library(tm)
## Loading required package: NLP
setwd("/Users/ahenrichs/Desktop/Sidney women/WWO/WWO/Wroth and Sidney Herbert/txt files")
getwd()
## [1] "/Users/ahenrichs/Desktop/Sidney women/WWO/WWO/Wroth and Sidney Herbert/txt files"
filenames <- list.files(getwd(),pattern="*.txt")
filenames
## [1] "Arcadia.txt" "psidneyAS.txt" "psidneydefence.txt"
## [4] "rsidneypoems.txt" "sidneyantonie.txt" "sidneydiscourse.txt"
## [7] "sidneypsalms.txt" "wrothurania.txt"
#create corpus
files<-lapply(filenames,readLines)
## Warning in FUN(X[[i]], ...): incomplete final line found on
## 'psidneydefence.txt'
warnings()
## NULL
files
## [[1]]
## [1] ""
## [2] ""
## [3] "To "
## [4] "My Dear Lady and Sister, "
## [5] ""
## [6] "HE COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE. "
## [7] ""
## [8] "now have you (most dear, and most worthy to be "
## [9] "dear lady !) this idle work of mine, which, I fear, like the "
## [10] "'s web, will be thought fitter to be swept away, than "
## [11] "to any other purpose. For my part, in very truth (as "
## [12] "•uel fathers among the Greeks were wont to do to the "
## [13] ""
## [14] "they would not foster), I could well find in my heart to "
## [15] "lut, in some desert of forgetfulness, this child, which I "
## [16] "th to father. But you desired me to do it, and your "
## [17] ""
## [18] "to my heart is an absolute commandment. Now, it is "
## [19] "only for you, only to you : if you keep it to yourself, or "
## [20] "lend it to such friends who will weigh errors in the "
## [21] ":e of goodwill, I hope, for the father's sake, it will be "
## [22] "ned, perchance, made much of, though in itself it have "
## [23] "nities. For indeed, for severer eyes it is not, being but "
## [24] "e, and that triflingly handled. Your dear self can best "
## [25] "3S the manner, being done in loose sheets of paper, most "
## [26] "in your presence; the rest by sheets sent unto you, as "
## [27] "s they were done. In sum, a young head, not so well "
## [28] "i as I would it were, and shall be when God will, having "
## [29] ""
## [30] "fancies begotten in it, if it had not been in some way "
## [31] ";red, would have grown a monster, and more sorry might "
## [32] ":hat they came in, than that they gat out. But this chief "
## [33] "■ shall be the not walking abroad; and his chief pro- "
## [34] "in, the bearing the livery of your name, which, if much "
## [35] ""
## [36] "xxxix "
## [37] ""
## [38] ""
## [39] ""
## [40] "2 ARCADIA [BOOK 1. "
## [41] ""
## [42] "\" Well, then, remembrance commanded, we obeyed, and here we "
## [43] "find that as our remembrance came everclothed unto us in the "
## [44] "form of this place, so this place gives new heat to the fever of our "
## [45] "languishing remembrance. Yonder, my Claius, Urania lighted ; the "
## [46] "very horse, methought, bewailed to be so disburdened : and as for "
## [47] "thee, poor Claius, when thou wentest to help her down, I saw "
## [48] "reverence and desire so divide thee, that thou didst at one instant "
## [49] "both blush and quake, and instead of bearing her wert ready to "
## [50] "fall down thyself. There she sat, vouchsafing my cloak (then most "
## [51] "gorgeous) under her : at yonder rising of the ground she turned "
## [52] "herself, looking back towards her wonted abode, and because of her "
## [53] "parting, bearing much sorrow in her eyes, the lightsomeness where- "
## [54] "of had yet so natural a cheerfulness that it made even sorrow seem "
## [55] "to smile ; at that turning she spake to us all, opening the cherry of "
## [56] "her lips, and Lord how greedily mine ears did feed upon the sweet "
## [57] "words she uttered ! And here she laid her hand over thine eyes, "
## [58] "when she saw the tears springing in them, as if she would conceal "
## [59] "them from other, and yet herself feel some of thy sorrow. But woe "
## [60] "is me, yonder, yonder, did she put her foot into the boat, at that "
## [61] "instant, as it were, dividing her heavenly beauty between the earth "
## [62] "and the sea. But when she was embarked, did you not mark how "
## [63] "the winds whistled and the seas danced for joy, how the sails did "
## [64] "swell with pride, and all because they had Urania? O Urania, "
## [65] "blessed be thou Urania, the sweetest fairness, and fairest "
## [66] "sweetness ! \" "
## [67] ""
## [68] "With that word his voice brake so with sobbing, that he could "
## [69] "say no farther ; and Claius thus answered : "
## [70] ""
## [71] "\"Alas my Strephon,\" said he, \"what needs this score to reckon "
## [72] "up only our losses? What doubt is there, but that the sight of "
## [73] "this place doth call our thoughts to appear at the court of affection, "
## [74] "held by that racking steward remembrance ? As well may sheep "
## [75] "forget to fear when they spy wolves, as we can miss such fancies "
## [76] "when we see any place made happy by her treading. Who can "
## [77] "choose that saw her, but think where she stayed, where she walked, "
## [78] "where she turned, where she spoke ? But what is all this ? truly "
## [79] "no more, but as this place served us to think of those things, so "
## [80] "those things serve as places to call to memory more excellent "
## [81] "matters. No, no, let us think with consideration, and consider "
## [82] "with acknowledging, and acknowledge with admiration, and admire "
## [83] "with love, and love with joy in the midst of all woes. Let us in "
## [84] "such sort think, I say, that our poor eyes were so enriched as to "
## [85] "behold and our low hearts so exalted as to love a maid who is "
## [86] "such, that as the greatest thing the world can shew is her beauty, "
## [87] "so the least thing that may be praised in her is her beauty. "
## [88] "Certainly as her eye-lids are more pleasant to behold than two "
## [89] ""
## [90] ""
## [91] ""
## [92] "; I.] ARCADIA 3 "
## [93] ""
## [94] "i kids climbing up a fair tree, and browsing on its tenderest "
## [95] ":hes, and yet are nothing comparing to the day-shining stars "
## [96] "lined in them ; and as her breath is more sweet than a gentle "
## [97] "i-west wind, which comes creeping over flowery fields and "
## [98] "Dwed waters in the extreme heat of summer ; and yet is "
## [99] "ng, compared to the honey-flowing speech that breath doth "
## [100] "• : no more all that our eyes can see of her (though when they "
## [101] ""
## [102] "seen her, what else they shall ever see is but dry stubble "
## [103] ""
## [104] "clover-grass) is to be matched with the flock of unspeakable "
## [105] "2S laid up delightfully in that best builded fold. But indeed, "
## [106] "e can better consider the sun's beauty by marking how he "
## [107] ""
## [108] "these waters and mountains than by looking upon his own "
## [109] ""
## [110] "too glorious for our weak eyes : so it may be our conceits "
## [111] "able to bear her sun-staining excellency) will better weigh it "
## [112] "er works upon some meaner subject employed. And alas, "
## [113] "can better witness that than we, whose experience is grounded "
## [114] ""
## [115] "feeling? Hath not the only love of her made us (being "
## [116] "ignorant shepherds) raise up our thoughts above the ordinary "
## [117] ""
## [118] "of the world, so that great clerks do not disdain our con- "
## [119] "ce ? Hath not the desire to seem worthy in her eyes made "
## [120] "rhen others were sleeping, to sit viewing the course of the "
## [121] ";ns ; when others were running at Base*, to run over "
## [122] "ed writings ; when others mark their sheep, we to mark "
## [123] "lives? Hath not she thrown reason upon our desires, and, "
## [124] "were, given eyes unto Cupid ? Hath in any but in her love- "
## [125] "iTship maintained friendship between rivals, and beauty taught "
## [126] "eholders chastity ? \" "
## [127] ""
## [128] "; was going on with his praises, but Stephon bade him stay "
## [129] "look : and so they both perceived a thing which floated, "
## [130] "ing nearer and nearer to the bank ; but rather by the favour- "
## [131] "working of the sea than by any self-industry. They doubted "
## [132] "le what it should be till it was cast up even hard before them, "
## [133] "lich time they fully saw that it was a man. Whereupon "
## [134] "ng for pity's sake unto him, they found his hands (as it should "
## [135] "ir, constanter friends to his life than his memory) fast "
## [136] "ing upon the edge of a square small coffer which lay all "
## [137] ": his breast : else in himself no show of life, so that the board "
## [138] "sd to be but a bier to carry him to land to his sepulchre. So "
## [139] ""
## [140] "they up a young man of goodly shape, and well-pleasing "
## [141] "r, that one would think death had in him a lovely counten- "
## [142] "; and that, though he were naked, nakedness was to him an "
## [143] "el. That sight increased their compassion, and their com- "
## [144] "an called up their care ; so that lifting his feet above his "
## [145] ""
## [146] "making a great deal of salt water come out of his mouth, "
## [147] ""
## [148] "* The old g^ame of prisoaer's-base, then a common rustic pastime. "
## [149] ""
## [150] ""
## [151] ""
## [152] "4 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [153] ""
## [154] "they laid him upon some of their garments, and fell to rub and "
## [155] "chafe him, till they brought him to recover both breath, the "
## [156] "servant, and warmth, the companion, of living. At length opening- "
## [157] "his eyes, he gave a great groan (a doleful note, but a pleasant "
## [158] "ditty, for by that they found not only life but strength of life in "
## [159] "him). They therefore continued on their charitable office until, "
## [160] "his spirits being well returned, he— without so much as thanking "
## [161] "them for their pains— gat up, and looking round about to the "
## [162] "uttermost limits of sight, and crying upon the name of Pyrocles, "
## [163] "nor seeing nor hearing cause of comfort, \"What,\" said he, \"and "
## [164] "shall Musidorus live after Pyrocles's destruction?\" "
## [165] ""
## [166] "Therewithal he offered wilfully to cast himself again into the "
## [167] "sea : a strange sight to the shepherds, to whom it seemed that "
## [168] "before being in appearance dead, had yet saved his life, and now "
## [169] "coming to his life, should be a cause to procure his death ; but "
## [170] "they ran unto him, and pulling him back (then too feeble for "
## [171] "them) by force stickled that unnatural fray. "
## [172] ""
## [173] "\" I pray you,'' said he, \" honest men, what such right have you "
## [174] "in me, as not to suffer me to do with myself what I list, and what "
## [175] "policy have you to bestow a benefit where it is counted an injury?\" "
## [176] ""
## [177] "They hearing him speak in Greek (which was their natural "
## [178] "language) became the more tender-hearted towards him, and "
## [179] "considering by his calling and looking that the loss of some dear "
## [180] "friend was great cause of his sorrow, told him, they were poor men "
## [181] "that were bound, by course of humanity, to prevent so great a "
## [182] "mischief; and that they wished him, if opinion of some body's "
## [183] "perishing bred such desperate anguish in him, that he should be "
## [184] "comforted by his own proof, who had lately escaped as apparent "
## [185] "danger as any might be. "
## [186] ""
## [187] "\" No, no,\" said he, \" it is nor for me to attend so high a blissfiil- "
## [188] "ness : but since you take care of me, I pray you find means that "
## [189] "some barque may be provided, that will go out of the haven that "
## [190] "if it be possible we may find the body, far, far too precious food "
## [191] "for fishes : and for that hire I have within this casket of value "
## [192] "sufficient to content them.'' "
## [193] ""
## [194] "Claius presently went to a fisherman, and having agreed with "
## [195] "him, and provided some apparel for the naked stranger, he "
## [196] "embarked, and the shepherds with him : and were no sooner gone "
## [197] "beyond the mouth of the haven, but that some way into the sea "
## [198] "they might discern, as it were, a stain of the water's colour, and by "
## [199] "times some sparks and smoke mounting thereout. But the young "
## [200] "man no sooner saw it, but that beating his breast he cried that "
## [201] "there was the beginning of his ruin, entreating them to bend their "
## [202] "course as near unto it as they could ; telling, how that smoke was "
## [203] "but a small relique of a great fire which had driven both him and "
## [204] ""
## [205] ""
## [206] ""
## [207] "BOOK I.] Arcadia § "
## [208] ""
## [209] "his friend rather to commit themselves to the cold mercy of the "
## [210] "sea than to abide the hot cruelty of the fire ; and that therefore, "
## [211] "though they both had abandoned the ship, that he was (if any "
## [212] "were) in that course to be met withal. They steered therefore as \"\"\"^ "
## [213] "near thither-ward as they could : but when they came so near that "
## [214] "their eyes were full masters of the object, they saw a sight full of "
## [215] "piteous strangeness : a ship, or rather the carcase of the ship, or "
## [216] ""
## [217] "' rather some few bones of the carcase hulling there, part broken, "
## [218] "part burned, part drowned : death having used more than one dart "
## [219] "to that destruction. About it floated great store of very rich "
## [220] ""
## [221] ", things and many chests which might promise no less. And "
## [222] "amidst the precious things were a number of dead bodies, which "
## [223] "likewise did not only testify both elements' violence, but that the "
## [224] "chief violence was grown of human inhumanity : for their bodies "
## [225] "were full of grisly wounds, and their blood had (as it were) filled "
## [226] "the wrinkles of the sea's visage ; which it seemed the sea would "
## [227] "not wash away, that it might witness that it is not always its fault "
## [228] "when we do condemn its cruelty. In sum, a defeat where the "
## [229] "conquered kept both field and spoil : a shipwreck without storm or "
## [230] "ill-footing : and a waste of fire in the midst of the water. ^ "
## [231] ""
## [232] "But a little way off they saw the mast, whose proud height now "
## [233] "lay along ; like a widow having lost her mate of whom she held "
## [234] "her honour : but upon the mast they saw a young man (at least if "
## [235] "he were a man) bearing show of about eighteen years of age, who "
## [236] "sat (as on horse back) having nothing upon him but his shirt, "
## [237] "which being wrought with blue silk and gold had a kind of "
## [238] "resemblance to the sea : on which the sun (then near his western "
## [239] "home) did shoot some of his beams. His hair (which the young "
## [240] "men of Greece used to wear very long) was stirred up and down - "
## [241] "with the wind, which seemed to have a sport to play with it, as "
## [242] "the sea had to kiss his feet ; himself full of admirable beauty, set "
## [243] "forth by the strangeness both of his seat and gesture. For, "
## [244] "holding his head up full of unmoved majesty he held a sword "
## [245] "aloft with his fair arm, which often he waved about his crown, as "
## [246] "though he would threaten the world in that extremity. But the "
## [247] "fishermen, when they came so near him that it was time to throw "
## [248] "out a rope by which hold they might draw him, their simplicity "
## [249] "bred such amazement, and their amazement such superstition that "
## [250] "(assuredly thinking it was some God begotten between Neptune "
## [251] "and Venus that had made all this terrible slaughter), as they went "
## [252] "under sail by him, held up their hands and made their prayers. "
## [253] "Which when Musidorus saw, though he were almost as much "
## [254] "ravished with joy as they with astonishment, he leaped to the "
## [255] "mariner, and took the cord out of his hand, and (saying, \" Dost "
## [256] "thou live, and art thou well,\" who answered, \" Thou canst tell best, "
## [257] ""
## [258] ""
## [259] ""
## [260] "g ARCADIA [BOOK *•. "
## [261] ""
## [262] "since most of my well-being stands in thee\") threw it out, but "
## [263] "already the ship was passed beyond Pyrocles : and therefore "
## [264] "Musidorus could do no more but persuade the mariners to cast "
## [265] "about again, assuring them that he was but a man, although of "
## [266] "most divine excellencies, and promising great rewards for their "
## [267] "pains. "
## [268] ""
## [269] "And now they were already come upon the stays ; when one "
## [270] "of the sailors descried a galley which came with sails and oars "
## [271] "directly in the chase of them ; and straight perceived it was a "
## [272] "well-known pirate who hunted not only for goods but for bodies "
## [273] "of men, which he employed either to be his galley-slaves or* "
## [274] "to sell at the best market. Which when the matter understood, "
## [275] "he commanded forthwith to set on all the canvass he could and fly "
## [276] "homeward, leaving in that fort poor Pyrocles so near to be rescued. "
## [277] "But what did not Musidorus say, what did he not offer to persuade "
## [278] "them to venture to fight ; but fear standing at the gates of their "
## [279] "ears, put back all persuasions : so that he had nothing whatever to "
## [280] "accompany Pyrocles but his eyes, nought to succour him but his "
## [281] "wishes. Therefore praying for him, and casting a long look that "
## [282] "way, he saw the galley leave the pursuit of them and turn to take "
## [283] "up the spoils of the other wreck : and lastly he might well see "
## [284] "them lift up the young man ; and \" alas,\" said he to himself, \" dear "
## [285] "Pyrocles, shall that body of thine be enchained, shall those "
## [286] "victorious hands of thine be commanded to base offices, shall "
## [287] "virtue become a slave to those that be slaves to viciousness, alas, "
## [288] "better had it been thou hadst ended nobly thy noble days : what "
## [289] "death is so evil as unworthy servitude?\" "
## [290] ""
## [291] "But that opinion soon ceased when he saw the galley setting "
## [292] "upon another ship, which held long and strong fight with her : for "
## [293] "then he began afresh to fear the life of his friend, and to wish well "
## [294] "to the pirates whom before he hated, lest in their ruin he might "
## [295] "perish. But the fishermen made such speed into the haven, that "
## [296] "they absented his eyes from beholding the issue : where being "
## [297] "entered, he could not procure neither them, or any other as "
## [298] "then, to put themselves into the sea : so that being so full of "
## [299] "sorrow for being unable to do anything as void of counsel how "
## [300] "to do anything, besides that sickness grew something upon him, "
## [301] "the honest shepherds Strephon and' Claius (who being themselves "
## [302] "true friends did the more perfectly judge the justness of his "
## [303] "sorrow) advise him that he should mitigate somewhat of his woe, "
## [304] "since he had gotten an amendment in fortune, being come from "
## [305] "assured persuasion of his death to have no cause to despair of his "
## [306] "life ; as one that had lamented the death of his sheep should after "
## [307] "know they were but strayed would receive pleasure, though readily "
## [308] "he knew not where to find them. "
## [309] ""
## [310] ""
## [311] ""
## [312] "K I.] Arcadia 7 "
## [313] ""
## [314] "Now, Sir,\" said they, \" thus for ourselves it is ; we are in "
## [315] "ession but shepherds, and in this country of Laconia little "
## [316] "er than strangers, and therefore neither in skill nor ability of "
## [317] "er greatly to stead you. But what we can present unto you is "
## [318] ": Arcadia, of which country we are, is but a little way hence ; "
## [319] "even upon the next confines there dwelleth a gentleman, by "
## [320] "le Kalander, who vouchsafest much favour unto us : a man "
## [321] "I for his hospitality is so much haunted that no news stir but "
## [322] "les to his ears ; for his upright dealings so beloved of his "
## [323] "fhbours, that he hath many ever ready to do him their "
## [324] "rmost service ; and by the great goodwill our prince bears "
## [325] "may soon obtain the use of his name and credit, which hath "
## [326] "rincipal sway, not only in his own Arcadia, but in all these "
## [327] "ntries of Peloponnesus : and (which is worth all) all these "
## [328] "igs give him not so much power, as his nature gives him will "
## [329] "lenefit : so that it seems no music is so sweet to his ears as "
## [330] "srved thanks. To him we will bring you, and there you may "
## [331] ")ver again your health, without which you cannot be able to "
## [332] "ce any diligent search for your friend ; and therefore you must "
## [333] ")ur for it. Besides, we are sure the comfort of courtesy and "
## [334] "; of wise counsel shall not be wanting \" "
## [335] ""
## [336] "lusidorus (who, besides he was merely unacquainted in the "
## [337] "ntry, had his wits astonished with sorrow) gave easy consent "
## [338] "hat from which he saw no reason to disagree : and therefore "
## [339] "\"raying the mariners with a ring bestowed upon them) they "
## [340] "c their journey together through Laconia ; Claius and Strephon "
## [341] ":ourse carrying his chest for him, Musidorus only bearing in his "
## [342] "ntenance evident marks of a sorrowful mind, supported with a "
## [343] "k body ; which they perceiving, and knowing that the violence "
## [344] "lorrow is not, at the first, to be striven withal (being like a "
## [345] "hty beast, sooner tamed with following than overthrown by "
## [346] "istanding), they gave way unto it, for that day and the next ; "
## [347] "er troubling him, either with asking questions or finding fault "
## [348] "1 his melancholy ; but rather fitting to his dolour, dolorous "
## [349] "lourses of their own and other folks' misfortunes. Which "
## [350] "sches, though they had not a lively entrance to his senses shut "
## [351] "n sorrow, yet like one half asleep he took hold of much of the "
## [352] "ter spoken unto him, for that a man may say, e'er sorrow was "
## [353] "ire, they made his thoughts bear away something else beside "
## [354] "own sorrow, which wrought so in him, that at length he grew "
## [355] "tent to mark their speeches, then to marvel at such wit in "
## [356] "pherds, after to like their company, and lastly to vouchsafe "
## [357] "ference ; so that the third day after, in the time that the "
## [358] "•ning did strew roses and violets in the heavenly floor against "
## [359] "coming of the sun, the nightingales (striving one with the other "
## [360] ""
## [361] ""
## [362] ""
## [363] "8 ARCADIA tBooKi. "
## [364] ""
## [365] "which could in most dainty variety recount their wrong-caused "
## [366] "sorrow) made them put off their sleep, and rising from under a "
## [367] "tree (which that night had been their pavilion) they went on their "
## [368] "journey, which by and by welcomed Musidorus's eyes (wearied "
## [369] "with the wasted soil of Laconia) with delightful prospects. "
## [370] ""
## [371] "There were hills which garnished their proud heights with "
## [372] "stately trees ; humble valleys whose base estate seemed comforted "
## [373] "with the refreshing of silver rivers ; meadows, enamelled with all "
## [374] "sorts of eye-pleasing flowers; thickets, which, being lined with "
## [375] "most pleasant shade, were witnessed so too by the cheerful "
## [376] "disposition of many well-tuned birds ; each pasture stored with "
## [377] "sheep feeding with sober security, while the pretty lambs with "
## [378] "bleating oratory craved the dams' comfort ; here a shepherd's "
## [379] "boy piping, as though he should never be old ; there a young "
## [380] "shepherdess knitting, and withal singing, and it seemed that "
## [381] "her voice comforted her hands to work and her hands kept time to "
## [382] "her voice-music. As for the houses of the country (for many houses "
## [383] "came under their eye) they were all scattered, no two being one by "
## [384] "the other, and yet not so far off as that it barred mutual succour : "
## [385] "a show, as it were, of an accompanable solitariness and of a civil "
## [386] "wildness. \" I pray you,\" said Mufidorus, then first unsealing his "
## [387] "long silent lips : '' what countries be these we pass through, which "
## [388] "are so divers in show, the one wanting no store, the other having "
## [389] "^ no store but of want ? \" "
## [390] ""
## [391] "\" The country,\" answered Claius, \" where you were cast ashore "
## [392] "and now are past through is Laconia, not so poor by the "
## [393] "barrenness of the soil (though in itself not passing fertile) as by "
## [394] "a civil war, which being these two years within the bowels of that "
## [395] "estate, between the gentlemen and the peasants (by them named "
## [396] "Helots), hath in this fort as it were disfigured the face of nature, "
## [397] "and made it so unhospitable as now you have found it : the towns "
## [398] "neither of the one side nor the other willingly opening their gates "
## [399] "to strangers, nor strangers willingly entering for fear of being "
## [400] "mistaken. "
## [401] ""
## [402] "\" But this country where how you set your foot is Arcadia : and "
## [403] "even hard by is the house of Kalander, whither we lead you. This "
## [404] "country being thus decked with peace and (the child of peace) "
## [405] "good husbandry, these houses you see so scattered are of men, as "
## [406] "we two are, that live upon the commodity of their sheep ; and "
## [407] "therefore in the division of the Arcadian estate are termed shep- "
## [408] "herds : a happy people, wanting little, because they desire not "
## [409] "much.\" "
## [410] ""
## [411] "\"What cause then,\" said Musidorus, \"made you venture to leave "
## [412] "this sweet life, and put yourself in yonder unpleasant and danger- "
## [413] "ous realm?\" \"Guarded with poverty,\" answered Strephon, \"and "
## [414] ""
## [415] ""
## [416] ""
## [417] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA g "
## [418] ""
## [419] "guided with love.\" \" But now,\" said Claius, \" since it hath pleased "
## [420] "you to ask anything of us, whose baseness is such as the very "
## [421] "knowledge is darkness, give us leave to know something of you, "
## [422] "and of the young man you so much lament, that at least we may be "
## [423] "the better instructed to inform Kalander, and he the better know "
## [424] "how to proportion his entertainment.\" "
## [425] ""
## [426] "Musidorus, according to the agreement \"between Pyrocles and "
## [427] "him to alter their names answered that he called himself Palladius "
## [428] "and his friend Daiphantus ; \"but till J have him again,\" said he, "
## [429] "\" I am indeed nothing, and therefore my story is of nothing ; his "
## [430] "entertainment (since so good a man he is) cannot be so low as I "
## [431] "account my estate ; and in sum, the sum of all his courtesy may be "
## [432] "to help me by some means to seek my friendj' "
## [433] ""
## [434] "They perceived he was not willing to open himself farther, and "
## [435] "therefore without farther questioning brought him to the house ; "
## [436] "about which they might see (with fit consideration both of the air, "
## [437] "the prospect, and the nature of the ground) all such necessary "
## [438] "additions to a great house as might well show Kalander knew that "
## [439] "provision is the foundation of hospitality and thrift the fuel of "
## [440] "magnificence. The house itself was built of fair and strong stone, "
## [441] "not affecting so much any extraordinary kind of fineness as an. "
## [442] "honourable representing of a firm stateliness. The lights, doors "
## [443] "and stairs rather directed to the use of the guest than to the eye of "
## [444] "the artificer ; and yet as the one chiefly heeded, so the other not "
## [445] "neglected ; each place handsome without curiosity, and homely "
## [446] "without loathsomeness ; not so dainty as not to be trod on, nor yet "
## [447] "flubbered up with good fellowship ; all more lasting than beautiful, "
## [448] "but that the consideration of the exceeding lastingness made the "
## [449] "eye believe it was exceeding beautiful. The servants not so many "
## [450] "in number as cleanly in apparel and serviceable in behaviour, "
## [451] "testifying even in their countenances that their master took as well "
## [452] "care to be served as of them that did serve. One of them was "
## [453] "forthwith ready to welcome the shepherds as men whom though "
## [454] "they were poor their master greatly favoured ; and understanding "
## [455] "by them that the young man with them was to be much accounted "
## [456] "of, for that they had seen tokens of more than common greatness, "
## [457] "howsoever now eclipsed with fortune, he ran to his master, who "
## [458] "came presently forth, and pleasantly welcoming the shepherds, but "
## [459] "especially applying him to Musidorus, Strephon privately told him "
## [460] "all what he knew of him, and particularly that he found this stranger "
## [461] "was loth to be known. "
## [462] ""
## [463] "\" No,\" said Kalander speaking aloud, \" I am no herald to inquire "
## [464] "of men's pedigrees ; it sufficeth me if I know their virtues ; which "
## [465] "(if this young man's face be not a false witness) do better apparel "
## [466] "his mind, than you have done his body.\" While he was thus "
## [467] ""
## [468] ""
## [469] ""
## [470] "to ARCADIA [book i. "
## [471] ""
## [472] "speaking, there came a boy in show like a merchant's prentice, "
## [473] "who, taking Strephon by the sleeve delivered him a letter, written "
## [474] "jointly both to him and Claius, from Urania, which they no sooner "
## [475] "had read but that with short leave taking of Kalander (who quickly "
## [476] "guessed and smiled at the matter) and once again (though hastily) "
## [477] "recommending the young man unto* him, they went away, leaving "
## [478] "Musidorus even loth to part with them, for the good conversation "
## [479] "he had had of them and obligation he accounted himself tied in "
## [480] "unto them : and therefore, they delivering his chest unto him, he "
## [481] "opened it, and would have presented them with two very rich "
## [482] "jewels, but they absolutely refused them, telling him that they were "
## [483] "more than enough rewarded in the knowing of him, and without "
## [484] "hearkening unto a reply (like men whose hearts disdained all "
## [485] "desires but one) gat speedily away, as if the letter had brought "
## [486] "wings to make them fly. But by that sight Kalander soon judged "
## [487] "that his guest was of no mean calling ; and therefore the more "
## [488] "respectfully entertaining him, Musidorus found his sickness (which "
## [489] "the fight, the sea and late travel had laid upon him) grow greatly, "
## [490] "so that, fearing some sudden accident, he delivered the chest to "
## [491] "Kalander, which was full of most precious stones gorgeously and "
## [492] "cunningly set in divers manners, desiring him he would keep those "
## [493] "trifles, and if he died, he would bestow so much of it as was "
## [494] "needful, to find out and redeem a young man, naming himself "
## [495] "Daiphantus, as then in the hands of Laconian pirates. "
## [496] ""
## [497] "But Kalander seeing him faint more and more, with careful "
## [498] "speed conveyed him to the most commodious lodging in his house, "
## [499] "where being possessed with an extreme burning fever he continued "
## [500] "some while with no great hope of life ; but youth at length got the "
## [501] "victory of sickness, so that in six weeks the excellency of his "
## [502] "returned beauty was a credible ambassador of his health, to the "
## [503] "great joy of Kalander, who, as in his time he had by certain friends "
## [504] "of his that dwelt near the sea in Missenia set forth a ship and a "
## [505] "galley to seek and succour Daiphantus, so at home did he omit "
## [506] "nothing which he thought migh either profit or gratify Palladius. "
## [507] ""
## [508] "For, having found in him (besides his bodily gifts beyond the "
## [509] "degree of admiration) by daily discourses, which he delighted "
## [510] "himself to have with him, a mind of most excellent composition, a "
## [511] "piercing wit, quite void of ostentation, high erected thought seated "
## [512] "in a heart of courtesy, an eloquence as sweet in the uttering as "
## [513] "slow to come to the uttering, a behaviour so noble as gave a "
## [514] "majesty to adversity ; and all in a man whose age could not be "
## [515] "above one and twenty years ; the good old man was even enamoured "
## [516] "with a fatherly love towards him, or rather became his servant by "
## [517] "the bonds such virtue laid upon him ; once, he acknowledged "
## [518] "himself so to be by the badge of diligent attendance. "
## [519] ""
## [520] ""
## [521] ""
## [522] "t i.l ARCADIA 11 "
## [523] ""
## [524] "It Palladius having gotten his health, and only staying there "
## [525] "! in place where he might hear answer of the ships set forth, "
## [526] "nder one afternoon led him abroad to a well-arrayed ground "
## [527] "ad behind his house, which he thought to show him before his "
## [528] "g as the place himself more than in any other delighted in. "
## [529] "backside of the house was neither field, garden nor orchard ; "
## [530] "ither it was both field, garden and orchard : for as soon as "
## [531] "lescending of the stairs had delivered them down, they came "
## [532] "a place cunningly set with trees of the most taste-pleasing "
## [533] "i ; but scarcely they had taken that into their consideration "
## [534] "that they were suddenly stept into a delicate green ; of each "
## [535] "of the green a thicket, and behind the thickets again new beds "
## [536] "Dwers, which being under the trees the trees were to them a "
## [537] "lion, and they to the trees a mosaical floor, so that it seemed "
## [538] "Art therein would needs be delightful, by counterfeiting his "
## [539] "ly Error and making order in confusion. "
## [540] ""
## [541] "the midst of all the place was a fair pond whose shaking "
## [542] ":al was a perfect mirror to all the other beauties, so that it bare "
## [543] "r of two gardens ; one in deed, the other in shadows. And in "
## [544] "sf the thickets was a fine fountain made thus : a naked Venus "
## [545] "liite marble, wherein the graver had used such cunning that the "
## [546] "ral blue veins of the marble were framed in fit places to set "
## [547] ", the beautiful veins of her body. At her breast she had her "
## [548] "! .(Eneas, who seemed, having begun to suck, to leave that to "
## [549] "upon her fair eyes, which smiled at the babe's folly, meanwhile "
## [550] ")reast running. "
## [551] ""
## [552] "ard by was a house of pleasure built for a summer-retiring "
## [553] "; ; whither Kalander leading him he found a square room full "
## [554] "elightful pictures made by the most excellent workmen of "
## [555] "ce. There was Diana when Actaeon saw her bathing ; in "
## [556] "ie cheeks the painter had set such a colour as was mixed be- "
## [557] "n sbame and disdain, and one of her foolish nymphs, who "
## [558] ")ing, and withal lowering, one might see the workman meant to "
## [559] "jrth tears of anger. In another table was Atalanta, the posture "
## [560] "hose limbs was so lively expressed, that if the eyes were only "
## [561] "es, as they be the only seers, one would have sworn the very "
## [562] "ire had run. Besides many more, as of Helena, Omphale, "
## [563] ": but in none of them all beauty seemed to speak so much as "
## [564] "large table, which contained a comely old man, with a lady of "
## [565] "Ue-age, but of excellent beauty, and more excellent would have "
## [566] "1 deemed, but that there stood between a young maid, whose "
## [567] "ierfulness took away all beauty from her, but that which it "
## [568] "It seem she gave her back again by her very shadow. And "
## [569] ""
## [570] "difference (being known that it did indeed counterfeit a "
## [571] "3n living) was there between her and all the other, though "
## [572] ""
## [573] ""
## [574] ""
## [575] "t2 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [576] ""
## [577] "goddesses, that it seemed -the skill of the painter bestowed nothing "
## [578] "on the other new beauty, but that the beauty of her bestowed new "
## [579] "skiU on the painter. Though he thought inquisitiveness an "
## [580] "uncomely guest he could not choose but ask who she was, that "
## [581] "bearing show of one being indeed could with natural gifts go "
## [582] "beyond the reach of invention. Kalander answered, that it was "
## [583] "made by Philodea, the younger daughter of his prince, who also "
## [584] "with his wife were contained in that table : the painter meaning to "
## [585] "represent the present condition of the young lady, who stood "
## [586] "watched by an over-curious eye of her parents ; and that he would "
## [587] "also have drawn her eldest sister, esteemed her match for beauty, "
## [588] "in her shepherdish attire, but that rude clown her guardian would "
## [589] "not suffer it ; neither durst he ask leave of the prince, for fear of "
## [590] "suspicion. Palladius perceived that the matter was wrapped up "
## [591] "in some secrecy, and therefore would, for modesty, demand no "
## [592] "farther ; but yet his countenance could not but with dum eloquence "
## [593] "desire it. Which Kalander perceiving, \" Well,\" said he, '' my dear "
## [594] "guest, I know your mind, and I will satisfy it : neither will I do it "
## [595] "like a niggardly answerer, going no farther than the bounds of the "
## [596] "question ; but I will discover unto you as well that wherein my "
## [597] "knowledge is common with others as that which by extraordinary "
## [598] "means is delivered unto me ; knowing so much in you (though not "
## [599] "long acquainted) that I shall find your ears faithful treasurers.\" "
## [600] "So then sitting down in two chairs, and sometimes casting his eye "
## [601] "to the picture, he thus spake : "
## [602] ""
## [603] "\" This country Arcadia among all the provinces of Greece, hath "
## [604] "ever been had in singular reputation ; partly for the sweetness of "
## [605] "the air and other natural benefits, but principally for the well- "
## [606] "tempered minds of the people who (finding that the shining title of "
## [607] "glory, so much affected by other nations, doth indeed help little to "
## [608] "the happiness of life) are the only people which, as by their justice "
## [609] "and providence give neither cause nor hope to their neighbours to "
## [610] "annoy, so are they not stirred with false praise to trouble others' "
## [611] "quiet, thinking it a small reward for the wasting of their own lives "
## [612] "in ravening, that their posterity should long after say they had done "
## [613] "so. Even the muses seem to approve their good determination by "
## [614] "choosing this country for their chief repairing place, and by "
## [615] "bestowing their perfections so largely here that the very shepherds "
## [616] "have their fancies lifted to so high conceits that the learned of "
## [617] "other nations are content both to borrow their names and imitate "
## [618] "their cunning. "
## [619] ""
## [620] "\" Here dwelleth and reigneth this prince (whose picture you see) "
## [621] "by name Basilius ; a prince of sufficient skill to govern so quiet a "
## [622] "country, where the good minds of the former princes had set down "
## [623] "good laws, and the well-bringing up of the people doth serve as a "
## [624] ""
## [625] ""
## [626] ""
## [627] "BOOK I,] ARCADIA 13 "
## [628] ""
## [629] "most sure bond to hold them. But to be plain with you, he excels "
## [630] "in nothing so much as the zealous love of his people, wherein he "
## [631] "doth not only pass all his own foregoers but, as I think, all the "
## [632] "princes living. Whereof the cause is, that though he exceed not "
## [633] "in the virtues which get admiration, as depth of wisdom, height of "
## [634] "courage, and largness of magnificence, yet is he notable in those "
## [635] "which stir affection, as truth of word, meekness, courtesy, merciful- "
## [636] "ness, and liberality. "
## [637] ""
## [638] "\" He, being already well stricken in years, married a young "
## [639] "princess, named Gynecia, daughter to the king of Cyprus, of "
## [640] "notable beauty, as by her picture you see : a woman of great wit, "
## [641] "and in truth of more princely virtues than her husband ; of most "
## [642] "unspotted chastity ; but of so working a mind and so vehement "
## [643] "spirits that a man may say, it was happy she took a good course "
## [644] "for otherwise it would have been terrible. "
## [645] ""
## [646] "\"Of these two are brought into the world two daughters, so "
## [647] "beyond measure excellent in all the gifts allotted to reasonable "
## [648] "creatures that we may think they were born to show that nature is "
## [649] "no stepmother to that sex, how much soever some men (sharp- "
## [650] "witted only in evil speaking) have sought to disgrace them. The "
## [651] "elder is named Pamela ; by many men not deemed inferior to her "
## [652] "sister : for my part, when I marked them both, methought there "
## [653] "was (if at least such perfections may receive the word of more) "
## [654] "more sweetness in Philoclea but more majesty in Pamela : "
## [655] "methought love played in Philoclea's eyes, and threatened in "
## [656] "Pamela's ; methought Philoclea's beauty only persuaded, but so "
## [657] "persuaded as all hearts must yield ; Pamela's beauty used violence, "
## [658] "and such violence as no heart could resist. And it seems that such "
## [659] "proportion is between their minds : Philoclea so bashful, as though "
## [660] "her excellencies had stolen into her before she was aware ; so "
## [661] "humble, that she will put all pride out of countenance ; in sum, "
## [662] "such proceeding as will stir hope but teach hope good manners. "
## [663] "Pamela of high thoughts who avoids not pride with not knowing "
## [664] "her excellencies, but by making that one of her excellencies to be "
## [665] "void of pride ; her mother's wisdom, greatness, nobility, but (if I "
## [666] "can guess aright) knit with a more constant temper. Now then, "
## [667] "our Basilius being so publicly happy as to be a prince, and so "
## [668] "happy in that happiness as to be a beloved prince ; and so in his "
## [669] "private estate blessed as to have so excellent a wife and so over- "
## [670] "excellent children, hath of late taken a course which yet makes "
## [671] "him more spoken of than all these blessings. For having made a "
## [672] "journey to Delphos, and safely returned, within short space, he "
## [673] "brake up his court, and retired himself, his wife and children, into "
## [674] "a certain forest hereby which he called his desert ; wherein "
## [675] "(besides an house appointed for stables and lodgings for certain "
## [676] ""
## [677] ""
## [678] ""
## [679] "14 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [680] ""
## [681] "persons of mean calling who do all household services) he hath "
## [682] "builded two fine lodges : in the one of them himself remains with "
## [683] "his younger daughter Philoclea (which was the cause they three "
## [684] "were matched together in this picture) without having any other "
## [685] "creature living in that lodge with him. "
## [686] ""
## [687] "\" Which though it be strange, yet not strange as the course he "
## [688] "hath taken with the princess Pamela whom he hath placed in the "
## [689] "other lodge : but how think you accompanied ? Truly with none "
## [690] "other but one Dametas, the most arrant doltish clown that I think "
## [691] "ever was without the privilege of a bauble, with his wife Miso and "
## [692] "daughter Mopsa, in whom no wit can devise anything wherein "
## [693] "they may pleasure her but to exercise her patience and to serve "
## [694] "for a foil of her perfections. This loutish clown is such that you "
## [695] "never saw so ill-favoured a vizor ; his behaviour such that he is "
## [696] "beyond the degree of ridiculous ; and for his apparel, even as I "
## [697] "would with him : Miso his wife so handsome a beldam, that only "
## [698] "her face and her splay-foot have made her accused for a witch ■ "
## [699] "only one good point she hath, that she observes decorum, having' "
## [700] "a forward mind in a wretched body. Between these two person- "
## [701] "ages (who never agreed in any humour, but in disagreeing) is "
## [702] "issued forth mistress Mopsa, a fit woman to participate of both "
## [703] "their perfections : but because a pleasant fellow of my acquain- "
## [704] "tance set forth her praises in verse, I will only repeat them, and "
## [705] "spare mine own tongue, since she goes for a woman. The verses "
## [706] "are these, which I have so often caused to be sung, that I have "
## [707] "them without book. "
## [708] ""
## [709] "What length of verse can serve, brave Mopsa's good to show? "
## [710] ""
## [711] "When virtues strange, and beauties such, as no man them may "
## [712] "know : "
## [713] ""
## [714] "Thus shrewdly burden'd then^ how can my muse escape ? "
## [715] ""
## [716] "The Gods must help, and precious things must serve, to shew "
## [717] "her shape, "
## [718] ""
## [719] "Like great God Saturn fair, and like fair Venus chaste : "
## [720] "As smooth as Pan, as Juno mild, like Goddess Iris fac't, "
## [721] "With Cupid she forsees, and goes God Vulcan's pace : "
## [722] "And for a taste of all these gifts, she steals God Momus' grace. "
## [723] "Her forehead Jacinth-like, her cheeks of Opal hue, "
## [724] "Her twinkling eyes bedeck'd with Pearl, her lips a Sapphire blue: "
## [725] "Her hair like Crapal stone ; her mouth O heav'nly wide 1 "
## [726] "Her skin like burnished gold, her hands like silver ore untry'd. "
## [727] "As for her parts unknown, which hidden sure are best : "
## [728] "Happy be they which will believe, and never seek the rest. "
## [729] "\"Now truly having made these descriptions unto you, methinks "
## [730] "you should imagme that I rather feign some pleasant device than "
## [731] "recount a truth that a prince (not banished from his own wits) "
## [732] "could possibly make so unworthy a choice. But truly (dear guest) "
## [733] ""
## [734] ""
## [735] ""
## [736] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 15 "
## [737] ""
## [738] "so it is that princes (whose doings have been often smoothed with "
## [739] "good success) think nothing so absurd, which they cannot make "
## [740] "honourable. The beginning of his credit was by the prince's "
## [741] "straying out of the way, one time he hunted, where meeting this "
## [742] "fellow, and asking him the way; and so falling into other "
## [743] "questions, he found some of his answers (as a dog sure, if he could "
## [744] "speak, had wit enough to describe his kennel) not unsensible, and "
## [745] "all uttered with such rudeness, which he interpreted plainness "
## [746] "(though there be great difference between them) that Basilius, "
## [747] "conceiving a sudden delight, took him to his court, with apparent "
## [748] "show of his good opinion : where the flattering courtier had no "
## [749] "sooner taken the prince's mind, but that there were straight "
## [750] "reasons to confirm the prince's doing, and shadows of virtues "
## [751] "found for Dametas. His silence grew wit, his bluntness integrity, "
## [752] "his beastly ignorance virtuous simplicity, and the prince (according "
## [753] "to the nature of great persons, in love with what he had done "
## [754] "himself) fancied that his weakness with his presence would much "
## [755] "be mended. And so like a creature of his own making, he "
## [756] "hked him more and more ; and thus having first given him the "
## [757] "office of principal herdsman ; lastly, since he took this strange "
## [758] "determination, he hath in a manner put the life of himself and his "
## [759] "children into his hands. Which authority (like too great a sail for "
## [760] "so small a boat) doth so overway poor Dametas, that, if before he "
## [761] "was a good fool in a chamber, he might be allowed it now in a "
## [762] "comedy, so as I doubt me (I fear me indeed) my master will in the "
## [763] "end (with his cost) find that his office is not to make men, but to "
## [764] "use men as men are, no more than a horse will be taught to hunt, "
## [765] "or an ass to manage. But in sooth I am afraid I have given your "
## [766] "ears too great a surfeit with gross discourses of that heavy piece of "
## [767] "flesh. But the zealous grief I conceive to see so great an error in "
## [768] "my lord hath made me- bestow more words than I confess so base "
## [769] "a subject deserveth. "
## [770] ""
## [771] "\" This much now that I have told you is nothing more than in "
## [772] "effect any Arcadian knows. But what moved him to this strange "
## [773] "solitariness hath been imparted (as I think) but to one person "
## [774] "living. Myself can conjecture, and indeed more than conjecture "
## [775] "by this accident that I will tell you : I have an only son, by name "
## [776] "CUtiphon, who is now absent, preparing for his own marriage, "
## [777] "which I mean shortly shall be here celebrated. This son of mine "
## [778] "(while the prince kept his court) was of his bed-chamber : now "
## [779] "since the breaking up of thereof returned home, and showed me "
## [780] "(among other things he had gathered) the copy which he had "
## [781] "taken of a letter : which when the prince had read, he had laid in "
## [782] "a window, presuming nobody durst look in his writings : but my "
## [783] "son not only took a time to read it, but to copy it. In truth I "
## [784] ""
## [785] ""
## [786] ""
## [787] "i6 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [788] ""
## [789] "blamed Clitiphon for the curiosity which made him break his duty "
## [790] "in such a kind, whereby kings' secrets are subject to be revealed, "
## [791] "but since it was done, I was content to take so much profit as to "
## [792] "know it. Now here is the letter that I ever since, for my good "
## [793] "liking, have carried about me : which before I read unto you, I "
## [794] "must tell you from whom it came. It is a nobleman of his country, "
## [795] "named Philanax, appointed by the prince regent, in this time of "
## [796] "his retiring, and most worthy so to be : for, there lives no man "
## [797] "whose excellent wit more simply embraceth integrity, beside his "
## [798] "unfeigned love to his master, wherein never yet any could make "
## [799] "question, saving whether he loved Basilius, or the prince better : "
## [800] "a rare temper, while most men either servilely yield to all appetites, "
## [801] "or with an obstinate austerity looking to that they fancied good, "
## [802] "in effect neglect the prince's person. This then being the man, "
## [803] "whom of all other (and most worthy) the prince chiefly loves, it "
## [804] "should seem (for more than the letter I have not to guess by) that "
## [805] "the prince upon his return from Delphos (Philanax then lying sick) "
## [806] "had written unto him his determination, rising (as evidently "
## [807] "appears) upon some oracle he had there received : whereunto he "
## [808] "wrote this answer : "
## [809] ""
## [810] "Philanax's letter to Basilius. "
## [811] "Most redoubted and beloved prince ! if as well it had pleased you "
## [812] "at your going to Delphos, as now, to have used my humble service, "
## [813] "both I should in better season^ and to better purpose have spoken ; "
## [814] "and you (if my speech had prevailed) should have been at this time, "
## [815] "as no way more in danger, so much more in quietness ? I would "
## [816] "then have said that wisdom and virtue be the only destinies appointed "
## [817] "to man to follow ; whence we ought to seek all our knowledge, since "
## [818] "they be such guides as cannot fail ; which, besides their inward "
## [819] "comfort, do lead so direct a way of proceeding, as either prosperity "
## [820] "must ensue ; or, if the wickedness of the world should oppress it, it "
## [821] "can never be said that evil happeneth to him who falls accompanied "
## [822] "with virtue : I would then have said the heavenly powers ought to "
## [823] "be reverenced and searched into, and their mercies rather by "
## [824] "prayers to be fought than their hidden counsels by curiosity. These "
## [825] "kinds of sooth-sayings (since they have left us in ourselves sufficient "
## [826] "guides) be nothing but fancy, wherein there must either be vanity, "
## [827] "or infallibleness, and so either not to be respected, or not to be pre- "
## [828] "vented. But since it is weakness too much to remember what "
## [829] "should have been done, and that your commandment stretched to "
## [830] "know what is to be done, I do (most dear Lord !) with humble bold- "
## [831] "ness say that the manner of your determination doth in no sort "
## [832] "better please me than the cause of your going. These thirty years "
## [833] "you have so governed this region, that neither your subjects have "
## [834] "wanted justice in you, nor you obedience in them ; and your "
## [835] "neighbours have found you so hurtlessly strong, that they thought it "
## [836] ""
## [837] ""
## [838] ""
## [839] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 17 "
## [840] ""
## [841] "better to rest in your friendship, than to make new trial of your "
## [842] "enmity. If this then have proceeded out of the good constitution of "
## [843] "your state, and out of a wise providence generally to prevent all "
## [844] "those things which might encumber your happiness^ why should you "
## [845] "now seek new courses, since your own example comforts you to "
## [846] "continue, and that it is to me most certain (though it please you not "
## [847] "to tell me the very words of the oracle) that yet no destiny nor "
## [848] "influence whatsoever can bring man's wit to a higher point than "
## [849] "wisdom and goodness : why should you deprive yourself of govern- "
## [850] "ment for fear of losing your gcvernmentj like one that should kill "
## [851] "himself for fear of death ? Nay, rather, if this oracle be to be "
## [852] "accounted of, arm up your courage the more against it : for who will "
## [853] "stick to him that abandons himself : let yottf subjects have you in "
## [854] "their eyes, let them see the benefits of your justica dailjf more and "
## [855] "more, and so much they needs rather like of present sureties than "
## [856] "uncertain changes. Lastly, whether your time call you to live or "
## [857] "die, do both like a prince. Now for your second resolution, which "
## [858] "is to suffer no worthy prince to be a, suitor to either of your "
## [859] "daughters, but while you live to keep them both unmarried^ and, as "
## [860] "it were, to kill the joy of posterity, which in your time you may "
## [861] "enjoy, moved perchance by a misunderstood oracle? what shall I "
## [862] "say, if the affection of a father to his own children cannot plead "
## [863] "sufficiently against such fancies ? once, certain it is, the God which "
## [864] "is God of nature doth never teach unnaturalness ; and even the same "
## [865] "mind hold I touching your banishing them from company, lest I "
## [866] "know not what strange loves should follow. Certainly, Sir, in my "
## [867] "ladies, your daughters, nature promiseth nothing but goodness, and "
## [868] "their education by your fatherly care hath been hitherto such as hath "
## [869] "been most fit to restrain all evil, giving their minds virtuous delights, "
## [870] "and not grieving them for want of well-ruled liberty. Now to fall "
## [871] "to a sudden straightening them, what can it do but argue suspicion ? "
## [872] "a thing no more unpleasant than unsure for the preserving of virtue. "
## [873] "Leave women's minds the most untamed that way of any : see "
## [874] "whether a cage can please a bird ; or whether a dog grow not "
## [875] "fiercer with tying? what doth jealousy but stir up the mind to think "
## [876] "what it is from which are restrained? for they are treasures or "
## [877] "things of great delight, which men use to hide for the aptness they "
## [878] "have to each man's fancy : and the thoughts once awaked to that, "
## [879] "harder sure it is to keep those thoughts from accomplishment than "
## [880] "had been before to have kept the mind (which being the chief part, "
## [881] "by this means is defiled) from thinking. Lastly, for the recommend- "
## [882] "ing of so principal a charge of the princess Pamela (whose mind "
## [883] "goes beyond the governing of many, thousand such) to such a person "
## [884] "as Dametas is (besides that the thing in itself is strange) it comes of "
## [885] "a very ill ground that ignorance should be the mother of faithfulness ; "
## [886] "Oh no, He cannot be good that knows not why he is good ; but stands "
## [887] "So far good as his fortune may keep him unassayed ; but cominpf "
## [888] "once to that, his rude simplicity is either easily changed, or easily "
## [889] ""
## [890] "u "
## [891] ""
## [892] ""
## [893] ""
## [894] "1 8 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [895] ""
## [896] "deceived : and so grows that to be the last excuse of his fault, which "
## [897] "seemed to have been the foundation of his faith. Thus far hath "
## [898] "your commandment and my zeal drawn me ; which I, like a man in "
## [899] "a valley that may discern hills, or like a poor passenger that may "
## [900] "spie a rock, so humbly submit to your gracious consideration, "
## [901] "beseeching you again to stand wholly upon your own virtue, as the "
## [902] "surest way to maintain you in that you are, and to avoid any evil "
## [903] "which may be imagined. "
## [904] ""
## [905] "\" By the contents of this letter you may perceive, that the cause "
## [906] "of all hath been the vanity which possesseth many who (making a "
## [907] "perpetual mansion of this poor baiting-place of man's life) are "
## [908] "desirous to know the certainty of things to come, wherein there is "
## [909] "nothing so certain as our continual uncertainty. But what in "
## [910] "particular points the oracle was, in faith I know not, neither (as "
## [911] "you may see by one place of Philanax's letter) he himself distinctly "
## [912] "knew. But this experience shews us that Basihus's judgment, "
## [913] "corrupted with a prince's fortune, hath rather heard than followed "
## [914] "the wise (as I take it) counsel of Philanax. For having left the "
## [915] "stern of his government with much amazement to the people, "
## [916] "among whom many strange bruits are received for current, with "
## [917] "some appearance of danger in respect of the valiant Amphialus "
## [918] "his nephew, and much envying the ambitious number of the "
## [919] "nobihty against Philanax, to see Philanax so advanced, though (to "
## [920] "speak simply) he deserve more than as many of us as there be in "
## [921] "Arcadia : the prince himself hath hidden his head, in such sort as "
## [922] "I told you, not sticking plainly to confess that he means not (while "
## [923] "he breathes) that his daughters shall have any husband, but keep "
## [924] "them thus solitary with him : where he gives no other body leave "
## [925] "to visit him at any time but a certain priest, who being excellent "
## [926] "in poetry, he makes him write out such things as he best likes, he "
## [927] "being no less delightful in conversation than needful for devotion, "
## [928] "and about twenty specified shepherds, in whom (some for eclogues) "
## [929] "he taketh greater recreation. "
## [930] ""
## [931] "\"And now you know as much as myself: wherein if I have held "
## [932] "you over-long, lay hardly the fauh upon my old age, which in the "
## [933] "very disposition of it is talkative, whether it be (said he smiling) "
## [934] "that nature loves to exercise that part most, which is least decayed, "
## [935] "and that is our tongue, or, that knowledge being the only thing "
## [936] "whereof we poor old men can brag, we cannot make it known but "
## [937] "by utterance : or, that mankind by all means seeking to eternize "
## [938] "himself so much the more, as he is near his end, doth it not only "
## [939] "by the children that come of him, but by speeches and writings "
## [940] "recommended to the memory of hearers and readers. And yet "
## [941] "thus much I will say for myself, that I have not laid these "
## [942] "matters either so openly or largely to any as to yourself: so "
## [943] ""
## [944] ""
## [945] ""
## [946] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 19 "
## [947] ""
## [948] "much (if I much fail not) do I see in you which makes me both "
## [949] "love and trust you.\" "
## [950] ""
## [951] "\"Never may he be old,\" answered Palladius, \"that doth "
## [952] "not reverence that age, whose heaviness, if it weigh down "
## [953] "the frail and fleshly balance, it as much lifts up the noble "
## [954] "and spiritual part ; and well might you have alleged another "
## [955] "reason, that their wisdom makes them willing to profit others. "
## [956] "And that have I received of you, never to be forgotten, but with "
## [957] "ungratefulness. But among many strange conceits you told me, "
## [958] "which have shewed effects in your prince, truly even the last, that "
## [959] "he should conceive such pleasure in shepherds' discourses would "
## [960] "not seem the least unto me, saving that you told me at the first "
## [961] "that this country is notable in those wits, and that indeed myself "
## [962] "having been brought not only to this place, but to my life by "
## [963] "Strephon and Claius in their conference found wits as might better "
## [964] "become such shepherds as Homer speaks of, that be governors of "
## [965] "people, than such senators who hold their council in a sheep-cote.\" "
## [966] ""
## [967] "\" For them two (said Kalander), especially Claius, they are beyond "
## [968] "the rest by so much as learning commonly doth add to nature : "
## [969] "for, having neglected their wealth in respect of their knowledge, "
## [970] "they have not so much impaired the meaner, as they bettered the "
## [971] "better. Which all notwithstanding, it is a sport to hear how they "
## [972] "impute to love which hath indued their thoughts (say they) with such "
## [973] "a strength. But certainly all the people of this country, from high to "
## [974] "low, are given to those sports of the wit, so as you would wonder to "
## [975] "hear how soon even children will begin to versify. Once, ordinary "
## [976] "it is amongst the meanest sort, to make songs and dialogues in "
## [977] "metre, either love whetting their brain, or long peace having "
## [978] "begun it, example and emulation amending it. Not so much, but "
## [979] "the clown Dametas will stumble sometimes upon some songs that "
## [980] "might become a better brain : but no sort of people are so "
## [981] "excellent in that kind as the pastors, for their living standing but "
## [982] "upon the looking to their beasts, they have ease, the nurse of "
## [983] "poetry. Neither are our shepherds such as (I hear) they be in "
## [984] "other countries, but they are the very owners of the sheep, to "
## [985] "which either themselves look, or their children give daily attend- "
## [986] "ance. And then truly, it would delight you under some tree, or "
## [987] "by some river's side (when two or three of them meet together) to "
## [988] "hear their rural muse, how prettily it will deliver out, sometimes "
## [989] "joys, sometimes lamentations, sometimes challengings one of the "
## [990] "other, sometimes under hidden forms, uttering such matters as "
## [991] "otherwise they durst not deal with. Then have they most "
## [992] "commonly one who judgeth the prize to the best doer, of which "
## [993] "they are no less glad than great princes are of triumphs : and his "
## [994] "part is to set down in writing all that is said, save that it may be "
## [995] ""
## [996] ""
## [997] ""
## [998] "20 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [999] ""
## [1000] "his pen with more leisure doth polish the rudeness of an un- "
## [1001] "thought-on song. Now the choice of all (as you may well think) "
## [1002] "either for goodness of voice, or pleasantness of wit, the prince "
## [1003] "hath : among whom also there are two or three strangers, who, "
## [1004] "inward melanchoUes having made weary of the world's eyes, have "
## [1005] "come to spend their lives among the country people of Arcadia, "
## [1006] "and their conversation being well approved, the prince vouchsafeth "
## [1007] "them his presence, and not only by looking on, but by great "
## [1008] "courtesy and liberality animates the shepherds the more exquisitely "
## [1009] "to labour for his good liking. So that there is no cause to blame "
## [1010] "the prince for sometimes hearing them ; the blame-worthiness is, "
## [1011] "that to hear them, he rather goes to solitariness than makes them "
## [1012] "come to company. Neither do I accuse my master for advancing "
## [1013] "a country-man, Dametas is, since God forbid, but where worthiness "
## [1014] "is as truly it is among divers of that fellowship, any outward low- "
## [1015] "ness should hinder the highest rising ; but that he would needs "
## [1016] "make election of one, the baseness of whose mind is such, that it "
## [1017] "sinks a thousand degrees lower than the basest body could carry "
## [1018] "the most base fortune : which although it might be answered for "
## [1019] "the prince, that it is rather a trust he hath in his simple plainness "
## [1020] "than any great advancement, but being chief herdman ; yet all "
## [1021] "honest hearts feel that the trust of their lord goes beyond all "
## [1022] "advancement. But I am ever too long upon him, when he "
## [1023] "crosseth the way of my speech, and by the shadow of yonder "
## [1024] "tower I see it is a fitter time with our supper to pay the duties we "
## [1025] "owe to our stomachs, than to break the air with my idle dis- "
## [1026] "courses : and more wit I might have learned of Homer (whom "
## [1027] "even now you mentioned) who never entertained either guests or "
## [1028] "hosts with long speeches, till the mouth of hunger be thoroughly "
## [1029] "stopped.\" So withal he rose, leading Palladius through the garden "
## [1030] "again to the parlour where they used to sup ; Palladius assuring "
## [1031] "him that he had already been more fed to his liking than he could "
## [1032] "be by the skilfuUest trencher-men of Medea. "
## [1033] ""
## [1034] "But being come to the supping-place, one of the Kalander's "
## [1035] "servants rounded in his ear, at which (his colour changing) he "
## [1036] "retired himself into his chamber, commanding his men diligently "
## [1037] "to wait upon Palladius, and to excuse his absence with some "
## [1038] "necessary business he had presently to dispatch : which they ac- "
## [1039] "cordingly did, for some few days forcing themselves to let no change "
## [1040] "appear: but, though they framed their countenances never so "
## [1041] "cunningly, Palladius perceived there was some ill-pleasing accident "
## [1042] "fallen out. Whereupon, being again set alone at supper, he "
## [1043] "called to the steward, and desired him to tell him the matter of "
## [1044] "his sudden alteration : who, after some trifling excuses, in the end "
## [1045] "confessed unto him that his master had received news that his "
## [1046] ""
## [1047] ""
## [1048] ""
## [1049] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 21 "
## [1050] ""
## [1051] "son before the day of his near marriage, chanced to be at a battle "
## [1052] "which was to be fought between the gentlemen of Lacedasmon and "
## [1053] "the Helots ; who, winning the victory, he was there made prisoner "
## [1054] "going to deliver a friend of his taken prisoner by the Helots ; that "
## [1055] "the poor young gentlemen had offered great ransom for his life ; "
## [1056] "but that the hate those peasants conceived against all gentlemen "
## [1057] "was such that every hour he was to look for nothing but some "
## [1058] "cruel death, which hitherto had only been delayed by the captain's "
## [1059] "vehement dealing for him, who seemed to have a heart of more "
## [1060] "manly pity than the rest. Which loss had stricken the old gentle- "
## [1061] "man with such sorrow, that, as if abundance of tears did not "
## [1062] "seem sufficiently to witness it, he was alone retired, tearing his "
## [1063] "beard and hair, and cursing his old age, that had not made his "
## [1064] "grave to stop his ears from such advertisements : but that his "
## [1065] "faithful servants had written in his name to all his friends, followers, "
## [1066] "and tenants (Philanax the governor refusing to deal in it as a "
## [1067] "private cause, but yet giving leave to seek their best redress, so as "
## [1068] "they wronged jiot the state of Lacedaemon) of whom there were "
## [1069] "now gathered upon the frontiers good forces, that he was sure "
## [1070] "would spend their lives by any way to redeem or revenge "
## [1071] "Clitophon. \" Now Sir,\" said he, \" this is my master's nature, though "
## [1072] "his grief be such, as to live is a grief unto him, and that even his "
## [1073] "reason is darkened with sorrow ; yet the laws of hospitality (long "
## [1074] "and holily observed by him) gave still such a sway to his proceed- "
## [1075] "ing that he will no way suffer the stranger lodged under his roof to "
## [1076] "receive (as it were) any infection of his anguish, especially you, "
## [1077] "towards whom I know not whether his love or admiration be "
## [1078] "greater.\" But Paladius could scarce hear out his tale with "
## [1079] "patience, so was his heart torn in pieces with compassion of the "
## [1080] "case, liking of Kalander's noble behaviour, kindness for his respect "
## [1081] "to him-ward, and desire to find some remedy, besides the image "
## [1082] "of his dearest friend Daiphantus, whom he judged to suffer "
## [1083] "either alike or worse fortune. Therefore rising from the board, he "
## [1084] "desired the steward to tell him particularly the ground and event "
## [1085] "of this accide«it, because by knowledge of many circumstances, "
## [1086] "there might perhaps some way of help be opened. Whereunto "
## [1087] "the steward easily in this sort condescended. "
## [1088] ""
## [1089] "\" My Lord,\" said he, \" when our good king Basilius, with better "
## [1090] "success than expectation, took to wife (even in his more than "
## [1091] "decaying years) the fair young princess Gynecia, there came with "
## [1092] "her a young lord, cousin german to herself, named Argalus, led "
## [1093] "hither partly with the love and honour of his noble kinswoman, "
## [1094] "partly with the humour of youth, which ever thinks that good, "
## [1095] "whose goodness he sees not. And in this court he received so "
## [1096] "good increase of knowledge, that after some years spent, he so "
## [1097] ""
## [1098] ""
## [1099] ""
## [1100] "22 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [1101] ""
## [1102] "manifested a most virtuous mind in all his actions, that Arcadia "
## [1103] "gloried such a plant was transported unto them, being a gentleman "
## [1104] "indeed most rarely accomplished, excellently learned, but without all "
## [1105] "vain glory : friendly without factiousness ; valiant, so as for my part "
## [1106] "I think the earth hath no man that hath done more heroical acts "
## [1107] "than he ; howsoever now of late the fame flies of the two princes "
## [1108] "of Thessalia and Macedon, and hath long done of our noble prince "
## [1109] "Amphialus, who indeed in our parts is only accounted likely to "
## [1110] "match him : but I say for my part, I think no man, for valour of "
## [1111] "mind, and ability of body, to be preferred, if equalled to Argalus ; "
## [1112] "and yet so valiant, as he never durst do anybody injury: in "
## [1113] "behaviour, some will say, ever sad, surely sober, and somewhat "
## [1114] "given to musing, but never uncourteous ; his word ever led by his "
## [1115] "thought, and always followed by his deed ; rather liberal than mag- "
## [1116] "nificent, though the one wanted not, and the other had ever good "
## [1117] "choice of the receiver ; in sum (for I perceive I shall easily take a "
## [1118] "great draught of his praises, whom both I and all this country love "
## [1119] "so well) such a man was (and I hope is) Argalus, as hardly the "
## [1120] "nicest eye can find a spot in, if the over vehement constancy of "
## [1121] "yet spotless affection may not in hard-wrested constructions be "
## [1122] "counted a spot : which in this manner began that work in him, "
## [1123] "which hath made both him, and itself in him, over all this country "
## [1124] "famous. My master's son Clitophon (whose loss gives the cause "
## [1125] "to this discourse, and yet gives me cause to begin with Argalus, "
## [1126] "since his loss proceeds from Argalus) being a young gentleman as "
## [1127] "of great birth (being our king's sister's son) so truly of good nature "
## [1128] "and one that can see good and love it, haunted more the company "
## [1129] "of this worthy Argalus, than of any other ; so as if there were not a "
## [1130] "friendship (which is so rare, as it is to be doubted whether it be a "
## [1131] "thing indeed, or but a word) at least there was such a liking and "
## [1132] "friendliness as hath brought forth the effects which you shall hear. "
## [1133] "About two years since, it so fell out that he brought him to a "
## [1134] "great lady's house, sister to my master, who had with her her only "
## [1135] "daughter, the fair Parthenia, fair indeed (fame, I think, itself not "
## [1136] "daring to call any fairer, if it be not Helena, queen of Corinth, and "
## [1137] "the two incomparable sisters of Arcadia) and that which made her "
## [1138] "fairness much the fairer was, that it was but a fair ambassador of a "
## [1139] "most fair mind ; full of wit, and a wit which delighted more to "
## [1140] "judge itself than to shew itself: her speech being as rare, as "
## [1141] "precious ; her silence without fullness ; her modesty without "
## [1142] "affectation ; her shamefacedness without ignorance : in sum, one "
## [1143] "that to praise well, one must first set down with himself what it is "
## [1144] "to be excellent : for so she is. "
## [1145] ""
## [1146] "\" I think you think that these perfections meeting could not choose "
## [1147] "but find one another, and delight in what they found ; for likeness "
## [1148] ""
## [1149] ""
## [1150] ""
## [1151] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 23 "
## [1152] ""
## [1153] "of manners is likely in reason to draw liking with affection ; men's "
## [1154] "actions do not always cross with reason ; to be short, it did so "
## [1155] "indeed. They loved, although for a while the fire thereof (hope's "
## [1156] "wings being cut off) were blown by the bellows of despair upon "
## [1157] "this occasion. "
## [1158] ""
## [1159] "\"There had been a good while before, and so continued, a "
## [1160] "suitor to this same lady, a great noble man, though of Laconia, "
## [1161] "yet near neighbour to Parthenia's mother, named Demagoras ; "
## [1162] "a man mighty in riches and power, and proud thereof, stubbornly "
## [1163] "stout, loving nobody but himself, and, for his own delight's sake, "
## [1164] "Parthenia : and pursuing vehemently his desire, his riches had so "
## [1165] "gilded over all his other imperfections that the old lady (though "
## [1166] "contrary to my lord her brother's mind) had given her consent ; "
## [1167] "and using a mother's authority upon her fair daughter had made "
## [1168] "her yield thereunto, not because she liked her choice, but because "
## [1169] "her obedient mind had not yet taken upon it to make choice. "
## [1170] "And the day of their assurance drew near, when my young lord "
## [1171] "Clitophon brought this noble Argalus, perchance principally to "
## [1172] "see so rare a sight, as Parthenia by all well-judging eyes was "
## [1173] "judged. "
## [1174] ""
## [1175] "\"But though few days were before the time of assurance "
## [1176] "appointed, yet love, that saw he had a great journey to make in "
## [1177] "short time, hasted so himself that before her word could tie her to "
## [1178] "Demagoras, her heart hath vowed her to Argalus with so grateful a "
## [1179] "receipt in mutual affection that if she desired above all things to "
## [1180] "have Argalus, Argalus feared nothing but to miss Parthenia. And "
## [1181] "now Parthenia had learned both liking and misliking, loving and "
## [1182] "loathing, and out of passion began to take the authority of judg- "
## [1183] "ment ; insomuch that when the time came that Demagoras (full of "
## [1184] "proud joy) thought to receive the gift of herself ; she, with words "
## [1185] "of resolute refusal (though with tears showing she was sorry she "
## [1186] "must refuse) assured her mother she would first be bedded in her "
## [1187] "grave than wedded to Demagoras. The change was no more "
## [1188] "strange than unpleasant to the mother who being determinately "
## [1189] "(lest I should say of a great lady, wilfully) bent to marry her to "
## [1190] "Demagoras, tried all ways, which a witty and hard-hearted mother "
## [1191] "could use upon so humble a daughter in whom the only resisting "
## [1192] "power was love. But the more she assaulted, the more she taught "
## [1193] "Parthenia to defend ; and the more Parthenia defended, the more "
## [1194] "she made her mother obstinate in the assault : who at length "
## [1195] "finding that Argalus standing between them, was it that most "
## [1196] "eclipsed her affection from shining upon Demagoras, she sought "
## [1197] "all means how to remove him, so much the more as he manifested "
## [1198] "himself an unremovable suitor to her daughter : first by employing "
## [1199] "him in as many dangerous enterprises as ever the evil step-mother "
## [1200] ""
## [1201] ""
## [1202] ""
## [1203] "24 "
## [1204] ""
## [1205] ""
## [1206] ""
## [1207] "ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [1208] ""
## [1209] ""
## [1210] ""
## [1211] "Juno recommended to the famous Hercules: but the more his "
## [1212] "virtue was tried, the more pure it grew, while all the things she did "
## [1213] "to overthrow him, did set him up upon the height of honour; "
## [1214] "enough to have moved her heart, especially to a man every way "
## [1215] "so worthy as Argalus ; but the struggling against all reason, "
## [1216] "because she would have her will, and shew her authority in match- "
## [1217] "ing her with Demogoras, the more virtuous Argalus was the more "
## [1218] "she hated him, thinking herself conquered in his conquests, and "
## [1219] "therefore, still employing him in more and more dangerous "
## [1220] "attempts : in the meanwhile she used all extremities possible upon "
## [1221] "her fair daughter to make her give over herself to her direction. "
## [1222] "But it was hard to judge whether he in doing, or she in suffering, "
## [1223] "shewed greater constancy of affection : for, as to Argalus the "
## [1224] "world sooner wanted occasions than he valour to go through "
## [1225] "them : so to Parthenia malice sooner ceased than her unchanged "
## [1226] "patience. Lastly, by treasons Demagoras and she would have "
## [1227] "made away with Argalus, but he with providence and courage so "
## [1228] "past over all that the mother took such a spiteful grief at it that "
## [1229] "her heart brake withal, and she died. "
## [1230] ""
## [1231] "\" But then Demagoras assuring himself that now Parthenia was "
## [1232] "her own she would never be his, and receiving as much by her own "
## [1233] "determinate answer, not more desiring his own happiness, than envy- "
## [1234] "ing Argalus, whom he saw with narrow eyes, even ready to enjoy "
## [1235] "the perfection of his desires, strengthening his conceit with all the "
## [1236] "mischievous counsels which disdained love and envious pride could "
## [1237] "give unto him, the wicked wretch (taking a time that Argalus was "
## [1238] "gone to his country to fetch some of his principal friends to honour "
## [1239] "the marriage, which Parthenia had most joyfully consented unto) "
## [1240] "the wicked Demagoras, I say, desiring to speak with her, with "
## [1241] "unmerciful force (her weak arms in vain resisting) rubbed all over "
## [1242] "her face a most horrible poison : the effect whereof was such, "
## [1243] "that never leper looked more ugly than she did : which done, "
## [1244] "having his men and horses ready, departed away in spite of her "
## [1245] "servants, as ready to revenge as could be, in such an unexpected "
## [1246] "mischief. But the abominableness of this fact being come to my "
## [1247] "L. Kalander, he made such means, both by our king's intercession "
## [1248] "and his own, that by the king and senate of Lacedsemon, "
## [1249] "Demagoras was, upon pain of death, banished the country : who "
## [1250] "hating the punishment, where he should have hated the fault, "
## [1251] "joined himself, with all the power he could make, unto the Helots, "
## [1252] "lately in rebellion against that state : and they (glad to have "
## [1253] "a man of such authority among them) made him their general, "
## [1254] "and under him have committed divers the most outrageous "
## [1255] "villanies that a base multitude (full of desperate revenge) can "
## [1256] "imagine. "
## [1257] ""
## [1258] ""
## [1259] ""
## [1260] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 25 "
## [1261] ""
## [1262] "\"But within a while after this pitiful fact committed upon "
## [1263] "Parthenia, Argalus returned (poor Gentleman !) having her fair "
## [1264] "image in his heart, and already promising his eyes the uttermost "
## [1265] "of his felicity when they (nobody else daring to tell it him) were "
## [1266] "the first messengers to themselves of their own misfortune. I "
## [1267] "mean not to move passion with telling you the grief of both, when "
## [1268] "he knew her, for at first he did not ; nor at first knowledge could "
## [1269] "possibly have virtue's aid so ready, as not even weakly to lament "
## [1270] "the loss of such a jewel, so much the more, as that skilful men "
## [1271] "in that art assured it was unrecoverable : but within a while, "
## [1272] "truth of love (which still held the first face in his memory) "
## [1273] "a virtuous constancy, and even a delight to be constant, faith "
## [1274] "given, and inward worthiness shining through the foulest mists, "
## [1275] "took so full hold of the noble Argalus, that not only in such "
## [1276] "comfort which witty arguments may bestow upon adversity, but "
## [1277] "even with the most abundant kindness that an eye-ravished lover "
## [1278] "can express, he laboured both to drive the extremity of sorrow "
## [1279] "from her, and to hasten the celebration of their marriage : where- "
## [1280] "unto he unfeignedly shewed himself no less cheerfully earnest than "
## [1281] "if she had never been disinherited of that goodly portion which "
## [1282] "nature had so liberally bequeathed unto her ; and for that cause "
## [1283] "deferred his intended revenge upon Demagoras, because he might "
## [1284] "continually be in her presence, shewing more humble serviceable- "
## [1285] "ness and joy to content her than ever before. "
## [1286] ""
## [1287] "\" But as he gave this rare example, not to be hoped for of any "
## [1288] "other, but of another Argalus, so of the other side, she took as "
## [1289] "strange a course in affection : for where she desired to enjoy him "
## [1290] "more than to live yet did she overthrow both her own desire and "
## [1291] "his, and in no sort would yield to marry him : with a strange "
## [1292] "encounter of love's affects and effects ; that he by an affection "
## [1293] "sprung from excessive beauty should delight in horrible foulness ; "
## [1294] "and she of a vehement desire to have him should kindly build "
## [1295] "a resolution never to have him ; for truth it is, that so in heart she "
## [1296] "loved him, as she could not find in her heart he should be tied "
## [1297] "to what was unworthy of his presence. "
## [1298] ""
## [1299] "\" Truly, Sir, a very good orator might have a fair field to use "
## [1300] "eloquence in, if he did but only repeat the lamentable, and truly "
## [1301] "affectionate speeches, while he conjured her by remembrance of "
## [1302] "her affection, and true oaths of his own affection, not to make him "
## [1303] "so unhappy, as to think he had not only lost her face, but her "
## [1304] "heart ; that her face, when it was fairest, had been but a marshal "
## [1305] "to lodge the love of her in his mind, which now was so well placed "
## [1306] "that it needed no further help of any outward harbinger ; beseech- "
## [1307] "ing her, even with tears, to know that his love was not so superficial "
## [1308] "as to go no further than the skin, which yet now to him was most "
## [1309] ""
## [1310] ""
## [1311] ""
## [1312] "26 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [1313] ""
## [1314] "fair since it was hers : how could he be so ungrateful as to love "
## [1315] "her the less for that which she had only received for his sake ; "
## [1316] "that he never beheld it, but therein he saw the loveliness of her "
## [1317] "love towards him ; protesting unto her that he would never take "
## [1318] "joy of his life if he might not enjoy her, for whom principally he "
## [1319] "was glad he had life. But (as I heard by one that overheard them) "
## [1320] "she (wringing him by the hand) made no other answer but this. "
## [1321] "' My Lord,' said she, ' God knows I love you ; if I were princess "
## [1322] "of the whole world, and had, withal, all the blessings that ever the "
## [1323] "world brought forth, I should not make delay to lay myself and "
## [1324] "them under your feet ; or if I had continued but as I was, though "
## [1325] "(I must confess) far unworthy of you, yet would I (with too great "
## [1326] "a joy for my heart now to think of) have accepted your vouchsafing "
## [1327] "me to be yours, and with faith and obedience would have supplied "
## [1328] "all other defects. But first let me be much more miserable than "
## [1329] "I am e'er I match Argalus to such a Parthenia. Live happy, dear "
## [1330] "Argalus, I give you full liberty, and I beseech you to take it ; and "
## [1331] "I assure you I shall rejoice (whatsoever become of me) to see you "
## [1332] "so coupled, as may be fit both for your honour and satisfaction.' "
## [1333] "With that she burst out crying and weeping, not able longer to "
## [1334] "to control herself from blaming her fortune, and wishing hei "
## [1335] "own death. "
## [1336] ""
## [1337] "\" But Argalus, with a most heavy heart still pursuing his desire, "
## [1338] "she fixed of mind to avoid further intreaty, and to fly all company "
## [1339] "which (even of him) grew unpleasant unto her, one night she "
## [1340] "stole away : but whither as yet it is unknown or indeed what is "
## [1341] "become of her. "
## [1342] ""
## [1343] "\" Argalus sought her long, and in many places ; at length "
## [1344] "(despairing to find her, and the more he despaired, the more en- "
## [1345] "raged) weary of his life, but first determining to be revenged of "
## [1346] "Demagoras, he went alone disguised into the chief town held by "
## [1347] "the Helots, where coming into his presence, guarded about by "
## [1348] "many of his soldiers, he could delay his fury no longer for "
## [1349] "a fitter time, but setting upon him, in despite of a great many "
## [1350] "that helped him, gave him divers mortal wounds, and himself "
## [1351] "(no question) had been there presently murdered, but that "
## [1352] "Demagoras himself desired he might be kept alive : perchance "
## [1353] "with intention to feed his own eyes with some cruel execution to "
## [1354] "be laid upon him ; but death came sooner than he looked for ; "
## [1355] "yet having had leisure to appoint his successor, a young man, not "
## [1356] "long before delivered out of the prison of the king of Lacedaemon, "
## [1357] "where he should have suffered death for having slain the king's "
## [1358] "nephew, but him he named, who at that time was absent, making "
## [1359] "inroads upon the Lacedasmonians ; but being returned, the rest of "
## [1360] "the Helots, for the great liking they conceived of that young man, "
## [1361] ""
## [1362] ""
## [1363] ""
## [1364] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 27 "
## [1365] ""
## [1366] "especially because they had none among themselves to whom the "
## [1367] "others would yield, were content to follow Demagoras's appoint- "
## [1368] "ment. And well hath it succeeded with them, he having since "
## [1369] "done things beyond the hope of the youngest heads ; of whom "
## [1370] "I speak the rather, because he hath hitherto preserved Argalus "
## [1371] "alive, under pretence to have him publicly, and with exquisite "
## [1372] "torments executed after the end of these wars, of which they hope "
## [1373] "for a soon and prosperous issue. "
## [1374] ""
## [1375] "\" And he hath likewise hitherto kept my young lord Clitophon "
## [1376] "alive, who (to redeem his friend) went with certain other noble "
## [1377] "men of Laconia, and forces gathered by them, to besiege this "
## [1378] "young and new successor : but he issuing out (to the wonder of all "
## [1379] "men) defeated the Laconians, slew many of the noblemen, and "
## [1380] "took Clitophon prisoner, whom with much ado he keepeth alive, "
## [1381] "the Helots being villainously cruel ; but he tempereth them so, "
## [1382] "sometimes by following their humour, sometimes by striving with "
## [1383] "it, that hitherto he hath saved both their lives, but in different "
## [1384] "estates ; Argalus being kept in a close and hard prison, Clitophon "
## [1385] "at some liberty. And now. Sir, though (to say the truth) we can "
## [1386] "promise ourselves little of their safeties while they are in the "
## [1387] "Helots' hands, I have delivered all I understand touching the loss "
## [1388] "of my lord's son, and the cause thereof : which though it was not "
## [1389] "necessary to Clitophon's case, to be so particularly told, yet the "
## [1390] "strangeness of it made me think it would not be unpleasant unto "
## [1391] "you.\" "
## [1392] ""
## [1393] "Palladius thanked him greatly for it, being even passionately "
## [1394] "delighted with hearing so strange an accident of a knight so famous "
## [1395] "over the the world as Argalus, with whom he had himself a long "
## [1396] "desire to meet : so had fame poured a noble emulation in him "
## [1397] "towards him. "
## [1398] ""
## [1399] "But then (well bethinking himself) he called for armour, desiring "
## [1400] "them to provide him of horse and guide, and armed all saving the "
## [1401] "head, he went up to Kalander, whom he found lying upon the "
## [1402] "ground, having ever since banished both sleep and food as enemies "
## [1403] "to the mourning, which passion persuaded him was reasonable. "
## [1404] "But Palladius raised him up, saying unto him : \" No more, no "
## [1405] "more of this my L. Kalander ; let us labour to find, before we "
## [1406] "lament the loss : you know myself miss one, who though he be "
## [1407] "not my son, I would disdain the favour of life after him : but while "
## [1408] "there is a hope left, let not the weakness of sorrow make the "
## [1409] "strength of it languish : take comfort, and good success will "
## [1410] "follow.\" And with those words, comfort seemed to lighten in his "
## [1411] "eyes, and in his face and gesture was painted victory. Once, "
## [1412] "Kalander's spirits were so revived withal, that (receiving some "
## [1413] "sustenance, and taking a little rest) he armed himself and those "
## [1414] ""
## [1415] ""
## [1416] ""
## [1417] "28 ARCADIA Tbook i. "
## [1418] ""
## [1419] "few of his servants he had left unsent, and so himself guided "
## [1420] "Palladius to the place upon the frontiers, where already there were "
## [1421] "assembled between three and four thousand men, all well disposed "
## [1422] "(for Kalander-s sake) to abide any peril : but like men disused "
## [1423] "with a long peace, more determinate to do than skilful how to do : "
## [1424] "lusty bodies, and braver armours ; with such courage as rather "
## [1425] "grew of despising their enemies, whom they knew not, than of any "
## [1426] "confidence for anything which in themselves they knew: but "
## [1427] "neither cunning use of their weapons, nor art showed in their "
## [1428] "marching or encamping. Which Palladius soon perceiving, he "
## [1429] "desired to understand (as much as could be delivered unto him) "
## [1430] "the estate of the Helots. "
## [1431] ""
## [1432] "And he was answered by a man well acquainted with the affairs "
## [1433] "of Laconia, that they were a kind of people who, having been of "
## [1434] "old freemen and possessioners, the Lacedaemonians had conquered "
## [1435] "them, and laid not only tribute, but bondage upon them, which "
## [1436] "they had long borne, till of late the Lacedaemonians, through "
## [1437] "greediness growing more heavy than they could bear, and through "
## [1438] "contempt growing less careful how to make them bear, they had "
## [1439] "with a general consent (rather springing by the generalness of "
## [1440] "the cause than of any artificial practice) set themselves in arms, "
## [1441] "and whetttng their courage with revenge, and grounding their "
## [1442] "resolution upon despair, they had proceeded with unlooked for "
## [1443] "success, having already taken divers towns and castles, with the "
## [1444] "slaughter of many of the gentry : for whom no sex nor age could "
## [1445] "be accepted for an excuse. And that although at the first they had "
## [1446] "fought rather with beastly fury than any soldiery discipline, "
## [1447] "practice had now made them comparable to the best of the "
## [1448] "Lacedaemonians, and more of late than ever ; by reason, first of "
## [1449] "Demagoras, a great lord, who had made himself of their party, and "
## [1450] "since his death, of another captain they had gotten, who had "
## [1451] "brought up their ignorance, and brought down their fury to such "
## [1452] "a mean of good government, and withal led them so valorously "
## [1453] "that (besides the time wherein Clitophon was taken) they had the "
## [1454] "better in some other great conflicts : in such wise that the estate "
## [1455] "of Lacedaemon had sent unto them, oflfering peace with most "
## [1456] "reasonable and honourable conditions. Palladius having gotten "
## [1457] "this general knowledge of the party against whom, as he "
## [1458] "had already of the party for whom he was to fight, he went to "
## [1459] "Kalander, and told him plainly that by plain force there was small "
## [1460] "appearance of helping Clitophon ; but some device was to be "
## [1461] "taken in hand, wherein no less discretion than valour was to "
## [1462] "be used. "
## [1463] ""
## [1464] "Whereupon, the counsel of the chief men was called, and at last "
## [1465] "this way Palladius (who by some experience, but especially by "
## [1466] ""
## [1467] ""
## [1468] ""
## [1469] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 29 "
## [1470] ""
## [1471] "reading histories, was acquainted with stratagems) invented, and "
## [1472] "was by all the rest approved, that all the men there should dress "
## [1473] "themselves like the poorest sort of the people in Arcadia, having "
## [1474] "no banners, but bloody shirts hanged upon long staves, with some "
## [1475] "bad bag-pipes instead of drum and fife : their armour they should, "
## [1476] "as well as might be, cover, or at least make them look so rustily "
## [1477] "and ill-favouredly as might well become such wearers, and this the "
## [1478] "whole number should do, saving two hundred of the best chosen "
## [1479] "gentlemen for courage and strength, whereof Palladius himself "
## [1480] "would be one, who should have their arms chained, and be put in "
## [1481] "carts like prisoners. This being performed according to the "
## [1482] "agreement, they marched on towards the town of Cardaraila where "
## [1483] "Clitophon was captive ; and being come two hours before sunset "
## [1484] "within view of the walls, the Helots already descrying their "
## [1485] "number, and beginning to sound the alarm, they sent a cunning "
## [1486] "fellow (so much the cunninger as that he could mask it under "
## [1487] "rudeness) who with such a kind of rhetoric as weeded out all "
## [1488] "flowers of rhetoric, delivered unto the Helots assembled together, "
## [1489] "that they were country-people of Arcadia, no less oppressed by "
## [1490] "their lords, and no less desirous of liberty than they, and therefore "
## [1491] "had put themselves in the field, and had already (besides a great "
## [1492] "number slain) taken nine or ten score gentlemen prisoners, whom "
## [1493] "they had there well and fast chained. Now because they had no "
## [1494] "strong retiring place in Arcadia, and were not yet of number "
## [1495] "enough to keep the field against the prince's forces, they were "
## [1496] "come to them for succour ; knowing that daily more and more "
## [1497] "of their quality would flock unto them, but that in the mean- "
## [1498] "time, lest their prince should pursue them, or the Lacedaemonian "
## [1499] "king and nobility (for the likeness of the cause) fall upon them, "
## [1500] "they desired that if there were not room enough for them in the "
## [1501] "town, that yet they might encamp under the walls, and for surety "
## [1502] "have their prisoners (who were such men as were able to make "
## [1503] "their peace) kept within the town. "
## [1504] ""
## [1505] "The Helots made but a short consultation, being glad that their "
## [1506] "contagion had spread itself into Arcadia, and making account that "
## [1507] "if the peace did not fall out between them and their king, that it "
## [1508] "was the best way to set fire in the all parts of Greece ; besides "
## [1509] "their greediness to have so many gentlemen in their hands, in "
## [1510] "whose ransoms they already meant to have a share ; to which "
## [1511] "haste of concluding, two things well helped ; the one, that their "
## [1512] "captain, with the wisest of them, was at that time absent about "
## [1513] "confirming or breaking the peace with the state of Lacedamon : "
## [1514] "the second, that over-many good fortunes began to breed a proud "
## [1515] "recklessness* in them ; therefore sending to view the camp, and "
## [1516] "* ue. Carelessness. See Spencer. "
## [1517] ""
## [1518] ""
## [1519] ""
## [1520] "30 "
## [1521] ""
## [1522] ""
## [1523] ""
## [1524] "ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [1525] ""
## [1526] ""
## [1527] ""
## [1528] "finding that by their speech they were Arcadians, with whom they "
## [1529] "had had no war, never suspecting a private man's credit could "
## [1530] "have gathered such a force, and that all other tokens witnessed "
## [1531] "them to be of the lowest calling (besides the chains upon the "
## [1532] "gentlemen) they granted not only leave for the prisoners, but for "
## [1533] "some others of the company, and to all, that they might harbour "
## [1534] "under the walls. So opened they the gates, and received in the "
## [1535] "carts, which being done, and Palladius seeing fit time, he gave the "
## [1536] "sign, and shaking off their chains (which were made with such art, "
## [1537] "that though they seemed most strong and fast, he that wore them "
## [1538] "might easily loose them) drew their swords hidden in the carts, "
## [1539] "and so setting upon the ward, made them to fly either from the "
## [1540] "place, or from their bodies, and so give entry to all the force of the "
## [1541] "Arcadians before the Helots could make any head to resist them. "
## [1542] ""
## [1543] "But the Helots, being men hardened against dangers, gathered "
## [1544] "(as well as they could) together in the market-place, and thence "
## [1545] "would have given a shrewd welcome to the Arcadians, but that "
## [1546] "Palladius (blaming those that were slow, heartening them that "
## [1547] "were forward, but especially with his own example leading them) "
## [1548] "made such an impression into the squadron of the Helots that at "
## [1549] "first the great body of them beginning to shake and stagger, at "
## [1550] "length every particular body recommended the protection of his "
## [1551] "life to his feet. Then Kalander cried to go to the prison where he "
## [1552] "thought his son was ; but Palladius wished him (first scouring the "
## [1553] "streets) to house all the Helots, and make themselves masters of "
## [1554] "the gates. "
## [1555] ""
## [1556] "But e'er that could be accomphshed,, the Helots had gotten new "
## [1557] "heart, and with divers sorts of shot from corners of streets and "
## [1558] "house-windows, galled them ; which courage was come unto them "
## [1559] "by the return of their captain ; who, though he brought not many "
## [1560] "with him (having dispersed most of his companies to other of his "
## [1561] "holds) yet meeting a great number running out of the gate, not yet "
## [1562] "possessed by the Arcadians, he made them turn face, and with "
## [1563] "banners displayed, his trumpet giveth the loudest testimony he "
## [1564] "could of his return ; which once heard, the rest of the Helots, "
## [1565] "which were otherwise scattered, bent thitherward with a new life "
## [1566] "of resolution, as if their captain had been a root, out of which (as "
## [1567] "into branches) their courage had sprung. Then began the fight "
## [1568] "to grow most sharp, and the encounters of more cruel obstinacy : "
## [1569] "the Arcadians fighting to keep what they had won ; the Helots "
## [1570] "to recover what they had lost ; the Arcadians as in an unknown "
## [1571] "place, having no succour but in their hands ; the Helots as in their "
## [1572] "own place, fighting for their lives, wives, and children. There was "
## [1573] "victory and courage against revenge and despair ; safety of both "
## [1574] "besides being no otherwise to be gotten, but by destruction. "
## [1575] ""
## [1576] ""
## [1577] ""
## [1578] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 31 "
## [1579] ""
## [1580] "At length, the left wing of the Arcadians began to lose ground ; "
## [1581] "which Palladius feeling, he straight thrust himself with his choice "
## [1582] "band against the throng that oppressed them with such an over- "
## [1583] "flowing of valour that the captain of the Helots (whose eyes soon "
## [1584] "judged of that wherewith themselves were governed) saw that he "
## [1585] "alone was worth all the rest of the Arcadians : which he so "
## [1586] "wondered at, that it was hard to say whether he more liked his "
## [1587] "doings, or misliked the effects of his doings : but determining that "
## [1588] "upon that cast the game lay, and disdaining to fight with any other, "
## [1589] "fought only to join with him : which mind was no less in Palladius, "
## [1590] "having easily marked that he was the first mover of all the other "
## [1591] "hands. And so their thoughts meeting in one point, they consented "
## [1592] "(though not agreed) to try each other's fortune : and so drawing "
## [1593] "themselves to be the uttermost of the one side, they began a "
## [1594] "combat, which was so much inferior to the battle in noise and "
## [1595] "number, as it was surpassing it in bravery of fighing, and, as it "
## [1596] "were, delightful terribleness. Their courage was guided with skill, "
## [1597] "and their skill was armed with courage ; neither did their hardiness "
## [1598] "darken their wit, nor their wit cool their hardiness : both valiant, "
## [1599] "as men despising death, both confident, as unwonted to be over- "
## [1600] "come : yet doubtful by their present feehng, and respectful by what "
## [1601] "they had already seen. Their feet steady, their hands diligent, "
## [1602] "their eyes watchful, and their hearts resolute. The parts either "
## [1603] "not armed, or weakly armed, were well known, and according to "
## [1604] "the knowledge should have been sharply visited, but that the "
## [1605] "answer was as quick as the objections. Yet some lightning, the "
## [1606] "smart bred rage, and the rage bred smart again : till both sides "
## [1607] "beginning to wax faint, and rather desirous to die accompanied, "
## [1608] "than hopeful to live victorious, the captain of the Helots with a "
## [1609] "blow, whose violence grew of fury, not of strength, or of strength "
## [1610] "proceeding of fury, struck Palladius upon the side of the head, that "
## [1611] "he reeled astonished : and withal the helmet fell off, he remaining "
## [1612] "bare-headed, but other of the Arcadians were ready to shield him "
## [1613] "from any harm might rise of that nakedness. "
## [1614] ""
## [1615] "But little needed it, for his chief enemy, instead of pursuing that "
## [1616] "advantage, kneeled down, offering to deliver the pommel of his "
## [1617] "sword, in token of yielding ; withal speaking aloud unto him, that "
## [1618] "he thought it more liberty to be his prisoner, than any others "
## [1619] "general. Palladius standing upon himself, and misdoubting some "
## [1620] "craft, and the Helots that were next their captain, wavering between "
## [1621] "looking for same stratagem, or fearing treason ; \" What,\" said the "
## [1622] "captain, \"hath Palladius forgotten the voice of Daiphantus?\" "
## [1623] ""
## [1624] "By that watch-word Palladius knew that it was his only friend "
## [1625] "Pyrocles, whom he had lost upon the sea, and therefore both most "
## [1626] "full of wonder so to be met, if they had not been -fuller of joy than "
## [1627] ""
## [1628] ""
## [1629] ""
## [1630] "32 "
## [1631] ""
## [1632] ""
## [1633] ""
## [1634] "ARCADIA [BOOK 1. "
## [1635] ""
## [1636] ""
## [1637] ""
## [1638] "wonder, caused the retreat to be sounded, Diaphantus by authority, "
## [1639] "and Palladius by persuasion, to which helped well the little "
## [1640] "advantage that was of either side : and that of the Helot's party, "
## [1641] "their captain's behaviour had made as many amazed as saw or "
## [1642] "heard of it : and of the Arcadian side the good old Kalander, "
## [1643] "striving more than his old age could achieve, was newly taken "
## [1644] "prisoner. But indeed the chief parter of the fray was the night, "
## [1645] "which with her black arms pulled their malicious sights one from "
## [1646] "the other. But he that took Kalander, meant nothing less than to "
## [1647] "save him, but only so long, as the captain might learn the enemies' "
## [1648] "secrets, towards whom he led the old gentleman, when he caused "
## [1649] "the retreat to be sounded ; looking for no other delivery from that "
## [1650] "captivity, but by the painful taking away of all pain : when whom "
## [1651] "should he see next to the captain (with good tokens how valiantly "
## [1652] "he had fought that day against the Arcadians) but his son "
## [1653] "Clitophon ? But now the captain had caused all the principal "
## [1654] "Helots to be assembled, as well to deliberate what they had to do, "
## [1655] "as to receive a message from the Arcadians, among whom "
## [1656] "Palladius's virtue (besides the love Kalander bare him) having "
## [1657] "gotten principal authority, he had persuaded them to seek rather "
## [1658] "by parley to recover the father and the son, than by the sword ; "
## [1659] "since the goodness of the captain assured him that way to speed, "
## [1660] "and his value (wherewith he was of old acquainted) made him "
## [1661] "think any other way dangerous. This therefore was done in "
## [1662] "orderly manner, giving them to understand that as they came but "
## [1663] "to deliver Clitophon, so offering to leave the footing they already "
## [1664] "had in the town, to go away without any farther hurt, so that they "
## [1665] "might have the father and the son without ransom delivered. "
## [1666] "Which conditions being heard and conceived by the Helots, "
## [1667] "Diaphantus persuaded them without delay to accept them. \" For "
## [1668] "first,\" said he, \" since the strife is within our own home, if you lose, "
## [1669] "you lose all that in this life can be dear unto you : if you win, it "
## [1670] "will be a bloody victory with no profit, but the flattering in our- "
## [1671] "selves that same bad humour of revenge. Besides, it is like to stir "
## [1672] "Arcadia upon us, which now, by using these persons well, may be "
## [1673] "brought to some amity. Lastly, but especially, lest the king and "
## [1674] "nobility of Laconia (with whom now we have made a perfect peace) "
## [1675] "should hope by occasion of this quarrel to join the Arcadians with "
## [1676] "them, and so break off the profitable agreement already concluded : "
## [1677] "in sum, as in all deliberations (weighing the profit of the good "
## [1678] "success with the harm of the evil success) you shall find this way "
## [1679] "most safe and honourable.\" "
## [1680] ""
## [1681] "The Helots, as much moved by his authority, as persuaded by "
## [1682] "his reasons, were content therewith. Whereupon Palladius took "
## [1683] "order that the Arcadians should presently march out of town, "
## [1684] ""
## [1685] ""
## [1686] ""
## [1687] "fiooK I.] ARCADIA 33 "
## [1688] ""
## [1689] "taking with them their prisoners, while the night with mutual "
## [1690] "diffidence might keep them quiet, and e'er day came, they might "
## [1691] "be well on their way, and so avoid those accidents which in late "
## [1692] "enemies, a look, a word, or a particular man's quarrel might en- "
## [1693] "gender. This being on both sides concluded on, Kalander and "
## [1694] "Clitophon, who now with infinite joy did know each other, came to "
## [1695] "kiss the hands and feet of Daiphantus : Clitophon telling his "
## [1696] "father how Daiphantus, not without danger to himself, had pre- "
## [1697] "served him from the furious malice of the Helots : and even that "
## [1698] "day going to conclude the peace (lest in his absence he might "
## [1699] "receive some hurt) he had taken him in his company, and given "
## [1700] "him armour, upon promise he should take the part of the Helots ; "
## [1701] "which he had in this fight performed, little knowing that it was "
## [1702] "'against his own father ; \" But,\" said Clitophon, \"here is he, who "
## [1703] "as a father, hath now begotten me, and, as a god, hath saved me "
## [1704] "from many deaths which already laid hold on me : which Kalander "
## [1705] "with tears of joy acknowledged, besides his own deliverance, only "
## [1706] "his benefit. But Daiphantus, who loved doing well for itself and "
## [1707] "not for thanks, broke off those ceremonies, desiring to know how "
## [1708] "Palladius, for so he called Musidorus, was come into that company, "
## [1709] "and what his present estate was ; whereof receiving a brief declara- "
## [1710] "tion of Kalandar, he sent him word by CUtophon that he should "
## [1711] "not as now come unto him, because he held himself not so sure "
## [1712] "a master of the Helots' minds that he would adventure him in "
## [1713] "their power, who was so well known with an unfriendly acquaint- "
## [1714] "ance ; but that he desired him to return with Kalander, whither "
## [1715] "also he within few days, having dispatched himself of the Helots "
## [1716] "would repair. Kalander would needs kiss his hand again for that "
## [1717] "promise, protesting he would esteem his house more blessed than, "
## [1718] "a temple of the gods, if it had once received him. And then "
## [1719] "desiring pardon for Argalus, Diaphantus assured them that he "
## [1720] "would die but he would bring him (though till then kept in close "
## [1721] "prison, indeed for his safety, the Helots being so animated against "
## [1722] "him as else he could not have lived) and so taking their leave of "
## [1723] "him, Kalander, Clitophon, Palladius, and the rest of the Arcadians "
## [1724] "swearing that they would no further in any sort molest the Helots, "
## [1725] "they straightway marched out of the town, carrying both their "
## [1726] "dead and wounded bodies with them ; and by morning were "
## [1727] "already within the limits of Arcadia. "
## [1728] ""
## [1729] "The Helots of the other side shutting their gates, gave them- "
## [1730] "selves to bury their dead, to cure their wounds, and rest their "
## [1731] "wearied bodies ; till (the next day bestowing the cheerful use of "
## [1732] "the light upon them) Daiphantus, making a general convocation "
## [1733] "spake unto them in this manner : \" We are first,\" said he, \" to "
## [1734] "thank the gods, that (farther than we had either cause to hope,^ "
## [1735] ""
## [1736] "c "
## [1737] ""
## [1738] ""
## [1739] ""
## [1740] "34 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [1741] ""
## [1742] "or reason to imagine) have delivered us out of this gulf of danger, "
## [1743] "wherein we were already swallowed. For all being lost (had they "
## [1744] "not directed my return so just as they did), it had been too late "
## [1745] "to recover that, which being had, we could not keep. And had "
## [1746] "I not happened to know one of the principal men among them, "
## [1747] "by which means the truce began between us, you may easily "
## [1748] "conceive what little reason we have to think but that either by "
## [1749] "some supply out of Arcadia, or from the nobility of this country, "
## [1750] "(who would have made fruits of wisdom grow out of this occasion) "
## [1751] "we should have had our power turned to ruin, our pride to repent- "
## [1752] "ance and sorrow. But now, the storm as it fell, 30 it ceased : and "
## [1753] "the error committed, in retaining Clitophon more hardly than his "
## [1754] "age or quarrel deserved, becomes a sharply learned experience, "
## [1755] "to use, in other times, more moderation. "
## [1756] ""
## [1757] "\" Now have I to deliver unto you the conclusion between the "
## [1758] "kings with the nobility of Lacedssmon and you ; which is in all "
## [1759] "points as ourselves desired ; as well for that you would have "
## [1760] "granted, as for the assurance of what is granted. The towns and "
## [1761] "forts you presently have, are still left unto you, to be kept either "
## [1762] "with, or without garrison, so as you alter not the laws of the "
## [1763] "country, and pay such duties as the rest of the Laconians do ; "
## [1764] "yourselves are made, by public decree, freemen, and so capable "
## [1765] "both to give and receive voice in election of magistrates. The "
## [1766] "distinction of names between Helots and Lacedaemonians to be "
## [1767] "quite taken away, and all indifferently to enjoy both names and "
## [1768] "privileges of Laconians. Your children to be brought up with "
## [1769] "theirs in the Spartan discipline : and so you (framing yourselves "
## [1770] "to be good members of that estate) to be hereafter fellows and no "
## [1771] "longer servants. "
## [1772] ""
## [1773] "\" Which conditions you see, carry in themselves no more con- "
## [1774] "tention than assurance ; for this is not a peace which is made with "
## [1775] "thera ; but this a piece by which you are made of them. Lastly "
## [1776] "a forgetfulness decreed of all what is past, they showing themselves "
## [1777] "glad to have so valiant men as you are joined with them, so that "
## [1778] "you are to take minds of peace, since the cause of war is finished ; "
## [1779] "and as you hated them before like oppressors, so now to love them "
## [1780] "as brothers ; to take care of their estate, because it is yours ; and "
## [1781] "to labour by virtuous doing, that posterity may not repent your "
## [1782] "joining. But now one article only they stood upon, which in the "
## [1783] "end I with your commissioners have agreed unto that I should no "
## [1784] "more tarry here, mistaking perchance my humour, and thinking "
## [1785] "me as seditious as I am young ; or else it is the king Amiclas "
## [1786] "procuring, in respect that it was my ill hap to kill his nephew "
## [1787] "Eurileon, but howsoever it be, I have condescended.\" \"But so "
## [1788] "will not we,\" cried almost the whole assembly, counselling one "
## [1789] ""
## [1790] ""
## [1791] ""
## [1792] "*ooK i.i ARCAt>tA $S "
## [1793] ""
## [1794] "another rather to try the uttermost event than lose him by whom "
## [1795] "they had been victorious. But he as well with general orations "
## [1796] "as particular dealing with the men of most credit, made them "
## [1797] "see how necessary it was to prefer such an opportunity before "
## [1798] "a vain affection ; but could not prevail till openly he sware that "
## [1799] "he would (if at any time the Lacedemonians brake this treaty) "
## [1800] "come back again, and be their captain. "
## [1801] ""
## [1802] "So, then, after a few days, setting them in perfect order, he took "
## [1803] "his leave of them, whose eyes bade him farewell with tears, and "
## [1804] "mouths with kissing the places where he stepped, and after "
## [1805] "making temples unto him, as to a demi-god, thinking it beyond "
## [1806] "the degree of humanity to have a wit so far over-going his age, "
## [1807] "and such dreadful terror proceed from so excellent beauty. But "
## [1808] "he for his sake obtained free pardon for Argalus, whom also "
## [1809] "(upon oach never to bear arms against the Helots) he delivered ; "
## [1810] "and taking only with him certain principal jewels of his own, he "
## [1811] "would have parted alone with Argalus (whose countenance well "
## [1812] "showed, while Parthenia was lost, he counted not himself delivered, "
## [1813] "but that the whole multitude would needs guard hirai into Arcadia, "
## [1814] "where again leaving them all to lament his departure, he by "
## [1815] "enquiry got to the well-known house of Kalander. There was he "
## [1816] "received with loving joy of Kalander, with joyful love of Palladius, "
## [1817] "with humble, though doleful, demeanour of Argalus (whom "
## [1818] "specially both he and Palladius regarded with grateful serviceable- "
## [1819] "ness of Clitophon) and honourable admiration of all. For being "
## [1820] "now well viewed to have no hair on the face, to witness him a man, "
## [1821] "who had done acts beyond the degree of a man, and to look with "
## [1822] "a certain almost bashful kind of modesty, as if he feared the eyes "
## [1823] "of men, who was unmoved by the sight of the most horrible "
## [1824] "countenances of death ; and as if nature had mistaken her work to "
## [1825] "have a Mars's heart in a Cupid's body : all that beheld him (and "
## [1826] "all that might behold him, did behold him) made their eyes quick "
## [1827] "messengers to their mind, that there they had seen the uttermost "
## [1828] "that in mankind might be seen. The like wonder Palladius had "
## [1829] "before stirred, but that Diaphantus, as younger and newer come, "
## [1830] "had gotten now the advantage in the moist and fickle impression "
## [1831] "of eye-sight. But while all men, saving poor Argalus, made the "
## [1832] "joy of their eyes speak for their hearts towards Daiphantus ; "
## [1833] "fortune (that belike was bid to that banquet, and meant to play "
## [1834] "the good-fellow) brought a pleasant adventure among them. It "
## [1835] "was that as they had newly dined, there came in to Kalander "
## [1836] "a messenger, that brought him word, a young noble lady, near "
## [1837] "kinswoman to the fair Helen, queen of Corinth, was come thither, "
## [1838] "and desired to be lodged in his house. Kalander (most glad of "
## [1839] "such an occasion) went out, and all his other worthy guests with "
## [1840] ""
## [1841] ""
## [1842] ""
## [1843] "36 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [1844] ""
## [1845] "him, saving only Argalus, who remained in his chamber, desirous "
## [1846] "that this company were once broken up, that he might go in his "
## [1847] "solitary quest after Parthenia. But when they met this lady, "
## [1848] "Kalander straight thought he saw his niece Parthenia, and was "
## [1849] "about in such familiar sort to have spoken unto her, but she, in "
## [1850] "grave and honourable manner, giving him to understand that he "
## [1851] "was mistaken ; he, half ashamed, excused himself with the ex- "
## [1852] "ceeding likeness was between them, though indeed it seemed that "
## [1853] "this lady was of the more pure and dainty complexion, she said, "
## [1854] "it might very well be, having been many times taken one for "
## [1855] "another. But as soon as she was brought into the house, before "
## [1856] "she would rest her, she desired to speak with Argalus publicly, "
## [1857] "who she heard was in the house. Argalus came hastily, and as "
## [1858] "hastily thought as Kalander had done, with sudden change of "
## [1859] "to sorrow. But she, when she had stayed her thoughts with telling "
## [1860] "them her name and quality, in this sort spake unto him. \"My "
## [1861] "Lord Argalus,\" said she, \" being of late left in the court of queen "
## [1862] "Helen of Corinth, as chief in her absence, she being upon some "
## [1863] "occasion gone thence, there came unto me the lady Parthenia, "
## [1864] "so disfigured, as I think Greece hath nothing so ugly to behold, "
## [1865] "For my part, it was many days, before, with vehement oathsi "
## [1866] "and some good proofs, she could make me think that she was "
## [1867] "Parthenia. Yet at last finding certainly it was she, and greatly "
## [1868] "pitying her misfortune, so much the more as that all men had even "
## [1869] "told me, as now you do, of the great likeness between us, I took "
## [1870] "the best care I could of her, and of her understood the whole "
## [1871] "tragical history of her undeserved adventure : and therewithal of "
## [1872] "that most noble constancy in you my lord Argalus, which whoso- "
## [1873] "ever loves not, shows himself to be a hater of virtue, and unworthy "
## [1874] "to live in the society of mankind. But no outward cherishing "
## [1875] "could salve the inward sore of her mind ; but a few days since she "
## [1876] "died ; before her death earnestly desiring, and persuading me to "
## [1877] "think of no husband but of you, as of the only man in the world "
## [1878] "worthy to be loved. Withal she gave me this ring to deliver you, "
## [1879] "desiring you, and by the authority of love commanding you "
## [1880] "that the affection you bare her, you should turn to me ; assuring "
## [1881] "you, that nothing can please her soul more than to see you and "
## [1882] "me matched together. Now my lord, though this office be not. "
## [1883] "perchance, suitable to my estate nor sex, who should rather look "
## [1884] "to be desired; yet, an extraordinary desert requires an extra- "
## [1885] "ordinary proceeding, and therefore I am come, with faithful love "
## [1886] "built upon your worthiness, to offer myself, and to beseech you "
## [1887] "to accept the offer : and if these noble gentlemen present will "
## [1888] "say it is great folly, let them withal say, it is great love.\" And "
## [1889] "then she stayed, earnestly attending ArgaluS's answer ; who, first "
## [1890] ""
## [1891] ""
## [1892] ""
## [1893] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 37 "
## [1894] ""
## [1895] "making most hearty sighs, doing such obsequies as he could to "
## [1896] "Parthenia, thus answered her. "
## [1897] ""
## [1898] "\" Madame,\" said he, \" infinitely am I bound to you, for this "
## [1899] "no more rare than noble courtesy ; but much bound for the "
## [1900] "goodness I perceive you showed to the lady Parthenia (with that "
## [1901] "the tears ran down his eyes, but he followed on) and as much as "
## [1902] "so unfortunate a man, fit to be the spectacle of misery, can do you "
## [1903] "a service ; determine you have made a purchase of a slave, while I "
## [1904] "live, never to fail you. But this great matter you propose unto "
## [1905] "me, wherein I am not so bhnd as not to see what happiness it "
## [1906] "should be unto me, excellent lady, know that if my heart were "
## [1907] "mine to give, you before all others should have it ; but Parthenia's "
## [1908] "it is, though dead : there I began, there I end all matter of "
## [1909] "affection : I hope I shall not long tarry after her, with whose "
## [1910] "beauty if I only had been in love, I should be so with you, who "
## [1911] "have the same beauty ; but it was Parthenia's self I loved, and "
## [1912] "love, which no likeness can make one, no commandment dissolve, "
## [1913] "no foulness defile, nor no death finish.\" \"And shall I receive,\" "
## [1914] "said she, \"such disgrace as to be refused?\" \"Noble lady,\" said "
## [1915] "he, \" let not that hard word be used ; who know your exceeding "
## [1916] "worthiness far beyond my desert? but it is only happiness I "
## [1917] "refuse, since of the only happiness I could and can desire, I am "
## [1918] "refused.\" "
## [1919] ""
## [1920] "He had scarce spoken those words, when she ran to him "
## [1921] "and embracing him, \"Why then Argalus,\" said she, \"take thy "
## [1922] "Parthenia : \" and Parthenia it was indeed. But because sorrow "
## [1923] "forbade him too soon to beUeve, she told him the truth, with all "
## [1924] "circumstances : how being parted alone, meaning to die in some "
## [1925] "solitary place, as she happened to make her complaint, the queen "
## [1926] "Helen of Corinth (who likewise felt her part of miseries) being "
## [1927] "then walking alone in that lovely place, heard her, and never left, "
## [1928] "till she had known the whole discourse. Which the noble queen "
## [1929] "greatly pitying, she sent to her a physician of hers, the most "
## [1930] "excellent man in the world, in hope he could help her : which in "
## [1931] "such sort as they saw he had performed, and the taking with her "
## [1932] "one of the queen's servants, thought yet to make this trial, whether "
## [1933] "he would quickly forget his true Parthenia, or no. Her speech "
## [1934] "was confirmed by the Corinthian gentlemen, who before had kept "
## [1935] "her counsel, and Argalus easily persuaded to what more than ten "
## [1936] "thousand years of life he desired : and Kalander would needs have "
## [1937] "the marriage celebrated in his house, principally the longer to hold "
## [1938] "his dear guest, towards whom he was now, besides his own habits "
## [1939] "of hospitality, carried with love and duty : and therefore omitted "
## [1940] "no service that his wit could invent and power minister. "
## [1941] "But no way he siaw he coijld sp much pleasure them ^s by "
## [1942] ""
## [1943] ""
## [1944] ""
## [1945] "38 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [1946] ""
## [1947] "leaving the two friends alone, who being shrunk aside to the "
## [1948] "banqueting-house, where the pictures were ; there Palladius "
## [1949] "recounted unto him, that after they had both abandoned the "
## [1950] "■ burning ship (and either of them taking something under him, "
## [1951] "the better to support him to the shore) he knew not how, but either "
## [1952] "with over-labouring in the fight, and sudden cold, or the too much "
## [1953] "receiving of salt-water, he was past himself: but yet holding fast, "
## [1954] "as the nature of dying men is to do, the chest that was under him, "
## [1955] "he was cast on the sands, where he was taken up by a couple of "
## [1956] "shepherds, and by them brought to life again, and kept from "
## [1957] "drowning himself, when he despaired of his safety. How after "
## [1958] "having failed to take him into the fisher-boat, he had by the "
## [1959] "shepherds' persuasion come to this genlleman's house ; where being "
## [1960] "dangerously sick, he had yielded to seek the recovery of health, "
## [1961] "only for that he might the sooner go seek the delivery of Pyrocles ; "
## [1962] "to which purpose Kalander by some friends of his in Messina, had "
## [1963] "already set a ship or two abroad, when this accident of Clitophon's "
## [1964] "taking had so blessedly procured their meeting. Then did he set "
## [1965] "forth unto him the noble entertainment and careful cherishing of "
## [1966] "Kalander towards him, and so upon occasion of the pictures "
## [1967] "present, delivered with the frankness of a friend's tongue, as near "
## [1968] "as could be, word by word what Kalander had told him touching "
## [1969] "the strange story, with all the particularities belonging, of Arcadia ; "
## [1970] "which did in many sorts so delight Pyrocles to hear, that he would "
## [1971] "needs have much of it again repeated, and was not contented till "
## [1972] "Kalander himself had answered him divers questions. "
## [1973] ""
## [1974] "But first at Musidorus's request, though in brief manner, his "
## [1975] "mind much running upon the strange story of Arcadia, he did "
## [1976] "declare by what course of adventures he was come to make up "
## [1977] "their mutual happiness in meeting. \"When, cousin,\" said he, \"we "
## [1978] "had stripped ourselves, and were both leaped into the sea, "
## [1979] "and swam a little towards the shore, I found, by reason of some "
## [1980] "wounds I had, that I should not be able to get the land, and there- "
## [1981] "fore returned back again to the mast of the ship, where you found "
## [1982] "me, assuring myself, that if you came alive to shore, you would "
## [1983] "seek me ; if you were lost, as I thought it as good to perish as to "
## [1984] "live, so that place as good to perish in as another. There I found "
## [1985] "my sword among some of the shrouds, wishing, I must confess, "
## [1986] "if I died, to be found with that in my hand, and withal waving it "
## [1987] "about my head, that sailors by might have the better glimpse of "
## [1988] "me. There you missing me, I was taken up by pirates, who "
## [1989] "putting me under board prisoner, presently set upon another ship "
## [1990] "and maintaining a long fight, in the end put them all to the sword. "
## [1991] "Amongst whom I might hear them greatly praise one young man, "
## [1992] "who fought most valiantly, who (as Jove is careful, and misfortune "
## [1993] ""
## [1994] ""
## [1995] ""
## [1996] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 39 "
## [1997] ""
## [1998] "subject to doubtfulness) I thought certainly to be you. And so "
## [1999] "holding you as dead, from that time to the time I saw you, in truth "
## [2000] "I sought nothing more than a noble end, which perchance made "
## [2001] "me more hardy than otherwise I would have been. Trial whereof "
## [2002] "came within two days after ; for the kings of Lacedaemon having "
## [2003] "set out some gallies under the charge of one of their nephews, "
## [2004] "to scour the sea of the pirates, they met with us, where our captain "
## [2005] "wanting men, was driven to arm some of his prisoners, with "
## [2006] "promise of liberty for well fighting ; among whom I was one ; and "
## [2007] "being boarded by the admiral, it was my fortune to kill Euryleon "
## [2008] "the king's nephew : but in the end they prevailed, and we were all "
## [2009] "taken prisoners, I not caring much what became of me (only "
## [2010] "keeping the name of Daiphantus, according to the resolution you "
## [2011] "know is between us :) but being laid in the jail of Tenaria, with "
## [2012] "special hate to me for the death of Euryleon, the popular sort of "
## [2013] "that town conspired with the Helots, and so by night opened them "
## [2014] "the gates ; where entering and killing all of the genteel and rich "
## [2015] "faction, for honesty-sake brake open all prisons, and so delivered "
## [2016] "me : and I, moved with gratefulness, and encouraged with careless- "
## [2017] "ness of life, so behaved myself in some conflicts they had within "
## [2018] "few days, that they barbarously thinking unsensible wonders of "
## [2019] "me, as they heard I was hated of the king of Lacedaemon, their "
## [2020] "chief captain being slain, as you know, by the noble Argalus (who "
## [2021] "helped thereunto by his persuasion) having borne a great affection "
## [2022] "unto me, and to avoid the dangerous emulation which grew among "
## [2023] "the chief, who should have the place, and also affected, as rather "
## [2024] "to have a stranger than a competitor, they elected me (God wot "
## [2025] "little proud of that dignity ;) restoring unto me such things of mine "
## [2026] "as being taken first by the pirates, and then by the Lacedsmonians, "
## [2027] "they had gotten in the sack of the town. Now being in it, so "
## [2028] "good was my success with many victories, that I made a peace "
## [2029] "for them, to their own liking, the very day that you delivered "
## [2030] "Clitophon, whom I, with much ado, had preserved. And in my "
## [2031] "peace the king Amiclas of Lacedasmon would needs have me "
## [2032] "banished, and deprived of the dignity, whereunto I was exalted : "
## [2033] "which (and you may see how much you are bound to me) for your "
## [2034] "sake I was content to suffer, a new hope rising in me, that you "
## [2035] "were not dead : and so meaning to travel over the world to seek "
## [2036] "you ; and now here, my dear Musidorus ! you have me.\" And with "
## [2037] "that, embracing and kissing each other, they called Kalander, of "
## [2038] "whom Daiphantus desired to hear the full story, which before he "
## [2039] "had recounted to Palladius, and to see the letter of Philanax, which "
## [2040] "he read and well marked. "
## [2041] ""
## [2042] "But within some days after, the marriage between Argalus and "
## [2043] "the fair Partbenia being to be celebrated, Daiphantus and Palladius, "
## [2044] ""
## [2045] ""
## [2046] ""
## [2047] "40 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [2048] ""
## [2049] "selling some of their jewels, furnished themselves of very fair "
## [2050] "apparel, meaning to do honour to their loving host, who, as much "
## [2051] "for their sakes as for the marriage, set forth each thing in most "
## [2052] "gorgeous manner. But all the cost bestowed did not so much "
## [2053] "enrich, nor all the fine decking so much beautify, nor all the dainty "
## [2054] "devices so much delight, as the fairness of Parthenia, the pearl of "
## [2055] "all the maids of Mantinasa, who as she went to the temple to be "
## [2056] "married, her eyes themselves seemed a temple, wherein love and "
## [2057] "beauty were married. Her lips, though they were kept close with "
## [2058] "modest silence, yet with a pretty kind of natural swelling, they "
## [2059] "seemed to invite the guests that looked on them ; her cheeks "
## [2060] "blushing, and withal, when she was spoken unto, a httle smiling, "
## [2061] "were like roses when their leaves are with a little breath stirred ; "
## [2062] "her hair being laid at the full length down her back, bare she was, "
## [2063] "if the voward failed, yet that would conquer. Daiphantus marking "
## [2064] "her, \" O Jupiter 1 (quoth he speaking to Palladius) how happens "
## [2065] "it, that beauty is only confined to Arcadia?\" But Palladius not "
## [2066] "greatly attending his speech, some days were continued in the "
## [2067] "solemnizing the marriage, with all conceits that might deliver "
## [2068] "delight to men's fancies. "
## [2069] ""
## [2070] "But such a change was grown in Daiphantus that (as if cheerful- "
## [2071] "ness had been tediousness, and good entertainment were turned to "
## [2072] "discourtesy) he would ever get himself alone, though almost when "
## [2073] "he was in company, he was alone, so little attention he gave to any "
## [2074] "that spake unto him : even the colour and figure of his face began "
## [2075] "to receive some alteration, which he shewed little to heed : but "
## [2076] "every morning early going abroad, either to the garden, or to some "
## [2077] "woods towards the desert, it seemed his only comfort was to be "
## [2078] "without a comforter. But long it could not be hid from Palladius, "
## [2079] "whom true love made ready to mark, and long knowledge able to "
## [2080] "mark ; and therefore being now grown weary of his abode in "
## [2081] "Arcadia, having informed himself fully of the strength and riches "
## [2082] "of the country, of the nature of the people, and manner of their "
## [2083] "laws ; and seeing the court could not be visited, prohibited to all "
## [2084] "men, but to certain shepherdish people, he greatly desired a "
## [2085] "speedy return to his own country, after the many mazes of fortune "
## [2086] "he had trodden. But perceiving this great alteration in his friend, "
## [2087] "he thought first to break with him thereof, and then to hasten his "
## [2088] "return ; whereto he found him but smally incUned : whereupon "
## [2089] "one day taking him alone with certain graces and countenances, "
## [2090] "as if he were disputing with the trees, began in this manner to say "
## [2091] "unto him. "
## [2092] ""
## [2093] "\"A mind well trained and long exercised in virtue, my sweet "
## [2094] "and worthy cousin doth not easily change any course it once "
## [2095] "undertakes, but upon well-grounded and well-weighed causes ; for "
## [2096] ""
## [2097] ""
## [2098] ""
## [2099] "BOOK i-l • ARCADIA 41 "
## [2100] ""
## [2101] "being witness to itself of its own inward good, it finds nothing "
## [2102] "without it of so high a price for which it should be altered. Even "
## [2103] "the very countenance and behaviour of such a man doth shew "
## [2104] "forth images of the same constancy, by maintaining a right "
## [2105] "harmony betwixt it and the inward good, in yielding itself suitable "
## [2106] "to the virtuous resolution of the mind. This speech I direct to "
## [2107] "you, noble friend Pyrocles, the excellency of whose mind and well "
## [2108] "chosen course in virtue, if I do not sufficiently know, having seen "
## [2109] "such rare demonstrations of it, it is my weakness, and not your "
## [2110] "unworthiness : but as indeed I know it, and knowing it, most "
## [2111] "dearly love both it and him that hath it, so must I needs say "
## [2112] "that since our late coming into this country, I have marked in you, "
## [2113] "I will not say an alteration, but a relenting truly, and a slacking of "
## [2114] "the main career you had so notably begun and almost performed, "
## [2115] "and that in such sort, as I cannot find sufficient reason in my great "
## [2116] "love toward you how to allow it : for (to leave off other secreter "
## [2117] "arguments which my acquaintance with you makes me easily find) "
## [2118] "this in effect to any man may be manifest, that whereas you were "
## [2119] "wont in all places you came to give yourself vehemently to the "
## [2120] "knowledge of those things which might better your mind, to seek "
## [2121] "the familiarity of excellent men in learning and soldiery, and lastly, "
## [2122] "to put all these things in practice, both by continual wise proceed- "
## [2123] "ing, and worthy enterprises as occasion fell for them ; you now "
## [2124] "leave all these things undone : you let your mind fall asleep : "
## [2125] "beside your countenance troubled, which surely comes not of "
## [2126] "virtue ; for virtue, like the clear heaven, is without clouds : and "
## [2127] "lastly, you subject yourself to solitariness, the sly enemy that doth "
## [2128] "most separate a man from well doing.\" "
## [2129] ""
## [2130] "Pyrocles's mind was all this while so fixed upon another devotion, "
## [2131] "that he no more attentively marked his friend's discourse than the "
## [2132] "child that hath leave to play marks the last part of his lesson ; or "
## [2133] "the diligent pilot in a dangerous tempest doth attend the unskilful "
## [2134] "words of a passenger : yet the very sound having imprinted the "
## [2135] "general points of his speech in his heart, pierced with any mislike "
## [2136] "of so dearly an esteemed friend, and desirous by degrees to bring "
## [2137] "him to a gentler consideration of him, with a shame-faced look "
## [2138] "(witnessing he rather could not help, than did not know his fault) "
## [2139] "answered him to this purpose : \" Excellent Musidorus ! in the "
## [2140] "praise you gave me in the beginning of your speech, I easily "
## [2141] "acknowledge the force of your good will unto me ; for neither "
## [2142] "could you have thought so well of me, if extremity of love had not "
## [2143] "made your judgment partial, nor could you have loved me so "
## [2144] "entirely if you had not been apt to make so great, though un- "
## [2145] "deserved, judgments of me ; and even so much I say to those "
## [2146] "imperfections to which, though I have ever through weakness been "
## [2147] ""
## [2148] ""
## [2149] ""
## [2150] "42 "
## [2151] ""
## [2152] ""
## [2153] ""
## [2154] "ARCADIA [BOOK I "
## [2155] ""
## [2156] ""
## [2157] ""
## [2158] "subject, yet you by the daily mending of your mind have of lat( "
## [2159] "been able to look into them, which before you could not discern "
## [2160] "so that the change you speak of falls not out by my impairing, bu "
## [2161] "by your bettering. And yet under the leave of your better jiidg "
## [2162] "ment, I must needs say thus much (my dear cousin !) that I fine "
## [2163] "not myself wholly to be condemned because I do not with con. "
## [2164] "tinual vehemency follow those knowledges, which you call the "
## [2165] "bettering of my mind ; for both the mind itself must, like othei "
## [2166] "things, sometimes be unbent, or else it will be either weakened, oi "
## [2167] "broken, and these knowledges, as they are of good use, so are "
## [2168] "they not all the mind may stretch itself unto : who knows whethei "
## [2169] "I feed not my mind with higher thoughts ? Truly, as I know not al "
## [2170] "the particularities, so yet I see the bounds of all these knowledges "
## [2171] "but the workings of the mind I find much more infinite than car "
## [2172] "be led unto by the eye, or imagined by any that distract theii "
## [2173] "thoughts without themselves. And in such contemplation, or, as "
## [2174] "I think, more excellent, I enjoy my solitariness, and my solitariness "
## [2175] "perchance is the nurse of these contemplations. Eagles we see "
## [2176] "fly alone, and they are but sheep which always herd together "
## [2177] "condemn not therefore my mind sometimes to enjoy itself; noi "
## [2178] "blame not the taking of such times as serve most fit for it. Anc "
## [2179] "alas, dear Musidorus ! if I be sad who knows better than you the "
## [2180] "just causes I have of sadness?\" And here Pyrocles suddenly "
## [2181] "stopped, like a man unsatisfied in himself, though his wit mighl "
## [2182] "well have served to have satisfied another. And so looking with s "
## [2183] "countenance as though he desired he should know his mind "
## [2184] "without hearing him speak, and yet desirous to speak, to breathe "
## [2185] "out some part of his inward evil, sending again new blood to his "
## [2186] "face, he continued his speech in this manner: \"And lord, deal "
## [2187] "cousin,\" said he, \" doth not the pleasantness of this place carry ir "
## [2188] "itself sufficient reward for any' time lost in it? do you not see how "
## [2189] "all things conspire together to make this country a heavenly "
## [2190] "dwelling ? do you not see the grass, how in colour they excel the "
## [2191] "emeralds, every one striving to pass his fellow, and yet they are "
## [2192] "all kept of an equal height? and see you not the rest of these "
## [2193] "beautiful flowers, each of which would require a man's wit to know, "
## [2194] "and his life to express ? do not these stately trees seem to maintair "
## [2195] "their flourishing old age with the only happiness of their seat "
## [2196] "being clothed with a continual spring, because no beauty here "
## [2197] "should ever fade ? doth not the air breathe health, which the birds "
## [2198] "deUghtful both to ear and eye, do daily solemnize with the swee "
## [2199] "consent of their voices? is not every echo thereof a perfect music "
## [2200] "And these fresh and delightful brooks how slowly they slide away "
## [2201] "as loth to leave the company of so many things united in perfec "
## [2202] "ion? and with how sweet a murmur they lament their forcec "
## [2203] ""
## [2204] ""
## [2205] ""
## [2206] "BOOK 1.] ARCADIA 43 "
## [2207] ""
## [2208] "departure ? certainly, certainly, cousin, it must needs be that some "
## [2209] "goddess inhabiteth this region, who is the soul of this soil : for "
## [2210] "neither is any less than a goddess worthy to be shrined in such a "
## [2211] "heap of pleasures, nor any less than a goddess could have made it "
## [2212] "so perfect a plat of the celestial dwellings.\" And so ended with a "
## [2213] "deep sigh, ruefully* casting his eyes upon Musidorus, as more "
## [2214] "desirous of pity than pleading. But Musidorus had all this while "
## [2215] "held his look fixed upon Pyrocles's countenance ; and with no less "
## [2216] "loving attention marked how his words proceeded from him : but "
## [2217] "in both these he perceived such strange diversities, that they "
## [2218] "rather increased new doubts than gave him ground to settle any "
## [2219] "judgment : for besides his eyes sometimes even great with tears, "
## [2220] "the oft changing of his colour, with a kind of shaking unsteadiness "
## [2221] "over all his body, he might see in his countenance some great "
## [2222] "determination mixed with fear ; and might perceive in him store "
## [2223] "of thoughts, rather stirred than digested ; his words interrupted "
## [2224] "continually with sighs, which served as a burden to each sentence, "
## [2225] "and the tenour of his speech, though of his wanted phrase, not "
## [2226] "knit together to one constant end, but rather dissolved in itself, as "
## [2227] "the vehemency of the inward passion prevailed : which made "
## [2228] "Musidorus frame his answer nearest to that humour, which should "
## [2229] "soonest put out the secret. For having in the beginning of "
## [2230] "Pyrocles's speech, which defended his solitariness, framed in his "
## [2231] "mind a reply against it in the praise of honourable action, in "
## [2232] "showing that such a kind of contemplation is but a glorious title "
## [2233] "to idleness ; that in action a man did not only better himself, but "
## [2234] "benefit others ; that the gods would not have delivered a soul into "
## [2235] "the body which had arms and legs, only instruments of doing, but "
## [2236] "that it were intended the mind should employ them, and that the "
## [2237] "mind should best know his own good or evil by practice ; which "
## [2238] "knowledge was the only way to increase the one, and correct the "
## [2239] "other ; besides many other arguments, which the plentifulness of "
## [2240] "the matter yielded to the sharpness of his wit. When he found "
## [2241] "Pyrocles leave that, and fall into such an affected praising of the "
## [2242] "place, he left it likewise, and joined with him therein : because he "
## [2243] "found him in that humour utter more store of passion ; and even "
## [2244] "thus kindly embracing him, he said, \" Your words are such, noble "
## [2245] "cousin, so sweetly and strongly handled in the praise of solitariness, "
## [2246] "as they would make me likewise yield myself up into it, but that "
## [2247] "the same words make me know it is more pleasant to enjoy the "
## [2248] "company of him that can speak such words than by such words to "
## [2249] "be persuaded to follow solitariness. And even so do I give you "
## [2250] "leave, sweet Pyrocles, ever to defend solitariness, so long as to "
## [2251] "defend it, you ever keep company. But I marvel at the excessive "
## [2252] ""
## [2253] "• WoefuUy "
## [2254] ""
## [2255] ""
## [2256] ""
## [2257] "44 "
## [2258] ""
## [2259] ""
## [2260] ""
## [2261] "ARCADIA [^oo'f "
## [2262] ""
## [2263] ""
## [2264] ""
## [2265] "praises you give to this country ; in truth it is not unpleasant, bi "
## [2266] "yet if you would return into Macedon you should either see man "
## [2267] "heavens, or find this no more than earthly. And even Tempe i "
## [2268] "my Thessalia (where you and I, to my great happmess, wer "
## [2269] "brought up together) is nothing inferior unto it. But I think yo "
## [2270] "will make me see that the vigour of your wit can show itself i "
## [2271] "any subject : or else you feed sometimes your solitariness with th "
## [2272] "conceits of the poets, whose liberal pens can as easily travel ove "
## [2273] "mountains as molehills, and so like well-disposed men, set u "
## [2274] "everything to the highest note ; especially, when they put sue "
## [2275] "words in the mouths of one of these fantastical, mind-infect© "
## [2276] "people, that children and musicians call 'Lovers.'\" This won "
## [2277] "\" Lover,\" did no less pierce poor Pyrodes, than the right tune c "
## [2278] "music toucheth him that is sick of the Tarantula.* There was no "
## [2279] "one part of his body that did not feel a sudden motion, while hi "
## [2280] "heart with panting seemed to dance to the sound of that word ; ye "
## [2281] "after some pause (lifting up his eyes a Uttle from the ground, am "
## [2282] "yet not daring to place them in the eyes of Musidorus) armed witl "
## [2283] "the very countenance of the poor prisoner at the bar, whose answe "
## [2284] "is nothing but guilty: with much ado he brought forth thi "
## [2285] "question. \" And alas,\" said he, \" dear cousin, what if I be not s "
## [2286] "much the poet (the freedom of whose pen can exercise itself in an "
## [2287] "thing) as even that miserable subject of his cunning whereof yo "
## [2288] "speak?\" \"Now the eternal gods forbid,\" mainly cried on "
## [2289] "Musidorus, \" that ever my ear should be poisoned with so ev "
## [2290] "news of you. O let me never know that any base affection shoul "
## [2291] "get any lordship in your thoughts.\" But as he was speakin, "
## [2292] "more, Kalander came and brake off their discourse with invitin "
## [2293] "them to the hunting of a goodly stag, which being harboured in "
## [2294] "wood thereby, he hoped would make them good sport, and driv "
## [2295] "away some part of Daiphantus's melancholy. They condescende( "
## [2296] "and so going to their lodgings, furnished themselves as liked then "
## [2297] "biaphantus writing a few words which he sealed in a letter again; "
## [2298] "their return. "
## [2299] ""
## [2300] "Then went they together abroad, the good Kalander entertainin "
## [2301] "them with pleasant discoursing, how well he loved the sport ( "
## [2302] "hunting when he was a young man, how much, in the compariso "
## [2303] "thereof, he disdained all chamber-delights, that the fun (how grei "
## [2304] "a journey soever he had to make) could never prevent him wit "
## [2305] "earliness, nor the moon, with her sober countenance, dissuade hii "
## [2306] "from watching till midnight for the deer feeding. \" O,\" said hi "
## [2307] "\"you will never live to my age, without you keep yourselves i "
## [2308] "breath with exercise, and in heart with joyfulness. Too muc "
## [2309] ""
## [2310] "* A venomous Spider (so called from Tarento a city of Naples) whose bite is of sui "
## [2311] ",a nature, that it is to be cured only by music. "
## [2312] ""
## [2313] ""
## [2314] ""
## [2315] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 45 "
## [2316] ""
## [2317] "thinking doth consume the spirits, and oft it falls out that while "
## [2318] "one thinks too much of his doing, he leaves to do the effect of "
## [2319] "his thinking.\" Then spared he not to remember how much "
## [2320] "Arcadia was changed since his youth : activity and good fellowship "
## [2321] "being nothing in the price it was then held in ; but, according "
## [2322] "to the nature of the old growing world, still worse and worse. "
## [2323] "Then would he tell them stories of such gallants as he had known : "
## [2324] "and so with pleasant company beguiled the time's haste, and "
## [2325] "shortenened the way's length, till they came to the side of the "
## [2326] "wood, where the hounds were in couples staying their coming, but "
## [2327] "with a whining accent craving liberty, many of them in colour and "
## [2328] "marks so resembling, that it shewed they were of one kind. The "
## [2329] "huntsmen handsomely attired in their green liveries as though "
## [2330] "they were children of summer, with staves in their hands to beat "
## [2331] "the guiltless earth when the hounds were at a fault, and with horns "
## [2332] "about their necks to sound an alarm upon a silly fugitive : the "
## [2333] "hounds were straight uncoupled, and e'er long the stag thought "
## [2334] "it better to trust to the nimbleness of his feet than to the slender "
## [2335] "fortification of his lodging : but even his feet betrayed him, for "
## [2336] "howsoever they went, they themselves uttered themselves to the "
## [2337] "scent of their enemies, who one taking it of another, and sometimes "
## [2338] "believing the wind's advertisement, sometimes the view of their "
## [2339] "faithful counsellors, the huntsmen, with open mouths then "
## [2340] "denounced war, when the war was already begun ; their cry being "
## [2341] "composed of so well sorted mouths, that any man would perceive "
## [2342] "therein some kind of proportion, but the skilful woodmen did find "
## [2343] "a music. Then delight, and variety of opinion, drew the horsemen "
## [2344] "sundry ways, yet cheering their hounds with voice and horn, kept "
## [2345] "still, as it were, together. The wood seemed to conspire with them "
## [2346] "against his own citizens, dispersing their noise through all his "
## [2347] "quarters, and even the nymph Echo left to bewail the loss of "
## [2348] "Narcissus, and become a hunter. But the stag was in the end "
## [2349] "so hotly pursued that, leaving his flight, he was driven to make "
## [2350] "courage of despair, and so, turning his head, made the hounds, "
## [2351] "with change of speech, to testify that he was at a bay, as if from "
## [2352] "hot pursuit of their enemy, they were suddenly come to a parley. "
## [2353] ""
## [2354] "But Kalander, by his skill of coasting the country, was amongst "
## [2355] "the first that came into the besieged deer ; whom when some of "
## [2356] "the younger sort would have killed with their swords, he would not "
## [2357] "suffer, but with a cross-bow sent a [death to the poor beast, who "
## [2358] "with tears showed the unkindness he took of man's cruelty. "
## [2359] ""
## [2360] "But by the time that the whole company was assembled, and "
## [2361] "that the stag had bestowed himself liberally among them that had "
## [2362] "killed him, Daiphantus was missed, for whom Palladius carefully "
## [2363] "inquiring, no news could be given him, but by one that said he "
## [2364] ""
## [2365] ""
## [2366] ""
## [2367] "4(5 ARCADIA [book i, "
## [2368] ""
## [2369] "thought he was returned home ; for that he marked him in the "
## [2370] "chief of the hunting, take a bye- way which might lead to Kalander\": "
## [2371] "house. That answer for the time satisfying, and they having "
## [2372] "performed all duties, as well for the stag's funeral as the hounds "
## [2373] "triumph, they returned ; some talking of the fatness of the deer's "
## [2374] "body ; some of the fairness of his head ; some of the hounds "
## [2375] "cunning ; some of their speed, and some of their cry ; till coming "
## [2376] "home, about the time that the candles begin to inherit the sun's "
## [2377] "office, they found Daiphantus was not to be found. Whereal "
## [2378] "Palladius greatly marvelling, and a day or two passing, while "
## [2379] "neither search nor inquiry could help him to knowledge, at lasl "
## [2380] "he lighted upon the letter which Pyroclus had written before he "
## [2381] "went a hunting, and left in his study among other of his writings : "
## [2382] "The letter was directed to Palladius himself, and contained these "
## [2383] "words : "
## [2384] ""
## [2385] "My only friend ! violence of love leads me into such a coursej "
## [2386] "whereof your knowledge may much more vex you, than help me. "
## [2387] "Therefore pardon my concealing it from you, since, if I wrong you, "
## [2388] "it is in the respect I bear you. Return into Thessalia, I pray you, "
## [2389] "as full of good fortune as I am of desire j and if I live, I will in a "
## [2390] "short time follow you ; if I die, love ray memory. "
## [2391] ""
## [2392] "This was all, and this Palladius read twice or thrice over, "
## [2393] "\" Ah,\" said he, \" Pyrocles what means this alteration ? what have "
## [2394] "I deserved of thee to be thus banished of thy counsels ? Hereto- "
## [2395] "fore I have accused the sea, condemned the pirates, and hated "
## [2396] "my evil fortune that deprived me of thee ; but now thyself is the "
## [2397] "sea which drowns my comfort ; thyself is the pirate that robs thy- "
## [2398] "self from me ; thy own will becomes thy evil fortune.\" Then turned "
## [2399] "he his thoughts to all forms of guesses that might light upon the "
## [2400] "purpose and course of Pyrocles, for he was not so sure by his words "
## [2401] "that it was love, as he was doubtful where the love was. One time "
## [2402] "he thought some beauty in Laconia had laid hold of his eyes "
## [2403] "another time he feared that it might be Parthenia's excellencj "
## [2404] "which had broken the bands of all former resolution ; but the more "
## [2405] "he thought the more he knew not what to think, armies of objections "
## [2406] "rising against any accepted opinion. "
## [2407] ""
## [2408] "Then as careful he was what to do himself: at length determined "
## [2409] "never to leave seeking him till his search should be either bj "
## [2410] "meeting accomplished, or by death ended. Therefore (for all the "
## [2411] "unkindness bearing tender respect that his friend's secret deter- "
## [2412] "mination should be kept from any suspicion in others) he went te "
## [2413] "Kalander, and told him that he had received a message from his "
## [2414] "friend, by which he understood he was gone back again intc "
## [2415] "Laconia about some matters greatly importing the poor men "
## [2416] "whose protection he had undertaken, and that it was in any sort "
## [2417] ""
## [2418] ""
## [2419] ""
## [2420] "BOOK t.] ARCADIA 47 "
## [2421] ""
## [2422] "fit for him to follow him, but in such private wise, as not to be "
## [2423] "-known, and that therefore he would as then bid him farewell ; "
## [2424] "arming himself in a black armour, as either a badge, or prognosti- "
## [2425] "cation of his mind, and taking only with him a good store of "
## [2426] "money and a few choice jewels, leaving the greatest number of "
## [2427] "them, and most of his apparel with Kalander, which he did partly "
## [2428] "to give the more cause to Kalander to expect their return, and so to "
## [2429] "be the less curiously inquisive after them — and partly to leave those "
## [2430] "honourable thanks unto him for his charge and kindness, which he "
## [2431] "knew he would not other way receive. The good old man having "
## [2432] "neither reason to dissuade^ nor hope to persuade, received the "
## [2433] "things with mind of a keeper, not of an owner ; but, before he "
## [2434] "went, desired he might have the happiness fully to know what they "
## [2435] "were, which, he said, he had ever till then delayed, fearing to be "
## [2436] "importune : but now he would not be so much an enemy to his "
## [2437] "desires as any longer to imprison them in silence. Palladius told "
## [2438] "him that the matter was not so secret but that so worthy a friend "
## [2439] "deserved the knowledge, and should have it as soon as he might "
## [2440] "speak with his friend, without whose consent (because their promise "
## [2441] "bound him otherwise) he could not reveal it ; but bade him hold "
## [2442] "for most assured that if they lived but a while he should find that "
## [2443] "they which bore the names of Diaphantus and Palladius would "
## [2444] "give him and his cause to think his noble courtesy well employed. "
## [2445] "Kalander would press him no farther, but desiring that he might "
## [2446] "have leave to go, or at least to send his son and servants with him : "
## [2447] "Palladius brake off all ceremonies by telling him his case stood so "
## [2448] "that his greatest favour should be in making least ado of his "
## [2449] "parting. Wherewith Kalander knowing it to be more cumber than "
## [2450] "courtesy to strive, abstained from farther urging him, but not from "
## [2451] "hearty mourning the loss of so sweet a conversation. "
## [2452] ""
## [2453] "Only Clitophon by vehement importunity obtained to go with "
## [2454] "him to come again to Diaphantus, whom he named and accounted "
## [2455] "his lord. And in such private guise departed Palladius, though "
## [2456] "having a companion to talk withal, yet talking much more with "
## [2457] "unkindness. And first they went to Mantinaea ; whereof because "
## [2458] "Parthenia was, he suspected there might be some cause of his "
## [2459] "abode. But, finding there no news of him, he went to Tegea, "
## [2460] "Ripa, Enispse, Stimphalus, and Phineus, famous for the poisonous "
## [2461] "Stygian water, and through all the rest of Arcadia, making their "
## [2462] "eyes, their ears, and their tongues serve almost for nothing but "
## [2463] "that inquiry. But they could know nothing but that in none of "
## [2464] "those places he was known. And so went they, making one "
## [2465] "place succeed to another in like uncertainty to their search, many "
## [2466] "times encountering strange adventures worthy to be registered in "
## [2467] "the rolls of fame : but this may not be omitted. As tliey passed "
## [2468] ""
## [2469] ""
## [2470] ""
## [2471] "48 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [2472] ""
## [2473] "in a pleasant valley (on either side of which high hills lifted up "
## [2474] "their beetle-brows, as if they would overlook the pleasantness of "
## [2475] "their under-prospect) they were by the daintiness of the place, and "
## [2476] "the weariness of themselves, invited to light from their horses, and "
## [2477] "pulled off their bits that they might something refresh their mouths "
## [2478] "upon the grass (which plentifully grew, brought up under the care "
## [2479] "of those well-shading trees), they themselves laid them down hard "
## [2480] "by the murmuring music of certain waters which spouted out of "
## [2481] "the side of the hills, and in the bottom of the valley made of many "
## [2482] "springs a pretty brook, like a commonwealth of many families ; "
## [2483] "but when they had a while hearkened to the persuasion of sleep, "
## [2484] "they rose and walked onward in that shady place till Clitophon "
## [2485] "espied a piece of armour, and not far off another piece ; and so the "
## [2486] "sight of one piece teaching him to look for more, he at length "
## [2487] "found all, with head-piece and shield, by the device whereof (which "
## [2488] "was ****♦*♦), he straight knew it to be the armour "
## [2489] "of his cousin, the noble Amphialus. Whereupon (fearing some "
## [2490] "inconvenience happened unto him) he told both his doubt and "
## [2491] "cause of doubt to Palladius, who, -considering thereof, thought "
## [2492] "best to make no longer stay, but to follow on, lest perchance "
## [2493] "some violence were offered to so worthy a knight, whom the fame "
## [2494] "of the world seemed to set in balance with any knight living. Yet "
## [2495] "with a sudden conceit, having long borne great honour to the name "
## [2496] "of Amphialus, Palladius thought best to take that armour, thinking "
## [2497] "thereby to learn by them that should know that armour some news "
## [2498] "of Amphialus, and yet not hinder him in the search of Diaphantus "
## [2499] "too. So he, by the help of Clitophon, quickly put on that armour, "
## [2500] "whereof there was no one piece wanting, though hacked in some "
## [2501] "places, betraying some fighting not long since passed. It was "
## [2502] "something too great, but yet served well enough. And so, getting "
## [2503] "on their horses, they travelled but a little way when in the opening "
## [2504] "of the mouth of the valley into a fair field they met with a coach "
## [2505] "drawn with four milk-white horses, furnished all in black with a "
## [2506] "black-a-moor boy upon every horse, they all apparelled in white, "
## [2507] "the coach itself very richly furnished in black and white. But "
## [2508] "before they could come so near as to discern what was within, "
## [2509] "there came running upon them above a dozen horsemen, who cried "
## [2510] "to them to yield themselves prisoners or else they should die. But "
## [2511] "Palladius, not accustomed to grant over the possession of himself "
## [2512] "upon so unjust titles, with sword drawn gave them so rude an "
## [2513] "answer that divers of them never had breath to reply again : for, "
## [2514] "being well backed by Clitophon, and having an excellent horse "
## [2515] "under him, when he was overpressed by some he avoided them, "
## [2516] "and e'er the other thought of it, punished in him his fellow's faults, "
## [2517] "and so either with cunning or with force, or rather with a cunning "
## [2518] ""
## [2519] ""
## [2520] ""
## [2521] "BOOK 1.] ARCADIA 49 "
## [2522] ""
## [2523] "force, left none of them either living or able to make his life serve "
## [2524] "to others hurt. Which being done, he approached the coach, "
## [2525] "assuring the black boys they should have no hurt, who were else "
## [2526] "ready to have run away ; and looking in the coach, he found in the "
## [2527] "one end a lady of great beauty, and such a beauty as showed forth "
## [2528] "the beams both of wisdom and good nature, but all as much "
## [2529] "darkened as might be, with sorrow. In the other, two ladies (who "
## [2530] "by their demeanour showed well they were but her servants) hold- "
## [2531] "ing before them a picture in which was a goodly gentleman whom "
## [2532] "he knew not, painted, having in their faces a certain waiting "
## [2533] "sorrow, their eyes being infected with their mistress's weeping. "
## [2534] "But the chief lady having not so much as once heard the noise of "
## [2535] "this conflict (so had sorrow closed up all the entries of her mind, "
## [2536] "and love tied her senses to that beloved picture), now the shadow "
## [2537] "of him falling upon the picture made her cast up her eye, and "
## [2538] "seeing the armour which too well she knew, thinking him to be "
## [2539] "Amphiaius, the lord of her desires (blood coming more freely into "
## [2540] "her cheeks, as though it would be bold, and yet there growing new "
## [2541] "again pale for fear) with a pitiful look, like one unjustly con- "
## [2542] "demned. \"My Lord Amphiaius,\" said she, \"you have enough "
## [2543] "punished me ; it is time for cruelty to leave you, and evil fortune "
## [2544] "me ; if not, I pray you (and to grant my prayer fitter time nor "
## [2545] "place you cannot have) accomplish the one even now, and finish "
## [2546] "the other.\" With that, sorrow inipatient to be slowly uttered in "
## [2547] "her often staying speeches, poured itself so fast into tears, that "
## [2548] "Palladius could not hold her longer in error, but pulling off his "
## [2549] "helmet, \" Madam,\" said he, \" I perceive you mistake me ; I am a "
## [2550] "stranger in these parts, set upon without any cause given by me by "
## [2551] "some of your servants, whom, because I have in my just defence evil "
## [2552] "intreated, I came to make my excuse to you, whom seeing such as "
## [2553] "I do, I find greater cause why I should crave pardon of you.\" "
## [2554] "When she saw his face and heard his speech she looked out of the "
## [2555] "coach, and seeing her men, some slain, some lying under their "
## [2556] "dead horses and striving to get from under them, without making "
## [2557] "more account of the matter ; \" Truly,\" said she, \" they are well served "
## [2558] "that durst lift up their arms against that armour. But, Sir Knight,\" "
## [2559] "said she, \" I pray you tell me, how came you by this armour ? for "
## [2560] "if it be by the death of him that owned it, then have I more to say "
## [2561] "unto you.\" Palladius assured her it was not so, telling her the "
## [2562] "true manner how he found it. \" It is like enough,\" said she, \"for "
## [2563] "that agrees with the manner he hath lately used. But I beseech "
## [2564] "you, Sir,\" said she, \"since your prowess hath bereft me of my "
## [2565] "company, let it yet so far heal the wounds itself hath given as to "
## [2566] "guard me to the next town.\" \" How great soever my business be, "
## [2567] "fair lady,\" said he, \" it shall willingly yield to so noble a, cause : "
## [2568] ""
## [2569] "P "
## [2570] ""
## [2571] ""
## [2572] ""
## [2573] "50 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [2574] ""
## [2575] "but first, even by the favour you bear to the lord of this noble "
## [2576] "armour, I conjure you to tell me the story of your fortune herein, "
## [2577] "lest, hereafter, when the image of so excellent a lady in so strange "
## [2578] "a plight come before mine eyes, I condemn myself of want of con- "
## [2579] "sideration in not having demanded thus much. Neither ask I it "
## [2580] "without protestation that wherein my sword and faith may avail you "
## [2581] "they shall bind themselves to your service.\" \" Your conjuration, fair "
## [2582] "knight,\" said she, \" is too strong for my poor spirit to disobey, and "
## [2583] "that shall make me (without any other hope, my ruin being but by "
## [2584] "one unrehevable) to grant your will herein, and to say the truth, a "
## [2585] "strange niceness were it in me to refrain that from the ears of a "
## [2586] "person representing so much worthiness, which I am glad even to "
## [2587] "rocks and woods to utter. Know you then that my name is Helen, "
## [2588] "queen by birth, and hitherto possessed of the fair city and territory "
## [2589] "of Corinth. I can say no more of myself but that I am beloved of "
## [2590] "my people, and may justly say beloved, since they are content to "
## [2591] "bear with my absence and folly. But I being left by my father's "
## [2592] "death, and accepted by my people in the highest degree that "
## [2593] "country could receive ; as soon, or rather, before that my age was "
## [2594] "ripe for it, my court quickly swarmed full of suitors : some, per- "
## [2595] "chance, loving my estate, others my person ; but once, I know all "
## [2596] "of them, however my possessions were in their heart, my beauty, "
## [2597] "such as it is, was in their mouths, many strangers of princely and "
## [2598] "noble blood, and all of mine own country, to whom either birth or "
## [2599] "virtue gave courage to avow so high a desire. "
## [2600] ""
## [2601] "\" Among the rest, or rather, before the rest, was the lord Phil- "
## [2602] "oxenus, son and heir to the virtuous nobleman, Timotheus, which "
## [2603] "Timotheus was a man both in power, riches, parentage, and, which "
## [2604] "passed all these, goodness ; and, which followed all these, love of "
## [2605] "the people, beyond any of the great men of my country. Now, "
## [2606] "this son of his, I must say truly, not unworthy of such a father, bend- "
## [2607] "ing himself by all means of serviceableness to me, and setting forth "
## [2608] "of himself to win my favour, won thus far of me that in truth I less "
## [2609] "misliked him than any of the rest, which, in some proportion, my "
## [2610] "countenance delivered unto him. Though, I must confess, it was "
## [2611] "a very false ambassador if it delivered at all any affection whereof "
## [2612] "my heart was utterly void, I as then esteeming myself born to rule, "
## [2613] "and thinking foul scorn willingly to submit myself to be ruled. "
## [2614] ""
## [2615] "\"But while Philoxenus in good sort pursued my favour, and "
## [2616] "perchance nourished himself with overmuch hope, because he "
## [2617] "found I did in some sort acknowledge his virtue ; one time among "
## [2618] "the rest he brought with him a dear friend of his.\" With that she "
## [2619] "looked upon the picture before her, and straight sighed, and "
## [2620] "straight tears flowed, as if the idol of duty ought to be honoured "
## [2621] "with such oblations ; and then her speech stayed the tale, having "
## [2622] ""
## [2623] ""
## [2624] ""
## [2625] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA SI "
## [2626] ""
## [2627] "brought her to that look, but that look having quite put her out of "
## [2628] "her tale. "
## [2629] ""
## [2630] "But Palladius greatly pitying so sweet a sorrow in a lady, whom "
## [2631] "by fame he had already known and honoured, besought for her "
## [2632] "promise sake to put silence so long unto her moaning till she had "
## [2633] "recounted the rest of this story. \"Why,\" said she, \"this is the "
## [2634] "picture of Amphialus : what need I say more unto you ? What "
## [2635] "ear is so barbarous but hath heard of Amphialus ? Who follows "
## [2636] "deeds of arms, but everywhere finds monuments of Amphialus ? "
## [2637] "Who is courteous, noble, liberal, but he hath the example before his "
## [2638] "eyes of Amphialus ? Where are all hereoic parts but in Amphi- "
## [2639] "alus ? O Amphalius, I would thou wert not so excellent, "
## [2640] "or I would I thought thee not so excellent, and yet would "
## [2641] "I not that I would so.\" With that she wept again ; till he "
## [2642] "again soliciting the conclusion of her story : \" Then you must,\" "
## [2643] "said she, \"know the story of Amphialus, for his will is my life, "
## [2644] "his life my history : and indeed in what can I better employ my "
## [2645] "lips than in speaking of Amphialus. "
## [2646] ""
## [2647] "\" This knight, then, whose figure you see, but whose mind can "
## [2648] "be painted by nothing but by their true shape of virtue, is brother's "
## [2649] "son to Basilius, King of Arcadia, and in his childhood esteemed "
## [2650] "his heir, till Basilius, in his old years, marrying a young and fair "
## [2651] "lady, had of her those two daughters, so famous for their perfection "
## [2652] "in beauty, which put by their young cousin from that expectation. "
## [2653] "Whereupon his mother (a woman of an haughty heart, being "
## [2654] "daughter to the King of Argos) either disdaining or fearing that "
## [2655] "her son should live under the power of Basilius, sent him to that "
## [2656] "lord Timotheus (between whom and her dead husband there had "
## [2657] "passed straight bands of mutual hospitality) to be brought up in "
## [2658] "company with his son Philoxenus. "
## [2659] ""
## [2660] "\" A happy resolution for Amphialus, whose excellent nature was "
## [2661] "by this means trained on with as good education as any prince's "
## [2662] "son in the world could have, which otherwise it is thought his "
## [2663] "mother, far unworthy of such a son, would not have given him : "
## [2664] "the good Timotheus no less loving him than his own son. Well, "
## [2665] "they grew in years, and shortly occasions fell aptly to try "
## [2666] "Amphialus, and all occasions were but steps for him to climb fame "
## [2667] "by. Nothing was so hard but his valour overcame ; which yet "
## [2668] "still he so guided with true virtue that although no man was in our "
## [2669] "parts spoken of but he for his manhood, yet, as though therein he "
## [2670] "excelled himself, he was commonly called the courteous Amphialus. "
## [2671] "An endless thing it were for me to tell how many adventures, "
## [2672] "terrible to be spoken of, he achieved, what monsters, what giants, "
## [2673] "what conquests of countries, sometimes using policy, sometimes "
## [2674] "force, but always virtue well followed, and but followed by "
## [2675] ""
## [2676] ""
## [2677] ""
## [2678] "52 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [2679] ""
## [2680] "Philoxenus, between whom and him so fast a friendship by educa- "
## [2681] "tion was knit that at last Philoxenus having no greater matter to "
## [2682] "employ his friendship in than to win me, therein desired, and had "
## [2683] "his uttermost furtherance : to that purpose brought he him to my "
## [2684] "court, where truly I may justly witness with him that what his wit "
## [2685] "could conceive (and his wit can conceive as far as the limits of "
## [2686] "reason stretch) was all directed to the setting forward the suit of "
## [2687] "his friend Philoxenus : mine ears could hear nothing from him but "
## [2688] "touching the worthiness of Philoxenus, and of the great happiness "
## [2689] "it would be unto me to have such a husband ; with many "
## [2690] "arguments, which God knows I cannot well remember, because I "
## [2691] "did not much believe. For why should I use many circumstances "
## [2692] "to come to that where already I am, and ever while I live must "
## [2693] "continue ? in few words, while he pleaded for another, he won me "
## [2694] "for himself : if at least,\" with that she sighed, \" he would account "
## [2695] "it a winning, for his fame had so framed the way to my mind that "
## [2696] "his presence, so full of beauty, sweetness and noble conversation, "
## [2697] "had entered there before he vouchsafed to call for the keys. O "
## [2698] "lord, how did my soul hang at his lips while he spake ! O when "
## [2699] "he in feeling manner would describe the love of his friend, how "
## [2700] "well, thought I, doth love between those lips ! when he would with "
## [2701] "daintiest eloquence stir pity in me toward Philoxenus, 'Why "
## [2702] "sure,' said I to myself, ' Helen, be not afraid, this heart cannot "
## [2703] "want pity : ' and when he would extol the deeds of Philoxenus, "
## [2704] "who indeed had but waited of him therein, alas, thought I, good "
## [2705] "Philoxenus, how evil doth it become thy name to be subscribed to "
## [2706] "his letter ? what should I say ? nay, what should I not say (noble "
## [2707] "knight ! who am not ashamed, nay am delighted, thus to express "
## [2708] "my own passions ? "
## [2709] ""
## [2710] "\"Days past, his eagerness for his friend never decreased, my "
## [2711] "affection to him ever increased. At length, in way of ordinary "
## [2712] "courtesy, I obtained of him, who suspected no such matter, this "
## [2713] "his picture, the only Amphialus, I fear, that I shall ever enjoy ; and "
## [2714] "grown bolder, or madder, or bold with madness, I discovered my "
## [2715] "affection unto him. But lord, I shall never forget how anger and "
## [2716] "courtesy at one instant appeared in his eyes when he heard that "
## [2717] "motion ; how with his blush he taught me shame. In sum, he left "
## [2718] "nothing unassayed which might disgrace himself to grace his "
## [2719] "friend, in sweet terms making me receive a most resolute refiisal of "
## [2720] "himself. But when he found that his presence did far more "
## [2721] "persuade for himself than his speech could do for his friend, he left "
## [2722] "my court, hoping that forgetfulness, which commonly waits upon "
## [2723] "absence, would make room for his friend, to whom he would not "
## [2724] "utter thus much, I think, for a kind fear not to grieve him, or "
## [2725] "perchance, though he c^res little for me, of a certain hopourabje "
## [2726] ""
## [2727] ""
## [2728] ""
## [2729] "»ooK I.] ARCAbiA 5^ "
## [2730] ""
## [2731] "gratefulness, not yet to discover so much of my secrets : but, as it "
## [2732] "should seem, meant to travel into far countries, until his friend's "
## [2733] "affection either ceased or prevailed. But within a while, Philoxenus "
## [2734] "came to see how onward the fruits were of his friend's labour, when "
## [2735] "(as in truth I cared not much how he took it) he found me sitting, "
## [2736] "beholding this picture, I know not with how affectionate counten- "
## [2737] "ance, but I am sure with a most affectionate mind. I straight "
## [2738] "found jealousy and disdain took hold of him, and yet the froward "
## [2739] "pain of mine own heart made me so delight to punish him whom I "
## [2740] "esteemed to be the chiefest let in my way ; that when he with "
## [2741] "humble gesture, and vehement speeches sued for my favour, I told "
## [2742] "him that I would hear him more willingly if he would speak for "
## [2743] "Amphialus as well as Amphialus had done for him : he never "
## [2744] "answered me, but pale and quaking, went straight away ; and "
## [2745] "straight my heart misgave me some evil success : and yet, though "
## [2746] "I had authority enough to have stayed him (as in these fatal things "
## [2747] "it falls out that the high working powers make second causes "
## [2748] "unwittingly accessory to their determinations) I did no farther, but "
## [2749] "sent a footman of mine (whose faithfulness to me I well knew) "
## [2750] "from place to place to follow him and bring me word of his "
## [2751] "proceedings, which (alas !) have brought forth that which I fear I "
## [2752] "must ever rue. "
## [2753] ""
## [2754] "\" For he had travelled scarce a day's journey out of my country, "
## [2755] "but that, not far from this place, he overtook Amphialus, who, by "
## [2756] "succouring a distressed lady, had been here stayed, and by and by "
## [2757] "called him to fight with him, protesting that one of them two should "
## [2758] "die. You may easily judge how strange it was to Amphialus, "
## [2759] "whose heart could accuse itself of no fault but too much affection "
## [2760] "toward him, which he, refusing to fight with him, would fain have "
## [2761] "made Philoxenus understand, but, as my servant since told me, the "
## [2762] "more Amphialus went back, the more he followed, calling him "
## [2763] "traitor and coward, yet never telling the cause of this strange "
## [2764] "alteration. 'Ah Philoxenus,' said Amphialus, 'I know I am no "
## [2765] "traitor, and thou well knowest I am no coward : but I pi'ay thee "
## [2766] "content thyself with this much, and let this satisfy thee that I love "
## [2767] "thee, since I bear thus much of thee.' But he, leaving words, "
## [2768] "drew his sword and gave Amphialus a great blow or two, which, "
## [2769] "but for the goodness of his armour, would have slain him : and yet "
## [2770] "so far did Amphialus contain himself, stepping aside, and saying "
## [2771] "to him, ' Well, Philoxenus, and thus much villiany am I content "
## [2772] "to put up, not any longer for thy sake (whom I have no cause to "
## [2773] "love since thou dost injure me, and wilt not tell me the cause) but "
## [2774] "for thy virtuous father's sake to whom I am so much bound, I pray "
## [2775] "thee go away, and conquer thy own passions and thou shalt make "
## [2776] "me soon yield to be thy servant.' But he would not attend to his "
## [2777] ""
## [2778] ""
## [2779] ""
## [2780] "^,, AkCAt)IA tBooK i. "
## [2781] ""
## [2782] "words, but still struck so fiercely at Amphialus that in the end "
## [2783] "(nature prevailing above determination) he was fain to defend "
## [2784] "himself, and withal so to offend him that by an unlucky blow the "
## [2785] "poor Philoxenus fell dead at his feet, having had time only to "
## [2786] "speak some few words, whereby Amphialus knew it was for my "
## [2787] "sake : which when Amphialus saw, he forthwith gave such tokens "
## [2788] "of tme-felt sorrow that, as my servant said, no imagination could "
## [2789] "conceive greater woe. But that by and by an unhappy occasion "
## [2790] "made Amphialus pass himself in sorrow : for Philoxenus was but "
## [2791] "newly dead, when there comes to the same place the aged and "
## [2792] "virtuous Timotheus ; who (having heard of his son's sudden and "
## [2793] "passionate manner of parting from my court) had followed him as "
## [2794] "speedily as he could, but alas not so speedily but that he found "
## [2795] "him dead before he could overtake him. Though my heart be "
## [2796] "nothing but a stage of tragedies, yet, I must confess, it is even "
## [2797] "unable to bear the miserable representation thereof, knowing "
## [2798] "Amphialus and Timotheus as I have done. Alas, what sorrow, "
## [2799] "what amazement, what shame was in Amphialus when he saw his "
## [2800] "dear foster-father find him the killer of his only son ? In my heart, "
## [2801] "I know he wished mountains had lain upon him to keep him from "
## [2802] "that meeting. As for Timotheus, sorrow for his son, and, I think "
## [2803] "principally, unkindness of Amphialus so devoured his vital spirits "
## [2804] "that, able to say no more, but ' Amphialus, Amphialus, have I ? ' "
## [2805] "he sank to the earth, and presently died. "
## [2806] ""
## [2807] "\" But not my tongue, though daily used to complaints, no, nor if "
## [2808] "my heart, which is nothing but sorrow, were turned to tongues, "
## [2809] "durst it undertake to show the unspeakableness of his grief But, "
## [2810] "because this serves to make you know my fortune, he threw away "
## [2811] "his armour, even this which you have now upon you, which at the "
## [2812] "first sight I vainly hoped he had put on again ; and then, as "
## [2813] "ashamed of the light, he ran into the thickest of the woods, lament- "
## [2814] "ing, and even crying out so pitifully that my servant, though of a "
## [2815] "fortune not used to much tenderness, could not refrain weeping "
## [2816] "when he told it me. He once overtook him ; but Amphialus "
## [2817] "drawing his sword, which was the only part of his arms, God "
## [2818] "knows to what purpose, he carried about him, threatened to kill "
## [2819] "him if he followed him, and withal bade him deliver this bitter "
## [2820] "message, that he well enough found I was the cause of all this "
## [2821] "mischief, and that if I were a man, he would go over the world to "
## [2822] "kill me, but bade me assure myself that of all creatures in the "
## [2823] "world he most hated me. Ah, Sir knight, whose ears I think by "
## [2824] "this time are tired with the rugged ways of these misfortunes, now "
## [2825] "weigh my case, if at least you know what love is. For this cause "
## [2826] "have I left my country, putting in hazard how my people will in "
## [2827] "time deal by me, adventuring what perils or dishonours might "
## [2828] ""
## [2829] ""
## [2830] ""
## [2831] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 55 "
## [2832] ""
## [2833] "ensue, only to follow him who proclaimeth hate against me, and to "
## [2834] "bring my neck unto him, if that may redeem my trespass, and "
## [2835] "assuage his fury. And now, Sir,\" said she, \"you have your "
## [2836] "request, I pray you take pains to guide me to the next town, that "
## [2837] "there I may gather such of my company again as your valour hath "
## [2838] "left me.\" "
## [2839] ""
## [2840] "Paladius willingly condescended, but e'er they began to "
## [2841] "go, there came Clitophon who, having been something hurt by one "
## [2842] "of them, had pursued him a good way : at length overtaking him, "
## [2843] "and ready to kill him, understood they were servants to the fair "
## [2844] "queen Helen, and that the cause of this enterprise was for nothing "
## [2845] "but to make Amphialus prisoner, whom they knew their mistress "
## [2846] "sought ; for she concealed her sorrow, nor cause of her sorrow "
## [2847] "from nobody. But Clitophon, very sorry for this accident, came back "
## [2848] "to comfort the queen, helping such as were hurt in the best sort that "
## [2849] "he could, and framing friendly constructions of this rashly under- "
## [2850] "taken enmity, when in comes another, till that time unseen, all "
## [2851] "armed, with his beaver down, who first looking round about upon "
## [2852] "the company, as soon as he espied Palladius, he drew his sword, "
## [2853] "and making no other prologue, let fly at him. But Palladius, sorry "
## [2854] "for so much harm as had already happened, fought rather to retire "
## [2855] "and ward, thinking he might be someone that belonged to the fair "
## [2856] "queen, whose case in his heart he pitied. Which Clitophon seeing, "
## [2857] "stepped between them, asking the new come knight the cause "
## [2858] "of this quarrel, who answered him, that he would kill that thief "
## [2859] "who had stolen away his master's armour, if he did not restore it. "
## [2860] "With that Palladius looked upon him and saw that he of the other "
## [2861] "side had Palladius's own armour upon him. \"Truly,\" said "
## [2862] "Palladius \" if I have stolen this armour, you did not buy that ; but "
## [2863] "you shall not fight with me upon such a quan-el ; you shall have "
## [2864] "this armour willingly, which I did only put on to do honour to the "
## [2865] "owner.\" But CHtophon straight knew by his words and voice that "
## [2866] "it was Ismenus, the faithful and diligent page of Amphialus ; and, "
## [2867] "therefore, telling him that he was Clitophon, and willing him to "
## [2868] "acknowledge his error to the other, who deserved all honour, the "
## [2869] "young gentleman pulled off his head-piece, and, lighting, went to "
## [2870] "kiss Palladius's hands, desiring him to pardon his folly, caused "
## [2871] "by extreme grief, which easily might bring forth anger. \" Sweet "
## [2872] "gentleman,\" said Palladius, \" you shall only make me this amends, "
## [2873] "that you shall carry this your lord's armour from me to him, and "
## [2874] "tell him from an unknown knight, who admires his worthiness, "
## [2875] "that he cannot cast a greater mist over his glory than by being "
## [2876] "so Unkind to so excellent a princess as this queen is.\" Ismenus "
## [2877] "promised he would as soon as he durst find his master : and with "
## [2878] "that went to do his duty to the queen, whom in all these encounters "
## [2879] ""
## [2880] ""
## [2881] ""
## [2882] "56 ARCADIA t^ooit t. "
## [2883] ""
## [2884] "astonishment made hardy: but as soon as she saw Ismenus, "
## [2885] "looking to her picture, \"Ismenus,\" said she, \"here is my lord, "
## [2886] "where is yours ? or come you to bring me some sentence of death "
## [2887] "from him ? if it be so, welcome be it. I pray you speak, and speak "
## [2888] "quickly.\" \" Alas ! Madam,\" said Ismenus, \" I have lost my lord ; \" "
## [2889] "with that tears came into his eyes, \" for as soon as the unhappy "
## [2890] "combat was concluded, with the death both of father and son, my "
## [2891] "master, casting off his armour, went his way, forbidding me upon "
## [2892] "pain of death to follow him. Yet divers days I followed his steps, "
## [2893] "till lastly I found him, having newly met with an excellent spaniel "
## [2894] "belonging to his dead companion Philoxenus. The dog straight "
## [2895] "fawned on my master, for old knowledge, but never was there "
## [2896] "thing more pitiful than to hear my master blame the dog for "
## [2897] "loving his master's murderer, renewing afresh his complaints with "
## [2898] "the dumb counsellor, as if they might comfort one another in their "
## [2899] "miseries. But my lord having espied me, rose up in such rage "
## [2900] "that in truth I feared he would kill me : yet as then he said only, "
## [2901] "if I would not displease him, I should not come near him till he "
## [2902] "sent for me : too hard a commandment for me to disobey : I "
## [2903] "yielded, leaving him only waited on by his dog, and as I think "
## [2904] "seeking out the most solitary places that this or any other country "
## [2905] "can grant him : and I, returning where I had left his armour, "
## [2906] "found another instead thereof, and (disdaining I must confess that "
## [2907] "any should bear the armour of the best knight living) armed "
## [2908] "myself therein to play the fool, as even now I did.\" \"Fair "
## [2909] "Ismenus,\" said the queen, \"a fitter messenger could hardly be "
## [2910] "to unfold my tragedy, I see the end, I see my end.\" "
## [2911] ""
## [2912] "With that, sobbing, she desired to be conducted to the next "
## [2913] "town, where Palladius left her to be waited on by Clitophon, at "
## [2914] "Palladius's earnest entreaty, who desired alone to take that melan- "
## [2915] "choly course of seeking his friend ; and therefore changing armour "
## [2916] "again with Ismenus, who went withal to a castle belonging to his "
## [2917] "master, he continued his quest for his friend Daiphantus. "
## [2918] ""
## [2919] "So directed he his course to Laconia, as well among the Helots, "
## [2920] "as Spartans : there indeed he found his fame flourishing, his "
## [2921] "monuments engraved in marble, and yet more durably in men's "
## [2922] "memories ; but the universal lamenting his absented presence, "
## [2923] "assured him of his present absence. Thence into the Elean "
## [2924] "province, to see whether at the olympian games there celebrated "
## [2925] "he might in such concourse bless his eyes with so desired an "
## [2926] "encounter : but th3.t huge and sportful assembly grew to him "
## [2927] "a tedious loneliness, esteeming nobody found, since Diaphantus "
## [2928] "■was lost. Afterwards he passeth through Achaia and Sicyonia, "
## [2929] "to the Corinthians, proud of their two seas, to learn whether by "
## [2930] "the straight of that Isthmus it were possible to know of his passage. "
## [2931] ""
## [2932] ""
## [2933] ""
## [2934] "ftooK I.] ARCAbtA 5? "
## [2935] ""
## [2936] "But finding every place more dumb than other to his demands, "
## [2937] "and remembering that it was late-taken love which had wrought "
## [2938] "this new course, he returned again, after two months travel in vain, "
## [2939] "to make a fresh search in Arcadia ; so much the more as then "
## [2940] "first he bethought himself of the picture of Philoclea, which re- "
## [2941] "sembling her he had once loved, might perhaps awake again that "
## [2942] "sleeping passion. And having already passed over the greatest "
## [2943] "part of Arcadia, one day coming under the side of the pleasant "
## [2944] "mountain Msenalus, his horse, nothing guilty of his inquisitiveness, "
## [2945] "with flat tiring taught him, that discreet stays make speedy "
## [2946] "journeys : and therefore lighting down, and unbridling his horse, "
## [2947] "he himself went to repose himself in a little wood he saw thereby. "
## [2948] "Where lying under the protection of a shady tree, with intention "
## [2949] "to make forgetting sleep comfort a sorrowful memory, he saw "
## [2950] "a sight which persuaded and obtained of his eyes that they would "
## [2951] "abide yet a while open. It was the appearing of a lady, who "
## [2952] "because she walked with her side toward him, he could not "
## [2953] "perfectly see her face, but so much he might see of her, that was "
## [2954] "a surety for the rest, that all was excellent. "
## [2955] ""
## [2956] "Well might he perceive the hanging of her hair in fairest "
## [2957] "quantity, in locks some curled, and some as it were forgotten, with "
## [2958] "such a careless care, and an art so hiding art, that she seemed she "
## [2959] "would lay them for a pattern, whether nature simply, or nature "
## [2960] "helped by cunning, be the more excellent : the rest whereof was "
## [2961] "drawn into a coronet of gold richly set with pearl, and so joined "
## [2962] "all over with gold wires and covered with feathers of divers colours "
## [2963] "that it was not unlike to an helmet, such a glittering show it bare, "
## [2964] "and so bravely it was held up from the head. Upon her body she "
## [2965] "wore a doublet of sky-coloured satin, covered with plates of gold, "
## [2966] "and, as it were, nailed with precious stones, that in it she might "
## [2967] "seem armed ; the nether part of her garment was full of stuff, "
## [2968] "and cut after such a fashion that though the length of it reached "
## [2969] "to the ankles, yet in her going one might sometimes discern the "
## [2970] "small of her leg, which with the foot was dressed in a short pair "
## [2971] "of crimson velvet buskins, in some places open, as the ancient "
## [2972] "manner was, to show the fairness of the skin. Over all this she "
## [2973] "wore a certain mantle, made in such manner, that coming under "
## [2974] "her right arm and covering most of that side, it had no fastening "
## [2975] "on the left side, but only upon the top of her shoulder, where the "
## [2976] "two ends met, and were closed together with a very rich jewel : "
## [2977] "the device whereof, as he after saw, was this : a Hercules made in "
## [2978] "little form, but set with a distaff in his hand, as he once was by "
## [2979] "Omphale's commandment, with a word in Greek, but thus to be "
## [2980] "interpreted, \"Never more valiant.\" On the same side on her "
## [2981] "thigh she wore a sword, which as it witnessed her to be an Amazon^ "
## [2982] ""
## [2983] ""
## [2984] ""
## [2985] "58 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [2986] ""
## [2987] "or one following that profession, so it seemed but a needless "
## [2988] "weapon, since her other forces were without withstanding. But "
## [2989] "this lady walked out-right till he might see her enter into a fine "
## [2990] "close arbour : it was of trees, whose branches so lovingly interlaced "
## [2991] "one the other that it could resist the' strongest violence of eye- "
## [2992] "sight, but she went into it by a door she opened, which moved "
## [2993] "him, as warily as he could, to follow her ; and by and by he might "
## [2994] "hear her sing this song, with a voice no less beautiful to his ears "
## [2995] "than her goodliness was full of harmony to his eyes : "
## [2996] ""
## [2997] "Transform'd in shew, but more transform'd in mind, "
## [2998] ""
## [2999] "I cease to strive with double conquest foil'd : "
## [3000] "For, woe is me, my powers all I find "
## [3001] ""
## [3002] "With outward force, and inward treason^ spoil'd. "
## [3003] "For from without came to mine eyes the blow, "
## [3004] ""
## [3005] "Whereto my inward thoughts did faintly yield ; "
## [3006] "Both these conspir'd poor reason's overthrow j "
## [3007] ""
## [3008] "False in myself, thus have I lost the field. "
## [3009] "Thus are my eyes still captive to one sight. "
## [3010] ""
## [3011] "Thus all my thoughts are slaves to one thought still : "
## [3012] "Thus reason to his servants yields his right, "
## [3013] ""
## [3014] "Thus is my power transformed to your will : "
## [3015] "What marvel then, I take a woman's hue, "
## [3016] "Since what I see, think, know, is all but you ? "
## [3017] ""
## [3018] "This ditty gave him some suspicion, but the voice gave him "
## [3019] "almost assurance who the singer was. And therefore boldly "
## [3020] "thrusting open the door and entering into the arbour, he perceived "
## [3021] "indeed that it was Pyrocles thus disguised ; wherewith not receiving "
## [3022] "so much joy to have found him as grief so to have found him, "
## [3023] "amazedly looking upon him (as Apollo is painted when he saw "
## [3024] "Daphne suddenly turned into a laurel) he was not able to bring "
## [3025] "forth a word. So that Pyrocles, (who had as much shame as "
## [3026] "Miisidorus had sorrow) rising to him, would have formed a "
## [3027] "substantial excuse, but his insinuation being of blushing, and his "
## [3028] "division of sighs, his whole oration stood upon a short narration "
## [3029] "what was the cause of this metamorphosis. But by that time "
## [3030] "Musidorus had gathered his spirits together, and yet casting a "
## [3031] "ghastful countenance upon him, as if he would conjure some "
## [3032] "strange spirit, he thus spake unto him : "
## [3033] ""
## [3034] "\"And is it possible that this is Pyrocles, the only young prince "
## [3035] "in the world formed by nature, and framed by education to the true "
## [3036] "exercise of virtue ? or is it indeed some Amazon that hath counter- "
## [3037] "feited the face of my friend in this sort to vex me ? for likelier sure "
## [3038] "I would have thought it that any outward face might have been "
## [3039] "disguised than that the face of so excellent a mind could have been "
## [3040] "thus blemished. O sweet Pyrocles, separate yourself a little, if it "
## [3041] ""
## [3042] ""
## [3043] ""
## [3044] "fiooK 1.1 AfeCAt)lA ^9 "
## [3045] ""
## [3046] "be possible, from yourself, and let your own mind look upon your "
## [3047] "own proceedings ; so shall my words be needless, and you best "
## [3048] "instructed. See with yourself how fit it will be for you in this your "
## [3049] "tender youth, born so great a prince, and of so rare not only "
## [3050] "expectation, but proof, desired of your old father, and wanted of "
## [3051] "your native country, now so near your home, to divert your "
## [3052] "thoughts from the way of goodness, to lose, nay, to abuse your time. "
## [3053] "Lastly, to overthrow all the excellent things you have done, which "
## [3054] "have filled the world with your fame ; as if you should drown your "
## [3055] "ship in the long desired haven ; or, like an ill player, should mar "
## [3056] "the last act of his tragedy. Remember, for I know you know it, "
## [3057] "that if we will be men the reasonable part of our soul is to have "
## [3058] "absolute commandment, against which, if any sensual weakness "
## [3059] "arise, we are to yield all our sound forces to the overthrowing of so "
## [3060] "unnatural a rebellion, wherein how can we want courage, since we "
## [3061] "are to deal against so weak an adversary that in itself is nothing "
## [3062] "but weakness ? nay, we are to resolve that if reason direct it we "
## [3063] "must do it ; and if we must do it, we will do it : for, to say ' I can- "
## [3064] "not,' is childish ; and ' I will not,' womanish. And see how "
## [3065] "extremely every way you can endanger your mind ; for, to take "
## [3066] "this womanish habit, without you frame your behavior accordingly, "
## [3067] "is wholly vain : your behaviour can never come kindly from you, "
## [3068] "but as the mind is proportioned unto it. So that you must resolve "
## [3069] "if you will play your part to any purpose, whatsoever peevish "
## [3070] "imperfections are in that sex to soften your heart to receive them, "
## [3071] "the very first down-step to all wickedness : for do not deceive "
## [3072] "yourself, my dear cousin, there is no man suddenly either ex- "
## [3073] "cellently good or extremely evil, but grows either as he holds "
## [3074] "himself up in virtue, or lets himself slide to viciousness. And let "
## [3075] "us see what power is the author of all these troubles ; forsooth love, "
## [3076] "love, a passion, and the basest and fruitlessest of all passions : fear "
## [3077] "breedeth wit ; anger is the cradle of courage ; joy openeth and "
## [3078] "enableth the heart ; sorrow, as it closeth, so it draweth it inward "
## [3079] "to look to the correcting of itself ; and so all of them generally have "
## [3080] "power towards some good by the direction of reason. But this "
## [3081] "bastard Love (for indeed the name of love is most unworthily "
## [3082] "applied to so hateful a humour) as it is engendered betwixt lust and "
## [3083] "idleness, as the matter it works upon is nothing but a certain base "
## [3084] "weakness which some gentle fools call a gentle heart ; as his ad- "
## [3085] "joined companions be unquietness, longings, fond comforts, faint "
## [3086] "discomforts, hopes, jealousies, ungrounded rages, causeless yielding, "
## [3087] "so is the highest end it aspires unto, a little pleasure with much "
## [3088] "pain before and great repentance after. But that end, how endless "
## [3089] "it runs into infinite evils, were fit enough for the matter we speak "
## [3090] "of, but not for your ears, in whom, indeed, there is so much true "
## [3091] ""
## [3092] ""
## [3093] ""
## [3094] "6o ARCADIA tsooK i. "
## [3095] ""
## [3096] "disposition to virtue ; yet this much of his worthy effects in your- "
## [3097] "self is to be seen, that ('besides your breaking laws of hospitality "
## [3098] "with Kalander, and of friendship with me) it utterly subverts the "
## [3099] "course of nature in making reason give place to sense, and man to "
## [3100] "woman. And truly I think hereupon it first got the name of love : "
## [3101] "for indeed the true love hath that excellent nature in it, that it doth "
## [3102] "transform the very essence of the lover into the thing loved, "
## [3103] "uniting, and as it were, incorporating it with a secret and inward "
## [3104] "working. And herein do these kinds of loves imitate the excellent : "
## [3105] "for, as the love of heaven makes one heavenly, the love of virtue, "
## [3106] "virtuous, so doth the love of the world make one become worldly : "
## [3107] "and this effeminate love of a woman doth so womanize a man, "
## [3108] "that, if he yield to it, it will not only make him an Amazon, but a "
## [3109] "launder, a distaff, a spinner, or whatsoever other vile occupation "
## [3110] "their idle heads can imagine and their weak hands perform. There- "
## [3111] "fore to trouble you no longer with my tedious, but loving words, if "
## [3112] "either you remember what you are, what you have been, or what "
## [3113] "you must be, if you consider what it is that moved you, or by "
## [3114] "what kind of creature you are moved, you shall find the cause so "
## [3115] "small, the effect so dangerous, yourself so unworthy to run into "
## [3116] "the one, or to be driven by the other, that I doubt not I shall "
## [3117] "quickly have occasion rather to praise you for having conquered "
## [3118] "it, than to give you further counsel how to do it.\" "
## [3119] ""
## [3120] "But in Pyrocles this speech wrought no more but that he, who "
## [3121] "before he was espied was afraid, after being perceived, was "
## [3122] "ashamed, now being hardly rubbed upon, left both fear and shame, "
## [3123] "and was moved to anger. But the exceeding goodwill he bore to "
## [3124] "Musidorus striving with it, he thus partly to satisfy him, but prin- "
## [3125] "cipally to loose the reins to his own motions, made him answer ; "
## [3126] "\" Cousin ! whatsoever good disposition nature hath bestowed upon "
## [3127] "me, or however that disposition hath been by bringing up con- "
## [3128] "firmed, this I must confess, that I am not yet come to that degree "
## [3129] "of wisdom to think light of the sex of whom I have my life, since if "
## [3130] "I be anything, which your friendship rather finds than I acknow- "
## [3131] "ledge, I was, to come to it, born of a woman, and nursed of a "
## [3132] "woman. And certainly, for this point of your speech doth nearest "
## [3133] "touch me, it is strange to see the unmanlike cruelty of mankind, "
## [3134] "who, not content with their tyrannous ambition to have brought the "
## [3135] "others virtuous patience under them, like childish masters, think "
## [3136] "thfeir masterhood nothing without doing injury to them, who, if we "
## [3137] "will argue by reason, are framed of nature with the same parts of "
## [3138] "the mind for the exercise of virtue as we are. And for example, "
## [3139] "even this estate of Amazons, which I now for my greatest honour "
## [3140] "do seek to counterfeit, doth well witness that if generally the "
## [3141] "sweetness of their disposition did not make them see the vainness "
## [3142] ""
## [3143] ""
## [3144] ""
## [3145] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 6i "
## [3146] ""
## [3147] "of these things which we account glorious, they neither want "
## [3148] "valour of mind, nor yet doth their fairness take away their force. "
## [3149] "And truly we men, and praisers of men, should remember that if "
## [3150] "we have such excellencies, it is reason to think them excellent "
## [3151] "creatures, of whom we are : since a kite never brought forth a good "
## [3152] "flying hawk. But to tell you true, as I think it superfluous to use "
## [3153] "any words of such a subject which is so praised in itself as it needs "
## [3154] "no praises ; so withal, I fear, lest my conceit, not able to reach unto "
## [3155] "them, bring forth words which for their unworthiness may be a "
## [3156] "disgrace to them I so inwardly honour. Let this suffice that they "
## [3157] "are capable of virtue, and virtue, you yourselves say, is to be loved, "
## [3158] "and I too, truly ; but this I willingly confess, that it likes me "
## [3159] "much better when I find virtue in a fair lodging than when I am "
## [3160] "bound to seek it in an ill-favoured creature, like a pearl in a dung- "
## [3161] "hill. As for my fault of being an uncivil guest to Kalander, if you "
## [3162] "could feel what an inward guest myself am host unto, ye would "
## [3163] "think it were excusable, in that I rather perform the duties of an "
## [3164] "host than the ceremonies of a guest. And for my breaking the "
## [3165] "laws of friendship with you, which I would rather die than effect- "
## [3166] "ually do, truly I could find it in my heart to ask you pardon for "
## [3167] "it, but that your now handling of me gives me reason to con- "
## [3168] "firm my former dealing.\" "
## [3169] ""
## [3170] "And here Pyrocles stayed, as to breathe himself, having been "
## [3171] "transported with a little vehemency, because it seemed him "
## [3172] "Mufidorus had over-bitterly glanced against the reputation of "
## [3173] "woman-kind : but then quieting his countenance, as well as out "
## [3174] "of an unquiet mind it might be, he thus proceeded on ; \" And poor "
## [3175] "love,\" said he, \"dear cousin, is little beholding unto you, since "
## [3176] "you are not content to spoil it of the honour of the highest power "
## [3177] "of the mind which notable men have attributed unto it ; but you "
## [3178] "deject it below all other passions, in truth somewhat strangely, "
## [3179] "since, if love receive any disgrace, it is by the company of these "
## [3180] "passions you prefer before it. For those kinds of bitter objections "
## [3181] "as that lust, idleness, and a weak heart should be, as it were, the "
## [3182] "matter and form of love, rather touch me, dear Mufidorus, than "
## [3183] "love ; but I am good witness of my own imperfections, and there- "
## [3184] "fore will not defend myself: but herein I must say you deal "
## [3185] "contrary to yourself : for if I be so weak, then can you not with "
## [3186] "reason stir me up as you did by remembrance of my own virtue ; "
## [3187] "or if indeed I be virtuous, then must ye confess that love hath his "
## [3188] "working in a virtuous heart ; and so no doubt hath it, whatsoever "
## [3189] "I be : for, if we love virtue, in whom shall we love it but in a "
## [3190] "virtuous creature? without your meaning be, I should love this "
## [3191] "word Virtue, where I see it written in a book. Those troublesome "
## [3192] "effects you say it breeds be npt the faults of love, but of him th^t "
## [3193] ""
## [3194] ""
## [3195] ""
## [3196] "62 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [3197] ""
## [3198] "loves, as an unable vessel to bear such a liquor, like evil eyes not "
## [3199] "able to look on the sun ; or like a weak brain, soonest overthrown "
## [3200] "with the best wine. Even that heavenly love you speak of is "
## [3201] "accompanied in some hearts with hopes, griefs, longings, and "
## [3202] "despairs. And in that heavenly love, since there are two parts, "
## [3203] "the one the love itself, the other the excellency of the thing loved : "
## [3204] "I, not able at the first leap to frame both in me, do now, like a "
## [3205] "diligent workman, make ready the chief instrument and first part "
## [3206] "of that great work, which is love itself; which when I have a while "
## [3207] "practised in this sort, then you shall see me turn it to greater "
## [3208] "matters. And thus gently you may, if it please you, think of me. "
## [3209] "Neither doubt ye, because I wear a woman's apparal, I will be the "
## [3210] "more womanish, since I assure you, for all my apparel, there is "
## [3211] "nothing I desire more than fully to prove myself a man in this "
## [3212] "enterprise. Much might be said in my defence, much more for "
## [3213] "love, and most of all for that divine creature which hath joined "
## [3214] "me and love together. But these disputations are fitter for quiet "
## [3215] "schools than my troubled brains, which are bent rather in deeds "
## [3216] "to perform than in words to defend the noble desire that possesseth ■ "
## [3217] "me.\" \"O lord,\" said Musidorus, \"how sharp-witted you are to "
## [3218] "hurt yourself.\" \"No,\" answered he, \"but it is the hurt you speak "
## [3219] "of which makes me so sharp-witted.\" \" Even so,\" said Musidorus, "
## [3220] "\" as every base occupation makes one sharp in that practice and "
## [3221] "foolish in all the rest.\" \"Nay rather,\" answered Pyrocles, \"as "
## [3222] "each excellent thing once well-learned serves for a measure of all "
## [3223] "other knowledges.\" \"And is that become,\" said Musidorus, \"a "
## [3224] "measure for other things which never received measure in itself?\" "
## [3225] "\" It is counted without measure,\" answered Pjn-ocles, \" because the "
## [3226] "workings of it are without measure, but otherwise, in nature it hath "
## [3227] "measure, since it hath an end alloted unto it.\" The beginning, "
## [3228] "being so excellent, I would gladly know the end. \"Enjoying,\" "
## [3229] "answered Pyrocles, with a sigh, \" I speak of the end to which it "
## [3230] "is directed which end ends not, no sooner than the life.\" \" Alas ! "
## [3231] "let your own brain disenchant you,\" said Musidorus. \" My heart is "
## [3232] "too far possessed,\" said Pyrocles. \"But the head gives you "
## [3233] "direction, and the heart gives me life,\" answered Musidorus. "
## [3234] ""
## [3235] "But Musidorus was so grieved to see his well-beloved friend "
## [3236] "obstinate, as he thought, to his own destruction, that it forced him "
## [3237] "with more than accustomed vehemency to speak these words. "
## [3238] "\"Well, well,\" said he, \"you list to abuse yourself; it was a very "
## [3239] "white and red virtue, which you could pick out of a painterly "
## [3240] "glose of a visage. Confess the truth, and you shall find the "
## [3241] "utmost was but beauty, a thing, which though it be in as great "
## [3242] "exellency in yourself as may be in any, yet I am sure you make "
## [3243] "no further reckoning of it than of an outward fading benefit nature "
## [3244] ""
## [3245] ""
## [3246] ""
## [3247] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 63 "
## [3248] ""
## [3249] "bestowed upon you. And yet such is your want of a true grounded "
## [3250] "virtue, which must be like itself in all points, that what you wisely "
## [3251] "account a trifle in yourself, you fondly become a slave unto in "
## [3252] "another. For my part I now protest I have left nothing unsaid "
## [3253] "which my wit could make me know, or my most entire friendship "
## [3254] "to you requires of me. I do not beseech you, even for the love "
## [3255] "betwixt us, if this other love hath left any in you towards me, and "
## [3256] "for the remembrance of your old careful father (if you can "
## [3257] "remember him that forgot yourself) lastly, for Pyrocles' own sake, "
## [3258] "who is now upon the point of falling or rising, to purge yourself of "
## [3259] "this vile infection : otherwise give me leave to leave off this name "
## [3260] "of friendship as an idle title of a thing which cannot be where "
## [3261] "virtue is not established.\" "
## [3262] ""
## [3263] "The length of these speeches before had not so much cloyed "
## [3264] "Pyrocles, though he were very impatient of long deliberations, as "
## [3265] "this last farewell of him he loved as his own life did wound his "
## [3266] "soul. For thinking himself afiflicted, he was the apter to conceive "
## [3267] "unkindness deeply, insomuch that shaking his head, and delivering "
## [3268] "some show of tears, he thus uttered his grief : \" Alas ! \" said he, "
## [3269] "\" Prince Musidorus, how cruelly you deal with me ; if you seek the "
## [3270] "victory, take it ; and, if ye list, the triumph. Have you all the "
## [3271] "reason of the world, and with me remain all the imperfections ; "
## [3272] "yet such as I can no more lay from me, than the crow can be per- "
## [3273] "suaded by the swan to cast off all his black feathers. But truly "
## [3274] "you deal with me like a physician who, seeing his patient in a "
## [3275] "pestilent fever, should chide him instead of ministering help, and "
## [3276] "bid him be sick no more ; or rather like such a friend, that visiting "
## [3277] "his friend condemned to perpetual prison, and laden with grievous "
## [3278] "fetters, should will him to shake off his fetters, or he would leave "
## [3279] "him. I am sick, and sick to the death ; I am prisoner, neither is "
## [3280] "there any redress but by her to whom I am a slave. Now, if you "
## [3281] "list, leave him that loves you in the highest degree : but remember "
## [3282] "ever to carry this with you, that you abandon your friend in his "
## [3283] "greatest extremity.'' "
## [3284] ""
## [3285] "And herewith the deep wound of his love being rubbed afresh "
## [3286] "with this new unkindness, began, as it were, to bleed again in such "
## [3287] "sort that he was unable to bear it any longer, but gushing out "
## [3288] "abundance of tears, and crossing his arms over his woeful heart, "
## [3289] "he sunk down to the ground, which sudden trance went so to the "
## [3290] "heart of Musidorus, that falling down by him, and kissing the "
## [3291] "weeping eyes of his friend, he besought him not to make account "
## [3292] "of his speech, which if it had been over-vehement, yet was it to "
## [3293] "be borne withal, because it came out of a love much more "
## [3294] "vehement, that he had not thought fancy could have received "
## [3295] "so deep a wound ; but now finding in him the force of it, he would "
## [3296] ""
## [3297] ""
## [3298] ""
## [3299] "64 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [3300] ""
## [3301] "I "
## [3302] ""
## [3303] "no further contrary it but employ all his service to medicine it "
## [3304] "in such sort as the nature of it required. But even this kindness "
## [3305] "made Pyrocles the more to melt in the former unkindness, which "
## [3306] "his manlike tears well shewed, with a silent look upon Musidorus, "
## [3307] "as who should say : \" And is it possible that Musidorus should "
## [3308] "threaten to leave me ? \" and this struck Musidorus's mind and senses "
## [3309] "so dumb, too, that for grief being not able to say anything, they "
## [3310] "rested with their eyes placed one upon the other, in such sort as "
## [3311] "might well paint out the true passion of unkindness to be never "
## [3312] "aright, but betwixt them that most dearly love. "
## [3313] ""
## [3314] "And thus remained they a time, till at length Musidorus em- "
## [3315] "bracing him, said \" And will you thus shake off your friend ? \" \"It "
## [3316] "is you that shake me off,\" said Pyrocles, \" being for my unperfectness "
## [3317] "unworthy of your friendship.\" \" But this,\" said Musidorus, \" shows "
## [3318] "you more unperfect to be cruel to him that submits himself unto "
## [3319] "you. But since you are unperfect,\" said he, smiling, \"it is "
## [3320] "reason you be governed by us wise and perfect men. And that "
## [3321] "authority will I begin to take upon me, with three absolute com- "
## [3322] "mandments : the first, that you increase not your evil with fiirther "
## [3323] "griefs : the second, that you love her with all the powers of your "
## [3324] "mind : and the last commandment shall be, you command me to "
## [3325] "do what service I can towards the attaining of your desires.\" "
## [3326] "Pyrocles's heart was not so oppressed with the two mighty passions "
## [3327] "of love and unkindness but that it yielded to some mirth at this "
## [3328] "commandment of Musidorus that he should love, so that something "
## [3329] "clearing his face from his former shows of grief : \" Well,\" said he, "
## [3330] "\" dear cousin ! I see by the well choosing of your commandments "
## [3331] "that you are far fitter to be a prince than a counsellor, and therefore "
## [3332] "I am resolved to employ all my endeavour to obey you, with this "
## [3333] "condition, that the commandments ye command me to lay upon "
## [3334] "you shall only be, that you continue to love me, and look upon my "
## [3335] "imperfections with more affection than judgment.\" \"Love you,\" "
## [3336] "said he, \" alas ! how can my heart be separated from the true em- "
## [3337] "bracing of it without it burst by being too full of it ?\" \" But,\" said "
## [3338] "he, \" let us leave off these flowers of new begun friendship : and "
## [3339] "now I pray you again tell me, but tell it me fully, omitting no "
## [3340] "circumstance, the story of your affections, both beginning and "
## [3341] "proceeding, assuring yourself, that there is nothing so great which "
## [3342] "I will fear to do for you, nor nothing so small which I vdll disdain "
## [3343] "to do for you. Let me, therefore, receive a clear understanding, "
## [3344] "which many times we miss, while those things we account small, "
## [3345] "as a speech or a look, are omitted, like as a whole sentence may "
## [3346] "fail of his congruity by wanting one particle. Therefore between "
## [3347] "friends all must be laid open, nothing being superfluous nor "
## [3348] "tedious.\" \"You shall be obeyed,\" said Pyrocles, ' and here are "
## [3349] ""
## [3350] ""
## [3351] ""
## [3352] "BOOK T.] ARCADIA 6$ "
## [3353] ""
## [3354] "we in as fit a place for it as may be ; for this arbour nobody offers "
## [3355] "to come into but myself, I using it as my melancholy retiring place, "
## [3356] "and therefore that respect is borne unto it : yet if by chance any "
## [3357] "should come, say that you are a servant sent from the queen of "
## [3358] "the Amazons to seek me, and then let me alone for the rest.\" So "
## [3359] "sat they down, and Pyrocles thus said : "
## [3360] ""
## [3361] "\" Cousin ! \" said he, \" then began the fatal overthrow of all my "
## [3362] "liberty when, walking among the pictures in Kalander's house, "
## [3363] "you yourself delivered unto me what you had understood of "
## [3364] "Philoclea, who much resembling (though I must say much sur- "
## [3365] "passing) the lady Zelmane, whom so well I loved : there were "
## [3366] "mine eyes, infected, and at your mouth did I drink the poison. "
## [3367] "Yet alas ! so sweet was it unto me, that I could not be contented, "
## [3368] "till Kalander had made it more and more strong with his declaration. "
## [3369] "Which the more I questioned, the more pity I conceived of her "
## [3370] "unworthy fortune ; and when with pity once my heart was made "
## [3371] "tender, according to the aptness of the humour, it received quickly "
## [3372] "a cruel impression of that wonderful passion, which to be defined "
## [3373] "is impossible, because no words reach to the strange nature of it : "
## [3374] "they only know it, which inwardly feel it ; it is called love. Yet "
## [3375] "did I not (poor wretch !) at first know my disease, thinking it only "
## [3376] "such a wonted kind of desire to see rare fights, and my pity to be "
## [3377] "no other but the fruits of a gentle nature. But even this arguing "
## [3378] "with myself came of further thoughts, and the more I argued "
## [3379] "the more my thoughts increased. Desirous I was to see the place "
## [3380] "where she remained, as though the architecture of the lodges would "
## [3381] "have been much for my learning, but more desirous to see herself, "
## [3382] "to be judge, forsooth, of the painter's cunning. For thus at the "
## [3383] "first did I flatter myself, as though my wound had been no deeper : "
## [3384] "but when within short time I came to the degree of uncertain "
## [3385] "wishes, and that those wishes grew to unquiet longings, when "
## [3386] "I could fix my thoughts upon nothing but that within little varying "
## [3387] "they should end with Philoclea ; when each thing I saw seemed to "
## [3388] "figure out some part of my passions ; when even Parthenia's fair "
## [3389] "face became a lecture to me of Philoclea's imagined beauty ; when "
## [3390] "I heard no word spoken, but that methought it carried the sound "
## [3391] "of Philoclea's name ; then indeed, then I did yield to the burden, "
## [3392] "finding myself prisoner, before I had leisure to arm myself: and "
## [3393] "that I might well, like the spaniel, gnaw upon the chain that ties- "
## [3394] "him ; but I should sooner mar my teeth, than procure liberty : yet "
## [3395] "I take to witness the eternal spring of virtue, that I had never "
## [3396] "read, heard, nor seen anything : I had never any taste of philo- "
## [3397] "sophy, nor inward feeling in myself, which for a while I did not "
## [3398] "call to my succour. But, alas ! what resistance was there, when "
## [3399] "e'er long my very reason was, you will say, corrupted, I must "
## [3400] ""
## [3401] "E "
## [3402] ""
## [3403] ""
## [3404] ""
## [3405] "66 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [3406] ""
## [3407] "confess, conquered, and that methought even reason did assure me "
## [3408] "that all eyes did degenerate from thdr creation which did not "
## [3409] "honour such beauty? nothing in truth could hold any plea with "
## [3410] "it but the reverend friendship I bear unto you. For as it went "
## [3411] "against my heart to break anyway from you, so did I fear, more "
## [3412] "than any assault, to break it to you : finding, as it is indeed, that "
## [3413] "to a heart fully resolute, counsel is tedious, but reprehension is "
## [3414] "loathsome : and that there is nothing more terrible to a guilty "
## [3415] "heart, than the eye of a respected friend. This made me determine "
## [3416] "with myself, thinking it a less fault in friendship to do a thing "
## [3417] "without your knowledge, than against your will, to take this secret "
## [3418] "course, which conceit was most builded up in me the last day of "
## [3419] "my parting and speaking with you, when upon your speech with "
## [3420] "me, and my but naming love, when else perchance I would have "
## [3421] "gone further, I saw your voice and countenance so change, as it "
## [3422] "assured me my revealing it should but purchase your grief with "
## [3423] "my cumber, and therefore (dear Musidorus !) even ran away from "
## [3424] "my well-known chiding : for having written a letter, which I know "
## [3425] "not whether you found or no, and taking my chief jewels with me, "
## [3426] "while you were in the midst of your sport, I got a time, as I think, "
## [3427] "unmarked by any, to steal away I cared not whither, so I might "
## [3428] "escape you, and so came I to Ithonia, in the province of Messenia, "
## [3429] "where, lying secret, I put this in practice, which before I had "
## [3430] "devised. For remembering by Philanax's letter and Kalander's "
## [3431] "speech, how obstinately Basilius was determined not to marry his "
## [3432] "daughters, and therefore fearing lest any public deahng should "
## [3433] "rather increase her captivity than further my love ; love (the refiner "
## [3434] "of invention) had put in my head thus to disguise myself, that "
## [3435] "under that mask 1 might, if it were possible, get access, and what "
## [3436] "access could bring forth commit to fortune and industry, deter- "
## [3437] "mining to bear the countenance of an Amazon. Therefore in the "
## [3438] "closest manner I could, naming myself Zelmane, for that dear "
## [3439] "lady's sake, to whose memory I am so much bound, I caused this "
## [3440] "apparel to be made, and bringing it near the lodges, which are "
## [3441] "hard at hand, by night thus dressed myself, resting till occasion "
## [3442] "might make me to be found by them whom I sought ; which the "
## [3443] "next morning happened as well as mine own plot could have laid "
## [3444] "it. For after I had run over the whole pedigree of my thoughts, "
## [3445] "I gave myself to sing a little, which, as you know, I ever delighted "
## [3446] "in, so now especially, whether it be the nature of this clime to "
## [3447] "stir up poetical fancies, or rather as I think, of love, whose scope "
## [3448] "being pleasure, will not so much as utter his griefs, but in some "
## [3449] "form of pleasure. "
## [3450] ""
## [3451] "\" But I had sung very httle, when (as I think, displeased with "
## [3452] "my bad music) comes master Dametas with a hedging bill in his "
## [3453] ""
## [3454] ""
## [3455] ""
## [3456] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 67 "
## [3457] ""
## [3458] "hand, chafing and swearing by the pantoffle of Pallas, and such "
## [3459] "other oaths as his rustical bravery could imagine ; and when he "
## [3460] "saw me, I assure you, my beauty was no more beholding to him "
## [3461] "than my harmony ; for leaning his hands upon his bill, and his "
## [3462] "chin upon his hands, with the voice of one that playeth Hercules "
## [3463] "in a play, but never had his fancy in his head, the first word he "
## [3464] "spake unto me, was, \"Am not I Dametas? why am not I "
## [3465] "Dametas?\" He needed not to name himself, for Kalander's "
## [3466] "description had let such a note upon him as made him very notable "
## [3467] "unto me ; and therefore the height of my thoughts would not "
## [3468] "descend so much as to make him answer, but continued on my "
## [3469] "inward discourses ; which he (perchance witness of his own "
## [3470] "unworthiness, and therefore the apter to think himself contemned) "
## [3471] "took in so heinous a manner, that standing upon his tiptoes, and "
## [3472] "staring as if he would have had a mote pulled out of his eye. "
## [3473] "\" Why,\" said he, \" thou woman or boy, or both, whatsoever thou "
## [3474] "be, I tell thee here is no place for thee, here is no place for thee, "
## [3475] "get thee gone, I tell thee it is the prince's pleasure, it is Dametas's "
## [3476] "pleasure.\" I could not choose but smile at him, seeing him look so "
## [3477] "like an ape that had newly taken a purgation ; yet taking myself "
## [3478] "with the manner, spake these words to myself: \"O spirit,\" said I, "
## [3479] "\" of mine, how canst thou receive any mirth in the midst of thine "
## [3480] "agonies? and thou mirth, how darest thou enter into a mind so "
## [3481] "grown of late thy professed enemy?\" \"Thy spirit,\" said Dametas, "
## [3482] "\" dost thou think me a spirit ? I tell thee I am Basilius's officer, "
## [3483] "and have charge of him and his daughters.\" \" O only pearl,\" said "
## [3484] "I sobbing, \"that so vile an oyster should keep thee?\" \"By the "
## [3485] "comb case of Diana,\" sware Dametas, \" this woman is mad : oysters "
## [3486] "and pearls ? dost thou think I will buy oysters ? I tell thee once "
## [3487] "again, get thee packing,\" and with that lifted up his bill to hit me "
## [3488] "with the blunt end of it ; but indeed that put me quite out of my "
## [3489] "lesson ; so that I forgot all Zelmaneship, and drawing out my sword, "
## [3490] "the baseness of the villain yet made me stay my hand, and he (who "
## [3491] "as Kalander told me, from his childhood ever feared the blade of a "
## [3492] "sword) ran back, backward, with his hands above his head at least "
## [3493] "twenty paces, gaping and staring with the very grace, I think, of "
## [3494] "the clowns that by Latona's prayers were turned into frogs. "
## [3495] ""
## [3496] "At length staying, finding himself without the compass of blows, "
## [3497] "he fell to a fresh scolding, in such mannerly manner, as might "
## [3498] "well show he had passed thro' the discipline of a tavern ; but "
## [3499] "seeing me walk up and down without marking what he said, he "
## [3500] "went his way, as I perceived after, to Basilius : for within a while "
## [3501] "he came unto me, bearing indeed shows in his countenance of an "
## [3502] "honest and well-minded gentleman, and with as much courtesy as "
## [3503] "Dametas with rudeness saluting me ; \" Fair lady,\" said he, \" it is "
## [3504] ""
## [3505] ""
## [3506] ""
## [3507] "68 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [3508] ""
## [3509] "nothing strange that such a solitary place as this should receive "
## [3510] "solitary persons, but much do I marvel how such a beauty as yours "
## [3511] "is should be suffered to be thus alone.\" I, that now knew it was "
## [3512] "my part to play, looking with a grave majesty upon him, as if I "
## [3513] "found in myself cause to be reverenced. \" They are never alone,\" "
## [3514] "said I, \" that are accompanied with noble thoughts.\" \" But those "
## [3515] "thoughts,\" replied Basilius, \" cannot in this your loneliness neither "
## [3516] "warrant you from suspicion in others, nor defend you from "
## [3517] "melancholy in yourself : \" I then showing a mislike that he pressed "
## [3518] "me so far ; \" I seek no better warrant,\" said I, \" than my own "
## [3519] "conscience, nor no greater pleasure than my own contentation.\" "
## [3520] "\"Yet virtue seeks to satisfy others,\" said Basilius. \"Those that "
## [3521] "be good,\" said I, \" and they will be satisfied as long as they see no "
## [3522] "evil ; \" \" Yet will the best in this country,\" said Basilius, \" suspect "
## [3523] "so excellent beauty being so weakly guarded.\" \"Then are the "
## [3524] "best but stark naught,\" answered I, \"for open suspecting others, "
## [3525] "comes of secret condemning themselves : but in my country, whose "
## [3526] "manners I am in all places to maintain and reverence, the general "
## [3527] "goodness which is nourished in our hearts makes every one think "
## [3528] "the strength of virtue in another, whereof they find the assured "
## [3529] "foundation in themselves.\" \"Excellent lady,\" said he, \"you praise "
## [3530] "so greatly, and yet so wisely, your country that I must needs "
## [3531] "desire to know what the nest is out of which such birds do fly.\" "
## [3532] "\"You must first deserve it,\" said I, \"before you may obtain it.\" "
## [3533] "\"And by what means,\" said Basilius, \"shall I deserve to know "
## [3534] "your estate?\" \"By letting me first know yours,\" answered I. "
## [3535] "\"To obey you,\" said he, \"I will do it, although it were so much "
## [3536] "more reason yours should be known first, as you do deserve in all "
## [3537] "points to be preferred. Know you, fair lady, that my name is "
## [3538] "Basilius, unworthily lord of this country : the rest, either fame hath "
## [3539] "already brought to your ears, or (if it please you to make this place "
## [3540] "happy by your presence) at more leisure you shall understand of "
## [3541] "me : I that from the beginning assured myself it was he, but would "
## [3542] "not seem I did so, to keep my gravity the better, making a piece "
## [3543] "of reverence unto him ; \" Mighty prince,\" said I, \" let my not "
## [3544] "knowing you serve for the excuse of my boldness, and the little "
## [3545] "reverence I do you impute to the manner of my country, which is "
## [3546] "the invincible land of the Amazons : myself neice to Senicia, queen "
## [3547] "thereof, lineally descended of the famous Penthesilea, slain by the "
## [3548] "bloody hand of Pyrrhus : I having, in this my youth determined to "
## [3549] "make the world see the Amazons excellencies, as well in private as "
## [3550] "in public virtue, have passed some dangerous adventures in "
## [3551] "divers countries, till the unmerciful sea deprived me of my "
## [3552] "company ; so that shipwreck casting me not far hence, uncertain "
## [3553] "wandering brought me to this place.\" But Basilius (who now "
## [3554] ""
## [3555] ""
## [3556] ""
## [3557] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 69 "
## [3558] ""
## [3559] "began to taste of that, which since he had swallowed up, as I will "
## [3560] "tell you) fell to more cunning intreating my abode, than any "
## [3561] "greedy host should use to well-paying passengers. I thought "
## [3562] "nothing could shoot righter at the mark of my desires ; yet had I "
## [3563] "learned already so much, that it was against my womanhood to be "
## [3564] "forward in my own wishes. And therefore he (to prove whether "
## [3565] "intercessions in fitter mouths might better prevail) commanded "
## [3566] "Dametas to bring forthwith his wife and daughters thither ; three "
## [3567] "ladies, although of diverse, yet of excellent beauty. "
## [3568] ""
## [3569] "\"His wife in grave matron-like attire, with countenance and "
## [3570] "gesture suitable, and of such fairness, being in the strength of her "
## [3571] "age, as, if her daughters had not been by, might with just price "
## [3572] "have purchased admiration : but they being there, it was enough "
## [3573] "that the most dainty eye would think her a worthy mother of such "
## [3574] "children. The fair Pamela, whose noble heart I find doth greatly "
## [3575] "disdain that the trust of her virtue is reposed in such a lout's hands "
## [3576] "as Dametas, had yet, to show an obedience, taken on shepherdish "
## [3577] "apparel, which was but of russet-cloth cut after their fashion, with "
## [3578] "a straight body, open breasted, the nether part full of plaits, with "
## [3579] "long and wide sleeves : but believe me she did apparel her apparel, "
## [3580] "and with the preciousness of her body made it most sumptuous. "
## [3581] "Her hair at the full length, wound about with gold lace, only by "
## [3582] "the comparison to show how far her hair doth excel in colour : "
## [3583] "betwixt her breasts (which sweetly rose like two fair mountainets "
## [3584] "in the pleasant vale of Tempe) there hung a very rich diamond set "
## [3585] "but in a black horn ; the word I have since read is this, ' Yet still "
## [3586] "myself.' And thus particularly have I described them because "
## [3587] "you may know that mine eyes are not so partial but that I marked "
## [3588] "them too. But when the ornament of the earth, the model of "
## [3589] "heaven, the triumph of nature, the life of beauty, the queen of love, "
## [3590] "young Philoclea appeared in her nymph-like apparel, so near "
## [3591] "nakedness as one might well discern part of her perfections, and "
## [3592] "yet so apparelled as did show she kept best store of her beauty to "
## [3593] "herself : her hair (alas too poor a word, why should I not rather "
## [3594] "call them her beams) drawn up into a net, able to have caught "
## [3595] "Jupitor when he was in the form of an eagle ; her body (O sweet "
## [3596] "body !) covered with a light taifeta garment, so cut as the wrought "
## [3597] "smock came through it in many places, enough to have made "
## [3598] "your restrained imagination have thought what was under it : with "
## [3599] "the cast of her black eyes, black indeed, whether nature so made "
## [3600] "them, that we might be the more able to behold and bear their "
## [3601] "wonderful shining, or that she, goddess-like, would work this "
## [3602] "miracle with herself in giving blackness the price above all beauty. "
## [3603] "Then, I say, indeed methought the lilies grew pale for envy ; the "
## [3604] "roses methought blushed to see sweeter roses in her cheeks ; and "
## [3605] ""
## [3606] ""
## [3607] ""
## [3608] "76 ARCADIA tBoofc t. "
## [3609] ""
## [3610] "the apples methought fell down from the trees to do homage to "
## [3611] "the apples of her breast ; then the clouds gave place, that the "
## [3612] "heavens might more freely smile upon her, at the least the clouds "
## [3613] "of my thought quite vanished, and my sight, then more clear and "
## [3614] "forcible than ever, was so fixed there, that, I imagine, I stood like "
## [3615] "a well-wrought image with some life in show but none in practice. "
## [3616] "And so had I been like enough to have stayed long time but that "
## [3617] "Gynecia stepping between my sight and the only Philoclea, the "
## [3618] "change of object made me recover my senses, so that I could with "
## [3619] "reasonable good manner receive the salutation of her, and of the "
## [3620] "Princess Pamela, doing them yet no further reverence than one "
## [3621] "princess useth to another. But when I came to the never enough "
## [3622] "praised Philoclea, I could not but fall down on my knees, and "
## [3623] "taking by force her hand, and kissing it, I must confess with more "
## [3624] "than womanly ardency, ' Divine lady,' said I, ' let not the world, "
## [3625] "nor those great princesses, marvel to see me, contrary to my "
## [3626] "manner, do this special honour unto you, since all both men and "
## [3627] "women, do owe this to the perfection of your beauty.' But, she "
## [3628] "blushing like a fair morning in May at this my singularity, and "
## [3629] "causing me to rise, ' Noble lady,' said she, ' it is no marvel to see "
## [3630] "your judgment much mistaken in my beauty since you begin with "
## [3631] "so great an error as to do more honour unto me than to them, to "
## [3632] "whom I myself owe all service.' 'Rather,' answered I, with a "
## [3633] "bowed down countenance, ' that shows the power of your beauty "
## [3634] "which forced me to do such an error, if it were an error.' ' You "
## [3635] "are so well acquainted,' said she sweetly, most sweetly smiling, "
## [3636] "' with your own beauty, that it makes you easily fall into the dis- "
## [3637] "course of beauty.' 'Beauty in me?' (said I, truly sighing) ' alas ! "
## [3638] "if there be any it is in my eyes, which your blessed presence hath "
## [3639] "imparted unto them.' "
## [3640] ""
## [3641] "\" But then, as I think Basilius willing her so to do, ' Well,' said "
## [3642] "she, ' I must needs confess I have heard tbat it is a great happiness "
## [3643] "to be praised of them that are most praiseworthy : and well I find "
## [3644] "that you are an invincible Amazon since you will overcome, though "
## [3645] "in a wrong matter. But if my beauty be anything, then let it "
## [3646] "obtain thus much of you, that you will remain some while in this "
## [3647] "company to ease your own travel and our solitariness.' ' First let "
## [3648] "me die,' said I, ' before any word spoken by such a mouth should "
## [3649] "come in vain.' And thus with some other words of entertaining "
## [3650] "was my staying concluded, and I led among them to the lodge ; "
## [3651] "truly a place for pleasantness, not unfit to flatter solitariness, for, it "
## [3652] "being set upon such an unsensible rising of the ground as you are "
## [3653] "come to a pretty height before almost you perceive that you "
## [3654] "ascend, it gives the eye lordship over a good large circuit, which "
## [3655] "according to the nature of the country, being diversified between "
## [3656] ""
## [3657] ""
## [3658] ""
## [3659] "hooK 1.3 Arcadia ^t "
## [3660] ""
## [3661] "hills and dales, woods and plains, one place more clear, another "
## [3662] "more darksome, it seems a pleasant picture of nature, with lovely "
## [3663] "lightsomeness and artificial shadows. The lodge is of a yellow "
## [3664] "stone, built in tbe form of a star, having round about a garden "
## [3665] "framed into like points ; and beyond the garden ridings cut out, "
## [3666] "each answering the angles of the lodge : at the end of one of them "
## [3667] "is the other smaller lodge, but of like fashion, where the gracious "
## [3668] "Pamela liveth ; so that the lodge seemeth not unlike a fair comet, "
## [3669] "whose tail stretcheth itself to a star of less greatness. "
## [3670] ""
## [3671] "So Gynecia herself bringing me to my lodging, anon after I was "
## [3672] "invited and brought down to sup with them in the garden, a place "
## [3673] "not fairer in natural ornaments than artificial inventions, where, in "
## [3674] "a banqueting-house, among certain pleasant trees, whose heads "
## [3675] "seemed curled with the wrappings about of vin^ branches, the "
## [3676] "table was set near to an excellent water-works ; for, by the casting "
## [3677] "of the water in most cunning manner, it makes, with the shining of "
## [3678] "the sun upon it, a perfect rainbow, not more pleasant to the eye "
## [3679] "than to the mind, so sensibly to see the proof of the heavenly Iris. "
## [3680] "There were birds also made so finely that they did not only "
## [3681] "deceive the sight with their figure, but the hearing with their songs, "
## [3682] "which the watery instruments made their gorge deliver. The table "
## [3683] "at which we sat was round, which being fast to the floor whereon "
## [3684] "we sat, and that divided from the rest of the buildings, with turning "
## [3685] "a vice, which Basilius at first did to make me sport, the table, and "
## [3686] "we about the table, did all turn round by means of water which ran "
## [3687] "under and carried it about as a mill. But alas ! what pleasure did "
## [3688] "it to me to make divers times the full circle round about, since "
## [3689] "Philoclea, being also set, was carried still in equal distance from "
## [3690] "me, and that only my eyes did overtake her ? which, when the table "
## [3691] "was stayed, and we began to feed, drank much more eagerly of "
## [3692] "her beauty than my mouth did of any other liquor. And so was "
## [3693] "my common sense deceived, being chiefly bent to her, that as I "
## [3694] "drank the viane, and withal stole a look on her, me seemed I tasted "
## [3695] "her deliciousness. But alas ! the one thirst was much more "
## [3696] "inflamed than the other quenched. Sometimes my eyes would lay "
## [3697] "themselves open to receive all the darts she did throw ; sometimes "
## [3698] "close up with admiration, as if with a contrary fancy, they would "
## [3699] "preserve the riches of that sight they had gotten, or cast my lids as "
## [3700] "curtains over the image of beauty her presence had painted in "
## [3701] "them. True it is, that my reason, now grown a servant to passion, "
## [3702] "did yet often tell his master that he should more moderately use "
## [3703] "his delight. But he, that of a rebel was become a prince, "
## [3704] "disdained almost to allow him the place of a counsellor ; "
## [3705] "so that my senses delights being too strong for any other "
## [3706] "resolution, I did even loose the reins unto them, hoping that, "
## [3707] ""
## [3708] ""
## [3709] ""
## [3710] ";2 ARCADIA [book t. "
## [3711] ""
## [3712] "going for a woman, my looks would pass either unmarked or "
## [3713] "unsuspected. "
## [3714] ""
## [3715] "\" Now thus I had, as methought, well played my first act, assur- "
## [3716] "ing myself that under that disguisement I should find opportunity "
## [3717] "to reveal myself to the owner of my heart. But who would think "
## [3718] "it possible, though I feel it true, that in almost eight weeks' space I "
## [3719] "have lived here, having no more company but her parents, and I "
## [3720] "being a familiar, as being a woman, and watchful, as being a "
## [3721] "lover, yet could never find opportunity to have one minute's leisure "
## [3722] "of private conference : the cause whereof is as strange as the effects "
## [3723] "are to me miserable. And (alas !) this it is. "
## [3724] ""
## [3725] "\"At the first sight that Basilius had of me, I think Cupid having "
## [3726] "headed his arrows with my misfortune, he was stricken, taking me "
## [3727] "to be such as I profess, with great affection towards me, which "
## [3728] "since is grown to such a doting love that till I was fain to get this "
## [3729] "place sometimes to retire unto freely, I was even choked with his "
## [3730] "tediousness. You never saw four score years dance up and down "
## [3731] "more lively in a young lover ; now, as fine in his apparel, as if he "
## [3732] "would make me in love with a cloak, and verse for verse with the "
## [3733] "sharpest-witted lover in Arcadia. Do you not think that is a sallet "
## [3734] "of wormwood ; while mine eyes feed upon the Ambrosia of "
## [3735] "Philoclea's beauty ? but this is not all ; no, this is not the worst : "
## [3736] "for he, good man, were easy enough to be dealt with, but, as I think, "
## [3737] "love and mischief having made a wager which should have most "
## [3738] "power in me, have set Gynecia also on such a fire toward me, as "
## [3739] "will never, I fear, be quenched but with my destruction. For, she "
## [3740] "being a woman of excellent wit and of strong working thoughts, "
## [3741] "whether she suspected me by my over-vehement shows of affection "
## [3742] "to Philoclea (which love forced me unwisely to utter, while hope of "
## [3743] "my mask foolishly encouraged me) or that she hath taken some "
## [3744] "other mark of me, that I am not a woman ; or what devil it is hath "
## [3745] "revealed it unto her, I know not : but so it is, that all her counten- "
## [3746] "ances, words, and gestures are even miserable portraitures of a "
## [3747] "desperate affection. Whereby a man may learn that these avoid- "
## [3748] "ings of company do but make the passions more violent when they "
## [3749] "meet with fit subjects. Truly it were a notable dumb show of Cupid's "
## [3750] "kingdom, to see my eyes, languishing with over vehement longing, "
## [3751] "direct themselves to Philoclea ; and Basilius, as busy about me as "
## [3752] "a bee, and indeed as cumbersome, making such vehement suits to "
## [3753] "me, who neither could if I would, nor would if I could, help him, "
## [3754] "while the terrible wit of Gynecia, carried with the beer of violent "
## [3755] "love, runs through us all. And so jealous is.she of my love to her "
## [3756] "daughter that I could never yet begin to open my mouth to the "
## [3757] "unevitable Philoclea but that her unwished presence gave my tale "
## [3758] "a conclusion before it had a beginning. And surely, if I be not "
## [3759] ""
## [3760] ""
## [3761] ""
## [3762] "fiooK t.] ARCADIA 73 "
## [3763] ""
## [3764] "deceived, I see such shows of liking, and, if I be acquainted with "
## [3765] "passions, of almost a passionate liking in the heavenly Philoclea "
## [3766] "towards me, that I may hope her ears would not abhor my discourse. "
## [3767] "And for good Basilius, he thought it best to have lodged us to- "
## [3768] "gether, but that the eternal hatefulness of my destiny made "
## [3769] "Gynecia's jealousy stop that, and all other my blessings. Yet "
## [3770] "must I confess that one way her love doth me pleasure, for since it "
## [3771] "was my foolish fortune, or unfortunate folly, to be known by her, "
## [3772] "that keeps her from betraying me to Basilius. And thus, my "
## [3773] "Musidorus, you have my tragedy played unto you by myself, which "
## [3774] "I pray the gods may not indeed prove a tragedy.\" And therewith "
## [3775] "he ended, making a full point of a hearty sigh. "
## [3776] ""
## [3777] "Musidorus recommended to his best discourse, all which "
## [3778] "Pyrocles had told him. But therein he found such intricateness "
## [3779] "that he could see no way to lead him out of the maze ; yet per- "
## [3780] "ceiving his affection so grounded that striving against it did rather "
## [3781] "anger than heal the wound, and rather call his friendship in "
## [3782] "question than give place- to any friendly counsel : \" Well,\" said he, "
## [3783] "\" dear cousin ! since it hath pleased the gods to mingle your other "
## [3784] "excellencies with this humour of love, yet happy it is, that your "
## [3785] "love Is employed upon so rare a woman : for certainly a noble "
## [3786] "cause doth ease much a grievous case. But as it stands now, "
## [3787] "nothing vexeth me, as that I cannot see wherein I can be service- "
## [3788] "able unto you.\" \" I desire no greater service of you,\" answered "
## [3789] "Pyrocles, \" than that you remain secretly in this country, and some- "
## [3790] "times come to this place, either late in the night or early in the "
## [3791] "morning, where you shall have my key to enter, because as my "
## [3792] "fortune either amends or impairs, I may declare it unto you, and "
## [3793] "have your counsel and furtherance : and hereby I will of purpose "
## [3794] "lead her, that is the praise, and yet the stain of all womankind, "
## [3795] "that you may have so good a view, as to allow my judgment ; and "
## [3796] "as I can get the most convenient time, I will come unto you ■ "
## [3797] "for, though by reason of yonder wood you cannot see the lodge "
## [3798] "it is hard at hand. But now,\" said she, \" it is time for me to leave "
## [3799] "you, and towards evening we will walk out of purpose hitherward "
## [3800] "therefore .keep yourself close till that time.\" But Musidorus, be- "
## [3801] "thinking himself that his horse might happen to betra:y him "
## [3802] "thought it best to return for that day to a village not far off, and "
## [3803] "dispatching his horse in some sort, the next day early to come "
## [3804] "a foot thither, and so to keep that course afterward which Pyrocles "
## [3805] "very well liked of. \"Now farewell, dear cousin,\" said he, \"from "
## [3806] "me, no more Pyrocles nor Daiphantus now, but Zelmane : Zelmane "
## [3807] "is my name, Zelmane is my title, Zelmane is the only hope of my "
## [3808] "advancement.\" And with that word going out, and seeing "
## [3809] "that the coast was clear, Zelmane dismissed Musidorus, who "
## [3810] ""
## [3811] ""
## [3812] ""
## [3813] "f4. ARCADIA [BOOS 1. "
## [3814] ""
## [3815] "departed as foil of care to help his friend as before he was to "
## [3816] "dissuade him. "
## [3817] ""
## [3818] "Zelmane returned to the lodge, where (inflamed by Philoclea, "
## [3819] "watched by Gynecia, and tired by Basilius) she was like a horse "
## [3820] "desirous to run, and miserably spurred, but so short reined as he "
## [3821] "cannot stir forward. Zelmane sought occasion to speak with "
## [3822] ". Philoclea ; Basilius with Zelmane ; and Gynecia hindered them "
## [3823] "all. If. Philoclea happened to sigh, and sigh she did often, as if "
## [3824] "that sigh were to be waited on, Zelmane sighed also, whereto "
## [3825] "Basilius and Gynecia soon made up four parts of sorrow. Their "
## [3826] "affection increased their conversation, and their conversation "
## [3827] "increased their affection. The respect borne bred due ceremonies, "
## [3828] "but the affection shined so through them, that the ceremonies "
## [3829] "seemed not ceremonies. Zelmane's eyes were (like children before "
## [3830] "sweetmeat) eager, but fearful of their ill-pleasing governors. Time, "
## [3831] "in one instant, seeming both short and long unto them : short, in the "
## [3832] "pleasingness of such presence ; long, in the stay of their desires. "
## [3833] ""
## [3834] "But Zelmane failed not to entice them all many times abroad "
## [3835] "because she was desirous her friend Musidorus, near whom of "
## [3836] "purpose she led them, might have full sight of them. Sometimes "
## [3837] "angling to a little river near hand, which, for the moisture it "
## [3838] "bestowed upon the roots of flourishing trees, was rewarded with "
## [3839] "their shadow. There would they sit down, and pretty wagers be "
## [3840] "made between Pamela and Philoclea, which could soonest beguile "
## [3841] "silly fishes, while Zelmane protested that the fit prey for them was "
## [3842] "hearts of princes. She also had an angle in her hand, but the "
## [3843] "taker was so taken that she had forgotten taking. Basihus in the "
## [3844] "meantime would be the cook himself of what was so caught, and "
## [3845] "Gynecia sit still, but with no still pensiveness. Now she brought "
## [3846] "them to see a seeled dove, who, the blinder she was, the higher "
## [3847] "she strove. Another time a kite, which having a gut cunningly "
## [3848] "pulled out of her, and so let fly, caused all the kites in that quarter, "
## [3849] "who, as oftentimes the world is deceived, thinking her prosperous "
## [3850] "when indeed she was wounded, made the poor kite find that opinion "
## [3851] "of riches may well be dangerous. "
## [3852] ""
## [3853] "But these recreations were interrupted by a delight of more "
## [3854] "gallant show ; for one evening, as Basilius returned from having "
## [3855] "forced his thoughts to please themselves in such small conquest, "
## [3856] "there came a shepherd who brought him word that a gentleman "
## [3857] "desired leave to do a message from his lord unto him. Basilius "
## [3858] "granted, whereupon the gentleman came, and after the dutiful "
## [3859] "ceremonies observed in his master's name, told him that he was "
## [3860] "sent from Phalantus of Corinth to crave licence that, as he had "
## [3861] "done in many other courts, so he might in his presence defy all "
## [3862] "Arcadian knights in the behalf of his mistress's beauty who would "
## [3863] ""
## [3864] ""
## [3865] ""
## [3866] "6ooK I.J AfeCAOlA fS "
## [3867] ""
## [3868] "besides herself in person be present to give evident proof what his "
## [3869] "lance should affirm. The conditions of his challenge were that the "
## [3870] "defendant should bring his mistress's picture, which being set by "
## [3871] "the image of Artesia, so was the mistress of Phalantus named, who "
## [3872] "in six courses should have the better of the other in the judgment "
## [3873] "of Basilius, with him both the honours and the pictures should "
## [3874] "remain. Basilius (though he had retired himself into that solitary "
## [3875] "dwelling, with intention to avoid, rather than to accept any matters "
## [3876] "of drawing company, yet because he would entertain Zelmane that "
## [3877] "she might not think the time so gainful to him loss to her) granted "
## [3878] "him to pitch his tent for three days not far from the lodge, and to "
## [3879] "proclaim his challenge that what Arcadian knight, for none else "
## [3880] "but upon his peril was licensed to come, would defend what he "
## [3881] "honoured against Phalantus, should have the like freedom of access "
## [3882] "and return. "
## [3883] ""
## [3884] "This obtained and published, Zelmane being desirous to learn "
## [3885] "what this Phalantus was, having never known him further than by "
## [3886] "report of his good justing, in so much as he was commonly called, "
## [3887] "\" The fair man of arms \" ; Basilius told her that he had had occasion "
## [3888] "by one very inward with him to know in part the discourse of his "
## [3889] "life, which was, that he was a bastard brother to the fair Helen "
## [3890] "queen of Corinth, and dearly esteemed of her for his exceeding "
## [3891] "good parts, being honourably courteous, and wronglessly valiant, "
## [3892] "considerately pleasant in conversation, and an excellent courtier "
## [3893] "without unfaithfulness, who, finding his sister's unpersuadable "
## [3894] "melancholy, through the love of Amphialus, had for a time left her "
## [3895] "court, and gone into Laconia, where, in the war against the Helots, "
## [3896] "he had gotten the reputation of one that both durst and knew. "
## [3897] "But as it was rather choice than nature that led him to matters of "
## [3898] "arms, so as soon as the spur of honour ceased, he willingly rested "
## [3899] "in peaceable delights, being beloved in all companies for his lovely "
## [3900] "qualities, and, as a man may term it, winning cheerfulness ; whereby "
## [3901] "to the prince and court of Laconia, none was more agreeable than "
## [3902] "Phalantus : and he not given greatly to struggle with his own "
## [3903] "disposition, followed the gentle current of it, having a fortune "
## [3904] "sufficient to content, and he content with a sufficient fortune. But "
## [3905] "in that court he saw, and was acquainted with this Artesia, whose "
## [3906] "beauty he now defends, became her servant, said himself, and "
## [3907] "perchance thought himself her lover. \"But certainly,\" said "
## [3908] "Basilius, \"many times it falls out that these young companions "
## [3909] "make themselves believe they love at their first liking of a likely "
## [3910] "beauty ; loving, because they will love for want of other business, "
## [3911] "not because they feel indeed that divine power which makes the "
## [3912] "heart find a reason in passion, and so, God knows, as inconstantly "
## [3913] "leave upon the next chance that beauty casts before them. So "
## [3914] ""
## [3915] ""
## [3916] ""
## [3917] "76 ARCADIA [sook i. "
## [3918] ""
## [3919] "therefore taking love upon him like a fashion, he courted this lady "
## [3920] "Artesia, who was as fit to pay him in his own money as might be : "
## [3921] "for she thinketh she did wrong to her beauty if she were not proud "
## [3922] "of it, called her disdain of him chastity, and placed her honour in "
## [3923] "little setting by his honouring her, determining never to marry but "
## [3924] "him whom she thought worthy of her, and that was one in whom "
## [3925] "all worthinesses were harboured. And to this conceit not only "
## [3926] "nature had bent her, but the bringing-up she received at by her Sister- "
## [3927] "in-law Cecropia had confirmed her, who having in her widowhood "
## [3928] "taken this young Artesia into her charge, because her father had "
## [3929] "been a dear friend of her dear husband's, had taught her to think "
## [3930] "that there is no wisdom but in including both heaven and earth in "
## [3931] "oneself; and that love, courtesy, gratefulness, friendship, and all "
## [3932] "other virtues are rather to be taken on than taken in oneself. "
## [3933] "And so good a disciple she found of her that, liking the fruits of "
## [3934] "her own planting, she was content if so her son could have liked "
## [3935] "of it, to have wished her in marriage to my nephew Amphialus. "
## [3936] "But I think that desire hath lost some of his heat since she hath "
## [3937] "known that such a queen as Helen is, doth offer so great a price "
## [3938] "as a kingdom, to buy his favour ; for, if I be not deceived in my "
## [3939] "good sister Cecropia, she thinks no face so beautiful, as that which "
## [3940] "looks under a crown. But Artesia indeed liked well of my nephew "
## [3941] "Amphialus : For I can never deem that love, which in haughty "
## [3942] "hearts proceeds of a desire only to please, and, as it were, peacock "
## [3943] "themselves ; but yet she hath showed vehemency of desire that "
## [3944] "way, I think because all her desires be vehement, insomuch that "
## [3945] "she hath both placed her only brother, a fine youth, called Ismenus, "
## [3946] "to be his 'squire, and herself is content to wait upon my sister till "
## [3947] "she may see the uttermost what she may work in Amphialus ; who "
## [3948] "being of a melancholy (though, I must say, truly courteous and "
## [3949] "noble) mind, seems to love nothing less than love, and of late, "
## [3950] "having through some adventure, or inward miscontentment, with- "
## [3951] "drawn himself from anybody's knowledge, where he is ; Artesia "
## [3952] "the easier condescended to go to the court of Laconia, whither she "
## [3953] "was sent for by the king's wife, to whom she is somewhat allied. "
## [3954] ""
## [3955] "\" And there, after the war of the Helots, this knight Phalantus, "
## [3956] "at least for tongue-delight, made himself her servant, and she, so "
## [3957] "little caring as not to show mislike thereof, was content only to be "
## [3958] "noted to have a notable servant. For truly one in my court, nearly "
## [3959] "acquainted with him, within these few days made me a pleasant "
## [3960] "description of their love, while he with cheerful looks would speak "
## [3961] "sorrowful words, using the phrase of his affection in so high a style, "
## [3962] "that Mercury would not have wooed Venus with more magnificent "
## [3963] "eloquence ; but else, neither in behaviour, nor action, accusing in "
## [3964] "himself any great trouble in mind whether he sped or no. And "
## [3965] ""
## [3966] ""
## [3967] ""
## [3968] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA •J'J "
## [3969] ""
## [3970] "she, on the other side, well finding how little it was, and not caring "
## [3971] "for more, yet taught him that often it falleth out but a foolish "
## [3972] "witness to speak more than one thinks. "
## [3973] ""
## [3974] "\" For she made earnest benefit of his jest, forcing him in respect "
## [3975] "of his profession to her such services as were both cumbersome "
## [3976] "and costly unto him, while he still thought he went beyond her "
## [3977] "because his heart did not commit the idolatry. So that lastly, she, "
## [3978] "I think, having mind to make the fame of her beauty an orator for "
## [3979] "her to Amphialus (persuading herself, perhaps, that it might fall "
## [3980] "out in him as it doth in some that have delightful meat before "
## [3981] "them, and have no stomach to it, before other folks praise it) she "
## [3982] "took the advantage one day, upon Phalantus's unconscionable "
## [3983] "praising of her, and certain cast-away vows how much he would "
## [3984] "do for her sake, to arrest his word as soon as it was out of his "
## [3985] "mouth, and by the virtue thereof to charge him to go with her thro' "
## [3986] "all the courts of Greece, and with the challenge now made to give "
## [3987] "her beauty the principality over all other. Phalantus was "
## [3988] "entrapped, and saw round about him, but could not get out. "
## [3989] "Exceedingly perplexed he was, as he confessed to him that told "
## [3990] "me the tale, not for doubt he had of himself (for indeed he had "
## [3991] "little cause, being accounted, with his lance especially, whereupon "
## [3992] "the challenge is to be tried as perfect as any that Greece knoweth) "
## [3993] "but because he feared to offend his sister Helen, and withal, as he "
## [3994] "said, he could not so much believe his love but that he must think "
## [3995] "in his heart, whatsoever his mouth afifirmed, that both she, my "
## [3996] "daughters, and the fair Parthenia (wife to a most noble gentleman, "
## [3997] "my wife's near kinsman) might far better put in their claim for that "
## [3998] "prerogative. But his promise had bound him prentice, and "
## [3999] "therefore it was now better with willingness to purchase thanks "
## [4000] "than with a discontented doing to have the pain and not the "
## [4001] "reward ; and therefore went on as his faith, rather than love, did "
## [4002] "lead him. And now hath he already passed the courts of Laconia, "
## [4003] "Elis, Argos, and Corinth : And, as many times it happens that a "
## [4004] "good pleader makes a bad cause to prevail, so hath his lance "
## [4005] "brought captives to the triumph of Artesia's beauty, such, as though "
## [4006] "Artesia be among the fairest, yet in that company were to have the "
## [4007] "pre-eminence : For in those courts many knights that had been "
## [4008] "in other far countries defended such as they had seen and liked in "
## [4009] "their travel : But their defence had been such that they had forfeited "
## [4010] "the pictures of their ladies to give a forced false testimony to "
## [4011] "Artesia's excellency. And now, lastly, is he come hither, where "
## [4012] "he hath leave to try his fortune. But I assure you, if I thought "
## [4013] "it not in due and true consideration an injurious service and "
## [4014] "churlish courtesy to put the danger of so noble a title in the "
## [4015] "deciding of such a dangerless combat, I would make young master "
## [4016] ""
## [4017] ""
## [4018] ""
## [4019] "78 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [4020] ""
## [4021] "Phalantus know that your eyes can shai-pen a blunt lance, and that "
## [4022] "age, which my gray hairs, only gotten by the loving care of others, "
## [4023] "makes seem more than it is, hath not diminished in me the power "
## [4024] "to protect an undeniable verity.\" With that he bustled up himself, "
## [4025] "as though his heart would fain have walked abroad. Zelmane with "
## [4026] "an inward smiling gave him outward thanks, desiring him to "
## [4027] "reserve his force for worthier causes. "
## [4028] ""
## [4029] "So passing their time according to their wont, they waited for "
## [4030] "the coming of Phalantus, who the next morning having already "
## [4031] "caused his tents to be pitched near to a fair tree hard by the lodge, "
## [4032] "had upon the tree made a shield to be hanged up, which the "
## [4033] "defendant should strike that would call him to the maintaining his "
## [4034] "challenge. The Impressa in the shield was a heaven full of stars, "
## [4035] "with a speech signifying that it was the beauty which gave the "
## [4036] "praise. Himself came in next after a triumphant chariot made of "
## [4037] "carnation-velvet, enriched with purple and pearl, wherein Artesia "
## [4038] "sat, drawn by four winged horses with artificial flaming mouths "
## [4039] "and fiery wings, as if she had newly borrowed them of Phoebus. "
## [4040] "Before her marched, two after two, certain footmen pleasantly "
## [4041] "attired, who between them held one picture after another of them, "
## [4042] "that by Phalantus well running had lost the prize in the race of "
## [4043] "beauty, and at every pace they stayed, turned the pictures to each "
## [4044] "side so leisurely that with perfect judgment they might be discerned. "
## [4045] "The first that came in, following the order of the time wherein they "
## [4046] "had been won, was the picture of Andromana, queen of Iberia, "
## [4047] "whom a Laconian knight, having some time, and with special ' "
## [4048] "favour, served, though some years since returned home, with more "
## [4049] "gratefulness than good fortune defended. But therein Fortune "
## [4050] "had borrowed wit ; for indeed she was not comparable to Artesia, "
## [4051] "not because she was a good deal older, for time had not yet been "
## [4052] "able to impoverish her store thereof, but an exceeding red hair "
## [4053] "with small eyes, did, like ill companions, disgrace the other "
## [4054] "assembly of most commendable beauties. "
## [4055] ""
## [4056] "Next after her was borne the counterfeit of the Princess of EUs, "
## [4057] "a lady that taught the beholders no other point of beauty, but this : "
## [4058] "That as liking is not always the child of beauty, so whatsoever "
## [4059] "liketh is beautiful ; for in that visage there was neither majesty, "
## [4060] "grace, favour, nor fairness ; yet she wanted not a servant that "
## [4061] "would have made her fairer than the fair Artesia. But he wrote "
## [4062] "her praises with his helmet in the dust, and left her picture to be a "
## [4063] "true witness of his overthrow, as his running was of her beauty. "
## [4064] ""
## [4065] "After her was the goodly Artaxia, great queen of Armenia, a lady "
## [4066] "upon whom nature bestowed and well placed her most delightful "
## [4067] "colours, and, withal, had proportioned her without any fault, quickly "
## [4068] "to be discovered by the senses, yet altogether seemed not to make "
## [4069] ""
## [4070] ""
## [4071] ""
## [4072] "BOOK 1.] ARCADIA 79 "
## [4073] ""
## [4074] "up that harmony that Cupid delights in, the reason whereof might "
## [4075] "seem a mannish countenance, which overthrew that lovely sweet- "
## [4076] "ness, the noblest power of womankind, far fitter to prevail by parley "
## [4077] "than by battle. "
## [4078] ""
## [4079] "Of a far contrary consideration was the representation of her that "
## [4080] "next followed, which was Erona queen of Lycia, who though of so "
## [4081] "brown a hair as no man sl^ould have injured it to have called it "
## [4082] "black, and that in the mixture of her cheeks the white did so much "
## [4083] "overcome the red, tho' what was, was very pure, that it came near "
## [4084] "to paleness, and that her face was a thought longer than the exact "
## [4085] "Symetrians perhaps would allow ; yet love played his part so well "
## [4086] "in every part that it caught hold of the judgment before it could "
## [4087] "judge, making it first love, and after acknowledge it fair ; for there "
## [4088] "was a certain delicacy, which in yielding conquered, and with a "
## [4089] "pitiful look made one find cause to crave help himself "
## [4090] ""
## [4091] "After her came two ladies, of noble, but not of royal birth : "
## [4092] "The former was named Baccha, who though very fair, and of a "
## [4093] "fatness rather to allure, than to mislike, yet her breasts over- "
## [4094] "familiarly laid open, with a made countenance about her mouth, "
## [4095] "between simpering and smiling, her head bowed somewhat down, "
## [4096] "seemed to languish with over-much idleness, and with an inviting "
## [4097] "look cast upward, dissuaded with too much persuading, while hope "
## [4098] "might seem to over-run desire. "
## [4099] ""
## [4100] "The other, whose name was written Leucippe, was of a fine "
## [4101] "daintiness of beauty, her face carrying in it a sober simplicity, like "
## [4102] "one that could do much good and meant no hurt, her eyes having "
## [4103] "in them such a cheerfulness as nature seemed to smile in them, "
## [4104] "though her mouth and cheeks obeyed to that pretty demureness "
## [4105] "which the more one marked the more one would judge the poor "
## [4106] "soul apt to believe, and therefore the more pity to deceive her. "
## [4107] ""
## [4108] "Next came the queen of Laconia, one that seemed born in the "
## [4109] "confines of beauty's kingdom : For all her lineaments were neither "
## [4110] "perfect possessioners thereof, nor absolute strangers thereto : But "
## [4111] "she was a queen, and therefore beautiful. "
## [4112] ""
## [4113] "But she that followed, conquered indeed with being conquered, "
## [4114] "and might well have made all the beholders wait upon her triumph "
## [4115] "while herself were led captive. It was the excellently fair queen "
## [4116] "Helen, whose jacinth-hair curled by nature, but intercurled by art "
## [4117] "like a fine brook through golden sands, had a rope of fair pearl, "
## [4118] "which now hiding, now hidden by the hair, did as it were play at "
## [4119] "fast and loose each with other, mutually giving and receiving rich- "
## [4120] "ness. In her face so much beauty and favour expressed as, if "
## [4121] "Helen had not been known, some would rather have judged it the "
## [4122] "painter's exercise to show what he could do than the counterfeiting "
## [4123] "of any living pattern ; for no fault the most fault-finding wit could "
## [4124] ""
## [4125] ""
## [4126] ""
## [4127] "8o ARCADIA [book i. "
## [4128] ""
## [4129] "have found, if It were not that to the rest of the body the face was "
## [4130] "somewhat too little, but that little was such a spark of beauty as "
## [4131] "was able to inflame a world of love; for everything was fall "
## [4132] "of a choice fineness, that if we wanted anything in majesty it "
## [4133] "supplied it with increase in pleasure ; and if at the first it struck "
## [4134] "not with admiration, it ravished with delight. And no indifferent "
## [4135] "soul there was, which if it could resist from subjecting itself to "
## [4136] "make it his princess, that would not long to have such a playfellow. "
## [4137] "As for her attire, it was costly and curious, though the look, fixed "
## [4138] "with more sadness than it seemed nature had bestowed to any that "
## [4139] "knew her fortune, betrayed that as she used those ornaments not "
## [4140] "for herself, but to prevail with another, so she feared that all would "
## [4141] "not serve. Of a far differing, though esteemed equal, beauty, was "
## [4142] "the fair Parthenia, who next waited on Artesia's triumph, tho' far "
## [4143] "better she might have sat on the throne. For in her everything "
## [4144] "was goodly and stately, yet so that it might seem that great-minded- "
## [4145] "ness was but the ensign-bearer to the humbleness. For her great "
## [4146] "grey eye, which might seem full of her own beauty ; a large and "
## [4147] "exceedingly fair forehead, with all the rest of her face and body "
## [4148] "cast in the mould of nobleness, was yet so attired as might show "
## [4149] "the mistress thought it either not to deserve, or not to need any "
## [4150] "exquisite decking, having no adorning but cleanliness ; and so far "
## [4151] "from all art, that it was full of carelessness, unless that carelessness "
## [4152] "itself, in spite of itself, grew artificial. But Basilius could not "
## [4153] "abstain from praising Parthenia as the perfect picture of a womanly "
## [4154] "virtue and wifely faithfulness, telling withal Zelmane how he had "
## [4155] "understood that when in the court of Laconia her pictures maintained "
## [4156] "by a certain Sycionian knight, was lost through want rather of "
## [4157] "valour than justice, her husband, the famous Argalus, would in a "
## [4158] "chafe have gone and redeemed it with a new trial. But she, more "
## [4159] "sporting than sorrowing for her undeserved champion, told her "
## [4160] "husband she desired to be beautiful in nobody's eye but his, and "
## [4161] "that she would rathei^ mar her face as evil as ever it was than that "
## [4162] "it should be a cause to make Argalus put on armour. Then would "
## [4163] "Basilius have told Zelmane that which he already knew, of the rare "
## [4164] "trial of that coupled aflfection : but the next picture made their "
## [4165] "mouths give place to their eyes. "
## [4166] ""
## [4167] "It was of a young maid which sat pulling out a thorn out of a "
## [4168] "lamb's foot, with her look so attentive upon it, as if that httle foot "
## [4169] "could have been the circle of her thoughts ; her apparel so poor, "
## [4170] "as it had nothing but the inside to adorn it ; a sheep-hook lying by "
## [4171] "her with a bottle upon it. But with all that poverty, beauty played "
## [4172] "the prince and commanded as many hearts as the greatest queen "
## [4173] "there did. Her beauty and her estate made her quickly to "
## [4174] "be known to be the fair shepherdess Urania, whom a rich "
## [4175] ""
## [4176] ""
## [4177] ""
## [4178] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA Si "
## [4179] ""
## [4180] "knight called Lacemon, far in love with her, had unluckily "
## [4181] "defended. "
## [4182] ""
## [4183] "The last of all in place, because last in the time of her being "
## [4184] ""
## [4185] "captive, was Zelmane, daughter to the King Plexirtus, who at the "
## [4186] ""
## [4187] "first sight seemed to have some resembUng of Philoclea, but with "
## [4188] ""
## [4189] "more marking, comparing it to the present Philoclea, who indeed "
## [4190] ""
## [4191] "had no paragon but her sister, they might see it was but such a "
## [4192] ""
## [4193] "likeness as an unperfect glass doth give, answerable enough in "
## [4194] ""
## [4195] "some features and colours, but erring in others. But Zelmane "
## [4196] ""
## [4197] "sighing, turning to Basilius, \" Alas ! Sir,\" said she, \" herfe be some "
## [4198] ""
## [4199] "pictures which might better become the tombs of their mistresses "
## [4200] ""
## [4201] "than the triumph of Artesia.\" \" It is true sweetest lady,\" said "
## [4202] ""
## [4203] "Basilius, \" some of them be dead, and some other captive ; but that "
## [4204] ""
## [4205] "hath happened so late, as it may be the knights that defended their "
## [4206] ""
## [4207] "beauty knew not so much : without we will say, as in some other "
## [4208] ""
## [4209] "hearts I know it would fall out, that death itself could not blot out "
## [4210] ""
## [4211] "the image which love hath engraven in them. But divers besides "
## [4212] ""
## [4213] "those,\" said Basilius, \" hath Phalantus, won, but he leaves the rest, "
## [4214] ""
## [4215] "carrying only such who either for greatness of estate, or of beauty, "
## [4216] ""
## [4217] "may justly glorify the glory of Artesia's triumph.\" "
## [4218] ""
## [4219] "Thus talked Basilius with Zelmane, glad to make any matter "
## [4220] "subject to speak of with his mistress, while Phalantus, in this "
## [4221] "pompous manner, brought Artesia with her gefitlewoman into one "
## [4222] "tent, by which he had another, where they both waited who would "
## [4223] "first strike upon the shield, while Basilius the judge appointed "
## [4224] "sticklers and trumpets, to whom the other should obey. But none "
## [4225] "that day appeared, nor the next, till already it had consumed half "
## [4226] "his allowance of light ; but then there came in a knight, protesting "
## [4227] "himself as contrary to him in mind, as he was in apparel. For "
## [4228] "Phalantus was all in white, having in his bases and caparison "
## [4229] "embroidered a waving water, at each side whereof he had nettings "
## [4230] "cast over, in which were divers fishes naturally made, and so "
## [4231] "prettily that as the horse stirred, the fishes seemed to strive and "
## [4232] "leap in the net. "
## [4233] ""
## [4234] "But the other knight, by name Nestor, by birth an Arcadian, "
## [4235] "and in affection vowed to the fair shepherdess, was all in black, "
## [4236] "with fire burning both upon his armour and horse. His impressa "
## [4237] "in his shield was a fire made of juniper, with this word, \" More "
## [4238] "easy and more sweet.\" But this hot knight was cooled with a fall, "
## [4239] "which at the third course he received of Phalantus; leaving his "
## [4240] "picture to keep company with the other of the same stamp ; he "
## [4241] "going away remedilessly chafing at his rebuke. The next was "
## [4242] "Polycetes, greatly esteemed in Arcadia for deeds he had done in "
## [4243] "arms, and much spoken of for the honourable love he had long "
## [4244] "borne to Gynecia, which Basilius himself was content not only to "
## [4245] ""
## [4246] "F "
## [4247] ""
## [4248] ""
## [4249] ""
## [4250] "82 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [4251] ""
## [4252] "suffer, but to be delighted with, he carried it in so honourable and "
## [4253] "open plainness, setting to his love no other mark than to do her "
## [4254] "faithful service. But neither her fair picture, nor his fair running, "
## [4255] "could warrant him from overthrow, and her from becoming as then "
## [4256] "the last of Artesia's victories, a thing Gynecia's virtues would little "
## [4257] "have reckoned at another time, nor then, if Zelmanes had not seen "
## [4258] "it. But her champion went away as much discomforted, as dis- "
## [4259] "comfited. Then Thelamon for Pelexena, and Eurilion for Elpine, "
## [4260] "and Leon for Zoana, all brave knights, all fair ladies, with their "
## [4261] "going down, lifted up the balance of his praise for activity, and hers "
## [4262] "for fairness. "
## [4263] ""
## [4264] "Upon whose loss, as the beholders were talking, there comes "
## [4265] "into the place where they ran, a shepherd stripling (for his height "
## [4266] "made him more than a boy, and his face would not allow him a "
## [4267] "man) brown of complexion, whether by nature or by the sun's "
## [4268] "familiarity, but very lovely withal, for the rest so perfect propor- "
## [4269] "tioned that nature showed she doth not like men who slubber up "
## [4270] "matters of mean account. And well might his proportion be "
## [4271] "judged, for he had nothing upon him but a pair of slops, and upon "
## [4272] "his body a goat skin which he cast over his shoulder, doing all "
## [4273] "things with so pretty a grace that it seemed ignorance could not "
## [4274] "make him do amiss, because he had a heart to do well ; holding in "
## [4275] "his right hand a long staff, and so coming with a look full of "
## [4276] "amiable fierceness, as in whom choler could not take away the "
## [4277] "sweetness, he came towards the king, and making a reverence "
## [4278] "(which in him was comely, because it was kindly). \" My liege "
## [4279] "lord,\" said he, \" I pray you hear a few words, for my heart will "
## [4280] "break if I say not my mind to you : I see here the picture of Urania, "
## [4281] "which I cannot tell how nor why these men when they fall down, "
## [4282] "they say is not so fair as yonder gay woman. But pray God I may "
## [4283] "never see my old mother aUve, if I think she be any more matched "
## [4284] "to Urania, than a goat is to a fine lamb ; or than the dog that "
## [4285] "keeps our flock at home, is like your white greyhound that pulled "
## [4286] "down the stag last day. "
## [4287] ""
## [4288] "\" And therefore I pray you let me be dressed as they be, and my "
## [4289] "heart gives me I shall tumble him on the earth : for indeed he "
## [4290] "might as well say that a cowslip is as white as a lily : or else I care "
## [4291] "not, let him come with his great staff, and I with this in my hand, "
## [4292] "and you shall see what I can do to him. Basilius saw it was the "
## [4293] "fine shepherd Lalus, whom once he had afore him in pastoral sports, "
## [4294] "and had greatly delighted in his wit full of pretty simplicity, and "
## [4295] "therefore laughing at his eamestnes?, he bade him be content, since "
## [4296] "he saw the pictures of so great queens were fain to follow their "
## [4297] "champions fortune. But Lalus, even weeping ripe, went among "
## [4298] "the rest, longing to see somebody that would revenge Urania's "
## [4299] ""
## [4300] ""
## [4301] ""
## [4302] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 83 "
## [4303] ""
## [4304] "wrong; and praying heartily for everybody that ran against "
## [4305] "Phalantus, then beginning to feel poverty that he could hot set "
## [4306] "himself to that trial. But by and by, even when the sun, like a "
## [4307] "noble hart, began to show his greatest countenance in his lowest "
## [4308] "estate, there came in a knight, called Phebilus, a gentleman of "
## [4309] "that country, for whom hateful fortune had borrowed the dart of "
## [4310] "love, to make him miserable by the fight of Philoclea. For he "
## [4311] "had even from her infancy loved her, and was stricken by her "
## [4312] "before she was able to know what quiver of arrows her eyes carried ; "
## [4313] "but he loved and despaired, and the more he despaired, the more "
## [4314] "he loved. He saw his own worthiness, and thereby made her "
## [4315] "excellency have more terrible aspect upon him : he was so secret "
## [4316] "therein, as not daring to be open, that to no creature he ever spoke "
## [4317] "of it, but his heart made such silent complaints within itself that, "
## [4318] "while all his senses were attentive thereto, cunning judges might "
## [4319] "perceive his mind, so that he was known to love, though he denied, "
## [4320] "or rather was the better known, because he denied it. His armour "
## [4321] "and his attire was for a sea colour ; his impressa, the fish called "
## [4322] "Sepia, which being in the net, casts a black ink about itself, that in "
## [4323] "the darkness thereof it may escape : his word was, \" Not so.\" "
## [4324] "Philoclea's picture with almost an idolatrous magnificence was "
## [4325] "borne in by him. But straight jealousy was a harbinger for "
## [4326] "disdain in Zelmane's heart, when she saw any but herself should be "
## [4327] "avowed a champion for Philoclea, insomuch that she wished his "
## [4328] "shame, till she saw him shamed. For at the second course he was "
## [4329] "stricken quite from out of the saddle, so full of grief and rage withal "
## [4330] "that he would fain with the sword have revenged it, but that being "
## [4331] "contrary to the order set down, Basilius would not suffer : so that "
## [4332] "wishing himself in the bottom of the earth, he went his way, leaving "
## [4333] "Zelmane no less angry with his loss than she would have been with "
## [4334] "his victory. For if she though before a rival's praise would have "
## [4335] "angered her, her lady's disgrace did make her much more forget "
## [4336] "what she then thought, while that passion reigned so much the "
## [4337] "more as she saw a pretty blush in Philoclea's cheeks betray a "
## [4338] "modest discontentment. But the night commanded truce for those "
## [4339] "sports, and Phalantus, though entreated, would not leave Artesia, "
## [4340] "who in no case would come into the house, having, as it were, "
## [4341] "sucked of Ceoropia's breath a mortal mislike against Basilius, "
## [4342] ""
## [4343] "But the night, measured by the short ell of sleep, was soon past "
## [4344] "over, and the next morning had given the watchful stars leave to "
## [4345] "take their rest, when a trumpet summoned Basilius to play his "
## [4346] "judge's part, which he did, taking his wife and daughters with him ; "
## [4347] "Zelmane having locked her door, so as they could not trouble her "
## [4348] "for that time : for already there was a knight in the field, ready to "
## [4349] "prove Helen of Corinth had received great iiyuty, both by the "
## [4350] ""
## [4351] ""
## [4352] ""
## [4353] "84 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [4354] ""
## [4355] "erring judgment of the challenger, and the unlucky weakness of "
## [4356] "her former defender. The new knight was quickly known to be "
## [4357] "Clitophon, Kalander's son of Basilius's sister, by his armour which, "
## [4358] "all gilt, was so well handled that it showed like a glittering sand "
## [4359] "and gravel interlaced with silver rivers. His device he had put in "
## [4360] "the picture of Helen which he defended ; it was the Ermion with a "
## [4361] "speech that signified, \" Rather dead than spotted.\" But in that "
## [4362] "armour since he had parted from Helen, who would no longer his "
## [4363] "company, finding him to enter into terms of affection, he had per- "
## [4364] "formed so honourable actions, still seeking for his two friends by "
## [4365] "the names of Palladius and Daiphantus, that though his face were "
## [4366] "covered, his being was discovered, which yet Basilius, who had "
## [4367] "brought him up in his court, would not seem to do, but glad to see "
## [4368] "the trial of him, of whom he had heard very well, he commanded "
## [4369] "the trumpets to sound, to which the two brave knights obeying, "
## [4370] "they performed their courses, breaking their six staves, with so "
## [4371] "good, both skill in the hitting and grace in the manner, that it bred "
## [4372] "some difficulty in the judgment. But Basilius in the end gave "
## [4373] "sentence against Clitophon, because Phalantus had broken more "
## [4374] "staves, upon the head, and that once Clitophon had received such "
## [4375] "a blow that he had lost the reins of his horse with his head "
## [4376] "well-nigh touching the crupper of the horse. But Clitophon "
## [4377] "was so angry with the judgment, wherein he thought he had "
## [4378] "received wrong, that he omitted his duty to his prince, and "
## [4379] "uncle, and suddenly went his way still in the quest of them, whom "
## [4380] "as then he had left seeking, and so yielded the field to the next "
## [4381] "comer. "
## [4382] ""
## [4383] "Who, coming in about two hours after, was no less marked than "
## [4384] "all the rest before, because he had nothing worth the marking. "
## [4385] "For he had neither picture nor device, his armour of as old a "
## [4386] "fashion, besides the rusty poorness, that it might better seem a "
## [4387] "monument of his grandfather's courage : about his middle he had, "
## [4388] "instead of bases, a long cloak of silk, which as unhandsomely, as it "
## [4389] "needs must, became the wearer, so that all that looked on, measured "
## [4390] "his length on the earth already, since he had to meet one who had "
## [4391] "been victorious of so many gallants. But he went on towards the "
## [4392] "shield, and with a sober grace struck it, but as he let his sword "
## [4393] "fall upon it, another knight, all in black, came rustling in, who "
## [4394] "struck the shield almost as soon as he, and so strongly that he "
## [4395] "broke the shield in two: the ill-apparelled knight, for so the "
## [4396] "beholders called him, angry with that,, as he accounted, insolent "
## [4397] "injury to himself, hit him such a sound blow that they that looked "
## [4398] "on said it well became a rude arm. The other answered him "
## [4399] "again in the same case, so that lances were put to silence, the "
## [4400] "swords were so busy. "
## [4401] ""
## [4402] ""
## [4403] ""
## [4404] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 85 "
## [4405] ""
## [4406] "■ But Phalantus, angry of this defacing shield, came upon the "
## [4407] "black knight, and with the pommel of his sword set fire to his eyes, "
## [4408] "which presently was revenged, not only by the black, but the ill- "
## [4409] "apparelled knight, who disdained another should enter into his "
## [4410] "quarrel, so as, who ever saw a matachin dance to imitate fighting, "
## [4411] "this was a fight that did imitate the matachin : for they being but "
## [4412] "three that fought, everyone had two adversaries, striking him, who "
## [4413] "struck the third, and revenging perhaps that of him which he had "
## [4414] "received of the other. But Basilius rising himself came to part "
## [4415] "them, the stickler's authority scarcely able to persuade choleric "
## [4416] "hearers ; and part them he did. "
## [4417] ""
## [4418] "But before he could determine, comes in a fourth, halting on foot, "
## [4419] "who complained to Basilius, demanding justice on the black knight, "
## [4420] "for having by force taken away the picture of Pamela from him, "
## [4421] "which in little form he wore in a tablet, and covered with silk had "
## [4422] "fastened it to his helmet, purposing, for want of a bigger, to "
## [4423] "paragon the little one with Artesia's length, not doubting but even "
## [4424] "in that little quantity, the excellency of that would shine through "
## [4425] "the weakness of the other, as the smallest star doth through the "
## [4426] "whole element of fire. And by the way he had met with this black "
## [4427] "knight, who had, as he said, robbed him of it. The injury seemed "
## [4428] "grievious, but when it came fully to be examined, it was found that "
## [4429] "the halting knight meeting the other, asking the cause of his going "
## [4430] "thitherward, and finding it was to defend Pamela's divine beauty "
## [4431] "against Artesia's, with a proud jollity commanded him to leave that "
## [4432] "quarrel only for him, who was only worthy to enter into it. But "
## [4433] "the black knight obeying no such commandments, they fell to such "
## [4434] "a bickering that he got a halting, and lost his picture. This under- "
## [4435] "stood by Basilius, he told him he was now fitter to look to his own "
## [4436] "body than anothei-'s picture, and so, uncomforted therein, sent him "
## [4437] "away to learn of jEsculapius that he was not fit for Venus. But "
## [4438] "then the question arising, who should be the former against "
## [4439] "Phalantus, of the black or the ill-apparelled knight, who now had "
## [4440] "gotten the reputation of some sturdy lout, he had so well defended "
## [4441] "himself ; of the one side, was alleged the having a picture which "
## [4442] "the other wanted ; of the other side, the first striking the shield, "
## [4443] "but the conclusion was, that the ill-apparelled knight should have "
## [4444] "the precedence, if he delivered the figure of his mistress to "
## [4445] "Phalantus, who asking him for it, \"Certainly,\" said he, \"her "
## [4446] "liveliest picture, if you could see it, is in my heart, and the best "
## [4447] "comparison I could make of her is of the sun and all the other "
## [4448] "heavenly beauties. But because perhaps all eyes cannot taste the "
## [4449] "divinity of her beauty, and would rather be dazzled than taught by "
## [4450] "the light, if it be not clouded by some meaner thing, know ye then, "
## [4451] "that I defend that same lady, whose image Phebilus so feebly lost "
## [4452] ""
## [4453] ""
## [4454] ""
## [4455] "86 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [4456] ""
## [4457] "yesternight, and, instead of another, if you overcome me, you shall "
## [4458] "have me your slave to carry that image in your mistress' triumph.\" "
## [4459] "Phalantus easily agreed to the bargain, which readily he made his "
## [4460] "own. "
## [4461] ""
## [4462] "But when it came to the trial, the ill-apparelled knight, choosing "
## [4463] "out the greatest staves in all the store, at the first course gave his "
## [4464] "head such a remembrance that he lost almost his remembrance, he "
## [4465] "himself receiving the encounter of Phalantus, without any extra- "
## [4466] "ordinary motion ; and at the second, gave him such a counterbuff, "
## [4467] "that because Phalantus was so perfect a horseman, as not to be "
## [4468] "driven from the saddle, the saddle with broken girths was driven "
## [4469] "from the horse ; Phalantus remaining angry and amazed, because "
## [4470] "now being come almost to the last of his promised enterprise, that "
## [4471] "disgrace befel him, which he had never before known. "
## [4472] ""
## [4473] "But the victory being by the judges given, and the trumpets "
## [4474] "witnessed to the ill-apparelled knight ; Phalantus disgrace was "
## [4475] "ingrieved in lieu of comfort of Artesia, who telling him she never "
## [4476] "looked for other, bade him seek some other mistress. He excusing "
## [4477] "himself, and turning over the fault to fortune, \" Then let that be "
## [4478] "your ill fortune too,\" said she, \" that you have lost me.\" "
## [4479] ""
## [4480] "\" Nay, truly madam,\" said Phalantus, \" it shall not be so, for I "
## [4481] "think the loss of such a mistress will prove a great gain,\" and so "
## [4482] "concluded, to the sport of Basilius, to see young folks love, that "
## [4483] "came in masked with so great pomp, go out with so little constancy. "
## [4484] "But Phalantus first professing great service to Basilius for his "
## [4485] "courteous intermitting his solitary course for his sake, would yet "
## [4486] "conduct Artesia to the castle of Cecropia, whither she desired to go, "
## [4487] "vowing in himself that neither heart nor mouth love should ever "
## [4488] "any more entangle him, and with that resolution he left the com- "
## [4489] "pany. Whence all being dismissed (among whom the black knight "
## [4490] "went away repining at his luck that had kept him firom winning "
## [4491] "the honour, as he knew he should have done to the picture of "
## [4492] "Pamela) the ill-apparelled knight (who was only desired to stay, "
## [4493] "because Basilius meant to show him to Zelmane) puU'd oflf his "
## [4494] "helmet, and then was known himself to be Zelmane, who that "
## [4495] "morning, as she told, while the others were busy, had stolen out d "
## [4496] "the prince's stable, which was a mile off from the lodge, had gottei "
## [4497] "a horse, they knowing it was Basilius's pleasure she should be "
## [4498] "obeyed, and borrowing that homely armour for want qf a better, "
## [4499] "had come upon the spur to redeem Philoclea's picture, which, she "
## [4500] "said, she could not bear, being one of that little wilderness company, "
## [4501] "should be in captivity, if the cunning she had learned in her country "
## [4502] "of the noble Amazons, could withstand it ; and under that pretext "
## [4503] "fain she would have given a secret passport to her affection. But "
## [4504] "this act painted at one instant redness in Philoclea's face, and pale- "
## [4505] ""
## [4506] ""
## [4507] ""
## [4508] "BOOK T.] ARCADIA 87 "
## [4509] ""
## [4510] "ness in Gynecia's, but brought forth no other countenances but of "
## [4511] "admiration, no speeches but of commendations : all those few, "
## [4512] "besides love, thinking they honoured themselves in honouring so "
## [4513] "accomplished a person as Zelmane, whom daily they fought with "
## [4514] "some or other sports to delight ; for which purpose Basilius had, "
## [4515] "in a house not far off, servants, who though they came not uncalled, "
## [4516] "yet at call were ready. "
## [4517] ""
## [4518] "And so many days were spent, and many ways used, while "
## [4519] "Zelmane was like one that stood in a tree waiting a good occasion "
## [4520] "to shoot, and Gynecia a blancher, which kept the dearest deei "
## [4521] "from her. But the day being come, on which according to an "
## [4522] "appointed course, the shepherds were to assemble and make their "
## [4523] "pastoral sports before Basilius, Zelmane, fearing lest many eyes, "
## [4524] "and coming divers ways, might hap to espy Musidorus, went out "
## [4525] "to warn him thereof. "
## [4526] ""
## [4527] "But before she could come to the arbour, she saw walking from "
## [4528] "her-ward, a man in shepherdish apparel, who being in the sight "
## [4529] "of the lodge, it might seem he was allowed there. A long cloak "
## [4530] "he had on, but that cast under his right arm, wherein he held a sheep "
## [4531] "hook so finely wrought, that it gave a bravery to poverty, and his "
## [4532] "raiments though they were mean, yet received they handsomeness "
## [4533] "by the grace of the wearer, though he himself went but a kind of "
## [4534] "languishing pace, with his eyes sometimes cast up to heaven as "
## [4535] "though his fancies strove to mount higher ; sometimes thrown "
## [4536] "down to the ground, as if the earth could not bear the burden of "
## [4537] "his sorrows ; at length, with a lamentable tune, he sung those "
## [4538] "few verses. "
## [4539] ""
## [4540] "Come shepherd's weeds, become your master's mind ; "
## [4541] ""
## [4542] "Yield outward show, what inward change he tries : "
## [4543] "Nor be abash'd, since such a guest you find. "
## [4544] ""
## [4545] "Whose strongest hope in your weak comfort lies. "
## [4546] ""
## [4547] "Come shepherd's weeds, attend my woeful cries ; "
## [4548] "Disuse yourselves from sweet Menalca's voice : "
## [4549] "For other be those tunes which sorrow ties, "
## [4550] "From those clear notes which freely may rejoice. "
## [4551] "Then pour out plaint, and in one word say this : "
## [4552] "Helpless is plaint, who spoils himself of bliss. "
## [4553] ""
## [4554] "And having ended, he struck himself on the breast, saying, "
## [4555] "\" O miserable wretch, whither do thy destinies guide thee ? \" The "
## [4556] "voice made Zelmane hasten her pace to overtake him, which "
## [4557] "having done, she plainly perceived that it was her dear friend "
## [4558] "Musidorus ; whereat marvelling not a little, she demanded of him "
## [4559] "whether the goddess of those woods had such a power to trans- "
## [4560] ""
## [4561] ""
## [4562] ""
## [4563] "88 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [4564] ""
## [4565] "form every body, or whether, as in all enterprises else he had done, "
## [4566] "he meant thus to match her in this new alteration. \"Alas,\" said "
## [4567] "Musidorus, \" what shall I say, who am loth to say, and yet fain "
## [4568] "would have said ? I find indeed, that all is but lip-wisdom, which "
## [4569] "wants experience. I now, woe is me, do try what love can do. "
## [4570] "O Zelmane, who will resist it must either have no wit, or put out "
## [4571] "his eyes : can any man resist his creation ? certainly by love we "
## [4572] "are made, and to love we are made. Beasts only cannot discern "
## [4573] "beauty, and let them be in the roll of beasts that do not honour it.\" "
## [4574] "The perfect friendship Zelmane bare him, and the great pity she, by "
## [4575] "good trial, had of such cases, could not keep her from smiling at him, "
## [4576] "remembering how vehemently he had cried out against the folly "
## [4577] "of lovers ; and therefore a little to punish him, \" Why how now "
## [4578] "dear cousin,\" said she, \"you that were last day so high in the "
## [4579] "pulpit against lovers, are you now become so mean an auditor? "
## [4580] "remember that love is a passion, and that a worthy man's reason "
## [4581] "must ever have the masterhood.\" \"I recant, I recant,\" cried "
## [4582] "Musidorus, and withal falling down prostrate, \"O thou celestial "
## [4583] "or infernal spirit of love, or what other heavenly or heUish title "
## [4584] "thou lift to have, for effects of both I find in myself, have com- "
## [4585] "passion of me and let thy glory be as great in pardoning them "
## [4586] "that be submitted to thee as in conquering those that were "
## [4587] "rebellious.\"' \"No, no,\" said Zelmane, \"I see you well enough; "
## [4588] "you make but an interlude of my mishaps, and do but counterfeit "
## [4589] "thus to make me see the deformity of my passions ; but take heed, "
## [4590] "that this jest do not one day turn to earnest.\" \" Now I beseech "
## [4591] "thee,\" said Musidorus, taking her fast by the hand, \" even for the "
## [4592] "truth of our friendship, of which, if I be not altogether an unhappy "
## [4593] "man, thou has some remembrance, and by those secret flames "
## [4594] "which I know have likewise nearly touched thee, make no jest of "
## [4595] "that which hath so earnestly pierced me through, nor let that be "
## [4596] "light unto thee, which is to me so burdenous, that I am not able "
## [4597] "to bear it.\" Musidorus, both in words and behaviour, did so lively "
## [4598] "deliver out his inward grief that Zelmane found indeed he was "
## [4599] "throughly wounded : but there rose a new jealousy in her mind, "
## [4600] "lest it might be with Philoclea, by whom, as Zelmane thought, "
## [4601] "in right, all hearts and eyes should be inherited. And therefore "
## [4602] "desirous to be cleared of that doubt, Musidorus shortly, as in "
## [4603] "haste and full of passionate perplexedness, thus recounted his case "
## [4604] "unto her. "
## [4605] ""
## [4606] "\" The day,\" said he, \" I parted from you, I being in mind to "
## [4607] "return to a town from whence I came hither, my horse being before "
## [4608] "tired, would scarce bear me a mile hence, where being benighted, "
## [4609] "the sight of a candle, I saw a good way off, guided me to a young "
## [4610] "shepherd's house, by name Menalcas, who seeing me to be a "
## [4611] ""
## [4612] ""
## [4613] ""
## [4614] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 89 "
## [4615] ""
## [4616] "straying stranger, with the right honest hospitality which seems "
## [4617] "to be harboured in the Arcadian breasts, and, though not with "
## [4618] "curious costUness, yet cleanly sufficiency entertained me ; and "
## [4619] "having by talk with him found the manner of the country some- "
## [4620] "thing more in particular than I had by Kalander's report, I agreed "
## [4621] "to sojourn with him in secret, which he faithfully promised to "
## [4622] "observe. And so hither to your arbour divers times repaired, "
## [4623] "and here by your means had the fight, O that it had never been so, "
## [4624] "nay, O that it might ever be so, of the goddess, who in a definite "
## [4625] "compass can set forth infinite beauty.\" All this while Zelmane "
## [4626] "was racked with jealousy. But he went on, \" For,\" said he, \" I "
## [4627] "lying close, and in truth thinking of you, and saying thus to myself, "
## [4628] "\" O sweet Pyrocles, how art thou bewitched ? where is thy virtue ? "
## [4629] "where is the use of thy reason ? how much am I inferior to thee "
## [4630] "in that state of mind ? and yet know I that all the heavens cannot "
## [4631] "bring me such a thraldom.\" Scarcely, think I, had I spoken this "
## [4632] "word, when the ladies came forth ; at which sight, I think the "
## [4633] "very words returned back again to strike my soul; at least, an "
## [4634] "unmeasurable sting I felt in myself that I had spoken such words. "
## [4635] "\" At which sight,\" said Zelmane, not able to bear him any longer. "
## [4636] "\" O,\" said Musidorus, \" I know your suspicion ; No, no, banish "
## [4637] "all such fear, it was, it is, and must be Pamela.\" \" Then all is safe,\" "
## [4638] "said Zelmane, \"proceed dear Musidorus.\" \"I will not,\" said he, "
## [4639] "\" impute it to my late solitary life, which yet is prone to affections, "
## [4640] "nor to the much thinking of you (though that called the considera- "
## [4641] "tion of love into my mind, which before I ever neglected) not to "
## [4642] "the exaltation of Venus, nor revenge of Cupid, but even to her, "
## [4643] "who is the planet, nay, the goddess, against which the only shield "
## [4644] "must be my sepulchre. When I first saw her I was presently "
## [4645] "stricken, and I (like a foolish child, that when anything hits him, "
## [4646] "will strike himself again upon it) would needs look again, as though "
## [4647] "I would persuade mine eyes, that they were deceived. But alas, "
## [4648] "well have I found, that love to a yielding heart is a king ; but to "
## [4649] "a resisting, is a tyrant. The more with arguments I shaked the "
## [4650] "stake, which he had planted in the ground of my heart, the deeper "
## [4651] "still it sank into it. But what mean I to speak of the causes of "
## [4652] "my love, which is as impossible to describe, as to measure the "
## [4653] "back-side of heaven ? let this word suffice, I love. "
## [4654] ""
## [4655] "\" And that you may know I do so, it was I that came in black "
## [4656] "armour to defend her picture, where I was both prevented and "
## [4657] "beaten by you. And so, I that waited here to do you service, have "
## [4658] "now myself most need of succour.\" \"But whereupon got you "
## [4659] "yourself this apparel ? \" said Zelmane. \" I had forgotten to "
## [4660] "tell you,\" said Musidorus, \"though that were one principal "
## [4661] "matter of my speech ; so much am I now master of my own "
## [4662] ""
## [4663] ""
## [4664] ""
## [4665] "90 ARCADIA [book i, "
## [4666] ""
## [4667] "mind. But thus it happened: being returned to Menalca's "
## [4668] "house, full of tormenting desire, after a while fainting under the "
## [4669] "weight, my courage stirred up my wit to seek for some relief before "
## [4670] "I yielded to perish. At last this came into my head, that every "
## [4671] "evening, that I had to no purpose last used my horse and armour. "
## [4672] "I told Menalcas, that I was a Thessalian gentleman, who by mis- "
## [4673] "chance having killed a great favourite of the prince of that country, "
## [4674] "was pursued so cruelly, that in no place but either by favour or "
## [4675] "corruption, they would obtain my destruction, and that therefore "
## [4676] "I was determined, till the fury of my persecutors might be assuaged, "
## [4677] "to disguise myself among the shepherds of Arcadia, and, if it were "
## [4678] "possible, to be one of them that were allowed the prince's "
## [4679] "presence, because if the worst should fall that I were discovered, "
## [4680] "yet having gotten the acquaintance of the prince, it might happen "
## [4681] "to move his heart to protect me. Menalcas, being of an honest "
## [4682] "disposition, pitied my case, which my face, thro' my inward "
## [4683] "torment, made credible ; and so, I giving him largely for it, let me "
## [4684] "have this raiment, instructing me in all particularities, touching "
## [4685] "himself, or myself, which I desired to know ; yet not trusting so "
## [4686] "much to his constancy as that I would lay ray life, and life "
## [4687] "of my life upon it, I hired him to go into Thessalia to a friend "
## [4688] "of mine, and to deliver him a letter from me ; conjuring him to "
## [4689] "bring me as speedy an answer as he could, because it imported me "
## [4690] "greatly to know whether certain of my friends did yet possess any "
## [4691] "favour, whose intercessions I might use for my restitution. He "
## [4692] "willingly took my letter, which being well sealed, indeed contained "
## [4693] "other matter. For I wrote to my trusty servant Calodoulus, whom "
## [4694] "you know as soon as he had delivered the letter, he should keep "
## [4695] "him prisoner in his house, not suffering him to have conference "
## [4696] "with any body, till he knew my further pleasure, in all other "
## [4697] "respects that he should use him as my brother. And is Menalcas "
## [4698] "gone, and I here a poor shepherd; more proud of this estate "
## [4699] "than of any kingdom, so manifest it is, that the highest point out- "
## [4700] "ward things can bring one unto, is the contentment of the mind, "
## [4701] "with which no estate ; without which, all estates be miserable. "
## [4702] "Now have I chosen this day, because, as Menalcas told me, the "
## [4703] "other shepherds are called to make their sports, and hope that you "
## [4704] "will with your credit find means to get me allowed among them.\" "
## [4705] "\"You need not doubt,\" answered Zelmane, \"but that I will be "
## [4706] "your good mistress : marry, the best way of dealing must be by "
## [4707] "Dametas, who since his blunt brain hath perceived some favour "
## [4708] "the prince doth bear unto me (as without doubt the most servile "
## [4709] "flattery is lodged most easily in the grossest capacity, for their "
## [4710] "ordinary conceit draweth a yielding to their greater, and then have "
## [4711] "they not wit to discern the right degrees of duty) is much more "
## [4712] ""
## [4713] ""
## [4714] ""
## [4715] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 91 "
## [4716] ""
## [4717] "serviceable unto me, than I can find any cause to wish him. And "
## [4718] "therefore despair not to win him, for every present occasion "
## [4719] "will catch his senses, and his senses are masters of his silly mind ; "
## [4720] "only reverence him, and reward him, and with that bridle and "
## [4721] "saddle you shall well ride him.\" \"O heaven and earth,\" said "
## [4722] "Musidorus, \"to what a pass are our minds brought that from "
## [4723] "the right line of virtue are wried to these crooked shifts ? but O "
## [4724] "love, it is thou that doest it ; thou changest name upon name ; "
## [4725] "thou disguisest our bodies, and disfigurest our minds. But indeed "
## [4726] "thou hast reason ; for though the ways be foul, the journey's end "
## [4727] "is most fair and honourable.\" "
## [4728] ""
## [4729] "\" No more sweet Musidorus,\" said Zelmane, \" of these philos- "
## [4730] "ophies ; for here comes the very person of Dametas.\" And so he "
## [4731] "did indeed, with a sword by his side, a forest-bill on his neck, and "
## [4732] "a chopplng-knlfe under his girdle : in which well provided sort, he "
## [4733] "had ever gone since the fear Zelmane had put him in. But he no "
## [4734] "sooner saw her, but with head and arms he laid his reverence "
## [4735] "afore her, enough to have made any man forswear all courtesy. "
## [4736] "And then in Basilius's name he did invite her to walk down to the "
## [4737] "place where that day they were to have the pastorals. "
## [4738] ""
## [4739] "But when he espied Musidorus to be none of the shepherds "
## [4740] "allowed in that place he would fain have persuaded himself to utter "
## [4741] "some anger, but that he durst not ; yet muttering and champing, "
## [4742] "as though his cud troubled him, he gave occasion to Musidorus to "
## [4743] "come near him, and feign his tale of his own life : that he was a "
## [4744] "younger brother of the shepherd Menalcas, by name Dorus, sent "
## [4745] "by his father in his tender age to Athens, there to learn some cun- "
## [4746] "ning more than ordinary, that he might be the better liked of the "
## [4747] "prince ; and that after his father's death, his brother Menalcas "
## [4748] "lately gone thither to fetch him home, was also deceased, where, "
## [4749] "upon his death, he had charged him to seek the service of "
## [4750] "Dametas, and to be wholly and ever guided by him, as one in "
## [4751] "whose judgment and integrity the prince had singular confidence. "
## [4752] "For token whereof, he gave to Dametas a good sum of gold in "
## [4753] "ready coin : which Menalcas had bequeathed unto him, upon con- "
## [4754] "dition he should receive this poor Dorus into his service, that his "
## [4755] "mind and manners might grow the better by his daily example. "
## [4756] "Dametas, that of all manners of style could best conceive of golden "
## [4757] "eloquence, being withal tickled by Musidorus's praises, had his "
## [4758] "brain so turned, that he became slave to that which he that sued to "
## [4759] "be his servant offered to give him, yet, for countenance sake, he "
## [4760] "seemed very squeamish, in respect of the charge he had of the "
## [4761] "princess Pamela. But such was the secret operation of the gold, "
## [4762] "helped with the persuasion of the Amazon, Zelmane (who said it "
## [4763] "was pity so handsome a young man should be anywhere else than "
## [4764] ""
## [4765] ""
## [4766] ""
## [4767] "92 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [4768] ""
## [4769] "with so good a master) that in the end he agreed (if that day he "
## [4770] "behaved himself so to the liking of Basilius, as he might be con- "
## [4771] "tented) that then he would receive him into his service. "
## [4772] ""
## [4773] "And thus went they to the lodge, where they found Gynecia and "
## [4774] "her daughters ready to go to the field, to delight themselves there "
## [4775] "a while until the shepherds coming : whither also taking Zelmane "
## [4776] "with them, as they went, Dametas told them of Dorus, and desired "
## [4777] "he might be accepted there that day instead of his brother "
## [4778] "Menalcas. As for Basilius, he stayed behind to bring the "
## [4779] "shepherds, with whom he meant to confer, to breed the better "
## [4780] "Zelmane's liking, which he only regarded, while the other beautiful "
## [4781] "band came to the fair field appointed for the shepherdish pastimes. "
## [4782] "It was indeed a place of delight ; for through the midst of it there "
## [4783] "ran a sweet brook which did both hold the eye open with her "
## [4784] "azure streams, and yet seek to close the eye with the purling noise "
## [4785] "it made upon the pebble stones it ran over : the field itself being "
## [4786] "set in some places with roses, and in all the rest constantly "
## [4787] "preserving a flourishing green : the roses, added such a ruddy "
## [4788] "show unto it, as though the field were bashful at his own beauty ; "
## [4789] "about it, as if it had been to enclose a theatre, grew such sort of "
## [4790] "trees as either excellency of fruit, stateliness of growth, continual "
## [4791] "greenness, or poetical fancies, have made at any time famous. In "
## [4792] "most part of which there had been framed by art such pleasant "
## [4793] "arbours, that, one answering another, they became a galleiy aloft "
## [4794] "from tree to tree almost round about, which below gave a perfect "
## [4795] "shadow ; a pleasant refuge then from the choleric look of Phoebus. "
## [4796] ""
## [4797] "In this place while Gynecia walked hard by them, carrying many "
## [4798] "unquiet contentions about her, the ladies sat them down, enquiring "
## [4799] "divers questions of the shepherd Dorus ; who keeping his eye still "
## [4800] "upon Pamela, answered with such a trembling voice, and abashed "
## [4801] "countenance, and oftentimes so far from the matter, that it was "
## [4802] "some sport to the young ladies, thinking it want of education which "
## [4803] "made him so discountenanced with unwonted presence. But "
## [4804] "Zelmane that saw in him the glass of her own misery, taking the "
## [4805] "hand of Philodea, and with burning kisses setting it close to her "
## [4806] "lips (as if it should stand there like a hand in the margin of a book, "
## [4807] "to note some saying worthy to be marked) began to speak those "
## [4808] "words : \" O love, since thou art so changeable in men's estates, "
## [4809] "how art thou so constant in their torments?\" when suddenly there "
## [4810] "came out of a wood a monstrous lion, with a she-bear not far from "
## [4811] "him, of a little less fierceness, which, as they guessed, having been "
## [4812] "hunted in forests far off, were by chance come thither, where "
## [4813] "before such beast had never been seen. Then care, not fear, or "
## [4814] "fear, not for themselves, altered something the countenances of the "
## [4815] "two lovers ; but so, as any man might perceive, was rather an "
## [4816] ""
## [4817] ""
## [4818] ""
## [4819] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 93 "
## [4820] ""
## [4821] "assembling of powers, than dismayedness of courage. Philoclea "
## [4822] "no sooner espied the lion, but, that obeying the commandment of "
## [4823] "fear, she leaped up, and ran to the lodge ward, as fast as her "
## [4824] "delicate legs could carry her, while Dorus drew Pamela behind a "
## [4825] "tree, where she stood quaking like a partridge on which the hawk "
## [4826] "is even ready to seize. But the lion, seeing Philoclea run away, "
## [4827] "bent his race to her-ward, and was ready to seize himself on the "
## [4828] "prey when Zelmane (to whom danger then was a cause of dread- "
## [4829] "lessness, all the composition of her elements being nothing but "
## [4830] "fiery) with swiftness of desire crossed him, and with force of "
## [4831] "affection struck him such a blow upon his chine, that she opened "
## [4832] "all his body : wherewith the valiant beast turning her with open "
## [4833] "jaws, she gave him such a thrust through his breast, that all the "
## [4834] "lion could do, was with his paw to tear off the mantle and sleeve of "
## [4835] "Zelmane with a little scratch, rather than a wound, his death-blow "
## [4836] "having taken away the effect of his force : but therewithal he fell "
## [4837] "down, and gave Zelmane leisure to take off his head, to carry it for "
## [4838] "a present to her lady Philoclea, who all this while, not knowing "
## [4839] "what was done behind her, kept on her course like Arethusa when "
## [4840] "she ran from Alpheus ; her light apparel being carried up with the "
## [4841] "wind, that much of those beauties she would at another time have "
## [4842] "willingly hidden, was presented to the sight of the twice wounded "
## [4843] "Zelmane. Which made Zelmane not follow her over-hastily, lest "
## [4844] "she should too soon deprive herself of that pleasure, but carrying "
## [4845] "the lion's head in her hand, did not fully overtake her till they "
## [4846] "came to the presence of Basilius. Neither were they long there, "
## [4847] "but that Gynecia came thither also, who had been in such a trance "
## [4848] "of musing that Zelmane was fighting with the lion, before she knew "
## [4849] "of any lion's coming : but then affection resisting, and the soon "
## [4850] "ending of the fight preventing all extremity of fear she marked "
## [4851] "Zelmane's fighting : and when the lion's head was off, as Zelmane "
## [4852] "ran after Philoclea, so she could not find in her heart but run after "
## [4853] "Zelmane : so that it was a new fight fortune had prepared to those "
## [4854] "woods, to see those great personages thus run one after the other, "
## [4855] "each carried forward with an inward violence ; Philoclea with such "
## [4856] "fear that she thought she was still in the lion's mouth ; Zelmane "
## [4857] "with an eager and impatient delight ; Gynecia with wings of love, "
## [4858] "flying she neither knew nor cared to know whither. But now "
## [4859] "being all come before Basilius, amazed with this sight, and fear "
## [4860] "having such possession in the fair Philoclea that her blood durst "
## [4861] "not yet come to her face to take away the name of paleness from "
## [4862] "her most pure whiteness, Zelmane kneeled down and presented the "
## [4863] "lion's head unto her: \"Only lady,\" said she, \"here see you the "
## [4864] "punishment of that unnatural beast, which contrary to his own "
## [4865] "kind would have wronged prince's blood, guided with such traiterous "
## [4866] ""
## [4867] ""
## [4868] ""
## [4869] "94 ARCADIA [book t. "
## [4870] ""
## [4871] "eyes, as durst rebel against your beauty.\" \" Happy am I, and my "
## [4872] "beauty both (answered the sweet Philoclea then blushing, for fear "
## [4873] "had bequeathed his room to his kinsman bashfulness) that you, "
## [4874] "excellent Amazon, were there to teach him good manners.\" \" And "
## [4875] "even thanks to that beauty,\" answered Zelmane, \" which can give "
## [4876] "an edge to the bluntest swords.\" "
## [4877] ""
## [4878] "There Philoclea told her father how it had happened ; but as "
## [4879] "she had turned her eyes in her tale to Zelmane she perceived some "
## [4880] "blood upon Zelmane's shoulder, so that starting with the lovely "
## [4881] "grace and pity she showed it to her father and mother, who, as the "
## [4882] "nurse sometimes with over-much kissing may forget to give the "
## [4883] "babe suck, so had they with too much delighting, in beholding and "
## [4884] "praising Zelmane, left off to mark whether she needed succour. "
## [4885] "But then they ran both unto her, like a father and mother to an "
## [4886] "only child, and, though Zelmane assured them it was nothing, "
## [4887] "would needs see it, Gynecia having skill in chirurgery, an art in "
## [4888] "those days much esteemed because it served to virtuous courage, "
## [4889] "which even ladies would, ever with the contempt of cowards, seem "
## [4890] "to cherish. But looking upon it (which gave more inward bleed- "
## [4891] "ing wounds to Zelmane, for she might sometimes feel Philoclea's "
## [4892] "touch while she helped her mother) she found it was indeed of no "
## [4893] "importance ; yet applied she a precious balm unto it of power to "
## [4894] "heal a greater grief. "
## [4895] ""
## [4896] "But even then, and not before, they remembered Pamela, and "
## [4897] "therefore Zelmane, thinking of her friend Dorus, was running back "
## [4898] "to be satisfied, when they might all see Pamela coming between "
## [4899] "Dorus and Dametas, having in her hand the paw of a bear, which "
## [4900] "the shepherd Dorus had newly presented unto her, desiring her to "
## [4901] "accept it, as of such a beast, which though she deserved death for "
## [4902] "her presumption, yet was her wit to be esteemed, since she could "
## [4903] "make so sweet a choice. Dametas for his part came piping and "
## [4904] "dancing, the merriest man in a parish : but when he came so near "
## [4905] "as he might be heard of Basilius, he would needs break through "
## [4906] "his ears with this joyful song of their good success. "
## [4907] ""
## [4908] "Now thanked he the great god Pan, "
## [4909] ""
## [4910] "Which thus preserves my loved life : "
## [4911] "Thanked be I that keep a man, "
## [4912] ""
## [4913] "Who ended hath this bloody strife : "
## [4914] "For if my Man must praises have, "
## [4915] ""
## [4916] "What then must I, that keep the knave? "
## [4917] ""
## [4918] "For as the Moon the eye doth please, "
## [4919] "With gentle beams not hurting sight : "
## [4920] ""
## [4921] "Yet hath sir Sun the greatest praise, "
## [4922] "Because from him doth come her light ; "
## [4923] ""
## [4924] "So if my man must praises have, "
## [4925] "What then must I, that keep the knave ? "
## [4926] ""
## [4927] ""
## [4928] ""
## [4929] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 95 "
## [4930] ""
## [4931] "Being all now come together, and all desirous to know each "
## [4932] ""
## [4933] "other's adventures, Pamela's noble heart would needs gratefully "
## [4934] ""
## [4935] "make known the valiant means of her safety, which, directing her "
## [4936] ""
## [4937] "speech to her mother, she did in this manner : \" As soon,\" said "
## [4938] ""
## [4939] "she, \"as ye were all run away, and that I hoped to be in safety, "
## [4940] ""
## [4941] "there came out of the same woods a horrible foul bear, which "
## [4942] ""
## [4943] "(fearing belike to deal while the lion was present as soon as he "
## [4944] ""
## [4945] "was gone) came furiously towards the place where I was, and this "
## [4946] ""
## [4947] "young shepherd left alone by me, I truly (not guilty of any wisdom, "
## [4948] ""
## [4949] "which since they lay to my charge, because they say it is the best "
## [4950] ""
## [4951] "refuge against that beast, but even pure fear bringing forth that "
## [4952] ""
## [4953] "effect of wisdom) fell down flat on my face, needing not counterfeit "
## [4954] ""
## [4955] "being dead, for indeed I was little better. But this young shepherd "
## [4956] ""
## [4957] "with a wonderful courage, having no other weapon but that knife "
## [4958] ""
## [4959] "you see, standing before the place where I lay, so behaved himself "
## [4960] ""
## [4961] "that the first sight I had, when I thought myself already near "
## [4962] ""
## [4963] "Charon's ferry, was the shepherd showing me his bloody knife in "
## [4964] ""
## [4965] "token of victory.\" \" I pray you (said Zelmane speaking to Dorus, "
## [4966] ""
## [4967] "whose valour she was careful to have manifested) in what sort, so "
## [4968] ""
## [4969] "ill weaponed, could you achieve this enterprise?\" \"Noble lady,\" "
## [4970] ""
## [4971] "said Dorus, \" the manner of those beasts fighting with any man, "
## [4972] ""
## [4973] "is to stand up upon their hinder feet, and so this did, and being "
## [4974] ""
## [4975] "ready to give me a shrewd embracement, I think the god Pan, "
## [4976] ""
## [4977] "ever careful of the chief blessing of Arcadia, guided my hand so "
## [4978] ""
## [4979] "just to the heart of the beast that neither she could once touch me "
## [4980] ""
## [4981] "nor (which is the only matter in this worthy remembrance) breed "
## [4982] ""
## [4983] "any danger to the princess. For my part, I am rather, with all "
## [4984] ""
## [4985] "subjected humbleness, to thank her excellencies, since the duty "
## [4986] ""
## [4987] "thereunto gave me heart to save myself than to receive thanks for "
## [4988] ""
## [4989] "a deed which was her only aspiring.\" And this Dorus spoke, "
## [4990] ""
## [4991] "keeping affection as much as he could back from coming into his "
## [4992] ""
## [4993] "eyes and gestures. But Zelmane, that had the same character in "
## [4994] ""
## [4995] "her heart, could easily decipher it, and therefore to keep him the "
## [4996] ""
## [4997] "longer in speech, desired to understand the conclusion of the "
## [4998] ""
## [4999] "matter, and how the honest Dametas was escaped. \" Nay,\" said "
## [5000] ""
## [5001] "Pamela, \" none shall take that office from myself, being so much "
## [5002] ""
## [5003] "bound to him as I am for my education.\" And with that word, "
## [5004] ""
## [5005] "scorn borrowing the countenance of mirth, somewhat she smiled, "
## [5006] ""
## [5007] "and thus spoke on : \" When,\" said she, \" Dorus made me assuredly "
## [5008] ""
## [5009] "perceive that all cause of fear was passed, the truth is, I was "
## [5010] ""
## [5011] "ashamed to find myself alone with this shepherd, and therefore "
## [5012] ""
## [5013] "looking about me, if I could see anybody, at length we both "
## [5014] ""
## [5015] "perceived the gentle Dametas, lying, with his head and breast as "
## [5016] ""
## [5017] "far as he could thrust hitnself into a bush, drawing up his legs as "
## [5018] ""
## [5019] "close unto him as he could : for, like a man of a very kind nature, "
## [5020] ""
## [5021] ""
## [5022] ""
## [5023] "g6 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [5024] ""
## [5025] "soon to take pity on himself, he was fully resolved not to see his "
## [5026] "own death. And when this shepherd pushed him, bidding him to "
## [5027] "be of good cheer, it was a great while e'er we could persuade him "
## [5028] "that Dorus was not the bear, so that he was fain to pull him out "
## [5029] "by the heels, and show him the beast as dead as he could wish it : "
## [5030] "which, you may believe me, was a very joyful sight unto him. But "
## [5031] "then he forgot all courtesy, for he fell upon the beast, giving it "
## [5032] "many a manful wound, swearing by much, it was not well such "
## [5033] "beasts should be sufifered in a commonwealth. And then my "
## [5034] "governor, as full of joy, as before of fear, came dancing and singing "
## [5035] "before, as even now you saw him.