsed: and beeing nowe entred in∣to the Arbor, finding her Shepheard not come, taking vp a Lute which lay ypon a bed of flowers hard by, to whose sweete sound coupling her more sweeter voyce, she sang this Sonnet.

She had scarce made an ende of her song, before the courtly Shepheard Diatassan entred into the groaue, blushing to see his absence condemned of all negligent errors by her presence, humbly besought her Maiestie to pardon his slow-footed attendāce, alledging the care of his folde, the feare of suspect, and many other prettie excuses: but aboue all, he alledged the losse of a most dainty lambe, which he had most curiously brought vp, and wherewith Melidora was much delighted to play, saying that morning, the cruel wolfe had stolne it away, in-so-much that hee pursuing the chase, tooke the wolfe at his pray, and then had no remedie but to kill him that had killed her play-fellow. Melidora smiling, made him answer, that if she had not some constant trials of his loy∣altie, she should feare lest some violent mischance would eyther kill, or take him from her seruice; but hee whose feruent loue could induce no colde suspition to prophe∣sie his apostacie with more then an vsuall earnestnesse, besought her not to make doubt of his faithfulnes, vow∣ing by Heauen, by Earth, by Loue, by the golden trea∣sure of his hopes, by all his comforts past, & by all his de∣lights to come, and lastly by her sacred self, who was the great volume which contained the cronicle of his for∣tunes, that no time, no chance, no change, nor no admi∣ration, should take from his name the title of her eternall Admirer, wishing ruine to his bodie, infamie to his name, and immortall death to his soule, when his pure thoughts shoulde bee blotted with the staine of disloyaltie; and with that kissing her hande, Page  [unnumbered] and shedding some teares thereon, desired her not to suspect him till she was inwardly resolued, absolutely to kill him; which she promising to performe, they sate downe togither vpon a flowrie banke within the Ar∣bour, whilest Diatassan calling to remembrance her for∣mer promise, humbly besought her to tell him the man∣ner of Dianas ceremonies, what was the pompe, the show, and the order of their sacrifice: to which shee thus answered. To tell thee (my Shepheard) at length with∣out omission, all the stately proceedings due this day to our great Goddesse, neither could a Sommers day, nor Winters night, out-last my discoursings: wherefore we will omit it till a more cōuenient time for such an argu∣mēt; onely one accidēt as worthie note as loue it selfe is worthy memorie, which fell out this day in the Temple, I will impart vnto thee, and thus it was.

Amongst all the Nymphs and Mayds, which this day made the Altars of the great Diana smoake with perfumed Sacrifice, I spyde a virgin, who bestirring her∣selfe like a busie toyling Bee, exceeded many of her con∣sorts in praying, in sensing, in sacrificing, and in singing: by her gestures I could not suspect her knowledge, her garments I knew not, her face because of her vaile I saw not, and for her speech like the rest, it witnessed vnto me that she was a stranger. After her sacrifices were ascen∣ded, & she for her more diuinne contemplation, retyred into a priuate seate, my selfe closely stealing from the rest of the Maydens, came and deuoutly ioyn'd me to her side, where I had not long seated my selfe, but I might perceiue she cast many pretty gazes vpon mee, such as by the interpretation of affection are said to car∣rie loue in their glaunces; at first I wondred, but at last Page  47 I encountred her looke for looke, making loue an ex∣cellent linguist onely by demonstration; and all-be the race was but short, yet was there a large field for loue to tylt in betwixt each of our gazings; my face being co∣uered all ouer with this vaile, had onely two loop-holes left for mine eyes to looke through, From whence (sayd this Nymph) she saw such heauenly glimpses issue, as matcht the Sunne, which straitned betwixt two clouds, darts into the worlde faire louely beames of induring brightnesse; I tolde her, if in me there were any of those glories, they onely were borrowed from her, and from her beautie: with that she whispering in mine eare, de∣maunded my name? but I wringing her softly by the sil∣ken hande (and to make my selfe some prettie sport by this instant accident) tolde her that I was a Shepheard, not a Nymph, and that onely for her sake I had disgui∣sed my selfe, fearing not the daunger of my life, because I had none but by her sufferance, meaning in this Temple and at this holy time, to consecrate my chaste thoughts to her seruice. She againe demaunded of me my name, and I answered her it was Diatassan; And I pray you Ladie (said Diatassan) what answered shee to that name? Vpon the knowledge of that name (sayd Melidora) wee concluded, that this night when the Nymphs doe come to fetch water at Mineruaes spring, shee shall come the hindmost in the traine, and that I wayting for her in a mazie Thicke adioyning, shall as soone as I perceiue the Nymphes to returne home, discouer my selfe to her, who fayning odde tryfles to stay behind them, woulde administer vnto me al aduau•tage of further cōference.

Much other talk we had, but in the end when the rites were ended, she sighing departed; my smyles ready to Page  [unnumbered] breake into open laughter to see the poore foole so cun∣ningly deceiued; But what was her name (said Diatassan) shee is called (said Melidora) Apheleia: O what sport will this be for thee & me, whē in the cooling shade amongst the rest of thy fellowe Shepheards, we passe away the time with toyes, with Ridles, and with wittie purposes: I tell thee this action will bee worthy of a conceited eg∣logue. And as they were thus discoursing, a Page belōg∣ing vnto the Princesse, came into the Arbor & brought her worde that al the Forresters were attending her Ma∣iestie at the Lodge, to knowe in what parte of the forrest she intended the next day to hunt, that orderly prepara∣tion might be made for her sportes? with that the Prin∣cesse arysing with such a gesture as did enuye the times swiftnes, she tolde her shepheard she must be gone, but he desiring leaue to attend her, shee earnestly forbad him, saying the tutret loue is the cottage hate, and so shee de∣parted, onely accompained with her Page to her owne Castell.

As soone as the Princesse was gone, Diatassan reuoluing in his minde vpon the aduenture she reported, grew into an amazed extasie, Desire & Wonder breeding in his soule a thousand Chymeras and strange imagina∣tions; one while feare appald him, least dooing iniurye to the Princesse, he might kill his loue and Fauour: then presently Desire inflames him to beholde her whose loue liuing vpon his name is derided by fortune. Ano∣ther while Doubt takes him prisoner, Reason denying the minde to haue such insubstantiall apprehensions; but then Wonder, resolues him, and bids him but looke in∣to the worke of his owne mindes creation: thus beeing carryed awhile with these variable thoughts, in the end Page  48 hee absolutelye concludeth with himselfe, that he will goe to Mineruas Spring, and in the groaue ad∣ioyning, shilter himselfe to try what euent will is∣sue of the former passage; And so in the end hee did, where hauing rested till the Sunnes departure made the night proclayme her gouernment, hee might beholde sixe beautifull Nimphes with Golden Flagons in their handes, who commning vnto Mineruas spring, be∣fore they would dippe their vessels into the holy water, they in a moste comely order walking about the Foun∣taine, sang this Canzonet.

After they had sung this song, euery one dipping her golden Flagon in the Fountaine, after some little inter∣course of speech, wherein one gaue prayses to the God∣desse Minerua, another commended the vertues of the water, and others the ordinances of those Ceremonies: In the selfe-same comely order as they came, they nowe began to returne. But Diatassan, who during all the time of their abode, had with a curious eye behelde the hind∣most Nymph of the traine, began to reade within the faire storie of her beauties, many remembrances of those ancient thoughts, which had long agoe (in the Mayden∣time of his first loue) infinitely surprised him. Manye tymes, his eyes tolde him they sawe nothing but that sight which they had most dearely loued. His thoughts tolde him they were inriched with no new cogitations, and his heart affirmed, that but that Image there was none in it perfectly engrauen; to be plaine, shee so much resembled a worthy Nymph, whom in his first youth he had loued most sincerely, till iniurious Death had made a diuorce betwixt their affections, that euen now his re∣uolting eyes began coward-like to yeeld to the assault of her beautie: and not content to yeeld alone, did so perswade his heart, that hee couetous of new honour, subiected all that was in him to her obedience; Melidora was now in his minde but like that picture which Zuxis Page  49 desired to see vnder the painted sheete, which was mear∣ly nothing, as hauing no place or being all that he was, was but onely a scrole of this new affection: And now beholding Apheleia, both with slowe pace, and some sleight excuse loiter behind the rest of her felow nimphs, he discouered him-selfe, and with a gentle pace ouer∣taking her, after his downe-cast lookes, and some trem∣bling wordes, had like a preface tolde her, his talke must be all of loue; taking vp her hande, and giuing it a loue∣ly kisse, he demaunded of her if that hande were not the hand which did prodigally cast into his fruitfull breast the faire seed of blooming fancie, whose ripe haruest shal returne her milions of gaines; or tell me faire Nymph (said he) are not these glorious eies of yours, the war-like Cytadels where all conquering loue sits as in his Em∣pire cloathed with the rich spoyles of many kingly ouer∣throwes, and for a tryumph hangs out his most beauti∣ous colours? O God they are; & therefore let neuer any Shepheard feare Ioues thunder-bolts, or in their Carols aduance the vnconquered sword of the God of warre, but let them all bee amazed with thy beautie, and with that amazement let them record the victories thou hast obtained of the worlde, of loue, and of me thy seruant. Wel I remember that in the April of my yeares, I haue been somtimes inticed amongst my fellow Shepheards, to taste the delights of youths inuentions, and in those delights haue delighted to approue the mindes of many Maidens, yet neuer till now haue fixt my constant mind of any; till I saw thee I saw not any that coulde content me, for whose sake I haue this day desperately aduen∣tured my life by comming disguised into Dianas temple, wherefore (deare Nymph) let the former words which Page  [unnumbered] I whispered in thy daintie eares, the mutuall agreement of our hither comming, and the due attendance I haue performed in my seruice, as the messengers of pity plead for my merit; and euē as with patience I suffer the bitter anguish of my thoughts, so let loue and thy selfe bee cur∣teous to my sad destiny. To this she āswered; Faire She∣pheard, according to mine agreemēt, here I make good my promise, yet not in such sorte that by it thou shalt suppose I stande intangled in those foolish snares which you Thessalians call loue: but for it pleased thee (without eyther Desire in me, or Desert in my perfections) to make so franke and absolute a gift, of thy hart, of thy soule, and of thy selfe, to rest euer at my disposing, so that it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any but me to giue, to retaine, to keep, to change, or to dispose any thing within the com∣passe of thine affection, and that al thy thoughts and ac∣tions should maiden-like giue a modest and sincere at∣tendance vpon my will, which sith I see thou dost ef∣fectually performe by this newe seconds of thy former loue, be thou pleased with mine acknowledgment, that I haue heard thy loue: O but (said he) shall the tender of these my seruices receyue at thy hands no recompence? t'is recompence inough (said she) that I giue credit to thy words, & acceptāce to thy seruice. Why then (sayd he) let this bondage of my loue bee like those calme blastes which kindle the fire of delight, whose flame breaking forth into the world, may make vs admyred of all constant beholders. As she was about to replie vnto this speech, she might perceiue the rest of the Nymphes looking backe, and staying for her companie, which oc∣casioning her with a shamefast blushing to breake off her conference, she told him, their many wordes might Page  46 moue many suspitions, which to auoid it was fit that si∣lence should part them, yet (said she) Faire Shepheard, take this little remembrance, and weare it for my sake, and with that she gaue him a very faire Iewell, wherein was set a most rich Diamond, cut in the fashion of a Spheare or Globe, and about it was writ this word, Ma∣uens moueor, and so she departed.

But assoone as his eyes had lost her which was their best obiect, they instantly conuerted their lookings to her costlye fauor, on which when hee had with many curious surueys a good space meditated, & had to ma∣ny crosse and cōtrary senses, wrested and expounded the cunning deuise; at length constantly beholding the frame of the faire Gloabe, and marking with what course the reflections, and sparkles like little spheares wound a∣bout the foil, which like the earth (the worlds cēter) stood in the midst of the Mund, he could not forbeare to say; Deare Maid, be thou the Sky, & let me be the earth, on whom gentle loue may make the morning lightes of grace to arise, and giue faire glory to my darknes: and al∣though this sullen night make thee withdraw frō mine eyes, the beames of thy countenance, O yet let thy fauor continually runne about me, and how soeuer I mooue, let thy loue neuer be remooued from mee: many o∣ther passionate speeches to like effect he vttered, with such a feeling earnestnesse, that many times hee was readie to faint vnder the wearie burthen of his newe loue; but the day hauing giuen vp all his aucthoritie to the nightes commaundement, and Hope a little ea∣sing the thraldome of his senses, seeing new occasi∣ons, must giue new meanes to satisfie his longings, plea∣sed with those sleight contentments for that time, Page  [unnumbered] he departed homeward towards his Cottage, where ta∣king no rest but such as attendes the vnrest of troubled Louers, being onelye accompained with hopes, with longings, with dispayres, with Ielousies, with vngroun∣ded desires, and passionate lamentations; he wasted the weary time of that too long imagined night. But as soone as the Sun began to strew Roses and Gillyflowers vpon the toppe of the Easterne Mountaines, al the For∣resters and Shepheards in a moste seemely manner, as∣sembled at the lodge where the fayre Melidora lay, (Thir∣sis onely excepted) whose cares denyde him the comfort of al recreation; And there the Forresters taking their sil∣uer-bound Bugles which hung in rich bautriks ouer∣thwart their greene liueryes, they winded a shrill rechate vnto the Princesse, as signall of the dayes ready prepara∣tion; but she whose vntroubled minde was euer prepa∣red to giue entertainment to those worthy sports, issued fourth of her lodge with all the Ladies and Nimphes of Tempe in her traine, so royally adornd, that euē the God∣desse of hunting grew paale for anger to see how much her selfe was excelled. After she had giuen a chereful sa∣lutation to al her beholders, & with a quicke surueying eye beholding the companye, and onely missing the Shepheard Diatassan, blushing for feare shee should bee seene to blush, she commaunded them that if all thinges were in a readynes, they should proceed to the pastimes; with that the Forresters going before with their Iaue∣lines and darts, and the Shepheards with their hookes guarding each-side of her persō, they passed on towards the Woodes, where soone after the Hewee was set, the toyles pytcht, and the Houndes vncoopled; imedi∣ately there was roused a fayre and goodly Stagge, whose Page  51 tel-tale feete that were onely betrayers of his life, were now made the meanes, and instruments of his best safe∣ty: he was no sooner rousd, and notice thereof giuen by the sweet redoubling mouthes of the houndes, but ime∣diately the Shepheards with their shouts, the Forresters with their hornes, and the many tong'd Ecchoes in eue∣ry corner, made such a delightfull musicke through the hollownes of the elder grown woodes, that like the Phir∣gian consort which stirred vp such valient spirit in Alex∣ander, it eleuated vp to heauen the mindes of the hearers: the beast fled, the hounds pursued, & the Nimphes, For∣resters & Shepheards, with seuerall encoragements fol∣lowed so swiftly, that he which from the top of some hye Turret might but haue beheld the chasing & rechasing, would well haue concluded in that sporte, the full glory of all other pastimes, But during this sporte in which the Nimphes & Shepheards straue by the swiftnes of their nimble feete, who should keepe nearest to the desired game, it hapned that Melidora (who in al things so far ex∣celling, as aboue al creatures she was most excellent) did so far outstrip all her attendants whatsoeuer, that not a∣ny was able to keep within the view of her swiftnes; one∣lye one faire Nimph whose name was Ethera sprung of the race of Atalanta, being onely a second to the Prin∣cesse in running, with much labour & more desire kept still the sight of her presence, but as it is euer seene that the violence of pleasure transports our mindes and act∣ions beyond the moderation of delight, the desire wee haue to inioy, taking from vs the abilitie to make vs in∣ioy, so in this absolutely worthy Princesse, her too much earnestnes to pursue her sportes (being arested by weary∣nes) made her now begin to distast sporte, and not shee a∣lone Page  [unnumbered] was wearie, but euen the poore hunted beast, first by many counter-courses, and oft tappishing, and lastly by taking soile in a great lake not farre of, shewed how neare he was come to the last point of his vtter ruine; yet the water not speaking so plaine language as the earth, was a meanes whereby the hounds came to an vtter de∣fault, which she perceiuing, & therewithall calling into her remēbrāce, how by her following she was fled from all companie, hauing not any neare her, either within view or hearing, saue only the nymph Ethera, and behol∣ding the place to be both vast & disconsolate, although she would willingly haue returned into better safetie, yet was her wearinesse so great, rhat shee was inforst to sit downe vnder the shadow of a faire Mirtle to repose her∣selfe for a little season: and during the time that shee was there sitting, she intreated the nymph Ethera, either to sing vnto her some pretty pastorals, of Shepheards loues (which well shee knew she could performe) or discourse vnto her some pleasant history, which beguiling Fancie might shorten the time, & make their abode lesse tedi∣ous. Ethera as willing to obey as she was worthy to cō∣mand, tolde her she had a discourse, which would she vouchsafe to couer within the heauēly tabernacles of her eares, she should find if not delight, yet infinite wonder; But (said she) if any thing in it should stirre offence, I had rather ten thousand times it should perish in my bosome; But Melidora as insuspitious, as she was innocent, desired her to proceed in her discourse, assuring her nothing should be taken in euill part, which was either fit for her bashfull nature to deliuer, or for her chast care to enter∣taine. This free charter giuen to the faire Ethera, she be∣gan in this maner to speake vnto her.