\" \" Well, well,\" said BasiUus, \" I "
## [5036] "have not chosen Dametas for his fighting, nor for his discoursing "
## [5037] "but for his plainness and honesty, and therein I know he will not "
## [5038] "deceive me,\" But then he told Pamela (not so much because she "
## [5039] "should know it, as because he would tell it) the wonderful act "
## [5040] "Zelmane had performed, which Gynecia likewise spoke of, both in "
## [5041] "such extremity of praising, as was easy to be seen, the construction "
## [5042] "of their speech might best be made by the grammar rules of "
## [5043] "affection. Basilius told with what a gallant grace she ran with the "
## [5044] "lion's head in her hand, like another Pallas with the spoils of "
## [5045] "Gorgon. Gynecia swore she saw the very face of the young "
## [5046] "Hercules killing the Nemean lion ; and all with a grateful assent "
## [5047] "confirmed the same praises ; only poor Dorus (though of equal "
## [5048] "desert, yet not proceeding of equal estate) should have been less "
## [5049] "forgotten, had not Zelmane again with great admiration begun to "
## [5050] "speak of him ; asking whether it were the fashion or no in Arcadia "
## [5051] "that shepherds should perform such valorous enterprises. "
## [5052] ""
## [5053] "This Basilius, having the quick sense of a lover, took, as though "
## [5054] "his mistress had given him a secret reprehension, that he had not "
## [5055] "showed more gratefulness to Dorus ; and therefore as niriibly as "
## [5056] "he could, enquired of his estate, adding promise of great rewards, "
## [5057] "among the rest, offering to him, if he would exercise his courage "
## [5058] "in soldiery, he would commit some charge unto him under his "
## [5059] "heutenant Philanax. But Dorus, whose ambition climbed by "
## [5060] "another stair, having first answered touching his estate that he was "
## [5061] "brother to the shepherd Menalcas, who among other was wont to "
## [5062] "resort to the prince's presence, and excused his going to soldiery "
## [5063] "by the unaptness he found in himself that way, he told Basilius "
## [5064] "that his brother in his last testament had willed him to serve "
## [5065] "Dametas, and therefore, for due obedience thereunto, he would "
## [5066] "think his service greatly rewarded if he might obtain by' that "
## [5067] "means to live in the sight of the prince and yet practice his own "
## [5068] "chosen vocation. Basilius, liking well his goodly shape and "
## [5069] "handsome manner, charged Dametas to receive him like a son into "
## [5070] "his house, saying, that his valour, and Dametas's truth would be "
## [5071] ""
## [5072] ""
## [5073] ""
## [5074] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 97 "
## [5075] ""
## [5076] "good bulwarks against such mischiefs, as, he sticked not to say, "
## [5077] "were threatened to his daughter Pamela. "
## [5078] ""
## [5079] "Dametas, no whit out of countenance with all that had been "
## [5080] "said, because he had no worse to fall into than his own, accepted "
## [5081] "Dorus ; and withal telling Basilius that some of the shepherds "
## [5082] "were come, demanded in what place he would see their sports, "
## [5083] "who first was curious to know whether it were not more requisite "
## [5084] "for Zelmane's hurt to rest than sit up at those pastimes ; and she, "
## [5085] "that felt no wound but one, earnestly desired to have the pastorals. "
## [5086] "Basilius commanded it should be at the gate of the lodge, where "
## [5087] "the throne of the prince being, according to the ancient manner, "
## [5088] "he made Zelmane sit between him and his wife therein, who "
## [5089] "thought herself between drowning and burning, and the two young "
## [5090] "ladies of either side the throne, and so prepared their eyes and "
## [5091] "ears to be delighted by the shepherds. "
## [5092] ""
## [5093] "But, before all of them were assembled to begin their sports, "
## [5094] "there came a fellow who being out of breath, or seeming so to be "
## [5095] "for haste, with humble hastiness told Basilius, that his mistress, "
## [5096] "the lady Cecropia, had sent him to excuse the mischance of her "
## [5097] "beast ranging in that dangerous sort, being happened by the folly "
## [5098] "of the keeper, who thinking himself able to rule them, had carried "
## [5099] "them abroad, and so was deceived : whom yet, if Basilius would "
## [5100] "punish for it, she was ready to deliver. Basilius made no other "
## [5101] "answer, but that his mistress, if she had any more such beasts, "
## [5102] "should cause them to be killed : and then he told his wife and "
## [5103] "Zelmane of it, because they should not fear those woods, as though "
## [5104] "they harboured such beasts where the like had never been seen. "
## [5105] "But Gynecia took a further conceit of it, mistrusting greatly "
## [5106] "Cecropia, because she had heard much of the devilish wickedness "
## [5107] "of her heart, and that particularly she did her best to bring up her "
## [5108] "son Amphialus, being brother's son to Basilius, to aspire to the "
## [5109] "crown as next heir male after Basilius, and therefore saw no "
## [5110] "reason but that she might conjecture, it proceeded rather of some "
## [5111] "mischievous practice, than of misfortune. Yet did she only utter "
## [5112] "her doubt to her daughters, thinking, since the worst was past, "
## [5113] "she would attend a further occasion, lest overmuch haste might "
## [5114] "seem to proceed of the ordinary mislike between sisters-in-law "
## [5115] "only they marvelled that Basilius looked no farther into it, who, "
## [5116] "good man, thought so much of his late conceived commonwealth] "
## [5117] "that all other matters were but digressions unto him. But the "
## [5118] "shepherds were ready, and with well handling themselves, called "
## [5119] "their senses to attend their pastimes. "
## [5120] ""
## [5121] "Basilius, because Zelmane so would have it, used the artificial day "
## [5122] "of torches, to lighten the sports their invention could minister : "
## [5123] "and because many of the shepherds were but newly come, he did "
## [5124] ""
## [5125] "G "
## [5126] ""
## [5127] ""
## [5128] ""
## [5129] "98 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [5130] ""
## [5131] "in a gentle manner chastise their negligence, with making them, "
## [5132] "for that night the torch bearers ; and the others he willed with "
## [5133] "all freedom of speech and behaviour to keep their accustomed "
## [5134] "method, which while they prepared to do, Dametas, who much "
## [5135] "disdained, since his late authority, all his old companions, brought "
## [5136] "his servant Dorus in good acquaintance and allowance of them, "
## [5137] "and himself stood like a director over them, with nodding, gaping, "
## [5138] "winking, or stamping, showing how he did like or mishke those "
## [5139] "things he did not understand. The first sports the shepherds "
## [5140] "showed were full of such leaps and gambols as being according to "
## [5141] "the pipe which they bore in their mouths, even as they danced, "
## [5142] "made a right picture of their chief god Pan, and his companions the "
## [5143] "Satyrs. Then would they cast away their pipes, and holding hand "
## [5144] "in hand dance as it were in a brawl, by the only cadence of their "
## [5145] "voices, which they would use in singing some short couplets, "
## [5146] "whereto the one half beginning, the other half should answer as "
## [5147] "the one half, saying : "
## [5148] ""
## [5149] "We love, and have our loves rewarded. "
## [5150] "The other would answer. "
## [5151] ""
## [5152] "We love, and are no whit regarded. "
## [5153] "The first again. "
## [5154] ""
## [5155] "We find most sweet affection's snare. "
## [5156] "With like tune it should be as in a choir sent back again, "
## [5157] ""
## [5158] "That sweet, but sour, despairful care. "
## [5159] "A third time likewise thus : "
## [5160] ""
## [5161] "Who can despair, whom hope doth bear? "
## [5162] "The answer, "
## [5163] ""
## [5164] "And who can hope that feels despair ? "
## [5165] ""
## [5166] "Then joining all their voices, and dancing a faster measure, they "
## [5167] "would conclude with some such words : "
## [5168] ""
## [5169] "As without breath no pipe doth move, "
## [5170] "No music kindly without love. "
## [5171] ""
## [5172] "Having thus varied both their song and dances into divers sorts "
## [5173] "of inventions, their last sport was, one of them to provoke another "
## [5174] "to a more large expressing of his passions : which Thyrsis "
## [5175] "(accounted one of the best singers amongst them) having marked "
## [5176] "in Dorus's dancing, no less good grace and handsome behaviour "
## [5177] "than extreme tokens of a troubled mind, began first with his pipe, "
## [5178] "and then with his voice, thus to challenge Dorus, and was by him "
## [5179] "answered in the under-written sort. "
## [5180] ""
## [5181] ""
## [5182] ""
## [5183] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 99 "
## [5184] ""
## [5185] "ECLOGUE "
## [5186] ""
## [5187] "THYRSIS AND DORUS "
## [5188] ""
## [5189] ""
## [5190] ""
## [5191] "Thyr. Come Dorus, come, let songs thy sorrows signify, "
## [5192] ""
## [5193] "And if for want of use thy mind ashamed is, "
## [5194] "That very shame with love's high title dignify. "
## [5195] ""
## [5196] "No style is held for base where love well named is ; "
## [5197] "Each ear sucks up the words a true-love scattereth, "
## [5198] "And plain speech oft, than quaint phrase better framed is. "
## [5199] "Dor. Nightingales seldom sing, the pye still chattereth, "
## [5200] ""
## [5201] "The wood cries most, before it thoroughly kindled be, "
## [5202] "Deadly wounds inward bleed, each slight sore mattereth. "
## [5203] ""
## [5204] "Hardly they heard, which by good hunters singled be : "
## [5205] "Shallow brooks murmur most, deep, silent slide away. "
## [5206] "Nor true-love, his love with others mingled be. "
## [5207] "Thyr. If thou wilt not be seen, thy face go hide away, "
## [5208] ""
## [5209] "Be none of us, or else maintain our fashion : "
## [5210] "Who frowns at others feasts, doth better bide away. "
## [5211] ""
## [5212] "But if thou hast a love, in that love's passion, "
## [5213] "I challenge thee by show of her perfection, "
## [5214] "Which of us two deserveth most compassion. "
## [5215] "Dor. Thy challenge great, but greater my protection : "
## [5216] ""
## [5217] "Sing then, and see (for now thou hast inflamed me) "
## [5218] "Thy health too mean a match for my infection. "
## [5219] ""
## [5220] "No, though the heaven's for high attempts have blamed me, "
## [5221] "Yet high is my attempt. O muse historify "
## [5222] "Her praise, whose praise to learn your skill hath framed me. "
## [5223] "Thyr. Muse hold your peace, but thou my god Pan glorify "
## [5224] ""
## [5225] "My Kala's gifts, who with all good gifts filled is. "
## [5226] "Thy pipe, O Pan, shall help, though I sing sorrily. "
## [5227] ""
## [5228] "A heap of sweets she is, where nothing spilled is ; "
## [5229] "Who though she be no Bee, yet full of honey is : "
## [5230] "A Lilly-field, with plough of Rose which tilled is : "
## [5231] ""
## [5232] "Mild as a lamb, more dainty than a coney is : "
## [5233] "Her eyes my eye-sight is, her conversation "
## [5234] ""
## [5235] "More glad to me than to a miser money is. "
## [5236] "What coy account she makes of estimation ? "
## [5237] ""
## [5238] "How nice to touch? how all her speeches poised be? "
## [5239] ""
## [5240] "A nymph thus turned, but mended in translation. "
## [5241] "Dor. Such Kala is : but ah my fancies raised be "
## [5242] ""
## [5243] "In one, whose name to name were high presumption, "
## [5244] "Since virtue's all, to make her title pleased be. "
## [5245] ""
## [5246] ""
## [5247] ""
## [5248] "100 ARCADIA [BOOK :. "
## [5249] ""
## [5250] "happy gods, which by inward assumption "
## [5251] "Enjoy her soul, in bodies fair possession, "
## [5252] ""
## [5253] "And keep it join'd, fearing- your seats consumption. "
## [5254] ""
## [5255] "How oft with rain of tears skies make confession, "
## [5256] "Their dwellers wrapt with sight of her perfection, "
## [5257] "From heav'nly throne to her heav'n use digression ? "
## [5258] "Of best things then what world shall yield confection "
## [5259] "To liken her? deck yours with your comparison : "
## [5260] "She is herself of best things the collection. "
## [5261] "Thyr. How oft my doleful sire cry'd to me, tarry son, "
## [5262] ""
## [5263] "When first he spied my love? how oft he said to me. "
## [5264] "Thou art no soldier fit for Cupid's garrison? "
## [5265] ""
## [5266] "My son keep this, that my long toil hath laid to me : "
## [5267] "Love well thine own, methinks wool's whiteness passeth all : "
## [5268] ""
## [5269] "1 never found long love such wealth hath paid to me. "
## [5270] "This wind he spent : but when my Kala glasseth all "
## [5271] "My sight in her fair limbs, I then assure myself, "
## [5272] ""
## [5273] "Not rotten sheep, but high crowns she surpasseth all. "
## [5274] ""
## [5275] "Can I be poor, that her gold hair procure myself? "
## [5276] "Want I white wool, whose eyes her white skin garnished ? "
## [5277] "'Till I get her, shall I to keep innure myself? "
## [5278] "Dor. How oft, when reason saw, love of her harnessed "
## [5279] ""
## [5280] "With armour of my heart, he cried, O vanity ! "
## [5281] "To set a pearl in steel so meanly varnished ? "
## [5282] ""
## [5283] "Look to thyself, reach not beyond humanity. "
## [5284] "Her mind, beams, state, far from the weak wings banished ; "
## [5285] "And love with lovers hurt is inhumanity. "
## [5286] ""
## [5287] "Thus reason said : but she came, reason vanished ; "
## [5288] "Her eyes so mastering me, that such objection "
## [5289] ""
## [5290] "Seem'd but to spoil the food of thoughts long famished. "
## [5291] "Her peerless height my mind to high erection "
## [5292] ""
## [5293] "Draws up ; and if hope-failing end life's pleasure, "
## [5294] ""
## [5295] "Of fairer death how can I make election ? "
## [5296] "Thyr. Once my well waiting eyes espy'd my treasure, "
## [5297] ""
## [5298] "With sleeves turn'd up, loose hair, and breasts enlarged, "
## [5299] "Her father's corn, moving her fair limbs, measure. "
## [5300] ""
## [5301] "O cried I, if so mean work be discharged : "
## [5302] "Measure my case how by thy beauties filling, "
## [5303] "With seed of woes my heart brim-full is charg'd. "
## [5304] ""
## [5305] "Thy father bids thee save, and chides for spilling ; "
## [5306] "Save then my soul, spill not my thoughts well heap'd. "
## [5307] ""
## [5308] "No lovely praise was ever got by killing : "
## [5309] "Those bold words she did bear, this fruit I reaped. "
## [5310] ""
## [5311] "That she whose look alone might make me blessed, "
## [5312] ""
## [5313] "Did smile on me, and then away she leaped. "
## [5314] "Dor. Once, O sweet once, I saw with dread oppressed "
## [5315] ""
## [5316] "Her whom I dread, so that with prostrate lying "
## [5317] "Her length, the earth in love's chief clothing dressed, "
## [5318] ""
## [5319] ""
## [5320] ""
## [5321] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA loi "
## [5322] ""
## [5323] "I saw that riches fall, and fell a crying ; "
## [5324] "Let not dead earth enjoy so dear a cover, "
## [5325] "But deck therewith my soul for your sake dying : "
## [5326] ""
## [5327] "Lay all your fear upon your fearful lover ; "
## [5328] "Shine eyes on me that both our lives be guarded ; "
## [5329] ""
## [5330] "So I your sight, you shall yourselves recover. "
## [5331] "I cry'dj and was with open eyes rewarded : "
## [5332] ""
## [5333] "But straight they fled summon'd by cruel honour, "
## [5334] ""
## [5335] "Honour, the cause desert is not regarded. "
## [5336] "Thyr. This maid, thus made for joys, O Pan ! bemoan her, "
## [5337] ""
## [5338] "That without love she spends her years of love : "
## [5339] "So fair a field would well become an owner. "
## [5340] ""
## [5341] "And if enchantment can a hard heart move. "
## [5342] "Teach me what circle may acquaint her sprite. "
## [5343] "Affection's charms in my behalf to prove. "
## [5344] ""
## [5345] "The circle is my, round about her, sight. "
## [5346] "The power I will invoke dwells in her eyes ; "
## [5347] "My charm should be, she haunt me day and night. "
## [5348] "Dor. Far other case, O muse, my sorrow tries. "
## [5349] ""
## [5350] "Bent to such one in whom myself must say. "
## [5351] "Nothing can mend one point that in her lies. "
## [5352] ""
## [5353] "What circle then in so rare force bears sway ? "
## [5354] "Whose sprite all sprites can foil, raise, damn, or save : "
## [5355] "No charm holds her, but well possess she may, "
## [5356] ""
## [5357] "Possess she doth, and makes my soul her slave, "
## [5358] "My eyes the bands, my thoughts the fatal knot. "
## [5359] "No thral like them that inward bondage have. "
## [5360] "Thyr. Kala, at length conclude my ling'ring lot : "
## [5361] ""
## [5362] "Disdain me not, although I be not fair. "
## [5363] "Who is an heir of many hundred sheep. "
## [5364] "Doth beauties keep which never sun can burn. "
## [5365] "Nor storms do turn : fairness serves oft to wealth. "
## [5366] "Yet all my health I place in your good will : "
## [5367] "Which if you will, O dOj bestow on me "
## [5368] "Such as you see ; such still you shall me find. "
## [5369] "Constant and kind, my sheep your food shall breed, "
## [5370] "Their wool your weed, I will you music yield "
## [5371] "In flow'ry field ; and as the day begins "
## [5372] "With twenty gins we will the small birds take. "
## [5373] "And pastimes make, as nature things hath made. "
## [5374] "But when in shade we meet of myrtle boughs. "
## [5375] "Then love allows our pleasures to enrich, "
## [5376] "The thought of which doth pass all worldly pelf. "
## [5377] ""
## [5378] "Dor. Lady yourself whom neither name I dare, "
## [5379] "And titles are but spots to such a worth. "
## [5380] "Here plaints come forth from dungeon of my mind. "
## [5381] "The noblest kind rejects not others' woes. "
## [5382] "I have no shows of wealth : my wealth is you, "
## [5383] ""
## [5384] ""
## [5385] ""
## [5386] "102 ARCADIA [BOOK 1. "
## [5387] ""
## [5388] "My beauties hue your beams, my health your deeds ; "
## [5389] ""
## [5390] "My mind for weeds your virtues livery wears. "
## [5391] ""
## [5392] "My food is tears, ray tunes lamenting yield. "
## [5393] ""
## [5394] "Despair my field, the flowers spirits wars : "
## [5395] ""
## [5396] "My day new cares, my gins my daily sight, "
## [5397] ""
## [5398] "In which do light small birds of thoughts o'erthrown : "
## [5399] ""
## [5400] "My pastimes none : time passeth on my fall : "
## [5401] ""
## [5402] "Nature made all, but me of dolors made, "
## [5403] ""
## [5404] "I find no shade, but where my sun doth burn ; "
## [5405] ""
## [5406] "No place to turn ; without, within it fries : "
## [5407] ""
## [5408] "Nor help by life or death, who living dies. "
## [5409] ""
## [5410] "Thyr. But if my Kala thus my suit denies, "
## [5411] ""
## [5412] "Which so much reason bears : "
## [5413] "Let crows pick out mine eyes, which too much saw. "
## [5414] ""
## [5415] "If she still hate love's law, "
## [5416] "My earthly mould doth melt in wat'ry tears. "
## [5417] ""
## [5418] "Dor. My earthly mould doth melt in wat'ry tears, "
## [5419] ""
## [5420] "And they again resolve "
## [5421] "To air of sighs, sighs to the heart fire turn, "
## [5422] ""
## [5423] "Which doth to ashes burn. "
## [5424] "Thus doth my life within itself dissolve. "
## [5425] ""
## [5426] "Thyr. Thus doth my life within itself dissolve "
## [5427] ""
## [5428] "That I grow like the beast. "
## [5429] "Which bears the bit a weaker force doth guide, "
## [5430] ""
## [5431] "Yet patient must abide. "
## [5432] "Such weight it hath, which once is full possess' d. "
## [5433] ""
## [5434] "Dor. Such weight it hath, which once is full possess' d, "
## [5435] ""
## [5436] "That I become a vision, "
## [5437] "Which hath in others held his only being, "
## [5438] ""
## [5439] "And lives in fancy seeing, "
## [5440] "O wretched state of man in self-division ! "
## [5441] ""
## [5442] "Thyr. O wretched state of man in self-division ! "
## [5443] ""
## [5444] "O well thou say'st ! a feeling declaration ! "
## [5445] "Thy tongue hath made, of Cupid's deep incision. "
## [5446] ""
## [5447] "But now hoarse voice, doth fail this occupation, "
## [5448] "And others long to tell their loves condition : "
## [5449] "Of singing thou hast got the reputation. "
## [5450] ""
## [5451] "Dor. Of singing thou hast got the reputation, "
## [5452] ""
## [5453] "Good Thyrsis mine^ I yield to thy ability ; "
## [5454] "My heart doth seek another estimation. "
## [5455] ""
## [5456] "But ah my muse, I would thou had'st facility "
## [5457] "To work my Goddess so by thy invention, "
## [5458] ""
## [5459] "On me to cast those eyes where shine nobility : "
## [5460] "Seen and unknown ; heard, but without attention. "
## [5461] ""
## [5462] "Dorus did so well in answering Thyrsis that everyone desired "
## [5463] "to hear him sing something alone. Seeing therefore a lute lying "
## [5464] "under the Princess Pamela's feet, glad to have such an errand to "
## [5465] ""
## [5466] ""
## [5467] ""
## [5468] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 103 "
## [5469] ""
## [5470] "approach her, he came, but came with a dismayed grace, all his "
## [5471] "blood stirred betwixt fear and desire, and playing upon it with such "
## [5472] "sweetness, as everybody wondered to see such skill in a shepherd, "
## [5473] "he sung unto it with a sorrowing voice, these elegiac verses : "
## [5474] ""
## [5475] "Dor. Fortune, nature, love, long have contended about me, "
## [5476] "Which should most miseries cast on a worm that I am, "
## [5477] ""
## [5478] "Fortune thus gan say, misery and misfortune is all one. "
## [5479] "And of misfortune, fortune hath only the gift "
## [5480] ""
## [5481] "With strong foes on land, on sea with contrary tempests. "
## [5482] "Still do I cross this wretch, what so he taketh in hand. "
## [5483] ""
## [5484] "Tush, tush, said nature, this is all but a trifle, a man's self "
## [5485] "Gives haps or mishaps, even as he ordereth his heart. "
## [5486] ""
## [5487] "But so his humour I frame, in a mould of choler adusted. "
## [5488] "That the delights of life shall be to him dolorous. "
## [5489] ""
## [5490] "Love smiled, and thus said : want join'd to desire is unhappy : "
## [5491] "But if he nought do desire, what can Heraclitus ail? "
## [5492] ""
## [5493] "None but I work by desire : by desire have I kindled in his soul "
## [5494] "Infernal agonies into a beauty divine : "
## [5495] ""
## [5496] "Wherethou poor nature left'st all thy due glory, to fortune "
## [5497] "Her virtue's sovereign, fortune a vassal of hers. "
## [5498] ""
## [5499] "Nature abash'd went back : fortune blush'd : yet she replied "
## [5500] "thus : "
## [5501] "And even in that love shall I reserve him a spite. "
## [5502] ""
## [5503] "Thus, thus, alas ! woeful by nature, unhappy by fortune, "
## [5504] "But most wretched I am, now love awakes my desire. "
## [5505] ""
## [5506] "Dorus when he had sung this, having had all the while a free "
## [5507] "beholding of the fair Pamela (who could well have spared such "
## [5508] "honour ; and defended the assault he gave unto her face with "
## [5509] "bringing a fair stain of shamefacedness unto it) let fall his arms "
## [5510] "and remained so fastened in his thoughts as if Pamela had grafted "
## [5511] "him there to grow in continual imagination. But Zelmane espying "
## [5512] "it, and fearing he should too much forget himself, she came to "
## [5513] "him, and took out of his hand the lute, and laying fast hold of "
## [5514] "Philoclea's face with her eyes, she sung these sapphics, speaking "
## [5515] "as it were to her own hope : "
## [5516] ""
## [5517] "If mine eyes can speak to do hearty errand. "
## [5518] "Or mine eyes language she do hap to judge of. "
## [5519] "So that eyes message be of her received, "
## [5520] ""
## [5521] "Hope we do live yet. "
## [5522] "But if eyes fail then, when I most do need them. "
## [5523] "Or if eyes language be not unto her known. "
## [5524] "So that eyes message do return rejected, "
## [5525] ""
## [5526] "Hope we do both die. "
## [5527] "Yet dying, and dead, do we sing her honour ; "
## [5528] "So becomes our tombs monuments of our praise ; "
## [5529] ""
## [5530] ""
## [5531] ""
## [5532] "104 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [5533] ""
## [5534] "So becomes our loss the triumph of her gain ; "
## [5535] ""
## [5536] "Hers be the glory. "
## [5537] "If the spheres senseless do yet hold a music, "
## [5538] "If the swan's sweet voice be not heard, but as death. "
## [5539] "If the mute timber when it hath the life lost "
## [5540] ""
## [5541] "Yieldeth a lute's tune. "
## [5542] "Are then human lives privileg'd so meanly, "
## [5543] "As that hateful death can abridge them of power "
## [5544] "With the vow of truth to record to all worlds "
## [5545] ""
## [5546] "That we be her spoils ? "
## [5547] "Thus not endingj ends the due praise of her praise : "
## [5548] "Fleshly vail consumes ; but a soul hath his life. "
## [5549] "Which is held in love ; love it is, that hath join'd "
## [5550] ""
## [5551] "Life to this our soul. "
## [5552] "But if eyes can speak to hearty errand. "
## [5553] "Or mine eyes language she doth hap to judge of, "
## [5554] "So that eyes message be of her received "
## [5555] ""
## [5556] "Hope we do live yet. "
## [5557] "Great was the pleasure of Basilius, and greater would have been "
## [5558] "Gynecia's but that she fouud too well it was intended to her "
## [5559] "daughter. As for Philoclea, she was sweetly ravished withal. "
## [5560] "When Dorus, desiring in a secret manner to speak of their cases, "
## [5561] "as perchance the parties intended might take some light of it, "
## [5562] "making low reverence to Zelmane, began this provoking song in "
## [5563] "Hexameter verse unto her. Whereunto she soon finding whether "
## [5564] "his words were directed, in like tune and verse, answered as "
## [5565] "foUoweth : "
## [5566] ""
## [5567] "DORUS ZELMANE "
## [5568] ""
## [5569] "Dor. Lady reserved by the heavens to do pastor's company "
## [5570] "honour, "
## [5571] "Joining your sweet voice, to the rural muse of a desert, "
## [5572] "Here you fully do find the strange operation of love. "
## [5573] "How to the woods love runs as well as rides to the palace, "
## [5574] "Neither he bears reverence to a prince, nor pity to a beggar. "
## [5575] "But, like a point in midst of a circle, is still of a nearness. "
## [5576] "All to a lesson he draws ; neither hills nor caves can avoid him. "
## [5577] ""
## [5578] "Zel. Worthy shepherd by my song to myself all favour is "
## [5579] "happ'ned, "
## [5580] "That to the sacred muse my annoys somewhat be revealed, "
## [5581] "Sacred muse, who in one contains what nine do in all them. "
## [5582] "But O happy be you, which safe from fiery reflection "
## [5583] "Of Phoebus violence in shade of sweet Cyparissus, "
## [5584] "Or pleasant myrtle, may teach the unfortunate Echo "
## [5585] "In these woods to resound the renowned name of goddess. "
## [5586] "Happy be you that may to the saint, your only Idea, "
## [5587] "(Although simply attir'd) your manly affection utter. "
## [5588] ""
## [5589] ""
## [5590] ""
## [5591] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA I OS "
## [5592] ""
## [5593] "Happy be those mishaps which justly proportion holding-, "
## [5594] "Give right sound to the ears, and enter aright to the judgment : "
## [5595] "But wretched be the souls, which vail'd in a contrary subject, "
## [5596] "How much more we do love, so the less our loves be believed. "
## [5597] "What skill salveth a sore of wrong infirmity judged ? "
## [5598] "What can justice avail to a man that tells not his own case ? "
## [5599] "You though fears do abash, in you still possible hopes be : "
## [5600] "Nature against we do seem to rebel, seem fools in a vain suit. "
## [5601] "But so unheard, condemn'd, kept thence we do seek to abide in. "
## [5602] "Self-lost in wand'ririg, banished that place we do come from. "
## [5603] "What mean is there alas^ we can hope our loss to recover ? "
## [5604] "What place is there left, we may hope our woes to recomfort ? "
## [5605] "Unto the heav'ns? our wings be too short: earth thinks us a "
## [5606] ""
## [5607] "burden. "
## [5608] "Air ? we do still with Sighs increase : to the fire ? we do want "
## [5609] ""
## [5610] "none, "
## [5611] "And yet his outward heat our tears would quench, but an inward "
## [5612] "Fire no liquor can cool : Neptune's realm would not avail us. "
## [5613] "Happy shepherd, with thanks to the Gods, still think to be "
## [5614] ""
## [5615] "thankful. "
## [5616] "That to thy advancement their wisdoms have thee abased. "
## [5617] "Dor. Unto the gods with a thankful heart all thanks I do "
## [5618] "render. "
## [5619] "That to my advancement their wisdoms have me abased. "
## [5620] "But yet, alas ! O but yet alas 1 our haps be but hard haps, "
## [5621] "Which must frame contempt to the fittest purchase of honour. "
## [5622] "Well may a pastor plain, but alas his plaints be not esteem'd : "
## [5623] "Silly shepherd's poor pipe, when his harsh sound testifies anguish, "
## [5624] "Into the fair looking on, pastime, not passion, enters. "
## [5625] "And to the woods or brooks, who do make such dreary recital ? "
## [5626] "What be the pangs they bear, and whence those pangs be "
## [5627] ""
## [5628] "derived, "
## [5629] "Pleas'd to receive that name by rebounding answer of Echo, "
## [5630] "May hope thereby to ease their inward horrible anguish, "
## [5631] "When trees dance to the pipe, and swift streams stay by the "
## [5632] ""
## [5633] "music. "
## [5634] "Or when an Echo begins unmov'd to sing them a love-song ; "
## [5635] "Say then, what vantage do we get by the trade of a pastor ? "
## [5636] "(Since no estates be so base, but love vouchsafeth his arrow, "
## [5637] "Since no refuge doth serve from wounds we do carry about us, "
## [5638] "Since outward pleasures be but halted helps to decayed Souls) "
## [5639] "Save that daily we may discern what fire we do burn in. "
## [5640] "Far more happy be you, whose greatness gets a free access ;, "
## [5641] "Whose fair bodily gifts are fram'd most lovely to each eye. "
## [5642] "Virtue you have, of virtue you have left proof to the whole world. "
## [5643] "And virtue is grateful, with beauty and richness adorn' d. "
## [5644] "Neither doubt you a whit ; time will your passion utter. "
## [5645] "Hardly remains fire hid where skill is bent to the hiding, "
## [5646] ""
## [5647] ""
## [5648] ""
## [5649] "io6 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [5650] ""
## [5651] "But in a ^nind that would his flames should not be repressed, "
## [5652] "Nature worketh enough with a small help for the revealing: : "
## [5653] "Give therefore to the muse great praise, in whose very likeness "
## [5654] "You do approach to the fruit your only desires be to gather. "
## [5655] "Zel. First shall fertile grounds not yield increase of a good "
## [5656] "\"Seed, "
## [5657] "First the rivers shall cease to repay their floods to the ocean : "
## [5658] "First may a trusty greyhound transform himself to a tiger. "
## [5659] "First shall virtue be vice, and beauty be counted a blemish. "
## [5660] "E'er that I leave with song of praise her praise to solemnize, "
## [5661] "Her praise, whence to the world all praise hath his only "
## [5662] ""
## [5663] "beginning : "
## [5664] "But yet well I do flnd each man most wise in his own case. "
## [5665] "None can speak of a wound with skill, if he have not a wound "
## [5666] ""
## [5667] "felt. "
## [5668] "Great to thee my state seems, thy state is bless'd by my judgment : "
## [5669] "And yet neither of us great or blest deemeth his own self. "
## [5670] "For yet (weigh this alas !) great is not great to the greater. "
## [5671] "What judge you doth a hillock show, by the lofty olympus ? "
## [5672] "Such my minute greatness, doth seem compar'd to the greatest. "
## [5673] "When cedars to the ground fall down by the weight of an emmot. "
## [5674] "Or when a rich ruby's price be the worth of a walnut, "
## [5675] "Or to the sun for wonders seem small sparks of a candle : "
## [5676] "Then by my high cedar rich ruby, and only shining sun. "
## [5677] "Virtue, riches, beauties of mine shall great be reputed. "
## [5678] "Oh, no, no, worthy shepherd, worth can never enter a title, "
## [5679] "Where proofs justly do teach, thus match'd, such worth to be "
## [5680] ""
## [5681] "nought worth : "
## [5682] "Let not a puppet abuse thy sprite, kings' crowns do not help them "
## [5683] "From the cruel headache, nor shoes of gold do the gout heal : "
## [5684] "And precious couches full oft are shak'd with a fever. "
## [5685] "If then a bodily ill in a bodily gloze be not hidden. "
## [5686] "Shall such morning dews be an ease to the heat of a love's fire ? "
## [5687] ""
## [5688] "Dor. O glittering miseries of man, if this be the fortune "
## [5689] "Of those fortunes lulls ? so small rests, rest in a kingdom ? "
## [5690] "What marvel tho' a prince transform himself to a pastor ? "
## [5691] "Come from marble bowers many times the gay harbour of "
## [5692] ""
## [5693] "anguish, "
## [5694] "Unto a silly caban, thought weak, yet stronger against woes. "
## [5695] "Now by the words I begin, most famous lady, to gather "
## [5696] "Comfort into my soul, I do find what a blessing "
## [5697] "Is chanced to my life, that from such muddy abundance "
## [5698] "Of carking agonies, to states which still be adherent, "
## [5699] "Destiny keeps me aloof, for if all this state to thy virtue "
## [5700] "Join'd by thy beauty adorn'd be no means those griefs to abolish : "
## [5701] "If neither by that help, thou canst climb up thy fancy. "
## [5702] "Nor yet fancy so dress'd do receive more plausible hearing : "
## [5703] "Then do I think indeed, that better it is to be private "
## [5704] ""
## [5705] ""
## [5706] ""
## [5707] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 107 "
## [5708] ""
## [5709] "In sorrow's torments, than, tied to the pomps of a palace. "
## [5710] "Nurse inward maladies, which have not scope to be breath'd out : "
## [5711] "But perforce digest all bitter joys of horror "
## [5712] "In silence, from a man's own self with company robbed. "
## [5713] "Better yet do I live, that though by my thoughts I be plunged "
## [5714] "Into my life's bondage, yet may I disburden a passion "
## [5715] "(Oppress'd with ruinous conceits) by the help of an out-cry ; "
## [5716] "Not limited to a whispering note, the lament of a courtier. "
## [5717] "But sometimes tp the woods, sometimes to the heav'n do decipher "
## [5718] "With bold clamour unheard, unmark'd, what I seek, what I "
## [5719] ""
## [5720] "suffer ! "
## [5721] "And when I meet those trees, in the earth's fair livery clothed, "
## [5722] "Ease I do feel, such ease as falls to one wholly diseased, "
## [5723] "For that I find in them part of my state represented. "
## [5724] "Laurel shows what I seek, by the myrrh is shown how I seek it, "
## [5725] "Olive paints me the peace that I must aspire to by conquest : "
## [5726] "Myrtle makes my request ; my request is crown'd with a willow "
## [5727] "Cypress promiseth help, but a help where comes no recomfort : "
## [5728] "Sweet juniper saith this, though I burn, yet I burn in a sweet fire. "
## [5729] "Yew doth make me think what kind of bow the boy holdeth, "
## [5730] "Which shoots strongly without any noise, and deadly without "
## [5731] ""
## [5732] "smart. "
## [5733] "Fir-trees great and green, fix'd on a high hill but a barren, "
## [5734] "Like to my noble thoughts, still new, well plac'd to me fruitless. "
## [5735] "Fig that yields most pleasant fruits, his shadow is hurtful : "
## [5736] "Thus be her gifts most sweet, thus more danger to be near her. "
## [5737] "Now in a palm when I mark, how he doth rise under a burden, "
## [5738] "And may I not, say then, get up though grief be so weighty ? "
## [5739] "Pine is a mast to a ship, to my ship shall hope for a mast serve. "
## [5740] "Pine is high, hope is as high, sharp leav'd, sharp, yet be my "
## [5741] ""
## [5742] "hopes buds. "
## [5743] "Elm embrac'd by a vine, embracing fancy revlveth : "
## [5744] "Poplar changeth his hue from a rising sun to a setting : "
## [5745] "Thus to my sun do I yield, such looks her beams do afford me. "
## [5746] "Old aged oak cut down, of new work serves to the building : "
## [5747] "So my desires by my fear cut down, be the frames of her honour. "
## [5748] "As he makes spears which shields do resist, her force no repulse "
## [5749] ""
## [5750] "takes. "
## [5751] "Palms do rejoice to be join'd by the match of a male to a female, "
## [5752] "And shall sensitive things be so senseless as to resist sense ? "
## [5753] "Thus be my thoughts dispers'd, thus thinking nurseth a thinking. "
## [5754] "Thus both trees and each thing else, be the books of a fancy. "
## [5755] "But to the cedar, queen of woods, when I left my betear'd eyes, "
## [5756] "Then do I shape to myself that form which reigns so within me, "
## [5757] "And think there she doth dwell and hear what plaints I do utter-. "
## [5758] "When that noble top doth nod, I believe she salutes me, "
## [5759] "When by the wind it maketh a noise, I do think she doth answer. "
## [5760] "Then kneeling to the ground, oft thus do I speak to that image ; "
## [5761] ""
## [5762] ""
## [5763] ""
## [5764] "io8 ARCADIA [book i. "
## [5765] ""
## [5766] "Only jewel, O only jewel, which only deservest, "
## [5767] "That men's hearts be thy seat, and endless fame be thy servant, "
## [5768] "O descend for a while, from this great height to behold me. "
## [5769] "But nought else to behold, else is nought worth the beholding, "
## [5770] "Save what a work by thyself is wrought : and since I am alter'd "
## [5771] "Thus by thy work, disdain not that which is by thyself done. "
## [5772] "In mean caves oft treasure abides, to an hostry a king comes. "
## [5773] "And so behind foul clouds full oft fair stars do lie hidden, "
## [5774] "Zel. Hardy shepherd, such as thy merits, such may be her "
## [5775] "insight "
## [5776] "Justly to grant thee reward, such envy I hear to thy fortune. "
## [5777] "But to myself what wish can I make for a salve to my sorrows, "
## [5778] "Whom both nature seems to debar from means to be helped, "
## [5779] "And if a mean were found, fortune th' whole course of it hinders ? "
## [5780] "Thus plagu'd how can I frame to my sore any hope of amendment? "
## [5781] "Whence may I show to my mind any light of possible escape ? "
## [5782] "Bound, and bound by so noble bands, as loth to be unbound. "
## [5783] "Jailer I am to myself, prison and pris'ner to mine own self. "
## [5784] "Yet by my hopes thus plac'd, here fix'd lives all my comfort. "
## [5785] "That that dear diamond, where wisdom holdeth a sure seat, "
## [5786] "Whose force had such force so to transform, nay to reform me, "
## [5787] "Will at length perceive those flames by her beams to be kindled. "
## [5788] "And will pity the wound festered so strangely within me. "
## [5789] "O be it so, grant such an event, O gods, that event give, "
## [5790] "And for a sure sacrifice I do daily oblation offer "
## [5791] "Of mine own heart, where thoughts be the temple, sight is an "
## [5792] ""
## [5793] "altar. "
## [5794] "But cease worthy shepherd, now cease we to weary the hearers "
## [5795] "With mournful melodies ; for enough our griefs be revealed. "
## [5796] "If the parties meant our meanings rightly be marked, "
## [5797] "And sorrows do require some respite unto the senses. "
## [5798] ""
## [5799] "What exclaiming praises Basilius gave to this Eclogue any man "
## [5800] "may guess that knows love is better tban a pair of spectacles to "
## [5801] "make everything seem greater which is seen through it : and then "
## [5802] "is never tongue-tied where fit commendation, whereof womankind "
## [5803] "is so liquorish, is offered unto it. But before any other came in to "
## [5804] "supply the place, Zelmane having heard some of the shepherds by "
## [5805] "chance name Strephon and Claius, supposing thereby they had "
## [5806] "been present, was desirous both to hear them for the fame of their "
## [5807] "friendly love, and to know them for their kindness towards her "
## [5808] "best loved friend. Much grieved was Basilius, that any desire of "
## [5809] "his mistress should be unsatisfied, and therefore to represent them "
## [5810] "unto her, as well as in their absence it might be, he commanded "
## [5811] "one Lamon, who had at large set down their country pastimes and "
## [5812] "first love to Urania, to sing the whole discourse which he did in "
## [5813] "this manner. "
## [5814] ""
## [5815] ""
## [5816] ""
## [5817] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 109 "
## [5818] ""
## [5819] "A shepherd's tale no height of style desires, "
## [5820] ""
## [5821] "To raise in words what in effect is low : "
## [5822] "A plaining song plain singing voice requires, "
## [5823] ""
## [5824] "For warbling notes from cheering spirit flow. "
## [5825] "I then whose burd'ned breast but thus aspires "
## [5826] "Of shepherds two the silly cause to show. "
## [5827] ""
## [5828] "Need not the stately muses help invoke. "
## [5829] "For creeping rhymes, which often sighings choke. "
## [5830] "But you, O you, that think not tears too dear, "
## [5831] ""
## [5832] "To spend for harms, although they touch you not : "
## [5833] "And deign to deem your neighbours mischief near. "
## [5834] ""
## [5835] "Although they be of meaner parents got : "
## [5836] "You I invite with easy ear's to hear "
## [5837] ""
## [5838] "The poor-clad truth of love's wrong- order'd lot. "
## [5839] "Who may be glad, be glad you be not such : "
## [5840] "Who share in woe, weigh others have as much. "
## [5841] "There was (O seldom blessed word of was !) "
## [5842] "A pair of friends, or rather one call'd two, "
## [5843] "Train'd in the life which no short-bitten grass "
## [5844] "In shine or storm must set the clouted shoe : "
## [5845] "He, that the other in some years did pass. "
## [5846] "And in those gifts that years distribute do. "
## [5847] "Was Claius call'd (ah Claius, woeful weight !) "
## [5848] "The latter born, yet too soon Strephon height. "
## [5849] "Epirus high was honest Claius's nest. "
## [5850] ""
## [5851] "To Strephon Coles's land first breathing lent : "
## [5852] "But east and west were join'd by friendship's hest. "
## [5853] ""
## [5854] "As Strephon's ear and heart to Claius bent. "
## [5855] "So Claius's soul did in his Strephon rest. "
## [5856] "Still both their flocks flocking together went. "
## [5857] "As if they would of owner's humour be. "
## [5858] "As eke their pipes did well, as friends agree. "
## [5859] "Claius for skill of herbs and shepherds art. "
## [5860] ""
## [5861] "Among the wisest was accounted wise, "
## [5862] "Yet not so wise, as of unstained heart : "
## [5863] ""
## [5864] "Strephon was young, yet marked with humble eyes "
## [5865] "How elder rul'd their flocks and cur'd their smart. "
## [5866] "So that the grave did not his words despise. "
## [5867] "Both free of mind, both did clear dealing love, "
## [5868] "And both had skill in verse their voice to move. "
## [5869] "Their cheerful minds, 'till poison'd was their cheer. "
## [5870] ""
## [5871] "The honest sports of earthly lodging prove ; "
## [5872] "Now for a clod-like hare in form they peer. "
## [5873] ""
## [5874] "Now bolt and cudgel squirrels leap do move : "
## [5875] "Now the ambitious lark with mirror clear "
## [5876] "They catch, while he (fool !) to himself makes love ; "
## [5877] "And now at keels they try a harmless chance. "
## [5878] "And now their cur they teach to fetch and dance. "
## [5879] ""
## [5880] ""
## [5881] ""
## [5882] "1 10 ARCADIA [BOOK 1. "
## [5883] ""
## [5884] "When merry May first early calls the mom, "
## [5885] "With merry maids a maying they do go : "
## [5886] "Then do they pull from sharp and niggard thorn "
## [5887] ""
## [5888] "The plenteous sweets (can sweets so sharply grow?) "
## [5889] "Then some green gowns are by the lasses worn "
## [5890] "In chastest plays, 'till home they walk arow, "
## [5891] "Whilst dance about the may-pole is begun, "
## [5892] "When, if need were, they could at Quintain* run : "
## [5893] "While thus they ran a low, but levell'd race. "
## [5894] ""
## [5895] "While thus they liv'd, this was indeed a life. "
## [5896] "With nature pleas'd, content with present case, "
## [5897] ""
## [5898] "Free of proud fears, brave begg'ry, smiling strife. "
## [5899] "Of climb-fall court, the envy hatching place : "
## [5900] "While those restless desires in great men rise, "
## [5901] "To visit so low of folks did much disdain, "
## [5902] "This while, though poor, they in themselves did reign. "
## [5903] "One day (O day, that shin'd to make them dark !) "
## [5904] "While they did ward sun-beams with shady bay, "
## [5905] "And Claius taking for his youngling cark, "
## [5906] ""
## [5907] "(Lest greedy eyes to them might challenge lay) "
## [5908] "Busy with oker did their shoulders mark, "
## [5909] "(His mark a pillar was devoid of stay. "
## [5910] ""
## [5911] "As bragging that free of all passions none, "
## [5912] "Well might he others bear, but lean to none :) "
## [5913] "Strephon with leafy twigs of laurel tree, "
## [5914] ""
## [5915] "A garland made on temples for to wear. "
## [5916] "For he then chosen was, the dignity "
## [5917] ""
## [5918] "Of village lord, that Whitsuntide to bear ; "
## [5919] "And full, poor fool, of boyish bravery. "
## [5920] ""
## [5921] "With triumphs shows would show he nought did fear. "
## [5922] "But fore-accounting oft makes builders miss : "
## [5923] "They found, they felt, they had no lease of bliss. "
## [5924] "For e'er that either had his purpose done, "
## [5925] "Behold, beholding well it doth deserve. "
## [5926] "They saw a maid who thitherward did run, "
## [5927] ""
## [5928] "To catch her Sparrow which from her did swerve, "
## [5929] "As she a black-silk cap on him begun "
## [5930] "To set for foil of his milk-white to serve. "
## [5931] "She chirping ran, he peeping flew away, "
## [5932] "'Till hard by them both he and she did stay. "
## [5933] "Well for to see, they kept themselves unseen. "
## [5934] ""
## [5935] "And saw this fairest maid of fairer mind : "
## [5936] "By fortune mean ; in nature born a queen. "
## [5937] ""
## [5938] "How well apaid she was her bird to find : "
## [5939] "How tenderly her tender hands between "
## [5940] ""
## [5941] "* A rural sport, chiefly used at marriages, wherein, running a tilt on horse-back "
## [5942] "with poles, at a large stake fixed in the ground, against which, he that breaks most "
## [5943] "poles, gains the prize. "
## [5944] ""
## [5945] ""
## [5946] ""
## [5947] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA III "
## [5948] ""
## [5949] "In ivory cage she did the micher bind : "
## [5950] "How rosy moist' ned lips about his beak "
## [5951] "Moving, she seem'd at once to kiss, and speak. "
## [5952] "Chast'ned but thus, and thus his lesson taught. "
## [5953] ""
## [5954] "The happy wretch she put into her breast. "
## [5955] "Which to their eyes the bowels of Venus brought, "
## [5956] ""
## [5957] "For they seem'd made even of sky metal best, "
## [5958] "And that the byass of her blood was wrought. "
## [5959] "Betwixt them two the peeper took his nest, "
## [5960] ""
## [5961] "Where snugging weU he well appear'd content, "
## [5962] "So to have done amiss, so to be shent. "
## [5963] "This done, but done with captive-killing grace. "
## [5964] ""
## [5965] "Each motion seeming shot from beauty's bow. "
## [5966] "With length laid down, she deck'd the lovely place. "
## [5967] ""
## [5968] "Proud grew the grass that under her did grow. "
## [5969] "The trees spread out their arms to shade her face. "
## [5970] "But she on elbow lean'd, with sighs did show "
## [5971] "No grass, no trees, nor yet her sparrow might "
## [5972] "The long perplexed mind breed long delight. "
## [5973] "She troubled was (alas that it might be !) "
## [5974] ""
## [5975] "With tedious brawlings of her parents dear, "
## [5976] "Who would have her in will and word agree "
## [5977] ""
## [5978] "To wed Antaxius their neighbour near, "
## [5979] "A herdman rich, of much account was he. "
## [5980] "In whom no evil did reign, nor good appear. "
## [5981] "In some such one she lik'd not his desire. "
## [5982] "Fain would be free, but dreadeth parents' ire. "
## [5983] "Kindly (sweet soul !) she did unkindness take "
## [5984] ""
## [5985] "That bagged baggage of a miser's mud. "
## [5986] "Should price of her, as in a market, make ; "
## [5987] "But gold can gild a rotten piece of wood ; "
## [5988] "To yield she found her noble heart to ache, "
## [5989] "To strive she fear'd how it with virtue stood. "
## [5990] "Thus doubtings clouds o'ercasting heav'nly brain, "
## [5991] "At length in rows of kiss-cheeks tears they rain. "
## [5992] "Cupid the wag, that lately conquer'd had "
## [5993] ""
## [5994] "Wise counsellors, stout captains, puissant kings, "
## [5995] "And tied them fast to lead his triumph had. "
## [5996] ""
## [5997] "Glutted with them, now plays with meanest things : "
## [5998] "So oft in feasts with costly changes clad "
## [5999] ""
## [6000] "To crammed maws a sprat new stomach brings. "
## [6001] "So lords with sport of stag and heron full. "
## [6002] "Sometimes we see small birds from nests do pulU "
## [6003] "So now for prey those shepherds two he took. "
## [6004] ""
## [6005] "Whose metal stiff he knew he could not bend "
## [6006] "With hear-say pictures, or a window-look ; "
## [6007] ""
## [6008] "With one good dance, or letter finely penn'd "
## [6009] "That were in court a well proportion'd hook, "
## [6010] ""
## [6011] ""
## [6012] ""
## [6013] "112 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [6014] ""
## [6015] "Where piercing' wits do quickly apprehend, "
## [6016] "Their senses rude plain objects only move, "
## [6017] "And so must see great cause before they love. "
## [6018] "Therefore love arm'd in her now takes the field, "
## [6019] ""
## [6020] "Making her beams his bravery and might : "
## [6021] "Her hands which pierc'd the soul's sev'n double shield, "
## [6022] ""
## [6023] "Were now his darts leaving his wonted fight. "
## [6024] "Brave crest to him her scorn gold hair did yield. "
## [6025] "His complete harness was her purest white. "
## [6026] "But fearing lest all white might seem too good. "
## [6027] "In cheeks and lips the tyrant threatens blood. "
## [6028] "Besides this force, within her eyes he kept "
## [6029] ""
## [6030] "A fire, to burn the prisoners Tie gains, "
## [6031] "Whose boiling heart increased as she wept : "
## [6032] ""
## [6033] "For ev'n in forge, cold water fire maintains. "
## [6034] "Thus proud and fierce unto the hearts he stepp'd "
## [6035] "Of them poor souls : and cutting reason's reins. "
## [6036] "Made them his own before they had it wist. "
## [6037] "But if they had, could sheep-hooks thus resist ? "
## [6038] "Claius straight felt, and groaned at the blow, "
## [6039] ""
## [6040] "And call'd, now wounded, purpose to his aid : "
## [6041] "Strephon, fond boy, delighted did not know "
## [6042] ""
## [6043] "That it was love that shin'd in shining maid ; "
## [6044] "But lickrous, poison'd, fain to her would go. "
## [6045] "If him new learned manners had not stay'd. "
## [6046] "For then Urania homeward did arise, "
## [6047] "Leaving in pain their well-fed hungry eyes. "
## [6048] "She went, they stay'd, or rightly for to say. "
## [6049] ""
## [6050] "She stay'd with them, they went in thought with her : "
## [6051] "Claius indeed would fain have puU'd away "
## [6052] ""
## [6053] "This mote from out his eye, this inward bur, "
## [6054] "And now proud rebel 'gan for to gainsay "
## [6055] "The lesson which but late he learn'd too far : "
## [6056] "Meaning with absence to refresh the thought "
## [6057] "To which her presence such a fever brought. "
## [6058] "Strephon did leap with joy and jollity, "
## [6059] ""
## [6060] "Thinking it just more therein to delight. "
## [6061] "Than in good dog, fair field, or shading tree. "
## [6062] ""
## [6063] "So have I seen trim-books in velvet dight. "
## [6064] "With golden leaves, and painted babery "
## [6065] "Of silly boys, please unacquainted sight : "
## [6066] "But when the rod began to play his part. "
## [6067] "Fain would, but could not, fly from golden smart. "
## [6068] "He quickly learn'd Urania was her name. "
## [6069] ""
## [6070] "And straight, for failing, grav'd it in his heart : "
## [6071] "He knew her haunt, and haunted in the same, "
## [6072] ""
## [6073] "And taught his sheep her sheep in food to thwart, "
## [6074] "Which soon as it did hateful question frame. "
## [6075] ""
## [6076] ""
## [6077] ""
## [6078] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 113 "
## [6079] ""
## [6080] "He might on knees confess his faulty part, "
## [6081] "And yield himself unto her punishment, "
## [6082] "While nought but game, the self hurt wonton meant. "
## [6083] "Nay, even unto her home he oft would go, "
## [6084] ""
## [6085] "Where bold and hurtless many play he tries. "
## [6086] "Her parents liking well it should be so. "
## [6087] ""
## [6088] "For simple goodness shined in his eyes. "
## [6089] "There did he make her laugh in spite of woe. "
## [6090] "So as good thoughts of him in all arise. "
## [6091] "While into none doubt of his love did sink, "
## [6092] "For not himself to be in love did think. "
## [6093] "But glad desire, his late embosom'd guest "
## [6094] ""
## [6095] "Yet but a babe, with milk of sight he nurst "
## [6096] "Desire the more he suck'd, more sought the breast. "
## [6097] ""
## [6098] "Like dropsy-folk still drink to be a thirst, "
## [6099] "'Till one fair ev'n an hour e're sun did rest, "
## [6100] "Who then in lion's cave did enter first. "
## [6101] ""
## [6102] "By neighbours pray'd she went abroad thereby, "
## [6103] "At barley-break* her sweet swift foot to try. "
## [6104] "Never the earth on his round shoulders bare "
## [6105] "A maid train'd up from high or low degree, "
## [6106] "That in her doings better could compare "
## [6107] ""
## [6108] "Mirth with respect, from words with courtesy, "
## [6109] "A careless comliness with comely care. "
## [6110] ""
## [6111] "Self-guard with mildness, sport with majesty : "
## [6112] "Which made her yield to deck this shepherd's band, "
## [6113] "And still, believe me, Strephon was at hand. "
## [6114] "A field they go, where many lookers be, "
## [6115] ""
## [6116] "And thou seek-sorrow Claius them among : "
## [6117] "Indeed thou said'st it was thy friend to see "
## [6118] ""
## [6119] "Strephon, whose absence seem'd unto thee long, "
## [6120] "While most with her he less did keep with thee. "
## [6121] "No, no, it was in spite of wisdom's song "
## [6122] "Which absence wish'd : love play'd a victor's part : "
## [6123] "The heav'n-love load-stone drew thy iron heart. "
## [6124] "Then couples there, be straight allotted there. "
## [6125] ""
## [6126] "They of both ends the middle two do fly. "
## [6127] "They two that in mid-place, hell called were. "
## [6128] ""
## [6129] "Must strive with waiting foot, and watching eye "
## [6130] "To catch of them, and them to hell to bear, "
## [6131] "That they, as well as they, hell may supply : "
## [6132] ""
## [6133] "Like some which seek to salve their Mooted name "
## [6134] "With others blot, 'till all do taste of shame. "
## [6135] "There may you see, soon as the middle two "
## [6136] "Do coupled towards either couple make. "
## [6137] "They false and fearful do their hands undo, "
## [6138] ""
## [6139] "* Runningr-matches made by the country girls, with each other, as hereafter "
## [6140] "described. "
## [6141] ""
## [6142] "H "
## [6143] ""
## [6144] ""
## [6145] ""
## [6146] "114 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [6147] ""
## [6148] "Brother his brother, friend doth friend forsake, "
## [6149] "Heeding himself, cares not how fellow do, "
## [6150] "But of a stranger mutual help doth take : "
## [6151] "As perjur'd cowards in adversity "
## [6152] "With sight of fear, from friends, to friend, do fly. "
## [6153] "These sports shepherds devis'd such faults to show. "
## [6154] "Geron, though old, yet gamesome, kept one end "
## [6155] "With Cosma, for whose love Pas past in woe. "
## [6156] "Fair Nous with Pas the lot to hell did send : "
## [6157] "Pas thought it hell, while he was Cosma fro. "
## [6158] "At other end Uran did Strephon lend "
## [6159] ""
## [6160] "Her happy making hand, of whom one look "
## [6161] "From Nous and Cosma all their beauty took. "
## [6162] "The play began : Pas durst not Cosma chase, "
## [6163] ""
## [6164] "But did intend next bout with her to meet. "
## [6165] "So he with Nous to Geron turn'd their race, "
## [6166] ""
## [6167] "With whom to join, fast ran Urania sweet ; "
## [6168] ""
## [6169] "But light legg'd Pas had got the middle space. "
## [6170] ""
## [6171] "Geron strove hard, but aged were his feet. "
## [6172] ""
## [6173] "And therefore finding force now faint to be. "
## [6174] ""
## [6175] "He thought gray hairs afforded subtlety. "
## [6176] ""
## [6177] "And so when Pas's hand reached him to take, "
## [6178] ""
## [6179] "The fox on knees and elbows tumbled down ; "
## [6180] "Pas could not stay, but over him did rake, "
## [6181] ""
## [6182] "And crown'd the earth with his first touching crown : "
## [6183] "His heels grown proud did seem at heav'n to shake. "
## [6184] "But Nous that slipp'd from Pas, did catch the clown. "
## [6185] "So laughing all, yet Pas to ease some dell "
## [6186] "Geron with Uran were condemn'd to hell. "
## [6187] "Cosma this while to Strephon safely came. "
## [6188] "And all to second Barley-break are bent ; "
## [6189] "The two in hell did toward Cosma frame ; "
## [6190] ""
## [6191] "Who should to Pas, but they would her prevent. "
## [6192] "Pas mad with fall, and madder with the shame. "
## [6193] "Most mad with beams which we thought Cosma sent. "
## [6194] "With such mad haste he did to Cosma go, "
## [6195] "That to her breast he gave a noisome blow. "
## [6196] "She quick, and proud, and who did Pas despise, "
## [6197] ""
## [6198] "Up with her fist, and took him on the face. "
## [6199] "Another time, quoth she, become more wise. "
## [6200] ""
## [6201] "Thus Pas did kiss her hand with little grace. "
## [6202] "And each way luckless, yet in humble guise "
## [6203] "Did hold her fast for fear of more disgrace. "
## [6204] "While Strephon might with pretty Nous have met, "
## [6205] "But all this while another course be set. "
## [6206] "For as Urania after Cosma ran ; "
## [6207] ""
## [6208] "He ravished with sight how gracefully "
## [6209] "She mov'd her limbs, and drew the aged man. "
## [6210] ""
## [6211] ""
## [6212] ""
## [6213] "BOOKi.] ARCADIA li; "
## [6214] ""
## [6215] "Left Nous to coast the loved beauty nigh ; "
## [6216] "Nous cry'd and chaf'd, but he no other can. "
## [6217] "'Till Uran seeing Pas to Cosma fly, "
## [6218] "And Strephon single, turn'd after him : "
## [6219] "Strephon so chas'd did seem in milk to swim. "
## [6220] "He ran, but ran with eye o're shoulder cast, "
## [6221] ""
## [6222] "More marking her, than how himself did go. "
## [6223] "Like Numid lions by the hunters chas'd. "
## [6224] ""
## [6225] "Though they do fly, yet backwardly do glow "
## [6226] "With proud aspect, disdaining greatest haste : "
## [6227] "What rage in them, that love in him did show. "
## [6228] "But God gives them instinct the man to shun, "
## [6229] "And he by law of Barley-break must run. "
## [6230] "But as his heat with running did augment, "
## [6231] ""
## [6232] "Much more his sight increased his hot desire : "
## [6233] "So is in her the best of nature spent. "
## [6234] ""
## [6235] "The air her sweet race mov'd doth blow the fire. "
## [6236] "Her feet be pursuivants from Cupid sent, "
## [6237] "With whose fine steps all loves and joys conspire. "
## [6238] "The hidden beauties, seem'd in wait to lie, "
## [6239] "To down proud hearts that would not willing die. "
## [6240] "That, fast he fled from her he foUow'd sore, "
## [6241] ""
## [6242] "Still shunning Nous to lengthen pleasing race, "
## [6243] "'Till that he spied old Geron could no more, "
## [6244] ""
## [6245] "Than did he stack his love-instructed pace. "
## [6246] "So that Uran, whose arm old Geron bore, "
## [6247] ""
## [6248] "Laid hold on him with most lay-holding grace. "
## [6249] "So caught, him seem'd he caught of joys the bell. "
## [6250] "And thought it heav'n so to be drawn to hell : "
## [6251] "To hell he goes, and Nous with him must dwell, "
## [6252] ""
## [6253] "Nous sware it was no right ; for his default "
## [6254] "Who would be caught, that she should go to hell : "
## [6255] ""
## [6256] "But so she must. And now the third assault "
## [6257] "Of barley-break among the six befel. "
## [6258] "Pas Colma match'd, yet angry with his fault. "
## [6259] "The other end Geron with guard : "
## [6260] "I think you think Strephon bent thitherward. "
## [6261] "Nous counsell'd Strephon Geron to pursue. "
## [6262] ""
## [6263] "For he was old, and easy would be caught : "
## [6264] "But he drew her as love his fancy drew. "
## [6265] ""
## [6266] "And so to take the gem Urania sought, "
## [6267] "While Geron old came safe to Cosma true, "
## [6268] "Though him to meet at all she stirred nought. "
## [6269] "For Pas, whether it were for fear or love, "
## [6270] "Mov'd not himself, nor suffer'd her to move. "
## [6271] "So they three did together idly stay, "
## [6272] ""
## [6273] "While dear Uran, whose course was Pas to meet, "
## [6274] "(He staying thus) was fain abroad to stray "
## [6275] ""
## [6276] ""
## [6277] ""
## [6278] "ii6 ARCADIA [BOOK I. "
## [6279] ""
## [6280] "With larger round, to shun the following feet, "
## [6281] "Strephon, whose eyes on her back parts did play, "
## [6282] "With love drawn on so fast with pace unmeet, "
## [6283] "Drew dainty Nous, that she not able so "
## [6284] "To run, brake forth his hands, and let him go. "
## [6285] "He single thus hop'd soon with her to be, "
## [6286] ""
## [6287] "Who nothing earthly, but of fire and air, "
## [6288] "Though with soft legs did run as fast as he. "
## [6289] ""
## [6290] "He thrice reach'd, thrice deceiv'd, when her to bear "
## [6291] "He hopes, with dainty turns she doth him flee. "
## [6292] "So on the Downs we see, near Wilton fair, "
## [6293] "A hasten'd hare from greedy grayhound go, "
## [6294] "And past all hope his chaps to frustrate so. "
## [6295] "But this strange race more strange conceits did yield ; "
## [6296] ""
## [6297] "Who victor seem'd, was to his ruin brought : "
## [6298] "Who seem'd o'erthrown was mistress of the field: "
## [6299] "« She fled, and took ; he followed and was caught. "
## [6300] "She have I heard to pierce pursuing shield, "
## [6301] ""
## [6302] "By parents train'd the Tartars wild are taught. "
## [6303] "With shafts shot out from their back-turned bow. "
## [6304] "But ah ! her darts did far more deeply go. "
## [6305] "As Venus's bird, the white, swift, lovely Dove, "
## [6306] "(O happy Doves that are compar'd to her !) "
## [6307] "Doth on her wings her utmost swiftness prove. "
## [6308] ""
## [6309] "Finding the gripe of Falcon fierce not furr: "
## [6310] "So did Uran : the nar, the swifter move, "
## [6311] "(Yet beauty still as fast as she did stir) "
## [6312] ""
## [6313] "'Till with long race dear she was breathless brought. "
## [6314] "And then the Phaenix feared to be caught. "
## [6315] "Among the rest that there did take delight "
## [6316] "To see the sports of double shining day : "
## [6317] "And did the tribute of their wond'ring sight "
## [6318] ""
## [6319] "To nature's heir, the fair Urania pay, "
## [6320] "I told you Claius was the hapless wight. "
## [6321] "Who earnest found what they accounted play. "
## [6322] "He did not there do homage of his eyes. "
## [6323] "But on his eyes his heart did sacrifice. "
## [6324] "With gazing looks, short sighs, unsettled feet. "
## [6325] ""
## [6326] "He stood, but turn'd, as Gyrosol, to sun : "
## [6327] "His fancies still did her in half-way meet. "
## [6328] "His soul did fly as she was seen to run. "
## [6329] "In sum, proud Boreas never ruled fleet "
## [6330] "(Who Neptune's web on danger's distaff spun) "
## [6331] ""
## [6332] "With greater power, than she did make them wend "
## [6333] "Each way, as she that ages praise, did bend. "
## [6334] "'Till 'spying well, she well nigh weary was, "
## [6335] ""
## [6336] "And surely taught by his love-open eye. "
## [6337] "His eye, that ev'n did mark her trodden grass. "
## [6338] ""
## [6339] ""
## [6340] ""
## [6341] "BOOK 1.] ARCADIA 117 "
## [6342] ""
## [6343] "That she would fain the catch of Strephon fly, "
## [6344] "Giving his reason passport for to pass "
## [6345] "Whither it would, so it would let him die ; "
## [6346] ""
## [6347] "He that before shunn'd her, to shun such harms : "
## [6348] "Now runs, and takes her in his clipping arms. "
## [6349] "For with pretence from Strephon her to guard, "
## [6350] ""
## [6351] "He met her full, but full of warefulness. "
## [6352] "Within bow'd-bosom well for her prepar'd. "
## [6353] ""
## [6354] "When Strephon cursing his own backwardness. "
## [6355] "Came to her back, and so with double ward "
## [6356] "Imprison'd her who both them did possess "
## [6357] "As heart-bound slaves : and happy then embrace "
## [6358] "Virtue's proof, fortune's victor, beauty's place. "
## [6359] "Her race did not her beauty's beams augment. "
## [6360] ""
## [6361] "For, they were ever in the best degree. "
## [6362] "But yet a setting forth it someway lent. "
## [6363] "As rubies lustre when they rubbed be. "
## [6364] "The dainty dew on face and body went "
## [6365] "As on sweet flowers, when morning's drops we see. "
## [6366] "Her breath then short, seem'd loth from home to pass, "
## [6367] "Which more it mov'd, the more it sweeter was. "
## [6368] "Happy, O happy ! if they so might bide "
## [6369] ""
## [6370] "To see their eyes, with how true humbleness, "
## [6371] "They looked down to triumph over pride : "
## [6372] ""
## [6373] "With how sweet sauce she blam'd their sauciness. "
## [6374] "To feel the panting heart, which through her side. "
## [6375] "Did beat their hands, which durst so near to press, "
## [6376] "To see, to feel, to hear, to taste, to know "
## [6377] "More, than besides her, all the earth could show. "
## [6378] "But never did Medea's golden weed "
## [6379] ""
## [6380] "On Creon's child his poison sooner throw. "
## [6381] "Than those delights through all their sinews breed, "
## [6382] ""
## [6383] "A creeping serpent like of mortal woe, "
## [6384] "'Till she broke from their arms (although indeed "
## [6385] "Going from them, from them she could not go) "
## [6386] "And fare-welling the flock, did homeward wend, "
## [6387] "And so that even the Barley-break did end. "
## [6388] "It ended, but the other woe began. "
## [6389] ""
## [6390] "Began at least to be conceiv'd as woe, "
## [6391] "For then wise Claius found no absence can "
## [6392] ""
## [6393] "Help him who can no more her sight forego. "
## [6394] "He found man's virtue is but part of man, "
## [6395] "And part must follow where whole man doth go. "
## [6396] "He found that reason's self now reasons found "
## [6397] "To fasten knots, which fancy first had bound. "
## [6398] "So doth he yield, so takes he on his yoke. "
## [6399] ""
## [6400] "Not knowing who did draw with him therein ; "
## [6401] "Strephon, poor youth, because he saw no smoke, "
## [6402] ""
## [6403] ""
## [6404] ""
## [6405] "Ii8 ARCADIA [BooKL "
## [6406] ""
## [6407] "Did not conceive what fire he had within ; "
## [6408] "But after this to greater rage it broke, "
## [6409] "'Till of his life it did full conquest win, "
## [6410] ""
## [6411] "First killing mirth, then banishing all rest. "
## [6412] "Filling his eyes with tears, with sighs his breast, "
## [6413] "Then sports grow pains, all talking tedious : "
## [6414] ""
## [6415] "On thoughts he feeds, his looks their figure change, "
## [6416] "The day seems long, but night is odious. "
## [6417] ""
## [6418] "No sleeps, but dreams ; no dreams, but visions strange, "
## [6419] "'Till finding still his evil increasing thus, "
## [6420] ""
## [6421] "One day he with his flock abroad did range : "
## [6422] ""
## [6423] "And coming where he hop'd to be alone, "
## [6424] ""
## [6425] "Thus on a hillock set, he made his moan : "
## [6426] ""
## [6427] "Alas ! what weights are these that load my heart ! "
## [6428] ""
## [6429] "I am as dull as winter-starved sheep, "
## [6430] "Tir'd as a jade in over-laden cart, "
## [6431] ""
## [6432] "Yet thoughts do fly, though I can scarcely creep. "
## [6433] "All visions seem, at every bush I start : "
## [6434] "Drowsy am I, and yet can rarely sleep. "
## [6435] "Sure I bewitched am, it is even that, "
## [6436] "Late near a cross, I met an ugly cat. "
## [6437] "For, but by charms, how fall these things on me, "
## [6438] ""
## [6439] "That from those eyes, where heav'nly apples been. "
## [6440] "Those eyes, which nothing like themselves can see, "
## [6441] ""
## [6442] "Of fair Urania, fairer than a green. "
## [6443] "Proudly bedeck'd in April's livery, "
## [6444] "A shot unheard gave me a wound unseen ; "
## [6445] "He was invincible that hurt me so. "
## [6446] "And none invisible, but spirits can go. "
## [6447] "When I see her, my sinews shake for fear. "
## [6448] ""
## [6449] "And yet, dear soul, I know she hurteth none : "
## [6450] "Amid my flock with woe my voice I tear, "
## [6451] ""
## [6452] "And, but bewitch' d, who to his flock would moan? "
## [6453] "Her cherry lips, milk hands, and golden hair "
## [6454] "I still do see, though I be still alone. "
## [6455] "Now make me think that there is not a fiend. "
## [6456] "Who hid in angel's shape my life would end. "
## [6457] "The sports wherein I wonted to do well, "
## [6458] ""
## [6459] "Come she, and sweet the air with open breast, "
## [6460] "Then so I fail, when most I would do well, "
## [6461] ""
## [6462] "That at my so amaz'd my fellows jest : "
## [6463] "Sometimes to her news of myself to tell "
## [6464] "I go about, but then is all my best "
## [6465] "Wry words, and stammering, or else doltish dumb) "
## [6466] "Say then, can this but of enchantment come ? "
## [6467] "Nay each thing is bewitched to know my case : "
## [6468] "The Nightingales for woe their songs refrain : "
## [6469] "In river as I look'd my pining face, "
## [6470] ""
## [6471] ""
## [6472] ""
## [6473] "BOOK I.] ARCADIA 119 "
## [6474] ""
## [6475] "As pin'd a face as mine I saw again, "
## [6476] "The courteous mountains griev'd at my disgrace "
## [6477] "Their snowy hair tear off in melting pain. "
## [6478] "And now the dropping trees do weep for me, "
## [6479] "And now fair evenings blush my shame to see. "
## [6480] "But you my pipe whilom my chief delight, "
## [6481] ""
## [6482] "'Till strange delight, delight to nothing wear, "
## [6483] "And you my flock, care of my careful sight, "
## [6484] "While I was I, and so had cause to care : "
## [6485] "And thou my dog, whose truth and valiant might "
## [6486] "Made wolves, not inward wolves, my ewes to spare. "
## [6487] "Go you not from your master in his woe, "
## [6488] "Let it suffice that he himself forego. "
## [6489] "For though like wax this magic makes me waste, "
## [6490] ""
## [6491] "Or like a lamb, whose Dam away is set, "
## [6492] "(Stolen from her young by Thieves unchosing haste) "
## [6493] ""
## [6494] "He treble baa's for help, but none can get. "
## [6495] "Though thus, and worse, though now I am at last, "
## [6496] "Of all the games that here e'er now I met. "
## [6497] "Do you remember still you once were mine, "
## [6498] "'Till mine eyes had their curse from blessed eye. "
## [6499] "Be you with me while I unheard do cry. "
## [6500] ""
## [6501] "While I do score my losses on the wind. "
## [6502] "While I in heart my will write e'er I die. "
## [6503] ""
## [6504] "In which, by will, my will and wits I bind, "
## [6505] "Still to be hers, about her aye to fly. "
## [6506] "As this same sprite about my fancies blind "
## [6507] "Doth daily haunt, but so, that mine become "
## [6508] "As much more loving, as less cumbersome. "
## [6509] "Alas ! a cloud hath overcast mine eyes : "
## [6510] ""
## [6511] "And yet I see her shine amid the cloud. "
## [6512] "Alas ! of ghosts I hear the ghastly cries : "
## [6513] ""
## [6514] "Yet there, me seems, I hear her singing loud. "
## [6515] "This song she sings in most commanding wise : "
## [6516] "Come shepherd's boy, let now thy heart be bow'd "
## [6517] "To make itself to my least look a slave : "
## [6518] "Leave sleep, leave all, I will no piecing have. "
## [6519] "I will, I will, alas, alas, I will : "
## [6520] ""
## [6521] "Wilt thou have more ? more have, if more I be. "
## [6522] "Away ragg'd rams, care I what murrain kill ? "
## [6523] ""
## [6524] "Our shrieking pipe, made of some witched tree : "
## [6525] "Go bawling cur, thy hungry maw go fill "
## [6526] "On your foul flock, belonging not to me. "
## [6527] "With that his dog he henc'd, his flock he curs'd, "
## [6528] "With that, yet kissed first, his pipe he burst. "
## [6529] "This said, this done, he rose, even tir'd with rest. "
## [6530] ""
## [6531] "With heart as careful, as with careless grace. "
## [6532] "With shrinking legs, but with a swelling breast, "
## [6533] ""
## [6534] ""
## [6535] ""
## [6536] "120 ARCADIA [BOOK i. "
## [6537] ""
## [6538] "With eyes which threat'ned they would drown his face. "
## [6539] "Fearing the worst, not knowing what were best, "
## [6540] "And giving to his sight a wand' ring race. "
## [6541] "He saw behind a bush where Claius sat : "
## [6542] "His well-known friend, but yet his unknown mate. "
## [6543] "Claius the wretch, who lately yielden was "
## [6544] ""
## [6545] "To bear the bonds which time nor wit could break, "
## [6546] "(With blushing soul at sight of judgment's glass. "
## [6547] "While guilty thoughts accus'd his reason weak) "
## [6548] "This morn alone to lovely walk did pass. "
## [6549] "Within himself of her dear self to speak, "
## [6550] "'Till Strephon's plaining voice him nearer drew. "
## [6551] "Where by his words his self-like case he knew. "
## [6552] "For hearing him so oft with words of woe "
## [6553] ""
## [6554] "Urania name, whose force he knew so well. "
## [6555] "He quickly knew what witchcraft gave the blow. "
## [6556] "Which made his Strephon think himself in hell. "
## [6557] "Which when he did in perfect image show "
## [6558] "To his own wit, thought upon thought, did swell. "
## [6559] "Breeding huge storms within his inward part. "
## [6560] "Which thus breath'd out, with earth-quake of his heart. "
## [6561] ""
## [6562] "As Lamond would have proceeded, Basilius knowing, by the "
## [6563] "wasting of the torches that the night also was far wasted, and "
## [6564] "withal remembering Zelmane's hurt, asked her whether she thought "
## [6565] "it not better to reserve the complaint of Claius till another day. "
## [6566] "Which she, perceiving the song had already worn out much time, "
## [6567] "and not knowing when Lamon would end, being even now stepping "
## [6568] "over to a new matter, though much delighted with what was "
## [6569] "spoken, willingly agreed unto. And so of all sides they went to "
## [6570] "recommend themselves to the elder brother of death. "
## [6571] ""
## [6572] ""
## [6573] ""
## [6574] "ARCADIA "
## [6575] ""
## [6576] ""
## [6577] ""
## [6578] "BOOK II "
## [6579] ""
## [6580] ""
## [6581] ""
## [6582] "IN these pastoral times a great number of days were sent to "
## [6583] "follow their flying predecessors, while the cup of poison "
## [6584] "(which was deeply tasted of the noble company) had left no "
## [6585] "sinew of theirs without mortally searching into it; yet never "
## [6586] "manifesting his venomous work, till once, that the night (parting "
## [6587] "away angry that she could distil no more sleep into the eyes of "
## [6588] "lovers) had no sooner given place to the breaking out of the "
## [6589] "morning light, and the sun bestowed his beams upon the tops of "
## [6590] "the mountains, but that the woeful Gynecia, to whom rest was no "
## [6591] "ease, had left her loathed lodging, and gotten herself into the "
## [6592] "sohtary places, those deserts were full of going up and down with "
## [6593] "such unquiet motions, as a grieved and hopeless mind is wont to "
## [6594] "bring forth. There appeared unto the eyes of her judgment the "
## [6595] "evils she was like to run into, with ugly infamy waiting upon them : "
## [6596] "she felt the terrors of her own conscience ; she was guilty of a "
## [6597] "long exercised virtue, which made his vice the fuller of deformity. "
## [6598] "The uttermost of the good she could aspire unto was a mortal "
## [6599] "wound to her vexed spirits : and lastly, no small part of her evils "
## [6600] "was that she was wise to see her evils. Insomuch, that having "
## [6601] "a great while thrown her countenance ghastly about her (as if she "
## [6602] "had called all the powers of the world to be witnesses of her "
## [6603] "wretched estate) at length casting up her watery eyes to heaven : "
## [6604] "\" O sun,\" said she, \" whose unspotted light directs the steps of "
## [6605] "mortal mankind, art thou not ashamed to impart the clearness "
## [6606] "of thy presence to such a dust-creeping worm as I am? O ye "
## [6607] "heavens, which continually keep the course allotted unto you, can "
## [6608] "none of your influences prevail so much upon the miserable "
## [6609] "Gynecia, as to make her preserve a course so long embraced by "
## [6610] "her ? O deserts, deserts, how fit a guest am I for you, since my "
## [6611] "heart can people you with wild ravenous beasts, which in you are "
## [6612] ""
## [6613] ""
## [6614] ""
## [6615] "122 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [6616] ""
## [6617] "wanting? O virtue, where dost thou hide thyself? what hideous "
## [6618] "thing- is this which doth eclipse thee ? Or is it true that thou wert "
## [6619] "never but a vain name, and no essential thing, which hast thus "
## [6620] "left thy professed servant, when she had most need of thy lovely "
## [6621] "presence ? O imperfect proportion of reason which can too much "
## [6622] "foresee and too little prevent ? \" \" Alas ! alas ! \" said she, \" if "
## [6623] "there were but one hope for all my pains, or but one excuse for "
## [6624] "all my faultiness ! But wretch that I am, my torment is beyond "
## [6625] "all succour, and my evil deserving doth exceed my evil fortune. "
## [6626] "For nothing else did my husband take this strange resolution to "
## [6627] "live so solitary : for nothing else have the winds delivered this "
## [6628] "strange guest to my country : for nothing else have the destinies "
## [6629] "reserved my life to this time, but that only I, most wretched I, "
## [6630] "should become a plague to myself and a shame to womankind. "
## [6631] "Yet if my desire, how unjust soever it be, might take effect, "
## [6632] "though a thousand deaths followed it, and every death were "
## [6633] "followed with a thousand shames, yet should not my sepulchre "
## [6634] "receive me without some contentment. But alas ! though sure "
## [6635] "I am that Zelmane is such as can answer my love, yet as sure "
## [6636] "I am that this disguising must needs come for some foretaken "
## [6637] "conceit : and then wretched Gynecia where canst thou find any "
## [6638] "small ground-plot for hope to dwell upon ? no, no, it is Philoclea "
## [6639] "his heart is set upon ; it is my daughter I have borne to supplant "
## [6640] "me. But if it be so, the life I have given thee, ungrateful Philoclea, "
## [6641] "I will sooner with these hands bereave -thee of than my birth shall "
## [6642] "glory she hath bereaved me of my desires : in shame there is "
## [6643] "no comfort, but to be beyond all bounds of shame.\" "
## [6644] ""
## [6645] "Having spoken thus, she began to make a piteous war in her "
## [6646] "fair hair ; when she might hear, not far from her, an extremely "
## [6647] "doleful voice, but so suppressed with a kind of whispering note "
## [6648] "that she could not conceive the words distinctly. But, as a "
## [6649] "lamentable tune is the sweetest music to a woeful mind, she drew "
## [6650] "thither near-way in hope to find some companion of her misery ; "
## [6651] "and as she paced on, she was stopped with a number of trees, so "
## [6652] "thickly placed together that she was afraid she should, with "
## [6653] "rushing through, stop the speech of the lamentable party which "
## [6654] "she was so desirous to understand : and therefore sitting her down "
## [6655] "as softly as she could, for she was now in distance to hear, she "
## [6656] "might first perceive a lute excellently well played upon, and then "
## [6657] "the same doleful voice accompanying it with these verses : "
## [6658] ""
## [6659] "In vain mine eyes you labour to amend "
## [6660] "With flowing tears your fault of hasty sight : "
## [6661] ""
## [6662] "Since to my heart her shape you did so send. "
## [6663] "That her I see, though you did lose your light. "
## [6664] ""
## [6665] ""
## [6666] ""
## [6667] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 123 "
## [6668] ""
## [6669] "In vain my heart, now you with sight are burn'd, "
## [6670] ""
## [6671] "With sighs you seek to cool your hot desire : "
## [6672] "Since sighs, into mine inward furnace turn'd, "
## [6673] ""
## [6674] "For bellows serve to liindle more the fire. "
## [6675] "Reason in vain, now you have lost my heart. "
## [6676] ""
## [6677] "My head you seek, as to your strongest fort : "
## [6678] "Since there mine eyes have play'd so false a part. "
## [6679] ""
## [6680] "That to your strength your foes have sure resort. "
## [6681] "Then since in vain I find were all my strife, "
## [6682] "To this strange death I vainly yield my life. "
## [6683] ""
## [6684] "The ending of the song served but for a beginning of new "
## [6685] "plaints, as if the mind, oppressed with too heavy a burden of "
## [6686] "cares, was fain to discharge itself of all sides, and, as it were, paint "
## [6687] "out the hideousness of the pain in all sorts of colours. For the "
## [6688] "woeful person, as if the lute had evil joined with the voice, threw it "
## [6689] "to the ground with such like words : \" Alas, poor lute ! how much "
## [6690] "art thou deceived to think that in my miseries thou could'st ease "
## [6691] "my woes, as in my careless times thou wast wont to please my "
## [6692] "fancies ? The time is changed, my lute, the time is changed ; "
## [6693] "and no more did my joyful mind then receive everything to a joy- "
## [6694] "ful consideration, than my careful mind now makes each thing "
## [6695] "taste the bitter juice of care. The evil is inward, my lute, the evil "
## [6696] "is inward ; which all thou dost, doth serve but to make me think "
## [6697] "more freely of. And alas ! what is then thy harmony, but the "
## [6698] "sweet meats of sorrow? the discord of my thoughts, my lute, "
## [6699] "doth ill agree to the concord of thy strings, therefore be not "
## [6700] "ashamed to leave thy master, since he is not afraid to forsake "
## [6701] "himself.\" "
## [6702] ""
## [6703] "And thus much spoke, instead of a conclusion, was closed up "
## [6704] "with so hearty a groaning that Gynecia could not refrain to show "
## [6705] "herself, thinking such griefs could serve fitly for nothing but her "
## [6706] "own fortune. But as she came into the little arbour of this sorrow- "
## [6707] "ful music, her eyes met with the eyes of Zelmane, which was the "
## [6708] "party that thus had indited herself of misery, so that either of them "
## [6709] "remained confused with a sudden astonishment, Zelmane fearing "
## [6710] "lest she had heard some part of those complaints, which she had "
## [6711] "risen up that morning early of purpose to breathe out in secret to "
## [6712] "herself. But Gynecia a great while stood still with a kind of dull "
## [6713] "amazement, looking steadfastly upon her ; at length returning to "
## [6714] "some use of herself, she began to ask Zelmane what cause carried "
## [6715] "her so early abroad? But, as if the opening of her mouth to "
## [6716] "Zelmane had opened some great flood-gate of sorrow, whereof her "
## [6717] "heart could not abide the violent issue, she sunk to the ground, "
## [6718] "with her hands x)ver her face, crying vehemently, \" Zelmane help "
## [6719] "me, O Zelmane have pity on me.\" Zelmane ran to her, marvelling "
## [6720] ""
## [6721] ""
## [6722] ""
## [6723] "124 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [6724] ""
## [6725] "what sudden sickness had thus possessed her, and beginning to "
## [6726] "ask her the cause of her pain, and offering her service to be "
## [6727] "employed by her ; Gynecia opening her eyes wildly upon her, "
## [6728] "pricked with the flames of love and the torments of her own "
## [6729] "conscience ; \" O Zelmane, Zelmane,\" said she, \" dost thou offer "
## [6730] "my physic, which art my only poison ? or wilt thou do me service, "
## [6731] "which hast already brought me into eternal slavery?\" Zelmane "
## [6732] "then knowing well at what mark she shot, yet loth to enter into it : "
## [6733] "\"Most excellent lady,\" said she, \"you were best retire yourself "
## [6734] "into your lodging that you the better may pass this sudden fit.\" "
## [6735] "\" Retire myself? \" said Gynecia, \" If I had retired myself into myself, "
## [6736] "when thou to me, unfortunate guest, camest to draw me from my- "
## [6737] "self, blessed had I been, and no need had I had of this counsel. "
## [6738] "But now alas ! I am forced to fly to thee for succour, whom I accuse "
## [6739] "of all my hurt, and make thee judge of my cause, who art the only "
## [6740] "author of my mischief.\" Zelmane the more astonished, the more "
## [6741] "she understood her ; \" Madam,\" said she, \" whereof do you accuse "
## [6742] "me that I will not clear myself? or wherein may I stead you that "
## [6743] "you may not command me ? \" \" Alas ! \" answered Gynecia, \" what "
## [6744] "shall I say more ? take pity on me, O Zelmane, but not as Zelmane, "
## [6745] "and disguise not with me in words, as I know thou dost in apparel.\" "
## [6746] "Zelmane was much troubled with that word, finding herself brought "
## [6747] "to this strait. But as she was thinking what to answer her, they "
## [6748] "might see old Basilius pass hard by them without ever seeing "
## [6749] "them, complaining likewise of love very freshly, and ending his "
## [6750] "complaint with this song, love having renewed both his invention "
## [6751] "and voice. "
## [6752] ""
## [6753] "Let not old age disgrace my high desire ; "
## [6754] ""
## [6755] "O heavenly soul in human shape cqntain'd : "
## [6756] "Old wood inflam'd doth yield the bravest fire, "
## [6757] ""
## [6758] "When younger doth in smoke his virtue spend, "
## [6759] "Nay let white hairs which on my face do grow "
## [6760] ""
## [6761] "Seem to your eyes of a disgraceful hue, "
## [6762] "Since whiteness doth present the sweetest show. "
## [6763] ""
## [6764] "Which makes all eyes do homage unto you. "
## [6765] "Old age is wise, and full of constant truth ; "
## [6766] ""
## [6767] "Old age well stayed, from ranging humour lives : "
## [6768] "Old age hath known whatever was in youth : "
## [6769] ""
## [6770] "Old age o'ercome, the greater honour gives. "
## [6771] "And to old age since you yourself aspire. "
## [6772] "Let not old age disgrace my high desire. "
## [6773] ""
## [6774] "Which being done he looked very curiously upon himself, "
## [6775] "sometimes fetching a little skip as if he had said his strength "
## [6776] "had not yet forsaken him : but Zelmane having in this time "
## [6777] ""
## [6778] ""
## [6779] ""
## [6780] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 125 "
## [6781] ""
## [6782] "gotten some leisure to think for an answer, looking upon Gynecia "
## [6783] "as if she thought she did her some wrong : \" Madam,\" said she, "
## [6784] "\" I am not acquainted with those words of disguising, neither is it "
## [6785] "the profession of an Amazon, neither are you a party with whom it "
## [6786] "is to be used : if my service may please you, employ it, so long as "
## [6787] "you do me no wrong in misjudging of me.\" \" Alas ! Zelmane,\" "
## [6788] "said Gynecia, \" I perceive you know full little how piercing the "
## [6789] "eyes are of a true lover : there is no one beam of those thoughts "
## [6790] "you have planted in me but is able to discern a greater cloud than "
## [6791] "you do go in. Seek not to conceal yourself farther from me, nor "
## [6792] "force not the passion of love into violent extremities.\" Now was "
## [6793] "Zelmane brought to an exigent, when the king turning his eyes "
## [6794] "that way through the trees, perceived his wife and mistress "
## [6795] "together, so that framing the most lovely countenance he could, "
## [6796] "he came straightway towards them, and at the first word, thanking "
## [6797] "his wife for having entertained Zelmane, desired her she would "
## [6798] "now return into the lodge, because he had certain matters of "
## [6799] "estate to impart to the Lady Zelmane. The queen, being nothing "
## [6800] "troubled with jealousy in that point, obeyed the king's command- "
## [6801] "ment, full of raging agonies, and determinately bent that as she "
## [6802] "would seek all loving means to win Zelmane, so she would stir up "
## [6803] "terrible tragedies rather than fail of her intent. And so went she "
## [6804] "from them to the lodge-ward with such a battle in her thoughts, "
## [6805] "and so deadly an overthrow given to her best resolutions that even "
## [6806] "her body, where the field was fought, was oppressed withal, making "
## [6807] "a languishing sickness wait upon the triumph of passion, which the "
## [6808] "more it prevailed in her, the more it made her jealousy watchful, "
## [6809] "both over her daughter and Zelmane, having ever one of them "
## [6810] "intrusted to her own eyes. "
## [6811] ""
## [6812] "But as soon as Basilius was rid of his wife's presence, falling "
## [6813] "down on his knees, \" O lady,\" said he, \" which hast only had the "
## [6814] "power to stir up again those flames which had so long lain dead "
## [6815] "in me, see in me the power of your beauty, which can make old "
## [6816] "age come to ask counsel of youth, and a prince unconquered to "
## [6817] "become a slave to a stranger : and when you see that power of "
## [6818] "yours, love that at least in me, since it is yours, although of me "
## [6819] "you see nothing to be loved.\" \"Worthy prince\" (answered "
## [6820] "Zelmane, taking him up from his kneeling) \" both your manner "
## [6821] "and your speech are so strange unto me that I know not how to "
## [6822] "answer it better than with silence.\" \" If silence please you,\" said "
## [6823] "the king, \"it shall never displease me, since my heart is wholly "
## [6824] "pledged to obey you, otherwise, if you would vouchsafe mine "
## [6825] "ears such happiness as to hear you, they shall convey your words "
## [6826] "to such a mind as will with the humblest degree of reverence "
## [6827] "receive them.\" \" I disdain not to speak to you, mighty prince,\" "
## [6828] ""
## [6829] ""
## [6830] ""
## [6831] "126 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [6832] ""
## [6833] "said Zelmane, \"but I disdain to speak of any matter which may "
## [6834] "bring my honour into question\" : and therewith, with a brave "
## [6835] "counterfeited scorn she departed from the king, leaving him not so "
## [6836] "sorry for his short answer as proud in himself that he had broken "
## [6837] "the matter. And thus did the king, feeding his mind with those "
## [6838] "thoughts, pass great time in writing verses, and making more of "
## [6839] "himself than he was wont to do, that, with a little help, he would "
## [6840] "have grown into a pretty kind of dotage. "
## [6841] ""
## [6842] "But Zelmane being rid of this loving, but little loved company, "
## [6843] "\" Alas ! \" said she, \" poor Pyrodes, was there ever one, but I, that "
## [6844] "had received wrong, and could blame nobody ? that having more "
## [6845] "than I desire, am still in want of what I would ? truly, love, I must "
## [6846] "needs say thus much on my behalf; thou hast employed my "
## [6847] "love there, where all love is deserved ; and for recompence hast "
## [6848] "sent me more love than ever I desired. But what wilt thou do "
## [6849] "Pyrocles ? which way canst thou find to rid thee of thy intricate "
## [6850] "troubles ? to her whom I would be known to I live in darkness ; "
## [6851] "and to her am revealed from whom I would be most secret. "
## [6852] "What shift shall I find against the diligent love of Basilius ? what "
## [6853] "shield against the violent passions of Gynecia? and if that be "
## [6854] "done, yet how am I the nearer to quench the fire that consumes "
## [6855] "me ? Well, well, sweet Philoclea, my whole confidence must be "
## [6856] "builded in thy divine spirit which cannot be ignorant of the cruel "
## [6857] "wound I have received by you.'' "
## [6858] ""
## [6859] "But as sick folks when they are alone think company woidd "
## [6860] "relieve them, and yet having company do find it noisome, changing "
## [6861] "willingly outward objects, when indeed the evil is inward, so poor "
## [6862] "Zelmane was no more weary of Basilius, than she was of herself "
## [6863] "when Basilius was gone : and ever the more, the more she turned "
## [6864] "her eyes to become her own judges. Tired therewith, she longed "
## [6865] "to meet her friend Dorus that upon the shoulders of friendship "
## [6866] "she might lay the burden of sorrow, and therefore went toward "
## [6867] "the other lodge, where among certain beeches she found' Dorus, "
## [6868] "apparelled in flannel, with a goats-skin cast upon him and a "
## [6869] "garland of laurel mix'd with cypress leaves on his head, waiting on "
## [6870] "his master Dametas, who at that time was teaching him how with "
## [6871] "his sheep-hook to catch a wanton lamb, and how with the same "
## [6872] "to cast a little clod at any one that strayed out of company. "
## [6873] "And while Dorus was practising, one might see Dametas holding "
## [6874] "his hand under his girdle behind him, nodding from the waist "
## [6875] "upwards, and swearing he never knew man go more awkwardly "
## [6876] "to work, and that they might talk of book-learning what they "
## [6877] "would, but for his part he never saw more unfeaty fellows than "
## [6878] "great clerks were. "
## [6879] ""
## [6880] "But Zelmane's coming saved Dorus from further chiding. "
## [6881] ""
## [6882] ""
## [6883] ""
## [6884] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 127 "
## [6885] ""
## [6886] "And so she beginning to speak with him of the number of his "
## [6887] "master's sheep, and which province of Arcadia bare the finest "
## [6888] "wool, drew him on to follow her in such country-discourses ; "
## [6889] "till, iieing out of Dametas's hearing, with such vehemency of "
## [6890] "passion, as though her heart would climb into her mouth to take "
## [6891] "her tongues office, she declared unto him upon what briars the "
## [6892] "roses of her affections grew ; how time still seemed to forget her, "
## [6893] "bestowing no one hour of comfort upon her ; she remaining still in "
## [6894] "one plight of ill fortune, saving so much worse as continuance of "
## [6895] "evil doth in itself increase evil. \" Alas, my Dorus,\" said she, "
## [6896] "\"thou seest how long and languishingly the weeks are past "
## [6897] "over since our last talking. And yet I am the same, miserable I, "
## [6898] "that I was, only stronger in longing, and weaker in hoping.\" Then "
## [6899] "fell she to so pitiful a declaration of the insupportableness of her "
## [6900] "desires that Dorus's ears, not able to show what wounds that dis- "
## [6901] "course gave unto them, procured his eyes with tears to give "
## [6902] "testimony how much they suffered for her suffering ; till passion, "
## [6903] "a most cumbersome guest to itself, made Zelmane, the sooner to "
## [6904] "shake it off, earnestly entreat Dorus that he also, with like freedom "
## [6905] "of discourse, would bestow a map of his little world upon her that "
## [6906] "she might see whether it were troubled with such unhabitable "
## [6907] "climes of cold despairs and hot rages as hers was. "
## [6908] ""
## [6909] "And so walking under a few palm-trees (which being loving in "
## [6910] "her own nature seemed to give their shadow the willinglier because "
## [6911] "they held discourse of love) Dorus thus entered to the description "
## [6912] "of his fortune. "
## [6913] ""
## [6914] "\"Alas,\" said he, \"dear cousin, that it hath pleased the high "
## [6915] "power to throw us to such an estate as the only intercourse of our "
## [6916] "true friendship must be a bartering of miseries : for my part, I "
## [6917] "must confess, indeed, that from a huge darkness of sorrows I am "
## [6918] "crept, I cannot say to a lightsomeness, but, to a certain dawning, "
## [6919] "or rather peeping out of some possibility of comfort : but woe is "
## [6920] "me ; so far from the mark of my desires, that I rather think it such "
## [6921] "a light as comes through a small hole to a dungeon that the "
## [6922] "miserable caitiff may the better remember the light of which he is "
## [6923] "deprived, or, like a scholar who is only come to that degree of "
## [6924] "knowledge to find himself utterly ignorant : but thus stands it with "
## [6925] "me. After that by your means I was exalted to serve in yonder "
## [6926] "blessed lodge, for a while I had, in the furnace of my agonies, this "
## [6927] "refreshing that, because of the service I had done in killing of the "
## [6928] "bear, it pleased the princess, in whom indeed stateliness shines "
## [6929] "through courtesy, to let fall some gracious look upon me : some- "
## [6930] "times to see my exercise, sometime to hear my songs. For my "
## [6931] "part, my heart would not suffer me to omit any occasion whereby "
## [6932] "I might make the incomparable Pamela see how much extra- "
## [6933] ""
## [6934] ""
## [6935] ""
## [6936] "128 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [6937] ""
## [6938] "ordinary devotion I bare to her service : and withal strove to appear "
## [6939] "more worthy in her sight, that small desert, joined to so great "
## [6940] "affection, might prevail something in the wisest lady. But too "
## [6941] "well, alas 1 I found that a shepherd's service was but considered "
## [6942] "of as from a shepherd, and the acceptation limited to no further "
## [6943] "proportion than of a good servant. And when my countenance "
## [6944] "had once given notice that there lay affection under it, I saw "
## [6945] "straight, majesty, sitting in the throne of beauty, draw forth such a "
## [6946] "sword of just disdain that I remained as a man thunderstruck, not "
## [6947] "daring, no not able to behold that power. Now to make my estate "
## [6948] "known, seemed again impossible, by reason of the suspiciousness "
## [6949] "of Dametas, Miso and my young mistress Mopsa : for Dametas, "
## [6950] "according to the constitution of a dull head, thinks no better way "
## [6951] "to show himself wise than by suspecting everything in his way, "
## [6952] "which suspicion Miso, for the hoggish shrewdness of her brain, "
## [6953] "and Mopsa (for a very unlikely envy she hath stumbled upon "
## [6954] "against the princess's unspeakable beauty) were very glad to "
## [6955] "execute : so that I (finding my service by this means lightly re- "
## [6956] "garded, my affection despised, and myself unknown) remained no "
## [6957] "fuller of desire than void of counsel how to come to my desire ; "
## [6958] "which, alas ! if these trees could speak, they might well witness^ "
## [6959] "for many times have I stood here, bewailing myself unto them, "
## [6960] "many times have I, leaning to yonder palm, admired the blessed- "
## [6961] "ness of it, that it could bear love without sense of pain ; many "
## [6962] "times, when my master's cattle came hither to chew their cud in "
## [6963] "this fresh place, I might see the young bull testify his love ? but "
## [6964] "how ? with proud looks and joyfulness. ' O wretched mankind,' "
## [6965] "said I then to myself, ' in whom wit, which should be tlie governor "
## [6966] "of his welfare, becomes the traitor to his blessedness : these beasts, "
## [6967] "like children to nature, inherit her blessings quietly ; we like "
## [6968] "bastards are laid abroad, even as fondlings, to be trained up by "
## [6969] "grief and sorrow. Their minds grudge not at their bodies comfort, "
## [6970] "nor their senses are letted from enjoying their objects ; we have the "
## [6971] "impediments of honour, and the torments of conscience.' Truly in "
## [6972] "such cogitations I have sometimes so long stood that methought "
## [6973] "my feet began to grow into the ground, with such a darkness and "
## [6974] "heaviness of mind, that I might easily have been persuaded to have "
## [6975] "resigned over my very essence. But love (which one time lay "
## [6976] "burdens, another time giveth wings) when I was at the lowest of "
## [6977] "my downward thoughts, pulled up my heart to remember, that "
## [6978] "nothing is achieved before it be throughly attempted, and that "
## [6979] "lying still, doth never go forward ; and that therefore it was time, "
## [6980] "now or never, to sharpen my invention, to pierce through the "
## [6981] "hardness of this enterprize, never ceasing to assemble all my "
## [6982] "conceits, one after another, how to manifest both my mind and "
## [6983] ""
## [6984] ""
## [6985] ""
## [6986] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 129 "
## [6987] ""
## [6988] "estate, till at last I lighted and resolved on this way, which yet "
## [6989] "perchance you will think was a way rather to hide it. I began to "
## [6990] "counterfeit the extremest love towards Mopsa that might be ; and "
## [6991] "as for the love, so lively it was indeed within me, although to "
## [6992] "another subject, that little I needed to counterfeit any notable "
## [6993] "demonstrations of it ; and so making a contrariety the place of my "
## [6994] "memory, in her foulness I beheld Pamela's fairness, still looking "
## [6995] "on Mopsa, but thinking on Pamela, as if I saw my sun shine in a "
## [6996] "puddled water : I cried out of nothing but Mopsa, to Mopsa my "
## [6997] "attendance was directed ; to Mopsa the best fruits I could gather "
## [6998] "were brought ; to Mopsa it seemed still that mine eyes conveyed "
## [6999] "my tongue : so that Mopsa was my saying ; Mopsa was my sing- "
## [7000] "ing ; Mopsa (that is only suitable in laying a foul complexion upon "
## [7001] "a filthy favour, setting forth both in sluttishness) she was the load- "
## [7002] "star of my life ; she the blessing of mine eyes ; she the overthrow "
## [7003] "of my desires, and yet the recompence of my overthrow ; she the "
## [7004] "sweetness of my heart, even sweetening the death which her "
## [7005] "sweetness drew upon me. In sum, whatsoever I thought of "
## [7006] "Pamela, that I said of Mopsa ; whereby as I got my master's "
## [7007] "goodwill, who before spited me, fearing lest I should win the "
## [7008] "princess's favour from him, so did the same make the princess the "
## [7009] "better content to allow me her presence : whether indeed it were "
## [7010] "that a certain spark of noble indignation did rise in her not to "
## [7011] "suffer such a baggage to win away anything of hers, how meanly "
## [7012] "soever she reputed of it, or rather, as I think, my words being so "
## [7013] "passionate, and shooting so quite contrary from the marks of "
## [7014] "Mopsa's worthiness, she perceived well enough whither they were "
## [7015] "directed ; and therefore being so masked, she was contented as a "
## [7016] "sport of wit to attend them : whereupon one day determining to "
## [7017] "find some means to tell, as of a third person, the tale of mine own "
## [7018] "love and estate, finding Mopsa, like a cuckoo by a nightingale, alone "
## [7019] "with Pamela, I came in unto them, and with a face, I am sure, full "
## [7020] "of cloudy fancies, took a harp and sung this song : "
## [7021] ""
## [7022] "Since so mine eyes are subject to your sight. "
## [7023] "That in your sight they fixed have my brain: "
## [7024] ""
## [7025] "Since so my heart is filled with that light, "
## [7026] "That only light doth all my life maintain. "
## [7027] ""
## [7028] "Since in sweet you, all goods so richly reign, "
## [7029] ""
## [7030] "That where you are, no wished good can want "
## [7031] "Since so your living image lives in me, "
## [7032] "That in myself yourself true love doth plant : "
## [7033] "How can you him unworthy then decree. "
## [7034] "In whose chief part your worths implanted be? "
## [7035] "I "
## [7036] ""
## [7037] ""
## [7038] ""
## [7039] "130 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [7040] ""
## [7041] "\"The song being ended, which I had often broken off in the "
## [7042] "midst with grievous sighs which overtook every verse I sung, "
## [7043] "I let fall my harp from me, and casting mine eye sometimes upon "
## [7044] "Mopsa, but settling my sight principally upon Pamela. ' And is "
## [7045] "it the only fortune, most beautiful Mopsa,' said I, 'of wretched "
## [7046] "Dorus that fortune must be the measure of his mind? am I only "
## [7047] "he, that because I am in misery more misery must be laid upon "
## [7048] "me ? must that which should be cause of compassion become an "
## [7049] "argument of cruelty against me ? alas ! excellent Mopsa, consider "
## [7050] "that a virtuous prince requires the life of his meanest subject, and "
## [7051] "the heavenly sun disdains not to give light to the smallest worm. "
## [7052] "O Mopsa, Mopsa, if my heart could be as manifest to you, as it is "
## [7053] "uncomfortable to me, I doubt not the height of my thoughts should "
## [7054] "well countervail the lowness of my quality. Who hath not heard "
## [7055] "of the greatness of your estate ? who seeth not that your estate is "
## [7056] "much excelled with that sweet uniting of all beauties which "
## [7057] "remaineth and dwelleth with you ? who knows not that all these "
## [7058] "are but ornaments of that divine spark within you which, being "
## [7059] "descended from heaven, could not elsewhere pick out so sweet "
## [7060] "a mansion ? but if you will know what is the band that ought to "
## [7061] "knit all these excellencies together, it is a kind mercifulness to "
## [7062] "such a one as is in his soul devoted to those perfections. Mopsa, "
## [7063] "who already had had a certain smackring towards me, stood all "
## [7064] "this while with her hands sometimes before her face, but most "
## [7065] "commonly with a certain special grace of her own, wagging her "
## [7066] "lips, and grinning instead of smiling : but all the words I could get "
## [7067] "of her was, wrying her waist, and thrusting out her chin, ' in faith "
## [7068] "you jest with me : you are a merry man indeed.' "
## [7069] ""
## [7070] "\"But the ever pleasing Pamela (that well found the comedy "
## [7071] "would be marred if she did not help Mopsa to her part), was "
## [7072] "content to urge a little farther of me. ' Master Dorus,' said the "
## [7073] "fair Pamela, ' methinks you blame your fortune very wrongfully, "
## [7074] "since the fault is not in fortune but in you that cannot frame "
## [7075] "yourself to your fortune, and as wrongfully do require Mopsa to "
## [7076] "so great a disparagement as to her father's servant, since she is "
## [7077] "not worthy to be loved that hath not some feeling of her own "
## [7078] "worthiness.' I stayed a good while after her words, in hopes she "
## [7079] "would have continued her speech, so great a delight I received "
## [7080] "in hearing her, but seeing her say no farther, with a quaking all "
## [7081] "over my body, I thus answered her : ' Lady, most worthy of all "
## [7082] "duty how falls it out that you, in whom all virtues shine, will take "
## [7083] "the patronage of fortune, the only -rebellious handmaid against "
## [7084] "virtue ; especially, since before your eyes you have a pitiful "
## [7085] "spectacle of her wickedness, a forlorn creature, which must remain "
## [7086] "not such as I am, but such as she makes me, since she must be "
## [7087] ""
## [7088] ""
## [7089] ""
## [7090] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 131 "
## [7091] ""
## [7092] "the balance of worthiness or disparagement. Yet alas ! if the "
## [7093] "condemned man, even at his death, have leave to speak, let my "
## [7094] "mortal wound purchase thus much consideration ; since the "
## [7095] "perfections are such in the party I love, as the feeling of them "
## [7096] "cannot come into any unnoble heart, shall that heart, which doth "
## [7097] "not only feel them, but hath all the working of his life placed in "
## [7098] "them, shall that heart, I say, lifted up to such a height, be counted "
## [7099] "base? O let not an excellent spirit do itself such wrong as to "
## [7100] "think where it is placed, embraced and loved, there can be any "
## [7101] "unworthiness, since the weakest mist is not easier driven away "
## [7102] "by the sun than that is chased away with so high thoughts.' "
## [7103] "'I will not deny,' answered the gracious Pamela, 'but that the "
## [7104] "love you bear to Mopsa, hath brought you to the consideration of "
## [7105] "her virtues, and that consideration may have made you the more "
## [7106] "virtuous, and so the more worthy : but even that then, you must "
## [7107] "confess, you have received of her, and so are rather gratefully to "
## [7108] "thank her, than to press any farther, till you bring something of "
## [7109] "your own, whereby to claim it. And truly Dorus, I must in "
## [7110] "Mopsa's behalf say thus much to you, that if her beauties have "
## [7111] "so overtaken you, it becomes a true lover to have your heart more "
## [7112] "set upon her good than your own, and to bear a tenderer respect "
## [7113] "to her honour than your satisfaction.' 'Now by my hallidame, "
## [7114] "madam,' said Mopsa, throwing a great number of sheep's eyes "
## [7115] "upon me, 'you have even touched mine own mind to the quick, "
## [7116] "forsooth.' "
## [7117] ""
## [7118] "\"I finding that the policy that I had used had at least wise "
## [7119] "produced thus much happiness unto me, as that I might, even in "
## [7120] "my lady's presence, discover the sore which had deeply festered "
## [7121] "within me, and that she could better conceive my reasons applied "
## [7122] "to Mopsa, than she would have vouchsafed them, whilst herself "
## [7123] "was a party, thought good to pursue on my good beginning, using "
## [7124] "this fit occasion of Pamela's wit, and Mopsa's ignorance. There- "
## [7125] "fore with an humble piercing eye, looking upon Pamela as if I had "
## [7126] "rather been condemned by her mouth than highly exalted by the "
## [7127] "other, turning myself to Mopsa, but keeping mine eye where it "
## [7128] "was : ' Fair Mopsa,' said I, ' well do I find by the wise knitting "
## [7129] "together of your answer that any disputation I can use is as much "
## [7130] "too weak, as I unworthy. I find my love shall be proved no love, "
## [7131] "without I leave to love, being too unfit a vessel in whom so high "
## [7132] "thoughts should be engraven. Yet since the love I bear you hath "
## [7133] "so joined itself to the best part of my life, as the one cannot depart "
## [7134] "but that the other will follow, before I seek to obey you in making "
## [7135] "my last passage, let me know which is my unworthiness, either "
## [7136] "of mind, estate, or both?' Mopsa was about to say, in neither; "
## [7137] "for her heart I think tumbled with overmuch kindness, when "
## [7138] ""
## [7139] ""
## [7140] ""
## [7141] "132 ARCADIA [BooKii. "
## [7142] ""
## [7143] "Pamela with ar more favourable countenance than before, finding "
## [7144] "how apt I was to fall into despair, told me I might therein have "
## [7145] "answered myself, for besides that it was granted me that the in- "
## [7146] "ward feeling of Mopsa's perfections had greatly beautified my mind, "
## [7147] "there was none could deny but that my mind and body deserved "
## [7148] "great allowance. 'But Dorus,' said she, 'you must be so far "
## [7149] "master of your love, as to consider that since the judgment of "
## [7150] "the world stands upon matter of fortune, and that the sex of "
## [7151] "womankind of all other is most bound to have regardful eye to "
## [7152] "men's judgments, it is not for us to play the philosophers in "
## [7153] "seeking out your hidden virtues, since that which in a wise "
## [7154] "prince would be counted wisdom, in us will be taken for a light "
## [7155] "grounded affection : so is not one thing, one done by divers "
## [7156] "persons.' "
## [7157] ""
## [7158] "\" There is no man in a burning fever feels so great contentment "
## [7159] "in cold water greedily received (which as soon as the drink ceaseth, "
## [7160] "the rage reneweth) as poor I found my soul refreshed with her "
## [7161] "sweetly pronounced words ; and newly and more violently again "
## [7162] "inflamed as soon as she had enclosed up her delightful speech "
## [7163] "with no less well graced silence. But remembering in myself "
## [7164] "that as well the soldier dieth which standeth still as he that "
## [7165] "gives the bravest onset, and seeing that to the making up of my "
## [7166] "fortune there wanted nothing so much as the making known of "
## [7167] "mine estate, with a face well witnessing how deeply my soul "
## [7168] "was possessed, and with the most submissive behaviour that "
## [7169] "a thralled heart could express, even as my words had been too "
## [7170] "thick for my mouth, at length spoke to this purpose : ' Alas, most "
## [7171] "worthy Princess,' said I, ' and do not then your own sweet words "
## [7172] "sufficiently testify that there was never man could have a juster "
## [7173] "action against filthy fortune than I, since all things being granted "
## [7174] "me, her blindness is my only let? O heavenly God, I would "
## [7175] "either she had such eyes as were able to discern my desires, or "
## [7176] "were blind not to see the daily cause of my misfortune. But yet,' "
## [7177] "said I, ' most honoured lady, if my miserable speeches have not "
## [7178] "already cloyed you, and that the very presence of such a wretch "
## [7179] "become not hateful in your eyes, let me reply thus much farther "
## [7180] "against my mortal sentence, by telling you a story which happened "
## [7181] "in this same country long since, for woes make the shortest time "
## [7182] "seem long, whereby you shall see that my estate is not so con- "
## [7183] "temptible, but that a prince hath been content to take the like upon "
## [7184] "him, and by that only hath aspired to enjoy a mighty princess.' "
## [7185] "Pamela graciously barkened, and I told my tale in this sort. "
## [7186] ""
## [7187] "\" ' In the country of Thessalia (alas ! why name I that accursed "
## [7188] "country which brings forth nothing but matters of tragedy? but "
## [7189] "name it I must) in Thessalia, I say, there was (well may 1 say "
## [7190] ""
## [7191] ""
## [7192] ""
## [7193] "b6ok ii.j Arcadia 133 "
## [7194] ""
## [7195] "there was) a prince, no, no prince, whom bondage wholly possessed, "
## [7196] "but yet accounted a prince, and named Musidorus. O Musidorus, "
## [7197] "Musidorus ! But to what serve exclamations, where there are no "
## [7198] "ears to receive the sound? This Musidorus being yet in the "
## [7199] "tenderest age, his worthy father payed to nature, with a violent "
## [7200] "death, her last duties, leaving his child to the faith of his friends, "
## [7201] "and the proof of time : death gave him not such pangs as the "
## [7202] "fore-sightful care he had of his silly successor. And yet if in his "
## [7203] "foresight he could have seen so much, happy was that good prince "
## [7204] "in his timely departure which barred him from the knowledge of "
## [7205] "his son's miseries, which his knowledge could neither have pre- "
## [7206] "vented nor relieved. The young Musidorus (being thus, as for the "
## [7207] "first pledge of the destinies goodwill, deprived of his principal "
## [7208] "stay) was yet for some years after, as if the stars would breathe "
## [7209] "themselves for a greater mischief, lulled up in as much good luck "
## [7210] "as the heedful love of his doleful mother, and the flourishing estate "
## [7211] "of his country could breed unto him. "
## [7212] ""
## [7213] "\" But when the time now came that misery seemed to be ripe "
## [7214] "for him, because he had age to know misery, I think there was a "
## [7215] "conspiracy in all heavenly and earthly things to frame fit occasions "
## [7216] "to lead him unto it. His people, to whom all foreign matters in "
## [7217] "foretime were odious, began to wish in their beloved prince, "
## [7218] "experience by travel : his dear mother, whose eyes were held open "
## [7219] "only with the joy of looking upon him, did now dispense with the "
## [7220] "comfort of her widowed life, desiring the same her subjects did, for "
## [7221] "the increase of her son's worthiness. "
## [7222] ""
## [7223] "\" And hereto did Musidorus's own virtue, see how virtue can be "
## [7224] "a minister to mischief, sufficiently provoke him ; for indeed thus "
## [7225] "much must I say for him, although the likeness of our mishaps "
## [7226] "makes me presume to pattern myself unto him, that well-doing "
## [7227] "was at that time his scope, from which no faint pleasure could "
## [7228] "with-hold him. But the present occasion which did knit all this "
## [7229] "together, was his uncle the king of Macedon who, having lately "
## [7230] "before gotten such victories as were beyond expectation, did at "
## [7231] "this time send both for the prince his son (brought up together, to "
## [7232] "avoid the wars, with Musidorus) ; and for Musidorus himself, that "
## [7233] "his joy might be the more full, having such partakers of it. But "
## [7234] "alas ! to what a sea of miseries my plaintful tongue doth lead me?' "
## [7235] "and thus out of breath, rather with that I thought than that I said, "
## [7236] "I stayed my speech, till Pamela showing by countenance that such "
## [7237] "was her pleasure, I thus continued it : ' These two young princes, "
## [7238] "to satisfy the king, took their way by sea, towards Thrace, whether "
## [7239] "they would needs go with a navy to succour him, he being at that "
## [7240] "time before Bizantium with a mighty army besieging it, where at "
## [7241] "that time his court was. But when the conspired heavens had "
## [7242] ""
## [7243] ""
## [7244] ""
## [7245] "134 AkCADtA tnooK II. "
## [7246] ""
## [7247] "gotten this subject of their wrath upon so fit place as the sea was, "
## [7248] "they straight began to breathe out in boisterous winds some part of "
## [7249] "their malice against him, so that with the loss of all his navy, he "
## [7250] "only with the prince his cousin, were cast aland far off from the "
## [7251] "place whither their desires would have guided them. O cruel "
## [7252] "winds, in your unconsiderate rages, why either began you this fury, "
## [7253] "or why did you not end it in his end ? but your cruelty was such, "
## [7254] "as you would spare his life for many deathful torments. To tell "
## [7255] "you what pitiful mishaps fell to the young prince of Macedon his "
## [7256] "cousin, I should too much fill your ears with strange horrors ; "
## [7257] "neither will I stay upon those laboursome adventures, nor loath- "
## [7258] "some misadventures to which, and through whicl^ his fortune and "
## [7259] "courage conducted him ; my speech hasteneth itself to come to "
## [7260] "the full point of Musidorus's misfortunes. For, as we find the "
## [7261] "most pestilent diseases do gather in themselves all the infirmities "
## [7262] "with which the body before was annoyed, so did his last misery "
## [7263] "embrace in extremity of itself all his former mischiefs. Arcadia j "
## [7264] "Arcadia was the place prepared to be the stage of his endless over- "
## [7265] "throw ; Arcadia was, alas ! well might I say it is, the charmed "
## [7266] "circle where all his spirits for ever should be enchanted. For "
## [7267] "here, and nowhere else, did his infected eyes make his mind "
## [7268] "know what power heavenly beauty had to throw it down to hellish "
## [7269] "agonies. Here, here did he see the Arcadian king's eldest "
## [7270] "daughter, in whom he forthwith placed so all his hopes of joy, and "
## [7271] "joyful parts of his heart that he left in himself nothing but a maze "
## [7272] "of longing, and a dungeon of sorrow. But alas ! what can saying "
## [7273] "make them believe, whom seeing cannot persuade? those pains "
## [7274] "must be felt before they can be understood ; no outward utterance "
## [7275] "can command a conceit. Such was as then the state of the king, "
## [7276] "as it was no time by direct means to seek her. And such was the "
## [7277] "state of his captivated will as he could delay no time of seeking her. "
## [7278] "\" In this entangled cause, he clothed himself in a shepherd's "
## [7279] "weed, that under the baseness of that form, he might at last have "
## [7280] "free access to feed his eyes with that which should at length eat up "
## [7281] "his heart. In which doing, thus much without doubt he hath "
## [7282] "manifested that this estate is not always to be rejected, since "
## [7283] "under that veil there may be hidden things to be esteemed. And "
## [7284] "if he might with taking on a shepherd's look cast up his eyes to "
## [7285] "the fairest princess nature in that time created, the like, nay the "
## [7286] "same desire of mine need no more to be disdained, or held for "
## [7287] "disgraceful. But now alas ! mine eyes wax dim, my tongue begins "
## [7288] "to falter, and my heart to want force to help either, with the feeling "
## [7289] "remembrance I have, in what heap of miseries the caitiff prince "
## [7290] "lay at this time buried. Pardon therefore most excellent princess, "
## [7291] "if I cut off the course of my dolorous tale, since, if I be understood, "
## [7292] ""
## [7293] ""
## [7294] ""
## [7295] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 135 "
## [7296] ""
## [7297] "I have said enough for the defence of ray baseness, and for that "
## [7298] "which after might befall to that pattern of ill fortune, the matters "
## [7299] "are too monstrous for my capacity, his hateful destinies must best "
## [7300] "declare their own workmanship.' \" "
## [7301] ""
## [7302] "Thus having delivered his tale in this perplexed manner, to the "
## [7303] "end the princess might judge that he meant himself, who spoke so "
## [7304] "feelingly ; her answer was both strange, and in some respect "
## [7305] "comfortable. For would you think it ? she hath heard heretofore "
## [7306] "of us both by means of the valiant prince Plangus, and particularly "
## [7307] "of our casting away, which she (following mine own style) thus "
## [7308] "delicately brought forth: \"you have told,\" said she, \" Dorus, a "
## [7309] "pretty tale, but you are much deceived in the latter end of it. For "
## [7310] "the Prince Musidorus with his cousin Pyrocles did both perish "
## [7311] "upon the coast of Laconia, as a noble gentleman called Plangus, "
## [7312] "who was well acquainted with the history, did assure my father.\" "
## [7313] ""
## [7314] "how that speech of hers did pour joys in my heart ! O blessed "
## [7315] "name, thought I, of mine, since thou hast been in that tongue, and "
## [7316] "passed through those lips, though I can never hope to approach "
## [7317] "them. \"As for Pyrocles,\" said I, \"I will not deny it, but that he "
## [7318] "is perished : \" (which I said lest sooner suspicion might arise of "
## [7319] "your being here than yourself would have it) and yet affirmed no "
## [7320] "lie unto her, since I only said, I would not deny it. \" But for "
## [7321] "Musidorus,\" said I, \" I perceive indeed you have either heard or "
## [7322] "read the story of that unhappy prince ; for this was the very "
## [7323] "objection which that peerless princess did make unto him, when "
## [7324] "he sought to appear such as he was before her wisdom : and thus "
## [7325] ""
## [7326] "1 have read it fair written in the certainty of my knowledge, he "
## [7327] "might answer her, that indeed the ship wherein he came, by a "
## [7328] "treason was perished ; and therefore that Plangus might easily be "
## [7329] "deceived, but that he himself was cast upon the coast of Laconia, "
## [7330] "where he was taken up by a couple of shepherds, who hved in "
## [7331] "those days famous ; for that both loving one fair maid, they yet "
## [7332] "remained constant friends ; one of whose songs not long since was "
## [7333] "sung before you by the shepherd Lamon, and brought by them to "
## [7334] "a nobleman's house near Mantinea, whose son had, a little before "
## [7335] "his marriage, been taken prisoner, and by the help of this prince "
## [7336] "Musidorus, though naming himself by another name, was delivered.\" "
## [7337] "Now these circumlocutions I did use, because of the one side I "
## [7338] "knew the princess would know well the parties I meant ; and of "
## [7339] "the other, if I should have named Strephon, Claius, Kalander and "
## [7340] "Clitophon, perhaps it would have rubb'd some conjecture into the "
## [7341] "heavy head of mistress Mopsa. "
## [7342] ""
## [7343] "\" And therefore,\" said I, \" most divine lady, he justly was thus "
## [7344] "to argue against such suspicions, that the prince might easily by "
## [7345] "those parties be satisfied, that upon that wreck such a one was "
## [7346] ""
## [7347] ""
## [7348] ""
## [7349] "136 ARCADIA [BOOK IT. "
## [7350] ""
## [7351] "taken up, and therefore that Plangus might well err, who knew not "
## [7352] "of any one's taking up : again that he that was so preserved "
## [7353] "brought good tokens to be one of the two, chief of that wrecked "
## [7354] "company : which two, since Plangus knew to be Musidorus and "
## [7355] "Pyrocles, he must needs be one of them, although, as I said, "
## [7356] "upon a fore-taken vow, he was otherwise at that time called. "
## [7357] "Besides, the princess must needs judge that no less than a prince "
## [7358] "durst undertake such an enterprise, which, though he might get "
## [7359] "the favour of the princess, he could never defend with less than a "
## [7360] "prince's power, against the force of Arcadia. Lastly, said he, for a "
## [7361] "certain demonstration, he presumed to show unto the princess a "
## [7362] "mark he had on his face, as I might,\" said I, \" show this of my "
## [7363] "neck to the rare Mopsa : \" and, withal, showed my neck to them "
## [7364] "both, where, as you know, there is a red spot bearing figure, as "
## [7365] "they tell me, of a lion's paw, that she may ascertain herself, that I "
## [7366] "am Menalcha's brother. \" And so did he, beseeching her to send "
## [7367] "someone she might trust into Thessalia, secretly to be advertised "
## [7368] "whether the age, the complexion, and particularly that notable "
## [7369] "sign, did not fully agree with their prince Musidorus.\" \" Do you "
## [7370] "not know farther,\" said she, with a settled countenance not "
## [7371] "accusing any kind of inward motion, \"of that story?\" \"Alas, no,\" "
## [7372] "said I, \"for even here the historiographer stopped, saying, the rest "
## [7373] "belonged to astrology.\" And therewith, thinking her silent "
## [7374] "imaginations began to work upon somewhat to mollify them, as "
## [7375] "the nature of music is to do, and, withal, to show what kind of "
## [7376] "shepherd I was, I took up my harp, and sang these few verses : "
## [7377] ""
## [7378] "My sheep are thoughts, which I both guide and serve, "
## [7379] ""
## [7380] "Their pasture is fair hills of fruitless love : "
## [7381] "On barren sweets they feed, and feeding' starve : "
## [7382] ""
## [7383] "I wail their lot, but will not other prove. "
## [7384] "My sheep-hook is wan hope, which all upholds : "
## [7385] "My weeds, desire, cut out in endless folds. "
## [7386] "What wool my sheep shall bear, whiles thus they live. "
## [7387] "In you it is, you must the judgment give. "
## [7388] ""
## [7389] "\" And then, partly to bring Mopsa again to the matter, lest she "
## [7390] "should too much take heed to our discourses, but principally, if it "
## [7391] "were possible to gather some comfort out of her answers, I kneeled "
## [7392] "down to the princess, and humbly besought her to move Mopsa in "
## [7393] "my behalf, that she would unarm her noble heart of that steely "
## [7394] "resistance against the sweet blows of love : that since all her parts "
## [7395] "were decked with some particular ornament ; her face with beauty, "
## [7396] "her head with wisdom, her eyes with majesty, her countenance "
## [7397] "with gracefulness, her lips with loveliness, her tongue with victory, "
## [7398] "that she would make her heart the throne of pity, being the most "
## [7399] ""
## [7400] ""
## [7401] ""
## [7402] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA t37 "
## [7403] ""
## [7404] "excellent raiment of the most excellent part. Pamela without show "
## [7405] "either of favour or disdain, either of heeding or neglecting what I "
## [7406] "had said, turned her speech to Mopsa, and with such a voice and "
## [7407] "action, as might show she spoke of a matter which little did con- "
## [7408] "cern her; 'Take heed to yourself,' said she, Mopsa, 'for your "
## [7409] "shepherd can speak well : but truly, if he do fully prove himself "
## [7410] "such as he saith, I mean, the honest shepherd Menalcas's brother "
## [7411] "and heir, I know no reason why you should think scorn of him.' "
## [7412] "Mopsa though, in my conscience, she were even then far spent "
## [7413] "towards me, yet she answered her, that for all my quaint speeches, "
## [7414] "she would keep her honesty close enough, and that, as for the way "
## [7415] "of matrimony, she would step never a foot farther till my master, "
## [7416] "her father, had spoken the whole word himself, no she would not. "
## [7417] "But ever and anon turning her muzzle towards me, she threw such "
## [7418] "a prospect upon me as might well have given a surfeit to any weak "
## [7419] "lover's stomach. But, lord, what a fool am I, to mingle that drivel's "
## [7420] "speeches among my noble thoughts ! but because she was an actor "
## [7421] "in this tragedy, to give you a full knowledge, and to leave nothing "
## [7422] "that I can remember, unrepeated. "
## [7423] ""
## [7424] "\" Now the princess being about to withdraw herself from us, I "
## [7425] "took a jewel made in the figure of a crab-fish, which, because it "
## [7426] "looks one way and goes another, I thought it did fitly pattern out "
## [7427] "my looking to Mopsa, but bending to Pamela : the word about it "
## [7428] "was, ' By force, not choice ; ' and still kneeling, besought the "
## [7429] "princess that she would vouchsafe to give it Mopsa, and with the "
## [7430] "blessedness of her hand to make acceptable unto her that toy which "
## [7431] "I had found following of late an acquaintance of mine at the "
## [7432] "plough. 'For,' said I, 'as the earth was turned up, the plough- "
## [7433] "share lighted upon a great stone ; we puU'd that up, and so found "
## [7434] "both that and some other pretty things which we had divided "
## [7435] "betwixt us.' "
## [7436] ""
## [7437] "\" Mopsa was benumbed with joy when the princess gave it her : "
## [7438] "but in the princess I could find no apprehension of what I either "
## [7439] "said or did, but with a calm carelessness letting each thing slide "
## [7440] "(just as we do by their speeches who neither in matter nor person "
## [7441] "do anyway belong unto us) which kind of cold temper, mix'd "
## [7442] "with that lightening of her natural majesty, is of all others most "
## [7443] "terrible unto me : for yet if I found she contemned me, I would "
## [7444] "desperately labour both in fortune and virtue to overcome it ; if "
## [7445] "she only misdoubted me I were in heaven ; for quickly I would "
## [7446] "bring sufficient assurance ; lastly, if she hated me, yet I should "
## [7447] "know what passion to deal with ; and either with infiniteness of "
## [7448] "desert I would take away the fuel from that fire ; or if nothing "
## [7449] "would serve, then I would give her my heart's blood to quench it. "
## [7450] "But this cruel quietness, neither retiring to mislike, nor proceeding "
## [7451] ""
## [7452] ""
## [7453] ""
## [7454] "138 ARCADIA [BOOK ir. "
## [7455] ""
## [7456] "to favour ; gracious, but gracious still after one manner ; all her "
## [7457] "courtesies, having this engraven in them that what is done, is for "
## [7458] "virtue's sake, not for the parties, ever keeping her course like the "
## [7459] "sun, who neither for our praises nor curses will spur or stop his "
## [7460] "horses. This, I say, heavenliness of hers, for howsoever my misery "
## [7461] "is, I cannot but so entitle it, is so impossible to reach unto that I "
## [7462] "almost begin to submit myself to the tyranny of despair, not know- "
## [7463] "ing any way of persuasion, where wisdom seems to be unsensible. "
## [7464] "I have appeared to her eyes like myself, by a device I used with "
## [7465] "my master, persuading him that we two might put on certain rich "
## [7466] "apparel 1 had provided, and so practice something on horseback "
## [7467] "before Pamela, telling him, it was apparel I had gotten for playing "
## [7468] "well the part of a king in a tragedy at Athens : my horse indeed "
## [7469] "was it I had left at Menalcas's house, and Dametas gotone by friend- "
## [7470] "ship out of the prince's stable. But howsoever I show, I am np "
## [7471] "base body, all I do is but to beat a rock and get foam.\" "
## [7472] ""
## [7473] "But as Dorus was about to tell farther, Dametas (who came "
## [7474] "whistling, and counting upon his fingers how many load of hay "
## [7475] "seventeen fat oxen eat up in a year) desired Zelmane from the "
## [7476] "king that she would come into the lodge where they stayed for "
## [7477] "her. \"Alas !\" said Dorus, taking his leave, \"the sum is this, that "
## [7478] "you may well find you have beaten your sorrow against such a "
## [7479] "wall, which, with the force of a rebound, may well make your "
## [7480] "sorrow stronger.\" But Zelmane turning her speech to Dametas, "
## [7481] "\" I shall grow,\" said she, \" skilful in country matters if I have often "
## [7482] "conference with your servant.\" \" In sooth,\" answered Dametas "
## [7483] "with a graceless scorn, \" the lad may prove well enough, if he over "
## [7484] "soon think not too well of himself, and will bear away that he "
## [7485] "heareth of his elders.\" And therewith as they walked to the other "
## [7486] "lodge, to make Zelmane find she might have spent her time better "
## [7487] "with him, he began with a wild method to run over all the art of "
## [7488] "husbandry, especially employing his tongue about well dunging "
## [7489] "of a field, while poor Zelmane yielded her ears to those tedious "
## [7490] "strokes, not warding them so much as with any one answer, till "
## [7491] "they came to Basilius and Gynecia, who attended for her in a "
## [7492] "coach to carry her abroad to see some sports prepared for her. "
## [7493] "Basilius and Gynecia, sitting in the one end, placed her at the "
## [7494] "other, with her left side to Philoclea. Zelmane was moved in her "
## [7495] "mind to have kissed their feet for the favour of so blessed a seat, "
## [7496] "for the narrowness of the coach made them join from the foot to "
## [7497] "the shoulders very close together, the truer touch whereof though "
## [7498] "it were barred by their envious apparel, yet as a perfect magnet, "
## [7499] "though but in an ivory box, will through the box send forth "
## [7500] "his embracing virtue to a beloved needle, so this imparadised "
## [7501] "neighbourhood made Zelmane's soul cleave unto her, both through "
## [7502] ""
## [7503] ""
## [7504] ""
## [7505] "iooK 11.] ARCADIA t39 "
## [7506] ""
## [7507] "the ivory case of her body and the apparel which did overcloud it. "
## [7508] "All the blood of Zelmane's body stirring in her, as wine will do "
## [7509] "when sugar is hastily put into it, seeking to suck the sweetness of "
## [7510] "the beloved guest : her heart like a lion new imprisoned, seeing "
## [7511] "him that restrains his liberty before the grate, not panting, but "
## [7512] "striving violently, if it had been possible, to have leaped into the "
## [7513] "lap of Philoclea. But Dametas, even then proceeding from being "
## [7514] "master of a cart, to be doctor of a coach, not a little proud in him- "
## [7515] "self that his whip at that time guided the rule of Arcadia, drove "
## [7516] "the coach, the cover whereof was made with such joints that as "
## [7517] "they might, to avoid the weather, pull it up close when they listed, "
## [7518] "so when they would they might put each end down and remain as "
## [7519] "discovered and open sighted as on horseback, till upon the side of "
## [7520] "the forest they had both greyhounds, spaniels, and hounds, whereof "
## [7521] "the first might seem the lords, the second the gentlemen, and the "
## [7522] "last the yeoman of dogs ; a cast of merlins there was besides, "
## [7523] "which, flying of a gallant height over certain bushes, would beat "
## [7524] "the birds that rose down into the bushes, as falcons will do wild- "
## [7525] "fowl over a river. But the sport which for that day Basilius would "
## [7526] "principally show to Zelmane, was the mounty at a heron, which "
## [7527] "getting up on his waggling wings with pain, till he was come to "
## [7528] "some height (as though the air next to the earth were not fit for "
## [7529] "his great body to fly through) was now grown to diminish the sight "
## [7530] "of himself, and to give example to great persons that the higher "
## [7531] "they be the less they should show ; when a jerfaulcon was cast off "
## [7532] "after her, who straight spying where the prey was, fixing her eye "
## [7533] "with desire, and guiding her wing by her eye, used no more "
## [7534] "strength than industry. For as a good builder to a high tower will "
## [7535] "not make his stair upright, but winding almost the full compass "
## [7536] "about, that the steepness be the more unsensible, so she, seeing the "
## [7537] "towering of her pursued chase, went circling and compassing "
## [7538] "about, rising so with the less sense of rising, and yet finding that "
## [7539] "way scantly serve the greediness of her haste, as an ambitious "
## [7540] "body will go far out of the direct way to win to a point of height "
## [7541] "which he desires ; so would she, as it were, turn tail to the heron, "
## [7542] "and fly out quite another way, but all was to return in a higher "
## [7543] "pitch, which once gotten, she would either beat with cruel assaults "
## [7544] "the heron, who now was driven to the best defence of force, since "
## [7545] "flighf would not serve, or else clasping with him, come down "
## [7546] "together, to be parted by the over-partial beholders. "
## [7547] ""
## [7548] "Divers of which flights Basilius showing to Zelmane, thus was "
## [7549] "the riches of the time spent, and the day deceased before it was "
## [7550] "thought of, till night like a degenerating successor made his "
## [7551] "departure the better remembered. And therefore, so constrained, "
## [7552] "they willed Dametas to drive homeward, who, half sleeping, half "
## [7553] ""
## [7554] ""
## [7555] ""
## [7556] "146 AkCADlA tsooK II. "
## [7557] ""
## [7558] "musing about the mending of a wine-press, guided the horses "
## [7559] "so ill that the wheel coming over a great stub of a tree, it over- "
## [7560] "turned the coach. Which though it fell violently upon the side "
## [7561] "where Zelmane and Gynecia sat, yet for Zelmane's part, she would "
## [7562] "have been glad of the fall which made her bear the sweet burden "
## [7563] "of Philoclea, but that she feared she might receive some hurt. "
## [7564] "But indeed neither she did, nor any of the rest, by reason they "
## [7565] "kept their arms and legs within the coach, saving Gynecia, who "
## [7566] "with the only bruise of the fall, had her shoulder put out of joint, "
## [7567] "which, though by one of the falconers cunning it was set well "
## [7568] "again, yet with much pain was she brought to the lodge ; and pain, "
## [7569] "fetching his ordinary companion, a fever, with him, drove her "
## [7570] "to entertain them both in her bed. "
## [7571] ""
## [7572] "But neither was the fever of such impatient heat, as the inward "
## [7573] "plague-sore of her affection, nor the pain half so noisome, as the "
## [7574] "jealousy she conceived of her daughter Philoclea, lest this time "
## [7575] "of her sickness might give apt occasion to Zelmane, whom she "
## [7576] "misdoubted. Therefore she called Philoclea to her, and though it "
## [7577] "were late in the night, commanded her in her ear to go to the "
## [7578] "other lodge, and send Miso to her, with whom she would speak, "
## [7579] "and she to lie with her sister Pamela. The meanwhile Gynecia "
## [7580] "kept Zelmane with her, because she would be sure she should be "
## [7581] "out of the lodge before she licensed Zelmane. Philoclea, not "
## [7582] "skill'd in any thing better than obedience, went quietly down, and "
## [7583] "the moon then full, not thinking scorn to be a torch-bearer to such "
## [7584] "beauty, guided her steps, whose motions bear a mind which bare "
## [7585] "in itself far more stirring motions. And alas ! sweet Philoclea, "
## [7586] "how hath my pen till now forgot thy passions, since to thy memory "
## [7587] "principally all this long matter is intended ? pardon the slackness "
## [7588] "to come to those woes, which, having caused in others, thou didst "
## [7589] "feel in thyself. "
## [7590] ""
## [7591] "The sweet minded Philoclea was in their degree of well-doing, "
## [7592] "to whom the not knowing of evil serveth for a ground of virtue, "
## [7593] "and hold their inward powers in better form with an unspotted "
## [7594] "simplicity, than many who rather cunningly seek to know what "
## [7595] "goodness is than willingly take into themselves the following of "
## [7596] "it. But as that sweet and simple breath of heavenly goodness is "
## [7597] "the easier to be altered because it hath not passed through the "
## [7598] "worldly wickedness, nor feelingly found the evil that evil carries "
## [7599] "with it, so now the lady Philoclea (whose eyes and senses had "
## [7600] "received nothing, but according as the natural course of each thing "
## [7601] "required ; whose tender youth had obediently lived under her "
## [7602] "parents behests, without framing out of her own will the fore- "
## [7603] "choosing of any thing) when now she came to a point wherein her "
## [7604] "judgment was to be practised in knowing faultiness by his first "
## [7605] ""
## [7606] ""
## [7607] ""
## [7608] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 141 "
## [7609] ""
## [7610] "tokens, she was like a young fawn who, coming in the wind of the "
## [7611] "hunters, doth not know whether it be a thing or not to be "
## [7612] "eschewed ; whereof at this time she began to get a costly ex- "
## [7613] "perience. For after that Zelmane had a while lived in the lodge "
## [7614] "with her, and that her only being a noble stranger had bred a kind "
## [7615] "of heedful attention ; her coming to that lonely place, where she "
## [7616] "had nobody but her parents, a willingness of conversation ; her "
## [7617] "wit and behaviour a hking and silent admiration ; at length the "
## [7618] "excellency of her natural gifts, joined with the extreme shows she. "
## [7619] "made of most devout honouring Philoclea (carrying thus, in one "
## [7620] "person, the only two bands of goodwill, loveliness and lovingness) "
## [7621] "brought forth in her heart a yielding to a most friendly affection ; "
## [7622] "which when it had gotten so full possession of the keys of her "
## [7623] "mind that it would receive no message from her senses without "
## [7624] "that affection were the interpreter, then straight grew an exceeding "
## [7625] "delight still to be with her, with an unmeasurable liking of all that "
## [7626] "Zelmane did : matters being so turned in her, that where at first "
## [7627] "liking her manners did breed goodwill, now goodwill became "
## [7628] "the chief cause of liking her manners : so that within a while "
## [7629] "Zelmane was not prized for her demeanour, but the demeanour "
## [7630] "was prized because it was Zelmane's. Then followed that most "
## [7631] "natural effect of conforming herself to that which she did like, "
## [7632] "and not only wishing to be herself such another in all things "
## [7633] "but to ground an imitation upon so much an esteemed authority, "
## [7634] "so that the next degree was to mark all Zelmane's doings, speeches, "
## [7635] "and fashions, and to take them into herself as a pattern of worthy "
## [7636] "proceeding. Which when once it was enacted, not only by the "
## [7637] "commonality of passions, but agreed unto by her most noble "
## [7638] "thoughts, and that reason itself, not yet experienced in the issues "
## [7639] "of such matters, had granted his royal assent, then friendship, "
## [7640] "a diligent officer, took care to see the statute thoroughly observed. "
## [7641] "Then grew on that not only she did imitate the soberness of her "
## [7642] "countenance, the gracefulness of her speech, but even their "
## [7643] "' particular gestures, so that as Zelmane did often eye her, she "
## [7644] "would often eye Zelmane ; and as Zelmane's eyes would deliver "
## [7645] "a submissive, but vehement desire in their look, she, though as yet "
## [7646] "she had not the desire in her, yet should her eyes answer in like "
## [7647] "piercing kindness of a look. Zelmane, as much as Gynecia's "
## [7648] "jealousy would suffer, desired to be near Philoclea ; Philoclea, as "
## [7649] "much as Gynecia's jealousy would suflfer, desired to be near "
## [7650] "Zelmane. If Zelmane took her hand, and softly strained it, she "
## [7651] "also, thinking the knots of friendship ought to be mutual, would, "
## [7652] "with a sweet fastness, show she was loth to part from it. And if "
## [7653] "Zelmane sighed, she should sigh also ; when Zelmane was sad, "
## [7654] "she deemed it wisdom, and therefore she would be sad toa "
## [7655] ""
## [7656] ""
## [7657] ""
## [7658] "142 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [7659] ""
## [7660] "Zelmane's languishing countenance with crossed arms, and some- "
## [7661] "times cast up eyes, she thought to have an excellent grace, and "
## [7662] "therefore she also willingly put on the same countenance, till at "
## [7663] "the last, poor soul, e'er she were aware, she accepted not only the "
## [7664] "badge, but the service ; not only the sign, but the passion signified. "
## [7665] "For whether it were that her wit in continuance did find that "
## [7666] "Zelmane's friendship was full of impatient desire, having more "
## [7667] "than ordinary limits, and therefore she was content to second "
## [7668] "Zelmane, though herself knew not the limits, or that in truth, true "
## [7669] "love, well considered, hath an infective power, at last she fell in "
## [7670] "acquaintance with love's harbinger, wishing ; first she would wish "
## [7671] "that they two might live all their lives together, like two of Diana's "
## [7672] "nymphs. But that wish she thought not sufficient, because she "
## [7673] "knew there would be more nymphs besides them, who also would "
## [7674] "have their part in Zelmane. Then would she wish that she were "
## [7675] "her sister, that such a natural band might make her more special "
## [7676] "to her, but against that, she considered, that, though being her "
## [7677] "sister, if she happened to be married she should be robbed of her. "
## [7678] "Then grown bolder she would wish either herself, or Zelmane, "
## [7679] "a man, that there might succeed a blessed marriage between "
## [7680] "them. But when that wish had once displayed his ensign in her "
## [7681] "mind, then followed whole squadrons of longings, that so it might "
## [7682] "be with a main battle of mislikings and repinings against their "
## [7683] "creation, that so it was not. Then dreams by night began to bring "
## [7684] "more unto her than she durst wish by day, whereout waking did "
## [7685] "make her know herself the better by the image of those fancies. "
## [7686] "But as some diseases when they are easy to be cured, they are "
## [7687] "hard to be known, but when they grow easy to be known, they "
## [7688] "are almost impossible to be cured, so the sweet Philoclea, while "
## [7689] "she might prevent it, she did not feel it, now she felt it, when "
## [7690] "it was past preventing ; like a river, no rampires being built against "
## [7691] "it, till already it have overflowed. For now indeed love pulled off "
## [7692] "his mask, and showed his face unto her, and told her plainly that - "
## [7693] "she was his prisoner. Then needed she no more paint her face "
## [7694] "with passions, for passions shone through her face ; then her rosy "
## [7695] "colour was often increased with extraordinary blushing, and so "
## [7696] "another time, perfect whiteness descended to a degree of paleness ; "
## [7697] "now hot, then cold, desiring she knew not what, nor how, if she "
## [7698] "knew what. Then her mind, though too late, by the smart was "
## [7699] "brought to think of the disease, and her own proof taught her to "
## [7700] "know her mother's mind, which, as no error gives so strong assault "
## [7701] "as that which comes armed in the authority of a parent, so "
## [7702] "greatly fortified her desires to see that her mother had the like "
## [7703] "desires. And the more jealous her mother was, the more she "
## [7704] "thought the jewel precious which was with so many locks guarded, "
## [7705] ""
## [7706] ""
## [7707] ""
## [7708] "BOOK n.l ARCADIA 143 "
## [7709] ""
## [7710] "But that prevailing so far, as to keep the two lovers fromjirivate "
## [7711] "conference, then began she to feel the sweetness of a lover's "
## [7712] "solitariness, when freely with words and gestures, as if Zelmane "
## [7713] "were present, she might give passage to her thoughts, and so, as it "
## [7714] "were, utter out some smoke of those flames, wherewith else she "
## [7715] "was not only burned but smothered. As this night, that going "
## [7716] "from the one lodge to the other, by her mother's commandment, "
## [7717] "with doleful gestures and uncertain paces, she did willingly accept "
## [7718] "the time's offer to be a while alone : so that going a little aside "
## [7719] "into the wood, where many times before she had dehghted to "
## [7720] "walk, her eyes were saluted with a tuft of trees, so close set "
## [7721] "together, that, with the shade the moon gave through it, it might "
## [7722] "breed a fearful kind of devotion to look upon it : but true thoughts "
## [7723] "of love banished all vain fancy of superstitution. Full well she "
## [7724] "did both remember and like the place, for there had she often with "
## [7725] "their shade beguiled Phoebus of looking upon her : there had she "
## [7726] "enjoyed herself often, while she was mistress of herself and had "
## [7727] "no other thoughts, but such as might arise out of quiet senses. "
## [7728] ""
## [7729] "But the principal cause that invited her remembrance was a "
## [7730] "goodly white marble stone that should seem had been dedicated in "
## [7731] "ancient time to the Sylvan gods, which she finding there a few "
## [7732] "days before Zelmane's coming, had written these words upon it as "
## [7733] "a testimony of her mind against the suspicion her captivity made "
## [7734] "her think she lived in. The writing was this. "
## [7735] "I "
## [7736] ""
## [7737] "You living powers enclos'd in stately shrine "
## [7738] "Of growing trees : you rural Gods that wield "
## [7739] ""
## [7740] "Your scepters here, if to your ears divine "
## [7741] "A voice may come, which troubled soul dolh yield ; "
## [7742] "This vow receive, this vow, O Gods, maintain ; "
## [7743] "My virgin life no spotted thought shall stain. "
## [7744] ""
## [7745] ""
## [7746] ""
## [7747] "Thou purest stone ; whose pureness doth present "
## [7748] "My purest mind ; whose temper hard doth show "
## [7749] "My temper'd heart ; by thee my promise sent "
## [7750] "Unto myself let after-livers know, "
## [7751] "No fancy mine, nor others wrong suspect "
## [7752] "Make me, O virtuous, shame, thy laws neglect. "
## [7753] ""
## [7754] "O chastity, the chief of heavenly lights, "
## [7755] ""
## [7756] "Which mak'st us most immortal shape to wear. "
## [7757] "Hold thou my heart, establish thou my sprites : "
## [7758] "To only thee my constant course I bear ; "
## [7759] "'Till spotless soul unto thy bosom fly. "
## [7760] "3uch life to lead, such death I vow to die, "
## [7761] ""
## [7762] ""
## [7763] ""
## [7764] "144 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [7765] ""
## [7766] "But now that her memory served as an accuser of her change, "
## [7767] "and that her own hand-writing was there to bear testimony against "
## [7768] "her fall ; she went in among those few trees, so closed in the tops "
## [7769] "together, that they might seem a little chapel : and there might "
## [7770] "she, by the help of the moon-light, perceive the goodly stone which "
## [7771] "served as an altar in that woody devotion. But neither the light "
## [7772] "was enough to read the words, and the ink was already foreworn, "
## [7773] "and in many places blotted, which as she perceived, \" Alas ! \" said "
## [7774] "she, \" fair marble, which never received'st spot but by my writing : "
## [7775] "well do these blots become a blotted writer. But pardon her "
## [7776] "which did not dissemble then, although she have changed since. "
## [7777] "Enjoy, enjoy the glory of thy nature, which can so constantly bear "
## [7778] "the marks of my inconstancy.\" And herewith, hiding her eyes "
## [7779] "with her soft hand, there came into her head certain verses, which "
## [7780] "if she had had present commodity, she would have adjoined as a "
## [7781] "retraction to the other. They were to this effect. "
## [7782] ""
## [7783] "My words, in hope to blaze a stedfast mind. "
## [7784] ""
## [7785] "This marble chose, as of like tempter known : "
## [7786] "But lo, my words defac'd my fancies blind, "
## [7787] "Blots to the stone, shames to myself I find : "
## [7788] "And witness am, how ill agree in one, "
## [7789] "A woman's hand with constant marble stone. "
## [7790] ""
## [7791] "My words full weak, the marble full of might ; "
## [7792] ""
## [7793] "My words in store, the marble all alone ; "
## [7794] "My words black ink, the marble kindly white ; "
## [7795] "My words unseen, the marble still in sight, "
## [7796] "May witness bear, how ill agree in one, "
## [7797] "A woman's hand with constant marble stone. "
## [7798] ""
## [7799] "But seeing she could not see means to join as then this recanta- "
## [7800] "tion to the former vow, laying all her fair length under one of the "
## [7801] "trees, for a while she did nothing but turn up and down, as if she "
## [7802] "had hoped to turn away the fancy that had mastered her, and hid "
## [7803] "her face, as if she could have hidden herself from her own fancies. "
## [7804] "At length with a whispering note to herself : \" O me unfortunate "
## [7805] "wretch,\" said she, \"what poisonous heats be these which thus "
## [7806] "torment me ? how hath the sight of this strange guest invaded my "
## [7807] "soul ? alas what entrance found this desire, or what strength had "
## [7808] "it thus to conquer me ? \" Then a cloud passing between her sight "
## [7809] "and the moon, \" O Diana,\" said she, \" I would either the cloud "
## [7810] "that now hides the light of my virtue would as easily pass away as "
## [7811] "you will quickly overcome this let, or else that you were for ever "
## [7812] "thus darkened to serve for an excuse of my outrageous folly.\" Then "
## [7813] "looking to the stars, which had perfectly as then beautified the "
## [7814] ""
## [7815] ""
## [7816] ""
## [7817] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA I4S "
## [7818] ""
## [7819] "clear sky : \" My parents,\" said she, \" have told me that in those "
## [7820] "fair heavenly bodies there are great hidden dieties, which have "
## [7821] "their working in the ebbing and flowing of our estates. If it be so, "
## [7822] "then, O you stars ! judge rightly of me, and if I have with wicked "
## [7823] "intent made myself a prey to fancy, or if by any idle lusts I framed "
## [7824] "my heart fit for such an impression, then let this plague daily "
## [7825] "increase in me, till my name be made odious to womankind. But "
## [7826] "if extreme and unresistable violence have oppressed me, who will "
## [7827] "ever do any of you sacrifice, O you stars, if you do not succour me? "
## [7828] "No, no, you will not help me. No, no, you cannot help me : sin "
## [7829] "must be the mother, and shame the daughter of my affection. "
## [7830] "And yet are these but childish objections, simple Philoclea, it is "
## [7831] "the impossibility that doth torment me : for, unlawful desires are "
## [7832] "punished after the effect of enjoying ; but impossible desires are "
## [7833] "punished in the desire itself. O then, O ten times unhappy that "
## [7834] "I am, since wherein all other hope kindleth love, in me despair "
## [7835] "should be the bellows of my affection : and of all despairs the most "
## [7836] "miserable, which is drawn from impossibility. The most covetous "
## [7837] "man longs not to get riches out of a ground which never can bear "
## [7838] "anything ; why ? because it is impossible. The most ambitious "
## [7839] "wight vexeth not his wits to climb into heaven ; why ? because it "
## [7840] "is impossible. Alas ! then, O love, why dost thou in thy beautiful "
## [7841] "sampler set such a work for my desire to take out, which is as "
## [7842] "much impossible? and yet alas ! why do I thus condemn my "
## [7843] "fortune before I hear what she can say for herself? what do I, "
## [7844] "silly wench, know what love hath prepared for me ? do I not think "
## [7845] "my mother, as well, at least as furiously as myself, love Zelmane ? "
## [7846] "and should I be wiser than my mother ? either she sees a possibility "
## [7847] "in that which I see impossible, or else impossible loves need not "
## [7848] "misbecome me. And do I not see Zelmane, who doth not think a "
## [7849] "thought which is not first weighed by wisdom and virtue, doth not "
## [7850] "she vouchsafe to love m.e with like order ? I see it, her eyes depose "
## [7851] "it to be true ; what then ? and if she ean love poor me, shall I "
## [7852] "think scorn to love such a woman as Zelmane? away then all vain "
## [7853] "examinations of why and how. Thou lovest me, most excellent "
## [7854] "Zelmane, and I love thee : \" and with that, embracing the very "
## [7855] "ground whereon she lay, she said to herself, for even to herself she "
## [7856] "was ashamed to speak it out in words, \" O my Zelmane govern "
## [7857] "and direct me, for I am wholly given over unto thee.\" "
## [7858] ""
## [7859] "In this depth of muses and divers sorts of discourses, would she "
## [7860] "ravingly have remained, but that Dametas and Mrso, who v?ere- "
## [7861] "round about to seek her, undeirstanding she wa^ come to their "
## [7862] "lodge that night, came hard by her ; Dametas saying that he "
## [7863] "would not deal in other bodies matters, but for his part he did not "
## [7864] "like that maids should once stir out of their father's Houses, but if it "
## [7865] ""
## [7866] "K "
## [7867] ""
## [7868] ""
## [7869] ""
## [7870] "146 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [7871] ""
## [7872] "were to milk a cow, or save a chicken from a kite's foot, or some "
## [7873] "such other matter of importance. And Miso swearing that if it "
## [7874] "were her daughter Mopsa, she would give her a lesson for walking "
## [7875] "so late that should make her keep within doors for one fortnight. "
## [7876] "But their jangling made Philoclea rise, and pretending as though "
## [7877] "she had done it but to sport with them, went with them, after she "
## [7878] "had willed Miso to wait upon her mother to the lodge ; where, "
## [7879] "being now accustomed by her parent's discipline as well as her "
## [7880] "sister to serve herself, she went alone up to Pamela's chamber, "
## [7881] "where, meaning to delight her eyes, and joy her thoughts with the "
## [7882] "sweet conversation of her beloved sister, she found her, though it "
## [7883] "were in the time that the wings of night doth blow sleep most "
## [7884] "willingly into mortal creatures, sitting in a chair, lying backward, "
## [7885] "with her head almost over the back of it, and looking upon a wax- "
## [7886] "candle which burnt before her ; in one hand holding a letter, in "
## [7887] "the other her handkerchief, which had lately drunk up the tears of "
## [7888] "her eyes, leaving instead of them crimson circles, like red flakes in "
## [7889] "the element when the weather is hottest ; which Philoclea finding, "
## [7890] "for her eyes had learned to know the badges of sorrow, she "
## [7891] "earnestly entreated to know the cause thereof that either she might "
## [7892] "comfort, or accompany her doleful humour. But Pamela, rather "
## [7893] "seeming sorry that she had perceived so much, than willing to "
## [7894] "open any farther ; \"O my Pamela,\" said Philoclea, \"who are to "
## [7895] "me a sister in nature, a mother in counsel, a princess by the law of "
## [7896] "our country, and, which name methjnks of all other is the dearest, "
## [7897] "a friend by my choice and your favour, what means this banishing "
## [7898] "me from your counsels? do you love your sorrow so well as to "
## [7899] "grudge me part of it ? or do you think I shall not love a sad "
## [7900] "Pamela so well as a joyful ? or be my ears unworthy, or my tongue "
## [7901] "suspected ? What is it, my sister, that you should conceal from your "
## [7902] "sister, yea and servant Philoclea?\" Those words won no farther "
## [7903] "of Pamela, but that telling her they might talk better as they lay "
## [7904] "together, they impoverished their clothes to enrich their bed, which "
## [7905] "for that night might well scorn the shrine of Venus : and their "
## [7906] "cherishing one another with dear, though chaste embracements, "
## [7907] "with sweet though cold kisses, it might seem that love was come "
## [7908] "to play him there without dart, or that^ weary of his own fires, he "
## [7909] "was there to refresh himself between their sweet breathing lips. "
## [7910] ""
## [7911] "But Philoclea earnestly again entreated Pamela to open her "
## [7912] "grief: who, drawing the curtain that the candle might not complain "
## [7913] "pf her blushing, was ready to speak : but the breath, almost formed "
## [7914] "into words, was again stopped by her and turned into sighs. But "
## [7915] "at last, \"I pray you,\" said she, sweet Philoclea, \"let us talk of "
## [7916] "■^ome otlier thing : and tell me whether you did ever see anything "
## [7917] "so amended as our pastoral sports be since that Dorus came "
## [7918] ""
## [7919] ""
## [7920] ""
## [7921] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 147 "
## [7922] ""
## [7923] "hither?\" O love, how far thou seest with blind eyes? Philoclea "
## [7924] "had straight found her, and therefore to draw out more : \" Indeed,\" "
## [7925] "said she, \" I have often wondered to myself how such excellencies "
## [7926] "could be in so mean a person, but befike fortune was afraid to lay "
## [7927] "her treasures where they should be stained with so many perfec- "
## [7928] "tions, only I marvel how he can frame himself to hide so rare gifts "
## [7929] "under such a block as Dametas.\" \"Ah,\" said Pamela, \"if you "
## [7930] "ksiew the cause, but no more do I neither ; and to say the truth : "
## [7931] "but lord, how are we fallen to talk of this fellow ? and yet indeed "
## [7932] "if you were sometimes with me to mark him while Dametas reads "
## [7933] "his rustic lecture unto him how to feed his beasts before noon, "
## [7934] "where to shade them in the extreme heat, how to make the "
## [7935] "manger handsome for his oxen, when to use the goad, and "
## [7936] "when the voice ; giving him rules of a herdman, though he "
## [7937] "pretend to make him a shepherd, to see all the while with what a "
## [7938] "grace, which seems to set a crown upon his base estate, he can "
## [7939] "descend to those poor matters, certainly you would : but to what "
## [7940] "serves this ? no doubt we were better sleep than talk of those idle "
## [7941] "matters.\" \" Ah my Pamela,\" said Philoclea, \" I have caught you ; "
## [7942] "the constancy of your wit was not wont to bring forth such dis- "
## [7943] "jointed speeches : you love, dissemble no farther.\" \" It is true,' "
## [7944] "said Pamela, \" now you have it ; and with less ado should, if my "
## [7945] "heart could have thought those words suitable for my mouth. But "
## [7946] "indeed, my Philoclea, take heed: for I think virtue itself is no "
## [7947] "armour of proof against affection. Therefore learn by my "
## [7948] "example.\" Alas ! thought Philoclea to herself, your shears come "
## [7949] "too late to clip the bird's wings that already is flown away. But "
## [7950] "then Pamela, being once set in the stream of her love, went away "
## [7951] "amain, withal telling her how his noble qualities had drawn her "
## [7952] "liking towards him ; but yet ever weighing his meanness, and so "
## [7953] "held continually in due limits ; till seeking many means to speak "
## [7954] "with her, and ever kept from it, as well because she shunn'd it, "
## [7955] "seeing and disdaining his mind, as because of her jealous jailors, "
## [7956] "he had at length used the finest policy that might be in counter- "
## [7957] "feiting love to Mopsa, and saying to Mopsa whatsoever he would "
## [7958] "have her know; and in how passionate manner he had told his "
## [7959] "own tale in a third person, making poor Mopsa believe, that it was "
## [7960] "a matter fallen out many ages before. \" And in the end, because "
## [7961] "you shall know my tears come not neither of repentance nor misery, "
## [7962] "who, think you, is my Dorus fallen out to be? even the Prince "
## [7963] "Musidorus, famous over all Asia for his heroical enterprises, of "
## [7964] "whom you remember how much good the stranger Plangus told "
## [7965] "my father; he not being drowned, as Plangus thought, though his "
## [7966] "cousin Pyrocles indeed perished. Ah my sister, if you had heard "
## [7967] "his words, or seen his gestures when he made me know what, and "
## [7968] ""
## [7969] ""
## [7970] ""
## [7971] "148 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [7972] ""
## [7973] "to whom his love was, you would have matched in yourself those "
## [7974] "two rarely matched together, pity and delight. Tell me dear sister, "
## [7975] "for the gods are my witnesses I desire to do virtuously, can I "
## [7976] "without the detestable stain of ungratefulness abstain from loving "
## [7977] "him, who (far exceeding the beautifulness of his shape with the "
## [7978] "beautifulness of his mind, and the greatness of his estate with the "
## [7979] "greatness of his acts) is content so to abase himself, as to become "
## [7980] "Dametas's servant for my sake ? you will say, how know I him to "
## [7981] "be Musidorus, since the handmaid of wisdom is slow of belief? "
## [7982] "that consideration did not want in me; for the nature of desire "
## [7983] "itself is no easier to receive belief, than it is hard to ground belief. "
## [7984] "For as desire is glad to embrace the first show of comfort, so is "
## [7985] "desire desirous of perfect assurance, and that have I had of him, "
## [7986] "not only by necessary arguments to any of common sense, but by "
## [7987] "sufficient demonstrations. Lastly, he would have me send to "
## [7988] "Thessalia, but truly I am not as now in mind to do my honourable "
## [7989] "love so much wrong as so far to suspect him : yet poor soul, knows "
## [7990] "he no other, but that I do both suspect, neglect, yea, and detest "
## [7991] "him. For every day he finds one way or other to set forth himself "
## [7992] "unto me, but all are rewarded with like coldness of acceptation. "
## [7993] ""
## [7994] "\" A few days since, he and Dametas had furnished themselves "
## [7995] "very richly to run at the ring before me. O how mad a sight it "
## [7996] "was to see Dametas, like rich tissue furred with lamb-skins ? but "
## [7997] "O how well it did with Dorus, to see with what a grace he presented "
## [7998] "himself before me on horseback, making majesty wait upon "
## [7999] "humbleness? how at the first, standing still with his eyes bent "
## [8000] "upon me, as though his motions were chained to my look, he so "
## [8001] "stayed till I caused Mopsa bid him do something upon his horse : "
## [8002] "which no sooner said, but, with a kind rather of quick gesture "
## [8003] "than show of violence, you might see him come towards me, "
## [8004] "beating the ground in so due time that no dancer can observe "
## [8005] "better measure. If you remember the ship we saw once when the "
## [8006] "sea went high upon the coast of Argos, so went the beast. But "
## [8007] "he, as if centaur-like he had been one piece with the horse, was "
## [8008] "no more moved than one with the going of his own legs, and in "
## [8009] "effect so did he command him as his own limbs ; for tho' he had "
## [8010] "both spurs and wand, they seemed rather marks of sovereignty "
## [8011] "than instruments of punishment, his hand and leg, with most "
## [8012] "pleasing grace, commanding without threatening, and rather "
## [8013] "remembering than chastising ; at least if sometimes he did it was "
## [8014] "so stolen as neither our eyes could discern it nor the horse with "
## [8015] "any change did complain of it : he ever going so just with the "
## [8016] "horse, either forth-right or turning that it seemed he borrowed the "
## [8017] "horse's body, so he lent the horse his mind. In the turning one "
## [8018] "might perceive the bridle-hand sometliing gently stir : but indeed "
## [8019] ""
## [8020] ""
## [8021] ""
## [8022] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 149 "
## [8023] ""
## [8024] "so gently that it did rather distil virtue than use violence. Him- "
## [8025] "self, which methinks is strange, showing at one instant both "
## [8026] "steadiness and nimbleness ; sometimes making him turn close to "
## [8027] "the ground, like a cat, when scratchingly she wheels about after a "
## [8028] "mouse ; sometimes with a little more rising before, now like a "
## [8029] "raven leaping from ridge to ridge, then like one of Dametas's kids "
## [8030] "bound over the hillocks, and all so done, as neither the lusty kind "
## [8031] "showed any roughness, nor the easier any idleness ; but still like "
## [8032] "a well-obeyed master, whose beck is enough for a discipline, ever "
## [8033] "concluding each thing he did with his face to me-wards, as if "
## [8034] "thence came not only the beginning but endmg of his motions. "
## [8035] "The sport was to see Dametas, how he was tossed from the saddle "
## [8036] "to the mane of the horse, and thence to the ground, giving his gay "
## [8037] "apparel almost as foul an outside as it had an inside. But as "
## [8038] "before he had ever said, he wanted but horse and apparel to be as "
## [8039] "brave a courtier as the best, so now bruised with proof, he pro- "
## [8040] "claimed it a folly for a man of wisdom to put himself under the "
## [8041] "tuition of a beast, so as Dorus was fain alone to take the ring "
## [8042] "Wherein truly at least my womanish eyes could not discern, but "
## [8043] "that taking his staff from his thigh, the descending it a little down, "
## [8044] "the getting of it up into the rest, the letting of the point fall, and "
## [8045] "taking the ring, was but all one motion, at least, if they were divers "
## [8046] "motions, they did so stealingly slip one into another that the latter "
## [8047] "part was ever in hand before the eye could discern the former was "
## [8048] "ended. Indeed Dametas found fault that he showed no more "
## [8049] "strength in shaking of his staff, but to my conceit the fine cleanness "
## [8050] "of bearing it was exceeding delightful. "
## [8051] ""
## [8052] "\" But how delightful soever it was, my delight might well be in "
## [8053] "my soul, but it never went to look out of the window to do him "
## [8054] "any comfort. But how much more I found reason to like him, the "
## [8055] "more I set all the strength of mine to suppress it, or at least to "
## [8056] "conceal it. Indeed I must confess, that as some physicians have "
## [8057] "told me, that when one is cold outwardly, he is not inwardly, so "
## [8058] "truly the cold ashes laid upon my fire did not take the nature of "
## [8059] "fire from it. Full often hath my breast swollen with keeping my "
## [8060] "sighs imprisoned ; full often have the tears I drove back from mine "
## [8061] "eyes, turned back to drown my heart. But alas ! what did that "
## [8062] "help poor Dorus? whose eyes, being his diligent intelligencers, "
## [8063] "could carry unto him no other news, but discomfortable. I think "
## [8064] "no day past but by some one invention he would appear unto me "
## [8065] "to testify his love. One time he danced the matachine dance in "
## [8066] "armour, O with what a graceful dexterity ! I think to make me see "
## [8067] "that he had been brought up in such exercises : another time he "
## [8068] "persuaded his master, to make my time seem shorter, in manner "
## [8069] "of a dialogue, to play Priamus, while he played Paris. Think, "
## [8070] ""
## [8071] ""
## [8072] ""
## [8073] "ISO ARCADIA [BOOK II. "
## [8074] ""
## [8075] "sweet Philoclea, what a Priamus we had : but truly, my Paris was "
## [8076] "a Paris, and more than a Paris : who, while in a savage apparel, "
## [8077] "with naked neck, arms, and legs, he made love to Oenone, you "
## [8078] "might well see by his changed countenance and true tears, that he "
## [8079] "felt the part he played. Tell me, sweet Philoclea, did you ever "
## [8080] "see such a shepherd ? tell me, did you ever hear of such a prince ? "
## [8081] "and then tell me if a small or unworthy assault have conquered "
## [8082] "me. Truly I would hate my life, if I thought vanity led me. But "
## [8083] "since my parents deal so cruelly with me, it is time for me to trust "
## [8084] "something to my own judgment. Yet hitherto have my looks been "
## [8085] "as I told you, which continuing after many of those his fruitless "
## [8086] "trials, have wrought such change in him as I tell you true,\" with "
## [8087] "that word she laid her hand upon her quaking side, \" I do not a "
## [8088] "little fear him. See what a letter this is,\" then drew she the "
## [8089] "curtain, and took the letter from under her pillow, \" which to-day, "
## [8090] "with an afflicted humbleness, he delivered me, pretending before "
## [8091] "Mopsa that I should read it unto her to mollify, forsooth, her iron "
## [8092] "stomach.\" With that she read the letter, containing thus much : "
## [8093] ""
## [8094] "Most blessed paper, which shall kiss that hand, whereto all blessed- "
## [8095] "ness is in nature a servant, do not yet disdain to carry with thee the "
## [8096] "woeful words of a miser now despairing : neither be afraid to appear "
## [8097] "before her, bearing the base title of the sender. For no sooner shall "
## [8098] "that divine hand touch thee, but that thy baseness shall be turned "
## [8099] "to most high preferment. Therefore mourn boldly my ink ; for "
## [8100] "while she looks upon you, your blackness will shine : cry out boldly "
## [8101] "my lamentation ; for while she reads you, your cries will be music. "
## [8102] "Say then, O happy messenger of a most unhappy message, that the "
## [8103] "too soon born, and too late dying creature, which dares not speak, "
## [8104] "no not look, no not scarcely think, as from his miserable self, unto her "
## [8105] "heavenly highness, only presumes to desire thee, in the time that "
## [8106] "her eyes and voice do exalt thee, to say, and in this manner to say ; "
## [8107] "not from him, O no, that were not fit, but of him, thus much unto "
## [8108] "her sacred judgment : O you, the only honour to women, to men the "
## [8109] "only admiration, you that being armed by love, defy him that armed "
## [8110] "you, in this high estate wherein you have placed me, yet let me "
## [8111] "remember him to whom I am bound for bringing me to your presence • "
## [8112] "and let me remember him, who, since he is yours, how mean soever "
## [8113] "he be, it is reason you have an account of him. The wretch, yet "
## [8114] "your wretch, though with languishing steps, runs fast to his grave ; "
## [8115] "and will you suffer a temple, how poorly built soever, but yet a "
## [8116] "temple of your deity, to be razed ? but he dieth : it is most true, he "
## [8117] "dieth ; and he in whom you live, to obey you, dieth. Whereof "
## [8118] "though he plain, he doth not complain : for it is a harm, but no "
## [8119] "wrong, which he hath received. He dies, because in woeful "
## [8120] "language all his senses tell him, that such is your pleasure : since "
## [8121] "you will not that be live, alaSj alas, what followeth of the uiost ruined "
## [8122] ""
## [8123] ""
## [8124] ""
## [8125] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 151 "
## [8126] ""
## [8127] "Dorus, but his end ? end then, evil destined Dorus, end ; and end "
## [8128] "thou woeful letter, end ; for it sufficeth her wisdom to know, that "
## [8129] "her heavenly will shall be accomplished. "
## [8130] ""
## [8131] "\" O my Philoclea, is he a person to write those words ? and are "
## [8132] "those words lightly to be regarded ? but if you had seen when with "
## [8133] "trembling hand he had delivered it how he went away, as if he "
## [8134] "had been but the coffin that carried himself to his sepulchre. Two "
## [8135] "times, I must confess, I was about to take courtesy into mine eyes, "
## [8136] "but both times the former resolution stopped the entry of it, so "
## [8137] "that he departed without obtaining any farther kindness. But he "
## [8138] "was no sooner out of the door ; but that I looked to the door "
## [8139] "kindly, and truly the fear of him ever since hath put me into such "
## [8140] "perplexity, as now you found me.\" \"Ah my Pamela,\" said "
## [8141] "Philoclea, \"leave sorrow. The river of your tears will soon lose "
## [8142] "his fountain ; it is in your hand as well to stitch up his life again, "
## [8143] "as it was before to rent it.\" And so, though with self-grieved "
## [8144] "mind, she comforted her sister, till sleep came to bathe himself in "
## [8145] "Pamela's fair weeping eyes. "
## [8146] ""
## [8147] "Which when Philoclea found, wringing her hands, \" O me,'' said "
## [8148] "she, \" indeed the only subject of the destinies displeasure, whose "
## [8149] "greatest fortunateness is more unfortunate than my sister's greatest "
## [8150] "unfortunateness. Alas ! she weeps because she would be no "
## [8151] "sooner happy ; I weep, because I can never be happy ; her tears "
## [8152] "flow from pity, mine from being too far lower than the reach of "
## [8153] "pity : Yet do I not envy thee, dear Pamela, I do not envy thee, "
## [8154] "only I could wish that being thy sister in nature I were not so far "
## [8155] "off akin in fortune.\" "
## [8156] ""
## [8157] "But the darkness of sorrow overshadowing her mind, as the "
## [8158] "night did her eyes, they were both content to hide themselves "
## [8159] "under the wings of sleep, till the next morning had almost lost his "
## [8160] "name, before the two sweet sleeping sisters awaked from dreams, "
## [8161] "which flattered them with more comfort than their waking could, "
## [8162] "or would consent unto. For then they were called up by Miso, "
## [8163] "who, having been with Gynecia, had received commandment to be "
## [8164] "continually with her daughters, and particularly not to let Zelmane "
## [8165] "and Philoclea have any private conference but that she should be "
## [8166] "present to hear what passed : Miso having now her authority "
## [8167] "increased, but came with scowling eyes to deliver a slavering good "
## [8168] "morrow to the two ladies, telling them it was a shame for them to "
## [8169] "mar their complexions, yea and conditions too, with long lying "
## [8170] "abed ; and that when she was of their age, she trowed, she would "
## [8171] "have made a handerchief by that time a-day. The two sweet "
## [8172] "princesses with a smiling silence answered her entertainment, and, "
## [8173] "obeying hex directionj covered their dainty beauties with the gla,d "
## [8174] ""
## [8175] ""
## [8176] ""
## [8177] "152 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [8178] ""
## [8179] "clothes. But as soon as Pamela was ready, and sooner she was "
## [8180] "than her sister, of the agony of Dorus's giving a fit to herself, "
## [8181] "which the words of his letter, lively imprinted in her mind, still "
## [8182] "remembered her of, she called to Mopsa, and willed her to fetch "
## [8183] "Dorus to speak with her ; because, she said, she would take farther "
## [8184] "judgment of him before she would move Dametas to grant her in "
## [8185] "marriage unto him : Mopsa, as glad as of sweetmeat to go of such "
## [8186] "an errand, quickly returned with Dorus to Pamela, who intended "
## [8187] "both by speaking with him to give some comfort to his passionate "
## [8188] "heart, and withal to hear some part of his life past, which although "
## [8189] "fame had already delivered unto her, yet she desired in more "
## [8190] "particular certainties to have it from so beloved an historian. Let "
## [8191] "the sweetness of virtue's disposition, jealous, even over itself, "
## [8192] "suffered her not to enter abruptly into questions of Musidorus, "
## [8193] "whom see was half ashamed she did love so well, and more than "
## [8194] "half sorry she could love no better, but thought best first to make "
## [8195] "her talk arise of Pyrocles, and his virtuous father : which thus she "
## [8196] "did. "
## [8197] ""
## [8198] "\" Dorus,'' said she, \" you told me the last day that Plangus was "
## [8199] "deceived in that he affirmed the prince Musidorus was drowned, "
## [8200] "but, withal, you confessed his cousin Pyrocles perished, of whom "
## [8201] "certainly in that age there was a great loss, since, as I have heard, "
## [8202] "he was a young prince, of whom all men expected as much as "
## [8203] "man's power could bring forth, and yet virtue promised for him "
## [8204] "their expectation should not be deceived.\" \" Most excellent lady,\" "
## [8205] "said Dorus, \" no expectation in others, nor hope in himself could "
## [8206] "aspire to a higher mark than to be thought worthy to be praised "
## [8207] "by your judgment, and made worthy to be praised by your mouth. "
## [8208] "But most sure it is, that as his fame could by no means get so "
## [8209] "sweet and noble an air to fly in, as in your breath, so could not "
## [8210] "you, leaving yourself aside, find in the world a fitter subject of "
## [8211] "commendation ; as noble as a long succession of royal ancestors, "
## [8212] "famous and famous for victories, could make him ; of shape most "
## [8213] "lovely, and yet of mind more lovely, valiant, courteous, wise, what "
## [8214] "should I say more ? sweet Pyrocles, excellent Pyrocles, what can "
## [8215] "my words but wrong thy perfections, which I would to God in "
## [8216] "some small measure thou had'st bequeathed to him that ever must "
## [8217] "have thy virtues in admiration, that, masked at least in them, I "
## [8218] "might have found some more gracious acceptation ? \" With that "
## [8219] "he imprisoned his look for a while upon Mopsa, who thereupon "
## [8220] "fell into a very wide smiling. \" Truly,\" said Pamela, \" Dorus I like "
## [8221] "well your mind that can raise itself out of so base a fortune as "
## [8222] "yours is, to think of the imitating so excellent a prince as Pyrocles "
## [8223] "was. Who shoots at the mid-day sun, though he be sure he "
## [8224] "shall never hit the mark, )'et as sure he is, he shall shoot higher "
## [8225] ""
## [8226] ""
## [8227] ""
## [8228] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 153 "
## [8229] ""
## [8230] "than who aims but at a bush. But I pray you, Dorus,\" said she, "
## [8231] "\" tell me, since I perceive you are well acquainted with that story, "
## [8232] "what prince was that Euarchus father to Pyrocles, of whom so "
## [8233] "much fame goes, for his rightly royal virtues, or by what ways he "
## [8234] "got that opinion. And then so descend to the causes of his sending "
## [8235] "first away from him, and then to him for that excellent son of his, "
## [8236] "with the discourse of his life and loss : and therein you may, if you "
## [8237] "list, say something of that same Musidorus his cousin, because "
## [8238] "they going together, the story of Pyrocles, which I only desire, "
## [8239] "may be the better understood.\" "
## [8240] ""
## [8241] "\" Incomparable lady,'' said he, \" your commandment doth not "
## [8242] "only give me the will, but the power to obey you ; such influence "
## [8243] "hath your excellency. And first, for that famous king Euarchus, "
## [8244] "he was, at this time you speak of, king of Macedon, a kingdom, "
## [8245] "which in older time had such a sovereignty over all the provinces "
## [8246] "of Greece that even the particular kings therein did acknowledge, "
## [8247] "with more or less degrees of homage, some kind of fealty there- "
## [8248] "unto : as among the rest, even this now most noble, and by you "
## [8249] "ennobled, kingdom of Arcadia. But he, when he came to his "
## [8250] "crown finding by his latter ancestors either negligence, or misfortune "
## [8251] "that in some ages many of those duties had been intermitted would "
## [8252] "never stir up old titles, how apparent soever, whereby the public "
## [8253] "peace, with the loss of many not guilty souls, should be broken ; "
## [8254] "but contenting himself to guide that ship, wherein the heavens had "
## [8255] "placed him, showed no less magnanimity in dangerless despising "
## [8256] "than others in dangerous affecting the multiplying of kingdoms : "
## [8257] "for the earth hath since borne enough bleeding witnesses that it "
## [8258] "was no want of true courage. Who as he was most wise to see "
## [8259] "what was best, and most just in the performing what he saw, and "
## [8260] "temperate in abstaining from anything anyway contrary, so think "
## [8261] "I, no thought can imagine a greater heart to see and contemn "
## [8262] "danger, where danger would offer to make any wrongful threaten- "
## [8263] "ing upon him. A prince, that indeed especially measured his "
## [8264] "greatness by his goodness : and if for anything he loved greatness "
## [8265] "it was because therein he might exercise his goodness. A prince "
## [8266] "of a goodly aspect, and the more goodly by a grave majesty, where- "
## [8267] "with his mind did deck his outward graces ; strong of body, and "
## [8268] "so much the stronger, that he by a well disciplined exercise taught "
## [8269] "it both to do, and suffer. Of age so as he was above fifty years "
## [8270] "when his nephew Musidorus took on such shepherdish apparel for "
## [8271] "the love of the world's paragon, as I now wear. "
## [8272] ""
## [8273] "\" This king left orphan both of father and mother, whose father "
## [8274] "and grandfather likewise had died young, he found his estate, "
## [8275] "when he came to the age which allowed his authority, so disjointed "
## [8276] "even in the noblest and strongest limbs of government that the "
## [8277] ""
## [8278] ""
## [8279] ""
## [8280] "154 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [8281] ""
## [8282] "name of a king was grown even odious to the people, his authority "
## [8283] "having been abused by those great lords and little kings, who in "
## [8284] "those between times of reigning, by unjust favouring those that "
## [8285] "were partially theirs, and oppressing them that would defend their "
## [8286] "liberty against them, had brought in, by a more felt than seen "
## [8287] "manner of proceeding, the worst kind of Oligarchy ; that is, when "
## [8288] "men are governed indeed by a few, and yet are not taught to know "
## [8289] "what those few be to whom they should obey. "
## [8290] ""
## [8291] "\" For they having the power of kings, but not the nature of kings, "
## [8292] "used the authority as men do their farms, of which they see within "
## [8293] "a year they shall go out ; making the king's sword strike whom "
## [8294] "they hated, the king^s purse reward whom they loved ; and, which "
## [8295] "is worst of all, making the royal countenance serve to undermine "
## [8296] "the royal sovereignty. For the subjects could taste no sweeter . "
## [8297] "fruits of having a king than grievous taxation to serve vain "
## [8298] "purposes ; laws made rather to find faults than to prevent faults : "
## [8299] "the court of a prince rather deemed as a privileged place of the "
## [8300] "unbridled licentiousness than as the abiding of him, who as a "
## [8301] "father should give a fatherly example unto his people. Hence "
## [8302] "grew a very dissolution of all estates, while the great men, by the "
## [8303] "nature of ambition never satisfied, grew factious among themselves : "
## [8304] "and the underlings glad indeed to be underiings to them they "
## [8305] "hated least, to preserve them from such they hated most. Men of "
## [8306] "virtue suppressed, lest the shining should discover the others "
## [8307] "filthiness ; and at length virtue itself almost forgotten, when it had "
## [8308] "no hopeful end whereunto to be directed ; old men long nusled in "
## [8309] "corruption, scorning them that would seek reformation, young men "
## [8310] "were fault-finding, but very faulty, and so given to new-fangleness "
## [8311] "both of manners, apparel, and each thing else, by the custom of "
## [8312] "self-guilty evil, glad to change, though oft for worse ; merchandise "
## [8313] "abused, and so towns decayed for want of just and natural liberty ; "
## [8314] "offices even of judging souls, sold ; public defences neglected ; and "
## [8315] "in sum, left too long I trouble you, all awry, and, which wried it to "
## [8316] "the most wry course of all, wit abused, rather to feign reason why "
## [8317] "it should be amiss, than how it should be amended. "
## [8318] ""
## [8319] "\"In this, and a much worse plight than it is fit to trouble your "
## [8320] "excellent ears withal, did the king Euarchus find his estate when "
## [8321] "he took upon him the regiment, which, by reason of the long stream "
## [8322] "of abuse, he was forced to establish by some even extreme severity, "
## [8323] "not so much for the very faults themselves, which he rather sought "
## [8324] "to prevent than to punish, as for the faulty ones, who, strong even "
## [8325] "in their faults, scorned his youth, and could not learn to digest that "
## [8326] "the man which they so long had used to mask their own appetites, "
## [8327] "should now be the reducer of them into order. But so soon as "
## [8328] "some few, but indeed notable examples, had thundered a duty into "
## [8329] ""
## [8330] ""
## [8331] ""
## [8332] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA ISS "
## [8333] ""
## [8334] "the subjects hearts, he soon showed, no baseness of suspicion, nor "
## [8335] "the basest baseness of envy, could any whit rule such a ruler. But "
## [8336] "then shined forth indeed all love among them, when an awful fear "
## [8337] "engendered by justice, did make that love most lovely : his first "
## [8338] "and principal care being to appear unto his people such as he "
## [8339] "would have them be, and to be such as he appeared ; making his "
## [8340] "life the example of his laws, and his laws as it were his axioms "
## [8341] "arising out of his deeds. So that within small time he won a "
## [8342] "singular love in his people, and ingraffed singular confidence. For "
## [8343] "how could they choose but love him, whom they found so truly to "
## [8344] "love them ? he even in reason disdaining, that they that have "
## [8345] "charge of beasts, should love their charge and care for them ; and "
## [8346] "that he that was to govern the most excellent creature, should not "
## [8347] "love so noble a charge. And, therefore, where most princes, "
## [8348] "seduced by flattery to build upon false grounds of government, "
## [8349] "make themselves, as it were, another thing from the people, and so "
## [8350] "count it gain what they get from them and, as it were two counter- "
## [8351] "ballances, that their estate goes highest when the people goes "
## [8352] "lowest, by a fallacy of argument thinking themselves most kings "
## [8353] "when the subject is most basely subjected, he contrariwise, "
## [8354] "virtuously and wisely acknowledging that he with his people made "
## [8355] "all but one politic body, wherof himself was the head, even so "
## [8356] "cared for them as he would for his own limbs, never restraining "
## [8357] "their liberty, without it stretched to licentiousness, nor pulling from "
## [8358] "them their goods, which they found were not employed to the "
## [8359] "purchase of a greater good ; but in all his actions showing a delight "
## [8360] "in their welfare, brought that to pass, that, while by force he took "
## [8361] "nothing, by their love he had all. In sum, peerless princess, I "
## [8362] "might as easily set down the whole art of government as to lay "
## [8363] "before your eyes the picture of his proceedings. But in such sort "
## [8364] "he flourished in the sweet comfort of doing much good, when, by "
## [8365] "an occasion of leaving his country, he was forced to bring forth his "
## [8366] "virtue of magnanimity, as before he had done of justice. "
## [8367] ""
## [8368] "\" He had only one sister, a lady, least I should too easily :all "
## [8369] "to partial praises of her, of whom it may be justly said, that she "
## [8370] "was no unfit branch to the noble stock whereof she was come. Her "
## [8371] "he had given in marriage to Dorilaus prince of Thessalia, not so "
## [8372] "much to make a friendship, as to confirm the friendship between "
## [8373] "their posterity, which between them, by the likeness of virtue, had "
## [8374] "been long before made : for certainly, Dorilaus could need no "
## [8375] "amplifiers mouth for the highest point of praise.\" \" Who hath not "
## [8376] "heard,\" said Pamela, \" of the valiant, wise, and just Dorilaus, whose "
## [8377] "unripe death doth yet, so many years since, draw tears from "
## [8378] "virtuous eyes ; and indeed, my father is wont to speak of nothing "
## [8379] "with greater admiration, than of the notable friendship, a rare thing "
## [8380] ""
## [8381] ""
## [8382] ""
## [8383] "i$6 ARCADIA [BOOK ti. "
## [8384] ""
## [8385] "in princes, more rare between princes, that so holily was observed "
## [8386] "to the last of those two excellent men. But,\" said she, \"go on I "
## [8387] "pray you.\" "
## [8388] ""
## [8389] "\" Dorilaus,\" said he, \" having married his sister, had his marriage "
## [8390] "in short time blest, for so are folk wont to say, how unhappy soever "
## [8391] "the children after grow, with a son, whom they named Musidorus, "
## [8392] "of whom I must needs first speak before I come to Pyrocles, "
## [8393] "because as he was born first, so upon his occasion grew, as I "
## [8394] "may say » accidentally, the other's birth. For scarcely was "
## [8395] "Musidorus made partaker of this oft-binding light, when there were "
## [8396] "found numbers of soothsayers who affirmed strange and incredible "
## [8397] "things should be performed by that child ; whether the heavens at "
## [8398] "that time lifted to play with ignorant mankind, or that flattery be "
## [8399] "so presumptuous as even at times to borrow the face of divinity. "
## [8400] "But certainly, so did the boldness of their affirmation accompany "
## [8401] "the greatness of what they did affirm, even descending to "
## [8402] "particularities, what kingdoms he should overcome, that the king "
## [8403] "of Phrygia, who over-superstitiously thought himself touched in "
## [8404] "the matter, sought by force to destroy the infant, to prevent his "
## [8405] "after expectations : because a skilful man, having compared his "
## [8406] "nativity with the child, so told him. Foolish man, either vainly "
## [8407] "fearing what was not to be feared, or not considering that if it were "
## [8408] "a work of the superior powers, the heavens at length are never "
## [8409] "children. But so he did, and by the aid of the kings of Lydia and "
## [8410] "Crete, joining together their armies, invaded Thessalia, and "
## [8411] "brought Dorilaus to some behind-hand of fortune, when his faithful "
## [8412] "friend and brother Euarchus came so mightily to his succour, that "
## [8413] "with some interchanging changes of fortune, they begat of a just "
## [8414] "war, the best child. Peace. In which time Euarchus made a cross "
## [8415] "marriage also with Dorilaus's sister, and shortly left her with child "
## [8416] "of the famous Pyrocles, driven to return to the defence of his own "
## [8417] "country, which in his absence, helped with some of the ill-contented "
## [8418] "nobility, the mighty king of Thrace, and his brother king of Panonia, "
## [8419] "had invaded. The success of those wars was too notable to be "
## [8420] "unknown to your ears, to which it seems all worthy fame hath glory "
## [8421] "to come unto. But there was Dorilaus, valiantly requiring his "
## [8422] "friend's help, in a great battle deprived of life, his obsequies being "
## [8423] "no more solemnized by the tears of his partakers than the blood of "
## [8424] "his enemies ; with so piercing a sorrow to the constant heart of "
## [8425] "Euarchus that the news of his son's birth could lighten his "
## [8426] "countenance with no show of comfort, although all the comfort "
## [8427] "that might be in a child, truth itself in him forthwith delivered. "
## [8428] "For what fortune only soothsayers foretold of Musidorus, that all "
## [8429] "men might see prognosticated in Pyrocles, both heavens and earth "
## [8430] "giving tokens of tiie coming forth of an heroical virtue. The "
## [8431] ""
## [8432] ""
## [8433] ""
## [8434] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 157 "
## [8435] ""
## [8436] "senate house of the planets was at no time so set for the decreeing "
## [8437] "of perfection in a man, as at that time all folks skilful therein did "
## [8438] "acknowledge : only love was threatened, and promised to him, and "
## [8439] "so to his cousin, as both the tempest and haven of his best years. "
## [8440] "But as death may have prevented Pyrocles, so unworthiness must "
## [8441] "be the death of Musidorus. "
## [8442] ""
## [8443] "\" But the mother of Pyrocles, shortly after her childbirth dying, "
## [8444] "was cause that Euarchus recommended the care of his only son to "
## [8445] "his sister, doing it the rather because the war continued in cruel "
## [8446] "heat, betwixt him and those ill neighbours of his. In which mean- "
## [8447] "time those young princes, the only comforters of that virtuous "
## [8448] "widow, grew on so that Pyrocles taught admiration to the hardest "
## [8449] "conceits : Musidorus, perchance because among his subjects, "
## [8450] "exceedingly beloved ; and by the good order of Euarchus, well "
## [8451] "performed by his sister, they were so brought up that all the "
## [8452] "sparks of virtue which nature had kindled in them were so blown "
## [8453] "to give forth their uttermost heat, that, justly it may be affirmed, "
## [8454] "they inflamed the affections of all that knew them. For almost "
## [8455] "before they could perfectly speak, they began to receive conceits "
## [8456] "not unworthy of the best speakers ; excellent devices being used, "
## [8457] "to make even their sports profitable ; images of battles and fortifica- "
## [8458] "tions being then delivered to their memory, which after, their "
## [8459] "stronger judgments might dispense, the delight of tales being con- "
## [8460] "verted to the knowledge of all the stories of worthy princes, both "
## [8461] "to move them to do nobly, and teach them how to do nobly ; the "
## [8462] "beauty of virtue still being set before their eyes, and that taught "
## [8463] "them with far more diligent care than grammatical rules, their "
## [8464] "bodies exercised in all abilities, both of doing and suffering, and "
## [8465] "their minds acquainted by degrees with dangers ; and in sum, all "
## [8466] "bent to the making up of princely minds ; no servile fear used "
## [8467] "towards them, nor any other violent restraint, but still as to princes : "
## [8468] "so that a habit of commanding was naturalized in them, and there- "
## [8469] "fore the farther from tyranny : nature having done so much for "
## [8470] "them in nothing, as that it made them lords of truth, whereon all "
## [8471] "the other goods were builded. "
## [8472] ""
## [8473] "\"Among which nothing I so much delight to recount, as the "
## [8474] "memorable friendship that grew betwixt the two princes, such as "
## [8475] "made them more like than the likeness of all other virtues, and "
## [8476] "made them more near one to the other than the nearness of their "
## [8477] "blood could aspire unto ; which I think grew the faster, and the "
## [8478] "faster was tied between them by reason that Musidorus being "
## [8479] "older by three or four years, it was neither so great a difference in "
## [8480] "age as did take away the delight in society, and yet by the differ- "
## [8481] "ence there was taken away the occasion of childish contentions, "
## [8482] "till they had both past over the humour of such contentions. For "
## [8483] ""
## [8484] ""
## [8485] ""
## [8486] "1S8 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [8487] ""
## [8488] "Pyrocles bare reverence full of love to Musidorus, and Musidorus "
## [8489] "had a delight full of love in Pyrocles. Musidorus, what he had "
## [8490] "learned either for body or mind, would teach it to Pyrocles ; and "
## [8491] "Pyrocles was so glad to learn of none as of Musidorus : till "
## [8492] "Pyrocles, being come to sixteen years of age, he seemed so to "
## [8493] "over-run his age in growth, strength, and all things following it, "
## [8494] "that not Musidorus, no nor any man living, I think, could perform "
## [8495] "any action, either on horse, or foot, more strongly, or deliver that "
## [8496] "strength more nimbly, or become the delivery more gracefully, or "
## [8497] "employ all more virtuously. Which may well seem wonderful : "
## [8498] "but wonders are no wonders in a wonderful subject. "
## [8499] ""
## [8500] "\"At which time, understanding that the king Euarchus, after "
## [8501] "so many years of war, and the conquest of all Pannonia, and "
## [8502] "almost Thrace, had now brought the conclusion of all to the siege "
## [8503] "of Byzantium, to the raising of which siege, great forces were "
## [8504] "made, they would needs fall to the practice of those virtues which "
## [8505] "they before learned. And therefore the mother of Musidorus "
## [8506] "nobly yielding over her own affects to her children's good, for a "
## [8507] "mother she was in affect to them both, the rather that they might "
## [8508] "help her beloved brother, they break off all delays, which Musidorus "
## [8509] "for his part thought already had devoured too much of his good "
## [8510] "time, but that he had once granted a boon, before he knew what it "
## [8511] "was, to his dear friend Pyrocles, that he would never seek the "
## [8512] "adventures of arms until he might go with him, which having fast "
## [8513] "bound his heart, a true slave to faith, he had bid a tedious delay of "
## [8514] "following his own humour for his friend's sake, till now being both "
## [8515] "sent for by Euarchus, and finding Pyrocles able every way to go "
## [8516] "through with that kind of life, he was as desirous for his sake as "
## [8517] "for his own, to enter into it. So therefore preparing a navy, that "
## [8518] "they might go like themselves, and not only bring the comfort of "
## [8519] "their presence, but of their power, to their dear parent Euarchus, "
## [8520] "they recommended themselves to the sea, leaving the shore of "
## [8521] "Thessalia full of tears and vows, and were received thereon with "
## [8522] "so smooth and smiling a face, as if Neptune had as then learned "
## [8523] "falsely to fawn on princes. The wind was like a servant, waiting "
## [8524] "behind them so just, that they might fill the sails as they lifted ; "
## [8525] "and the best sailors showing themselves less covetous of his "
## [8526] "liberality, so tempered it that they all kept together like a beautiful "
## [8527] "flock, which so well could obey their master's pipe : without some- "
## [8528] "times, to delight the princes' eyes, some two or three of them would "
## [8529] "strive, who could, either by the cunning of well spending the wind's "
## [8530] "breath, or by the advantageous building of their moving houses, "
## [8531] "leave their fellows behind them in the honour of speed : while the "
## [8532] "two princes had leisure to see the practice of that, which before "
## [8533] "they had learned by books : to consider the art of catching the "
## [8534] ""
## [8535] ""
## [8536] ""
## [8537] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 1 59 "
## [8538] ""
## [8539] "wind prisoner, to no other end, but to run away with it ; to see "
## [8540] "how beauty and use can so well agree together, that of all the "
## [8541] "trinkets, wherewith they are attired, there is not one but serves to "
## [8542] "some necessary purpose. And, O lord ! to see the admirable "
## [8543] "power and noble effects of love, whereby the seeming insensible "
## [8544] "loadstone, with a secret beauty, holding the spirit of iron in it, can "
## [8545] "draw that hard-hearted thing unto it, and like a virtuous mistress, "
## [8546] "not only make it bow itself, but with it make it aspire to so high "
## [8547] "a love as of the heavenly poles, and thereby to bring forth the "
## [8548] "noblest deeds that the children of the earth can boast of. And so "
## [8549] "the princes delighting their conceits with confirming their know- "
## [8550] "ledge, seeing wherein the sea-discipline differed from land-service, "
## [8551] "they had for a day, and almost a whole night, as pleasing enter- "
## [8552] "tainment as the falsest heart could give to him he means worst to. "
## [8553] "\" But by that the next morning began a little to make a gilded "
## [8554] "show of a good meaning, there arose even with the sun, a veil of "
## [8555] "dark clouds before his face, which, shortly, like ink poured into "
## [8556] "water, had blacked over all the face of heaven, preparing as it "
## [8557] "were a mournful stage for a tragedy to be played on. For forthwith "
## [8558] "the winds began to speak louder, and, as in a tumultuous kingdom, "
## [8559] "to think themselves fittest instruments of commandment ; and "
## [8560] "blowing whole storms of hail and rain upon them, they were "
## [8561] "sooner in danger, than they could almost bethink themselves of "
## [8562] "change. For then the traitorous sea began to swell in pride "
## [8563] "against the afflicted navy, under which, while the heaven favoured "
## [8564] "them, it had lain so calmly, making mountains of itself, over which "
## [8565] "the tossed and tottering ship should climb, to be straight carried "
## [8566] "down again to a pit of hellish darkness ; with such cruel blows "
## [8567] "against the sides of the ship that, which w,ay soever it went, was "
## [8568] "still in his malice, that there was left neither power to stay nor "
## [8569] "way to escape. And shortly had it so dissevered the loving "
## [8570] "company, which the day before had tarried together, that most of "
## [8571] "them never met again, but were swallowed up in his never satisfied "
## [8572] "mouth. Some indeed, as since was known, after long wandering, "
## [8573] "returned into Thessaha, others recovered Bizantium, and served "
## [8574] "Euarchus, in his war. But in the ship wherein the princes were, "
## [8575] "now left as much alone as proud lords be when fortune fails them, "
## [8576] "though they employed all industry to save themselves, yet what "
## [8577] "they did was rather for duty to nature than hope to escape so "
## [8578] "Ugly a darkness as if it would prevent the night's coming, usurped "
## [8579] "the day's right : which accompanied sometimes with thunders, "
## [8580] "always with horrible noises of the chafing winds, made the masters "
## [8581] "and pilots so astonished that they knew not how to direct, and if "
## [8582] "they knew, they could scarcely, when they directed, hear their own "
## [8583] "whistle. For the sea strove with the winds which should be louder, "
## [8584] ""
## [8585] ""
## [8586] ""
## [8587] "i6o ARCADIA [book u. "
## [8588] ""
## [8589] "and the shrouds of the ship, with a gastful noise to them that were "
## [8590] "in it, witnessed that their ruin was the wager of the others conten- "
## [8591] "tion, and the heaven roaring out thunders the more amazed them, "
## [8592] "as having those powers for enemies. Certainly there is no danger "
## [8593] "carries with it more horror than that which grows in those floating "
## [8594] "kingdoms. For that dwelling place is unnatural to mankind, and "
## [8595] "then the terribleness of the continual motion, the desolation of "
## [8596] "the far-being from comfort, the eye and the ear having ugly images "
## [8597] "ever before it, doth still vex the mind, even when it is best armed "
## [8598] "against it. But thus the day past, if that might be called day, "
## [8599] "while the cunningest mariners were so conquered by the storm "
## [8600] "that they thought it best with stricken sails to yield to be governed "
## [8601] "by it : the valiantest feeling inward dismayedness, and yet the "
## [8602] "fearfullest ashamed fully to show it, seeing that the princes, who "
## [8603] "were to part from the greatest fortunes, did in their countenances "
## [8604] "accuse no point of fear, but encouraging them to do what might "
## [8605] "be done, putting their hands to every most painful ofiSce, taught "
## [8606] "them at one instant to promise themselves the best, and yet to "
## [8607] "despise the worst. But so were they carried by the tyranny of the "
## [8608] "wind, and the treason of the sea all that night, which the older it "
## [8609] "was, the more way-ward it showed itself towards them : till the "
## [8610] "next morning, known to be a morning better by the hour-glass "
## [8611] "than by the day's clearness, having run fortune so blindly, as itself "
## [8612] "ever was painted, lest the conclusion should not answer to the rest "
## [8613] "of the play, they were driven upon a rock, which, hidden with "
## [8614] "those outrageous waves, did, as it were, closely dissemble his cruel "
## [8615] "mind, till with an unbelieved violence, but to them that have tried "
## [8616] "it, the ship ran upon it, and seeming willinger to perish than to "
## [8617] "have her course stayed, redoubled her blows, till she had broken "
## [8618] "herself in pieces, and as it were, tearing out her own bowels to "
## [8619] "feed the seas greediness, lest nothing within it but despair of "
## [8620] "safety and expectation of a loathesome end. There was to be seen "
## [8621] "the divers manner of minds in distress : some sat upon the top of "
## [8622] "the poop weeping and wailing, till the sea swallowed them ; some "
## [8623] "one more able to abide death than fear of death, cut his own throat "
## [8624] "to prevent drowning ; some prayed : and there wanted not of them "
## [8625] "which cursed, as if the heavens could not be more angry than they "
## [8626] "were. But a monstrous cry begotten of many roaring voices, was "
## [8627] "able to infect with fear a mind that had not prevented it with the "
## [8628] "power of reason. "
## [8629] ""
## [8630] "\" But the princes, using the passions of fearing evil, and desiring "
## [8631] "to escape only to serve the rule of virtue, not to abandon one's self, "
## [8632] "leaped to a rib of the ship, which broken from his fellows, floated "
## [8633] "with more likelihood to do service than any other limb of that "
## [8634] "ruinous body ; upon which they had gotten already two brethren "
## [8635] ""
## [8636] ""
## [8637] ""
## [8638] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA i6t "
## [8639] ""
## [8640] "well known servants of theirs ; and straight they four were carried "
## [8641] "out of sight, in that huge rising of the sea, from the rest of the "
## [8642] "ship. But the piece they were on sinking by little and little under "
## [8643] "them, not able to support the weight of so many, the brethren, the "
## [8644] "elder whereof was Leucippus, the younger Nelsus, showed them- "
## [8645] "selves right faithful and grateful servants unto them : grateful, I "
## [8646] "say, for this cause : those two gentlemen had been taken prisoners "
## [8647] "in the great war the king of Phrygia made upon Thessalia, in the "
## [8648] "time of Musidorus's infancy, and having been sold into another "
## [8649] "country, though peace fell after between those realms, could not "
## [8650] "be delivered because of their valour known, but for a far greater "
## [8651] "sum than either all their friends were able, or the dowager willing "
## [8652] "to make, in respect of the great expenses herself and people had "
## [8653] "been put to in those wars, and so had they remained in prison "
## [8654] "about thirteen years, when the two young princes, hearing speeches "
## [8655] "of their good deserts, found means both by selling all the jewels "
## [8656] "they had of a great price, and by giving under their hands great "
## [8657] "estates when they should come to be kings, which promises their "
## [8658] "virtue promised for them should be kept, to get so much treasure "
## [8659] "as redeemed them from captivity. This remembered, and kindly "
## [8660] "remembered by those two brothers, perchance helped by a natural "
## [8661] "duty to their princes' blood, they willingly left hold of the board, "
## [8662] "committing themselves to the sea's rage, and even when they "
## [8663] "meant to die, themselves praying for the princes' lives. It is true, "
## [8664] "that neither the pain nor danger, so moved the princes' hearts as "
## [8665] "the tenderness of that loving part, far from glory, having so few "
## [8666] "lookers on ; far from hope of reward, since themselves were sure "
## [8667] "to perish. "
## [8668] ""
## [8669] "\" But now of all the royal navy they lately had, they had left but "
## [8670] "one little piece of one ship, whereon they kept themselves, in all "
## [8671] "truth having interchanged their cares, while either cared for other, "
## [8672] "each comforting and counselling how to labour for the better, and "
## [8673] "to abide the worse. But so fell it out, that as they were carried by "
## [8674] "the tide which there, seconded by the storm, ran exceeding swiftly, "
## [8675] "Musidorus seeing, as he thought, Pyrocles not well upon the "
## [8676] "board, as he would with his right hand have helped him on better, "
## [8677] "he had no sooner unfastened his hold but that a wave forcibly "
## [8678] "spoiled his weaker hand of hold, and so for a lime parted those "
## [8679] "friends, each crying to the other ; but the noise of the sea drowned "
## [8680] "their farewell. But Pyrocles, then careless of death, if it had come "
## [8681] "by any means but his own, was shortly brought out of the sea's "
## [8682] "fury to the land's comfort, when in my conscience I know that "
## [8683] "comfort was but bitter unto him : and bitter indeed it fell out even "
## [8684] "in itself to be unto him. "
## [8685] ""
## [8686] "\"For being cast on land much bruised and beaten both with the "
## [8687] ""
## [8688] "I. "
## [8689] ""
## [8690] ""
## [8691] ""
## [8692] "i62 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [8693] ""
## [8694] "sea's hard farewell, and the shore's rude welcome ; and even almost "
## [8695] "deadly tired with. the length of his uncomfortable labour, as he was "
## [8696] "walking up to discover somebody, to whom he might go for relief, "
## [8697] "there came straight running unto him certain, who, as it was after "
## [8698] "known, by appointment watched, with many others, in divers "
## [8699] "places along the coast, who laid hands on him, and without either "
## [8700] "questioning with him, or showing will to hear him, like men fearful "
## [8701] "to appear curious, or which was worse, having no regard to the "
## [8702] "hard plight he was in, being so wet and weak, they carried him "
## [8703] "some miles thence to a house of a principal officer of that country. "
## [8704] "Who with no more civility (though with much more business than "
## [8705] "those under fellows had showed) began in captious manner to put "
## [8706] "interrogatories unto him. To which, he unused to such entertain- "
## [8707] "ment, did shortly and plainly answer, what he was and how he "
## [8708] "came thither. But that no sooner known, with numbers of armed "
## [8709] "men to guard him (for mischief, not from mischief) he was sent to "
## [8710] "the king's court, which as then was not above a day's journey off, "
## [8711] "with letters from that officer, containing his own serviceable "
## [8712] "diligence in discovering so great a personage, adding withal more "
## [8713] "than was-true of his conjectures, because he would endear his own "
## [8714] "service. "
## [8715] ""
## [8716] "\" This country whereon he fell was Phrygia, and it was to the "
## [8717] "king thereof to whom he was sent, a prince of a melancholy con- "
## [8718] "stitution both of body and mind ; wickedly sad, ever musing of "
## [8719] "horrible matters, suspecting, or rather condemning all men of evil, "
## [8720] "because his mind had no eye to spy goodness : and therefore "
## [8721] "accusing Sycophants, of all men, did best sort to his nature ; but "
## [8722] "therefore not seeming Sycophants, because of no evil they said, "
## [8723] "they could bring any new or doubtful thing unto him, but such as "
## [8724] "already he had been apt to determinine, so as they came but as "
## [8725] "proofs of his wisdom : fearful, and never secure, while the fear he "
## [8726] "had figured in his own mind had any possibility of event. A toad- "
## [8727] "like retiredness, and closeness of mind ; nature teaching the "
## [8728] "odiousness of poison, and the danger of odiousness. Yet while "
## [8729] "youth lasted in him, the exercises of that age, and his humour, "
## [8730] "not yet fully discovered, made him something the more frequent- "
## [8731] "able, and less dangerous. But after that years began to come on "
## [8732] "with some, though more seldom, shows of a bloody nature, and "
## [8733] "that the prophecy of Musidorus's destiny came to his ears (delivered "
## [8734] "unto him, and received of him with the hardest interpretation, as "
## [8735] "though his subjects did delight in the hearing thereof). Then "
## [8736] "gave he himself indeed to the full current of his disposition, "
## [8737] "especially after the war of Thessalia, wherein, though in truth "
## [8738] ", rongly, he deemed his unsuccess proceeded of their unwillingness "
## [8739] "to have him prosper; and then thinking himself contemned "
## [8740] ""
## [8741] ""
## [8742] ""
## [8743] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 163 "
## [8744] ""
## [8745] "(knowing no countermine against contempt, but terror) began to "
## [8746] "let nothing pass which might bear the colour of a fault without "
## [8747] "sharp punishment : and when he wanted faults, excellency grew "
## [8748] "a fault ! and it was sufficient to make one guilty, that he had power "
## [8749] "to be guilty. And as there is no humour, to which impudent "
## [8750] "poverty cannot make itself serviceable, so were there enough of "
## [8751] "those of desperate ambition, who would build their houses upon "
## [8752] "other's ruins, which after should fall by like practices. So as a "
## [8753] "servitude came mainly upon that poor people, whose deeds were "
## [8754] "not only punished, but words corrected, and even thoughts by. "
## [8755] "some mean or other pulled out of them ; while suspicion bred the "
## [8756] "mind of cruelty, and the effects of cruelty stirred up a new cause "
## [8757] "of suspicion. And in this pUght, full of watchful fearfulness, did "
## [8758] "the storm deliver sweet Pyrocles to the stormy mind of that tyrant ; "
## [8759] "all men that did such wrong to so rare a stranger, whose counten- "
## [8760] "ance deserved both pity and admiration, condemning themselves "
## [8761] "as much in their hearts, as they did brag in their faces. "
## [8762] ""
## [8763] "\"But when this bloody king knew what he was, and in what "
## [8764] "order he and his cousin Musidorus (so much of him feared) were "
## [8765] "come out of TheSsalia, assuredly thinking, because ever thinking "
## [8766] "the worst, that those forces were provided against him ; glad of "
## [8767] "the perishing, as he thought, of Musidorus, determined in public "
## [8768] "sort to put Pyrocles to death. For having quite lost the way of "
## [8769] "nobleness, he strove to climb to the height of terribleness ; and "
## [8770] "thinking to make all men a dread, to make such one an enemy "
## [8771] "who would not spare, not fear to kill so great a prince ; and lastly, "
## [8772] "having nothing in him why to make him his friend, he thought he "
## [8773] "would take him away from being his enemy. The day was "
## [8774] "appointed, and all things prepared for that cruel blow, in so "
## [8775] "solemn an order, as if they would set forth tyranny in most "
## [8776] "gorgeous decking. The princely youth, of invincible valour, yet "
## [8777] "so unjustly subjected to such outrageous wrong, carryjng himself "
## [8778] "in all his demeanour, so constantly abiding extremity, that one "
## [8779] "might see it was the cutting away of the greatest hope of the "
## [8780] "world, and destroying virtue in his sweetest growth. "
## [8781] ""
## [8782] "\"But so it fell out, that his death was prevented by a rare "
## [8783] "example of friendship in Musidorus, who, being almost drowned, "
## [8784] "had been taken up by a fisherman belonging to the kingdom of "
## [8785] "Bithinia : and being there, and understanding the full discourse "
## [8786] "(as fame was very prodigal of so notable an accident) in what case "
## [8787] "Pyrocles was : learning withal that his hate was far more to him "
## [8788] "than to Pyrocles, he found means to acquaint himself with a noble- "
## [8789] "man of that country, to whom largely discovering what he was, he "
## [8790] "found him a most fit instrument to effectuate his desire. For this "
## [8791] "nobleman had been one, who in many wars had served Euarchus, "
## [8792] ""
## [8793] ""
## [8794] ""
## [8795] "i64 ARCADIA ibook n. "
## [8796] ""
## [8797] "and had been so mind-stricken by the beauty of virtue in that noble "
## [8798] "king that, though not born his subject, he ever professed himself "
## [8799] "his servant. His desire therefore to him was to keep Musidorus "
## [8800] "in a strong castle of his, and then to make the king of Phrygia "
## [8801] "understand, that if he would deliver Pyrocles, Musidorus would "
## [8802] "willingly put himself into his hands, knowing well, that how thirsty "
## [8803] "soever he was of Pyrocles's blood, he would rather drink that of "
## [8804] "Musidorus. "
## [8805] ""
## [8806] "\" The nobleman was loth to preserve one by the loss of another, "
## [8807] "but time urging resolution, the importunity of Musidorus, which "
## [8808] "showed a mind not to over-live Pyrocles, with the affection he bare "
## [8809] "to Euarchus, so prevailed, that he carried this strange offer of "
## [8810] "Musidorus, which by the tyrant was greedily accepted. "
## [8811] ""
## [8812] "■' And so upon security of both sides, they were interchanged : "
## [8813] "where I may not omit the work of friendship in Pyrocles, who both "
## [8814] "in speech and countenance to Musidorus, well showed that he "
## [8815] "thought himself injured and not relieved by him ; asking him what "
## [8816] "he had ever seen in him, why he could not bear the extremities of "
## [8817] "mortal accidents as well as any man ? and why he should envy him "
## [8818] "the glory of suffering death for his friend's cause, and, as it were, "
## [8819] "rob him of his own possession? but in that notable contention "
## [8820] "(where the conquest must be the conqueror's destruction, and "
## [8821] "safety the punishment of the conquered) Musidorus prevailed "
## [8822] "because he was a more welcome prey to the unjust king ; and a "
## [8823] "cheerfully going towards, as Pyrocles went frowardly fromward his "
## [8824] "death, he was delivered to the king, who could not be enough sure "
## [8825] "of him, without he fed his own eyes upon one whom he had begun "
## [8826] "to fear, as soon as the other began to be. "
## [8827] ""
## [8828] "\" Yet because he would in one act both make ostentation of his "
## [8829] "his own felicity, into whose hands his most feared enemy was "
## [8830] "fallen, and withal cut off such hopes from his suspected subjects, "
## [8831] "when they should know certainly he was dead, with much more "
## [8832] "skilful cruelty, and horrible solemnity he caused each thing to be "
## [8833] "prepared for his triumph of tyranny. And so the day being come, "
## [8834] "he was led forth by many armed men who often had been the "
## [8835] "fortifiers of wickedness, to the place of execution, where coming "
## [8836] "with a mind comforted in that he had done such service to Pyrocles, "
## [8837] "this strange encounter he had. "
## [8838] ""
## [8839] "\" The excelling Pyrocles was no sooner delivered by the king's "
## [8840] "servants to a place of liberty than he bent his wit and courage, "
## [8841] "and what would they not bring to pass? how either to deliver "
## [8842] "Musidorus, or to perish with him. And finding he could get in "
## [8843] "that country no forces sufficient by force to rescue him to bring "
## [8844] "himself to die with him, little hoping of better event, he put himself "
## [8845] "in poor raiment, and by the help of some few crowns he took of "
## [8846] ""
## [8847] ""
## [8848] ""
## [8849] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 165 "
## [8850] ""
## [8851] "that nobleman, who full of sorrow, though not knowing the secret "
## [8852] "of his intent, suffered him to go in such order from him, he, even "
## [8853] "he, born to the greatest expectation, and of the greatest blood that "
## [8854] "any prince might be, submitted himself to be servant to the execu- "
## [8855] "tioner that should put to death Musidorus : a far notabler proof of "
## [8856] "his friendship, considering the height of his mind, than any death "
## [8857] "could be. That bad officer not suspecting him, being arrayed fit "
## [8858] "for such an estate, and having his beauty hidden by many foul "
## [8859] "spots he artifically put upon his face, gave him leave not only to "
## [8860] "wear a sword himself, but to bear his sword prepared for the "
## [8861] "justified murder. And so Pyrocles taking his time, when Musidorus "
## [8862] "was upon the scaffold, separated somewhat from the rest, as "
## [8863] "allowed to say something, he stepped unto him, and putting the "
## [8864] "sword into his hand, not bound, a point of civility the officers used "
## [8865] "towards him because they doubted no such enterprise, ' Musidorus,' "
## [8866] "said he, ' die nobly.' In truth never man between joy before "
## [8867] "knowledge what to be glad of, and fear after considering his case, "
## [8868] "had such a confusion of thoughts, as I had, when I saw Pyrocles "
## [8869] "so near me.\" But with that Dorus blushed, and Pamela smiled, "
## [8870] "and Dorus the more blushed at her smiling, and she the more "
## [8871] "smiled at his blushing, because he had, with the remembrance of "
## [8872] "that plight he was in, forgotten in speaking of himself to use the "
## [8873] "third person. "
## [8874] ""
## [8875] "But Musidorus turned again her thoughts from his cheeks to his "
## [8876] "tongue in this sort : \" But,\" said he, \" when they were with swords "
## [8877] "in hands, not turning backs one to the other, for there they knew "
## [8878] "was no place of defence, but making it a preservation in not hoping "
## [8879] "to be preserved, and now acknowledging themselves subject to "
## [8880] "death, meaning only to do honour to their princely birth, they "
## [8881] "flew amongst them all, for all were enemies, and had quickly "
## [8882] "either with flight or death, left none upon the scaffold to annoy "
## [8883] "them, wherein Pyrocles, the excellent Pyrocles, did such wonders "
## [8884] "beyond belief, as was able to lead Musidorus to courage, though "
## [8885] "he had been born a coward. But indeed just rage and desperate "
## [8886] "virtue did such effects, that the popular sort of the beholders began "
## [8887] "to be almost superstitiously amazed, as at effects beyond mortal "
## [8888] "power. But the king with angry threatenings from out a window, "
## [8889] "where he was not ashamed the world should behold him a beholder, "
## [8890] "commanded his guard and the rest of his soldiers to hasten their "
## [8891] "death. But many of them lost their bodies to lose their souls, "
## [8892] "when the princes grew almost so weary, as they were ready to be "
## [8893] "conquered with conquering. "
## [8894] ""
## [8895] "\"But as they were still fighting with weak arms and strong "
## [8896] "hearts, it happened that one of the soldiers, commanded to go up "
## [8897] "after his fellows against the princes, having received a light hurt, "
## [8898] ""
## [8899] ""
## [8900] ""
## [8901] "1 66 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [8902] ""
## [8903] "more wounded in his heart, went back with as much diligence as "
## [8904] "he came up with modesty : which another of his fellows seeing, to "
## [8905] "pick a thank of the king, struck him upon the face, reviling him "
## [8906] "that so accompanied, he would run away from so few. But he, as "
## [8907] "many times it falls out, only valiant, when he was angry, in revenge "
## [8908] "thrust him through ; which with his death was straight revenged "
## [8909] "by a brother of his, and that again requited by a fellow of the "
## [8910] "others. There began to be a great tumult amongst the soldiers ; "
## [8911] "which seen, and not understood by the people, used to fears, but "
## [8912] "not used to be bold in them, some began to cry treason ; and that "
## [8913] "voice straight multiplying itself, the king, O the cowardice of a "
## [8914] "guilty conscience, before any man set upon him, fled away. Where "
## [8915] "with a bruit, either by art or some well-meaning men, or by some "
## [8916] "chance, as such things often fall out by, ran from one to the other "
## [8917] "that the king was slain: wherewith certain young men of the "
## [8918] "bravest minds, cried with a loud voice, Liberty, and encouraging "
## [8919] "the other citizens to follow them, set upon the guard and soldiers "
## [8920] "as chief instruments of tyranny : and quickly aided by the princes, "
## [8921] "they had left none of them alive, nor any other in the city, who "
## [8922] "they thought had in any sort set his hand to the work of their "
## [8923] "servitude, and, god knows, by the blindness of rage, killing many "
## [8924] "guiltless persons, either for affinity to the tyrant, or enmity to the "
## [8925] "tyrant-killers. But some of the wiser, seeing that a popular license "
## [8926] "is indeed the many-headed tyranny, prevailed with the rest to "
## [8927] "make Musidorus their chief: choosing one of them, because princes, "
## [8928] "to defend them ; and him, because elder and most hated of the "
## [8929] "tyrant, and by him to be ruled: whom forthwith they lifted up, "
## [8930] "fortune, I think smiling at her work therein, that a scaffold of "
## [8931] "execution should grow to a scaffold of coronation. "
## [8932] ""
## [8933] "\" But by and by there came news of more certain truth, that the "
## [8934] "king was not dead, but fled to a strong castle of his near hand, "
## [8935] "where he was gathering forces in all speed possible to suppress "
## [8936] "this mutiny. But now they had run themselves too far out of "
## [8937] "breath, to go back again to the same career ; and too well they "
## [8938] "knew the sharpness of his memory to forget such an injury ; there- "
## [8939] "fore learning virtue of necessity, they continued resolute to obey "
## [8940] "Musidorus, who seeing what forces were in the city, with them "
## [8941] "issued against the tyrant, while they were in this heat, before "
## [8942] "practices might be used to deliver them, and with them met the "
## [8943] "king, who likewise hoping little to prevail by time, knowing and "
## [8944] "finding his people's hate, met him with little delay in the field "
## [8945] "where himself was slain by Musidorus, after he had seen his only "
## [8946] "son, a prince of great courage and beauty, but fostered up in blood "
## [8947] "by his naughty father, slain by the hand of Pyrocles. This victory "
## [8948] "pbtained with g^reat and truly not undeserved honour to the two "
## [8949] ""
## [8950] ""
## [8951] ""
## [8952] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 167 "
## [8953] ""
## [8954] "princes, the whole estates of the country with one consent, gave "
## [8955] "the crown and all other marks of sovereignty to Musidorus, "
## [8956] "desiring nothing more than to live under such a government as "
## [8957] "they promised themselves of him. "
## [8958] ""
## [8959] "\" But he, thinking it a greater greatness to give a kingdom, than "
## [8960] "get a kingdom, understanding that there was left of the blood "
## [8961] "royal, and next to the succession, an aged gentleman of approved "
## [8962] "goodness, who had gotten nothing by his cousin's power but danger "
## [8963] "from him, and odiousness for him, having passed his time in modest "
## [8964] "secrecy, and as much from intermeddling in matters of govern- "
## [8965] "ment, as the greatness of his blood would suffer him, did, after "
## [8966] "having received the full power to his own hand, resign all to the "
## [8967] "nobleman ; but with such conditions, and cautions of the conditions, "
## [8968] "as might assure the people, with as much assurance as worldly "
## [8969] "matters bear, that not only that governor, of whom indeed they "
## [8970] "looked for of good, but the nature of the government, should be no "
## [8971] "way apt to decline to tyranny. "
## [8972] ""
## [8973] "\" This doing set forth no less the magnificence than the other "
## [8974] "act did his magnanimity ; so that greatly praised of all, and justly "
## [8975] "beloved of the new king, who in all both words and behaviour "
## [8976] "protested himself their tenant and liegeman, they were drawn "
## [8977] "thence to revenge those two servants of theirs, of whose memor- "
## [8978] "able faith, I told you, most excellent princess, in willingly giving "
## [8979] "themselves to be drowned for their sakes : but drowned indeed "
## [8980] "they were not, but got with painful swimming upon a rock, from "
## [8981] "whence, after being come as near famishing as before drowning, "
## [8982] "the weather breaking up, they were brought to the mainland of "
## [8983] "Bithinia, the same country upon which Musidorus also was fallen, "
## [8984] "but not in so lucky a place. "
## [8985] ""
## [8986] "\" For they were brought to the king of the country, a tyrant also "
## [8987] "not through suspicion, greediness or revengefulness, as he of "
## [8988] "Phrygia, but, as I may term it, of a wanton cruelty : inconstant in "
## [8989] "his choice of friends, or rather never having a friend but a play- "
## [8990] "fellow ; of whom when he was weary, he could not otherwise rid "
## [8991] "himself than by killing them ; giving sometimes prodigally, not "
## [8992] "because he loved them to whom he gave, but because he lusted to "
## [8993] "give ; punishing, not so much for hate or anger, as because he "
## [8994] "felt not the smart of punishment ; dehghted to be flattered, at first "
## [8995] "for those virtues which were not in him, at length making his vices "
## [8996] "virtues worthy the flattering ; with like judgment glorying, when "
## [8997] "he had happened to do a thing well, as when he had performed "
## [8998] "some notable mischief. "
## [8999] ""
## [9000] "\" He chanced at that time, for indeed long time none lasted with "
## [9001] "him, to have next in use about him a man of the most envious "
## [9002] "disposition that, I thinkj ever infected the air with his breath ; "
## [9003] ""
## [9004] ""
## [9005] ""
## [9006] "l68 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [9007] ""
## [9008] "whose eyes could not look right upon any happy man, nor ears "
## [9009] "bear the burden of anybody's praise ; contrary to the natures of all "
## [9010] "other plagues, plagued with others well being ; making happiness "
## [9011] "the ground of his unhappiness, and good news the argument of his "
## [9012] "sorrow : in sum, a man whose favour no man could win, but by "
## [9013] "being miserable. And so because those two faithful servants of "
## [9014] "theirs came in miserable sort to that court, he was apt enough at "
## [9015] "first to favour them ; and the king understanding of their adventure, "
## [9016] "wherein they had showed so constant a faith unto their lords, "
## [9017] "suddenly falls to take a pride in making much of them, extolling "
## [9018] "them with infinite praises, and praising himself in his heart, in that "
## [9019] "he praised them. And by and by where they made great courtiers, "
## [9020] "and in the way of minions, when advancement, the most mortal "
## [9021] "offence to envy, stirred up their former friend to overthrow his own "
## [9022] "work in them ; taking occasion upon the knowledge, newly come "
## [9023] "to the court, of the late death of the king of Phrygia destroyed by "
## [9024] "their two lords, who having been a near kinsman to this prince of "
## [9025] "Pontus, by this envious counsellor, partly with suspicion of practicei "
## [9026] "partly with glory of, in part, revenging his cousin's death, the king "
## [9027] "was suddenly turned, and every turn with him was a down-fall, to "
## [9028] "lock them up in prison, as servants to his enemies, whom before "
## [9029] "he had never known, nor, till that time one of his own subjects had "
## [9030] "entertained and dealt for them, did ever take heed of. But now "
## [9031] "earnest in every present humour, and making himself brave in his "
## [9032] "liking, he was content to give them just cause of offence, when "
## [9033] "they had power to make just revenge. Yet did the princes send "
## [9034] "unto him before they entered into war, desiring their servants' "
## [9035] "liberty. But he, swelling in their humbleness Uke a bubble blown "
## [9036] "up with a small breath broken with a great, forgetting, or never "
## [9037] "knowing humanity, caused their heads to be stricken off, by the "
## [9038] "advice of his envious counsellor, who now hated them so much the "
## [9039] "more, as he foresaw their happiness in having such, and so fortunate "
## [9040] "masters, and sent them with unroyal reproaches to Musidorus and "
## [9041] "Pyrocles, as if they had done traitorously, and not heroically in "
## [9042] "killing his tyrannical cousin. "
## [9043] ""
## [9044] "\" But that injury went beyond all degree of reconcilement, so "
## [9045] "that they making forces in Phrygia, a kingdom wholly at their "
## [9046] "commandment, by the love of the people, and gratefulness of the "
## [9047] "king, they entered his country ; and wholly conquering it, with "
## [9048] "such deeds as at least fame said were excellent, took the king, and "
## [9049] "by Musidorus's commandment, Pyrocles's heart more inclining to "
## [9050] "pity, he was slain upon the tomb of their two true servants ; which "
## [9051] "they caused to be made for them with royal expenses, and notable "
## [9052] "workmanship to preserve their dead lives. For his wicked servant "
## [9053] "he sliDuld have felt the like, or worse, but that his heart broke "
## [9054] ""
## [9055] ""
## [9056] ""
## [9057] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 169 "
## [9058] ""
## [9059] "even to death with the beholding the honour done to their dead "
## [9060] "carcasses. There might Pyrocles quietly have enjoyed that crown, "
## [9061] "by all the desire of that people, most of whom had revolted unto "
## [9062] "him, but he finding a sister of the late king's, a fair and well "
## [9063] "esteemed lady, looking for nothing more, than to be oppressed, "
## [9064] "with her brother's ruins, gave her in marriage to the nobleman his "
## [9065] "fathei-'s old friend, and endowed with them the crown of that "
## [9066] "kingdom. And not content with those public actions of princely, "
## [9067] "and as it were, governing virtue, they did, in that kingdom and "
## [9068] "some other near about, divers acts of particular trials, more famous "
## [9069] "because more perilous. For in that time those regions were full "
## [9070] "both of cruel monsters, and monstrous men, all which in short time "
## [9071] "by private combats they delivered the countries of. "
## [9072] ""
## [9073] "\" Among the rest, two brothers of huge both greatness and force, "
## [9074] "therefore commonly called giants, who kept themselves in a castle "
## [9075] "seated upon the top of a rock, impregnable, because there was no "
## [9076] "coming unto it but by one narrow path where one man's force was "
## [9077] "able to keep down an army. Those brothers had a while served "
## [9078] "the king of Pontus, and in all his affairs, especially of war, where- "
## [9079] "unto they were only apt, they had showed, as unconquered courage, "
## [9080] "so a rude faithfulness : being men indeed by nature apter to the "
## [9081] "faults of rage than of deceit ; not greatly ambitious, more than to "
## [9082] "be well and uprightly dealt with ; rather impatient of injury, than "
## [9083] "delighted with more than ordinary courtesies ; and in injuries "
## [9084] "more sensible of smart or loss than of reproach or disgrace. Those "
## [9085] "men being of this nature, and certainly jewels to a wise man, "
## [9086] "considering what indeed wonders they were able to perform, yet "
## [9087] "were discarded by that worthy prince, after many notable deserts, "
## [9088] "as not worthy the holding, which was the more evident to them "
## [9089] "because it suddenly fell from an excess of favour, which, many "
## [9090] "examples having taught them, never stopped his race till it came "
## [9091] "to an headlong overthrow : they full of rage, retired theifl selves "
## [9092] "unto this castle : where thinking nothing juster than revenge, nor "
## [9093] "more notable than the effects of anger, that, according to the "
## [9094] "nature, full of inward bravery and fierceness, scarcely in the glass "
## [9095] "of reason, thinking itself fair but when it is terrible, they immediately "
## [9096] "gave themselves to make all the country about them subject to that "
## [9097] "king, to smart for their lord's folly, not caring how innocent they "
## [9098] "were, but rather thinking the more innocent they were, the more it "
## [9099] "testified their spite, which they desired to manifest. And with use "
## [9100] "of evil, growing more and more evil, they took delight in slaughter, "
## [9101] "and pleased themselves in making others wrack the effect of their "
## [9102] "power : so that where in the time that they obeyed a master, their "
## [9103] "anger was a serviceable power of the mind to do public good, so "
## [9104] "now unbridled, and blind judge of itself, it made wickedness "
## [9105] ""
## [9106] ""
## [9107] ""
## [9108] "I70 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [9109] ""
## [9110] "violent, and praised itself in excellency of mischief, almost to the "
## [9111] "ruin of the country, not greatly regarded by their careless and "
## [9112] "loveless king. Till now those princes finding them so fleshed in "
## [9113] "cruelty as not to be reclaimed, secretly undertook the matter alone : "
## [9114] "for accompanied they would not have suffered them to have "
## [9115] "mounted ; and so those great fellows scornfully receiving them, as "
## [9116] "foolish birds fallen into their net, it pleased the eternal justice to "
## [9117] "make them suffer death by their hands : and so they were "
## [9118] "manifoldly acknowledged the savers of that country. "
## [9119] ""
## [9120] "\" It were the part of a very idle orator to set forth the numbers "
## [9121] "of well-devised honours done unto them, but as high honour is not "
## [9122] "only gotten and born by pain and danger, but must be nursed by "
## [9123] "the like, or else vanisheth as soon as it appears to the world, so "
## [9124] "the natural hunger thereof, which was in Pyrocles suffered him not "
## [9125] "to account a resting seat of that, which either riseth or falleth, but "
## [9126] "still to make one occasion beget another, whereby his doings "
## [9127] "might send his praise to others mouths to rebound again true "
## [9128] "contentment to his spirit. And therefore having well established "
## [9129] "those kingdoms under good governors, and rid them by their "
## [9130] "valour of such giants and monsters, as before-time armies were not "
## [9131] "able to subdue, they determined in unknown order to see more of "
## [9132] "the world, and to employ those gifts, esteemed rare in them, to the "
## [9133] "good of mankind ; and therefore would themselves, understanding "
## [9134] "that the king Euarchus was passed all the cumber of his war, go "
## [9135] "privately to seek exercises of their virtue, thinking it not so worthy "
## [9136] "to be brought to heroical effects by fortune or necessity, like "
## [9137] "Ulysses and .<Eneas, as by one's own choice and working. And "
## [9138] "so went they away from very unwilling people to leave them, "
## [9139] "making time haste itself to be a circumstance of their honour, and "
## [9140] "one place witness to another of the truth of their doings. For "
## [9141] "scarcely were they out of the confines of Pontus, but that as they "
## [9142] "rode alone armed, for alone they went, one serving the other, they "
## [9143] "met an adventure, which though not so notable for any great effect "
## [9144] "they performed, yet worthy to be remembered for the unused "
## [9145] "examples therein, as well of true natural goodness as of wretched "
## [9146] "ungratefulness. "
## [9147] ""
## [9148] "\"It was in the kingdom of Galatia, the season being, as in the "
## [9149] "depth of winter, very cold and as then suddenly grown to so "
## [9150] "extreme and foul a storm, that never any winter, I think, brought "
## [9151] "forth a fouler child : so that the princes were even compelled by "
## [9152] "the hail, that the pride of the wind blew into their faces, to seek "
## [9153] "some shrouding place, which a certain hollow rock offering unto "
## [9154] "them, they made it their shield against the tempest's fury. And "
## [9155] "so staying there, till the violence thereof was passed, they heard "
## [9156] "the speech of a couple, who not perceiving them, beings hid witliin "
## [9157] ""
## [9158] ""
## [9159] ""
## [9160] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 171 "
## [9161] ""
## [9162] "that rude canopy, held a strange and pitiful disputation, which "
## [9163] "made them step out, yet in such sort as they might see unseen. "
## [9164] "There they perceived an aged man, and a young, scarcely come to "
## [9165] "the age of a man, both poorly arrayed, extremely weather-beaten ; "
## [9166] "the old man Mnd, and the young man leading him ; and yet "
## [9167] "through all those miseries, in both there seemed to appear a kind "
## [9168] "of nobleness, not suitable to that affliction. But the first words "
## [9169] "they heard, were those of the old man. ' Well Leonatus,' said he, "
## [9170] "' since I cannot persuade thee to lead me to that which should end "
## [9171] "my grief and my trouble, let me now entreat thee to leave me : "
## [9172] "fear not, my misery cannot be greater than it is, and nothing doth "
## [9173] "become me but misery : fear not the danger of my blind steps, I "
## [9174] "cannot fall worse than I am : and do not I pray thee, do not "
## [9175] "obstinately continue to infect thee with my wretchedness : but fly, "
## [9176] "fly from this region only worthy of me.' ' Dear father,' answered "
## [9177] "he, ' do not take away from me the only remnant of my happiness : "
## [9178] "while I have power to do you service, I am not wholly miserable.' "
## [9179] "' Ah my son,' said he, and with that he groaned, as if sorrow strove "
## [9180] "to break his heart, ' how evil fits it me to have such a son ? and "
## [9181] "how much doth thy kindness upbraid my wickedness?' Those "
## [9182] "doleful speeches, and some others to like purpose, well showing "
## [9183] "they had not been born to the fortune they were in, moved the "
## [9184] "princes to go out unto them, and ask the younger what they were ? "
## [9185] "' Sirs,' answered he with a good grace, and made the more agree- "
## [9186] "able by a certain noble kind of piteousness, ' I see well you are "
## [9187] "strangers that know not our misery, so well here known that no "
## [9188] "man dare know but that we must be miserable. Indeed our state "
## [9189] "is such, as though nothing is so needful unto us as pity, yet nothing "
## [9190] "is more dangerous unto us than to make ourselves so known as "
## [9191] "may stir pity : but your presence promiseth that cruelly shall not "
## [9192] ", over-run hate, and if it did, in truth our state is sunk below the "
## [9193] "degree of fear. "
## [9194] ""
## [9195] "\" ' This old man, whom I lead, was lately rightful prince of this "
## [9196] "country of Paphlagonia, by the hard-hearted ungratefulness of "
## [9197] "a son of hisj deprived not only of his kingdom, whereof no foreign "
## [9198] "forces were ever able to spoil him, but of his sight, the riches "
## [9199] "which nature grants to the poorest creatures : whereby and by "
## [9200] "other his unnatural deahngs, he hath been driven to such griefs, "
## [9201] "as even now he would have had me to have led him to the top of "
## [9202] "this rock, thence to cast himself headlong to death, and so would "
## [9203] "have had me, who received my life of him, to be the worker "
## [9204] "of his destruction. But noble gentlemen,' said he, ' if either of you "
## [9205] "have a father, and feel what dutiful affection is ingrafted in a son's "
## [9206] "heart, let me entreat you to convey this afflicted prince to some "
## [9207] "place pf rest and security : amongst your worthy acts it shall be "
## [9208] ""
## [9209] ""
## [9210] ""
## [9211] "172 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [9212] ""
## [9213] "none of the least, that a king of such might and fame, and so "
## [9214] "unjustly oppressed, is in any sort by you relieved.' "
## [9215] ""
## [9216] "\" But before they could make him answer, his father began to "
## [9217] "speak. 'Ah my son,' said he, 'how evil an historian are you "
## [9218] "that leave out the chief knot of all the discourse ? my wickedness, "
## [9219] "my wickedness ! and if thou dost it to spare my ears, the only "
## [9220] "sense now left me proper for knowledge, assure thyself thou dost "
## [9221] "mistake me : and I take witness of that sun which you see,' with "
## [9222] "that he cast up his blind eyes as if he would hunt for light, ' and "
## [9223] "wish myself in worse case than I do wish myself, which is as evil "
## [9224] "as may be, if I speak untruly, that nothing is so welcome to my "
## [9225] "thoughts as the pubUshing of my shame. Therefore know, you "
## [9226] "gentlemen (to whom from my heart I wish that it may not prove "
## [9227] "some ominous foretoken of misfortune to have met vidth such "
## [9228] "a miser as I am) that whatsoever my son, O God, that truth binds "
## [9229] "me to reproach him with the name of my son, hath said is true. "
## [9230] "But besides those truths, this also is true, that having had, in "
## [9231] "lawful marriage, of a mother fit to bear royal children, this son, "
## [9232] "such a one as partly you see, and better shall know by my short "
## [9233] "declaration, and so enjoyed the expectations in the world of him, "
## [9234] "till he was grown to justify their expectations, so as I needed envy "
## [9235] "no farther for the chief comfort of mortality, to leave another "
## [9236] "one's-self after me, I was carried by a bastard son of mine, if at "
## [9237] "least I be bound to believe the- words of that base woman my "
## [9238] "concubine, his mother, first to mislike, then to hate, lastly to "
## [9239] "destroy, or to do my best to destroy this son, I think you think, "
## [9240] "undeserving destruction. What ways she used to bring me to it, "
## [9241] "if I should tell you, I should tediously trouble you with as much "
## [9242] "poisonous hypocrisy, desperate fraud, smooth malice, hidden "
## [9243] "ambition, and smiling envy, as in any living person could be "
## [9244] "harboured : but I list it not ; no remembrance of naughtiness "
## [9245] "delights me but mine own ; and methinks, the accusing his traps "
## [9246] "might in some manner excuse my fault, which certainly I loath to "
## [9247] "do. But the conclusion is, that I gave order to some servants "
## [9248] "of mine, whom I thought as apt for such charities as myself, to "
## [9249] "lead him out into a forest, and there to kill him. "
## [9250] ""
## [9251] "\" ' But those thieves, better natured to my son than myself, spared "
## [9252] "his life, letting him go to learn to live poorly which he did, giving "
## [9253] "himself to be a private soldier in a country hereby ; but as he was "
## [9254] "ready to be greatly advanced for some noble pieces of service "
## [9255] "which he did, he heard news of me, who drunk in my affection "
## [9256] "to that unlawful and unnatural son of mine, suffered myself to be "
## [9257] "governed by him, that all favours and punishments passed by him, "
## [9258] "all offices and places of importance distributed to his favourities ; "
## [9259] "so that, ere I was aware, I had left myself nothing but the name "
## [9260] ""
## [9261] ""
## [9262] ""
## [9263] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 173 "
## [9264] ""
## [9265] "01' a king, which he shortly weary of too, with many indignities "
## [9266] "if anything may be called an indignity which was laid upon me, "
## [9267] "threw me out of my seat, and put out my eyes, and then, proud "
## [9268] "in his tyranny, let me go, neither imprisoning, nor killing me, "
## [9269] "but rather delighting to make me feel my misery ; misery indeed, "
## [9270] "if ever there were any ; full of wretchedness, fuller of disgrace, and "
## [9271] "fullest of guiltiness. And as he came to the crown by so unjust "
## [9272] "means, as unjustly he kept it, by force of stronger soldiers in "
## [9273] "citadels, the nests of tyranny and murderers of liberty ; disarming "
## [9274] "all his own countrymen, that no man durst show himself a well "
## [9275] "wilier of mine : to say the truth, I think, few of them being so, "
## [9276] "considering my cruel folly to my good son, and foolish kindness "
## [9277] "to my unkind bastard : but if there were any who felt a pity of "
## [9278] "so great a fall, and had yet any sparks of unslain duty left in them "
## [9279] "towards me, yet durst they not show it, scarcely with giving me "
## [9280] "alms at their doors, which yet was the only sustenance of my "
## [9281] "distressed life, nobody daring to show so much charity as to lend "
## [9282] "me a hand to guide my dark steps, till this son of mine, God "
## [9283] "knows, worthy of a more virtuous, and niore fortunate father, "
## [9284] "forgetting my abominable wrongs, not reckoning danger, and "
## [9285] "neglecting the present good way he was in of doing himself good, "
## [9286] "came hither to do this kind office you see him perform towards me, "
## [9287] "to my unspeakable grief ; not only because his kindness is a glass "
## [9288] "even to my blind eyes of my naughtiness, but that above all griefs, "
## [9289] "it grieves me he should desperately adventure the loss of his well "
## [9290] "deserving life for mine that yet owe more to fortune for my deserts, "
## [9291] "as if he would carry mud in a chest of crystal. For well I know, "
## [9292] "he that now reigneth, how much soever, and with good reason, he "
## [9293] "despiseth me, of all men despised ; yet he will not let slip any advan- "
## [9294] "tage to make away with him, whose just title, ennobled by courage "
## [9295] "and goodness, may one day shake the seat of a never secure "
## [9296] "tyranny. And for this cause I craved of him to lead me to the "
## [9297] "top of this rock, indeed I must confess, with meaning to free him "
## [9298] "from so serpentine a companion, as I am. But he finding what "
## [9299] "I purposed, only therein since he was born, showed himself dis- "
## [9300] "obedient unto me. And now gentlemen, you have the true story, "
## [9301] "which I pray you publish to the world, that my mischievous "
## [9302] "proceedings may be the glory of his filial piety, the only reward "
## [9303] "now left for so great a merit. And if it may be, let me obtain that "
## [9304] "of you, which my son denies me : for never was there more pity "
## [9305] "in saving any than in ending me, both because therein my agony "
## [9306] "shall end, and so you shall perceive this excellent young man, "
## [9307] "who else wilfully follows his own ruin.' "
## [9308] ""
## [9309] "\" The matter in itself lamentable, lamentably expressed by the "
## [9310] "old prince, which needed not take to himself the gestures of pity, "
## [9311] ""
## [9312] ""
## [9313] ""
## [9314] "174 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [9315] ""
## [9316] "since his face could not put off the marks thereof, greatly moved "
## [9317] "the two princes to compassion, which could not stay in such hearts "
## [9318] "as theirs without seeking remedy. But by and by the occasion "
## [9319] "was presented : for Plexirtus, so was the bastard called, came "
## [9320] "thither with forty horse, only of purpose to murder his brother, of "
## [9321] "whose coming he had soon advertisement, and thought no eyes of "
## [9322] "sufficient credit in such a matter but his own, and therefore came "
## [9323] "himself to be actor and spectator. And as soon as he came, not "
## [9324] "regarding the weak, as he thought, guard but of two men, "
## [9325] "commanded some of his followers to set their hands to his, in the "
## [9326] "killing of Leonatus. But the young prince, though not otherwise "
## [9327] "armed but with a sword, how falsely soever he.was dealt with by "
## [9328] "others, would not betray himself, but bravely drawing it out, made "
## [9329] "the death of the first that assailed him, warn his fellows to come "
## [9330] "more warily after him. But then Pyrocles and Musidorus were "
## [9331] "quickly become parties (so just a defence deserving as much as old "
## [9332] "friendship) and so did behave them among that company, more "
## [9333] "injurious than valiant, that many of them lost their lives for their "
## [9334] "wicked master. "
## [9335] ""
## [9336] "\" Yet perhaps had the number of them at last prevailed, if the "
## [9337] "king of Pontus, lately by them made so, had not come unlooked "
## [9338] "for to their succour. Who (having had a dream which had fixed "
## [9339] "his imagination vehemently upon some great danger, presently to "
## [9340] "follow those two princes, whom he most dearly loved) was come in "
## [9341] "all haste, following as well as he could their track, with a hundred "
## [9342] "horses in that country, which he thought, considering who then "
## [9343] "reigned, a fit place enough to make the stage of any tragedy. "
## [9344] ""
## [9345] "\" But then the match had been so ill made for Plexirtus that his "
## [9346] "ill-led life and worse-gotten honour should have tumbled together "
## [9347] "to destruction had there not come in Tydeus and Telenor, with "
## [9348] "forty or fifty in their suite, to the defence of Plexirtus. These two "
## [9349] "were brothers, of the noblest house of that country, brought up "
## [9350] "from their infancy with Plexirtus, men of such prowess as not to "
## [9351] "know fear in themselves, and yet to teach it in others that should "
## [9352] "deal with them, for they had often made their lives triumph over "
## [9353] "most terrible dangers, never dismayed, and ever fortunate ; and "
## [9354] "truly no more settled in valour, than disposed to goodness and "
## [9355] "justice, if either they had lighted on a better friend, or could have "
## [9356] "learned to make friendship a child, and not the father of virtue. "
## [9357] "But bringing up, rather then choice, having first knit their minds "
## [9358] "unto him (indeed crafty enough, either to hide his faults, or never "
## [9359] "to show them, but when they might pay home) they wiUingly held "
## [9360] "out the course, rather to satisfy him than all the world ; and rather "
## [9361] "to be good friends, than good men : so as though they did not like "
## [9362] "the evil he did, yet they liked him that did the evil : and though "
## [9363] ""
## [9364] ""
## [9365] ""
## [9366] "BOOK iL] ARCADIA i;S "
## [9367] ""
## [9368] "not counsellors of the offence, yet protectors of the offender. Now "
## [9369] "they having heard of this sudden going out with so small a "
## [9370] "company, in a country full of evil-wishing minds towards him, "
## [9371] "though they knew not the cause, followed him ; till they found him "
## [9372] "in such case that they were to venture their lives, or else he to lose "
## [9373] "his, which they did with such force of mind and body, that truly I "
## [9374] "may justly say, Pyrocles and Musidorus had never till then found "
## [9375] "any that could make them so well repeat their hardest lesson in the "
## [9376] "feats of arms. And briefly so they did ; that if they overcame not, "
## [9377] "yet were they not overcome, but carried away that ungrateful "
## [9378] "masfer of theirs to a place- of security, howsoever the princes "
## [9379] "laboured to the contrary. But this matter being thus far begun, it "
## [9380] "became not the constancy of the princes so to leave it ; but in all "
## [9381] "haste making forces both in Pontus, and Phrygia, they had in few "
## [9382] "days left him but only that one strong place where he was. For, "
## [9383] "fear having been the only knot that had fastened his people unto "
## [9384] "him, that once united by a greater force, they all scattered from "
## [9385] "him, like so many birds whose cage had been broken. "
## [9386] ""
## [9387] "\" In which season the blind king, -having in the chief city of his "
## [9388] "realm set the crown upon his son Leonatus's head, with many tears "
## [9389] "both of joy and sorrow, setting forth to the whole people his own "
## [9390] "faults, and his son's virtue ; after he had kissed him, and forced "
## [9391] "his son to accept honour of him, as of his new become subject, "
## [9392] "even in a moment died, as it should seem, his heart broken with "
## [9393] "unkindness and affliction, stretched so far beyond his limits with "
## [9394] "this access of comfort that it was able no longer to keep safe his "
## [9395] "vital spirits. But the new king, having no less lovingly performed "
## [9396] "all duties to him dead, than alive, pursued on the siege of his "
## [9397] "unnatural brother, as much for the revenge of his father as the "
## [9398] "establishing of his own quiet. In which siege truly I cannot but "
## [9399] "acknowledge the prowess of those two brothers, than whom the "
## [9400] "princes never found in all their travel, two of greater ability to "
## [9401] "perform, nor of abler skill for conduct. "
## [9402] ""
## [9403] "'\" But Plexirtus finding that if nothing else, famine would at last "
## [9404] "bring him to destruction, thought better by humbleness to creep, "
## [9405] "where by pride he could not march. For certainly so had Nature "
## [9406] "formed him, and the exercise of craft conformed him to all turning- "
## [9407] "ness of flights, that, though no man had less, goodness in his soul "
## [9408] "than he, no man could better find the places whence arguments "
## [9409] "might grow of goodness to another ; though no man felt less pity, "
## [9410] "no man could tell better how to stir pity ; no man more impudent "
## [9411] "to deny, where proofs were not manifest ; no man more ready to "
## [9412] "confess with a repenting manner of aggravating his own evil, "
## [9413] "where denial would but make the fault fouler. Now he took this "
## [9414] "way, that having gotten a passport for one, that pretended he "
## [9415] ""
## [9416] ""
## [9417] ""
## [9418] "i;6 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [9419] ""
## [9420] "would put Plexirtus alive into his hands, to speak with the king his "
## [9421] "brother, he himself (though much against the minds of the valiant "
## [9422] "brothers, who rather wished to die in brave defence) with a rope "
## [9423] "about his neck, bare-footed, came to offer himself to the discretion "
## [9424] "of Leonatus. Where what submission he used, how cunningly in "
## [9425] "making greater the fault, he made the faultiness the less, how "
## [9426] "artificially he could set out the torments of his own conscience, "
## [9427] "with the burdensome cumber he had found of his ambitious desires, "
## [9428] "how finely seeming to desire nothing but death, as ashamed to live, "
## [9429] "he begged life in the refusing it, I am not cunning enough to be "
## [9430] "able to express ; but so fell out of it, that though at first sight "
## [9431] "Leonatus saw him with no other eye than as the murderer of his "
## [9432] "father, and anger already began to paint revenge in many colours, "
## [9433] "ere long he had not only gotten pity but pardon ; and if not an "
## [9434] "excuse of the fault passed, yet an opinion of a future amendment : "
## [9435] "while the poor villains (chief ministers of his wickedness, now "
## [9436] "betrayed by the author thereof) were delivered to many cruel sorts "
## [9437] "of death ; he so handling it, that it rather seemed he had more "
## [9438] "come into the defence of an unremediable mischief already com- "
## [9439] "mitted than that they had done it at first by his consent. "
## [9440] ""
## [9441] "\" In such sort the princes left these reconciled brothers (Plexirtus "
## [9442] "in all his behaviour carrying him in far lower degree of service than "
## [9443] "the ever-noble nature of Leonatus would suffer him) and taking "
## [9444] "likewise their leaves of their good friend the king of Pontus, who "
## [9445] "returned to enjoy some benefit, both of his wife and kingdom, they "
## [9446] "privately went thence, having only with them the two valiaut "
## [9447] "brothers, who would needs accompany them through divers places, "
## [9448] "they four doing acts more dangerous, though less famous, because "
## [9449] "they were but private chivalries ; till hearing of the fair and virtuous "
## [9450] "queen Erona of Lycia, besieged by the puissant king of Armenia, "
## [9451] "they bent themselves to her succour, both because the weaker, and "
## [9452] "weaker as being a lady, and partly because they heard the king of "
## [9453] "Armenia had in his company three of the most famous men living, "
## [9454] "for matters of arms, that were known to be in the world. Whereof "
## [9455] "one was the prince Plangus whose name was sweetened by your "
## [9456] "breath, peerless lady, when the last day it pleased you to mention "
## [9457] "him unto me, the other two were two great princes, though holding "
## [9458] "of him, Barzanes and Euardus, men of giant-like both hugeness "
## [9459] "and force ; in which two especially, the trust the king had of "
## [9460] "victory was reposed. And of them, those brothers Tydeus and "
## [9461] "Telenor, sufficient judges in warlike matters, spoke so high com- "
## [9462] "mendations, that the two princes had even a youthful longing to "
## [9463] "have some trial of their virtue. And therefore as soon as they "
## [9464] "were entered into Lycia, they joined themselves with them that "
## [9465] "faithfully served the poor queen, at that time besieged ; and ere "
## [9466] ""
## [9467] ""
## [9468] ""
## [9469] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 177 "
## [9470] ""
## [9471] "long animated in such sort their almost overthrown hearts, that "
## [9472] "they went by force to relieve the town, though they were deprived "
## [9473] "of a great part of their strength by the parting of the two brothers, "
## [9474] "who were sent for in all haste to return to their old friend and "
## [9475] "master Plexirtus, who, willingly hoodwinking themselves from "
## [9476] "seeing his faults, and binding themselves to believe what he said, "
## [9477] "often abused the virtue of courage to defend his foul vice of "
## [9478] "ii^ustice. But now they were sent for to advance a conquest he "
## [9479] "was about ; while Pyrocles and Musidorus pursued the delivery of "
## [9480] "the queen Erona.\" "
## [9481] ""
## [9482] "\" I have heard,\" said Pamela, \" that part of the story of Plangus, "
## [9483] "when he passed through this country, therefore you may, if you "
## [9484] "hst, pass over that war of Erona's quarrel, lest if you speak too "
## [9485] "much of war matters, you should wake Mopsa, which might happily "
## [9486] "breed a great broil.\" He looked, and saw that Mc^sa indeed sat "
## [9487] "swallowing the sleep with open mouth, making such a noise "
## [9488] "withal, as nobody could lay the stealing of a nap to her charge. "
## [9489] "Whereupon, willing to use that occasion, I kneeled down, and with "
## [9490] "humble heartedness, and hearty earnestness printed in my graces ; "
## [9491] "\" Alas ! \" said I, \" divine lady, who have wrought such miracles "
## [9492] "in me, as to make a prince, none of the basest, to think all princi- "
## [9493] "palities base in respect of the sheephook which may hold him up "
## [9494] "in your sight ; vouchsafe now at last to hear in direct words my "
## [9495] "humble suit, while this dragon sleeps that keeps the golden fruit. "
## [9496] "If in my desire I wish, or in my hopes aspire, or in my imagination "
## [9497] "fain to myself anything which may be the least spot to that "
## [9498] "heavenly virtue which shines in all your doings, I pray the eternal "
## [9499] "powers, that the words I speak may be deadly poisons, while they "
## [9500] "are in my mouth, and that all my hopes, all my desires, all my "
## [9501] "imaginations may only work their own confusion. But if love, "
## [9502] "love of you, love of your virtues, seek only that favour of you, "
## [9503] "which becometh that gratefulness which cannot misbecome your "
## [9504] "excellency, O do not — \" He would have said farther, but Pamela "
## [9505] "calling aloud Mopsa, she suddenly started up, staggering, and "
## [9506] "rubbing her eyes, ran first out of the door, and then back to them, "
## [9507] "before she knew how she went out, or why she came in again : "
## [9508] "till at length, being fully come to her little self, she asked Pamela "
## [9509] "why she had called her. For nothing said Pamela, but that ye "
## [9510] "might hear some tales of your servant's telling : \" and therefore "
## [9511] "now,\" said she, \"Dorus go on.\" "
## [9512] ""
## [9513] "But as he, who found no so good sacrifice as obedience, was "
## [9514] "returning to the story of himself, Philoclea came in, and by and "
## [9515] "by after her, Miso, so as for that time they were fain to let Dorus "
## [9516] "depart. But Pamela delighted even to preserve in her memory "
## [9517] "the words of so well a beloved speaker, repeated the whole "
## [9518] ""
## [9519] "M "
## [9520] ""
## [9521] ""
## [9522] ""
## [9523] "i;8 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [9524] ""
## [9525] "substance to her sister, till their sober dinner being come and "
## [9526] "gone, to recreate themselves something, even tired with the "
## [9527] "noisomeness of Miso's conversation, they determined to go, while "
## [9528] "the heat of the day lasted, to bathe themselves, such being the "
## [9529] "manner of the Arcadian nymphs often to do, in the river of Ladon, "
## [9530] "and take with them a lute, meaning to delight them under some "
## [9531] "shadow. But they could not stir, but that Miso, with her daughter "
## [9532] "Mopsa was after them : and as it lay in their way to pass by the "
## [9533] "other lodge, Zelmane out of her window espied them, and so stole "
## [9534] "down after them, which she might the better do, because that "
## [9535] "Gynecia was sick, and Basilius, that day being his birth-day, "
## [9536] "according to his manner, was busy about his devotions ; and "
## [9537] "therefore she went after, hoping to find some time to speak "
## [9538] "with Philoclea : but not a word could she begin, but that Miso "
## [9539] "would be one of the audience, so that she was driven to recommend "
## [9540] "thinking, speaking, and all, to her eyes, who diligently performed "
## [9541] "her trust, till they came to the river side, which of all the rivers "
## [9542] "of Greece had the praise for excellent pureness and sweetness, "
## [9543] "insomuch as the very bathing in it was accounted exceeding "
## [9544] "healthful. It ran upon so fine and delicate a ground, as one could "
## [9545] "not easily judge whether the river did more wash the gravel, or the "
## [9546] "gravel did purify the river ; the river not running forth right, but "
## [9547] "almost continually winding, as if the lower streams would return "
## [9548] "to their spring, or that the river had a delight to play with itself. "
## [9549] "The banks of either side seeming arms of the loving earth that "
## [9550] "fain would embrace it, and the river a wanton nymph which still "
## [9551] "would slip from it ; either side of the bank being fringed with "
## [9552] "most beautiful trees, which resisted the sun's darts from over- "
## [9553] "much piercing the natural coldness of the river. There was "
## [9554] "among the rest a goodly cypress, who bowing her fair head over "
## [9555] "the water, it seemed she looked into it, and dressed her green "
## [9556] "locks by that running river. "
## [9557] ""
## [9558] "There the princesses determining to bathe themselves, though "
## [9559] "it was so privileged a place, upon pain of death, as nobody durst "
## [9560] "presume to come hither ; yet for the more surety, they looked round "
## [9561] "about, and could see nothing but a water-spaniel, who came down "
## [9562] "the river, showing that he hunted for a duck, and with a snuffling "
## [9563] "grace, disdaining that his smelling force could not as well prevail "
## [9564] "through the water as through the air ; and therefore waiting with "
## [9565] "his eye to see whether he could espy the ducks getting up again, "
## [9566] "but then a little below them failing of his purpose, he got out "
## [9567] "of the river, and shaking off the water (as great men do their "
## [9568] "friends) now he had no farther cause to use it, inweeded himself "
## [9569] "so that the ladles lost the farther marking his sportfulness : and "
## [9570] "inviting Zelmane also to wash herself with them, and she excusing "
## [9571] ""
## [9572] ""
## [9573] ""
## [9574] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 179 "
## [9575] ""
## [9576] "herself with having taken a late cold, they began by piece-meal "
## [9577] "to take away the eclipsing of their apparel. "
## [9578] ""
## [9579] "Zelmane would have put to her helping hand, but she was taken "
## [9580] "with such a quivering, that she thought it more wisdom to lean "
## [9581] "herself to a tree, and look on, while Miso and Mopsa, like a couple "
## [9582] "of foreswat melters, were getting the pure silver of their bodies out "
## [9583] "of the ure of their garments. But as the raiments went off to "
## [9584] "receive kisses of the ground, Zelmane envied the happiness of all, "
## [9585] "but of the smock was even jealous, and when that was taken away "
## [9586] "too, and that Philoclea remained, ^for her Zelmane only marked, "
## [9587] "like a diamond taken from out of the rock, or rather like the sun "
## [9588] "getting from under a cloud, and showing his naked beams to the "
## [9589] "full view, then was the beauty too much for a patient sight, the "
## [9590] "delight too strong for a stayed conceit, so that Zelmane could not "
## [9591] "choose but run, to touch, embrace and kiss her. But conscience "
## [9592] "made her come to herself, and leave Philoclea, who blushing, "
## [9593] "and withal smihng, making shamefacedness pleasant, and "
## [9594] "pleasure shamefaced, tenderly moved her feet, unwonted to "
## [9595] "feel the naked ground, till the touch of the cold water made "
## [9596] "a pretty kind of shrugging come over her body, like the "
## [9597] "twinkling of the fairest among the fixed stars. But the "
## [9598] "river itself gave way unto her, so that she was straight breast "
## [9599] "high, which was the deepest that thereabout she could be : "
## [9600] "and when cold Ladon had once fully embraced them, himself "
## [9601] "was no more so cold to those ladies, but as if his cold com- "
## [9602] "plexion had been heated with love, so seemed he to play about "
## [9603] "every part he could touch. "
## [9604] ""
## [9605] "\" Ah sweet, now sweetest Ladon,\" said Zelmane, \" why dost thou "
## [9606] "not stay thy course to have more full taste of thy happiness ? but "
## [9607] "the reason is manifest, the upper streams make such haste to have "
## [9608] "their part of embracing, that the nether, though lothly, must needs "
## [9609] "give place unto them. O happy Ladon, within whom she is, "
## [9610] "upon whom her beauty falls, through whom her eye pierceth. "
## [9611] "O happy Ladon, which art now an unperfect mirror of all per- "
## [9612] "fection, can'st thou ever forget the blessedness of this impression ? "
## [9613] "if thou do, then let thy bed be turned from fine gravel to weeds "
## [9614] "and mud ; if thou do, let some unjust niggards make wares to "
## [9615] "spoil thy beauty ; if thou do, let some greater river fall into thee, "
## [9616] "to take away the name of Ladon, O ! Ladon, happy Ladon, rather "
## [9617] "slide than run by her, lest thou should'st make her legs slip from "
## [9618] "her, and then, O happy Ladon, who would then call thee, but "
## [9619] "the most cursed Ladon? But as the ladies played then in the "
## [9620] "water, sometimes striking it with their hands, the water, making "
## [9621] "lines in his face, seemed to smile at such beating, and with twenty "
## [9622] "bubbles not to be content to have the picture of their face in large "
## [9623] ""
## [9624] ""
## [9625] ""
## [9626] "l8o ARCADIA [book n. "
## [9627] ""
## [9628] "upon him, but he would in each of these bubbles set forth the "
## [9629] "miniature of them. "
## [9630] ""
## [9631] "But Zelmane, whose sight was gain-said by nothing but the "
## [9632] "transparent veil of Ladon (like a chamber where a great fire is "
## [9633] "kept, though the fire be at one stay, yet with the continuance "
## [9634] "continually hath his heat increased) had the coals of her affection "
## [9635] "so kindled with wonder, and blown with delight, that now all her "
## [9636] "parts grudged, that her eyes should do more homage, than they, "
## [9637] "to the princes of them. Insomuch that taking up the lute, her "
## [9638] "wit began to be with a divine fury inspired ; her voice would "
## [9639] "in so beloved an occasion second her wit ; her hands accorded "
## [9640] "the lute's music to the voice ; her panting heart danced to the "
## [9641] "music ; while I think her feet did beat the time ; while her body "
## [9642] "was the room where it should be celebrated ; her soul the queen "
## [9643] "which should be delighted. And so together went the utterance "
## [9644] "and invention, that one might judge, it was Philoclea's beauty "
## [9645] "which did speedily write it in her eyes ; or the sense thereof, "
## [9646] "which did word by word indite it in her mind, whereto she, but "
## [9647] "as an organ, did only lend utterance. The song was to this "
## [9648] "purpose : "
## [9649] ""
## [9650] "What tongue can her perfection tell, "
## [9651] "In whose each part all tongues may dwell ? "
## [9652] "Her hair fine threads of finest gold, "
## [9653] "In curled knots man's thought to hold : "
## [9654] "But that her forehead says, in me "
## [9655] "A whiter beauty you may see ; "
## [9656] "Whiter indeed, more white than snow, "
## [9657] "Which on cold winter's face doth grow : "
## [9658] "That doth present those even brows, "
## [9659] "Whose equal line their angles bows ; "
## [9660] "Like to the moon when after change "
## [9661] "Her horned head abroad doth range : "
## [9662] "And arches be two heavenly lids, "
## [9663] "Whose wink each bold attempt forbids. "
## [9664] "For the black stars those spheres contain, "
## [9665] "The matchless pair, even praise doth stain. "
## [9666] "No lamp whose light by art is got, "
## [9667] "No sun which shines, and seeth not, "
## [9668] "Can liken them without all peer, "
## [9669] "Save one as much as other clear ; "
## [9670] "Which only thus unhappy be, "
## [9671] "Because themselves they cannot see. "
## [9672] "Her cheeks with kindly claret spread, "
## [9673] "Aurora-like new out of bed ; "
## [9674] "Or like the fresh queen-apple's side, "
## [9675] "flushing at sight of Phoebus pride, "
## [9676] ""
## [9677] ""
## [9678] ""
## [9679] "BOOK ii.j ARCADtA i§i "
## [9680] ""
## [9681] "Her nose, her chin pure ivory wears : "
## [9682] "No purer than the pretty ears. "
## [9683] "So that therein appears some blood "
## [9684] "Lilce wine and millc that mingled stood : "
## [9685] "In whose incirclets if ye gaze, "
## [9686] "Your eyes may tread a lover's maze. "
## [9687] "But with such turns the voice to stray, "
## [9688] "No talk untaught can find the way. "
## [9689] "The tip no jewel needs to wear ; "
## [9690] "The tip is jewel of the ear. "
## [9691] ""
## [9692] "But who those ruddy lips can miss, "
## [9693] "Which blessed still themselves to kiss ? "
## [9694] "Rubies, cherries, and roses new. "
## [9695] "In worth, in taste, in perfect hue : "
## [9696] "Which never part, but that they show "
## [9697] "Of precious pearl the double row j "
## [9698] "The second-sweetly senced word. "
## [9699] "Her heavenly-dewed tongue to guard, "
## [9700] "Whence never word in vain did flow. "
## [9701] ""
## [9702] "Fair under those doth stately grow. "
## [9703] "The handle of this precious work, "
## [9704] "The neck in which strange graces lurk. "
## [9705] "Such be I think the sumptuous towers, "
## [9706] "Which skill doth make in princes bowersi "
## [9707] "So good assay invites the eye, "
## [9708] "A little downward to espy. "
## [9709] "The lively clusters of her breasts, "
## [9710] "Of Venus babe the wanton nests : "
## [9711] "Like pomels round of marble clear ; "
## [9712] "Where azur'd veins well mix'd appear, "
## [9713] "With dearest tops of porphyrie. "
## [9714] ""
## [9715] "Betwixt these two a way doth lie, "
## [9716] "A way more worthy beauty's fame. "
## [9717] "Than that which bears the Milky name. "
## [9718] "This leads into the joyous field. "
## [9719] "Which only still doth lilies yield : "
## [9720] "But lilies such whose native smell, "
## [9721] "The Indians odors doth excel. "
## [9722] "Waist it is called, for it doth waste "
## [9723] "Men's lives, until it be embrac'd. "
## [9724] ""
## [9725] "There may one see, and yet not see "
## [9726] "Her ribs in white all armed be. "
## [9727] "More white than Neptune's foamy face, "
## [9728] "When struggling rocks he would embrace. "
## [9729] ""
## [9730] "In those delights the wand' ring thought "
## [9731] "Might of each side astray be brought, "
## [9732] "But that her navel doth unite. "
## [9733] "In curious circle busie sight ; "
## [9734] ""
## [9735] ""
## [9736] ""
## [9737] "t§2 ARCADiA (book a. "
## [9738] ""
## [9739] "A dainty seal of virgin- wax, "
## [9740] ""
## [9741] "Where nothing but impression lacks. "
## [9742] ""
## [9743] "Her belly there glad sight doth fill, "
## [9744] "Justly entitled Cupid's hill. "
## [9745] "A hill most fit for such a master, "
## [9746] "A spotless mine of alabaster. "
## [9747] "Like alabaster fair and sleek. "
## [9748] "But soft and supple, satin-like. "
## [9749] "In that sweet seat the boy doth sport : "
## [9750] "Loth, I must leave his chief resort. "
## [9751] "For such a use the world hath gotten, "
## [9752] "The best things still must be forgotten. "
## [9753] ""
## [9754] "Yet never shall my song omit "
## [9755] "Her thighs for Ovid's song more fit ; "
## [9756] "Which flanked with two sugared flanks, "
## [9757] "Lift up her stately swelling banks ; "
## [9758] "That Albion cliffs in whiteness pass ; "
## [9759] "With haunches smooth as looking-glass. "
## [9760] "But bow all knees, now of her knees "
## [9761] "My tongue doth tell what fancy sees. "
## [9762] "The knots of joy, the gems of love, "
## [9763] "Whose motion makes all graces move. "
## [9764] "Whose bough incav'd doth yield such sight, "
## [9765] "Like cunning painter shadowed white. "
## [9766] "The gartring place with child-like sign. "
## [9767] "Shows easy print in metal fine. "
## [9768] "But then again the flesh doth rise "
## [9769] "In her brave calves like chrystal skies. "
## [9770] "Whose Atlas is a smallest small. "
## [9771] "More white then whitest bone of all. "
## [9772] ""
## [9773] "Thereout steals out that round clean foot "
## [9774] "This noble cedar's precious root : "
## [9775] "In show and scent pale violets, "
## [9776] "Whose step on earth all beauty sets. "
## [9777] ""
## [9778] "But back unto her back, my Muse, "
## [9779] "Where Leda's swan his feathers mews. "
## [9780] "Along whose ridge such bones are met, "
## [9781] "Like comfits round in marchpane set. "
## [9782] ""
## [9783] "Her shoulders be like to white doves, "
## [9784] "Perching within square royal roves. "
## [9785] "Which leaded are with silver skin, "
## [9786] "Passing the hate spot, emerlin. "
## [9787] ""
## [9788] "And thence those arms derived are ; "
## [9789] "The Phoenix wings are not so rare "
## [9790] "For faultless length, and stainless hue. "
## [9791] ""
## [9792] "Ah woe is me, my woes renew. "
## [9793] "Now course doth lead me to her hand "
## [9794] "Of my first love the fatal band. "
## [9795] ""
## [9796] ""
## [9797] ""
## [9798] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 183 "
## [9799] ""
## [9800] "Where whiteness doth for ever sit ; "
## [9801] ""
## [9802] "Nature herself enamell'd it. "
## [9803] ""
## [9804] "For therewith strange compact doth lie "
## [9805] ""
## [9806] "Warm snow, moist pearl, soft ivory. "
## [9807] ""
## [9808] "There fall those sapphire-coloured brooks, "
## [9809] ""
## [9810] "Which conduite-like with curious crooks. "
## [9811] ""
## [9812] "Sweet Islands make in that sweet land. "
## [9813] ""
## [9814] "As for the fingers of the hand, "
## [9815] ""
## [9816] "The bloody shafts of Cupid's war. "
## [9817] ""
## [9818] "With amethysts they beaded are. "
## [9819] "Thus hath each part his beauties part : "
## [9820] ""
## [9821] "But how the graces do impart. "
## [9822] ""
## [9823] "To all her limbs a special grace. "
## [9824] ""
## [9825] "Becoming every time and place. "
## [9826] ""
## [9827] "Which doth even beauty beautify. "
## [9828] ""
## [9829] "And most bewitch the wretched eye. "
## [9830] ""
## [9831] "How all this is but a fair inn "
## [9832] ""
## [9833] "Of fairer guests, which dwell therein. "
## [9834] ""
## [9835] "Of whose high praise, and praiseful bliss. "
## [9836] ""
## [9837] "Goodness the pen, and Heaven paper is : "
## [9838] ""
## [9839] "The ink immortal fame doth lend : "
## [9840] ""
## [9841] "As I began, so must I end. "
## [9842] "No tongue can her perfection tell, "
## [9843] "In whose each part all tongues may dwell. "
## [9844] ""
## [9845] "But as Zelmane was coining to the latter end of her song, she "
## [9846] "might see the same water-spaniel which before had hunted, come "
## [9847] "and fetch away one of Philoclea's gloves, whose fine proportion, "
## [9848] "showed well what a dainty guest was wont there to be lodged. It "
## [9849] "was a delight to Zelmane, to see that the dog was therewith "
## [9850] "delighted, and so let him go a little way withal, who quickly carried "
## [9851] "it out of sight among certain trees and bushes, which were very "
## [9852] "close together. But by and by he came again, and amongst the "
## [9853] "raiment. Miso and Mopsa being preparing sheets against their "
## [9854] "coming out, the dog lighted of a little book of four or five leaves of "
## [9855] "paper, and was bearing that away too. But when Zelmane, not "
## [9856] "knowing what importance it might be of, ran after the dog, who "
## [9857] "going straight to those bushes, she might see the dog deliver it to "
## [9858] "a gentleman, who secretly lay there. But she hastily coming in, "
## [9859] "the gentleman rose up, and with a courteous, though sad, counten- "
## [9860] "ance presented himself unto her. Zelmane's eyes straight willed "
## [9861] "her mind to mark him, for she thought in herself, she had never "
## [9862] "seen a man of a more goodly presence, in whom strong making "
## [9863] "took not away delicacy, nor beauty fierceness : being indeed such "
## [9864] "a right man-like man, as nature often erring, yet shows she would "
## [9865] "fain make. But when she had a while, not without admiration, "
## [9866] "viewed him, she desired him to deliver back the glove and paper, "
## [9867] ""
## [9868] ""
## [9869] ""
## [9870] "t84 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [9871] ""
## [9872] "because they were the lady Philoclea's, telling him withal, that she "
## [9873] "would not willingly let them know of his close lying in that pro- "
## [9874] "hibited place, while they were bathing themselves, because she "
## [9875] "knew they would be mortally ofFendfd withal. \"Fair lady,\" "
## [9876] "answered he, \" the worst of the complaint is already passed, since "
## [9877] "I feel of my fault in myself the punishment. But for these things, "
## [9878] "I assure you, it was my dog's wanton boldness, not my presump- "
## [9879] "tion. With that he gave her back the paper : but for the glove,\" "
## [9880] "said he, \" since it is my lady Philoclea's, give me leave to keep it, "
## [9881] "since my heart cannot persuade itself to part from it. And I pray "
## [9882] "you tell the lady, lady indeed of all my desires, that owns it, that "
## [9883] "I will direct my life to honour this glove with serving her.\" \" O "
## [9884] "villain,\" cried out Zelmane, maddened with finding an unlooked for "
## [9885] "rival, and that he would make her a messenger, \" dispatch,\" said "
## [9886] "she, \" and deliver it, or by the life of her that owns it, I will make "
## [9887] "thy soul, though too base a price, pay for it \" : and with that drew "
## [9888] "out her sword, which, Amazon like, she ever wore about her. The "
## [9889] "gentleman retired himself into an open place from among the "
## [9890] "bushes, and then drawing out his too, he offered to deliver it unto "
## [9891] "her, saying, withal, \" God forbid I should use my sword against "
## [9892] "you, sith, if I be not deceived, you are the same famous Amazon, "
## [9893] "that both defended my lady's just title of beauty against the valiant "
## [9894] "Phalantus, and saved her life in killing the lion, therefore I am "
## [9895] "rather to kiss your hands, with acknowledging myself bound to "
## [9896] "obey you.\" "
## [9897] ""
## [9898] "But this courtesy was worse than a bastinado to Zelmane : so "
## [9899] "that again with rageful eyes she bade him defend himself, for no "
## [9900] "less than his life should answer it. \" A hard case,\" said he, \" to "
## [9901] "teach my sword that lesson, which hath ever used to turn itself to "
## [9902] "a shield in a lady's presence.\" But Zelmane hearkening to no "
## [9903] "more words, began with such witty fury to pursue him with blows "
## [9904] "and thrusts, that nature and virtue commanded the gentleman to "
## [9905] "look to his safety. Yet still courtesy, that seemed incorporate in "
## [9906] "his heart, would not be persuaded by danger to offer any offence, "
## [9907] "but only to stand upon the best defensive guard he could ; some- "
## [9908] "times going back, being content in that respect to take on the "
## [9909] "figure of cowardice ; sometimes with strong and well-met wards, "
## [9910] "sometimes cunning avoidings of his body ; and sometimes feigning "
## [9911] "some blows, which himself puU'd back before they needed to be "
## [9912] "withstood. And so with play did he a good while fight against the "
## [9913] "fight of Zelmane, who, more spited with that courtesy, that one "
## [9914] "that did nothing should be able to resist her, burned away with "
## [9915] "choler any motions which might grow out of her own sweet dis- "
## [9916] "position, determined to kill him if he fought no better and so "
## [9917] "redoubling her blows, drove the stranger to no other shift than to "
## [9918] ""
## [9919] ""
## [9920] ""
## [9921] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 18s "
## [9922] ""
## [9923] "ward and go back ; at that time seeming the image of innocency "
## [9924] "against violence. But at length he found, that both in pubUc and "
## [9925] "private respects, who stands only upon defence, stands upon no "
## [9926] "defence : for Zelmane seeming to strike at his head, and he going "
## [9927] "toward it, withal stepped back as he was accustomed : she stopped "
## [9928] "her blow in the air, and suddenly turning the point, ran full at his "
## [9929] "breast, so as he was driven with the pummel of his sword, having "
## [9930] "no other weapon of defence, to beat it down : but the thrust was "
## [9931] "so strong that he could not so wholly beat it away, but that it met "
## [9932] "with his thigh, through which it ran. But Zelmane retiring her "
## [9933] "sword, and seeing his blood, victorious anger was conquered by "
## [9934] "the before conquering pity ; and heartily sorry, and even ashamed "
## [9935] "with herself she was, considering how Uttle he had done, who well "
## [9936] "she found could have done more. Insomuch that she said, \" truly "
## [9937] "I am sorry for your hurt, but yourself gave the cause, both in "
## [9938] "refusing to deliver the glove, and yet not fighting as I know you "
## [9939] "could have done. But,\" said she, \" because I perceive you disdain "
## [9940] "to fight with a woman, it may be before a year come about, you "
## [9941] "shall meet with a near kinsman of mine, Pyrocles prince of "
## [9942] "Macedon, and I give you my word, he for me shall maintain this "
## [9943] "quarrel against you.\" \"I wotild\" answered Amphialus, \"I had "
## [9944] "many more such hurts to meet and know that worthy prince, "
## [9945] "whose virtue I love and admire, though my good destiny hath not "
## [9946] "been to see his person.\" "
## [9947] ""
## [9948] "But as they were so speaking, the young ladies came, to whom, "
## [9949] "Mopsa, curious in. anything but her own good behaviour, having "
## [9950] "followed and seen Zelmane fighting, had cried, what she had seen, "
## [9951] "while they were drying themselves : and the water, with some "
## [9952] "drops, seemed to weep, that it should pass from such bodies. "
## [9953] "But they careful of Zelmane, assuring themselves that any Arcadian "
## [9954] "would bear reverence to them, Pamela with a noble mind, and "
## [9955] "Philoclea with a loving, hastily, hiding the beauties, whereof nature "
## [9956] "was proud, and they ashamed, they made quick work to come to "
## [9957] "save Zelmane. But already they found them in talk, and Zelmane "
## [9958] "careful of his wound. But when they saw him, they knew it was "
## [9959] "their cousin-german, the famous Amphialus, whom yet with a "
## [9960] "sweet graced bitterness they blamed for breaking their father's "
## [9961] "commandment, especially while themselves were in such sort "
## [9962] "retired. But he craved pardon, protesting unto them that he had "
## [9963] "only been to seek solitary places, by an extreme melancholy that "
## [9964] "had a good while possessed him, and guided to that place by his "
## [9965] "spaniel, where while the dog hunted in the river, he had withdrawn "
## [9966] "himself to pacify with sleep his over watched eyes, till a dream "
## [9967] "waked him, and made him see that whereof he had dreamed, "
## [9968] "and withal not obscurely signified, that he felt the smart of his "
## [9969] ""
## [9970] ""
## [9971] ""
## [9972] "iS6 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [9973] ""
## [9974] "own doings. But Philoclea, that was even jealous of herself for "
## [9975] "Zelmane, would needs have her glove, and not without so mighty "
## [9976] "a lower as that face could yield. As for Zelmane when she knew "
## [9977] "it was Amphialus ; \" Lord Amphialus,\" said she, \" I have long "
## [9978] "desired to know you heretofore, I must confess, with more good- "
## [9979] "will, but still with honouring your virtue, though I love not your "
## [9980] "person : and at this time I pray you let us take care of your wound, "
## [9981] "upon condition you shall hereafter promise that a more knightly "
## [9982] "combat shall be performed between us.\" Amphialus answered "
## [9983] "in honourable sort, but with such excusing himself, that more and "
## [9984] "more accused his love to Philoclea, and provoked more hate in "
## [9985] "Zelmane. But Mopsa had already called certain shepherds not "
## [9986] "far off, who knew and well observed their limits, to come and "
## [9987] "help to carry away Amphialus, whose wound suffered him not "
## [9988] "without danger to strain it : and so he leaving himself with them, "
## [9989] "departed from them, faster bleeding in his heart than at his wound, "
## [9990] "which bound up by the sheets, wherewith Philoclea had been "
## [9991] "wrapped, made him thank the wound, and bless the sword for "
## [9992] "that favour. "
## [9993] ""
## [9994] "He being gone, the ladies, with merry anger talking, in what "
## [9995] "naked simplicity their cousin had seen them, returned to the "
## [9996] "lodge-ward ; yet thinking it too early, as long as they had any day, "
## [9997] "to break off so pleasing a company with going to perform a "
## [9998] "cumbersome obedience, Zelmane invited them to the little arbour, "
## [9999] "only reserved for her, which they willingly did : and there sitting, "
## [10000] "Pamela having a while made the lute in his language show how "
## [10001] "glad it was to be touched by her fingers, Zelmane deHvered up "
## [10002] "the paper which Amphialus had at first yielded unto her, and "
## [10003] "seeing written upon the backside of it the complaint of Plangus, "
## [10004] "remembering what Dorus had told her, and desiring to know how "
## [10005] "much Philoclea knew of her estate, she took occasion in presenting "
## [10006] "of it, to ask whether it were any secret or no. \"No truly,\" "
## [10007] "answered Phrloclea, \" it is but even an exercise of my father's "
## [10008] "writing, upon this occasion : he was one day, somewhile before "
## [10009] "your coming hither, walking abroad, having us two with him, "
## [10010] "almost a mile hence, and crossing a high-way, which comes from "
## [10011] "the city of Megalopolis, he saw this gentleman, whose name is "
## [10012] "there written, one of the properest and best graced men that ever "
## [10013] "I saw, being of middle age and of a mean stature. He lay as then "
## [10014] "under a tree, while his servants were getting fresh post-horses for "
## [10015] "him. It might seem he was tired with the extreme travel he had "
## [10016] "taken, and yet not so tired that he forced to take any rest, so hasty "
## [10017] "he was upon his journey : and withal so sorrowful that the very "
## [10018] "face thereof was painted in' his face, which with pitiful motions, "
## [10019] "even groans, tears, and passionate talking to himself moved my "
## [10020] ""
## [10021] ""
## [10022] ""
## [10023] "BOOK ii.l ARCADIA 187 "
## [10024] ""
## [10025] "father to fall in talk with him, who at first not knowing "
## [10026] "him, answered him in such a desperate phrase of grief that my "
## [10027] "father afterward took a delight to set it down in such a form as "
## [10028] "you see ; which if you read, what you doubt of, my sister and I "
## [10029] "are able to declare unto you, Zelraane willingly opened the leaves, "
## [10030] "and read it being written dialogue-wise in this manner. "
## [10031] ""
## [10032] "PLANGUS AND BASILIUS "
## [10033] ""
## [10034] "PLANGUS "
## [10035] ""
## [10036] "Alas, how long this pilgrimage doth last ? "
## [10037] "What greater ills have now the heavens in. store, "
## [10038] ""
## [10039] "To couple coming harms with sorrows past ? "
## [10040] "Long since my voice is hoarse, and throat is sore. "
## [10041] ""
## [10042] "With cries to skies,and courses to the ground. "
## [10043] ""
## [10044] "But more I plain, I feel my woes the more. "
## [10045] "Ah, where was first that cruel cunning found, "
## [10046] ""
## [10047] "To frame of earth, a vessel of the mind. "
## [10048] "Where it should be to self-destruction bound ? "
## [10049] ""
## [10050] "What needed so high spirits, such mansions blind ? "
## [10051] ""
## [10052] "Or wrapped in flesh what do they here obtain. "
## [10053] ""
## [10054] "But glorious name of wretched human kind? "
## [10055] "Balls to the stars, and thralls to fortunes reign ; "
## [10056] ""
## [10057] "Turn'd from themselves, infected with their rage, "
## [10058] "Where death is fear'd, and life is held with pain, "
## [10059] ""
## [10060] "Like players plac'd to fill a filthy stage, "
## [10061] ""
## [10062] "Where change of thoughts one fool to other shows, "
## [10063] ""
## [10064] "And all but jests, save only sorrows rage. "
## [10065] "The child feels that, the man that feeling knows. "
## [10066] ""
## [10067] "Which cries first born, the presage of his life. "
## [10068] "Where wit but serves, to have true taste of woes. "
## [10069] ""
## [10070] "A shop of shame, a book where blots be rife, "
## [10071] ""
## [10072] "This body is, this body so compos'd. "
## [10073] ""
## [10074] "As in itself to nourish mortal strife : "
## [10075] "So divers be the elements dispos'd. "
## [10076] ""
## [10077] "In this weak work, that it can never be "
## [10078] "Made uniform to any state repos'd. "
## [10079] ""
## [10080] "Grief only makes his wretched state to see "
## [10081] ""
## [10082] "(Even like a top which nought but whipping inoves) "
## [10083] ""
## [10084] "This man, this talking beast, this walking tree. "
## [10085] "Grief is the stone which finest judgments proves ; "
## [10086] ""
## [10087] "For who grieves not, hath but a blockish brain, "
## [10088] ""
## [10089] "Since cause of grief no cause from life removes, "
## [10090] ""
## [10091] "BASILIUS "
## [10092] "How long wilt thou with mournful music stain "
## [10093] "The cheerful notes those pleasant places yield. "
## [10094] "Where all good haps a perfect state maintain ? "
## [10095] ""
## [10096] ""
## [10097] ""
## [10098] "i^B ARCADtA [BOOK n. "
## [10099] ""
## [10100] "PLANGUS "
## [10101] ""
## [10102] "Cursed be good haps, and cursed be they that build "
## [10103] ""
## [10104] "Their hopes on haps, and do not make despair "
## [10105] "For all those certain blows the surest shield. "
## [10106] ""
## [10107] "Shall I that saw Erona's shining hair, "
## [10108] ""
## [10109] "Torn with her hands, and those same hands of snow "
## [10110] ""
## [10111] "With loss of purest blood themselves to tear? "
## [10112] "Shall I that saw those breasts, where beauties flow. "
## [10113] ""
## [10114] "Swelling- with sighs, made pale with minds disease. "
## [10115] "And saw those eyes, those suns, such showers to show ? "
## [10116] "Shall I whose ears her mournful words did seize. "
## [10117] ""
## [10118] "Her words in syrup laid of sweetest breath. "
## [10119] ""
## [10120] "Relent those thoughts which then did so displease ? "
## [10121] "No, no : despair my daily lesson faith. "
## [10122] "And faith, although I seek my life to fly, "
## [10123] ""
## [10124] "Plangus must live to see Erona's death. "
## [10125] "Plangus must live some help for her to try "
## [10126] ""
## [10127] "(Though in despair) for love so forceth me, "
## [10128] ""
## [10129] "Plangus doth live, and shall Erona die ? "
## [10130] "Erona die ? O heaven, if heaven there be, "
## [10131] ""
## [10132] "Hath all thy whirling course so small effect ? "
## [10133] ""
## [10134] "Serve all thy starry eyes this shame to see ? "
## [10135] "Let dolts in haste some altars fair erect "
## [10136] ""
## [10137] "To those high powers, which idly sit above, "
## [10138] ""
## [10139] "And virtue do in greatest need neglect. "
## [10140] ""
## [10141] ""
## [10142] ""
## [10143] "BASILIUS "
## [10144] ""
## [10145] "O man take heed, how thou the gods do move "
## [10146] "To cause full-Wrath, which thou can'st not resist* "
## [10147] ""
## [10148] "Blasphemous words the speaker vain do prove. "
## [10149] "Alas while we are wrapped in foggy mist "
## [10150] "Of our self love, so passions do deceive. "
## [10151] "We think they hurt, when most they do assist. "
## [10152] ""
## [10153] "To harm us worms should that high justice leave "
## [10154] ""
## [10155] "His nature? nay himself? for so it is. "
## [10156] "What glory from our loss can he receive ? "
## [10157] ""
## [10158] "But still our dazzled eyes their way do miss. "
## [10159] "While that we do at his sweet scourge repine. "
## [10160] "The kindly way do beat us on to bliss. "
## [10161] ""
## [10162] "If she must die then hath she past the line "
## [10163] "Of loathsome days, whose loss how can'st thou moan, "
## [10164] ""
## [10165] "That dost so well their miseries define ? "
## [10166] "But such we are with inward tempest blown "
## [10167] "Of winds quite contrary in waves of will : "
## [10168] "We moan that lost, which had we did bemoan. "
## [10169] ""
## [10170] ""
## [10171] ""
## [10172] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 189 "
## [10173] ""
## [10174] "PLANGUS "
## [10175] ""
## [10176] "And shall she die ? shall cruel fire spill "
## [10177] ""
## [10178] "Those beams that set so many hearts on fire ? "
## [10179] "Hath she not force even death with love to kill : "
## [10180] ""
## [10181] "Nay, even cold death inflam'd with hot desire "
## [10182] ""
## [10183] "Her to enjoy where joy itself is thrall, "
## [10184] ""
## [10185] "Will spoil the earth of his most rich attire : "
## [10186] "Thus death becomes a rival to us all. "
## [10187] "And hopes with foul embracements her to get, "
## [10188] "In whose decay virtue's fair shrine must fall. "
## [10189] "O virtue weak, shall death his triumph set "
## [10190] ""
## [10191] "Upon thy spoils, which never should lie waste ? "
## [10192] ""
## [10193] "Let death first die ; be thou his worthy let. "
## [10194] "By what eclipse shall that sun be defac'd ? "
## [10195] "What mine hath erst thrown down so fair a tower ? "
## [10196] ""
## [10197] "What sacrilege hath such a saint disgfrac'd ? "
## [10198] "The world the garden is, she is the flower "
## [10199] ""
## [10200] "That sweetens all the place ; she is the guest "
## [10201] ""
## [10202] "Of rarest price, both heaven and earth her bower. "
## [10203] "And shall, O me 1 all this in ashes rest ? "
## [10204] "Alas if you a Phoenix new will have "
## [10205] ""
## [10206] "Burnt by the sun, she first must build her nest. "
## [10207] "But well you know, the gentle sun would save "
## [10208] ""
## [10209] "Such beams so like his own, which might have might "
## [10210] "In him the thoughts of Phaeton's dam to grave. "
## [10211] "Therefore, alas, you use vile Vulcan's spite. "
## [10212] ""
## [10213] "Which nothing spares, to melt that virgin wax, "
## [10214] ""
## [10215] "Which while it is, it is all Asia's light. "
## [10216] "O Mars, for what doth serve thy armed ax ? "
## [10217] "To let that wit-old beast consume in flames "
## [10218] ""
## [10219] "Thy Venus child, whose beauty Venus lacks ? "
## [10220] "O Venus, if her praise no envy frames "
## [10221] ""
## [10222] "In thy high mind, get her thy husband's grace "
## [10223] ""
## [10224] "Sweet speaking oft a currish heart reclaims. "
## [10225] "O eyes of mine, where once she saw her face, "
## [10226] ""
## [10227] "Her face which was more lively in ray heart : "
## [10228] "O brain, where thought of her hath only place ; "
## [10229] ""
## [10230] "O hand, which touch'd her hand when we did part ; "
## [10231] "O lips that kiss'd that hand with my tears spent ; "
## [10232] ""
## [10233] "O tongue, then dumb, not daring teH my smart ; "
## [10234] ""
## [10235] "O soul, whose love in her is only spent, "
## [10236] ""
## [10237] "What ere you see, think, touch, kiss, speak, or love, "
## [10238] ""
## [10239] "Let all for her, and unto her be bent, "
## [10240] ""
## [10241] "BASILIUS "
## [10242] ""
## [10243] "Thy wailing words do much my spirits move. "
## [10244] "They uttered are in such a feeling fashion, "
## [10245] ""
## [10246] ""
## [10247] ""
## [10248] "1 90 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [10249] ""
## [10250] "That sorrows work against my will I prove. "
## [10251] "Methinks I am partaker of thy passion, "
## [10252] "And in thy case do glaze mine own debility : "
## [10253] "Self-guilty folk most prone to feel compassion. "
## [10254] ""
## [10255] "Yet reason faith, reason should have ability "
## [10256] ""
## [10257] "To hold those worldly things in such proportion, "
## [10258] ""
## [10259] "As let them come or go with even facility. "
## [10260] "But our desires tyrannical extortion "
## [10261] "Doth force us there to set our chief delightfulness "
## [10262] "Where but a baiting place is all our portion. "
## [10263] "But still although we fail of perfect rightfulness. "
## [10264] ""
## [10265] "Seek we to tame those childish superfluities : "
## [10266] "Let us not wink though void of purest sightfulness "
## [10267] ""
## [10268] "For what can breed more peevish incongruities, "
## [10269] "Than man to yield to female lamentations : "
## [10270] "Let us some grammar learn of more congruities. "
## [10271] ""
## [10272] "PLANGUS "
## [10273] ""
## [10274] "If through mine ears pierce any consolations, "
## [10275] "By wise discourse, sweet tunes, or poets fiction ; "
## [10276] ""
## [10277] "If aught I cease those hideous exclamations ; "
## [10278] "While that my soul, she, lives in affliction ; "
## [10279] ""
## [10280] "Then let my life long time on earth maintained be. "
## [10281] "To wretched me, the last worst malediction. "
## [10282] ""
## [10283] "Can I that knew her sacred parts, restrained be "
## [10284] "From any joy ? know fortunes vile displacing her. "
## [10285] ""
## [10286] "In mortal rules let raging woes contained be ? "
## [10287] "Can I forget, when they in prison placing her. "
## [10288] ""
## [10289] "With swelling heart in spite and due disdainfulness "
## [10290] ""
## [10291] "She lay for dead, till I help'd with unlacing her ? "
## [10292] "Can I forget from how much mourning painfulness "
## [10293] ""
## [10294] "With diamond in window-glass she grav'd "
## [10295] ""
## [10296] "Erona die, and end this ugly painfulness ? "
## [10297] ""
## [10298] "Can I forget in how strange phrase she crav'd "
## [10299] "That quickly they would her burn, drown or smother, "
## [10300] ""
## [10301] "As if by death she only might be sav'd ? "
## [10302] "Then let me eke forget one hand from other : "
## [10303] ""
## [10304] "Let me forget that Plangus I am called : "
## [10305] ""
## [10306] "Let me forget I am son to my mother : "
## [10307] ""
## [10308] "But if my memory must thus be thralled "
## [10309] "To that strange stroke which conquered all my senses. "
## [10310] ""
## [10311] "Can thoughts still thinking, so rest unapalled ? "
## [10312] ""
## [10313] "BASILIUS "
## [10314] ""
## [10315] "Who still doth seek against himself offences. "
## [10316] ""
## [10317] "What pardon can avail ? or who employs him "
## [10318] "To hurt himself, what shields can be defences ? "
## [10319] ""
## [10320] ""
## [10321] ""
## [10322] "BOOK 11,] ARCADIA 191 "
## [10323] ""
## [10324] "Woe to poor man ; each outward thing annoys him "
## [10325] ""
## [10326] "In divers kinds j yet as he were not filled, "
## [10327] ""
## [10328] "He heaps in outward grief, that most destroys him. "
## [10329] ""
## [10330] "Thus is our thought with pain for thistles tilled : "
## [10331] "Thus be our noblest parts dried up with sorrow : "
## [10332] ""
## [10333] "Thus is our mind with too much minding spilled. "
## [10334] "One day lays up store of grief for the morrow : "
## [10335] ""
## [10336] "And whose good haps do leave him unprovided. "
## [10337] "Condoling cause of friendship he will borrow : "
## [10338] ""
## [10339] "Betwixt the good and shade of good divided, "
## [10340] "We pity deem that which but weakness is : "
## [10341] ""
## [10342] "So are we from our high creation slided. "
## [10343] "But Plangus, lest I may your sickness miss. "
## [10344] ""
## [10345] "Or rubbing, hurt the sore, I here do end. "
## [10346] ""
## [10347] "The ass did hurt when he did think to kiss. "
## [10348] ""
## [10349] "When Zelmane had read it over, marvelling very much of the "
## [10350] "speech of Erona's death, and therefore desirous to know further of "
## [10351] "it, but more desirous to hear Philoclea speak, \" Most excellent "
## [10352] "lady,\" said she, \" one may be little the wiser for reading this dialogue, "
## [10353] "since it neither sets forth what this Plangus is, nor what Erona is, "
## [10354] "nor what the cause should be which threatens her with death, and "
## [10355] "him with sorrow ; therefore I would humbly crave to understand the "
## [10356] "particular discourse thereof, because, I must confess, something in "
## [10357] "my travel I have heard of this strange matter, which I would be "
## [10358] "glad to find by so sweet an authority confirmed.\" \" The truth is,\" "
## [10359] "answered Philoclea, \" that after he knew my father to be prince of "
## [10360] "this country, while he hoped to prevail something with him in a "
## [10361] "great request he made unto him, he was content to open fully the "
## [10362] "estate both of himself, and of that lady ; which with my sister's "
## [10363] "help,\" said she, \"Who remembers it better than I, I will declare "
## [10364] "unto you. And first of Erona, being the chief subject of this "
## [10365] "discourse, this story, with more tears and exclamations than I list "
## [10366] "to spend about it, he recounted.\" "
## [10367] ""
## [10368] "\" Of late there reigned a king in Lydia, who had, for the blessing "
## [10369] "of his marriage, this only daughter of his, Erona, a princess worthy "
## [10370] "for her beauty, as much praise, as beauty may be praise-worthy. "
## [10371] "This princess Erona, being nineteen years of age, seeing the "
## [10372] "country of Lydia so much devoted to Cupid, as that in every place "
## [10373] "his naked pictures and images were superstitiously adored (either "
## [10374] "moved thereunto by the esteeming that it could be no god-head, "
## [10375] "which could breed wickedness, or the shamefaced consideration of "
## [10376] "such nakedness) procured so much of her father, as utterly to pull "
## [10377] "down, and deface all those statutes and pictures : which how "
## [10378] "terribly he punished, for to that the Lydians impute it, quickly "
## [10379] "after appeared. "
## [10380] ""
## [10381] ""
## [10382] ""
## [10383] "192 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [10384] ""
## [10385] "\" For she had not lived a year longer, when she was stricken "
## [10386] "with most obstinate love to a young man but of mean parentage, "
## [10387] "in her father's court, named Antiphilus : so mean, as that he was "
## [10388] "but the son of her nurse, and by that means, without other desert, "
## [10389] "became known of her. Now so evil could she conceal her fire, and "
## [10390] "so wilfully persevered she in it that her father offering her the "
## [10391] "marriage of the great Tiridates, king of Armenia, who desired her "
## [10392] "more than the joys of heaven, she for Antiphilus's sake refused it. "
## [10393] "Many ways her father sought to withdraw her from it, sometimes "
## [10394] "by persuasions, sometimes by threatenings ; once, hiding Antiphilus, "
## [10395] "and giving her to understand that he was fled the country, lastly, "
## [10396] "making a solemn execution to be done of another under the name "
## [10397] "of Antiphilus, whom he kept in prison. But neither she liked "
## [10398] "persuasions, nor fesu-ed threatenings, nor changed for absence : "
## [10399] "and when she thought him dead, she sought all means, as well by "
## [10400] "poison as knife, to send her soul, at least to be married in the "
## [10401] "eternal church with him. This so broke the tender father's heart, "
## [10402] "that, leaving things as he found them, he shortly after died. Then "
## [10403] "forthwith Erona, being seized of the crown, and arming her will "
## [10404] "with authority, sought to advance her affection to the holy title of "
## [10405] "matrimony. "
## [10406] ""
## [10407] "\" But before she could accomplish all the solemnities, she was "
## [10408] "overtaken with a war the King Tiridates made upon her, only "
## [10409] "for her person, towards whom, for her ruin, love had kindled his "
## [10410] "cruel heart, indeed cruel and tyrannous ; for being far too strong "
## [10411] "in the field, he spared no man, woman, nor child ; but, as though "
## [10412] "there could be found no foil to set forth the extremity of his love, "
## [10413] "but extremity of hatred, wrote, as it were, the sonnets of his love "
## [10414] "in the blood, and turned them in the cries of her subjects ; although "
## [10415] "his fair sister Artaxia, who would accompany him in the army, "
## [10416] "sought all means to appease his fury : till lastly, he besieged "
## [10417] "Erona in her best city, vowing to win her, or lose his life. And "
## [10418] "now had he brought her to the point either of a woeful consent, "
## [10419] "or a ruinous denial, when there came thither, following the courss "
## [10420] "which virtue and fortune led them, two excellent young princes, "
## [10421] "Pyrocles and Musidorus, the one prince of Macedon, the other "
## [10422] "of Thessalia : two princes as Plangus said, and he witnessed his "
## [10423] "saying with sighs and tears, the most accomplished both in body "
## [10424] "and mind that the sun ever looked upon.\" While Philoclea spoke "
## [10425] "those words ; O sweet words, thought Zelmane to herself, which "
## [10426] "are not only a praise to me, but a praise to praise herself, which "
## [10427] "out of that mouth issueth. "
## [10428] ""
## [10429] "\"Those two princes,\" said Philoclea, \"as well to help the "
## [10430] "weaker, especially being a lady as to save a Greek people from "
## [10431] "being ruined by such whom we call and count barbarous, gathering "
## [10432] ""
## [10433] ""
## [10434] ""
## [10435] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 193 "
## [10436] ""
## [10437] "together such of the honestest Lycians as would venture their "
## [10438] "lives to succour their princess ; giving order by a secret message, "
## [10439] "they sent into the city that they should issue with all force at an "
## [10440] "appointed time : they set upon Tiridates's camp with so well "
## [10441] "guided a fierceness that being on both sides assaulted, he was "
## [10442] "like to be overthrown, but that this Plangus, being general of "
## [10443] "Tiridates's horsemen, especially aided by the two mighty men "
## [10444] "Euardus and Barzanes, rescued the footmen, even almost defeated : "
## [10445] "but yet could not bar the princes, with their succours both of men "
## [10446] "and victual, to enter the city. "
## [10447] ""
## [10448] "\" Which when Tiridates found would make the war long, "
## [10449] "which length seemed to him worse than a languishing consumption, "
## [10450] "he made a challenge of three princes in his retinue, against those "
## [10451] "two princes and Antiphilus : and that thereupon the quarrel should "
## [10452] "be decided, with compact that neither side should help his fellow, "
## [10453] "but of whose side the more overcame, with him the victory should "
## [10454] "remain. Antiphilus (though Erona chose rather to bide the brunt "
## [10455] "of war, than venture him, yet) could not for shame refuse the offer, "
## [10456] "especially since the two strangers that had no interest in it, did "
## [10457] "willingly accept it ; besides that, he saw it like enough, that the "
## [10458] "people, weary of the miseries of war, would rather give him up, "
## [10459] "if they saw him shrink, than for his sake venture their ruin, con- "
## [10460] "sidering that the challengers were of far greater worthiness than "
## [10461] "himself. So it was agreed upon ; and against Pyrocles was "
## [10462] "Euardus king of Bithynia ; Barzanes of Hircania against "
## [10463] "Musidorus, two men, that thought the world scarce able to resist "
## [10464] "them ; and against Antiphilus he placed this same Plangus, being "
## [10465] "his own cousin german, and son to the king of Iberia. Now so "
## [10466] "it fell out, that Musidorus slew Barzanes, and Pyrocles Euardus, "
## [10467] "which victory those princes esteemed above all that ever they "
## [10468] "had : but of the other side Plangus took Antiphilus prisoner : "
## [10469] "under which colour, as if the matter had been equal, though indeed "
## [10470] "it was not, the greater part being overcome of his side, Tiridates "
## [10471] "continued his war : and to bring Erona to a compelled yielding, "
## [10472] "sent her word that he would the third morrow after, before the "
## [10473] "walls of the town, strike off Antiphilus's head, without his suit in "
## [10474] "that space were granted, adding, withal, because he had heard of "
## [10475] "her desperate affection, that, if in the meantime she did herself "
## [10476] "any hurt, what tortures could be devised should be lain upon "
## [10477] "Antiphilus. "
## [10478] ""
## [10479] "\" Then lo, if Cupid be a god, or that the tyranny of our own "
## [10480] "thoughts seem as a god unto us : but whatsoever it was then it "
## [10481] "did set forth the miserableness of his effects ; she being drawn "
## [10482] "to two contraries by one cause (for the love of him commanded "
## [10483] "her to yield to no other ; the love of him commanded her to "
## [10484] ""
## [10485] "N "
## [10486] ""
## [10487] ""
## [10488] ""
## [10489] "194 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [10490] ""
## [10491] "preserve his life) ; which knot might well be cut, but untied it could "
## [10492] "not be. So that love in her passions, like a right make-bate, "
## [10493] "whispered to both sides arguments of quarrel. 'What,' said he, "
## [10494] "'of the one side, dost thou love Antiphilus, O Erona ! and shall "
## [10495] "Tiridates enjoy thy body? With what eyes wilt thou look upon "
## [10496] "Antiphilus, when he shall know that another possesseth thee? "
## [10497] "but if thou wilt do it, canst thou do it ? canst thou force thy heart ? "
## [10498] "think with thyself, if this man have thee, thou shalt never have "
## [10499] "more part of Antiphilus than if he were dead. But thus much "
## [10500] "more, that the affectation shall be still gnawing, and the remorse "
## [10501] "still present. Death perhaps vill cool the rage of thy affection : "
## [10502] "where thus, thou shalt ever love, and ever lack. Think this beside, "
## [10503] "if thou marry Tiridates, Antiphilus is so excellent a man that long "
## [10504] "he cannot be from being in some high place married ; can'st thou "
## [10505] "suffer that too ? if another kill him, he doth him the wrong ; if "
## [10506] "thou abuse thy body, thou dost him the wrong. His death is "
## [10507] "a work of nature, and either now, or at another time he shall die. "
## [10508] "But it shall be thy work, thy shameful work, which is in thy "
## [10509] "power to shun, to make him live to see thy faith falsified, and his "
## [10510] "bed defiled.' But when love had well kindled that party of her "
## [10511] "thoughts, then went he to the other side. ' What,' said he, ' O "
## [10512] "Erona, and is thy love of Antiphilus come to that point, as thou "
## [10513] "dost now make it a question whether he shall die, or no? O "
## [10514] "excellent affection, which for too much love will see his head off. "
## [10515] "Mark well the reasons of the other side, and thou shalt see it is "
## [10516] "but love of thyself which so disputeth. Thou can'st not abide "
## [10517] "Tiridates : this is but love of thyself ; thou shalt be ashamed to "
## [10518] "look upon him afterwards ; this is but fear of shame, and love "
## [10519] "of thyself; thou shalt want him as much then ; this is but love "
## [10520] "of thyself : he shall be married ; if he be well, why should that "
## [10521] "grieve thee, but for love of thyself? no, no, pronounce these words "
## [10522] "if thou can'st, let Antiphilus die.' Then the images of each side "
## [10523] "stood before her understanding ; one time she thought she saw "
## [10524] "Antiphilus dying, another time she thought Antiphilus saw her "
## [10525] "by Tiridates enjoyed ; twenty times calling for a servant to carry "
## [10526] "message of yielding, but before he came the mind was altered. "
## [10527] "She blushed when she considered the effect of granting ; she was "
## [10528] "pale, when she remembered the fruits of denying. For weeping, "
## [10529] "sighing, wringing her hands, and tearing her hair, were indifferent "
## [10530] "of both sides. Easily she would have agreed to have broken all "
## [10531] "disputations with her own death, but that the fear of Antiphilus's "
## [10532] "farther torments, stayed her. At length, even the evening before "
## [10533] "the day appointed for his death, the determination of yielding "
## [10534] "prevailed, especially, growing upon a message of Antiphilus, who "
## [10535] "with all the conjuring terms he could devise, besought her to save "
## [10536] ""
## [10537] ""
## [10538] ""
## [10539] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 19s "
## [10540] ""
## [10541] "his life, upon any conditions. But she had no sooner sent her "
## [10542] "messenger to Tiridates, but her mind changed, and she went to "
## [10543] "the two young princes, Pyrocles and Musidorus, and falling down "
## [10544] "at their feet, desired them to try some way for her deliverance, "
## [10545] "showing herself resolved not to over-live Antiphilus, nor yet to "
## [10546] "yield to Tiridates. "
## [10547] ""
## [10548] "\" They that knew not what she had done in private, prepared "
## [10549] "that night accordingly : and as sometimes it falls out that what "
## [10550] "is inconstancy seems cunning, so did this change indeed stand in "
## [10551] "as good stead as a witty dissimulation. For it made the king as "
## [10552] "reckless as them diligent, so that in the dead time of the night, "
## [10553] "the princes issued out of the town ; with whom she would needs go, "
## [10554] "either to die herself, or rescue Antiphilus, having no armour, "
## [10555] "or weapon, but affection. And I cannot tell you how, or by what "
## [10556] "device, though Plangus at large described it, the conclusion was, "
## [10557] "the wonderful valour of the two princes so prevailed, that "
## [10558] "Antiphilus was succoured, and the king slain. Plangus was then "
## [10559] "the chief man left in the camp ; and therefore seeing no other "
## [10560] "remedy, conveyed in safety into her country Artaxia, now Queen "
## [10561] "of Armenia, who with true lamentations, made known to the world "
## [10562] "that her new greatness did no way comfort her in respect of her "
## [10563] "brother's loss, whom she studied by all means possible to revenge "
## [10564] "upon every one of the occasioners, having, as she thought, over- "
## [10565] "thrown her brother by a most abominable treason. Insomuch, "
## [10566] "that being at home she proclaimed great rewards to any private "
## [10567] "man, and herself in marriage to any prince that would destroy "
## [10568] "Pyrocles and Musidorus. But thus was Antiphilus redeemed, and, "
## [10569] "though against the consent of all her nobility, married to Erona ; "
## [10570] "in which case the two Greek princes, being called away by "
## [10571] "another adventure, left them. "
## [10572] ""
## [10573] "\" But now methinks, as I have read some poets, who when they "
## [10574] "intend to tell some horrible matter, they bid men shun the hearing "
## [10575] "of it, so if I do not desire you to stop your ears from me, yet may "
## [10576] "I well desire a breathing time, before I am to tell the execrable "
## [10577] "treason of Antiphilus that brought her to this misery, and withal "
## [10578] "wish you all, that from all mankind indeed you stop your ears. "
## [10579] "O most happy were we, if we did set our loves one upon another.\" "
## [10580] "And as she spake that word, her cheeks in red letters writ more "
## [10581] "than her tongue did speak. \" And therefore since I have named "
## [10582] "Plangus, I pray you, sister,\" said she, \"help me with the rest, "
## [10583] "for I have held the stage long enough ; and if it please you to "
## [10584] "make his fortune known, as I have done Erona's, I will after take "
## [10585] "heart again to go on with his falsehood ; and so between us both, "
## [10586] "my Lady Zelmane shall understand both the cause and parties "
## [10587] "of this lamentation.\" \"Nay, I beshrew me then,\" said Miso, "
## [10588] ""
## [10589] ""
## [10590] ""
## [10591] "196 "
## [10592] ""
## [10593] ""
## [10594] ""
## [10595] "ARCADIA [=°^'^ \"• "
## [10596] ""
## [10597] ""
## [10598] ""
## [10599] "\" I will none of that, I promise you, as long as I have the govern- "
## [10600] "ment I will first hLve my tale, and then my Lady Pamela, my "
## [10601] "Lady Zefmane, and my daughter Mopsa (for Mopsa was then "
## [10602] "returned from Amphialus) may draw cuts, and the shortest cut "
## [10603] "sneak first. For I tell you, and this may be suffered, when you "
## [10604] "are married, you will have first and last word of your husbands.\" "
## [10605] ""
## [10606] "The ladies laughed to see with what an eager earnestness she "
## [10607] "looked, having threatened not only in her ferret eyes, but while she "
## [10608] "spoke her nose seeming to threaten her chin, and her shaking "
## [10609] "limbs one to threaten another. But there was no remedy, they "
## [10610] "must obey, and Miso, sitting on the ground with her knees up, "
## [10611] "and her hands upon her knees, tuning her voice with many a "
## [10612] "quavering cough, thus discoursed unto them. \" I tell you true,\" "
## [10613] "said she, \"whatsoever you think of me, you will one day be as "
## [10614] "I am ; and I, simple though I sit here, thought once my penny as "
## [10615] "good silver, as some of you do : and if my father had not played "
## [10616] "the hasty fool, it is no lie I tell you, I might have had another- "
## [10617] "gains husband than Dametas. But let that pass, God amend "
## [10618] "him ; and yet I speak it not without good cause. You are full in "
## [10619] "your tittle-tattlings of Cupid, here is Cupid and there is Cupid. "
## [10620] "I will tell you now what a good old woman told me, what an old "
## [10621] "wise man told her, what a great learned clerk told him, and gave "
## [10622] "it him in writing : and here I have it in my prayer-book.\" \" I pray "
## [10623] "you,\" said Philoclea, \" let us see it and read it.\" \" No haste, but "
## [10624] "good,\" said Miso, \" you shall first know how I came by it. I was "
## [10625] "a young girl of seven and twenty years old, and I could not go "
## [10626] "through the street of our village, but I might hear the young men "
## [10627] "talk : O the pretty little eyes of Miso : O the fine thin lips of "
## [10628] "Miso : O the goodly fat hands of Miso : besides, how well a certain "
## [10629] "wrying in my neck became me. Then the one would wink with "
## [10630] "one eye, and the other cast daisies at me. I must confess, seeing "
## [10631] "so many amorous, it made me set up my peacock's tail with the "
## [10632] "highest. Which when this good old woman perceived, O the good "
## [10633] "old woman, well may the bones rest of the good old woman, she "
## [10634] "called me to her into her house. I remember fiill well it stood "
## [10635] "in the lane as you go to the barber's shop ; all the town knew her, "
## [10636] "there was a great loss of her : she called me to her, and taking "
## [10637] "first a sop of wine to comfort her heart, it was of the same wine "
## [10638] "that comes out of Candia, which we pay so dear for now-a-days, "
## [10639] "and in that good world was very good cheap, she called me to her : "
## [10640] "' Minion,' said she, indeed I was a pretty one in those days, though "
## [10641] "I say it, ' I see a number of lads that love you, well,' said she, "
## [10642] "'I say no more; do you know what love is?' With that she "
## [10643] "brought me into a corner, where there was painted a foul fiend "
## [10644] "I trow, for he had a pair of horns like a bull, his feet cloven, as many "
## [10645] ""
## [10646] ""
## [10647] ""
## [10648] "BOOK u.] ARCADIA 197 "
## [10649] ""
## [10650] "eyes upon his body as my grey mare hath dapples, and for all the "
## [10651] "world so placed. This monster sat like a hangman upon a pair "
## [10652] "of gallows ; in his right hand he was painted holding a crown of "
## [10653] "laurel ; in his left hand a purse of money ; and out of his mouth "
## [10654] "hung a lace of two fair pictures of a man and a woman, and such "
## [10655] "a countenance he showed as if he would persuade folks by those "
## [10656] "allurements to come thither and be hanged. I, like a tender- "
## [10657] "hearted wench, shrieked out for fear of the devil : ' well,' said she, "
## [10658] "' this same is even love ; therefore do what thou list with all those "
## [10659] "fellows one after another, and it recks not much what they do to "
## [10660] "thee, so it be in secret ; but upon my charge, never love none of "
## [10661] "them.' ' Why mother,' said I, ' could such a thing come from the "
## [10662] "belly of fair Venus ? for a few days before, our priest, between him "
## [10663] "and me, had told me the whole story of Venus.' ' Tush,' said she, "
## [10664] "' they are all deceived ; ' and therewith gave me this book which "
## [10665] "she said a great maker of ballads had given to an old painter, who, "
## [10666] "for a little pleasure, had bestowed both book and picture of her. "
## [10667] "'Read there,' said she, 'and thou shalt see that his mother was "
## [10668] "a cow, and the false Argus his father.' And so she gave me this "
## [10669] "book, and there now you may read it.\" With that the remembrance "
## [10670] "of the good old woman, made her make such a face to weep, as "
## [10671] "if it were not sorrow, it was the carcass of sorrow that appeared "
## [10672] "there.. But while her tears came out, like rain falling upon dirty "
## [10673] "furrows, the latter end of her prayer-book was read among these "
## [10674] "ladies, which contained this : "
## [10675] ""
## [10676] "Poor Painters oft with silly Poets join, "
## [10677] ""
## [10678] "To fill the world with strange but vain conceits : "
## [10679] ""
## [10680] "One brings the stuff, the other stamps the coin, "
## [10681] ""
## [10682] "Which breeds nought else but glosses of deceits. "
## [10683] ""
## [10684] "Thus painters Cupid paint, thus poets do "
## [10685] ""
## [10686] "A naked god, blind, young, with arrows two. "
## [10687] "Is he a god that ever flies the light : "
## [10688] ""
## [10689] "Or naked he, disguis'd in all untruth ? "
## [10690] "If he be blind, how hitteth he so right ? "
## [10691] ""
## [10692] "How is he young that tam'd old Phcebus youth ? "
## [10693] ""
## [10694] "But arrows two, and tipped with gold or lead? "
## [10695] ""
## [10696] "Some hurt, accuse a third with horny head. "
## [10697] ""
## [10698] "No, nothing so ; an old false knave he is, "
## [10699] ""
## [10700] "By Argus got on lo, then a cow : "
## [10701] ""
## [10702] "What time for her Juno her Jove did miss, "
## [10703] ""
## [10704] "And charge of her to Argus did allow. "
## [10705] ""
## [10706] "Mercury kill'd his false sire for this act. "
## [10707] ""
## [10708] "His dam a beast was pardon'd beastly fact. "
## [10709] "With father's death and mother's guilty shame, "
## [10710] ""
## [10711] "With Jove's disdain of such a rival's seed : "
## [10712] ""
## [10713] ""
## [10714] ""
## [10715] "198 ARCADIA [BOOK M. "
## [10716] ""
## [10717] "The wretch compell'd a runnagate became, "
## [10718] ""
## [10719] "And learn'd what ill a miser-state doth breed : "
## [10720] ""
## [10721] "To lie, to steal, to pry, and to accuse, "
## [10722] ""
## [10723] "Nought in himself each other to abuse. "
## [10724] ""
## [10725] "Yet bears he still his parents stately gifts, "
## [10726] "A horned head, cloven feet, and thousand eyes, "
## [10727] ""
## [10728] "Some gazing still, some winking wily shifts. "
## [10729] "Whose long large ears, where never rumour dies. "
## [10730] ""
## [10731] "His horned head doth seem the heaven to spite, "
## [10732] ""
## [10733] "His cloven foot doth never tread aright. "
## [10734] "Thus half a man, with man he daily haunts, "
## [10735] ""
## [10736] "Cloth'd in the shape which soonest may deceive : "
## [10737] "Thus half a beast, each beastly vice he plants, "
## [10738] ""
## [10739] "In those weak hearts that his advice receive. "
## [10740] ""
## [10741] "He prowls each place still in new colours decked, "
## [10742] ""
## [10743] "Sucking one's ill, another to infect. "
## [10744] ""
## [10745] "To narrow breasts, he comes all wrapped in gain : "
## [10746] ""
## [10747] "To swelling hearts he shines in honours fire : "
## [10748] "To open eyes all beauties he doth rain ; "
## [10749] ""
## [10750] "Creeping to each with flattering of desire. "
## [10751] ""
## [10752] "But for that love is worst which rules the eyes, "
## [10753] ""
## [10754] "Thereon his name, there his chief triumph lies. "
## [10755] "Millions of years this old drivel Cupid lives. "
## [10756] ""
## [10757] "While still more wretch, more wicked he doth prove. "
## [10758] "Till now at length that Jove him office gives "
## [10759] "(At Juno's suit, who much did Argus love) "
## [10760] ""
## [10761] "In this our world a hangman for to be "
## [10762] ""
## [10763] "Of all those fools, that will have all they see. "
## [10764] ""
## [10765] "The ladies made sport at the description and story of Cupid. "
## [10766] "But Zelmane could scarce suffer those blasphemies, as she took "
## [10767] "them, to be read, but humbly besought Pamela we should perform "
## [10768] "her sister's request of the other part of the story. \" Noble lady,\" "
## [10769] "answered she, beautifying her face with a sweet smiling, and the "
## [10770] "sweetness of her smiling with the beauty of her face, \" since I am "
## [10771] "born a prince's daughter, let me not give example of disobedience. "
## [10772] "My governess will have us draw cuts, and therefore I pray you let "
## [10773] "us do so : and so perhaps it will light upon you to entertain this "
## [10774] "company with some story of your own ; and it is reason our ears "
## [10775] "should be willinger to hear, as your tongue is abler to deliver.\" "
## [10776] "\" I will think,\" answered Zelmane, \" excellent princess, my tongue "
## [10777] "of some value if it can procure your tongue thus much to favour "
## [10778] "me.'' But Pamela pleasantly persisting to have fortune their judge, "
## [10779] "they set hands, and Mopsa (though at the first for squeamishness "
## [10780] "going up and down with her head like a boat in a storm,) put to "
## [10781] "her golden gols* among them, and blind fortune, that saw not the "
## [10782] "colour of them, gave her the pre-eminence : and so being her time "
## [10783] ""
## [10784] "* Hands. "
## [10785] ""
## [10786] ""
## [10787] ""
## [10788] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 199 "
## [10789] ""
## [10790] "to speak, wiping her mouth, as there was good cause, she thus "
## [10791] "tumbled into her matter. "
## [10792] ""
## [10793] "\" In time past,\" said she, \" there was a king, the mightiest man "
## [10794] "in all his country, that had by his wife the fairest daughter that "
## [10795] "ever ate pap. Now this king did keep a great house, that every- "
## [10796] "body might come and take their meat freely. So one day as his "
## [10797] "daughter was sitting in her window, playing upon a harp as sweet "
## [10798] "as any rose, and combing her head with a comb all of precious "
## [10799] "stones, there came in a knight into the court, upon a goodly horse, "
## [10800] "one hair of gold, and the other of silver ; and so the knight casting "
## [10801] "up his eyes to the window, did fall into such love with her, that he "
## [10802] "grew not worth the bread he ate ; till many a sorry day going "
## [10803] "over his head, with daily diligence and griefly groans, he won her "
## [10804] "affection, so that they agreed to run away together. And so in "
## [10805] "May, when all true hearts rejoice, they stole out of the castle "
## [10806] "without staying so much as for their breakfast. Now forsooth, as "
## [10807] "they went together, often fall to kissing one another, the knight "
## [10808] "told her, he was brought up among the water-nymphs, who had so "
## [10809] "bewitched him that if he were ever ask'd his name, he must "
## [10810] "presently vanish away, and therefore charged her upon his blessing, "
## [10811] "never to ask him what he was, not whether he would. And so a "
## [10812] "great while she kept his commandment ; till once, passing through "
## [10813] "a cruel wilderness, as dark as pitch, her mouth so watered, that "
## [10814] "she could not choose but ask him the question. And then, he "
## [10815] "making the grievousest complaints that would have melted a tree "
## [10816] "to have heai'd them, vanish'd quite away : and she lay down, "
## [10817] "casting forth as pitiful cries as any shriek-owl. But having lain so, "
## [10818] "wet by the rain, and burnt by the sun, five days and five nights, "
## [10819] "she got up and went over many a high hill, and many a deep river, "
## [10820] "till she came to an aunt's house of hers, and came and cried to her "
## [10821] "for help : and she for pity gave her a nut, and bid her never open "
## [10822] "her nut till she was come to the extremest misery that ever tongue "
## [10823] "could speak of; and so she went, and she went, and never rested "
## [10824] "the evening, where she went in the morning, till she came to a "
## [10825] "second aunt, and she gave her another nut.\" "
## [10826] ""
## [10827] "\" Now good Mopsa,\" said the sweet Philoclea, \" I pray thee at "
## [10828] "my request keep this tale till my marriage-day, and I promise thee "
## [10829] "that the best gown I wear that day shall be thine.\" Mopsa was "
## [10830] "very glad of that bargain, especially that it should grow a festival "
## [10831] "tale : so that Zelmane, who desired , to find the uttermost what "
## [10832] "these ladies understood touching herself, and having understood "
## [10833] "the danger of Erona, of which before she had never heard, purpos- "
## [10834] "ing with herself, as soon as this pursuit she now was in was brought "
## [10835] "to any efi'ect, to succour her, entreated again, that she might know "
## [10836] "as well the story of Plangus, as of Erona. Philoclea referred it to "
## [10837] ""
## [10838] ""
## [10839] ""
## [10840] "200 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [10841] ""
## [10842] "her sister's perfecter remembrance, who with so sweet a voice, and "
## [10843] "so winning a grace, as in themselves were of most forcible eloquence "
## [10844] "to procure attention, in this manner to their earnest request soon "
## [10845] "condescended. "
## [10846] ""
## [10847] "\" The father of this prince Plangus as yet lives, and is king of "
## [10848] "Iberia : a man, if the judgment of Plangus may be accepted, of no "
## [10849] "wicked nature, nor willingly doing evil, without himself mistake "
## [10850] "the evil, seeing it disguised under some form of goodness. This "
## [10851] "prince being married at the first to a princess, who both from her "
## [10852] "ancestors, and in herself was worthy of him, by her had this son "
## [10853] "Plangus. Not long after whose birth, the queen, as though she "
## [10854] "had performed the message for which she was sent into the world, "
## [10855] "returned again unto her maker. The king, sealing up all thoughts ' "
## [10856] "of love under the image of her memory, remained a widower many "
## [10857] "years after ; recompensing the grief of that disjoining from her, in "
## [10858] "conjoining in himself both a fatherly and motherly care toward her "
## [10859] "only child Plangus, who being grown to man's age, as our own "
## [10860] "eyes may judge, could not but fertily requite his father's fatherly "
## [10861] "education. "
## [10862] ""
## [10863] "\" This prince, while yet the errors in his nature were excused by "
## [10864] "the greenness of his youth which took all the fault upon itself, loved "
## [10865] "a private man's wife of the principal city of that kingdom, if that "
## [10866] "may be called love, which he rather did take into himself willingly "
## [10867] "than by which he was taken forcibly. It sufficeth that the young "
## [10868] "man persuaded himself he loved her : she being a woman beautiful "
## [10869] "enough, if it be possible, that the only outside can justly entitle a "
## [10870] "beauty. But finding such a chase as only fled to be caught, the "
## [10871] "young prince brought his affection with her to that point, which "
## [10872] "ought to engrave remorse in her heart, and to paint shame upon "
## [10873] "her face. And so possessed he his desire without any interruption ; "
## [10874] "he constantly favouring her, and she thinking that the enamelling "
## [10875] "of a prince's name, might hide the spots of a broken wedlock. But "
## [10876] "as I have seen one that was sick of a sleeping disease could not be "
## [10877] "made wake, but with pinching of him, so out of his sinful sleep his "
## [10878] "mind, unworthy so to be lost, was not to be called to itself, but by "
## [10879] "a sharp accident. It fell out, that his many times leaving of the "
## [10880] "court, in undue times, began to be noted ; and, as prince's ears be "
## [10881] "manifold, from one to another came unto the king, who, careful of "
## [10882] "his only son, sought and found by his spies, the necessary evil "
## [10883] "servants to a king, what it was, whereby he was from his laetter "
## [10884] "delights so diverted. Whereupon, the king, to give his fault the "
## [10885] "greater blow, used such means by disguising himself, that he found "
## [10886] "them, her husband being absent, in her house together, which he "
## [10887] "did to make them the more feelingly ashamed of it. And that "
## [10888] "way he took, laying threatenings upon her, and upon him "
## [10889] ""
## [10890] ""
## [10891] ""
## [10892] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 20I "
## [10893] ""
## [10894] "reproaches. But the poor young prince, deceived with that young "
## [10895] "opinion, that if it be ever lawful to lie, it is for one's lover, employed "
## [10896] "all his wit to bring his father into a better opinion. And because "
## [10897] "he might bend him from that, as he counted it, crooked conceit of "
## [10898] "her, he wrested him, as much as he could possibly, to the other "
## [10899] "side, not sticking with prodigal protestations to set forth her "
## [10900] "chastity ; not denying his own attempt, but thereby the more "
## [10901] "extolling her virtue, His sophistry, prevailed, his father believed, "
## [10902] "and so believed, that ere long, though he were already stepped into "
## [10903] "the winter of his age, he found himself warm in those desires which "
## [10904] "were in his son far more excusable. To be short, he gave himself "
## [10905] "over unto it, and, because he would avoid the odious comparison "
## [10906] "of a young rival, sent away his son with an army, to the subduing "
## [10907] "of a province lately rebelled against him, which he knew could not "
## [10908] "be less work than of three or four years. Wherein he behaved "
## [10909] "himself so worthily, as even to this country the fame thereof came, "
## [10910] "long before his own coming : while yet his father had a speedier "
## [10911] "success, but in a far more unnobler conquest. For while Plangus "
## [10912] "was away, the old man, growing only in age and affection, followed "
## [10913] "his suit with all means of unhonest servants, large promises, and "
## [10914] "each thing else that might help to countervail his own unloveliness. "
## [10915] "And she, whose husband about that time died, forgetting the "
## [10916] "absent Plangus, or at least not hoping of him to obtain so aspiring "
## [10917] "a purpose, left no art unused, which might keep the line from "
## [10918] "breaking, whereat the fish was already taken, not drawing him "
## [10919] "violently, but letting him play himself upon the hook which he "
## [10920] "had so greedily swallowed. For, accompanying her mourning "
## [10921] "garments with a doleful countenance, yet neither forgetting "
## [10922] "handsomeness in her mourning garments, nor sweetness in her "
## [10923] "doleful countenance, her words were ever seasoned with sighs, and "
## [10924] "any favour she showed, bathed in tears, that affection might see "
## [10925] "cause of pity, and pity might persuade cause of affection. And "
## [10926] "being grown skilful in his humours, she was no less skilful in "
## [10927] "applying his humours ; never suffering his fear to fall to despair, "
## [10928] "nor his hope to hasten to an assurance : she was content he should "
## [10929] "think that she loved him ; and a certain stolen look should some- "
## [10930] "times, as though it were against her will, betray it : but if there- "
## [10931] "upon he grew bold, he straight was encountered with a mask of "
## [10932] "virtue. And that which seemeth most impossible unto me, for as "
## [10933] "near as I can repeat it, as Plangus told it, she could not only sigh "
## [10934] "when she would, as all can do, and weep when she would, as, they "
## [10935] "say, some can do ; but, being most impudent in her heart, she "
## [10936] "could when she would, teach her cheeks blushing, and make shame- "
## [10937] "facedness the cloak of shamelessness. In sum, to leave out many "
## [10938] "particularities, which he recited, she did not only use so the spur "
## [10939] ""
## [10940] ""
## [10941] ""
## [10942] "202 ARCADIA [book II. "
## [10943] ""
## [10944] "that his desire ran on, but so the bit, that it ran on even in such "
## [10945] "a career as she would have it ; that within a while the king, seeing "
## [10946] "with no other eyes but such as she gave him, and thinking on no "
## [10947] "other thoughts but such as she taught him ; having at first liberal "
## [10948] "measures of favours, then shortened of them, when most his desire "
## [10949] "was inflamed, he saw no other way but marriage to satisfy his "
## [10950] "longing, and her mind, as he thought, loving, but chastly loving : "
## [10951] "so that by the time Plangus returned from being notably victorious "
## [10952] "over the rebels, he found his father not only married, but already "
## [10953] "a father of a son and a daughter by this woman. Which though "
## [10954] "Plangus, as he had every way just cause, was grieved at ; yet did "
## [10955] "his grief never bring forth either contemning of her or repining at "
## [10956] "his father. But she, who besides that was grown a mother, and a "
## [10957] "step-mother, did read in his eyes her own fault, and made his "
## [10958] "conscience her guiltiness, thought still that his presence carried "
## [10959] "her condemnation ; so much the more, as that she, unchastly "
## [10960] "attempting his wonted fancies, found, for the reverence of his "
## [10961] "father's bed, a bitter refusal, which breeding rather spite than "
## [10962] "shame in her, or if it were a shame, a shame not of the fault, but "
## [10963] "of the repulse, she did not only, as hating him, thirst for a revenge, "
## [10964] "but, as fearing harm from him, endeavoured to do harm unto him. "
## [10965] "Therefore did she try the uttermost of her wicked wit, how to "
## [10966] "overthrow him in the foundation of his strength, which was in the "
## [10967] "favour of his father : which because she saw strong both in nature "
## [10968] "and desert, it required the more cunning how to undermine it. "
## [10969] "And therefore, shunning the ordinary trade of hireling Sycophants, "
## [10970] "she made her praises of him to be accusations ; and her advanc- "
## [10971] "ing him to be his ruin. For first, with words, nearer admiration "
## [10972] "than liking, she would extol his excellencies, the goodliness of his "
## [10973] "shape, the power of his wit, the valiantness of his courage, the "
## [10974] "fortunateness of his successes, so as the father might find in her "
## [10975] "a singular love towards him : nay she shunned not to kindle some "
## [10976] "few sparks of jealousy in him : thus having gotten an opinion in "
## [10977] "his father that she was far from meaning mischief to the son, then "
## [10978] "fell she to praise him with no less vehemency of affection, but with "
## [10979] "much more cunning of malice. For then she sets forth the liberty "
## [10980] "of his mind, the high flying of his thoughts, the fitness in him to "
## [10981] "bear rule, the singular love the subjects bear him, that it was "
## [10982] "doubtful whether his wit were greater in winning their favours, or "
## [10983] "his courage in employing their favours ; that he was not born to "
## [10984] "live a subject life, each action of his bearing in it majesty ; such a "
## [10985] "kingly entertainment, such a kingly magnificence, such a kingly "
## [10986] "heart for enterprizes ; especially remembering those virtues, which "
## [10987] "in a successor are no more honoured by the subjects than suspected "
## [10988] "of the princes. Then would she, by putting off objections, bring "
## [10989] ""
## [10990] ""
## [10991] ""
## [10992] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 203 "
## [10993] ""
## [10994] "in objections to her husband's head, already infected with suspicion. "
## [10995] "\" Nay,\" would she say, \" I dare take it upon my death, that he is "
## [10996] "no such son, as many like might have been, who loved greatness "
## [10997] "so wellas to build their greatness upon their father's ruin. Indeed "
## [10998] "ambition, like love, can abide no lingering, and ever urgeth on his "
## [10999] "own successes ; hating nothing, but what may stop them. But the "
## [11000] "gods forbid, we should ever once dream of any such thing in him, "
## [11001] "who perhaps might be content that you and the world should know "
## [11002] "what he can do : but the more power he hath to hurt, the more "
## [11003] "admirable is his praise, that he will not hurt.