Page  48

Of all the externall glories (Madam) wherewith we cloath the outward perfection of all excellent thinges; there is none of so souereigne aucthoritie or controllesse superintendencie, as that which we call beautie, because there is nothing wherewith the taste of the eye is at any time delighted, to which wee can giue a greater Epithi∣ton, then to say it is most beautifull. And so (Madam) of the minde in like fashion, whose excellent knowled∣ges, & diuine meditatiōs are but onely the inward soules beauties; adding to the perfite creature but this last of praise, that there is a beautiful minde in a beautiful body; yet this beautie if it stirre not in the most Iudicial behol∣ders the height of admiration is said to be no beauty, for they be vulgar thinges with which we cōmunicate: they be heauenly or supernatural, which we admyre; neither doth beautie by the height of admiration gaine the top of her aduancement: there is a certaine inflamed Desire, which must crowne and royallize this Admyre with an incomprehensible loue, or otherwise there is neither Beautie, neither any Admiration. So that for vs women, if the greatest benefite wee can begge of Nature bee Beautie, if Beauties be Admire, if Admires be loue, and loue be the worthie end to which we onely were created; why doe we so rebelliously spurne at our happinesse, and like to ambitious vsurpers, kicke the Diadem with our feet, whose glorie being ingrauen in our hearts, woulde make vs swim bloody seas to attaine the possession. This speake I to you (the crowne and glory of all Maidens) to whom Nature hath been so prodigall of beautie that I feare for your sake she will proue penurious to all after ages, in-so-much that slouenly Art taking vppon him Natures prerogatiue, will like a lauish tell-tale discouer Page  [unnumbered] the defects of womens desires, and beauties: O this I say againe, I speake vnto you, who being most beautiful are most admired, and most of all creatures in the world enthroned, and crowned with an immoueable, and con∣stant affection. O Madam, did you but feele the least of those bitter paines, which the most induring and forlorn Shepheard Thirsis, for your sake onely endureth, or did you but know the violence of those immortall flames, which darted from your eyes, like lightning kill ere they be perceyued; I know it were impossible for your ten∣der heart not to relent at his passions; let mee beseech you then (most diuine creature) if you be but as sensible of paines, as you are beautifull to occasion torments; if in that excellent and sacred frame of your bodie, there was euer felt the touch of all sauing pity, to cast one relenting looke vppon the vtter dispairing estate of thy most la∣mentable Shepheard, whereby thy mercie shall be made most mightie, thy sports and pleasures anew reuiued, & thy delightful Tempe which droops (through his melan∣choly) spring a fresh, & bring forth sweete Poesies, wor∣thy onely of the Muses.

Ethera had scarcely made an end of these words, when Melidora starting vpon her feete, as if she had beheld ey∣ther the dreadfulnesse of some monster, or felt the bitter sauour of Rue, or Wormwood, Disdaine and Anger spreading colours of defiance in the fayre Roses of her lilly cheekes, sowring her countenance with a most louely sadnesse, she tolde the Nymph Ethera, that shee had attainted her eares with most blasphemous spee∣ches, the sound whereof, sith she could not take from her memorie, yet would she henceforth foreuer banish her∣selfe the companie of so vnchaste a reporter. What (said Page  53 she) hath Thirsis see'd thee to be immodest, or hast thou seene in mine outward gestures that appearance of folly, which might incourage thee to these monstrous per∣swasions? Diana forbid. O heauens let me not liue when my life shall presage I will fall from vertue: and as for Thirsis, where before I did but onely hate his loue, now I hate him, thy selfe, and both your memories: and with that offering to depart away, before Ethera could either make excuse for him, or Apologie for herselfe, there sud∣denly rusht out of the woods a monstrous man, or a man mor hideous then any monster; his name was Demago∣ras, a man whose stature did so farre exceede the greatest proportion of men then liuing, that more then doubling their features, hee was held for an inuincible Giant: his strength was greater then his limbs, and his minde forti∣fied by his strength, made him so infinitely bolde, that he durst to aduenture any danger how desperate soeuer; his pride had no bound, yet would his crueltie haue boasted of more larger limits. What shall I say, such alone hee was, as (to say truth) was vtterlye all euill. This Dama∣goras hath liued about the walks and borders of Tempe more then this three yeares, making his reuenues by the spoyle, robberie, and pillage of the poore Shepheards, and lurking in sundrie vaste Caues, which for that purpose he holdeth, doth howerly and dayly annoy, and waste, not onely Tempe, but al Thessalia, all-be the coun∣trey hath at diuerse times set out whole armyes to hunt him, but all in vaine, so great hath beene his craft and pollicie.

This Demagoras whose very presence was able to haue appaal'd the stoutest resolution, had now stricken such deadly feare into the minde of the noble Princesse; that Page  [unnumbered] like an innocent Doue, ouer whom the covering Falcon threatneth more then an ordinarie destruction, shee stoode so pittifully amazed, that feare hauing taken from her minde the remembrance of all aduauntage, or safetie, she had no power to stirre: whilest the rude slaue, like a greedie Cormorant seazed vppon her lillie hande, whose verie touch might well haue tolde him howe much too precious it was for so vilde and so in∣ciuill an imbracement. After hee had caught her thus within the compasse of his power, shaking his grizely vncurled lockes, which seemed neuer to haue beene ac∣quainted with any manner of comelinesse, hee tryum∣phed of his conquest, as much as if he had giuen an ouer∣throw to the whole worlde: and indeed the world could be no more lamentably deformed, then to haue thus the onely Iewel therof, (the admirable Melidora) in so wofull an estate of suddaine destruction: for after the inhumane wretch had Lion-like ceaz'd her within his pawes, all-be his onely desire to doe ill was attractiue inough to draw him to the vttermost of illnesse; yet beholding the excel∣lencie of her heauenly countenance, whose chast beames were to the vertuous: schooles to instruct modestie, and correct viciousnesse: now to him were firebrands of lust, and vnnaturall motiues to most bloody tyranny, which only out of their own excellencies, could but worke this alteration, that hee whose Fury was euer his orator, and Will his law; was now at first content to intreate, what of all things was most impossible to be granted, I meane the diuine treasure of her loue, and the fruition thereof, which the sauage monster told her had taken such fast roote in his degenerate soule, that it was not possible for him to liue and indure either delay or deniall. To which Page  54 the Princesse made him answer, that how euer the eye is said to entertain affections in moments; yet for her own part, her eye was so true a tenant to her hart, that it durst not giue harbour to any obiect, which of her heart was not first esteemed most worthy; wherefore she humblie besought him, that for that time she might returne in safetie, and if hereafter her eye would satisfie her heart, it was likely she would not conceale her longings: the vil∣laine with this answere grew so inraged, that rudely sha∣king her by the tender arme, like a Northerne blast tea∣ring a slender Tamoriske, he said: Disdainfull Maide, thou that art the horror of Tempe, and the wonder of so many amorous Shepheards, thinkst thou that either my loue shall indure controll, or my desire to be excellently impious, loose me this oportunitie to bee notably infa∣mous? it cānot damzel, it cannot, I haue vow'd the spoile of thy good name, & the destruction of thine honor, frō which neither Iones thunder, nor Apollos darts that slue the Serpent Python, is able to bring thee anie ransome: and the more willing I am to be thy persecuter, by how much I shall gaine that celestiall Iewell, which through the world is blazed of the greatest valuation. And here the Monster began to folde his armes about her Iuorie bodie, from which she nimbly deliuering herselfe, fell downe vppon her knees like a deuoute Saint, praying to a damnable Idoll, and humblie besought him to take away her life, rather then to attaint her honour; in which mercifull proceeding he should bind her spotlesse soule to do him seruice in a better kingdome; O excellēt man (said she) let me not suruiue my happinesse; make me not wretched by a weary life; but sith the vttermost of reuenge is but death, let my death at thy hands make Page  [unnumbered] for all my disdaines, a deserued (though bloody) satisfact∣ion.

These wordes which might haue mooued in anye marble brest, some commiseration, like oyle into fire did make more madde the flame of his raging, so that he so∣lemnly once more sware the performance of his detesta∣ble desire; at which sentence she shryking out, and with weake force arming an inuincible heart, began to strugle and contend for the sauing of that pretiousnesse, which lost is too pretious euer to be recouered; to her strugling she added such lamentable out-cries, such piercing sor∣rowes, and such deafening clamors, that euen Heauen & earth were grieued with her infinite tormentings, and as they are commonly seene in such cases, they did adde vnto her vigor (though not such force as to free her from captiuity) yet so much blessed fortitude that she yet pre∣seru'd both her honour, and all the Iuel sights or imagi∣nations belonging to her sacred bodye, free from the sul∣lying of so barbarous a Traytor.

Whilst the Princesse and the Monster were in this deadlie strife thus impatiently contending, poore Ethe∣ra whose fearefull soule boaded her no better fortune, like one distraught or lunaticke, taking this aduantage, ranne into the Woodes, & with infinite clamors cryed for helpe to the Gods, to men, to beastes, to any thing, to all thinges; crying with such loude pitteousnesse, that e∣uery Eccho there abouts in pittie of her ruth did double and redouble her noyse and lamentations, insomuch that Thirsis w, ho that day more to auoid company, then to companion any delight, being walkt fourth into this vast solitarie place, as fittest receptakle for disdayned sor∣rowes, hapned to crosse Ethera; and demaunding what Page  55 might occasion in her this hyddeous skritching? shee euen distraught with wofulnesse could answere him nothing, but helpe, helpe, rape, murder, force, Melidora, Melidora: she had no sooner named Melidora, and with such precedent wordes as did signifie eyther her death, or daunger, his haire beganne to start vp, his heart swel∣led, his eies sent forth fire, & his tongue cryed out; deare Nimphe, where, when, how, which way, what place, what slaue? O satisfie my longing, but she running from him, and he pursuing her to bee better instructed, shee at last brought him where hee beheld as much, and more thē she had tolde, or he imagined; for euē now the Prin∣cesse being fore-wearyed with striuing, and fore-done with the tyrranous rage of her enemye, not being able longer to resist, she fel into a swound, but the villaine ha∣uing tyed her by the golden hayres of her head fast to a Cypresse tree, held her from falling to the earth, so that shee hung like an vnmatchable picture, wherein sorrow and dispayre was moste liuely presented; and had not the loue-thrald Shepheard come in that auspitious howre, the Villaine might haue atttayned the worst of his foulest wishes; But it was not an amazement, it was not a furye, neither was it a madnesse which then tooke houlde vppon Thirsis, but euen a celestial valour, in which all the glistering Tapers of honour might bee disecrned, which bearing him vpō the immortal winges of Resolution, made him with so glorious a courage, as∣sault the inhumae Demagoras, that hauing onely but his sheep-hooke which hee towered aboue his head, hee threatned more then all the Launces which guard the Pallaces of Princes. Now whē Demagoras saw the She∣pheard comming to assaile him, he left the Princesse, & Page  [unnumbered] taking vp a massy club of Steele, which euer be boare a∣bout with him, he met the shepheard, thinking with one blow both to punish his pride for daring; and to finish the combat which he scorned to account a contention. But the Shepheard as nimble in his deliuer action, as he was valient and powerful in destributing blowes, at the first encounter with a slip auoided the downefall of De∣magoras stroake; & in the same instant making good a∣gaine his former ground, gaue Demagoras such a blowe vpon the shoulder, that it made his arme sloathful in ad∣uauncing his club to reuenge the paine he suffered; But wrath & disdaine, or a disainfull wrath, that hee should meete with an incounterour, madding his soule, caused him strike at the Shepheard with such furye, that had it light vpon, eyther his head or body, it had vtterlye con∣founded all the rest of his members, but as the former, so he did, auoided the second, retourning backe such heauy interest, that Demagoras was sometimes ready to sincke vnder the burthen. Thus betwixt them began a fearefull and dreadfull combatte, the noise of their fierce blowes awaking the Princesse from her swound, whose eies being opened to see the amorus shepheard thus in∣gadged for her sake, begā to ouerflow their bankes with new teares, not teares of griefe for her bondage, but that her deliuery shold be more yrksome then the basest ser∣uitude. The valiēt shepheards rare valor, his Prince-like cariage, & his infinite daunger, wrought but this in her minde, that so her honour might bee vnstained, she ra∣ther wisht death then this likely deliuerance, as hating that life, which to him she could not affect, must of neces∣sity be ingadged. Whilst thus with these thoughtes she was variously carried, wishing health to the Shepheard, Page  56 whose health she onely confounded; the fight more and more augmented, & Thirsis had with his hooke drawne much blood from Demagoras, which to reuenge, Demo∣garas bringing all his forces into his armes, hee stroke at Thirsis such a counterblowe, that a little glauncing vpon his head, put him into a little stamering amaze: which perceiued by Demagoras and much doubting by former proofe the requitall of such payment; taking ad∣uantage of that stroake, turned his backe and ran with all his power into the thickest woodes where cursing and banning both the heauens and his fortunes, he hid himselfe from the view of all creatures. After Thirsis had in his pursuite both lost the sight of his enemye, and the hope of his reuenge, he returned back to the Princesse, whom when he found in that manner bound like an in∣nocent sacrifice vpon a prophane Altar, he threw him∣selfe vpon his knees before her & said. Goddesse of my life, pardon I beseech thee, my presumption in that mine vnworthy hands dare be so bould as to touch the seem∣ly tresses of thy goulden hayre: alas it is thine own dan∣ger, and the cruell knots knit by the moste hatefullest hand that euer prophan'd holy relique, which compel∣ling me to loose them, must excuse mine arogance, And with that vntying her faire hayre, and setting her at new libertie, with a greedy eye, that was neuer satisfyed with looking, he gazed so earnestly vpō her, that in the end i∣magining her eye did chide his eye, for his ouer curyous wōder, turning his face away, he thus said vnto himself.

O Gods whilst Disdaine & Rigor drew blacke cloudes of dispayre betwixt the Princesse and mine affection, how mee thinkes the Sunne hath dissolu'd them and made my Starre shine fayre vppon my misseyre: Page  [unnumbered] alas it may bee it is done but to this ende, that when I shall draw neare vnto the heauenly fire of her beautie, I may there consuming ende my dayes with felicitie; how euer euen as the bird that is intangled in the snare of the fouler, doth at the last gaspe take delight to heare that sound which brought her to imprisonment, so doe her lookes (which brought this bitter anguish to my heart) not onely refresh my senses in their dispairefull extremities, but comforteth my soule when she is rea∣die to take her flight from my dying bodie. And whilst he was thus talking in himselfe, the Princesse (O that so faire should haue so foule a fault founde in them) with∣out thankes, without acknowledgement, or without leaue-taking, departed from his presence, not so much fearing the daunger shee had so lately escaped, as desi∣rous to auoid his presence, whom sith shee could not af∣fect, she could not acknowledge any bonde wherein she stood indebted; which when the wofull Shepheard by his turning about perceiued, although he inquired of the Nymph Ethera (who then was as gratefull as the Prin∣cesse was cruell) whither the Goddesse of his fortunes was departed, hee coulde not chuse but let the verie thought of her vnkindnesse strike him to the soule, with such intollerable agonies, that although his sighes, his sobs, his teares, his broken heart, and his groaning spirit, were testimonies sufficient of her too much ingra∣titude, yet euen striuing with life, he made his tongue de∣liuer these dolours.

And is she gone said he? is there no curtesie, no speech, no fauour, no thankes? O you immortall Gods, and thou great Nature that of nothing haue made this vni∣uersall habitation, how negligent haue you beene in the Page  57 framing of her most delicate composure, placing in her all the diuine graces that can outwardly imbellish and adorne the most excellentest substance that euer was created; and leauing the sacred intellectuall parts of her vnderstanding soule (where Pittie, that is onely proper to her sexe should holde his continuall residence) vtterly neglected, abandoned, and forsaken; but alas, alas, it is not your omission but my miserie; not her want of pittie, but my pouertie: in desert I am vnfortunate, alas I am most miserable, which sith mine ouerburdned heart can no longer vndergoe to ease it, and please her, thus fi∣nish my dayes. And euen as he was thus speaking, hee ranne his head with all the strength and power of his bodie so furiously against that tree, from which Melidora was but euen a little before loosed; that all be the hande of some supernall power (who no doubt in that hower reserued him for farre greater happinesse) did compell the blowe not to take that wished effect the wofull Shepheard desired, which was vtterly to haue finished loue and life in a moment, yet had it so great efficacie, that it strake him backewarde stone deade to all ima∣ginations.