\" Then ever re- "
## [11004] "membering to strengthen the suspicion of his estate with private "
## [11005] "jealousy of her love, doing him excessive honour when he was in "
## [11006] "presence, and repeating his pretty speeches and graces in his "
## [11007] "absence, besides, causing him to be employed in all such dangerous "
## [11008] "matters, as either he should perish in them, or, if he prevailed, "
## [11009] "they should increase his glory, which she made a weapon to wound "
## [11010] "him ; until she found that suspicion began already to speak for "
## [11011] "itself, and that her husband's ears were grown hungry of rumours, "
## [11012] "and his eyes prying into every accident. "
## [11013] ""
## [11014] "\" Then took she help to her of a servant near about her husband, "
## [11015] "whom she knew to be of a hasty ambition, and such a one, who, "
## [11016] "wanting true sufficiency to raise him, would make a ladder of any "
## [11017] "mischief. Him she useth to deal more plainly in alleging causes "
## [11018] "of jealousy, making him know the fittest times when her husband "
## [11019] "already was stirred that way. And so they two, with divers ways, "
## [11020] "nourished one humour, like musicians, that singing divers parts, "
## [11021] "make one music. He sometimes with fearful countenance would "
## [11022] "desire the king to look to himself, for that all the court and city "
## [11023] "were full of whisperings and expectation of some sudden change, "
## [11024] "upon what ground himself knew not. Another time he would "
## [11025] "counsel the king to make much of his son, and hold his favour, for "
## [11026] "that it was too late now to keep him under. Now seeming to fear "
## [11027] "himself, because, he said, Plangus loved none of them that were "
## [11028] "great about his father. Lastly, breaking with him directly, making "
## [11029] "a sorrowful countenance, and an humble gesture bear false witness "
## [11030] "for his true meaning, that he found not only soldiery, but people "
## [11031] "weary of his government, and all their affection bent upon Plangus ; "
## [11032] "both he and the queen concurring in strange dreams, and each "
## [11033] "thing else, that in a mind already perplexed might breed astonish- "
## [11034] "ment : so that within a while, all Plangus's actions began to be "
## [11035] "translated into the language of suspicion. Which though Plangus "
## [11036] "found, yet could he not avoid, even contraries being driven to "
## [11037] "draw one yoke of argument. If he were magnificent, he spent "
## [11038] "much with an aspiring intent, if he spared, he heaped much with "
## [11039] "an aspiring intent ; if he spoke courteously, he angled the people's "
## [11040] ""
## [11041] ""
## [11042] ""
## [11043] "204 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [11044] ""
## [11045] "hearts ; if he were silent, he mused upon some dangerous plot. In "
## [11046] "sum, if he could have turned himself to as many forms as Proteus, "
## [11047] "every form should have been made hideous. "
## [11048] ""
## [11049] "\"But so it fell out, that a mere trifle gave them occasion of "
## [11050] "further proceeding. The king one morning, going to a vineyard "
## [11051] "that lay along the hill whereupon his castle stood : he saw a vine- "
## [11052] "labourer, that finding a bough broken, took a branch of the same "
## [11053] "bough for want of another thing and tied it about the place broken. "
## [11054] "The king asking the fellow what he did, 'Marry,' said he, 'I "
## [11055] "make the son bind the father.\" This word, finding the king "
## [11056] "already superstitious through suspicion, amazed him straight, as "
## [11057] "a presage of his own fortune, so that, returning and breaking with "
## [11058] "his wife how much he misdoubted his estate ; she made such gain- "
## [11059] "saying answers as while they strove, strove to be overcome. But "
## [11060] "even while the doubts most boiled, she thus nourished them. "
## [11061] ""
## [11062] "\" She under-hand dealt with the principal men of that country, "
## [11063] "that at the great parliament, which was then to be held, they should "
## [11064] "in the name of all the estates persuade the king, being now "
## [11065] "stepped deeply into old age, to make Plangus his associate in "
## [11066] "government with him, assuring them that not only she would join "
## [11067] "with them, but that the father himself would take it kindly, charging "
## [11068] "them not to acquaint Plangus withal, for that perhaps it might be "
## [11069] "harmful unto him, if the king should find that he were a party. "
## [11070] "They (who thought they might do it, not only willingly, because "
## [11071] "they loved him ; and truly, because such indeed was the mind of "
## [11072] "the people ; but safely, because she who ruled the king, was agreed "
## [11073] "thereto) accomplished her counsel ; she indeed keeping promise of "
## [11074] "vehement persuading the same : which the more she and they did, "
## [11075] "the more she knew her husband would fear, and hate the cause of "
## [11076] "his fear, Plangus found this, and humbly protested against such "
## [11077] "desire or will to accept. But the more he protested, the more his "
## [11078] "father thought he dissembled, accounting his integrity to be but a "
## [11079] "cunning face of falsehood : and therefore delaying the desire of his "
## [11080] "subjects, attended some fit occasion to lay hands upon his son, "
## [11081] "which his wife brought thus to pass. "
## [11082] ""
## [11083] "\" She caused the same minister of hers to go unto Plangus, and, "
## [11084] "enabling his words with great show of faith, and endearing them "
## [11085] "with desire of secrecy, to tell him, that he found his ruin conspired "
## [11086] "by his stepmother, with certain of the noblemen of that country, "
## [11087] "the king himself giving his consent, and that few days should pass "
## [11088] "before the putting it in practice ; withal discovering the very truth "
## [11089] "indeed, with what cunning his step-mother had proceeded. This "
## [11090] "agreeing with Plangus his own opinion, made him give the better "
## [11091] "credit ; yet not so far, as to fly out of his country, according to "
## [11092] "the naughty fellow's persuasion, but to attend, and to see farther. "
## [11093] ""
## [11094] ""
## [11095] ""
## [11096] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 205 "
## [11097] ""
## [11098] "Whereupon the fellow, by the direction of his mistress, told him "
## [11099] "one day, that the same night, about one of the clock, the king had "
## [11100] "appointed to have his wife, and those noblemen together to "
## [11101] "deliberate of their manner of proceeding against Plangus, and "
## [11102] "therefore offered him, that if himself would agree, he would bring "
## [11103] "him into a place where he should hear all that passed and so have "
## [11104] "the more reason both to himself and to the world, to seek his "
## [11105] "safety. The poor Plangus, being subject to that only disadvantage "
## [11106] "of honest hearts, credulity, was persuaded by him ; and arming "
## [11107] "himself, because of his late going, was closely conveyed into the "
## [11108] "place appointed. In the meantime, his step-mother, making all "
## [11109] "her gestures cunningly counterfeit a miserable affliction, she lay "
## [11110] "almost grovelling on the floor of her chamber, not suffering any- "
## [11111] "body to comfort her, until they calling for her husband, and he "
## [11112] "held off with long enquiry, at length she told him, even almost "
## [11113] "crying out of every word, that she was weary of her life, since she "
## [11114] "was brought to that plunge, either to conceal her husband's murder, "
## [11115] "or accuse her son, who had ever been more dear than a son unto "
## [11116] "her. Then with many interruptions and exclamations she told "
## [11117] "him, that her son Plangus, soliciting her in the old affection between "
## [11118] "them, had besought her to put to her helping hand to the death of "
## [11119] "the king, assuring her that, though all the laws in the world were "
## [11120] "against it, he would marry her when he were king. "
## [11121] ""
## [11122] "\" She had not fully said thus much, with many pitiful digressions, "
## [11123] "when ia comes the same fellow that brought Plangus : and running "
## [11124] "himself out of breath, fell at the king's feet, beseeching him to save "
## [11125] "himself, for that there was a man with a sword drawn in the next "
## [11126] "room. The king affrighted, went out, and called his guard, who "
## [11127] "entering the place, found indeed Plangus with his sword in his "
## [11128] "hand, but not naked, yet standing suspiciously enough to one "
## [11129] "already suspicious. The king, thinking he had put up his sword "
## [11130] "because of the noise, never took leisure to hear his answer, but "
## [11131] "made him prisoner, meaning the next morning to put him to death "
## [11132] "in the market-place. "
## [11133] ""
## [11134] "\" But the day had no sooner opened the eyes and ears of his "
## [11135] "friends and followers, but that there was a little army of them who "
## [11136] "came, and by force delivered him ; although numbers on the other "
## [11137] "side, abused with the fine framing of their report, took arms for "
## [11138] "the king. But Plangus, though he might have used the force of "
## [11139] "his friends to revenge his wrong, and get the crown, yet the natural "
## [11140] "love of his father, and hate to make their suspicion seem just, "
## [11141] "caused him rather to choose a voluntary exile than to make his "
## [11142] "father's death the. purchase of his life : and therefore went he to "
## [11143] "Tiridates, whose mother was his father's sister, living in his court "
## [11144] "eleven or twelve years, ever hoping by his intercession, and his "
## [11145] ""
## [11146] ""
## [11147] ""
## [11148] "2o6 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [11149] ""
## [11150] "own desert, to recover his father's grace. At the end of which "
## [11151] "time, the war of Erona happened, which my sister, with the cause "
## [11152] "thereof, discoursed unto you. "
## [11153] ""
## [11154] "\" But his father had so deeply engraven the suspicion in his "
## [11155] "heart that he thought his flight rather to proceed of a fearful guilti- "
## [11156] "ness than of an humble faithfulness, and therefore continued his "
## [11157] "hate with such vehemency that he did even hate his nephew "
## [11158] "Tiridates, and afterwards his niece Artaxia, because in his court "
## [11159] "he received countenance, leaving no means unattempted of destroy- "
## [11160] "ing his son ; among other, employing that wicked servant of his, "
## [11161] "who undertook to empoison him. But his cunning disguised him "
## [11162] "not so well but that the watchful servants of Plangus did discover "
## [11163] "him, whereupon the wretch was taken, and, before his well- "
## [11164] "deserved execution, by tortures forced to confess the particularities "
## [11165] "of this, which in general I have told you. "
## [11166] ""
## [11167] "\"Which confession authentically set down, though Tiridates "
## [11168] "with solemn embassage sent to the king, wrought no effect. For "
## [11169] "the king having put the reins of the government into his wife's "
## [11170] "hand, never did so much as read it, but sent it straight by her to "
## [11171] "be considered. So as they rather heaped more hatred on Plangus, "
## [11172] "for the death of their servant. And now finding, that his absence, "
## [11173] "and their reports, had much diminished the wavering people's "
## [11174] "affection towards Plangus, with advancing fit persons for faction, "
## [11175] "and granting great immunities to the commons, they prevailed so "
## [11176] "far as to cause the son of the second wife, called Palladius, to be "
## [11177] "proclaimed successor, and Plangus quite excluded : so that Plangus "
## [11178] "was driven to continue his serving Tiridates, as he did in the war "
## [11179] "against Erona, and brought home Artaxia, as my sister told you ; "
## [11180] "when Erona by the treason of Antiphilus \" "
## [11181] ""
## [11182] "But at that word she stopped. For Basilius, not able longer to "
## [11183] "abide their absence, came suddenly among them, and with smiling "
## [11184] "countenance, telling Zelmane he was afraid she had stolen away "
## [11185] "his daughters, invited them to follow the sun's counsel in going "
## [11186] "then to their lodging, for indeed the sun was ready to set. They "
## [11187] "yielded, Zelmane meaning some other time to understand the story "
## [11188] "of Antiphilus's treason, and Erona's danger, whose cause she "
## [11189] "greatly tendered. But Miso had no sooner espied Basilius, but as "
## [11190] "spitefully as her rotten voice could utter, she set forth the sauciness "
## [11191] "of Amphailus, But Basilius only attended what Zelmane's opinion "
## [11192] "was, who though she hated Amphialus, yet the nobihty of her "
## [11193] "courage prevailed over it, and she desired he might be pardoned "
## [11194] "that youthful error, considering the reputation he had to be one of "
## [11195] "the best knights in the world ; so as hereafter he governed himself, "
## [11196] "as one remembering his fault. Basilius giving the infinite terms of "
## [11197] "praises to Zelmane's both valour in conquering, and pitifulness in "
## [11198] ""
## [11199] ""
## [11200] ""
## [11201] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 207 "
## [11202] ""
## [11203] "pardoning, commanded no more words to be made of it, since such "
## [11204] "he thought was her pleasure. "
## [11205] ""
## [11206] "So brought he them up to visit his wife, where, between her and "
## [11207] "him, the poor Zelmane received a tedious entertainment ; oppressed "
## [11208] "with being loved, almost as much, as with loving. Basilius not so "
## [11209] "wise in covering his passion, could make his tongue go almost no "
## [11210] "other pace, but to run into those immoderate praises which the "
## [11211] "fooUsh lover thinks short of his mistress, though they reach far "
## [11212] "beyond the heavens. But Gynecia, whom womanly modesty did "
## [11213] "more outwardly bridle, yet did sometimes use the advantage of her "
## [11214] "sex in kissing Zelmane, as she sat upon her bed-side by her, which "
## [11215] "was but still more and more sweet incense to cast upon the fire "
## [11216] "wherein her heart was sacrificed. Once Zelmane could not stir, "
## [11217] "but that, as if they had been poppets, whose motion stood only "
## [11218] "upon her pleasure, Basilius with serviceable steps, Gynecia with "
## [11219] "greedy eyes, would follow her. Basilius's mind Gynecia well knew, "
## [11220] "and could have found in her heart to laugh at, if mirth could have "
## [11221] "born any proportion with her fortune. But all Gynecia's actions "
## [11222] "were interpreted by Basilius, as proceeding from jealously of his "
## [11223] "amorousness. Zelmane betwixt both, like the poor child, whose "
## [11224] "father, while he beats him, will make him believe it is for love ; or "
## [11225] "like the sick man, to whom the physician swears the ill tasting "
## [11226] "wallowish medicine he proffers is of a good taste : their love was "
## [11227] "hateful, their courtesy, troublesome, their presence cause of her "
## [11228] "absence thence, where not only her light, but her life consisted. "
## [11229] "Alas ! thought she to herself, dear Dorus, what odds is there "
## [11230] "between thy destiny and mine ? For thou hast to do, in thy pursuit "
## [11231] "but with shepherdish folks, who trouble thee with a little envious "
## [11232] "care, and affected diligence ; but I, besides that I have now Miso, "
## [11233] "the worst of thy devils, let loose upon me, am waited on by princes, "
## [11234] "and watched by the two wakeful eyes of love and jealousy. Alas ! "
## [11235] "incomparable Philoclea, thou ever seest me, but dost never see me "
## [11236] "as I am : thou hearest willingly all that I dare say, and I dare not "
## [11237] "say that which were most fit for thee to hear. Alas ! who ever but "
## [11238] "I was imprisoned in liberty, and banished being still present ? to "
## [11239] "whom but me have lovers been jailors, and honour a captivity ? "
## [11240] ""
## [11241] "But the night coming on with her silent steps upon them, they "
## [11242] "parted each from other, if at least they could be parted, of whom "
## [11243] "every one did live in another, and went about to flatter sleep in "
## [11244] "their beds, that disdained to bestow itself liberally upon such eyes, "
## [11245] "which by their will would ever be looking, and in least measure "
## [11246] "upon Gynecia. Who, when Basilius after long tossing was gotten "
## [11247] "asleep, and the cheerful comfort of the lights removed from her, "
## [11248] "kneeling up in her bed, began with a soft voice, and swollen heart, "
## [11249] "to renew the curses of her birth ; and then in a manner embracing "
## [11250] ""
## [11251] ""
## [11252] ""
## [11253] "2o8 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [11254] ""
## [11255] "her bed : \" Ah chastest bed of mine,'' said she, \" which never "
## [11256] "heretofore could'st accuse me of one defiled thought, how can'st "
## [11257] "thou now receive this disastered changling ? happy, happy, be they "
## [11258] "only which be not ; and thy blessedness only in this respect thou "
## [11259] "mayest feel that thou hast no feeling.\" With that she furiously "
## [11260] "tore off great part of her fair hair : \" Take care, O forgotten virtue,\" "
## [11261] "said she, \" this miserable sacrifice ; while my soul was clothed "
## [11262] "with modesty, that was a comely ornament : now why should "
## [11263] "nature crown that head, which is so wicked, as her only desire is "
## [11264] "she cannot be enough wicked?\" more she would have said, but "
## [11265] "that Basilius, awaked with the noise, took her in his arms, and "
## [11266] "began to comfort her, the good man thinking it was all for a "
## [11267] "jealous love of him, which humour if she would a little have main- "
## [11268] "tained, perchance it might have weakened his new conceived "
## [11269] "fancies. But he, finding her answers wandering from the purpose, "
## [11270] "left her to herself (glad the next morning to take the advantage of "
## [11271] "a sleep, which a little before day overwatched with sorrow, her "
## [11272] "tears had as it were sealed up in her eyes) to have the more conference "
## [11273] "with Zelmane, who baited on this fashion by those two lovers, and "
## [11274] "ever kept from any mean to declare herself, found in herself a daily "
## [11275] "increase of her violent desires ; like a river, the more swelling, the "
## [11276] "more his current is stopped. "
## [11277] ""
## [11278] "The chief recreation she could find in her anguish, was some- "
## [11279] "time to visit that place, where first she was so happy as to see the "
## [11280] "cause of her unhap. There would she kiss the ground, and thank "
## [11281] "the trees, bless the air, and do dutiful reverence to everything that "
## [11282] "she thought did accompany her at their first meeting : then return "
## [11283] "again to her inward thoughts ; sometimes despair darkening all her "
## [11284] "imaginations, sometimes the active passion of love cheering and "
## [11285] "clearing her invention, how to unbar that cumbersome hindranc-e "
## [11286] "of her two ill-matched lovers. But this morning Basilius himself "
## [11287] "gave her good occasion to go beyond them. For having combed "
## [11288] "and tricked himself more curiously than any time forty winters "
## [11289] "before, coming where Zelmane was, he found her given over to her "
## [11290] "musical muses, to the great pleasure of good old Basilius, who "
## [11291] "retired himself behind a tree, while she with a most sweet voice "
## [11292] "did utter those passionate verses. "
## [11293] ""
## [11294] "Loved I am, and yet complain of love : "
## [11295] ""
## [11296] "As loving not, accus'd in love I die. "
## [11297] "When pity most I crave, I cruel prove : "
## [11298] ""
## [11299] "Still seeking love, love found, as much I fly. "
## [11300] "Burnt in myself, I muse at others fire ; "
## [11301] ""
## [11302] "What I call wrong, I do the same and more ; "
## [11303] "Barr'd of my will, I have beyond desire ; "
## [11304] ""
## [11305] "I wail for want, and yet am chok'd with store. "
## [11306] ""
## [11307] ""
## [11308] ""
## [11309] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 209 "
## [11310] ""
## [11311] "This is thy work, thou god for ever blind : "
## [11312] "Though thousands old, a boy entitled still. "
## [11313] "T iius children do the silly birds they find, "
## [11314] ""
## [11315] "With stroking hurt, and too much cramming kill. "
## [11316] ""
## [11317] "Yet thus much love, O love, I crave of thee : "
## [11318] ""
## [11319] "Let me be lov'd, or else not loved be. "
## [11320] ""
## [11321] ""
## [11322] ""
## [11323] "Basilius made no great haste from beyond the trees, till he "
## [11324] "perceived she had fully ended her music. But then loth to lose "
## [11325] "the precious fruit of time, he presented himself unto her, falling "
## [11326] "down upon both his knees, and holding up his hands, as the old "
## [11327] "governess of Danae is painted, when she suddenly saw the golden "
## [11328] "shower, \" O \"heavenly woman, or earthly goddess,\" said he, \" let "
## [11329] "not my presence be odious unto you, nor my humble suit seem of "
## [11330] "small weight in your ears. Vouchsafe your eyes to descend upon "
## [11331] "this miserable old man, whose life hath hitherto been maintained "
## [11332] "but to serve as an increase of your beautiful triumphs. You only "
## [11333] "have overthrown me, and in my bondage consists my glory. "
## [11334] "Suffer not your own work to be despised of you, but look upon him "
## [11335] "with pity, whose life serves for your praise.\" Zelmane, keeping a "
## [11336] "countenance ascances she understood him not, told him it became "
## [11337] "her evil to suffer such excessive reverence of him, but that it worse "
## [11338] "became her to correct him, to whom she owed duty ; that the "
## [11339] "opinion she had of his wisdom was such as made her esteem greatly "
## [11340] "of his words ; but that the words themselves sounded so, that she "
## [11341] "could not imagine what they might intend. \" Intend,\" said "
## [11342] "Basilius, proud that that was brought in question, \" what may they "
## [11343] "intend but a refreshing of my soul, and assuaging of my heart, and "
## [11344] "enjoying those your excellencies, wherein my life is upheld, and "
## [11345] "my death threatened ? \" Zelmane lifting up her face as if she had "
## [11346] "received a mortal injury of him, \"and is this the devotion your "
## [11347] "ceremonies have been bent to ? \" said she : \" is it the disdain of my "
## [11348] "estate, or the opinion of my lightness that have emboldened such "
## [11349] "base fancies towards me ? enjoying quoth you ? now little joy come "
## [11350] "to them that yield to such enjoying.\" "
## [11351] ""
## [11352] "Poor Basilius was so appalled that his legs bowed under him ; "
## [11353] "his eyes looked as though he would gladly hide himself, and his "
## [11354] "old blood going to his heart, a general shaking all over his body "
## [11355] "possessed him. At length, with a wan mouth, he was about to "
## [11356] "give a stammering answer, when it came into Zelmane's head by "
## [11357] "this device, to make her profit of his folly ; and therefore with a "
## [11358] "relented countenance, thus said unto him, \"Your words, mighty "
## [11359] "Prince, were unfit either for me to hear, or you to speak, but yet "
## [11360] "the large testimony I see of your affection makes me wiUing to "
## [11361] "suppress a great number of errors. Only thus much I think good "
## [11362] ""
## [11363] "o "
## [11364] ""
## [11365] ""
## [11366] ""
## [11367] "210 ARCADIA [BOOK II. "
## [11368] ""
## [11369] "to say, that the same words in my lady Philoclea's mouth, as from "
## [11370] "one woman to another, so as there were no other body by, might "
## [11371] "have had a better grace, and perchance have found a gentler "
## [11372] "receipt. "
## [11373] ""
## [11374] "Basilius, whose senses by desire were held open, and conceit "
## [11375] "was by love quickened, heard scarcely half her answer out, but "
## [11376] "that, as if speedy flight might save his life, he turned away, and ran "
## [11377] "with all the speed his body would suffer him towards his daughter "
## [11378] "Philoclea, whom he found at that time dutifully watching by her "
## [11379] "mother, and Miso curiously watching her, having left Mopsa to do "
## [11380] "the like service to Pamela. Basilius forthwith calling Philoclea "
## [11381] "aside, with all the conjuring words which desire could indite and "
## [11382] "authority utter, besought her she would preserve his life, in whom "
## [11383] "her life was begun, she would save his grey hairs from rebuke, and "
## [11384] "his aged mind from despair ; that if she were not cloyed with his "
## [11385] "company, and that she thought not the earth over-burdened with "
## [11386] "him, she would cool his fiery grief, which was to be done but by "
## [11387] "her breath : that in fine, whatsoever he was, he was nothing but "
## [11388] "what it pleased Zelmane ; all the powers of his spirit depending of "
## [11389] "her, that if she continued cruel he could no more sustain his life "
## [11390] "than the earth remain fruitful in the sun's continual absence. He "
## [11391] "concluded, she should in one payment requite all his deserts ; and "
## [11392] "that she needed not to disdain any service, though never so mean, "
## [11393] "which was warranted by the sacred name of father. Philoclea "
## [11394] "more glad than ever she had known herself that she might, by this "
## [11395] "occasion, enjoy the private conference of Zelmane, yet had so sweet "
## [11396] "a feeling of virtue in her mind, that she would not suffer a vile "
## [11397] "colour to be cast over fair thoughts, but with humble grace "
## [11398] "answered her father : that there needed neither promise nor "
## [11399] "persuasion to her, to make her do her uttermost for her father's "
## [11400] "service ; that for Zelmane's favour, she would in all virtuous sort "
## [11401] "seek it towards him : and that as she would not pierce farther into "
## [11402] "his meaning, than himself should declare, so would she interpret "
## [11403] "all his doings to be accomplished in goodness : and therefore "
## [11404] "desired, if otherwise it were, that he would not impart it to her, "
## [11405] "who then should be forced to begin, by true obedience, a show of "
## [11406] "disobedience : rather performing his general commandment, which "
## [11407] "had ever been to embrace virtue than any new particular sprung "
## [11408] "out of passion, and contrary to the former. Basilius content to "
## [11409] "take that, since he could have no more, thinking it a great point, "
## [11410] "if, by her means, he could get but a more free access unto Zelmane, "
## [11411] "allowed her reasons, and took her proffer thankfully, desiring only "
## [11412] "a speedy return of comfort. Philoclea was parting, and Miso "
## [11413] "straight behind her, like Alecto following Proserpina. But "
## [11414] "Basilius forced her to stay, though with much ado, she being "
## [11415] ""
## [11416] ""
## [11417] ""
## [11418] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 2n "
## [11419] ""
## [11420] "sharp set upon the fulfilling of a shrewd office in over-looking "
## [11421] "Philoclea ; and said to Basilius that she did as she was com- "
## [11422] "manded, and could not answer it to Gynecia, if she were any whit "
## [11423] "from Philoclea, telling him true, that he did evil to take her charge "
## [11424] "from her. But Basilius, swearing he would put out her eyes, if she "
## [11425] "stirred a foot to trouble his daughter, gave her a stop for that "
## [11426] "while. "
## [11427] ""
## [11428] "So away departed Philoclea, with a new field of fancies for her "
## [11429] "travailing mind : for well she saw her father was grown her adverse "
## [11430] "party, and yet her fortune such, as she must favour her rival ; "
## [11431] "and the fortune of that fortune such, as neither that did hurt her, "
## [11432] "nor any contrary mean help her. "
## [11433] ""
## [11434] "But she walked but a little on, before she saw Zelmane lying "
## [11435] "upon a bank, with her face so bent over Ladon, that, her tears "
## [11436] "faUing into the water, one might have thought that she began "
## [11437] "meltingly to be metamorphosed to the under-running river. But "
## [11438] "by and by with speech she made known, as well that she lived, as "
## [11439] "that she sorrowed. \" Fair streams,\" said she, \" that do vouchsafe "
## [11440] "in your clearness to represent unto me, my blubbered face, let the "
## [11441] "tribute offer of my tears unto you, procure your stay a while with "
## [11442] "me, that I may begin yet at last to find something that pities me ; "
## [11443] "and that all things of comfort and pleasure do not fly away from me. "
## [11444] "But if the violence of your spring command you to haste away, to "
## [11445] "pay your duties to your great prince, the sea, yet carry with you "
## [11446] "those few words, and let the uttermost ends of the world know "
## [11447] "them. A love more clear than yourselves, dedicated to a love, I "
## [11448] "fear, more cold than yourselves, with the clearness lays a night of "
## [11449] "sorrow upon me, and with the coldness inflames a world of fire "
## [11450] "within me.\" With that she took a willow stick, and wrote in a "
## [11451] "sandy bank those few verses. "
## [11452] ""
## [11453] ""
## [11454] ""
## [11455] "Over those brooks trusting to ease mine eyes, "
## [11456] "(Mine eyes even great in labour with their tears) "
## [11457] ""
## [11458] "I laid my face ; my face ev'n wherein lies "
## [11459] ""
## [11460] "Clusters of clouds, which no sun ever clears. "
## [11461] "In watery glass my watery eyes I see ; "
## [11462] "Sorrows ill eas'd, where sorrows painted be. "
## [11463] ""
## [11464] ""
## [11465] ""
## [11466] "My thoughts imprison'd in my secret woes, "
## [11467] "With flamy breath do issue oft in sound, "
## [11468] "The sound of this strange air no sooner goes, "
## [11469] "But that it does with Echoes force rebound ; "
## [11470] "And make me hear the plaints I would refrain : "
## [11471] "Thus outwards helps my inward grief maintain. "
## [11472] ""
## [11473] ""
## [11474] ""
## [11475] "212 ARCADIA [BOOK II. "
## [11476] ""
## [11477] "Now in this sand I would discharge my mind, "
## [11478] ""
## [11479] "And cast from me part of my burd'nous cares : "
## [11480] "But in the sand my tales foretold I find, "
## [11481] "And see therein how well the writer fares. "
## [11482] ""
## [11483] "Since, stream, air, sand, mine eyes and ears conspire : "
## [11484] "What hope to quench, where each thing blows the fire ? "
## [11485] ""
## [11486] "And as soon as she had written them, a new swarm of thoughts "
## [11487] "stinging her mind, she was ready with her feet to give the new- "
## [11488] "born letters both death and burial. But Philoclea, whose delight "
## [11489] "of hearing and seeing was before a stay from interrupting her, "
## [11490] "gave herself to be seen unto her, with such a lightening beauty "
## [11491] "upon Zelmane, that neither she could look on, nor would look off. "
## [11492] "At last Philoclea, having a little mused how to cut the thread even "
## [11493] "between her own hopeless affection and her father's unbridled hope, "
## [11494] "with eyes, cheeks, and lips, whereof each sang their part to make "
## [11495] "up the harmony of bashfulness, began to say, \" My father, to whom "
## [11496] "I owe myself ; \" and therefore when Zelmane (making a womanish "
## [11497] "habit to be the armour of her boldness, giving up her life to the "
## [11498] "lips of Philoclea, and taking it again by the sweetness of those "
## [11499] "kisses) humbly besought her to keep her speech for a while within "
## [11500] "the paradise of her mind. For well she knew her father's errand, who "
## [11501] "should soon receive a sufficient answer. But now she demanded "
## [11502] "leave not to lose this long sought-for commodity of time, "
## [11503] "to ease her heart thus far, that if in her agonies her destiny was to "
## [11504] "be condemned by Philoclea's mouth ; at least Philoclea might "
## [11505] "know, whom she had condemned. Philoclea easily yielded to "
## [11506] "grant her own desire, and so making the green bank the situation, "
## [11507] "and the river the prospect of the most beautiful buildings of nature, "
## [11508] "Zelmane doubting how to begin, though her thoughts already had "
## [11509] "run to the end, with a mind fearing the unworthiness of every word "
## [11510] "that should be presented to her ears, at length brought it forth in "
## [11511] "this manner. "
## [11512] ""
## [11513] "\" Most beloved lady, the incomparable excellencies of yourself, "
## [11514] "waited on by the greatness of your estate, and the importance "
## [11515] "of the thing whereon my life consisted, doth require both many "
## [11516] "ceremonies before the beginning, and many circumstances in the "
## [11517] "uttering my speech, both bold and fearful. But the small oppor- "
## [11518] "tunity of envious occasion, by the malicious eye hateful love doth "
## [11519] "cast upon me, and the extreme bent of my affection, which will "
## [11520] "either break out in words, or break my heart, compel me not only "
## [11521] "to embrace the smallest time, but to pass by the respects due unto "
## [11522] "you, in respect of your poor caitiffs life, who is now, or never to be "
## [11523] "preserved. I do therefore vow unto you, hereafter never more to "
## [11524] "omit all dutiful form, do you only now vouchsafe to hear the matter "
## [11525] ""
## [11526] ""
## [11527] ""
## [11528] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 213 "
## [11529] ""
## [11530] "of a mind most perplexed, if ever the sound of love have come "
## [11531] "to your ears, or if ever you have understood what force it hath had "
## [11532] "to conquer the strongest hearts and change the most settled estates, "
## [11533] "receive here an example of those strange tragedies ; one, that in "
## [11534] "himself containeth the particularities of all those misfortunes, and "
## [11535] "from henceforth believe that such a thing may be, since you shall "
## [11536] "see it is. You shall see, I say, a living image, and a present story "
## [11537] "of what love can do when he is bent to ruin. "
## [11538] ""
## [11539] "\" But alas ! whither goest thou my tongue ? or how doth my heart "
## [11540] "consent to adventure the revealing his nearest touching secret? "
## [11541] "but peace fear, thou comest too late, when already the harm is "
## [11542] "taken. Therefore I say again, O only princess attend here a "
## [11543] "miserable miracle of affection. Behold here before your eyes "
## [11544] "Pyrocles, prince of Macedon, whom you only have brought to this "
## [11545] "game of fortune, and unused Metamorphosis, whom you only have "
## [11546] "made neglect his country, forget his father, and lastly forsaloe to be "
## [11547] "Pyrocles : the same Pyrocles who, you heard, was betrayed by "
## [11548] "being put in a ship, which being burned, Pyrocles was drowned. "
## [11549] "O most true presage 1 for these traitors, my eyes, putting me into "
## [11550] "a ship of desire, which daily burneth, those eyes, I say, which "
## [11551] "betrayed me, will never leave till they have drowned me. But be "
## [11552] "not, be not, most excellent lady, you that, nature hath made to be "
## [11553] "the load-star of comfort, be not the rock of shipwreck : you whom "
## [11554] "virtue hath made the princess of felicity, be not the minister of "
## [11555] "ruin : you whom my choice hath made the goddess of my safety. "
## [11556] "O let not, let not, from you be poured upon me destruction ; your fair "
## [11557] "face hath many tokens in it of amazement at my words : think then "
## [11558] "what his amazement is, from whence they come, since no words "
## [11559] "can carry with them the life of the inward feeling, I desire that my "
## [11560] "desire may be weighed in the balances of honour, and let virtue "
## [11561] "hold them. For if the highest love in no base person may aspire "
## [11562] "to grace, then may I hope your beauty will not be without pity, if "
## [11563] "otherwise you be, alas ! but let it not be so resolved, yet shall not "
## [11564] "my death be comfortless, receiving it by your sentence.\" "
## [11565] ""
## [11566] "The joy which wrought into Pygmalion's mind, while he found his "
## [11567] "beloved image was softer and warmer in his folded arms, till at "
## [11568] "length it accomplished his gladness with a perfect woman's shape, "
## [11569] "still beautified with the former perfections, was even such, as by "
## [11570] "each degree of Zelmane!s words creepingly entered into Philoclea, "
## [11571] "till her pleasure was fully made up with the manifesting of his being, "
## [11572] "which was such as in hope did overcome hope. Yet doubt would "
## [11573] "fain have played his part in her mind and called in question, how "
## [11574] "she should be assured that Zelmane was Pyrocles. But love "
## [11575] "straight stood up and deposed that a he could not come from the "
## [11576] "mouth of Zelmane. Besides, a certain spark of honour, which rose "
## [11577] ""
## [11578] ""
## [11579] ""
## [11580] "214 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [11581] ""
## [11582] "in her well disposed mind, made her fear to be alone with him, "
## [11583] "with whom alone she desired to be, withal the other contradictions "
## [11584] "growing in those minds, which neither absolutely climb the rock of "
## [11585] "virtue, nor freely sink into the sea of vanity, but that spark soon "
## [11586] "gave place, or at least gave no more light in her mind than a "
## [11587] "candle doth in the sun's presence. But even sick with a surfeit of "
## [11588] "joy, and fearful of she knew not what, as he that newly finds huge "
## [11589] "treasures, doubts whether he sleep or no ; or Uke a fearful deer, "
## [11590] "which then looks most about when he comes to the best feed, with "
## [11591] "a shrugging kind of tremor through all her principal parts, she "
## [11592] "gave those affectionate words for answer. "
## [11593] ""
## [11594] "\"Alas ! how painful a thing it is to a divided mind to make a "
## [11595] "well-joined answer ? how hard it is to bring inward shame to out- "
## [11596] "ward confession? and what handsomeness, trow you, can be "
## [11597] "observed in that speech which is made one knows not to whom ? "
## [11598] "Shall I say, O Zelmane ? alas ! your words be against it. Shall I "
## [11599] "say Prince Pyrocles ? wretch that I am, your show is manifest against "
## [11600] "it. But this, this I may well say ; if I had continued as I ought, "
## [11601] "Philoclea, you had either never been, or ever been Zelmane : you "
## [11602] "had either never attempted this change, set on with hope, or never "
## [11603] "discovered it, stopped with despair. But I fear me, my behaviour "
## [11604] "ill governed, gave you the first comfort ; I fear me, my affection ill "
## [11605] "hid, hath given you this last assurance : I fear indeed, the weak- "
## [11606] "ness of my government before, made you think such a mask would "
## [11607] "be grateful unto me ; and my weaker government since makes you "
## [11608] "pull off the visor. What should I do then ? shall I seek far-fetched "
## [11609] "inventions? shall I labour to lay marble colours over my ruinous "
## [11610] "thoughts ? or rather, though the pureness of my virgin mind be "
## [11611] "stained, let me keep the true simplicity of my word. True it is, "
## [11612] "alas ! too true it is, O Zelmane, for so I love to call thee, since in "
## [11613] "that name my love first began, and in the shade of that name my "
## [11614] "love shall best lie hidden, that even while so thou wert, what eye "
## [11615] "bewitched me I know not, my passions were fitter to desire than to "
## [11616] "be desired. Shall I say then, I am sorry, or that my love must be "
## [11617] "turned to hate, since thou art turned to Pyrocles ? How may that "
## [11618] "well be ? since when thou wert Zelmane, the despair thou mightest "
## [11619] "not be thus did most torment me. Thou hast then the victory, "
## [11620] "use it with virtue. Thy virtue won me ; with virtue preserve me. "
## [11621] "Dost thou love me ? keep me then still worthy to be loved.\" "
## [11622] ""
## [11623] "Then held she her tongue, and cast down a self-accusing look, "
## [11624] "finding that in herself she had, as it were, shot out of the bow of "
## [11625] "her affection, a more quick opening of her mind than she minded "
## [11626] "to have done. But Pyrocles so carried up with joy that he did "
## [11627] "not envy the god's felicity, presented her with some jewels of right "
## [11628] "princely value, as some little tokens of his love and quality : and "
## [11629] ""
## [11630] ""
## [11631] ""
## [11632] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 215 "
## [11633] ""
## [11634] "withal showed her letters from his father King Euarchus, unto "
## [11635] "him, which even in the sea had amongst his jewels been preserved. "
## [11636] "But little needed those proofs to one, who would have fallen out "
## [11637] "with herself rather than make any contrary conjectures to Zelmane's "
## [11638] "speeches ; so that with such embracements, as it seemed their souls "
## [11639] "desired to meet, and their hearts to kiss as their mouths did, they "
## [11640] "passed the promise of marriage, which fain Pyrocles would have "
## [11641] "sealed with the chief arms of his desire, but Philoclea commanded "
## [11642] "the contrary. "
## [11643] ""
## [11644] "And then at Philoclea's entreaty, who was willing to purloin all "
## [11645] "occasions of remaining with Zelmane, she told her the story "
## [11646] "of her life, from the time of their departing from Erona ; for the "
## [11647] "rest she had already understood of her sister. \" For,\" said she, "
## [11648] "\" I have understood how you first, in the company of your noble "
## [11649] "cousin Musidorus, parted from Thessalia, and of divers adventures, "
## [11650] "which with no more danger than glory you passed through, till "
## [11651] "your coming to the succour of the queen Erona ; and the end of "
## [11652] "that war, you might perceive by myself, I had understood of prince "
## [11653] "Plangus. But what since was the course of your doings, until "
## [11654] "you came, after so many victories, to make a conquest of poor "
## [11655] "me, that I know not ; the fame thereof having rather showed it "
## [11656] "by pieces, than delivered any full form of it. Therefore, dear "
## [11657] "Pyrocles, for what can my ears be so sweetly fed with, as to hear "
## [11658] "you of you, be liberal unto me of those things which have made "
## [11659] "you indeed precious to the world ; and now doubt not to tell of "
## [11660] "your perils, for since I have you here out of them, even the "
## [11661] "remembrance of them is pleasant.\" "
## [11662] ""
## [11663] "Pyrocles easily perceived she was content with kindness to put "
## [11664] "off occasion of farther kindness, wherein love showed himself "
## [11665] "a cowardly boy that durst not attend for fear of offending. But "
## [11666] "rather love proved himself valiant, that durst with the sword of "
## [11667] "reverent duty gain-stand the force of so many enraged desires. "
## [11668] "But so it was, that though he knew this discourse was to entertain "
## [11669] "him from a more straight parley, yet he durst not but kiss his "
## [11670] "rod, and gladly make much of that entertainment which she "
## [11671] "allotted unto him : and therefore with a desirous sigh chastening "
## [11672] "his breast for too much desiring, \" Sweet princess of my life,\" said "
## [11673] "he, \" what trophies, what triumph, what monuments, what histories "
## [11674] "might ever make my fame yield so sweet a music to my ears, as "
## [11675] "that it pleaseth you to lend your mind to the knowledge of any "
## [11676] "thing touching Pyrocles, only therefore of value, because he is "
## [11677] "your Pyrocles ? and therefore grow I now so proud as to think it "
## [11678] "worth the hearing, since you vouchsafe to give it the hearing. "
## [11679] "Therefore only height of my hope, vouchsafe to know, that after "
## [11680] "the death of Tiridates, and settling Erona in her government, for "
## [11681] ""
## [11682] ""
## [11683] ""
## [11684] "2i6 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [11685] ""
## [11686] "settled we left her ; howsoever since, as I perceived by your speech "
## [11687] "the last day, the ungrateful treason of her ill-chosen husband "
## [11688] "overthrew her, a thing, in truth, never till this time by me either "
## [11689] "heard, or suspected : for who could think, without having such "
## [11690] "a mind as Antiphilus, that so great a beauty as Erona's, indeed "
## [11691] "excellent, could not have held his affection ? so great goodness "
## [11692] "could not have bound gratefulness? and so high advancement "
## [11693] "could not have satisfied his ambition? but therefore true it is, "
## [11694] "that wickedness may well be compared to a bottomless pit, into "
## [11695] "which it is far easier to keep one's self from falling than being "
## [11696] "fallen, to give one's self any stay from falling infinitely. But for "
## [11697] "my cousin and me, upon this cause we parted from Erona. "
## [11698] ""
## [11699] "\"Euardus, the brave and mighty prince, whom it was my "
## [11700] "fortune to kill in the combat for Erona, had three nephews, sons "
## [11701] "to a sister of his ; all three set among the foremost ranks of fame "
## [11702] "for great minds to attempt, and great force to perform what they "
## [11703] "did attempt, especially the eldest, by name Anaxius, to whom all "
## [11704] "men would willingly have yielded the height of praise, but that his "
## [11705] "nature was such as to bestow it upon himself before any could give "
## [11706] "it. For of so unsupportable a pride he was, that where his deeds "
## [11707] "might well stir envy, his demeanour did rather breed disdain. And "
## [11708] "if it be true that the giants ever made war against heaven, he had "
## [11709] "been a fit ensign-bearer for that company. For nothing seemed "
## [11710] "hard to him, though impossible ; and nothing unjust, while his "
## [11711] "liking was his justice. Now he in these wars had flatly refused "
## [11712] "his aid, because he could not brook that the worthy prince Plangus "
## [11713] "was by his cousin Tiridates preferred before him. For allowing "
## [11714] "no other weights but the sword and spear in judging of desert, "
## [11715] "how much he esteemed himself before Plangus in that, so much "
## [11716] "would he have had his allowance in his service. "
## [11717] ""
## [11718] "\" But now that he understood that his uncle was slain by me, "
## [11719] "I think rather scorn that any should kill his uncle, than any "
## [11720] "kindness, an unused guest to an arrogant soul, made him seek his "
## [11721] "revenge, I must confess in manner gallant enough. For he sent "
## [11722] "a challenge unto me to meet him at a place appionted, in the "
## [11723] "confines of the kingdom of Lycia, where he would prove upon me, "
## [11724] "that I had by some treachery overcome his uncle, whom else many "
## [11725] "hundreds such as I, could not have withstood. Youth and success "
## [11726] "made me willing enough to accept any such bargain, especially "
## [11727] "because I had heard that your cousin Amphialus, who for some "
## [11728] "years hath borne universally the name of the best knight in the "
## [11729] "world, had divers times fought with him, and never been able to "
## [11730] "master him, but so had left him, that every man thought Anaxius "
## [11731] "in that one virtue of courtesy far short of him, in all other his "
## [11732] "match ; Anaxius still deeming himself for his superior. Therefore "
## [11733] ""
## [11734] ""
## [11735] ""
## [11736] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 2i; "
## [11737] ""
## [11738] "to him I would go, and I would needs go alone, because so I "
## [11739] "understood for certain, he was ; and, I must confess, desirous to "
## [11740] "do something without the company of the incomparable prince "
## [11741] "Musidorus, because in my heart I acknowledge that I owed more "
## [11742] "to his presence than to anything in myself, whatever before I had "
## [11743] "done. For of him indeed, as of any worldly cause, I must grant, "
## [11744] "as received, whatever there is or may be good in me. He taught "
## [11745] "me by word, and best by example, giving me in him so lively an "
## [11746] "image of virtue, that ignorance could not cast such a mist over "
## [11747] "mine eyes, as not to see, and to love it j and all with such dear "
## [11748] "friendship and care, as, O heaven, how can my life ever requite "
## [11749] "to him ? which made me indeed find in myself such a kind of "
## [11750] "depending upon him, as without him I found a weakness, and "
## [11751] "a mistrustfulness of myself, as one stayed from his best strength, "
## [11752] "when at any time I missed him. Which humour perceiving to "
## [11753] "over-rule me, I strove against it : not that I was unwiUing to "
## [11754] "depend upon him in judgment, but by weakness I would not ; "
## [11755] "which though it held me to him, made me unworthy of him. "
## [11756] "Therefore I desired his leave and obtained it, such confidence he "
## [11757] "had in me, preferring my reputation before his own tenderness, "
## [11758] "and so privately went from him, he determining, as after I knew, "
## [11759] "in secret manner, not to be far from the place where we appointed "
## [11760] "to meet, to prevent any foul play that might be offered unto me. "
## [11761] "Full loth was Erona to let us depart from her, as it were, fore- "
## [11762] "feeling the harms which after fell to her. But I, rid fully from "
## [11763] "those cumbers of kindness, and half a day's journey in my way "
## [11764] "towards Anaxius, met an adventure, which, though in itself of "
## [11765] "small importance, I will tell you at large, because by the occasion "
## [11766] "thereof I was brought to as great cumber and danger, as lightly "
## [11767] "any might escape. "
## [11768] ""
## [11769] "\" As I passed through a land, each side whereof was so bordered "
## [11770] "both with high timber trees, and copses of far more humble growth, "
## [11771] "that it might easily bring a solitary mind to look for no other "
## [11772] "companions than the wild- burgesses of the forest, I heard certain "
## [11773] "cries, which, coming by pauses to mine ears from within the wood "
## [11774] "of the right hand, made me well assured by the greatness of the "
## [11775] "cry, it was the voice of a man, though it were a very unmanlike "
## [11776] "voice, so to cry. But making mine ears my guide, I left not many "
## [11777] "trees behind me before I saw at the bottom of one of them a "
## [11778] "gentleman, bound with many garters hand and foot, so as well he "
## [11779] "might tumble and toss, but neither run nor resist he could. Upon "
## [11780] "him, like so many eagles upon an ox, were nine gentlewomen, "
## [11781] "truly such as one might well enough say, they were handsome. "
## [11782] "Each of them held bodkins in their hands, wherewith continually "
## [11783] "they pricked him, having been before hand unarmed of any defence "
## [11784] ""
## [11785] ""
## [11786] ""
## [11787] "2i8 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [11788] ""
## [11789] "from the waist upward, but only of his shirt : so as the poor man "
## [11790] "wept and bled, cried and prayed while they sported themselves in "
## [11791] "his pain, and delighted in his prayers as the arguments of their "
## [11792] "victory. "
## [11793] ""
## [11794] "\" I was moved to compassion, and so much the more that he "
## [11795] "straight called to me for succour, desiring me at least to kill him, "
## [11796] "to deliver him from those tormentors. But before myself could "
## [11797] "resolve, much less any other tell what I would resolve, there came "
## [11798] "in choleric haste towards me about seven or eight knights, the "
## [11799] "foremost of which, willed me to get away, and not to trouble the "
## [11800] "ladies while they were taking their due revenge; but with so "
## [11801] "over-mastering a manner of pride, as truly my heart could not "
## [11802] "brook it ; and therefore, answering them, that how I would have "
## [11803] "defended him from the ladies I knew not, but from them I would, "
## [11804] "I began to combat first with him particularly, and after his death "
## [11805] "with the others that had less good manners, jointly. But such was "
## [11806] "the end of it, that I kept the field with the death of some, and "
## [11807] "flight of others. Insomuch as the women, afraid, what angry "
## [11808] "victory would bring forth, ran all away, saving only one, who was "
## [11809] "so fleshed in malice that neither during, nor after the fight, she "
## [11810] "gave any truce to her cruelty, but still used the little instrument "
## [11811] "of her great spite, to the well witnessed pain of the impatient "
## [11812] "patient : and was now about to put out his eyes, which all this "
## [11813] "while were spared, because they should do him the discomfort of "
## [11814] "seeing who prevailed over him. When I came in, and after much "
## [11815] "ado brought her to some conference, for some time it was before she "
## [11816] "would hearken, more before she would speak, and most before she "
## [11817] "would in her speech leave off the sharp remembrance of her "
## [11818] "bodkin, but at length when I pulled off my head-piece, and "
## [11819] "humbly entreated her pardon, or knowledge why she was cruel, "
## [11820] "out of breath more with choler, which increased in his own exercise, "
## [11821] "than with the pain she took, much to this purpose, she gave her "
## [11822] "grief unto my knowledge. "
## [11823] ""
## [11824] "\" ' Gentlemen,' said she, ' much it is against my will to forbear "
## [11825] "any time the executing of my just revenge upon this naughty "
## [11826] "creature, a man in nothing but in deceiving women. But because "
## [11827] "I see you are young, and like enough to have the power, if you "
## [11828] "would have the mind, to do much more mischief than he, I am "
## [11829] "content upon this bad subject to read a lecture to your virtue. "
## [11830] "This man called Pamphilus, in birth I must confess is noble, but "
## [11831] "what is that to him, if it shall be a stain to his dead ancestors to "
## [11832] "have left such an off-spring, in shape as you see, not uncomely, "
## [11833] "indeed the fit mask of his disguised falsehood, in conversation "
## [11834] "wittily pleasant, and pleasantly gamesome ; his eyes full of merry "
## [11835] "simplicity, his words, of hearty companionableness : and such an "
## [11836] ""
## [11837] ""
## [11838] ""
## [11839] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 219 "
## [11840] ""
## [11841] "one, whose head one would not think so stayed as to think mis- "
## [11842] "chievously ; delighted in all such things, which by imparting the "
## [11843] "dehght to others, makes the user thereof welcome, as, music, "
## [11844] "dancing, hunting, feasting, riding, and such like. And to conclude, "
## [11845] "such an one, as who can keep him at arms-end, need never wish a "
## [11846] "better companion. But under these qualities lies such a poisonous "
## [11847] "adder^ as I will tell you. For by those gifts of nature and fortune, "
## [11848] "being in all places acceptable, he creeps, nay, to say, truly, he flies "
## [11849] "so into the favour of poor silly women, that I would be too much "
## [11850] "ashamed to confess, if I had not revenge in my hand as well as "
## [11851] "shame in 'my cheeks. For his heart being wholly delighted in "
## [11852] "deceiving us, we could never be warned, but rather one bird "
## [11853] "caught, served for a stale to bring in more. For the more he got, "
## [11854] "the more still he showed that he, as it were, gave way to his new "
## [11855] "mistress when he betrayed his promises to the former. The "
## [11856] "cunning of his flattery, the readiness of his tears, the infiniteness "
## [11857] "of his vows, were but among the weakest threads of his net. But "
## [11858] "the stirring our own passions, and by the entrance of them, to "
## [11859] "make himself lord of our forces, there lay his masters part of "
## [11860] "cunning, making us now jealous, now envious, now proud of what "
## [11861] "he had, desirous of more ; now giving one the triumph, to see "
## [11862] "him that was prince of many, subject to her ; now with an estranged "
## [11863] "look, making her fear the loss of that mind, which indeed could "
## [11864] "never be had : never ceasing humbleness and diligence, till he had "
## [11865] "embarked us in some such disadvantage that we could not return "
## [11866] "dry-shod ; and then suddenly a tyrant, but a crafty tyrant. For so "
## [11867] "would he use his imperiousness, that we had a delightful fear, and "
## [11868] "an awe, which made us loth to lose our hope. And, which is "
## [11869] "strangest, when sometimes with late repentance I think of it, I "
## [11870] "must confess, even in the greatest tempest of my judgment was I "
## [11871] "never driven to think him excellent ; and yet so could set my mind, "
## [11872] "both to get and keep him, as though therein had laid my felicity : "
## [11873] "like them I have seen play at the ball, grow extremely earnest, who "
## [11874] "should have the ball, and yet every one knew it was but a ball. "
## [11875] "But in the end the bitter farce of the sport was, that we had either "
## [11876] "our hearts broken with sorrow, or our estates spoiled with being at "
## [11877] "his direction, or our honours for ever lost, partly by our own faults, "
## [11878] "but principally by his faulty using of our faults. For never was "
## [11879] "there man that could with more scornful eyes behold her at whose "
## [11880] "feet he had lately lain, nor with a more unmanlike bravery use his "
## [11881] "tongue to her disgrace, which lately had sung sonnets of her praises, "
## [11882] "being so naturally inconstant, as I marvel his soul finds not some "
## [11883] "way to kill his body, whereto it had been so long united. For so hath "
## [11884] "he dealt with us, unhappy fools, as we could never tell whether he "
## [11885] "made greater haste after he once liked, to enjoy, or after he once "
## [11886] ""
## [11887] ""
## [11888] ""
## [11889] "220 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [11890] ""
## [11891] "enjoyed, to forsake. But making a glory of his own shame, it "
## [11892] "delighted him to be challenged of unkindness, it was a triumph to "
## [11893] "him to have his mercy called for : and he thought the fresh colours "
## [11894] "of his beauty were painted in nothing so well as in the ruins of his "
## [11895] "lovers : yet so far had we engaged ourselves, unfortunate souls, that "
## [11896] "we listed not complain, since our complaints could not but carry the "
## [11897] "greatest occasion to ourselves. But eveiy of us, each for herself, "
## [11898] "laboured all means how to recover him, while he rather daily sent us "
## [11899] "companions of our deceit, than ever returned in any sound and "
## [11900] "faithful manner. Till at length he concluded all his wrongs with "
## [11901] "betrothing himself to one, I must confess, worthy to be liked if any "
## [11902] "worthiness might excuse so unworthy a changeableness, leaving "
## [11903] "us nothing but remorse for what was past, and despair of what might "
## [11904] "follow. Then indeed the common injury made us all join in fellow- "
## [11905] "ship, who till that time had employed our endeavours one against "
## [11906] "the other, for we thought nothing was a more condemning of us, "
## [11907] "than the justifying of his love to her by marriage : then despair "
## [11908] "made fear valiant, and revenge gave shame countenance : where- "
## [11909] "upon, we, that you saw here, devised how to get him among us "
## [11910] "alone : which he, suspecting no such matter of them whom he had "
## [11911] "by often abuses, he thought made tame to be still abused, easily "
## [11912] "gave us opportunity to do. "
## [11913] ""
## [11914] "\" ' And a man may see, even in this, how soon rulers grow proud, "
## [11915] "and in their pride foolish : he came with such an authority among "
## [11916] "us, as if the planets had done enough for us, that by us once he "
## [11917] "had been delighted. And when we began in courteous manner, one "
## [11918] "after the other, to lay his unkindness unto him, he, seeing himself "
## [11919] "confronted by so many, like a resolute orator, went not to denial, "
## [11920] "but to justify his cruel falsehood, and all with such jests and dis- "
## [11921] "dainful passages, that if the injury could not be made greater, yet "
## [11922] "were our conceits made the apter to apprehend it. "
## [11923] ""
## [11924] "\" ' Among other of his answers, forsooth, I shall never forget, "
## [11925] "how he would prove it was no inconstancy to change from one love "
## [11926] "to another, but a great constancy, and contrary, that which we call "
## [11927] "constancy, to be most changeable. ' For,' said he, ' I ever loved "
## [11928] "my delight, and delighted always in what was lovely : and where- "
## [11929] "soever, I found occasion to obtain that, I constantly followed it. "
## [11930] "But these constant fools you speak of, though their mistress grow "
## [11931] "by sickness foul, or by fortune miserable, yet still will love her, "
## [11932] "and so commit the absurdest inconstancy that may be, in changing "
## [11933] "their love from fairness to foulness, and from loveliness to his "
## [11934] "contrary ; like one not content to leave a friend, but will straight "
## [11935] "give over himself, to his mortal enemy : where I, whom you call "
## [11936] "inconstant, am ever constant to beauty, in others, and delight myself.' "
## [11937] "' And so in this jolly scoffing bravery he went over us all, saying he "
## [11938] ""
## [11939] ""
## [11940] ""
## [11941] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 221 "
## [11942] ""
## [11943] "left one, because she was over-wayward ; another, because she was "
## [11944] "too soon won ; a third, because she was not merry enough ; a "
## [11945] "fourth, because she was over gamesome ; the fifth, because she "
## [11946] "was grown with grief subject to sickness ; the sixth, because she "
## [11947] "was so foolish as to be jealous of him ; the seventh, because she "
## [11948] "had refused to carry a letter from him to another that he loved ; "
## [11949] "the eighth, because she was not secret ; the ninth, because she "
## [11950] "was not liberal : but to me, who am named Dido, and indeed have "
## [11951] "met with a false ^Eneas : to me I say, O the ungrateful villain, he "
## [11952] "could find no other fault to object, but that, perdy, he met with "
## [11953] "many fairer. "
## [11954] ""
## [11955] "\" ' But when he had thus played the careless prince, we, having "
## [11956] "those servants of our's in readiness, whom you lately so manfully "
## [11957] "overcame, laid hold of him, beginning at first but that trifling "
## [11958] "revenge, in which you found us busy ; but meaning afterwards to "
## [11959] "have mangled him so as should have lost his credit for ever abusing "
## [11960] "more. But as you have made my fellows fly away, so for my part "
## [11961] "the greatness of his wrong overshadows, in my judgment, the "
## [11962] "greatness of any danger. For was it not enough for him to have "
## [11963] "deceived me, and through the deceit abused me, and after the "
## [11964] "abuse forsaken me, but that he must now, of all the company, and "
## [11965] "before all the company, lay want of beauty to my charge ? many "
## [11966] "fairer, I trow even in your judgment, sir, if your eyes do not "
## [11967] "beguile me, not many fairer ; and I know, whosoever says the "
## [11968] "contrary, there are not many fairer. And of whom should I receive "
## [11969] "this reproach, but of him who hath best cause to know there are "
## [11970] "not many fairer ? and therefore howsoever my fellows pardon his "
## [11971] "injuries, for my part I will ever remember, and remember to "
## [11972] "revenge his scorn of all scorns.' With that she to him afresh ; "
## [11973] "and surely would have put out his eyes, who lay mute for shame, it "
## [11974] "he did not sometimes cry for fear, if I had not leapt from my horse "
## [11975] "and mingling force with entreaty, stayed her fury. "
## [11976] ""
## [11977] "\" But while I was persuading her to meekness, comes a number "
## [11978] "of his friends, to whom he forthwith cried, that they should kill "
## [11979] "that woman, that had thus betrayed and disgraced him. But then "
## [11980] "I was fain to forsake the ensign under which I had before served, "
## [11981] "and to spend my uttermost force in the protecting of the lady : "
## [11982] "which so well prevailed for her, that in the end there was a faithful "
## [11983] "peace promised of all sides. And so I leaving her in a place of "
## [11984] "security, as she thought, went on my journey towards Anaxius, for "
## [11985] "whom I was forced to stay two days in the appointed place, he "
## [11986] "disdaining to wait for me, till he were sure I was there. "
## [11987] ""
## [11988] "\" I did patiently abide his angry pleasure, till about that space "
## [11989] "of time he came, indeed, according to promise, alone : and that I "
## [11990] "may not say too little, because he is wont to say too much, like a "
## [11991] ""
## [11992] ""
## [11993] ""
## [11994] "222 ARCADIA , [BOOK 11. "
## [11995] ""
## [11996] "man whose courage is apt to climb over any danger. And as soon "
## [11997] "as ever he came near me, in fit distance for his purpose, he with "
## [11998] "much fury, but with fury skilfully guided, ran upon me, which I, "
## [11999] "in the best sort I could, resisted, having kept myself ready for him, "
## [12000] "because I had understood that he observed few compliments in "
## [12001] "matter of arms, but such as a proud anger did indite unto him. "
## [12002] "And so, putting our horses into a full career, we hit each other upon "
## [12003] "the head with our lances : I think he felt my blow ; for my part, "
## [12004] "I must confess, I never received the like : but I think, though my "
## [12005] "senses were astonished, my mind forced them to quicken themselves, "
## [12006] "because I had learned of him how little favour he is wont to show "
## [12007] "in any matter of advantage. And indeed he was turned and "
## [12008] "coming upon me with his sword draws, both our staves having "
## [12009] "been broken, at that encounter, but I was so ready to answer him, "
## [12010] "that truly I know not who gave the first blow. But whosoever "
## [12011] "gave the first, was quickly seconded by the second. And indeed, "
## [12012] "excellentest lady, I must say true, for a time it was well fought "
## [12013] "between us ; he undoubtedly being of singular valour, I would "
## [12014] "God, it were not abased by his too much loftiness : but as, by the "
## [12015] "occasion of the combat, winning and losing ground, we changed "
## [12016] "places, his horse, happened to come upon the point of the broken "
## [12017] "spear, which, fallen to the ground, chanced to stand upward, so as "
## [12018] "it lightning upon his heart the horse died. He driven to dismount, "
## [12019] "threatened, if I did not the like, to do as much for my horse as "
## [12020] "fortune had done for his. But whether for that, or because I "
## [12021] "would not be beholden to fortune for any part of the victory, I "
## [12022] "descended. So began our foot-fight in such sort, that we were well "
## [12023] "entered to blood on both sides, when there comes by that inconstant "
## [12024] "Pamphilus, whom I had delivered, easy to be known, for he was "
## [12025] "bare-faced, with a dozen armed men after him ; but before him he "
## [12026] "had Dido, that lady, who had most sharply punished him, riding "
## [12027] "upon a palfrey, he following her with most unmanlike cruelty, beating "
## [12028] "her with wands he had in his hand, she crying for sense of pain, or "
## [12029] "hope of succour : which was so pitiful a sight unto me, that it moved "
## [12030] "me to require Anaxius to defer our combat till another day, and "
## [12031] "now to perform the duties of knighthood in helping this distressed "
## [12032] "lady. But he that disdains to obey anything but his passion, which "
## [12033] "he calls his mind, bid me leave off that thought ; but when he had "
## [12034] "killed me, he would then perhaps, go to her succour. But I well "
## [12035] "finding the fight would be long between us, longing in my heart "
## [12036] "to deliver the poor Dido, giving him so great a blow as somewhat "
## [12037] "stayed him, to term it aright, I flatly ran away from him toward "
## [12038] "my horse, who trotting after the company in mine armour I was "
## [12039] "put to some pain, but that use made me nimble unto it. But as I "
## [12040] "followed my horse, Anaxius followed me ; but this proud heart did "
## [12041] ""
## [12042] ""
## [12043] ""
## [12044] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 223 "
## [12045] ""
## [12046] "so disdain that exercise, that I quickly over-ran him, and overtaken "
## [12047] "my horse, being, I must confess, ashamed to see a number of "
## [12048] "country folks, who happened to pass thereby, who halloed and "
## [12049] "hooted after me, as at the arrantest coward that ever showed his "
## [12050] "shoulders to his enemy. But when I had leapt on my horse, with "
## [12051] "such speedy agiUty that they all cried ; ' O see how fear gives him "
## [12052] "wings,' I turned to Anaxius, and aloud promised him to return "
## [12053] "thither again as soon as I had relieved the injured lady. But he "
## [12054] "railing at me, with all the base words angry contempt could indite ; "
## [12055] "I said no more but 'Anaxius assure thyself, I neither fear thy "
## [12056] "force, nor thy opinion ; ' and so using no weapon of a knight at that "
## [12057] "time but my spurs, I ran in my knowledge after Pamphilus, but in "
## [12058] "all their conceits from Anaxius, which as far as I could hear, I "
## [12059] "might well hear testified with such laughters and games, that I was "
## [12060] "some few times moved to turn back again. "
## [12061] ""
## [12062] "\" But the lady's misery over-balanced my reputation, so that after "
## [12063] "her I went, and with six hours hard riding, through so wild places, "
## [12064] "as it was rather the cunning of my horse sometimes than of myself, "
## [12065] "so rightly to hit the way, I overgat them a little before night, near "
## [12066] "to an old ill-favoured castle, the place where I perceived they meant "
## [12067] "to perform their unknightly errand. For there they began to strip "
## [12068] "her of her clothes, when I came in among them, and running "
## [12069] "through the first with a lance, the justness of the cause so enabled "
## [12070] "me against the rest, false-hearted in their own wrong doing, that I "
## [12071] "had in as short time almost as I had been fighting with only "
## [12072] "Anaxius, delivered her from those injurious wretches, most of whom "
## [12073] "carried news to the other world, that amongst men secret wrongs "
## [12074] "are not always left unpunished. As for Pamphilus, he having once "
## [12075] "seen, and as it should seem, remembered me, even from the "
## [12076] "beginning began to be in the rearward, and before they had left "
## [12077] "fighting, he was too far off to give them thanks for their pains. But "
## [12078] "when I had dehvered to the lady a full liberty, both in effect and in "
## [12079] "opinion, for some time it was before she could assure herself she was "
## [12080] "out of their hands, who had laid so vehement apprehensions of death "
## [12081] "upon her, she then told me, how as she was returning towards her "
## [12082] "father's, weakly accompanied, as too soon trusting to the falsehood "
## [12083] "of reconcilement, Pamphilus had set upon her and, killing those that "
## [12084] "were with her, carried herself by such force, and with such manner "
## [12085] "as I had seen, to this place, where he meant in cruel and shameful "
## [12086] "manner to kill her, in the sight of her own father, to whom he had "
## [12087] "already sent word of it, that out of his castle window, for this castle, "
## [12088] "she said, was his, he might have the prospect of his only child's "
## [12089] "destruction in my coming, whom, she said, he feared as soon as he "
## [12090] "knew me by the armour, had not warranted her from that near "
## [12091] "approaching cruelty. I was glad I had done so good a deed for a "
## [12092] ""
## [12093] ""
## [12094] ""
## [12095] "224 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [12096] ""
## [12097] "gentlewoman not unhandsome, whom before I had in like sort "
## [12098] "helped. But the night beginning to persuade some retiring place, "
## [12099] "the gentlewoman, even out of countenance before she began her "
## [12100] "speech, much after this manner invited me to lodge that night with "
## [12101] "her father. "
## [12102] ""
## [12103] "\"'Sir,' said she, 'how much I owe you, can be but abased by "
## [12104] "words, since the life I have, I hold it now the second time, of you : "
## [12105] "and therefore need not offer service unto you, but only to remember "
## [12106] "you, that I am your servant : and I would my being so, might any "
## [12107] "way yield any small contentment unto you. Now only I can but "
## [12108] "desire you to harbour yourself this night in this castle, because the "
## [12109] "time requires it, and in truth this country is very dangerous for "
## [12110] "murdering thieves, to trust a sleeping life among them. And yet I "
## [12111] "must confess that as the love I bear you makes me thus invite you, "
## [12112] "so the same love makes me ashamed to bring you to a place where "
## [12113] "you shall be so, not spoken by ceremony, but by truth, miserably "
## [12114] "entertained.' "
## [12115] ""
## [12116] "\" With that she told me, that though she spoke of her father, "
## [12117] "whom she named Chremes, she would hide no truth from me ; "
## [12118] "which was in sum, that he was of all that region the man of "
## [12119] "greatest possessions and riches, so was he either by nature, or an "
## [12120] "evil received opinion, given to sparing in so unmeasurable soit, "
## [12121] "that he did not only bar himself from the delightful, but almost "
## [12122] "from the necessary use thereof, scarcely allowing himself fit "
## [12123] "sustenance of life, rather than he would spend of those goods for "
## [12124] "whose sake only he seemed to joy in life. Which extreme dealing, "
## [12125] "descending from himself upon her, had driven her to put herself "
## [12126] "with a great lady of that country, by which occasion she had "
## [12127] "stumbled upon such mischances as were little for the honour "
## [12128] "either of her, or her family. But so wise had he showed himself "
## [12129] "therein, as while he found his daughter maintained without his "
## [12130] "cost, he was content to be deaf to any noise of infamy, which "
## [12131] "though it had wronged her much more than she deserved, yet she "
## [12132] "could not deny but she was driven thereby to receive more than "
## [12133] "decent favours. She concluded, that there at least I should be "
## [12134] "free from injuries, and should be assured to her-ward to abound as "
## [12135] "much in the true causes of welcomes, as I should find wants of the "
## [12136] "effects thereof. "
## [12137] ""
## [12138] "\" I, who had acquainted myself to measure the delicacy of food "
## [12139] "and rest by hunger and weariness, at that time well stored of both, "
## [12140] "did not abide long entreaty, but went with her to the castle, which "
## [12141] "I found of good strength, having a great moat round about it, the "
## [12142] "work of a noble gentleman, of whose unthrifty son he had bought "
## [12143] "it ; the bridge drawn up, where we were fain to cry a good while "
## [12144] "before we could have answer, and to dispute a good while before "
## [12145] ""
## [12146] ""
## [12147] ""
## [12148] "BOOK ii.l ARCADIA 225 "
## [12149] ""
## [12150] "answer would be brought to acceptance. At length a willingness, "
## [12151] "rather than a joy to receive his daughter whom he had lately seen "
## [12152] "so near death, and an opinion brought into his head by course, "
## [12153] "because he heard himself called father, rather than any kindness "
## [12154] "that he found in his own heart, made him take us in ; for my part "
## [12155] "by that time grown so weary of such entertainment that no regard "
## [12156] "of myself, but only the importunity of his daughter, made me enter. "
## [12157] "Where I was met with this Chremes, a driveling old fellow, lean, "
## [12158] "shaking both of head and hands, already half earth, and yet then "
## [12159] "most greedy of earth : who scarcely would give me thanks for "
## [12160] "what I had done, for fear, I suppose, that thankfulness might have "
## [12161] "an introduction of reward ; but with a hollow voice, giving me a "
## [12162] "false welcome, I might perceive in his eye to his daughter, that it "
## [12163] "was hard to say whether the displeasure of her company did not "
## [12164] "overweigh the pleasure of her own coming. But on he brought "
## [12165] "me into so bare a house, that it was the picture of miserable "
## [12166] "happiness, and rich beggary (served only by a company of rustical "
## [12167] "villains, full of sweat and dust, not one of them other than a "
## [12168] "labourer) in sum, as he counted it, profitable drudgery ; and all "
## [12169] "preparations both for food and lodging such as would make one "
## [12170] "detest niggardness, it is so sluttish a vice. His talk of nothing "
## [12171] "but of his poverty, for fear, belike, lest I should have proved "
## [12172] "a. young borrower. In sum, such a man, as any enemy would "
## [12173] "not wish him worse than to be himself. But there that night "
## [12174] "bid I the burden of being a tedious guest to a loathsome host ; "
## [12175] "over-hearing him sometimes bitterly warn his daughter of bringing "
## [12176] "such costly mates under his roof, which she grieved at, desired "
## [12177] "much to know my name, I think partly of kindness, to remember "
## [12178] "who had done something for her, and partly, because she assured "
## [12179] "herself I was such a one as would make even his miser-mind "
## [12180] "contented with that he had done. And accordingly, she demanded "
## [12181] "my name and estate, with such earnestness, that I, whom love had "
## [12182] "not as then so robbed me of myself, as to be other than I am, told "
## [12183] "her directly my name and condition : whereof she was no more "
## [12184] "glad than her father, as I might well perceive by some ill-favoured "
## [12185] "cheerfulness, which then first began to wrinkle itself in his face. "
## [12186] ""
## [12187] "\" But the causes of their joys were far different ; for as the "
## [12188] "shepherd and the butcher both may look upon one sheep with "
## [12189] "pleasing conceits, but the shepherd with mind to profit himself by "
## [12190] "preserving, the butcher with killing him, so she rejoiced to find "
## [12191] "that mine own benefits had made me to be her friend, who was a "
## [12192] "prince of such greatness, and lovingly rejoiced. But his joy grew, "
## [12193] "as I to my danger after perceived, by the occasion of the queen "
## [12194] "Artaxia's setting my head to sale for having slain her brother "
## [12195] "Tiridates, which being the sum of an hundred thousand crowns, to "
## [12196] ""
## [12197] "p "
## [12198] ""
## [12199] ""
## [12200] ""
## [12201] "226 ARCADIA - tBooKii. "
## [12202] ""
## [12203] "whosoever brought me alive into her hands, that old wretch, who "
## [12204] "had over-lived all good nature, though he had lying idly by him "
## [12205] "much more than that, yet above all things loving money, for "
## [12206] "money's own sake, determined to betray me, so well deserving of "
## [12207] "him, for to have that which he was determined never to use. And "
## [12208] "so knowing that the next morning I was resolved to go to the "
## [12209] "place where I had left Anaxius, he sent in all speed to a captain of "
## [12210] "a garrison near by, which though it belonged to the king of Iberia, "
## [12211] "yet knowing the captain's humour to delight so in riotous spending, "
## [12212] "that he cared not how he came by the means to maintain it, doubted "
## [12213] "not that to be half with him in the gain, he would play his quarter "
## [12214] "part in the treason. And therefore that night agreeing of the "
## [12215] "fittest places where they might surprise me in the morning, the old "
## [12216] "caitiff was grown so ceremonious, that he would needs accompany "
## [12217] "me some miles in my way, a sufficient token to me, if nature had "
## [12218] "made me apt to suspect ; since a churl's courtesy rarely comes, "
## [12219] "but either for gain or falsehood. But I suffered him to stumble "
## [12220] "into that point of good manners : to which purpose he came out "
## [12221] "with all his clowns, horsed upon such cart-jades, and so furnished, "
## [12222] "as in good faith I thought with myself, if that were thrift, I wish "
## [12223] "none of my friends or subjects ever to thrive. As for his daughter, "
## [12224] "the gentle Dido, she would also, but in my conscience with a far "
## [12225] "better mind, prolong the time of farewell, as long as he. "
## [12226] ""
## [12227] "\" And so we went on together : he so old in wickedness, that he "
## [12228] "could look me in the face, and freely talk with me, whose life he "
## [12229] "had already contracted for : till coming into the faUing of a way "
## [12230] "which led us into a place, of each side whereof men might easily "
## [12231] "keep themselves undiscovered, I was encompassed suddenly by a "
## [12232] "great troop of enemies, both of horse and foot, who willed me to "
## [12233] "yield myself to the queen Artaxia. But they could not have used "
## [12234] "worse eloquence to have persuaded my yielding than that ; I "
## [12235] "knowing the little goodwill Artaxia bare me. And therefore "
## [12236] "making necessity and justice my best sword and shield, I used the "
## [12237] "other weapons I had as well as I could ; I am sure to the litde "
## [12238] "ease of a good number, who trusting to their number more than to "
## [12239] "their valour, and valuing money higher than equity, felt that "
## [12240] "guiltiness is not always with ease oppressed. As for Cbremes, he "
## [12241] "withdrew himself, so gilding his wicked conceits with his hope of "
## [12242] "gain, that he was content to be a beholder how I should be taken "
## [12243] "to make his prey. "
## [12244] ""
## [12245] "\" But I was grown so weary that I supported myself more with "
## [12246] "anger than strength, when the most excellent Musidorus came to "
## [12247] "riy succour, who having followed my trace as well as he could, "
## [12248] "after he found I had left the fight with Anaxius, came to the "
## [12249] "niggard's castle, where he found all burned and spoiled by the "
## [12250] ""
## [12251] ""
## [12252] ""
## [12253] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 227 "
## [12254] ""
## [12255] "country people, who bare mortal hatred to that covetous man, and "
## [12256] "now took the time when the cattle was left almost without guard, "
## [12257] "to come in and leave monuments of their malice therein : which "
## [12258] "Musidorus not staying either to farther, or impeach, came upon "
## [12259] "the spur after me, because with one voice many told him, that if I "
## [12260] "were in his company, it was for no good meant unto me, and in "
## [12261] "this extremity found me. But when I saw that cousin of mine, "
## [12262] "methought my life was doubled, and where I before thought of a "
## [12263] "noble death, I now thought of a noble victory. For who can fear "
## [12264] "that hath Musidorus by him ? who, what he did there for me, how "
## [12265] "many he killed, not stranger for the number than for the strange "
## [12266] "blows wherewith he sent them to a well-deserved death, might "
## [12267] "well delight me to speak of, but I should so hold you too long in "
## [12268] "every particular. But in truth, there if ever, and ever, if ever any "
## [12269] "man, did Musidorus show himself second to none in able valour. "
## [12270] ""
## [12271] "\"Yet what the unmeasurable excess of their number would have "
## [12272] "done in the end, I know not, but the trial thereof was cut off by "
## [12273] "the chanceable coming thither of the king of Iberia, that same "
## [12274] "father of the worthy Plangus, whom it hath pleased you sometimes "
## [12275] "to mention, who, not yielding over to old age his country delights, "
## [12276] "especially of hawking, was at that time following a merlin, brought "
## [12277] "to see this injury offered unto us, and having great numbers of "
## [12278] "courtiers waiting upon him, was straight known by the soldiers "
## [12279] "that assaulted us, to be their king, and so most of them withdrew "
## [12280] "themselves. "
## [12281] ""
## [12282] "\" He, by his authority, knowing of the captain's own constrained "
## [12283] "confession, what was the motive of this mischievous practice ; "
## [12284] "misliking much such violence should be offered in his country to "
## [12285] "men of our rank, but chiefly disdaining it should be done in respect "
## [12286] "of his niece, whom, I must confess wrongfully, he hated, because "
## [12287] "he interpreted that her brother and she had maintained his son "
## [12288] "Plangus against him, caused the captain's head presently to be "
## [12289] "stricken off, and the old bad Chremes to be hanged, though truly "
## [12290] "for my part, I earnestly laboured for his life, because I had eaten "
## [12291] "of his bread. But one thing was notable for a conclusion of his "
## [12292] "miserable life, that neither the death of his daughter, who, alas ! "
## [12293] "poor gentlewoman, was by chance slain- among his clowns, while "
## [12294] "she over-boldly for her weak sex sought to hold them from me, "
## [12295] "nor yet his own shameful end was so much in his mouth as he was "
## [12296] "led to execution, as the loss of his goods, and burning of his house "
## [12297] "which often, with more laughter than tears of the hearers, he made "
## [12298] "pitiful exclamations upon. "
## [12299] ""
## [12300] "\"This justice thus done, and we delivered, the king indeed, in "
## [12301] "royal sort invited us to his court, not far thence : in all point "
## [12302] "entertaining us so, as truly I must ever acknowledge a beholding- "
## [12303] ""
## [12304] ""
## [12305] ""
## [12306] "22g ARCADIA [boo* It, "
## [12307] ""
## [12308] "ness unto him ; although the stream of it fell out not to be so "
## [12309] "sweet as the spring. For after some days being there, curing "
## [12310] "ourselves of such wounds as we had received, while I, causing "
## [12311] "diligent search to be made for Anaxius, could learn nothing, but "
## [12312] "that he was gone out of the country, boasting in every place how "
## [12313] "he had made me run away, we were brought to receive the favour "
## [12314] "of acquaintance with the Queen Andromana, whom the princess "
## [12315] "Pamela did in so lively colours describe the last day, as still "
## [12316] "methinks the figure thereof possesseth mine eyes, confirmed by the "
## [12317] "knowledge myself had. "
## [12318] ""
## [12319] "\"And therefore I shall need the less to make you know what "
## [12320] "kind of woman she was ; but this only, that first with the reins of "
## [12321] "affection, and after with the very use of directing, she had made "
## [12322] "herself so absolute a master of her husband's mind, that a while "
## [12323] "he would not, and after, he could not tell how to govern without "
## [12324] "being governed by her : but finding an ease in not understanding, "
## [12325] "let loose his thoughts wholly to pleasure, entrusting to her the "
## [12326] "entire conduct of all his royal affairs. A thing that may luckily "
## [12327] "fall out to him that hath the blessing to match with some heroical- "
## [12328] "minded lady. But in him it was neither guided by wisdom, nor "
## [12329] "followed by fortune, but thereby was slipped insensibly into such an "
## [12330] "estate that he lived at her indiscreet discretion : all his subjects "
## [12331] "having by some years learned so to hope for good, and fear of "
## [12332] "harm, only from her, that it should have needed a stronger virtue "
## [12333] "than his to have unwound so deeply an entered vice. So that "
## [12334] "either not striving, because he was contented, or contented because "
## [12335] "he would not strive, he scarcely knew what was done in his own "
## [12336] "chamber, but as it pleased her instruments to frame the relation. "
## [12337] ""
## [12338] "\" Now we being brought known unto her, the time that we spent "
## [12339] "in curing some very dangerous wounds, after once we were "
## [12340] "acquainted, and acquainted we were sooner than ourselves "
## [12341] "expected, she continually almost haunted us, till, and it was not "
## [12342] "long a doing, we discovered a most violent bent of affection, and "
## [12343] "that so strangely that we might well see an evil mind in authority "
## [12344] "doth not only follow the sway of the desires already within it, but "
## [12345] "frames to itself new desires, not before thought of. For, with "
## [12346] "equal ardour she affected us both ; and so did her greatness "
## [12347] "disdain shamefacedness that she was content to acknowledge it to "
## [12348] "both. For, having many times torn the veil of modesty, it seemed, "
## [12349] "for a last delight, that she delighted in infamy, which often she "
## [12350] "had used to her husband's shame, filling all men's ears, but his, "
## [12351] "with his reproach ; while he, hoodwinked with kindness, least of "
## [12352] "all men knew who struck him. But her first decree was, by setting "
## [12353] "forth her beauties, truly in nature not to be misliked, but as much "
## [12354] "advaaced to the eye as abased to the judgment by art, thereby to "
## [12355] ""
## [12356] ""
## [12357] ""
## [12358] "BOOK IT.] ARCADIA 229 "
## [12359] ""
## [12360] "bring us, as willingly caught fishes, to bite at her bait. And "
## [12361] "thereto had she that scutchion of her desires supported by certain "
## [12362] "badly diligent ministers, who often cloyed our ears with her "
## [12363] "praises, and would needs teach us a way of felicity by seeking her "
## [12364] "favour. But when she found that we were as deaf to them as "
## [12365] "dumb to her, then she listed no longer stay in the suburbs of her "
## [12366] "foolish desires, but directly entered upon them, making herself an "
## [12367] "impudent suitor, authorizing herself very much with making us see "
## [12368] "that all favour and power in that realm so depended upon her, as "
## [12369] "now, being in her hands, we were either to keep or lose our liberty "
## [12370] "at her discretion ; which yet awhile she so tempered, as that we "
## [12371] "might rather suspect than she threaten. But when our wounds "
## [12372] "grew so as that they gave us leave to travel, and that she found we "
## [12373] "were purposed to use all means we could to depart thence, she, "
## [12374] "with more and more importunateness, craved, which in all good "
## [12375] "manners was either of us to be desired, or not granted. Truly, "
## [12376] "most fair and every way excellent lady, you would have wondered "
## [12377] "to have seen how before us she would confess the contention in "
## [12378] "her own mind between that lovely, indeed most lovely brownness "
## [12379] "of Musidorus's face, and this colour of mine, which she, in the "
## [12380] "deceivable style of affection would entitle beautiful : but her eyes "
## [12381] "wandered like a glutton at a feast, from the one to the other ; and "
## [12382] "how her words would begin half of the sentence to Musidorus, and "
## [12383] "end the other half to Pyrocles, not ashamed, seeing the friendship "
## [12384] "between us, to desire either of us to be a mediator to the other, "
## [12385] "as if we should have played one request at tennis between us ; and "
## [12386] "often wishing that she might be the angle where the lines of our "
## [12387] "friendship might meet, and be the knot which might tie our hearts "
## [12388] "together. Which proceeding of hers I do the more largely set "
## [12389] "before you, most dear lady, because by the foil thereof, you may "
## [12390] "see the nobleness of my desire to you and the warrantableness of "
## [12391] "your favour to me.\" "
## [12392] ""
## [12393] "At that Philoclea smiled with a little nod. \" But,\" said Pyrocles, "
## [12394] "'' when she perceived no hope by suit to prevail, then, persuaded "
## [12395] "by the rage of affection, and encouraged by daring to do anything, "
## [12396] "she found means to have us accused to the King, as though we "
## [12397] "went about some practice to overthrow him in his own state, which, "
## [12398] "because of the strange successes we had had in the kingdoms of "
## [12399] "Phrygia, Pontus and Galatia, seemed not unlikely to him, who, "
## [12400] "but skimming anything that came before him, was disciplined to "
## [12401] "leave the thorough-handling of all to his gentle wife, who forthwith "
## [12402] "caused us to be put in prison, having, while we slept, deprived us "
## [12403] "of our arms : a prison, indeed injurious, because a prison, but else "
## [12404] "well testifying affection, because in all respects as commodious as a "
## [12405] "prison might be : and indeed so placed, as she might at all hours, "
## [12406] ""
## [12407] ""
## [12408] ""
## [12409] "23Q ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [12410] ""
## [12411] "not seen by many, though she cared not much how many had seen "
## [12412] "her, come unto us. Then fell she to sauce her desires with "
## [12413] "threatenings, so that we were in a great perplexity, restrained to so "
## [12414] "unworthy a bondage, and yet restrained by love, which I cannot "
## [12415] "tell how, in noble minds, by a certain duty, claims an answering. "
## [12416] "And how much that love might move us, so much, and more that "
## [12417] "faultiness of her mind removed us ; her beauty being balanced by "
## [12418] "her shamelessness. But that which did, as it were, tie us in a "
## [12419] "captivity, was, that to grant had been wickedly injurious to him "
## [12420] "that had saved our lives ; and to accuse a lady that loved us, of "
## [12421] "her love unto us, we esteemed almost as dishonourable : and but "
## [12422] "by one of those ways we saw no likelihood of going out of that "
## [12423] "place, where the words would be injurious to your ears, which "
## [12424] "would express the manner of her suit : while yet many times "
## [12425] "earnestness dyed her cheeks with the colour of shamefacedness, "
## [12426] "and wanton languishing borrowed of her eyes the down-cast look "
## [12427] "of modesty. But we in the meantime far from loving her, and "
## [12428] "often assuring her that we would not so recompense her husband's "
## [12429] "saving of our lives ; to such a ridiculous degree of trusting her, "
## [12430] "she had brought him, that she caused him to send us word, that "
## [12431] "upon our lives we should do whatsoever she commanded us : good "
## [12432] "man not knowing any other but that all her pleasures were "
## [12433] "directed to the preservation of his estate. But when that made us "
## [12434] "rather pity than obey his folly, then fell she to servile entreating "
## [12435] "us, as though force could have been the school of love, or that an "
## [12436] "honest courage would not rather strive against, than yield to "
## [12437] "injury. All which yet could not make us accuse her, though it "
## [12438] "made us almost pine away for spite to lose any of our time in so "
## [12439] "troublesome an idleness. "
## [12440] ""
## [12441] "\" But while we were thus full of weariness of what was past, and "
## [12442] "doubt of what was to follow, love, that I think in the course of "
## [12443] "my life hath a sport sometimes to poison me with roses, some- "
## [12444] "times to heal me with wormwood, brought forth a remedy "
## [12445] "unto us : which though it helped me out of that distress, alas, "
## [12446] "the conclusion was such that I must ever while I live think it "
## [12447] "worse than a wreck so to have been preserved. This king by "
## [12448] "his queen had a son of tender age, but of great expectation, "
## [12449] "brought up in the hope of themselves, and already acceptation "
## [12450] "of the inconstant people, as successor of his father's crown, "
## [12451] "whereof he was as worthy, considering his parts, as unworthy "
## [12452] "in respect of the wrong was thereby done against the most "
## [12453] "noble Plangus, whose great deserts now either forgotten, or un- "
## [12454] "gratefully remembered ; all men set their sails with the favourable "
## [12455] "wind, which blew on the fortune of this young prince, perchance "
## [12456] "pot in their hearts, but surely in their mouths, now giving Plan^us^ "
## [12457] ""
## [12458] ""
## [12459] ""
## [12460] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 231 "
## [12461] ""
## [12462] "who some years before was their only champion, the poor comfort "
## [12463] "of calamity, pity. This youth therefore accounted prince of that "
## [12464] "region, by name Palladius, did with vehement affection love a "
## [12465] "young lady brought up in his father's court, called Zelmane, "
## [12466] "daughter to that mischievously unhappy prince Plexirtus, of whom "
## [12467] "already I have, and sometimes must make, but never honourable "
## [12468] "mention, left there by her father, because of the intricate change- "
## [12469] "ableness of his estate, he, by the mother's side, being half brother "
## [12470] "to this queen Andromana, and therefore the willinger committing "
## [12471] "her to her care. But as love, alas ! doth not always reflect itself, "
## [12472] "so fell it out that this Zelmane, though truly reason there was "
## [12473] "enough to love Palladius, yet could not ever persuade her heart "
## [12474] "to yield thereunto : with that pain to Palladius, as they feel "
## [12475] "that feel an unloved love. Yet loving indeed, and therefore "
## [12476] "constant, he used still the intercession of diligence and faith, ever "
## [12477] "hoping, because he would not put himself into that hell to be "
## [12478] "hopeless : until the time of our being come, and captived there, "
## [12479] "brought forth this end, which truly deserves of me a further "
## [12480] "degree of sorrow than tears. "
## [12481] ""
## [12482] "\" Such was therein my ill destiny, that this young lady Zelmane, "
## [12483] "like some unwisely liberal, that more delight to give presents than "
## [12484] "pay debts, she chose, alas more the pity, rather to bestow her love, "
## [12485] "so much undeserved as not desired, upon me, than to recompense "
## [12486] "him, whose love, besides many other things, might seem, even in "
## [12487] "the court of honour, justly to claim it of her. But so it was ; "
## [12488] "alas that so it was 1 whereby it came to pass, that as nothing doth "
## [12489] "more naturally follow this cause than care to preserve, and benefit "
## [12490] "doth follow unfeigned affection, she felt with me what I felt of my "
## [12491] "captivity, and straight laboured to redress my pain, which was her "
## [12492] "pain ; which she could do by no better means than by using the "
## [12493] "help therein of Palladius, who, true lover considering what, and "
## [12494] "not why, in all her commandments ; and indeed she concealing "
## [12495] "from him her affection, which she entitled, compassion, immedi- "
## [12496] "ately obeyed to employ his uttermost credit to relieve us ; which "
## [12497] "though as great as a beloved son with a mother, faulty otherwise, "
## [12498] "but not hard-hearted toward him, yet it could not prevail to "
## [12499] "procure us liberty. Wherefore he sought to have that by practice "
## [12500] "which he could not by prayer. And so being allowed often to "
## [12501] "visit us, for indeed our restraints were more or less, according as "
## [12502] "the ague of her passion was either in the fit or intermission, he "
## [12503] "used the opportunity of a fit time thus to deliver us. "
## [12504] ""
## [12505] "\" The time of the marrying that queen was, every year, by the "
## [12506] "extreme love of her husband, and the serviceable love of the "
## [12507] "courtiers, made notable by some public honours, which did, as it "
## [12508] "jvere, proclaim to the world, how dear she was to that people. "
## [12509] ""
## [12510] ""
## [12511] ""
## [12512] "232 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [12513] ""
## [12514] "Among other, none was either more grateful to the beholders, "
## [12515] "or more noble in itself, than jousts, both with sword and lance, "
## [12516] "maintained for seven nights together; wherein that nation doth "
## [12517] "so excel, both for comeliness and ableness, that from neighbour- "
## [12518] "countries they ordinarily come, some to strive, some to learn, some "
## [12519] "to behold. "
## [12520] ""
## [12521] "\" This day it happened that divers famous knights came thither "
## [12522] "from the court of Helen Queen of Corinth ; a lady whom fame at "
## [12523] "that time was so desirous to honour that she borrowed all men's "
## [12524] "mouths to join with the sound of her trumpet. For as her beauty "
## [12525] "hath won the prize from all women that stand in degree of com- "
## [12526] "parison, for as for the two sisters of Arcadia, they are far beyond "
## [12527] "all conceit of comparison, so hath her government been such as "
## [12528] "hath been no less beautiful to men's judgments than her beauty to "
## [12529] "the eyesight. For being brought by right of birth, a woman, "
## [12530] "a young woman, a fair woman, to govern a people in nature "
## [12531] "mutinously proud, and always before so used to hard governors, "
## [12532] "that they knew not how to obey without the sword were drawn, "
## [12533] "could she for some years so carry herself among them, that they "
## [12534] "found cause in the delicacy of her sex, of admiration, not of "
## [12535] "contempt : and which was not able, even in the time that many "
## [12536] "countries about her were full of wars, which for old grudges to "
## [12537] "Corinth were thought still would conclude there, yet so handled "
## [12538] "she the matter, that the threatened ever smarted in the threateners ; "
## [12539] "she using so strange, and yet so well succeeding a temper that "
## [12540] "she made her people by peace warlike ; her courtiers by sports, "
## [12541] "learned ; her ladies by love, chaste. For by continual martial "
## [12542] "exercises without blood, she made them perfect in that bloody art. "
## [12543] "Her sports were such as carried riches of knowledge upon the "
## [12544] "stream of delight : and such the behaviour both of herself and her "
## [12545] "ladies, as builded their chastity not upon waywardness, but choice "
## [12546] "of worthiness : so as it seemed that court to have been the "
## [12547] "marriage-place of love and virtue, and that herself was a Diana "
## [12548] "apparelled in the garments of Venus. And this which fame only "
## [12549] "deUvered unto me, for yet I have never seen her, I am the willinger "
## [12550] "to speak of to you, who, I know, know her better, being your near "
## [12551] "neighbour, because you may see by her example, in herself wise, "
## [12552] "and of others beloved, that neither folly is the cause of vehement "
## [12553] "love, nor reproach the effect. For never, I think, was there any "
## [12554] "woman that with more unremovable determination gave herself "
## [12555] "to the counsel of love, after she had once set before her mind "
## [12556] "the worthiness of your cousin Amphialus, and yet is neither her "
## [12557] "wisdom doubted of, nor honom: blemished. For, O God, what "
## [12558] "doth better become wisdom, than to discern what is worthy the "
## [12559] "loving? what more agreeable to goodness, than to love it so "
## [12560] ""
## [12561] ""
## [12562] ""
## [12563] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 233 "
## [12564] ""
## [12565] "discerned? and what to greatness of ITeart, than to be constant "
## [12566] "in it once loved ? but at that time that love of hers was not so "
## [12567] "publicly known as the death of Philoxemus, and her search of "
## [12568] "Amphialus hath made it : but then seemed to have such leisure "
## [12569] "to send thither divers choice knights of her court, because they "
## [12570] "might bring her, at least the knowledge, perchance the honour of "
## [12571] "that triumph. Wherein so they behaved themselves, that for "
## [12572] "three days they carried the prize ; which being come from so far "
## [12573] "a place to disgrace her servants, Palladius, who himself had never "
## [12574] "used arms, persuaded the queen Andromana to be content for the "
## [12575] "honour sake of her court, to suffer us two to have our horse and "
## [12576] "armour, that he with us might undertake the recovery of their lost "
## [12577] "honour ; which she granted, taking our oath to go no farther than "
## [12578] "her son, nor ever to abandon him. Which she did not more for "
## [12579] "saving him, than keeping us : and yet not satisfied with our oath, "
## [12580] "appointed a band of horsemen to have an eye that we should not "
## [12581] "go beyond appointed limits. We were willing to gratify the young "
## [12582] "prince, who, we saw, loved us. And so the fourth day of that "
## [12583] "exercise we came into the field : where, I remember, the manner "
## [12584] "was, that the forenoon they should run a tilt, one after the other ; "
## [12585] "the afternoon in a broad field in manner of a battle, till either the "
## [12586] "strangers, or that country knights won the field. "
## [12587] ""
## [12588] "\" The first that ran was a brave knight, whose device was to "
## [12589] "come in all chained, with a nymph leading him. Against him "
## [12590] "came forth an Iberian, whose manner of entering was with "
## [12591] "bagpipes instead of trumpets ; a shepherd's boy before him for "
## [12592] "a page, and by him a dozen apparelled like shepherds for the "
## [12593] "fashion, though rich in stuff, who carried his lances, which though "
## [12594] "strong to give a lancely blow indeed, yet so were they coloured "
## [12595] "with hooks near the mourn, that they prettily represented sheep- "
## [12596] "hooks. His own furniture was dressed over with wool, so enriched "
## [12597] "with jewels artificially placed, that one would have thought it "
## [12598] "a marriage between the lowest and the highest. His Impresa was "
## [12599] "a sheep marked with pitch, with those words, ' Spotted to be "
## [12600] "known.' And because I may tell you out his conceit, though that "
## [12601] "were not done, till the running of that time was ended, before the "
## [12602] "ladies' departure from the windows, among whom there was one, "
## [12603] "they say, that was the Star whereby his course was only directed, "
## [12604] "the shepherds attending upon Philisides went among them, and "
## [12605] "sang an eclogue ; one of them answering another, while the other "
## [12606] "shepherds pulling out recorders, which possessed the place of pipes, "
## [12607] "accorded their music to the other's voice. The eclogue had great "
## [12608] "praise : I only remember six verses, while having questioned one "
## [12609] "with the other of their fellow-shepherd's sudden growing a man "
## [12610] "of arms, and the cause of his doing, they thus said : "
## [12611] ""
## [12612] ""
## [12613] ""
## [12614] "234 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [12615] ""
## [12616] "Me thought some staves he miss'd ! if so, not much amiss ; "
## [12617] "For where he most would hit, he ever yet did miss. "
## [12618] "One said he broke a cross ; full well it so might be : "
## [12619] "For never was there man more crossly crossed than he. "
## [12620] "But most cried, O well broke ; O fool full gaily blest : "
## [12621] "Where failing is a shame, and breaking is his best. "
## [12622] ""
## [12623] "\" Thus I have digressed, because his manner liked me well, but "
## [12624] "when he began to run against Lelius, it had near grown, though "
## [12625] "great love had ever been betwixt them, to a quarrel. For "
## [12626] "Philisides breaking his staves with great commendation, Lelius, "
## [12627] "who was known to be second to none in the perfection of that art, "
## [12628] "ran ever over his head, but so finely to the skilful eyes, that one "
## [12629] "might well see he showed more knowledge in missing, than others "
## [12630] "did in hitting. For if so gallant a grace his staff came swimming "
## [12631] "close over the crest of the helmet, as if he would represent the "
## [12632] "kiss, and not the stroke of Mars. But Philisides was much moved "
## [12633] "with it, while he thought Lelius would show a contempt of his "
## [12634] "youth : till Lelius, who therefore would satisfy him, because he "
## [12635] "was his friend, made him know that to such bondage he was for "
## [12636] "so many courses tied by her, whose disgraces to him were graced "
## [12637] "by her excellency, and whose injuries he could never otherwise "
## [12638] "return, than honours. "
## [12639] ""
## [12640] "\" But so by Lelius's willing missing was the odds of the Iberian "
## [12641] "side, and continued so in the next by the excellent running of "
## [12642] "a knight, though fostered so by the Muses, as many times the very "
## [12643] "rustic people left both their delights and profits to hearken to his "
## [12644] "songs, yet could he so well perform all armed sports, as if he had "
## [12645] "never had any other pen than a lance in his hand. He came in "
## [12646] "like a wild man, but such a wildness as showed his eyesight had "
## [12647] "tamed him, full of withered leaves, which though they fell not, still "
## [12648] "threatened falling. His Impresa was a mill-horse still bound to go "
## [12649] "in one circle ; with those words, ' Data fata secutus.' But after "
## [12650] "him the Corinthian knights absolutely prevailed, especially a great "
## [12651] "nobleman of Corinth, whose device was to come without any "
## [12652] "device, all in white like a new knight, as indeed he was, but so "
## [12653] "new, as his newness shamed most of the other's long exercise. "
## [12654] "Then another, from whose tent I remember a bird was made fly, "
## [12655] "with such art to carry a written embassage among the ladies, that "
## [12656] "one might say, if a live bird, how so taught ? if a dead bird, how so "
## [12657] "made? then he, who hidden, man and horse in a great figure "
## [12658] "lively representing the Phoenix, the fire took so artificially as it "
## [12659] "consumed the bird, and left him to rise as it were, out of the ashes "
## [12660] "thereof. Against whom was the fine frozen knight, frozen in "
## [12661] "despair ; but his armour so naturally representing- ice, and all his "
## [12662] ""
## [12663] ""
## [12664] ""
## [12665] "BOOK Ti.] ARCADIA 23s "
## [12666] ""
## [12667] "furniture so lively answering thereto, as yet did I never see "
## [12668] "anything that pleased me better. "
## [12669] ""
## [12670] "\" But the delight at those pleasing sights have carried me too "
## [12671] "far into an unnecessary discourse. Let it then suffice, most "
## [12672] "excellent lady ! that you know, the Corinthians that morning in "
## [12673] "the exercise, as they had done the days before, had the better ; "
## [12674] "Palladius neither suffering us nor himself, to take in hand the "
## [12675] "party till the afternoon, when we were to fight in troops, not "
## [12676] "differing otherwise from earnest, but that the sharpness of the "
## [12677] "weapons was taken away. But in the trial, Palladius, especially "
## [12678] "led by Musidorus, and somewhat aided by me, himself truly "
## [12679] "behaving himself nothing like a beginner, brought the honour to "
## [12680] "rest itself that night on the Iberian side, and the next day, both "
## [12681] "morning and afternoon being kept by our party. He, that saw the "
## [12682] "time fit for the delivery he intended, called unto us to follow him, "
## [12683] "which we both bound by oath, and willing by goodwill, obeyed, "
## [12684] "and so the guard not daring to interrupt us, he commanding "
## [12685] "passage, we went after him upon the spur, to a little house in a "
## [12686] "forest near by ; which he thought would be the fittest resting place, "
## [12687] "till we might go farther from his mother's fury, whereat he was no "
## [12688] "less angry and ashamed, than desirous to obey Zelmane. "
## [12689] ""
## [12690] "\" But his mother, as I learned since, understanding by the guard "
## [12691] "her son's conveying us away, forgetting her greatness, and resigning "
## [12692] "modesty to more quiet thoughts, flew out from her place, and cried "
## [12693] "to be accompanied, for she herself would follow us. But what she "
## [12694] "did, being rather with vehemency of passion that conduct of "
## [12695] "reason, made her stumble while she ran, and by her own confusion "
## [12696] "hinder her own desires. For so impatiently she commanded, as a "
## [12697] "good while nobody knew what she commanded, so as we had "
## [12698] "gotten so far the start, as to be already past the confines of her "
## [12699] "kingdom before she overtook us : and overtake us she did in the "
## [12700] "kingdom of Bithynia, not regarding shame, or danger of having "
## [12701] "entered into another's dominions, but, having with her about "
## [12702] "threescore horsemen, straight commanded to take us alive, and "
## [12703] "not to regard her son's threatening therein, which they attempted "
## [12704] "to do, first by speech, and then by force. But neither liking their "
## [12705] "eloquence, nor fearing their might, we esteemed few words in a "
## [12706] "just defence, able to resist many unjust assaulters. And so "
## [12707] "Musidorus's incredible valour, beating down all lets, made both "
## [12708] "me, and Palladius, so good way, that we had little to do to "
## [12709] "overcome weak wrong. "
## [12710] ""
## [12711] "\"And now had we the victory in effect without blood, when "
## [12712] "Palladius, heated with the fight, and angry with his mother's fault, "
## [12713] "so pursued our assailers, that one of them, who as I heard since, "
## [12714] "had before our coming been a special minion of Andromana's, and "
## [12715] ""
## [12716] ""
## [12717] ""
## [12718] "236 ' ARCADIA [BOOK II. "
## [12719] ""
## [12720] "hated us for having^ dispossessed him of her heart, taking him to "
## [12721] "be one of us, with a traitorous blow slew his young prince, who "
## [12722] "falling down before our eyes, whom he especially had delivered ; "
## [12723] "judge, sweetest lady, whether anger might not be called justice in "
## [12724] "such a case : once, so it wrought in us, that many of his subjects "
## [12725] "bodies we left there dead, to wait on him more faithfully to the "
## [12726] "other world. "
## [12727] ""
## [12728] "\" All this while disdain, strengthened by the fury of a furious "
## [12729] "love, made Andromana stay to the last of the combat ; and when "
## [12730] "she saw us light down to see what help we might do to the "
## [12731] "helpless Palladius, she came running madly unto us, then no less "
## [12732] "threatening, when she had no more power to hurt. But when she "
## [12733] "perceived it was her only son that lay hurt, and that his hurt "
## [12734] "was so deadly, as that already his life had lost the use of "
## [12735] "reasonable, and almost sensible part, then only did misfortune lay "
## [12736] "his own ugliness upon her fault, and make her see what she had "
## [12737] "done, and to what she was come ; especially finding in us rather "
## [12738] "detestation than pity, considering the loss of that young prince, "
## [12739] "and resolution presently to depart, which still she laboured to stay. "
## [12740] "But deprived of all comfort, with eyes full of death, she ran to her "
## [12741] "son's dagger, and before we were aware of it, who else would have "
## [12742] "stayed it, struck herself a mortal wound. But then her love, "
## [12743] "though not her person, awaked pity in us, and I went to her, while "
## [12744] "Musidorus laboured about Palladius. But the wound was past "
## [12745] "the cure of a better surgeon than myself, so as I could but receive "
## [12746] "some few of her dying words, which were cursings of her ill set "
## [12747] "affection, and wishing unto me many crosses and mischances in "
## [12748] "my love, whensoever I should love, wherein I fear, and only fear "
## [12749] "that her prayer is from above granted. But the noise of this fight, "
## [12750] "and issue thereof being blazed by the country people to some "
## [12751] "noblemen thereabouts ; they came thither, and finding the wrong "
## [12752] "offered us, let us go on our journey, we having recommended those "
## [12753] "royal bodies unto them to be conveyed to the king of Iberia.\" "
## [12754] ""
## [12755] "With that Philoclea seeing the tears stand in his eyes with "
## [12756] "remembrance of Palladius, but much more of that which thereupon "
## [12757] "grew, she would needs drink a kiss from those eyes, and he suck "
## [12758] "another from her lips ; whereat she blushed, and yet kissed him "
## [12759] "again to hide her blushing, which had almost brought Pyrocles "
## [12760] "into another discourse, but that she with so sweet a rigour forbade "
## [12761] "him, that he durst not rebel, though he found it a great war to keep "
## [12762] "that peace, but was fain to go on in his story; but so she absolutely "
## [12763] "bade him, and he durst not know how to disobey. "
## [12764] ""
## [12765] "\" So,\" said he, \" parting from that place before the sun had much "
## [12766] "abased himself of his greatest height, we saw sitting upon the dry "
## [12767] "sands, which yielded, at that time, a very hot reflection, a fair "
## [12768] ""
## [12769] ""
## [12770] ""
## [12771] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 237 "
## [12772] ""
## [12773] "gentlewoman, whose gesture accused her of much sorrow, and "
## [12774] "every way showed she cared not what pain she put her body to, "
## [12775] "since the better part, her mind, was laid under so much agony : "
## [12776] "and so was she dulled, withal, that we could come so near as to "
## [12777] "hear her speeches, and yet she not perceive the hearers of her "
## [12778] "lamentation. But well we might understand her at times say, "
## [12779] "' Thou doest kill me with thy unkind falsehood : and it grieves me "
## [12780] "not to die, but it grieves me that thou art the murderer : neither "
## [12781] "doth mine own pain so much vex me, as thy error. For God knows, "
## [12782] "it would not trouble me to be slain for thee, but much it torments "
## [12783] "me to be slain by thee ; thou art untrue, Pamphilus, thou art "
## [12784] "untrue, and woe is me therefore. How oft did'st thou swear unto "
## [12785] "me that the sun should lose his light, and the rocks run up and "
## [12786] "down like little kids, before thou would'st falsify thy faith to me ? "
## [12787] "sun therefore put out thy shining, and rocks run mad for sorrow ; "
## [12788] "for Pamphilus is false. But alas ! the sun keeps his light, though "
## [12789] "thy faith be darkened ; the rocks stand still, though thou change "
## [12790] "hke a weather-cock. O fool that I am, that thought I could grasp "
## [12791] "water, and bind the wind. I might well have known thee by "
## [12792] "others, but I would not ; and rather wished to learn poison by "
## [12793] "drinking it myself, while my love helped thy words to deceive me. "
## [12794] "Well, yet I would thou had'st made a better choice when though "
## [12795] "did'st forsake thy unfortunate Leucippe. But it is no matter, "
## [12796] "Baccha, thy new mistress, will revenge my wrongs. But do not "
## [12797] "Baccha, let Pamphilus live happy, though I die.' "
## [12798] ""
## [12799] "\"And much more to such like phrase she spoke, but that I, "
## [12800] "who had occasion to know something of that Pamphilus, stepped "
## [12801] "to comfort her : and though I could not do that, yet I got tius "
## [12802] "much knowledge of her, that this being the same Leucippe, to "
## [12803] "whom the unconstant Pamphilus had betrothed himself, which "
## [12804] "had moved the other ladies to such indignation as I told you : "
## [12805] "neither her worthiness, which in truth was great, nor his own "
## [12806] "suffering for her, which is wont to endear affection, could fetter "
## [12807] "his fickleness, but that before his marriage day appointed, he had "
## [12808] "taken to wife that Baccha, of whom she complained, one that "
## [12809] "in divers places I had heard before placed, as the most impudently "
## [12810] "unchaste woman of all Asia, and withal of such an imperiousness "
## [12811] "therein, that she would not stick to employ them whom she made "
## [12812] "unhappy with her favour, to draw more companions of their folly : "
## [12813] "in the multitude of whom she did no less glory, than a captain "
## [12814] "would do of being followed by brave soldiers : waywardly proud ; "
## [12815] "and therefore bold, because extremely faulty : and yet having no "
## [12816] "good thing to redeem both these, and other unlovely parts, but "
## [12817] "a little beauty, disgraced with wandering eyes, and unweighed "
## [12818] "speeches, yet had Pamphilus, for her, left Leucippe, and withal, "
## [12819] ""
## [12820] ""
## [12821] ""
## [12822] "238 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [12823] ""
## [12824] "left his faith; Leucippe, of whom one look, in a clear judgment, "
## [12825] "would have been more acceptable than all her kindnesses so "
## [12826] "prodigally bestowed. For myself, the remembrance of his cruel "
## [12827] "handling Dido, joined to this, stirred me to seek some revenge "
## [12828] "upon him, but that I thought it should be again for him to lose "
## [12829] "his life, being so matched : and therefore, leaving him to be "
## [12830] "punished by his own election, we conveyed Leucippe to a house "
## [12831] "thereby, dedicated to Vestal nuns, where she resolved to spend "
## [12832] "all her years, which her youth promised should be many, in "
## [12833] "bewailing the wrong, and yet praying for the wrong-doer. "
## [12834] ""
## [12835] "\"But the next morning, we, having striven with the sun's "
## [12836] "earliness, were scarcely beyond the prospect of the high turrets "
## [12837] "of that building, when there overtook us a young gentleman, for "
## [12838] "so he seemed to us : but indeed, sweet lady, it was the fair "
## [12839] "Zelmane, Plexirtus's daughter, whom unconsulting affection, un- "
## [12840] "fortunately born to me-wards, had made borrow so much of her "
## [12841] "natural modesty, as to leave her more decent raiments, and taking "
## [12842] "occasion of Andromana's tumultuous pursuing us, had apparelled "
## [12843] "herself like a page, with a pitiful cruelty cutting off' her golden "
## [12844] "hair, leaving nothing, but the short curls, to cover that noble head, "
## [12845] "but that she wore upon it a fair headpiece, a shield at her back, "
## [12846] "and a lance in her hand, else disarmed. Her apparel of white, "
## [12847] "wrought upon with broken knots, her horse, fair and lusty ; which "
## [12848] "she rid so, as might show a fearful boldness, daring to do that "
## [12849] "which she knew that she knew not how to do : and the sweetness "
## [12850] "of her countenance did give such a grace to what she did that it "
## [12851] "did make handsome the unhandsomeness, and make the ©ye force "
## [12852] "the mind to believe that there was a praise in that unskilfulness. "
## [12853] "But she straight approached me, and with few words, which "
## [12854] "borrowed the help of her countenance to make themselves "
## [12855] "understood, she desired me to accept her into my service, telling "
## [12856] "me she was a nobleman's son of Iberia, her name Diaphantus, "
## [12857] "who having seen what I had done in that court, had stolen from her "
## [12858] "father, to follow me. I enquired the particularities of the manner "
## [12859] "of Andromana's following me, which by her I understood, she "
## [12860] "hiding nothing but her sex from me. And still methought I had "
## [12861] "seen that face, but the great alteration of her fortune, made her "
## [12862] "far distant from my memory : but liking very well the young "
## [12863] "gentleman, such I took her to be, admitted this Diaphantus about "
## [12864] "me, who well showed there is no service like his, that serves "
## [12865] "because he loves. For though born of princes' blood, brought -up "
## [12866] "with tenderest education, unapt to service, because a woman, and "
## [12867] "full of thoughts, because in a strange estate, yst love enjoined "
## [12868] "such diligence, that no apprentice, no, no bondslave could ever "
## [12869] "be by fear more ready at all commandments than that young "
## [12870] ""
## [12871] ""
## [12872] ""
## [12873] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 239 "
## [12874] ""
## [12875] "princess was. How often, alas ! did her eyes say unto me that "
## [12876] "they loved ? and yet, I not looking for such a matter, had not my "
## [12877] "conceit open to understand them : how often would she come "
## [12878] "creeping to me, between gladness to be near me, and fear to "
## [12879] "offend me? truly I remember, that then I marvelled to see her "
## [12880] "receive my commandments with sighs, and yet do them with "
## [12881] "cheerfulness ; sometimes answering me in such riddles, as then "
## [12882] "I thought a childish inexperience, but since returning to my "
## [12883] "remembrance they have come more clear unto my knowledge : "
## [12884] "and pardon me, only dear lady, that I use many words, for her "
## [12885] "affection to me, deserves of me an affectionate speech. "
## [12886] ""
## [12887] "\" But in such sort did she serve me in that kingdom of Bithynia, "
## [12888] "for two months space : in which time we brought to good end "
## [12889] "a cruel war long maintained between the king of Bithynia and his "
## [12890] "brother. For my excellent cousin, and I, dividing ourselves to "
## [12891] "either side, found means, after some trial we had made of ourselves, "
## [12892] "to get such credit with them, as we brought them to as great "
## [12893] "peace between themselves as love toward us for having made the "
## [12894] "peace. Which done, we intended to return through the kingdom "
## [12895] "of Galatia, called Thrace, to ease the care of our father and "
## [12896] "mother, who, we were sure, first with the shipwreck, and then with "
## [12897] "the other dangers we daily passed, should have little rest in their "
## [12898] "thoughts till they saw us. But we were not entered into that "
## [12899] "kingdom, when by the noise of a great fight we were guided to "
## [12900] "a pleasant valley, which like one of those circuses, which in great "
## [12901] "cities somewhere doth give a pleasant spectacle of running horses, so "
## [12902] "of either side, stretching itself in a narrow length, was it hemmed "
## [12903] "in by woody hills, as if indeed nature had meant therein to make "
## [12904] "a place for beholders. And there we beheld one of the cruellest "
## [12905] "fights between two knights that ever hath adorned the most "
## [12906] "■martial story. So as I must confess, a while we stood bewondered, "
## [12907] "another while delighted with the rare beauty thereof ; till seeing "
## [12908] "such streams of blood, as threatened a drowning of life, we galloped "
## [12909] "toward them to part them. But we were prevented by a dozen "
## [12910] "armed knights, or rather villains, who using this time of their "
## [12911] "extreme feebleness, altogether set upon them. But common "
## [12912] "danger broke off particular discord, so that, though with a dying "
## [12913] "weakness, with a lively courage they resisted, and by our help "
## [12914] "drove away, or slew those murdering attemptors : among whom we "
## [12915] "happened to take alive the principal. But going to disarm those "
## [12916] "two excellent knights, we found, with no less wonder to us than "
## [12917] "astonishment to themselves, that they were the two valiant, and "
## [12918] "indeed famous brothers, Tydeus and Telenor, whose adventure, "
## [12919] "as afterward we made that ungracious wretch confess, had thus "
## [12920] "fallen out. "
## [12921] ""
## [12922] ""
## [12923] ""
## [12924] "240 ARCADIA [book it. "
## [12925] ""
## [12926] "\"After the noble prince Leonatus had by his father's death, "
## [12927] "succeeded in the kingdom of Galatia, he forgetting all former "
## [12928] "injuries, had received that naughty Plexirtus into a strange degree "
## [12929] "of favour, his goodness being as apt to be deceived, asthe other's "
## [12930] "craft was to deceive ; till by plain proof, finding that the ungrateful "
## [12931] "man went about to poison him, yet would he not suffer his kindness "
## [12932] "to be overcome, not by justice itself; but calling him to him, used "
## [12933] "words to this purpose ; ' Plexirtus,' said he, ' this wickedness is "
## [12934] "found by thee ; no good deeds of mine have been able to keep "
## [12935] "it down in thee : all men counsel me to take away thy life, likely "
## [12936] "to bring forth nothing but as dangerous as wicked effects ; but "
## [12937] "I cannot find it in my heart, remembering what father's son thou "
## [12938] "art : but since it is the violence of ambition which perchance pulls "
## [12939] "thee from thine own judgment, I will see whether the satisfying "
## [12940] "that, may quiet the ill-working of thy spirits. Not far hence is "
## [12941] "the great city of Trebisond ; which, with the territory about it, "
## [12942] "anciently pertained unto this crown ; now unjustly possessed, and "
## [12943] "as unjustly abused by those who have neither title to hold it, nor "
## [12944] "virtue to rule it. To the conquest of that for thyself I will lend "
## [12945] "thee force, and give thee my right : go therefore, and, with less "
## [12946] "unnaturalness glut thy ambition there ; and that done, if it be "
## [12947] "possible, learn virtue.' "
## [12948] ""
## [12949] "\"Plexirtus, mingling foresworn excuses with false-meant "
## [12950] "promises, gladly embraced the offer : and hastily sending back "
## [12951] "for those two brothers, who at that time were with us succouring "
## [12952] "the gracious queen Erona, by their virtue chiefly, if not only, "
## [12953] "obtained the conquest of that goodly dominion. Which indeed, "
## [12954] "done by them, gave them such an authority, that though he "
## [12955] "reigned, they in effect ruled, most men honouring them because "
## [12956] "they only deserved honour, and many thinking therein to please "
## [12957] "Plexirtus, considering how much he was bound unto them : while "
## [12958] "they likewise, with a certain sincere boldness of self-warranting "
## [12959] "friendship, accepted all openly and plainly, thinking nothing should "
## [12960] "ever by Plexirtus be thought too much in them, since all they were "
## [12961] "was his. "
## [12962] ""
## [12963] "\" But he, who by the rules of his own mind, could construe no "
## [12964] "other end of men's doings but self-seeking, suddenly feared what "
## [12965] "they could do, and as suddenly suspected what they would do, and "
## [12966] "as suddenly hated them, as having both might and mind to do. "
## [12967] "But dreading their power, standing so strongly in their own valour, "
## [12968] "and others' affection, he durst not take open way against them, "
## [12969] "and as hard it was to take a secret, they being so continually "
## [12970] "followed by the best, and every way ablest of that region : and "
## [12971] "therefore used this devilish slight which I will tell you, not doubt- "
## [12972] "ing, most wicked man, to turn their own friendship toward him to "
## [12973] ""
## [12974] ""
## [12975] ""
## [12976] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 241 "
## [12977] ""
## [12978] "their own destruction. He, knowing that they well knew there "
## [12979] "was no friendship between him and the new king of Pontus, never "
## [12980] "since he succoured Leonatus, and us, to his overthrow, gave them "
## [12981] "to understand, that of late there had passed secret defiance between "
## [12982] "them, to meet privately at a place appointed. Which though not "
## [12983] "so fit a thing for men of their greatness, yet was his honour so "
## [12984] "engaged, as he could not go back. Yet feigning to find himself "
## [12985] "weak, by some counterfeit infirmity, the day drawing near, he "
## [12986] "requested each of them to go in his stead, making either of them "
## [12987] "swear to keep the matter secret, even each from other, delivering "
## [12988] "the self-same particularities to both ; but that he told Tydeus, the "
## [12989] "king would meet him in a blue armour ; and Telenor that it was "
## [12990] "a black armour : and with wicked subtlety, as if it had been so "
## [12991] "appointed, caused Tydeus to take a black armour, and Telenor a "
## [12992] "blue ; appointing them ways how to go, so that he knew they "
## [12993] "should not meet till they came to the place appointed, where each "
## [12994] "promised to keep silence, lest the king should discover it was not "
## [12995] "Plexirtus ; and there in a wait had he laid those murderers, that "
## [12996] "who overlived the other should by them be dispatched : he not "
## [12997] "daring trust no more than those with that enterprize, and yet "
## [12998] "thinking them too few till themselves, by themselves, were "
## [12999] "weakened. "
## [13000] ""
## [13001] "\" This we learned chiefly by the chief of those way-beaters, after "
## [13002] "the death of those two worthy brothers, whose love was no less "
## [13003] "than their valour : but well we might find much thereof by their "
## [13004] "pitiful lamentation, when they knew their mismeeting, and saw "
## [13005] "each other, in despite of the surgery we could do unto them, "
## [13006] "striving who should run fastest to the goal of death : each bewailing "
## [13007] "the other, and more dying in the other, than in himself; cursing "
## [13008] "their own hands for doing, and their breasts for not sooner "
## [13009] "suffering ; detesting their unfortunately-spent time in having "
## [13010] "served so ungrateful a tyrant, and accusing their folly in having "
## [13011] "beUeved he could faithfully love, who did not love faithfiilness ; "
## [13012] "wishing us to take heed how we placed our goodwill upon any "
## [13013] "other ground than proof of virtue : since length of acquaintance, "
## [13014] "mutual secrecies, nor heat of benefits could bind a savage heart ; "
## [13015] "no man being good to other, that is not good in himself. Then, "
## [13016] "while any hope was, beseeching us to leave the care of him that "
## [13017] "besought, and only look to the other. But when they found by "
## [13018] "themselves, and us, no possibihty, they desired to be joined ; and so "
## [13019] "embracing and craving that pardon each of other which they "
## [13020] "denied to themselves, they gave us a most sorrowful spectacle of "
## [13021] "their death ; leaving few in the world behind them, their matches "
## [13022] "in anything, if they had soon enough known the ground and limits "
## [13023] "of friendship. But with woeful hearts we caused those bodies to "
## [13024] ""
## [13025] "Q "
## [13026] ""
## [13027] ""
## [13028] ""
## [13029] "242 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [13030] ""
## [13031] "be conveyed to the next town of Bithynia, where we learning thus "
## [13032] "much, as I have told you, caused the wicked historian to conclude "
## [13033] "his story with his own well-deserved death. "
## [13034] ""
## [13035] "\" But then, I must tell you, I found such woeful countenances in "
## [13036] "Daiphantus, that I could not much marvel, finding them continue "
## [13037] "beyond the first assault of pity, how the case of strangers, for "
## [13038] "further I did not conceive, could so deeply pierce. But the truth "
## [13039] "indeed is, that partly with the shame and sorrow she took of her "
## [13040] "father's faultiness, partly with the fear that the hate I conceived "
## [13041] "against him, would utterly disgrace her in my opinion, whensoever "
## [13042] "I should know her, so vehemently perplexed her, that her fair "
## [13043] "colour decayed, and daily and hastily grew into the very extreme "
## [13044] "working of sorrowfulness, which oft I sought to learn, and help. "
## [13045] "But she as fearful as loving, still concealed it : and so decaying "
## [13046] "still more and more in the excellency of her fairness, but that "
## [13047] "whatsoever weakness took away, pity seemed to add : yet still she "
## [13048] "forced herself to wait on me with such care and diligence, as might "
## [13049] "well show had been taught in no other school but love. "
## [13050] ""
## [13051] "\"While we, returning again to embark ourselves for Greece, "
## [13052] "understood that the mighty Otanes, brother to Barzanes, slain by "
## [13053] "Musidorus in the battle of the six princes, had entered upon the "
## [13054] "kingdom of Pontus, partly upon the pretences he had to the crown, "
## [13055] "but principally, because he would revenge upon him whom he "
## [13056] "knew we loved, the loss of his brother, thinking, as indeed he had "
## [13057] "cause, that wheresoever -we were, hearing of his extremity, we "
## [13058] "would come to relieve him ; in spite whereof he doubted not to "
## [13059] "prevail, not only upon the confidence of his own virtue and power, "
## [13060] "but especially because he had in his company two mighty giants, "
## [13061] "sons to a couple whom we slew in the same realm ; they having "
## [13062] "been absent at their father's death, and now returned, wiUingly "
## [13063] "entered into his service, hating more than he, both us and that "
## [13064] "king of Pontus. We therefore with all speed went thitherward, "
## [13065] "but by the way this fell out, which whensoever I remember without "
## [13066] "sorrow, I must forget withal, all humanity. "
## [13067] ""
## [13068] "\"Poor Diaphantus fell extreme sick, yet would needs conquer "
## [13069] "the delicacy of her constitution, and force herself to wait on me : "
## [13070] "till one day going toward Pontus, we met one who in great haste "
## [13071] "went seeking for Tydeus and Telenor, whose death as yet was "
## [13072] "not known unto the messenger; who, being their servant, and "
## [13073] "knowing how dearly they loved Plexirtus, brought them word, how "
## [13074] "since their departing, Plexirtus was in present danger of a cruel "
## [13075] "death, if by the vahantness of one of the best knights of the world, "
## [13076] "he were not rescued : we enquired no farther of the matter, being "
## [13077] "glad he should now to his loss find what an unprofitable treason "
## [13078] "it had been unto him, to dismember himself of two such friends, "
## [13079] ""
## [13080] ""
## [13081] ""
## [13082] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 243 "
## [13083] ""
## [13084] "and so let the messenger part, not sticking to make him know his "
## [13085] "master's destruction by the falsehood of Plexirtus. "
## [13086] ""
## [13087] "\" But the grief of that, finding a body already brought to the "
## [13088] "last degree of weakness, so overwhelmed the little remnant of the "
## [13089] "spirits left in Daiphantus, that she fell suddenly into deadly swoon- "
## [13090] "ings ; never coming to herself, but that withal she returned to "
## [13091] "make most pitiful lamentations ; most strange unto us, because we "
## [13092] "were far from guessing the ground thereof. But finding her sick- "
## [13093] "ness such as began to print death in her eyes, we made all haste "
## [13094] "possible to convey her to the next town : but before we could lay "
## [13095] "her on a bed, both we, and she might find in herself, that the "
## [13096] "harbingers of over-hasty death had prepared his lodging in that "
## [13097] "dainty body, which she undoubtedly feeling, with a weak cheerful- "
## [13098] "ness showed comfort therein, and then desiring us both to come "
## [13099] "near her, and that nobody else might be present ; with pale, and "
## [13100] "yet, even in paleness, lovely lips ; now or never, and never indeed "
## [13101] "ijut now, 'It is time for me,' said she, 'to speak; and I thank "
## [13102] "death which gives me leave to discover that, the suppressing "
## [13103] "whereof perchance hath been the sharpest spur that hath hasted "
## [13104] "my race to this end. Know then my lords, and especially you my "
## [13105] "lord and master Pyrocles, that your page Daiphantus is the "
## [13106] "unfortunate Zelmane, who for your sake caused my, as unfortunate, "
## [13107] "lover and cousin Palladius, to leave his father's court, and con- "
## [13108] "sequently, both him and my aunt, his mother, to lose their lives. "
## [13109] "For your sake myself have become, of a princess, a page, and for "
## [13110] "your sake have put off the apparel of a woman, and, if you judge "
## [13111] "not more mercifully, the modesty.' We were amazed at her speech, "
## [13112] "and then had, as it were, new eyes given us to perceive that which "
## [13113] "before had been a present stranger to our minds : for indeed "
## [13114] "forthwith we knew it to be the face of Zelmane, whom before we "
## [13115] "had known in the court of Iberia. And sorrow and pity laying "
## [13116] "her pain upon me, I comforted her the best I could by the tender- "
## [13117] "ness of goodwill, pretending indeed better hope than I had of her "
## [13118] "recovery. "
## [13119] ""
## [13120] "\" But she that had inward ambassadors from the tyrant that "
## [13121] "shortly would oppress her ; ' No, my dear master,' said she, ' I "
## [13122] "neither hope nor desire to live. I know you would never have "
## [13123] "loved me,' and with that word she wept, ' nor, alas ! had it been "
## [13124] "reason you should, considering many ways my unworthiness. It "
## [13125] "sufficeth me that the strange course I have taken, shall to your "
## [13126] "remembrance witness my love ; and yet this breaking of my heart, "
## [13127] "before I would discover my pain will make you, I hope, think that "
## [13128] "I was not altogether unmodest. Think of me so, dear master, and "
## [13129] "that thought shall be my life ;' and with that languishingly looking "
## [13130] "upon me ; ' and I pray you,' said she, ' even by those dying eyes of "
## [13131] ""
## [13132] ""
## [13133] ""
## [13134] "244 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [13135] ""
## [13136] "mine, which are only sorry to die because they shall lose your "
## [13137] "sight, and by those polled locks of mine which, while they were "
## [13138] "long, were the ornament of my sex, now in their short curls, the "
## [13139] "testimony of my servitude, and by the service I have done you, "
## [13140] "which , God knows hath been full of love, think of me after my "
## [13141] "death with kindness, though you cannot with love. And when- "
## [13142] "soever ye shall make any other lady happy with your well-placed "
## [13143] "affection, if you tell her my folly, I pray you speak of it, not with "
## [13144] "scorn, but with pity.' I assure you, dear princess, of my life (for "
## [13145] "how could it be otherwise) her words and her manner, with the lively "
## [13146] "consideration of her love, so pierced me, that though I had divers "
## [13147] "griefs before, yet methought I never felt till then how much sorrow "
## [13148] "infeebleth all resolution : for I could not choose but yield to the "
## [13149] "weakness of abundant weeping ; in truth with such grief, that I "
## [13150] "could willingly at that time have changed lives with her. "
## [13151] ""
## [13152] "\" But when she saw my tears, ' O God,' said she, ' how largely "
## [13153] "am I recompensed for my losses ? why then,' said she, ' I may take "
## [13154] "boldness to make some requests unto you.' I besought her to do, "
## [13155] "vowing the performance, though my life were the price thereof. "
## [13156] "She showed great joy. ' The first,' said she, ' is this, that you will "
## [13157] "pardon my father the displeasure you have justly received against "
## [13158] "him, and for this once succour him out of the danger wherein he "
## [13159] "is : I hope he will amend : and I pray you, whensoever you "
## [13160] "remember him to be the faulty Plexirtus, remember withal that he "
## [13161] "is Zelmane's father. The second is, that when you come once into "
## [13162] "Greece, you will take unto yourself this name, though unlucky, of "
## [13163] "Daiphantus, and vouchsafe to be called by it : for so shall I be "
## [13164] "sure you shall have cause to remember me, and let it please your "
## [13165] "noble cousin to be called Palladius, that I may do that right to that "
## [13166] "poor prince, that his name yet may live upon the earth in so "
## [13167] "excellent a person : and so between you, I trust sometimes your "
## [13168] "unlucky page shall be, perhaps with a sigh, mentioned ; lastly, let "
## [13169] "me be buried here obscurely, not suffering my friends to know my "
## [13170] "fortune (till, when you are safely returned to your own country) "
## [13171] "you cause my bones to be conveyed thither, and, laid I beseech "
## [13172] "you, in some place where yourself vouchsafe sometimes to resort.' "
## [13173] "Alas ! small petitions for such a suitor ; which yet she so earnestly "
## [13174] "craved that I was fain to swear the accomplishment. And then "
## [13175] "kissing me, and often desiring me not to condemn her of lightness, "
## [13176] "in mine arms, she dehvered her pure soul to the purest place, "
## [13177] "leaving me as full of agony as kindness, pity, and sorrow could "
## [13178] "make an honest heart. For I must confess for true, that if my "
## [13179] "stars had not only reserved me for you, there else perhaps I might "
## [13180] "have loved, and, which had been most strange, begun my love "
## [13181] "after deaft ; whereof let it be the less marvel, because somewhat "
## [13182] ""
## [13183] ""
## [13184] ""
## [13185] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 245 "
## [13186] ""
## [13187] "she did resemble you, though as far short of your perfection as "
## [13188] "herself dying, was of herself flourishing : yet something there was, "
## [13189] "which, when I saw a picture 'of yours, brought again her figure "
## [13190] "into my remembrance, and made my heart as apt to receive the "
## [13191] "wound, as the power of your beauty with unresistable force to "
## [13192] "pierce. "
## [13193] ""
## [13194] "\"But we in woeful, and yet private, manner burying her, "
## [13195] "performed her commandment : and then enquiring of her father's "
## [13196] "estate, certainly learned that he was presently to be succoured, or "
## [13197] "by death to pass the need of succour. Therefore we determined to "
## [13198] "divide ourselves ; I, according to my vow, to help him, and "
## [13199] "Musidorus toward the king of Pontus, who stood in no less need "
## [13200] "than immediate succour : and even ready to depart one from the "
## [13201] "other, there came a messenger from him, who after some enquiry "
## [13202] "found us, giving us to understand that he, trusting upon us two, "
## [13203] "had appointed the combat between him and us, against Otanes "
## [13204] "and the two giants. Now the day was so accorded, as it was "
## [13205] "impossible for me both to succour Plexirtus, and be there, where "
## [13206] "my honour was not only so far engaged, but, by the strange working "
## [13207] "of unjust fortune, I was to leave the standing by Musidorus, whom "
## [13208] "better than myself I loved, to go save him, whom for just causes, I "
## [13209] "hated. But my promise given, and given to Zelmane, and to "
## [13210] "Zelmane dying, prevailed more with me than my friendship to "
## [13211] "Musidorus, though certainly I may affirm, nothing had so great "
## [13212] "rule in my thoughts as that. But my promise carried me the "
## [13213] "easier, because Musidorus himself would not suffer me to break it. "
## [13214] "And so with heavy minds, more careful each of other's success "
## [13215] "than of our own, we parted ; I toward the place, where I understood "
## [13216] "Plexirtus was prisoner to an ancient lord, absolutely governing a "
## [13217] "goodly castle, with a large territory about it, whereof he "
## [13218] "acknowledged no other sovereign but himself, whose hate to "
## [13219] "Plexirtus grew for a kinsman of his whom he maliciously had "
## [13220] "murdered, because in the time that he reigned in Galatia, he found "
## [13221] "him apt to practice for the restoring of his virtuous brother "
## [13222] "Leonatus. This old knight still thirsting for revenge, used as the "
## [13223] "way to it a policy, which this occasion, I will tell you prepared for "
## [13224] "him. Plexirtus in his youth had married Zelmane's mother, who "
## [13225] "dying of that only childbirth, he a widower and not yet a king, "
## [13226] "haunted the court of Armenia, where, as he was cunning to win "
## [13227] "favour, he obtained great good liking of Artaxia; which he "
## [13228] "pursued : till, being called home by his father, he falsely got his "
## [13229] "father's kingdom : and then neglected his former love : till, thrown "
## [13230] "out of that by our means, before he was deeply rooted in it, and by "
## [13231] "and by again placed in Trebisond, understanding that Artaxia by "
## [13232] "her brother's death was become queen of Armenia, he was hotter "
## [13233] ""
## [13234] ""
## [13235] ""
## [13236] "246 ARCADIA [BOOK li. "
## [13237] ""
## [13238] "than ever in that pursuit, which being understood by this old "
## [13239] "knight, he forged such a letter, as might be written from Artaxia, "
## [13240] "entreating his present, but very private, repair thither, giving him "
## [13241] "faithful promise of present marriage : a thing far from her thought, "
## [13242] "having faithfully and publicly protested that she would never marry "
## [13243] "any, but some such prince who would give sure proof that by his "
## [13244] "means we were destroyed. But he no more witty to frame, than "
## [13245] "blind to judge hopes, bit hastily at the bait, and in private manner "
## [13246] "posted toward her, but by the way he was met by this knight, far "
## [13247] "better accompanied, who quickly laid hold of him, and condemned "
## [13248] "him to a death, cruel enough, if anything may be both cruel and "
## [13249] "just. For he caused him to be kept in a miserable prison, till a "
## [13250] "day appointed, at which time he would deliver him to be devoured "
## [13251] "by a monstrous beast of most ugly shape, armed like a rhinoceros, "
## [13252] "as strong as an elephant, as fierce as a lion, as nimble as a leopard, "
## [13253] "and as cruel as a tiger ; whom he having kept in a strong place, "
## [13254] "from the first youth of it, now thought no fitter match than such a "
## [13255] "beastly monster with a monstrous tyrant ; proclaiming yet withal, "
## [13256] "that if any so well loved him as to venture their lives against his "
## [13257] "beast for him, if they overcame, he should be saved : not caring "
## [13258] "how many they were, such confidence he had in that monstrous "
## [13259] "strength, but especially hoping to entrap thereby the great courages "
## [13260] "of Tydeus and Telenor, whom he no less hated, because tliey had "
## [13261] "been principal instruments of the other's power. "
## [13262] ""
## [13263] "\" I dare say, if Zelmane had known what danger I should have "
## [13264] "passed, she would rather have let her father to perish, than me to "
## [13265] "have bidden that adventure. But my word was past ; and truly "
## [13266] "the hardness of the enterprise was not so much a bit as a spur "
## [13267] "unto me, knowing well that the journey of high honour lies not "
## [13268] "in plain ways. Therefore going thither, and taking sufiicient "
## [13269] "security that Plexirtus should be delivered if I were victorious, "
## [13270] "I undertook the combat : and to make short, excellent lady, and "
## [13271] "not to trouble your ears with recounting a terrible matter, so was "
## [13272] "my weakness blessed from above that, without dangerous wounds, "
## [13273] "I slew that monster, which hundreds durst not attempt ; to so "
## [13274] "great admiration of many, who from a safe place might look on "
## [13275] "that there was order given, to have the 'fight both by sculpture "
## [13276] "and picture, celebrated in most parts of Asia. And the old "
## [13277] "nobleman so well liked me that he loved me ; only bewailing my "
## [13278] "virtue had been employed to save a worse monster than I killed : "
## [13279] "whom yet, according to faith given, he delivered, and accompanied "
## [13280] "me to the kingdom of Pontus, whither I would needs in all speed "
## [13281] "go, to see whether it were possible for me, if perchance the day "
## [13282] "had been delayed, to come to the combat : but that, before I came, "
## [13283] "had been thus finished. "
## [13284] ""
## [13285] ""
## [13286] ""
## [13287] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 247 "
## [13288] ""
## [13289] "\"The virtuous Leonatus understanding two so good friends of "
## [13290] "his were to be in that danger, would perforce be one himself; "
## [13291] "where he did valiantly, and so did the king of Pontus. But the "
## [13292] "truth is, that both they being sore hurt, the incomparable "
## [13293] "Musidorus finished the combat by the death of both the giants, "
## [13294] "and the taking of Otanes prisoner. To whom as he gave his life, "
## [13295] "so he got a noble friend, for so he gave his word to be, and he is "
## [13296] "well known to think himself greater in being subject to that, than "
## [13297] "in the greatness of his principality. "
## [13298] ""
## [13299] "\"But thither, understanding of our being there, flocked great "
## [13300] "multitudes of many great persons, and even of princes, especially "
## [13301] "those whom we had made beholding unto us : as, the kings of "
## [13302] "Phrygia, Bithynia, with those two hurt of Pontus and Galatia, and "
## [13303] "Otanes the prisoner, by Musidorus set free ; and thither came "
## [13304] "Plexirtus of Trebisond, and Antiphilus then king of Lycia ; with "
## [13305] "as many more great princes, drawn either by our reputation, or "
## [13306] "by willingness to acknowledge themselves obliged unto us for what "
## [13307] "we had done for the others. So as in those parts of the world, "
## [13308] "I think, in many hundreds of years there was not seen so royal "
## [13309] "an assembly, where nothing was let pass to do us the highest "
## [13310] "honours ; which such persons, who might command both purses "
## [13311] "and inventions, could perform : all from all sides bringing unto "
## [13312] "us right royal presents, which we, to avoid both unkindness and "
## [13313] "importunity, liberally received ; and not content therewith, would "
## [13314] "needs accept as from us their crowns, and acknowledge to hold "
## [13315] "them of us : with many other excessive honours, which would not "
## [13316] "suffer the measure of this short leisure to describe unto you. "
## [13317] ""
## [13318] "\"But we quickly aweary thereof, hasted to Greece-ward, led "
## [13319] "thither partly with the desire of our parents, but hastened "
## [13320] "principally because I understood that Anaxius with open mouth "
## [13321] "of defamation had gone thither to seek me, and was now come "
## [13322] "to Peloponnesus, where from court to court he made enquiry of "
## [13323] "me, doing yet himself so noble deeds as might hap to authorize "
## [13324] "an ill opinion of me. We therefore suffered but short delays, "
## [13325] "desiring to take this country in our way, so renowned over the "
## [13326] "world that no prince could pretend height, nor beggar lowness, "
## [13327] "to bar him from the sound thereof : renowned indeed, not so much "
## [13328] "for the ancient praises attributed thereunto, as for the having in "
## [13329] "it Argalus and Ainphialus, two knights of such rare prowess, as "
## [13330] "we desired especially to know, and yet by far, not so much for that, "
## [13331] "as without suffering of comparison for the beauty of you and your "
## [13332] "sister, which makes all indifferent judges that speak thereof, "
## [13333] "account this country as a temple of deities. But those causes "
## [13334] "indeed moving us to .come by this land, we embarked ourselves "
## [13335] "in the next port, whither all those princes (saving Antiphilus, who "
## [13336] ""
## [13337] ""
## [13338] ""
## [13339] "248 ARCADIA [BOOK It. "
## [13340] ""
## [13341] "returned, as he pretended, not able to tarry longer from Erona) "
## [13342] "conveyed us. And there found we a ship most royally furnished "
## [13343] "by Plexirtus, who had made all things so proper, as well for our "
## [13344] "defence, as ease, that all the other princes greatly commended "
## [13345] "him for it, who seeming a quite altered man, had nothing but "
## [13346] "repentance in his eyes, friendship in his gesture, and virtue in his "
## [13347] "mouth : so that we, who had promised the sweet Zelmane to "
## [13348] "pardon him, now not only forgave, but began to favour, persuading "
## [13349] "ourselves with a youthful credulity that perchance things were not "
## [13350] "so evil as we took them, and as it were, desiring our own memory "
## [13351] "that it might be so. But so were we licensed from those princes, "
## [13352] "truly not without tears, especially of the virtuous Leonatus, who "
## [13353] "with the king of Pontus would have come with us, but that we, "
## [13354] "in respect of the one's young wife, and both their new settled "
## [13355] "kingdoms, would not suffer it. Then would they have sent whole "
## [13356] "fleets to guard us ; but we that desired to pass secretly into Greece, "
## [13357] "made them leave that motion when they found that more ships "
## [13358] "than one would be displeasing unto us. But so committing "
## [13359] "ourselves unto the uncertain discretion of the wind, we (then "
## [13360] "determining as soon as we came to Greece to take the names of "
## [13361] "Daiphantus and Palladius, as well for our own promises to "
## [13362] "Zelmane, as because we desired to come unknown into Greece) "
## [13363] "left the Asian shore full of princely persons, who even upon their "
## [13364] "knees recommended our safeties to the devotion of their chief "
## [13365] "desires, among whom none had been so officious, though I dare "
## [13366] "affirm, all quite contrary to his unfaithfulness, as Plexirtus. "
## [13367] ""
## [13368] "\" And so having failed almost two days, looking for nothing, but "
## [13369] "when we might look upon the land, a grave man, whom we had "
## [13370] "seen of great trust with Plexirtus, and was sent as our principal "
## [13371] "guide, came unto us, and with a certain kind manner mixed with "
## [13372] "shame, and repentance, began to tell us that he had taken such a "
## [13373] "love unto us, considering our youth and fame, that though he were "
## [13374] "a servant, and a servant of such trust about Plexirtus, as that he "
## [13375] "had committed unto him even those secrets of his heart, which "
## [13376] "abhorred all other knowledge, yet he rather chose to reveal at this "
## [13377] "time a most pernicious counsel, than by concealing it bring to ruin "
## [13378] "those whom he could not choose but honour. So went he on, and "
## [13379] "told us, that Plexirtus (in hope thereby to have Artaxia, endowed "
## [13380] "with the great kingdom of Armenia, to his wife) had given him "
## [13381] "order, when we were near Greece, to find some opportunity to "
## [13382] "murder us, bidding him to take us asleep, because he had seen "
## [13383] "what we could do waking. ' Now, Sirs,' said he, ' I would rather "
## [13384] "a thousand times lose my life than have my remembrance, while "
## [13385] "I live, poisoned with such a mischief : and therefore if it were only "
## [13386] "I, that knew herein the king's order, then should my disobedience "
## [13387] ""
## [13388] ""
## [13389] ""
## [13390] "fiooK 11.] ARCADIA ^49 "
## [13391] ""
## [13392] "be a warrant of your safety. But to one more,' said he, ' namely "
## [13393] "the captain of the ship, Plexirtus hath opened so much touching "
## [13394] "the effect of murdering you, though I think laying the cause rather "
## [13395] "upon an old grudge, than his hope of Artaxia. And myself, before "
## [13396] "the consideration of your excellencies had drawn love and pity "
## [13397] "into my mind, imparted it to such, as I thought fittest for such "
## [13398] "a mischief: therefore I wish you to stand upon your guard, "
## [13399] "assuring you that what I can do for your safety, you shall see, if "
## [13400] "it come to the push, by me performed.' We thanked him, as the "
## [13401] "matter indeed deserved, and from that time would no more disarm "
## [13402] "ourselves, nor the one sleep without his friend's eyes waked for "
## [13403] "him ; so that it delayed the going forward of their bad enterprise, "
## [13404] "while they thought it rather chance, than providence, which made "
## [13405] "us so behave ourselves. "
## [13406] ""
## [13407] "\" But when we came within half a day's sailing of the shore, "
## [13408] "so that they saw it was speedily, or not at all to be done ; then, "
## [13409] "and I remember it was about the first watch in the night, came the "
## [13410] "captain and whispered the counsellor in the ear : but he, as it "
## [13411] "would seem, dissuaded him from it : the captain, who had been "
## [13412] "a pirate from his youth, and often blooded in it, with a loud voice "
## [13413] "swore that if Plexirtus bade him, he would not stick to kill God "
## [13414] "himself. And therewith called his mates, and in the King's name "
## [13415] "willed them to take us alive or dead, encouraging them with "
## [13416] "the spoil of us, which he said, jnd indeed was true, would yield "
## [13417] "many exceeding rich jewels. But the counsellor, according to his "
## [13418] "promise, commanded them they should not commit such a villainy, "
## [13419] "protesting that he would stand between them and the king's anger "
## [13420] "therein. Wherewith the captain enraged: 'Nay,' said he, 'then "
## [13421] "we must begin with this traitor himself,' and therewith gave him "
## [13422] "a sore blow upon the head, who honestly did the best he could "
## [13423] "to revenge himself. "
## [13424] ""
## [13425] "\" But then we knew it time rather to encounter, than wait for "
## [13426] "mischief. And so against the captain we went, who straight was "
## [13427] "environed with most part of the soldiers and mariners. And yet "
## [13428] "the truth is, there were some, whom either the authority of the "
## [13429] "counsellor, doubt of the king's mind, or liking of us, made draw "
## [13430] "their swords of our side, so that quickly it grew a most confused "
## [13431] "fight. For the narrowness of the place, the darkness of time, "
## [13432] "and the uncertainty in such a tumult how to know friends from "
## [13433] ".foes, made the rage of the swords rather guide than be guided "
## [13434] "by their masters. For my cousin and me, truly I think we never "
## [13435] "performed less in any place, doing no other hurt than the defence "
## [13436] "of ourselves, and succouring them who came, for it, drove us to : "
## [13437] "for not discerning perfectly, who were for, or against us, we thought "
## [13438] "it less evil to spare a foe, than spoil a friend. But from the highest "
## [13439] ""
## [13440] ""
## [13441] ""
## [13442] "iS6 ARCADIA [book u. "
## [13443] ""
## [13444] "to the lowest part of the ship there was no place left, without cries "
## [13445] "of murdering, and murdered persons. The captain I happened a "
## [13446] "while to fight withal, but was driven to part with him by hearing "
## [13447] "the cry of the counsellor, who received a mortal wound, mistaken "
## [13448] "of one of his own side. "
## [13449] ""
## [13450] "\" Some of the wiser would call to parley, and wish peace : but "
## [13451] "while the words of peace were in their mouths, some of their evil "
## [13452] "auditors gave them death for their hire. So that no man almost "
## [13453] "could conceive hope of living, but by being last alive : and "
## [13454] "therefore every one was willing to make himself room, by "
## [13455] "dispatching almost any other : so that the great number in the "
## [13456] "ship was reduced to exceeding few, when of those few the most "
## [13457] "part weary of those troubles, leapt into the boat, which was fast "
## [13458] "to the ship ; but while they that were first were cutting off the rope "
## [13459] "that tied it, others came leaping in so disorderly that they drowned "
## [13460] "both the boat and themselves. "
## [13461] ""
## [13462] "\" But while even in that little remnant, like the children of "
## [13463] "Cadmus, we continued still to slay one another, a fire, which, "
## [13464] "whether by the desperate malice of some, or intention to separate, "
## [13465] "or accidentally, while all things were cast up and down, it should "
## [13466] "seem had taken a good while before, but never heeded of us ; "
## [13467] "who only thought to preserve or revenge, now violently burst "
## [13468] "out in many places and began to master the principal parts of the "
## [13469] "ship. Then necessity made us see, that a common enemy sets "
## [13470] "one at a civil war : for that little all we are, as if we had been "
## [13471] "waged by some man to quench a fire, straight went to resist that "
## [13472] "furious enemy by all art and labour : but it was too late, for already "
## [13473] "it did embrace and devour from the stern to the waist of the ship : "
## [13474] "so as labouring in vain, we were driven to get up to the prow of "
## [13475] "the ship, by the work of nature seeking to preserve life as long "
## [13476] "as we could ; while truly it was a strange and ugly sight to see "
## [13477] "so huge a fire, as it quickly grew to be in the sea ; and in the "
## [13478] "night, as if it had come to light as to death. And by and by it "
## [13479] "had burned off the mast, which all this while had proudly borne "
## [13480] "the sail, the wind, as might seem, delighted to carry fire and blood "
## [13481] "in his mouth, but now it fell overboard, and the fire growing "
## [13482] "nearer us, it was not only terrible in respect of what we were to "
## [13483] "attend, but insupportable through the heat of it. "
## [13484] ""
## [13485] "\" So that we were constrained to bide it no longer, but disarming "
## [13486] "and stripping ourselves, and laying ourselves upon such things as "
## [13487] "we thought might help our swimming to the land, too far for our "
## [13488] "strength to bear us, my cousin and I threw ourselves into the sea. "
## [13489] "But I had swam a very little way when I felt, by reason of a "
## [13490] "wound I had, that I should not be able to abide the travel : and "
## [13491] "therefore seeing the mast, whose tackling had been burnt off, float "
## [13492] ""
## [13493] ""
## [13494] ""
## [13495] "sooK 11.] Arcadia 251 "
## [13496] ""
## [13497] "clear from the ship, I swam unto it, and getting on it, I found mine "
## [13498] "own sword, which by chance, when I threw it away, caught by a "
## [13499] "piece of canvas, had hung to the mast. I was glad because I "
## [13500] "loved it well, but gladder, when I saw at the other end the captain "
## [13501] "of the ship, and of all this mischief, who having a long pike, belike "
## [13502] "had borne himself up with that till he had set himself upon the - "
## [13503] "mast. But when I perceived him, 'Villain,' said I, 'dost thou "
## [13504] "think to over-live so many honest men whom thy falsehood hath "
## [13505] "brought to destruction ? ' with that bestriding the mast, I got by "
## [13506] "little and little towards him after such a manner as boys are wont, "
## [13507] "if ever you saw that sport, when they ride the wild mare. And he "
## [13508] "perceiving my intention, like a fellow that had much more courage "
## [13509] "than honesty, set himself to resist : but I had in short space "
## [13510] "gotten within him, and, giving him a sound blow, sent him to "
## [13511] "feed fishes. But there myself remained, until by pirates I was "
## [13512] "taken up, and among them again taken prisoner, and brought into "
## [13513] "Laconia.\" "
## [13514] ""
## [13515] "\"But what,\" said Philoclea, \"became of your cousin Musidorus?\" "
## [13516] "\" Lost,\" said Pyrocles. \" Ah, my Pyrocles,\" said Philoclea, \" I am "
## [13517] "glad I have taken you. I perceive you lovers do not always say "
## [13518] "truly ; as though I knew not your cousin Dorus the shepherd ?\" "
## [13519] "\" Life of my desires,\" said Pyrocles, \" what is mine, even to my "
## [13520] "soul, is yours, but the secret of my friend is not mine. But if you "
## [13521] "know so much, then I may truly say, he is lost since he is no more "
## [13522] "his own. But I perceive your noble sister and you are great friends, "
## [13523] "and well doth it become you so to be.\" \" But go forward, dear "
## [13524] "Pyrocles, I long to hear out till your meeting me : for there to "
## [13525] "me-ward is the best part of your story.\" \" Ah sweet Philocleaj\" "
## [13526] "said Pyrocles, \" do you think I can think so precious leisure as "
## [13527] "this well spent in talking ? are your eyes a fit book, think you, to "
## [13528] "read a tale upon ? is my love quiet enough to be an historian ? "
## [13529] "dear princess, be gracious unto me.\" And then he fain would "
## [13530] "have remembered to have forgot himself. But she with a sweetly "
## [13531] "disobeying grace, desired him that her desire once for ever might "
## [13532] "serve, that no spot might disgrace that love which shortly "
## [13533] "she hoped should be to the world warrantable. Fain he would "
## [13534] "not have heard, till she threatened anger ; and then the poor lover "
## [13535] "durst not, because he durst not. \"Nay, I pray thee, dear "
## [13536] "Pyrocles,\" said she, \"let me have my story.\" \"Sweet princess,\" "
## [13537] "said he, \" give my thoughts a little respite : and if it please you, "
## [13538] "since this time must be so spoiled, yet it shall suffer the less harm "
## [13539] "if you vouchsafe to bestow your voice, and let me know how the "
## [13540] "good queen Erona was betrayed into such danger, and why Plangus "
## [13541] "sought me. For indeed I should pity greatly any mischance "
## [13542] "fallen to that princess.\" \" I will,\" said Philoclea, smiling, \" so you "
## [13543] ""
## [13544] ""
## [13545] ""
## [13546] "252 ARCADIA tBooK It. "
## [13547] ""
## [13548] "give me your word your hands shall be quiet auditors.\" \" They "
## [13549] "shall,\" said he, \" because subject.\" "
## [13550] ""
## [13551] "Then began she to speak, but with so pretty and delightful a "
## [13552] "majesty, when she set her countenance to tell the matter, that "
## [13553] "Pyrocles could not choose but rebel so far as to kiss her. She "
## [13554] "would have pulled her head away, and spoke, but while she spoke, "
## [13555] "he kissed, and it seemed he fed upon her words ; but she got "
## [13556] "away. \" How will you have your discourse,\" said she, \" without "
## [13557] "you let my lips alone ? \" He yielded, and took her hand. \" On "
## [13558] "this,\" said he, \" will I revenge my wrong ; \" and so began to make "
## [13559] "much of that hand, when her tale, and his delight were interrupted "
## [13560] "by Miso, who taking her time, while Basihus's back was turned, "
## [13561] "came unto them, and told Philoclea, she deserved she knew what "
## [13562] "for leaving her mother, being evil at ease, to keep company with "
## [13563] "strangers. But Philoclea telling her that she was there by her "
## [13564] "father's commandment, she went away muttering that though her "
## [13565] "back and her shoulders and her neck were broken, yet as long as "
## [13566] "her tongue would wag, it should do her errand to her mother ; and "
## [13567] "so went up to Gynecia, who was at that time miserably vexed with "
## [13568] "this manner of dream. It seemed unto her to be in a place full of "
## [13569] "thorns, which so molested her that she could neither abide standing "
## [13570] "still, nor tread safely going forward. In this case she thought "
## [13571] "Zelmane being upon a fair hill, delightful to the eye, and easy in "
## [13572] "appearance, called her thither, whither with such anguish being "
## [13573] "come, Zelmane was vanished and she found nothing but a dead "
## [13574] "body like unto her husband, which seeming at the first with a "
## [13575] "strange smell to infect her, as she was ready likewise within a "
## [13576] "while to die ; the dead body, she thought, took her in his arms, "
## [13577] "and said, \" Gynecia, leave all, for here is thy only rest.\" "
## [13578] "With that she awaked, crying very loud, \" Zelmane, Zelmane.'' "
## [13579] "But remembering herself, and seeing Basilius by (her guilty "
## [13580] "conscience more suspecting than being suspected) she turned her "
## [13581] "call, and called for Philoclea. Miso forthwith like a valiant shrew, "
## [13582] "looking at Basilius, as though she would speak though she died "
## [13583] "for it, told Gynecia that her daughter had been a whole hour "
## [13584] "together in secret talk with Zelmane. \" And \" said she, \" for my "
## [13585] "part I could not be heard, your daughters are brought up in such "
## [13586] "awe, though I told her of your pleasure sufficiently.\" Gynecia as "
## [13587] "if she had heard her last doom pronounced against her, with a "
## [13588] "side look and changed countenance, \" O my lord,\" said she, \" what "
## [13589] "mean you to suffer those young folks together?\" Basilius, that "
## [13590] "aimed nothing at the mark of her suspicion, smiling, took her in "
## [13591] "his arms : \" Sweet wife,\" said he, \" I thank you for your care of "
## [13592] "your child ; but they must be youths of other metal than Zelmane "
## [13593] "that can endanger her.\" \"O but ,\" cried Gynecia, and there- "
## [13594] ""
## [13595] ""
## [13596] ""
## [13597] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 253 "
## [13598] ""
## [13599] "with she stayed, for then indeed she did suffer a right conflict "
## [13600] "betwixt the force of love, and rage of jealousy. Many times was "
## [13601] "she about to satisfy the spite of her mind, and tell Basilius how "
## [13602] "she knew Zelmane to be far otherwise than the outward appearance. "
## [13603] "But those many times were all put back by the manifold objections "
## [13604] "of her vehement love. Fain she would have barred her daughter's "
## [13605] "hap, but loth she was to cut off her own hope. But now, as if her "
## [13606] "life had been set upon a wager of quick rising, as weak as she was, "
## [13607] "she got up ; though Basilius (with a kindness flowing only from "
## [13608] "the fountain of unkindness, being indeed desirous to win his "
## [13609] "daughter as much time as might be) was loth to suffer it, swearing "
## [13610] "he saw sickness in her face, and therefore was loth she should "
## [13611] "adventure the air. "
## [13612] ""
## [13613] "But the great and wretched lady Gynecia, possessed with those "
## [13614] "devils of love and jealousy, did rid herself from her tedious "
## [13615] "husband : and taking nobody with her, going toward them ; \" O "
## [13616] "jealousy,\" said she, \"the frenzy of wise folks, the well-wishing "
## [13617] "spite, and unkind carefulness, the self-punishment for others "
## [13618] "faults, and self-misery in others happiness, the cousin of envy, "
## [13619] "daughter of love, and mother of hate, how could'st thou so quietly "
## [13620] "get thee a seat in the unquiet heart of Gynecia ! Gynecia,\" said "
## [13621] "she sighing, \" thought wise and once virtuous ! alas ! it is thy "
## [13622] "breeder's power which plants thee there : it is the flaming agony "
## [13623] "of affection, that works the chilling access of thy fever, in such "
## [13624] "sort, that nature gives place ; the growing of my daughter seems "
## [13625] "the decay of myself ; the blessings of a mother turn to the curses "
## [13626] "of a competitor ; and the fair face of Philoclea appears more "
## [13627] "horrible in my sight than the image of death.\" Then remembered "
## [13628] "she this song, which she thought took a right measure of her "
## [13629] "present mind. "
## [13630] ""
## [13631] "With two strange fires of equal heat possessed, "
## [13632] ". The one of love, the other of jealousy, "
## [13633] "Both still do work, in neither I find rest : "
## [13634] ""
## [13635] "For both, alas, their strength together tie : "
## [13636] "The one aloft doth hold, the other high. "
## [13637] ""
## [13638] "Love wakes the jealous eye, lest thence it moves : "
## [13639] "The jealous eye, the more it looks it loves. "
## [13640] ""
## [13641] "Those fires increase ; in those I daily burn. "
## [13642] ""
## [13643] "They feed on me, and with my wings do fly : "
## [13644] "My lovely joys to doleful ashes turn : "
## [13645] ""
## [13646] "Their flames mount up, my prayers prostrate lie ; "
## [13647] "They live in force ; I quite consumed die. "
## [13648] "One wonder yet far passes my conceit. "
## [13649] "The fuel small ; how be the fires so great ? "
## [13650] ""
## [13651] ""
## [13652] ""
## [13653] "254 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [13654] ""
## [13655] "But her unleisured thoughts ran not over the ten first words ; "
## [13656] "but going with a pace not so much too fast for her body, as slow "
## [13657] "for her mind, she found them together, who after Miso's departure "
## [13658] "had left their tale, and determined what to say to Basilius. But "
## [13659] "full abashed was poor Philoclea, whose conscience now began to "
## [13660] "know cause of blushing, for first salutation, receiving an eye from "
## [13661] "her mother, full of the same disdainful scorn which Pallas showed "
## [13662] "to poor Arachne that durst contend with her for the price of well "
## [13663] "weaving : yet did the force of love so much rule her that, though "
## [13664] "for Zelmane's sake she did detest her, yet for Zelmane's sake she "
## [13665] "used no harder words to her than to bid her go home, and "
## [13666] "accompany her solitary father. "
## [13667] ""
## [13668] "Then began she to display to Zelmane the store-house of her "
## [13669] "deadly desires, when suddenly the confused rumour of a mutinous "
## [13670] "multitude gave just occasion to Zelmane to break off any such "
## [13671] "conference, for well she found they were not friendly voices they "
## [13672] "heard, and to retire with as much diligence as conveniently they "
## [13673] "could towards the lodge. Yet before they could win the lodge by "
## [13674] "twenty paces, they were overtaken by an unruly sort of clowns, "
## [13675] "and other rebels, which like a violent flood, were carried, they "
## [13676] "themselves knew not whither. But as soon as they came within "
## [13677] "perfect discerning those ladies, like enraged beasts, without respect "
## [13678] "of their estates, or pity of their sex, they began to run against "
## [13679] "them, as right villains thinking ability to do hurt to be a great "
## [13680] "advancement ; yet so many as they were, so many almost were "
## [13681] "their minds, all knit together only in madness. Some cried, "
## [13682] "\"take;\" some, \"kill;\" some, \"save.\" But even they that cried "
## [13683] "\" save,\" ran for company with them that meant to kill. Everyone "
## [13684] "commanded, none obeyed, he only seemed chief captain, that was "
## [13685] "most rageful. "
## [13686] ""
## [13687] "Zelmane, whose virtuous courage was ever awake, drew out her "
## [13688] "sword, which upon those ill-armed churls giving as many wounds "
## [13689] "as blows, and as many deaths almost as wounds, lightning courage, "
## [13690] "and thundering smart upon them, kept them at a bay, while the "
## [13691] "two ladies got themselves into the lodge, out of the which Basilius, "
## [13692] "having put on an armour long untried, came to prove his authority "
## [13693] "among his subjects, or at least, to adventure his life with his dear "
## [13694] "mistress, to whom he brought a shield, while the ladies trembling "
## [13695] "attended by the issue of this dangerous adventure. But Zelmane "
## [13696] "made them perceive the odds between an eagle and a kite, with "
## [13697] "such nimble steadiness, and assured nimbleness, that while one "
## [13698] "was running back for fear, his fellow had her sword in his "
## [13699] "guts. "
## [13700] ""
## [13701] "And by and by was her heart and her help well increased by "
## [13702] "the coming in of Dorus, who having been making of hurdles for "
## [13703] ""
## [13704] ""
## [13705] ""
## [13706] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 255 "
## [13707] ""
## [13708] "his master's sheep, heard the horrible cries of this mad multitude, "
## [13709] "and having straight represented before the eyes of his careful "
## [13710] "love, the peril wherein the soul of his soul might be, he went to "
## [13711] "Pamela's lodge, but found her in a cave hard by, with Mopsa and "
## [13712] "Dametas, who at that time would not have opened the entry to "
## [13713] "his father. And therefore leaving them there, as in a place safe, "
## [13714] "both for being strong and unknown, he ran as the noise guided "
## [13715] "him. But when he saw his friend in such danger among them, "
## [13716] "anger and contempt, asking no counsel but of courage, made him "
## [13717] "run among them, with no other weapon but his sheep-hook, and "
## [13718] "with that overthrowing one of the villains, took away a two-hand "
## [13719] "sword from him, and withal helped him from ever being ashamed "
## [13720] "of losing it. Then lifting up his brave head, and flashing terror "
## [13721] "into their faces, he made arms and legs go complain to the earth, "
## [13722] "how evil their masters had kept them. Yet the multitude still "
## [13723] "growing, and the very killing wearying them, fearing lest "
## [13724] "in long fight they should be conquered with conquering, they "
## [13725] "drew back towards the lodge ; but drew back in such sort, that "
## [13726] "still their terror went forward like a valiant mastiff, whom, when "
## [13727] "his master pulls back by the tail from the bear, with whom he had "
## [13728] "already interchanged a hateful embracement, though his pace be "
## [13729] "backward, his gesture is forward, his teeth and his eyes threatening "
## [13730] "more in the retiring than they did in the advancing : so guided "
## [13731] "they themselves homeward, never stepping step backward, but "
## [13732] "that they proved themselves masters of the ground where they "
## [13733] "stepped. "
## [13734] ""
## [13735] "Yet among the rebels there was a dapper fellow, a tailor by "
## [13736] "occupation, who fetching his courage only from their going back, "
## [13737] "began to bow his knees, and very fencer-like to draw near to "
## [13738] "Zelmane. But as he came within her distance, turning his sword "
## [13739] "very nicely about his crown, Basilius, with a side blow, struck "
## [13740] "off his nose, he (being suitor to a seamster's daughter, and therefore "
## [13741] "not a little grieved for such a disgrace) stooped down, because he "
## [13742] "had heard that if it were fresh put to, it would cleave on again. "
## [13743] "But as his hand was on the ground to bring his nose to his head, "
## [13744] "Zelmane with a blow sent his head to his nose. That saw a "
## [13745] "butcher, a butcherly chuff indeed, who that day was sworn brother "
## [13746] "to him in a cup of wine, and lifted up a great leaver, calling Zelmane "
## [13747] "all the vile names of a butcherly eloquence. But she letting slip "
## [13748] "the blow of the leaver, hit him so surely upon the side of the face "
## [13749] "that she left nothing but the nether jaw, where the tongue still "
## [13750] "wagged, as willing to say more if his master's remembrance had "
## [13751] "served. \" O ! \" said a miller that was half drunk, \" see the luck of a "
## [13752] "good-fellow,\" and with that word ran with a pitchfork at Dorus ; but "
## [13753] "the nirableness of the wine carried his head so fast that it made it "
## [13754] ""
## [13755] ""
## [13756] ""
## [13757] "2S6 ARCADIA [book n, "
## [13758] ""
## [13759] "over-run his feet, so that he fell withal just between the legs of "
## [13760] "Dorus, who setting his foot on his neck, though he offered two "
## [13761] "milch kine and four fat hogs for his life, thrust his sword quite "
## [13762] "through, from one ear to the other ; which took it very unkindly, "
## [13763] "to feel such news before they heard of them, instead of hearing, "
## [13764] "to be put to such feeling. But Dorus, leaving the miller to vomit "
## [13765] "his soul out in wine and blood, with his two-hand sword struck off "
## [13766] "another quite by the waist, who the night before had dreamed he "
## [13767] "was grown a couple, and, interpreting it that he should be married, "
## [13768] "had bragged of his dream that morning among his neighbours. "
## [13769] "But that blow astonished quite a poor painter, who stood by with a "
## [13770] "pike in his hands. This painter was to counterfeit the skirmish "
## [13771] "between the Centaurs and Lapithes, and had been very desirous to "
## [13772] "see some notable wounds, to be able the more lively to express "
## [13773] "them ; and this morning, being carried by the stream of this "
## [13774] "company, the foolish fellow was even delighted to see the effect "
## [13775] "of blows. But this last, happening near him, so amazed him that "
## [13776] "he stood stock still, while Dorus, with a turn of his sword, struck "
## [13777] "off both his hands. And so the painter returned, well skilled in "
## [13778] "wounds, but with never a hand to perform his skill. "
## [13779] ""
## [13780] "In this manner they recovered the lodge, and gave the rebels a "
## [13781] "face of wood of the outside. But they then, though no more "
## [13782] "furious, yet more outrageous when they saw no resister, went about "
## [13783] "with pickaxe to the wall, and fire to the gate, to get themselves "
## [13784] "entrance. Then did the two ladies mix fear with love, especially "
## [13785] "Philoclea, who ever caught hold of Zelmane, so, by the folly of "
## [13786] "love, hindering the succour which she desired. But Zelmane "
## [13787] "seeing no way of defence, nor time to deliberate (the number of "
## [13788] "those villains still increasing, and their madness still increasing "
## [13789] "with their number) thought it the only means, to go beyond their "
## [13790] "expectation with an unused boldness, and with danger to avoid "
## [13791] "danger, and therefore opened again the gates ; and Dorus and "
## [13792] "Basilius standing ready for her defence, she issued again among "
## [13793] "them. The blows she had dealt before, though all in general were "
## [13794] "hasty, made each of them in particular take breath, before they "
## [13795] "brought them suddenly over-near her, so that she had time to get "
## [13796] "up to the judgment-seat of the prince, which, according to the "
## [13797] "guess of that country, was before the court gate. There she paused "
## [13798] "a while, making sign with her hand unto them, and withal, "
## [13799] "speaking aloud that she had something to say unto them that "
## [13800] "would please them. But she was answered a while with nothing "
## [13801] "but shouts and cries ; and some beginning to throw stones at her, "
## [13802] "not daring to approach her. But at length a young farmer, who "
## [13803] "might do most among the country sort, and was caught in a little "
## [13804] "affection towards Zelmane, hoping by his kindness to have some "
## [13805] ""
## [13806] ""
## [13807] ""
## [13808] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 257 "
## [13809] ""
## [13810] "good of her, desired them if they were honest men, to hear the "
## [13811] "woman speak. \" Fie fellows, fie,\" said he, \" what will all the maids "
## [13812] "in our town say if so many tall men shall be afraid to hear a fair "
## [13813] "wench? I swear unto you, by no little ones, I had rather give "
## [13814] "my team of oxen than we should show ourselves so uncivil wights. "
## [13815] "Besides, I tell you true, I have heard it of old men counted "
## [13816] "wisdom, to hear much, and say little.\" His sententious speech so "
## [13817] "prevailed, that the most part began to listen. Then she, with such "
## [13818] "efficacy of gracefulness, and such a quiet magnanimity represented "
## [13819] "in her face in this uttermost peril, that the more the barbarbus "
## [13820] "people looked, the more it fixed their looks upon her, in this sort "
## [13821] "began unto them. "
## [13822] ""
## [13823] "\"It is no small comfort unto me,\" said she, \"having to speak "
## [13824] "something unto you for your own behoofs, to find that I have "
## [13825] "to deal with such a people, who show indeed in themselves the "
## [13826] "right nature of valour : which as it leaves no violence unattempted, "
## [13827] "while the choler is nourished with resistance, so when the subject "
## [13828] "of their wrath doth of itself unlooked for oflfer itself into their "
## [13829] "hands, it makes them at least take a pause before they determine "
## [13830] "cruelties. Now then first, before I come to the principal matter, "
## [13831] "have I to say unto you ; that your prince Basilius himself in "
## [13832] "person is within this lodge, and was one of the three, whom a few "
## [13833] "of you went about to fight withal : \" and (this she said, not "
## [13834] "doubting but they knew it well enough, but because she would "
## [13835] "have them imagine that the prince might think that they did not "
## [13836] "know it) \" by him I am sent unto you, as from a prince to his well "
## [13837] "approved subjects, nay as from a father to beloved children, to "
## [13838] "know what it is that hath bred just quarrel among you, or who "
## [13839] "they be that have any way wronged you ; what it is with which "
## [13840] "you are displeased, or of which you are desirous ? This he "
## [13841] "requires, and indeed, for he knows your faithfulness, he commands "
## [13842] "you presently to set down and choose among yourselves, someone, "
## [13843] "who may relate your griefs or demands unto him.\" "
## [13844] ""
## [13845] "This, being more than they hoped for from their prince, assuaged "
## [13846] "well their fury, and many of them consented, especially the young "
## [13847] "farmer helping on, who meant to make one of the demands "
## [13848] "that he might have Zelmane for his wife, but when they began to "
## [13849] "talk of their griefs, never bees made such a confused humming : "
## [13850] "the town dwellers deinanding putting down of imposts ; the country "
## [13851] "fellows laying out of commons : some would have the prince keep "
## [13852] "his court in one place, some in another : all cried out to have "
## [13853] "new counsellors ; but when they should think of any new, they "
## [13854] "liked them as well as any other that they could remember, "
## [13855] "especially they would have the treasure so looked unto, as that "
## [13856] "he should never need to take any more subsidies. At length they "
## [13857] ""
## [13858] ""
## [13859] ""
## [13860] "2S8 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [13861] ""
## [13862] "fell to direct contrarieties. For the artisans they would have corn "
## [13863] "and wine set at a lower price, and bound to be kept so still : the "
## [13864] "ploughmen, vine-labourers, and the farmers would none of that. "
## [13865] "The countrymen demanded that every man might be free in the "
## [13866] "chief towns ; that could not the burgesses like of. The peasants "
## [13867] "would have all the gentlemen destroyed, the citizens, especially "
## [13868] "such as cooks, barbers, and those other that lived most on "
## [13869] "gentlemen, would but have them reformed. And of each side "
## [13870] "were like divisions, one neighbourhood beginning to find fault with "
## [13871] "another ; but no confusion was greater than of particular men's "
## [13872] "likings and dislikings : one dispraising such a one, whom another "
## [13873] "praised, and demanding such a one to be punished, whom the "
## [13874] "other would have exalted. No less ado was there about choosing "
## [13875] "him, who should be their spokesman. The finer sort of burgesses, "
## [13876] "as merchants, prentices, and cloth-workers, because of their riches, "
## [13877] "disdaining the baser occupations ; and they because of their "
## [13878] "number, as much disdaining them ; all they scorning the country- "
## [13879] "men's ignorance, and the countrymen suspecting as much their "
## [13880] "cunning : so that Zelmane (finding that their united rage was now "
## [13881] "grown, not only to dividing, but to a crossing of one another, and "
## [13882] "that the mislike grown among themselves did well allay the heat "
## [13883] "against her) made tokens again unto them, as though she took great "
## [13884] "care of their well-doing, and were afraid of their falling out, that she "
## [13885] "would speak unto them. They now grow jealous one of another, the "
## [13886] "stay having engendered division, and division having manifested "
## [13887] "their weakness, were willing enough to hear, the most part striving "
## [13888] "to show themselves willinger than their fellows : which Zelmane, "
## [13889] "by the acquaintance she had had with such kind of humours soon "
## [13890] "perceiving, with an angerless bravery, and an unabashed mildness, "
## [13891] "in this manner spoke unto them. "
## [13892] ""
## [13893] "\"An unused thing it is, and I think not heretofore seen, O "
## [13894] "Arcadians, that a woman should give public counsel to men, "
## [13895] "a stranger to the country people, and that lastly in such a presence "
## [13896] "by a private person, the regal throne should be possessed. But "
## [13897] "the strangeness of your action makes that used for virtue, which "
## [13898] "your violent necessity imposeth. For certainly a woman may "
## [13899] "well speak to such men, who have forgotten all man-like govern- "
## [13900] "ment; a stranger may with reason instruct such subjects that "
## [13901] "neglect due points of subjection ; and is it marvel this place is "
## [13902] "entered into by another, since your own prince, after thirty years' "
## [13903] "government, dare not show his face unto faithful people? hear "
## [13904] "therefore, O Arcadians, and be ashamed ; against whom hath this "
## [13905] "zealous rage been stirred? whither have been bent those manful "
## [13906] "weapons of yours ? in this quiet harmless lodge there be harboured "
## [13907] "no Argians, your ancient enemies ; nor Laconians, your now "
## [13908] ""
## [13909] ""
## [13910] ""
## [13911] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 259 "
## [13912] ""
## [13913] "feared neighbours. Here be neither hard landlords, nor biting "
## [13914] "usurers. Here lodge none, but such, as either you have great "
## [13915] "cause to love, or no cause to hate : here being none, besides your "
## [13916] "prince, princess, and their children, but myself. Is it I then, "
## [13917] ""
## [13918] "Arcadians, against whom your anger is armed ? am I the mark "
## [13919] "of your vehement quarrel ? if it be so, that innocency shall not be "
## [13920] "stopped for fury ; if it be so, that the law of hospitality, so long and "
## [13921] "holily observed among you, may not defend a stranger fled to "
## [13922] "your arms for succour : if in fine, it be so, that so many "
## [13923] "valiant men's courages can be inflamed to the mischief of one "
## [13924] "silly woman ; I refuse not to make my life a sacrifice to your "
## [13925] "wrath. Exercise on me your indignation, so it go no farther ; "
## [13926] ""
## [13927] "1 am content to pay the great favours I have received among you, "
## [13928] "with my life not ill-deserving: I present here unto you, O "
## [13929] "Arcadians, if that may satisfy you ; rather than you, called over "
## [13930] "the world the wise and quiet Arcadians, should be so vain, as "
## [13931] "to attempt that alone, which all the rest of your country will abhor ; "
## [13932] "than you shall show yourselves so ungrateful as to forget the fruit "
## [13933] "of so many years peaceable government ; or so unnatural, as not "
## [13934] "to have with the holy name of your natural prince, any fury "
## [13935] "overmastered. For such a hellish madness, I know, did never "
## [13936] "enter into your hearts as to attempt anything against his person ; "
## [13937] "which no successor, though never so hateful, will ever leave, for "
## [13938] "his own sake, unrevenged. Neither can your wonted valour be "
## [13939] "turned to such a baseness, as instead of a prince, delivered unto "
## [13940] "you by so many royal ancestors, to take the tyrannous yoke of "
## [13941] "your fellow subject, in whom the innate means will bring forth "
## [13942] "ravenous covetousness and the newness of his estate suspectful "
## [13943] "cruelty. Imagine, what could your enemies more wish unto "
## [13944] "you than to see your own estate with your own hands undermined ? "
## [13945] "O what would your forefathers say if they lived at this time, "
## [13946] "and saw their offspring defacing such an excellent principaUty, "
## [13947] "which they with much labour and blood so wisely have established ? "
## [13948] "do you think them fools, that saw you should not enjoy your vines, "
## [13949] "your cattle, no not your wives and children without government ? "
## [13950] "and that there could be no government without a magistrate, and "
## [13951] "no magistrate without obedience, and no obedience where everyone "
## [13952] "upon his own private passion may interpret the doings of the "
## [13953] "rulers? let your wits make your present example a lesson to "
## [13954] "you. What sweetness, in good faith, find you in your present "
## [13955] "condition ; what choice of choice find you, if you had lost Basilius? "
## [13956] "under whose ensign would you go, if your enemies should invade "
## [13957] "you ? if you cannot agree upon one to speak for you, how will you "
## [13958] "agree upon one to fight for you ? but with this fear of I cannot "
## [13959] "tell what one is troubled, and with that past wrong another is "
## [13960] ""
## [13961] ""
## [13962] ""
## [13963] "26o ARCADIA [book n. "
## [13964] ""
## [13965] "grieved. And I pray you did the sun ever bring you a fruitful "
## [13966] "harvest but that it was more hot than pleasant ? have any of you "
## [13967] "children that be not sometimes cumbersome ? have any of you "
## [13968] "fathers that be not sometimes wearish ? wfhat, shall we curse the "
## [13969] "sun, hate our children, or disobey our fathers — but what need I use "
## [13970] "those words, since I see in your countenances, now virtuously "
## [13971] "settled, nothing else but love and duty to him, by whom for your "
## [13972] "only sakes, the government is embraced. For all that is done, "
## [13973] "he doth not only pardon you, but thank you ; judging the action "
## [13974] "by the minds, and not the minds by the action. Your griefs, and "
## [13975] "desires whatsoever, and whensoever you list, he will consider of, "
## [13976] "and to his consideration it is reason you should refer them. So "
## [13977] "then, to conclude ; the uncertainty of his estate made you take "
## [13978] "arms ; now you see him well ; with the same love lay them down. "
## [13979] "If now you end, as I know you will, he will make no other account "
## [13980] "of this matter, but as of a vehement, I must confess, over vehement "
## [13981] "affection, the only continuance might prove a wickedness. But "
## [13982] "it is not so, I see very well, you began with zeal, and will end "
## [13983] "with reverence.'' "
## [13984] ""
## [13985] "The action Zelmane used, being beautified by nature and "
## [13986] "apparelled with skill, her gestures being such, that, as her words "
## [13987] "did paint out her mind, so they served as a shadow to make the "
## [13988] "picture more lively and sensible, with the sweet clearness of her "
## [13989] "voice, rising and falling kindly as the nature of the word and "
## [13990] "efficacy of the matter required, altogether in such an admirable "
## [13991] "person, whose incomparable valour they had well felt, whose "
## [13992] "beauty did pierce through the thick dulness of their senses, gave "
## [13993] "such a way unto her speech through the rugged wilderness of "
## [13994] "their imaginations, who, besides they were stricken in admiration "
## [13995] "of her, as of more tharr a human creature, where cooled with "
## [13996] "taking breath, and had learned doubts out of leisure that instead "
## [13997] "of roaring cries_ there was now heard nothing but a confused "
## [13998] "muttering, whether her saying were to be followed : betwixt fear "
## [13999] "to pursue, and loathness to leave, most of them could have been "
## [14000] "content it had never been begun, but how to end it, each afraid "
## [14001] "of his companion, they knew not, finding it far easier to tie, than "
## [14002] "to loose knots. But Zelmane thinking it no evil way in such "
## [14003] "mutinies, to give the mutinous some occasion of such service as "
## [14004] "they might think, in their own judgment, would countervail their "
## [14005] "trespass, withal to take the more assured possession of their minds, "
## [14006] "which she feared might begin to waver. "
## [14007] ""
## [14008] "\"Loyal Arcadians,\" said she, \"now do I offer unto you the "
## [14009] "manifesting of your duties : all those that have taken arms for the "
## [14010] "prince's safety, let them turn their backs to the gate, with their "
## [14011] "weapons bent again such as would hurt his sacred person.\" \" O "
## [14012] ""
## [14013] ""
## [14014] ""
## [14015] "BOOK IT.] ARCADIA 261 "
## [14016] ""
## [14017] "weak trust of the many-headed multitude, whom inconstancy only "
## [14018] "doth guide to well-doing, who can set confidence there where "
## [14019] "company takes away shame, and each may lay the fault on his "
## [14020] "fellow?\" So said a crafty fellow among them, named Clinias, to "
## [14021] "himself, when he saw the word no sooner out of Zelmane's mouth, "
## [14022] "but there were some shouts of joy, with, \" God save Basilius,\" and "
## [14023] "divers of them with much jollity grown to be his guard that but "
## [14024] "little before meant to be his murderers. "
## [14025] ""
## [14026] "This Clinias in his youth had been a scholar so far as to learn "
## [14027] "rather words than manners, and of words rather plenty than order ; ■ "
## [14028] "and often had used to be an actor in tragedies, where he had "
## [14029] "learned, besides a slidingness of language, acquaintance with many "
## [14030] "passions, and to frame his face to bear the figure of them : long "
## [14031] "used to the eyes and ears of men, and to reckon no fault but "
## [14032] "shamefac'dness in nature ; a most notable coward, and yet more "
## [14033] "strangely than rarely venturous in privy practices. "
## [14034] ""
## [14035] "This fellow was become of near trust to Cecropia, Amphialus's "
## [14036] "mother, so that he was privy to all the mischievous devices where- "
## [14037] "with she went about to ruin Basilius and his children, for the "
## [14038] "advancing of her son, and though his education had made him full "
## [14039] "of tongue, yet his love to be doing, taught him in any evil to be "
## [14040] "secret, and had by his mistress been used ever since the strange "
## [14041] "retiring of Basilius, to whisper rumours in the people's ears : and "
## [14042] "this time, finding great aptness in the multitude, was one of the "
## [14043] "chief that set them in the uproar, though quite without the consent "
## [14044] "of Amphialus, who would not for all the kingdoms of the world so "
## [14045] "have adventured the life of Philoclea. But now perceiving the "
## [14046] "flood of their fury begun to ebb, he thought in pohcy to take the "
## [14047] "first of the tide, so that no man cried louder than he upon Basilius. "
## [14048] "And some of the lustiest rebels not yet agreeing to the rest, he "
## [14049] "caused two or three of his mates that were at his commandment to "
## [14050] "lift him up, and then as if he had a prologue to utter, he began "
## [14051] "with nice gravity to demand audience. But few attending what "
## [14052] "he said, with vehement gesture, as if he would tear the stars from "
## [14053] "the skies he fell to crying out so loud that not only Zelmane, but "
## [14054] "Basilius might hear him. \" O unhappy men, more mad than the "
## [14055] "giants that would have plucked Jupiter out of heaven, how long "
## [14056] "shall this rage continue? why do you not all throw down your "
## [14057] "weapons and submit yourselves to our good prince, our good "
## [14058] "Basilius, the Pelops of wisdom, and Minos of all good government ? "
## [14059] "when will you begin to believe me, and other honest and faithful "
## [14060] "subjects, that have done all we could to stop your fury.\" "
## [14061] ""
## [14062] "The farmer that loved Zelmane could abide him no longer. For "
## [14063] "as the first he was willing to speak of conditions, hoping to have "
## [14064] "gotten great sovereignties, and among the rest Zelmane ; so now "
## [14065] ""
## [14066] ""
## [14067] ""
## [14068] "263 ARCADIA [BOOK ii. "
## [14069] ""
## [14070] "perceiving, that the people, once anything down the hill from their "
## [14071] "fury, would never stay till they came to the bottom of absolute "
## [14072] "yielding, and so that he should be nearer fears of punishment than "
## [14073] "hopes of such advancement, he was one of them that stood most "
## [14074] "against the agreement : and to begin withal, disdaining this fellow "
## [14075] "should play the preacher, who had been one of the cheifest make- "
## [14076] "bates, struck him a great wound upon the face with his sword. "
## [14077] "The cowardly wretch fell down, crying for succour, and, scrambhng "
## [14078] "through the legs of them that were about him, got to the throne, "
## [14079] "where Zelmane took him and comforted him, bleeding for that was "
## [14080] "past, and quaking for fear of more. "
## [14081] ""
## [14082] "But as soon as the blow was given, as if ^olus had broke open "
## [14083] "the door to let all his winds out, no hand was idle, each one killing "
## [14084] "him that was next, for fear he should do as much to him. For "
## [14085] "being divided in minds, and not divided in companies, they that "
## [14086] "would yield to Basilius were intermingled with them that would "
## [14087] "not yield. Those men thinking their ruin stood upon it ; those "
## [14088] "men to get favour of their prince, converted their ungracious "
## [14089] "motion into their own bowels, and by a true judgment grew their "
## [14090] "own punishers. None were sooner killed than those that had "
## [14091] "been leaders in the disobedience : who by being so, had taught "
## [14092] "them, that they did lead disobedience to the same leaders. And "
## [14093] "many times it fell out that they killed them that were of their own "
## [14094] "faction, anger whetting, and doubt hastening their fingers. But "
## [14095] "then came down Zelmane ; and Basilius with Dorus issued, and "
## [14096] "sometimes seeking to draw together those of their party, sometimes "
## [14097] "laying indifferently among tbem, made such havoc, among the rest "
## [14098] "Zelmane striking the farmer to the heart with her sword, as before "
## [14099] "she had done with her eyes, that in a while all they of the contrary "
## [14100] "side were put to flight, and fled to certain woods upon the frontiers, "
## [14101] "where feeding wildly, and drinking only water, they were disciplined "
## [14102] "for their drunken riots : many of them being slain in the chase, "
## [14103] "about a score only escaping. But when those late rebels, now "
## [14104] "soldiers, were returned from the chase, Basilius calling them "
## [14105] "together, partly for policy's sake, but principally because Zelmane "
## [14106] "before had spoken it, which was to him more than a divine "
## [14107] "ordinance, he pronounced their general pardon, willing them to "
## [14108] "return to their houses, and hereafter be more circumspect in their "
## [14109] "proceedings, which they did most of them with sharp marks of "
## [14110] "their folly. But imagining Clinias to be one of the chief that had "
## [14111] "bred this good alteration, he gave him particular thanks, and "
## [14112] "withal willed him to make him know how this frenzy had entered "
## [14113] "into the people. "
## [14114] ""
## [14115] "Clinias purposing indeed to tell him the truth of all ; saving "
## [14116] "•what did touch himself, or Cecropia, first dipping his hand in the "
## [14117] ""
## [14118] ""
## [14119] ""
## [14120] "BOOK IT.] ARCADIA 263 "
## [14121] ""
## [14122] "blood of his wound : \" Now by this blood,\" said he, \" which is "
## [14123] "more dear to me than all the rest that is in my body, since it is "
## [14124] "spent for your safety : this tongue, perchance unfortunate, but "
## [14125] "never false, shall not now begin to lie unto my prince, of me most "
## [14126] "beloved.\" Then stretching out his hand, and making vehement "
## [14127] "countenances the ushers to his speeches, in such manner of terms "
## [14128] "recounted this accident. \" Yesterday,\" said he, \" being your birth- "
## [14129] "day, in the goodly green two miles hence before the city of "
## [14130] "Enispus, to do honour to the day, where four or five thousand "
## [14131] "people, of all conditions, as I think, gathered together, spending "
## [14132] "all the day in dancing and other exercises, and when night came "
## [14133] "under tents and bows making great cheer, and meaning to observe "
## [14134] "a wassailling watch all that night for your sake. Bacchus, the "
## [14135] "learned say, was begot with thunder : I think, that made him ever "
## [14136] "since so full of stir and debate. Bacchus, indeed it was which "
## [14137] "sounded the first trumpet to this rude alarm. For that barbarous "
## [14138] "opinion being generally among them, to think with vice to do "
## [14139] "honour, and with activity in beastliness to show abundance of love, "
## [14140] "made most of them seek to show the depth of their affection in the "
## [14141] "depth of their draught. But being once well chafed with wine, "
## [14142] "having spent all the night, and some piece of the morning in such "
## [14143] "revelling, and emboldened by your absented manner of living, "
## [14144] "there was no matter their ears had ever heard of that grew not to "
## [14145] "be a subject of their winey conference. I speak it by proof : for "
## [14146] "I take witness of the gods, who never leave perjuries unpunished, "
## [14147] "that I often cried out against their impudency, and, when that "
## [14148] "would not serve, stopped mine ears because I would not be "
## [14149] "partaker of their blasphemies, till with buffets they forced me to "
## [14150] "have mine ears and eyes defiled. Public affairs were mingled with "
## [14151] "private grudges : neither was any man thought of wit, that did not "
## [14152] "pretend some cause of mislike. Railing was counted the fruit of "
## [14153] "freedom, and saying nothing had his uttermost praise in ignorance. "
## [14154] "At the length, your sacred person, alas ! why did I live to hear it ? "
## [14155] "alas ! how do I breathe to utter it ? But your commandment doth "
## [14156] "not only enjoin obedience, but give me force ; your sacred person "
## [14157] "I say, fell to be their table-talk : a proud word swelling in their "
## [14158] "stomachs, and disdainful reproaches against so great a greatness "
## [14159] "having put on the show of greatness in their little minds : till at "
## [14160] "length the very unbridled use of words having increased fire in "
## [14161] "their minds, which God wot thought their knowledge notable, "
## [14162] "because they had at all no knowledge to condemn their own want "
## [14163] "of knowledge, they descended, O never to be forgotten presumption, "
## [14164] "to a direct dislike of your living from among them. Whereupon "
## [14165] "it were tedious to remember their far-fetched constructions. But "
## [14166] "the sum was, you disdained them : and what were the pomps of "
## [14167] ""
## [14168] ""
## [14169] ""
## [14170] "264 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [14171] ""
## [14172] "your estate, if their arms maintained you not ? who would call you "
## [14173] "a prince, if you had not a people, when certain of them of wretched "
## [14174] "estates, and worse minds, whose fortunes change could not impair, "
## [14175] "began to say that your government was to be looked into ; how "
## [14176] "the great treasures you had levied among them had been spent ; "
## [14177] "why none but great men and gentlemen could be admitted into "
## [14178] "counsel, that the commons, forsooth, were too plain-headed to say "
## [14179] "their opinions : but yet their blood and sweat must maintain all. "
## [14180] "Who could tell whether you were not betrayed in this place where "
## [14181] "you lived ? nay whether you did live or no ? therefore that it was "
## [14182] "time to come and see ; and if you were here, to know if Arcadia "
## [14183] "were grown loathsome in your sight, why you did not rid yourself "
## [14184] "of the trouble ? there would not want those that would take so fair "
## [14185] "a cumber in good part. Since the country was theirs, and the "
## [14186] "government an adherent to the country, why should they not "
## [14187] "consider of the one as well as inhabit the other? 'nay rather,' "
## [14188] "said they, 'let us begin that, which all Arcadia will follow. Let "
## [14189] "us deliver our prince from danger of practices, and ourselves from "
## [14190] "want of a prince. Let us do that which all the rest think. Let it "
## [14191] "be said that we only are not astonished with vain titles which have "
## [14192] "their force but in our force.' Lastly, to have said and heard so "
## [14193] "much was as dangerous as to have attempted : and to attempt "
## [14194] "they had the glorious name of liberty with them. Those words "
## [14195] "being spoken, like a furious storm, presently carried away their "
## [14196] "well inclined brains. What I, and some other of the honester sort "
## [14197] "could do was no more than if with a puff of breath, one should go "
## [14198] "about to make a sail go against a mighty wind, or, with one hand, "
## [14199] "stay the ruin of a mighty wall. So general grew this madness "
## [14200] "among them, there needed no drum, where each man cried, each "
## [14201] "spoke to other that spoke as fast to him, and the disagreeing "
## [14202] "sound of so many voices was the chief token of their unmeet "
## [14203] "agreement. Thus was their banquet turned to a battle, their "
## [14204] "winey mirths to bloody rages, and the happy prayers for your life "
## [14205] "to monstrous threatening of your estate ; the solemnizing your "
## [14206] "birth-day, tended to have been the cause of your funeral. But as "
## [14207] "a drunken rage hath, besides his wickedness, that folly, that the "
## [14208] "more it seeks to hurt the less it considers how to be able to hurt : "
## [14209] "they never weighed how to arm themselves, but took up everything "
## [14210] "for a weapon that fury offered to their hands. Many swords, "
## [14211] "pikes, and bills there were ; others took pitchforks and rakes, "
## [14212] "converting husbandry to soldiery : some caught hold of spits, "
## [14213] "things serviceable for life, to be the instruments of death. And "
## [14214] "there was some such one, who held the same pot wherein he "
## [14215] "drank your health, to use it, as he could, to your mischief. Thus "
## [14216] "armed, thus governed, forcing the unwilling, and heartening the "
## [14217] ""
## [14218] ""
## [14219] ""
## [14220] "BOOK 11.] ARCADIA 265 "
## [14221] ""
## [14222] "willing, adding fury to fury, and increasing rage with running, they "
## [14223] "came headlong towards this lodge : no man, I dare say, resolved "
## [14224] "in his own heart what was the uttermost he would do when he "
## [14225] "came thither. But as mischief is of such nature, that it cannot "
## [14226] "stand but with strengthening one evil by another, and so multiply "
## [14227] "in itself, till it come to the highest and then fall with his own "
## [14228] "weight : so to their minds one passed the bounds of obedience, "
## [14229] "more and more wickedness opened itself, so that they, who first "
## [14230] "pretended to preserve you, then to reform you (I speak it in my "
## [14231] "conscience, and with a bleeding heart) now thought no safety for "
## [14232] "them, without murdering you. So as if the gods, who preserve "
## [14233] "you for the preservation of Arcadia, had not showed their miraculous "
## [14234] "power ; and that they had not used for instruments, both your own "
## [14235] "valour, not fit to be spoken of by so mean a mouth as mine, and "
## [14236] "some, I must confess, honest minds, whom alas ! why should I "
## [14237] "mention, since what we did, reached not to the hundredth part of "
## [14238] "our duty? our hands, I tremble to think of it, had destroyed all "
## [14239] "that, for which we have cause to rejoice that we are Arcadians.\" "
## [14240] ""
## [14241] "With that the fellow did wring his hands, and wrung out tears, "
## [14242] "so, that Basilius, who was not the sharpest piercer into masked "
## [14243] "minds, took a good liking to him ; and so much the more as he "
## [14244] "had tickled him with praise in the hearing of his mistress. And "
## [14245] "therefore pitying his wound, willed him to get him home and look "
## [14246] "well into it, and make the best search he could to know if there "
## [14247] "were any farther depth in this matter, for which he should be well "
## [14248] "rewarded. But before he went away, certain of the shepherds "
## [14249] "being come, for that day was appointed for their pastorals, he sent "
## [14250] "one of them to Philanax, and another to other principal noblemen, "
## [14251] "and cities thereabouts, to make thorough inquiry of this uproar, "
## [14252] "and withal to place such garrisons in all the towns and villages "
## [14253] "near unto him, that he might thereafter keep his solitary lodge in "
## [14254] "more security, upon the making of a fire, or ringing of a bell, "
## [14255] "having them in readiness for him. "
## [14256] ""
## [14257] "This Clinias, having his ear one way when his eye was another, "
## [14258] "had perceived, and therefore hastened away with mind to tell "
## [14259] "Crecopia that she was to take some speedy resolution, or else it "
## [14260] "were danger those examinations would both discover and ruin "
## [14261] "her ; and so went his way, leaving that httle company with "
## [14262] "embracements, and praising of Zelmane's excellent proceeding, "
## [14263] "to show, that no decking sets forth anything so much as affection. "
## [14264] "For as, while she stood at the discretion of those indiscreet rebels, "
## [14265] "every angry countenance any of them made seemed a knife laid "
## [14266] "upon their own throats ; so unspeakable was now their joy that "
## [14267] "they saw, besides her safety and their own, the same wrought, and "
## [14268] "safely wrought by her means, in whom they had placed all their "
## [14269] ""
## [14270] ""
## [14271] ""
## [14272] "266 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [14273] ""
## [14274] "delights. What examples Greece could ever allege of wit and "
## [14275] "fortitude, were set in rank of trifles, being compared to this action. "
## [14276] "But as they were in the midst of those unfeigned ceremonies, "
## [14277] "a cittern ill played on, accompanied with a hoarse voice, who "
## [14278] "seemed to sing mauger the mauses, and to be merry in spite of "
## [14279] "fortune, made them look the way of the ill-noised song. The song "
## [14280] "was this "
## [14281] ""
## [14282] "A hateful cure with hate to heal : "
## [14283] ""
## [14284] "A bloody help with blood to save : "
## [14285] "A foolish thing with fools to deal. "
## [14286] ""
## [14287] "Let him be bob'd, that bobs will have. "
## [14288] ""
## [14289] "But who by means of wisdom high "
## [14290] ""
## [14291] "Hath sav'd his charge ? it is even I. "
## [14292] ""
## [14293] "Let others deck their pride with scars, "
## [14294] "And of their wounds make brave lame shows : "
## [14295] ""
## [14296] "First let them die, then pass the stars. "
## [14297] "When rotten fame will tell their blows : "
## [14298] "But eye from blade, and ear from eye ; "
## [14299] "Who hath sav'd all ? it is even L "
## [14300] ""
## [14301] "They had soon found it was Dametas, who came with no less "
## [14302] "lifted up countenance than if he had passed over the bellies of all "
## [14303] "his enemies : so wise a point he thought he had performed in using "
## [14304] "the natural strength of the cave. But never was it his doing to "
## [14305] "come so soon thence till the coast were more assuredly clear : for it "
## [14306] "was a rule with him, that after a great storm there ever fell a few "
## [14307] "drops before it be fully finished. But Pamela, who had now "
## [14308] "experienced how much care doth solicit a lover's heart, used this "
## [14309] "occasion of going to her parents and sister, indeed as well for "
## [14310] "that cause, as being unquiet, till her eye might be assured how her "
## [14311] "shepherd had gone through the danger. "
## [14312] ""
## [14313] "But Basilius with the sight of Pamela, of whom almost his head, "
## [14314] "otherwise occupied, had left the wanted remembrance, was suddenly "
## [14315] "stricken into a devout kind of admiration, remembering the oracle, "
## [14316] "which according to the fawning humour of false hope, he interpreted "
## [14317] "now his own to his own best, and with the willing blindness of "
## [14318] "affection, because his mind ran wholly upon Zelmane, he thought "
## [14319] "the gods in their oracles did principally mind her. "
## [14320] ""
## [14321] "But as he was thinking deeply of the matter, one of the shepherds "
## [14322] "told him that Philanax was already come with an hundred horse "
## [14323] "in his company. For having by chance rode not far off the little "
## [14324] "desert, he had heard of this uproar, and so was come upon the "
## [14325] "spur, gathering a company of gentlemen, as fast as he could, to the "
## [14326] "succour of his master ; Basilius was glad of it ; but not willing to "
## [14327] "have him nor any other of the noblemen, see his mistress, he "
## [14328] ""
## [14329] ""
## [14330] ""
## [14331] "BOOK ii.j ARCADIA 267 "
## [14332] ""
## [14333] "himself went out of the lodge : and so giving order unto him of "
## [14334] "placing garrisons, and examining those matters ; and Philanax "
## [14335] "with humble earnestness beginning to entreat him to leave off this "
## [14336] "solitary course, which already had been so dangerous unto him, "
## [14337] "\" Well,\" said Basilius, \" it may be ere long I will condescend unto "
## [14338] "your desire. In the meantime, take you the best order you can to "
## [14339] "keep me safe in my solitariness. But,\" said he, \" do you remember, "
## [14340] "how earnestly you wrote unto me that I should not be moved by "
## [14341] "that oracle's authority, which brought me to this resolution ? \" "
## [14342] "\" Full well. Sir,\" answered Philanax, \" for though it pleased you "
## [14343] "not as then to let me know what the oracle's words were, yet all "
## [14344] "oracles hold in, in my conceit, one degree of reputation, it sufficed "
## [14345] "me to know it was but an oracle which led you from your own "
## [14346] "course.\" \" Well,\" said Basilius, \" I will now tell you the words, "
## [14347] "which before I thought not good to do, because when all the events "
## [14348] "fall out, as some already have done, I may charge you with your "
## [14349] "incredulity.\" So he repeated in this sort. "
## [14350] ""
## [14351] "Thy elder care shall from thy careful face "
## [14352] ""
## [14353] "By princely mean be stolen, and yet not lost : "
## [14354] "Thy younger shall with nature's bliss embrace "
## [14355] ""
## [14356] "An uncouth love, which nature hateth most ; "
## [14357] "Both they themselves unto such two shall wed, "
## [14358] ""
## [14359] "Who at thy bear, as at a bar, shall plead ; "
## [14360] ""
## [14361] "Why thee, a living man, they had made dead. "
## [14362] "In thine own seat a foreign state shall sit ; "
## [14363] "And ere that all those blows at thy head do hit. "
## [14364] "Thou, with thy wife adultery shall commit. "
## [14365] ""
## [14366] "\" For you, forsooth,\" said he, \" when I told you that some "
## [14367] "supernatural cause sent me strange visions, which being confrmed "
## [14368] "with presagious chances, I had gone to Delphos, and there received "
## [14369] "this answer, you replied unto me that the only supernatural causes "
## [14370] "were the humours of my body, which bred such melancholy dreams, "
## [14371] "and that both they framed a mind full of conceits, apt to make "
## [14372] "presages of things, which in themselves were merely chanceable : "
## [14373] "and withal, as I say, you remember what you wrote me touching "
## [14374] "the authority of the oracle : but now I have some notable trial of "
## [14375] "the truth thereof, which hereafter I will more largely communicate "
## [14376] "unto you. Only now, know that the thing I most feared is already "
## [14377] "performed ; I mean, that a foreign state should possess my throne. "
## [14378] "For that hath been done by Zelmane, but not as I feared, to my "
## [14379] "ruin, but to my preservation.\" But when he had once named "
## [14380] "Zelmane, that name was as good as a pulley, to make the clock of his "
## [14381] "praises run on in such sort that Philanax found was more exquisite "
## [14382] "than the only admiration of virtue breedeth : which bis faithful "
## [14383] ""
## [14384] ""
## [14385] ""
## [14386] "268 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [14387] ""
## [14388] "heart inwardly repining at, made him shrink away as soon as he "
## [14389] "could to go aljout the other matters of importance which Basilius "
## [14390] "had enjoined unto him. "
## [14391] ""
## [14392] "Basilius returned into the lodge, thus by himself construing the "
## [14393] "oracle : that in that, he said, his elder care should by princely "
## [14394] "mean be stolen away from him, and yet not lost, it was now "
## [14395] "performed, since Zelmane had, as it were, robbed from him the "
## [14396] "care of his first begotten child, yet was it not lost, since in his "
## [14397] "heart the ground of it remained. That his younger should with "
## [14398] "nature's bliss embrace the love of Zelmane, because he had so "
## [14399] "commanded her for his sake to do, yet should it be with as much "
## [14400] "hate of nature, for being so hateful an opposite to the jealousy he "
## [14401] "thought her mother had of him. The sitting in that seat he deemed "
## [14402] "by her already performed. But that which most comforted him "
## [14403] "was his interpretation of the adultery, which he thought he should "
## [14404] "commit with Zelmane, whom afterwards he should have to his "
## [14405] "wife. The point of his daughter's marriage, because it threatened "
## [14406] "his death withal, he determined to prevent with keeping them while "
## [14407] "he lived, unmarried. But having, as he thought, gotten thus much "
## [14408] "understanding of the oracle, he determined for three days after to "
## [14409] "perform certain rites to Apollo : and even then began with his wife "
## [14410] "and daughters to sing this hymn, and by them yearly used. "
## [14411] ""
## [14412] "Apollo great, whose beams the greater world do light, "
## [14413] ""
## [14414] "And in our little world do clear our inward sight, "
## [14415] ""
## [14416] "Which ever shine, though hid from earth by earthly shade, "
## [14417] ""
## [14418] "Whose lights do ever live, but in our darkness fade ; "
## [14419] ""
## [14420] "Thou god, whose youth was decked with spoil of Python's skin "
## [14421] ""
## [14422] "(So humble knowledge can throw down the snakish sin) "
## [14423] ""
## [14424] "Latona's son, whose birth in pain and travail long "
## [14425] ""
## [14426] "Doth teach, to learn the good what travails do belong : "
## [14427] ""
## [14428] "In travail of our life, a, short but tedious space. "
## [14429] ""
## [14430] "While brittle hour glass runs, guide thou our panting pace "
## [14431] ""
## [14432] "Give us foresightful minds : give us minds to obey "
## [14433] ""
## [14434] "What foresight tells ; our thoughts upon thy knowledge stay. "
## [14435] ""
## [14436] "Let so our fruits grow up that nature be raaintain'd : "
## [14437] ""
## [14438] "But so our hearts keep down, with vice they be not stain'd. "
## [14439] ""
## [14440] "Let this assured hold our judgments overtake. "
## [14441] ""
## [14442] "That nothing wins the heaven, but what doth earth forsake. "
## [14443] ""
## [14444] ", As soon as he had ended his devotion (all the privileged shepherds "
## [14445] "being now come) knowing well enough he might lay all his care "
## [14446] "upon Philanax, he was willing to sweeten the taste of this past "
## [14447] "tumult with some rural pastimes. For which, while the shepherds "
## [14448] "prepared themselves in the best manner, Basilius took his daughter "
## [14449] "Philocle^ aside, and with such haste, as if his ears hunted for words, "
## [14450] ""
## [14451] ""
## [14452] ""
## [14453] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 269 "
## [14454] ""
## [14455] "desired to know how she had found Zelmane. She humbly answered "
## [14456] "him according to the agreement betwixt them, that thus much for "
## [14457] "her sake Zelmane was content to descend from her former resolu- "
## [14458] "tion, as to hear him whenever he would speak ; and further than "
## [14459] "that she said, as Zelmane had not granted, so she neither did nor "
## [14460] "ever would desire. Basihus kissed her with more than fatherly "
## [14461] "thanks, and straight, like a hard-kept ward new come to his "
## [14462] "lands, would fain have used the benefit of that grant, in laying his "
## [14463] "sickness before his only physician. But Zelmane, that had not "
## [14464] "yet fully determined with herself how to bear herself toward him, "
## [14465] "made him in few words understand, that the time, in respect of the "
## [14466] "company, was unfit for such a parley ; and therefore to keep his "
## [14467] "brains the busier, letting him understand what she had learned of "
## [14468] "his daughters, touching Erona's distress, whom in her travel she "
## [14469] "had known and been greatly beholden to, she desired him to finish "
## [14470] "the rest, for so far as Plangus had told him ; because, she said, and "
## [14471] "she said truly, she was full of care for that lady, whose desert, only "
## [14472] "except an over-base choice, was nothing agreeable to misfortune. "
## [14473] "Basilius glad that she would command him anything, but more "
## [14474] "glad that in executing the unfitness of that time, she argued an "
## [14475] "intention to grant a fitter, obeyed her in this manner. "
## [14476] ""
## [14477] "\" Madame,\" said he, \" it is very true that since years enabled me "
## [14478] "to judge what is or is not to be pitied, I never saw anything that "
## [14479] "more moved me to justify a vehement compassion on myself than "
## [14480] "the estate of that prince, whom strong against all his own afflictions, "
## [14481] "which yet were great as I perceive you have heard, yet true and "
## [14482] "noble love had so pulled down, as to lie under sorrow for another. "
## [14483] "Insomuch as I could not temper my long idle pen in that subject, "
## [14484] "which I perceive you have seen. But then to leave that unrepeated, "
## [14485] "which I find my daughters have told you, it may please you to "
## [14486] "understand, since it pleaseth you to demand, that Antiphilus being "
## [14487] "crowned, and so left by the famous princes Musidorus and Pyrocles "
## [14488] "(led thence by the challenge of Anaxius, who is now in those "
## [14489] "provinces of Greece, making a dishonourable inquiry after that "
## [14490] "excellent prince Pyrocles, already perished) Antiphilus I say, being "
## [14491] "crowned and delivered from the presence of those two, whose "
## [14492] "virtues, while they were present, like good schoolmasters, "
## [14493] "suppressed his vanities, he had not strength of mind enough in "
## [14494] "him to make long delay of discovering what manner of man he "
## [14495] "was. But straight like one carried up to so high a place that he "
## [14496] "loseth the discerning of the ground over which he is, so was his "
## [14497] "mind lifted so far beyond the level of his own discourse, that "
## [14498] "remembering only that himself was in the high seat of a king, he "
## [14499] "could not perceive that he was a king of reasonable creatures who "
## [14500] "would quickly scorn follies, and repine at injuries. But imagining "
## [14501] ""
## [14502] ""
## [14503] ""
## [14504] "270 ARCADIA [book h. "
## [14505] ""
## [14506] "no so true property of sovereignty as to do what he listed, and to "
## [14507] "list whatsoever pleased his fancy, he quickly made his kingdom a "
## [14508] "tennis-court, where his subjects should be the balls, not in truth "
## [14509] "cruelly, but licentiously abusing them, presuming so far upon "
## [14510] "himself, that what he did was liked of everybody : nay, that his "
## [14511] "disgraces were favours, and all because he was a king. For in "
## [14512] "nature not able to conceive the bounds of great matters, suddenly "
## [14513] "borne into an unknown ocean of absolute power, he was swayed "
## [14514] "withal, he knew not how, as every wind of passion puffed him. "
## [14515] "Whereto nothing helped him better than that poisonous sugar of "
## [14516] "flattery, which some used, out of the innate baseness of their heart, "
## [14517] "straight like dogs fawning upon the greatest ; others secretly hating "
## [14518] "him, and disdaining his great rising so suddenly, so undeservedly, "
## [14519] "finding his humour, bent their exalting him only to his overthrow, "
## [14520] "like the bird that carries the shell-fish high, to break him the "
## [14521] "easier with his fall. But his mind, being an apt matter to receive "
## [14522] "what form their amplifying speeches would lay upon it, danced so "
## [14523] "pretty a measure to their false music, that he thought himself the "
## [14524] "wisest and worthiest and best beloved that ever gave honour to "
## [14525] "royal title. And being but obscurely born, he had found out "
## [14526] "unblushing pedigrees that made him not only of the blood royal, "
## [14527] "but true heir, though unjustly dispossessed by Erona's ancestors. "
## [14528] "And like the foolish bird, that when it so hides the head that it "
## [14529] "sees not itself, thinks nobody else sees it, so did he imagine that "
## [14530] "nobody knew his baseness, while he himself turned his eyes "
## [14531] "from it. "
## [14532] ""
## [14533] "\"Then vainness, a meagre friend to gratefulness, brought him "
## [14534] "so to despise Erona, as of whom he had received no benefit, that "
## [14535] "within half a year's marriage he began to pretend barrenness, and "
## [14536] "making first an unlawfiil law of having more wives than one, he "
## [14537] "still keeping Erona under-hand, by messages sought Artaxia ; who "
## [14538] "no less hating him than loving as unlucky a choice, the naughty "
## [14539] "king Plexirtus, yet to bring to pass what she purposed, was content "
## [14540] "to train him into false hopes, till already his imagination had "
## [14541] "crowned him king of Armenia, and had made that but the "
## [14542] "foundation of more and more monarchies, as if fortune had only "
## [14543] "gotten eyes to cherish him. In which time a great assembly of "
## [14544] "most part of all the princes of Asia, being to do honour to the "
## [14545] "never sufficiently praised Pyrocles and Musidorus, he would be "
## [14546] "one ; not to acknowledge his obligation, which was as great as "
## [14547] "any of the others, but looking to have been young-mastered among "
## [14548] "those great estates as he was among his abusing underlings. But "
## [14549] "so many valourous princes, indeed far nearer to disdain him than "
## [14550] "otherwise, he was quickly, as standing upon no true ground, in- "
## [14551] "wardly out of countenance with himself, till his seldom comfortless "
## [14552] ""
## [14553] ""
## [14554] ""
## [14555] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 271 "
## [14556] ""
## [14557] "flatterers, persuading him it was envy and fear of his expected "
## [14558] "greatness, made him haste away from that company, and without "
## [14559] "further delay, appointed the meeting with Artaxia, so incredibly "
## [14560] "blinded with the over-bright shining of his royalty that he could "
## [14561] "think such a queen would be content to be joined-patent with "
## [14562] "another to have such an husband. Poor Erona to all this obeyed, "
## [14563] "either vehemency of affection making her stoop to so over-base "
## [14564] "a servitude, or astonished with an unlooked for fortune, dull to any "
## [14565] "behooful resolution, or, as many times it falls out even in great "
## [14566] "hearts when they can accuse none but themselves, desperately "
## [14567] "bent to maintain it. For so went she on in that way of her love, "
## [14568] "that, poor lady, to be beyond all other examples of ill-set affection, "
## [14569] "she was brought to write to Artaxia, that she was content, for the "
## [14570] "public good to be a second wife, and yield the first place to her ; "
## [14571] "nay to extol him, and even woo Artaxia for him. "
## [14572] ""
## [14573] "\" But Artaxia, mortally hating them both for her brother's sake, "
## [14574] "was content to hide her hate till she had time to show it : and "
## [14575] "pretending that all her grudge was against the two paragons of "
## [14576] "virtue, Musidorus and Pyrocles, even met -them half way in "
## [14577] "excusing her brother's murder, as not being principal actors ; and "
## [14578] "of the other side, driven to what they did by the ever-pardonable "
## [14579] "necessity ; and so well handled the matter, as though she promised "
## [14580] "nothing, yet Antiphilus promised himself all that she would have "
## [14581] "him think. And so a solemn interview was appointed ; but, as "
## [14582] "the poets say, Hymen had not there his saffron-coloured coat. "
## [14583] "For Artaxia laying men secretly, and easily they might be secret, "
## [14584] "since Antiphilus thought she over-ran him in love, when he came "
## [14585] "even ready to embrace her, showing rather a countenance of "
## [14586] "accepting than offering, they came forth, and, having much "
## [14587] "advantage both in number, valour, and fore-preparation, put all "
## [14588] "his company to the sword, but such as could fly away. As for "
## [14589] "Antiphilus, she caused him and Erona both to be put in irons, "
## [14590] "hastening back towards her brother's tomb, upon which she meant "
## [14591] "to sacrifice them ; making the love of her brother stand between "
## [14592] "her and all other motions of grace from which by nature she was "
## [14593] "alienated. "
## [14594] ""
## [14595] "\" But great diversity in those two quickly discovered itself for "
## [14596] "the bearing of that affliction : for Antiphilus, who had no greatness "
## [14597] "but outward, that taken away, was ready to fall faster than calamity "
## [14598] "could thrust him ; with fruitless begging of life, where reason "
## [14599] "might well assure him his death was resolved, and weak bemoaning "
## [14600] "his fortune, to give his enemies a most pleasing music, with many "
## [14601] "promises and protestations, to as httle purpose as from a little "
## [14602] "mind. But Erona, sad indeed, yet like one rather used, than new "
## [14603] "fallen to sadness, as who had the joys of her heart already broken "
## [14604] ""
## [14605] ""
## [14606] ""
## [14607] "2/2 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [14608] ""
## [14609] "seemed rather to welcome than to shun that end of misery ; "
## [14610] "speaking little, but what she spoke was for Antiphilus, remembering "
## [14611] "his guiltiness, being at that time prisoner to Tiridates, when the "
## [14612] "vahant princess slew him : to the disgrace of men, showing that "
## [14613] "there are women both more wise to judge what is to be expected, "
## [14614] "and more constant to bear it when it is happened. "
## [14615] ""
## [14616] "\" But her wit endeared by her youth, her affliction by her birth, "
## [14617] "and her sadness by her beauty, made this noble prince Plangus, "
## [14618] "who, never almost from his cousin Artaxia, was now present at "
## [14619] "Erona's taking, to perceive the shape of loveliness more perfectly "
## [14620] "in woe than in joyfulness, as in a picture which receive greater "
## [14621] "life by the darkness of shadows than by more ghttering colours, "
## [14622] "and seeing to like, and liking to love, and loving straight to feel "
## [14623] "the most incident effects of love, to serve and preserve. So borne "
## [14624] "by the hasty tide of short leisure, he did hastily deliver together "
## [14625] "his affection, and affectionate care. But she, as if he had spoken "
## [14626] "of a small matter, when he mentioned her life, to which she had "
## [14627] "not leisure to attend, desired him if he loved her, to show it, in "
## [14628] "finding some way to save Antiphilus. For her, she found the "
## [14629] "world but a wearisome stage unto her, where she played a part "
## [14630] "against her will : and therefore besought him not to cast his love "
## [14631] "in so unfruitful a place, as could not love itself : but for a testimony "
## [14632] "of constancy, and a suitableness to his word, to do so much "
## [14633] "comfort to her mind, as that for her sake Antiphilus were saved. "
## [14634] "He told me how much he argued against her tendering him who "
## [14635] "had so ungratefully betrayed her and foolishly cast away himself. "
## [14636] "But perceiving she did not only bend her very good wits to speak "
## [14637] "for him against herself, but when such a cause could be allied to "
## [14638] "no reason, yet love would needs make itself a cause, and bar her "
## [14639] "rather from hearing, than yield that she should yield to such "
## [14640] "arguments : he likewise, in whom the power of love, as they say "
## [14641] "of spirits, was subject to the love in her, with grief consented, and "
## [14642] "though backwardly, was diligent to labour the help of Antiphilus, "
## [14643] "a man whom he not only hated as a traitor to Erona, but envied "
## [14644] "as a possessor of Erona ; yet love swore his heart, in spite of "
## [14645] "his heart, should make him become a servant to his rival. And "
## [14646] "so did he, seeking all the means of persuading Artaxia, which the "
## [14647] "authority of so near and so virtuous a kinsman could give unto "
## [14648] "him. But she, to whom the eloquence of hatred had given revenge "
## [14649] "the face of delight, rejected all such motions : but rather the "
## [14650] "more closely imprisoning them in her chief city, where she kept "
## [14651] "them, with intention at the birthday of Tiridates, which was very "
## [14652] "near, to execute Antiphilus, and at the day of his death, which "
## [14653] "was about half a year after, to use the same rigour towards Erona. "
## [14654] "Plangus much grieved, because much loving, attempted the "
## [14655] ""
## [14656] ""
## [14657] ""
## [14658] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 273 "
## [14659] ""
## [14660] "humours of the Lycians, to see whether they would come in with "
## [14661] "forces to succour their princess. But there the next inheritor "
## [14662] "to the crown, with the true play that is used in the game of "
## [14663] "kingdoms, had no sooner his mistress in captivity, but he had "
## [14664] "usurped her place, and making her odious to her people, because "
## [14665] "of the unfit election she had made, and so left no hope there : but, "
## [14666] "which is worse, had sent to Artaxia, persuading the justicing her, "
## [14667] "because that unjustice might give his title the name of justice. "
## [14668] "Wanting that way, Plangus practised with some dear friends of "
## [14669] "his, to save Antiphilus out of prison, whose day because it was "
## [14670] "much nearer then Erona's, and that he well found she had twisted "
## [14671] "-her life upon the same thread with his, he determined first to "
## [14672] "get him out of prison ; and to that end having prepared all "
## [14673] "matters, as well as in such case he could, where Artaxia had set "
## [14674] "many of Tiridates's old servants to have well marking eyes, he "
## [14675] "conferred wtth Antiphilus, as, by the authority he had, he found "
## [14676] "means to do, and agreed with him of the time and manner how "
## [14677] "he should, by the death of some of his jailors, escape. But all "
## [14678] "being well ordered, and Plangus willingly putting himself into "
## [14679] "the greatest danger, Antiphilus, who like a bladder, swelled ready "
## [14680] "to break, while it was full of the wind of prosperity, that being out, "
## [14681] "was so abjected, as apt to be trod on by everybody, when it came "
## [14682] "to the point, that with some hazard he might be in apparant "
## [14683] "likelihood to avoid the uttermost harm, his heart fainted, and, "
## [14684] "weak fool, neither hoping nor fearing as he should, got a conceit, "
## [14685] "that with betraying this practice, he might obtain pardon : and "
## [14686] "therefore even a little before Plangus should have come unto him, "
## [14687] "opened the whole practice to him that had the charge, with "
## [14688] "unpitied tears idly protesting, he had rather die by Artaxia's "
## [14689] "commandment than against her will escape ; yet begging life "
## [14690] "upon any the hardest and wretchedest conditions that she would "
## [14691] "lay upon him. His keeper provided accordingly, so that when "
## [14692] "Plangus came, he was like himself to have been entrapped ; but "
## [14693] "that finding, with a lucky insight, that it was discovered, he "
## [14694] "retired ; and, caUing his friends about him, stood upon his guard, "
## [14695] "as he had good cause. For Artaxia, accounting him most un- "
## [14696] "grateful, considering that her brother and she had not only "
## [14697] "preserved him against the malice of his father, but ever used him "
## [14698] "much liker his birth than his fortune, sent forces to apprehend "
## [14699] "him. But he among the martial men had gotten so great love "
## [14700] "that he could not only keep himself from her malice, but work "
## [14701] "in their minds a compassion of Erona's adversity. "
## [14702] ""
## [14703] "\"But for the succour of Antiphilus he could get nobody to "
## [14704] "join with him, the contempt of him having not been able to "
## [14705] "qualify the hatred, so that Artaxia might easily upon him perform "
## [14706] ""
## [14707] "s "
## [14708] ""
## [14709] ""
## [14710] ""
## [14711] "274 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [14712] ""
## [14713] "her will, which was (at the humble suit of all the women of that "
## [14714] "city) to deliver him to their censure, who mortally hated him for "
## [14715] "having made a law of polygamy, after many tortures, forced him "
## [14716] "to throw himself from a high pyramid which was built over "
## [14717] "Tiridates's tomb, and so to end his false-hearted life, which had "
## [14718] "planted no strong thought in him, but that he could be unkind. "
## [14719] ""
## [14720] "\" But Plangus well perceiving that Artaxia stayed only for the "
## [14721] "appointed day that the fair Erona's body, consumed to ashes, "
## [14722] "should make a notorious testimony how deeply her brother's "
## [14723] "death was engraven in her breast, he assembled good numbers "
## [14724] "of firiends, whom his virtue, though a stranger, had tied unto him "
## [14725] "by force, to give her liberty. Contrariwise, Artaxia, to whom "
## [14726] "anger gave more courage than her sex did fear, used her regal "
## [14727] "authority, the most she could, to suppress that sedition, and have "
## [14728] "her will, which, she thought, is the most princely thing that may "
## [14729] "be. But Plangus, who indeed, as all men witness, is one of the "
## [14730] "best captains, both for policy and valour, that are trained in the "
## [14731] "school of Mars, in a conflict overthrew Artaxia's power, though "
## [14732] "of far greater number ; and there took prisoner a base son of "
## [14733] "her brother's whom she dearly affected, and then sent her word, "
## [14734] "that he should run the same race of fortune, whatsoever it was, "
## [14735] "that Erona did ; and happy was that threatening for her, for else "
## [14736] "Artaxia had hastened the day of her death, in respect of those "
## [14737] "tumults. "
## [14738] ""
## [14739] "\" But now, some principal noblemen of that country interposing "
## [14740] "themselves, it was agreed that all persons else fully pardoned, and "
## [14741] "all prisoners, except Erona, delivered, she should be put into the "
## [14742] "hands of a principal nobleman, who had a castle of great strength, "
## [14743] "by oath, if by the day two years from Tiridates's death, Pyrocles "
## [14744] "and Musidorus did not in person combat and overcome two knights, "
## [14745] "whom she appointed to maintain her quarrel against Erona and "
## [14746] "them, of having by treason destroyed her brother, that then Erona "
## [14747] "should be that same day burned to ashes : but if they came, "
## [14748] "and had the victory, she should be delivered ; but upon no occasion "
## [14749] "neither freed nor executed till that day. And hereto of both sides, "
## [14750] "all took solemn oath, and so the peace was concluded ; they of "
## [14751] "Plangus's party partly forcing him to agree, though he himself the "
## [14752] "sooner condescended, knowing the courtesy of those two excellent "
## [14753] "princes, not to refuse so noble a quarrel, and their power such, as "
## [14754] "two more, like the other two, were not able to resist. But Artaxia "
## [14755] "was more, and upon better ground, pleased with this action ; for "
## [14756] "she had even newly received news from Plexirtus that upon the "
## [14757] "sea he had caused them both to perish, and therefore she held "
## [14758] "herself sure of the match. "
## [14759] ""
## [14760] "\" But poor Plangus knew not so much, and therefore seeing his "
## [14761] ""
## [14762] ""
## [14763] ""
## [14764] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 275 "
## [14765] ""
## [14766] "party, as most times it falls out in like case, hungry of any "
## [14767] "conditions of peace, accepted them : and then obtained leave of "
## [14768] "the lord that indifferently kept her to visit Erona, whom he found "
## [14769] "full of desperate sorrow, suffering neither his unworthiness, nor his "
## [14770] "wrongs, nor his death, which is the natural conclusion of all worldly "
## [14771] "acts, either to cover with forgetfulness, or diminish with considera- "
## [14772] "tion, the affection she had borne him : but even glorying in "
## [14773] "affliction, and shunning all comfort, she seemed to have no delight "
## [14774] "but in making herself the picture of misery. So that when Plangus "
## [14775] "came to her, she fell in deadly trances, as if in him she had seen "
## [14776] "the death of Antiphilus, because he had not succoured him : and "
## [14777] "yet, her virtue striving, she did at one time acknowledge herself "
## [14778] "bound, and profess herself injured ; instead of allowing the con- "
## [14779] "clusion they had made, or writing to the princes, as he wished her "
## [14780] "to do, craving nothing but some speedy death to follow her, in "
## [14781] "spite of just hate, beloved Antiphilus. "
## [14782] ""
## [14783] "\" So that Plangus having nothing but a ravished kiss from her "
## [14784] "hand at their parting, went away toward Greece ; whitherward he "
## [14785] "understood the princes were embarked. But by the way it was his "
## [14786] "fortune to intercept letters, written by Artaxia to Plexirtus, wherein "
## [14787] "she signified her accepting him to her husband, whom she had ever "
## [14788] "favoured, so much the rather, as he had performed the conditions "
## [14789] "of her marriage, in bringing to their deserved end her greatest "
## [14790] "enemies : withal thanking the sea, in such terms as he might well "
## [14791] "perceive it was by some treason wrought in Plexirtus's ship. "
## [14792] "Whereupon, to make more diligent search, he took ship himself, "
## [14793] "and came into Laconia, inquiring, and by his inquiry finding that "
## [14794] "such a ship was indeed with fight and fire perished, none, almost, "
## [14795] "escaping. But for Pyrocles and Musidorus, it was assuredly "
## [14796] "determined that they were cast away : for the name of such "
## [14797] "princes, especially in Greece, would quickly else have been a large "
## [14798] "witness to the contrary. Full of grief with that, for the loss of "
## [14799] "such who left the world poor of perfection, but more sony for "
## [14800] "Erona's sake, who now by them could not be relieved, a new "
## [14801] "advertisement from Annenia overtook him, which multipled the "
## [14802] "force of his anguish. It was a message from the nobleman who "
## [14803] "had Erona in ward, giving him to understand that since his "
## [14804] "departure, Artaxia, using the benefit of time, had beseiged him in "
## [14805] "his castle, demanding present delivery of her, whom yet for his "
## [14806] "faith given, he would not before the day appointed, if possibly, he "
## [14807] "could resist ; which he foresaw, long he should not do for want of "
## [14808] "victual, which he had not so wisely provided, because he trusted "
## [14809] "upon the general oath taken for two years' space : and therefore "
## [14810] "willed him to make haste to his succour, and come with no small "
## [14811] "forces, for all they that were of his side in Armenia were consumed, "
## [14812] ""
## [14813] ""
## [14814] ""
## [14815] "276 ARCADIA [BOOK 11.' "
## [14816] ""
## [14817] "and Artaxia had increased her might by marriage of Plexirtus, who "
## [14818] "now crowned king there, sticked not to glory in the murder of "
## [14819] "Pyrocles and Musidorus, as having just cause thereto, in respect of "
## [14820] "the deaths of his sister Andromana, her son, his nephew and his "
## [14821] "own daughter Zelmane : all whose loss he unjustly charged them "
## [14822] "withal, and now openly sticked not to confess what a revenge his "
## [14823] "wit had brought forth, Plangus much astonished herewith, "
## [14824] "bethought himself what to do, for to return to Armenia was vain, "
## [14825] "since his fiiends there were utterly overthrown. Then thought he "
## [14826] "of going to his father ; but he had already, even since the death of "
## [14827] "his stepmother and brother, attempted the recovering of his "
## [14828] "favour, but all in vain. For they that had before joined with "
## [14829] "Andromana to do him the wrong, thought now no life for them if "
## [14830] "he returned ; and therefore kept him still, with new forged "
## [14831] "suspicions, odious to his father. So that Plangus reserving that "
## [14832] "for a work of longer time, than the saving of Erona could bear, "
## [14833] "determined to go to the mighty and good king Euarchus ; who lately "
## [14834] "having, to his eternal fame, fully, not only conquered his enemies, "
## [14835] "but established good government in their countries, he hoped he "
## [14836] "might have present succour of him, both for the justness of the "
## [14837] "cause, and revenge of his children's death, by so henious a treason "
## [14838] "murdered. Therefore with diligence he went to him, and by the "
## [14839] "way (passing through my country) it was my hap to find him, the "
## [14840] "most overthrown man with grief that ever I hope to see again. "
## [14841] "For still it seemed he had Erona at a stake before his eyes, such "
## [14842] "an apprehension he had taken of her danger, which in despite of "
## [14843] "all the comfort I could give him, he poured out in such lamenta- "
## [14844] "tions that I was moved not to let him pass till he had made a full "
## [14845] "declaration, which by pieces my daughters and I have delivered "
## [14846] "unto you. Fain he would have had succour of myself, but the "
## [14847] "course of my life being otherwise bent, I only accommodated him "
## [14848] "with some that might safely guide him to the great Euarchus. "
## [14849] "For my part having had some of his speeches so feelingly in my "
## [14850] "memory, that at an idle time, as I told you, I set them down "
## [14851] "dialogue-wise, in such manner as you have seen. And thus, "
## [14852] "excellent lady, I have obeyed you in this story ; wherein if it will "
## [14853] "please you to consider what is the strange power of love, and what "
## [14854] "is due to his authority, you shall exercise therein the true nobleness "
## [14855] "of your judgment, and do the more right to the unfortunate "
## [14856] "historian.\" Zelmane, sighing for Erona's sake, yet inwardly "
## [14857] "comforted in that she assured herself Euarchus would not spare "
## [14858] "to take in hand the just delivering of her, joined with the just "
## [14859] "revenge of his children's loss, having now what she desired of "
## [14860] "Basilius, to avoid his farther discourses of affection, encouraged "
## [14861] "the shepherds to begin, whom she saw already ready for them. "
## [14862] ""
## [14863] ""
## [14864] ""
## [14865] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 277 "
## [14866] ""
## [14867] ""
## [14868] ""
## [14869] "The Second ECLOGUE "
## [14870] ""
## [14871] ""
## [14872] ""
## [14873] "The rude tumult of the Enispians gave occasion to the honest "
## [14874] "shepherds to begin their pastoral this day with a dance, which "
## [14875] "they called the skirmish betwixt reason and passion. For seven "
## [14876] "shepherds, which were named the reasonable shepherds, joined "
## [14877] "themselves, four of them making a square, and other two going a "
## [14878] "little wide of either side, like wings for the main battle, and the "
## [14879] "seventh man foremost, like the forlorn hope, to begin the skirmish. "
## [14880] "In like order came out the seven appassionated shepherds, all "
## [14881] "keeping the pace of their foot by their voice, and sundry consorted "
## [14882] "instruments they held in their arms. And first, the foremost of "
## [14883] "the reasonable side began to sing : "
## [14884] ""
## [14885] "Reason. Thou rebel vile, come, to thy master yield. "
## [14886] ""
## [14887] "And the other that met him answered : "
## [14888] ""
## [14889] "Passion. No, tyrant, no ; mine, mine shall be the field. "
## [14890] ""
## [14891] "R. Can Reason then a tyrant counted be ? "
## [14892] ""
## [14893] "P. If Reason will that Passions be not free. "
## [14894] ""
## [14895] "R. But Reason will, that Reason govern most. "
## [14896] ""
## [14897] "P. And Passion will, that Passion rule the roast. "
## [14898] ""
## [14899] "R. Your will is will, but Reason reason is. "
## [14900] ""
## [14901] "P. Will hath his will, when Reason's will doth miss. "
## [14902] ""
## [14903] "R. Whom Passion leads, unto his death is bent. "
## [14904] ""
## [14905] "P. And let him die, so that he die content. "
## [14906] ""
## [14907] "R. By nature you to Reason faith have sworn. "
## [14908] ""
## [14909] "P. Not so but fellow like tog-ether born. "
## [14910] ""
## [14911] "R. Who Passion doth ensue, lives in annoy. "
## [14912] ""
## [14913] "P. Who Passion doth forsake, lives void of joy. "
## [14914] ""
## [14915] "R. Passion is blind, and treads an unknown trace. "
## [14916] ""
## [14917] "P. Reason hath eyes to see his own ill case. "
## [14918] ""
## [14919] "Then as they approached nearer, the two of reason's side, as if "
## [14920] "they shot at the other, thus sang : "
## [14921] ""
## [14922] "R. Dare Passions then abide in Reason's light? "
## [14923] ""
## [14924] "P. And is not Reason dim with Passion's might? "
## [14925] ""
## [14926] "R. O foolish thing which glory doth destroy ! "
## [14927] ""
## [14928] "P. O glorious title of a foolish toy ! "
## [14929] ""
## [14930] "R. Weakness you are, dare you with our strength fight? "
## [14931] ""
## [14932] "P. Because our weakness weakeneth all your might. "
## [14933] ""
## [14934] ""
## [14935] ""
## [14936] "278 ARCADIA [BOOK ti. "
## [14937] ""
## [14938] "R. O sacred Reason, help our virtuous toils. "
## [14939] ""
## [14940] "P. O Passion, pass on feeble Reason's spoils. "
## [14941] ""
## [14942] "R. We with ourselves abide a daily strife. "
## [14943] ""
## [14944] "P. We g^ladly use the sweetness of our life. "
## [14945] ""
## [14946] "R. But yet our strife sure peace in end doth breed. "
## [14947] ""
## [14948] "P. We now have peace, your peace we do not need. "
## [14949] ""
## [14950] "Then did the two square battles meet, and instead of fighting, "
## [14951] "embrace one another, singing thus : "
## [14952] ""
## [14953] "R. We are too strong : but Reason seeks no blood. "
## [14954] ""
## [14955] "P. Who be too weak, do fain they be too good. "
## [14956] ""
## [14957] "R. Though we cannot o'ercome, our cause is just. "
## [14958] ""
## [14959] "P. Let us o'ercome, and let us be unjust. "
## [14960] ""
## [14961] "R. Yet Passions yield at length to Reason's stroke. "
## [14962] ""
## [14963] "P. What shall we win by taking Reason's yoke ? "
## [14964] ""
## [14965] "R. The joys you have shall be made permanent. "
## [14966] ""
## [14967] "P. But so we shall with grief learn to repent. "
## [14968] ""
## [14969] "R. Repent indeed, but that shall be your bliss. "
## [14970] ""
## [14971] "P. How know we that, since present joys we miss ? "
## [14972] ""
## [14973] "R. You know it not ; of Reason therefore know it, "
## [14974] ""
## [14975] "P. No Reason yet had ever skill to show it, "
## [14976] ""
## [14977] "R. Then let us both to heavenly rules g^ive place. "
## [14978] ""
## [14979] "P. Which Passions kill, and Reason do deface. "
## [14980] ""
## [14981] "Then embraced they one another, and came to the king, who "
## [14982] "framed his praises of them according to Zelmane's liking ; whose "
## [14983] "unrestrained parts, the mind and eye, had their free course to the "
## [14984] "delicate Philoclea, whose look was not short in well requiting it, "
## [14985] "although she knew it was a hateful sight to her jealous mother. "
## [14986] "But Dicus, that had in this time taken a great liking of Dorus for "
## [14987] "the good parts he found above his age in him, had a delight to "
## [14988] "taste the fruits of his wit, though in a subject which he himself "
## [14989] "most of all other despised ; and so entered speech with him in the "
## [14990] "manner of this following eclogue. "
## [14991] ""
## [14992] ""
## [14993] ""
## [14994] "DICUS AND DORUS "
## [14995] ""
## [14996] "DICUS "
## [14997] ""
## [14998] "Dorus, tell me, where is thy wonted motion, "
## [14999] "To make those woods resound thy lamentation ? "
## [15000] "Thy faint is dead, or dead is thy devotion. "
## [15001] "For who doth hold his love in estimation. "
## [15002] "To witness that he thinks his thoughts delicious, "
## [15003] "Thinks to make each thing badge of his sweet passion. "
## [15004] ""
## [15005] ""
## [15006] ""
## [15007] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 279 "
## [15008] ""
## [15009] "DORUS "
## [15010] ""
## [15011] "But what doth make thee Dicus, so suspicious "
## [15012] "Of my due faith, which needs must be immutable ? "
## [15013] "Who others' virtues doubt, themselves are vicious : "
## [15014] "Not so ; although my mettall were most mutable. "
## [15015] "Her beams have wrought therein most fair impression. "
## [15016] "To such a force some change were nothing suitable. "
## [15017] ""
## [15018] "DICUS "
## [15019] ""
## [15020] "The heart well set doth never shun confession ; "
## [15021] "If noble be thy bands, make them notorious ; "
## [15022] "Silence doth seem the mask of base oppression. "
## [15023] "Who glories in his love, doth make love glorious : "
## [15024] ""
## [15025] "But who doth fear, or bideth mute wilfully. "
## [15026] "Shows, guilty heart doth deem his state opprobrious. "
## [15027] ""
## [15028] "Thou then, that fram'st both words and voice most skilfully. "
## [15029] "Yield to our ears a sweet and sound relation. "
## [15030] "If love took thee by force, or caught thee guilefully. "
## [15031] ""
## [15032] "DORUS "
## [15033] ""
## [15034] "If sunny beams shame heavenly habitation, "
## [15035] "If three-leav'd grass seem to the sheep unsavory ; "
## [15036] ""
## [15037] "Then base and sour is love's most high vocation. "
## [15038] "Or if sheep's cries can help the sun's own bravery. "
## [15039] ""
## [15040] "Then may I hope, my pipe may have ability. "
## [15041] "To help her praise, who decks me in her slavery. "
## [15042] ""
## [15043] "No, no ; no words ennoble self-nobility, "
## [15044] "As for your doubts, her voice was it deceived me. "
## [15045] ""
## [15046] "Her eye the force beyond all possibility. "
## [15047] ""
## [15048] "DICUS "
## [15049] ""
## [15050] "Thy words well voic'd, well grac'd, had almost heaved me, "
## [15051] ""
## [15052] "Quite from myself, to love love's contemplation ; "
## [15053] ""
## [15054] "Till of those thoughts thy sudden end bereaved me. "
## [15055] ""
## [15056] "Go on therefore, and tell us by what fashion, "
## [15057] ""
## [15058] "In thy own proof he gets so strange possession "
## [15059] ""
## [15060] "And how possessed he strengthens his invasion "
## [15061] ""
## [15062] "DORUS "
## [15063] ""
## [15064] "Sight is his root, in thought is his progression, "
## [15065] ""
## [15066] "His childhood wonder, prenticeship attention, "
## [15067] ""
## [15068] "His youth delight, his age the soul's oppression. "
## [15069] ""
## [15070] "Doubt is his sleep, he waketh in invention. "
## [15071] ""
## [15072] "Fancy his food, his clothing is of carefulness ; "
## [15073] ""
## [15074] "Beauty his book, his play lover's dissention ; "
## [15075] ""
## [15076] "His eyes are curious search, but vail'd with warefulness : "
## [15077] ""
## [15078] "His wings desire, oft clipped with desperation. "
## [15079] ""
## [15080] "Largess his hands could never skill of sparefulness ; "
## [15081] ""
## [15082] ""
## [15083] ""
## [15084] "28o ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [15085] ""
## [15086] "But how he doth by might, or by persuasion "
## [15087] "To conquer, and his conquest how to ratify. "
## [15088] "Experience doubts, and schools hold disputation. "
## [15089] ""
## [15090] "DICUS "
## [15091] ""
## [15092] "But so thy sheep may thy good wishes satisfy. "
## [15093] "With large increase, and wool of fine perfection, "
## [15094] "So she thy love, her eyes thy eyes may gratify, "
## [15095] "As thou wilt give our souls a dear refection, "
## [15096] "By telling how she was, how now she framed is "
## [15097] "To help, or hurt in thee her own infection. "
## [15098] ""
## [15099] "DORUS "
## [15100] ""
## [15101] "Blest be the name wherewith my mistress named is : "
## [15102] ""
## [15103] "Whose wounds are salves, whose yokes please more than "
## [15104] ""
## [15105] "pleasure doth : "
## [15106] "Her stains are beams : virtue the fault she blamed is, "
## [15107] "The heart, eye, ear, here only find his treasure doth. "
## [15108] "All numbering arts her endless graces number not : "
## [15109] "Time, place, life, wit, scarcely her rare gifts measure doth, "
## [15110] "Is she in rage ? so is the sun in summer hot. "
## [15111] "Yet harvest brings : doth she (alas 1) absent herself? "
## [15112] "The sun is hid ; his kindly shadows cumber not "
## [15113] "But when to give some grace she doth content herself. "
## [15114] ""
## [15115] "then it shines, then are the heavens distributed. "
## [15116] "And Venus seems to make up her, she spent herself. "
## [15117] "Thus then, I say, my mischiefs have contributed "
## [15118] ""
## [15119] "A greater good by her divine reflection, "
## [15120] "My harms to me, my bliss to her attributed. "
## [15121] "Thus she is framed : her eyes are my direction, "
## [15122] "Her love my life, her anger my destruction : "
## [15123] "Lastly, what so she is, that's my protection. "
## [15124] ""
## [15125] "DICUS "
## [15126] ""
## [15127] "Thy safety sure is wrapped in destruction, "
## [15128] "For that construction thine own words do bear. "
## [15129] "A man to fear a woman's moody eye. "
## [15130] "Makes reason lie a slave to servile sense, "
## [15131] "A weak defence where weakness is thy force ; "
## [15132] "So is remorse in folly dearly bought. "
## [15133] ""
## [15134] "DORUS "
## [15135] ""
## [15136] "If I had thought to hear blasphemous words, "
## [15137] "My breast to swords, my soul to hell have sold "
## [15138] ""
## [15139] "1 rather would, than thus mine ear defile "
## [15140] ""
## [15141] "With words so vile, which viler breath doth breed "
## [15142] "O herds take heed j for I a wolf have found, "
## [15143] "Who hunting round the strongest for to kill. "
## [15144] ""
## [15145] ""
## [15146] ""
## [15147] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 281 "
## [15148] ""
## [15149] "His breast doth fill with earth of others woe : "
## [15150] "And loaden so pulls down, puU'd down destroys. "
## [15151] "O shepherd boys, eschew those tongues of venom, "
## [15152] "Which do envenom both the soul and senses ; "
## [15153] "Our best defences are to fly those adders. "
## [15154] "O tongues like ladders made to climb dishonour, "
## [15155] "Who judge that honour which hath scope to slander ! "
## [15156] ""
## [15157] "DICUS "
## [15158] ""
## [15159] "Dorus you wander far in great reproaches, "
## [15160] "So love encroaches on your charmed reason, "
## [15161] "But it is season for to end our singing, "
## [15162] "Such anger bringing : as for me, my fancy "
## [15163] "In sick-man's frenzy rather takes compassion, "
## [15164] "Than rage for rage : rather my wish I send to thee. "
## [15165] "Thou soon may have some help, or change of passion : "
## [15166] "She oft her looks, the stars her favour bend to thee, "
## [15167] "Fortune store^ nature health, love grant persuasion. "
## [15168] "A quiet mind none but thyself can lend to thee, "
## [15169] "Thus I commend to thee all our former love. "
## [15170] ""
## [15171] "DORUS "
## [15172] ""
## [15173] "Well do I prove, error lies oft in zeal, "
## [15174] "Yet it is zeal, though error of true heart ' "
## [15175] "Nought could impart such hates to friendly mind, "
## [15176] "But for to find thy words did her disgrace. "
## [15177] "Whose only face the little heaven is : "
## [15178] ""
## [15179] "Which who doth miss, his eyes are but delusions, "
## [15180] "Bar'd from their chiefest object of delightfulness, "
## [15181] "Thrown on this earth, the chaos of confusions ; "
## [15182] ""
## [15183] "As for thy wish, to my enraged spitefulness, "
## [15184] "The lovely blow, which rare reward, my prayer is : "
## [15185] "Thou may' St love her, that I may see thy sightfulness. "
## [15186] ""
## [15187] "The quiet mind (whereof myself impairer is. "
## [15188] "As thou dost think) should most of all disquiet me. "
## [15189] "Without her love, than any mind who fairer is : "
## [15190] ""
## [15191] "Her only cure from surfeit woes can diet me. "
## [15192] "She holds the balance of my contentation : "
## [15193] "Her cleared eyes, nought else in storms can quiet me. "
## [15194] ""
## [15195] "Nay rather than my ease discontentation "
## [15196] "Should breed to her, let me for aye dejected be "
## [15197] "From any joy, which might her grief occasion. "
## [15198] ""
## [15199] "With so sweet plagues my happy arms infected be : "
## [15200] "Pain wills me die, yet of death I mortify : "
## [15201] "For though life irks, in life my loves protected be, "
## [15202] "Thus for each change my changeless heart I fortify. "
## [15203] ""
## [15204] "When they had ended, to the good pleasing of the assistants, "
## [15205] "especially of Zelmane, who never forgot to give due commendations "
## [15206] ""
## [15207] ""
## [15208] ""
## [15209] "282 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [15210] ""
## [15211] "to her friend Dorus, Basilius called for Lamon to end his discourse "
## [15212] "of Strephon and Klaius, wherewith the other day he marked "
## [15213] "Zelmane to have been exceedingly delighted. But him sickness "
## [15214] "had stayed from that assembly ; which gave occasion to Histor "
## [15215] "and Damon, two young shepherds, taking upon them the two "
## [15216] "friendly rivals' names, to present Basilius with some other of their "
## [15217] "complaints eclogue-wise, and first with this double Sestine. "
## [15218] ""
## [15219] ""
## [15220] ""
## [15221] "STREPHON AND KLAIUS "
## [15222] ""
## [15223] "STREPHON "
## [15224] ""
## [15225] "Ye goat-herd gods, that love the grassy mountains, "
## [15226] "Ye nymphs that haunt the springs in pleasant valleys. "
## [15227] "Ye satyrs joy'd with free and quiet forests, "
## [15228] "Vouchsafe your silent ears to plaining music. "
## [15229] "Which to my woes give still an early morning, "
## [15230] "And draws the dolor on till weary evening. "
## [15231] ""
## [15232] "KLAIUS "
## [15233] ""
## [15234] "O Mercury, foregoer to the evening, "
## [15235] ""
## [15236] "O heavenly huntress of the savage mountains, "
## [15237] ""
## [15238] "lovely star, entitled of the morning. "
## [15239] ""
## [15240] "While that my voice doth fill those woful valleys, "
## [15241] "Vouchsafe your silent ears to plaining music. "
## [15242] "Which oft hath echo tir'd in secret forests. "
## [15243] ""
## [15244] "STREPHON "
## [15245] ""
## [15246] "1 that was once free burgess of the forests. "
## [15247] ""
## [15248] "Where shade from sun, and sports I sought at evening, "
## [15249] ""
## [15250] "I that was once esteem'd for pleasant music. "
## [15251] ""
## [15252] "Am banish' d now among the monstrous mountains "
## [15253] ""
## [15254] "Of huge despair, and foul affliction's valleys "
## [15255] ""
## [15256] "Am grown a screech-owl to myself each morning. "
## [15257] ""
## [15258] "KLAIUS "
## [15259] ""
## [15260] "I that was once delighted every morning. "
## [15261] "Hunting the wild inhabiters of forests : "
## [15262] "I that was once the music of those valleys "
## [15263] "So darken'd am, that all my day is evening, "
## [15264] "Heart-broken so, that mole hills seem high mountains, "
## [15265] "And fill the vales with cries instead of music. "
## [15266] ""
## [15267] "STREPHON "
## [15268] ""
## [15269] "Long since, alas 1 my deadly swannish music "
## [15270] ""
## [15271] "Hath made itself a crier of the morning : "
## [15272] ""
## [15273] "And hath with wailing strength climb' d highest mountains. "
## [15274] ""
## [15275] ""
## [15276] ""
## [15277] "BOOK ii.l ARCADiA 283 "
## [15278] ""
## [15279] "Long since my thoughts more desert be than forests : "
## [15280] "Long since I see my joys come to their evening, "
## [15281] "And state thrown down to over-trodden valleys. "
## [15282] ""
## [15283] "KLAIUS "
## [15284] ""
## [15285] "Long since the happy dwellers of those valleys "
## [15286] "Have pray'd me leave my strange exclaiming music, "
## [15287] "Which troubles their day's work, and joys of evening : "
## [15288] "Long since I hate the night, more hate the morning : "
## [15289] "Long since my thoughts chase me like beasts in forests, "
## [15290] "And make me wish myself laid under mountains. "
## [15291] ""
## [15292] "STREPHON "
## [15293] ""
## [15294] "Me seems I see the high and stately mountains, "
## [15295] "Transform themselves to low dejected valleys "
## [15296] "Me seems I hear in these ill changed forests. "
## [15297] "The Nightingales do learn of Owls their music : "
## [15298] "Me seems I feel the comfort of the morning, "
## [15299] "Turn'd to the mortal serene of an evening. "
## [15300] ""
## [15301] "KLAIUS "
## [15302] ""
## [15303] "Me seems I see a filthy cloudy evening, "
## [15304] "As soon as sun begins to climb the mountains : "
## [15305] "Me seems I feel a noisome scent, the morning "
## [15306] "When I do smell the flowers of those valleys : "
## [15307] "Me seems I hear, when I do hear sweet music, "
## [15308] "The dreadful cries of murder'd men in forests. "
## [15309] ""
## [15310] "STREPHON "
## [15311] ""
## [15312] "I wish to fire the trees of all those forests, "
## [15313] "I give the sun a last farewell each evening, "
## [15314] "I curse the fidling finders out of music : "
## [15315] "With envy I do hate the lofty mountains : "
## [15316] "And with despite despise the humble valleys : "
## [15317] "I do detest night, evening, day and morning. "
## [15318] ""
## [15319] "KLAIUS "
## [15320] ""
## [15321] "Curse to myself my prayer is, the morning ; "
## [15322] "My fire is more than can be made with forests 5 "
## [15323] "My state more base, than are the basest valleys i "
## [15324] "I wish no evenings more to see, each evening ; "
## [15325] "Shamed I hate myself in sight of mountains. "
## [15326] "And stop my ears lest I grow mad with music. "
## [15327] ""
## [15328] "STREPHON "
## [15329] ""
## [15330] "For she whose parts maintain'd a perfect music. "
## [15331] "Whose beauty shin'd more than the blushing morning, "
## [15332] "Who much did pass in state the stately mountains. "
## [15333] ""
## [15334] ""
## [15335] ""
## [15336] "284 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [15337] ""
## [15338] "In straightness pass'd the cedars of the forests, "
## [15339] ""
## [15340] "Hath cast me wretch into eternal evening, "
## [15341] ""
## [15342] "By taking her two suns from those dark valleys. "
## [15343] ""
## [15344] "KLAIUS "
## [15345] ""
## [15346] "For she, to whom compar'd, the alps are valleys "
## [15347] ""
## [15348] "She, whose least word brings from the spheres their music. "
## [15349] ""
## [15350] "At whose approach the sun rose in the evening. "
## [15351] ""
## [15352] "Who where she went bare in her forehead morning. "
## [15353] ""
## [15354] "Is gone, is gone, from those our spoiled forests. "
## [15355] ""
## [15356] "Turning to deserts our best pastur'd mountains. "
## [15357] ""
## [15358] "STREPHON "
## [15359] ""
## [15360] "Those mountains witness shall, so shall those valleys. "
## [15361] "Those forests eke, made wretched by our music. "
## [15362] ""
## [15363] "KLAIUS "
## [15364] "Our morning hymn is this, and song at evening. "
## [15365] ""
## [15366] "But as though all this had been but the taking of a taste of their "
## [15367] "wailings, Strephon again began this Dizain which was answered "
## [15368] "unto him in that kind of verse which is called the crown. "
## [15369] ""
## [15370] "STREPHON AND KLAIUS "
## [15371] ""
## [15372] "STREPHON "
## [15373] "I joy in grief, and do detest all joys ; "
## [15374] "Despise delight, am tir'd with thought of ease : "
## [15375] "I turn my head to all forms of annoys, "
## [15376] "And with the change of them my fancy please, "
## [15377] "I study that which may me most displease. "
## [15378] "And in despite of that displeasure's might, "
## [15379] "Embrace that most, that most my soul destroys ; "
## [15380] "Blinded with beams, fell darkness is my sight : "
## [15381] "Dwell in my ruins, feed with sucking smart, "
## [15382] "I think from me, not from my woes to part. "
## [15383] ""
## [15384] "KLAIUS "
## [15385] ""
## [15386] "I think from me not from my woes to part. "
## [15387] ""
## [15388] "And loath the time call'd life, nay think that life "
## [15389] ""
## [15390] "Nature to me for torment did impart ; "
## [15391] ""
## [15392] "Think, my hard haps have blunted death's sharp knife. "
## [15393] ""
## [15394] "Not sparing me, in whom his works be rife : "
## [15395] ""
## [15396] "And thinking this, think nature, life and death "
## [15397] ""
## [15398] "Place sorrow's triumph on my conquered heart, "
## [15399] ""
## [15400] "Whereto I yield, and seek none other breath. "
## [15401] ""
## [15402] "But from the scent of some infectious grave : "
## [15403] ""
## [15404] "Nor of my fortune ought, but mischief crave. "
## [15405] ""
## [15406] ""
## [15407] ""
## [15408] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 285 "
## [15409] ""
## [15410] "STREPHON "
## [15411] ""
## [15412] "Nor of my fortune ought but mischief crave, "
## [15413] ""
## [15414] "And seek to nourish that, which now contains "
## [15415] ""
## [15416] "All what I am : if I myself will save. "
## [15417] ""
## [15418] "Then must I save, what in me chiefly reigns, "
## [15419] ""
## [15420] "Which is the hateful web of sorrow's pains. "
## [15421] ""
## [15422] "Sorrow then cherish me, for I am sorrow : "
## [15423] ""
## [15424] "No being now, but sorrow I can have : "
## [15425] ""
## [15426] "Then deck me as thine own ; thy help I borrow. "
## [15427] ""
## [15428] "Since thou my riches art, and that thou hast "
## [15429] ""
## [15430] "Enough to make a fertile mind lie waste. "
## [15431] ""
## [15432] "KLAIUS "
## [15433] ""
## [15434] "Enough to make a fertile mind lie waste, "
## [15435] "Is that huge storm, which pours itself on me ! "
## [15436] "Hailstones of tears, of sight a monstrous blast, "
## [15437] "Thunders of cries ; lightnings my wild looks be. "
## [15438] "The darkened heav'n my soul, which nought can see, "
## [15439] "The flying sprites which trees by roots uptear. "
## [15440] "Be those despairs which have my hopes quite waft. "
## [15441] "The difference is ; all folks those storms forbear. "
## [15442] "But I cannot ; who then myself should fly. "
## [15443] "So close unto myself my wrecks do lie. "
## [15444] ""
## [15445] "STREPHON "
## [15446] ""
## [15447] "So close unto myself my wrecks do lie. "
## [15448] ""
## [15449] "But cause, eifect, beginning, and the end "
## [15450] ""
## [15451] "Are all in me : what help then can I try ? "
## [15452] ""
## [15453] "My ship, myself, whose course to love doth bend, "
## [15454] ""
## [15455] "Sore beaten doth her mast of comfort spend : "
## [15456] ""
## [15457] "Her cable reason, breaks from anchor'd hope : "
## [15458] ""
## [15459] "Fancy, her tackling torn away doth fly : "
## [15460] ""
## [15461] "Ruin, the wind, hath blown her from her scope : "
## [15462] ""
## [15463] "Bruised with waves of cares, but broken is "
## [15464] ""
## [15465] "On rock despair, the burial of my bliss. "
## [15466] ""
## [15467] "KLAIUS "
## [15468] ""
## [15469] "On rock'd despair, the burial of my bliss, "
## [15470] "I long do plough with plough of deep desire : "
## [15471] "The seed saft meaning is, no truth to miss : "
## [15472] "I harrow it with thoughts, which all conspire, "
## [15473] "Favour to make my chief and only hire. "
## [15474] "But woe is me, the year is gone about, "
## [15475] "And now I fain would reap, I reap but this "
## [15476] "Hatefully grown, absence new sprung out. "
## [15477] "So that I see, although my sight impair. "
## [15478] "Vain is their pain, who labour in despair. "
## [15479] ""
## [15480] ""
## [15481] ""
## [15482] "286 ARCADIA [book n, "
## [15483] ""
## [15484] "STREPHON "
## [15485] ""
## [15486] "Vain is their pain, who labour in despair. "
## [15487] "For so did I, when with my angle will, "
## [15488] "I sought to catch the fish Torpedo fair, "
## [15489] "Ev'n then despair did hope already kill : "
## [15490] "Yet fancy would perforce employ his skill. "
## [15491] "And this hath got ; the catcher now is caught, "
## [15492] "Lara'd with the angle, which itself did bear, "
## [15493] "And unto death, quite drown'd in dolors, brought "
## [15494] "To death, as then disguis'd in her fair face : "
## [15495] "Thus, thus, alas, I had my loss in chase. "
## [15496] ""
## [15497] "KLAIUS "
## [15498] ""
## [15499] "Thus, thus, alas, I had my loss in chase. "
## [15500] ""
## [15501] "When first that crowned Basilisk I knew ; "
## [15502] ""
## [15503] "Whose footsteps I with kisses oft did trace, "
## [15504] ""
## [15505] "Till by such hap, as I must ever rue. "
## [15506] ""
## [15507] "Mine eyes did light upon her shining hue, "
## [15508] ""
## [15509] "And hers on me, astonish'd with that sight. "
## [15510] ""
## [15511] "Since then my heart did lose his wonted place. "
## [15512] ""
## [15513] "Infected so with her sweet poisons might. "
## [15514] ""
## [15515] "That, leaving me for dead, to her it went : "
## [15516] ""
## [15517] "But ha ! her flight hath her my dead reliques spent. "
## [15518] ""
## [15519] "STREPHON "
## [15520] ""
## [15521] "But ah ! her flight hath my dead reliques spent. "
## [15522] "Her flight, from me, from me, though dead to me. "
## [15523] "Yet living still in her, while her beams lent "
## [15524] "Such vital spark, that her mine eyes might see. "
## [15525] "But now those living lights absented be. "
## [15526] "Full dead before, now I to dust should fall, "
## [15527] "But that eternal pains my soul have bent. "
## [15528] "And keep it still within this body thrall, "
## [15529] "That thus I must while in this death I dwell. "
## [15530] "In earthly fetters feel a lasting hell. "
## [15531] ""
## [15532] "KLAIUS "
## [15533] ""
## [15534] "In earthly fetters feel a lasting hell, "
## [15535] ""
## [15536] "Alas I do ; from which to flnd release, "
## [15537] ""
## [15538] "I would the earth, I would the heavens fell : "
## [15539] ""
## [15540] "But vain it is to think those pains should cease, "
## [15541] ""
## [15542] "Where life is death, and death cannot breed peace. "
## [15543] ""
## [15544] "fair, O only fair, from thee alas. "
## [15545] "Those foul, most foul disasters to me fell ; "
## [15546] "Since thou from me, O me ! O sun did'st pass. "
## [15547] "Therefore esteeming all good blessings toys, "
## [15548] ""
## [15549] "1 joy in grief, and do detest all joys. "
## [15550] ""
## [15551] ""
## [15552] ""
## [15553] "BOOK II.1 ARCADIA 287 "
## [15554] ""
## [15555] "STREPHON "
## [15556] ""
## [15557] "I joy in grief, and do detest all joys, "
## [15558] "But now an end, O Klaius, now an end : "
## [15559] "For even the herbs our hateful music destroyes, "
## [15560] "And from our burning breath the trees do bend. "
## [15561] ""
## [15562] "So well were those wailful complaints accorded to the passions "
## [15563] "of all the princely hearers, while every one made what he heard of "
## [15564] "another the balance of his own fortune, that they stood a long while "
## [15565] "stricken in sad and silent consideration of them. Which the old "
## [15566] "Geron no more marking than condemning in them, desirous to set "
## [15567] "forth what counsels the wisdom of age had laid up in store against "
## [15568] "such fancies, as he thought, follies of youth, yet so as it might not "
## [15569] "appear that his words respected them, bending himself to a young "
## [15570] "shepherd, named Philisides, who neither had danced nor sung with "
## [15571] "them, and had all this time lain upon the ground at the foot of a "
## [15572] "Cypress tree, leaning upon his elbow with so deep a melancholy, "
## [15573] "that his senses carried to his mind no delight from any of their "
## [15574] "objects, he struck him upon the shoulder with a right old man's "
## [15575] "grace, that will seem livelier than his age will afford him. And thus "
## [15576] "began unto him this eclogue. "
## [15577] ""
## [15578] ""
## [15579] ""
## [15580] "GERON AND PHILISIDES "
## [15581] "GERON "
## [15582] "Up, up, Philisides, let sorrows go, "
## [15583] "Who yields to woe, but doth increase his smart. "
## [15584] "Do not thy heart to plaintful custom bring : "
## [15585] "But let us sing ; sweet tunes do passions ease, "
## [15586] "An old man hear who would thy fancies raise. "
## [15587] ""
## [15588] "PHILISIDES "
## [15589] "Who minds to please the mind drown'd in annoyes "
## [15590] "With outward joys, which inly cannot sink. "
## [15591] "As well may think with oil to cool the fire : "
## [15592] "Or with desire to make such foe a friend, "
## [15593] "Who doth his soul to endless malice bend. "
## [15594] ""
## [15595] "GERON "
## [15596] "But sure an end to each thing time doth give, "
## [15597] "Though woes now live, at length thy woes must die : "
## [15598] "Then virtue try, if she can work in thee "
## [15599] "That which we see in many time hath wrought, "
## [15600] "And weakest hearts to constant temper brought. "
## [15601] ""
## [15602] "PHILISIDES. "
## [15603] "Who ever taught a skilless man to teach. "
## [15604] "Or stop a breach that never cannon saw ? "
## [15605] ""
## [15606] ""
## [15607] ""
## [15608] "288 ARCADIA [book ii. "
## [15609] ""
## [15610] "Sweet virtue's law bars not a causeful moan. "
## [15611] "Time shall in one my life and sorrows end, "
## [15612] "And me perchance your constant temper lend. "
## [15613] ""
## [15614] "GERON "
## [15615] ""
## [15616] "What can amend where physick is refus'd ? "
## [15617] "The wit';s abus'd that will no counsel take. "
## [15618] "Yet for my sake discover us thy grief. "
## [15619] "Oft comes relief when most we seem in trap. "
## [15620] "The stars thy state, fortune may change thy hap. "
## [15621] ""
## [15622] "PHILISIDES "
## [15623] ""
## [15624] "If fortune's lap became my dwelling place, "
## [15625] "And all the stars conspired to my good, "
## [15626] "Still were I one, this still should be my case. "
## [15627] "Ruin's relique, care's web, and sorrow's food : "
## [15628] "Since she fair fierce to such a state me calls, "
## [15629] "Whose wit the stars, whose fortune, fortune thralls. "
## [15630] ""
## [15631] "GERON "
## [15632] ""
## [15633] "Alas what falls are fall'n unto thy mind ? "
## [15634] ""
## [15635] "That there where thou confessed thy mischief lies, "
## [15636] ""
## [15637] "Thy wit dost use still more harms to find. "
## [15638] ""
## [15639] "Whom wit makes vain, or blinded with his eyes j "
## [15640] ""
## [15641] "What counsel can prevail, or light give light ? "
## [15642] ""
## [15643] "Since all his force against himself he tries. "
## [15644] ""
## [15645] "Then each conceit that enters in his sight, "
## [15646] ""
## [15647] "Is made, forsooth, a jurate of his woes : "
## [15648] ""
## [15649] "Earth, sea, air, fire, heaven, hell, and ghastly spright. "
## [15650] ""
## [15651] "Then cries to senseless things, which neither knows "
## [15652] ""
## [15653] "What aileth thee, and if they knew thy mind, "
## [15654] ""
## [15655] "Would scorn in man, their king, such feeble shows. "
## [15656] ""
## [15657] "Rebel, rebel, in golden fetters bind "
## [15658] ""
## [15659] "This tyrant love ; or rather do suppress "
## [15660] ""
## [15661] "Those rebel-thoughts, which are thy slaves by kind. "
## [15662] ""
## [15663] "Let not a glittering name thy fancy dress "
## [15664] ""
## [15665] "In painted clothes ; because they call it love : "
## [15666] ""
## [15667] "There is no hate that can thee more oppress. "
## [15668] ""
## [15669] "Begin, and half the work is done, to prove "
## [15670] ""
## [15671] "By rising up, upon thyself to stand. "
## [15672] ""
## [15673] "And think she is a she, that doth thee move. "
## [15674] ""
## [15675] "He water ploughs, and soweth in the sand. "
## [15676] ""
## [15677] "And hopes the flickering wind with net to hold "
## [15678] ""
## [15679] "Who hath his hopes laid upon woman's hand. "
## [15680] ""
## [15681] "What man is he that hath his freedom sold ? "
## [15682] ""
## [15683] "Is he a manlike man, doth not know, man "
## [15684] ""
## [15685] "Hath power that sex with bridle to withhold ? "
## [15686] ""
## [15687] "A fickle sex, and true in trust to no man. "
## [15688] ""
## [15689] ""
## [15690] ""
## [15691] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 289 "
## [15692] ""
## [15693] "A servant sex soon proud if they be coy'd : "
## [15694] "And to conclude thy mistress is a woman. "
## [15695] ""
## [15696] "PHILISIDES "
## [15697] ""
## [15698] "O gods, how long- this old fool hath annoy'd "
## [15699] "My wearied ears 1 O gods, yet grant me this, "
## [15700] "That soon the world of his false tongue be void. "
## [15701] "O noble age who place their only bliss, "
## [15702] "In being heard until the hearer die. "
## [15703] "Uttering a serpent's mind with a serpent's hiss. "
## [15704] "Then who will bear a well-authorized lie "
## [15705] "(And patience hath) let him go learn of him "
## [15706] "What swarms of virtues did in his youth fly "
## [15707] "Such hearts of brass, wise heads, and garments trim "
## [15708] "Were in his days : which heard, one nothing hears. "
## [15709] "If from his words the falsehood he do skim. "
## [15710] "And herein most their folly vain appears, "
## [15711] "That since they still allege, when they were young, "
## [15712] "It shows they fetch their wit from youthful years, "
## [15713] "Like beast for sacrifice, where save the tongue "
## [15714] "And belly nought is left : such sure is he. "
## [15715] "This life-dead man in this old dungeon flung. "
## [15716] "' Old houses are thrown down for new we see : "
## [15717] "The oldest rams are culled from the flock : "
## [15718] "No man doth wish his horse should aged be. "
## [15719] "The ancient oak well makes a fired block : "
## [15720] "Old men themselves do love young wives to choose : "
## [15721] "Only fond youth admires a rotten stock. "
## [15722] "Who once a white long beard, well handle does "
## [15723] "(As his beard him, he his beard did bare) "
## [15724] "Though cradle-witted, must not honour lose, "
## [15725] ""
## [15726] "when will men leave off to judge by hair ; "
## [15727] "And think them old that have the oldest mind, "
## [15728] "With virtue fraught, and full of holy fear ! "
## [15729] ""
## [15730] "GERON "
## [15731] ""
## [15732] "If that thy face were hid, or I were blind, "
## [15733] ""
## [15734] "1 yet should know a young man speaketh now, "
## [15735] "Such wandering reasons in thy speech I find. "
## [15736] "He is a beast, that beasts use will allow. "
## [15737] ""
## [15738] "For proof of man, woo sprung of heav'nly fire "
## [15739] "Hath strongest soul when most his reigns do bow. "
## [15740] "But fondlings fond, know not your own desire "
## [15741] "Loth to die young, and then you must be old. "
## [15742] "Fondly blame that to which yourselves aspire. "
## [15743] "But this light choler that doth make you bold. "
## [15744] "Rather to wrong than unto just defence. "
## [15745] "Is past with me, my blood is waxed cold, "
## [15746] "T "
## [15747] ""
## [15748] ""
## [15749] ""
## [15750] "290 ARCADIA [book n. "
## [15751] ""
## [15752] "Thy words, though full of malapert offence, "
## [15753] ""
## [15754] "I weigh them not, but still will thee advise "
## [15755] ""
## [15756] "How thou from foolish love mayest purge thy sense. "
## [15757] ""
## [15758] "First think they err, that think them gaily wise, "
## [15759] ""
## [15760] "Who well can set a passion out to show : "
## [15761] ""
## [15762] "Such sight have they that see with goggling eyes, "
## [15763] ""
## [15764] "Passion bears high when puffing wit doth blow. "
## [15765] ""
## [15766] "But is indeed a toy, if not a toy. "
## [15767] ""
## [15768] "True cause of evils : and cause of causeless woe, "
## [15769] ""
## [15770] "If once thou mayest that fancy gloss destroy "
## [15771] ""
## [15772] "Within thyself, thou soon wilt be ashamed "
## [15773] ""
## [15774] "To be a player of thine own annoy. "
## [15775] ""
## [15776] "Then let thy mind with better books be tamed. "
## [15777] ""
## [15778] "Seek to espy her faults as well as praise. "
## [15779] ""
## [15780] "And let thine eyes to other sports be framed. "
## [15781] ""
## [15782] "In hunting fearful beasts, do spend some days. "
## [15783] ""
## [15784] "Or catch the birds with pit-falls or with lime, "
## [15785] ""
## [15786] "Or train the fox that train so crafty lays. "
## [15787] ""
## [15788] "Lie but to sleep, and in the early prime "
## [15789] ""
## [15790] "Seek skill of herbs in hills, haunt brooks near night. "
## [15791] ""
## [15792] "And try with bait how fish will bite sometime. "
## [15793] ""
## [15794] "Go graft again and seek to graft them right. "
## [15795] ""
## [15796] "Those pleasant plants, those sweet and fruitful trees "
## [15797] ""
## [15798] "Which both the palate and the eyes delight. "
## [15799] ""
## [15800] "Cherish the hives of wisely painful bees. "
## [15801] ""
## [15802] "Let special care upon thy flock be stayed. "
## [15803] ""
## [15804] "Such active mind but seldom passion sees. "
## [15805] ""
## [15806] "PHILISIDES "
## [15807] ""
## [15808] "Hath any man heard what this old man said ? "
## [15809] "Truly not I, who did my thoughts engage. "
## [15810] "Where all my pains one look of her hath paid. "
## [15811] ""
## [15812] "Geron was even out of countenance, finding the words, he thought "
## [15813] "were so wise, win so little reputation at this young man's hands ; "
## [15814] "and therefore sometimes looking upon an old acquaintance of his "
## [15815] "called Mastix, one of the repiningest fellows in the world, and that "
## [15816] "beheld nobody but with a mind of mislike, saying still the world "
## [15817] "was amiss, but how it should be amended he knew not, sometimes "
## [15818] "casting his eyes to the ground, even ashamed to see his grey hairs "
## [15819] "despised, at last he spied his two dogs, whereof the elder was called "
## [15820] "MelampuSj>arid the younger Lelaps (indeed the jewels he ever had "
## [15821] "with him) one brawling with another ; which occasion he took to "
## [15822] "restore himself to his countenance, and rating Melampus, he "
## [15823] "began to speak to his dogs, as if in them a man should find more "
## [15824] "obedience, than in unbridled young men. "
## [15825] ""
## [15826] ""
## [15827] ""
## [15828] "BOOK a.] ARCADIA 291 "
## [15829] ""
## [15830] "GERON AND MASTIX "
## [15831] "GERON "
## [15832] ""
## [15833] "Down, down Melampus, what ? your fellow bite ? "
## [15834] ""
## [15835] "I set you o'er the flock I dearly love, "
## [15836] ""
## [15837] "Them to defend, not with yourselves to fight. "
## [15838] ""
## [15839] "Do you not think this will the wolves remove "
## [15840] ""
## [15841] "From former fear, they had of your good minds, "
## [15842] ""
## [15843] "When they shall such divided weakness prove ? "
## [15844] ""
## [15845] "What if Lelaps a better morsel find "
## [15846] ""
## [15847] "Than you erst knew ? rather take part with him "
## [15848] ""
## [15849] "Than jarl : lo, lo, even those how envy blind. "
## [15850] ""
## [15851] "And then Lelaps let not pride make thee brim ; "
## [15852] ""
## [15853] "Because thou hast thy fellow overgone. "
## [15854] ""
## [15855] "But thank'the cause, thou seest where he is dim. "
## [15856] ""
## [15857] "Here Lelaps, here indeed, against the foe "
## [15858] ""
## [15859] "Of my good sheep, thou never truce him took ; "
## [15860] ""
## [15861] "Be as thou art, but be with mine at one. "
## [15862] ""
## [15863] "For though Melampus like a wolf do look "
## [15864] ""
## [15865] "(For age doth make him of a wolfish hue) "
## [15866] ""
## [15867] "Yet have I seen, when like a wolf he shook. "
## [15868] ""
## [15869] "Fool that I am, that with my dogs speak grew : "
## [15870] ""
## [15871] "Come near good Mastix, 'tis now full twa score "
## [15872] ""
## [15873] "Of years, alas, since I good Mastix knew. "
## [15874] ""
## [15875] "Thou heard'st even now a young man snub me sore. "
## [15876] ""
## [15877] "Because I read him, as I would my son. "
## [15878] ""
## [15879] "Youth will have will ; age must to age therefore. "
## [15880] ""
## [15881] "MASTIX "
## [15882] ""
## [15883] "What marvel if in youth (uch fault be done, "
## [15884] ""
## [15885] "Since that we see our saddest shepherds out, "
## [15886] ""
## [15887] "Who have their lesson so long time begun ? "
## [15888] ""
## [15889] "Quickly secure, and easily in doubt. "
## [15890] ""
## [15891] "Either asleep be all, if not assail, "
## [15892] ""
## [15893] "Or all abroad if but a cub start out "
## [15894] ""
## [15895] "We shepherds are like them that under sail "
## [15896] ""
## [15897] "Do speak high words, when all the coast is clear, "
## [15898] ""
## [15899] "Yet to a passenger will bonnet vail. "
## [15900] ""
## [15901] "I con thee thank to whom thy dogs be dear, "
## [15902] ""
## [15903] "But commonly like curs we them treat. "
## [15904] ""
## [15905] "Save when great need of them perforce appear, "
## [15906] ""
## [15907] "Then him we kiss, whom late before we beat "
## [15908] ""
## [15909] "With such intemperance, that each way grows "
## [15910] ""
## [15911] "Hate of the first, contempt of latter feat. "
## [15912] ""
## [15913] "And such discord 'twixt greatest shepherds flows. "
## [15914] ""
## [15915] "That sport it is to see with how great art, "
## [15916] ""
## [15917] "By justice work they their own faults disclose : "
## [15918] ""
## [15919] ""
## [15920] ""
## [15921] "292 ARCADIA [BOOK n. "
## [15922] ""
## [15923] "Like busy boys to win their tutor's heart. "
## [15924] "One faith, he mocks ; another faith he plays, "
## [15925] "The third his lesson missed, till all do smart. "
## [15926] "As for the rest, how shepherds spend their days, "
## [15927] "At blow-point, hot-cockles, or else at keels. "
## [15928] "While, let us pass our time each shepherd says. "
## [15929] "So small account of time the shepherd feels. "
## [15930] "And doth not feel, that life is not but time, "
## [15931] "And when that time is past, death holds his heels ; "
## [15932] "To age thus do they draw their youthful prime. "
## [15933] "Knowing no more, than what poor trial shows. "
## [15934] "As fish sure trial hath of muddy slime. "
## [15935] "This pattern good, unto our children goes, "
## [15936] "For what they see their parents love or hate. "
## [15937] "Their first-caught sense prefers to teachers' blows. "
## [15938] "Those cocklings cocker'd we bewail too late. "
## [15939] "When that we see our off-spring gaily bent. "
## [15940] "Women man-wood, and men effeminate. "
## [15941] ""
## [15942] "GERON "
## [15943] ""
## [15944] "Fie man, fie man : what words hath thy tongue lent ? "
## [15945] ""
## [15946] "Yet thou art mickle warse, then e're was I, "
## [15947] ""
## [15948] "Thy too much zeal, I fear thy brain hath spent. "
## [15949] ""
## [15950] "We oft are angrier than the feeble fly "
## [15951] ""
## [15952] "For business, where it appertains him not, "
## [15953] ""
## [15954] "Than with the poisonous toads that quiet lie. "
## [15955] ""
## [15956] "I pray thee what hath ere the Parrot got ? "
## [15957] ""
## [15958] "And yet they say he talks in great men's bowers ; "
## [15959] ""
## [15960] "A cage, gild&d perchance, is all his lot, "
## [15961] "Who of his tongue the liquor gladly pours, "
## [15962] "A good fool call'd with pain perhaps may be : "
## [15963] "But even for that shall suffer mighty lowers. "
## [15964] "Let swans example siker serve for thee, "
## [15965] "Who once all birds, in sweetly singing past, "
## [15966] "But now to silence turn'd his minstrelsy, "
## [15967] "For he could sing : but others were defac'd. "
## [15968] "The Peacock's pride, the Pyes pil'd flattery. "
## [15969] "Cormorants glut. Kites spoil. Kingfishers waste, "
## [15970] "The Falcon's fierceness, Sparrow's letchery. "
## [15971] "The Cuckoo's shame, the Goose's good intent. "
## [15972] "Even Turtle touch'd he with hypocrisy. "
## [15973] "And worse of other more, till by assent "
## [15974] "Of all the birds, but namely those were grieved. "
## [15975] "Of fowls there call'd was a Parliament : "
## [15976] "There was the Swan of dignity deprived, "
## [15977] "And statute made he never should have voice ; "
## [15978] "Since when, I think, he hath in silence lived, "
## [15979] ""
## [15980] ""
## [15981] ""
## [15982] "BOOK n.] ARCADIA 2gi "
## [15983] ""
## [15984] "I warn thee therefore (since thou may'st have choice) "
## [15985] "Let not thy tongue become a fiery match ; "
## [15986] "No sword so bites, as that evil tool annoys. "
## [15987] "Let our unpartial eyes a little watch "
## [15988] "■ Our own demean, and soon we wonder shall, "
## [15989] "That hunting faults, ourselves we did not catch. "
## [15990] "Into our minds let us a little fall, "
## [15991] "And we shall find more spots than Leopard's skin. "
## [15992] "Then who makes us, such Judges over all ? "
## [15993] "But farewell now, thy fault is no great sin, "
## [15994] "Come, come my curs, 'tis late I will go in. "
## [15995] ""
## [15996] "And away with his dogs straight he went, as if he would be sure "
## [15997] "to have the last word, all the assembly laughing at the lustiness of "
## [15998] "the old fellow, who departed muttering to himself he had seen more "
## [15999] "in his days than twenty of them. But Basilius, who never before "
## [16000] "had heard Philisides, though having seldom appeared to be at those "
## [16001] "meetings, desired him he would begin some eclogue with some "
## [16002] "other of the shepherds, according to the accustomed guise. "
## [16003] "Philisides, though very unwilling, at the king's commandment "
## [16004] "offered to sing with Thyrsis. But he directly refused him, seeing "
## [16005] "he should within few days be married to the fair Kala, and since "
## [16006] "he had gotten his desire he would sing no more. Then the king "
## [16007] "willed' Philisides to declare the discourse of his own fortunes, "
## [16008] "unknown to them, as being a stranger in that country ; but he "
## [16009] "prayed the king to pardon him, the time being far too joyful to "
## [16010] "suffer the rehearsal of his miseries. But to satisfy Basilius some "
## [16011] "way, he began an eclogue betwixt himself and the Echo, framing "
## [16012] "his voice so in those desert places, as what words he would have "
## [16013] "the Echo reply unto, those he would sing higher than the rest ; "
## [16014] "and so kindly framed a disputation betwixt himself and it, which "
## [16015] "with those Hexameters in the following order he uttered. "
## [16016] ""
## [16017] ""
## [16018] ""
## [16019] "PHILISIDES AND ECHO "
## [16020] ""
## [16021] ""
## [16022] ""
## [16023] "Fair rocks, goodly rivers, sweet woods, when shall I see peace ? "
## [16024] ""
## [16025] "Peace. "
## [16026] "Peace ? what bars me my tongue ? who is it that comes me so "
## [16027] ""
## [16028] "nigh ? L "
## [16029] "Oh ! I do know what guest I have met, it is echo. 'Tis Echo. "
## [16030] "Well met echo, approach : then tell me thy will too. I will too. "
## [16031] "Echo, what do I get yielding my spirit to my griefs ? Griefs. "
## [16032] "What medicine may I find for a grief that draws me to death? "
## [16033] ""
## [16034] "Death. "
## [16035] ""
## [16036] ""
## [16037] ""
## [16038] "294 ARCADIA [Book ih "
## [16039] ""
## [16040] "O poisonous medicine 1 what worse to me can be than it ? It. "
## [16041] "In what state was I then, when I took this deadly disease? "
## [16042] ""
## [16043] "Ease. "
## [16044] "And what manner u, mind which had to that humour a vain? "
## [16045] ""
## [16046] "Vain. "
## [16047] "Hath not reason enough vehemence the desire to reprove? "
## [16048] ""
## [16049] "Prove. "
## [16050] "Oft prove I: but what salve, when reason seeks to be g-one? "
## [16051] ""
## [16052] "One. "
## [16053] "Oh ! what is it ? what is it that may be a salve to my love ? "
## [16054] ""
## [16055] "Love. "
## [16056] "What do lovers seek for, long seeking for to enjoy ? Joy. "
## [16057] "What be the joys, which for to enjoy they went to the pains ? "
## [16058] ""
## [16059] "Pains. "
## [16060] "Then to an earnest love what doth best victory lend ? End. "
## [16061] "End ? but I can never end, love will not give me leave ? Leave. "
## [16062] "How be the minds dispos'd that cannot taste thy physick? Sick. "
## [16063] "Yet say again thy advice for the evils that I told thee ? I told "
## [16064] ""
## [16065] "thee. "
## [16066] "Doth th' infected wretch of his harm th' extremity know ? No. "
## [16067] "But if he know not his harms, what guides hath he while he be "
## [16068] ""
## [16069] "blind? Blind. "
## [16070] "What blind guides can he liave that leans to fancie ? A fancy. "
## [16071] "Can fancies want eyes, or he fall that sleepeth aloft ? Oft. "
## [16072] "What causes first made those torments on me to light ? Light. "
## [16073] "Can then a cause be so light that forceth a man to go die ? I. "
## [16074] "Yet tell what light thing I had in me to draw me to die ? Eye. "
## [16075] "Eye-sight made me to yield, but what first pierc'd to my eyes ? "
## [16076] ""
## [16077] "Eyes. "
## [16078] "Eyes hurters, eyes hurt ; but what from them to me falls ? Falls. "
## [16079] "But when I first did fall, what brought most fall to my heart? "
## [16080] ""
## [16081] "Art. "
## [16082] "Art? what can be that art thou dost mean by thy speech? "
## [16083] ""
## [16084] "Speech. "
## [16085] "What be the fruits of speaking art ? what grows by the words ? "
## [16086] ""
## [16087] "Words. "
## [16088] "O much more than words : those words serv'd more me to bless. "
## [16089] ""
## [16090] "Less. "
## [16091] "Oh when shall I be known, where most to be known I do long ? "
## [16092] ""
## [16093] "Long "
## [16094] "Long be thy woes for such news, but how reek's she my "
## [16095] ""
## [16096] "thoughts ? Oughts. "
## [16097] "Then then what I do gain, since unto her will I do winde? "
## [16098] ""
## [16099] "Winde. "
## [16100] "Wind, tempests, and storms, yet in end what gives she desire ? "
## [16101] ""
## [16102] "Ire. "
## [16103] "Silly reward ! yet among women hath she of virtue the most. "
## [16104] ""
## [16105] "Most. "
## [16106] ""
## [16107] ""
## [16108] ""
## [16109] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 295 "
## [16110] ""
## [16111] "What great name may I give to so heav'niy a woman ? A Wo-man. "
## [16112] "Wo, but seems to me joy, that agrees to my thoughts so. I "
## [16113] ""
## [16114] "thought so. "
## [16115] "Think so, for of my desired bliss it is only the course. Curse. "
## [16116] "Curs'd be thyself for cursing that which leads me to joys. Toys. "
## [16117] "What be the sweet creatures where lowly demands be not heard ? "
## [16118] ""
## [16119] "Hard. "
## [16120] "What makes them be unkind? speak for th' hast narrow pry'd? "
## [16121] ""
## [16122] "Pride. "
## [16123] "Whence can pride come there, since springs of beauty be thence ? "
## [16124] ""
## [16125] "Thence. "
## [16126] "Horrible is this blasphemy unto the most holy. O lie. "
## [16127] "Thou liest false echo, their minds as virtue be just. Just. "
## [16128] "Mock'st thou those diamonds which only be match'd by the "
## [16129] ""
## [16130] "gods ? Ods. "
## [16131] "Ods ? what an ods is there since them to the heav'ns I prefer ? "
## [16132] ""
## [16133] "Err. "
## [16134] "Tell yet again me the names of those fair form'd to do evils? "
## [16135] ""
## [16136] "Devils. "
## [16137] "Devil ? if hell such devils do abide, to the hells I do go. Go. "
## [16138] ""
## [16139] "Philisides was commended for the place of his echo ; but little "
## [16140] "did he regard their praises, who had set the foundations of his "
## [16141] "honour there where he was most despised : and therefore returning "
## [16142] "again to the train of his desolate pensiveness. Zelmane seeing "
## [16143] "nobody offer to fill the stage, as if her long restrained conceits did "
## [16144] "now burst out of prison, she thus, desiring her voice should be "
## [16145] "accorded to nothing but to Philoclea's ears, threw down the burden "
## [16146] "of her mind in Anacreon's kind of verses. "
## [16147] ""
## [16148] "My muse what ailes this ardor So may the song be famous : "
## [16149] ""
## [16150] "To blaze my only secrets ? Or if to love thou art bent, "
## [16151] ""
## [16152] "Alas it is no glory Recount the rape of Europa, "
## [16153] ""
## [16154] "To sing mine own decayed state. Adonis end, Venus net, "
## [16155] ""
## [16156] "Alas it is no comfort, The sleepy kiss the moon stale : "
## [16157] ""
## [16158] "To speak without an answer. So may the song be pleasant. "
## [16159] ""
## [16160] "Alas it is no wisdom "
## [16161] ""
## [16162] "To show the wound without cure. "
## [16163] ""
## [16164] "So great passion all feel. My muse what ailes this ardor "
## [16165] ""
## [16166] "To think a sore so deadly To blaze my only secrets ? "
## [16167] ""
## [16168] "I should so rashly rip up. Wherein do only flourish "
## [16169] ""
## [16170] "The sorry fruits of anguish. "
## [16171] ""
## [16172] "My muse what ailes this ardor? The song thereof a last will. "
## [16173] ""
## [16174] "If that to sing thou art bent, The tunes be cries, the words "
## [16175] "Go sing the fall of old Thebes, plaints. "
## [16176] ""
## [16177] "The wars of ugly centaurs. The singer is the song's theme, "
## [16178] "The life, the death of Hector ; Wherein no ear can have joy. "
## [16179] ""
## [16180] ""
## [16181] ""
## [16182] "296 ARCADIA [book II. "
## [16183] ""
## [16184] "My muse what ailes this ardor ? Thy heated heart ray seat is "
## [16185] ""
## [16186] "Mine eyes be dim, my limbs Wherein I burn : thy breath is "
## [16187] ""
## [16188] "shake, My voice, too hot to keep in. "
## [16189] ""
## [16190] "My voice is hoarse, my throat Besides, lo here the author "
## [16191] ""
## [16192] "scorch'd, Of all thy harms : lo here she, "
## [16193] ""
## [16194] "My tongue to this my roof That only can redress thee, "
## [16195] ""
## [16196] "cleaves. Of her will I demand help. "
## [16197] "My fancy amaz'd, my thoughts "
## [16198] ""
## [16199] "duU'd, "
## [16200] ""
## [16201] "My heart doth ache, my life My muse I yield, my muse I "
## [16202] ""
## [16203] "faints, sing, "
## [16204] ""
## [16205] "My soul begins to take leave. But all thy song herein knit. "
## [16206] ""
## [16207] "Nor eye receive due object The life we lead is all love : "
## [16208] ""
## [16209] "Ne pleasure here, ne fame gat. The love we hold is all death. "
## [16210] ""
## [16211] "Nor ought I crave to feed life. "
## [16212] ""
## [16213] "My muse what ailes this ardor? Nor ought I seek to shun death, "
## [16214] ""
## [16215] "Alas she faith I am thine. But only that my goddess, "
## [16216] ""
## [16217] "So are thy pains my pains too. My life my death do count hers. "
## [16218] ""
## [16219] ""
## [16220] ""
## [16221] "Basilius, when she had fully ended her song, fell prostrate upon "
## [16222] "the ground, and thanked the gods they had preserved his life so "
## [16223] "long as to hear the very music they themselves used in an earthly "
## [16224] "body. And then with like grace to Zelmane, never left entreating "
## [16225] "her, till she had, taking a lyre Basilius held for her, sung those "
## [16226] "Phaleuciacks : "
## [16227] ""
## [16228] ""
## [16229] ""
## [16230] "Reason, tell me thy mind, if here be reason "
## [16231] "In this strange violence, to make resistance. "
## [16232] "Where sweet graces erect the stately banner "
## [16233] "Of virtue's regiment, shining in harness "
## [16234] "Of fortune's diadems, by beauty mustered: "
## [16235] "Say then reason ; I say, what is thy counsel ? "
## [16236] ""
## [16237] "Her loose hairs be the shot, the breasts the pikes be "
## [16238] "Scouts each motion is, the hands be horsemen. "
## [16239] "Her lips are the riches the wars to maintain. "
## [16240] "Where well couched abides a coffer of pearl. "
## [16241] "Her legs carriage is of all the sweet camp : "
## [16242] "Say then reason j I say, what is thy counsel ? "
## [16243] ""
## [16244] "Her cannons be her eyes, mine eyes the walls be. "
## [16245] "Which at first volley gave too open entry. "
## [16246] "Nor rampier did abide ; my brain was up blown, "
## [16247] "Undermin'd with a speech, the piercer of thoughts. "
## [16248] "Thus weakened by myself, no help remaineth j "
## [16249] "Say then reason ; I say, what is thy counsel? "
## [16250] ""
## [16251] ""
## [16252] ""
## [16253] "BOOK II.] ARCADIA 297 "
## [16254] ""
## [16255] "And now fame the herald of her true honour, "
## [16256] ""
## [16257] "Doth proclaim with a sound made all by men's mouths, "
## [16258] ""
## [16259] "That nature sovereign of earthly dwellers, "
## [16260] ""
## [16261] "Commands all creatures to yield obeisance "
## [16262] ""
## [16263] "Under this, this her own, her only darling. "
## [16264] ""
## [16265] "Say then reason ; I say what is thy counsel ? "
## [16266] ""
## [16267] "Reason sighs, but in end he thus doth answer : "
## [16268] "Nought can reason avail in heavenly matters. "
## [16269] "Thus nature's diamond receive thy conquest. "
## [16270] "Thus pure pearl, I do yield my senses and soul. "
## [16271] "Thus sweet pain, I do yield what ere I can yield. "
## [16272] "Reason look to thyself, I serve a goddess. "
## [16273] ""
## [16274] "Dorus had long he thought kept silence, from saying somewhat "
## [16275] "which might tend to the glory of her, in whom all glory to his "
## [16276] "seeming was included, but now he broke it, singing those verses "
## [16277] "called Asclepiadiks. "
## [16278] ""
## [16279] "O sweet woods the delight of solitariness ! "
## [16280] ""
## [16281] "O how much I do like your solitariness ! "
## [16282] ""
## [16283] "Where man's mind hath a freed consideration "
## [16284] ""
## [16285] "Of goodness to receive lovely direction. "
## [16286] ""
## [16287] "Where senses do behold th' order of heav'nly host. "
## [16288] ""
## [16289] "And wise thoughts do behold what the creator is : "
## [16290] ""
## [16291] "Contemplation here holdeth his only seat : "
## [16292] ""
## [16293] "Bounded with no limits, borne with a wing of hope, "
## [16294] ""
## [16295] "Climbs even unto the stars, nature is under it. "
## [16296] ""
## [16297] "Nought disturbs thy quiet, all to thy service yields, "
## [16298] ""
## [16299] "Each sight draws on a thought, thought mother of science : "
## [16300] ""
## [16301] "Sweet birds kindly do grant harmony unto thee. "
## [16302] ""
## [16303] "Fair trees shade is enough fortification^ "
## [16304] ""
## [16305] "Nor dangers to thyself, if 't be not in thyself. "
## [16306] ""
## [16307] "O sweet woods the delight of solitariness ! "
## [16308] ""
## [16309] "O how much do I like your solitariness ! "
## [16310] ""
## [16311] "Here nor treason is hid, vailed in innocence, "
## [16312] ""
## [16313] "Nor envies snaky eye finds any harbour here. "
## [16314] ""
## [16315] "Nor flatterers venomous insinuations. "
## [16316] ""
## [16317] "Nor coming humourists puddled opinions, "
## [16318] ""
## [16319] "Nor courteous ruin of proffered usury, "
## [16320] ""
## [16321] "Nor time prattled away, cradle of ignorance. "
## [16322] ""
## [16323] "Nor causeless duty, nor cumber of arrogance. "
## [16324] ""
## [16325] "Nor trifling title of vanity dazzleth us. "
## [16326] ""
## [16327] "Nor golden manacles stand for a paradise. "
## [16328] ""
## [16329] "Here wrong's name is unheard ; slander a monster is. "
## [16330] ""
## [16331] "Keep thy spirit from abuse, here no abuse doth haunt. "
## [16332] ""
## [16333] "What man grafts in a tree dissimulation ? "
## [16334] ""
## [16335] ""
## [16336] ""
## [16337] "29^ ARCADIA [BOOK II. "
## [16338] ""
## [16339] "O sweet woods the delight of solitariness I "
## [16340] ""
## [16341] "O how well I do like your solitariness ! "
## [16342] ""
## [16343] "Yet dear soil, if a soul clos'd in a mansion "
## [16344] ""
## [16345] "As sweet as violets, fair as a lily is, "
## [16346] ""
## [16347] "Strait as a cedar, a voice strains the canary birds. "
## [16348] ""
## [16349] "Whose shade safely doth hold, danger avoideth her ; "
## [16350] ""
## [16351] "Such wisdom, that in her lives speculation : "
## [16352] ""
## [16353] "Such goodness, that in her simplicity triumphs : "
## [16354] ""
## [16355] "Where envy's snaky eye, winketh or else dieth. "
## [16356] ""
## [16357] "Slander wants a pretext, flattery gone beyond : "
## [16358] ""
## [16359] "Oh ! if such a one have bent to a lonely life, "
## [16360] ""
## [16361] "Her steps, glad we receive, glad we receive her eyes. "
## [16362] ""
## [16363] "And think not she doth hurt our solitariness, "
## [16364] ""
## [16365] "For such company decks such solitariness. "
## [16366] ""
## [16367] "The other shepherds were offering themselves to have continued "
## [16368] "the sports, but the night had so quietly spent the most part of "
## [16369] "herself among them that the king for that time licensed them to "
## [16370] "depart. And so bringing Zelmane to her lodging, who would "
## [16371] "much rather have done the same for Philoclea ; of all sides they "
## [16372] "went to counterfeit a sleep in their beds, for a true one their "
## [16373] "agonies could not afford them. Yet there they lay, so might they "
## [16374] "be most solitary for the food of their thoughts, till it was near noon "
## [16375] "the next day, after which Basilius was to continue his Apollo "
## [16376] "devotions, and the other to meditate upon their private desires. "
## [16377] ""
## [16378] ""
## [16379] ""
## [16380] "ARCADIA "
## [16381] ""
## [16382] ""
## [16383] ""
## [16384] "BOOK III "
## [16385] ""
## [16386] ") ' I \"\"HIS last day's danger, having made Pamela's love discern "
## [16387] "<—' \\_ what a loss it should have suffered if Dorus had been "
## [16388] "destroyed, bred such tenderness of kindness in her toward "
## [16389] "him that she could no longer keep love from looking out through her "
## [16390] "eyes, and going forth in her words, whom before as a close prisoner "
## [16391] "she had to her heart only committed ; so that finding not only by "
## [16392] "his speeches and letters, but by the pitiful oration of a languishing "
## [16393] "behaviour, and the easily deciphered character of a sorrowful face, "
## [16394] "that despair began now to threaten him destruction, she grew "
## [16395] "content both to pity him, and let him see she pitied him, as well "
## [16396] "by making her own beautiful beams to thaw away the former "
## [16397] "iciness of her behaviour, as by entertaining his discourses (when- "
## [16398] "soever he did use them) in the third person of Musidorus, to so "
## [16399] "far a degree, that in the end she said that if she had been the "
## [16400] "princess whom that disguised prince had virtuously loved, she "
## [16401] "would have requited his faith with faithful affection ; finding in her "
## [16402] "heart that nothing could so heartily love as virtue : with many "
## [16403] "more words to the same sense of noble favour, and chaste plain- "
## [16404] "nessj Which when at the first it made that unexpected bliss shine "
## [16405] "upon Dorus, he was like one frozen with extremity of cold, over- "
## [16406] "hastily brought to a great fire, rather oppressed than relieved with "
## [16407] "such a lightning of felicity. But after the strength of nature had "
## [16408] "made him able to feel the sweetness of joyfulness, that again being "
## [16409] "a child of passion, and never acquainted with mediocrity, could "
## [16410] "not set bounds upon his happiness, nor be content to give desire "
## [16411] "a kingdom, but that it must be an unlimited monarchy. So that "
## [16412] "the ground he stood upon being over-high in happiness, and "
## [16413] "slippery through affection, he could not hold himself from falling "
## [16414] "into such an error, which with sighs blew all comfort out of his "
## [16415] ""
## [16416] ""
## [16417] ""
## [16418] "300 ARCADIA [book ni. "
## [16419] ""
## [16420] "breast, and washed away all cheerfulness of his cheer with tears. "
## [16421] "For this favour filling him with hope, hope encouraging his desire, "
## [16422] "and desire considering nothing but opportunity ; one time (Mopsa "
## [16423] "being called away by her mother, and he left alone with Pamela) "
## [16424] "the sudden occasion called love, and that never stayed to ask "
## [16425] "reason's leave, but made the too much loving Dorus take her in "
## [16426] "his arms, offering to kiss her, and, as if it were, to establish a "
## [16427] "trophy of his victory. But she, as if she had been ready to drink "
## [16428] "a wine of excellent taste and colour, which suddenly she perceived "
## [16429] "had poison in it, so did she put him away from her, looking first "
## [16430] "up to heaven, as amazed to find herself so beguiled in him ; then "
## [16431] "laying cruel punishment upon him of angry love, and lowering "
## [16432] "beauty, showing disdain, and a despising disdain. \" Away,\" (said "
## [16433] "she), \" unworthy man to love or to be loved. Assure thyself, I hate "
## [16434] "myself being so deceived ; judge then what I do to thee for "
## [16435] "deceiving me. Let me see thee no more, the only fall of my "
## [16436] "judgment, and stain of my conscience.\" With that she called "
## [16437] "Mopsa, not staying for any answer (which was no other but a flood "
## [16438] "of tears) which she seemed not to mark (much less to pity) and "
## [16439] "chid her for having left her alone. "
## [16440] ""
## [16441] "It was not a sorrow, but it was even a death which then laid "
## [16442] "hold of Dorus : which certainly at that instant would have killed "
## [16443] "him, but that the fear to tarry longer in her presence (contrary to "
## [16444] "her commandment) gave him life to carry himself away from her "
## [16445] "sight, and to run into the woods, where, throwing himself down "
## [16446] "at the foot of a tree, he did not fall into lamentation (for that "
## [16447] "proceeded of pitying) or grieving for himself (which he did no "
## [16448] "way) but to curses of his life, as one that detested himself. For "
## [16449] "finding himself not only unhappy, but unhappy after being fallen "
## [16450] "from all happiness : and to be fallen from all happiness, not by "
## [16451] "any misconceiving, but by his own fault, and his fault to be done "
## [16452] "to no other but Pamela ; he did not tender his own estate, but "
## [16453] "despised it, greedily drawing into his mind, all conceits which "
## [16454] "might more and more torment him. And so remained he two "
## [16455] "days in the woods, disdaining to give his body food, or his mind "
## [16456] "comfort, loving in himself nothing but the love of her. And "
## [16457] "indeed that love only strove with the fury of his anguish, telling it "
## [16458] "that if it destroyed Dorus, it should also destroy the image of her "
## [16459] "that lived in Dorus : and when the thought of that was crept in "
## [16460] "unto him, it began to win of him some compassion to the shrine "
## [16461] "of that image, and to bewail not for himself (whom he hated) but "
## [16462] "that so notable a love should perish. Then began he only so far "
## [16463] "to wish his own good, as that Pamela might pardon him the fault, "
## [16464] "though not the punishment : and the uttermost height he aspired "
## [16465] "unto, was that after his death she might yet pity his error and "
## [16466] ""
## [16467] ""
## [16468] ""
## [16469] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 301 "
## [16470] ""
## [16471] "know that it proceeded of love, and not of boldness. That conceit "
## [16472] "found such friendship in his thoughts, that at last he yielded, since "
## [16473] "he was banished her presence, to seek some means by writing to "
## [16474] "show his sorrow, and testify his repentance. Therefore getting "
## [16475] "him the necessary instruments of writing, he thought best to "
## [16476] "counterfeit his hand (fearing that already as she knew his, she "
## [16477] "would cast it away as soon as she saw it) and to put it in verse, "
## [16478] "hoping that would draw her on to read the more, choosing the "
## [16479] "elegiac as fittest for mourning. But never pen did more quakingly "
## [16480] "perform his office ; never was paper more double moistened with "
## [16481] "ink and tears ; never words more slowly married together, and "
## [16482] "never the muses more tired than now, with changes and re-changes "
## [16483] "of his devices : fearing how to end, before he had resolved how to "
## [16484] "begin, mistrusting each word, condemning each sentence. This "
## [16485] "word was not significant ; that word was too plain ; this would not "
## [16486] "be conceived ; the other would be ill conceived ; here sorrow was "
## [16487] "not enough expressed, there he seemed too much for his own sake "
## [16488] "to be sorry ; this sentence rather showed art than passion, that "
## [16489] "sentence rather foolishly passionate than forcibly moving. At last, "
## [16490] "marring with mending, and putting out better than he left, he "
## [16491] "made an end of it ; being ended, was divers times ready to tear it, "
## [16492] "till his reason assuring him, the more he studied the worse it grew, "
## [16493] "he folded it up, devoutly invoking good acceptation unto it ; and "
## [16494] "watching his time, when they were all gone one day to dinner, "
## [16495] "saving Mopsa to the other lodge, stole up into Pamela's chamber, "
## [16496] "and in her standish (which first he kissed, and craved of it a safe "
## [16497] "and friendly keeping) left it there to be seen at her next using her "
## [16498] "ink (himself returning again to be true prisoner to desperate "
## [16499] "sorrow) leaving her standish upon her beds-head, to give her the "
## [16500] "more occasion to mark it : which also fell out. "
## [16501] ""
## [16502] "For she finding it at her afternoon return in another place than "
## [16503] "she left ft, opened it. But when she saw the letter, her heart gave "
## [16504] "her from whence it came ; and therefore clapping it to again she "
## [16505] "went away from it as if it had been a contagious garment of an "
## [16506] "infected person : and yet was not long away, but that she wished "
## [16507] "she had read it, though she were loth to read it. \"Shall I,\" said she, "
## [16508] "\" second his boldness so far, as to read his presumptuous letters ? "
## [16509] "And yet,\" saith she, \" he sees me not now to grow the bolder thereby : "
## [16510] "and how can I tell whether they be presumptuous ? \" The paper "
## [16511] "came from him, and therefore not worthy to be received ; and yet "
## [16512] "the paper she thought was not guilty. At last she concluded, it "
## [16513] "were not much amiss to look it over, that she might out of his "
## [16514] "words pick some further quarrel against him. Then she opened "
## [16515] "it, and threw it away, and took it up again, till (e're she were "
## [16516] "^ware) her eyes would needs read it, containing this matter. "
## [16517] ""
## [16518] ""
## [16519] ""
## [16520] "302 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [16521] ""
## [16522] "Unto a caitiff wretch, whom long affliction holdeth, "
## [16523] ""
## [16524] "And now fully believes help to be quite perished, "
## [16525] "Grant yet, grant yet a look, to the last moment of his anguish, "
## [16526] ""
## [16527] "O you (alas so I find) cause of his only ruin, "
## [16528] "Dread not awhit (O goodly cruel) that pity may enter "
## [16529] ""
## [16530] "Into thy heart by the sight of this Epistle I send : "
## [16531] "And to refuse to behold of these strange wounds the recital. "
## [16532] ""
## [16533] "Lest it might thee allure home to thyself to return "
## [16534] "(Unto thyself, I do mean those graces dwell so within thee, "
## [16535] ""
## [16536] "Gratefulness, sweetness, holy love, hearty regard) "
## [16537] "Such thing cannot I seek (despair hath giv'n me my answer : "
## [16538] ""
## [16539] "Despair most tragical clause to a deadly request) "
## [16540] "Such thing cannot he hope, that knows thy determinate hardness. "
## [16541] ""
## [16542] "Hard like a rich marble : hard, but a fair diamond. "
## [16543] "Can those eyes, that of eyes drown'd in most hearty flowing tears "
## [16544] ""
## [16545] "(Tears and tears of a man ? had no return to remorse) "
## [16546] "Can those eyes now yield to the kind conceit of a sorrow. "
## [16547] ""
## [16548] "Which ink only relates, but ne laments, ne replies ? "
## [16549] "Ah, that, that do I not conceive (though that to ray bliss were) "
## [16550] ""
## [16551] "More than Nestor's years, more than a King's diadem. "
## [16552] "Ah, that, that do I not conceive ; to the Heaven when a Mouse "
## [16553] "climbs "
## [16554] ""
## [16555] "Then may I hope to achieve grace of a heavenly Tiger. "
## [16556] "But, but alas, like a man condemned doth crave to be heard "
## [16557] "speak. "
## [16558] ""
## [16559] "Not that he hopes for amends of the disaster he feels. "
## [16560] "But finding the approach of death with an inly relenting, "
## [16561] ""
## [16562] "Gives an adieu to the world, as to his only delight : "
## [16563] "Right so my boiling heart, inflam'd with fire of a fair eye. "
## [16564] ""
## [16565] "Bubbling out doth breathe signs of his huge dolours : "
## [16566] "Now that he finds to what end his life and love be reserved. "
## [16567] ""
## [16568] "And that he thence must part, where to live only he liv'd. "
## [16569] "O fair, O fairest, are such the triumphs to thy fairness ? "
## [16570] ""
## [16571] "Can death beauty become? must I be such monument? "
## [16572] "Must I be only the mark shall prove that virtue is angry ? "
## [16573] ""
## [16574] "Shall prove that fierceness can with a white dove abide ? "
## [16575] "Shall to the world appear that faith and love be rewarded "
## [16576] ""
## [16577] "With mortal disdain, bent to unendly revenge. "
## [16578] "Unto revenge ? O sweet, on a wretch wilt thou be revenged? "
## [16579] ""
## [16580] "Shall such high planets tend to the loss of a worm ? "
## [16581] "And to revenge who do bend, would in that kind be revenged "
## [16582] ""
## [16583] "As th' offence was done, and go beyond if he can. "
## [16584] "All my offence was love : with love then must I be chastened ; "
## [16585] ""
## [16586] "And with more, by the laws that to revenge do belong. "
## [16587] "If that love be a fault, more fault, more fault in you to be lovely : "
## [16588] ""
## [16589] "Love never had me oppressed, but that I saw to be lov'd. "
## [16590] "You be the cause that I lov'd : what Reason blameth a shadow. "
## [16591] ""
## [16592] "That with a body 't goes ? since by a body it is ? "
## [16593] ""
## [16594] ""
## [16595] ""
## [16596] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 303 "
## [16597] ""
## [16598] "If that love you did hate, you should your beauty have hidden : "
## [16599] ""
## [16600] "You should those fair eyes have with a veil covered. "
## [16601] "But fool, fool that I am, those eyes would shine from a dark cave : "
## [16602] ""
## [16603] "What veils then do prevail, but to a more miracle ? "
## [16604] "Or those golden locks, those locks which lock me to bondag'e, "
## [16605] ""
## [16606] "Tom you should disperse unto the blasts of a wind. "
## [16607] "But fool, fool that I am, thoug-h I had but a hair of her head "
## [16608] "found, "
## [16609] ""
## [16610] "EVn as I am, so I should unto that hair be a thrall. "
## [16611] "Or with fair hands, nails (O hand which nails me to this death) "
## [16612] ""
## [16613] "You should have your face, since love is ill blemished. "
## [16614] "O wretch, what do I say ? should that fair face be defaced ? "
## [16615] ""
## [16616] "Should my too much sight cause so true a sun to be lost ? "
## [16617] "First let Cimmerian darkness be my only habitation : "
## [16618] ""
## [16619] "First be mine eyes puU'd out, first be ray brain perished, "
## [16620] "E're that I should consent to do so excessive a damage "
## [16621] ""
## [16622] "Unto the earth, by the hurt of this her heavenly jewel. "
## [16623] "O not, but such love you say you could have afforded, "
## [16624] ""
## [16625] "As might learn temp'rance, void of a rage's events. "
## [16626] "O sweet simplicity ; from whence should love be so learned ? "
## [16627] ""
## [16628] "Unto Cupid, that Boy, should a pedant be found ? "
## [16629] "Well, but sulky I was : Reason to ray passion yielded, "
## [16630] ""
## [16631] "Passion unto my rage, rage to a hasty revenge. "
## [16632] "But what's this for a fault, for which such faith be abolished, "
## [16633] ""
## [16634] "Such faith, so stainless, inviolate, violent ? "
## [16635] "Shall I not? O may I not thus yet refresh the remembrance. "
## [16636] ""
## [16637] "What sweet joys I had once, and what a place I did hold? "
## [16638] "Shall I not once object, that you, you granted a favour "
## [16639] ""
## [16640] "Unto the man, whom now such miseries you award ? "
## [16641] "Bend your thoughts to the dear sweet words which then to me "
## [16642] "giv'n were. "
## [16643] ""
## [16644] "Think what a world is now, think who hath alt' red her heart. "
## [16645] "What ? was I then worthy such good, now worthy such evil ? "
## [16646] ""
## [16647] "Now fled, then cherished? then so nigh, now so remote? "
## [16648] "Did not a rosed breath from lips rosy proceeding. "
## [16649] ""
## [16650] "Say, that I well should find in what a care I was had ? "
## [16651] "With much more : Now what do I find, but care to abhor me ? "
## [16652] ""
## [16653] "Care that I sink in grief, care that I live banished? "
## [16654] "And banished do I live, nor now will seek a recovery. "
## [16655] ""
## [16656] "Since so she will, whose will is to me more than a law. "
## [16657] "If then a man in most ill case may give you a farewell : "
## [16658] ""
## [16659] "Farewell, long farewell, all ray woe, all my delight. "
## [16660] ""
## [16661] "What this would have wrought in her, she herself could not tell, "
## [16662] "for, before her reason could moderate the disputation between "
## [16663] "favour and faultiness, her sister and Miso, called her down to "
## [16664] "entertain Zelmane, who was come to visit the two sisters, about "
## [16665] "whom, as about two poles, the sky of beauty was turned : while "
## [16666] ""
## [16667] ""
## [16668] ""
## [16669] "304 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [16670] ""
## [16671] "Gynecia wearied her bed with her melancholy sickness, and made "
## [16672] "Miso's shrewdness (who like a spirit set to keep a treasure, barred "
## [16673] "Zelmane from any further conference) to be the lieutenant of her "
## [16674] "jealousy ; both she and her husband driving Zelmane to such a "
## [16675] "straight of resolution, either of impossible granting, or dangerous "
## [16676] "refusing, as the best escape she had was (as much as she could) to "
## [16677] "avoid their company. So as this day, being the fourth day after "
## [16678] "the uproar (Basilius being with his sick wife, conferring upon such "
## [16679] "examinations as Philanax and other of his noblemen had made of "
## [16680] "this late sedition, all touching Cecropia, with vehement suspicion "
## [16681] "of giving either flame or fuel unto it) Zelmane came with her body, "
## [16682] "to find her mind, which -was gone long before her, and had gotten "
## [16683] "his seat in Philoclea, who now with a bashful cheerfulness (as "
## [16684] "though she were ashamed that she could not choose but be glad) "
## [16685] "joined with her sister in making much of Zelmane. "
## [16686] ""
## [16687] "And so as they sat devising how to give more feathers to the "
## [16688] "wings of time, there came to the lodge-door six maids, all in one "
## [16689] "livery of scarlet petticoats, which were tucked up almost to their "
## [16690] "knees, the petticoats themselves being in many places garnished "
## [16691] "with leaves, their legs naked, saving that above the ankles they "
## [16692] "had little black silk laces, upon which did hang a few silver bells, "
## [16693] "like which they had a little above their elbows upon their bare "
## [16694] "arms. Upon their hair they wore garlands of roses and gilliflowers, "
## [16695] "and the hair was so dressed, as that came again above the garlands, "
## [16696] "interchanging a mutual covering so that it was doubtful whether "
## [16697] "the hair dressed the garlands, or the garlands dressed the hair. "
## [16698] "Their breasts liberal to the eye ; the face of the foremost of them "
## [16699] "in excellency fair ; and of the rest lovely, if not beautiful : and "
## [16700] "beautiful might have been, if they had not suffered greedy Phoebus "
## [16701] "over-often and hard, to kiss them. Their countenances full of a "
## [16702] "graceful gravity, so as the gesture match with the apparel, it might "
## [16703] "seem, a wanton modesty, an enticing soberness. Each of them "
## [16704] "had an instrument of music in their hands, which comforting their "
## [16705] "well-pleasing tunes, did charge each ear with unsensibleness that "
## [16706] "did not lend itself unto them. The music entering alone into the "
## [16707] "lodge, the ladies were all desirous to see from whence so pleasant "
## [16708] "a guest was come : and therefore went out together, where before "
## [16709] "they could take the pains to doubt, much less to ask the question "
## [16710] "of their quality, the fairest of them (with a gay, but yet discreet "
## [16711] "demeanour) in this sort spoke to them. "
## [16712] ""
## [16713] "\" Most excellent ladies (whose excellencies have power to make "
## [16714] "cities envy those woods, and solitariness to be accounted the "
## [16715] "sweetest company) vouchsafe our message your gracious hearing, "
## [16716] "which as it comes from love, so comes it from lovely persons. "
## [16717] "The maids of all this coast of Arcadia, understanding the often "
## [16718] ""
## [16719] ""
## [16720] ""
## [16721] "fiooKin.l ARCADIA 305 "
## [16722] ""
## [16723] "access that certain shepherds of those quarters are allowed to have "
## [16724] "in this forbidden place, and that their rural sports are not disdained "
## [16725] "of you, have been stirred up with emulation to them, and affection "
## [16726] "to you, to bring forth something, which might as well breed your "
## [16727] "contentment: and therefore hoping that the goodness of their "
## [16728] "intention, and the hurtlessness of their sex, shall excuse the breach "
## [16729] "of the commandment in coming to this place unsent for, they chose "
## [16730] "out us to invite both your princely parents, and yourselves to a "
## [16731] "place in the woods about half a mile hence, where they have "
## [16732] "provided some such sports, as they trust your gracious acceptations "
## [16733] "will interpret to be delightful. We have been at the other lodge, "
## [16734] "but finding them there busied in weightier affairs, our trust is that "
## [16735] "you will not deny the shining of your eyes upon us. The ladies "
## [16736] "stood in some doubt whether they should go or not, lest Basilius "
## [16737] "might be angry withal : But Miso (that had been at none of the "
## [16738] "pastorals, and had a great desire to lead her old senses abroad to "
## [16739] "some pleasure) told them plainly, they should nor will, nor choose, "
## [16740] "but go thither, and make the honest country people know that "
## [16741] "they were not so squeamish as folks thought of them. The ladies "
## [16742] "glad to be warranted by her authority, with a smiling humbleness "
## [16743] "obeyed her; Pamela only casting a seeking look, whether she "
## [16744] "could see Dorus (who poor wretch wandered half mad for sorrow "
## [16745] "in the woods, crying for pardon of her who could not hear him) "
## [16746] "but indeed was grieved for his absence, having given the wound "
## [16747] "to him through her own heart. But so the three ladies and Miso "
## [16748] "went with those six Nymphs, conquering the length of the way "
## [16749] "with the force of music, leaving only Mopsa behind, who disgraced "
## [16750] "weeping with her countenance, because her mother would not "
## [16751] "suffer her to show her new scoured face among them. But the "
## [16752] "place appointed, as they thought, rnet them half in their way; so "
## [16753] "well were they pleased with the sweet tunes and pretty conversa- "
## [16754] "tion of their inviters. There found they in the midst of the thickest "
## [16755] "part of the wood, a little square place, not burdened with trees, "
## [16756] "but with a board covered and beautified with the pleasantgst "
## [16757] "fruits that sun-burned Autumn could deliver to them. The maids "
## [16758] "besought the ladies to sit down and taste of the swelling grapes, "
## [16759] "which seemed great with child of Bacchus : and of the divers "
## [16760] "coloured plums, which gave the eye a\" pleasant taste before they "
## [16761] "came to the mouth. The ladies would not show to scorn their "
## [16762] "provision; but ate and' drank a little of their cool wine, which "
## [16763] ""
## [16764] "seemed to laugh for joy to come to such lips, ' ■ -'■ ' "
## [16765] ""
## [16766] "But after the collation was ended, and' that they footed for the "
## [16767] "commg forth of such devices as were prepared fof them, there "
## [16768] "rushed out of the woods twenty armed men, who round about "
## [16769] "environed them, and laying hold on Zelmane before she could "
## [16770] ""
## [16771] "u "
## [16772] ""
## [16773] ""
## [16774] ""
## [16775] "306 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [16776] ""
## [16777] "draw her sword, and taking it from her, put hoods over the heads "
## [16778] "of all four, and so muffled, by force set them on horse-back, and "
## [16779] "carried them away ; the sisters crying in vain for succour, while "
## [16780] "Zelmane's heart was rent in pieces with rage of the injury and "
## [16781] "disdain of her fortune. But when they had carried them four or "
## [16782] "five miles further, they left Miso with a gag in her mouth, and "
## [16783] "bound hand and foot, so to take her fortune ; and brought the "
## [16784] "three ladies (by that time the night seemed with her silence to "
## [16785] "conspire to their treason) to a castle about ten miles from the "
## [16786] "lodges, where they were fain to take a boat which waited for them, "
## [16787] "for the castle stood in the midst of a great lake upon a high rock, "
## [16788] "where partly by art, but principally by nature, it was by all men "
## [16789] "esteemed impregnable. But at the castle-gate their faces were "
## [16790] "discovered, and there were met with a great number of torches, "
## [16791] "after whom the sisters knew their aunt-in-law Cecropia. But that "
## [16792] "sight increased the deadly terror of the princesses, looking for "
## [16793] "nothing but death, since they were in the power of the wicked "
## [16794] "Cecropia, who yet came unto them, making courtesy the outside of "
## [16795] "mischief, and desiring them not to be discomforted for they were "
## [16796] "in a place dedicated to their service. Philoclea (with a look where "
## [16797] "love shined through the midst of fear) besought her to be good "
## [16798] "unto them, having never deserved evil of her. But Pamela's "
## [16799] "high heart disdaining humbleness to injury, \"Aunt,\" said she, "
## [16800] "\" what you have determined of us I pray you do it speedily ; for "
## [16801] "njy part I look for no service, where I find violence.