Ethera beholding this bloodie tragidie, being as full of pittie as the Shepheard was of dispaire, she ran vnto him, and laying his heade vppon her lappe, after shee had wiped his wound, and couered it with part of her silken garments, with long chaffing and rubbing him, shee at last brought him againe to life; which was no sooner reuiued, but accompanied with his seruant Me∣morie, the Shepheard lifting vp his heauie tyes, and loo∣king vpon the busie Nymph, he said: Alas Ethera, haue I not paine inough, but that thou also wilt giue newe life Page  [unnumbered] to my passions; thou art vnkinde, alas thou art vn∣kinde; and here plucking out his knife, he offred a second assault vpon his breast, which the Nimph withstanding, she thus with a friendly chyding beganne to admonish him: Fie Thirsis fie (said shee) thou shalt not thus vnna∣turally robbe vs of delight, and thy selfe of honour; for shame let not one tempest make thee dispaire of the Sommers beautie: what foolish sayler will for one storm strike sayle, and trust no more to Sea-fortune? why man if euerie blast should bring thy sheepe to the folde, how shouldst thou profite, or they prosper? But thou hast in∣dured no tempest, no storme, no blast; it is onely calme silence which hath euer beene constred, a consent or ac∣knowledgemēt, which by thy mis-interpretation, brings thee to this malignitie: I imagine her bashfull Na∣ture, which without blushing could not deliuer thee the desert of thy merite, by her dumbe departure, hath left thee to suppose shee thought as much or more then thine owne will would haue desyred; and as shee was thus expostulating with the wounded Shepheard, a graue Swaine well stricken in yeares (whose name was Opicus) hauing amongst the rest of the Forresters and Shepheards, met with the Princesse, and heard of her aduenture past; leauing his fellowes to attende her to her Lodge, hee came to the place where Thirsis lay, whom for the excellent vertues hee had euer behelde in him, hee loued most intyrely, whome assoone as Ethera beheld, she called him vnto her, and shewing him the pittifulnesse of his estate, and the cause why his e∣state was so pittifull, shee besought him to ioyne with her, either in counsell or comfort, sith she was perswaded that if his dispaire continued, his life could not be of in∣durance; Page  58 Opicus as full of wisedome as then Thirsis was of discomfort, after he had shewed him the vglinesse of his sinne, and the vnnaturalnesse of a selfe-combate, pro∣uing all pusylanimitie, stupiditie, and blockishnesse in such a monstrous conflict, in as much as the minde for∣goeth thereby Hope, which is the golden treasure of our vnderstanding, firme Trust, which is the assured rocke of all mortall safetie, and diuine Loue, which bindeth to∣gether all our ioyes, all our desires, and all our prospi∣rities: Now for this other loue (said Opycus) which hath little or no communitie with this heauenly loue, I mean this loue of beautie, O Gods that euer men should bee so sottish as to seeke it through their soules perditi∣ons! But I will not distast thee Thirsis by chyding thy follyes, but rather confirme thee to attaine wisedome; I tell thee, in this eye-loue there is no impossibilitie, but the continuance of our affections, nor no maine as∣surance worthie any certaine despayre, but our owne furies; for howe euer the tyde runne, it falleth as it flow∣eth: and this deluge of thy sorrowe, Time can make to bee a worker of thy best comfort, I tell thee, Time brings to passe mightie things of infinite importance, euen those vnconquered Beauties, which makes a con∣quest of all the worlds best hearts, forcing sense to won∣der, and soules to Idolatrize, shall in the end strike the gallant top-sayles of their glories, to the great Maiestie of vncontrolled Time, euen that impetious Time who captiues moe subiects with his swift wings, then Cupid with his sharpe arrowes; euen hee that winnes vs vnto him, when he shewes vs his backe, and flyes from vs. Loe, euen whilest I am in talking, I feele the power of his great authoritie, whereby he abates the ouerflow of Page  [unnumbered] swelling youth, dulles the keene edge of euerye sharpe piercing eye, make hoarce the sweete sound of the siluer voyce, & marres the inchaunting Rethorick which hath so oft beene broken betweene the faire Pearle & Rubies beauty; it spoiles the wealth of arte & the pompe of wit; so that like as we see ouerthrowne nobility, loosing their roabes of honour, not to disclaime the cottage garmtēs; (in such sort, than euen the Princesse Melidora, her selfe in token of the true homage shee oweth to consuming Time) forsake and disclaime from al those eye charming graces, of which with such curiosity shee had boasted. Thirsis no sooner heard him name Melydora but as if that name had bene an alarū to awaken his too sleepy sence; raysing vp himselfe and looking Opicus in the face, hee said: I tell thee Shepheard Melidora liues not within the reach of Fortune, neyther can Time (were his power re∣doubled) make her immortall flower shedde one leafe from her braunches. I tell thee, shee like the top of that fayre Laurell, which growing by the Altar of Apollo, houldes both the frost and fire in contempt & derision. What Swanne shall sing that shall not sound forth her prayses? What Swaine shall Pipe, and not make her name his musicke? nay I tell thee euen Time himselfe, when he hath finisht his brauest conquest, shall bring vn∣to her the honour of his tryumph, and hauing no more to ouercome, shall hang vp vnto her beauty, his murthe∣ring, Sythe for a monument.

Opicus seeing him thus violently ca••yed away with vnreasonable reasoning, and finding ••at contention did but rather agrauate then mittigate, loathe that me∣lanchollye should incurre the tytle of Furye, leauing all other exhortations, said onely vnto him, that sith his Page  59 constancie was an impediment to all perswasions; there was in his conceite no better meanes then by milde in∣treatye to mooue some Mercye; Alas, alas (said Thir∣sis) intreaty is as booteles as my Loue is hopeles: doost thou not knowe the famous Shepheard Mopsus, he that vnderstands the language of the Birdes, the Vertue of stones, the nature of hearbes, and what euer else can be couered vnder the habit of secret wisdome? Hee, O he I tell thee, hath long since calculated my natiuitye, & hath found the opposition of my Stars to boade me no∣thing but misery, assuring me my loue shall euer be de∣iected and dispised; this hath hee prophecied, and this must be beleeued; to these wordes Opicus thus replyed.

I tel thee Thirsis, Mopsus can commaund both wordes and fortunes, but they be all as false and vaine, as himself is foolish and vnlearned: therefore I charge thee, let not thy diligent care giue credite to his idle Oracles, but opposing his maxims, thou shalt make thy selfe able to discerne his falsehoods: for proofe whereof, note but attentiuely this tale I shall deliuer.

At such time as the healthful toyle of my Shepheards life, and the homely grosenesse of my countrye cheare, beganne to growe yrksome and vnpleasant to my fan∣tasticall taste; there sprang in me an earnest desire to be∣holde the Citie gouernment, & that tryumphant mag∣nificence, which in Princes Courts makes men Angels, and Kinges Gods; But Mopsus seeking to with-draw my mind from those too high knowledges, thus went about to perswade me,

Beware, beware (said he) vaine man, to what end thou dyrectes thy iourney: I tell thee thou goest vnto a place where craft springes, colours flourish, and deuises Page  [unnumbered] swarme; where faces can alter their fauours, tongues change their speech, and Slymie bodyes sticke to the painted fortunes of raysde Potentates; where guiltye men are made golden Idolls, Flattery sooth'd by de∣traction, oathes by periuries, and treason by friend∣shippe, Offices made subiect to crymes, and counsails to bloud, ignorance attended by Pride, pride by Ryot, and Ryot by ciuill and domestique Garboyles. O flye from this place from whence Enuie hath expeld friend∣ship, and Ambition banisht the zeale of auntient Pyetie, where slaues liue with toyle, Princes with feare, and e∣uen Kings themselues with vncertaine saftie: make not thy selfe a companion with greatnesse, it is worse then Atlanta's Castle or Trophonius dungeō, for euen in those Places dwel those alluring Sisters, whose inchaunting melody makes strāgers cleaue to the Rockes: there shalt thou apprehend mountaines of golde, yet shalt thou but finde onely Glasse; Each Turret in a Princes Pal∣lace hath a seuerall tongue: each Walle a sound, and each vaulted roofe a distinct pronuntiation; neyther doe they eccho like sound deuided wordes, but repeate whole sentences, yea many times more then was eyther spoake or imagined; Beautie there like the Cockatrice perswades, ensnares, and then confoundeth; al things are beyond capacities, poyson in Golden Vessels, trea∣son in close hearts, and deepe vndermynings in sim∣ple seeming vnderstandinges. Therefore if thou wilt bee gouernd by my knowledge, eyther locke vp thy lippes and thine eyes, when thou shalt beholde greatnes; or staying thy progresse, liue securelye in thy countrye habitation; Loe Thirsis this was his counsayle, and these were the Aphorismes of his diuinitie: And didst thou Page  60 goe (saide Thirsis) and didst thou dispise so graue an admonition? did I goe (replyed Opicus) yes, I went and I shall neuer repent the worthynesse of so notable a iourney; for there I found craft had no eares, false faces had no loue, and flatterers were but the fooles at Princes Tables. I saw Ambition headlesse, Ryot comfortlesse, and discention houselesse, I saw Treason tormented by loyaltie, Policie confounded by Religi∣on, and periurye branded in the face with an yron of in∣famie: In briefe, I saw no euill but euill auoydable: yet there I saw many faire Swās, whose songes me thought did equalize or out-goe eyther Ister, Poe, or Douen: there I saw many fayre Nimphes, whose vnpollisht per∣fections made nature admyrable. There I saw manye celestiall Syrens, many lights, many Goddesses, and ma∣ny Graces, euen there I heard those excellent soundes, whose bewitching, and heart-pleasing tunes, made mee stand distraught with delight and amazement; what shall I say? I beheld more excellent obiectes then I could immagine, yet not so manie as I desired might liue euer in my prospect. I saw a people more ciuill then the Athenians, a Senate more wise then the Romans, and a Nobilitie more glory∣ous then all the auncient wotrhyes; but aboue all, I saw a God or man, or at least a moste Godly man, who with the shaking of his hand, ruling the sway of manye kingdomes; by his gate, his gesture and his almighty Majesty, seemed better then Numa, stouter then Caesar, greater then Alexander; his sword I saw was the guard of vertue, his Scepter the glory of peace, & his Crowne the Garland of prosperitie: there was no Arte but in his knowledge, no knowledge but in his coceite, Page  [unnumbered] and no conceit but in his song onely; his presence mee thought was brighter then day, & his countenance gaue a glorie to the Firmament, O how my heart did dance in my bosome when I behelde his presence! my soule drunke Nectar from his eyes, and euen then me thought those heauenly numbers began to flowe in my braine, which making mee dispise the rusticke melodie of the homely Pastors, hath made me ambitious, to sing of him and of his glorious actions: nay, thou thy selfe knowest Thirsis, that all-be I am returned backe vnto my Cot∣tage, yet haue I beene desirous to raise mine Oaten harmonie higher then a Shepheards thought, or a Countrey construction; and Trumpet-like to sound vn∣to all the corners of the worlde, the great power of his eternall name; but as thou seest ouer strayning my selfe (as being altogether vnable to match the surmoun∣ting height of his greatnesse) I crackt my voyce, and haue euer since become hoarse and vnrespected: this I deliuer vnto thee, that thou maiest vnderstand as Mop∣sus hath beene deceyued in his former speculations, so he may erre in his present iudgements, and Melidoras fauour may falsifie his Prophesie. Woe is mee (sayde Thirsis) where shall I begin to enter this Laborinth, or howe shall I vntie the Gordion that can finde no ende to loose it? By gifts (said Opycus) for they be auayling Ora∣tors. Alas (said Thirsis) there is no gift worthy her ac∣ceptance: Gold is but Oare, being compared with her haire; Diamonds are but Glasse, when her eyes doe sparkle upon them; can any Pearle bee so otient as her teeth, or any Rubie so cherrie as her lippe? her necke is whiter then my flocke, and softer then the downe of Turtles. Honie is made sweete by her wordes; Roses Page  61 borrowe beautie from her cheeks, and the goodliest Ap∣ples are made round by the two round balles that are coucht in her bosome: to conclude, an eternall spring doth flourish in her lookes, casting abroade into the worlde all the excellent perfumes of naturall sweete∣nesse, insomuch that this other day I sawe a prettie Bed, which toyling from bloome to bloome to gather her honie burthen, light on Melidoras dimpled chinne, with as great pride as if it had beene a flower, worthie onely the Hesperian Orchard, and beeing there, suckt for ho∣nie with as busie labour, as if she had beene in the Hy∣bean Gardens, or the Pestalian Rosaries: whilest enuie made me crie out of my fortune, that I was not so happy as that little creature. And as he was thus speaking, hee fell into a most extreame and bitteer weeping; which to asswage, the Nymph Ethera earnestly besought him, that since he could not abate woe, yet to indure woe with more patience; and for the loue of heauen, and for her loue, whom as heauen (said she) thou regardest, bee this once directed by my counsaile, which if it doe not profite, yet cannot bring thee to no greater pe∣rill then that wherein thou alreadie standest: and this it is.

There is belonging vnto Fans Chappell, a Priest that is holie, wise, discreete, and sober; one that hath skill in charmes, and knowledge in spels, that hath the spirit of truth, and the gift of prophecie; his abode thou knowest, and of his integritie thou hast heard; with him I will per∣swade so effectually, that to morrow comming abroade, he shall vouchsafe thee conference, where I doubt not, but eyther his counsaile shall perswade, or his cunning attaine the vttermost ende of thy best hopes, to what Page  [unnumbered] purpose (sayde Thirsis) shall I trouble his knowledge, when my selfe knowes her chaste heart is sixt vppon a more worthie obiect? She loues Diatassan, alas shee loues him; I knowe it, (answered Ethera) and I know Diatassan loues Apheleia, but let that rest in their bo∣somes, bee thou onely gouerned by my rule, and my life shall sooner ende then I will ende to labour thy contentment. Thirsis vnwilling to offende her, whose all carefulnesse was wholy to please him, with submis∣siue obedience, yeelded to all her intreaties, vowing to commit no outrage vppon himselfe, till he had tried the successe of her counsailes, and so rising from the ground, and being conducted by Opycus, he returned home to his Cabbin.

Ethera as soone as she was departed from Thirsis, all-be she had a busie mind in a wearie body, yet would she not leaue searching vp and downe, from hill to dale, from groane to wood, by the Arbors, by the Springs; by the Medowes, by the Riuers, and al to find out the amorous Sheppheard Diatassan. At last in an obscure thicket shee spyde where he lay, and with him another Pastor named Cosmo, of whom as soone as her eye had taken a perfite knowledge, with silent pace and soft steps, such as could not betray her walking, shee approched so neare them, that shadowing her-selfe vnder the couert of a slender Poplar, shee might well heare and vnderstand all their speeches, which at first proceeding from Diatassan, were full of passionate complaints, and doubtfull longings, till Cosmos (who as cares comforter) lay to controll his sor∣rowe, desired him to shew what suddaine storme it was that had so soone darkened the bright day of his happi∣nesse? to which Diatassan with a heauie sigh answered, Page  60 that he had of late behelde in these woods a Nymph so like vnto a dead Ladie, whom in his first youth he had infinitely adored, that euen as her liuing Image was liuely in her perfections, so euerie wound in him, which was closed by her death, opens as oft as he beholdes her, and bleedes as freshly as if it had beene shee, and no other by whome his heart had beene wounded. Of what name is shee (sayde Cosmo) or when came she in-into these walkes that you haue but seene her so late∣ly? Hath shee not vsed our Temples? hath shee not fre∣quented our May-sports? or hath she not beene present at any of our Pastorals? Her name (replyed Diatas∣san) is Apheleia, but for her artynall in these woods, or frequent with our delights, it hath beene but late∣lye (my Cosmo) yet soone inough I feare, and too soone to worke my ouerthrow: Haue you had any confe∣rence with her said Cosmo? once (answered Diatassan) and then I found in her a Maiesticall loue, full of chaste seueritie, yet couered with the humble vaile of life-pleasing Pittie; I found in her a iealous honour, yet a bountifull curtesie; shee displayed no signes of Hope, yet beheld I nothing to make me dispaire: to be briefe, in the midst of this indifferencie, she gaue mee this doubt∣full fauour, behold it my Cosmo; And with that he shewed him the faire Ring, which shee had formerly bestowed vppon him, on whose curious deuise and workman∣ship, as they were with labouring mindes inwardlye beholding: see, see (sayde Diatassan) this Motto, this Manens moueor, my Cosmo, is it that onely torments and distempereth mee; one while my thoughts giues my heart intelligence that it shoulde approue her to bee constant, steddie and immoueable, howsoeuer shee Page  [unnumbered] turne or winde about my wretched fortune; euen like the glorious frame of heauen, which with his coun∣tercourse euer returneth to the first poynte of his be∣ginning; This thought is no sooner finished in my conceite, but a new springes vp, and then Imaginati∣on tels me, that shee onely to my sight standes fixte and vnmooued, yet like the celestiall bodyes moues with such sortecie, that wee shall sooner feele the change then beholde the motion: these and a thou∣sand such cogitations, are the continuall hammers, which beating vpon the Anuile of my heart, disquiet my sences, and take all rest from my slumbers: which to reconcile or remooue, I would become a slaue, ey∣ther to Time or Opinion.

Etherae at these wordes, perceiuing the Qu. was giuen her, which must let loose her language, start∣ing from the place of her aboade, presented herselfe euen to the sight and presence of the two Shep∣heards; and first vnder the cloake of carefull amine, and obsequious loue, couering the vnexpectance of her aproach, and the danger of her suddaine intrusi∣on; shee briefely tolde Diatassan with some flattering circumstances, how much shee honoured his vertue, respected his quiet, and desired the satisfaction of his best longings; therefore (saide shee) fayre Shepheard, although thou didst not see mee, yet haue I heard thy sorrowes, and long since suspected thy heauie plight; which to helpe, I am now content thou shalt esteeme mee rude: wherefore if it please thee to accept of my counsaile, I will direct thee into so fayre a path, as shall without amazement or danger, bring thee to the full end of thy wishes.