\" "
## [16802] ""
## [16803] ". But Cecropia, using no more words with them, conveyed them "
## [16804] "all three to several lodgings (Zelmane's heart so swelling with spite "
## [16805] "that she could not bring forth a word) and so left them ; first taking "
## [16806] "from them their knives, because they should do themselves no "
## [16807] "hurt, before she had determined of them : and then giving such "
## [16808] "order that they wanted nothing but liberty and comfort, she went "
## [16809] "to her son, who yet kept his bed, because of his wound he had "
## [16810] "received of Zelmane, and told him whom now he had in his power. "
## [16811] "Amphialus was but even then returned from far countries where he "
## [16812] "had won immortal fame both of courage and courtesy, when he met "
## [16813] "with the princesses, and was hurt by Zelmane, so that he was utterly "
## [16814] "ignorant of all his mother's wicked devices, to which he would never "
## [16815] "have consented, being (like a rose out of a briar) an excellent son "
## [16816] "of an evil mother ■ and now, when he heard of this, was as much "
## [16817] "amazed as if he had seen the sun fall to the earth. And therefore "
## [16818] "desired his mother that she would tell him the whole discourse, "
## [16819] "how 3.11 these matters had happened. \" Son,\" said she, \" I will do "
## [16820] "it willingly, and since all is done for you I will hide nothing from "
## [16821] "you. And howsoever I might be ashamed to tell it to strangers who "
## [16822] "would think it wickedness, yet what is done for your sake (how evil "
## [16823] ""
## [16824] ""
## [16825] ""
## [16826] "BOOK 111.] ARCADIA 307 "
## [16827] ""
## [16828] "soever to others) to you is virtue. To begin then even with the "
## [16829] "beginning ; this doting fool Basilius that now reigns, having lived "
## [16830] "unmarried until he was nigh threescore years old (and in all his "
## [16831] "speeches affirming, and in all his doings, assuring that he never "
## [16832] "would marry) made all the eyes of this country to be bent upon "
## [16833] "your father, his only brother (but younger by thirty years) as upon "
## [16834] "the undoubted successor, being indeed a man worthy to reign, "
## [16835] "thinking nothing enough for himself: where this goose (you see) "
## [16836] "puts down his head, before there be anything near to touch him. "
## [16837] "So that he holding place and estimation as heir of Arcadia, obtained "
## [16838] "me of my father the king of Argos, his brother helping to the "
## [16839] "conclusion, with protesting his bachelorly intentions, for else you "
## [16840] "may be sure the king of Argos, nor his daughter, would have "
## [16841] "suffered their royal blood to be stained with the base name of a "
## [16842] "subjection. So that I came into this country as apparent princess "
## [16843] "thereof, and accordingly was courted and followed of all the ladies "
## [16844] "of this country. My port and pomp did well become a king of "
## [16845] "Argos's daughter : in my presence their tongues were turned into "
## [16846] "ears, and their ears were captives unto my tongue ; their eyes "
## [16847] "admired my majesty, and happy was he or she, on whom I would "
## [16848] "suffer the beams thereof to fall. Did I go to church ? It seemed "
## [16849] "the very gods waited for me, their devotions not being solemnized "
## [16850] "till I was ready. Did I walk abroad to see any delight ? Nay, "
## [16851] "my walking was the delight itself : for to it was the concourse, one "
## [16852] "thrusting upon another, who might show himself most diligent and "
## [16853] "serviceable towards me : my sleeps were enquired after, and my "
## [16854] "wakings never unsaluted : the very gate of my house full of "
## [16855] "principal persons, who were glad if their presents had received a "
## [16856] "grateful acceptation. And in this felicity wert thou born, the very "
## [16857] "earth submitting itself unto thee to be trodden as by his prince ; "
## [16858] "and to that pass had my husband's virtue (by my good help) within "
## [16859] "short time brought it, with a plot we laid, as we should not have "
## [16860] "needed to have waited the tedious work of a natural end of Basilius, "
## [16861] "when the heavens (I think envying my great felicity) then stopped "
## [16862] "thy father's breath, when he breathed nothing but power and "
## [16863] "sovereignty. Yet did not thy orphancy, or my widowhood, deprive "
## [16864] "us of the delightful prospect which the hill of honour doth yield, "
## [16865] "while expectation of thy succession did bind dependencies unto us. "
## [16866] "\"But before, my son, thou wert come to the age to feel the "
## [16867] "sweetness of authority, this beast (whom I can never name with "
## [16868] "patience) falsely and fooUshly married this Gynecia, then a young "
## [16869] "girl, and brought her to sit above me in all feasts, to turn her "
## [16870] "shoulder to me-ward in all our solemnities. It is certain it is not "
## [16871] "so great a spite to be surmounted by strangers as by one's own "
## [16872] "allies. Think then what my mind was, since withal there is no "
## [16873] ""
## [16874] ""
## [16875] ""
## [16876] "368 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [16877] ""
## [16878] "question, the fall is greater from the first to the second, than from "
## [16879] "the second to the undermost. The rage did swell in my heart so "
## [16880] "much the more as it was fain to be suppressed in silence, and "
## [16881] "disguised with humbleness. But above all the rest, the grief of "
## [16882] "griefs was, when with these two daughters, now thy prisoners, she "
## [16883] "cut off all hope of thy succession. It was a tedious thing to me "
## [16884] "that my eyes should look lower than anybody's, that (myself being "
## [16885] "by) another's voice than mine should be more respected. But it "
## [16886] "was unsupportable unto me to think that not only I, but thou, "
## [16887] "should'st spend all thy time in such misery, and that the sun should "
## [16888] "see my eldest son less than a prince. And though I had been a "
## [16889] "saint I could not choose, finding the change this change of fortune "
## [16890] "bred unto me : for now from the multitude of followers, silence "
## [16891] "grew to be at my gate, and absence in my presence. The guess "
## [16892] "of my mind could prevail more before than now many of my earnest "
## [16893] "requests. And thou (my dear son) by the fickle multitude no more "
## [16894] "than an ordinary person (born of the mud of the people) regarded. "
## [16895] "But I (remembering that in all miseries weeping becomes fools, and "
## [16896] "practice wise folks) have tried divers means to pull us out of the "
## [16897] "mire of subjection. And though many times fortune failed me, yet "
## [16898] "did I never fail myself. Wild beasts I kept in a cave hard by the "
## [16899] "lodges, which I caused by night to be fed in the place of their "
## [16900] "pastorals. I as then living in my house hard by the place, and "
## [16901] "against the hour they were to meet (having kept the beasts without "
## [16902] "meat) then let them loose, knowing that they would seek their food "
## [16903] "there, and devour what they found. But blind fortune hating sharp "
## [16904] "sighted inventions, made them unluckily to be killed. After I used "
## [16905] "my servant Clinias to stir a notable tumult of country people ; but "
## [16906] "those louts were too gross instruments for delicate conceits. Now "
## [16907] "lastly, finding Philanax's examinations grow dangerous, I thought "
## [16908] "to play double or quit, and with a slight I used of my fine-witted "
## [16909] "wench Artesia, with other maids of mine, would have sent those "
## [16910] "goodly inheritrixes of Arcadia to have pleaded their cause before "
## [16911] "Pluto, but that over fortunately for them, you made me know the "
## [16912] "last day how vehemently this childish passion of love doth torment "
## [16913] "you. Therefore I have brought them unto you, yet wishing rather "
## [16914] "hate than love in you. For hate often begetteth victory, love "
## [16915] "commonly is the instrument of subjection. It is true that I would "
## [16916] "also by the same practice have entrapped the parents, but my "
## [16917] "maids failed of it, not daring to tarry long about it. But this "
## [16918] "sufficeth, since (these being taken away) you are the undoubted "
## [16919] "inheritor, and Basilius will not long over-live this loss.\" "
## [16920] ""
## [16921] "O mother,\" said Amphialus, \" speak not of doing them hurt, no "
## [16922] "more than to mine eyes, or my heart, or if I have anything more "
## [16923] "dear- than eyes or heart unto me. Let others find what sweetness "
## [16924] ""
## [16925] ""
## [16926] ""
## [16927] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 309 "
## [16928] ""
## [16929] "they will in ever fearing, because they ever are feared ; for my "
## [16930] "part, I will think myself highly entitled, if I may be once by "
## [16931] "Philoclea accepted for a servant.\" \"Well,\" said Cecropia, I "
## [16932] "would I had born you of my mind, as well as of my body, then "
## [16933] "should you not have sunk under those base weaknesses. But "
## [16934] "since you have tied your thoughts in so wilful a knot, it is happy "
## [16935] "my policy hath brought matters to such a pass that you may both "
## [16936] "enjoy affection, and upon that build your sovereignty.\" \" Alas !\" "
## [16937] "said Amphialus, \"my heart would fain yield you thanks for setting "
## [16938] "me in the way of felicity, but that fear kills them in me before they "
## [16939] "are fully born. For if Philoclea be displeased, how can I be "
## [16940] "pleased ? if she count it unkindness, shall I give tokens of kind- "
## [16941] "ness? perchance she condemns me of this action, and shall I triumph, "
## [16942] "perchance she drowns now the beauties I love with sorrowful tears, "
## [16943] "and where is then my rejoicing?\" \"You have reason,\" said "
## [16944] "Cecropia with a feigned gravity ; \" I will therefore send her away "
## [16945] "presently that her contentment may be recovered.\" \" No good "
## [16946] "mother,\" said Amphialus, \" since she is here, I would not for my "
## [16947] "life constrain presence, but rather would I die than consent to "
## [16948] "absence.\" \"Pretty intricate follies,\" said Cecropia, \"but get you "
## [16949] "up and see how you can prevail with her, while I go to the other "
## [16950] "sister. For after, we shall have our hands full to defend ourselves "
## [16951] "if Basilius hap to besiege us.\" But remembering herself she turned "
## [16952] "back and asked him what he would have done with Zelmane, since "
## [16953] "now he might be avenged of his hurt ? \" Nothing but honourably,\" "
## [16954] "answered Amphialus, \"having deserved no other of me, especially "
## [16955] "being (as I hear) greatly cherished of Philoclea, and therefore I "
## [16956] "could wish they were lodged together.\" \" O no,\" said Cecropia, "
## [16957] "\" company confirms resolutions, and loneliness breeds a weariness "
## [16958] "of one's thoughts, and so a sooner consenting to reasonable "
## [16959] "proffers.\" "
## [16960] ""
## [16961] "But Amphialus (taking of his mother Philoclea's knives, which "
## [16962] "he kept as a relic since she had worn them) got up, and calling for "
## [16963] "his richest apparel, nothing seemed sumptuous enough for his "
## [16964] "mistress's eyes ; and that which was costly, he feared was not "
## [16965] "dainty ; and though the invention were delicate, he misdoubted "
## [16966] "the making. As careful he was too of the colour ; lest if gay he "
## [16967] "might seem to glory in his injury, and her wrong ; if mourning, it "
## [16968] "might strike some evil presage unto her of her fortune. At length "
## [16969] "he took a garment more rich than glaring, the ground being black "
## [16970] "velvet, richly embroidered with great pearl, and precious stones, "
## [16971] "but they set so among certain tuffs of cypress that the cypress was "
## [16972] "like black clouds, through which the stars might yield a dark lustre. "
## [16973] "About his neck he wore a broad and gorgeous collar, whereof the "
## [16974] "pieces interchangeably answering, the one was of diamonds and "
## [16975] ""
## [16976] ""
## [16977] ""
## [16978] "310 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [16979] ""
## [16980] "pearl set with a white enamel, so that by the cunning of the "
## [16981] "workman it seemed like a shining ice ; and the other piece being "
## [16982] "of rubies and opals, had a fiery glistering, which he thought "
## [16983] "pictured the two passions of fear and desire, wherein he was "
## [16984] "enchained. His hurt, not yet fully well, made him a little halt, "
## [16985] "but he strove to give the best grace he could unto his halting. "
## [16986] ""
## [16987] "And in- that sort he went to Philoclea's chamber : whom he "
## [16988] "found (because her chamber was over-lightsome) sitting on that "
## [16989] "side of her bed which was from the window, which did cast such "
## [16990] "a shadow upon her as a good painter would bestow upon Venus, "
## [16991] "when under the trees she bewailed the murder of Adonis : her "
## [16992] "hands and fingers (as it were) indented one within the other ; "
## [16993] "her shoulder leaning to her beds head, and over her head a scarf, "
## [16994] "which did eclipse almost half her eyes, which under it fixed their "
## [16995] "beams upon the wall by, with so steady a manner, as if in that "
## [16996] "place they might well change but not mend their object : and "
## [16997] "so remained they a good while after his coming in, he not daring "
## [16998] "to trouble her, nor she perceiving him, till that (a Uttle varying "
## [16999] "her thoughts, something quickening her senses) she heard him "
## [17000] "as he happened to stir his upper garment : and perceiving him, "
## [17001] "rose up, with a demeanour, where, in the book of beauty, there "
## [17002] "was nothing to be read but sorrow ; for kindness was blotted out, "
## [17003] "and anger was never there. "
## [17004] ""
## [17005] "But Amphialus who had entrusted his memory with long and "
## [17006] "forcible speeches, found it so locked up in amazement that he "
## [17007] "could pick nothing out of it but the beseeching her to take what "
## [17008] "was done in good part, and to assure herself there was nothing "
## [17009] "but honour meant unto her person. But she making no other "
## [17010] "answer, but letting her hands fall one from the other, which before "
## [17011] "were joined (with eyes something cast aside, and a silent sigh) "
## [17012] "gave him to understand that considering his doings, she thought "
## [17013] "his speech as full of incongruity, as her answer would be void "
## [17014] "of purpose : whereupon he kneeling down, and kissing her hand "
## [17015] "(which she suffered with a countenance witnessing captivity, but "
## [17016] "not kindness) he besought her to have pity of him, whose love "
## [17017] "went beyond the bounds of conceit, much more of uttering : that "
## [17018] "in her hands the balance of his life or death did stand ; whereto "
## [17019] "the least motion of hers would serve to determine, she being "
## [17020] "indeed the mistress of his life, and he her eternal slave, and with "
## [17021] "true vehemency besought her that he might hear her speak ; "
## [17022] "whereupon she suffered her sweet breath to turn itself into these "
## [17023] "kind of words. "
## [17024] ""
## [17025] "\" Alas ! cousin,\" said she, \" what shall my tongue be able to do, "
## [17026] "which is informed by the ears one way, and by the eyes another? "
## [17027] "You call for pity, and use cruelty ; you say you love me, and yet do "
## [17028] ""
## [17029] ""
## [17030] ""
## [17031] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 311 "
## [17032] ""
## [17033] "the effects of enmity. You affirm your death is in my hands, but you • "
## [17034] "have brought me to so near a degree of death, as when you will, "
## [17035] "you may lay death upon me, so that while you say, I am mistress "
## [17036] "of your life, I am not mistress of mine own. You entitle yourself "
## [17037] "my slave, but I am sure I am yours. If then violence, injury, "
## [17038] "terror, and depriving of that which is more dear than life itself, "
## [17039] "liberty, be fit orators for affection, you may expect that I will be "
## [17040] "easily persuaded. But if the nearness of our kindred breed any "
## [17041] "remorse in you, or there be any such thing in you, which you "
## [17042] "call love toward me, then let not my fortune be disgraced with the "
## [17043] "name of imprisonment ; let not my heart waste itself by being "
## [17044] "vexed with feel ng evil, and fearing worse. Let not me be a cause "
## [17045] "of my parents' woeful destruction ; but restore me to myself, and "
## [17046] "so doing, I shall account I have received myself of you. And "
## [17047] "what I say for myself, I say for my dear sister, and my friend "
## [17048] "Zelmane, for I desire no well-being without they may be partakers.\" "
## [17049] "With that her tears rained down from her heavenly eyes, and "
## [17050] "seemed to water the sweet and beautiful flowers of her face. "
## [17051] ""
## [17052] "But Amphialus was like the poor woman, who loving a tame "
## [17053] "doe she had above all earthly things, having long played withal, "
## [17054] "and made it feed at her hand and lap, is constrained at length "
## [17055] "by famine, all her flock being spent, and she fallen into extreme "
## [17056] "poverty, to kill the deer to sustain her life. Many a pitiful look "
## [17057] "doth she cast upon it, and many a time doth she draw back her "
## [17058] "hand before she can give the stroke. For even so Amphialus "
## [17059] "by a hunger-starved affection, was compelled to offer this injury, "
## [17060] "and yet the same affection made him with a tormenting grief "
## [17061] "think unkindness in himself that he could find in his heart any "
## [17062] "way to restrain her freedom. But at length, neither able to grant "
## [17063] "nor deny, he thus answered her : \" Dear lady,\" said he, \" I will "
## [17064] "not say unto you (how justly soever I may do it) that I am neither "
## [17065] "author nor accessory unto this your withholding; for since I do "
## [17066] "not redress it, I am as faulty as if I had begun it. But this "
## [17067] "I protest unto you (and this protestation of mine let the heavens "
## [17068] "hear, and if I lie, let them answer me with a deadly thunderbolt) "
## [17069] "that in my soul I wish I had never seen the Ught, or rather, that "
## [17070] "I never had a father to beget such a child, than that by my means "
## [17071] "those eyes should overflow their own beauties ; than by my means "
## [17072] "the sky of your virtue should be overclouded with sorrow. But "
## [17073] "woe is me, most excellent lady, I find myself most willing to obey "
## [17074] "you : neither truly do mine ears receive the least word you speak, "
## [17075] "with any less reverence than as absolute and unresistable "
## [17076] "commandments. But alas, that tyrant love (which now possesseth "
## [17077] "the hold of all my life and reason) will no way suffer it. It is love, "
## [17078] "it is love, not I which disobey you. What then shall I say? "
## [17079] ""
## [17080] ""
## [17081] ""
## [17082] "312 ARCADIA [book III, "
## [17083] ""
## [17084] "but that I, who am ready to lie under your feet, to venture, nay "
## [17085] "to lose my life at your least commandment : I am not the stay "
## [17086] "of your freedom, but love, love, which ties you in your own knots. "
## [17087] "It is you yourself that imprison yourself: it is your beauty which "
## [17088] "makes those castle walls embrace you : it is your own eyes which "
## [17089] "reflect upon themselves this injury. Then is there no other "
## [17090] "remedy, but that you some way vouchsafe to satisfy this love's "
## [17091] "vehemency ; which since it grew in yourself) without question "
## [17092] "you shall find it (far more than I) tractable.\" "
## [17093] ""
## [17094] "But with these words Philoclea fell to so extreme a quaking, "
## [17095] "and her lively whiteness did degenerate to such a deadly paleness "
## [17096] "that Amphialus feared some dangerous trance : so that taking "
## [17097] "her hand, and feeling that it (which was wont to be one of the "
## [17098] "chief firebrands of Cupid) had all the sense of it wrapt up in "
## [17099] "coldness, he began humbly to beseech her to put away all fear, "
## [17100] "and to assure herself upon the vow he made thereof unto God, "
## [17101] "and herself, that the uttermost forces he would ever employ "
## [17102] "to conquer her affection, should be desire and desert. That "
## [17103] "promise brought Philoclea again to herself, so that slowly lifting "
## [17104] "up her eyes upon him, with a countenance ever courteous, but "
## [17105] "then languishing, she told him that he should do well to do so, "
## [17106] "if indeed he had ever tasted what true love was : for that where "
## [17107] "now she did bear him goodwill, she should (if he took any other "
## [17108] "way) hate and abhor the very thought of him, assuring him withal, "
## [17109] "that though his mother had taken away her knives, yet the house "
## [17110] "of death had so many doors that she would easily fly into it if ever "
## [17111] "she found her honour endangered. "
## [17112] ""
## [17113] "Amphialus having the cold ashes of care cast upon the coals "
## [17114] "of desire, leaving some of his mother's gentlewomen to wait upon "
## [17115] "Philoclea, himself indeed a prisoner to his prisoner, and making "
## [17116] "all his authority to be but a foot-stool to hmnbleness, went from "
## [17117] "her to his mother. To whom with words, which affection indited, "
## [17118] "but amazement uttered, he delivered what had passed between "
## [17119] "him and Philoclea, beseeching her to try what her persuasions "
## [17120] "could do with her, while he gave order for all such things as were "
## [17121] "necessary against such forces, as he looked daily Basilius would "
## [17122] "bring before his castle. His mother bade him quiet himself, for "
## [17123] "she doubted not to take fit times : But that the best way was, "
## [17124] "first to let her own passion tire itself. "
## [17125] ""
## [17126] "So they called Clinias and some other of their council, advised "
## [17127] "upon their present affairs. First, he dispatched private letters to "
## [17128] "all those principal lords and gentlemen of the country whom he "
## [17129] "thought either alliance, or friendship to himself might draw, with "
## [17130] "special motion from the general consideration of duty : not "
## [17131] "omitting all such, whom either youthful age, or youthlike minds "
## [17132] ""
## [17133] ""
## [17134] ""
## [17135] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 313 "
## [17136] ""
## [17137] "did fill with unlimited desires : besides such whom any discontent- "
## [17138] "ment made hungry of change, or an overspended want, made "
## [17139] "want a civil war : to each (according to the counsel of his mother) "
## [17140] "conforming himself after their humours. To his friend, "
## [17141] "friendliness ; to the ambitious, great expectations ; to the "
## [17142] "displeased, revenge ; to the greedy, spoil ; wrapping their hopes "
## [17143] "with such cunning that they rather seemed given over unto them "
## [17144] "as partakers, than promises sprung of necessity. Then sent he "
## [17145] "to his mother's brother, the king of Argos ; but he was then "
## [17146] "so over laid with war himself as from thence he could attend "
## [17147] "small succour. "
## [17148] ""
## [17149] "But because he knew how violently rumours do blow the sails "
## [17150] "of popular judgments, and how few there be that can discern "
## [17151] "between truth arid truth likeness, between shows and substance, "
## [17152] "he caused a justification of this his action to be written, whereof "
## [17153] "were sowed* abroad many copies, which with some glosses of "
## [17154] "probability, might hide indeed the foulness of his treason ; and "
## [17155] "from true common places, fetch down most false applications. "
## [17156] "For beginning in how much the duty which is owed to the country, "
## [17157] "goes beyond all other duties, since in itself it contains them all ; "
## [17158] "and that for the respect thereof, not only all tender respects "
## [17159] "of kindred, or whatsoever other friendships, are to be laid aside, "
## [17160] "but that even long-held opinions (rather builded upon a secret "
## [17161] "of government than any ground of truth) are to be forsaken ; he "
## [17162] "fell by degrees to show that since the end whereto anything is "
## [17163] "directed is ever to be of more noble reckoning, than the thing "
## [17164] "thereto directed, that therefore the weal-public was more to be "
## [17165] "regarded than any person or magistrate that thereunto was "
## [17166] "ordained: the feeling consideration whereof had moved him "
## [17167] "(though as near of kin to Basilius as could be, yet) to set "
## [17168] "principally before his eyes, the good estate of so many thousands "
## [17169] "over whom Basilius reigned, rather than so to hood-wink himself "
## [17170] "with affection, as to suffer the realm to run to manifest ruin. "
## [17171] "The care whereof did kindly appertain to those who being "
## [17172] "subaltern magistrates and officers of the crown, were to be "
## [17173] "employed, as from the prince, so for the people ; and of all other, "
## [17174] "especially himself, who being descended of the royal race, and "
## [17175] "next heir male, nature had no sooner opened his eyes, but that "
## [17176] "the soil whereupon they did look, was to look for at his hands "
## [17177] "a continual carefulness : which as from his childhood he had ever "
## [17178] "carried, so now finding that his uncle had not only given over "
## [17179] "all care of government, but had put into the hands of Philanax "
## [17180] "(a man neither in birth comparable to many, nor for his corrupt, "
## [17181] "proud, and partial dealing, liked of any) but beside, had set hi? "
## [17182] "*i>. Scattered. "
## [17183] ""
## [17184] ""
## [17185] ""
## [17186] "314 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [17187] ""
## [17188] "daughters, in whom the whole estate, as next heirs thereunto, had "
## [17189] "no less interest than himself, in so unfit and ill guarded a place, "
## [17190] "that it were not only dangerous for their persons, but (if they "
## [17191] "should be conveyed to any foreign country) to the whole common- "
## [17192] "wealth pernicious, that therefore he had brought them into this "
## [17193] "strong castle of his, which way, if it might seem strange, they "
## [17194] "were to consider that new necessities required new remedies, "
## [17195] "but there they should be served and honoured as belonged to "
## [17196] "their greatness until by the general assembly of the states it "
## [17197] "should be determined how they should to their best (both private "
## [17198] "and public) advantage be matched ; vowing all faith and duty "
## [17199] "both to the father and children, never by him to be violated. But "
## [17200] "if in the meantime, before the states could be assembled, he "
## [17201] "should be assailed, he would then for his own defence take arms ; "
## [17202] "desiring all that either tendered the dangerous case of their "
## [17203] "country, or in their hearts loved justice, to defend him in this "
## [17204] "just action. And if the prince should command them otherwise, "
## [17205] "yet to know that therein he was no more to be obeyed than if he "
## [17206] "should call for poison to hurt himself withal : since all that was "
## [17207] "done, was done for his service, howsoever he might (seduced by "
## [17208] "Philanax) interpret of it : he protesting that whatsoever he should "
## [17209] "do for his own defence, should be against Philanax, and no way "
## [17210] "against Basilius. "
## [17211] ""
## [17212] "To this effect, amplified with arguments and examples, and "
## [17213] "painted with rhetorical colours, did he sow* abroad many "
## [17214] "discourses, which as they prevailed with some of more quick than "
## [17215] "sound conceit to run his fortune with him, so in many did it breed "
## [17216] "a coolness, to deal violently against him, and a false-minded "
## [17217] "neutrality to expect the issue. But besides the ways he used to "
## [17218] "weaken the adverse party, he omitted nothing for the strengthening "
## [17219] "of his own. The chief trust whereof, because he wanted men to "
## [17220] "keep the field, he reposed in the surety of his castle, which at least "
## [17221] "would win him much time, the mother of many mutations. To "
## [17222] "that therefore he bent both his outward and inward eyes, striving "
## [17223] "to make art strive with nature, to whether of them two that "
## [17224] "fortification should be most beholding. The seat nature bestowed "
## [17225] "but art gave the building ; which as his rocky hardness would not "
## [17226] "yield to undermining force, so to open assaults he took counsel of "
## [17227] "skill how to make all approaches, if not impossible, yet difficult ; "
## [17228] "as well at the foot of the castle, as round about the lake, to give "
## [17229] "unquiet lodgings to them, whom only enmity would make "
## [17230] "neighbours. Then omitted he nothing of defence, as well simple "
## [17231] "defence as that which did defend by offending, fitting instruments "
## [17232] "of mischief to places whence the mischief might be roost liberally "
## [17233] ""
## [17234] "* z!.f. Spread. "
## [17235] ""
## [17236] ""
## [17237] ""
## [17238] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 315 "
## [17239] ""
## [17240] "bestowed. Neither was his smallest care for victuals, as well for "
## [17241] "the providing that which should suffice, both in store and goodness, "
## [17242] "as in well preserving it, and wary distributing it, both in quantity "
## [17243] "and quality, spending that first which would keep least. "
## [17244] ""
## [17245] "But wherein he shai-pened his wits to the piercingest point, was "
## [17246] "touching his men (knowing them to be the weapon of weapons, "
## [17247] "and master-spring, as it were, which makes all the rest to stir : "
## [17248] "and that therefore in the art of man stood the quintessence and "
## [17249] "ruling skill of all prosperous government, either peaceable or "
## [17250] "military) he chose in number as many as without pestering (and "
## [17251] "so danger of infection) his victual would serve for two years to "
## [17252] "maintain ; all of able bodies, and some few of able minds to direct, "
## [17253] "not seeking many commanders, but contenting himself that the "
## [17254] "multitude should have obeying wits, everyone knowing whom he "
## [17255] "should command, and whom he should obey, the place where, and "
## [17256] "the matter wherein ; distributing each office as near as he could, "
## [17257] "to the disposition of the person that should exercise it : knowing "
## [17258] "no love, danger nor discipline can suddenly alter an habit in "
## [17259] "nature. Therefore would he not emply the still man to a shifting "
## [17260] "practice, nor the liberal man to be a dispenser of his victuals, nor "
## [17261] "the kind-hearted man to be a punisher ; but would exercise their "
## [17262] "virtues in sorts, where they might be profitable, employing his "
## [17263] "chief care to know them all particularly, and thoroughly regarding "
## [17264] "also the constitution of their bodies ; some being able better to "
## [17265] "abide watching, some hunger, some labour, making his benefit of "
## [17266] "each ability, and not forcing beyond power. Time to everything "
## [17267] "by just proportion he allotted, and as well in that, as in everything "
## [17268] "else, no small error winked at, lest greater should be animated. "
## [17269] "Even of vices he made his profit, making the cowardly CHnias to "
## [17270] "have care of the watch, which he knew his own fear would make "
## [17271] "him very wakefully perform. And before the siege began, he "
## [17272] "himself caused rumours to be sowed, and libels to be spread "
## [17273] "against himself, fuller of malice than witty persuasion, partly to "
## [17274] "know those that would be apt to stumble at such motions, that he "
## [17275] "might call them from the faithfuUer band, but principally, because "
## [17276] "m necessity they should not know when any such things were in "
## [17277] "earnest attempted, whether it were, or not of his own invention. "
## [17278] "But even tlien (before the enemies face came near to breed any "
## [17279] "terror) did he exercise his men daily in all their charges, as if "
## [17280] "danger had presently presented his most hideous presence- "
## [17281] "himself rather mstructing by example than precept ; being neither "
## [17282] "more sparmg in travel, nor spending in diet than the meanest "
## [17283] "soldier; his hand and body disdaining no base matters nor "
## [17284] "shrinking from the heavy. "
## [17285] ""
## [17286] "The only odds was, that when others took breath, he sighed; "
## [17287] ""
## [17288] ""
## [17289] ""
## [17290] "3i6 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [17291] ""
## [17292] "and when others rested, he crossed his arms. For love passing "
## [17293] "through the pikes of danger, and tumbling itself in the dust of "
## [17294] "labour, yet still made him remember his sweet desire and beautiful "
## [17295] "image. Often when he had begun to command one, somewhat "
## [17296] "before half the sentence were ended, his inward guest did so "
## [17297] "entertain him that he lyould break it off, and a pretty while after "
## [17298] "end it, when he had (to the marvel of the standers by) sent himself "
## [17299] "to talk with his own thoughts. Sometimes when his hand was "
## [17300] "lifted up to do something, as if with the sight of Gorgon's head he "
## [17301] "had been suddenly turned into a stone, so would he there abide "
## [17302] "with his eyes planted, and hands lifted, till at length coming to "
## [17303] "the use of himself, he would look about whether any had perceived "
## [17304] "him ; then he would accuse, and in himself condemn all those wits "
## [17305] "that durst affirm idleness to be the well-spring of love. \" O,\" "
## [17306] "would he say, \" all you that affect the title of wisdom by ungrateful "
## [17307] "scorning the ornaments of nature, am I now piping in a shadow ? "
## [17308] "Or do slothful feathers now enwrap me? Is not hate before me, "
## [17309] "and doubt behind me ? Is not danger of the one side, and shame "
## [17310] "of the other ? And do I not stand upon pain and travail, and yet "
## [17311] "over all, my affection triumphs? The more I stir about urgent "
## [17312] "affairs, the more methinks the very stirring breeds a breath to "
## [17313] "blow the coals of my love ; the more I exercise my thoughts, the "
## [17314] "more they increase the appetite of my desires. O sweet Philoclea "
## [17315] "(with that he would cast up his eyes, wherein some water did "
## [17316] "appear, as if they would wash themselves against they should see "
## [17317] "her) thy heavenly face is my astronomy ; thy sweet virtue, my "
## [17318] "sweet philosophy ; let me profit therein, and farewell all other "
## [17319] "cogitations. But alas ! my mind misgives me, for your planets "
## [17320] "bear a contrary aspect unto me. Woe, woe is me, they threaten "
## [17321] "my destruction ; and whom do they threaten this destruction ? "
## [17322] "even him that loves them ; and by what means will they destroy, "
## [17323] "but by loving them? O dear, though killing, eyes, shall death "
## [17324] "head his dart with the gold of Cupid's arrow? shall death take "
## [17325] "his aim from the rest of beauty? O beloved, though hating, "
## [17326] "Philoclea, how, if thou be'st merciful, hath cruelty stolen into thee ? "
## [17327] "or how, if thou be'st cruel, doth cruelty look more beautiful than "
## [17328] "ever mercy did ? or alas ! is it my destiny that makes mercy cruel ; "
## [17329] "like an evil vessel which turns sweet liquor to sourness ? so when "
## [17330] "thy grace falls upon me, my wretched constitution makes it become "
## [17331] "fierceness.\" Thus would he exercise his eloquence when she "
## [17332] "could not hear him, and be dumb-stricken when her presence gave "
## [17333] "him fit occasion of speaking : so that his wit could find out no "
## [17334] "other refuge but the comfort and counsel of his mother, desiring "
## [17335] "her, whose thoughts were unperplexed, to use for his sake the "
## [17336] "most prevailing manners of intei'cessioja. "
## [17337] ""
## [17338] ""
## [17339] ""
## [17340] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 3^7 "
## [17341] ""
## [17342] "She seeing her son's safety depend thereon, though her pride "
## [17343] "much disdained the name of a desirer, took the charge upon her, "
## [17344] "not doubting the easy conquest of an unexpert virgin, who had "
## [17345] "already with subtilty and impudency begun to undermine a "
## [17346] "monarchy. Therefore weighing Philoclea's resolutions by the "
## [17347] "counterpoise of her own youthful thoughts, which she then called "
## [17348] "to mind, she doubted not at least to make Philoclea to receive the "
## [17349] "poison distilled in sweet liquor which she with little disguising had "
## [17350] "drank up thirstily. Therefore she went softly to Philoclea's "
## [17351] "chamber, and peeping through the side of the door, then being a "
## [17352] "little open, she saw Philoclea sitting low upon a cushion in such a "
## [17353] "given-over manner, that one would have thought silence, solitari- "
## [17354] "ness, and melancholy were come there under the ensign of mishap, "
## [17355] "to conquer delight, and drive him from his natural seat of beauty : "
## [17356] "her tears came dropping down like rain in sunshine, and she not "
## [17357] "taking heed to wipe the tears, they hung upon her cheeks and lips "
## [17358] "as upon cherries which the dropping tree bedeweth. In the "
## [17359] "dressing of her hair and apparel, she might see neither a careful "
## [17360] "art, nor an art of carelessness, but even left to a neglected chance, "
## [17361] "which yet could no more unperfect her perfections than a die any "
## [17362] "way cast could lose i.ts squareness. "
## [17363] ""
## [17364] "■ Cecropia, stirred with no other pity but for her son, came in, and "
## [17365] "hailing kindness into her countenance, \" What ails this sweet lady,\" "
## [17366] "said she, \" will you mar so good eyes with weeping ? shall tears "
## [17367] "take away the beauty of that complexion which the women of "
## [17368] "Arcadia wish for, and the men long after? Fie of this peevish "
## [17369] "sadness ; insooth it is untimely for your age. Look upon your own "
## [17370] "body and see whether it deserve to pine away with sorrow : see "
## [17371] "whether you will have these hands (with that she took one of her "
## [17372] "hands, and kissing it, looked upon it as if she were enamoured "
## [17373] "with it) fade from their whiteness which makes one desire to touch "
## [17374] "them ; and their softness, which rebounds again a desire to look on "
## [17375] "them, and become dry, lean and yellow, and make everybody "
## [17376] "wonder at the change, and say, that sure you had used some art "
## [17377] "before, which now you had left ; for if the beauties had been "
## [17378] "natural, they would never so soon have been blemished. Take a "
## [17379] "glass, and see whether those tears become your eyes : although "
## [17380] "I must confess, those eyes are able to make tears comely.\" \" Alas ! "
## [17381] "■madam,\" answered Philoclea, •' I know not whether my tears "
## [17382] "become my eyes, but I am sure my eyes thus beteared, become "
## [17383] "my fortune.\" \" Your fortune,\" said Cecropia, \" if she could see to "
## [17384] "attire herself, she would put on her best raiments. For I see, and "
## [17385] "I see it with grief, and (to tell you true) unkindness, you misconstrue "
## [17386] "everything that only for your sake is attempted. You think you "
## [17387] "are ofTended, and are, indeed, defended : you esteem yourself a "
## [17388] ""
## [17389] ""
## [17390] ""
## [17391] "3i8 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [17392] ""
## [17393] "prisoner, and are, in truth, a mistress ; you fear hate, and shall "
## [17394] "find love. And truly, I had a thing to say unto you, but it is no "
## [17395] "matter since I find you are so obstinately melancholy as that you "
## [17396] "woo his fellowship, I will spare my pains, and hold my peace : \" "
## [17397] "and so stayed indeed, thinking Philoclea would have had a female "
## [17398] "inquisitiveness of the matter. But she, who rather wished to "
## [17399] "unknow what she knew than to burden her heart with more "
## [17400] "hopeless knowledge, only desired her to have pity of her, and if, "
## [17401] "indeed, she did mean her no hurt, then to grant her liberty ; "
## [17402] "for else the very grief and fear would prove her unappointed "
## [17403] "executioners. "
## [17404] ""
## [17405] "\" For that,\" said Cecropia, \" believe me upon the faith of a king's "
## [17406] "daughter, you shall be free, so soon as your freedom may be free "
## [17407] "of mortal danger, being brought hither for no other cause, but to "
## [17408] "prevent such mischiefs as you know not of. But if you think, "
## [17409] "indeed, to win me to have care of you, even as of mine own "
## [17410] "daughter, then lend your ears unto me, and let not your mind arm "
## [17411] "itself with a wilfulness to be flexible to nothing. But if I speak reason, "
## [17412] "let reason have his due reward, persuasion. \" Then sweet niece,\" "
## [17413] "said she, \" I pray you pre-suppose, that now, even in the midst of "
## [17414] "your agonies, which you paint unto yourself most horrible, wishing "
## [17415] "with sighs, and praying with vows, for a soon and safe delivery : "
## [17416] "imagine niece (I say) that some heavenly spirit should appear unto "
## [17417] "you, and bid you follow him through the door that goes into the "
## [17418] "garden, assuring you that you should thereby return to your dear "
## [17419] "mother, and what other delights soever your mind esteems delights, "
## [17420] "would you (sweet niece) would you refuse to follow him, and say that "
## [17421] "if he led you not through the chief gate, you would not enjoy your "
## [17422] "over-desired liberty? Would you not drink the wine you thirst "
## [17423] "for, without it were in such a glass as you especially fancied ? Tell "
## [17424] "me (dear niece) but I will answer for you, because I know your "
## [17425] "reason and wit is such, as must needs conclude that such niceness "
## [17426] "can no more be in you, to disgrace such a mind, than disgraceful- "
## [17427] "ness can have any place in so faultless a beauty. Your wisdom "
## [17428] "would assuredly determine how the mark were hit, not whether the "
## [17429] "bow were of yew or no, wherein you shot. If this be so, and thus "
## [17430] "sure (my dear niece) it is, then, I pray you, imagine that I am "
## [17431] "that same good angel, who grieving in your grief, and, in truth, not "
## [17432] "able to suffer that bitter sighs should be sent forth with so sweet a "
## [17433] "breath, am come to lead you, not only to your desired and imagined "
## [17434] "happiness, but to a true and essential happiness ; not only to "
## [17435] "liberty, but to liberty with commandment. The way I will show "
## [17436] "you ; which if it be not the gate builded hitherto in your private "
## [17437] "choice, yet shall it be a door to bring you through a garden of "
## [17438] "pleasures, as sweet as this life can bring forth ; nay rather, which "
## [17439] ""
## [17440] ""
## [17441] ""
## [17442] "BOOK III. J "
## [17443] ""
## [17444] ""
## [17445] ""
## [17446] "ARCADIA 319 "
## [17447] ""
## [17448] ""
## [17449] ""
## [17450] "makes this life to be a life : My son (let it be no blemish to him "
## [17451] "that I name him my son, who was your father's own nephew ; for "
## [17452] "you know I am no small king's daughter) my son, I say, far passing "
## [17453] "the nearness of his kindred with nearness of goodwill, and striving "
## [17454] "to match your matchless beauty with a matchless affection, doth "
## [17455] "by me present unto you the full enjoying of your liberty, so that "
## [17456] "with this gift you will accept a greater, which is, this castle, with "
## [17457] "all the rest which you know he hath in honourable quantity, and "
## [17458] "will confirm his gilt, and your receipt of both, with accepting him "
## [17459] "to be yours. I might say much both for the person and matter ; "
## [17460] "but who will cry out the sun shines ? It is so manifest a profit "
## [17461] "unto you, as the meanest judgment must straight apprehend it ; so "
## [17462] "far it is from the sharpness of yours, thereof to be ignorant. "
## [17463] "Therefore (sweet niece !) let your gratefulness be my intercession "
## [17464] "and your gentleness my eloquence, and let me carry comfort to a "
## [17465] "heart which greatly needs it.\" "
## [17466] ""
## [17467] "Philoclea looked upon her, and cast down her eye again : "
## [17468] "\" Aunt,\" said she, \" I would I could be so much a mistress of my "
## [17469] "own mind as to yield to my cousin's virtuous request ; for so I "
## [17470] "construe of it. But my heart is already set \" (and staying a while "
## [17471] "on that word, she brought forth afterwards) \" to lead a virgin's life "
## [17472] "to my death ; for such a vow I have in myself devoutly made.\" "
## [17473] "\" The heavens prevent such a mischief,\" said Cecropia. \" A vow, "
## [17474] "quoth you ? No, no, my dear niece, nature, when you were first "
## [17475] "born, vowed you a woman, and as she made you child of a mother, "
## [17476] "so to do your best to be mother of a child : She gave you beauty "
## [17477] "to move love ; she gave you wit to know love ; she gave you an "
## [17478] "excellent body to reward love ; which kind of liberal rewarding is "
## [17479] "crowned with an unspeakable felicity. For this, as it bindeth the "
## [17480] "receiver, so it makes happy the bestower. This doth not im- "
## [17481] "poverish, but enrich the giver. O the sweet name of a mother ! "
## [17482] ""
## [17483] "the comfort of comforts to see your children grow up, in whom "
## [17484] "you are, as it were, eternized ! if you could conceive what a heart- "
## [17485] "tickling joy it is to see your own little ones with awful love come "
## [17486] "running to your lap, and like little models of yourself still carry you "
## [17487] "about them, you would think unkindness in your own thoughts "
## [17488] "that ever they did rebel against the mean unto it. But perchance "
## [17489] ""
## [17490] "1 set this blessedness before your eyes, as captains do victory before "
## [17491] "their soldiers, to which they must come through many pains, griefs "
## [17492] "and dangers : No, I am content you shrink from this my counsel, "
## [17493] "if the way to come unto it be not most of all pleasant.\" \" I know "
## [17494] "not\" (answered the sweet Philoclea, fearing lest silence would "
## [17495] "offend for suUenness) \"what contentment you speak of; but I am "
## [17496] "sure the best you can make of it (which is marriage) is a burdenous "
## [17497] "yoke.\" \"Ah, dear niece,\" said Cecropia, \"how much you are "
## [17498] ""
## [17499] ""
## [17500] ""
## [17501] "320 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [17502] ""
## [17503] "deceived : A yoke, indeed, we all bear, laid upon us in our "
## [17504] "creation, which by marriage is not increased ; but thus far eased "
## [17505] "that you have a yoke fellow to help to draw through the cloddy "
## [17506] "cumbers of this world. O widow-nights, bear witness with me of "
## [17507] "the difference ! How often, alas ! do I embrace the orphan-side "
## [17508] "of my bed which was wont to be imprinted by the body of my dear "
## [17509] "husband, and with tears acknowledge that I now enjoy such a "
## [17510] "liberty as the banished man hath ; who may, if he list, wander "
## [17511] "over the world, but is for ever restrained from his most delightful "
## [17512] "home ? That I have now such a liberty as the sealed dove hath, "
## [17513] "which, being first deprived of eyes, is then by the falconer cast off : "
## [17514] "For believe me, niece, believe me, man's experience is woman's "
## [17515] "best eye-sight. Have you ever seen a pure rose-water kept in a "
## [17516] "crystal glass ? How fine it looks, how sweet it smells while that "
## [17517] "beautiful glass imprisons it ? Break the prison ; and let the water "
## [17518] "take its own course, doth it not embrace dust, and lose all its former "
## [17519] "sweetness and fairness ? Truly so are we, if we have not the stay, "
## [17520] "rather than the restraint of crystalline marriage. My heart melts "
## [17521] "to think of the sweet comforts I, in that happy time, received, when "
## [17522] "I had never cause to care, but the care was doubled : When I never "
## [17523] "rejoiced, but {hat I saw my joy shine in another's eyes. What shall "
## [17524] "I say of the free delight which the heart might embrace without the "
## [17525] "accusing of the inward conscience, or fear of outward shame? "
## [17526] "And is a solitary life as good as this ? Then can one string make "
## [17527] "as good music as a concert ; Then can one colour set forth a beauty. "
## [17528] "But it may be, the general consideration of marriage doth not so "
## [17529] "much mislike you, as the applying of it to him. He is my son, I "
## [17530] "must confess I see him with a mother's eyes, which if they do not "
## [17531] "much deceive me, he is no such one, over whom contempt may "
## [17532] "make a just challenge. He is comely, he is noble, he is rich ; but "
## [17533] "that which in itself should carry all comeliness, nobility and riches, "
## [17534] "he loves you ; and he loves you who is beloved of others. Drive "
## [17535] "not away his affection (sweet lady) and make no other lady here- "
## [17536] "after proudly brag that she hath robbed you of so faithful and "
## [17537] "notable a service.\" "
## [17538] ""
## [17539] "Philoclea heard some pieces of her speeches, not otherwise than "
## [17540] "one doth when a tedious prattler cumbers the hearing of a "
## [17541] "delightful music. For her thoughts had left her ears in that "
## [17542] "captivity, and conveyed themselves to behold (with such eyes "
## [17543] "as imagination could lend them) the estate of her Zelmane ; For "
## [17544] "whom how wrell she thought many of those sayings might have "
## [17545] "been used with a far more grateful acceptation. Therefore "
## [17546] "listening not to dispute in a matter, whereof herself was resolved, "
## [17547] "and desired not to inform the other ; she only told her that whilst "
## [17548] "she was so captivated she could not conceive of any such "
## [17549] ""
## [17550] ""
## [17551] ""
## [17552] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 321 "
## [17553] ""
## [17554] "persuasions (though never so reasonable) any otherwise than as "
## [17555] "constraints ; and as constraints must needs even in nature abhor "
## [17556] "them, which at her liberty, in their own force of reason, might "
## [17557] "more prevail with her ; and so fain would have returned the "
## [17558] "strength of Cecropia's persuasions, to have procured freedom. "
## [17559] ""
## [17560] "But neither her witty words in an enemy, nor those words, "
## [17561] "made more than eloquent with passing through such lips, could "
## [17562] "prevail in Cecropia, more than her persuasions could win Philoclea "
## [17563] "to disavow her former vow, or to leave the prisoner Zelmane, "
## [17564] "for the commanding Amphialus. So that both sides being "
## [17565] "desirers, and neither granters, they broke off conference ; Cecropia "
## [17566] "sucking up more and more spite out of her denial, which yet for "
## [17567] "her son's sake she disguised with a vizard of kindness, leaving "
## [17568] "no oflfice unperformed which might either witness, or endear "
## [17569] "her son's affection. Whatsoever could be imagined likely to please "
## [17570] "her was with liberal diligence performed : musics at her window, "
## [17571] "and especially such musics as might (with doleful embassage) "
## [17572] "call the mind to think of sorrow, and think of it with sweetness ; "
## [17573] "with ditties so sensibly expressing Amphialus's case, that every "
## [17574] "word seemed to be but a diversifying of the name of Amphialus. "
## [17575] "Daily presents, as it were oblations to pacify an angry deity, sent "
## [17576] "unto her ; wherein, if the workmanship of the form had striven "
## [17577] "with the sumptuousness of the matter, as much did the invention, "
## [17578] "in the application, contend to have the chief excellency : for they "
## [17579] "were as so many stories of his disgraces, and her perfections ; "
## [17580] "where the richness did invite the eyes, the fashion did entertain "
## [17581] "the eyes, and the device did teach the eyes, the present misery of "
## [17582] "the presenter himself awfully serviceable ; which was the more "
## [17583] "notable, as his authority was manifest. And for the bondage "
## [17584] "wherein she lived, all means used to make known that if it were a "
## [17585] "bondage, it was a bondage only knit in love-knots : but she in heart "
## [17586] "already understanding no language but one, the music wrought, "
## [17587] "indeed, a dolefulness, but it was a dolefulness to be in his power : "
## [17588] "the ditty intended for Amphialus, she translated to Zelmane : the "
## [17589] "presents seemed so many tedious clogs of a thralled obligation : "
## [17590] "and his service, the more diligent it was, the more it did exprobate, "
## [17591] "as she thought, unto her, her unworthy estate : that even he that "
## [17592] "did her service, had authority of commanding her, only construing "
## [17593] "her servitude in his own nature, esteeming it a right, and a right "
## [17594] "better servituae : so that all their shots, how well soever levelled, "
## [17595] "being carried awry from the mark by the storm of her mislike' "
## [17596] "the prince Amphialus affectionately languished, and Cecropia "
## [17597] "spitefully cunning, disdained at the barrenness of their success. "
## [17598] ""
## [17599] "Which willingly Cecropia would have revenged, but that she "
## [17600] "saw her hurt could not be divided from her son's mischief; "
## [17601] ""
## [17602] "X "
## [17603] ""
## [17604] ""
## [17605] ""
## [17606] "322 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [17607] ""
## [17608] "wherefore she bethought herself to attempt Pamela, whose beauty "
## [17609] "being equal, she hoped if she might be won, that her son's "
## [17610] "thoughts would rather rest on a beautiful gratefulness than still "
## [17611] "be tormented with a disdaining beauty. Therefore giving new "
## [17612] "courage to her wicked inventions, and using the more industry, "
## [17613] "because she had missed in this, and taking even precepts of "
## [17614] "prevailing in Pamela, by her failing in Philoclea, she went to her "
## [17615] "chamber, and (according to her own ungracious method of subtle "
## [17616] "proceeding) stood listening at the door, because that out of the "
## [17617] "circumstance of her present behaviour, there might kindly arise "
## [17618] "a fit beginning of her intended discourse. "
## [17619] ""
## [17620] "And so she might perceive that Pamela did walk up and down, "
## [17621] "full of deep, though patient thoughts. For her look and "
## [17622] "countenance was settled, her pace soft, and almost still of one "
## [17623] "measure, without any passionate gesture, or violent motion : till "
## [17624] "at length, as it were awaking, and strengthening herself ; \" Well,\" "
## [17625] "said she, \"yet this is the best, and of this I am sure, that "
## [17626] "howsoever they wrong me, they cannot over-master God : no "
## [17627] "darkness blinds his eyes, no jail bars Him out. To whom then "
## [17628] "else should I fly, but to Him for succour?\" and therewith kneeling "
## [17629] "down even where she stood, she thus said. "
## [17630] ""
## [17631] "\" O all-seeing light, and eternal life of all things, to whom "
## [17632] "nothing is either so great that it may resist, or so small that it "
## [17633] "is contemned : look upon my misery wit;h Thine eye of mercy, "
## [17634] "and let Thine infinite power vouchsafe to limit out some proportion "
## [17635] "of deliverance unto me, as to Thee shall seem most convenient. "
## [17636] "Let not injury, O Lord, triumph over me, and let my faults by "
## [17637] "Thy hand be corrected, and make not mine unjust enemy the "
## [17638] "minister of Thy justice. But yet, my God, if in Thy wisdom, "
## [17639] "this be the aptest chastisement for my unexcusable folly, if this low "
## [17640] "bondage be fittest for my over-high desires ; if the pride of my "
## [17641] "not enough humble heart, be thus to be broken, O Lord, I yield "
## [17642] "unto Thy will, and joyfully embrace what sorrow Thou wilt have "
## [17643] "me suffer. Only thus much let me crave of Thee, let my craving, "
## [17644] "O Lord, be accepted of Thee (since even that proceeds from Thee) "
## [17645] "let me crave, even by the noblest title, which in my greatest "
## [17646] "affliction I may give myself, that I am Thy creature, and by Thy "
## [17647] "goodness, which is Thyself, that Thou wilt suffer some beam of "
## [17648] "Thy majesty so to shine into my mind, that it may still depend "
## [17649] "confidently upon Thee. Let calamity be the exercise, but not "
## [17650] "the overthrow of my virtue : let their power prevail, but prevail "
## [17651] "not to destruction : let my greatness be their prey: let my pain "
## [17652] "be the sweetness of their revenge : let them (if so it seem good "
## [17653] "unto Thee) vex me with more and more punishment. But, O Lord, "
## [17654] "let neyer their wickedness have such a hand, but that I may carry "
## [17655] ""
## [17656] ""
## [17657] ""
## [17658] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 323 "
## [17659] ""
## [17660] "a pure mind in a pure body !\" and pausing awhile, \"And, O most "
## [17661] "gracious Lord,\" said she, \"whatever becomes of me, preserve "
## [17662] "the virtuous Musidorus.\" "
## [17663] ""
## [17664] "The other part Cecropia might well hear ; but this latter prayer "
## [17665] "for Musidorus, her heart held it, as so jewel-like a treasure that "
## [17666] "it would scarce trust her own hps withal. But this prayer sent "
## [17667] "to heaven from so heavenly a creature, with such a fervent grace "
## [17668] "as if devotion had borrowed her body to make of itself a most "
## [17669] "beautiful representation ; with her eyes so lifted to the skyward "
## [17670] "that one would have thought they had begun to fly thitherward "
## [17671] "to take their place among their fellow stars ; her naked hands "
## [17672] "raising up their whole length, and as it were, kissing one another, "
## [17673] "as if the right had been the picture of zeal, and the left of "
## [17674] "humbleness, which both united themselves to make tljeir suits "
## [17675] "more acceptable. Lastly, all her senses being rather tokens than "
## [17676] "instruments of her inward motions, altogether had so strange "
## [17677] "a working power, that even the hardhearted wickedness of "
## [17678] "Cecropia, if it found not a love of that goodness, yet it felt an "
## [17679] "abashment at that goodness, and if she had not a kindly remorse, "
## [17680] "yet had she an irksome accusation of her own naughtiness ; so "
## [17681] "that she was put from the bias of her fore-intended lesson. For "
## [17682] "well she found there was no way at that time to take that mind "
## [17683] "but with some, at least, image of virtue ; and what the figure "
## [17684] "thereof was, her heart knew not. "
## [17685] ""
## [17686] "Yet did she prodigally spend her ' uttermost eloquence, leaving "
## [17687] "no argument unprovided which might with any force invade her "
## [17688] "excellent judgment ; the justness of the request being but for "
## [17689] "marriage; the worthiness of the suiter: then her own present "
## [17690] "fortune : fortune, which should not only have amendment, but "
## [17691] "felicity : besides falsely making her believe that her sister would "
## [17692] "think herself happy if now she might have his love, which before "
## [17693] "she contemned : and obliquely touching, what danger it should "
## [17694] "be for her if her son should accept Philoclea in marriage, and "
## [17695] "so match the next heir apparent, she being in his power : yet "
## [17696] "plentifully perjuring how extremely her son loved her, and excusing "
## [17697] "the httle shows he made of it, with the dutiful respect he bare "
## [17698] "unto her ; and taking upon herself that she restrained him, since "
## [17699] "she found she could set no limits to his passions. And as she did "
## [17700] "to Philoclea, so did she to her, with the tribute of gifts seek to "
## [17701] "bring her mind into servitude : and all other means, that might "
## [17702] "either estabhsh a beholdingness, or at least awake a kindness ; "
## [17703] "doing it so, that by reason of their imprisonment, one sister knew "
## [17704] "not how the other was wooed but each might think that only she "
## [17705] "was sought. But if Philoclea with sweet and humble dealing did "
## [17706] "avoid their assaults, she with the majesty of virtue did beat them off. "
## [17707] ""
## [17708] ""
## [17709] ""
## [17710] "324 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [17711] ""
## [17712] "But this day their speech was the sooner broken off, by reason "
## [17713] "that he who stood as watch upon the top of the Keep* did not only "
## [17714] "see a great dust rise (which the earth sent up as if it would strive "
## [17715] "to have clouds as well as the air) but might spy sometimes, "
## [17716] "especially when the dust (wherein the naked wind did apparel "
## [17717] "itself) was carried aside from them, the shining of armour ; like "
## [17718] "flashing of lightning, wherewith the clouds did seem to be with "
## [17719] "child, which the sun gilding with his beams it gave a sight "
## [17720] "delightful to any but to them that were to abide the terror. But "
## [17721] "the watch gave a quick alarm to the soldiers within whom practice "
## [17722] "already having prepared, began each, with unabashed hearts, or at "
## [17723] "least countenances, to look to their charge, or obedience which was "
## [17724] "allotted unto them. "
## [17725] ""
## [17726] "Only Clinias and Amphialus did exceed the bounds of mediocrity, "
## [17727] "the one in his natural coldness of cowardice, the other in heat of "
## [17728] "courage. For Clinias (who was bold only in busy whisperings, "
## [17729] "and even in that whisperingness rather, indeed, confident in his "
## [17730] "cunning that it should not be betrayed than any way bold, if ever "
## [17731] "it should be betrayed) now that the enemy gave a dreadful aspect "
## [17732] "unto the castle, his eyes saw no terror, nor ear heard any martial "
## [17733] "sound but that they multiplied the hideousness of it to his matted "
## [17734] "mind. Before their coming he had many times felt a dreadful "
## [17735] "expectation, but yet his mind (that was willing to ease itself of the "
## [17736] "burden of fear) did sometimes fain unto itself possibility of let, as "
## [17737] "the death of Basilius, the discord of the nobility, and, when other "
## [17738] "cause failed him, the nature of chance served as a cause unto him, "
## [17739] "and sometimes the hearing other men speak valiantly, and the "
## [17740] "quietness of his unassailed senses would make himself believe that "
## [17741] "he durst do something. But now, that present danger did display "
## [17742] "itself unto his eye, and that a dangerous doing must be the only "
## [17743] "mean to prevent the danger of suffering, one that had marked him "
## [17744] "would have judged that his eyes would have run into him, and his "
## [17745] "soul out of him, so unkindly did either take a scent of danger. He "
## [17746] "thought the lake was too shallow, and the walls too thin : he "
## [17747] "misdoubted each man's treason, and conjectured every possibility "
## [17748] "of misfortune, not only forecasting likely perils, but such as all the "
## [17749] "planets together could scarcely have conspired : and already began "
## [17750] "to arm himself, though it was determined he should tarry within "
## [17751] "doors ; and while he armed himself, imagined in what part of the "
## [17752] "vault he would hide himself if the enemies won the castle. Desirous "
## [17753] "he was that everybody should do valiantly but himself; and there- "
## [17754] "fore was afraid to show his fear, but for very fear would have hid "
## [17755] "his fear, lest it should discomfort others : but the more he sought "
## [17756] ""
## [17757] "\" i.e. A strong tower in the middle of a casUe, the last resort of the besieged. "
## [17758] ""
## [17759] ""
## [17760] ""
## [17761] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 325 "
## [17762] ""
## [17763] "to disguise it, the more the unsuitableness of a weak broken voice "
## [17764] "to high brave words, and of a pale shaking countenance, to a "
## [17765] "gesture of animating, did discover him. "
## [17766] ""
## [17767] "But quite contrarily Amphialus, who, before the enemies came, "
## [17768] "was careful, providently diligent, and not sometimes without "
## [17769] "doubting of the issue, now the nearer danger approached (like the "
## [17770] "light of a glow-worm) the less still it seemed : and now his courage "
## [17771] "began to boil in choler, and with such impatience to desire to pour "
## [17772] "out both upon the enemy, that he issued presently into certain "
## [17773] "boats he had of purpose, and carrying with him some choice men, "
## [17774] "went to the fortress he had upon the edge of the lake, which he "
## [17775] "thought would be the first thing that the enemy would attempt, "
## [17776] "because it was a passage, which commanding all that side of the "
## [17777] ".country, and, being lost, would stop victuals, or other supply that "
## [17778] "might be brought into the castle ; and in that fortress having some "
## [17779] "force of horsemen, he issued out with two hundred horse and five "
## [17780] "hundred footmen ; ambushed his footmen in the falling of a hill, "
## [17781] "which was over-shadowed with a wood ; he with his horsemen went "
## [17782] "a quarter of a mile farther ; aside hand of which he might perceive "
## [17783] "the many troops of the enemy who came but to take view where "
## [17784] "best to encamp themselves. "
## [17785] ""
## [17786] "But as if the sight of the enemy had been a magnet-stone to his "
## [17787] "courage, he could not contain himself, but showing his face to the "
## [17788] "enemy, and his back to his soldiers, used that action as his only "
## [17789] "oration, both of denouncing war to the one, and persuading help "
## [17790] "from the other. Who faithfully following an example of such "
## [17791] "authority, they made the earth to groan under their furious burden, "
## [17792] "and the enemies to begin to be angry with them, whom in particular "
## [17793] "they knew not. Among whom there was a young man, youngest "
## [17794] "brother to Philanax, whose face as yet did not betray his sex with "
## [17795] "so much as show of hair ; of a mind having no limits of hope, not "
## [17796] "knowing why to fear; full of jollity in conversation, and lately "
## [17797] "grown a lover. His name was Agenor, of all that army the most "
## [17798] "beautiful : who having ridden in sportful conversation among the "
## [17799] "foremost, all armed, saving that his beaver was up, to have his "
## [17800] "breath in more freedom, seeing Amphialus come a pretty way "
## [17801] "before his company, neither staying the commandment of the "
## [17802] "captain, nor reckoning whether his face were armed, or no, set "
## [17803] "spurs to his horse, and with youthful bravery casting his staff about "
## [17804] "his head, put it then into his rest, as careful of comely carrying it "
## [17805] "as if the mark had been but a ring, and the lookers-on ladies. But "
## [17806] "Amphialas's lance was already come to the last of his descending "
## [17807] "line, and began to make the full point of death against the head of "
## [17808] "this young gentleman ; when Amphialus perceiving his youth and "
## [17809] "beauty, compassion so rebated the edge of choler that he spared "
## [17810] ""
## [17811] ""
## [17812] ""
## [17813] "32(5 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [17814] ""
## [17815] "that fair nakedness, and let his staff fall to Agenor's vampalt*: so "
## [17816] "that both with brave breaking should hurtlessly have performed "
## [17817] "that match, but that the pitiless lance of Amphialus (angry with "
## [17818] "being broken) with an unlucky counterbufF, full of unsparing "
## [17819] "splinters, lighted upon that face, far fitter for the combats of Venus, "
## [17820] "giving not only a sudden, but a foul death, leaving scarcely any "
## [17821] "tokens of his former beauty ; but his hands abandoning the reins, "
## [17822] "and his thighs the saddle, he fell sideward from the horse. Wliich "
## [17823] "sight coming to Leontius, a dear friend of his, who in vain had "
## [17824] "lamentably cried unto him to stay when he saw him begin his "
## [17825] "career ; it was hard to say whether the pity of the one, or revenge "
## [17826] "against the other held as then the sovereignty in his passions. "
## [17827] "But while he directed his eye to his friend, and his hand to his "
## [17828] "enemy, so wrongly consorted a power could not resist the ready "
## [17829] "minded force of Amphialus, who perceiving his ill-directed "
## [17830] "direction against him, so paid him his debt before it was lent, "
## [17831] "that he also fell to the earth, only happy that one place and one "
## [17832] "time did finish both their loves and lives together. "
## [17833] ""
## [17834] "But by this time there had been a furious meeting of either side : "
## [17835] "whether after the terrible salutation of warlike noise, the shaking "
## [17836] "of hands was with sharp weapons : some lances according to the "
## [17837] "metal they met and skill of the guider, did stain themselves in "
## [17838] "blood ; some flew up in pieces, as if they would threaten heaven "
## [17839] "because they failed on earth. But their office was quickly inherited, "
## [17840] "either by (the prince of weapons) the sword, or by some heavy "
## [17841] "mace, or biting axe ; which hunting still the weakest chase, sought "
## [17842] "ever to light there where smallest resistance might worse prevent "
## [17843] "mischief. The clashing of armour, the crushing of -staves, the "
## [17844] "jostling of bodies, the resounding of blows, was the first part of "
## [17845] "that ill-agreeing music which was beautified with the grisliness of "
## [17846] "wounds, the rising of dust, the hideous falls and groans of the "
## [17847] "dying. The very horses angry in their master's anger, with love "
## [17848] "and obedience, brought forth the effects of hate and resistance, and "
## [17849] "with minds of servitude did as if they affected glory. Some lay "
## [17850] "dead under their dead masters, whom unknightly wounds had "
## [17851] "unjustly punished for a faithful duty. Some lay upon their lords "
## [17852] "by like accident, and in death had the honour to be borne by them, "
## [17853] "whom in life they had borne. Some, having lost their commanding "
## [17854] "burdens, ran scattered about the field, abashed with the madness "
## [17855] "of mankind. The earth itself (wont to be a burial of men) was now, "
## [17856] "as it were, buried with men, so was the face thereof hidden with "
## [17857] "dead bodies, to whom death had come masked in divers manners. "
## [17858] "In one place lay disinherited heads, dispossessed of their natural "
## [17859] "seignories ; in another whole bodies to see to, but that their hearts "
## [17860] ""
## [17861] "\"* i.e. A g;auntlet, or iron glove. "
## [17862] ""
## [17863] ""
## [17864] ""
## [17865] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 327 "
## [17866] ""
## [17867] "wont to be bound all over so close, were now with deadly violence "
## [17868] "opened : in others, fouler deaths had uglily displayed their trailing "
## [17869] "guts. There lay arms, whose fingers yet moved, as if they would "
## [17870] "feel for him that made them feel : and legs, which contrary to "
## [17871] "common reason, by being discharged of their burden, were grown "
## [17872] "heavier. But no sword payed so large a tribute of souls to the "
## [17873] "eternal kingdom as that of Amphialus ; who like a tiger, from "
## [17874] "whom a company of wolves did seek to ravish a new gotten prey, "
## [17875] "so he (remembering they came to take away Philoclea) did labour "
## [17876] "to make valour, strength, choler and hatred, to answer the "
## [17877] "proportion of his love which was infinite. "
## [17878] ""
## [17879] "There died of his hand the old knight Eschylus, who though "
## [17880] "by years might well have been allowed to use rather the exercises "
## [17881] "of wisdom than of courage, yet having a lusty body and a merry "
## [17882] "heart, he ever took the summons of time in jest, or else it had "
## [17883] "so creepingly stolen upon him that he had heard scarcely the "
## [17884] "noise of his feet, and therefore was as fresh in apparel, and as "
## [17885] "forward in enterprises, as a far younger man : but nothing made "
## [17886] "him bolder than a certain prophesy had been told him that he "
## [17887] "should die in the arms of his son, and therefore feared the less "
## [17888] "the arm of an enemy. But now when Amphialus's sword was "
## [17889] "passed through his throat, he thought himself abused, but that "
## [17890] "before he died, his son indeed seeing his father begin to fall, held "
## [17891] "him up in his arms, till a pitiless soldier of the other side, with "
## [17892] "a mace brained him, making father and son become twins in the "
## [17893] "never again dying birth. As for Drialus, Memnon, Nisus and "
## [17894] "Polycrates, the first had his eyes cut out so that he could not "
## [17895] "see to bid the near following death welcome ; the second had met "
## [17896] "with the same prophet that old Eschylus had ; and having found "
## [17897] "many of his speeches true, believed this too, that he should never "
## [17898] "be killed but by his own companions ; and therefore no man was "
## [17899] "more valiant than he against an enemy, no man more suspicious "
## [17900] "of his friends : so as he seemed to sleep in security, when he "
## [17901] "went to a battle, and to enter into a battle, when he began to sleep, "
## [17902] "such guards he would set about his person, yet mistrusting those "
## [17903] "very guards, lest they would murder him. But now Amphialus "
## [17904] "helped to unriddle his doubts ; for he overthrowing him from his "
## [17905] "horse, his own companions coming with a fresh supply, pressed "
## [17906] "him to death. Nisus grasping with Amphialus, was with a short "
## [17907] "dagger slain. And for Polycrates, while he shunned as much as "
## [17908] "he could, keeping only his face for fear of punishment, Amphialus "
## [17909] "with a memorable blow struck off his head ; where, with the "
## [17910] "convulsions of death, setting his spurs to his horse, he gave so "
## [17911] "brave a charge upon the enemy, as it grew a proverb, that "
## [17912] "Polycrates was only valiant after his head was off. But no man "
## [17913] ""
## [17914] ""
## [17915] ""
## [17916] "328 ARCADIA [book iit. "
## [17917] ""
## [17918] "escaped so well his hands as Phebilus did : for he having long "
## [17919] "loved Philoclea, though for the meanness of his estate he never "
## [17920] "durst reveal it, now knowing Amphialus, setting the edge of a rival "
## [17921] "upon the sword of an enemy, he held strong fight with him. But "
## [17922] "Amphialus had already in the most dangerous places disarmed "
## [17923] "him, and was lifting up his sword to send him away from himself ; "
## [17924] "when he thinking indeed to die, \" O Philoclea,\" said he, \" yet this "
## [17925] "joys me that I die for thy sake.\" The name of Philoclea first "
## [17926] "stayed his sword, and he heard him out, though he abhorred him "
## [17927] "much worse than before, yet could he not vouchsafe him the "
## [17928] "honour of dying for Philoclea, but turned his sword another way, "
## [17929] "doing him no hurt for over much hatred. But what good did "
## [17930] "that to poor Phebilus, if escaping a valiant hand, he was "
## [17931] "slain by a base soldier, who seeing him so disarmed, thrust him "
## [17932] "through ? "
## [17933] ""
## [17934] "But thus with the well-followed valour of Amphialus were the "
## [17935] "others almost overthrown, when Philanax, whowas the marshal of the "
## [17936] "army, came in with new force renewing the almost decayed courage "
## [17937] "of his soldiers. For crying to them, and asking them whether "
## [17938] "their backs or their arms were better fighters, he himself thrust "
## [17939] "just into the press, and making force and fury wait upon discretion "
## [17940] "and government, he might seem a brave lion, who taught his "
## [17941] "young lionets, how in taking a prey, to join courage with cunning. "
## [17942] "Then fortune, as if she had made chases enough of the one "
## [17943] "side of the bloody tennis-court, went of the other side the "
## [17944] "line, making as many fall down of Amphialus's followers as "
## [17945] "before had done of Philanax, they losing the ground, as fast "
## [17946] "as before they had won it, only leaving them to keep it, who "
## [17947] "had lost themselves in keeping it. Then those that had killed, "
## [17948] "inherited the lot of those that had been killed ; and cruel death "
## [17949] "made them lie quietly together, who most in their lives had "
## [17950] "sought to disquiet each other ; and many of those first over- "
## [17951] "thrown, had the comfort to see their murderers over-run them "
## [17952] "to Charon's ferry. "
## [17953] ""
## [17954] "Codrus, Ctesiphon, and Milo, lost their lives upon Philanax's "
## [17955] "sword. But nobody's case was more pitied than of a young squire "
## [17956] "of Amphialus, called Ismenus, who never abandoning his master, "
## [17957] "and making his tender age aspire to acts of the strongest manhood, "
## [17958] "in this time that his side was put to the worst, and that Amphialus's "
## [17959] "valour was the only stay of them from delivering themselves over "
## [17960] "to a most shameful flight, he saw his master's horse killed under "
## [17961] "him. Whereupon asking advice of no other thought but of "
## [17962] "faithfulness and courage, he presently alighted from his own horse, "
## [17963] "and with the help of some choice and faithful servants, got his "
## [17964] "master up. But in the multitude that came of either side, some "
## [17965] ""
## [17966] ""
## [17967] ""
## [17968] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 329 "
## [17969] ""
## [17970] "to succour, some to save Amphialus, he came under the hand of "
## [17971] "Philanax : and the youth perceiving he was the man that did most "
## [17972] "hurt to his party, desirous even to change his life for glory, struck "
## [17973] "at him as he rode by him, and gave him a hurt upon the leg that "
## [17974] "made Philanax turn towards him ; but seeing him so young, and "
## [17975] "of a most lovely presence, he rather took pity of him, meaning to "
## [17976] "take him prisoner, and then to give him to his brother Agenor "
## [17977] "to be his companion, because they were not much unlike, neither "
## [17978] "in years, nor countenance. But as he looked down upon him with "
## [17979] "that thought, he espied where his brother lay dead, and his friend "
## [17980] "Leontius by him, even almost under the squire's feet. Then "
## [17981] "sorrowing not only his own sorrow, but the past-comfort sorrow "
## [17982] "which he foreknew his mother would take, who with many tears "
## [17983] "and misgiving sighs had suffered him to go with his elder brother "
## [17984] "Philanax, blotted out all figures of pity out of his mind, and putting "
## [17985] "forth his horse, while Ismenus doubled two or three more valiant "
## [17986] "than well-set blows, saying to himself, let other mothers bewail "
## [17987] "an untimely death as well as mine, he thrust him through. And "
## [17988] "the boy fierce, though beautiful, and beautiful though dying, not "
## [17989] "able to keep his falling feet, fell down to the earth, which he bit "
## [17990] "for anger, repining at his fortune, and as long as he could resisting "
## [17991] "death, which might seem unwiUing too, so long as he was in taking "
## [17992] "away his young struggling soul. "
## [17993] ""
## [17994] "Philanax himself could have wished the blow ungiven, when he "
## [17995] "saw him fall like a fair apple, which some uncourteous body, "
## [17996] "breaking his bough, should throw down before it were ripe. But "
## [17997] "the case of his brother made him forget both, that, and himself : "
## [17998] "so as over-hastily pressing upon the retiring enemies, he was "
## [17999] "(ere he was aware) further engaged than his own soldiers could "
## [18000] "relieve him ; where being overthrown by Amphialus, Amphialus, "
## [18001] "glad of him, kept head against his enemies, while some of his men "
## [18002] "carried away Philanax. "
## [18003] ""
## [18004] "But Philanax's men, as if with the loss of Philanax they had lost "
## [18005] "the fountain of their valour, had their courage so dried up in fear "
## [18006] "that they began to set honour at their backs, and to use the virtue "
## [18007] "of patience in an untimely time, when into the press comes, as "
## [18008] "hard as his horse, more afraid of the spur than the sword, could "
## [18009] "carry him, a knight in armour as black as darkness could make it, "
## [18010] "followed by none, and adorned by nothing; so far without "
## [18011] "authonty that he was without knowledge. But virtue quickly "
## [18012] "made him known, and admiration bred him such authority that "
## [18013] "though they of whose side he came knew him not, yet they all "
## [18014] "knew It was fit to obey him ; and while he was followed by the "
## [18015] "vahantest, he made way for the vilest. For taking part with he "
## [18016] "besiegers, he made the Amphialians' blood serve for a caparison "
## [18017] ""
## [18018] ""
## [18019] ""
## [18020] "330 ARCADIA [book ni. "
## [18021] ""
## [18022] "to his horse, and a decking to his armour. His arm no oftener "
## [18023] "gave blows, than the blows gave wounds, than the wounds gave "
## [18024] "deaths, so terrible was his force, and yet was his quickness more "
## [18025] "forcible than his force, and his judgment more quick than his "
## [18026] "quickness. For though his sword went faster than eyesight could "
## [18027] "follow it yet his own judgment went still before it. There died "
## [18028] "of his hand, Sarpedon, Plistonax, Strophilus, and Hippolitus, men "
## [18029] "of great proof in wars, and who had that day undertaken the "
## [18030] "guard of Amphialus. But while they sought to save him, they "
## [18031] "lost the fortresses that nature had placed them in. Then slew he "
## [18032] "Megalus, who was a little before proud to see himself stained "
## [18033] "in the blood of his enemies, but when his own blood came to be "
## [18034] "married to theirs, he then felt that cruelty doth never enjoy a good "
## [18035] "cheap glory. After him sent he Palemon, who had that day vowed, "
## [18036] "with foolish bravery, to be the death of ten ; and nine already he "
## [18037] "had killed, and was careful to perform his, almost performed, "
## [18038] "vow, when the black knight helped him to make up the tenth "
## [18039] "himself. "
## [18040] ""
## [18041] "And now the often changing fortune began also to change the "
## [18042] "hue of the battles. For at the first, though it were terrible, yet "
## [18043] "terror was decked so bravely with rich furniture, gilt swords, "
## [18044] "shining armours, pleasant pensils, that the eye with delight had "
## [18045] "scarce leisure to be afraid : but now all universally defiled with "
## [18046] "dust, blood, broken armour, mangled bodies, took away the mask, "
## [18047] "and set forth horror in his own horrible manner. But neither "
## [18048] "could danger be dreadful to Amphialus his undismayable courage, "
## [18049] "nor yet seem ugly to him, whose truly affected mind did still paint "
## [18050] "it over with the beauty of Philoclea: and therefore he, rather "
## [18051] "inflamed than troubled with the increase of dangers, and glad to "
## [18052] "find a worthy subject to exercise his courage, sought out this new "
## [18053] "knight, whom he might easily find : for he, like a wanton rich man "
## [18054] "that throws down his neighbours house to make himself the better "
## [18055] "prospect, so had his sword made him so spacious a room that "
## [18056] "Amphialus had more cause to wonder at the finding, than labour "
## [18057] "for the seeking : which if it stirred hate in him to see how much "
## [18058] "harm he did to the one side, it provoked as much emulation in "
## [18059] "him to perceive how much good he did to the other side. There- "
## [18060] "fore, they approaching one to the other, as in two beautiful folks, "
## [18061] "love naturally stirs a desire of joining, so in their two courages "
## [18062] "hate stirred a desire of trial. Then began there a combat between "
## [18063] "them, worthy to have had more large lists, and more quiet beholders : "
## [18064] "for with the spur of courage, and the bit of respect, each so guided "
## [18065] "himself, that one might well see the desire to overcome made them "
## [18066] "not forget how to overcome : in such time and proportion they "
## [18067] "did employ their blows, that none of Ceres's servants could more "
## [18068] ""
## [18069] ""
## [18070] ""
## [18071] "BOOK III.J ARCADIA 33 1 "
## [18072] ""
## [18073] "cunningly place his flail : while the left foot spur set forward his "
## [18074] "own horse, the right set backward the contrary horse, even some- "
## [18075] "times by the advantage of the enemy's leg, while the left hand, "
## [18076] "like him that held the stem, guided the horse's obedient courage. "
## [18077] "All done in such order that it might seem the mind was a right "
## [18078] "prince indeed, who sent wise and diligent lieutenants into each of "
## [18079] "those well-governed parts. But the more they fought, the more "
## [18080] "they desired to fight ; and the more they smarted, the less they "
## [18081] "felt the smart : and now were like to make a quick proof to whom "
## [18082] "fortune and valour would seem most friendly, when, in comes an "
## [18083] "old governor of Amphialus, always a good knight, and careful of "
## [18084] "his charge ; who giving a sore wound to the black knight's thigh, "
## [18085] "while he thought not of him, with another blow slew his horse "
## [18086] "under him. Amphialus cried to him that he dishonoured him : "
## [18087] "\"You say well,\" answered the old knight, \"to stand now like a "
## [18088] "private soldier, setting your credit upon particular fighting, while "
## [18089] "you may see Basilius with all his host is getting between you and "
## [18090] "your town.\" He looked that way, and found that true indeed, that "
## [18091] "the enemy was beginning to encompass him about and stop his "
## [18092] "return : and therefore causing the retreat to be sounded, his "
## [18093] "governor led his men homeward, while he kept himself still "
## [18094] "hindmost, as if he had stood at the gate of a sluice to let the "
## [18095] "stream go, with such proportion as should seem good unto him, "
## [18096] "and with so manful discretion performed it, that (though with loss "
## [18097] "of many of his men) he returned himself safe, and content, that his "
## [18098] "enemies had felt how sharp the sword could bite of Philoclea's "
## [18099] "lover. The other party being sorry for the loss of Philanax, was "
## [18100] "yet sorrier when the black knight could not be found: for he "
## [18101] "having gotten a horse, whom his dying master had bequeathed to "
## [18102] "the world, finding himself sore hurt, and not desirous to be known, "
## [18103] "had in the time of the enemies retiring, retired away also ■ his "
## [18104] "thigh not bleeding blood so fast, as his heart bled revenge. 'But "
## [18105] "Basilius having attempted in vain to bar the safe return of "
## [18106] "Amphialus, encamped himself as strongly as he could, while he, to "
## [18107] "his grief, might hear the joy that was made in town by his own "
## [18108] "subjects, that he had that day sped no better. For Amphialus "
## [18109] "bemg well beloved of that people, when they saw him not "
## [18110] "vanquished, they esteemed him as victorious, his youth setting a "
## [18111] "flourishing show upon his worthiness and his great nobilitv "
## [18112] "ennobling his dangers. "
## [18113] ""
## [18114] "But the first thing Amphialus did, being returned, was to visit "
## [18115] "Philoclea, and first presuming to cause his dream to be sung unto "
## [18116] "her, which he had seen the night before he fell in love with "
## [18117] "her, makmg a fine boy he had accord the pretty dolefulness "
## [18118] ""
## [18119] ""
## [18120] ""
## [18121] "33^ ARCADIA [book III. "
## [18122] ""
## [18123] "The song was this. "
## [18124] "Now was our heavenly vault deprived of the light, "
## [18125] "With sun's depart : and now the darkness of the night, "
## [18126] "Did light those beamy stars which greater light did dark ! "
## [18127] "Now each thing that enjoy'd that fiery quick'ning spark "
## [18128] "(Which life is call'd) were mov'd their spirits to repose, "
## [18129] "And wanting use of eyes, their eyes began to close ; "
## [18130] "A silence sweet each where with one consent embrac'd "
## [18131] "(A music sweet to one in careful musing plac'd) "
## [18132] "And mother earth, now clad in mourning weeds, did breathe "
## [18133] "A dull desire to kiss the image of our death : "
## [18134] "When I, disgraced wretch, not wretched then did give "
## [18135] "My senses such relief, as they which quiet live, "
## [18136] "Whose brains boil not in woes, nor breasts with beatings ache. "
## [18137] "With nature's praise are wont in safest home to take. "
## [18138] "Far from my thoughts was aiight, where to their minds aspire "
## [18139] "Who under courtly pomps do hatch a base desire. "
## [18140] "Free all my powers were from those captivating snares. "
## [18141] "Which heav'nly purest gifts defile with muddy cares. "
## [18142] "Nay could my soul itself accuse of such a fault. "
## [18143] "As tender conscience might with furious pangs assault. "
## [18144] "But like the feeble flower, whose stalk cannot sustain "
## [18145] "His weighty top, his top downward doth drooping lean : "
## [18146] "Or as the silly bird in well acquainted nest "
## [18147] "Doth hide his head with cares, but only to rest : "
## [18148] "So I in simple course, and unentangled mind. "
## [18149] "Did suffer drowsy lids mine eyes, then clear, to blind ; "
## [18150] "And laying down mine head, did nature's rule observe. "
## [18151] "They first their youth forgot, then fancies lost their force ; "
## [18152] "Till deadly sleep at length possess'd my living corpse. "
## [18153] "A living corpse I lay : but ah my wakeful mind "
## [18154] "(Which made of heav'nly stuff, no mortal change doth blind) "
## [18155] "Flew up with freer wings of fleshly bondage free ; "
## [18156] "And having plac'd my thoughts, my thoughts thus placed me. "
## [18157] "Methought, nay sure I was, I was in fairest wood. "
## [18158] "Of Samothea land, a land which whilom stood "
## [18159] "An honour to the world, while honour was their end, "
## [18160] "And while their line of years they did in virtue spend. "
## [18161] "But there I was, and there my calmy thoughts I fed "
## [18162] "On nature's sweet repast, as healthful senses led. "
## [18163] "Her gifts my study was, her beauty were my sport. "
## [18164] "My work her works to know, her dwelling my resort. "
## [18165] "Those lamps of heav'nly fire to fixed motion bound, "
## [18166] "The ever turning spheres, the never moving ground ; "
## [18167] "What essence dest'ny hath, if fortune be or no ; "
## [18168] "Whence our immortal souls to mortal earth do flow : "
## [18169] "What life it is, and how that all these lives do gather, "
## [18170] "With outward maker's force, or like an inward father. "
## [18171] ""
## [18172] ""
## [18173] ""
## [18174] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 333 "
## [18175] ""
## [18176] "Such thoughts, methought, I thought, and strain'd my single mind, "
## [18177] ""
## [18178] "Then void of nearer care, the depth of things to find, "
## [18179] ""
## [18180] "When lo with hugest noise, such noise a tower makes "
## [18181] ""
## [18182] "When it blown down with wind, a fall of ruin takes. "
## [18183] ""
## [18184] "Or, such a noise it was, as highest thunders send. "
## [18185] ""
## [18186] "Or cannons thunder-like, all shot together lend. "
## [18187] ""
## [18188] "The moon asunder rent, whereout with sudden fall "
## [18189] ""
## [18190] "(More swift than falcons' stoop to feeding falconers' call) "
## [18191] ""
## [18192] "There came a chariot fair, by doves and sparrows guided. "
## [18193] ""
## [18194] "Whose storm-like course stay'd not till hard by me it bided. "
## [18195] ""
## [18196] "I wretch astonished was, and thought the deathful doom, "
## [18197] ""
## [18198] "Of heaven, of earth, of hell, of time and place was come. "
## [18199] ""
## [18200] "But straight there issued forth two ladies, ladies sure "
## [18201] ""
## [18202] "They seemed to me, on whom did wait a virgin pure. "
## [18203] ""
## [18204] "Strange were the ladies' weeds, yet more unfit than strange. "
## [18205] ""
## [18206] "The first with clothes tucked up, as nymphs in woods do range, "
## [18207] ""
## [18208] "Tucked up even with the knees with bow and arrows pressed : "
## [18209] ""
## [18210] "Her right arm naked was, discovered was her breast. "
## [18211] ""
## [18212] "But heavy was her pace, and such a meagre cheer. "
## [18213] ""
## [18214] "As little hunting mind, God knows, did there appear. "
## [18215] ""
## [18216] "The other had with art, more than our women know, "
## [18217] ""
## [18218] "As stuff meant for the sale, set out to glaring show, "
## [18219] ""
## [18220] "A wanton woman's face, and with curl'd knots had twin'd "
## [18221] ""
## [18222] "Her hair, which by the help of painters cunning shin'd, "
## [18223] ""
## [18224] "When I such guests did see come out of such a house, "
## [18225] ""
## [18226] "The mountains great with child, I thought brought forth a mouse "
## [18227] ""
## [18228] "But walking forth, the first thus to the second said. "
## [18229] ""
## [18230] "\"Venus come on : \" said she \" Diana you are obey'd.\" "
## [18231] ""
## [18232] "Those names abash'd me much, when those great names I heard: "
## [18233] ""
## [18234] "Although their fame (me seera'd) from truth had greatly jarr'd. "
## [18235] ""
## [18236] "As I thus musing stood, Diana call'd to her "
## [18237] ""
## [18238] "The waiting nymph, a nymph that did excel as far "
## [18239] ""
## [18240] "All things that erst I saw, as orient pearls exceed "
## [18241] ""
## [18242] "That which their mother hight, or else their silly seed, "
## [18243] ""
## [18244] "Indeed a perfect hew, indeed a sweet consent. "
## [18245] ""
## [18246] "Of all those graces gifts the heavens have ever lent. "
## [18247] ""
## [18248] "And so she was attir'd, as one that did not prize "
## [18249] ""
## [18250] "Too much her peerless parts, nor yet could them despise. "
## [18251] ""
## [18252] "But call'd, she came apace ; apace, wherein did move "
## [18253] ""
## [18254] "The band of beauty's all, the little world of love. "
## [18255] ""
## [18256] "And bending humbled eyes (O eyes the sun of sight) "
## [18257] ""
## [18258] "She waited mistress's will ; who thus disclos'd her spright ; "
## [18259] ""
## [18260] "\" Sweet Mira mine,\" quoth she, \" the pleasure of my mind' "
## [18261] ""
## [18262] "In whom of all my rules the perfect proof I find ; ' "
## [18263] ""
## [18264] "To only thee, thou seest, we grant this special grace "
## [18265] ""
## [18266] "Us to attend, in this most private time and place. "
## [18267] ""
## [18268] "Be silent therefore now, and so be silent still "
## [18269] ""
## [18270] "Of that thou seest ; close up in secret not thy will,\" "
## [18271] ""
## [18272] ""
## [18273] ""
## [18274] "334 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [18275] ""
## [18276] "She answered was with look, and well perform'd behest ; "
## [18277] ""
## [18278] "And Mira I admir'd ; her shape sunk in my breast. "
## [18279] ""
## [18280] "But thus with ireful eyes, and face that shook with spite "
## [18281] ""
## [18282] "Diana did begin. \" What mov'd me to invite, "
## [18283] ""
## [18284] "Your presence, sister dear, first to my moony sphere. "
## [18285] ""
## [18286] "And hither now, vouchsafe to take with willing ear. "
## [18287] ""
## [18288] "I know full well you know, what discord long hath reign'd "
## [18289] ""
## [18290] "Betwixt us two ; how much that discord foul hath stain'd "
## [18291] ""
## [18292] "Both our estates, while each the other did deprave. "
## [18293] ""
## [18294] "Proof speaks too much to us, that feeling trial have. "
## [18295] ""
## [18296] "Our names are quite forgot, our temples are defac'd ; "
## [18297] ""
## [18298] "Our offerings spoil' d, our priests from priesthood are displac'd. "
## [18299] ""
## [18300] "Is this the fruit of strife ? those thousand churches high, "
## [18301] ""
## [18302] "Those thousand altars fair now in the dust to lie ? "
## [18303] ""
## [18304] "In mortal minds, our minds but planets names preserve ; "
## [18305] ""
## [18306] "No knees once bowed, forsooth, for them they say we serve. "
## [18307] ""
## [18308] "Are we their servants grown ? no doubt a noble stay ; "
## [18309] ""
## [18310] "Celestial powers to worms, Jove's children serve to clay. "
## [18311] ""
## [18312] "But such they say we be : this praise our discord bred, "
## [18313] ""
## [18314] "While we for mutual spite, a striving passion fed. "
## [18315] ""
## [18316] "But let us wiser be ; and what foul discord brake, "
## [18317] ""
## [18318] "So much more strong again let fastest concord make. "
## [18319] ""
## [18320] "Our years do it require ; you see we both do feel "
## [18321] ""
## [18322] "The weak'ning work of time's for ever whirling wheel. "
## [18323] ""
## [18324] "Although we be divine, our grandsire Saturn is "
## [18325] ""
## [18326] "With ages force decay' d, yet once the heaven was his. "
## [18327] ""
## [18328] "And now before we seek by wise Apollo's skill. "
## [18329] ""
## [18330] "Our young years to renew, for so he saith he will, "
## [18331] ""
## [18332] "Let us a perfect peace between us two resolve ; "
## [18333] ""
## [18334] "Which least the ruinous want of government dissolve. "
## [18335] ""
## [18336] "Let one the princess be, to her the other yield : "
## [18337] ""
## [18338] "For vain equality is but contention's field. "
## [18339] ""
## [18340] "And let her have the gifts that should in both remain ; "
## [18341] ""
## [18342] "In her let beauty both, and chasteness fully reign. "
## [18343] ""
## [18344] "So as if I prevail, you give your gifts to me. "
## [18345] ""
## [18346] "If you, on you I lay what in ray office be. "
## [18347] ""
## [18348] "Now resteth only this, which of us two is she. "
## [18349] ""
## [18350] "To whom precedence shall of both accorded be. "
## [18351] ""
## [18352] "For that, so that you like, hereby doth lie a youth, "
## [18353] ""
## [18354] "She beckoned unto me, as yet of spotless truth ; "
## [18355] ""
## [18356] "Who may this doubt discern : for better wit, then lot, "
## [18357] ""
## [18358] "Becometh us : in us fortune determines not. "
## [18359] ""
## [18360] "This crown of amber fair, an amber crown she held. "
## [18361] ""
## [18362] "To worthiest let him give, when both he hath beheld : "
## [18363] ""
## [18364] "And be it as he saith.\" Venus was glad to hear "
## [18365] ""
## [18366] "Such proffer made, which she well show'd with smiling cheer, "
## [18367] ""
## [18368] "As though she were the same, as when by Paris doom "
## [18369] ""
## [18370] "She had chief goddesses in beauty overcome. "
## [18371] ""
## [18372] ""
## [18373] ""
## [18374] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 335 "
## [18375] ""
## [18376] "And smirkly thus gan say, \" I never sought debate, "
## [18377] ""
## [18378] "Diana dear, my mind to love and not to hate "
## [18379] ""
## [18380] "Was ever apt : but you my pastimes did despise. "
## [18381] ""
## [18382] "I never spited you, but thought you overwise. "
## [18383] ""
## [18384] "Now kindness proferr'd is, none kinder is than I j "
## [18385] ""
## [18386] "And so most ready am this mean of peace to try ; "
## [18387] ""
## [18388] "And let him be our judge : the lad doth please me well.\" "
## [18389] ""
## [18390] "Thus both did come to me, and both began to tell ; "
## [18391] ""
## [18392] "For both together spoke, each loath to be behind. "
## [18393] ""
## [18394] "That they by solemn oath their deities would bind. "
## [18395] ""
## [18396] "To stand unto my will, their will they made me know "
## [18397] ""
## [18398] "I that was first aghast, when first I saw their show ; "
## [18399] ""
## [18400] "Now bolder wax'd, wax'd proud, that I such sway must bear ; "
## [18401] ""
## [18402] "For near acquaintaince doth diminish reverent fear. "
## [18403] ""
## [18404] "And having bound them fast by Styx, they should obey "
## [18405] ""
## [18406] "To all what I decreed, did thus my verdict say. "
## [18407] ""
## [18408] "\" How ill both you can rule, well hath your discord taught ; "
## [18409] ""
## [18410] "Nay yet for ought I see, your beauties merit ought. "
## [18411] ""
## [18412] "To yonder Nymph therefore, to Mira I did point, "
## [18413] ""
## [18414] "The crown above you both for ever I appoint.\" "
## [18415] ""
## [18416] "I would have spoken out ; but out they both did cry ; "
## [18417] ""
## [18418] "\"Fie, fie, what have we done? ungodly rebel, fie. "
## [18419] ""
## [18420] "But now we needs must yield, to that our oaths require. "
## [18421] ""
## [18422] "Yet thou shalt not go free,\" quoth Venus, \" Such a fire "
## [18423] ""
## [18424] "Her beauty kindle shall within thy foolish mind, "
## [18425] ""
## [18426] "That thou full oft shall wish thy judging eyes were blind.\" "
## [18427] ""
## [18428] "\"Nay then,\" Diana said, \"the chasteness I will give. "
## [18429] ""
## [18430] "In ashes of despair, though burnt, shall make thee live.\" "
## [18431] ""
## [18432] "\" Nay thou,\" said both, \" shalt see such beams shine in her face, "
## [18433] ""
## [18434] "That thou shalt never dare seek help of wretched case.\" "
## [18435] ""
## [18436] "And with that cursed curse away to heaven they fled "
## [18437] ""
## [18438] "First having all their gifts upon fair Mira spread. "
## [18439] ""
## [18440] "The rest I cannot tell ; for therewithal I wak'd. "
## [18441] ""
## [18442] "And found with deadly fear that all my sinews shak'd. "
## [18443] ""
## [18444] "Was it a dream ? O dream, how hast thou wrought in me "
## [18445] ""
## [18446] "That I things erst unseen should first in dreaming see ? "
## [18447] ""
## [18448] "And thou, O traitor sleep, made for to be our rest ; "
## [18449] ""
## [18450] "How hast thou fram'd the pain wherewith I am oppress'd ? "
## [18451] ""
## [18452] "O coward Cupid thus dost thou thy honour keep, "
## [18453] ""
## [18454] "Unarm'd, alas ! unwarn'd to take a man asleep ? "
## [18455] ""
## [18456] "Laying not only the conquest, but the heart of the conqueror at "
## [18457] "her feet. But she receiving him after her wonted sorrowful but "
## [18458] "otherwise unmoved, manner, it made him think his good success "
## [18459] "was but as a pleasant monument of a doleful burial : Joy itself "
## [18460] "seemmg bitter unto him, since it agreed not to her taste. "
## [18461] ""
## [18462] "Therefore, still craving his mother's help to persuade her, he "
## [18463] "himself sent for Philanax unto him, whom he had not only long "
## [18464] ""
## [18465] ""
## [18466] ""
## [18467] "336 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [18468] ""
## [18469] "hated but now had his hate greatly increased by the death of his "
## [18470] "squire Ismenus. Besides, he had made him as one of the chief "
## [18471] "causes that moved him to this rebellion, and therefore was inclined, "
## [18472] "to colour the better his action, and the more to embrew the hands "
## [18473] "of his accomplices by making them guilty of such a trespass, in "
## [18474] "some formal sort to cause him to be executed, being also greatly "
## [18475] "egged thereunto by his mother, and some other, who long had "
## [18476] "hated Philanax ; only because he was more worthy than they to "
## [18477] "be loved. "
## [18478] ""
## [18479] "But while that deliberation was handled, according rather to the "
## [18480] "humour, than the reason of each speaker ; Philoclea coming to the "
## [18481] "knowledge of the hard plight wherein Philanax stood, she desired- "
## [18482] "one of the gentlewomen appointed to wait upon her to go in her "
## [18483] "name and beseech Amphialus, that, if the love of her had. any "
## [18484] "power of persuasion in his mind, he would lay no farther punish- "
## [18485] "ment than imprisonment upon Philanax. This message was "
## [18486] "delivered even as Philanax was entering to the presence of "
## [18487] "Amphialus, coming, according to the warning was given him, to "
## [18488] "receive judgment of death. But when he, with manful resolution, "
## [18489] "attended the fruit of such a tyrannical sentence, thinking it wrong, "
## [18490] "but no harm to him that should die in so good a cause ; Amphialus "
## [18491] "turned quite the form of his pretended speech, and yielded him "
## [18492] "humble thanks that by his means he had come to that happiness, "
## [18493] "as to receive a commandment of his lady : and therefore he "
## [18494] "willingly gave him liberty to return in safety whither he would, "
## [18495] "quitting him not only of all former grudge, but assuring him that "
## [18496] "he would be willing to do him any friendship and service : only "
## [18497] "desiring thus much of him, that he would let him know the "
## [18498] "discourse and intent of Basilius's proceeding. "
## [18499] ""
## [18500] "\" Truly, my Lord,\" answered Philanax, \" if there were any such, "
## [18501] "known to me, secret in my master's counsel, as that the revealing "
## [18502] "thereof, might hinder his good success, I should loathe the keeping "
## [18503] "of my blood with the loss of my faith, and would think the just "
## [18504] "name of a traitor a hard purchase of a few years' living. But since "
## [18505] "it is so, that my master hath indeed no way of privy practice ; but "
## [18506] "means openly and forcibly to deal against you, I will not stick, in "
## [18507] "few words, to make your required declaration.\" Then told he him "
## [18508] "in what a maze of amazement, both Basilius and Gynecia were "
## [18509] "when they missed their children and Zelmane. Sometimes apt to "
## [18510] "suspect some practice of Zelmane, because she was a stranger; "
## [18511] "sometimes doubting some relic of the late mutiny, which doubt "
## [18512] "was rather increased than any wise satisfied, by Miso, who, being "
## [18513] "found almost dead for hunger by certain country people, brought "
## [18514] "home word with what cunning they were trained out, and with "
## [18515] "what violence they were carried away. But that within a few "
## [18516] ""
## [18517] ""
## [18518] ""
## [18519] "BOOK m.l AkCADiA %if "
## [18520] ""
## [18521] "days they came to knowledge where they were by Amphialus's "
## [18522] "own letters sent abroad to procure confederates in his attempts ; "
## [18523] "that Basilius's purpose was never to leave the siege of the town "
## [18524] "till he had taken it, and revenged the injury done unto him. That "
## [18525] "he meant rather to win it by time and famine, than by force of "
## [18526] "assault ; knowing how valiant men he had to deal withal in the "
## [18527] "town : that he had sent orders that supplies of soldiers, pioneers, "
## [18528] "and all things else necessary, should daily be brought unto him : "
## [18529] "so as, \" My Lord,\" said Philanax, \" let me now, having received "
## [18530] "my life by your grace, let me give you your life and honour by my "
## [18531] "counsel ; protesting unto you, that I cannot choose but love you, "
## [18532] "being my master's nephew ; and that I wish you well in all causes "
## [18533] "but this. You know his nature is as apt to forgive as his power "
## [18534] "is able to conquer. Your fault passed is excusable, in that love "
## [18535] "persuaded, and youth was persuaded. Do not urge the effects of "
## [18536] "angry victory, but rather seek to obtain that constantly by courtesy, "
## [18537] "which you can never assuredly enjoy by violence.\" "
## [18538] ""
## [18539] "One might easily have seen in the cheer of Amphialus that "
## [18540] "disdainful choler would fain have made the answer for him, but "
## [18541] "the remembrance of Philoclea served for forcible barriers between "
## [18542] "anger, and angry effects : so as he said no more, but that he would "
## [18543] "not put him to the trouble to give him any farther counsel, but "
## [18544] "that he might return, if he listed, presently. Philanax glad to "
## [18545] "receive an uncorrupted liberty, humbly accepted his favourable "
## [18546] "convoy out of the town ; and so departed, not visiting the princesses, "
## [18547] "thinking it might be offensive to Amphialus, and no way fruitful to "
## [18548] "them, who were no way, but by force, to be rescued. "
## [18549] ""
## [18550] "The poor ladies, indeed, not suffered either to meet together "
## [18551] "or to have conference with any other, but such as Cecropia had "
## [18552] "already framed, to sing all their songs to her tune, she herself "
## [18553] "omitting no day, and catching hold of every occasion to move "
## [18554] "forward her son's desire, and remove their own resolutions ; using "
## [18555] "the same arguments to the one sister, as to the other ; determining "
## [18556] "that whom she could win first, the other should, without her son's "
## [18557] "knowledge, by poison be made away. But though the reasons "
## [18558] "were the same to both, yet the handling was diverse, according as "
## [18559] "she saw their humours to prepare a more or less aptness of "
## [18560] "apprehension. This day having long speech to Philoclea, amplify- "
## [18561] "ing not a little the great dutifulness her son had shown in delivering "
## [18562] "Philanax ; of whom she could get no answer, but a silence sealed "
## [18563] "up in virtue, and so sweetly graced, as that in one instant it carried "
## [18564] "with it both resistance and humbleness : Cecropia threatening in "
## [18565] "herself to run a more rugged race with her, went to her sister "
## [18566] "Pamela, who that day having wearied herself with reading, and "
## [18567] "with the height of her heart disdaining to keep company with any "
## [18568] ""
## [18569] "Y "
## [18570] ""
## [18571] ""
## [18572] ""
## [18573] "338 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [18574] ""
## [18575] "of the gentlewomen appointed to attend her, whom she accounted "
## [18576] "her jailors, was working upon a purse certain roses and lilies, as "
## [18577] "by the fineness of the work, one might see she had borrowed her "
## [18578] "wits of the sorrow that then owed them, and lent them wholly to "
## [18579] "that exercise. For the flowers she had wrought carried such life "
## [18580] "in them that the cunningest painter might have learned of her "
## [18581] "needle, which with so pretty a manner made his careers to and fro "
## [18582] "through the cloth, as if the needle itself would have been loth to "
## [18583] "have gone fromward such a mistress but that it hoped to return "
## [18584] "thitherward very quickly again, the cloth looking with many eyes "
## [18585] "upon her, and lovingly embracing the wounds she gave it : the "
## [18586] "shears also were at hand to behead the silk that was grown too "
## [18587] "short. And if at any time she put her mouth to bite it off, it "
## [18588] "seemed, that where she had been long in making of a rose with "
## [18589] "her hands, she would in an instant make roses with her lips ; as "
## [18590] "the lilies seemed to have their whiteness rather of the hand that "
## [18591] "made them than of the matter whereof they were made, and that "
## [18592] "they grew there by the suns of her eyes, and were refreshed by "
## [18593] "the most, in discomfort, comfortable air, which an unawares sigh "
## [18594] "might bestow upon them. But the colours for the ground were "
## [18595] "so well chosen, neither sullenly dark, nor glaringly lightsome ; and "
## [18596] "so well proportioned, as that, though much cunning were in it, yet "
## [18597] "it was but to serve for ornament of the principal work ; that it was "
## [18598] "not without marvel to see how a mind which could cast a careless "
## [18599] "semblant upon the greatest conflicts of fortune could command "
## [18600] "itself to take care for so small matters. Neither had she neglected "
## [18601] "the dainty dressing of herself ; but as if it had been her marriage "
## [18602] "time to affliction, she rather seemed to remember her own "
## [18603] "worthiness than the unworthiness of her husband. For well might "
## [18604] "one perceive she had not rejected the counsel of a glass, and that "
## [18605] "her hands had pleased themselves in paying the tribute of "
## [18606] "undeceiving skill to so high perfections of nature. "
## [18607] ""
## [18608] "The sight whereof so divers from her sister, who rather suffered "
## [18609] "sorrow to dress itself in her beauty than that she would bestow "
## [18610] "any entertainment of so unwelcome a guest the made Cecropia "
## [18611] "take a sudden assuredness of hope that she should obtain somewhat "
## [18612] "of Pamela : thinking, according to the squaring out of her own "
## [18613] "good nature that beauty carefully set forth, would soon prove a "
## [18614] "sign of an unrefusing harbour. Animated therewith, she sat down "
## [18615] "by Pamela, and taking the purse, and with affected curiosity "
## [18616] "looking upon the work : \" Fully happy is he,\" said she, \" at least "
## [18617] "if he knew his own happiness, to whom a purse in this manner, "
## [18618] "and by this hand wrought, is dedicated. In faith he shall have "
## [18619] "cause to account it, not as a purse for treasure, but as a treasure "
## [18620] "itself, worthy to be pursed up in the purse of his own heart\" \" And "
## [18621] ""
## [18622] ""
## [18623] ""
## [18624] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 339 "
## [18625] ""
## [18626] "think you so indeed?\" said Pamela, half smiling, \"I promise "
## [18627] "you I wrought it but to make some tedious hours believe that I "
## [18628] "thought not of them ; for else I valued it but even as a very purse.\" "
## [18629] "\"It is the right nature,\" said Cecropia, \"of beauty to virork "
## [18630] "unwitting effects of wonder.\" \" Truly,\" said Pamela, \" I never "
## [18631] "thought till now that this outward gloss, entitled beauty, which it "
## [18632] "pleaseth you to lay to my (as I think) unguilty charge, was but a "
## [18633] "pleasant mixture of natural colours, delightful to the eye, as music "
## [18634] "is to the ear, without any farther consequence, since it is a thing, "
## [18635] "which not only beasts have, but even stones and trees many of them "
## [18636] "do greatly excel in it.\" \" That other things,\" answered Cecropia, "
## [18637] "\"have some portion of it, takes not away the excellency of it, "
## [18638] "where indeed it doth excel : since we see that even those beasts, "
## [18639] "trees and stones are in the name of beauty only highly praised. "
## [18640] "But that the beauty of human persons is beyond all other things, "
## [18641] "there is great likelihood of reason, since to them only is given the "
## [18642] "judgment to discern beauty ; and among reasonable wights, as it "
## [18643] "seems, that our sex hath the pre-eminence, so that in that pre- "
## [18644] "eminence, nature countervails all other liberalities wherein she may "
## [18645] "be thought to have dealt more favourably toward mankind. How do "
## [18646] "men crown, think you, themselves with glory for having either by "
## [18647] "force brought others to yield to their mind, or with long study, and "
## [18648] "premeditated orations, persuaded what they would have persuaded ? "
## [18649] "and see, a fair woman shall not only command without authority, "
## [18650] "but persuade without speaking. She shall not need to procure "
## [18651] "attention, for their own eyes will chain their ears unto it. Men "
## [18652] "venture lives to conquer, she conquers lives without venturing. "
## [18653] "She is served, and obeyed, which is the most notable, not because "
## [18654] "the laws so command it, but because they become laws themselves "
## [18655] "to obey her ; not for her parents' sake, but for her own. She need "
## [18656] "not dispute, whether to govern by fear or love, since without her "
## [18657] "thinking thereof, their love will bring forth fear, and their fear will "
## [18658] "fortify their love ; and she need not seek offensive or defensive force "
## [18659] "since her only lips may stand for ten thousand shields, and ten "
## [18660] "thousand inevitable shot go from her eyes. Beauty, beauty, dear "
## [18661] "niece, is the crown of the feminine greatness ; which gift on "
## [18662] "whomsoever the heavens (therein most niggardly) do bestow "
## [18663] "without question, she is bound to use it to the noble purpose for "
## [18664] "which it is created ; not only winning, but preserving, since that "
## [18665] "indeed is the right happiness which is not only in itself happy, "
## [18666] "but can also derive the happiness to another.\" \" Certainly, Aunt,\" "
## [18667] "said Pamela, \"I fear you will make me not only think myself "
## [18668] "fairer than ever I did, but think my fairness a matter of greater "
## [18669] "value than heretofore I could imagine it. For I ever, till now "
## [18670] "conceived those conquests you speak of rather to proceed from the "
## [18671] ""
## [18672] ""
## [18673] ""
## [18674] "340 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [18675] ""
## [18676] "weakness of the conquered than from the strength of the conquer- "
## [18677] "ing power I as they say, the Cranes overthrow whole battles of "
## [18678] "Pigmies, not so much of their cranish courage, as because the other "
## [18679] "are Pigmies ; and that we see young babes think babies of wonderful "
## [18680] "excellency, and yet the babies are but babies. But since your "
## [18681] "older years, and abler judgment find beauty to be worthy of so "
## [18682] "incomparable estimation, certainly, methinks, it ought to be held "
## [18683] "in dearness, according to the excellency, and no more than we "
## [18684] "would do of things which we account precious, never to suffer it to "
## [18685] "be defiled.\" "
## [18686] ""
## [18687] "\"Defiled?\" said Crecopia, \"Marry, God forbid that my speech "
## [18688] "should tend to any such purpose as should deserve so foul a title. "
## [18689] "My meaning is, to join your beauty to love, your youth to delight. "
## [18690] "For, truly, as colours should be as good as nothing if there were "
## [18691] "no eyes to behold them ; so is beauty nothing, without the eye of "
## [18692] "love behold it : and therefore so far is it from defiling it, that it "
## [18693] "is only the honouring of it, only the preserving of it ; for beauty "
## [18694] "goes away, devoured by time, but where remains it ever flourishing, "
## [18695] "but in the heart of a true lover ? and such a one, if ever there were "
## [18696] "any, is my son, whose love is so subjected unto you, that rather "
## [18697] "than breed any offence unto you, it will not delight itself in "
## [18698] "beholding you.\" \"There is no effect of his love,\" answered "
## [18699] "Pamela, \" better pleaseth me than that : but as I have often "
## [18700] "answered you, so resolutely I say unto you, that he must get my "
## [18701] "parents' consent, and then he shall know further of my mind : for, "
## [18702] "without that I know I should offend God.\" \" O sweet youth,\" said "
## [18703] "Cecropia, \" how untimely subject it is to devotion ? no, no, sweet "
## [18704] "niece, let us old folks think of such precise considerations : do you "
## [18705] "enjoy the heaven of your age, whereof you are sure ; and like good "
## [18706] "householders, which spend those things that would not be kept, "
## [18707] "so do you pleasantly enjoy that which else will bring an over late "
## [18708] "repentance, when your glass shall accuse you to your face what a "
## [18709] "change there is in you. Do you see how the spring-time is full of "
## [18710] "flowers, decking itself with them, and not aspiring to the fruits of "
## [18711] "autumn ? what lesson is that unto you, but that in the April of your "
## [18712] "age, you .should be like April? let not some of them for whom "
## [18713] "already the grave gapeth, and perhaps envy the felicity in you, "
## [18714] "which themselves cannot enjoy, persuade you to loose the hold of "
## [18715] "occasion, while it may not only be taken, but offers, nay sues to be "
## [18716] "taken, which if it be not now taken, will never hereafter be over- "
## [18717] "taken. Yourself know how your father hath refused all offers "
## [18718] "made by the greatest princes about you, and will you suffer "
## [18719] "your beauty to be hidden in the wrinkles of his peevish thoughts ? \" "
## [18720] "\" If he be peevish,\" said Pamela, \" yet he is my father ; and "
## [18721] "how beautiful soever I be, I am his daughter : so that God "
## [18722] ""
## [18723] ""
## [18724] ""
## [18725] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 34^ "
## [18726] ""
## [18727] "claims at ray hands obedience, and makes me no judge of his "
## [18728] ""
## [18729] "imperfections.\" . „ , ■, r- "
## [18730] ""
## [18731] "These often replies upon conscience m Pamela, made Lecropia "
## [18732] "think that there was no righter way for her than as she had, in her "
## [18733] "opinion, set her in liking of beauty, with persuasion not to suffer it "
## [18734] "to be void of purpose ; so if she could make her less feelmg of "
## [18735] "those heavenly conceits, that then she might easily wind her to her "
## [18736] "crooked bias. Therefore employing the uttermost of her mis- "
## [18737] "chievous wit, and speaking the more earnestly, because she spoke "
## [18738] "as she thought, she thus dealt with her. "
## [18739] ""
## [18740] "\" Dear niece, or rather dear daugher, if my affection and wish "
## [18741] "might prevail therein, how much doth it increase, through you, the "
## [18742] "earnest desire I have of this blessed match, to see these virtues of "
## [18743] "yours knit fast with such zeal of devotion (indeed the best bond) "
## [18744] "which the most politic wits have found to hold man's wit in well "
## [18745] "doing ? For as children must first by fear be induced to know that "
## [18746] "which after when they do know, they are most glad of, so are these "
## [18747] "bugbears of opinions brought by great clerks into the world to "
## [18748] "serve as shields to keep them from those faults, whereto else the "
## [18749] "vanity of the world, and weakness of senses might pull them. But "
## [18750] "in you, niece, whose excellency is such as it need not to be held up "
## [18751] "by the staff of vulger opinions, I would not you should love virtue "
## [18752] "servilely, for fear of I know not what, which you see not, but even "
## [18753] "for the good effects of virtue which you see. Fear, and indeed "
## [18754] "foolish fear, and fearful ignorance, was the first inventor of those "
## [18755] "conceits ; for when they heard it thunder, not knowing the natural "
## [18756] "cause, they thought there was some angry body above that spake "
## [18757] "so loud : and ever the less they did perceive, the more they did "
## [18758] "conceive ; whereof they knew no cause, that grew straight a "
## [18759] "miracle : foolish folks not marking that the alterations be but upon "
## [18760] "particular accidents, the universality being always one. Yesterday "
## [18761] "was but as to-day, and to-morrow will tread the same footsteps of "
## [18762] "his foregoers : so as it is manifest enough that all things follow but "
## [18763] "the course of their own nature, saving only man, who while by the "
## [18764] "pregnancy of his imagination he strives to things supernatural, "
## [18765] "meanwhile he loseth his own natural fehcity. Be wise, and that "
## [18766] "wisdom shall be a God unto thee ; be contented, and that is thy "
## [18767] "heaven : for else to think that those powers, if there be any such, "
## [18768] "above are moved either by the eloquence of our prayers, or in a "
## [18769] "chafe at the folly of our actions, carries as much reason, as if flies "
## [18770] "should think that men take great care which of them hums sweetest "
## [18771] "and which of them flies nimblest.\" "
## [18772] ""
## [18773] "She would have spoken further, to have enlarged and confirmed "
## [18774] "her discourse, when Pamela, whose cheeks were dyed in the "
## [18775] "beautifuUest grain of virtuous anger, with eyes which glistered "
## [18776] ""
## [18777] ""
## [18778] ""
## [18779] "342 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [18780] ""
## [18781] "forth beams of disdain, thus interrupted her. \"Peace, wicked "
## [18782] "woman, peace, unworthy to breathe, that dost not acknowledge the "
## [18783] "breath giver ; most unworthy to have a tongue which speaketh "
## [18784] "against him, through whom thou speakest : keep your affection to "
## [18785] "yourself, which like a bemired dog, would defile with fawning. "
## [18786] "You say yesterday was as to-day. O foolish woman, and most "
## [18787] "miserably foolish, since wit makes you foohsh ; what doth that "
## [18788] "argue but that there is a constancy in the everlasting governor? "
## [18789] "Would you have an inconstant God, since we count a man foolish "
## [18790] "that is inconstant? He is not seen, you say, and would you think "
## [18791] "him a God who might be seen by so wicked eyes as yours ? Which "
## [18792] "yet might see enough if they were not like such, who for sport's sake, "
## [18793] "willingly hoodwink themselves to receive blows the easier. But "
## [18794] "though I speak to you without any hope of fruit in so rotten a "
## [18795] "heart, and there be nobody else here to judge of my speeches, yet "
## [18796] "be thou my witness, O captivity, that my ears shall not be willingly "
## [18797] "guilty of my creator's blasphemy. You say because we know not "
## [18798] "the causes of things, therefore fear was the mother of superstition ; "
## [18799] "nay, because we know that each effect hath a cause that hath "
## [18800] "engendered a true and lively devotion. For this goodly work of which "
## [18801] "we are, and in which we live, hath not his being by chance ; on which "
## [18802] "opinion it is beyond marvel, by what chance any brain could stumble. "
## [18803] "For if it be eternal, as you would seem to conceive of it, eternity "
## [18804] "and chance are things unsufferable together. For that is chance- "
## [18805] "able which happeneth ; and if it happen, there was a time before "
## [18806] "it happened when it might not have happened ; or else it did not "
## [18807] "happen, and, if so chanceable, not eternal. And as absurd it is "
## [18808] "to think, that if it had a beginning, his beginning was derived "
## [18809] "from chance : for chance could never make all things of nothing ; "
## [18810] "and there were substances before, which by chance should meet "
## [18811] "to make up this work ; thereon follows another bottomless pit "
## [18812] "of absurdities. For then those substances must needs have been "
## [18813] "from ever, and so eternal : and that eternal causes should bring "
## [18814] "forth chanceable effects, is as sensible as that the sun should be "
## [18815] "the author of darkness. Again, if it were chanceable, then was "
## [18816] "it not necessary ; whereby you take away all consequence. But "
## [18817] "we see in all things, in some respect or other, necessity of "
## [18818] "consequence : therefore in reason we must needs know that the "
## [18819] "causes were necessary. Lastly, chance is variable, or else it is "
## [18820] "not to be called chance : but we see this work is steady and "
## [18821] "permanent. If nothing but chance had glued those pieces of this "
## [18822] "All, the heavy parts would have gone infinitely downward, the "
## [18823] "light infinitely upward, and so never have met to have made up "
## [18824] "this goodly body. For before there was a heaven, or earth, there "
## [18825] "^as neither a heaven to stay the height of the ring, ox an eartl^ "
## [18826] ""
## [18827] ""
## [18828] ""
## [18829] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 343 "
## [18830] ""
## [18831] "which (in respect of the round walls of heaven) should become "
## [18832] "a centre. Lastly, perfect order, perfect beauty, perfect constancy, "
## [18833] "if these be the children of chance, let wisdom be counted the root "
## [18834] "of wickedness. But, you will say, it is so by nature ; as much as "
## [18835] "if you said, it is so, because jt is so. If you mean of many natures "
## [18836] "conspiring together, as in a popular government to establish this "
## [18837] "fair estate ; as if the elementisb and ethereal parts should in their "
## [18838] "town-house set down the bounds of each one's office : then consider "
## [18839] "what follows, that there must needs have been a wisdom which "
## [18840] "made them concur : for their natures being absolutely contrary, "
## [18841] "in nature rather would have sought each others' ruin, than have "
## [18842] "served as well consorted parts to such an unexpressible harmony. "
## [18843] "For that contrary things should meet to make up a perfection "
## [18844] "without force and wisdom above their powers, is absolutely "
## [18845] "impossible unless that you will fly to that hissed-out opinion of "
## [18846] "chance again. But you may, perhaps, affirm that one universal "
## [18847] "nature, which hath been for ever, is the knitting together of these "
## [18848] "many parts to such an excellent unity. If you mean a nature of "
## [18849] "wisdom, goodness and providence, which knows what it doth ; "
## [18850] "then say you that which I seek of you, and cannot conclude those "
## [18851] "blasphemies with which you defiled your mouth, and mine ears : "
## [18852] "but if you mean a nature, as we speak of the fire, which goeth "
## [18853] "upward, it knows not why ; and of the nature of the sea, which "
## [18854] "in ebbing and flowing seems to observe so just a dance, and yet "
## [18855] "understands no music, it is but still the same absurdity super- "
## [18856] "scribed with another title. For this word. One, being attributed "
## [18857] "to that which is All, is but one mingling of many, and many ones ; "
## [18858] "as in a less matter, when we say one kingdom which contains "
## [18859] "many cities, or one city which contains many persons, wherein "
## [18860] "the under-ones, if there be not a superior power and wisdom "
## [18861] "cannot by nature have regard to any preservation but of "
## [18862] "themselves : no more we see they do, since the water willingly "
## [18863] "quenches the fire, and drowns the earth, so far as they from a "
## [18864] "conspired unity ; but that a right heavenly nature indeed, as it "
## [18865] "were unnaturing them, doth so bridle them. Again, it is as absurd "
## [18866] "in nature, that from an unity many contraries should proceed still "
## [18867] "kept in an unity ; as that from the number of contrarieties an "
## [18868] "unity should arise. I say still, if you banish both a singularity "
## [18869] "and plurality of judgment from among them, then (if so earthly "
## [18870] "a mmd can lift itself up so high) do but conceive how a thing "
## [18871] "whereto you give the highest and most excellent kind of being "
## [18872] "which IS eternity, can be of a base and vilest degree of being' "
## [18873] "and next to a not being : which is so to be, as not to enjoy his own "
## [18874] "bemg? I will not here call all your senses to witness, which can "
## [18875] "JJW nor see nothing, which yields not most evident evidence pf "
## [18876] ""
## [18877] ""
## [18878] ""
## [18879] "344 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [18880] ""
## [18881] "the unspeakableness of that wisdom : each thing being directed "
## [18882] "to an end, and an end of preservation, so proper effects of "
## [18883] "judgment, as speaking and laughing, are of mankind. But what "
## [18884] "mad fury can ever so inveigle any conceit, as to see our mortal "
## [18885] "and corruptible selves to have a reason, and that this universality, "
## [18886] "whereof we are but the least pieces, should be utterly devoid "
## [18887] "thereof: as if one should say, that one's foot might be wise, and "
## [18888] "himself foolish : this heard I once alleged against such a godless "
## [18889] "mind as yours, who being driven to acknowledge this beastly "
## [18890] "absurdity that our bodies should be better than the whole world, "
## [18891] "if it had the knowledge whereof the other were void ; he sought, "
## [18892] "not able to answer directly, to sift it off in this sort ; and if that "
## [18893] "reason were true, then must it follow also that the world must have "
## [18894] "in it a spirit, that could write and read too, and be learned, since "
## [18895] "that was in us commendable. Wretched fool, not considering that "
## [18896] "books be but supplies of defects, and so are praised because they "
## [18897] "help our want, and therefore cannot be incident to the eternal "
## [18898] "intelligence, which need no recording of opinions to confirm his "
## [18899] "knowledge, no more than the sun wants wax to be the fuel of his "
## [18900] "glorious lightfiilness. This world therefore cannot otherwise "
## [18901] "consist but by a mind of wisdom, which governs it ; which whether "
## [18902] "you will allow to be the creator thereof, as undoubtedly he is, or "
## [18903] "the soul and governor thereof, most certain it is, that whether he "
## [18904] "govern all, or make all, his power is above either his creatures, or "
## [18905] "his government. And if his power be above all things, then "
## [18906] "consequently it must needs be infinite, since there is nothing "
## [18907] "above it to limit it. For beyond which there is nothing, must "
## [18908] "needs be boundless and infinite : if his power be infinite, then "
## [18909] "likewise must his knowledge be infinite : for else there should be "
## [18910] "an infinite proportion of power which he should not know how "
## [18911] "to use, the unsensibleness whereof I think even you can conceive : "
## [18912] "and if infinite, then must nothing, no not the estate of flies, which "
## [18913] "you with so unsavoury scorn did jest at, be known unto him. For "
## [18914] "if there were, then there were his knowledge bounded, and so not "
## [18915] "infinite : if his knowledge and power be infinite, then must needs "
## [18916] "his goodness and justness march in the same rank : for infiniteness "
## [18917] "of power and knowledge, without like measure of goodness must "
## [18918] "necessarily bring forth destruction and ruin, and not ornament and "
## [18919] "preservation. Since then there is a God, and an all-knowing God, "
## [18920] "so as he seeth into the darkness of all natural secrets, which is "
## [18921] "the heart of man ; and sees therein the deepest dissembled "
## [18922] "thoughts, nay sees the thought before they be thought : since Jie "
## [18923] "is just to exercise his might, and mighty to perform his justice, "
## [18924] "assure thyself, most wicked woman, that has so plaguily a corrupted "
## [18925] "jnind that thou canst not keep thy sickness to thyself, but mu^t "
## [18926] ""
## [18927] ""
## [18928] ""
## [18929] "BOOK III.] "
## [18930] ""
## [18931] ""
## [18932] ""
## [18933] "ARCADIA 345 "
## [18934] ""
## [18935] ""
## [18936] ""
## [18937] "most wickedly infect others ; assure thyself, I say, for what I say "
## [18938] "depends on everlasting and unremovable causes, that the time will "
## [18939] "come when thou shalt know that power by feehng it ; when thou "
## [18940] "Shalt see His wisdom in the manifesting thy ugly shamefulness, "
## [18941] "and shalt only perceive him to have been a creator in thy "
## [18942] "destruction.\" . . "
## [18943] ""
## [18944] "Thus she said, thus she ended, with so fair a majesty of un- "
## [18945] "conquered virtue, that captivity might seem to have authority over "
## [18946] "tyranny: so foully was the filthiness of impiety discovered by "
## [18947] "the shining of her unstained goodness, so far as either Cecropia "
## [18948] "saw indeed, or else the guilty amazement of a self-excusing "
## [18949] "conscience made her eyes untrue judges of their natural object, "
## [18950] "that there was a light more than human, which gave a lustre to "
## [18951] "her perfections. But Cecropia, like a bat, which though it have "
## [18952] "eyes to discern that there is a sun, yet hath so evil eyes that it "
## [18953] "cannot delight in the sun, found a truth but could not love it. "
## [18954] "But as great persons are wont to make the wrong they have done, "
## [18955] "to be a cause to do the more wrong, her knowledge rose to no "
## [18956] "higher point, but to envy a worthier ; and her will was no otherwise "
## [18957] "bent, but the more to hate, the more she found her enemy provided "
## [18958] "against her. Yet all the while she spoke, though with eyes cast "
## [18959] "like a horse that would strike at the stirrup, and with colour which "
## [18960] "blushed through yellowness, she sat rather still than quiet, and "
## [18961] "after her speech rather muttered than replied : for the war of "
## [18962] "wickedness in herself, brought forth disdainful pride to resist "
## [18963] "cunning dissimulation ; so that, saying little more unto her, but "
## [18964] "that she should have leisure enough better to bethink herself, she "
## [18965] "went away repining, but not repenting, condemning greatly, as "
## [18966] "she thought, her son's over-feeble humbleness, and purposing to "
## [18967] "egg him forward to a course of violence. For herself, determining "
## [18968] "to deal with neither of them both any more in manner of a suitor : "
## [18969] "for what majesty of virtue did in the one, that did silent humbleness "
## [18970] "in the other. But finding her son over-apt to lay both condemna- "
## [18971] "tion, and execution of sorrow upon himself, she sought to mitigate "
## [18972] "his mind with feigned delays of comfort, who (having this inward "
## [18973] "overthrow in himself) was the more vexed that he could not utter "
## [18974] "the rage thereof upon his outward enemies. "
## [18975] ""
## [18976] "But Basilius, taught by the last day's trial, what dangerous "
## [18977] "effects chosen courages can bring forth, rather used the spade "
## [18978] "than the sword ; or the sword, but to defend the spade, girding "
## [18979] "about the whole town with trenches ; which beginning a good way "
## [18980] "off from the town, with a number of well directed pioneers, he still "
## [18981] "carried before him, till they came to a near distance, where he "
## [18982] "built forts, one answering the other, in such sort, as it was a pretty "
## [18983] "consideration in the discipline of war, to see building used for thg "
## [18984] ""
## [18985] ""
## [18986] ""
## [18987] "346 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [18988] ""
## [18989] "instrument of ruin, and the assailer intrenched as if he was besieged. "
## [18990] "But many sallies did Amphialus make to hinder their working-. "
## [18991] "But they (exercising more melancholy than choler in their "
## [18992] "resolution) made him find, that if by the advantage of the place, "
## [18993] "few are able to defend themselves from many, that many must "
## [18994] "needs have power (making themselves strong in seat) to repel few\", "
## [18995] "referring the revenge rather to the end, than to a present requital. "
## [18996] "Yet oftentimes they dealt some blows in light skirmishes, each side "
## [18997] "having a strong retiring place, and rather fighting with many "
## [18998] "alarms to vex the enemy, than for any hope of great success. "
## [18999] ""
## [19000] "Which every way was a tedious cumber to the impatient courage "
## [19001] "of Amphialus ; till the fame of this war, bringing thither diverse, "
## [19002] "both strangers and subjects, as well of princely, as noble houses, "
## [19003] "the gallant Phalantus, who refrained his sportful delights as then, "
## [19004] "to serve Basilius (whom he honoured for received honours) when "
## [19005] "he had spent some time in considering the Arcadian manner in "
## [19006] "marching, encamping and fighting, and had learned in what points "
## [19007] "of government and obedience their discipline differed from others, "
## [19008] "and so had satisfied his mind in the knowledges, both for the "
## [19009] "cutting off the enemies helps, and furnishing one's self, which "
## [19010] "Basilius's orders could deliver unto him, his young spirits (weary "
## [19011] "of wanting cause to be weary) desired to keep his valour in "
## [19012] "knowledge by some private act, since the public policy restrained "
## [19013] "him ; the rather, because his old mistress Artesia might see whom "
## [19014] "she had so lightly forsaken : and therefore demanding and obtaining "
## [19015] "leave of Basilius, he caused a herald to be furnished with apparel "
## [19016] "of his office, and tokens of a peaceable message, and so sent him "
## [19017] "to the gate of the town to demand audience of Amphialus : who, "
## [19018] "understanding thereof, caused him both safely and courteously to "
## [19019] "be brought into his presence : who, making lowly reverence unto "
## [19020] "him, presented his letters, desiring Amphialus, that whatsoever "
## [19021] "they contained, he would consider he was only the bearer, and not "
## [19022] "the inditer. Amphialus with noble gentleness assured him both "
## [19023] "by honourable speeches, and a demeanour which answered for him, "
## [19024] "that his revenge, whensoever, should sort unto itself a higher "
## [19025] "subject. But opening the letters, he found them to speak in this "
## [19026] ""
## [19027] ""
## [19028] ""
## [19029] "Phalantus of Corinth, to Amphialus of Arcadia, sendeth the "
## [19030] "greeting of a hateless enemy. The liking of martial matter without "
## [19031] "any dislike of your person hath brought me rather to the company "
## [19032] "than to the mind of your besiegers : where languishing in idleness, "
## [19033] "I desire to refresh my mind with some exercise of arms, which might "
## [19034] "make known the doers, with delight of the beholders. Therefore "
## [19035] "if there be any gentleman in your town that either for the love of "
## [19036] "jbonour, or honour of his Jove^ well armed on hor^ebapk^ with lance "
## [19037] ""
## [19038] ""
## [19039] ""
## [19040] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 347 "
## [19041] ""
## [19042] "and sword, win another, or lose himself, to be prisoner at discretion "
## [19043] "of the conqueror, I will to-morrow morning: by sunrising-, with "
## [19044] "a trumpet and a squire only, attend him in like order furnished. "
## [19045] "The place I think fittest, the island within the lake, because it stands "
## [19046] "so well in the view of your castle, as that the ladies may have the "
## [19047] "pleasure of seeing the combat : which, though it be within the "
## [19048] "commandment of your castle, I desire no better security than the "
## [19049] "promise I make to myself of your virtue. I attend your answer, "
## [19050] "and wish you success as may be to your honour, rather in yielding "
## [19051] "to that which is just than in maintaining wrong by violence. "
## [19052] ""
## [19053] "Amphialus read it with cheerful countenance, and thinking but a "
## [19054] "little with himself, called for pen and paper, and wrote this answer : "
## [19055] ""
## [19056] "Amphialus of Arcadia, to Phalantus of Corinth, wisheth all his own "
## [19057] "wishes, saving those which may be hurtful to another. The matter "
## [19058] "of your letters to fit for a worthy mind, and the manner so suitable "
## [19059] "to the nobleness of the matter, give me cause to think how happy "
## [19060] "I might account myself, if I could get such a friend ; who esteem "
## [19061] "it no small happiness to have met with so noble an enemy. Your "
## [19062] "challenge shall be answered, and both time, place, and weapon "
## [19063] "accepted. For your security from any treachery (having no hostage "
## [19064] "worthy to countervail you) take my word, which I esteem above "
## [19065] "all respects. Prepare therefore your arms to fight, but not your "
## [19066] "heart to malice, since true valour needs no other whetstone than "
## [19067] "desire of honour. "
## [19068] ""
## [19069] "Having written and sealed his letter, he delivered it to the herald, "
## [19070] "and withal took a fair chain from off his own neck and gave it him. "
## [19071] "And so with safe convoy sent him away from out his city : and he "
## [19072] "being gone, Amphailus showed unto his mother, and some other of "
## [19073] "his chief counsellors what he had received, and how he had "
## [19074] "answered, telling them withal, that he was determined to answer "
## [19075] "the challenge in his own person. His mother, with prayers "
## [19076] "authorized by motherly commandment ; his old governor, with "
## [19077] "persuasions mingled with reprehension (that he would rather affect "
## [19078] "the glory of a private fighter than of a wise general) Clinias with "
## [19079] "falling down at his feet, and beseeching him to remember that all "
## [19080] "their lives depended upon his safety, sought all to dissuade him. "
## [19081] "But Amphialus (whose heart was inflamed with courage, and "
## [19082] "courage inflamed with affection) made an imperious resolution, cut "
## [19083] "off the tediousness of replies, giving them a charge what they "
## [19084] "should do upon all occasions, and particularly to deliver the ladies, "
## [19085] "if otherwise than well happened unto him : only desiring his "
## [19086] "mother that she would bring Philoclea to a window, whence she "
## [19087] "might with ease perfectly discern the combat. And so soon as the "
## [19088] "snorning began to draw dew from the feirest greens to wasji hpx "
## [19089] ""
## [19090] ""
## [19091] ""
## [19092] "348 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [19093] ""
## [19094] "face withal against the approach of the burning sun, h'e went to "
## [19095] "his stable, where himself chose out a horse, whom (though he "
## [19096] "was near twenty years old) he preferred for a piece of sure service, "
## [19097] "before a great number of younger. His colour was of a brown "
## [19098] "bay, dappled thick with black spots ; his forehead marked with a "
## [19099] "white star ; to which, in all his body there was no part suitable, "
## [19100] "but the left foot before ; his mane and tail black and thick, of "
## [19101] "goodly and well proportioned greatness. He caused him to be "
## [19102] "trimmed with a sumptuous saddle of tawny and gold enamel, "
## [19103] "enriched with precious stones ; his furniture was made into the "
## [19104] "fashion of branches of a tree, from which the leaves were falling, "
## [19105] "and so artificially were the leaves made, that, as the horse moved, "
## [19106] "it seemed indeed that the leaves wagged as when the wind plays "
## [19107] "with them ; and being made of a pale cloth of gold, they did bear "
## [19108] "the straw coloured livery of ruin. His armour was also of tawny "
## [19109] "and gold, but formed into the figures of flames darkened, as when "
## [19110] "they newly break the prison of a smoky furnace. In his shield he "
## [19111] "had painted the Torpedo fish. And so appointed, he caused "
## [19112] "himself with his trumpet and squire (whom he had taken since the "
## [19113] "death of Ismenus) to be ferried over into the island, a place well "
## [19114] "chosen for such a purpose. For it was so plain that there was "
## [19115] "scarcely any bush, or hillock, either to unlevel or shadow it : of "
## [19116] "length and breadth enough, to try the uttermost both of lance and "
## [19117] "sword ; and the one end of it facing the castle, the other extending "
## [19118] "itself toward the camp, and no access to it, but by water, there "
## [19119] "could on secret treachery be wrought ; and for manifest violence, "
## [19120] "either side might have time enough to succour their party. "
## [19121] ""
## [19122] "But there he found Phalantus, already waiting for him upon a "
## [19123] "horse milk white, but that upon his shoulders and withers he was "
## [19124] "freckled with red stain, as when a few strawberries are scattered "
## [19125] "into a dish of cream. He had caused his mane and tail to be dyed "
## [19126] "in carnation, his reins were vine branches, which engendering one "
## [19127] "with the other, at the end, when he came to the bit, there for the "
## [19128] "boss brought forth a cluster of grapes by the workman made so "
## [19129] "lively that it seemed, as the horse champed on his bit, he chopped "
## [19130] "for them, and that it did make his mouth water to see the grapes "
## [19131] "so near him. His furniture behind was of vines, so artificially "
## [19132] "made that it seemed the horse stood in the shadow of the vine, "
## [19133] "so prettily were clusters of ruby grapes dispersed among the "
## [19134] "trappings which embraced his sides. His armour was blue like the "
## [19135] "heaven, which a sun did with his rays (proportionably delivered) "
## [19136] "gild in most places. His shield was beautified with this device: "
## [19137] "a greyhound which over-running his fellow, and taking the hare, "
## [19138] "yet hurts it not when it takes it. The words were, \" The glory, "
## [19139] "not the prey.\" "
## [19140] ""
## [19141] ""
## [19142] ""
## [19143] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 349 "
## [19144] ""
## [19145] "But as soon as Amphialus landed, he sent his squire to Phalantus "
## [19146] "to tell him that there was the knight ready to know whether he had "
## [19147] "anything to say to him. Phalantus answered that his answer now "
## [19148] "must be in the language of lances ; and so each attended the "
## [19149] "warning of the trumpets, which were to sound at the appointment "
## [19150] "of four judges, who with consideration of the same had divided the "
## [19151] "ground. Phalantus's horse young, and feeling the youth of his "
## [19152] "master, stood curveting, which being well governed by Phalantus, "
## [19153] "gave such a glittering grace as when the sun in a clear day shines "
## [19154] "upon a waving water. Amphialus's horse stood pawing upon the "
## [19155] "ground, with his further hoof before, as if he would for his master's "
## [19156] "cause begin to make himself angry : till the trumpets sounding "
## [19157] "together, together they set spurs to their horses, together took their "
## [19158] "lances from their thighs, conveyed them up into the rest together, "
## [19159] "together let them sink downward, so as it was a delectable sight "
## [19160] "in a dangerous effect ; and a pleasant consideration that there was "
## [19161] "so perfect agreement in so mortal disagreement ; like a music made "
## [19162] "of cunning discords. But their horses keeping an even line their "
## [19163] "masters had skilfully allotted unto them, passed one by another "
## [19164] "without encountering, although either might feel the angry breath "
## [19165] "of the other. But the staves being come to a just descent, even "
## [19166] "when the mark was ready to meet them, Amphialus was run through "
## [19167] "the vamplate, and under the arm, so that the staff appearing behind "
## [19168] "him, it seemed to the beholders, he had been in danger. But he "
## [19169] "struck Phalantus just upon the gorget, so that he battered the lams "
## [19170] "thereof, and made his head almost touch the back of his horse. "
## [19171] "But either side having stayed the spur, and used the bit to stop "
## [19172] "their horse's fury, casting away the truncheons of their staves, and "
## [19173] "drawing their swords, they attended the second summons of the "
## [19174] "death-threatening trumpet which quickly followed ; and they as "
## [19175] "soon making their horses answer their hands, with a gentle gallop, "
## [19176] "set one toward the other, till they being come to the nearness of a "
## [19177] "little more than a stave's length. Amphialus trusting more to the "
## [19178] "strength, than to the nimbleness of his horse, put him forth with "
## [19179] "speedy violence, and making his head join to the other's flank, guided "
## [19180] "his blow with discretion, and strengtheningjt with the course of "
## [19181] "his horse, struck Phalantus upon the head in such sort that his "
## [19182] "feeling sense did both dazzle his sight, and astonish his hearing. "
## [19183] "But Phalantus (not accustomed to be ungrateful to such benefits) "
## [19184] "struck him upon the side of his face, with such force that he "
## [19185] "thought his jaw had been cut asunder ; though the faithfulness of "
## [19186] "his armour indeed guarded him from further damage. And so "
## [19187] "remamed they awhile, rather angry with fighting, than fighting for "
## [19188] "anger, till Amphialus's horse leaning hard upon the other, and "
## [19189] "wmning ground, the other horse feeling himself pressed, began to "
## [19190] ""
## [19191] ""
## [19192] ""
## [19193] "350 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [19194] ""
## [19195] "rise a little before, as he was wont to do in his curvet, which "
## [19196] "advantage Amphialus taking, set forward his own horse with the "
## [19197] "further spur, so that Phalantus's horse came over with his master "
## [19198] "under him. Which Amphialus seeing, lighted with the intention to "
## [19199] "help Phalantus. But his horse that had faulted, rather with untimely "
## [19200] "art than want of force, got up from burdening his burden, so that "
## [19201] "Phalantus, in the fall having gotten his feet free off the stirrup, "
## [19202] "could, though something bruised, arise, and seeing Amphialus near "
## [19203] "him, he asked him whether he had given him any help in "
## [19204] "removing his horse. Amphialus said \"No.\" \"Truly,\"' said "
## [19205] "Phalantus, \" I asked it, because I would not willingly have fought "
## [19206] "with him that had had my life in his mercy. But now,\" said "
## [19207] "Phalantus, \"before we proceed farther, let me know who you are, "
## [19208] "because never did any man bring me to the like fortune.\" "
## [19209] "Amphialus, listing to keep himself unknown, told him he was a "
## [19210] "gentleman to whom Amphialus that day had given armour and "
## [19211] "horse to try his valour, having never before been in any combat "
## [19212] "worthy remembrance. \"Ah,\" said Phalantus in a rage, \"and "
## [19213] "must I be the exercise of your prentice age ? \" and with that, choler "
## [19214] "took away either the bruise, or the feeling of the bruise, so that he "
## [19215] "entered afresh into the combat, and boiling into his arms the "
## [19216] "disdain of his heart, struck so thick upon Amphialus, as if every "
## [19217] "blow would fain have been foremost. But Amphialus, that many "
## [19218] "like trials had taught, great spending to leave small remnants, let "
## [19219] "pass the storm with strong wards, and nimble avoidings, till his "
## [19220] "time fit, both for distance and nakedness, he struck him so cruel a "
## [19221] "blow on the knee that the poor gentleman fell down withal in a "
## [19222] "swoon. "
## [19223] ""
## [19224] "But Amphialus, pitying approved valour, made precious by "
## [19225] "natural courtesy, went to him, and taking off his headpiece to "
## [19226] "give him air, the young knight (disdaining to buy life with yielding, "
## [19227] "bade him use his fortune, for he was resolved never to yield. "
## [19228] "\" No more you shall,\" said Amphialus, \" if it be not to my request "
## [19229] "that you will account yourself to have great interest in me.\" "
## [19230] "Phalantus more overcome by his kindness, than by his fortune, "
## [19231] "desired yet once again to know his name, who in his first beginning "
## [19232] "had shown such fury in his face, and yet such stay in his fury. "
## [19233] "Amphialus then named himself, telling him withal he would think "
## [19234] "his name much bettered if it might be honoured by the title of his "
## [19235] "friend. But no balm could be more comfortable to his wound than "
## [19236] "the knowledge thereof was to his mind, when he knew his "
## [19237] "mishap should be excused by the renowned valour of the other. "
## [19238] "And so promising each to other assuredness of goodwill, "
## [19239] "Phalantus, of whom Amphialus would have no other ransom but "
## [19240] "his word of friendship, was conveyed into the camp, where he "
## [19241] ""
## [19242] ""
## [19243] ""
## [19244] "BooKiiT.l ARCADIA 351 "
## [19245] ""
## [19246] "would but little remain among the enemies of Amphialus, but went "
## [19247] "to seek his adventures other-where. "
## [19248] ""
## [19249] "As for Amphialus, he was received with triumph into the castle, "
## [19250] "although one might see by his eyes (humbly lifted up to the window "
## [19251] "where Philoclea stood) that he was rather suppliant than victorious : "
## [19252] "which occasion Cecropia taking, who as then stood by Philoclea, "
## [19253] "and had lately left Pamela in another room, whence also she might "
## [19254] "see the combat. \"Sweet lady,\" said she, \"now you may see "
## [19255] "whether you have cause to love my son, who then lies under your "
## [19256] "feet, when he stands upon the neck of his bravest enemies.\" "
## [19257] "\"Alas!\" said Philoclea, \"a simple service to me, methinks it is, "
## [19258] "to have those who come to succour me destroyed : if it be my duty "
## [19259] "to call it love, be it so : but the effects it bring forth, I confess I "
## [19260] "account hateful.\" Cecropia grew so angry with this unkind answer "
## [19261] "that she could not abstain from telling her that she was like them "
## [19262] "that could not sleep, when they were softly laid : but that if "
## [19263] "her son would follow her counsel, he should take another course "
## [19264] "with her : and so flung away from her. "
## [19265] ""
## [19266] "Yet, knowing the desperate melancholy of Amphialus in like "
## [19267] "cases, framed to him a very thankful message, powdering it with "
## [19268] "some hope-giving phrases, which were of such joy to Amphialus "
## [19269] "that he, though against public respect and importunity of dissuaders, "
## [19270] "presently caused it to be made known to the camp that whatsoever "
## [19271] "knight would try the like fortune as Phalantus did, he should in like "
## [19272] "sort be answered : so that divers of the vahantest, partly of them- "
## [19273] "selves, partly at the instigation of Basilius, attempted the combat "
## [19274] "with him ; and according to everyone's humour, so were the causes "
## [19275] "of the challenge grounded : one laying treason to his charge ; "
## [19276] "another preferring himself in the worthiness to serve Philoclea ; a "
## [19277] "third exalting some lady's beauty beyond either of the sisters ; "
## [19278] "a fourth laying disgrace to love itself naming it the bewitcher of "
## [19279] "the wit, the rebel to reason, the betrayer of resolution, the defiler "
## [19280] "of thoughts, the underminer of magnanimity, the flatterer of vice "
## [19281] "the slave of weakness, the infection-of youth, the madness of age, "
## [19282] "the curse of life, and reproach of death ; a fifth disdaining to cast "
## [19283] "at less than at all, would make the cause of his quarrel the causers "
## [19284] "of love, and proclaim his blasphemies against womankind ; that "
## [19285] "namely, that sex was the oversight of nature, the disgrace of reason- "
## [19286] "ableness, the obstinate cowards, the slave born tyrants, the shops "
## [19287] "of vanities, the gilded weather cocks, in whom conscience is but "
## [19288] "peevishness, chastity, waywardness, and gratefulness a miracle. "
## [19289] "But all these challenges, how well soever indited, were so well "
## [19290] "answered, that some by death taught others, though past learning "
## [19291] "themselves, and some by yielding gave themselves the lie for "
## [19292] "having blasphemed ; to the great grief of Basilius to see his rebel "
## [19293] ""
## [19294] ""
## [19295] ""
## [19296] "352 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [19297] ""
## [19298] "prevail, and in his own sight, to crown himself with deserved "
## [19299] "honour^ "
## [19300] ""
## [19301] "Whereupon thirsting for revenge, and else not hoping to prevail, "
## [19302] "the best of his camp being already overthrown, he sent a messenger "
## [19303] "to Argalus, in whose approved courage and force he had, and had "
## [19304] "cause, to have great confidence, with a letter, requiring him to "
## [19305] "take his quarrel in hand, from which he had hitherto spared him "
## [19306] "in respect of his late marriage. But now his honour, and (as he "
## [19307] "esteemed it) felicity standing upon it, he could no longer forbear "
## [19308] "to challenge of him his faithful service. "
## [19309] ""
## [19310] "The messenger made speed, and found Argalus at a castle of "
## [19311] "his own, sitting in a parlour with the fair Parthenia, he reading in "
## [19312] "a book the stories of Hercules, she by him, as to hear him read : "
## [19313] "but while his eyes looked on the book, she looked on his eyes, and "
## [19314] "sometimes staying him with some pretty question, not so much to "
## [19315] "be resolved of the doubt, as to give him occasion to look upon "
## [19316] "her : a happy couple, he joying in her, she joying in herself, but in "
## [19317] "herself, because she enjoyed him : both increased their riches by "
## [19318] "giving to each other ; each making one life double, because they "
## [19319] "made a double life one ; where desire never wanted satisfaction, "
## [19320] "nor satisfaction ever bred satiety ; he ruling, because she would "
## [19321] "obey, or rather because she would obey, he therein ruling. "
## [19322] ""
## [19323] "But when the messenger came in with letters in his hand, and "
## [19324] "haste in his countenance, though she knew not what to fear, yet "
## [19325] "she feared because she knew not ; but she rose, and went aside, "
## [19326] "while he delivered his letters and message : yet afar off she looked, "
## [19327] "now at the messenger, and then at her husband : the same fear, "
## [19328] "which made her loth to have cause of fear, yet making her seek "
## [19329] "cause to nourish her fear. And well she found there was some "
## [19330] "serious matter : for her husband's countenance figured some "
## [19331] "resolution between lothness and necessity : and once his eye cast "
## [19332] "upon her, and finding hers upon him, he blushed, and she blushed, "
## [19333] "because he blushed, and yet straight grew pale because she knew "
## [19334] "not why he had blushed. But when he had read, and heard, and "
## [19335] "dispatched away the messenger, like a man in whom honour could "
## [19336] "not be rocked asleep by affection, with promise quickly to follow ; "
## [19337] "he came to Parthenia, and as sorry as might be for parting, and "
## [19338] "yet more sorry for her sorrow, he gave her the letter to read. She "
## [19339] "with fearful slowness took it, and with fearful quickness read it, "
## [19340] "and having read it. \" Ah my Argalus,\" said she, \" and have you "
## [19341] "made such haste to answer? and are you so soon resolved to leave "
## [19342] "me?\" but he discoursing unto her how much it imported his "
## [19343] "honour, which since it was dear to him, he knew it would be dear "
## [19344] "unto her, her reason overclouded with sorrow, suffered her not "
## [19345] "presently to reply, but left the charge thereof to tears, and sighs. "
## [19346] ""
## [19347] ""
## [19348] ""
## [19349] "BOOK HI.] ARCADIA 3Si "
## [19350] ""
## [19351] "which he not able to bear, left her alone, and went to give order "
## [19352] "for his present departure. "
## [19353] ""
## [19354] "But by that time he was armed, and ready to go, she had "
## [19355] "recovered a little strength of spirit again, and coming out, and "
## [19356] "seeing him armed, and wanting nothing for his departure but her "
## [19357] "farewell, she ran to him, took him by the arm, and kneeling down "
## [19358] "without regard who either heard her speech, or saw her demeanour. "
## [19359] "\"My Argalus, my Argalus,\" said she, \"do not thus forsake me. "
## [19360] "Remember, alas remember that I have interest in you, which I "
## [19361] "will never yield shall be thus adventured. Your valour is already "
## [19362] "sufficiently known : sufficiently have you already done for your "
## [19363] "country : enough, enough there are beside you to lose less worthy "
## [19364] "lives. Woe is me, what shall become of me if you thus abandon "
## [19365] "me ? then was it time for you to follow those adventures, when you "
## [19366] "adventured nobody but yourself, and were nobody's but your own. "
## [19367] "But now pardon me, that now, or never, I claim mine own ; mine "
## [19368] "you are, and without me you can undertake no danger : and will "
## [19369] "you endanger Parthenia ? Parthenia shall be in the battle of your "
## [19370] "fight : Parthenia shall smart in your pain, and your blood must be "
## [19371] "bled by Parthenia.\" \"Dear Parthenia,\" said he, \"this is the first "
## [19372] "time that ever you resisted my will : I thank you for it, but "
## [19373] "persevere not in it ; and let not the tears of these most beloved "
## [19374] "eyes be a presage unto me of that which you would not should "
## [19375] "happen, I shall live, doubt not : for so great a blessing as you are "
## [19376] "was not given unto me so soon to be deprived of it. Look for me, "
## [19377] "therefore, shortly, and victorious ; and prepare a joyful welcome, "
## [19378] "and I will wish for no other triumph.\" She answered not, but "
## [19379] "stood as it were thunder-stricken with amazement ; for true love "
## [19380] "made obedience stand up against all other passions. But when he "
## [19381] "took her in his arms, and sought to print his heart in her sweet "
## [19382] "lips, she fell in a swoon, so that he was fain to leave her to her "
## [19383] "gentlewomen, and carried away by the tyranny of honour, though "
## [19384] "with many a back cast look and hearty groan, went to the camp. "
## [19385] "Where understanding the notable victories of Amphialus, he "
## [19386] "thought to give him some days respite of rest, because he would "
## [19387] "not have his victory disgraced by the other's weariness. In which "
## [19388] "days, he sought by all means (having leave to parley with him) to "
## [19389] "dissuade him from his enterprize : and then imparting his mind to "
## [19390] "Basilius, because he found Amphialus was inflexible, wrote his "
## [19391] "defy unto him in this manner. "
## [19392] ""
## [19393] "Right famous Amphialus, if my persuasion in reason, or prayer in "
## [19394] "goodwill, might prevail with you, you should by better meana be "
## [19395] "like to obtain your desire. You should make many brave enemies "
## [19396] "become your faithful servants, and make your honour fly up to "
## [19397] "heaven, being carried up by both wings of valour and justice; "
## [19398] ""
## [19399] "Z "
## [19400] ""
## [19401] ""
## [19402] ""
## [19403] "354 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [19404] ""
## [19405] "whereof now it wants the latter. But since my suit nor counsel can "
## [19406] "get no place in you, disdain not to receive a mortal challenge, from "
## [19407] "a man so inferior unto you in virtue, that I do not so much raislike "
## [19408] "of the deed, as I have the doer in admiration. Prepare therefore "
## [19409] "yourself, according- to the noble manner you have used, and think "
## [19410] "not lightly of never so weak an arm, which strikes with the sword "
## [19411] "of justice. "
## [19412] ""
## [19413] "To this he quickly received this answer. "
## [19414] ""
## [19415] "Much more famous Argalus, I whom never threatenings could make "
## [19416] "afraid, am now terrified by your noble courtesy. For well I know, "
## [19417] "from what height of virtue it doth proceed, and what cause I have "
## [19418] "to doubt such virtue bent to my ruin : but love, which justifieth the "
## [19419] "injustice you lay unto me, doth also animate me against all dangers, "
## [19420] "since I come full of him by whom yourself have been (if I be not "
## [19421] "deceived) sometimes conquered. I will therefore attend your "
## [19422] "appearance in the isle, carrying this advantage with me, that as it "
## [19423] "shall be a singular honour, if I get the victory, so there can be no "
## [19424] "dishonour in being overcome by Argalus. "
## [19425] ""
## [19426] "The challenge thus denounced and accepted, Argalus was armed "
## [19427] "in white armour, which was all gilded over with knots of women's "
## [19428] "hair, which came down from the crest of his head-piece and spread "
## [19429] "itself in rich quantity over all his armour ; his furniture was cut "
## [19430] "out in the fashion of an eagle, whereof the beak (made into a rich "
## [19431] "jewel) was fastened to the saddle, the tail covered the crupper of "
## [19432] "of the horse, and the wings served for trappings ; which falling off "
## [19433] "each side, as the horse stirred, the bird seemed to fly. His petrel "
## [19434] "and reins were embroidered with feathers suitable unto it : upon "
## [19435] "his right arm he wore a sleeve which his dear Parthenia had made "
## [19436] "for him, to be worn in a jouSt, in the time that success was "
## [19437] "ungrateful to their well deserved love : it was full of bleeding "
## [19438] "hearts, though never intended to any bloody enterprize. In his "
## [19439] "shield (as his own device) he had two palm trees near one another, "
## [19440] "with a word signifying, \" In that sort flourishing.\" His horse was "
## [19441] "of fiery sorrel, with black feet, and black list on his back, who with "
## [19442] "open nostrils breathed war, before he could see an enemy : and "
## [19443] "now up with one leg, and then with another, seemed to complain "
## [19444] "of nature that she had made him any whit earthy. "
## [19445] ""
## [19446] "But he had scarcely viewed the ground of the island, and "
## [19447] "considered the advantages, if any were, thereof, before the castle "
## [19448] "boat had dehvered Amphialus, in all points provided to give a "
## [19449] "h-ard entertainment. And then sending each to other their squires "
## [19450] "in honourable manner, to know whether they should attend any "
## [19451] "further ceremony, the trumpets sounding, the horses with smooth "
## [19452] ""
## [19453] ""
## [19454] ""
## [19455] "sooKiii.] ARCADIA .. 3?S "
## [19456] ""
## [19457] "running, the staves with unshaken motion, obediently performed "
## [19458] "their choleric commandments. But when they drew near, Argalus's "
## [19459] "horse being hot, pressed in with his head, which Amphialus "
## [19460] "perceiving, knowing if he gave him his side it should be to his "
## [19461] "disadvantage, pressed in also with him, so that both the horses "
## [19462] "and men met shoulder to shoulder, so that the horses (hurt as "
## [19463] "much with the striking as being stricken) tumbled down to the "
## [19464] "earth, dangerously to their masters, but that they, by strength "
## [19465] "nimble, and by use skilful in the falling, shunned the harm of the "
## [19466] "fall, and without more respite drew out their swords with a gallant "
## [19467] "bravery, each striving to show himself the less endamaged, and to "
## [19468] "ijiake known that they were glad they had now nothing else to "
## [19469] "trust to but their own virtue. True it is that Amphialus was the "
## [19470] "sooner up, but Argalus had his sword out the sooner ; and then "
## [19471] "fell they to the cruellest coinbat, that any present eye had seen. "
## [19472] "Their swords first, Uke canons, battering down the walls of their "
## [19473] "armour, making breaches almost in every place for troops of "
## [19474] "wounds to enter. Among the rest, Argalus gave a great wound to "
## [19475] "Amphialus's disarmed face, though part of the force of it Amphailus "
## [19476] "warded upon his shield, and withal, first casting his eye up to "
## [19477] "Philoclea's window, as if he had fetched his courage thence, "
## [19478] "feigning to extend the same sort of blow, turned his sword, and, "
## [19479] "with a mighty reverse, gave a cruel wound to the right arm of "
## [19480] "Argalus, the unfaithful armour yielding to the swords strong-guided "
## [19481] "sharpness. But though the blood accused the hurt of Argalus, yet "
## [19482] "would he in no action of his confess it : but keeping himself in a "
## [19483] "lower ward, stood watching with timely thrusts to repair his loss, "
## [19484] "which quickly he did. For Amphialus, following his fawning "
## [19485] "fortune, laid on so thick upon Argalus that his shield had almost "
## [19486] "fallen piece-meal to the earth, when Argalus, coming in with his "
## [19487] "right foot, and something stooping to come under his armour, "
## [19488] "thrust him into the belly dangerously ; and mortally it would have "
## [19489] "been, but that with the blow before, Amphialus had over sticken "
## [19490] "himself so, that he fell sideward down, and with falling saved "
## [19491] "himself from ruin, the sword by that means slipping aside and not "
## [19492] "piercing more deeply. Argalus seeing him fall, threatening with "
## [19493] "voice and sword, bade him yield. But he striving without answer "
## [19494] "to rise, Argalus struck him with all his might upon his head. But "
## [19495] "his hurt arm not able to master so sound a force, let the sword fall "
## [19496] "so that Amphialus, though astonished with the blow, could arise : "
## [19497] "which Argalus considering, ran in to grasp with him, and so closed "
## [19498] "together; falling so to the ground, now one getting above, and "
## [19499] "then the other ; at length, both weary of so unlovely embracements, "
## [19500] "with a dissenting consent got up, and went to their swords but "
## [19501] "happened, each on his enemies ; where Argalus finding his foe's "
## [19502] ""
## [19503] ""
## [19504] ""
## [19505] "356 ARCADIA [book m, "
## [19506] ""
## [19507] "sword garnished in blood, his heart rose with the same sword to "
## [19508] "revenge it, and on that blade to ally their bloods together. But "
## [19509] "his mind was evil waited on by his lamed force, so that he received "
## [19510] "still more and more wounds, which made all his armour seem to "
## [19511] "blush, that it had defended his master no better. But Amphialus "
## [19512] "perceiving it, and weighing the small hatefulness of their quarrel "
## [19513] "with the worthiness of the knight, desired him to take pity of "
## [19514] "himself. But Argalus, the more repining, the more he found "
## [19515] "himself in disadvantage, filling his veins with spite instead of "
## [19516] "blood, and making courage arise against faintness (like a candle, "
## [19517] "which a little before it goes out, gives then the greatest blaze) so "
## [19518] "did he unite all his force, that casting away the little remnant of "
## [19519] "his shield, and taking his sword in both hands, he struck such a "
## [19520] "notable blow, that he cleft his shield, armour, and arm almost to "
## [19521] "the bone. "
## [19522] ""
## [19523] "But then Amphialus forgot all ceremonies, and with cruel blows "
## [19524] "made more of his best blood succeed the rest ; till his hand being "
## [19525] "stayed by his ear, his ear filled with a pitiful cry, the cry guided his "
## [19526] "sight to an excellent fair lady, who came running as fast as she "
## [19527] "could, and yet because she could not so fast as she would, she sent "
## [19528] "her lamentable voice before her : and being come, and being "
## [19529] "known to them both to be the beautiful Parthenia, who had that "
## [19530] "night dreamed she saw her husband in such estate as she then "
## [19531] "found him, which made her make such haste thither, they both "
## [19532] "marvelled. But Parthenia ran between them, fear of love making "
## [19533] "her forget the fear of nature, and then fell down at their feet, "
## [19534] "determining so to part them, till she could get breath to sigh out "
## [19535] "her doleful speeches : and when her breath, which running had "
## [19536] "spent, and disraayedness made slow to return, had by sobs gotten "
## [19537] "into her sorrow-closed breast, for a while she could say nothing, "
## [19538] "but, \"O wretched eyes of mine, O wailful sight, O day of "
## [19539] "darkness ! \" At length turning her eyes, wherein sorrow swam, to "
## [19540] "Amphialus, \"My Lord,\" said she, \"it is said you love; in the "
## [19541] "power of that love, I beseech you to leave off this combat, as ever "
## [19542] "your heart may find comfort in his affection, even for her sake, I "
## [19543] "crave it : or if you be mortally determined, be so pitiful unto me, "
## [19544] "as first to kill me, that I might not see the death of Argalus.\" "
## [19545] "Amphialus was about to have answered, when Ai-galus, vexed with "
## [19546] "his fortune, but most vexed that she should see him in that fortune ; "
## [19547] "\" Ah Parthenia,\" said he, \" never until now unwelcome unto me, "
## [19548] "do you come to get my life by request ? and cannot Argalus live "
## [19549] "but by request ? is that a life ?\" With that he went aside, for fear "
## [19550] "of hurting her, and would have began the combat afresh. But "
## [19551] "Amphialus not only conjured by that which held the monarchy of "
## [19552] "his mind, but even in his noble heart melting with compassion at "
## [19553] ""
## [19554] ""
## [19555] ""
## [19556] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 357 "
## [19557] ""
## [19558] "so passionate a sight, desired him to withhold his hands, for that "
## [19559] "he should strike one who sought his favour, and would not make "
## [19560] "resistance. A notable example of the wonderful effects of virtue, "
## [19561] "where the conqueror sought for friendship of the conquered, and "
## [19562] "the conquered would not pardon the conqueror : both indeed "
## [19563] "being of that mind to love each other for accepting, but not for "
## [19564] "giving mercy, and neither affected to outlive a dishonour : so that "
## [19565] "Argalus, not so much striving with Amphialus, for if he had him "
## [19566] "in the like sort, in like sort he would have dealt with him, as "
## [19567] "labouring against his own power, which he chiefly despised, set "
## [19568] "himself forward, stretching his strength to the uttermost. But the "
## [19569] "fire of that strife, blown with his inward rage, boiled out his blood "
## [19570] "in such abundance that he was driven to rest himself upon the "
## [19571] "pommel of his sword : and then each thing beginning to turn "
## [19572] "round in the dance of death before his eyes, his sight both dazzled "
## [19573] "and dimmed, till, thinking to sit down, he fell in a swoon. "
## [19574] "Parthenia and Amphialus both hastily went unto him : Amphialus "
## [19575] "took off his helmet, and Parthenia laid his head in her lap, tearing "
## [19576] "off her linen sleeves and partlet to serve about his wounds : to "
## [19577] "bind which she took off her hairlace, and would have cut off her "
## [19578] "fair hair herself, but that the squires and judges came in with "
## [19579] "fitter things for that purpose : while she bewailed herself with so "
## [19580] "lamentable sweetness, as was enough to have taught sorrow to the "
## [19581] "gladdest thoughts, and have engraved it in the minds of hardest "
## [19582] "metal. "
## [19583] ""
## [19584] "\" O Parthenia, no more Parthenia,\" said she, \" what art thou ? "
## [19585] "what seest thou ? how is thy bliss in a moment fallen ? how wert "
## [19586] "thou even now before all ladies the example of perfect happiness "
## [19587] "and now the gazing stock of endless misery ? O God, what hath "
## [19588] "been my desert, to be thus punished ? Or if such had been my "
## [19589] "desert, why was I not myself punished? O wandering life to "
## [19590] "what wilderness wouldst thou lead me. But sorrow, I hope thou "
## [19591] "art sharp enough to save my labour from other remedies. Argalus "
## [19592] "Argalus, I will follow thee, I will follow thee.\" "
## [19593] ""
## [19594] "But with that Argalus came out of his swoon, and lifting up his "
## [19595] "languishing eyes, which a painful rest and iron sleep did seek to "
## [19596] "lock up, seeing her in whom, even dying, he lived, and himself "
## [19597] "seated in so beloved a place, it seemed a little cheerful blood came "
## [19598] "up to his cheeks, like a burning coal, almost dead, if some breath "
## [19599] "a little revive it: and forcing up,, the best he could, his feeble "
## [19600] "voice, \"My dear, my better half,\" said he, \"I find I must now "
## [19601] "leave thee : and by that sweet hand, and fair eyes of thine I swear "
## [19602] "that death brings nothing with it to grieve me but that I must "
## [19603] "leave thee, and cannot remain to answer part of thy infinite deserts "
## [19604] "with being some comfort unto thee. But since so it pleaseth Him "
## [19605] ""
## [19606] ""
## [19607] ""
## [19608] "3S8 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [19609] ""
## [19610] "whose wisdom and goodness guideth all, put thy confidence in "
## [19611] "Him, and one day we shall blessedly meet again, never to depart : "
## [19612] "meanwhile live happily, dear Parthenia, and I persuade myself, it "
## [19613] "will increase the blessedness of my soul so to see thee. Love well "
## [19614] "the remembrance of thy loving, and truly loving Argalus : and let "
## [19615] "not,\" with that word he sighed, \" this disgrace of mine make thee "
## [19616] "one day think thou hadst an unworthy husband.\" They could "
## [19617] "scarcely understand the last words : for death began to seize "
## [19618] "himself of his heart, neither could Parthenia make answer, so full "
## [19619] "was her breast of anguish. But while the other sought to stanch "
## [19620] "his remediless wounds, she with her kisses made him happy : for "
## [19621] "his last breath was delivered into her mouth. "
## [19622] ""
## [19623] "But when indeed she found his ghost was gone, then sorrow lost "
## [19624] "the wit of utterance, and grew rageful, and mad, so that she tore "
## [19625] "her beautiful face, and rent her hair, as though they could serve "
## [19626] "for nothing, since Argalus was gone ; till Amphialus (so moved "
## [19627] "with pity of that sight as that he honoured his adversary's death "
## [19628] "with tears) caused her, with the help of her women that came with "
## [19629] "her, partly by force to be conveyed into the boat, with the dead "
## [19630] "body of Argalus, from which she would not depart. And being "
## [19631] "come on the other side, there she was received by Basilius himself, "
## [19632] "with all the funeral pomp of military discipline, trailing all their "
## [19633] "ensigns upon the ground, making their warlike instruments sound "
## [19634] "doleful notes, and Basilius with comfort in his mouth and woe in "
## [19635] "his face, sought to persuade some ease into Parthenia's mind : but "
## [19636] "all was as easeful to her, as the handling of sore wounds : all the "
## [19637] "honour done, being to her but the triumph of her ruin, she finding "
## [19638] "no comfort but in desperate yielding to sorrow : and rather "
## [19639] "determined to hate herself if ever she would find ease thereof. "
## [19640] "And well might she hear as she passed through the camp the "
## [19641] "great praises spoken of her husband, which were all records of her "
## [19642] "loss. But the more excellent he was, being indeed counted second "
## [19643] "to none in all Greece, the more did the breath of those praises bear "
## [19644] "up the wings of Amphialus's fame : to whom yet such was his case, "
## [19645] "that trophy upon trophy, strll did but build up the monument of "
## [19646] "his thraldom ; he ever finding himself in such favour of Philoclea "
## [19647] "that she was most absent when he was present with hef ; and ever "
## [19648] "sorriest when he had best success : which would have made him "
## [19649] "renounce all comfort, but that his mother with diversity of devices "
## [19650] "kept up his heart. "
## [19651] ""
## [19652] "But while he allayed thus his outward glory with inward "
## [19653] "discomfort, he was like to have been overtaken with a notable "
## [19654] "treason, the beginning whereof (though merely ridiculous) had like "
## [19655] "to have brought forth to him a weeping effect. "
## [19656] ""
## [19657] "Among other that attended Basilius in this expedition, Dametas "
## [19658] ""
## [19659] ""
## [19660] ""
## [19661] "BOOK III.] '\" ARCADIA 3S9 "
## [19662] ""
## [19663] "was one j whether to be present with him, or absent from Miso, "
## [19664] "once, certain it was without any mind to make his sword cursed by "
## [19665] "any widow. Now being in the camp, while each talk seemed "
## [19666] "injurious, which did not acknowledge some duty to the fame of "
## [19667] "Amphialus, it fell out sometimes in communication, that as the "
## [19668] "speech of heaven doth often beget the mention of hell, so the "
## [19669] "admirable prowess of Amphialus (by a contrary) brought forth the "
## [19670] "remembrance of the cowardice of Clinias : insomuch, as it grew "
## [19671] "almost to a proverb, \" As very a coward as Clinias ; \" describing "
## [19672] "him in such sort, that in the end Dametas began to think with "
## [19673] "himself that if he made a challenge unto him he would never "
## [19674] "answer it ; and that then he should greatly increase the favourable "
## [19675] "conceit of Basilius. This fancy of his he uttered to a young "
## [19676] "gentleman that waited upon Philanax, in whose friendship he had "
## [19677] "especial confidence, because he haunted his company, laughing "
## [19678] "often merrily at his speeches, and not a little extolling the goodly "
## [19679] "dotes of Mopsa. The young gentleman as glad as if he had "
## [19680] "found a hare sitting, egged him on, breaking the matter with "
## [19681] "Philanax, and then, for fear the humour should quail in him, wrote "
## [19682] "a challenge himself for Dametas, and brought it to him. But "
## [19683] "when Dametas read it, putting his head on his shoulder, and "
## [19684] "somewhat smiling, he said. It was pretty indeed, but that it had "
## [19685] "not a lofty style enough ; and so, would needs indite it in this sort. "
## [19686] ""
## [19687] "O Clinias, thou Clinias, the wickedest worm that ever went upon "
## [19688] "two legs ; the very fritter of fraud, and seething pot of iniquity : I "
## [19689] "Dametas, chief governor of all the royal cattle, and also of Pamela "
## [19690] "(whom thy master most perniciously hath suggested out of my "
## [19691] "dominion) do defy thee in a mortal affray from the bodkin to the "
## [19692] "pike upward : Which if thou dost presume to take in hand, I will, "
## [19693] "out of that superfluous body of thine, make thy soul to be evacuated. "
## [19694] ""
## [19695] "The young gentleman seemed dumb-stricken with admiration, "
## [19696] "and presently took upon him to be the bearer thereof, while the "
## [19697] "heat of the fit lasted ; and having gotten leave of Basilius (every- "
## [19698] "body helping on to ease his mind, oyercharged with melancholy) "
## [19699] "he went into the town, according to the manner before time used, "
## [19700] "and, in the presence of Amphialus, delivered this letter to Clinias ; "
## [19701] "desiring to have an answer, which might be fit for his reputation. "
## [19702] "Clinias opened it, read it, and, in the reading, his blood, not "
## [19703] "daring to be in so dangerous a place, went out of his face, and hid "
## [19704] "itself more inwardly : and his very words, as if they were afraid of "
## [19705] "blows, came very slowly out of his mouth : but, as well as his "
## [19706] "panting breath would utter it, he bade him tell the lout that sent "
## [19707] "him, that he disdained to have anything to do with him. But "
## [19708] "AmphJ^HS, perceiving the matter, took him aside, and verjr "
## [19709] ""
## [19710] ""
## [19711] ""
## [19712] "36o ARCADIA [book m. "
## [19713] ""
## [19714] "earnestly dealt with him, not to shame himself ; Amphialus only "
## [19715] "desirous to bring it to pass, to make some sport to Philoclea : but, "
## [19716] "not being able to persuade him, Amphialus licensed the gentleman, "
## [19717] "telling him that by next morning he should have an answer. "
## [19718] ""
## [19719] "The young gentleman, sorry he had sped no better, returned to "
## [19720] "Dametas, who had fetched many a sower-breathed sigh, for fear "
## [19721] "Clinias would accept the challenge. But when he perceived, by "
## [19722] "his trusty messenger, that this delay was in effect a denial, there "
## [19723] "being no disposition in him to accept it, then lo, Dametas began "
## [19724] "to speak his loud voice, to look big, to march up and down, and, "
## [19725] "in his march, to lift his legs higher than he was wont, swearing, by "
## [19726] "no mean devotions, that the walls should not keep the coward "
## [19727] "from him, but he would fetch him out of his coney-burrow : and "
## [19728] "then was hotter than ever to provide himself of horse and armour, "
## [19729] "saying he would go to the island bravely addubed, and show "
## [19730] "himself to his charge Pamela. To this purpose many willing "
## [19731] "hands were about him, letting him have reins, petrel, with the rest "
## [19732] "of the furniture, and very brave bases ; but all coming from "
## [19733] "divers houses, neither colour nor fashion, showed any kindred one "
## [19734] "with another. But that liked Dametas the better, for that he "
## [19735] "thought would argue, that he was master of many brave furnitures. "
## [19736] "Then gave he order to a painter for his device ; which was a "
## [19737] "plough with the oxen loosed from it, a sword, with a great number "
## [19738] "of arms and legs cut off : and lastly, a great army of pen and ink- "
## [19739] "horns, and books. Neither did he stick to tell the secret of his "
## [19740] "intent ; which was that he had left off the plough to do such "
## [19741] "bloody deeds with his sword, as many ink-horns and books should "
## [19742] "be employed about the historifying of them : and being asked, why "
## [19743] "he set no word unto it, he said, that was indeed like the painter, "
## [19744] "that faith in his picture, here is the dog, and there is the hare : "
## [19745] "and with that he laughed so perfectly, as was great consolation to "
## [19746] "the beholders. Yet remembering that Miso would not take it well "
## [19747] "at his return, if he forgot his duty to her, he caused in a border "
## [19748] "about to be written, Miso, mine own pigsnie, thou shalt hear news "
## [19749] "of Dametas. "
## [19750] ""
## [19751] "Thus all things being condignly ordered, with an ill-favoured "
## [19752] "impatience he waited until the next morning, that he might make "
## [19753] "a muster of himself in the island, often asking them that very "
## [19754] "diligently waited upon them, whether it were not pity that such "
## [19755] "a coward as Clinias should set his run-away feet upon the face of "
## [19756] "the earth. "
## [19757] ""
## [19758] "But as he was, by divers principal young gentlemen, to his no "
## [19759] "small glory, lifted up on horseback, comes a page of Ataphialus, "
## [19760] "who with humble smiling reverence, delivered a letter unto him "
## [19761] "from Chnias, whom Amphialus had brought to this ; first with "
## [19762] ""
## [19763] ""
## [19764] ""
## [19765] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 361 "
## [19766] ""
## [19767] "persuasions (that for certain, if he did accept the combat, "
## [19768] "Dametas would never dare to appear, and that then the honour "
## [19769] "should be his) but principally threatening him that if he refused it, "
## [19770] "he would turn him out of the town to be put to death for a traitor "
## [19771] "by Basilius : so as the present fear (ever to a coward most terrible) "
## [19772] "of being turned out of the town, made him, though full unwillingly, "
## [19773] "undertake the other fear, wherein he had some show of hope, that "
## [19774] "Dametas might hap either to be sick, or not to have the courage "
## [19775] "to perform the matter. But when Dametas heard the name of "
## [19776] "Clinias, very aptly suspecting what the matter might be, he bade "
## [19777] "the page carry back his letter, like a naughty boy as he was ; for "
## [19778] "he was in no humour, he told him, of reading letters. But "
## [19779] "Dametas his friend, first persuading him, that for certain it was "
## [19780] "some submission, took upon him so much boldness as to open the "
## [19781] "letter, and to read it aloud, in this sort. "
## [19782] ""
## [19783] "Filthy drivel, unworthy to have thy name set in any letter by a "
## [19784] "soldier's handwriting, could thy wretched heart think it was "
## [19785] "timerousness that made Clinias suspend awhile his answer? no, "
## [19786] "caitiff, no : it was but as a ram, which goes back to return with the "
## [19787] "greater force : Know therefore, that thou shalt no sooner appear "
## [19788] "(appear now if thou darest) I say thou shalt no sooner appear in the "
## [19789] "island (O happy thou if thou dost not appear) but that 1 will come "
## [19790] "upon thee with all my force, and cut thee in pieces (mark what I "
## [19791] "say) joint after joint, to the eternal terror of all presumptuous villains. "
## [19792] "Therefore look what thou dost ; for I tell thee, horrible smart and "
## [19793] "pains shall be thy lot, if thou wilt needs be so foolish, I having given "
## [19794] "thee no such cause as to meet with me. "
## [19795] ""
## [19796] "These terrible words Clinias used, hoping they would give a "
## [19797] "cooling to the heat of Dametas's courage : and so indeed they did "
## [19798] "that he did groan to hear the thundering of those threatenings! "
## [19799] "And when the gentlemen had ended the reading of them, Dametas "
## [19800] "told them, that in his opinion he thought this answer came too "
## [19801] "late, and that therefore he might very well go and disarm himself "
## [19802] "especially considering the other had in courteous manner warned "
## [19803] "him not to come : but they having him now on horseback, led him "
## [19804] "into the ferry, and so into the island ; the clashing of his own "
## [19805] "armour striking miserable fear into him, and in his mind thinking "
## [19806] "great unkindness in his friend that he had brought him to a matter "
## [19807] "so contrary to his complexion. There stayed he but a little (the "
## [19808] "gentleman that came with him teaching him how to use his sword "
## [19809] "and lance, while he cast his eye about, to see which way he mi?ht "
## [19810] "run away, cursing all islands for being evil situated) when Chnias "
## [19811] "with a brave sound of trumpets landed at the other end- who "
## [19812] "came all the way debating with himself, what he had deserved of "
## [19813] "Amphialus to drive him to those inconveniences. Sometimes his wij "
## [19814] ""
## [19815] ""
## [19816] ""
## [19817] "362 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [19818] ""
## [19819] "made him bethink himself what was best to be done : but fear did "
## [19820] "so corrupt his wit, that whatsoever he thought was best, he still "
## [19821] "found danger therein ; fearfulness (contrary to all other vices) "
## [19822] "making him think the better of another, the worse he found "
## [19823] "himself, rather imagining in himself what words he would use (if "
## [19824] "he were overcome) to get his life of Dametas, than how to "
## [19825] "overcome, whereof he could think with no patience. But often- "
## [19826] "times looking to the earth, pitifully complaining, that a man of "
## [19827] "such sufficiency, as he thought himself, should in his best years "
## [19828] "be swallowed up by so base an element : fain he would have "
## [19829] "prayed, but he had not heart enough to have confidence in prayer ; "
## [19830] "the glittering of the armour, and sounding of trumpets giving such "
## [19831] "an assault to the weak breach of his false senses, that he grew "
## [19832] "from the degree of fear to an amazement, not almost to know what "
## [19833] "he did, till two judges (chosen for the purpose) making the trumpet "
## [19834] "cease, and taking the oath of these champions, that they came "
## [19835] "without guile or witchcraft, set them at wonted distance, one from "
## [19836] "the other. "
## [19837] ""
## [19838] "Then the trumpets sounding, Dametas's horse (used to such "
## [19839] "causes) when he thought least of the matter, started out so lustily, "
## [19840] "that Dametas was jogged back with head and body, and pulling "
## [19841] "withal his bridle-hand, the horse, that was tender of mouth, made "
## [19842] "half a stop, and fell to bounding, so that Dametas threw away his "
## [19843] "lance, and with both his hands held by the pommel, the horse half "
## [19844] "running, half leaping, till he met with Clinias ; who fearing he "
## [19845] "should miss his rest, had put his staff therein before he began his "
## [19846] "career : neither would he then have begun, but that at the trumpets "
## [19847] "warning, one (that stood behind) struck on his horse, who running "
## [19848] "swiftly, the wind took such hold of his staff, that it crossed quite "
## [19849] "over his breast, in that sort gave a flat bastinado to Dametas : "
## [19850] "who half out of his saddle, went near to his old occupation of "
## [19851] "digging the earth, but with the crest of his helmet. Clinias when "
## [19852] "he was past him, not knowing what he had done, but fearing lest "
## [19853] "Dametas were at his back, turned with a wide turn ; and seeing "
## [19854] "him on the ground, he thought then was his time, or never, to "
## [19855] "tread him under his horse's feet ; and withal, if he could, hurt him "
## [19856] "with his lance, which had not broken, the encounter was so easy. "
## [19857] "But putting forth his horse, what with the falling of the staff too "
## [19858] "low before the legs of the horse, and the coming upon Dametas, "
## [19859] "who was then scrambling up, the horse fell over and over, and lay "
## [19860] "upon Clinias. Which Dametas, who was gotten up, perceiving, "
## [19861] "drew out his sword, prying which way he might best come to kill "
## [19862] "Clinias behind. But the horse that lay upon him, kept such "
## [19863] "a pawing with his feet, that Dametas durst not approach, but very "
## [19864] "leisurely, so as the horse, being lusty, got up, and withal begap "
## [19865] ""
## [19866] ""
## [19867] ""
## [19868] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 363 "
## [19869] ""
## [19870] "to strike, and leap, that Dametas started back a good way, and "
## [19871] "gave Clinias time to rise, but so bruised in body, and broken in "
## [19872] "heart, that he meant to yield himself to mercy ; and with that "
## [19873] "intent drew out his sword, intending when he came nearer to "
## [19874] "present the pommel of it to Dametas. But Dametas, when he "
## [19875] "saw him coming with his sword drawn, not conceiving any such "
## [19876] "intent, went back as fast as his back and heels would lead him. "
## [19877] "But as Clinias found that he began to think a possibility in the "
## [19878] "victory, and therefore followed him with the cruel haste of a "
## [19879] "prevailing coward ; laying upon Dametas, who did nothing but "
## [19880] "cry out to him to hold his hand, sometimes that he was dead, "
## [19881] "sometimes that he would complain to Basilius ; but still bore the "
## [19882] "blows ungratefully, going back, till at length he came into the "
## [19883] "water with one of his feet. "
## [19884] ""
## [19885] "But then a new fear of drowning took him, so that daring not "
## [19886] "to go back, nor to deliberate (the blows still so lighted on him) "
## [19887] "nor to yield, because of the cruel threatenings of Clinias, fear being "
## [19888] "come to the extremity, fell to a madness of despair ; so that "
## [19889] "(winking as hard as ever he could) he began to deal some blows, "
## [19890] "and his arm (being used to the flail in his youth) laid them on so "
## [19891] "thick that Clinias now began with lamentable eyes to see his own "
## [19892] "blood come out in many places : and before he had lost half an "
## [19893] "ounce, finding in himself that he fainted, cried out aloud to "
## [19894] "Dametas that he yielded. \"Throw away thy sword then,\" said "
## [19895] "Dametas, \"and I will save thee ;\" but still laying on as fast as "
## [19896] "he could. Clinias straight obeyed, and humbly craved mercy, "
## [19897] "telling him his sword was gone. Then Dametas first opened his "
## [19898] "eyes, and seeing him indeed unweaponed, made him stand a good "
## [19899] "way off from it ; and then willed him to lie down upon the earth "
## [19900] "as flat as he could ; Clinias obeyed ; and Dametas (who never "
## [19901] "could think himself safe, till Clinias were dead) began to think "
## [19902] "with himself, that if he struck at him with his sword, if he did not "
## [19903] "kill him at the first blow, that then Clinias might hap to rise, and "
## [19904] "revenge himself. Therefore he thought best to kneel down upon "
## [19905] "him, and with a great whittle he had (having disarmed his head) "
## [19906] "to cut his throat, which he had used so with calves, as he had no "
## [19907] "small dexterity in it. But while he sought for his knife, which "
## [19908] "under his armour he could not well find out, and that Clinias lay "
## [19909] "with so sheepish a quietness, as if he would have been glad to have "
## [19910] "his throat cut for fear of more pain, the judges came in, and took "
## [19911] "Dametas from off him, telling him he did against the law of arms, "
## [19912] "having promised life if he threw away his sword. Dametas was "
## [19913] "loath to consent, till they swore, they would not suffer him to fight "
## [19914] "any more, when he was up ; and then more forced, then persuaded, "
## [19915] "he let him ris^ avwing over him, and warning him to take heed "
## [19916] ""
## [19917] ""
## [19918] ""
## [19919] "364 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [19920] ""
## [19921] "how he dealt any more with any that came of his father's kindred. "
## [19922] "But thus this combat of cowards being finished, Dametas was with "
## [19923] "much mirth and melody received into the camp as victorious, "
## [19924] "never a page there failing to wait upon his triumph. "
## [19925] ""
## [19926] "But Clinias, though he wanted heart to prevent shame, yet he "
## [19927] "wanted not wit to feel shame ; not so much repining at it for the "
## [19928] "abhorring of shame, as for the discommodities, that to them that "
## [19929] "are ashamed, ensue. For well he deemed, it would be a great bar "
## [19930] "to his practice, and a pulling on of injuries, when men needed not "
## [19931] "care how they used him. Insomuch, that Clinias (finding himself "
## [19932] "the scorning-stock of every company) fell with repining, to hate "
## [19933] "the cause thereof; and hate in a coward's heart, could set itself no "
## [19934] "other limits, but death. Which purpose was well egged on by "
## [19935] "representing unto himself, what danger he lately was in ; which "
## [19936] "still kept no less ugly figure in his mind than when it was present ; "
## [19937] "and quickly (even in his dissembling countenance) might be "
## [19938] "discerned a concealed grudge. For though he forced himself to a "
## [19939] "far more diligent oiificiousness toward Amphialus than ever before, "
## [19940] "yet a leering eye upon the one side at him, a countenance still "
## [19941] "framed to smiling before him (how little cause soever there was of "
## [19942] "smiling) and grumbling behind him at any of his commandments, "
## [19943] "with an uncertain manner of behaviour : his words coming out, "
## [19944] "though full of flattery, yet slowly, and hoarsely pronounced, might "
## [19945] "well have blazed what arms his false heart bore. But despised, "
## [19946] "because of his cowardliness, and not marked because despised, he "
## [19947] "had the freer scope of practice. Which he did the more desperately "
## [19948] "enter into, because the daily dangers Amphialus did submit "
## [19949] "himself unto, made Clinias assuredly look for his overthrow, and "
## [19950] "for his own consequently, if he did not redeem his former treason "
## [19951] "to Basilius, with a more treasonable falsehood toward Amphialus. "
## [19952] "His chief care therefore was, to find out among all sorts of the "
## [19953] "Amphialians, whom either like fear, tediousness of the siege, or "
## [19954] "discontent of some unsatisfied ambition would make apt to dig in "
## [19955] "the same mine that he did : and some already of wealthy weary "
## [19956] "folks, and unconstant youths (who had not found such sudden "
## [19957] "success as they had promised themselves) he had made stoop to "
## [19958] "his lure. But of none he made so good account as of Artesia, "
## [19959] "sister to the late slain Ismenus, and the chief of the six maids, who "
## [19960] "had trained out the princesses to their banquet of misery : so "
## [19961] "much did the sharpness of her wit countervail, as he thought, any "
## [19962] "other defects of her sex : for she had undertaken that dangerous "
## [19963] "practice by the persuasion of Cecropia, who assured her that the "
## [19964] "two princesses should be made away, and then Amphialus would "
## [19965] "marry her, which she was the apter to believe, by some false "
## [19966] "persuasion her glass had given her of her own incomparable "
## [19967] ""
## [19968] ""
## [19969] ""
## [19970] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 365 "
## [19971] ""
## [19972] "excellencies, and by the great favour she knew he bare to her "
## [19973] "brother Istnenus, which, like a self-flattering woman, she conceived "
## [19974] "was done for her sake. But when she had achieved her attempt, "
## [19975] "and that she found the princesses were so far from their intended "
## [19976] "death, as that one of them was like to be her sovereign ; and that "
## [19977] "neither her service won of Amphialus much more than an ordinary "
## [19978] "favour, nor her over-large offering herself to a mind otherwise owed, "
## [19979] "had obtained a looked for acceptation : disdain to be disdained, "
## [19980] "spite of a frustrate hope, and perchance unquenched lust-grown "
## [19981] "rage, made her unquiet thoughts find no other rest, but malice ; "
## [19982] "which was increased by the death of her brother, whom she "
## [19983] "judged neither succoured against Philanax, nor revenged upon "
## [19984] "Philanax. But all these coals were well blown by the company "
## [19985] "she especially kept with Zelmane all this time of her imprisonment. "
## [19986] "For finding her presence uncheerful to the mourning Philodea, "
## [19987] "and condemned of the high hearted Pamela, she spent her time "
## [19988] "most with Zelmane : Who though at the first hardly brooking "
## [19989] "the instrument of their misery, learning cunning in the school of "
## [19990] "adversity, in time framed herself to yield her acceptable entertain- "
## [19991] "ment. For Zelmane, when she had by that unexpected mischief "
## [19992] "her body imprisoned, her valour over-mastered, her wit beguiled, "
## [19993] "her desires barred, her love eclipsed ; assured of evil, fearing "
## [19994] "worse, able to know Philoclea's misfortune, and not able to succour "
## [19995] "her, she was a great while before the greatness of her heart could "
## [19996] "descend to sorrow, but rather rose boiling up in spite and disdain, "
## [19997] "reason hardly making courage believe that it was distressed ; but "
## [19998] "as if the walls would be afraid of her, so would her looks shoot out "
## [19999] "threatenings upon them. But the fetters of servitude, growing "
## [20000] "heavier with wearing, made her feel her case, and the httle "
## [20001] "prevailing of repining : and then grief got a seat in her softened "
## [20002] "mind, making sweetness of passed comforts, by due title, claim "
## [20003] "tears of present discomforts : and since her fortune made her able "
## [20004] "to help as little as anybody, yet to be able to wail as much as "
## [20005] "anybody ; solitary sorrow, with a continual circle in herself, going "
## [20006] "out at her own mouth, to come in again at her own ears. Then "
## [20007] "was the name of Philoclea graved in the glass windows, and by "
## [20008] "the foolish idolatry of affection, no sooner written, than adored ; "
## [20009] "and no sooner adored, than pitied : all the wonted praises (she "
## [20010] "was wont to give unto her) being now but figures of rhetoric to "
## [20011] "amplify the injuries of misfortune ; against which being alone, she "
## [20012] "would often make invective declamations, methodised only by "
## [20013] "raging sorrow. "
## [20014] ""
## [20015] "But when Artesia did insinuate herself into her acquaintance, "
## [20016] "she gave the government of her courage to wit, and was content to "
## [20017] "familiarize herself with her : so much the rather, as that she "
## [20018] ""
## [20019] ""
## [20020] ""
## [20021] "366 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [20022] ""
## [20023] "perceived in her certain flaws of ill concealed discontentment : "
## [20024] "insomuch that when Zelmane would sweeten her mouth with the "
## [20025] "praise of the sisters, especially setting forth their noble gratefulness "
## [20026] "in never forgetting well-intended services, and invoking the justice "
## [20027] "of the gods not to suffer such treasures to be wrongfully hidden, "
## [20028] "and sometimes with a kind of unkindness charging Artesia that "
## [20029] "she had been abused to abuse so worthy persons : Artesia, though "
## [20030] "falsely, would protest that she had been beguiled in it, never "
## [20031] "meaning other matter than recreation ; and yet withal by alleging "
## [20032] "how ungratefully she was dealt with, it was easy to be seen it was "
## [20033] "the unrewarding, and not the evil employing her service, which "
## [20034] "grieved her. But Zelmane, using her own bias to bowl near the "
## [20035] "mistress of her own thoughts, was content to lend her belief, and "
## [20036] "withal to magnify her desert, if willingly she would deliver, whom "
## [20037] "vinwillingly she had imprisoned ; leaving no argument which might "
## [20038] "tickle ambition, or flatter revenge. So that Artesia, pushed forward "
## [20039] "by Clinias, and drawn onward by Zelmane, bound herself to that "
## [20040] "practice ; wherein Zelmane, for her part, desired no more but to "
## [20041] "have armour and weapons brought into her chamber, not doubting "
## [20042] "therewith to perform anything, how impossible soever, which "
## [20043] "longing love can persuade, and invincible valour dare promise. "
## [20044] ""
## [20045] "But Clinias, whose faith could never comprehend the mysteries "
## [20046] "of courage, persuaded Artesia, while he by corruption had drawn "
## [20047] "the guard of one gate, to open it, when he would appoint the time "
## [20048] "to the enemy, that she should impoison Amphialus, which she "
## [20049] "might the easier do, because she herself had used to make the "
## [20050] "broths, when Amphialus, either wearied or wounded, did use such "
## [20051] "diet. And all things already were ready to be put in execution, "
## [20052] "when they thought best to break this matter with the two excellent "
## [20053] "sisters, not doubting of their consent in a thing so behoveful to "
## [20054] "themselves : their reasons being that the princesses knowing their "
## [20055] "service, might be sure to preserve them from the fury of the "
## [20056] "entering soldiers : whereof Clinias, even so, could scarcely be "
## [20057] "sufficiently certain : and withal, making them privy to their action, "
## [20058] "to bind them afterwards to a promised gratefulness towards them. "
## [20059] "They went therefore at one time, when they knew them to be "
## [20060] "alone, Clinias to Philoclea, and Artesia to Pamela ; and Clinias, "
## [20061] "with no few words, did set forth what an exploit was intended for "
## [20062] "her service. But Philoclea, in whose clear mind, treason could "
## [20063] "find no hiding-place, told him that she would be glad if he could "
## [20064] "persuade her cousin to deliver her, and that she wouldnever forget "
## [20065] "his service therein ; but that she desired him to lay dovim any such "
## [20066] "way of mischief, for, that for her part, she would rather yield to "
## [20067] "perpetual imprisonment than consent to the destroying her cousin, "
## [20068] "who, she knew, loved her, though wronged her. This unlooked- "
## [20069] ""
## [20070] ""
## [20071] ""
## [20072] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 367, "
## [20073] ""
## [20074] "for answer amazed Clinias, so that he had no other remedy in his "
## [20075] "mind but to kneel down to Philoclea, and beseech her to keep "
## [20076] "it secret, considering that the intention was for her service, and "
## [20077] "vowing, since she misliked it, to proceed no farther therein, she "
## [20078] "comforted him with promise of silence, which she performed. "
## [20079] ""
## [20080] "But that little availed ; for Artesia having in like sort opened "
## [20081] "this device to Pamela, she, in whose mind virtue governed with "
## [20082] "the sceptre of knowledge, hating so horrible a wickedness, and "
## [20083] "straight judging what -was fit to do : \" Wicked woman,\" said she, "
## [20084] "\"whose unrepenting heart can find no way to amend treason, "
## [20085] "but by treason, now the time is come that thy wretched wiles have "
## [20086] "caught thyself in thine own net : as for me, let the gods dispose "
## [20087] "of me as shall please them ; but sure it shall be no such way, nor "
## [20088] "way-leader, by which I will come to liberty.\" This she spoke "
## [20089] "something with a louder voice than she was wont to use, so that "
## [20090] "Cecropia heard the noise, who was, sooner than Artesia imagined "
## [20091] "she would, come up, to bring Pamela to a window where she "
## [20092] "might see a notable skirmish happened in the camp, as she "
## [20093] "thought among themselves : and being a cunning fisher in troubled "
## [20094] "waters, straight found by their voices and gestures there was some "
## [20095] "matter of consequence, which she desired Pamela to tell her. "
## [20096] "\"Ask of her,\" said Pamela, \"and learn to know, that who do "
## [20097] "falsehood to their superiors, teach falsehood to their inferiors.\" "
## [20098] "More she would not say. But Cecropia taking away the each-way "
## [20099] "guilty Artesia, with fear of torture, got of her the whole practice : "
## [20100] "so that Zelmane was the more closely imprisoned, and Clinias "
## [20101] "with the rest of his corrupted mates, according to their merits' "
## [20102] "executed : for as for Artesia, she was but locked up in her chamber] "
## [20103] "Amphialus not consenting, for the love he bore to Ismenus, that "
## [20104] "farther punishment should be laid upon her. "
## [20105] ""
## [20106] "But the noise they heard in the camp was by occasion of the "
## [20107] "famous prince Anaxius, nephew to the giant Euardes, whom "
## [20108] "Pyrocles slew ; a prince of body exceedingly strong, in arms so "
## [20109] "skilful and fortunate, as no man was thought to excel him • of "
## [20110] "courage that knew not how to fear ; of parts worthy praise, if thev "
## [20111] "had not been guided by pride, and followed by injustice. For by "
## [20112] "a strange composition of mind, there was no man more tenderly "
## [20113] "sensible in anything offered to himself, which in the farthest- "
## [20114] "fetched construction might be wrested to the name of wron? ■ "
## [20115] "no man that in his own actions could worse distinguish between "
## [20116] "valour and vidence: so proud, that he could not abstain from "
## [20117] "a Thraso-like boastmg, arid yet,:so unlucky a lodging his vi tuS "
## [20118] "had gotten, he would never boast more than he would accompS "
## [20119] "•falsely accounting an inflexible anger a courageous constan y "
## [20120] "esteeming fear and astonishment righter causes of admiration "
## [20121] ""
## [20122] ""
## [20123] ""
## [20124] "368 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [20125] ""
## [20126] "than love and honour. This man had four sundry times fought "
## [20127] "with Amphialus, but Mars had been so impartial an arbiter, that "
## [20128] "neither side got advantage of the other. But in the end, it "
## [20129] "happened that Anaxius found Amphialus, unknown in great "
## [20130] "danger, and saved his life : whereupon, loving his own benefit, "
## [20131] "began to favour him, so much the more, as thinking so well of "
## [20132] "himself, he could not choose but like him, whom he found a match "
## [20133] "for himself : which at last grew to as much friendship towards him, "
## [20134] "as could by a proud heart be conceived. So as in this travel "
## [20135] "(seeking Pyrocles to be revenged of his uncle's death) hearing of "
## [20136] "this siege, never taking pains to examine the quarrel, like a man "
## [20137] "whose will was his god, and his hand his law, taking with him "
## [20138] "his two brothers, men accounted little inferior to himself in martial "
## [20139] "matters, and two hundred chosen horsemen, with whom he thought "
## [20140] "himself able to conquer the world, yet commanding the rest of "
## [20141] "his forces to follow, he himself upon such an unexpected suddenness "
## [20142] "entered in upon the back of Basilius, that many with great "
## [20143] "unkindness took their death, not knowing why, nor how they were "
## [20144] "so murdered. There, if ever, did he make known the wonderfulness "
## [20145] "of his force. But the valiant and faithful Philanax, with well "
## [20146] "governed speed, made such head against him as would have "
## [20147] "showed how soon courage falls in the ditch which hath not the "
## [20148] "eye of wisdom ; but that Amphialus at the same time issued out "
## [20149] "and winning with abundance of courage one of the sconces which "
## [20150] "Basilius had builded, made way for his friend Anaxius, with great "
## [20151] "loss of both sides, but especially of the Basilians, such notable "
## [20152] "monuments had those two swords especially left of their master's "
## [20153] "redoubted worthiness. "
## [20154] ""
## [20155] "There, with the respect fit to his estate, the honour due to his "
## [20156] "worthiness, and the kindness which accompanies friendship, made "
## [20157] "fast by interchanged benefits,' did Amphialus enforce himself, "
## [20158] "as much as in a besieged town he could, to make Anaxius know "
## [20159] "that his succour was not so needful as his presence grateful. "
## [20160] "For causing the streets and houses of the town to witness his "
## [20161] "welcome, making both soldiers and magistrates in their "
## [20162] "countenances to show their gladness of him, he led him to his "
## [20163] "mother, whom he besought to entertain him with no less love and "
## [20164] "kindness, than as one who once had saved her son's life, and now "
## [20165] "came to save both life and honour. \" Tush,\" said Anaxius, "
## [20166] "speaking aloud, looking upon his brothers, \" I am only sorry there "
## [20167] "are not half-a-dozen kings more about you, than what Anaxius "
## [20168] "can do might be the better manifested.\" His brothers smiled, "
## [20169] "as though he had over-modestly spoken, far underneath the pitch "
## [20170] "of his power. Then was he disarmed at the earnest request of "
## [20171] "Amphialus : for Anaxius boiled with desire to issue out upon the "
## [20172] ""
## [20173] ""
## [20174] ""
## [20175] "BOOK III.]\" ARCADIA 369 "
## [20176] ""
## [20177] "enemies, persuading himself that the sun should not be set before "
## [20178] "he had overthrown them. And having reposed himself, Amphialus "
## [20179] "asked him whether he would visit the young princesses. But "
## [20180] "Anaxius whispered him in the ear, \"In truth,\" said he, \"dear "
## [20181] "friend Amphialus, though I am none of those that love to speak "
## [20182] "for themselves, I never came yet in company of ladies but that "
## [20183] "they fell in love with me. And that I in my heart scorn them as "
## [20184] "a peevish paltry sex, nor worthy to communicate with my virtues, "
## [20185] "would not do you the wrong : since, as I hear, you do debase "
## [20186] "yourself so much as to affect them.\" The courteous Amphialus "
## [20187] "could have been angry with him for those words ; but knowing "
## [20188] "his humour, suffered him to dance to his own music : and gave "
## [20189] "himself to entertain both him and his brothers, with as cheerful "
## [20190] "a manner as could issue from a mind whom unlucky love had "
## [20191] "filled with melancholy. For to Anaxius he yielded the direction "
## [20192] "of all. He gave the watch-word, and if any grace were granted, "
## [20193] "the means were to be made to Anaxius. And that night when "
## [20194] "supper was ended wherein Amphialus would needs himself wait "
## [20195] "upon him, he caused in boats upon the lake an excellent music "
## [20196] "to be ordered ; which, though Anaxius might conceive was for his "
## [20197] "honour, yet indeed he was but the brick wall to convey it to the "
## [20198] "ears of the beloved Philoclea. "
## [20199] ""
## [20200] "The music was of cornets, whereof one answering the other, with "
## [20201] "a sweet emulation striving for the glory of music, and striking "
## [20202] "upon the smooth face of the quiet lake, was then delivered up to "
## [20203] "the castle walls, which with a proud reverberation, spreading it "
## [20204] "into the air, it seemed before the harmony came to the ear, that "
## [20205] "it had enriched itself in travel, the nature of those places adding "
## [20206] "melody to that melodious instrument. And when a while that "
## [20207] "instrument had made a brave proclamation to all possessed minds "
## [20208] "of attention, an excellent concert straight followed, of five viols, "
## [20209] "and as many voices ; which all being but orators of their master's "
## [20210] "passions, bestowed this song upon her that thought upon another "
## [20211] "matter. "
## [20212] ""
## [20213] "The fire to see my wrongs for anger burneth ; "
## [20214] ""
## [20215] "The air in rain for my affection weepeth : "
## [20216] ""
## [20217] "The sea to ebb for grief his flowing turneth : "
## [20218] "The earth with pity dull his centre keepeth. "
## [20219] ""
## [20220] "Fame is with wonder blazed ; "
## [20221] ""
## [20222] "Time runs away for sorrow : "
## [20223] ""
## [20224] "Place standeth still amazed, "
## [20225] "To see my night of evils, which hath no morrow. "
## [20226] ""
## [20227] "Alas all only she no pity taketh "
## [20228] "To know my miseries, but chaste and cruel, "
## [20229] ""
## [20230] "My fall her glory maketh ; "
## [20231] ""
## [20232] ""
## [20233] ""
## [20234] "370 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [20235] ""
## [20236] "Yet still her eyes give to my flame their fuel. "
## [20237] "Fire, burn me quite, till sense of burning: leave me ! "
## [20238] "Air, let me draw thy Breath no more in anguish : "
## [20239] "Sea, drown'd in thee of tedious life bereave me ; "
## [20240] "Earth, take this Earth wherein my spirits languish. "
## [20241] ""
## [20242] "Fame, say I was not born : "
## [20243] ""
## [20244] "Time, haste my dying hour. "
## [20245] ""
## [20246] "Place, see my grave up torn : "
## [20247] "Fire, air, sea, earth, fame, time, place, show your power. "
## [20248] ""
## [20249] "Alas from all their help I am exiled : "
## [20250] "For hers am I, and death fears her displeasure. "
## [20251] ""
## [20252] "Fie death thou art beguiled ; "
## [20253] "Though I be hers, she makes of me no treasure. "
## [20254] ""
## [20255] "But Anaxius, seeming a-weary before it was ended, told Amphialus, "
## [20256] "that for his part he liked no music but the neighing of horses, the "
## [20257] "sound of trumpets, and the cries of yielding persons : and therefore "
## [20258] "desired, that the next morning they should issue upon the same "
## [20259] "place where they had entered that day, not doubting to make them "
## [20260] "quickly a-weary of being the besiegers of Anaxius. Amphialus, "
## [20261] "who had no whit less courage, though nothing blown up with "
## [20262] "pride, willingly condescended : and so the next morning, giving "
## [20263] "false alarm to the other side of the camp, Amphialus at Anaxius's "
## [20264] "earnest request, staying within the town to see it guarded, Anaxius "
## [20265] "and his brethren, Lycurgus and Zoilus sallied out with the best "
## [20266] "chosen men. But Basilius, having been the last day somewhat "
## [20267] "unprovided, now had better fortified the overthrown sconce ; and "
## [20268] "so well had prepared everything for defence, that it was impossible "
## [20269] "for any valour from within to prevail. Yet things were performed "
## [20270] "by Anaxius beyond the credit of the credulous : for thrice, "
## [20271] "valiantly followed by his brothers, did he set up his banner upon "
## [20272] "the rampire of the enemy ; though thrice again by the multitude, "
## [20273] "and advantage of the place, but especially by the coming of three "
## [20274] "valiant knights, he was driven down again. Numbers there were "
## [20275] "that day, whose deaths and overthrows were excused by the well "
## [20276] "known sword of Anaxius : but the rest by the length of time and "
## [20277] "injury of historians have been wrapped up in dark forgetfulness ; "
## [20278] "only Tressenius is spoken of, because when all abandoned the "
## [20279] "place, he only made head to Anaxius ; till having lost one of his "
## [20280] "legs, yet not lost the heart of fighting, Lycurgus, second brother "
## [20281] "to Anaxius, cruelly murdered him ; Anaxius himself disdaining "
## [20282] "any farther to deal with them. "
## [20283] ""
## [20284] "But so far had Anaxius at the third time prevailed, that now the "
## [20285] "Basilians began to let their courage descend to their feet ; Basilius "
## [20286] "and Philanax in vain striving with reverence of authority to bridle "
## [20287] "the flight of astonishment, and to teach fear, discretion ; So that "
## [20288] ""
## [20289] ""
## [20290] ""
## [20291] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 371 "
## [20292] ""
## [20293] "Amphialus, seeing victory show such a flattering countenance to "
## [20294] "him, came out with all his force, hoping that day to end the siege. "
## [20295] "But that fancy altered quickly, by the sudden coming to the "
## [20296] "other side of the three knights, whereof the one was in white "
## [20297] "armour, the other in green, and the third by his black armour and "
## [20298] "device, straight known to be the notable knight who the first day "
## [20299] "had given fortune so short a stop with his notable deeds, fighting "
## [20300] "hand to hand with the deemed invincible Amphialus. For the "
## [20301] "very cowards no sooner saw him, but as borrowing some of his "
## [20302] "spirit, they went like young eagles to the prey, under the wing of "
## [20303] "their dam. For the three adventurers, not content to keep them "
## [20304] "from their rampire, leapt down among them, and entered into a "
## [20305] "brave combat with the three valiant brothers. But to whether "
## [20306] "side fortune would have been partial, could not be determined. "
## [20307] "For the Basihans, lightened with the beams of their strangers' "
## [20308] "valour, followed so thick, that the Amphialians were glad with "
## [20309] "some haste to retire to the wall-ward : though Anaxius neither "
## [20310] "reason, fear, nor example, could make him assuage the fury of his "
## [20311] "fight : until one of the Basilians (unworthy to have his name "
## [20312] "registered, since he did it cowardly, sideward, when he least looked "
## [20313] "that way) almost cut off one of his legs, so that he fell down, "
## [20314] "blaspheming heaven, that all the influences thereof had power to "
## [20315] "overthrow him : and there death would have seized on his proud "
## [20316] "heart, but that Amphialus took in hand the black knight, while "
## [20317] "some of his soldiers conveyed away Anaxius, so requiting life for "
## [20318] "life unto him. "
## [20319] ""
## [20320] "And for the love and example of Amphialus, the fight began to "
## [20321] "enter into a new fit of heat : when Basilius, that thought enough "
## [20322] "to be done for that day, caused retreat to be sounded ; fearing lest "
## [20323] "his men following over-earnestly, might be the loss of those "
## [20324] "excellent knights whom he desired to know. The knights as soon "
## [20325] "as they heard the retreat, though they were eagerly set, knowing "
## [20326] "that courage without discipline, is nearer beastliness than manhood "
## [20327] "drew back their swords, though hungry of more blood : especially "
## [20328] "the black knight, who knowing of Amphialus, could not refrain to "
## [20329] "tell him, that this was the second time he escaped out of his hands "
## [20330] "but that he would shortly bring him a bill of all the former "
## [20331] "accounts. Amphialus seeing it fit to retire also, most of his people "
## [20332] "being hurt, both in bodies and hearts, withdrew himself with so "
## [20333] "well-seated a resolution, that it was as far from anger, as from "
## [20334] "dismayedness, answering no other to the black knight's threats "
## [20335] "but that when he brought him his account, he should find a good "
## [20336] "paymaster. "
## [20337] ""
## [20338] "The fight being ceased, and each side withdrawn within their "
## [20339] "strengths, Basilius sent Philanax to entertain the strange knights "
## [20340] ""
## [20341] ""
## [20342] ""
## [20343] "372 ARCADIA [book m, "
## [20344] ""
## [20345] "and to bring them unto him that he might acknowledge what "
## [20346] "honour was due to their virtue. But they excused themselves, "
## [20347] "desiring to be known first by their deeds, before their names should "
## [20348] "accuse their unworthiness : and though the other replied according "
## [20349] "as they deserved, yet (finding that unwelcome courtesy is a degree "
## [20350] "of injury) he suffered them to retire themselves to a tent of their "
## [20351] "own without the camp, where they kept themselves secret : Philanax "
## [20352] "himself being called away to another strange knight ; strange not "
## [20353] "only by the unlooked-for-ness of his coming, but by the strange "
## [20354] "manner of his coming. "
## [20355] ""
## [20356] "For he had before him four damsels, and so many behind him, "
## [20357] "all upon palfreys, and all apparelled in mourning weeds ; each of "
## [20358] "them a servant on each side, with hke liveries of sorrow. Himself "
## [20359] "in an armour, all painted over with such a cunning of shadow, that "
## [20360] "it represented a gaping sepulchre ; the furniture of his horse was "
## [20361] "all of cypress branches : wherewith in old time they were wont to "
## [20362] "dress graves. His bases, which he wore so long, as they came "
## [20363] "almost to his ankle, were embroidered only with black worms, "
## [20364] "which seemed to crawl up and down, as ready to devour him. In "
## [20365] "his shield, for Impresa, he had a beautiful child, but having two "
## [20366] "heads, whereon the one showed that it was already dead ; the "
## [20367] "other alive, but in that case, necessarily looking for death. The "
## [20368] "word was : No way to be rid from death, but by death. "
## [20369] ""
## [20370] "This knight of the tomb, for so the soldiers termed him, sent to "
## [20371] "Basilius to demand leave to send a damsel into the town, to call "
## [20372] "out Amphialus, according as before time some others had done. "
## [20373] "Which being granted, as glad any would undertake the charge, "
## [20374] "which nobody else in that camp was known willing to do, the "
## [20375] "damsel went in, and having with tears sobbed out a brave challenge "
## [20376] "to Amphialus, from the knight of the tomb, Amphialus honourably "
## [20377] "entertaining the gentlewoman, and desiring to know the knight's "
## [20378] "name, which the doleful gentlewoman would not discover, accepted "
## [20379] "the challenge, only desiring the gentlewoman to say thus much to "
## [20380] "the strange knight from him, that if his mind were like to his title, "
## [20381] "there were more cause of affinity than enmity between them. And "
## [20382] "therefore presently, accordingly as he was wont, as soon as he "
## [20383] "perceived the knight of the tomb, with his damsels and judge, was "
## [20384] "come into the island, he also went over in accustomed manner ; "
## [20385] "and yet for the courtesy of his nature, desired to speak with him. "
## [20386] ""
## [20387] "But the knight of the tomb, with silence and drawing his horse "
## [20388] "back, showed no will to hear, nor speak : but with lance on thigh, "
## [20389] "made him know, it was fit for him to go to the other end of the "
## [20390] "career, whence waiting the start of the unknown knight, he likewise "
## [20391] "made his spurs claim haste of his horse. But when his staff was "
## [20392] "in his rest, coming down to meet with the knight, now very near "
## [20393] ""
## [20394] ""
## [20395] ""
## [20396] "eooK m.] ARCADIA 373 "
## [20397] ""
## [20398] "him, he perceived the knight had missed his rest : wherefore the "
## [20399] "courteous Amphialus would not let his lance descend : but with a "
## [20400] "gallant grace, ran over the head of his therein friended enemy : "
## [20401] "and having stopped his horse^ and with the turning of him, blessed "
## [20402] "his sight with the window where he thought Philoclea might stand, "
## [20403] "he perceived the knight had lighted from his horse, and thrown "
## [20404] "away his staff, angry with his misfortune, as of having missed his "
## [20405] "rest, and drawn his sword, to make that supply his fellow's fault ; "
## [20406] "he also alighted, and drew his sword, esteeming victory with "
## [20407] "advantage, rather robbed than purchased : and so the other "
## [20408] "coming eagerly toward him, he with his shield out ; and sword "
## [20409] "aloft, with more bravery than anger drew unto him, and straight "
## [20410] "made their swords speak for them a pretty while with equal "
## [20411] "fierceness. But Amphialus, to whom the earth brought forth few "
## [20412] "matches, having both much more skill to choose the places, and "
## [20413] "more force to work upon the chosen, had already made many "
## [20414] "windows in his armour for death to come in at, when in the "
## [20415] "nobleness of his nature abhorring to make the punishment overgo "
## [20416] "the offence, he stepped a little back, and withal, \" Sir knight,\" said "
## [20417] "he, \" you may easily see that it pleaseth God to favour my cause ; "
## [20418] "employ your valour against them that wish you hurt, for my part I "
## [20419] "have not deserved hate of you.\" \" Thou liest, false traitor,\" said "
## [20420] "the other, with an angry, but weak voice ; but Amphialus, in whom "
## [20421] "abused kindness became spiteful rage. \"Ah barbarous wretch,\" "
## [20422] "said he, \"only courageous in discourtesy, thou shalt soon see "
## [20423] "whether thy tongue hath betrayed thy heart, or no : \" and with "
## [20424] "that redoubled his blows, gave him a great wound upon his neck, "
## [20425] "and closing with him, over-threw him, and with the fall thrust him "
## [20426] "mortally into the body, and with that went to pull off his helmet, "
## [20427] "with intention to make him give himself the lie, for having so said, "
## [20428] "or to cut off his head. "
## [20429] ""
## [20430] "But the headpiece was no sooner off, but that there fell about "
## [20431] "the shoulders of the overcome knight the treasure of fair golden "
## [20432] "hair, which with the face, soon known by the badge of excellency, "
## [20433] "witnessed that it was Parthenia, the unfortunately virtuous wife of "
## [20434] "Argalus; her beauty then, even in the despite of the passed "
## [20435] "sorrow, or coming death, assuring all beholders that it was nothing "
## [20436] "short of perfection. For her exceeding fair eyes, having with "
## [20437] "continual weeping gotten a little redness about them, her round "
## [20438] "sweetly swelling lips a little trembling, as though they kissed their "
## [20439] "neighbour death ; in her cheeks the whiteness striving by little "
## [20440] "and little to get upon the rosiness of them ; her neck, a neck "
## [20441] "indeed of alabaster, displaying the wound, which with most dainty "
## [20442] "blood laboured to drown his own beauties ; so that here was a "
## [20443] "river of purest red, there an island of perfectest white, each giving "
## [20444] ""
## [20445] ""
## [20446] ""
## [20447] "i74 Arcadia [book hi. "
## [20448] ""
## [20449] "lustre to the other, with the sweet countenance, God knows, full of "
## [20450] "an unaffected languishing: though these things to, a grossly "
## [20451] "conceiving sense might seem disgraces, yet indeed were they but "
## [20452] "apparelling beauty in a new fashion, which all looked upon through "
## [20453] "the spectacles of pity, did even increase the lines of her natural "
## [20454] "fairness ; so that Amphialus was astonished with grief, compassion "
## [20455] "and shame, detesting his fortune that made him unfortunate in "
## [20456] "victory. "
## [20457] ""
## [20458] "Therefore putting off his headpiece and gauntlet, kneeling down "
## [20459] "unto her, and with tears testifying his sorrow, he offered his, by "
## [20460] "himself accursed, hands to help her, protesting his life and power "
## [20461] "to be ready to do her honour. But Parthenia, who had inward "
## [20462] "messengers of the desired death's approach, looking upon him, and "
## [20463] "straight turning away her feeble sight, as from a delightless object, "
## [20464] "drawing out her words, which her breath, loth to depart from so "
## [20465] "sweet a body, did faintly deliver : \" Sir,\" said she, \" I pray you, if "
## [20466] "prayers have place in enemies, to let my maids take my body "
## [20467] "untouched by you : the only honour I now desire by your means, "
## [20468] "is, that I have no honour of you. Argalus made no such bargain "
## [20469] "with you, that the hands which killed him, should help me. I have "
## [20470] "of them, and I do not only pardon you, but thank you for it, the "
## [20471] "service which I desired. There rests nothing now, but that I go "
## [20472] "live with him, since whose death I have done nothing but die.\" "
## [20473] "Then pausing, and a little fainting, and again coming to herself ; "
## [20474] "\" O sweet life, welcome,\" said she, \" now feel I the bands united of "
## [20475] "the cruel death, which so long hath held me. And O life, O death, "
## [20476] "answer for me, that my thoughts have not so much as in a dream "
## [20477] "tasted any comfort, since they were deprived of Argalus. I come, "
## [20478] "my Argalus, I come : and, O God, hide my faults in thy mercies, "
## [20479] "and grant, as I feel thou dost grant, that in thy eternal love, we "
## [20480] ""
## [20481] "may love each other eternally. And this, O Lord : \" but there "
## [20482] ""
## [20483] "Atropos* cut off her sentence : for with that, casting up both eyes "
## [20484] "and hands to the skies, the noble soul departed (one might well "
## [20485] "assure himself) to heaven, which left the body in so heavenly a "
## [20486] "demeanour. "
## [20487] ""
## [20488] "But Amphialus, with a heart oppressed with grief, because of "
## [20489] "her request, withdrew himself: but the judges, as full of pity, had "
## [20490] "been all this while disarming her, and her gentlewomen with "
## [20491] "lamentable cries labouring to staunch the remediless wounds : and "
## [20492] "a while she was dead before they perceived it, death being able to "
## [20493] "divide the soul, but not the beauty from that body. But when "
## [20494] "the infallible tokens of death assured them of their loss, one "
## [20495] "of the women would have killed herself, but that the squire of "
## [20496] "Amphialus perceiving, by force held her. Others that had as "
## [20497] ""
## [20498] "» One of the three sisters which are said to cut the thread of life. "
## [20499] ""
## [20500] ""
## [20501] ""
## [20502] "BOOK III.I ARCADIA 375 "
## [20503] ""
## [20504] "strong passion, though weaker resolution, fell to cast dust upon "
## [20505] "their heads, to tear their garments ; all falling upon the earth, and "
## [20506] "crying upon their sweet mistress, as if their cries could persuade "
## [20507] "the soul to leave the celestial happiness, to come again into the "
## [20508] "elements of sorrow; one time calling to remembrance her virtue, "
## [20509] "chasteness, sweetness, and goodness to them ; another time "
## [20510] "accursing themselves that they had obeyed her ; being deceived "
## [20511] "by her words, who assured thera that it was revealed unto her that "
## [20512] "she should have her heart's desire in the battle against Amphialus, "
## [20513] "which they wrongly understood. Then kissing her cold hands "
## [20514] "and feet, weary of the world, since she was gone who was their "
## [20515] "world, the very heavens seemed with a cloudy countenance to lour "
## [20516] "at the loss, and fame itself (though by nature glad to tell such rare "
## [20517] "accidents) yet could not choose but deliver it in lamentable accents, "
## [20518] "and in such sort went it quickly all over the camp : and as if the "
## [20519] "air had been infected with sorrow, no heart was so hard, but was "
## [20520] "as subject to that contagion ; the rareness of the accident, matching "
## [20521] "together, the rarely matched together, pity with admiration. "
## [20522] "Basilius himself came forth, and brought the fair Gynecia with "
## [20523] "him, who was come into the camp under colour of visiting her "
## [20524] "husband, and hearing of her daughters : but indeed Zelmane was "
## [20525] "the saint to which her pilgrimage was intended, cursing, envying, "
## [20526] "blessing, and in her heart kissing the walls which imprisoned her. "
## [20527] "But both they, with Philanax, and the rest of the principal nobility, "
## [20528] "went out to make honour triumph over death, conveying that "
## [20529] "excellent body (whereto Basilius himself would needs lend his "
## [20530] "shoulder) to a church a mile from the camp, where the vahant "
## [20531] "Argalus lay entombed ; recommending to that sepulchre the blessed "
## [20532] "rehcs of a faithful and virtuous love, giving order for the making "
## [20533] "of two marble images to represent them, and each way enriching "
## [20534] "the tomb : upon which Basilius himself caused this epitaph to be "
## [20535] "written, "
## [20536] ""
## [20537] "His Being was in her alone. "
## [20538] "And he not Being she was none. "
## [20539] ""
## [20540] "They joy'd One joy. One grief they griev'd, "
## [20541] "One love they lov'd, One life they liv'd. "
## [20542] "The hand was One, One was the sword "
## [20543] "That did his death, her death afford. "
## [20544] ""
## [20545] "As all the rest ; so now the stone "
## [20546] "That tombs the Two is justly One, "
## [20547] ""
## [20548] "ARGALUS AND PARTHENIA. "
## [20549] ""
## [20550] ""
## [20551] ""
## [20552] "37<5 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [20553] ""
## [20554] "Then with eyes full of tears, and mouths full of her praises, "
## [20555] "returned they to the camp, with more and more hate against "
## [20556] "Amphialus, who, poor gentleman, had therefore greater portion "
## [20557] "of woe than any of them. For that courteous heart, which would "
## [20558] "have grieved but to have heard the like adventure, was rent with "
## [20559] "remembering himself to be the author ; so that his wisdom could "
## [20560] "not so far temper his passion, but that he took his sword, counted "
## [20561] "the best in the world (which with much blood he had once "
## [20562] "conquered of a mighty giant) and broke it into many pieces, which "
## [20563] "afterwards he had good cause to repent, saying, that neither it was "
## [20564] "worthy to serve the noble exercise of chivalry, nor any other worthy "
## [20565] "to feel that sword, which had stricken so excellent a lady; and "
## [20566] "withal, banishing all cheerfulness of his countenance he returned "
## [20567] "home : where he got him to his bed, not so much to rest "
## [20568] "his restless mind, as to avoid all company ; the sight whereof "
## [20569] "was tedious unto him. And then melancholy, only rich in "
## [20570] "unfortunate remembrances, brought before him all the mishaps "
## [20571] "with which his life had wrestled ; taking this, not only as a "
## [20572] "confirming of the former, but a presage of following misery, and "
## [20573] "to his heart, already overcome by sorrowfulness, even trifling "
## [20574] "misfortunes came, to fill up the roll of a grieved memory, "
## [20575] "labouring only his wits to pierce farther and farther into his own "
## [20576] "wretchedness. So as all that night, in despite of darkness, he "
## [20577] "held his eyes open; and in the morning, when the light began "
## [20578] "to restore to each body his colour, then with curtains barred he "
## [20579] "himself from the enjoying of it ; neither willing to feel the comfort "
## [20580] "of the day, nor the ease of the night, until his mother (who never "
## [20581] "knew what love meant, but only to him-ward) came to his bedside, "
## [20582] "and beginning with loving earnestness to lay a kind chiding upon "
## [20583] "him, because he would suffer the weakness of sorrow to conquer the "
## [20584] "strength of his virtues ; he did with a broken piece-meal speech, "
## [20585] "as if the tempest of passion unorderly blew out his words, "
## [20586] "remember the mishaps of his youth, the evils he had been the "
## [20587] "cause of, his rebelling with shame, and that shame increased with "
## [20588] "shameful accidents, the deaths of Philoxenus and Parthenia, "
## [20589] "wherein he found himself hated of the ever-ruling powers, but "
## [20590] "especially (and so especially, as the rest seemed nothing when he "
## [20591] "came to that) his fatal love to Philoclea : to whom he had so "
## [20592] "governed himself as one that could neither conquer, nor yield ; "
## [20593] "being of the one side a slave, and of the other a jailor : and withal "
## [20594] "almost upbraiding unto his mother the little success of her large "
## [20595] "hoping promises, he in effect finding Philoclea nothing mollified, "
## [20596] "and now himself, so cast down as he thought himself unworthy "
## [20597] "of better. But his mother, as she had plentiful cause, making "
## [20598] "him see that of his other griefs there was little or no fault in "
## [20599] ""
## [20600] ""
## [20601] ""
## [20602] "BOOK m.] ARCADIA ^TJ "
## [20603] ""
## [20604] "himself, and therefore there ought to be little or no grief in him ; "
## [20605] "when she came to the head of the sore, indeed seeing that she "
## [20606] "could no longer patch up her former promises (he taking a "
## [20607] "desperate deafness to all delaying hopes) she confessed plainly "
## [20608] "that she could prevail nothing : but the fault was his own, who "
## [20609] "had marred the young girl by seeking to have that by prayer, "
## [20610] "which he should have taken by authority. That it were an "
## [20611] "absurd cunning to make high ladders to go in a plain way ; so "
## [20612] "was it an untimely and foolish flattery, there to beseech, where "
## [20613] "one might command, pufiSng them up by being besought, with "
## [20614] "such a self pride of superiority, that it was not, forsooth, to be held "
## [20615] "out but by denial. \" O God,\" said Amphialus, \" how well I thought "
## [20616] "my fortune would bring forth this end of your labours? assure "
## [20617] "yourself, mother, I will sooner pull out these eyes, than they should "
## [20618] "look upon the heavenly Philoclea, but as upon a heaven whence "
## [20619] "they have their light, and to which they are subject. If they will "
## [20620] "pour down any influences of comfort : O happy I : but if by the "
## [20621] "sacrifice of a faithful heart, they will not be called unto me, let me "
## [20622] "languish and wither with languishing, and grieve with withering, "
## [20623] "but never so much as repine with never so much grieving- "
## [20624] "Mother, O Mother, lust may well be a tyrant, but true love where "
## [20625] "it is indeed, it is a servant. Accursed more than I am, may I be, "
## [20626] "if ever I did approach her, but that I freezed as much in a fearful "
## [20627] "reverence, as I burned in a vehement desire. Did ever man's "
## [20628] "eye look through love upon the majesty of virtue, shining through "
## [20629] "beauty, but that he became, as it well became him, a captive? "
## [20630] "and it is the style of the captive to write, 'Our will and "
## [20631] "pleasure?'\" "
## [20632] ""
## [20633] "\"Tush, tush, son,\" said Cecropia, \"if you say you love, but withal "
## [20634] "you fear, you fear lest you should offend. Offend ? and how know "
## [20635] "you that you should offend? because she doth deny. Deny? "
## [20636] "now by my truth, if your sadness would let me laugh, I could laugh "
## [20637] "heartily to see that you are ignorant, that No is no Negative in "
## [20638] "a woman's mouth. My son, believe me, a woman speaking of "
## [20639] "women ; a lover's modesty among us is much more praised, than "
## [20640] "liked : or if we like it, so well we Hke it, that for marring of his "
## [20641] "niodesty, he shall never proceed farther. Each virtue hath his "
## [20642] "time ; if you command your soldier to march foremost, and he for "
## [20643] "courtesy put others before him, would you praise his modesty? "
## [20644] "love is your general, he bids you dare, and will Amphialus be "
## [20645] "a dastard? let example serve: do you think Theseus should ever "
## [20646] "have gotten Antiope with sighing and crossing his arms? he "
## [20647] "•ravished her, and ravished her that was an Amazon, and therefore "
## [20648] "had gotten a habit of stoutness above the nature of a woman: "
## [20649] "but having ravished her, he got a child of her. And I say no "
## [20650] ""
## [20651] ""
## [20652] ""
## [20653] "378 ARCADIA [book tii. "
## [20654] ""
## [20655] "more, but that, they say, is not gotten without consent on both "
## [20656] "sides. lole had her own father killed by Hercules, and herself "
## [20657] "ravished, by force ravished, and yet ere long this ravished and "
## [20658] "unfathered lady could sportfully put on the lion's skin upon her "
## [20659] "own fair shoulders, and play with the club with her own delicate "
## [20660] "hands : so easily had she pardoned the ravisher, that she could "
## [20661] "not but delight in those weapons of ravishing. But above all "
## [20662] "mark Helen, daughter to Jupiter, who could never brook her "
## [20663] "mannerly-wooing Menelaus, but disdained his humbleness, and "
## [20664] "loathed his softness. But so well she could like the force of "
## [20665] "enforcing Paris, that for him she could abide what might be "
## [20666] "abidden. But what? Menelaus takes heart, he recovers her by "
## [20667] "force, by force carries her home, by force enjoys her; and she "
## [20668] "who would never like him for serviceableness, ever after loved "
## [20669] "him for violence. For what can be more agreeable than upon "
## [20670] "force to lay the fault of desire, and in one instant to join a dear "
## [20671] "delight with a just excuse ? or rather the true cause is (pardon me, "
## [20672] "O woman-kind, for revealing to mine own son the truth of this "
## [20673] "mystery) we think there wants fire, where we find no sparkles, at "
## [20674] "least of fury. Truly I have known a great lady, long sought by "
## [20675] "most great, most wise, most beautiful, and most valiant persons, "
## [20676] "never won, because they did over-superstitiously solicit her: the "
## [20677] "same lady brought under by another, inferior to all them in all "
## [20678] "those qualities, only because he could use that imperious master- "
## [20679] "fulness which nature gives to men above women. For indeed, "
## [20680] "son, I confess unto you, in our very creation we are servants : "
## [20681] "and who prayeth his servants, shall never be well obeyed : but "
## [20682] "as a ready horse straight yields when he finds one that will make "
## [20683] "him yield, the same falls to bounds when feels a fearful horseman. "
## [20684] "Awake thy spirits, good Amphialus, and assure thyself, that though "
## [20685] "she refuseth, she refuseth but to endear the obtaining. If she weep, "
## [20686] "and chide, and protest before it be gotten, she can but weep, and "
## [20687] "chide, and protest, when it is gotten. Think, she would not strive, "
## [20688] "but that she means to try thy force; and my Amphialus, know "
## [20689] "thyself a man, and show thyself a man ; and, believe me upon my "
## [20690] "word, a woman is a woman.\" "
## [20691] ""
## [20692] "Amphialus was about to answer her, when a gentleman of his "
## [20693] "made him understand that there was a messenger come, who had "
## [20694] "brought a letter unto him from out of the camp : whom he "
## [20695] "presently calling for, took, opened, and read the letter, importing "
## [20696] "this. "
## [20697] ""
## [20698] "To thee Amphialus of Arcadia, the forsaken knight wisheth health "
## [20699] "and courage, that by my hand thou mayest receive punishment for "
## [20700] "thy treason, according to thine own offer, which wickedly occasioned, "
## [20701] "thou hast proudly begun, and accursedly maintained, I will "
## [20702] ""
## [20703] ""
## [20704] ""
## [20705] "BOOK in.j ARcAbtA if0 "
## [20706] ""
## [20707] "presently (if thy mind faint thee not for his own guiltiness) meet "
## [20708] "thee in thy island, in such order, as hath by the formef been used : "
## [20709] "or if thou likest not the time, place, or weapon, I am ready to take "
## [20710] "thy own reasonable choice in any of them, so as thou do jjerform "
## [20711] "the substance. Make me such answer as may show that thou hast "
## [20712] "some taste of honour : and so I leave thee, to live till I meet thee, "
## [20713] ""
## [20714] "Amphialus read it, and with a deep sigh (according to the "
## [20715] "humour of inward affliction) seemed even to condemn himself, "
## [20716] "as though indeed his reproaches were true. But howsoever the "
## [20717] "dulness of melancholy would have languishingly yielded thereunto, "
## [20718] "his courage, unused to such injuries, desired help of anger to make "
## [20719] "him this answer. "
## [20720] ""
## [20721] "Forsaken knight, though your nameless challenge might carry "
## [20722] "in itself excuse for a man of my birth and estate, yet herein set your "
## [20723] "heart at rest, you shall not be forsaken. I will, without stay, "
## [20724] "answer you in the wonted manner, and come both armed in your "
## [20725] "foolish threatenings, and yet the more fearless, expecting weak "
## [20726] "blows, where I find so strong words. You shall not therefore long "
## [20727] "attend me in the island, before proof teach you, that of my life you "
## [20728] "have made yourself too large a promise. In the meantime, farewell. "
## [20729] ""
## [20730] "This being written, and delivered, the messenger told him that "
## [20731] "his lord would, if he liked the same, bring two knights with him "
## [20732] "to be his patrons. Which Amphialus accepted, and withal shaking "
## [20733] "off, with resolution, his mother's importunate persuasions, he "
## [20734] "furnished himself for the fight, but not in his wonted furniture. "
## [20735] "For now, as if he would turn his inside outward, he would needs "
## [20736] "appear all in black ; his decking both for himself, and horse, being "
## [20737] "cut out into the fashion of very rags : yet all so daintily joined "
## [20738] "together with precious stones, as it was a brave raggedness, and "
## [20739] "a rich poverty : and so cunningly had the workman followed his "
## [20740] "humour in his armour, that he had given it a rusty show, and yet so "
## [20741] "that any man might perceive was by art, and not negligence ; carry- "
## [20742] "ing at one instant a disgraced handsomeness, and a new oldness. "
## [20743] "In his shield he bare for his device, a Night, by an excellent "
## [20744] "painter, excellently painted, with a sun with a shadow, and upon "
## [20745] "the shadow a speech signifying, that it only was barred from "
## [20746] "enjoying that, whereof it had his life ? or from whose I am, "
## [20747] "banished. In his crest he carried Philoclea's knives, the only "
## [20748] "token of her forced favour. "
## [20749] ""
## [20750] "So passed he over into the island, taking with him the two "
## [20751] "brothers of Anaxius, where he found the forsaken knight attired "
## [20752] "in his own livery, as black as sorrow itself could see itself in the "
## [20753] "blackest glass : his ornaments of the same hue, but formed into "
## [20754] "the figures of ravens, which seemed to gape for carrion : only his "
## [20755] ""
## [20756] ""
## [20757] ""
## [20758] "3S0 ARCADIA [BOOK nn "
## [20759] ""
## [20760] "reins were snakes, which finely wrapping themselves one within "
## [20761] "the other, their heads came together to the cheeks and bosses of "
## [20762] "the bit, where they might seem to bite at the horse, and the horse, "
## [20763] "as he champed the bit, to bite at them, and that the white foam "
## [20764] "was engendered by the poisonous fury of the combat. His Impresa "
## [20765] "was a Catoblepa*, which so long lies dead, as the moon, whereto it "
## [20766] "hath so natural a sympathy, wants her light. The word signified, "
## [20767] "that the moon wanted not the light, but the poor beast wanted the "
## [20768] "moon's light. He had in his headpiece, a whip to witness a self- "
## [20769] "punishing repentance. Their very horses were coal black too, not "
## [20770] "having so much as one star to give light to their night of blackness : "
## [20771] "so as one would have thought they had been the two sons of sorrow "
## [20772] "and were come hither to fight for their birthright in that sorry "
## [20773] "inheritance. "
## [20774] ""
## [20775] "Which alliance of passions so moved Amphialus, already tender "
## [20776] "minded by the afflictions of love, that without staffer sword drawn, "
## [20777] "he trotted fairly to the forsaken knight, willing to have put off this "
## [20778] "combat, to which his melancholy heart did, more than ever in like "
## [20779] "occasion, misgive him : and therefore saluting him, \" Good knight,\" "
## [20780] "said he, \" because we are men, and should know reason why we do "
## [20781] "things, tell me the cause, that makes you thus eager to fight with "
## [20782] "me.\" \" Because I affirm,\" answered the forsaken knight, \" that thou "
## [20783] "dost most rebellious injury to these ladies to whom all men owe "
## [20784] "service.\" \" You shall not fight with me,\" said Amphialus, \" upon "
## [20785] "the quarrel : for I confess the same too : but it proceeds from their "
## [20786] "own beauty, to enforce love to offer this force.\" \" I maintain then,\" "
## [20787] "said the forsaken knight, \"that thou art not worthy so to love.\" "
## [20788] "\" And that I confess too,\" said Amphialus, \" since the world is not "
## [20789] "so richly blessed, as to bring forth anything worthy thereof. But "
## [20790] "no more unworthy than any other, since in none can be a "
## [20791] "more worthy love.\" \" Yes, more unworthy than myself,\" said the "
## [20792] "forsaken knight, \" for though I deserve contempt, thou deservest "
## [20793] "both contempt and hatred.\" "
## [20794] ""
## [20795] "But Amphialus by that thinking, though wrongly, each indeed "
## [20796] "mistaking other, that he was his rival, forgot all mind of reconcilia- "
## [20797] "tion, and having all his thoughts bound up in choler, never staying "
## [20798] "either judge, trumpet, or his own lance, drew out his sword, and "
## [20799] "saying, \" Thou hest, false villain,\" unto him, his words and blows "
## [20800] "came so quick together, as the one seemed a lightning of the "
## [20801] "other's thunder. But he found no barren ground of such seed : for "
## [20802] "it yielded him his own with such increase, that though reason and "
## [20803] "amazement go rarely together, yet the most reasonable eyes that "
## [20804] "saw it, found reason to be amazed at the fury of their combat. "
## [20805] "Never game of death better played ; never fury set itself forth in "
## [20806] ""
## [20807] "* The Catoblepa is a beast bred near the rise of Nile. See Pln^ Nat. Hist. "
## [20808] ""
## [20809] ""
## [20810] ""
## [20811] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 381 "
## [20812] ""
## [20813] "greater bravery. The courteous Vulcan, when he wrought at his "
## [20814] "more courteous wife's request ./Eneas an armour, made not his "
## [20815] "hammer beget a greater sound than the swords of these noble "
## [20816] "knights did : they needed no fire to their forge, for they made the "
## [20817] "fire to shine at the meeting of their swords and armours, each side "
## [20818] "fetching still new spirit from the castle window, and careful o^ "
## [20819] "keeping their sight that way as a matter of greater consideration in "
## [20820] "their combat, than either the advantage of sun or wind ; which sun "
## [20821] "and wind, if the astonished eyes of the beholders were not by the "
## [20822] "astonishment deceived, did both stand still to be beholders of this "
## [20823] "rare match. For neither could their amazed eyes discern motion "
## [20824] "of the sun, and no breath of wind stirred, as if either for fear it "
## [20825] "would not come among such blows, or with delight had eyes so "
## [20826] "busy, as it had forgot to open his mouth. This sight being the "
## [20827] "more cruel, since both love and hatred conspired to sharpen their "
## [20828] "humours, that hard it was to say whether love with one trumpet, "
## [20829] "or hatred with another, gave the louder alarm to their courages. "
## [20830] "Spite, rage, disdain, shame, revenge, came waiting upon hatred : "
## [20831] "of the other side came with love, longing desire, both invincible "
## [20832] "hope, and fearless despair, with rival-like jealousy, which, although "
## [20833] "brought up within doors in the school of Cupid, should show them- "
## [20834] "selves no less forward than the other dusty band of Mars, to make "
## [20835] "themselves notable in the notableness of this combat. Of either side "
## [20836] "confidence, unacquainted with loss, but assuring trust to overcome, "
## [20837] "and good experience how to overcome : now seconding their terrible "
## [20838] "blows with cunning labouring the horses to win ground of the enemy; "
## [20839] "now unlooked-for parting one from the other to win advantages "
## [20840] "by an advantageous return. But force against force, skill against "
## [20841] "skill, so interchangeably encountered that it was not easy to "
## [20842] "determine whether enterprising, or preventing came former : both "
## [20843] "sometimes at one instant, doing and suffering wrong, and choler "
## [20844] "no less rising of the doing than of the suffering. But as the fire "
## [20845] "the more fuel is put to it, the more hungry still it is to devour more "
## [20846] "so the more they struck, the more, unsatisfied they were with "
## [20847] "striking. Their very armour by piecemeal fell away from them ; "
## [20848] "and yet their flesh abode the wounds constantly, as though it were "
## [20849] "less sensible of smart, than the senseless armour : their blood in "
## [20850] "most places staining their black colour, as if it would give a more "
## [20851] "lively colour of mourning than black can do. And so long a space "
## [20852] "they fought, while neither virtue nor fortune seemed partial of "
## [20853] "either side : which so tormented the unquiet heart of Amphialus, "
## [20854] "that he resolved to see a quick end : and therefore with the- "
## [20855] "violence of courage, adding strength to his blow, he struck in such "
## [20856] "wise upon the side of the other's head that his remembrance left that "
## [20857] "battered lodging, so that he was quite from himself, casting his "
## [20858] ""
## [20859] ""
## [20860] ""
## [20861] "382 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [20862] ""
## [20863] "arms abroad, and ready to fall down ; his sword likewise went out "
## [20864] "of his hand, but that being fast by a chain to his arm, he could not "
## [20865] "lose. And Amphialus used the favour of occasion, redoubling his "
## [20866] "blows : but the horse, weary to be beaten, as well as the master, "
## [20867] "carried his master away, till he came unto himself. But then who "
## [20868] "could have seen him, might well have discerned shame in his "
## [20869] "cheeks, and revenge in his eyes : so that setting his teeth together "
## [20870] "with rage, he came running upon Amphialus, reaching out his arm, "
## [20871] "which had gathered up his sword, meaning with that blow to have "
## [20872] "cleaved Amphialus in two. But Amphialus, seeing the blow "
## [20873] "coming, shunned it with nimble turning his horse aside ; wherewith "
## [20874] "the forsaken knight overstrake himself, so as almost he came down "
## [20875] "with his own strength : but the more hungry of his purpose, the "
## [20876] "more he was barred the food of it : disdaining the resistance, both "
## [20877] "of force and fortune, he returned upon the spur again, and ran with "
## [20878] "such violence upon Amphialus that his horse with the force of the "
## [20879] "shock rose up before, almost overturned : which Amphialus "
## [20880] "perceiving, with rein and spur put forth his horse, and withal gave "
## [20881] "a mighty blow in the descent of his horse, upon the shoulder of "
## [20882] "the forsaken knight, from whence sliding, it fell upon the neck of "
## [20883] "his horse, so as horse and man fell to the ground : but he was "
## [20884] "scarce down before he was upon his feet again, with brave gesture "
## [20885] "showing rising of courage, in the falling of fortune. But the "
## [20886] "courteous Amphialus excused himself, for having, against his will, "
## [20887] "killed his horse. \"Excuse thyself for viler faults,\" answered the "
## [20888] "forsaken knight, \" and use this poor advantage the best thou canst, "
## [20889] "for thou shalt quickly find thou hast need of more.\" \" Thy folly,\" "
## [20890] "said Amphialus, \" shall not make me forget myself : \" and therefore, "
## [20891] "trotting a little aside, alighted from his horse, because he would "
## [20892] "not have fortune come to claim any part of the victory. Which "
## [20893] "courteous act would have mollified the noble heart of the forsaken "
## [20894] "knight, if any other had done it besides the jailor of his mistress; "
## [20895] "but that was a sufficient defeasance of the firmest bond of good "
## [20896] "nature ; and therefore he was no sooner alighted but that he ran "
## [20897] "unto him, re-entering into as cruel a fight as eye did ever see, or "
## [20898] "thought could reasonably imagine ; far beyond the reach of weak "
## [20899] "words to be able to express it. For what they had done on horse- "
## [20900] "back, was but a morsel to keep their stomachs in appetite in "
## [20901] "comparison of that which now (being themselves) they did. Nor "
## [20902] "ever glutton by the change of dainty diet could be brought to fresh "
## [20903] "feeding, when he might have been satisfied before, with more "
## [20904] "earnestness, than those, by the change of their manner of fight, "
## [20905] "fell clean to a new fight, though any else would have thought they "
## [20906] "had their fill already. Amphialus being the taller man, for the "
## [20907] "most part stood with his right leg before, his shield at the uttermost "
## [20908] ""
## [20909] ""
## [20910] ""
## [20911] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 383 "
## [20912] ""
## [20913] "length of his arm ; his sword high, but with the point towards his "
## [20914] "enemy. But when he struck, which came so thick, as if every blow "
## [20915] "would strive to be foremost, his arm seemed still a postilion of "
## [20916] "death. The forsaken knight showed with like skill, unlike gesture, "
## [20917] "keeping himself in continual motion, proportioning the distance "
## [20918] "between them to anything that Amphialus attempted ; his eye "
## [20919] "guided his foot, and his foot conveyed his hand ; and since nature "
## [20920] "had made him something the lower of the two, he made art follow, "
## [20921] "and not strive with nature ; shunning rather than warding his "
## [20922] "blows; like a cunning mastiff who knows the sharpness of the "
## [20923] "horn and strength of the bull, fights low to get his proper "
## [20924] "advantage ; answering mightiness with nimbleness, and yet at "
## [20925] "times employing his wonderful force, wherein he was second to "
## [20926] "none. In sum, the blows were strong, the thrusts thick, and the "
## [20927] "avoidings cunning. But the forsaken knight, that thought it a "
## [20928] "degree of being conquered to be long in conquering, struck him so "
## [20929] "mighty a blow, that he made Amphialus put knee to the ground, "
## [20930] "without any humbleness. But when he felt himself stricken down, "
## [20931] "and saw himself stricken down by his rival, then shame seemed one "
## [20932] "arm, and disdain another ; fury in his eyes, and revenge in his "
## [20933] "heart ; skill and force gave place and they took the place of skill "
## [20934] "and force, with so unweariable a manner that the forsaken knight "
## [20935] "was driven also to leave the stern of cunning, and gave himself "
## [20936] "wholly to be guided by the storm of fury : there being in both, "
## [20937] "because hate would not suffer admiration, extreme disdain to find "
## [20938] "themselves so matched. "
## [20939] ""
## [20940] "\"What,\" said Amphialus to himself, \"am I Amphialus, before "
## [20941] "whom so many monsters and giants have fallen dead, when I only "
## [20942] "sought causeless adventures? and can one knight now withstand "
## [20943] "me in the presence of Philoclea, and fighting for Philoclea, or since "
## [20944] "I lost my liberty, have I lost my courage, have I gotten the heart "
## [20945] "of a slave as well as the fortune ? If an army were against me in "
## [20946] "the sight of Philoclea, could it resist me ? O beast, one man resists "
## [20947] "thee : thy rival resists thee : or am I indeed Amphialus ? have not "
## [20948] "passions killed him, and wretched I, I know not how, succeeded "
## [20949] "into his place?\" Of the other side the forsaken knight with no "
## [20950] "less spite fell out with himself ; \" Hast thou broken,\" said he to "
## [20951] "himself, \"the commandment of thy only princess, to come now "
## [20952] "into her presence, and in her presence to prove thyself a coward ? "
## [20953] "Doth Asia and Egypt set up trophies unto thee to be matched here "
## [20954] "by a traitor? O noble Barsanes, how shamed will thy soul be, "
## [20955] "that he that slew thee, should be resisted by this one man? O "
## [20956] "incomparable Pyrocles, more grieved wilt thou be with thy friend's "
## [20957] "shame, than with thine own imprisonment, when thou shalt know "
## [20958] "how little I have been able to do for the delivery of thee, and these "
## [20959] ""
## [20960] ""
## [20961] ""
## [20962] "384 ARCADIA [book in, "
## [20963] ""
## [20964] "heavenly princesses. Am I worthy to be friend to the most "
## [20965] "valorous prince that ever was entitled valorous, and show myself "
## [20966] "so weak a wretch ? no shamed Musidorus, worthy for nothing but "
## [20967] "to keep sheep, get thee a sheep-hook again, since thou canst use a "
## [20968] "sword no better.\" "
## [20969] ""
## [20970] "Thus at times did they, now with one thought, then with another, "
## [20971] "sharpen their over-sharp humours ; like the lion that beats himself "
## [20972] "with his own tail, to make himself the more angry. These thoughts "
## [20973] "indeed not staying, but whetting their angry swords, which now "
## [20974] "had put on the apparel of cruelty : they bleeding so abundantly, "
## [20975] "that everybody that saw them, fainted for them, and yet they "
## [20976] "fainted not in themselves : their smart being more sensible to other "
## [20977] "eyes than to their own feeling. Wrath and courage barring the "
## [20978] "common sense from bringing any message of their case to the "
## [20979] "mind : pain, weariness, and weakness, not daring to make known "
## [20980] "their case, though already in the limits of death, in the presence of "
## [20981] "so violent fury : which filling the veins with rage instead of blood, "
## [20982] "and making the mind minister spirits to the body, a great while held "
## [20983] "out their fight, like an arrow shot upward by the force of the bow, "
## [20984] "though by his own nature he would go downward. The forsaken "
## [20985] "knight had the more wounds, but Amphialus had the sorer ; which "
## [20986] "the other, watching time and place, had cunningly given unto him : "
## [20987] "who ever saw a well manned galley fight with a tall ship, might "
## [20988] "make unto himself some kind of comparison of the difference of "
## [20989] "these two knights ; a better couple than which the world could not "
## [20990] "brag of. Amphialus seemed to excel in strength, the forsaken "
## [20991] "knight in nimbleness ; and yet did the one's strength excel in "
## [20992] "nimbleness, and the other's nimbleness excel in strength ; but now "
## [20993] "strength and nimbleness were both gone, and excess of courage "
## [20994] "only maintained the fight. Three times had Amphialus, with his "
## [20995] "mighty blows driven the forsaken knight to go staggering back- "
## [20996] "ward, but every one of these times he requited pain with smart, "
## [20997] "and shame with repulse. And now whether he had cause, or that "
## [20998] "over-much confidence, an over-forward scholar of unconquered "
## [20999] "courage, made him think he had cause, he began to persuade "
## [21000] "himself he had the advantage of the combat though the advantage "
## [21001] "he took himself to have was only that he should be the later to die : "
## [21002] "which hope, hate, as unsecret as love, could not conceal, but "
## [21003] "drawing himself a little back from him, broke out in these manner "
## [21004] "of words. "
## [21005] ""
## [21006] "\" Ah Amphialus,\" said the forsaken knight, \" this third time thou "
## [21007] "shalt not escape me, but thy death shall satisfy thy injury and my "
## [21008] "malice, and pay for the cruelty thou showedst in killing the noble "
## [21009] "Argalus, and the fair Parthenia.\" \" In troth,\" said Amphialus, "
## [21010] "\" thou art the best knight thqt ever I fought withal, which would "
## [21011] ""
## [21012] ""
## [21013] ""
## [21014] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 385 "
## [21015] ""
## [21016] "make' me willing to grant thee thy life, if thy wit were as good as "
## [21017] "thy courage ; that, besides other follies, layest that to my charge, "
## [21018] "which most against my will was committed. But whether my "
## [21019] "death be in thy power, or no, let this tell thee ; \" and upon the "
## [21020] "word waited a blow, which parted his shield in two pieces ; and "
## [21021] "despising the weak resistance of his already broken armour, made "
## [21022] "a great breach into his heart side, as if he would make a passage "
## [21023] "for his love to get out at. "
## [21024] ""
## [21025] "But pain rather seemed to increase life, than to weaken life in "
## [21026] "these champions. For the forsaken knight coming in with his "
## [21027] "right leg, and making it guide the force of the blow, struck "
## [21028] "Amphialus upon the belly so horrible a wound, that his guts came "
## [21029] "out withal. Which Amphialus perceiving (fearing death, only "
## [21030] "because it should come with overthrow) he seemed to conjure all "
## [21031] "his strength for one moment's service ; and so lifting up his sword "
## [21032] "with both hands, hit the forsaken knight upon the head, a blow, "
## [21033] "wherewith his sword broke. But, as if it would do a notable "
## [21034] "service before it died, it prevailed so, even in the instant of breaking, "
## [21035] "that the forsaken knight fell to the ground, quite for that instant "
## [21036] "forgetting both love and hatred : and Amphialus (finding himself "
## [21037] "also in such weakness, as he looked for speedy death) glad of "
## [21038] "the victory, though little hoping to enjoy it, pulled up his vizor, "
## [21039] "meaning with his dagger to give him death ; but instead of death, "
## [21040] "he gave him life : for the air so revived his spirits, that coming to "
## [21041] "himself, and seeing his present danger, with a life conquering "
## [21042] "death, he took Amphialus by the thigh, and together rose himself, "
## [21043] "and overturned him. But Amphialus scrambled up again, both "
## [21044] "now so weak indeed, as their motions rather seemed the after-drops "
## [21045] "of a storm, than any matter of great fury. "
## [21046] ""
## [21047] "But Amphialus might repent himself of his wilful breaking his "
## [21048] "sword : for the forsaken knight (having with the extremity of "
## [21049] "justly conceived hate, and the unpitifulness of his own near "
## [21050] "threatening death, blotted out all compliments of courtesy) let fly "
## [21051] "at him so cruelly, that though the blows were weak, yet weakness "
## [21052] "upon a weakened subject, proved such strength, that Amphialus "
## [21053] "having attempted in vain once or twice to close with him, receiving "
## [21054] "wound upon wound, sent his whole burden to strike the earth with "
## [21055] "falling, since he could strike his foe no better in standing : giving "
## [21056] "no other tokens of himself, than as of a man even ready to take his "
## [21057] "oath to be death's true servant. "
## [21058] ""
## [21059] "Which when the hardy brothers of Anaxius perceived, not "
## [21060] "reckoning law of arms, nor use of chivalry, they flew in to defend "
## [21061] "their friend, or revenge their loss of him. But they were forthwith "
## [21062] "encountered with the two brave companions of the forsaken knight, "
## [21063] "whereof the one being all in green, both armour and furniture, it "
## [21064] ""
## [21065] "2 B "
## [21066] ""
## [21067] ""
## [21068] ""
## [21069] "386 ARCADIA [book in. "
## [21070] ""
## [21071] "seemed a pleasant garden, wherein grew orange trees ; which with "
## [21072] "their golden fruits, cunningly beaten in and embroidered, greatly "
## [21073] "enriched the eye-pleasing colour of green. In his shield was a "
## [21074] "sheep feeding in a pleasant field, with this word. Without fear or "
## [21075] "envy. And therefore was called the knight of the sheep. The "
## [21076] "other knight was all in milk white, his attiring else all cut in stars, "
## [21077] "which made of cloth of silver, and silver spangles, each way seemed "
## [21078] "to cast many aspects. His device was the very pole itself, about "
## [21079] "which many stars stirring, but the place itself left void. The word "
## [21080] "was. The best place yet reserved. But these four knights inheriting "
## [21081] "the hate of their friends, began a most fierce combat : the forsaken "
## [21082] "knight himself not able to help his side, but was driven to sit him "
## [21083] "down, with the extreme faintness of his more and more fainting "
## [21084] "body. But these valiant couples seeking honour by dishonouring, "
## [21085] "and to build safety upon ruin, gave new appetites to the almost "
## [21086] "glutted eyes of the beholders ; and now blood began to put sweat "
## [21087] "from the full possession of their outsides, no advantage being yet "
## [21088] "to be seen, only the knight of the sheep seeming most inclined to "
## [21089] "deliver, and effecting most of all that viewed him, when a company "
## [21090] "of soldiers sent by Cecropia, came out in boats to the island, and "
## [21091] "all came running to the destruction of the three knights, whereof "
## [21092] "one was utterly unable to defend himself. "
## [21093] ""
## [21094] "But then did the other two knights show their wonderful "
## [21095] "courage and fidelity, for turning back to back, and both bestriding "
## [21096] "the black forsaken knight (who had fainted so long till he had lost "
## [21097] "the feeling of faintness) they held play against the rest, though the "
## [21098] "two brothers unknightly helped them ; till Philanax, who watchfully "
## [21099] "attended such traitorous practices, sent likewise over, both by -boat "
## [21100] "and swimming, so choice a number, as did put most of the others "
## [21101] "to the sword. Only the two brothers, with some of the bravest of "
## [21102] "them, carrying away the body of Amphialus, which they would "
## [21103] "rather have died, than have left behind them. "
## [21104] ""
## [21105] "So was the forsaken knight, laid upon cloaks, carried home to "
## [21106] "the camp. But his two friends knowing his earnest desire not to "
## [21107] "be known, covering him from anybody's eyes, conveyed him to "
## [21108] "their own tent : Basilius himself conquering his earnest desire to "
## [21109] "see him, with fear to displease him, who had fought so notably in "
## [21110] "his quarrel. But fame set the honour upon his back, which he "
## [21111] "would not suffer to shine in his face : no man's mouth being barren "
## [21112] "of praises to the noble knight that had battered the most esteemed "
## [21113] "knight in the world ; everybody praying for his life, and thinking "
## [21114] "that therein they prayed for themselves. But he himself, when by "
## [21115] "the diligent care of friends, and well applied cunning of surgeons, "
## [21116] "he came to renew again the league between his mind and body ; "
## [21117] "then fell he to a fresh war with his own thoughts, wrongfully "
## [21118] ""
## [21119] ""
## [21120] ""
## [21121] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 387 "
## [21122] ""
## [21123] "condemning his manhood, laying cowardice to himself, whom thp "
## [21124] "impudentest backbiter would not have so wronged. For his courage "
## [21125] "(used to use victory as an inheritance) could brook no resistance "
## [21126] "at any time : but now that he had promised himself not only the "
## [21127] "conquest of him, but the scaling of the walls, and delivery of "
## [21128] "Pamela, though he had done beyond all others' expectation, yet so "
## [21129] "short was he of his own, that he hated to look upon the sun that "
## [21130] "had seen him do so weakly : and so much abhorred all visitation "
## [21131] "or honour, whereof he thought himself unworthy, that he besought "
## [21132] "his two noble friends to carry him away to a castle not far off, "
## [21133] "where he might cure his wounds, and never be known till he made "
## [21134] "success excuse this, as he thought, want in him. They lovingly "
## [21135] "obeyed him, leaving Basilius and all the camp very sorry for the "
## [21136] "parting of these three unknown knights, in whose prowess they "
## [21137] "had reposed the greatest trust of victory. "
## [21138] ""
## [21139] "But they being gone, Basilius and Philanax gave good order to "
## [21140] "the strengthening of the siege, fortifying themselves, so that they "
## [21141] "feared no more any such sudden onset, as that of Anaxius. And "
## [21142] "they within (by reason of Anaxius's hurt, but especially of "
## [21143] "Amphialus's) gave themselves only to a diligent watch and ward, "
## [21144] "making no sallies out, but committing the principal trust to Zoilus "
## [21145] "and Lycurgus. For Anaxius was yet forced to keep his chamber. "
## [21146] "And as for Amphialus, his body had such wounds, and he gave "
## [21147] "such wounds to his mind, as easily it could not be determined "
## [21148] "whether death or he made the greater haste one to the other : for "
## [21149] "when the diligent care of cunning surgeons had brought hfe to the "
## [21150] "possession of his own right, sorrow and shame, like two corrupted "
## [21151] "servants, came waiting of it, persuading nothing but the giving "
## [21152] "over of itself to destruction. They laid before his eyes his present "
## [21153] "case, painting every piece of it in most ugly colours : they showed "
## [21154] "him his love wrapped in despair, his fame blotted by overthrow ; "
## [21155] "so that if before he languished, because he could not obtain his "
## [21156] "desiring, he now lamented, because he durst not desire the "
## [21157] "obtaining. \" Recreant Amphialus,\" would he say to himself, "
## [21158] "\" how darest thou entitle thyself the lover of Philoclea, that hath "
## [21159] "neither showed thyself a faithful coward, or a vahant rebel, but "
## [21160] "both rebellious and cowardly, which no law can quit, nor grace "
## [21161] "have pity of? alas ! life ! what little pleasure thou dost me, to give "
## [21162] "me nothing but sense of reproach, and exercise of ruin ? I would, "
## [21163] "sweet Philoclea, I had died, before thy eyes had seen my weakness : "
## [21164] "and then perchance with some sigh thou wouldst have confessed, "
## [21165] "thou hadst lost a worthy servant. But now, caitiff that I am, "
## [21166] "whatever I have done, serves but to build up my rival's glory.\" "
## [21167] ""
## [21168] "To these speeches he would couple such gestures of vexation, "
## [21169] "&nd would fortify the gestures with such effects of fury, as some- "
## [21170] ""
## [21171] ""
## [21172] ""
## [21173] "388 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [21174] ""
## [21175] "times offering to tear up his wounds, sometimes to refuse the "
## [21176] "sustenance of meat, and council of physicians, that his perplexed "
## [21177] "mother was driven to make him by force to be tended, with extreme "
## [21178] "courtesy to herself, and annoyance to him : till in the end he was "
## [21179] "contented to promise her he would attempt no violence upon "
## [21180] "himself, upon condition he might be troubled by nobody but only "
## [21181] "his physicians : his melancholy detesting all company, so that the "
## [21182] "very surgeons nor servants durst speak unto him in doing him "
## [21183] "service ; only he had prayed his mother, as she tendered his life, "
## [21184] "she would procure him grace, and that without that she would "
## [21185] "never come at him more. "
## [21186] ""
## [21187] "His mother, who had confined all her love only unto him, set "
## [21188] "only such about him as were absolutely at her commandment, "
## [21189] "whom she forbade to let him know anything that passed in the "
## [21190] "castle, till his wounds were cured, but as she from time to time "
## [21191] "should instruct them : she, for herself, being resolved, now she "
## [21192] "had the government of all things in her own hands, to satisfy her "
## [21193] "son's love by their yielding, or satisfy her own revenge in their "
## [21194] "punishment. Yet first, because she would be the freer from "
## [21195] "outward force, she sent a messenger to the camp to denounce unto "
## [21196] "Basilius, that if he did not presently raise his siege, she would "
## [21197] "cause the heads of the three ladies, prisoners, to be cut off before "
## [21198] "his eyes. And to make him the more fear a present performance, "
## [21199] "she caused his two daughters and Zelmane to be led unto the "
## [21200] "walls, where she had made a scaffold, easy to be seen by Basilius : "
## [21201] "and there caused them to be kept, as ready for the slaughter, till "
## [21202] "answer came from Basilius. A sight full of pity it was, to see "
## [21203] "these three (all excelling in all those excellencies, wherewith nature "
## [21204] "can beautify anybody : Pamela giving sweetness to majesty ; "
## [21205] "Philoclea enriching nobleness with humbleness, Zelmane setting "
## [21206] "in womanly beauty manlike valour) to be thus subjected to the "
## [21207] "basest injury of unjust fortune. One might see in Pamela a "
## [21208] "willingness to die, rather than to have life at other's discretion ; "
## [21209] "though sometimes a princely disdain would sparkle out of her "
## [21210] "princely eyes, that it should be in other's power to force her to die. "
## [21211] "In Philoclea a pretty fear came up, to endamask her rosy cheeks : "
## [21212] "but it was such a fear, as rather seemed a kindly child to her innate "
## [21213] "humbleness, than any other dismayedness : or if she were dismayed, "
## [21214] "it was more for Zelmane, than for herself ; or if more for herself, "
## [21215] "it was because Zelmane should lose her. As for Zelmane, as she "
## [21216] "went with her hands bound (for they durst not adventure on her "
## [21217] "well-known valour, especially among a people, which perchance "
## [21218] "might be moved by such a spectacle to some revolt) she was the "
## [21219] "true image of overmastered courage, and of spite, that sees no "
## [21220] "remedy. For her breast swelled withal, the blood burst out at her "
## [21221] ""
## [21222] ""
## [21223] ""
## [21224] "«ooK ni.l ARCADIA '^Sg "
## [21225] ""
## [21226] "nose, and she looked paler than accustomed, with her eyes cast "
## [21227] "upon the ground, with such a grace, as if she were fallen out with "
## [21228] "the heavens, for suffering such an injury. The lookers on were so "
## [21229] "moved withal, as they misliked what themselves did, and yet still "
## [21230] "did what themselves misliked. For some glad to rid themselves "
## [21231] "of the dangerous annoyances of this siege, some willing to shorten "
## [21232] "the way to Amphialus's succession, whereon they were dependants, "
## [21233] "some, and the greatest some, doing because others did, and "
## [21234] "suffering because none durst begin to hinder, did in this sort set "
## [21235] "their hands to this, in their own conscience, wicked enterprize. "
## [21236] ""
## [21237] "But when this message was brought to Basilius, and that this "
## [21238] "pitiful preparation was a sufficient letter of credit for him to believe "
## [21239] "it, he called unto him his chief counsellors : among which, those "
## [21240] "he chiefly trusted were Philanax and Kalander, lately come to the "
## [21241] "camp at Basilius's commandment, and in himself weary of his "
## [21242] "solitary life, wanting his son's presence, and never having heard "
## [21243] "from his beloved guests since they departed from him. Now in "
## [21244] "this doubt what he should do, he willed Kalander to give him his "
## [21245] "advice : who spoke njuch to this purpose. \" You command me. "
## [21246] "Sir,\" said he, \"to speak, rather because you will keep your wonted "
## [21247] "grave and noble manner, to do nothing of importance without "
## [21248] "counsel, than that in this cause, which indeed hath but one way, "
## [21249] "your mind needs to have any counsel : so that my speech shall "
## [21250] "rather be to confirm what you have already determined, than to "
## [21251] "argue against any possibility of other determination. For what "
## [21252] "sophistical scholar can find any question in this, whether you will "
## [21253] "have your incomparable daughters live or die? whether since you "
## [21254] "be here to cause their deliverance, you will make your being here "
## [21255] "the cause of their destruction? for nothing can be more insensible "
## [21256] "than to think what one doth, and to forget the end why it is done. "
## [21257] "Do therefore as I am sure you mean to do, remove the siege, and "
## [21258] "after seek by practice, or other gentle means, to recover that which "
## [21259] "by force you cannot : and therefore is indeed, when it pleaseth "
## [21260] "you, more counsel to be taken. Once, in extremities the winning "
## [21261] "of time IS the purchase of life, and worse by no means than their "
## [21262] "deaths can befall unto you. A man might use more words if it "
## [21263] "were to any purpose to gild gold, or that I had any cause to doubt "
## [21264] "of your ramd : but you are wise, and are a father.\" He said no "
## [21265] "more, for he durst not attempt to persuade the marrying of his "
## [21266] "daughter to Amphialus, but left that to bring in at another con- "
## [21267] "sultation. But Basilius made sign to Philanax, who standing a "
## [21268] "while in a maze as inwardly perplexed, at last thus delivered his "
## [21269] "opinion. "
## [21270] ""
## [21271] "\"If ever I could wish my faith untried, and my counsel untrusted "
## [21272] "It should be at this time, when in truth I must confess I would be "
## [21273] ""
## [21274] ""
## [21275] ""
## [21276] "390 Arcadia [book m. "
## [21277] ""
## [21278] "content to purchase silence with discredit. But since you command, "
## [21279] "I obey : only let me say thus much, that I obey not to these "
## [21280] "excellent ladies' father, but to my prince : and a prince it is to "
## [21281] "whom I give counsel. Therefore as to a prince I say, that the "
## [21282] "grave, and, I well know, true-minded counsel of my Lord Kalander "
## [21283] "had come in good time when you first took arms, before all your "
## [21284] "subjects got notice of your intention, before so much blood was "
## [21285] "spent, and before they were driven to seek this shift for their last "
## [21286] "remedy. But if now, this force you away, why did you take arms, "
## [21287] "since you might be sure when ever they were in extremity they "
## [21288] "would have recourse to this threatening ? and for a wise man to "
## [21289] "take in hand that which his enemy may with a word overthrow, "
## [21290] "hath in my conceit great incongruity, and as great, not to forethink "
## [21291] "what his enemy in reason will do. But they threaten they will kill "
## [21292] "your daughters. What if they promised you, if you removed your "
## [21293] "siege, they would honourably send home your daughters ? would "
## [21294] "you be angry at their promises ? truly no more ought you to be "
## [21295] "terrified by their threatenings. For yet of the two, promise binds "
## [21296] "faith more than threatening. But indeed a prince of judgment "
## [21297] "ought not to consider what his enemies promise, or threaten, but "
## [21298] "what the promisers and threateners in reason will do; and the "
## [21299] "nearest conjecture thereunto, is what is best for their own behoof "
## [21300] "to do. They threaten, if you remove not, they will kill your "
## [21301] "daughters : and if you do remove, what surety have you but that "
## [21302] "they will kill them ? since if the purpose be to cut off all impediments "
## [21303] "of Amphialus's ambition, the same cause will continue when you "
## [21304] "are away ; and so much the more encouraged, as the revenging "
## [21305] "power is absent, and they have the more opportunity to draw their "
## [21306] "factious friends about them ; but if it be for their security only, the "
## [21307] "same cause will bring forth the same effects : and for their security "
## [21308] "they will preserve them. But it may be said, no man knows what "
## [21309] "desperate folks will do ; it is true, and as true that no reason nor "
## [21310] "policy can prevent what desperate folks will do : and therefore "
## [21311] "they are among those dangers, which wisdom is not to reckon. "
## [21312] "Only let it suffice to take away their despair, which may be by "
## [21313] "granting pardon for what is past ; so that the ladies may be freely "
## [21314] "delivered. And let them that are your subjects trust you that are "
## [21315] "their prince ; do not you subject yourself to trust them, who are "
## [21316] "so untrusty as to be manifest traitors. For if they find you so base- "
## [21317] "minded, as by their threatening to remove your force, what "
## [21318] "indignity is it, that they would not bring you unto still by the same "
## [21319] "threatening ? since then if love stir them, love will keep them from "
## [21320] "murdering what they love : and if ambition provoke them, ambitious "
## [21321] "they will be when you are away, as well as while you are here : "
## [21322] "take not away your force, which bars not the one, and bridles the "
## [21323] ""
## [21324] ""
## [21325] ""
## [21326] "*ooK III.] ARCADIA 39' "
## [21327] ""
## [21328] "other. For as for their shows and words, they are but fear-babes, "
## [21329] "not worthy once to move a worthy man's conceit, which must still "
## [21330] "consider what in reason they are like to do. Their despair, I "
## [21331] "grant, you shall do well to prevent : which as it is the last of all "
## [21332] "resolutions, so no man falls into it, while so good a way as you "
## [21333] "may offer, is open unto them. In sum, you are a prince, and a "
## [21334] "father of people, who ought with the eye of wisdom, the hand of "
## [21335] "fortitude, and the heart of justice, to set down all private conceits, "
## [21336] "in comparison of what for the public is profitable.\" "
## [21337] ""
## [21338] "He would have proceeded on, when Gynecia came running in "
## [21339] "amazed for her daughter Pamela, but mad for Zelmane : and "
## [21340] "falling at Basilius's feet, besought him to make no delay, using "
## [21341] "such gestures of compassion instead of stopped words, that "
## [21342] "Basilius, otherwise enough tender-minded, easily granted to raise "
## [21343] "the siege, which he saw dangerous to his daughters ; but indeed "
## [21344] "more careful for Zelmane, by whose besieged person the poor old "
## [21345] "man was straightly besieged : so as to rid him of the famine of his "
## [21346] "mind, he went in speed away, discharging his soldiers : only "
## [21347] "leaving the authority, as before, in Philanax's hands, he himself "
## [21348] "went with Gynecia to a strong castle of his, where he took counsel "
## [21349] "how first to deliver Zelmane, whom he called the poor stranger, "
## [21350] "as though only law of hospitality moved him ; and for that purpose "
## [21351] "sent divers messengers to traffic with Cecropia. "
## [21352] ""
## [21353] "But she by this means rid of the present danger of the siege, "
## [21354] "desiring Zoilus and Lycurgus to take the care, till their brother "
## [21355] "recovered, of revictualling and furnishing the city, both with men "
## [21356] "and what else wanted, against any new occasion should urge them, "
## [21357] "she herself disdaining to hearken to Basilius, without he would "
## [21358] "grant his daughter in marriage to her son, which by no means "
## [21359] "he would be brought unto, bent all the sharpness of her malicious "
## [21360] "wit, how to bring a comfortable grant to her son, whereupon she "
## [21361] "well found no less than his life depended. Therefore for a while "
## [21362] "she attempted all means of eloquent praying, and flattering "
## [21363] "persuasions, mingUng sometimes gifts, sometimes threatenings, "
## [21364] "as she had cause to hope, that either open force or undermining "
## [21365] "would best win the castle of their resolution. And ever as much as "
## [21366] "she did to Philoclea, so much did she to Pamela, though in manner "
## [21367] "sometimes differing, as she found fit to level at the one's noble "
## [21368] "height, and the other's sweet lowliness. For though she knew her "
## [21369] "son's heart had wholly given itself to Philoclea, yet seeing the "
## [21370] "equal gifts in Pamela, she hoped a fair grant would recover the "
## [21371] "sorrow of a fair refusal ; cruelly intending the present impoisoning "
## [21372] "the one, as soon as the other's affection were purchased. "
## [21373] ""
## [21374] "But in vain were all her vain oratory employed. Pamela's "
## [21375] "determination was built upon so brave a rock that no shot of hers' "
## [21376] ""
## [21377] ""
## [21378] ""
## [21379] "39^ ARCADIA (book Hi. "
## [21380] ""
## [21381] "could reach unto it : and Philoclea, though humbly seated, was "
## [21382] ""
## [21383] "so environed with sweet rivers of clear virtue, as could neither "
## [21384] ""
## [21385] "be battered nor undermined : her witty persuasions had wise "
## [21386] ""
## [21387] "answers ; her eloquence recompensed with sweetness ; her "
## [21388] ""
## [21389] "threatenings repelled with disdain in the one, and patience in the "
## [21390] ""
## [21391] "other ; her gifts either not accepted, or accepted to obey, but not "
## [21392] ""
## [21393] "to bind. So as Cecropia in nature violent, cruel, because "
## [21394] ""
## [21395] "ambitious ; hateful, for old rooted grudge to their mother, and "
## [21396] ""
## [21397] "now spiteful, because she could not prevail with girls, as she "
## [21398] ""
## [21399] "counted them : lastly, drawn on by her love to her son, and held "
## [21400] ""
## [21401] "up by a tyrannical authority, forthwith followed the bias of her own "
## [21402] ""
## [21403] "crooked disposition, and doubling and redoubling her threatenings, "
## [21404] ""
## [21405] "fell to confirm some of her threatened effects ; first withdrawing "
## [21406] ""
## [21407] "all comfort both of servants and service from them. But that "
## [21408] ""
## [21409] "these excellent ladies had been used unto, even at home, and then "
## [21410] ""
## [21411] "found in themselves how much good the hardness of education "
## [21412] ""
## [21413] "doth to the resistance of misery. Then dishonourably using them "
## [21414] ""
## [21415] "both in diet and lodging, by a contempt to pull down their "
## [21416] ""
## [21417] "thoughts to yielding. But as before, the consideration of a prison "
## [21418] ""
## [21419] "had disgraced all ornaments, so now the same consideration made "
## [21420] ""
## [21421] "them attend all diseasefulness. Then still as she found those not "
## [21422] ""
## [21423] "prevail, would she go forward with giving them terrors, sometimes "
## [21424] ""
## [21425] "with noise of horror, sometimes with sudden frightings in the "
## [21426] ""
## [21427] "night, when the solitary darkness thereof might easier astonish "
## [21428] ""
## [21429] "the disarmed senses. But as all virtue and love resisted, "
## [21430] ""
## [21431] "strengthened one by the other, when each found itself over "
## [21432] ""
## [21433] "vehemently assaulted ; Cecropia still sweetening her fierceness "
## [21434] ""
## [21435] "with fair promises, if they would promise fair, that feeling evil, "
## [21436] ""
## [21437] "and seeing' a way far better, their minds might the sooner be "
## [21438] ""
## [21439] "mollified. But they that could not taste her behaviour, when it "
## [21440] ""
## [21441] "was pleasing indeed, could worse now, when they had lost all "
## [21442] ""
## [21443] "taste by her injuries. "
## [21444] ""
## [21445] "She resolving all extremities rather than fail of conquest, pursued "
## [21446] "on her rugged way ; letting no day pass without new and new "
## [21447] "perplexing the poor ladies' minds, and troubling their bodies; "
## [21448] "and still swelling the more she was stopped, and growing hot with "
## [21449] "her own doings ; at length abominable rage carried her to absolute "
## [21450] "tyrannies ; so that taking with her certain old women, of wicked "
## [21451] "dispositions, and apt for envy's sake to be cruel to youth and "
## [21452] "beauty, with a countenance impoisoned with malice, flew to the "
## [21453] "sweet Philoclea, as if so many kites should come about a white "
## [21454] "dove, and matching violent gestures with mischievous threatenings, "
## [21455] "she having a rod in her hand, like a fury that should carry wood "
## [21456] "to the burning of Diana's temple, fell to scourge that most beautiful "
## [21457] "body : love in vain holding the shield of beauty against her blind "
## [21458] ""
## [21459] ""
## [21460] ""
## [21461] "BOOK III.] Arcadia ig^ "
## [21462] ""
## [21463] "cruelty. The sun drew clouds up to hide his face from so pitiful "
## [21464] "a sight, and the very stone wall did yield drops of sweat for agony "
## [21465] "of such a mischief: each senseless thing had sense of pity, only "
## [21466] "they that had sense were senseless. Virtue rarely found her "
## [21467] "worldly weakness more, than by the oppression of that day : and "
## [21468] "weeping Cupid told his weeping mother, that he was sorry he "
## [21469] "was not deaf as well as blind, that he might never know so lament- "
## [21470] "able a work. Philoclea, with tearful eyes and sobbing breast, as "
## [21471] "soon as her weariness rather than compassion gave her respite, "
## [21472] "kneeled down to Cecropia, and making pity in her face honourable, "
## [21473] "and torment delightful, besought her since she hated her, for what "
## [21474] "cause she took God to witness she knew not, that she would at "
## [21475] "once take away her life, and not please herself with the tormenting "
## [21476] "of a poor gentlewoman. \" If,\" said she, \" the common course of "
## [21477] "humanity cannot move you, nor the having me in your own walls "
## [21478] "cannot claim pity, nor womanly mercy, nor near alliance, nor "
## [21479] "remembrance, how miserable soever now, that I am a prince's "
## [21480] "daughter, yet let the love, you have often told me, your son bears "
## [21481] "me, so much procure, that for his sake one death may be thought "
## [21482] "enough for me. I have not lived so many years but that one "
## [21483] "death may be able to conclude them. Neither have my faults "
## [21484] "I hope, been so many, but that one death may satisfy them. It "
## [21485] "is no great suit to an enemy, when but death is desired. I crave "
## [21486] "but that. As for the granting your request, know for certain "
## [21487] "you lose your labours, being every day farther off minded from "
## [21488] "becoming his wife, who useth me like a slave.\" "
## [21489] ""
## [21490] "But that, instead of getting grace, renewed again Cecropia's "
## [21491] "fury; so that, excellent creature, she was newly again tormented "
## [21492] "by these hellish monsters: Cecropia using no other words, but "
## [21493] "that she was a proud and ungrateful wench, and that she would "
## [21494] "teach her to know her own good, since of herself she would not "
## [21495] "conceive it. So that with silence and patience (like a fair gorgeous "
## [21496] "armour, hammered upon by an ill-favoured smith) she abode her "
## [21497] "pitiless dealing with her; till rather reserving her for more, than "
## [21498] "meaning to end, they left her to an uncomfortable leisure, to "
## [21499] "consider with herself her fortune; both helpless, herself being "
## [21500] "a prisoner; and hopeless, since Zelmane was a prisoner; who "
## [21501] "therein only was short of the bottom of misery, that she knew not "
## [21502] "how unworthily her angel, by these devils, were abused: but "
## [21503] "wanted, God wot, no stings of grief when those words did but "
## [21504] "strike upon her heart, that Philoclea was a captive, and she not "
## [21505] "able to succour her. For well she knew the confidence Philoclea "
## [21506] "had m her, and well she knew Philoclea had cause to have "
## [21507] "confidence, and all trodden under foot by the wheel of senseless "
## [21508] "fortune. Yet if there be that imperious power in the soul, that "
## [21509] ""
## [21510] ""
## [21511] ""
## [21512] "394 Arcadia [vook m. "
## [21513] ""
## [21514] "it can deliver knowledge to another without bodily organs j so "
## [21515] "vehement were the working of their spirits, that one met with the "
## [21516] "other, though themselves perceived it not, but only thought it "
## [21517] "to be the doubling of Iheir own loving fancies. And that was the "
## [21518] "only worldly thing whereon Philoclea rested her mind, that she "
## [21519] "knew she should die beloved of Zelmane, and would die rather "
## [21520] "than to be false to Zelmane. And so this most dainty nymph, "
## [21521] "easing the pain of her mind with thinking of another's pain ; and "
## [21522] "almost forgetting the pain of her body, through the pain of her "
## [21523] "mind, she wasted even longing for the conclusion of her tedious "
## [21524] "tragedy. "
## [21525] ""
## [21526] "But for a while she was unvisited, Cecropia employing her time "
## [21527] "in using the like cruelty upon Pamela, her heart growing not only "
## [21528] "to desire the fruit of punishing them, but even to delight in the "
## [21529] "punishing them. But if ever the beams of perfection shined through "
## [21530] "the clouds of aifliction, if ever virtue took a body to show his (self "
## [21531] "unconceivable) beauty, it was in Pamela. For when reason taught "
## [21532] "her there was no resistance, for to just resistance first her heart "
## [21533] "was inclined, then with so heavenly a quietness, and so graceful a "
## [21534] "calmness, did she suffer the divers kinds of torments she used to "
## [21535] "her, that while they vexed her fair body, it seemed that she rather "
## [21536] "directed than obeyed the vexation. And when Cecropia ended, "
## [21537] "and asked whether her heart would yield, she a little smiled, but "
## [21538] "such a smiling as showed no love, and yet could not but be lovely. "
## [21539] "\" And then, beastly woman,\" said she, \" follow on, do what thou "
## [21540] "wilt and canst upon me : for I know thy power is not unlimited. "
## [21541] "Thou mayest well wreck this silly body, but thou canst never "
## [21542] "overthrow. For my part I will not do thee the pleasure to desire "
## [21543] "death of thee : but assure thyself, both my life and death shall "
## [21544] "triumph with honour, laying shame upon thy detestable tyranny.\" "
## [21545] ""
## [21546] "And so, in effect, conquering their doing with her suffering, "
## [21547] "while Cecropia tried as many sorts of pains, that might rather vex "
## [21548] "them than spoil them (for that she would not do while she was in "
## [21549] "any hope to win either of them for her son) Pamela remained "
## [21550] "almost as much content with trial in herself, what virtue could do, "
## [21551] "as grieved with the misery wherein she found herself plunged ; "
## [21552] "only sometimes her thoughts softened in her, when with open "
## [21553] "wings they flew to Musidorus. For then she would think with "
## [21554] "herself, how grievously Musidorus would take this her misery ; "
## [21555] "and she that wept not for herself, wept yet Musidorus's tears which "
## [21556] "he would weep for her. For gentle love did easier yield to "
## [21557] "lamentation, than the constancy of virtue would else admit. Then "
## [21558] "would she remember the case wherein she had left her poor "
## [21559] "shepherd, and she that wished death for herself, feared death for "
## [21560] "him ; and she that condemned in herself the feebleness of sorrow, "
## [21561] ""
## [21562] ""
## [21563] ""
## [21564] "BOOK III.] Arcadia 39I "
## [21565] ""
## [21566] "yet thought it great reason to be sorry for his sorrow : and she "
## [21567] "that long had prayed for the virtuous joining themselves together, "
## [21568] "now thinking to die herself, heartily prayed that long time their "
## [21569] "fortunes might be separated. \" Live long, my Musidorus,\" would "
## [21570] "she say, \"and let my name live in thy mouth, in thy heart my "
## [21571] "memory. Live long, that thou mayest love long the chaste love of "
## [21572] "thy dead Pamela.\" Then she would wish to herself that no other "
## [21573] "woman might ever possess his heart : and yet scarcely the wish "
## [21574] "was made a wish, when herself would find fault with it, as being "
## [21575] "too unjust that so excellent a man should be banished from the "
## [21576] "comfort of life. Then would she fortify her resolution, with "
## [21577] "bethinking the worst, taking the counsel of virtue, and comfort of "
## [21578] "love. "
## [21579] ""
## [21580] "So these diamonds of the world, whom nature had made to be "
## [21581] "preciously set in the eyes of men, to be the chief works of her "
## [21582] "workmanship, the chief ornaments of the world, and princesses of "
## [21583] "feUcity, by rebellious injury were brought to the uttermost distress "
## [21584] "that an enemy's heart could wish, or a woman's spite invent : "
## [21585] "Cecropia daily in one or other sort punishing them, still with her "
## [21586] "evil torments giving them fear of worse, making the fear itself the "
## [21587] "sorest torment of all, that in the end, weary of their bodies, they "
## [21588] "should be content to bestow them at her appointment. "
## [21589] ""
## [21590] "But, as in labour, the more one doth exercise it, the more by the "
## [21591] "doing one is enabled to do, strength growing upon the work ; so "
## [21592] "that what at first would have seemed impossible, after grows easy ; "
## [21593] "so these princesses, second to none, and far from any second, only "
## [21594] "to be matched by themselves, with the use of suffering, their minds "
## [21595] "got the habit of suffering so that all fears and terrors were to them "
## [21596] "but summons to a battle, whereof they knew beforehand they "
## [21597] "should be victorious, and which in the suffering was painful, being "
## [21598] "suffered was a trophy to itself; whereby Cecropia found herself "
## [21599] "still farther off: for whereat first she might perchance have "
## [21600] "persuaded them to have visited her son, and have given him some "
## [21601] "comfort in his sickness, drawing near to the confines of death's "
## [21602] "kingdom, now they protested that they would never otherwise "
## [21603] "speak to him than as to the enemy of most unjust cruelty towards "
## [21604] "them, that any time or place could ever make them know. "
## [21605] ""
## [21606] "This made the poison swell in her cankered breast, perceiving "
## [21607] "that, as in water, the more she grasped the less she held ; but yet "
## [21608] "now having run so long the way of rigour, it was too late in reason, "
## [21609] "and too contrary to her passion to return to a course of meekness. "
## [21610] "And therefore, taking counsel of one of her old associates (who so "
## [21611] "far excelled in wickedness, as that she had not only lost all feeling "
## [21612] "of conscience, but had gotten a very glory in evil) in the end they "
## [21613] "determined, that beating, and other such sharp dealing, did not so "
## [21614] ""
## [21615] ""
## [21616] ""
## [21617] "39^ ARCAblA [book iti. "
## [21618] ""
## [21619] "much pull down a woman's heart as it bred anger, and that "
## [21620] "nothing was more enemy to yielding than anger; making their "
## [21621] "tender hearts take on the armour of obstinacy : for thus did their "
## [21622] "wicked minds, blind to the light of virtue, and owly-eyed in the "
## [21623] "night of wickedness, interpret it ; and that therefore was no more "
## [21624] "to be tried. And for fear of death (which no question would do "
## [21625] "most with them) they had been so often threatened, as they began "
## [21626] "to be familiarly acquainted with it, and learned to esteem threaten- "
## [21627] "ing words to be but words. Therefore the last, but the best way "
## [21628] "now was, that the one seeing indeed the other's death, should "
## [21629] "perceive there was no dallying meant: and then there was no "
## [21630] "doubt, that a woman's soul would do so much, rather than leave "
## [21631] "so beautiful a body. "
## [21632] ""
## [21633] "This being concluded, Cecropia went to Philoclea and told her, "
## [21634] "that now she was to come to the last part of the play, for her part "
## [21635] "though she found her hard-hearted obstinacy such that neither the "
## [21636] "sweetness of loving means, nor the force of hard means could "
## [21637] "prevail with her, yet before she would pass to a farther degree of "
## [21638] "extremity, she had sought to win her sister ; in hopes that her son "
## [21639] "might be in time satisfied with the love of so fair a lady ; but "
## [21640] "finding her also rather more than less wilful, she was now minded "
## [21641] "that one of their deaths should serve for an example to the other, "
## [21642] "that despising worthy folks, was more hurtful to the despiser than "
## [21643] "the despised : that yet because her son especially affected her, and "
## [21644] "that in her own self she was more inclinable to pity her than she "
## [21645] "had deserved, she would begin with her sister, who that afternoon "
## [21646] "should have her head cut off before her face ; if in the meantime "
## [21647] "one of them did not pull out their ill-wrought stitches of unkindness, "
## [21648] "she bade her look for no other, nor longer time than she told her. "
## [21649] "There was no assault given to the sweet Philoclea's mind, that "
## [21650] "entered so far, as this : for where to all pains and dangers of "
## [21651] "herself, foresight, with his lieutenant resolution, had made ready "
## [21652] "defence, now with the love she bare her sister, she was driven to a "
## [21653] "stay, before she determined : but long she stayed not, before this "
## [21654] "reason did shine unto her, that since in herself she preferred death "
## [21655] "before such a base servitude, Iwe did teach her to wish the same "
## [21656] "to her sister. Therefore crossing her arms, and looking a sideward "
## [21657] "upon the ground, \" Do what you will,\" said she, \" with us : for my "
## [21658] "part heaven shall melt before I be removed. But if you will follow "
## [21659] "my counsel, for your own sake (for as for prayers for my sake I "
## [21660] "have felt how little they prevail) let my death first serve for "
## [21661] "example'to win her, who perchance is not so resolved against "
## [21662] "Amphialus, and so shall you not only justly punish me, who indeed "
## [21663] "do hate both you and your son, but, if that may move you, you "
## [21664] "shall do more virtuously in preserving one most worthy of life, and "
## [21665] ""
## [21666] ""
## [21667] ""
## [21668] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 397 "
## [21669] ""
## [21670] "killing another most desirous of death: lastly, in winning her, "
## [21671] "instead of peevish unhappy creature that I am, you shall bless "
## [21672] "your son with the most excellent woman in all praise-worthy "
## [21673] "things, that the world holdeth.\" But Cecropia, who had already "
## [21674] "set down to herself what she would do, both with bitter terms and "
## [21675] "countenance, told her, that she should not need to woo death over- "
## [21676] "eagerly : for if her sister going before her did not teach her wit, "
## [21677] "herself should quickly follow. "
## [21678] ""
## [21679] "For since they were not to be gotten, there was no way for her "
## [21680] "son's quiet, but to know that they were past getting. And so since "
## [21681] "no entreating, nor threatening might prevail, she bade her prepare "
## [21682] "her eyes for a new play, which she should see within a few hours "
## [21683] "in the hall of that castle. "
## [21684] ""
## [21685] "A place indeed over-fit for so unfit a matter : for being so stately "
## [21686] "made, that the bottom of it being even with the ground, the roof "
## [21687] "reached as high as any part of the castle, at either end it had "
## [21688] "convenient lodgings. In the one end was, one storey from the "
## [21689] "ground, Philoclea's abode ; in the other of even height, Pamela's, "
## [21690] "and Zelmane's in a chamber above her ; but also vaulted of strong "
## [21691] "and thick built stone, as one could no way hear the other, each of "
## [21692] "these chambers had a little window to look into the hall, but "
## [21693] "because the sisters should not have so much comfort, as to look "
## [21694] "one to the other, there was, of the outsides, curtains drawn, which "
## [21695] "they could not reach with their hands, so barring the reach of their "
## [21696] "sight. But when the hour came that the tragedy should begin, and "
## [21697] "the curtains were withdrawn from before the windows of Zelmane "
## [21698] "and Philoclea : a sufiicient challenge to call their eyes to defend "
## [21699] "themselves in such an encounter. And by and by came in at one "
## [21700] "end of the hall, with about a dozen armed soldiers, a lady, led by a "
## [21701] "couple, with her hands bound before her : from above her eyes to "
## [21702] "her lips muffled with a fair handkerchief, but from her mouth to "
## [21703] "her shoulders all bare : and so was led on to a scaffold raised "
## [21704] "a good deal from the floor, and all covered with crimson velvet. "
## [21705] "But neither Zelmane, nor Philoclea needed to be told who she was : "
## [21706] "for the apparel she wore, made them too well assured that it was "
## [21707] "the admirable Pamela. Whereunto the rare whiteness of her "
## [21708] "naked neck gave sufficient testimony to their astonished senses. "
## [21709] "But the fair lady being come to the scaffold, and then made to "
## [21710] "kneel down, and so left by her unkind supporters, as it seemed that "
## [21711] "she was about to speak somewhat (whereunto Philoclea, poor soul, "
## [21712] "earnestly listened, according to her speech, even minding to frame "
## [21713] "her mind, her heart never till then almost wavering to save her "
## [21714] "sister's life) before the unfortunate lady could pronounce three "
## [21715] "words, the executioner cut off the one's speech, and the other's "
## [21716] "attention, with making his sword do his cruel office upon that "
## [21717] ""
## [21718] ""
## [21719] ""
## [21720] "393 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [21721] ""
## [21722] "beautiful neck. Yet the pitiless sword had such pity of so precious "
## [21723] "an object, that at first it did but hit flat-long. But that little "
## [21724] "availed, since the lady falling down astonished withal, the cruel "
## [21725] "villain forced the sword with another blow, to divorce the fair "
## [21726] "marriage of the head and body. "
## [21727] ""
## [21728] "And this was done so in an instant, that the very act did over- "
## [21729] "run Philoclea's sorrow (sorrovv not being able so quickly to "
## [21730] "thunderbolt her heart through her senses, but first only oppressed "
## [21731] "her with a storm of amazement) but when her eyes saw that "
## [21732] "they did see, as condemning themselves to have seen it, they "
## [21733] "became weary of their own power of seeing, and her soul then "
## [21734] "drinking up woe with great draughts, she fell down to deadly "
## [21735] "trances: but her waiting jailors with cruel pity brought loathed "
## [21736] "life unto her ; which yet many times took his leave, as though he "
## [21737] "would indeed depart : but when he was stayed by force, he kept "
## [21738] "with him deadly sorrow, which thus exercised her mourning speech : "
## [21739] "\" Pamela, my sister, my sister, Pamela, woe is me for thee, I "
## [21740] "would I had died for thee. Pamela never more shall I see thee ; "
## [21741] "never more shall I enjoy thy sweet company, and wise counsel. "
## [21742] "Alas ! thou art gone to a beautiful heaven, and hast left me here, "
## [21743] "who have nothing good in me, but that I did ever love thee, and "
## [21744] "ever will lament thee. Let this day be noted of all virtuous folks foi' "
## [21745] "most unfortunate : let it never be mentioned but among curses, and "
## [21746] "cursed be they that did this mischief, and most cursed be mine "
## [21747] "eyes that beheld it. Sweet Pamela, that head is stricken off, where "
## [21748] "only wisdom might be spoken withal; that body is destroyed, "
## [21749] "which was the living book of virtue. Dear Pamela, how hast thou "
## [21750] "left me to all wretchedness and misery ? yet while thou livedst, in "
## [21751] "thee I breathed, of thee I hoped. O Pamela, how much did I for "
## [21752] "thy excellency honour thee more than my mother, and love thee "
## [21753] "more than myself ! never more shall I lie with thee ; never more "
## [21754] "shall we bathe in the pleasant river together ; never more shall I "
## [21755] "see thee in thy shepherds' apparel. But thou art gone, and where "
## [21756] "am I? Pamela is dead, and live I ? O my God ! \" And with that "
## [21757] "she fell again in a swoon, so that it was a great while before they could "
## [21758] "bring her to herself again ; but being come to herself. \" Alas ! \" "
## [21759] "said she, \"unkind woman, since you have given me so many "
## [21760] "deaths, torment me not now with life : for God's sake let me go, "
## [21761] "and excuse your hands of more blood. Let me follow my Pamela, "
## [21762] "whom ever I sought to follow. Alas ! Pamela, they will not let "
## [21763] "me come to thee. But if they keep promise I shall tread thine "
## [21764] "own steps after thee. For to what am I bom, miserable soul ! but "
## [21765] "to be most unhappy in myself, and yet more unhappy in others ? "
## [21766] "But O that a thousand more miseries had chanced unto me, so "
## [21767] "thou hadst not died : Pamela, my sister Pamela.\" And so like a "
## [21768] ""
## [21769] ""
## [21770] ""
## [21771] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 399 "
## [21772] ""
## [21773] "lamentable Philomela, complained she the horrible wrong done to "
## [21774] "her sister, which if it stirred not in the wickedly closed minds of "
## [21775] "her tormentors, a pity of her sorrow, yet bred it a weariness of her "
## [21776] "sorrow: so that only leaving one to prevent any harm she should "
## [21777] "do herself, the rest went away, consulting again with Cecropia, "
## [21778] "how to make profit of this their late bloody act. "
## [21779] ""
## [21780] "In the end, that woman that used most to keep company with "
## [21781] "Zelmane, told Cecropia that she found by many more sensible "
## [21782] "proofs in Zelmane, that there was never woman so loved another, "
## [21783] "as she loved Philoclea: which was the cause that she, farther than "
## [21784] "the commandment of Cecropia, had caused Zelmane's curtains to "
## [21785] "be also drawn : because having the same spectacle that Philoclea "
## [21786] "had, she might stand in the greater fear for her, whom she loved so "
## [21787] "well : and that indeed she had hit the needle in that device : for "
## [21788] "never saw she creature so astonished as Zelmane, exceeding sorrow "
## [21789] "for Pamela, but exceedingly exceeding that exceedingness in fear "
## [21790] "for Philoclea. Therefore her advice was, she should cause Zelmane "
## [21791] "to come and speak with Philoclea. For there being such "
## [21792] "vehemency of friendship between them, it was most likely both to "
## [21793] "move Zelmane to persuade, and Philoclea to be persuaded. "
## [21794] "Cecropia liked well of the counsel, and gave order to the same "
## [21795] "woman to go deal therein with Zelmane, and to assure her with "
## [21796] "oath, that Cecropia was determined Philoclea should pass the same "
## [21797] "way that Pamela had done, without she did yield to satisfy the "
## [21798] "extremity of her son's affection: which the woman did, adding "
## [21799] "thereunto many, as she thought, good reasons to make Zelmane "
## [21800] "think Amphialus a fit match for Philoclea. "
## [21801] ""
## [21802] "But Zelmane (who had from time to time understood the cruel "
## [21803] "dealing they had used to the sisters, and now had her own eyes "
## [21804] "wounded with the sight of one's death) was so confused withal "
## [21805] "(her courage still rebelling against her wit, desiring still with force "
## [21806] "to do impossible matters) that as her desire was stopped with "
## [21807] "power, so her conceit was darkened with a mist of desire. For blind "
## [21808] "love, and invincible valour still would cry out, that it could not be, "
## [21809] "Philoclea should be in so miserable estate, and she not relieve her : "
## [21810] "and so while she hailed her wit to her courage, she drew it from his "
## [21811] "own limits. But now Philoclea's death, a word able to marshal all "
## [21812] "his thoughts in order, being come to so short a point, either with "
## [21813] "small delay to be suffered, or by the giving herself to another to be "
## [21814] "prevented, she was driven to think and to desire some leisure of "
## [21815] "thinking, which the woman granted for that night unto her. A "
## [21816] "night that was not half so black, as her mind ; nor half so silent, as "
## [21817] "was fit for her musing thoughts. At last he that would fain have "
## [21818] "desperately lost a thousand lives for her sake, could not find in his "
## [21819] "heart, that she should lose any life for her own sake ; and he that "
## [21820] ""
## [21821] ""
## [21822] ""
## [21823] "400 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [21824] ""
## [21825] "despised his own death in respect of honour, yet could well nigh "
## [21826] "dispense with honour itself in respect of Philoclea's death; for "
## [21827] "once the thought could not enter into his heart, nor the breath "
## [21828] "issue out of his mouth, which could consent to Philoclea's death "
## [21829] "for any bargain. Then how to prevent the next degree to death, "
## [21830] "which was her being possessed by another, was the point of his "
## [21831] "mind's labour: and in that he found no other way but that "
## [21832] "Philoclea should pretend a yielding unto Cecropia's request ; and "
## [21833] "so by speaking with Amphialus, and making fair, but delaying, "
## [21834] "promises, procure liberty for Zelmane; who only wished but to "
## [21835] "come by a sword, not doubting then to destroy them all, and "
## [21836] "deliver Philoclea: so little did both the men, and their forces "
## [21837] "seem in her eyes, looking down upon them from the high top of "
## [21838] "affection's tower. "
## [21839] ""
## [21840] "With that mind therefore, but first well bound, she was brought "
## [21841] "to Philoclea, having already plotted out in her conceit how she "
## [21842] "should deal with her : and so came she with heart and eyes, which "
## [21843] "did each sacrifice other to love upon the altar of sorrow : and there "
## [21844] "had she the pleasing displeasing sight of Philoclea: Philoclea, "
## [21845] "whom already the extreme sense of sorrow had brought to a "
## [21846] "dulness therein, her face not without tokens that beauty had been "
## [21847] "by many miseries cruelly battered, and yet showed it most the "
## [21848] "perfection of that beauty, which could remain unoverthrown by such "
## [21849] "enemies. But when Zelmane was set down by her, and the woman "
## [21850] "gone away (because she might be the better persuaded when "
## [21851] "nobody was by, that had heard her say she would not be persuaded) "
## [21852] "then began first the eyes to speak, and the hearts to cry out : "
## [21853] "sorrow a while would needs speak his own language, without using "
## [21854] "their tongues to be his interpreters. At last Zelmane broke silence, "
## [21855] "but spoke with the only eloquence of amazement : for all her long "
## [21856] "methodised oration was inherited only by such kind of speeches. "
## [21857] "\" Dear lady, in extreme necessities we must not. But alas ! "
## [21858] "unfortunate wretch that I am that I live to see this day. And I "
## [21859] "take heaven and earth to witness, that nothing,\" and with that her "
## [21860] "breast swelled so with spite and grief, that her breath had not "
## [21861] "leisure to turn itself into words. But the sweet Philoclea that had "
## [21862] "already died in Pamela, and of the other side had the heaviness "
## [21863] "of her heart something quickened in the most beloved sight of "
## [21864] "Zelmane, guessed somewhat at Zelmane's mind, and therefore "
## [21865] "spoke unto her in this sort : \" My Pyrocles,\" said she, \" I know "
## [21866] "this exceeding comfort of your presence, is not brought unto me "
## [21867] "for any goodwill that is owed unto me : but, as I suppose, to make "
## [21868] "you persuade me to save my life with the ransom of mine honour : "
## [21869] "although nobody should be so unfit a pleader in that cause as "
## [21870] "yourself, yet perchance you would have me live.\" \" Your honour ? "
## [21871] ""
## [21872] ""
## [21873] ""
## [21874] "BOOK Itl.] "
## [21875] ""
## [21876] ""
## [21877] ""
## [21878] "ARCADIA 461 "
## [21879] ""
## [21880] ""
## [21881] ""
## [21882] "God forbid,\" said Zelmane, \"that ever, for any cause, I should "
## [21883] "yield to any touch of it. But a while to pretend some affection, till "
## [21884] "time, or my liberty might work something for your service, this if "
## [21885] "my astonished senses would give me leave, I would fain have "
## [21886] ""
## [21887] "persuaded you.\" .,„,-,, « r "
## [21888] ""
## [21889] "\"To what purpose, my Pyrocles?\" said Philoclea, of a "
## [21890] "miserable time what gain is there ? hath Pamela's example wrought "
## [21891] "no mo're in me? is a captive life so much worth? can it ever go "
## [21892] "out of these lips, that I love any other but Pyrocles ? shall my "
## [21893] "tongue be so false a traitor to my heart, as to say I love any other "
## [21894] "but Pyrocles? and why should I do all this to hve? O Pamela, "
## [21895] "sister Pamela, why should I live? only for thy sake Pyrocles, I "
## [21896] "would live : but to thee I know too well I shall not live; and if "
## [21897] "not to thee hath thy love so base allay, my Pyrocles, as to wish "
## [21898] "me to live? for dissimulation, my Pyrocles, my simplicity is such, "
## [21899] "that I have hardly been able to keep a straight way, what shall I "
## [21900] "do in a crooked? But in this case there is no mean of dissimula- "
## [21901] "tion, not for the cunningest : present answer is required, and "
## [21902] "present performance upon the answer. Art thou so terrible, O "
## [21903] "death ? no my Pyrocles ; and for that I do thank thee, and in my "
## [21904] "soul thank thee : for I confess the love of thee is herein my "
## [21905] "chiefest virtue. Trouble me not therefore dear Pyrocles, nor "
## [21906] "double not my death by tormenting my resolution : since I cannot "
## [21907] "live with thee, I will die for thee. Only remember me, dear "
## [21908] "Pyrocles, and love the remembrance of me : and if I may crave "
## [21909] "so much of thee, let me be thy last love ; for though I be not "
## [21910] "worthy of thee, who indeed art the worthiest creature living, yet "
## [21911] "remember that my love was a worthy love.\" "
## [21912] ""
## [21913] "But Pyrocles was so overcome with sorrow (which wisdom and "
## [21914] "virtue made just in so excellent a lady's case, full of so excellent "
## [21915] "kindness) that words were ashamed to come forth, knowing how "
## [21916] "weak they were to express his mind, and her merit ; and therefore "
## [21917] "so stayed in a deadly silence, forsaken of hope, and forsaking "
## [21918] "comfort ; till the appointed guardians came in, to see the fruits of "
## [21919] "Zelmane's labour : and then Zelmane warned by their presence, "
## [21920] "fell again to persuade, though scarcely herself could tell what ; but "
## [21921] "in sum, desirous of delays. But Philoclea, sweetly continuing "
## [21922] "constant, and in the end, punishing her importunity with silence, "
## [21923] "Zelmane was fain to end. Yet craving another time's conference, "
## [21924] "she obtained it, and divers others ; till at the last. Cecropia found "
## [21925] "it to no purpose, and therefore determined to follow her own way. "
## [21926] "Zelmane yet still desirous to win, by any means, respite, even "
## [21927] "wasted with sorrow and uncertain, whether in worse case in her "
## [21928] "presence, or absence, being able to do nothing for- Philoclea's "
## [21929] "succour, but by submitting the greatest courage of the earth to "
## [21930] ""
## [21931] ""
## [21932] ""
## [21933] "2 c "
## [21934] ""
## [21935] ""
## [21936] ""
## [21937] "402 ARCADIA [book III. "
## [21938] ""
## [21939] "fall at the feet of Cecropia, and crave stay of their sentence till the "
## [21940] "uttermost was seen what her persuasions might be. "
## [21941] ""
## [21942] "Cecropia seemed much to be moved by her importunity, so as "
## [21943] "divers days were won of painful life to the excellent Philoclea ; "
## [21944] "while Zelmane suffered some hope to cherish her mind, especially "
## [21945] "trusting upon the help of Musidorus, who, she knew, would not be "
## [21946] "idle in this matter ; till one morning a noise awaked Zelmane, "
## [21947] "from whose over-watchful mind the tired body had stolen a httle "
## [21948] "sleep : and straight with the first opening of her eyes, care taking "
## [21949] "his wonted place, she ran to the window which looked into the "
## [21950] "hall (for that way the noise guided her) and there might she see "
## [21951] "(the curtain being left open ever since the last execution) seven or "
## [21952] "eight persons in a cluster upon the scaffold : who by and by "
## [21953] "retiring themselves, nothing was to be seen thereupon, but a basin "
## [21954] "of gold pitifully enamelled with blood, and in the midst of it, the "
## [21955] "head of the most beautiful Philoclea. The horribleness of the "
## [21956] "mischief was such, that Pyrocles could not at first believe his "
## [21957] "own senses, but bent his woeful eyes to discern it better ; where too "
## [21958] "well he might see it was Philoclea's self, having no veil, but beauty "
## [21959] "over her face, which still appeared to be alive, so did these eyes "
## [21960] "shine, even as they were wont, and they were wont more than any "
## [21961] "other: and sometimes as they moved, it might well make the "
## [21962] "beholder think, that death therein had borrowed her beauty, and "
## [21963] "not they any way disgraced by death, so sweet and piercing a "
## [21964] "grace they carried with them. "
## [21965] ""
## [21966] "It was not a pity, it was not an amazement, it was not a sorrow "
## [21967] "which then laid hold on Pyrocles, but a wild fury of desperate "
## [21968] "agony : so that he cried out, \" O tyrant heaven, traitor earth, blind "
## [21969] "providence, no justice, how is this done ? how is this suffered ? "
## [21970] "hath this world a government ? if it have, let it pour out all his "
## [21971] "mischiefs upon me, and see whether it have power to make me "
## [21972] "more wretched than I am. Did she excel for this ? have I prayed "
## [21973] "for this? abominable hand that did it; detestable devil that "
## [21974] "commanded it; cursed light that beheld it; and if the light be "
## [21975] "cursed, what are then mine eyes that have seen it ? and have I "
## [21976] "seen Philoclea dead, and do I hve ? and do I live not to help her, "
## [21977] "but to talk of her? and stand I still talking?