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Diatassan, who had hee had his counsailes in his bo∣some, might haue prooued more daintie in discharging them; now seeing they were reuealed, like an infant cur∣tezan, who trembling at the first touch of sinne, growes by vse impudent in sinne; being altogether insuspitious, kissing Ethera's fayre hand, tolde her, that if eyther her knowledge could discharge his doubtfulnesse, or her counsaile dyrect him through the blinde pathes of his intrycate Loue, that shee should not onelye make him an euer admyrer of her vertues; but a man proud to bee intytuled her Seruant. Ethera as proud of this insinuation, as counning to preserue her aduantage, thus saide to Diatassan; There is (quoth she) fayre Shep∣heard, not farre from this place, and hard adioyning to the foote of the Mountaine Ossa, an obscure and aun∣tient groaue of Pynes, of Cedars, and of wilde Oliues, where no Shepheard haunts, no Beast feedes, nor anye Satyre dare prophane. Within this darke groaue there is a little Grot, which making his passage through the hollownesse of the earth, is all ouer-growne with bryre, with thorne, with twitch, & with many intāgling bush∣es. It is a place vnsearcht, vnknowne, and vndesired, as being rough, thicke, and like hell, darke and voyde of all comfort. Within this place there liues a holye Hermitte, who beeing pretious and deare vnto our greate God Pan, hauing sundrie wayes to issue from this his desolate Mansion, sometimes to drinke the comfortable ayre: sometimes to giue releife to distres∣sed Shepheards, and sometymes for other more ho∣lye recreations, I haue oft obserued his howers: where∣fore to morrowe about the euening, at what time it shall bee my happe to meete with him, I will with Page  [unnumbered] such sweete perswasion intyce his olde yeares, that he shall not deny me to stay, & for some little space to con∣ferre with thee, touching the doubtfulnesse of thine af∣fection, the gift of prophecie, the knowledge of things past, and to come: and what else vnreuealed arte hath bene to mankinde hid, and obscured, the bountifull hea∣uens to him onely haue disclosed; therefore looke thou discharge thy counsailes into his eares, & with care per∣forme all his instructions, to shalt thou rayse honour vnto him, ease vnto thy selfe, and to me thy well wish∣er a iust satisfaction.

Diatassan after a little amazement at her discourse, calling vp his better wittes, and finding a stronge hope in this secret knowledge (being as it were tickled with a desire to beholde the issue, for loue hath no meane or patience in his desires) demaunded if hee should not presently goe with her? But she answered No, for first she would conferre with the Hermit herselfe, and then she aduis'd him at the clossing of the euening, to come vnto the foote of the mountaine Ossa, and if there hee found an Hermit, according to such description as she gaue him, then to proceede and trye the euent of his vnderstanding: Diatassan as much satisfied in himselfe, by this hope, as Ethera was hopefull to satisfie others by this stratagem, after many obseruant kisses offered vpon the fayre Altar of her hand, and double so many religi∣ous vowes, and protestations of seuerall seruices, for this her no lesse kynde then honourable friendship, taking his leaue of the polilicke Nimphe, did toge∣ther with the honest Shepheard Cosino, for that time depart home towards their owne Cabinets.

But Ethera not hauing as yet brought foorth that Page  58 prodegie which shee intended should amaze all the worlde, and Tempe: but being as it were in a painfull labour of much greater subtilties; as soone as the Shep∣heard was gone from her presence, shee went and col∣lected together sundrie simples or strange workinges, as Mandragge, Rue, Poppy, womansmilke, Rose∣leaues, pouder of Nutmegges, and such like; Of these shee composed a strong liquid potion, which being in∣fused into a Christall. Vyoll, and so carryed it about with her in her bosome. This doone, she presently went to the lodge, where the Princesse Melidora lay, but mis∣sing her there, and being so imboldned with rage of her owne desires, that shee feard not to bee accounted barbarous, shee went straight vnto that priuate Arbor, to which none might haue accesse saue onely the prin∣cesse; and as Boldnesse was readye to make her set her foote within the same, Wonder held her backe, for shee might heare a more then Angells voice, which consor∣ting the sound of a moste delicate toucht Lute, deliue∣red vnto her eares this Sonnet.

The verie rarenesse of the sound deliuered with such incomparable sweetnesse, easily assured her whom the singer was, and that it could not be any other then the Princesse Melidora, wherefore retiring her selfe from her first intended entrance, and being of a pregnant wit, apt to compasse choyse Numbers without meditation, leaning herselfe against the backe-side of the Arbor, so that the Princesse might not loose one syllable of her vtterance, she sung this song Extempore, as it had beene in the person of Diatasson.

The Princesse attentiuely hearing this song, but not seeing the singer, after her eares had drunke the sounde of her Shepheards name, coupled with another (as she thought) much vnworthie of so hie preheminence, as if all such adoration, had beene most damnable blas∣phemies, all-bee the sound did not chalenge anie thing from his voyce; yet restlesse Iealousie strake such strange fire into her bosome, that not able to containe her selfe, she came foorth of the Arbour with a more then vsuall haste, Anger making the Lillies of her face couer all the Roses, But when shee sawe the de∣ceyte, and that it was but onelie the Nymph Ethera; newe Gilliflowers springing about the Throne of Ro∣ses, smiling vpon the Nymph, she said:

I am glad (my Ethera) that thy pleasant free thoughts, stirring vp thy siluer voice, will giue vs the comfort of thy song: beleeue mee, I feard, thy last af∣fright would haue robbed both from thee and me, all Page  66 taste of solitarie pleasure; But I pray thee fayre Nymph, tell me what song was this, which thou didst euen now so passionately vtter, was it of thine owne, or of others composing? The Nymph Ethera with a downe-cast looke, and an humble reuerence, teaching her cheekes so artificiall a blush, as might verie well deceiue Nature, bowing herselfe before the Princesse, and first crauing pardon for her bolde presumption, in that shee had come so neare the place of her priuate retiring; assuring her with many prettie protestati∣ons, that she was vtterly ignorant of her there a∣boade: in the ende shee tolde the Princesse that for the song which shee had sung, it was none of her owne inuention, but made by the famous Shepheard Diatas∣san, in honour of the loue hee bare to the faire Nymph Apheleia, which she of late hearing, had now newly be∣queathed to memorie.

O God! had the Nymph Ethera out of an impla∣cable anger taken a vow vtterly to haue confounded the Princesse, or had the Princesse beene the vtter con∣fusion of all the generation from whence the Nymph was descended: had the Princesse beene her riuall in affection; the barre to her desires; or had the Princesse said, (what no woman can endure to haue saide) that shee had not beene faire, shee coulde neither haue founde a more readie poyson, nor a more sharpe reuenge, then the vtterance of these wordes, which shee deliuered: they were Daggers in the Princesse heart, they were woundes in her soule, and liuing deathes of dying liues anguish: what passion was there, with which shee did not communicate? what feare, what distrust, what iealousie, what madnesse, Page  [unnumbered] what amazement, and what else that may take vpon it the name of absolute euill, But in the ende Reason that could neuer indure that such euils as these should be∣come maisters of his fairest habitation, but like Carni∣uall masquers to haue onely a moments entertain∣ment, and no further, summoning his best accompli∣ces as Vertue, Constancie, Consideration, and such like, beganne to warre agaynst the former, with these ar∣guments.

First she called to minde the vertue of his former life, his innocent thoughts, his plaine dealing tongue, and his vndisembling actions; the seueritie of his go∣uernment, giuing no libertie to inconstancie, and his honourable imitations, being euen assurances of the best goodnesse, insomuch that Passion being accom∣panied with his onely companion easie beliefe, and both they attended on by Anger their seruant, casting a threatning cloude ouer the chearefull Firmament of her diuine lookes, shee thus spake to the Nymph Ethera.

Well I perceiue than the vse of sinne brings the Euill both to a delight and easinesse in sinne, nothing in them augmenting their ripenesse more, then the warmth of their owne wickednesse: of this hath thine immodestie giuen mee a double experience: thy first vnchast perswasions, being now seconded with a most shamefull slaunder, lightnesse and impudencie, striuing how to create murther. O Ethera thou art doublie vn∣kinde, vnkind to vertue, the shadow of whose counte∣nance hath brought thee to much honour: but most vnkinde to truth whom thou seekest to kill with a false witnesse; be thy folly therfore thy scourge, and both my Page  67 hate and refusals of thy counsels, profes of that detesta∣tion wherein I holde thee: hencefoorth I charge thee neither to frequent these walkes, nor acknowledge my memorie, but liuing an eternall exile, complaine to the worlde what woes falshoode and shame haue brought vpon thee. Alas poore Diatassan, the vertue hath begot thee infinite enuie, and thine imaginarie happinesse seekes to inrich thee with most cottaine mischiefe, but thy goodnesse hath taken such well grounded roote in mine vnderstanding, that nothing shall draw from thee the blisse of my good opinion: liue but as happie as thou art constant, and euen Angels shall finde want in thine vnbounded prospetiue. And as she spake these words, tears rising in her eyes, as it were to make a que∣stion in the worlde which were the more purer Dia∣monds, she offered to depart. But the Nymph after the custome of disgrast Tragedians, whose first act is enter∣tained with a snakie salutation, falling vpon her knees and staying her by her garments, with all the humilitie that either Art, of Nature could exercise, humblie be∣sought her to stay, and heare what she had to say for her iustification, assuring her by protestations of vnspeake∣able 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 v••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 Page  [unnumbered] are liuing presidents: the minde creating reasons to de∣fend her opinion; and the conscience being so free a spi∣rite, 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 Pig∣malion, not affecting well carued Images, but doating vpon most deformed, loathsome, and infecting Sepul∣chres; women worse then Pasiphae, not lusting after beasts, but monsters; Mizētius cruelty being exercised in euerie Cathedrall: so infinite is Loues beliefe, and so im∣possible 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 opini∣on, it shalbe sand sprinckled in the wind for me to goe a∣bout 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 Ma∣dam) let vs priuately repaire, and if what I haue repor∣ted, he doe not second with mo•• substantiall proofes, let his truth bee my conuiction, and your hate my pu∣nishment. At these wordes, if not Iealousie, yet a fan∣cie in all proportion so like Iealousie, that it coulde Page  68 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 cō∣firmed: Time in this businesse was held so precious, that neither of them would agree to the losse of one mo∣ment; but as it were forgetting all businesse, which to this businesse was not appertaining, without either greater guarde, or better preparation, they foorth∣with, hither directed their iourny, where both the prin∣cesse, 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 ho∣wers, peace of thought, and the blisse of mine owne wi∣shes, to which when I had returned the best and har∣tiest of my praiers, the Princesse told me she had an ear∣nest 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 Page  [unnumbered] 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 with∣in the compasse of my prayers, counsailes or know∣ledge, should with my best endeuours labour her satis∣faction: 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 per∣fite, that neither thine age may be grieued with our cō∣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 there∣withall she drew forth the vial of liquor she had former∣ly mixed, and gaue it me to drinke, of which I tooke a full draught: the Nymph euer vrging me to drinke a∣gaine, 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.