\" and with that, "
## [21978] "carried by the madness of anguish, not having a readier way to "
## [21979] "kill himself, he ran as hard as ever he could with his head against "
## [21980] "the wall, with intention to brain himself; but the haste to do it "
## [21981] "made the doing the slower. For as he came to give the blow, his "
## [21982] "foot tripped, so that it came not with the full force : yet forcible "
## [21983] "enough to strike him down, and withal to deprive him of his senses, "
## [21984] "so that he lay a while comforted by the hurt, in that he felt not his "
## [21985] "discomfort. "
## [21986] ""
## [21987] ""
## [21988] ""
## [21989] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 403 "
## [21990] ""
## [21991] "And when he came again to himself, he heard, or he thought he "
## [21992] "heard a voice, which cried. Revenge, Revenge, unto him : whether "
## [21993] "indeed it were his good angel which used that voice to stay him "
## [21994] "from unnatural murdering of himself, or that his wandering spirits "
## [21995] "lighted upon that conceit, and by their weakness, subject to "
## [21996] "apprehensions, supposed they heard it. But that indeed helped "
## [21997] "with virtue and her valiant servant anger, stopped him from present "
## [21998] "destroying of himself; yielding in reason and manhood, first to "
## [21999] "destroy man, woman, and child, that were any way of kin to them "
## [22000] "that were accessary to this cruelty ; then to raze the castle, and to "
## [22001] "build a sumptuous monument for her sister, and a most sumptuous "
## [22002] "one for herself, and then himself to die upon her tomb. This "
## [22003] "determining in himself to do, and to seek all means how, for that "
## [22004] "purpose, to get out of prison, he was content a while to bear the "
## [22005] "thirst of death : and yet went he again to the window, to kiss the "
## [22006] "beloved head with his eyes; but there saw he nothing but the "
## [22007] "scaffold, all covered over with scarlet, and nothing but solitary "
## [22008] "silence to mourn this mischief. But then, sorrow having dispersed "
## [22009] "itself from his heart into his noble parts, it proclaimed his "
## [22010] "authority in cries and tears, nor with a more gentle dolefulness "
## [22011] "could pour out his inward evil. "
## [22012] ""
## [22013] "\" Alas ! \" said he, \" is that head taken away too, so soon from "
## [22014] "my eyes? What, mine eyes, perhaps they envy the excellency "
## [22015] "of your sorrow? indeed, there is nothing now left to become the "
## [22016] "eyes of all mankind, but tears ; and woe be to me, if any exceed "
## [22017] "me in wofulness. I do conjure you all my senses, to accept no "
## [22018] "object but of sorrow, be ashamed, nay abhor to think of comfort. "
## [22019] "Unhappy eyes, you have seen too much, that ever the light should "
## [22020] "be welcome to you : unhappy ears, you shall never hear the music "
## [22021] "of music in her voice : unhappy heart that hast lived to feel these "
## [22022] "pangs. Thou hast done thy worst, world, and cursed be thou, "
## [22023] "and cursed art thou, since to thine ownself thou hast done the "
## [22024] "worst thou couldst do. Exiled beauty, let only now thy beauty "
## [22025] "be blubbered faces. Widowed music, let now thy tunes be "
## [22026] "roarings and lamentations. Orphan virtue, get thee wings, and "
## [22027] "fly after her into heaven: here is no dwelling-place for thee. "
## [22028] "Why lived I, alas! alas, why loved I? to die wretched, and to "
## [22029] "be the example of heaven's hate? and hate and spare not, for "
## [22030] "your worst blow is stricken. Sweet Philoclea, thou art gone, and "
## [22031] "hast carried with thee my love; and hast left thy love in me, and "
## [22032] "I wretched man do live ; I live, to die continually, till thy revenge "
## [22033] "do give me leave to die, and then die I will, my Philoclea, my "
## [22034] "heart willingly makes this promise to itself. Surely he did not "
## [22035] "look on thee when he gave the cruel blow, for no eye could have "
## [22036] "abiden to see such beauty overthrown by such- mischief. Alas! "
## [22037] ""
## [22038] ""
## [22039] ""
## [22040] "404 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [22041] ""
## [22042] "why should they divide such a head from such a body? no other "
## [22043] "body is worthy of that head; no other head is worthy of that "
## [22044] "body : O yet if I had taken my last leave, if I might have taken "
## [22045] "a holy kiss from that dying mouth! where art thou hope, which "
## [22046] "promisest never to leave a man while he liveth? tell me, what canst "
## [22047] "thou hope for ? nay tell me, what is there that I would willingly "
## [22048] "hope after? wishing power which is accounted infinite, what now "
## [22049] "is left to wish for ; she is gone, and gone with her all my hope, all "
## [22050] "my wishing. Love be ashamed to be called love. Cruel hate, "
## [22051] "unspeakable hate is victorious over thee. Who is there now left "
## [22052] "that can justify thy tyranny, and give reason to thy passion? O "
## [22053] "cruel divorce of the sweetest marriage that ever was in nature: "
## [22054] "Philoclea is dead, and dead with her is all goodness, all sweetness, "
## [22055] "all excellency. Philoclea is dead, and yet life is not ashamed to "
## [22056] "continue upon the earth. Philoclea is dead : O deadly word, "
## [22057] "which c^ntaineth in itself the uttermost of all misfortunes. But "
## [22058] "happy word when thou shalt be said of me, and long it shall "
## [22059] "not be, before it be said.\" "
## [22060] ""
## [22061] "Then stopping his words with sighs, drowning his sighs in tears, "
## [22062] "and drying again his tears in rage, he would sit a while in a "
## [22063] "wandering muse, which represented nothing but vexations unto "
## [22064] "him; then throwing himself sometimes upon the floor, and "
## [22065] "sometimes upon the bed: then up again, till walking was "
## [22066] "wearisome, and rest loathsome: and so neither suffering food, "
## [22067] "nor sleep to help his afflicted nature, all that day and night he "
## [22068] "did nothing but weep Philoclea, sigh Philoclea, and cry out "
## [22069] "Philoclea; till as it happened (at that time upon his bed) toward "
## [22070] "the dawning of the day he heard one stir in his chamber, by the "
## [22071] "motion of garments : and with an angry voice asked. Who was "
## [22072] "there ? a poor gentlewoman, answered the party, that wishes long "
## [22073] "life unto you. \"And I soon death to you,\" said he, \"for the "
## [22074] "horrible curse you have given me.\" \"Certainly,\" said she, \"an "
## [22075] "unkind answer, and far unworthy the excellency of your mind, but "
## [22076] "not unsuitable to the rest of your behaviour. For most part of "
## [22077] "this night I have heard you (being let into your chamber, you "
## [22078] "never perceiving it, so was your mind estranged from your senses) "
## [22079] "and have heard nothing of Zelmane, in Zelmane, nothing but weak "
## [22080] "wailing, fitter for some nurse of a village, than so famous a creature "
## [22081] "as you are.\" \" O God,\" cried out Pyrocles, \" that thou wert a man "
## [22082] "that usest these words unto me. I tell thee I am sorry, I tell thee "
## [22083] "I will be sorry, in the despite of thee, and all them that would have "
## [22084] "me joyful.\" \" And yet,\" replied she, \" perchance Philoclea is not "
## [22085] "dead, whom you so much bemoan.\" \" I would we were both dead "
## [22086] "on that condition,\" said Pyrocles. \" See the folly of your passion,\" "
## [22087] "said she, \" as though you should be nearer to her, you being dead, "
## [22088] ""
## [22089] ""
## [22090] ""
## [22091] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 405 "
## [22092] ""
## [22093] "and she alive, than she being dead and you alive? and if she "
## [22094] "be dead, was she not born to die ? what then do you cry out for ? "
## [22095] "not for her, who must have died one time or other ; but for some "
## [22096] "few years: so as it is time and this world, that seem so lovely "
## [22097] "things, and not Philoclea unto you.\" \" O noble sisters,\" cried "
## [22098] "Pyrocles, \"now you be gone, who were the only exalters "
## [22099] "of all womankind, what is left in that sex, but babbling and "
## [22100] "business?\" \"And truly,\" said she, \"I will yet a little longer "
## [22101] "trouble you.\" \" Nay, I pray you do,\" said Pyrocles, \" for I wish for "
## [22102] "nothing in my short life but mischiefs and cumbers: and I am "
## [22103] "content you shall be one of them.\" \" In truth,\" said she, \" you "
## [22104] "would think yourself a greatly privileged person, if since the "
## [22105] "strongest building, and lastingest monarchies are subject to end, "
## [22106] "only your Philoclea, because she is yours, should be exempted. "
## [22107] "But indeed you bemoan yourself who have lost a friend; you "
## [22108] "cannot her, who hath in one act both preserved her honour, and "
## [22109] "left the miseries of this world.\" \" O woman's philosophy, childish "
## [22110] "folly,\" said Pyrocles, \"as though I do bemoan myself: I have "
## [22111] "not reason so to do, having lost more than any monarchy, nay "
## [22112] "then my life can be worth unto me.\" \"Alas !\" said she, \"comfort "
## [22113] "yourself; nature did not forget her skill, when she made them: "
## [22114] "and you shall find many their superiors, and perchance such, "
## [22115] "as when your eyes shall look abroad, yourself will like better.\" "
## [22116] ""
## [22117] "But that speech put all good manners out of the conceit of "
## [22118] "Pyrocles, insomuch, that leaping out of his bed, he ran to have "
## [22119] "stricken her ; but coming near her (the morning then winning the "
## [22120] "field of darkness) he saw, or he thought he saw, indeed the very "
## [22121] "face of Philoclea ; the same sweetness, the same grace, the same "
## [22122] "beauty: with which carried into a divine astonishment, he fell "
## [22123] "down at her feet. \" Most blessed angel,\" said he, \"well hast thou "
## [22124] "done to take that shape, since thou wouldst submit thyself to "
## [22125] "mortal sense; for a more angelical form could not have been "
## [22126] "created for thee. Alas, even by that excellent beauty, so beloved "
## [22127] "of me, let it be lawful, for me to ask of thee, what is the cause "
## [22128] "that she, that heavenly creature, whose form you have taken "
## [22129] "should by the heavens be destined to so unripe an end? why "
## [22130] "should injustice so prevail? why was she seen to the world so soon "
## [22131] "to be ravished from us ? why was she not suffered to live, to teach "
## [22132] "the world perfection?\" \"Do not deceive thyself,\" answered she, "
## [22133] "\" I am no angel ; I am Philoclea, the same Philoclea, so truly loving "
## [22134] "you, so truly beloved of you.\" \" If it be so,\" said he, \" that you are "
## [22135] "indeed the soul of Philoclea, you have done well to keep your own "
## [22136] "figure, for no heaven could have given you a better. Then alas ! why "
## [22137] "have you taken the pains to leave your blissful seat to come to this "
## [22138] "place most wretched, to me, who am wretchedness itself, and not "
## [22139] ""
## [22140] ""
## [22141] ""
## [22142] "4o6 ARCADIA [book ni. "
## [22143] ""
## [22144] "rather obtain for me, that I might come where you are, there "
## [22145] "eternally to behold, and eternally to love your beauties? You "
## [22146] "know, I know, that I desire nothing but death, which I only stay "
## [22147] "to be justly revenged of your unjust murderers.\" \" Dear Pyrocles,\" "
## [22148] "said she, \" I am thy Philoclea, and as yet living : not murdered "
## [22149] "as you supposed, and therefore be comforted.\" And with that "
## [22150] "gave him her hand. But the sweet touch of that hand seemed "
## [22151] "to his estrayed powers so heavenly a thing, that it rather for "
## [22152] "a while confirmed him in his former belief: till she with vehement "
## [22153] "protestations (and desire that it might be so, helping to persuade "
## [22154] "that it was so) brought him to yield ; yet doubtfully to yield to this "
## [22155] "height of all comfort that Philoclea lived : which witnessing with "
## [22156] "tears of joy; \"Alas!\" said he, \"how shall I believe mine eyes "
## [22157] "any more ? or do you yet but appear thus unto me, to stay me from "
## [22158] "some desperate end? for alas, I saw the excellent Pamela "
## [22159] "beheaded, I saw your head, the head indeed, and chief part indeed "
## [22160] "of all nature's works, standing in a dish of gold, too mean a shrine, "
## [22161] "God wot, for such a relic. How can this be, my only dear, and "
## [22162] "you live? Or if this be not so, how can I believe mine own "
## [22163] "senses ? And if I cannot believe them, why should I believe these "
## [22164] "blessed tidings they bring me ? \" "
## [22165] ""
## [22166] "\"The truth is,\" said she, \"my Pyrocles, that neither I, as you "
## [22167] "find, nor yet my dear sister is dead : although the mischievously "
## [22168] "subtle Cecropia used slights to make either of us think so of other. "
## [22169] "For, having in vain attempted the farthest of her wicked eloquence "
## [22170] "to make either of us yield to her son : and seeing that neither it, "
## [22171] "accompanied with great flatteries and rich presents, could get any "
## [22172] "ground of us, nor yet the violent way she fell into, of cruelly "
## [22173] "tormenting our bodies, could prevail with us, at last she made "
## [22174] "either of us think the other dead, and so hoped to have wrested "
## [22175] "our minds to the forgetting of virtue : and first she gave to mine "
## [22176] "eyes the miserable spectacle of my sister's, as I thought, death ; "
## [22177] "but indeed it was not my sister, it was only Artesia, she who so "
## [22178] "cunningly brought us to this misery. Truly I am sorry for the "
## [22179] "poor gentlewoman, though justly she be punished for her double "
## [22180] "falsehood : but Artesia muffled so, that you could not easily discern "
## [22181] "her, and in my sister's apparel, which they had talien from her "
## [22182] "under colour of giving her other, did they execute : and when I, "
## [22183] "for thy sake especially, dear Pyrocles, could by no force nor fear "
## [22184] "be one, they assayed the like with my sister, by bringing me down "
## [22185] "under the scaffold, and making me thrust my head up through a "
## [22186] "hole they had made therein, they did put about my neck a dish of "
## [22187] "gold, whereout they had beaten the bottom, so as having set blood "
## [22188] "in it, you saw how I played the part of death, God knows even "
## [22189] "wUiing to have done it in earnest, and so they had set m^ tb^t I "
## [22190] ""
## [22191] ""
## [22192] ""
## [22193] "BOOK III.J "
## [22194] ""
## [22195] ""
## [22196] ""
## [22197] "ARCADIA 407 "
## [22198] ""
## [22199] ""
## [22200] ""
## [22201] "reached but on tiptoes to the ground, so as I scarcely could breathe, "
## [22202] "much less speak : and truly if they had kept me there any whit "
## [22203] "longer, they had strangled me, instead of beheading me : but when "
## [22204] "they took me away, and seeking to see their issue of this practice, "
## [22205] "they found my noble sister, for the dear love she vouchsafeth to "
## [22206] "bear me, so grieved withal, that she willed them to do their utter- "
## [22207] "most cruelty unto her : for she vowed never to receive sustenance "
## [22208] "of them that had been the causers of my murder : and finding both "
## [22209] "of us even given over, not likely to live many hours longer, and "
## [22210] "my sister Pamela rather worse than myself, the strength of her "
## [22211] "heart worse bearing those indignities, the good woman Cecropia, "
## [22212] "with the same pity as folks keep fowls, when they are not fat "
## [22213] "enough for their eating, made us know her deceit, and let us come "
## [22214] "one to another ; with what joy you can well imagine, who I know "
## [22215] "feel the like, saving that we only thought ourselves reserved to "
## [22216] "miseries, and therefore fitter for condohng than congratulating. "
## [22217] "For my part I am fully persuaded it is but with a httle respite, to "
## [22218] "have a more feeling sense of the torment she prepares for us. "
## [22219] "True it is, that one of my guardians would have me to believe that "
## [22220] "this proceeds from my gentle cousin Amphialus; who having "
## [22221] "heard some inkling that we were evil intreated, had called his "
## [22222] "mother to his bedside, from whence he never rose since his last "
## [22223] "combat, and besought and charged her, upon all the love she bore "
## [22224] "him, to use us with all kindness : vowing with all the imprecations "
## [22225] "he could imagine, that if ever he understood, for his sake, that I "
## [22226] "received farther hurt than the want of liberty, he would not Uve an "
## [22227] "hour longer. And the good woman swore to me that he would "
## [22228] "kill his mother, if he knew how I had been dealt with, but that "
## [22229] "Cecropia keeps him from understanding things how they pass, "
## [22230] "only having heard a whispering, and myself named, he had (of "
## [22231] "abundance, forsooth, of honourable love) given this charge for us • "
## [22232] "whereupon this enlargement of mine was grown : for my part I "
## [22233] "know too well their cunning, who leave no money unoffered that "
## [22234] "may buy mine honour, to believe any word they say, but, my dear "
## [22235] "Pyrocles, even look for the worst, and prepare thyself for the same. "
## [22236] "Yet I must confess, I was content to rob from death, and borrow "
## [22237] "of my misery the sweet comfort of seeing my sweet sister, and "
## [22238] "most sweet comfort of thee my Pyrocles. And so having leave I "
## [22239] "came stealing into your chamber : where, O Lord, what a joy it "
## [22240] "was unto me, to hear you solemnize the funerals of the poor "
## [22241] "Philoclea. That I myself might live to hear my death bewailed? "
## [22242] "And by whom ? By my dear Pyrocles. That I saw death was not "
## [22243] "strong enough to divide thy love from me ? O my Pyrocles, I am "
## [22244] "too well paid for my pains. I have suffered ; joyful is my woe for "
## [22245] "«) noble a cause ; and welcome be all my miseries, since to thee I "
## [22246] ""
## [22247] ""
## [22248] ""
## [22249] "408 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [22250] ""
## [22251] "am so welcome. Alas how I pitied to hear thy pity of me ; and "
## [22252] "yet a great while I could not find in my heart to interrupt thee, "
## [22253] "but often had even pleasure to weep with thee: and so kindly "
## [22254] "came forth thy lamentations, that they forced me to lament too, as "
## [22255] "if indeed I had been a looker on, to see poor Philoclea die. Till "
## [22256] "at last I spoke with you, to try whether I could remove thee from "
## [22257] "sorrow, till I had almost procured myself a beating.\" "
## [22258] ""
## [22259] "And with that she prettily smiled; which mingled with her "
## [22260] "tears ; one could not tell whether it was a mourning pleasure, or a "
## [22261] "delightful sorrow : but like when a few April drops are scattered "
## [22262] "by a gentle Zephirus among fine coloured flowers. But Pyrocles, "
## [22263] "who had felt, with so small distance of time, in himself the overthrow "
## [22264] "both of hope and despair, knew not to what key he should frame "
## [22265] "his mind, either of joy or sorrow. But finding perfect reason in "
## [22266] "neither, suffered himself to be carried by the tide of his imagination, "
## [22267] "and his imaginations to be raised even by the sway which hearing "
## [22268] "or seeing might give unto them : he saw her alive, he was glad to "
## [22269] "see her alive ; he saw her weep, he was sorry to see her weep ; he "
## [22270] "heard her comfortable speeches, nothing more gladsome; he "
## [22271] "heard her prognosticating her own destruction, nothing more "
## [22272] "doleful. But when he had a little taken breath from the panting "
## [22273] "motion of such contraries in passions, he fell to consider with her "
## [22274] "of her present estate, but comforting her, that certainly the worst "
## [22275] "of this storm was past, since already they had done the worst, "
## [22276] "which man's wit could imagine ; and that if they had determined "
## [22277] "to have killed her, now they would have done it, and also earnestly "
## [22278] "counselling her, and enabling his counsels with vehement prayers, "
## [22279] "that she would so far second the hopes of Amphialus, as that she "
## [22280] "might but procure him liberty ; promising then as much to her, "
## [22281] "as the liberality of loving courage durst promise to himself. "
## [22282] ""
## [22283] "But who could lively describe the manner of these speeches, "
## [22284] "should paint out the lightsome colours of affection, shaded with "
## [22285] "the deepest shadows of sorrow, finding them between hope and "
## [22286] "fear, a kind of sweetness in tears ; till Philoclea content to receive "
## [22287] "a kiss, and but a kiss of Pyrocles, sealed up his moving lips, and "
## [22288] "closed them up in comfort : and herself, for the passage was left "
## [22289] "between them open, went to her sister ; with whom she had stayed "
## [22290] "but a while, fortifying one another while Philoclea tempered "
## [22291] "Pamela's just disdain, and Pamela ennobled Philoclea's sweet "
## [22292] "humbleness, when Amphialus came unto them : who never since "
## [22293] "he had heard Philoclea named, could be quiet in himself, although "
## [22294] "none of them about him (fearing more his mother's violence than "
## [22295] "his power) would discover what had passed : and many messengers "
## [22296] "he sent to know her estate, which brought answer back, according "
## [22297] "as it pleased Cecropia to indite them, till his heart full of unfortunate "
## [22298] ""
## [22299] ""
## [22300] ""
## [22301] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 409 "
## [22302] ""
## [22303] "affection, more and more misgiving him, having impatiently borne "
## [22304] "the delay of the night's unfitness, this morning he got up, and "
## [22305] "though full of wounds, which not without danger could suffer such "
## [22306] "exercise, he apparelled himself, and with the countenance that "
## [22307] "showed strength in nothing but in grief, he came where the "
## [22308] "sisters were, and weakly kneeling down, he besought them "
## [22309] "to pardon him ; if they had not been used in that castle "
## [22310] "according to their worthiness, and his duty, beginning to excuse "
## [22311] "small matters, poor gentleman, not knowing in what sort they "
## [22312] "had been handled. "
## [22313] ""
## [22314] "But Pamela's high heart, having conceived mortal hatred for the "
## [22315] "injury offered to her and her sister, could scarcely abide his sight, "
## [22316] "much less hear out his excuses, but interrupted him with these "
## [22317] "words : \" Traitor,\" said she, \" to thine own blood, and false to the "
## [22318] "profession of so much love as thou hast vowed, do not defile our "
## [22319] "ears with thy excuses, but pursue on thy cruelty, that thou and thy "
## [22320] "godly mother have used towards us : for my part, assure thyself, "
## [22321] "and so do I answer for my sister, whose mind I know, I do not "
## [22322] "more desire mine own safety than thy destruction.\" Amazed with "
## [22323] "this speech, he turned his eye full of humble sorrowfulness, to "
## [22324] "Philoclea : \" And is this, most excellent lady, your doom of me "
## [22325] "also.\" She, sweet lady, sat weeping; for as her most noble "
## [22326] "kinsman she had ever favoured him, and loved his love, though "
## [22327] "she could not be in love with his person ; and now partly "
## [22328] "unkindness of his wrong, partly pity of his case, made her sweet "
## [22329] "mind yield some tears before she could answer ; and her answer "
## [22330] "was no other, but that she had the same cause as her sister had. "
## [22331] "He replied no further, but delivering from his heart two or three "
## [22332] "untaught sighs, rose, and with most low reverence went out of "
## [22333] "their chamber, and straight, by threatening torture, learned of one "
## [22334] "of the women in what terrible manner these princesses had been "
## [22335] "used. But when he heard it, crying out, \" O God ! \" and then not "
## [22336] "able to say any more, for his speech went back to rebound woe "
## [22337] "upon his heart, he needed no judge to go upon him ; for no man "
## [22338] "could ever think any other worthy of greater punishment, than "
## [22339] "he thought himself. Full therefore of the horriblest despair, which "
## [22340] "a most guilty conscience could breed, with wild looks, promising "
## [22341] "some terrible issue, understanding his mother was upon the top "
## [22342] "of the leads, he caught one of his servant's swords from him, and "
## [22343] "none of them daring to stay him, he went up, carried by fury "
## [22344] "instead of strength, where she was at that time, musing how to "
## [22345] "go through with this matter, and resolving to make much of her "
## [22346] "nieces in show, and secretly to impoison them ; thinking since "
## [22347] "they were not to be won, her son's love would no otherwise be "
## [22348] "mitigated. "
## [22349] ""
## [22350] ""
## [22351] ""
## [22352] "4IO ARCADIA [book m. "
## [22353] ""
## [22354] "But when she saw him come in with a sword drawn, and a look "
## [22355] "more terrible than the sword, she straight was stricken with the "
## [22356] "guiltiness of her own conscience: yet the well-known humbleness "
## [22357] "of her son somewhat animated her, till he coming near her, and "
## [22358] "crying to her, \"Thou damnable creature, only fit to bring forth "
## [22359] "such a monster of unhappiness as I am;\" she fearing he would, "
## [22360] "have stricken her, though indeed he meant it not, but only intended "
## [22361] "to kill himself in her presence, went back so far, till e'er she were "
## [22362] "aware, she overthrew herself from over the leads, to receive her "
## [22363] "death's kiss at the ground: and yet was she not so happy as "
## [22364] "presently to die, but that she had time with hellish agony to see "
## [22365] "her son's mischief, whom she loved so well, before her end, when "
## [22366] "she confessed, with most desperate but not repenting mind, the "
## [22367] "purpose she had to impoison the princesses, and would then have "
## [22368] "had them murdered. But .everybody seeing, and glad to see her "
## [22369] "end, had left obedience to her tyranny. "
## [22370] ""
## [22371] "And, if it could be, her ruin increased woe in the noble heart of "
## [22372] "Amphialus, who when he. saw her fall, had his own rage stayed a "
## [22373] "little with the suddenness of her destruction: \"And was I not "
## [22374] "miserable enough before,\" said he, \" but that before my end I must "
## [22375] "be the death of my mother? Who, how wicked soever, yet I "
## [22376] "would she had received her punishment by some other: O "
## [22377] "Amphialus, wretched Amphialus, thou hast lived to be the death of "
## [22378] "thy most dear companion and friend Philoxenus, and of his father, "
## [22379] "thy most careful foster-father. Thou hast lived to kill a lady with "
## [22380] "thine own hands, and so excellent and virtuous a lady as the fair "
## [22381] "Parthenia was ; thou hast lived to see thy faithful Ismenus slain in "
## [22382] "succouring thee, and thou not able to defend him ; thou hast lived "
## [22383] "to show thyself such a coward, as that one unknown knight could "
## [22384] "overcome thee in thy lady's presence : thou hast lived to bear arms "
## [22385] "against thy rightful prince, thine own uncle : thou hast lived to be "
## [22386] "accounted, and justly accounted a traitor, by the most excellent "
## [22387] "persons that this world holdeth : thou hast lived to be the death of "
## [22388] "her that gave thee life. But ah wretched Amphialus, thou hast "
## [22389] "lived for thy sake, and by thy authority, to have Philoclea "
## [22390] "tormented. O heavens, in Amphialus's castle, where Amphialus "
## [22391] "commanded, tormented, tormented. Torment of my soul, Philoclea "
## [22392] "tormented, and thou hast had such comfort in thy life, as to live "
## [22393] "all this while. Perchance this hand, used only to mischievous "
## [22394] "acts, thinks it were too good a deed to kill me : or else filthy hand, "
## [22395] "only worthy to kill women, thou art afraid to strike a man. Fear "
## [22396] "not cowardly hand, for thou shalt kill but a cowardly traitor : and "
## [22397] "do it gladly, for thou shalt kill him whom Philoclea hateth. With "
## [22398] "that furiously he tore open his doublet, and setting the pommel "
## [22399] "pf the ?wprd to the ground^ and the point to bis breast^ he fell ujpon "
## [22400] ""
## [22401] ""
## [22402] ""
## [22403] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 41 1 "
## [22404] ""
## [22405] "it. But the sword more merciful than he to himself, with the "
## [22406] "slipping of the pommel the point swerved, and razed him but upon "
## [22407] "the side : yet with the fall his other wounds opened so that he bled "
## [22408] "in such extremity, that Charon's boat might very well be carried in "
## [22409] "that flood : which yet he sought so hasten by this means. As he "
## [22410] "opened his doublet, and fell, there fell out Philoclea's knives which "
## [22411] "Cecropia at the first had taken from her, and delivered to her son; "
## [22412] "and he had ever worn them next his heart, as the only relic he had "
## [22413] "of his saint: now seeing them by him, his sword being so, as "
## [22414] "weakness could not well draw it out from his doublet, he took the "
## [22415] "knives, and pulling one of them out, and many times kissing it, "
## [22416] "and then, first with the passions of kindness and unkindness "
## [22417] "melting in tears. \" O dear knives, you are come in good time to "
## [22418] "revenge the wrong I have done you all this while, in keeping you "
## [22419] "from her blessed side; and wearing you without your mistress's "
## [22420] "leave. Alas ! be witness with me, yet before I die, and well you "
## [22421] "may, for you have lain next my heart, that but my consent, your "
## [22422] "excellent mistress should have had as much honour as this poor "
## [22423] "place could have brought forth for so high an excellency; and now "
## [22424] "I am condemned to die by her mouth. Alas ! other, far other "
## [22425] "hope would my desire often have given me; but other event it "
## [22426] "hath pleased her to lay upon me. Ah Philoclea,\" with that his "
## [22427] "tears gushed out as though they would strive to overflow his blood, "
## [22428] "\" I would yet thou knowest how I love thee. Unworthy I am, "
## [22429] "unhappy I am, false I am ; but to thee alas ! I am not false. But "
## [22430] "what a traitor am I, any way to excuse him, whom she condemneth ? "
## [22431] "since there is nothing left me wherein I may do her service, but in "
## [22432] "punishing him who hath so offended her. Dear knife, then do "
## [22433] "your noble mistress's commandment.\" With that, he stabbed "
## [22434] "himself into divers places of his breast and throat, until these "
## [22435] "wounds, with the old, freshly bleeding, brought him to the senseless "
## [22436] "gate of death. By which time, his servants, having, with fear of "
## [22437] "his fury, abstained a while from coming unto him, one of them, "
## [22438] "prefering dutiful affection before fearful duty, came in and there "
## [22439] "found him swimming in his own blood, giving a pitiful spectacle, "
## [22440] "where the conquest was the conqueror's overthrow, and self ruin "
## [22441] "the only triumph of a battle, fought between him and himself. "
## [22442] "The time full of danger, the person full of worthiness, the manner "
## [22443] "full of horror, did greatly astonish all the beholders: so as by and "
## [22444] "by all the town was full of it, and they of all ages came running up "
## [22445] "to see the beloved body ; everybody thinking their safety bled in "
## [22446] "his wounds, and their honour died in his destruction. "
## [22447] ""
## [22448] "But when it came, and quickly it came to the ears of his proud "
## [22449] "friend Anaxius, who by that time was grown well of his wound, but "
## [22450] "sever h^d come abroad^ disdaining to abase himself fo the "
## [22451] ""
## [22452] ""
## [22453] ""
## [22454] "412 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [22455] ""
## [22456] "company of any other but of Amphialus, he was exceedingly vexed "
## [22457] "either with kindness or, if a proud heart be not capable thereof, "
## [22458] "with disdain, that he, who had the honour to be called the friend "
## [22459] "of Anaxius, should come to such an unexpected ruin. Therefore "
## [22460] "then coming abroad, with a face red in anger, and engrained in "
## [22461] "pride, with lids raised, and eyes levelled from top to toe of them "
## [22462] "that met him, treading as though he thought to make the earth "
## [22463] "shake under him, with his hand upon his sword ; short speeches, "
## [22464] "and disdainful answers, giving straight order to his two brothers, "
## [22465] "to go take the oath of obedience, in his name, of all the soldiers "
## [22466] "and citizens in the town : and withal to swear them to revenge the "
## [22467] "death of Amphialus upon Basilius ; he himself went to see him, "
## [22468] "calling for all the surgeons and physicians there, spending some "
## [22469] "time in viewing the body, and threatening them all to be hanged, "
## [22470] "if they did not heal him. But they, taking view of his wounds, "
## [22471] "and falling down at Anaxius's feet, assured him that they were "
## [22472] "mortal, and no possible means to keep him above two days alive : "
## [22473] "and he stood partly in doubt, to kill, or save them, between his "
## [22474] "own fury, and their humbleness. But vowing with his own hands "
## [22475] "to kill the two sisters, as causers of his friend's death : when his "
## [22476] "brothers came to him, and told him they had done his command- "
## [22477] "ment, in having received the oath of allegiance, with no great "
## [22478] "difficulties, the most part terrified by their valour, and force of "
## [22479] "their servants; and many that had been forward actors in the "
## [22480] "rebellion, willing to do anything, rather than come under the "
## [22481] "subjection of Basilius again ; and such few as durst gainsay, being "
## [22482] "cut off by present slaughter. "
## [22483] ""
## [22484] "But withal, as the chief matter of their coming to him, they told "
## [22485] "Anaxius, that the fair queen Helen was come, with an honourable "
## [22486] "retinue, to the town : humbly desiring leave to see Amphialus, "
## [22487] "whom she had sought in many places of the world; and lastly, "
## [22488] "being returned into her own country, she heard together of the "
## [22489] "late siege, and of his combat with the strange knight, who had "
## [22490] "dangerously hurt him. Whereupon full of loving care (which she "
## [22491] "was content even to publish to the world, how ungratefully soever "
## [22492] "he dealt with her) she had gotten leave of Basilius, to come by his "
## [22493] "frontiers, to carry away Amphialus with her, to the excellentest "
## [22494] "surgeon then known, whom she had in her country, but so old, "
## [22495] "as not able to travel: but had given her sovereign anointments, "
## [22496] "to preserve his body withal, till he might be brought unto him: "
## [22497] "and that Basilius had granted leave ; either natural kindness "
## [22498] "prevailing over all the offences done, or rather glad to make any "
## [22499] "passage which might lead him out of his country, and from his "
## [22500] "daughters. This discourse Lycurgus understanding of Helen, "
## [22501] "delivered to his brother, with her vehement desire to see the "
## [22502] ""
## [22503] ""
## [22504] ""
## [22505] "BOOK m.] ARCADIA 413 "
## [22506] ""
## [22507] "body, and take her last farewell of him. Anaxius, though he were "
## [22508] "fallen out with all womankind, in respect of the hate he bore the "
## [22509] "sisters, whom he accounted murderers of Amphialus, yet at his "
## [22510] "brother's request, granted her leave. And she, poor lady, with "
## [22511] "grievous expectation, and languishing desire, carried her faint "
## [22512] "legs to the place where he lay, either not breathing, or in all "
## [22513] "appearance breathing nothing but death. "
## [22514] ""
## [22515] "In which piteous plight when she saw him, though sorrow had "
## [22516] "set before her mind the pitifuUest conceit thereof that it could "
## [22517] "paint, yet the present sight went beyond all the former "
## [22518] "apprehensions : so that beginning to kneel by the body, her sight "
## [22519] "ran from her service, rather than abide such a sight ; and she fell "
## [22520] "in a swoon upon him, as if she could not choose but die of his "
## [22521] "wounds. But when her breath, aweary to be closed up in woe, "
## [22522] "broke the prison of her fair lips, and brought memory with his "
## [22523] "servant senses to his natural office, she made yet the breath "
## [22524] "convey these doleful words with it. \" Alas ! \" said she, \" Amphialus, "
## [22525] "what strange disasters be these, that having sought thee so long, "
## [22526] "I should be now sorry to find thee ? that these eyes should look "
## [22527] "upon Amphialus, and be grieved withal .' that I should have thee "
## [22528] "in my power without glory, and embrace thee without comfort ? "
## [22529] "how often have I blest the means that might bring me near thee ? "
## [22530] "now woe worth the cause that brings me so near thee. Often, "
## [22531] "alas ! often hast thou disdained my tears : but now, my dear "
## [22532] "Amphialus, receive them : these eyes can serve for nothing else "
## [22533] "but to weep for thee : since thou wouldst never vouchsafe them "
## [22534] "thy comfort, yet disdain not them thy sorrow. I would they had "
## [22535] "been more dear unto thee ; for then hadst thou lived. Woe is me "
## [22536] "that thy noble heart could love who hated thee, and hate who "
## [22537] "loved thee. Alas why should not my faith to thee cover my other "
## [22538] "defects, who only sought to make my crown thy footstool, myself "
## [22539] "thy servant, that was all my ambition; and alas thou disdainest "
## [22540] "it, to serve them, by whom thy incomparable self wert disdained. "
## [22541] "Yet, O Philoclea, wheresoever you are, pardon me if I speak in "
## [22542] "the bitterness of my soul, excellent may you be in all other things, "
## [22543] "and excellent sure you are since he loved you, your want of pity, "
## [22544] "where the fault only was infiniteness of desert, cannot be excused. "
## [22545] "I would, O God, I would that you had granted his deserved suit "
## [22546] "of marrying you, and that I had been your serving-maid, to have "
## [22547] "made my estate the foil of your felicity, so he had lived. How "
## [22548] "many weary steps have I trodden after thee, while my only "
## [22549] "complaint was, that thou wert unkind? alas! I would now thou "
## [22550] "wert to be unkind. Alas, why wouldst thou not command my "
## [22551] "service, in persuading Philoclea to love thee? who could, or if "
## [22552] "everyone could, who would have recounted thy perfection so well "
## [22553] ""
## [22554] ""
## [22555] ""
## [22556] "^4^14 ■ \" ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [22557] ""
## [22558] "as I ? who with such kindly passions could have stirred pity for "
## [22559] "thee as I ? who should have delivered not only the words, but the "
## [22560] "tears I had of thee : and so shouldst thou have exercised thy "
## [22561] "disdain in me, and yet used my service for thee.\" "
## [22562] ""
## [22563] "With that the body moving somewhat, and giving a groan, full "
## [22564] "of death's music, she fell upon his face, and kissed him, and withal "
## [22565] "cried out; \" O miserable I, that have only favour by misery ;'' and "
## [22566] "then would she have returned to a fresh career of complaints, when "
## [22567] "an aged and wise gentleman came to her, and besought her to "
## [22568] "remember what was fit for her greatness, wisdom, and honour : and "
## [22569] "withal, that it was fitter to show her love in carrying the body to "
## [22570] "her excellent surgeon, first applying such excellent medicines as she "
## [22571] "had received of him for that purpose, rather than only show herself "
## [22572] "a woman-lover in fruitless lamentations. She was straight warned "
## [22573] "with the obedience of an overthrown mind, and therefore leaving "
## [22574] "some surgeons of her own to dress the body, went herself to "
## [22575] "Anaxius, and humbling herself to him, as low as his own pride "
## [22576] "could wish, besought him, that since the surgeons there had utterly "
## [22577] "given him over, that he would let her carry him away in her litter "
## [22578] "with her, since the worst he could have should be to die, and to "
## [22579] "die in her arms that loved him above all things ; and where he should "
## [22580] "have such monuments erected over him, as were fit for her love, "
## [22581] "and his worthiness: beseeching him withal, since she was in a "
## [22582] "country of enemies, where she trusted more to Anaxius's valour, "
## [22583] "than Basilius's promise, that he would convey them safely out of "
## [22584] "these territories. Her reasons something moved him, but nothing "
## [22585] "thoroughly persuaded him, but the last request of his help ; which "
## [22586] "he straight promised: warranting all security, as long as that "
## [22587] "sword had his master alive. She as happy therein as unhappiness "
## [22588] "could be, having received as small comfort of her own surgeons as "
## [22589] "of the others, caused yet the body to be easily conveyed into the "
## [22590] "litter: all the people then beginning to roar and cry, as though "
## [22591] "never till then they had lost their lord. And if the terror of "
## [22592] "Anaxius had not kept them under, they would have mutinied, "
## [22593] "rather than suffered his body to be carried away. "
## [22594] ""
## [22595] "But Anaxius himself riding before the litter, with the choice men "
## [22596] "of that place, they were afraid even to cry, though they were ready "
## [22597] "to cry for fear ; but because that they might do, everybody forced, "
## [22598] "even with harming themselves, to do honour to him: some "
## [22599] "throwing themselves upon the ground; some tearing their clothes, "
## [22600] "and casting dust upon their heads, and some even wounding "
## [22601] "themselves, and sprinkling their own blood in the air. "
## [22602] ""
## [22603] "The general consort of whose mourning performed so the "
## [22604] "natural tunes of sorrow, that even to them, if any such were, that "
## [22605] "felt not the loss, yet others' grief taught them grief; having before "
## [22606] ""
## [22607] ""
## [22608] ""
## [22609] "BOOK iil] ARCADIA 41 S "
## [22610] ""
## [22611] "both their compassionate sense so passionate a spectacle of a young "
## [22612] "man, of great beauty, beautified with great honour, honoured by "
## [22613] "great valour, made of inestimable value by the noble using of it, "
## [22614] "to lie there languishing under the arrest of death, and a death "
## [22615] "where the manner could be no comfort to the discomfortableness of "
## [22616] "the matter. But when the body was carried through the gate, and "
## [22617] "the people, saving such as were appointed, not suffered to go "
## [22618] "farther, then was such an universal cry, as if they had all had but "
## [22619] "one life, and all received but one blow. "
## [22620] ""
## [22621] "Which so moved Anaxius to consider the loss of his friend, that, "
## [22622] "his mind apter to revenge than tenderness, he presently giving "
## [22623] "order to his brothers to keep the prisoners safe, and unvisited till "
## [22624] "his return from conveying Helen, he sent a messenger to the sisters "
## [22625] "to tell them this courteous message: that at his return, with his "
## [22626] "own hands, he would cut off their heads, and send them for tokens "
## [22627] "to their father. "
## [22628] ""
## [22629] "This message was brought unto the sisters, as they sat at that time "
## [22630] "together with Zelmane, conferring how to carry themselves, having "
## [22631] "heard of the death of Amphialus. And as no expectation of death "
## [22632] "is so painful, as where the resolution is hindered by the intermixing "
## [22633] "of hopes, so did this new alarm, though not remove, yet move "
## [22634] "somewhat the constancy of their minds, which were so unconstantly "
## [22635] "dealt with. But within a while, the excellent Pamela had brought "
## [22636] "her mind again to his old acquaintance : and then as careful for her "
## [22637] "sister, whom she most dearly loved, \" Sister,\" said she, \" you see "
## [22638] "how many acts our tragedy hath: fortune is not yet aweary of "
## [22639] "vexing us : but what ? a ship is not counted strong by biding one "
## [22640] "storm : it is but the same trumpet of death, which now perhaps "
## [22641] "gives the last sound : and let us make that profit of our former "
## [22642] "miseries, that in them we learned to die willingly.\" \" Truly,\" said "
## [22643] "Philoclea, \" dear sister, I was so beaten with the evils of life, that "
## [22644] "though I had not virtue enough to despise the sweetness of it, yet my "
## [22645] "weakness bred that strength to be weary of the pains of it : only I "
## [22646] "must confess that little hope, which by these late accidents was "
## [22647] "awakened in me, was at the first angry withal. But even in the "
## [22648] "darkness of that horror, I see a light of comfort appear ; and how "
## [22649] "can I tread amiss, that see Pamela's steps ? I would only, O that "
## [22650] "my wish might take place, that my school-mistress might live, to "
## [22651] "see me say my lesson truly.\" \" Were that a life, my Philoclea ? \" "
## [22652] "said Pamela. \"No, no,\" said she, \"let it come, and put on his "
## [22653] "worst face : for at -the worst it is but a bugbear. Joy it is tome to "
## [22654] "see you so well resolved, and since the world will not have us, let it "
## [22655] "lose us. Only,\" with that she stayed a little and sighed, \" only my "
## [22656] "Philoclea,\" then she bowed down, and whispered in her ear, \"only "
## [22657] "Musidorus, my shepherd, comes between me and death, and "
## [22658] ""
## [22659] ""
## [22660] ""
## [22661] "4i6 ARCADIA [book in, "
## [22662] ""
## [22663] "makes me think I should not die, because I know he would not I "
## [22664] "should die.\" With that Philoclea sighed also, saying no more, but "
## [22665] "looking upon Zelmane, who was walking up and down the chamber, "
## [22666] "having heard this message from Anaxius, and having in time past "
## [22667] "heard of his nature, thought him like enough to perform it, which "
## [22668] "winded her again into the former maze of perplexity. Yet debating "
## [22669] "with herself of the manner how to prevent it, she continued her "
## [22670] "musing humour, little saying, or indeed, little finding in her heart "
## [22671] "to say, in a case of such extremity, where peremptorily death was "
## [22672] "threatened : and so stayed they ; having yet that comfort, that "
## [22673] "they might tarry together. Pamela nobly, Philoclea sweetly, and "
## [22674] "Zelmane sadly and desperately ; none of them entertaining sleep, "
## [22675] "which they thought should shortly begin never to awake. "
## [22676] ""
## [22677] "But Anaxius came home, having safely conducted Helen ; and "
## [22678] "safely he might well do it ; for though many of Basilius's knights "
## [22679] "would have attempted something upon Anaxius, by that means to "
## [22680] "deliver the ladies, yet Philanax having received his master's "
## [22681] "commandment, and knowing his word was given, would not "
## [22682] "consent unto it. And the black knight, who by then was able to "
## [22683] "carry abroad his wounds, did not know thereof ; but was bringing "
## [22684] "force, by force to deliver his lady. So as Anaxius, interpreting it "
## [22685] "rather fear than faith, and making even chance an argument of his "
## [22686] "virtue, returned: and as soon as he was returned, with a felon "
## [22687] "heart calling his brothers up with him, he went into the chamber, "
## [22688] "where they were all three together, with full intention to kill the "
## [22689] "sisters with his own hands, and send their heads for tokens to their "
## [22690] "father, though his brothers, who were otherwise inclined, dissuaded "
## [22691] "him ; but his reverence stayed their persuasions. But when he was "
## [22692] "come into the chamber, with the very words of choleric threatening "
## [22693] "climbing up his throat, his eyes first lighted upon Pamela; who "
## [22694] "hearing he was coming, and looking for death, thought she would "
## [22695] "keep her own majesty in welcoming it; but the beams thereof so "
## [22696] "struck his eyes, with such a counterbuff upon his pride, that if his "
## [22697] "anger could not so quickly love, nor his pride so easily honour, yet "
## [22698] "both were forced to find a worthiness. "
## [22699] ""
## [22700] "Which while it bred a pause in him, Zelmane, who had already "
## [22701] "in her mind both what and how to say, stepped out unto him, and "
## [22702] "with a resolute steadiness, void either of anger, kindness, disdain, "
## [22703] "or humbleness, spoke in this sort. \" Anaxius,\" said she, \" if fame "
## [22704] "hath not been over-partial to thee, thou art a man of exceeding "
## [22705] "valour. Therefore I do call thee even before that virtue, and will "
## [22706] "make it the judge between us. And now I do affirm, that to the "
## [22707] "eternal blot of all the fair acts that thou hast done, thou dost weakly, "
## [22708] "in seeking without danger to revenge his death, whose life with "
## [22709] "danger thou mightest perhaps have preserved : thou dost cowardly "
## [22710] ""
## [22711] ""
## [22712] ""
## [22713] "BOOK m.] ARCADIA 417 "
## [22714] ""
## [22715] "in going about by the death of these excellent ladies, to prevent "
## [22716] "the just punishment that hereafter they by the powers, which they "
## [22717] "better than their father, or any other could make, might lay upon "
## [22718] "thee, and dost most basely, in once presenting thyself as an "
## [22719] "executioner, a vile office upon men, and in a just cause ; beyond "
## [22720] "the degree of any vile word, in so unjust a cause, and upon ladies, "
## [22721] "and such ladies. And therefore, as a hangman, I say, thou art "
## [22722] "unworthy to be counted a knight, or to be admitted into the "
## [22723] "company of knights. Neither for what I say, will I allege other "
## [22724] "reasons of wisdom, or justice, to prove my speech, because I know "
## [22725] "thou dost disdain to be tied to their rules, but even in thine own "
## [22726] "virtue, whereof thou so much gloriest, I will make my trial : and "
## [22727] "therefore defy thee, by the death of one of us two, to prove or "
## [22728] "disprove these reproaches. Choose thee what arms thou likest: I "
## [22729] "only demand that these ladies, whom I defend, may in liberty see "
## [22730] "the combat.\" "
## [22731] ""
## [22732] "When Zelmane began her speech, the excellency of her beauty "
## [22733] "and grace made him a little content to hear. Besides that, a new "
## [22734] "lesson he had read in Pamela, had already taught him some "
## [22735] "regard. But when she entered into a bravery of speech, he "
## [22736] "thought at first, a mad and railing humour possessed her; till "
## [22737] "finding the speeches hold well together, and at length come to a "
## [22738] "flat challenge of combat, he stood leaning back with his body and "
## [22739] "head, sometimes with bent brows looking upon the one side of "
## [22740] "her, sometimes of the other, beyond marvel marvelling, that he, "
## [22741] "who had never heard such speeches from any knight, should be thus "
## [22742] "rebuffed by a woman, and that marvel made him hear out her "
## [22743] "speech : which ended, he turned his head to his brother Zoilus, and "
## [22744] "said nothing, but only lifting up his eyes, smiled. But Zelmane finding "
## [22745] "his mind, \" Anaxius,\" said she, \" perchance thou disdainest to answer "
## [22746] "me, because, as a woman, thou thinkest me not fit to be fought "
## [22747] "withal. But I tell thee that I have been trained up in martial "
## [22748] "matters, with so good success, that I have many times overcome "
## [22749] "braver knights than thyself: and am well known to be equal in "
## [22750] "feats of arms to the famous Pyrocles, who slew thy valiant uncle "
## [22751] "the gia;nt Evardes.\" The remembrance of his uncle's death "
## [22752] "something nettled him, so as he answered thus. "
## [22753] ""
## [22754] "\" Indeed,\" said he, \" any woman may be as vaUant as that "
## [22755] "coward and traitorly boy, who slew my uncle traitorously, and "
## [22756] "after ran from me in the plain field. Five thousand such could "
## [22757] "not have overcome Evardes, but ■ by falsehood. But I sought "
## [22758] "him all over Asia, following him still from one of his coney-holes "
## [22759] "to another, till coming into this country, I heard of my friend "
## [22760] "being besieged, and so came to blow away the wretches that "
## [22761] "troubled him. But wheresoever the miserable boy fly, heaven, nor "
## [22762] ""
## [22763] "3 D "
## [22764] ""
## [22765] ""
## [22766] ""
## [22767] "4t8 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [22768] ""
## [22769] "hell shall keep his heart from being torn by these hands.\" \" Thou "
## [22770] "liest in thy throat,\" said Zelmane, \"that boy, wherever he went, "
## [22771] "did so noble acts, as thy heart, as proud as it is, dares not think of, "
## [22772] "much less perform. But to please thee the better with my presence, "
## [22773] "I tell thee, no creature can be nearer of kin to him than myself: "
## [22774] "and so well we love, that he would not be sorrier for his own death "
## [22775] "than for mine : I being begotten by his father, of an Amazon lady. "
## [22776] "And therefore, thou canst not devise to revenge thyself more upon "
## [22777] "him, than by killing me : which if thou darest do, manfully do it, "
## [22778] "otherwise, if thou harm these incomparable ladies, or myself with- "
## [22779] "out daring to fight with riie, I protest before these knights, and "
## [22780] "before heaven and earth, that will reveal thy shame, that thou art "
## [22781] "he beggarliest dastardly villain that dishonoureth the earth with "
## [22782] "his steps : and if thou lettest me over-live them, so will I blaze "
## [22783] "thee \" But all this could not move Anaxius, but that he only said, "
## [22784] "\" Evil should it become the -terror of the world to fight, much "
## [22785] "worse to scold with thee.\" "
## [22786] ""
## [22787] "\" But,\" said he, \" for the death of these same,\" pointing to the "
## [22788] "princesses, \" of my grace I give them life.\" And withal going to "
## [22789] "Pamela, and offering to take her by the chin, \"And as for you, "
## [22790] "minion,\" said he, \" yield but gently to my will, and you shall not "
## [22791] "only live, but live so happily : \" he would have said farther, when "
## [22792] "Pamela, displeased both with words, matter and manner, putting "
## [22793] "him away with her fair hand ; \" proud beast,\" said she, \" yet thou "
## [22794] "playest worse thy comedy, than thy tragedy. For my part, assure "
## [22795] "thyself, since my destiny is such, that each moment my life and "
## [22796] "death stand in equal balance, I had rather have thee, and think "
## [22797] "thee far fitter to be my hangman, than my husband.\" Pride and "
## [22798] "anger would fain have cruelly revenged so bitter an answer, "
## [22799] "but already Cupid had begun to make it his sport to pull his "
## [22800] "plumes : so that unused to a way of courtesy, and put out of his "
## [22801] "bias of pride, he hastily went away, grumbling to himself: between "
## [22802] "threatening and wishing ; leaving his brothers with them : the "
## [22803] "elder of whom Lycurgus, liked Philoclea, and Zoilus would needs "
## [22804] "love Zelmane, or at least entertain themselves with making them "
## [22805] "believe so. Lycurgus more bragged, and near his brother's "
## [22806] "humour, began, with setting forth their blood, their deeds, how "
## [22807] "many they had despised of most excellent women ; how much "
## [22808] "they were bound to them, that would seek that of them. In sum, "
## [22809] "in all his speeches, more like the bestower than the desirer of "
## [22810] "felicity. Whom it was an excellent pastime, to those that would "
## [22811] "delight in the play of virtue, to see with what a witty ignorance "
## [22812] "she would not understand : and how acknowledging his perfec- "
## [22813] "tions, she would make that one of his perfections, not to be "
## [22814] "injurious to ladies. But when he knew not how to reply, then "
## [22815] ""
## [22816] ""
## [22817] ""
## [22818] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 419 "
## [22819] ""
## [22820] "would he fall to touching and toying, still viewing his graces in no "
## [22821] "glass but self-liking. To which Philoclea's shamefacedness and "
## [22822] "humbleness were as strong resisters as choler and disdain: for "
## [22823] "though she yielded not, he thought she was to be overcome : and "
## [22824] "that thought a while stayed him from farther violence. But "
## [22825] "Zelmane had eye to his behaviour, and set it in her memory upon "
## [22826] "the score of revenge, while she herself was no less attempted by "
## [22827] "Zoilus ; who less fond of brags was forwardest in offering, indeed, "
## [22828] "dishonourable violence. "
## [22829] ""
## [22830] "But when after their fruitless labours they had gone away, "
## [22831] "called by their brother, who began to be perplexed between new "
## [22832] "conceived desires, and disdain to be disdained, Zelmane, who with "
## [22833] "most assured quietness of judgment looked into their present "
## [22834] "estate, earnestly persuaded the two sisters, that to avoid the "
## [22835] "mischiefs of proud outrage, they would only so far suit their "
## [22836] "behaviour to their estates, as they might win time, which, as it "
## [22837] "could not bring them to worse case than they were, so it might "
## [22838] "bring forth unexpected relief. \"And why,\" said Pamela, \"shall "
## [22839] "we any longer flatter adversity ? why should we delight to make "
## [22840] "ourselves any longer balls to injurious fortune, since our own "
## [22841] "parents are content to be tyrants over us, since our own kin are "
## [22842] "content traitorously to abuse us ? certainly in mishap it may be "
## [22843] "some comfort to us that we are lighted in these fellows hands, who "
## [22844] "yet will keep us from having cause of being miserable by our "
## [22845] "friend's means. Nothing grieves me more than that you, noble "
## [22846] "lady Zelmane, to whom the world might have made us able to do "
## [22847] "honour, should receive only hurt by the contagion of our misery. "
## [22848] "As for me and my sister, undoubtedly it becomes our birth to think "
## [22849] "of dying nobly, while we have done or suffered nothing which "
## [22850] "might make our soul ashamed at the parture from these bodies. "
## [22851] "Hope is the fawning traitor of the mind, while under colour of "
## [22852] "friendship it robs it of his chief force of resolution.\" \" Virtuous "
## [22853] "and fair lady,\" said Zelmane, \" What you say is true, and that truth "
## [22854] "may well make up a part in the harmony of your noble thoughts. "
## [22855] "But yet the time, which ought always to be one, is not tuned for it, "
## [22856] "while that may bring forth any good, do not bar yourself thereof : "
## [22857] "for then will be the time to die nobly, when you cannot live nobly.\" "
## [22858] "Then so earnestly she persuaded with them both, to refer them- "
## [22859] "selves to their father's consent, in obtaining whereof they knew "
## [22860] "some while would be spent, and by that means to temper the "
## [22861] "minds of their proud woers ; that in the end Pamela yielded to her, "
## [22862] "because she spoke reason, and Philoclea yielded to her reason, "
## [22863] "because she spoke it. "
## [22864] ""
## [22865] "And so when they were again solicited in that little pleasing "
## [22866] "petition, Pamela forced herself to make answer to Anaxius, that if "
## [22867] ""
## [22868] ""
## [22869] ""
## [22870] "420 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [22871] ""
## [22872] "her father gave his consent she would make herself believe, that "
## [22873] "such was the heavenly determination, since she had no means to "
## [22874] "avoid it. Anaxius who was the most frank promiser to himself of "
## [22875] "success, nothing doubted of Basilius's consent, but rather assured "
## [22876] "himself, he would be his orator in that matter ; and therefore he "
## [22877] "chose out an officious servant, whom he esteemed very wise, "
## [22878] "because he never found him but just of his opinion, and willed him "
## [22879] "to be his ambassador to Basilius, and to make him know, that if "
## [22880] "he meant to have his daughters both safe and happy, and desired "
## [22881] "himself to have such a son-in-law, as would not only protect him "
## [22882] "in his quiet course, but, if he listed to accept it, would give him "
## [22883] "the monarchy of the world, that then he should receive Anaxius, "
## [22884] "who never before knew what it was to pray anything. That if he "
## [22885] "did not, he would make him know that the power of Anaxius was "
## [22886] "in everything beyond his will, and yet his will not to be resisted "
## [22887] "by any other power. His servant, with smiling and cast-up look, "
## [22888] "desired God to make his memory able to contain the treasure of "
## [22889] "that wise speech : and therefore besought him to repeat it again, "
## [22890] "that by the oftener hearing it his mind might be the better "
## [22891] "acquainted with the divineness thereof; and that being graciously "
## [22892] "granted he then doubted not by carrying with him in his conceit "
## [22893] "the grace wherewith Anaxius spoke it, to persuade rocky minds to "
## [22894] "their own harm ; so little doubted he to win Basilius to that, "
## [22895] "which he thought would make him think the heavens opened when "
## [22896] "he heard but the proffer thereof. Anaxius gravely allowed the "
## [22897] "probabiUty of his conjecture ; and therefore sent him away, "
## [22898] "promising him he should have the bringing up of his second son "
## [22899] "by Pamela. "
## [22900] ""
## [22901] "The messenger with speed performed his lord's commandment "
## [22902] "to Basilius ; who by nature quiet, and by superstition made "
## [22903] "doubtful, was loth to take any matter of arms in hand, wherein "
## [22904] "already he had found so slow success ; though Philanax vehemently "
## [22905] "urged him thereunto, making him see that his retiring back did "
## [22906] "encourage injuries. But Basilius, betwixt the fear of Anaxius's "
## [22907] "might, the passion of his love, and jealousy of his estate, was so "
## [22908] "perplexed, that not able to determine, he took the common course "
## [22909] "of men, to fly only then to devotion, when they want resolution : "
## [22910] "therefore detaining the messenger with delays, he deferred the "
## [22911] "directing of his course to the counsel of Apollo, which because "
## [22912] "himself at that time could not go well to require, he entrusted the "
## [22913] "matter to his best trusted Philanax ; who, as one in whom "
## [22914] "obedience was a sufficient reason unto him, went with diligence to "
## [22915] "Delphos, where being entered into the secret place of the temple, "
## [22916] "and having performed the sacrifices usual, the spirit that possessed "
## [22917] "the prophesying woman, with a sacred fury attended pot hig "
## [22918] ""
## [22919] ""
## [22920] ""
## [22921] "BOOK III.] ARCAblA 421 "
## [22922] ""
## [22923] "demand, but as if it would argue him of incredulity, told him, not "
## [22924] "in dark wonted speeches, but plainly to be understood, what he "
## [22925] "came for, and that he should return to Basilius, and will him to "
## [22926] "deny his daughters to Anaxius and his brothers ; for that they "
## [22927] "were reserved for such as were better beloved of the Gods, that "
## [22928] "he should not doubt, for they should return unto him safely and "
## [22929] "speedily ; and that he should keep on his solitary course till both "
## [22930] "Philanax and Basilius fully agreed in the understanding of the "
## [22931] "former prophecy : withal commanding Philanax from thence "
## [22932] "forward to give tribute, but not oblation to human wisdom. "
## [22933] ""
## [22934] "Philanax then finding that reason cannot show itself more "
## [22935] "reasonable than to leave reasoning in things above reason, returns "
## [22936] "to his lord, and like one that preferred truth before the maintaining "
## [22937] "of an opinion, hid nothing from him, nor from thenceforth durst "
## [22938] "any more dissuade him from that which he found by the celestial "
## [22939] "providence directed ; but he himself looking to repair the "
## [22940] "government, as much as in so broken an estate by civil dissention "
## [22941] "he might, and fortifying with notable art both the lodges, so that "
## [22942] "they were almost made unapproachable, he left Basilius to bemoan "
## [22943] "the absence of his daughters, and to bewail the imprisonment of "
## [22944] "Zelmane ; yet wholly given holily to obey the oracle, he gave a "
## [22945] "resolute negative unto the messenger of Anaxius, who all this "
## [22946] "while had waited for it ; yet in good terms desiring him to show "
## [22947] "himself in respect of his birth and profession, so princely a knight, "
## [22948] "as without forcing him to seek the way of force, to deliver in noble "
## [22949] "sort these ladies unto him, and so should the injury have been by "
## [22950] "Amphialus, and the benefit in him. "
## [22951] ""
## [22952] "The messenger went back with this answer, yet having ever "
## [22953] "used to sugar anything which his master was to receive, he told "
## [22954] "him, that when Basilius first understood his desires, it did over- "
## [22955] "reach so far all his most hopeful expectations that he thought it "
## [22956] "were too great a boldness to hearken to such a man, in whom the "
## [22957] "heavens had such interest, without asking the Gods counsel ; and "
## [22958] "therefore had sent his principal counsellor to Delphos, who "
## [22959] "although he kept the matter ever so secret, yet his diligence "
## [22960] "inspired by Anaxius's privilege over all worldly things, had found "
## [22961] "out the secret, which was, that he should not presume to marry his "
## [22962] "daughter to one who already was enrolled among the demi-gods, "
## [22963] "and yet much less he should dare the attempting to take them out "
## [22964] "of his hands. "
## [22965] ""
## [22966] "Anaxius, who till then had made fortune his creator, and force "
## [22967] "his god, now began to find another wisdom to be above, that "
## [22968] "judged so rightly of him : and where in this time of his servant's "
## [22969] "waitmg for Basilms's resolution, he and his brothers had courted "
## [22970] "their ladies, as whom they vouchsafed to have for their wives • he "
## [22971] ""
## [22972] ""
## [22973] ""
## [22974] "422 ARCAblA tBOOK Mi. "
## [22975] ""
## [22976] "resolved now to dally no longer in delays, but to make violence "
## [22977] "his orator, since he had found persuasions had gotten nothing but "
## [22978] "answers. Which intention he opened to his brothers, who having "
## [22979] "all this while wanted nothing to take that away but his authority, "
## [22980] "gave spurs to his runnings ; and, worthy men, neither feeling "
## [22981] "virtue in themselves, nor tendering it in others, they went headlong "
## [22982] "to make that evil consort of love and force, when Anaxius had "
## [22983] "word, that from the tower there were descried some companies of "
## [22984] "armed men, marching towards the town, wherefore he gave present "
## [22985] "order to his servants and soldiers to go to the gates and walls, "
## [22986] "leaving none within but himself and his brothers : his thoughts "
## [22987] "then so full of their intended prey, that Mars his loudest trumpet "
## [22988] "could scarcely have awaked him. "
## [22989] ""
## [22990] "But while he was directing what he would have done, his "
## [22991] "youngest brother Zoilus, glad that he had the commission, went in "
## [22992] "the name of Anaxius to tell the sisters, that since he had answer "
## [22993] "from their father, that he and his brother Lycurgus should have "
## [22994] "them in what sort it pleased them, that they would now grant them "
## [22995] "no longer time, but presently to determine whether they thought it "
## [22996] "more honourable <:omfort to be compelled or persuaded. Pamela "
## [22997] "made him answer, that in a matter whereon the whole state of her "
## [22998] "life depended, and wherein she had ever answered she would not "
## [22999] "lead, but follow her parents' pleasure, she thought it reason she "
## [23000] "should either by letter, or particular messenger, understand "
## [23001] "something from themselves, and not have their belief bound to the "
## [23002] "report of their partial servant : and therefore as to their words, she "
## [23003] "and her sister had ever a simple and true resolution, so against "
## [23004] "their unjust force, God, they hoped, would either arm their lives, "
## [23005] "or take away their lives. \" Well, ladies,\" said he, \" I will leave my "
## [23006] "brothers, who by and by will come unto you to be their own "
## [23007] "ambassadors : for my part I must now do myself service ; and "
## [23008] "with that turning up his mustaches, and marching as if he would "
## [23009] "begin a paven*, he went toward Zelmane. But Zelmane having "
## [23010] "heard all this while of the messenger's being with BasiHus, had "
## [23011] "much to do to keep these excellent ladies from seeking by the "
## [23012] "passport of death to escape these base dangers whereunto they "
## [23013] "found themselves subject, still hoping that Musidorus would find "
## [23014] "some means to deliver them ; and therefore had often, both by her "
## [23015] "own example and comfortable reasons, persuaded them to overpass "
## [23016] "many insolent indignities of their proud suitors, who thought -it "
## [23017] "was a sufficient favour not to do the uttermost injury, now come "
## [23018] "again to the strait she most feared for them, either of death or "
## [23019] "dishonour, if heroical courage would have let her, she had been "
## [23020] "beyond herself amazed : but that yet held up her wit, to attend "
## [23021] ""
## [23022] "* i.e. A dance. "
## [23023] ""
## [23024] ""
## [23025] ""
## [23026] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 423 "
## [23027] ""
## [23028] "the uttermost occasion, which even then brought his hairy forehead "
## [23029] "unto her : for Zoilus smacking his lips, as for the prologue of a "
## [23030] "kiss, and something advancing himself, \"Darling,\" said he, \"let "
## [23031] "thy heart be full of joy, and let thy \"fair eyes be of counsel with it, "
## [23032] "for this day thou shalt have Zoilus, whom many have longed for, "
## [23033] "but none shall have him but Zelmane. And oh ! how much glory "
## [23034] "I have to think what a race will be between us ? The world, by "
## [23035] "the heavens, the world will be too htde for them.\" And with that "
## [23036] "he would have put his arm about her neck ; but she withdrawing "
## [23037] "herself from him, \"My lord,\" said she, \"much good may your "
## [23038] "thoughts do you : but that I may not dissemble with you, my "
## [23039] "nativity being cast by one that never failed in any of his prognosti- "
## [23040] "cations, I have been assured that I should never be apt to bear "
## [23041] "children ; but since you will honour me with so high a favour, I "
## [23042] "must only desire that I may perform a vow, which I made among "
## [23043] "my countrywomen, the famous Amazons, that I would marry none, "
## [23044] "but such one as was able to withstand me in arms : therefore, "
## [23045] "before I make mine own desire serviceable to yours, you must "
## [23046] "vouchsafe to lend me armour and weapons, that at least with a "
## [23047] "blow or two of the sword I may not find myself perjured to myself.\" "
## [23048] "But Zoilus, laughing with a hearty loudness, went by force to "
## [23049] "embrace her ; making no other answer, but since she had a mind "
## [23050] "to try his knighthood, she should quickly know what a man of "
## [23051] "arms he was ; and so without reverence to the ladies, began to "
## [23052] "struggle with her. "
## [23053] ""
## [23054] "But in Zelmane then disdain became wisdom, and anger gave "
## [23055] "occasion. For abiding no longer abode in the matter, she that "
## [23056] "had not put off, though she had disguised Pyrocles, being far "
## [23057] "fuller of stronger nimbleness, tripped up his feet so that he fell "
## [23058] "down at hers. And withal, meaning to pursue what she had "
## [23059] "begun, pulled out his sword which he wore about him : but before "
## [23060] "she could strike him withal, he got up, and ran to a fair chamber, "
## [23061] "where he had left his two brethren, preparing themselves to come "
## [23062] "down to their mistresses. But she followed at his heels, and even "
## [23063] "as he came to throw himself into their arms for succour, she hit "
## [23064] "him with his own sword such a blow upon the waist that she "
## [23065] "almost cut him asunder: once she sundered his soul from his "
## [23066] "body, sending it to Proserpina, an angry goddess against ravishers. "
## [23067] "But Anaxius, seeing before his eyes the miserable end of his "
## [23068] "brother, fuller of despite than wrath, and yet fuller of wrath than "
## [23069] "sorrow, looking with a woeful eye upon his brother Lycurgus; "
## [23070] "\" Brother,\" said he, \" chastise this vile creature, while I go down "
## [23071] "and take order lest farther mischief arise : \" and so went down "
## [23072] "to the ladies, whom he visited, doubting there had been some "
## [23073] "farther practice than yet he conceived. But finding them only "
## [23074] ""
## [23075] ""
## [23076] ""
## [23077] "424 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [23078] ""
## [23079] "strong in patience, he went and locked a great iron gate, by "
## [23080] "which only anybody might mount to that part of the castle ; rather "
## [23081] "to conceal the shame of his brother, slain by a woman, than for "
## [23082] "doubt of any other annoyance : and then went up to receive some "
## [23083] "comfort of the execution, he was sure his brother had done of "
## [23084] "Zelmane. But Zelmane no sooner saw these brothers, of whom "
## [23085] "reason assured her she was to expect revenge, but that she leaped "
## [23086] "to a target, as one that well knew the first mark of valour to be "
## [23087] "defence. And then accepting the opportunity of Anaxius going "
## [23088] "away, she waited not the pleasure of Lycurgus, but without any "
## [23089] "words, which she ever thought vain, when resolution took the "
## [23090] "place of persuasion, gave her own heart the contentment to be "
## [23091] "the assailer. Lycurgus, who was in the disposition of his nature "
## [23092] "hazardous, and by the lucky passing through many dangers, grown "
## [23093] "confident in himself, went toward her, rather as to a spoil than "
## [23094] "to fight ; so far from fear, that his assuredness disdained to hope. "
## [23095] "But when her sword made demonstrations above all flattery of "
## [23096] "arguments, and that he found she pressed so upon him, as showed "
## [23097] "that her courage sprang not from blind despair, but was guarded "
## [23098] "both with cunning and strength ; self-love then first in him "
## [23099] "divided itself from vain glory, and made him find that the world "
## [23100] "of worthiness had not his whole globe comprised in his breast, "
## [23101] "but that it was necessary to have strong resistance against so "
## [23102] "strong assailing. And so between them, for a few blows, Mars "
## [23103] "himself might have been delighted to look on. But Zelmane, who "
## [23104] "knew that in her case, slowness of victory was little better than "
## [23105] "ruin, with the bellows of hate blew the fire of courage ; and he "
## [23106] "striking a main blow at her head, she warded it with the shield, "
## [23107] "but so warded, that the shield was cut in two pieces while it "
## [23108] "protected her : and withal she ran in to him, and thrusting at his "
## [23109] "breast, which he put by with his target, as he was lifting up his "
## [23110] "sword to strike again, she let fall the piece of her shield, and with "
## [23111] "her left hand catching his sword on the inside of the pommel, "
## [23112] "with nimble and strong slight she had gotten his sword out of "
## [23113] "his hand, before his sense could convey to his imagination what "
## [23114] "was to be doubted. And having now two swords against one "
## [23115] "shield, meaning not foolishly to be ungrateful ttJ good fortune, "
## [23116] "while he was no more amazed with his being unweaponed, than "
## [23117] "with the suddenness thereof, she gave him such a wound upon his "
## [23118] "head, in despite of the shield's over-weak resistance, that withal "
## [23119] "he fell to the ground astonished with the pain, and aghast with "
## [23120] "fear. But seeing Zelmane ready to conclude her victory in his "
## [23121] "death, bowing up his head to her with a countenance that had "
## [23122] "forgotten all pride, \" Enough, excellent lady,\" said he, \" the honour "
## [23123] "is yours ; whereof you shall want the best witness if you kill me. "
## [23124] ""
## [23125] ""
## [23126] ""
## [23127] "Book in.| ARCAOtA 4^§ "
## [23128] ""
## [23129] "As you have taken from men the glory of manhood, return so now "
## [23130] "again to your own sex for mercy. I will redeem my life of you "
## [23131] "with no small services; for I will undertake to make my brother "
## [23132] "obey all your commandments. Grant life, I beseech you, for your "
## [23133] "own honour, and for the person's sake that you love best.\" "
## [23134] ""
## [23135] "Zelmane repressed a while her great heart, either disdaining to "
## [23136] "be cruel or pitiful, and therefore not cruel ; and now the image of "
## [23137] "the human condition began to be an orator unto her of compassion, "
## [23138] "when she saw, as if he lifted up his arms with a suppliant's grace "
## [23139] "about one of them, unhappily tied a garter with a jewel, which, "
## [23140] "given to Pyrocles by his aunt of Thessalia, and greatly esteemed "
## [23141] "by him, he had presented to, Philoclea, and with inward rage "
## [23142] "promising extreme hatred, had seen Lycurgus with a proud force, "
## [23143] "and not without some hurt to her, pull away from Philoclea, "
## [23144] "because at entreaty she would not give it him. But the sight of "
## [23145] "that was like a cypher, signifying all the injuries which Philoclea "
## [23146] "had of him -suffered, and that remembrance feeding upon wrath, "
## [23147] "trod down all conceits of mercy. And therefore saying no more, "
## [23148] "but, \"No villian, die: it is Philoclea that sends thee this token "
## [23149] "for thy love.\" With that she made her sword drink the blood "
## [23150] "of his heart, though he wresting his body, and with a countenance "
## [23151] "prepared to excuse, would fain have delayed the receiving of "
## [23152] "death's ambassadors. But neither stayed Zelmane's hand, nor "
## [23153] "yet Anaxius's cry unto her ; who having made fast the iron gate, "
## [23154] "even then came to the top of the stairs, when contrary to all "
## [23155] "his imaginations, he saw his brother lie at Zelmane's mercy. "
## [23156] "Therefore crying, promising, and threatening to her to hold her "
## [23157] "hand : the last groan of his brother was the only answer he could "
## [23158] "get to his unrespected eloquence. But then pity would fain have "
## [23159] "drawn tears, which fury in their spring dried; and anger would "
## [23160] "fain have spoken, but that disdain sealed up his lips ; but in his "
## [23161] "heart he blasphemed heaven, that it could have such a power over "
## [23162] "him, no less ashamed of the victory he should have of her, than "
## [23163] "of his brother's overthrow: and no more spited that it was yet "
## [23164] "unrevenged, than that the revenge should be no greater than "
## [23165] "a woman's destruction. Therefore with no speech, but such "
## [23166] "a groaning cry as often is the language of sorrowful anger, he "
## [23167] "came running at Zelmane; use of fighting then serving instead of "
## [23168] "patient consideration what to do. Guided wherewith, though he "
## [23169] "did not with knowledge, yet he did according to knowledge, "
## [23170] "pressing upon Zelmane in such a well defended manner, that in "
## [23171] "all the combats that ever she had fought, she had never more need "
## [23172] "of quick senses, and ready virtue. For being one of the greatest "
## [23173] "men of stature then living; as he did fully answer that stature "
## [23174] "in greatness of might; so did he exceed both in greatness of "
## [23175] ""
## [23176] ""
## [23177] ""
## [23178] "426 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [23179] ""
## [23180] "courage, which with a countenance formed by the nature both of "
## [23181] "his mind and body, to an almost horrible fierceness, was able to "
## [23182] "have carried fear to any mind that was not privy to itself of a true "
## [23183] "and constant worthiness. But Pyrocles, whose soul might well "
## [23184] "be separated from his body, but never alienated from the "
## [23185] "remembering of what was comely, if at the first he did a little "
## [23186] "apprehend the dangerousness of his adversary, whom once before "
## [23187] "he had something tried, and now perfectly saw as the very picture "
## [23188] "of forcible fury ; yet was that apprehension quickly stayed in him, "
## [23189] "rather strengthening than weakening his virtue by that wrestling, "
## [23190] "like wine growing the stronger by being moved. So that they "
## [23191] "both prepared in hearts, and able in hands, did honour solitariness "
## [23192] "there with such a combat, as might have demanded, as a right "
## [23193] "of fortune, whole armies of beholders. But no beholders needed "
## [23194] "there, where manhood blew the trumpet, and satisfaction did "
## [23195] "whet as much as glory. There was strength against nimbleness : "
## [23196] "rage against resolution; fury against virtue; confidence against "
## [23197] "courage ; pride against nobleness : love in both breeding mutual "
## [23198] "hatred, and desire of revenging the injuries of his brother's "
## [23199] "slaughter, to Anaxius, being like Philoclea's captivity to Pyrocles. "
## [23200] "Who had seen the one, would have thought nothing could have "
## [23201] "resisted: who had marked the other, would have marvelled that "
## [23202] "the other had so long resisted. But like two contrary tides, either "
## [23203] "of which are able to carry worlds of ships and men upon them, "
## [23204] "with such swiftness that nothing seems able to withstand them, "
## [23205] "yet meeting one another, with mingling their watery forces, and "
## [23206] "struggling together, it is long to say, whether stream gets the "
## [23207] "victory; so between these, if Pallas had been there, she could "
## [23208] "scarcely have told, whether she had nursed better in the feats "
## [23209] "of arms. The Irish greyhound against the EngUsh mastiff; the "
## [23210] "sword-fish against the whale ; the rhinoceros against the elephant, "
## [23211] "might be models, and but models of this combat. Anaxius was "
## [23212] "better armed defensively: for (besides a strong cask bravely "
## [23213] "covered, wherewith he covered his head) he had a huge shield, "
## [23214] "such perchance, as Achilles showed to the pale walls of Troy, "
## [23215] "wherewithal that great body was covered. But Pyrocles utterly "
## [23216] "unarmed for defence, to offend had the advantage, for, in either "
## [23217] "hand he had a sword, and with both hands nimbly performed that "
## [23218] "office. And according as they were diversely furnished, so they "
## [23219] "did differ in the manner of fighting : for Anaxius most by warding, "
## [23220] "and Pyrocles oftenest by avoiding, resisted the adversary's assault. "
## [23221] "Both hasty to end, yet both often staying for advantage. Time, "
## [23222] "distance and motion, custom made them so perfect in, that as "
## [23223] "if they had been fellow counsellors, and not enemies, each knew "
## [23224] "the other's mind, and knew how to prevent it. So as their "
## [23225] ""
## [23226] ""
## [23227] ""
## [23228] "BOOK III.] Arcadia 427 "
## [23229] ""
## [23230] "strength failed tliem sooner than their skill, and yet their breath "
## [23231] "failed them sooner than their strength. And breathless indeed "
## [23232] "they grew, before either could complain of any loss of blood. "
## [23233] ""
## [23234] "So that consenting by the meditation of necessity to a breathing "
## [23235] "time of truce, being withdrawn a litrie one from the other, Anaxius "
## [23236] "stood leaning upon his sword with his grim eye so settled upon "
## [23237] "Zelmane, as is wont to be the look of an earnest thought. Which "
## [23238] "Zelmane marking, and according to the Pyroclean nature, fuller of "
## [23239] "gay bravery in the midst than in the beginning of danger : \"What "
## [23240] "is it,\" said she, \" Anaxius, that thou so deeply musest on ? doth thy "
## [23241] "brother's example make thee think of thy fault past, or of thy "
## [23242] "coming punishment?\" \"I think,\" said he, \"what spiteful god it "
## [23243] "should be, who envying my glory, hath brought me to such a "
## [23244] "wayward case, that neither thy death can be a revenge, nor "
## [23245] "thy overthrow a victory.\" \"Thou dost well indeed,\" said "
## [23246] "Zelmane, \"to impute thy case to the heavenly providence, "
## [23247] "which will have thy pride find itself, even in that whereof "
## [23248] "thou art most proud, punished by the weak sex which thou "
## [23249] "most contemnest.\" "
## [23250] ""
## [23251] "But then having sufficiently rested themselves, they renewed "
## [23252] "again their combat far more terrible than before: like nimble "
## [23253] "vaulters, who at the first and second leap do but stir, and, as it "
## [23254] "were, awake the fiery and airy parts, which after in the other leaps "
## [23255] "they do with more excellency exercise. For in this pausing, each "
## [23256] "had brought to his thoughts the manner of the other's fighting, "
## [23257] "and the advantages, which by that, and by the quality of their "
## [23258] "weapons they might work themselves, and so again repeated the "
## [23259] "lesson they had said before, more perfectly by the using of it; "
## [23260] "Anaxius oftener used blows, his huge force, as it vvere, more "
## [23261] "delighting therein, and the large protection of his shield animating "
## [23262] "him unto it. Pyrocles, of a more fine and deliberate strength, "
## [23263] "watching his time, when to give fit thrusts, as, with the quick "
## [23264] "obeying of his body, to his eye's quick commandment, he shunned "
## [23265] "any harm Anaxius could do to him : so would he soon have made "
## [23266] "an end of Anaxius, if he had not found him a man of wonderful "
## [23267] "and almost matchless excellency in matters of arms. Pyrocles "
## [23268] "used divers feignings to bring Anaxius on into some inconvenience, "
## [23269] "but Anaxius keeping a sound manner of fighting, never oflfered "
## [23270] "but seeing fair cause, and then followed it with well governed "
## [23271] "violence. Thus spent they a great time, striving to do, and with "
## [23272] "striving to do, wearying themselves more than with the very doing. "
## [23273] "Anaxius finding Zelmane so near unto him, that with little motion "
## [23274] "he might reach her, knitting all his strength together, at that time "
## [23275] "mainly foiled at her face. But Zelmane strongly putting it by with "
## [23276] "her right hand sword, coming in with her left foot and hand, would "
## [23277] ""
## [23278] ""
## [23279] ""
## [23280] "428 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [23281] ""
## [23282] "have given a sharp visitation to his right side, but that he was fain "
## [23283] "to leap away. Whereat ashamed, as having never done so much "
## [23284] "before in his Hfe. * The fire of rage then burning contempt out "
## [23285] "of his breast, did burst forth in flames through his eyes, and in "
## [23286] "smoke from his mouth ; so that he was returning with a terrible "
## [23287] "madness (all the strength of his whole body transferred to the one "
## [23288] "hand for a singular service) which the resolute Zelmane did "
## [23289] "earnestly observe with a providently all despising courage, whilst "
## [23290] "the ears of Anaxius were suddenly arrested by a sound, whereof "
## [23291] "they were only capable, which, in consort with his own humour, "
## [23292] "could only of him with authority have challenged a due attendance : "
## [23293] "straight a martial noise (raised by the violence of invaders ; and "
## [23294] "distractedness of others, dreadfully tumultuous) giving him "
## [23295] "intelligence what a bloody scene was acting without in the court "
## [23296] "of the castle, where he was expected as a special actor ; though "
## [23297] "his eye, as harbinger of his blow, had already marked the room, "
## [23298] "where his bended arm threatened to lodge it ; yet his feet did so "
## [23299] "suddenly ravish away the rest of his body, that even his own "
## [23300] "thoughts, much more Zelmane's, were prevented by the suddenness "
## [23301] "of his flight, a flight indeed, not from the fighting with one, but to "
## [23302] "the fighting with many, where he did not look for an object worthy "
## [23303] "of the wrath of Anaxius. So that vanishing away, as carried in a "
## [23304] "cloud of whirlwind, Zelmane either could not, or else would not "
## [23305] "reach him : as disdaining the base advantage of these dishonourable "
## [23306] "wounds, which though greatest shame to the flying receiver, can "
## [23307] "give no glory to the unresisted giver. . "
## [23308] ""
## [23309] "The impetuous storm that transported the spirit of Anaxius, had "
## [23310] "quickly blown him down the stairs, and up the door, his sword "
## [23311] "ushering his way, till his eyes were encountered with the beams "
## [23312] "of the lightning weapons of a small number, which rather seemed "
## [23313] "surprised within the castle, than to have surprised the castle. Yet "
## [23314] "they had speedily purchased a great room for so small a company, "
## [23315] "challenging as their own all the bounds that their swords could "
## [23316] "compass : and in eff'ect their enemies proved their fewness many, "
## [23317] "reckoning the black knight and his second (as cyphers are esteemed "
## [23318] "when valued by others, over which they are raised) not for the "
## [23319] "number which indeed they were, but for the number which they "
## [23320] "were worth. These three were quickly known by their wonted "
## [23321] "arms; but more by their wonted valour. The court had been a "
## [23322] "fitter list for two, than a field for so many, where the narrowness "
## [23323] "of the place, not giving place to sleight, there was no way but by "
## [23324] "plain force ; so that the greatest cowards were as forward as the "
## [23325] "most courageous, fear making them bold, who saw no refuge but "
## [23326] ""
## [23327] "* A chasm being occasioned in this place, by the loss of some of the Author's "
## [23328] "invaluable papers ; it was excellently supplied, as follows, by Sir W. A. "
## [23329] ""
## [23330] ""
## [23331] ""
## [23332] "BOOK m.] ARCADIA 429 "
## [23333] ""
## [23334] "by fighting; which made the conflict exceeding cruel, either of the "
## [23335] "parties having more spurs than one to draw blood. "
## [23336] ""
## [23337] "The Amphialians, besides their rage for being abused by an "
## [23338] "unexpected stratagem, and their desire to defend the place, being "
## [23339] "bound both by private interest and public vows ; they had added "
## [23340] "farther, to make up the accomplishment of a just wrath, the means "
## [23341] "of revenge, as they thought, on their master's murderer; looking "
## [23342] "no otherwise on the black knight than as on him who had buried "
## [23343] "all their hopes in the ruins of Amphialus, whereof to their farther "
## [23344] "grief, they had been idle witnesses. All this made them desperately "
## [23345] "endeavour that the eyes of Anaxius might be entertained with their "
## [23346] "victory, before his ears could be burdened with their error ; chiefly "
## [23347] "at his coming, those of his own train kindled their courage at the "
## [23348] "torches of his eyes, prodigious comets of a deluge of blood. As "
## [23349] "for the pursued pursuers, like those who landing to make war in "
## [23350] "an island burn the ships which brought them thither, by the "
## [23351] "impossibility of their return to show the desperate necessity of "
## [23352] "their victory ; they were assured they could neither advance nor "
## [23353] "retire, but over the bellies of their enemies; yet were they not so "
## [23354] "desperate of their retreat, as confident of their victory. The black "
## [23355] "knight, though all the giants that fought against the gods had been "
## [23356] "there, he thought they could not hinder him from going where his "
## [23357] "heart was already, nor from prevailing where the prize was the "
## [23358] "delivery of his lady, and friend, the double treasures of his soul, "
## [23359] "whereof any was valued above his life, yea, both were balanced "
## [23360] "with his honour; so that he did show not only the height of valour, "
## [23361] "but a ravishing of his soul, and a transportation of magnanimity, "
## [23362] "far from the level of ordinary aims, and even scarce within the "
## [23363] "prospect of more lofty thoughts. Yet neither love nor courage "
## [23364] "could blind his judgment, in seeing his advantage : marching with "
## [23365] "his company ever the next wall, to prevent being compassed: "
## [23366] "though sometimes making brave sallies. Which Anaxius at his "
## [23367] "first approach espying, upbraided his own troop as unworthy of "
## [23368] "his attendance, and all as traitors in receiving, or dastards in not "
## [23369] "expelling that, in his eyes, contemned crew, oftentimes urging "
## [23370] "them by their retiring to make way for him, and he alone would "
## [23371] "either beat them over the walls, or in the walls : for the truth is "
## [23372] "they seemed all too small a sacrifice to appease his high indigna- "
## [23373] "tion. It was superfluous labour for Alecto to inflame his soul with "
## [23374] "poisonous inspirations; for his soul might have furnished aU the "
## [23375] "infernal furies with fury, and yet have continued the most fiirious "
## [23376] "of all itself Rage and disdain, burning his bosom, made him "
## [23377] "utter a roanng voice, as if his breath had been able to have blown "
## [23378] "away the world, which for the sound that his sword made, could "
## [23379] "not distinctly be understood. "
## [23380] ""
## [23381] ""
## [23382] ""
## [23383] "43° ARCADIA [book m. "
## [23384] ""
## [23385] "The first whom he encountered, lifting up his hand to strike, "
## [23386] "and withal opening his mouth, as if intending some speech, his "
## [23387] "proposition was prevented by an active answer, cutting him from "
## [23388] "the lips to the ears, so by opening his mouth, restraining his speech. "
## [23389] "The knight of the sheep succeeding in his place, a vindictive heir, "
## [23390] "was exchanging blows with Anaxlus with no disadvantage, when "
## [23391] "suddenly a dart, none knew to whose hand the honour of it was "
## [23392] "due, did wound him in the thigh, which he doubtful to whom he "
## [23393] "stood debtor, did pay back to many, an extraordinary interest, "
## [23394] "with the death of someone striving to defray every drop of his "
## [23395] "blood. "
## [23396] ""
## [23397] "The black knight, black indeed to all his adversaries, when "
## [23398] "viewing the wonderful valour of Anaxius, with whom then rival in "
## [23399] "fame he entertained a terrible emulation, what bred terror in "
## [23400] "others, bred in him contentment ; that his conquest, whereof he "
## [23401] "never doubted, might be endeared by the difficulty, and his victory "
## [23402] "be honoured by so honourable an enemy, with whom, above all "
## [23403] "others, he laboured to meet, by the ruin of many making a room "
## [23404] "where they might fight. "
## [23405] ""
## [23406] "But in the meantime the torrent of the violence of Anaxius was "
## [23407] "interrupted by a sudden tumult ; seeming to proceed from an "
## [23408] "ambushment broken forth from the houses behind them. And no "
## [23409] "wonder though all thought so : the two swords of Zelmane being "
## [23410] "riotous in their charges, were so covetous to extend their confines. "
## [23411] "She following, or rather, as a falcon in an earnest chase, flying "
## [23412] "down the stairs after him, did not overtake Anaxius but with her "
## [23413] "eyes till he was walled about with the armed multitude, and then, "
## [23414] "like a lioness lately enraged, that had been long famished in "
## [23415] "prison, she ranged over all for her prey : but yet like a cunning "
## [23416] "hound, that out of a whole herd of deer, doth only single him out "
## [23417] "with whom she had entered first in hostility (a little drop of his "
## [23418] "blood having betrayed all the rest) she disdained to fight with any "
## [23419] "other but would be resisted by none till she might unbend all her "
## [23420] "forces on Anaxius, whose sight as soon as her eyes had greedily "
## [23421] "swallowed, she burst forth : \" Base dastard, who hast abused the "
## [23422] "world with shadows of worth, yet art void of all valour, having "
## [23423] "doubly forfeited the usurped title of honour, in offering injurious "
## [23424] "violence to a woman, and yet flying the just violence of a woman, "
## [23425] "to hide thyself (being protected by the shield of some trusted "
## [23426] "attender) where the sufficiency of others may conceal thy cowardice : "
## [23427] "but all this shall not defraud my wrath, nor prevent thy "
## [23428] "punishment.\" "
## [23429] ""
## [23430] "Ana>dus, more troubled with these words, than if all the swords "
## [23431] "of the enemies had lighted upon him (whom for the highest of all "
## [23432] "his wishes, would have but wished her a man, yea an army of men) "
## [23433] ""
## [23434] ""
## [23435] ""
## [23436] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 431 "
## [23437] ""
## [23438] "looked over his shoulder with an eye burning with disdain, as if "
## [23439] "one of his looks might have served to consume a woman, and at "
## [23440] "the same instant, uttering his rage another way, with a blow "
## [23441] "worthy of his arm, he did cleave one before him through the "
## [23442] "helmet to the shoulders, making him so, by being two headed, "
## [23443] "headless. But seeing Zelmane press near him, though he hoped "
## [23444] "for no honour from her, yet to prevent dishonour from her (shame "
## [23445] "kindling rage, and rage quenching reason) he commanded "
## [23446] "Armagines his nephew, a youth of great valour, to take these "
## [23447] "foohsh fellows prisoners who durst adventure within that castle "
## [23448] "without his leave, and to shut all the gates, that none of them "
## [23449] "might escape; and therewith whirling about, and casting a "
## [23450] "sideward look on Zelmane, made an imperious sign with a "
## [23451] "threatening allurement (a disinviting inviting of her) to follow, "
## [23452] "which she performed with a countenance witnessing as great "
## [23453] "contentment, as ever Venus did to most with Mars; Mars and "
## [23454] "Venus at the same time having met within her mind, to make, "
## [23455] "though a less loving, yet a more martial meeting. "
## [23456] ""
## [23457] "The crowds of people in their way were quickly dispersed by "
## [23458] "the tempestuous breath of Anaxius, so that they had no hindrance : "
## [23459] "he being feared of all, and she hated of none. Neither was their "
## [23460] "solitary retiring, in respect of their different seeming sex, "
## [23461] "suspiciously censured by any: the disdainfulness of their "
## [23462] "countenance bearing witness, that they were led by hate to "
## [23463] "honour, and not by love to the contrary. "
## [23464] ""
## [23465] "The place appointed by fortune to be famous by the famousness "
## [23466] "of this combat, was a back court, which they found out at that "
## [23467] "time emptied of inhabitants; the stronger being gone to pursue "
## [23468] "others, and the weaker run to hide themselves : mediocrity being "
## [23469] "no more a virtue, where all was at height, to make excellency "
## [23470] "eminent in extremity. "
## [23471] ""
## [23472] "They two came here alone, for they would have no seconds, "
## [23473] "or rather were so far first as they could have no seconds, and every "
## [23474] "one of them being confident in his own worth could not mistrust "
## [23475] "another's. As if words had been too weak messengers of their "
## [23476] "wrath, and swords only worthy to utter their minds, they began "
## [23477] "with that wherewith they hoped to end ; none of them now could "
## [23478] "flatter himself so far against the proof of his own experienced "
## [23479] "knowledge, as to contemn his fellow. "
## [23480] ""
## [23481] "Anaxius at the first, rioting in rage, and burning with a "
## [23482] "voluptuous appetite of blood, did abandon his hands to their "
## [23483] "accustomed prodigality, which contrary to the nature of that vice, "
## [23484] "was hurtful to the receiver, and profitable for the spender. But "
## [23485] "Zelmane, well weighing with whom she had to deal, was more "
## [23486] "wary in her charges, and circumspectly managing the treasure "
## [23487] ""
## [23488] ""
## [23489] ""
## [23490] "432 ARCADIA [book in. "
## [23491] ""
## [23492] "of her strength, would not idly bestow it, but was liberal when "
## [23493] "occasion offered. It was hard to say, whether the one was more "
## [23494] "frank, or the other more thankful: the guerdon never deferred, "
## [23495] "oft preventing the gift, above the desire of the receiver, yet short "
## [23496] "of the giver's mind. Their thought, eye, hand, and foot seemed "
## [23497] "chained to one motion, as all being tuned by violence, to make "
## [23498] "up a harmony in horror. Never was courage better supported "
## [23499] "by skill and strength nor skill and strength better accompanied "
## [23500] "by courage ; the blows of every one of them seemed not only "
## [23501] "to strive with the others, but even among themselves, for "
## [23502] "singularity; the latter still (by being more observable) seeking "
## [23503] "to bury the remembrance of the former. "
## [23504] ""
## [23505] "It seemed that these two were not retired from the battle, "
## [23506] "but that the battle was transferred where they were. The eye "
## [23507] "might well have taken them to be two, but the ear would never "
## [23508] "have been persuaded that so mighty sounds could be sent but "
## [23509] "from the weapons of a number; the environing windows with a "
## [23510] "sad solitariness seemed to bewail their want of eyes, which "
## [23511] "defrauded them the entertainment of that delectable terror, "
## [23512] "transporting sports. "
## [23513] ""
## [23514] "Anaxius more angry with himself than with his enemy, that he "
## [23515] "should be so long in vanquishing, where, when victorious, he "
## [23516] "would be but ashamed of the victory, all his active powers being "
## [23517] "highly bended, both by choler and courage, he thus discharged his "
## [23518] "tongue : \" What spiteful god, jealous of my greatness, or envying "
## [23519] "my glory, hath sent this devil in a woman's shape (as a cloud for "
## [23520] "Tuno to Ixion) to mock me ? but all this is one : though thou be a "
## [23521] "devil in a woman, or all the devils in one devil, I swear by this "
## [23522] "blow I will beat thee hence to the hells, to the eternal terror of all "
## [23523] "the dark region ; \" and with that lighted on Zelmane with such a "
## [23524] "huge force, that all she could- procure by the mediation of one of "
## [23525] "her swords, was, that what was intended wholly at her. head, by "
## [23526] "the wrying of her body, did but wound her a little on the shoulder. "
## [23527] "This was so far from dismaying her, that it did confirm, increase "
## [23528] "it could not, her resolution already at a height : Yet, though not "
## [23529] "more courage, she pretended more fury, compassing him about to "
## [23530] "espy advantages, and oft giving him feigned alarms, as bragging "
## [23531] "to make a breach in his breast, advanced her right-hand sword, "
## [23532] "which Anaxius beat down, and withal encroached to usurp a room "
## [23533] "in her right ride : but Zelmane suddenly inclining to the left, gave "
## [23534] "him a flat blow with that hand's sword, which returned back clad "
## [23535] "with the spoils of that part of the body which it had forced. "
## [23536] ""
## [23537] "Both thus being already allied by blood, yet did strive for a "
## [23538] "more strict affinity : wounds, in regard of their frequency, being no "
## [23539] "more respected than blows were before. Though they met in "
## [23540] ""
## [23541] ""
## [23542] ""
## [23543] "BOOK in.] "
## [23544] ""
## [23545] ""
## [23546] ""
## [23547] "ARCADIA 433 "
## [23548] ""
## [23549] ""
## [23550] ""
## [23551] "divers colours, now both were clad in one livery, as most suitable "
## [23552] "to their present estate : being servants to one master, and rivals in "
## [23553] "preferment Neither could showers of blood quench the winds of "
## [23554] "their wrath, which did blow it forth in great abundance, till faintness "
## [23555] "would have fain persuaded both that they were mortal, and though "
## [23556] "neither of them by another, yet both overcomable by death. Then "
## [23557] "despair came to reinforce the fight, joining with courage, not as a "
## [23558] "companion, but as a servant : for courage never grew desperate, "
## [23559] "but despair grew courageous ; both being resolved, if not conquering, "
## [23560] "none of them should survive the other's conquest, nor owe trophy "
## [23561] "but to death. "
## [23562] ""
## [23563] "The greatest grief of the one was to die by a woman ; and of the "
## [23564] "other, to die as a woman : both in respect of her apparel, and, as "
## [23565] "she thought, action; being matched by one man, who had o'er- "
## [23566] "matched multitudes of men. At last the great storm of blows "
## [23567] "being past, she rested one of her swords on the earth, either forced "
## [23568] "by faintness, or intending art, offering a thrust with the other, "
## [23569] "which Anaxius perceiving, did speedily repel: and with that "
## [23570] "(gathering his distressed strength together, as ready to remove, "
## [23571] "but first bent to give a gallant farewell) ran forward with such a "
## [23572] "violent violence on Zelmane (nought being able to resist his "
## [23573] "unresistable force) that she presently interposing her reposed "
## [23574] "sword, though it ran him through the heart, or rather he his heart "
## [23575] "upon it, it could not hinder him from running her through the "
## [23576] "body, and both to the earth, a brave flash of a dying hght ! a "
## [23577] "mighty thunder of a quenched lightning ! Thus did he overthrow "
## [23578] "his overthrower : not falling till none was able to stand before "
## [23579] "him ; whilst though he were vanquished, none could vaunt of the "
## [23580] "victory. His breast fell above the hand with the sword, as if he "
## [23581] "would needs die embracing it, even after death adoring that idol "
## [23582] "of his life, and his dead weight striving with Zelmane's weak life, "
## [23583] "whilst she struggling to rise did break the sword, a part remaining "
## [23584] "under him, and the rest within her : thus hard it was to force "
## [23585] "Anaxius, though he was dead, and impossible while he lived. "
## [23586] ""
## [23587] "Zelmane, after her rising, did draw the other sword out of him, "
## [23588] "as bent to return not interested in anything. She was stepping "
## [23589] "forward with a sword in each hand, and a part of one in her breast : "
## [23590] "a trophy of victory, yet a badge of ruin ; never better weaponed, "
## [23591] "never more unfit for fighting; when lo all the followers of Anaxius, "
## [23592] "discomforted by his absence, but more by the black knight's "
## [23593] "presence, Armagines having his death honoured by his hand, the rest "
## [23594] "were quickly discomfitted, and, despairing to save the castle, "
## [23595] "sought to save themselves. "
## [23596] ""
## [23597] "The black knight committed the following of their flight to "
## [23598] "others, as a dangerless action, and therefore not worthy of him; "
## [23599] ""
## [23600] "2 E "
## [23601] ""
## [23602] ""
## [23603] ""
## [23604] "434 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [23605] ""
## [23606] "then fearing that elsewhere for another which he could no more "
## [23607] "find there for himself, he went by the direction of his eyes, and the "
## [23608] "information of his ears, to seek out the two retired champions, "
## [23609] "when suddenly he encountered his other self, marching like Pallas "
## [23610] "from the giant's overthrow. "
## [23611] ""
## [23612] "As soon as the eyes of Pyrocles, no, his soul was ravished with "
## [23613] "the sight of Musidorus, it having infused a fresh vigour in his "
## [23614] "feeble members, and that physic applied to his mind, triumphing "
## [23615] "over the infirmity of his body; he threw away his swords, only "
## [23616] "conquerable by kindness, and pulled out that which was in his "
## [23617] "body, that nothing might hinder him from embracing the image "
## [23618] "of his soul, which reflected his own thoughts. Their souls by a "
## [23619] "divine sympathy did first join, preventing the elemental masses of "
## [23620] "the bodies : but ah ! whilst they were clasped in each other's arms "
## [23621] "(Uke two grafts grafted in one stock) the high tide of over-flowing "
## [23622] "affection restraining their tongues with astonishment, as unable to "
## [23623] "express an unexpressible passion. "
## [23624] ""
## [23625] "Pyrocles weakened with the loss of blood, the effects of hate, "
## [23626] "and in that weakness surcharged with kindness, the fruits of love, "
## [23627] "npt able to abide the interchoking of such extremities, the paleness "
## [23628] "of his face witnessed the parting of his spirits, so that not able to "
## [23629] "stand, Musidorus was forced to fall with him, or else would not "
## [23630] "stand after him. And at the suddenness of his unexpected "
## [23631] "adventure, or vehemently respectable misadventure ; like one (who "
## [23632] "unawares slipping from a great height) is choked betwixt the "
## [23633] "height and the lowness, e'er he can consider, either whence he "
## [23634] "fell, or where he falls. Being thrown from the top of contentment, "
## [23635] "to be drowned in the depths of misery, he had his reasonable part "
## [23636] "so hastily overwhelmed with confusion, that he remained dead "
## [23637] "alive, as the other was living in death. At last, re-assembling his "
## [23638] "confounded senses from the rocks of ruin, grief had gathered so "
## [23639] "much strength through weakness, as to attempt an impossibility in "
## [23640] "manifesting itself. "
## [23641] ""
## [23642] "\" O what a monster of misery am I ! even when most fortunate, "
## [23643] "most unfortunate, who never had a lightning of comfort, but that "
## [23644] "it was suddenly followed with a thunder of confusion. Twice was "
## [23645] "my felicity by land (that it might be washed for ever away) made a "
## [23646] "prey to the inexorable waves, whilst the relenting destinies pitying "
## [23647] "the rigour of their own decrees, to prevent their threatened effects,. "
## [23648] "w;ould have drowned me in (respecting the ocean of sorrow "
## [23649] "prepaijed to swallow me) that little drop of the sea. And, O thrice "
## [23650] "happy I, if I had perished whilst I was altogether unhappy ; then, "
## [23651] "when a dejected shepherd offensive to the perfection of the world, "
## [23652] "I could hardly, being oppressed by contempt, make myself worthy "
## [23653] "to be disdained, disdain to be despised, being a degree of grace. "
## [23654] ""
## [23655] ""
## [23656] ""
## [23657] "BOOK III.1 ARCADIA 435 "
## [23658] ""
## [23659] "would to God that I had died obscurely, whilst my life miglit "
## [23660] "still have lived famous with others, and my death have died wit a "
## [23661] "myself; whilst my not being known might have kept my dishonour "
## [23662] "unknown, even then when matched, matched by one, and in the "
## [23663] "presence of many fighting for one who was more dear to me than all "
## [23664] "the world. Ah me ! most miserable, in not being more miserable. "
## [23665] "Such a pestilentious influence poisoned the time of my nativity, that "
## [23666] ""
## [23667] "1 have had a spark of happiness, to clear me the way to destruction. "
## [23668] "I was carried high to be fit for a precipice, and that from that "
## [23669] "height I might behold how low the dungeons were wherein I was "
## [23670] "to fall. Even now I was so far from fear, that I was higher than "
## [23671] "hope, being in imagination master of all my wishes ; yet at an "
## [23672] "instant, as if all that could be inflicted on myself were not sufficient "
## [23673] "to afilict me, being armed with resolution, both to brave the terrors "
## [23674] "of death, and to contemn the flatteries of life, I am tormented in "
## [23675] "another, whose sufferings could only make me tenderly sensible. "
## [23676] "And with that, sorrow, as it were sorry to be interrupted by "
## [23677] "utterance, did damn itself up to swell higher, feeding on the "
## [23678] "contemplation of itself within : where, when absolute tyrant of the "
## [23679] "breast, it might rather burst him, than burst out.\" "
## [23680] ""
## [23681] "Then he was lying down senselessly on his senseless friend, as "
## [23682] "in all estates striving to be still like him, when lo he felt his breast "
## [23683] "beat, and thereafter saw his unclouded eyes weakly strive to shine "
## [23684] "again; thus first re-saluting the light, \"Oh where am I?\" "
## [23685] "Musidorus replied: \"With him who is hasting to die with you.\" "
## [23686] "\" No,\" said he, \" I have hastened to live with you.\" \" Death or life,\" "
## [23687] "said Musidorus, \" either of them must join us, but neither of them "
## [23688] "is able to part us.\" With that Pyrocles, weakly rising, entrusted "
## [23689] "his feet with their own burden, but Musidorus, jealous of the "
## [23690] "carriage of so precious a treasure, would needs aid them with his "
## [23691] "arm, his strength strengthening Pyrocles, and the weakness of "
## [23692] "Pyrocles weakening him. "
## [23693] ""
## [23694] "Thus, whilst guided by one, who was acquainted with the castle, "
## [23695] "they were seeking out a room, where Pyrocles reposing might "
## [23696] "cause take a trial of the estate of his body, and repair the bloody "
## [23697] "breaches of the late battery; it being, though evil fortified, yet "
## [23698] "well defended: as they were walking along a gallery, they heard "
## [23699] "from a chamber neighbouring the side of it, a dolorous sound, but "
## [23700] "so heavily delivered with a disorderly convoy, that choked with "
## [23701] "sobs, else drowned with tears, the pains of the bearer had so "
## [23702] "spoiled the birth that it could not be known; yet a secret "
## [23703] "sympathy, by an unexpressible working, did more wound the mind "
## [23704] "of Pyrocles, than it was wounded by all the wounds of his body he "
## [23705] "pitying his complaint, though not knowing from whom nor' for "
## [23706] "what: \"0 how the soul, apt for all impressions transcending "
## [23707] ""
## [23708] ""
## [23709] ""
## [23710] "436 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [23711] ""
## [23712] "reason, can comprehend unapprehensible things;\" this was the "
## [23713] "lamentation of the lamentable Philoclea. "
## [23714] ""
## [23715] "The ladies after the departure of Zelmane, by the inundation in "
## [23716] "their ears of horrible sounds, were violently invited to come "
## [23717] "fearfully to a window overlooking the court, where they beheld the "
## [23718] "bloody effects of that, whereof they were the innocent causes. At "
## [23719] "first the lilies of their cheeks overgrowing the roses, paleness had "
## [23720] "almost displaced beauty, were it not beauty was so powerful as to "
## [23721] "make paleness beautiful; yet their often travelled memory "
## [23722] "instructed their judgment, that misery being at a height, could not "
## [23723] "but of force either work the end of itself, or a beginning of comfort, "
## [23724] "and they could expect no worse estate than that in which they "
## [23725] "were. "
## [23726] ""
## [23727] "Pamela would fain have flattered herself to think that it was "
## [23728] "Musidorus come to deliver her, but she had rather have still "
## [23729] "remained captive than to have drawn him to such a danger for "
## [23730] "her delivery; and having once apprehended that he was there, "
## [23731] "never a blow was given but that she was wounded with it, being "
## [23732] "ever sorry for the overthrown, never glad for the overthrower ; "
## [23733] "either pity prevailing with the tenderness of her sex, or because "
## [23734] "she knew no danger could come by overcoming. "
## [23735] ""
## [23736] "As for Philoclea, she who through the gentleness of her own "
## [23737] "nature would have smarted for any other who had been in danger, "
## [23738] "when she remembered the hazard of her treasure Zelmane, who, as "
## [23739] "she knew, did not use to be an idle spectator of so earnest a game, "
## [23740] "a multitude of thoughts, without art artificial, did paint fear in her "
## [23741] "face, and engrave grief in her bosom. Whilst they continued thus, "
## [23742] "Pamela, in vain striving to match majesty with affection, stood "
## [23743] "with a distracted stateliness, and with a stately astonishment, where "
## [23744] "grief and fear in Philoclea made easily a consort in sorrow, with "
## [23745] "watery eyes, like the sun shining in a shower, weakly clearing a "
## [23746] "cloudy countenance ; when suddenly they heard one cry, since the "
## [23747] "castle was won to set the ladies at liberty ; but they who were well "
## [23748] "acquainted both with the frowns and smiles of fortune, as they had "
## [23749] "ever triumphed over the one, would not suffer themselves to be led "
## [23750] "captives by the other ; neither could this accomplish their content- "
## [23751] "ment, till they had the lords of that pleasant bondage, which they "
## [23752] "did value more than unvaluable liberty ; the constrained activity of "
## [23753] "the body having nothing diminished the voluntary thraldom of "
## [23754] "the mind. "
## [23755] ""
## [23756] "But ah ! this smooth calm came only to make them the more "
## [23757] "sensible of the succeeding tempest, which the breath of one from "
## [23758] "below, roaring forth the death of Zelmane, did thunder up upon them. "
## [23759] "Pamela (like a rock amidst the sea, beaten both with the winds "
## [23760] "and with the waves, yet itself immoveable) did receive this rigorous "
## [23761] ""
## [23762] ""
## [23763] ""
## [23764] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 437 "
## [23765] ""
## [23766] "charge with a constant, though sad countenance, and with fixed "
## [23767] "eyes witnessing the moving of her mind, yet neither uttering word, "
## [23768] "nor tear, as disdaining to employ their weakness in so great a "
## [23769] "grief. Such might have been the gesture of Niobe hearing the "
## [23770] "news of her children's death, e'er she was metamorphosed into a "
## [23771] "stone; like one, majesty triumphing over misery, who would "
## [23772] "rather burst strongly within than be disburdened by bursting out "
## [23773] "in an abject manner. "
## [23774] ""
## [23775] "But, ah me, the confounded Philoclea, who, being the weaker, "
## [23776] "had received the sharpest assault, an affectionate fury forcing from "
## [23777] "her an absolute passion, which a dutiful kindness through "
## [23778] "compassion only provoked in her sister, she, smothered with so "
## [23779] "monstrous a weight, did sink down under it to the earth. "
## [23780] ""
## [23781] "This made Pamela forget her other grief without any comfort, "
## [23782] "transferring her affection from her friend to her more than friendly "
## [23783] "sister ; for whom she saw at that time her care might be more "
## [23784] "serviceable, wherewith she brought her to herself, and she herself "
## [23785] "to sorrow. At first the tongue and the eyes being too feeble "
## [23786] "instruments for so violent a passion, she used her hands, beating "
## [23787] "that breast which the most barbarous creature else in the world "
## [23788] "could not have done ; offering those torn hairs as oblations to "
## [23789] "him after death, which had been the delights of his life ; and "
## [23790] "deforming that face, the register of nature's wonders, confirmed "
## [23791] "by the admiration of men. Which when Pamela, of a patient "
## [23792] "became a physician, sought to hinder, she thus said : \" Alas ! "
## [23793] "sister, you do not know what a treasure I have lost, even a "
## [23794] "treasure more worth than all the world was worthy to "
## [23795] "enjoy. Ah, pardon me thou, whom even death is not able "
## [23796] "to kill in my soul : pardon me, who have ever concealed thy "
## [23797] "secret, now to discover mine own, for while my life lasts, short "
## [23798] "may it be, and long it shall not be, I will show to all the world "
## [23799] "that, which, whilst thou livedst, I would have been ashamed to have "
## [23800] "shown to thyself even thy perfection and mine affection. Neither "
## [23801] "do I regard how the conceits of others censure my carriage in this ; "
## [23802] "for there is no eye now, wherein I desire to appear precious, nor "
## [23803] "no opinion, whereof I crave to make a purchase ; death may end "
## [23804] "my life, but not my love, which, as it is infinite, must be immortal. "
## [23805] "I would gladly use means to dispatch this miserable life ; but it "
## [23806] "were a shame for me, if, after so great a disaster, sorrow only were "
## [23807] "not sufficient to kill me.\" And with that beauty in the heaven of "
## [23808] "her face, two suns eclipsed, being wrapped up in paleness, she fell "
## [23809] "down grovelling on the ground. "
## [23810] ""
## [23811] "Pyrocles, imagining what report might be made, and not doubt- "
## [23812] "ing what effect it would work, bent to furnish physic for her mind, e'er "
## [23813] "he sought any for his own body, came in at the door, whom Pamela^ "
## [23814] ""
## [23815] ""
## [23816] ""
## [23817] "438 ARCADIA [book ni. "
## [23818] ""
## [23819] "her arms and her tongue rivals in kindness, embracing, said, \" Never "
## [23820] "more welcome, though ever welcome, Zelmane ; thou who ever art "
## [23821] "victorious, hast thou likewise brought thyself away a trophy from "
## [23822] "death ? \" \" Sweet ladies,\" replied she, \" who would faint to fight "
## [23823] "for such divine creatures as you are ? and who could have force to "
## [23824] "fight against you ? \" "
## [23825] ""
## [23826] "Philoclea, who at first, either dull through excessive dolor, did "
## [23827] "not conceive her sister's words ; or else suspecting, as she thought, "
## [23828] "her impossible desire to please her, all being doubtful to trust what "
## [23829] "they do extremely affect, did misconceive her meaning. She was "
## [23830] "raising her eyes to examine her ears : but the most trusty of her "
## [23831] "senses preventing both, by a palpable proof, gave her an absolute "
## [23832] "assurance ; so that e'er she could think Zelmane was at all to be "
## [23833] "embraced, finding herself embraced by Zelmane, she was lifted up "
## [23834] "to a heaven of joy, as before she had been sunk down in a hell of "
## [23835] "grief ; never absolutely her own ; but either ravished or ruined. "
## [23836] "Spying the blood on Zelmane's garment, not knowing whether her "
## [23837] "own, or her enemies', she grew pale ; and then, looking on her "
## [23838] "sister, she blushed, suspecting that she suspected the cause of her "
## [23839] "paleness, conferring it with her former plaints, to be more than a "
## [23840] "friendly kindness ; but Zelmane, fearing what might be the effects "
## [23841] "of her fear, said, that she expected a congratulation of her victory, "
## [23842] "and not condoling of past danger, which was acquitted with the "
## [23843] "speechless answer of an affectionate look, and a passionate pressing ; "
## [23844] "of her hand. "
## [23845] ""
## [23846] "Then Pamela, inquiring the perilous course of her short progress, "
## [23847] "she told how fortified with their fortune, trusting more to it than "
## [23848] "to her own valour, which, like their beauty, could not but prevail, "
## [23849] "she had first overthrown the two brethren of Anaxius ; and "
## [23850] "thereafter, fighting with himself, it was her chance, God strengthen- "
## [23851] "ing her weakness to punish his injustice, to kill him ; she could "
## [23852] "not say overcome him, no, she was not ashamed to affirm, that "
## [23853] "though he was killed, she thought him not overcome, seeing both "
## [23854] "he died with opinion, and in action of victory ; death preventing "
## [23855] "the knowledge of his last success. A rare happiness, his life and "
## [23856] "fortune having both but one bound. "
## [23857] ""
## [23858] "Both highly praising her valour, and admiring her modesty, and "
## [23859] "glad of their own delivery, whereof they thought her the author, "
## [23860] "thoughts striving to express themselves the more powerfully "
## [23861] "without words, they were acknowledging the fame with a grateful "
## [23862] "countenance, and kindly affecting looks, when Zelmane, not "
## [23863] "complementally hunting that which she fled, but like one who with "
## [23864] "a glass reflects the force of the sun somewhere else, earnestly "
## [23865] "protested that she would be loth to usurp that which was due to "
## [23866] "another, especially in the owner's presence. And, turning towards "
## [23867] ""
## [23868] ""
## [23869] ""
## [23870] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 439 "
## [23871] ""
## [23872] "the black knight, who all the time stood aside as her attender, "
## [23873] "though armed, trembling for fear of one unarmed, who unarmed, "
## [23874] "would not have been so afraid of an army in arms, she freely "
## [23875] "affirmed, \" There is the deliverer of us all, from whom we receive "
## [23876] "our liberty, to whom we owe ourselves, since it is that which makes "
## [23877] "us ourselves.\" "
## [23878] ""
## [23879] "Then the black knight, invited by the willing countenance of the "
## [23880] "princess, abasing his helmet, advanced more fearfully than to a "
## [23881] "battle, to kiss her hand : when Zelmane, courteously retired "
## [23882] "Philoclea a little distance from thence, as glad to confer with her, "
## [23883] "as to give her friend occasion to confer with Pamela, who presently, "
## [23884] "whilst the roses of his lips made a flower of affection with the lilies "
## [23885] "of her hands, knowing her own Dorus, at the suddenness of the "
## [23886] "assault, the moving of her mind was betrayed by the changes of "
## [23887] "her countenance, the blood of her face ebbing and flowing according "
## [23888] "to the tide of affection ; yet borrowing a mask from hate, wherewith "
## [23889] "to hide love, she thus charged him, who already had yielded : "
## [23890] "\" How durst you thus presume to present yourself in my presence, "
## [23891] "being discharged it, when you deserved the uttermost that reason "
## [23892] "could devise, or fury execute .? Hath my dejected estate emboldened "
## [23893] "you to exalt yourself against me .' \" Then he, gathering courage "
## [23894] "from the extremity of despair, thus cleared his intention : \" True "
## [23895] "it is, lady of my hfe, and shall be of my death, I was worthy then "
## [23896] "to have been banished from the world. But what of a world of "
## [23897] "worlds ? I was banished from your sight, and, which is worst of "
## [23898] "all, deservedly. Neither come I now of contempt, but only to "
## [23899] "testify my obedience, which otherwise at this time might have been "
## [23900] "construed to a cowardice. Such a love as mine, wedded to virtue "
## [23901] "can never be so adulterated by any accident, no, nor yet ravished "
## [23902] "by passion, as to bring forth a bastard disobedience, whereof my "
## [23903] "very conscience not being able to accuse my thoughts, I come to "
## [23904] "clear myself. But now, having performed all that was within the "
## [23905] "compass of my power, a part of my blood witnessing my affection, "
## [23906] "which I wish were confirmed by the rest : you may see, directness "
## [23907] "of my destiny, that no force can force me to anything, much less "
## [23908] "from your sight, save only your own will, which is unto me a law, "
## [23909] "yea, an oracle. And now when you see I do it not for fear of "
## [23910] "others, but only out of a reverence to you ; if not for your "
## [23911] "satisfaction, yet for my punishment, so to persecute him whom you "
## [23912] "hate, I will go waste the remnant of my wretched days in some "
## [23913] "remote wilderness as not worthy to be seen of any, since odious in "
## [23914] "your sight : having, I hope, by many proofs prevailed thus much "
## [23915] "with your opmion, that after my death you will think there was "
## [23916] "some worth in me ; though not worthy of your love.\" When he "
## [23917] "full of humble affection, was retiring himself with a courtesy as low "
## [23918] ""
## [23919] ""
## [23920] ""
## [23921] "440 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [23922] ""
## [23923] "as his thoughts ; she, thinking enough done to try him, yet without "
## [23924] "seeming to trust him, whilst, though guihy of grief, her countenance "
## [23925] "could accuse her of no care, as out of a fresh remembrance, said, "
## [23926] "\" That she would not have Dametas to lose a servant, nor Mopsa a "
## [23927] "suitor, by her means ; and if he would needs return towards the "
## [23928] "lodges, that he should first expect some employment homewards "
## [23929] "from her.\" Then he, as one, who fallen in the bottom of some deep "
## [23930] "water, coming to float above, in sight of land, receiveth some "
## [23931] "comfort, though still in danger, began to re-assemble his dispersed "
## [23932] "spirits again, looking more cheerfully. But e'er his thoughts, "
## [23933] "every one of them overflowing another, could settle themselves in "
## [23934] "words, she, preventing the violence of so sudden a change, did call "
## [23935] "to her sister, by accusing their indiscretion, in holding these two so "
## [23936] "long by talking with them, from looking to themselves. Which "
## [23937] "Philoclea allowed, trembling with an earnest fear, to know in what "
## [23938] "estate Zelmane stood. "
## [23939] ""
## [23940] "They two, injured by this courtesy, with an unwilling obedience "
## [23941] "accepted of it ; more respecting the pleasure of others, than their "
## [23942] "own necessity. Pamela as only aflfecting Zelmane, offered her "
## [23943] "either all, or a part of their chamber: and she, her tongue "
## [23944] "rebelling against her heart, refused what she desired, pretending "
## [23945] "a lothness to trouble them. Then the sisters offered to accompany "
## [23946] "them; but, after they had a while coloured true kindness with "
## [23947] "ordinary compliments, Zelmane prevailed against herself, to "
## [23948] "go accompanied as she came : yet both looking as if they would "
## [23949] "have left their eyes behind them, as well as their hearts ; as soon "
## [23950] "as they were by themselves in a chamber, Zelmane disapparelling "
## [23951] "herself, the black knight, though better skilled in giving, than in "
## [23952] "curing of wounds, yet lately experienced by passing the like "
## [23953] "danger, he would needs prove a surgeon: and after he had "
## [23954] "purchased the things necessary, having considered his wounds, "
## [23955] "he found none, save the last that went through the body, "
## [23956] "dangerous; and yet not deadly: thereafter mehing their minds "
## [23957] "in discourses, either of them had his own contentment doubled "
## [23958] "by hearing of the others. "
## [23959] ""
## [23960] "Then the black knight, taking leave for a while, locking the "
## [23961] "door behind him, went down to the court, to try if any spark of "
## [23962] "the late fire remained as yet to quench. For after the opposite "
## [23963] "party, as if their arms- were not sufficient to arm them, unless their "
## [23964] "arms were armed with walls, ran to fortify themselves within "
## [23965] "houses, which had no strength save that which men were to afford "
## [23966] "them: he, who thought his own good fortune no better than "
## [23967] "a misfortune, till he was assured that his friend had the like, "
## [23968] "without whom no happiness of his could be accomplished, re- "
## [23969] "comxnending the remnant of the adversary's ruins to his two "
## [23970] ""
## [23971] ""
## [23972] ""
## [23973] "BooKiii.] ARCADIA 441 "
## [23974] ""
## [23975] "companions, had gone to learn if he were alike happy in all places : "
## [23976] "and they, fear freezing the courage, and dissolving the hearts "
## [23977] "of their scattered enemies, found quickly more throwing themselves "
## [23978] "weaponless at their feet, than they could have leisure severally "
## [23979] "to raise, so that they were more weary, though more contented "
## [23980] "with pardoning than they had been with punishing. "
## [23981] ""
## [23982] "Some more crafty, or more fearful, cried out at the windows "
## [23983] "that they would surrender upon security of pardon. But they, "
## [23984] "scorning to capitulate with fugitives, who would not have done "
## [23985] "it with them when fighters : and disdaining all that, by the most "
## [23986] "large construction, could be wrested to the sense of constraint, "
## [23987] "they would not equal them with those who wei-e already humble "
## [23988] "till they submitted in a more submissive manner, depending only "
## [23989] "on their free disposition. Which they, either trusting to the virtue "
## [23990] "of others, or mistrusting their own, having done the knight of the "
## [23991] "sheep was constrained, his wound bleeding in great abundance, "
## [23992] "which being made by an impoisoned dart, had inflamed all his "
## [23993] "body, to retire. The other, having received the keys of the gate, "
## [23994] "committed the chief captives to keepers, till the black knight's "
## [23995] "coming, who presently thereafter exacting what conditions he "
## [23996] "pleased, did discharge them all. Then sentinels were set on the "
## [23997] "wall, and a conjpany appointed to watch all night ; when suddenly "
## [23998] "one came from their friend, to desire them to come and take "
## [23999] "their last farewell of him : a request wonderfully grieving them, "
## [24000] "yet quickly granted ; yea, performed e'er answered. "
## [24001] ""
## [24002] "Being met, and all others retired, he with these words deeply "
## [24003] "wounded their souls. \"Dear friends, whom I may justly call "
## [24004] "so, though none of us as yet doth know another ; You see, I have "
## [24005] "acted my part, and the curtain must quickly be drawn. Death, "
## [24006] "the only period of all respects, doth dispense with a free speech. "
## [24007] "At a tilting in Iberia, where I was born, dedicated to the memory "
## [24008] "of the queen Andromana's marriage, a novice in arms, amongst "
## [24009] "others, I ran in a pastoral show against the Corinthian knights, "
## [24010] "whom the success had preferred in the opinion of the beholders : "
## [24011] "till the worthily admirable princes, Musidorus and Pyrocles, "
## [24012] "drawn forth by the young prince Palladius, brought back the "
## [24013] "reputation to our party, and there did such things as might have "
## [24014] "honoured Mars, if he had been in any of their places, and made "
## [24015] "either of them worthy of his. Thereafter being drawn away from "
## [24016] "that country by an accident, the report whereof craves a longer "
## [24017] "time, and a stronger breath than the heavens are like to afford me, "
## [24018] "their glory tyrannizing over my rest, did kindle such flames in my "
## [24019] "bosom, that, burning with a generous ardour, I did resolve "
## [24020] "leaving my own country, as too strict a bound for my thoughts, "
## [24021] "Xo try my fortune^ where I might either hve famouSj, or die "
## [24022] ""
## [24023] ""
## [24024] ""
## [24025] "442 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [24026] ""
## [24027] "unknown; vowing withal to travel, till these princes were either "
## [24028] "the subject or witnesses of my valour. What passed in my way "
## [24029] "I pass over: perchance others may remember. At last, invited "
## [24030] "by fame, I came to this fatal country, it the band of my heart was, "
## [24031] "and now must be of my body : where first carried with curiosity, "
## [24032] "the fever of youth, I went to the Arcadian pastorals for my "
## [24033] "recreation, but found the ruin of my rest. There, blinded with "
## [24034] "beholding, and tormented with delight, my earnest eyes surfeited "
## [24035] "on the excellencies of the pattern of perfection, the quintessence "
## [24036] "of worth, even the most divinely divine Philoclea. Ah too "
## [24037] "adventurous eyes! Neither could this content them, but they "
## [24038] "would needs offer up her picture on the altar of my heart; where, "
## [24039] "by my thoughts their choice might be allowed, yea, and idolatrously "
## [24040] "advanced. For they, scorning the simple rudeness of the eyes, "
## [24041] "as easily defrauded of their too forwardly affected object, would "
## [24042] "securely entreasure it in a more precious place, by a piercing "
## [24043] "apprehension sinking it in the soul for ever. For a time, suffered "
## [24044] "as a. stranger, and a shepherd, known as you know, by the name "
## [24045] "of Philisides, amongst the rest, I had the means to pour forth my "
## [24046] "plaints before her, but never to her, and, though overthrown, "
## [24047] "not rendered, I had concluded never to have thrown the dice "
## [24048] "betwixt hope and despair, so betraying my estate to the tyranny "
## [24049] "of another's will. No, I was resolved she should never know "
## [24050] "her power in me, till I had known her mind of me: so that, "
## [24051] "if she would not raise me^, she should not have means to insult "
## [24052] "over me. Thus if I had not procured pity, I should not have "
## [24053] "exposed myself to disdain. "
## [24054] ""
## [24055] "In the haughtiness of my heart, thinking nothing impossible, "
## [24056] "I durst promise myself, that, my deeds having purchased reputation, "
## [24057] "with words worthy of respect, I might venture the process of my "
## [24058] "affection. In the meantime I joined joyful with you in this late "
## [24059] "war now ended: though professing a general desire of glory, "
## [24060] "yet for a particular end, and happy end, since I send for her. "
## [24061] "But since whilst I lived, I had not the means, as I wished, to "
## [24062] "content her. I crave not, by the knowledge of this, after death "
## [24063] "to discontent her. It shall satisfy me, that I die before my hopes ; "
## [24064] "and she cannot grieve for the loss of that which she never knew "
## [24065] "to be hers. "
## [24066] ""
## [24067] "With this, the oth|f sliding apart to bear and bury his sorrow "
## [24068] "privately, the black knight, weeping, embraced him in his arms, "
## [24069] "and told him what he was, saying, he was glad that his vow was "
## [24070] "performed; he being a benefitted witness, not the endangered "
## [24071] "subject of his valour. Then contentment, budding forth in his "
## [24072] "countenance, flourished in a smile, and having kissed his friends, "
## [24073] "desiring to live in their memory, wished them as contented lives, "
## [24074] ""
## [24075] ""
## [24076] ""
## [24077] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 443 "
## [24078] ""
## [24079] "as his was a death. He died as joyful as he left them sorrowful, "
## [24080] "who had known him a mirror of courage and courtesy, of learning "
## [24081] "and arms; so that it seemed that Mars had begotten him upon "
## [24082] "one of the muses. "
## [24083] ""
## [24084] "Musidorus, exceedingly sorrowful for this irreparable loss, was "
## [24085] "yet more sorrowful when he remembered himself to be in danger "
## [24086] "of a greater; and recommending the direction of all below to the "
## [24087] "knight of the pole, he went himself up to.visit his patient, whom "
## [24088] "he found, though lying, yet resting; and though not sleeping, "
## [24089] "yet dreaming. As soon as he heard Musidorus, starting as one "
## [24090] "awakened out of a slumber, he looked on his face, grieved to see "
## [24091] "the impression of grief in it, he not knowing the cause, with an "
## [24092] "inquisitive amazement. But the other preventing that threatened "
## [24093] "tempest, did blow away the clouds that were gathered in his "
## [24094] "countenance ; telling him that he had no interest in the anguish "
## [24095] "which then did afflict him. \"What,\" said Pyrocles, being "
## [24096] "passionately moved, \"can Musidorus have anything wherein "
## [24097] "I have no interest ? \" \" I,\" said he, \" and for the present a greater "
## [24098] "wonder ; my grief may breed you joy, I having lost a friend, and "
## [24099] "you a rival. Then he began to discourse unto him what was "
## [24100] "passed. And beside that, which was justly deserved, pity "
## [24101] "adorning praise and praise augmenting pity, a generous passion "
## [24102] "so conquered the unconquerable Pyrocles, that he lamented "
## [24103] "him dead, whom he had not known ; no, nor would never "
## [24104] "have loved alive, and undoubtedly would have wished him no "
## [24105] "better success than he had. Yea the very thing which before "
## [24106] "might have most discontented him, did then most content "
## [24107] "him ; having his judgment confirmed by the like, in one of such "
## [24108] "worth. "
## [24109] ""
## [24110] "After that, laid down in one bed together, friendship making "
## [24111] "them free, and solitariness bold, whilst their minds began to "
## [24112] "be delivered of all, wherewith they had a long time travelled, "
## [24113] "a maid came to the door, sent by the two sisters, to visit Zelmane, "
## [24114] "who hearing two, where she expected but one, and the one by the "
## [24115] "manner of his speech likely to be a man, did presently return, "
## [24116] "and reported to the ladies, who were lying together, that whereof "
## [24117] "her ears had given her sufficient assurance. At which news "
## [24118] "Pamela, burning within, sparkled forth these words to her sister : "
## [24119] "\"What wonder though strangers ever wandering, wander from "
## [24120] "all things. Chiefly those of our sex, who being born to be bounded "
## [24121] "within houses, when they cannot be bounded within kingdoms, "
## [24122] "how can they be bounded by modesty ? Yet, though I hate the "
## [24123] "deed, the respect of the doer, but more of us whose company "
## [24124] "she hath haunted, left her reproach, by the commentary of fame, "
## [24125] "be too largely extended, binds me to conceal her shame, that "
## [24126] ""
## [24127] ""
## [24128] ""
## [24129] "444 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [24130] ""
## [24131] "we blush not at it. But we must either free ourselves from her, "
## [24132] "or she herself from this slander.\" "
## [24133] ""
## [24134] "\" Oh,\" but answered the ever (and now more than ever) mild "
## [24135] "Philoclea, \" we must not, sister, rashly condemn those whom we "
## [24136] "have oftentimes considerately approved, lest the change be in our "
## [24137] "judgment, and not in them. No doubt, because of the indisposition "
## [24138] "of her body, it was necessary that she should have someone to "
## [24139] "accompany her; perchance a woman mistaken, and if a man, who "
## [24140] "knows for what end? She, who being sound would acquaint "
## [24141] "herself with none, in this estate could not be acquainted with any.\" "
## [24142] "\" It is an easy matter,\" replied Pamela, \"for one who can deceive "
## [24143] "to dissemble; neither is this a new acquaintance. You might "
## [24144] "have seen her use that knight who did come in with her, rather "
## [24145] "kindly than courteously ; a preceding friendship overpassing present "
## [24146] "respects : for where a great familiarity is, no ceremonial duty can "
## [24147] "be observed.\" Then Philoclea, having found her, could hardly "
## [24148] "restrain the violence of a just laughter. \" As for that which you "
## [24149] "affirm last,\" said she, I cannot deny it : no, I dare assure you, and "
## [24150] "assure yourself I will assure nothing without assurance, that knight "
## [24151] "is the man of the world whom Zelmane most dearly loves, and yet "
## [24152] "I know, that neither would he offer nor she suffer her honour to be "
## [24153] "wronged, as you imagine.\" This last wound was too deep for "
## [24154] "Pamela to speak after it : so that she, abandoning her heart to "
## [24155] "throw itself over the rock of unkindness, in danger to be drowned "
## [24156] "with her own tears, was thus prevented by Philoclea : \" Dear "
## [24157] "sister and if any word can express more dearness more dear than "
## [24158] "that, your using me not only as a sister, but as a friend in the "
## [24159] "highest degree of trust, would make me ashamed to mistrust you, "
## [24160] "or that you should be beholden to any other than to me for my "
## [24161] "secret. So might my strangeness justify your unkindness, though "
## [24162] "you should discover and condemn that which I know you will "
## [24163] "conceal, perchance approve, and farther being by my imparting of "
## [24164] "it to you, made of the party, e'er the report of others make you "
## [24165] "a judge ; be bold my tongue : though my cheeks blush, yet they "
## [24166] "cover you. Be not ashamed, nay even glory to tell that Zelmane "
## [24167] "is the prince Pyrocles: he, whom you have heard so oft, yet "
## [24168] "ever to his honour named; and, to define him unto you more "
## [24169] "particularly, the friend of Musidorus, over whom with him you are "
## [24170] "jealous; they lying now in one bed, with no less love than I told "
## [24171] "you. Why he goes disguised with others, and why I am plain "
## [24172] "with you I need not tell; you may imagine. One God hath "
## [24173] "metamorphosed both, the one in a shepherd, the other in a woman ; "
## [24174] "and we only can restore them to themselvee, and themselves to "
## [24175] "the world, that they may grace it with the glory of their actions "
## [24176] "as they were wont .to do-\" "
## [24177] ""
## [24178] ""
## [24179] ""
## [24180] "BUUK m.j "
## [24181] ""
## [24182] ""
## [24183] ""
## [24184] "ARCADIA 445 "
## [24185] ""
## [24186] ""
## [24187] ""
## [24188] "Then Philoclea, exchanging estates with her sister, words "
## [24189] "arrested by thoughts, she became sad, and the other joyful; who "
## [24190] "thinking herself well revenged of the passed scorn, and having a "
## [24191] "sufficient pledge of her sister's secrecy, began to complain of their "
## [24192] "father's strict using of them, by surmisings of his own minding to "
## [24193] "mar their fortunes, so that where he should rejoice at such an "
## [24194] "occasion, if coming to the knowledge thereof, he would not fail to "
## [24195] "disappoint it, perchance with the ruin of the princes ; which would "
## [24196] "not only prove a particular loss for them, but, which she lamented "
## [24197] "more, a general loss for all the world ; depriving it of these "
## [24198] "patterns of virtue, who in all their actions did but point out the "
## [24199] "height of perfection, and encourage others to follow their footsteps "
## [24200] "in the way of worth. Therefore it behoved them to regard "
## [24201] "themselves, and seriously to consider a matter of so great "
## [24202] "importance. Then, both beginning to muse, night did cast the "
## [24203] "nets of sleep over their eyes, yet could not hinder their earnest "
## [24204] "thoughts from prosecuting the course of their own fancies : for "
## [24205] "what they were thinking when waking, they still dreamed when "
## [24206] "sleeping. "
## [24207] ""
## [24208] "But e'er the morning star began to retire, as giving place to a "
## [24209] "greater light, whose coming, it, as a forerunner, had only warned "
## [24210] "the world to attend, both awaked complaining of the night's length, "
## [24211] "and having with passionate discourses worn away darkness, as "
## [24212] "weary of them, they arose and hastily apparelled themselves, "
## [24213] "though not in a curious, yet in a comely manner. Then, with a "
## [24214] "pretended charity, they would needs go visit the diseased patient, "
## [24215] "being themselves impatient. A little before their coming, Musidorus "
## [24216] "being gone to give order for the burial of Philisides, and, at the "
## [24217] "earnest desire of Pyrocles, of Anaxius, whose valour now had the "
## [24218] "full praise, from which his own presumption had derogated much "
## [24219] "whilst he lived: as they approached to his chamber door, they "
## [24220] "heard Pyrocles preparing his voice for the convoy of a sadly "
## [24221] "conceived, and weakly delivered song, which they resolved not to "
## [24222] "interrupt, attending the letter which followed. "
## [24223] ""
## [24224] "/ "
## [24225] "More dangerous darts than death, love throws I spy, "
## [24226] "Who by experience now know both their wounds : "
## [24227] "Death pierc'd me all, yet could not make me die : "
## [24228] "Love with a thought me in effect confounds. "
## [24229] ""
## [24230] "The power of death, art sometimes may restrain, "
## [24231] "Where love, I find, can never physic find : "
## [24232] "Death only plagues the body but with pain, "
## [24233] "Where love with pleasure doth torment the mind. "
## [24234] "Death still to all alike none free doth leave; "
## [24235] "Where partial love shafts but at some doth send ; "
## [24236] ""
## [24237] ""
## [24238] ""
## [24239] "446 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [24240] ""
## [24241] "Death with more mercy kills than love doth save : "
## [24242] "Death's end breeds rest, love never rests to end. "
## [24243] "Death doth enlarge, where love imprisons still j "
## [24244] "Death forc'd by fates ; love willingly doth kill. "
## [24245] ""
## [24246] "As soon as this song was ended, Pamela opened the door, "
## [24247] "saluting him still (so to disguise her knowledge) by the name of "
## [24248] "Zelmane ; and asked in what estate she was with herself, who "
## [24249] "returned this answer ; \" How can I smart having such angels to "
## [24250] "give me comfort ? Or how can I feel pain in their presence, whose "
## [24251] "faces are heavens of pleasure?\" \"Since,\" said Pamela, \"being "
## [24252] "only unfortunate by falling in our company, the hazard of your life "
## [24253] "hath procured our liberty, so that accidentally, though far from our "
## [24254] "intention, we have been the causes of all your trouble, how can we "
## [24255] "think of your pain, but as of our own ? Or have any delight whilst "
## [24256] "you rest grieved?\" \"Wonders of worth,'' said Zelmane, \" I shall "
## [24257] "ever, whilst I live, reckon for my highest happiness my being "
## [24258] "honoured by your company ; and as for my travels in this, they are "
## [24259] "by the success abundantly rewarded, since I could aspire to no "
## [24260] "higher good than I have compassed, having purchased you any "
## [24261] "contentment.\" "
## [24262] ""
## [24263] "Whilst that passionate Zelmane, with an animated fervency, did "
## [24264] "incorporate her hand with Philoclea's, whose speaking looks, "
## [24265] "however some time out of modesty obliquely moving, had a "
## [24266] "continual revolution about his face ; the black knight's coming in "
## [24267] "drew Pamela's spirits from her thoughts to her eyes. A gentleman "
## [24268] "followed him, directed from Basilius ; who after his duty done to "
## [24269] "the ladies, having shown them that their father and mother were "
## [24270] "in good health, invited by their enquiring attendants, told how the "
## [24271] "first, whom prodigal fame had breathed forth with news, hastened "
## [24272] "by himself, as who carried an acceptable message in hope of "
## [24273] "benefit or thanks, certified the king how the castle was won, and "
## [24274] "his daughters delivered by the black knight, who before had put "
## [24275] "a period to the victories of Amphialus. At this Pamela looking on "
## [24276] "Musidorus, blushed ; and he, though by no gesture betraying his "
## [24277] "joy rejoiced, not because he heard himself praised, but because "
## [24278] "she heard him praised, and that Anaxius in a single combat was "
## [24279] "killed by Zelmane, she not long over-living the victory. "
## [24280] ""
## [24281] "The king hearing this, who of his gracious nature would rather "
## [24282] "save one friend than destroy all his enemies, as if the delivery of "
## [24283] "his daughters had been a matter of small moment, and a gain too "
## [24284] "light to counterpoise so great a loss, did abandon his soul to the "
## [24285] "tyranny of sorrow, even more than majesty in a prince, or virtue "
## [24286] "in affliction, in the balances of reason, would have allowed of such "
## [24287] "weight. At this Zelmane's smile was accompanied with Philoclea's. "
## [24288] ""
## [24289] ""
## [24290] ""
## [24291] "BOOK m.] ARCADIA 447' "
## [24292] ""
## [24293] "But when he spoke of Gytiecia's griefs overgrowing the other, they "
## [24294] "grew pale, being afraid of the fountain from whence her tears did "
## [24295] "flow, lest it should drown them. "
## [24296] ""
## [24297] "But whilst Gynecia (the messenger insisted) as run mad with "
## [24298] "anguish, enclosed in a chamber, would suffer none to come unto "
## [24299] "her ; all wondered that her children being safe, a stranger's death, "
## [24300] "or her husband's grief, could weaken the known strength of her "
## [24301] "mind so much. The next messenger came, being the latter, "
## [24302] "and thereby the better informed, who sugared the first news with "
## [24303] "the assurance of Zelmane's safety. Then the queen coming forth "
## [24304] "as after a great tempest, the sky of her countenance cleared, "
## [24305] "looking brighter than before. The king would have come himself "
## [24306] "here in person, but he was persuaded to send Philanax with "
## [24307] "a number of chosen men, to receive the castle and ladies ; "
## [24308] "eftsoons being curious to know who cured Zelmane ; when it was "
## [24309] "told him that the knight who won the castle would trust none "
## [24310] "with that save himself, he was sorry that one of his worth should "
## [24311] "be put to such trouble, and would needs have an ordinary surgeon "
## [24312] "sought out to undertake the charge. \" In the meantime the queen "
## [24313] "came and brought out of a box a sovereign balm, which she hath "
## [24314] "sent by me to be applied to your wounds, fair Zelmane, not "
## [24315] "doubting but they will quickly become sound if her direction "
## [24316] "be observed, which is only that you rest and keep yourself quiet "
## [24317] "from company now, and by the way till she herself may use other "
## [24318] "remedies. And for this effect she entreats you, miracles of nature, "
## [24319] "her daughters, to forbear her company during this time ; that your "
## [24320] "example, whose authority abused might embolden the indiscretion "
## [24321] "of inferiors, may be a law for others : and she assured me that she "
## [24322] "^vould by a secret spy learn how she were obeyed in this. Such "
## [24323] "a care hath she of this sweet lady's health.\" "
## [24324] ""
## [24325] "By the end of this commission well did Zelmane and Philoclea "
## [24326] "know at whom in particular those general injunctions did only "
## [24327] "aim. This enjoined abstinence did give Zelmane a surfeit in "
## [24328] "sorrow, who had rather have continued still infirm, than to have "
## [24329] "recovered by so cruel a physic. And yet her misery was multiplied "
## [24330] "when she remembered the cause, whereof this, in respect of that "
## [24331] "which she did expect, was a slender issue, and but a little fury,; "
## [24332] "sent to afflict her out of that hell of Gynecia's breast, into whose "
## [24333] "company she was shortly to enter. Now the black knight, "
## [24334] "purposing to depart before Philanax arrived, brought his "
## [24335] "companion, the knight of the pole, as a partner of his victory, "
## [24336] "to kiss the ladies' hands extenuating his own part, and preferring "
## [24337] "his: Those who have true worth in themselves, can never envy "
## [24338] "it in another. Thereafter advising him privately to have their "
## [24339] "little company in a readiness, he went with an uncounterfeited. "
## [24340] ""
## [24341] ""
## [24342] ""
## [24343] "448 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [24344] ""
## [24345] "reverence, humbling himself before the idol of his soul, to know "
## [24346] "her will : telling her what he had done, being only done for her, "
## [24347] "he would attend thanks from no other; neither would he be "
## [24348] "known till he might be known for hers : and she, her countenance "
## [24349] "rather lightening courtesy than affection, desired him to return "
## [24350] "to his old master, and he should be restored to the estate which "
## [24351] "by his fault he had before justly forfeited ; wishing that he would "
## [24352] "carry himself more moderately hereafter, if he would not incur "
## [24353] "her indignation, and raise all regard of him out of her memory. "
## [24354] ""
## [24355] "Then Musidorus, as contented as one who had been brought "
## [24356] "from hell to heaven, with many vehement attestations to win "
## [24357] "trust with her, and imprecations against himself in case of perjury, "
## [24358] "wished, if ever his mind were so unhappy as to be surprised by "
## [24359] "any purpose tending in the least degree to grieve her, that he "
## [24360] "might never live till it took effect, but die e'er it were discovered. "
## [24361] "And like a wary gamester, who having once advantage is loth "
## [24362] "to adventure again, willing to seal up his ears with the acceptable "
## [24363] "sounds which they had received, he took leave, leaving his heart "
## [24364] "with her, and taking hers with him. Then went he towards "
## [24365] "Pyrocles, the joy of his heart shining through his face, and "
## [24366] "acquainted him with his unwilling absenting himself, referring "
## [24367] "all farther conference till their meeting at the arbour. And "
## [24368] "having in a complimental manner craved, but not desired "
## [24369] "employment from Philoclea, in any service after the funerals were "
## [24370] "performed, he marched with his troop away, the most part thinking "
## [24371] "that he went to meet Philanax: whilst Pamela from a window "
## [24372] "followed with her eyes, till clouds of dust did bury their object "
## [24373] "in the air. "
## [24374] ""
## [24375] "Soon after their departure from the castle, about this time, "
## [24376] "Philanax arrived, who, immediately after he had received the "
## [24377] "castle in the king's name, sought for the knight, whose gift, though "
## [24378] "not given by him, he esteemed it to be. For he, being generously "
## [24379] "judicious, thought it more fit that princes should defray obligations "
## [24380] "by rewards, every man being inferior to him to whom he stands "
## [24381] "indebted, than to be behind with any by being beholden; and "
## [24382] "hearing that he was gone by public enquiry for him, and praises "
## [24383] "of him, he witnessed to the world how highly his valour was "
## [24384] "valued. After he had saluted the princesses, he visited Zelmane, "
## [24385] "and told her how careful his master was to have those wounds "
## [24386] "cured, which in his service had been procured, that thereafter "
## [24387] "he might otherwise express his gratefulness. But Zelmane affirmed "
## [24388] "that though that blood which was shed had been followed by "
## [24389] "all the rest of her body ; with the king's former courtesies towards "
## [24390] "her the deserving by the recompense was both preceded and "
## [24391] "exceeded. Then Philanax, loth to strive with deeds in words, "
## [24392] ""
## [24393] ""
## [24394] ""
## [24395] "BOOK III. J "
## [24396] ""
## [24397] ""
## [24398] ""
## [24399] "ARCADIA 449 "
## [24400] ""
## [24401] ""
## [24402] ""
## [24403] "desired her, if her health might serve, to provide for her removing "
## [24404] "with the rest to-morrow, otherwise, that should be done for her "
## [24405] "which she herself would direct. . "
## [24406] ""
## [24407] "Immediately after his departure Zelmane arose; and having "
## [24408] "apparelled herself, began to walk, not so much to try how she "
## [24409] "might comport with the intended journey, as that she might "
## [24410] "pretend any means which might afford her the satisfaction of "
## [24411] "Philoclea's presence; where, violently carried by her thoughts, she "
## [24412] "came soon, but not so soon as she wished, and was wished : where "
## [24413] "Pamela apart entertaining her thoughts, she thus entered with "
## [24414] "Philoclea: \"Dear love. Oh in what an ocean of troubles doth our "
## [24415] "estate continually float, yet hath never so much as attained the "
## [24416] "sight of any secure port. I see that this freedom will but bring us "
## [24417] "to a greater bondage : we are led from captivity, only to become "
## [24418] "captives. For where before those senseless walls were thought "
## [24419] "sufficient to guard us, we shall be watched now by one "
## [24420] "more jealous than Juno, with more eyes than ever Argus had. "
## [24421] "I would willingly convey you where I might enjoy you, and you "
## [24422] "a kingdom : but this, my infirmity first hindered, and the coming "
## [24423] "of Philanax hath altogether prevented. In the meantime, till "
## [24424] "for performing of that, a longed for occasion come, I must arm "
## [24425] "myself against your father's folly, and your mother's fury. The "
## [24426] "one's might easily be deluded, but the other's cannot be resisted, "
## [24427] "but by a show of yielding, which I must cunningly counterfeit: "
## [24428] "and therefore trust no external show ; for whoever have my "
## [24429] "countenance, you have my heart.\" Philoclea's words were, that "
## [24430] "she cared not where she went, so it were with him, nor what she "
## [24431] "did, so it were warranted by his direction, as bent rather to burn "
## [24432] "her breast, than to let it lodge any thought which durst but doubt "
## [24433] "of the sufficiency of his intentions, since whatever circle they "
## [24434] "made, having always for their centre the excellency of his own "
## [24435] "worth. So parting, as if they had been to go to live in sundry "
## [24436] "kingdoms ; though going to live in one company, night invited "
## [24437] "them to repose. "
## [24438] ""
## [24439] "The next morning being saluted by the trumpet's sounds, and "
## [24440] "all ready to remove, they were quickly transported over the lake ; "
## [24441] "and as quickly, when landed, mounted by the provident care "
## [24442] "of Philanax, to finish their journey. But e'er they came two or "
## [24443] "three miles off' the lodges, Basilius met them, who embraced his "
## [24444] "daughters ; not that he would go first to them, but that he would "
## [24445] "be last with Zelmane, whom he had kissed with his eyes, e'er "
## [24446] "his lips were drawn from his daughters. And as soon as he had "
## [24447] "shown as much affection, encountering her, as his state before so "
## [24448] "many would permit ; he said, that notwithstanding her countenance "
## [24449] "was the treasure in the world whereof he was most covetous, "
## [24450] ""
## [24451] "2 F "
## [24452] ""
## [24453] ""
## [24454] ""
## [24455] "450 ARCADIA [book in. "
## [24456] ""
## [24457] "yet it grieved him that another should be so happy as to have "
## [24458] "procured her liberty rather than himself; and that it was his "
## [24459] "purpose, as a private adventurer, to have manifested his affection, "
## [24460] "fighting as a knight, not as a king, for her delivery. "
## [24461] ""
## [24462] "Zelmane replying, that it had been against all reason, that so "
## [24463] "great a prince, on whom the lives of so many did depend, should "
## [24464] "have been hazarded for the life of one whose fall could extend no "
## [24465] "farther than to her own ruin ; \" Your ruin,\" said he, \" I wish that "
## [24466] "mine were first; for it could not but follow after. And do not "
## [24467] "think that the black knight, or any other durst do more for you "
## [24468] "than I : yet such is the miserable estate of us kings, that "
## [24469] "we cannot prove men, but are compelled to move in our own "
## [24470] "sphere.\" "
## [24471] ""
## [24472] "The journey's end cutting off their discourse, Gynecia was "
## [24473] "waiting on their alighting, and having first duty — tyrannizing over "
## [24474] "affection — carelessly kissed Pamela, disdainfully Philoclea, and "
## [24475] "vehemently Zelmane, thereafter enquiring of her wounds, thanks "
## [24476] "(though bestowing nothing defraying much) were courteously "
## [24477] "returned for the balm which was sent ; she protesting that if no "
## [24478] "other thing could help, she would pull out her own heart, when "
## [24479] "Basilius interrupted them, coming to have lightened his heart, by "
## [24480] "burdening his body with his mistress's alighting. "
## [24481] ""
## [24482] "Dametas came starting and leaping like a giddy kid to meet "
## [24483] "with Pamela ; and as soon as she was aUghted, for the first saluta- "
## [24484] "tion, told her how much she was beholden to him, having shown "
## [24485] "his manhood and goodwill as much as the best fellow in these "
## [24486] "bounds could have done, swearing that he had ventured more for "
## [24487] "her than he would do for all the world again, and for his own life "
## [24488] "too ; \" I,\" quoth he, \" and when my man Dorus durst not be seen, "
## [24489] "who was thought a brave fellow, yet he feigned a business far from "
## [24490] "the noise of war, to seek sheep ; but the truth is, to hide himself, "
## [24491] "whilst my deeds made all our army laugh for joy : so that during "
## [24492] "all that time of trouble, which I tremble yet to think upon, I never "
## [24493] "heard of him, till even now he sent me word by a shepherd, whom "
## [24494] "he met on the way, that he had found the ewes which had strayed, "
## [24495] "with great difficulty, and was driving them at leisure, for fear they "
## [24496] "should miscarry. But when he comes, I promise I will make his "
## [24497] "cowardice be known for leaving me, when I would fain have left "
## [24498] "myself for fear.\" \" O but,\" said Pamela, '' you must not be offended, "
## [24499] "though every man be not so stout as you are ; he may be an evil "
## [24500] "soldier, but yet a good shepherd : and I hope you keep him that "
## [24501] "he may keep sheep, not that he may kill men.\" \" Now in good "
## [24502] "faith,\" said he, \" I see you are not changed, for you were ever wise, "
## [24503] "and so you do continue still. I may well chide the fellow, but I "
## [24504] "will not beat him.\" "
## [24505] ""
## [24506] ""
## [24507] ""
## [24508] "BooKui.] ARCADIA 45 1 "
## [24509] ""
## [24510] "Then all entering the lodge with Basilius, though the supper "
## [24511] "was ready, Gynecia would dress Zelmane's wounds first, and "
## [24512] "Basilius would see them dressed; so by his despised importunate- "
## [24513] "ness restraining the torrent of Gynecia's passions, which would "
## [24514] "but burst forth more furiously thereafter. This freeing Zelmane's "
## [24515] "ears at that time, was but a relief to her, as they find who expel "
## [24516] "poison by counterpoison, she being as weary of him, as afraid of "
## [24517] "the other. "
## [24518] ""
## [24519] "Then sitting down to the supper, more curious of a surfeit to "
## [24520] "their eyes, than for their sustenance to the rest of the body: the "
## [24521] "eyes of Basilius were ever feeding on the face of Zelmane with a "
## [24522] "fearful earnestness, save sometimes when they were constrained "
## [24523] "to retire by the violence of his wife's looks, thinking that they with "
## [24524] "a jealous anger had upbraided his error, which she, otherwise "
## [24525] "busied, had never so much as observed. The one of her eyes was "
## [24526] "settled like a fixed star on Zelmane, the other like a wandering "
## [24527] "comet threatening confusion where it shined, strayed betwixt "
## [24528] "Zelmane, and her daughter Philoclea, watching and chastising "
## [24529] "with her look her stolen looks. Zelmane's languishing lights "
## [24530] "made the table envied, whilst her dejected looks did only bless it, "
## [24531] "as scorning to look on any, since she might not look where she "
## [24532] "liked. Philoclea chained by thoughts to Zelmane, did imitate her "
## [24533] "being pensive, because she was pensive : yet like a cunning painter, "
## [24534] "who having fully fed his eyes with the affected object, turns back "
## [24535] "within himself, that his imagination may engrave it the more "
## [24536] "exactly within his memory, she would sometimes with a thievishly "
## [24537] "adventurous look spy Zelmane's gesture, that she might the better "
## [24538] "counterfeit it in her countenance. As for Pamela, she kept her "
## [24539] "accustomed majesty, being absent where she was, and present "
## [24540] "where she was not. Then, the supper being ended, after some "
## [24541] "ambiguous speeches, which might, for fear of being mistaken, be "
## [24542] "taken in two senses, or else were altogether estranged from the "
## [24543] "speaker's mind ; speaking as in a dream, not what they thought, "
## [24544] "but what they would be thought to think : everyone retired to the "
## [24545] "lodge where they had used afore to he; Basilius having first "
## [24546] "invited them the next morning to see a pastoral represented by the "
## [24547] "ordinary shepherds, to congratulate their prosperous return.* "
## [24548] ""
## [24549] "• From hence the history is again continued out of the author's Papers. If this "
## [24550] "little essay have not that perfection which is required for supplying the want of that "
## [24551] "place for which it was intended, yet shaU it serve for a shadow to give a lustre to the "
## [24552] "rest I have only herein conformed myself to that which preceded my beginning and "
## [24553] "was known to be that admirable author's own, but to differ in some things from' that "
## [24554] "which follows, especiaUyin the death of Philisides, making choice of a course, whereby "
## [24555] "I might best manifest, what affection I bear to the memory of him, whom I toot to "
## [24556] "he alluded unto by that name, and whom I only by this imperfect parcel (designinff "
## [24557] "morel had a mujd to honour. If, A. ^ - t. "
## [24558] ""
## [24559] ""
## [24560] ""
## [24561] "452 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [24562] ""
## [24563] "After that Basilius, according to the oracle's promise, had "
## [24564] "received home his daughters, and settled himself again in his "
## [24565] "solitary course and accustomed company, there passed not many "
## [24566] "days e'er the now fully recomforted Dorus, having waited a time "
## [24567] "of Zelmane's walking alone towards her little arbour took leave of "
## [24568] "his master Dametas's husbandry to follow her. Near whereunto "
## [24569] "overtaking her, and sitting down together among the sweet flowers, "
## [24570] "whereof that place was very plentiful, under the pleasant shade of "
## [24571] "a broad leaved sycamore, they recounted one to another their "
## [24572] "strange pilgrimage of passions, omitting nothing which open "
## [24573] "hearted friendship is wont to lay forth, where there is cause to "
## [24574] "communicate both joys and sorrows, for indeed there is no sweeter "
## [24575] "taste of friendship than the coupling of souls in this mutuality, "
## [24576] "either of condoling or comforting ; where the oppressed mind finds "
## [24577] "itself not altogether miserable, since it is sure of one which is "
## [24578] "feelingly sorry for his misery: and the joyful spends not his joy, "
## [24579] "either alone, or there where it may be envied ; but may freely send "
## [24580] "it to such a well-grounded object, from whence he shall be sure to "
## [24581] "receive a sweet reflection of the same joy, and, as in a clear mirror of "
## [24582] "sincere goodwill, see a hvely picture of his own gladness. But "
## [24583] "after much discourse on either part, Dorus, his heart scarce serving "
## [24584] "him to come to the point whereunto his then coming had been "
## [24585] "wholly directed, as loth in the kindest sort to discover to his friend "
## [24586] "his own unkindness, at length, one word emboldening another, "
## [24587] "made known to Zelmane, how Pamela upon his vehement oath to "
## [24588] "oifer no force unto her, till he had invested her in the duchy of "
## [24589] "Thessalia, had condescended to his stealing her away to the next "
## [24590] "seaport. That besides the strange humours she saw her father "
## [24591] "more and more falling into, and unreasonable restraint of her "
## [24592] "liberty, whereof she knew no cause but light grounded jealousies, "
## [24593] "added to the hate of that manner of life, and confidence she had "
## [24594] "in his virtue, the chiefest reason had won her to this was the late "
## [24595] "danger she stood in of losing him, the like whereof, not unlike to "
## [24596] "fall if this course were continued, she chose rather to die than "
## [24597] "again to undergo. That now they waited for nothing else but "
## [24598] "some fit time for their escape, by the absence of their three "
## [24599] "loathsome companions, in whom folly engendered suspicion. "
## [24600] "\"And therefore now,\" said Dorus, \"my dear cousin, to whom "
## [24601] "nature began my friendship, education confirmed it, and virtue "
## [24602] "hath made it eternal ; here have I discovered the very foundation "
## [24603] "whereupon my life is built : be you the judge betwixt me and my "
## [24604] "fortune. The violence of love is not unknown to you, and I know "
## [24605] "my case shall never want pity in your consideration. How all the "
## [24606] "joys of my heart do leave me, in thinking I must for a time be "
## [24607] "absent from you, the eternal truth is witness unto me, I know I "
## [24608] ""
## [24609] ""
## [24610] ""
## [24611] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 453 "
## [24612] ""
## [24613] "should not so sensibly feel the pangs of my last departure. But "
## [24614] "this enchantment of my restless desire hath such authority m "
## [24615] "myself above myself, that I am become a slave unto it, I have no "
## [24616] "more freedom in mine own determination. My thoughts are now "
## [24617] "all bent how to carry away my burdenous bliss. Yet, most beloved "
## [24618] "cousin, rather than you should think I do herein violate that holy "
## [24619] "band of true friendship wherein I unworthy am knit unto you, "
## [24620] "command me stay. Perchance the force of your commandment "
## [24621] "may work such impression into my heart that no reason of mine "
## [24622] "own can imprint into it. For the gods forbid, the foul word of "
## [24623] "abandoning Pyrocles might ever be objected to the faithful "
## [24624] "Musidorus. But if you can spare my presence, whose presence "
## [24625] "no way serves you, and by the division of those two lodges is not "
## [24626] "oft with you : nay, if you can think my absence may, as it shall, "
## [24627] "stand you in stead, by bringing such an army hither, as shall make "
## [24628] "Basilius, wiUing or unwilling, to know his own hap, in granting "
## [24629] "you Philoclea, then I will cheerfully go about this my most desired "
## [24630] "enterprize, and shall think the better half of it already achieved, "
## [24631] "being begun in the fortunate hour of my friend's contentment.\" "
## [24632] ""
## [24633] "These words, as they were not knit together with such a "
## [24634] "constant course of flowing eloquence as Dorus was wont to use, so "
## [24635] "was his voice interrupted with sighs, and his countenance with "
## [24636] "interchanging colour dismayed. So much his own heart did find "
## [24637] "him faulty to unbend any way the continual use of their dear "
## [24638] "friendship. But Zelmane, who had all this while gladly hearkened "
## [24639] "to the other tidings of their friends happy success, when this last "
## [24640] "determination of Dorus struck her attentive ears, she stayed a "
## [24641] "great while oppressed with a dead amazement. There came "
## [24642] "straight before her mind, made tender with woes, the images of "
## [24643] "her own fortune, her tedious longings, her causes to despair, the "
## [24644] "cumbersome folly of Basilius, the enraged jealousy of Gynecia, "
## [24645] "herself a prince without retinue ; a man annoyed with the troubles "
## [24646] "of womankind, loathsomely loved, and dangerously loving. And "
## [24647] "now for the perfecting of all, her friend to be taken away by "
## [24648] "himself, to make the loss the greater by the unkindness. But "
## [24649] "within a while she resolutely passed over all inward objections ; "
## [24650] "and preferring her friend's profit to her own desire, with a quiet, "
## [24651] "but heavy look, she thus answered him : \" If I bear thee this love "
## [24652] "virtuous Musidorus, for mine own sake, and that our friendship "
## [24653] "grew, because I, for my part, might rejoice to enjoy such a friend, "
## [24654] "I should now so thoroughly feel my own loss, that I should call "
## [24655] "the heavens and earth to witness how cruelly you rob me of my "
## [24656] "greatest comfort, measuring the breach of friendship by mine own "
## [24657] "passion. But because indeed I love thee for thyself, and in my "
## [24658] "judgment judge of thy worthiness to be loved, I am content to "
## [24659] ""
## [24660] ""
## [24661] ""
## [24662] "454 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [24663] ""
## [24664] "build my pleasure upon thy comfort, and then will I deem my hap "
## [24665] "in friendship great when I shall see thee, whom I love, happy. "
## [24666] "Let me be only sure thou lovest me still, the only price of true "
## [24667] "affection : go therefore on, worthy Musidorus, with the guide of "
## [24668] "virtue and service of fortune. Let thy love be loved, thy desires "
## [24669] "prosperous, thy escape safe, and thy journey easy. Let every- "
## [24670] "thing yield his help to thy desert, for my part absence shall not "
## [24671] "take thee from mine eyes, nor affliction shall bar me from gladding "
## [24672] "in thy good, nor a possessed heart shall keep thee from the place "
## [24673] "it hath for ever allotted unto thee.\" "
## [24674] ""
## [24675] "Dorus would fain have replied again, to have made a liberal "
## [24676] "confession that Zelmane had of her side the advantage of well "
## [24677] "performing friendship : but partly his own grief of parting from "
## [24678] "one he loved so dearly, partly the kind care in what state she "
## [24679] "should leave Zelmane, bred such a conflict in his mind, that many "
## [24680] "times he wished he had either never attempted, or never revealed "
## [24681] "his secret enterprise. But Zelmane, who had now looked to the "
## [24682] "utmost of it, and established her mind upon an assured determina- "
## [24683] "tion : \" My only friend,\" said she, \" since to so good towardness "
## [24684] "your courteous destinies have conducted you, let not a ceremonial "
## [24685] "consideration of our mutual love be a bar unto it. I joy in your "
## [24686] "presence, but I joy more in your good ; that friendship brings forth "
## [24687] "the fruits of enmity which prefers his own tenderness before his "
## [24688] "friend's damage. For my part, my greatest grief herein shall be, "
## [24689] "I can be no farther serviceable unto you.\" \"O Zelmane,\" said "
## [24690] "Dorus, with his eyes even covered with water, \" I did not think so "
## [24691] "soon to have displayed my determination unto you, but to have "
## [24692] "made my way first in your loving judgment. But alas ! as your "
## [24693] "sweet disposition drew me so far, so doth it now strengthen me in "
## [24694] "it. To you therefore be the due commendation given ; who can "
## [24695] "conquer me in love, and love in wisdom. As for me, then shall "
## [24696] "goodness turn to evil, and ungratefulness be the token of a true "
## [24697] "heart when Pyrodes shall not possess a principal seat in my soul, "
## [24698] "when the name of Pyrocles shall not be held of me in devout "
## [24699] "reverence. "
## [24700] ""
## [24701] "They would never have come to the cruel instant of parting, nor "
## [24702] "to the ill-faring word of farewell, had not Zelmane seen afar off the "
## [24703] "old Basilius, who having performed a sacrifice to Apollo, for his "
## [24704] "daughters', but principally for his mistress's happy return, had "
## [24705] "since been everywhere to seek her. And now being come within "
## [24706] "compass of discerning her, he began to frame the loveliest "
## [24707] "countenance he could, stroking up his legs, setting his beard in "
## [24708] "due order, and standing bolt upright. \" Alas ! \" said Zelmane, "
## [24709] "\" behold an evil fore-token of your sorrowful departure. Yonder "
## [24710] "see I one of my furies, which doth daily vex me, farewell, farewell "
## [24711] ""
## [24712] ""
## [24713] ""
## [24714] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 455 "
## [24715] ""
## [24716] "my Musidorus, the gods make fortune to wait on thy virtues, and "
## [24717] "make me wade through this lake of wretchedness.\" Dorus burst "
## [24718] "out into a flood of tears, wringing her fast by the hand. \" No, "
## [24719] "no,\" said he, \" I go blindfold whither the course of my ill hap "
## [24720] "carries me : for now, too late, my heart gives me this our separating "
## [24721] "can never be prosperous. But if I live, attend me here shortly "
## [24722] "with an army.\" Thus both apparelled with the grievous renting "
## [24723] "of their first combination, having first resolved with themselves "
## [24724] "that whatsoever fell upon them, they should never upon any "
## [24725] "occasion utter their names, for the conserving the honour of their "
## [24726] "royal parentage, but keep the names of Diaphantus and Palladius, "
## [24727] "as before had been agreed between them, they took divers ways : "
## [24728] "Dorus to the lodge-ward, where his heavy eyes might be something "
## [24729] "refreshed ; Zelmane towards Basilius, saying to herself, with a "
## [24730] "scornful smiling, \" Yet hath not my friendly fortune deprived me "
## [24731] "of a pleasant companion.\" But he, having with much search come "
## [24732] "to her presence, doubt and desire bred a great quarrel in his mind. "
## [24733] "For his former experience had taught him to doubt ; and true "
## [24734] "feeling of love made doubts dangerous, but the working of his "
## [24735] "desire had e'er long won the field. And therefore, with the most "
## [24736] "submissive manner his behaviour could yield, \" O goddess,\" said "
## [24737] "he, \" towards whom I have the greatest feeling of religion, be not "
## [24738] "displeased at some show of devotion I have made to Apollo, since "
## [24739] "he, if he knew anything, knows that my heart bears far more awful "
## [24740] "reverence to yourself, than to his, or any other the like deity.\" "
## [24741] "\" You will ever be deceived in me,\" answered Zelmane : I will "
## [24742] "make myself no competitor with Apollo, neither can blasphemies "
## [24743] "to him be duties to me.\" With that Basilius took out of his bosom "
## [24744] "certain verses he had written, and kneeling down, presented them "
## [24745] "to her. They contained this : "
## [24746] ""
## [24747] "Phoebus, farewell, a sweeter .saint I serve, "
## [24748] "The high conceits, thy heav'nly wisdom's breed. "
## [24749] ""
## [24750] "My thoughts forget : my thoughts which never swerve "
## [24751] "From her in whom is sown their freedom's seed, "
## [24752] "And in whose eyes my daily doom I read. "
## [24753] ""
## [24754] "Phoebus, farewell, a sweeter saint I serve. "
## [24755] "Thou art far off, thy kingdom is above ; "
## [24756] ""
## [24757] "She heav'n on earth with beauties doth preserve, "
## [24758] "Thy beams I like, but her clear rays I love : "
## [24759] "Thy force I fear, her force I still do prove. "
## [24760] ""
## [24761] "Phoebus yield up thy title in my mind ; "
## [24762] "She doth possess, thy image is defac'd, "
## [24763] ""
## [24764] "But if thy rage some brave revenge will find. "
## [24765] "On her, who hath in me thy temple raz'd, "
## [24766] "Employ thy might, that she my fires may taste. "
## [24767] ""
## [24768] "And how much more her worth surmounteth thee • "
## [24769] "Make her as much more base by loving me. ' "
## [24770] ""
## [24771] ""
## [24772] ""
## [24773] "456 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [24774] ""
## [24775] "\"This is my hymn to you,'' said he, \"not left me by my "
## [24776] "ancestors, but begun in myself. The temple wherein it is daily "
## [24777] "sung is my soul ; and the sacrifice I offer to you withal is all "
## [24778] "whatsoever I am.\" Zelmane, who ever thought she found in his "
## [24779] "speeches the ill taste of a medicine, and the operation of a poison, "
## [24780] "would have suffered a disdainful look to have been the only witness "
## [24781] "of her good acceptation but that Basilius began afresh to lay before "
## [24782] "her many pitiful prayers and in the end to conclude that he was "
## [24783] "fully of opinion it was only the unfortunateness of that place that "
## [24784] "hindered the prosperous course of his desires. And therefore "
## [24785] "since the hateful influence, which made him embrace this solitary "
## [24786] "life was now past over him, as he doubted not the judgment of "
## [24787] "Philanax would agree with his, and his late mishaps had taught "
## [24788] "him how perilous it was to commit a prince's state to a place so "
## [24789] "weakly guarded, he was now inclined to return to his palace in "
## [24790] "Mantinea, and there he hoped he should be better able to show "
## [24791] "how much he desired to make all he had hers : with many other "
## [24792] "such honey words, which my pen grows almost weary to set down. "
## [24793] "This indeed nearly pierced Zelmane : for the good beginning she "
## [24794] "had obtained of Philoclea made her desire to continue the same "
## [24795] "trade, till the more perfecting of her desires ; and to come to any "
## [24796] "public place she did deadly fear, lest her mask by many eyes "
## [24797] "might the sooner be discovered, and so her hopes stopped, and "
## [24798] "the state of her joys endangered. Therefore a while she rested, "
## [24799] "musing at the daily changing labyrinth of her own fortune, but in "
## [24800] "herself determined it was her only best to keep him there, and "
## [24801] "with favours to make him love the place where the favours were "
## [24802] "received, as disgraces had made him apt to change the soil. "
## [24803] ""
## [24804] "Therefore, casting a kind of corner look upon him, \"It is truly "
## [24805] "said,\" said she, \"that age cooleth the blood. How soon, good "
## [24806] "man, you are terrified before you receive any hurt ? Do you not "
## [24807] "know that daintiness is kindly unto us ? And that hard obtaining, "
## [24808] "is the excuse of woman's granting ? Yet speak I not as though "
## [24809] "you were like to obtain, or I to grant. But because I would not "
## [24810] "have you imagine I am to be won by courtly vanities, or esteem a "
## [24811] "man the more because he hath handsome men to wait on him, "
## [24812] "when he is afraid to live without them.\" You might have seen "
## [24813] "Basihus humbly swell, and, with a lowly look, stand upon his "
## [24814] "tiptoes ; such diversity her words delivered unto him. \" "
## [24815] "Hercules \" answered he, \" Basilius afraid ? Or his blood cold that "
## [24816] "boils in such a furnace ? Care I who is with me while I enjoy "
## [24817] "your presence ? Or is any place good or bad to me, but as it "
## [24818] "pleaseth you to bless or curse it ? O let me be but armed in your "
## [24819] "good grace, and I defy whatsoever there is or can be against me, "
## [24820] "No no, your love is forcible, and my age is not without vigour,\" "
## [24821] ""
## [24822] ""
## [24823] ""
## [24824] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 457 "
## [24825] ""
## [24826] "Zelmane thought it not good for his stomach to receive a "
## [24827] "surfeit of too much favour, and therefore thinking he had enough "
## [24828] "for the time to keep him from any sudden removing, with a certain "
## [24829] "gracious bowing down of her head towards him, she turned away, "
## [24830] "saying she would leave him at this time to see how temperately he "
## [24831] "could use so bountiful a measure of her kindness. Basilius, that "
## [24832] "thought every drop a flood that bred any refreshment, durst not "
## [24833] "farther press her, but with ancient modesty left her to the sweet "
## [24834] "repast of her own fancies. Zelmane, as soon as he was departed, "
## [24835] "went toward Pamela's lodge in hope to have seen her friend Dorus, "
## [24836] "to have pleased herself with another painful farewell, and farther "
## [24837] "to have taken some advice with him touching her own estate, "
## [24838] "whereof before sorrow had not suffered her to think. But being "
## [24839] "come even near the lodge, she saw the mouth of a cave, made as "
## [24840] "it should seem by nature in despite of art, so fitly did the rich "
## [24841] "growing marble serve to beautify the vault of the first entry. "
## [24842] "Under foot the ground seemed mineral, yielding such a glistering "
## [24843] "show of gold in it as they say the river Tagus carries in his sandy "
## [24844] "bed. The cave framed out into many goodly spacious rooms, "
## [24845] "such as self-liking men have with long and learned delicacy found "
## [24846] "out the most easeful : there ran through it a little sweet river, "
## [24847] "which had left the face of the earth to drown herself for a small "
## [24848] "way in this dark but pleasant mansion. The very first show of "
## [24849] "the place enticed the melancholy mind of Zelmane, to yield herself "
## [24850] "over there to the flood of her own thoughts. And therefore, "
## [24851] "sitting down in the first entry of the cave's mouth, with a song she "
## [24852] "had lately made, she gave a doleful way to her bitter affects, and "
## [24853] "sung to this effect : "
## [24854] ""
## [24855] "Since that the stormy rage of passions dark "
## [24856] "(Of passions dark,' made dark by beauty's light) "
## [24857] ""
## [24858] "With rebel force, hath clos'd in dungeon dark "
## [24859] "My mind, e'er now led forth by reason's light. "
## [24860] ""
## [24861] "Since all the things which give mine eyes their light. "
## [24862] "Do foster still the fruits of fancies dark : "
## [24863] ""
## [24864] "So that the windows of my inward light "
## [24865] "Do serve to make my inward powers dark. "
## [24866] ""
## [24867] "Since, as I say, both mind and senses dark "
## [24868] "Are hurt, not help'd, with piercing of the light : "
## [24869] ""
## [24870] "While that the light may show the horrors dark, "
## [24871] "But cannot make resolved darkness light : "
## [24872] ""
## [24873] "t like this place, where at the least the dark "
## [24874] "May keep my thoughts from thought of wonted light. "
## [24875] ""
## [24876] ""
## [24877] ""
## [24878] "458 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [24879] ""
## [24880] "Instead of an instrument, her song was accompanied with the "
## [24881] "wringing of her hands, the closing of her weary eyes, and even "
## [24882] "sometimes cut off with the swelling of her sighs, which did not "
## [24883] "suffer the voice to have his free and native passage. But, as she "
## [24884] "was a while musing upon her song, raising up her spirits, which . "
## [24885] "were something fallen into the weakness of lamentation, considering "
## [24886] "solitary complaints do no good to him whose help stands without "
## [24887] "himself, she might afar off first hear a whispering sound, which "
## [24888] "seemed to come from the inmost part of the cave, and being kept "
## [24889] "together with the close hoUowness of the place, had, as in a trunk, "
## [24890] "the more liberal access to her ears, and by and by she might "
## [24891] "perceive the same voice deliver itself into musical tunes, and with "
## [24892] "a base Lyra give forth this song : "
## [24893] ""
## [24894] "Hark, plaintful ghosts, infernal furies, hark "
## [24895] "Unto my woes the hateful heavens do send, "
## [24896] ""
## [24897] "The heavens conspir'd to make my vital spark "
## [24898] "A wretched wreck, a glass of ruin's end. "
## [24899] ""
## [24900] "Seeing, alas, so mighty powers bend "
## [24901] "Their ireful shot against so weak a mark, "
## [24902] ""
## [24903] "Come cave, become my grave, come death, and lend "
## [24904] "Receipt to me, within thy bosom dark. "
## [24905] ""
## [24906] "For what is life to daily dying mind. "
## [24907] "Where, drawing breath, I suck the air of woe : "
## [24908] ""
## [24909] "Where too much sight makes all the body blind, "
## [24910] "And highest thoughts downward most headlong throw? "
## [24911] ""
## [24912] "Thus then my form, and thus my state I find, "
## [24913] ""
## [24914] "Death wrapp'd in flesh, to living grave assign'd. "
## [24915] ""
## [24916] "And pausing but a little, with mournful melody it continued this "
## [24917] "octave : "
## [24918] ""
## [24919] "Like those sick folks in whom strange humours flow, "
## [24920] "Can taste no sweets, the sower only please, "
## [24921] ""
## [24922] "So to my mind, while passions daily grow, "
## [24923] "Whose fiery chains, upon his freedom seize ; "
## [24924] ""
## [24925] "Joys strangers seem, I cannot bide their show, "
## [24926] ""
## [24927] "Nor brook aught else but well acquainted woe. "
## [24928] "Bitter griefs taste best, pain is my ease. "
## [24929] "Sick to the death, still loving my disease. "
## [24930] ""
## [24931] "« O Venus,\" said Zelmane, \" who is this so well acquainted with "
## [24932] "me that can make so lively a portraiture of my miseries ? It is "
## [24933] "surely the spirit appointed to have care of me, which doth now, in "
## [24934] "this dark place, bear part with the complaint of his unhappy "
## [24935] "charge. For if it be so, that the heavens have at all times a "
## [24936] "measure of their wrathful harms, surely so many have come to my "
## [24937] ""
## [24938] ""
## [24939] ""
## [24940] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 459 "
## [24941] ""
## [24942] "ifeless lot that the res,t of the world hath too small a portion to "
## [24943] "make with cause so wailful a lamentation. But,\" said she, "
## [24944] "\"whatsoever thou be, I will seek thee out, for thy music well "
## [24945] "assures me we are at least-hand fellow-prentices to one ungracious "
## [24946] "master.\" So rose she and went, guiding herself by the still plaining "
## [24947] "voice, till she saw upon a stone a little wax-light set, and under it "
## [24948] "a piece of paper, with these verses very lately, as it should seem, "
## [24949] "written in it : "
## [24950] ""
## [24951] "How is my sun, whose beams are shining bright, "
## [24952] "Become the cause of my dark ugly night ? "
## [24953] "Or how do I, captiv'd in this dark plight, "
## [24954] "Bewail the case, and in the cause delight ? "
## [24955] ""
## [24956] "My mangled mind huge horrors still do fright. "
## [24957] "With sense possessed, and claim'd by reason's right ; "
## [24958] "Betwixt which two in me I have this sight : "
## [24959] "Where who so wins, I put myself to flight. "
## [24960] ""
## [24961] "Come cloudy fears, close up my dazzled sight, "
## [24962] "Sorrows suck up the marrow of my might. "
## [24963] "Due sighs blow out all sparks of joyful light, "
## [24964] "Tire on despair upon my tired spright. "
## [24965] ""
## [24966] "An end, an end, ray duU'd pen cannot write, "
## [24967] "Nor maz'd head thinks nor falt'ring tongue recite. "
## [24968] ""
## [24969] "And hard underneath the sonnet were these words written : "
## [24970] ""
## [24971] "This cave is dark, but it had never light. "
## [24972] "This wax doth waste itself, yet painless dies. "
## [24973] "These words are full of woes, yet feel they none. "
## [24974] ""
## [24975] "I darkened am, who once had clearest sight. "
## [24976] "I waste my heart, which still new torments tries. "
## [24977] "I plain with cause, my woes are all mine own. "
## [24978] ""
## [24979] "No Cave, no wasting wax, no words of grief. "
## [24980] "Can hold, show, tell my pains without relief. "
## [24981] ""
## [24982] "She did not long stay to read the words, for not far off from the "
## [24983] "stone she might discern in a dark corner, a lady lying with her "
## [24984] "face so prostrate upon the ground that she could neither know nor "
## [24985] "be known. But, as the general nature of man is desirous of "
## [24986] "knowledge, and sorrow especially glad to find fellows, she went, as "
## [24987] "softly as she could convey her feet, near unto her, where she heard "
## [24988] "these words come with vehement sobbings from her. \" O darkness,\" "
## [24989] "said she, \"which dost lightsomely, methink, make me see the "
## [24990] "picture of my inward darkness : since I have chosen thee to be "
## [24991] ""
## [24992] ""
## [24993] ""
## [24994] "460 ARCADIA [BOOK III. "
## [24995] ""
## [24996] "the secret witness of my sorrows, let me receive a false receipt in "
## [24997] "thee ; and esteem them not tedious, but, if it be possible, let the "
## [24998] "uttering them be some discharge to my over-laden breast. Alas ! "
## [24999] "sorrow, now thou hast the full sack of my conquered spirits, rest "
## [25000] "thyself awhile, and set not still new fire to thy own spoils : O "
## [25001] "accursed reason, how many eyes thou hast to see thy evils, and "
## [25002] "how dim, nay blind thou art in perceiving them ? Forlorn creature "
## [25003] "that I am ! I would I might be freely wickedj since wickedness "
## [25004] "doth prevail : but the footsteps of my overtrodden virtue lie still "
## [25005] "as bitter accusations against me. I am divided in myself, how "
## [25006] "can I stand? I am overthrown in myself, who shall raise me? "
## [25007] "Vice is but a nurse of new agonies, and the virtue I am divorced "
## [25008] "from, makes the hateful comparison the more manifest. No, no, "
## [25009] "virtue, either I never had but a shadow of thee, or thou thyself are "
## [25010] "but a shadow. For how is my soul abandoned ? How are all my "
## [25011] "powers laid waste ? My desire is pained because it cannot hope, "
## [25012] "and if hope came, his best should be but mischief. O strange "
## [25013] "mixture of human minds ; only so much good left, as to make us "
## [25014] "languish in our own evils. Ye infernal furies, for it is too late for "
## [25015] "me to awake my dead virtue, or to place my comfort in the angry "
## [25016] "gods, ye infernal furieS, I say, aid one that dedicates herself unto "
## [25017] "you ; let my rage be satisfied, since the effect of it is fit for your "
## [25018] "service. Neither be afraid to make me too happy, since nothing "
## [25019] "can come to appease the smart of my guilty conscience, I desire "
## [25020] "but to assuage the sweltering of my hellish longing dejected "
## [25021] "Gynecia.\" "
## [25022] ""
## [25023] "Zelmane no sooner heard the name of Gynecia, but that, with a "
## [25024] "cold sweat all over her, as if she had been ready to tread upon a "
## [25025] "deadly stinging adder, she would have withdrawn herself, but her "
## [25026] "own passion made her yield more unquiet motions than she had "
## [25027] "done in coming. So that she was perceived, and Gynecia suddenly "
## [25028] "risen up, for indeed it was Gynecia, gotten into the cave, the same "
## [25029] "cave wherein Dametas had safely kept Pamela in the late uproar, "
## [25030] "to pass her pangs, with change of places. And as her mind ran "
## [25031] "still upon Zelmane, her piercing lover's eye had soon found it was "
## [25032] "she. And seeing in her countenance to fly away, she fell down at "
## [25033] "her feet, and catching fast hold of her : \" Alas ! \" said she, "
## [25034] "\" whither, or from whom dost thou fly away ? The savagest beasts "
## [25035] "are won with service, and there is no flint but ihay be mollified : "
## [25036] "how is- Gynecia so unworthy in thine eyes? or whom cannot "
## [25037] "abundance of love make worthy? O think not that cruelty, or "
## [25038] "ungratefulness can flow from a good mind ! O weigh, alas 1 weigh "
## [25039] "with thyself the new effects of this mighty passion, that I, unfit for "
## [25040] "my estate, uncomely for my sex, must become a suppliant at thy "
## [25041] "feet 1 By the happy woman that bare thee, by all the joys of thy "
## [25042] ""
## [25043] ""
## [25044] ""
## [25045] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 461 "
## [25046] ""
## [25047] "heart, and success of thy desire, I beseech thee turn thyself to some "
## [25048] "consideration of me, and rather show pity in now helping me, than "
## [25049] "in too late repenting my death, which hourly threatens me.\" "
## [25050] "Zelmane imputing it to one of her continual mishaps, thus to have "
## [25051] "met with this lady, with a full weary countenance ; \" Without "
## [25052] "doubt. Madam,\" said she, \"where the desire is such as may be "
## [25053] "obtained, and the party well deserving as yourself, it must be a "
## [25054] "great excuse that may well colour a denial : but when the first "
## [25055] "motion carries with it a direct impossibility, then must the only "
## [25056] "answer be, comfort without help, and sorrow to both parties; to "
## [25057] "you not obtaining, to me not able to grant.\" \" O,\" said Gynecia, "
## [25058] "\"how good leisure you have to frame these scornful answers? Is "
## [25059] "Gynecia thus to be despised? Am I so vile a worm in your sight? "
## [25060] "No, no, trust to it hard-hearted tiger, I will not be the only actor "
## [25061] "of this tragedy : since I must fall, I will press down some others "
## [25062] "with my ruins ; since I must burn, my spiteful neighbours shall "
## [25063] "feel my fire. Dost thou not perceive that my diligent eyes have "
## [25064] "pierced through the cloudy mask of thy disguisement ? Have I "
## [25065] "not told thee, O fool (if I were not much more fool) that I knew "
## [25066] "thou wouldst abuse us with thy outward show? wilt thou still "
## [25067] "attend the rage of love in a woman's heart ? The girl, thy well "
## [25068] "chosen mistress, perchance shall defend thee when Basilius shall "
## [25069] "know how thou hast sotted his mind with falsehood, and falsely "
## [25070] "sought the dishonour of his house. Believe it, believe it, unkind "
## [25071] "creature, I will end my miseries with a notable example of revenge "
## [25072] "and that accursed cradle of mine shall feel the smart of my wound "
## [25073] "thou of thy tyranny, and lastly (I confess) myself of mine own "
## [25074] "work.\" "
## [25075] ""
## [25076] "Zelmane that had long before doubted herself to be discovered "
## [25077] "by her, and now plainly finding it was, as the proverb saith, "
## [25078] "like them that hold the wolf by the ears, bitten while they "
## [25079] "hold, and slain if they loose. If she held her off in these wonted "
## [25080] "terms, she saw rage would make her love work the effects of hate ; "
## [25081] "to grant unto her, her heart was so bound upon Philoclea, it had "
## [25082] "been worse than a thousand deaths. Yet found she it was "
## [25083] "necessary for her to come to a resolution, for Gynecia's sore could "
## [25084] "bide no leisure, and once discovered, besides the danger of "
## [25085] "Philoclea, her desires should be for ever utterly stopped. She "
## [25086] "remembered withal the words of Basilius, how apt he was to leave "
## [25087] "this life, and return to his court, a great bar to her hopes. Lastly, "
## [25088] "she considered Dorus's enterprise might bring some strange "
## [25089] "alteration of this their well-liked fellowship. So that encompassed "
## [25090] "with these instant difficulties, she bent her spirits to think of a "
## [25091] "remedy, which might at once both save her from them, and serve "
## [25092] "her to the accomplishment of her only pursuit. Lastly, she "
## [25093] ""
## [25094] ""
## [25095] ""
## [25096] "462 ARCADIA [BOOK III. "
## [25097] ""
## [25098] "determined thus, that there was no way but to yield to the violence "
## [25099] "of their desires, since striving did the more chafe them. And that "
## [25100] "following their own current, at length of itself it would bring her "
## [25101] "to the other side of her burning desires. "
## [25102] ""
## [25103] "Now in the meanwhile, the divided Dorus, long divided between "
## [25104] "love and friendship, and now for his love divided from his friend, "
## [25105] "though indeed without prejudice of friendship's loyalty, which doth "
## [25106] "never bar the mind from his free satisfaction : yet still a cruel "
## [25107] "judge over himself, thought he was some ways faulty, and applied "
## [25108] "his mind how to amend it with a speedy and behoveful return. "
## [25109] "But then was his first study, how to get away, whereto already he "
## [25110] "had Pamela's consent confirmed and concluded under the name of "
## [25111] "Mopsa in her own presence ; Dorus taking this way, that whatso- "
## [25112] "ever he would have of Pamela he would ask her, whether in such "
## [25113] "a case it were liot best for Mopsa so to behave herself, in that sort "
## [25114] "making Mopsa's envy an instrument of that she did envy. So "
## [25115] "having passed over his first and most feared difficulty, he busied ' "
## [25116] "his spirits how to come to the harvest of his desires, whereof he "
## [25117] "had so fair a show. And thereunto (having gotten leave for some "
## [25118] "days of his master Dametas, who now accounted him as his son- "
## [25119] "in-law) he roamed round about the desert, to find some unknown "
## [25120] "way that might bring him to the next seaport, as much as might "
## [25121] "be out of all course of other passengers : which all very well "
## [25122] "succeeding him, and he having hired a barque for his life's traffic, "
## [25123] "and provided horses to carry her thither, returned homeward, now "
## [25124] "come to the last point of his care, how to go beyond the loathsome "
## [25125] "watchfulness of these three uncomely companions, and therein did "
## [25126] "wisely consider how they were to be taken with whom he was to "
## [25127] "deal, remembering that in the particularities of everybody's mind "
## [25128] "and fortune, there are particular advantages, by which they are to "
## [25129] "be held. The muddy mind of Dametas he found most easily "
## [25130] "stirred with covetousness. The cursed mischievous heart of Miso, "
## [25131] "most apt to be tickled with Jealousy, as whose rotten brain could "
## [25132] "think well of nobody. But young mistress Mopsa, who could open "
## [25133] "her eyes upon nothing that did not all to be-wonder her, he "
## [25134] "thought curiosity the fittest bait for her. And first for Dametas, "
## [25135] "Dorus having employed a whole day's work, about a ten mile off "
## [25136] "from the lodge, quite contrary way to that he meant to take with "
## [25137] "Pamela, in digging and opening the ground under an ancient oak "
## [25138] "that stood there, in such sort as he might longest hold Dametas's "
## [25139] "greedy hopes in some show of comfort, he came to his master "
## [25140] "with a countenance mixed between cheerfulness and haste, and "
## [25141] "taking him by the right hand, as if he had a great matter of secrecy "
## [25142] "to reveal unto him : \" Master,\" said he, \" I did never think that "
## [25143] "the gods had appointed my mind freely brought up to have so "
## [25144] ""
## [25145] ""
## [25146] ""
## [25147] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 463 "
## [25148] ""
## [25149] "longing a desire to serve you, but that they minded thereby to "
## [25150] "bring some extraordinary fruit to one so beloved of them as your "
## [25151] "honesty makes me think you are. This binds me even in "
## [25152] "conscience to disclose that which I persuade myself is allotted "
## [25153] "unto you, that your fortune may be of equal balance with your "
## [25154] "deserts.\" He said no farther, because he would let Dametas play "
## [25155] "upon the bit a while, who not understanding what his words "
## [25156] "intended, yet well finding they carried no evil news, was so much "
## [25157] "the more desirous to know the matter, as he had free scope to "
## [25158] "imagine what measure of good hap himself would. Therefore "
## [25159] "putting off his cap to him, which he never had done before, and "
## [25160] "assuring him he should have Mopsa, though she had been all "
## [25161] "made of cloth of gold, he besought Dorus not to hold him long in "
## [25162] "hope, for that he found a thing his heart was not able to bear. "
## [25163] "\" Master,\" answered Dorus, \" you have so satisfied me with "
## [25164] "promising me the utmost of my desired' bliss, that if my duty "
## [25165] "bound me not, I were in it sufficiently rewarded. To you therefore "
## [25166] "shall my good hap be converted, and the fruit of my labour "
## [25167] "dedicated. Therewith he told him, how under an ancient oak "
## [25168] "(the place he made him easily understand by sufficient marks he "
## [25169] "gave to him) he had found digging but a little depth, scattering "
## [25170] "lying a great number of rich medals, and that, piercing farther into "
## [25171] "the ground he had met with a great stone, which, by the hollow "
## [25172] "sound it yielded, seemed to be the cover of some greater vault, and "
## [25173] "upon it a box of cypress, with the name of the valiant Aristomenes, "
## [25174] "graven upon it : and that within the box he found certain verses "
## [25175] "which signified that some depth again under that all his treasures "
## [25176] "lay hidden, what time for the discord fell out in Arcadia, he lived "
## [25177] "banished. Therewith he gave Dametas certain medals of gold he "
## [25178] "had long kept about him, and asked him, because it was a thing "
## [25179] "much to be kept secret, and a matter one man in twenty hours "
## [25180] "might easily perform, whether he would have him go and seek the "
## [25181] "bottom of it, which he refrained to do till he knew his mind "
## [25182] "promising he would faithfully bring him what he found, or else "
## [25183] "that he himself would do it, and be the first beholder of that "
## [25184] "comfortable spectacle ; no man need doubt which part Dametas "
## [25185] "would choose, whose fancy had already devoured all this great "
## [25186] "riches, and even now began to grudge at a partner, before he saw "
## [25187] "his own share. Therefore taking a strong jade, laden with spades "
## [25188] "and mattocks, which he meant to bring back otherwise laden he "
## [25189] "went in all speed thitherward, taking leave of nobody, only desiring "
## [25190] "Dorus he would look well to the princess Pamela, promising him "
## [25191] "mountains of his own labour, which nevertheless he little meant to "
## [25192] "perform, like a fool, not considering, that no man is to be moved "
## [25193] "with part, that neglects the whole. Thus away went Dametas "
## [25194] ""
## [25195] ""
## [25196] ""
## [25197] "464 ARCADIA [BOOK in. "
## [25198] ""
## [25199] "having already made an image in his fancy, what palaces he would "
## [25200] "build, how sumptuously he would fare, and among all other things "
## [25201] "imagined what money to employ in making coffers to keep his "
## [25202] "money ; his ten miles seemed twice so many leagues, and yet "
## [25203] "contrary to the nature of it, though it seemed long, it was not "
## [25204] "wearisome. Many times he cursed his horse's want of consideration, "
## [25205] "that in so important a matter would make no greater speed : many "
## [25206] "times he wished himself the back of an ass to help to carry away "
## [25207] "the new sought riches (an unfortunate wisher, for if he had as well "
## [25208] "wished the head, it had been granted him). At length being come "
## [25209] "to the tree, which he hoped should bear so golden acorns, down "
## [25210] "went all his instruments, and forthwith to the renting up of the "
## [25211] "hurtless earth, where by and by he was caught with the lime of a "
## [25212] "few promised medals, which was so perfect a pawn unto him of his "
## [25213] "farther expectation that he deemed a great number of hours well "
## [25214] "employed in groping farther into it, which with logs and great "
## [25215] "stones was made as cumbersome as might be, till at length, with "
## [25216] "sweaty brow, he came to the great stone. A stone, God knows, "
## [25217] "full unlike to the cover of a monument, but yet there was the "
## [25218] "cypress box with Aristomenes graven upon it, and these verses "
## [25219] "written in it, "
## [25220] ""
## [25221] "A banish'd man, long barr'd from his desire "
## [25222] "By inward lets, of them his state possessed, "
## [25223] ""
## [25224] "Hid here his hopes, by which he might aspire "
## [25225] "To have his harms with wisdom's help redressed. "
## [25226] ""
## [25227] "Seek then and see what man esteemeth best, "
## [25228] "All is but this, this is our labour's hire : "
## [25229] ""
## [25230] "Of this we live, in this we find our rest ; "
## [25231] "Who holds this fast no greater wealth require, "
## [25232] ""
## [25233] "Look farther then, so shalt thou find at least, "
## [25234] ""
## [25235] "A bait most fit for hungry minded guest. "
## [25236] ""
## [25237] "He opened the box, and to his great comfort read them, and "
## [25238] "with fresh courage went about to lift up that stone. But in the "
## [25239] "meantime, e'er Dametas was half-a-mile gone to the treasure-ward, "
## [25240] "Dorus came to Miso, whom he found sitting in the chimney's end, "
## [25241] "babbling to herself, and showing by all her gestures that she was "
## [25242] "loathsomely weary of the world, not for any hope of a better life, "
## [25243] "but finding no one good, neither in mind nor body, whereout she "
## [25244] "might nourish a quiet thought, having long since hated each thing "
## [25245] "else, began now to hate herself. Before this sweet humoured "
## [25246] "dame Dorus set himself, and framed towards her such a smiling "
## [25247] "countenance, as might seem to be mixed between a tickled mirth "
## [25248] "and a forced pity. Miso, to whom cheerfulness in others was ever "
## [25249] "a sauce of envy in herself, took quickly mark of his behaviour, "
## [25250] ""
## [25251] ""
## [25252] ""
## [25253] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 465 "
## [25254] ""
## [25255] "and with a look full of sworn spite : \" Now the devil,\" said she, "
## [25256] "\"take these villains that can never leave grinning, because I am "
## [25257] "not so fair as mistress Mopsa, to see how this skipjack looks "
## [25258] "at me.\" Dorus, that had the occasion he desired, \"Truly "
## [25259] "mistress,\" answered he, \"my smiling is not at you, but at them "
## [25260] "that are from you, and indeed I must needs a little accord my "
## [25261] "countenance with others' sport.\" And therewithal took her in his "
## [25262] "arms, and rocking her to and fro, \" In faith mistress,\" said he, "
## [25263] "\" it is high time for you to bid us good night for ever, since others "
## [25264] "can possess your place in your own time.\" Miso, that was never "
## [25265] "void of malice enough to suspect the uttermost evil, to satisfy "
## [25266] "a farther shrewdness, took on a present mildness, and gently "
## [25267] "desired him to tell her what he meant; \"For,\" said she, \"I am "
## [25268] "like enough to be knavishly dealt with by that churl my husband.\" "
## [25269] "Dorus fell off from the matter again, as if he had meant no such "
## [25270] "thing, till by much refusing her entreaty, and vehemently stirring "
## [25271] "up her desire to know, he had strengthened a credit in her to "
## [25272] "that he should say. And then with a formal countenance, as if "
## [25273] "the conscience of the case had touched himself. \" Mistress,\" said "
## [25274] "he, \" I am much perplexed in mine own determination, for my "
## [25275] "thoughts do ever will me to do honestly, but my judgment "
## [25276] "fails me what is honest, betwixt the general rule, that entrusted "
## [25277] "secrecies are holily to be deserved, and the particular exception, "
## [25278] "that the dishonest secrecies are to be revealed ; especially there, "
## [25279] "where by reveaUng they may either be prevented, or at least "
## [25280] "amended. Yet in this balance your judgment weighs me "
## [25281] "down, because I have confidence in it, that you will use what "
## [25282] "you know moderately, and rather take such faults as advantage "
## [25283] "to your own good desert, than by your bitter using it be "
## [25284] "contented to be revenged on others with your own harms. So "
## [25285] "it is, mistress,\" said he, \"that yesterday driving my sheep up "
## [25286] "to the stately hill which lifts his head over the fair city of "
## [25287] "Mantinea, I happened upon the side of it, in a little falling "
## [25288] "of the ground, which was a rampier against the sun's rage, to "
## [25289] "perceive a young maid, truly of the finest stamp of beauty; and "
## [25290] "that which made her beauty the more admirable, there was at all "
## [25291] "no art added to the helping of it : for her apparel was but such "
## [25292] "as shepherds' daughters are wont to wear; and as for her hair, "
## [25293] "it hung down at free liberty of his goodly length, but that sometimes "
## [25294] "falling before the clear stars of her sight, she was forced to put "
## [25295] "it behind her ears, and so open again the treasures of her "
## [25296] "perfection, which that for a while had in part hidden. In her lap "
## [25297] "there lay a shepherd so wrapped up in that well-liked place, that "
## [25298] "I could discern no piece of his face, but as mine eyes were intent "
## [25299] "in that, her angel-like voice struck mine ears with this song. "
## [25300] ""
## [25301] "2 G "
## [25302] ""
## [25303] ""
## [25304] ""
## [25305] "466 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [25306] ""
## [25307] "My true love hath my heart, and I have his, "
## [25308] "By just exchange, one for the other giv'n : "
## [25309] ""
## [25310] "I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss ; "
## [25311] "There never was a bargain better driv'n. "
## [25312] ""
## [25313] "His heart in me, keeps me and him in one. "
## [25314] "My heart in him, his thoughts and senses guide : "
## [25315] ""
## [25316] "He loves my heart, for once it was his own, "
## [25317] "I cherish his, because in me it bides. "
## [25318] ""
## [25319] "His heart his wound received from my sight : "
## [25320] "My heart was wounded with his wounded heart. "
## [25321] ""
## [25322] "For as from me, on him his hurt did light ; "
## [25323] "So still me thought in me his heart did smart : "
## [25324] ""
## [25325] "Both equal hurt, in this change sought our bliss. "
## [25326] ""
## [25327] "My true love hath my heart, and I have his. "
## [25328] ""
## [25329] "But as if the shepherd that lay before her had been organs, "
## [25330] "which were only to be blown by her breath, she had no sooner "
## [25331] "ended with the joining her sweet lips together, but that he "
## [25332] "recorded to her music this rural poesy. "
## [25333] ""
## [25334] "O words which fall like summer dew on me, "
## [25335] "O breath more sweet, than is the growing bean ; "
## [25336] ""
## [25337] "O tongue in which all honeyed liquors be, "
## [25338] "O voice that doth the thrush in shrillness strain ; "
## [25339] ""
## [25340] "Do you say still, this is her promise due. "
## [25341] ""
## [25342] "That she is mine, as I to her am true. "
## [25343] ""
## [25344] "Gay hair, more gay than straw when harvest lies. "
## [25345] "Lips red and plump, as cherry ruddy side. "
## [25346] ""
## [25347] "Eyes fair and great like fair great ox's eyes ; "
## [25348] "O breast in which two white sheep swell in pride : "
## [25349] ""
## [25350] "Join you with me, to seal this promise due, "
## [25351] ""
## [25352] "That she be mine, as I to her am true. "
## [25353] ""
## [25354] "But thou white skin, as white as curds well pressed, "
## [25355] "So smooth as sleek stone, like it smooths each part : "
## [25356] ""
## [25357] "And thou dear flesh, as soft as wool new dressed. "
## [25358] "And yet as hard as brawn, made hard by art : "
## [25359] ""
## [25360] "First four but say, next four their saying seal. "
## [25361] ""
## [25362] "But you must pay the gage of promis'd weal. "
## [25363] ""
## [25364] "\" And with the conclusion of his song he embraced her about "
## [25365] "the knees. ' O sweet Charita,' said he, ' when shall I enjoy "
## [25366] "the rest of my toiling thoughts; and when shall your blissful "
## [25367] "promise, now due, be verified with just performance. With that "
## [25368] "I drew nearer to them and saw, for now he had lifted up his face "
## [25369] ""
## [25370] ""
## [25371] ""
## [25372] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 467 "
## [25373] ""
## [25374] "to glass himself in her fair eyes, that it was my master Dametas \" ; "
## [25375] "but here Miso interrupted his tale with railing at Dametas, with "
## [25376] "all those exquisite terms, which I was never good scold enough "
## [25377] "to imagine. But Dorus, as if he had been much offended with "
## [25378] "her impatiency, would proceed no farther till she had vowed "
## [25379] "more stillness: \"for,\" said he, \"if the first drum thus chafe you, "
## [25380] "what will you be when it comes to the blows.\" Then he told her, "
## [25381] "how after many famihar entertainments betwixt them, Dametas, "
## [25382] "laying before her his great credit with the king, and withal giving "
## [25383] "her very fair presents, with promise of much more, had at length "
## [25384] "concluded together to meet that night at Mantinea in the "
## [25385] "Oudemian Street, at Charita's uncle's house, about ten of the "
## [25386] "clock. After which bargain Dametas had spied Dorus, and, "
## [25387] "calling him to him, had with great bravery told him all his good "
## [25388] "hap, willing him in any case to return to the old witch Miso; "
## [25389] "\" for so indeed, mistress of liveliness, and not of illwill, he termed "
## [25390] "you, and to make some honest excuse of his absence. ' For,' said "
## [25391] "he, kissing Charita, ' if thou didst know what a hfe I lead with "
## [25392] "that drivel, it would make thee even of pity receive me into thy "
## [25393] "only comfort.' ' Now mistress,' said he, ' exercise your discretion, "
## [25394] "which if I were well assured of, I would wish you to go yourself "
## [25395] "to Mantinea, and (lying secret in some one of your gossip's houses "
## [25396] "till the time appointed come) so may you find them together, "
## [25397] "and using mercy reform my master from his evil ways.' \" "
## [25398] ""
## [25399] "There had nothing more enraged Miso than the praises Dorus "
## [25400] "gave to Charita's beauty, which made her jealousy swell the more "
## [25401] "with the poison of envy. And that being increased with the "
## [25402] "presents she heard Dametas had given her, which all seemed torn "
## [25403] "out of her bowels, her hollow eyes yielded such wretched looks, as "
## [25404] "one might well think Pluto at that time might have had her soul, "
## [25405] "very good, cheap. But when the fire of spite had fully caught "
## [25406] "hold of all her inward parts, then whosoever would have seen the "
## [25407] "picture of Alecto, or with what manner of countenance Medea "
## [25408] "killed her own children, needed but take Miso for the full satisfac- "
## [25409] "tion of that point of his knowledge. She that could before scarce "
## [25410] "go but supported by crutches, now flew about the house, borne up "
## [25411] "by the wings of anger ; there was no one sort of mortal revenge "
## [25412] "that had ever come to her ears, but presented itself now to her "
## [25413] "gentle mind. At length with few words, for her words were choked "
## [25414] "up with the rising of her revengeful heart, she ran down, and with "
## [25415] "her own hands saddled a mare of hers ; a mare that seven years "
## [25416] "before had not been acquainted with the saddle, and so to Mantinea "
## [25417] "she went, casting with herself how she might couple shame with "
## [25418] "the punishment of her accursed husband : but the person is not "
## [25419] "worthy in whose passion I should too long stand. "
## [25420] ""
## [25421] ""
## [25422] ""
## [25423] "468 ARCADIA [book in. "
## [25424] ""
## [25425] "Therefore now must I tell you that mistress Mopsa, who was the "
## [25426] "last party Dorus was to practice his cunning withal, was at the "
## [25427] "parting of her parents attending upon the princess Pamela, whom, "
## [25428] "because she found to be placed in her father's house, she knew it "
## [25429] "was for suspicion the king had of her. This made Mopsa with a "
## [25430] "right base nature, which joys to see any hard hap happen to them "
## [25431] "they deem happy, grow proud over her, and use great ostentation "
## [25432] "of her own diligence, in prying curiously into each thing that "
## [25433] "Pamela did. Neither is there anything sooner overthrows a weak "
## [25434] "heart than opinion of authority, like too strong a liquor for so "
## [25435] "feeble a glass; which joined itself to the humour of envying "
## [25436] "Pamela's beauty, so far that oft she would say to herself, if she had "
## [25437] "been born a princess as well as Pamela, her perfections then "
## [25438] "should have been as well seen as Pamela's. With this manner of "
## [25439] "woman, and placed in these terms, had Dorus to play his last part, "
## [25440] "which he would have quickly dispatched in tying her up in such a "
## [25441] "manner that she should little have hindered his enterprise. But "
## [25442] "that the virtuous Pamela, when she saw him so minded, by "
## [25443] "countenance absolutely forbid it, resolutely determining she would "
## [25444] "not leave behind her any token of wrong : since the wrong done "
## [25445] "to herself was the best excuse of her escape : so that Dorus was "
## [25446] "compelled to take her in the manner he first thought of, and "
## [25447] "accordingly Pamela sitting musing at the strange attempt she had "
## [25448] "condescended unto, and Mopsa hard by her (looking in a glass "
## [25449] "with very partial eyes) Dorus put himself between them, and "
## [25450] "casting up his face to the top of the house, struggling all over his "
## [25451] "body, and stamping sometimes upon the ground, gave Mopsa "
## [25452] "occasion (who was as busy as a bee to know anything) to ask her "
## [25453] "lover Dorus what ailed him, that made him use so strange a "
## [25454] "behaviour : he, as if his spirits had been ravished with some "
## [25455] "supernatural contemplation, stood still mute, sometimes rubbing "
## [25456] "his forehead, sometimes starting in himself, that he set Mopsa in "
## [25457] "such an itch of inquiry that she would have offered her maidenhead, "
## [25458] "rather than be long kept from it. Dorus not yet answering to the "
## [25459] "purpose, still keeping his amazement: \"O Hercules,\" said he, "
## [25460] "\" resolve me in this doubt. A tree to grant one's wishes ! Is this "
## [25461] "the cause of the king's solitary life? which part shall I take? "
## [25462] "happy in either, unhappy because I cannot know which were my "
## [25463] "best hap.\" These doubtful self-speeches, made Mopsa yet in a "
## [25464] "farther longing of knowing the matter : so that the pretty pig, "
## [25465] "laying her sweet burden about his neck, \"My Dorus,\" said she, "
## [25466] "\"tell me these words, or else I know not what will befall me, "
## [25467] "honey Dorus, tell them me.\" Dorus having stretched her mind "
## [25468] "upon a right last : \" extremely loved Mopsa,\" said he, \" the matters "
## [25469] "be so great, as my heart fails me in the telling them : but since "
## [25470] ""
## [25471] ""
## [25472] ""
## [25473] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 469 "
## [25474] ""
## [25475] "you hold the greatest seat in it, it is reason your desire should "
## [25476] "add life unto it.\" Therewith he told her a far fetched tale ; how "
## [25477] "that many millions of years before, Jupiter fallen out with Apollo, "
## [25478] "had thrown him out of heaven, taking from him the privilege of a "
## [25479] "god. So that poor Apollo was fain to lead a very miserable life, "
## [25480] "unacquainted to work, and never used to beg, that in this order "
## [25481] "having in time learned to be Admetus's herdsman, he had upon "
## [25482] "occasion of fetching a certain breed of beasts out of Arcadia, come "
## [25483] "to that very desert, where wearied with travel, and resting himself "
## [25484] "in the boughs of a pleasant ash tree, which stood a little off from "
## [25485] "the lodge, he had with pitiful complaints, gotten his father Jupiter's "
## [25486] "pardon, and so from that tree was received again to his golden "
## [25487] "sphere. But having that right nature of a god, never to be "
## [25488] "ungrateful, to Admetus he had granted a double life : and because "
## [25489] "that tree was the chapel of his prosperous prayers, he had given "
## [25490] "it this quality, that whatsoever of such estate, and in such manner "
## [25491] "as he then was, sat down in that tree, they should obtain whatsoever' "
## [25492] "they wished. This Basilius having understood by the oracle, was "
## [25493] "the only cause which had made him try, whether framing himself "
## [25494] "to the state of an herdsman, he might have the privilege of wishing "
## [25495] "only granted to that degree ; but that having often in vain attempted "
## [25496] "it, because indeed he was not such, he had now opened the secret "
## [25497] "to Dametas, making him swear he should wish according to his "
## [25498] "direction. \"But because,\" said Dorus, \"Apollo was at that time "
## [25499] "with extreme grief, muffled round about his face, with a scarlet "
## [25500] "cloak Admetus had given him, and because they that must wish, "
## [25501] "must be muffled in like sort, and with like stuff, my master "
## [25502] "Dametas is gone I know not whither, to provide him a scarlet "
## [25503] "cloak, and to-morrow doth appoint to return with it. My mistress "
## [25504] "I cannot tell how, having gotten some inkling of it, is trudged to "
## [25505] "Mantinea, to get herself a cloak before him, because she would "
## [25506] "have the first wish. My master at his parting, of great trust told "
## [25507] "me this secret, commanding me to see nobody should climb that "
## [25508] "tree. But now Mopsa,\" said he, \" I have here the hke cloak of "
## [25509] "mine own, and am not so very a fool, as though I keep his "
## [25510] "commandments in others, to bar myself. I rest only extremely "
## [25511] "perplexed, because having nothing in the world I wish for, but the "
## [25512] "enjoying you and your favour, I think it a much pleasanter "
## [25513] "conquest to come to it by your own consent, than to have it by "
## [25514] "such a charming force as this is. Now therefore choose, since "
## [25515] "have you I will, in what sort I shall have you.\" But never child "
## [25516] "was so desirous of a gay puppet, as Mopsa was to be in the tree, "
## [25517] "and therefore without squeamishness, promising all he would, she "
## [25518] "conjured him by all her precious loves that she might have the "
## [25519] "first possession of the wishing tree, assuring him that for the "
## [25520] ""
## [25521] ""
## [25522] ""
## [25523] "470 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [25524] ""
## [25525] "enjoying her, he would never need to climb far. Dorus, to whom "
## [25526] "time was precious, made no great ceremonies with her; but "
## [25527] "helping her up to the top of the tree, from whence likewise she "
## [25528] "could ill come down without help, he muffled her round about the "
## [25529] "face, so truly, that she herself could not undo it. And so he told "
## [25530] "her the manner was, she should hold her mind in continual "
## [25531] "devotion to Apollo, without making at all any noise, till at the "
## [25532] "farthest within twelve hours' space, she should hear a voice call "
## [25533] "her by name three times, and that till the third time she must in "
## [25534] "no wise answer; \"and then you shall not need to doubt your "
## [25535] "coming down, for at that time,\" said he, \" be sure to wish wisely, "
## [25536] "and in what shape soever he come unto you, speak boldly unto "
## [25537] "him, and your wish shall have as certain effects as I have a desire "
## [25538] "to enjoy your sweet love.\" In this plight did he leave Mopsa, "
## [25539] "resolved in her heart to be the greatest lady in the world, and "
## [25540] "never after to feed on worse than furmetry. "
## [25541] ""
## [25542] "Thus Dorus having delivered his hands of his three tormentors, "
## [25543] "took speedily the benefit of his device, and mounting the gracious "
## [25544] "Pamela upon a fair horse he had provided for her, he thrust "
## [25545] "himself forthwith into the wildest part of the desert, where he had "
## [25546] "left marks to guide him from place to place to the next seaport, "
## [25547] "disguising her very fitly with scarfs; although he rested assured "
## [25548] "he should meet that way with nobody, till he came to his bark, "
## [25549] "into which he meant to enter by night. But Pamela, who all this "
## [25550] "while transported with desire and troubled with fear, had never "
## [25551] "free scope of judgment to look with perfect consideration into her "
## [25552] "own enterprize, but even by the laws of love, had bequeathed the "
## [25553] "care of herself upon him, to whom she had given herself; now "
## [25554] "that the pang of desire, with evident hope was quieted, and most "
## [25555] "part of the fear passed, reason began to renew his shining in her "
## [25556] "heart, and make her see herself in herself; and weigh with what "
## [25557] "wings she flew out of her country ; and upon what ground she "
## [25558] "built so strong a determination. But love, fortified with her lover's "
## [25559] "presence, kept still his ovra in her heart ; so that as they rode "
## [25560] "together, with her hand upon her faithful servant's shoulder, suddenly "
## [25561] "casting her bashful eyes to the ground, and yet binding herself "
## [25562] "towards him (like the client that commits the cause of all his worth "
## [25563] "to a well-trusted advocate) from a mild spirit said unto him these "
## [25564] "sweetly delivered words : \" Prince Musidorus, for so my assured "
## [25565] "hope is I may justly call you, since with no other my heart would "
## [25566] "ever have yielded to go ; and if so I do not rightly term you, all "
## [25567] "other words are as bootless, as my deeds miserable, and I as "
## [25568] "unfortunate, as you wicked, my prince Musidorus, I say now that "
## [25569] "the vehement shows of your faithful love towards me have brought "
## [25570] "my mind to answer it in so due a proportion, that contrary to "
## [25571] ""
## [25572] ""
## [25573] ""
## [25574] "BOOK m.] ARCADIA 471 "
## [25575] ""
## [25576] "all general rules of reason, I have laid in you my estate, my life, "
## [25577] "my honour : it is your part to double your former care, and make "
## [25578] "me see your virtue no less in preserving, than in obtaining : and "
## [25579] "your faith to be a faith as much in freedom, as bondage. Tender "
## [25580] "now your own workmanship, and so govern your love towards me, "
## [25581] "that I may still remain worthy to be loved. Your promise you "
## [25582] "remember, which here by the eternal givers of virtue I conjure "
## [25583] "you to observe, let me be your own as I am, but by no unjust "
## [25584] "conquest; let not our joys which ought ever to last, be stained "
## [25585] "in our own consciences, let no shadow of repentance steal into "
## [25586] "the sweet consideration of our mutual happiness ; I have yielded "
## [25587] "to be your wife, stay then till the time that I may rightly be so; "
## [25588] "let no other defiled name burden my heart, what should I more "
## [25589] "say? if I have chosen well, all doubt is past, since your action "
## [25590] "only must determine, whether I have done virtuously or shamefully "
## [25591] "in following you.\" "
## [25592] ""
## [25593] "Musidorus, that had more abundance of joy in his heart than "
## [25594] "Ulysses had what time with his own industry he stole the fatal "
## [25595] "Palladium, imagined to be the only relic of Troy's safety, taking "
## [25596] "Pamela's hand, and many times kissed it. \"What I am,\" said "
## [25597] "he, \" the gods I hope will shortly make your own eyes judge ; "
## [25598] "and of my mind towards you, the meantime shall be my pledge "
## [25599] "unto you ; your contentment is dearer to me than mine own, and "
## [25600] "therefore doubt not of his mind, whose thoughts are so thralled "
## [25601] "unto you, as you are to bend or slack them as it shall seem best "
## [25602] "unto you. You do wrong to yourself, to make any doubt that "
## [25603] "a base estate could ever undertake so high an enterprize or a "
## [25604] "spotted mind be able to behold your virtues. Thus much only "
## [25605] "I confess, I can never do, to make the world see you have chosen "
## [25606] "worthily, since all the world is not worthy of you.\" In such "
## [25607] "dehghtful discourses, kept they on their journey, maintaining their "
## [25608] "hearts in that right harmony of affection, which doth interchange- "
## [25609] "able deliver each to other the secret workings of their souls till "
## [25610] "with the unusual travel, the princess being weary, they alighted "
## [25611] "down in a fair thick wood, which did entice them with the "
## [25612] "pleasantness of it to take their rest there. It was all of pine trees "
## [25613] "whose broad heads meeting together, yielded a perfect shade to "
## [25614] "the ground, where their bodies gave a spacious and pleasant room "
## [25615] "to walk in, they were set in so perfect an order that every way "
## [25616] "the eye being full, yet no way was stopped. And even in the "
## [25617] "midst of them, were there many sweet springs which did lose "
## [25618] "themselves upon the face of the earth. Here Musidorus drew out "
## [25619] "such provisions of fruits and other cates, as he had brought for "
## [25620] "that day's repast, and laid it down upon the fair carpet of the "
## [25621] "green grass. But Pamela had much more pleasure to walk under "
## [25622] ""
## [25623] ""
## [25624] ""
## [25625] "472 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [25626] ""
## [25627] "those trees, making in their barks pretty knots, which tied together "
## [25628] "the names of Musidorus and Pamela, sometimes intermixedly "
## [25629] "changing them, to Pammidorus and Musimela, with twenty other "
## [25630] "flowers of her travelling fancies, which had bound themselves to "
## [25631] "a gfreater restraint than they could without much pain well endure ; "
## [25632] "and to one tree more beholding to her than the rest, she entrusted "
## [25633] "the treasure of her thoughts in these verses : "
## [25634] ""
## [25635] "Do not disdain, O straight up raised pine. "
## [25636] "That wounding thee, my thoughts in thee I grave : "
## [25637] ""
## [25638] "Since that my thoughts as straight as straightness thine, "
## [25639] "No smaller wound, alas I far deeper have. "
## [25640] ""
## [25641] "Deeper engraved, which salve nor time can save, "
## [25642] "Giv'n to my heart, by my forewounded eye : "
## [25643] ""
## [25644] "Thus cruel to myself how canst thou crave "
## [25645] "My inward hurt should spare thy outward rine ? "
## [25646] ""
## [25647] "Yet still fair tree, lift up thy stately line, "
## [25648] "Live long, and long witness my chosen part. "
## [25649] "Which barr'd desires, barr'd by myself, impart. "
## [25650] ""
## [25651] "And in this growing-bark grow verses mine. "
## [25652] "My heart my word, my word hath giv'n my heart j "
## [25653] "The giver giVn from gift shall never part. "
## [25654] ""
## [25655] "Upon a root of the tree, that the earth had left something barer "
## [25656] "than the rest, she wrote this couplet : "
## [25657] ""
## [25658] "Sweet root say thou, the root of my desire "
## [25659] "Was virtue clad in constant love's attire. "
## [25660] ""
## [25661] "Musidorus, seeing her fancies drawn up to such pleasani "
## [25662] "contemplations, accompanied her in them, and made the trees "
## [25663] "as well bear badges of his passions, as this song engraved in then "
## [25664] "did testify: "
## [25665] ""
## [25666] "You goodly pines, which still with brave ascent. "
## [25667] "In nature's pride your heads to heav'nward heave ; "
## [25668] ""
## [25669] "Though you besides such graces earth hath lent, "
## [25670] "Of some late grace a greater grace receive. "
## [25671] ""
## [25672] "By her who was (O blessed you) content "
## [25673] "With her fair hand, your tender barks to cleave. "
## [25674] ""
## [25675] "And so by you (O blessed you) hath sent. "
## [25676] "Such piercing words as no thoughts else conceive. "
## [25677] ""
## [25678] "Yet yield your grant, a baser hand may leave "
## [25679] "His thoughts in you, where so sweet thoughts were spent, "
## [25680] ""
## [25681] "For how would you the mistress's thoughts bereave "
## [25682] "Of waiting thoughts all to her service meant. "
## [25683] ""
## [25684] ""
## [25685] ""
## [25686] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 473 "
## [25687] ""
## [25688] "Nay higher thoughts (though thralled thoughts) "
## [25689] "My thoughts then hers, who first your rind did rent : "
## [25690] ""
## [25691] "Than hers, to whom my thoughts a lonely thrall "
## [25692] "Rising from low, are to the highest bent ; "
## [25693] ""
## [25694] "Where hers, whom worth makes highest over all "
## [25695] ""
## [25696] "Coming from her, cannot but downward fall. "
## [25697] ""
## [25698] "While Pamela sitting her down under one of them, and making "
## [25699] "a poesy of the fair undergrowing flowers, filled Musidorus's ears "
## [25700] "with the heavenly sound of her music, which before he had never "
## [25701] "heard, so that it seemed unto him a new assault given to the "
## [25702] "castle of his heart, already conquered : which to signify, and "
## [25703] "withal reply to her sweet notes, he sung in a kind of still, but "
## [25704] "ravishing tune, a few verses: her song was this, and his reply "
## [25705] "follows. "
## [25706] ""
## [25707] ""
## [25708] ""
## [25709] "PAMELA "
## [25710] ""
## [25711] "Like divers flowers, whose divers beauties serve "
## [25712] "To deck the earth with his well coloured weed, "
## [25713] ""
## [25714] "Though each of them, his private form preserve. "
## [25715] "Yet joining forms one sight of beauty breed. "
## [25716] ""
## [25717] "Right so my thoughts, whereon my heart I feed : "
## [25718] "Right so my inward parts, and outward glass, "
## [25719] ""
## [25720] "Though each possess a divers working kind ; "
## [25721] "Yet all well knit to one fair end do pass : "
## [25722] ""
## [25723] "That he to whom these sundry gifts I bind. "
## [25724] ""
## [25725] "All what I am, still one, his own, do find. "
## [25726] ""
## [25727] "MUSIDORUS "
## [25728] ""
## [25729] "All what you are still one, his own to find. "
## [25730] "You that are born to be the world's eye ; "
## [25731] ""
## [25732] "What were it else but to make each thing blind ! "
## [25733] "And to the sun with waxen wings to fly. "
## [25734] ""
## [25735] "No, no, such force with my small force to try. "
## [25736] "Is not my skill, or reach of mortal mind : "
## [25737] ""
## [25738] "Call me but yours, my title is most high ; "
## [25739] "Ho'd me most yours, then my long suit is sign'd. "
## [25740] ""
## [25741] "You none can claim but you yourself a right, "
## [25742] "For you do pass yourself, in virtue's might. "
## [25743] ""
## [25744] "So both are yours : I bound with gaged heart ! "
## [25745] "You only yours, too far beyond desert. "
## [25746] ""
## [25747] ""
## [25748] ""
## [25749] "474 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [25750] ""
## [25751] "In this virtuous wantonness, suflfering their minds to descend "
## [25752] "to each tender enjoying their united thoughts, Pamela having "
## [25753] "tasted of the fruits, and growing extreme sleepy, having been "
## [25754] "long kept from it with the perplexity of her dangerous attempt, "
## [25755] "laying her head in his lap, was invited by him to sleep with these "
## [25756] "softly uttered verses : "
## [25757] ""
## [25758] "Look up, fair lids, the treasure of my heart, "
## [25759] "Preserve those beams, this age's only light : "
## [25760] ""
## [25761] "To her sweet sense, sweet sleep some ease impart, "
## [25762] "Her sense too weak to bear her spirit's might. "
## [25763] ""
## [25764] "And while, O sleep, thou closest up her sight. "
## [25765] "Her sight where love did forge his fairest dart, "
## [25766] ""
## [25767] "O harbour all her parts in easeful plight : "
## [25768] "Let no strange dream make her fair body start. "
## [25769] ""
## [25770] "But, O dream, if thou wilt not depart "
## [25771] "In this rare subject from thy common right : "
## [25772] "But wilt thyself in such a seat delight, "
## [25773] ""
## [25774] "Then take my shape, and play a lover's part : "
## [25775] "Kiss her from me, and say unto her sprite, "
## [25776] "Till her eyes shine, I live in darkest night. "
## [25777] ""
## [25778] "The sweet Pamela was brought into a sweet sleep with this "
## [25779] "song, which gave Musidorus opportunity at leisure to behold her "
## [25780] "excellent beauties. He thought her fair forehead was a field "
## [25781] "where all his fancies fought, and every hair of her head seemed "
## [25782] "a strong chain that tied him. Her fairer lids then hiding her "
## [25783] "fairer eyes, seemed unto him sweet boxes of mother-of-pearl, rich "
## [25784] "in themselves, but containing in them far richer jewels. Her "
## [25785] "cheeks with their colour most delicately mixed, would have "
## [25786] "entertained his eyes some while, but that the roses of her lips, "
## [25787] "whose separating was wont to be accompanied with most wise "
## [25788] "speeches, now by force drew his sight to mark how prettily they "
## [25789] "lay one over the other, uniting their divided beauties ; and through "
## [25790] "them the eye of his fancy delivered to his memory the lying, as "
## [25791] "in ambush, under her lips of those armed ranks, all armed in most "
## [25792] "pure white, and keeping the most precise order of military "
## [25793] "discipline. And lest this beauty might seem the picture of some "
## [25794] "excellent artificer, forth there stole a soft breath, carrying good "
## [25795] "testimony of her inward sweetness : and so stealing it came out, "
## [25796] "as it seemed loath to leave his contentful mansion, but that it "
## [25797] "hoped to be drawn in again to that well-closed paradise, which "
## [25798] "did so tyrannize over Musidorus's effects, that he was compelled "
## [25799] "to put his face as low to hers, as he could, sucking the breath with "
## [25800] "such joy that he did determine in himself there had been no life "
## [25801] ""
## [25802] ""
## [25803] ""
## [25804] "BOOK in.] ARCADIA 475 "
## [25805] ""
## [25806] "to a Chameleon's if he might be suffered to enjoy that food. But "
## [25807] "long he was not suffered, being within a while interrupted by the "
## [25808] "coming of a company of clownish villains, armed with divers sorts "
## [25809] "of weapons, and for the rest both in face and apparel so forewasted "
## [25810] "that they seemed to bear a great conformity with the savages; "
## [25811] "who, miserably in themselves, taught to increase their mischiefs "
## [25812] "in other body's harms, came with such cries that they both awaked "
## [25813] "Pamela, and made Musidorus turn unto them full of a most violent "
## [25814] "rage, with the look of a she tiger when her whelps are stolen "
## [25815] "away. "
## [25816] ""
## [25817] "But Zelmane, whom I left in the cave hardly bestead, having "
## [25818] "both great wits and stirring passions to deal with, makes me lend "
## [25819] "her my pen a while to see with what dexterity she could put by "
## [25820] "her dangers. For having in one instant both to resist rage, and "
## [25821] "go beyond wisdom, being to deal with a lady that had her wits "
## [25822] "awake in everything but in helping her own hurt, she saw now "
## [25823] "no other remedy in her case, but to qualify her rage with hope, "
## [25824] "and to satisfy her wit with plainness : Yet lest too abrupt falling "
## [25825] "into it, should yield too great advantage unto her, she thought "
## [25826] "good to come to it by degrees with this kind of insinuation. "
## [25827] "\"Your wise, but very dark speeches, most excellent lady, are "
## [25828] "woven up in so intricate a manner that I know not how to "
## [25829] "proportion mine answer unto them: so are your prayers mixed "
## [25830] "with threats, and so is the show of your love hidden with the name "
## [25831] "of revenge, the natural effect of mortal hatred ; you seem displeased "
## [25832] "with the opinion you have of my disguising, and yet if I be not "
## [25833] "disguised, you must needs be much more displeased. Hope then, "
## [25834] "the only succour of perplexed minds, being quite cut off, you desire "
## [25835] "my affection, and yet you yourself think my affection already "
## [25836] "bestowed. Your pretend cruelty, before you have the subjection, "
## [25837] "and are jealous of keeping that which as yet you have not gotten. "
## [25838] "And that which is strangest in your jealousy, is both the injustice "
## [25839] "of it, in being loth that should come to your daughter, which you "
## [25840] "deem good; and the vainness, since you two are so in divers "
## [25841] "respects, that there is no necessity one of you should fall to be "
## [25842] "a bar to the other. For neither, if I be such as you fancy, can "
## [25843] "I marry you, which must needs be the only end I can aspire to "
## [25844] "in her: neither need the marrying of her keep me from a grateful "
## [25845] "consideration, how much you honour me in the love you vouchsafe "
## [25846] "to bear me.\" Gynecia, to whom the fearful agonies she still lived "
## [25847] "in made any small reproval sweet, did quickly find her words "
## [25848] "falling to a better way of comfort, and therefore, with a mind "
## [25849] "i^ady to show nothing could make it rebellious against Zelmane "
## [25850] "but too extreme tyranny, she thus said : \"Alas, too much beloved "
## [25851] "Zelmane, the thoughts are but overflowings of the mind, and the "
## [25852] ""
## [25853] ""
## [25854] ""
## [25855] "4;6 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [25856] ""
## [25857] "tongue is but a servant of the thoughts; therefore marvel not "
## [25858] "that my words suffer contrarieties, since my mind doth hourly "
## [25859] "suffer in itself whole armies of mortal adversaries. But, alas, if "
## [25860] "I had the use of mine own reason, then should I not need, for "
## [25861] "want of it, to find myself in this desperate mischief: but because "
## [25862] "my reason is vanished, so have I likewise no power to correct my "
## [25863] "unreasonableness. Do you therefore accept the protection of my "
## [25864] "mind which hath no other resting place, and drive it not, by being "
## [25865] "unregarded, to put itself into unknown extremities. I desire but "
## [25866] "to have my affection answered, and to have a right reflection of "
## [25867] "my love in you. That granted, assure yourself mine own love "
## [25868] "will easily teach me to seek your contentment; and make me "
## [25869] "think my daughter a very mean price to keep still in mine "
## [25870] "eyes the food of my spirits. But take heed that contempt "
## [25871] "drive me not into despair, the most violent cause of that miserable "
## [25872] "effect.\" "
## [25873] ""
## [25874] "Zelmane who already saw some fruit of her last determined fancy, "
## [25875] "so far as came to a moUifying of Gynecia's rage, seeing no other "
## [25876] "way to satisfy suspicion which was held open with the continual "
## [25877] "pricks of love, resolved now with plainness to win trust, which "
## [25878] "trust she might after deceive with a greater subtilty. Therefore "
## [25879] "looking upon her with Si more relenting grace than ever she had "
## [25880] "done before, pretending a great bashfulness before she could come "
## [25881] "to confess such a fault, she thus said unto her : \" Most worthy "
## [25882] "lady, I did never think till now, that pity of another could make "
## [25883] "me betray myself, nor that the sound of words could overthrow "
## [25884] "any wise body's determination. But your words, I think, have "
## [25885] "charmed me, and your grace bewitched me. Your compassion "
## [25886] "makes me open my heart to you, and leave unharboured my own "
## [25887] "thoughts ; for proof of it, I will disclose my greatest secret, which "
## [25888] "well you might suspect, but never know, and so have your wandering "
## [25889] "hope in a more painful wilderness, being neither way able to be "
## [25890] "lodged in a perfect resolution. I will, I say, unwrap my hidden "
## [25891] "estate, and after make you judge of it, perchance director. The "
## [25892] "truth is, I am a man : nay, I will say farther to you, I am born a "
## [25893] "prince. And to make up your mind in a thorough understanding "
## [25894] "of me since I came to this place, I may not deny I have had some "
## [25895] "sprinkling of I know not what good liking to my lady Philoclea. "
## [25896] "For how could I ever imagine the heavens would have rained "
## [25897] "dovra so much of your favour upon me, and of that side there was "
## [25898] "a show of possible hope, the most comfortable counsellor of love. "
## [25899] "The cause of this my changed attire, was a journey two years' ago "
## [25900] "I made among the Amazons, where, having sought to try my "
## [25901] "unfortunate valour, I met not one in all the country but what was "
## [25902] "too hard for me, till in the end, in the presence of their queen "
## [25903] ""
## [25904] ""
## [25905] ""
## [25906] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 477 "
## [25907] ""
## [25908] "Marpesia, I hoping to prevail against her, challenged an old "
## [25909] "woman of fourscore years, to fight on horseback to the uttermost "
## [25910] "with me. Who having overthrown me, for the saving of my life, "
## [25911] "made me swear I should go like an unarmed Amazon, till the "
## [25912] "coming of my beard did, with the discharge of my oath deliver me "
## [25913] "of that bondage.'' "
## [25914] ""
## [25915] "Here Zelmane ended, not coming to a full conclusion, because "
## [25916] "she would see what it wrought in Gynecia's mind, having in her "
## [25917] "speech sought to win a belief of her, and, if it might be, by disgrace "
## [25918] "of herself to diminish Gynecia's affection. For the first it had "
## [25919] "much prevailed ; but Gynecia, whose end of loving her was not "
## [25920] "her fighting, neither could her love, too deeply grounded, receive "
## [25921] "diminishment ; and besides, she had seen herself sufficient proofs "
## [25922] "of Zelmane's admirable prowess. Therefore slightly passing over "
## [25923] "that point of her feigned dishonour, but taking good hold of the "
## [25924] "confessing her manly sex, with the shame faced look of that suitor, "
## [25925] "who having already obtained much, is yet forced by want to "
## [25926] "demand more, put forth her sorrowful suit in these words : \" The "
## [25927] "gods,\" said she, \" reward thee for thy virtuous pity of my over- "
## [25928] "laden soul, who yet hath received some breath of comfort, by "
## [25929] "finding thy confession to maintain some possibility of my "
## [25930] "languishing hope. But alas ! as they who seek to enrich themselves "
## [25931] "by mineral industry, the first labour is to find the mine, which to "
## [25932] "their cheerful comfort being found, if after any unlooked for stop, "
## [25933] "or casual impediment keep them from getting the desired ore, they "
## [25934] "are so much the more grieved, as the late conceived hope adds "
## [25935] "torment to their former want. So falls it out with me happy or "
## [25936] "hapless woman, as it pleaseth you to ordain, who am now either "
## [25937] "to receive some guerdon of my most woeful labours, or to return "
## [25938] "into a more wretched darkness, having had some glimmering of "
## [25939] "my blissful sun. O Zelmane, tread not upon a soul that lies under "
## [25940] "your foot : let not the abasing of myself make me more base in "
## [25941] "your eyes, but judge of me according to that I am, and have been, "
## [25942] "and let my errors be made excusable by the immortal name of "
## [25943] "love.\" With that, under a feigned rage, tearing her clothes, she "
## [25944] "discovered some parts of her fair body, which if Zelmane's heart "
## [25945] "had not been so fully possessed that there was no place left for "
## [25946] "any new guest, no doubt it would have yielded to that gallant "
## [25947] "assault. But Zelmane so much the more arming her determination, "
## [25948] "as, she saw such force threatened, yet still remembering she must "
## [25949] "wade betwixt constancy and courtesy, embracing Gynecia, and "
## [25950] "once or twice kissing her, « Dear lady,\" said she, \"he were a great "
## [25951] "enemy to himself, that would refiase such an offer, in the purchase "
## [25952] "of which a man's life were blessedly bestowed. Nay, how can I "
## [25953] "ever yield due recompense for so excessive a favour? but having "
## [25954] ""
## [25955] ""
## [25956] ""
## [25957] "478 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [25958] ""
## [25959] "nothing to give you but myself, take that : I must confess a small "
## [25960] ""
## [25961] "but a very free gift : what other affection so ever I have had shall "
## [25962] ""
## [25963] "give place to as great perfection, working besides upon the bond "
## [25964] ""
## [25965] "of gratefulness. The gods forbid I should be so foolish as not to "
## [25966] ""
## [25967] "see, or so wicked, as not to remember, how much my small deserts "
## [25968] ""
## [25969] "are over-balanced by your unspeakable goodness. Nay, happy "
## [25970] ""
## [25971] "may I well account my mishap among the Amazons, since that "
## [25972] ""
## [25973] "dishonour hath been so true a path to my greatest honour, and the "
## [25974] ""
## [25975] "changing of my outward raiment hath clothed my mind in such "
## [25976] ""
## [25977] "inward contention. Take therefore, noble lady, as much comfort "
## [25978] ""
## [25979] "to your heart, as the full commandment of me can yield you ; wipe "
## [25980] ""
## [25981] "your fair eyes, and keep them for nobler services. And now I will "
## [25982] ""
## [25983] "presume thus much to say unto you, that you make much of "
## [25984] ""
## [25985] "yourself for my sake, that my joys of my new obtained riches may "
## [25986] ""
## [25987] "be accomplished in you. But let us leave this place, lest you be "
## [25988] ""
## [25989] "too long missed, and henceforward quiet your mind from any "
## [25990] ""
## [25991] "farther care, for I will now, to my too much joy, take the charge "
## [25992] ""
## [25993] "upon me, within few days to work your satisfaction, and my "
## [25994] ""
## [25995] "felicity.'' Thus much she said, and withal led Gynecia out of the "
## [25996] ""
## [25997] "cave, for well she saw the boiling mind of Gynecia did easily "
## [25998] ""
## [25999] "apprehend the fitness of that lonely place. But indeed this direct "
## [26000] ""
## [26001] "promise of a short space, joined with the cumbersome familiarness "
## [26002] ""
## [26003] "of womankind, I mean modesty, stayed so Gynecia's mind that she "
## [26004] ""
## [26005] "took thus much at that present for good payment, remaining with "
## [26006] ""
## [26007] "a painful joy, and a wearisome kind of comfort, not unlike to the "
## [26008] ""
## [26009] "condemned prisoner, whose mind still running upon the violent "
## [26010] ""
## [26011] "arrival of his death, hears that his pardon is promised, but not yet "
## [26012] ""
## [26013] "signed. In this sort they both issued out of that obscure mansion : "
## [26014] ""
## [26015] "Gynecia already half persuaded in herself, weakness of human "
## [26016] ""
## [26017] "conceit, that Zelmane's affection was turned towards her. For "
## [26018] ""
## [26019] "such, alas ! we are all, in such a mould are we cast, that with the "
## [26020] ""
## [26021] "too much love we bear ourselves, being first our own flatterers, we "
## [26022] ""
## [26023] "are easily hooked vdth others' flattery, we are easily persuaded "
## [26024] ""
## [26025] "of others love. "
## [26026] ""
## [26027] "But Zelmane,'who had now to play her prize, seeing no way "
## [26028] "things could long remain in that state, and now finding her "
## [26029] "promise had tied her trial to a small compass of time, began to "
## [26030] "throw her thoughts into each corner of her invention, how she "
## [26031] "might achieve her life's enterprise : for well she knew deceit cannot "
## [26032] "otherwise be maintained but by deceit : and how to deceive such "
## [26033] "heedful eyes, and how to satisfy, and yet not satisfy such hopeful "
## [26034] "desires it was no small skill. But both their thoughts were called "
## [26035] "from themselves with the sight of Basilius, who then lying down "
## [26036] "by his daughter Philoclea, upon the fair, though natural, bed of "
## [26037] "green grass, seeing the sun what speed he made to leave our west "
## [26038] ""
## [26039] ""
## [26040] ""
## [26041] "BOOK in.l ARCADIA 479 "
## [26042] ""
## [26043] "to do his office in the other hemisphere, his inward muses made "
## [26044] "him in his best music, sing this Madrigal. "
## [26045] ""
## [26046] "Why dost thou haste away "
## [26047] ""
## [26048] "O Titan fair, the giver of the day ? "
## [26049] "It is not to carry news "
## [26050] ""
## [26051] "To western wights, what stars in east appear? "
## [26052] ""
## [26053] "Or dost thou think that here "
## [26054] "Is left a sun, whose beams thy place may use? "
## [26055] "Yet stay and well peruse. "
## [26056] ""
## [26057] "What be her gifts, that make her equal thee. "
## [26058] ""
## [26059] "Bend all thy light to see "
## [26060] "In earthly clothes enclos'd a heavenly spark : "
## [26061] "Thy running course cannot such beauties mark. "
## [26062] ""
## [26063] "No, no, thy motions be "
## [26064] "Hastened from us with bar of shadow dark. "
## [26065] "Because that thou the author of our sight "
## [26066] "Disdain'st we see thee stain'd with others' light. "
## [26067] ""
## [26068] "And having ended; \" Dear Philoclea,\" said he, \"sing something "
## [26069] "that may divert my thoughts from the continual task of their "
## [26070] "ruinous harbour:\" she, obedient to him, and not unwilling to "
## [26071] "disburden her secret passion, m.ade her sweet voice be heard in "
## [26072] "these words. "
## [26073] ""
## [26074] "O stealing time, the subject of delay "
## [26075] "(Delay, the rack of unrestrain'd desire) "
## [26076] ""
## [26077] "What strange design hast thou my hopes to stay. "
## [26078] "My hopes which do but to mine own aspire ? "
## [26079] ""
## [26080] "Mine own ? O word on whose sweet sound doth prey "
## [26081] "My greedy soul, with gripe of inward fire : "
## [26082] ""
## [26083] "Thy title great I justly challenge may. "
## [26084] "Since in such phrase his faith he did attire. "
## [26085] ""
## [26086] "O time, become the chariot of my joys, "
## [26087] "As thou drawest on, so let my bliss draw near. "
## [26088] ""
## [26089] "Each moment lost, part of my hap destroys. "
## [26090] "Thou art the father of occasion dear : "
## [26091] ""
## [26092] "Join with thy son to ease my long annoys. "
## [26093] "In speedy help, thank-worthy things appear. "
## [26094] ""
## [26095] "Philoclea broke ofif her song as soon as her mother with Zelmane "
## [26096] "came near unto them, rising up with a kindly bashfulnes, being not "
## [26097] "ignorant of the spite her mother bare her, and stricken with the "
## [26098] "sight of that person, whose love made all those troubles seem "
## [26099] "fair flowers of her dearest garland, nay, rather all those troubles "
## [26100] "made the love increase. For as the arrival of enemies makes "
## [26101] "a town to fortify itself as ever after it remains stronger, so that "
## [26102] ""
## [26103] ""
## [26104] ""
## [26105] "48o ARCADIA "
## [26106] ""
## [26107] ""
## [26108] ""
## [26109] "[book in. "
## [26110] ""
## [26111] ""
## [26112] ""
## [26113] "a man may say, enemies were no small cause of the town's "
## [26114] "strength: so to a mind once fixed in a well-pleased determination, "
## [26115] "who hopes by annoyance to overthrow it, does but teach it to "
## [26116] "knit together all his best grounds, and so perchance of a "
## [26117] "chanceable purpose, make an unchangeable resolution. But no "
## [26118] "more did Philoclea see the wonted signs of Zelmane's affection "
## [26119] "towards her, she thought she saw another light in her eyes, with "
## [26120] "a bold and careless look upon her, which was wont to be dazzled "
## [26121] "with her beauty; and the framing of her courtesies rather "
## [26122] "ceremonious than affectionate, and that which worst liked her, "
## [26123] "was, that it proceeded with such quiet settledness, that it rather "
## [26124] "threatened a full purpose than any sudden passion. She found "
## [26125] "her behaviour bent altogether to her mother, and presumed in "
## [26126] "herself she discerned the well-acquainted face of his fancies now "
## [26127] "turned to another subject. She saw her mother's worthiness, and "
## [26128] "too well knew her affection. These joining their divers working "
## [26129] "powers together in her mind, but yet a prentice in the painful "
## [26130] "mystery of passions, brought Philoclea into a new traverse of her "
## [26131] "thoughts, and made her keep her careful look the more attentive "
## [26132] "upon Zelmane's behaviour, who indeed, though with much pain, "
## [26133] "and condemning herself to commit a sacrilege against the sweet "
## [26134] "saint that lived in her inmost temple, yet strengthening herself in "
## [26135] "it ; being the surest way to make Gynecia bite of her other baits, "
## [26136] "did so quite over-rule all wonted shows of love to Philoclea, and "
## [26137] "convert them to Gynecia, that the part she played did work in "
## [26138] "both a full and lively persuasion; to Gynecia, such excessive "
## [26139] "comfort, as the being preferred to a rival doth deliver to swelling "
## [26140] "desire, but to the delicate Philoclea, whose calm thoughts were "
## [26141] "unable to nourish any strong debate, it gave so stinging a hurt, "
## [26142] "that, fainting under the force of her inward torment, she withdrew "
## [26143] "herself to the lodge, and there, weary of supporting her own "
## [26144] "burden, cast herself upon her bed, suffering her sorrow to melt "
## [26145] "itself into abundance of tears ; at length closing her eyes, as if "
## [26146] "each thing she saw was a picture of her mishap, and turning upon "
## [26147] "her heart-side, which, with vehement panting did summon her "
## [26148] "to consider her fortune, she thus bemoaned herself. "
## [26149] ""
## [26150] "\"Alas! Philoclea, is this the price of all thy pains? is this the "
## [26151] "reward of thy given- way liberty? hath too much yielding bred "
## [26152] "cruelty? or can too great acquaintance make me held for a "
## [26153] "stranger ? hath the choosing of a companion made me left alone ; "
## [26154] "or doth granting desire, cause the desire to be neglected? alas! "
## [26155] "despised Philoclea, why didst thou not hold thy thoughts in their "
## [26156] "simple course, and content thyself with the love of thine own "
## [26157] "virtue, which would never have betrayed thee? Ah silly fool, "
## [26158] "didst thou look for truth in him that with his own mouth confessed "
## [26159] ""
## [26160] ""
## [26161] ""
## [26162] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 481- "
## [26163] ""
## [26164] "his falsehood? for plain proceeding in him that still goes disguised? "
## [26165] "They say the falsest men will yet bear outward shows of a pure "
## [26166] "mind. But he that even outwardly bears the badge of treachery, "
## [26167] "what hells of wickedness must needs in the depth be contained? "
## [26168] "But O wicked mouth of mine, how darest thou thus blaspheme "
## [26169] "the ornament of the earth, the vessel of all virtue ? O wretch that "
## [26170] "I am, that will anger the gods in dispraising their most excellent "
## [26171] "work: O no, no, there was no fault but in me, that could ever "
## [26172] "think so high eyes would look so low, or so great perfections "
## [26173] "would stain themselves with my unworthiness. Alas! why could "
## [26174] "I not see I was too weak a band to tie so heavenly an heart? I was "
## [26175] "not fit to limit the infinite course of his wonderful destinies. Was "
## [26176] "it ever like that upon only Philoclea his thoughts should rest? "
## [26177] "Ah silly fool, that couldst please thyself with so impossible an "
## [26178] "imagination! an universal happiness is to flow from him. How "
## [26179] "was I so inveigled to hope, I might be the mark of such a mind? "
## [26180] "He did thee no wrong, O Philoclea, he did thee no wrong, it was "
## [26181] "thy weakness to fancy the beams of the sun should give light to "
## [26182] "no eyes but to thine! And yet, O Prince Pyrocles, for whora "
## [26183] "I may well begin to hate myself, but can never leave to love thee, "
## [26184] "what triumph canst thou make of this conquest? What spoils "
## [26185] "wilt thou carry away of this my undeserved overthrow? could thy "
## [26186] "force find out no fitter field than the feeble mind of a poor maid, "
## [26187] "who at the first sight did wish thee all happiness? Shall it be said, "
## [26188] "the mirror of mankind hath been employed to destroy a hurtless "
## [26189] "gentlewoman? O Pyrocles, Pyrocles, let me yet call thee before "
## [26190] "the judgment of thy virtue, let me be accepted for a plaintiff "
## [26191] "in cause which concerns my life : what need hadst thou to arm thy "
## [26192] "face with the enchanting mask of thy painted passions? what need "
## [26193] "hadst thou to fortify thy excellencies with so exquisite a cunning, "
## [26194] "in making our own arts betray us ? what needest thou descend "
## [26195] "so far from thy incomparable worthiness, as to take on the habit "
## [26196] "of weak womankind. Was all this to win the undefended castle "
## [26197] "of a friend, which being won, thou wouldst after raze ? Could so "
## [26198] "small a cause allure thee? or did not so unjust a cause stop thee? "
## [26199] ""
## [26200] "me, what say I more? this is my case, my love hates me, virtue "
## [26201] "deals wickedly with me, and he does me wrong, whose doings "
## [26202] ""
## [26203] "1 can never acccount a wrong.\" With that the sweet lady turning "
## [26204] "herself upon her weary bed she happily saw a lute, upon the belly "
## [26205] "of which Gynecia had written • this song, what time Basilius "
## [26206] "imputed her jealous motions to proceed of the doubt she had of "
## [26207] "his untimely loves. Under which veil she, contented to cover her "
## [26208] "never ceasing anguish, had made the lute a monument of her "
## [26209] "mind, which Philoclea had never much marked, till now the fear "
## [26210] "of a competitor more stirred her, than before the care of a mother. "
## [26211] ""
## [26212] "2 H "
## [26213] ""
## [26214] ""
## [26215] ""
## [26216] "482 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [26217] ""
## [26218] "The verses were these : "
## [26219] ""
## [26220] "My lute within thyself thy tunes enclose, "
## [26221] "Thy mistress's song is now a sorrow's cry, "
## [26222] ""
## [26223] "Her hand benumb'd with fortune's daily blows, "
## [26224] "Her mind amaz'd can neither's help apply. "
## [26225] ""
## [26226] "Wear these my words as mourning weeds of woes, "
## [26227] "Black ink becomes the state wherein I die, "
## [26228] ""
## [26229] "And though my moans be not in music bound, "
## [26230] "Of written griefs, yet be the silent ground. "
## [26231] ""
## [26232] "The world doth yield such ill consorted shows. "
## [26233] "With circled course, which no wise stay can try, "
## [26234] ""
## [26235] "That childish stuff which knows not friends from foes, "
## [26236] "(Better despis'd) be wonder gazing eye. "
## [26237] ""
## [26238] "Thus noble gold, down to the bottom goes, "
## [26239] "When worthless cork, aloft doth floating lie. "
## [26240] ""
## [26241] "Thus in thyself least strings are loudest found, "
## [26242] "And lowest stops do yield the highest sound. "
## [26243] ""
## [26244] "Philoclea read them, and throwing down the lute, \" Is this the "
## [26245] "legacy you have bequeathed me, O kind mother of mine,\" said "
## [26246] "she ? \" did you bestow the light upon me for this ? or did you "
## [26247] "bear me to be the author of my burial? a trim purchase you have "
## [26248] "made of your own shame, robbed your daughter to ruin yourself? "
## [26249] "the birds unreasonable, yet use so much reason, as to make nests "
## [26250] "for their tender young ones; my cruel rnother turns me out of "
## [26251] "mine own harbour ; alas, plaint boots not, for my case can receive "
## [26252] "no help ; for who should give me help? shall I fly to my parents? "
## [26253] "they are my murderers : shall I go to him, who already being won "
## [26254] "and lost, must needs have killed all pity ? alas ! I can bring no "
## [26255] "new intercessions; he knows already what I am is his. Shall "
## [26256] "I come home again to myself? O me, contemned wretch ; I have "
## [26257] "given away myself.\" With that the poor soul beat her breast, "
## [26258] "as if that had been guilty of her faults, neither thinking of revenge, "
## [26259] "nor studying for remedy, but, sweet creature, gave grief a free "
## [26260] "dominion, keeping her chamber a few days after, not needing to "
## [26261] "feign herself sick, feeling even in her soul the pangs of extreme "
## [26262] ""
## [26263] "pain. "
## [26264] ""
## [26265] "But little did Gynecia reck that, neither when she saw her go "
## [26266] "away from them, neither when she after found that sickness made "
## [26267] "her hide her fair face, so much had fancy prevailed against nature. "
## [26268] "But O you that have ever known, how tender to every motion "
## [26269] "love makes the lover's heart, how he measures all his joys upon "
## [26270] "her contentment : and doth with respectful eye hang his behaviour "
## [26271] "upon her eyes: judge I pray you now of Zelmane's troubled "
## [26272] "thoughts when she saw Philoclea, with an amazed kind of sorrow. "
## [26273] ""
## [26274] ""
## [26275] ""
## [26276] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 4S3 "
## [26277] ""
## [26278] "carry away her sweet presence, and easily found, so happy a "
## [26279] "conjecture unhappy affection hath, that her demeanour was guilty "
## [26280] "of that trespass. There was never foolish soft-hearted mother, "
## [26281] "that, forced to beat her child, did weep first for his pains, and "
## [26282] "doing that she was loth to do, did repent before she began, "
## [26283] "did find half that motion in her weak mind that Zelmanedid, "
## [26284] "now that she was forced by reason to give an outward blow "
## [26285] "to her passions, and for the lending of a small time, to seek the "
## [26286] "usury of her desires. The unkindness she conceived Philoclea "
## [26287] "might conceive, did wound her soul, each tear she doubted she "
## [26288] "spent, drowned all her comfort. Her sickness was a death unto "
## [26289] "her. Often would she speak to the image of Philoclea, which "
## [26290] "lived and ruled in the highest of her inward part, and use "
## [26291] "vehement oaths, and protestations unto her; that nothing should "
## [26292] "ever falsify the free chosen vow she had made. Often would she "
## [26293] "desire her, that she would look well to Pyrocles's heart, for as for "
## [26294] "her she had no more interest in it to bestow it any way : \" Alas ! \" "
## [26295] "would she say, \" only Philoclea hast thou not so much feeling "
## [26296] "of thine own force as to know no new conqueror can prevail "
## [26297] "against thy conquests? Was ever any dazzled with the moon "
## [26298] "that used his eyes to the beams of the sun ? Is he carried away "
## [26299] "with a greedy desire of acorns that hath had his senses ravished "
## [26300] "with a garden of most delightful fruits? O Philoclea, Philoclea, "
## [26301] "be thou but as merciful a princess to my mind as thou art a true "
## [26302] "possessor, and I shall have as much cause of gladness, as thou "
## [26303] "hast no cause of misdoubting ? O no, no, when a man's own heart "
## [26304] "is the gage of his debt, when a man's own thoughts are willing "
## [26305] "witnesses to his promise; lastly, when a man is the jailor over "
## [26306] "himself; there is little doubt of breaking credit, and less doubt "
## [26307] "of such an escape.\" "
## [26308] ""
## [26309] "In this combat of Zelmane's doubtful imaginations, in the end "
## [26310] "reason, well-backed with the vehement desire to bring her matter "
## [26311] "soon to the desired haven, did over-rule the boiling of her inward "
## [26312] "kindness, though as I say with such a manifest strife, that both "
## [26313] "Basilius and Gynecia's well waiting eyes, had marked her muses "
## [26314] "had laboured in deeper subjects, than ordinary : which she likewise "
## [26315] "perceiving they had perceived, awaking herself out of those "
## [26316] "thoughts, and principally caring how to satisfy Gynecia, whose "
## [26317] "judgment and passion she stood most in regard of, bowing her "
## [26318] "head to her attentive ears. \" Madam,\" said she, \" with practice of "
## [26319] "my thoughts, I have found out a way, by which your contentment "
## [26320] "shall draw on my happiness.\" Gynecia delivering in her face as "
## [26321] "thankful a joyfulness as her heart could hold, said, \" It was then "
## [26322] "time to retire themselves to their rest, for what with riding abroad "
## [26323] "the day before, and late sitting up for eclogues, their bodies had "
## [26324] ""
## [26325] ""
## [26326] ""
## [26327] "484 ARCADIA [BOOK m. "
## [26328] ""
## [26329] "dearly purchased that night's quiet.\" So went they home to their "
## [26330] "lodge, Zelmane framing of both sides bountiful measures of loving "
## [26331] "countenances to either's joy, and neither's jealousy, to the special "
## [26332] "comfort of Basilius, whose weaker bowels were straight full with "
## [26333] "the least liquor of hope. So that still holding her by the hand, "
## [26334] "and sometimes tickling it, he went by her with the most gay "
## [26335] "conceits that ever had entered his brains, growing now so hearted "
## [26336] "in his resolution that he little respected Gynecia's presence. But "
## [26337] "with a lustier note than wonted, clearing his voice, and cheering "
## [26338] "his spirits, looking still upon Zelmane, whom now the moon did "
## [26339] "beautify with her shining almost at the full, as if her eyes had been "
## [26340] "his song-book, he did the message of his mind in singing these "
## [26341] "verses. "
## [26342] ""
## [26343] "When two suns do appear, "
## [26344] ""
## [26345] "Some say it doth betoken wonders near, "
## [26346] "As princes lose or change : "
## [26347] ""
## [26348] "Two gleaning suns of splendour like I see, "
## [26349] ""
## [26350] "And seeing feel in me "
## [26351] "Of princes' heart quite lost the ruin strange. "
## [26352] ""
## [26353] "But now each where doth range "
## [26354] "With ugly cloak the dark envious night : "
## [26355] "Who full of guilty spite, "
## [26356] "Such living beams should her black seat assail, "
## [26357] "Too weak for them our weaker sight doth vail. "
## [26358] ""
## [26359] "No says fair moon, my light "
## [26360] "Shall bar that wrong, and though it not prevail "
## [26361] "Like to my brother's rays, yet those I send "
## [26362] "Hurt not the face, which nothing can amend. "
## [26363] ""
## [26364] "And by that time being come to the lodge, and visited the "
## [26365] "sweet Philoclea, with much less than natural care of the parents, "
## [26366] "and much less than wanted kindness of Zelmane, each party full "
## [26367] "fraught with diversly working fancies, made their pillows weak "
## [26368] "props of their over-laden heads. Yet of all other were Zelmane's "
## [26369] "brain most turmoiled, troubled with love both active and passive ; "
## [26370] "and lastly, and especially with care, how to use her short limited "
## [26371] "time to the best purpose, by some wise and happy diverting her "
## [26372] "two lovers' unwelcome desires. Zelmane having had the night, her "
## [26373] "only counsellor in the busy enterprise she was to undertake, and "
## [26374] "having all that time mused, and yet not fully resolved, how she "
## [26375] "might join prevailing with preventing, was offended with the day's "
## [26376] "bold entry into her chamber, as if he had now by custom grown "
## [26377] "an assured bringer of evil news. Which she taking a cittern to "
## [26378] "her did lay to Aurora's charge, with these well sung verses : "
## [26379] ""
## [26380] ""
## [26381] ""
## [26382] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 48s "
## [26383] ""
## [26384] "Aurora now thou showest thy blushing light, "
## [26385] "Which oft to hope lays out a guileful bait, "
## [26386] ""
## [26387] "That trusts in time to find the way aright, "
## [26388] "To ease those pains, which on desire do wait. "
## [26389] ""
## [26390] "Blush on for shame : that still with thee do light "
## [26391] "On pensive souls (instead of restful bait) "
## [26392] ""
## [26393] "Care upon care (instead of doing right) "
## [26394] "To over pressed breasts, more grievous weight. "
## [26395] ""
## [26396] "As oh ! myself, whose woes are never light "
## [26397] "(Tied to the stake of doubt) strange passion's bait. "
## [26398] ""
## [26399] "While thy known course observing nature's right. "
## [26400] "Stirs me to think what dangers lie in wait, "
## [26401] ""
## [26402] "For mishiefs great, day after day doth show, "
## [26403] ""
## [26404] "Make me still fear, thy fair appearing show. "
## [26405] ""
## [26406] "\" Alas ! \" said she, \" am I not run into a strange gulf, that am "
## [26407] "fain for love to hurt her I love ? and because I detest the others, "
## [26408] "to please them I detest ? O only Philoclea, whose beauty is matched "
## [26409] "with nothing but with the unspeakable beauty of thy fairest mind, "
## [26410] "if thou didst see upon what rack my tormented soul is set, little "
## [26411] "would you think I had any scope now to leap to any new change.\" "
## [26412] "With that with hasty hands she got herself up, turning her sight "
## [26413] "to everything, as if change of objects might help her invention. "
## [26414] "So went she again to the cave, where forthwith it came into her "
## [26415] "head that should be the fittest place to perform her exploit, of "
## [26416] "which she had now a kind of confused conceit, although she had not "
## [26417] "set down in her fancy, the meeting with each particularity that might "
## [26418] "fall out. But as the painter doth at the first but show a rude "
## [26419] "proportion of the thing he imitates, which after with more curious "
## [26420] "hand he draws to the representing each lineament, so had her "
## [26421] "thoughts, beating about it continually, received into them a "
## [26422] "ground-plot of her device, although she had not in each part "
## [26423] "shaped it according to a full determination. But in this sort having "
## [26424] "early visited the morning's beauty in those pleasant deserts, she "
## [26425] "came to the king and queen, and told them that for the performance "
## [26426] "of certain country devotions, which, only were to be exercised "
## [26427] "in solitariness, she did desire their leave she might for a few days "
## [26428] "lodge herself in the cave, the fresh sweetness of which did greatly "
## [26429] "delight her in that hot country ; and that for that small space they "
## [26430] "would not otherwise trouble themselves in visiting her, but at such "
## [26431] "times as she would come to wait upon them, which should be "
## [26432] "every day at certain hours ; neither should it be long, she would "
## [26433] "desire this privileged absence of them. They, whose minds had "
## [26434] "already taken out that lesson, perfectly to yield a willing obedience "
## [26435] ""
## [26436] ""
## [26437] ""
## [26438] "486 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [26439] ""
## [26440] "to all her desires, with consenting countenance made her soon see "
## [26441] "her pleasure was a law unto them. Both indeed inwardly glad of "
## [26442] "it, Basilius hoping that her dividing herself from them, might yet "
## [26443] "give him some fitter occasion of coming in secret to her, whose "
## [26444] "favourable face had lately strengthened his fainting courage. But "
## [26445] "Gynecia of all other most joyous, holding herself assured that this "
## [26446] "was but a prolog;ue to the play she had promised her. "
## [26447] ""
## [26448] "Thus both flattering themselves with diversly grounded hopes, "
## [26449] "they rang a bell, which served to call certain poor women which "
## [26450] "ever lay in cabins not far off, to do the household services of both "
## [26451] "lodges, and never came to either but being called for, and "
## [26452] "commanded them to carry forwith Zelmane's bed and furniture of "
## [26453] "her chamber into the pleasant cave, and to deck it up as finely as "
## [26454] "it was possible for them, that their soul's rest might rest her body "
## [26455] "to her best pleasing manner ; that was with all diligence performed "
## [26456] "of them, and Zelmane already in possession of her new chosen "
## [26457] "lodging ; where she like one of Vesta's nuns, entertained herself "
## [26458] "for a few days in all show of straightness, yet once a day coming "
## [26459] "to her duty to the king and queen, in whom the seldomness of the "
## [26460] "sight increased the more unquiet longing, though somewhat "
## [26461] "qualified, as her countenance was decked to either of them with "
## [26462] "more comfort than wonted ; especially to Gynecia, who seeing her, "
## [26463] "wholly neglected her daughter Philoclea, had now promised herself "
## [26464] "a full possession of Zelmane's heart, still expecting the fruit of the "
## [26465] "happy and hoped for invention. But both she and Basilius kept "
## [26466] "such a continual watch about the precincts of the cave, that either "
## [26467] "of them was a bar to the other from having any secret communing "
## [26468] "with Zelmane. "
## [26469] ""
## [26470] "While in the meantime the sweet Philoclea forgotten of her- "
## [26471] "father, despised of her mother, and in appearance left of Zelmane, "
## [26472] "had yielded up her soul to be a prey to sorrow and unkindness, "
## [26473] "not with raging conceit of revenge, as had passed through the wise "
## [26474] "and stout heart of her mother, but with a kindly meekness taking "
## [26475] "upon her the weight of her own woes, and suffering them to have "
## [26476] "so full a course, as it did exceedingly weaken the estate of her "
## [26477] "body; as well for which cause, as for that she could not see. "
## [26478] "Zelmane, without expressing, more than she would, how far now "
## [26479] "her love was imprisoned in extremity of sorrow, she bound herself "
## [26480] "first to the limits of her own chamber, and after (grief breeding "
## [26481] "sickness) of her bed. But Zelmane having now a full liberty to "
## [26482] "cast about every way how to bring her conceived attempt to a "
## [26483] "desired success, was oft so perplexed with the manifold difficulty "
## [26484] "of it that sometimes she would resolve by force to take her away, "
## [26485] "though it were with the death of her parents, sometimes to go "
## [26486] "away with Musidorus, and bring both their forces, so to win her. "
## [26487] ""
## [26488] ""
## [26489] ""
## [26490] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 487 "
## [26491] ""
## [26492] "But lastly, even the same day that Musidorus by feeding the "
## [26493] "humour of his three loathsome guardians, had stolen away the "
## [26494] "princess Pamela (whether it were that love meant to match them "
## [26495] "every way, or that her friend's example had helped her invention, "
## [26496] "or that indeed Zelmane forbare to practise her device till she found "
## [26497] "her friend had passed thro' his) : the same day, I say, she "
## [26498] "resolved on a way to rid out of the lodge her two cumbersome "
## [26499] "lovers, and in the night to carry away Philoclea : whereunto she "
## [26500] "was assured her own love no less than her sister's, would easily "
## [26501] "win her consent ; hoping that although their abrupt parting had "
## [26502] "not suffered her to demand of Musidorus which way he meant to "
## [26503] "direct his journey ; yet either they should by some good fortune "
## [26504] "find him ; or if that course failed, yet they might well recover "
## [26505] "some town of the Helots, near the frontiers of Arcadia, who being "
## [26506] "newly again up in arms against the nobility, she knew would be "
## [26507] "as glad of her presence, as she of their protection. Therefore "
## [26508] "having taken order for all things requisite for their going, and first "
## [26509] "put on a slight under-suit of man's apparel, which before for such "
## [26510] "purposes she had provided, she curiously trimmed herself to the "
## [26511] "beautifying of her beauties, that being now at her last trial she "
## [26512] "might come unto it in her bravest armour. And so putting on "
## [26513] "that kind of mild countenance, which doth encourage the looker "
## [26514] "on to hope for a gentle answer, according to her received manner, "
## [26515] "she left the pleasant darkness of her melancholy cave, to go take "
## [26516] "her dinner of the King and Queen, and give unto them both a "
## [26517] "pleasant food of seeing the owner of their desires. But even as "
## [26518] "the Persians were anciently wont to leave no rising-sun unsaluted, "
## [26519] "but as his fair beams appeared clearer unto them, would they more "
## [26520] "heartily rejoice, laying upon them a great foretoken of their "
## [26521] "following fortune : so was there no time that Zelmane encountered "
## [26522] "their eyes with her beloved presence, but that it bred a kind of "
## [26523] "burning devotion in them, yet so much the more gladding their "
## [26524] "greedy souls, as her countenance was cleared with more favour "
## [26525] "unto them ; which now being determinately framed to the greatest "
## [26526] "descent of kindness, it took such hold of her unfortunate lovers, "
## [26527] "that like children about a tender father from a long voyage "
## [26528] "returned, with lovely childishness hang about him, and yet with "
## [26529] "simple fear measure by his countenance, how far he accepts their "
## [26530] "boldness, so were these now thrown into so serviceable an affection, "
## [26531] "that the turning of Zelmane's eyes was a strong stern enough to "
## [26532] "all their motions, winding no way but as the enchanting force of "
## [26533] "it guided them. But having made a light repast of the pleasant "
## [26534] "fruits of that country, interlarding their food with such manner of "
## [26535] "general discourses as lovers are wont to cover their passion, when "
## [26536] "respect of a third person keeps them from plain particulars, at the "
## [26537] ""
## [26538] ""
## [26539] ""
## [26540] "488 ARCADIA [book „,. "
## [26541] ""
## [26542] "earnest entreaty of Basilius, Zelmane first saluting the muses with "
## [26543] "a base viol hung hard by her, sent this ambassage in versified "
## [26544] "music to both her ill requited lovers. "
## [26545] ""
## [26546] "Beauty hath force to catch the human sight ; "
## [26547] "Sight doth bewitch the fancy evil awaked, "
## [26548] ""
## [26549] "Fancy we feel includes all passion's might, "
## [26550] "Passion rebell'd oft reasons strength hath shaked. "
## [26551] ""
## [26552] "No wonder then, though sight my sight did taint, "
## [26553] "And though thereby my fancy was infected. "
## [26554] ""
## [26555] "Though, yoked so, my mind with sickness faint. "
## [26556] "Had reason's weight for passion's ease rejected. "
## [26557] ""
## [26558] "But now the fit is past ; and time hath giv'n "
## [26559] "Leisure to weigh what due desert requireth. "
## [26560] ""
## [26561] "All thoughts so sprung, are from their dwelling driv'n. "
## [26562] "And wisdom to his wonted seat aspireth ; "
## [26563] ""
## [26564] "Crying in me : eye-hopes deceitful prove ; "
## [26565] "Things rightly priz'd : love is the band of love. "
## [26566] ""
## [26567] "And after her song with an affected modesty she threw down "
## [26568] "her eye, as if the conscience of a secret grant her inward mind "
## [26569] "made, and suddenly cast a bashful veil over her. Which BasiUus "
## [26570] "finding, and thinking now was the time to urge his painful petition, "
## [26571] "beseeching his wife with more careful eye to accompany his sickly "
## [26572] "daughter Philoclea, being rid for that time of her; who was "
## [26573] "content to grant him any scope, that she might after have the like "
## [26574] "freedom ; with a gesture governed by the force of his passions, "
## [26575] "making his knees best supporters, he thus said unto her; \"If "
## [26576] "either,\" said he, \" O lady of my life, my deadly pangs could bear "
## [26577] "delay, or that this were the first time the same were manifested "
## [26578] "unto you, I would now but maintain still the remembrance of my "
## [26579] "misfortune, without urging any farther reward, than time and pity "
## [26580] "might procure for me. But, alas ! since my martyrdom is no less "
## [26581] "painful than manifest, and that I no more feel the miserable "
## [26582] "danger, than you know the assured truth thereof, why should my "
## [26583] "tongue deny his service to my heart? Why should I fear the "
## [26584] "breath of my words, who daily feel the flame of your works? "
## [26585] "Embrace in your sweet consideration, I beseech you, the misery "
## [26586] "of my case, acknowledge yourself to be the cause, and think it is "
## [26587] "reason for you to redress the effects. Alas ! let no certain "
## [26588] "imaginative rules whose truth stands but upon opinion, keep so "
## [26589] "wise a mind fi-om gratefulness and mercy, whose never failing laws "
## [26590] "nature hath planted in us. I plainly lay my death unto you, "
## [26591] "the death of him that loves you, the death of him whose life you "
## [26592] ""
## [26593] ""
## [26594] ""
## [26595] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 489 "
## [26596] ""
## [26597] "may save ; say your absolute determination, for hope itself is a "
## [26598] "pain, while it is over-mastered with fear ; and if you do resolve to. "
## [26599] "be cruel, yet is the speediest condemnation, as in evils, most "
## [26600] "welcome.\" Zelmane, who had fully set to herself the train she "
## [26601] "should keep, yet knowing that who soonest means to yield, doth "
## [26602] "well to make the bravest parley, keeping countenance aloft ; "
## [26603] "\"Noble prince,\" said she, \"your words are too well couched to "
## [26604] "come out of a restless mind, and thanked be the Gods, your face "
## [26605] "threatens no danger of death. These are but those swelling "
## [26606] "speeches which give the uttermost name to every trifle, which all "
## [26607] "were worth nothing, if they were not enamelled with the goodly "
## [26608] "outside of love. Truly love were very unlovely if it were half so "
## [26609] "deadly, as you lovers, still living, term jt. I think well it may "
## [26610] "have a certain childish vehemency, which for the time to one "
## [26611] "desire will engage all the soul, so long as it lasteth. But with "
## [26612] "what impatience you yourself show, who confess the hope of it a "
## [26613] "pain, and think your own desire so unworthy that you would fain "
## [26614] "be rid of it ; and so with over-much love sue hard for a hasty "
## [26615] "refusal.\" \" A refusal ! \" cried out Basilius, amazed with all, but "
## [26616] "pierced with the last, \" Now assure yourself whensoever you use "
## [26617] "that word definitively it will be the undoubted doom of my "
## [26618] "approaching death. And then shall your own experience know "
## [26619] "in me, how soon the spirits dried up with anguish leave the "
## [26620] "performance of their ministry, whereupon our life dependeth. But "
## [26621] "alas ! what a cruelty is this, not only to torment but to think the "
## [26622] "torment slight ? The terriblest tyrants would say by no man they "
## [26623] "killed, he died not ; nor by no man they punished, that he escaped "
## [26624] "free : for of all other, there is least hope of mercy where there is "
## [26625] "no acknowledging of the pain ; and with like cruelty are my words "
## [26626] "breathed out from a flamy heart, accounted as messengers of a "
## [26627] "quiet mind. If I speak nothing I choke myself, and am in no way "
## [26628] "of relief; if simply, neglected: if confusedly, not understood: if "
## [26629] "by the bending together all my inward powers, they bring forth "
## [26630] "any lively expressing of that they truly feel, that is a token, "
## [26631] "forsooth, the thoughts are at too much leisure. Thus is silence "
## [26632] "desperate, folly punished, and wit suspected : but indeed it is vain "
## [26633] "to try any more, for words can bind no belief. Lady, I say, "
## [26634] "determine of me, I must confess I cannot bear this battle in my "
## [26635] "mind, and therefore let me soon know what I may account of "
## [26636] "myself; for it is a hell of dolors when the mind still in doubt for "
## [26637] "want of resolution, can make no resistance.\" "
## [26638] ""
## [26639] "\" Indeed,\" answered Zelmane, « if I should grant to your request "
## [26640] "I should show an example in myself that I esteem the holy band "
## [26641] "of chastity to be but an imaginative rule, as you termed it, and not "
## [26642] "the truest observance of nature, the most noble commandment "
## [26643] ""
## [26644] ""
## [26645] ""
## [26646] "490 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [26647] ""
## [26648] "that mankind can have over themselves, as indeed both learning "
## [26649] "teacheth, and inward feeling assureth. But first shall Zelmane's "
## [26650] "grave become her marriage bed, before my soul shall consent to "
## [26651] "his own shame, before I will leave a mark in myself of an "
## [26652] "unredeemable trespass. And yet must I confess that if ever my "
## [26653] "heart were stirred, it hath been with the manifest and manifold "
## [26654] "shows of the misery you live in for me. For in truth so it is, nature "
## [26655] "gives not to us her degenerate children any more general precept "
## [26656] "than one to help the other, one to feel a true compassion of the "
## [26657] "other's mishap. But yet if I were never so contented to speak "
## [26658] "with you (for farther, never, O Basilius, never look for at my "
## [26659] "hands) I know not how you can avoid your wife's jealous attendance "
## [26660] "but that her suspicion shall bring my honour into question.\" "
## [26661] "Basilius, whose small sails the least wind did fill, was forthwith as "
## [26662] "far gone into a large promising himself his desire, as before he "
## [26663] "was stricken down with a threatened denial. And therefore "
## [26664] "bending his brows, as though he were not a man to take the "
## [26665] "matter as he had done ; \" What,\" said he, \" shall my wife become "
## [26666] "my mistress ? Think you not that thus much time hath taught me "
## [26667] "to rule her ? I will mew the gentlewoman till she have cast all her "
## [26668] "feathers if she rouse herself against me.\" And with that he "
## [26669] "walked up and down, nodding bis head, as though they mistook "
## [26670] "him much that thought he was not his wife's master. But Zelmane "
## [26671] "now seeing it was time to conclude : \" Of your wisdom and "
## [26672] "manhood,\" said she, \" I doubt not, but that sufficeth not me, for "
## [26673] "both they can hardly tame a malicious tongue, and impossibly bar "
## [26674] "the freedom of thought, which be the things that must be only "
## [26675] "witnesses of honour or judges of dishonour. But that you may see "
## [26676] "I do not set light your affection, if to-night after your wife be "
## [26677] "assuredly asleep, whereof by your love I conjure you to have a "
## [26678] "most precise care, you will steal handsomely to the cave unto me, "
## [26679] "there do I grant you as great proportion as you will take of free "
## [26680] "conference with me, ever remembering you seek no more, for so "
## [26681] "shall you but deceive yourself, and for ever lose me.\" "
## [26682] ""
## [26683] "Basilius, who was old enough to know that women are wont to "
## [26684] "not appoint secret night meetings for the purchasing of land, "
## [26685] "holding himself already an undoubted possessor of his desires, "
## [26686] "kissing her hand, and lifting up hjs eyes to heaven, as if the "
## [26687] "greatness of the benefit did go beyond all measure of thanks, said "
## [26688] "no more, lest stirring of more words might bring forth some, "
## [26689] "perhaps, contrary matter. In which trance of joy Zelmane went "
## [26690] "from him, saying she would leave him to the remembrance of "
## [26691] "their appointment, and for her, she would go visit the Lady "
## [26692] "Philoclea, into whose chamber being come, keeping still her late "
## [26693] "jtaken-on gravity, and asking her how she did, rather in the way of "
## [26694] ""
## [26695] ""
## [26696] ""
## [26697] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 491 "
## [26698] ""
## [26699] "dutiful honour than in any special affection, with extreme inward "
## [26700] "anguish to them both, she turned from her, and taking the Queen "
## [26701] "Gynecia, led her into a bay window of the same chamber, "
## [26702] "determining in herself, not to utter to so excellent a wit as Gynecia "
## [26703] "had, the uttermost point of her pretended device, but to keep the "
## [26704] "clause of it for the last instant, when the shortness of the time "
## [26705] "should not give her spirits leisure to look into all -those doubts "
## [26706] "that easily enter to an open invention. But with smiling eyes, and "
## [26707] "with a delivered over grace, feigning as much love to her, as she "
## [26708] "did counterfeit little love to Philoclea, she began with more "
## [26709] "credible, than eloquent speech, to tell her, that with much con- "
## [26710] "sideration of a matter so nearly importing her own fancy, and "
## [26711] "Gynecia's honour, she had now concluded that the night following "
## [26712] "should be the fittest time for the joining together their several "
## [26713] "desires, what time sleep should perfectly do his office upon the "
## [26714] "king her husband, and that the one should come to the other into "
## [26715] "the cave : which place as it was the first receipt of their promised "
## [26716] "love, so it might have the first honour of the due performance. That "
## [26717] "the cause why those few days past, she had not sought the like, "
## [26718] "was, lest the new change of her lodging might make the king "
## [26719] "more apt to mark any sudden event ; which now the use of it "
## [26720] "would take out of his mind. \" And therefore most excellent lady,\" "
## [26721] "said she, \" there resteth nothing, but that quickly after supper, you "
## [26722] "train up the king to visit his daughter Philoclea, and then feigning "
## [26723] "yourself not well at ease, by your going to bed, draw him not long "
## [26724] "to be after you. In the meantime I will be gone home to my "
## [26725] "lodging, where I will attend you, with no less devotion, but -as I "
## [26726] "hope with better fortune than Thisbe did the too much loving, and "
## [26727] "too much loved Pyramus.\" The blood that quickly came into "
## [26728] "Gynecia's fair face, was the only answer she made, but that one "
## [26729] "might easily see, contentment and consent were both to the full in "
## [26730] "her ; which she did testify with the wringing Zelmane fast by the "
## [26731] "hand, closing her eyes, and letting her head fall, as if she would "
## [26732] "give her to know, she was not ignorant of her fault, although she "
## [26733] "were transported with the violence of her evil. "
## [26734] ""
## [26735] "But in this triple agreement did the day seem tedious of all sides, "
## [26736] "till his never erring course had given place to the night's "
## [26737] "succession : and the supper by each hand hasted, was with no less "
## [26738] "speed ended, when Gynecia presenting a heavy sleepiness in her "
## [26739] "countenance, brought up both Basilius and Zelmane to see "
## [26740] "Philoclea, still keeping her bed, and far more sick in mind than "
## [26741] "body, and more grieved than comforted with any such visitation. "
## [26742] "Thence Zelmane wishing easeful rest to Philoclea, did seem to "
## [26743] "take that night's leave of this princely crew, when Gynecia likewise "
## [26744] "seeming somewhat diseased, desired Basilius to stay a while with "
## [26745] ""
## [26746] ""
## [26747] ""
## [26748] "492 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [26749] ""
## [26750] "his daughter, while she recommended her sickness to her bed's "
## [26751] "comfort, indeed desirous to determine again of the manner of her "
## [26752] "stealing away ; to no less comfort to Basilius, who the sooner she "
## [26753] "was asleep, the sooner hoped to come by his long pursued prey. "
## [26754] "Thus both were bent to deceive each other, and to take the "
## [26755] "advantage of either other's disadvantage. But Gynecia having "
## [26756] "taken Zelmane into her bed-chamber, to speak a little with her of "
## [26757] "their sweet determination ; Zelmane upon a sudden, as though she "
## [26758] "had never thought of it before. \" Now the Gods forbid,\" said she, "
## [26759] "\" so great a lady as you are should come to me ; or that I should "
## [26760] "leave it to the hands of fortune, if by either the ill-governing of "
## [26761] "your passion, or your husband's sudden waking, any danger might "
## [26762] "happen unto you ; no, if there be any superiority in the points of "
## [26763] "true love, it shall be yours ; if there be any danger, since myself "
## [26764] "am the author of this device, it is reason it should be mine. "
## [26765] "Therefore do you but leave with me the keys of the gate, and upon "
## [26766] "yourself take my upper garment, that if any of Ddjnetas's house "
## [26767] "see you they may think you be myself, and I will presently lie "
## [26768] "down in your place, so muffled for your supposed sickness, as the "
## [26769] "king shall nothing know me. And then as soon as he is asleep, "
## [26770] "will I, as it much better becomes me, wait upon you. But if the "
## [26771] "uttermost of mischiefs should happen, I can assure you the king's "
## [26772] "life shall sooner pay for it than your honour. And with the "
## [26773] "ending of her words she threw off her mantle, not giving Gynecia "
## [26774] "any space to take the full image of this new change into her fancy. "
## [26775] "But seeing no ready objection against it in her heart, and knowing "
## [26776] "that there was no time then to stand long disputing; besides "
## [26777] "remembering the giver was to order the manner of his gift, yielded "
## [26778] "quickly to this conceit, indeed not among the smallest causes "
## [26779] "tickled thereunto by a certain wanton desire that her husband's "
## [26780] "deceit might be the more notable. In this sort did Zelmane "
## [26781] "nimbly disarraying herself, possess Gynecia's place hiding her "
## [26782] "head in such a close manner, as grievous and over watched "
## [26783] "sickness is wont to invite to itself the solace of sleep. And of "
## [26784] "the other side the queen putting on Zelmane's outmost apparel, "
## [26785] "went first into her closet, there quickly to beautify herself with the "
## [26786] "best and sweetest night-deckings. But there casting an hasty eye "
## [26787] "over her precious things, which ever since Zelmane's coming, her "
## [26788] "head otherwise occupied, had left unseen, she happened to see a "
## [26789] "bottle of gold, upon which down along were graved these verses : "
## [26790] ""
## [26791] "Let him drink this, whom long in arms to fold "
## [26792] "Thou dost desire, and with free power to hold. "
## [26793] ""
## [26794] "She remembered the bottle, for it had been kept of long time "
## [26795] "by the kings of Cyprus, as a thing of rare virtue, and given to "
## [26796] ""
## [26797] ""
## [26798] ""
## [26799] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 493 "
## [26800] ""
## [26801] "her by her mother, when she being very young married to her "
## [26802] "husband of much greater age, her mother persuaded it was of "
## [26803] "property to force love with love effects, had made a precious "
## [26804] "present of it to this her beloved child, though it had been received "
## [26805] "rather by tradition to have such a quality than by any approved "
## [26806] "experiment. This Gynecia (according to the common disposition, "
## [26807] "not only, though especially of wives, but of all other kinds of "
## [26808] "people, not to esteem much one's own, but to think the labour "
## [26809] "lost employed about it) had never cared to give her husband, but "
## [26810] "suffered his affection to run according to his own scope. But now "
## [26811] "that love of her particular choice had awakened her spirits, and "
## [26812] "perchance the very unlawfulness of it had a little blown the coal, "
## [26813] "among her other ornaments with glad mind she took most part "
## [26814] "of this liquor, putting it into a fair cup all set with diamonds : "
## [26815] "for what dares not love undertake armed with the night, and "
## [26816] "provoked with lust ? And thus down she went to the cave- ward, "
## [26817] "guided only by the moon's fair shining, suffering no other "
## [26818] "thought to have any familiarity with her brains, but that which "
## [26819] "did present under her a picture of her approaching contentment. "
## [26820] "She that had long disdained this solitary life her husband had "
## [26821] "entered into, now wished it much more solitary, so she might only "
## [26822] "obtain the private presence of Zelmane. She that before would "
## [26823] "not have gone so far, especially by night, and to so dark a place, "
## [26824] "now took a pride in the same courage, and framed in her mind "
## [26825] "a pleasure out of the pain itself. Thus with thick doubled paces "
## [26826] "she went to the cave, receiving to herself, for her first contentment, "
## [26827] "the only lying where Zelmane had done ; whose pillow she kissed "
## [26828] "a thousand times, for having born the print of that beloved head. "
## [26829] "And so keeping with panting heart her travelling fancies so "
## [26830] "attentive that the wind could stir nothing, but that she stirred "
## [26831] "herself, as if it had been the space of the longed for Zelmane, "
## [26832] "she kept her side of the bed, descending only and cherishing the "
## [26833] "other side with her arms, till after a while waiting, counting with "
## [26834] "herself how many steps were betwixt the lodge and the cave, "
## [26835] "and of accusing Zelmane of more curious stay than needed, she "
## [26836] "was visited with an unexpected guest. "
## [26837] ""
## [26838] "For Basilius, after his wife was departed to her feigned repose, "
## [26839] "as long as he remained with his daughter, to give his wife time "
## [26840] "of unreadying herself, it was easily seen it was a very thorny "
## [26841] "abode he made there: and the discourses with which he "
## [26842] "entertained his daughter, not unlike to those of earnest players, "
## [26843] "when in the midst of their game, trifling questions be put unto "
## [26844] "them, his eyes still looking about, and himself still changing "
## [26845] "places, beginning to speak of a thing, and breaking it off before "
## [26846] "it were half done. To any speech Philoclea ministered unto him, "
## [26847] ""
## [26848] ""
## [26849] ""
## [26850] "49+ ARCADIA [book m. "
## [26851] ""
## [26852] "with a sudden starting and casting up his head, made an answer "
## [26853] "far out of all grammar; a certain deep musing, and by and by "
## [26854] "out of it : uncertain motions, unstayed graces. Having borne out "
## [26855] "the limit of a reasonable time, with as much pain as might be, "
## [26856] "he came darkling into his chamber, forcing himself to tread as "
## [26857] "softly as he could. But the more curious he was, the more he "
## [26858] "thought everything creaked under him; and his mind being "
## [26859] "out of the way with another thought, and his eyes not serving "
## [26860] "his turn in that dark place, each coffer or cupboard he met, one "
## [26861] "saluted his shins, another his elbows ; sometimes ready in revenge "
## [26862] "to strike them again with his face. Till at length, fearing his "
## [26863] "wife were not fully asleep, he came lifting up the clothes as gently "
## [26864] "as I think poor Pan did, when, instead of loles's bed, he came into "
## [26865] "the rough embracing of Hercules; and laying himself down, "
## [26866] "as tenderly as a new bride, rested a while with a very open ear, "
## [26867] "to mark each breath of his supposed wife. And sometimes he "
## [26868] "himself would yield a long-fetched sigh, as though that had been "
## [26869] "a music to draw on another to sleep, till within a very little while, "
## [26870] "with the other party's well counterfeit sleep, who was as willing "
## [26871] "to be rid of him as he was to be gone thence, assuring himself "
## [26872] "he left all safe there, in the same order stole out again, and "
## [26873] "putting on his night gown, with much groping and scrambling "
## [26874] "he got himself out of the little house, and then did the moonlight "
## [26875] "serve to guide his feet. Thus, with a great deal of pain, did "
## [26876] "Basilius go to her whom he fled, and with much cunning left "
## [26877] "the person for whom he had employed all his cunning. But when "
## [26878] "Basilius was once gotten, as he thought, into a clear coast, what "
## [26879] "joy he then made, how each thing seemed vile in his sight, in "
## [26880] "comparison of his fortune, how far already he deemed himself "
## [26881] "in the chief towers of his desires, it were tedious to tell : once his "
## [26882] "heart could not choose but yield this song, as a fairing of his "
## [26883] "contentment. "
## [26884] ""
## [26885] "Get hence foul grief the canker of the mind : "
## [26886] ""
## [26887] "Farewell complaint, the miser's only pleasure. "
## [26888] ""
## [26889] "Away vain cares, by which few men do find "
## [26890] ""
## [26891] "Their sought-for treasure. "
## [26892] ""
## [26893] "Ye helpless sighs, blow out your breath to nought, "
## [26894] "Tears drown yourselves, for woe, your cause is wasted ; "
## [26895] "Thought, think to end, too long the fruit of thought "
## [26896] "My mind hath tasted. "
## [26897] ""
## [26898] "But thou, sure hope, tickle my leaping heart : "
## [26899] "Comfort, step thou in place of wonted sadness, "
## [26900] "Fore-felt desire, begin to favour part "
## [26901] ""
## [26902] "Of coming gladness. "
## [26903] ""
## [26904] ""
## [26905] ""
## [26906] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 495 "
## [26907] ""
## [26908] "Let voice of sighs into clear music run ; "
## [26909] "Eyes, let your tears with gazing now be mended, "
## [26910] "Instead of thought, true pleasure be begun. "
## [26911] "And never ended. "
## [26912] ""
## [26913] "Thus imagining as then with himself, his joys so held him up, "
## [26914] "that he never touched ground. And like a right old beaten soldier, "
## [26915] "that knew well enough the greatest captains do never use long "
## [26916] "orations, when it comes to the very point of execution, as soon "
## [26917] "as he was gotten into the cave, to the joyful, though silent, "
## [26918] "expectation of Gynecia, come close to the bed, never recking his "
## [26919] "promise to look for nothing but conference, he leaped in that side • "
## [26920] "reserved for a more welcome guest. And laying his loving'st hold "
## [26921] "upon Gynecia: \"O Zelmane,\" said he, \"embrace in your favour "
## [26922] "this humble servant of yours : hold within me my heart, which "
## [26923] "pants to leave his master to come unto you.\" In what case poor "
## [26924] "Gynecia was, when she knew the voice, and felt the body of her "
## [26925] "husband, fair ladies, it is better to know by imagination than "
## [26926] "experience. For straight was her mind assaulted, partly with the "
## [26927] "being deprived of her unquenched desire, but principally with the "
## [26928] "doubt that Zelmane had betrayed her to her husband, besides the "
## [26929] "renewed sting of jealousy, what in the meantime might befall her "
## [26930] "daughter. But of the other side her love with a fixed persuasion "
## [26931] "she had taught her to seek all reason of hopes. And therein "
## [26932] "thought best before discovering of herself, to mark the behaviour "
## [26933] "of her husband; who, both in deeds and words still using her, "
## [26934] "as taking her to be Zelmane, made Gynecia hope that this might "
## [26935] "be Basilius's own enterprise, which Zelmane had not stayed, "
## [26936] "lest she should discover the matter which might be performed at "
## [26937] "another time. Which hope accompanied with Basilius's manner "
## [26938] "of dealing, he being at that time fuller of liveher fancies than "
## [26939] "many years before he had been, besides the remembrance of her "
## [26940] "daughter's sickness, and late strange countenance betwixt her "
## [26941] "and Zelmane, all coming together into her mind, which was loth "
## [26942] "to condemn itself of an utter overthrow, made her frame herself, "
## [26943] "not truly with a sugared joy, but with a determinate patience to "
## [26944] "let her husband think he had found a very gentle and supple- "
## [26945] "minded Zelmane ; which he good man making full reckoning of, "
## [26946] "did melt in as much gladness as she was oppressed with divers "
## [26947] "ungrateful burdens. "
## [26948] ""
## [26949] "But Pyrocles, who had at this present no more to play the "
## [26950] "part -of Zelmane, having so naturally measured the manner of his "
## [26951] "breathing, that made no doubt of his sound sleeping, and lain "
## [26952] "a pretty while with the quiet unquietness to perform his intended "
## [26953] "enterprise, as soon as by the debate between Basilius's shins and "
## [26954] "the unregarding forms, he perceived that he had fully left the "
## [26955] ""
## [26956] ""
## [26957] ""
## [26958] "49<5 ARCADIA [book hi. "
## [26959] ""
## [26960] "lodge : after him went he with his stealing steps, having his sword "
## [26961] "under his arm, still doubting lest some mischance might turn "
## [26962] "Basilius back again, down to the gate of the lodge. Which not "
## [26963] "content to lock fast, he barred and fortified with as many devices, "
## [26964] "as his wit and haste would suffer him, that so he might have full "
## [26965] "time both for making ready Philoclea, and convf-ng her to her "
## [26966] "horse, before any might come in to find them mis ^i-.i j. For farther "
## [26967] "ends of those ends, and what might ensue of this action, his love "
## [26968] "and courage well-matched never looked after, holding for an "
## [26969] "assured ground, that \"whatsoever in great things will think "
## [26970] "to prevent all objections must lie still and do nothing.\" This "
## [26971] "determination thus weighed, the first part was thus performed, "
## [26972] "up to Philoclea's chamber door when Pyrocles, rapt from himself "
## [26973] "with the excessive fore feeUng of his, as he assured himself, "
## [26974] "near-coming contentment. Whatever pains he had taken, what "
## [26975] "dangers he had run into, and especially those saucy pages of love, "
## [26976] "doubts, griefs, languishing hopes, and threatening despairs, came "
## [26977] "all now to his mind, in one rank to beautify his expected blissfulness, "
## [26978] "and to serve for a most fit sauce, whose sourness might give a "
## [26979] "kind of life to the delightful cheer his imagination fed upon. "
## [26980] "All the great estate of his father, all his own glory, seemed unto "
## [26981] "him but a trifling pomp, whose good stands in other men's conceit, "
## [26982] "in comparison of the true comfort he found in the depth of his "
## [26983] "mind, and the knowledge of any misery that might ensue his "
## [26984] "joyous adventure, was recked of but as a slight purchase of "
## [26985] "possessing the top of happiness j for so far were his thoughts "
## [26986] "past through all perils, that already he conceived himself safely "
## [26987] "arrived with his lady at the stately palace of Pella, among the "
## [26988] "exceeding joys of his father, and infinite congratulations of his "
## [26989] "friends, giving order for the royal entertaining of Philoclea, and "
## [26990] "for sumptuous shows and triumphs, against their marriage. In "
## [26991] "the thought whereof as he found extremity of joy, so well found he "
## [26992] "that the extremity is not without a certain joyful pain, by extending "
## [26993] "the heart beyond his wonted limits, and by so forcible a holding "
## [26994] "all the senses to one object, that it confounds their mutual working, "
## [26995] "not without a charming kind of ravishing them from the free use "
## [26996] "of their own function. Thus grieved only with too much gladness, "
## [26997] "being come to the door which should be the entry to his happiness, "
## [26998] "he was met with the latter end of a song, which Philoclea like "
## [26999] "a solitary nightingale, bewaiUng her guiltless punishment, and "
## [27000] "helpless misfortune, had newly delivered over, meaning none "
## [27001] "should be judge of her passion, but her own conscience. The "
## [27002] "song having been accorded to a sweetly played on lute, contained "
## [27003] "these verses, which she had lately with some art curiously written,, "
## [27004] "to enwrap her secretand resolute woes. "
## [27005] ""
## [27006] ""
## [27007] ""
## [27008] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 497 "
## [27009] ""
## [27010] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27011] ""
## [27012] "Virtue, beauty, and speech, did strike, wound, charm, "
## [27013] "1 2 S 12 3 "
## [27014] ""
## [27015] "My heart, eyes, ears, with wonder, love, dehght : "
## [27016] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27017] ""
## [27018] "First, second, last, did bind, enforce and arm, "
## [27019] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27020] ""
## [27021] "His works, shows, suits, with wit, grace and vows might, "
## [27022] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27023] ""
## [27024] "Thus honour, liking, trust, much, far, and deep, "
## [27025] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27026] ""
## [27027] "Held, pierc'd, possess'd, my judgment, sense and will. "
## [27028] "1 2 3 12 3 "
## [27029] ""
## [27030] "Till wrong, contempt, deceit did grow, steal, creep, "
## [27031] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27032] ""
## [27033] "Bands, favour, faith, to break, defile and kill, "
## [27034] ""
## [27035] "1 2 3 12 3 "
## [27036] ""
## [27037] "Then grief, unkindness, proof, took, kindled, taught, "
## [27038] "1 2 3 12 3 "
## [27039] ""
## [27040] "Well-grounded, noble, due, spite, rage, disdain "
## [27041] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27042] ""
## [27043] "But ah, alas 1 (in vain) my mind, sight, thought, _ "
## [27044] "1 2 3 12 3 "
## [27045] ""
## [27046] "Doth him, his face, his words, leave, shun, refrain, "
## [27047] ""
## [27048] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27049] ""
## [27050] "For no thing, time, nor place, can lose, quench, ease, "
## [27051] ""
## [27052] "12 3 12 3 "
## [27053] ""
## [27054] "Mine own, embraced, sought, knot, fire, disease. "
## [27055] ""
## [27056] "The force of love to those poor folk that feel it is many ways "
## [27057] "very strange, but no way stranger than that it doth so enchain the "
## [27058] "lover's judgment upon her that holds the reins of his mind, that "
## [27059] "whatsoever she doth is ever in his eyes best. And that best, being "
## [27060] "the continual motion of our changing life, turned by her to any "
## [27061] "other thing that thing again becometh best. So that nature in "
## [27062] "each kind suffering but one superlative, the lover only admits no "
## [27063] "positive. If she sits still, that is best, for so is the conspiracy of "
## [27064] "her several graces, held best together to make one perfect figure of "
## [27065] "beauty. If she walk, no doubt that is best, for, besides, the making "
## [27066] "happy the more places by her steps, the very stirring adds a "
## [27067] "pleasing life to her native perfections. If she be silent, that without "
## [27068] "comparison is best, since by that means the untroubled eye most "
## [27069] "freely may devour the sweetness of his object. But if she speak, "
## [27070] "he will take it upon his death that is best, the quintessence of each "
## [27071] "word being distilled down into his affected soul : example of this "
## [27072] "was well to be seen in the given-over Pyrocles, who with panting "
## [27073] "breath, and sometimes sighs, not such as sorrow restraining the "
## [27074] "inward parts doth make them glad to deliver, but such as the "
## [27075] "impatience of delay, with the unsurety of never so sure hope, is "
## [27076] ""
## [27077] "2 I "
## [27078] ""
## [27079] ""
## [27080] ""
## [27081] "498 ARCADIA [book in. "
## [27082] ""
## [27083] "wont to breathe out. Now being at the door, of the one side "
## [27084] "hearing her voice, which he thought if the philosopher said true of "
## [27085] "the heavenly seven-sphered harmony, was by her not only "
## [27086] "represented, but far surmounted, and of the other having his eyes "
## [27087] "over-filled with her beauty, for the king at his parting had left the "
## [27088] "chamber open, and she at that time lay, as the heat of that country "
## [27089] "did well suffer, upon the top of her bed, having her beauties "
## [27090] "eclipsed with nothing but with a fair smock, wrought all in flames "
## [27091] "of ash-colour silk and gold lying so upon her right side, that the "
## [27092] "left thigh down to the foot, yielded his delightful proportion to the "
## [27093] "full view, which was seen by the help of a rich lamp, which through "
## [27094] "the curtains a little drawn cast forth a Ught upon her, as the moon "
## [27095] "doth when it shines into a thin wood : Pyrocles I say was stopped "
## [27096] "with the violence of so many darts cast by Cupid altogether upon "
## [27097] "him, that quite forgetting himself, and thinking therein already he "
## [27098] "was in the best degree of felicity, he would have lost much of his "
## [27099] "time, and with too much love omitted the enterprise undertaken for "
## [27100] "his love, had not Philoclea's pitiful accusing of him forced him to "
## [27101] "bring his spirits again to a new bias ; for she laying her hand "
## [27102] "under her fair cheek, upon which there did privily trickle the sweet "
## [27103] "drops of her delightful, though sorrowful tears, made these words "
## [27104] "wait upon her moanful song. \"And hath that cruel Pyrocles,\" "
## [27105] "said she, \" deserved thus much of me, that I should for his sake "
## [27106] "lift up my voice in my best tunes, and to him continually, with "
## [27107] "pouring out my plaint, make a disdained oblation ? shall my soul "
## [27108] "still do this honour to his unmerciful tyranny, by my lamenting "
## [27109] "his loss, to show his worthiness and my weakness? He hears thee "
## [27110] "not, simple Philoclea, he hears thee not ; and if he did, some "
## [27111] "hearts grow the harder the more they find their advantage. Alas ! "
## [27112] "what a miserable constitution of mind have I! I disdain my "
## [27113] "fortune and yet reverence him that disdains me. I accuse his "
## [27114] "ungratefulness, and have his virtue in admiration. O ye deaf "
## [27115] "heavens, I would either his injury could blot out mine affection, "
## [27116] "or my affection could forget his injury.\" With that giving a pitiful "
## [27117] "but sweet shriek, she took again the lute, and began to sing this "
## [27118] "sonnet, which might serve as an explaining to the other. "
## [27119] ""
## [27120] "The love which is imprinted in my soul "
## [27121] "With beauty's seal, and virtue fair disguis'd, "
## [27122] ""
## [27123] "With inward cries puts up a bitter roll "
## [27124] "Of huge complaints, that now it is despis'd. "
## [27125] ""
## [27126] "Thus, thus the more I love, the wrong the more "
## [27127] "Monstrous appears, long truth received late, "
## [27128] ""
## [27129] "Wrong stirs remorsed Grief, griefs deadly sore "
## [27130] "Unkindness breeds, unkindness fostereth hate. "
## [27131] ""
## [27132] ""
## [27133] ""
## [27134] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 499 "
## [27135] ""
## [27136] "But ah, the more I hate, the more I think "
## [27137] "Whom I do hate ; the more I think on him. "
## [27138] ""
## [27139] "The more his matchless gifts do deeply sink "
## [27140] "Into my breast, and loves renewed swim. "
## [27141] ""
## [27142] "What medicine then can such disease remove. "
## [27143] ""
## [27144] "Where love draws hate, and hate engendereth love? "
## [27145] ""
## [27146] "But Pyrocles, that had heard his name accused and condemned "
## [27147] "by the mouth, which of all the world, and more than all "
## [27148] "the world, he most loved, had then cause enough to call "
## [27149] "his mind to his home, and with the most haste he could, for "
## [27150] "true love fears the accident of an instant, to match the excusing "
## [27151] "of his fault, with declaration of his errand thither. And "
## [27152] "therefore blown up and down with as many contrary passions "
## [27153] "as .iEolus sent out winds upon the Trojan relics guided upon the "
## [27154] "sea by the valiant jEneas, he went into her chamber with such "
## [27155] "a pace as reverend fear doth teach, where kneeling down, and "
## [27156] "having prepared a long discourse for her, his eyes were so filled "
## [27157] "with her sight, that as if they would have robbed all their fellows "
## [27158] "of their services, both his heart fainted, and his tongue failed in "
## [27159] "such sort that he could not bring forth one word, but referred her "
## [27160] "understanding to his eyes' language. But she in extremity amazed "
## [27161] "to see him there, at so undue a season, and ashamed that her "
## [27162] "beautiful body made so naked a prospect, drawing in her delicate "
## [27163] "limbs into the weak guard of the bed, and presenting in her face "
## [27164] "to him such a kind of pitiful anger, as might show this was only "
## [27165] "a fault; therefore, because she had a former grudge unto him, "
## [27166] "turning away her face from him, she thus said unto him : "
## [27167] ""
## [27168] "\" O Zelmane or Pyrocles, for whether name I use, it much skills "
## [27169] "not, since by the one I was first deceived, and by the other now "
## [27170] "betrayed, what strange motion is the guide of thy cruel mind "
## [27171] "hither? Dost thou not think the day-torments thou hast given "
## [27172] "me sufficient, but that thou dost envy me the night's quiet ? Wilt "
## [27173] "thou give my sorrows no truce, but by making me see before mine "
## [27174] "eyes how much I have lost, offer me due cause of confirming my "
## [27175] "plaint? or is thy heart so full of rancour that thou dost desire "
## [27176] "to feed thine eyes with the wretched spectacle of thine overthrown "
## [27177] "enemy, and so to satisfy the full measure of thy undeserved rage "
## [27178] "with the receiving into thy sight the unrelievable ruins of my "
## [27179] "desolate life! O Pyrocles, Pyrocles, for thy own virtue's sake, "
## [27180] "let miseries be no music unto thee, and be content to take to "
## [27181] "thyself some colour of excuse, that thou didst not know to what "
## [27182] "extremity thy inconstancy, or rather falsehood hath brought me.\" "
## [27183] ""
## [27184] "Pyrocles, to whom every syllable she pronounced was a "
## [27185] "thunderbolt to his Tieart, eqtially distracted betwixt amazement "
## [27186] "and sorrow, abashed to see such a stop of his desires, grieved "
## [27187] ""
## [27188] ""
## [27189] ""
## [27190] "500 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [27191] ""
## [27192] "with her pain, but tormented to find himself the author of it, with "
## [27193] "quaking lips, and pale cheer, \"Alas ! divine lady,\" said he, \"your "
## [27194] "displeasure is so contrary to my desert, and your words so far "
## [27195] "beyond all expectations that I have least ability now I have most "
## [27196] "need to speak in the cause upon which my life dependeth. For "
## [27197] "my troth is so undoubtedly constant unto you, my heart is so "
## [27198] "assured a witness to itself, of his unspotted faith, that having no "
## [27199] "one thing in me, whereout any such sacrilege might arise ; I have "
## [27200] "likewise nothing in so direct a thing to say for myself, but sincere "
## [27201] "and vehement protestations; for in truth there may most words "
## [27202] "be spent, where there is some probability to breed of both sides "
## [27203] "conjectural allegations. But so perfect a thing as my love is of "
## [27204] "you, as it suffers no question, so it seems to receive injury by "
## [27205] "any addition of any words unto it. If my soul could have been "
## [27206] "polluted with treachery it would likewise have provided for itself "
## [27207] "due furniture of colourable answers, but as it stood upon the "
## [27208] "naked conscience of his untouched duty, so I must confess it is "
## [27209] "altogether unarmed against so unjust a violence as you lay upon "
## [27210] "me. Alas 1 let not the pains I have taken to serve you, be now "
## [27211] "accounted injurious unto you, let not the dangerous cunning I have "
## [27212] "used to please you, be deemed a treason against you : since I have "
## [27213] "deceived them whom you fear for your sake, do not you destroy "
## [27214] "me for their sake; what can I. without you farther do? or to what "
## [27215] "more forwardness can any counsel bring our desired happiness? "
## [27216] "I have provided whatsoever is needful for our going, I have rid "
## [27217] "them both out of the lodge, so that there is none here to be "
## [27218] "hinderers or knowers of our departure, but only the almighty "
## [27219] "powers, whom I invoke as triers of mine innocency, and witnesses "
## [27220] "of my well-meaning. And if ever my thoughts did receive so "
## [27221] "much as a fainting in their affections, if they have not continually "
## [27222] "with more and more ardour from time to time pursued the "
## [27223] "possession of your sweetest favour, if ever in that possession they "
## [27224] "received either spot or falsehood, then let their most horrible "
## [27225] "plagues fall upon me, let mine eyes be deprived of the light, which "
## [27226] "did abase the heavenly beams that struck them, let my falsified "
## [27227] "tongue serve to no use but to bemoan mine own wretchedness, "
## [27228] "let my heart impoisoned with detestable treason, be the seat of "
## [27229] "infernal sorrow, let my soul with the endless anguish of his "
## [27230] "conscience become his own tormentor.\" \"O false mankind!\" "
## [27231] "cried out the sweet Philoclea. \" How can an imposthumed heart "
## [27232] "but yield forth evil matter by his mouth? are oaths there to be "
## [27233] "believed, where vows are broken? no no, who doth wound the "
## [27234] "eternal justice of the gods, cares little for abusing their names, "
## [27235] "and who in doing wickedly doth not fear due recompensing plagues, "
## [27236] "doth little fear th^t invoking of plagues will make them come "
## [27237] ""
## [27238] ""
## [27239] ""
## [27240] "BOOK III.] ARCADiA 5oi "
## [27241] ""
## [27242] "ever a whit the sooner. But alas! what aileth this new "
## [27243] "conversation, have you yet another sleight to pay, or do you "
## [27244] "think to deceive me in Pyrocles's form, as you have done in "
## [27245] "Zelmane's : or rather, now you have betrayed me in both, is some "
## [27246] "third sex left you, to transform yourself into, to inveigle my "
## [27247] "simplicity? enjoy, enjoy the conquest you have already won : and "
## [27248] "assure yourself you are to come to the farthest point of your "
## [27249] "cunning. For my part, unkind Pyrocles, my only defence shall "
## [27250] "be belief of nothing, my comfort my faithful innocency, and the "
## [27251] "punishment I desire of you, shall be your own conscience.'' , "
## [27252] ""
## [27253] "Philoclea's hard persevering in this unjust condemnation of him, "
## [27254] "did so overthrow all the might of Pyrocles's mind, who saw that "
## [27255] "time would not serve to prove by deeds, and that the better words "
## [27256] "he used, the more they were suspected of deceitful cunning. That "
## [27257] "void of all counsel, and deprived of all comfort, finding best deserts "
## [27258] "punished, and nearest hopes prevented, he did abandon the succour "
## [27259] "of himself, and suffered grief so to close his heart, that his breath "
## [27260] "failing him with a dreadful shutting of his eyes, he fell down at "
## [27261] "her bedside. Having had time to say no more but, \" oh ! whom "
## [27262] "dost thou kill Philoclea ?\" she that little looked for such an extreme "
## [27263] "event of her doings, started out of her bed, hke Venus rising from "
## [27264] "her mother the sea, not so much stricken down with amazement "
## [27265] "and grief of her fault, as lifted up with the force of love, and desire "
## [27266] "to help, she laid her fair body over his breast, and throwing no "
## [27267] "other water in his face, but the stream of her tears, not giving him "
## [27268] "other blows, but the kissing of her well-formed mouth, her only "
## [27269] "cries were these lamentations : \" O unfortunate suspicion,\" said "
## [27270] "she, \"the very mean to lose what we most suspect to lose. O "
## [27271] "unkind kindness of mine, which returns an imagined wrong with "
## [27272] "an effectual injury. O fool to make quarrel my supplication, or to "
## [27273] "use hate as the mediator of love : childish Philoclea, hast thou "
## [27274] "thrown away the jewel wherein all thy pride consisted.? Hast "
## [27275] "thou with too much haste over-run thyself.?\" Then would she "
## [27276] "renew her kisses, and yet not finding the life return, redouble her "
## [27277] "plaints in this manner. \" O divine soul,\" said she, \" whose virtue "
## [27278] "can possess no less than the highest place in heaven, if for mine "
## [27279] "eternal plague thou hast utterly left this most sweet mansion, "
## [27280] "before I follow thee with Thisbe's punishment for my rash "
## [27281] "unweariness, hear this protestation of mine : that as the wrong I "
## [27282] "have done thee proceeded of a most sincere, but unresistable "
## [27283] "affection, so led with this pitiful example, it shall end in the mortal "
## [27284] "hate of myself, and, if it may be, I will make my soul a tomb of "
## [27285] "thy memory.\" At that word with anguish of mind and weakness "
## [27286] "of body increased one by the other, and both augmented by this "
## [27287] "fearful accident, she had fallen down in a swoon, but that Pyrocles "
## [27288] ""
## [27289] ""
## [27290] ""
## [27291] "5o2 Arcadia (book m. "
## [27292] ""
## [27293] "then first severing his eyelids and quickly apprehending her "
## [27294] "danger, to him more than death, beyond all powers striving to "
## [27295] "recover the commandment of all his powers, stayed her from "
## [27296] "falling, and then lifting the sweet burden of her body in his arms, "
## [27297] "laid her again in her bed. So that she, but then the physician, "
## [27298] "was now become the patient, and he to whom her weakness had "
## [27299] "been serviceable, was now enforced to do service to her weakness, "
## [27300] "which performed by him with that hearty care which the most "
## [27301] "careful love on the best loved subject in greatest extremity could "
## [27302] "employ, prevailed so far, that e'er long she was able, though in "
## [27303] "strength exceedingly dejected, to call home her wandering senses, "
## [27304] "to yield attention to that her beloved Pyrocles had to deliver. "
## [27305] "But he lying down on the bed by her, holding her hand in his, "
## [27306] "with so kind an accusing her of unkindness, as in accusing her he "
## [27307] "condemned himself, began from point to point to discover unto "
## [27308] "her all that had passed between his loathed lovers and him. How "
## [27309] "he had entertained, and by entertaining deceived, both Basilius "
## [27310] "and Gynecia ; and that with such a kind of deceit, as either might "
## [27311] "see the cause in the other, but neither espy the effect in themselves. "
## [27312] "That all his favours to them had tended only to make them "
## [27313] "strangers to this his action ; and all his strangeness to her, to the "
## [27314] "final obtaining of her long promised, and now to be performed "
## [27315] "favour. Which device seeing it had so well succeeded to the "
## [27316] "removing all other hindrances, that only her resolution remained "
## [27317] "for the taking their happy journey, he conjured her by all the love "
## [27318] "she had ever borne him, she would make no longer delay to "
## [27319] "partake with him whatsoever honours the noble king of Macedon, "
## [27320] "and all other Euarchus's dominions might yield him, especially "
## [27321] "since in this enterprise he had now waded so far, as he could not "
## [27322] "possibly retire himself back, without being overwhelmed with "
## [27323] "danger and dishonour : he needed not have used farther persuasion : "
## [27324] "for that only conjuration had so forcibly bound all her spirits that "
## [27325] "could her body have seconded her mind, or her mind have "
## [27326] "strengthened her body, without respect of any worldly thing, but "
## [27327] "only fear to be again unkind to Pyrocles, she had condescended "
## [27328] "to go with him. But raising herself a little in her bed, and finding "
## [27329] "her own inability in any sort to endure the air: \" My Pyrocles,\" "
## [27330] "said she, with tearful eyes and a pitifiil countenance, such as well "
## [27331] "witnessed she had no will to deny anything, she had power to "
## [27332] "perform, \"if you can convey me hence in such plight as you see "
## [27333] "me, I am most willing to make my extremes! danger a testimony, "
## [27334] "that I esteem no danger in regard of your virtuous satisfaction.\" "
## [27335] "But she fainted so fast that she was not able to utter the rest of "
## [27336] "her conceived speech ; which also turned Pyrocles's thoughts from "
## [27337] "expecting farther answer, to the necessary care of reviving her, in "
## [27338] ""
## [27339] ""
## [27340] ""
## [27341] "BOOK iii.J ARCADIA 503 "
## [27342] ""
## [27343] "whose fainting, himself was more than overthrown. And that "
## [27344] "having affected with all the sweet means his wits could devise, "
## [27345] "though his highest hopes were by this unexpected downfall sunk "
## [27346] "deeper than any degree of despair : yet lest the appearance of his "
## [27347] "inward grief might occasion her farther discomfort, having wracked "
## [27348] "his face to a more comfortable semblance, he sought some show "
## [27349] "of reason, to show she had no reason, either for him, or for herself "
## [27350] "to be afflicted. Which in the sweet minded Philoclea, whose "
## [27351] "consideration was limited by his words, and whose conceit pierced "
## [27352] "no deeper than his outward countenance, wrought within a while "
## [27353] "such quietness of mind, and that quietness again such repose of "
## [27354] "body, that sleep by his harbinger's weakness, weariness, and watch- "
## [27355] "fulness, had quickly taken up his lodging in all her senses. Then "
## [27356] "indeed had Pyrocles leisure to sit in judgment on himself, and to "
## [27357] "hear his reason accuse his rashness, who, without forecast of doubt, "
## [27358] "without knowledge of his friend, without acquainting Philoclea "
## [27359] "with his purpose, or being made acquainted with her present "
## [27360] "estate, had fallen headlong into that attempt, the success whereof "
## [27361] "he had long since set down to himself as the measure of all his "
## [27362] "other fortunes. But calling to mind how weakly they do, that "
## [27363] "rather find fault with what cannot be mended than seek to amend "
## [27364] "wherein they have been faulty : he soon turned him from "
## [27365] "remembering what might have been done, to considering what "
## [27366] "was now to be done, and when that consideration failed, what was "
## [27367] "now to be expected. Wherein having run over all the thoughts, "
## [27368] "his reason, called to the strictest accounts, could bring before him, "
## [27369] "at length he lighted on this. That as long as Gynecia betrayed "
## [27370] "not the matter, which he thought she would not do, as well for "
## [27371] "her own honour and safety, as for the hope she might still have of "
## [27372] "him, which is loth to die in a lover's heart, all the rest might turn "
## [27373] "to a pretty merriment, and inflame his lover Basilius, again to cast "
## [27374] "about for the missed favour. And as naturally the heart stuffed "
## [27375] "up with wofulness, is glad greedily to suck the thinnest air of "
## [27376] "comfort, so did he at first embrace this conceit, as offering great "
## [27377] "hope, if not assurance of well-doing, fill looking more nearly into "
## [27378] "it, and not able to answer the doubts and difficulties he saw therein "
## [27379] "more and more arising, the night being also far spent, his thoughts "
## [27380] "even weary of his own burdens, fell to a straying kind of "
## [27381] "uncertainty; and his mind standing only upon the nature of "
## [27382] "inward intelligences, left his body to give a sleeping respite to his "
## [27383] "vital spirits, which he according to the quality of sorrow received "
## [27384] "with greater greediness than ever in his hfe before : according to "
## [27385] "the nature of sorrow, I say, which is past care's remedy ; for care "
## [27386] "stirring the brains, and making thin the spirits, breaketh rest: "
## [27387] "but those griefs wherein one is determined there is no preventing, "
## [27388] ""
## [27389] ""
## [27390] ""
## [27391] "S04 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [27392] ""
## [27393] "do breed a dull heaviness which easily clothes itself in sleep, so as "
## [27394] "laid down so near, the beauty of the word, Philoclea, that their "
## [27395] "necks were subjects each to other's chaste embracements, it seemed "
## [27396] "love had come thither to lay a plot in that picture of death, how "
## [27397] "gladly, if death came, their souls would go together. "
## [27398] ""
## [27399] ""
## [27400] ""
## [27401] "ECLOGUS "
## [27402] ""
## [27403] "Thyrsis not with many painted words nor falsified promises had "
## [27404] "won the consent of his beloved Kala, but with a true and simple "
## [27405] "making her know he loved her, not forcing himself beyond his "
## [27406] "reach to buy her affection, but giving her such pretty presents, as "
## [27407] "neither could weary him with the giving, nor shame her for the "
## [27408] "taking. Thus, the first strawberries he could find, Were ever in a clean "
## [27409] "washed dish, sent to Kala ; thus posies of the spring flowers were "
## [27410] "wrapped up in a little green silk, and dedicated to Kala's breasts ; "
## [27411] "thus sometimes his sweetest cream, sometimes the best cakebread "
## [27412] "his mother made, were reserved for Kala's taste. Neither would "
## [27413] "he stick to kill a lamb when she would be content to come over "
## [27414] "the way unto him. But then lo, how the house was swept, and "
## [27415] "rather no fire than any smoke left to trouble her. Then love songs "
## [27416] "were not dainty, when she would hear them, and as much mannerly "
## [27417] "silence, when she would not : in going to church great worship to "
## [27418] "Kala. So that all the parish said, never a maid they knew so well "
## [27419] "waited on ; and when dancing was about the may-pole, nobody "
## [27420] "taken out but she, and he after a leap or two to show her his own "
## [27421] "activity, would frame all the rest of his dancing only to grace her. "
## [27422] "As for her father's sheep, he had no less care of them than his "
## [27423] "own : so that she might play her as she would, warranted with "
## [27424] "Thyrsis's carefulness. But if he spied Kala favoured any one of "
## [27425] "the flock more than his fellows, then that was cherished : shearing "
## [27426] "him so (when shorn he must be) as might most become him : but "
## [27427] "while the wood was on, wrapped within it some verses, wherein "
## [27428] "Thyrsis had a special gift, and making the innocent beast his "
## [27429] "unweeting messenger. Thus constantly continuing, though he "
## [27430] "were none of the fairest, at length he won Kala's heart, the "
## [27431] "honestest wench in all those quarters. And so with consent of "
## [27432] "both parents, without which neither Thyrsis would ask, nor Kala "
## [27433] "grant, their marrying day was appointed, which because it fell out "
## [27434] "in this time I think it shall not be impertinent, to remember a little "
## [27435] "our shepherds, while the other great persons, are either sleeping "
## [27436] "or otherwise troubled. Thyrsis's marriage-time once known, there "
## [27437] "needed no inviting of the neighbours in that valley, for so well was "
## [27438] ""
## [27439] ""
## [27440] ""
## [27441] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA Soj "
## [27442] ""
## [27443] "Thyrsis beloved, that they were all ready to do him credit, neither "
## [27444] "yet came they like harpies to devour him ; but one brought a fat "
## [27445] "pig, the other a tender kid, the third a great goose ; as for cheese, "
## [27446] "milk and butter, were the gossips' presents. Thither came of "
## [27447] "strange shepherds only the melancholy Philisides ; for the virtuous "
## [27448] "Coridon had long since left off all joyful solemnities. And as for "
## [27449] "Strephon and Claius, they had lost their mistress, which put them "
## [27450] "into such extreme sorrows, as they could scarcely abide the light "
## [27451] "of the day, much less the eyes of men. But of the Arcadian bom "
## [27452] "shepherds, thither came good old Geron, young Histor, though "
## [27453] "unwilling, and upright Dicus, merry Pas, and jolly Nico. As for "
## [27454] "Dametas, they durst not presume, his pride was such, to invite "
## [27455] "him, and Dorus they found might not be spared. And thereunder "
## [27456] "a bower was made of boughs, for Thyrsis's house was not able to "
## [27457] "receive them, every one placed according to his age. The women, "
## [27458] "for such was the manner of the country, kept together to make "
## [27459] "good cheer among themselves, from which otherwise a certain "
## [27460] "painful modesty restrains them, and there might the sadder "
## [27461] "matrons give good counsel to Kala, who poor fool wept for fear "
## [27462] "of that she desired. But among the shepherds was all honest "
## [27463] "Uberty, no fear of dangerous telltales, who hunt greater preys, nor "
## [27464] "indeed minds in them to give telltales any occasion, but one "
## [27465] "questioning with another of the manuring his ground, and governing "
## [27466] "his flock, the highest point they reached to, was, to talk of the "
## [27467] "holiness of marriage ; to which purpose, as soon as their sober "
## [27468] "dinner was ended, Dicus instead of thanks, sung this song, with "
## [27469] "a clear voice and cheerful countenance. "
## [27470] ""
## [27471] "Let mother earth now deck herself in flowers, "
## [27472] "To see her offspring, seek a good increase, "
## [27473] ""
## [27474] "Where justest love doth vanquish Cupid's powers "
## [27475] "And war of thoughts is swallowed up in peace. "
## [27476] ""
## [27477] "Which never may decrease, "
## [27478] ""
## [27479] "But like the turtles fair, "
## [27480] ""
## [27481] "Live one in two, a well united pair ; "
## [27482] ""
## [27483] "Which that no chance may stain, "
## [27484] ""
## [27485] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27486] ""
## [27487] "O Heav'n awake, show forth thy stately face, "
## [27488] "Let not these slumbering clouds thy beauties hide "
## [27489] ""
## [27490] "But with thy cheerful presence help to grace "
## [27491] "The honest bridegroom and the bashful bride "
## [27492] ""
## [27493] "Whose loves may ever bide, "
## [27494] ""
## [27495] "Like to the elm and vine. "
## [27496] ""
## [27497] "With mutual embracements them to twine ; "
## [27498] ""
## [27499] "In which delightful pain, "
## [27500] ""
## [27501] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27502] ""
## [27503] ""
## [27504] ""
## [27505] "5o6 ARCADIA [book m. "
## [27506] ""
## [27507] "Ye muses all which chaste affects allow, "
## [27508] "And have to Thyrsis showed your secret skill, "
## [27509] ""
## [27510] "To this chaste love your sacred favours bow, "
## [27511] "And so to him and her your gifts distil, "
## [27512] ""
## [27513] "That they all vice may kill. "
## [27514] ""
## [27515] "And like to lillies pure, "
## [27516] ""
## [27517] "May please all eyes, and spotless may endure. "
## [27518] ""
## [27519] "Where that all bliss may reign, "
## [27520] ""
## [27521] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27522] ""
## [27523] "Ye nymphs which in the water's empire have. "
## [27524] "Since Thyrsis music oft doth yield your praise, "
## [27525] ""
## [27526] "Grant to the thing which we for Thyrsis crave. "
## [27527] "Let one time, but long first, close up their days. "
## [27528] ""
## [27529] "One grave their bodies seize : "
## [27530] ""
## [27531] "And like two rivers sweet, "
## [27532] ""
## [27533] "When they, thought divers, do together meet, "
## [27534] "One stream both streams contain : "
## [27535] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27536] ""
## [27537] "Pan, father Pan the God of silly sheep. "
## [27538] "Whose care is cause that they in number grow. "
## [27539] ""
## [27540] "Have much more care of them than them do keep. "
## [27541] "Since from these good the other's good doth flow. "
## [27542] ""
## [27543] "And make their issue show "
## [27544] ""
## [27545] "In number like the herd "
## [27546] "Of younglings, which thyself with love hast rear'd ; "
## [27547] ""
## [27548] "Or like the drops of rain. "
## [27549] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27550] ""
## [27551] "Virtue, if not a God, yet God's chief part, "
## [27552] "Be thou their knot of this their open vow. "
## [27553] ""
## [27554] "That still he be her head, she be his heart ; "
## [27555] "He lean to her, she unto him do bow : "
## [27556] ""
## [27557] "Each other still allow ; "
## [27558] ""
## [27559] "Like oak and mistletoe. "
## [27560] ""
## [27561] "Her strength from him, his praise from her do grow ; "
## [27562] ""
## [27563] "In which most lovely train, "
## [27564] ""
## [27565] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27566] ""
## [27567] "But thou foul Cupid, sire to lawless lust. "
## [27568] "Be thou far hence with thy impoison'd dart, "
## [27569] ""
## [27570] "Which though of glitt'rlng gold, shall here take rust. "
## [27571] "Where simple love, which chastness doth impart, "
## [27572] ""
## [27573] "Avoids thy hurtful art, "
## [27574] ""
## [27575] "Not needing charming skill. "
## [27576] ""
## [27577] "Such minds with sweet affections for to fill. "
## [27578] "Which being pure and plain, "
## [27579] ""
## [27580] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27581] ""
## [27582] ""
## [27583] ""
## [27584] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 50/ "
## [27585] ""
## [27586] "All churlish words, shrewd answers, crabbed looks, "
## [27587] "All privateness, self-seeking, inward spite, "
## [27588] ""
## [27589] "All waywardness, which nothing kindly brooks, "
## [27590] "All strife for toys, and claiming master's right. "
## [27591] ""
## [27592] "Be hence, aye put to flight : "
## [27593] ""
## [27594] "All stirring husband's hate "
## [27595] ""
## [27596] "'Gainst neighbour's good for womanish debate, "
## [27597] "Be fled as things most vain, "
## [27598] ""
## [27599] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27600] ""
## [27601] "All peacock pride, and fruits of peacock's pride, "
## [27602] "Longing to be with loss of substance gay. "
## [27603] ""
## [27604] "With wretchlessness what may thy house betide, "
## [27605] "So that you may on higher flippers stay, "
## [27606] ""
## [27607] "For ever hence away : "
## [27608] ""
## [27609] "Yet let not sluttery "
## [27610] ""
## [27611] "The sink of filth, be counted housewifery ; "
## [27612] "But keeping wholesome mean, "
## [27613] ""
## [27614] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27615] ""
## [27616] "But above all, away vile jealousy, "
## [27617] "The evil of evils, just cause to be unjust. "
## [27618] ""
## [27619] "How can he love suspecting treachery ? "
## [27620] "How can she love where love cannot win trust? "
## [27621] ""
## [27622] "Go snake, hide thee in dust, "
## [27623] ""
## [27624] "Nay dare once show thy face. "
## [27625] ""
## [27626] "Where open hearts do hold so constant place, "
## [27627] "That they thy sting restrain, "
## [27628] ""
## [27629] "O Hymen, long their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27630] ""
## [27631] "The earth is deck'd with flowers, the heav'ns display'd, "
## [27632] "Muses grant gifts, nymphs long and joined life, "
## [27633] ""
## [27634] "Pan store of babes, virtue their thoughts well staid, "
## [27635] "Cupid's lust gone, and gone is bitter strife, "
## [27636] ""
## [27637] "Happy Man, happy Wife, "
## [27638] ""
## [27639] "No pride shall them oppress. "
## [27640] ""
## [27641] "Nor yet shall yield to loathsome sluttishness, "
## [27642] "And jealousy is slain : "
## [27643] ""
## [27644] "For Hymen will their coupled joys maintain. "
## [27645] ""
## [27646] "\"Truly Dicus,\" said Nico, \"although thou didst not grant me "
## [27647] "the prize the last day, when undoubtedly I won it, yet must I needs "
## [27648] "say thou for thy part hast sung well and thriftily. Pas straight "
## [27649] "desired all the company they would bear witness that Nico had "
## [27650] "once in his hfe spoken wise : \" For,\" said he, \" I will tell it his "
## [27651] "Father, who will be a glad man when he hears such news\" "
## [27652] "\"Very true,\" said Nico, \"but indeed so would not thine in like "
## [27653] "case, for he would look thou should'st live but one hour longer "
## [27654] ""
## [27655] ""
## [27656] ""
## [27657] "5o8 ARCADIA "
## [27658] ""
## [27659] ""
## [27660] ""
## [27661] "[BOOK III. "
## [27662] ""
## [27663] ""
## [27664] ""
## [27665] "than a discreet word wandered out of thy mouth : \" \" And I pray "
## [27666] "thee,\" said Pas, \"gentle Nico, tell me, what mischance it was that "
## [27667] "brought thee to taste so fine a meat ? \" \" Marry goodman block- "
## [27668] "head,\" said Nico, \" because he speaks against jealousy, the filthy "
## [27669] "traitor to true afiection, and yet disguising itself in the raiment "
## [27670] "of love.\" \"Sentences, sentences,\" cried Pas. \"Alas, how ripe "
## [27671] "witted these young folks be nowadays but well counselled shall "
## [27672] "that husband be, when this man comes to exhort him not to be "
## [27673] "jealous.\" \" And so shall he,\" answered Nico, \" for I have seen a "
## [27674] "fresh example, though it be not very fit to be known.\" \"Come, "
## [27675] "come,\" said Pas, \"be not so squeamish, I know thou longest "
## [27676] "more to tell it than we to hear it.\" But for all his words, Nico, "
## [27677] "would not bestow his voice, till he was generally entreated of all "
## [27678] "the rest. And then with a merry marriage-look he sung this "
## [27679] "following discourse, for with a better grace he could sing than "
## [27680] "tell. "
## [27681] ""
## [27682] "A neighbour mine not long ago there was, "
## [27683] "But nameless he, for blameless he shall be, "
## [27684] ""
## [27685] "That married had a trick and bonny lass, "
## [27686] "As in a summer day a man might see : "
## [27687] ""
## [27688] "But he himself a foul unhandsome groom. "
## [27689] ""
## [27690] "And far unfit to hold so good a room. "
## [27691] ""
## [27692] "Now whether moved with self-unworthiness, "
## [27693] "Or with her beauty fit to make a prey ; "
## [27694] ""
## [27695] "Fell jealousy did so his brain oppress, "
## [27696] "That if he absent were but half a day, "
## [27697] ""
## [27698] "He guessed the worst (you wot what is the worst) "
## [27699] ""
## [27700] "And in himself new doubting causes nurst. "
## [27701] ""
## [27702] "While thus he feared the silly innocent, "
## [27703] "Who yet was good, because she knew none ill, "
## [27704] ""
## [27705] "Unto his house a jolly shepherd went. "
## [27706] "To whom our prince did bear a great good will ; "
## [27707] ""
## [27708] "Because in wrestling, and in a pastoral. "
## [27709] ""
## [27710] "He far did pass the rest of shepherds all. "
## [27711] ""
## [27712] "And therefore he a courtier was be-named, "
## [27713] "And as a courtier was with cheer received "
## [27714] ""
## [27715] "(For they have tongues to make a poor man blamed, "
## [27716] "If he to them his duty misconceived) "
## [27717] ""
## [27718] "And for this courtier should well like his table, "
## [27719] ""
## [27720] "The good man bade his wife be serviceable. "
## [27721] ""
## [27722] ""
## [27723] ""
## [27724] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 509 "
## [27725] ""
## [27726] "And so she was, and all with good intent ; "
## [27727] "But few days past when she good manner used j "
## [27728] ""
## [27729] "But that her husband thought her service bent "
## [27730] "To such an end as he might be abased. "
## [27731] ""
## [27732] "Yet like a coward fearing stranger's pride, "
## [27733] ""
## [27734] "He made the simple wench his wrath abide ; "
## [27735] ""
## [27736] "With chumpish looks, hard words, and secret nips, "
## [27737] "Grumbling at her when she his kindness sought. "
## [27738] ""
## [27739] "Asking her how she tasted courtier's lips, "
## [27740] "He forced her to think that which she never thought. "
## [27741] ""
## [27742] "In fine, he made her guess, there was some sweet, "
## [27743] ""
## [27744] "In that which he so fear'd that she should meet. "
## [27745] ""
## [27746] "When once this entered was in woman's heart, "
## [27747] ""
## [27748] "And that it had inflamed a new desire, "
## [27749] "There rested then to play a woman's part j "
## [27750] ""
## [27751] "Fuel to seek, and not to quench the fire. "
## [27752] "But (for his jealous eye she well did find) "
## [27753] "She studied cunning how the same to blind. "
## [27754] ""
## [27755] "And thus she did. One day to him she came. "
## [27756] "And, though against his will, on him she leaned : "
## [27757] ""
## [27758] "And out gan cry, \" Ah well away for shame. "
## [27759] "If you help not, our wedlock will be stained.\" "
## [27760] ""
## [27761] "The good man starting, asked what her did move ? "
## [27762] ""
## [27763] "She sigh'd and said, \" The bad guest sought her love.\" "
## [27764] ""
## [27765] "He little looking that she should complain "
## [27766] "Of that, whereto he fear'd she was inclin'd : "
## [27767] ""
## [27768] "Bussing her oft, and in his heart full fain. "
## [27769] "He did demand what remedy to find, "
## [27770] ""
## [27771] "How they might get that guest from them to wend, "
## [27772] ""
## [27773] "And yet the prince that lov'd him not offend. "
## [27774] ""
## [27775] "\"Husband,\" quoth she, \"go to him by and by, "
## [27776] "And tell him you do find I do him love: "
## [27777] ""
## [27778] "And therefore pray him that of courtesy "
## [27779] "He will absent himself, lest he should move "
## [27780] ""
## [27781] "A young girl's heart, to that were shame for both "
## [27782] ""
## [27783] "Whereto you know his honest heart were loath. "
## [27784] ""
## [27785] "Thus shall you show that him you do not doubt, "
## [27786] "And as for me, sweet husband, I must bear;\" "
## [27787] ""
## [27788] "Glad was the man when he heard her out. "
## [27789] "And did the same, although with mickle fear. "
## [27790] ""
## [27791] "For fear he did, lest he the young man might "
## [27792] ""
## [27793] "Jn choler put, with whom he would not fight. "
## [27794] ""
## [27795] ""
## [27796] ""
## [27797] "5IO ARCADIA [book m. "
## [27798] ""
## [27799] "The courtly shepherd much aghast at this, "
## [27800] "Not seeing erst such token in the wife, "
## [27801] ""
## [27802] "Though full of scorn, would not his duty miss, "
## [27803] "Knowing that ill become a household strife, "
## [27804] ""
## [27805] "Did go his way, but sojourn'd near thereby. "
## [27806] ""
## [27807] "That yet the ground thereof he might espy. "
## [27808] ""
## [27809] "The wife thus having settled husband's brain. "
## [27810] "Who would have sworn his spouse Diana was. "
## [27811] ""
## [27812] "Watched when she a farther point might gain. "
## [27813] "Which little time did fitly bring to pass. "
## [27814] ""
## [27815] "For to the court her man was called by name ; "
## [27816] ""
## [27817] "Whither he needs must go for fear of blame. "
## [27818] ""
## [27819] "Three days before that he must sure depart, "
## [27820] "She written had, but in a hand disguised, "
## [27821] ""
## [27822] "A letter such, which might from either part, "
## [27823] "Seem to proceed, so well it was devised. "
## [27824] ""
## [27825] "She seal'd it first, then she the sealing brake. "
## [27826] ""
## [27827] "And to her jealous husband did it take. "
## [27828] ""
## [27829] "With weeping eyes (her eyes she taught to weep) "
## [27830] "She told him that the courtier had it sent : "
## [27831] ""
## [27832] "\"Alas,\" quoth she, \"thus woman's shame doth creep.'' "
## [27833] "The good man read on both sides the content, "
## [27834] ""
## [27835] "It title had. Unto my only love : "
## [27836] ""
## [27837] "Subscription was. Yours most, if you will prove. "
## [27838] ""
## [27839] "Th' epistle self such kind of words it had ; "
## [27840] "\" My sweetest joy, the comfort of my sprite. "
## [27841] ""
## [27842] "So may thy flocks increase thy dear heart glad, "
## [27843] "So may each thing e'en as thou wishest light. "
## [27844] ""
## [27845] "As thou wilt deign to read, and gently read "
## [27846] ""
## [27847] "This mourning ink in which my heart doth bleed. "
## [27848] ""
## [27849] "\" Long have I lov'd, alas thou worthy art. "
## [27850] "Long have I lov'd, alas love craveth love. "
## [27851] ""
## [27852] "Long have I lov'd thyself, alas my heart "
## [27853] "Doth break, now tongue unto thy name doth move ; "
## [27854] ""
## [27855] "And think not that thy answer answer is. "
## [27856] ""
## [27857] "But that it is my doom of bale or bliss. "
## [27858] ""
## [27859] "\" The jealous wretch must now to court be gone ; "
## [27860] "Ne can he fail, for prince hath for him sent : "
## [27861] ""
## [27862] "Now !s the time we may be here alone. "
## [27863] "And give a long desire a sweet content. "
## [27864] ""
## [27865] "Thus shall you both reward a lover true, "
## [27866] ""
## [27867] "And eke revenge his wrong suspecting you.'' "
## [27868] ""
## [27869] ""
## [27870] ""
## [27871] "BOOKin.] ARCADIA gn "
## [27872] ""
## [27873] "And this was all, and this the husband read "
## [27874] "With chafe enough, till she him pacified : "
## [27875] ""
## [27876] "Desiring that no grief in him be bred, "
## [27877] "Now that he had her words so truly tried : "
## [27878] ""
## [27879] "But that he would to him the letter show. "
## [27880] ""
## [27881] "That with his fault be might her goodness know. "
## [27882] ""
## [27883] "That straight was done with many a boist'rous threat, "
## [27884] "That to the king he would his sin declare ; "
## [27885] ""
## [27886] "But now the courtier gan to smell the feat. "
## [27887] "And with some words which showed little care ; "
## [27888] ""
## [27889] "He stayed until the good man was departed, "
## [27890] ""
## [27891] "Then gave he him the blow which never smarted. "
## [27892] ""
## [27893] "Thus may you see the jealous wretch was made "
## [27894] "The pander of the thing he most did fear. "
## [27895] ""
## [27896] "Take heed therefore, how you ensue that trade, "
## [27897] "Lest the same marks of jealousy you bear. "
## [27898] ""
## [27899] "For sure, no jealousy can that prevent. "
## [27900] ""
## [27901] "Whereto two parties once be full content. "
## [27902] ""
## [27903] "\"Behold,\" said Pas, \"a whole dicker of wit : he had picked out "
## [27904] "such a tale with intention to keep a husband from jealousy, which "
## [27905] "was enough to make a sanctified husband jealous, to see subtilities "
## [27906] "so much in the feminine gender.\" \" But,\" said he, \" I will strike "
## [27907] "Nice dead, with the wise words that shall flow out of my gorge.\" "
## [27908] "And without farther entreaty thus sang : "
## [27909] ""
## [27910] "Who doth desire that chaste his wife should be, "
## [27911] "First be he true, for truth doth truth deserve : "
## [27912] ""
## [27913] "Then such be he, as she his worth may see. "
## [27914] "And one man still credit with her preserve. "
## [27915] ""
## [27916] "Not toying kind, nor causelessly unkind. "
## [27917] "Not stirring thoughts, nor yet denying right. "
## [27918] ""
## [27919] "Not spying faults, nor in plain errors blind, "
## [27920] "Never hard hand, nor ever reins too light. "
## [27921] ""
## [27922] "As far from want, as far from vain expense "
## [27923] "(The one doth force, the latter doth entice) "
## [27924] ""
## [27925] "Allow good company, but keep from thence "
## [27926] "All filthy mouths that glory in their vice. "
## [27927] ""
## [27928] "This done, thou hast no more, but leave the rest, "
## [27929] ""
## [27930] "To virtue, fortune, time and woman's breast. "
## [27931] ""
## [27932] "\"Well concluded,\" said Nico, \" when he hath done all, he leaves "
## [27933] "the matter to his wife's discretion. Now whensoever thou marriest "
## [27934] "let her discretion deck thy head with ActEeon's ornament.\" Pas "
## [27935] ""
## [27936] ""
## [27937] ""
## [27938] "512 ARCADIA [book III. "
## [27939] ""
## [27940] "was so angry with his wish, being indeed towards marriage, that "
## [27941] "they might perchance have fallen to buffets, but that Dicus desired "
## [27942] "Philisides, who as a stranger sat among them, revolving in his "
## [27943] "mind all the tempests of evil fortune he had passed, that he would "
## [27944] "do so much grace to the company, as to sing one of his country "
## [27945] "songs. Philisides, knowing it no good manners to be squeamish "
## [27946] "of his coming, having put himself into their company, without "
## [27947] "farther study began to utter that, wherewith his thoughts were "
## [27948] "then, as always, most busied : and to show what a stranger he "
## [27949] "was to himself, spoke of himself, as of a third person in this sort : "
## [27950] ""
## [27951] "The lad Philisides "
## [27952] "Lay by a river side. "
## [27953] "In flow'ry field a gladder eye to please ; "
## [27954] "His pipe was at his foot, "
## [27955] "His lambs were him beside, "
## [27956] ""
## [27957] "A widow turtle near on bared root "
## [27958] "Sat wailing without boot. "
## [27959] "Each thing both sweet and sad "
## [27960] "Did draw his boiling brain "
## [27961] "To think, and think with pain "
## [27962] ""
## [27963] "Of Mira's beams, eclips'd by absence bad, "
## [27964] "And thus, with eyes made dim "
## [27965] "With tears, he said, or sorrow said for him ; "
## [27966] ""
## [27967] "O earth, once answer give, "
## [27968] "So may thy stately grace "
## [27969] ""
## [27970] "By north, or south still rich adorned live. "
## [27971] "So Mira long may be "
## [27972] "On thy then blessed face "
## [27973] ""
## [27974] "Whose foot doth set a heav'n on cursed thee, "
## [27975] "I ask, now answer me : "
## [27976] "If th' author of thy bliss, "
## [27977] "Phoebus, that shepherd high. "
## [27978] "Do turn from thee his eye, "
## [27979] ""
## [27980] "Doth not thyself, when he long absent is, "
## [27981] "Like rogue, all ragged go, "
## [27982] "And pine away with daily wasting woe? "
## [27983] ""
## [27984] "Tell me you wanton brook. "
## [27985] "So may your sliding race "
## [27986] "Shun loathed loving banks with cunning crook: "
## [27987] "So in you ever new "
## [27988] "Mira may look her face. "
## [27989] ""
## [27990] "And make you fair with shadow of her hue : "
## [27991] "So when to pay your due "
## [27992] "To mother sea you come. "
## [27993] "She chid you not for stay, "
## [27994] "Nor beat you for your play, "
## [27995] "Tell me if your diverted springs become "
## [27996] ""
## [27997] ""
## [27998] ""
## [27999] "BOOK III.] ARCADIA 513 "
## [28000] ""
## [28001] "Absented quite from you, "
## [28002] ""
## [28003] "Are you not dried? can you yourselves renew? "
## [28004] ""
## [28005] "Tell me you flowers fair, "
## [28006] "Cowslip and columbine, "
## [28007] ""
## [28008] "So may you make this wholesome springf-time air "
## [28009] "With you embraced lie, "
## [28010] "And lately thence untwine : "
## [28011] ""
## [28012] "But with dewdrops engender children high : "
## [28013] "So may you never die, "
## [28014] "But pull'd by Mira's hand, "
## [28015] "Dress bosom hers, or head. "
## [28016] "Or scatter on her bed. "
## [28017] ""
## [28018] "Tell me, if husband spring-time leave your land, "
## [28019] "When he from you is sent. "
## [28020] "Whither not you, languish'd with discontent ? "
## [28021] ""
## [28022] "Tell me, my silly pipe, "
## [28023] "So may thee still betide, "
## [28024] "A cleanly cloth thy moistness for to wipe : "
## [28025] "So may the cherries red "
## [28026] "Of Myra's lips divide "
## [28027] ""
## [28028] "Their sugared selves to kiss thy happy head ; "
## [28029] "So may her ears be led "
## [28030] "Her ears where music lives. "
## [28031] "To hear and not despise "
## [28032] "Thy lyric-liring cries ; "
## [28033] ""
## [28034] "Tell, if that breath, which thee thy sounding gives, "
## [28035] "Be absent far from thee. "
## [28036] "Absent alone canst thou then piping be ? "
## [28037] ""
## [28038] "Tell me my lamb of gold. "
## [28039] "So may'st thou long abide "
## [28040] "The day well fed, the night in faithful fold : "
## [28041] "So grow thy wool of note. "
## [28042] "In time that richly dy'd "
## [28043] ""
## [28044] "It may be part of Mira's petticoat, "
## [28045] "Tell me, if wolves the throat "
## [28046] "Have caught of thy dear dam. "
## [28047] "Or she from thee be stay'd. "
## [28048] "Or thou from her be stray' d, "
## [28049] ""
## [28050] "Canst thou poor lamb, become another's lamb ? "
## [28051] "Or rather till you die. "
## [28052] "Still for thy dam, with baa-waymenting cry ? "
## [28053] ""
## [28054] "Tell me, O turtle true, "
## [28055] "So- may no fortune breed "
## [28056] "To make thee nor thy better-loved rue : "
## [28057] "So may thy blessings swarm. "
## [28058] "That Mira may thee feed "
## [28059] ""
## [28060] "With hand and mouth; with laps and breaks keep warm: "
## [28061] "Tell me of greedy arm, "
## [28062] ""
## [28063] "2 K "
## [28064] ""
## [28065] ""
## [28066] ""
## [28067] "SH ARCADIA [book m. "
## [28068] ""
## [28069] "Do fondly take away "
## [28070] "With traitor lime the one "
## [28071] "The other left alone : "
## [28072] ""
## [28073] "Tell me poor wretch, parted from wretched prey "
## [28074] "Disdain not you the green, "
## [28075] "Wailing till death, shun you not to be seen ? "
## [28076] ""
## [28077] "Earth, brook, flow'rs, pipe, lamb, dove, "
## [28078] "Say all and I with them. "
## [28079] ""
## [28080] "Absence is death or worse, to them that love. "
## [28081] "So I unlucky lad "
## [28082] "Whom hills from her do hem. "
## [28083] ""
## [28084] "What fits me now but tears, and sighings sad ? "
## [28085] "O fortune too too tad, "
## [28086] ""
## [28087] "I rather would my sheep "
## [28088] "Th'adst killed with a stroke. "
## [28089] "Burnt Caban, lost my cloke, "
## [28090] ""
## [28091] "Then want one hour those eyes which my joys keep. "
## [28092] "Oh ! what doth wailing win ? "
## [28093] "Speech without end had better not begin. "
## [28094] ""
## [28095] "My song climb thou the wind. "
## [28096] "Which Holland sweet now gently sendeth in. "
## [28097] ""
## [28098] "That on his wings the level thou may'st find "
## [28099] "To hit, but kissing hit "
## [28100] "Her ears the weights of wit. "
## [28101] ""
## [28102] "If thou know not for whom thy master dies, "
## [28103] "These marks shall make thee wise : "
## [28104] "She is the herdess fair that shines in dark. "
## [28105] "And gives her kids no food, but willows bark. "
## [28106] ""
## [28107] "This said, at length he ended. "
## [28108] "His oft sigh broken ditty, "
## [28109] ""
## [28110] "Then raise, but raise no legs with faintness bended. "
## [28111] "With skin in sorrow died. "
## [28112] "With face the plot of pity. "
## [28113] ""
## [28114] "With thoughts, which thoughts their own tormentors tried. "
## [28115] "He rose, and straight espied "
## [28116] ""
## [28117] "His ram, who to recover "
## [28118] "The ewe another loved, "
## [28119] "With him proud battle proved. "
## [28120] ""
## [28121] "He envied such a death in sight of lover, "
## [28122] "And always westward eyeing, "
## [28123] "More envied Phoebus for his western flying. "
## [28124] ""
## [28125] "The whole company would gladly have taken this occasion "
## [28126] "of requesting Philisides in plainer sort to discover unto them "
## [28127] "his estate. Which he willing to prevent, as knowing the relation "
## [28128] "thereof more fit for funerals than the time of a marriage, began "
## [28129] "to sing this song he had learned before he had ever subjected "
## [28130] "his thoughts to acknowledge no master, but a mistress. "
## [28131] ""
## [28132] ""
## [28133] ""
## [28134] "BooKiii.] ARCADIA 515 "
## [28135] ""
## [28136] "As I my little flock on Ister bank "
## [28137] "(A little flock ; but well my pipe they couth) "
## [28138] ""
## [28139] "Did piping lead, the sun already sank "
## [28140] "Beyond our world, and e'er I got my booth. "
## [28141] "Each thing with mantle black the night doth sooth ; "
## [28142] ""
## [28143] "Saving the glow-worm which would courteous be "
## [28144] ""
## [28145] "Of that small light oft watching shepherds see. "
## [28146] ""
## [28147] "The welkin had full niggardly enclosed "
## [28148] "In coffer of dim clouds his silver groats, "
## [28149] ""
## [28150] "Ycleped stars ; each thing to rest disposed, "
## [28151] "The caves, were full, the mountains void of goats "
## [28152] "The bird's eye clos'd; closed their chirping notes. "
## [28153] ""
## [28154] "As for the nightingale, wood music's king: "
## [28155] ""
## [28156] "It August was, he deign'd not then to sing. "
## [28157] ""
## [28158] "Amid my sheep, though I saw naught to fear, "
## [28159] "Yet (for I nothing saw) I feared sore; "
## [28160] ""
## [28161] "Then found I which thing is a charge to bear, "
## [28162] "As for my sheep I dreaded mickle more "
## [28163] "Than ever for myself since I was bore. "
## [28164] ""
## [28165] "I sat me down : for see to go he could. "
## [28166] ""
## [28167] "And sang unto my sheep lest stray they should. "
## [28168] ""
## [28169] "The song I sang old Lanquet had rae taught, "
## [28170] "Lanquet, the shepherds best swift Ister knew. "
## [28171] ""
## [28172] "For clerkly read, and hating what is naught. "
## [28173] "For faithful heart, clean hands, and mouth as true : "
## [28174] "With sweet skill my skilless youth he drew. "
## [28175] ""
## [28176] "To have a feeling taste of him that fits "
## [28177] ""
## [28178] "Beyond the heaven, far more beyond your wits. "
## [28179] ""
## [28180] "He said the music best thilk power pleased "
## [28181] "Was jump concord between our wit and will; "
## [28182] ""
## [28183] "Where highest notes to godliness are raised. "
## [28184] "And lowest sink not down to jot of ill: "
## [28185] "With old true tales he wont mine ears to fill. "
## [28186] ""
## [28187] "How shepherds did of yore, how now they thrive. "
## [28188] ""
## [28189] "Spoiling their flock, or while 'twixt them they strive. "
## [28190] ""
## [28191] "He liked me, but pitied lustful youth : "
## [28192] "His good strong staff my flipp'ry years upbore : "
## [28193] ""
## [28194] "He still hop'd well because I loved truth : "
## [28195] "Till forc'd to part with heart and eyes e'en sore. "
## [28196] "To worthy Corydon he gave me o'er. "
## [28197] ""
## [28198] "But thus in oaks true shade recounted be. "
## [28199] ""
## [28200] "Which now in night's deep shade sheep heard of me. "
## [28201] ""
## [28202] ""
## [28203] ""
## [28204] "5i6 ARCADIA [BooKin. "
## [28205] ""
## [28206] "Such manner time there was (what time I not) "
## [28207] "When all this earth, this dam or mould of ours "
## [28208] ""
## [28209] "Was only won'd with such as beasts beg'ot : "
## [28210] "Unknown as then were they that builded towers : "
## [28211] "The cattle wild, or tame, in nature's bowers "
## [28212] ""
## [28213] "Might freely roam, or rest, as seemed them : "
## [28214] ""
## [28215] "Man was not man their dwellings in to hem. "
## [28216] ""
## [28217] "The beasts had sure some beastly policy : "
## [28218] "For nothing can endure where order n'is. "
## [28219] ""
## [28220] "For once the lion by the lamb did lie, "
## [28221] "The fearful hind the leopard did kiss. "
## [28222] "Hurtless was tiger's paw, and serpent's hiss. "
## [28223] ""
## [28224] "This think I well the beasts with courage clad. "
## [28225] ""
## [28226] "Like senators a harmless empire had. "
## [28227] ""
## [28228] "At which whether the others did repine. "
## [28229] "For envy harb'reth most in feeblest hearts "
## [28230] ""
## [28231] "Or that they all to changing did incline, "
## [28232] "As e'en in beasts their dams leave changing parts "
## [28233] "The multitude to Jove a suit imparts, "
## [28234] ""
## [28235] "With neighing, blaying, braying, and barking. "
## [28236] ""
## [28237] "Roaring and howling for to have a king. "
## [28238] ""
## [28239] "A king, in language theirs they said they would : "
## [28240] "(For then their language was a perfect speech) "
## [28241] ""
## [28242] "The birds likewise with chirps, and puing could "
## [28243] "Cackling, and chatt'ring that of Jove beseech. "
## [28244] "Only the owl still warn'd them not to seech "
## [28245] ""
## [28246] "So hastily that which they would repent ; "
## [28247] ""
## [28248] "But saw they would, and he to deserts went, "
## [28249] ""
## [28250] "Jove wisely said (for wisdom wisely says) "
## [28251] "O beasts, take heed what you of me desire. "
## [28252] ""
## [28253] "Rulers will think all things made them to please. "
## [28254] "And soon forget the swink due to their hire : "
## [28255] "But since you will, part of my heav'nly fire, "
## [28256] ""
## [28257] "I will you lend ; the rest yourselves must give. "
## [28258] ""
## [28259] "That it both seen and felt may with you live. "
## [28260] ""
## [28261] "Full glad they were, and took the naked spright. "
## [28262] "Which straight the earth clothed in his clay : "
## [28263] ""
## [28264] "The lion heart j the ounce gave active might ; "
## [28265] "The horse, good shape ; the sparrow, lust to play ; "
## [28266] "Nightingale, voice, enticing songs to say. "
## [28267] ""
## [28268] "Elephant gave a perfect memory : "
## [28269] ""
## [28270] "And parrot, ready tongue, that to apply. "
## [28271] ""
## [28272] ""
## [28273] ""
## [28274] "BOOK III. j Arcadia §i; "
## [28275] ""
## [28276] "The fox gave craft j the dog gave flattery ; "
## [28277] "Ass patience ; the mole, a working thought ; "
## [28278] ""
## [28279] "Eagle, high look j wolf, secret cruelty : "
## [28280] "Monkey, sweet breath ; the cow, her fair eyes brought ; "
## [28281] "The ermine, whitest skin, spotted with nought ; "
## [28282] ""
## [28283] "The sheep, mild seeming face ; climbing, the bear. "
## [28284] ""
## [28285] "The stag did give the harm eschewing fear. "
## [28286] ""
## [28287] "The hare, her sleights ; the cat, his melancholy ; "
## [28288] "Ant, industry ; and conney, skill to build j "
## [28289] ""
## [28290] "Cranes, order ; storks, to be appearing holy j "
## [28291] "Cameleon, ease to change ; duck, ease to yield : "
## [28292] "Crocodile, tears, which might be falsely spill'd : "
## [28293] ""
## [28294] "Ape, great thing gave, though he did mowing stand, "
## [28295] ""
## [28296] "The instrument of instruments, the hand, "
## [28297] ""
## [28298] "Each other beast likewise his present brings : "
## [28299] "And but thy dread their prince they ought should want, "
## [28300] ""
## [28301] "They all consented were to give him wings : "
## [28302] "And aye more awe towards him for to plaint, "
## [28303] "To their own work this privilege they grant, "
## [28304] ""
## [28305] "That from thenceforth to all eternity. "
## [28306] ""
## [28307] "No beast should freely speak, but only he. "
## [28308] ""
## [28309] "Thus man was made ; thus man their lord became ; "
## [28310] "Who at the first, wanting, or biding pride. "
## [28311] ""
## [28312] "He did to beasts best use his cunning frame "
## [28313] "With water drink, herbs meat, and naked hide. "
## [28314] "And fellow like let his dominion slide ; "
## [28315] ""
## [28316] "Not in his sayings, saying I, but we ; "
## [28317] ""
## [28318] "As if he meant his lordship common be. "
## [28319] ""
## [28320] "But when his seat so rooted he had found. "
## [28321] "That they now skill'd not how from him to wend ; "
## [28322] ""
## [28323] "Then gain in g^uiltless earth full many a wound. "
## [28324] "Iron to seek, which 'gainst itself should bend, "
## [28325] "To tear the bowels, that good corn should send. "
## [28326] ""
## [28327] "But yet the common dam none did bemoan j "
## [28328] ""
## [28329] "Because though hurt, they never heard her groan. "
## [28330] ""
## [28331] "Then 'gan the factions in the beasts to breed ; "
## [28332] "Where helping weaker sort, the nobler beasts "
## [28333] ""
## [28334] "(As tigers, leopards, bears, and lion's feed) "
## [28335] "Disdain'd with this, in deserts sought their rests : "
## [28336] "Where famine ravin taught their hungry chests, "
## [28337] ""
## [28338] "That craftily he forc'd them to do ill. "
## [28339] ""
## [28340] "Which being done, he afterwards would kill. "
## [28341] ""
## [28342] ""
## [28343] ""
## [28344] "Si8 ARCADIA fsooK tii. "
## [28345] ""
## [28346] "For murders done, which never erst was seen, "
## [28347] "By those freat beasts, as for the weakers gfood, "
## [28348] ""
## [28349] "He chose themselves his guarders for to been, "
## [28350] "'Gainst those of might, of whom in fear they stood, "
## [28351] "As horse, and dog, not great, but gentle blood : "
## [28352] ""
## [28353] "Blithe were the common cattle of the field, "
## [28354] ""
## [28355] "Tho' when they saw their foe'n of greatness kill'd. "
## [28356] ""
## [28357] "But they or spent, or made of slender might, "
## [28358] "Then quickly did the meaner cattle find. "
## [28359] ""
## [28360] "The great beam's gone, the house on shoulder's light : "
## [28361] "For by and by the horse fair bits did bind : "
## [28362] "The dog was in a collar taught his kind. "
## [28363] ""
## [28364] "As for the gentle birds like case might rue, "
## [28365] ""
## [28366] "When falcon they, and gjross hawk saw in mew. "
## [28367] ""
## [28368] "Worst fell to smallest birds, and meanest herd, "
## [28369] "Whom now his own, full like his own he used. "
## [28370] ""
## [28371] "Yet first but wool, or feathers off he tear'd : "
## [28372] "And when they were well us'd to be abused : "
## [28373] "For hungry teeth their flesh with teeth he bruised ; "
## [28374] ""
## [28375] "At length for glutton taste he did them kill: "
## [28376] ""
## [28377] "At last for sport their silly lives did spill. "
## [28378] ""
## [28379] "But yet, O man, rage not beyond thy need : "
## [28380] "Deem it not glory to swell in tyranny. "
## [28381] ""
## [28382] "Thou art of blood, joy not to see things bleed ! "
## [28383] "Thou fearest death : think they are loth to die, "
## [28384] "A plaint of guiltless hurt doth pierce the sky. "
## [28385] ""
## [28386] "And you poor beasts in patience bide your hell, "
## [28387] ""
## [28388] "Or know your strengths, and then you shall do well. "
## [28389] ""
## [28390] "Thus did I sing and pipe eight sullen hours "
## [28391] "To sheep, whom love, not knowledge, made to hear. "
## [28392] ""
## [28393] "Now fancies fits, now fortune's baleful flowers ; "
## [28394] "But then I homeward call'd my lambkins dear ; "
## [28395] "For to ray dimmed eyes began to appear "
## [28396] ""
## [28397] "The night grown old, her black head waxen grey, "
## [28398] ""
## [28399] "Sure shepherd's sign, that morn should soon fetch day. "
## [28400] ""
## [28401] "According to the nature of divers ears, divers judgments soon "
## [28402] "followed : some praising his voice, others his words fit to frame a "
## [28403] "pastoral style, others the strangeness of the tale, and scanning "
## [28404] "what he should mean by it. But old Geron, who had borne him "
## [28405] "a grudge ever since in one of their eclogues he had taken him up "
## [28406] "over-bitterly, took hold of this occasion to make his revenge, and "
## [28407] "said, he never saw a thing worse proportioned, than to bring in a "
## [28408] ""
## [28409] ""
## [28410] ""
## [28411] ".,^^«. i...j ARCADIA 519 "
## [28412] ""
## [28413] "tale of he knew not what beasts at such a sport-meeting, when "
## [28414] "rather some song of love, or matter for joyful melody was to be "
## [28415] "brought forth. \" But,\" said he, \"this is the right conceit of young "
## [28416] "men, who think then they speak wiseliest, when they cannot "
## [28417] "understand themselves. But little did the melancholic shepherd "
## [28418] "regard either his dispraises, or the other's praises, who had set the "
## [28419] "foundation of his honour there, where he was most despised. And "
## [28420] "therefore he returning again to the train of his desolate pensiveness, "
## [28421] "Geron invited Histor to answer him in eclogue-wise ; who indeed "
## [28422] "having been long in love with the fair Kala, and now by Lalus over- "
## [28423] "gone, was grown into a detestation of marriage. But thus it was. "
## [28424] ""
## [28425] "GERON AND HISTOR "
## [28426] ""
## [28427] "GERON "
## [28428] ""
## [28429] "In faith, good Histor, long is your delay, "
## [28430] "From holy marriage, sweet and surest mean : "
## [28431] ""
## [28432] "Our foolish lust in honest rules to stay, "
## [28433] ""
## [28434] "I pray you do to Lalus' sample lean : "
## [28435] "Thou seest how frisk, and jolly now he is. "
## [28436] ""
## [28437] "That last day seem'd, he could not chew a bean. "
## [28438] "Believe me man, there is no greater bliss, "
## [28439] ""
## [28440] "Than is the quiet joy of loving wife : "
## [28441] "Which whoso wants, half of himself doth miss. "
## [28442] ""
## [28443] "Friend without change, playfellow without strife, "
## [28444] "Food without fulness, counsel without pride, "
## [28445] ""
## [28446] "Is this sweet doubling of our single life. "
## [28447] ""
## [28448] "HISTOR "
## [28449] ""
## [28450] "No doubt, to whom so good chance did betide, "
## [28451] "As for to find a pasture strewed with gold, "
## [28452] ""
## [28453] "He were a fool if there he did not bide. "
## [28454] "Who would not have a Phoenix if he could; "
## [28455] ""
## [28456] "The humming wasp if it had not a sting. "
## [28457] "Before all flies the wasp accept I would ; "
## [28458] ""
## [28459] "But this bad world, few golden fields doth bring; "
## [28460] "Phoenix but one, of crows we millions have. "
## [28461] ""
## [28462] "The wasp seems gay, but is a cumbrous thing. "
## [28463] "If many Kala's our Arcadia gave, "
## [28464] ""
## [28465] "Lalus' example I would soon ensue. "
## [28466] "And think, I did myself from sorrow save. "
## [28467] ""
## [28468] "But of such wives we find a slender crew; "
## [28469] "Shrewdness so stirs, pride so puffs up the heart. "
## [28470] ""
## [28471] "They seldom ponder what to them is due. "
## [28472] "With meagre looks, as if they stiU did smart "
## [28473] ""
## [28474] "Puling or whimpering, or else scolding flat, "
## [28475] ""
## [28476] ""
## [28477] ""
## [28478] "S20 ARCADIA t^ooic iji. "
## [28479] ""
## [28480] "Make home more pain than following of the cart. "
## [28481] ""
## [28482] "Either dull silence, or eternal chat ; "
## [28483] "Still contrary to what her husband says ; "
## [28484] ""
## [28485] "If he do praise the dog, she likes the cat. "
## [28486] "Austere she is, when he would honest p'ays ; "
## [28487] ""
## [28488] "And gamesome then, when he thinks on his sheep, "
## [28489] "She bids him go, and yet from journey stays. "
## [28490] ""
## [28491] "She war doth ever with his kinsfolk keep, "
## [28492] "And makes them fremb'd, who friends by nature are, "
## [28493] ""
## [28494] "Envying shallow toys with malice deep. "
## [28495] "And if forsooth there come some new found ware. "
## [28496] ""
## [28497] "The little coin his sweating brows have got. "
## [28498] "Must go for that if for her lowers he care : "
## [28499] ""
## [28500] "Or else ; Nay faith, mine is the luckiest lot. "
## [28501] "That ever fell to honest woman yet : "
## [28502] ""
## [28503] "No wife but I hath such a man, god wot : "
## [28504] "Such is their speech, who be of sober wit : "
## [28505] ""
## [28506] "But, who do let their tongues show well their rage, "
## [28507] "Lord, what bye-words they speak, what spite they spit ? "
## [28508] ""
## [28509] "The house is made a very loathsome cage. "
## [28510] "Wherein the bird doth never sing, but cry. "
## [28511] ""
## [28512] "With such a will as nothing can assuage. "
## [28513] "Dearly their servants do their wages buy, "
## [28514] ""
## [28515] "Revil'd for each small fault, sometimes for none; "
## [28516] "They better live that in a jail do lie "
## [28517] ""
## [28518] "Let other fouler sports away be blown, "
## [28519] "For I seek not their shame, but still methinks "
## [28520] "A better life it is to live alone. "
## [28521] ""
## [28522] "GERON "
## [28523] ""
## [28524] "Who for such fickle fear from virtue shrinks, "
## [28525] "Shall in his life embrace no worthy thing : "
## [28526] ""
## [28527] "No mortal man the cup of surety drinks. "
## [28528] "The heav'ns do not good haps in handfuls bring. "
## [28529] ""
## [28530] "But let us pick our good from out much bad : "
## [28531] "That still our little world may know his king. "
## [28532] ""
## [28533] "But certainly so long we may be glad. "
## [28534] "While that we do what nature doth require. "
## [28535] ""
## [28536] "And for th' event we never ought be sad. "
## [28537] "Man oft is plagu'd with air, is burnt with fire, "
## [28538] ""
## [28539] "In water drown' d, in earth his burial is: "
## [28540] "And shall we not therefore their use desire? "
## [28541] ""
## [28542] "Nature above all things requireth this. "
## [28543] "That we our kind do labour to maintain : "
## [28544] ""
## [28545] "Which drawn-out line doth hold all human bliss. "
## [28546] "Thy father justly may of thee complain "
## [28547] ""
## [28548] "If thou do not repay his deeds for thee. "
## [28549] "In granting unto him a grandsire's gain. "
## [28550] ""
## [28551] ""
## [28552] ""
## [28553] "BooKiii.] ARCADIA ' 52* "
## [28554] ""
## [28555] "Thy Commonwealth may rightly grieved be, "
## [28556] "Which must by this immortal be preserved, "
## [28557] ""
## [28558] "If thus thou murder thy posterity. "
## [28559] "His very being he hath not deserved, "
## [28560] ""
## [28561] "Who for a self-conceit will that forbear. "
## [28562] "Whereby that being, aye must be, conserved. "
## [28563] ""
## [28564] "And God forbid women such cattle were "
## [28565] "As you paint them : but well in you I find, "
## [28566] ""
## [28567] "No man doth speak aright who speaks in fear, "
## [28568] "Who only sees the ill is worse than blind. "
## [28569] ""
## [28570] "These fifty winters married have I been j "
## [28571] "And yet find no such faults in womankind. "
## [28572] ""
## [28573] "I have a wife worthy to be a queen. "
## [28574] "So well she can command, and yet obey: "
## [28575] ""
## [28576] "In ruling of a house so well she's seen. "
## [28577] "And yet in all this time betwixt us twa. "
## [28578] ""
## [28579] "We wear our double yoke of such content, "
## [28580] "That never past soul word, I dare well say : "
## [28581] ""
## [28582] "But these are your love toys, which still are spent "
## [28583] "In lawless games, and love not as you should, "
## [28584] ""
## [28585] "But with much study learn late to repent. "
## [28586] "How well last day before our prince you could "
## [28587] ""
## [28588] "Blind Cupid's works with wonder testify? "
## [28589] "Yet now the root of him abase you would. "
## [28590] ""
## [28591] "Go to, go to, and Cupid now apply. "
## [28592] "To that where thou thy Cupid may'st avow. "
## [28593] ""
## [28594] "And thou shalt find in women virtues lie. "
## [28595] "Sweet supple minds which soon to wisdom bow "
## [28596] ""
## [28597] "Where they by wisdom's rule directed are. "
## [28598] "And are not forc'd fond thraldom to allow. "
## [28599] ""
## [28600] "As we to get are fram'd, so they to spare : "
## [28601] "We made for pain, our pains they made to cherish : "
## [28602] ""
## [28603] "We care abroad, and they of home have care, "
## [28604] "O Histor, seek within thyself to flourish : "
## [28605] ""
## [28606] "Thy house by thee must live, or else be gone : "
## [28607] "And then who shall the name of Histor nourish? "
## [28608] ""
## [28609] "Riches of children pass a prince's throne; "
## [28610] "Which touch the father's heart with secret joy, "
## [28611] ""
## [28612] "When without shame he saith, these be mine own. "
## [28613] "Marry therefore, for marriage will destroy "
## [28614] ""
## [28615] "Those passions which to youthful head do climb, "
## [28616] "Mothers and nurses of all vain annoy. "
## [28617] ""
## [28618] "HISTOR "
## [28619] ""
## [28620] "Perchance I will, but now methinks it time "
## [28621] ""
## [28622] "To go unto the bride, and use this day, "
## [28623] ""
## [28624] "To speak with her while freely speak we may. "
## [28625] ""
## [28626] ""
## [28627] ""
## [28628] "522 ARCADIA [BOOK III. "
## [28629] ""
## [28630] "He spoke these words with such affection, as a curious eye "
## [28631] "might easily have perceived he liked Thyrsis fortune better than "
## [28632] "he loved his person. But then indeed did all arise, and went to "
## [28633] "the women, where spending all the day, and good part of the "
## [28634] "night in dancing, carolling and wassailing ; lastly, they left Thyrsis, "
## [28635] "where he long desired to be left, and with many unfeigned thanks "
## [28636] "returned every man to his home. But some of them having to "
## [28637] "cross the way of the two lodges, might see a lady making doleful "
## [28638] "lamentation over a body which seemed dead unto them. But "
## [28639] "methinks Dametas cries unto me, if I come not the sooner to "
## [28640] "comfort him, he will leave off his golden work, that hath already "
## [28641] "cost him so much labour and longing, "
## [28642] ""
## [28643] ""
## [28644] ""
## [28645] "ARCADIA "
## [28646] ""
## [28647] ""
## [28648] ""
## [28649] "BOOK IV "
## [28650] ""
## [28651] ""
## [28652] ""
## [28653] "THE almighty wisdom evermore delighting to show the world "
## [28654] "that by unlikeliest means greatest matters may come to "
## [28655] "conclusion ; that human reason may be the more humbled, "
## [28656] "and more willingly give place to divine providence; as at the first "
## [28657] "it brought in Dametas to play a part in this royal pageant, so "
## [28658] "having continued him still an actor, now that all things were "
## [28659] "grown ripe for an end, made his folly the instrument of revealing "
## [28660] "that which far greater cunning had sought to conceal. For so "
## [28661] "it fell out that Dametas having spent the whole day in breaking "
## [28662] "up the cumbersome work of the pastor Dorus, and feeling in all "
## [28663] "his labour no pain so much as that his hungry hopes received "
## [28664] "any stay, having with the price of much sweat and weariness "
## [28665] "gotten up the huge stone, which he thought should have such "
## [28666] "a golden lining, the good man in the great bed that stone had "
## [28667] "made, found nothing but these two verses written upon a broad "
## [28668] "piece of vellum. "
## [28669] ""
## [28670] "Who hath his hire, hath well his labour plac'd ; "
## [28671] "Earth thou didst seek, and store of Earth thou hast. "
## [28672] ""
## [28673] "What an inward discontentment it was to master Dametas, to "
## [28674] "find his hope of wealth turned to poor verses, for which he never "
## [28675] "cared much, nothing can describe, but either the feeling in one's "
## [28676] "self the state of such a mind Dametas had, or at least the "
## [28677] "bethinking what was Midas's fancy, when after the great pride "
## [28678] "he conceived to be made judge between the Gods, he was rewarded "
## [28679] "with the ornament of an ass's ears. Yet the deep apprehension "
## [28680] "he had received of such riches, could not so suddenly lose the "
## [28681] "colour that had so thoroughly dyed his thick brain, but that he "
## [28682] "turned and tossed the poor bowels of the innocent earth, till the "
## [28683] ""
## [28684] ""
## [28685] ""
## [28686] "524 ARCADIA tsooK iv. "
## [28687] ""
## [28688] "coming on of the night, and the tediousness of his fruitless labour "
## [28689] "made him content rather to exercise his discontentation at home "
## [28690] "than there. But forced he was, his horse being otherwise burdened "
## [28691] "with digging instruments, to return as he came, most part of the "
## [28692] "way on foot, with such grudging lamentations as a nobler mind "
## [28693] "would, but more nobly, make for the loss of his mistress. For so "
## [28694] "far had he fed his fooUsh soul with the expectation of that which "
## [28695] "he reputed felicity, that he no less accounted himself miserable, "
## [28696] "than if he had fallen from such an estate his fancy had embraced. "
## [28697] "So then home again went Dametas, punished in conceit, as in "
## [28698] "conceit he had erred, till he found himself there from a fancied "
## [28699] "loss fallen to essential misery: for entering into his house three "
## [28700] "hours before night, instead of the . lightsome countenance of "
## [28701] "Pamela, which gave such an inward decking to that lodge, as "
## [28702] "proudest palaces might have cause to envy it, and of the grateful "
## [28703] "conversation of Dorus, whose witty behaviour made that loneliness "
## [28704] "to seem full of good company, instead of the loud scolding of "
## [28705] "Miso, and the busy rumbling up and down of Mopsa, which though "
## [28706] "they were so short, as quite contrary to the others praise worthiness, "
## [28707] "yet were they far before them in filling of a house, he found nothing "
## [28708] "but a solitary darkness, which as naturally it breeds a kind of "
## [28709] "irksome ghastfulness, so it was to him a most present terror, "
## [28710] "remembering the charge he had left behind, which he well knew "
## [28711] "imported no less than his life unto him. Therefore lighting "
## [28712] "a candle, there was no place a mouse could have dwelled in but "
## [28713] "that he with quaking diligence sought into. But when he saw "
## [28714] "he could see nothing of that he most cared for, then became he "
## [28715] "the right pattern of a wretch dejected with fear : for crying and "
## [28716] "howling, knocking his head to the wall, he began to make pitiful "
## [28717] "complaints, where nobody could hear him; and, with too much "
## [28718] "dread he should not recover her, left all consideration how "
## [28719] "to recover her. But at length looking like a she goat when "
## [28720] "she casts her kid, for very sorrow he took in his own behalf, "
## [28721] "out of the lodge he went running as hard as he could, having "
## [28722] "now received the very form of hanging into his consideration. "
## [28723] "Thus running, as a man that would gladly have run from himself, "
## [28724] "it was his foolish fortune to espy, by the glimmering light the "
## [28725] "moon did then yield him, one standing aloft among the boughs "
## [28726] "of a fair ash. He that would have asked counsel at that time of "
## [28727] "a dog, cast up his face, as if his tooth had been drawing; and with "
## [28728] "much' bending his sight, perceived it was Mopsa, fitly seated "
## [28729] "there for her wit and dignity. There, I will not say with joy, for "
## [28730] "how could he taste of joy, whose imagination was fallen from "
## [28731] "a palace to the gallows ? But yet with some refreshing of comfort, "
## [28732] "in hopes he should learn better tidings of her, he began to ciy out, "
## [28733] ""
## [28734] ""
## [28735] ""
## [28736] "BOOK IV.] "
## [28737] ""
## [28738] ""
## [28739] ""
## [28740] "ARCADIA 52< "
## [28741] ""
## [28742] ""
## [28743] ""
## [28744] "\"O Mopsa, my beloved chicken, here am I thine own father "
## [28745] "Dametas, never in such a towardness of hanging if thou canst not "
## [28746] "help me.\" But never a word could his eloquence procure of "
## [28747] "Mopsa, who indeed was there attending for greater matters. "
## [28748] "This was yet a new burden to poor Dametas, who thought all the "
## [28749] "world was conspiring against him, and therefore with a silly choler "
## [28750] "he began another tune. \"Thou vile Mopsa,\" said he, \"now the "
## [28751] "vengeance of my fatherly curse overthwart thee if though do not "
## [28752] "straightways answer me.\" But neither blessing nor cursing could "
## [28753] "prevail. Mopsa, who was now great with child with the "
## [28754] "expectation of her may-game hopes did long to be delivered with "
## [28755] "the third time of being named. Which by and by followed, for "
## [28756] "Dametas rubbing his elbow, stamping and whining, seeing neither "
## [28757] "of these take place, he began to throw stones at her, and withal "
## [28758] "to conjure her by the natpe of hellish Mopsa. But when he had "
## [28759] "named her the third time, no chime can more suddenly follow the "
## [28760] "striking of a clock, than she verily thinking it was the god that "
## [28761] "used her father's voice, throwing her arms abroad, and not "
## [28762] "considering that she was muffled upon so high a tree, came "
## [28763] "fluttering down like a hooded hawk, likely enough to have broken "
## [28764] "her neck but that the tree full of boughs tossed her from one "
## [28765] "bough to another, and lastly, well bruised, brought her to receive "
## [28766] "an unfriendly salutation of the earth. Dametas, as soon as she "
## [28767] "was down, came running to her, and finding her so close wrapt, "
## [28768] "pulled off the scarlet cloak, in good time for her, for with the "
## [28769] "soreness of the fall, if she had not had breath given her, she had "
## [28770] "delivered a foolish soul to Pluto. "
## [28771] ""
## [28772] "But when Dametas began afresh to desire his daughter not "
## [28773] "to forget the pains he had taken for her in her childhood, which "
## [28774] "he was sure she could remember, and to tell where Pamela was. "
## [28775] "\"O good Apollo,\" said Mopsa, \"if ever thou didst bear love to "
## [28776] "Phaeton's mother let me have a king to my husband.\" \"Alas, "
## [28777] "what speakest thou of Phaeton?\" said Dametas. \"If by thy "
## [28778] "circumspect means I find not out Pamela, thy father will be hanged "
## [28779] "to-morrow.\" \" It is no matter though he be hanged,\" answered "
## [28780] "Mopsa, \"do but thou make Dorus a king, and let him be my "
## [28781] "husband, good Apollo, for my courage doth much prick me "
## [28782] "toward him.\" \"Ah Mopsa,\" cried out Dametas, \"where is thy "
## [28783] "wit? Dost thou not know thy father? How hast thou forgotten "
## [28784] "thyself?\" \"I do not ask wit of thee, mine own God,\" said she, "
## [28785] "\"but I see thou wouldst have me remember my father, and indeed "
## [28786] "forget myself. No, no, a good husband.\" \"Thou shalt have thy "
## [28787] "fill of husbands,\" said Dametas, \"and do but answer me my "
## [28788] "question.\" \" O I thank thee,\" said Mopsa, \" with all my heart "
## [28789] "heartily, but let them be all kings.\" Dametas seeing no other "
## [28790] ""
## [28791] ""
## [28792] ""
## [28793] "526 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [28794] ""
## [28795] "way prevail, fell down on his knees, \"Mopsa, Mopsa,\" said he, "
## [28796] "\" do not thus cruelly torment me ; I am already wretched enough, "
## [28797] "alas ! either help me, or tell me thou canst not.\" She that would "
## [28798] "not be behind Apollo in courtesy, kneeled down on the other side ; "
## [28799] "\" I will never leave tormenting thee,\" said Mopsa, \" until thou hast "
## [28800] "satisfied my longing ; but I will proclaim thee a promise-breaker, "
## [28801] "that even Jupiter shall hear it.\" \" Now by the fostering thou hast "
## [28802] "received in this place, save my life,\" said Dametas. \" Now by the "
## [28803] "fair ash,\" answered Mopsa, \"where thou didst receive so great "
## [28804] "a good turn, grant post haste to my burning fancy.\" \" O where "
## [28805] "is Pamela?\" said Dametas. \"O a lusty husband,\" said Mopsa. "
## [28806] "\" Dametas, who now verily assured himself his daughter was mad, "
## [28807] "began utterly to despair of his life; and therefore amazedly "
## [28808] "catching her in his arms, to see whether he could bring her to "
## [28809] "herself, he felt the weight of a great cudgel light upon his shoulder, "
## [28810] "and for the first greeting he knew his wife Miso's voice, by the "
## [28811] "calling him ribald villain, and asking him whether she could not "
## [28812] "serve his turn as well as Charita? For Miso having, according "
## [28813] "to Dorus's counsel, gone to Mantinea, and there harboured herself "
## [28814] "in an old acquaintance's house of hers, as soon as ten of the "
## [28815] "clock had stricken (where she had remained closely all that while, "
## [28816] "I think with such an amiable cheer, as when jealous Juno sat "
## [28817] "cross-legged to hinder the child birth of her husband's love) with "
## [28818] "open mouth she went to the magistrate appointed over such "
## [28819] "matters, and there, with the most scolding invective, her rage "
## [28820] "rather than eloquence could bring forth, she required his aid "
## [28821] "to take Dametas, who had left his duty to the king and his "
## [28822] "daughter, to commit adultery in the house of Charita's uncle, in "
## [28823] "the Oudemian Street. But neither was the name of Charita "
## [28824] "remembered, nor any such street known. Yet such was the "
## [28825] "general mislike all men had of Dametas's unworthy advancement, "
## [28826] "that every man was glad to make himself a minister of that which "
## [28827] "might redound to his shame ; and therefore, with panic cries and "
## [28828] "laughters, there was no suspected place in all the city but was "
## [28829] "searched for under the title of Dametas, Miso ever foremost, "
## [28830] "encouraging them with all the shameful blazings of his demeanour, "
## [28831] "increasingthe sport of hunting her husband, with her diligent barking, "
## [28832] "till at length, having done both him and herself as much infamous "
## [28833] "shame as such a tongue in such an action might perform, in the "
## [28834] "end not being able to find a thing that was not, to her mare again "
## [28835] "she went, having neither suspicion nor rage anything mitigated. "
## [28836] "But, leaving behind her a sufficient comedy of her tragical fancies, "
## [28837] "away homeward she came, imputing the not finding her husband, "
## [28838] "to any chance rather than to his innocency. For her heart being "
## [28839] "apt to receive and nourish a bitter thought, it had so swallowed "
## [28840] ""
## [28841] ""
## [28842] ""
## [28843] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 527 "
## [28844] ""
## [28845] "up a determinate condemnation, that in the very anatomy of her "
## [28846] "spirits one should have found nothing but devilish disdain, and "
## [28847] "hateful jealousy. In this sort grunting out her mischievous spite, "
## [28848] "she came by the tree, even as Dametas was making that ill- "
## [28849] "understood intercession to his foolish Mopsa. As soon as she "
## [28850] "heard her husband's voice, she verily thought she had her play ; "
## [28851] "and therefore stealing from her mare as softly as she could, she "
## [28852] "came creeping and halting behind him, even as he (thinking his "
## [28853] "daughter's little wits had quite left her great noul) began to take "
## [28854] "her in his arms, thinking perchance her feeling sense might call "
## [28855] "her mind's parts unto her. But Miso, who saw nothing but "
## [28856] "through the choler of revengeful anger, established upon the fore- "
## [28857] "judgment of his trespass, undoubtedly resolving that Mopsa was "
## [28858] "Charita, Dorus had told her of, mumping out her hoarse chase, "
## [28859] "she gave him the wooden salutation you heard of; Dapietas, "
## [28860] "that was not so sensible in anything as in blows, turned up his "
## [28861] "blubbered face like a great lout new whipped : \" Alas ! thou "
## [28862] "woman,\" said he, \" what hath thy poor husband deserved to have "
## [28863] "his own ill luck loaden with displeasure ? Pamela is lost, Pamela "
## [28864] "is lost.\" Miso still holding on the course of her former fancy, "
## [28865] "\"what tellest thou me, naughty varlet, of Pamela; Dost thou "
## [28866] "think that doth answer me for abusing the laws of marriage? "
## [28867] "Have I brought thee children, have I been a true wife unto thee, "
## [28868] "to be despised in mine old age? And ever among she would "
## [28869] "sauce her speeches with such bastinadoes, that poor Dametas "
## [28870] "began now to think, that either a general madding was fallen "
## [28871] "or else that all this was but a vision. But as for visions the smart "
## [28872] "of the cudgel put out of his fancy; and therefore again turning "
## [28873] "to his wife, not knowing what in the world she meant, \"Miso\" "
## [28874] "said he, \"hereafter thou mayest examine me, do but now tell me "
## [28875] "what IS become of Pamela.\" \" I will first examine this drab » said "
## [28876] "she, and withal let fall her staff as hard as she could upon Monsa "
## [28877] "still taking her for Charita. But Mopsa that was already anL' "
## [28878] "thinking that she had hindered her from Apollo, leaped up and "
## [28879] "caught her by the throat, like to have strangled her, but that "
## [28880] "Dametas from a condemned man was fain to become a jud^e "
## [28881] "and part this fray, such a picture of rude discord, where each was "
## [28882] "out with the other two. And then getting the opportunhy of "
## [28883] "their falling out to hold himself in surety, who was indeed the "
## [28884] "venest^coward of the three, he renewed his earnest demand "
## [28885] ""
## [28886] "But it was a sport to see, how the former conceits Dorus had "
## [28887] "tl^TmTo T r^^'^^r ■ '^^P* ^'\"^ -=h dominion r hem "
## [28888] ""
## [28889] "Mopsf vet d7rh\"°> ''' '\"\"\"\"^ ^\"' '''' '' -- h« dauSr "
## [28890] "Mopsa, yet did Chanta continually pass through her thoughts "
## [28891] ""
## [28892] ""
## [28893] ""
## [28894] "528 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [28895] ""
## [28896] "which she uttered with such crabbed questions to Dametas, that "
## [28897] "he not possibly conceiving any part of her doubt, remained "
## [28898] "astonished, and the astonishment increased her doubt. And as "
## [28899] "for Mopsa, as first she did assuredly take him to be Apollo, and "
## [28900] "thought her mother's coming did but mar the bargain ; so now "
## [28901] "much talking to and fro had delivered so much light into the "
## [28902] "misty mould of her capacity, as to know him to be her father. Yet "
## [28903] "remained there such footsteps of the foretaken opinion that she "
## [28904] "thought verily her father and mother were hasted thither to get the "
## [28905] "first wish. And therefore to whatsoever they asked of her, she "
## [28906] "would never answer, but embracing the tree, as if she feared it had "
## [28907] "been running away, \" Nay,\" says she, \" I will have the first wish, "
## [28908] "for I was here first;\" which they understood no more than "
## [28909] "Dametas did what Miso meant by Charita ; till at length with "
## [28910] "much urging them, being indeed better able to persuade both, than "
## [28911] "to meet hand to hand with either, he prevailed so much with them, "
## [28912] "as to bring them into the lodge to see what loss their negligence "
## [28913] "had suffered. Then indeed the near neighbourhood they bare to "
## [28914] "themselves, made them leave other toys, and look into what "
## [28915] "dangerous plight they were all fallen, as soon as the king should "
## [28916] "know his daughter's escape. And as for the women, they began "
## [28917] "afresh to enter into their brawling, whether were in the fault. But "
## [28918] "Dametas, who did fear that among his other evils, the thunderbolt "
## [28919] "of that storm would fall upon his shoulders, slipped away from "
## [28920] "them, but with so maugre a cheer, as might much sooner engender "
## [28921] "laughter than pity. \" O true Arcadia,\" would he say (tearing his "
## [28922] "hair and beard, and sometime for too much woe, making unwieldy "
## [28923] "former-faults) how darest thou bear upon thee such a felonious "
## [28924] "traitor as I am ? And you false hearted trees, why would you make "
## [28925] "no noise to make her ungracious departure known ? Ah Pamela, "
## [28926] "Pamela, how often when I brought thee in fine poesies of all "
## [28927] "coloured flowers, wouldst thou clap me on the cheek, and say "
## [28928] "thou wouldst be one day even with me ? Was this thy meaning, "
## [28929] "to bring me to an even pair of gallows ? ah ill taught Dorus, "
## [28930] "that camest hither to learn good manners of me? did I ever "
## [28931] "teach thee to make thy master sweat out his heart for nothing, "
## [28932] "and in the meantime to run away with thy mistress? O my dun "
## [28933] "cow I did think some evil was towards me ever since the last day "
## [28934] "thou didst run away from me, and held up thy tail so pitifully : did "
## [28935] "I not see an eagle kill a cuckoo, which was a plain foretoken unto "
## [28936] "me Pamela should be my destruction ? O wise Miso, if I durst say "
## [28937] "it to thy face, why didst thou suspect thy husband that loveth a "
## [28938] "piece of cheese better than a woman ? and thou little Mopsa, that "
## [28939] "shall inherit the shame of thy father's death, .was it time for thee "
## [28940] "to climb trees, which should so shortly be my best burial ? O that "
## [28941] ""
## [28942] ""
## [28943] ""
## [28944] "SOOK IV.] "
## [28945] ""
## [28946] ""
## [28947] ""
## [28948] "ARCADIA 529 "
## [28949] ""
## [28950] ""
## [28951] ""
## [28952] "I could live without death, or die before I were aware ! O heart, "
## [28953] "why hast thou no hands at commandment to dispatch thee ? O "
## [28954] "hands, why want you a heart to kill this villain ? in this sort did he "
## [28955] "inveigh against everything, sometimes thinking to run away, while "
## [28956] "it was yet night : but he that had included all the world withm his "
## [28957] "sheep coat, thought that worse than any death ; sometime fot "
## [28958] "dread of hanging he meant to hang himself; finding, as indeed it "
## [28959] "is, that fear is far more painful to cowardice, than death to a trua "
## [28960] "courage.\" "
## [28961] ""
## [28962] "But his fingers were nothing nimble in that action, and anything "
## [28963] "was let enough thereto, he being a true lover of himself without "
## [28964] "any rival. But, lastly, guided by a far greater constellation than "
## [28965] "his own, he remembered to search the other lodge, where it might "
## [28966] "be Pamela that night had retired herself. So thither with "
## [28967] "trembling hams he carried himself; but employing his double key, "
## [28968] "which the king for special credit had unworthily bestowed upon "
## [28969] "him, he found all the gates so barred, that his key could not "
## [28970] "prevail, saving only one trap door which went down into the vault "
## [28971] "by the cellar, which as it was unknown of Pyrocles, so had he left "
## [28972] "it unregarded. But Dametas, that ever knew the buttery better "
## [28973] "than any other place, got in that way, and passing softly to "
## [28974] "Philoclea's chamber, where he thought most likely to find Pamela; "
## [28975] "the door being left open, he entered in, and by the light of the "
## [28976] "lamp he might discern one on the bed by her ; which although he "
## [28977] "took to be Pamela, yet thinking no surety enough in a matter "
## [28978] "touching his neck, he went hard to the bedside of these unfortunate "
## [28979] "lovers, who at that time being not much before the break of day "
## [28980] "(whether it were they were so divinely surprised, to bring this "
## [28981] "whole matter to the destined conclusion, or that the umesistable "
## [28982] "force of their sorrows had overthrown the wakeful use of their "
## [28983] "senses) were as then possessed with a mutual sleep, yet not "
## [28984] "forgetting with viny embracements to give any eye a perfect model "
## [28985] "of affection. But Dametas looking with the lamp in his hand, "
## [28986] "but neither with such a face nor mind upon these excellent "
## [28987] "creatures, as Phyche did upon her unknown lover, and giving "
## [28988] "every way freedom to his fearful eyes, did not only perceive it was "
## [28989] "Zelmane, and therefore much different from the lady he sought : "
## [28990] "but that this same Zelmane did more differ from the Zelmane he "
## [28991] "and others had ever taken her for, wherein the change of her "
## [28992] "apparel chiefly confirmed his opinion ; satisfied with that, and not "
## [28993] "thinking it good to awake the sleeping lion, he went down again, "
## [28994] "taking with him Pyrocles's sword (wherewith upon his slight under- "
## [28995] "suit Pyrocles came only apparelled thither) being sure to leave no "
## [28996] "weapon in the chamber, and so making the doors as fast as he "
## [28997] "could on the outside, hoping with the revealing of this, as he "
## [28998] ""
## [28999] "2L "
## [29000] ""
## [29001] ""
## [29002] ""
## [29003] "530 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29004] ""
## [29005] "thought greater fault, to make his own the less, or at least that "
## [29006] "this injury would so fill the king's head, that he should not have "
## [29007] "leisure to chastise his negligence (like a fool, not considering, "
## [29008] "that the more rage breeds the crueller punishment), he went first "
## [29009] "into the king's chamber, and not finding him there, he ran down "
## [29010] "crying with open mouth, the king was betrayed, and that Zelmane "
## [29011] "did abuse his daughter. The noise he made, being a man of no "
## [29012] "■few words, joined to the yelping sound of Miso, and his unpleasant "
## [29013] "inheritrix, brought together sortie number of the shepherds, to "
## [29014] "whom he without any regard of reserving it for the king's knowledge, "
## [29015] "spattered out the bottom of his stomach, swearing by him that he "
## [29016] "never knew that Zelmane, whom they had taken all the while to be "
## [29017] "a woman, was as arrant a man as himself was, whereof he had "
## [29018] "seen sufficient signs and tokens, and that he was as close as a "
## [29019] "butterfly with the lady Philoclea. "
## [29020] ""
## [29021] "The poor men jealous of their prince's honour, were ready with "
## [29022] "weapons to have entered the lodge ; standing yet in some pause, "
## [29023] "whether it were not best, first to hear some news from the king "
## [29024] "himself, when by the sudden coming of other shepherds, which "
## [29025] "with astonished looks ran from the one cry to the other, their "
## [29026] "griefs were surcharged with the evil tidings of the king's death. "
## [29027] "Turning therefore all their minds and eyes that way, they ran to "
## [29028] "the cave where they said he lay dead, the sun beginning now to "
## [29029] "send some promises of coming light, making haste, I think, to be "
## [29030] "a spectator of the following tragedies. For Basilius having past "
## [29031] "over the night more happy in contemplation than action, having "
## [29032] "had his spirits subhmed with the sweet imagination of embracing "
## [29033] "the most desired Zelmane, doubting lest the cave's darkness might "
## [29034] "deceive him in the day's approach, thought it now season to return "
## [29035] "to his wedlock-bed, remembering the promises he had made to "
## [29036] "Zelmane, to observe true orders towards Gynecia. Therefore "
## [29037] "departing, but not departing without bequeathing by a will of "
## [29038] "words, sealed with many kisses, a full gift of all his love and life "
## [29039] "to his misconceived bedfellow, he went to the mouth of the cave, "
## [29040] "there to apparel himself ; in which doing, the motion of his joy "
## [29041] "could not be bridled from uttering such like words : \" Blessed be "
## [29042] "thou, O night,\" said he, \" that hast with thy sweet wings shrouded "
## [29043] "me in the vale of bliss, it is thou that art the first gotten child of "
## [29044] "time, the day hath been but an usurper upon thy delightful "
## [29045] "inheritance, thou invitest all living things to comfortable rest, thou "
## [29046] "art the stop of strife, and the necessary truce of approaching "
## [29047] "battles.\" And therewith he sung these verses to confirm his "
## [29048] "former praises. "
## [29049] ""
## [29050] ""
## [29051] ""
## [29052] "BOOK ir.] ARCADIA S3t "
## [29053] ""
## [29054] "O night, the ease of care, the pledge of pleasure, "
## [29055] "Desire's best mean, harvest of hearts affected, "
## [29056] "The seat of peace, the throne which is erected, "
## [29057] ""
## [29058] "Of humane life to be the quiet measure. "
## [29059] ""
## [29060] "Be victor still of Phoebus golden treasure, "
## [29061] "Who hath our sight with too much sight infected. "
## [29062] "Whose light is cause we have our lives neglected, "
## [29063] ""
## [29064] "Turning all nature's courses to self displeasure. "
## [29065] ""
## [29066] "These stately stars in their now shining faces, "
## [29067] "With senseless sleep, and silence wisdom's mother, "
## [29068] ""
## [29069] "Witness his wrong, which by the help is eased. "
## [29070] "Thou art therefore of these our desert places "
## [29071] ""
## [29072] "The sure refuge ; by thee and by no other "
## [29073] "My soul is blest, sense joy'd, and fortune raised. "
## [29074] ""
## [29075] "And yet farther would his joys needs break forth. \" O Basilius,\" "
## [29076] "said he, \" the rest of thy time hath been but a dream unto thee ; it "
## [29077] "is now only thou beginnest to live, now only thou hast entered into "
## [29078] "the way of blissfulness. Should fancy of marriage keep me from "
## [29079] "this paradise.'' or opinion of I know not what promise bind me "
## [29080] "from paying the right duties to nature and affection? O who "
## [29081] "would have thought there could have been such difference betwixt "
## [29082] "women? Be jealous no more, O Gynecia, but yield to the pre- "
## [29083] "eminence of more excellent gifts, support thyself with such marble "
## [29084] "pillars as she doth, deck thy breast with those alabaster bowls that "
## [29085] "Zelmane doth ; then accompanied with such a title, perhaps thou "
## [29086] "mayest recover the possession of my otherwise inclined love. But "
## [29087] "alas ! Gynecia thou canst not show such evidence, therefore thy "
## [29088] "plea is vain.\" Gynecia heard all this he said, who had cast about "
## [29089] "her Zelmane's garment, wherein she came thither, and had followed "
## [29090] "Basilius to the cave entry, full of inward vexation, betwixt the "
## [29091] "deadly accusation of her own guiltiness, and the spiteful doubt she "
## [29092] "had Zelmane had abused her. But because of the one side, finding "
## [29093] "the king did think her to be Zelmane, she had liberty to imagine "
## [29094] "it might rather be the king's own unbridled enterprise, which had "
## [29095] "barred Zelmane, than Zelmane's cunning deceiving of her ; and "
## [29096] "that of the other, if she should headily seek a violent revenge, her "
## [29097] "own honour might be as much interested, as Zelmane endangered ; "
## [29098] "she fell to this determination : First with fine handling of the "
## [29099] "king to settle in him a perfect good opinion of her, and then as "
## [29100] "she should learn how things had passed, to taste into herself new "
## [29101] "devised counsel: but this being her first action, having given "
## [29102] "unlocked for attendance to the king, she heard with what partiality "
## [29103] "ie did prefer her to herself, she saw in him how much fancy doth "
## [29104] ""
## [29105] ""
## [29106] ""
## [29107] "532 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29108] ""
## [29109] "not only darken reason, but beguile sense, she found opinion "
## [29110] "mistress of the lover's judgment, which serving as a good lesson "
## [29111] "to her good conceit, she went out to Basilius, setting herself in a "
## [29112] "grave behaviour and stately silence before him ; until he (who at "
## [29113] "the first thinking her by so much shadow as he could see to be "
## [29114] "Zelmane, was beginning his loving ceremonies) did now being "
## [29115] "helped by the peeping light wherewith the morning did overcome "
## [29116] "the night's darkness, know her face and his error, which "
## [29117] "acknowledging in himself with starting back from her, she thus "
## [29118] "with a modest bitterness spoke unto him : \" Alas ! my Lord, well "
## [29119] "did your words decipher your mind, and well be those words "
## [29120] "confirmed with this gesture. Very loathsome must that woman "
## [29121] "be from whom a man hath cause to go back ; and little better "
## [29122] "liked is that wife, before whom the husband prefers them he never "
## [29123] "knew. Alas ! hath my faithful observing my part of duty made "
## [29124] "you think yourself ever a whit the more exempted? hath that "
## [29125] "which should claim gratefulness, been a cause of contempt.' Is "
## [29126] "the being mother of Pamela become an odious name unto you? "
## [29127] "if my life hitherto led have not avoided suspicion, if my violated "
## [29128] "truth to you be deserving of any punishment, I refuse not to be "
## [29129] "chastised with the most cruel torment of your displeasure ; I refuse "
## [29130] "not misery, purchased by mine own merit. Hard I must needs "
## [29131] "say (although till now I never thought I should have had cause "
## [29132] "to say) is the destiny of womankind, the trial of whose virtue must "
## [29133] "stand upon the loving of them that employ all their industry not "
## [29134] "to be beloved. If Zelmane's young years had not had so much "
## [29135] "gravity hidden under a youthful face, as your gray hairs have been "
## [29136] "but the vizor of unfitting youthfulness, your vicious mind had "
## [29137] "brought some fruits of repentance, and Gynecia might then have "
## [29138] "been with much more right so basely despised.\" "
## [29139] ""
## [29140] "Basilius, that was more ashamed to see himself overtaken, than "
## [29141] "Vulcan was, when with much cunning he proved himself a cuckold, "
## [29142] "began to make certain extravagant excuses : but the matter in "
## [29143] "itself hardly brooking any purgation, with the suddenness of the "
## [29144] "time, which barred any good conjoined invention, made him "
## [29145] "sometimes allege one thing, to which by and by, he would bring "
## [29146] "in a contrary, one time with flat denial, another time with "
## [29147] "mitigating the fault ; now brave, then humble, use such a "
## [29148] "stammering defensive that Gynecia, the violence of whose sore "
## [29149] "indeed ran another way, was content thus to fasten up the last "
## [29150] "stitch of her anger. \"Well, well my Lord,\" said she, \"it shall "
## [29151] "well become you to govern yourself, as you may be fit rather to "
## [29152] "direct me than to be judged of me, and rather to be a wise master "
## [29153] "of me, that an unskilful pleader before me. Remember the wrong "
## [29154] "you have done, is not only to me, but to your children whom you "
## [29155] ""
## [29156] ""
## [29157] ""
## [29158] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 533 "
## [29159] ""
## [29160] "had of me : to your country, when they shall find they are "
## [29161] "commanded by him that cannot command his own indecent "
## [29162] "appetites ; lastly, to yourself, since with these pains you do but "
## [29163] "build up a house of shame to dwell in : if from those movable "
## [29164] "goods of nature (wherewith, in my first youth my royal parents "
## [29165] "bestowed me upon you) bearing you children, and increase of "
## [29166] "years have withdrawn me, consider I pray you that as you are the "
## [29167] "cause of the one, so in the other, time hath not left to work his "
## [29168] "never-failing effects in you. Truly, truly, Sir, very untimely are "
## [29169] "these fires in you ; it is time for us both to let reason enjoy his "
## [29170] "due sovereignty. Let us not plant anew those weeds, which by "
## [29171] "nature's course are content to fade.\" "
## [29172] ""
## [29173] "Basilius that would rather than his life the matter had been "
## [29174] "ended, the best rhetoric he had, was flat demanding pardon of her, "
## [29175] "swearing it was the very force of Apollo's destiny which had "
## [29176] "carried him thus from his own bias ; but that now like as far "
## [29177] "travellers were taught to love their own country, he had such a "
## [29178] "lesson without book, of affection unto her, as he would repay the "
## [29179] "debt of this error with the interest of a great deal more true honour "
## [29180] "than ever before he had done her. \" Neither am I to give pardon "
## [29181] "to you, my Lord,\" said she, \" nor you to bear honour to me. I "
## [29182] "have taken this boldness for the unfeigned love I owe unto you, "
## [29183] "to deliver my sorrow unto you ; much more for the care I have of "
## [29184] "your well-doing, than for any other self fancy. For well I know "
## [29185] "that by your good estate my life is maintained, neither, if l\" would, "
## [29186] "can I separate myself from your fortune. For my part therefore "
## [29187] "I claim nothing but that which may by safest for yourself; my life, "
## [29188] "will, honour, and whatsoever else, shall be but a shadow of that "
## [29189] "body.\" How much Basilius's own shame had found him culpable, "
## [29190] "and had already even in soul read his own condemnation, so much "
## [29191] "did this unexpected mildness of Gynecia captive his heart unto "
## [29192] "her, which otherwise perchance would have grown to a desperate "
## [29193] "carelessness. Therefore embracing her, and confessing that her "
## [29194] "virtue shined in his vice, he did even with a true resolved mind "
## [29195] "vow unto her, that as long as he, unworthy of her, did live, she "
## [29196] "should be the farthest and only limit of his affection. He thanked "
## [29197] "the destinies that had wrought her honour out of his shame, and "
## [29198] "that made his own striving to go amiss, to be the best means ever "
## [29199] "after to hold him in the right path. Thus reconciled to Basilius's "
## [29200] "great contentation, who began something to mark himself in his own "
## [29201] "doings his hard hap guided his eye to the cup of gold wherein "
## [29202] "Gynecia had put the liquor meant for Zelmane, and having failed "
## [29203] "of that guest, was now carrying it home again. But he whom "
## [29204] "perchance sorrow, perchance some long disaccustomed pains, had "
## [29205] "made extremely thirsty, took it out of her hands, although she "
## [29206] ""
## [29207] ""
## [29208] ""
## [29209] "534 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29210] ""
## [29211] "directly told him both of whom she had it, what the effect of it "
## [29212] "was, and the little proof she had seen thereof: hiding nothing "
## [29213] "from him, but that she meant to minister it to another patient. "
## [29214] "But the king, whose belly had no ears, and much drought kept "
## [29215] "from the desiring a taster, finding it not unpleasant to his palate, "
## [29216] "drank it almost off, leaving very little to cover the cup's bottom. "
## [29217] "But within a while that from his stomach the drink had delivered "
## [29218] "to his principal veins his noisome vapours, first with a painful "
## [29219] "stretching, and forced yawning, then with a dark yellowness dying "
## [29220] "his skin, and a cold deadly sweat principally about his temples, "
## [29221] "his body by natural course longing to deliver his heavy burden "
## [29222] "to his earthly dam, wanting force in his knees, which utterly "
## [29223] "abandoned him, with a heavy fall gave some proof whether the "
## [29224] "operation of that unknown potion tended. For, with pang-like "
## [29225] "groans, and ghastly turning of his eyes, immediately all his limbs "
## [29226] "stiffened, and his eyes fixed, he having had time to declare his "
## [29227] "case only in these words ; \" O Gynecia, I die ; have care.\" Of "
## [29228] "what, or how much farther he would have spoken, no man can "
## [29229] "tell : For Gynecia having well perceived the changing of his "
## [29230] "colour, and those other evil signs, yet had not looked for such a "
## [29231] "sudden overthrow, but rather had bethought herself what was best "
## [29232] "for him, when she suddenly saw the matter come to that period, "
## [29233] "coming to him, and neither with any cries getting a word of him, "
## [29234] "nor with any other possible means, able to bring any living action "
## [29235] "from him ; the height of all ugly sorrows did so horribly appear "
## [29236] "before her amazed mind, that at the first it did not only distract "
## [29237] "all power of speech from her, but almost wit to consider, remaining "
## [29238] "as it were quick buried in a grave of miseries. Her painful "
## [29239] "memory had straight filled her with the true shapes of all "
## [29240] "the fore-past mischiefs ; her reason began to cry out against the "
## [29241] "filthy rebellion of sinful sense, and to tear itself with anguish "
## [29242] "for having made so weak a resistance, her conscience a terrible "
## [29243] "witness of the inward wickedness, still nourishing this debateful "
## [29244] "fire ; her complaint now not having an end to be directed unto, "
## [29245] "from something to disburthen sorrow, but a necessary downfall "
## [29246] "of inward wretchedness. She saw the rigour of the laws was like "
## [29247] "to lay a shameful death upon her, which being for that action "
## [29248] "undeserved, made it the more insupportable, and yet in depth of "
## [29249] "her soul most deserved, made it more miserable. At length, "
## [29250] "letting her tongue go as dolorous thoughts guided it, she thus with "
## [29251] "lamentable demeanour spoke : "
## [29252] ""
## [29253] "\" O bottomless pit of sorrow, in which I cannot contain myself, "
## [29254] "having the firebrands of all furies within me, still falling, and yet "
## [29255] "by the infiniteness of it never fallen. Neither can I rid myself, "
## [29256] "being fettered with the everlasting consideration of it For "
## [29257] ""
## [29258] ""
## [29259] ""
## [29260] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA S3S "
## [29261] ""
## [29262] "whither should I recommend the protection of my dishonored fall ? "
## [29263] "to the earth ? it hath no life, and waits to be increased by the relics "
## [29264] "of my shamed carcass : to men ? who are always cruel in their "
## [29265] "neighbour's faults, and make other's overthrow become the badge "
## [29266] "of their ill masked virtue ? to the heavens ? O unspeakable torment "
## [29267] "of conscience, which dare not look unto them. No sin can enter "
## [29268] "there, O there is no receipt for polluted minds. Whither then wilt "
## [29269] "thou lead this captive of thine, O snaky despair ! Alas, alas, was "
## [29270] "this the free-holding power that accursed poison hath granted unto "
## [29271] "me, that to be held the surer it should deprive life ? was this the "
## [29272] "folding in mine arms promised, that I should fold nothing but a "
## [29273] "dead body, O mother of mine what a dreadful fuck have you given "
## [29274] "me ? O Philoclea, Philoclea, well hath my mother revenged upon "
## [29275] "me my unmotherly hating of thee. O Zelmane, to whom yet, lest "
## [29276] "any misery should fail me, remain some sparks of my detestable "
## [29277] "love, if thou hast, as now alas ! now my mind assures me thou "
## [29278] "hast, deceived me, there is a fair stage prepared for thee, to see the "
## [29279] "tragical end of thy hated lover.\" With that word there flowed out "
## [29280] "two rivers of tears out of her fair eyes, which before were dry, the "
## [29281] "remembrance of her other mischiefs being dried up in a furious fire "
## [29282] "of self detestation, love only, according to the tempter of it, melting "
## [29283] "itself into those briny tokens of passion. Then turning her eyes "
## [29284] "again upon the body, she remembered a dream she had had some "
## [29285] "nights before, wherein thinking herself called by Zelmane, passing "
## [29286] "a troublesome passage; she found a dead body which told her "
## [29287] "there should be her only rest : This no sooner caught hold of her "
## [29288] "remembrance, than she determined with herself, it was a direct "
## [29289] "vision of her fore-appointed end, took a certain resolution to "
## [29290] "embrace death, as soon as it should be offered unto her, and no "
## [29291] "way seek the prolonging of her annoyed life. And therefore "
## [29292] "kissing the cold face of Basilius ; \" And even so will I rest, said "
## [29293] "she, \"and join this faulty soul of mine to thee, if so much the "
## [29294] "angry gods will grant me.\" "
## [29295] ""
## [29296] "As she was in this plight, the sun now climbing over the horizon ; "
## [29297] "the first shepherds came by, who seeing the king in that case, and "
## [29298] "hearing the noise Dametas made of the Lady Philoclea, ran with "
## [29299] "the doleful tidings of Basilius's death unto him, who presently with "
## [29300] "all his company cam% to the cave's entry, where the king's body "
## [29301] "lay ; Dametas for his part more glad for the hope he had of his "
## [29302] "private escape, than sorry for the public loss of his country received "
## [29303] "for a prince not to be misliked. But in Gynecia nature prevailed "
## [29304] "above judgment, and the shame she conceived to be taken in that "
## [29305] "order, overcame for that instant the former resolution ; so that as "
## [29306] "soon as she saw the foremost of the pastoral troop, the wretched "
## [29307] "princess ran to have hid her face in the next woods ; but with such "
## [29308] ""
## [29309] ""
## [29310] ""
## [29311] "536 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29312] ""
## [29313] "a mind, that she knew not almost herself what she could wish to "
## [29314] "be the ground of her safety. Dametas that saw her run away in "
## [29315] "Zelmane's upper raiment, and judging her to be so, thought "
## [29316] "certainly all the spirits in hell were come to play a tragedy in these "
## [29317] "woods, such strange change he saw every way. The king dead "
## [29318] "at the cave's mouth ; the queen, as he thought, absent ; Pamela "
## [29319] "fled away with Dorus ; his wife and Mopsa in divers frenzies. "
## [29320] "But of all other things Zelmane conquered his capacity, suddenly "
## [29321] "from a woman grown to a man ; and from a locked chamber "
## [29322] "gotten before him into the fields, which he gave the rest quickly to "
## [29323] "understand ; for instead of doing anything as the exigent required, "
## [29324] "he began to make circles, and all those fanatical defences that he "
## [29325] "had ever heard were fortification against devils. But the other "
## [29326] "shepherds who hath both better wits, and more faith, forthwith "
## [29327] "divided themselves, some of them running after Gynecia, and "
## [29328] "esteeming her running away a great condemnation of her own "
## [29329] "guiltiness : others going to their prince, to see what service was "
## [29330] "left for them, either in recovery of his life, or honouring his death. "
## [29331] "They that went after the queen, had soon overtaken her, in whom "
## [29332] "now the first fears were staid, and the resolution to die had "
## [29333] "repossessed his place in her mind. But when they saw it was the "
## [29334] "queen, to whom besides the obedient duty they owed to her state, "
## [29335] "they had always carried a singular love, for her courteous liberalities, "
## [29336] "and other wise and virtuous parts, which had filled all that people "
## [29337] "with aifection and admiration. They were all suddenly stopped, "
## [29338] "beginning to ask pardon for their following her in that sort ; and "
## [29339] "desiring her to be their good lady, as she had ever been. But the "
## [29340] "queen, who now thirsted to be rid of herself, whom she hated "
## [29341] "above all things ; with such an assured countenance as they have, "
## [29342] "who already have dispensed with shame and digested the sorrows "
## [29343] "of death, she thus said unto them, \" Continue, continue, my "
## [29344] "friends ; your doing is better than your excusing ; the one argues "
## [29345] "assured faith, the other want of assurance. If you loved your "
## [29346] "prince, when he was able and willing to do you much good, which "
## [29347] "you could not then requite to him ; do you now publish your "
## [29348] "gratefulness, when it shall be seen to the world, there are no hopes "
## [29349] "left to lead you unto it ; Remember, remember you have lost "
## [29350] "Basilius, a prince to defend you, a father to care for you, a "
## [29351] "companion in your joys, a friend in your wants. And if you loved "
## [29352] "him, show you hate the author of his loss. It is I, faithful "
## [29353] "Arcadians, that have spoiled the country of their protector. I, "
## [29354] "none but I, was the minister of his unnatural end. Carry "
## [29355] "therefore my blood in your hands, to testify your own innocency, "
## [29356] "neither spare for my title's sake, but consider it was he that so "
## [29357] "entitled me. And if you think of any benefits by my means, think "
## [29358] ""
## [29359] ""
## [29360] ""
## [29361] "BOOK IV,] ARCADIA 537 "
## [29362] ""
## [29363] "with it that I was but the instrument and he the spring. What "
## [29364] "stay ye shepherds, whose great shepherd Is gone ? you need not "
## [29365] "fear a woman, reverence your lord's murderer, nor hath pity of her, "
## [29366] "who hath no pity'of herself.\" "
## [29367] ""
## [29368] "With this she presented her fair neck to some by name, others "
## [29369] "by signs, desiring them to do justice to the world, duty to their "
## [29370] "good king, honour to themselves, and favour to her. The poor "
## [29371] "men looked one upon the other, unused to be arbiters in princes' "
## [29372] "matters, and being now fallen into a great perplexity, between "
## [29373] "a prince dead, and a princess alive. But once for them she might "
## [29374] "have gone whither she would, thinking it a sacrilege to touch her "
## [29375] "person, when she finding she was not a sufificient orator to persuade "
## [29376] "her own death by their hands; \"Well,\" said she, \"it is but so "
## [29377] "much more time of misery; for my part, I will not give my life "
## [29378] "so much pleasure from henceforward as to yield to his desire of "
## [29379] "his own choice of death ; since all the rest is taken away, yet let "
## [29380] "me excel in misery. Lead me therefore whither you will; only "
## [29381] "happy, because I cannot be more wretched.\" But neither so much "
## [29382] "would the honest shepherds do, but rather with many tears "
## [29383] "bemoaned this increase of their former loss, till she was fain to "
## [29384] "lead them with a very strange spectacle, either that a princess "
## [29385] "should be in the hands of shepherds, or a prisoner should direct "
## [29386] "her guardians: lastly, before either witness or accuser, a lady "
## [29387] "condemn herself to death. But in such moanful march they went "
## [29388] "towards the other shepherds, who in the meantime had left nothing "
## [29389] "unassayed to revive the king, but all was bootless : and their "
## [29390] "sorrow increased the more they had suffered any hopes vainly "
## [29391] "to arise. Among other trials they made to know at least the "
## [29392] "cause of his end, having espied the unhappy cup, they gave the "
## [29393] "little liquor that was left to a dog of Dametas, in which within "
## [29394] "a short time it wrought the like effect; although Dametas did "
## [29395] "so much to recover him, that for very love of his life he dashed out "
## [29396] "his brains. But now altogether, and having Gynecia among them, "
## [29397] "who, to make herself the more odious, did continually record "
## [29398] "to their minds the access of their loss, they yielded themselves "
## [29399] "over to all those forms of lamentation, that doleful images do "
## [29400] "imprint in the honest, but over-tender hearts; especially when "
## [29401] "they think the rebound of the evil falls to their own smart. "
## [29402] "Therefore after the ancient Greek manner, some of them "
## [29403] "remembering the nobility of his birth, continued by being like his "
## [29404] "ancestors; others his shape, which though not excellent, yet "
## [29405] "favour and pity drew all things now to the highest point ; others "
## [29406] "his peaceable government, the thing which most pleaseth men, "
## [29407] "resolved to live of their own ; others his liberality, which though "
## [29408] "it cannot lij^ht upon all men, yet all men naturally hoping it may "
## [29409] ""
## [29410] ""
## [29411] ""
## [29412] "538 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29413] ""
## [29414] "be, they make it a most amiable virtue. Some calling in question "
## [29415] "the greatness of his power, which increased the comparison to "
## [29416] "see the present change, having a doleful memory how he had "
## [29417] "tempered it with such familiar courtesy among them, that they "
## [29418] "did more feel the fruits than see the pomps of his greatness, all "
## [29419] "with one consent giving him the sacred titles of good, just, "
## [29420] "merciful, the father of the people, the life of his country, they ran "
## [29421] "about his body, tearing their beards and garments ; some sending "
## [29422] "their cries to heaven, others inventing particular howling music; "
## [29423] "many vowing to kill themselves at the day of his funeral, generally "
## [29424] "giving a true testimony that men are loving creatures when "
## [29425] "injuries put them not from their natural course: and how easy "
## [29426] "a thing it is for a prince by succession, deeply to sink into the "
## [29427] "souls of his subjects, a more lively monument than Mausolus's "
## [29428] "tomb. But as with such hearty lamentation, they dispersed among "
## [29429] "those words their resounding shrieks, the sun, the perfectest mark "
## [29430] "of time, having now gotten up two hours' journey in his daily "
## [29431] "changing circle, their voice helped with the only answering echo, "
## [29432] "came to the ears of the faithful and worthy gentleman Philanax: "
## [29433] "who at that time was coming to visit the king, accompanied with "
## [29434] "divers of the worthy Arcadian lords, who with him had invited "
## [29435] "the place adjoining for the more assurance of Basilius's solitariness, "
## [29436] "a thing after the late mutiny he had usually done : and since the "
## [29437] "princess's return more diligently continued; which having now "
## [29438] "likewise performed, thinking it as well his duty to see the king, "
## [29439] "as of a good purpose, being so near, to receive his further direction : "
## [29440] "accompanied as above-said he was this morning coming unto "
## [29441] "him, when these unpleasant voices gave his mind an uncertain "
## [29442] "presage of his near approaching sorrow. For by and by he saw "
## [29443] "the body of his dearly esteemed prince, and heard Gynecia's "
## [29444] "lamenting: not such as the turtle-like dove is wont to make for "
## [29445] "the over-soon loss of her only beloved mate, but with cursings "
## [29446] "of her life, detesting her own wickedness, seeming only therefore "
## [29447] "not to desire death, because she would not show a love of anything. "
## [29448] "The shepherds, especially Dametas, knowing him to be the second "
## [29449] "person in authority, gave forthwith relation unto him, what they "
## [29450] "knew and had proved of this dolorous spectacle, besides the other "
## [29451] "accidents of his children. But he principally touched with his "
## [29452] "master's loss, lighting from his horse with a heavy cheer, came "
## [29453] "and kneeled down by him, where, finding he could do no more "
## [29454] "than the shepherds had for his recovery, the constancy of his "
## [29455] "mind, surprised before he might call together his best rules, could "
## [29456] "not refrain such like words. \"Ah dear master,\" said he, \"what "
## [29457] "change it hath pleased the Almighty justice to work in this place. "
## [29458] "How soon, not to your loss, who having lived long to nature, "
## [29459] ""
## [29460] ""
## [29461] ""
## [29462] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 539 "
## [29463] ""
## [29464] "and to time longer by your well deserved glory, but longest of "
## [29465] "all in the eternal mansion you now possess. But how soon I say "
## [29466] "to our ruin, have you left the frail bark of your estate? O that "
## [29467] "the words I in most faithful duty delivered unto you, when you "
## [29468] "first entered this solitary course might have wrought as much "
## [29469] "persuasion in you, as they sprang from truth in me, perchance "
## [29470] "your servant Philanax should not now have cause in your loss "
## [29471] "to bewail his own overthrow.\" And therewith taking himself: "
## [29472] "\"And indeed evil fitteth it me,\" said he, \"to let go my heart to "
## [29473] "womanish complaints, since my prince being undoubtedly well, "
## [29474] "it rather shows love of myself, which makes me bewail mine own "
## [29475] "loss. No, the true love must be proved in the honour of your "
## [29476] "memory, and that must be showed with seeking just revenge "
## [29477] "upon your unjust and unnatural enemies, and far more honourable "
## [29478] "it will be for your tomb to have the blood of your murderers "
## [29479] "sprinkled upon it than the tears of your friends. And if your soul "
## [29480] "look down upon this miserable earth, I doubt not it had much "
## [29481] "rather your death were accompanied with well-deserved "
## [29482] "punishment of the causers of it, than with the heaping on it "
## [29483] "more sorrows with the end of them, to whom you vouchsafed your "
## [29484] "affection : let them lament that have woven the web of lamentation ; "
## [29485] "let their own deaths make them cry out for your death, that were "
## [29486] "the authors of it.\" Therewith carrying manful sorrow and "
## [29487] "vindicative resolution in his face, he rose up, so looking on the "
## [29488] "poor guiltless princess transported with an unjust justice, that his "
## [29489] "eyes were sufficient heralds for him, to denounce a mortal hatred. "
## [29490] "She, whom furies of love, firebrands of her conscience, shame of "
## [29491] "the world, with the miserable loss of her husband, towards whom "
## [29492] "now the disdain of herself bred more love ; with the remembrance "
## [29493] "of her vision, wherewith she resolved assuredly the gods had "
## [29494] "appointed that shameful end to be her resting place, had set her "
## [29495] "mind to no other way but to death, used such like speeches, to "
## [29496] "Philanax, as she had before to the shepherds; willing him not "
## [29497] "to look upon her as a woman, but a monster; not as a queen, "
## [29498] "but as a traitor to his prince; not as Basilius's wife, but as "
## [29499] "Basilius's murderer. She told how the world required at his "
## [29500] "hands, the just demonstration of his friendship ; if he now forgot "
## [29501] "his king, he should show he had never loved but his fortune : "
## [29502] "like those vermin that suck of the living blood, and leave the body "
## [29503] "as soon as it is dead; poor queen needlessly seeking to kindle "
## [29504] "him, who did most deadly detest her, which he uttered in this "
## [29505] "bitter answer. \" Madam,\" said he, \" you do well to hate yourself, "
## [29506] "for you cannot hate a worse creature ; and though we feel enough "
## [29507] "your hellish disposition, yet we need not doubt you are of counsel "
## [29508] "to yourself of much worse than we know. But now fear not; "
## [29509] ""
## [29510] ""
## [29511] ""
## [29512] "540 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29513] ""
## [29514] "you shall not long be cumbered with being guided by so evil "
## [29515] "a soul; therefore prepare yourself, that if it be possible you may "
## [29516] "deliver up your spirit so much purer, as you more wish your "
## [29517] "wickedness with repentance.\" Then having presently given order "
## [29518] "for the bringing from Mantinea, a great number of tents ; for the "
## [29519] "receipt of the principal Arcadians: the manner of that country "
## [29520] "being, that where the king died, their should be orders taken for "
## [29521] "the country's government, and in the place any murder was "
## [29522] "committed, the judgment should be given there, before the body "
## [29523] "was buried, both concurring in this matter, and already great part "
## [29524] "of the nobility being arrived, he delivered the queen to a "
## [29525] "gentleman of great trust; and as for Dametas, taking from him "
## [29526] "the keys of both the lodges, calling him the moth of his king's "
## [29527] "estate, and only spot of his judgment, he caused- him, with his "
## [29528] "wife and daughter,, to be fettered up in as many chains and clogs "
## [29529] "as they could bear, and every third hour to be cruelly whipped, "
## [29530] "till the determinate judgment should be given of all these matters. "
## [29531] "That done, having sent already at his coming, to all the quarters "
## [29532] "of the country to seek Pamela, although with small hope of "
## [29533] "overtaking them, he himself went well accompanied to the lodge, "
## [29534] "where the two unfortunate lovers were attending a cruel conclusion "
## [29535] "of their long, painful, and late most painful affection. Dametas's "
## [29536] "clownish eyes, having been the only discoverers of Pyrocles's "
## [29537] "stratagem, had no sooner taken a full view of them, which in some "
## [29538] "sights would rather have bred anything, than an accusing mind, "
## [29539] "and locked the door upon these two young folks, now made "
## [29540] "prisoners for love, as before they had been prisoners to love ; but "
## [29541] "that immediately upon his going down, whether with noise "
## [29542] "Dametas made, or with the creeping in of the light, or rather "
## [29543] "that as extreme grief had procured his sleep, so extreme care had "
## [29544] "measured his sleep, giving his senses very early salve to come "
## [29545] "to themselves, Pyrocles awaked, and being up, the first evil "
## [29546] "handful he had of the ill case wherein he was, was the seeing "
## [29547] "himself deprived of his sword, from which he had never separated "
## [29548] "himself in any occasion, and even that night first by the king's "
## [29549] "bed, and then there had laid it, as he thought safe : putting great "
## [29550] "part of the trust of his well-doing in his own courage so armed. "
## [29551] "For indeed the confidence in one's self is the chief nurse of "
## [29552] "magnanimity, which confidence notwithstanding doth not leave "
## [29553] "the care of necessary furnitures for it: and therefore of all the "
## [29554] "Grecians, Homer doth ever make Achilles the best armed. But "
## [29555] "that, as I say, was the first ill token ; but by and by he perceived "
## [29556] "he was a prisoner before any arrest : for the door which he had "
## [29557] "left open was made so fast of the outside, that for all the force "
## [29558] "he <:ould employ unto it, he could not undo Dametas's doing ; then "
## [29559] ""
## [29560] ""
## [29561] ""
## [29562] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 541 "
## [29563] ""
## [29564] "went he to the windows, to see if that way there were any escape "
## [29565] "for him and his dear lady. But as vain he found all his "
## [29566] "employment there, not having might to break out but only one "
## [29567] "bar; wherein notwithstanding he strained his sinews to the "
## [29568] "uttermost: and that he rather took out to use for other service, "
## [29569] "than for any possibility he had to escape; for even then it was "
## [29570] "that Dametas having gathered together the first coming shepherds, "
## [29571] "did blabber out what he had found in the lady Philoclea's chamber. "
## [29572] "Pyrocles markingly hearkened to all that Dametas said, whose "
## [29573] "voice and mind acquaintance had taught him sufficiently to know. "
## [29574] "But when he assuredly perceived that his being with the Lady "
## [29575] "Philoclea was fully discovered: and by the folly or malice, or "
## [29576] "rather malicious folly of Dametas, her honour therein touched "
## [29577] "in the highest degree: remembering withal the cruelty of the "
## [29578] "Arcadian laws, which without exception did condemn all to death "
## [29579] "who were found, as Dametas reported of them, in act of marriage, "
## [29580] "without solemnity of marriage, assuring himself, besides the law, "
## [29581] "the king and the queen would use so much the more hate against "
## [29582] "their daughter, as they had found themselves sotted by him in "
## [29583] "the pursuit of their love. Lastly, seeing they were not only in "
## [29584] "the way of death, but fitly incaged for death, looking with a hearty "
## [29585] "grief upon the honour of love, the fellowless Philoclea, whose "
## [29586] "innocent soul now enjoying his own goodness did little know the "
## [29587] "danger of his ever fair, then sleeping harbour, his excellent wit "
## [29588] "strengthened with virtue, but guided by love, had soon described "
## [29589] "to himself a perfect vision of their present condition, wherein "
## [29590] "having presently cast a resolute reckoning of his own part of the "
## [29591] "misery, not only the chief but sole burden of his anguish consisted "
## [29592] "in the unworthy case, which was like to fall upon the best deserving "
## [29593] "Philoclea. He saw the misfortune, not the mismeaning of his "
## [29594] "work, was like to bring that creature to end, in whom the world, "
## [29595] "as he thought, did begin to receive honour: he saw the weak "
## [29596] "judgment of man would condemn that as death deserving vice "
## [29597] "in her, which had in troth never broken the bonds of a true living "
## [29598] "virtue : and how oft his eye turned to his attractive adamant, so "
## [29599] "often did an unspeakable horror strike his noble heart to consider "
## [29600] "so unripe years, so faultless a beauty, the mansion of so pure "
## [29601] "goodness, should have her youth so untimely cut off, her natural "
## [29602] "perfections so unnaturally consumed, her virtue rewarded with "
## [29603] "shame : sometimes he would accuse himself of negligence, that "
## [29604] "had not more curiously looked to all the house-entries, and yet "
## [29605] "could he not imagine the way Dametas was gotten in: and to "
## [29606] "call back what might have been, to a man of wisdom and courage, "
## [29607] "carries but a vain shadow of discourse ; sometimes he could not "
## [29608] "choose but with a dissolution of his inward might lamentably "
## [29609] ""
## [29610] ""
## [29611] ""
## [29612] "542 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29613] ""
## [29614] "consider with what face he might look upon his, till then, joy "
## [29615] "Philoclea, when the next hght waking should deliver unto her, "
## [29616] "should perchance be the last of her hurtless life. And that "
## [29617] "the first time she should bend her excellent eyes upon him, she "
## [29618] "should see the accursed author of her dreadful end, and even "
## [29619] "this consideration more than any other, did so set itself in his "
## [29620] "well-disposed mind, that dispersing his thoughts to all the ways "
## [29621] "that might be of her safety, finding a very small discourse in so "
## [29622] "narrow limits of time and place, at length in many difficulties he "
## [29623] "saw none bear any likelihood for her life, but his death. For then "
## [29624] "he thought it would fall out, that when they found his body dead, "
## [29625] "having no accuser but Dametas, as by his speech he found there "
## [29626] "was not, it might justly appear that either Philoclea in defending "
## [29627] "her honour, or else he himself in despairing of achieving, had "
## [29628] "left his carcass proof of his intent, but witness of her clearness. "
## [29629] "Having a small while stayed upon the greatness of his resolution, "
## [29630] "and looked to the farthest of it : \" Be it so,\" said the valiant "
## [29631] "Pyrodes, \"never life for better cause, nor to better end was "
## [29632] "bestowed; for if death be to follow this doing, which no death "
## [29633] "of mine could make me leave undone, who is to die so justly "
## [29634] "as myself? and if I must die, who can be so fit executioners as "
## [29635] "mine own hands, which as they were accessories to the doing, "
## [29636] "so in killing me they shall suffer their own punishment ? \" but then "
## [29637] "arose there a new impediment ; for Dametas having carried away "
## [29638] "anything which he thought might hurt as tender a man as himself, "
## [29639] "he could find no fit instrument which might give him a final "
## [29640] "dispatch : at length making the more haste, least his lady should "
## [29641] "awake, taking the iron bar, which being sharper somewhat at the "
## [29642] "one end than the other, he hoped, joined to his willing strength, "
## [29643] "might break off the feeble thread of mortality. \" Truly,\" said he, "
## [29644] "\" fortune thou hast well preserved mine enemy, that will grant me "
## [29645] "no fortune but to be unfortunate, nor let me have an easy passage "
## [29646] "now I am to trouble thee no more. But,\" said he, \" O bar blessed "
## [29647] "in that thou hast done service to the chamber of the paragon of "
## [29648] "life, since thou couldst not help me to make a perfecter escape, "
## [29649] "yet serve my turn I pray thee, that I may escape from myself,'' "
## [29650] "therewithal yet once looking to fetch the last repass of his eyes, "
## [29651] "and now again transported with the pitiful case he left her in, "
## [29652] "kneeling down he thus prayed. "
## [29653] ""
## [29654] "\" O great maker and great ruler of this world,\" said he, \" to Thee "
## [29655] "do I sacrifice this blood of mine, and suffer. Lord, the errors of my "
## [29656] "youth to pass away therein, and let not the soul by Thee made, "
## [29657] "and ever bending unto Thee, be now rejected of Thee, neither be "
## [29658] "offended that I do abandon this body, to the government of which "
## [29659] "Thou hadst placed me, without Thy leave ; since how can I know "
## [29660] ""
## [29661] ""
## [29662] ""
## [29663] "BOOK IT.] ARCADIA 543 "
## [29664] ""
## [29665] "but that Thy unsearchable mind is I should so do, since Thou hast "
## [29666] "taken from me all means longer to abide in it ? and since the "
## [29667] "difference stands but in a short time of dying, Thou that hast "
## [29668] "taken from me all means longer to abide in it? and since the "
## [29669] "difference stands but in a short time of dying, Thou that hast "
## [29670] "framed my soul inclined to do good, how can I in this small space "
## [29671] "of mine benefit so much all the human kind, as in preserving Thy "
## [29672] "perfectest workmanship, their chieftest honour? O justice itself, "
## [29673] "howsoever thou determines! of me, let this excellent innocency not "
## [29674] "be oppressed ? let my life pay her loss, O Lord give me some sign "
## [29675] "that I may die with this comfort.\" (And paused a little as if he "
## [29676] "had hoped for some token) whensoever to the eternal darkness of "
## [29677] "the earth she doth follow me, let our spirits possess one place, and "
## [29678] "let them be more happy in that uniting. With that word striking "
## [29679] "the bar upon his heart side, with all the force he had, and falling "
## [29680] "withal upon it to give the thorougher passage, the bar in troth was "
## [29681] "too blunt to do the effect, although it pierced his skin, and bruised "
## [29682] "his ribs very sore, so that his breath was almost past him. But "
## [29683] "the noise of his fall drove away sleep from the quiet senses of the "
## [29684] "dear Philoclea, whose sweet soul had an early salutation of a "
## [29685] "deadly spectacle unto her, with so much more astonishment, as the "
## [29686] "falling asleep but a little before she had retired herself from the "
## [29687] "utmost point of wofulness, and saw now again before her eyes the "
## [29688] "most cruel enterprise that human nature can undertake, without "
## [29689] "discerning any cause thereof. But the lively print of her affection "
## [29690] "had soon taught her not to stay long upon deliberation in so urgent "
## [29691] "a necessity ; therefore getting with speed her weak, though well "
## [29692] "accorded hmbs, out of her sweetened bed, as when jewels are "
## [29693] "hastily pulled out of some rich coffer, she spared not the nakedness "
## [29694] "of her tender feet, but I think borne as fast with desire as fear "
## [29695] "carried Daphne, she came running to Pyrocles, and finding his "
## [29696] "spirits something troubled with the fall, she put by the bar that "
## [29697] "lay close to him, and straining him in her most beloved embrace- "
## [29698] "ments : \" My comfort, my joy, my life,\" said she, \"what haste have "
## [29699] "you to kill your Philoclea with the most cruel torment that ever "
## [29700] "lady suffered ? Do you not yet persuade yourself that any hurt of "
## [29701] "yours is a death unto me ; and that your death should be my hell. "
## [29702] "Alas ! if any sudden mislike of me, for other cause I see none, "
## [29703] "have caused you to loathe yourself; if any fault or defect of mine "
## [29704] "hath bred this terrible rage in you, rather let me suffer the bitterness "
## [29705] "of it, for so -shall the deserver be punished, mankind preserved "
## [29706] "from such a ruin, and I for my part shall have that comfort, that I "
## [29707] "die by the noblest hand that ever drew sword.'! Pyrocles, grieved "
## [29708] "with his fortune, that he had not in one instant cut off all such "
## [29709] "deliberation, thinking his life only reserved to be bound to be the "
## [29710] ""
## [29711] ""
## [29712] ""
## [29713] "544 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29714] ""
## [29715] "unhappy newsteller : \"Alas,\" said he, \"my only star, why do you "
## [29716] "this wrong to God, yourself, and me, to speak of faults in you ? "
## [29717] "No, no, most faultless, most perfect lady, it is your excellency that "
## [29718] "makes me hasten my desired end ; it is the right I owe to the "
## [29719] "general nature, that, though against private nature, makes me seek "
## [29720] "the preservation of all that she hath done in this age, let me, "
## [29721] "let me die. There is no way to save Ufe, most worthy to be "
## [29722] "conserved, than that my death be your clearing.\" Then did he "
## [29723] "with far more pain and backward loathness, than the so near "
## [29724] "killing himself was, but yet driven with necessity to make her yield "
## [29725] "to that he thought was her safety, make her a short but pithy "
## [29726] "discourse, what he had heard by Dametas's speeches, confirming "
## [29727] "the rest with a plain demonstration of their imprisonment. And "
## [29728] "then sought he a new means of stopping his breath ; but that by "
## [29729] "Philoclea's labour, above her force, he was stayed to hear her. In "
## [29730] "whom a man might perceive what a small difference in the working "
## [29731] "there is, betwixt a simple voidness of evil and a judicial habit of "
## [29732] "virtue. For she, not with an unshaken magnanimity, wherewith "
## [29733] "Pyrocles weighed\" and despised death, but with an innocent "
## [29734] "guiltiness, not knowing why she should fear to deliver her unstained "
## [29735] "soul to God, helped with the true loving of Pyrocles, which made "
## [29736] "her think no life without him, did almost bring her mind to as "
## [29737] "quiet attending all accidents, as the unmastered virtue of Pyrocles. "
## [29738] "Yet having with a pretty paleness, which did leave milken lines "
## [29739] "upon her rosy cheeks, paid a Uttle duty to human fear, taking the "
## [29740] "prince by his hand, and kissing the wound he had given himself : "
## [29741] "\" O the only life of my life, and if it fall out so, the comfort of my "
## [29742] "death,'' said she, \" far, far from you be the doing of me such wrong "
## [29743] "as to think I will receive my life as a purchase of your death, but "
## [29744] "well may you make my death so much more miserable, as it shall "
## [29745] "anything be delayed after my only felicity. Do you think I can "
## [29746] "account of the moment of death, like the unspeakable afflictions "
## [29747] "my soul should suffer, so oft as I call Pyrocles to my mind, which "
## [29748] "should be as oft as I breathed ? Should these eyes guide my steps, "
## [29749] "that had seen your murderer ? Should these hands feed me, that "
## [29750] "had not hindered such a mischief? Should this heart remain "
## [29751] "within me, at every pant to count the continual clock of my "
## [29752] "miseries ? O no, if die we must, let us thank death, he hath not "
## [29753] "divided so true a union. And truly, my Pyrocles, I have heard my "
## [29754] "father and other wise men say that the killing of one's self is but a "
## [29755] "false colour of true courage, proceeding rather of a fear of a further "
## [29756] "evil, either of torment or shame. For if it were not a respecting "
## [29757] "the harm, that would likewise make him not respect what might "
## [29758] "be done unto him : and hope, being of all other the most contrary "
## [29759] "thing to fear ; this being an utter banishment of hope, h seems to "
## [29760] ""
## [29761] ""
## [29762] ""
## [29763] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 545 "
## [29764] ""
## [29765] "receive his ground in fear. Whatsoever, would they say, comes out "
## [29766] "of despair, cannot bear the title of valour, which should be lifted "
## [29767] "up to such a height, that holding all things under itself, it should "
## [29768] "be able to maintain his greatness even in the midst of miseries. "
## [29769] "Lastly, they would say, God had appointed us captains of these "
## [29770] "our bodily forts, which without treason to that majesty, were never "
## [29771] "to be delivered over till they were re-demanded.\" "
## [29772] ""
## [29773] "Pyrocles, who had that for a law unto him, not to leave Philoclea "
## [29774] "in anything unsatisfied, although he still remained in his former "
## [29775] "purpose, and knew that time would grow short for it, yet hearing "
## [29776] "no noise, the shepherds being as then run to Basilius, with settled "
## [29777] "and humble countenance, as a man that should have spoken of a "
## [29778] "thing that did not concern himself, bearing even in his eyes "
## [29779] "sufficient shows, that it was nothing but Philoclea's danger which "
## [29780] "did anything burden his heart, far stronger than fortune, having "
## [29781] "with vehement embracings of her got yet some fruit of his delayed "
## [29782] "end, he thus answered the wise innocency of Philoclea. \" Lady, "
## [29783] "most worthy not only of life, but to be the very life of all things ; "
## [29784] "the more notable demonstrations you make of love so far beyond "
## [29785] "my desert, with which it pleaseth you to overcome fortune, in "
## [29786] "making me happy ; the more am I, even in course of humanity, to "
## [29787] "leave that love's force which I neither can nor will leave, bound to "
## [29788] "seek requital's witness, that I am not ungrateful to do which, the "
## [29789] "infiniteness of your goodness being such as I cannot reach unto it, "
## [29790] "yet doing all I can, and paying my life, which is all I have, though "
## [29791] "it be far, without measure, short of your desert, yet shall I not die "
## [29792] "in debt to mine own duty. And truly, the more excellent arguments "
## [29793] "you made, to keep me from this passage, imagined far more "
## [29794] "terrible than it is, the more plainly it makes me to see what reason "
## [29795] "I have, to prevent the loss not only of Arcadia, but all the face of "
## [29796] "the earth should receive, if such a tree, which even in his first "
## [29797] "spring, doth not only bear most beautiful blossoms, but most rare "
## [29798] "fruit, should be so untimely cut off. Therefore, O most truly "
## [29799] "beloved lady, to whom I desire for both our goods that these may "
## [29800] "be my last words, give me your consent even out of that wisdom "
## [29801] "which must needs see, that, besides your unmatched betterness "
## [29802] "which perchance you will not see, it is fitter one die than both! "
## [29803] "And since you have sufficiently showed you love me, let me claim "
## [29804] "by that love you will be content rather to let me die contentedly "
## [29805] "than wretchedly, rather with a clear and joyful conscience than "
## [29806] "with desperate condemnation in myself, that I, accursed villain, "
## [29807] "should be the means qf banishing from the sight of men the true "
## [29808] "example of virtue. And because there is nothing left me to be "
## [29809] "imagined, which I so much desire, as that the memory of Pyrocles "
## [29810] "may ever have an allowed place in your wise judgment, I am "
## [29811] ""
## [29812] "2 M "
## [29813] ""
## [29814] ""
## [29815] ""
## [29816] "546 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29817] ""
## [29818] "content to draw so much breath longer, as by answering the "
## [29819] "sweet objections you alleged, may bequeath, as I think, a right "
## [29820] "conceit unto you, that this my doing is out of judgment, and not "
## [29821] "sprung of passion. Your father, you say, was wont to say, that "
## [29822] "this like action doth more proceed of fear of farther evil or shame "
## [29823] "than of a true courage : truly first, they put a very guessing case, "
## [29824] "speaking of them who can never after come to tell with what mind "
## [29825] "they did it. And as for my part, I call the immortal truth to witness "
## [29826] "that no fear of torment can appal me ; who know it is but diverse "
## [29827] "manners of apparelling death ; and have long learned to set "
## [29828] "bodily pain but in the second form of my being. And as for "
## [29829] "shame, how can I be ashamed of that for which my well meaning "
## [29830] "conscience will answer for me to God, and your unresistable beauty "
## [29831] "to the world ? But to take that argument in his own force, and "
## [29832] "grant it done for avoiding of farther pain or dishonour : (for as for "
## [29833] "the name of fear, it is but an odious title of a passion, given to that "
## [29834] "which true judgment performeth) grant, I say, it is to shun a "
## [29835] "worse case, and truly I do not see but that true fortitude, looking "
## [29836] "into all human things with a persisting resolution, carried away "
## [29837] "neither with wonder of pleasing things, nor astonishment of the "
## [29838] "unpleasant, doth not yet deprive itself of the discerning the "
## [29839] "difference of evil, but rather is the only virtue, which with an "
## [29840] "assured tranquility shuns the greater by valiantly entering into the "
## [29841] "less. Thus for his country's safety he will spend his life, for the "
## [29842] "saving of a limb he will not niggardly spare his goods ; for the "
## [29843] "saving of all his body he will not spare the cutting off a limb, "
## [29844] "where indeed the weak-hearted man will rather die than see the "
## [29845] "face of a surgeon, who might with as good reason say, that the "
## [29846] "constant man abides the painful surgery for fear of a farther evil : "
## [29847] "but he is content to wait for death itself, but neither is true ; for "
## [29848] "neither had the one any fear, but a well-chosen judgment : nor the "
## [29849] "other hath any contentment, but only fear, and not having a heart "
## [29850] "actively to perform a matter of pain, is forced passively to abide a "
## [29851] "greater damage. For to do, requires a whole heart ; to suffer "
## [29852] "falleth easiliest in the broken minds. And if in bodily torment "
## [29853] "thus, much more in shame, wherein since valour is a virtue, and "
## [29854] "virtue is ever limited, we must not run so infinitely as to think the "
## [29855] "valiant man is willingly to suffer anything, since the very suffering "
## [29856] "of some things is a certain proof of want of courage. And if "
## [29857] "anything unwillingly, among the chiefest may shame go ; for if "
## [29858] "honour be to be held dear, his contrary is to be abhorred, and that "
## [29859] "not for fear, but of a true election. For which is the less "
## [29860] "inconvenient, either the loss of some years more or less (when "
## [29861] "once we know our lives be not immortal) or the submitting "
## [29862] "ourselves to each unworthy misery which the foolish world may "
## [29863] ""
## [29864] ""
## [29865] ""
## [29866] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 547 "
## [29867] ""
## [29868] "lay upon us? as for their reason, that fear is contrary to hope, "
## [29869] "neither do I defend fear, nor much yield to the authority of hope, "
## [29870] "to either of which great inclining shows but a feeble reason which "
## [29871] "must be guided by his servants ; and who builds not upon hope, "
## [29872] "shall fear no earthquake of despair. Their last alleging of the "
## [29873] "heavenly powers, as it bears the greatest name, so it is the only "
## [29874] "thing that at all breeds any combat in my mind, and yet I do not "
## [29875] "see but that if God had made us masters of anything, it is of our "
## [29876] "own lives out of which, without doing wrong to anybody, we are to "
## [29877] "issue at our own pleasure. And the same argument would as "
## [29878] "much prevail to say we should for no necessity lay away from us "
## [29879] "any of our joints, since they being made of Him, without His "
## [29880] "warrant we should not depart from them ; or if that may be, for "
## [29881] "a greater cause we may pass to a greater degree. And if we be "
## [29882] "lieutenants of God in this little castle, do you not think we must "
## [29883] "take warning of Him to give over our charge when He leaves us "
## [29884] "unprovided of good means to tarry in it ? \" \" No certainly do I not,\" "
## [29885] "answered the sorrowful Philoclea, \" since it is not for us to appoint "
## [29886] "that mighty majesty what time He will help us ; the uttermost "
## [29887] "instant is scope enough for Him to revoke everything to one's own "
## [29888] "desire. And therefore to prejudicate His determination is but a "
## [29889] "doubt of goodness in Him Who is nothing but goodness. But when "
## [29890] "indeed He doth either by sickness, or outward force lay death upon "
## [29891] "us, then are we to take knowledge that such is His pleasure, and to "
## [29892] "know that all is well that He doth. That we should be masters of "
## [29893] "ourselves, we can show at all no title nor claim ; since neither we "
## [29894] "made ourselves, nor bought ourselves, we can stand upon no other "
## [29895] "right but His gift, which He must limit as it pleaseth Him. Neither "
## [29896] "is there any proportion betwixt the loss of any other limb, and "
## [29897] "that, since the one bends to the preserving of all, the other to the "
## [29898] "destruction of all ; the one takes not away the mind from the "
## [29899] "actions for which it is placed in the world, the other cuts off all "
## [29900] "possibility of his working. And truly my most dear Pyrocles, I "
## [29901] "must needs protest unto you, that I cannot think your defence "
## [29902] "even in rules of virtue sufficient. Sufficient and excellent it were, "
## [29903] "if the question were of two outward things, wherein a man might "
## [29904] "by nature's freedom determine, whether he would prefer shame to "
## [29905] "pain ; present smaller torment, to greater following, or no. But to "
## [29906] "this, besides the comparison of the matter's valour, there is added "
## [29907] "of the one part a direct evil doing, which maketh the balance of "
## [29908] "that side too much unequal ; since a virtuous man without any "
## [29909] "respect, whether the grief be less or more, is never to do that "
## [29910] "which he cannot assure himself is allowable before the everliving "
## [29911] "rightfulness ; but rather is to think honours or shames which stand "
## [29912] "in other men's true or false judgments, pains or not pains, which "
## [29913] ""
## [29914] ""
## [29915] ""
## [29916] "548 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [29917] ""
## [29918] "yet never approach our souls, to be nothing in regard of an "
## [29919] "unspotted conscience. And these reasons do I remember, I have "
## [29920] "heard good men bring in, that since it hath not his ground in an "
## [29921] "assured virtue, it proceeds rather of some other disguised passion.\" "
## [29922] "Pyrocles was not so much persuaded as delighted, by her well- "
## [29923] "conceived and sweetly pronounced speeches : but when she had "
## [29924] "closed her pitiful discourse, and as it were sealed up her delightful "
## [29925] "lips, with the moistness of her tears, which followed still one "
## [29926] "another like a precious rope of pearl, now thinking it high time : "
## [29927] "\" Be it as you say,\" said he, \" most virtuous beauty, in all the rest, "
## [29928] "but never can God himself persuade me that Pyrocles's life is not "
## [29929] "well lost, for to preserve the most admirable Philoclea. Let that "
## [29930] "be, if it be possible, written on my tomb, and I will not envy "
## [29931] "Codrus's honour.\" With that he would again have used the bar, "
## [29932] "meaning if that failed, to leave his brains upon the wall, when "
## [29933] "Philoclea now brought to that she most feared, kneeled down unto "
## [29934] "him, and embracing so his legs, that without hurting her (which "
## [29935] "for nothing he would have done) he could not rid himself from "
## [29936] "her, she did with all the conjuring words, which the authority of "
## [29937] "love may lay, beseech him he would not now so cruelly abandon "
## [29938] "her, he would not leave her comfortless in that misery to which he "
## [29939] "had brought her. That then indeed she would even in her soul "
## [29940] "accuse him to have most foully betrayed her ; that then she would "
## [29941] "have cause to curse the time that ever the name of Pyrocles came "
## [29942] "to her ears, which otherwise no death could make her do. \" Will "
## [29943] "you leave me,\" said she, \"not only dishonoured, as supposed "
## [29944] "unchaste with you, but as a murderer of you ? Will you give mine "
## [29945] "eyes such a picture of hell, before my near approaching death, as "
## [29946] "to see the murdered body of him I love more than all the lives "
## [29947] "nature can give ? \" With that she swore by the highest cause of "
## [29948] "all devotions, that if he did persevere in that cruel resolution, she "
## [29949] "would, though untruly, not only confess to her father that with her "
## [29950] "consent this act had been committed, but if that Would not serve "
## [29951] "(after she had pulled out her own eyes made accursed by such a "
## [29952] "sight) she would give herself so terrible a death, as she might "
## [29953] "think the pain of it would countervail the never dying pain of her "
## [29954] "mind. \" Now therefore kill yourself to crown this virtuous action "
## [29955] "with infamy : kill yourself to make me, whom you say you love, "
## [29956] "as long as I after live, change my loving admiration of you to a "
## [29957] "tletestable abhorring your name. And so indeed you shall have "
## [29958] "the end you shoot at : for instead of one death, you shall give me "
## [29959] "a thousand, and yet in the meantime, deprive me of the help God "
## [29960] "may send me.\" Pyrocles, even over-weighed with her so wisely "
## [29961] "uttered affection, finding her determination so fixed that his end "
## [29962] "should but deprive them both of a present contentment, and not "
## [29963] ""
## [29964] ""
## [29965] ""
## [29966] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA , 549 "
## [29967] ""
## [29968] "avoid a coming evil (as a man that ran not into it by a sudden "
## [29969] "qualm of passion, but by a true use of reason, preferrmg her life "
## [29970] "to his own) now that wisdom did manifest unto him that way "
## [29971] "would not prevail, he retired himself with as much tranquility "
## [29972] "from it as before he had gone unto it. Like a man that had set "
## [29973] "the keeping or leaving of the body as a thing without himself, and "
## [29974] "so had thereof a freed and untroubled consideration. Therefore "
## [29975] "throwing away the bar from him, and taking her up from the "
## [29976] "place, where he thought the consummating of all beauties, very "
## [29977] "worthily lay, suffering all his senses to devour up their chiefest "
## [29978] "food, which he assured himself they should shortly after for ever "
## [29979] "be deprived of: \"Well,\" said he, \"most dear lady, whose content- "
## [29980] "ment I prefer before mine own, and judgment esteem more than "
## [29981] "mine own, I yield unto your pleasure. The gods send you have "
## [29982] "not won your own loss. For my part they are my witnesses that "
## [29983] "I think I do more at your commandment in delaying my death "
## [29984] "than another would in bestowing his life. But now,\" said he, \" as "
## [29985] "thus far I have yielded unto you, so grant me in recompense thus "
## [29986] "much again, that I may find your love in granting, as you have "
## [29987] "found your authority in obtaining. My humble suit is, you will "
## [29988] "say I came in by force into your chamber, for so am I resolved "
## [29989] "now to affirm, and that will be the best for us both, Ijut in no case "
## [29990] "name my name that, whatsoever come of me, my house be not "
## [29991] "dishonoured.\" "
## [29992] ""
## [29993] "Philodea fearing lest refusal would turn him back again to his "
## [29994] "violent refuge, gave him a certain countenance that might show she "
## [29995] "did yield to his request, the latter part whereof indeed she meant "
## [29996] "for his sake to perform. Neither could they spend more words "
## [29997] "together ; for Philanax with twenty of the noblest personages of "
## [29998] "Arcadia after him, were come into the lodge, Philanax making the "
## [29999] "rest to stay below, for the reverence he bare to womanhood, as "
## [30000] "stilly as he could came up to the door, and opening it, drew the "
## [30001] "eyes of these two doleful lovers upon him. Philodea closing "
## [30002] "again for modesty's sake, within her bed the riches of her beauties, "
## [30003] "but Pyrocles took hold of his bar, minding at least to die, before "
## [30004] "the excellent Philodea should receive any outrage. But Philanax "
## [30005] "rested a while upon himself, stricken with admiration at the goodly "
## [30006] "shape of Pyrocles, whom before he had never seen, and withal "
## [30007] "remembering, besides others, the notable act he had done, when "
## [30008] "with his courage and eloquence, he had saved Basilius, perchance "
## [30009] "the whole state from utter ruin, he felt a kind of relenting mind "
## [30010] "towards him. But when that same thought came waited on with "
## [30011] "the remembrance of his master's death, which he by all probabilities "
## [30012] "thought he had been of council unto with the queen, compassion "
## [30013] "turned to hateful passion, and left in Philanax a strange medley, "
## [30014] ""
## [30015] ""
## [30016] ""
## [30017] "550 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [30018] ""
## [30019] "betwixt pity and revenge, betwixt liking and abhorring. \" O lord,\" "
## [30020] "said he to himself, \" what wonders doth nature in our time to set "
## [30021] "wickedness so beautifully garnished ? and that which is strangest, "
## [30022] "out of one spring to make wonderful effects both of virtue and "
## [30023] "vice to issue?\" Pyrocles seeing him in such a muse, neither "
## [30024] "knowing the man, nor the cause of coming, but assuring himself it "
## [30025] "was for no good, yet thought best to begin with him in this sort. "
## [30026] "\" Gentleman,\" said he, \" what is the cause of your coming to my "
## [30027] "lady Philoclea's chamber? is it to defend her from such violence "
## [30028] "as I might go about to offer unto her? if it be so, truly your "
## [30029] "coming is vain, for her own virtue hath been a sufficient resistance ; "
## [30030] "there needs no strength to be added to so inviolate chastity, the "
## [30031] "excellency of her mind makes her body impregnable. Which for "
## [30032] "my own part I had soon yielded to confess, with going out of this "
## [30033] "place, where I found but little comfort being so disdainfully "
## [30034] "received, had I not been, I know not by whom presently upon my "
## [30035] "coming hither, so locked into this chamber that I could never "
## [30036] "escape hence ; where I was fettered in the most guilty shame that "
## [30037] "ever man was, seeing what a paradise of unspotted goodness, my "
## [30038] "filthy thoughts sought to defile. If for that therefore you come, "
## [30039] "already I assure you your errand is performed ; but if it be to bring "
## [30040] "me to any punishment whatsoever, for having undertaken so "
## [30041] "inexcusable presumption ; truly I bear such an accuser about me "
## [30042] "in mine own conscience, that I willingly submit myself unto it. "
## [30043] "Only thus much let me demand of you, that you will be a witness "
## [30044] "unto the king what you hear me say, and oppose yourself, that "
## [30045] "neither his sudden fury, nor any other occasion may offer any hurt "
## [30046] "to this lady ; in whom you see nature hath accomplished so much "
## [30047] "that I am fain to lay mine own faultiness as a foil of her purest "
## [30048] "excellency. I can say no more, but look upon her beauty, "
## [30049] "remember her blood, consider her years, and judge rightly of her "
## [30050] "virtues, and I doubt not a gentleman's mind will then be a "
## [30051] "sufficient instructor unto you, in this, I may term it miserable "
## [30052] "chance, happened unto her by my unbridled audacity.\" "
## [30053] ""
## [30054] "Philanax was content to hear him out, not for any favour he "
## [30055] "owed him, but to see whether he would reveal anything of the "
## [30056] "original cause and purpose of the king's death. But finding it so "
## [30057] "far from that, that he named Basilius unto him, as supposing him "
## [30058] "alive, thinking it rather cunning than ignorance : \" Young man,\" "
## [30059] "said he, \" whom I have cause to hate before I have mean to know, "
## [30060] "you use but a point of skill by confessing the manifest smaller "
## [30061] "fault, to be believed hereafter in the denial of the greater. But for "
## [30062] "that matter, all passeth to one end, and hereafter we shall have "
## [30063] "leisure by torments to seek the truth, if the love of the truth itself "
## [30064] "will not bring you unto it. As for my Lady Philoclea, if it so fall "
## [30065] ""
## [30066] ""
## [30067] ""
## [30068] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 551 "
## [30069] ""
## [30070] "out as you say, it shall be the more fit for her years, and comely "
## [30071] "for the great house that she is come of, that an ill-governed beauty "
## [30072] "hath not cancelled the rules of virtue. But howsoever it be, it is "
## [30073] "not for you to teach an Arcadian what reverend duty we owe unto "
## [30074] "any of that progeny. But,\" said he, \" come you with me without "
## [30075] "resistance, for the one cannot avail, and the other may procure "
## [30076] "pity.\" \" Pity ! \" said Pyrocles, with a bitter smiling, disdaining "
## [30077] "with so currish an answer, \" no, no, Arcadian, I can quickly have "
## [30078] "pity of myself, and would think my life most miserable, which "
## [30079] "should be a gift of thine. Only I demand this innocent lady's "
## [30080] "security, which until thou hast confirmed unto _ me by an oath, "
## [30081] "assure thyself the first that lays hands upon her shall leave his "
## [30082] "life for a testimony of his sacrilege. Philanax, with an inward "
## [30083] "scorn, thinking it most manifest they were both, he at least, of "
## [30084] "council with the king's death ; \" Well,\" said he, \" you speak much "
## [30085] "to me of the king : I do here swear unto you, by the love I have "
## [30086] "ever borne him, she shall have no worse howsoever it fall out than "
## [30087] "her own parents.\" \" And upon that word of yours I yield,\" said "
## [30088] "the poor Pyrocles, deceived by him that meant not to deceive him. "
## [30089] "Then did Philanax deliver him into the hands of a nobleman in "
## [30090] "the company, everyone desirous to have him in his charge, so "
## [30091] "much did his goodly presence, wherein true valour shined, breed "
## [30092] "a delightful admiration in all the beholders. Philanax himself "
## [30093] "stayed with Philoclea, to see whether of her he might learn some "
## [30094] "disclosing of his former conclusion. But she, sweet lady, whom "
## [30095] "first a kindly shamefulness had separated from Pyrocles, having "
## [30096] "been left in a more open view than her modesty would well bear "
## [30097] "then the attending her father's coming, and studying how to "
## [30098] "behave herself towards him for both their safeties, had called her "
## [30099] "spirits all within her; now that upon a sudden Pyrocles was "
## [30100] "delivered out of the chamber from her, at the first she was so "
## [30101] "surprised with the extreme stroke of the woful sight, that like "
## [30102] "those that in their dreams are taken with some ugly vision, they "
## [30103] "would fain cry for help but have no force, so remained she a while "
## [30104] "quite deprived not only of speech but almost of any other lively "
## [30105] "action. But when indeed Pyrocles was quite drawn from her eyes, "
## [30106] "and that her vital strength began to return unto her, now not "
## [30107] "knowing what they did to Pyrocles, but, according to the nature "
## [30108] "of love, fearing the worst, wringing her hands, and letting "
## [30109] "abundance of tears be the first part of her eloquence, bending "
## [30110] "her amber crowned head over her bedside to the hard-hearted "
## [30111] "Philanax. « O Philanax, Philanax,\" said she, « I know how much "
## [30112] "authority you have with my father : there is no man whose wisdom "
## [30113] "he so much esteems, nor whose face he so much reposes upon "
## [30114] "Kemember how oft you have promised your service unto me' "
## [30115] ""
## [30116] ""
## [30117] ""
## [30118] "SS2 ARCADIA [book IV. "
## [30119] ""
## [30120] "how oft you have given me occasion to believe that there was no "
## [30121] "lady in whose favour you more desired to remain: and if the "
## [30122] "remembrance be not unpleasant to your mind, or the rehearsal "
## [30123] "unfitting for my fortune, remember there was a time when I could "
## [30124] "deserve it. Now my chance is turned, let not your truth turn. "
## [30125] "I present myself unto you, the most humble and miserable "
## [30126] "suppliant living, neither shall my desire be great: I seek for no "
## [30127] "more life than I shall be found worthy of If my blood may wash "
## [30128] "away the dishonour of Arcadia, spare it not, although through me "
## [30129] "it hath indeed never been dishonoured. My only suit is, you will "
## [30130] "be a mean for me, that while I am suffered to enjoy this life, I may "
## [30131] "not be separated from him, to whom the gods have joined me, "
## [30132] "and that you determine nothing of him more cruelly than you do "
## [30133] "of me. If you rightly judge of what hath past, wherein the gods, "
## [30134] "that should have been of our marriage, are witnesses of our "
## [30135] "innocencies, then procure, we may live together. But if my father "
## [30136] "will not so conceive of us, as the fault, if any were, was united, "
## [30137] "so let the punishment be united also.\" There was no man that "
## [30138] "ever loved either his prince, or anything pertaining to him, with "
## [30139] "a truer zeal than Philanax did. This made him, even to the depth "
## [30140] "of his heart, receive a most vehement grief, to see his master made "
## [30141] "as it were more miserable after death. And for himself, calling to "
## [30142] "mind in what sort his life had been preserved by Philoclea, what "
## [30143] "time taken by Amphialus, he was like to suffer a cruel death, there "
## [30144] "was nothing could have kept him from falling to all tender pity but "
## [30145] "the perfect persuasion he had that all this was joined to the pack "
## [30146] "of his master's death, which the misconceived speech of marriage "
## [30147] "made him the more believe. Therefore first muttering to himself "
## [30148] "such like words: \"the violence the gentleman spoke of, is now "
## [30149] "turned to marriage : he alleged Mars, but she speaks of Venus : "
## [30150] "O unfortunate master! this hath been that fair devil Gynecia; "
## [30151] "sent away one of her daughters, prostituted the other, impoisoned "
## [30152] "thee, to overthrow the diadem of Arcadia.\" But at length thus "
## [30153] "unto herself he said : \" If your father. Madam, were now to speak "
## [30154] "unto, truly there should nobody be found a more ready advocate "
## [30155] "for you than myself For I would suffer this fault, though very "
## [30156] "great, to be blotted out of my mind, by your former led life, your "
## [30157] "benefit towards myself, and being daughter to such a father. But "
## [30158] "since among yourselves you have taken him away, in whom was "
## [30159] "the only power to have mercy, you must be clothed in your own "
## [30160] "working, and look for none other than that which dead pitiless "
## [30161] "laws may allot unto you. For my part, I loved you for your virtue, "
## [30162] "but now where is that ? I loved you in respect of a private benefit, "
## [30163] "what is that in comparison of the public loss ? I loved you for your "
## [30164] "father, unhappy folks you have robbed the world of him.\" These "
## [30165] ""
## [30166] ""
## [30167] ""
## [30168] "BOOK iv.j ARCADIA 553 "
## [30169] ""
## [30170] "words of her father were so little understood by the only well- "
## [30171] "understanding Philoclea, that she desifed him to tell her, what he "
## [30172] "meant to speak in such dark sort unto her of her lord and father, "
## [30173] "whose displeasure was more dreadful unto her than her punishment : "
## [30174] "that she was free in her own conscience, she had never deserved "
## [30175] "evil of him, no not in this last fact : wherein, if it pleased him to "
## [30176] "proceed with patience, he should find her choice had not been "
## [30177] "unfortunate. He that saw her words written in the- plain table "
## [30178] "of her fair face, thought it impossible there should therein be "
## [30179] "contained deceit: and therefore so much the more abashed: "
## [30180] "\" Why,\" said he, \" Madam, would you have me think, you are not "
## [30181] "of conspiracy with the Princess Pamela's flight, and your father's "
## [30182] "death?\" With that word the sweet lady gave a pitiful cry, having "
## [30183] "straight in her face and breast abundance of witnesses that her "
## [30184] "heart was far from any such abominable consent. \" Ah of all "
## [30185] "sides utterly ruined Philoclea,\" said she, \" now indeed I may well "
## [30186] "suffer all conceit of hope to die in me. Dear father, where was "
## [30187] "I that might not do you my last service before, soon after "
## [30188] "miserably following you ? \" Philanax, perceived the demonstration "
## [30189] "so lively and true in her that he easily acquitted her in his heart "
## [30190] "of that fact, and the more was moved to join with her in most "
## [30191] "hearty lamentation. But remembering him, that the burden of "
## [30192] "the state, and punishment of his master's murderers, lay all upon "
## [30193] "him : \" Well,\" said he, \" Madam, I can do nothing, without all the "
## [30194] "states of Arcadia : what they will determine of you, I know not : "
## [30195] "for my part your speeches would much prevail with me, but that "
## [30196] "I find not how to excuse your giving over your body to him that "
## [30197] "for the last proof of his treason lent his garments to disguise your "
## [30198] "miserable mother, in the most vile fact she hath committed. Hard "
## [30199] "sure will it be to separate your causes, with whom you have so "
## [30200] "nearly joined yourself.\" \" Neither do I desire it,\" said the sweetly "
## [30201] "weeping Philoclea: \"Whatsoever you determine of him, do that "
## [30202] "likewise to me, for I know from the fountain of virtue nothing but "
## [30203] "virtue could ever proceed, only as you find him faultless, let him "
## [30204] "find you favourable, and build not my dishonour upon surmises.\" "
## [30205] "Philanax, feeling his heart more and more mollifying unto her "
## [30206] "renewed the image of his dead master in his fancy, and using that "
## [30207] "for the spurs of his revengeful choler, went suddenly without any "
## [30208] "more speech from the desolate lady, to whom now fortune seemed "
## [30209] "to threaten unripe death, and undeserved shame among her least "
## [30210] "evils. But Philanax leaving good guard upon the lodge, went "
## [30211] "himself to see the order of his other prisoners, whom even then "
## [30212] "as he issued, he found increased by this unhoped means. "
## [30213] ""
## [30214] "The noble Pamela having delivered over the burden of her "
## [30215] "fearful cares, to the natural ease of ^ well-refreshing sleep, reposed "
## [30216] ""
## [30217] ""
## [30218] ""
## [30219] "554 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [30220] ""
## [30221] "both mind and body upon the trusted support of her princely "
## [30222] "shepherd, when with the braying cries of a rascal company she "
## [30223] "was robbed of her quiet, so that at one instant she opened her "
## [30224] "eyes, and the enraged Musidorus rose from her, enraged betwixt "
## [30225] "the doubt, he had what these men would go about, and the spite "
## [30226] "he conceived against their ill-pleasing presence. But the clowns "
## [30227] "having with their hideous noise brought them both to their "
## [30228] "feet, had soon knowledge what guests they had found, for "
## [30229] "indeed these were the scummy remnants of those rebels, whose "
## [30230] "naughty minds could not trust so much to the goodness of their "
## [30231] "prince, as to lay their hangworthy necks upon the constancy of his "
## [30232] "promised pardon. Therefore when the rest, who as sheep had but "
## [30233] "followed their fellows, so sheepishly had submitted themselves, "
## [30234] "these only committed their safety to the thickest part of these "
## [30235] "desert woods, who as they were in the constitution of their minds "
## [30236] "little better than beasts, so were they apt to degenerate to a beastly "
## [30237] "kind of life, having now framed their gluttonish stomachs to have for "
## [30238] "food the wild benefits of nature, the uttermost end they had being "
## [30239] "but to draw out as much as they could the line of a tedious life. "
## [30240] "In this sort vagabonding in those untrodden places, they were "
## [30241] "guided by the everlasting justice, using themselves to be punishers "
## [30242] "of their faults, and making their own actions the beginning of their "
## [30243] "chastisements, unhappily both for him and themselves, to light on "
## [30244] "Musidorus. Whom as soon as they saw turned towards them, "
## [30245] "they full well remembered it was he, that, accompanied with "
## [30246] "Basilius, had come to the succour of Zelmane, and had left among "
## [30247] "some of them bloody tokens of his valour. As for Pamela, they "
## [30248] "had many times seen her. Thus first stirred up with a rustical "
## [30249] "revenge against him, and then desire of spoil to help their miserable "
## [30250] "wants, but chiefly thinking it was the way to confirm their own "
## [30251] "pardon, to bring the princess back unto her father, whom they were "
## [30252] "sure he would never have sent so far so slightly accompanied "
## [30253] "without any other denouncing of war, set all together upon the worthy "
## [30254] "Musidorus. Who being beforehand as much inflamed against "
## [30255] "them, gave them so brave a welcome, that the smart of some made "
## [30256] "the rest stand farther off, crying and prating against him, but like "
## [30257] "bad curs, rather barking than closing : he, in the meantime, placing "
## [30258] "his trembling lady to one of the pine trees, and so setting himself "
## [30259] "before her, as might show the cause of his courage grew in himself, "
## [30260] "but the effect was only employed in her defence ; the villains that "
## [30261] "now had a second proof, how ill-wards they had for such a sword, "
## [30262] "turned all the course of their violence into throwing darts and "
## [30263] "stones, indeed the only way to overmaster the valour of Musidorus. "
## [30264] "Who finding them some already touched, some fall so near "
## [30265] "his chiefest life Pamela, that in the end some one or other "
## [30266] ""
## [30267] ""
## [30268] ""
## [30269] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA SSS "
## [30270] ""
## [30271] "might hap to do an unsuccourable mischief, setting all his hope in "
## [30272] "despair, ran out from his lady among them. Who straight like so "
## [30273] "many swine when a hardy mastiff sets upon them, dispersed "
## [30274] "themselves. But the first he overtook as he ran away, carrying "
## [30275] "his head as far before him, as those manner of runnings are wont to "
## [30276] "do, with one blow struck it so clean off, that it falling betwixt the "
## [30277] "hands, and the body falling upon it, it made a show as though the "
## [30278] "fellow had had great haste to gather up his head again. Another "
## [30279] "the speed he made to run for the best game, bare him full butt "
## [30280] "against a tree, so that tumbling back with a bruised face, and a "
## [30281] "dreadful expectation, Musidorus was straight upon him, and "
## [30282] "parting with his sword one of his legs from him, left him to make "
## [30283] "a roaring lamentation that his mortar-treading was marred for "
## [30284] "ever. A third finding his feet too slow, as well as his hands too "
## [30285] "weak, suddenly turned back, beginning to open his lips for mercy. "
## [30286] "But before he had well entered a rudely compiled oration, "
## [30287] "Musidorus's blade was come between his jaws into his throat, and "
## [30288] "so the poor man rested there for ever with a very evil mouth full of "
## [30289] "an answer. Musidorus in this furious chase would have followed "
## [30290] "some other of these hateful wretches, but that he heard his lady "
## [30291] "cry for help, whom three of this villainous crew had, whilst "
## [30292] "Musidorus followed their fellows, compassing about some trees, "
## [30293] "suddenly come upon and surprised, threatening to kill her if she "
## [30294] "cried, and meaning to convey her out of sight, whilst the prince "
## [30295] "was making his bloodthirsty chase. But she that was resolved no "
## [30296] "worse thing could fall unto her than the being deprived of him, on "
## [30297] "whom she had established all her comfort, with a pitiful cry fetched "
## [30298] "his eyes unto her : who then thinking so many weapons thrust into "
## [30299] "his eyes, as with his eyes he saw bent against her, made all hearty "
## [30300] "speed to her succour. But one of them wiser than his companions, "
## [30301] "set his dagger to her alabaster throat, swearing if he threw not "
## [30302] "away his sword, he would kill her presently. There was never "
## [30303] "poor scholar, that having instead of his book some playing toy "
## [30304] "about him, did more suddenly cast it from him, at the child-feared "
## [30305] "presence of a cruel schoolmaster, than the valiant Musidorus "
## [30306] "discharged himself of his only defence, when he saw it stood upon "
## [30307] "the instant point of his lady's life. And holding up his noble hands "
## [30308] "to so unworthy audience, \" O Arcadians, it is I that have done you "
## [30309] "the wrong, she is your princess,\" said he, \"she never had will to "
## [30310] "hurt you, and you see she hath no power. Use your choler upon "
## [30311] "me that have better deserved it, do not yourselves the wrong to do "
## [30312] "her any hurt, which in no time or place will ever be forgiven you.\" "
## [30313] "They that yet trusted not to his courtesy, bid him stand farther "
## [30314] "off from his sword, which he obediently did. So far was love "
## [30315] "above all other thoughts in him. Then did they call together the "
## [30316] ""
## [30317] ""
## [30318] ""
## [30319] "556 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [30320] ""
## [30321] "rest of their fellows, who though they were few, yet according to "
## [30322] "their number, possessed many places. And then began these "
## [30323] "savage senators to make a consultation what they should do : "
## [30324] "some wishing to spoil them of their jewels and let them go on their "
## [30325] "journey, for that if they carried them back, they were sure they "
## [30326] "should have least part of their prey, others preferring their old "
## [30327] "homes to anything, desired to bring them to Basilius as pledges of "
## [30328] "their surety. And there wanted not which cried, the safest way "
## [30329] "was to kill them both ; to such an unworthy thraldom were these "
## [30330] "great and excellent personages brought. But the most part "
## [30331] "resisted to the killing of the princes, foreseeing their lives would "
## [30332] "never be safe after such a fact committed : and began to wish "
## [30333] "rather the spoil than death of Musidorus : when the villain that "
## [30334] "had his leg cut off came crawling towards them, and being helped "
## [30335] "to them by one of the company, began with a groaning voice, and "
## [30336] "a disfigured face, to demand the revenge of his blood, which since "
## [30337] "he had spent with them in their defence, it were no reason he should "
## [30338] "be suffered by them to die discontented. The only contentment he "
## [30339] "required was, that by their help with his own hands he might put "
## [30340] "his murderer to some cruel death : he would fain have cried more "
## [30341] "against Musidorus, but that the much loss of blood helped on with "
## [30342] "this vehemency, choked up the spirits of his life, leaving him to "
## [30343] "make betwixt his body and soul an ill-favoured partition. But "
## [30344] "they seeing their fellow in that sort die before their faces, did swell "
## [30345] "in new mortal rages : all resolved to kill him, but now only "
## [30346] "considering what manner of terrible death they should invent for "
## [30347] "him. Thus was a while the agreement of his slaying broken by "
## [30348] "disagreement of the manner of it ; and extremity of cruelty. At "
## [30349] "length they were resolved every one to have a piece of him, and to "
## [30350] "became all as well hangmen as judges : when Pamela tearing her "
## [30351] "hair, and falling down among them, sometimes with all the sort of "
## [30352] "humble prayers, mixed with promises of great good turns, which "
## [30353] "they knew her state was able to perform, sometimes threatening "
## [30354] "them, that if they killed him and not her, she would not only "
## [30355] "revenge it upon them, but upon all their wives and children : "
## [30356] "bidding them consider that though they migiit think she was come "
## [30357] "away in her father's di spleasure, yet they might be sure he would ever "
## [30358] "show himself a father ; that the gods would never, if she lived, put "
## [30359] "her in so base estate but that she should have ability to plague "
## [30360] "such as they were : returning afresh to prayers and promises, "
## [30361] "and mixing the same again with threatenings, brought them who "
## [30362] "were now grown colder in their fellow's cause, who was past "
## [30363] "aggravating the matter with his cries, to determine with them- "
## [30364] "selves there was no way, but either to kill them both, or save them "
## [30365] "both, as for the killing, already they having answered themselves "
## [30366] ""
## [30367] ""
## [30368] ""
## [30369] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 557 "
## [30370] ""
## [30371] "that that was a way to make them citizens of the woods for ever, "
## [30372] "they did in fine conclude they would return them back again to "
## [30373] "the king, which they did not doubt would be cause of a great "
## [30374] "reward, besides their safety from their fore-deserved punishment. "
## [30375] ""
## [30376] "Thus having either by fortune or the force of these two lovers "
## [30377] "inward working virtue, settled their cruel hearts to this gentler "
## [30378] "course, they took the two horses, and having set upon them their "
## [30379] "princely prisoners, they returned towards the lodge. The villains "
## [30380] "having decked all their heads with laurel branches, as thinking "
## [30381] "they had done a notable act, singing and shouting, ran by them, "
## [30382] "in hope to have brought them the same day again to the king. "
## [30383] "But the time was so far spent that they were forced to take up "
## [30384] "that night's lodging in the midst of the woods. Where while the "
## [30385] "clowns continued their watch about them, now that the night, "
## [30386] "according to his dark nature, did add a kind of desolation to "
## [30387] "the pensive hearts of these two afflicted lovers, Musidorus taking "
## [30388] "the tender hand of Pamela, and bedewing it with his tears, in "
## [30389] "this sort gave an issue to the swelling of his heart's grief. \" Most "
## [30390] "excellent lady,\" said he, \" in what case think you am I with myself, "
## [30391] "how unmerciful judgments do I lay upon my soul, now that I know "
## [30392] "- not what god hath so reversed my well-meaning enterprise, that, "
## [30393] "instead of doing you that honour which I hoped, and not without "
## [30394] "reason hoped, Thessalia should have yielded unto you, am now "
## [30395] "like to become a wretched instrument of your discomfort ? alas 1 "
## [30396] "how contrary an end have all the inclinations of my mind taken : "
## [30397] "my faith falls out a treason unto you, and the true honour I bear "
## [30398] "you is the field wherein your dishonour is like to be sown ! but "
## [30399] "I invoke that universal and only wisdom, which examining the "
## [30400] "depth of hearts, hath not his judgment fixed upon the event, to "
## [30401] "bear testimony with me that my desire, though in extremes! "
## [30402] "vehemency, yet did not so overcharge my remembrance, but that "
## [30403] "as far as man's will might be extended I sought to prevent all "
## [30404] "things that might fall to your hurt. But now that all the evil "
## [30405] "fortunes of evil fortune have crossed my best framed intent, I am "
## [30406] "most miserable in that, that I cannot only not give you help, "
## [30407] "but, which is worst of all, am barred from giving you counsel. "
## [30408] "For how should I open my mouth to counsel you in that, wherein "
## [30409] "by my counsel you are most undeservedly fallen ? \" The fair and "
## [30410] "wise Pamela, although full of cares of the unhappy turning of this "
## [30411] "matter, yet seeing the grief of Musidorus only stirred for her, "
## [30412] "did so tread down all other motions with the true force of virtue "
## [30413] "that she thus answered him, having first kissed him, which before "
## [30414] "she had never done, love commanding her, which doubted how "
## [30415] "long they should enjoy one another, or of a lively spark of "
## [30416] "nobleness, to descend in most favour to one when he is lowest "
## [30417] ""
## [30418] ""
## [30419] ""
## [30420] "SS8 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [30421] ""
## [30422] "in affliction. \" My dear and ever dear Musidorus,\" said she, \" a "
## [30423] "greater wrong do you to yourself, that will torment you thus with "
## [30424] "grief for the fault of fortune. Since a man is bound no farther "
## [30425] "to himself than to do wisely : chance is only to trouble them that "
## [30426] "stand upon chance. But greater is the wrong, at least, if anything "
## [30427] "that comes from you may bear the name of wrong, you do unto "
## [30428] "me, to think me either so childish as not to perceive your faithful "
## [30429] "faultlessness, or perceiving it, so basely disposed as to let my "
## [30430] "heart be overthrown, standing upon itself in so unspotted a "
## [30431] "pureness. Hold for certain, most worthy Musidorus, it is yourself "
## [30432] "I love, which can no more be diminished by these showers of evil "
## [30433] "hap than flowers are marred with the timely rains of April. For "
## [30434] "how can I want comfort that have the true living comfort of thy "
## [30435] "unblemished virtue ? And how can I want honour, as long as "
## [30436] "Musidorus, in whom indeed honour is, doth honour me ? Nothing "
## [30437] "bred from myself can discomfort me; and fools' opinions I will "
## [30438] "not reckon as dishonour.\" Musidorus looking up to the stars, "
## [30439] "\" O mind of mine ! \" said he, \" the living power of all things, which "
## [30440] "dost with all these eyes behold our ever-varying actions, accept "
## [30441] "into thy favourable ears this prayer of mine : if I may any longer "
## [30442] "hold out this dwelling on the earth, which is called a life, grant "
## [30443] "me ability to deserve at this lady's hands the grace she hath "
## [30444] "showed unto me; grant me wisdom to know her wisdom, and "
## [30445] "goodness so to increase my love of her goodness, that all mine "
## [30446] "own chosen desires, be to myself but second to her determination. "
## [30447] "Whatsoever I be let it be to her service: let me herein be "
## [30448] "satisfied, that for such infinite favours of virtue I have some way "
## [30449] "wrought her satisfaction. But if my last time approacheth, and "
## [30450] "that I am no longer to be amongst mortal creatures, make yet "
## [30451] "my death serve her to some purpose, that hereafter she may not "
## [30452] "have cause to repent herself that she bestowed so excellent a mind "
## [30453] "upon Musidorus.\" "
## [30454] ""
## [30455] "Pamela could not choose but accord the conceit of their fortune "
## [30456] "to these passionate prayers, in so much that their constant eyes "
## [30457] "yielded some tears, which wiping from her face with Musidorus's "
## [30458] "hand, speaking softly unto him, as if she had feared more any- "
## [30459] "body should be witness of her weakness, than of anything else "
## [30460] "she had said, \" Vou see,'' said she, \"my prince and only lord, what "
## [30461] "you work in me by your too much grieving for me. I pray you "
## [30462] "think I have no joy 'but in you, and if you fill that with sorrow, "
## [30463] "what do you leave for me? What is prepared for us we know "
## [30464] "not, but that with sorrow we cannot prevent it, we know. Now "
## [30465] "let us turn from these things, and think you how you will have me "
## [30466] "behave myself towards you in this matter.\" Musidorus finding "
## [30467] "the authority of her speech confirmed with direct necessity, the "
## [30468] ""
## [30469] ""
## [30470] ""
## [30471] "BOOK .v.] ARCADIA SS9 "
## [30472] ""
## [30473] "first care came to his mind was of his dear friend and cousin "
## [30474] "Pyrocles; with whom long before he had concluded what naines "
## [30475] "they should bear, if upon any occasion they were forced to give "
## [30476] "themselves out for great men, and yet not make themselves fully "
## [30477] "known. Now fearing, lest if the princess should name him for "
## [30478] "Musidorus, the fame of their two being together would discover "
## [30479] "Pyrocles; holding her hand betwixt his hands a good while "
## [30480] "together: \"I did not think, most excellent princess,\" said he, "
## [30481] "\"to have made any farther request unto you, for having been "
## [30482] "already unto you so unfortunate a suitor, I know not what modesty "
## [30483] "can bear any farther demand. But the state of one young man, "
## [30484] "whom, next to you, far above myself, I love more than all the "
## [30485] "world, one worthy of all well-being for the notable constitution "
## [30486] "of his mind, and most unworthy to receive hurt by me, whom he "
## [30487] "doth in all faith and constancy love, the pity of him only goes "
## [30488] "beyond all resolution to the contrary.\" Then did he, to the "
## [30489] "princess's great admiration, tell her the whole story as far as he "
## [30490] "knew of it, and that when they made the grievous disjunction of "
## [30491] "their long combination, they had concluded Musidorus should "
## [30492] "entitle himself Palladius, prince of Iberia, and Pyrocles should "
## [30493] "be Diaphantus of Lycia. "
## [30494] ""
## [30495] "\" Now,\" said Musidorus, \"he keeping a woman's habit, is to use "
## [30496] "no other name than Zelmane ; but I that find it best of the one "
## [30497] "side for your honour, you went away with a prince, and not with a "
## [30498] "shepherd ; of the other side, accounting my death less evil than "
## [30499] "the betraying of that sweet friend of mine, will take this mean "
## [30500] "betwixt both, and using the name of Palladius, if the respect of a "
## [30501] "prince will • stop your father's fury, that will serve as well as "
## [30502] "Musidorus, until Pyrocles's fortune being some way estabhshed, I "
## [30503] "may freely give good proof that the noble country of Thessalia is "
## [30504] "mine ; and if that will not mitigate your father's opinion to me- "
## [30505] "wards, nature, I hope, working in your excellency, will inake him "
## [30506] "deal well with you : for my part the image of death is nothing "
## [30507] "fearful unto me, and this good I shall have reaped by it, that I "
## [30508] "shall leave my most esteemed friend in no danger to be disclosed "
## [30509] "by me. And besides, since I must confess I am not without a "
## [30510] "remorse of her case, my virtuous mother shall not know her son's "
## [30511] "violent death hid under the fame will go of Palladius. But as long "
## [30512] "as her years, now of good number, be counted among the living, "
## [30513] "she may joy herself with some possibility of my return.\" Pamela "
## [30514] "promising him upon no occasion ever to name him, fell into "
## [30515] "extremity of weeping, as if her eyes had been content to spend all "
## [30516] "their seeing moistness, now that there was a speech of the loss of "
## [30517] "that which they held as their chiefest light. So that Musidorus "
## [30518] "was forced to repair her good counsels with sweet consolations, "
## [30519] ""
## [30520] ""
## [30521] ""
## [30522] "S6o ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [30523] ""
## [30524] "which continued betwixt them till it was about midnight, that sleep "
## [30525] "having stolen into their heavy senses, and now absolutely com- "
## [30526] "manding in their vital powers, left them delicately wound one in "
## [30527] "another's arms, quietly to wait for the coming of the morning ; "
## [30528] "which as soon as she apppeared to play her part, laden, as you "
## [30529] "have heard, with so many well occasioned lamentations, their "
## [30530] "lobbish guard, who all night had kept themselves awake, with "
## [30531] "prating how valiant deeds they had done when they ran away ; "
## [30532] "and how fair a death their fellow had died, who at his last gasp "
## [30533] "sued to be a hangman, awaked them, and set them upon their "
## [30534] "horses, to whom the very shining force of excellent virtue, though "
## [30535] "in a very hanish subject, had wrought a kind of reverence in them : "
## [30536] "Musidorus as he rode among them, of whom they had no other "
## [30537] "hold but of Pamela, thinkihg it want of a well squared judgment "
## [30538] "to leave any means unassayed of saving their lives, to this purpose "
## [30539] "spoke to his unseemly guardians, using a plain kind of phrase to "
## [30540] "make his speech the more credible. "
## [30541] ""
## [30542] "\" My masters,\" said he, \" there is no man that is wise but hath, in "
## [30543] "whatsoever he doth, some purpose whereto he directs his doings, "
## [30544] "which so long he follows till he see that either that purpose is not "
## [30545] "worth the pains, or that another doing carries with it a better "
## [30546] "purpose. That you are wise in what you take in hand, I have to "
## [30547] "my cost learned ; that makes me desire you tell me what is your "
## [30548] "end in carrying the princess and me back to her father.\" \"Pardon,\" "
## [30549] "said one ; \" reward,\" cried another. \" Well,\" said he, \" take both, "
## [30550] "although I know you are so wise to remember that hardly they "
## [30551] "both will go together, being of so contrary a making ; for the "
## [30552] "ground of pardon is an evil, neither any man pardons but "
## [30553] "remembers an evil done : the cause of reward is the opinion of "
## [30554] "some good act, and whoso rewardeth, that holds the chief place of "
## [30555] "his fancy. Now one man of one company, to have the same "
## [30556] "consideration of good and evil, but that the conceit of pardoning, "
## [30557] "if it be pardoned, will take away the mind of rewarding, is very "
## [30558] "hard, if not impossible. For either even in justice will he punish "
## [30559] "the fault, as well as reward the desert, or else in mercy balance the "
## [30560] "one by the other : so that the not chastising shall be a sufficient "
## [30561] "satisfying. Thus then you may see that in your own purpose rests "
## [30562] "great uncertainty. But I will grant that by this your deed you "
## [30563] "shall obtain your double purpose. Yet consider, I pray you, "
## [30564] "whether by another means that may not better be obtained, and "
## [30565] "then I doubt not your wisdom will teach you to take hold of the "
## [30566] "better. I am sure you know, anybody were better have no need of "
## [30567] "a pardon than enjoy a pardon ; for as it carries with it the surety "
## [30568] "of a preserved life, so bears it a continual note of a deserved death. "
## [30569] "This therefore, besides the danger you may run into, my Lady "
## [30570] ""
## [30571] ""
## [30572] ""
## [30573] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 561 "
## [30574] ""
## [30575] "Pamela being the undoubted inheritrix of this state, if she shall "
## [30576] "hereafter seek to revenge the wrong done her shall be continually- "
## [30577] "cast in your teeth, as men dead by the law : the honester sort will "
## [30578] "disdain your company, and your children shall be the more basely "
## [30579] "reputed of, and you yourselves in every slight fault hereafter, as "
## [30580] "men once condemned, aptest to be overthrown. Now if you will, "
## [30581] "I doubt not but you will, for you are wise, turn your course, and "
## [30582] "guard my Lady Pamela thitherward, whither she was going : first, "
## [30583] "you need not doubt to adventure your fortune where she goes, "
## [30584] "and there shall you be assured in a country as good and rich as "
## [30585] "this is, of the same manners and language to be so far from the "
## [30586] "conceit of a pardon, as we both shall be forced to acknowledge we "
## [30587] "have received by your means whatsoever we hold dear in this life. "
## [30588] "And so for reward, judge you whether it be not more likely, you "
## [30589] "shall there receive it where you have done no evil, but singular and "
## [30590] "undeserved goodness ; or here, where this service of yours shall be "
## [30591] "diminished by your duty, and blemished by your former fault. "
## [30592] "Yes I protest and swear unto you, by the fair eyes of that lady, "
## [30593] "there shall no gentleman in all that country be preferred : you "
## [30594] "shall have riches, ease, pleasure, and that which is best to such "
## [30595] "worthy minds, you shall not be forced to cry mercy for a good fact. "
## [30596] "You only, of all the Arcadians shall have the praise, in continuing "
## [30597] "in your late valiant attempt, and not be basely brought under a "
## [30598] "halter for seeking the liberty of Arcadia.\" "
## [30599] ""
## [30600] "These words in their minds, who did nothing for any love of "
## [30601] "goodness, but only as their senses presented greater shows of "
## [30602] "profit, began to make them waver, and some to clap their hands "
## [30603] "and scratch their heads, and swear it was the best way. Others "
## [30604] "that would seem wiser than the rest, to capitulate what tenements "
## [30605] "they should have, what subsidies they should pay ; others to talk "
## [30606] "of their wives, in doubt whether it were best to send for them, or "
## [30607] "to take new where they went : most, like fools, not readily thinking "
## [30608] "what was next to be done, but imagining what cheer they would "
## [30609] "make when they came there, one or two of the last discoursers "
## [30610] "beginning to turn their faces towards the woods which they had "
## [30611] "left. But being now come within the plain, near to the lodges, "
## [30612] "unhappily they espied a troop of horsemen. But then their false "
## [30613] "hearts had quickly, for the present fear, forsaken their last hopes : "
## [30614] "and therefore keeping on the way toward the lodge, with songs "
## [30615] "and cries of joy, the horsemen, who were some of them Philanax "
## [30616] "had sent out to the search of Pamela, came galloping unto them "
## [30617] "marvelling who they were that in such a general mourning durst "
## [30618] "sing joyful tunes, and in so public a ruin wear the laurel token of "
## [30619] "victory. And that which seemed strangest, they might see two "
## [30620] "among them unarmed like prisoners, but riding like captains. "
## [30621] ""
## [30622] "^ N "
## [30623] ""
## [30624] ""
## [30625] ""
## [30626] "$62 ARCADIA [BOOK iv. "
## [30627] ""
## [30628] "But when they came nearer, they perceived the one was a lady, "
## [30629] "and the Lady Pamela. Then glad they had by hap found that "
## [30630] "which they so little hoped to meet withal, taking these clowns, "
## [30631] "who first resisted them, for the desire they had to be the deliverers "
## [30632] "of the two excellent prisoners, learning that they were of those "
## [30633] "rebels which had made the dangerous uproar, as well under colour "
## [30634] "to punish that, as this their last withstanding them, but indeed "
## [30635] "their principal cause being, because they themselves would have "
## [30636] "the only praise of their own quest, they suffered not one of them "
## [30637] "to live. Marry three of the stubbornest of them they left their "
## [30638] "bodies hanging upon the trees, because their doing might carry "
## [30639] "the likelier form of judgment. Such an unlooked-for end did the "
## [30640] "life of justice work for the naughty-minded wretches, by subjects "
## [30641] "to be executed, that would have executed princes : and to suffer "
## [30642] "that without law, which by law they had deserved. And thus "
## [30643] "these young folks twice prisoners, before any due arrest, delivered "
## [30644] "of their jailors, but not of their jail, had rather change than respite "
## [30645] "of misery ; these soldiers that took them with very few words of "
## [30646] "entertainment, hasting to carry them to their lord Philanax, to "
## [30647] "whom they came, even as he, going out of the Lady Philoclea's "
## [30648] "chamber, had overtaken Pyrocles, whom before he had delivered "
## [30649] "to the custody of a nobleman of that country. When Pyrocles, "
## [30650] "led towards his prison, saw his friend Musidorus, with the noble "
## [30651] "Lady Pamela in that unexpected sort returned, his grief, if any "
## [30652] "grief were in a mind which had placed everything according to "
## [30653] "his natural worth, was very much augmented ; for besides some "
## [30654] "small hope he had, if Musidorus had once been clear of Arcadia, "
## [30655] "by his dealing and authority to have brought his only gladsome "
## [30656] "desires to a good issue : the hard estate of his friend did no less, "
## [30657] "nay rather more vex him than his own. For so indeed it is ever "
## [30658] "found, where valour and friendship are perfectly coupled in one "
## [30659] "heart ; the reason being that the resolute man having once-digested "
## [30660] "in his judgment the worst extremity of his own case, and having "
## [30661] "either quite expelled or at least repelled all passion which ordinarily "
## [30662] "follows an overthrown fortune, not knowing his friend's mind so "
## [30663] "well as his own, nor with what patience he brooks his case, which "
## [30664] "as it were the material cause of making a man happy or unhappy, "
## [30665] "doubts whether his friend accounts not himself more miserable, "
## [30666] "and so indeed be more lamentable. But as soon as Musidorus "
## [30667] "was brought by the soldiers near unto Philanax, Pyrocles not "
## [30668] "knowing whether ever after he should be suffered to see his friend, "
## [30669] "and determining there could be no advantage by dissembling a "
## [30670] "not-knowing of him, leaped suddenly from their hands that held "
## [30671] "him, and passing, with a strength strengthened with a true "
## [30672] "affection, through them that encompassed Musidorus, he embraced "
## [30673] ""
## [30674] ""
## [30675] ""
## [30676] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 5^3 "
## [30677] ""
## [30678] "him as fast as he could in his arms. And kissing his cheeks, \" O "
## [30679] "my Palladius,\" said he, \"let not our virtue now abandon us; let "
## [30680] "us prove our minds are no slaves to fortune, but in adversity can "
## [30681] "triumph over adversity.\" \" Dear Diaphantus,\" answered Musidorus, "
## [30682] "seeing by his apparel his being a man was revealed, \" I thank you "
## [30683] "for this best care of my best part : but fear not, I have kept too "
## [30684] "long company with you to want now a thorough determination of "
## [30685] "these things ; I well know, there is nothing evil but within us, the "
## [30686] "rest is either natural or accidental.\" Philanax, finding them of so "
## [30687] "near acquaintance, began presently to examine them apart : but "
## [30688] "such resolution he met with in them, that by no such means he "
## [30689] "could learn further than it pleased them to deliver. So that he "
## [30690] "thought best to put them both in one place, with espial of their "
## [30691] "words and behaviour, that way to sift out the more of these "
## [30692] "surpassed mischiefs. And for that purpose gave them both unto "
## [30693] "the nobleman, who before had the custody of Pyrocles, by name "
## [30694] "Sympathus, leaving a trusty servant of his own to give diligent "
## [30695] "watch to what might pass betwixt them. No man that hath ever "
## [30696] "passed through the school of affection, needs doubt what a "
## [30697] "tormenting grief it was to the noble Pamela, to have the company "
## [30698] "of him taken from her, to whose virtuous company she had bound "
## [30699] "her life. But weighing with herself, it was fit for her honour, till "
## [30700] "her doings were clearly manifested, that they should remain "
## [30701] "separate, kept down the rising tokens of grief; showing passion "
## [30702] "in nothing but her eyes, which accompanied Musidorus even unto "
## [30703] "the tent, whither he and Pyrocles were led. Then, with a "
## [30704] "countenance more princely than she was wont, according to the "
## [30705] "wont of highest hearts, like the palm tree striving most upwards, "
## [30706] "when he is most burdened, she commanded Philanax to bring her "
## [30707] "to her father and mother, that she might render them an account "
## [30708] "of her doings. Philanax showing a sullen kind of reverence unto "
## [30709] "her, as a man that honoured her as his master's heir, but much "
## [30710] "misliked her for her, in his conceit, dishonourable proceedings, "
## [30711] "told her what was past, rather to answer her, than that he thought "
## [30712] "she was ignorant of it. But her good spirit did presently suffer "
## [30713] "a true compassionate affliction of those hard adventures, which "
## [30714] "with crossing her arms, looking a great while upon the ground, "
## [30715] "with those eyes which let fall many tears, she well declared. But "
## [30716] "in the end, remembering how necessary it was for her, not to lose "
## [30717] "herself in such an extremity, she strengthened her well-created "
## [30718] "heart, and stoutly demanded Philanax, what authority then they "
## [30719] "had to lay hands on her person, who being the undoubted heir, "
## [30720] "was then the lawful princess of that kingdom ? Philanax answered) "
## [30721] "her grace knew the ancient laws of Arcadia were, she was to have "
## [30722] "no sway of government till she came to one and twenty years of "
## [30723] ""
## [30724] ""
## [30725] ""
## [30726] "564 ARCADIA [BOOK IV. "
## [30727] ""
## [30728] "age, or were married. \"And married I am,\" replied the wise "
## [30729] "princess, \" therefore I demand your due allegiance.\" \" The gods "
## [30730] "forbid,\" said Philanax, \"Arcadia should be a dowry of such "
## [30731] "marriages.\" Besides, he told her all the states of her country "
## [30732] "were evil satisfied touching her father's death, which likewise "
## [30733] "acording to the statutes of Arcadia, was even that day to be judged "
## [30734] "of, before the body were removed to receive his princely funeral. "
## [30735] "After that passed, she should have such obedience, as by the laws "
## [30736] "were due unto her, desiring God she would show herself better "
## [30737] "in public government than she had done in private. She would "
## [30738] "have spoken to the gentlemen and people gathered about her, but "
## [30739] "Philanax fearing lest thereby some commotion might arise, or at "
## [30740] "least a hinderance of executing his master's murderers, which he "
## [30741] "longed after more than anything, hasted her up to the lodge, "
## [30742] "where her sister was, and there was a chosen company of soldiers "
## [30743] "to guard the place, left her with Philoclea, Pamela protesting they "
## [30744] "laid violent hands on her, and that they entered into rebellious "
## [30745] "attempts against her. But high time it was for Philanax so to "
## [30746] "do, for already was all the whole multitude fallen into confiised "
## [30747] "and dangerous divisions. "
## [30748] ""
## [30749] "There was a notable example, how great dissipations monarchical "
## [30750] "government is subject unto. For now their prince and guide had "
## [30751] "left them, they had not experience to rule, and had not whom to "
## [30752] "obey. Public matters had ever been privately governed, so that "
## [30753] "they had no lively taste what was good for themselves. But every- "
## [30754] "thing was either vehemently desireful, or extremely terrible, "
## [30755] "Neighbours' invasions, civil dissention, cruelty of the coming prince, "
## [30756] "and whatsoever in common sense carries a dreadful show, was in "
## [30757] "all men's heads, but in few how to prevent : hearkening on every "
## [30758] "rumour, suspecting everything, condemning them whom before "
## [30759] "they had honoured, making strange and impossible tales of the "
## [30760] "king's death, while they thought themselves in danger, wishing "
## [30761] "nothing but safety ; as soon as persuasion of safety took them, "
## [30762] "desiring farther benefits, as amendment of fore-passed faults, which "
## [30763] "faults notwithstanding none could tell either the grounds or effects "
## [30764] "of, all agreeing in the universal names of liking or misliking, but "
## [30765] "of what in especial points, infinitely disagreeing. Altogether like "
## [30766] "a falling steeple, the parts whereof, as windows, stones, and "
## [30767] "pinacles were well, but the whole mass ruinous. And this was the "
## [30768] "general cause of all, wherein notwithstanding was an extreme "
## [30769] "medly of diversified thoughts, the great men looking to make "
## [30770] "themselves strong by factions, the gentlemen some bending to "
## [30771] "them, some standing upon themselves, some desirous to overthrow "
## [30772] "those few which they thought were over them ; the soldiers "
## [30773] "(JesirjoDs of trouble, as the nurse of spoil, and not much unlike to "
## [30774] ""
## [30775] ""
## [30776] ""
## [30777] "lOOK IV.] ARCADIA $6$ "
## [30778] ""
## [30779] "hem though in another way, were all the needy sort, the rich "
## [30780] "jarful, the wise careful. This composition of conceits brought "
## [30781] "arth a dangerous tumult, which yet would have been more "
## [30782] "iangerous, but that it had so many parts that nobody well knew "
## [30783] "gainst whom chiefly to oppose themselves. For some there were "
## [30784] "tat cried to have the state altered, and governed no more by a "
## [30785] "irince ; marry, in the alteration, many would have the Lacedemonian "
## [30786] "overnment of a few chosen senators, others the Athenian, where "
## [30787] "lie people's voice held the chief authority. But these were rather "
## [30788] "he discoursing sort of men, than the active, being a matter more "
## [30789] "1 imagination than practice. But they that went nearest to the "
## [30790] "iresent case, as in a country that knew no government without a "
## [30791] "irince, were they that strove whom they should make. Whereof "
## [30792] ", great number there were that would have the Princess Pamela "
## [30793] "iresently to enjoy it : some disdaining that she had as it were "
## [30794] "bandoned her own country, inclining more to Philoclea ; and "
## [30795] "here wanted not of them, which wished Gynecia were delivered, "
## [30796] ".nd made regent till Pamela were worthily married. But great "
## [30797] "aultitudes there were, which having been acquainted with the just "
## [30798] "government of Philanax, meant to establish him as lieutenant of "
## [30799] "he state ; and these were the most popular sort, who judged by "
## [30800] "he commodities they felt. But the principal men in honour and "
## [30801] "night, who had long before envied his greatness with Basilius, did "
## [30802] "nuch more spurn against any such preferment of him. For yet "
## [30803] "lefore their envy had some kind of breathing out his rancour, by "
## [30804] "aying his greatness as a fault to the prince's judgment, who "
## [30805] "ihowed in Dametas he might easily be deceived in men's value : "
## [30806] ")ut now if the prince's choice, by so many mouths should be "
## [30807] ":onfirmed, what could they object to so rightly esteemed an "
## [30808] ":xcellency, they therefore were disposed sooner to yield to any "
## [30809] "hing than to his raising ; and were content, for to cross Philanax, "
## [30810] "o stop those actions, which otherwise they could not but think "
## [30811] "[ood. Philanax himself as much hindered by those that did "
## [30812] "mmoderately honour him, which brought both more envy and "
## [30813] "iuspicion upon him, as by them that did manifestly resist him : "
## [30814] ")ut, standing only upon a constant desire of justice, and a clear "
## [30815] ":onscience went forward stoutly in the action of his master's "
## [30816] "evenge, which he thought himself particularly bound to. For the "
## [30817] "■est, as the ordering of the government, he accounted himself but "
## [30818] "IS one wherein notwithstanding he would employ all his loyal "
## [30819] "indeavour. "
## [30820] ""
## [30821] "But among the noblemen, he that most openly set himself "
## [30822] ".gainst him was named Timautus, a man of middle age, but of "
## [30823] "ixtreme ambition, as one that had placed his uttermost good in "
## [30824] "greatness, thinking small difference by what means he came by it "
## [30825] ""
## [30826] ""
## [30827] ""
## [30828] "566 ARCAbiA [BOOK IV. "
## [30829] ""
## [30830] "Of commendable wit, if he had not made it a servant to unbridled "
## [30831] "desires. Cunning to creep into men's favours, vi^hich he prized "
## [30832] "only as they were serviceable unto him. He had been brought up "
## [30833] "in some soldiery, which he knew how to set out with more than "
## [30834] "deserved ostentation. Servile, though envious, to his betters ; and "
## [30835] "no less tyrannically minded to them he had advantage of. Counted "
## [30836] "revengeful, but indeed measuring both revenge and reward, as the "
## [30837] "party might either help or hurt him. Rather shameless than bold, "
## [30838] "and yet more bold in practice than in personal adventures. In "
## [30839] "some, a man that could be as evil as he listed, and listed as much "
## [30840] "as any advancement might thereby be gotten. As for virtue he "
## [30841] "counted it but a school-name. He even at the first assembling "
## [30842] "together, finding the great stroke Philanax carried among the "
## [30843] "people, thought it his readiest way of ambition to join with him : "
## [30844] "which though his pride did hardly brook, yet the other vice "
## [30845] "carrying with it a more apparent object prevailed over the weaker, "
## [30846] "so that with those liberal protestations of friendship, which men "
## [30847] "that care not for their word are wont to bestow, he offered unto "
## [30848] "him the choice in marriage of either the sisters, so he would "
## [30849] "likewise help him to the other, and make such a partition of "
## [30850] "the Arcadian estate. Wishing him that since he loved his master, "
## [30851] "because he was his master, which showed the love began in "
## [30852] "himself, he should rather now occasion was presented seek his "
## [30853] "own good substantially than affect the smoke of a glory by showing "
## [30854] "an untimely fidelity to him that could not reward it : and have all "
## [30855] "the fruit he could get, in men's opinions, which would be as divers "
## [30856] "as many ; few agreeing to yield him due praise of his true heart. "
## [30857] "But Philanax, who had limited his thoughts in that he esteemed "
## [30858] "good, to which he was neither carried by the vain tickling of "
## [30859] "uncertain fame, nor from which he would be transported by "
## [30860] "enjoying anything, whereto the ignorant world gives the excellent "
## [30861] "name of goods, with great mishke of his offer, he made him so "
## [30862] "peremptory an answer, not without threatening, if he found him "
## [30863] "foster any such fancy, that Timautus went with an inward spite "
## [30864] "from him, whom before he had never loved : and measuring all "
## [30865] "men's marches by his own pace, rather thought it some farther "
## [30866] "fetch of Philanax, as that he would have all to himself alone, than "
## [30867] "was any way taken with the lovely beauty of his virtue, whose "
## [30868] "image he had so quite defaced in his own soul that he bad left "
## [30869] "himself no eyes to behold it, but stayed waiting fit opportunity to "
## [30870] "execute his desires both for himself and against Philanax, which "
## [30871] "by the bringing back of Pamela, the people being divided into "
## [30872] "many motions, which both with murmuring noises, and putting "
## [30873] "themselves in several troops, they well showed, he thought apt time "
## [30874] "was laid before him, the waters being, as the proverb saith, "
## [30875] ""
## [30876] ""
## [30877] ""
## [30878] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 567 "
## [30879] ""
## [30880] "troubled, and so the better for his fishing. Therefore going among "
## [30881] "the chiefest lords, whom he knew principally to repine at Philanax, "
## [30882] "and making a kind of convocation of them, he inveighed against "
## [30883] "his proceeding, drawing everything to the most malicious "
## [30884] "interpretation, that malice itself could instruct him to do. He said, "
## [30885] "it was season for them to look to such a weed, that else would "
## [30886] "over-grow them all. It was not now time to consult of the dead, "
## [30887] "but of the living : since such a sly wolf was entered among them, "
## [30888] "that could make justice the cloak of tyranny, and love of his late "
## [30889] "master the destruction of his now being children. \" Do you not "
## [30890] "see,\" said he, \" how far his corruption hath stretched, that he hath "
## [30891] "such a number of rascals' voices to declare him lieutenant, ready to "
## [30892] "make him prince, but that he instructs them, matters are not yet "
## [30893] "ripe for it? as for us, because we are too rich to be bought, he "
## [30894] "thinks us the fitter to be killed. Hath Arcadia bred no man but "
## [30895] "Philanax? is she become a stepmother to all the rest, and hath "
## [30896] "given all her blessings to Philanax ? or if there be men amongst "
## [30897] "us, let us show we disdain to be servants to a servant. Let us "
## [30898] "make him know we are far worthier not to be slaves than he to be "
## [30899] "a master. Think you he hath made such haste in these matters to "
## [30900] "give them over to another man's hand ? think you he durst become "
## [30901] "the jailor of his princess, but either meaning to be her master, or "
## [30902] "her murderer? and all this for the dear goodwill, forsooth, he bears "
## [30903] "to the king's memory, whose authority as he abused in his life, so "
## [30904] "he would now persevere to abuse his name after his death. O "
## [30905] "notable affection, for the love of the father to kill the wife and "
## [30906] "disinherit the children ! O single minded modesty, to aspire to no "
## [30907] "less than to the princely diadem, no, no, he hath veered all this "
## [30908] "while, but to come the sooner to his aflfected end. But let us "
## [30909] "remember what we be, in quality his equals, in number far before "
## [30910] "him : let us deliver the queen and our natural princesses, and "
## [30911] "leave them no longer under his authority, whose proceedings "
## [30912] "would rather show that he himself had been the murderer of the "
## [30913] "king, then a fit guardian of his posterity.\" "
## [30914] ""
## [30915] "These words pierced much into the minds already inclined that "
## [30916] "way, insomuch that most part of the nobility confirmed Timautus's "
## [30917] "speech, and were ready to execute it : when Philanax came among "
## [30918] "them, and with a constant, but reverent behaviour, desired them "
## [30919] "they would not exercise private grudges in so common a necessity. "
## [30920] "He acknowledged himself a man, and a faulty man : to the clearing "
## [30921] "or satisfying of which, he would at all times submit himself; since "
## [30922] "his end was to bring all things to an upright judgment, it should "
## [30923] "evil fit him to fly the judgment. \"But,\" said he, \"my lords, "
## [30924] "let not Timautus's railing speech, who whatsoever he finds evil "
## [30925] "in his own soul can with ease lay it upon -another, make me lose "
## [30926] ""
## [30927] ""
## [30928] ""
## [30929] "568 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [30930] ""
## [30931] "your good favour. Consider that all well-doing stands so in the "
## [30932] "middle betwixt his two contrary evils that it is a ready matter "
## [30933] "to cast a slanderous shade upon the most approved virtues. Who "
## [30934] "hath an evil tongue, can call severity cruelty, and faithful diligence, "
## [30935] "diligent ambition. But my end is not to excuse myself, nor to "
## [30936] "accuse him: for both those hereafter will be time enough. There "
## [30937] "is neither of us, whose purging or punishing may so much import "
## [30938] "to Arcadia. Now I request you, for your own honour's sake, and "
## [30939] "require you by the duty you owe to this estate, that you do "
## [30940] "presently, according to the laws, take in hand the chastisement "
## [30941] "of our master's murderers, and laying order for the goverment by "
## [30942] "whomsoever it be done, so it be done, and justly done, I am "
## [30943] "satisfied. My labour hath been to frame things so that you might "
## [30944] "determine ; now it is in you to determine. For my part, I call the "
## [30945] "heavens to witness, the care of my heart stands to repay that, "
## [30946] "wherein both I and most of you were tied to that prince, with "
## [30947] "whom all my love of worldly action is dead.\" "
## [30948] ""
## [30949] "As Philanax was speaking his last words there came one running "
## [30950] "to him with open mouth and fearful eyes, telling him that there "
## [30951] "was a great number of the people which were bent to take the "
## [30952] "young men out of Sympathus's hands, and as it should seem by "
## [30953] "their acclamations, were like enough to proclaim them princes. "
## [30954] "\" Nay,\" said Philanax, speaking aloud, and looking with a just "
## [30955] "anger upon the noblemen, \" it is no season to hear Timautus's idle "
## [30956] "slanders while strangers become our lords, and Basilius's murderers "
## [30957] "sit in his throne. But whosoever is a true Arcadian let him follow "
## [30958] "me.\" With that he went toward the place he heard of, followed "
## [30959] "by those that had ever loved him, and some of the noblemen. "
## [30960] "Some other remaining with Timautus, who in the meantime was "
## [30961] "conspiring by strong hands to deliver Gynecia, of whom the "
## [30962] "weakest guard was had. But Philanax, where he went found them "
## [30963] "all in an uproar, which thus was fallen out. The greatest multitude "
## [30964] "of people that were come to the death of Basilius, were the "
## [30965] "Mantineans, as being the nearest city to the lodges. Among these "
## [30966] "the chief man both in authority and love was Kalandar, he that "
## [30967] "not long before had been host to the two princes ; whom though "
## [30968] "he knew not so much as by name, yet besides the obligation he "
## [30969] "stood bound to them in for preserving the lives of his son and "
## [30970] "nephew, their noble behaviour had bred such love in his heart "
## [30971] "towards them that both with tears he parted from them when they "
## [30972] "left him, under promise to return, and did keep their jewels and "
## [30973] "apparel as the relics of two demi-gods. Among others he had "
## [30974] "entered the prison and seen them, which forthwith so invested his "
## [30975] "soul, both with sorrow and desire to help them, whom he tendered "
## [30976] "as his children, that calling his neighbours the Mantineans unto "
## [30977] ""
## [30978] ""
## [30979] ""
## [30980] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 569 "
## [30981] ""
## [30982] "him, he told them all the praises of these two young men, swearing "
## [30983] "he thought the gods had provided for them better than they "
## [30984] "themselves could have imagined. He willed them to consider "
## [30985] "that when all was done Basilius's children must enjoy the state, "
## [30986] "who since they had chosen, and chosen so that all the world could "
## [30987] "not mend their choice, why should they resist God's doing, and "
## [30988] "their princess's pleasure? this was the only way to purchase "
## [30989] "quietness without blood, where otherwise they should at one "
## [30990] "instant crown Pamela with a crown of gold, and a dishonoured "
## [30991] "title? which whether ever she would forget, he thought it fit for "
## [30992] "them to weigh : \" Such,\" said he, \" heroical greatness shines in "
## [30993] "their eyes, such an extraordinary majesty in all their actions, as "
## [30994] "surely either fortune by parentage, or nature in creation, hath "
## [30995] "made them princes. And yet a state already we have, we need "
## [30996] "but a man, who since he is presented unto you by the heavenly "
## [30997] "providence, embraced by our undoubted princess, worthy for their "
## [30998] "youth of compassion, for their beauty of admiration, for their "
## [30999] "excellent virtue to be monarchs of the world; shall we not be "
## [31000] "content with our own bliss? shall we put out our eyes because "
## [31001] "another man cannot see ? or rather like some men, when too much "
## [31002] "good happens unto them, they think themselves in a dream and "
## [31003] "have not spirits to taste their own goods ? No, no, my friends, "
## [31004] "believe me, I am so impartial, that I know not their names, but "
## [31005] "so overcome with their virtue that I shall then think the destinies "
## [31006] "have ordained a perpetual flourishing to Arcadia, when they shall "
## [31007] "allot such a governor unto it.\" "
## [31008] ""
## [31009] "This spoken by a grave man in years, great in authority, near "
## [31010] "allied to the prince, and known honest, prevailed so with all the "
## [31011] "Mantineans, that with one voice they ran to deliver the two "
## [31012] "princes. But Philanax came in time to withstand them, both "
## [31013] "sides standing in arms, and rather wanting a beginning than minds "
## [31014] "to enter into a bloody conflict. Which Philanax foreseeing, "
## [31015] "thought best to remove the prisoners secretly, and if need were' "
## [31016] "rather without form of justice to kill them, than against justice' "
## [31017] "as he thought, to have them usurp the state. But there again "
## [31018] "arose a new trouble. For Sympathus, the nobleman that kept "
## [31019] "them, was so stricken in compassion with their excellent presence "
## [31020] "that as he would not falsify his promise to Philanax to give them "
## [31021] "liberty so yet would he not yield them to himself, fearing he would "
## [31022] "do them violence. Thus tumult upon tumult arising, the sun "
## [31023] "I think, weary to see their discords had already gone down to "
## [31024] "bs western lodging. But yet to know what the poor shepherds "
## [31025] "iid, who were the first discriers of these matters, will not to some "
## [31026] ";ars perchance be a tedious digression. "
## [31027] ""
## [31028] ""
## [31029] ""
## [31030] "S76 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [31031] ""
## [31032] ""
## [31033] ""
## [31034] "ECLOGUES "
## [31035] ""
## [31036] "The shepherds finding no place for them in these garboils, to "
## [31037] "which their quiet hearts, whose highest ambition was in keeping "
## [31038] "themselves up in goodness, had at all no aptness, retired themselves "
## [31039] "from among the clamorous multitude: and as sorrow desires "
## [31040] "company, went up together to the western side of an hill, whose "
## [31041] "prospect extended it so far that they might well discern many "
## [31042] "of Arcadia's beauties. And there looking upon the sun's as then "
## [31043] "declining race, the poor men sat pensive of their present miseries, "
## [31044] "as if they found a weariness of their woful words: till at last "
## [31045] "good old Geron, who as he had longest tasted the benefits of "
## [31046] "Basilius's government, so seemed to have a special feeling of "
## [31047] "the present loss, wiping his eyes and long white beard, bedewed "
## [31048] "with great drops of tears, began in this sort to complain : \" Alas ! "
## [31049] "poor sheep,\" said he, \" which hitherto have enjoyed your fruitful "
## [31050] "pasture in such quietness, as your wool among other things hath "
## [31051] "made this country famous, your best days are now past : now you "
## [31052] "must become the victual of an army, and perchance an army of "
## [31053] "foreign enemies, you are now not only to fear home-wolves, but "
## [31054] "alien lions : now, I say, now that our right Basilius is deceased. "
## [31055] "Alas ! sweet pastures, shall soldiers that know not how to use you, "
## [31056] "possess you ? shall they that cannot speak the Arcadian language "
## [31057] "be lords over your shepherds ? for alas with good cause may we "
## [31058] "look for any evil, since Basilius our only strength is taken from "
## [31059] ""
## [31060] "us.\" "
## [31061] ""
## [31062] "To that all the other shepherds present uttered pitiful voices, "
## [31063] "especially the very bom Arcadians. For as for the other, though "
## [31064] "humanity moved them to pity human cases, especially in a pince "
## [31065] "under whom they had found a refuge of their miseries, and "
## [31066] "justice equally administered, yet could they not so naturally feel "
## [31067] "the lively touch of sorrow. Nevertheless, of that number one "
## [31068] "Agelastus notably noted among them as well for his skill in "
## [31069] "poetry as for an austerely maintained sorrowfulness, wherewith "
## [31070] "he seemed to despise the works of nature, framing an universal "
## [31071] "complaint in that universal mischief, uttered it in this Seistine. "
## [31072] ""
## [31073] "Since wailing is a bud of causeful sorrow, "
## [31074] "Since sorrow is the follower of evil fortune. "
## [31075] "Since no evil fortune equals public damage ; "
## [31076] "Now princes loss hath made our damage public. "
## [31077] "Sorrow pay we to thee the rights of nature, "
## [31078] "And inward grief fail up with outward wailing. "
## [31079] ""
## [31080] ""
## [31081] ""
## [31082] "looK ivj Arcadia §7* "
## [31083] ""
## [31084] "Why should we spare our voice from endless wailing, "
## [31085] "Who justly make our hearts the seat of sorrow? "
## [31086] "In such a case where it appears that nature "
## [31087] "Doth add her force unto the sting of fortune : "
## [31088] "Choosing alas, this our theatre public. "
## [31089] "Where they would leave trophies of cruel damage. "
## [31090] ""
## [31091] "Then, since such powers conspired unto our damage "
## [31092] "(Which may be known, but never help with wailing) "
## [31093] "Yet let us leave a monument in public "
## [31094] "Of willing tears, torn hairs, and cries of sorrow. "
## [31095] "For lost, lost is by blow of cruel fortune "
## [31096] "Arcadia's gem, the noblest child of nature. "
## [31097] ""
## [31098] "O nature doting old, O blind dead nature. "
## [31099] "How hast thou torn thyself, sought thine own damage "
## [31100] "In granting such a scope to filthy fortune, "
## [31101] "By thy imp's loss to fill the world with wailing. "
## [31102] "Cast thy step-mother eyes, upon our sorrow. "
## [31103] "Public our loss : so, see, thy shame is public. "
## [31104] ""
## [31105] "O that we had, to make our woes more public, "
## [31106] "Seas in our eyes, and brazen tongues by nature, "
## [31107] "A yelling voice, and hearts compos'd of sorrow, "
## [31108] "Breath made of flames, wits knowing naught but damage. "
## [31109] "Our sports murd'ring ourselves, our musics wailing. "
## [31110] "Our studies fixed upon the falls of fortune. "
## [31111] ""
## [31112] "No, no, our mischief grows in this vile fortune. "
## [31113] "That private pains cannot breathe out in public "
## [31114] "The furious inward griefs with hellish wailing ; "
## [31115] "But forced are to burden' feeble nature "
## [31116] "With secret sense of our eternal damage, "
## [31117] "And sorrow feed, feeding our souls with sorrow. "
## [31118] ""
## [31119] "Since sorrow then concluded all our fortune. "
## [31120] "With all our deaths show we this damage public : "
## [31121] "His nature fears to die who lives still wailing. "
## [31122] ""
## [31123] "It seemed that this complaint of Agelastus had awaked the spirits "
## [31124] "af the Arcadians, astonished before with the exceedingness of sorrow. "
## [31125] "For he had scarcely ended when divers of them offered to follow "
## [31126] "liis example in bewailing the general loss of that country which "
## [31127] "bad been as well a nurse to strangers as a mother to Arcadians. "
## [31128] "Among the rest one accounted good in that kind, and made the "
## [31129] "better by the true feeling of sorrow, roared out a song of "
## [31130] "lamentation, which, as well as might be, was gathered up in this "
## [31131] "form : "
## [31132] ""
## [31133] ""
## [31134] ""
## [31135] "572 • ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [31136] ""
## [31137] "Since that to death is gone the shepherd high, "
## [31138] "Who most the silly shepherd's pipe did prize, "
## [31139] ""
## [31140] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31141] "And you O trees, if any life there lies "
## [31142] ""
## [31143] "In trees, now through your porous barks receive "
## [31144] "The strange resound of these my causeful cries ; "
## [31145] ""
## [31146] "And let my breath upon your branches cleave, "
## [31147] "My breath distinguished into words of woe, "
## [31148] ""
## [31149] "That so I may signs of my sorrow leave. "
## [31150] "But if among yourselves some one tree grow. "
## [31151] ""
## [31152] "That aptest is to figure misery, "
## [31153] "Let it embassage bear your griefs to show. "
## [31154] ""
## [31155] "The weeping myrrh I think will not deny "
## [31156] "Her help to this, this justest cause of plaint. "
## [31157] ""
## [31158] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31159] ""
## [31160] "And thou, poor earth, whom fortune doth attaint, "
## [31161] ""
## [31162] "In nature's name to suffer such a harm. "
## [31163] "As for to lose thy gem, and such a saint. "
## [31164] ""
## [31165] "Upon thy face let coaly ravens swarm : "
## [31166] "Let all the sea thy tears accounted be ; "
## [31167] ""
## [31168] "Thy bowels will all killing metals arm. "
## [31169] "Let gold now rust, let diamonds waste in thee : "
## [31170] ""
## [31171] "Let pearls be wan with woe their dam doth bear ! "
## [31172] "Thyself henceforth the light do never see. "
## [31173] ""
## [31174] "And you, O flowers, which sometimes princes wear. "
## [31175] "Tell these strange alt' rings you did hap to try, "
## [31176] ""
## [31177] "Of princes' loss yourselves for tokens rear. "
## [31178] "Lily in mourning black thy whiteness die ; "
## [31179] ""
## [31180] "O Hyacinth let Ai be on thee still, "
## [31181] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31182] ""
## [31183] "O Echo, all these woods with roaring fill. "
## [31184] "And do not only mark the accents last. "
## [31185] ""
## [31186] "But all, for all reach out my wailful will ; "
## [31187] "One Echo to another Echo cast "
## [31188] ""
## [31189] "Sound of my griefs, and let it never end. "
## [31190] "Till that it hath all words and waters past. "
## [31191] ""
## [31192] "Nay to the heav'ns your just complaining send, "
## [31193] "And stay the stars inconstant constant race. "
## [31194] ""
## [31195] "Till that they do unto our dolours bend : "
## [31196] "And ask the reason of that special grace, "
## [31197] ""
## [31198] "That they which have no lives should live so long, "
## [31199] "And virtuous souls so soon should lose their place ? "
## [31200] ""
## [31201] "Ask, if in great men good men do so throng, "
## [31202] "That he for want of elbow-room must die ? "
## [31203] ""
## [31204] "Or if that they be scant, if this be wrong ? "
## [31205] ""
## [31206] ""
## [31207] ""
## [31208] "BOOK IV.] ARCADIA 573 "
## [31209] ""
## [31210] "DidWisdomthis our wretched time espy- "
## [31211] "In one true chest to rob all virtue's treasure ? "
## [31212] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31213] ""
## [31214] "And if that any counsel you to measure "
## [31215] ""
## [31216] "Your doleful tunes, to them still plaining say, "
## [31217] "To well felt grief plaint is the only pleasure. "
## [31218] ""
## [31219] "O light of sun, which is entitled day : "
## [31220] "O well thou dost that thou no longer bidest ; "
## [31221] ""
## [31222] "For mourning night her black weeds may display, "
## [31223] "O Phoebus with good cause thy face thou hidest, "
## [31224] ""
## [31225] "Rather than have thy all-beholding eye "
## [31226] "Fouled with this sight, while thou thy chariot guidest, "
## [31227] ""
## [31228] "And well methinks becomes this vaulty sky "
## [31229] "A stately tomb to cover him deceased. "
## [31230] ""
## [31231] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31232] ""
## [31233] "O Philomela with thy breast oppressed "
## [31234] ""
## [31235] "By shame and grief, help, help me to lament "
## [31236] "Such cursed harms as cannot be redressed. "
## [31237] ""
## [31238] "Or if thy mourning notes be fully spent. "
## [31239] "Then give a quiet ear unto my plaining : "
## [31240] ""
## [31241] "For I to teach the world complaint am bent. "
## [31242] "Vou dimmy clouds, which well employ your staining. "
## [31243] ""
## [31244] "This cheerful air with your obscured cheer. "
## [31245] "Witness your woful tears with daily raining. "
## [31246] ""
## [31247] "And if, O sun, thou ever didst appear, "
## [31248] "In shape, which by man's eye might be perceived : "
## [31249] ""
## [31250] "Virtue is dead, now set thy triumph here. "
## [31251] "Now set thy triumph in this world, bereaved "
## [31252] ""
## [31253] "Of what was good, where now no good doth lie ; "
## [31254] "And by the pomp our loss will be conceived, "
## [31255] ""
## [31256] "O notes of mine yourselves together tie : "
## [31257] "With too much grief methinks you are dissolved. "
## [31258] ""
## [31259] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31260] ""
## [31261] "Time ever old, and young is still revolved "
## [31262] ""
## [31263] "Within itself, and never tasted end : "
## [31264] "But mankind is for aye to nought resolved. "
## [31265] ""
## [31266] "The filthy snake her aged coat can mend. "
## [31267] "And getting youth again, in youth doth flourish : "
## [31268] ""
## [31269] "But unto man age ever death doth send. "
## [31270] "The very trees with grafting we can cherish, "
## [31271] ""
## [31272] "So that we can long time produce their time : "
## [31273] "But man which helpeth them, helpless must perish. "
## [31274] ""
## [31275] "Thus, thus the minds which over all do climb, "
## [31276] "When they by years' experience get best graces. "
## [31277] ""
## [31278] "Must finish then by death's detested crime, "
## [31279] ""
## [31280] ""
## [31281] ""
## [31282] "574 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [31283] ""
## [31284] "We last short while, and build long lasting places : "
## [31285] ""
## [31286] "Ah let us all against foul nature cry : "
## [31287] "We nature's works do help, she us defaces ; "
## [31288] ""
## [31289] "For how can nature unto this reply : "
## [31290] "That she her child, I say, her best child killeth ? "
## [31291] ""
## [31292] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31293] ""
## [31294] "Alas methinks my weakened voice but spilleth "
## [31295] ""
## [31296] "The vehement course of his just lamentation ; "
## [31297] "Methinks, my sound no place with sorrow fiUeth. "
## [31298] ""
## [31299] "I know not I, but once in detestation "
## [31300] "I have myself, and all what life containeth, "
## [31301] ""
## [31302] "Since death on virtue's fort hath made invasion "
## [31303] "One word of woe another after traineth : "
## [31304] ""
## [31305] "Nor do I care how rude by my invention. "
## [31306] "So it be seen what sorrow in me reigneth. "
## [31307] ""
## [31308] "O elements, by whose, men say, contention, "
## [31309] "Our bodies be in living power maintained. "
## [31310] ""
## [31311] "Was this man's death the fruit of your dissention ? "
## [31312] "O physic's power, which some say, hath restrained "
## [31313] "Approach of death, alas, thou helpest meagrely, "
## [31314] ""
## [31315] "When once one is for Atropos distrained. "
## [31316] "Great be physicians' brags, but aid is beggarly, "
## [31317] ""
## [31318] "When rooted moisture fails or groweth dry. "
## [31319] "They leave off all, and say, death comes too eagerly. "
## [31320] ""
## [31321] "They are but words therefore that men do buy "
## [31322] "Of any, since god ^^sculapius ceased. "
## [31323] ""
## [31324] "Your doleful tunes sweet Muses now apply. "
## [31325] ""
## [31326] "Justice, justice is now, alas, oppressed : "
## [31327] ""
## [31328] "Bountifulness hath made his last conclusion : "
## [31329] "Goodness for best attire in dust is dressed. "
## [31330] ""
## [31331] "Shepherds bewail your uttermost confusion ; "
## [31332] "And see by this picture to you presented, "
## [31333] ""
## [31334] "Death is our home, life is but a delusion, "
## [31335] "For see, alas, who is from you absented, "
## [31336] ""
## [31337] "Absented? nay I say for ever banished "
## [31338] "For such as were to die for him contented ? "
## [31339] ""
## [31340] "Out of her sight in turn of hand is vanished "
## [31341] "Shepherd of shepherds, whose well settled order "
## [31342] ""
## [31343] "Private with wealth, public with quiet garnished "
## [31344] "While he did live, far, far was all disorder. "
## [31345] ""
## [31346] "Example more prevailing than direction. "
## [31347] "Far was home-strife, and far was foe from border, "
## [31348] ""
## [31349] "His life a law, his look a full correction : "
## [31350] "As in his health we healthful were preserved, "
## [31351] ""
## [31352] "So in his sickness grew our sure infection. "
## [31353] "His death our death. But ah, my muse hath swerved, "
## [31354] ""
## [31355] ""
## [31356] ""
## [31357] "BOOK IV.] AROADIA 575 "
## [31358] ""
## [31359] "For such deep plaint as should such woes descry, "
## [31360] "Which he of us for ever hath deserved. "
## [31361] ""
## [31362] "The style of heavy heart can never fly "
## [31363] "So high, as should make such a pain notorious : "
## [31364] ""
## [31365] "Cease muse therefore : thy dart O death apply, "
## [31366] "And farewell prince, whom goodness hath made glorious. "
## [31367] ""
## [31368] "Many were ready to have followed this course, but the day was "
## [31369] "so wasted, that only this rhyming Seistine delivered by one of "
## [31370] "jreat account among them, could obtain favour to be heard. "
## [31371] ""
## [31372] "Farewell, O sun, Arcadia's clearest light : "
## [31373] "Farewell, O pearl, the poor man's plenteous treasure. "
## [31374] ""
## [31375] "Farewell, O golden staff, the weak man's might : "
## [31376] "Farewell, O joy, the joyful's only pleasure. "
## [31377] ""
## [31378] "Wisdom, farewell, the skill-less man's direction ! "
## [31379] ""
## [31380] "Farewell with thee, farewell all our affection. "
## [31381] ""
## [31382] "For what place now is left for our affection. "
## [31383] "Now that of purest lamp is quench'd the light. "
## [31384] "Which to our darkened minds was best direction ? "
## [31385] "Now that the mine is lost of all our treasure ? "
## [31386] "Now death hath swallowed up our worldly pleasure. "
## [31387] "We orphans made, void of all public might ? "
## [31388] ""
## [31389] "Orphans indeed, depriv'd of father's might : "
## [31390] "For he our father was in all affection. "
## [31391] "In our well-doing placing all his pleasure, "
## [31392] ""
## [31393] "Still studying how to us to be a light. "
## [31394] "As well he was in peace a safest treasure : "
## [31395] ""
## [31396] "In war his wit and word was our direction. "
## [31397] ""
## [31398] "Whence, whence, alas, shall we seek our direction ? "
## [31399] "When that we fe^r our hateful neighbours' might "
## [31400] "Who long have gap'd to get Arcadian's treasure. "
## [31401] "Shall we now find a guide of such affection, "
## [31402] ""
## [31403] "Who for our sakes will think all travel light. "
## [31404] "And make his pain to keep us safe, his pleasure? "
## [31405] ""
## [31406] "No, no, for ever gone is all our pleasure ; "
## [31407] ""
## [31408] "For ever wand'ring from all good direction j "
## [31409] "For ever blinded of our clearest light ; "
## [31410] "For ever lamed of our sured might ; "
## [31411] "For ever banish'd from well plac'd affection ; "
## [31412] "For ever robb'd of all our royal treasure. "
## [31413] ""
## [31414] "Let tears for him therefore be all our treasure, "
## [31415] "And in our wailing naming him our pleasure : "
## [31416] ""
## [31417] ""
## [31418] ""
## [31419] "576 ARCADIA [book iv. "
## [31420] ""
## [31421] "Let hating of ourselves be our affection, "
## [31422] "And unto death bend still our thoughts direction : "
## [31423] "Let us against ourselves employ our might, "
## [31424] "And putting out our eyes seek we our light "
## [31425] ""
## [31426] "Farewell our light, farewell our spoiled treasure : "
## [31427] "Farewell our might, farewell our daunted pleasure : "
## [31428] "Farewell direction, farewell all affection. "
## [31429] ""
## [31430] "The night began to cast her dark canopy over them, and they, "
## [31431] "even weary with their woes, bended homewards, hoping by sleep, "
## [31432] "forgetting themselves, to ease their present dolors, when they "
## [31433] "were met with a troop of twenty horse, the chief of which asking "
## [31434] "them for the king, and understanding the hard news, thereupon "
## [31435] "stayed among them expecting the return of a messenger, whon: "
## [31436] "with speed he dispatched to Philanax. "
## [31437] ""
## [31438] ""
## [31439] ""
## [31440] "ARCADIA "
## [31441] ""
## [31442] ""
## [31443] ""
## [31444] "BOOK V "
## [31445] ""
## [31446] ""
## [31447] ""
## [31448] "I'^HE dangerous division of men's minds, the ruinous renting "
## [31449] "of all estates, had now brought Arcadia to feel the pangs "
## [31450] "of uttermost peril, such convulsions never coming, but "
## [31451] "that the life of that government draws near his necessary period, "
## [31452] "ivhen to the honest and wise Philanax, equally distracted between "
## [31453] "desire of his master's revenge and care of the estate's establishment, "
## [31454] "there came, unlocked for, a Macedonian gentleman, who in short, "
## [31455] "but pithy manner, delivered unto him, that the renowned Euarchus, "
## [31456] "King of Macedon, purposing to have visited his old friend and "
## [31457] "confederate the King Basilius, was now come within half a mile "
## [31458] "of the lodges, where having understood by certain shepherds the "
## [31459] "sudden death of their prince, had sent unto him, of whose authority "
## [31460] "and faith he had good knowledge, desiring him to advertise him "
## [31461] "in what security he might rest there for that night, where willingly "
## [31462] "he would, if safely he might, help to celebrate the funeral of his "
## [31463] "ancient companion and ally ; adding he need not doubt, since he "
## [31464] "had brought but twenty in his company, he would be so unwise as "
## [31465] "to enter into any forcible attempt with so small force. Philanax "
## [31466] "having entertaihed the gentleman, as well as in the midst of so "
## [31467] "many tumults he could, pausing a while with himself, considering "
## [31468] "how it should not only be unjust and against the law of nations, "
## [31469] "not well to receive a prince whom goodwill had brought among "
## [31470] "them, but, in respect of the greatness of his might, very dangerous "
## [31471] "to give him any cause of due offence ; remembering withal the "
## [31472] "excellent trials of his equity, which made him more famous than "
## [31473] "his victories, he thought he might be the fittest instrument to "
## [31474] "redress the ruins they were in, since his goodness put him without "
## [31475] "suspicion, and his greatness beyond envy. Yet weighing with "
## [31476] "himself how hard many heads were to be bridled, and that in this "
## [31477] "monstrous confusion such mischief might be attempted, of which "
## [31478] ""
## [31479] "2 "
## [31480] ""
## [31481] ""
## [31482] ""
## [31483] "578 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [31484] ""
## [31485] "late repentance should after be but a simple remedy, he judged "
## [31486] "best first to know how the people's minds would sway to this "
## [31487] "determination. Therefore desiring the gentleman to return to the "
## [31488] "King his master, and to beseech him, though with his pains, to "
## [31489] "stay for an hour or two, where he was, till he had set things in "
## [31490] "better order to receive him, he himself went first to the noblemen, "
## [31491] "then to Kalander, and the principal Mantineans, who were most "
## [31492] "opposite unto him, desiring them, that as the night had most "
## [31493] "blessedly staid them from entering into civil blood, so they would "
## [31494] "be content in the night to assemble the people together to hear "
## [31495] "some news which he was to deliver unto them. There is nothing "
## [31496] "more desirous of novelties than a man that fears his present fortune. "
## [31497] "Therefore they, whom mutual diffidence made doubtful of their "
## [31498] "utter destruction, were quickly persuaded to hear of any new "
## [31499] "matter, which might alter at least, if not help the nature of their "
## [31500] "fear. Namely, the chiefest men, who as they had most to lose, so "
## [31501] "were most jealous of their own case, and were already grown as "
## [31502] "weary to be followers of Timautus's ambition, as before they were "
## [31503] "enviers of Philanax's worthiness. As for Kallander and Sympathus "
## [31504] "as in the one a virtuous friendship had made him seek to advance, "
## [31505] "in the other a natural commiseration had made him willing to "
## [31506] "protect the excellent, though unfortunate prisoners, so were they "
## [31507] "not against this convocation. For having nothing but just desires "
## [31508] "in them, they did not mistrust the justifying of them. Only "
## [31509] "Timautas, laboured to have withdrawn them from this assembly, "
## [31510] "saying it was time to stop their ears from the ambitious charms of "
## [31511] "Philanax. Let them first deliver Gynecia, and her daughters, "
## [31512] "which were fit persons to hear, and then they might begin to speak. "
## [31513] "That this was but Philanax's cunning, to link broil upon broil, "
## [31514] "because he might avoid the answering of his trespasses, which as "
## [31515] "he had long intended, so had he prepared coloured speeches to "
## [31516] "disguise them. But as his words expressed rather a violence of "
## [31517] "rancour than any just ground of accusation, so pierced they no "
## [31518] "farther than to some partial ear, the multitude yielding good "
## [31519] "attention to what Philanax would propose unto them. Who, like a "
## [31520] "man whose best building was a well-framed conscience, neither "
## [31521] "with plausible words, nor fawning countenance, but even with the "
## [31522] "grave behaviour of a wise father, whom nothing but love makes to "
## [31523] "chide, thus said unto them. "
## [31524] ""
## [31525] "\" I have,\" said he, \" a great matter to deliver unto you, and "
## [31526] "thereout am I to make a greater demand of you : but tnily such "
## [31527] "hath this late proceeding been of yours that I know not what is to "
## [31528] "be demanded of you. Methinks I may have reason to require of "
## [31529] "you, as men are wont among pirates, that the life of him that "
## [31530] "never hurt you, may be safe. Methinks I am not without "
## [31531] ""
## [31532] ""
## [31533] ""
## [31534] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 579 "
## [31535] ""
## [31536] "appearance of cause, as if you were Cyclopes or Cannibals, to "
## [31537] "desire that our prince's body, which hath thirty years maintained "
## [31538] "us in a flourishing peace, be not torn in pieces, or devoured "
## [31539] "among you, but may be suffered to yield itself, which never was "
## [31540] "defiled with any of your bloods, to the natural rest of the earth. "
## [31541] "Methinks, not as to Arcadians renowned for your faith to prince, "
## [31542] "and love of country, but as to sworn enemies of this sweet soil. I "
## [31543] "am to desire you, that at least, if you will have strangers to your "
## [31544] "princes, yet you will not deliver the seigniory of this goodly "
## [31545] "kingdom to your noble king's murderers. Lastly, I have reason, "
## [31546] "as if I had to speak to madmen, to desire you to be good to "
## [31547] "yourselves : for before God, what either barbarous violence or "
## [31548] "unnatural folly, hath not this day had his seat in your minds, and "
## [31549] "left his footsteps in your actions ? but in troth I love you too well "
## [31550] "to stand long displaying your faults : I would you yourselves did "
## [31551] "Forget them, so you did not fall again into them. For my part, I "
## [31552] "had much rather be an orator of your praises. But now, if you "
## [31553] "will suffer attentive judgment, and not fore-judging passion, to be "
## [31554] "the weigher of my words, I will deliver unto you what a blessed "
## [31555] "mean the gods have sent unto you, if you list to embrace it. I "
## [31556] "think there is none among you so young, either in years, or "
## [31557] "anderstanding, but hath heard the true fame of that just prince "
## [31558] "Euarchus, King of Macedon. A prince with whom our late master "
## [31559] "iid ever hold most perfect alliance. He, even he, is this day come, "
## [31560] "having but twenty horse with him, within two miles of this place, "
## [31561] "doping to have found the virtuous Basilius afive, but now willing "
## [31562] ":o do honour to his death. Surely, surely the heavenly powers "
## [31563] "lave in so full a time bestowed him on us to unite our divisions. "
## [31564] "For my part therefore I wish, that since among ourselves we "
## [31565] ":annot agree in so manifold partialities, we do put the ordering of "
## [31566] "ill these things into his hands, as well touching the obsequies of "
## [31567] "he king, the punishment of his death, as the marriage and crowning "
## [31568] ")f our princesses, he is both by experience and wisdom taught how "
## [31569] "o direct : his greatness such as no man can disdain to obey him : "
## [31570] "lis equity such as no man need to fear him. Lastly, as he hath "
## [31571] "ill these qualities to help, so hath he, though he would, no force to "
## [31572] "mrt. If therefore you so think good, since our laws bear that our "
## [31573] "irmce's murder be chastised before his murdered body be buried "
## [31574] "re may invite him to sit to-morrow in the judgment seat ; which "
## [31575] "lone, you may after proceed to the burial.\" "
## [31576] ""
## [31577] "When Philanax first named Euarchus landing, there was a "
## [31578] "nuttering murmur among the people, as though, in that evil "
## [31579] "irdered weakness of theirs he had come to conquer their country "
## [31580] "Jut when they understood he had so small a retinue, whispering "
## [31581] "ine with another, and looking who should begin to confirm "
## [31582] ""
## [31583] ""
## [31584] ""
## [31585] "S8o ARCADIA [book v, "
## [31586] ""
## [31587] "Philanax's proposition, at length Sympathus was the first that "
## [31588] "allowed it, then the rest of the noblemen ; neither did Kalander "
## [31589] "strive, hoping so excellent a prince could not but deal graciously "
## [31590] "with two such young men, whose authority joined to Philanax, all "
## [31591] "the popular sort followed. Timautus still blinded with his own "
## [31592] "ambitious haste, not remembering factions are no longer to be "
## [31593] "trusted, than the factious may be persuaded it is for their own "
## [31594] "good, would needs strive against the stream, exclaiming against "
## [31595] "Philanax, that now he showed who it was that would betray his "
## [31596] "country to strangers. But well he found, that who is too busy in "
## [31597] "the fouhdation of an house, may pull the building about his ears. "
## [31598] "For the people already tired with their own divisions, of which his "
## [31599] "clampring had been a principal nurse, and beginning now to espy "
## [31600] "a haven of rest, hated anything that should hinder them from it : "
## [31601] "asking one another whether this were not he whose evil tongue "
## [31602] "no man could escape? whether it were not Timautus that made "
## [31603] "the first mutinous oration, to strengthen the troubles? whether "
## [31604] "Timautus, without their consent, had not gone about to deliver "
## [31605] "Gynecia? And thus inflaming one another against him, they "
## [31606] "threw him out of the assembly, and after pursued him with stones "
## [31607] "and staves, so that with loss of one of his eyes, sore wounded and "
## [31608] "beaten, he was fain to fly to Philanax's feet, for succour of his "
## [31609] "life ; giving a true lesson, that vice itself is forced to seek the "
## [31610] "sanctuary of virtue. For Philanax, who hated his evil, but not his "
## [31611] "person, and knew that a just punishment might by the manner be "
## [31612] "unjustly done ; remembering ivithal that although herein the "
## [31613] "people's rage might have hit rightly, yet if it were nourished in "
## [31614] "this, no man knew to what extremities it might extend itself, with "
## [31615] "earnest dealing, and employing the uttermost of his authority he "
## [31616] "did protect the trembling Timautus. And then having taken a "
## [31617] "general oath, that they should in the nonage of the princess, or till "
## [31618] "these things were settled, yield full obedience to Euarchus, so far "
## [31619] "as were not prejudicial to the laws, customs and liberties of "
## [31620] "Arcadia : and having taken a particular bond of Sympathus, under "
## [31621] "whom he had a servant of his own, that the prisoners should be "
## [31622] "kept close, withou conference with any man : he himself "
## [31623] "honourably accompanied with a great number of torches, went to "
## [31624] "the King Euarchus, whose coming in this sort into Arcadia had "
## [31625] "thus fallen out. "
## [31626] ""
## [31627] "The woful Prince Plangus receiving of Basilius no other "
## [31628] "succours, but only certain to conduct him to Euarchus, made all "
## [31629] "possible speed towards Byzantium, where he understood the king, "
## [31630] "having concluded all his wars with the winning of that town, had "
## [31631] "now for some good space made his abode. But being far gone "
## [31632] "on his way, he received certain intelligence, that Euarchus was "
## [31633] ""
## [31634] ""
## [31635] ""
## [31636] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 581 "
## [31637] ""
## [31638] "not only some days before returned into Macedon, but since was "
## [31639] "gone with some haste to visit that coast of his country that lay "
## [31640] "towards Italy; the occasion given by the Latines, who having "
## [31641] "aheady gotten into their hands, partly by conquest and partly "
## [31642] "by confederacy, the greatest part of Italy, and long gaped to "
## [31643] "devour Greece also, observing the present opportunity of Euarchus's "
## [31644] "absence, and Basilius's solitariness, which two princes they knew "
## [31645] "to be in effect the whole strength of Greece, were even ready to "
## [31646] "lay an unjust gripe upon it, which after they might beautify with "
## [31647] "the noble name of conquest. Which purpose though they made "
## [31648] "not known by any solemn denouncing of war, but contrariwise "
## [31649] "gave many tokens of continuing still their former amity : yet the "
## [31650] "staying of his subjects ships, trafficking as merchants into those "
## [31651] "parts, together with the daily preparation of shipping, and other "
## [31652] "warlike provisions in ports, most convenient for the transporting "
## [31653] "of soldiers, occasioned Euarchus, not unacquainted with such "
## [31654] "practices, first to suspect, then to discern, lastly to seek to prevent "
## [31655] "the intended mischief. Yet thinking war never to be accepted "
## [31656] "until it be offered by the hand of necessity, he determined so long "
## [31657] "openly to hold them his friends, as open hospitality betrayed them "
## [31658] "not his enemies, nor ceasing in the meantime by letters and "
## [31659] "messages to move the states of Greece, by uniting their strength, "
## [31660] "to make timely provision against this peril ; by many reasons "
## [31661] "making them see that, though in respect of place some of them "
## [31662] "might seem farther removed from the first violence of the storm, "
## [31663] "yet being embarked in the same ship, the final wreck must needs "
## [31664] "be common to them all. And knowing the mighty force of "
## [31665] "example, with the weak effect of fair discourses, not waited on "
## [31666] "with agreeable actions, what he persuaded them, himself performed, "
## [31667] "leaving in his own realm nothing either undone or unprovided "
## [31668] "which might be thought necessary for withstanding an invasion. "
## [31669] "His first care was to put his people in a readiness for war, and by "
## [31670] "bis experienced soldiers to train the unskilful to martial exercises. "
## [31671] "For the better effecting whereof, as also for meeting with other "
## [31672] "inconveniences in such doubtful times incident to the most settled "
## [31673] "states, making of the divers regions of his whole kingdom so many "
## [31674] "divisions as he thought convenient, he appointed the charge of "
## [31675] "them to the greatest, and of greatest trust he had about him : "
## [31676] "irming them with sufficient authority to levy forces within their "
## [31677] "several governments, both for the resisting the invading enemy "
## [31678] "ind punishing the disordered subject. ' "
## [31679] ""
## [31680] "Having thus prepared the body, and assured the heart of his "
## [31681] ":ountry against any mischief that might attaint it, he then took "
## [31682] "nto his careful consideration the external parts, giving order both "
## [31683] "or the repairing and increasing his navy, and for the fortifying of "
## [31684] ""
## [31685] ""
## [31686] ""
## [31687] "582 ARCADIA tBooK V, "
## [31688] ""
## [31689] "such places, especially on the sea coast, as either commodity of "
## [31690] "landing, weakness of the country, or any other respect of advantage "
## [31691] "was likeliest to draw the enemy unto. But being none of them who "
## [31692] "think all things done, for which they have once given direction, he "
## [31693] "followed everywhere his commandment with his presence, which "
## [31694] "witnessed of every man's slackness or diligence, chastising the one, "
## [31695] "and encouraging the other, suffered not the fruit of any profitable "
## [31696] "counsel for want of timely taking to be lost. And thus making one "
## [31697] "place succeed another in the progress of wisdom and virtue, he was "
## [31698] "now come to Aulon a principal port of his realm, when the poor "
## [31699] "Plangus extremely wearied with his long journey, desire of "
## [31700] "succouring Erona no more relieving, than fear of not succouring her "
## [31701] "in time, aggravating his travel, by a lamentable narration of his "
## [31702] "children's death, called home his cares from encountering foreign "
## [31703] "enemies, to suppress the insurrection of inward passions. The "
## [31704] "matter so heinous, the manner so villainous, the loss of such "
## [31705] "persons, in so unripe years, in a time so dangerous to the whole "
## [31706] "state of Greece, how vehemently it moved to grief and compassion "
## [31707] "others, only not blind to the light of virtue, nor deaf to the voice of "
## [31708] "their country, might perchance by a more cunning workman in "
## [31709] "lively colours be delivered. But the face of Euarchus's sorrow, to "
## [31710] "the one in nature, to both in affection a father, and judging the "
## [31711] "world so much the more unworthily deprived of those excellencies, "
## [31712] "as himself was better judge of so excellent worthiness, can no "
## [31713] "otherwise be shadowed out by the skillfuUest pencil than by "
## [31714] "covering it over with the veil of silence. And indeed that way "
## [31715] "himself took, with so patient a quietness receiving this pitiful "
## [31716] "relation, that all words of weakness suppressed, magnanimity "
## [31717] "seemed to triumph over misery. Only receiving of Plangus perfect "
## [31718] "instruction of all things concerning Plexirtus and Artaxia, with "
## [31719] "promise not only to aid him in delivering Erona, but also with "
## [31720] "vehement protestation never to return into Macedon, till he had "
## [31721] "pursued the murderers to death, he dispatched with speed a ship "
## [31722] "for Byzantium, commanding the governor to provide all necessaries "
## [31723] "for the war against his own coming, which he purposed should "
## [31724] "be very shortly. In this ship Plangus would needs go, impatient "
## [31725] "of stay, for that in many days before he had understood nothing of "
## [31726] "his lady's estate. Soon after whose departure, news was brought "
## [31727] "to Euarchus, that all the ships detained in Italy were returned. "
## [31728] "For the Latines finding by Euarchus's proceedings their intent to "
## [31729] "be frustrate, as before by his sudden return they doubted it was "
## [31730] "discovered, deeming it no wisdom to show the will, not having the "
## [31731] "ability to hurt, had not only in free and friendly manner dismissed "
## [31732] "them, but for that time wholly omitted their enterprise attending "
## [31733] "the opportunity of fitter occasion. By means whereof Euarchus, "
## [31734] ""
## [31735] ""
## [31736] ""
## [31737] "BOOK v.] "
## [31738] ""
## [31739] ""
## [31740] ""
## [31741] "ARCADIA 583 "
## [31742] ""
## [31743] ""
## [31744] ""
## [31745] "rid from the cumber of that war, likely otherwise to have stayed "
## [31746] "him longer, with so great a fleet as haste would suffer him to "
## [31747] "assemble, forthwith embarked for Byzantium. And now followed "
## [31748] "with fresh winds he had in a short time run a long course, when "
## [31749] "on a night encountered with an extreme tempest, his ships were so "
## [31750] "scattered that scarcely any two were left together. As for the "
## [31751] "king's own ship, deprived of all company, sore bruised, and "
## [31752] "weather beaten, able no longer to brook the sea's churlish "
## [31753] "entertainment, a little before day it recovered the shore. The first "
## [31754] "hght made them see it was the unhappy coast of Laconia : for no "
## [31755] "other country could have shown the like evidence of unnatural "
## [31756] "war. Which having long endured between the nobility and the "
## [31757] "Helots, and once compounded by Pyrocles, under the name of "
## [31758] "Daiphantus, immediately upon his departure had broken out more "
## [31759] "violently than ever before. For the king taking opportunity of their "
## [31760] "captain's absence, refused to perform the conditions of peace as "
## [31761] "extorted from him by rebellious violence. Whereupon they were "
## [31762] "again deeply entered into war, with so notable an hatred towards "
## [31763] "the very name of a king, that Euarchus, though a stranger unto "
## [31764] "them, thought it not safe there to leave his person, where neither "
## [31765] "his own force could be a defence, nor the sacred name of majesty, "
## [31766] "a protection. Therefore calling to him an Arcadian, one that "
## [31767] "coming with Plangus had remained with Euarchus, desirous to see "
## [31768] "the wars, he demanded of him for the next place of surety where "
## [31769] "he might make his stay until he might hear somewhat of his fleet, "
## [31770] "or cause his ship to be repaired. The gentleman glad to have this "
## [31771] "occasion of doing service to Euarchus, and honour to Basihus, to "
## [31772] "whom he knew he should bring a most welcome guest, told him, "
## [31773] "that if it pleased him to commit himself to Arcadia, a part whereof "
## [31774] "lay open to their view, he would undertake e'er the next night were "
## [31775] "far spent to guide him safely to his master Basilius. The present "
## [31776] "necessity much prevailed with Euarchus, yet more a certain "
## [31777] "virtuous desire to try whether by his authority he might withdraw "
## [31778] "Basilius from burying himself alive, and to employ the rest of his "
## [31779] "old years in doing good, the only happy action of man's life. For "
## [31780] "besides the universal case of Greece, deprived by this means of a "
## [31781] "principal pillar, he weighed and pitied the pitiful state of the "
## [31782] "Arcadian people, who were in worse case than if death had taken "
## [31783] "away their prince. For so yet their necessity would have placed "
## [31784] "someone to the helm ; now, a prince being, and not doing like a "
## [31785] "prince, keeping and not exercising the place, they were in so much "
## [31786] "more evil case, as they could not provide for their evil. "
## [31787] ""
## [31788] "These rightly wise and virtuous considerations especially moved "
## [31789] "Euarchus to take his journey towards the deserts, where arriving "
## [31790] "within night, and understanding to his great grief the news of the "
## [31791] ""
## [31792] ""
## [31793] ""
## [31794] "5^4 ARCADIA Ibook v. "
## [31795] ""
## [31796] "prince's death, he waited for his safe conduct from Philanax ; in "
## [31797] "the meantime taking his rest under a tree, with no more affected "
## [31798] "pomps than as a man that knew, howsoever he was exalted, the "
## [31799] "beginning and end of his body was earth. But Philanax as soon "
## [31800] "as he was in sight of him, alighting from his horse, presented himself "
## [31801] "unto him in all those humble behaviours, which not only the great "
## [31802] "reverence of the party, but the conceit of one's own misery, is wont "
## [31803] "to frame : Euarchus rose up unto him, with so gracious a "
## [31804] "countenance, as the goodness of his mind had long exercised him "
## [31805] "unto ; careful so much more to descend in all courtesies, as he saw "
## [31806] "him bear a low representation of his afflicted state. But to "
## [31807] "Philanax, as soon as by near looking on him, he might perfectly "
## [31808] "behold him, the gravity of his countenance and years, not much "
## [31809] "unlike to his late deceased, but ever beloved master, brought his "
## [31810] "form so lively into his memory, and revived so all the thoughts of "
## [31811] "his wonted joys within him, that instead of speaking to Euarchus, "
## [31812] "he stood a while like a man gone a far journey from himself, "
## [31813] "calling as it were with his mind an account of his losses, imagining "
## [31814] "that this pain needed not, if nature had not been violently stopped "
## [31815] "of her own course ; and casting more loving than wise conceits, "
## [31816] "what a world would this have been if this sudden accident had not "
## [31817] "interrupted it. And so far strayed he into his raving melancholy "
## [31818] "that his eyes, nimbler than his tongue, let fall a flood of tears, his "
## [31819] "voice being stopped with extremity of sobbing, so much had his "
## [31820] "friendship carried him to Basilius that he thought no age was "
## [31821] "timely for his death. But at length taking the occasion of his own "
## [31822] "weeping, he thus did speak to Euarchus : \" Let not my tears, most "
## [31823] "worthily renowned prince, make my presence unpleasant, or my "
## [31824] "speech unmarked of you. For the justice of the cause takes away "
## [31825] "the blame of any weakness in me ; and the affinity that the same "
## [31826] "beareth to your greatness, seems even lawfully to claim pity in you : "
## [31827] "a prince of a prince's fall, a lover of justice, of a most unjust "
## [31828] "violence. And give me leave, excellent Euarchus, to say, I am but "
## [31829] "the representor of all the late flourishing Arcadia, which now "
## [31830] "with mine eyes doth weep, with my tongue doth complain, with my "
## [31831] "knees doth lay itself at your feet, which never have been unready "
## [31832] "to carry you to the virtuous protecting of innocents. Imagine, "
## [31833] "vouchsafe to imagine, most wise and good king, that here is before "
## [31834] "your eyes the pitiful spectacle of a most dolorously ending tragedy ; "
## [31835] "wherein I do but play the part of\" all the new miserable province, "
## [31836] "which being spoiled of their guide, doth lie like a ship without a "
## [31837] "pilot, tumbling up and down in the uncertain waves, till it either "
## [31838] "run itself upon the rocks of self-division, or be overthrown by the "
## [31839] "stormy wind of foreign force. Arcadia finding herself in these "
## [31840] "desolate terms, doth speak, and I speak for her, to thee not vainly "
## [31841] ""
## [31842] ""
## [31843] ""
## [31844] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 585 "
## [31845] ""
## [31846] "puissant prince, that since now she is not only robbed of the "
## [31847] "natural support of her lord, but so suddenly robbed that she hath "
## [31848] "not breathing time to stand for her safety : so unfortunately, that "
## [31849] "it doth appal their minds, though they had leisure ; and so "
## [31850] "mischievously, that it doth exceed both the suddenness and "
## [31851] "unfortunateness of it ; thou wilt lend thine arm unto her, and, as a "
## [31852] "man, take compassion of mankind ; as a virtuous man, chastise "
## [31853] "most abominable vice ; and as a prince protect a people, which all "
## [31854] "have with one voice called for thy goodness, thinking that as thou art "
## [31855] "only able, so thou art fully able, to redress their imminent ruins. "
## [31856] "They do therefore with as much confidence as necessity, fly unto "
## [31857] "you for succour, they lay themselves open unto you : to you, I mean "
## [31858] "yourself such as you have ever been : that is to say, one that hath "
## [31859] "always had his determinations bounded with equity. They only "
## [31860] "reserve the right to Basilius's blood ; the manner to the ancient "
## [31861] "prescribing of their laws. For the rest without exception they "
## [31862] "yield over unto you, as to the elected protector of this kingdom, "
## [31863] "which name and office they beseech you, till you have laid a "
## [31864] "sufficient foundation of tranquility, to take upon you; the "
## [31865] "particularity both of their statutes and demands you shall presently "
## [31866] "after understand. Now only I am to say unto you, that this "
## [31867] "country falls to be a fair field, to prove whether the goodly tree of "
## [31868] "your virtue will live in all soils. Here I say will be seen, whether "
## [31869] "either fear can make you short, or the licourishness of dominion make "
## [31870] "you beyond justice. And I can for conclusion say no more but "
## [31871] "this, you must think upon my words, and on your answer depends "
## [31872] "not only the quiet, but the lives of so many thousands, which for "
## [31873] "their ancient confederacy, in this their extreme necessity, desire "
## [31874] "neither the expense of your treasure, nor hazard of your subjects, "
## [31875] "but only the benefit of your wisdom, whose both glory and increase "
## [31876] "stands in the exercising of it.\" "
## [31877] ""
## [31878] "The sum of this request was utterly unlooked for of Euarchus, "
## [31879] "which made him the more diligent in marking his speech, and after "
## [31880] "his speech take the greater pause for a perfect resolution. For as "
## [31881] "of the one side, he thought nature required nothing more of him "
## [31882] "than that he should be a help to them of like creation, and had his "
## [31883] "heart no wit commanded with fear, thinking his life well passed, "
## [31884] "having satisfied the tyranny of time, with the course of many years, "
## [31885] "the expectation of the world with more than expected honour ; "
## [31886] "lastly, the tribute due to his own mind, with the daily offering "
## [31887] "of most virtuous actions : so of the other he weighed the just "
## [31888] "reproach that followed those who easily enter into other folk's "
## [31889] "business, with the opinion might be conceived, love of seigniory "
## [31890] "rather than of justice, had made him embark himself thus into a "
## [31891] "matter nothing pertaining to him, especially in a time when earnest "
## [31892] ""
## [31893] ""
## [31894] ""
## [31895] "S86 ARCADIA tBooK v. "
## [31896] ""
## [31897] "occasion of his own business so greatly required his presence. "
## [31898] "But in the end, wisdom being an essential and not an opinionate "
## [31899] "thing, made him rather to bend to what was in itself good than "
## [31900] "what by evil minds might be judged not good. And therein did "
## [31901] "see that though the people did not belong unto him, yet doing "
## [31902] "good, which is not enclosed within any terms of people, did belong "
## [31903] "unto him, and if necessity forced him for some time to abide in "
## [31904] "Arcadia, the necessity of Arcadia might justly demand some fruit "
## [31905] "of abiding. To this secret assurance of his own worthiness, which "
## [31906] "although it be never so well clothed in modesty, yet always lives "
## [31907] "in the worthiest minds, did much push him forward, saying unto "
## [31908] "himself, the treasure of those inward gifts he had were bestowed by "
## [31909] "the heavens upon him to be beneficial and not idle. On which "
## [31910] "determination resting, and yet willing before he waded any farther, "
## [31911] "to examine well the depth of the other's proffer ; he thus with that "
## [31912] "well poised gesture, unpassionate nature bestoweth upon mankind, "
## [31913] "made answer to Philanax's most urgent petition. "
## [31914] ""
## [31915] "\"Although long experience hath made me know all men, and "
## [31916] "so princes which be but men, to be subject to infinite casualties, "
## [31917] "the very constitution of our lives remaining in continual change: "
## [31918] "yet the affairs of this country, or at least my meeting so jumply "
## [31919] "with them, makes me abashed with the strangeness of it. With "
## [31920] "much pain am I come hither to see my long approved friend, "
## [31921] "and now I find if I will see him, I must see him dead : after, for "
## [31922] "mine own security, I seek to be warranted mine own life ; and "
## [31923] "there suddenly am I appointed to be a judge of other men's "
## [31924] "lives : though a friend to him, yet am I a stranger to the country, "
## [31925] "and now of a stranger you would suddenly make a director. "
## [31926] "I might object, to your desire, my weakness, which age perhaps "
## [31927] "hath wrought in mind and body; and justly I may pretend the "
## [31928] "necessity of mine own affairs, to which as I am by all true rules "
## [31929] "most nearly tied, so can they not long bear the delay of ray "
## [31930] "absence. But though I would and could dispense with these "
## [31931] "difficulties, what assurance can I have of the people's^ will ? which "
## [31932] "having so many circles of imaginations can hardly be enclosed "
## [31933] "in onfr point. Who knows a people, that knows not sudden "
## [31934] "opinion makes them hope, which hope if it be not answered, they "
## [31935] "fall into hate, choosing and refusing, erecting, and overthrowing, "
## [31936] "according as the presentness of any fancy carries them. Even this "
## [31937] "their hasty drawing to me, makes me think they will be as hastily "
## [31938] "withdrawn from me ; for it is but one ground of inconstancy, soon "
## [31939] "to take or soon to leave. It may be they have heard of Euarchus "
## [31940] "more than cause: their own eyes will be perhaps more curious "
## [31941] "judges, out of hearsay they may have builded many conceits, which "
## [31942] "I cannot, perchance will not, perform, then will undeserved "
## [31943] ""
## [31944] ""
## [31945] ""
## [31946] "BOOK v.J ARCADIA 5^7 "
## [31947] ""
## [31948] "repentance be a greater shame and injury unto me than their "
## [31949] "undeserved proffer is honour. And to conclude, I must be fully "
## [31950] "informed how the patient is minded, before I can promise to "
## [31951] "undertake the cure.\" "
## [31952] ""
## [31953] "Philanax was not of the modern minds, who made suiters "
## [31954] "magistrates; but did ever think the unwilling worthy man, was "
## [31955] "fitter than the undeserving desirer. Therefore the more "
## [31956] "Euarchus drew back, the more he found in him, that the cunningest "
## [31957] "pilot doth most dread the rocks, the more earnestly he pursued "
## [31958] "his public request unto him. He desired him not to make any "
## [31959] "weak excuses of his weakness, since so many examples had well "
## [31960] "proved his mind was strong to overpass the greatest troubles, "
## [31961] "and his body strong enough to obey his mind : and that so long "
## [31962] "as they were joined together, he knew Euarchus would think it "
## [31963] "no wearisome exercise, to make them. vessels of virtuous actions. "
## [31964] "The duty to his country he acknowledged, which as he had so "
## [31965] "settled as it was not to fear any sudden alteration, so since it did "
## [31966] "want him, as well it might endure a fruitful as an idle absence. "
## [31967] "As for the doubt he conceived of the people's constancy in this "
## [31968] "their election, he said it was such a doubt as all human actions "
## [31969] "are subject unto ; yet as much as in politic matters, which receive "
## [31970] "not geometrical certainties, a man may assure himself there was "
## [31971] "evident likelihood to be conceived of the continuance, both in "
## [31972] "their unanimity, and his worthiness ; whereof the one was apt "
## [31973] "to be held, and the other to hold, joined to the present necessity "
## [31974] "the firmest band of mortal minds. In some he alleged so many "
## [31975] "reasons to Euarchus's mind, already inclined to enter into any "
## [31976] "virtuous action, that he yielded to take upon himself the judgment "
## [31977] "of the present cause ; so as he might find indeed, that such was "
## [31978] "the people's desire out of judgment, and not faction. "
## [31979] ""
## [31980] "Therefore mounting on their horses, they hasted to the lodges "
## [31981] "where they found, though late in the night, the people wakefuUy "
## [31982] "watching for the issue of Philanax's embassage. No man thinking "
## [31983] "the matter would be well done, without he had his voice in it "
## [31984] "and each deeming his own eyes the best guardians of his throat "
## [31985] "in that unaccustomed tumult. But when they saw Philanax "
## [31986] "return, having on his right hand the King Euarchus, on whom "
## [31987] "they had now placed the greatest burden of their fears, with joyful "
## [31988] "shouts, and applauding acclamations, they made him and the "
## [31989] "world quickly know, that one man's sufficiency is more available "
## [31990] "than ten thousand of the multitude. So evil balanced be the "
## [31991] "extremities of popular minds : and so much natural imperiousness "
## [31992] "there rests in a well-formed spirit. For, as if Euarchus had been "
## [31993] "born of the princely blood of Arcadia, or that long and well "
## [31994] "acquainted proof had ingrafted him in their country, so flocked "
## [31995] ""
## [31996] ""
## [31997] ""
## [31998] "588 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [31999] ""
## [32000] "they about this stranger, most of them already from dejected fears, "
## [32001] "rising to ambitious considerations, who should catch the first hold "
## [32002] "of his favour. And then from those crying welcomes to babbling "
## [32003] "one with the other, some praising Philanax for his exceeding pain, "
## [32004] "others liking Euarchus's aspect, and as they judged his age by "
## [32005] "his face, so judging his wisdom by his age, Euarchus passed "
## [32006] "through them like a man that did neither disdain a people, nor "
## [32007] "yet was anything tickled with their flatteries. But always holding "
## [32008] "his own, a man might read a constant determination in his eyes. "
## [32009] "And in that soft dismounting among them, he forthwith demanded "
## [32010] "the convocation to be made, which accordingly was done, with "
## [32011] "as much order and silence, as it might appear; Neptune had not "
## [32012] "more force to appease the rebellious wind, than the admiration "
## [32013] "of an extraordinary virtue hath, to temper a disordered multitude ; "
## [32014] "he being raised up upon a place more high than the rest, where "
## [32015] "he might be best understood, in this sort speak unto them. "
## [32016] ""
## [32017] "\" I understand,\" said he, \" faithful Arcadians, by my Lord "
## [32018] "Philanax, that you have with one consent chosen me to be the "
## [32019] "judge of the late evils happened ; orderer of the present disorders ; "
## [32020] "and finally protector of this country till therein it be seen what "
## [32021] "the customs of Arcadia require.\" He could say no farther, being "
## [32022] "stopped with a general cry, that so it was, giving him all the "
## [32023] "honourable titles and happy wishes they could imagine. He "
## [32024] "beckoned unto them for silence, and then thus again proceeded, "
## [32025] "\"Well,\" said he, \"how good choice you have made, the attending "
## [32026] "must be in you, the proof in me. But because it many times falls "
## [32027] "out, we are much deceived in others, we being the first to deceive "
## [32028] "ourselves, I am to require you, not to have an over-shooting "
## [32029] "expectation of me, the most cruel adversary of all honourable "
## [32030] "doings. Nor promise yourselves wonders out of a sudden liking : "
## [32031] "but remember I am a man, that is to say, a creature whose reason "
## [32032] "is often darkened with error. Secondly, that you will lay your "
## [32033] "hearts void of foretaken opinions : else whatsoever I do or say, "
## [32034] "will be measured by a wrong rule, like them that have the yellow "
## [32035] "jaundice, every thing seeming yellow unto them. Thirdly, "
## [32036] "whatsoever debates have risen among you, may be utterly "
## [32037] "extinguished; knowing that even among the best men are "
## [32038] "diversities of opinions, which are no more in true reason to breed "
## [32039] "hatred, than one that loves black, should be angry with him that "
## [32040] "is clothed in white ; for thoughts and conceits are the very apparel "
## [32041] "of the mind : lastly, that you do not easily judge of your judge, "
## [32042] "but since you will have me to command, think it is your part to "
## [32043] "obey. And in reward of this, I will promise and protest unto you, "
## [32044] "that to the uttermost of my skill, both in the general laws of nature, "
## [32045] "especially of Greece, and particularly of Arcadia, wherein I Inust "
## [32046] ""
## [32047] ""
## [32048] ""
## [32049] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 589 "
## [32050] ""
## [32051] "confess I am not unacquainted, I will not only see the passed evils "
## [32052] "duly punished, and your weal hereafter established, but for your "
## [32053] "defence in it, if need shall require, I will employ the force and "
## [32054] "treasures of mine own country. In the meantime, this shall be "
## [32055] "the first order I will take, that no man, under pain of grievous "
## [32056] "punishment, name me by any other name but protector of Arcadia. "
## [32057] "For I will not leave any possible colour, to any of my natural "
## [32058] "successors, to make claim to this which by free election you have "
## [32059] "bestowed upon me. And so I vow unto you, to depose myself "
## [32060] "of it as soon as the judgment is passed, the king buried, and his "
## [32061] "lawful successor appointed. For the first whereof, I mean the "
## [32062] "trying which be guilty of the king's death, and these other heinous "
## [32063] "trespasses, because your customs require such haste, I will no "
## [32064] "longer delay it, than till to-morrow as soon as the sun shall give "
## [32065] "us fit opportunity. You may therefore retire yourselves to your rest, "
## [32066] "that you may be readier to be present, at these so great important "
## [32067] "matters.\" "
## [32068] ""
## [32069] "With many allowing tokens was Euarchus's speech heard, who "
## [32070] "now by Philanax, that took the principal care of doing all due "
## [32071] "services unto him, was offered a lodging made ready for him, the "
## [32072] "rest of the people as well as a small commodity of that place would "
## [32073] "suffer, yielding their weary heads to sleep, when lo, the night "
## [32074] "thoroughly spent in these mixed matters, was for that time "
## [32075] "banished the face of the earth, and Euarchus, seeing the day begin "
## [32076] "to disclose his comfortable beauties, desiring nothing more than to "
## [32077] "join speed with justice, willed Philanax presently to make the "
## [32078] "judgment-place be put in order : and as soon as the people, who "
## [32079] "yet were not fully dispersed, might be brought together, to bring "
## [32080] "forth the prisoners and the king's body. Which the manner was "
## [32081] "should in such cases be held in sight, though covered with black "
## [32082] "velvet, until they that were accused to be the murderers were "
## [32083] "acquitted or condemned ; whether the reason of the law were to "
## [32084] "show the more grateful love to their prince, or by that spectacle "
## [32085] "the more to remember the judge of his duty. Philanax, who now "
## [32086] "thought in himself, he approached to the just revenge he so much "
## [32087] "desired, went with all care and diligence to perform his charge. "
## [32088] ""
## [32089] "But first it shall be well to know how the poor and princely "
## [32090] "prisoners passed this tedious night. There was never tyrant "
## [32091] "exercised his rage with more grievous torments upon any he most "
## [32092] "hated, than afflicted Gynecia did crucify her own soul, after the "
## [32093] "guiltiness of her heart was surcharged with the suddenness "
## [32094] "of her husband's death : for although that effect came not from "
## [32095] "her mind, yet her mind being evil, and the effect evil, she "
## [32096] "thought the justice of God had for the beginning of her pains "
## [32097] "coupled them together. This incessantly boiled in her breast, but "
## [32098] ""
## [32099] ""
## [32100] ""
## [32101] "S90 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32102] ""
## [32103] "most of all, when Philanax having closely imprisoned her, she was "
## [32104] "left more freely to suffer the firebrands of her own thoughts, "
## [32105] "especially when it grew dark, and had nothing left her but a little "
## [32106] "lamp whose small light to a perplexed mind, might rather yield "
## [32107] "fearful shadows than any assured sight. Then began the heaps of "
## [32108] "her miseries, to weigh down the platform of her judgment, then "
## [32109] "began despair to lay his ugly claws upon her, she began then to "
## [32110] "fear the heavenly powers, she was wont to reverence, not like a child, "
## [32111] "but like an enemy, neither kept she herself from blasphemously "
## [32112] "repining against her creation, \" O God,\" would she cry out, \" why "
## [32113] "did You make me to destruction ? if You love goodness, why did "
## [32114] "You not give me a good mind ? or if I cannot have it without Your "
## [32115] "gift, why do You plague me ? Is it in me to resist the mightiness "
## [32116] "of Your power ? \" Then would she imagine she saw strange sights, "
## [32117] "and that she heard the cries of hellish ghosts, then would she "
## [32118] "shriek out for succour, but no man coming unto her, she would "
## [32119] "fain have killed herself, but knew not how. At sometimes again, "
## [32120] "the very heaviness of her imaginations would close up her senses "
## [32121] "to a little sleep : but then did her dreams become her tormentors. "
## [32122] "One time it would seem unto her, Philanax was hauling her by the "
## [32123] "hair of the head, and having put out her eyes was ready to throw "
## [32124] "her in a burning furnace. Another time she would think she saw "
## [32125] "her husband making the complaint of his death to Pluto, and the "
## [32126] "magistrates of that infernal region, contending in great debate to "
## [32127] "what eternal punishment they should allot her. But long her "
## [32128] "dreaming would not hold, but that it would fall upon Zelmane, to "
## [32129] "whom she would think she was crying for mercy, and that she did "
## [32130] "pass away by her in silence, without any show of pitying her "
## [32131] "mischief. Then waking out of a broken sleep, and yet wishing "
## [32132] "she might ever have slept ; new forms, but of the same miseries, "
## [32133] "would seize her mind: she feared death, and yet desired "
## [32134] "death ; she had passed the uttermost of shame, and yet shame was "
## [32135] "one of her cruellest assaulters ; she hated Pyrocles as the original "
## [32136] "of her mortal overthrow ; and yet the love she had conceived to "
## [32137] "him, had still a high authority of her passions, \"O Zelmane,\" "
## [32138] "would she say, not knowing how near he himself was to as great a "
## [32139] "danger, \"now shalt thou glut thy eyes, with the dishonoured "
## [32140] "death of thy enemy. Enemy ! alas ! enemy, since so thou hast "
## [32141] "well showed thou wilt have me account thee : couldst thou not as "
## [32142] "well have given me a determinate denial, as to disguise thy first "
## [32143] "disguising, with a double dissembling ? perchance if I had been "
## [32144] "utterly hopeless, the virtue was once in me might have called "
## [32145] "together his forces, and not have been led captive to this monstrous "
## [32146] "thraldom of punished wickedness.\" Then would her own knowing "
## [32147] "of good inflame anew the rage of despair : which becoming an "
## [32148] ""
## [32149] ""
## [32150] ""
## [32151] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 591 "
## [32152] ""
## [32153] "unresisted lord in her breast, she had no other comfort but in "
## [32154] "death, which yet she had in horror, when she thought of. But the "
## [32155] "wearisome detesting of herself made her long for the day's "
## [32156] "approach, at which time she determined to continue her former "
## [32157] "course, in acknowledging anything that might hasten her end: "
## [32158] "wherein although she did not hope for the end of her torments, "
## [32159] "feeling already the beginning of hell-agonies ; yet according to "
## [32160] "the nature of pain, the present being most intolerable, she desired "
## [32161] "to change that, and put to adventure the ensuing. And thus "
## [32162] "rested the restless Gynecia. "
## [32163] ""
## [32164] "No less sorrowful, though less rageful, where the minds of the "
## [32165] "Princess Pamela, and the Lady Philoclea, whose only advantages "
## [32166] "were that they had not consented to so much evil, and so were at "
## [32167] "greater peace with themselves : and that they were not left alone, "
## [32168] "but might mutually bear part of each other's woes. For when "
## [32169] "Philanax not regarding Pamela's princely protestations, had by "
## [32170] "force left her under guard with her sister, and that the two sisters "
## [32171] "were matched, as well in the disgraces of fortune, as they had "
## [32172] "been in the best beauties of nature : those things that till then "
## [32173] "bashfulness and mistrust had made them hold reserved one from "
## [32174] "the other, now fear, the underminer of all determinations, and "
## [32175] "necessity the victorious rebel of all laws, forced them inter- "
## [32176] "changeably to lay open. Their passions then so swelling in them "
## [32177] "as they would have made auditors of stones, rather than have "
## [32178] "swallowed up in silence the choking adventures were fallen unto "
## [32179] "them ; truly the hardest hearts, which have at any time thought "
## [32180] "woman's tears to be a matter of slight compassion, imagining that "
## [32181] "fair weather will quickly after follow, would now have been "
## [32182] "mollified ; and been compelled to confess that the fairer a diamond "
## [32183] "is, the more pity it is it should receive a blemish. Although, no "
## [32184] "doubt, their faces did rather beautify sorrow, than sorrow could "
## [32185] "darken that which even in darkness did shine. But after they had "
## [32186] "so long, as their other afflictions would suffer them, with doleful "
## [32187] "ceremonies bemoaned their father's death : they sat down together "
## [32188] "apparelled as their misadventures had found them ; Pamela in her "
## [32189] "journeying weeds now converted to another use : Philoclea only in "
## [32190] "her night-gown, which she thought should be the raiment of her "
## [32191] "funerals. But when the excellent creatures had after much "
## [32192] "panting, with their inward travel, gotten so much breathing power "
## [32193] "as to make a pitiful discourse one to the other, what had befallen "
## [32194] "them, and that by the plain comparing the case they were in, they "
## [32195] "thoroughly found that their griefs were not more like in regard of "
## [32196] "themselves, than like in respect of the subject, the two princes, as "
## [32197] "Pamela had learned of Musidorus, being so minded that they "
## [32198] "would ever make both their fortunes one, it did more unite, and sq "
## [32199] ""
## [32200] ""
## [32201] ""
## [32202] "592 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32203] ""
## [32204] "strengthen their lamentation : seeing the one could not be "
## [32205] "miserable, but that it must necessarily make the other miserable "
## [32206] "also. That therefore was the first matter their sweet mouths "
## [32207] "delivered, the declaring the passionate beginning, troublesome "
## [32208] "proceeding, and dangerous ending, their never ending loves had "
## [32209] "passed. And when at any time they entered into praises of the "
## [32210] "young princes, too long it would have exercised their tongues, but "
## [32211] "that their memory forthwith warned them, the more praise-worthy "
## [32212] "they were, the more at that time they were worthy of lamentation. "
## [32213] "Then again to crying and wringing of hands ; and then anew, as "
## [32214] "unquiet grief sought each corner, to new discourses, from discourses "
## [32215] "to wishes, from wishes to prayers. Especially the tender Philoclea, "
## [32216] "who as she was in years younger, and had never lifted up her "
## [32217] "mind to any opinion of sovereignty, so was she the apter to yield "
## [32218] "to her misfortune ; having no stronger debates in her mind, than a "
## [32219] "man may say a most witty childhood is wont to nourish, as to "
## [32220] "imagine with herself, why Philanax and the other moblemen should "
## [32221] "deal so cruelly by her that had never deserved evil of any of them. "
## [32222] "And how they could find in their hearts, to imprison such a "
## [32223] "personage as she did figure Pyrocles, whom she thought all the "
## [32224] "world was bound to love, as well as she did. But Pamela, although "
## [32225] "endued with a virtuous mildness, yet the knowledge of herself, "
## [32226] "and what was due unto her, made her heart full of a stronger "
## [32227] "disdain against her adversity. "
## [32228] ""
## [32229] "So that she joined the vexation of her friend with the spite to "
## [32230] "see herself, as she thought, rebelliously detained, and mixed "
## [32231] "desirous thoughts to help, with revengeful thoughts if she could "
## [32232] "not help. And as in pangs of death, the stronger heart feels the "
## [32233] "greater torment, because it doth the more resist his oppressor: "
## [32234] "so her mind, the nobler it was set, and had already embraced "
## [32235] "the higher thoughts, so much more it did repine; and the "
## [32236] "more it repined, the more helpless wounds it gave unto "
## [32237] "itself. But when great part of the night was passed over "
## [32238] "the doleful music of these sweet ladies' complaints, and that "
## [32239] "leisure though with some strife had brought Pamela to know that "
## [32240] "an eagle when she is in a cage must not think to do like an eagle, "
## [32241] "remembering with themselves that it was likely the next day "
## [32242] "the lords would proceed against those they had imprisoned. "
## [32243] "They employed the rest of the night in writing unto them, with "
## [32244] "such earnestness as the rnatter required, but in such styles as the "
## [32245] "state of their thoughts was apt to fashion. "
## [32246] ""
## [32247] "In the meantime, Pyrocles and Musidorus were recommended "
## [32248] "to so strong a guard that they might well see it was meant they "
## [32249] "should pay no less price than their lives for the getting out of "
## [32250] "that place, which they like men indeed, fortifying courage with "
## [32251] ""
## [32252] ""
## [32253] ""
## [32254] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 593 "
## [32255] ""
## [32256] "the true rampire of patience, did so endure that they did rather "
## [32257] "appear governors of necessity, than servants to fortune. The "
## [32258] "whole sum of their thoiights resting upon the safety of their "
## [32259] "ladies, and their care one for the other : wherein, if at all, their "
## [32260] "hearts did seem to receive some softness. For sometimes "
## [32261] "Musidorus would feel such a motion to his friend, and his unworthy "
## [32262] "case, that he would fall into such kind of speeches. \" My "
## [32263] "Pyrocles,\" would he say, \"how unhappy may I think Thessalia, "
## [32264] "that hath been as it were the middle way to this evil estate of "
## [32265] "yours ? For if you had not been there brought up, the sea should "
## [32266] "not have had this power thus to sever you from your dear father. "
## [32267] "I have therefore, if complaints do at any time become a man's "
## [32268] "heart, most cause to complain, since my country, which received "
## [32269] "the honour of Pyrocles's education, should be a step to his "
## [32270] "overthrow, if human chances can be counted an overthrow to "
## [32271] "him that stands upon virtue.\" \" Oh excellent Musidorus,\" answered "
## [32272] "Pyrocles, \"how do you teach me rather to fall out with myself, "
## [32273] "and my fortune, since by you I have received all good, you only "
## [32274] "by me this affliction? To you and your virtuous mother, I in "
## [32275] "my tenderest years, and father's greatest troubles, was sent for "
## [32276] "succour. There did I learn the sweet mysteries of philosophy; "
## [32277] "there had I your lively example to confirm that which I learned ; "
## [32278] "there, lastly, had I your friendship, which no unhappiness can ever "
## [32279] "make you say, but that hath made me happy. Now see how my "
## [32280] "destiny, the gods know, not my will, hath rewarded you : my father "
## [32281] "sends for you out of your land, whence but for me you had not "
## [32282] "come : what after followed, you know. It was my love, not yours, "
## [32283] "which first stayed you here; and therefore if the heavens ever "
## [32284] "held a just proportion, it were I, and not you, that should feel the "
## [32285] "smart,\" \"O blame not the heavens, sweet Pyrocles,\" said "
## [32286] "Musidorus, \" as their course never alters, so is there nothing done "
## [32287] "by the unreachable ruler of them, but hath an everlasting reason "
## [32288] "for it. And to say the truth of these things, we should deal "
## [32289] "ungratefully with nature, if we should be forgetful receivers of "
## [32290] "her gift, and diligent auditors of the chances we like not. We "
## [32291] "have lived, and have lived to be good to ourselves and others ; "
## [32292] "our souls, which are put into the stirring earth of our bodies, "
## [32293] "have achieved the causes of their thither coming: they have "
## [32294] "known and honoured with knowledge the cause of their creation, "
## [32295] "and to many men, for in this time, place and fortune, it is lawful "
## [32296] "for us to speak gloriously, it hath been behoveful that we should "
## [32297] "live. Since then eternity is not to be had in this conjunction, "
## [32298] "what is to be lost by the separation, but time? which since it hath "
## [32299] "his end, when, that is once come, all that is past is nothing: "
## [32300] "and by the protracting nothing gotten, but labour and care. Do "
## [32301] ""
## [32302] "2 P "
## [32303] ""
## [32304] ""
## [32305] ""
## [32306] "'594 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32307] ""
## [32308] "not me, therefore, that wrong, who something in years, but much "
## [32309] "in all other deserts, am fitter to die than you, as to say you have "
## [32310] "brought me to any evil : since the love of you doth over-balance "
## [32311] "all bodily mischiefs, and those mischiefs be but mischiefs to the "
## [32312] "baser minds, too much delighted with the kennel of this life. "
## [32313] "Neither will I any more yield to my passion of lamenting you, "
## [32314] "which howsoever it might agree to my exceeding friendship, "
## [32315] "surely it would nothing to your exceeding virtue.\" \"Add this "
## [32316] "to your noble speech my dear cousin,\" said Pyrocles, \"that if "
## [32317] "we complain of this our fortune, or seem to ourselves faulty, in "
## [32318] "having one hurt the other, we show a repentance of the love we "
## [32319] "bear to these matchless creatures, or at least a doubt, it should "
## [32320] "be over dearly bought, which for my part, and so dear I answer "
## [32321] "for you, I call all the gods to witness, I am so far from, that no "
## [32322] "shame, no torment, no death, would make me forego the least "
## [32323] "part of the inward honour, essential pleasure, and living life, I "
## [32324] "have enjoyed in the presence of the faultless Philoclea.\" \"Take "
## [32325] "the pre-eminence in all things but in true loving,'' answered "
## [32326] "Musidorus, \" for the confession of that no death shall get of me.\" "
## [32327] "\"Of that,\" answered Pyrocles, soberly smiling, \"I perceive we "
## [32328] "shall have a debate in the other world, if at least there remain "
## [32329] "anything of remembrance in that place.\" \" I do not think the "
## [32330] "contrary,\" said Musidorus, \" although you know it is greatly held "
## [32331] "that with the death of body and senses, which are not only the "
## [32332] "beginning, but dwelling and nourishing of passions, thoughts and "
## [32333] "imaginations, they failing, memory likewise fails, which riseth "
## [32334] "only out of them, and then is there left nothing but the intellectual "
## [32335] "part or intelligence, which void of all moral virtues which stand "
## [32336] "in the mean of perturbations, doth only live in the contemplative "
## [32337] "virtue and power of the omnipotent good, the soul of souls, and "
## [32338] "universal life of this great work, and therefore is utterly void from "
## [32339] "the possibility of drawing to itself these sensible considerations.\" "
## [32340] "\" Certainly,\" answered Pyrocles, \" I easily yield that we should "
## [32341] "not know one another, and much less these passed things, with "
## [32342] "a sensible or passionate knowledge. For the cause being taken "
## [32343] "away, the effects follow. Neither do I think we shall have such "
## [32344] "a memory as now we have, which is but a relic of the senses, "
## [32345] "or rather a print the senses have left of things past in our thoughts, "
## [32346] "but it shall be a vital power of that very intelligence : which as "
## [32347] "vile as it was here, it held the chief seat of our hfe, and was as "
## [32348] "it were the last resort to which of all our knowledges the highest "
## [32349] "appeal came, and so by that means was never ignorant of our "
## [32350] "actions, though many times rebelliously resisted, always with this "
## [32351] "prison darkened ; so much more being free of that prison, and "
## [32352] "returning to the life of all things, where all infinite knowledge is, "
## [32353] ""
## [32354] ""
## [32355] ""
## [32356] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 595 "
## [32357] ""
## [32358] "it cannot but be a right intelligence which is both his name and "
## [32359] "being, of things both present and passed, though void of imagining "
## [32360] "to itself anything; but even grown like to his creator hath "
## [32361] "all things, with a spiritual knowledge before it. The difference "
## [32362] "of which is as hard for us to conceive as it was for us when we "
## [32363] "were in our mother's wombs to comprehend, if anybody would "
## [32364] "have told us, what kind of light we now in this life see, what kind "
## [32365] "of knowledge we now have: yet now we do not only feel our "
## [32366] "present being, but we conceive what we were before we were "
## [32367] "born, though remembrance make us not do it, but knowledge, "
## [32368] "and though we are utterly without any remorse of any misery "
## [32369] "we might then suffer. Even such, and much more odds, shall "
## [32370] "there be at that second delivery of ours, when void of sensible "
## [32371] "memory, or memorative passion, we shall not see the colours, "
## [32372] "but lives of all things that have been or can be, and shall, as "
## [32373] "I hope, know our friendship, though exempt from the earthly "
## [32374] "cares of friendship, having both united it, and ourselves in that "
## [32375] "high and heavenly love of the unquenchable light.\" As he had "
## [32376] "ended his speech, Musidorus looking with a heavenly joy upon "
## [32377] "him, sang this song unto him, he had made before love turned "
## [32378] "his muse to another subject. "
## [32379] ""
## [32380] "Since nature's works be good, and death doth serve "
## [32381] "As nature's work : why should we fear to die ? "
## [32382] ""
## [32383] "Since fear is vain, but when it may preserve : "
## [32384] "Why should we fear that which we cannot fly ? "
## [32385] ""
## [32386] "Fear is more pain than is the pain it fears. "
## [32387] "Disarming human minds of native might : "
## [32388] ""
## [32389] "While each conceit an ugly figure bears, "
## [32390] "Which were not evil well view'd in reason's light. "
## [32391] ""
## [32392] "Our owly eyes, which dimm'd with passions be, "
## [32393] "And scarce discern the dawn of coming day, "
## [32394] ""
## [32395] "Let them be clear'd, and now begin to see, "
## [32396] "Our life is but a step in dusty way. "
## [32397] ""
## [32398] "Then let us hold the bliss of peaceful mind, "
## [32399] ""
## [32400] "Since this we feel, great loss we cannot find. "
## [32401] ""
## [32402] "Thus did they, like quiet swans, sing their own obsequies, and "
## [32403] "virtuously enable their minds against all extremities which they "
## [32404] "did think would fall upon them, especially resolving that the first "
## [32405] "care they would have, should be by taking the fault upon themselves, "
## [32406] "to clear the two ladies, of whose case, as of nothing else that "
## [32407] "happened, they had not any knowledge. Although their friendly- "
## [32408] "host, the honest gentleman Kalander, seeking all means how to "
## [32409] "help them, had endeavoured to speak with them, and to make "
## [32410] ""
## [32411] ""
## [32412] ""
## [32413] "59^ ARCADIA [book v- "
## [32414] ""
## [32415] "them know who should be their judge. But the curious servant of "
## [32416] "Philanax forbade him the entry upon pain of death. For so it was "
## [32417] "agreed upon, that no man should have any conference with them, "
## [32418] "for fear of new tumults. Insomuch that Kalander was constrained "
## [32419] "to retire himself, having yet obtained thus much, that he would "
## [32420] "deliver unto the two princes their apparel and jewels, which being "
## [32421] "left with him at Mantinea, wisely considering that their disguised "
## [32422] "weeds, which were all as then they had, would make them more "
## [32423] "odious in the sight of the judges, he had that night sent for, and "
## [32424] "now brought unto them. They accepted their own with great "
## [32425] "thankfulness, knowing from whence it came, and attired themselves "
## [32426] "in it against the next day, which being indeed rich and princely, "
## [32427] "they accordingly determined to maintain the names of Palladius "
## [32428] "and Daiphantus, as before it is mentioned. Then gave they "
## [32429] "themselves to consider, in what sort they might defend their "
## [32430] "causes ; for they thought it no less vain to wish death, than "
## [32431] "cowardly to fear it, till something before morning, a small slumber "
## [32432] "taking them, they were by and by after called up to come to the "
## [32433] "answer, of no less than their lives imported. But in this sort was "
## [32434] "the judgment ordered. As soon as the morning had took a full "
## [32435] "possession of the element, Euarchus called unto him Philanax, "
## [32436] "and willed him to draw out into the midst of the green, before the "
## [32437] "chief lodge, the throne of judgment-seat, in which Basilius was "
## [32438] "wont to sit, and according to their customs, was ever carried with "
## [32439] "the prince. For Euarchus did wisely consider the people to be "
## [32440] "naturally taken with exterior shows, far more than with inward "
## [32441] "consideration of the material points. And therefore in this new "
## [32442] "entry into so entangled a matter, he would leave nothing which "
## [32443] "might be either an armour or an ornament unto him, and in these "
## [32444] "pompous ceremonies he well knew a secret of government much "
## [32445] "to consist. That was performed by the diligent Philanax, and "
## [32446] "therein Euarchus did set himself all clothed in black, with the "
## [32447] "principal men who could in that suddenness provide themselves "
## [32448] "of such mourning raiments ; the whole people commanded to "
## [32449] "keep an orderly silence of each side, which was duly observed of "
## [32450] "them, partly for the desire they had to see a good conclusion of "
## [32451] "these matters, and partly stricken with admiration, as well at the "
## [32452] "grave and princely presence of Euarchus, as at the greatness of "
## [32453] "the cause which was then to come in question. As for Philanax, "
## [32454] "Euarchus would have done him the honour to sit by him, but he "
## [32455] "excused himself, desiring to be the accuser of the prisoners in his "
## [32456] "master's behalf ; and therefore since he made himself a party, it "
## [32457] "was not convenient for him to sit in the judicial place. "
## [32458] ""
## [32459] "Then was it a while deliberated, whether the two young ladies "
## [32460] "should be brought forth in open presence : but that was stopped "
## [32461] ""
## [32462] ""
## [32463] ""
## [32464] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 597 "
## [32465] ""
## [32466] "by Philanax, whose love and faith did descend from his master to "
## [32467] "his children, and only desired the smart should light upon the "
## [32468] "others, whom he thought guilty of his death and dishonour, "
## [32469] "alleging for this, that neither wisdom would they should be brought "
## [32470] "in presence of the people, which might hereupon grow to new "
## [32471] "uproars, nor justice required they should be drawn to any shame "
## [32472] "till somebody accused them. And as for Pamela, he protested the "
## [32473] "laws of Arcadia would not allow any judgment of her, although "
## [32474] "she herself were to determine nothing till age or marriage enabled "
## [32475] "her. Then the king's body being laid upon a table, just before "
## [32476] "Euarchus, and all covered over with black, the prisoners, namely, "
## [32477] "the queen and two young princes, were sent for to appear in the "
## [32478] "protector's name : which name was the cause they came not to "
## [32479] "knowledge, how near a kinsman was to judge of them, but thought "
## [32480] "him to be some nobleman, chosen by the country in this extremity. "
## [32481] "So extraordinary a course had the order of the heavens produced "
## [32482] "at this time, that both nephew and son were not only prisoners, "
## [32483] "but unknown to their uncle and father, who of many years had not "
## [32484] "seen them. And Pyrocles was to plead for his life before that "
## [32485] "throne, in which throne lately before he had saved the king's life. "
## [32486] ""
## [32487] "But first was Gynecia led forth in the same weeds that the day "
## [32488] "and night before she had worn, saving that instead of Zelmane's "
## [32489] "garment in which she was found, she had cast on a long cloak "
## [32490] "which reached to the ground, of russet coarse cloth, with a poor "
## [32491] "felt hat which almost covered all her face, most part of her goodly "
## [32492] "hair, on which her hands had laid many a spiteful hold, so lying "
## [32493] "upon her shoulders, as a man might well see had no artificial "
## [32494] "carelessness. Her eyes down on the ground, of purpose not to "
## [32495] "look on Pyrocles's face, which she did not so much shun, for the "
## [32496] "unkindness she conceived of her own overthrow as for the fear "
## [32497] "those motions in this short time of her life should be revived, "
## [32498] "which she had with the passage of infinite sorrows mortified. "
## [32499] "Great was the compassion the people felt to see their princess's "
## [32500] "state and beauty so deformed by fortune and her own desert, "
## [32501] "whom they had ever found a lady most worthy of all honour. "
## [32502] ""
## [32503] "But by and by the sight of the other two prisoners drew most "
## [32504] "of the eyes to that spectacle. Pyrocles came out led by "
## [32505] "Sympathus, clothed, after the Greek manner, in a long coat of "
## [32506] "white velvet reaching to the small of his leg, with great buttons of "
## [32507] "diamonds all along upon it ; his neck without any collar, not so "
## [32508] "much as hidden with a ruff, did pass the whiteness of his garments, "
## [32509] "which was not much in fashion unlike to the crimson raiment our "
## [32510] "Knights of the Order* first put on. On his feet he had nothing "
## [32511] ""
## [32512] "•Of the Garter. "
## [32513] ""
## [32514] ""
## [32515] ""
## [32516] "SgS ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32517] ""
## [32518] "but slippers, which, after the ancient manner, were tied up with "
## [32519] "certain laces, which were fastened under his knee, having wrapped "
## [32520] "about, with many pretty knots, his naked legs. His fair auburn "
## [32521] "hair, which he wore in great length, and gave at that time a "
## [32522] "delightful show, with being stirred up and down with the breath "
## [32523] "of a gentle wind, had nothing upon it, but a white ribbon, in those "
## [32524] "days used for a diadem. Which rolled once or twice about the "
## [32525] "uppermost part of his forehead, fell down upon his back, closed "
## [32526] "up at each end with the richest pearls were to be seen in the world. "
## [32527] "After him followed another nobleman, guiding the noble Musidorus, "
## [32528] "who had upon him a long cloak, after the fashion of that which we "
## [32529] "call the apostle's mantle, made of purple satin ; not that purple "
## [32530] "which we now have, and is but a counterfeit of the Getalian purple, "
## [32531] "which yet was far the meaner in price and estimation, but of the "
## [32532] "right Tyrian purple, which was nearest to a colour betwixt our "
## [32533] "murrey and scarlet. On his head, which was black and curled, he "
## [32534] "wore a Persian tiara, all set down with rows of so rich rubies, that "
## [32535] "they were enough to speak for him that they had to judge of no "
## [32536] "mean personage. "
## [32537] ""
## [32538] "In this sort, with erected countenances, did these unfortunate "
## [32539] "princes suffer themselves to be led, showing aright, by the "
## [32540] "comparison of them and Gynecia, how to divers persons "
## [32541] "compassion is diversly to be stirred. For as to Gynecia, a lady "
## [32542] "known of great estate, and greatly esteemed, the more miserable "
## [32543] "representation was made of her sudden ruin, the more men's "
## [32544] "hearts were forced to bewail such an evident witness of weak "
## [32545] "humanity : so to these men, not regarded because unknown, but "
## [32546] "rather, besides the detestation of their fact, hated as strangers, the "
## [32547] "more they should have fallen down in an abject semblance, the "
## [32548] "more, instead of compassion, they should have got contempt : but "
## [32549] "therefore were to use, as I may term it, the more violence of "
## [32550] "magnanimity, and so to conquer the expectation of the lookers "
## [32551] "with an extraordinary virtue. And such effect indeed it wrought "
## [32552] "in the whole assembly, their eyes yet standing as it were in "
## [32553] "balance to whether of them they should most direct their sight. "
## [32554] "Musidorus was in stature so much higher than Pyrocles as "
## [32555] "commonly is gotten by one year's growth. His face, now "
## [32556] "beginning to have some tokens of a beard, was composed to a "
## [32557] "kind of manlike beauty. His colour was of a well-pleasing "
## [32558] "brownness, and the features of it such as they carried both delight "
## [32559] "and majesty : his countenance severe, and promising a mind much "
## [32560] "given to thinking. Pyrocles of a pure complexion, and of such a "
## [32561] "cheerful favour as might seem either a woman's face in a boy, or "
## [32562] "an excellent boy's face in a woman. His look gentle and bashful, "
## [32563] "^hich bred the more admiration, having showed such notablp "
## [32564] ""
## [32565] ""
## [32566] ""
## [32567] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 599 "
## [32568] ""
## [32569] "proofs of courage. Lastly, though both had both, if there were "
## [32570] "any odds, Musidorus was the more goodly, and Pyrocles the "
## [32571] "more lovely. But as soon as Musidorus saw himself so far forth "
## [32572] "led among the people, that he knew to a great number of them "
## [32573] "his voice should be heard, misdoubting their intention to the Princess "
## [32574] "Pamela, of whom he was more careful than of his own life, even as "
## [32575] "he went, though his leader sought to interrupt him, he thus with a "
## [32576] "loud voice spoke unto them. "
## [32577] ""
## [32578] "\" And is it possible, O Arcadians,'' said he, \" that you can forget "
## [32579] "the natural duty you owe to your Princess Pamela ? Hath this soil "
## [32580] "been so little beholden to her noble ancestors ? Hath so long a "
## [32581] "time rooted no surer love in your hearts to that line ? Where is "
## [32582] "that faith to your prince's blood which hath not only preserved "
## [32583] "you from all dangers heretofore, but hath spread your fame to all "
## [32584] "the nations of the world ? Where is that justice the Arcadians "
## [32585] "were wont to flourish in, whose nature is to render to everyone his "
## [32586] "own ? Will you now keep the right from your prince, who is the "
## [32587] "only giver of judgment, the key of justice, and life of your laws ? "
## [32588] "Do you hope in a few years to set up another race, which nothing "
## [32589] "but length of time can establish? Will you reward Basihus's "
## [32590] "children with ungratefulness, the very poison of manhood ? Will "
## [32591] "you betray your long settled reputation with the foul name of "
## [32592] "traitors ? Is this your mourning for your king's death, to increase "
## [32593] "his loss with his daughter's misery? Imagine your prince doth "
## [32594] "look out of the heav.ens unto you, what do you think he could wish "
## [32595] "more at your hands than that you do well by his children ? and "
## [32596] "what more honour I pray you can you do to his obsequies than to "
## [32597] "satisfy his soul with a loving memory, as you do his body with an "
## [32598] "unfelt solemnity ? What have you done with the Princess Pamela ? "
## [32599] "Pamela, the just inheritrix of this country, Pamela, whom this "
## [32600] "earth may be happy that it shall be hereafter said, she was born in "
## [32601] "Arcadia ; Pamela, in herself your ornament, in her education your "
## [32602] "foster child, and every way your only princess, what account can "
## [32603] "you render to yourselves of her ? truly I do not think that you all "
## [32604] "know what is become of her : so soon may a diamond be lost : so "
## [32605] "soon may the fairest light in the world be put out. But look, look "
## [32606] "unto it, O Arcadians, be not so wilfully robbed of your greatest "
## [32607] "treasure, make not yourselves ministers to private ambitions, who "
## [32608] "do but use yourselves to put on your own yokes. Whatsoever you "
## [32609] "determine of us, who I must confess are but strangers, yet let not "
## [32610] "Basilius's daughters be strangers unto you. Lastly, howsoever you "
## [32611] "bar her from her public sovereignty, which if you do, little may we "
## [32612] "hope of equity where rebellion reigns, yet deny not that child's "
## [32613] "right unto her, that she may come and do the last duties to her "
## [32614] "/athpr's body. Deny not that happi^iess, if in such a case there be "
## [32615] ""
## [32616] ""
## [32617] ""
## [32618] "6o0 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32619] ""
## [32620] "any happiness, to your late king, that his body may have his last "
## [32621] "touch of his dearest child.\" "
## [32622] ""
## [32623] "With such like broken manner of questions and speeches, was "
## [32624] "Musidorus desirous, as much as in passing by them he could, to "
## [32625] "move the people to tender Pamela's fortune. But at length, by "
## [32626] "that they came to the judgment-place, both Sympathus and his "
## [32627] "guider had greatly satisfied him, with the assurance they gave "
## [32628] "him, this assembly of people had neither meaning nor power to "
## [32629] "do any hurt to the princess, whom they all acknowledged as their "
## [32630] "sovereign lady. But that the custom of Arcadia was such, till she "
## [32631] "had more years, the state of the country to be guided by a "
## [32632] "protector, under whom, he and his fellow were to receive their "
## [32633] "judgment. That eased Musidorus's heart of his most vehement "
## [32634] "care, when he found his beloved lady to be out of danger. But "
## [32635] "Pyrocles as soon as the queen of the one side, he and Musidorus "
## [32636] "of the other, were stayed before the face of their judge, having only "
## [32637] "for their bar the table whereon the king's body lay, being nothing "
## [32638] "less vexed with the doubt of Philoclea, than Musidorus was for "
## [32639] "Pamela, in this sort with a lowly behaviour, and only then like a "
## [32640] "suppliant, he spoke to the protector : "
## [32641] ""
## [32642] "\"Pardon me, most honoured judge,\" saith he, \"that uncom- "
## [32643] "manded I begin my speech unto you, since both to you and me, "
## [32644] "those words of mine shall be most necessary. To you having "
## [32645] "the sacred exercise of justice in your hand, nothing appertains "
## [32646] "more properly than truth nakedly and freely set down. To me, "
## [32647] "being environed round about with many dangerous calamities, "
## [32648] "what can be more convenient, than, at least, to be at peace "
## [32649] "with myself, in having discharged my conscience in a most "
## [32650] "behoveful verity. Understand therefore, and truly understand, "
## [32651] "that the lady Philoclea, to whose unstained virtue it hath been my "
## [32652] "unspeakable misery, that my name should become a blot, if she be "
## [32653] "accused, is most unjustly accused of any dishonourable fact, which "
## [32654] "by my means she may be thought to have yielded unto. What> "
## [32655] "soever hath been done, hath been my only attempt, which "
## [32656] "notwithstanding was never intended against her chastity. But "
## [32657] "whatsoever hath been informed, was my fault. And I attest the "
## [32658] "heavens, to blaspheme which I am not now in fit tune, that so "
## [32659] "much as my coming into her chamber, was wholly unwitting unto "
## [32660] "her. This your wisdom may withal consider, if I would lie, I "
## [32661] "would he for mine own behoof, I am not so old as to be weary of "
## [32662] "myself ; but the very sting of my inward knowledge, joined with "
## [32663] "the consideration I must needs have what an infinite loss it should "
## [32664] "be to all those who love goodness in good folks if so pure a child "
## [32665] "of virtue should wrongfully be destroyed, compels me to use my "
## [32666] "tongue against myself, and receive the burden of what evil was "
## [32667] ""
## [32668] ""
## [32669] ""
## [32670] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 6oi "
## [32671] ""
## [32672] "upon mine own doing. Look therefore with pitiful eyes upon so "
## [32673] "fair beams, and that misfortune which by me hath fallen upon her, "
## [32674] "help to repair it with your public judgment, since whosoever deals "
## [32675] "cruelly with such a creature, shows himself a hater of mankind, and "
## [32676] "an envier of the world's bliss. And this petition I make, even in "
## [32677] "the name of justice, that before you proceed farther against us, I "
## [32678] "may know how you conceive of her noble, though unfortunate "
## [32679] "action, and what judgment you will make of it.\" "
## [32680] ""
## [32681] "He had not spoken his last word, when all the whole people, "
## [32682] "both of great and low estate, confirmed with an united murmur "
## [32683] "Pyrocles's demand, longing, for the love generally was borne "
## [32684] "Philoclea, to know what they might hope of her. Euarchus "
## [32685] "though neither regarding a prisoner's passionate prayer, nor "
## [32686] "bearing over-plausible ears to a many headed motion, yet well "
## [32687] "enough content, to win their liking with things in themselves "
## [32688] "indifferent, he was content : first, to seek as much as might be of "
## [32689] "Philoclea's behaviour in this matter : which being cleared by "
## [32690] "Pyrocles, and but weakly gainsaid by Philanax, who had framed "
## [32691] "both his own and Dametas's evidence most for her favour, and in "
## [32692] "truth could have gone no farther than conjecture, yet finding by "
## [32693] "his wisdom that she was not altogether faultless, he pronounced "
## [32694] "she should all her life long be kept prisoner among certain women "
## [32695] "of religion, like the Vestal nuns, so to repay the touched honour of "
## [32696] "her house, with well observing a strict profession of chastity. "
## [32697] "Although this were a great prejudicating of Pyrocles's case, yet was "
## [32698] "he exceedingly joyous of it, being assured of his lady's life ; and in "
## [32699] "the depth of his mind not sorry, that what end soever he had, none "
## [32700] "should obtain the after enjoying that jewel whereon he had set his "
## [32701] "life's happiness. After it was by public sentence delivered, what "
## [32702] "should be done with the sweet Philoclea, the laws of Arcadia "
## [32703] "bearing that what was appointed by the magistrates in the nonage "
## [32704] "of the prince could not afterwards be repealed. Euarchus still "
## [32705] "using to himself no other name but protector of Arcadia, com- "
## [32706] "manded those that had to say against the Queen Gynecia to "
## [32707] "proceed, because both her estate required she should be first "
## [32708] "heard, and also for that she was taken to be the principal in the "
## [32709] "greater matter they were to judge of. Philanax incontinently "
## [32710] "stepped forth, and showing in his greedy eyes that he did thirst "
## [32711] "for her blood, began a well thought on discourse of her, in his "
## [32712] "judgment, execrable wickedness. But Gynecia, standing up before "
## [32713] "the judge, casting abroad her arms, with her eyes hidden under "
## [32714] "the breadth of her unseemly hat, laying open in all her gestures "
## [32715] "the despairful affliction, to which all the might of her reason was "
## [32716] "converted, with such like words stopped Philanax, as he was "
## [32717] "entering into his invective oration ; "
## [32718] ""
## [32719] ""
## [32720] ""
## [32721] "6o2 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32722] ""
## [32723] "\" Stay, stay, Philanax,'' said she, \" do not defile thy honest mouth "
## [32724] "with those dishonourable speeches thou art about to utter against "
## [32725] "a woman, now most wretched, lately thy mistress. Let either the "
## [32726] "remembrance how great she was move thy heart to some reverence, "
## [32727] "or the seeing how low she is, stir in thee some pity. It may be "
## [32728] "truth doth make thee deal untruly, and love of justice frames "
## [32729] "injustice in thee, do not therefore, neither shalt thou need, tread "
## [32730] "upon my desolate ruins. Thou shalt have what thou seekest ; and "
## [32731] "yet shalt not be oppressor of her, who cannot choose but love thee "
## [32732] "for thy singular faith to thy master. I do not speak this to procure "
## [32733] "mercy, or to prolong my life, no, no, I say unto you I will not live, "
## [32734] "but I am only loth, my death should be engrieved with any wrong "
## [32735] "thou shouldst do unto me. I have been too painful a judge over "
## [32736] "myself to desire pardon in others' judgment. I have been too cruel "
## [32737] "an executioner of my own soul to desire that execution of justice "
## [32738] "should be staid for me. Alas, they that know how sorrow can "
## [32739] "rend the spirits, they that know what fiery hells are contained in a "
## [32740] "self-condemning mind, need not fear that fear can keep such an "
## [32741] "one from desiring to be separated from that which nothing but "
## [32742] "death can separate. I therefore say to thee, O just judge, that I, "
## [32743] "and only I, was the worker of Basilius's death. They were these "
## [32744] "hands that gave unto him the poisonous potion that hath brought "
## [32745] "death to him, and loss to Arcadia ; it was I, and none but I, that "
## [32746] "hastened his aged years to an unnatural end, and that have made "
## [32747] "all his people orphans of their royal father. I am the subject that "
## [32748] "have killed my prince, I am the wife that have murdered my "
## [32749] "husband, I am a degenerate woman, an undoer of this country, a "
## [32750] "shame of my children. What wouldst thou have said more, O "
## [32751] "Philanax ! and all this I grant, there resteth then nothing else to "
## [32752] "say but that I desire you, you will appoint quickly some to rid me "
## [32753] "of my life, rather than these hands, which else are destined unto it, "
## [32754] "and that indeed it may be done with such speed as I may not long "
## [32755] "die in this life, which I have in so great horror.