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I haue heard (saide shee graue father) that the Sy∣ren doth not inchaunt, but instruct, not bewitch but in∣rich with wonder the attentiue eare of the Sea-faring or weather-beaten trauailer, who delighted with the honie oratorie of their Prophetique and diuine lan∣guage, stayes his busie course, and with amazed admiration, drinkes the celestiall wisedome of their in∣comparable 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 me∣mories 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 Mer∣maide.

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 some know∣ledge of their more secret wisedome, yet that either my tongue should rashly breake vp the seales of the eternall register of the vncontrolled Fates, or that my easie charitie should for mortall satisfaction disclose the counsailes of the starrie Parliament, were both an odious blemish to mine olde age, and an vtter banish∣ment of those graces, which by the grace of heauen had hitherto in me abounded; neither are (quoth I) the hie contemplations of the diuine powers within then reach Page  [unnumbered] of mans knowledge, being a creature rather created to looke into the wretched estate of his owne sinfulnesse, the remembrance whereof shoulde euen bowe our heades to our feete, and make vs with trembling ad∣miration looke vpon those dangers which howerly lie before vs, wherin we may behold in dayly models, how euen the wisest doe fetter and intangle themselues; yet faire Princesse, inasmuch as I know your wisdome is neuer vnaccompanied with Vertue, and that Vertue now inflamed with a desire of vnreuealed knowledges; to giue some satisfaction both to your wisedome, ver∣tue, and desire, constantly behold this myrror or glasse of diuine prouidence. And with that I drew forth this glasse, which euer I beare in my bosome, in which as the Princesse gazed with a thirstie eye, and an infla∣med remembrance, shee might behold the whole com∣passe of the round worlde, both heauen, earth, sea, and hell; and aboue all as in a Spheare of the most speedie motion, whose whirling swiftnesse tooke from the eye the distinguishment of the matter, where∣of it was composed, shee might beholde set in her tri∣umphat Throne, the great and dreadfull Goddesse of Fortune incertaine Ramnusia, who beeng set vppon three round Munddes, whose motions were three times swifter then the Sunnes Chariot, was at that time shaping all worldlye premotion into the fashion of an almightie Wheele, running continuallye about an Axeltree wrought out of a rocke of impenetrable Diamond about this Wheele shee sawe swarming all sortes of people, euen from the Throne of Maie∣stie, to the stoole of earth, which is much lower then the Cottage, some hanging by the heades, Page  70 some by the handes, and some by the feete, some by the eyes, some by the eares, and some by imagination: none hauing so certaine holde as coulde giue assu∣rance to their abiding, nor anie one so incertainlye placed, as seemed to apprehende anie feare of sud∣daine falling; yet neuer did leaues in Autumne fall thicker from the parched trees, then these vassailes vnto Fortune, dropt and shewred downe from this infinite engine, onely one aboue all the rest that sat vpon the toppe of the Wheele in a Chaire of glasse, stayed and supported by many columbs and pillers of Christall, Iette, and Porpherie, shewed that in the grea∣test inconstancie and exchange of alteration, there is euer some one figure of constant eternitie; this glori∣ous person seemed to be the onely delight of Fortune, as in whom she had planted her choysest affections, gi∣uen her the controll of her Godhead, and euen the al∣teration downfall, and vp-rising of her frownes, fauors and aduancements, this worthie creature the Princesse might see, with her hand lift vp, Millions to the toppe of Fortunes Wheele, and seat them with assurance round about her, shee might see her raise Gammede to heauen, and make him Ioues taster, for whose take euen the whole generation of Troy receyued an eternall bles∣sing, shee might see her take Appollo from Admetus flockes, to make him Lorde of the worlds beautie, and the Roman Maro from rubbing Augustus horse, to sing the honours, vertues and conquests, of the most ce∣lestiall generations; what might shee not see hee doe that was impossible to be done by any other creature; she might see her fauour worke all things, making vani∣tie the schoole of wisedome, if shee gaue tolleration to Page  [unnumbered] one vaine opinion, and pietie it selfe, more esteemed for her imitations, then for its owne goodnesse; but in the ende, what with the multitudes of her owne ad∣uauncing, and the slippetinesse of the throne wherein Incertaintie had plast her, the Princesse might beholde that great minion vnto Fat, and Fauour fal like a starre from the heauens, vnto the foote of the lowest desti∣nie, the whilest her owne creatures, like ayme-crier; behelde her mischaunce with nothing but lippe-pitie.

These and many such like visions the Princesse be∣helde in my prospectiue, which drawing her minde to reckon with many wonders, and intangling it in a ma∣ny-wayed Laborinth, she in the ende besought mee to explaine the meaning of these doubtfull and obscure inigmas: But scarce were her intreaties past from her lippes, when a heauie and dead slumber ceazing vp∣on all my senses, lockt vp both my vtterance & know∣ledges, so that falling into a most sound sleepe, I gaue her assurance, that her doubts at that time were to re∣maine vnsatisfied; but the Princesse as greedie of vn∣derstanding as my bodie was of rest, with pretty mo∣tions, and the raysing vp of her well tuned voyce, in∣to a higher Key, sought to awake and breake off my sleeping, till the Nymph Ethera besought her to re∣maine satisfyed, in as much as no sound had power to vncharme those slumbers, declaring therewithall howe shee had to this ende mixt that potion of which the olde man had drunke, against whose operation there was neither noyse, nor violence coulde preuaile: which assoone as the Princesse vnderstoode, fearing that her feares would bee too long lyued, and doub∣ting this stratagem, was deuised onely to lend eternitie Page  71 to her doubts full of diuine impatience, cloathed in the robes of the most lonelyest anger, shee began bitterly to inueigh against the Nymph, renuing all her former opinions touching her falshoode, and fortifying them with this witnesse, that gaue assured testimonie, shee durst not abide the triall of any innocent or vpright Iu∣stice: after the Nymph had giuen the Princes leaue e∣uen to tire her anger with her owne passion, shee in the end interrupted her with these words.

See, see, madam (said shee) how in the most excel∣ent things, this furie which we call conceyte, doth ty∣rannize and confound all those celestiall ornaments which should make them most admyred: thinks your Maiestie I inuented this to keepe mine owne sinne hid∣den? no, it is to make my glorie like the Sunne, much brighter; I know (Madam) the effects of our Femi∣nine beliefe, and the soueraigntie of Loue, both which admit no credite, no not to Angels, if their Ambassa∣ges runne in oppositions with our fancies, wherefore (Madam) that this vertuous olde man, shal not like the Troyan Prophetesse, tell truth without credite, nor I without cause beare the burden of calumniation; thus if it please you I haue deuised: the growne and hoode which this reuerent Priest to our great God weareth, you shall put on: his Booke, his beades, his Glasse, and his Staffe, you shal also exercise, and in all aprearance to the eye, bearing the whole image of his grauitie, you shall seate your selfe in this place, and as not beeing what you are, but what you seeme to bee, I meane the aged Eugenio, you shall this day to all such as shall make hither their repaire for counsaile, vnfolde the hidden misteries of their fortunes: amongest whom, if Page  [unnumbered] the noble Shepheard Diatassan shall appeare, and vnto your owne eares discharge all and more then that little, all which I haue deliuered; bee then your selfe the in∣different Iudge betwixt your beliefe, my wrong, and his inconstancie. The Princesse apprehending her de∣uise, gaue easie consent to the accomplishment, and therewithall leading me into a priuate Arbor, where they might more conueniently disroabe me, they be∣gan that intricate worke, which how it was effec∣ted, seconded, and controlled, who are desirous to vnderstande, must expect in the next volume.