\" With that she "
## [32756] "crossed her arms, and sat down upon the ground, attending the "
## [32757] "judge's answer. But a great while it was, before anybody could be "
## [32758] "heard speak, the whole people concurring in a lamentable cry, so "
## [32759] "much had Gynecia's words and behavioiu: stirred their hearts to a "
## [32760] "doleful compassion, neither in troth could most of them in their "
## [32761] "judgments tell whether they should be more sorry for her fault, or "
## [32762] "her misery ; for the loss of her estate, or loss of her virtue. But "
## [32763] "most were most moved with that which was under their eyes, the "
## [32764] "sense most subject to pity. But at length the reverent awe they "
## [32765] "stood in of Euarchus brought them to a silent waiting his "
## [32766] "determination, who, having well considered the abomination of the "
## [32767] "fact, attendinj: more the manifest proof of so horrible a trespass, "
## [32768] ""
## [32769] ""
## [32770] ""
## [32771] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 603 "
## [32772] ""
## [32773] "confessed by herself, and proved by others, than anything relenting "
## [32774] "to those tragical phrases of hers, apter to stir a vulgar pity than "
## [32775] "his mind, which hated evil in what colours soever he found it, "
## [32776] "having considered a while with the principal men of the country, "
## [32777] "and demanded their allowance, he definitively gave this sentence : "
## [32778] "That whereas, both in private and public respects, this woman had "
## [32779] "most heinously offended, in private, because marriage being the "
## [32780] "most holy conjunction that falls to mankind, out of which all "
## [32781] "families, and so consequently all societies do proceed, which not "
## [32782] "only by community of goods, but community of children, is to knit "
## [32783] "the minds in a most perfect union, which whoso bi-eaks, dissolves "
## [32784] "all humanity, no man living free from the danger of so near a "
## [32785] "neighbour, she had not only broken it, but broken it with death, "
## [32786] "and the most pretended death that might be ; in public respect, "
## [32787] "the princes' persons, being in all monarchal governments the very "
## [32788] "knot of the people's welfare, and light of all her doings, to which "
## [32789] "they are not only in conscience, but in necessity bound to be loyal, "
## [32790] "she had traitorously empoisoned him, neither regarding her "
## [32791] "country's profit, her own duty, nor the rigour of the laws. That "
## [32792] "therefore, as well for the due satisfaction to eternal justice, and "
## [32793] "accomplishment of the Arcadian statutes, as for the everlasting "
## [32794] "example to all wives and subjects, she should presently be conveyed "
## [32795] "to close prison, and there kept with such food as might serve to "
## [32796] "sustain her life, until the day of her husband's burial, at which "
## [32797] "time she should be buried quick, in the same tomb with him : that "
## [32798] "so his murder might be a murder to herself, and she forced to "
## [32799] "keep company with the body from which she had made so "
## [32800] "detestable a severance ; and lastly, death might redress their "
## [32801] "disjoined conjunction of marriage. His judgment was received of "
## [32802] "the whole assembly, as not with disliking, so with great astonishment, "
## [32803] "the greatness of the matter and person as it were overpressing the "
## [32804] "might of their conceits. But when they did set it to the beam, "
## [32805] "with the monstrousness of her ugly misdeed, they could not but "
## [32806] "yield in their hearts, there was no over-balancing. As for Gynecia, "
## [32807] "who had already settled her thoughts, not only to look but long for "
## [32808] "this event, having, in this time of her vexation, found a sweetness "
## [32809] "in the rest she hoped by death, with a countenance witnessing she "
## [32810] "had before-hand so passed through all the degrees of sorrow, that "
## [32811] "she had no new look to figure forth any more, rose up, and offered "
## [32812] "forth her fair hands to be bound or led as they would, being indeed "
## [32813] "troubled with no part of this judgment, but that her death was as "
## [32814] "she thought long delayed. They that were appointed for it, "
## [32815] "conveyed her to the place she was in before, where the guard was "
## [32816] "relieved, and the number increased to keep her more sure for the "
## [32817] "time of her execujipa : none of them all that led her, though mosf "
## [32818] ""
## [32819] ""
## [32820] ""
## [32821] "6o4 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32822] ""
## [32823] "of them were such whose hearts had been long hardened with the "
## [32824] "often exercising such offices, being able to bar tears from their "
## [32825] "eyes, and other manifest tokens of compassionate sorrow. So "
## [32826] "goodly a virtue is a resolute constancy, that even in evil deservers, "
## [32827] "it seems that party might have been notably well deserving. Thus "
## [32828] "the excellent lady Gynecia, having passed five and thirty years of "
## [32829] "her age, even to the admiration of a beautiful mind and body, "
## [32830] "and having not in her own knowledge ever spotted her soul with "
## [32831] "any wilful vice, but her immoderate love of Zelmane, was brought "
## [32832] "first by that ill-answered passion, and then by the despairing "
## [32833] "conceit she took of the judgment of God in her husband's death "
## [32834] "and her own fortune, purposely to overthrow herself, and confirm "
## [32835] "by a wrong confession, that abominable shame, which with her "
## [32836] "wisdom, joined to the truth, perhaps she might have repelled. "
## [32837] ""
## [32838] "Then did Euarchus ask Philanax, whether it were he that would "
## [32839] "charge the two young prisoners, or that some other should do it, "
## [32840] "and he sit, according to his estate, as an assistant in the judgment. "
## [32841] "Philanax told him as before he had done, that he thought no man "
## [32842] "could say manifest the naughtiness of those two young men with "
## [32843] "so much either truth or zeal as himself, and therefore he desired he "
## [32844] "might do this last service to his faithfully beloved master, as to "
## [32845] "prosecute the traitorous causers of his death and dishonour, which "
## [32846] "being done, for his part he meant to give up all dealing in public "
## [32847] "affairs, since that man was gone who had made him love them. "
## [32848] "Philanax thus being ready to speak, the two princes were "
## [32849] "commanded to tell their names, who answered, according to their "
## [32850] "agreements, that they were Daiphantus of Lycia, and Palladius "
## [32851] "Prince of Iberia. Which when they had said, they demanded to "
## [32852] "know by what authority they could judge of them, since they were "
## [32853] "not only foreigners, and so not born under their laws, but absolute "
## [32854] "princes, and therefore not to be touched by laws. But answer was "
## [32855] "presently made them that Arcadian laws were to have their force "
## [32856] "upon any found in Arcadia : since strangers have scope to know "
## [32857] "the customs of a country, before they put themselves in it : and "
## [32858] "when they once are entered, they must know that what by many "
## [32859] "was made must not for one be broken. And so much less for a "
## [32860] "stranger, as he is to look for no privilege in that place, to which in "
## [32861] "time of need his service is not to be expected. As for their being "
## [32862] "princes, whether they were so or no, the belief stood in their own "
## [32863] "words, which they had so diversly falsified, as they did not deserve "
## [32864] "belief. But whatsoever they were, Arcadia was to acknowledge "
## [32865] "them but as private men, since they were neither by magistracy "
## [32866] "nor alliance to the princely blood, to claim anything in that region. "
## [32867] "Therefore if they had offended, which now by the plaintiff and "
## [32868] "their defence was to be judged, against the laws of nations, by "
## [32869] ""
## [32870] ""
## [32871] ""
## [32872] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 605 "
## [32873] ""
## [32874] "the laws of nations they were to be chastised : if against the "
## [32875] "peculiar ordinances of the province, those peculiar ordinances "
## [32876] "were to lay hold of them. "
## [32877] ""
## [32878] "The princes stood a while upon that, demanding leisure to give "
## [32879] "perfect knowledge of their greatness ; but when they were answered, "
## [32880] "that in a case of the prince's death, the law of that country had "
## [32881] "ever been that immediate trial should be had, they were forced "
## [32882] "to yield, resolved that in those names they would as much as they "
## [32883] "could cover the shame of their royal parentage, and keep as long "
## [32884] "as might be, if evil were determined against them, the evil news "
## [32885] "from their careful kinsfolks, wherein the chief man they considered "
## [32886] "was Euarchus: whom the strange and secret working of justice "
## [32887] "had brought to be the judge over them. In such a shadow, "
## [32888] "or rather pit of darkness, the wormish mankind lives, that neither "
## [32889] "they know how to foresee, nor what to fear, and are but like tennis "
## [32890] "balls, tossed by the racket of the higher powers. Thus both sides "
## [32891] "ready, it was determined, because their cases were separated, "
## [32892] "first Philanax should be heard against Pyrocles, whom they termed "
## [32893] "Daiphantus, and that heard, the other's cause should follow, and "
## [32894] "so receive together such judgment as they should be found "
## [32895] "to have deserved. "
## [32896] ""
## [32897] "But Philanax that was even short-breathed at the first, with the "
## [32898] "extreme vehemency he had to speak against them, stroking once "
## [32899] "or twice his forehead, and wiping his eyes, which either wept, or "
## [32900] "he would at that time have them seem to weep, looking first upon "
## [32901] "Pyrocles, as if he had proclaimed all hatefulness against him, "
## [32902] "humbly turning to Euarchus, who with quiet gravity showed great "
## [32903] "attention, he thus began his oration : \" That which all men, who "
## [32904] "take upon them to accuse another, are wont to desire, most worthy "
## [32905] "protector, to have many proofs of faults in them they seek to have "
## [32906] "condemned, that is to me in this present action my greatest "
## [32907] "cumber and annoyance. For the number is so great, and the "
## [32908] "quality so monstrous of the enormities this wretched young man "
## [32909] "hath committed, that neither I in myself can tell where to begin, "
## [32910] "my thoughts being confused with the horrible multitude of them, "
## [32911] "neither do I think your virtuous ears will be able to endure the "
## [32912] "report, but will rather imagine you hear some tragedy invented "
## [32913] "of the extremity of wickedness, than a just recital of a wickedness "
## [32914] "indeed committed : for such is the disposition of the most sincere "
## [32915] "judgments, that as they can believa mean faults, and such as man's "
## [32916] "nature may slide into, so when they pass to a certain degree, nay, "
## [32917] "when they pass all degrees of unspeakable naughtiness, then find they "
## [32918] "in themselves a hardness to give credit that human creatures can so "
## [32919] "from all humanity be transformed. But in myself the strength of my "
## [32920] "faith to my dead master will help the weakness of my memory ; in "
## [32921] ""
## [32922] ""
## [32923] ""
## [32924] "'6o6 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [32925] ""
## [32926] "you, your excellent love of justice will force you to vouchsafe atten- "
## [32927] "tion : and as for the matter, it is so manifest, so pitiful evidences lie "
## [32928] "before your eyes of it, that I shall need to be but a brief recounter, "
## [32929] "and no rhetorical enlarger of this most harmful mischief. I will "
## [32930] "therefore, in as few words as so huge a trespass can be obtained, "
## [32931] "deliver unto you the sum of this miserable fact: leaving out "
## [32932] "a great number of particular tokens of his naughtiness, and only "
## [32933] "touching the essential points of this doleful case. This man, "
## [32934] "whom to begin withal I know not how to name, since being come "
## [32935] "into this country, unaccompanied like a lost pilgrim, from a man "
## [32936] "grew a woman, from a woman a ravisher of women, thence "
## [32937] "a prisoner, and now a prince : but this Zelmane, this Daiphantus, "
## [32938] "this what you will, for any shape or title he can take upon him, "
## [32939] "that hath no restraint of shame, having understood the solitary "
## [32940] "life my late master lived, and considering how open he had laid "
## [32941] "himself to any traitorous attempt, for the first mask of his "
## [32942] "falsehood, disguised himself like a woman, which being the more "
## [32943] "simple and hurtlesssex, might easier hide his subtle harmfulness. "
## [32944] "And presenting himself to my master, the most courteous prince "
## [32945] "that lived, was received of him with so great graciousness that "
## [32946] "might have bound not only any grateful mind, but might have "
## [32947] "mollified any enemy's rancour. But this venomous serpent, "
## [32948] "admitted thus into his bosom, as contagion will easily find a fit "
## [32949] "body for it, so had he quickly fallen into so near acquaintance "
## [32950] "with this naughty woman, whom even now you have most justly "
## [32951] "condemned, that this was her right hand, she saw with no eyes "
## [32952] "but his, nor seemed to have any life but in him, so glad she was "
## [32953] "to find one more cunning than herself in covering wickedness "
## [32954] "with a modest veil. What is to be thought passed betwixt two "
## [32955] "such virtuous creatures, whereof the one hath confessed murder, "
## [32956] "and the other rape, I leave to your wise consideration. For my heart "
## [32957] "hastens to the miserable point of Basilius's murder, for the "
## [32958] "executing of which with more facility, this young nymph of "
## [32959] "Diana's bringing up, feigned certain rites she had to perform, so "
## [32960] "furious an impiety had carried him from all remembrance of "
## [32961] "goodness that he did not only not fear the gods, as the beholders "
## [32962] "and punishers of so ungodly a villainy, but did blasphemously "
## [32963] "use their sacred holy name as a minister unto it. And forsooth "
## [32964] "a cave hereby was chosen for the temple of his devotions, a cave "
## [32965] "of such darkness, as did prognosticate he meant -to please the "
## [32966] "infernal powers; for there this accursed caitiff, upon the altai "
## [32967] "of falsehood, sacrificed the life of the virtuous Basilius. By what "
## [32968] "means he trained him thither, alas I know not, for if I might have "
## [32969] "known it, either my hfe had accompanied my master, or this "
## [32970] ".fellow's death had preserved him. But this may su£Sce that in "
## [32971] ""
## [32972] ""
## [32973] ""
## [32974] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 607 "
## [32975] ""
## [32976] "the mouth of this cave, where this traitor had his lodging and "
## [32977] "chapel, when already master shepherd, his companion, had "
## [32978] "conveyed away the undoubted inheritrix of this country, was "
## [32979] "Gynecia found by the dead corpse of her husband, newly "
## [32980] "empoisoned, apparelled in the garments of the young lady, and "
## [32981] "ready no question to have fled to some place, according to their "
## [32982] "consort, but that she was by certain honest shepherds arrested: "
## [32983] "while in the meantime, because there should be left no revenger "
## [32984] "of this bloody mischief, this noble Amazon was violently gotten "
## [32985] "into the chamber of the Lady Philoclea, where by the mingling, "
## [32986] "as much as in him lay, of her shame with his misdeed, he might "
## [32987] "enforce her to be accessory to her father's death, and under the "
## [32988] "countenance of her and her sister, against whom they knew we "
## [32989] "would not rebel, seize as it were with one grip into their treacherous "
## [32990] "hands, the regiment of this mighty province. But the Almighty "
## [32991] "Eye prevented him of the end of his mischief, by using a villain "
## [32992] "Dametas's hand to inclose him in there, where with as much "
## [32993] "fortification as in a house could be made, he thought himself "
## [32994] "in most security. Thus see you most just judge, a short and "
## [32995] "simple story of the infamous misery fallen upon this country; "
## [32996] "indeed infamous, since by an effeminate man we should "
## [32997] "suffer a greater overthrow than our mightiest enemies have "
## [32998] "been ever able to lay upon us. And that all this, which "
## [32999] "I have said is most manifest, as well of the murdering of "
## [33000] "Basilius, as the ravishing of Philoclea, for those two parts I "
## [33001] "establish of my accusation, who is of so incredulous a mind, or "
## [33002] "rather who will so stop his eyes from seeing a thing clearer than "
## [33003] "the light, as not to hold for assured so palpable a matter? For to "
## [33004] "begin with his most cruel misdeed, is it to be imagined that "
## [33005] "Gynecia, a woman though wicked, yet witty, would have attempted "
## [33006] "and achieved an enterprise, no less hazardous than horrible, "
## [33007] "without having some counsellor in the beginning, and some "
## [33008] "comforter in the performing? had she, who showed her thoughts "
## [33009] "were so over-ruled with some strange desire, as in despite of God, "
## [33010] ""
## [33011] "■ nature, and womanhood, to execute that in deeds, which in words "
## [33012] "we cannot hear without trembling ? Had she I say no practice to "
## [33013] "lead her unto it? or had she a practice without conspiracy? or "
## [33014] "could she conspire without somebody to conspire with ? and if one "
## [33015] "were, who so likely as this, to whom she communicated I am sure "
## [33016] "her mind, the world thinks her body? neither let her words, taking "
## [33017] "the whole fault upon herself, be herein anything available. For "
## [33018] "to those persons who have vomited out of their souls all remnants "
## [33019] "of goodness, there rests a certain pride in evil, and having else no "
## [33020] "shadow of glory left them, they glory to be constant in iniquity, "
## [33021] ""
## [33022] "\" and that, God knows, must be held out to the last gasp, without "
## [33023] ""
## [33024] ""
## [33025] ""
## [33026] "6o8 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [33027] ""
## [33028] "revealing their accomplices ; as thinking great courage is declared "
## [33029] "in being neither afraid of the heavens, nor ashamed of the world. "
## [33030] "But let Gynecia's action die with herself, what can all the earth "
## [33031] "answer for his coming hither? Why alone, if he be a prince? "
## [33032] "How so richly jewelled if he be not a prince ? Why then a woman "
## [33033] "if now a man ? Why now Daiphantus, if then Zelmane ? Was "
## [33034] "all this play for nothing, or if it had an end, what end but the end "
## [33035] "of my dear master? Shall we doubt so many secret conferences "
## [33036] "with Gynecia, such feigned favour to the over-soon beguiled "
## [33037] "Basilius, a cave made a lodging, and the same lodging made a "
## [33038] "temple of his religion, lastly, such changes and traverses, as a "
## [33039] "quiet poet could scarce fill a poem withal, were directed to any "
## [33040] "less scope than to this monstrous murderer ? O snaky ambition, "
## [33041] "which can wind thyself in so many figures, to slide thither thou "
## [33042] "desirest to come ! O corrupted reason of mankind, that can yield "
## [33043] "to deform thyself with so filthy desires ? and O hopeless be those "
## [33044] "minds whom so unnatural desires do not with their own ugliness "
## [33045] "sufficiently terrify ! But yet even of favour let us grant him thus "
## [33046] "much more, as to fancy that in these foretold things, fortune might "
## [33047] "be a great actor, perchance to an evil end, yet to a less evil end "
## [33048] "all these entangled devices were intended. But I beseech your "
## [33049] "ladyship, my Lady Daiphantus, tell me what excuse can you find "
## [33050] "for the changing your lodging with the queen that very instant "
## [33051] "she was to finish her execrable practice ? how can you cloak the "
## [33052] "lending of your cloak unto her. Was all that by chance too ? Had "
## [33053] "the stars sent such an influence unto you, as you should be just "
## [33054] "weary of your lodging and garments when our prince was destined "
## [33055] "to the slaughter ? What say you to this, O shameful and shameless "
## [33056] "creature ? fit indeed to be the dishonour of both sexes. But alas 1 "
## [33057] "I spend too many words in so manifest and so miserable a matter. "
## [33058] "They must be four wild horses, which according to our laws are "
## [33059] "the executioners of men which murder our prince, which must "
## [33060] "decide this question with you. Yet see so far had my zeal to my "
## [33061] "beloved prince transported me that I had almost forgotten my "
## [33062] "second part, and his second abomination, I mean his violence "
## [33063] "offered to the Lady Philoclea : wherewith as if it had well become "
## [33064] "his womanhood, he came braving to the judgment-seat : indeed "
## [33065] "our laws appoint not so cruel a death, although death too, for this "
## [33066] "fact as for the other. But whosoever well weighs it shall find it "
## [33067] "sprung out of the same fountain of mischievous naughtiness, the "
## [33068] "killing of the father, dishonouring the mother, and ravishing the "
## [33069] "child. Alas, could not so many benefits received of my prince, the "
## [33070] "justice of nature, the sign of hospitality be a bridle to thy lust, if "
## [33071] "not to thy cruelty ? or if thou hadst, as surely thou hast, a heart "
## [33072] "recompensing goodness with hatred, could not his death, which is "
## [33073] ""
## [33074] ""
## [33075] ""
## [33076] "ftooK v.] ARCADIA ($031 "
## [33077] ""
## [33078] "the last of revenges, satisfy thy malice, but thou must heap upon "
## [33079] "it the shame of his daughter ? Were thy eyes so stony, thy breast "
## [33080] "so tigerish, that the sweet and beautiful shows of Philoclea's virtue "
## [33081] "did not astonish thee ? O woful Arcadia, to whom the name of "
## [33082] "this mankind courtisan shall ever be remembered as a procurer of "
## [33083] "thy greatest loss I But too far I find my passion, yet honest "
## [33084] "passion hath guided me ; the cause is every way too, too much "
## [33085] "unanswerable. It resteth in you, O excellent protector, to "
## [33086] "pronounce judgment, which if there be hope that such a young "
## [33087] "man may prove profitable to the world, who in the first exercise of "
## [33088] "his own determination, far passed the arrantest strumpet in "
## [33089] "luxuriousness, the cunningest forger in falsehood, a player in "
## [33090] "disguising, a tiger in cruelty, a dragon in ungratefulness, let him "
## [33091] "be preserved like a jewel to do greater mischief. If his youth be "
## [33092] "not more defiled with treachery than the eldest man's age, let, I "
## [33093] "say, his youth be some cause of compassion. If he have not every "
## [33094] "way sought the overthrow of human society, if he have done "
## [33095] "anything like a prince, let his naming himself a prince breed a "
## [33096] "reverence of his base wickedness. If he have not broken all the "
## [33097] "laws of hospitality, and broken them in the most detestable degree "
## [33098] "that can be, let his being a guest be a sacred protection of his "
## [33099] "more than savage doings : or if his whorish beauty, have not been "
## [33100] "as the high way of his wickedness, let the picture drawn upon so "
## [33101] "poisonous a wood, be reserved to show how greatly colours can "
## [33102] "please us. But if it is as it is, what should I say more, a very "
## [33103] "spirit of hellish naughtiness ; if his act be to be punished, and his "
## [33104] "defiled person not to be pitied, then restore unto us our prince by "
## [33105] "duly punishing his murderers, for then we shall think him and his "
## [33106] "name to live when we shall see his killers to die. Restore to the "
## [33107] "excellent Philoclea her hononr, by taking out of the world hey "
## [33108] "dishonour, and think that at this day, in this matter, e'er the eyes "
## [33109] "of the world upon you, whether anything can sway your mind from "
## [33110] "a true administration of justice, Alas ! though I have much more "
## [33111] "to say, I Can say no more, for my tears and sighs interrupt my "
## [33112] "speech, and force me to give myself over to my private sorrow.\" "
## [33113] ""
## [33114] "Thus when Philanax had uttered the uttermost of his malice, he "
## [33115] "made sorrow the cause of his conclusion. But while Philanax was "
## [33116] "in the course of his speech, and did with such bitter reproaches "
## [33117] "defame the princely Pyrocles, it was well to be seen, his heart was "
## [33118] "unused to bear such injuries, and his thoughts such as could arm "
## [33119] "themselves better against anything than shame. For sometimes "
## [33120] "blushing, his blood with ' divers motions coming and going, "
## [33121] "sometimes closing his eyes, and laying his hand over them "
## [33122] "sometimes giving such a look to Philanax, as might show he "
## [33123] "assured himself he durst not so have spoken if they had been "
## [33124] ""
## [33125] "2 Q "
## [33126] ""
## [33127] ""
## [33128] ""
## [33129] "6 10 ARCADIA [book r. "
## [33130] ""
## [33131] "in an indifferent place : with some impatiency he bare the length "
## [33132] "of his oration; which being ended, with as much modest "
## [33133] "humbleness to the judge, as despiteful scorn to the accuser, with "
## [33134] "words to this purpose he defended his honour. "
## [33135] ""
## [33136] "\" My accuser's tale may well bear witness with me, most rightful "
## [33137] "judge, in how hard a case, and environed with how many troubles, "
## [33138] "I may esteem myself. For if he who shows his tongue is not "
## [33139] "unacquainted with railing, was in an agony in the beginning of "
## [33140] "his speech with the multitude of the matters he had to lay unto "
## [33141] "me, wherein notwithstanding the most evil could fall unto him "
## [33142] "was that he should not do so much evil as he would, how cumbered "
## [33143] "do you think may I acknowledge myself, who, in things no less "
## [33144] "importing than my life, must be mine own advocate, without "
## [33145] "leisure to answer, or foreknowledge what should be objected? "
## [33146] "in things, I say, promoted with so cunning confusion, as having "
## [33147] "mingled truths with falsehoods, surmises with certainties, causes "
## [33148] "of no moment with matters capital, scolding with complaining, "
## [33149] "I can absolutely neither grant nor deny, neither can I tell whether "
## [33150] "I come hither to be judged, or before judgment to be punished, "
## [33151] "being compelled to hear such unworthy words, far more grievous "
## [33152] "than any death unto me. But since the form of this government "
## [33153] "allows such tongue-liberty unto him, I will pick as well as I can "
## [33154] "out of his invective speech those few points which may seem of "
## [33155] "some purpose in the touching of me, hoping that by your easy "
## [33156] "hearing of me, you will show that though you hate evil, yet you "
## [33157] "wish men may prove themselves not evil ; so in that he hath said, "
## [33158] "you will not weigh so much what he hath said as what he hath "
## [33159] "proved, remembering that truth is simple and naked, and that "
## [33160] "if he had guided himself under that banner, he needed not out "
## [33161] "of the way have sought so vile and false disgracing of me, enough "
## [33162] "to make the untruest accusation believed. I will therefore, using "
## [33163] "truth as my best eloquence, repeat unto you as much as I know "
## [33164] "in this matter, and then, by the only clearness of the discourse, "
## [33165] "your wisdom I know will find the difference between cavilling "
## [33166] "supposition, and direct declaration. This Prince Palladius and "
## [33167] "I being inflamed with love, a passion far more easily reprehended "
## [33168] "than refrained, to the two peerless daughters of Basilius, and "
## [33169] "understanding how he had secluded himself from the world, that, "
## [33170] "like princes, there was no access unto him, we disguised ourselves, "
## [33171] "in such forms as might soonest bring us to the revealing our "
## [33172] "affections. The Prince Palladius had such event of his doings "
## [33173] "that, with Pamela's consent, he was to convey her out of the "
## [33174] "thraldofti she lived in, to receive the subjection of a greater people "
## [33175] "than her own, until her father's consent might be obtained. My "
## [33176] "'■^'-tiine was more hard, for I bare no more love to the chaste "
## [33177] ""
## [33178] ""
## [33179] ""
## [33180] "BOOT? v.] ARCADIA 6il "
## [33181] ""
## [33182] "Philoclea, than Basilius, deceived in my sex, showed to me, "
## [33183] "insomuch that by his importunacy, I could have no time to "
## [33184] "obtain the like favour of the pure Philoclea, till this policy I found, "
## [33185] "taking under colour of some devotions, my lodging, to draw "
## [33186] "Basilius thither, with hope to enjoy me ; which likewise I revealed "
## [33187] "to the queen, that she might keep my place, and so make "
## [33188] "her husband see his error. While I in the meantime, being "
## [33189] "delivered of them both, and having locked so the doors as I hoped, "
## [33190] "if the immaculate Philoclea would condescend to go with me, "
## [33191] "there should be none to hinder our going, I was made prisoner "
## [33192] "there, I know not by what means, when being repelled by her "
## [33193] "divine virtue, I would fainest have escaped. Here you have the "
## [33194] "thread -to guide you in the labyrinth, this man of his tongue, "
## [33195] "had made so monstrous. Here you see the true discourse, which "
## [33196] "he mountebank-fashion doth make so wide a mouth over. Here "
## [33197] "may you conceive the reason why the queen had my garment, "
## [33198] "because in her going to the cave, in the moon-shine night, she "
## [33199] "m^ht be taken for me, which he useth as the knot of all his "
## [33200] "wise assertions : so that as this double minded fellow's accusation "
## [33201] "was double, double likewise my answer must perforce be, to the "
## [33202] "murder of Basilius, and violence offered to the inviolate Philoclea. "
## [33203] "For the first, O heavenly gods, who would have thought any mouth "
## [33204] "could have been found so mercenary as to have opened so slight "
## [33205] "proofs of so horrible matters ! His first argument is a question, "
## [33206] "who would imagine that Gynecia would accomplish such an act, "
## [33207] "without some accessories ? and if any, who but I ? truly I am so "
## [33208] "far from imagining anything, that till I saw these mourning tokens, "
## [33209] "and heard Gynecia's confession, I never imagined the king was "
## [33210] "dead. And for my part so vehemently, and more like the manner "
## [33211] "of passionate than guilty folk, I see the queen persecute herself, "
## [33212] "that I think condemnation may go too hastily over her, considering "
## [33213] "the unlikelihood, if not impossibility, her wisdom and virtue so "
## [33214] "long nourished, should in one moment throw down itself to the "
## [33215] "uttermost end ■ of wickedness. But whatsoever she hath done, "
## [33216] "which, as I say, I never believed, yet how unjustly should that "
## [33217] "aggravate my fault ? she found abroad, I within doors, for as for "
## [33218] "the wearing my garment I have told you the cause, she seeking, as "
## [33219] "you say, to escape, I locking myself in a house : without perchance "
## [33220] "the conspiracy of one poor stranger, might greatly enable her "
## [33221] "attempt, or the fortification of the lodge, as the trim man alleged, "
## [33222] "might make me hope to resist all Arcadia. And see how "
## [33223] "treacherously he seeks to draw from me my chiefest clearing, by "
## [33224] "preventing the credit of her words, wherewith she had wholly "
## [33225] "taken the fault upon herself. An honest and impartial examiner ; "
## [33226] "her words may condemn her, but may not absolve me. Thus, "
## [33227] ""
## [33228] ""
## [33229] ""
## [33230] "6i2 ARCADIA [BOOK V. "
## [33231] ""
## [33232] "void of all probable allegation, the craven crows upon my affliction, "
## [33233] "not leaving out any evil that ever he hath felt in his own soul, to "
## [33234] "charge my youth withal. But who can look for a sweet breath out "
## [33235] "of such a stomach ? or for honey from so filthy a spider ? What "
## [33236] "should I say more ? if in so inhuman a matter, which he himself "
## [33237] "confesseth, sincerest judgments are lothest to believe, and in the "
## [33238] "severest laws proofs clearer than the sun are required, his reasons "
## [33239] "are only the scum of a base malice, my answers most manifest, "
## [33240] "shining in their own truth, there remain any doubt of it, because it "
## [33241] "stands betwixt his affirming and my denial, I offer, nay I desire, "
## [33242] "and humbly desire I may be granted the trial by combat, wherein "
## [33243] "let him be armed, and me in my shirt, I doubt not justice will be "
## [33244] "my shield, and his heart will show itself as faint as it is false. "
## [33245] ""
## [33246] "\"Now come I to the second part of my offence towards the "
## [33247] "young lady, which, howsoever you term it, so far forth as I have "
## [33248] "told you, I confess, and for her sake heartily lament. But if herein "
## [33249] "I offered force to her, love offered more force to me. Let her "
## [33250] "beauty be compared to my years, and such effects will be found no "
## [33251] "miracles. But since it 'is thus as it is, and that justice teacheth us "
## [33252] "not to love punishment, but to fly to it for necessity : the salve of "
## [33253] "her honour, I mean as the world will take it, for else in truth it is "
## [33254] "most untouched, must be my marriage and not my death, since the "
## [33255] "one stops all mouths, the other becomes a doubtful fable. This "
## [33256] "matter requires no more words, and your experience, I hope, in "
## [33257] "these cases shall need no more ; for myself methinks I have "
## [33258] "showed already too much love of my life to bestow so many. But "
## [33259] "certainly it hath been love of truth, which could not bear so "
## [33260] "unworthy falsehood, and love of justice that would brook no wrong "
## [33261] "to myself nor other, and makes me now, even in that respect to "
## [33262] "desire you to be moved rather with pity at a just cause of tears, "
## [33263] "than with the bloody tears this crocodile spends, who weeps to "
## [33264] "procure death, and not to lament death. It will be no honour to "
## [33265] "Basilius's tomb to have guiltless blood sprinkled upon it, and "
## [33266] "much more may a judge over-weigh himself in cruelty than in "
## [33267] "clemency. It is hard, but it is excellent where it is found, a right "
## [33268] "knowledge when correction is necessary, when grace doth more "
## [33269] "avail. For mine own respect, if I thought in wisdom I had "
## [33270] "deserved death, I would not desire life : for I know nature will "
## [33271] "condemn me to die though you do not ; and longer I would not "
## [33272] "wish to draw this breath, than I may keep myself unspotted of any "
## [33273] "horrible crime ; only I cannot, nor ever will deny the love of "
## [33274] "Philoclea, whose violence wrought violent effects in me.\" "
## [33275] ""
## [33276] "With that he finished his speech, casting up his eyes to the "
## [33277] "judge, and crossing his hands, which he held in their length before "
## [33278] "him declaring a resolute patience in whatsoever should be done "
## [33279] ""
## [33280] ""
## [33281] ""
## [33282] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 613 "
## [33283] ""
## [33284] "with him. Philanax, like a watchful adversary, curiously marked "
## [33285] "all that he said, saving that in the beginning he was interrupted by "
## [33286] "two letters which were brought him froni the Princess Pamela, and "
## [33287] "the Lady Philoclea, who having all that night considered and "
## [33288] "bewailed their estate, careful for their mother likewise, of whom "
## [33289] "they could never think so much evil, but considering with themselves "
## [33290] "that she assuredly should have so due trial by the laws, as either "
## [33291] "she should not need their help, or should be past their help ; they "
## [33292] "looked to that which nearliest touched them, and each wrote in "
## [33293] "this sort for him, in whom their live's joy consisted. "
## [33294] ""
## [33295] "The humble hearted Philoclea wrote much after this manner : "
## [33296] ""
## [33297] "My Lords, what you will determine of me, it is to me uncertain, but "
## [33298] "what I have determined of myself, I am most cei;'tain, which is no "
## [33299] "longer to enjoy my life, than I may enjoy him for my husband, whom "
## [33300] "the heavens for my highest glory have bestowed upon me. Those "
## [33301] "that judge him, let them execute me. Let my throat satisfy their "
## [33302] "hunger of murder. For alas what hath he done, that had not its "
## [33303] "original in me ? Look upon him I beseech you with indifferency, and "
## [33304] "see whether in those eyes all virtue shines not. See whether that "
## [33305] "face could hide a murder. Take leisure to know him, and then "
## [33306] "yourselves will say, it hath been too great an inhumanity to suspect "
## [33307] "such excellency. Are the gods think you deceived in their "
## [33308] "workmanship? artificers will not use marble but to noble uses. "
## [33309] "Should those powers be so overshot, as to frame so precious an "
## [33310] "image of their own, but to honourable purposes ? O speak with him, "
## [33311] "O hear him, O know him, and become not the putters out of the "
## [33312] "world's light. Hope you to joy my father's soul with hurting him he "
## [33313] "loved above all the world ? shall a wrong suspicion make you forget "
## [33314] "the certain knowledge of those benefits this house hath received by "
## [33315] "him? Alas, alas, let not Arcadia for his loss be accursed of the "
## [33316] "whole earth and of all posterity. He is a great prince, I speak unto "
## [33317] "you that which I know, for I have seen most evident testimonies. "
## [33318] "Why should you hinder my advancement ? who if I have passed my "
## [33319] "childhood hurtless to any of you, if I have refused nobody to do "
## [33320] "what good I could, if I have often mitigated my father's anger, ever "
## [33321] "sought to maintain his favour towards you, nay, if I have held you "
## [33322] "all as fathers and brothers unto me, rob me not of more than my life "
## [33323] "comes unto. Tear not that which is inseparably joined to my soul ; "
## [33324] "but if he rest misliked of you, which, O God, how can it be, yet give "
## [33325] "him to me, let me have him, you know I pretend no right to your "
## [33326] "state. Therefore it is but a private petition I make unto you. Or "
## [33327] "if you be hard-heartedly bent to apppoint otherwise, which oh sooner "
## [33328] "let me die than know, then, to end as I began, let me by you be "
## [33329] "ordered to the same end : without, for more cruelty, you mean to "
## [33330] "force Philoclea to use her own hands to kill one of ^our king's "
## [33331] "phildreq. "
## [33332] ""
## [33333] ""
## [33334] ""
## [33335] "6r4 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [33336] ""
## [33337] "Pamela's letter, which she meant to send to the general assembly "
## [33338] "of the Arcadian nobility, for so closely they were kept, as they "
## [33339] "were utterly ignorant of the new taken orders, was thus framed : "
## [33340] ""
## [33341] "In such a state, my Lord, you have placed me that I can neither "
## [33342] "write nor be silent j for how can I be silent, since you have left me "
## [33343] "nothing but my solitary words to testify my misery ? and how should "
## [33344] "I write, for as for speech I have none but my jailor that can hear me, "
## [33345] "who neither can resolve what to write, nor to whom to write ? What "
## [33346] "to write is hard for me to say, as what I may not write, so little hope "
## [33347] "have I of any success, and so much hath no injury been left undone "
## [33348] "to me-wards. To whom to write, where may I learn, since yet I "
## [33349] "wot not how to entitle you? shall I call you my sovereigns? set "
## [33350] "down your laws that I may do you homage. Shall I fall lower, and "
## [33351] "name you my fellows ? show me, I beseech you, the lord and master "
## [33352] "over us. But shall Basilius's heir name herself your princess ? alas "
## [33353] "I am your prisoner. But whatsoever I be, or whatsoever you be, O "
## [33354] "all you beholders of these doleful lines, this do I signify unto you, "
## [33355] "and signify it with a heart that ever shall remain in that opinion, the "
## [33356] "good or evil you do to the excellent prince who was taken with me, "
## [33357] "and after by force from me, I will ever impute it as either way done to "
## [33358] "mine own person. He is a prince, and worthy to be my husband, "
## [33359] "and so is he my husband by me worthily chosen. Believe it, believe "
## [33360] "it, either you shall be traitors for murdering of me, or if you let me "
## [33361] "live the murderers of him shall smart as traitors. For what do you "
## [33362] "think I can think ? am I so childish, as not to see wherein you touch "
## [33363] "him you condemn me? can his shame be without my reproach? no, "
## [33364] "nor shall be, since nothing he hath done that I will not avow. Is this "
## [33365] "the comfort you bring me in my father's death, to make me fuller of "
## [33366] "shame than sorrow ? would you do this if it were not with full intention "
## [33367] "to prevent my power with slaughter ? and so do I pray you it is high "
## [33368] "time for me to be weary of my life too long led, since you are weary "
## [33369] "of me, before you have me. I say again, I say it indefinitely unto "
## [33370] "you, I will not live without him, if it be not to revenge him : either "
## [33371] "do justly in saving both, or wisely in killing both. If I be your "
## [33372] "princess, I command his preservation j if but a private person, then "
## [33373] "are we both to suffer. I take all truth to witness he hath done no "
## [33374] "fault but in going with me. Therefore to conclude, in judging him "
## [33375] "you judge me, neither conceive with yourselves, the matter you treat "
## [33376] "of is the life of a stranger, though even in that name he deserved "
## [33377] "pity ; nor of a shepherd, to which estate love of me made such a "
## [33378] "prince descend : but determine most assuredly, the life that is in "
## [33379] "question is of Pamela, Basilius's daughter. "
## [33380] ""
## [33381] "Many blots had the tears of these sweet ladies made in their "
## [33382] "letters, which many times they had altered, many times torn, and "
## [33383] "written anew, ever thinking something either wanted, or was too "
## [33384] "jnuchj or would offend, or, which is worst, would breed denial; "
## [33385] ""
## [33386] ""
## [33387] ""
## [33388] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 615 "
## [33389] ""
## [33390] "but at last, the day warned them to dispatch, which they "
## [33391] "accordingly did, and calling one of their guard, for nobody else "
## [33392] "was suffered to come near them, with great entreaty, they requested "
## [33393] "him that he would present them to the principal noblemen and "
## [33394] "gentlemen together. For they had more confidence in the "
## [33395] "numbers' favour, than in any one, upon whom they would not lay "
## [33396] "the lives they held so precious. But the fellow trusted to Philanax, "
## [33397] "who had placed him there, delivered them both to him, what time "
## [33398] "Pyrocles began to speak, which he suddenly opened, and seeing "
## [33399] "to what they tended, by the first words, was so far from publishing "
## [33400] "them, whereby he feared in Euarchus's just mind, either the "
## [33401] "princesses might be endangered, or the prisoners preserved, of "
## [33402] "which choice he knew not which to think the worst, that he would "
## [33403] "not himself read them over, doubting his own heart might be "
## [33404] "mollified, so bent upon revenge. Therefore utterly suppressing "
## [33405] "them, he lent a spiteful ear to Pyrocles, and as soon as he had "
## [33406] "ended, with a very willing heart desired Euarchus he might accept "
## [33407] "the combat : although it would have fram d but evil with him : "
## [33408] "Pyrocles having never found any ma ch near him besides "
## [33409] "Musidorus. But Euarchus made answer, since bodily strength "
## [33410] "is but a servant to the mind, it were very barbarous and "
## [33411] "preposterous that force should be made judge over reason. Then "
## [33412] "would he also have replied in words unto him, but Euarchus who "
## [33413] "knew what they could say was already said, taking their arguments "
## [33414] "into his mind, commanded him to proceed against the other "
## [33415] "prisoner, and that then he would sentence them both together. "
## [33416] ""
## [33417] "Philanax nothing the milder for Pyrocles's purging himself, but "
## [33418] "rather, according to the nature of arguing, especially when it is "
## [33419] "bitter, so much more vehement, entered thus into his speech "
## [33420] "against Musidorus, being so overgone with rage, that he forgot in "
## [33421] "this oration his precise method of oratory. \" Behold, most noble "
## [33422] "protector, to what a state Arcadia is come, since such manner of "
## [33423] "men may challenge in combat the faithfuUest of the nobility, and "
## [33424] "having merited the shamefuUest of all deaths dare name in "
## [33425] "marriage the princesses of this country. Certainly my masters, I "
## [33426] "must say, you were much out of taste if you had not rather enjoy "
## [33427] "such ladies than be hanged. But the one you have as much "
## [33428] "deserved, as you have dishonoured the other. But now my speech "
## [33429] "must be directed to you, good master Dorus, who, with Pallas's "
## [33430] "help perdy, are lately grown Palladius. Too much this sacred "
## [33431] "seat of justice grants unto such a fugitive bondslave, who, instead "
## [33432] "of these examinations, should be made confess with a whip, that "
## [33433] "which a halter should punish. Are not you he, Sir, whose sheep- "
## [33434] "hook was prepared to be our sceptre ; in whom lay the knot of all "
## [33435] "this tragedy? or else perchance, they that should gain httle by it "
## [33436] ""
## [33437] ""
## [33438] ""
## [33439] "6i6 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [33440] ""
## [33441] "were dealers in the murder, you only that had provided the fruits "
## [33442] "for yourself, knew nothing of it ; knew nothing ! Hath thy "
## [33443] "companion here infected thee with such impudency, as even in the "
## [33444] "face of the world to deny that which all the world perceiveth? "
## [33445] "The other pleads ignorance, and you, I doubt not, will allege "
## [33446] "absence. But he was ignorant when he was hard by, and you had "
## [33447] "framed your absence, just against the time the act should be "
## [33448] "committed, so fit a lieutenant he knew he had left of his wickedness, "
## [33449] "that for himself his safest mean, was to convey away the lady of "
## [33450] "us all, who once out of the country, he knew we would come with "
## [33451] "olive branches of intercession unto her, and fall at his feet to "
## [33452] "beseech h\"im to leave keeping of sheep, and vouchsafe the "
## [33453] "tyrannizing over us ; for to think they are princes, as they say, "
## [33454] "although in our laws it behoveth them nothing, I see at all nC "
## [33455] "reason. These jewels certainly with their disguising slights, they "
## [33456] "have pilfered in their vagabonding race. And think you such "
## [33457] "princes should be so long without some followers after them? "
## [33458] "Truly if they be princes, it manifestly shows their virtues such, "
## [33459] "as ail their subjects are glad to be rid of them. But be they as "
## [33460] "they are, for we are to consider the matter and not the men, "
## [33461] "Basilius's murder hath been the cause of their coming, Basilius's "
## [33462] "murder they have most treacherously brought to pass ; yet that "
## [33463] "I doubt not, you will deny as well as your fellow. But how will "
## [33464] "you deny the stealing away the princess of this province, which is "
## [33465] "no less than treason? so notably hath the justice of the gods "
## [33466] "provided for the punishing of these malefactors, as if it were "
## [33467] "possible, men would not believe the certain evidences of their "
## [33468] "principal mischief, yet have they discovered themselves sufficiently "
## [33469] "for their most just overthrow. I say therefore, to omit my chief "
## [33470] "matter of the king's death, this wolfish shepherd, this counterfeit "
## [33471] "prince, hath traitorously, contrary to his allegiance, having made "
## [33472] "himself a servant and subject, attempted the depriving this country "
## [33473] "of our natural princess, and therefore by all right must receive the "
## [33474] "punishment of traitors. This matter is so assured as he himself "
## [33475] "will not deny it, being taken and brought back in the fact. This "
## [33476] "matter is so odious in nature, so shameful to the world, so contrary "
## [33477] "to all laws, so hurtful to us, so false in him, as if I should stand "
## [33478] "farther in declaring or defacing it, I should either show great "
## [33479] "doubts in your wisdom, or in your justice. Therefore I will "
## [33480] "transfer my care upon you, and attend, to my learning and "
## [33481] "comfort, the eternal example you will leave to all mankind, of "
## [33482] "disguisers, falsifiers, adulterers, ravishers, murderers and traitors.\" "
## [33483] "Musidorus, while Philanax was speaking against his cousin and "
## [33484] "him, had looked round about him, to see whether by any means "
## [33485] "he might come to have caught him in his arms, and have killed "
## [33486] ""
## [33487] ""
## [33488] ""
## [33489] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 617 "
## [33490] ""
## [33491] "him, so much had his disgracing words filled his breast with rage. "
## [33492] "But perceiving himself so guarded as he should rather show a "
## [33493] "passionate act, than perform his revenge, his hand trembling with "
## [33494] "desire to strike, and all the veins in his face swelling, casting his "
## [33495] "eyes over the judgment seat : \" O gods,'' said he, \" and have you "
## [33496] "spared my life to bear these injuries of such a drivel I Is this the "
## [33497] "justice of this place, to have such men as we are, submitted not "
## [33498] "only to apparent falsehood, but most shameful reviling? But "
## [33499] "mark I pray you the ungratefulness of the wretch, how utterly he "
## [33500] "hath forgotten the benefits both he and all this country hath "
## [33501] "received of us. For if ever men may remember their own noble "
## [33502] "deeds, it is then when their just defence, and others' unjust "
## [33503] "unkindness doth require it. I omit our services done to Basilius "
## [33504] "in the late war with Amphialus, importing no less than his "
## [33505] "daughters' lives, and his state's preservation. Were not We the "
## [33506] "men who killed the wild beasts which otherwise had killed the "
## [33507] "princesses if we had not succoured them ? Consider if it please "
## [33508] "you where had been Daiphantus's rape, or my treason, if the sweet "
## [33509] "beauties of the earth had then been devoured ? either think them "
## [33510] "now dead, or remember they live by us. And yet full often this "
## [33511] "telltale can acknowledge the loss they should have by their taking "
## [33512] "away while maliciously he overpasseth who were their preservers : "
## [33513] "neither let this be spoken of me, as if I meant to balance this evil "
## [33514] "with that good, for I must confess that saving of such creatures "
## [33515] "was rewarded in the act itself, but only to manifest the partial "
## [33516] "jangling of this vile pickthank. But if we be traitors, where was "
## [33517] "your fidelity, O only tongue-valiant gentleman, when not only the "
## [33518] "young princess, but the king himself was defended from uttermost "
## [33519] "peril, partly by me, but principally by this excellent young man's "
## [33520] "both wisdom and valour ? Were we that made ourselves against "
## [33521] "hundreds of armed men, openly the shields of his life, like secretly "
## [33522] "to be his impoisoners ? Did we then show his life to be dearer "
## [33523] "to us than our own, because we might after rob him of his life to "
## [33524] "die shamefully? Truly, truly, master orator, whosoever hath hired "
## [33525] "you to be so busy in their matters, who keep honester servants "
## [33526] "than yourself, he should have bid you in so many railings, bring "
## [33527] "some excuse for yourself, why in the greatest need of your prince "
## [33528] "to whom you pretend a miraculous goodwill, you were not then "
## [33529] "as forward to do like a man yourself, or at least to accuse them "
## [33530] "that were slack in that service : but commonly they use their feet for "
## [33531] "their defence, whose tongue is their weapon. Certainly a very "
## [33532] "simple subtilty it bad been in us to repose our lives in the "
## [33533] "daughters when we had killed the father. But as this gentleman "
## [33534] "thinks to win the reputation of a copious talker by leaving nothing "
## [33535] "unsaid which a filthy mind can imagine, so think I, or else all "
## [33536] ""
## [33537] ""
## [33538] ""
## [33539] "6i8 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [33540] ""
## [33541] "words are vain, that to wise men's judgment our clearness in the "
## [33542] "King's death is sufficiently notorious But at length when the "
## [33543] "merchant hath set out his gilded baggage, lastly, he comes to "
## [33544] "some stuff of importance, and saith, I conveyed away the princess "
## [33545] "of this country. And is she indeed your princess ? I pray you "
## [33546] "then whom should I wait on else but her that was my mistress by "
## [33547] "my professed vow, and princess over me while I lived in this soil ? "
## [33548] "Ask her why she went, ask not me while I served her. Since "
## [33549] "accounting me as a prince, you have not to do with me : taking "
## [33550] "me as her servant, then take withal that I must obey her. But "
## [33551] "you will say 1 persuaded her to fly away ; certainly I will for "
## [33552] "no death deny it, knowing to what honour I should bring her from "
## [33553] "the thraldom by such fellow's counsel as you, she was kept in. "
## [33554] "Shall persuasion to a prince grow treason to a prince? It might "
## [33555] "be error in me, but falsehood it could not be, since I made myself "
## [33556] "partaker of whatsoever I wished her unto. Who will ever counsel "
## [33557] "his king, if his counsel be judged by the event, and if it be not "
## [33558] "found wise, shall therefore be thought wicked? But if I be a "
## [33559] "traitor, I hope you will grant me a correlative, to whom I shall be "
## [33560] "the traitor. For the princess against whom the treasons are "
## [33561] "considered, I am sure will avow my faithfulness, without you will "
## [33562] "say that I am a traitor to her because I left the country ? and a "
## [33563] "traitor to the country because I went with her. Here do I leave "
## [33564] "out my just excuses of love's force, which as thy narrow heart "
## [33565] "hath never had noble room enough in it to receive, so yet those "
## [33566] "manlike courages, that by experience know how subject the "
## [33567] "virtuous minds are to love a most virtuous creature, witnessed to "
## [33568] "be such by the most excellent gifts of nature, will deem it a venial "
## [33569] "trespass to seek the satisfaction of honourable desires, honourable "
## [33570] "even in the curiousest points of honour, whereout there can no "
## [33571] "disgrace nor disparagement come unto her. Therefore, O judge, "
## [33572] "who I hope dost know what it is to be a judge, that your end is to "
## [33573] "preserve and not to destroy mankind, that laws are not made like "
## [33574] "lime twigs or nets, to catch everything that toucheth them, but "
## [33575] "rather like sea-marks, to avoid the shipwreck of ignorant passengers, "
## [33576] "since that our doing in the extremest interpretation is but a human "
## [33577] "error, and that of it you may make a profitable event, we being of "
## [33578] "such estate as their parents would not have misliked the affinity, "
## [33579] "you will not I trust at the persuasion of this babbler, burn your "
## [33580] "house to make it clean, but like a wise father turn even the fault "
## [33581] "of your children to any good that may come of it : since that is "
## [33582] "the fruit of wisdom and end of all judgments.\" "
## [33583] ""
## [33584] "While this matter was thus handling, a silent and as it were "
## [33585] "astonished attention, possessed all the people. A kindly compassion "
## [33586] "pioved the noble gentleman Sympathus^ but as for Kalander, "
## [33587] ""
## [33588] ""
## [33589] ""
## [33590] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 619 "
## [33591] ""
## [33592] "everything was spoken either by or for his own dear guests, moved "
## [33593] "an affect in him : sometimes tears, sometimes hopefiil looks, "
## [33594] "sometimes whispering persuasions in their ears that stood by him, "
## [33595] "to seek the saving the two young princes. But the general "
## [33596] "multitude waited the judgment of Euarchus, who showed in his "
## [33597] "face no motions, either at the one's or other's speech, letting pass "
## [33598] "the flowers of rhetoric and only marking whither their reasons "
## [33599] "tended ; having made the question to be asked of Gynecia, who "
## [33600] "continued to take the whole fault upon herself, and having called "
## [33601] "Dametas with Miso and Mopsa, who by Philanax's order had "
## [33602] "been held in most cruel prison, to make a full declaration how "
## [33603] "much they knew of these passed matters, and then gathering as "
## [33604] "assured satisfaction to his own mind as in that case he could, not "
## [33605] "needing to take leisure for that, whereof a long practice had bred "
## [33606] "a well grounded habit in him, with a voice and gesture directed "
## [33607] "to the universal assembly, in this form pronounced sentence. "
## [33608] ""
## [33609] "\" This\" weighty matter, whereof presently we are to determine, "
## [33610] "doth at the first consideration yield to important doubts. The "
## [33611] "first whether these men be to be judged ; the second how they are "
## [33612] "to be judged. The first doubt ariseth because they give themselves "
## [33613] "out for princes absolute, a sacred name, and to which any violence "
## [33614] "seems to be an impiety. For how can any laws, which are the "
## [33615] "bonds of all human society, be observed if the law-givers and "
## [33616] "law-rulers, be not held in an untouched admiration ? but hereto, "
## [33617] "although already they have been sufficiently answered, yet thus "
## [33618] "much again will I repeat unto you. That whatsoever they be "
## [33619] "or be not, here they be no princes, since betwixt prince and subject "
## [33620] "there is as necessary a relation, as between father and son ; and "
## [33621] "as there is no man a father but to his child, so is not a prince "
## [33622] "a prince but to his own subjects. Therefore is not this place to "
## [33623] "acknowledge in them any principality, without it should at the "
## [33624] "same time, by a secret consent, confess subjection. Yet hereto "
## [33625] "may be objected, that the universal civility, the law of nations, "
## [33626] "all mankind being as it were co-inhabiters, or world-citizens "
## [33627] "together, hath ever required pubhc persons should be of all parties "
## [33628] "especially regarded, since not only in peace but in war, not only "
## [33629] "princes, but heralds and trumpeters, are with great reason exempted "
## [33630] "from injuries. This point is true, but yet so true, as they that "
## [33631] "will receive the benefit of a custom, must not be the first to break "
## [33632] "it, for then can they not complain, if they be not helped by that "
## [33633] "which they themselves hurt. If a prince do acts of hostility without "
## [33634] "denouncing war, if he breaks his oath of amity, or innumerable such "
## [33635] "other things contrary to the law of arms, he must take heed how "
## [33636] "he fall into their hands whom he so wrongeth, for then is courtesy "
## [33637] "Jlie best custom he can claim; much more these men, who have "
## [33638] ""
## [33639] ""
## [33640] ""
## [33641] "620 ARCADIA [book v, "
## [33642] ""
## [33643] "not only left to do like princes, but to be like princes, not only "
## [33644] "entered into Arcadia, and so into the Arcadian orders, but into "
## [33645] "domestical services, and so, by making themselves private, deprived "
## [33646] "themselves of respect due to their public calling. For no proportion "
## [33647] "it were of justice that a man might make himself no prince when "
## [33648] "he would do evil, and might anew create himself a prince when "
## [33649] "he would not suffer evil. Thus therefore by all laws of nature "
## [33650] "and nations, and especially by their own putting themselves out "
## [33651] "of the sanctuary of them, these young men cannot in justice avoid "
## [33652] "the judgment, but, like private men, must have their doings either "
## [33653] "cleared, excused, or condemned. There resteth then the second "
## [33654] "point, how to judge well. And that must undoubtedly be done, "
## [33655] "not by a free discourse of reason and skill of philosophy, but must "
## [33656] "be tied to the laws of Greece, and municipal statutes of this "
## [33657] "kingdom. For although out of them these came, and to them "
## [33658] "must indeed refer their offspring, yet because philosophical "
## [33659] "discourses stand in the general consideration of things, they leave "
## [33660] "to every man a scope of his own interpretation : where the laws "
## [33661] "applying themselves to the necessary use, fold us within assured "
## [33662] "bounds: which once broken, man's nature infinitely rangeth. "
## [33663] "Judged therefore they must be, and by your laws judged. Now "
## [33664] "the action ofTereth itself to due balance, betwixt the accuser's "
## [33665] "twofold accusation, and their answer accordingly applied. The "
## [33666] "questions being, the one of a fact simply, the other of the quality "
## [33667] "of a fact. To the first they use direct denial; to the second) "
## [33668] "qualification and excuse. They deny the murder of the King; "
## [33669] "and against mighty presumptions bring forth some probable "
## [33670] "answers, which they do principally fortify with the Queen's "
## [33671] "acknowledging herself only cTilpable. Certainly as in equality "
## [33672] "of conjectures, we are not to take hold of the worse, but rather "
## [33673] "to be glad we may find any hope that mankind is not grown "
## [33674] "monstrous, being undoubtedly less evil a guilty man should escape, "
## [33675] "than a guiltless perish, so if in the rest they be spotless, then is "
## [33676] "this no farther to be remembered. But if they have aggravated "
## [33677] "these suspicions with new evils, then are those suspicions so "
## [33678] "far to show themselves, as to cause the other points to be thoroughly "
## [33679] "examined, and with less favour weighed, since this no man can "
## [33680] "deny they have been accidental, if not principal causes of the "
## [33681] "king's death. Now then we are to determine of the other matters, "
## [33682] "which are laid to them, wherein they do not deny the fact, but "
## [33683] "deny, or at least diminish the fault: but first I may remember, "
## [33684] "though it were not first alleged by them, the services they had "
## [33685] "before done, truly honourable, and worthy of great reward, but not "
## [33686] "worthy to countervail a following wickedness. Reward is proper "
## [33687] "to well doing, punishment to evil doing, which must not be "
## [33688] ""
## [33689] ""
## [33690] ""
## [33691] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 621 "
## [33692] ""
## [33693] "confounded, no more than good and evil are to be mingled. "
## [33694] "Therefore hath it been determined in all v/isdoms, that no man "
## [33695] "because he hath done well before should have his present evil "
## [33696] "spared, but rather so much the more punished, as having showed "
## [33697] "he knew how to be good, yet would against his knowledge be "
## [33698] "naught. The fact is then nakedly without passion or partiality "
## [33699] "to be viewed: wherein without all question they are equally "
## [33700] "culpable. For though he that terms himself Daiphantus, were "
## [33701] "sooner disappointed of his purpose of conveying away the Lady "
## [33702] "Philoclea, than he that persuaded the Princess Pamela to fly her "
## [33703] "country, and accompanied her in it : yet seeing in causes of this "
## [33704] "nature, the will by the rules of justice standeth for the deed, they "
## [33705] "are both alike to be found guilty, and guilty of heinous ravishment. "
## [33706] "For though they ravished them not from themselves, yet they "
## [33707] "ravished them from him that owned them, which was their father. "
## [33708] "An act punished by all the Grecian laws, by the loss of the head, "
## [33709] "as a most execrable theft. For if they must die, who steal from "
## [33710] "us our goods, how much more they who steal from us that for "
## [33711] "which we gather our goods ? And if our laws have it so in private "
## [33712] "persons, much more forcibly are they to be in princes' children, "
## [33713] "where one steals as it were the whole state and well-being of that "
## [33714] "people, being tied by the secret of a long use, to be governed "
## [33715] "by none but the next of that blood. Neither let any man marvel, "
## [33716] "our ancestors have been so severe in these cases, since the example "
## [33717] "of the Phoenician Europa, but especially of Grecian Helene, hath "
## [33718] "taught them, what destroying fires have grown of such sparkles. "
## [33719] "And although Helene was a wife, and this but a child, that "
## [33720] "booteth not, since the principal cause of marrying wives is that "
## [33721] "we may have children of our own. But now let us see how these "
## [33722] "young men, truly for their persons worthy of pity, if they had "
## [33723] "rightly pitied themselves, do go about to mitigate the vehemency "
## [33724] "of their errors. Some of their excuses are common to both, some "
## [33725] "pecuhar only to him that was the shepherd. Both remember-the "
## [33726] "force of love, and as it were the mending up of the matter by their "
## [33727] "marriage. If that unbridled desire, which is entitled love, might "
## [33728] "purge such a sickness as this, surely we should have many loving "
## [33729] "excuses of hateful mischief. Nay rather, no mischief should be "
## [33730] "committed that should not be veiled under the name of love. For "
## [33731] "as well he that steals might allege the love of money; he that "
## [33732] "murders, the love of revenge ; he that rebels, the love of greatness, "
## [33733] "as the adulterer the love of a woman. Since they do in all "
## [33734] "speeches affirm they love that, which an ill-governed passion "
## [33735] "maketh them to follow: but love may have no such privilege, "
## [33736] "That sweet and heavenly uniting of the minds, which properly "
## [33737] "IS called love, hath no other knot but virtue, and therefore if it "
## [33738] ""
## [33739] ""
## [33740] ""
## [33741] "622 ARCADIA [BOOK V. "
## [33742] ""
## [33743] "be a right love, it can never slide into any action that is not "
## [33744] "virtuous. The other, and indeed more effectual reason is, that "
## [33745] "they may be married unto them, and so honourably redress the "
## [33746] "dishonour of them whom this matter seemeth most to touch. "
## [33747] "Surely if the question were, what were convenient for the parties, "
## [33748] "and not what is just in the never changing justice, there might "
## [33749] "be much said in it. But herein we must consider that the laws "
## [33750] "look how to prevent by due examples that such things be not done, "
## [33751] "and not how to salve such things when they are done. For if "
## [33752] "the governors of justice shall take such a scope, as to measure the "
## [33753] "foot of the law by the show of conveniency, and measure that "
## [33754] "conveniency not by the public society, but by that which is fittest "
## [33755] "for them which offend: young men, strong men, and rich men, "
## [33756] "shall ever find private conveniences how to palliate such committed "
## [33757] "disorders, as to the public shall not only be inconvenient, but "
## [33758] "pestilent. The marriage perchance might be fit for them, but very "
## [33759] "unfit were it to the state, to allow a pattern of such procurations "
## [33760] "of marriage. And thus much do they both allege. Further goes "
## [33761] "he that went with the princess Pamela, and requireth the benefit "
## [33762] "of a counsellor, who hath place of free persuasion, and the "
## [33763] "reasonable excuse of a servant, that did but wait of his mistress. "
## [33764] "Without all question, as counsellors have great cause to take heed "
## [33765] "how they advise anything, directly opposite to the form of that "
## [33766] "present government, especially when they do it singly without "
## [33767] "public allowance: yet so is the case much more apparent, since "
## [33768] "neither she was an effectual princess, her father being then alive, "
## [33769] "and though he had been dead, she not come to the years of "
## [33770] "authority, nor he her servant in such manner to obey her, but "
## [33771] "by his own preferment first belonging to Dametas, and then to "
## [33772] "the king ; and therefore if not by Arcadian laws, yet by household "
## [33773] "orders, bound to have done nothing without his agreement. Thus "
## [33774] "therefore since the deeds accomplished by these two are both "
## [33775] "abominable and inexcuseable, I do in the behalf of justice, and "
## [33776] "by the force of Arcadian laws pronounce that Daiphantus should "
## [33777] "be thrown out of a high tower to receive his death by his fall, "
## [33778] "Palladius shall be beheaded ; the time before the sun set ; the "
## [33779] "place, in Mantinea; the executioner, Dametas, which office he "
## [33780] "shall execute all the days of his life for his beastly forgetting the "
## [33781] "careful duty he owed to his charge.\" "
## [33782] ""
## [33783] "This said, he turned himself to Philanax, and two of the other "
## [33784] "noblemen, commanding them to see the judgment presently "
## [33785] "performed. Philanax more greedy than any hunter of his prey, "
## [33786] "went straight to lay hold of the excellent prisoners, who, casting "
## [33787] "a farewell look one upon the other, represented in their faces as "
## [33788] "much unappalled constancy as the most excellent courage can "
## [33789] ""
## [33790] ""
## [33791] ""
## [33792] "BOOK v.i ARCADIA 623 "
## [33793] ""
## [33794] "deliver in outward graces. Yet if at all there were any show of change "
## [33795] "in them, it was that Pyrocles was- somewhat nearer to bashfulness, "
## [33796] "and Musidorus to anger, both over-ruled by reason and resolution. "
## [33797] "But as with great number of armed men, Philanax was descending "
## [33798] "unto them, and that Musidorus was beginning to say something in "
## [33799] "Pyrocles's behalf, behold Kalander, that with arms cast abroad, and "
## [33800] "open mouth, came crying to Euarchus, holding a stranger in his "
## [33801] "hand that cried much more than he, desiring they might be heard "
## [33802] "speak before the prisoners were removed, even the noble gentleman "
## [33803] "Sympathus aided them in it, and taking such as he could command, "
## [33804] "stopped Philanax, betwixt entreaty and foixe, from carrying away "
## [33805] "the princes until it were heard what new matters these men did "
## [33806] "bring. So again mounting to the tribunal, they hearkened to the "
## [33807] "stranger's vehement speech, or rather a passionate exclaiming. It "
## [33808] "was indeed Kalodulus, the faithful servant of Musidorus, to whom "
## [33809] "his master, when in despite of his best-grounded determinations "
## [33810] "he first became a slave to affection, had sent the shepherd "
## [33811] "Menalcas' to be arrested, by the help of whose raiment in the "
## [33812] "meantime he advanced himself to that estate which he accounted "
## [33813] "most high,' because it might be serviceable to that fancy which he "
## [33814] "had placed most high in his mind. For Menalcas having faithfully "
## [33815] "performed his errand, was faithfully imprisoned by Kalodulus. "
## [33816] "But as Kalodulus performed the first part of his duty in doing the "
## [33817] "commandment of his prince, so was he with abundance of sincere "
## [33818] "loyalty extremely perplexed, when he understood of Menalcas the "
## [33819] "strange disguising of his beloved master. For as the acts he and "
## [33820] "his cousin Pyrocles had done in Asia, had filled all the ears of the "
## [33821] "Thessalonians and Macedonians with no less joy than admiration : "
## [33822] "so was the fear of their loss no less grievous unto them, when by "
## [33823] "the noise of report they understood of their lonely committing "
## [33824] "themselves to the sea, the issue of which they had no way learned. "
## [33825] "But now that by Menalcas he perceived where he was, guessing "
## [33826] "the like of Pyrocles, comparing the unusedness of this act with the "
## [33827] "unripeness of their age, seeing in general conjecture they could do "
## [33828] "it for nothing that might not fall out dangerous, he was somewhile "
## [33829] "troubled with himself what to do, betwixt doubt of their hurt, and "
## [33830] "doubt of their displeasure. Often he was minded, as his safest "
## [33831] "and honestest way, to reveal it to King Euarchus, that both his "
## [33832] "authority might prevent any damage to them, and under his wings "
## [33833] "he himself might remain safe. But considering a journey to "
## [33834] "Byzantium, whereas yet he supposed Euarchus lay, would require "
## [33835] "more time than he was willing to remain doubtful of his prince's "
## [33836] "estate, he resolved at length to write the matter to Euarchus, and "
## [33837] "himself the while to go into Arcadia : uncertain what to do when he "
## [33838] "came thither, but determined to do his best service to his dear master, "
## [33839] ""
## [33840] ""
## [33841] ""
## [33842] "624 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [33843] ""
## [33844] "if by any good fortune he might find him. And so it happened, "
## [33845] "that being even this day come to Mantinea, and as warily and "
## [33846] "attentively as he could, giving ear to all reports, in hope to hear "
## [33847] "something of them he sought, he straight' received a strange "
## [33848] "rumour of these things, but so uncertainly, as popular reports "
## [33849] "carry so rare accidents. But this by all men he was willed, to "
## [33850] "seek out Kalander a great gentleman of that country, who would "
## [33851] "soonest satisfy him of all occurrents. Thus instructed he came "
## [33852] "even about the midst of Euarchus's judgment to the desert, where "
## [33853] "seeing great multitudes, and hearing unknown names of Palladius "
## [33854] "and Daiphantus, and not able to press to the place where Euarchus "
## [33855] "sat, he enquired for Kalander, and was soon brought unto him, "
## [33856] "partly because he was generally known unto all men, and partly "
## [33857] "because he had withdrawn himself from the press, when he "
## [33858] "perceived by Euarchus's words whither they tended, being not "
## [33859] "able to endure his guests' condemnation. He requireth forthwith "
## [33860] "of Kalander the cause of the assembly ; and whether the same "
## [33861] "were true of Euarchus's presence : who with many tears made a "
## [33862] "doleful recital unto him, both of the Amazon and shepherd, setting "
## [33863] "forth their natural graces, and lamenting their pitiful undoing. "
## [33864] "But this description made Kalodulus immediately know the "
## [33865] "shepherd was his duke, and so judging the other to be Pyrocles, "
## [33866] "and speedily communicating it to Kalander, who he saw did favour "
## [33867] "their case, they break the press with astonishing every man with "
## [33868] "their cries. And being come to Euarchus, Kalodulus fell at his feet, "
## [33869] "telling him those he had judged, were his own son and nephew, "
## [33870] "the one the comfort of Macedon, the other the only stay of "
## [33871] "Thessalia. With many such like words ; but as from a man that "
## [33872] "assured himself in that matter he should need small speech, while "
## [33873] "Kalander made it known to all men what the prisoners were to "
## [33874] "whom he cried they should salute their father, and joy in the good "
## [33875] "hap the gods had sent them, who were no less glad, than all the "
## [33876] "people amazed at the strange event of these matters. Even "
## [33877] "Philanax's own revengeful heart was mollified when he savv from "
## [33878] "divers parts of the world so near kinsmen should meet in such a "
## [33879] "necessity. And withal the fame of Pyrocles and Musidorus "
## [33880] "greatly drew him to a compassionate conceit, and had already "
## [33881] "unclothed his face of all show of malice. "
## [33882] ""
## [33883] "But Euarchus staid a good while upon himself, like a valiant "
## [33884] "man that should receive a notable encounter, being vehemently "
## [33885] "stricken with the fatherly love of so excellent children, and "
## [33886] "studying with his best reason what his office required : at length "
## [33887] "with such a kind of gravity, as was near to sorrow, he thus uttered "
## [33888] "his mind : \" I take witness of the immortal gods,\" said he, \" Q "
## [33889] "Arcadians that what this day I have said, hath been out of my "
## [33890] ""
## [33891] ""
## [33892] ""
## [33893] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 625 "
## [33894] ""
## [33895] "assured persuasion, what justice itself and your just laws require. "
## [33896] "Though strangers then to me, I had no desire to hurt them, but "
## [33897] "leaving aside all considerations of the persons, I weighed the "
## [33898] "matter which you committed into my hands with my most "
## [33899] "impartial and farthest reach of reason. And thereout have con- "
## [33900] "demned them to lose their lives, contaminated with so many "
## [33901] "foul breaches of hospitality, civility, and virtue. Now, contrary to "
## [33902] "all expectations, I find them to be my only son and nephew, such "
## [33903] "upon whom you see what gifts nature hath bestowed : such "
## [33904] "who have so to the wonder of the world heretofore behaved "
## [33905] "themselves as might give just cause to the greatest hopes that in "
## [33906] "an excellent youth miff be conceived. Lastly, in few words, "
## [33907] "such in whom I placed all my mortal joys, and thought myself "
## [33908] "Eow near my grave, to recover a new life. But alas ! shall justice "
## [33909] "halt ? or shall she wink in one's cause, which had Lynce's eyes in "
## [33910] "another's ; or rather shall all private respects give place to that "
## [33911] "holy name? Be it so, be it so, let my grey hairs be laid in the "
## [33912] "dust with sorrow, let the small remnant of my life be an inward "
## [33913] "and outward desolation, and to the world a gazing flock of- "
## [33914] "wretched misery, but never, never let sacred righteousness fall ; "
## [33915] "it is immortal, and immortally ought to be preserved. If rightly "
## [33916] ". I have judged, then rightly I have judged mine own children, "
## [33917] "unless the name of a child should have force to change the never "
## [33918] "changing justice. No, no, Pyrocles, and Musidorus, I prefer you "
## [33919] "much before my life, but I prefer justice as far before you : While "
## [33920] "you did like yourselves, my body should willingly have been your "
## [33921] "shield, but I cannot keep you from the effects of your own doing : "
## [33922] "nay, I cannot in this case acknowledge you for mine, for never had "
## [33923] "I shepherd to my nephew, nor ever had woman to my son ; your "
## [33924] "vices have degraded you from being princes, and have disannulled "
## [33925] "your birthright. Therefore if there be anything left in you of "
## [33926] "princely virtue, show it in constant suffering that your unprincely "
## [33927] "dealing hath purchased Unto you. For my part I must tell you, "
## [33928] "you have forced a father to rob himself of his children. Do you "
## [33929] "therefore, O Philanax, and you my other lords of this country, see "
## [33930] "the judgment be rightly performed in time, place, and manner, as "
## [33931] "before appointed.\" "
## [33932] ""
## [33933] "With that though he would have refrained them, a man might "
## [33934] "perceive the tears drop down his long white beard. Which moved "
## [33935] "not only Kalodulus and Kalander to roaring lamentations, but all "
## [33936] "the assembly dolefully to record that pitiful spectacle. Philanax "
## [33937] "himself could not abstain from great shows of pitying sorrow, and "
## [33938] "manifest withdrawing from performing the King's commandment. "
## [33939] "But Musidorus having the hope of his safety, and recovering of "
## [33940] "the Princess Pamela, which made him most desirous to live so "
## [33941] ""
## [33942] "2 R "
## [33943] ""
## [33944] ""
## [33945] ""
## [33946] "626 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [33947] ""
## [33948] "suddenly dashed, but especially moved for his dear Pyrocles, for "
## [33949] "whom he was ever resolved his last speech should be, and stirred "
## [33950] "up with rage of unkindness, he thus spoke : "
## [33951] ""
## [33952] "\" Enjoy thy bloody conquest, tyrannical Euarchus,\" said he, \"for "
## [33953] "neither is convenient the title of a king to a murderer, nor the "
## [33954] "remembrance of kindred to a destroyer of his kindred. Go home "
## [33955] "and glory that it hath been in thy power, shamefully to kill "
## [33956] "Musidorus. Let thy flattering orators dedicate crowns of laurel "
## [33957] "unto thee, that the first of thy race thou hast overthrown a prince "
## [33958] "of Thessalia. But for me, I hope the Thessalians are not so "
## [33959] "degenerate from their ancestors but that they will revenge my "
## [33960] "injury and their loss upon thee. I hope my death is no more "
## [33961] "unjust to me than it shall be bitter to thee ; howsoever it be, my "
## [33962] "death shall triumph over thy cruelty ; neither as now would I live "
## [33963] "to make my life beholden unto thee. But if thy cruelty hath not "
## [33964] "so blinded thine eyes, that thou canst not see thine own hurt, if thy "
## [33965] "heart be not so devilish, as thou hast no power but to torment "
## [33966] "thyself, then look upon this young Pyrocles with a manly eye, if "
## [33967] "not with a pitiful ; give not occasion to the whole earth to say : "
## [33968] "' See how the gods have made the tyrant tear his own bowels ! ' "
## [33969] "Examine the eyes and voices of all this people ; and what all men "
## [33970] "see, be not blind in thine own cause. Look, I say look upon him, "
## [33971] "in whom the most curious searcher is able to find no fault but that "
## [33972] "he is thy son. Believe it, thy own subjects will detest thee for "
## [33973] "robbing them of such a prince, in whom they have right as well as "
## [33974] "thyself.\" "
## [33975] ""
## [33976] "Some more words to that purpose he would have spoken, but "
## [33977] "Pyrocles, who often had called to him, did now fully interrupt him, "
## [33978] "desiring him not to do him the wrong to give his father ill words "
## [33979] "before him, willing him to consider it was their own fault and not "
## [33980] "his injustice ; and withal, to remember their resolution of well "
## [33981] "suffering all accidents, which this impatiency did seem to vary "
## [33982] "from : and then kneeling down with all humbleness, he took the "
## [33983] "speech in this order to Euarchus : \" If my daily prayers to the "
## [33984] "almighty gods had so far prevailed as to have granted me the end "
## [33985] "whereto I have directed my actions, I should rather have been "
## [33986] "now a comfort to your mind than an example of your justice ; "
## [33987] "rather a preserver of your memory by my life than a monument of "
## [33988] "your judgment by ray death. But since it hath pleased their "
## [33989] "unsearchable wisdoms to overthrow all the desires I had to serve "
## [33990] "you and make me become a shame unto you ; since the last "
## [33991] "obedience I can show you is to die, vouchsafe yet, O Father, if my "
## [33992] "fault have not made me altogether unworthy so to term you, "
## [33993] "vouchsafe I say to let the few and last words your son shall ever "
## [33994] "speak, not be tedious unto you. And if the remembrance of my "
## [33995] ""
## [33996] ""
## [33997] ""
## [33998] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 627 "
## [33999] ""
## [34000] "virtuous mother, who once was dear unto you, may bear any sway "
## [34001] "with you, if the name of Pyrocles have at any time been pleasant, "
## [34002] "let one request of mine, which shall not be for mine own life, be "
## [34003] "graciously accepted of you. What you owe to justice is performed "
## [34004] "in my death : A father to have executed his only son, will leave a "
## [34005] "sufficient example for a greater crime than this. My blood will "
## [34006] "satisfy the highest point of equity, my blood will satisfy the hardest "
## [34007] "hearted in this country. O save the life of this prince ; that is the "
## [34008] "only all I will with my last breath demand of you. With what "
## [34009] "face will you look upon your sister, when in reward of nourishing "
## [34010] "me in your greatest need, you take away, and in such sort take "
## [34011] "away that which is more dear to her than all the world, and is the "
## [34012] "only comfort wherewith she nourisheth her old age ? O give not "
## [34013] "such an occasion to the noble Thessalians, for ever to curse the "
## [34014] "match that their prince did make with the Macedonian blood. "
## [34015] "By my loss there follows no public loss, for you are to hold the "
## [34016] "seat, and to provide yourself perchance of a worthier successor. "
## [34017] "But how can you or all the earth recompense that damage that "
## [34018] "poor Thessalia shall sustain ? Who sending out, whom otherwise "
## [34019] "they would no more have spared than their own eyes, their prince "
## [34020] "to you, and your requesting to have him, by you he should thus "
## [34021] "dishonourably be extinguished. Set before you, I beseech you, "
## [34022] "the face of that miserable people, when no sooner shall the news "
## [34023] "come that you have met your nephew, but withal they shall hear "
## [34024] "that you have beheaded him. How many tears they shall spend, "
## [34025] "how many complaints they shall make, so many just execrations "
## [34026] "will light upon you. And take heed, O Father, for since my death "
## [34027] "answers my fault, while I live I will call upon that dear name, lest "
## [34028] "seeking too precise a course of justice, you be not thought most "
## [34029] "unjust in weakening your neighbours' mighty estate by taking "
## [34030] "away their only pillar. In me, in me this matter began, in me let "
## [34031] "it receive his ending. Assure yourself no man will doubt your "
## [34032] "severe observing the laws, when it shall be known Euarchus hath "
## [34033] "killed Pyrocles. But the time of my ever farewell approaches : if "
## [34034] "you do think my death sufficient for my fault, and do not desire "
## [34035] "to make my death more miserable than death, let these dying "
## [34036] "words of him that was once your son, pierce your ears. Let "
## [34037] "Musidorus hve, and Pyrocles shall live in him, and you shall not "
## [34038] "want a child.\" "
## [34039] ""
## [34040] "\" A child,\" cried out Musidorus, \" to him that kills Pyrocles ? \" "
## [34041] "With that he fell again to entreat for Pyrocles, and Pyrocles as "
## [34042] "fast for Musidorus, each employing his wit how to show himself "
## [34043] "most worthy to die, to such an admiration of all the beholders, that "
## [34044] "most of them examining the matter by their own passions, thought "
## [34045] "Euarchus, as often extraordinary excellencies, not being rightly "
## [34046] ""
## [34047] ""
## [34048] ""
## [34049] "628 ARCADIA [book v. "
## [34050] ""
## [34051] "conceived, do rather offend than please, an obstinate hearted man, "
## [34052] "and such an one, who beiiig pitiless, his dominion must needs be "
## [34053] "insupportable. But Euarchus that felt his own misery more than "
## [34054] "they, and yet loved goodness more than himself, with such a sad "
## [34055] "assured behaviour as Cato killed himself withal, when he had "
## [34056] "heard the uttermost of that their speech tended unto, he commanded "
## [34057] "again they should be carried away, rising up from the seat, which "
## [34058] "he would much rather have wished should have been his grave, "
## [34059] "and looking who would take the charge, whereto every one was "
## [34060] "exceeding backward. "
## [34061] ""
## [34062] "But as this pitiful matter was entering into, those that were next "
## [34063] "the Duke's body, might hear from under the velvet, wherewith he "
## [34064] "was covered, a great voice of groaning. Whereat every man "
## [34065] "astonished, and their spirits appalled with these former miseries, "
## [34066] "apt to take any strange conceit, when they might perfectly perceive "
## [34067] "the body stir, then some began to fear spirits, some to look for a "
## [34068] "miracle, most to imagine they knew not what. But Philanax and "
## [34069] "Kalander, whose eyes honest love, though. to divers parties, held "
## [34070] "most attentive, leaped to the table, and putting off the velvet cover, "
## [34071] "might plainly discern, with as much wonder as gladness, that the "
## [34072] "Duke lived. For so it was, that the drink he received was neither "
## [34073] "as Gynecia first imagined, a love-potion, nor, as it was after "
## [34074] "thought, a deadly poison, but a drink made by notable art, and as "
## [34075] "it was thought not without natural magic, to procure for thirty "
## [34076] "hours such a deadly sleep, as should oppress all show of life. The "
## [34077] "cause of the making of this drink had first been that a princess of "
## [34078] "Cyprus, grandmother to Gynecia, being notably learned, and yet "
## [34079] "not able with all her learning to answer the objections of Cupid, "
## [34080] "did furiously love a young nobleman of her father's court, who "
## [34081] "fearing the king's rage, and not once daring either to attempt or "
## [34082] "accept so high a place, she made that sleeping drink, and found "
## [34083] "means by a trusty servant of hers, who of purpose invited him to "
## [34084] "his chamber, to procure him that suspected no such thing, to "
## [34085] "receive it. Which done, he, no way able to resist, was secretly "
## [34086] "carried by him into a pleasant chamber, in the midst of a garden "
## [34087] "she had of purpose provided for this enterprise, where that space "
## [34088] "of time, pleasing herself with seeing and cherishing of him, when "
## [34089] "the time came of the drink's end of working, and he more "
## [34090] "astonished than if he had fallen from the clouds, she bade him "
## [34091] "choose either then to marry her, and to promise to fly away with "
## [34092] "her in a bark she had made ready, or else she would presently cry "
## [34093] "out, and show in what place he was, with oath he was come thither "
## [34094] "to ravish her. The nobleman in these straights, her beauty "
## [34095] "prevailed, he married her, and escaped the realm with her. And "
## [34096] "after many strange adventures, were reconciled to the king her "
## [34097] ""
## [34098] ""
## [34099] ""
## [34100] "BOOK v.] ARCADIA 629 "
## [34101] ""
## [34102] "father, after whose death they reigned. But she gratefully "
## [34103] "remembering the service that drink had done her, preserved in a "
## [34104] "bottle, made by singular art long to keep it without perishing, "
## [34105] "great quantity of it, with the foretold inscription, which wrongly "
## [34106] "interpreted by her daughter-in-law, the Queen of Cyprus, was given "
## [34107] "by her to Gynecia at the time of her marriage ; and the drink "
## [34108] "finding an old body of Basilius, had kept him some hours longer "
## [34109] "in the trance than it would have done a younger. But a while it "
## [34110] "was before the good Basilius could come again to himself: in "
## [34111] "which time Euarchus more glad than of the whole world's "
## [34112] "monarchy to be rid of his miserable magistracy, which even injustice "
## [34113] "he was now to surrender to the lawful prince of that country, came "
## [34114] "from the throne unto him, and there with much ado made him "
## [34115] "understand how these intricate matters had fallen out. Many "
## [34116] "garboils passed through his fancy before he could be persuaded "
## [34117] "Zelmane was other than a woman. At length remembering the "
## [34118] "oracle, which now indeed was accomplished, not as before he had "
## [34119] "imagined, considering all had fallen out by the highest providence, "
## [34120] "and withal weighing in all these matters his own fault had been "
## [34121] "the greatest ; the first thing he did was with all honourable pomp "
## [34122] "to send for Gynecia, who, poor lady, thought she was leading "
## [34123] "forth to her lively burial, and, when she came, to recount before "
## [34124] "all the people, the excellent virtue was in her, which she had not "
## [34125] "only maintained all her life most unspotted, but now was content "
## [34126] "so miserably to die, to follow her husband. He told them how "
## [34127] "she had warned him to take heed of that drink : and so with all "
## [34128] "the exaltings of her that might be, publicly desired her pardon for "
## [34129] "those errors he had committed. And so kissing her, left her to "
## [34130] "receive the most honourable fame of any princess throughout the "
## [34131] "world, all men thinking, saving only Pyrocles and Philoclea, who "
## [34132] "never betrayed her, that she was the perfect mirror of all wifely "
## [34133] "love. Which though in that point undeserved, she did in the "
## [34134] "remnant of her life duly purchase, with observing all duty and "
## [34135] "faith to the example and glory of Greece : so uncertain are mortal "
## [34136] "judgments, the same person most infamous, and most famous, and "
## [34137] "neither justly. Then with princely entertainment to Euarchus, "
## [34138] "and many kind words to Pyrocles, whom still he dearly loved, "
## [34139] "though in a more virtuous kind, the marriage was concluded, to "
## [34140] "the inestimable joy of Euarchus, towards whom now Musidorus "
## [34141] "acknowledged his fault, betwixt the peerless princes and princesses. "
## [34142] "Philanax for his singular faith ever held dear of Basilius while he "
## [34143] "lived, and no less of Musidorus, who was to inherit that kingdom, "
## [34144] "and therein confirmed to him and his the second place in that "
## [34145] "province, with great increase of his living to maintain it. With "
## [34146] "like proportion he used to Kalodulus in Thessalia: highly "
## [34147] ""
## [34148] ""
## [34149] ""
## [34150] "6zo ARCADIA [book v. "
## [34151] ""
## [34152] "honouring Kalander while he lived, and after his death continuing "
## [34153] "in the same measure to love and advance his son Clitophon. But "
## [34154] "as for Sympathus, Pyrocles, to whom his father in his own time "
## [34155] "gave the whole kingdom of Thrace, held him always about him, "
## [34156] "giving him in pure gift the great city of Abdera. But the "
## [34157] "solemnities of these marriages, with the Arcadian pastorals, full of "
## [34158] "many comical adventures happening to those rural lovers ; the "
## [34159] "strange stories of Artaxia and Plexirtus, Erona and Plangus, "
## [34160] "Hellen and Amphialus, with the wonderful chances that befell "
## [34161] "them ; the shepherdish loves of Menalcas with Kalodulus's "
## [34162] "daughter ; the poor hopes of the poor Philisides in the pursuit of "
## [34163] "his affections ; the strange continuance of Claius and Strephon's "
## [34164] "desire ; lastly, the son of Pyrocles, named Pyrophilus, and "
## [34165] "Melidora, the fair daughter of Pamela by Musidorrs, who even at "
## [34166] "their birth entered into admirable fortunes ; may awake some "
## [34167] "other spirit to exercise his pen in that wherewith mine is already "
## [34168] "dulled. "
## [34169] ""
## [34170] ""
## [34171] ""
## [34172] "A SIXTH BOOK TO THE COUNTESS OF "
## [34173] "PEiMBROKE'S ARCADIA "
## [34174] ""
## [34175] "By R.B., OF Lincoln's-Inn, Esq. "
## [34176] ""
## [34177] ""
## [34178] ""
## [34179] "TO THE READER "
## [34180] ""
## [34181] "To strive to lessen the greatness of the attempt, were to take "
## [34182] "away the glory of the action. To add to Sir Philip Sidney, I know "
## [34183] "is rashness ; a fault pardonable in me, if custom might as well "
## [34184] "excuse the offence, as youth may prescribe in offending in this kind. "
## [34185] "That he should undergo that burthen, whose mother-tongue differs "
## [34186] "as much from this language, as Irish from English, augments the "
## [34187] "danger of the enterprize, and gives your expectation, perhaps, an "
## [34188] "assurance what the event must be. Yet, let no man judge wrong- "
## [34189] "fully of my endeavours : I have added a limb to Apelles's picture ; "
## [34190] "but my mind never entertained such vain hopes, to think it of perfec- "
## [34191] "tion sufficient to delude the eyes of the most vulgar, with the likeness "
## [34192] "in the workmanship. No, no, I do not follow Pythagoras's opinion "
## [34193] "of transmigration : I am well assured divine Sidney's soul is not "
## [34194] "infused into me, whose judgment was only able to finish what his "
## [34195] "invention was only worthy to undertake. For this, courteous reader, "
## [34196] "let it suffice I place Sir Philip Sidney's desert (even in mine own "
## [34197] "esteem) as far beyond my endeavours, as the most fault-finding "
## [34198] "censor can imagine this essay of mine to come short of his Arcadia. "
## [34199] "Vale. "
## [34200] ""
## [34201] "R. B. "
## [34202] ""
## [34203] ""
## [34204] ""
## [34205] "ARCADIA "
## [34206] ""
## [34207] ""
## [34208] ""
## [34209] "BOOK vr "
## [34210] ""
## [34211] ""
## [34212] ""
## [34213] "WHAT changes in fortune the princes of Macedon and "
## [34214] "Thessaly have past, together with what event the "
## [34215] "uncertain actions of so blind a goddess have been "
## [34216] "crowned, they may remember, whose ears have been fed with the "
## [34217] "eloquent story, written by the never-enough renowned Sir Philip "
## [34218] "Sidney. "
## [34219] ""
## [34220] "Basilius, therefore, having beheld with the eye of success, the "
## [34221] "accomplishment of his misinterpreted oracle, hastened (together "
## [34222] "with Euarchus) to his court of Mantinea ; where the infinite "
## [34223] "assembly, and the public sacrifices of his subjects, did well witness "
## [34224] "what joy did possess their hearts, whose eyes were restored to the "
## [34225] "sight of long eclipsed sovereignty. Fame, also, proud to be the "
## [34226] "messenger of such royal news, had soon (with speedy flight) past "
## [34227] "the limits of Arcadia, so that in few days the court was filled with "
## [34228] "foreign princes, whom either the tie of a long observed league of "
## [34229] "amity, or a nearness in blood to Basilius, at such a time, brought "
## [34230] "thither to congratulate with him, or were such, whose honour- "
## [34231] "thirsty minds hunted after occasions to make known their acts in "
## [34232] "chivalry. "
## [34233] ""
## [34234] "And now was the marriage-day come, when Pamela, attired in "
## [34235] "the stately ornament of beauteous majesty, led by the constant "
## [34236] "forwardness of a virtuous mind, waited on by the many thoughts "
## [34237] "of his fore-past crosses in her love, which now made up a perfect "
## [34238] "harmony in the pleasing discord of endeared affection, was brought "
## [34239] "to church ; whom, soon after, her sister Philoclea (being in the "
## [34240] "same degree of happiness, clad in the bashful innocency of an "
## [34241] "unspotted soul, guided by the shame-faced desire of her Pyrocles's "
## [34242] "satisfaction, attended on by many graces of a mild cheerfulness) "
## [34243] "followed ; both equally admired, both equally looked on. "
## [34244] ""
## [34245] "* This Sixth Book was written in the Year 1633. "
## [34246] ""
## [34247] ""
## [34248] ""
## [34249] "^34 AfeCADTA (book vi. "
## [34250] ""
## [34251] "The temple (whereto in triumph beauty and majesty were led "
## [34252] "prisoners by the famous sisters) was a fit dwelling-place for the "
## [34253] "Arcadian deities, fenced from the sun and winds' too free access, "
## [34254] "by many ranks of even-grown, even-set trees, near which, in "
## [34255] "divided branches, ran two clear streams, whose sweet murmur (as "
## [34256] "they tumbled over their bed of pebble stones) did much adorn the "
## [34257] "religious solitariness of that place. And, that nothing should be "
## [34258] "wanting that might set forth the careful judgment of the builder, it "
## [34259] "was seated in such a near distance from the palace, as might not "
## [34260] "presently bury the gloriousness of the show, nor cloy the beholders "
## [34261] "with the tediousness of the sight. In the way, on both hands, "
## [34262] "were many altars, on which the crowned entrails of the much- "
## [34263] "promising sacrifices were laid. At the door the two sisters were "
## [34264] "received by as many virgins, attired in a white lawn livery, with "
## [34265] "garlands on their heads of lilies and roses intermixed, holding in "
## [34266] "their left hands a pair of pigeons, the grateful offering to the queen "
## [34267] "of love. Soon after, the accustomed rites in the Arcadian nuptials "
## [34268] "being ended, the King and Euarchus, with the rest of the princes, "
## [34269] "returned unto a stately palace, sumptuously furnished, where both "
## [34270] "art and nature seemed to be at variance, whether should bestow "
## [34271] "most ornaments to enrich so rare a work ; seated where the earth "
## [34272] "did rise a little (as proud to be the supporter of so curious a "
## [34273] "building) by means whereof, the sight had freedom to overlook a "
## [34274] "large territory, where the green level of the Arcadian plains, "
## [34275] "beautified by the intercourse of many forests, represented the "
## [34276] "delightful mixture of a civil wilderness. The building of marble, "
## [34277] "where, whether the art in carving into many forms the in vain "
## [34278] "resisting hardness of the stone, the cunning in knitting these "
## [34279] "disjointed members, or the invention in contriving their several "
## [34280] "rooms, did excel, was hard to be judged of "
## [34281] ""
## [34282] "The inside also might well be the inner part of so glorious an "
## [34283] "outside ; for, besides the well-matched largeness of the rooms, and "
## [34284] "lightsome pleasantness of the windows, it was all hung with the "
## [34285] "choice rareness of far-fetched arras, in which the ingenious "
## [34286] "workman, with the curious pencil of his little needle, had limned "
## [34287] "the dumb records of revived antiquity. Here did he present the "
## [34288] "memorable siege of Thebes, where the ruins of her walls seemed "
## [34289] "yet to hang, and make the beholders fear the downfall of the "
## [34290] "lively stones. There you might see how cunningly he had "
## [34291] "expressed the constrained flight of the Trojan prince, and the cruel "
## [34292] "sacrifice of enraged Dido's love. Nor was the story of Scylla "
## [34293] "forgotten, who there stood before Minos, with the present of her "
## [34294] "father's fatal hair; while you might perceive, by his bent brows "
## [34295] "and disdainful countenance, the just reward of her unnatural "
## [34296] "attempt. With these and others, wherein cost and invention strove "
## [34297] ""
## [34298] ""
## [34299] ""
## [34300] "BOOK VI, Arcadia <^3S "
## [34301] ""
## [34302] "for the mastery, were the hangings adorned ; yet these many "
## [34303] "stories did so stealingly succeed each other that the most curious "
## [34304] "observer's eye (though his admiration might dwell on each piece) "
## [34305] "could find no cause of stay until he had overlooked them all. But "
## [34306] "neither these, nor what art or nature could have added, did set "
## [34307] "forth so much the palace, as the graceful presence of the Arcadian "
## [34308] "sisters ; whose beauties, till now, of long time had borne a part "
## [34309] "with their troubled minds, in a sweet pilgrimage to a happy event ; "
## [34310] "and therefore at this present, so far disburdened of those thoughts, "
## [34311] "as it was to be settled in the most desired enjoying of unspeakable "
## [34312] "bliss, the imagination would needs persuade, if it were possible, "
## [34313] "were bettered. "
## [34314] ""
## [34315] "Dinner being set and ended, while the knights (who, to honour "
## [34316] "that day with tilting, and to show what they dared and could "
## [34317] "effect in the service, as they thought, of unresistable beauties) were "
## [34318] "putting on their armour, there entered the hall a page, who, with "
## [34319] "submissive humbleness, told the King, he was sent from his "
## [34320] "master, the naked knight, who desired there to be received as a "
## [34321] "challenger, to eternize, as the justness of his cause required, the "
## [34322] "famous memory of his deceased mistress Helen, the Queen of "
## [34323] "Corinth. Basilius, much pitying the before-unheard of death of so "
## [34324] "excellent a queen, willed the page to relate the circumstance, "
## [34325] "which being strange in itself, and of so great a subject, wrought a "
## [34326] "passionate willingness in the hearers to be attentive. "
## [34327] ""
## [34328] "\" After that fortune,\" said he,' \" had bestowed, by the conquest of "
## [34329] "Amphialus, at Cecropia's castle, the victory on his adversary the "
## [34330] "black knight, this queen (having long time, by the command of "
## [34331] "love, her inward tyrant, made all Greece a stage for her wandering "
## [34332] "passions) at length went thither, where the end of her search was "
## [34333] "the beginning of her sorrows. Finding the curtains of eternal "
## [34334] "night ready to close up his eyes, who (in the voyage her affection "
## [34335] "made) had alway been the port she steered to ; yet hoping she "
## [34336] "knew not what, that if perhaps Proserpine should meet in Elysium "
## [34337] "his departed soul, she would in mere compassion of her sorrow, "
## [34338] "send it back to reinhabit her ancient seat ; she carried the life "
## [34339] "little-desiring body, to Corinth, where, at that time, lived an aged "
## [34340] "man, by name Artelio, one whose fortunate experience in desperate "
## [34341] "cures had made famous. Him, by the powerful command of his "
## [34342] "queen, and the humble tears of a still-mistrusting lover, she conjures "
## [34343] "to employ the uttermost of his skill in preserving him in whom she "
## [34344] "lived. Some time there was ere his vital spirits, almost now "
## [34345] "proved strangers to their wonted mansion, would accept the tie of "
## [34346] "hospitality ; but when the hand of art had taught them courtesy, "
## [34347] "and that each sense, though faintly, did exercise his charge, "
## [34348] "Amphialus, returning to himself, from that sweet ignorance of cares "
## [34349] ""
## [34350] ""
## [34351] ""
## [34352] "63<5 ARCADIA [book vt. "
## [34353] ""
## [34354] "wherein he lived, began to question, in what estate the castle was "
## [34355] "against the beseigers ? thinking he had always been there ; when "
## [34356] "Helen entered the room with a countenance where beauty appeared "
## [34357] "through the clouds of care and fear of his danger : Her, the double "
## [34358] "and deeply wounded patient (bearing still about him the inward "
## [34359] "picture of Philoclea, whom long I have heard, in vain he loved) "
## [34360] "thought to be the same saint, the remembrance of whom returned, "
## [34361] "together with his wandering soul, from which it was inseparable. "
## [34362] "Now, therefore, with a languishing look (the true herald of what "
## [34363] "he suffered) ' Lady,' said he, ' though the welcome harbinger of a "
## [34364] "near-following death hath provided this body (while it was mine, "
## [34365] "alway devoted to your service) as a lodging for his master an ever- "
## [34366] "certain guest, yet when I pass to the Elysian plains (if any "
## [34367] "memory there remain of this world of comfort you now vouchsafe, "
## [34368] "heaven knows ! your faithful, though unfortunate servant) I shall "
## [34369] "never cease to pay the eternal tribute of thanks to well-deserving "
## [34370] "death, who, with his presence brings the happiness in life denied "
## [34371] "me.' "
## [34372] ""
## [34373] "\" The Queen with a pensive silence, sorrowing she stood to act "
## [34374] "the counterfeit of her rival, and still desirous to enjoy the sweet "
## [34375] "speech of her revived Amphialus, was like a passenger, whom the "
## [34376] "loud command of the rough winds had forced to wander through "
## [34377] "the unevenness of the deep-furrowed seas, now in sight of land, "
## [34378] "equally distracted between the desire to leave his unnatural "
## [34379] "habitation, where each wave seems to be the proud messenger of "
## [34380] "destruction, and fear to approach it, being jealous of his hard "
## [34381] "entertainment on the rocky shore : thus did she continue (fixed in "
## [34382] "a doubtful imagination) loth to interrupt his pleasing speech, and "
## [34383] "more than grieved he meant not her whom he spoke to, until "
## [34384] "Amphialus (strengthening his newly recovered senses with the "
## [34385] "conceited presence of Philoclea) found his error, and then, with a "
## [34386] "look on his mistaken object (which he could not make disdainful, "
## [34387] "because his happy thoughts had once adored it for Philoclea) he "
## [34388] "suddenly fell into a deadly trance, whereat Helen (feelingly suffering "
## [34389] "in his danger) ran to him, and bedewing his even then lovely face "
## [34390] "with the loving oblation of her many tears, she together poured forth "
## [34391] "the most passionate plaints that love could invent, or grief utter; "
## [34392] "so as a while, this accident overthrowing the fabric of her half-built "
## [34393] "comfort with the suddenness of so unlooked-for an assault, con- "
## [34394] "strained her (with bemoaning his case) to forget the care of his "
## [34395] "safety ; but being withdrawn by her servants, the indisposition of "
## [34396] "her body, caused her a while to entertain in bed the fever of her "
## [34397] "affectionate sorrow. "
## [34398] ""
## [34399] "\"In the meantime, Amphialus, by the skilful care of Artelio, "
## [34400] "was again brought to enjoy that, whose loss he would account his "
## [34401] ""
## [34402] ""
## [34403] ""
## [34404] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 637 "
## [34405] ""
## [34406] "chiefest happiness ; and faintly withdrawing the cover that "
## [34407] "obscured his weak sight, and settling his look upon Artelio, "
## [34408] "' Father,' said he, ' if you felt the inward agonies of my tormented "
## [34409] "soul, as you see the desperate state of my low-brought body, I "
## [34410] "assure myself you would not be so inhuman, there to employ your "
## [34411] "endeavours, where, when they have wrought their effect, they serve "
## [34412] "only to confirm the memory of fore-passed calamity, with the "
## [34413] "growing apprehension of future misfortune. But since my "
## [34414] "destinies have so set down, that the whole course of my life should "
## [34415] "be inevitably disastrous, I must think my tragedy is not yet acted ; "
## [34416] "though what worse than hath befallen me cannot be imagined, or "
## [34417] "what may be kept in store (more than I have passed), far exceeds "
## [34418] "my apprehension, though not my expectation.' "
## [34419] ""
## [34420] "\" Here he began to run over his unfortunate love to Philoclea, "
## [34421] "the killing of Parthenia, his overthrow in the encounter with the "
## [34422] "black knight ; inserting many more disgraces, which the most "
## [34423] "envious of his glory, would not have cast as aspersions on his "
## [34424] "well-known fame. Thus, with the thought that fate (whose "
## [34425] "working he could not limit) had reserved him for more mischief, "
## [34426] "he suffered his wounds to be cured ; and soon after, walking one "
## [34427] "evening, as his manner was, in the garden, he chose a time, as he "
## [34428] "thought unespied by any, to convey himself through a back-door, "
## [34429] "and there finding his horse (which his page had brought by his "
## [34430] "appointment) he rode away, whither he knew not, and not much "
## [34431] "cared, so he might leave her, whose affection deserved a more "
## [34432] "courteous farewell. But alas ! when she heard of his going, "
## [34433] "what tongue is able to express her sorrow, in whom the equally "
## [34434] "tormenting passions of grief and despair were lifted to their "
## [34435] "uttermost height ? "
## [34436] ""
## [34437] "\"Two days, since the departure of Amphialus, posted away, "
## [34438] "striving in vain to overtake their irrecoverable fellows, and now "
## [34439] "the third was come, to be a prologue to the following tragedy : "
## [34440] "when Helen (slacking the violent course of her incessant plaints) "
## [34441] "gave occasion to her servants to be less mistrustful of her actions, "
## [34442] "thinking that time began to wear away her sorrows. But she (as "
## [34443] "by the event was gathered) using this as a policy to rid herself of the "
## [34444] "cumber of careful attendance, when (now her truce, in show, with "
## [34445] "sorrow, and the restraint of her plaints had wrought the effect she "
## [34446] "desired) taking her trusty servant Mylama with her, and leaving a "
## [34447] "letter with Lada (whom, besides Mylama, she only trusted with "
## [34448] "this secret) which, upon the first knowledge of her flight, should be "
## [34449] "given to Drenus the chief of her council ; wherein she excused "
## [34450] "her secret stealing , away, by a vow passed to Apollo, in such "
## [34451] "manner to go a pilgrimage to Delphos ; she put herself on her "
## [34452] "journey, having an army of passions for her convoy, led by love, "
## [34453] ""
## [34454] ""
## [34455] ""
## [34456] "638 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [34457] ""
## [34458] "and waited on by desire, in hope of what she knew was hopeless ; "
## [34459] "yet often checking her despairing foresight with such unUkely "
## [34460] "possibilities as affection (upon these occasions) is wont to supply. "
## [34461] ""
## [34462] "\" Many days she had not wandered (changing places, to renew "
## [34463] "her companions in sorrow) when coming into a pleasant valley, "
## [34464] "where of each side, many trees (in the green-leaved mantle of their "
## [34465] "summer livery) did apparel two neighbour mountains, where some "
## [34466] "sunburnt sapless pines, by the advantage of the ground (like little- "
## [34467] "deserving, in themselves, birth-only ennobled men) overtopped the "
## [34468] "straight upraised cedar, the stock of self-begun honour. Through "
## [34469] "this flowery plain ran a many-headed crystal current that did indent "
## [34470] "the earth as it smoothly glided by, to make the obligation of "
## [34471] "friendship between them more firm ; and where, it fame-like, "
## [34472] "increased by travel, there (as it was the natural) so, it seemed to "
## [34473] "have been the politic body of the state of springs, such was the "
## [34474] "constant care of the fountain magistrates, and such the well- "
## [34475] "agreeing union of the watery commons. Here she stayed (invited "
## [34476] "by solitariness, the best repose for wearied sorrow) yet giving no "
## [34477] "respite to her mind, she spoke nothing but Amphialus, or of "
## [34478] "Amphialus. ' O Amphialus ! ' did she say, and to this invocation "
## [34479] "the flattering nymph (that always seconds what is spoken) did join "
## [34480] "the like of her own ; and Helen delighted to hear the sound of so "
## [34481] "sweet a name beaten back upon her, for a time sealed up her lips, "
## [34482] "listening (with attentive silence) what echo would have farther said. "
## [34483] "But she (who of all the powers of a reasonable soul, only had a "
## [34484] "memory and a tongue only serviceable for that use) together gave "
## [34485] "over to reflect her borrowed language, expecting (with like stillness) "
## [34486] "her farther speech. But Helen, not able longer to restrain the "
## [34487] "overflow of her panting heart, began to cry out, ' Unkind "
## [34488] "Amphialus ! ' This also did the echo repeat. But she hearing "
## [34489] "by the rebound of the words, Amphialus accused. ' Discourteous "
## [34490] "nymph,' said she, 'and how is Amphialus unkind? Can the "
## [34491] "harmony of such excellence admit so foul a fault to bear a part "
## [34492] "with his virtues ? Yet, woe is me ! he is unkind. Could his hard "
## [34493] "heart else suffer this love of his (which I only name because it is "
## [34494] "the only part worth naming in me) thus long unregarded ? Could "
## [34495] "not my crown (crowned in being a foot-stool to Amphialus) have "
## [34496] "purchased some respect ? Alas ! no : how could unhappy Helen "
## [34497] "expect the fates reserved so great a blessing in store for her ? ' "
## [34498] ""
## [34499] "\" She had not long debated the reasons of her misfortune, when "
## [34500] "Rinatus (the only brother to Timotheus, but younger by many "
## [34501] "years) chanced to pass that way. A man on whom fame had "
## [34502] "bestowed, and deservingly, the name of valiant ; yet of disposition "
## [34503] "so mischievously cruel, and ambitiously proud, that where his "
## [34504] "deeds might well have claimed so great an honour, there his "
## [34505] ""
## [34506] ""
## [34507] ""
## [34508] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 639 "
## [34509] ""
## [34510] "conditions (as well weighed) brought a reproachful burden to "
## [34511] "the balance of his reputation. He (his father dying young, and "
## [34512] "unwilling to dismember his estate, and unable otherwise to satisfy "
## [34513] "the hopes of his son's ambition) hearing of the wars of Laconia, "
## [34514] "went thither; where soon he purchased the opinion of a man "
## [34515] "resolute to undertake, and fortunate to execute what he had "
## [34516] "undertaken : and serving under Eborbas (chief commander for the "
## [34517] "king) because of the sympathy of humours between them (whereby "
## [34518] "nature did insinuate for Rinatus, and taught him flattery without "
## [34519] "dissimulation) he grew great in his favour. Soon after this, "
## [34520] "Eborbas in a conflict between him and the Helots being mortally "
## [34521] "wounded, yet in death, careful of the welfare of his country, "
## [34522] "recommended this Rinatus (partly for his good liking of him, "
## [34523] "but principally for his experience in wars, and well-seconded "
## [34524] "judgment) to the king, who, though with some opposition (the "
## [34525] "country-men repining at his, a stranger's advancement) after trusty "
## [34526] "\" Eborbas's death, preferred him to the same place. His discharge "
## [34527] "of which, outwent so far the envy of the jealous noblemen, that "
## [34528] "well might their king and they, in the death of the valiant "
## [34529] "Eborbas, deplore the loss of a private man, but must confess "
## [34530] "that this watchful care and undaunted well-ordered courage, did "
## [34531] "survive in this their general. "
## [34532] ""
## [34533] "\" In this esteem he had scarce lived a year, when, hearing of "
## [34534] "his brother and nephew's death, together with his undoubted "
## [34535] "right to the large territory which his brother in his life-time had "
## [34536] "enjoyed, he, notwithstanding, continued in the charge to which "
## [34537] "he was lately advanced : framing in his conceit his new-acquired "
## [34538] "greatness but as a step to climb the sovereignty of Laconia : which "
## [34539] "being elective, he thought the easier to be compassed, having by "
## [34540] "his bounteous affability gained the hearts of the soldiers, and being "
## [34541] "already possessed of the chief forts (the best strength of the "
## [34542] "country) wherein he had placed such who had their devotions "
## [34543] "hnked to his will, because they owed him the benefit of their "
## [34544] "creation. But finding the accomplishment of these practices to "
## [34545] "depend upon the death of the king, which, his youth promised "
## [34546] "was unlikely soon to happen, and fearful to draw on the discovery "
## [34547] "of his practices by seeking any secret means to make him away, "
## [34548] "whom the watchful eye of dutiful observance did warrant secure "
## [34549] "from any traitorous plots, he solicits the King to dispense with "
## [34550] "his presence, who (seeing the ground of his journey to be the just "
## [34551] "cause of his long-deferred revenge for Timotheus his brother, "
## [34552] "and Philoxenus his nephew's death, now a peace was lately "
## [34553] "concluded with the Helots, and therefore his absence the more "
## [34554] "excusable) upon condition of a speedy return, though unwilling, "
## [34555] "yet for his satisfaction, grants his request : who now on his journey, "
## [34556] ""
## [34557] ""
## [34558] ""
## [34559] "640 ARCADIA [BOOK VI. "
## [34560] ""
## [34561] "and having in his way to cross this valley, met the unfortunate "
## [34562] "queen, whom, though her habit might disguise, her words "
## [34563] "(overheard) did assure Rinatus his willingness to believe that "
## [34564] "she was the same she so often spoke herself to be, the unfortunate "
## [34565] "Helen. "
## [34566] ""
## [34567] "\"Awhile he stood doubtful of the person, awhile amazed at so "
## [34568] "fortunate an encounter, and a long time perplexed what punishment "
## [34569] "his revenge would judge fit for (the conceited heinousness of) his "
## [34570] "brother and nephew's death. At length the Queen (now first "
## [34571] "withdrawing her thoughts from that object whereto affection, "
## [34572] "in sweetest contemplation, had bound them, and suffering her "
## [34573] "mind, before retired within itself, now to be informed by her "
## [34574] "servant's sense) seeing this stranger near her, began, as her manner "
## [34575] "was, to find by enquiry what he knew of Amphialus. 'Wicked "
## [34576] "woman,' replied Rinatus, ' the all-seeing justice hath now delivered "
## [34577] "thee to receive fit punishment for Philoxenus's and Timotheus's "
## [34578] "death,' and using no more words, presently caused her to be "
## [34579] "mounted on horseback, prolonging her life to make her death "
## [34580] "more miserable. Thus far hath Mylama discovered, who, poor "
## [34581] "lady, was there left, most cruelly beaten, to be the reporter of "
## [34582] "Rinatus's revenge, and her mistress's hard hap. "
## [34583] ""
## [34584] "\"The last act of this tragedy, my master had the fortune to "
## [34585] "know, by one of trust and great esteem in the court of Laconia, "
## [34586] "to which Rinatus had conveyed Helen, where, for a time, she was "
## [34587] "honourably entertained, finding no want but of command and "
## [34588] "liberty ; the king, belike fearing the power of the wronged "
## [34589] "Corinthians, preserving her as a sure card for a dead lift. But "
## [34590] "when he understood that one Tenarus (a man apt to practice "
## [34591] "innovations, and at this time able, when the many headed multitude "
## [34592] "wanted the awful presence of their sovereign) took upon him "
## [34593] "the government, pretending a title to the crown, as descended "
## [34594] "from those, from whom Helen's ancestors, as he alleged, had "
## [34595] "traitorously forced it, then did the tyrant of Laconia, finding the "
## [34596] "way secure for his mischievous practice, vehemently importuned "
## [34597] "by Rinatus, and urged forward by the politic wickedness of his "
## [34598] "own desire to pleasure the new king, secretly cause Helen to "
## [34599] "be poisoned: Such was the end of this great queen, justly "
## [34600] "beloved of all who heard the fame of her virtues, and therefore "
## [34601] "justly to be deplored of all who hear the unredeemable loss of so "
## [34602] "many perfections.\" "
## [34603] ""
## [34604] "Basilius, and the rest of the princes, were much moved with "
## [34605] "so tragical a story, especially Musidorus, who (in search of "
## [34606] "Pyrocles) having the fortune to see her, could witness, that though "
## [34607] "fame had borrowed all men's mouths to proclaim her many "
## [34608] "excellencies, yet it was far from doing right to her desert. But "
## [34609] ""
## [34610] ""
## [34611] ""
## [34612] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 641 "
## [34613] ""
## [34614] "this was no fit lodging for pity to dwell in, where joy had so great "
## [34615] "a command. The messenger therefore being permitted to part, "
## [34616] "with free leave for his master to enter the lists, judges were "
## [34617] "appointed, and the challenge proclaimed. "
## [34618] ""
## [34619] "The challenger understanding of the King's liking of his demand, "
## [34620] "came forth of his pavilion, with armour so lively representing "
## [34621] "nakedness, wounded in many places (where the staunchless blood, "
## [34622] "in the course the workman had allotted it, seemed to drop "
## [34623] "destruction) that many thought a madness had possessed him "
## [34624] "(so unarmed, so wounded) to present himself in such a trial, where "
## [34625] "a surer defence, and a sounder body were more needful. Before "
## [34626] "him went six, as savages, bearing the lances for his first courses ; "
## [34627] "who coming within distance to be heard, did sing these following "
## [34628] "verses. "
## [34629] ""
## [34630] "Too soon you fled from hence to that fair place, "
## [34631] "The happy period of a well-run race : "
## [34632] "Too late I stay in griefs eternal nig'ht, "
## [34633] "To do this penance for my over-sight. "
## [34634] "Once let me die, let not my dying life "
## [34635] "Prolong my woes, and keep my thoughts at strife : "
## [34636] "Let him that did offend your heav'nly eyes, "
## [34637] "Now please your anger with self-sacrifice. "
## [34638] ""
## [34639] "Then one of them, reaching him a lance, he began his com-se "
## [34640] "against Tyro Prince of Andria, famous for his constant love to the "
## [34641] "fair Lydia, now married, and Queen of Epire, and ever fortunate "
## [34642] "in the course of his adventures : but here his fortune gave place "
## [34643] "to virtue, or rather joined with her to assist the naked knight ; for, "
## [34644] "at the third encounter, he was put beside his saddle, much bruised "
## [34645] "in body, and no less afflicted in mind. "
## [34646] ""
## [34647] "The next that supplied his place, was Pausanias, a Macedonian, "
## [34648] "one, who in his late wars had done Euarchus faithful service, and "
## [34649] "now, thinking to be as successful in this enterprise, had put on "
## [34650] "armour to do honour to his mistress : but his first course compelled "
## [34651] "him to acknowledge he was deceived, seeing himself fall so short "
## [34652] "of his expectation. "
## [34653] ""
## [34654] "To him succeeded Nicanor, a Corinthian knight, advanced "
## [34655] "by the new king, one extremely confident of himself, because never "
## [34656] "tried, and now very forward, fearing to be prevented of the honour, "
## [34657] "for which already, in conceit, he had triumphed at Corinth with "
## [34658] "the great applause of the people, and the good liking of the king. "
## [34659] "But the naked knight, at second course, cut off both his life and "
## [34660] "imagined trophy: for, couching his lance, and allotting it in his "
## [34661] "course a just descent, rightly levelled by his well judging experience, "
## [34662] "it met with Nicanor's sight, and passing thorough that weak "
## [34663] ""
## [34664] "2 s "
## [34665] ""
## [34666] ""
## [34667] ""
## [34668] "642 ARCADIA [book vt. "
## [34669] ""
## [34670] "resistance, it pierced his right eye, and with it his brain, so that "
## [34671] "Nicanor fell down, forgetful both of his forethought fame and "
## [34672] "following reproach. With this adventure the tilting that day "
## [34673] "ended ; the sun with loose rays, posting to his western home, and "
## [34674] "the naked knight retired himself to his pavilion, whence he sent "
## [34675] "his page, who, humbly, for his master, entreated, that his "
## [34676] "unwillingness to be known should excuse the omission of his "
## [34677] "duty to the king. "
## [34678] ""
## [34679] "Thus that night drew on, which to them who enjoyed delight, "
## [34680] "seemed to have put on all her sails to be the speedier in passing "
## [34681] "over. But far other was the naked knight's apprehension : he "
## [34682] "(who made her ugly darkness a pattern of the sorrow his afflicted "
## [34683] "soul endured) thought shr was becalmed in the sea of his "
## [34684] "misfortune. At length Phoebus, weary of his importunity, made "
## [34685] "haste to distribute his grateful light to his care-tired senses ; and "
## [34686] "he as soon embracing the smallest show of comfort, put on his "
## [34687] "armour. About two hours after, the judges being set, and Basilius "
## [34688] "and Euarchus (with the rest of the court) present, Leonatus, the "
## [34689] "young King of Pontus (who had been there to acknowledge his "
## [34690] "beholdingness to them whom he was deservingly bound to) took "
## [34691] "the field. His armour was of a dark colour, through which many "
## [34692] "flames seemed to byeak out, as when the clouds, great in labour "
## [34693] "with exhalations, at length gave way to their more violent power ; "
## [34694] "his three first courses promised a more happy event than fortune "
## [34695] "meant he should enjoy, for (having performed them with a well- "
## [34696] "ordered firmness in his seat, and a moving constancy in the "
## [34697] "carriage of his lance, to the great delight of the beholders) the "
## [34698] "fourth time he was dismounted; whose disgrace Pyrocles was "
## [34699] "ready to revenge, but he was, by a secret look from Philoclea, "
## [34700] "commanded the contrary. Then Telamon, Phelauceas and "
## [34701] "Diremus felt, with little advantage in fortune, the like success. "
## [34702] ""
## [34703] "Thus, most part of that morning, the naked knight, with little "
## [34704] "resistance, had the best against all comers, which most of the "
## [34705] "lookers-on, with public acclamation, did testify, but he having "
## [34706] "given over the use of himself to sorrow, sometimes by the careless "
## [34707] "shaking of his head, did let them know, they burdened his desert "
## [34708] "with the unpleasing weight of his praise ; and staying a while on "
## [34709] "horseback, he expected the next adventurer, with such a demeanour "
## [34710] "of himself, that (though it did accuse him of much grief) could not "
## [34711] "conceal the grace of his stately presence. But when he saw none "
## [34712] "ready to take the field, with an humble bend taking his leave of "
## [34713] "the king, he softly trotted towards his tent, not so much to repose "
## [34714] "his body, as to give a quiet way to the assaults of his mind. At "
## [34715] "length, when all the beholders' expectations were almost wearied, "
## [34716] "there entered the lists a lady, attended only by one page, who "
## [34717] ""
## [34718] ""
## [34719] ""
## [34720] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 643 "
## [34721] ""
## [34722] "having alighted, presently went towards the place where Basilius "
## [34723] "sat, where first kneeling, then taking away a black scarf (which "
## [34724] "grief had hired to join with herself, in eclipsing the excellent "
## [34725] "feature of a most fair face) she began to speak ; but Basilius and "
## [34726] "Gynecia hastily ran to embrace Helen Queen of Corinth, for this "
## [34727] "was she. Great was the joy of her revived presence, and great the "
## [34728] "desire to know the means of her safety. But she (accounting "
## [34729] "these gratulations cumbersome, and the relation of her adventures "
## [34730] "tedious) fixing her watery eyes on Basilius : \" Great king, I am,\" "
## [34731] "said she, \"that unfortunate Helen, sometime Queen of Corinth, "
## [34732] "now both deprived of crown and kingdom by Tenarus. Yet why "
## [34733] "should I mention this, as fit to be inserted among my greatest "
## [34734] "misfortunes? The cause why now I come, is my care of "
## [34735] "Amphialus's safety, in whom I live, to whose disdain I have vowed "
## [34736] "the tribute of my constant love. He (alas ! why should I live to "
## [34737] "speak it ?) not long since following the course of his adventures, "
## [34738] "came to Amasia, where he was made prisoner, and carried to "
## [34739] "Dunalbus prince of that country, whose brother it was Amphialus's "
## [34740] "fortune to kill in rescue of a lady, to whom he would have offered "
## [34741] "dishonourable violence. These news came to mine ears (to add "
## [34742] "more to many miseries) at that time when I chanced to be at "
## [34743] "Delphos, pouring forth my heartiest devotions for my most "
## [34744] "beloved, my most unkind Amphialus : but the pitying God, either "
## [34745] "to stay my hands from the execution they intended (but to what "
## [34746] "end might that be ? that God knows ; for no time can unbend my "
## [34747] "affection) or, as heaven grant it may be, in commiseration of my "
## [34748] "case, thus comforted me : "
## [34749] ""
## [34750] "Helen, return ; a naked knight shall find "
## [34751] "Rest for thy hopes, and quiet to thy mind. "
## [34752] ""
## [34753] "Thus far have I wandered, led by that divine promise, in pursuit "
## [34754] "of such a one : But nowhere can I find a happy event to confirm "
## [34755] "that oracle ; yet dare I not despair, having so high a warrant ; nor "
## [34756] "hope, having so bad success.\" "
## [34757] ""
## [34758] "\" You are fortunately come,\" said the King, \" This knight, whose "
## [34759] "skill in arms hath made your well-deserving virtues famous, may "
## [34760] "be that man pointed out by the finger of heaven, to release "
## [34761] "Amphialus, who both in name and armour represents a naked "
## [34762] "knight.\" \"O no,\" said the Queen, \"it cannot be expected that "
## [34763] "Apollo, would leave so plain a way for us to track out the "
## [34764] "footsteps of his obscure mysteries.\" \" Madam,\" replied Basihus "
## [34765] "(having first placed her in a chair by him) \"the all-seeing "
## [34766] "providence, with whom the ends of all things are present, is "
## [34767] "sometimes pleased to cast forth the emblem of our destinies, so "
## [34768] "strangely hidden in the covert of ambiguous words, that, doubtless. "
## [34769] ""
## [34770] ""
## [34771] ""
## [34772] "644 ARCADIA tsooK vi. "
## [34773] ""
## [34774] "it serves to beget nothing but matters of distrust, and labyrinths "
## [34775] "of errors, where the imagination a thousand ways may be led "
## [34776] "astray ; of this you have a present proof, confirmed by my "
## [34777] "experience. And sometimes the same justice unfolds the secret "
## [34778] "of our fate, and plainly lets us know the mystery of our fortune ; "
## [34779] "yet even that plainness, to the curious search of our still-mistrusting "
## [34780] "brain, becomes a reason sufficient to enforce us to a contrary "
## [34781] "belief. This last, I think (if, in the interpretation of an oracle, my "
## [34782] "opinion may be received) is that mean, whereby Apollo both "
## [34783] "reveals and hides the author of Amphialus's freedom.\" "
## [34784] ""
## [34785] "This said, he sends presently for the naked knight, who as soon "
## [34786] "obeying the king's command, as he was completely armed, came "
## [34787] "before him ; to whom Basilius cheerfully told (as glad to be the "
## [34788] "reporter of good news to him, whose prowess in arms deservingly "
## [34789] "gained much of his good opinion) of Helen's being there, together "
## [34790] "with her desire to employ him in an action the heavens had also "
## [34791] "interested him in. \"What is it,\" replied the naked knight, \"that, "
## [34792] "without such a command, I would not endeavour to accomplish "
## [34793] "for my most dear Helen ? \" And then, with excess of comfort and "
## [34794] "astonishment, his weak limbs were ready to give over the support "
## [34795] "of his joy-burdened body ; but, being upheld by Musidorus, who "
## [34796] "stood next him, his overcharged spirits had time to recollect "
## [34797] "themselves. "
## [34798] ""
## [34799] "The Queen gathering comfort from his promise, and seeing fair "
## [34800] "likelihood of the oracle's accomplishment, with the oratory of love, "
## [34801] "who thinks no words but his own able to express his mind, began "
## [34802] "in this manner : \" Sir, ill-fortune my awful governess, as in the "
## [34803] "most of my actions she is pleased to keep a hard hand over me, "
## [34804] "so in this (distrustful belike of my willingness) she forces me to "
## [34805] "repeat my wonted lesson of receiving courtesies without power "
## [34806] "of requital; making one undeserved favour from you become "
## [34807] "a cause of farther beholdingness to you: But the glory that "
## [34808] "follows your good success in this adventure (the best spur to set "
## [34809] "forward brave spirits to noble actions) hath almost assured me "
## [34810] "that the love you profess, and a distressed lady's cause, need not "
## [34811] "join petitioners in a request your virtue must be willing to grant. "
## [34812] "The reward of your victory, is the releasing of Amphialus, of whom "
## [34813] "I may speak, and the world with me, all praise-worthy things.\" "
## [34814] "\" Madam,\" replied the naked knight, \" I thought the gods could "
## [34815] "not have favoured me more than in giving you respite of life, "
## [34816] "and me power to be serviceable to you ; but when I consider the "
## [34817] "end I must employ my endeavours to, it buries my conceited "
## [34818] "happiness in the grave of a certain misfortune. Shall I labour "
## [34819] "to preserve that monster of men, whose story (if the world will "
## [34820] "needs read) contains nothing but a volume of disasters, and a vain "
## [34821] ""
## [34822] ""
## [34823] ""
## [34824] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 645 "
## [34825] ""
## [34826] "discourse of a few adventures cast upon him by the blindness "
## [34827] "of chance ? Shall I hazard my life for him, against whom, had "
## [34828] "I lives innumerable, I would venture them all? Shall I live to "
## [34829] "make another happy in your favour, and cross mine own desires ? "
## [34830] "No, madam, I will sooner leave my blood here before you, as "
## [34831] "a testimony that fear hath no interest in my disobedience to your "
## [34832] "command, than I will make my after-life, truly miserable in the "
## [34833] "burden of a hopeless affection.\" To this the Queen awhile in tears, "
## [34834] "as if her eyes strove to speak for her, made a silent answer ; but "
## [34835] "when her sighs had breathed forth the over-charge of her breast, "
## [34836] "first she kneeled, then faintly said : \" O eternal president of this "
## [34837] "court of cares, when will thy just pity commiserate my distress ! "
## [34838] "Alas, Sir, what new way have the gods found to vent their malice "
## [34839] "on me ! have I made disdain my only mishap, and must now "
## [34840] "affection towards me be another undeserved misfortune ? Behold, "
## [34841] "Sir, and, if you can, with pity, a Queen born to command a "
## [34842] "suppliant at your feet, begging what goodness solicites you to "
## [34843] "grant, release Amphialus : and if your jealousy thinks he hath too "
## [34844] "much interest in my love, restore him to the world that wants him, "
## [34845] "I will vow a virgin's life.\" \"Stay, virtuous Queen,\" replied the "
## [34846] "naked knight, and lifting up his beaver, \" receive,\" said he, \" thou "
## [34847] "best of women ! the overjoyed Amphialus.\" "
## [34848] ""
## [34849] "The Queen, as when the ocean swells with the rage of a tempest, "
## [34850] "if on a sudden these blasts be appeased, yet the proud waves, "
## [34851] "mindful of their fore-passed injury, and indisposed to so speedy "
## [34852] "a reconcilement, some while retain the rough remembrance of "
## [34853] "the winds' malice, so were her thoughts, before moved by the storm "
## [34854] "of despair, though now she had cause of contented quiet, on "
## [34855] "a sudden, incapable of so unlooked for a happiness, first doubt, "
## [34856] "then amazement, lastly excess of joy, by succession, were admitted "
## [34857] "to the helm of her distressed heart. But when joy had once got "
## [34858] "to be the steersman, his want of practice (by his long absence from "
## [34859] "that employment) soon brought a confusion ; here the warm tears "
## [34860] "of sorrow, there the cold drops of a present comfort, did strive "
## [34861] "whether should show itself most officious in drowning her pale "
## [34862] "blushing cheeks ; At length they both, no longer able to resist "
## [34863] "this powerful invasion of their minds, as by mutual consent, fell "
## [34864] "the one entwined in the other's arms, and made the earth happy "
## [34865] "in bearing such matchless lovers. But their senses being soon "
## [34866] "restored to their wonted function, after some passionate words "
## [34867] "(to which their eyes and touch of their hands gave the life of "
## [34868] "expression) Amphialus, divided into many minds by the turbulent "
## [34869] "working of his thoughts, turning towards his uncle, with his eyes "
## [34870] "fixed on the ground, stood with the grace of a man condemned, "
## [34871] "vho having led a loathsome life in ein ugly dungeon, is now "
## [34872] ""
## [34873] ""
## [34874] ""
## [34875] "646 ARCADIA [BOOK VI. "
## [34876] ""
## [34877] "brought to a freedom of looking upon the open air, yet sees the "
## [34878] "day is but a taper to light him to his execution. Of the one side "
## [34879] "he was brought from the hell of despair, wherein he lived in the "
## [34880] "assurance of Helen's death, to the certainty of her life and "
## [34881] "presence ; of the other, what was his treason to his uncle to expect, "
## [34882] "but an infamous death, and a divorce from his new-born happiness. "
## [34883] "The shams also of a crime so foul as his rebellion, was not the "
## [34884] "least torment to his mind, unwillingly beaten from a settled course "
## [34885] "of virtue by Cecropia's practices. At length, when these thoughts, "
## [34886] "that almost overcame all the powers of life in him, were themselves "
## [34887] "overcome by his resolution, casting himself at Basilius's feet, thus "
## [34888] "said : \" Great Sir, if treason in a subject, and unnaturalness in "
## [34889] "a nephew, be punishable, here you have before you a fit exercise "
## [34890] "for your justice, I am that subject whose rebellion interrupted "
## [34891] "the contented quiet of my King's solitary life, and brought him "
## [34892] "to behold the bloody tragedy of a civil dissention in his divided "
## [34893] "state: I am that nephew, whom a wilful disobedience made a "
## [34894] "traitor to the nearness of his blood. Hither did I come, Orestes- "
## [34895] "like, tormented by the inward fright of my guilty conscience, with "
## [34896] "my blood to wash away (if good fortune, in the defence of the "
## [34897] "cause I undertook, would draw death upon me) the stains of such "
## [34898] "unpardonable faults; but now that I have found what I least "
## [34899] "looked for- (and then he cast a side-look on Helen) for her, "
## [34900] "I confess, I should desire to live, if your just indignation might "
## [34901] "find mercy for so heinous offences, which I will not strive to "
## [34902] "mitigate, however justly I may; for I would think such faults "
## [34903] "ill-excused with which, to ease myself, I must have burdened "
## [34904] "my nearest friends.\" "
## [34905] ""
## [34906] "Basilius, first graciously lifting him from the ground : \" Nephew,\" "
## [34907] "replied he, \" did I retain the memory of your youthful oversights, "
## [34908] "this your virtuous acknowledgment were sufficient to bear them "
## [34909] "away ; but long since I have buried in oblivion the thought of "
## [34910] "your rashness because I knew (by what after happened) that the "
## [34911] "gods had made you an instrument to work their ends ; it were "
## [34912] "injury therefore to question his actions, whose will was not his own, "
## [34913] "being over-ruled by their all-commanding decree. No, nephew,-! "
## [34914] "do not only pardon these transgressions, but freely also do resign "
## [34915] "all such possessions as your father held in Arcadia, taken from you "
## [34916] "in the last war, and now in the hands of Philanax. Live happy in "
## [34917] "your choice, I shall be proud of our alliance with the crown of "
## [34918] "Corinth, and shall rejoice to see the succession continue in our "
## [34919] "blood.\" This said, he led him to Gynecia, then to Euarchus, but "
## [34920] "when he came to Musidorus : \" This, nephew, is that black knight,\" "
## [34921] "said he, \" who at your last meeting gave such evident proof of his "
## [34922] "unconquerable valour ; this is Musidorus the Prince of Thessaliaj "
## [34923] ""
## [34924] ""
## [34925] ""
## [34926] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 647 "
## [34927] ""
## [34928] "whom the gods have bestowed as a blessing on my daughter "
## [34929] "Pamela.\" Amphialus, now assured by the king's speech, unto "
## [34930] "whose hand the honour of his conquest had fallen (for doubt had "
## [34931] "long tormented him that, some baser hand had reaped the glory of "
## [34932] "his victory). \" Prince Musidorus,\" said he, \" my hard success in "
## [34933] "our last encounter much perplexed me ; not that my confidence of "
## [34934] "myself was lifted to such an arrogapt presumption to think my "
## [34935] "strength and skill in arms matchless, but that it grieved me, an "
## [34936] "unknown knight (one, whom the world might think had concealed "
## [34937] "his name, lest, together with him, his bad fortune in trials of that "
## [34938] "kind might be discovered) should have the better of me. But now, "
## [34939] "that I know to whose lot my victory hath fallen, I do not only "
## [34940] "bring an excuse, but an honour from the worthiness of the "
## [34941] "conqueror.\" "
## [34942] ""
## [34943] "\"Courteous Amphialus,\" replied the Prince, \"whose side the "
## [34944] "advantage of fortune did then incline to, if it may be determined, "
## [34945] "with greater reason, and more desert, should the honour be given "
## [34946] "you, than bestowed on me ; but, however, such trial I then made "
## [34947] "of your manhood that, hereafter, I shall desire to be of your part.\" "
## [34948] "\" Worthy Prince,\" said Amphialus, \" your virtue will always choose "
## [34949] "to be of the weaker side.\" And so turning to Philoclea, \"Divine "
## [34950] "lady,\" said he, \" in your excellent choice of the famous Pyrocles, "
## [34951] "you have (besides the happiness gained to yourself, for which the "
## [34952] "world may envy you) showed me the way to my best hopes, by "
## [34953] "grafting my affection in the stock of my Helen's constancy.\" "
## [34954] "\" Dear cousin,\" replied Philoclea, \" I am glad it was in my power, "
## [34955] "and your good fortune, so much to better your choice in so "
## [34956] "excellent a remove : \" And so, casting a bashful look towards "
## [34957] "Pyrocles : \" Sir,\" said she, \" we may join in thanksgiving. This is "
## [34958] "my cousin, whose virtuous disposition during our imprisonment "
## [34959] "was our safest defence against my Aunt Cecropia's cruelty.\" \" I "
## [34960] "do acknowledge it,\" said Pyrocles, \"and besides this favour, in "
## [34961] "which we have a common interest. Sir, I must crave pardon for a "
## [34962] "wound given you at such a time when, belike, you made patience "
## [34963] "your only defence.\" "
## [34964] ""
## [34965] "Amphialus stood with his eyes fixed on Pyrocles, for his memory "
## [34966] "supplied him with a confused remembrance of such a face : "
## [34967] "Zelmane he could not take him to be, her sex and this change, at "
## [34968] "their first birth, destroyed these apprehensions. Pyrocles, his "
## [34969] "heart swore he was not, whose youth and beauty, God wot ! were "
## [34970] "no fit livery for such achievements as the world famed him for. "
## [34971] "Thus awhile he continued, troubled with the uncertainty of "
## [34972] "conjectures, until Pyrocles (happily conceiving the cause of his "
## [34973] "amazement) stopped his farther admiration by letting him know "
## [34974] "tl;iat the then^Zelroane was the now Pyrocles. Whereat Amphialus, "
## [34975] ""
## [34976] ""
## [34977] ""
## [34978] "648 ARCADIA [BOOK VI, "
## [34979] ""
## [34980] "as one newly waked out of a dream, cried out, \" Anaxius, Anaxius,\" "
## [34981] "said he, \" 'twas the Prince of Macedon (not a woman) overcame "
## [34982] "thee. Wheresoever thy soul be, let it keep this time festival as the "
## [34983] "birthday of thy glory.\" And so, after mutual embraces, together "
## [34984] "with the rest of the princes, they entered the palace, where, when "
## [34985] "they were seated, the eyes of all the company were set on the "
## [34986] "Queen of Corinth, longing to know the story of her strange fortune ; "
## [34987] "now a queen, then a prisoner ; now alive, then dead ; which she, "
## [34988] "at Basilius's entreaty, with a majesty which her fortune could not "
## [34989] "change, because it was innate, thus declared. "
## [34990] ""
## [34991] "\" Great Sir ! that I was made prisoner by Rinatus, and by him "
## [34992] "carried to Laconia, fame, together with the news of my supposed "
## [34993] "death, belike hath brought you ; the rest, since you esteem worthy "
## [34994] "your hearing, I shall esteem worthy my relation. There yet "
## [34995] "governs, and then did, among the nobility of Laconia, one Creton, "
## [34996] "a man elected to the crown rather to recompense the desert of his "
## [34997] "ancestors, than for his own virtues, beloved and borne with for the "
## [34998] "same reason ; such an everlasting monument of itself, can goodness "
## [34999] "leave to posterity. To him when I was brought, my guilt and my "
## [35000] "guilty self, with the best oratory Rinatus had, was made known, "
## [35001] "who, with vehement importunity, desired that my speedy punishment, "
## [35002] "as my fault, should be terrible. The king answered, though he "
## [35003] "found his demands reasonable, and such to which he was sure "
## [35004] "there could be no opposition made, yet he thought it fit the "
## [35005] "nobility should be acquainted with so weighty a cause before he "
## [35006] "proceeded farther in it, and so, for this time (being committed to "
## [35007] "the charge of Pertinax, chamberlain to the king) I was dismissed. "
## [35008] "The next day, the council being sent for, my cause ran the hazard "
## [35009] "of many opinions ; some thought it fit I should die ; and though "
## [35010] "justice, said they, might not dispense with such severity, yet it was "
## [35011] "fit to please Rinatus, one who had deserved well, and had the "
## [35012] "power, if otherwise he were dealt with, to revenge his injury. "
## [35013] "Others, the more in number, and esteemed the wiser, because the "
## [35014] "King held with them, opposed this sentence, alleging, so "
## [35015] "inconsiderate an act might call the safety of Laconia in question ; "
## [35016] "\" for,\" .said they, \" shall we think the Corinthians so degenerate, "
## [35017] "that, being justly incensed against us they will not endeavour to "
## [35018] "revenge the death of their prince, in the shade of whose reign they "
## [35019] "enjoy that peace and plenty their neighbours envy them for? And "
## [35020] "if they stir in it, what people is so barbarous, whom the justness of "
## [35021] "their cause will not procure into the society of this war ? See then "
## [35022] "if a private man's satisfaction be to be compared to these ensuing "
## [35023] "dangers ? No, let her live, and when the gods do otherwise dispose "
## [35024] "of her, let her death come without the ruin of Laconia.\" This "
## [35025] "determined, a new doubt arose, how I should be disposed of. "
## [35026] ""
## [35027] ""
## [35028] ""
## [35029] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 649 "
## [35030] ""
## [35031] "They that before thought it expedient I should die, now that opinion "
## [35032] "was put by, concluded that it was best to send me to Corinth, with "
## [35033] "an honourable convoy, so to tie them by a perpetual bond of "
## [35034] "gratitude, to be their friends whom they so much feared to be "
## [35035] "their enemies ; the rest, to gratify the King, whose affection they "
## [35036] "perceived to lean that way, and well assured it was an advice too "
## [35037] "profitable to be rejected that gained a kingdom, though his promise "
## [35038] "after the queen's death (who, not long before, left him a widower) "
## [35039] "had been passed to Lemnia, a fair and virtuous lady, daughter to "
## [35040] "my keeper Pertinax, yet they wished, if so he pleased, my crown "
## [35041] "might win me to his bed, little doubting but I had thought it an "
## [35042] "egregious felicity to be so graced. The King, after many "
## [35043] "protractions, at length, as if he were wrought to it by a desire to "
## [35044] "satisfy the nobility rather than self-will, declares his mind to be "
## [35045] "directed by them ; which, once known, behold ! the flattery of the "
## [35046] "court began to fawn upon me ; who more observed ? who more "
## [35047] "admired ? Only Rinatus, much impatient of this my greatness in "
## [35048] "court, uttered some words in choler, which made known, by a "
## [35049] "further inquiry, a conspiracy of his against the king, so that soon "
## [35050] "after (the rather to give me, whom they studied to please, "
## [35051] "satisfaction) he was beheaded. "
## [35052] ""
## [35053] "\"But long it was not before fortune, neither constant to my "
## [35054] "happy adversity, nor adverse felicity, had brought thither (sent by "
## [35055] "the usurper Tenarus) a wise, but wicked instrument, whom he "
## [35056] "called his ambassador, who laboured, by the policy of his high- "
## [35057] "reaching brain, and the secret practices of his undermining gold, "
## [35058] "so far for his master's ends, that now, in an instant, the still- "
## [35059] "changing face of court-respect began to frown upon me : my death "
## [35060] "was decreed, and until the time were appointed for it, myself made "
## [35061] "a close prisoner in my accustomed gaol. But the King, chiefly "
## [35062] "moved with the hope of my crown, and drawn by a self-conceit of "
## [35063] "liking to my sorrow, which, perhaps, had a sympathy with his "
## [35064] "melancholy, wouldst needs continue the suit of his affection to me, "
## [35065] "though he durst not interpose his over-ruled authority for my "
## [35066] "liberty. Thus, for a time, did I live, accompanied by some few "
## [35067] "whom the king might trust with his intents, he, in show, courting "
## [35068] "his first love Lemnia, and making that a pretence to come private "
## [35069] "to her father's house near adjoining to court. But indeed, as at "
## [35070] "that time he could have no reason to dissemble with me, this "
## [35071] "kindness came another way ; which Lemnia suspecting, and being "
## [35072] "as far gone in affection to this double-dealing king, as he was in "
## [35073] "the profession of a little-regarded love to me, her watchful eye "
## [35074] "soon found the advantage of a happy opportunity to hear himself "
## [35075] "speak his own deceit, with such a heart-burning vehemency that "
## [35076] "Lemnia (who Ijad placed herself, unknown to either of us, behind the "
## [35077] ""
## [35078] ""
## [35079] ""
## [35080] "650 ARCADIA [book VI. "
## [35081] ""
## [35082] "hangings) scarce could suppress her entry to play a part in our "
## [35083] "comedy of affection. But to his demands truth answered for me "
## [35084] "plainly that death, in whose expectation I lived, would be far more "
## [35085] "pleasing than the marriage he thought so reasonable ; adding "
## [35086] "withal to my speech much of Lemnia's praise, which she deserved, "
## [35087] "to instruct his eyes that indeed were blind in his choice. "
## [35088] ""
## [35089] "\" But when he parted, vowing to be severe in my punishment, "
## [35090] "unless I resolved better at his next coming, behold Lemnia, with "
## [35091] "tears in her eyes, fell at my feet, and when she saw amazement in "
## [35092] "my looks, with a kind bashfulness, taking my hand, and rising "
## [35093] "with that help : ' Virtuous lady,' said she, ' if ever you have been "
## [35094] "acquainted with the tyranny of all-commanding affection, to that "
## [35095] "judge I appeal, who (though courtesy and good manners oppose "
## [35096] "him; will find my fault excusable. This man, who in your presence "
## [35097] "hath been the trumpet of his own inconstancy, first with the "
## [35098] "vehement protestation of his sincere affection, won me in grateful- "
## [35099] "ness to meet him, in recompense of his unknown dissimulation, if "
## [35100] "such then it were ; and now with the good liking of the state, were "
## [35101] "the solemnities appointed for our marriage, when your arrival "
## [35102] "crossed those hopes, and drew his thoughts to their natural temper "
## [35103] "of unstayedness. But since I have found, by this fortunate "
## [35104] "unmannerliness, your answers so resolutely opposed to his "
## [35105] "demands, henceforth I vow to work your freedom, or bring myself "
## [35106] "to perish with you.' Her fault found an easy pardon at the "
## [35107] "tribunal she appealed to — I thanked her, as there was good cause, "
## [35108] "for her desire of my good ; only I wished, if my freedom could "
## [35109] "not be procured without danger to her, she should not heap "
## [35110] "miseries upon me by joining herself a companion in my disasters. "
## [35111] "She comforts me with the hope of a better event, and to bring her "
## [35112] "intention to a wished success, she wins my unwillingness to show "
## [35113] "some favour to the king : which next day I did, having placed "
## [35114] "Lemnia where she had placed herself the day before, to be a "
## [35115] "witness to our conference ; for otherwise, perhaps, her love this "
## [35116] "second time might have egged her suspicion, already prone that "
## [35117] "way, to the distrust of a practice betwixt us. And happy was "
## [35118] "this forced dissimulation; for the King, not long before his "
## [35119] "coming to me, had received advertisement that the usurper of "
## [35120] "Corinth had levied an army, and set forth many ships to invade "
## [35121] "Laconia, making the delay of my promised execution the pretence "
## [35122] "of this war; which being also known, they (who, together with "
## [35123] "this foreign enemy, feared the rebellion of the Helots, who always "
## [35124] "lay in wait for an opportunity of such advantage) now, more than "
## [35125] "ever, began to solicit the King to satisfy so potent an enemy in so "
## [35126] "just a demand. The King, well weighing the imminent dangers "
## [35127] "jbat were to be prevented hy my death, and seeing the little "
## [35128] ""
## [35129] ""
## [35130] ""
## [35131] "BooKvi.] ARCADIA 651 "
## [35132] ""
## [35133] "comfort he did enjoy by the prolonging of my life (likely every "
## [35134] "day to increase my obstinacy, being none of those lovers that "
## [35135] "would die for his disdaining mistress) was ready to deliver me "
## [35136] "over as a sacrifice for the state and country, when, behold ! his "
## [35137] "sails were filled with self-opinion of my favour. Borne up, "
## [35138] "therefore, with the wings of hope, he returns to court, where love "
## [35139] "(or some indulgent fate) inspired this project into his head ; he "
## [35140] "calls the nobility, and after a long narration of the mischiefs that "
## [35141] "hung over Laconia, he desires their advice for prevention. They, "
## [35142] "glad that the only opposer, as they thought, of their designs, "
## [35143] "would have recourse to their directions, in that cause wherein they "
## [35144] "were jealous of his partaking after a flattering insinuation (the "
## [35145] "common exordium to men of his place) they concluded that it was "
## [35146] "fit Helen should die. ' I doubt it not,' said he (nor was it to that "
## [35147] "end I sought your counsel) ' that the necessity of the times, the "
## [35148] "welfare of our person, and the preservation of our estate required "
## [35149] "her death ; but it much perplexed me, that our fame should bleed "
## [35150] "with her, or that the world should say the threats of the King of "
## [35151] "Corinth had enforced us to behead her whom lately we were to "
## [35152] "take to wife. 'Twas this, my lords, that caused my misinterpreted "
## [35153] "resolution to hang in suspense ; for this I have turned my invention "
## [35154] "into all forms, and now, behold, I have found an even way to lead "
## [35155] "me between the perils of a threatened war, and the ill-bought "
## [35156] "quiet of an ignominous peace. My will is she be brought to court "
## [35157] "(for Pertinax's house I think not convenient for this project) and "
## [35158] "placed here, with such about her as I know most trusty in such a "
## [35159] "secret ; then, that her keepers, at farthest within two days, poison "
## [35160] "her; which done, we will give it out she died of a disease; and to "
## [35161] "confirm this opinion in the vulgar, we will honour her death with "
## [35162] "such funeral pomp as the state of her life required. Thus shall "
## [35163] "our cause of dissention with Corinth be taken away, and we freed "
## [35164] "from that imputation the world might justly lay upon us.' The "
## [35165] "nobility, with silent admiration, began to applaud what he had "
## [35166] "determined, chiefly Pertinax, who, making the common cause his "
## [35167] "pretence, laboured by all means to confirm a resolution so "
## [35168] "necessary for his daughter Lemnia's happiness. "
## [35169] ""
## [35170] "\"The King having dismissed the council, acquaints me with "
## [35171] "these his proceedings, setting forth, with no mean pride, the "
## [35172] "pregnancy of his own wit, who had found a way to over-reach such "
## [35173] "grey-bearded dotards : ' For,' said he, ' you shall that night when "
## [35174] "yon are thought to be poisoned be conveyed hence (by two of "
## [35175] "chiefest trust about me) unto my castle of Nicos ; then will I cause "
## [35176] "a statue, formed to your proportion, to be coffined up, on which, "
## [35177] "forsooth, my grave council shall solemnly wait, and perform the "
## [35178] "pbse^uies in that ceremony requisite; meantime you shall live, "
## [35179] ""
## [35180] ""
## [35181] ""
## [35182] "652 ARCADIA [BOOK VI. "
## [35183] ""
## [35184] "and live beloved of him who hath undergone this dangerous "
## [35185] "enterprise, and will do many more to endear his affection to you. "
## [35186] "And when the limbs of this disjointed state be set again, you shall "
## [35187] "be restored to be yourself, and to enjoy this crown of Laconia so "
## [35188] "much envied you : till when, I lock these projects in the closet of "
## [35189] "your secrecy.' "
## [35190] ""
## [35191] "\" The good King was scarce gone from me when I made Lemnia "
## [35192] "of counsel with me, who, seeing the fitness of the time, seeing my "
## [35193] "journey to Nicos was to be performed in the night, and the easy "
## [35194] "execution of so dangerless an enterprise, my guard being only two "
## [35195] "of the King's servants, she gives in charge to a sufficient number "
## [35196] "of such whom she knew faithful to her, to meet them mid way, and "
## [35197] "after they had well beaten my convoy, to discharge them of the "
## [35198] "suspicion of their consenting to the fact, to carry me to the next "
## [35199] "seaport, where there staid a ship bound for Delphos, to which I "
## [35200] "needs would bend my course. This being resolved upon, the lady "
## [35201] "(equally troubled with the care of my safety and the loss of my "
## [35202] "presence) wept many tears, which I confess, had been ingratitude "
## [35203] "in me not to second ; so as a while sorrow seemed to have flown "
## [35204] "thither to bathe herself in our eyes : but love, at length, in both "
## [35205] "of one another's good, had well near claimed this passion, when "
## [35206] "the guard appointed by the King, was come and ready to carry "
## [35207] "me to court. But why should I, great sir, any longer stay you in "
## [35208] "a story, whose tediousness I am well assured hath tired you? "
## [35209] "Know therefore, that this means of my safety was as fortunately "
## [35210] "executed as happily contrived : the King not once daring to send "
## [35211] "to seek me, lest he should by that discover his own craft used in "
## [35212] "this dangerous deluding of the Laconian noblemen. "
## [35213] ""
## [35214] "\" But I was scarce a month absent, when he, whose eyes held "
## [35215] "the reins of his constancy, the object being removed, married "
## [35216] "(as it was before determined) the beauteous Lemnia, who, now "
## [35217] "in possession of his love, sticked not to make known to him this "
## [35218] "whole matter, which otherwise in her behalf I was bound to keep "
## [35219] "secret. Thus, Sir, if my desire to obey your commands hath made "
## [35220] "the story of my misfortunes tedious, you may excuse me, since all "
## [35221] "is done for your satisfaction.\" "
## [35222] ""
## [35223] "\" Fair Queen,'' replied Basilius, \" the sweetly-delivered strangeness "
## [35224] "of the story would still ravish the hearers with a desire of a farther "
## [35225] "cause of attentiveness, did not a greater desire in us, who know "
## [35226] "your virtues, hasten to hear the end of your much pitied distress : \" "
## [35227] "and so, calling Amphialus to him, having agreed on the day of "
## [35228] "marriage between the Queen and him, they all arose; for now "
## [35229] "their appetites (growing jealous of the satisfaction their minds "
## [35230] "received by the former discourse) began to solicit them in the "
## [35231] "Ijehalf of their stomachs. "
## [35232] ""
## [35233] ""
## [35234] ""
## [35235] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 6s3 "
## [35236] ""
## [35237] "After dinner, when most of the company began to imp the wings "
## [35238] "of time with the feathers of several recreations, Amphialus and "
## [35239] "Helen privately went together into an arbour in the garden, where, "
## [35240] "first with tears, the common apology of overjoyed affection, they "
## [35241] "speak their minds in silence, their panting hearts, as they "
## [35242] "embraced, with mutual desire, beating their envious garments "
## [35243] "that gave them not leave to meet. At length Helen, gracefully "
## [35244] "shaking her head as if she would shake away the drops that, "
## [35245] "like the morning-dew on full ripe cherries, hung on her rosy "
## [35246] "cheeks : \" O Amphialus ! \" said she, and then kissed him, as loth "
## [35247] "to leave so perfect a sentence without a comma ; \" I will not say "
## [35248] ""
## [35249] "you were unkind, but ,\" and there with his lips (loth, loth, "
## [35250] ""
## [35251] "belike, to accuse him) she closed up her speech. \" My sole "
## [35252] "happiness 1 \" replied Amphialus, softly wringing her hand, \" though "
## [35253] "the foulness of my fault be no fit subject for her to speak of who "
## [35254] "breathes nothing but goodness, yet I want not an accuser: my "
## [35255] "soul sets forth my ingratitude ; nor can I yet conceive how mercy "
## [35256] "can be so far removed from justice, as to find a pardon from my "
## [35257] "offence : But you have given it, and, if it be any requital, it shall "
## [35258] "be my after-life's study to love and honour your virtues, as it was "
## [35259] "hitherto to offend you.\" \"It is fit therefore,\" said Helen, with "
## [35260] "the counterfeit settledness of majesty, \" we impose a penance upon "
## [35261] "you for your oversight, and this it shall be, that henceforth you "
## [35262] "neither speak nor think of that you account your fault : and to help "
## [35263] "you in obeying my commands, I must entreat you to keep your "
## [35264] "mind and tongue, for a time, busied in telling me what befel you "
## [35265] "in your travels since our being at Corinth ; and .do it not 'so "
## [35266] "niggardly, as if you meant to conceal what fame hath so largely "
## [35267] "blown abroad: yet, if you were exposed at any time to much "
## [35268] "danger, dwell not there too long, lest I forget I have you here.\" "
## [35269] ""
## [35270] "\" Most dear lady,\" said Amphialus, \" to conform my speech to "
## [35271] "your last request would make me disobedient to your first "
## [35272] "command. Shall I begin with my departure from you ? alas ! "
## [35273] "at what time should I more employ my memory and speech in "
## [35274] "discovery of my faulty self than now ? But I see your eyes begin "
## [35275] "to take anger into them ; I will no longer insist on mine own "
## [35276] "accusation. "
## [35277] ""
## [35278] "\"Know therefore, most constant lady, that, accompanied only "
## [35279] "with Fidutio my page, when I had passed the limits of your "
## [35280] "dominion, at that time of day when the high mounted sun makes "
## [35281] "least shadows, wearied with travel, and desirous of some shelter "
## [35282] "from the sun's violent rays, I laid myself under the protection of "
## [35283] "an olive tree, thinking to set my mutinous thoughts at peace, "
## [35284] "but it would not be: these outward signs could not appease the "
## [35285] "fury of an inward enemy. Thus I lay, dearly purchasing the little "
## [35286] ""
## [35287] ""
## [35288] ""
## [35289] "(554 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [35290] ""
## [35291] "ease of my body with the aflSiction of mind, until mine ears, like "
## [35292] "faithful servants, desirous to end this dissention between their "
## [35293] "master and himself, caused all the powers of my mind to join "
## [35294] "in attentiveness ; and mine eyes, loth to be outgone in such good "
## [35295] "oflSces, did look that way from whence the noise came; where "
## [35296] "I might discern six men armed, on horseback, carry a fair lady "
## [35297] "with them, whose tears and out-cries well showed her indisposition "
## [35298] "to that journey. This sight moved compassion in me, and pity "
## [35299] "brought a desire to help her distress, but my horse (divining, "
## [35300] "belike, my intent, and unwilling to leave his food) could by no "
## [35301] "means be taken ; so that, mad with anger, I began to repeat "
## [35302] "over all the misfortunes that ever had befallen me, to let this know "
## [35303] "it wanted no fellows, when there came posting that way, one whom "
## [35304] "by his haste I guessed to have been of the company gone before. "
## [35305] "Of whom I entreated to know what fault could be so heinous "
## [35306] "that might take away the name of injury from so unmanly a "
## [35307] "violence as they offered to so beauteous a lady: But he, with "
## [35308] "a scornful silence, smiled, and would be gone; and so, perhaps, "
## [35309] "he might, had not the narrowness of the way, and his courteous "
## [35310] "horse that would not tread upon me, compelled him to stay. "
## [35311] "Whereat his anger burst forth into these threats : 'Villain !' said "
## [35312] "he, ' thy want of armour shall not excuse thee from a death wilfully "
## [35313] "drawn upon thee; and though there be no glory, there will be "
## [35314] "satisfaction in thy overthrow.' Then, drawing his horse a little "
## [35315] "back, he alighted, and without farther complement, ran towards "
## [35316] "me: But his fury brought him too hastily to his death, for "
## [35317] "thinking, belike, his threatening mouth was able to defend itself, "
## [35318] "he forgot to put by my sword that by good fortune lay in his way, "
## [35319] "and so justly his death entered at his mouth, whose hfe I think "
## [35320] "was in his tongue. At his fall Fidutio came in, who helping to "
## [35321] "fit on the armour, of which we had disfurnished this unserviceable "
## [35322] "knight, I mounted on his horse, that seemed to have regarded "
## [35323] "my haste more than mine own, and riding on the spur, I overtook "
## [35324] "my company, for so they would needs make themselves, saluting "
## [35325] "me by the name of my friend Satibarsis. But the better observance "
## [35326] "soon put them out of that opinion. So that guessing (indeed "
## [35327] "rightly) that I had killed Satibarsis, and by that means got his "
## [35328] "armour, without desire to be farther th/m by there own conjecture "
## [35329] "satisfied, they joined all hands in his revenge. But the lady's "
## [35330] "cause was just, whose rescue I came to, and the all-seeing "
## [35331] "providence that would not see justice over-laid, fought for me. "
## [35332] "And now five of them had eidier received their well deserved "
## [35333] "payment of death, or were kept by their wounds from farther "
## [35334] "opposition, when the sixth, who all this while had held the lady, "
## [35335] "and looked on, seeing my hand (whose weakness had left such "
## [35336] ""
## [35337] ""
## [35338] ""
## [35339] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 65s "
## [35340] ""
## [35341] "precedents of the effects of a good cause) now set against him "
## [35342] "alone, took his prisoner by the hair, and with his sword gave her "
## [35343] "a deep wound in the neck. That inhuman act would have given "
## [35344] "desire to the most barbarous, and power of revenge to the most "
## [35345] "cowardly: but he, as if he meant to save me a labour, making "
## [35346] "haste that their warm blood should meet, with the same sword "
## [35347] "runs himself through, dying as just a judge as he was a traitorous "
## [35348] "offender. Amazement would have fixed mine eyes upon him, "
## [35349] "but the lady's wound brought them to her succour. Experience "
## [35350] "on myself, made me skilful, and my fair patient officious, so that "
## [35351] "tying up the wound, for some time I staunched the blood; she, "
## [35352] "in the meantime, with her watery eyes bent toward heaven, heartily "
## [35353] "praying for my good fortune, and many times thanking her "
## [35354] "destiny, that, with her death, had ended the miseries of her ever- "
## [35355] "dying life. When I had done comforting her, as I thought, "
## [35356] "with my opinion of her safety, I entreated to know her name, "
## [35357] "and the cause of this injury done to her. ' No, no,' replied she, "
## [35358] "'courteous stranger, the comfort of my near-coming death (in "
## [35359] "spite of the torment the memory of my most wretched life puts me "
## [35360] "to) brings this cheerfulness I now present in my looks: and "
## [35361] "though the least delay of my end is accompanied with a world "
## [35362] "of sorrows, yet I am glad, for satisfaction of your demand, my "
## [35363] "breath is a while preserved. "
## [35364] ""
## [35365] "'\"My name is Leaucade, the only daughter to Count Brunio, a man "
## [35366] "of large possessions in this country, whom, you may well think, "
## [35367] "because in expectation of his lands, many sued for, and those not "
## [35368] "of the meanest esteem : but my carelessness of love had taught me "
## [35369] "such a carriage, that farther than of the favour of my courtesy (of "
## [35370] "which they did all indifferently partake) none could boast. And "
## [35371] "this, till about a year since, was my daily practice, disdaining (as "
## [35372] "most that have not known it do) so ridiculous a passion as I then "
## [35373] "esteemed love. At which time this Fluento, whose happy hand "
## [35374] "hath done us both right, came to my father's court. A neighbour "
## [35375] "prince, with whom (for encroaching upon the bounds of his territory) "
## [35376] "my father hath had much dissention. But a reconcilement being "
## [35377] "made between them, and both alike thinking the best means to "
## [35378] "persevere in amity were to have us two joined in marriage ; "
## [35379] "without my knowledge (as if it were fit I should be a stranger to "
## [35380] "their proceeding) determine of the match. But, alas ! Sir, at this "
## [35381] "time I was so far from being at their dispose, that I was not at mine "
## [35382] "own : for love (I think keeping mischief imtil it were ripe for me) "
## [35383] "had presented a gentleman to mine eyes, by birth noble, whose "
## [35384] "ancestors, all to his father, being men of known virtue in the "
## [35385] "country, were admitted to the prime offices of the kingdom. But "
## [35386] "he taking a pride to be unthrifty, and little esteeming these public "
## [35387] ""
## [35388] ""
## [35389] ""
## [35390] "6s6 ARCADIA tsooK vi. "
## [35391] ""
## [35392] "employments, lavished exceedingly both his fame and patrimony ; "
## [35393] "yet it seemed he only made away his estate to purchase goodness "
## [35394] "for his child : such a son he was father to, so rare, so excellent. "
## [35395] "His name was Persidas ; ' and at that word the tears gushed forth "
## [35396] "in such abundance that it seemed her blood had changed his "
## [35397] "course and colour to run forth at the sluices of her eyes : ' Alas ! "
## [35398] "Sir, what shall I say of him ? or who, from Leaucade, will believe "
## [35399] "the desert of Persidas ? But, alas ! if they deserve no credit that "
## [35400] "love him, in this country you must hear nothing of him ; the "
## [35401] "knowledge of his person, and the love of his virtues, being things "
## [35402] "inseparable. In him begun this tragedy, in me it ends : for when "
## [35403] "my father and Fluento had drawn their agreement to a head, then, "
## [35404] "and not before, he thought it time, he said, to let me know my "
## [35405] "happiness.' And thus, finding me alone, he breaks the matter to "
## [35406] "me : ' Dear child, I have, ever since the death of your virtuous "
## [35407] "mother (though much importuned by many) reserved you to these "
## [35408] "years unmarried, because your content should be of counsel with "
## [35409] "me in your choice : and happy was this delay for the honour of our "
## [35410] "house ; for, behold ! Fluento makes his fortunes serviceable to "
## [35411] "your will : Prince Fluento, daughter, whose powerful greatness the "
## [35412] "neighbour potentates stand in awe of : him I have won for you, "
## [35413] "and so forward we be that this day-fortnight he is to take you to "
## [35414] "wife.' 'Father,' said I, 'that your wisdom hath deferred my "
## [35415] "marriage hitherto to give me the comfort of election, my obedience, "
## [35416] "my only requital, shall be the same it ever was to you ; and yet I "
## [35417] "wonder, that having attained to these years, when my judgment in "
## [35418] "my choice may be received, you will exclude me from the end for "
## [35419] "which I was so long reserved ; just like a physician that telleth his "
## [35420] "patient he hath brought a potion to cure him, yet says he must by "
## [35421] "no means take it. I must be married to Prince Fluento, and yet "
## [35422] "your meaning is, I should have liberty to choose ; as if this "
## [35423] "enforcement destroyed not my freedom of election. That he is a "
## [35424] "man, beyond all respects, as you praise him, fit for your estate, I "
## [35425] "may well grant you, but that he is unfit for your daughter, I am "
## [35426] "privileged to say.' At this, his severe look, before he spoke, began "
## [35427] "to lay before me my obedience : and when he had walked two or "
## [35428] "three turns in the room, ' Daughter, daughter,' said he, ' I never "
## [35429] "thought you were so wilful ! Where, I pray you, is there a match "
## [35430] "fit for your birth, if not Fluento? Beware, beware, you do not "
## [35431] "give your posterity just cause to curse you, that denied them so "
## [35432] "great, so good a father.' I answered that I thought it were too "
## [35433] "tender a respect of children, whom perhaps I might not have, or "
## [35434] "should not enjoy, to choose for them, and not a husband for "
## [35435] "myself, and too senseless a feeling of the honour of my house, to "
## [35436] "wrong myself to do my birth right. Then kneeling on my knees, "
## [35437] ""
## [35438] ""
## [35439] ""
## [35440] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 6S7 "
## [35441] ""
## [35442] "' Sir,' said I, ' solicit me no more, I have not power to grant.' He "
## [35443] "hastily, when it was scarce delivered, snatched this word : ' And "
## [35444] "why not power to grant?' said he. 'Because Persidas is the "
## [35445] "anchor-hold of my life and love.' ' Persidas '. ' cried out my father, "
## [35446] "' Now all misfortune fall thick upon me, shall my means help to "
## [35447] "make up a bankrupt in his estate ? Accursed be my fate that gave "
## [35448] "me life to hear it. Persidas ! Why, sure it cannot be.' ' Sir,' said "
## [35449] "I, 'if my love were not far passed, my desperate presumption would "
## [35450] "not bring a truth, much less an untruth, to move your anger. And "
## [35451] "if those after hopes have not clean compelled you to forget you are "
## [35452] "my father, have pity on me ? If so, I crave the trial of the law.' "
## [35453] "This last request (after conference with Fluento) finding my "
## [35454] "obstinacy, he condescended to. But because, I perceive, Sir, you "
## [35455] "are a stranger here, and that the knowledge of this law doth much "
## [35456] "concern the story of my present mishap, I will make it known "
## [35457] "to you. "
## [35458] ""
## [35459] "\"This kingdom of Argus, wherein you are, was governed not "
## [35460] "long since by Phenissa, a woman worthy to have come to that "
## [35461] "place by election if nature had not bestowed it upon her by descent "
## [35462] "from her famous ancestors. This queen (that you may see we "
## [35463] "want not the precedent of greatness to excuse affection) in her "
## [35464] "father's Hfe-time, though by him she was promised to Deoxippus, "
## [35465] "the tyrant of Syracusa, was enamoured of one Eumenes, governor "
## [35466] "(for the Lacedemonians) of the island and city of Delphos. And "
## [35467] "when it well might be thought the king's death, and her succession, "
## [35468] "had taken away the restraint of her will, yet she, growing less "
## [35469] "willing when she was most powerful, like a horse that finding the "
## [35470] "reins hang loose upon him begins to stay his fury ; so she, though "
## [35471] "by this change she had not received any slackness into her "
## [35472] "affection, began to tender the cause of her country that lay open "
## [35473] "to the invasion of her proud enemy Deoxippus, if so she would "
## [35474] "have made him. Preferring therefore now this common respect, "
## [35475] "before her private satisfaction, as she had done her obedience in "
## [35476] "her father's life-time before her love, she buries herself in the "
## [35477] "grave of Deoxippus's loathsome bed. "
## [35478] ""
## [35479] "\"When the unexpected news of Phenissa's marriage came to the "
## [35480] "ears of her faithful lover Eumenes, his passion (as Agamemnon's "
## [35481] "at the death of Iphigenia) can best be expressed in silence, all the "
## [35482] "wild furies that distracted grief could gather, being summoned to "
## [35483] "the siege of his soon-overthrown heart : hastily thereupon to the "
## [35484] "temple his mad passion bears him, where, casting himself at the "
## [35485] "feet of Apollo, ' Unjust god ! ' said he, ' have I for this thy "
## [35486] "ungratefulness given up the offerings of my daily prayers ? But "
## [35487] "if I wrong thy name, show thy justice in revenging my death: "
## [35488] "Whereat, transported with violence of sorrow, running his head "
## [35489] ""
## [35490] "2 T "
## [35491] ""
## [35492] ""
## [35493] ""
## [35494] "6s8 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [35495] ""
## [35496] "against the altar, his bloody brains flew forth of their battered "
## [35497] "lodging. Soon after, the contagion of a most pestilent air brought "
## [35498] "such a plague among the Argians, that many daily felt the fury of "
## [35499] "the gods revenging indignation : amongst whom, the King and "
## [35500] "Queen (reserved, belike, the more to be punished in their subjects'' "
## [35501] "calamity) after the desolation of their well-peopled country, both "
## [35502] "in one day, by the same infection, ended their lives and government ; "
## [35503] "wherewith this mortality ceased, as hitting now at length the mark "
## [35504] "it aimed at. "
## [35505] ""
## [35506] "\" The few remnant of the nobility sent to Delphos to know what "
## [35507] "fault of theirs had brought these miseries upon their country? "
## [35508] "Where, being informed of what was passed, Apollo advised them "
## [35509] "to provide, that no such mischief should after happen. They, well "
## [35510] "weighing whence it arose, being fully satisfied by the oracle, enact "
## [35511] "this law : that neither private nor public respect should detain a "
## [35512] "virgin from revealing her love ; and if her friends, or parents, "
## [35513] "think another than she hath chosen more fit for her, the combat "
## [35514] "between the two shall determine the god's pleasure. How "
## [35515] "unwilling I was to hazard my Persidas in this trial, love, that "
## [35516] "bleeds in the thought of a danger, can best assure you : but his "
## [35517] "earnestness that it might be so, and the hard constraint that it "
## [35518] "could not be otherwise, won me to it. "
## [35519] ""
## [35520] "\" The day therefore being appointed, Fluento (upon whom fame "
## [35521] "the flatterer of greatness had pinned the opinion of valour) entered "
## [35522] "the lists, mounted on a bay courser, whose armour all over "
## [35523] "represented a green plain, through which ran little rivulets of "
## [35524] "blood that sprang from the wounds of many centaurs dispersed "
## [35525] "over all the field. In his shield he bore the counterfeit of Hercules "
## [35526] "and Dejanira, with these words, ' Endeared by Conquest.' From "
## [35527] "him my Persidas drew the eyes and hearts of all the company; his "
## [35528] "horse was a fiery sorrel ; his armour like the azure sky, curiously "
## [35529] "spotted with many stars (whose glimpse the well set diamonds, by "
## [35530] "reflection of the sun, represented) showed as if night had flown "
## [35531] "thither to end, in that assembly, some controversy between her "
## [35532] "and her brother. In his shield he caused Andromeda and Perseus "
## [35533] "to be engraven, with these words, ' Never too dearly bought.' "
## [35534] "'But I must hasten to the event,' said she; 'for long I find you "
## [35535] "may not enjoy your historian : Know, therefore, that my Persidas, "
## [35536] "contenting himself only with the victory, when he might have "
## [35537] "taken (woe is me that he was so merciful !) Fluento's life, was "
## [35538] "accepted by my father for his son-in-law ; good fortune, as I then "
## [35539] "thought, changing my husband, and not my day of marriage. In "
## [35540] "the meantime Fluento, repining at this disgrace, and desirous, even "
## [35541] "now upon the basest terms to be revenged, plotted a treachery "
## [35542] "unheard-of against him. This morning, having before heard we "
## [35543] ""
## [35544] ""
## [35545] ""
## [35546] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 6S9 "
## [35547] ""
## [35548] "were to hunt in this forest, Fluento (with that company your valour "
## [35549] "hath brought to their deserved ends) lay in vifait for us; and when "
## [35550] "myself and my Persidas (Count Brunio my father, and the rest, "
## [35551] "having followed the chase) were left alone, behold these bloody "
## [35552] "villains, coming unawares upon him, with many wounds, sent his "
## [35553] "soul to that place whither mine (hoping to find a more lasting "
## [35554] "union in that life than our loves hath done in this) doth also "
## [35555] "hasten.\" And with this word, her dull languishing eyes began to "
## [35556] "roll as if they strove to reserve motion in spite of death : yet, "
## [35557] "raising herself a little, her love found breath to say this, ' Let me "
## [35558] "be buried by my Persidas ! ' and so grasping my hand, as it were, "
## [35559] "to put me in mind of her last words, alas ! she dies. "
## [35560] ""
## [35561] "\" But many tears I could not have bestowed as obsequies upon "
## [35562] "her, when some of her father's train, who by chance crossing that "
## [35563] "way where Persidas lay dead, guided by Fidutio (who, with their "
## [35564] "helps, had now taken my horse) came to this place ; to whom when "
## [35565] "I had related all what I learned from Leaucade of Persidas's "
## [35566] "death, together with her last will, we all joined hands in carrying "
## [35567] "her to the next village ; whither also certain of their fellows (whom "
## [35568] "they had left behind to that end) conveyed the body of Persidas ; "
## [35569] "from whence, soon after, Count Brunio (having begged of grief a "
## [35570] "little respite of life to fulfil his daughter's testament) brought them "
## [35571] "both with all funeral pomp to his chief city Coniga, where he "
## [35572] "caused a stately tomb to be built for them, on which this epitaph "
## [35573] "was engraven. "
## [35574] ""
## [35575] "Love, beauty, valour, when their death drew nigh, "
## [35576] "Consulted long' where they should buried lie : "
## [35577] "At length, with one consent they hasten'd hither. "
## [35578] "And chose this place to be intomb'd together. "
## [35579] ""
## [35580] "\" Leaving the woful kingdom of Argos, no better accompanied "
## [35581] "than with Fidutio, yet better guarded by Satibarsis's armour, my "
## [35582] "sorrow, I think, that bore infection with it, made all places where I "
## [35583] "came, fit stages for tragedies : for, descending into a green valley, "
## [35584] "where, of each side the rocky mountains threatened the humble "
## [35585] "earth with the frowns of their downcast brows, I might see a young "
## [35586] "man leaning with both hands on his sword, breathing as over- "
## [35587] "toiled with labour, and round about him four or five cast prostrate "
## [35588] "at his feet, who were dead, or thought their counterfeiting so to be, "
## [35589] "would prove their best defence against this young man's fury. But "
## [35590] "the clashing of my armour had no sooner made known my "
## [35591] "approach, than he came running towards me, uttering words "
## [35592] "whereby I might gather his quarrel to me brought the excuse of "
## [35593] "mistake with it. Not to draw on therefore his misconceived "
## [35594] "opinion, that his breathless companions did witness would be "
## [35595] ""
## [35596] ""
## [35597] ""
## [35598] "66o ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [35599] ""
## [35600] "dangerous for me ; ' Sir,' replied I, ' I am so far from maintaining "
## [35601] "their cause, whose revenge upon a lone man, being so many, mine "
## [35602] "own eyes do persuade me was injurious, that had I come at the "
## [35603] "beginning of your fight (though this event shows I should but have "
## [35604] "robbed you of part of the honour of this action) I would have joined "
## [35605] "myself to you.' "
## [35606] ""
## [35607] "\" ' Alas ! Sir,' said he, ' to oppose yourself against me (though it "
## [35608] "were the more unjust) would be the more secure way, for what you "
## [35609] "see is but a fore-runner of a certain destruction soon at hand. "
## [35610] "Leave me therefore, courteous sir, and seek for safety : death to "
## [35611] "me is so grateful that I envy you should be a partner in so great a "
## [35612] "gain. But it were a fault unpardonable, to have abandoned the "
## [35613] "most accomplished man that ever mine eyes before that time, "
## [35614] "beheld.' My resolution therefore, though hard against his will, "
## [35615] "must have prevailed with him : so that entreating to know the "
## [35616] "cause of his former fight, and farther doubt, I found his courtesy "
## [35617] "as forward in the relation of his own danger as it was obstinate in "
## [35618] "the care of my safety. "
## [35619] ""
## [35620] "\" ' Sir,' said he, ' seeing my story will be but a heap of mis- "
## [35621] "fortunes, I shall do well to lay the foundation myself, than whom "
## [35622] "the sun looks not upon a more miserable creature : My name is "
## [35623] "Cariclio, nephew, by his brother Castor, to the King of Natolia, "
## [35624] "brought up in my youth in the good opinion of my uncle, and the "
## [35625] "great expectation of many ; fortune, then belike, proroguing my "
## [35626] "miseries until a more serious age should make me more sensible "
## [35627] "of them : which time had no sooner brought on, but that my ill "
## [35628] "fate, to train me up for the burden of the mischief that was "
## [35629] "prepared for me, began by little and little to make me acquainted "
## [35630] "with the course I was to run ; first taking away my father, whose "
## [35631] "virtuous age deserved (if that may be thought a recompense for "
## [35632] "desert) a longer time in this life : When he was dead, and that the "
## [35633] "slippery steps of my rash youth wanted the stay of his fatherly "
## [35634] "advice, presently (not knowing what one man's hands I should put "
## [35635] "the reins of my then unbridled youth into, and yet well seeing I "
## [35636] "might not trust myself with mine own government) I chose many "
## [35637] "friends ; and being by nature given to hate pride, to eschew a vice "
## [35638] "so loathsome (thinking it might not be done otherwise) I began to "
## [35639] "affect popularity. But I had scarce lived thus a twelve-month, "
## [35640] "when my cousin the King's son, a young man, who (besides the "
## [35641] "hope of succession, for which the courtiers did adore him) had "
## [35642] "nothing more than ordinary in him, grew suspicious of my "
## [35643] "practices, as he termed them : to which humour (besides the "
## [35644] "mistrust of his own little desert) his sycophants, the bellows of "
## [35645] "this fire, did daily add further causes to increase his jealousy. But "
## [35646] "seeing the discovery of his suspicion would little please the king, "
## [35647] ""
## [35648] ""
## [35649] ""
## [35650] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 66i "
## [35651] ""
## [35652] "who ever since the death of my father had doubled his care upon "
## [35653] "me ; he was compelled to dissemble a good liking towards me. "
## [35654] "In meantime a truce, made for some few years with the Duke of "
## [35655] "Amasia, being expired, the war grew hot on both sides. At length, "
## [35656] "after the trial of many changes in fortune, necessity meditating "
## [35657] "peace between them, myself being given as a hostage for per- "
## [35658] "formance of certain conditions of my uncle's part, a perpetual "
## [35659] "league was concluded on : 'Twas now, and not before, mischief "
## [35660] "began to unmask herself, and take a pride to grow terrible. There "
## [35661] "was at court, during my abode there, attending upon the Duchess, "
## [35662] "a lady, by name Alcida, whose many excellencies won as many "
## [35663] "hearts as she had beholders, nature making her beauty and shape "
## [35664] "but the most fair cabinet of a far fairer mind. To her, mine eyes "
## [35665] "at first sight gave up my heart, with so unfortunate an encounter "
## [35666] "in affection, that this surrender was but a mutual exchange, she "
## [35667] "having, in a merciful gratefulness, fixed her love on mine. But "
## [35668] "her parentage, though not base, was so mean in respect of my "
## [35669] "birth, that thence whole armies of aflSictions did invade my mind, "
## [35670] "equally distracted between my desire to enjoy this my best of "
## [35671] "happiness and fear of my uncle's displeasure, on whom this match "
## [35672] "(for his care and love of me) I was sure v/ould draw on an untimely "
## [35673] "death. But before I could determine a doubt of so great con- "
## [35674] "sequence, the conditions of the league being faithfully performed, "
## [35675] "I was safely, at a day prefixed, sent back to Natolia, desirous, even "
## [35676] "in my soul desirous, I am sure, rather by their breach of covenant "
## [35677] "to have hazarded my life, than thus cruelly to be taken away from "
## [35678] "her presence, who, far beyond my life, was most dear to me. Soon "
## [35679] "after my return, the King, as if the gods had stayed him to see the "
## [35680] "quiet of his state, now that was brought to pass, worn with age, "
## [35681] "and much broken with travel and care in his last wars, left his "
## [35682] "kingdom to his degenerate son and successor, who had no sooner "
## [35683] "seized upon the government, but, meaning to begin his reign with "
## [35684] "an admirable act of policy, now his power was unrestrained, limits "
## [35685] "me to the absence from my country, declaring my blood for ever "
## [35686] "incapable of succession : and not content with this, to such a "
## [35687] "height his undeserved malice to me was raised, that he dealt with "
## [35688] "some bad ministers of his wickedness, secretly to make me away. "
## [35689] "To prevent therefore what was plotted against me, disguising "
## [35690] "myself, I hastily fled away, and making use of necessity, to further "
## [35691] "my affection, I put myself into the service of a nobleman here in "
## [35692] "the court of Amasia, easily remaining undiscovered, among them "
## [35693] "who would sooner fall out with their eyes than believe that the "
## [35694] "greatness wherein they lately had seen me, could admit so great a "
## [35695] "change : by mean whereof, I enjoyed the presence of my Alcida, "
## [35696] "whose constancy, neither time, nor absence (the mothers of "
## [35697] ""
## [35698] ""
## [35699] ""
## [35700] "662 ARCADIA [book VI. "
## [35701] ""
## [35702] "affection) nor what is more, this my change in fortune, could "
## [35703] "alter. "
## [35704] ""
## [35705] "\" ' Thus, while I lived in this happiness of servitude, Mermidon "
## [35706] "(brother to the Duke) having commanded, with fortunate success, "
## [35707] "against the Dacians, returned to court, where seeing this lady, he "
## [35708] "became enamoured of her, to no other end than to satisfy his lust : "
## [35709] "and thinking, at first (because he was in good esteem with himself) "
## [35710] "she would have strained her modesty to sue for the acceptance of "
## [35711] "a present so grateful to him, a while he was silent ; but when he "
## [35712] "perceived the vanity of his fruitless expectation, and found that "
## [35713] "this delay increased the fury of his passion, dispensing with the "
## [35714] "majesty he had taken on, he began to make known his love to her "
## [35715] "(for such a title did he give to so base a desire) forgetting not "
## [35716] "withal to tell her that to excuse her modesty he had first spoken "
## [35717] "her wishes. But the virtuous Alcida, loathing as much the thought "
## [35718] "of such a sin, as she loved the memory of me, together with a "
## [35719] "resolute denial, let him know how base his mind was that made so "
## [35720] "injurious a request. Whereat Mermidon, because this answer "
## [35721] "came unexpected, was so much the more amazed. But bringing "
## [35722] "arguments from his late practice in the war, he began to think his "
## [35723] "honour would be the greater, if, after long resistance, he did "
## [35724] "surprise a well-defended fort : and therefore daily, both by rich "
## [35725] "gifts, the base enamel of affection, and many promises (which, to "
## [35726] "win the more upon her, were sent by one of her own sex, who, if "
## [35727] "example might move her, could tell of such a precedent in herself) "
## [35728] "did he seek to undermine her resolution. _ Meantime, my constant "
## [35729] "Alcida, seeing the intemperance of Mermidon's lust to bring threats "
## [35730] "of force with it, not daring to speak with me, because our conference "
## [35731] "began to be suspected, sent me a letter to hasten her carrying "
## [35732] "away, appointing this the fatal place of our meeting. "
## [35733] ""
## [35734] "\" ' I much rejoiced to be so near my happiness, the rather that "
## [35735] "since our last conference, I received intelligence that my young "
## [35736] "cousin of Natolia being made away by one whom he had raised to "
## [35737] "an undeserved height in his favour, the country was in great "
## [35738] "distress by the factious ambition of the nobility, and that the best "
## [35739] "affected to the state, much desired my presence. But these means, "
## [35740] "how well soever, as I thought, conducing to my happiness, by the "
## [35741] "unmercifulness of my hard destiny were prevented, as one of those, "
## [35742] "whom it was my fortune to kill, at his death revealed : for Mermidon "
## [35743] "having intercepted the messenger, mad with rage to find his hopes "
## [35744] "crossed by so mean a man as he took me to be, having again "
## [35745] "sealed up the letter, he caused it to be delivered, and determining "
## [35746] "to be revenged, sent these men to apprehend me, himself intending "
## [35747] "to follow presently, leading with him my dearest Alcida, whom, in "
## [35748] "my presence (to add a glory to the execrableness of the offence) "
## [35749] ""
## [35750] ""
## [35751] ""
## [35752] "BOOK vi.J At?CADIA 663 "
## [35753] ""
## [35754] "he means to ravish. And now, Sir, you have heard,' said he, 'of "
## [35755] "my birth and fortune, till this time (when, .1 am well assured, my "
## [35756] "end is near at hand) kept secret.' "
## [35757] ""
## [35758] "\" He scarce had closed up this lamentable story with a hearty "
## [35759] "sigh, the compendious abridgment of his sufferings, when we might "
## [35760] "discern Mermidon, with twenty more (so distrustful is treachery "
## [35761] "though there be no cause to fear) make towards us : but that sight, "
## [35762] "together with the thought of Alcida's distress, was a signal sufficient "
## [35763] "for Cariclio to begin his unequal encounter, so as, like a she- "
## [35764] "tiger, who, at her return to her cave, finds her little ones to be "
## [35765] "stolen, with a wild fury, breathing nothing but destruction, he runs "
## [35766] "amongst them, making way for my willingness to second his "
## [35767] "attempt. Awhile, the justice of the cause, and Cariclio's valour (to "
## [35768] "which the glory is only due) with the death of many, did hold the "
## [35769] "victory in an equal balance : At length, the multitude of our "
## [35770] "assailants made injury the stronger, bringing to a death much to "
## [35771] "be pitied, so incomparable a man at arms as was Cariclio ; yet, "
## [35772] "not before he had, in the sight of Alcida, sent Mermidon to be his "
## [35773] "harbinger at Charon's ferry. And when by his death the only "
## [35774] "stay and support of the fight was removed, if sometimes my desire "
## [35775] "of revenge made good the ground Cariclio had bequeathed me ; "
## [35776] "alas ! how could I long resist without him ? Know therefore, "
## [35777] "excellent lady, that, here I was made prisoner, and, together with "
## [35778] "Alcida, carried back to court ; though I call Cariclio's ghost to "
## [35779] "witness, I sought all means to join myself, even in death, a "
## [35780] "companion to his virtues. The solemnity intended for our "
## [35781] "execution, and the preparation of new forms of torment for us that "
## [35782] "had been parties in the murder of the Duke's brother, won some "
## [35783] "lingering days of life to the inward torture of our expectation : In "
## [35784] "meantime the everlasting providence, that by changing the "
## [35785] "intentions and dooms of men, will let them know there is a power "
## [35786] "beyond theirs, sent an unexpected mean to help our distress. "
## [35787] ""
## [35788] "\" Plangus, the famous Prince of Iberia, at this time making haste "
## [35789] "with a few, such as virtue had joined partners in his cause, and "
## [35790] "taking into his army such of Euarchus's soldiers, as in a tempest "
## [35791] "at sea were driven to Bizantium, to the succour of Erona (whose "
## [35792] "story you cannot be ignorant of) and being to pass through Amasia, "
## [35793] "sent to the Duke to demand a thorough-fare for his soldiers. But "
## [35794] "he, who of long time had observed an inviolable league with the "
## [35795] "Armenians, knowing the pretence of this war, and despising the "
## [35796] "weakness of those few Plangus led with him, not only denied his "
## [35797] "request, but, gathering a great power of soldiers (whom since his "
## [35798] "last wars he had kept in\" garrison in his frontier towns) meant, with "
## [35799] "the overthrow of her ungrateful nephew, to gratify Artaxia, and "
## [35800] "her ill-chosen husband Plexirtus. But the excellent Plangus (than "
## [35801] ""
## [35802] ""
## [35803] ""
## [35804] "664 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [35805] ""
## [35806] "whom this age shows not, for conduct in war, a better general) "
## [35807] "with the well-ordering those few resolute troops, and skilful industry "
## [35808] "in choice of advantages, in two set battles put him to the worst ; "
## [35809] "after which, the Duke not able to reinforce his weakened power, "
## [35810] "put himself, with the relics of his late overthrow, into his chief city, "
## [35811] "wherein we were prisoners ; to which Plangus, finding no other "
## [35812] "resistance, with wonderful celerity followed him : and though the "
## [35813] "town by nature and art, for site and fortification were thought "
## [35814] "impregnable, yet being defended but by such, who, by their own "
## [35815] "loss, held a too superstitious opinion of the enemies, it was soon "
## [35816] "forced by Plangus's victorious troops, who believed the success of "
## [35817] "nothing impossible to which their ever-fortunate captain would "
## [35818] "lead them. With the sack of this city (wherein he took the Duke, "
## [35819] "with his son, prisoners) Plangus having enriched his soldiers with "
## [35820] "the booty, and his own fame by the speediness of the conquest, "
## [35821] "not able to assure the country to his devotion, otherwise than by "
## [35822] "dismembering his army, and delaying his chief ends, moved with "
## [35823] "a necessary clemency, having first received six months' pay for his "
## [35824] "soldiers, and the Duke's son a hostage, to bar his desire of revenge "
## [35825] "(making Alcida and myself, to secure our freedoms, companions in "
## [35826] "his travel) he leaves the Amasians to their former government. "
## [35827] ""
## [35828] "\" Many days' journey we had not been in our way to Armenia, "
## [35829] "when the good Alcida, by the inward working of her thoughts, "
## [35830] "began to find the burden of her grief too heavy for her, which when "
## [35831] "the dullness of her ever-watery eyes, and the paleness of her cheeks "
## [35832] "had betrayed to us, we carried her to a monastery near adjoining, "
## [35833] "dedicated to Diana, and much famed for the strictness of virgins' "
## [35834] "orders that be attendants on the goddess her ceremonies, where "
## [35835] "having recommended her to the governess of the house, alas ! I "
## [35836] "left her, bound, even by the greatest tie of gratefulness, to follow "
## [35837] "him whom I owe my life to. "
## [35838] ""
## [35839] "\"These former accidents, most dear lady, together with the "
## [35840] "excellent Plangus's company, in whom sorrow was drawn to the "
## [35841] "life, made me reflect upon my ungrateful self, and consider how "
## [35842] "cruel I had been to you, whose desert passed my best endeavours "
## [35843] "of requital ; so that (far engaged to the memory of your virtues) "
## [35844] "thenceforth the thought of my most dear Helen, won my heart to "
## [35845] "a most passionate affection..\" "
## [35846] ""
## [35847] "The Queen at this interrupted his speech, with this answer : "
## [35848] "\" My Amphialus, they who follow examples in their actions are to "
## [35849] "match rightly what they are to do, and what they see done. "
## [35850] "Leaucada, Alcida, and Erona might justly claim the reward of "
## [35851] "love, but Helen (whose desert was far short) could expect but "
## [35852] "disdain.\" \" Disdain ! \" said Amphialus, \" you renew a punishment "
## [35853] "your mercy did o.nce forgive.\" And here, with tears in his eyes, "
## [35854] ""
## [35855] ""
## [35856] ""
## [35857] "BOOK VI,] ARCADIA 665 "
## [35858] ""
## [35859] "he would have kneeled to beg a farther pardon ; but Helen, kissing "
## [35860] "away the burden his eyes went with, made as much haste to "
## [35861] "prevent his suit with the like of her own ; so that a friendly "
## [35862] "composition being made (as it well might be where both were "
## [35863] "parties, and both judges in one cause) the Queen got the con- "
## [35864] "tinuance of the story (which Amphialus would put off to another "
## [35865] "time) to boot ; and then, willing to discharge himself of the debt "
## [35866] "he owed for so good a bargain, he thus began. "
## [35867] ""
## [35868] "\" Madam, though my memory be a continued record of much "
## [35869] "sorrow, yet, among the many stories grief hath engraven in me, "
## [35870] "there is none, compared with the disaster of Plangus and Erona, "
## [35871] "that deserves compassion : Know therefore, my only happiness, "
## [35872] "that Plangus having received advertisement how the nobleman, "
## [35873] "unto whose faithful custody Erona (upon the accord between him "
## [35874] "and Artaxia) was delivered, being hardly besieged by Plexirtus, and "
## [35875] "brought to an extremity by famine, had yielded to a composition "
## [35876] "that if within five days he was not succoured, he must deliver the "
## [35877] "castle, Plangus therefore over-running the fame of his coming with "
## [35878] "his presence, the fifth night was near Plexirtus's camp, where (by "
## [35879] "one of the enemies whom his scouts had taken) he was informed "
## [35880] "that late that evening, the keys of the city and fort were given up "
## [35881] "to Plexirtus, but that he deferred his entry till morning, leaving "
## [35882] "the next gate to the camp open that all night his officers might "
## [35883] "prepare a magnificent triumph for him. As for Erona, he would "
## [35884] "determine nothing of her until he had received the honour due to "
## [35885] "his victory. At this news Plangus, causing the reporter to be "
## [35886] "safely kept, and giving to his wearied soldiers some time to refresh "
## [35887] "themselves after the toil endured in their last day's travel, an hour "
## [35888] "before day (rightly imagining the air was then apt to disperse a "
## [35889] "dull sleepiness among Plexirtus's careless soldiers) he calls his "
## [35890] "troops together, and setting before them the easiness of the "
## [35891] "victory, the riches of the camp, and the necessity of the time, he "
## [35892] "did encourage them with the repetition of their former conquest in "
## [35893] "Amasia, the justness of their cause, and the fame of their enterprise ; "
## [35894] "and then presently disposing of them for his most advantage, he "
## [35895] "sets upon his enemy, who dreamed of nothing but security. But "
## [35896] "what should I fright you, most dear lady, with the particulars of "
## [35897] "this fight; it will suffice you to know that Plangus (doing things "
## [35898] "in his own person past the power of expression) made a bloody "
## [35899] "slaughter among them. Some few there were that escaped — "
## [35900] "among whom Plexirtus (fortune being always indulgent to mischief) "
## [35901] "found in the speed of his horse a dishonourable safeguard for his "
## [35902] "wretched life. This tumult being soon perceived by the citizens "
## [35903] "(whom sorrow made watchful, and the well-known treacheries of "
## [35904] "Plexirtus, suspicious) they as soon imagined this was a practice of "
## [35905] ""
## [35906] ""
## [35907] ""
## [35908] "666 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [35909] ""
## [35910] "his, contrary to his faith given, to sack the town. This once "
## [35911] "conceived, it seemed by the hideous cries and confused lamenta- "
## [35912] "tions, that, as sorrow had put on the vizard of night to make grief "
## [35913] "ugly, so black night had borrowed the mouth of sorrow to implore "
## [35914] "compassion. The people leaving their walls and houses, ran to "
## [35915] "their temples and altars, offering up, as they thought, their last "
## [35916] "devotions to their gods. Nor did this mistake bring forth the "
## [35917] "effect of mistrust only in the city; the camp had likewise this fear "
## [35918] "added to their present misfortune; for Plexirtus's soldiers (like "
## [35919] "satyrs, frightened with the sound of the horn themselves blow) "
## [35920] "thinking the vanguard of the enemy had entered the town, and "
## [35921] "caused this confusion, durst not venture to make themselves "
## [35922] "masters of it ; but between both, unable to determine of a mean of "
## [35923] "safety, stood fixed in a stupid irresolution. "
## [35924] ""
## [35925] "\" Meantime Aurora, weary of aged Titan's bed, began to warn "
## [35926] "Phcfibe of her brother's approach, when Erona who had set down "
## [35927] "in her settled judgment, a death worthy the greatness of her birth, "
## [35928] "now first giving ear to the cries of the citizens, and misdoubting "
## [35929] "the same false measure they expected, and not long after, hearing "
## [35930] "a man armed coming up the stairs to her lodging, she took a "
## [35931] "poisoned cup, long before for that end prepared, and making "
## [35932] "haste lest she should be made a present to the proud conqueror "
## [35933] "the wicked Plexirtus, she drank more than half, when her eyes "
## [35934] "met with the eyes of Plangus, who, unfortunate gentleman ! "
## [35935] "desirous to be the messenger to Erona of Erona's freedom, had "
## [35936] "made this haste. The sight of Plangus stayed her full draught "
## [35937] "a while ; but, unable to satisfy herself how he might come thither, "
## [35938] "she began to imagine that it was the force of the poison which "
## [35939] "dimmed her eyes, and placed the character of Plangus (ever "
## [35940] "present to her mind) upon each object. With this thought she "
## [35941] "was ready to begin again, when Plangus, falling at her feet, let her "
## [35942] "know the event of so many dangers undergone for her : whereat "
## [35943] "Erona being much astonished, lifting him up from the ground, "
## [35944] "thus said : ' Prince Plangus, you come in a fit time to receive a "
## [35945] "hearty welcome, and as hearty a farewell. What I mean by this "
## [35946] "leave taking, alas ! you will too soon know : Now suffer me, only "
## [35947] "at such a time when the end will assure you I did not flatter, speak "
## [35948] "a few words I would have you believe ; yet I am sorry, for your "
## [35949] "sake, I have practised such a mean to work a belief in you : True "
## [35950] "it is, most excellent Plangus (nor let that truth accuse me of "
## [35951] "inconstancy) that since the death of Antiphilus, whose memory "
## [35952] "even at this time is dear to me, though at first the excess of sorrow "
## [35953] "had closed up my mind from the thought of a second choice; yet, "
## [35954] "enforced by your desert, and to reward mine own love in rewarding "
## [35955] "your desires, I was resolved to satisfy you, and make myself "
## [35956] ""
## [35957] ""
## [35958] ""
## [35959] "BOOK vi.j AfeCADlA 6(5/ "
## [35960] ""
## [35961] "happy ; but my envious fate, finding the times fit to cause me to "
## [35962] "despair, hath made yourself the instrument to bar our hopes for "
## [35963] "ever.' ' Dear Erona,' replied the Prince, ' what may there now be "
## [35964] "that the most partial judgment can equal to the excess of content "
## [35965] "Plangus enjoys in the welfare of his free and loving Erona ? for "
## [35966] "this I have paid the merciful heavens the tribute of my vows and "
## [35967] "tears : to this harbour, through the sea of grief (having embarked "
## [35968] "my careful love in the ship of my desire) I have always bent my "
## [35969] "course ; and shall I now, when my wishes be at anchor in so secure "
## [35970] "a haven, fear fortune ? No, no, most dear lady, you are the life "
## [35971] "and being of what I only esteem happy.' ' Alas ! Plangus,' said "
## [35972] "the sweet Erona, ' the testimonies of your love have been so many "
## [35973] "that I fear (and only fear) they who have heard your undeserved "
## [35974] "affection, and are not present at this my dying protestation, will "
## [35975] "for ever record, together with my want of judgment, my injury to "
## [35976] "your virtues.' ' Your dying protestation ! ' said Plangus, ' affright "
## [35977] "not my soul with such heavy news. Long may you live ; the fates "
## [35978] "must be indulgent to your youth and beauty.' ' And perhaps,' said "
## [35979] "she, ' so they might, had not myself hastened Clotho to cut in two "
## [35980] "the half-spun thread of my life.' And then she let him know how "
## [35981] "(to prevent the tortures and disgraces Artaxia's indignation had "
## [35982] "prepared for her, seeing the city brought to that desperate state in "
## [35983] "which he found it, and thinking himself to have been an officer "
## [35984] "sent by Plexirtus to bring her before him) she had poisoned "
## [35985] "herself. Plangus at these last words, with a fixed look upon "
## [35986] "Erona, as if his eyes would for ever dwell there, indenting his "
## [35987] "hands, and suffering them to fall down, or rather not able to stay "
## [35988] "them, sinks to the ground, and was a while happy in this excess of "
## [35989] "sorrow that made him senseless of all sorrow. Erona would have "
## [35990] "forced herself to help him, but this sight (joined with the inward "
## [35991] "working of the poison) constrained her to bear him company in "
## [35992] "his happy forgetfulness of his misfortunes. But when, by the help "
## [35993] "of her women, her senses were restored, and that my endeavours "
## [35994] "wrought the same effect on Plangus, as if this had been but griefs "
## [35995] "dumb show : 'Alas ! excellent Prince,' said she, 'what unexpected "
## [35996] "effects hath the speech of my death brought forth ; and yet though "
## [35997] "I were silent, I believe the deadly signs in mine eyes, this trembling "
## [35998] "in my full-swollen veins, and the often set and rise of the blood in "
## [35999] "my cheeks, would express it. But, my Plangus, should you, whom "
## [36000] "the world is proud of, take it so to heart ? Erona loves you ; why "
## [36001] "so may a more deserving lady : Yet, Plangus, remember me, and "
## [36002] "it will be the best part of my soul's life to live in your memory.' "
## [36003] "Then, taking his hand, and placing it on her heart, that now "
## [36004] "proudly began to beat the loud alarm of death, ' Feel here,' said "
## [36005] "she, ' the battery is begun, and this fort is abandoned of all the "
## [36006] ""
## [36007] ""
## [36008] ""
## [36009] "668 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [36010] ""
## [36011] "powers of life, only my desire to be with you, desperately a while "
## [36012] ""
## [36013] "keeps the breach. But, O my Plangus ! ' and at that word "
## [36014] ""
## [36015] "death closed'up in eternal silence her tongue, that yet still moved "
## [36016] "as loth to leave her speech imperfect. "
## [36017] ""
## [36018] "\" It was a desperate grief, and wild passion, that seized upon the "
## [36019] "heart of the poor Plangus. 'Accursed earth ! ' did he say, ' how "
## [36020] "darest thou support the burden of these many mischiefs cast by "
## [36021] "the spiteful heavens into this sink of misery? 'Twas I, Erona, "
## [36022] "brought an untimely set to thy sun-shine of goodness ; and do the "
## [36023] "heavens mean I should breathe that have so much wronged them ? "
## [36024] "What do they do ? Will they hear me speak that killed Erona ? "
## [36025] "But they would have me live, to torture me with the memory of "
## [36026] "my guilt. No, no, I will prevent their project ; that were a "
## [36027] "punishment fit for an ill-meant offence, not an unfortunate.' And "
## [36028] "with these words, drawing his sword, and lifting up his bases, he "
## [36029] "would have run himself through the belly, but I stayed his hand "
## [36030] "from so unmanly, as I then alleged it, a violence, forcing (with the "
## [36031] "remembrance of our friendship, and my much prevailing tears) the "
## [36032] "sword, but not his resolution from him. Then did I begin to "
## [36033] "allege all that I thought in reason might remove him from this "
## [36034] "purpose ; for well I might see in the unappalled stayedness of his "
## [36035] "countenance, the greatness of some determination. To all my "
## [36036] "objections, for a time, his eyes gave a more heedful attention than "
## [36037] "did his ears ; but when I came to call his valour in question, whose "
## [36038] "unspotted memory hitherto, I said, this last inconsiderate act "
## [36039] "would accuse of a little firm constancy in bearing the changes of "
## [36040] "fortune; 'Alas!' said he, 'and will you, my friend, be cruel to "
## [36041] "me ? Is it certain, Amphialus, that it well becomes that courage "
## [36042] "you would have in your friend, to bear an equal temper both in "
## [36043] "the frowns and smiles of fortune ? And is it not as certain that "
## [36044] "when the malice of heaven hath joined with fortune in producing "
## [36045] "a monstrous effect, there cannot be left in man so infinite a power "
## [36046] "of suffering which he dare oppose to such unlimited works ? No, "
## [36047] "I will not, giant-like, bandy against the gods ; such is their will ; "
## [36048] "I must die.' Then leading me softly over to Erona, as if he "
## [36049] "would persuade me the violence of passion had not been his guide "
## [36050] "to this resolution : ' See Amphialus,' said he, ' this is she whom "
## [36051] "you would have me to live after ; what can mine eyes, now she is "
## [36052] "gone, desire to look on ! Erona, a woman, could die for Plangus, "
## [36053] "and would you have me wrong mankind with a greater fear of "
## [36054] "death, or my love with a less desire to die?' This said (but with "
## [36055] "a countenance that promised no suddenness in the execution, "
## [36056] "especially to me who was master of his sword, his only offensive "
## [36057] "weapon) behold ! with a down-cast look, which sorrow excused, "
## [36058] "though deceit had then, I am sure, put it on for farther mischief, "
## [36059] ""
## [36060] ""
## [36061] ""
## [36062] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 669 "
## [36063] ""
## [36064] "and such a pace as used slowness to the same end, he approached "
## [36065] "the window, where the remains of Erona's intercepted draught, "
## [36066] "appointed by the destinies to be fatal to them both, stood in a gilt "
## [36067] "cup : This he hastily takes, and as hastily drinks off. I, all "
## [36068] "confused, pale and trembling, as if the poison had wrought its "
## [36069] "effect in me, made, alas ! too slow speed to him. But Plangus "
## [36070] "(now first presenting an unfeigned cheerfulness in his looks, as if "
## [36071] "this draught had given him life) kneeling near Erona : 'Divine "
## [36072] "soul,' said he, 'if confidence in thy Plangus's constancy makes "
## [36073] "thee hover near this sacred mansion of thine to see the end of his "
## [36074] "sufferings, O stay awhile, and bear me with thee ; thy presence, "
## [36075] "when I appear before Radamanth, will be a countenance to my "
## [36076] "cause.' Then turning himself to me, 'Amphialus, revenge, "
## [36077] "Amphialus, Erona's death upon the wicked Plexirtus ; his blood "
## [36078] "will be the best sacrifice to my ghost. Lead the army to Bizantium "
## [36079] "and restore the Amasian hostage.' Then putting his trembling "
## [36080] "lips to the pale lips of Erona, he coldly kissed away his life. "
## [36081] ""
## [36082] "\" What my sorrow was, to be a looker on these tragedies, these "
## [36083] "tears, even at the remembrance of that time, may testify; yet "
## [36084] "leaving the bodies to be embalmed with the nobleman, who, in her "
## [36085] "hfe-time, had been faithful to Erona, dissembling the death of "
## [36086] "Plangus, lest it should work an innovation among the soldiers, "
## [36087] "with some choice troops of light horsemen, I followed Plexirtus, "
## [36088] "who, posting to court, had received advertisement from thence, "
## [36089] "how Arguto (the admirable engine by whom he wrought much "
## [36090] "mischief) being lately fallen from the faith vowed to his practices, "
## [36091] "had revealed to Artaxia the purpose his master had to dispatch "
## [36092] "her out of his way, since now he had a son by her to whom he "
## [36093] "might be guardian, esteeming it more content to be great alone "
## [36094] "than to share the royalties of her own kingdom with Artaxia. "
## [36095] "These news made his flight as dangerous as would be his stay; "
## [36096] "but when he understood (for the heavens had made this the "
## [36097] "rendezvous where his misfortunes should meet) that the Princes of "
## [36098] "Thessaly and Macedon, of whom his treacheries were to expect "
## [36099] "their just reward, did live, and should be happy in the addition of "
## [36100] "Arcadia to their greatness ; that Leonatus had seized upon his "
## [36101] "seigniories in Trebisond for his treason to Pyrocles and Musidorus, "
## [36102] "of which not long before he had gloriously boasted ; that there "
## [36103] "was no new form of dissimulation left, to which, in this extremity, "
## [36104] "he might have recourse : O then the ugliness of his guilty "
## [36105] "conscience, that until this time had made peace with his "
## [36106] "wickedness, presented before him the progress of his ill-spent "
## [36107] "days, drawn to life in the colours of despair : now his father, now "
## [36108] "his friends, Tideus and Telenor were summoned by his soul to "
## [36109] "jpake party against him. In this fright he continued all that day, "
## [36110] ""
## [36111] ""
## [36112] ""
## [36113] "6/0 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [36114] ""
## [36115] "which scarce was time sufficient for him to read over his misdeeds, "
## [36116] "and when the silent night, drawn in her ebon chariot, had spread "
## [36117] "her curtains to hide her brother's face, Plexirtus, glad to see her "
## [36118] "flatter his mind in this likeness of darkness, resolved, by despair, "
## [36119] "that the gods wanted mercy for his faults, and well assured men "
## [36120] "had less, he secretly went into a garden, to which a back-door "
## [36121] "from his chamber led him ; where, loathing as much to die, as "
## [36122] "wishing he were dead, he spent some time in execrations on "
## [36123] "himself. At length, tying a cord (newly taken out of his bed) to "
## [36124] "the stump of an elder tree that stood with such convenience as if "
## [36125] "it would invite him to that exercise, he slipped into his death, "
## [36126] "easing the earth until morning of the burden of so detestable a "
## [36127] "wretch. "
## [36128] ""
## [36129] "\" But when the day appeared, and made known his death, the "
## [36130] "magistrates of the town, striving who could be best-sighted in the "
## [36131] "discovery of the murder, hoping to have the reward of their "
## [36132] "diligence from the Queen Artaxia, soon found out, as a man to be "
## [36133] "most suspected, the messenger come from court, whom Plexirtus "
## [36134] "had, till late in the night, kept in his chamber, to know of him the "
## [36135] "particulars of Arguto's revolt. This fellow, because none more "
## [36136] "likely in the wild form of their popular justice, was to die a "
## [36137] "thousand manner of deaths ; but he making just protestations of "
## [36138] "his innocency, being questioned what occasion he had so long to "
## [36139] "stay the last night with the king if not for that end, he plainly let "
## [36140] "them know what Arguto discovered, which he then reported to "
## [36141] "Plexirtus. The many-headed multitude called not the truth much "
## [36142] "in question of what they heard, but with the same violence as "
## [36143] "before, everyone, in this also thinking to gratify the queen, ran to "
## [36144] "as uncertain a form of execution on the dead as they did before "
## [36145] "to a judgment of the living ; first they stripped the body naked, "
## [36146] "then dragged it through the streets ; now they open his belly and "
## [36147] "suffer his guts to mark forth his progress, doing many more "
## [36148] "indignities to him who had deserved many more. I much rejoiced "
## [36149] "to hear Plexirtus had been so just to himself; yet I determined "
## [36150] "to join Erona's revenge on Artaxia to Plexirtus's judgment on "
## [36151] "himself; but her an untimely death had freed from my revenge, "
## [36152] "for taking to the heart Plexirtus's treacheries, and her brother "
## [36153] "Tyridates's unrevenged death, she calmly gave herself over to "
## [36154] "a life-oppressing grief, leaving her kingdom and young son to "
## [36155] "the care of Salindor, whom she appointed protector during "
## [36156] "the minority. "
## [36157] ""
## [36158] "\" Returning, therefore, somewhat grieved that both Plangus and "
## [36159] "Erona's death without my help had been revenged, I conveyed the "
## [36160] "bodies to Lycia, where the sumptuousness of their tombs shows "
## [36161] "their estates, and their everlasting fame their ever-living virtues. "
## [36162] ""
## [36163] ""
## [36164] ""
## [36165] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 671 "
## [36166] ""
## [36167] "From hence I would have parted private, but remembering "
## [36168] "Plangus's last will, I passed through Amasia, restoring his son to "
## [36169] "the Duke, and coming to Bizantium, I gave up my charge into the "
## [36170] "hands of Lisantus a Macedonian, leaving the soldiers full of hearty "
## [36171] "sorrow for the death of Plangus their general. "
## [36172] ""
## [36173] "\"Soon after, hearing of your death, and resolved to sacrifice my "
## [36174] "blood to your memory, to disengage myself of some part of my "
## [36175] "faultiness, leaving Fidutio in Thrace, lest by him I should be "
## [36176] "discovered, disguising myself in an armour, fitly, as I thought, "
## [36177] "presenting the massacre of my naked heart ; passing the court of "
## [36178] "Elis and Argos, and, lastly, coming hither, I met (what should I "
## [36179] "more say ?) with thee my Helen, reserved to be a blessing beyond "
## [36180] "what most I could desire.\" "
## [36181] ""
## [36182] "And so, with a sincere servency, kissing her hand, they both "
## [36183] "walked towards the palace, where, having ended supper, where "
## [36184] "Basilius and Euarchus, with the rest, expected a mask prepared "
## [36185] "for them ; the Queen of Corinth let them know what she had "
## [36186] "heard of Plangus and Erona, together with Plexirtus's deserved "
## [36187] "end, and the death of Artaxia. The audience greatly pitied their "
## [36188] "fortunes, especially Pyrocles, who much grieved to hear of "
## [36189] "Plangus's death, for the love he bore his virtues, and was no less "
## [36190] "troubled at Plexirtus's mischance, for his dear servant Zelmane's "
## [36191] "sake. But the entry of the maskers caused him to put over those "
## [36192] "thoughts to more solitariness, his eye being fed with dainty variety "
## [36193] "of representations, and his ears with most harmonious well-agreeing "
## [36194] "music, to which the footing kept so good time, that doubtful it was "
## [36195] "whether the music conformed itself to the life of their motion, or "
## [36196] "the masters their motion to the music's liveliness. But night "
## [36197] "(masked in these sports) crept on undiscovered ; and though "
## [36198] "Pyrocles and Musidorus at other times would dispense with the "
## [36199] "length of the sports, yet now, in respect of the armfuls of joy they "
## [36200] "were to expect in bed, they thought them tedious ; which once "
## [36201] "perceived, their dances were sooner at an end than was intended. "
## [36202] ""
## [36203] "Thus days and nights passed over, as if they had no other "
## [36204] "sphere than delight to move in ; and the appointed time for "
## [36205] "Amphialus's marriage was at hand, to which Basilius invited the "
## [36206] "shepherds, both to change their daily pleasures, as also to show "
## [36207] "Euarchus that though a greater cause had moved him to the "
## [36208] "solitary course of life by him embraced, yet the wits of Arcadia, "
## [36209] "and the pleasantness of their harmless life, might have drawn him "
## [36210] "to that retirednes;, "
## [36211] ""
## [36212] ""
## [36213] ""
## [36214] "672 ARCADIA [book VI. "
## [36215] ""
## [36216] ""
## [36217] ""
## [36218] "The eclogues "
## [36219] ""
## [36220] "Kalodulus now minded to marry his daughter, and uncertain "
## [36221] "whether he should bestow her on the contended young Arcadian "
## [36222] "Menalcas, or the much having, much wanting ThessaUan Corydon, "
## [36223] "who both were then present, hearing of this summons ; puts over "
## [36224] "their cause to be determined by Basilius ; and Strephon and "
## [36225] "Claius, no less desirous to bring Urania's name to court, joined "
## [36226] "themselves to the rest. Nor was Agelastus wanting, who, not for "
## [36227] "a mistress, but, Heraclitus-like, thinking man was made to mourn, "
## [36228] "and repining at the vanity of greatness, had maintained a religious "
## [36229] "sorrow. No sooner was the company set, and that their silence "
## [36230] "began to proclaim their expectation, but Strephon, who, before "
## [36231] "his coming, had prepared an Epithalamium, began thus to sing. "
## [36232] ""
## [36233] "STREPHON "
## [36234] ""
## [36235] "Sweet link of hearts, joy's surest anchor hold, "
## [36236] "Love's peaceful crown, the harbour of desires, "
## [36237] ""
## [36238] "Hymen, approach, but think not Pan too bold, "
## [36239] "If to invoke thy name our love aspires. "
## [36240] ""
## [36241] "Dwell here for ever, that this couple may "
## [36242] ""
## [36243] "Renew the blessings of their marriage-day. "
## [36244] ""
## [36245] "Firm be their root of love, and cause a bliss. "
## [36246] "From forth this royal happy stock to spring ; "
## [36247] ""
## [36248] "That all the world may justly say, he is "
## [36249] "Worthy to be, and to succeed a king. "
## [36250] ""
## [36251] "But shorten not their days ; for 'tis decreed, "
## [36252] ""
## [36253] "The best can be but worthy to succeed. "
## [36254] ""
## [36255] "Amphialus thanked Strephon for his hearty wishes ; but he had "
## [36256] "scarce ended, when Claius, looking upon him with as sour a "
## [36257] "countenance as their friendship could allow, thus said : "
## [36258] ""
## [36259] "CLAIUS "
## [36260] ""
## [36261] "I pray thee, Strephon, if these glorious shows "
## [36262] ""
## [36263] "Of courts admired greatness, do not close "
## [36264] ""
## [36265] "Thy mind from former thoughts, where can thy lays "
## [36266] ""
## [36267] "Find other subject than Urania's praise? "
## [36268] ""
## [36269] "Or, dost thou fondly think, thou wert to blame "
## [36270] ""
## [36271] "To breathe among these lords Urania's name ? "
## [36272] ""
## [36273] "Or, is it certain that her flames in thee "
## [36274] ""
## [36275] "Are quench'd, that lately doubled were in me? "
## [36276] ""
## [36277] ""
## [36278] ""
## [36279] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 673 "
## [36280] ""
## [36281] "STREPHON "
## [36282] ""
## [36283] "Nor so, nor thus ; that verse I last day made, "
## [36284] "As with my flock I sat in Hestar's shade : "
## [36285] "I studied it, yet all ray study was, "
## [36286] "I vow, to strive to let Urania pass. "
## [36287] "For 'twas the only name my pen would write, "
## [36288] "My thoughts imagine, or my lips indite. "
## [36289] "Am I not bold when night's vast stage is set. "
## [36290] "And all the stars and heavenly audience met. "
## [36291] "To speak my mind, while their bright twinkling flame "
## [36292] "Seems to rejoice to hear Urania's name ? "
## [36293] "And shall I fear that what the heaven's approv'd. "
## [36294] "By men (though great men) should be disallow'd ? "
## [36295] "But where you think that I have check'd mine eye, "
## [36296] "And freed your Strephon from their treachery : "
## [36297] "O no, mine is the giant Titius's maw. "
## [36298] "That doth increase to feel a vulture's paw. "
## [36299] ""
## [36300] "CLAIUS "
## [36301] ""
## [36302] "No day runs over, but my love's deep sore "
## [36303] "Renews his pain, and festers more and more : "
## [36304] "Alas ! Where's pity then? belike it flies "
## [36305] "The place we come to, frighted with our cries. "
## [36306] ""
## [36307] "STREPHON "
## [36308] ""
## [36309] "Pity ! why friend, 'tis certain that their eyes. "
## [36310] "Who know they can o'ercome, learn to despise : "
## [36311] "Yet, Klaius, why should we repine ? our saint "
## [36312] "Is pleas'd sometime to hear our love's complaint. "
## [36313] "And if mine eyes, to ease my inward pain, "
## [36314] "Become not flatterers, she doth not disdain. "
## [36315] ""
## [36316] "CLAIUS "
## [36317] "Disdain ! that were a bliss, so great a weight "
## [36318] "Might lift our sorrows to their utmost height ; "
## [36319] "And then, perhaps, our own despair would mend "
## [36320] "Our Ung'ring hopes, that must or break, or bend. "
## [36321] "O no, ours is a worse calamity, "
## [36322] "A heedless care, and careless courtesy. "
## [36323] ""
## [36324] "Then Claius pausing a while, with crossed arms and a downcast "
## [36325] "look, began again these following verses to Strephon, whom he "
## [36326] "spoke to as representing the person of sorrow. "
## [36327] ""
## [36328] "CLAIUS "
## [36329] ""
## [36330] "Foul Sorrow, wilt thou alway build thy nest "
## [36331] "In the wild mountains of thy care-swollen breast ? "
## [36332] "2 U "
## [36333] ""
## [36334] ""
## [36335] ""
## [36336] "674 ARCADIA [bookvi. "
## [36337] ""
## [36338] "STREPHON "
## [36339] ""
## [36340] "O yes, I find it happy for my breed, "
## [36341] "And near your heart, whereon I use to feed. "
## [36342] ""
## [36343] "CLAIUS "
## [36344] ""
## [36345] "But, gentle grief, if not for pity, spare "
## [36346] "Me for Urania's sake : she hath a share "
## [36347] "In these my wounds, and she must feel the smart, "
## [36348] "Whose image's carv'd so lively in my heart. "
## [36349] ""
## [36350] "STREPHON "
## [36351] ""
## [36352] "O no, she shares no pain, from whose fair eyes "
## [36353] "The wound did first, and now the cure must rise. "
## [36354] ""
## [36355] "CLAIUS "
## [36356] ""
## [36357] "Why, gentle grief, thou'rt witness of my love ; "
## [36358] "Then always sigh my plaints, until you move. "
## [36359] ""
## [36360] "STREPHON "
## [36361] ""
## [36362] "O no, there's too much rigor in such laws. "
## [36363] "They bind a man to speak against his cause. "
## [36364] "Suppose I move, this is my recompense ; "
## [36365] "Joy must succeed, and I am banish'd hence. "
## [36366] ""
## [36367] "CLAIUS "
## [36368] ""
## [36369] "Then must I die unpitied, no help's found. "
## [36370] "Since you, my spokesman, do conceal my wound, "
## [36371] ""
## [36372] "STREPHON "
## [36373] ""
## [36374] "O no, let not that make us to despair : "
## [36375] "She knows we love her, but she knows she's fair. "
## [36376] ""
## [36377] "When they ended, Musidorus (in whose memory their courtesy "
## [36378] "to him, had engraven a beholdingness) forgot not to approve what "
## [36379] "they had said. But the audience had little time to determine "
## [36380] "whether they deserved what the Prince thought them worthy of, "
## [36381] "when Coridon, who longed to hear the debate between him and "
## [36382] "Menalcas, for Kalodulus's daughter, ended, clapping him on the "
## [36383] "shoulder, thus said : "
## [36384] ""
## [36385] "CORYDON "
## [36386] ""
## [36387] "Fond beardless boy ! now shall the chastisement "
## [36388] "(Fit for thy rash youth's unweigh'd attempt) "
## [36389] "Fall heavy on thee ; but you may relent, "
## [36390] "I'll not be cruel if you do repent. "
## [36391] ""
## [36392] ""
## [36393] ""
## [36394] "BOOK VI.] ARCADIA 67s "
## [36395] ""
## [36396] "no, you will not, you'll be always blind. "
## [36397] "That graceless smile betrays thy scornful mind. "
## [36398] "Sing then, and show these goodly dotes in thee, "
## [36399] "With which thy brainless youth can equal me. "
## [36400] ""
## [36401] "MENALCAS "
## [36402] ""
## [36403] "Grey-bearded frenzy, what canst thou allege, "
## [36404] "To shun my blows, but thy age's privilege? "
## [36405] "Thy tongue may safely snarl, while his offence "
## [36406] "Is still protected by that reverence. "
## [36407] "The dotes, old dotard, I can bring to prove "
## [36408] "Myself deserves that choice, are only love. "
## [36409] "A priceless treasure, not to be express'd, "
## [36410] "A guest too great for thy cough-breeding breast. "
## [36411] ""
## [36412] "CORYDON "
## [36413] ""
## [36414] "Young man, thou speak' st as if thy brains were wood ; "
## [36415] "Who can determine of that inward good ? "
## [36416] ""
## [36417] "1 say, I love, and will Menalcas grieve "
## [36418] "That all the world should Corydon believe ? "
## [36419] "But, that's not it, these flames will soon decay, "
## [36420] "If they be not maintain'd some other way. "
## [36421] ""
## [36422] "A thousand sheep I have, whose snow-white fleece, "
## [36423] ""
## [36424] "Do add a lustre to these parts of Greece : "
## [36425] ""
## [36426] "On whom as many lambs do wait hard by, "
## [36427] ""
## [36428] "That wear their dams white curled livery. "
## [36429] ""
## [36430] "O ! what a joy will't be to her I love ; "
## [36431] ""
## [36432] "Each morn, and even, to see her sheep remove "
## [36433] ""
## [36434] "From field to fold, while she may freely say, "
## [36435] ""
## [36436] "That lamb is fat, that lamb I'll eat to-day ? "
## [36437] ""
## [36438] "MENALCAS "
## [36439] ""
## [36440] "Blind fortune, I'll confess, hath given you more : "
## [36441] "Yet I am richer, my content's my store. "
## [36442] "A thousand sheep thou hast, 'tis very like. "
## [36443] "But thy diseases want Arithmetic. "
## [36444] "Nature between our years a marriage made. "
## [36445] "We bloom together, and at once may fade. "
## [36446] "But your old age is gone too far before, "
## [36447] "Time beats you on, and you'll return no more. "
## [36448] ""
## [36449] "CORYDON "
## [36450] ""
## [36451] "Hasty young man, do not despise the end "
## [36452] "To which yourself, as to a centre, bend. "
## [36453] "What, if I want your body's active toys, "
## [36454] "My settled mind a greater good enjoys. "
## [36455] ""
## [36456] ""
## [36457] ""
## [36458] "676 ARCADIA [BOOK VI. "
## [36459] ""
## [36460] "MENALCAS "
## [36461] ""
## [36462] "Old man, thou speak'st, as if thy brains were wood ; "
## [36463] "Who can determine of that inward good ? "
## [36464] "Think'st thou, will that sweet beauty take delight "
## [36465] "To hear thee cough a proverb in the night ? "
## [36466] "O no, there are some other joys in bed, "
## [36467] "She must partake whom you desire to wed. "
## [36468] ""
## [36469] "Corydon, inwardly out of countenance to hear his own words "
## [36470] "bite so sore upon him, would have shrunk away, but hoping he "
## [36471] "had found a judge whom the cause concerned stood a while to "
## [36472] "attend what Basilius would have said. But the King put it over "
## [36473] "to Musidorus, who (glad to find an occasion to pleasure Menalcas, "
## [36474] "his first master in the practice of a shepherd's life) thus ended it. "
## [36475] ""
## [36476] "\"Corydon,\" said he, \"could I as well lop away some of your "
## [36477] "over-grown years, to make your match with Kalodulus's daughter "
## [36478] "equal, as I can add to Menalcas's state, I would, for a time, "
## [36479] "suspend my judgment : for readily I know not whether of you two "
## [36480] "deserves best : but in the one, my power seconds my will ; as in "
## [36481] "the other, my will over-goes my power. Kalodulus's daughter I "
## [36482] "therefore adjudge to Menalcas, and I will make him worthy of her, "
## [36483] "the rather, that I know his rash youth would impatiently bear a "
## [36484] "repulse, where your experience (when it reflects upon itself), with "
## [36485] "more discretion may consider she was but a woman.\" Glad was "
## [36486] "Menalcas to speed so well : nor was Corydon displeased, because "
## [36487] "the Prince, as he conceived, had entertained a good opinion of his "
## [36488] "wisdom. Thus, when they ended, Pyrocles, who marked Agelastus's "
## [36489] "silent pensiveness, desired to hear him disburden his mind of the "
## [36490] "thoughts that brought him to so deep a study : thinking that "
## [36491] "Agelastus stood fixed, with the eye of his mind cast upon the "
## [36492] "beauty of some fair mistress : but he, who thought of nothing less> "
## [36493] "thus answered his expectation. "
## [36494] ""
## [36495] "AGELASTUS "
## [36496] ""
## [36497] "Nor fate, nor fortune, whose enforcing power, "
## [36498] "Man still complains upon his state to lowre, "
## [36499] "Do work these changes : man himself s the cause ; "
## [36500] "They be but wheels that keep their mover's laws : "
## [36501] "Yet alway, when he sees his fault too late. "
## [36502] "He turns it over upon chance, or fate. "
## [36503] "Each man is born a king, his passions be "
## [36504] "The practice of his sovereignty : "
## [36505] ""
## [36506] "Who, though they still their sovereign's good pretend, "
## [36507] "Conspire his ruin for their private end. "
## [36508] "The love of skin-thick beauty draws his eye "
## [36509] "To yield to love, his reason's majesty. "
## [36510] ""
## [36511] ""
## [36512] ""
## [36513] "BooKvi.J _^ ARCADIA 677 "
## [36514] ""
## [36515] "His fear throws bugbears in his way ; his state "
## [36516] ""
## [36517] "Is still infested by revengeful hate. "
## [36518] ""
## [36519] "His idle grief, for what he might prevent, "
## [36520] ""
## [36521] "Or might not, doth usurp his government. "
## [36522] ""
## [36523] "Thus he, whom God ordain'd a king to be, "
## [36524] ""
## [36525] "Obeys his subjects, and is never free. "
## [36526] ""
## [36527] "Besides, whose state's so firm, into whose way "
## [36528] ""
## [36529] "The world flings not his joys injurious stay ? "
## [36530] ""
## [36531] "The surges of the deep, whose joys devour "
## [36532] ""
## [36533] "The merchant's far-fetch'd hopes, the slties that pour "
## [36534] ""
## [36535] "A second deluge on the ploughman's corn, "
## [36536] ""
## [36537] "When now his fields are ready to be shorn : "
## [36538] ""
## [36539] "The soldiers long remote, the doubtful chance "
## [36540] ""
## [36541] "Of bloody war, the new-found ordinance ; "
## [36542] ""
## [36543] "The city-horns, the court's brave flattery, "
## [36544] ""
## [36545] "Do force content to dwell with poverty. "
## [36546] ""
## [36547] "Then looking round upon the princes, as if by their survey he "
## [36548] "were again enabled to speak, he thus said : "
## [36549] ""
## [36550] "Honour, thou spongy idol of man's mind. "
## [36551] "That soak'st content away, thou hast confin'd. "
## [36552] "Ambitious man, and not his destiny. "
## [36553] "Within the bounds of form and ceremony. "
## [36554] "Oh ! happy life of shepherds, whose content "
## [36555] "Rests in a soul that's free and innocent ; "
## [36556] "They stay their lodging, and remove their roof. "
## [36557] "Not for their own, but for their flock's behoof. "
## [36558] "While some (to fill the blanks of their mean story) "
## [36559] "Do travel in their cares, to gain vain-glory. "
## [36560] "They never leave the plains, unless, some-time, "
## [36561] "To look about them, they the mountains climb : "
## [36562] "But dwell not there ; for ev'n this change doth show "
## [36563] "What choicer sweets they do enjoy below : "
## [36564] "Here the rough winds do buzz about their ears. "
## [36565] "The rocky steepness adds unto their fears : "
## [36566] "Here they are ready to be torn asunder. "
## [36567] "By malice's hateful blasts, and envy's thunder : "
## [36568] "From hence they may descend ; but, greatness, stay, "
## [36569] "If you come down, it must be th' other way : "
## [36570] "For 'tis a bliss, on which your honour shares, "
## [36571] "That though you would, you cannot leave your cares. "
## [36572] ""
## [36573] "When Agelastus ended, the company might see a man who "
## [36574] "seemed to be misfortune's herald, with a rope about his neck, "
## [36575] "make towards the Queen of Corinth, and cast himself at her feet. "
## [36576] "They, thinking it had been some shepherdish invention, expected "
## [36577] "awhile the conceit of it : but approaching, after a time, nearer to "
## [36578] "him, they might discern it was Tenarus the usurper of Corinth, "
## [36579] ""
## [36580] ""
## [36581] ""
## [36582] "6/8 ARCADIA [book vi. "
## [36583] ""
## [36584] "who, hearing of the Queen's welfare, and her happy marriage to "
## [36585] "Amphialus (finding in his own practice for the crown the Corinthians "
## [36586] "aptness to embrace change, and considering the powerfulness of "
## [36587] "his enemies) had come thither, in the basest form of humbleness "
## [36588] "to set a belief upon his submission. Him the Queen (because he "
## [36589] "was a suitor on her marriage-day) pardoned, and restored to his "
## [36590] "possessions, forfeited by his treason to the crown ; only she caused "
## [36591] "his liberty to be restrained until her going to Corinth, whither, "
## [36592] "after she had taken leave of Basilius, and the rest of the royal "
## [36593] "company, she took her journey ; making Amphialus, within a year "
## [36594] "after her departure, a happy father of a much-promising son, "
## [36595] "whom they named Heleamphialus. Euarchus also, soon after, "
## [36596] "with his son Pyiocles and Philoclea, and his nephew Musidorus, "
## [36597] "together with Pamela (who was desirous both to accompany her "
## [36598] "sister, and to see her mother of Thessaly) parted from Mantinea ; "
## [36599] "leaving Basilius and Gynecia, when they had accompanied them "
## [36600] "to the frontiers of Arcadia, to the happy quiet of their after-life. "
## [36601] ""
## [36602] "Tu longe sequere & vestigia semper adoro, "
## [36603] "SiDNEl Statius. "
## [36604] ""
## [36605] ""
## [36606] ""
## [36607] ""
## [36608] ""
##
## [[2]]
## [1] "Astrophel and Stella"
## [2] ""
## [3] "I"
## [4] ""
## [5] " LOuing in trueth, and fayne in verse my loue to show,"
## [6] " That she, deare Shee, might take som pleasure of my paine,"
## [7] " Pleasure might cause her reade, reading might make her know,"
## [8] " Knowledge might pittie winne, and pity grace obtaine,"
## [9] " I sought fit wordes to paint the blackest face of woe;"
## [10] " Studying inuentions fine, her wits to entertaine,"
## [11] " Oft turning others leaues, to see if thence would flow"
## [12] " Some fresh and fruitfull showers vpon my sun-burnd brain."
## [13] " But words came halting forth, wanting Inuentions stay;"
## [14] " Inuention, Natures childe, fledde step-dame Studies blowes;"
## [15] " And others feet still seemde but strangers in my way."
## [16] " Thus, great with childe to speak, and helplesse in my throwes,"
## [17] " Biting my trewand pen, beating myselfe for spite,"
## [18] " Fool, said my Muse to me, looke in thy heart, and write. "
## [19] ""
## [20] "II"
## [21] ""
## [22] " Not at the first sight, nor with a dribbed shot,"
## [23] " Loue gaue the wound, which, while I breathe, will bleede;"
## [24] " But knowne worth did in tract of time proceed,"
## [25] " Till by degrees, it had full conquest got."
## [26] " I saw and lik'd; I lik'd but loued not;"
## [27] " I lou'd, but straight did not what Loue decreed:"
## [28] " At length, to Loues decrees I, forc'd, agreed,"
## [29] " Yet with repining at so partiall lot."
## [30] " Now, euen that footstep of lost libertie"
## [31] " Is gone; and now, like slaue-borne Muscouite,"
## [32] " I call it praise to suffer tyrannie;"
## [33] " And nowe imploy the remnant of my wit"
## [34] " To make myselfe beleeue that all is well,"
## [35] " While, with a feeling skill, I paint my hell. "
## [36] ""
## [37] "III"
## [38] ""
## [39] " Let dainty wits crie on the Sisters nine,"
## [40] " That, brauely maskt, their fancies may be told;"
## [41] " Or, Pindars apes, flaunt they in phrases fine,"
## [42] " Enam'ling with pied flowers their thoughts of gold;"
## [43] " Or else let them in statlier glorie shine,"
## [44] " Ennobling new-found tropes with problemes old;"
## [45] " Or with strange similes enrich each line,"
## [46] " Of herbes or beasts which Inde or Affrick hold."
## [47] " For me, in sooth, no Muse but one I know,"
## [48] " Phrases and problems from my reach do grow;"
## [49] " And strange things cost too deare for my poor sprites."
## [50] " How then? euen thus: in Stellaes face I reed"
## [51] " What Loue and Beautie be; then all my deed"
## [52] " But copying is, what in her Nature writes. "
## [53] ""
## [54] "IV"
## [55] ""
## [56] " Vertue, alas, now let me take some rest;"
## [57] " Thou setst a bate betweene my will and wit;"
## [58] " If vaine Loue haue my simple soule opprest,"
## [59] " Leaue what thou lik'st not, deale thou not with it."
## [60] " Thy scepter vse in some old Catoes brest,"
## [61] " Churches or Schooles are for thy seat more fit;"
## [62] " I do confesse (pardon a fault confest)"
## [63] " My mouth too tender is for thy hard bit."
## [64] " But if that needes thou wilt vsurping be"
## [65] " The little reason that is left in me,"
## [66] " And still th'effect of thy perswasions prooue,"
## [67] " I sweare, my heart such one shall show to thee,"
## [68] " That shrines in flesh so true a deitie,"
## [69] " That, Virtue, thou thyself shalt be in loue. "
## [70] ""
## [71] "V"
## [72] ""
## [73] " It is most true that eyes are form'd to serue"
## [74] " The inward light, and that the heauenly part"
## [75] " Ought to be King, from whose rules who do swerue,"
## [76] " Rebels to nature, striue for their owne smart."
## [77] " It is most true, what we call Cupids dart"
## [78] " An image is, which for ourselues we carue,"
## [79] " And, foolse, adore in temple of our hart,"
## [80] " Till that good god make church and churchmen starue."
## [81] " True, that true beautie virtue is indeed,"
## [82] " Whereof this beautie can be but a shade,"
## [83] " Which, elements with mortal mixture breed."
## [84] " True, that on earth we are but pilgrims made,"
## [85] " And should in soule up to our countrey moue:"
## [86] " True, and yet true that I must Stella loue. "
## [87] ""
## [88] "VI"
## [89] ""
## [90] " Some louers speake, when they their Muses entertaine,"
## [91] " Of hopes begot by feare, of wot not what desires,"
## [92] " Of force of heau'nly beames infusing hellish paine,"
## [93] " Of liuing deaths, dere wounds, faire storms, and freesing fires:"
## [94] " Some one his song in Ioue and Ioues strange tales attires,"
## [95] " Bordred with buls and swans, powdred with golden raine:"
## [96] " Another, humbler wit, to shepherds pipe retires,"
## [97] " Yet hiding royall bloud full oft in rurall vaine."
## [98] " To some a sweetest plaint a sweetest stile affords:"
## [99] " While teares poure out his inke, and sighes breathe out his words,"
## [100] " His paper pale despaire, and pain his pen doth moue."
## [101] " I can speake what I feele, and feele as much as they,"
## [102] " But thinke that all the map of my state I display"
## [103] " When trembling voyce brings forth, that I do Stella loue. "
## [104] ""
## [105] "VII"
## [106] ""
## [107] " When Nature made her chief worke, Stellas eyes,"
## [108] " In colour blacke why wrapt she beames so bright?"
## [109] " Would she in beamy blacke, like Painter wise,"
## [110] " Frame daintiest lustre, mixt of shades and light?"
## [111] " Or did she else that sober hue deuise,"
## [112] " In obiect best to knitt and strength our sight;"
## [113] " Least, if no vaile these braue gleames did disguise,"
## [114] " They, sunlike, should more dazle then delight?"
## [115] " Or would she her miraculous power show,"
## [116] " That, whereas blacke seems Beauties contrary,"
## [117] " She euen in black doth make all beauties flow?"
## [118] " Both so, and thus, she, minding Loue should be"
## [119] " Plac'd euer there, gaue him this mourning weede"
## [120] " To honour all their deaths who for her bleed. "
## [121] ""
## [122] "VIII"
## [123] ""
## [124] " Loue, borne in Greece, of late fled from his natiue place,"
## [125] " Forc't, by a tedious proof, that Turkish hardned heart"
## [126] " Is not fit mark to pierce with his fine-pointed dart,"
## [127] " And pleas'd with our soft peace, staide here his flying race:"
## [128] " But, finding these north clymes too coldly him embrace,"
## [129] " Not vsde to frozen clips, he straue to find some part"
## [130] " Where with most ease and warmth he might employ his art;"
## [131] " At length he perch'd himself in Stellaes ioyful face,"
## [132] " Whose faire skin, beamy eyes, like morning sun on snow,"
## [133] " Deceiu'd the quaking boy, who thought, from so pure light,"
## [134] " Effects of liuely heat must needs in nature grow:"
## [135] " But she, most faire, most cold, made him thence take his flight"
## [136] " To my close heart, where, while some firebrands he did lay,"
## [137] " He burnt vn'wares his wings, and cannot flie away. "
## [138] ""
## [139] "IX"
## [140] ""
## [141] " Queen Virtues Court, which some call Stellaes face,"
## [142] " Prepar'd by Natures choicest furniture,"
## [143] " Hath his front built of alabaster pure;"
## [144] " Gold is the couering of that stately place."
## [145] " The door, by which sometimes comes forth her grace,"
## [146] " Red porphir is, which locke of pearl makes sure,"
## [147] " Whose porches rich (which name of chekes indure)"
## [148] " Marble, mixt red and white, doe interlace."
## [149] " The windowes now, through which this heau'nly guest"
## [150] " Looks ouer the world, and can find nothing such,"
## [151] " Which dare claime from those lights the name of best,"
## [152] " Of touch they are, that without touch do touch,"
## [153] " Which Cupids self, from Beauties mine did draw:"
## [154] " Of touch they are, and poore I am their straw. "
## [155] ""
## [156] "X"
## [157] ""
## [158] " Reason, in faith thou art well seru'd that still"
## [159] " Wouldst brabbling be with Sense and Loue in me;"
## [160] " I rather wisht thee clime the Muses hill;"
## [161] " Or reach the fruite of Natures choycest tree;"
## [162] " Or seek heau'ns course or heau'ns inside to see:"
## [163] " Why shouldst thou toil our thorny soile to till?"
## [164] " Leaue Sense, and those which Senses obiects be;"
## [165] " Deale thou with powers of thoughts, leaue Loue to Will."
## [166] " But thou wouldst needs fight with both Loue and Sence,"
## [167] " With sword of wit giuing wounds of dispraise,"
## [168] " Till downe-right blowes did foyle thy cunning fence;"
## [169] " For, soone as they strake thee with Stellas rayes,"
## [170] " Reason, thou kneeld'st, and offred'st straight to proue,"
## [171] " By reason good, good reason her to loue. "
## [172] ""
## [173] "XI"
## [174] ""
## [175] " In truth, O Loue, with what a boyish kind"
## [176] " Thou doest proceed in thy most serious ways,"
## [177] " That when the heau'n to thee his best displayes,"
## [178] " Yet of that best thou leau'st the best behinde!"
## [179] " For, like a childe that some faire booke doth find,"
## [180] " With gilded leaues or colour'd vellum playes,"
## [181] " Or, at the most, on some fine picture stayes,"
## [182] " But neuer heeds the fruit of Writers mind;"
## [183] " So when thou saw'st, in Natures cabinet,"
## [184] " Stella, thou straight lookst babies in her eyes:"
## [185] " In her chekes pit thou didst thy pitfold set,"
## [186] " And in her breast bo-peepe or crouching lies,"
## [187] " Playing and shining in each outward part;"
## [188] " But, fool, seekst not to get into her heart. "
## [189] ""
## [190] "XII"
## [191] ""
## [192] " Cupid, because thou shin'st in Stellaes eyes"
## [193] " That from her locks thy day-nets none scapes free"
## [194] " That those lips sweld so full of thee they be"
## [195] " That her sweet breath makes oft thy flames to rise"
## [196] " That in her breast thy pap well sugred lies"
## [197] " That her grace gracious makes thy wrongsthat she,"
## [198] " What words soere shee speake, perswades for thee"
## [199] " That her clere voice lifts thy fame to the skies,"
## [200] " Thou countest Stella thine, like those whose pow'rs"
## [201] " Hauing got vp a breach by fighting well,"
## [202] " Crie Victorie, this faire day all is ours!"
## [203] " O no; her heart is such a cittadell,"
## [204] " So fortified with wit, stor'd with disdaine,"
## [205] " That to win it is all the skill and paine. "
## [206] ""
## [207] "XIII"
## [208] ""
## [209] " Phoebus was iudge betweene Ioue, Mars, and Loue,"
## [210] " Of those three gods, whose armes the fairest were."
## [211] " Ioues golden shield did sable eagles beare,"
## [212] " Whose talons held young Ganimed aboue:"
## [213] " But in vert field Mars bare a golden speare,"
## [214] " Which through a bleeding heart his point did shoue:"
## [215] " Each had his creast; Mars carried Venus gloue,"
## [216] " Ioue on his helmet the thunderbolt did reare."
## [217] " Cupid then smiles, for on his crest there lies"
## [218] " Stellas faire haire; her face he makes his shield,"
## [219] " Where roses gules are borne in siluer field."
## [220] " Phoebus drew wide the curtaines of the skies,"
## [221] " To blaze these last, and sware deuoutly then,"
## [222] " The first, thus matcht, were scantly gentlemen. "
## [223] ""
## [224] "XIV"
## [225] ""
## [226] " Alas, haue I not pain enough, my friend,"
## [227] " Vpon whose breast a fiecer Gripe doth tire"
## [228] " Than did on him who first stale down the fire,"
## [229] " While Loue on me doth all his quiuer spend,"
## [230] " But with your rhubarbe words ye must contend"
## [231] " To grieue me worse, in saying that Desire"
## [232] " Doth plunge my wel-form'd soul euen in the mire"
## [233] " Of sinfull thoughts, which do in ruin end?"
## [234] " If that be sinne which doth the manners frame,"
## [235] " Well staid with truth in word and faith of deede,"
## [236] " Ready of wit, and fearing nought but shame;"
## [237] " If that be sin which in fixt hearts doth breed"
## [238] " A loathing of all loose vnchastitie,"
## [239] " Then loue is sin, and let me sinfull be. "
## [240] ""
## [241] "XV"
## [242] ""
## [243] " You that do search for euery purling spring"
## [244] " Which from the ribs of old Parnassus flowes,"
## [245] " And euery flower, not sweet perhaps, which growes"
## [246] " Neere thereabouts, into your poesie wring;"
## [247] " Ye that do dictionaries methode bring"
## [248] " Into your rimes, running in rattling rowes;"
## [249] " You that poore Petrarchs long deceased woes"
## [250] " With new-borne sighes and denisen'd wit do sing;"
## [251] " You take wrong wayes; those far-fet helps be such"
## [252] " As do bewray a want of inward tuch,"
## [253] " And sure, at length stol'n goods doe come to light:"
## [254] " But if, both for your loue and skill, your name"
## [255] " You seek to nurse at fullest breasts of Fame,"
## [256] " Stella behold, and then begin to indite. "
## [257] ""
## [258] "XVI"
## [259] ""
## [260] " In nature, apt to like, when I did see"
## [261] " Beauties which were of many carrets fine,"
## [262] " My boiling sprites did thither then incline,"
## [263] " And, Loue, I thought that I was full of thee:"
## [264] " But finding not those restlesse flames in mee,"
## [265] " Which others said did make their souls to pine,"
## [266] " I thought those babes of some pinnes hurt did whine,"
## [267] " By my soul iudging what Loues paine might be."
## [268] " But while I thus with this young lion plaid,"
## [269] " Mine eyes (shall I say curst or blest?) beheld"
## [270] " Stella: now she is nam'd, neede more be said?"
## [271] " In her sight I a lesson new haue speld."
## [272] " I now haue learnd loue right, and learnd euen so"
## [273] " As they that being poysond poyson know. "
## [274] ""
## [275] "XVII"
## [276] ""
## [277] " His mother deere, Cupid offended late,"
## [278] " Because that Mars, growne slacker in her loue,"
## [279] " With pricking shot he did not throughly moue"
## [280] " To keepe the place of their first louing state."
## [281] " The boy refusde for fear of Marses hate,"
## [282] " Who threatned stripes if he his wrath did proue;"
## [283] " But she, in chafe, him from her lap did shoue,"
## [284] " Brake bowe, brake shafts, while Cupid weeping sate;"
## [285] " Till that his grandame Nature, pitying it,"
## [286] " Of Stellaes brows made him two better bowes,"
## [287] " And in her eyes of arrows infinit."
## [288] " O how for ioy he leaps! O how he crowes!"
## [289] " And straight therewith, like wags new got to play,"
## [290] " Falls to shrewd turnes! And I was in his way. "
## [291] ""
## [292] "XVIII"
## [293] ""
## [294] " With what sharp checkes I in myself am shent"
## [295] " When into Reasons audite I do goe,"
## [296] " And by iust counts my selfe a bankrout know"
## [297] " Of all those goods which heauen to me hath lent;"
## [298] " Vnable quite to pay euen Natures rent,"
## [299] " Which vnto it by birthright I do ow;"
## [300] " And, which is worse, no good excuse can showe,"
## [301] " But that my wealth I haue most idly spent!"
## [302] " My youth doth waste, my knowledge brings forth toyes,"
## [303] " My wit doth striue those passions to defende,"
## [304] " Which, for reward, spoil it with vain annoyes."
## [305] " I see, my course to lose myself doth bend;"
## [306] " I see: and yet no greater sorrow take"
## [307] " Than that I lose no more for Stellas sake. "
## [308] ""
## [309] "XIX"
## [310] ""
## [311] " On Cupids bowe how are my heart-strings bent,"
## [312] " That see my wracke, and yet embrace the same!"
## [313] " When most I glory, then I feele most shame;"
## [314] " I willing run, yet while I run repent;"
## [315] " My best wits still their own disgrace inuent:"
## [316] " My very inke turns straight to Stellas name;"
## [317] " And yet my words, as them my pen doth frame,"
## [318] " Auise them selues that they are vainely spent:"
## [319] " For though she passe all things, yet what is all"
## [320] " That vnto me, who fare like him that both"
## [321] " Lookes to the skies and in a ditch doth fall?"
## [322] " O let me prop my mind, yet in his growth,"
## [323] " And not in nature for best fruits vnfit."
## [324] " Scholler, saith Loue, bend hitherward your wit. "
## [325] ""
## [326] "XX"
## [327] ""
## [328] " Fly, fly, my friends; I haue my deaths wound, fly;"
## [329] " See there that Boy, that murthring Boy I say,"
## [330] " Who like a theefe hid in dark bush doth ly,"
## [331] " Till bloudy bullet get him wrongfull pray."
## [332] " So, tyran he no fitter place could spie,"
## [333] " Nor so faire leuell in so secret stay,"
## [334] " As that sweet black which veils the heau'nly eye;"
## [335] " There with his shot himself he close doth lay."
## [336] " Poore passenger, pass now thereby I did,"
## [337] " And staid, pleas'd with the prospect of the place,"
## [338] " While that black hue from me the the bad guest hid:"
## [339] " But straight I saw the motions of lightning grace,"
## [340] " And then descried the glistrings of his dart:"
## [341] " But ere I could flie thence, it pierc'd my heart. "
## [342] ""
## [343] "XXI"
## [344] ""
## [345] " Your words, my friend, (right healthfull caustiks), blame"
## [346] " My young mind marde, whom Loue doth windlas so;"
## [347] " That mine owne writings, like bad seruants, show"
## [348] " My wits quicke in vaine thoughts, in vertue lame;"
## [349] " That Plato I read for nought but if he tame"
## [350] " Such coltish yeeres; that to my birth I owe"
## [351] " Nobler desires, lest else that friendly foe,"
## [352] " Great expectation, wear a train of shame:"
## [353] " For since mad March great promise made of mee,"
## [354] " If now the May of my yeeres much decline,"
## [355] " What can be hop'd my haruest-time will be?"
## [356] " Sure, you say well, Your wisedomes golden myne"
## [357] " Dig deepe with Learnings spade. Now tell me this:"
## [358] " Hath this world aught so fair as Stella is? "
## [359] ""
## [360] "XXII"
## [361] ""
## [362] " In highest way of heau'n the Sun did ride,"
## [363] " Progressing then from fair Twinnes golden place,"
## [364] " Hauing no mask of clouds before his face,"
## [365] " But streaming forth of heate in his chiefe pride;"
## [366] " When some fair ladies, by hard promise tied,"
## [367] " On horsebacke met him in his furious race;"
## [368] " Yet each prepar'd with fannes wel-shading grace"
## [369] " From that foes wounds their tender skinnes to hide."
## [370] " Stella alone with face vnarmed marcht,"
## [371] " Either to do like him which open shone,"
## [372] " Or carelesse of the wealth, because her owne."
## [373] " Yet were the hid and meaner beauties parcht;"
## [374] " Her dainties bare went free: the cause was this:"
## [375] " The sun, that others burn'd, did her but kisse. "
## [376] ""
## [377] "XXIII"
## [378] ""
## [379] " The curious wits, seeing dull pensiuenesse"
## [380] " Bewray it self in my long-settl'd eies"
## [381] " Whence those same fumes of melancholy rise,"
## [382] " With idle paines and missing ayme do guesse."
## [383] " Some, that know how my spring I did addresse,"
## [384] " Deem that my Muse some fruit of knowledge plies;"
## [385] " Others, because the prince my seruice tries,"
## [386] " Thinke that I think State errours to redress:"
## [387] " But harder iudges iudge ambitions rage:"
## [388] " Scourge of itselfe, still climbing slipperie place:"
## [389] " Holds my young brain captiu'd in golden cage."
## [390] " O fooles, or ouer-wise. alas, the race"
## [391] " Of all my thoughts hath neither stop nor start"
## [392] " But only Stellaes eyes and Stellaes heart. "
## [393] ""
## [394] "XXIV"
## [395] ""
## [396] " Rich fooles there be whose base and filthy heart"
## [397] " Lies hatching still the goods wherein they flow,"
## [398] " And damning their own selues to Tantals smart,"
## [399] " Wealth breeding want; more rich, more wretched growe:"
## [400] " Yet to those fooles Heau'n doth such wit impart"
## [401] " As what their hands do hold, their heads do know,"
## [402] " And knowing loue, and louing lay apart"
## [403] " As sacred things, far from all dangers show."
## [404] " But that rich foole, who by blind Fortunes lot"
## [405] " The richest gemme of loue and life enioys,"
## [406] " And can with foule abuse such beauties blot;"
## [407] " Let him, depriu'd of sweet but vnfelt ioys,"
## [408] " Exild for ay from those high treasures which"
## [409] " He knowes not, grow in only folly rich! "
## [410] ""
## [411] "XXV"
## [412] ""
## [413] " The wisest scholler of the wight most wise"
## [414] " By Phoebus doom, with sugred sentence sayes,"
## [415] " That vertue, if it once met with our eyes,"
## [416] " Strange flames of loue it in our souls would raise;"
## [417] " But for that man with paine this truth descries,"
## [418] " Whiles he each thing in Senses balance wayes,"
## [419] " And so nor will nor can behold those skies"
## [420] " Which inward sunne to heroick mind displaies"
## [421] " Vertue of late, with vertuous care to ster"
## [422] " Loue of herself, tooke Stellas shape, that she"
## [423] " To mortall eyes might sweetly shine in her."
## [424] " It is most true; for since I her did see,"
## [425] " Vertues great beauty in that face I proue,"
## [426] " And find th' effect, for I do burn in loue. "
## [427] ""
## [428] "XXVI"
## [429] ""
## [430] " Though dustie wits dare scorne Astrologie,"
## [431] " And fooles can thinke those lampes of purest light"
## [432] " Whose numbers, waies, greatnesse, eternity,"
## [433] " Promising wonders, wonder do inuite"
## [434] " To haue for no cause birthright in the sky"
## [435] " But for to spangle the black weeds of Night;"
## [436] " Or for some brawl which in that chamber hie,"
## [437] " They should still dance to please a gazers sight."
## [438] " For me, I do Nature vnidle know,"
## [439] " And know great causes great effects procure;"
## [440] " And know those bodies high raigne on the low."
## [441] " And if these rules did fail, proof makes me sure,"
## [442] " Who oft fore-see my after-following race,"
## [443] " By only those two starres in Stellaes face. "
## [444] ""
## [445] "XXVII"
## [446] ""
## [447] " Because I oft in darke abstracted guise"
## [448] " Seeme most alone in greatest company,"
## [449] " With dearth of words, or answers quite awrie,"
## [450] " To them that would make speech of speech arise;"
## [451] " They deeme, and of their doome the runour flies,"
## [452] " That poison foul of bubbling pride doth lie"
## [453] " So in my swelling breast, that only I"
## [454] " Fawne on my selfe, and others do despise."
## [455] " Yet pride I thinke doth not my soule possesse"
## [456] " (Which looks too oft in his vnflatt'ring glasse):"
## [457] " But one worse fault, ambition, I confesse,"
## [458] " That makes me oft my best friends ouerpasse,"
## [459] " Vnseene, vnheard, while thought to highest place"
## [460] " Bends all his powers, euen vnto Stellaes grace. "
## [461] ""
## [462] "XXVIII"
## [463] ""
## [464] " You that with Allegories curious frame"
## [465] " Of others children changelings vse to make,"
## [466] " With me those pains, for Gods sake, do not take:"
## [467] " I list not dig so deep for brazen fame,"
## [468] " When I say Stella I do meane the same"
## [469] " Princesse of beauty for whose only sake"
## [470] " The raines of Loue I loue, though neuer slake,"
## [471] " And ioy therein, though nations count it shame."
## [472] " I beg no subiect to vse eloquence,"
## [473] " Nor in hid wayes to guide philosophy:"
## [474] " Looke at my hands for no such quintessence;"
## [475] " But know that I in pure simplicitie"
## [476] " Breathe out the flames which burn within my heart,"
## [477] " Loue onely reading vnto me this arte. "
## [478] ""
## [479] "XXIX"
## [480] ""
## [481] " Like some weak lords neighbord by mighty kings,"
## [482] " To keep themselues and their chief cities free,"
## [483] " Do easily yeeld that all their coasts may be"
## [484] " Ready to store their campes of needfull things;"
## [485] " So Stellas heart, finding what power Loue brings"
## [486] " To keep it selfe in life and liberty,"
## [487] " Doth willing graunt that in the frontiers he"
## [488] " Vse all to helpe his other conquerings."
## [489] " And thus her heart escapes; but thus her eyes"
## [490] " Serue him with shot, her lips his heralds are,"
## [491] " Her breasts his tents, legs his triumphall car,"
## [492] " Her flesh his food, her skin his armour braue."
## [493] " And I, but for because my prospect lies"
## [494] " Vpon that coast, am given vp for slaue. "
## [495] ""
## [496] "XXX"
## [497] ""
## [498] " Whether the Turkish new moone minded be"
## [499] " To fill her hornes this yeere on Christian coast;"
## [500] " How Poles right king means without leaue of host"
## [501] " To warm with ill-made fire cold Muscouy;"
## [502] " If French can yet three parts in one agree:"
## [503] " What now the Dutch in their full diets boast;"
## [504] " How Holland hearts, now so good townes be lost,"
## [505] " Trust in the shade of pleasant Orange-tree;"
## [506] " How Vlster likes of that same golden bit"
## [507] " Wherewith my father once made it half tame;"
## [508] " If in the Scotch Court be no weltring yet;"
## [509] " These questions busy wits to me do frame:"
## [510] " I, cumbred with good manners, answer doe,"
## [511] " But know not how; for still I thinke of you. "
## [512] ""
## [513] "XXXI"
## [514] ""
## [515] " With how sad steps, O Moone, thou climbst the skies!"
## [516] " How silently, and with how wanne a face!"
## [517] " What, may it be that euen in heau'nly place"
## [518] " That busie archer his sharpe arrowes tries?"
## [519] " Sure, if that long-with-loue-acquainted eyes"
## [520] " Can iudge of loue, thou feel'st a louers case,"
## [521] " I reade it in thy lookes: thy languist grace,"
## [522] " To me that feele the like, thy state discries."
## [523] " Then, eu'n of fellowship, O Moone, tell me,"
## [524] " Is constant loue deem'd there but want of wit?"
## [525] " Are beauties there as proud as here they be?"
## [526] " Do they aboue loue to be lou'd, and yet"
## [527] " Those louers scorn whom that loue doth possesse?"
## [528] " Do they call vertue there vngratefulnesse? "
## [529] ""
## [530] "XXXII"
## [531] ""
## [532] " Morpheus, the liuely sonne of deadly Sleepe,"
## [533] " Witnesse of life to them that liuing die,"
## [534] " A prophet oft, and oft an historie,"
## [535] " A poet eke, as humours fly or creepe;"
## [536] " Since thou in me so sure a pow'r dost keepe,"
## [537] " That neuer I with clos'd-vp sense do lie,"
## [538] " But by thy worke my Stella I descrie,"
## [539] " Teaching blind eyes both how to smile and weepe;"
## [540] " Vouchsafe, of all acquaintance, this to tell,"
## [541] " Whence hast thou ivory, rubies, pearl, and gold,"
## [542] " To shew her skin, lips, teeth, and head so well?"
## [543] " Foole! answers he; no Indes such treasures hold;"
## [544] " But from thy heart, while my sire charmeth thee,"
## [545] " Sweet Stellas image I do steal to mee. "
## [546] ""
## [547] "XXXIII"
## [548] ""
## [549] " I might (vnhappy word!) O me, I might,"
## [550] " And then I would not, or could not, see my blisse,"
## [551] " Till now wrapt in a most infernall night,"
## [552] " I find how heau'nly day, wretch! I did misse."
## [553] " Hart, rend thyself, thou dost thyself but right;"
## [554] " No louely Paris made thy Hellen his;"
## [555] " No force, no fraud robd thee of thy delight,"
## [556] " Nor Fortune of thy fortune author is,"
## [557] " But to my selfe my selfe did giue the blow,"
## [558] " While too much wit, forsooth, so troubled me"
## [559] " That I respects for both our sakes must show:"
## [560] " And yet could not, by rysing morne fore-see"
## [561] " How fair a day was near: O punisht eyes,"
## [562] " That I had bene more foolish, or more wise! "
## [563] ""
## [564] "XXXIV"
## [565] ""
## [566] " Come, let me write. And to what end? To ease"
## [567] " A burthen'd heart. How can words ease, which are"
## [568] " The glasses of thy dayly-vexing care?"
## [569] " Oft cruel fights well pictur'd-forth do please."
## [570] " Art not asham'd to publish thy disease?"
## [571] " Nay, that may breed my fame, it is so rare."
## [572] " But will not wise men thinke thy words fond ware?"
## [573] " Then be they close, and so none shall displease."
## [574] " What idler thing then speake and not be hard?"
## [575] " What harder thing then smart and not to speake?"
## [576] " Peace, foolish wit! with wit my wit is mard."
## [577] " Thus write I, while I doubt to write, and wreake"
## [578] " My harmes in inks poor losse. Perhaps some find"
## [579] " Stellas great pow'rs, that so confuse my mind. "
## [580] ""
## [581] "XXXV"
## [582] ""
## [583] " What may words say, or what may words not say,"
## [584] " Where Truth itself must speake like Flatterie?"
## [585] " Within what bounds can one his liking stay,"
## [586] " Where Nature doth with infinite agree?"
## [587] " What Nestors counsell can my flames alay,"
## [588] " Since Reasons self doth blow the coale in me?"
## [589] " And, ah, what hope that Hope should once see day,"
## [590] " Where Cupid is sworn page to Chastity?"
## [591] " Honour is honour'd that thou dost possesse"
## [592] " Him as thy slaue, and now long-needy Fame"
## [593] " Doth euen grow rich, meaning my Stellaes name."
## [594] " Wit learnes in thee perfection to expresse:"
## [595] " Not thou by praise, but praise in thee is raisde:"
## [596] " It is a praise to praise, when thou art praisde. "
## [597] ""
## [598] "XXXVI"
## [599] ""
## [600] " Stella, whence doth these new assaults arise,"
## [601] " A conquerd yeelding ransackt heart to winne,"
## [602] " Whereto long since, through my long-battred eyes,"
## [603] " Whole armies of thy beauties entred in?"
## [604] " And there, long since, Loue, thy lieutenant, lies;"
## [605] " My forces razde, thy banners raisd within:"
## [606] " Of conquest, do not these effects suffice,"
## [607] " But wilt new warre vpon thine own begin?"
## [608] " With so sweet voice, and by sweet Nature so"
## [609] " In sweetest stratagems sweete Art can show,"
## [610] " That not my soul, which at thy foot did fall"
## [611] " Long since, forc'd by thy beams, but stone nor tree,"
## [612] " By Sences priviledge, can scape from thee! "
## [613] ""
## [614] "XXXVII"
## [615] ""
## [616] " My mouth doth water, and my breast doth swell,"
## [617] " My tongue doth itch, my thoughts in labour be:"
## [618] " Listen then, lordings, with good ear to me,"
## [619] " For of my life I must a riddle tell."
## [620] " Toward Auroras Court a nymph doth dwell,"
## [621] " Rich in all beauties which mans eye can see;"
## [622] " Beauties so farre from reach of words that we"
## [623] " Abase her praise saying she doth excell;"
## [624] " Rich in the treasure of deseru'd renowne,"
## [625] " Rich in the riches of a royall heart,"
## [626] " Rich in those gifts which giue th'eternall crowne;"
## [627] " Who, though most rich in these and eu'ry part"
## [628] " Which make the patents of true worldy blisse,"
## [629] " Hath no misfortune but that Rich she is. "
## [630] ""
## [631] "XXXVIII"
## [632] ""
## [633] " This night, while sleepe begins with heauy wings"
## [634] " To hatch mine eyes, and that vnbitted thought"
## [635] " Doth fall to stray, and my chief powres are brought"
## [636] " To leaue the scepter of all subiect things;"
## [637] " The first that straight my fancys errour brings"
## [638] " Vnto my mind is Stellas image, wrought"
## [639] " By Loues own selfe, but with so curious drought"
## [640] " That she, methinks, not onley shines but sings."
## [641] " I start, look, hearke: but in what closde-vp sence"
## [642] " Was held, in opend sense it flies away,"
## [643] " Leauing me nought but wayling eloquence."
## [644] " I, seeing better sights in sights decay,"
## [645] " Cald it anew, and wooed Sleepe again;"
## [646] " But him, her host, that vnkind guest had slain. "
## [647] ""
## [648] "XXXIX"
## [649] ""
## [650] " Come, Sleepe! O Sleepe, the certaine knot of peace,"
## [651] " The baiting-place of wit, the balme of woe,"
## [652] " The poor mans wealth, the prisoners release,"
## [653] " Th' indifferent iudge betweene the high and low!"
## [654] " With shield of proofe shield me from out the prease"
## [655] " Of those fierce darts Despaire at me doth throw."
## [656] " O make in me those ciuil wars to cease;"
## [657] " I will good tribute pay, if thou do so."
## [658] " Take thou of me smooth pillowes, sweetest bed,"
## [659] " A chamber deafe of noise and blind of light,"
## [660] " A rosie garland and a weary hed:"
## [661] " And if these things, as being thine in right,"
## [662] " Moue not thy heauy grace, thou shalt in me,"
## [663] " Liuelier then else-where, Stellaes image see. "
## [664] ""
## [665] "XL"
## [666] ""
## [667] " As good to write, as for to lie and grone."
## [668] " O Stella deare, how much thy powre hath wrought,"
## [669] " That hast my mind (now of the basest) brought"
## [670] " My still-kept course, while others sleepe, to mone!"
## [671] " Alas, if from the height of Vertues throne"
## [672] " Thou canst vouchsafe the influence of a thought"
## [673] " Vpon a wretch that long thy grace hath sought,"
## [674] " Weigh then how I by thee am ouerthrowne,"
## [675] " And then thinke thus: although thy beautie be"
## [676] " Made manifest by such a victorie,"
## [677] " Yet noble conquerours do wreckes auoid."
## [678] " Since then thou hast so farre subdued me"
## [679] " That in my heart I offer still to thee,"
## [680] " O do not let thy temple be destroyd! "
## [681] ""
## [682] "XLI"
## [683] ""
## [684] " Hauing this day my horse, my hand, my launce"
## [685] " Guided so well that I obtain'd the prize,"
## [686] " Both by the iudgement of the English eyes"
## [687] " And of some sent from that sweet enemy Fraunce;"
## [688] " Horsemen my skill in horsemanship aduaunce,"
## [689] " Towne folkes my strength; a daintier iudge applies"
## [690] " His praise to sleight which from good vse doth rise;"
## [691] " Some luckie wits impute it but to chance;"
## [692] " Others, because of both sides I doe take"
## [693] " My blood from them who did excell in this,"
## [694] " Thinke Nature me a man-at-armes did make."
## [695] " How farre they shot awrie! The true cause is,"
## [696] " Stella lookt on, and from her heau'nly face"
## [697] " Sent forth the beames which made so faire my race. "
## [698] ""
## [699] "XLII"
## [700] ""
## [701] " O eyes, which do the spheres of beauty moue;"
## [702] " Whose beames be ioyes, whose ioyes all vertues be,"
## [703] " Who, while they make Loue conquer, conquer Loue;"
## [704] " The schooles where Venus hath learnd chastitie:"
## [705] " O eyes, where humble lookes most glorious proue,"
## [706] " Onely lou'd Tyrans, iust in cruelty,"
## [707] " Do not, O doe not, from poore me remoue:"
## [708] " Keep still my zenith, euer shine on me;"
## [709] " For though I neuer see them, but straightwayes"
## [710] " My life forgets to nourish languisht sprites,"
## [711] " Yet still on me, O eyes, dart down your rayes!"
## [712] " And if from majestie of sacred lights"
## [713] " Oppressing mortal sense my death proceed,"
## [714] " Wraceks triumphs be which Loue hie set doth breed. "
## [715] ""
## [716] "XLIII"
## [717] ""
## [718] " Faire eyes, sweet lips, dear heart, that foolish I"
## [719] " Could hope, by Cupids help, on you to pray,"
## [720] " Since to himselfe he doth your gifts apply,"
## [721] " As his maine force, choise sport, and easefull stay!"
## [722] " For when he will see who dare him gain-say,"
## [723] " Then with those eyes he looeks: lo, by and by"
## [724] " Each soule doth at Loues feet his weapons lay,"
## [725] " Glad if for her he giue them leaue to die."
## [726] " When he will play, then in her lips he is,"
## [727] " Where, blushing red, that Loues selfe them doe loue,"
## [728] " With either lip he doth the other kisse;"
## [729] " But when he will, for quiets sake, remoue"
## [730] " From all the world, her heart is then his rome,"
## [731] " Where well he knowes no man to him can come. "
## [732] ""
## [733] "XLIV"
## [734] ""
## [735] " My words I know do well set forth my minde;"
## [736] " My mind bemones his sense of inward smart;"
## [737] " Such smart may pitie claim of any hart;"
## [738] " Her heart, sweet heart, is of no tygres kind:"
## [739] " And yet she heares and yet no pitie I find,"
## [740] " But more I cry, less grace she doth impart."
## [741] " Alas, what cause is there so ouerthwart"
## [742] " That Nobleness it selfe makes thus vnkind?"
## [743] " I much do ghesse, yet finde no truth saue this,"
## [744] " That when the breath of my complaints doth tuch"
## [745] " Those dainty doors vnto the Court of Blisse,"
## [746] " The heau'nly nature of that place is such,"
## [747] " That, once come there, the sobs of mine annoyes"
## [748] " Are metamorphos'd straight to tunes of ioyes. "
## [749] ""
## [750] "XLV"
## [751] ""
## [752] " Stella oft sees the very face of wo"
## [753] " Painted in my beclowded stormie face,"
## [754] " But cannot skill to pitie my disgrace,"
## [755] " Not though thereof the cause herself she know:"
## [756] " Yet, hearing late a fable which did show"
## [757] " Of louers neuer knowne, a grieuous case,"
## [758] " Pitie thereof gate in her breast such place,"
## [759] " That, from that sea deriu'd, teares spring did flow."
## [760] " Alas, if Fancie, drawne by imag'd things"
## [761] " Though false, yet with free scope, more grace doth breed"
## [762] " Than seruants wracke, where new doubts honour brings;"
## [763] " Then thinke, my deare, that you in me do reed"
## [764] " Of louers ruine some thrise-sad tragedie."
## [765] " I am not I: pitie the tale of me. "
## [766] ""
## [767] "XLVI"
## [768] ""
## [769] " I curst thee oft, I pitie now thy case,"
## [770] " Blind-hitting Boy, since she that thee and me"
## [771] " Rules with a becke, so tyranniseth thee,"
## [772] " That thou must want or food or dwelling-place,"
## [773] " For she protests to banish thee her face."
## [774] " Her face! O Loue, a roge thou then shouldst be,"
## [775] " If Loue learne not alone to loue and see,"
## [776] " Without desire to feed of further grace."
## [777] " Alas, poor wag, that now a scholler art"
## [778] " To such a schoolmistresse, whose lessons new"
## [779] " Thou needs must misse, and so thou needs must smart."
## [780] " Yet, deare, let me his pardon get of you,"
## [781] " So long, though he from book myche to desire,"
## [782] " Till without fewell you can make hot fire. "
## [783] ""
## [784] "XLVII"
## [785] ""
## [786] " What, haue I thus betray'd my libertie?"
## [787] " Can those blacke beames such burning markes engraue"
## [788] " In my free side, or am I borne a slaue,"
## [789] " Whose necke becomes such yoke of tyrannie?"
## [790] " Or want I sense to feel my misery,"
## [791] " Or sprite, disdaine of such disdaine to haue,"
## [792] " Who for long faith, tho' daily helpe I craue,"
## [793] " May get no almes, but scorne of beggarie."
## [794] " Vertue, awake! Beautie but beautie is;"
## [795] " I may, I must, I can, I will, I do"
## [796] " Leaue following that which it is gain to misse."
## [797] " Let her goe! Soft, but here she comes! Goe to,"
## [798] " Vnkind, I loue you not! O me, that eye"
## [799] " Doth make my heart to giue my tongue the lie! "
## [800] ""
## [801] "XLVIII"
## [802] ""
## [803] " Soules ioy, bend not those morning starres from me"
## [804] " Where Vertue is made strong by Beauties might;"
## [805] " Where Loue is chasteness, Paine doth learn delight,"
## [806] " And Humbleness growes one with Maiesty."
## [807] " Whateuer may ensue, O let me be"
## [808] " Copartner of the riches of that sight."
## [809] " Let not mine eyes be hel-driu'n from that light;"
## [810] " O look, O shine, O let me die, and see."
## [811] " For though I oft myself of them bemone"
## [812] " That through my heart their beamie darts be gone,"
## [813] " Whose cureless wounds euen now most freshly bleed,"
## [814] " Yet since my death-wound is already got,"
## [815] " Deere killer, spare not thy sweete-cruell shot:"
## [816] " A kinde of grace it is to slaye with speed. "
## [817] ""
## [818] "XLIX"
## [819] ""
## [820] " I on my horse, and Loue on me, doth trie"
## [821] " Our horsemanships, while by strange worke I proue"
## [822] " A horsman to my horse, a horse to Loue,"
## [823] " And now mans wrongs in me, poor beast! descrie."
## [824] " The raines wherewith my rider doth me tie"
## [825] " Are humbled thoughts, which bit of reuerence moue,"
## [826] " Curb'd-in with feare, but with gilt bosse aboue"
## [827] " Of hope, which makes it seem fair to the eye:"
## [828] " The wand is will; thou, Fancie, saddle art,"
## [829] " Girt fast by Memorie; and while I spurre"
## [830] " My horse, he spurres with sharpe desire my hart."
## [831] " He sits me fast, howeuer I do sturre,"
## [832] " And now hath made me to his hand so right,"
## [833] " That in the manage my selfe take delight. "
## [834] ""
## [835] "L"
## [836] ""
## [837] " Stella, the fullnesse of my thoughts of thee"
## [838] " Cannot be staid within my panting breast,"
## [839] " But they do swell and struggle forth of me,"
## [840] " Till that in words thy figure be exprest:"
## [841] " And yet, as soone as they so formed be,"
## [842] " According to my lord Loues oene behest,"
## [843] " With sad eies I their weak proportion see"
## [844] " To portrait that which in this world is best."
## [845] " So that I cannot chuse but write my mind,"
## [846] " And cannot chuse but put out what I write,"
## [847] " While these poor babes their death in birth do find;"
## [848] " And now my pen these lines had dashed quite"
## [849] " But that they stopt his fury from the same,"
## [850] " Because their forefront bare sweet Stellas name. "
## [851] ""
## [852] "LI"
## [853] ""
## [854] " Pardon mine ears, both I and they do pray,"
## [855] " So may your tongue still flauntingly proceed"
## [856] " To them that do such entertainment need,"
## [857] " So may you still haue somewhat new to say."
## [858] " On silly me do not the burthen lay"
## [859] " Of all the graue conceits your braine doth breed,"
## [860] " But find some Hercules to beare, insteed"
## [861] " Of Atlas tyrd, your wisedoms heau'nly sway."
## [862] " For me, while you discourse of courtly tides,"
## [863] " Of cunningest fishers in most troubled streames,"
## [864] " Of straying waies, when valiant Errour guides,"
## [865] " Meanewhile my heart confers with Stellas beames,"
## [866] " And is e'en woe that so sweet comedie"
## [867] " By such vnsuted speech should hindred be. "
## [868] ""
## [869] "LII"
## [870] ""
## [871] " A strife is growne between Vertue and Loue,"
## [872] " While each pretends that Stella must be his:"
## [873] " Her eyes, her lips, her all, saith Loue, do this,"
## [874] " Since they do weare his badge, most firmly proue."
## [875] " But Virtue thus that title doth disproue,"
## [876] " That Stella (O dear name!) that Stella is"
## [877] " That vertuous soule, sure heire of heau'nly blisse."
## [878] " Not this faire outside, which our heart doth moue."
## [879] " And therefore, though her beautie and her grace"
## [880] " Be Loues indeed, in Stellas selfe he may"
## [881] " By no pretence claime any manner place."
## [882] " Well, Loue, since this demurre our sute doth stay,"
## [883] " Let Vertue haue that Stellaes selfe, yet thus,"
## [884] " That Vertue but that body graunt to vs. "
## [885] ""
## [886] "LIII"
## [887] ""
## [888] " In martiall sports I had my cunning tride,"
## [889] " And yet to breake more staues did mee addresse,"
## [890] " While, with the peoples shouts, I must confesse,"
## [891] " Youth, lucke, and praise euen fil'd my veines with pride;"
## [892] " When Cupid, hauing me, his slaue, descride"
## [893] " In Marses livery prauncing in the presse,"
## [894] " What now, Sir Foole! said he, (I would no lesse:)"
## [895] " Looke here, I say! I look'd, and Stella spide,"
## [896] " Who, hard by, made a window send forth light."
## [897] " My heart then quak'd, then dazled were mine eyes,"
## [898] " One hand forgat to rule, th'other to fight,"
## [899] " Nor trumpets sound I heard, nor friendly cries:"
## [900] " My foe came on, and beate the air for me,"
## [901] " Till that her blush taught me my shame to see. "
## [902] ""
## [903] "LIV"
## [904] ""
## [905] " Because I breathe not loue to euery one,"
## [906] " Nor doe not vse sette colours for to weare,"
## [907] " Nor nourish speciall locks of vowed haire,"
## [908] " Nor giue each speech a full point of a grone,"
## [909] " The Courtly Nymphes, acquainted with the mone"
## [910] " Of them wich in their lips Loues Standard beare:"
## [911] " What, he! (say they of me): now I dare sweare"
## [912] " He cannot loue; no,no, let him alone."
## [913] " And thinke so still, so Stella know my minde;"
## [914] " Profess in deede I do not Cupids art;"
## [915] " But you, fair maides, at length this true shall find,"
## [916] " That his right badge is but worne in the hart:"
## [917] " Dumbe Swans, not chattering Pyes, do louers proue;"
## [918] " They loue indeed who quake to say they loue. "
## [919] ""
## [920] "LV"
## [921] ""
## [922] " Muses, I oft inuoked your holy ayde,"
## [923] " With choisest flowers my speech t' engarland so,"
## [924] " That it, despisde, in true but naked shew"
## [925] " Might winne some grace in your sweet grace arraid;"
## [926] " And oft whole troupes of saddest words I staid,"
## [927] " Striuing abroad a-foraging to go,"
## [928] " Vntill by your inspiring I might know"
## [929] " How their blacke banner might be best displaid."
## [930] " But now I meane no more your helpe to try,"
## [931] " Nor other sugring of my speech to proue,"
## [932] " But on her name incessantly to cry;"
## [933] " For let me but name her whom I doe loue,"
## [934] " So sweet sounds straight mine eare and heart do hit,"
## [935] " That I well finde no eloquence like it. "
## [936] ""
## [937] "LVI"
## [938] ""
## [939] " Fy, schoole of Patience, fy! your Lesson is"
## [940] " Far, far too long to learne it without booke:"
## [941] " What, a whole weeke without one peece of looke,"
## [942] " And thinke I should not your large precepts misse!"
## [943] " When I might reade those Letters faire of blisse"
## [944] " Which in her face teach vertue, I could brooke"
## [945] " Somwhat thy leaden counsels, which I tooke"
## [946] " As of a friend that meant not much amisse."
## [947] " But now that I, alas, doe want her sight,"
## [948] " What, dost thou thinke that I can euer take"
## [949] " In thy cold stuffe a flegmatike delight?"
## [950] " No, Patience; if thou wilt my good, then make"
## [951] " Her come and heare with patience my desire,"
## [952] " And then with patience bid me beare my fire. "
## [953] ""
## [954] "LVII"
## [955] ""
## [956] " Who hauing made, with many fights, his owne"
## [957] " Each sence of mine, each gift, each pow'r of mind;"
## [958] " Growne now his slaues, he forst them out to find"
## [959] " The thorowest words fit for Woes selfe to grone,"
## [960] " Hoping that when they might finde Stella alone,"
## [961] " Before she could prepare to be vnkind,"
## [962] " Her soule, arm'd but with such a dainty rind,"
## [963] " Should soone be pierc'd with sharpnesse of the mone."
## [964] " She heard my plaints, and did not onely heare,"
## [965] " But them, so sweet is she, most sweetly sing,"
## [966] " With that faire breast making Woes darknesse cleare."
## [967] " A pretie case; I hoped her to bring"
## [968] " To feele my griefe; and she, with face and voyce,"
## [969] " So sweets my paines that my paines me reioyce. "
## [970] ""
## [971] "LVIII"
## [972] ""
## [973] " Doubt there hath beene when with his golden chaine"
## [974] " The orator so farre mens hearts doth bind,"
## [975] " That no pace else their guided steps can find"
## [976] " But as he them more short or slack doth raine;"
## [977] " Whether with words this soueraignty he gaine,"
## [978] " Cloth'd with fine tropes, with strongest reasons lin'd,"
## [979] " Or else pronouncing grace, wherewith his mind"
## [980] " Prints his owne liuely forme in rudest braine."
## [981] " Now iudge by this: in piercing phrases late"
## [982] " Th' Anatomie of all my woes I wrate;"
## [983] " Stellas sweet breath the same to me did reed."
## [984] " O voyce, O face! maugre my speeches might,"
## [985] " Which wooed wo, most rauishing delight"
## [986] " Euen those sad words euen in sad me did breed. "
## [987] ""
## [988] "LIX"
## [989] ""
## [990] " Deere, why make you more of a dog then me?"
## [991] " If he doe loue, I burne, I burne in loue;"
## [992] " If he waite well, I neuer thence would moue;"
## [993] " If he be faire, yet but a dog can be;"
## [994] " Little he is, so little worth is he;"
## [995] " He barks, my songs thine owne voyce oft doth proue;"
## [996] " Bidden, perhaps he fetched thee a gloue,"
## [997] " But I, vnbid, fetch euen my soule to thee."
## [998] " Yet, while I languish, him that bosome clips,"
## [999] " That lap doth lap, nay lets, in spite of spite,"
## [1000] " This sowre-breath'd mate taste of those sugred lips."
## [1001] " Alas, if you graunt onely such delight"
## [1002] " To witlesse things, then Loue, I hope (since wit"
## [1003] " Becomes a clog) will soone ease me of it. "
## [1004] ""
## [1005] "LX"
## [1006] ""
## [1007] " When my good Angell guides me to the place"
## [1008] " Where all my good I doe in Stella see,"
## [1009] " That heau'n of ioyes throwes onely downe on me"
## [1010] " Thundring disdaines and lightnings of disgrace;"
## [1011] " But when the ruggedst step of Fortunes race"
## [1012] " Makes me fall from her sight, then sweetly she,"
## [1013] " With words wherein the Muses treasures be,"
## [1014] " Shewes loue and pitie to my absent case."
## [1015] " Now I, wit-beaten long by hardest fate,"
## [1016] " So dull am, that I cannot looke into"
## [1017] " The ground of this fierce loue and louely hate."
## [1018] " Then, some good body, tell me how I do,"
## [1019] " Whose presence absence, absence presence is;"
## [1020] " Blest in my curse, and cursed in my blisse. "
## [1021] ""
## [1022] "LXI"
## [1023] ""
## [1024] " Oft with true sighs, oft with vncalled teares,"
## [1025] " Now with slow words, now with dumbe eloquence,"
## [1026] " I Stellas eyes assaid, inuade her eares;"
## [1027] " But this, at last, is her sweet breath'd defence:"
## [1028] " That who indeed in-felt affection beares,"
## [1029] " So captiues to his Saint both soule and sence,"
## [1030] " That, wholly hers, all selfenesse he forbeares,"
## [1031] " Then his desires he learnes, his liues course thence."
## [1032] " Now, since her chast mind hates this loue in me,"
## [1033] " With chastned mind I straight must shew that she"
## [1034] " Shall quickly me from what she hates remoue."
## [1035] " O Doctor Cupid, thou for me reply;"
## [1036] " Driu'n else to graunt, by Angels Sophistrie,"
## [1037] " That I loue not without I leaue to loue. "
## [1038] ""
## [1039] "LXII"
## [1040] ""
## [1041] " Late tyr'd with wo, euen ready for to pine"
## [1042] " With rage of loue, I cald my Loue vnkind;"
## [1043] " She in whose eyes loue, though vnfelt, doth shine,"
## [1044] " Sweet said, that I true loue in her should find."
## [1045] " I ioyed; but straight thus watred was my wine;"
## [1046] " That loue she did, but lou'd a loue not blind;"
## [1047] " Which would not let me, whom shee lou'd, decline"
## [1048] " From nobler course, fit for my birth and mind:"
## [1049] " And therefore, by her loues Authority,"
## [1050] " Wild me these tempests of vaine loue to flie,"
## [1051] " And anchor fast my selfe on Vertues shore."
## [1052] " Alas, if this the only mettall be"
## [1053] " Of loue new-coin'd to help my beggary,"
## [1054] " Deere, loue me not, that you may loue me more. "
## [1055] ""
## [1056] "LXIII"
## [1057] ""
## [1058] " O grammer-rules, O now your vertues show;"
## [1059] " So children still reade you with awfull eyes,"
## [1060] " As my young doue may, in your precepts wise,"
## [1061] " Her graunt to me by her owne vertue know:"
## [1062] " For late, with heart most hie, with eyes most lowe,"
## [1063] " I crau'd the thing which euer she denies;"
## [1064] " Shee, lightning loue, displaying Venus skies,"
## [1065] " Least once should not be heard, twise said, No, no."
## [1066] " Sing then, my Muse, now Io Pæn sing;"
## [1067] " Heau'ns enuy not at my high triumphing,"
## [1068] " But grammers force with sweete successe confirme:"
## [1069] " For grammer says, (O this, deare Stella , say,)"
## [1070] " For grammer sayes, (to grammer who sayes nay?)"
## [1071] " That in one speech two negatiues affirme! "
## [1072] ""
## [1073] "LXIV"
## [1074] ""
## [1075] " No more, my deare, no more these counsels trie;"
## [1076] " O giue my passions leaue to run their race;"
## [1077] " Let Fortune lay on me her worst disgrace;"
## [1078] " Let folke orecharg'd with braine against me crie;"
## [1079] " Let clouds bedimme my face, breake in mine eye;"
## [1080] " Let me no steps but of lost labour trace;"
## [1081] " Let all the earth with scorne recount my case,"
## [1082] " But do not will me from my loue to flie."
## [1083] " I do not enuie Aristotless wit,"
## [1084] " Nor do aspire to Cæsars bleeding fame;"
## [1085] " Nor ought do care though some aboue me sit;"
## [1086] " Nor hope, nor wish another course to frame"
## [1087] " But that which once may win thy cruell hart:"
## [1088] " Thou art my wit, and thou my vertue art. "
## [1089] ""
## [1090] "LXV"
## [1091] ""
## [1092] " Loue, by sure proofe I may call thee vnkind,"
## [1093] " That giu'st no better ear to my iust cries;"
## [1094] " Thou whom to me such good turnes should bind,"
## [1095] " As I may well recount, but none can prize:"
## [1096] " For when, nak'd Boy, thou couldst no harbour finde"
## [1097] " In this old world, growne now so too, too wise,"
## [1098] " I lodgd thee in my heart, and being blind"
## [1099] " By nature borne, I gaue to thee mine eyes;"
## [1100] " Mine eyes! my light, my heart, my life, alas!"
## [1101] " If so great seruices may scorned be,"
## [1102] " Yet let this thought thy Tygrish courage passe,"
## [1103] " That I perhaps am somewhat kinne to thee;"
## [1104] " Since in thine armes, if learnd fame truth hath spread,"
## [1105] " Thou bear'st the Arrow, I the Arrow-head. "
## [1106] ""
## [1107] "LXVI"
## [1108] ""
## [1109] " And do I see some cause a hope to feede,"
## [1110] " Or doth the tedious burden of long wo"
## [1111] " In weaken'd minds quick apprehending breed"
## [1112] " Of euerie image which may comfort shew?"
## [1113] " I cannot brag of word, much lesse of deed,"
## [1114] " Fortune wheeles still with me in one sort slow;"
## [1115] " My wealth no more, and no whit lesse my need;"
## [1116] " Desier still on stilts of Feare doth go."
## [1117] " And yet amid all feares a hope there is,"
## [1118] " Stolne to my hart since last faire night, nay day,"
## [1119] " Stellas eyes sent to me the beames of blisse,"
## [1120] " Looking on me while I lookt other way:"
## [1121] " But when mine eyes backe to their heau'n did moue,"
## [1122] " They fled with blush which guiltie seem'd of loue. "
## [1123] ""
## [1124] "LXVII"
## [1125] ""
## [1126] " Hope, art thou true, or doest thou flatter me?"
## [1127] " Doth Stella now beginne with piteous eye"
## [1128] " The ruines of her conquest to espie?"
## [1129] " Will she take time before all wracked be?"
## [1130] " Her eyes-speech is translated thus by thee,"
## [1131] " But failst thou not in phrases so heau'nly hye?"
## [1132] " Looke on againe, the faire text better prie;"
## [1133] " What blushing notes dost thou in Margent see?"
## [1134] " What sighes stolne out, or kild before full-borne?"
## [1135] " Hast thou found such and such-like arguments,"
## [1136] " Or art thou else to comfort me forsworne?"
## [1137] " Well, how-so thou interpret the contents,"
## [1138] " I am resolu'd thy errour to maintaine,"
## [1139] " Rather then by more truth to get more paine. "
## [1140] ""
## [1141] "LXVIII"
## [1142] ""
## [1143] " Stella, the onely planet of my light,"
## [1144] " Light of my life, and life of my desire,"
## [1145] " Chiefe good whereto my hope doth only aspire,"
## [1146] " World of my wealth, and heau'n of my delight;"
## [1147] " Why dost thou spend the treasures of thy sprite"
## [1148] " With voice more fit to wed Amphions lyre,"
## [1149] " Seeking to quench in me the noble fire"
## [1150] " Fed by thy worth, and kindled by thy sight?"
## [1151] " And all in vaine: for while thy breath most sweet"
## [1152] " With choisest words, thy words with reasons rare,"
## [1153] " Thy reasons firmly set on Vertues feet,"
## [1154] " Labour to kill in me this killing care:"
## [1155] " O thinke I then, what paradise of ioy"
## [1156] " It is, so faire a vertue to enioy! "
## [1157] ""
## [1158] "LXIX"
## [1159] ""
## [1160] " O ioy to high for my low stile to show!"
## [1161] " O blisse fit for a nobler seat then me!"
## [1162] " Enuie, put out thine eyes, least thou do see"
## [1163] " What oceans of delight in me do flowe!"
## [1164] " My friend, that oft saw through all maskes my wo,"
## [1165] " Come, come, and let me powre my selfe on thee."
## [1166] " Gone is the Winter of my miserie!"
## [1167] " My Spring appeares; O see what here doth grow:"
## [1168] " For Stella hath, with words where faith doth shine,"
## [1169] " Of her high heart giu'n me the Monarchie:"
## [1170] " I, I, O I, may say that she is mine!"
## [1171] " And though she giue but thus conditionly,"
## [1172] " This realme of blisse while vertuous course I take,"
## [1173] " No kings be crown'd but they some couenants make. "
## [1174] ""
## [1175] "LXX"
## [1176] ""
## [1177] " My Muse may well grudge at my heau'nly ioy,"
## [1178] " Yf still I force her in sad rimes to creepe:"
## [1179] " She oft hath drunk my teares, now hopes to enioy"
## [1180] " Nectar of mirth, since I Ioues cup do keepe."
## [1181] " Sonets be not bound Prentice to annoy;"
## [1182] " Trebles sing high, so well as bases deepe;"
## [1183] " Griefe but Loues winter-liuerie is; the boy"
## [1184] " Hath cheekes to smile, so well as eyes to weepe."
## [1185] " Come then, my Muse, shew thou height of delight"
## [1186] " In well-raisde notes; my pen, the best it may,"
## [1187] " Shall paint out ioy, though in but blacke and white."
## [1188] " Cease, eager Muse; peace, pen, for my sake stay,"
## [1189] " I giue you here my hand for truth of this,"
## [1190] " Wise silence is best musicke vnto blisse. "
## [1191] ""
## [1192] "LXXI"
## [1193] ""
## [1194] " Who will in fairest booke of Nature know"
## [1195] " How vertue may best lodg'd in Beautie be,"
## [1196] " Let him but learne of Loue to reade in thee,"
## [1197] " Stella, those faire lines which true goodnesse show."
## [1198] " There shall he find all vices ouerthrow,"
## [1199] " Not by rude force, but sweetest soueraigntie"
## [1200] " Of reason, from whose light those night-birds flie,"
## [1201] " That inward sunne in thine eyes shineth so."
## [1202] " And, not content to be Perfections heire"
## [1203] " Thy selfe, doest striue all minds that way to moue,"
## [1204] " Who marke in thee what is in thee most faire:"
## [1205] " So while thy beautie drawes the heart to loue,"
## [1206] " As fast thy vertue bends that loue to good:"
## [1207] " But, ah, Desire still cries, Giue me some food. "
## [1208] ""
## [1209] "LXXII"
## [1210] ""
## [1211] " Desire, though thou my old companion art,"
## [1212] " And oft so clings to my pure loue that I"
## [1213] " One from the other scarcely can discrie,"
## [1214] " While each doth blowe the fier of my hart;"
## [1215] " Now from thy fellowship I needs must part;"
## [1216] " Venus is taught with Dians wings to flie;"
## [1217] " I must no more in thy sweet passions lie;"
## [1218] " Vertues gold must now head my Cupids dart."
## [1219] " Seruice and honour, wonder with delight,"
## [1220] " Feare to offend, will worthie to appeare,"
## [1221] " Care shining in mine eyes, faith in my sprite;"
## [1222] " These things are left me by my onely Deare:"
## [1223] " But thou, Desire, because thou wouldst haue all,"
## [1224] " Now banisht art; but yet, alas, how shall? "
## [1225] ""
## [1226] "LXXIII"
## [1227] ""
## [1228] " Loue, still a Boy, and oft a wanton is,"
## [1229] " School'd onely by his mothers tender eye;"
## [1230] " What wonder then if he his lesson misse,"
## [1231] " When for so soft a rodde deare play he trye?"
## [1232] " And yet my Starre, because a sugred kisse"
## [1233] " In sport I suckt while she asleepe did lye,"
## [1234] " Doth lowre, nay chide, nay threat for only this."
## [1235] " Sweet, it was saucie Loue, not humble I."
## [1236] " But no scuse serues; she makes her wrath appeare"
## [1237] " In beauties throne: see now, who dares come neare"
## [1238] " Those scarlet Iudges, thretning bloudie paine."
## [1239] " O heau'nly foole, thy most kisse-worthy face"
## [1240] " Anger inuests with such a louely grace,"
## [1241] " That Angers selfe I needs must kisse againe. "
## [1242] ""
## [1243] "LXXIV"
## [1244] ""
## [1245] " I neuer dranke of Aganippe well,"
## [1246] " Nor euer did in shade of Tempe sit,"
## [1247] " And Muses scorne with vulgar brains to dwell;"
## [1248] " Poore Layman I, for sacred rites vnfit."
## [1249] " Some doe I heare of Poets fury tell,"
## [1250] " But, God wot, wot not what they meane by it;"
## [1251] " And this I sweare by blackest brooke of hell,"
## [1252] " I am no pick-purse of anothers wit."
## [1253] " How falles it then, that with so smooth an ease"
## [1254] " My thoughts I speake; and what I speake doth flow"
## [1255] " In verse, and that my verse best wits doth please?"
## [1256] " Ghesse we the cause? What, is it this? Fie, no."
## [1257] " Or so? Much lesse. How then? Sure thus it is,"
## [1258] " My lips are sweet, inspir'd with Stellas kisse. "
## [1259] ""
## [1260] "LXXV"
## [1261] ""
## [1262] " Of all the Kings that euer here did raigne,"
## [1263] " Edward, nam'd fourth, as first in praise I name:"
## [1264] " Not for his faire outside, nor well-lin'd braine,"
## [1265] " Although lesse gifts impe feathers oft on fame."
## [1266] " Nor that he could, young-wise, wise-valiant, frame"
## [1267] " His sires reuenge, ioyn'd with a kingdomes gaine;"
## [1268] " And gain'd by Mars, could yet mad Mars so tame,"
## [1269] " That balance weigh'd, what sword did late obtaine."
## [1270] " Nor that he made the floure-de-luce so 'fraid,"
## [1271] " (Though strongly hedg'd) of bloudy lyons pawes,"
## [1272] " That wittie Lewes to him a tribute paid:"
## [1273] " Nor this, nor that, nor any such small cause;"
## [1274] " But only for this worthy King durst proue"
## [1275] " To lose his crowne, rather than faile his loue. "
## [1276] ""
## [1277] "LXXVI"
## [1278] ""
## [1279] " She comes, and streight therewith her shining twins do moue"
## [1280] " Their rayes to me, who in their tedious absence lay"
## [1281] " Benighted in cold wo; but now appears my day,"
## [1282] " The only light of ioy, the only warmth of loue."
## [1283] " She comes with light and warmth, which, like Aurora, proue"
## [1284] " Of gentle force, so that mine eyes dare gladly play"
## [1285] " With such a rosie Morne, whose beames, most freshly gay,"
## [1286] " Scorch not, but onely doe dark chilling sprites remoue."
## [1287] " But lo, while I do speake, it groweth noone with me,"
## [1288] " Her flamie-glistring lights increse with time and place,"
## [1289] " My heart cries, oh! it burnes, mine eyes now dazl'd be;"
## [1290] " No wind, no shade can coole: what helpe then in my case?"
## [1291] " But with short breath, long looks, staid feet, and aching hed,"
## [1292] " Pray that my Sunne goe downe with meeker beames to bed. "
## [1293] ""
## [1294] "LXXVII"
## [1295] ""
## [1296] " Those lookes, whose beames be ioy, whose motion is delight;"
## [1297] " That face, whose lecture shews what perfect beauty is;"
## [1298] " That presence, which doth giue darke hearts a liuing light;"
## [1299] " That grace, which Venus weeps that she her selfe doth misse;"
## [1300] " That hand, which without touch holds more then Atlas might;"
## [1301] " Those lips, which make deaths pay a meane price for a kisse;"
## [1302] " That skin, whose passe-praise hue scornes this poor tearm of white;"
## [1303] " Those words, which do sublime the quintessence of bliss;"
## [1304] " That voyce, which makes the soule plant himselfe in the ears,"
## [1305] " That conuersation sweet, where such high comforts be,"
## [1306] " As, consterd in true speech, the name of heaun it beares;"
## [1307] " Makes me in my best thoughts and quietst iudgments see"
## [1308] " That in no more but these I might be fully blest:"
## [1309] " Yet, ah, my mayd'n Muse doth blush to tell the best. "
## [1310] ""
## [1311] "LXXVIII"
## [1312] ""
## [1313] " O how the pleasant ayres of true loue be"
## [1314] " Infected by those vapours which arise"
## [1315] " From out that noysome gulfe, which gaping lies"
## [1316] " Betweene the iawes of hellish Ielousie!"
## [1317] " A monster, others harme, selfe-miserie,"
## [1318] " Beauties plague, Vertues scourge, succour of lies;"
## [1319] " Who his owne ioy to his owne hurt applies,"
## [1320] " And onely cherish doth with iniurie:"
## [1321] " Who since he hath, by Natures speciall grace,"
## [1322] " So piercing pawes as spoyle when they embrace;"
## [1323] " So nimble feet as stirre still, though on thornes;"
## [1324] " So many eyes, ay seeking their owne woe;"
## [1325] " So ample eares as neuer good newes know:"
## [1326] " Is it not euill that such a deuil wants hornes? "
## [1327] ""
## [1328] "LXXIX"
## [1329] ""
## [1330] " Sweet kisse, thy sweets I faine would sweetly endite,"
## [1331] " Which, euen of sweetnesse sweetest sweetner art;"
## [1332] " Pleasingst consort, where each sence holds a part;"
## [1333] " Which, coupling Doues, guides Venus chariot right."
## [1334] " Best charge, and brauest retrait in Cupids fight;"
## [1335] " A double key, which opens to the heart,"
## [1336] " Most rich when most riches it impart;"
## [1337] " Nest of young ioyes, Schoolemaster of delight,"
## [1338] " Teaching the meane at once to take and giue;"
## [1339] " The friendly fray, where blowes both wound and heale,"
## [1340] " The prettie death, while each in other liue."
## [1341] " Poore hopes first wealth, ostage of promist weale;"
## [1342] " Breakfast of loue. But lo, lo, where she is,"
## [1343] " Cease we to praise; now pray we for a kisse. "
## [1344] ""
## [1345] "LXXX"
## [1346] ""
## [1347] " Sweet-swelling lip, well maist thou swell in pride,"
## [1348] " Since best wits thinke it wit thee to admire;"
## [1349] " Natures praise, Vertues stall; Cupids cold fire,"
## [1350] " Whence words, not words but heau'nly graces slide;"
## [1351] " The new Parnassus, where the Muses bide;"
## [1352] " Sweetner of Musicke, Wisedomes beautifier,"
## [1353] " Breather of life, and fastner of desire,"
## [1354] " Where Beauties blush in Honors graine is dide."
## [1355] " Thus much my heart compeld my mouth to say;"
## [1356] " But now, spite of my heart, my mouth will stay,"
## [1357] " Loathing all lies, doubting this flatterie is:"
## [1358] " And no spurre can his resty race renewe,"
## [1359] " Without, how farre this praise is short of you,"
## [1360] " Sweet Lipp, you teach my mouth with one sweet kisse. "
## [1361] ""
## [1362] "LXXXI"
## [1363] ""
## [1364] " O kisse, which dost those ruddie gemmes impart,"
## [1365] " Or gemmes or fruits of new-found Paradise,"
## [1366] " Breathing all blisse, and sweetning to the heart,"
## [1367] " Teaching dumbe lips a nobler exercise;"
## [1368] " O kisse, which soules, euen soules, together ties"
## [1369] " By linkes of loue and only Natures art,"
## [1370] " How faine would I paint thee to all mens eyes."
## [1371] " Or of thy gifts at least shade out some part!"
## [1372] " But she forbids; with blushing words she sayes"
## [1373] " She builds her fame on higher-seated praise."
## [1374] " But my heart burnes; I cannot silent be."
## [1375] " Then, since, dear life, you faine would haue me peace,"
## [1376] " And I, mad with delight, want wit to cease,"
## [1377] " Stop you my mouth with still still kissing me. "
## [1378] ""
## [1379] "LXXXII"
## [1380] ""
## [1381] " Nymph of the garden where all beauties be,"
## [1382] " Beauties which do in excellencie passe"
## [1383] " His who till death lookt in a watrie glasse,"
## [1384] " Or hers whom nakd the Troian boy did see;"
## [1385] " Sweet-gard'n-nymph, which keepes the Cherrie-tree"
## [1386] " Whose fruit doth farre the Hesperian tast surpasse,"
## [1387] " Most sweet-faire, most faire-sweete, do not, alas,"
## [1388] " From comming neare those Cherries banish mee."
## [1389] " For though, full of desire, empty of wit,"
## [1390] " Admitted late by your best-graced grace,"
## [1391] " I caught at one of them, and hungry bit;"
## [1392] " Pardon that fault; once more grant me the place;"
## [1393] " And I do sweare, euen by the same delight,"
## [1394] " I will but kisse; I neuer more will bite. "
## [1395] ""
## [1396] "LXXXIII"
## [1397] ""
## [1398] " Good brother Philip, I haue borne you long;"
## [1399] " I was content you should in fauour creepe,"
## [1400] " While craftely you seem'd your cut to keepe,"
## [1401] " As though that faire soft hand did you great wrong:"
## [1402] " I bare with enuie, yet I bare your song,"
## [1403] " When in her necke you did loue-ditties peepe;"
## [1404] " Nay (more foole I) oft suffred you to sleepe"
## [1405] " In lillies neast where Loues selfe lies along."
## [1406] " What, doth high place ambitious thoughts augment?"
## [1407] " Is sawcinesse reward of curtesie?"
## [1408] " Cannot such grace your silly selfe content,"
## [1409] " But you must needs with those lips billing be,"
## [1410] " And through those lips drinke nectar from that toong?"
## [1411] " Leaue that, Syr Phip, least off your neck be wroong! "
## [1412] ""
## [1413] "LXXXIV"
## [1414] ""
## [1415] " High way, since you my chiefe Pernassus be,"
## [1416] " And that my Muse, to some eares not vnsweet,"
## [1417] " Tempers her words to trampling horses feete"
## [1418] " More oft then to a chamber-melodie."
## [1419] " Now, blessed you beare onward blessed me"
## [1420] " To her, where I my heart, safe-left, shall meet;"
## [1421] " My Muse and I must you of dutie greet"
## [1422] " With thankes and wishes, wishing thankfully."
## [1423] " Be you still faire, honord by publicke heede;"
## [1424] " By no encroachment wrong'd, nor time forgot;"
## [1425] " Nor blam'd for bloud, nor sham'd for sinfull deed;"
## [1426] " And that you know I enuy you no lot"
## [1427] " Of highest wish, I wish you so much bliss,"
## [1428] " Hundreds of yeares you Stellaes feet may kisse. "
## [1429] ""
## [1430] "LXXXV"
## [1431] ""
## [1432] " I see the house, (my heart thy selfe containe!)"
## [1433] " Beware full sailes drowne not thy tottring barge,"
## [1434] " Least ioy, by nature apt sprites to enlarge,"
## [1435] " Thee to thy wracke beyond thy limits straine;"
## [1436] " Nor do like Lords whose weake confused braine"
## [1437] " Not 'pointing to fit folkes each vndercharge,"
## [1438] " While euerie office themselues will discharge,"
## [1439] " With doing all, leaue nothing done but paine."
## [1440] " But giue apt seruants their due place: let eyes"
## [1441] " See beauties totall summe summ'd in her face;"
## [1442] " Let eares heare speach which wit to wonder ties;"
## [1443] " Let breath sucke vp those sweetes; let armes embrace"
## [1444] " The globe of weale, lips Loues indentures make;"
## [1445] " Thou but of all the kingly tribute take. "
## [1446] ""
## [1447] "LXXXVI"
## [1448] ""
## [1449] " Alas, whence came this change of lookes? If I"
## [1450] " Haue chang'd desert, let mine owne conscience be"
## [1451] " A still-felt plague to selfe-condemning mee;"
## [1452] " Let woe gripe on my heart, shame loade mine eye:"
## [1453] " But if all faith, like spotlesse Ermine, ly"
## [1454] " Safe in my soule, which only doth to thee,"
## [1455] " As his sole obiect of felicitie,"
## [1456] " With wings of loue in aire of wonder flie,"
## [1457] " O ease your hand, treate not so hard your slaue;"
## [1458] " In iustice paines come not till faults do call:"
## [1459] " Or if I needs, sweet Iudge, must torments haue,"
## [1460] " Vse something else to chasten me withall"
## [1461] " Then those blest eyes, where all my hopes do dwell:"
## [1462] " No doome should make ones Heau'n become his Hell. "
## [1463] ""
## [1464] "LXXXVII"
## [1465] ""
## [1466] " When I was forst from Stella euer deere,"
## [1467] " Stella, food of my thoughts, hart of my hart;"
## [1468] " Stella, whose eyes make all my tempests cleere,"
## [1469] " By Stellas lawes of duetie to depart;"
## [1470] " Alas, I found that she with me did smart;"
## [1471] " I saw that teares did in her eyes appeare;"
## [1472] " I sawe that sighes her sweetest lips did part,"
## [1473] " And her sad words my sadded sense did heare."
## [1474] " For me, I wept to see pearles scatter'd so;"
## [1475] " I sigh'd her sighes, and wailed for her wo;"
## [1476] " Yet swam in ioy, such loue in her was seene."
## [1477] " Thus, while th' effect most bitter was to me,"
## [1478] " And nothing then the cause more sweet could be,"
## [1479] " I had bene vext, if vext I had not beene. "
## [1480] ""
## [1481] "LXXXVIII"
## [1482] ""
## [1483] " Out, traytor Absence, dar'st thou counsell me"
## [1484] " From my deare captainesse to run away,"
## [1485] " Because in braue array heere marcheth she,"
## [1486] " That, to win mee, oft shewes a present pay?"
## [1487] " Is faith so weake? or is such force in thee?"
## [1488] " When sun is hid, can starres such beames display?"
## [1489] " Cannot heau'ns food, once felt, keepe stomakes free"
## [1490] " From base desire on earthly cates to pray?"
## [1491] " Tush, Absence; while thy mistes eclipse that light,"
## [1492] " My orphan sense flies to the inward sight,"
## [1493] " Where memory sets forth the beames of loue;"
## [1494] " That, where before hart lou'd and eyes did see,"
## [1495] " In hart both sight and loue now coupled be:"
## [1496] " Vnited pow'rs make each the stronger proue. "
## [1497] ""
## [1498] "LXXXIX"
## [1499] ""
## [1500] " Now that of absence the most irksom night"
## [1501] " With darkest shade doth ouercome my day;"
## [1502] " Since Stellaes eyes, wont to giue me my day,"
## [1503] " Leauing my hemisphere, leaue me in night;"
## [1504] " Each day seemes long, and longs for long-staid night;"
## [1505] " The night, as tedious, wooes th' approch of day:"
## [1506] " Tired with the dusty toiles of busie day,"
## [1507] " Languisht with horrors of the silent night,"
## [1508] " Suff'ring the euils both of day and night,"
## [1509] " While no night is more darke then is my day,"
## [1510] " Nor no day hath lesse quiet then my night:"
## [1511] " With such bad-mixture of my night and day,"
## [1512] " That liuing thus in blackest Winter night,"
## [1513] " I feele the flames of hottest Sommer day. "
## [1514] ""
## [1515] "XC"
## [1516] ""
## [1517] " Stella, thinke not that I by verse seeke fame,"
## [1518] " Who seeke, who hope, who loue, who liue but thee;"
## [1519] " Thine eyes my pride, thy lips mine history:"
## [1520] " If thou praise not, all other praise is shame."
## [1521] " Nor so ambitious am I, as to frame"
## [1522] " A nest for my young praise in lawrell tree:"
## [1523] " In truth, I sweare I wish not there should be"
## [1524] " Grau'd in my epitaph a Poets name."
## [1525] " Ne, if I would, could I iust title make,"
## [1526] " That any laud thereof to me should growe,"
## [1527] " Without my plumes from others wings I take:"
## [1528] " For nothing from my wit or will doth flow,"
## [1529] " Since all my words thy beauty doth endite,"
## [1530] " And Loue doth hold my hand, and makes me write. "
## [1531] ""
## [1532] "XCI"
## [1533] ""
## [1534] " Stella, while now, by Honours cruell might,"
## [1535] " I am from you, light of my life, misled,"
## [1536] " And whiles, faire you, my sunne, thus ouerspred"
## [1537] " With Absence vaile, I liue in Sorrowes night;"
## [1538] " If this darke place yet shewe like candle-light,"
## [1539] " Some beauties peece, as amber-colour'd hed,"
## [1540] " Milke hands, rose cheeks, or lips more sweet, more red;"
## [1541] " Or seeing jets blacke but in blacknesse bright;"
## [1542] " They please, I do confesse they please mine eyes."
## [1543] " But why? because of you they models be;"
## [1544] " Models, such be wood-globes of glist'ring skies."
## [1545] " Deere therefore be not iaelous ouer me,"
## [1546] " If you heare that they seeme my heart to moue;"
## [1547] " Not them, O no, but you in them I loue. "
## [1548] ""
## [1549] "XCII"
## [1550] ""
## [1551] " Be your words made, good Sir, of Indian ware,"
## [1552] " That you allow me them by so small rate?"
## [1553] " Or do you curtted Spartanes imitate?"
## [1554] " Or do you meane my tender eares to spare,"
## [1555] " That to my questions you so totall are?"
## [1556] " When I demaund of Phoenix-Stellas state,"
## [1557] " You say, forsooth, you left her well of late:"
## [1558] " O God, thinke you that satisfies my care?"
## [1559] " I would know whether she did sit or walke;"
## [1560] " How cloth'd; how waited on; sigh'd she, or smilde"
## [1561] " Whereof, with whom, how often did she talke;"
## [1562] " With what pastimes Times iourney she beguilde;"
## [1563] " If her lips daignd to sweeten my poore name."
## [1564] " Saie all; and all well sayd, still say the same. "
## [1565] ""
## [1566] "XCIII"
## [1567] ""
## [1568] " O fate, O fault, O curse, child of my blisse!"
## [1569] " What sobs can giue words grace my griefe to show?"
## [1570] " What inke is blacke inough to paint my woe?"
## [1571] " Through me (wretch me) euen Stella vexed is."
## [1572] " Yet, Trueth, if Caitives breath may call thee, this"
## [1573] " Witnesse with me, that my foule stumbling so,"
## [1574] " From carelessenesse did in no maner grow;"
## [1575] " But wit, confus'd with too much care, did misse."
## [1576] " And do I, then, my selfe this vaine scuse giue?"
## [1577] " I haue (liue I, and know this) harmed thee;"
## [1578] " Tho' worlds 'quite me, shall I my selfe forgiue?"
## [1579] " Only with paines my paines thus eased be,"
## [1580] " That all thy hurts in my harts wracke I reede;"
## [1581] " I cry thy sighs, my deere, thy teares I bleede. "
## [1582] ""
## [1583] "XCIV"
## [1584] ""
## [1585] " Griefe, find the words; for thou hast made my braine"
## [1586] " So darke with misty vapuors, which arise"
## [1587] " From out thy heauy mould, that inbent eyes"
## [1588] " Can scarce discerne the shape of mine owne paine."
## [1589] " Do thou, then (for thou canst) do thou complaine"
## [1590] " For my poore soule, which now that sicknesse tries,"
## [1591] " Which euen to sence, sence of it selfe denies,"
## [1592] " Though harbengers of death lodge there his traine."
## [1593] " Or if thy loue of plaint yet mine forbeares,"
## [1594] " As of a Caitife worthy so to die;"
## [1595] " Yet waile thy selfe, and waile with causefull teares,"
## [1596] " That though in wretchednesse thy life doth lie,"
## [1597] " Yet growest more wretched then by nature beares"
## [1598] " By being plac'd in such a wretch as I. "
## [1599] ""
## [1600] "XCV"
## [1601] ""
## [1602] " Yet sighes, deare sighs, indeede true friends you are,"
## [1603] " That do not leaue your best friend at the wurst,"
## [1604] " But, as you with my breast I oft haue nurst,"
## [1605] " So, gratefull now, you waite vpon my care."
## [1606] " Faint coward Ioy no longer tarry dare,"
## [1607] " Seeing Hope yeeld when this wo strake him furst;"
## [1608] " Delight exclaims he is for my fault curst,"
## [1609] " Though oft himselfe my mate in Armes he sware;"
## [1610] " Nay, Sorrow comes with such maine rage, that he"
## [1611] " Kils his owne children (teares) finding that they"
## [1612] " By Loue were made apt to consort with me."
## [1613] " Only, true Sighs, you do not goe away:"
## [1614] " Thanke may you haue for such a thankfull part,"
## [1615] " Thank-worthiest yet when you shall break my hart. "
## [1616] ""
## [1617] "XCVI"
## [1618] ""
## [1619] " Thought, with good cause thou lik'st so well the night,"
## [1620] " Since kind or chance giues both one liuerie,"
## [1621] " Both sadly blacke, both blackly darkned be;"
## [1622] " Night bard from Sunne, thou from thy owne sunlight;"
## [1623] " Silence in both displaies his sullen might;"
## [1624] " Slow heauinesse in both holds one degree"
## [1625] " That full of doubts, thou of perplexity;"
## [1626] " Thy teares expresse Nights natiue moisture right;"
## [1627] " In both amazeful solitarinesse:"
## [1628] " In night, of sprites, the gastly powers do stur;"
## [1629] " In thee or sprites or sprited gastlinesse."
## [1630] " But, but (alas) Nights side the ods hath fur:"
## [1631] " For that, at length, yet doth inuite some rest;"
## [1632] " Thou, though still tired, yet still doost it detest. "
## [1633] ""
## [1634] "XCVII"
## [1635] ""
## [1636] " Dian, that faine would cheare her friend the Night,"
## [1637] " Shewes her oft, at the full, her fairest face,"
## [1638] " Bringing with her those starry Nymphs, whose chace"
## [1639] " From heau'nly standing hits each mortall wight."
## [1640] " But ah, poore Night, in loue with Phoebus light,"
## [1641] " And endlesly dispairing of his grace,"
## [1642] " Her selfe, to shewe no other ioy hath place;"
## [1643] " Sylent and sad, in mourning weedes doth dight."
## [1644] " Euen so (alas) a lady, Dians peere,"
## [1645] " With choise delights and rarest company"
## [1646] " Would faine driue cloudes from out my heauy cheere;"
## [1647] " But, wo is me, though Ioy her selfe were she,"
## [1648] " Shee could not shew my blind braine waies of ioy,"
## [1649] " While I despaire my sunnes sight to enioy. "
## [1650] ""
## [1651] "XCVIII"
## [1652] ""
## [1653] " Ah, bed! the field where Ioyes peace some do see,"
## [1654] " The field where all my thoughts to warre be train'd,"
## [1655] " How is thy grace by my strange fortune strain'd!"
## [1656] " How thy lee-shores by my sighes stormed be!"
## [1657] " With sweete soft shades thou oft inuitest me"
## [1658] " To steale some rest; but, wretch, I am constrain'd,"
## [1659] " Spurd with Loues spur, though gald, and shortly rain'd"
## [1660] " With Cares hard hand to turne and tosse in thee,"
## [1661] " While the blacke horrors of the silent night"
## [1662] " Paint Woes blacke face so liuely to my sight"
## [1663] " That tedious leasure markes each wrinkled line:"
## [1664] " But when Aurora leades out Phoebus daunce,"
## [1665] " Mine eyes then only winke; for spite, perchaunce,"
## [1666] " That wormes should haue their sun, & I want mine. "
## [1667] ""
## [1668] "XCIX"
## [1669] ""
## [1670] " When far-spent Night perswades each mortall eye,"
## [1671] " To whome nor Art nor Nature graunteth light,"
## [1672] " To lay his then marke-wanting shafts of sight,"
## [1673] " Clos'd with their quiuers, in Sleeps armory;"
## [1674] " With windowes ope, then most my mind doth lie,"
## [1675] " Viewing the shape of darknesse, and delight"
## [1676] " Takes in that sad hue, which, with th' inward night"
## [1677] " Of his mazde powers, keepes perfet harmony:"
## [1678] " But when birds charme, and that sweete aire which is"
## [1679] " Mornes messenger, with rose-enameld skies"
## [1680] " Cals each wight to salute the floure of blisse;"
## [1681] " In tombe of lids then buried are mine eyes,"
## [1682] " Forst by their Lord, who is asham'd to find"
## [1683] " Such light in sense, with such a darkned mind. "
## [1684] ""
## [1685] "C"
## [1686] ""
## [1687] " O teares! no teares, but raine, from Beauties skies,"
## [1688] " Making those lillies and those roses growe,"
## [1689] " Which ay most faire, now more then most faire shew,"
## [1690] " While gracefull Pitty Beautie beautifies."
## [1691] " O honied sighs! which from that breast do rise,"
## [1692] " Whose pants do make vnspilling creame to flow,"
## [1693] " Wing'd with whose breath, so pleasing Zephires blow."
## [1694] " As might refresh the hell where my soule fries."
## [1695] " O plaints! conseru'd in such a sugred phrase,"
## [1696] " That Eloquence itself enuies your praise,"
## [1697] " While sobd-out words a perfect musike giue."
## [1698] " Such teares, sighs, plaints, no sorrow is, but ioy:"
## [1699] " Or if such heauenly signes must proue annoy,"
## [1700] " All mirth farewell, let me in sorrow liue. "
## [1701] ""
## [1702] "CI"
## [1703] ""
## [1704] " Stella is sicke, and in that sicke-bed lies"
## [1705] " Sweetnesse, which breathes and pants as oft as she:"
## [1706] " And Grace, sicke too, such fine conclusion tries,"
## [1707] " That Sickenesse brags it selfe best grac'd to be."
## [1708] " Beauty is sicke, but sicke in so faire guise,"
## [1709] " That in that palenesse Beauties white we see;"
## [1710] " And Ioy, which is inseparate from those eyes,"
## [1711] " Stella now learnes (strange case) to weepe in me."
## [1712] " Loue mones thy paine, and like a faithfull page,"
## [1713] " As thy lookes sturre, runs vp and downe, to make"
## [1714] " All folkes prest at thy will thy paine to swage;"
## [1715] " Nature with care sweates for hir darlings sake,"
## [1716] " Knowing worlds passe, ere she enough can finde,"
## [1717] " Of such heauen-stuffe to cloath so heau'nly minde. "
## [1718] ""
## [1719] "CII"
## [1720] ""
## [1721] " Where be those roses gone, which sweetned so our eyes?"
## [1722] " Where those red cheeks, which oft, with faire encrease, did frame"
## [1723] " The height of honour in the kindly badge of shame?"
## [1724] " Who hath the crimson weeds stolne from my morning skies?"
## [1725] " How doth the colour vade of those vermilion dies,"
## [1726] " Which Nature self did make, and self-ingrain'd the same?"
## [1727] " I would know by what right this palenesse ouercame"
## [1728] " That hue whose force my hart still vnto thraldome ties?"
## [1729] " Galens adoptiue sonnes, who by a beaten way"
## [1730] " Their iudgements hackney on, the fault of sicknesse lay;"
## [1731] " But feeling proofe makes me say they mistake it furre:"
## [1732] " It is but loue which makes this paper perfit white,"
## [1733] " To write therein more fresh the storie of delight,"
## [1734] " Whiles Beauties reddest inke Venus for him doth sturre. "
## [1735] ""
## [1736] "CIII"
## [1737] ""
## [1738] " O happie Thames, that didst my Stella beare!"
## [1739] " I saw thee with full many a smiling line"
## [1740] " Vpon thy cheerefull face, Ioyes liuery weare,"
## [1741] " While those faire planets on thy streames did shine."
## [1742] " The boate for ioy could not to daunce forbear,"
## [1743] " While wanton winds, with beauties so diuine"
## [1744] " Ravisht, staid not, till in her golden haire"
## [1745] " They did themselues (O sweetest prison) twine."
## [1746] " And faine those Æols youth there would their stay"
## [1747] " Haue made, but forst by Nature still to flie,"
## [1748] " First did with puffing kisse those Lockes display:"
## [1749] " She, so disheuld blusht: from window I"
## [1750] " With sight thereof cride out, O faire disgrace,"
## [1751] " Let Honor selfe to thee grant highest place. "
## [1752] ""
## [1753] "CIV"
## [1754] ""
## [1755] " Enuious wits, what hath bene mine offence,"
## [1756] " That with such poysonous care my lookes you marke,"
## [1757] " That to each word, nay sigh of mine, you harke,"
## [1758] " As grudging me my sorrowes eloquence?"
## [1759] " Ah, is it not enough, that I am thence,"
## [1760] " Thence, so farre thence, that scantly any sparke"
## [1761] " Of comfort dare come to this dungeon darke,"
## [1762] " Where Rigours exile lockes vp al my sense?"
## [1763] " But if I by a happie window passe,"
## [1764] " If I but stars vppon mine armour beare;"
## [1765] " Sicke, thirsty, glad (though but of empty glasse):"
## [1766] " Your morall notes straight my hid meaning teare"
## [1767] " From out my ribs, and, puffing, proues that I"
## [1768] " Doe Stella loue: fooles, who doth it deny? "
## [1769] ""
## [1770] "CV"
## [1771] ""
## [1772] " Vnhappie sight, and hath shee vanisht by"
## [1773] " So nere, in so good time, so free a place!"
## [1774] " Dead Glasse, dost thou thy obiect so imbrace,"
## [1775] " As what my hart still sees thou canst not spie!"
## [1776] " I sweare by her I loue and lacke, that I"
## [1777] " Was not in fault, who bent thy dazling race"
## [1778] " Onely vnto the heau'n of Stellas face,"
## [1779] " Counting but dust what in the way did lie."
## [1780] " But cease, mine eyes, your teares do witnesse well"
## [1781] " That you, guiltlesse thereof, your nectar mist:"
## [1782] " Curst be the page from whome the bad torch fell:"
## [1783] " Curst be the night which did your strife resist:"
## [1784] " Curst be the coachman that did driue so fast,"
## [1785] " With no lesse curse then absence makes me tast. "
## [1786] ""
## [1787] "CVI"
## [1788] ""
## [1789] " O absent presence! Stella is not here;"
## [1790] " False-flatt'ring hope, that with so faire a face"
## [1791] " Bare me in hand, that in this orphane place,"
## [1792] " Stella, I say my Stella, should appeare:"
## [1793] " What saist thou now? where is that dainty cheere"
## [1794] " Thou toldst mine eyes should helpe their famisht case?"
## [1795] " But thou art gone, now that selfe-felt disgrace"
## [1796] " Doth make me most to wish thy comfort neer."
## [1797] " But heere I do store of faire ladies meet,"
## [1798] " Who may with charme of conuersation sweete,"
## [1799] " Make in my heauy mould new thoughts to grow."
## [1800] " Sure they preuaile as much with me, as he"
## [1801] " That bad his friend, but then new maim'd to be"
## [1802] " Mery with him, and so forget his woe. "
## [1803] ""
## [1804] "CVII"
## [1805] ""
## [1806] " Stella, since thou so right a princesse art"
## [1807] " Of all the Powers which Life bestowes on me,"
## [1808] " That ere by them ought vndertaken be,"
## [1809] " They first resort vnto that soueraigne part;"
## [1810] " Sweete, for a while giue thy lieutenancie"
## [1811] " To this great cause, which needes both use and art."
## [1812] " And as a Queene, who from her presence sends"
## [1813] " Whom she employes, dismisse from thee my wit,"
## [1814] " Till it haue wrought what thy owne will attends."
## [1815] " On seruants shame oft maisters blame doth sit:"
## [1816] " O let not fooles in me thy workes reproue,"
## [1817] " And scorning say, See what it is to loue! "
## [1818] ""
## [1819] "CVIII"
## [1820] ""
## [1821] " When Sorrow (vsing mine owne fiers might)"
## [1822] " Melts downe his lead into my boyling brest"
## [1823] " Through that darke furnace to my hart opprest,"
## [1824] " There shines a ioy from thee my only light:"
## [1825] " But soone as thought of thee breeds my delight,"
## [1826] " And my yong soule flutters to thee his nest,"
## [1827] " Most rude Despaire, my daily vnbidden guest,"
## [1828] " Clips streight my wings, streight wraps me in his night,"
## [1829] " And makes me then bow downe my heade, and say,"
## [1830] " Ah, what doth Phoebus gold that wretch auaile"
## [1831] " Whom Iron doores doe keepe from vse of day?"
## [1832] " So strangely (alas) thy works on me preuaile,"
## [1833] " That in my woes for thee thou art my ioy,"
## [1834] " And in my ioyes for thee my onely annoy. "
## [1835] ""
## [1836] "The following two sonnets were added by Grosart as having been intended for the sonnet cycle, though they did not appear here in the early editions:"
## [1837] ""
## [1838] "CIX"
## [1839] ""
## [1840] " Thou blind mans marke, thou fooles selfe-chosen snare,"
## [1841] " Fond fancies scum, and dregs of scatter'd thought:"
## [1842] " Band of all euils, cradle of causelesse care;"
## [1843] " Thou web of will, whose end is neuer wrought:"
## [1844] " Desire! Desire! I haue too dearly bought,"
## [1845] " With prise of mangled mind, thy worthlesse ware;"
## [1846] " Too long, too long, asleepe thou hast me brought,"
## [1847] " Who shouldst my mind to higher things prepare."
## [1848] " But yet in vaine thou hast my ruine sought;"
## [1849] " In vaine thou madest me to vaine things aspire;"
## [1850] " In vaine thou kindlest all thy smokie fire;"
## [1851] " For Vertue hath this better lesson taught,--"
## [1852] " Within my selfe to seeke my onelie hire,"
## [1853] " Desiring nought but how to kill Desire."
## [1854] ""
## [1855] "CX"
## [1856] ""
## [1857] " Leaue, me, O loue which reachest but to dust,"
## [1858] " And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things."
## [1859] " Grow rich in that which neuer taketh rust;"
## [1860] " Whateuer fades, but fading pleasure brings."
## [1861] " Draw in thy beames, and humble all thy might"
## [1862] " To that sweet yoke where lasting freedomes be;"
## [1863] " Which breakes the clowdes, and opens forth the light,"
## [1864] " That doth both shine and giue us sight to see."
## [1865] " O take fast hold; let that light be thy guide"
## [1866] " In this small course which birth drawes out to death,"
## [1867] " And thinke how euill becommeth him to slide,"
## [1868] " Who seeketh heau'n, and comes of heau'nly breath."
## [1869] " Then farewell world; thy vttermost I see:"
## [1870] " Eternall Loue, maintaine thy life in me."
## [1871] ""
## [1872] " spendidis longum valedico nugis."
## [1873] ""
## [1874] "Songs"
## [1875] ""
## [1876] "First Song."
## [1877] ""
## [1878] " Doubt you to whom my Muse these notes entendeth,"
## [1879] " Which now my breast, surcharg'd, to musick lendeth!"
## [1880] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1881] " Only in you my song begins and endeth."
## [1882] ""
## [1883] " Who hath the eyes which marrie state with pleasure!"
## [1884] " Who keeps the key of Natures cheifest treasure!"
## [1885] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1886] " Only for you the heau'n forgate all measure."
## [1887] ""
## [1888] " Who hath the lips, where wit in fairnesse raigneth!"
## [1889] " Who womankind at once both deckes and stayneth!"
## [1890] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1891] " Onely by you Cupid his crowne maintaineth."
## [1892] ""
## [1893] " Who hath the feet, whose step all sweetnesse planteth!"
## [1894] " Who else, for whom Fame worthy trumpets wanteth!"
## [1895] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1896] " Onely to you her scepter Venus granteth."
## [1897] ""
## [1898] " Who hath the breast, whose milk doth patience nourish!"
## [1899] " Whose grace is such, that when it chides doth cherish!"
## [1900] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1901] " Onelie through you the tree of life doth flourish."
## [1902] ""
## [1903] " Who hath the hand which, without stroke, subdueth!"
## [1904] " Who long-dead beautie with increase reneueth!"
## [1905] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1906] " Onely at you all enuie hopelesse rueth."
## [1907] ""
## [1908] " Who hath the haire, which, loosest, fastest tieth!"
## [1909] " Who makes a man liue, then glad when he dieth!"
## [1910] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1911] " Only of you the flatterer neuer lieth."
## [1912] ""
## [1913] " Who hath the voyce, which soule from sences thunders!"
## [1914] " Whose force, but yours, the bolts of beautie thunders!"
## [1915] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due,"
## [1916] " Only with you not miracles are wonders."
## [1917] ""
## [1918] " Doubt you, to whome my Muse these notes intendeth,"
## [1919] " Which now my breast, oercharg'd, to musicke lendeth!"
## [1920] " To you, to you, all song of praise is due:"
## [1921] " Only in you my song begins and endeth."
## [1922] ""
## [1923] "Second Song."
## [1924] ""
## [1925] " Haue I caught my heau'nly iewell,"
## [1926] " Teaching Sleepe most faire to be!"
## [1927] " Now will I teach her that she,"
## [1928] " When she wakes, is too-too cruell."
## [1929] ""
## [1930] " Since sweet Sleep her eyes hath charmed,"
## [1931] " The two only darts of Loue,"
## [1932] " Now will I, with that Boy, proue,"
## [1933] " Some play, while he is disamed."
## [1934] ""
## [1935] " Her tongue, waking, still refuseth,"
## [1936] " Giuing frankly niggard no:"
## [1937] " Now will I attempt to know"
## [1938] " What no her tongue, sleeping, vseth."
## [1939] ""
## [1940] " See the hand that, waking, gardeth,"
## [1941] " Sleeping, grants a free resort:"
## [1942] " Now I will inuade the fort,"
## [1943] " Cowards Loue with losse rewardeth."
## [1944] ""
## [1945] " But, O foole, thinke of the danger"
## [1946] " Of her iust and high disdaine;"
## [1947] " Now will I, alas, refraine;"
## [1948] " Loue feares nothing else but anger."
## [1949] ""
## [1950] " Yet those lips, so sweetly swelling,"
## [1951] " Do inuite a stealing kisse."
## [1952] " Now will I but venture this;"
## [1953] " Who will reade, must first learne spelling."
## [1954] ""
## [1955] " Oh, sweet kisse! but ah, shes waking!"
## [1956] " Lowring beautie chastens me:"
## [1957] " Now will I for feare hence flee;"
## [1958] " Foole, more Foole for no more taking."
## [1959] ""
## [1960] "Third Song."
## [1961] ""
## [1962] " If Orpheus voyce had force to breathe such musickes loue"
## [1963] " Through pores of senceles trees, as it could make them moue;"
## [1964] " If stones good measure daunc'd, the Theban walles to build"
## [1965] " To cadence of the tunes which Amphions lyre did yeeld;"
## [1966] " More cause a like effect at least-wise bringeth:"
## [1967] " O stones, O trees, learne hearing,--Stella singeth."
## [1968] ""
## [1969] " If loue might sweeten so a boy of shepheard brood,"
## [1970] " To make a lyzard dull, to taste loues dainty food;"
## [1971] " If eagle fierce could so in Grecian mayde delight,"
## [1972] " As her eyes were his light, her death his endlesse night,"
## [1973] " Earth gaue that loue; heau'n, I trow, loue refineth,"
## [1974] " O birds, O beasts, looke loue (lo) Stella shineth."
## [1975] ""
## [1976] " The beasts, birds, stones, and trees feele this, and, feeling, loue;"
## [1977] " And if the trees nor stones stirre not the same to proue,"
## [1978] " Nor beasts nor birds do come vnto this blessed gaze,"
## [1979] " Know that small loue is quicke, and great loue doth amaze;"
## [1980] " They are amaz'd, but you with reason armed,"
## [1981] " O eyes, O eares of men, how you are charmed!"
## [1982] ""
## [1983] "Fourth Song."
## [1984] ""
## [1985] " Onely Ioy, now here you are,"
## [1986] " Fit to heare and ease my care,"
## [1987] " Let my whispering voyce obtaine"
## [1988] " Sweete reward for sharpest paine;"
## [1989] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [1990] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [1991] ""
## [1992] " Night hath closde all in her cloke,"
## [1993] " Twinkling starres loue-thoughts prouoke,"
## [1994] " Danger hence, good care doth keepe,"
## [1995] " Iealouzie hemselfe doth sleepe;"
## [1996] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [1997] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [1998] ""
## [1999] " Better place no wit can finde,"
## [2000] " Cupids knot to loose or binde;"
## [2001] " These sweet flowers our fine bed too,"
## [2002] " Vs in their best language woo:"
## [2003] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [2004] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [2005] ""
## [2006] " This small light the moone bestowes"
## [2007] " Serues thy beames but to disclose;"
## [2008] " So to raise my hap more hie,"
## [2009] " Feare not else, none vs can spie;"
## [2010] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [2011] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [2012] ""
## [2013] " That you heard was but a mouse,"
## [2014] " Dumbe Sleepe holdeth all the house:"
## [2015] " Yet asleepe, me thinkes they say,"
## [2016] " Yong fooles take time while you may;"
## [2017] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [2018] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [2019] ""
## [2020] " Niggard time threates, if we misse"
## [2021] " This large offer of our blisse,"
## [2022] " Long stay, ere he graunt the same:"
## [2023] " Sweet, then, while ech thing doth frame,"
## [2024] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [2025] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [2026] ""
## [2027] " Your faire Mother is abed,"
## [2028] " Candles out and curtaines spred;"
## [2029] " She thinkes you do letters write;"
## [2030] " Write, but first let me endite;"
## [2031] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [2032] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [2033] ""
## [2034] " Sweete, alas, why striue you thus?"
## [2035] " Concord better fitteth vs;"
## [2036] " Leaue to Mars the force of hands,"
## [2037] " Your power in your beautie stands;"
## [2038] " Take me to thee, and thee to mee:"
## [2039] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [2040] ""
## [2041] " Wo to mee, and do you sweare"
## [2042] " Me to hate, but I forbeare?"
## [2043] " Cursed be my destines all,"
## [2044] " That brought me so high to fall;"
## [2045] " Soone with my death I will please thee:"
## [2046] " No, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee."
## [2047] ""
## [2048] "Fift Song."
## [2049] ""
## [2050] " While fauour fed my hope, delight with hope was brought,"
## [2051] " Thought waited on delight, and speech did follow thought;"
## [2052] " Then grew my tongue and pen records vnto thy glory,"
## [2053] " I thought all words were lost that were not spent of thee,"
## [2054] " I thought each place was darke but where thy lights would be,"
## [2055] " And all eares worse than deaf that heard not out thy storie."
## [2056] ""
## [2057] " I said thou wert most faire, and so indeed thou art;"
## [2058] " I said thou wert most sweet, sweet poison to my heart;"
## [2059] " I said my soule was thine, O that I then had lyed;"
## [2060] " I said thine eyes were starres, thy breast the milken way,"
## [2061] " Thy fingers Cupids shafts, thy voyce the angels lay:"
## [2062] " And all I said so well, as no man it denied."
## [2063] ""
## [2064] " But now that hope is lost, vnkindnesse kils delight;"
## [2065] " Yet thought and speech do liue, though metamorphos'd quite,"
## [2066] " For rage now rules the raines which guided were by pleasure;"
## [2067] " I thinke now of thy faults, who late thought of thy praise,"
## [2068] " That speech falles now to blame, which did thy honour raise,"
## [2069] " The same key open can, which can lock vp a treasure."
## [2070] ""
## [2071] " Then thou, whom partiall heauens conspird in one to frame"
## [2072] " The proofe of Beauties worth, th'inheritrix of fame,"
## [2073] " The mansion seat of blisse, and iust excuse of louers;"
## [2074] " See now those feathers pluckt, wherewith thou flew'st most high:"
## [2075] " See what cloudes of reproach shall dark thy honours skie:"
## [2076] " Whose owne fault cast him downe hardly high state recouers."
## [2077] ""
## [2078] " And, O my muse, though oft you luld her in your lap,"
## [2079] " And then a heau'nly Child, gaue her Ambrosian pap,"
## [2080] " And to that braine of hers your kindest gifts infused;"
## [2081] " Since she, disdaining me, doth you in me disdaine,"
## [2082] " Suffer not her to laugh, while both we suffer paine."
## [2083] " Princes in subiects wrong must deeme themselues abused."
## [2084] ""
## [2085] " Your client, poore my selfe, shall Stella handle so!"
## [2086] " Reuenge! revenge! my Muse! defiance trumpet blow;"
## [2087] " Threaten what may be done, yet do more then you threaten;"
## [2088] " Ah, my sute granted is, I feele my breast doth swell;"
## [2089] " No, child, a lesson new you shall begin to spell,"
## [2090] " Sweet babes must babies haue, but shrewd gyrles must be beaten."
## [2091] ""
## [2092] " Thinke now no more to heare of warme fine-odour'd snow,"
## [2093] " Nor blushing Lillies, nor pearles Ruby-hidden row,"
## [2094] " Nor of that golden sea, whose waues in curles are broken,"
## [2095] " But of thy soule, so fraught with such vngratefulnesse,"
## [2096] " As where thou soone might'st helpe, most faith dost most oppresse;"
## [2097] " Vngratefull, who is cald, the worst of euils is spoken,"
## [2098] ""
## [2099] " Yet worse then worst, I say thou art a Theefe, A theefe!"
## [2100] " Now God forbid! a theefe! and of wurst theeues the cheefe:"
## [2101] " Theeues steal for need, and steale but goods which paine recouers,"
## [2102] " But thou, rich in all ioyes, dost rob my ioyes from me,"
## [2103] " Which cannot be restord by time or industrie:"
## [2104] " Of foes the spoyle is euill, far worse of constant louers."
## [2105] ""
## [2106] " Yet--gentle English theeues do rob, but will not slay,"
## [2107] " Thou English murdring theefe, wilt haue harts for thy prey:"
## [2108] " The name of murdrer now on thy faire forehead sitteth,"
## [2109] " And euen while I do speake, my death wounds bleeding be,"
## [2110] " Which, I protest, proceed from only cruell thee:"
## [2111] " Who may, and will not saue, murder in truth committeth."
## [2112] ""
## [2113] " But murder, priuate fault, seemes but a toy to thee:"
## [2114] " I lay then to thy charge vniustest tyrannie,"
## [2115] " If rule by force, without all claim, a Tyran showeth;"
## [2116] " For thou dost lord my heart, who am not borne thy slaue,"
## [2117] " And, which is worse, makes me, most guiltlesse, torments haue:"
## [2118] " A rightfull prince by vnright deeds a Tyran groweth."
## [2119] ""
## [2120] " Lo, you grow proud with this, for Tyrans make folke bow:"
## [2121] " Of foule rebellion then I do appeach thee now,"
## [2122] " Rebell by Natures law, rebell by law of Reason:"
## [2123] " Thou, sweetest subiect wert, borne in the realme of Loue,"
## [2124] " And yet against thy prince thy force dost daily proue:"
## [2125] " No vertue merits praise, once toucht with blot of Treason."
## [2126] ""
## [2127] " But valiant Rebels oft in fooles mouths purchase fame:"
## [2128] " I now then staine thy white with vagabonding shame,"
## [2129] " Both rebell to the sonne and vagrant from the mother;"
## [2130] " For wearing Venus badge in euery part of thee,"
## [2131] " Vnto Dianaes traine thou, runnaway, didst flie:"
## [2132] " Who faileth one is false, though trusty to another."
## [2133] ""
## [2134] " What, is not this enough! nay, farre worse commeth here;"
## [2135] " A witch, I say, thou art, though thou so faire appeare;"
## [2136] " For, I protest, my sight neuer thy face enioyeth,"
## [2137] " But I in me am chang'd, I am aliue and dead,"
## [2138] " My feete are turn'd to rootes, my hart becommeth lead:"
## [2139] " No witchcraft is so euill as which mans mind destroyeth."
## [2140] ""
## [2141] " Yet witches may repent; thou art farre worse then they:"
## [2142] " Alas that I am forst such euill of thee to say:"
## [2143] " I say thou art a diuell, though cloth'd in angels shining;"
## [2144] " For thy face tempts my soule to leaue the heauens for thee,"
## [2145] " And thy words of refuse do powre euen hell on mee:"
## [2146] " Who tempt, and tempting plague, are diuels in true defining."
## [2147] ""
## [2148] " You, then, vngrateful theefe, you murdring Tyran, you,"
## [2149] " You rebell runaway, to lord and lady vntrue,"
## [2150] " You witch, you Diuell (alas) you still of me beloued,"
## [2151] " You see what I can say; mend yet your froward mind,"
## [2152] " And such skill in my Muse, you, reconcil'd, shall find,"
## [2153] " That all these cruell words your praises shalbe proued."
## [2154] ""
## [2155] "Sixt Song."
## [2156] ""
## [2157] " O you that heare this voice,"
## [2158] " O you that see this face,"
## [2159] " Say whether of the choice"
## [2160] " Deserues the former place:"
## [2161] " Feare not to iudge this bate,"
## [2162] " For it is void of hate."
## [2163] ""
## [2164] " This side doth Beauty take."
## [2165] " For that doth Musike speake;"
## [2166] " Fit Oratours to make"
## [2167] " The strongest iudgements weake:"
## [2168] " The barre to plead their right"
## [2169] " Is only true delight."
## [2170] ""
## [2171] " Thus doth the voice and face,"
## [2172] " These gentle Lawiers, wage,"
## [2173] " Like louing brothers case,"
## [2174] " For fathers heritage;"
## [2175] " That each, while each contends,"
## [2176] " It selfe to other lends."
## [2177] ""
## [2178] " For Beautie beautifies"
## [2179] " With heau'nly hew and grace"
## [2180] " The heau'nly harmonies;"
## [2181] " And in this faultlesse face"
## [2182] " The perfect beauties be"
## [2183] " A perfect harmony."
## [2184] ""
## [2185] " Musick more loftly swels"
## [2186] " In speeches nobly plac'd;"
## [2187] " Beauty as farre excels,"
## [2188] " In action aptly grac'd:"
## [2189] " A friend each party draws"
## [2190] " To countenance his cause."
## [2191] ""
## [2192] " Loue more affected seemes"
## [2193] " To Beauties louely light;"
## [2194] " And Wonder more esteemes"
## [2195] " Of Musickes wondrous might;"
## [2196] " But both to both so bent,"
## [2197] " As both in both are spent."
## [2198] ""
## [2199] " Musicke doth witnesse call"
## [2200] " The eare his truth to trie;"
## [2201] " Beauty brings to the hall"
## [2202] " Eye-iudgement of the eye:"
## [2203] " Both in their obiects such,"
## [2204] " As no exceptions tutch."
## [2205] ""
## [2206] " The common sense, which might"
## [2207] " Be arbiter of this,"
## [2208] " To be, forsooth, vpright,"
## [2209] " To both sides partiall is;"
## [2210] " He layes on this chiefe praise,"
## [2211] " Chiefe praise on that he laies."
## [2212] ""
## [2213] " Then reason, princesse hy,"
## [2214] " Whose throne is in the minde,"
## [2215] " Which Musicke can in sky"
## [2216] " And hidden beauties finde,"
## [2217] " Say whether thou wilt crowne"
## [2218] " With limitlesse renowne?"
## [2219] ""
## [2220] "Seuenth Song."
## [2221] ""
## [2222] " Whose senses in so euill consort their stepdame Nature laies,"
## [2223] " That rauishing delight in them most sweete tunes do not raise;"
## [2224] " Or if they do delight therein, yet are so closde with wit,"
## [2225] " As with ententious lips to set a title vaine on it;"
## [2226] " O let them heare these sacred tunes, and learne in Wonders scholes,"
## [2227] " To be, in things past bounds of wit, fooles: if they be not fooles."
## [2228] ""
## [2229] " Who haue so leaden eyes, as not to see sweet Beauties show,"
## [2230] " Or, seeing, haue so wooden wits, as not that worth to know,"
## [2231] " Or, knowing, haue so muddy minds, as not to be in loue,"
## [2232] " Or, louing, haue so frothy thoughts, as eas'ly thence to moue;"
## [2233] " O let them see these heau'nly beames, and in faire letters reede"
## [2234] " A lesson fit, both sight and skill, loue and firme loue to breede."
## [2235] ""
## [2236] " Heare then, but then with wonder heare, see, but adoring, see,"
## [2237] " No mortall gifts, no earthly fruites, now here descended be:"
## [2238] " See, doo you see this face? a face, nay, image of the skies,"
## [2239] " Of which the two life-giuing lights are figur'd in her eyes:"
## [2240] " Heare you this soule-inuading voice, and count it but a voice?"
## [2241] " The very essence of their tunes, when angels do reioyce."
## [2242] ""
## [2243] "Eight Song."
## [2244] ""
## [2245] " In a groue most rich of shade,"
## [2246] " Where birds wanton musicke made,"
## [2247] " Maie, then yong, his pide weedes showing,"
## [2248] " New-perfum'd with flowers fresh growing:"
## [2249] ""
## [2250] " Astrophel with Stella sweet"
## [2251] " Did for mutual comfort meete,"
## [2252] " Both within themselues oppressed,"
## [2253] " But each in the other blessed."
## [2254] ""
## [2255] " Him great harmes had taught much care,"
## [2256] " Her faire necke a foule yoke bare;"
## [2257] " But her sight his cares did banish,"
## [2258] " In his sight her yoke did vanish:"
## [2259] ""
## [2260] " Wept they had, alas, the while,"
## [2261] " But now teares themselues did smile,"
## [2262] " While their eyes, by Loue directed,"
## [2263] " Enterchangeably reflected."
## [2264] ""
## [2265] " Sigh they did; but now betwixt"
## [2266] " Sighes of woe were glad sighes mixt;"
## [2267] " With arms crost, yet testifying"
## [2268] " restlesse rest, and liuing dying."
## [2269] ""
## [2270] " Their eares hungrie of each word"
## [2271] " Which the deare tongue would afford;"
## [2272] " But their tongues restrain'd from walking,"
## [2273] " Till their harts had ended talking."
## [2274] ""
## [2275] " But when their tongues could not speake,"
## [2276] " Loue it selfe did silence breake;"
## [2277] " Loue did set his lips asunder,"
## [2278] " Thus to speake in loue and wonder."
## [2279] ""
## [2280] " Stella, Soueraigne of my ioy,"
## [2281] " Faire triumpher of annoy;"
## [2282] " Stella, Starre of heauenly fier,"
## [2283] " Stella, loadstar of desier;"
## [2284] ""
## [2285] " Stella, in whose shining eyes"
## [2286] " Are the lights of Cupids skies,"
## [2287] " Whose beames, where they once are darted,"
## [2288] " Loue therewith is streight imparted;"
## [2289] ""
## [2290] " Stella, whose voice when it speakes"
## [2291] " Senses all asunder breakes;"
## [2292] " Stella, whose voice, when it singeth,"
## [2293] " Angels to acquaintance bringeth;"
## [2294] ""
## [2295] " Stella, in whose body is"
## [2296] " Writ each caracter of blisse;"
## [2297] " Whose face all, all beauty passeth,"
## [2298] " Saue thy mind, which it surpasseth."
## [2299] ""
## [2300] " Graunt, O graunt; but speach, alas,"
## [2301] " Failes me, fearing on to passe:"
## [2302] " Graunt, O me: what am I saying?"
## [2303] " But no fault there is in praying."
## [2304] ""
## [2305] " Graunt (O Deere) on knees I pray,"
## [2306] " (Knees on ground he then did stay)"
## [2307] " That, not I, but since I loue you,"
## [2308] " Time and place for me may moue you."
## [2309] ""
## [2310] " Neuer season was more fit;"
## [2311] " Never roome more apt for it;"
## [2312] " Smiling ayre allowes my reason;"
## [2313] " These birds sing, Now vse the season."
## [2314] ""
## [2315] " This small wind, which so sweete is,"
## [2316] " See how it the leaues doth kisse;"
## [2317] " Each tree in his best attiring,"
## [2318] " Sense of Loue to Loue inspiring."
## [2319] ""
## [2320] " Loue makes earth the water drink,"
## [2321] " Loue to earth makes water sinke;"
## [2322] " And, if dumbe things be so witty,"
## [2323] " Shall a heauenly Grace want pitty?"
## [2324] ""
## [2325] " There his hands, in their speech, faine"
## [2326] " Would haue made tongues language plaine;"
## [2327] " But her hands, his hands repelling,"
## [2328] " Gaue repulse all grace expelling."
## [2329] ""
## [2330] " Then she spake; her speech was such,"
## [2331] " So not eares, but hart did tuch:"
## [2332] " While such-wise she loue denied,"
## [2333] " And yet loue she signified."
## [2334] ""
## [2335] " Astrophel, sayd she, my loue,"
## [2336] " Cease, in these effects, to proue;"
## [2337] " Now be still, yet still beleeue me,"
## [2338] " Thy griefe more then death would grieue me."
## [2339] ""
## [2340] " If that any thought in me"
## [2341] " Can tast comfort but of thee,"
## [2342] " Let me, fed with hellish anguish,"
## [2343] " Ioylesse, hopelesse, endlesse languish."
## [2344] ""
## [2345] " If those eyes you praised be"
## [2346] " Halfe so deare as you to me,"
## [2347] " Let me home returne, starke blinded"
## [2348] " Of those eyes, and blinder minded;"
## [2349] ""
## [2350] " If to secret of my hart,"
## [2351] " I do any wish impart,"
## [2352] " Where thou art not formost placed,"
## [2353] " Be both wish and I defaced."
## [2354] ""
## [2355] " If more may be sayd, I say,"
## [2356] " All my blisse in thee I lay;"
## [2357] " If thou loue, my loue, content thee,"
## [2358] " For all loue, all faith is meant thee."
## [2359] ""
## [2360] " Trust me, while I thee deny,"
## [2361] " In my selfe the smart I try;"
## [2362] " Tyran Honour doth thus vse thee,"
## [2363] " Stellas selfe might not refuse thee."
## [2364] ""
## [2365] " Therefore, deare, this no more moue,"
## [2366] " Least, though I leaue not thy loue,"
## [2367] " Which too deep in me is framed,"
## [2368] " I should blush when thou art named."
## [2369] ""
## [2370] " Therewithall away she went,"
## [2371] " Leauing him to passion rent,"
## [2372] " With what she had done and spoken,"
## [2373] " That therewith my song is broken."
## [2374] ""
## [2375] "Ninth Song."
## [2376] ""
## [2377] " Go, my Flocke, go, get you hence,"
## [2378] " Seeke a better place of feeding,"
## [2379] " Where you may haue some defence"
## [2380] " Fro the stormes in my breast breeding,"
## [2381] " And showers from mine eyes proceeding."
## [2382] ""
## [2383] " Leaue a wretch, in whom all wo"
## [2384] " Can abide to keepe no measure;"
## [2385] " Merry Flocke, such one forego,"
## [2386] " Vnto whom mirth is displeasure,"
## [2387] " Onely rich in mischiefs treasure."
## [2388] ""
## [2389] " Yet, alas, before you go,"
## [2390] " Heare your wofull Maisters story,"
## [2391] " Which to stones I els would show:"
## [2392] " Sorrow only then hath glory"
## [2393] " When 'tis excellently sorry."
## [2394] ""
## [2395] " Stella, fiercest shepherdesse,"
## [2396] " Fiercest, but yet fairest euer;"
## [2397] " Stella, whom, O heauens still blesse,"
## [2398] " Though against me she perseuer,"
## [2399] " Though I blisse enherit neuer:"
## [2400] ""
## [2401] " Stella hath refused me!"
## [2402] " Stella, who more loue hath proued,"
## [2403] " In this caitife heart to be,"
## [2404] " Then can in good eawes be moued"
## [2405] " Toward Lambkins best beloued."
## [2406] ""
## [2407] " Stella hath refused me!"
## [2408] " Astrophell, that so well served"
## [2409] " In this pleasant Spring must see,"
## [2410] " While in pride flowers be preserued,"
## [2411] " Himselfe onely Winter-sterued."
## [2412] ""
## [2413] " Why (alas) doth she then sweare"
## [2414] " That she loueth me so dearely,"
## [2415] " Seeing me so long to beare"
## [2416] " Coles of loue that burne so cleerly,"
## [2417] " And yet leaue me helplesse meerely?"
## [2418] ""
## [2419] " Is that loue? forsooth, I trow,"
## [2420] " If I saw my good dog grieued,"
## [2421] " And a helpe for him did know,"
## [2422] " My loue should not be beleeued,"
## [2423] " But he were by me releeued."
## [2424] ""
## [2425] " No, she hates me, well-away,"
## [2426] " Faining loue, somewhat to please me:"
## [2427] " For she knows, if she display"
## [2428] " All her hate, death soone would seaze me,"
## [2429] " And of hideous torments ease me."
## [2430] ""
## [2431] " Then adieu, deare Flocke, adieu;"
## [2432] " But, alas, if in your straying"
## [2433] " Heauenly Stella meete with you,"
## [2434] " Tell her, in your pitious blaying,"
## [2435] " Her poore Slaues vniust decaying."
## [2436] ""
## [2437] "Tenth Song."
## [2438] ""
## [2439] " O deare Life, when shall it bee"
## [2440] " That mine eyes thine eyes shall see,"
## [2441] " And in them thy mind discouer"
## [2442] " Whether absence haue had force"
## [2443] " thy remembrance to diuorce"
## [2444] " From the image of thy louer?"
## [2445] ""
## [2446] " Or if I my self find not,"
## [2447] " After parting aught forgot,"
## [2448] " Nor debar'd from Beauties treasure,"
## [2449] " Let not tongue aspire to tell"
## [2450] " In what high ioyes I shall dwell;"
## [2451] " Only thought aymes at the pleasure."
## [2452] ""
## [2453] " Thought, therefore, I will send thee"
## [2454] " To take vp the place for me:"
## [2455] " Long I will not after tary,"
## [2456] " There vnseene, thou mayst be bold,"
## [2457] " Those faire wonders to behold,"
## [2458] " Which in them my hopes do cary."
## [2459] ""
## [2460] " Thought, see thou no place forbeare,"
## [2461] " Enter brauely euerywhere,"
## [2462] " Seize on all to her belonging;"
## [2463] " But if thou wouldst garded be,"
## [2464] " Fearing her beames, take with thee"
## [2465] " Strength of liking, rage of longing."
## [2466] ""
## [2467] " Thinke of that most gratefull time"
## [2468] " When my leaping heart will climb,"
## [2469] " In thy lips to haue his biding,"
## [2470] " There those roses for to kisse,"
## [2471] " Which do breathe a sugred blisse,"
## [2472] " Opening rubies, pearles diuiding."
## [2473] ""
## [2474] " Thinke of my most princely pow'r,"
## [2475] " Which I blessed shall deuow'r"
## [2476] " With my greedy licorous sences,"
## [2477] " Beauty, musicke, sweetnesse, loue,"
## [2478] " While she doth against me proue"
## [2479] " Her strong darts but weake defences."
## [2480] ""
## [2481] " Thinke, thinke of those dalyings,"
## [2482] " When with doue-like murmurings,"
## [2483] " With glad moning, passed anguish,"
## [2484] " We change eyes, and hart for hart,"
## [2485] " Each to other do depart,"
## [2486] " Ioying till ioy makes vs languish."
## [2487] ""
## [2488] " O my Thoughts, my Thoughts surcease,"
## [2489] " Thy delights my woes increse,"
## [2490] " My life melts with too much thinking;"
## [2491] " Thinke no more, but die in me,"
## [2492] " Till thou shalt reuiued be,"
## [2493] " At her lips my Nectar drinking."
## [2494] ""
## [2495] "Eleuenth Song."
## [2496] ""
## [2497] " Who is it that this darke night"
## [2498] " Vnderneath my window playneth?"
## [2499] " It is one who from thy sight"
## [2500] " Being, ah exil'd, disdayneth"
## [2501] " Euery other vulgar light."
## [2502] ""
## [2503] " Why, alas, and are you he?"
## [2504] " Be not yet those fancies changed?"
## [2505] " Deare, when you find change in me,"
## [2506] " Though from me you be estranged,"
## [2507] " Let my chaunge to ruin be."
## [2508] ""
## [2509] " Well, in absence this will dy;"
## [2510] " Leaue to see, and leaue to wonder."
## [2511] " Absence sure will helpe, if I"
## [2512] " Can learne how my selfe to sunder"
## [2513] " From what in my hart doth ly."
## [2514] ""
## [2515] " But time will these thoughts remoue;"
## [2516] " Time doth work what no man knoweth."
## [2517] " Time doth as the subiect proue;"
## [2518] " With time still the affection groweth"
## [2519] " In the faithful turtle-doue."
## [2520] ""
## [2521] " What if we new beauties see,"
## [2522] " Will they not stir new affection?"
## [2523] " I will thinke they pictures be,"
## [2524] " (Image-like, of saints perfection)"
## [2525] " Poorely counterfeting thee."
## [2526] ""
## [2527] " But your reasons purest light"
## [2528] " Bids you leaue such minds to nourish."
## [2529] " Deere, do reason no such spite;"
## [2530] " Neuer doth thy beauty florish"
## [2531] " More then in my reasons sight."
## [2532] ""
## [2533] " But the wrongs Loue beares will make"
## [2534] " Loue at length leaue vndertaking."
## [2535] " No, the more fooles it doth shake,"
## [2536] " In a ground of so firme making"
## [2537] " Deeper still they driue the stake."
## [2538] ""
## [2539] " Peace, I thinke that some giue eare;"
## [2540] " Come no more, least I get anger."
## [2541] " Blisse, I will my blisse forbeare;"
## [2542] " Fearing, sweete, you to endanger;"
## [2543] " But my soule shall harbour there."
## [2544] ""
## [2545] " Well, be gone; be gone, I say,"
## [2546] " Lest that Argus eyes perceiue you."
## [2547] " O vniust is Fortunes sway,"
## [2548] " Which can make me thus to leaue you,"
## [2549] " And from lowts to run away."
## [2550] ""
## [2551] ""
## [2552] ""
## [2553] ""
##
## [[3]]
## [1] ""
## [2] "WHEN the right virtuous Edward Wotton {1} and I were at the Emperor’s"
## [3] "court together, we gave ourselves to learn horsemanship of Gio. Pietro"
## [4] "Pugliano; one that, with great commendation, had the place of an esquire"
## [5] "in his stable; and he, according to the fertileness of the Italian wit,"
## [6] "did not only afford us the demonstration of his practice, but sought to"
## [7] "enrich our minds with the contemplation therein, which he thought most"
## [8] "precious. But with none, I remember, mine ears were at any time more"
## [9] "laden, than when (either angered with slow payment, or moved with our"
## [10] "learner-like admiration) he exercised his speech in the praise of his"
## [11] "faculty."
## [12] ""
## [13] "He said, soldiers were the noblest estate of mankind, and horsemen the"
## [14] "noblest of soldiers. He said, they were the masters of war and ornaments"
## [15] "of peace, speedy goers, and strong abiders, triumphers both in camps and"
## [16] "courts; nay, to so unbelieved a point he proceeded, as that no earthly"
## [17] "thing bred such wonder to a prince, as to be a good horseman; skill of"
## [18] "government was but a “pedanteria” in comparison. Then would he add"
## [19] "certain praises by telling what a peerless beast the horse was, the only"
## [20] "serviceable courtier, without flattery, the beast of most beauty,"
## [21] "faithfulness, courage, and such more, that if I had not been a piece of a"
## [22] "logician before I came to him, I think he would have persuaded me to have"
## [23] "wished myself a horse. But thus much, at least, with his no few words,"
## [24] "he drove into me, that self love is better than any gilding, to make that"
## [25] "seem gorgeous wherein ourselves be parties."
## [26] ""
## [27] "Wherein, if Pugliano’s strong affection and weak arguments will not"
## [28] "satisfy you, I will give you a nearer example of myself, who, I know not"
## [29] "by what mischance, in these my not old years and idlest times, having"
## [30] "slipped into the title of a poet, am provoked to say something unto you"
## [31] "in the defence of that my unelected vocation; which if I handle with more"
## [32] "good will than good reasons, bear with me, since the scholar is to be"
## [33] "pardoned that followeth the steps of his master."
## [34] ""
## [35] "And yet I must say, that as I have more just cause to make a pitiful"
## [36] "defence of poor poetry, which, from almost the highest estimation of"
## [37] "learning, is fallen to be the laughing-stock of children; so have I need"
## [38] "to bring some more available proofs, since the former is by no man barred"
## [39] "of his deserved credit, whereas the silly latter hath had even the names"
## [40] "of philosophers used to the defacing of it, with great danger of civil"
## [41] "war among the Muses. {2}"
## [42] ""
## [43] "At first, truly, to all them that, professing learning, inveigh against"
## [44] "poetry, may justly be objected, that they go very near to ungratefulness"
## [45] "to seek to deface that which, in the noblest nations and languages that"
## [46] "are known, hath been the first light-giver to ignorance, and first nurse,"
## [47] "whose milk by little and little enabled them to feed afterwards of"
## [48] "tougher knowledges. And will you play the hedgehog, that being received"
## [49] "into the den, drove out his host? {3} or rather the vipers, that with"
## [50] "their birth kill their parents? {4}"
## [51] ""
## [52] "Let learned Greece, in any of her manifold sciences, be able to show me"
## [53] "one book before Musæus, Homer, and Hesiod, all three nothing else but"
## [54] "poets. Nay, let any history he brought that can say any writers were"
## [55] "there before them, if they were not men of the same skill, as Orpheus,"
## [56] "Linus, and some others are named, who having been the first of that"
## [57] "country that made pens deliverers of their knowledge to posterity, may"
## [58] "justly challenge to be called their fathers in learning. For not only in"
## [59] "time they had this priority (although in itself antiquity be venerable)"
## [60] "but went before them as causes to draw with their charming sweetness the"
## [61] "wild untamed wits to an admiration of knowledge. So as Amphion was said"
## [62] "to move stones with his poetry to build Thebes, and Orpheus to be"
## [63] "listened to by beasts, indeed, stony and beastly people, so among the"
## [64] "Romans were Livius Andronicus, and Ennius; so in the Italian language,"
## [65] "the first that made it to aspire to be a treasure-house of science, were"
## [66] "the poets Dante, Boccace, and Petrarch; so in our English were Gower and"
## [67] "Chaucer; after whom, encouraged and delighted with their excellent"
## [68] "foregoing, others have followed to beautify our mother tongue, as well in"
## [69] "the same kind as other arts."
## [70] ""
## [71] "This {5} did so notably show itself that the philosophers of Greece durst"
## [72] "not a long time appear to the world but under the mask of poets; so"
## [73] "Thales, Empedocles, and Parmenides sang their natural philosophy in"
## [74] "verses; so did Pythagoras and Phocylides their moral counsels; so did"
## [75] "Tyrtæus in war matters; and Solon in matters of policy; or rather they,"
## [76] "being poets, did exercise their delightful vein in those points of"
## [77] "highest knowledge, which before them lay hidden to the world; for that"
## [78] "wise Solon was directly a poet it is manifest, having written in verse"
## [79] "the notable fable of the Atlantic Island, which was continued by Plato."
## [80] "{6} And, truly, even Plato, whosoever well considereth shall find that"
## [81] "in the body of his work, though the inside and strength were philosophy,"
## [82] "the skin, as it were, and beauty depended most of poetry. For all stands"
## [83] "upon dialogues; wherein he feigns many honest burgesses of Athens"
## [84] "speaking of such matters that if they had been set on the rack they would"
## [85] "never have confessed them; besides, his poetical describing the"
## [86] "circumstances of their meetings, as the well-ordering of a banquet, the"
## [87] "delicacy of a walk, with interlacing mere tiles, as Gyges’s Ring, {7} and"
## [88] "others; which, who knows not to be flowers of poetry, did never walk into"
## [89] "Apollo’s garden."
## [90] ""
## [91] "And {8} even historiographers, although their lips sound of things done,"
## [92] "and verity be written in their foreheads, have been glad to borrow both"
## [93] "fashion and, perchance, weight of the poets; so Herodotus entitled the"
## [94] "books of his history by the names of the Nine Muses; and both he, and all"
## [95] "the rest that followed him, either stole or usurped, of poetry, their"
## [96] "passionate describing of passions, the many particularities of battles"
## [97] "which no man could affirm; or, if that be denied me, long orations, put"
## [98] "in the months of great kings and captains, which it is certain they never"
## [99] "pronounced."
## [100] ""
## [101] "So that, truly, neither philosopher nor historiographer could, at the"
## [102] "first, have entered into the gates of popular judgments, if they had not"
## [103] "taken a great disport of poetry; which in all nations, at this day, where"
## [104] "learning flourisheth not, is plain to be seen; in all which they have"
## [105] "some feeling of poetry. In Turkey, besides their lawgiving divines they"
## [106] "have no other writers but poets. In our neighbour-country Ireland,"
## [107] "where, too, learning goes very bare, yet are their poets held in a devout"
## [108] "reverence. Even among the most barbarous and simple Indians, where no"
## [109] "writing is, yet have they their poets who make and sing songs, which they"
## [110] "call “Arentos,” both of their ancestor’s deeds and praises of their gods."
## [111] "A sufficient probability, that if ever learning comes among them, it must"
## [112] "be by having their hard dull wits softened and sharpened with the sweet"
## [113] "delight of poetry; for until they find a pleasure in the exercise of the"
## [114] "mind, great promises of much knowledge will little persuade them that"
## [115] "know not the fruits of knowledge. In Wales, the true remnant of the"
## [116] "ancient Britons, as there are good authorities to show the long time they"
## [117] "had poets, which they called bards, so through all the conquests of"
## [118] "Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans, some of whom did seek to ruin all"
## [119] "memory of learning from among them, yet do their poets, even to this day,"
## [120] "last; so as it is not more notable in the soon beginning than in"
## [121] "long-continuing."
## [122] ""
## [123] "But since the authors of most of our sciences were the Romans, and before"
## [124] "them the Greeks, let us, a little, stand upon their authorities; but even"
## [125] "so far, as to see what names they have given unto this now scorned skill."
## [126] "{9} Among the Romans a poet was called “vates,” which is as much as a"
## [127] "diviner, foreseer, or prophet, as by his conjoined words “vaticinium,”"
## [128] "and “vaticinari,” is manifest; so heavenly a title did that excellent"
## [129] "people bestow upon this heart-ravishing knowledge! And so far were they"
## [130] "carried into the admiration thereof, that they thought in the changeable"
## [131] "hitting upon any such verses, great foretokens of their following"
## [132] "fortunes were placed. Whereupon grew the word of sortes Virgilianæ;"
## [133] "when, by sudden opening Virgil’s book, they lighted upon some verse, as"
## [134] "it is reported by many, whereof the histories of the Emperors’ lives are"
## [135] "full. As of Albinus, the governor of our island, who, in his childhood,"
## [136] "met with this verse—"
## [137] ""
## [138] " Arma amens capio, nec sat rationis in armis"
## [139] ""
## [140] "and in his age performed it. Although it were a very vain and godless"
## [141] "superstition; as also it was, to think spirits were commanded by such"
## [142] "verses; whereupon this word charms, derived of “carmina,” cometh, so yet"
## [143] "serveth it to show the great reverence those wits were held in; and"
## [144] "altogether not without ground, since both the oracles of Delphi and the"
## [145] "Sibyl’s prophecies were wholly delivered in verses; for that same"
## [146] "exquisite observing of number and measure in the words, and that"
## [147] "high-flying liberty of conceit proper to the poet, did seem to have some"
## [148] "divine force in it."
## [149] ""
## [150] "And {10} may not I presume a little farther to show the reasonableness of"
## [151] "this word “vates,” and say, that the holy David’s Psalms are a divine"
## [152] "poem? If I do, I shall not do it without the testimony of great learned"
## [153] "men, both ancient and modern. But even the name of Psalms will speak for"
## [154] "me, which, being interpreted, is nothing but Songs; then, that is fully"
## [155] "written in metre, as all learned Hebricians agree, although the rules be"
## [156] "not yet fully found. Lastly, and principally, his handling his prophecy,"
## [157] "which is merely poetical. For what else is the awaking his musical"
## [158] "instruments; the often and free changing of persons; his notable"
## [159] "prosopopoeias, when he maketh you, as it were, see God coming in His"
## [160] "majesty; his telling of the beasts’ joyfulness, and hills leaping; but a"
## [161] "heavenly poesy, wherein, almost, he sheweth himself a passionate lover of"
## [162] "that unspeakable and everlasting beauty, to be seen by the eyes of the"
## [163] "mind, only cleared by faith? But truly, now, having named him, I fear I"
## [164] "seem to profane that holy name, applying it to poetry, which is, among"
## [165] "us, thrown down to so ridiculous an estimation. But they that, with"
## [166] "quiet judgments, will look a little deeper into it, shall find the end"
## [167] "and working of it such, as, being rightly applied, deserveth not to be"
## [168] "scourged out of the church of God."
## [169] ""
## [170] "But {11} now let us see how the Greeks have named it, and how they deemed"
## [171] "of it. The Greeks named him ποιητὴν, which name hath, as the most"
## [172] "excellent, gone through other languages; it cometh of this word ποιεὶν,"
## [173] "which is _to make_; wherein, I know not whether by luck or wisdom, we"
## [174] "Englishmen have met with the Greeks in calling him “a maker,” which name,"
## [175] "how high and incomparable a title it is, I had rather were known by"
## [176] "marking the scope of other sciences, than by any partial allegation."
## [177] "There is no art delivered unto mankind that hath not the works of nature"
## [178] "for his principal object, without which they could not consist, and on"
## [179] "which they so depend as they become actors and players, as it were, of"
## [180] "what nature will have set forth. {12} So doth the astronomer look upon"
## [181] "the stars, and by that he seeth set down what order nature hath taken"
## [182] "therein. So doth the geometrician and arithmetician, in their diverse"
## [183] "sorts of quantities. So doth the musician, in times, tell you which by"
## [184] "nature agree, which not. The natural philosopher thereon hath his name;"
## [185] "and the moral philosopher standeth upon the natural virtues, vices, or"
## [186] "passions of man; and follow nature, saith he, therein, and thou shalt not"
## [187] "err. The lawyer saith what men have determined. The historian, what men"
## [188] "have done. The grammarian speaketh only of the rules of speech; and the"
## [189] "rhetorician and logician, considering what in nature will soonest prove"
## [190] "and persuade, thereon give artificial rules, which still are compassed"
## [191] "within the circle of a question, according to the proposed matter. The"
## [192] "physician weigheth the nature of man’s body, and the nature of things"
## [193] "helpful and hurtful unto it. And the metaphysic, though it be in the"
## [194] "second and abstract notions, and therefore be counted supernatural, yet"
## [195] "doth he, indeed, build upon the depth of nature. Only the poet,"
## [196] "disdaining to be tied to any such subjection, lifted up with the vigour"
## [197] "of his own invention, doth grow, in effect, into another nature; in"
## [198] "making things either better than nature bringeth forth, or quite anew;"
## [199] "forms such as never were in nature, as the heroes, demi-gods, Cyclops,"
## [200] "chimeras, furies, and such like; so as he goeth hand in hand with Nature,"
## [201] "not enclosed within the narrow warrant of her gifts, but freely ranging"
## [202] "within the zodiac of his own wit. {13} Nature never set forth the earth"
## [203] "in so rich tapestry as divers poets have done; neither with so pleasant"
## [204] "rivers, fruitful trees, sweet-smelling flowers, nor whatsoever else may"
## [205] "make the too-much-loved earth more lovely; her world is brazen, the poets"
## [206] "only deliver a golden."
## [207] ""
## [208] "But let those things alone, and go to man; {14} for whom as the other"
## [209] "things are, so it seemeth in him her uttermost cunning is employed; and"
## [210] "know, whether she have brought forth so true a lover as Theagenes; so"
## [211] "constant a friend as Pylades; so valiant a man as Orlando; so right a"
## [212] "prince as Xenophon’s Cyrus; and so excellent a man every way as Virgil’s"
## [213] "Æneas? Neither let this be jestingly conceived, because the works of the"
## [214] "one be essential, the other in imitation or fiction; for every"
## [215] "understanding knoweth the skill of each artificer standeth in that idea,"
## [216] "or fore-conceit of the work, and not in the work itself. And that the"
## [217] "poet hath that idea is manifest by delivering them forth in such"
## [218] "excellency as he had imagined them; which delivering forth, also, is not"
## [219] "wholly imaginative, as we are wont to say by them that build castles in"
## [220] "the air; but so far substantially it worketh not only to make a Cyrus,"
## [221] "which had been but a particular excellency, as nature might have done;"
## [222] "but to bestow a Cyrus upon the world to make many Cyruses; if they will"
## [223] "learn aright, why, and how, that maker made him. Neither let it be"
## [224] "deemed too saucy a comparison to balance the highest point of man’s wit"
## [225] "with the efficacy of nature; but rather give right honour to the heavenly"
## [226] "Maker of that maker, who having made man to His own likeness, set him"
## [227] "beyond and over all the works of that second nature; which in nothing he"
## [228] "showeth so much as in poetry; when, with the force of a divine breath, he"
## [229] "bringeth things forth surpassing her doings, with no small arguments to"
## [230] "the incredulous of that first accursed fall of Adam; since our erected"
## [231] "wit maketh us know what perfection is, and yet our infected will keepeth"
## [232] "us from reaching unto it. But these arguments will by few be understood,"
## [233] "and by fewer granted; thus much I hope will be given me, that the Greeks,"
## [234] "with some probability of reason, gave him the name above all names of"
## [235] "learning."
## [236] ""
## [237] "Now {15} let us go to a more ordinary opening of him, that the truth may"
## [238] "be the more palpable; and so, I hope, though we get not so unmatched a"
## [239] "praise as the etymology of his names will grant, yet his very"
## [240] "description, which no man will deny, shall not justly be barred from a"
## [241] "principal commendation."
## [242] ""
## [243] "Poesy, {16} therefore, is an art of imitation; for so Aristotle termeth"
## [244] "it in the word μίμησις; that is to say, a representing, counterfeiting,"
## [245] "or figuring forth: to speak metaphorically, a speaking picture, with this"
## [246] "end, to teach and delight."
## [247] ""
## [248] "Of {17} this have been three general kinds: the _chief_, both in"
## [249] "antiquity and excellency, which they that did imitate the inconceivable"
## [250] "excellencies of God; such were David in the Psalms; Solomon in the Song"
## [251] "of Songs, in his Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs; Moses and Deborah in their"
## [252] "hymns; and the writer of Job; which, beside others, the learned Emanuel"
## [253] "Tremellius and Fr. Junius do entitle the poetical part of the scripture;"
## [254] "against these none will speak that hath the Holy Ghost in due holy"
## [255] "reverence. In this kind, though in a wrong divinity, were Orpheus,"
## [256] "Amphion, Homer in his hymns, and many others, both Greeks and Romans."
## [257] "And this poesy must be used by whosoever will follow St. Paul’s counsel,"
## [258] "in singing psalms when they are merry; and I know is used with the fruit"
## [259] "of comfort by some, when, in sorrowful pangs of their death-bringing"
## [260] "sins, they find the consolation of the never-leaving goodness."
## [261] ""
## [262] "The {18} _second_ kind is of them that deal with matter philosophical;"
## [263] "either moral, as Tyrtæus, Phocylides, Cato, or, natural, as Lucretius,"
## [264] "Virgil’s Georgics; or astronomical, as Manilius {19} and Pontanus; or"
## [265] "historical, as Lucan; which who mislike, the fault is in their judgment,"
## [266] "quite out of taste, and not in the sweet food of sweetly uttered"
## [267] "knowledge."
## [268] ""
## [269] "But because this second sort is wrapped within the fold of the proposed"
## [270] "subject, and takes not the free course of his own invention; whether they"
## [271] "properly be poets or no, let grammarians dispute, and go to the _third_,"
## [272] "{20} indeed right poets, of whom chiefly this question ariseth; betwixt"
## [273] "whom and these second is such a kind of difference, as betwixt the meaner"
## [274] "sort of painters, who counterfeit only such faces as are set before them;"
## [275] "and the more excellent, who having no law but wit, bestow that in colours"
## [276] "upon you which is fittest for the eye to see; as the constant, though"
## [277] "lamenting look of Lucretia, when she punished in herself another’s fault;"
## [278] "wherein he painteth not Lucretia, whom he never saw, but painteth the"
## [279] "outward beauty of such a virtue. For these three be they which most"
## [280] "properly do imitate to teach and delight; and to imitate, borrow nothing"
## [281] "of what is, hath been, or shall be; but range only, reined with learned"
## [282] "discretion, into the divine consideration of what may be, and should be."
## [283] "These be they, that, as the first and most noble sort, may justly be"
## [284] "termed “vates;” so these are waited on in the excellentest languages and"
## [285] "best understandings, with the fore-described name of poets. For these,"
## [286] "indeed, do merely make to imitate, and imitate both to delight and teach,"
## [287] "and delight to move men to take that goodness in hand, which, without"
## [288] "delight they would fly as from a stranger; and teach to make them know"
## [289] "that goodness whereunto they are moved; which being the noblest scope to"
## [290] "which ever any learning was directed, yet want there not idle tongues to"
## [291] "bark at them."
## [292] ""
## [293] "These {21} be subdivided into sundry more special denominations; the most"
## [294] "notable be the heroic, lyric, tragic, comic, satyric, iambic, elegiac,"
## [295] "pastoral, and certain others; some of these being termed according to the"
## [296] "matter they deal with; some by the sort of verse they like best to write"
## [297] "in; for, indeed, the greatest part of poets have apparelled their"
## [298] "poetical inventions in that numerous kind of writing which is called"
## [299] "verse. Indeed, but apparelied verse, being but an ornament, and no cause"
## [300] "to poetry, since there have been many most excellent poets that never"
## [301] "versified, and now swarm many versifiers that need never answer to the"
## [302] "name of poets. {22} For Xenophon, who did imitate so excellently as to"
## [303] "give us _effigiem justi imperii_, the portraiture of a just of Cyrus, as"
## [304] "Cicero saith of him, made therein an absolute heroical poem. So did"
## [305] "Heliodorus, {23} in his sugared invention of Theagenes and Chariclea; and"
## [306] "yet both these wrote in prose; which I speak to show, that it is not"
## [307] "rhyming and versing that maketh a poet (no more than a long gown maketh"
## [308] "an advocate, who, though he pleaded in armour should be an advocate and"
## [309] "no soldier); but it is that feigning notable images of virtues, vices, or"
## [310] "what else, with that delightful teaching, which must be the right"
## [311] "describing note to know a poet by. Although, indeed, the senate of poets"
## [312] "have chosen verse as their fittest raiment; meaning, as in matter they"
## [313] "passed all in all, so in manner to go beyond them; not speaking"
## [314] "table-talk fashion, or like men in a dream, words as they changeably fall"
## [315] "from the mouth, but piecing each syllable of each word by just"
## [316] "proportion, according to the dignity of the subject."
## [317] ""
## [318] "Now, {24} therefore, it shall not be amiss, first, to weight this latter"
## [319] "sort of poetry by his _works_, and then by his _parts_; and if in neither"
## [320] "of these anatomies he be commendable, I hope we shall receive a more"
## [321] "favourable sentence. This purifying of wit, this enriching of memory,"
## [322] "enabling of judgment, and enlarging of conceit, which commonly we call"
## [323] "learning under what name soever it come forth, or to what immediate end"
## [324] "soever it be directed; the final end is, to lead and draw us to as high a"
## [325] "perfection as our degenerate souls, made worse by, their clay lodgings,"
## [326] "{25} can be capable of. This, according to the inclination of man, bred"
## [327] "many formed impressions; for some that thought this felicity principally"
## [328] "to be gotten by knowledge, and no knowledge to be so high or heavenly as"
## [329] "to be acquainted with the stars, gave themselves to astronomy; others,"
## [330] "persuading themselves to be demi-gods, if they knew the causes of things,"
## [331] "became natural and supernatural philosophers. Some an admirable delight"
## [332] "drew to music, and some the certainty of demonstrations to the"
## [333] "mathematics; but all, one and other, having this scope to know, and by"
## [334] "knowledge to lift up the mind from the dungeon of the body to the"
## [335] "enjoying his own divine essence. But when, by the balance of experience,"
## [336] "it was found that the astronomer, looking to the stars, might fall in a"
## [337] "ditch; that the enquiring philosopher might be blind in himself; and the"
## [338] "mathematician might draw forth a straight line with a crooked heart; then"
## [339] "lo! did proof, the over-ruler of opinions, make manifest that all these"
## [340] "are but serving sciences, which, as they have a private end in"
## [341] "themselves, so yet are they all directed to the highest end of the"
## [342] "mistress knowledge, by the Greeks called ἀρχιτεκτονικὴ, which stands, as"
## [343] "I think, in the knowledge of a man’s self; in the ethic and politic"
## [344] "consideration, with the end of well doing, and not of well knowing only;"
## [345] "even as the saddler’s next end is to make a good saddle, but his farther"
## [346] "end to serve a nobler faculty, which is horsemanship; so the horseman’s"
## [347] "to soldiery; and the soldier not only to have the skill, but to perform"
## [348] "the practice of a soldier. So that the ending end of all earthly"
## [349] "learning being virtuous action, those skills that most serve to bring"
## [350] "forth that have a most just title to be princes over all the rest;"
## [351] "wherein, if we can show it rightly, the poet is worthy to have it before"
## [352] "any other competitors. {26}"
## [353] ""
## [354] "Among {27} whom principally to challenge it, step forth the moral"
## [355] "philosophers; whom, methinks, I see coming toward me with a sullen"
## [356] "gravity (as though they could not abide vice by daylight), rudely"
## [357] "clothed, for to witness outwardly their contempt of outward things, with"
## [358] "books in their hands against glory, whereto they set their names;"
## [359] "sophistically speaking against subtlety, and angry with any man in whom"
## [360] "they see the foul fault of anger. These men, casting largesses as they"
## [361] "go, of definitions, divisions, and distinctions, with a scornful"
## [362] "interrogative do soberly ask: Whether it be possible to find any path so"
## [363] "ready to lead a man to virtue, as that which teacheth what virtue is; and"
## [364] "teacheth it not only by delivering forth his very being, his causes and"
## [365] "effects; but also by making known his enemy, vice, which must be"
## [366] "destroyed; and his cumbersome servant, passion, which must be mastered,"
## [367] "by showing the generalities that contain it, and the specialities that"
## [368] "are derived from it; lastly, by plain setting down how it extends itself"
## [369] "out of the limits of a man’s own little world, to the government of"
## [370] "families, and maintaining of public societies?"
## [371] ""
## [372] "The historian {28} scarcely gives leisure to the moralist to say so much,"
## [373] "but that he (laden with old mouse-eaten records, authórizing {29}"
## [374] "himself, for the most part, upon other histories, whose greatest"
## [375] "authorities are built upon the notable foundation of hearsay, having much"
## [376] "ado to accord differing writers, and to pick truth out of partiality;"
## [377] "better acquainted with a thousand years ago than with the present age,"
## [378] "and yet better knowing how this world goes than how his own wit runs;"
## [379] "curious for antiquities, and inquisitive of novelties, a wonder to young"
## [380] "folks, and a tyrant in table-talk) denieth, in a great chafe, that any"
## [381] "man for teaching of virtue and virtuous actions, is comparable to him. I"
## [382] "am “Testis temporum, lux veritatis, vita memoriæ, magistra vitæ, nuncia"
## [383] "vetustatis.” {30} The philosopher, saith he, teacheth a disputative"
## [384] "virtue, but I do an active; his virtue is excellent in the dangerless"
## [385] "academy of Plato, but mine showeth forth her honourable face in the"
## [386] "battles of Marathon, Pharsalia, Poictiers, and Agincourt: he teacheth"
## [387] "virtue by certain abstract considerations; but I only bid you follow the"
## [388] "footing of them that have gone before you: old-aged experience goeth"
## [389] "beyond the fine-witted philosopher; but I give the experience of many"
## [390] "ages. Lastly, if he make the song book, I put the learner’s hand to the"
## [391] "lute; and if he be the guide, I am the light. Then would he allege you"
## [392] "innumerable examples, confirming story by stories, how much the wisest"
## [393] "senators and princes have been directed by the credit of history, as"
## [394] "Brutus, Alphonsus of Aragon (and who not? if need be). At length, the"
## [395] "long line of their disputation makes a point in this, that the one giveth"
## [396] "the precept, and the other the example."
## [397] ""
## [398] "Now {31} whom shall we find, since the question standeth for the highest"
## [399] "form in the school of learning, to be moderator? Truly, as me seemeth,"
## [400] "the poet; and if not a moderator, even the man that ought to carry the"
## [401] "title from them both, and much more from all other serving sciences."
## [402] "Therefore compare we the poet with the historian, and with the moral"
## [403] "philosopher; and if he go beyond them both, no other human skill can"
## [404] "match him; for as for the Divine, with all reverence, he is ever to be"
## [405] "excepted, not only for having his scope as far beyond any of these, as"
## [406] "eternity exceedeth a moment, but even for passing each of these in"
## [407] "themselves; and for the lawyer, though “Jus” be the daughter of Justice,"
## [408] "the chief of virtues, yet because he seeks to make men good rather"
## [409] "“formidine pœnæ” than “virtutis amore,” or, to say righter, doth not"
## [410] "endeavour to make men good, but that their evil hurt not others, having"
## [411] "no care, so he be a good citizen, how bad a man he be: therefore, as our"
## [412] "wickedness maketh him necessary, and necessity maketh him honourable, so"
## [413] "is he not in the deepest truth to stand in rank with these, who all"
## [414] "endeavour to take naughtiness away, and plant goodness even in the"
## [415] "secretest cabinet of our souls. And these four are all that any way deal"
## [416] "in the consideration of men’s manners, which being the supreme knowledge,"
## [417] "they that best breed it deserve the best commendation."
## [418] ""
## [419] "The philosopher, therefore, and the historian are they which would win"
## [420] "the goal, the one by precept, the other by example; but both, not having"
## [421] "both, do both halt. For the philosopher, setting down with thorny"
## [422] "arguments the bare rule, is so hard of utterance, and so misty to be"
## [423] "conceived, that one that hath no other guide but him shall wade in him"
## [424] "until he be old, before he shall find sufficient cause to be honest. For"
## [425] "his knowledge standeth so upon the abstract and general, that happy is"
## [426] "that man who may understand him, and more happy that can apply what he"
## [427] "doth understand. On the other side the historian, wanting the precept,"
## [428] "is so tied, not to what should be, but to what is; to the particular"
## [429] "truth of things, and not to the general reason of things; that his"
## [430] "example draweth no necessary consequence, and therefore a less fruitful"
## [431] "doctrine."
## [432] ""
## [433] "Now {32} doth the peerless poet perform both; for whatsoever the"
## [434] "philosopher saith should be done, he giveth a perfect picture of it, by"
## [435] "some one by whom he pre-supposeth it was done, so as he coupleth the"
## [436] "general notion with the particular example. A perfect picture, I say;"
## [437] "for he yieldeth to the powers of the mind an image of that whereof the"
## [438] "philosopher bestoweth but a wordish description, which doth neither"
## [439] "strike, pierce, nor possess the sight of the soul, so much as that other"
## [440] "doth. For as, in outward things, to a man that had never seen an"
## [441] "elephant, or a rhinoceros, who should tell him most exquisitely all their"
## [442] "shape, colour, bigness, and particular marks? or of a gorgeous palace, an"
## [443] "architect, who, declaring the full beauties, might well make the hearer"
## [444] "able to repeat, as it were, by rote, all he had heard, yet should never"
## [445] "satisfy his inward conceit, with being witness to itself of a true living"
## [446] "knowledge; but the same man, as soon as he might see those beasts well"
## [447] "painted, or that house well in model, should straightway grow, without"
## [448] "need of any description, to a judicial comprehending of them; so, no"
## [449] "doubt, the philosopher, with his learned definitions, be it of virtue or"
## [450] "vices, matters of public policy or private government, replenisheth the"
## [451] "memory with many infallible grounds of wisdom, which, notwithstanding,"
## [452] "lie dark before the imaginative and judging power, if they be not"
## [453] "illuminated or figured forth by the speaking picture of poesy."
## [454] ""
## [455] "Tully taketh much pains, and many times not without poetical help, to"
## [456] "make us know the force love of our country hath in us. Let us but hear"
## [457] "old Anchises, speaking in the midst of Troy’s flames, or see Ulysses, in"
## [458] "the fulness of all Calypso’s delights, bewail his absence from barren and"
## [459] "beggarly Ithaca. Anger, the Stoics said, was a short madness; let but"
## [460] "Sophocles bring you Ajax on a stage, killing or whipping sheep and oxen,"
## [461] "thinking them the army of Greeks, with their chieftains Agamemnon and"
## [462] "Menelaus; and tell me, if you have not a more familiar insight into"
## [463] "anger, than finding in the schoolmen his genus and difference? See"
## [464] "whether wisdom and temperance in Ulysses and Diomedes, valour in"
## [465] "Achilles, friendship in Nisus and Euryalus, even to an ignorant man,"
## [466] "carry not an apparent shining; and, contrarily, the remorse of conscience"
## [467] "in Œdipus; the soon-repenting pride in Agamemnon; the self-devouring"
## [468] "cruelty in his father Atreus; the violence of ambition in the two Theban"
## [469] "brothers; the sour sweetness of revenge in Medea; and, to fall lower, the"
## [470] "Terentian Gnatho, and our Chaucer’s Pandar, so expressed, that we now use"
## [471] "their names to signify their trades; and finally, all virtues, vices, and"
## [472] "passions so in their own natural states laid to the view, that we seem"
## [473] "not to hear of them, but clearly to see through them?"
## [474] ""
## [475] "But even in the most excellent determination of goodness, what"
## [476] "philosopher’s counsel can so readily direct a prince as the feigned Cyrus"
## [477] "in Xenophon? Or a virtuous man in all fortunes, as Æneas in Virgil? Or"
## [478] "a whole commonwealth, as the way of Sir Thomas More’s Utopia? I say the"
## [479] "way, because where Sir Thomas More erred, it was the fault of the man,"
## [480] "and not of the poet; for that way of patterning a commonwealth was most"
## [481] "absolute, though he, perchance, hath not so absolutely performed it. For"
## [482] "the question is, whether the feigned image of poetry, or the regular"
## [483] "instruction of philosophy, hath the more force in teaching. Wherein, if"
## [484] "the philosophers have more rightly showed themselves philosophers, than"
## [485] "the poets have attained to the high top of their profession, (as in"
## [486] "truth,"
## [487] ""
## [488] " “Mediocribus esse poëtis"
## [489] " Non Dî, non homines, non concessere columnæ,” {33})"
## [490] ""
## [491] "it is, I say again, not the fault of the art, but that by few men that"
## [492] "art can be accomplished. Certainly, even our Saviour Christ could as"
## [493] "well have given the moral common-places {34} of uncharitableness and"
## [494] "humbleness, as the divine narration of Dives and Lazarus; or of"
## [495] "disobedience and mercy, as the heavenly discourse of the lost child and"
## [496] "the gracious father; but that his thorough searching wisdom knew the"
## [497] "estate of Dives burning in hell, and of Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, would"
## [498] "more constantly, as it were, inhabit both the memory and judgment."
## [499] "Truly, for myself (me seems), I see before mine eyes the lost child’s"
## [500] "disdainful prodigality turned to envy a swine’s dinner; which, by the"
## [501] "learned divines, are thought not historical acts, but instructing"
## [502] "parables."
## [503] ""
## [504] "For conclusion, I say the philosopher teacheth, but he teacheth"
## [505] "obscurely, so as the learned only can understand him; that is to say, he"
## [506] "teacheth them that are already taught. But the poet is the food for the"
## [507] "tenderest stomachs; the poet is, indeed, the right popular philosopher."
## [508] "Whereof Æsop’s tales give good proof; whose pretty allegories, stealing"
## [509] "under the formal tales of beasts, make many, more beastly than beasts,"
## [510] "begin to hear the sound of virtue from those dumb speakers."
## [511] ""
## [512] "But now may it be alleged, that if this managing of matters be so fit for"
## [513] "the imagination, then must the historian needs surpass, who brings you"
## [514] "images of true matters, such as, indeed, were done, and not such as"
## [515] "fantastically or falsely may be suggested to have been done. Truly,"
## [516] "Aristotle himself, in his Discourse of Poesy, plainly determineth this"
## [517] "question, saying, that poetry is φιλοσοφώτερον καὶ πσουδαιότεοον, that is"
## [518] "to say, it is more philosophical and more ingenious than history. His"
## [519] "reason is, because poesy dealeth with καθολου, that is to say, with the"
## [520] "universal consideration, and the history καθ ἔκαστον, the particular."
## [521] "“Now,” saith he, “the universal weighs what is fit to be said or done,"
## [522] "either in likelihood or necessity; which the poesy considereth in his"
## [523] "imposed names; and the particular only marks, whether Alcibiades did, or"
## [524] "suffered, this or that:” thus far Aristotle. {35} Which reason of his,"
## [525] "as all his, is most full of reason. For, indeed, if the question were,"
## [526] "whether it were better to have a particular act truly or falsely set"
## [527] "down? there is no doubt which is to be chosen, no more than whether you"
## [528] "had rather have Vespasian’s picture right as he was, or, at the painter’s"
## [529] "pleasure, nothing resembling? But if the question be, for your own use"
## [530] "and learning, whether it be better to have it set down as it should be,"
## [531] "or as it was? then, certainly, is more doctrinable the feigned Cyrus in"
## [532] "Xenophon, than the true Cyrus in Justin; {36} and the feigned Æneas in"
## [533] "Virgil, than the right Æneas in Dares Phrygius; {37} as to a lady that"
## [534] "desired to fashion her countenance to the best grace, a painter should"
## [535] "more benefit her, to portrait a most sweet face, writing Canidia upon it,"
## [536] "than to paint Canidia as she was, who, Horace sweareth, was full"
## [537] "ill-favoured. If the poet do his part aright, he will show you in"
## [538] "Tantalus, Atreus, and such like, nothing that is not to be shunned; in"
## [539] "Cyrus, Æneas, Ulysses, each thing to be followed; where the historian,"
## [540] "bound to tell things as things were, cannot be liberal, without he will"
## [541] "be poetical, of a perfect pattern; but, as in Alexander, or Scipio"
## [542] "himself, show doings, some to be liked, some to be misliked; and then how"
## [543] "will you discern what to follow, but by your own discretion, which you"
## [544] "had, without reading Q. Curtius? {38} And whereas, a man may say, though"
## [545] "in universal consideration of doctrine, the poet prevaileth, yet that the"
## [546] "history, in his saying such a thing was done, doth warrant a man more in"
## [547] "that he shall follow; the answer is manifest: that if he stand upon that"
## [548] "_was_, as if he should argue, because it rained yesterday therefore it"
## [549] "should rain to-day; then, indeed, hath it some advantage to a gross"
## [550] "conceit. But if he know an example only enforms a conjectured"
## [551] "likelihood, and so go by reason, the poet doth so far exceed him, as he"
## [552] "is to frame his example to that which is most reasonable, be it in"
## [553] "warlike, politic, or private matters; where the historian in his bare"
## [554] "_was_ hath many times that which we call fortune to overrule the best"
## [555] "wisdom. Many times he must tell events whereof he can yield no cause; or"
## [556] "if he do, it must be poetically."
## [557] ""
## [558] "For, that a feigned example bath as much force to teach as a true example"
## [559] "(for as for to move, it is clear, since the feigned may be tuned to the"
## [560] "highest key of passion), let us take one example wherein an historian and"
## [561] "a poet did concur. Herodotus and Justin do both testify, that Zopyrus,"
## [562] "King Darius’s faithful servant, seeing his master long resisted by the"
## [563] "rebellious Babylonians, feigned himself in extreme disgrace of his King;"
## [564] "for verifying of which he caused his own nose and ears to be cut off, and"
## [565] "so flying to the Babylonians, was received; and, for his known valour, so"
## [566] "far credited, that he did find means to deliver them over to Darius."
## [567] "Much-like matters doth Livy record of Tarquinius and his son. Xenophon"
## [568] "excellently feigned such another stratagem, performed by Abradatus in"
## [569] "Cyrus’s behalf. Now would I fain know, if occasion be presented unto you"
## [570] "to serve your prince by such an honest dissimulation, why do you not as"
## [571] "well learn it of Xenophon’s fiction as of the other’s verity? and, truly,"
## [572] "so much the better, as you shall save your nose by the bargain; for"
## [573] "Abradatus did not counterfeit so far. So, then, the best of the"
## [574] "historians is subject to the poet; for, whatsoever action or faction,"
## [575] "whatsoever counsel, policy, or war stratagem the historian is bound to"
## [576] "recite, that may the poet, if he list, with his imitation, make his own,"
## [577] "beautifying it both for farther teaching, and more delighting, as it"
## [578] "please him: having all, from Dante’s heaven to his hell, under the"
## [579] "authority of his pen. Which if I be asked, What poets have done so? as I"
## [580] "might well name some, so yet, say I, and say again, I speak of the art,"
## [581] "and not of the artificer."
## [582] ""
## [583] "Now, to that which commonly is attributed to the praise of history, in"
## [584] "respect of the notable learning which is got by marking the success, as"
## [585] "though therein a man should see virtue exalted, and vice punished: truly,"
## [586] "that commendation is peculiar to poetry, and far off from history; for,"
## [587] "indeed, poetry ever sets virtue so out in her best colours, making"
## [588] "fortune her well-waiting handmaid, that one must needs be enamoured of"
## [589] "her. Well may you see Ulysses in a storm, and in other hard plights; but"
## [590] "they are but exercises of patience and magnanimity, to make them shine"
## [591] "the more in the near following prosperity. And, on the contrary part, if"
## [592] "evil men come to the stage, they ever go out (as the tragedy writer"
## [593] "answered to one that misliked the show of such persons) so manacled, as"
## [594] "they little animate folks to follow them. But history being captive to"
## [595] "the truth of a foolish world, in many times a terror from well-doing, and"
## [596] "an encouragement to unbridled wickedness. For see we not valiant"
## [597] "Miltiades rot in his fetters? the just Phocion and the accomplished"
## [598] "Socrates put to death like traitors? the cruel Severus live prosperously?"
## [599] "the excellent Severus miserably murdered? Sylla and Marius dying in"
## [600] "their beds? Pompey and Cicero slain then when they would have thought"
## [601] "exile a happiness? See we not virtuous Cato driven to kill himself, and"
## [602] "rebel Cæsar so advanced, that his name yet, after sixteen hundred years,"
## [603] "lasteth in the highest honour? And mark but even Cæsar’s own words of"
## [604] "the forenamed Sylla, (who in that only did honestly, to put down his"
## [605] "dishonest tyranny), “literas nescivit:” as if want of learning caused him"
## [606] "to do well. He meant it not by poetry, which, not content with earthly"
## [607] "plagues, deviseth new punishment in hell for tyrants: nor yet by"
## [608] "philosophy, which teacheth “occidentes esse:” but, no doubt, by skill in"
## [609] "history; for that, indeed, can afford you Cypselus, Periander, Phalaris,"
## [610] "Dionysius, and I know not how many more of the same kennel, that speed"
## [611] "well enough in their abominable injustice of usurpation."
## [612] ""
## [613] "I conclude, therefore, that he excelleth history, not only in furnishing"
## [614] "the mind with knowledge, but in setting it forward to that which deserves"
## [615] "to be called and accounted good: which setting forward, and moving to"
## [616] "well-doing, indeed, setteth the laurel crowns upon the poets as"
## [617] "victorious; not only of the historian, but over the philosopher,"
## [618] "howsoever, in teaching, it may be questionable. For suppose it be"
## [619] "granted, that which I suppose, with great reason, may be denied, that the"
## [620] "philosopher, in respect of his methodical proceeding, teach more"
## [621] "perfectly than the poet, yet do I think, that no man is so much"
## [622] "φιλοφιλόσοφος, as to compare the philosopher in moving with the poet."
## [623] "And that moving is of a higher degree than teaching, it may by this"
## [624] "appear, that it is well nigh both the cause and effect of teaching; for"
## [625] "who will be taught, if he be not moved with desire to be taught? And"
## [626] "what so much good doth that teaching bring forth (I speak still of moral"
## [627] "doctrine) as that it moveth one to do that which it doth teach. For, as"
## [628] "Aristotle saith, it is not γνῶσις but πράξις {39} must be the fruit: and"
## [629] "how πράξις can be, without being moved to practise, it is no hard matter"
## [630] "to consider. The philosopher showeth you the way, he informeth you of"
## [631] "the particularities, as well of the tediousness of the way and of the"
## [632] "pleasant lodging you shall have when your journey is ended, as of the"
## [633] "many by-turnings that may divert you from your way; but this is to no"
## [634] "man, but to him that will read him, and read him with attentive, studious"
## [635] "painfulness; which constant desire whosoever hath in him, hath already"
## [636] "passed half the hardness of the way, and therefore is beholden to the"
## [637] "philosopher but for the other half. Nay, truly, learned men have"
## [638] "learnedly thought, that where once reason hath so much over-mastered"
## [639] "passion, as that the mind hath a free desire to do well, the inward light"
## [640] "each mind hath in itself is as good as a philosopher’s book: since in"
## [641] "nature we know it is well to do well, and what is well and what is evil,"
## [642] "although not in the words of art which philosophers bestow upon us; for"
## [643] "out of natural conceit the philosophers drew it; but to be moved to do"
## [644] "that which we know, or to be moved with desire to know, “hoc opus, hic"
## [645] "labor est.”"
## [646] ""
## [647] "Now, {40} therein, of all sciences (I speak still of human and according"
## [648] "to the human conceit), is our poet the monarch. For he doth not only"
## [649] "show the way, but giveth so sweet a prospect into the way, as will entice"
## [650] "any man to enter into it; nay, he doth, as if your journey should lie"
## [651] "through a fair vineyard, at the very first give you a cluster of grapes,"
## [652] "that full of that taste you may long to pass farther. He beginneth not"
## [653] "with obscure definitions, which must blur the margin with"
## [654] "interpretations, and load the memory with doubtfulness, but he cometh to"
## [655] "you with words set in delightful proportion, either accompanied with, or"
## [656] "prepared for, the well-enchanting skill of music; and with a tale,"
## [657] "forsooth, he cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from"
## [658] "play, and old men from the chimney-corner; {41} and, pretending no more,"
## [659] "doth intend the winning of the mind from wickedness to virtue; even as"
## [660] "the child is often brought to take most wholesome things, by hiding them"
## [661] "in such other as have a pleasant taste; which, if one should begin to"
## [662] "tell them the nature of the aloes or rhubarbarum they should receive,"
## [663] "would sooner take their physic at their ears than at their mouth; so it"
## [664] "is in men (most of them are childish in the best things, till they be"
## [665] "cradled in their graves); glad they will be to hear the tales of"
## [666] "Hercules, Achilles, Cyrus, Æneas; and hearing them, must needs hear the"
## [667] "right description of wisdom, valour, and justice; which, if they had been"
## [668] "barely (that is to say, philosophically) set out, they would swear they"
## [669] "be brought to school again. That imitation whereof poetry is, hath the"
## [670] "most conveniency to nature of all other; insomuch that, as Aristotle"
## [671] "saith, those things which in themselves are horrible, as cruel battles,"
## [672] "unnatural monsters, are made, in poetical imitation, delightful. Truly,"
## [673] "I have known men, that even with reading Amadis de Gaule, which, God"
## [674] "knoweth, wanteth much of a perfect poesy, have found their hearts moved"
## [675] "to the exercise of courtesy, liberality, and especially courage. Who"
## [676] "readeth Æneas carrying old Anchises on his back, that wisheth not it were"
## [677] "his fortune to perform so excellent an act? Whom doth not those words of"
## [678] "Turnus move (the tale of Turnus having planted his image in the"
## [679] "imagination)"
## [680] ""
## [681] " “—fugientem hæc terra videbit?"
## [682] " Usque adeone mori miserum est?” {42}"
## [683] ""
## [684] "Where the philosophers (as they think) scorn to delight, so much they be"
## [685] "content little to move, saving wrangling whether “virtus” be the chief or"
## [686] "the only good; whether the contemplative or the active life do excel;"
## [687] "which Plato and Boetius well knew; and therefore made mistress Philosophy"
## [688] "very often borrow the masking raiment of poesy. For even those"
## [689] "hard-hearted evil men, who think virtue a school-name, and know no other"
## [690] "good but “indulgere genio,” and therefore despise the austere admonitions"
## [691] "of the philosopher, and feel not the inward reason they stand upon; yet"
## [692] "will be content to be delighted, which is all the good-fellow poet seems"
## [693] "to promise; and so steal to see the form of goodness, which seen, they"
## [694] "cannot but love, ere themselves be aware, as if they took a medicine of"
## [695] "cherries."
## [696] ""
## [697] "Infinite {43} proofs of the strange effects of this poetical invention"
## [698] "might be alleged; only two shall serve, which are so often remembered,"
## [699] "as, I think, all men know them. The one of Menenius Agrippa, who, when"
## [700] "the whole people of Rome had resolutely divided themselves from the"
## [701] "senate, with apparent show of utter ruin, though he were, for that time,"
## [702] "an excellent orator, came not among them upon trust, either of figurative"
## [703] "speeches, or cunning insinuations, and much less with far-fetched maxims"
## [704] "of philosophy, which, especially if they were Platonic, they must have"
## [705] "learned geometry before they could have conceived; but, forsooth, he"
## [706] "behaveth himself like a homely and familiar poet. He telleth them a"
## [707] "tale, that there was a time when all the parts of the body made a"
## [708] "mutinous conspiracy against the belly, which they thought devoured the"
## [709] "fruits of each other’s labour; they concluded they would let so"
## [710] "unprofitable a spender starve. In the end, to be short (for the tale is"
## [711] "notorious, and as notorious that it was a tale), with punishing the belly"
## [712] "they plagued themselves. This, applied by him, wrought such effect in"
## [713] "the people as I never read that only words brought forth; but then so"
## [714] "sudden, and so good an alteration, for upon reasonable conditions a"
## [715] "perfect reconcilement ensued."
## [716] ""
## [717] "The other is of Nathan the prophet, who, when the holy David had so far"
## [718] "forsaken God, as to confirm adultery with murder, when he was to do the"
## [719] "tenderest office of a friend, in laying his own shame before his eyes,"
## [720] "being sent by God to call again so chosen a servant, how doth he it? but"
## [721] "by telling of a man whose beloved lamb was ungratefully taken from his"
## [722] "bosom. The application most divinely true, but the discourse itself"
## [723] "feigned; which made David (I speak of the second and instrumental cause)"
## [724] "as in a glass see his own filthiness, as that heavenly psalm of mercy"
## [725] "well testifieth."
## [726] ""
## [727] "By these, therefore, examples and reasons, I think it may be manifest"
## [728] "that the poet, with that same hand of delight, doth draw the mind more"
## [729] "effectually than any other art doth. And so a conclusion not unfitly"
## [730] "ensues; that as virtue is the most excellent resting-place for all"
## [731] "worldly learning to make his end of, so poetry, being the most familiar"
## [732] "to teach it, and most princely to move towards it, in the most excellent"
## [733] "work is the most excellent workman."
## [734] ""
## [735] "But I am content not only to decipher him by his works (although works in"
## [736] "commendation and dispraise must ever hold a high authority), but more"
## [737] "narrowly will examine his parts; so that (as in a man) though all"
## [738] "together may carry a presence full of majesty and beauty perchance in"
## [739] "some one defectious {44} piece we may find blemish."
## [740] ""
## [741] "Now, {45} in his parts, kinds, or species, as you list to term them, it"
## [742] "is to be noted that some poesies have coupled together two or three"
## [743] "kinds; as the tragical and comical, whereupon is risen the tragi-comical;"
## [744] "some, in the manner, have mingled prose and verse, as Sannazaro and"
## [745] "Boetius; some have mingled matters heroical and pastoral; but that cometh"
## [746] "all to one in this question; for, if severed they be good, the"
## [747] "conjunction cannot be hurtful. Therefore, perchance, forgetting some,"
## [748] "and leaving some as needless to be remembered, it shall not be amiss, in"
## [749] "a word, to cite the special kinds, to see what faults may be found in the"
## [750] "right use of them."
## [751] ""
## [752] "Is it, then, the pastoral poem which is misliked? {46} For, perchance,"
## [753] "where the hedge is lowest, they will soonest leap over. Is the poor pipe"
## [754] "disdained, which sometimes, out of Melibæus’s mouth, can show the misery"
## [755] "of people under hard lords and ravening soldiers? And again, by Tityrus,"
## [756] "what blessedness is derived to them that lie lowest from the goodness of"
## [757] "them that sit highest? Sometimes under the pretty tales of wolves and"
## [758] "sheep, can include the whole considerations of wrong doing and patience;"
## [759] "sometimes show, that contentions for trifles can get but a trifling"
## [760] "victory; where, perchance, a man may see that even Alexander and Darius,"
## [761] "when they strove who should be cock of this world’s dunghill, the benefit"
## [762] "they got was, that the after-livers may say,"
## [763] ""
## [764] " “Hæc memini, et victum frustra contendere Thyrsim."
## [765] " Ex illo Corydon, Corydon est tempore nobis.” {47}"
## [766] ""
## [767] "Or is it the lamenting elegiac, {48} which, in a kind heart, would move"
## [768] "rather pity than blame; who bewaileth, with the great philosopher"
## [769] "Heraclitus, the weakness of mankind, and the wretchedness of the world;"
## [770] "who, surely, is to be praised, either for compassionately accompanying"
## [771] "just causes of lamentations, or for rightly pointing out how weak be the"
## [772] "passions of wofulness?"
## [773] ""
## [774] "Is it the bitter, but wholesome iambic, {49} who rubs the galled mind,"
## [775] "making shame the trumpet of villany, with bold and open crying out"
## [776] "against naughtiness?"
## [777] ""
## [778] "Or the satiric? who,"
## [779] ""
## [780] " “Omne vafer vitium ridenti tangit amico;” {50}"
## [781] ""
## [782] "who sportingly never leaveth, until he make a man laugh at folly, and, at"
## [783] "length, ashamed to laugh at himself, which he cannot avoid without"
## [784] "avoiding the folly; who, while “circum præcordia ludit,” giveth us to"
## [785] "feel how many headaches a passionate life bringeth us to; who when all is"
## [786] "done,"
## [787] ""
## [788] " “Est Ulubris, animus si nos non deficit æquus.” {51}"
## [789] ""
## [790] "No, perchance, it is the comic; {52} whom naughty play-makers and"
## [791] "stage-keepers have justly made odious. To the arguments of abuse I will"
## [792] "after answer; only thus much now is to be said, that the comedy is an"
## [793] "imitation of the common errors of our life, which he representeth in the"
## [794] "most ridiculous and scornful sort that may be; so as it is impossible"
## [795] "that any beholder can be content to be such a one. Now, as in geometry,"
## [796] "the oblique must be known as well as the right, and in arithmetic, the"
## [797] "odd as well as the even; so in the actions of our life, who seeth not the"
## [798] "filthiness of evil, wanteth a great foil to perceive the beauty of"
## [799] "virtue. This doth the comedy handle so, in our private and domestical"
## [800] "matters, as, with hearing it, we get, as it were, an experience of what"
## [801] "is to be looked for, of a niggardly Demea, of a crafty Davus, of a"
## [802] "flattering Gnatho, of a vain-glorious Thraso; and not only to know what"
## [803] "effects are to be expected, but to know who be such, by the signifying"
## [804] "badge given them by the comedian. And little reason hath any man to say,"
## [805] "that men learn the evil by seeing it so set out; since, as I said before,"
## [806] "there is no man living, but by the force truth hath in nature, no sooner"
## [807] "seeth these men play their parts, but wisheth them in “pistrinum;” {53}"
## [808] "although, perchance, the sack of his own faults lie so behind his back,"
## [809] "that he seeth not himself to dance in the same measure, whereto yet"
## [810] "nothing can more open his eyes than to see his own actions contemptibly"
## [811] "set forth; so that the right use of comedy will, I think, by nobody be"
## [812] "blamed."
## [813] ""
## [814] "And much less of the high and excellent tragedy, {54} that openeth the"
## [815] "greatest wounds, and showeth forth the ulcers that are covered with"
## [816] "tissue; that maketh kings fear to be tyrants, and tyrants to manifest"
## [817] "their tyrannical humours; that with stirring the effects of admiration"
## [818] "and commiseration, teacheth the uncertainty of this world, and upon how"
## [819] "weak foundations gilded roofs are builded; that maketh us know, “qui"
## [820] "sceptra sævus duro imperio regit, timet timentes, metus in authorem"
## [821] "redit.” But how much it can move, Plutarch yielded a notable testimony"
## [822] "of the abominable tyrant Alexander Pheræus; from whose eyes a tragedy,"
## [823] "well made and represented, drew abundance of tears, who without all pity"
## [824] "had murdered infinite numbers, and some of his own blood; so as he that"
## [825] "was not ashamed to make matters for tragedies, yet could not resist the"
## [826] "sweet violence of a tragedy. And if it wrought no farther good in him,"
## [827] "it was that he, in despite of himself, withdrew himself from hearkening"
## [828] "to that which might mollify his hardened heart. But it is not the"
## [829] "tragedy they do dislike, for it were too absurd to cast out so excellent"
## [830] "a representation of whatsoever is most worthy to be learned."
## [831] ""
## [832] "Is it the lyric that most displeaseth, who with his tuned lyre and"
## [833] "well-accorded voice, giveth praise, the reward of virtue, to virtuous"
## [834] "acts? who giveth moral precepts and natural problems? who sometimes"
## [835] "raiseth up his voice to the height of the heavens, in singing the lauds"
## [836] "of the immortal God? Certainly, I must confess mine own barbarousness; I"
## [837] "never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas, that I found not my heart"
## [838] "moved more than with a trumpet; {55} and yet it is sung but by some blind"
## [839] "crowder, with no rougher voice than rude style; which being so evil"
## [840] "apparelled in the dust and cobweb of that uncivil age, what would it"
## [841] "work, trimmed in the gorgeous eloquence of Pindar? In Hungary I have"
## [842] "seen it the manner at all feasts, and all other such-like meetings, to"
## [843] "have songs of their ancestors’ valour, which that right soldier-like"
## [844] "nation think one of the chiefest kindlers of brave courage. The"
## [845] "incomparable Lacedæmonians did not only carry that kind of music ever"
## [846] "with them to the field, but even at home, as such songs were made, so"
## [847] "were they all content to be singers of them; when the lusty men were to"
## [848] "tell what they did, the old men what they had done, and the young what"
## [849] "they would do. And where a man may say that Pindar many times praiseth"
## [850] "highly victories of small moment, rather matters of sport than virtue; as"
## [851] "it may be answered, it was the fault of the poet, and not of the poetry,"
## [852] "so, indeed, the chief fault was in the time and custom of the Greeks, who"
## [853] "set those toys at so high a price, that Philip of Macedon reckoned a"
## [854] "horse-race won at Olympus among three fearful felicities. But as the"
## [855] "inimitable Pindar often did, so is that kind most capable, and most fit,"
## [856] "to awake the thoughts from the sleep of idleness, to embrace honourable"
## [857] "enterprises."
## [858] ""
## [859] "There rests the heroical, {56} whose very name, I think, should daunt all"
## [860] "backbiters. For by what conceit can a tongue be directed to speak evil"
## [861] "of that which draweth with him no less champions than Achilles, Cyrus,"
## [862] "Æneas, Turus, Tydeus, Rinaldo? who doth not only teach and move to truth,"
## [863] "but teacheth and moveth to the most high and excellent truth: who maketh"
## [864] "magnanimity and justice shine through all misty fearfulness and foggy"
## [865] "desires? who, if the saying of Plato and Tully be true, that who could"
## [866] "see virtue, would be wonderfully ravished with the love of her beauty;"
## [867] "this man setteth her out to make her more lovely, in her holiday apparel,"
## [868] "to the eye of any that will deign not to disdain until they understand."
## [869] "But if any thing be already said in the defence of sweet poetry, all"
## [870] "concurreth to the maintaining the heroical, which is not only a kind, but"
## [871] "the best and most accomplished kind, of poetry. For, as the image of"
## [872] "each action stirreth and instructeth the mind, so the lofty image of such"
## [873] "worthies most inflameth the mind with desire to be worthy, and informs"
## [874] "with counsel how to be worthy. Only let Æneas be worn in the tablet of"
## [875] "your memory, how he governeth himself in the ruin of his country; in the"
## [876] "preserving his old father, and carrying away his religious ceremonies; in"
## [877] "obeying God’s commandments, to leave Dido, though not only passionate"
## [878] "kindness, but even the human consideration of virtuous gratefulness,"
## [879] "would have craved other of him; how in storms, how in sports, how in war,"
## [880] "how in peace, how a fugitive, how victorious, how besieged, how"
## [881] "besieging, how to strangers, how to allies, how to enemies; how to his"
## [882] "own, lastly, how in his inward self, and how in his outward government;"
## [883] "and I think, in a mind most prejudiced with a prejudicating humour, he"
## [884] "will be found in excellency fruitful. Yea, as Horace saith, “Melius"
## [885] "Chrysippo et Crantore:” {57} but, truly, I imagine it falleth out with"
## [886] "these poet-whippers as with some good women who often are sick, but in"
## [887] "faith they cannot tell where. So the name of poetry is odious to them,"
## [888] "but neither his cause nor effects, neither the sum that contains him, nor"
## [889] "the particularities descending from him, give any fast handle to their"
## [890] "carping dispraise."
## [891] ""
## [892] "Since, then, {58} poetry is of all human learnings the most ancient, and"
## [893] "of most fatherly antiquity, as from whence other learnings have taken"
## [894] "their beginnings; since it is so universal that no learned nation doth"
## [895] "despise it, nor barbarous nation is without it; since both Roman and"
## [896] "Greek gave such divine names unto it, the one of prophesying, the other"
## [897] "of making, and that indeed that name of making is fit for him,"
## [898] "considering, that where all other arts retain themselves within their"
## [899] "subject, and receive, as it were, their being from it, the poet only,"
## [900] "only bringeth his own stuff, and doth not learn a conceit out of a"
## [901] "matter, but maketh matter for a conceit; since neither his description"
## [902] "nor end containeth any evil, the thing described cannot be evil; since"
## [903] "his effects be so good as to teach goodness, and delight the learners of"
## [904] "it; since therein (namely, in moral doctrine, the chief of all"
## [905] "knowledges) he doth not only far pass the historian, but, for"
## [906] "instructing, is well nigh comparable to the philosopher; for moving,"
## [907] "leaveth him behind him; since the Holy Scripture (wherein there is no"
## [908] "uncleanness) hath whole parts in it poetical, and that even our Saviour"
## [909] "Christ vouchsafed to use the flowers of it; since all his kinds are not"
## [910] "only in their united forms, but in their severed dissections fully"
## [911] "commendable; I think, and think I think rightly, the laurel crown"
## [912] "appointed for triumphant captains, doth worthily, of all other learnings,"
## [913] "honour the poet’s triumph."
## [914] ""
## [915] "But {59} because we have ears as well as tongues, and that the lightest"
## [916] "reasons that may be, will seem to weigh greatly, if nothing be put in the"
## [917] "counterbalance, let us hear, and, as well as we can, ponder what"
## [918] "objections be made against this art, which may be worthy either of"
## [919] "yielding or answering."
## [920] ""
## [921] "First, truly, I note, not only in these μισομούσοι, poet-haters, but in"
## [922] "all that kind of people who seek a praise by dispraising others, that"
## [923] "they do prodigally spend a great many wandering words in quips and"
## [924] "scoffs, carping and taunting at each thing, which, by stirring the"
## [925] "spleen, may stay the brain from a thorough beholding, the worthiness of"
## [926] "the subject. Those kind of objections, as they are full of a very idle"
## [927] "uneasiness (since there is nothing of so sacred a majesty, but that an"
## [928] "itching tongue may rub itself upon it), so deserve they no other answer,"
## [929] "but, instead of laughing at the jest, to laugh at the jester. We know a"
## [930] "playing wit can praise the discretion of an ass, the comfortableness of"
## [931] "being in debt, and the jolly commodities of being sick of the plague; so,"
## [932] "of the contrary side, if we will turn Ovid’s verse,"
## [933] ""
## [934] " “Ut lateat virtus proximitate mali.”"
## [935] ""
## [936] "“That good lies hid in nearness of the evil,” Agrippa will be as merry in"
## [937] "the showing the Vanity of Science, as Erasmus was in the commending of"
## [938] "Folly; {60} neither shall any man or matter escape some touch of these"
## [939] "smiling railers. But for Erasmus and Agrippa, they had another"
## [940] "foundation than the superficial part would promise. Marry, these other"
## [941] "pleasant fault-finders, who will correct the verb before they understand"
## [942] "the noun, and confute others’ knowledge before they confirm their own; I"
## [943] "would have them only remember, that scoffing cometh not of wisdom; so as"
## [944] "the best title in true English they get with their merriments, is to be"
## [945] "called good fools; for so have our grave forefathers ever termed that"
## [946] "humorous kind of jesters."
## [947] ""
## [948] "But that which giveth greatest scope to their scorning humour, is rhyming"
## [949] "and versing. {61} It is already said, and, as I think, truly said, it is"
## [950] "not rhyming and versing that maketh poesy; one may be a poet without"
## [951] "versing, and a versifier without poetry. But yet, presuppose it were"
## [952] "inseparable, as indeed, it seemeth Scaliger judgeth truly, it were an"
## [953] "inseparable commendation; for if “oratio” next to “ratio,” speech next to"
## [954] "reason, be the greatest gift bestowed upon mortality, that cannot be"
## [955] "praiseless which doth most polish that blessing of speech; which"
## [956] "considereth each word, not only as a man may say by his forcible quality,"
## [957] "but by his best measured quantity; carrying even in themselves a harmony;"
## [958] "without, perchance, number, measure, order, proportion be in our time"
## [959] "grown odious."
## [960] ""
## [961] "But lay aside the just praise it hath, by being the only fit speech for"
## [962] "music—music, I say, the most divine striker of the senses; thus much is"
## [963] "undoubtedly true, that if reading be foolish without remembering, memory"
## [964] "being the only treasure of knowledge, those words which are fittest for"
## [965] "memory, are likewise most convenient for knowledge. Now, that verse far"
## [966] "exceedeth prose in the knitting up of the memory, the reason is manifest:"
## [967] "the words, besides their delight, which hath a great affinity to memory,"
## [968] "being so set as one cannot be lost, but the whole work fails: which"
## [969] "accusing itself, calleth the remembrance back to itself, and so most"
## [970] "strongly confirmeth it. Besides, one word so, as it were, begetting"
## [971] "another, as, be it in rhyme or measured verse, by the former a man shall"
## [972] "have a near guess to the follower. Lastly, even they that have taught"
## [973] "the art of memory, have showed nothing so apt for it as a certain room"
## [974] "divided into many places, well and thoroughly known; now that hath the"
## [975] "verse in effect perfectly, every word having his natural seat, which seat"
## [976] "must needs make the word remembered. But what needs more in a thing so"
## [977] "known to all men? Who is it that ever was a scholar that doth not carry"
## [978] "away some verses of Virgil, Horace, or Cato, which in his youth he"
## [979] "learned, and even to his old age serve him for hourly lessons? as,"
## [980] ""
## [981] " “Percontatorem fugito: nam garrulus idem est."
## [982] " Dum sibi quisque placet credula turba sumus.” {62}"
## [983] ""
## [984] "But the fitness it hath for memory is notably proved by all delivery of"
## [985] "arts, wherein, for the most part, from grammar to logic, mathematics,"
## [986] "physic, and the rest, the rules chiefly necessary to be borne away are"
## [987] "compiled in verses. So that verse being in itself sweet and orderly, and"
## [988] "being best for memory, the only handle of knowledge, it must be in jest"
## [989] "that any man can speak against it."
## [990] ""
## [991] "Now {63} then go we to the most important imputations laid to the poor"
## [992] "poets; for aught I can yet learn, they are these."
## [993] ""
## [994] "First, that there being many other more fruitful knowledges, a man might"
## [995] "better spend his time in them than in this."
## [996] ""
## [997] "Secondly, that it is the mother of lies."
## [998] ""
## [999] "Thirdly, that it is the nurse of abuse, infecting us with many pestilent"
## [1000] "desires, with a syren sweetness, drawing the mind to the serpent’s tail"
## [1001] "of sinful fancies; and herein, especially, comedies give the largest"
## [1002] "field to ear, as Chaucer saith; how, both in other nations and ours,"
## [1003] "before poets did soften us, we were full of courage, given to martial"
## [1004] "exercises, the pillars of manlike liberty, and not lulled asleep in shady"
## [1005] "idleness with poets’ pastimes."
## [1006] ""
## [1007] "And lastly and chiefly, they cry out with open mouth, as if they had"
## [1008] "overshot Robin Hood, that Plato banished them out of his commonwealth."
## [1009] "Truly this is much, if there be much truth in it."
## [1010] ""
## [1011] "First, {64} to the first, that a man might better spend his time, is a"
## [1012] "reason indeed; but it doth, as they say, but “petere principium.” {65}"
## [1013] "For if it be, as I affirm, that no learning is so good as that which"
## [1014] "teacheth and moveth to virtue, and that none can both teach and move"
## [1015] "thereto so much as poesy, then is the conclusion manifest, that ink and"
## [1016] "paper cannot be to a more profitable purpose employed. And certainly,"
## [1017] "though a man should grant their first assumption, it should follow,"
## [1018] "methinks, very unwillingly, that good is not good because better is"
## [1019] "better. But I still and utterly deny that there is sprung out of earth a"
## [1020] "more fruitful knowledge."
## [1021] ""
## [1022] "To {66} the second, therefore, that they should be the principal liars, I"
## [1023] "answer paradoxically, but truly, I think truly, that of all writers under"
## [1024] "the sun, the poet is the least liar; and though he would, as a poet, can"
## [1025] "scarcely be a liar. The astronomer, with his cousin the geometrician,"
## [1026] "can hardly escape when they take upon them to measure the height of the"
## [1027] "stars. How often, think you, do the physicians lie, when they aver"
## [1028] "things good for sicknesses, which afterwards send Charon a great number"
## [1029] "of souls drowned in a potion before they come to his ferry. And no less"
## [1030] "of the rest which take upon them to affirm. Now for the poet, he nothing"
## [1031] "affirmeth, and therefore never lieth; for, as I take it, to lie is to"
## [1032] "affirm that to be true which is false: so as the other artists, and"
## [1033] "especially the historian, affirmeth many things, can, in the cloudy"
## [1034] "knowledge of mankind, hardly escape from many lies: but the poet, as I"
## [1035] "said before, never affirmeth; the poet never maketh any circles about"
## [1036] "your imagination, to conjure you to believe for true what he writeth: he"
## [1037] "citeth not authorities of other histories, but even for his entry calleth"
## [1038] "the sweet Muses to inspire into him a good invention; in troth, not"
## [1039] "labouring to tell you what is or is not, but what should or should not"
## [1040] "be. And, therefore, though he recount things not true, yet because he"
## [1041] "telleth them not for true he lieth not; without we will say that Nathan"
## [1042] "lied in his speech, before alleged, to David; which, as a wicked man"
## [1043] "durst scarce say, so think I none so simple would say, that Æsop lied in"
## [1044] "the tales of his beasts; for who thinketh that Æsop wrote it for actually"
## [1045] "true, were well worthy to have his name chronicled among the beasts he"
## [1046] "writeth of. What child is there that cometh to a play, and seeing Thebes"
## [1047] "written in great letters upon an old door, doth believe that it is"
## [1048] "Thebes? If then a man can arrive to the child’s age, to know that the"
## [1049] "poet’s persons and doings are but pictures what should be, and not"
## [1050] "stories what have been, they will never give the lie to things not"
## [1051] "affirmatively, but allegorically and figuratively written; and therefore,"
## [1052] "as in history, looking for truth, they may go away full fraught with"
## [1053] "falsehood, so in poesy, looking but for fiction, they shall use the"
## [1054] "narration but as an imaginative ground-plot of a profitable invention."
## [1055] ""
## [1056] "But hereto is replied, that the poets give names to men they write of,"
## [1057] "which argueth a conceit of an actual truth, and so, not being true,"
## [1058] "proveth a falsehood. And doth the lawyer lie then, when, under the names"
## [1059] "of John of the Stile, and John of the Nokes, he putteth his case? But"
## [1060] "that is easily answered, their naming of men is but to make their picture"
## [1061] "the more lively, and not to build any history. Painting men, they cannot"
## [1062] "leave men nameless; we see we cannot play at chess but that we must give"
## [1063] "names to our chess-men: and yet, methinks, he were a very partial"
## [1064] "champion of truth that would say we lied for giving a piece of wood the"
## [1065] "reverend title of a bishop. The poet nameth Cyrus and Æneas no other way"
## [1066] "than to show what men of their fames, fortunes, and estates should do."
## [1067] ""
## [1068] "Their {67} third is, how much it abuseth men’s wit, training it to a"
## [1069] "wanton sinfulness and lustful love. For, indeed, that is the principal"
## [1070] "if not only abuse I can hear alleged. They say the comedies rather"
## [1071] "teach, than reprehend, amorous conceits; they say the lyric is larded"
## [1072] "with passionate sonnets; the elegiac weeps the want of his mistress; and"
## [1073] "that even to the heroical Cupid hath ambitiously climbed. Alas! Love, I"
## [1074] "would thou couldst as well defend thyself, as thou canst offend others!"
## [1075] "I would those on whom thou dost attend, could either put thee away or"
## [1076] "yield good reason why they keep thee! But grant love of beauty to be a"
## [1077] "beastly fault, although it be very hard, since only man, and no beast,"
## [1078] "hath that gift to discern beauty; grant that lovely name of love to"
## [1079] "deserve all hateful reproaches, although even some of my masters the"
## [1080] "philosophers spent a good deal of their lamp-oil in setting forth the"
## [1081] "excellency of it; grant, I say, what they will have granted, that not"
## [1082] "only love, but lust, but vanity, but, if they list, scurrility, possess"
## [1083] "many leaves of the poets’ books; yet, think I, when this is granted, they"
## [1084] "will find their sentence may, with good manners, put the last words"
## [1085] "foremost; and not say that poetry abuseth man’s wit, but that man’s wit"
## [1086] "abuseth poetry. For I will not deny but that man’s wit may make poesy,"
## [1087] "which should be φραστικὴ, which some learned have defined, figuring forth"
## [1088] "good things, to be φανταστικὴ, which doth contrariwise infect the fancy"
## [1089] "with unworthy objects; as the painter, who should give to the eye either"
## [1090] "some excellent perspective, or some fine picture fit for building or"
## [1091] "fortification, or containing in it some notable example, as Abraham"
## [1092] "sacrificing his son Isaac, Judith killing Holofernes, David fighting with"
## [1093] "Goliath, may leave those, and please an ill-pleased eye with wanton shows"
## [1094] "of better-hidden matters."
## [1095] ""
## [1096] "But, what! shall the abuse of a thing make the right use odious? Nay,"
## [1097] "truly, though I yield that poesy may not only be abused, but that being"
## [1098] "abused, by the reason of his sweet charming force, it can do more hurt"
## [1099] "than any other army of words, yet shall it be so far from concluding,"
## [1100] "that the abuse shall give reproach to the abused, that, contrariwise, it"
## [1101] "is a good reason, that whatsoever being abused, doth most harm, being"
## [1102] "rightly used (and upon the right use each thing receives his title) doth"
## [1103] "most good. Do we not see skill of physic, the best rampire {68} to our"
## [1104] "often-assaulted bodies, being abused, teach poison, the most violent"
## [1105] "destroyer? Doth not knowledge of law, whose end is to even and right all"
## [1106] "things, being abused, grow the crooked fosterer of horrible injuries?"
## [1107] "Doth not (to go in the highest) God’s word abused breed heresy, and His"
## [1108] "name abused become blasphemy? Truly, a needle cannot do much hurt, and"
## [1109] "as truly (with leave of ladies be it spoken) it cannot do much good."
## [1110] "With a sword thou mayest kill thy father, and with a sword thou mayest"
## [1111] "defend thy prince and country; so that, as in their calling poets fathers"
## [1112] "of lies, they said nothing, so in this their argument of abuse, they"
## [1113] "prove the commendation."
## [1114] ""
## [1115] "They allege herewith, that before poets began to be in price, our nation"
## [1116] "had set their heart’s delight upon action, and not imagination; rather"
## [1117] "doing things worthy to be written, than writing things fit to be done."
## [1118] "What that before time was, I think scarcely Sphynx can tell; since no"
## [1119] "memory is so ancient that gives not the precedence to poetry. And"
## [1120] "certain it is, that, in our plainest homeliness, yet never was the Albion"
## [1121] "nation without poetry. Marry, this argument, though it be levelled"
## [1122] "against poetry, yet it is indeed a chain-shot against all learning or"
## [1123] "bookishness, as they commonly term it. Of such mind were certain Goths,"
## [1124] "of whom it is written, that having in the spoil of a famous city taken a"
## [1125] "fair library, one hangman, belike fit to execute the fruits of their"
## [1126] "wits, who had murdered a great number of bodies, would have set fire in"
## [1127] "it. “No,” said another, very gravely, “take heed what you do, for while"
## [1128] "they are busy about those toys, we shall with more leisure conquer their"
## [1129] "countries.” This, indeed, is the ordinary doctrine of ignorance, and"
## [1130] "many words sometimes I have heard spent in it; but because this reason is"
## [1131] "generally against all learning as well as poetry, or rather all learning"
## [1132] "but poetry; because it were too large a digression to handle it, or at"
## [1133] "least too superfluous, since it is manifest that all government of action"
## [1134] "is to be gotten by knowledge, and knowledge best by gathering many"
## [1135] "knowledges, which is reading; I only say with Horace, to him that is of"
## [1136] "that opinion,"
## [1137] ""
## [1138] " “Jubeo stultum esse libenter—” {69}"
## [1139] ""
## [1140] "for as for poetry itself, it is the freest from this, objection, for"
## [1141] "poetry is the companion of camps. I dare undertake, Orlando Furioso, or"
## [1142] "honest King Arthur, will never displease a soldier: but the quiddity of"
## [1143] "“ens” and “prima materia” will hardly agree with a corslet. And,"
## [1144] "therefore, as I said in the beginning, even Turks and Tartars are"
## [1145] "delighted with poets. Homer, a Greek, flourished before Greece"
## [1146] "flourished; and if to a slight conjecture a conjecture may be opposed,"
## [1147] "truly it may seem, that as by him their learned men took almost their"
## [1148] "first light of knowledge, so their active men receive their first notions"
## [1149] "of courage. Only Alexander’s example may serve, who by Plutarch is"
## [1150] "accounted of such virtue that fortune was not his guide but his"
## [1151] "footstool; whose acts speak for him, though Plutarch did not; indeed, the"
## [1152] "phoenix of warlike princes. This Alexander left his schoolmaster, living"
## [1153] "Aristotle, behind him, but took dead Homer with him. He put the"
## [1154] "philosopher Callisthenes to death, for his seeming philosophical, indeed"
## [1155] "mutinous, stubbornness; but the chief thing he was ever heard to wish for"
## [1156] "was that Homer had been alive. He well found he received more bravery of"
## [1157] "mind by the pattern of Achilles, than by hearing the definition of"
## [1158] "fortitude. And, therefore, if Cato misliked Fulvius for carrying Ennius"
## [1159] "with him to the field, it may be answered that if Cato misliked it the"
## [1160] "noble Fulvius liked it, or else he had not done it; for it was not the"
## [1161] "excellent Cato Uticensis whose authority I would much more have"
## [1162] "reverenced, but it was the former, in truth a bitter punisher of faults,"
## [1163] "but else a man that had never sacrificed to the Graces. He misliked, and"
## [1164] "cried out against, all Greek learning, and yet, being fourscore years"
## [1165] "old, began to learn it, belike fearing that Pluto understood not Latin."
## [1166] "Indeed, the Roman laws allowed no person to be carried to the wars but he"
## [1167] "that was in the soldiers’ roll. And, therefore, though Cato misliked his"
## [1168] "unmustered person, he misliked not his work. And if he had, Scipio"
## [1169] "Nasica (judged by common consent the best Roman) loved him: both the"
## [1170] "other Scipio brothers, who had by their virtues no less surnames than of"
## [1171] "Asia and Afric, so loved him that they caused his body to be buried in"
## [1172] "their sepulture. So, as Cato’s authority being but against his person,"
## [1173] "and that answered with so far greater than himself, is herein of no"
## [1174] "validity."
## [1175] ""
## [1176] "But {70} now, indeed, my burthen is great, that Plato’s name is laid upon"
## [1177] "me, whom, I must confess, of all philosophers I have ever esteemed most"
## [1178] "worthy of reverence; and with good reason, since of all philosophers he"
## [1179] "is the most poetical; yet if he will defile the fountain out of which his"
## [1180] "flowing streams have proceeded, let us boldly examine with what reason he"
## [1181] "did it."
## [1182] ""
## [1183] "First, truly, a man might maliciously object that Plato, being a"
## [1184] "philosopher, was a natural enemy of poets. For, indeed, after the"
## [1185] "philosophers had picked out of the sweet mysteries of poetry the right"
## [1186] "discerning of true points of knowledge, they forthwith, putting it in"
## [1187] "method, and making a school of art of that which the poets did only teach"
## [1188] "by a divine delightfulness, beginning to spurn at their guides, like"
## [1189] "ungrateful apprentices, were not content to set up shop for themselves,"
## [1190] "but sought by all means to discredit their masters; which, by the force"
## [1191] "of delight being barred them, the less they could overthrow them, the"
## [1192] "more they hated them. For, indeed, they found for Homer seven cities"
## [1193] "strove who should have him for their citizen, where many cities banished"
## [1194] "philosophers as not fit members to live among them. For only repeating"
## [1195] "certain of Euripides’ verses many Athenians had their lives saved of the"
## [1196] "Syracusans, where the Athenians themselves thought many of the"
## [1197] "philosophers unworthy to live. Certain poets, as Simonides and Pindar,"
## [1198] "had so prevailed with Hiero the First, that of a tyrant they made him a"
## [1199] "just king; where Plato could do so little with Dionysius that he himself,"
## [1200] "of a philosopher, was made a slave. But who should do thus, I confess,"
## [1201] "should requite the objections raised against poets with like cavillations"
## [1202] "against philosophers; as likewise one should do that should bid one read"
## [1203] "Phædrus or Symposium in Plato, or the discourse of Love in Plutarch, and"
## [1204] "see whether any poet do authorise abominable filthiness as they do."
## [1205] ""
## [1206] "Again, a man might ask, out of what Commonwealth Plato doth banish them?"
## [1207] "In sooth, thence where he himself alloweth community of women. So, as"
## [1208] "belike this banishment grew not for effeminate wantonness, since little"
## [1209] "should poetical sonnets be hurtful, when a man might have what woman he"
## [1210] "listed. But I honour philosophical instructions, and bless the wits"
## [1211] "which bred them, so as they be not abused, which is likewise stretched to"
## [1212] "poetry. Saint Paul himself sets a watchword upon philosophy, indeed upon"
## [1213] "the abuse. So doth Plato upon the abuse, not upon poetry. Plato found"
## [1214] "fault that the poets of his time filled the world with wrong opinions of"
## [1215] "the gods, making light tales of that unspotted essence, and therefore"
## [1216] "would not have the youth depraved with such opinions. Herein may much be"
## [1217] "said; let this suffice: the poets did not induce such opinions, but did"
## [1218] "imitate those opinions already induced. For all the Greek stories can"
## [1219] "well testify that the very religion of that time stood upon many and"
## [1220] "many-fashioned gods; not taught so by poets, but followed according to"
## [1221] "their nature of imitation. Who list may read in Plutarch the discourses"
## [1222] "of Isis and Osiris, of the cause why oracles ceased, of the Divine"
## [1223] "providence, and see whether the theology of that nation stood not upon"
## [1224] "such dreams, which the poets indeed superstitiously observed; and truly,"
## [1225] "since they had not the light of Christ, did much better in it than the"
## [1226] "philosophers, who, shaking off superstition, brought in atheism."
## [1227] ""
## [1228] "Plato, therefore, whose authority I had much rather justly construe than"
## [1229] "unjustly resist, meant not in general of poets, in those words of which"
## [1230] "Julius Scaliger saith, “qua authoritate, barbari quidam atque insipidi,"
## [1231] "abuti velint ad poetas e republicâ exigendos {71}:” but only meant to"
## [1232] "drive out those wrong opinions of the Deity, whereof now, without farther"
## [1233] "law, Christianity hath taken away all the hurtful belief, perchance as he"
## [1234] "thought nourished by then esteemed poets. And a man need go no farther"
## [1235] "than to Plato himself to know his meaning; who, in his dialogue called"
## [1236] "“Ion,” {72} giveth high, and rightly, divine commendation unto poetry."
## [1237] "So as Plato, banishing the abuse, not the thing, not banishing it, but"
## [1238] "giving due honour to it, shall be our patron, and not our adversary."
## [1239] "For, indeed, I had much rather, since truly I may do it, show their"
## [1240] "mistaking of Plato, under whose lion’s skin they would make an ass-like"
## [1241] "braying against poesy, than go about to overthrow his authority; whom,"
## [1242] "the wiser a man is, the more just cause he shall find to have in"
## [1243] "admiration; especially since he attributeth unto poesy more than myself"
## [1244] "do, namely, to be a very inspiring of a divine force, far above man’s"
## [1245] "wit, as in the fore-named dialogue is apparent."
## [1246] ""
## [1247] "Of the other side, who would show the honours have been by the best sort"
## [1248] "of judgments granted them, a whole sea of examples would present"
## [1249] "themselves; Alexanders, Cæsars, Scipios, all favourers of poets; Lælius,"
## [1250] "called the Roman Socrates, himself a poet; so as part of"
## [1251] "Heautontimeroumenos, in Terence, was supposed to be made by him. And"
## [1252] "even the Greek Socrates, whom Apollo confirmed to be the only wise man,"
## [1253] "is said to have spent part of his old time in putting Æsop’s Fables into"
## [1254] "verse; and, therefore, full evil should it become his scholar Plato to"
## [1255] "put such words in his master’s mouth against poets. But what needs more?"
## [1256] "Aristotle writes the “Art of Poesy;” and why, if it should not be"
## [1257] "written? Plutarch teacheth the use to be gathered of them; and how, if"
## [1258] "they should not be read? And who reads Plutarch’s either history or"
## [1259] "philosophy, shall find he trimmeth both their garments with guards {73}"
## [1260] "of poesy."
## [1261] ""
## [1262] "But I list not to defend poesy with the help of his underling"
## [1263] "historiographer. Let it suffice to have showed it is a fit soil for"
## [1264] "praise to dwell upon; and what dispraise may be set upon it is either"
## [1265] "easily overcome, or transformed into just commendation. So that since"
## [1266] "the excellences of it may be so easily and so justly confirmed, and the"
## [1267] "low creeping objections so soon trodden down {74}; it not being an art of"
## [1268] "lies, but of true doctrine; not of effeminateness, but of notable"
## [1269] "stirring of courage; not of abusing man’s wit, but of strengthening man’s"
## [1270] "wit; not banished, but honoured by Plato; let us rather plant more"
## [1271] "laurels for to ingarland the poets’ heads (which honour of being"
## [1272] "laureate, as besides them only triumphant captains were, is a sufficient"
## [1273] "authority to show the price they ought to be held in) than suffer the"
## [1274] "ill-favoured breath of such wrong speakers once to blow upon the clear"
## [1275] "springs of poesy."
## [1276] ""
## [1277] "But {75} since I have run so long a career in this matter, methinks,"
## [1278] "before I give my pen a full stop, it shall be but a little more lost time"
## [1279] "to inquire, why England, the mother of excellent minds, should be grown"
## [1280] "so hard a step-mother to poets, who certainly in wit ought to pass all"
## [1281] "others, since all only proceeds from their wit, being, indeed, makers of"
## [1282] "themselves, not takers of others. How can I but exclaim,"
## [1283] ""
## [1284] " “Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine læso?” {76}"
## [1285] ""
## [1286] "Sweet poesy! that hath anciently had kings, emperors, senators, great"
## [1287] "captains, such as, besides a thousand others, David, Adrian, Sophocles,"
## [1288] "Germanicus, not only to favour poets, but to be poets; and of our nearer"
## [1289] "times can present for her patrons, a Robert, King of Sicily; the great"
## [1290] "King Francis of France; King James of Scotland; such cardinals as Bembus"
## [1291] "and Bibiena; such famous preachers and teachers as Beza and Melancthon;"
## [1292] "so learned philosophers as Fracastorius and Scaliger; so great orators as"
## [1293] "Pontanus and Muretus; so piercing wits as George Buchanan; so grave"
## [1294] "councillors as, besides many, but before all, that Hospital {77} of"
## [1295] "France, than whom, I think, that realm never brought forth a more"
## [1296] "accomplished judgment more firmly builded upon virtue; I say these, with"
## [1297] "numbers of others, not only to read others’ poesies, but to poetise for"
## [1298] "others’ reading: that poesy, thus embraced in all other places, should"
## [1299] "only find in our time a hard welcome in England, I think the very earth"
## [1300] "laments it, and therefore decks our soil with fewer laurels than it was"
## [1301] "accustomed. For heretofore poets have in England also flourished; and,"
## [1302] "which is to be noted, even in those times when the trumpet of Mars did"
## [1303] "sound loudest. And now that an over-faint quietness should seem to strew"
## [1304] "the house for poets, they are almost in as good reputation as the"
## [1305] "mountebanks at Venice. Truly, even that, as of the one side it giveth"
## [1306] "great praise to poesy, which, like Venus (but to better purpose), had"
## [1307] "rather be troubled in the net with Mars, than enjoy the homely quiet of"
## [1308] "Vulcan; so serveth it for a piece of a reason why they are less grateful"
## [1309] "to idle England, which now can scarce endure the pain of a pen. Upon"
## [1310] "this necessarily followeth that base men with servile wits undertake it,"
## [1311] "who think it enough if they can be rewarded of the printer; and so as"
## [1312] "Epaminondas is said, with the honour of his virtue, to have made an"
## [1313] "office by his exercising it, which before was contemptible, to become"
## [1314] "highly respected; so these men, no more but setting their names to it, by"
## [1315] "their own disgracefulness, disgrace the most graceful poesy. For now, as"
## [1316] "if all the Muses were got with child, to bring forth bastard poets,"
## [1317] "without any commission, they do post over the banks of Helicon, until"
## [1318] "they make their readers more weary than post-horses; while, in the"
## [1319] "meantime, they,"
## [1320] ""
## [1321] " “Queis meliore luto finxit præcordia Titan,” {78}"
## [1322] ""
## [1323] "are better content to suppress the outflowings of their wit, than by"
## [1324] "publishing them to be accounted knights of the same order."
## [1325] ""
## [1326] "But I that, before ever I durst aspire unto the dignity, am admitted into"
## [1327] "the company of the paper-blurrers, do find the very true cause of our"
## [1328] "wanting estimation is want of desert, taking upon us to be poets in"
## [1329] "despite of Pallas. Now, wherein we want desert, were a thankworthy"
## [1330] "labour to express. But if I knew, I should have mended myself; but as I"
## [1331] "never desired the title so have I neglected the means to come by it;"
## [1332] "only, overmastered by some thoughts, I yielded an inky tribute unto them."
## [1333] "Marry, they that delight in poesy itself, should seek to know what they"
## [1334] "do, and how they do, especially look themselves in an unflattering glass"
## [1335] "of reason, if they be inclinable unto it."
## [1336] ""
## [1337] "For poesy must not be drawn by the ears, it must be gently led, or rather"
## [1338] "it must lead; which was partly the cause that made the ancient learned"
## [1339] "affirm it was a divine, and no human skill, since all other knowledges"
## [1340] "lie ready for any that have strength of wit; a poet no industry can make,"
## [1341] "if his own genius be not carried into it. And therefore is an old"
## [1342] "proverb, “Orator fit, poeta nascitur.” {79} Yet confess I always, that"
## [1343] "as the fertilest ground must be manured, so must the highest flying wit"
## [1344] "have a Dædalus to guide him. That Dædalus, they say, both in this and in"
## [1345] "other, hath three wings to bear itself up into the air of due"
## [1346] "commendation; that is art, imitation, and exercise. But these, neither"
## [1347] "artificial rules, nor imitative patterns, we much cumber ourselves"
## [1348] "withal. Exercise, indeed, we do, but that very forebackwardly; for where"
## [1349] "we should exercise to know, we exercise as having known; and so is our"
## [1350] "brain delivered of much matter which never was begotten by knowledge."
## [1351] "For there being two principal parts, matter to be expressed by words, and"
## [1352] "words to express the matter, in neither we use art or imitation rightly."
## [1353] "Our matter is “quodlibet,” {80} indeed, although wrongly, performing"
## [1354] "Ovid’s verse,"
## [1355] ""
## [1356] " “Quicquid conabor dicere, versus erit;” {81}"
## [1357] ""
## [1358] "never marshalling it into any assured rank, that almost the readers"
## [1359] "cannot tell where to find themselves."
## [1360] ""
## [1361] "Chaucer, undoubtedly, did excellently in his Troilus and Cressida; of"
## [1362] "whom, truly, I know not whether to marvel more, either that he in that"
## [1363] "misty time could see so clearly, or that we in this clear age go so"
## [1364] "stumblingly after him. Yet had he great wants, fit to be forgiven in so"
## [1365] "reverend antiquity. I account the Mirror of Magistrates meetly furnished"
## [1366] "of beautiful parts. And in the Earl of Surrey’s Lyrics, many things"
## [1367] "tasting of a noble birth, and worthy of a noble mind. The “Shepherds’"
## [1368] "Kalendar” hath much poesy in his eclogues, indeed, worthy the reading, if"
## [1369] "I be not deceived. That same framing of his {82} style to an old rustic"
## [1370] "language, I dare not allow; since neither Theocritus in Greek, Virgil in"
## [1371] "Latin, nor Sannazaro in Italian, did affect it. Besides these, I do not"
## [1372] "remember to have seen but few (to speak boldly) printed that have"
## [1373] "poetical sinews in them. For proof whereof, let but most of the verses"
## [1374] "be put in prose, and then ask the meaning, and it will be found that one"
## [1375] "verse did but beget another, without ordering at the first what should be"
## [1376] "at the last; which becomes a confused mass of words, with a tinkling"
## [1377] "sound of rhyme, barely accompanied with reason."
## [1378] ""
## [1379] "Our {83} tragedies and comedies, not without cause, are cried out"
## [1380] "against, observing rules neither of honest civility nor skilful poetry."
## [1381] "Excepting _Gorboduc_ (again I say of those that I have seen), which"
## [1382] "notwithstanding, as it is full of stately speeches, and well-sounding"
## [1383] "phrases, climbing to the height of Seneca his style, and as full of"
## [1384] "notable morality, which it does most delightfully teach, and so obtain"
## [1385] "the very end of poesy; yet, in truth, it is very defectuous in the"
## [1386] "circumstances, which grieves me, because it might not remain as an exact"
## [1387] "model of all tragedies. For it is faulty both in place and time, the two"
## [1388] "necessary companions of all corporal actions. For where the stage should"
## [1389] "always represent but one place; and the uttermost time presupposed in it"
## [1390] "should be, both by Aristotle’s precept, and common reason, but one day;"
## [1391] "there is both many days and many places inartificially imagined."
## [1392] ""
## [1393] "But if it be so in Gorboduc, how much more in all the rest? where you"
## [1394] "shall have Asia of the one side, and Afric of the other, and so many"
## [1395] "other under kingdoms, that the player, when he comes in, must ever begin"
## [1396] "with telling where he is, {84} or else the tale will not be conceived."
## [1397] "Now shall you have three ladies walk to gather flowers, and then we must"
## [1398] "believe the stage to be a garden. By and by, we hear news of shipwreck"
## [1399] "in the same place, then we are to blame if we accept it not for a rock."
## [1400] "Upon the back of that comes out a hideous monster with fire and smoke,"
## [1401] "and then the miserable beholders are bound to take it for a cave; while,"
## [1402] "in the meantime, two armies fly in, represented with four swords and"
## [1403] "bucklers, and then, what hard heart will not receive it for a pitched"
## [1404] "field?"
## [1405] ""
## [1406] "Now of time they are much more liberal; for ordinary it is, that two"
## [1407] "young princes fall in love; after many traverses she is got with child;"
## [1408] "delivered of a fair boy; he is lost, groweth a man, falleth in love, and"
## [1409] "is ready to get another child; and all this in two hours’ space; which,"
## [1410] "how absurd it is in sense, even sense may imagine; and art hath taught"
## [1411] "and all ancient examples justified, and at this day the ordinary players"
## [1412] "in Italy will not err in. Yet will some bring in an example of the"
## [1413] "Eunuch in Terence, that containeth matter of two days, yet far short of"
## [1414] "twenty years. True it is, and so was it to be played in two days, and so"
## [1415] "fitted to the time it set forth. And though Plautus have in one place"
## [1416] "done amiss, let us hit it with him, and not miss with him. But they will"
## [1417] "say, How then shall we set forth a story which contains both many places"
## [1418] "and many times? And do they not know, that a tragedy is tied to the laws"
## [1419] "of poesy, and not of history; not bound to follow the story, but having"
## [1420] "liberty either to feign a quite new matter, or to frame the history to"
## [1421] "the most tragical convenience? Again, many things may be told, which"
## [1422] "cannot be showed: if they know the difference betwixt reporting and"
## [1423] "representing. As for example, I may speak, though I am here, of Peru,"
## [1424] "and in speech digress from that to the description of Calicut; but in"
## [1425] "action I cannot represent it without Pacolet’s horse. And so was the"
## [1426] "manner the ancients took by some “Nuntius,” {85} to recount things done"
## [1427] "in former time, or other place."
## [1428] ""
## [1429] "Lastly, if they will represent an history, they must not, as Horace"
## [1430] "saith, begin “ab ovo,” {86} but they must come to the principal point of"
## [1431] "that one action which they will represent. By example this will be best"
## [1432] "expressed; I have a story of young Polydorus, delivered, for safety’s"
## [1433] "sake, with great riches, by his father Priamus to Polymnestor, King of"
## [1434] "Thrace, in the Trojan war time. He, after some years, hearing of the"
## [1435] "overthrow of Priamus, for to make the treasure his own, murdereth the"
## [1436] "child; the body of the child is taken up; Hecuba, she, the same day,"
## [1437] "findeth a sleight to be revenged most cruelly of the tyrant. Where, now,"
## [1438] "would one of our tragedy-writers begin, but with the delivery of the"
## [1439] "child? Then should he sail over into Thrace, and so spend I know not how"
## [1440] "many years, and travel numbers of places. But where doth Euripides?"
## [1441] "Even with the finding of the body; leaving the rest to be told by the"
## [1442] "spirit of Polydorus. This needs no farther to be enlarged; the dullest"
## [1443] "wit may conceive it."
## [1444] ""
## [1445] "But, besides these gross absurdities, how all their plays be neither"
## [1446] "right tragedies nor right comedies, mingling kings and clowns, not"
## [1447] "because the matter so carrieth it, but thrust in the clown by head and"
## [1448] "shoulders to play a part in majestical matters, with neither decency nor"
## [1449] "discretion; so as neither the admiration and commiseration, nor the right"
## [1450] "sportfulness, is by their mongrel tragi-comedy obtained. I know Apuleius"
## [1451] "did somewhat so, but that is a thing recounted with space of time, not"
## [1452] "represented in one moment: and I know the ancients have one or two"
## [1453] "examples of tragi-comedies as Plautus hath Amphytrio. But, if we mark"
## [1454] "them well, we shall find, that they never, or very daintily, match"
## [1455] "horn-pipes and funerals. So falleth it out, that having indeed no right"
## [1456] "comedy in that comical part of our tragedy, we have nothing but"
## [1457] "scurrility, unworthy of any chaste ears; or some extreme show of"
## [1458] "doltishness, indeed fit to lift up a loud laughter, and nothing else;"
## [1459] "where the whole tract of a comedy should be full of delight; as the"
## [1460] "tragedy should be still maintained in a well-raised admiration."
## [1461] ""
## [1462] "But our comedians think there is no delight without laughter, which is"
## [1463] "very wrong; for though laughter may come with delight, yet cometh it not"
## [1464] "of delight, as though delight should be the cause of laughter; but well"
## [1465] "may one thing breed both together. Nay, in themselves, they have, as it"
## [1466] "were, a kind of contrariety. For delight we scarcely do, but in things"
## [1467] "that have a conveniency to ourselves, or to the general nature. Laughter"
## [1468] "almost ever cometh of things most disproportioned to ourselves and"
## [1469] "nature: delight hath a joy in it either permanent or present; laughter"
## [1470] "hath only a scornful tickling. For example: we are ravished with delight"
## [1471] "to see a fair woman, and yet are far from being moved to laughter; we"
## [1472] "laugh at deformed creatures, wherein certainly we cannot delight; we"
## [1473] "delight in good chances; we laugh at mischances; we delight to hear the"
## [1474] "happiness of our friends and country, at which he were worthy to be"
## [1475] "laughed at that would laugh: we shall, contrarily, sometimes laugh to"
## [1476] "find a matter quite mistaken, and go down the hill against the bias, {87}"
## [1477] "in the mouth of some such men, as for the respect of them, one shall be"
## [1478] "heartily sorrow he cannot choose but laugh, and so is rather pained than"
## [1479] "delighted with laughter. Yet deny I not, but that they may go well"
## [1480] "together; for, as in Alexander’s picture well set out, we delight without"
## [1481] "laughter, and in twenty mad antics we laugh without delight: so in"
## [1482] "Hercules, painted with his great beard and furious countenance, in a"
## [1483] "woman’s attire, spinning at Omphale’s commandment, it breeds both delight"
## [1484] "and laughter; for the representing of so strange a power in love procures"
## [1485] "delight, and the scornfulness of the action stirreth laughter."
## [1486] ""
## [1487] "But I speak to this purpose, that all the end of the comical part be not"
## [1488] "upon such scornful matters as stir laughter only, but mix with it that"
## [1489] "delightful teaching which is the end of poesy. And the great fault, even"
## [1490] "in that point of laughter, and forbidden plainly by Aristotle, is, that"
## [1491] "they stir laughter in sinful things, which are rather execrable than"
## [1492] "ridiculous; or in miserable, which are rather to be pitied than scorned."
## [1493] "For what is it to make folks gape at a wretched beggar, and a beggarly"
## [1494] "clown; or against the law of hospitality, to jest at strangers, because"
## [1495] "they speak not English so well as we do? what do we learn, since it is"
## [1496] "certain,"
## [1497] ""
## [1498] " “Nil habet infelix pauperatas durius in se,"
## [1499] " Quam qnod ridiculos, homines facit.” {88}"
## [1500] ""
## [1501] "But rather a busy loving courtier, and a heartless threatening Thraso; a"
## [1502] "self-wise seeming school-master; a wry-transformed traveller: these, if"
## [1503] "we saw walk in stage names, which we play naturally, therein were"
## [1504] "delightful laughter, and teaching delightfulness: as in the other, the"
## [1505] "tragedies of Buchanan {89} do justly bring forth a divine admiration."
## [1506] ""
## [1507] "But I have lavished out too many words of this play matter; I do it,"
## [1508] "because, as they are excelling parts of poesy, so is there none so much"
## [1509] "used in England, and none can be more pitifully abused; which, like an"
## [1510] "unmannerly daughter, showing a bad education, causeth her mother Poesy’s"
## [1511] "honesty to be called in question."
## [1512] ""
## [1513] "Other {90} sorts of poetry, almost, have we none, but that lyrical kind"
## [1514] "of songs and sonnets, which, if the Lord gave us so good minds, how well"
## [1515] "it might be employed, and with how heavenly fruits, both private and"
## [1516] "public, in singing the praises of the immortal beauty, the immortal"
## [1517] "goodness of that God, who giveth us hands to write, and wits to conceive;"
## [1518] "of which we might well want words, but never matter; of which we could"
## [1519] "turn our eyes to nothing, but we should ever have new budding occasions."
## [1520] ""
## [1521] "But, truly, many of such writings as come under the banner of"
## [1522] "unresistible love, if I were a mistress, would never persuade me they"
## [1523] "were in love; so coldly they apply fiery speeches, as men that had rather"
## [1524] "read lover’s writings, and so caught up certain swelling phrases, which"
## [1525] "hang together like a man that once told me, “the wind was at north-west"
## [1526] "and by south,” because he would be sure to name winds enough; than that,"
## [1527] "in truth, they feel those passions, which easily, as I think, may be"
## [1528] "bewrayed by the same forcibleness, or “energia” (as the Greeks call it),"
## [1529] "of the writer. But let this be a sufficient, though short note, that we"
## [1530] "miss the right use of the material point of poesy."
## [1531] ""
## [1532] "Now {91} for the outside of it, which is words, or (as I may term it)"
## [1533] "diction, it is even well worse; so is that honey-flowing matron"
## [1534] "eloquence, apparelled, or rather disguised, in a courtesan-like painted"
## [1535] "affectation. One time with so far-fetched words, that many seem"
## [1536] "monsters, but most seem strangers to any poor Englishman: another time"
## [1537] "with coursing of a letter, as if they were bound to follow the method of"
## [1538] "a dictionary: another time with figures and flowers, extremely"
## [1539] "winter-starved."
## [1540] ""
## [1541] "But I would this fault were only peculiar to versifiers, and had not as"
## [1542] "large possession among prose printers: and, which is to be marvelled,"
## [1543] "among many scholars, and, which is to be pitied, among some preachers."
## [1544] "Truly, I could wish (if at least I might be so bold to wish, in a thing"
## [1545] "beyond the reach of my capacity) the diligent imitators of Tully and"
## [1546] "Demosthenes, most worthy to be imitated, did not so much keep Nizolian"
## [1547] "paper-books {92} of their figures and phrases, as by attentive"
## [1548] "translation, as it were, devour them whole, and make them wholly theirs."
## [1549] "For now they cast sugar and spice upon every dish that is served at the"
## [1550] "table: like those Indians, not content to wear ear-rings at the fit and"
## [1551] "natural place of the ears, but they will thrust jewels through their nose"
## [1552] "and lips, because they will be sure to be fine."
## [1553] ""
## [1554] "Tully, when he was to drive out Catiline, as it were with a thunderbolt"
## [1555] "of eloquence, often useth the figure of repetition, as “vivit et vincit,"
## [1556] "imo in senatum venit, imo in senatum venit,” &c. {93} Indeed, inflamed"
## [1557] "with a well-grounded rage, he would have his words, as it were, double"
## [1558] "out of his mouth; and so do that artificially which we see men in choler"
## [1559] "do naturally. And we, having noted the grace of those words, hale them"
## [1560] "in sometimes to a familiar epistle, when it were too much choler to be"
## [1561] "choleric."
## [1562] ""
## [1563] "How well, store of “similiter cadences” doth sound with the gravity of"
## [1564] "the pulpit, I would but invoke Demosthenes’ soul to tell, who with a rare"
## [1565] "daintiness useth them. Truly, they have made me think of the sophister,"
## [1566] "that with too much subtlety would prove two eggs three, and though he may"
## [1567] "be counted a sophister, had none for his labour. So these men bringing"
## [1568] "in such a kind of eloquence, well may they obtain an opinion of a seeming"
## [1569] "fineness, but persuade few, which should be the end of their fineness."
## [1570] ""
## [1571] "Now for similitudes in certain printed discourses, I think all"
## [1572] "herbalists, all stories of beasts, fowls, and fishes are rifled up, that"
## [1573] "they may come in multitudes to wait upon any of our conceits, which"
## [1574] "certainly is as absurd a surfeit to the ears as is possible. For the"
## [1575] "force of a similitude not being to prove anything to a contrary disputer,"
## [1576] "but only to explain to a willing hearer: when that is done, the rest is a"
## [1577] "most tedious prattling, rather overswaying the memory from the purpose"
## [1578] "whereto they were applied, than any whit informing the judgment, already"
## [1579] "either satisfied, or by similitudes not to be satisfied."
## [1580] ""
## [1581] "For my part, I do not doubt, when Antonius and Crassus, the great"
## [1582] "forefathers of Cicero in eloquence; the one (as Cicero testifieth of"
## [1583] "them) pretended not to know art, the other not to set by it, because with"
## [1584] "a plain sensibleness they might win credit of popular ears, which credit"
## [1585] "is the nearest step to persuasion (which persuasion is the chief mark of"
## [1586] "oratory); I do not doubt, I say, but that they used these knacks very"
## [1587] "sparingly; which who doth generally use, any man may see, doth dance to"
## [1588] "his own music; and so to be noted by the audience, more careful to speak"
## [1589] "curiously than truly. Undoubtedly (at least to my opinion undoubtedly) I"
## [1590] "have found in divers small-learned courtiers a more sound style than in"
## [1591] "some professors of learning; of which I can guess no other cause, but"
## [1592] "that the courtier following that which by practice he findeth fittest to"
## [1593] "nature, therein (though he know it not) doth according to art, though not"
## [1594] "by art: where the other, using art to show art, and not hide art (as in"
## [1595] "these cases he should do), flieth from nature, and indeed abuseth art."
## [1596] ""
## [1597] "But what! methinks I deserve to be pounded {94} for straying from poetry"
## [1598] "to oratory: but both have such an affinity in the wordish considerations,"
## [1599] "that I think this digression will make my meaning receive the fuller"
## [1600] "understanding: which is not to take upon me to teach poets how they"
## [1601] "should do, but only finding myself sick among the rest, to allow some one"
## [1602] "or two spots of the common infection grown among the most part of"
## [1603] "writers; that, acknowledging ourselves somewhat awry, we may bend to the"
## [1604] "right use both of matter and manner: whereto our language giveth us great"
## [1605] "occasion, being, indeed, capable of any excellent exercising of it. {95}"
## [1606] "I know some will say, it is a mingled language: and why not so much the"
## [1607] "better, taking the best of both the other? Another will say, it wanteth"
## [1608] "grammar. Nay, truly, it hath that praise, that it wants not grammar; for"
## [1609] "grammar it might have, but needs it not; being so easy in itself, and so"
## [1610] "void of those cumbersome differences of cases, genders, moods, and"
## [1611] "tenses; which, I think, was a piece of the tower of Babylon’s curse, that"
## [1612] "a man should be put to school to learn his mother tongue. But for the"
## [1613] "uttering sweetly and properly the conceit of the mind, which is the end"
## [1614] "of speech, that hath it equally with any other tongue in the world, and"
## [1615] "is particularly happy in compositions of two or three words together,"
## [1616] "near the Greek, far beyond the Latin; which is one of the greatest"
## [1617] "beauties can be in a language."
## [1618] ""
## [1619] "Now, {96} of versifying there are two sorts, the one ancient, the other"
## [1620] "modern; the ancient marked the quantity of each syllable, and according"
## [1621] "to that framed his verse; the modern, observing only number, with some"
## [1622] "regard of the accent, the chief life of it standeth in that like sounding"
## [1623] "of the words, which we call rhyme. Whether of these be the more"
## [1624] "excellent, would bear many speeches; the ancient, no doubt more fit for"
## [1625] "music, both words and time observing quantity; and more fit lively to"
## [1626] "express divers passions, by the low or lofty sound of the well-weighed"
## [1627] "syllable. The latter, likewise, with his rhyme striketh a certain music"
## [1628] "to the ear; and, in fine, since it doth delight, though by another way,"
## [1629] "it obtaineth the same purpose; there being in either, sweetness, and"
## [1630] "wanting in neither, majesty. Truly the English, before any vulgar"
## [1631] "language I know, is fit for both sorts; for, for the ancient, the Italian"
## [1632] "is so full of vowels, that it must ever be cumbered with elisions. The"
## [1633] "Dutch so, of the other side, with consonants, that they cannot yield the"
## [1634] "sweet sliding fit for a verse. The French, in his whole language, hath"
## [1635] "not one word that hath his accent in the last syllable, saving two,"
## [1636] "called antepenultima; and little more, hath the Spanish, and therefore"
## [1637] "very gracelessly may they use dactiles. The English is subject to none"
## [1638] "of these defects."
## [1639] ""
## [1640] "Now for rhyme, though we do not observe quantity, we observe the accent"
## [1641] "very precisely, which other languages either cannot do, or will not do so"
## [1642] "absolutely. That “cæsura,” or breathing-place, in the midst of the"
## [1643] "verse, neither Italian nor Spanish have, the French and we never almost"
## [1644] "fail of. Lastly, even the very rhyme itself the Italian cannot put in"
## [1645] "the last syllable, by the French named the masculine rhyme, but still in"
## [1646] "the next to the last, which the French call the female; or the next"
## [1647] "before that, which the Italian calls “sdrucciola:” the example of the"
## [1648] "former is, “buono,” “suono;” of the sdrucciola is, “femina,” “semina.”"
## [1649] "The French, of the other side, hath both the male, as “bon,” “son,” and"
## [1650] "the female, as “plaise,” “taise;” but the “sdrucciola” he hath not; where"
## [1651] "the English hath all three, as “due,” “true,” “father,” “rather,”"
## [1652] "“motion,” “potion;” with much more which might be said, but that already"
## [1653] "I find the trifling of this discourse is much too much enlarged."
## [1654] ""
## [1655] "So {97} that since the ever praiseworthy poesy is full of virtue,"
## [1656] "breeding delightfulness, and void of no gift that ought to be in the"
## [1657] "noble name of learning; since the blames laid against it are either false"
## [1658] "or feeble; since the cause why it is not esteemed in England is the fault"
## [1659] "of poet-apes, not poets; since, lastly, our tongue is most fit to honour"
## [1660] "poesy, and to be honoured by poesy; I conjure you all that have had the"
## [1661] "evil luck to read this ink-wasting toy of mine, even in the name of the"
## [1662] "Nine Muses, no more to scorn the sacred mysteries of poesy; no more to"
## [1663] "laugh at the name of poets, as though they were next inheritors to fools;"
## [1664] "no more to jest at the reverend title of “a rhymer;” but to believe, with"
## [1665] "Aristotle, that they were the ancient treasurers of the Grecian’s"
## [1666] "divinity; to believe, with Bembus, that they were the first bringers in"
## [1667] "of all civility; to believe, with Scaliger, that no philosopher’s"
## [1668] "precepts can sooner make you an honest man, than the reading of Virgil;"
## [1669] "to believe, with Clauserus, the translator of Cornutus, that it pleased"
## [1670] "the heavenly deity by Hesiod and Homer, under the veil of fables, to give"
## [1671] "us all knowledge, logic, rhetoric, philosophy natural and moral, and"
## [1672] "“quid non?” to believe, with me, that there are many mysteries contained"
## [1673] "in poetry, which of purpose were written darkly, lest by profane wits it"
## [1674] "should be abused; to believe, with Landin, that they are so beloved of"
## [1675] "the gods that whatsoever they write proceeds of a divine fury. Lastly,"
## [1676] "to believe themselves, when they tell you they will make you immortal by"
## [1677] "their verses."
## [1678] ""
## [1679] "Thus doing, your names shall flourish in the printers’ shops: thus doing,"
## [1680] "you shall be of kin to many a poetical preface: thus doing, you shall be"
## [1681] "most fair, most rich, most wise, most all: you shall dwell upon"
## [1682] "superlatives: thus doing, though you be “Libertino patre natus,” you"
## [1683] "shall suddenly grow “Herculea proles,”"
## [1684] ""
## [1685] " “Si quid mea Carmina possunt:”"
## [1686] ""
## [1687] "thus doing, your soul shall be placed with Dante’s Beatrix, or Virgil’s"
## [1688] "Anchisis."
## [1689] ""
## [1690] "But if (fie of such a but!) you be born so near the dull-making cataract"
## [1691] "of Nilus, that you cannot hear the planet-like music of poetry; if you"
## [1692] "have so earth-creeping a mind, that it cannot lift itself up to look to"
## [1693] "the sky of poetry, or rather, by a certain rustical disdain, will become"
## [1694] "such a Mome, as to be a Momus of poetry; then, though I will not wish"
## [1695] "unto you the ass’s ears of Midas, nor to be driven by a poet’s verses, as"
## [1696] "Bubonax was, to hang himself; nor to be rhymed to death, as is said to be"
## [1697] "done in Ireland; yet thus much curse I must send you in the behalf of all"
## [1698] "poets; that while you live, you live in love, and never get favour, for"
## [1699] "lacking skill of a sonnet; and when you die, your memory die from the"
## [1700] "earth for want of an epitaph."
##
## [[4]]
## [1] "Main Text"
## [2] ""
## [3] ""
## [4] "[Song altered to] Sonnet 1."
## [5] ""
## [6] ""
## [7] "Yow purest stars, whose neuer dijng fyres"
## [8] "deck heauenly spheres, and rule the world belowe"
## [9] "grudg not if I in yowr cleer beauties know"
## [10] "[a altered to] the faier maides eies, the stars of my desires"
## [11] ""
## [12] ""
## [13] "To earthly [minds] harts yowr light wch not expires"
## [14] "makes known the matchless place wherin yow goe"
## [15] "and they the mind, wch throw thē shines doe show"
## [16] "whose cleerest beames, my sowle as heauen admires"
## [17] ""
## [18] ""
## [19] "Yow shine stil one, and alter not yowr race"
## [20] "at sute of those, wch most yowr lights adore"
## [21] "for wel yow know yow shine for heauens grace"
## [22] ""
## [23] ""
## [24] "And they in whome all eyes on earthe are blest"
## [25] "thogh then the heauèly lights I loue thè more"
## [26] "shine to the worlde, and mee but wth the rest"
## [27] ""
## [28] "Main Text"
## [29] ""
## [30] ""
## [31] "Songe. .1."
## [32] ""
## [33] ""
## [34] ""
## [35] "O eyes, o lights deuine"
## [36] "wch in vnmatched face"
## [37] "like twoe fayre suns, in cleerest heauē do shine"
## [38] "and from so glorious place"
## [39] "voutsafe yowr beames to moue"
## [40] "on humble mee to raise my thowghts to loue"
## [41] ""
## [42] ""
## [43] ""
## [44] ""
## [45] "2"
## [46] ""
## [47] ""
## [48] "Yow are my dearest lights"
## [49] "my Suns, my cleerest day"
## [50] "the sfeares wch moue my ioies, and liues delights:"
## [51] "O bee content to stay"
## [52] "yowr heauenly beames on mee"
## [53] "and see and know the greefes, wch in mee bee"
## [54] ""
## [55] ""
## [56] ""
## [57] ""
## [58] "3"
## [59] ""
## [60] ""
## [61] "It is no heauy loss"
## [62] "of frende wch I doe rue"
## [63] "or care to see how some my fortunes cross"
## [64] "It is and must bee yow"
## [65] "from whome I now must part"
## [66] "Alas I liue to say I doe depart."
## [67] ""
## [68] ""
## [69] ""
## [70] ""
## [71] "4"
## [72] ""
## [73] ""
## [74] "To all delights quite dead"
## [75] "I liue to woe and care"
## [76] "an Anchorite, to liuing burial lead"
## [77] "But yet before yow are"
## [78] "deer eyes eclipst from mee"
## [79] "see this, and let not this forgotten bee"
## [80] ""
## [81] ""
## [82] ""
## [83] ""
## [84] "5"
## [85] ""
## [86] ""
## [87] "See one whoe but by yow"
## [88] "for yow and to yow Hues"
## [89] "and loues his lyfe becaus to yow tis true"
## [90] "see one whoe parting giues"
## [91] "to all delights farewel"
## [92] ""
## [93] ""
## [94] "and leauing yow, doth [thinck, his lyfe]beare wth him his hel"
## [95] ""
## [96] ""
## [97] ""
## [98] ""
## [99] "6"
## [100] ""
## [101] ""
## [102] "And when that gon I ame"
## [103] "to mine vniust decay"
## [104] "and that yowr beauties other harts inflame"
## [105] "O heauenly eyes then say"
## [106] "Ah smokes of fained fyres"
## [107] "Hee is not heer, that burns in true desires."
## [108] ""
## [109] "Main Text"
## [110] ""
## [111] ""
## [112] "Sonnet. 2."
## [113] ""
## [114] ""
## [115] "The paines wch I vncessantly susteine,"
## [116] "burning in hottest flames, of loue most pure"
## [117] "are ioies, not greefs, since each of them are sure"
## [118] "witnes, that faith not wil, in mee doth raine"
## [119] ""
## [120] ""
## [121] "vaine may their hopes all proue, their ioies more vain"
## [122] "whome sence of pleasure, doth to loue allure:"
## [123] "Blest in my bands, rather may I endure"
## [124] "for yow, then toild wth ioies, loue elswhere gaine"
## [125] ""
## [126] ""
## [127] "Heauenly yow‸r beauties are, and may there bee,"
## [128] "mutual bands, to ty earthe to the skyes:"
## [129] "yow I adore, and [I hope to see]showld I hope to see"
## [130] "one fyre embrace, both saint and sacrifise"
## [131] ""
## [132] ""
## [133] "No no most fayre, for yow I end and cry"
## [134] "Ioyful I liu'd to yow, ioyful I dy."
## [135] ""
## [136] "Main Text"
## [137] ""
## [138] ""
## [139] "Sonnet. 3."
## [140] ""
## [141] ""
## [142] "Beauties born of the heauens, my sowles delight"
## [143] "the onely cause, for wch I ioye care to see"
## [144] "yow in my hart let no darcke sorrows bee"
## [145] "yow from mine eyes banish, all shew of night"
## [146] ""
## [147] ""
## [148] "wth purest beames, yow lightē to my sight,"
## [149] "of yowr deuiness in the Maiestee"
## [150] "yow in my hart from shrine of deitee"
## [151] "shine in all glory, by loues fairest light"
## [152] ""
## [153] ""
## [154] "Blest bee mine eyes, by whome my hart was browght"
## [155] "to vowe to yow all [his] my deuotions"
## [156] "Blest bee my hart, by whome myne eyes were taught"
## [157] "onely to ioye in yowr perfections"
## [158] ""
## [159] ""
## [160] "O onely fayre [in] to yow I liue and moue"
## [161] "yow for yowrself, myself for yow I loue"
## [162] ""
## [163] "Main Text"
## [164] ""
## [165] ""
## [166] "Sonnet. 4"
## [167] ""
## [168] ""
## [169] "These purest flames kindled by beauties rare"
## [170] "strengthned by loue, assured by destiny"
## [171] "in whome I liue, wch in mee kannot dy"
## [172] "wch are what I ame, and I what they are"
## [173] ""
## [174] ""
## [175] "True vestale like, wch wth most holy care"
## [176] "preserue the sacred fyres, relligiously"
## [177] "I doe mantein, and that no end they try"
## [178] ""
## [179] ""
## [180] "of my best parts their[fuel] subiect I prepare"
## [181] ""
## [182] ""
## [183] "And wth a minde free from all fals desires"
## [184] "vntoucht of other[s] loues, of vowes vntrue"
## [185] "I worship her that shineth in these fyres"
## [186] ""
## [187] ""
## [188] "Thincking it shame, nay sinne, if that in mee"
## [189] "those fairest beames, of heauē the image true"
## [190] "wth powers of meaner worthe, showld matched bee"
## [191] ""
## [192] "Main Text"
## [193] ""
## [194] ""
## [195] "Pastoral. 2 Shepheard, Nymphe."
## [196] ""
## [197] ""
## [198] "N. Shepheard iffaith now say how wel"
## [199] "thow doest loue me"
## [200] "S. Wonder and ioye kan onely tel"
## [201] "how I loue thee"
## [202] "N. Tel mee how much?"
## [203] "S. O neuer such"
## [204] "heauenly fayre mayde owr feelds did bless"
## [205] "nor euer wil,"
## [206] "O to me vnkind Shepherdess"
## [207] "but O deer stil."
## [208] ""
## [209] ""
## [210] ""
## [211] "2"
## [212] ""
## [213] "N. These are but words, I must proue thee"
## [214] "Now doe not mocke"
## [215] "Whether doest thow loue better mee"
## [216] "or thy good flocke"
## [217] "S My sheep alas"
## [218] "my loue once was"
## [219] "Now my best wool growes on thy care"
## [220] "thow art my stocke"
## [221] "thy rosy cheekes, my ritch feelds are"
## [222] "thine eyes, my flocke"
## [223] ""
## [224] ""
## [225] ""
## [226] "3"
## [227] ""
## [228] "N Ye retchless felloes often doe"
## [229] "their goods despyse"
## [230] "But mee doest thow beare more loue to"
## [231] "or to thine eyes"
## [232] "S. Mine eyes to mee no pleasure bee"
## [233] "Since that they kannot thee stil see"
## [234] "wealth of my sight"
## [235] "or that they kan, astraide from thee"
## [236] "see other light."
## [237] ""
## [238] ""
## [239] ""
## [240] "4"
## [241] ""
## [242] "N. Thine eyes perhaps thow doest reproue"
## [243] "for their bad choice"
## [244] "but in thy lyfe more or thy loue"
## [245] "doest thow reioice"
## [246] "S. My lyfe is that"
## [247] "I least ioye at"
## [248] "Since all the time I lou'd not thee"
## [249] "as lost I holde and what remains few howers wil bee"
## [250] "thee to beholde."
## [251] ""
## [252] ""
## [253] ""
## [254] "5"
## [255] ""
## [256] "N. What's past thow hast forgot, nor now"
## [257] "Knowst what wil bee"
## [258] "but at this time more louest thow"
## [259] "thyself or me"
## [260] "S. Myself I nere"
## [261] "shall loue I feare"
## [262] "Thy cares are mine, thow art my wil"
## [263] "I loue wth thee"
## [264] "myself I shall not loue vntil"
## [265] "thow louest mee"
## [266] ""
## [267] ""
## [268] ""
## [269] "6"
## [270] ""
## [271] "N. Tush these fine words do no whit please"
## [272] "make known thy loue"
## [273] "for if thow car'st for none of these"
## [274] "what kanst thow loue"
## [275] "S. My cares are one"
## [276] "for thee alone"
## [277] "N. Like what then doest thow loue, tel this"
## [278] "thow weariest mee"
## [279] "S Like thyself like nothing els is"
## [280] "my loue to thee"
## [281] ""
## [282] ""
## [283] ""
## [284] "7"
## [285] ""
## [286] "N. Like me how's that. Sh: fayre as Sunbeames"
## [287] "louely as day"
## [288] "sweet as fresh flowers, fine as cleer streames"
## [289] "ioyful as May."
## [290] "lips of cherries"
## [291] "hands of lillies"
## [292] "Eyes stars of fyre, brest fram'd in snow"
## [293] "hart (ah) heauen hy"
## [294] "Blessed Nymphe shepheards thus thee know"
## [295] "and thus loue I."
## [296] ""
## [297] "Main Text"
## [298] ""
## [299] ""
## [300] "Songe. 3."
## [301] ""
## [302] ""
## [303] "Loue not whoe haue not lou'd"
## [304] "and whoe doe loue, loue no more"
## [305] ""
## [306] ""
## [307] ""
## [308] "1."
## [309] ""
## [310] ""
## [311] "Winter is kome at last"
## [312] "cold winter, darck and sad"
## [313] "and on the world, hath cast"
## [314] "his mantle fowle and bad."
## [315] "Delights departed are"
## [316] "labours doe onely tary"
## [317] "Diuorst from pleasures mary"
## [318] "hencefourth wee doe wth care"
## [319] "Loue not whoe haue not lou'd"
## [320] "and whoe doe loue, loue no more."
## [321] ""
## [322] ""
## [323] ""
## [324] ""
## [325] "2"
## [326] ""
## [327] ""
## [328] "Nothing is as it was"
## [329] "what hath had birth doth change"
## [330] "This day acquainted has"
## [331] "what yesterday held strange"
## [332] "Thus whyle wee doe secure,"
## [333] "owr smiling seasons cherish,"
## [334] "before owr eyes they perish"
## [335] "when most wee thinck them sure"
## [336] "Loue not whoe haue not lou'd"
## [337] "and whoe doe loue, loue no more"
## [338] ""
## [339] ""
## [340] ""
## [341] ""
## [342] "3"
## [343] ""
## [344] ""
## [345] "The spring that promist, his"
## [346] "delights showld euer last"
## [347] "Shews in how few howers is"
## [348] "owr [euer altered to] Euer kome and past"
## [349] "Where now of leaues thy store"
## [350] "where is of flowers thy glory"
## [351] "Ah thow art now a story"
## [352] "of that wch is no more."
## [353] "Loue not whoe haue"
## [354] "and whoe doe etc"
## [355] ""
## [356] ""
## [357] ""
## [358] ""
## [359] "4"
## [360] ""
## [361] ""
## [362] "The Sun whoe ful of ioye"
## [363] "did loue and was belou'd"
## [364] "in whome wee did inioye"
## [365] "the light owr sowles best lou'd"
## [366] "Now turneth from vs, as"
## [367] "if hee no more did know vs"
## [368] "and giues light but to show vs"
## [369] "what wee are, what hee was."
## [370] "Loue not whoe"
## [371] "and whoe doe"
## [372] ""
## [373] ""
## [374] ""
## [375] ""
## [376] "5."
## [377] ""
## [378] ""
## [379] "The ayre whose body sweet"
## [380] "on rosy wings did moue"
## [381] "and kissing where it hit"
## [382] "inspired lyfe and loue"
## [383] "Now turnd to raine and winde"
## [384] "vs wth his blowes hath beaten,"
## [385] "wth most sharpe, yet doe threaten"
## [386] "there are more harms behinde."
## [387] "Loue not whoe etc"
## [388] "and whoe doe"
## [389] ""
## [390] ""
## [391] ""
## [392] ""
## [393] "6."
## [394] ""
## [395] ""
## [396] "Meddows feelds, forrests, hils,"
## [397] "wth face defaced strange"
## [398] "proue nothing so soon kils"
## [399] "the lyfe as vnkind change"
## [400] "I now poor, sad, alone"
## [401] "did once possess a treasure"
## [402] "but loose did wealth and pleasure"
## [403] "by vniust change of one"
## [404] "Loue not whoe etc"
## [405] "and whoe doe"
## [406] ""
## [407] ""
## [408] ""
## [409] ""
## [410] "7"
## [411] ""
## [412] ""
## [413] "Thus sayd a shepheard, once"
## [414] "wth weights of change opprest"
## [415] "For hee had lost atonce"
## [416] "what euer hee lou'd best"
## [417] ""
## [418] ""
## [419] "[But seeing left to mourn]"
## [420] ""
## [421] ""
## [422] "And saw whyle hee did mourn"
## [423] ""
## [424] ""
## [425] "the worlds fayre lookes renewed"
## [426] "whyle hee a state past rewed"
## [427] "wch neuer would retourn."
## [428] "Loue not whoe haue not lou'd"
## [429] "and whoe doe loue, loue no more."
## [430] ""
## [431] "Main Text"
## [432] ""
## [433] ""
## [434] "Sonnet. 5."
## [435] ""
## [436] ""
## [437] "Of trauailes past oft when I thincking ame"
## [438] "of daies in sorrowes spent, of easles nights"
## [439] "as they wch shew deepe scars of bluddy fights"
## [440] "glory to me of my loues wounds I frame"
## [441] ""
## [442] ""
## [443] "Thus on my ruins doe I builde my fame"
## [444] "thus doe my miseries appeer delights"
## [445] "Til some new [blowes] hurts make my benommed sprites"
## [446] "feele that loues blowes, [is altered to] are no so pleasant [game"
## [447] ""
## [448] ""
## [449] "Then ful of paine my to fond wil I curse"
## [450] "and cry at her, as then a tigre wurse."
## [451] "and doe forsweare all bondage more to loue"
## [452] "Heauy wth greef til I mine eyes do heaue"
## [453] "vnto her face, whence all ioies I receaue"
## [454] "and thinck all nothing, that for her I proue"
## [455] ""
## [456] "Main Text"
## [457] ""
## [458] ""
## [459] "Sonnet. 6."
## [460] ""
## [461] ""
## [462] "When rest locks vp the treasures of delight"
## [463] "that face, those eyes, that voice, those hands, that brest"
## [464] "not in them nor the Sun, sad earth now blest"
## [465] ""
## [466] ""
## [467] "and no power left, that[conquer] comfort may the night."
## [468] ""
## [469] ""
## [470] "Cares wch in darcknes shine, finding her sight"
## [471] "eclipst, wch from them is, my safegarde best"
## [472] "reuiue my secret flames, and wthout rest"
## [473] "shew me vnto myself, in a trew light."
## [474] ""
## [475] ""
## [476] "They are not flames of loue, but fyres of paine"
## [477] "that burn so fayre; loue far from me is fled"
## [478] "whoe all loue giue and no loue haue againe."
## [479] "[Refusals altered to] Repulses and the thowsand formed head"
## [480] "of scorn I see, while vniust night from me"
## [481] "her beauty hides, and shews her crueltee."
## [482] ""
## [483] "Main Text"
## [484] ""
## [485] ""
## [486] "Sonnet. 7."
## [487] ""
## [488] ""
## [489] "The hardy Captein vnusde to retyre"
## [490] "turns and returns to the to wel kept place"
## [491] "where wound to wound disgrace vpon disgrace"
## [492] "hee takes, while wil and power gainst him conspire"
## [493] ""
## [494] ""
## [495] "Scorn of repuls, of loss the stinging fyre"
## [496] "his hart wth greefe doth fill, wth shame his face"
## [497] "But no force finding way, wth heauy pace"
## [498] "forsake hee doth, his il blest fayre desyre"
## [499] ""
## [500] ""
## [501] "Wth equal care, but wth an ende more hy"
## [502] "I sowght to win the kingdome seate of loue,"
## [503] "Beauties best treasure, praise of victory"
## [504] "But scornd, repulst, hartbroken I remoue"
## [505] "reaping loss for desert, for loue contempt"
## [506] "and greef and shame, for so deer foild attempt."
## [507] ""
## [508] "Main Text"
## [509] ""
## [510] ""
## [511] "Sonnet. 8"
## [512] ""
## [513] ""
## [514] "If that her worth I kowld as wel forget"
## [515] "as of my loue the haples lott I know"
## [516] "then to my wounded sowl, a meane might grow"
## [517] "wch if not health, yet some ease would beget"
## [518] ""
## [519] ""
## [520] "But when I thinck I haue my quet met"
## [521] "and that loue foild yealds to his ouerthrow"
## [522] "the Idol of her beauties prowd doth show"
## [523] ""
## [524] ""
## [525] "vnto my thowghts,[wth]in beames wch neuer set"
## [526] ""
## [527] ""
## [528] "Sommond by so greate truth, I must confes"
## [529] "that all what fayr, what good, what parfet is"
## [530] "all is in her, nothing in her doth miss."
## [531] ""
## [532] ""
## [533] "And now greef takes the place, loue did possess"
## [534] ""
## [535] ""
## [536] "and all [loue] hopes dead, I liue, to feel this sore"
## [537] "More that shee worthy is, my loss the more."
## [538] ""
## [539] "Main Text"
## [540] ""
## [541] ""
## [542] "Sonnet 9."
## [543] ""
## [544] ""
## [545] "Oft had I past the ioies and greefes in loue"
## [546] "and weary of them both was layde to rest"
## [547] "and now desyre as an vnworthy ghest"
## [548] "wch doth oppress his frend, I did remoue"
## [549] ""
## [550] ""
## [551] "Noe womans force, I thowght showld euer moue"
## [552] "my sowle kome home againe to new vnrest"
## [553] ""
## [554] ""
## [555] "when yow [and] or in yowr shape an Angel drest"
## [556] "caled out my quiet thowghts once more to loue"
## [557] ""
## [558] ""
## [559] "Streight my prowd wil did vnto praiers tur̄e"
## [560] "for whoe in yow, not cause of loue doth finde"
## [561] "or blinde hee is of eyes, or blinde of minde"
## [562] ""
## [563] ""
## [564] "I yealde, I loue, to yow, thē erst, I burn"
## [565] "more hott, more pure, like wood oft warme before"
## [566] "But to yow burnt to dust, kan burn no more."
## [567] ""
## [568] "Main Text"
## [569] ""
## [570] ""
## [571] "Songe. 4."
## [572] ""
## [573] ""
## [574] ""
## [575] "My sowle in purest fyre"
## [576] "doth not aspyre"
## [577] "to rewarde of my paine"
## [578] "True pleasure is in loue"
## [579] "onely to loue"
## [580] "and not seeke to obtaine."
## [581] ""
## [582] ""
## [583] ""
## [584] ""
## [585] "2"
## [586] ""
## [587] ""
## [588] "Common loue euer bends"
## [589] "to his own ends"
## [590] "to preuaile to inioye"
## [591] "my loues end is to serue"
## [592] "not to deserue"
## [593] "More I loue, more I ioie."
## [594] ""
## [595] ""
## [596] ""
## [597] ""
## [598] "3"
## [599] ""
## [600] ""
## [601] "Cast by loue yet I see"
## [602] "an ende of mee"
## [603] "if of [loue] grace I doe miss"
## [604] "But for yow if I ende"
## [605] "I haue mine ende"
## [606] "And mans ends [is] are his bliss"
## [607] ""
## [608] ""
## [609] ""
## [610] ""
## [611] "4"
## [612] ""
## [613] ""
## [614] "Yet this grace yowr fayre eies"
## [615] "doe not despyse"
## [616] "sweetest beames to imparte"
## [617] "O fayre lights, in yow lies"
## [618] "the lyfe of eyes"
## [619] "but the deathe of the harte"
## [620] ""
## [621] ""
## [622] ""
## [623] ""
## [624] "5"
## [625] ""
## [626] ""
## [627] "whoe kan see, and not see"
## [628] "yowr face to bee"
## [629] "beauties sphere, throne of loue"
## [630] "O face a paradise"
## [631] "yow seeme of eies"
## [632] "but the sowles hel doe proue"
## [633] ""
## [634] ""
## [635] ""
## [636] ""
## [637] "6"
## [638] ""
## [639] ""
## [640] "Must my harms then in mee,"
## [641] "stil nourisht bee?"
## [642] "and I liue by my harms?"
## [643] "Harms wch nor phisicks skil"
## [644] "nor time helpe wil"
## [645] "nor praiers, nor gifts, nor charms?"
## [646] ""
## [647] ""
## [648] ""
## [649] ""
## [650] "7"
## [651] ""
## [652] ""
## [653] "Dearest wounds, sweetest bands"
## [654] "in whose truth stands"
## [655] "perfet proof of my loue"
## [656] "[yow] They I know from my harte"
## [657] "wil not departe"
## [658] "nor from them I remoue"
## [659] ""
## [660] ""
## [661] ""
## [662] ""
## [663] "8"
## [664] ""
## [665] ""
## [666] "But in them and my fyres"
## [667] "my sowle aspires"
## [668] "to the Suns of yowr eyes"
## [669] "ful of ioye ful of pryde"
## [670] "by noe lawe tyde"
## [671] "myself to sacryfyse."
## [672] ""
## [673] ""
## [674] ""
## [675] ""
## [676] "9"
## [677] ""
## [678] ""
## [679] "O fayre eies, O deer lights"
## [680] "O my delights"
## [681] "hart and eies I doe turne"
## [682] "and in yow and my fyres"
## [683] "wth pure desyres"
## [684] "phenixlike ioye and burne."
## [685] ""
## [686] "Main Text"
## [687] ""
## [688] ""
## [689] "Sonnet 10"
## [690] ""
## [691] ""
## [692] "Shee whōe I serue to wryte did not despyse"
## [693] "few words but wch wth wonder filde my spryte"
## [694] "how from darck incke as from springs of delight"
## [695] "beawtie, sweetnes, grace, ioye and loue showld ryse"
## [696] ""
## [697] ""
## [698] "Til I remembred, that those fairest eyes"
## [699] "whose beames are ioies and loue did lend their light"
## [700] "that happy hand, those blessed words did wryte"
## [701] "wch where it towcheth, marcks of beawtie ties"
## [702] ""
## [703] ""
## [704] "Those ruby lips ful of Nectar diuine"
## [705] "a rosy breath did on the words bestowe"
## [706] "that heauenly face did on the paper shine"
## [707] "from whose least motion thowsand graces flowe"
## [708] ""
## [709] ""
## [710] "And that faier minde the subiect did approue"
## [711] "wch is it self, all other prais aboue"
## [712] ""
## [713] "Main Text"
## [714] ""
## [715] ""
## [716] "A Crown of sonnets, but vnfinished."
## [717] ""
## [718] "Main Text"
## [719] ""
## [720] "11."
## [721] ""
## [722] ""
## [723] "Thogh the most parfet stile kannot attaine"
## [724] "the praise, to praise enowgh the meanest parte"
## [725] "of yow, the ornament of natures arte"
## [726] "worth of this worlde, of all ioies the Souueraine"
## [727] ""
## [728] ""
## [729] "And thogh I know, I labour shall in vaine"
## [730] "to painte in words, the deadly wounds, the darte"
## [731] "of yowr faier eyes doth giue, since mine own hart"
## [732] "knowes not the measure, of my loue and paine"
## [733] ""
## [734] ""
## [735] "yet since yowr wil the charge on mee doth lay"
## [736] "yowr wil the law I onely reuerence"
## [737] "Skilles, and praisles I doe yow obey"
## [738] ""
## [739] ""
## [740] "Nor merit seeke, but pitty if thus I"
## [741] "doe folly shew, to proue obedience"
## [742] "who giues himself, may il his words deny"
## [743] ""
## [744] "Main Text"
## [745] ""
## [746] ""
## [747] "2 Sonnet. 12"
## [748] ""
## [749] ""
## [750] "Whoe giues himself may il his words deny"
## [751] "my words gaue mee to yow, my worde I gaue"
## [752] "stil to bee yowrs, yow speech and speaker haue"
## [753] "mee to my worde, my worde to yow I ty"
## [754] ""
## [755] ""
## [756] "Long ere I was, I was by destiny"
## [757] "vnto yowr loue ordained, a free bownd slaue"
## [758] "Destiny wch mee to mine own [liking] chois draue"
## [759] "and to my ends, made mee my wil apply"
## [760] ""
## [761] ""
## [762] "For ere on earthe in yow trew beauty kame"
## [763] "my first breath I had drawn, vpon the day"
## [764] "Sacred to yow, blessed in yowr faire name"
## [765] ""
## [766] ""
## [767] "And all the daies and howers I since do spend"
## [768] "are but the fatall, wished [hower] time to slay"
## [769] "to seale the bands of seruice wthout end."
## [770] ""
## [771] "Main Text"
## [772] ""
## [773] ""
## [774] "3 Sonnet 13"
## [775] ""
## [776] ""
## [777] "To seale the bands of seruice wthout ende"
## [778] "in wch myself I from myself doe giue"
## [779] "no force but yowrs, my thowghts kould euer driue"
## [780] "for in my chois, loue did yowr right defend"
## [781] ""
## [782] ""
## [783] "I know there are wch title doe pretend"
## [784] "as in their seruice hauing vowed to liue"
## [785] "But reason fatall faults, wils to forgiue"
## [786] "Loue gaue mee not to thē hee did but lend"
## [787] ""
## [788] ""
## [789] "Not but their beawties, were[enowgh] of power to moue"
## [790] "the prowdest hart, to fall down at their feet"
## [791] "or that I was so ennimy to loue"
## [792] ""
## [793] ""
## [794] "But those faier lights, wch doe all for the best"
## [795] "and rule owr worcks below, thowght it most meet"
## [796] "that so greate loue to yow showld bee adrest."
## [797] ""
## [798] "Main Text"
## [799] ""
## [800] ""
## [801] "4 Son: 14"
## [802] ""
## [803] ""
## [804] "That so greate loue to yow showld bee adrest"
## [805] "then wch the Sun nothing doth see more pure"
## [806] "yowr matchles worth, yowr iudgmēt may assure"
## [807] "since rarest beauties, like faith haue possest"
## [808] ""
## [809] ""
## [810] "yet would on mee, no note of chang did rest"
## [811] "wch in yowr sight, my truths light may obscure"
## [812] "Ah let not mee, for changing blame indure"
## [813] "whoe onely changd, by chang to finde the best"
## [814] ""
## [815] ""
## [816] "For now in yow I rest, in yow I finde"
## [817] "Destinies foresight, loues[strength, my] iustice, [wils altered to] Wils end,"
## [818] "Beauties [great]trew wonders, ioy and rest of mind"
## [819] ""
## [820] ""
## [821] "Let mee bee then to yow accounted true"
## [822] "Defend yow them, whoe for yow doe offend"
## [823] "whoe for yow is vniust is iust to yow."
## [824] ""
## [825] "Main Text"
## [826] ""
## [827] ""
## [828] "5 Son:"
## [829] ""
## [830] ""
## [831] "Whoe for yow is vniust, is iust to yow"
## [832] "O yow the fayre excuse of faults in loue"
## [833] "who for yow [errs] ers, his errors praises proue"
## [834] "O yow to mee honor, wisdome, vertue."
## [835] ""
## [836] ""
## [837] "The rest of the 13 sonnets"
## [838] "doth want."
## [839] ""
## [840] "Main Text"
## [841] ""
## [842] ""
## [843] "Songe. 5."
## [844] ""
## [845] "1"
## [846] ""
## [847] ""
## [848] "If those deuotions now noe more"
## [849] "(Most fayre) appeer, late shewd so prowd"
## [850] "whyle eyes admire, hands did adore"
## [851] "lips sang yowr praise, knees to yow bowde"
## [852] "know persecutions rage doth drive"
## [853] "faith thogh vnchangd, vnknow to liue"
## [854] ""
## [855] ""
## [856] ""
## [857] ""
## [858] "2"
## [859] ""
## [860] ""
## [861] "And know yowr wil makes loue not dare"
## [862] "to doe the rytes of zeale stil borne"
## [863] "and yow yowrself the Tirant are"
## [864] "that martires loue in fyre of scorne"
## [865] "yet truth in mee stil feruent knows"
## [866] "my wonted vowes, thogh now new shows."
## [867] ""
## [868] ""
## [869] ""
## [870] ""
## [871] "3"
## [872] ""
## [873] ""
## [874] "Nor could yowr torments make mee swerue"
## [875] "from yow whoe truth of beauty bee"
## [876] "Nor I the pleasure leaue to serue"
## [877] "for [paines] wrongs in yow, or paines in mee"
## [878] "But I whoe haue but yow noe end"
## [879] "Since please can not, wil not offend"
## [880] ""
## [881] ""
## [882] ""
## [883] ""
## [884] "4"
## [885] ""
## [886] ""
## [887] "And now yowr cruel wil I know"
## [888] "I silent doe darcke offrings giue"
## [889] "And doe shut vp, but not orethrow"
## [890] "the temple where yowr fyres doe liue"
## [891] "and til the truth yowr hart doe moue"
## [892] "vnharde, vnseen, wil pray and loue"
## [893] ""
## [894] "Main Text"
## [895] ""
## [896] ""
## [897] "Song. 6."
## [898] ""
## [899] "Lady. Pilgrim."
## [900] ""
## [901] "L. Yonder comes a sad pilgrim "
## [902] "from the East hee returns"
## [903] "I wil aske if hee saw him "
## [904] "whoe for mee absent mourns. "
## [905] "Aged father so to thee"
## [906] "thy trauuail worcke thy rest "
## [907] "Say if thy happ were to see "
## [908] "the knight that loues mee best."
## [909] ""
## [910] "P. Many one see wee lady"
## [911] "as wee come as wee goe "
## [912] "by what tokens how showld I"
## [913] "this yowr knight from others know."
## [914] ""
## [915] "L. Pilgrim hee is wel to know "
## [916] "these marcks hee euer beares "
## [917] "Clad in russet hee doth goe "
## [918] "his face greefs liuerie weares"
## [919] "To the west hee turns his eyes"
## [920] "where loue fast holds his hart"
## [921] "Duty there the body ties"
## [922] "his sowl hence cannot part."
## [923] ""
## [924] "P. Such a one I saw lady "
## [925] "I once saw such a one"
## [926] "But him no more see shall I"
## [927] "Hee is now dead and gon."
## [928] "Onely loue to him gaue breath"
## [929] "loue gaue him sence to moue "
## [930] "Absence draue him to his death "
## [931] "that helde him from his loue."
## [932] ""
## [933] "L. O thow cruel, lijng Spryte"
## [934] "to tempt mee come from hel"
## [935] "many harms may on thee light"
## [936] "for the tale thow doest tel."
## [937] "For to him since I lyfe giue "
## [938] "and in him liue doe I"
## [939] "how can hee dy and I liue"
## [940] "or I liue and hee dy."
## [941] ""
## [942] "P. Lady know truth, truth to bee "
## [943] "and leaue fond flattring toies "
## [944] "loue no perpetuitee "
## [945] "graunts of daies or of ioies "
## [946] "What the morning sweet appeers "
## [947] "loue turns ere night to sower:"
## [948] "what is winning many yeares"
## [949] "loue looseth in an hower "
## [950] "Spirits in him all spent bee "
## [951] "All ioies in him end haue "
## [952] "heauen no more behold doth hee "
## [953] "hee lies deep in darcke graue."
## [954] ""
## [955] "L. Farewel then whatere[what] was true:"
## [956] "Gon is ioy and pleasure: "
## [957] "parfet loue, and care adieu:"
## [958] "[gon] Farewel my lifes treasure"
## [959] "of his death then let mee heare "
## [960] "Death now fayr name doth proue"
## [961] "lyfe for mee I held not deer "
## [962] "I lovd lyfe for my loue. "
## [963] "of my lyfe the limmits weare"
## [964] "the ioies his loue did lend"
## [965] "wch since death[from mee doth teare] will not forbeare desyre of lyfe doth end."
## [966] "Faithles lyfe true death, by thee"
## [967] "owr vowes in one shall liue"
## [968] "lyfe him could not keep wth mee "
## [969] "death mee to him shall giue."
## [970] ""
## [971] "P. Neer vnto the sea this knight"
## [972] "was browght to his last wil"
## [973] "present cares were his delight "
## [974] "absent ioies did him kil."
## [975] "On a sand hil as hee lay "
## [976] "pilgrim sayd hee to mee "
## [977] "of good pity I thee pray"
## [978] "doe this last deed for mee"
## [979] "Tel the lady that doth rest"
## [980] "neer[ritch Tons] Medwayes sandy bed"
## [981] "Hee that in her sight livd blest"
## [982] "Absent accurst is dead."
## [983] "To finde her[bee not afrayd] will bee small paine"
## [984] "See, and thow canst not[miss]err"
## [985] "What worth of all els[is sayd] men faine"
## [986] "[All is sayd] is all provd true [of] in her. "
## [987] "What is good from her mind growes"
## [988] "what rare is, is her grace"
## [989] "Nothing fayr is that not flowes"
## [990] "in her heauen opning face"
## [991] "In her fayr gray eyes, loue showes"
## [992] "Sweetnes wth Maiestee "
## [993] "Ah poor man[beware] marck well theyr blowes"
## [994] "ioies or wownds theyr beames bee."
## [995] "Her breath my lyfe nursing ayre"
## [996] "on her deer words I fed:"
## [997] "wth the want of food so fayre"
## [998] "famisht my powers[ly] are dead."
## [999] "No sun knew I but her eyes"
## [1000] "by theyr warmth I did liue"
## [1001] "Dead and colde what I ame [is altered to] lies"
## [1002] "now theyr flames no heate giue"
## [1003] "Buried deep in ioyles graue "
## [1004] "this carcas is of mine"
## [1005] "For the world is a darck caue"
## [1006] "where her lights doe not shine."
## [1007] "This one gift of her I pray"
## [1008] "my sole and last request "
## [1009] "that shee mee herself wil lay"
## [1010] "where neer her I may rest."
## [1011] ""
## [1012] "L. what hee askes performd shall bee"
## [1013] "to please him dead I craue"
## [1014] "hee whoe liuing livd in mee"
## [1015] "dead[shall his burial] there his tombe shall haue"
## [1016] "They wch once hee loued best"
## [1017] "and were his liues delights"
## [1018] "that hee may ly more at rest"
## [1019] "fulfil shall his last rytes."
## [1020] "These arms wch lockt and desplayd"
## [1021] "the glories of his hart "
## [1022] "his beer shall bee, til hee layd "
## [1023] "bee, whence hee shall not part."
## [1024] "My heare whose fayre store hee thowght"
## [1025] "Best kings crownes to desgrace"
## [1026] "shall him winde, when hee is browght"
## [1027] "to his last resting place"
## [1028] "Mine eyes late, his ioyful day"
## [1029] "whyle day came to his eyes"
## [1030] "Torches shall bee, him the way"
## [1031] "to shew where his rest lies."
## [1032] "These lips but wch none power had"
## [1033] "him[rest] ease of minde to bring "
## [1034] "(stung wth doutes wth longings mad)"
## [1035] "his Requiem shall sing. "
## [1036] "In my brest his tombe shall stand"
## [1037] "to him best Marble whyte "
## [1038] "where loue wth truthes stedfast hand"
## [1039] "this Epitaf shall wryte "
## [1040] "The most louing, most belou'd "
## [1041] "to death by absence prest"
## [1042] "by no time to bee removd"
## [1043] "At ful ioies heer doth rest."
## [1044] ""
## [1045] "Main Text"
## [1046] ""
## [1047] ""
## [1048] "Son̄et. 15."
## [1049] ""
## [1050] ""
## [1051] "Yow that haue power to kil, haue wil to saue"
## [1052] "O yow, fayr leader of the hoast of loue"
## [1053] "from [con] yealding hands, desarmed praiers approue"
## [1054] "wch ioies nor wealth, but lyfe of Captiue craue."
## [1055] ""
## [1056] ""
## [1057] "Noe[small] weake or foe or force, mee vanquisht gaue"
## [1058] "that faint defence showld scorne, not pity moue:"
## [1059] "vertue, fortune, skil, to my ayde I proue"
## [1060] "All by yow broken, mee forsaken haue."
## [1061] ""
## [1062] ""
## [1063] "Yowr face, the feelde where beauties orders shine"
## [1064] ""
## [1065] ""
## [1066] "what can resist?[Those] yowr eyes, loues Canons strong,"
## [1067] "The braue directions of yowr lips deuine!"
## [1068] ""
## [1069] ""
## [1070] "wounded I try to scape? In garde along"
## [1071] "legions of worthe and graces I descry."
## [1072] ""
## [1073] ""
## [1074] "what meanes[for mee to stryue] then to wth stand, what way to fly?"
## [1075] ""
## [1076] "Main Text"
## [1077] ""
## [1078] ""
## [1079] "Pastoral. 7."
## [1080] ""
## [1081] "1"
## [1082] ""
## [1083] ""
## [1084] "Lysa[fayr]sweet Nymph did sit"
## [1085] "where an vngentle winde"
## [1086] "to her fayr face an open way did finde"
## [1087] "As her the ayre did hit"
## [1088] "her smiling beames shee threw"
## [1089] "as if her eyes would warme the colde that blew."
## [1090] ""
## [1091] ""
## [1092] ""
## [1093] ""
## [1094] "2"
## [1095] ""
## [1096] ""
## [1097] "Rosis poor shepheard lad"
## [1098] "that thowght a flowry feeld"
## [1099] "hee saw to rage of winters blasts to yeald"
## [1100] "Or els a garden clad"
## [1101] "in Aprils liuery fayre"
## [1102] "haue daintiest coulers nipt wth frosty ayre"
## [1103] ""
## [1104] ""
## [1105] ""
## [1106] ""
## [1107] "3"
## [1108] ""
## [1109] ""
## [1110] "Sat where hee thowght hee[might]best"
## [1111] "[best]might might keepe away the colde"
## [1112] "and wth glad arms her body [sweet]deer did fold"
## [1113] "where whyle into his brest"
## [1114] "thowsand contentments sancke"
## [1115] "and wth broad eyes hee thowsand beauties dranck"
## [1116] ""
## [1117] ""
## [1118] ""
## [1119] ""
## [1120] "4"
## [1121] ""
## [1122] ""
## [1123] "The flames of those fayre eyes"
## [1124] "wch no colde ere can slake"
## [1125] "in his close brest, a hot fyre soon did make"
## [1126] "wch when hee felt to ryse"
## [1127] "wth[eys]looks where[sparcks]rage did swarme"
## [1128] "and wth hot sighs hee sowght the Nymph to warme"
## [1129] ""
## [1130] ""
## [1131] ""
## [1132] ""
## [1133] "5"
## [1134] ""
## [1135] ""
## [1136] "But shee complaining stil"
## [1137] "of colde; the lad gan cry"
## [1138] "Ah [altered to] Alas why doe [not] the fyres in wch I fry"
## [1139] "the cold in her not kil."
## [1140] "or els why quencheth not"
## [1141] "the colde in her my fyres wch burn so hott."
## [1142] ""
## [1143] "Main Text"
## [1144] ""
## [1145] ""
## [1146] "Sonnet. 16."
## [1147] ""
## [1148] ""
## [1149] "Most fayre when first wth pleasd but cursed eyes"
## [1150] ""
## [1151] ""
## [1152] "I did behold that peece of heauen in y[ow]ou"
## [1153] "O that I had as to deuines due"
## [1154] "onely of vowes and praiers don sacrifize"
## [1155] ""
## [1156] ""
## [1157] "And blessed so, in so contented wyse"
## [1158] "from passions free enioied pleasures true"
## [1159] "when yow yowrself (I would I sayd vntrue)"
## [1160] "kindled the sparckes whence loue and rage did ryse"
## [1161] ""
## [1162] ""
## [1163] "Yet on those hopes thogh fals would I had stayd"
## [1164] ""
## [1165] ""
## [1166] "but I in searching owt yowr truth did[finde] proue"
## [1167] "my true mishaps in yowr betraijng loue"
## [1168] ""
## [1169] ""
## [1170] "Cruel I loue yow stil thogh thus betrayd"
## [1171] ""
## [1172] ""
## [1173] "nor [can altered to] dare lay blame [to]on yow: but my [fond minde"
## [1174] "doe curse, wch made such hast yowr faults to finde."
## [1175] ""
## [1176] "Main Text"
## [1177] ""
## [1178] ""
## [1179] "Sonnet. 17."
## [1180] ""
## [1181] ""
## [1182] "The endless Alchymist, wth blinded will"
## [1183] "that feedes his thowghts wth hopes, his hopes on showes"
## [1184] "and more his worck proues vaine more eagre growes"
## [1185] "whyle dreames of golde, his head wth shadowes fill"
## [1186] ""
## [1187] ""
## [1188] "Feeles not more sure the scourg of flattring skill"
## [1189] "when in fals trust of wealth true need hee knowes"
## [1190] "then I, on whome, a storme of losses blowes"
## [1191] "and tydes of errors run̄: yet sail on still"
## [1192] ""
## [1193] ""
## [1194] "whyle my corrupted sense, doth thinck it sees"
## [1195] "the long sowght land of rest: and whyle to bliss"
## [1196] "I thinck there is a[cours] way, thogh yet I miss."
## [1197] ""
## [1198] ""
## [1199] "Thus[fearing]shun̄ing to haue lost, I still doe lees"
## [1200] "and hope and want: and striue and faile: and proue"
## [1201] "Nor end [from] wth[paines] ioies [cares], nor end [wth ioies] from cares in loue"
## [1202] ""
## [1203] "Main Text"
## [1204] ""
## [1205] ""
## [1206] "Pastoral 8Nymph: Shepheard"
## [1207] ""
## [1208] ""
## [1209] ""
## [1210] "1"
## [1211] ""
## [1212] "N. Shepheard, why doest thow so looke still on mee"
## [1213] "from whence doe these new humors grow in thee?"
## [1214] "Sh: Best Nymph, heer saw I first wth comfort greete"
## [1215] "the fayrest day, that ere spredd beames of gold"
## [1216] "ledd hence astray, benighted since and colde"
## [1217] "I come to yow (my Sun) for light and heate."
## [1218] ""
## [1219] ""
## [1220] ""
## [1221] ""
## [1222] ""
## [1223] "2"
## [1224] ""
## [1225] "N. From them that ledd[yow] thee hence [yowr] thy help must ryse"
## [1226] "Mine eyes[are looked on, by deerer] bestow theyr beames on better eyes."
## [1227] "Sh: Nor can the Moon thogh faier, the yeer renewe nor can the stars giue day, thogh cleer and bright Dead are all other flames, grown dim̄ each light "
## [1228] "I must liue cold and darck, or looke on yow."
## [1229] ""
## [1230] ""
## [1231] ""
## [1232] ""
## [1233] ""
## [1234] "3"
## [1235] ""
## [1236] "N. Thow wearst as good to[say this]talke vn to a stone"
## [1237] "woords not beleeued, were better lett alone"
## [1238] "Sh: Soon as the spring cold winter doth remoue"
## [1239] "from stocks wch lyfe none shewd, leaues in store ryse"
## [1240] "The time that mee restores, moues in yowr eyes"
## [1241] "and I that from yow freezd: heer burn in loue"
## [1242] ""
## [1243] ""
## [1244] ""
## [1245] ""
## [1246] ""
## [1247] "4"
## [1248] ""
## [1249] "N. what bootes beleef, where no regard is born?"
## [1250] "Thee and thy loue, and vowes and othes I scorn!"
## [1251] "Sh: In earth, on naught the Sun, worth him, doth shyne"
## [1252] "drest in his beames, yet shee his glory shewes"
## [1253] "In mee, els little worth, yowr beauties knowes"
## [1254] "the temple where they are adored in shryne"
## [1255] ""
## [1256] ""
## [1257] ""
## [1258] ""
## [1259] ""
## [1260] "5"
## [1261] ""
## [1262] "N. Perhaps thow thinckst, desert will scorn abate"
## [1263] "but I hate thee and in thee, loue doe hate."
## [1264] "Sh: To drown the feelds the angry brookes, do moue"
## [1265] "theyr streames, yet euen in that, growes the feelds pryde"
## [1266] "On stone of wrongs, loues truth is parfet tryde."
## [1267] "louing all is in yow, yowr hate I loue"
## [1268] ""
## [1269] ""
## [1270] ""
## [1271] ""
## [1272] ""
## [1273] "6"
## [1274] ""
## [1275] "N. If scorn nor hate will serue, let this thee moue"
## [1276] "that there is one that liues prowd in my loue"
## [1277] "Sh: The humble shrubb, whose welfare heauē neglects"
## [1278] "lookes yet to heauen as well as fauored pine"
## [1279] "loue whome yow list: please yor own choice, not mine"
## [1280] "My sowl to loue and looke: naught els affects."
## [1281] ""
## [1282] ""
## [1283] ""
## [1284] ""
## [1285] ""
## [1286] "7"
## [1287] ""
## [1288] "N. what may I more to giue thee answer, say"
## [1289] "but that I now[doe] showld bidd thee goe away"
## [1290] "Sh: wth his fayre beames, the Sun would cleer the ayre"
## [1291] "of clowdes: yet are the clowdes drawē by the same"
## [1292] "I cannot part from that, by wch I ame:"
## [1293] "Nor grow to bee less fond, or yow less fayre"
## [1294] ""
## [1295] ""
## [1296] ""
## [1297] ""
## [1298] ""
## [1299] "8"
## [1300] ""
## [1301] "N. Then I will goe: Shepheard bee heer alone"
## [1302] "vnlookt on loue: vnthowght on, make thy mone"
## [1303] "Sh: Till in the heauens, the Moon her face shews nue "
## [1304] "in theyr dead [fluds]streames,the seas her absence mourn"
## [1305] "liue fayrest still: (best Nymph) soon to retourn"
## [1306] "I colde and darck, will wast, till I see you."
## [1307] ""
## [1308] "Main Text"
## [1309] ""
## [1310] ""
## [1311] "Sonnet. 18"
## [1312] ""
## [1313] ""
## [1314] "Most faier: [the altered to] The feeld is yowrs: now stay yor hands"
## [1315] "No power is left to stryue: less to rebell."
## [1316] "I pleasure take, that at yowr blowes I fell"
## [1317] "and lawrell weare, in Triumph of my bands"
## [1318] ""
## [1319] ""
## [1320] "Ah how,[those] yowr eyes, the ioies of peace, seem brands"
## [1321] "to wast, what conquest hath, assured so well"
## [1322] "How[those] yowr lawgiuing lips, in[pure]prowd redd swell"
## [1323] "whyle my captiued sowl, at mercy stands."
## [1324] ""
## [1325] ""
## [1326] "O best: O onely faier: suffer these eyes"
## [1327] "to liue, wch wayte yowr will, humble and true"
## [1328] "These knees wch from yowr feet do neuer ryse"
## [1329] "These hands, wch still held vp, sweare faith to you"
## [1330] ""
## [1331] ""
## [1332] "O saue: doe not destroy what is yowr own"
## [1333] "[A altered to] Iust prince to spoile himself, was neuer know̄"
## [1334] ""
## [1335] "Main Text"
## [1336] ""
## [1337] ""
## [1338] "Sonnet. 19"
## [1339] ""
## [1340] ""
## [1341] "When other creatures all each in theyr kinde"
## [1342] "comfort of light, quiet from darcknes featch"
## [1343] "of wretched monsters, I most monstrous wreatch"
## [1344] "nor day from paines, nor night wth rest can finde"
## [1345] ""
## [1346] ""
## [1347] "But as the slaue, whome storme, or Sun or winde"
## [1348] "all day doth beate: in whose syde bloody breach"
## [1349] "the scourge doth leaue: whoe on the oare doth stretch"
## [1350] "his lims all day, all night his wownds doth binde"
## [1351] ""
## [1352] ""
## [1353] "Cheynd to those beauties, whence I cannot fly"
## [1354] "I know no day so long, wherin each hower"
## [1355] "showes not new labours lost: and wherin I"
## [1356] "take not new wounds, from theyr vnsparing power"
## [1357] ""
## [1358] ""
## [1359] "Nor longest[day] is, is long enowgh for mee"
## [1360] "to tell my wounds, wch restless bleeding bee"
## [1361] ""
## [1362] "Main Text"
## [1363] ""
## [1364] ""
## [1365] "Sonnet. 20."
## [1366] ""
## [1367] ""
## [1368] "Shine on fayre stars: giue comfort to these eyes"
## [1369] "wch know no light but yowrs: no lyfe but you:"
## [1370] "shyne that theyr loue, yowr worth, may haue your due"
## [1371] "whyle ioyes to them, glory to yow doth ryse"
## [1372] ""
## [1373] ""
## [1374] "But vpon mee, amid yowr beames there lies"
## [1375] "a blacker night then euer forrest knue:"
## [1376] ""
## [1377] ""
## [1378] "whoe by yowr light, discern the [darcknes]mourning true"
## [1379] "of widow sky, wch [Suns departure]husband-Suns loss tries."
## [1380] ""
## [1381] ""
## [1382] "Raine now alone: in yow [bee this]the night blestbee"
## [1383] "my wants, anothers store grudg not to see"
## [1384] "But ere long will a Sun ryse from the East"
## [1385] "in whose cleer flames, yowr sparcks obscurd will bee"
## [1386] ""
## [1387] ""
## [1388] "Till then in Spryte, those hid beames I adore"
## [1389] "and know more stars I see my night the more."
## [1390] ""
## [1391] "Main Text"
## [1392] ""
## [1393] ""
## [1394] "Sonnet. 21."
## [1395] ""
## [1396] ""
## [1397] "Alas why say yow I ame ritch? when I"
## [1398] "doe begg, and begging scant a lyfe sustaine:"
## [1399] "why doe yow say that I ame well? when paine"
## [1400] "lowder then on the rack, [on altered to] in mee doth cry."
## [1401] ""
## [1402] ""
## [1403] "O let mee know myself! my pouerty"
## [1404] "wth whitening rotten [walles altered to] walls, no stay doth gaine."
## [1405] ""
## [1406] ""
## [1407] "and these small hopes yow tell, [stay]keep but in vaine"
## [1408] "lyfe wth hott drincks, in one layd down to dy."
## [1409] ""
## [1410] ""
## [1411] "If in my face, my wants and sores, so greate"
## [1412] "doe not appeer: A canker (thinck) vnseen"
## [1413] "the apples hart thogh sownd wthout doth eate."
## [1414] ""
## [1415] ""
## [1416] "Or if on mee from my fayre heauē are seen,"
## [1417] "some scattred beames: Know sutch heate giues theyr light"
## [1418] "as frosty mornings Sun: as Moonshyne night."
## [1419] ""
## [1420] "Main Text"
## [1421] ""
## [1422] ""
## [1423] "Sonnet. 22."
## [1424] ""
## [1425] ""
## [1426] "On vnknown shore, wth wethera hard destrest"
## [1427] "the fainting Mariner so feares the night"
## [1428] "as I whoe in the dayes declining light"
## [1429] "doe read the story of my wrack of rest."
## [1430] ""
## [1431] ""
## [1432] "Blest in yowr sight: and but in sight yet blest"
## [1433] "euen now to leaue yowr light, my lifes delight"
## [1434] "I wayte to adore, in rayes, as sweet as bright"
## [1435] "the Sun lodg'd in yowr eys, heauēs in yor brest"
## [1436] ""
## [1437] ""
## [1438] "O of mans hopes the vaine condition!"
## [1439] "whyle I ame saijng, thow lowe shady roome"
## [1440] "straight shalt a match to highest spheares becoom."
## [1441] ""
## [1442] ""
## [1443] "Sad night to bee more darck yor stay puts on."
## [1444] "and in yowr fayling paints, her black aspect,"
## [1445] "yet sees a minde more darck, for yor neglect."
## [1446] ""
## [1447] "Main Text"
## [1448] ""
## [1449] ""
## [1450] "Sonnet. 23."
## [1451] ""
## [1452] ""
## [1453] "Absence what floods of plaints gainst thee would ryse"
## [1454] "wch euen the hellish wants doest make mee tast"
## [1455] "If perisht barck on shore by tempest cast"
## [1456] "wch late praide for the land, now on it dyes"
## [1457] ""
## [1458] ""
## [1459] "Did not paint out my lyfe, wch fetterd lyes"
## [1460] "and famisht, darck, in prison, cold doth wast"
## [1461] "till when my lifes Queen present shines at last"
## [1462] "a medcin worse then greef it self it tries."
## [1463] ""
## [1464] ""
## [1465] "For as the condemnd man from dungeon ledd"
## [1466] "whoe wthfirst light hee sees, ends his last breath"
## [1467] "when I see her, I see scorns banner spredd"
## [1468] "each word refuses, each refuse giues death"
## [1469] ""
## [1470] ""
## [1471] "Thē thee sad absence I no longer curse"
## [1472] "as present paine, then absent ioy is wurse."
## [1473] ""
## [1474] "Main Text"
## [1475] ""
## [1476] ""
## [1477] "Son: 24."
## [1478] ""
## [1479] ""
## [1480] "Canst thow turn from the hauē of thy rest"
## [1481] "for bitter storms, that beate thee from the shore?"
## [1482] "Canst thow forsake, the mine whose golden store"
## [1483] "must make thee ritch, wth labours lost distrest?"
## [1484] ""
## [1485] ""
## [1486] "Ah when doe I, from troubles in my brest"
## [1487] "see peace or truce? or wth lims faint and sore"
## [1488] "leaue of the loued chace, wch more and more"
## [1489] "flies from before mee, when I follow best."
## [1490] ""
## [1491] ""
## [1492] "Nor now doth hope aspyre more to the bliss"
## [1493] "wch once it fram'd so fayre: enowgh it is"
## [1494] "if loue doe liue, thogh liue in cares and feares"
## [1495] ""
## [1496] ""
## [1497] "Like him whoe from a steep rock hedlong cast"
## [1498] "on bough or stone, his grasping hands sets fast"
## [1499] "and falling dies, and holding torment beares."
## [1500] ""
## [1501] "Main Text"
## [1502] ""
## [1503] ""
## [1504] "Son: 25."
## [1505] ""
## [1506] ""
## [1507] "Yow that take pleasure in yowr cruelty,"
## [1508] "and place yowr health in my infections:"
## [1509] "yow that add sorrowes to afflictions"
## [1510] "[and Triumphs leade in my captiuity] and thinck yowr wealth shines in my pouerty"
## [1511] ""
## [1512] ""
## [1513] "Since that there is all inequality"
## [1514] "between my wants and yowr perfections"
## [1515] "between yowr scorns and my affections"
## [1516] "between my bands and yowr soueranity"
## [1517] ""
## [1518] ""
## [1519] "O loue your self: bee yow yowrself yowr care:"
## [1520] "loy in those acts, in wch yowr making stood:"
## [1521] "Fayre, louely, good: of these [composd] made, these yow are:"
## [1522] "pity is fayre, grace louely, mercy good."
## [1523] "And when [heauē] Sunn like, yow in yowrself yow show"
## [1524] "Let mee the point bee, about wch yow goe."
## [1525] ""
## [1526] "Main Text"
## [1527] ""
## [1528] ""
## [1529] "Son: 26."
## [1530] ""
## [1531] ""
## [1532] "Ah deerest lims my lifes best ioy and stay"
## [1533] "how must I thus let yow bee cutt from mee"
## [1534] "and loosing yow myself vnusfull see"
## [1535] "and keeping yow, cast lyfe and all away"
## [1536] ""
## [1537] ""
## [1538] "Full of dead Gangreins doth the sickman say"
## [1539] "whose [loss] death of part[ra] health of the rest must bee"
## [1540] "Alas my loue from no infections free"
## [1541] "like law doth giue of it or my decay"
## [1542] ""
## [1543] ""
## [1544] "My loue more deer to mee then [hand altered to] hands or [eye altered to] eys"
## [1545] "neerer to mee, then what wth mee was borne"
## [1546] "delaied, betraied, cast vnder chang and scorn"
## [1547] ""
## [1548] ""
## [1549] "[Endures all paines that feares and wants can try]Sick past all help or hope, or kils or dyes"
## [1550] "whyle all the[sores loue beares]blood it sheades my hart doth bleed"
## [1551] "and wth my bowels I his[vultures] Cancres feed."
## [1552] ""
## [1553] "Main Text"
## [1554] ""
## [1555] ""
## [1556] "Pastoral. 9"
## [1557] ""
## [1558] "1"
## [1559] ""
## [1560] ""
## [1561] "1"
## [1562] ""
## [1563] ""
## [1564] "Day wch so bright didst shyne, how darck art thow?"
## [1565] "Ayre euen now sweet, how doe mists in thee growe?"
## [1566] "Sea late so calme, how high wrowght are yow now?"
## [1567] "Brooke once so cleer, how doth sand in [yow]thee flowe?"
## [1568] "Trees so full blowen, how bare now is each bow?"
## [1569] "Feelds how doe weeds, yowr ritch corn ouergrowe?"
## [1570] "Day, ayre, sea, brooke, trees, feelds: say, vain's all trust"
## [1571] "The fayrest proues vntrew, the best vniust."
## [1572] ""
## [1573] ""
## [1574] ""
## [1575] ""
## [1576] "2"
## [1577] ""
## [1578] ""
## [1579] "Frosts how yow print the earth wth witherd face!"
## [1580] "Storms, how wth lightning yow heauēs mantle lyne!"
## [1581] "Fluds, how all to deuowr, yow hast yowr pace!"
## [1582] "Fyre, how in beames of ruin yow doe shyne!"
## [1583] "Plague, how wth killing arms, yow all embrace!"
## [1584] "Dearth, how what death hath spared, in yow doth pine"
## [1585] "Frosts, storms, fluds, fyre, plague, dearth, answer wth mee"
## [1586] "Owr goods are ghests, owr losses homemates bee."
## [1587] ""
## [1588] ""
## [1589] ""
## [1590] ""
## [1591] "3"
## [1592] ""
## [1593] ""
## [1594] "Thus whyle, the worlds fayre frame, such chang approues"
## [1595] "Shee will as fals as it bee, as as fayre."
## [1596] "Thus from one mischeef, whyle another moues,"
## [1597] "I feel the ils, wch worst cannot impayre."
## [1598] "whyle shee her fayth a prize sets to new loues,"
## [1599] "in mee faith raines on wrongs, loue on despayre."
## [1600] "Day, ayre, sea, brooke, trees, feelds, her falshood knowe"
## [1601] "Frosts, storms, fluds fyre, plague, dearth my merites showe."
## [1602] ""
## [1603] ""
## [1604] ""
## [1605] ""
## [1606] "4"
## [1607] ""
## [1608] ""
## [1609] "Hencefourth then may, Fyre giue light to the Day:"
## [1610] "and cleerest Ayre, a nurse to Plagues bee fownd."
## [1611] "Hencefourth may Frosts shutt vp the Seas large way"
## [1612] "and Storms[the strongests]all vsefull Trees teare frō the grownd."
## [1613] "Hencefourth no frute[s] of Feelds Dearth banish may,"
## [1614] "and smalest Brookes, in Fluds [the hils] all may surrownd"
## [1615] "Since beauty growes the bed, where treason lyes"
## [1616] "and faith is made the stayre to miseryes."
## [1617] ""
## [1618] ""
## [1619] ""
## [1620] ""
## [1621] "5"
## [1622] ""
## [1623] ""
## [1624] "This sayd, the Shepheard, as [wth now] now wth new eyes"
## [1625] "lookd vp and saw his flock [not from him] wch had not strayde"
## [1626] "his[flock] own wch hee for[others] vnknown did despise"
## [1627] "whyle it stil kept his steps, his voice obeyde."
## [1628] "Then in his sowl the images did ryse"
## [1629] "of due and vniust loues: and[sighing]greeuing sayde"
## [1630] "Ah Flock so louing, so regarded not:"
## [1631] "how my faults[shew]are yowr praise yor wrongs my blott"
## [1632] ""
## [1633] ""
## [1634] ""
## [1635] ""
## [1636] "6"
## [1637] ""
## [1638] ""
## [1639] "So hee whose senses foild, no[help] cure could breed"
## [1640] "in her faults, safety to his ruins fownd."
## [1641] "Those the good Dolfin were, the sauing threed,"
## [1642] "wch stayde the seas deep iawes, the maze vnwound"
## [1643] "He sees, how sweet, did[vices] fancies poisons feed"
## [1644] "how strongly follyes easy fetters bownd."
## [1645] "Now loues his wrongs:[sais], vnder shame and sinn"
## [1646] "I had bin lost, if lost I had not bin."
## [1647] ""
## [1648] "Main Text"
## [1649] ""
## [1650] ""
## [1651] "Song. 10."
## [1652] ""
## [1653] ""
## [1654] ""
## [1655] "Yow whoe fauor doe enioy"
## [1656] "and spend and keep loues treasure,"
## [1657] "yow whoe[see] know no end of ioy"
## [1658] "nor limmits finde nor measure."
## [1659] "yow whose cares triumphing on anoy"
## [1660] "giue yow a crown of pleasure"
## [1661] ""
## [1662] ""
## [1663] ""
## [1664] ""
## [1665] "2"
## [1666] ""
## [1667] ""
## [1668] "Beare ful sayles whyle fayre winds blowe"
## [1669] "time what now is astranges."
## [1670] "Flowers chose this day wth best showe"
## [1671] "tomorrow in dust ranges."
## [1672] "Beauty Queenlike not alone doth goe"
## [1673] "but wayted on by changes."
## [1674] ""
## [1675] ""
## [1676] ""
## [1677] ""
## [1678] "3"
## [1679] ""
## [1680] ""
## [1681] "Somewhat that yow are was I,"
## [1682] "I throwgh a vayle saw glory"
## [1683] "Ioies seemd wth my wings to fly"
## [1684] "I was parte of loues story."
## [1685] "But if euer I did gladnes try"
## [1686] "I time enowgh was sory."
## [1687] ""
## [1688] ""
## [1689] ""
## [1690] ""
## [1691] "4"
## [1692] ""
## [1693] ""
## [1694] "When those beauties I did see"
## [1695] "a hid worth I conceaued."
## [1696] "liking then grew rage to bee"
## [1697] "I sowght, and was receaued"
## [1698] "I did vowe, and had vowes made to mee"
## [1699] "I trusted, was deceaued."
## [1700] ""
## [1701] ""
## [1702] ""
## [1703] ""
## [1704] "5"
## [1705] ""
## [1706] ""
## [1707] "Happy they whoe did not loue,"
## [1708] "or sitt down by theyr losses."
## [1709] "Nor left heer doe elswhere proue"
## [1710] "new hopes are but new crosses."
## [1711] "Change of ship doth sicknes not remoue"
## [1712] "one like the other tosses."
## [1713] ""
## [1714] ""
## [1715] ""
## [1716] ""
## [1717] "6"
## [1718] ""
## [1719] ""
## [1720] "When from them no food doth growe"
## [1721] "the hungry sowl liues dijng."
## [1722] "Soon as they some grace doe showe"
## [1723] "they kill, to others flijng."
## [1724] "Equal weights, they on the louer throwe"
## [1725] "or graunting or denijng."
## [1726] ""
## [1727] ""
## [1728] ""
## [1729] ""
## [1730] "7"
## [1731] ""
## [1732] ""
## [1733] "yet fayre blessings women were"
## [1734] "if they could one perseuer."
## [1735] "But the wheeles of time they beare"
## [1736] "A whyle to them is euer."
## [1737] "Shee that sayd, my chang Frend, neuer feare"
## [1738] "to one hower[tyde]bownd her Neuer."
## [1739] ""
## [1740] "Main Text"
## [1741] ""
## [1742] ""
## [1743] "Sonet. 27."
## [1744] ""
## [1745] ""
## [1746] "Falshood: how long did I yowr stings endure"
## [1747] "and lazerlike no sence had of yowr blowes"
## [1748] "whyle yow not feard wrowght my close ouerthrows"
## [1749] "and I deaf to all dowbts, did sleep secure."
## [1750] ""
## [1751] ""
## [1752] "Thorow the shadows of my loue, a sure"
## [1753] "Standing yow tooke, to guyde yowr poisned blowes"
## [1754] "My loue, wch made his ends, one wth his showes"
## [1755] "and sure in his own cours like did assure."
## [1756] ""
## [1757] ""
## [1758] "Tel how yow could draw beauties pure and trew"
## [1759] "to shrowd yow wth theyr wings? or so fayre minde"
## [1760] "itself in league wth yowr fowl wayes to binde?"
## [1761] ""
## [1762] ""
## [1763] "Relligious vowes are broken, labours new"
## [1764] "reape of long faith the hyre: and all to late,"
## [1765] "I learn, when help is past, my sicknes state."
## [1766] ""
## [1767] "Main Text"
## [1768] ""
## [1769] ""
## [1770] "Son: 28."
## [1771] ""
## [1772] ""
## [1773] "Ayre wch about these wanton leaues dost play"
## [1774] "and[sweetnes]comfort draw from euery flower and tree"
## [1775] "so may thow[euer]still from[fowl]storms and mists bee free"
## [1776] "so[vnto thee bee still a flowry]might thow still inioy a Rosy May"
## [1777] ""
## [1778] ""
## [1779] "As thow from[mee]hence wilt [fly]goe ,[but fly] and goe that way"
## [1780] "where in most[store roses and vylets]plenty garden treasures bee"
## [1781] "that in theyr bosomes sweet, they sweeten thee"
## [1782] "and last on[Lysas] Charys ruby lips thow stay."
## [1783] ""
## [1784] ""
## [1785] "There rest thy self, and those fayre cherries kiss"
## [1786] "and [kissing] sucking them part of theyr[sweetnes]fairness gett"
## [1787] "to wch no[rose] Mirrh, no[vylett]Amber equall is."
## [1788] ""
## [1789] ""
## [1790] "Then to my [longing] thirsting sense[sweet]deer breath make hast"
## [1791] "that to my hart I may thy[sweetnes]ritchess lett"
## [1792] "and of her lips the Nectar someway tast."
## [1793] ""
## [1794] "Main Text"
## [1795] ""
## [1796] ""
## [1797] "Son. 29."
## [1798] ""
## [1799] ""
## [1800] "Yowr hate to mee, must needs bee violent,"
## [1801] "since to hurt mee, yowr self yow doe not spare."
## [1802] "Indeed the harms bee theyrs, wch wrongued are"
## [1803] "but theyrs the sinn, whoe harm the innocent."
## [1804] ""
## [1805] ""
## [1806] "yowr wrongs made mee, wth losses[ly] byde content"
## [1807] "and now a safe thogh homely rest prepare"
## [1808] "and as hopes had left mee, I leauing care"
## [1809] "worck on the breaches, of time fondly spent."
## [1810] ""
## [1811] ""
## [1812] "when yow confessing faults, remission sowght"
## [1813] "and for amends, large promises did make"
## [1814] "But soon as I to my old bonds was browght"
## [1815] "trusting on so fayre words, yowr word yow brake"
## [1816] ""
## [1817] ""
## [1818] "See then yowr purchas, yowr ritch conquest see"
## [1819] "yow poison yowr own faith, to infect mee."
## [1820] ""
## [1821] "Main Text"
## [1822] ""
## [1823] ""
## [1824] "Song. 11."
## [1825] ""
## [1826] ""
## [1827] ""
## [1828] "Thowghts vnto mee so deer"
## [1829] "as vnto yow I liue."
## [1830] "Thowghts vnto whome I giue"
## [1831] "a mind from all els [free] cleer"
## [1832] "vniustly yow requyte mee"
## [1833] "whoe will [not no] no more content mee"
## [1834] "but wth what is torment mee"
## [1835] "wth what will bee affright mee"
## [1836] ""
## [1837] ""
## [1838] ""
## [1839] ""
## [1840] "2"
## [1841] ""
## [1842] ""
## [1843] "Say if that euer I"
## [1844] "sowght not yowr choicest food"
## [1845] "and browght[was]what ere was good"
## [1846] "safe kept by memory."
## [1847] "But yow turn all betraijng"
## [1848] "to poison in yow dwelling"
## [1849] "and like an ill spleen swelling"
## [1850] "yowr strength worcks my decaijng."
## [1851] ""
## [1852] ""
## [1853] ""
## [1854] ""
## [1855] "3"
## [1856] ""
## [1857] ""
## [1858] "when in some blessed hower"
## [1859] "I see those beauties shyne"
## [1860] "and streight praye so deuine"
## [1861] "bid yow thowghts to deuowr."
## [1862] "yow my well meaning wronging"
## [1863] "reiect what I doe offer"
## [1864] "and answer I things proffer"
## [1865] "vnto some els belonging"
## [1866] ""
## [1867] ""
## [1868] ""
## [1869] ""
## [1870] "4"
## [1871] ""
## [1872] ""
## [1873] "Make I not when hopes ryse"
## [1874] "from worde or looke to yow"
## [1875] "of them on comfort true"
## [1876] "a smoking sacryfyze."
## [1877] "when yow say smokes are pleasing"
## [1878] "the fainting sprytes perfuming"
## [1879] "to bodyes but consuming"
## [1880] "[They smudged out] Smokes yeald a soon past easing"
## [1881] ""
## [1882] ""
## [1883] ""
## [1884] ""
## [1885] "5"
## [1886] ""
## [1887] ""
## [1888] "Thus hope, sens memory"
## [1889] "corrupted all are browght"
## [1890] "to sooth vp Tirant thowght"
## [1891] "and euen themselus deny"
## [1892] "whyle lethargick I cherish"
## [1893] "death in beguyling sleeping"
## [1894] "and snakelike thowghts still keeping"
## [1895] "preserue what makes me perish."
## [1896] ""
## [1897] ""
## [1898] ""
## [1899] ""
## [1900] "6"
## [1901] ""
## [1902] ""
## [1903] "Nor can I leaue to thinck"
## [1904] "thogh thincking still I finde"
## [1905] "More sight makes mee more blinde"
## [1906] "My thirst more, more I drinck"
## [1907] "like him whoe in fowl weather"
## [1908] "will not cast out his Treasure"
## [1909] "till for so deer[bowght] held pleasure"
## [1910] "The sea eates both together"
## [1911] ""
## [1912] ""
## [1913] ""
## [1914] ""
## [1915] "7"
## [1916] ""
## [1917] ""
## [1918] "And so her Idol Strang"
## [1919] "wth my thowghts is made one"
## [1920] "as yow may breake the stone"
## [1921] "but can the forme not change"
## [1922] "whoe puld his eyes out euer"
## [1923] "becaus they saw no better"
## [1924] "or to cast of a fetter"
## [1925] "his lims from him did seuer"
## [1926] ""
## [1927] ""
## [1928] ""
## [1929] ""
## [1930] "8"
## [1931] ""
## [1932] ""
## [1933] "Nor know I how to teare"
## [1934] "the dross out of my hart"
## [1935] "but[at once]that wthall must part"
## [1936] "the golde wch it doth beare"
## [1937] "For whyle thowghts show full measure"
## [1938] "in her of hate and scorning"
## [1939] "they shew bliss fayrest morning"
## [1940] "and high noonday of pleasure."
## [1941] ""
## [1942] ""
## [1943] ""
## [1944] ""
## [1945] "9"
## [1946] ""
## [1947] ""
## [1948] "Thowghts therfore leaue not mee"
## [1949] "for yow I will not leaue"
## [1950] "what fortune [I cancelled by] yow receaue"
## [1951] "the same my state shall bee"
## [1952] "This one my loue requyreth"
## [1953] "her hatred yow will couer"
## [1954] "Alas a needy louer"
## [1955] "soon thincks what hee desyreth."
## [1956] ""
## [1957] ""
## [1958] ""
## [1959] ""
## [1960] "10"
## [1961] ""
## [1962] ""
## [1963] "Yow haue it often doon"
## [1964] "when I best trusted you"
## [1965] "and now I finde to true"
## [1966] "Truth sowght out greef hath woon"
## [1967] "In yowr fals arms then lay mee"
## [1968] "as wth sleep drincks possessed"
## [1969] "My paines will seem redressed"
## [1970] "whyle yowr rest doth betray mee."
## [1971] ""
## [1972] "Main Text"
## [1973] ""
## [1974] ""
## [1975] "Song 12"
## [1976] ""
## [1977] "To a french Tune"
## [1978] "Ou estes vous allez mes belles amourettes"
## [1979] ""
## [1980] "Since now those fayre eyes doe shyne in theyr cleer former light"
## [1981] "why showld I refuse such guydes, to bring mee owt of paine"
## [1982] "Ah whether will yow leade mee flattering delight"
## [1983] "will yow then betray mee, once againe?"
## [1984] ""
## [1985] ""
## [1986] "Since now from those sweetest lips flow words of Nectar right"
## [1987] "why showld I my thirsting thowghts, from so deer cupp restraine"
## [1988] "Ah whether will yow leade"
## [1989] "will yow then etc"
## [1990] ""
## [1991] ""
## [1992] "Meethincks I see in Glory, after a long cold night"
## [1993] "the sun in beames of comfort,"
## [1994] "[after] ouer sad darckness raine"
## [1995] "Ah whether"
## [1996] "will yow"
## [1997] ""
## [1998] ""
## [1999] "Meethincks I see a haruest, wch of all dearths in spyte"
## [2000] "a minde long hungerstarued, in plenty can mantaine"
## [2001] "Ah whether"
## [2002] "will yow"
## [2003] ""
## [2004] ""
## [2005] "Triumph then late wrongued loue, hopes do put cares to flight"
## [2006] "mischeefs now do turn theyr back, desert the feeld doth gaine"
## [2007] "Ah whether"
## [2008] "will yow"
## [2009] ""
## [2010] ""
## [2011] "But stay memory wch did, my wrongs in marble wryte"
## [2012] "wth the wounds wch falshood giues, my ioies doth entertaine"
## [2013] "Ah whether"
## [2014] "will yow"
## [2015] ""
## [2016] ""
## [2017] "True it is those Diamonds once so deer, still so bright"
## [2018] "did proue fals when they were tryed, and all theyr luster vaine"
## [2019] "Ah whether"
## [2020] "will yow"
## [2021] ""
## [2022] ""
## [2023] "True it is that bancket ritch so sweet sett owt to sight"
## [2024] "sundry poisons of all sorts, did in each dish containe"
## [2025] "Ah whether"
## [2026] "will yow"
## [2027] ""
## [2028] ""
## [2029] "worthy hee of wounds is, whoe twise tries the lions might"
## [2030] "Hee deserus no pitty that, twise doth of falshood plaine"
## [2031] "Ah whether"
## [2032] "will yow."
## [2033] ""
## [2034] ""
## [2035] "Farewell then eyes errors stars,"
## [2036] "[yowr]whose light doth mee benight"
## [2037] "Farewell [then] venomstilling lips, whose words stings wth them [traine"
## [2038] "yow neuer more shall leade mee flattering delight"
## [2039] "yow shall not betray mee once againe."
## [2040] ""
## [2041] "Main Text"
## [2042] ""
## [2043] ""
## [2044] "Son: 30."
## [2045] ""
## [2046] ""
## [2047] "Absence I cannot say thow hyd'st my light"
## [2048] "not [now Eclipst] darckned, but [quenched] for ay sett is my Sun"
## [2049] "No day sees mee, not when nights glass is rū"
## [2050] "I present, bsent ame; vnseen in sight."
## [2051] ""
## [2052] ""
## [2053] "Nothing but I doe paralele the night"
## [2054] "in whome all [sense]"
## [2055] "act of light and heate is doō"
## [2056] "Shee that did all in mee, all hath vndoon"
## [2057] "I was loues cradle once, now loues graue right"
## [2058] ""
## [2059] ""
## [2060] "Absence I vsde [of] to make[my plaints of] my mone to thee"
## [2061] "when thy clowdes stayde my ioies they did not shyne"
## [2062] "but now I may say ioies: cannot say mine"
## [2063] "Absent I want‸all what I care [most] to see"
## [2064] "present I see my cares[reiected grown]auaile mee not"
## [2065] "[Absent I ame forgot: present not know̄]present not harckned to, absent forgot."
## [2066] ""
## [2067] "Main Text"
## [2068] ""
## [2069] ""
## [2070] "Son: 31."
## [2071] ""
## [2072] ""
## [2073] "Forsaken woods, trees wth sharpe storms opprest"
## [2074] "whose leaues once hidd, the sun, now strew the grownd"
## [2075] "once bred delight, now scorn, late vsde to sownd"
## [2076] "of sweetest birds, now of hoars crowes the nest"
## [2077] ""
## [2078] ""
## [2079] "Gardens wch once in thowsand coulers drest"
## [2080] "shewed natures pryde: now in dead sticks abownd"
## [2081] "in whome prowd sum̄ers treasure late was fow̄d"
## [2082] "now but the rags, of winters torn coate rest"
## [2083] ""
## [2084] ""
## [2085] "Medows whose sydes, late fayre brookes kist now slyme"
## [2086] "embraced holds: feelds whose youth greē and brave"
## [2087] "promist long lyfe, now frosts lay in the graue"
## [2088] ""
## [2089] ""
## [2090] "Say all and I wth them: what doth not tyme!"
## [2091] "But they whoe knew tyme, tyme will finde again"
## [2092] "I that fayre tymes lost, on tyme call in vaine"
## [2093] ""
## [2094] "Main Text"
## [2095] ""
## [2096] ""
## [2097] "Son: 32."
## [2098] ""
## [2099] ""
## [2100] "All yow fayre minds whome chois or destiny"
## [2101] "wth humble hart deuoted haue to loue"
## [2102] "and wth vnfained vowes, yowr faith will proue"
## [2103] "and wth vnforced teares for pity cry."
## [2104] ""
## [2105] ""
## [2106] "Fly all blinde temples, all darck altares fly"
## [2107] "from wch yowr lorde, yowr zeale doth not approve"
## [2108] "and ioyfull hether yowr oblations moue"
## [2109] "where hee stil raines, where his fyres neuer dy"
## [2110] ""
## [2111] ""
## [2112] "See heer the eyes, by wch his power doth liue"
## [2113] "See heer the brest the[storehows] Treasure of his worth"
## [2114] "See heer the lips his Oracles wch giue"
## [2115] ""
## [2116] ""
## [2117] "Heer and but heer loue is beheld aright"
## [2118] "Hid els to all: louers then bring henceforth"
## [2119] "hether yowr rytes by day, yowr praiers at night"
## [2120] ""
## [2121] "Main Text"
## [2122] ""
## [2123] ""
## [2124] "Son: 33."
## [2125] ""
## [2126] ""
## [2127] "Fayrest of fayre, on whome the heauēs bestow"
## [2128] "ritchly those gifts wch from all els they spare"
## [2129] "whoe placing yow heer on earth did prepare"
## [2130] "in sweetest body, sweeter minde to showe"
## [2131] ""
## [2132] ""
## [2133] "In whose face beauties Oceans euer flow"
## [2134] "whose eyes the Magazins of loues arms are"
## [2135] "whose loueliness is garded wth such care"
## [2136] "as bold desyres doe theyr own ruin know"
## [2137] ""
## [2138] ""
## [2139] "whose chastest thowghts frō waywardnes are free"
## [2140] "whose state affrighteth not the humble ey."
## [2141] "whose smalest motion lightneth Maiestee"
## [2142] ""
## [2143] ""
## [2144] "Blame not in words nor fayre nor good if I"
## [2145] "speake of yowr praise, wch euen conceit doth pass"
## [2146] "Since Gods are pleased to see themselus in brass."
## [2147] ""
## [2148] "Main Text"
## [2149] ""
## [2150] ""
## [2151] "Son: 34."
## [2152] ""
## [2153] ""
## [2154] "Wth how wyde iawes would I my poison drinck"
## [2155] "and swallowing her hate, my last scores pay"
## [2156] "if once for all the venumd cup would slay"
## [2157] "and not that floting keep, that striues to sinck"
## [2158] ""
## [2159] ""
## [2160] "For of my graue thogh I ly at the brinck"
## [2161] "lead by the burial lights her eyes desplay"
## [2162] "when heate of hate my spirits dries away"
## [2163] "and cheynes of anger, sore to sore doe linck"
## [2164] ""
## [2165] ""
## [2166] "yet what in beauty liues hate cannot kill"
## [2167] "whose baulms, delaijng death make paines to liue"
## [2168] "that euen my wounds my vaines wth new blood fill"
## [2169] "whyle beawties brests milck to infections giue"
## [2170] ""
## [2171] ""
## [2172] "Fast thus her sight, then light more lou'd, I fly"
## [2173] "where hate torments, and beawty lets not dy."
## [2174] ""
## [2175] "Main Text"
## [2176] ""
## [2177] ""
## [2178] "Song. 13."
## [2179] ""
## [2180] ""
## [2181] "Vpon a wretch, that wastes away"
## [2182] "consum'd wth wants: whose last decay"
## [2183] "threatens each night to see no day"
## [2184] "some speedy help bestow"
## [2185] "whoe prostrat heer before yow lyes"
## [2186] "and casting vp his begging eyes"
## [2187] "sighs out to yow his hollow cryes"
## [2188] "in whome his health must grow."
## [2189] "A poor wretch"
## [2190] "but yowr wretch"
## [2191] "whome misery so driueth"
## [2192] "as onely that hee liueth"
## [2193] "his sens of paine doth show."
## [2194] ""
## [2195] ""
## [2196] "Alas in yow loue chose to raine"
## [2197] "becaus yowr treasures can sustaine"
## [2198] "the charge to recompence theyr paine"
## [2199] "whoe for him suffred haue"
## [2200] "All other beauties but suffyse"
## [2201] "of profferd loue to bee the prize"
## [2202] "To yowrs no faith so high can ryse"
## [2203] "as may requital craue"
## [2204] "O do then"
## [2205] "vndo then"
## [2206] "the cheyne that grace foresloweth"
## [2207] "no hand such beautie showeth"
## [2208] "as that wch lyfe doth saue."
## [2209] ""
## [2210] ""
## [2211] "O yow fayre heauē wch blessings powers"
## [2212] "on witherd mee, raine down yowr showrs"
## [2213] "yow that my tyme are, graunt some howres"
## [2214] "From loue deuowring death."
## [2215] "Or if yowr will my lyfe deny"
## [2216] "and my will from yowrs cannot fly"
## [2217] "so that truth wch knowes how I dy"
## [2218] "my hearse wth mirtle wreath."
## [2219] "Receaue heer"
## [2220] "Perceaue heer"
## [2221] "a man that in paines ioijng"
## [2222] "and but his faith enioijng"
## [2223] "wth yowr praise shuts his breath."
## [2224] ""
## [2225] "Main Text"
## [2226] ""
## [2227] ""
## [2228] "Son: 35"
## [2229] ""
## [2230] ""
## [2231] "Time cruel time how fast pass yow away"
## [2232] "and in my case from yowr own custome fly"
## [2233] ""
## [2234] ""
## [2235] "whyle I vnknown in[darkest]"
## [2236] "blackest shadowes ly"
## [2237] "and dum̄ wth feare, not that I loue dare say"
## [2238] ""
## [2239] ""
## [2240] "Alas yowr wings doe to the light desplay"
## [2241] "what choisest care in darkest bands doth ty"
## [2242] "But thus forsaking mee yow make mee try"
## [2243] "that whoe to tyme trusts doth himself betray"
## [2244] ""
## [2245] ""
## [2246] "Speake time, and times child truth since first I saw"
## [2247] "That bodied Angel: did my faith ere quaile"
## [2248] "or was not spurd loue, held wth raines of awe?"
## [2249] "But yow heare, not: pack on then yowr best saile"
## [2250] ""
## [2251] ""
## [2252] "Leave mee behinde! Time yow shall nowhere moue"
## [2253] "where whyle yow are yow shall not see my loue"
## [2254] ""
## [2255] "Main Text"
## [2256] ""
## [2257] ""
## [2258] "Vpon a Snufkin."
## [2259] ""
## [2260] ""
## [2261] "Goe happy furres the hands preserue"
## [2262] "where beauty raines, and loue doth serue"
## [2263] "Keep what the world like doth not showe"
## [2264] "of stirring marble, fixed snowe."
## [2265] "when in blest yow, those liue pearles stay"
## [2266] "to them from him that sends yow say"
## [2267] "As is theyr christall wth out spott"
## [2268] "his faith is pure, and faint will not."
## [2269] "and for each heare that in yow is"
## [2270] "a thowsand times those ioies doth kiss."
## [2271] ""
## [2272] "Main Text"
## [2273] ""
## [2274] ""
## [2275] "Translated out of Spanish"
## [2276] ""
## [2277] ""
## [2278] "Shee whome I loued, and loue shall still"
## [2279] "sitting on this then blessed sand"
## [2280] "wrate wth to mee heauē opning hand"
## [2281] "first will I dy ere chang I will."
## [2282] "Oh vniust force of loue vniust"
## [2283] "that thus a mans beleef showld rest"
## [2284] "on words conceaued in womans brest"
## [2285] "and vowes inroled in the dust."
## [2286] ""
## [2287] "Main Text"
## [2288] ""
## [2289] ""
## [2290] "Translated out of Seneca."
## [2291] ""
## [2292] ""
## [2293] "Yow vnto whome hee that rules sea and land"
## [2294] "of lyfe and death grants the lawgiuing hand"
## [2295] "puft vp and sullein hawty lookes forbeare"
## [2296] "That wch from yow the meaner man doth feare"
## [2297] "the same to yow, a greater lorde doth threate"
## [2298] "All power is vnder heauyer power sett:"
## [2299] "He whoe of coming day was lofty fownd"
## [2300] "him the departing day saw on the grownd"
## [2301] "let no man trust to much to seasons fayre"
## [2302] "let none cast down of better tymes despayre."
## [2303] ""
## [2304] "Main Text"
## [2305] ""
## [2306] ""
## [2307] "In another place"
## [2308] ""
## [2309] ""
## [2310] "So when wthout all noyse of mee"
## [2311] "the dayes shall ouerpassed bee"
## [2312] "a homely olde man I shall dy"
## [2313] "On him a heauy death doth ly"
## [2314] "whoe vnto all men to much known"
## [2315] "vnto himself doth dy vnknown."
## [2316] ""
## [2317] "Main Text"
## [2318] ""
## [2319] ""
## [2320] "Pastoral. 14."
## [2321] ""
## [2322] "Lycippe—Coridon."
## [2323] "Ly: What a change is this I see "
## [2324] "altered so thow art as thee "
## [2325] "I do not know?"
## [2326] "Co: Such change haue yow often seen"
## [2327] "in woods wch were fayre and green"
## [2328] "and now cut low"
## [2329] "show not to grow."
## [2330] "L. was thy loue so lightly sett"
## [2331] "as some wrongs wch thow hast mett"
## [2332] "could make it dy?"
## [2333] "C. No: but turn the springs away"
## [2334] "how can ryuers but decay and bare and dry"
## [2335] "as vnknown ly"
## [2336] "L. Tush when men themselus will change"
## [2337] "they begin to lay the change"
## [2338] "on them they lou'd!"
## [2339] "C. So whome storms force to retourn"
## [2340] "men will say theyr cours they [re] tourn"
## [2341] "when I least mou'd "
## [2342] "I was remou'd."
## [2343] "L. But perhaps expect thow doost"
## [2344] "greater matters then shee must"
## [2345] "let from her pass?"
## [2346] "C. Husbandmen no great thing moue"
## [2347] "when they pray but that this proue"
## [2348] "as frutfull as [the last]"
## [2349] "the last yeare was."
## [2350] "L. Yet sometimes shynes in her face"
## [2351] "that wch of returning grace "
## [2352] "might make the bost a [? altered to]!"
## [2353] "C. As a flattring winters day"
## [2354] "[fals altered to] fayre and fals flowers doth desplay"
## [2355] "wch soon are lost"
## [2356] "in next nights frost."
## [2357] "L.[when] well bee constant still tyme may"
## [2358] "what thow now thinckst gon away"
## [2359] "againe restore!"
## [2360] "C. waters to new currants lead"
## [2361] "hardly come to theyr first [bead altered to] bedd"
## [2362] "I yealde therfore"
## [2363] "nor stryue will more."
## [2364] ""
## [2365] "Main Text"
## [2366] ""
## [2367] ""
## [2368] "Songe. 15."
## [2369] ""
## [2370] ""
## [2371] "Heauen if any heauen there is"
## [2372] "where loue[s] moues in spheares of bliss"
## [2373] "is in yowr face."
## [2374] "In it loues light are beheld"
## [2375] "from it whoe obscure is held"
## [2376] "wth them vnder grownd hath place."
## [2377] ""
## [2378] ""
## [2379] "Heauen if any heauen bee fownd"
## [2380] "where loues Angels ioies hims sownd"
## [2381] "is in yowr voice"
## [2382] "wth it loue sowles to him calls"
## [2383] "from it whoe vngracious falls"
## [2384] ""
## [2385] ""
## [2386] "[wth them vnder grownd hath place]."
## [2387] ""
## [2388] ""
## [2389] "neure truly can reioice"
## [2390] ""
## [2391] ""
## [2392] ""
## [2393] ""
## [2394] "Heauen if any heauen bee had"
## [2395] "where loue like the Gods goes clad"
## [2396] "is in yowr brest."
## [2397] "wth such whyte the Gods robes shyne"
## [2398] "in that whyte, loues powers deuine"
## [2399] "purely conuers wth his blest."
## [2400] ""
## [2401] ""
## [2402] "I alas whoe ame as farr"
## [2403] "from them as from highest starr"
## [2404] "the worms that creep"
## [2405] "by theyr influence whoe liue"
## [2406] "whoe ame by the lawes they giue"
## [2407] "creaturlike theyr will whoe keep."
## [2408] ""
## [2409] ""
## [2410] "Vnto yow lift vp mine eyes"
## [2411] "on wch my hart to yow flies"
## [2412] "hart full of fyre"
## [2413] "Fyre of Zeale, fyre of respect"
## [2414] "wch hath onely one aspect"
## [2415] "to yowr presence to aspyre."
## [2416] ""
## [2417] ""
## [2418] "And thus say, the tyme may bee"
## [2419] "when desyre shall shyne in mee"
## [2420] "in loues lights true"
## [2421] "when yowr iustice satisfied"
## [2422] "wth my faith as golde pure tryed"
## [2423] "yow will take mee vnto yow."
## [2424] ""
## [2425] "Main Text"
## [2426] ""
## [2427] ""
## [2428] "Elegy. 16."
## [2429] ""
## [2430] ""
## [2431] "Fayrest of Venus greate posteritee"
## [2432] "what is, or what hath been, or what will bee"
## [2433] "Charys cares of the heauens, heer speakes to you"
## [2434] "the most vnhappy loue and the most true"
## [2435] "as much the humblest will, and frutelest care"
## [2436] "as yow all beawty and all chastnes are."
## [2437] "As many pleasures may yowr eyes attend"
## [2438] "as showers of pearcing dartes, they frō them send"
## [2439] ""
## [2440] ""
## [2441] "and streames of blood in teares frō myne do[rū] flow"
## [2442] "As many ioyfull thowghts yowr hart may know"
## [2443] "as it doth cast on mee floods of desdaine"
## [2444] "and my hart layde is vnder rocks of paine"
## [2445] "As many comforts in yowr face shyne may"
## [2446] "as thowand little loues about it play"
## [2447] "and thowsand sorrowes trauail in my face"
## [2448] "Neuer in yow what least is change embrace"
## [2449] "still may yow bee yowr self, that is stil best"
## [2450] "still in yowr own (what's fayre yowr own is) blest."
## [2451] "Till fownd bee of Venus posteritee"
## [2452] "what is, or what hath been, or what will bee"
## [2453] "A man as I so hapless and so true"
## [2454] "or woman so fayre and so chast as yow."
## [2455] ""
## [2456] ""
## [2457] "From fayrest brest, a shepheard tooke a knott"
## [2458] "and on his head, this taking prize did sett"
## [2459] "Thincking that of her thowghts, where faith cānot"
## [2460] "obtaine beleef, hee had some strong band mett"
## [2461] "But ah of loue how hidden is the lott"
## [2462] "indeed what her brest lost, his hed did gett"
## [2463] "For her thowghts as vntyde, now show more free"
## [2464] "whyle in him captivd, sense and reason bee"
## [2465] ""
## [2466] ""
## [2467] "Once to my lips my boyling hart did ryse"
## [2468] "at heauen dew of her lips refresht to bee"
## [2469] "when wth short sighs, swollen brest, and dazled eyes"
## [2470] "I praied on Kiss, might press ioies wyne to mee"
## [2471] "wth those lips where the sowle of kissing lyes"
## [2472] "a parting kiss sayde shee, I will giue thee!"
## [2473] "Shee kist, I parted, parting in that kiss"
## [2474] "wth tast of loues ritch feast, first cup of bliss."
## [2475] ""
## [2476] ""
## [2477] "I would bee blinde, when I might parfet see"
## [2478] "and darckness finde, when I might light enioy"
## [2479] "I would bee vexed when I might goe free"
## [2480] "and to bee needy, would my goods destroy"
## [2481] "I would bee sick, when I in health might bee"
## [2482] "and would haue sorrows when I might feel ioy"
## [2483] "I would bee nothing that from her would bee"
## [2484] "who'is sight, light, rest, wealth, health, ioies, all to mee"
## [2485] ""
## [2486] "Main Text"
## [2487] ""
## [2488] ""
## [2489] "Songe 17"
## [2490] ""
## [2491] ""
## [2492] "The Sun̄ is set, and masked night"
## [2493] "vailes heauens fayer eyes."
## [2494] "Ah what trust is there to a light"
## [2495] "that so swift flyes."
## [2496] ""
## [2497] ""
## [2498] "A new world doth his flames enioy"
## [2499] "New hartes reioice."
## [2500] "In other eyes is now his ioye"
## [2501] "in other choice."
## [2502] ""
## [2503] "Main Text"
## [2504] ""
## [2505] ""
## [2506] "Song. 18"
## [2507] ""
## [2508] ""
## [2509] "How oft sayd I, delaies are death"
## [2510] "in wch still dijng, men do liue"
## [2511] "for what ods is't to stop the breath"
## [2512] "and to wth holde what doth lyfe giue"
## [2513] ""
## [2514] ""
## [2515] "Thus sense of present [ill]paines, made not"
## [2516] "the feare appeer of greater ill."
## [2517] "But importunity hath gott"
## [2518] "denials, wch outright do kill."
## [2519] ""
## [2520] ""
## [2521] "Nor thowght I in denyalls lay"
## [2522] "such vnentreatable a spell"
## [2523] "as were not pleasd the lyfe to slay"
## [2524] "vnless it sent the ghost to hell."
## [2525] ""
## [2526] ""
## [2527] "For thogh delaies did spare no smart"
## [2528] "yet were they like, the purging fyre"
## [2529] "throgh wch in time the faithfull hart"
## [2530] "doth win the crown of true desyre."
## [2531] ""
## [2532] ""
## [2533] "But euen to hell denials cast"
## [2534] "for what is it in hell to bee"
## [2535] "but to see ioies for euer past"
## [2536] "and of afflictions no end see."
## [2537] ""
## [2538] ""
## [2539] "Ah loue these are the glorious gaines"
## [2540] "Faith doth ioine to thy deity"
## [2541] "that thyne must bee not dijng paines"
## [2542] "and no time may thy bands vnty"
## [2543] ""
## [2544] "Main Text"
## [2545] ""
## [2546] ""
## [2547] "Song. 19"
## [2548] ""
## [2549] ""
## [2550] "Sun bee hencefourth from shyning parted"
## [2551] "a greater wonder comes in sight,"
## [2552] "loue is in mee from lyfe departed"
## [2553] "whose time seemd surer, thē yowr light"
## [2554] ""
## [2555] ""
## [2556] "The heauenly sweetnes wch loue formed"
## [2557] "inspyring an eternal breath."
## [2558] "to hate and cruelty transformed"
## [2559] "her own worck hath made praye to death"
## [2560] ""
## [2561] ""
## [2562] "But what say I? loue no death trieth"
## [2563] "it doth but pass from, hopes to paines"
## [2564] "what's mortal in loue onely dyeth"
## [2565] "th'immortal free from change remains."
## [2566] ""
## [2567] ""
## [2568] "Mortal in loue are ioye and pleasure"
## [2569] "the fading frame, wherin loue moues"
## [2570] "But greef and anguish are the measure"
## [2571] "that do immortalyze owr loues."
## [2572] ""
## [2573] "Main Text"
## [2574] ""
## [2575] ""
## [2576] "Song. 20"
## [2577] ""
## [2578] ""
## [2579] ""
## [2580] "Senses by vniust force banisht"
## [2581] "from the obiects of yowr pleasure"
## [2582] "now of yow all end is vanisht:"
## [2583] "yow whoe late possest more treasure"
## [2584] "when eyes fed, on what did shyne"
## [2585] ""
## [2586] ""
## [2587] "and [eyes]eares dranck what was deuine"
## [2588] "then the earths broad arms do measure"
## [2589] ""
## [2590] ""
## [2591] ""
## [2592] ""
## [2593] "2"
## [2594] ""
## [2595] ""
## [2596] "How haue I heauens for eyes praised"
## [2597] "when her glories Charys showed?"
## [2598] "what thancks for eares haue I raysed"
## [2599] ""
## [2600] ""
## [2601] "heauenly flowers when her [voice]words strowed"
## [2602] "To ioy, to loue, to [admyre], desyre"
## [2603] "wonders in her to admyre"
## [2604] "nature, on mee, yow bestowed."
## [2605] ""
## [2606] ""
## [2607] ""
## [2608] ""
## [2609] "3"
## [2610] ""
## [2611] ""
## [2612] "Now what are yow but confusions,"
## [2613] "glasses to showe imperfections,"
## [2614] "ministers to Strang illusions,"
## [2615] "organs of greefs deep infections,"
## [2616] "whyle all I do heare and see"
## [2617] "prisner from her brings to mee"
## [2618] "stories full of lost perfections."
## [2619] ""
## [2620] ""
## [2621] ""
## [2622] ""
## [2623] "4"
## [2624] ""
## [2625] ""
## [2626] "where then yow haue best deserued"
## [2627] "try if owght will bee repaied."
## [2628] "To yowr selvs yow nowght reserued"
## [2629] "when those deyties yow layed"
## [2630] "in my reason and my harte"
## [2631] "where since of them hath each part"
## [2632] "as in theyr own temples staied."
## [2633] ""
## [2634] ""
## [2635] ""
## [2636] ""
## [2637] "5"
## [2638] ""
## [2639] ""
## [2640] "For so in my brest I haue her"
## [2641] "so haue yow her image traced"
## [2642] "as like it no hands can graue her."
## [2643] "So throwgh yow, my thowght embraced"
## [2644] "haue her worth, as knowledg right"
## [2645] "of it in my reasons sight,"
## [2646] "her fore what's calld best hath placed."
## [2647] ""
## [2648] ""
## [2649] ""
## [2650] ""
## [2651] "6"
## [2652] ""
## [2653] ""
## [2654] "But how can wants bee releeued"
## [2655] "where the help that is required"
## [2656] "leaues the patient more agreeued."
## [2657] "Reason in mee neuer tyred"
## [2658] "to consider her, doth say"
## [2659] "that of sens not ledd astray"
## [2660] "onely shee showld bee desyred."
## [2661] ""
## [2662] ""
## [2663] ""
## [2664] ""
## [2665] "7"
## [2666] ""
## [2667] ""
## [2668] "Senses then yealde to yowr crosses."
## [2669] "yeald so as yow bee oppressed."
## [2670] "loose yowrselus in yowr greate losses"
## [2671] "of all vse bee dispossessed."
## [2672] "Onely power of lyfe retaine"
## [2673] "that yow may serue her againe"
## [2674] "when [yo]her presence makes yow blessed."
## [2675] ""
## [2676] "Main Text"
## [2677] ""
## [2678] ""
## [2679] "Song. 21"
## [2680] ""
## [2681] ""
## [2682] "So did the morning crymson ryse"
## [2683] "when Charys rosy cheekes it tooke."
## [2684] "So did the heauenly Charys looke"
## [2685] "as when redd morning paints the skyes"
## [2686] ""
## [2687] ""
## [2688] "So did the Moon the starres pryde marr"
## [2689] "when shee had borrowed Charys light"
## [2690] "So fayrest showed in Charys sight"
## [2691] "as to the full moon smallest starr"
## [2692] ""
## [2693] ""
## [2694] "Grace onely is what's Charys grace"
## [2695] "No whyte but what her brest whyte tryes"
## [2696] "The Sun shynes when hee is like her eyes"
## [2697] "and fayre is that, that's like her face."
## [2698] ""
## [2699] ""
## [2700] "[O overwritten] Fayr heauens how are yow thus fayre still"
## [2701] "and let her from yow somuch take"
## [2702] "No yow of her a body make"
## [2703] "when as among men walck yow will."
## [2704] ""
## [2705] ""
## [2706] "O that I onely eyes might bee"
## [2707] "or that I onely hart might proue"
## [2708] "that all I ame might Charys loue"
## [2709] "and all I ame might Charys see"
## [2710] ""
## [2711] "Main Text"
## [2712] ""
## [2713] ""
## [2714] "Song. 22"
## [2715] ""
## [2716] ""
## [2717] ""
## [2718] "But alas why do yow nowrish"
## [2719] "poisnous weeds of colde despayre"
## [2720] "in loues garden where would flourish"
## [2721] "by hopes ritch soile, ioies sweet ayre"
## [2722] "plants of hott zeale, trees of true faith"
## [2723] "fast in there rootes, prowd in theyr haigth"
## [2724] ""
## [2725] ""
## [2726] ""
## [2727] ""
## [2728] "2"
## [2729] ""
## [2730] ""
## [2731] "Fertil is my sowle of louing"
## [2732] "yeelding thowsand folde for one"
## [2733] "But (as yow will) seasons prouing"
## [2734] "yow heauens equal, whoe alone"
## [2735] "loues summer are, heate, spring and showers"
## [2736] "powers of first blowing, ripening powers."
## [2737] ""
## [2738] ""
## [2739] ""
## [2740] ""
## [2741] "3"
## [2742] ""
## [2743] ""
## [2744] "Do yow hold it then a pleasure"
## [2745] "to see yowrs to desert grown?"
## [2746] "Meane yow to encreas yowr treasure"
## [2747] "by wast leauing what's yowr own"
## [2748] "Thinck yow, yow yowrs do not enioy"
## [2749] "Vnless yow do it quite destroy."
## [2750] ""
## [2751] ""
## [2752] ""
## [2753] ""
## [2754] "4"
## [2755] ""
## [2756] ""
## [2757] "Ah but that so nigh it lyeth"
## [2758] "to my hart, scarse showld I know"
## [2759] "mine own [loue] loue, so in it dyeth"
## [2760] "what sweet was, and sower doth grow"
## [2761] "Nettles of greef, bryars of care"
## [2762] "where flowers of hope late were, now are."
## [2763] ""
## [2764] ""
## [2765] ""
## [2766] ""
## [2767] "5"
## [2768] ""
## [2769] ""
## [2770] "The long fluds of yowr denijng"
## [2771] "bring fourth store of what anoies"
## [2772] "The heate of yowr hate still frijng"
## [2773] "burns vp euen the root of ioies."
## [2774] "I choackt or staru'd, one choice haue stil"
## [2775] "of blasted good, or growing ill."
## [2776] ""
## [2777] ""
## [2778] ""
## [2779] ""
## [2780] "6"
## [2781] ""
## [2782] ""
## [2783] "But as when lands are forsaken"
## [2784] "best they do theyr nature showe."
## [2785] "From my loue can not bee taken"
## [2786] "what not in good place doth growe"
## [2787] "The weeds wch on my loue are fownd"
## [2788] "are but in best conditiond grownd."
## [2789] ""
## [2790] ""
## [2791] ""
## [2792] ""
## [2793] "7"
## [2794] ""
## [2795] ""
## [2796] "True deuotion far neglected"
## [2797] "faith long tryed, yet not beleeued"
## [2798] "smokes of burning hart reiected"
## [2799] "praiers despised from a sowl greeued"
## [2800] "The weeds are whence despayre doth grow"
## [2801] "wth in my loue yowr scorns do sowe"
## [2802] ""
## [2803] ""
## [2804] ""
## [2805] ""
## [2806] "8"
## [2807] ""
## [2808] ""
## [2809] "Fayrest eyes vnmatched glories"
## [2810] "in whome worlds of ioies do moue"
## [2811] "reade heer the still present stories"
## [2812] "of yowr beawty, and my loue."
## [2813] "Beawty and loue, wch onely true"
## [2814] "wretch are in mee, and in blest yow."
## [2815] ""
## [2816] "Main Text"
## [2817] ""
## [2818] ""
## [2819] "Song. 23"
## [2820] ""
## [2821] ""
## [2822] "Greefs sent from her whome in my sowle I bless"
## [2823] "careful performers of her fierce desdaine"
## [2824] "welcome to mee: receaue all, all possess,"
## [2825] "there is no paine"
## [2826] "wherwth I ame"
## [2827] "not pleasd that comes, wth warrant of her name"
## [2828] ""
## [2829] ""
## [2830] "Take on the face and force of all the ill"
## [2831] "that euer louer felt, yow shall not finde"
## [2832] "any resistance, since it is her will"
## [2833] "in a sad minde"
## [2834] "whose glory is"
## [2835] "in greatest greefs that it no greef doth miss."
## [2836] ""
## [2837] ""
## [2838] "No meritt lookt vpon, no praier obtaind"
## [2839] "no vowe accepted of, no loss restored"
## [2840] "no hope auowed, no care nor feare restraind"
## [2841] "wth yow thus stored"
## [2842] "from paines I raise"
## [2843] "not suffrance onely of her lawes, but prayse"
## [2844] ""
## [2845] ""
## [2846] "yet this one ioy, will euer wth mee rest"
## [2847] "do sorrows what yow can, that I do vaunt"
## [2848] "I suffer for the fayrest and the best"
## [2849] "that shee must graunt"
## [2850] "and truth infers"
## [2851] "yow could not gouern mee were I not hers."
## [2852] ""
## [2853] ""
## [2854] "For wch another greef I will afforde"
## [2855] "greef for her not for mee, that shee doth make"
## [2856] "kindnes her scourg, obedience her sworde"
## [2857] "wherwth to take"
## [2858] "his lyfe that loues"
## [2859] "whoe pitty not wth teares, but wth ioy moues"
## [2860] ""
## [2861] "Main Text"
## [2862] ""
## [2863] ""
## [2864] ""
## [2865] ""
## [2866] "Absence I fled to thee"
## [2867] "as to a quiet shore"
## [2868] "where I my barck from tempests free might thinck"
## [2869] "But thow dost not helpe mee"
## [2870] "already brused sore"
## [2871] "and whoe leakes wth mee bring, wch make me sinck"
## [2872] ""
## [2873] ""
## [2874] "Absence I fled to thee"
## [2875] "as to a healthful shade"
## [2876] ""
## [2877] ""
## [2878] "from those sun"
## [2879] "beames, in wch my lyfe did fry"
## [2880] "But thow dost not helpe mee"
## [2881] "already in whome made"
## [2882] "the feauer is, in wch consumd I ly"
## [2883] ""
## [2884] ""
## [2885] "Then showld I thee haue known"
## [2886] "when fond vnfortunat"
## [2887] "my force against the conqueror I tryde"
## [2888] "Now wounded ouerthrown"
## [2889] "thy armour comes to late"
## [2890] "to warde the arrowes wch haue pearst my syde"
## [2891] ""
## [2892] ""
## [2893] "I will then back againe"
## [2894] "where that high beawty liues"
## [2895] "wch him, whoe in it ioies, wth sorrow Kils"
## [2896] "And this ods is in paine"
## [2897] "presence the green wounds giues:"
## [2898] "Absence vncured sores, wth vlcers fils."
## [2899] ""
## [2900] ""
## [2901] "There shall I feel the heate"
## [2902] "of pryde, and scorn and hate"
## [2903] "as heer the coles of greef, and foild desyres"
## [2904] "But where the sun rayes beate"
## [2905] "the fyres strength doth abate"
## [2906] "and greefs less burn, in sight of beawties fyres"
## [2907] ""
## [2908] ""
## [2909] "And if that dy I must"
## [2910] "fayrer on sworde to fall"
## [2911] "of Tyrant eyes, then pined in fetters sterue"
## [2912] "and when the time vniust"
## [2913] "my lyfes light put owt shall"
## [2914] "Shee of [fait] hate of faith I, shall name deserue"
## [2915] ""
##
## [[5]]
## [1] "filename\ttr #\tauthor pid\tpub date\tfull text"
## [2] "fakesidney.antonie.xml\tTR00204\tmsidney.enw\trgarnier.pbo\t1595\tChorus The Tragedie of Antonie. Doone into English by the Countesse of Pembroke An open book with the sun behind it and clouds above, surrounded by an ornamental border with the words Et usque ad nubes veritas tua running around the border. Imprinted at London for William Ponsonby 1595. Crown over shield of arms; the shield is divided into four quarters, top left and bottom right each showing three unicorn heads and three stars, top right and bottom left showing three hollow rhombi each. The Argument. Square containing large initial capital A in front of two facing cherubs, reclining cross-legged, each holding a palm-leaf in his raised hand.After the overthrowe of Brutus and Cassius, the libertie of Rome being now utterly oppressed, and the Empire setled in the hands of Octavius Cæsar and Marcus Antonius, (who for knitting a straiter bonde of amitie betweene them, had taken to wife Octavia the sister of Cæsar) Antonius undertooke a journey against the Parthians, with intent to regaine on them the honor won by them from the Romanes, at the discomfiture and slaughter of Crassus. But comming in his journey into Siria the places renewed in his remembrance the long intermitted love of Cleopatra Queene of Aegipte: who before time had both in Cilicia and at Alexandria, entertained him with all the exquisite delightes and sumptuous pleasures, which a great Prince and voluptuous lover could to the uttermost desire. Whereupon omitting his enterprice, he made his returne to Alexandria, againe falling to his former loves, without any regarde of his vertuous wife Octavia, by whom nevertheles he had excellent children. This occation Octavius toke of taking armes against him: & preparing a mighty fleet; encountred him at Actium, who also had assembled to that place a great number of Gallies of his own, beside, 60, which Cleopatra brought with her from Aegipt, But at the very beginning of the battel Cleopatra with all her Gallies betooke her to flight, which Antony seeing could not but follow: by his departure leaving to Octavius the greatest victory which in any Sea battell hath beene hard off. Which he not negligent to pursue, followes them the next spring, and besiedgeth them with in Alexandria, where Antony finding al that he trusted to faile him, beginneth to growe jealouse and to suspect Cleopatra. She thereupon enclosed her selfe with two of her women in a monument she had before caused to be built, thence sends him worde she was dead: which he beleeving for truth, gave himselfe with his Sworde a deadly wound: but died not until a messenger came from Cleopatra to have him brought to her to the tombe. Which she not daring to open least she should bee made a prisoner to the Romaines, & carried in Cæsars triumph, cast downe a cord from an high window, by the which (her women helping her) she trussed up Antonius halfe dead, & so got him into the monument. The stage supposed alexandria: the chorus first Egiptians, & after Romane souldiors: The history to be read at large in Plutarch in the life of Antonius. The Actors. Antonius. Cleopatra. Eras and Charmion. Cleopatras women Philostratusa Philosopher. Lucilius. DiomedeSecretarie to Cleopatra . Octavius Cæsar. Agrippa. Euphron,teacher of Cleopatras children. Children of Cleopatra, Dircetusthe Messenger. Antonius. Square containing large initial capital S in front of two cherubs, one reclining and reading a book which he holds open on his knees, the other looking at the book and holding it in his right hand, his left pointing upward in the opposite direction.Since cruell Heav'ns against me obstinate, Since all mishappes of the round engin doo Conspire my harme: since men, since powers divine Aire, earth, and Sea are all injurious: And that my Queene her selfe, in whome I liv'd, The Idoll of my harte, doth me pursue; It's meete I dye. For her have I forgone My Country, Cæsar unto warre provok'd (For just revenge of Sisters wrong my wife, Who mov'de my Queene (ay me!) to jealousie) For love of her, in her allurements caught Abandon'd life, I honor have despisde, Disdain'd my freends, and of the statelye Rome Despoilde the Empire of her best attire, Contemn'd that power that made me so much fear'd, A slave become unto her feeble face. O cruell, traitres, woman most unkinde, Thou dost, forsworne, my love and life betraie: And giv'st me up to ragefull enemie, Which soone (ô foole!) will plague thy perjurye. Yeelded Pelusium on this countries shore, Yeelded thou hast my Shippes and men of warre, That nought remaines (so destitute am I) But these same armes which on my back I weare. Thou should'st have had them too, and me unarm'de Yeelded to Cæsar naked of defence. Which while I beare let Cæsar never thinke Triumph of me shall his proud chariot grace Not thinke with me his glory to adorne, On me alive to use his victorie. Thou only Cleopatra triumph hast, Thou only hast my fredome servile made, Thou only hast me vanquisht: not by force (For forste I cannot be) but by sweete baites Of thy eyes graces, which did gaine so fast upon my libertie, that nought remain'd. None els henceforth, but thou my dearest Queene, Shall glorie in commaunding Antonie. Have Cæsar fortune and the Gods his freends, To him have Jove and fatall sisters given The Scepter of the earth: he never shall Subject my life to his obedience. But when that death, my glad refuge, shall have Bounded the course of my unstedfast life, And frosen corps under a marble colde Within tombes bosome widdowe of my soule: ] Then at his will let him it subject make: Then what he will let Cæsar doo with me: Make me limme after limme be rent: make me My buriall take in sides of Thracian wolfe. Poore Antonie! alas what was the day, The daies of losse that gained thee thy love! Wretch Antonie! since Mægæra pale With Snakie haires enchain'd thy miserie. The fire thee burnt was never Cupids fire (For Cupid beares not such a mortall brand) It was some furies torch, Orestes torche, Which somtimes burnt his mother-murdering soule (When wandring madde, rage boiling in his bloud, He fled his fault which folow'd as he fled) kindled within his bones by shadow pale Of mother slaine return'd from Stygian lake. Antony, poore Antony! since that daie Thy olde good hap did farre from thee retire. Thy vertue dead: thy glory made alive So ofte by martiall deeds is gone in smoke: Since then the Baies so well thy forehead knewe To Venus mirtles yeelded have their place: Trumpets to pipes: field tents to courtly bowers: Launces and Pikes to daunces and to feastes. Since then, ô wretch! in stead of bloudy warres Thou shouldst have made upon the Parthian Kings For Romain honor filde by Crassus foile, Thou threw'st thy Curiace off, and fearfull healme, With coward courage unto Aegipts Queene In haste to runne, about her necke to hang Languishing in her armes thy Idoll made: In summe given up to Cleopatras eies. Thou breakest at length from thence, as one encharm'd Breakes from th'enchaunter that him strongly helde. For thy first reason (spoyling of their force the poisned cuppes of thy faire Sorceres) Recur'd thy sperit: and then on every side Thou mad'st again the earth with Souldiours swarme All Asia hidde: Euphrates bankes do tremble To see at once so many Romanes there Breath horror, rage, and with a threatning eye In mighty squadrons crosse his swelling streames. Nought seene but horse, and fier sparkling armes: Nought heard but hideous noise of muttring troups. The Parth, the Mede, abandoning their goods Hide them for feare in hilles of Hircanie, Redoubting thee. Then willing to besiege The great Phraate head of Media, Thou campedst at her walles with vaine assault, Thy engins sit (mishap!) not thither brought, So long thou stai'st, so long thou dost thee rest, So long thy love with such things nourished Reframes, reformes it selfe and stealingly Retakes his force and rebecomes more great. For of thy Queene the lookes, the grace, the words, Sweetnes, alurements, amorous delights, Entred againe thy soule, and day and night, In watch, in sleepe, her Image follow'd thee: Not dreaming but of her, repenting still That thou for warre hadst such a goddes left. Thou car'st no more for Parth, nor Parthian bow, Sallies, assaults, encounters, shocks, alarmes, For ditches, rampiers, wards, entrenched grounds: Thy only care is sight of Nilus streames, Sight of that face whose gilefull semblant doth (Wandring in thee) infect thy tainted hart. Her absence thee besottes: each hower, each hower Of staie, to thee impatient seemes an age. Enough of conquest, praise thou deem'st enough, If soone enough the bristled fields thou see Of fruitfull Aegipt, and the stranger floud Thy Queenes faire eyes (another Pharos) lights. Returned loe, dishonoured, despisde, In wanton love a woman thee misleades Sunke in soule sinke: meane while respecting nought Thy wife Octavia and her tender babes, Of whome the long contempt against thee whets The sword of Cæsar now thy Lord become. Lost thy great Empire, all those goodly townes Reverenc'd thy name as rebells now thee leave: Rise against thee, and to the ensignes flocke Of conqu'ring Cæsar, who enwalles thee round Cag'd in thy hold, scarse maister of thy selfe, Late maister of so many Nations. Yet, yet, which is of griefe exrreamest griefe, Which is yet of mischiefe highest mischiefe, It's Cleopatra alas! alas, it's she, It's she augments the torment of thy paine, Betraies thy love, thy life alas!) betraies, Cæsar to please, whose grace she seekes to gaine: With thought her crowne to save and fortune make Onely thy foe which common ought have beene. If her I alwaies lov'd, and the first flame Of her heart-killing love shall burne me last: Justly complaine I she disloyall is, Nor constant is, even as I constant am, To comfort my mishap, despising me No more, then when the heavens favour'd me. But ah! by nature women wav'ring are, Each moment changing and rechanging mindes. Unwise, who blinde in them, thinkes loyaltie Ever to finde in beauties companie. Chorus. The boyling tempest still makes not Sea waters fome: nor still the Northern blast disquiets quiet streames: Nor who his chest to fill sayles to the morning beames, on waves winde tosseth fast still kepes his ship from home. Nor Jove still downe doth cast inflam'd with bloudie ire on man, on tree, on hill, his darts of thundring fire. nor still the heat doth last on face of parched plaine. nor wrinkled colde doth still on frozen furrowes raigne. But still as long as we in this low world remaine, mishapps our daily mates our lives doe intertaine: and woes which beare no dates still pearch upon our heads, none go but straight will be some greater in their steads. Nature made us not free When first she made us live: When we began to be, To be began our woe: Which growing evermore As dying life doth growe, Do more and more us greeve, And tire us more and more. No stay in fading states, For more to height they retch, Their fellow miseries. The more to height do stretch. They cling even to the crowne, And threatning furious wise From tirannizing pates Do often pull it downe. In vaine on waves untride To shun them go we should To Scythes and Massagetes Who neere the Pole reside: In vaine to boiling sandes Which Phœbus battry beates, For with us still they would Cut seas and compasse landes. The darknes no more sure To joyne with heavy night: The light which guildes the days To follow Titan pure: No more the shadow light The body to ensue: Then wretchednes alwaies Us wretches to pursue. O blest who never breath'd, Or whome with pittie mov'de, Death from his cradle reav'de, And swadled in his grave: And blessed also he (As curse may blessing have) Who low and living free No princes charge hath prov'de. By stealing sacred fire. Prometheus then unwise, provoking Gods to ire, the heape of ills did sturre, and sicknes pale and colde our ende which onward spurre, to plague our hands too bolde to filch the wealth of skies. In heavens hate since then of ill with ill enchain'd we race of mortall men ful fraught our brests have borne and thousand thousand woes our heav'nly soules now thorne, which free before from those no! earthly passion pain'd. Warre and warrs bitter cheare now long time with us staie, and feare of hated foe still still encreaseth sore: our harmes worse dayly grow, lesse yesterday they were then now, and will be more to morrow then to day. Act. 2, Philostratus. What horrible furie, what cruell rage, O Aegipt so extremely thee torments? Hast thou the Gods so angred by thy fault? Hast thou against them some such crime conceiv'd, That their engrained hand lift up in threats They should desire in thy heart bloud to bathe? And that their burning wrath which noght can quench Should pittiles on us still lighten downe? We are not hew'n out of the monst'rous masse Of Giantes those, which heavens wrack conspir'd: Ixions race, false prater of his loves: Nor yet of him who fained lightnings sound: Nor cruell Tantalus, nor bloudy Atreus, Whose cursed banquet for Thyestes plague Made the beholding Sunne for horrour turne His backe, and backward from his course returne: And hastning his wing-footed horses race Plunge him in sea for shame to hide his face: While sulleine night upon the wondring world For mid-daies light her starrie mantle cast. But what we be, what ever wickednesse By us is done, Alas! with what more plagues, More eager torments could the Gods declare To heaven and earth that us they hatefull holde? With souldiors, strangers, horrible in armes Our land is hidde, our people drown'd in teares. But terror here and horror, nought is seene: And present death prising our life each hower. Hard at our ports and at our porches waites Our conquering foe: harts faile us, hopes are dead: Our Queene laments: and this great Emperour Somtime (would now they did) whom worlds did fear Abandoned, betraid, now mindes no more But from his evils by hast'ned death to passe. Come you poore people ti'rde with ceasles plaints With teares and sighes make mournfull sacrifice On Isis altars: not our selves to save, But soften Cæsar and him piteous make To us, his praie: that so his lenitie May change our death into captivitie. Strange are the evils the fates on us have brought, O but alas! how far more strange the cause! Love, love (alas, who ever would have thought?) Hath lost this Realme inflamed with his fire. Love, playing love, which men say kindles not But in soft hearts, hath ashes made our townes. And his sweet shafts, with whose shot none are kill'd, Which ulcer not, with deaths our lands have fill'd, Such was the bloudie, murdring, hellish love Possest thy hart faire false guest Priams sonne, Firing a brand which after made to burne The Trojan towers by Græcians ruinate. By this love, Priam, Hector, Troilus, Memnon, Deiphœbus, Glancus, thousands mo. Whome redd Scamanders armor clogged streames Roll'd into Seas, before their dates are dead. So plaguie he, so many tempests raiseth, So murdring he, so many Citties raiseth, When insolent, blinde, lawles, orderles, With mad delights our sence he entertaines. All knowing Gods our wracks did us fortell By signes in earth, by signes in starry Sphæres, Which should have mov'd us, had not destinie With too strong hand warped our miserie. The Comets flaming through the scat'red clouds With fiery beames, most like unbroaded haires: The fearfull dragon whistling at the bankes: And holy Apis ceasles bellowing (As never erst) and shedding endles teares: Bloud raining down from heav'n in unknow'n showers: Our Gods darke faces overcast with woe, And dead mens Ghosts appearing in the night. Yea even this night while all the Cittie stood Opprest with terror, horror, servile feare, Deepe silence over all: the sounds were heard Of divers songs, and diverse instruments, Within the voide of aire: and howling noise, Such as madde Bacchus priests in Bacchus feasts On Nisa make: and (seem'd) the company, Our Cittie lost, went to the enemie. So we forsaken both of Gods and men, So are we in the mercy of our foes: And we henceforth obedient must become To lawes of them who have us overcome. Chorus. Lament we our mishaps, Drowne we with teares of woe: For Lamentable happes Lamented easie growe: and much lesse torment bring then when they first did spring. We want that wofull song, wherwith wood-musiques Queen doth ease her woes, among, fresh springtimes bushes greene, on pleasant branch alone renewing auntient mone. We want that monefull sound, that pratling Progne makes on fields of Thracian ground, or streames of Thracian lakes: to empt her brest of paine for Itys by her slaine. Though Halcyons do still, bewailing Ceyx lot, the Seas with plainings fill which his dead limmes have got, not ever other grave then tombe of waves to have: And though the bird in death that most Meander loves: so sweetly sighes his breath when death his fury proves, as almost softs his heart, and almost blunts his dart: Yet all the plaints of those, nor all their tearfull larmes, cannot content our woes, nor serve to waile the harmes, in soule which we, poore we. to feele enforced be. Nor they of Phœbus bredd in teares can doo so well, they for their brother shedd, who into Padus fell, rash guide of chariot cleere surveiour of the yeare. Nor she whom heav'nly powers to weping rocke did turne, whose teares distill in showers, and shew she yet doth mourne, wherewith his toppe to Skies mount Sipylus doth rise. Nor weping drops which flowe from barke of wounded tree, that Mirrhas shame doth showe with ours compar'd may be, to quench her loving fire who durst embrace her fire. Nor all the howlings made on Cybels sacred hill By Eunukes of her trade, who Atys, Atys still with doubled cries resound, which Eccho makes rebound. Our plaints no limits stay, nor more then do our woes: both infinitely straie and neither measure knowes In measure let them plaine: Who measur'd griefes sustaine. Cleopatra. Eras. Charmion. Diomede. Cleopatra. That I have thee betraide, deare Antonie, My life, my soule, my sunne? I had such thought? That I have thee betraide my Lord, my King? That I would breake my vowed faith to thee? I ave thee? deceive thee yeelde thee to the rage Of mightie foe? I ever had that hart? Rather sharpe lightning lighten on my head: Rather may I to deepest mischiefe fall: Rather the opened earth devoure me: Rather fierce Tigers feed them on my flesh: Rather, ô rather let our Nilus send, To swallow me quicke, some weeping Crocodile. And didst thou then suppose my royall heart Had hatcht, thee to ensnare, a faithles love? And changing minde, as Fortune changed cheare, I would weake thee, to winne the stronger, loose? O wretch! ô caitive! ô too cruell happe! And did not I sufficient losse sustaine Loosing my Realme, loosing my libertie, My tender of-spring, and the joyfull light Of beamy Sunne, and yet, yet loosing more Thee Antony my care, if I loose not What yet remain'd? thy love alas! thy love, More deare then Scepter, children, freedome, light So readie I to row in Charons barge, Shall leese the joy of dying in thy love: So the sole comfort of my miserie To have one tombe with thee is me bereft. So I in shady plaines shall plaine alone, Not (as I hop'd) companion of thy mone, O height of griefe! Eras why with continuall cries Your griefull harmes doo you exasperate? Torment your selfe with murthering complaints; Straine your weake brest so oft, so vehemently? Water with teares this faire alablaster? With sorrowes sting so many beauties wound? Come of so many Kings want you the hart Bravely, stoutly, this tempest to resist? Cl. My ev'lls are wholy unsupportable, No humain force can them withstand, but death. Eras. To him that strives nought is impossible. Cl. In striving lyes no hope of my mishapps. Eras. All things do yeelde to force of lovely face. Cl. My face too lovely caus'd my wretched case. My face hath so entrap'd, so cast us downe, That for his conquest Cæsar may it thanke, Causing that Antonie one army lost The other wholy did to Cæsar yeld. For not induring (so his amorouse sprite Was with my beautie fir'de) my shamefull flight, Soone as he saw from ranke wherein he stoode In hottest fight, my Gallies making saile: Forgetfull of his charg (as if his soule Unto his Ladies soule had beene enchain'd) He left his men, who so couragiously Did leave their lives to gaine him victorie. And carelesse both of fame and armies losse My oared Gallies follow'd with his ships Companion of my flight, by this base parte Blasting his former flourishing renowne. Eras. Are you therefore cause of his overthrow? Cl. I am sole cause: I did it, only I. Er. Feare of a woman troubled so his sprite? Cl. Fire of his love was by my feare enflam'd. Er. And should he then to warre have led a Queene? Cl. Alas! this was not his offence, but mine. Antony. (ay me! who else so brave a chiefe!) Would not I should have taken Seas with him: But would have left me fearefull woman farre From common hazard of the doubtfull warre. O that I had beleev'd! now, now of Rome All the great Empire at our beck should bende. All should obey, the vagabonding Scythes, The feared Germaines, back-shooting Parthians, Wandring Numidians, Brittons farre remov'd, And tawny nations scorched with the Sunne. But I car'd not: so was my soule possest, (To my great harme) with burning jealousie: Fearing least in my absence Antony Should leaving me retake Octavia. Char. Such was the rigour of your desteny. Cl. Such was my errour and obstinacie. Ch. But since Gods would not, could you do withall? Cl. Alwaies from Gods good haps, not harms, do fall. Ch. And have they not all power on mens affaires? Cl. They never bow so low. as worldly cares. But leave to mortall men to be dispos'd Freely on earth what ever mortall is. If we therein sometimes some faults commit, We may them not to their high majesties, But to our selves impute; whose passions Plunge us each day in all afflictions. Wherwith when we our soules do thorned feele, Flatt'ring our selves we say they dest'nies are: That gods would have it so, and that our care Could not empeach but that it must be so. Char. Things here below are in the heav'ns begot, Before they be in this our wordle borne: And never can our weaknesse turne awry The stailesse course of powerfull destenie. Nought here force, reason, humaine providence, Holie devotion, noble bloud prevailes: And Jove himselfe whose hand doth heavens rule, Who both to gods and men as King commands, Who earth (our firme support) with plenty stores, Moves aire and sea with twinckling of his eie, Who all can doe, yet never can undoe What once hath beene be their hard lawes decreed. When Troyan walles, great Neptunes workmanship, Environ'd were with Greekes, and Fortunes whele Doubtfull ten yeares now to the campe did turne, And now againe towards the towne return'd. How many times did force and fury swell In Hectors veines egging him to the spoile Of conquer'd foes, which at his blowes did fly, As fearefull sheepe at feared wolves approch: To save (in vaine: for why? it would not be) Poore walles of Troy from adversaries rage, Who died them in bloud, and cast to ground Heap'd them with bloudie burning carcases. No, Madame, thinke, that if the ancient crowne Of your progenitors that Nilus rul'd, Force take from you; the Gods have will'd it so, To whome oft times Princes are odious. They have to every thing an end ordain'd; All worldly greatnes by them bounded is: Some sooner, later some, as they thinke best: None their decree is able to infringe. But, which is more, to us disastred men Which subject are in all things to their will, Their will is hid: nor while we live, we know How, or how long we must in life remaine. Yet must we not for that feede on dispaire, And make us wretched ere we wretched be: But alwaies hope the best, even to the last, That from our selves the mischiefe may not grow. Then, Madame, helpe your selfe, leave of in time Antonies wracke, lest it your wracke procure: Retire you from him, save from wrathfull rage Of angry Cæsar both your Realme and you. You see him lost, so as your amitie Unto his evills can yeeld no more reliefe. You see him ruin'd, so as your support No more henceforth can him with comfort raise. With-draw you from the storme: persist not still To loose your selfe: this royall diademe Regaine of Cæsar. Cl. Sooner shining light Sall leave the day, and darknes leave the night: Sooner moist currents of tempestuous seas Shall wave in heaven, and the nightly troopes Of starres shall shine within the foming waves, Then I thee, Antony, Leave in deepe distres. I am with thee, be it thy worthy soule Lodge in thy brest, or from that lodging parte Crossing the joyles lake to take her place In place prepared for men Demy-gods. Live, if thee please, if life be lothsome die: Dead and alive, Antony, thou shalt see Thy princesse follow thee, folow, and lament, Thy wrack, no lesse her owne then was thy weale. Char. What helps his wrack this ever-lasting love? Cl. Help, or help not, such must, such ought I prove. Ch. Ill done to loose your selfe, and to no end. Cl. How ill thinke you to follow such a frend? Ch. But this your love nought mitigates his paine. Cl. Without this love I should be inhumaine. Ch. Inhumaine he, who his owne death pursues. Cl. Not inhumaine who miseries eschues. Ch. Live for your sonnes. Cl. Nay for their father die. Ch. Hardharted mother! Cl. Wife kindhearted I. Ch. Then will you them deprive of royall right? Cl. Do I deprive them? no, it's dest'nies might. Ch. Do you not them deprive of heritage, That give them up to adversaries hands, A man forsaken fearing to forsake, Whome such huge numbers hold invironned? T'abandon one gainst whome the frowning world Banded with Cæsar makes conspiring warre. Cl. The lesse ought I to leave him lest of all. A frend in most distresse should most assist. If that when Antonie great and glorious His legions led to drinke Euphrates streames, So many Kings in traine redoubting him; In triumph rais'd as high as highest heav'n; Lord-like disposing as him pleased best, The wealth of Greece, the wealth of Asia: In that faire fortune had I him exchaung'd For Cæsar, then, men would have counted me Faithles, unconstant, light: but now the storme, And blustring tempest driving on his face, Readie to drowne, Alas! what would they say? What would himselfe in Plutos mansion say? If I, whome alwaies more then life he lov'de, If I, Who am his heart, who was his hope, Leave him, forsake him (and perhaps in vaine) Weakly to please who him hath overthrowne? Not light, unconstant, faithlesse should I be, But vile, forsworne, of treachrous cruelty. Ch. Crueltie to shunne you selfe-cruell are: Cl. Selfe-cruell him from cruelty to spare. Ch. Our first affection to ourselfe is due. Cl. He is my selfe. Ch. Next it extends unto Our children, frends, and to our country soile. And you for some respect of wively love, (Albee scarce wively) loose your native land, Your children, frends, and (which is more) your life, With so strong charmes doth love bewitch our witts: So fast in us this fire once kindled flames. Yet if his harme by yours redresse might have, Cl. With mine it may be clos'de in darksome grave. Ch. And that, as Alcest to her selfe unkind, You might exempt him from the lawes of death. But he is sure to die: and now his sword Already moisted is in his warme bloud, Helples for any succour you can bring Against deaths sting, which he must shortly feele. Then let your love be like the love of olde Which Carian Queene did nourish in hir heart Of hir Mausolus: builde for him a tombe Whose statelinesse a wonder new may make. Let him, let him have sumptuous funeralls: Let grave thereon the horror of his fights: Let earth be buri'd with unburied heaps. Frame their Pharsaly, and discoulour'd stream's Of deepe Enipeus: frame the grassie plaine, Which lodg'd his campe at siege of Mutina. Make all his combats, and couragious acts: And yearely plaies to his praise institute: Honor his memory: with doubled care Breed and bring up the children of you both In Cæsars grace: who as a noble Prince Will leave them Lords of this most glorious realme. Cl. What shame were that? ah Gods! what infamie? With Antony in his good haps to share, And overlive him dead: deeming enough To shed some teares upon a widdow tombe? The after-livers justly might report That I him only for his Empire lov'd, And high estate: and that in hard estate I for another did him lewdly leave? Like to those birds wafted with wandring wings From foraine lands in spring-time here arrive: And live with us so long as Somers heate, And their foode lasts, then seeke another soile. And as we see with ceaslesse fluttering Flocking of feelly flies a brownish cloud To vintag'd wine yet working in the tonne: Not parting thence while they sweete liquor taste: After, as smoke, all vanish in the aire, And of the swarme not one so much appeare. Eras. By this sharpe death what profit can you winne? Cl. I neither gaine nor profit seeke therein. Er. What praise shall you of after-ages get? Cl. Nor praise, nor Glory in my cares are set. Eras. What other end ought you respect, then this? Cl. My only end my onele duty is. Eras. Your dutie must upon some good be founded? Cl. On vertue it, the onely good, is grounded. Er. What is that vertue ? Cl. That which us beseemes. Er. Outrage our selves? who that beseeming deemes? Cl. Finish I will my sorrowes dieng thus. Er. Minish you will your glories doing thus. Cl. Good frends I pray you seeke not to revoke My fix'd intent of folowing Antony. I will die. I will die: must not his life, His life and death by mine be followed? Meane while, deare sisters, live: and while you live, Do often honor to our loved Tombes. Straw them with flowers: and sometimes happely The tender thought of Antony your Lord And me poore soule to teares shall you invite, And our true loves your dolefull voice commend. Ch. And thinke you Madame, we from you will part? Thinke you alone to feele deaths ougly darte? Thinke you to leave us? and that the same sunne Shall see at once you dead, and us alive? Weele die with you: and Clotho pittilesse Shall us with you in hellish boate imbarque: Cl. Ah live, I praie you: this disastred woe Which racks my heart, alone to me belongs: My lot longs not to you: servants to be No shame, no harme to you, as is to me. Live sisters, live, and seing his suspect Hath causlesse me in sea of sorrowes drown'd, And that I cannot live, if so I would, Nor yet would leave this life, if so I could, Without his love: procure me, Diomed, That gainst poore me he be no more incensd. Wrest out of his conceit that harmefull doubt, That since his wracke he hath of me conceiv'd Thogh wrong conceiv'd: witnes you reverent Gods, Barking Anubis, Apis bellowing. Tell him, my soule burning, impatient, Forlorne with love of him, for certaine seale Of her true loialtie my corpse hath left, T'encrease of dead the number numberlesse. Go then, and if as yet he me bewaile, If yet for me his heart one sigh fourth breathe Blest shall I be: and far with more content Depart this world, where so I me torment. Meane season us let this sad tombe enclose, Attending here till death conclude our woes. Diom. I will obey your will. Cl. So the desert The Gods repay of thy true faithfull heart. Diomed. And is't not pittie, Gods, ah Gods of heav'n To see from love such hatefull frutes to spring? And is't not pittie that this firebrand so Laies waste the trophes of Phillippi fieldes? Where are those sweet allurements, those sweet lookes, Which gods themselves right hart sick wuld have made? What doth that beautie, rarest guift of heav'n, Wonder of earth? Alas! what do those eies? And that sweete voice all Asia understoode, And sunburnt Africke wide in deserts spred? Is their force dead? have they no further power? Can not by them Octavius be suppriz'd? Alas! if Jove in middst of all his ire, With thunderbolt in hand some land to plague, Had cast his eies on my Queene, out of hand: His plaguing bolte had falne out of his hand: Fire of his wrath into vaine smoke should turne, And other fire within his brest should burne. Nought lives so faire. Nature by such a worke Her selfe, should seeme, in workmanship hath past. She is all heav'nly: never any man But seeing hir was ravish'd with her sight. The Allablaster covering of her face, The corall coullor hir two lips engraines, Her beamy eies, two Sunnes of this our world, Of hir faire haire the fine and flaming golde, Her brave streight stature, and her winning partes Are nothing else but fiers, fetters, dartes. Yet this is nothing th'enchaunting skilles Of her celestiall Sp'rite, hir training speach, Her grace, hir majesty, and forcing voice, Whither she it with fingers speach consorte, Or hearing sceptred kings embassadors Answere to each in his owne language make. Yet now at neede it aides her not at all With all these beauties, so her sorrow stinges. Darkned with woe her only study is To weepe, to sigh, to seeke for lonelines. Careles of all, hir haire disordred hangs: Hir charming eies whence murthring looks did flie, Now rivers grown', whose wellspring anguish is, Do trickling wash the marble of hir face. Hir faire discover'd brest with sobbing swolne Selfe cruell the still martirith with blowes, Alas! It's our ill hap, for if hir teares She would convert into her loving charmes, To make a conquest of the conqueror, (As well she might, would she hir force imploie) She should us saftie from these ills procure, Hir crowne to hir, and to hir race assure. Unhappy he, in whome selfe-succour lies, Yet selfe-forsaken wanting succour dies. Chorus. O sweete fertile land, wherein Phœbus did with breth inspire man who men did first begin, Formed first of Nilus mire. whence of Artes the eldest kindes, earths most heavenly ornament, were as from their fountaine sent to enlight our misty mindes. whose grose sprite from endles time as in darkned prison pente, never did to knowledge clime. Wher the Nile, our father good, father-like doth never misse yearely us to bring such food, as to life required is: visiting each yeare this plaine, and with fat slime cov'ring it, which his seaven mouthes do spit, as the season comes againe. making therby greatest growe busie reapers joyfull paine, when his flouds do highest flow. Wandring Prince of rivers thou, honor of the Aethiops lande, of a Lord and maister now thou a slave in awe must stand. now of Tiber which is spred lesse in force, and lesse in fame reverence thou must the name, whome all other rivers dread, for his children swolne in pride, who by conquest seeke to treade round this earth on every side. Now thou must begin to send tribute of thy watry store, as sea pathes thy steps shall bend, yearely presents more and more. thy fat skumme, our fruitfull corne, pill'd from hence with thevish hands all uncloth'd shal leave our lands into forraine country borne. which puft up with such a pray shall thereby the praise adorne of that scepter Rome doth sway. Nought thee helps thy hornes to hide far from hence in unknown grounds, that thy waters wander wide, yerely breaking banks, and bounds. and that thy Skie-coullor'd brooks through a hundred peoples passe, drawing plots for trees and grasse with a thousand turn's and crookes. whome all weary of their way thy throats which in widenesse passe powre into their mother Sea. Nought so happie haplesse life “in this world as freedome findes: “nought wherin mor sparkes are rife “to inflame couragious mindes. “but if force must us inforce “needes a yoke to undergo, “under foraine yoke to go “Still it proves a bondage worse. “and doubled subjection “see we shall, and feele, and know “subject to a stranger growne. From hence forward for a King, whose first being from this place should his brest by nature bring care of country to imbrace, We at surly face must quake of some Romaine madly bent: who our terrour to augment. his Proconsuls axe will shake. driving with our Kings from hence our establish'd government, justice sword, and lawes defence. Nothing worldy of such might but more mighty Destiny, by swift Times unbridled flight, makes in end his end to see. every thing Time overthrowes, nought to end doth steadfast staie. his great sithe mowes all away as the stalke of tender rose. onely immortalitie of the heavens doth it oppose gainst his powrefull Deitie. One day there will come a day which shall quaile thy fortunes flower and thee ruinde low shall laie in some barbarous Princes power. when the pittie-wanting fire shall, O Rome, thy beauties burne, and to humble ashes turne thy proud wealth and rich attire, those guilt roofes which turretwise, justly making envy mourne, threaten now to pearce Skies. As thy forces fill each land harvests making here and there, reaping all with ravening hand they find growing any where: from each land so to thy fall multitudes repaire shall make, from the common spoile to take what to each mans shaire may fall. fingred all thou shalt behold: no iote left for tokens sake that thou wert so great of olde. Like unto the ancient Troie whence deriv'd thy founders be, conqu'ring foe shall thee enjoie, and a burning praie in thee. for within this turning ball this we see, and see each daie: all things fixed ends do staie, ends to first beginnings fall. & that nought, how strong or strange chaungeles doth endure alwaie, But endureth fatall change. M. Antonius. Lucilius. M. Ant. Lucil. sole comfort of my bitter case, The only trust, the only hope I have, In last despaire: Ah is not this the daie That death should me of life and love bereave? What waite I for that have no refuge left, But am sole remnant of my fortune left? All leave me, flie me: none, noe not of them Which of my greatnes greatest good receiv'd, Stands with my fall: they seeme as now asham'd That heretofore they did me ought regard: They draw them backe, shewing they folow'd me, Not to partake my harm's, but coozen me. Lu. In this our world nothing is stedfast found, In vaine he hopes, who here his hopes doth ground. An. Yet nought afflicts me, nothing killes me so, As that I so my Cleopatra see Practise with Cæsar, and to him transport My flame, her love, more deare then life to me. Lu. Beleeve it not: Too high a heart she beares, Too princely thoughts. An. Too wise a head she weare Too much enflam'd with greatnes, evermore Gaping for our great Empires goverment. Lu. So long time you her constant love have tri'de. An. But still with me good fortune did abide. Lu. Her changed love what token makes you know? An. Pelusium lost, and Actian overthrow, Both by her fraud: my well appointed fleet, And trusty Souldiors in my quarrell arm'd, Whome she, false she, in stede of my defence, Came to perswade, to yelde them to my foe: Such honor Thyre done, such welcome given, Their long close talkes I neither knew, nor would, And trecherous wrong Alexas hath me donne, Witnes too well her perjur'd love to me. But you O Gods (if any faith regarde) With sharpe revenge her faithlesse change reward. Lu. The dole she made upon our overthrow, Her realme given up for refuge to our men, Her poore attire when she devoutly kept The solemne day of her nativitie, Againe the cost and prodigall expence Shew'd when she did your birth day celebrate, Do plaine enough her heart unfained prove, Equally toucht, you loving, as you love. Ant. Well; be her love to me or false, or true, Once in my soule a cureles wound I feele. I love: nay burne in fire of her love: Each day, each night hir Image haunts my minde, Her selfe my dreames: and still I tired am, And still I am with burning pincers nipt. Extreame my harme: yet sweeter to my sence Then boiling Torch of jealous torments fire: This griefe, nay rage, in me such sturre doth keepe, And thornes me still, both when I wake and sleepe. Take Cæsar conquest, take my goods, take he Th'onor to be Lord of the earth alone, My sonnes, my life bent headlong to mishapps: No force, so not my Cleopatra take. So foolish I, I cannot her forget, Though better were I banisht her my thought. Like to the sicke whose throte the feavers fire Hath vehemently with thirstie drought enflam'd, Drinkes still, albee the drinke he still desires Be nothing else but fewell to his flame. He cannot rule himselfe: his health's respect Yealdeth to his distempered stomacks heate. Lu. Leave of this love, that thus renewes your woe. An. I do my best, but ah! can not do so. Lu. Thinke how you have so brave a captaine bene, And now are by this vaine affection falne. An. The ceasles thought of my felicitie Plunges me more in this adversitie. For nothing so a man in ill torments, As who to him his good state represents. This makes my rack, my anguish, and my woe Equall unto the hellish passions growe, When I to mind my happie puisance call Which erst I had by warlike conquest wonne, And that good fortune which me never left, Which hard disastre now hath me bereft. With terror tremble all the world I made At my sole word, as Rushes in the streames At waters will: I conquer'd Italie, I conquer'd Rome, that nations so redoubt. I Bare (meane while besieging Mutina) Two consuls armies for my ruine brought. Bath'd in their bloud, by their deaths witnessing My force and skill in matters Martiall. To wreake thy unkle, unkind Cæsar, I With bloud of enemies the bankes embru'd Of stain'd Enipeus, hindring his course Stopped with heapes of piled carcases: When Cassius and Brutus ill betide Marcht against us, by us twise put to flight, But by my sole conduct: for all the time Cæsar hart-sicke with feare and feaver lay. Who knowes it not? and how by every one Fame of the fact was giv'n to me alone. There sprang the love, the never changing love, Wherin my heart hath since to yours bene bound: There was it, my Lucill, you Brutus sav'de, And for your Brutus Antony you found. Better my hap in gaining such a frend, Then in subduing such an enimie. Now former vertue dead doth me forsake, Fortune engulfes me in extreame distresse: She turnes from me her smiling countenance, Casting on me mishapp upon mishapp, Left and betraied of thousand thousand frends, Once of my sute, but you Lucill are left, Remaining to me stedfast as a tower In holy love, in spite of fortunes blastes. But if of any God my voice be heard, And be not vainely scatt'red in the heav'ns, Such goodnes shall not glorilesse be loste. But comming ages still thereof shall boste. Lu. Men in their frendship ever should be one, And never ought with fickle Fortune shake, Which still removes, nor will, nor knowes the way, Her rowling bowle in one sure state to staie. Wherfore we ought as borrow'd things receive The goods light she lends us to pay againe: Not hold them sure, nor on them build our hopes As on such goods as cannot faile, and fall: But thinke againe, nothing is dureable, Vertue except, our never failing host: So bearing faile when favoring windes do blow, As frowning tempests may us least dismaie When they on us do fall: not over-glad With good estate, nor over-griev'd with bad. Resist mishap. Ant. Alas! it is too strong. Mishappes oft times are by some comfort borne: But these, ay me! whose weights oppresse my hart, Too heavie lie, no hope can them relieve. There rests no more, but that with cruell blade For lingring death a hastie waie be made. Lu. Cæsar, as heire unto his fathers state. So will his Fathers goodnes imitate, To you ward: whome he know's allied in bloud, Allied in mariage, ruling equally Th' Empire with him, and with him making warre Have purg'd the earth of Cæsars murtherers. You into portions parted have the world Even like coheirs their heritages parte: And now with one accord so many yeares In quiet peace both have your charges rul'd. Ant. Bloud and alliance nothing do prevaile To coole the thirst of hote ambitious brests: The sonne his Father hardly can endure, Brother his brother, in one common Realme. So fervent this desire to commaund: Such jealousie it kindleth in our hearts, Sooner will men permit another should Love her they love, then weare the crowne they weare. All lawes it breakes, turnes all things upside downe: Amitie, kindred, nought so holy is But it defiles. A monarchie to gaine None cares which way, so he may it obtaine. Lu. Suppose he Monarch be and that this world No more acknowledg sundry Emperours, That Rome him only feare, and that he joyne The east with west, and both at once do rule: Why should he not permitt you peaceablie Discharg'd of charge and Empires dignitie, Private to live reading Philosophy, In learned Greece, Spaine, Asia, any land? An. Never will he his Empire thinke assur'de While in this world Marke Antony shall live. Sleepeles Suspicion, Pale distrust, cold feare Alwaies to princes companie do beare Bred of reports: reports which night and day Perpetuall guests from court go not away. Lu. He hath not slaine your brother Lucius, Nor shortned hath the age of Lepidus, Albeit both into his hands were falne, And he with wrath against them both enflam'd. Yet one, as Lord in quiet rest doth beare, The greatest sway in great Iberia: The other with his gentle Prince retaines Of highest Priest the sacred dignitie. An. He feares not them, their feeble force he knowes. Lu. He feares no vanquisht overfill'd with woes. An. Fortune may chaunge againe. L. A down-cast foe Can hardly rise, which once is brought so low. Ant. All that I can is donne: for last assay (When all means fail'd) I to entreaty fell, (Ah coward creature!) whence againe repulst Of combate I unto him proffer made: Though he in prime, and I by feeble age Mightily weakned both in force and skill. Yet could not he his coward heart advaunce Basely affraide to trie so praisefull chaunce. This makes me plaine, makes me my selfe accuse, Fortune in this her spitefull force doth use 'Gainst my gray hayres: in this unhappy I Repine at heav'ns in my happes pittiles. A man, a woman both in might and minde, In Mars his schole who never lesson learn'd, Should me repulse, chase, overthrow, destroy, Me of such fame, bring to so low an ebbe? Alcides bloud, who from my infancy With happy prowesse crowned have my praise Witnesse thou Gaule unus'd to servile yoke, Thou valiant Spaine, you fields of Thessalie With millions of mourning cries bewail'd, Twise watred now with bloud of Italie. Lu. Witnes may Afrique, and of conquer'd world All fower quarters witnesses may be. For in what part of earth inhabited, Hungry of praise have you not ensignes spred? Ant. Thou know'st rich Aegipt (Aegipt of my deedes Faire and foule subject) Aegypt ah! thou know'st How I behav'd me fighting for thy kinge, When I regainde him his rebellious Realme: Against his foes in battaile shewing force, And after fight in victory remorse. Yet if to bring my glory to the ground, Fortune had made me overthrowne by one Of greater force, of better skill then I: One of those Captaines feared so of olde, Camill, Marcellus, worthy Scipio, This late great Cæsar, honor of our state, Or that great Pompei aged growne in armes; That after harvest of a world of men Made in a hundred battailes, fights, assaults, My body thorow pearst with push of pike Had vomited my bloud, in bloud my life, In midd'st of millions felowes in my fall: The lesse her wrong, the lesse should my woe: Nor she should paine, nor I complaine me so. No, no, wheras I should have died in armes, And vanquisht oft new armies should have arm'd, New battailes given, and rather lost with me All this whole world submitted unto me: A man who never saw enlaced pikes With bristled points against his stomake bent, Who feares the field, and hides him cowardly Dead at the very noise the souldiors make. His vertue, fraud, deceit, malicious guile, His armes the arts that false Ulisses us'de, Knowne at Modena, where the Consuls both Death-wounded were, and wounded by his men To get their armie, war with it to make Against his faith, against his country soile. Of Lepidus, which to his succours came, To honor whome he was by dutie bound, The Empire he usurpt: corrupting first with baites and bribes the most part of his men. Yet me hath overcome, and made his pray, And state of Rome, with me hath overcome. Strange! one disordred act at Actium The earth subdu'de, my glory hath obscur'd. For since, as one whome heavens wrath attaints, With furie caught, and more then furious Vex'd with my evills, I never more had care My armies lost, or lost name to repaire: I did no more resist. Lu. all warres affaires, But battailes most, dayly have their successe Now good, now ill: and though that fortune have Great force and power in every worldly thing, Rule all, do all, have all things fast enchaind Unto the circle of hir turning wheele: Yet seemes it more then any practise else She doth frequent Bellonas bloudy trade: And that hir favour, wavering as the wind, Hir greatest power therein doth oftnest shewe. Whence growes, we dailie see, who in their youth Gatt honor ther, do loose it in their age, Vanquisht by some lesse warlike then themselves: Whome yet a meaner man shall overthrowe. Hir use is not to lend us still her hande, But sometimes headlong backe a gaine to throwe, When by hir favor she hath us extolld Unto the topp of highest happines. Ant. well ought I curse within my grieved soule, Lamenting daie and night, this sencelesse love, Whereby my faire entising foe entrap'd My hedelesse Reason, could no more escape. It was not fortunes ever chaunging face: It was not Destnies chaungles violence Forg'd my mishap. Alas! who doth not know They make, nor marre, nor any thing can doe. Fortune, which men so feare, adore, detest, Is but a chaunce whose cause unknow'n doth rest. Although oft times the cause is well perceiv'd, But not th' effect the same that was conceiv'd. Pleasure, nought else, the plague of this our life, Our life which still a thousand plagues pursue, Alone hath me this strange disastre spunne, Falne from a souldior to a chamberer, Careles of vertue, careles of all praise. Nay, as the fatted swine in filthy mire With glutted heart I wallowed in delights, All thoughts of honor troden under foote. So I me lost: for finding this sweet cupp Pleasing my tast, unwise I drunke my fill, And through the sweetnes of that poisons power By steps I drave my former wits astraie. I made my frends, offended me forsake, I holpe my foes against my selfe to rise. I robd my subjects, and for followers I saw my selfe beset with flatterers. Mine idle armes faire wrought with spiders worke, My scattred men without their ensignes strai'd: Cæsar meane while who never would have dar'de To cope with me, me so dainely despis'de, Tooke hart to fight, and hop'de for victorie On one so gone, who glorie had forgone. Lu. Enchaunting pleasure Venus sweete delights Weaken our bodies, over-cloud our sprights, Trouble our reason, from our hearts out chase All holie vertues lodging in thir place: Like as the cunnig fisher takes the fishe By traitor baite whereby the hooke is hid: So Pleasure serves to vice in steede of foode To baite our soules thereon too liquorishe. This poison deadly is alike to all, But on great kings doth greatest outrage worke, Taking the roiall scepters from their hands, Thence forward to be by some stranger borne: While that their people charg'd with heavie loades Their flatt'rers pill, and suck their mary drie, Not rul'd but left to great men as a pray, While this fonde Prince himselfe in pleasur's drowns Who hears nought, sees noght, doth nought of a king Seming himselfe against himselfe conspirde. Then equall Justice wandreth banished, And in her seat sitts greedie Tyrannie. Confus'd disorder troubleth all estates, Crimes without feare and outrages are done. Then mutinous Rebellion shewes her face, Now hid with this, and now with that pretence, Provoking enimies, which on each side Enter at ease, and make them Lords of all. The hurtfull workes of pleasure here behold. An. The wolfe is not so hurtfull to the folde, Frost to the grapes, to ripened frutes the raine: As pleasure is to princes full of paine. Lu. There nedes no proofe, but by th'Assirian kinge, On whom that Monster woefull wrack did bring. An. There nedes no proofe, but by unhappie I, Who lost my empire, honor, life thereby, Lu. Yet hath this ill so much the greater force, As scarcely any do against it stand: No not the Demy-gods the olde world knew, Who all subdu'de, could Pleasures power subdue. Great Hercules, Hercules once that was Wonder of earth and heaven, matchles in might, Who Anteus, Lycus, Geryon overcame, Who drew from hell the triple-headed dogg, Who Hydra kill'd, vanquishd Achelous, Who heavens weight on his strong shoulders bare: Did he not under Pleasures burthen bow? Did he not Captive to this passion yelde, When by his Captive, so he was inflam'd, As now your selfe in Cleopatra burne? Slept in hir lapp, hir bosome kist and kiste, With base unseemely service bought her love, Spinning at distasse, and with sinewy hand Winding on spindles threde, in maides attire? His conqu'ring clubbe at rest on wal did hang: His bow unstringd he bent not as he us'de: Upon his shafts the weaving spiders spunne: And his hard cloake the fretting mothes did pierce. The monsters free and fearles all the time Throughout the world the people did torment. And more and more encreasing daie by daie Scorn'd his weake heart become a mistresse play. An. In onely this like Hercules am I, In this I prove me of his lignage right: In this himselfe, his deedes I shew in this: In this, nought else, my ancestor he is. But goe we: die I must, and with brave end Conclusion make of all foregoing harmes: Die, die I must: I must a noble death, A glorious death unto my succour call: I must deface the shame of time abus'd, I must adorne the wanton loves I us'de, With some couragious act: that my last day By mine owne hand my spots may wash away. Come deare Lucill: alas! why weepe you thus! This mortall lot is common to us all. We must all die, each doth in homage owe Unto that God that shar'd the Realmes belowe. Ah sigh no more: alas! appeace your woes, For by your greife my griefe more eager growes. Chorus. Alas, with what tormenting fire. Us martireth this blind desire to stay our life from flieng! How ceasleslie our minds doth rack, How heavie lies upon our back This dastard feare of dieng! Death rather healthfull succour gives, Death rather all mishapps relieves That life upon us throweth: And ever to us death unclose The dore whereby from curelesse woes Our weary soule out goeth. What Goddesse else more milde then she To burie all our paine can be, What remedie more pleasing? Our pained hearts when dolor stings, And nothing rest, or respite brings, What help have we more easing? Hope which to us doth comfort give, And doth our fainting harts revive, Hath not such force in anguish: For promising a vaine reliefe She oft us failes in midst of griefe, And helples lets us languish. But Death who call on her at neede Doth never with vaine semblant seed, But when them sorrow paineth, So riddes their soules of all distresse Whose heavie weight did them oppresse, That not one griefe remaineth. Who feareles and with courage bolde Can Acherons black face behold, Which muddie water beareth: And crossing over in the way Is not amaz'd at Perruque gray Olde rusty Charon weareth? Who voide of dread can looke upon The dreadfull shades that Rome alone, On bankes where found no voices: Whome with hir fire-brands and her Snakes No whit afraide Alecto makes, Nor triple-barking noises: Who freely can himselfe dispose Of that last hower which all must close, And leave this life at pleasure: This noble freedome more esteemes, And in his heart more precious deemes, Then crowne and kinglie treasure, The waves which Boreas blasts turmoile And cause with foaming furie boile, Make not his heart to tremble: Nor brutish broile, when with strong head A rebell people madly ledde Against their Lords assemble: Nor fearefull face of Tirant wood, Who breaths but threats, & drinks but bloud, No, nor the hand which thunder, The hand of Jove which thunder beares, And ribbs of rocks in sunder teares, Teares mountains sides in sunder: Nor bloudy Marses butchering bands, Whose lightnings desert laie the lands Whome dustie cloudes do cover: From of whose armour sun-beames flie, And under them make quaking lie The plaines wheron they hover: Nor yet the cruell murth'ing blade Warme in the moistie bowels made Of people pell mell dieng In some great Cittie put to sack By savage Tirant brought to wrack, At his colde mercie lieng. How abject him, how base thinke I, Who wanting courage can not dye When need him thereto calleth? From whome the dagger drawne to kill The cureles griefes that vexe him still For feare and faintnes falleth? O Antony with thy deare mate Both in misfortunes fortunate! Whose thoughts to death aspiring Shall you protect from victors rage, Who on each side doth you encage, To triumph much desiring. That Cæsar may you not offend Nought else but death can you defend, Which his weake force derideth. And all in this round earth containd, Powr'les on them whome once enchaind Avernus prison hideth: Where great Psammetiques ghost doth rest, Not with infernall paine possest, But in sweete fields detained: And olde Amasis soule likewise, And all our famous Ptolomies That whilome on us raigned. Act. 4 Cæsar. Agrippa. Dircetus. The Messenger. Cæsar. You ever-living Gods which all things holde Within the power of your celestiall hands, By whome heate, colde, the thunder, and the wind, The properties of enterchaunging mon'ths Their course and being have; which do set downe Of Empires by your destinied decree The force, age, time, and subject to no chaunge Chaunge all, reserving nothing in one state: You have advaunst, as high as thundring heav'n The Romaines greatnes by Bellonas might: Maistring the world with fearefull violence, Making the world widdow of libertie. Yet at this day this proud exalted Rome Despoil'd, captiv'd, at one mans will doth bend: Her Empire mine, her life is in my hand, As Monarch I both world and Rome commaund; Do all, can all; foorth my command'ment cast Like thundring fire from one to other Pole Equall to Jove: bestowing by my word Happs and mishappes, as Fortunes King and Lord. No towne there is, but up my Image settes, But sacrifice to me doth dayly make: Whither where Phœbus joyne his mourning steedes, Or where the night them weary entertaines, Or where the heat the Garamants doth scorch, Or where the colde from Boreas breast is blowne: All Cæsar do both awe and honor beare, And crowned Kings his verie name doth feare. Antony knowes it well, for whome not one Of all the Princes all this earth do rule, Armes against me: for all redoubt the power which heav'nly powers on earth have made me beare. Antony, he poore man with fire inflam'de A womans beauties kindled in his heart. Rose against me, who longer could not beare My sisters wrong he did so ill intreat: Seing her left while that his leud delights Her husband with his Cleopatre tooke In Alexandria, where both nights and daies Their time they pass'd in nought but loves and plaies. All Asias forces into one he drewe, And forth he set upon the azur'd waves A thousand and a thousand Shipps, which fill'd With Souldiors, pikes, with targets, arrowes, darts, Made Neptune quake, and all the watry troupes Of Glanques, and Tritons lodg'd at Actium, But mightie Gods, who still the force withstand Of him, who causles doth another wrong, In lesse then moments space redus'd to nought All that proud power by Sea or land he brought. Agr. Presumptuous pride of heigh and hawtie sprite, Voluptuous care of fond and foolish love, Have justly wrought his wrack: who thought he helde (By overweening) Fortune in his hand. Of us he made no count, but as to play, So feareles came our forces to assay. So sometimes fell to Sonnes of mother earth, Which crawl'd to heav'n warre on the God to make, Olymp on Pelion, Ossa on Olymp, Pindus on Ossa loading by degrees: That at hand strokes with mightie clubbes the might On mossie rocks the Gods make tumble downe: When mightie Jove with burning anger chas'd, Disbraind with him Gyges and Briareus, Blunting his darts upon their brused bones. For no one thing the Gods can lesse abide In deedes of men, then Arrogance and pride. And still the proud, which too much takes in hand, Shall fowlest fall, where best he thinkes to stand. Cæs. Right as some Pallace, or some stately tower, Which over-lookes the neighbour buildings round In scorning wise, and to the starres up growes, Which in short time his owne weight overthrowes. What monstrous pride, nay what impietie Incenst him onward to the Gods disgrace? When his two children, Cleopatras bratts, To Phœbe and her brother he compar'd, Latonas race, causing them to be call'd The Sunne and Moone? Is not this follie right And is not this the Gods to make his foes? And is not this himselfe to worke his woes? Agr. In like proud sort he caus'd his hed to leese The Jewish king Antigonus, to have His Realme for balme, that Cleopatra lov'd, As though on him he had some treason prov'd. Cæs. Lidia to her, and Siria he gave, Cyprus of golde, Arabia rich of smelles: And to his children more Cilicia, Parth's, Medes, Armenia, Phœnicia: The kings of kings proclaming them to be, By his owne word, as by a sound decree. Agr. What? Robbing his owne country of her due Triumph'd he not in Alexandria, Of Artabasus the Armenian King, Who yeelded on his perjur'd word to him? Cæs. Nay, never Rome more injuries receiv'd, Since thou, ô Romulus, by flight of birds With happy hand the Romain walles did'st build, Then Antonyes fond loves to it hath done. Nor ever warre more holie, nor more just, Nor undertaken with more hard constraint, Then is this warre: which were it not, our state Within small time all dignitie should loose: Though I lament (thou Sunne my witnes art, And thou great Jove) that it so deadly proves: That Romaine bloud should in such plentie flowe, Watring the fields and pastures where we go. What Carthage in olde hatred obstinate, What Gaule still barking at our rising state, What rebell Samnite, what fierce Phyrrhus power, What cruell Mithridate, what Parth hath wrought Such woe to Rome? whose common wealth he had, (Had he bene victor) into Egypt brought. Agr. Surely the Gods, which have this cittie built Steadfast to stand as long as time endures, Which keepe the Capitoll, of us take care, And care will take of those shall after come, Have made you victor, that you might redresse Their honor growne by passed mischieves lesse. Cæs. The seelie man when all the Greekish Sea His fleete had hid, in hope me sure to drowne, Me battaile gave: where fortune in my stede, Repulsing him his forces disaraied. Himselfe tooke flight, soone as his love he saw All wanne through feare with full sailes flie away. His men, though lost, whome none did now direct, With courage fought fast grappled shipp with shipp, Charging, resisting, as their oares would serve, With darts, with swords, with pikes, with fiery flames. So that the darkned night her starrie vaile Upon the bloudy sea had over-spred, Whilst yet they held: and hardly, hardly then They fell to flieng on the wavie plaine, All full of soldiors overwhelm'd with waves. The aire throughout with cries & grones did sound: The sea did blush with bloud: the neighbour shores Groned, so they with shipwracks pestred were, And floting bodies left for pleasing foode To birds, and beasts, and fishes of the sea, You know it well Agrippa. Ag. Mete it was The Romain Empire so should ruled be, As heav'n is rul'd: which turning over us, All under things by his example turnes. Now as of heav'n one onely Lord we know: One onely Lord should rule this earth below. When one selfe pow're is common made to two Their duties they nor suffer will, nor doe. In quarell still, in doubt, in hate, in feare; Meane while the people all the smart do beare. Cæs. Then to the end none, while my daies endure, Seeking to raise himselfe may succours find, We must with bloud marke this our victory, For just example to all memorie Murther we must, until not one we leave, Which may hereafter us of rest bereave. Ag. Marke it with murthers? Who of that can like? Cæ. Murthers must use, who doth assurance seeke. Ag. Assurance call you enemies to make? Cæ. I make no such, but such away I take. Ag. Nothing so much as rigour doth displease. Cæ. Nothing so much doth make me live at ease. Ag. What ease to him that feared is of all? Cæ. Feared to be, and see his foes to fall. Ag. Commonly feare doth brede and nourish hate. Cæ. Hate without pow'r comes commonly too late. Ag. A feared Prince hath oft his death desir'd Cæ. A Prince not fear'd hath oft his wrong conspir'd. Ag. No guard so sure, nor forte so strong doth prove. No such defence, as is the peoples love. Cæ. Nought more unsure more weak, more like the winde, Then Peoples favour still to change enclinde. Ag. Good Gods! what love to gratious prince men beare! Cæ. What honor to the Prince that is severe! Ag. Nought more divine then is Benigntie. Cæ. Nought likes the Gods as doth Severity. Ag. Gods all forgive. Cæ. On faults they paines do lay. Ag. And give their goods. C. Oft times they tak away Ag. They wreake them not, ô Cæsar, at each time That by our sinnes they are to wrath provok'd. Neither must you (beleeve, I humblie praie) Your victorie with crueltie defile. The Gods it gave, it must not be abus'd, But to the good of all men mildely us'd, And they bethank'd: that having giv'n you grace To raigne alone, and rule this earthly masse, They may hence-forward hold it still in rest, All scattered power united in one brest. Cæ. But what is he that breathles comes so fast, Approching us, and going in such hast? Ag. He seemes affraid: and under his arme I (But much I erre) a bloudy sword espie. Cæ. I long to understand what it may be. Ag. He hither comes: it's best we stay and see. Dirce. What good God now my voice will reenforce, That tell I may to rocks, and hilles, and woods, To waves of sea, which dash upon the shore, To earth, to heaven, the woefull newes I bring? A. What so daine chance thee towards us hath broght Dir. A lamentable chance. O wrath of heav'ns! O Gods too pittiles! Cæs. What monstrous hap Wilt thou recount? Dir. Alas too hard mishap! When I but dreame of what mine eies beheld, My hart doth freeze, my limmes do quivering quake, I senceles stand, my brest with tempest tost Killes in my throte my words, ere fully borne. Dead, dead he is: be sure of what I say, This murthering sword hath made the man away. Caes. Alas my heart doth cleave, pittie me rackes, My brest doth pant to heare this dolefull tale. Is Antony then dead? to death, alas! I am the cause despaire him so compelld. But soldior of his death the manner showe, And how he did this living light forgoe. Dir. When Antony no hope remaining saw How warre he might, or how agreement make, Saw him betraid by all his men of warre In every fight as well by sea, as land; That not content to yeeld them to their foes They also came against himselfe to fight: Alone in court he gan himselfe torment, Accuse the Queene, himselfe of hir lament, Call'd hir untrue and traitresse, as who sought To yeeld him up she could no more defend: That in the harmes which for hir sake he bare, As in his blisfull state, she might not share. But she againe, who much his fury fear'd, Gat to the tombes, darke horrors dwelling place: Made lock the doores, and pull the hearses downe. Then fell she wretched, with hir selfe to fight. A thousand plaints, a thousand sobbes she cast From hir weake brest which to the bones was torne. Of women hir the most unhappy call'd, Who by hir love, hir woefull love, had lost Hir realme, hir life, and more the love of him, Who while he was, was all hir woes support. But that she faultles was she did invoke For witnes heav'n, and aire, and earth, and sea. Then sent him word, she was no more alive, But lay inclosed dead within her tombe. This he beleev'd; and fell to sigh and grone, And crost his armes, then thus began to mone. C. Poore hopeles man! D. What dost thou more attend Ah Antony! why dost thou death deferre. Since Fortune thy professed enimie, Hath made to die, who only made thee live? Sone as with sighes hee had these words up clos'd, His armor he unlaste and cast it off, Then all disarm'd he thus againe did say: My Queene, my heart, the griefe that now I feele. Is not that I your eies, my Sunne, do loose, For soone againe one tombe shall us conjoyne: I grieve, whome men so valorous did deeme, Should now, then you, of lesser valor seeme. So said, forthwith he Eros to him call'd, Eros his man; summond him on his faith To kill him at his nede. He tooke the sword, And at that instant stab'd therwith his breast, And ending life fell dead before his feete. O Eros thankes (quoth Antony) for this Most noble acte, who pow'rles me to kill, On thee hast done, what I on mee should do. Of speaking thus he scarsce had made an end, And taken up the bloudy sword from ground, But he his bodie piers'd; and of red bloud A gushing fountaine all the chamber fill'd. He staggred at the blow, his face grew pale, And on a couche all feeble downe he fell, Sounding with anguish: deadly cold him tooke, As if his soule had then his lodging left But he reviv'd, and marking all our eies Bathed in teares, and how our breasts we beate For pittie, anguish, and for bitter griefe, To see him plong'd in extreame wretchednes: He prai'd us all to haste his lingring death: But no man willing, each himselfe withdrew. Then fell he new to cry and vexe himselfe, Untill a man from Cleopatra came, Who said from hir he had commaundement To bring him to hir to the monument. The poore soule at these words even rapt with joy Knowing she liv'd, prai'd us him to convey Unto his Lady. Then upon our armes We bare him to the Tombe, but entred not. For she who feared captive to be made, And that she should to Rome in triumph goe, Kept close the gate but from a window high Cast downe a corde, wherein he was impackt. Then by hir womens help the corps she rais'd, And by strong armes into hir window drew. So pittifull a sight was never seene. Little and little Antony was pull'd, Now breathing death: his beard was all unkempt, His face and brest al bathed in his bloud. So hideous yet, and dieng as he was, His eies half-clos'd uppon the Queene he cast: Held up his hands, and holpe himselfe to raise, But still with weaknes back his bodie fell. The miserable ladie with moist eies, With haire which careles on hir forhead hong, With brest which blowes had bloudily benumb'd, With stooping head, and body down-ward bent, Enlast hir in the corde, and with all force This life-dead man couragiously uprais'd, The bloud with paine into hir face did flowe, Hir sinewes stiff, her selfe did breathles grow. The people which beneath in flocks beheld, Assisted her with gesture, speach, desire: Cride and incourag'd her, and in their soules Did sweate, and labor, no whit lesse then she. Who never tir'd in labor, held so long Helpt by her women, and hir constant heart, That Antony was drawne into the tombe, And there (I thinke) of dead augments the summe. The cittie all to teares and sighes is turn'd, To plaints and outcries horrible to heare: Men, women, children, hoary-headed age Do all pell mell in house and streete lament, Scratching their faces, tearing of their haire, Wringing their hands, and martyring their brests Extreame their dole: and greater misery In sacked townes can hardlie ever be Not if the fire had scal'de the highest towers: That all things were of force and murther full; That in the streets the bloud in rivers stream'd; The sonne his sire saw in his bosome slaine, The sire his sonne: the husband reft of breath In his wives armes, who furious runnes to death. Now my brest wounded with their piteouse plaints I left their towne, and tooke with me this sworde, Which I tooke up at what time Antony Was from his chamber caried to the tombe: And brought it you, to make his death more plaine, And that thereby my words may credite gaine. Cæs. Ah Gods what cruell hap! poore Antony, Alas hast thou this sword so long time borne Against thy foe, that in the end it should Of thee his Lord the cursed murth'rer be? O Death how I bewaile thee! we (alas!) So many warres have ended, brothers, frends, Companions, coozens, equalls in estate: And must it now to kill thee be my fate? Ag. Why trouble you your selfe with bootles griefe? For Antony why spend you teares in vaine? Why darken you with dole your victory? Me seemes your selfe your glory do envie. Enter the towne, give thanks unto the Gods. Cæ. I cannot but his tearefull chaunce lament, Although not I, but his owne pride the cause, And unchast love of this Aegiptian. Agr. But best we sought into the tombe to get, Lest she consume in this amazed case So much rich treasure, with which happely Despaire in death may make hir feede the fire: Suffring the flames hir Jewells to deface, You to defraud, hir funerall to grace. Sende then to hir, and let some meane be us'd With some devise so hold her still alive, Some faire large promises: and let them marke Whither they may be some fine cunning slight Enter the tombes. Cæsar. Let Proculeius goe, And feede with hope hir soule disconsolate. Assure hir soe, that we may wholy get Into our hands hir treasure and her selfe. For this of all things most I do desire To keepe her safe until! our going hence: That by hir presence beautified may be The glorious triumph Rome prepares for me. check rendition of following speaker Chorus of Romaine Souldiors. Shall ever civile bate gnaw and devour our state? shall never we this blade, our bloud hath bloudy made, lay downe? these armes downe lay as robes we weare alway? but as from age to age. so passe from rage to rage? Our hands shall we not rest to bath in our owne brest? and shall thick in each land our wretched trophees stand, to tell posteritie, what madd Impietie our stonie stomacks led against the place us bred? Then still must heaven view the plagues that us pursue. and every wher descrie Heaps of us scattred lie, making the stranger plaines fat with our bleeding raines, proud that on them their grave so many legious have. And with our fleshes still Neptune his fishes fill and dronke with bloud from blue the sea take blushing hue: as juice of Tyrian shell, when clarified well to wolle of finest fields a purple glosse it yeeldes. But since the rule of Rome, to one mans hand is come, who governes without mate hir now united state, late jointly rulde by three envieng mutuallie, whose triple yoke much woe on Latines necks did throwe: I hope the cause of jarre, and of this bloudie warre, and deadly discord gone by what we last have done: our banks shall cherish now the branchie pale-hew'd bow of Olive, Pallas praise, in stede of barraine baies. And that his temple dore, which bloudy Mars before held open, now at last olde Janus shall make fast: and rust the sword consume, and spoild of waving plume, The useles morion shall on crooke hang by the wall. At least if warre returne It shall not here sojourne, to kill us with those armes were forg'd for others harmes: but have their points addrest, against the Germaines brest, The Parthians fayned flight, the Biscaines martiall might. Olde Memory doth there painted on forehead weare our Fathers praise: thence torne our triumphs baies have worne: therby our matchles Rome whilome of Shepeheards come rais'd to this greatnes stands, the Queene of forraine lands. Which now even seemes to face the heav'ns, her glories place: nought resting under skies that dares affront her eies. So that she needes but feare the weapons Jove doth beare, who angry at one blowe may her quite overthrowe. Act. 5, Cleopatra. Euphron. Children of Cleopatra. Charmion. Eras. Cleop. O cruell fortune! ô accursed lot! O plaguy love! ô most detested brand! O wretched joyes! ô beauties miserable! O deadly state! ô deadly roialtie! O hatefull life! ô Queene most lamentable! O Antony by my faulte buriable! O hellish worke of heav'n! alas! the wrath Of all the Gods at once on us is falne. Unhappie Queene! ô would I in this world The wandring light of day had never seene? Alas! of mine the plague and poison I The crowne have lost my ancestors me left, This Realme I have to strangers subject made, And robd my children of their heritage. Yet this is nought (alas!) unto the price Of you deare husband, whome my snares intrap'd: Of you, whome I have plagu'd, whom I have made With bloudy hand a guest of mouldie tombe: Of you, whome I destroied, of you, deare Lord, Whome I of Empire, honor, life have spoil'd. O hurtfull woman! and can I yet live, Yet longer live in this Ghost-haunted tombe? Can I yet breath I can yet in such annoy, Yet can my soule within this body dwell? O Sisters you that spin the thredes of death! O Styx! ô Plegethon! you brookes of hell! O Impes of Night! Euph. Live for your childrens sake: Let not your death of kingdome them deprive. Alas what shall they do who will have care? Who will preserve this royall race of yours? Who pittie take? even now me seemes I see These little soules to servile bondage falne, And borne in triumph. Cl. Ah most miserable! Euph. Their tender armes with cursed cord fast bound At their weake backs. Cl. Ah Gods what pitty more! Euph. Their seely necks to ground with weaknes bend Cl. Never on us, good Gods, such mischiefe send. Euph. And pointed at with fingers as they go. Cl. Rather a thousand deaths. Euph. Lastly his knife Some cruell cative in their bloud embrue. Cl. Ah my heart breaks. By shady banks of hell, By fields whereon the lonely Ghosts do treade, By my soule, and the soule of Antony I you besech, Euphron, of them have care. Be their good Father, let your wisedome lett That they fall not into this Tyrants hands. Rather conduct them where their freezed locks Black Aethiops to neighbour Sunne do shew; On wavie Ocean at the waters will; On barraine cliffes of snowie Caucasus; To Tigers swift, to Lions, and to Beares; And rather, rather unto every coaste, To ev'ry land and sea: for nought I feare As rage of him, whose thirst no bloud can quench. Adieu deare children, children deare adieu: Good Isis you to place of safety guide, Farre from our foes, where you your lives may leade In free estate devoid of servile dread. Remember not, my children, you were borne Of such a Princely race: remember not So many brave Kings which have Egipt rul'de In right descent your ancestors have beene: That this great Antony your father was, Hercules bloud, and more then he in praise. For your high courage such remembrance will, Seing your fall with burning rages fill. Who knowes if that your hands false Destinie The Scepters promis'd of imperious Rome, In stede of them shall crooked shepehookes beare, Needles or forkes, or guide the carte, or plough? Ah learne t'endure: your birth and high estate Forget, my babes, and bend to force of fate. Farwell, my babes, farwell my heart is clos'd, With pittie and paine, my selfe with death enclos'd, My breath doth faile. Farwell for evermore, Your Sire and me you shall see never more. Farwell sweet care, farwell. Chil. Madame Adieu. Cl. Ah this voice killes me. Ah good Gods! I swound. I can no more, I die. Eras. Madame, alas! And will you yeld to woe? Ah speake to us. Eu, Come Children. Chil. We come. Eu. Follow we our chance. The Gods shall guide us. Char. O too cruell lot! O too hard chaunce! Sister what shall we do, What shall we do, alas! if murthring darte Of death arrive while that in slumbring swound Halfe dead she lie with anguish overgone? Er. Her face is frozen. Ch. Madame for Gods love Leave us not thus: bid us yet first farwell. Alas! wepe over Antony: Let not His bodie be without due rites entomb'd. Cl. Ah, ah. Char. Madame. Cl. Ay me! Ch. How fainte she is? Cl. My Sisters, holde me up. How wretched I, How cursed am: and was there ever one By Fortunes hate into more dolours throwne? Ah, weeping Niobe, although thy heart Beholds it selfe enwrap'd in causefull woe For thy dead children, that a sencelesse rocke With griefe become, on Sipylus thou stand'st In endles teares: yet didst thou never feele The weights of griefe that on my heart do lie. Thy Children thou, mine I poore soule have lost, And lost their Father, more then them I waile, Lost this faire realme; yet me the heavens wrath Into a stone not yet transformed hath. Phætons sisters, daughters of the Sunne, Which waile your brother falne into the streames Of stately Po: the Gods upon the bankes Your bodies to banke-loving Alders turn'd. For me, I sigh, I ceasles wepe, and waile, And heaven pittiles laughes at my woe, Revives, renewes it still: and in the ende (Oh cruelty!) doth death for comfort lend. Die Cleopatra then no longer stay From Antony, who thee at Styx attends: Go joyne thy Ghost with his, and sob no more Without his love within these tombes enclos'd. Eras. Alas! yet let us wepe, lest sodaine death From him our teares, and those last duties take Unto his tombe we owe. Ch. Ah let us wepe While moisture lasts, then die before his feete. Cl. Who furnish will mine eies with streaming teares My boiling anguish worthily to waile, Waile thee Antony, Antony my heart? Alas, how much I weeping liquor want! Yet have mine eies quite drawne their Condits drie By long beweeping my disastred harmes. Now reason is that from my side they sucke First vitall moisture, then the vitall bloud. Then let the bloud from my sad eies outflowe, And smoking yet with thine in mixture grow. Moist it, and heat it newe, and never stop, All watring thee, while yet remaines one drop. Ch. Antony take our teares: this is the last Of all the duties we to thee can yelde, Before we die. Er. These sacred obseques Take Antony, and take them in good parte. Cl. O Goddesse thou whom Cyprus doth adore, Venus of Phaphos, bent to worke us harme For olde Julus broode, if thou take care Of Cæsar, why of us tak'st thou no care? Antony did descend, as well as he, From thine owne Sonne by long enchained line: And might have rul'd by one and selfe same fate, True Trojan bloud, the stately Romain state. Antony, poore Antony, my deare soule, Now but a blocke, the bootie of a tombe, Thy life thy heat is lost, thy coullour gone, And hideous palenes on thy face hath seaz'd. Thy eies, two Sunnes, the lodging place of love, Which yet for tents to warlike Mars did serve, Lock'd up in lidds (as faire daies cherefull light Which darknesse flies) do winking hide in night. Antony by our true loves I thee beseeche, And by our hearts sweete sparks have set on fire, Our holy mariage, and the tender ruthe Of our deare babes, knot of our amitie: My dolefull voice thy eare let entertaine, And take me with thee to the hellish plaine, Thy wife, thy frend: heare Antony, ô heare My sobbing sighes, if here thou be, or there. Lived thus long, the winged race of yeares Ended I have as Destinie decreed, Flourish'd and raign'd, and taken just revenge Of him who me both hated and despisde. Happie, alas too happie: if of Rome Only the fleete had hither never come. And now of me an Image great shall goe Under the earth to bury there my woe. What say I? where am I? ô Cleopatra, Poore Cleopatra, griefe thy reason reaves. No, no, most happie in this happles case, To die with thee, and dieng thee embrace: My bodie joynde with thine, my mouth with thine, my mouth, whose moisture burning sighes have dried To be in one selfe tombe, and one selfe chest, And wrapt with thee in one selfe sheete to rest. The sharpest torment in my heart I feele Is that I stay from thee, my heart, this while. Die will I straight now, now streight will I die, And streight with thee a wandring shade will be, Under the Cypres trees thou haunt'st alone, Where brookes of hell do falling seeme to mone. But yet I stay, and yet thee overlive, That ere I die due rites I may thee give. A thousand sobbes I from my brest will teare, With thousand plaints thy funeralls adorne: My haire shall serve for thy oblations, My boiling teares for thy effusions, Mine eies thy fire: for out of them the flame (Which burnt thy heart on me enamour'd) came. Wepe my companions, weepe, and from your eies Raine downe on him of teares a brinish streame. Mine can no more, consumed by the coales Which from my brest, as from a furnace rise. Martir your breasts with multiplied blowes, With violent hands teare of your hanging haire, Outrage your face: alas! why should we seeke (Since now we die) our beauties more to keepe? I spent in teares, not able more to spende, But kisse him now, what rests me more to doe? Then let me kisse you, you faire eies, my light, Front seat of honor, face most firce, most faire! O neck, ô armes, ô hands, ô breast where death (O mischiefe) comes to choake up vitall breath. A thousand kisses, thousand thousand more Let you my mouth for honors farewell give: That in this office weake my limmes may growe, Fainting on you, and fourth my soule may flow. At Ramsbury. 26. of November. 1590. Printed at London by P.S. for William Ponsonby. 1595."
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## [2] "fakesidney.discourse.xml\tTR00440.01\tmsidney.enw\tpmornay.jvp\t1592\tA Discourse of Life and Death. Written in French by Ph. Mornay. Antonius, A Tragœdie written also in French by Ro. Garnier. Both done in English by the Counteße of Pembroke. An engraved circular seal enscribed around the circumference thou shalt labor for surrounding a classical figure and banners enscribed peace and plentie with two doves at his feet. A cherub's head and wings appears at the top of the circle. Thou shalt labor for peace plentie At London, Printed for William Ponsonby. 1592. A Discourse of Life and Death, Written in French by Ph. Mornay. Sieur du Pleßis Marly. Two female figures flanking the dropped initial capital. It seemes to mee strange, and a thing much to be marveiled, that the laborer to repose himselfe hasteneth as it were the course of the Sunne: that the Mariner rowes with all force to attayne the porte, and with a joyfull crye salutes the descryed land: that the traveiler is never quiet nor content till he be at the ende of his voyage: and that wee in the meane while tied in this world to a perpetuall taske, tossed with continuall tempest, tyred with a rough and combersome way, cannot yet see the ende of our labour but with griefe, nor behold our porte but with teares, nor approch our home and quiet abode but with horrour and trembling. This life is but a Penelopes web, wherein we are alwayes doing and undoing: a sea open to all windes, which sometime within, sometime without never cease to torment us: a weary jorney through extreame heates, and coldes, over high mountaynes, steepe rockes, and theevish deserts. And so we terme it in weaving at this web, in rowing at this oare, in passing this miserable way. Yet loe when death comes to ende our worke, when she stretcheth out her armes to pull us into the porte, when after so many dangerous passages, and lothsome lodgings she would conduct us to our true home and resting place: in steede of rejoycing at the ende of our labour, of taking comfort at the sight of our land, of singing at the approch of our happie mansion, we would faine, (who would beleeve it?) retake our worke in hand, we would againe hoise saile to the winde, and willinglie undertake our journey anew. No more then remember we our paines, our shipwracks and dangers are forgotten: we feare no more the trav ailes nor the theeves. Contrarywise, we apprehende death as an extreame payne, we doubt it as a rocke, we flye it as a theefe. We doe as litle children, who all the day complayne, and when the medicine is brought them, are no longer sicke: as they who all the weeke long runne up and downe the streetes with payne of the teeth, and seeing the Barber comming to pull them out, feele no more payne: as those tender and delicate bodyes, who in pricking pleurisie complaine, crie out, and cannot stay for a Surgion, and when they see him whetting his Launcet to cut the throate of the disease, pull in their armes, and hide them in the bed, as, if he were come to kill them. We feare more the cure then the disease, the surgion then the paine, the stroke then the impostume. We have more sence of the medicins bitternes soone gone, then of a bitter languishing long continued: more feeling of death the end of our miseries, then the endlesse misery of our life. And whence proceedeth this folly and simplicitie? we neyther knowe life, nor death. We feare that we ought to hope for, and wish for that we ought to feare. We call life a continuall death: and death the issue of a living death, and the entrance of a never dying life. Now what good, I pray you, is there in life, that we should so much pursue it? or what evill is there in death, that we should so much eschue it? Nay what evill is there not in life? and what good is there not in death? Consider all the periods of this life. We enter it in teares, we passe it in sweate, we ende it in sorow. Great and litle, ritch and poore, not one in the whole world, that can pleade immunitie from this condition. Man in this point worse then all other creatures, is borne unable to support himselfe: neither receyving in his first yeeres any pleasure, nor giving to others but annoy and displeasure, and before the age of discretion passing infinite dangers. Only herein lesse unhappy then in other ages, that he hath no sence nor apprehension of his unhappines. Now is there any so weake minded, that if it were graunted him to live alwayes a childe, would make accompt of such a life? So then it is evident that not simplie to live is a good, but well and happilie to live. But proceede. Growes he? with him growe his travailes. Scarcely is he come out of his nurses hands, scarcely knowes he what it is to play, but he falleth into the subjection of some Schoolemaister: I speake but of those which are best and most precisely brought up. Studies he? it is ever with repining. Playes he? never but with feare. This whole age while he is under the charge of an other, is unto him but as a prison. He only thinks, and only aspires to that time when freed from the masthership of another, he may become maister of himselfe: pushing onward (as much as in him lies) his age with his shoulder, that soone he may enjoy his hoped libertie. In short, he desires nothing more then the ende of this base age, and the beginning of his youth. And what else I pray you is the beginning of youth, but the death of infancy? the beginning of manhood, but the death of youth? the beginning of to morow, but the death of to day? In this sort then desires he his death, and judgeth his life miserable: and so cannot be reputed in any happines or contentment. Behold him now, according to his wish, at libertie: in that age, wherein Hercules had the choise, to take the way of vertue or of vice, reason or passion for his guide, and of these two must take one. His passion entertains him with a thousand delights, prepares for him a thousand baites, presents him with a thousand worldly pleasures to surprize him: and fewe there are that are not beguiled. But at the reconings ende what pleasures are they? pleasures full of vice which hold him still in a restles feaver: pleasures subject to repentance, like sweete meates of hard disgestion: pleasures bought with pain and perill, spent and past in a moment, and followed with a long and lothsome remorse of conscience. And this is the very nature (if they be well examined) of all the pleasures of this world. There is in none so much sweetenes, but there is more bitternes: none so pleasant to the mouth, but leaves an unsavery after taste and lothsome disdaine: none (which is worse) so moderated but hath his corosive, and caries his punishment in it selfe. I will not heere speake of the displeasures confessed by all, as quarells, debates, woundes, murthers, banishments, sicknes, perils, whereinto sometimes the incontinencie, sometimes the insolencie of this ill guided age conductes him. But if those that seeme pleasures, be nothing else but displeasures: if the sweetnes thereof be as an infusion of wormewood: it is plaine enough what the displeasure is they feele, and how great the bitternes that they taste. Behold in summe the life of a yong man, who rid of the government of his parents and maisters, abandons himselfe to all libertie or rather bondage of his passion: which right like an uncleane spirit possessing him, casts him now into the water, now into the fire: sometimes caries him cleane over a rocke, and sometime flings him headlong to the bottome. Now if he take and followe reason for his guide, beholde on the other part wonderfull difficulties: he must resolve to fight in every part of the field: at every step to be in conflict, and at handstrokes, as having his enemy in front, in flanke, and on the reareward, never leaving to assaile him. And what enemy? all that can delight him, all that he sees neere, or farre off: briefly the greatest enemy of the world, the world it selfe. But which is worse, a thousand treacherous and dangerous intelligences among his owne forces, and his passion within himselfe desperate: which in that age growne to the highest, awaits but time, houre, and occasion to surprize him, and cast him into all viciousnes. God only and none other, can make him choose this way: God only can hold him in it to the ende: God only can make him victorious in all his combats. And well we see how fewe they are that enter into it, and of those fewe, how many that retire againe. Follow the one way, or follow the other, he must either subject himselfe to a tyrannicall passion, or undertake a weery and continuall combate, willingly cast himselfe to destruction, or fetter himselfe as it were in stockes, easily sincke with the course of the water, or painefully swimme against the streame. Loe here the young man, who in his youth hath drunke his full draught of the worlds vaine and deceivable pleasures, overtaken by them with such a dull heavines, and astonoshment, as drunkards the morow after a feast: either so out of taste, that he will no more, or so glutted, that he can no more: not able without griefe to speake, or thinke of them. Loe him that stoutly hath made resistance: he feeles himselfe so weery, and with this continuall conflict so brused and broken, that either he is upon the point to yeeld himselfe, or content to dye, and so acquit himselfe. And this is all the good, all the contentment of this florishing age, by children so earnestlie desired, and by old folkes so hartely lamented. Now commeth that which is called perfit age, in the which men have no other thoughts, but to purchase themsel ves wisedome and rest. Perfit in deede, but herein only perfit, that all imperfections of humane nature, hidden before under the simplicitie of childhood, or the lightnes of youth, appeere at this age in their perfection. We speake of none in this place but such as are esteemed the wisest, and most happie in the conceit of the world. We played as you have seene in feare: our short pleasures were attended on with long repentance. Behold, now present themselves to us avarice, and ambition, promising if wee will adore them, perfect contentment of the goods and honors of this world. And surely there are none, but the true children of the Lord, who by the faire illusions of the one or the other cast not themselves headlong from the top of the pinnacle. But in the ende, what is all this contentment? The covetous man makes a thousand voiages by sea and by lande: runnes a thousand fortunes: escapes a thousand shipwrackes in perptuall feare and travell: and many times he either looseth his time, or gaineth nothing but sicknesses, goutes, and oppilations for the time to come. In the purchase of this goodly repose, he bestoweth his true rest: and to gaine wealth looseth his life. Suppose he hath gained in good quantitie: that he hath spoiled the whole East of pearles, and drawen dry all the mines of the West: will he therefore be setled in quiet? can he say that he is content? All charges and journeys past, by his passed paines he heapeth up but future disquietnes both of minde and body: from one travell falling into another, never ending, but changing his miseries. He desired to have them, and now feares to loose them: he got them with burning ardour, and possesseth in trembling colde: he adventured among theeves to seeke them, and having found them, theeves and robbers on all sides, runne mainely on him: he laboured to dig them out of the earth, and now is enforced to redig, and rehide them. Finally comming from all his voiages he comes into a prison: and for an ende of his bodely travels, is taken with endlesse trav ails of the minde. And what at length hath this poore soule attained after so many miseries? This Devill of covetise by his illusions, and enchantments, beares him in hand that he hath some rare and singuler thing: and so it fareth with him, as with those seely creatures, whome the Devill seduceth under couler of releeving their povertie, who finde their hands full of leaves, supposing to finde them full of crownes. He possesseth or rather is possessed by a thing, wherein is neither force nor vertue: more unprofitable, and more base, then the least hearbe of the earth. Yet hath he heaped togither this vile excrement, and so brutish is growne, as therewith to crowne his head, which naturally he should tread under his feete. But howsoever it be, is he therewith content? Nay contrarywise lesse now, then ever. We commend most those drinks that breede an alteration, and soonest extinguish thyrst: and those meates, which in least quantitie do longest resist hunger. Now hereof the more a man drinkes, the more he is a thirst, the more he eates, the more an hungred: It is a dropsie, (and as they tearme it) the dogs hunger: sooner may he burst then be satisfied. And which is worse, so strange in some is this thyrst, that it maketh them dig the pits, and painefully drawe the water, and after will not suffer them to drinke. In the middest of a river they are dry with thirst: and on a heape of corne cry out of famine: they have goodes and dare not use them: they have joyes it seemes, and do not enjoy them: they neither have for themselves, nor for another: but of all they have, they have nothing: and yet have want of all they have not. Let us then returne to that, that the attaining of all these deceivable goods is nothing else but weerines of body, and the possession for the most part, but weerines of the minde: which certenly is so much the greater, as is more sensible, more subtile, and more tender the soule then the body. But the heape of all misery is when they come to loose them: when either shipwracke, or sacking, or invasion, or fire, or such like calamities, to which these fraile things are subject, doth take and cary them from them. Then fall they to cry, to weepe, and to torment themselves, as little children that have lost their play-game, which notwithstanding is nothing worth. One cannot perswade them, that mortall men have any other good in this world, but that which is mortall. They are in their owne conceits not only spoyled, but altogither flayed. And for asmuch as in these vaine things they have fixed all their hope, having lost them, they fall into despaire, out of the which commonly they cannot be withdrawen. And which is more, all that they have not gained according to the accompts they made, they esteeme lost: all that which turnes them not to great and extraordinary profit, they accompt as damage: whereby we see some fall into such despaire, as they cast away themselves. In short, the recompence that Covetise yeelds those that have served it all their life, is oftentimes like that of the Devill: whereof the ende is, that after a small time hav ing gratified his disciples, either he gives them over to a hangman, or himselfe breakes their neckes. I will not heere discourse of the wickednes and mischiefes whereu nto the covetous men subject themselves to attaine to these goodes, whereby their conscience is filled with a perpetuall remorse, which never leaves them in quiet: sufficeth that in this over vehement exercise, which busieth and abuseth the greatest part of the world, the body is slaine, the minde is weakened, the soule is lost without any pleasure or contentment. Come we to ambition, which by a greedines of honor fondly holdeth occupied the greatest persons. Thinke we there to finde more? nay rather lesse. As the one deceiveth us, geving us for all our travaile, but a vile excrement of the earth: so the other repayes us, but with smoke and winde: the rewards of this being as vaine, as those of that were grosse. Both in the one and the other, we fall into a bottomles pit; but into this the fall by so much the more dangerous, as at the first shewe, the water is more pleasant and cleare. Of those that geve themselves to courte ambition, some are great about Princes, others commanders of Armies: both sorts according to their degree, you see saluted, reverenced, and adored of those that are under them. You see them appareled in purple, in scarlet, and in cloth of gould: it seemes at first sight there is no contentment in the world but theirs. But men knowe not how heavy an ounce of that vaine honor weighes, what those reverences cost them, and how dearely they pay for an ell of those rich stuffes: who knewe them well, would never buy them at the price. The one hath attained to this degree, after a long and painfull service hazarding his life upon every occasion, with losse ofttimes of a legge or an arme, and that at the pleasure of a Prince, that more regards a hundred perches of ground on his neighbours frontiers, then the lives of a hundred thousand such as he: unfortunate to serve who loves him not: and foolish to thinke himselfe in honor with him, that makes so litle reckening to loose him for a thing of no worth. Others growe up by flattering a Prince, and long submitting their toongs and hands to say and doe without difference whatsoever they will have them: whereunto a good minde can never commaund it selfe. They shall have indured a thousand inj uries, received a thousand disgraces, and as neere as they seeme about the Prince, they are nevertheles alwayes as the Lions keeper, who by long patience, a thousand feedings and a thousand clawings hath made a fierce Lion familiar, yet geves him never meate, but with pulling backe his hand, alwayes in feare least he should catch him: and if once in a yere he bites him, he sets it so close, that he is paid for a long time after. Such is the ende of all princes favorites. When a Prince after long breathings hath raised a man to great height, he makes it his pastime, at what time he seemes to be at the top of his travaile, to cast him downe at an instant: when he hath filled him with all wealth, he wrings him after as a sponge: loving none but himself, and thinking every one made, but to serve, and please him. These blinde courtiers make themselves beleeve, that they have freends, and many that honor them: never considering that as they make semblance to love, and honor every body, so others do by them. Their superiors disdaine them, and never but with scorne do so much as salute them. Their inferiors salute them because they have neede of them (I meane of their fortune, of their foode, of their apparell, not of their person) and for their equalls betweene whome commonly frendship consists, they envy each other, accuse each other, crosse each other; continually greeved either at their owne harme, or at others good. Nowe what greater hell is there, what greater torment, then envie? which in truth is nought else but a feaver Hectique of the minde: so they are utterly frustrate of all frendship, ever judged by the wisest the cheife and soveraigne good among men. Will you see it more clearely? Let but fortune turne her backe, every man turnes from them: let her frowne, every man lookes aside on them: let them once be disroabed of their triumphall garment, no body will any more knowe them. Againe, let there be apparelled in it the most unworthie, and infamous whatsoever: even he without difficultie by vertue of his robe, shall inherit all the honours the other had done him. In the meane time they are puffed up, and growe proude, as the Asse which caried the image of Isis was for the honors done to the Goddesse, and regard not that it is the fortune they carry which is honored, not themselves, on whome as on Asses, many times she will be caried. But you will say: At least so long as that fortune endured, they were at ease, and had their contentment, and who hath three or foure or more yeeres of happy time, hath not bin all his life unhappie. True, if this be to be at ease continually to feare to be cast downe from that degree, whereunto they are raised: and dayly to desire with great travaile to clime yet higher. Those (my friend) whome thou takest so well at their ease, because thou seest them but without, are within farre otherwise. They are faire built prisons, full within of deepe ditches, and dungeons: full of darknes, serpents, and torments. Thou supposest them lodged at large, and they thinke their lodgings straite. Thou thinkest them very high, and they thinke themselves very lowe. Now as sicke is he, and many times more sicke, who thinkes himselfe so, then who in deed is. Suppose them to be Kings: if they thinke themselves slaves, they are no better: for what are we but by opinion? you see them well followed and attended: and even those whome they have chosen for their guard, they distrust. Alone or in company ever they are in feare. Alone they looke behinde them: in company they have an eye on every side of them. They drinke in gould and silver; but in those, not in earth or glasse is poison prepared and dronke. They have their beds soft and well made: when they lay them to sleepe you shall not heare a mouse stur in the chamber: not so much as a flie shall come neere their faces. Yet nevertheles, where the countreyman sleepes at the fall of a great river, at the noise of a market, having no other bed but the earth, nor covering but the heavens, these in the middest of all this silence and delicacie, do nothing but turne from side to side, it seemes still that they heare some body, there rest it selfe is without rest. Lastly, will you knowe what the diversitie is betwene the most hardly intreated prisoners and them? both are inchained, both loaden with fetters, but that the one hath them of iron, the other of gould, and that the one is tied but by the body, the other by the mind. The prisoner drawes his fetters after him, the courtier weareth his upon him. The prisoners minde sometimes comforts the paine of his body, and sings in the midst of his miseries: the courtier tormented in minde weerieth incessantly his body, and can never give it rest. And as for the contentment you imagine they have, you are therein yet more deceived. You judge and esteeme them great, because they are raised high: but as fondly, as who should judge a dwarfe great, for being set on a tower, or on the top of a mountaine. You measure (so good a Geometrician you are) the image with his base, which were convenient, to knowe his true height, to be measured by it selfe: whereas you regard not the height of the image, but the height of the place it stands upon. You deeme them great (if in this earth there can be greatnes, which in respect of the whole heavens is but a point.) But could you enter into their mindes, you would judge, that neither they are great, true greatnes consisting in contempt of those vaine greatnesses, whereunto they are slaves: nor seeme unto themselves so, seeing dayly they are aspiring higher, and never where they would be. Some one sets downe a bound in his minde. Could I attaine to such a degree, loe, I were content: I would then rest my selfe. Hath he attained it? he geves himselfe not so much as a breathing: he would yet ascend higher. That which is beneath he counts a toy: it is in his opinion but one step. He reputes himselfe lowe, because there is some one higher, in stead of reputing himselfe high, because there are a million lower. And so high he climes at last, that either his breath failes him by the way, or he slides from the top to the bottome. Or if he get up by all his travaile, it is but as to finde himselfe on the top of the Alpes: not above the cloudes, windes and stormes: but rather at the devotion of lightnings, and tempests, and whatsoever else horrible, and dangerous is engendred, and conceived in the aire: which most commonly taketh pleasure to thunderbolt and dash into pouder that proude height of theirs. It may be herein you will agree with me, by reason of the examples wherewith both histories, and mens memories are full. But say you, such at least whome nature hath sent into the world with crownes on their heads, and scepters in their hands: such as from their birth she hath set in that height, as they neede take no paine to ascend: seeme without controversie exempt from all these injuries, and by consequence may call themselves happie. It may be in deed they feele lesse such incommodities, having bene borne, bred and brought up among them: as one borne neere the downfalls of Nilus becomes deafe to the sound: in prison, laments not the want of libertie: among the Cimmerians in perpetuall night, wisheth not for day: on the top of the Alpes, thinks not straunge of the mistes, the tempests, the snowes, and the stormes. Yet free doubtles they are not when the lightening often blasteth a flowre of their crownes, or breakes their scepter in their handes: when a drift of snowe ov erwhelmes them: when a miste of heavines, and griefe continually blindeth their wit, and understanding. Crowned they are in deede, but with a crowne of thornes. They beare a scepter: but it is of a reede, more then any thing in the world pliable, and obedient to all windes: it being so far off that such a crowne can cure the maigrims of the minde, and such a scepter keepe off and fray away the griefes and cares which hov er about them: that it is contrariwise the crowne that brings them, and the scepter which from all partes attracts them. O crowne, said the Persian Monarch, who knew howe heavy thou sittest on the head, would not vouchsafe to take thee up, though he found thee in his way. This Prince it seemed gave fortune to the whole world, distributed unto men haps and mishaps at his pleasure: could in show make every man content: himselfe in the meane while freely confessing, that in the whole world, which he held in his hand there was nothing but griefe, and unhappines. And what will all the rest tell us, if they list to utter what they found? We will not aske them who have concluded a miserable life with a dishonorable death: who have beheld their kingdomes buried before them, and have in great misery long overlived their greatnes. Not of Dionyse of Sicill , more content with a handfull of twigs to whip little children of Corinth in a schoole, then with the scepter, wherewith he had beaten all Sicill: nor of Sylla, who hav ing robbed the whole state of Rome, which had before robbed the whole world, never found meanes of rest in himselfe, but by robbing himselfe of his owne estate, with incredible hazard both of his power and authoritie. But demaund we the opinion of King Salomon, a man indued with singuler gifts of God, rich and welthie of all things: who sought for treasure from the Iles. He will teach us by a booke of purpose, that having tried all the felicities of the earth, he found nothing but vanitie, travaile, and vexation of spirit. Aske we the Emperour Augustus, who peaceably possessed the whole world. He will bewaile his life past, and among infinite toiles wish for the rest of the meanest man of the earth: accounting that day most happy, when he might unloade himselfe of this insupportable greatnes to live quietly among the least. Of Tiberius his successor, he will confesse unto us, that he holdes the Empire as a wolfe by the eares, and that (if without danger of biting he might) he would gladly let it goe: complayning on fortune for lifting him so high, and then taking away the ladder, that he could not come downe agayne. Of Dioclesian, a Prince of so great wisedome and vertue in the opinion of the world: he will preferre his voluntary banishment at Salona, before all the Romaine Empire. Finally, the Emperour Charles the fifth, esteemed by our age the most happy that hath lived these many ages: he will curse his conquestes, his victories, his triumphes: and not be ashamed to confesse that farre more good in comparison he hath felt in one day of his Monkish solitarines, then in all his triumphant life. Now shall we thinke those happie in this imaginate greatnes, who themselves thinke themselves unhappie? seeking their happines in lessening themselves, and not finding in the world one place to rest this greatnes, or one bed quietly to sleepe in? Happie is he only who in minde lives contented: and he most of all unhappie, whome nothing he can have can content. Then miserable Pyrrhus King of Albanie, who would winne all the world, to winne (as he sayd) rest: and went so farre to seeke that which was so neere him. But more miserable Alexander, that being born King of a great Realme, and Conqueror almost of the earth, sought for more worlds to satisfye his foolish ambition, within three dayes content, with sixe foote of grounde. To conclude, are they borne on the highest Alpes? they seeke to scale heaven. Have they subdued all the Kings of the earth? they have quarels to pleade with God, and indevour to treade under foote his kingdome. They have no end nor limit, till God laughing at their vaine purposes, when they thinke themselves at the last step, thunderstriketh all this presumption, breaking in shivers their scepters in their hands, and oftentimes intrapping them in their owne crownes. At a word, whatsoever happines can be in that ambition promiseth, is but suffering much ill, to get ill. Men thinke by dayly climing higher to plucke themselves out of this ill, and the height whereunto they so painefully aspire, is the height of misery it selfe. I speake not heere of the wretchednes of them, who all their life have held out their cap to receive the almes of court fortune, and can get nothing, often with incredible heart griefe, seeing some by lesse paines taken have riches fall into their hands: of them, who justling one an other to have it, loose it, and cast it into the hands of a third: Of those, who holding it in their hands to hold it faster, have lost it through their fingers. Such by all men are esteemed unhappie, and are indeed so, because they judge themselves so. It sufficeth that all these liberalities which the Devill casteth us as out at a windowe, are but baites: all these pleasures but embushes: and that he doth but make his sport of us, who strive one with another for such things, as most unhappie is he, that hath best hap to finde them. Well now, you will say, the Covetouse in all his goodes, hath no good: the Ambitious at the best he can be, is but ill. But may there not be some, who supplying the place of Justice, or being neere about a Prince, may without following such unbrideled passions, pleasantly enjoy their goodes, joyning honor with rest and contentment of minde? Surely in former ages (there yet remayning among men some sparkes of sinceritie) in some sort it might be so: but being of that composition they nowe are, I see not how it may be in any sorte. For deale you in affayres of estate in these times, either you shall do well, or you shall do ill. If ill, you have God for your enemy, and your owne conscience for a perpetually tormenting executioner. If well, you have men for your enemies, and of men the greatest: whose envie and malice will spie you out, and whose crueltie and tyrannie will evermore threaten you. Please the people you please a beast: and pleasing such, ought to be displeasing to your selfe. Please your selfe, you displease God: please him, you incurr a thousand dangers in the world, with purchase of a thousand displeasures. Whereof it growes, that if you could heare the talke of the wisest and least discontent of this kinde of men, whether they speake advisedly, or their words passe them by force of truth, one would gladly change garment with his tenaunt: an other preacheth how goodly an estate it is to have nothing: a third complaining that his braines are broken with the noise of Courte or Pallace, hath no other thought, but as soone as he may to retire himselfe thence. So that you shall not see any but is displeased with his owne calling, and envieth that of an other: readie neverthelesse to repent him, if a man should take him at his word. None but is weerie of the bussinesses whereu nto his age is subject, and wisheth not to be elder, to free himselfe of them: albeit otherwise hee keepeth of olde age as much as in him lyeth. What must we then doe in so great a contrarietie and confusion of mindes? Must wee to fynde true humanitie, flye the societie of men, and hide us in forrestes among wilde beastes? to avoyde these unrulie passions, eschue the assemblye of creatures supposed reasonable? to plucke us out of the evills of the world, sequester our selves from the world? Coulde wee in so dooing live at rest, it were something. But alas! men cannot take heerein what parte they woulde: and even they which do, finde not there all the rest they sought for. Some would gladly doo, but shame of the world recalls them. Fooles to be ashamed of what in their heartes they condemne: and more fooles to be advised by the greatest enemye they can or ought to have. Others are borne in hande that they ought to serve the publique, not marking that who counsell them serve only themselves: and that the more parte would not much seeke the publique, but that they founde their owne particular. Some are told, that by their good example they may amende others: and consider not that a hundred sound men, even Phisitions themselves, may sooner catch the plague in an infected towne, then one be healed: that it is but to tempt God, to enter therein: that against so contagious an aire there is no preservative, but in getting farre from it. Finally, that as litle as the freshe waters falling into the sea, can take from it his saltnes: so little can one Lot or two, or three, reforme a court of Sodome. And as concerning the wisest, who no lesse carefull for their soules, then bodies, seeke to bring them into a sound and wholesome ayre, farre from the infection of wickednes: and who led by the hande of some Angell of God, retire themsel ves in season, as Lot into some little village of Segor , out of the corruption of the world, into some countrie place from the infected townes, there quietlie employing the tyme in some knowledge and serious contemplation: I willinglie yeeld they are in a place of lesse daunger, yet because they carie the danger, in themselves, not absolutelie exempt from danger. They flie the court, and a court folowes them on all sides: they endevoure to escape the world, and the world pursues them to death. Hardly in this world can they finde a place where the world findes them not: so gredelie it seekes to murther them. And if by some speciall grace of God they seeme for a while free from these daungers, they have some povertie that troubles them, some domesticall debate that torments them, or some familiar spirit that tempts them: brieflie the world dayly in some sorte or other makes it selfe felt of them. But the worst is, when we are out of these externall warres and troubles, we finde greater civill warre within our selves: the flesh against the spirit, passion against reason, earth against heaven, the worlde within us fighting for the world, evermore so lodged in the botome of our owne hearts, that on no side we can flie from it. I will say more: he makes profession to flie the worlde: who seekes thereby the praise of the worlde: hee faineth to runne away, who according to the proverbe, By drawing backe sets himselfe forward: he refuseth honors, that would thereby be prayed to take them: and hides him from men to the ende they should come to seeke him. So the world often harbours in disguised attire among them that flie the world. This is an abuse. But follow wee the company of men, the worlde hath his court among them: seeke we the Deserts, it hath there his dennes and places of resorte, and in the Desert it selfe tempteth Christ Jesus. Retire wee our selves into our selves, we find it there as uncleane as anywhere. Wee can not make the worlde die in us, but by dieng our selves. We are in the world, and the worlde in us, and to seperate us from the worlde, wee must seperate us from our selves. Nowe this seperation is called Death. Wee are, wee thinke, come out of the contagious citie, but wee are not advised that we have sucked the bad aire, that wee carry the plague with us, that we so participate with it, that through rockes, through desarts, through mountaines, it ever accompanieth us. Having avoyded the contagion of others, yet we have it in our selves. We have withdrawen us out of men: but not withdrawen man out of us. The tempestuous sea torments us: we are grieved at the heart, and desirous to vomit: and to be discharged thereof, we remove out of one ship into another, from a greater to lesse: we promise our selves rest in vaine: they being always the same winds that blow, the same waves that swel, the same humors that are stirred. To al no other port, no other mean of tranquilitie but only death. We were sicke in a chamber neere the street, or neere the market: we caused our selves to be carried into some backer closet, where the noise was not so great. But though there the noise was lesse: yet was the feaver there neverthelesse: and thereby lost nothing of his heate. Change bedde, chamber, house, country, againe and againe: we shall every where finde the same unrest, because every where we finde our selves: and seek not so much to be others, as to be other wheres. We folow solitarines, to flie carefulnes. We retire us (so say we) from the wicked: but cary with us our avarice, our ambition, our riotousnes, all our corrupt affecti ons: which breed in us 1000. remorses, & 1000. times each day bring to our remembrance the garlike & onions of Egipt. Daily they passe the Ferry with us: so that both on this side, and beyond the water, we are in continual combat. Now could we cassere this company, which eats and gnaws our mind, doubtles we should be at rest, not in solitarines onely, but even in the thicket of men. For the life of man upon earth is but a continual warfare. Are we delivered from externall practizes? Wee are to take heed of internall espials. Are the Greekes gone away? We have a Sinon within, that wil betray them the place. Wee must ever be waking, having an eie to the watch, and weapons in our hands, if wee will not every houre be surprised, & given up to the wil of our enimies. And how at last can we escape? Not by the woodes, by the rivers, nor by the mountaines: not by throwing our selves into a presse, nor by thrusting our selves into a hole. One only meane there is, which is death: which in ende seperating our spirite from our flesh, the pure and clean part of our soule from the uncleane, which within us evermore bandeth it selfe for the worlde, appeaseth by this seperation that, which conjoyned in one and the same person coulde not, without utter choaking of the spirit, but be in perpetuall contention. And as touching the contentment that may be in the exercises of the wisest men in their solitarinesse, as reading divine or prophane Bookes, with all other knowledges and learnings: I hold well that it is indeed a far other thing, then are those madde huntings, which make savage a multitude of men possessed with these or the like diseases of the minde. Yet must they all abide the judgement pronounced by the wisest among the wise, Salomon, that all this neverthelesse applied to mans naturall disposition, is to him but vanitie and vexation of minde. Some are ever learning to correct their speach, and never thinke of correcting their life. Others dispute in their Logique of reason, and the Arte of reason: and loose thereby many times their naturall reason. One learnes by Arithmetike to divide to the smallest fractions, and hath not skill to part one shilling with his brother. Another by Geometry can measure fields, and townes, and countries: but can not measure himselfe. The Musitian can accord his voyces, and soundes, and times togither: having nothing in his heart but discordes, nor one passion in his soule in good tune. The Astrologer lookes up on high, and falles in the next ditch: fore-knowes the future, and forgoes the present: hath often his eie on the heavens, his heart long before buried in the earth. The Philosopher discourseth of the nature of all other things: and knowes not himselfe. The Historian can tell of the warres of Thebes and of Troy: but what is doone in his owne house can tell nothing. The Lawyer will make lawes for all the world, and not one for himselfe. The Physition will cure others, and be blinde in his owne disease: finde the least alteration in his pulse, and not marke the burning feavers of his minde. Lastlie, the Divine will spend the greatest parte of his time in disputing of faith and cares not to heare of charity: wil talke of God, and not regard to succor men. These knowledges bring on the mind an endlesse labour, but no contentment: for the more one knowes, the more he would know. They pacify not the debates a man feeles in himselfe they cure not the diseases of his minde. They make him learned, but they make not him good: cunning, but not wise. I say more. The more a man knowes, the more knowes he that he knowes not: the fuller the minde is, the emptier it findes it selfe: forasmuch as whatsoever a man can knowe of any science in this worlde is but the least part of what he is ignorant: all his knowledge consisting in knowing his ignorance, al his perfection in noting his imperfections, which who best knowes and notes, is in truth among men the most wise, and perfect. In short we must conclude with Salomon, that the beginning and end of wisedome is the feare of God: that this wisedome neverthelesse is taken of the world for meere folly, and persecuted by the world as a deadly enemy: and that as who feareth God, ought to feare no evill, for that all his evils are converted to his good: so neither ought he to hope for good in the worlde, having there the devil his professed enemy, whom the Scripture termeth Prince of the world. But with what exercise soever we passe the time, behold old age unwares to us coms upon us: which whether we thrust our selves into the prease of men, or hide us somewhere out of the way, never failes to find us out. Every man makes accompt in that age to rest himselfe of all his travailes without further care, but to keepe himselfe at ease and in health. And see contrariwise in this age, there is nothing but an after taste of all the fore going evils: and most commonly a plentifull harvest of all such vices as in the whole course of their life, hath held and possessed them. There you have the unabilitie and weakenesse of infancie, and (which is worse) many times accompanied with authoritie: there you are payed for the excesse and riotousnes of youth, with gowts, palsies, and such like diseases, which take from you limme after limme with extreame paine and torment. There you are recompenced for the travailes of mind, the watchings and cares of manhoode, with losse of sight, losse of hearing, and all the sences one after another, except onely the sence of paine. Not one parte in us but death takes in gage to be assured of us, as of bad pay-maisters, which infinitely feare their dayes of payment. Nothing in us which will not by and by bee dead: and neverthelesse our vices yet live in us, and not onely live, but in despite of nature daily growe yoong againe. The covetous man hath one foote in his grave, and is yet burieng his money: meaning belike to finde it againe another day. The ambitious in his will ordaineth unprofitable pompes for his funeralles, making his vice to live and triumph after his death. The riotous no longer able to daunce on his feete, daunceth with his shoulders, all vices having lefte him, and hee not yet able to leave them. The childe wisheth for youth: and this man laments it. The yong man liveth in hope of the future, and this feeles the evill present, laments the false pleasures past, and sees for the time to come nothing to hope for. More foolish then the childe, in bewailing the time he cannot recall, and not remembring the evill hee had therein: and more wretched then the yongman, in that after a wretched life not able, but wretchedly to die, he sees on all sides but matter of dispaire. As for him, who from his youth hath undertaken to combate against the flesh, and against the world: who hath taken so great paines to mortifie himselfe and leave the worlde before his time: who besides those ordinarie evilles findes himselfe vexed with this great and incurable disease of olde age, and feeles notwithstanding his flesh howe weake soever, stronger oftentimes then his spirite: what good I pray can hee have but onlie herein: that hee sees his death at hand, that hee sees his combate finished, that he sees himselfe readie to departe by death out of this loathsome prison, wherein all his life time hee hath beene racked and tormented? I will not heere speake of the infinite evilles wherewith men in all ages are annoyed, as losse of friendes and parents, banishments, exiles, disgraces, and such others, common and ordinarie in the world: one complayning of loosing his children, an other of having them: one making sorrow for his wifes death, an other for her life, one finding faulte, the hee is too high in Courte, an other, that hee is not high enough. The worlde is so full of evilles, that to write them all, woulde require an other worlde as great as it selfe. Sufficeth, that if the most happie in mens opinions doe counterpoize his happs with his mishaps, he shall judge himselfe unhappy: and hee judge him happy, who had he beene set three dayes in his place would give it over to him that came next: yea, sooner then hee, who shall consider in all the goodes that ever hee hath had the evilles hee hath endured to get them, and having them to retaine and keepe them (I speake of the pleasures that may be kept, and not of those that wither in a moment) wil judge of himselfe, and by himselfe, that the keeping it selfe of the greatest felicitie in this worlde, is full of unhappinesse and infelicitie. Conclude then, that Childhoode is but a foolish simplicitie, Youth, a vaine heate, Manhoode, a painefull carefulnesse, and Olde-age, a noysome languishing: that our playes are but teares, our pleasures, fevers of the minde, our goodes, rackes, and torments, our honors, heavy vanities, our rest, unrest: that passing from age to age is but passing from evill to evill, and from the lesse unto the greater: and that alwayes it is but one wave driving on an other, untill we be arrived at the Haven of death. Conclude I say, that life is but a wishing for the future, and a bewailing of the past: a loathing of what wee have tasted, and a longing for that wee have not tasted, a vaine memorie of the state past, and a doubtfull expectation of the state to come: finally, that in all our life there is nothing certaine, nothing assured, but the certaintie and uncertaintie of death. Behold, now comes Death unto us: Behold her, whose approch we so much fear. We are now to consider whether she be such as wee are made beleeve: and whether we ought so greatly to flie her, as commonly wee do. Wee are afraide of her: but like little children of a vizarde, or of the Images of Hecate. Wee have her in horror: but because wee conceive her not such as she is, but ougly, terrible, and hideous: such as it pleaseth the Painters to represent unto us on a wall. Wee flie before her: but it is because foretaken with such vaine imaginations, wee give not our selves leisure to marke her. But staie wee, stande wee stedfast, looke wee her in the face: wee shall finde her quite other then shee is painted us: and altogether of other countentaunce then our miserable life. Death makes an ende of this life. This life is a perpetuall misery and tempest: Death then is the issue of our miseries and entraunce of the porte where wee shall ride in safetie from all windes. And shoulde wee feare that which withdraweth us from misery, or which drawes us into our Haven? Yea but you will say, it is a payne to die. Admit it bee: so is there in curing of a wounde. Such is the worlde, that one evill can not bee cured but by an other, to heale a contusion, must bee made an incision. You will say, there is difficultie in the passage: So is there no Haven, no Porte, whereinto the entraunce is not straite and combersome. No good thing is to be bought in this worlde with other then the coyne of labour and paine. The entraunce indeede is hard, if our selves make it harde, comming thither with a tormented spirite, a troubled minde, a wavering and irresolute thought. But bring wee quietnesse of minde, constancie, and full resolution, wee shall not finde anie daunger or difficultie at all. Yet what is the paine that death brings us? Nay, what can shee doe with those paines wee feele? Wee accuse her of all the evilles wee abide in ending our life, and consider not howe manie more greevous woundes or sickenesses wee have endured without death: or howe many more vehement paines wee have suffered in this life, in the which wee called even her to our succour. All the paines our life yeeldes us at the last houre wee impute to Death: not marking that life begunne and continued in all sortes of paine, must also necessarily ende in paine. Not marking (I saie) that it is the remainder of our life, not death, that tormenteth us: the ende of our navigation that paines us, not the Haven wee are to enter: which is nothing else but a safegarde against all windes. Wee complayne of Death, where wee shoulde complayne of life: as if one havyng beene long sicke, and beginning to bee well, shoulde accuse his health of his last paynes, and not the reliques of his disease. Tell mee, what is it else to bee dead, but to bee no more living in the worlde? Absolutelie and simplie not to bee in the worlde, is it anie payne? Did wee then feele any paine, when as yet wee were not? Have wee ever more resemblaunce of Death, then when wee sleepe? Or ever more rest then at that time? Now if this be no paine, why accuse we Death of the paines our life gives us at our departure? Unlesse also we wil fondly accuse the time when as yet we were not, of the paines we felt at our birth ? If the comming in be with teares, is it wonder that such be the going out? If the beginning of our being, be the beginning of our paine, is it marvell that such be the ending? But if our not being in times past hath bene without payne, and all this being contrarywise full of paine: whome should we by reason accuse of the last paines, the not being to come, or the remnant of this present being? We thinke we dye not, but when we yeeld up our last gaspe. But if we marke well, we dye every day, every houre, every moment. We apprehend death as a thing unusuall to us: and yet have nothing so common in us. Our living is but continuall dyeng: looke how much we live, we dye: how much we encrease, our life decreases. We enter not a step into life, but we enter a step into death. Who hath lived a third part of his yeares, hath a third part of himselfe dead. Who halfe his yeares, is already half dead. Of our life, all the time past is dead, the present lives and dies at once, and the future likewise shall dye. The past is no more, the future is not yet, the present is, and no more is. Briefely, this whole life is but a death: it is as a candle lighted in our bodies: in one the winde makes it melt away, and in an other blowes it cleane out, many times ere it be halfe burned: in others it endureth to the ende. Howsoever it be, looke how much it shineth, so much it burneth: her shining is her burning: her light a vanishing smoke: her last fire, hir last wike, and her last drop of moisture. So is it in the life of man, life and death in man is all one. If we call the last breath death, so must we all the rest: all proceeding from one place, and all in one manner. One only difference there is betweene this life, and that we call death: that during the one, we have alwayes wherof to dye: and after the other, there remaineth only wherof to live. In summe, even he that thinketh death simply to be the ende of man, ought not to feare it: in asmuch as who desireth to live longer, desireth to die longer: and who feareth soone to die, feareth (to speake properlie) lest he may not longer die. But unto us brought up in a more holy schoole, death is a farre other thing: neither neede we as the Pagans of consolations against death: but that death serve us, as a consolation against all sorts of affliction: so that we must not only strengthen our selves, as they, not to feare it, but accustome ourselves to hope for it. For unto us it is not a departing from pain & evil, but an accesse unto all good: not the end of life, but the end of death, & the beginning of life. Better, saith Salomon, is the day of death, then the day of birth, and why? because it is not to us a last day, but the dawning of an everlasting day. No more shall we have in that glorious light, either sorow for the past, or expectation of the future: for all shall be there present unto us, and that present shall never more passe. No more shal we powre out our selves in vaine & painfull pleasures: for we shal be filled with true & substantiall pleasures. No more shal we paine our selves in heaping togither these exhalations of the earth: for the heav ens shall be ours, and this masse of earth, which ever drawes us towards the earth, shal be buried in the earth. No more shal we overwearie our selves with mounting from degree to degree, and from honor to honor: for we shall highlie be raysed above all heights of the world; and from on high laugh at the folly of all those we once admired, who fight together for a point, and as litle children for lesse then an apple. No more to be brief shal we have combates in our selves: for our flesh shall be dead, and our spirit in full life: our passion buried, and our reason in perfect libertie. Our soule delivered out of this foule & filthie prison, where, by long continuing it is growen into an habite of crookednes, shall againe draw her owne breath, recognize her ancient dwelling, and againe remember her former glory & dignity. This flesh my frend which thou feelest, this body which thou touchest is not man: Man is from heaven: heaven is his countrie and his aire. That he is in his body, is but by way of exile & confinement. Man in deed is soule and spirit: Man is rather of celestiall and divine qualitie, wherin is nothing grosse nor materiall. This body such as now it is, is but the barke & shell of the soule: which must necessarily be broken, if we will be hatched: if we wil indeed live & see the light. We have it semes, some life, and some sence in us: but are so croked and contracted, that we cannot so much as stretch out our wings, much lesse take our flight towards heaven, untill we be disburthened of this earthlie burthen. We looke, but through false spectacles: we have eyes but overgrowen with pearles: we thinke we see, but it is in a dreame, wherin we see nothing but deceit. All that we have, and all that we know is but abuse and vanitie. Death only can restore us both life and light: and we thinke (so blockish we are) that she comes to robbe us of them. We say we are Christians: that we beleeve after this mortall, a life immortall: that death is but a separation of the body and soule: and that the soule returnes to his happie abode, there to joy in God, who only is all good: that at the last day it shall againe take the body, which shal no more be subject to corruption. With these goodly discourses we fill all our bookes: and in the meane while, when it comes to the point, the very name of death as the horriblest thing in the world makes us quake & tremble. If we beleve as we speak, what is that we feare? to be happy? to be at our ease? to be more content in a moment, then we might be in the longest mortal life that might be? or must not we of force confesse, that we bele ve it but in part? that all we have is but words? that all our discourses, as of these hardie trencher knights, are but vaunting and vanitie? Some you shall see, that wil say: I know well that I passe out of this life into a better: I make no doubt of it: only I feare the midway step, that I am to step over. Weak harted creatures! they wil kill themselves to get their miserable living: suffer infinite paines, and infinite wounds at another mans pleasure: passe infinit deaths without dying, for things of nought, for things that perish, and perchance make them perish with them. But when they have but one pace to passe to be at rest, not for a day, but for ever: not an indifferent rest, but such as mans minde cannot comprehende: they tremble, their harts faile them, they are affrayde: and yet the ground of their harme is nothing but feare. Let them never tell me, they apprehend the paine: it is but an abuse: a purpose to conceale the litle faith they have. No, no, they would rather languish of the goute, the sciatica, any disease whatsoever: then dye one sweete death with the least paine possible: rather pininglie dye limme after limme, outliving as it were, all their sences, motions, and actions, then speedily dye, immediatly to live for ever. Let them tell me no more that they would in this world learne to live: for every one is thereunto sufficiently instructed in himselfe, and not one but is cunning in the trade. Nay rather they should learne in this world to dye: and once to dye well, dye dayly in themselves: so prepared, as if the ende of every dayes worke, were the ende of our life. Now contrarywise there is nothing to their eares more offensive, then to heare of death. Senselesse people! we abandon our life to the ordinarie hazards of warre, for seaven franks pay: are formost in an assault, for a litle bootie: goe into places, whence there is no hope of returning, with danger many times both of bodies and soules. But to free us from all hazards, to winne things inestimable, to enter an eternall life, we faint in the passage of one pace, wherein is no difficultie, but in opinion: yea we so faint, that were it not of force we must passe, and that God in despite of us will doe us a good turne, hardly should we finde in all the world one, how unhappy or wretched soever, that would ever passe. Another will say, had I lived till 50. or 60. yeares, I should have bin contented: I should not have cared to live longer: but to dye so yong is no reason. I should have knowen the world before I had left it. Simple soule! in this world there is neither young nor olde. The longest age in comparison of all that is past, or all that is to come, is nothing: and when thou hast lived to the age thou now desirest, all the past will be nothing: thou wilt still gape, for that is to come. The past will yeeld thee but sorrowe, the future but expectation, the present no contentment. As ready thou wilt then be to redemaund longer respite, as before. Thou fliest thy creditor from moneth to moneth, and time to time, as readie to pay the last daye, as the first: thou seekest but to be acquitted. Thou hast tasted all which the world esteemeth pleasures: not one of them is new unto thee. By drinking oftener, thou shalt be never awhit the more satisfyed: for the body thou cariest, like the bored paile of Danaus daughters, will never be full. Thou mayst sooner weare it out, then weary thy selfe with using, or rather abusing it. Thou cravest long life to cast it away, to spend it on worthles delights, to mispend it on vanities. Thou art covetous in desiring, and prodigall in spending. Say not thou findest fault with the Court, or the Pallace: but that thou desirest longer to serve the commonwealth, to serve thy countrie, to serve God. He that set thee on worke knowes untill what day, and what houre, thou shouldest be at it: he well knowes how to direct his worke. Should he leave thee there longer, perchance thou wouldest marre all. But if he will pay thee liberally for thy labour, as much for halfe a dayes worke, as for a whole: as much for having wrought till noone, as for having borne all the heate of the day: are thou not so much the more to thanke and prayse him? but if thou examine thine owne consience, thou lamentest not the cause of the widdow, and the orphan, which thou hast left depending in judgement: not the dutie of a sonne, of a father, or of a frend, which thou pretendest thou wouldest performe: not the ambassage for the common wealth, which thou wert even ready to undertake: not the service thou desirest to doe unto God, who knowes much better howe to serve himselfe of thee, then thou of thy selfe. It is thy houses and gardens thou lamentest, thy imperfect plottes and purposes, thy life (as thou thinkest) imperfect: which by no dayes, nor yeares, nor ages, might be perfected: and yet thy selfe mightst perfect in a moment, couldest thou but thinke in good earnest, that where it ende it skilles not, so that it end well. Now to end well this life, is onely to ende it willingly: following with full consent the will and direction of God, and not suffering us to be drawen by the necessitie of destenie. To end it willingly, we must hope, and not feare death. To hope for it, we must certainely looke after this life, for a better life. To looke for that, wee must feare God: whome whoso well feareth, feareth indeede nothing in this worlde, and hopes for all things in the other. To one well resolved in these points death can be but sweete and agreeable: knowing that through it hee is to enter into a place of all joyes. The griefe that may be therein shall bee allaied with sweetnes: the sufferance of ill, swallowed in the confidence of good: the sting of Death it selfe shall bee dead, which is nothing else but Feare. Nay, I wil say more, not onely all the evilles conceived in death shall be to him nothing: but he shall even scorne all the mishappes men redoubt in this life, and laugh at all these terrors. For I pray what can he feare, whose death is his hope? Thinke we to banish him his country? He knows he hath a country other-where, whence wee cannot banish him: and that all these countries are but Innes, out of which he must part at the wil of his hoste. To put him in prison? a more straite prison he cannot have, then his owne body, more filthy, more darke, more full of rackes and torments. To kill him and take him out of the worlde? that is it he hopes for: that is it with all his heart he aspires unto. By fire, by sworde, by famine, by sickenesse: within three yeeres, within three dayes, within three houres, all is one to him: all is one at what gate, or at what time he passe out of this miserable life. For his businesses are ever ended, his affaires all dispatched, and by what way he shall go out, by the same hee shall enter into a most happie and ev erlasting life. Men can threaten him but death, and death is all he promiseth himselfe: the worst they can doe, is, to make him die, and that is the best hee hopes for. The threatnings of tyrants are to him promises, the swordes of his greatest enemies drawne in his fav or: forasmuch as he knowes that threatning him death, they threathen him life: and the most mortall woundes can make him but immortall. Who feares God, feares not death: and who feares it not, feares not the worst of this life. By this reckoning, you will tell me death is a thing to be wished for: and to passe from so much evill, to so much good, a man shoulde as it seemeth cast away his life. Surely, I feare not, that for any good wee expect, we will hasten one step the faster: though the spirite aspire, the body it drawes with it, withdrawes it ever sufficiently towardes the earth. Yet is it not that I conclude. We must seeke to mortifie our flesh in us, and to cast the world out of us: but to cast our selves out of the world is in no sort permitted us. The Christian ought willingly to depart out of this life but not cowardly to runne away. The Christian is ordained by God to fight therein: and cannot leave his place without incurring reproch and infamie. But if it please the grande Captaine to recall him, let him take the retrait in good part, and with good will obey it. For hee is not borne for himselfe, but for God: of whome he holdes his life at farme, as his tenant at will, to yeeld him the profites. It is in the landlord to take it from him, not in him to surrender it, when a conceit takes him. Diest thou yong? praise God as the mariner that hath had a good winde, soone to bring him to Porte. Diest thou olde? praise him likewise, for if thou hast had lesse winde, it may be thou hast also had lesse waves. But thinke not at thy pleasure to go faster or softer: for the winde is not in thy power, and in steede of taking the shortest way to the Haven, thou maiest happily suffer shipwracke. God calleth home from his worke, one in the morning, an other at noone, and an other at night. One he exerciseth til the first sweate, another he sunneburneth, another he rosteth and drieth throughly. But of all his he leaves not one without, but brings them all to rest, and gives them all their hire, every one in his time. Who leaves his worke before God call him, looses it: and who importunes him before the time, looses his reward. We must rest us in his will, who in the middest of our troubles sets us at rest. To ende, we ought neither to hate this life for the toiles therein, for it is slouth and cowardise: nor love it for the delights, which is follie and vanitie: but serve us of it, to serve God in it, who after it shall place us in true quietnesse, and replenish us with pleasures whiche shall never more perish. Neyther ought we to flye death, for it is childish to feare it: and in flieng from it, wee meete it. Much lesse to seeke it, for that is temeritie: nor every one that would die, can die. As much despaire in the one, as cowardise in the other: in neither any kinde of magnanimitie. It is enough that we constantly and continually waite for her comming, that shee may never finde us unprovided. For as there is nothing more certaine then death, so is there nothing more uncertaine then the houre of death, knowen onlie to God, the onlie Author of life and death, to whom wee all ought ende vour both to live and die. Die to live, Live to die. The 13. of May 1590. At Wilton."
##
## [[7]]
## [1] ""
## [2] ""
## [3] ""
## [4] "To the Angell spirit of the most excellent "
## [5] "Sir Phillip Sidney "
## [6] ""
## [7] ""
## [8] ""
## [9] "To thee pure sprite, to thee alone's addres't "
## [10] "this coupled worke, by double int'rest thine: "
## [11] "First rais'de by thy blest hand, and what is mine "
## [12] ""
## [13] "inspird by thee, thy secrett power imprest. "
## [14] ""
## [15] "So dar'd my Muse with thine it selfe combine, "
## [16] "as mortall stuffe with that which is divine, "
## [17] ""
## [18] "Thy lightning beames give lustre to the rest, "
## [19] ""
## [20] "That heaven's King may daigne his owne transform'd "
## [21] "in substance no, but superficiall tire "
## [22] "by thee put on; to praise, not to aspire "
## [23] ""
## [24] "To, those high Tons, so in themselves adorn'd, "
## [25] "which Angells sing in their cselestiall Quire, "
## [26] "and all of tongues with soule and voice admire "
## [27] ""
## [28] "Theise sacred Hymnes thy Kinglie Prophet form'd. "
## [29] ""
## [30] "Oh, had that soule which honor brought to rest "
## [31] "too soone not left and reft the world of all "
## [32] "what man could showe, which wee perfection call "
## [33] ""
## [34] "This half maim'd peece had sorted with the best. "
## [35] "Deepe wounds enlarg'd, long festred in their gall "
## [36] "fresh bleeding smart; not eie but hart teares fall. "
## [37] ""
## [38] "Ah memorie what needs this new arrest? "
## [39] ""
## [40] ""
## [41] ""
## [42] "XXXVI "
## [43] ""
## [44] "Yet here behold, (oh wert thou to behold!) "
## [45] ""
## [46] "this finish't now, thy matchlesse Muse begunne, "
## [47] "the rest but peec't, as left by thee undone. "
## [48] ""
## [49] "Pardon (oh blest soule) presumption too too bold: "
## [50] "if love and zeale such error ill-become "
## [51] "'tis zealous love, Love which hath never done, "
## [52] ""
## [53] "Nor can enough in world of words unfold. "
## [54] ""
## [55] "And sithe it hath no further scope to goe, "
## [56] "nor other purpose but to honor thee, "
## [57] "Thee in thy workes where all the Graces bee, "
## [58] ""
## [59] "As little streames with all their all doe flowe "
## [60] "to their great sea, due tribute's gratefull fee: "
## [61] "so press my thoughts my burthened thoughtes in mee, "
## [62] ""
## [63] "To pay the debt of Infinits I owe "
## [64] ""
## [65] "To thy great worth; exceeding Nature's store, "
## [66] "wonder of men, sole borne perfection's kinde, "
## [67] "Phoenix thou wert, so rare thy fairest minde "
## [68] ""
## [69] "Heavnly adorn'd, Earth justlye might adore, "
## [70] "where truthfull praise in highest glorie shin'de: "
## [71] "For there alone was praise to truth confin'de; "
## [72] ""
## [73] "And where but there, to live for evermore? "
## [74] ""
## [75] "Oh! when to this Accompt, this cast upp Summe, "
## [76] "this Reckoning made, this Audit of my woe, "
## [77] "I call my thoughts, whence so strange passions flowe; "
## [78] ""
## [79] "Howe workes my hart, my sences striken dumbe? "
## [80] "that would thee more, then ever hart could showe, "
## [81] "and all too short who knewe thee best doth knowe "
## [82] ""
## [83] "There lives no witt that may thy praise become. "
## [84] ""
## [85] ""
## [86] ""
## [87] "xxxvu "
## [88] ""
## [89] ""
## [90] ""
## [91] "Truth I invoke (who scorne else where to move "
## [92] "or here in ought my blood should partialize) "
## [93] "Truth, sacred Truth, Thee sole to solemnize "
## [94] ""
## [95] "Those precious rights well knowne best mindes approve: "
## [96] "and who but doth, hath wisdome's open eies, "
## [97] "not owly blinde the fairest light still flies "
## [98] ""
## [99] "Confirme no lesse? At least 'tis seal'd above. "
## [100] ""
## [101] "Where thou art fixt among thy fellow lights: "
## [102] "my day put out, my life in darkenes cast, "
## [103] "Thy AngelTs soule with highest Angells plac't "
## [104] ""
## [105] "There blessed sings enjoying heav 'n-delights "
## [106] "thy Maker's praise: as farr from earthy tast "
## [107] "as here thy workes so worthilie embrac't "
## [108] ""
## [109] "By all of worth, where never Envie bites. "
## [110] ""
## [111] "As goodly buildings to some glorious ende "
## [112] "cut of by fate, before the Graces hadde "
## [113] "each wondrous part in all their beauties cladde, "
## [114] ""
## [115] "Yet so much done, as Art could not amende; "
## [116] "So thy rare workes to which no witt can adde, "
## [117] "in all men's eies, which are not blindely madde, "
## [118] ""
## [119] "Beyonde compare above all praise, extende. "
## [120] ""
## [121] "Immortall Monuments of thy faire fame, "
## [122] ""
## [123] "though not compleat, nor in the reach of thought, "
## [124] "howe on that passing peece time would have wrought "
## [125] ""
## [126] "Had Heav'n so spar'd the life of life to frame "
## [127] ""
## [128] "the rest? But ah! such losse hath this world ought "
## [129] "can equall it? or which like greevance brought? "
## [130] ""
## [131] "Yet there will live thy ever praised name. "
## [132] ""
## [133] ""
## [134] ""
## [135] "xxxvm "
## [136] ""
## [137] "To which theise dearest offrings of my hart "
## [138] ""
## [139] "dissolv'd to Inke, while perm's impressions move "
## [140] "the bleeding veines of never dying love: "
## [141] ""
## [142] "I render here: these wounding lynes of smart "
## [143] "sadd Characters indeed of simple love "
## [144] "not Art nor skill which abler wits doe prove, "
## [145] ""
## [146] "Of my full soule receive the meanest part. "
## [147] ""
## [148] "Receive theise Hymnes, theise obsequies receive; "
## [149] "if any marke of thy sweet sprite appeare, "
## [150] "well are they borne, no title else shall beare. "
## [151] ""
## [152] "I can no more: Deare Soule I take my leave; "
## [153] ""
## [154] "Sorrowe still strives, would mount thy highest sphere "
## [155] "presuming so just cause might meet thee there, "
## [156] ""
## [157] "Oh happie chaunge! could I so take my leave. "
## [158] ""
## [159] "By the Sister of that "
## [160] "Incomparable Sidney "
## [161] ""
## [162] ""
## [163] ""
## [164] "The Psalms "
## [165] ""
## [166] "of "
## [167] ""
## [168] "Sir Philip Sidney "
## [169] ""
## [170] "(PSALMS 1-43) "
## [171] ""
## [172] ""
## [173] ""
## [174] "PSALM 1 BEATUS VIR "
## [175] ""
## [176] ""
## [177] ""
## [178] "Hee blessed is who neither loosely treacles "
## [179] ""
## [180] "The strayinge steppes, as wicked counsell leades "
## [181] ""
## [182] "Ne for bad mates in waie of Sinninge waiteth, "
## [183] "Nor yett himself with idle Scorners seateth "
## [184] ""
## [185] "But on Gods lawe his hartes delight doth binde "
## [186] "Which night and daie hee calls to marking minde. "
## [187] ""
## [188] "Hee shalbe like a freshly planted tree "
## [189] ""
## [190] "To which sweete Springes of waters Neighbours bee "
## [191] "Whose braunches faile not timely fruit to nourish "
## [192] ""
## [193] "Nor withered leafe shall make it faile to flourish. "
## [194] "So all the thinges wherto that man doth bend "
## [195] ""
## [196] "Shall prosper still with well-succeeding end. "
## [197] ""
## [198] "Not soe the wicked; Butt like chaff with wind "
## [199] "Scattred, shall neither stay in Judgment find "
## [200] ""
## [201] "Nor with the just, bee in their meetings placed: "
## [202] "For good mens waies by God are knowne and graced. "
## [203] ""
## [204] "Butt who from Justice sinnfully doe stray, "
## [205] "The way they goe, shall be their ruins way. "
## [206] ""
## [207] ""
## [208] ""
## [209] "4 "
## [210] ""
## [211] ""
## [212] ""
## [213] "PSALM 2 QUARE FREMUERUNT GENTES "
## [214] ""
## [215] ""
## [216] ""
## [217] "What ayles this heathenish rage? What doe these people "
## [218] ""
## [219] "To mutter murmurs vaine? [meane "
## [220] ""
## [221] "Why doe these earthly kinges, and lordes such meeting "
## [222] ""
## [223] "And counsell joyntly take [make "
## [224] ""
## [225] "5 Against the lorde of lordes, the lorde of every thinge "
## [226] ""
## [227] "And his anointed kinge? "
## [228] "Come let us breake theire bonds, say they, and fondly "
## [229] ""
## [230] "And cast theire yoakes awaie. [saie "
## [231] ""
## [232] "But hee shall them deride, who by the Heavens is borne "
## [233] "10 Hee shall laugh them to scorne "
## [234] ""
## [235] "And after speake to them with breath of wrathfull fire "
## [236] ""
## [237] "And vex them in his Ire. "
## [238] "And say (O kinges) yett have I sett my king upon "
## [239] ""
## [240] "My holy hill Sion. "
## [241] "15 And I will (saieth his kinge) the Lordes decree display "
## [242] ""
## [243] "And saye that hee did say: "
## [244] "Thou art my Sonne indeede this daie begott by mee: "
## [245] ""
## [246] "Aske I will give to thee "
## [247] "The heath'n for thy childes-right, and will thy realme "
## [248] "20 Farre as worldes farthest end. [extend "
## [249] ""
## [250] "With Iron Scepter bruise thou shalt and peecemeale "
## [251] ""
## [252] "These men like potshardes weake. [breake "
## [253] ""
## [254] "Therfore (O kinges) bee wise, O Rulers rule your minde "
## [255] ""
## [256] "That knowledge you may finde. "
## [257] "25 Serve God, serve him with feare: Rejoice in him but soe "
## [258] ""
## [259] "That joy with trembling goe. "
## [260] "With loving homage kisse that onely son hee hath "
## [261] ""
## [262] "Least you enflame his wrath "
## [263] "Whereof if but a sparke once kindled be, you all "
## [264] ""
## [265] ""
## [266] ""
## [267] "PSALM 2 5 "
## [268] ""
## [269] "30 From your way perish shall. "
## [270] ""
## [271] "And then they that in him theire only trust doe rest, "
## [272] "O they bee rightly blest. "
## [273] ""
## [274] "line 21 bruise: crush, line 22 potshardes: broken pieces of earth- "
## [275] "enware. "
## [276] ""
## [277] ""
## [278] ""
## [279] "6 "
## [280] ""
## [281] ""
## [282] ""
## [283] "PSALM 3 DOMINE, QUID MULTIPLICATI "
## [284] ""
## [285] ""
## [286] ""
## [287] "Lord howe doe they encrease "
## [288] "That hatefull never cease "
## [289] ""
## [290] "To breede my greevous trouble! "
## [291] "Howe many ones there bee "
## [292] "5 That all against poore mee "
## [293] ""
## [294] "Theire numbrous strengthes redouble! "
## [295] ""
## [296] "Even multitudes bee they "
## [297] "That to my soule doe say "
## [298] ""
## [299] "Noe helpe for you remaineth "
## [300] "10 In God on whom you build; "
## [301] ""
## [302] "Yet Lord thou art my shield "
## [303] ""
## [304] "In thee my glorie raigneth. "
## [305] ""
## [306] "The Lord liftes up my head "
## [307] "To him my voice I spread "
## [308] "15 From holy hill hee heard mee. "
## [309] ""
## [310] "I layed mee downe and slept "
## [311] "While hee mee safely kept "
## [312] ""
## [313] "And safe from sleepe hee reard mee. "
## [314] ""
## [315] "I will not bee afraide "
## [316] "20 Though Legions round be laide "
## [317] ""
## [318] "Which all against mee gather: "
## [319] "I say no more but this: "
## [320] "Up Lord, nowe tyme it is: "
## [321] ""
## [322] "Helpe mee my God and father! "
## [323] ""
## [324] ""
## [325] ""
## [326] "PSALM 3 "
## [327] ""
## [328] "25 For thou with cruell blowes "
## [329] ""
## [330] "On Jaw-bones of my foes "
## [331] ""
## [332] "My causeless wronges hast wroken: "
## [333] ""
## [334] "Thou those mens teeth which bite, "
## [335] ""
## [336] "Venomd with godless spite, "
## [337] "30 Hast in theire malice broken. "
## [338] ""
## [339] "Salvation doth belonge "
## [340] ""
## [341] "Unto the Lord moste stronger "
## [342] ""
## [343] "Hee is hee that defendeth: "
## [344] "And on those blessed same "
## [345] "35 Which beare his peoples name, "
## [346] ""
## [347] "His blessing hee extendeth. "
## [348] ""
## [349] ""
## [350] ""
## [351] "8 "
## [352] ""
## [353] ""
## [354] ""
## [355] "PSALM 4 CUM INVOCAREM "
## [356] ""
## [357] ""
## [358] ""
## [359] "Heare me, O heare me, when I call, "
## [360] "O God, God of my equity: "
## [361] "Thou sett'st me free when I was thrall, "
## [362] "Have mercy therefore still on me, "
## [363] "5 And harken how I pray to thee. "
## [364] ""
## [365] "O men, whose fathers were but men, "
## [366] "Till when will ye my honor high "
## [367] "Stain with your blasphemies? till when "
## [368] "Such pleasure take in vanity, "
## [369] "10 And only hunt where lies do ly? "
## [370] ""
## [371] "Yet know this too, that God did take "
## [372] "When he chose me, a godly one: "
## [373] "Such one, I say, that when I make "
## [374] "My cryeng plaintes to him alone, "
## [375] "15 He will give good eare to my moane. "
## [376] ""
## [377] "O tremble then with awfull will: "
## [378] "Sinne from all rule in you depose, "
## [379] "Talk with your harts and yet be still: "
## [380] "And when your chamber you do close, "
## [381] "20 Your selves, yet to your selves disclose. "
## [382] ""
## [383] "The sacrifices sacrifie "
## [384] ""
## [385] "Of just desires, on justice staid "
## [386] "Trust in that Lord that cannot ly. "
## [387] "Indeed full many folkes have said, "
## [388] "25 From whence shall come to us such aid? "
## [389] ""
## [390] ""
## [391] ""
## [392] "PSALM 4 9 "
## [393] ""
## [394] "But, Lord, lift thou upon our sight "
## [395] "The shining cleereness of thy face, "
## [396] "Where I have found more hartes delight "
## [397] "Than they whose store in harvests space "
## [398] "30 Of grain and wine fills stoaring place. "
## [399] ""
## [400] "So I in peace and peacefull blisse "
## [401] "Will lay me down and take my rest: "
## [402] "For it is thou, Lord, thou it is, "
## [403] "By pow'r of whose own onely brest "
## [404] "35 I dwell, laid up in safest neast. "
## [405] ""
## [406] "line 3 thrall: in bondage, line 21 sacrifie: offer as sacrifice, line "
## [407] "I22 on justice staid: the desire of what is just being restrained "
## [408] "within the limits of what can be accomplished by just means, line "
## [409] "29 harvests space: the time of harvest. "
## [410] ""
## [411] ""
## [412] ""
## [413] "io "
## [414] ""
## [415] ""
## [416] ""
## [417] "PSALM 5 VERBA ME A AURIBUS "
## [418] ""
## [419] ""
## [420] ""
## [421] "Ponder the wordes, O Lord, that I doe say, "
## [422] "Consider what I meditate in me: "
## [423] ""
## [424] "O, harken to my voice which calls on thee, "
## [425] "My king, my God, for I to thee will pray. "
## [426] "5 Soe shall my voice clime to thine eares betime: "
## [427] "For unto thee I will my praier send "
## [428] "With earliest entry of the morning prime, "
## [429] "And will my waiting eies to thee-ward bend. "
## [430] ""
## [431] "For thou art that same God, farre from delight "
## [432] "10 In that which of fowle wickedness doth smell: "
## [433] "No, nor with thee the naughty ones shall dwell, "
## [434] "Nor glorious fooles stand in thy awfull sight. "
## [435] "Thou hatest all whose workes in ill are placd, "
## [436] "And shalt roote out the tongues to lyeng bent: "
## [437] "15 For thou, the Lord, in endless hatred hast "
## [438] "The murdrous man, and soe the fraudulent. "
## [439] ""
## [440] "But I my self will to thy howse addresse "
## [441] "With pasport of thy graces manifold: "
## [442] ""
## [443] "And in thy feare, knees of my hart will fold, "
## [444] "2,0 Towardes the temple of thy hollinesse. "
## [445] ""
## [446] "Thou Lord, thou Lord, the saver of thine owne, "
## [447] "Guide me, O in thy justice be my guide: "
## [448] "And make thy waies to me more plainly known, "
## [449] "For all I need, that with such foes do bide. "
## [450] ""
## [451] ""
## [452] ""
## [453] "PSALM 5 11 "
## [454] ""
## [455] "25 For in their mouth not one cleare word is spent, "
## [456] "Mischief their soules for inmost lyning have: "
## [457] "Their throate it is an open swallowing grave, "
## [458] ""
## [459] "Whereto their tongue is flattring instrument. "
## [460] "Give them their due unto their guiltinesse, "
## [461] "30 Let their vile thoughts the thinckers mine be: "
## [462] ""
## [463] "With heaped weights of their own sinns oppresse "
## [464] "These most ungrateful rebells unto thee. "
## [465] ""
## [466] "So shal all they that trust on thee doe bend, "
## [467] "And love the sweete sound of thy name, rejoyce: "
## [468] "35 They ever shall send thee their praising voice; "
## [469] "Since ever thou to them wilt succour send. "
## [470] "Thy work it is to blesse, thou blessedst them; "
## [471] "The just in thee, on thee and justice build: "
## [472] "Thy work it is such men safe in to hemm "
## [473] "40 With kindest care, as with a certain shield. "
## [474] ""
## [475] "line 19 knees of my hart will fold: will make my heart sub- "
## [476] "missive. "
## [477] ""
## [478] ""
## [479] ""
## [480] "12 "
## [481] ""
## [482] ""
## [483] ""
## [484] "PSALM 6 DOMINE NE IN FURORE "
## [485] ""
## [486] ""
## [487] ""
## [488] "Lord, lett not mee, a worm, by thee be shent "
## [489] "While thou art in the heate of thy displeasure: "
## [490] "Ne let thy rage, of my due punnishment "
## [491] "Become the measure. "
## [492] ""
## [493] "5 But mercy, Lord, lett mercy thine descend, "
## [494] ""
## [495] "For I am weake, and in my weakness languish: "
## [496] "Lord, help, for ev'n my bones their marrow spend "
## [497] "With cruell anguish. "
## [498] ""
## [499] "Nay, ev'n my soule fell troubles do appall. "
## [500] "10 Alas! how long, my God, wilt thou delay me? "
## [501] ""
## [502] "Turn thee, sweete Lord, and from this ougly fall "
## [503] "My deere God, stay me. "
## [504] ""
## [505] "Mercy, O mercy, Lord, for mercies sake, "
## [506] ""
## [507] "For death doth kill the wittness of thy glory; "
## [508] "15 Can, of thy praise, the tongues entombed make "
## [509] ""
## [510] "A heav nly story? "
## [511] ""
## [512] "Loe, I am tir'd, while still I sigh and grone: "
## [513] ""
## [514] "My moistned bed proof es of my sorrow showeth: "
## [515] "My bed (while I with black night moorn alone) "
## [516] "20 With my teares floweth. "
## [517] ""
## [518] "Woe, like a Moth, my faces beutie eates, "
## [519] ""
## [520] "And age, pul'd on with paines, all freshness fretteth "
## [521] "The while a swarm of foes with vexing f eates "
## [522] "My life besetteth. "
## [523] ""
## [524] ""
## [525] ""
## [526] "PSALM 6 13 "
## [527] ""
## [528] "25 Gett hence you evill, who in my ill rejoice, "
## [529] ""
## [530] "In all whose works vainenesse is ever raigning: "
## [531] "For God hath heard the weeping sobbing voice "
## [532] "Of my complayning. "
## [533] ""
## [534] "The Lord my suite did heare, and gently heare; "
## [535] "30 They shall be sham'd and vext, that breed my cryeng: "
## [536] "And turn their backs, and straight on backs appeare "
## [537] "Their shamfull flyeng. "
## [538] ""
## [539] "line 1 shent: disgraced, line 22 fretteth: gnaws gradually away. "
## [540] "line 23 feates: deeds, actions. "
## [541] ""
## [542] ""
## [543] ""
## [544] "14 "
## [545] ""
## [546] ""
## [547] ""
## [548] "PSALM 7 DOMINE, DEUS MEUS "
## [549] ""
## [550] ""
## [551] ""
## [552] "O Lord, my God, thou art my trustfull stay; "
## [553] "O, save me from this persecutions shown "
## [554] "Deliver me in my endangerd way "
## [555] ""
## [556] "Least Lion-like, he doe my soule devoure; "
## [557] "5 And cruelly in many peeces teare, "
## [558] ""
## [559] "While I am voide of any helping pow'r. "
## [560] ""
## [561] "O Lord, my God, if I did not forbeare "
## [562] "Ever from deede of any such desert: "
## [563] "If ought my handes of wickedness do beare: "
## [564] ""
## [565] "10 If I have byn unkinde for frendly part: "
## [566] ""
## [567] "Nay, if I wrought not for his freedoms sake, "
## [568] "Who causlesse now, yeeldes me a hatefull hart- "
## [569] "Then let my foe chase me, and chasing take: "
## [570] "Then, lett his foote upon my neck be set: "
## [571] ""
## [572] "15 Then, in the dust lett hym my honor rake. "
## [573] ""
## [574] "Arise, O Lord, in wrath thy self up sett "
## [575] "Against such rage of foes; awake for me "
## [576] "To that high doom, which I by thee must gett. "
## [577] ""
## [578] "So shall all men with laudes inviron thee; "
## [579] "20 Therefore, O Lord, lift up thy throne on high "
## [580] "That ev'ry folk thy wondrous acts may see. "
## [581] ""
## [582] ""
## [583] ""
## [584] "PSALM 7 15 "
## [585] ""
## [586] "Thou, Lord, the people shalt in judgment try: "
## [587] "Then Lord, my Lord, give sentence on my side "
## [588] "After my clearnesse, and my equity. "
## [589] ""
## [590] "25 O, let their wickedness no longer bide "
## [591] ""
## [592] "From comming to the well deserved end: "
## [593] "But still be thou to just men justest guide. "
## [594] ""
## [595] "Thou righteous proof es to hartes and reines dost send: "
## [596] "And all my helpe from none but thee is sent, "
## [597] "30 Who dost thy saving-health to true men bend. "
## [598] ""
## [599] "Thou righteous art, thou strong, thou pacient: "
## [600] "And each day art provok'd thyne ire to show: "
## [601] "And if this man will not learn to repent, "
## [602] ""
## [603] "For hym thou whettst thy sword and bend'st thy bow, "
## [604] "35 And hast thy deadly armes in order brought, "
## [605] "And ready art to lett thyne Arrowes go. "
## [606] ""
## [607] "Lo, he that first conceav'd a wretched thought, "
## [608] "And greate with child of mischief travel'd long, "
## [609] "Now brought a bed, hath brought nought foorth but "
## [610] ""
## [611] "[nought. "
## [612] ""
## [613] "40 A pitt was digg'd by this man, vainly strong; "
## [614] "But in the pitt he, ruin'd, first did fall, "
## [615] "Which fall he made, to doe his neighbour wrong. "
## [616] ""
## [617] "He against me doth throw, but down it shall "
## [618] "Upon his pate; his paine, emploied thus, "
## [619] "45 And his own ill, his own head shall appall. "
## [620] ""
## [621] "I will give thancks unto the Lord of us "
## [622] "According to his heav'nly equity, "
## [623] "And will to highest name yeeld praises high. "
## [624] ""
## [625] "line 28 reines: seat of the feelings and affections. "
## [626] ""
## [627] ""
## [628] ""
## [629] "i6 "
## [630] ""
## [631] ""
## [632] ""
## [633] "PSALM 8 DOMINE, DOMINUS "
## [634] ""
## [635] ""
## [636] ""
## [637] "O Lord that rul'st our mortall lyne, "
## [638] ""
## [639] "How through the world thy name doth shine: "
## [640] "That hast of thine unmatched glory "
## [641] "Upon the heav'ns engrav'n the story. "
## [642] ""
## [643] "5 From sucklings hath thy honor sprong, "
## [644] ""
## [645] "Thy force hath flow'd from babies tongue, "
## [646] "Whereby thou stopp'st thine en'mies prating "
## [647] "Bent to revenge and ever-hating. "
## [648] ""
## [649] "When I upon the heav'ns do look, "
## [650] "10 Which all from thee their essence took; "
## [651] ""
## [652] "When Moon and Starrs, my thoughts beholdeth, "
## [653] "Whose life no life but of thee holdeth: "
## [654] ""
## [655] "Then thinck I: Ah, what is this man "
## [656] "Whom that greate God remember can? "
## [657] "15 And what the race, of him descended, "
## [658] "It should be ought of God attended? "
## [659] ""
## [660] "For though in lesse than Angells state "
## [661] "Thou planted hast this earthly mate; "
## [662] "Yet hast thou made ev'n hym an owner "
## [663] "20 Of glorious crown, and crowning honor. "
## [664] ""
## [665] "Thou placest hym upon all landes "
## [666] ""
## [667] "To rule the workes of thine own handes: "
## [668] "And so thou hast all things ordained, "
## [669] "That ev'n his feete, have on them raigned. "
## [670] ""
## [671] ""
## [672] ""
## [673] "PSALM 8 17 "
## [674] ""
## [675] "25 Thou under his dominion plact "
## [676] ""
## [677] "Both sheepe and oxen wholy hast; "
## [678] "And all the beastes for ever breeding, "
## [679] "Which in the fertill fieldes be feeding. "
## [680] ""
## [681] "The Bird, free-burgesse of the Aire; "
## [682] "30 The Fish, of sea the native heire; "
## [683] ""
## [684] "And what things els of waters traceth "
## [685] "The unworn pathes, his rule embraceth. "
## [686] "O Lord, that rulst our mortall lyne, "
## [687] "How through the world thi name doth shine! "
## [688] ""
## [689] ""
## [690] ""
## [691] "i8 "
## [692] ""
## [693] ""
## [694] ""
## [695] "PSALM 9 CONFITEBOR TIBI "
## [696] ""
## [697] ""
## [698] ""
## [699] "With all my hart, O Lord, I will praise thee, "
## [700] "My speaches all thy mervailes shall discry: "
## [701] "In thee my joyes and comfortes ever be, "
## [702] "Yea, ev'n my songs thy name shall magnify, "
## [703] "5 O Lord most hie. "
## [704] ""
## [705] "Because my foes to fly are now constrain'd, "
## [706] ""
## [707] "And they are fall'n, nay perisht at thy sight: "
## [708] "For thou my cause, my right thou hast maintain'd, "
## [709] "Setting thy self in throne, which shined bright, "
## [710] "10 Of judging right. "
## [711] ""
## [712] "The Gentiles thou rebuked sorely hast, "
## [713] ""
## [714] "And wicked folks from thee to wrack do wend; "
## [715] "And their renown, which seem'd so like to last; "
## [716] "Thou dost put out, and quite consuming send "
## [717] "15 To endless end. "
## [718] ""
## [719] "O bragging foe, where is the endless waste "
## [720] ""
## [721] "Of conquer'd states, whereby such fame you gott? "
## [722] "What? doth their memory no longer last? "
## [723] "Both mines, miners, and ruin'd plott "
## [724] "20 Be quite forgott. "
## [725] ""
## [726] "But God shall sitt in his eternall Chaire "
## [727] ""
## [728] "Which he prepard, to give his judgmentes high; "
## [729] "Thither the world for justice shall repaire: "
## [730] "Thence he to all his judgments shall apply "
## [731] "25 Perpetually. "
## [732] ""
## [733] ""
## [734] ""
## [735] "PSALM 9 19 "
## [736] ""
## [737] "Thou, Lord, also th'oppressed wilt defend, "
## [738] "That they to thee in troublous tyme may flee: "
## [739] "They that know thee, on thee their trust will bend, "
## [740] "For thou, Lord, found by them wilt ever be, "
## [741] "30 That seake to thee. "
## [742] ""
## [743] "O praise the Lord, this Syon-dweller good, "
## [744] "Shew foorth his actes, and this as act most high, "
## [745] "That he enquiring, doth require just blood, "
## [746] "Which he f orgetteth not, nor letteth dy "
## [747] "35 Th'afflicted cry. "
## [748] ""
## [749] "Have mercy, mercy, Lord, I once did say, "
## [750] "Ponder the paines which on me loaden be "
## [751] "By them whose mindes on hatefull thoughts do stay: "
## [752] "Thou, Lord, that from death-gates hast lifted me, "
## [753] "40 I call to thee "
## [754] ""
## [755] "That I within the portes most bewtifull "
## [756] ""
## [757] "Of Sions daughter may sound foorth thi praise: "
## [758] "That I, ev'n I, of heav'nly comfort full, "
## [759] "May only joy in all thy saving waies "
## [760] "45 Through out my daies. "
## [761] ""
## [762] "No sooner said, but lo, mine enymies sinck "
## [763] ""
## [764] "Down in the pitt which they them selves had wrought; "
## [765] "And in that nett which they well hidden think, "
## [766] "Is their own foote, led by their own ill thought, "
## [767] "50 Most surely caught. "
## [768] ""
## [769] "For then the Lord in judgment showes to raign, "
## [770] "When godlesse men be snar'd in their own snares, "
## [771] "When wicked soules be turned to hellish pain, "
## [772] "And that forgettfull sort which never cares "
## [773] "55 What God prepares. "
## [774] ""
## [775] "But of the other side, the poore in sprite "
## [776] "Shall not be scrap't from out of heav'nly score: "
## [777] "Nor meeke abiding of the pacient wight "
## [778] "Yet perish shall, (although his paine be sore,) "
## [779] "60 For evermore. "
## [780] ""
## [781] ""
## [782] ""
## [783] "20 PSALM 9 "
## [784] ""
## [785] "Up, Lord, and judg the Gentiles in thy right, "
## [786] "And lett not man have upper hand of thee: "
## [787] "With terrors greate, O Lord, doe thou them fright; "
## [788] "That by sharp proofes the heathen them selves may "
## [789] "65 But men to be. [see "
## [790] ""
## [791] ""
## [792] ""
## [793] "21 "
## [794] ""
## [795] ""
## [796] ""
## [797] "PSALM 10 UT QUID DOMINE? "
## [798] ""
## [799] ""
## [800] ""
## [801] "Why standest thou so farre, "
## [802] "O God, our only starre, "
## [803] "In time most fitt for thee "
## [804] "To help who vexed be! "
## [805] "5 For lo, with pride the wicked man "
## [806] ""
## [807] "Still plagues the poore the most he can: "
## [808] "O, lett proud hym be throughly caught "
## [809] "In craft of his own crafty thought. "
## [810] ""
## [811] "For he him self doth praise "
## [812] "10 When he his lust doth ease: "
## [813] ""
## [814] "Extolling rav'nous gaine, "
## [815] "But doth God's self disdaine. "
## [816] "Nay so proud is his puffed thought, "
## [817] "That after God he never sought; "
## [818] "15 But rather much he fancies this, "
## [819] ""
## [820] "That name of God a fable is. "
## [821] ""
## [822] "For while his waies doe prove, "
## [823] ""
## [824] "On them he setts his love; "
## [825] ""
## [826] "Thy judgments are too high, "
## [827] "20 He can them not espy. "
## [828] ""
## [829] "Therefore he doth defy all those "
## [830] ""
## [831] "That dare them selves to him oppose; "
## [832] ""
## [833] "And saieth, in his bragging hart, "
## [834] ""
## [835] "This gotten blisse shall never part. "
## [836] ""
## [837] ""
## [838] ""
## [839] "22 PSALM lO "
## [840] ""
## [841] "25 Nor he removed be, "
## [842] ""
## [843] "Nor danger ever see: "
## [844] ""
## [845] "Yet from his mouth doth spring "
## [846] ""
## [847] "Cursing and cosening; "
## [848] "Under his tongue do harbour'd ly "
## [849] "30 Both mischief and iniquity. "
## [850] ""
## [851] "For proof, oft laine in wait he is, "
## [852] ""
## [853] "In secret by-way villages. "
## [854] ""
## [855] "In such a place unknown "
## [856] "To slay the hurtlesse one; "
## [857] "35 With wincking eies ay bent "
## [858] ""
## [859] "Against the innocent, "
## [860] "Like lurking Lion in his den, "
## [861] ""
## [862] "He waites to spoile the simple men: "
## [863] "Whom to their losse he still doth gett, "
## [864] "40 When once he draw'th his wily nett. "
## [865] ""
## [866] "O, with how simple look "
## [867] "He ofte laieth out his hooke! "
## [868] "And with how humble showes "
## [869] "To trapp poore soules he goes! "
## [870] "45 Thus freely saieth he in his sprite: "
## [871] ""
## [872] "God sleepes, or hath forgotten quite; "
## [873] "His farre-of sight now hoodwinkt is, "
## [874] "He leisure wants to mark all this. "
## [875] ""
## [876] "Then rise, and come abroad, "
## [877] "50 O Lord, our only God: "
## [878] ""
## [879] "Lift up thy heav nly hand "
## [880] "And by the silly stand. "
## [881] "Why should the evill, so evill, despise "
## [882] "The powr of thy through-seeing eyes? "
## [883] "55 And why should he in hart soe hard "
## [884] ""
## [885] "Say, thou dost not thine own regard? "
## [886] ""
## [887] ""
## [888] ""
## [889] "PSALM lO 23 "
## [890] ""
## [891] "But nak'd, before thine eyes "
## [892] ""
## [893] "All wrong and mischief lies: "
## [894] ""
## [895] "For of them in thy handes "
## [896] "60 The ballance ev'nly standes: "
## [897] ""
## [898] "But who aright poore-minded be "
## [899] ""
## [900] "Committ their cause, them selves, to thee, "
## [901] ""
## [902] "The succour of the succourless, "
## [903] ""
## [904] "The father of the fatherless. "
## [905] ""
## [906] "65 Breake thou the wicked arme, "
## [907] ""
## [908] "Whose fury bendes to harme: "
## [909] ""
## [910] "Search them, and wicked he "
## [911] ""
## [912] "Will straight way nothing be. "
## [913] "O Lord, we shall thy title sing, "
## [914] "70 Ever and ever, to be king "
## [915] ""
## [916] "Who hast the heath'ny folk destroi'd "
## [917] ""
## [918] "From out thy land by them anoi'd. "
## [919] ""
## [920] "Thou opnest heav'nly dore "
## [921] "To praiers of the poore: "
## [922] "75 Thou first prepard their mind, "
## [923] ""
## [924] "Then eare to them enclind. "
## [925] "O, be thou still the Orphans aid, "
## [926] ""
## [927] "That poore from ruyne may be staid: "
## [928] "Least we should ever feare the lust "
## [929] "80 Of earthly man, a lord of dust. "
## [930] ""
## [931] ""
## [932] ""
## [933] "PSALM 11 IN DOMINO CONFIDO "
## [934] ""
## [935] ""
## [936] ""
## [937] "Since I do trust Jehova still, "
## [938] ""
## [939] "Your fearfull wordes why do you spill? "
## [940] "That like a bird to some strong hill "
## [941] ""
## [942] "I now should fall a flyeng. "
## [943] ""
## [944] "5 Behould the evill have bent their bow, "
## [945] "And sett their arrowes in a row, "
## [946] "To give unwares a mortall blow "
## [947] ""
## [948] "To hartes that hate all lyeng. "
## [949] ""
## [950] "But that in building they begunn, "
## [951] "10 With ground-plotts fall, shalbe undunn: "
## [952] ""
## [953] "For what, alas, have just men donn? "
## [954] ""
## [955] "In them no cause is growing. "
## [956] ""
## [957] "God in his holy temple is: "
## [958] ""
## [959] "The throne of heav'n is only his: "
## [960] "15 Naught his all-seeing sight can misse; "
## [961] ""
## [962] "His ey-lidds peise our going. "
## [963] ""
## [964] "The Lord doth search the just mans reynes, "
## [965] "But hates, abhorrs, the wicked braines; "
## [966] "On them stormes, brimstone, coales he raines: "
## [967] "20 That is their share assigned. "
## [968] ""
## [969] "But so of happy other side "
## [970] ""
## [971] "His lovely face on them doth bide, "
## [972] "In race of life their feete to guide "
## [973] ""
## [974] "Who be to God enclined. "
## [975] ""
## [976] "line 16 peise: take note of. line 17 reynes: inmost feelings. "
## [977] ""
## [978] ""
## [979] ""
## [980] "*5 "
## [981] ""
## [982] ""
## [983] ""
## [984] "PSALM 12 SALVUM ME FAG "
## [985] ""
## [986] ""
## [987] ""
## [988] "Lord, helpe, it is hygh tyme for me to call: "
## [989] "No men are left that charity doe love: "
## [990] "Nay, ev'n the race of good men are decai'd. "
## [991] ""
## [992] "Of things vaine with vaine mates they babble all; "
## [993] "5 Their abject lipps no breath but flattry move, "
## [994] ""
## [995] "Sent from false hart, on double meaning staid. "
## [996] ""
## [997] "But thou (O Lord) give them a thorough fall: "
## [998] "Those lyeng lipps, from cosoning head remove, "
## [999] "In falshood wrapt, but in their pride displaid. "
## [1000] ""
## [1001] "10 Our tongues, say they, beyond them all shall goe: "
## [1002] "We both have pow'r, and will, our tales to tell: "
## [1003] "For what lord rules our brave emboldned brest? "
## [1004] ""
## [1005] "Ahl now ev'n for their sakes, that tast of wo, "
## [1006] ""
## [1007] "Whom troubles tosse, whose natures need doth quell; "
## [1008] "15 Ev'n for the sighes, true sighes of man distrest— "
## [1009] ""
## [1010] "I will gett up, saith God, and my help show "
## [1011] "Against all them that against hym do swell: "
## [1012] "Maugre his foes, I will him sett at rest. "
## [1013] ""
## [1014] "These are Gods wordes, Gods words are ever pure: "
## [1015] "20 Pure, purer than the silver throughly tride, "
## [1016] ""
## [1017] "When fire seav'n tymes hath spent his earthy parts. "
## [1018] ""
## [1019] ""
## [1020] ""
## [1021] "26 PSALM 12 "
## [1022] ""
## [1023] "Then thou (O Lord) shalt keepe the good still sure: "
## [1024] "By thee preserv'd, in thee they shall abide: "
## [1025] "Yea, in no age thy blisse from them departes. "
## [1026] ""
## [1027] "25 Thou seest each side the walking doth endure "
## [1028] ""
## [1029] "Of these badd folks, more lifted up with pride, "
## [1030] "Which, if it last, wo to all simple hartes. "
## [1031] ""
## [1032] "line 5 abject: degraded. "
## [1033] ""
## [1034] ""
## [1035] ""
## [1036] "27 "
## [1037] ""
## [1038] ""
## [1039] ""
## [1040] "PSALM 13 USQUE QUO, DOMINE? "
## [1041] ""
## [1042] ""
## [1043] ""
## [1044] "How long (O Lord) shall I forgotten be? "
## [1045] ""
## [1046] "What? ever? "
## [1047] "How long wilt thou thy hidden face from me "
## [1048] ""
## [1049] "Dissever? "
## [1050] "5 How long shall I consult with carefull sprite "
## [1051] ""
## [1052] "In anguish? "
## [1053] "How long shall I with foes triumphant might "
## [1054] ""
## [1055] "Thus languish? "
## [1056] "Behold me Lord, let to thy hearing creep "
## [1057] "10 My crying. "
## [1058] ""
## [1059] "Nay, give me eyes, and light, least that I sleep "
## [1060] ""
## [1061] "In dying: "
## [1062] "Least my foe bragg, that in my ruyne he "
## [1063] ""
## [1064] "Prevailed; "
## [1065] "15 And at my fall they joy that, troublous, me "
## [1066] ""
## [1067] "Assailed. "
## [1068] "Noe, noe, I trust on thee, and joy in thy "
## [1069] ""
## [1070] "Greate pitty: "
## [1071] "Still therefore of thy graces shalbe my "
## [1072] "20 Songs ditty. "
## [1073] ""
## [1074] ""
## [1075] ""
## [1076] "28 "
## [1077] ""
## [1078] ""
## [1079] ""
## [1080] "PSALM 14 DIXIT INSIPIENS "
## [1081] ""
## [1082] ""
## [1083] ""
## [1084] "The foolish man, by flesh and fancy ledd, "
## [1085] ""
## [1086] "His guilty hart with this fond thought hath fed: "
## [1087] "There is noe God that raigneth. "
## [1088] ""
## [1089] "And so thereafter he and all his mates "
## [1090] "5 Do workes, which earth corrupt, and Heaven hates: "
## [1091] ""
## [1092] "Not one that good remaineth. "
## [1093] ""
## [1094] "Even God him self sent down his piercing ey, "
## [1095] "If of this clayy race he could espy "
## [1096] "One, that his wisdome learneth. "
## [1097] ""
## [1098] "10 And loe, he findes that all a strayeng went: "
## [1099] ""
## [1100] "All plung'd in stincking filth, not one well bent, "
## [1101] "Not one that God discerneth. "
## [1102] ""
## [1103] "O maddness of these folkes, thus loosly ledd! "
## [1104] "These Caniballs, who, as if they were bread, "
## [1105] "15 Gods people do devower, "
## [1106] ""
## [1107] "Nor ever call on God; but they shall quake "
## [1108] ""
## [1109] "More than they now do bragg, when he shall take "
## [1110] "The just into his power. "
## [1111] ""
## [1112] "Indeede the poore, opprest by you, you mock: "
## [1113] "20 Their councells are your common jesting stock: "
## [1114] "But God is their recomfort. "
## [1115] ""
## [1116] ""
## [1117] ""
## [1118] "PSALM 14 29 "
## [1119] ""
## [1120] "Ah, when from Syon shall the saver come, "
## [1121] "That Jacob, freed by thee, may glad become, "
## [1122] "And Israel full of comfort? "
## [1123] ""
## [1124] "line 21 recomfort: support. "
## [1125] ""
## [1126] ""
## [1127] ""
## [1128] "30 "
## [1129] ""
## [1130] ""
## [1131] ""
## [1132] "PSALM 15 DOMINE, QUIS HABITABIT? "
## [1133] ""
## [1134] ""
## [1135] ""
## [1136] "In tabernacle thine, O Lord, who shall remaine? "
## [1137] ""
## [1138] "Lord, of thy holy hill, who shall the rest, obtaine? "
## [1139] "Evn he that leades of life an uncorrupted traine, "
## [1140] ""
## [1141] "Whose deedes of righteous hart, whose harty "
## [1142] ""
## [1143] "[wordes be plain: "
## [1144] "5 Who with deceitfull tongue, hath never us'd to faine; "
## [1145] ""
## [1146] "Nor neighboure hurtes by deede, nor doth with "
## [1147] ""
## [1148] "[slander stain: "
## [1149] "Whose eyes a person vile, doth hold in vile disdaine, "
## [1150] ""
## [1151] "But doth, with honor greate, the godly entertaine: "
## [1152] "Who othe and promise, given, doth faithfully "
## [1153] ""
## [1154] "[maintain, "
## [1155] "10 Although some worldly losse thereby he may "
## [1156] ""
## [1157] "[sustain; "
## [1158] "From bityng Usury who ever doth refraine: "
## [1159] ""
## [1160] "Who sells not guiltlesse cause for filthy love of "
## [1161] ""
## [1162] "[gain: "
## [1163] "Who thus proceedes for ay, in sacred mount shall "
## [1164] ""
## [1165] "[raign. "
## [1166] ""
## [1167] ""
## [1168] ""
## [1169] "31 "
## [1170] ""
## [1171] ""
## [1172] ""
## [1173] "PSALM 16 CONSERVA ME "
## [1174] ""
## [1175] ""
## [1176] ""
## [1177] "Save me, Lord; for why, thou art "
## [1178] "All the hope of all my hart: "
## [1179] "Wittnesse thou my soule with me, "
## [1180] "That to God, my God, I say; "
## [1181] "5 Thou, my Lord, thou art my stay, "
## [1182] ""
## [1183] "Though my workes reach not to thee. "
## [1184] ""
## [1185] "This is all the best I prove: "
## [1186] "Good, and godly men, I love: "
## [1187] "And forsee their wretched paine "
## [1188] "10 Who to other gods doe runne: "
## [1189] ""
## [1190] "Their blood off rings I do shunne; "
## [1191] "Nay, to name their names disdaine. "
## [1192] ""
## [1193] "God my only portion is, "
## [1194] ""
## [1195] "And of my childes part the blisse: "
## [1196] "15 He then shall maintaine my lott. "
## [1197] ""
## [1198] "Say then, is not my lott found "
## [1199] "In goodly pleasant ground? "
## [1200] "Have not I faire partage gott? "
## [1201] ""
## [1202] "Ever, Lord, I will blesse thee, "
## [1203] "20 Who dost ever councell me; "
## [1204] ""
## [1205] "Ev'n when night with his black wing "
## [1206] "Sleepy darkness doth orecast, "
## [1207] "In my inward raines I tast "
## [1208] "Of my faultes and chastening. "
## [1209] ""
## [1210] ""
## [1211] ""
## [1212] "32 PSALM l6 "
## [1213] ""
## [1214] "25 My eyes still my God reguard, "
## [1215] ""
## [1216] "And he my right hand doth guard; "
## [1217] ""
## [1218] "So can I not be opprest, "
## [1219] ""
## [1220] "So my hart is fully gladd, "
## [1221] ""
## [1222] "So in joy my glory cladd, "
## [1223] "30 Yea, my flesh in hope shall rest. "
## [1224] ""
## [1225] "For I know the deadly grave "
## [1226] ""
## [1227] "On my soule noe pow'r shall have, "
## [1228] "For I know thou wilt defend "
## [1229] "Even the body of thine own "
## [1230] "35 Deare beloved holy one "
## [1231] ""
## [1232] "From a fowle corrupting end. "
## [1233] ""
## [1234] "Thou lif es path wilt make me knowe, "
## [1235] "In whose view doth plenty growe "
## [1236] "All delights that soules can crave; "
## [1237] "40 And whose bodies placed stand "
## [1238] ""
## [1239] "On thy blessed-making hand, "
## [1240] "They all joies, like-endless, have. "
## [1241] ""
## [1242] "line 18 partage: portion. "
## [1243] ""
## [1244] ""
## [1245] ""
## [1246] "33 "
## [1247] ""
## [1248] ""
## [1249] ""
## [1250] "PSALM 17 EXAUDI, DOMINE, JUSTITIAM "
## [1251] ""
## [1252] ""
## [1253] ""
## [1254] "My suite is just, just Lord, to my suite hark "
## [1255] ""
## [1256] "I plaine: sweete Lord, my plaint for pitty mark. "
## [1257] "And, since my lipps f aine not with thee, "
## [1258] "Thine eares vouchsave to bend to me. "
## [1259] ""
## [1260] "5 O, let my sentence passe from thine own face: "
## [1261] "Shew that thine eyes respect a faithfull case, "
## [1262] "Thou that by proofe acquainted art "
## [1263] "With inward secretts of my hart. "
## [1264] ""
## [1265] "When silent night might seeme all faultes to hide, "
## [1266] "10 Then was I, by thy searching insight tride: "
## [1267] "And then by thee, was guiltlesse found "
## [1268] "From ill word, and ill meaning, sound. "
## [1269] ""
## [1270] "Not waighing ought how fleshly fancies runn, "
## [1271] "Ledd by thy word, the ravners stepps I shunn; "
## [1272] "15 And pray that still thou guide my way, "
## [1273] ""
## [1274] "Least yet I slipp, or goe astray. "
## [1275] ""
## [1276] "I say againe that I have cal'd on thee, "
## [1277] "And boldly saie thou wilt give eare to me: "
## [1278] "Then let my wordes, my cries, ascend, "
## [1279] "20 Which to thy self my soule will send. "
## [1280] ""
## [1281] "Show then, O Lord, thy wondrous kindnesse show: "
## [1282] "Make us in mervailes of thy mercy know "
## [1283] "That thou by faithfull men wilt stand, "
## [1284] "And save them from rebellious hand. "
## [1285] ""
## [1286] ""
## [1287] ""
## [1288] "34 PSALM 17 "
## [1289] ""
## [1290] "25 Then keepe me as the Aple of an ey: "
## [1291] ""
## [1292] "In thy wings shade then lett me hidden ly, "
## [1293] "From my destroyeng wicked foes "
## [1294] "Who for my death still me enclose. "
## [1295] ""
## [1296] "Their eies doe swimme, their face doth shine in fatt, "
## [1297] "30 And cruell wordes their swelling tongues do chatt; "
## [1298] "And yett their high hartes looke so low "
## [1299] "As how to watch our overthrow. "
## [1300] ""
## [1301] "Now like a Lion, gaping to make preys, "
## [1302] ""
## [1303] "Now like his whelpe, in denne, that lurking staies: "
## [1304] ""
## [1305] "35 Up, Lord, prevent those gaping jawes, "
## [1306] "And bring to naught those watching pawes. "
## [1307] ""
## [1308] "Save me from them, thou usest as thy blade, "
## [1309] ""
## [1310] "From men I say, and from mens worldly trade: "
## [1311] "Whose life doth seeme most greatly blest, "
## [1312] "40 And count this life their portion best. "
## [1313] ""
## [1314] "Whose bellies soe with dainties thou dost fill, "
## [1315] "And so with hidden treasures graunt their will, "
## [1316] "That they in ritches floorish doe, "
## [1317] "And children have to leave it to. "
## [1318] ""
## [1319] "45 What would they more? And I would not their case: "
## [1320] "My joy shalbe, pure, to enjoy thy face, "
## [1321] "When waking of this sleepe of mine "
## [1322] "I shall see thee in likenesse thine. "
## [1323] ""
## [1324] ""
## [1325] ""
## [1326] "35 "
## [1327] ""
## [1328] ""
## [1329] ""
## [1330] "PSALM 18 DILIGAM TE "
## [1331] ""
## [1332] ""
## [1333] ""
## [1334] "Thee will I love, O Lord, with all my hartes delight, "
## [1335] "My strength, my strongest Rock, which my defence "
## [1336] ""
## [1337] "[hast born: "
## [1338] "My God, and helping God, my might, and trustfull "
## [1339] ""
## [1340] "[might, "
## [1341] "My never-pierced shield, my ever-saving home, "
## [1342] "My refuge; refuge then when most I am forlorne: "
## [1343] "Whom then shall I invoke, but thee, most worthy "
## [1344] ""
## [1345] "[praise, "
## [1346] "On whom (against my foes) my only safty staies? "
## [1347] ""
## [1348] ""
## [1349] ""
## [1350] "On me the paines of death allready gan to pray: "
## [1351] ""
## [1352] "The fludds of wickednesse on me did horrors throw: "
## [1353] "10 Like in a winding sheete, wretch, I already lay, "
## [1354] "All-ready, ready to my snaring grave to goe. "
## [1355] "This my distresse to God, with wailefull cries I show: "
## [1356] "My cries climb'd up; and he bent down, from sacred "
## [1357] ""
## [1358] "[throne, "
## [1359] "His eyes unto my case, his eares unto my moane. "
## [1360] ""
## [1361] ""
## [1362] ""
## [1363] "15 And so the earth did fall to tremble and to quake, "
## [1364] ""
## [1365] "The Mountaines proudly high, and their foundations "
## [1366] ""
## [1367] "[bent "
## [1368] "With motion of his rage, did to the bottome shake. "
## [1369] "He came, but came with smoake, from out his nostrells "
## [1370] ""
## [1371] "[sent: "
## [1372] "Flames issu'd from his mouth, and burning coales out "
## [1373] ""
## [1374] "[went; "
## [1375] ""
## [1376] ""
## [1377] ""
## [1378] "36 PSALM l8 "
## [1379] ""
## [1380] "20 He bow'd the heav'ns, and from the bow'd heav'ns did "
## [1381] ""
## [1382] "[descend "
## [1383] "With hugy darkness, which aboute his feete did wend. "
## [1384] ""
## [1385] ""
## [1386] ""
## [1387] "The Cherubins their backs, the windes did yeeld their "
## [1388] ""
## [1389] "[wings "
## [1390] "To beare his sacred flight, in secrete place then clos'd; "
## [1391] "About which he dimme cloudes like a pavillion brings, "
## [1392] "25 Cloudes, ev'n of waters dark, and thickest aire "
## [1393] ""
## [1394] "[compos'd. "
## [1395] "But streight his shining eyes this misty masse disclos'd, "
## [1396] "Then haile, then flry coales, then thundred, heav'nly "
## [1397] ""
## [1398] "[sire, "
## [1399] "Then spake he his lowd voice, then hailstones, coles, "
## [1400] ""
## [1401] "[and fire. "
## [1402] ""
## [1403] ""
## [1404] ""
## [1405] "Then out his Arrowes fly; and streight they scattred "
## [1406] ""
## [1407] "[been: "
## [1408] "Lightning on lightning he did for their wrack augment: "
## [1409] "The gulphes of waters then were through their "
## [1410] ""
## [1411] "[chanells seen: "
## [1412] "The Worldes foundations then lay bare; because he "
## [1413] ""
## [1414] "[shent "
## [1415] "With blasting breath, O Lord, that in thy chiding "
## [1416] ""
## [1417] "[went. "
## [1418] "Then sent he from above, and tooke me from below, "
## [1419] "Ev'n from the waters depth, my God preserved me soe. "
## [1420] ""
## [1421] ""
## [1422] ""
## [1423] "So did he save me, from my mighty furious foe, "
## [1424] "So did he save me, from their then prevailing hate: "
## [1425] "For they had caught me up when I was weake in wo: "
## [1426] "But he, staff of my age, he staid my stumbling state: "
## [1427] "This much: yet more, when I by him this freedom "
## [1428] ""
## [1429] "[gate, "
## [1430] "By him, because I did find in his ey-sight grace, "
## [1431] "He lifted me unto a largely noble place. "
## [1432] ""
## [1433] ""
## [1434] ""
## [1435] "PSALM l8 37 "
## [1436] ""
## [1437] "My Justice, my just handes thus did the Lord reward, "
## [1438] "Because I walk'd his waies, nor gainst him evilly went: "
## [1439] "45 Still to his Judgmentes look't, still for his statutes car'd "
## [1440] "Sound and upright with him, to wickedness not bent. "
## [1441] "Therefore, I say again, this goodness he me sent, "
## [1442] "As he before his eyes did see my justice stand, "
## [1443] "According as he saw the pureness of my hand. "
## [1444] ""
## [1445] ""
## [1446] ""
## [1447] "50 Meeke to the meeke thou art, the good thy goodness "
## [1448] ""
## [1449] "[tast: "
## [1450] "Pure, to the pure, thou deal's t with crooked crookedly: "
## [1451] "Up then, thou lifts the poore, and downe the proud "
## [1452] ""
## [1453] "[wilt cast; "
## [1454] "Up, thou dost light my light, and cleare my darkned "
## [1455] ""
## [1456] "[ey. "
## [1457] "I hoastes by thee orecome; by thee ore walles I fly: "
## [1458] "55 Thy way is soundly sure, thy word is purely tride: "
## [1459] ""
## [1460] "To them that trust in thee, a shield thou dost abide. "
## [1461] ""
## [1462] "For who is God besides this greate Jehova oures? "
## [1463] ""
## [1464] "And so besides our God, who is indu'd with might? "
## [1465] "This God then girded me in his all-mighty pow'rs, "
## [1466] "60 He made my combrous way, to me most plainly right: "
## [1467] "To match with lightfoote Staggs, he made my foote so "
## [1468] ""
## [1469] "[light, "
## [1470] "That I climb'd highest hill; he me warre-pointes did "
## [1471] ""
## [1472] "[show, "
## [1473] "Strength'ning mine armes, that they could breake an "
## [1474] ""
## [1475] "[Iron bow. "
## [1476] ""
## [1477] "Thou gav'st me saving shield; thy right hand was my "
## [1478] ""
## [1479] "[stay; "
## [1480] ""
## [1481] "65 Me in encreasing still, thy kindnesse did maintaine: "
## [1482] ""
## [1483] "Unto my strengthned stepps, thou didst enlardge the "
## [1484] ""
## [1485] "[way, "
## [1486] "My heeles, and plantes, thou didst from stumbling slip "
## [1487] ""
## [1488] "[sustain: "
## [1489] "What foes I did pursue, my force did them attain "
## [1490] ""
## [1491] ""
## [1492] ""
## [1493] "38 PSALM l8 "
## [1494] ""
## [1495] "That I, ere I retorn'd, destroi'd them utterly, "
## [1496] "70 With such brave woundes, that they under my feete "
## [1497] ""
## [1498] "[did ly. "
## [1499] ""
## [1500] ""
## [1501] ""
## [1502] "For why my fighting strength, by thy strength, "
## [1503] ""
## [1504] "[strengthned was: "
## [1505] "Not I, but thou, throwst down those, who gainst me do "
## [1506] ""
## [1507] "[rise, "
## [1508] "Thou gavest me their necks, on them thou mad'st me "
## [1509] ""
## [1510] "[passe: "
## [1511] ""
## [1512] "Behold they cry, but who to them his helpe applies? "
## [1513] ""
## [1514] "75 Nay, unto thee they cri'd, but thou heardst not their "
## [1515] ""
## [1516] "[cries: "
## [1517] "I bett those folkes as small as dust which wind doth "
## [1518] ""
## [1519] "[raise, "
## [1520] "I bett them as the clay is bett in beaten waies. "
## [1521] ""
## [1522] "Thus freed from mutinn men, thou makest me to raign; "
## [1523] ""
## [1524] "Yea, thou dost make me serv'd by folks I never knew: "
## [1525] ""
## [1526] "80 My name their eares, their eares their harts, to me "
## [1527] ""
## [1528] "[inchaine: "
## [1529] "Ev'n feare makes strangers shew much love, though "
## [1530] ""
## [1531] "[much untrue. "
## [1532] "But they do faile, and in their mazed corners rue: "
## [1533] "Then live Jehova still, my Rock still blessed be: "
## [1534] "Lett hym be lifted up, that hath preserved me. "
## [1535] ""
## [1536] "85 He that is my reveng, in whom I Realmes subdue; "
## [1537] ""
## [1538] "Who freed me from my foes, from Rebells garded me: "
## [1539] "And ridd me from the wronges which cruell witts did "
## [1540] ""
## [1541] "[brew. "
## [1542] "Among the Gentiles then I (Lord) yeeld thancks to "
## [1543] ""
## [1544] "[thee, "
## [1545] "I to thy name will sing, and this my song shall be: "
## [1546] "90 He nobly saves his king, and kindness keepes in store, "
## [1547] "For David his anoint, and his seed, evermore. "
## [1548] ""
## [1549] "line 67 plantes: soles of feet, line 78 mutinn: rebellious. "
## [1550] ""
## [1551] ""
## [1552] ""
## [1553] "39 "
## [1554] ""
## [1555] ""
## [1556] ""
## [1557] "PSALM 19 COELI EN ARRANT "
## [1558] ""
## [1559] ""
## [1560] ""
## [1561] "The heav'nly frame setts foorth the fame "
## [1562] "Of him that only thunders; "
## [1563] ""
## [1564] "The firmament so strangly bent "
## [1565] ""
## [1566] "Showes his hand- working wonders. "
## [1567] ""
## [1568] "5 Day unto day, it doth display, "
## [1569] ""
## [1570] "Their course doth it acknowledg: "
## [1571] "And night to night, succeeding right, "
## [1572] ""
## [1573] "In darkness teach cleare knowledg. "
## [1574] ""
## [1575] "There is no speach, nor language, which "
## [1576] "10 Is soe of skill bereaved, "
## [1577] ""
## [1578] "But of the skies the teaching cries, "
## [1579] "They have heard and conceaved. "
## [1580] ""
## [1581] "There be no eyne, but read the line "
## [1582] "From soe faire booke proceeding: "
## [1583] "15 Their wordes be sett in letters greate "
## [1584] "For ev'ry bodies reading. "
## [1585] ""
## [1586] "Is not he blind that doth not find "
## [1587] ""
## [1588] "The tabernacle builded "
## [1589] "There, by his grace, for sunnes faire face, "
## [1590] "20 In beames of beuty guilded? "
## [1591] ""
## [1592] "Who foorth doth come, like a bridegroome "
## [1593] "From out his vailing places: "
## [1594] ""
## [1595] "As gladd is hee as Giantes be "
## [1596] ""
## [1597] "To runne their mighty races. "
## [1598] ""
## [1599] ""
## [1600] ""
## [1601] "40 PSALM ig "
## [1602] ""
## [1603] "25 His race is ev'n from endes of heavn; "
## [1604] "About that vault he goeth: "
## [1605] "There be no Reames hid from his beames, "
## [1606] "His heate to all he throweth. "
## [1607] ""
## [1608] "O law of his, how perfect tis "
## [1609] "30 The very soule amending; "
## [1610] ""
## [1611] "Gods wittness sure for ay doth dure "
## [1612] "To simplest, wisdome lending. "
## [1613] ""
## [1614] "Gods doomes be right, and cheere the sprite: "
## [1615] "All his commandments being "
## [1616] "35 So purely wise, as give the eies "
## [1617] ""
## [1618] "Both light and force of seeing. "
## [1619] ""
## [1620] "Of him the feare doth cleanness beare "
## [1621] ""
## [1622] "And soe endures for ever: "
## [1623] "His Judgments be self verity "
## [1624] "40 They are unrighteous never. "
## [1625] ""
## [1626] "Then what man would so soone seeke gold, "
## [1627] ""
## [1628] "Of glittring golden money? "
## [1629] "By them is past, in sweetest tast "
## [1630] ""
## [1631] "Honny, or combe of honny. "
## [1632] ""
## [1633] "45 By them is made, thy servantes trade "
## [1634] "Most circumspectly guarded: "
## [1635] "And who doth frame to keepe the same "
## [1636] "Shall fully be rewarded. "
## [1637] ""
## [1638] "Who is the man, that ever can "
## [1639] "50 His faultes know and acknowledg! "
## [1640] ""
## [1641] "O Lord, dense me from faultes that be "
## [1642] "Most secret from all knowledg. "
## [1643] ""
## [1644] "Thy servant keepe, lest in him creepe "
## [1645] "Presumptuous sinnes offences: "
## [1646] "55 Let them not have me for their slave, "
## [1647] "Nor raigne upon my sences. "
## [1648] ""
## [1649] ""
## [1650] ""
## [1651] "PSALM ig 41 "
## [1652] ""
## [1653] "Soe shall my sprite be still upright "
## [1654] "In thought and conversation; "
## [1655] "Soe shall I bide, well purifide "
## [1656] "60 From much abhomination. "
## [1657] ""
## [1658] "Soe lett wordes sproong from my weake tongue "
## [1659] ""
## [1660] "And my hartes meditation, "
## [1661] "My saving might, Lord, in thy sight "
## [1662] ""
## [1663] "Receave good acceptation. "
## [1664] ""
## [1665] "line 3 bent: wrought, line 27 Reames: realms, line 60 abhomi- "
## [1666] "nation: shameful behaviour. "
## [1667] ""
## [1668] ""
## [1669] ""
## [1670] "42 "
## [1671] ""
## [1672] ""
## [1673] ""
## [1674] "PSALM 20 EXAUDIAT TE DOMINUS "
## [1675] ""
## [1676] ""
## [1677] ""
## [1678] "Lett God, the Lord heare thee, "
## [1679] ""
## [1680] "Even in the day, when most thy troubles be: "
## [1681] "Let name of Jacobs God, "
## [1682] "When thou on it dost cry, "
## [1683] "5 Defend thee still from all thy foes abroad. "
## [1684] ""
## [1685] "From sanctuary hy "
## [1686] ""
## [1687] "Let him come downe, and helpe to thee apply "
## [1688] "From Sions holy topp; "
## [1689] "Thence lett him undertake "
## [1690] "10 With heav'nly strength thy earthly strength to propp, "
## [1691] ""
## [1692] "Lett him notorious make, "
## [1693] ""
## [1694] "That in good part he did thy off rings take. "
## [1695] "Let fire for triall burne "
## [1696] "(Yea, fire from him self sent) "
## [1697] "15 Thy offrings, soe, that they to ashes turne. "
## [1698] ""
## [1699] "And soe lett him consent "
## [1700] ""
## [1701] "To graunt thy will, and perfect thy entent, "
## [1702] "That in thy saving we "
## [1703] "May joy, and banners raise "
## [1704] "20 Up to our God, when thy suites graunted be. "
## [1705] ""
## [1706] "Now in me knowledg saies, "
## [1707] ""
## [1708] "That God from fall his own annointed staies. "
## [1709] "From heav'nly holy land "
## [1710] "I know that he heares thee; "
## [1711] "25 Yea heares with powres, and helps of helpfull hand. "
## [1712] ""
## [1713] ""
## [1714] ""
## [1715] "PSALM 20 43 "
## [1716] ""
## [1717] "Lett trust of some men be "
## [1718] ""
## [1719] "In Charriotts arm'd, others in Chivalry: "
## [1720] "But lett all our conceite "
## [1721] "Upon Gods holy name, "
## [1722] "30 Who is our Lord, with due remembrance waite. "
## [1723] ""
## [1724] "Behold their broken shame! "
## [1725] ""
## [1726] "We stand upright, while they their fall did frame. "
## [1727] "Assist us, Saviour deere; "
## [1728] "Lett that king daine to heare, "
## [1729] "35 When as to him our praiers do appeare. "
## [1730] ""
## [1731] "line 27 Chivalry: cavalry. "
## [1732] ""
## [1733] ""
## [1734] ""
## [1735] "44 "
## [1736] ""
## [1737] ""
## [1738] ""
## [1739] "PSALM 21 DOMINE, IN VIRTUTE "
## [1740] ""
## [1741] ""
## [1742] ""
## [1743] "New joy, new joy unto our king, "
## [1744] "Lord, from thy strength is growing: "
## [1745] ""
## [1746] "Lord, what delight to him doth bring "
## [1747] "His safty, from thee flowing! "
## [1748] ""
## [1749] "5 Thou hast givn what his hart woulde have, "
## [1750] ""
## [1751] "Nay, soone as he but moved "
## [1752] "His lipps to crave what he would crave, "
## [1753] "He had as him behoved. "
## [1754] ""
## [1755] "Yea, thou prevent'st ere aske he could "
## [1756] "10 With many lib'rall blessing, "
## [1757] ""
## [1758] "Crown of his head with Crown of gold "
## [1759] "Of purest mettall dressing. "
## [1760] ""
## [1761] "He did but aske a life of thee, "
## [1762] "Thou him a long life gavest: "
## [1763] "15 Loe, ev'n unto eternity "
## [1764] ""
## [1765] "The life of hym thou savest. "
## [1766] ""
## [1767] "We may well call his glory greate "
## [1768] "That springs from thy salvation: "
## [1769] "Thou, thou it is, that hast hym sett "
## [1770] "2,0 In soe high estimation. "
## [1771] ""
## [1772] "Like storehouse thou of blessings mad'st "
## [1773] ""
## [1774] "This man of everlasting: "
## [1775] "Unspekably his hart thou gladst, "
## [1776] ""
## [1777] "On hym thy count'naunce casting. "
## [1778] ""
## [1779] ""
## [1780] ""
## [1781] "PSALM 21 45 "
## [1782] ""
## [1783] "25 And why all this? because our king "
## [1784] ""
## [1785] "In heav'n his trust hath laied: "
## [1786] "He only leanes on highest thing, "
## [1787] "Soe from base slipp is staid. "
## [1788] ""
## [1789] "Thy hand thy foes shall overtake "
## [1790] "30 That thee so evill have hated: "
## [1791] ""
## [1792] "Thou as in fyery ov'n shalt make "
## [1793] "These mates to be amated. "
## [1794] ""
## [1795] "The Lord, on them, with causfull ire "
## [1796] "Shall use destroyeng power; "
## [1797] "35 And flames of never-quenched fire "
## [1798] ""
## [1799] "Shall these badd wightes devower. "
## [1800] ""
## [1801] "Their fruite shalt thou from earthly face "
## [1802] ""
## [1803] "Send unto desolation, "
## [1804] "And from among the humane race "
## [1805] "40 Roote out their generation. "
## [1806] ""
## [1807] "For they to overthrow thy will "
## [1808] ""
## [1809] "Full wilyly entended: "
## [1810] "But all their bad mischievous skill "
## [1811] ""
## [1812] "Shall fruitlessly be ended. "
## [1813] ""
## [1814] "45 For like a mark thou shalt a row "
## [1815] ""
## [1816] "Sett them in pointed places, "
## [1817] "And ready make thy vengfull bow "
## [1818] "Against their guilty faces. "
## [1819] ""
## [1820] "Lord in thy strength, Lord in thy might, "
## [1821] ") Thy honor high be raised "
## [1822] ""
## [1823] "And so shall, in our songs delight, "
## [1824] "Thy power still be praised. "
## [1825] ""
## [1826] "line 9 prevent' st: anticipated, line 32 amated: cast down. "
## [1827] ""
## [1828] ""
## [1829] ""
## [1830] "46 "
## [1831] ""
## [1832] ""
## [1833] ""
## [1834] "PSALM 22 DEUS, DEUS MEUS "
## [1835] ""
## [1836] ""
## [1837] ""
## [1838] "My God, my God, why hast thou me forsaken? "
## [1839] "Wo me, from me, why is thy presence taken? "
## [1840] "Soe farre from seeing, mine unhealthfull eyes, "
## [1841] "Soe farre from hearing to my roaring cries. "
## [1842] ""
## [1843] "5 O God, my God, I crie while day appeareth: "
## [1844] ""
## [1845] "But, God, thy eare my cryeng never heareth. "
## [1846] "O God, the night is privie to my plaint "
## [1847] "Yet to my plaint thou hast no audience lent. "
## [1848] ""
## [1849] "But thou art holy, and dost hold thy dwelling "
## [1850] "10 Where Israeli thy lawdes is ever telling. "
## [1851] ""
## [1852] "Our fathers still to thee their trust did beare; "
## [1853] "They trusted, and, by thee, delivered were. "
## [1854] ""
## [1855] "They were sett free, when they upon thee called, "
## [1856] "They hop'd on thee, and they were not appalled. "
## [1857] "15 But I, a worme not I of mannkind am, "
## [1858] ""
## [1859] "Nay shame of men, the peoples scorning game. "
## [1860] ""
## [1861] "The lookers now at me, poore wretch, be mocking; "
## [1862] ""
## [1863] "With mowes, and nodds, they stand about me flocking. "
## [1864] "Let God help him (say they) whom he did trust: "
## [1865] "20 Lett God save hym in whom was all his lust. "
## [1866] ""
## [1867] "And yet even from the wombe thy selfe did'st take me: "
## [1868] "At mothers brests, thou did'st good hope betake me. "
## [1869] "No sooner my child eyes could looke abroade, "
## [1870] "Then I was giv'n to thee, thou wert my God. "
## [1871] ""
## [1872] ""
## [1873] ""
## [1874] "PSALM 22 47 "
## [1875] ""
## [1876] "25 O be not farre, since paine so neerly presseth, "
## [1877] "And since there is not one who it redresseth. "
## [1878] "I am enclos'd with yong Bulls madded rowt "
## [1879] "Nay Basan mighty Bulls close me about. "
## [1880] ""
## [1881] "With gaping mouthes, these folkes on me have chardged "
## [1882] "30 Like Lions fierce, with roaring jawes enlarged: "
## [1883] "On me all this, who do like water slide, "
## [1884] "Whose loosed boanes quite out of joynt be wri'd; "
## [1885] ""
## [1886] "Whose hart, with these huge flames, like wax oreheated "
## [1887] "Doth melt away, though it be inmost seated: "
## [1888] "35 My moist'ning strength is like a pottsherd dride, "
## [1889] "My cleaving tongue, close to my roofe doth bide. "
## [1890] ""
## [1891] "And now am brought, alas, brought by thy power "
## [1892] "Unto the dust of my deathes running hower: "
## [1893] "For bawling doggs have compast me about, "
## [1894] "40 Yea, worse than doggs, a naughty, wicked, rowt. "
## [1895] ""
## [1896] "My humble handes, my fainting feete they pearced: "
## [1897] "They looke, they gaze, my boanes might be rehearsed; "
## [1898] "Of my poore weedes they do partition make, "
## [1899] "And doe cast lotts who should my vesture take. "
## [1900] ""
## [1901] "45 But be not farre, O Lord, my strength, my comfort, "
## [1902] "Hasten to help me, in this deepe discomfort. "
## [1903] "Ah, from the sword, yet save my vitall sprite, "
## [1904] "My desolated life from dogged might. "
## [1905] ""
## [1906] "From Lions mouth (O help) and show to heare me, "
## [1907] "> By aiding, when fierce Unicornes come neere me: "
## [1908] "To brethern, then, I will declare thy fame, "
## [1909] "And with these wordes, when they meete, praise thi "
## [1910] ""
## [1911] "[name. "
## [1912] ""
## [1913] "Who feare the Lord, all praise and glory beare hym: "
## [1914] "You Israelis seed, you come of Jacob, feare hym. "
## [1915] "I For Hee hath not abhor 'd, nor yet disdain'd "
## [1916] "The silly wretch, with f owle affliction stain'd, "
## [1917] ""
## [1918] ""
## [1919] ""
## [1920] "48 PSALM 22 "
## [1921] ""
## [1922] "Nor hid from him his faces faire appearing; "
## [1923] ""
## [1924] "But, when he cal'd, this Lord did give hym hearing: "
## [1925] "In congregation greate, I will praise thee: "
## [1926] "60 Who feare thee shall my vowes performed see. "
## [1927] ""
## [1928] "Th'afflicted then shall eate, and be well pleased, "
## [1929] "And God shalbe, by those his seakers, praised. "
## [1930] "Indeede, O you, you that be such of mind, "
## [1931] "You shall the life that ever-liveth find. "
## [1932] ""
## [1933] "65 But what? I say, from earthes remotedst border "
## [1934] ""
## [1935] "Unto due thoughts, mannkind his thoughts shall order "
## [1936] "And turne to God, and all the Nations be "
## [1937] "Made worshippers, before allmighty thee. "
## [1938] ""
## [1939] "And reason, since the Crowne to God pertaineth, "
## [1940] "70 And that by right upon all Realmes he raigneth, "
## [1941] ""
## [1942] "They that be made, ev'n fatt, with earthes fatt good. "
## [1943] "Shall feede, and laud the giver of their food. "
## [1944] ""
## [1945] "To him shall kneele even who to dust bee stricken, "
## [1946] "Even hee whose life no helpe of man can quicken; "
## [1947] "75 His service shall from child to child descend, "
## [1948] "His doomes one age shall to another send. "
## [1949] ""
## [1950] "line 18 mowes: grimaces, line 32 wri'd: twisted out of shape "
## [1951] "line 42 rehearsed: reckoned up. line 48 dogged: malicious. "
## [1952] ""
## [1953] ""
## [1954] ""
## [1955] "49 "
## [1956] ""
## [1957] ""
## [1958] ""
## [1959] "PSALM 23 DO MINUS REGIT ME "
## [1960] ""
## [1961] ""
## [1962] ""
## [1963] "The Lord, the Lord my shepheard is, "
## [1964] "And so can never I "
## [1965] "Tast missery. "
## [1966] "He rests me in greene pasture his: "
## [1967] "By waters still, and sweete "
## [1968] "Hee guides my feete. "
## [1969] ""
## [1970] "Hee me revives : leades me the way, "
## [1971] "Which righteousnesse doth take, "
## [1972] "For his names sake. "
## [1973] "Yea though I should through valleys stray, "
## [1974] "Of deathes dark shade, I will "
## [1975] "Noe whitt feare ill. "
## [1976] ""
## [1977] "For thou, deere Lord, thou me besett'st: "
## [1978] "Thy rodd, and thy staff be "
## [1979] "To comfort me; "
## [1980] "Before me thou a table sett'st, "
## [1981] "Even when foes envious ey "
## [1982] "Doth it espy. "
## [1983] ""
## [1984] "Thou oil'st my head thou filFst my cupp: "
## [1985] "Nay more thou endlesse good, "
## [1986] "Shalt give me food. "
## [1987] "To thee, I say, ascended up, "
## [1988] ""
## [1989] "Where thou, the Lord of all, "
## [1990] "Dost hold thy hall. "
## [1991] ""
## [1992] ""
## [1993] ""
## [1994] "50 "
## [1995] ""
## [1996] ""
## [1997] ""
## [1998] "PSALM 24 DOMINI EST TERRA "
## [1999] ""
## [2000] ""
## [2001] ""
## [2002] "The Earth is Gods, and what the globe of earth "
## [2003] ""
## [2004] "And all who in that globe doe dwell: [containeth. "
## [2005] "For by his pow'r, the land upon the Ocean raigneth, "
## [2006] "Through him the fludds to their bedds fell. "
## [2007] ""
## [2008] "5 Who shall clime to the hill, which Gods own hill is "
## [2009] ""
## [2010] "Who shall stand in his holy place? [named! "
## [2011] ""
## [2012] "He that hath hurtless handes, whose inward hart h "
## [2013] ""
## [2014] "All purnesse ever to embrace; [framec "
## [2015] ""
## [2016] "Who shunning vanity and workes of vainenesse leaving "
## [2017] "10 Vainly doth not puff upp his mind, "
## [2018] ""
## [2019] "Who never doth deceave, and much lesse his deceaving "
## [2020] "With perjury doth falsly bind. "
## [2021] ""
## [2022] "A blessing from the Lord, from God of his salvation "
## [2023] "Sweete rightuousnesse shall he receave, "
## [2024] "15 Jacob this is thy seede, God seeking generation, "
## [2025] "Who search of Gods face never leave. "
## [2026] ""
## [2027] ""
## [2028] ""
## [2029] "Lift up your heades you gates; and you dores ever "
## [2030] ""
## [2031] "In comes the king of glory bright. [biding "
## [2032] ""
## [2033] "Who is this glorious king? in might and power riding! "
## [2034] "20 The Lord, whose strength makes battailes fight. "
## [2035] ""
## [2036] ""
## [2037] ""
## [2038] "PSALM 24 51 "
## [2039] ""
## [2040] "Lift up your heades you gates, and you dores ever "
## [2041] ""
## [2042] "In comes the king of glory bright. [biding: "
## [2043] ""
## [2044] "Who is this glorious king? the lord of armies guiding? "
## [2045] "Even he the king of glory hight. "
## [2046] ""
## [2047] ""
## [2048] ""
## [2049] "52 "
## [2050] ""
## [2051] ""
## [2052] ""
## [2053] "PSALM 25 AD TE, DOMINE "
## [2054] ""
## [2055] ""
## [2056] ""
## [2057] "To thee, O Lord most just, "
## [2058] ""
## [2059] "I lift my inward sight: "
## [2060] "My God, in thee I trust, "
## [2061] "Lett me not mine quight: "
## [2062] "5 Lett not those foes, that me annoy, "
## [2063] ""
## [2064] "On my complaint build up their joy. "
## [2065] ""
## [2066] "Sure, sure, who hope in thee, "
## [2067] ""
## [2068] "Shall never suffer shame: "
## [2069] "Lett them confounded be "
## [2070] "10 That causlesse wrongs doe frame. "
## [2071] ""
## [2072] "Yea, Lord, to me thy waies doe show; "
## [2073] "Teach me, thus vext, what path to goe. "
## [2074] ""
## [2075] "Guide me as thy truth guides; "
## [2076] "Teach me; for why thou art "
## [2077] "15 The God in whom abides "
## [2078] ""
## [2079] "The saving me from smart. "
## [2080] ""
## [2081] "For never day such changing wrought, "
## [2082] "That I from trust in thee was brought. "
## [2083] ""
## [2084] "Remember, only King, "
## [2085] "20 Thy mercies tendernesse: "
## [2086] ""
## [2087] "To thy remembrance bring "
## [2088] "Thy kindnesse, lovingnesse. "
## [2089] ""
## [2090] "Let those things thy remembraunce grave, "
## [2091] "Since they eternall essence have. "
## [2092] ""
## [2093] ""
## [2094] ""
## [2095] "PSALM 25 53 "
## [2096] ""
## [2097] "25 But, Lord, remember not "
## [2098] ""
## [2099] "Sinns brew'd in youthfull glasse: "
## [2100] "Nor my rebellions blott, "
## [2101] ""
## [2102] "Since youth, and they, do passe: "
## [2103] "But in thy kindness me record "
## [2104] "30 Ev'n for thy mercies sake, O Lord. "
## [2105] ""
## [2106] "Of grace and righteousnesse "
## [2107] ""
## [2108] "The Lord such plenty hath: "
## [2109] "That he deignes to expresse "
## [2110] "To sinning men his path: "
## [2111] "35 The meeke he doth in judgment leade, "
## [2112] ""
## [2113] "And teach the humble how to tread. "
## [2114] ""
## [2115] "And what, thinck you, may be "
## [2116] ""
## [2117] "The pathes of my greate God? "
## [2118] "Ev'n spottlesse verity, "
## [2119] "40 And mercy spredd abroad, "
## [2120] ""
## [2121] "To such as keepe his covenaunt, "
## [2122] "And on his testimonies plant. "
## [2123] ""
## [2124] "O Lord, for thy names sake, "
## [2125] "Lett my iniquity "
## [2126] "45 Of thee some mercy take, "
## [2127] ""
## [2128] "Though it be greate in me: "
## [2129] ""
## [2130] "Oh, is there one with his feare fraught? "
## [2131] "He shalbe by best teacher taught. "
## [2132] ""
## [2133] "Lo, how his blessing budds "
## [2134] "50 Inward, an inward rest; "
## [2135] ""
## [2136] "Outward, all outward goodes "
## [2137] "By his seede eke possest. "
## [2138] ""
## [2139] "For such he makes his secrett know, "
## [2140] "To such hee doth his cov'nant show. "
## [2141] ""
## [2142] ""
## [2143] ""
## [2144] "PSALM 25 "
## [2145] ""
## [2146] "Where then should my eyes be, "
## [2147] ""
## [2148] "But still on this Lord sett? "
## [2149] "Who doth and will sett free "
## [2150] "My feete from tangling nett. "
## [2151] "O look, O help, lett mercy fall, "
## [2152] "For I am poore, and least of all. "
## [2153] ""
## [2154] "My woes are still encreast; "
## [2155] ""
## [2156] "Shield me from these assaultes: "
## [2157] "See how I am opprest, "
## [2158] ""
## [2159] "And pardon all my faultes. "
## [2160] ""
## [2161] "Behold my foes, what stoare they be, "
## [2162] "Who hate, yea hate me cruelly. "
## [2163] ""
## [2164] "My soule, which thou didst make, "
## [2165] "Now made, O Lord, maintaine: "
## [2166] "And me from these ills take, "
## [2167] "Lest I rebuke sustaine. "
## [2168] ""
## [2169] "For thou, the Lord, thou only art, "
## [2170] "Of whom the trust lives in my hart. "
## [2171] ""
## [2172] "Lett my uprightness gaine "
## [2173] ""
## [2174] "Some safty unto me: "
## [2175] "I say, and say againe, "
## [2176] "My hope is all in thee. "
## [2177] "In fine, deliver Israel "
## [2178] "O Lord, from all his troubles fell. "
## [2179] ""
## [2180] ""
## [2181] ""
## [2182] "55 "
## [2183] ""
## [2184] ""
## [2185] ""
## [2186] "PSALM 26 JUDICA ME, DOMINE "
## [2187] ""
## [2188] ""
## [2189] ""
## [2190] "Lord, judge me and my case, "
## [2191] ""
## [2192] "For I have made my race "
## [2193] "Within the boundes of innocence to bide: "
## [2194] ""
## [2195] "And setting thee for scope "
## [2196] "5 Of all my trustfull hope, "
## [2197] ""
## [2198] "I held for sure that I should never slide. "
## [2199] ""
## [2200] "Prove me, O Lord most high, "
## [2201] ""
## [2202] "Me with thy touch-stone try: "
## [2203] "Yea, sound my reynes, and inmost of my hart. "
## [2204] "10 For so thy loving hand "
## [2205] ""
## [2206] "Before my eyes did stand, "
## [2207] "That from thy truth I would not once depart. "
## [2208] ""
## [2209] "I did not them frequent, "
## [2210] ""
## [2211] "Who be to vainesse bent, "
## [2212] "15 Nor kept with base dissemblers company. "
## [2213] ""
## [2214] "Nay, I did evn detest "
## [2215] ""
## [2216] "Of wicked wights the neast, "
## [2217] "And from the haunts of such bad folks did fly. "
## [2218] ""
## [2219] "In th'innocence of me "
## [2220] "20 My handes shall washed be; "
## [2221] ""
## [2222] "And with those handes, about thy Alter waite; "
## [2223] ""
## [2224] "That I may still expresse "
## [2225] ""
## [2226] "With voice of thanckfullness "
## [2227] "The works perform'd by thee, most wondrous greate. "
## [2228] ""
## [2229] ""
## [2230] ""
## [2231] "56 PSALM 26 "
## [2232] ""
## [2233] "25 Lord, I have loved well "
## [2234] ""
## [2235] "The howse where thou dost dwell, "
## [2236] "Ev'n where thou mak'st thy honnors biding place. "
## [2237] ""
## [2238] "Sweete Lord, write not my soule "
## [2239] ""
## [2240] "Within the sinners rowle: "
## [2241] "30 Nor my lifes cause match with blood-seekers case, "
## [2242] ""
## [2243] "With handes of wicked shifts, "
## [2244] ""
## [2245] "With right hands stain'd with gifts. "
## [2246] "But while I walk in my unspotted waies, "
## [2247] ""
## [2248] "Redeeme and show mee grace, "
## [2249] "35 So I in publique place, "
## [2250] ""
## [2251] "Sett on plaine ground, will thee, Jehovah praise. "
## [2252] ""
## [2253] ""
## [2254] ""
## [2255] "57 "
## [2256] ""
## [2257] ""
## [2258] ""
## [2259] "PSALM 27 DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO "
## [2260] ""
## [2261] ""
## [2262] ""
## [2263] "The shining Lord he is my light, "
## [2264] "The strong God my salvation is: "
## [2265] "Who shall be able me to fright? "
## [2266] "This Lord with strength my life doth blisse "
## [2267] "5 And shall I then "
## [2268] ""
## [2269] "Feare might of men? "
## [2270] ""
## [2271] "When wicked folke, even they that be "
## [2272] "My foes, to uttmost of their pow'r "
## [2273] "With raging jawes inviron me "
## [2274] "10 My very flesh for to devow'r "
## [2275] ""
## [2276] "They stumble so, "
## [2277] "That down they go. "
## [2278] ""
## [2279] "Then, though against me armies were, "
## [2280] "My courage should not be dismaid: "
## [2281] "15 Though battailes brunt, I needes must beare, "
## [2282] ""
## [2283] "While battailes brunt, on me were laid, "
## [2284] "In this I would "
## [2285] "My trust still hold. "
## [2286] ""
## [2287] "One thing in-deede I did, and will "
## [2288] "20 For ever crave: that dwell I may "
## [2289] ""
## [2290] "In howse of high Jehova, still "
## [2291] "On beuty his mine eyes to stay, "
## [2292] "And looke into "
## [2293] "His temple too. "
## [2294] ""
## [2295] ""
## [2296] ""
## [2297] "58 PSALM 27 "
## [2298] ""
## [2299] "25 For when greate griefes to me be merit, "
## [2300] ""
## [2301] "In tabernacle his he will "
## [2302] ""
## [2303] "Hide me, evn closly in his tent: "
## [2304] ""
## [2305] "Yea, noble height of rocky hill "
## [2306] ""
## [2307] "He makes to be "
## [2308] "30 A seate for me. "
## [2309] ""
## [2310] "Now, now, shall he lift up my head "
## [2311] "On my beseeging enimies: "
## [2312] "So shall I sacrifices spread; "
## [2313] "Offrings of joy in temple his: "
## [2314] "35 And song accord "
## [2315] ""
## [2316] "To praise the Lord. "
## [2317] ""
## [2318] "Heare, Lord, when I my voice display, "
## [2319] "Heare, to have mercy eake of me. "
## [2320] "Seeke yee my face, when thou did'st say, "
## [2321] "40 In truth of hart I answr'd thee : "
## [2322] ""
## [2323] "O Lord, I will "
## [2324] "Seeke thy face still. "
## [2325] ""
## [2326] "Hide not therefore from me that face, "
## [2327] "Since all my aid in thee I gott: "
## [2328] "45 In rage, thy servaunt doe not chase; "
## [2329] ""
## [2330] "Forsake not me, O leave me not, "
## [2331] "O God of my "
## [2332] "Salvation hy. "
## [2333] ""
## [2334] "Though fathers care and mothers love "
## [2335] "50 Abandon'd me, yet my decay "
## [2336] ""
## [2337] "Should be restor'd by hym above. "
## [2338] "Teach, Lord, Lord, leade me thy right way, "
## [2339] "Because of those "
## [2340] "That be my foes; "
## [2341] ""
## [2342] "55 Unto whose ever-hating lust "
## [2343] ""
## [2344] "Oh! give me not; for there are sprong "
## [2345] ""
## [2346] "Against me wittnesses unjust: "
## [2347] ""
## [2348] "Even such, I say, whose lyeng tongue "
## [2349] ""
## [2350] ""
## [2351] ""
## [2352] "PSALM 27 59 "
## [2353] ""
## [2354] "Fiercely affordes "
## [2355] "60 Most cruell wordes. "
## [2356] ""
## [2357] "What had I been, except I had "
## [2358] ""
## [2359] "Beleev'd Gods goodness for to see, "
## [2360] "In land with living creatures cladd? "
## [2361] "Hope, trust in God, be strong, and hee "
## [2362] "65 Unto thy hart "
## [2363] ""
## [2364] "Shall joy impart. "
## [2365] ""
## [2366] ""
## [2367] ""
## [2368] "6o "
## [2369] ""
## [2370] ""
## [2371] ""
## [2372] "PSALM 28 AD TE, DOMINE "
## [2373] ""
## [2374] ""
## [2375] ""
## [2376] "To thee, Lord, my cry I send: "
## [2377] ""
## [2378] "O, my strength, stopp not thine eare: "
## [2379] "Least if answeare thou forbeare, "
## [2380] "I be like them that descend "
## [2381] "5 To the pitt, where flesh doth end. "
## [2382] ""
## [2383] "Therefore while that I may cry, "
## [2384] "While I that way hold my handes "
## [2385] "Where thy Sanctuary standes: "
## [2386] "To thy self those wordes apply, "
## [2387] "10 Which from suing voice do fly. "
## [2388] ""
## [2389] "Linck not me in self same chaine, "
## [2390] "With the wicked working folk; "
## [2391] "Who, their spotted thoughtes to cloak, "
## [2392] "Neighbours frendly entertaine, "
## [2393] "15 When in hartes they malice meane. "
## [2394] ""
## [2395] "Spare not them; give them reward, "
## [2396] "As their deedes have purchas'd it, "
## [2397] "As deserves their wicked witt: "
## [2398] "Fare they as their handes have far'd: "
## [2399] "20 Ev'n so be their guerdon shar'd. "
## [2400] ""
## [2401] "To thy workes they give no ey; "
## [2402] ""
## [2403] "Lett them be thrown down by thee: "
## [2404] "Lett them not restored be; "
## [2405] "But lett me give praises hy "
## [2406] "25 To the Lord, that heares my cry. "
## [2407] ""
## [2408] ""
## [2409] ""
## [2410] "PSALM 28 6l "
## [2411] ""
## [2412] "That God is my strength, my shield: "
## [2413] "All my trust on him was sett, "
## [2414] "And soe I did safety gett: "
## [2415] "Soe shall I with joy be fill'd, "
## [2416] "30 So my songues his laudes shall yeeld. "
## [2417] ""
## [2418] "God on them his strength doth lay, "
## [2419] "Who his annointed helped have. "
## [2420] "Lord then still thy people save; "
## [2421] "Blesse thine heritage, I say, "
## [2422] "35 Feede and lift them up for ay. "
## [2423] ""
## [2424] "line 20 guerdon: recompense. "
## [2425] ""
## [2426] ""
## [2427] ""
## [2428] "62 "
## [2429] ""
## [2430] ""
## [2431] ""
## [2432] "PSALM 29 AFFERTE DOMINO "
## [2433] ""
## [2434] ""
## [2435] ""
## [2436] "Ascribe unto the Lord of light, "
## [2437] ""
## [2438] "Yee men of pow'r (evn by birth-right) "
## [2439] "Ascribe all glory and all might. "
## [2440] ""
## [2441] "Ascribe due glory to his name; "
## [2442] "5 And in his ever-glorious frame "
## [2443] ""
## [2444] "Of Sanctuary doe the same. "
## [2445] ""
## [2446] "Hys voice is on the waters found, "
## [2447] ""
## [2448] "His voice doth threatning thunders sound, "
## [2449] "Yea, through the waters doth resound. "
## [2450] ""
## [2451] "10 The voice of that Lord ruling us "
## [2452] ""
## [2453] "Is strong, though hee be gratious, "
## [2454] "And ever, ever glorioues. "
## [2455] ""
## [2456] "By voice of high Jehova we "
## [2457] ""
## [2458] "The highest Cedars broken see, "
## [2459] "15 Ev'n Cedars which on Liban be; "
## [2460] ""
## [2461] "Nay, like yong Calves in leapes are borne, "
## [2462] "And Libans self with natures skorn; "
## [2463] "And Shirion, like yong Unicorn. "
## [2464] ""
## [2465] "His voice doth flashing flames devide; "
## [2466] "20 His voice have trembling desertes tride; "
## [2467] ""
## [2468] "Ev'n deserts, where the Arabs bide. "
## [2469] ""
## [2470] ""
## [2471] ""
## [2472] "PSALM 29 63 "
## [2473] ""
## [2474] "His voice makes hindes their calves to cast: "
## [2475] "His voice makes bald the forrest waste: "
## [2476] "But in his Church, his fame is plast. "
## [2477] ""
## [2478] "25 He sitts on seas, he endlesse raignes, "
## [2479] ""
## [2480] "His strength his peoples strength maintaines, "
## [2481] "Which, blest by him, in peace remaines. "
## [2482] ""
## [2483] "lines 17 and 18: i.e., even the mountains, Lebanon and Sirion, "
## [2484] "will leap. "
## [2485] ""
## [2486] ""
## [2487] ""
## [2488] "PSALM 30 EXALT ABO TE, DOMINE "
## [2489] ""
## [2490] ""
## [2491] ""
## [2492] "O Lord, thou hast exalted me, "
## [2493] ""
## [2494] "And sav'd me from foes laughing scorn: "
## [2495] "I ow thee praise, I will praise thee. "
## [2496] ""
## [2497] "For when my hart with woes was torn, "
## [2498] "5 In cries to thee, I shew'd my cause: "
## [2499] ""
## [2500] "And was from ill by thee upborne. "
## [2501] ""
## [2502] "Yea from the Graves most hungry jawes "
## [2503] "Thou would'st not sett me on their scoare, "
## [2504] "Whom death to his cold boozome drawes. "
## [2505] ""
## [2506] "10 Praise, praise this Lord then evermore "
## [2507] ""
## [2508] "Ye saints of his, remembring still "
## [2509] "With thancks his holinesse therefore. "
## [2510] ""
## [2511] "For quickly endes his wrathfull will; "
## [2512] "But his deere favour, where it lies, "
## [2513] "15 From age to age life joyes doth fill. "
## [2514] ""
## [2515] "Well may the evening cloath the eies "
## [2516] "In cloudes of teares, but soone as sunne "
## [2517] "Doth rise againe, new joyes shall rise. "
## [2518] ""
## [2519] "For proof, while I my race did runne "
## [2520] "20 Full of successe, fond I did say, "
## [2521] ""
## [2522] "That I should never be undonne, "
## [2523] ""
## [2524] ""
## [2525] ""
## [2526] "PSALM 30 65 "
## [2527] ""
## [2528] "For then my hill good God did stay: "
## [2529] "But ah, he straight his face did hide, "
## [2530] "And what was I but wretched clay? "
## [2531] ""
## [2532] "25 Then thus to thee I prayeng cride, "
## [2533] ""
## [2534] "What serves alas, the blood of me "
## [2535] "When I with in the pitt doe bide? "
## [2536] ""
## [2537] "Shall ever earth give thancks to thee? "
## [2538] "Or shall thy truth on mannkind laid "
## [2539] "30 In deadly dust, declared be? "
## [2540] ""
## [2541] "Lord, heare, lett mercy thine be staid "
## [2542] "On me, from me helpe this annoy. "
## [2543] "This much I said, this beeing said, "
## [2544] ""
## [2545] "Lo, I that wail'd, now daunce for joy: "
## [2546] "35 Thou did'st ungird my dolefull sack, "
## [2547] ""
## [2548] "And mad'st me gladsome weedes enjoy. "
## [2549] ""
## [2550] "Therefore my tongue shall never lack "
## [2551] "Thy endless praise: O God, my king, "
## [2552] "I will thee thancks for ever sing. "
## [2553] ""
## [2554] ""
## [2555] ""
## [2556] "66 "
## [2557] ""
## [2558] ""
## [2559] ""
## [2560] "PSALM 31 IN TE, DOMINE, SPERAVI "
## [2561] ""
## [2562] ""
## [2563] ""
## [2564] "All, all my trust, Lord, I have putt in thee. "
## [2565] "Never, therefore, lett me confounded be, "
## [2566] ""
## [2567] "But save me, save me in my righteousness. "
## [2568] "Bow down thine eare to heare how much I need; "
## [2569] "5 Deliver me, deliver me in speed: "
## [2570] ""
## [2571] "Bee my strong Rock, be thou my forteresse. "
## [2572] ""
## [2573] "In deede thou art my Rock, my forteresse: "
## [2574] ""
## [2575] "Then since my tongue delights that name to blesse, "
## [2576] "Direct me how to goe, and guide me right. "
## [2577] "10 Preserve me from the wyly wrapping nett, "
## [2578] ""
## [2579] "Which they for me, with privie craft have sett: "
## [2580] "For still I say, thou art my only might. "
## [2581] ""
## [2582] "Into thy hands I doe commend my spright: "
## [2583] "For it is thou, that hast restord my light: "
## [2584] "15 O Lord, that art the God of verity. "
## [2585] ""
## [2586] "I hated have those men, whose thoughtes do cleave "
## [2587] "To vanities: which most trust, most deceave: "
## [2588] "For all my hope fixt upon God doth ly. "
## [2589] ""
## [2590] "Thy mercy shall fill me with jolity, "
## [2591] "20 For my annoies have come before thine ey: "
## [2592] ""
## [2593] "Thou well hast known what plung my soule was "
## [2594] ""
## [2595] "[in. "
## [2596] "And thou hast not for ay enclosed me "
## [2597] "With in the hand of hatefull enmity: "
## [2598] ""
## [2599] "But hast enlarg'd my feete from mortall ginn. "
## [2600] ""
## [2601] ""
## [2602] ""
## [2603] "PSALM 31 67 "
## [2604] ""
## [2605] "25 O Lord, of thee, lett me still mercy wynne; "
## [2606] "For troubles, of all sides, have me within: "
## [2607] ""
## [2608] "My ey, my gutts, yea my soule, grief doth waste. "
## [2609] "My life with heaviness, my yeares with moane "
## [2610] "Doe pine: my strength with paine is wholy gone: "
## [2611] ""
## [2612] "30 And ev'n my boanes consume, where they be plast. "
## [2613] ""
## [2614] ""
## [2615] ""
## [2616] "All my feirce foes reproach on me did cast: "
## [2617] ""
## [2618] "Yea neighbours, more, my mates, were so agast, "
## [2619] ""
## [2620] "That in the streetes from sight of me they fledd: "
## [2621] "Now I, now I my self forgotten find, "
## [2622] "35 Even like a dead man, dreamed out of mind, "
## [2623] "Or like a broken pott, in myre tredd. "
## [2624] ""
## [2625] ""
## [2626] ""
## [2627] "I understand what railing greate men spredd: "
## [2628] ""
## [2629] "Feare was each where, while they their councells ledd "
## [2630] "All to this pointe, how my poore life to take; "
## [2631] "40 But I did trust in thee Lord, I did say, "
## [2632] ""
## [2633] "Thou art my God, my time on thee doth stay: "
## [2634] "Save me from foes, who seeke my bane to bake. "
## [2635] ""
## [2636] "Thy face to shine upon thy servaunt make, "
## [2637] "And save me in, and for, thy mercies sake; "
## [2638] "45 Lett me not taste of shame, O Lord most hy. "
## [2639] ""
## [2640] "For I have cal'd on thee; let wicked folk "
## [2641] "Confounded be; and passe away like smoak; "
## [2642] "Lett them in bedd of endlesse silence dy. "
## [2643] ""
## [2644] "Lett those lipps be made dumb which love to ly: "
## [2645] "50 Which full of spight, of pride, and cruelty, "
## [2646] ""
## [2647] "Doe throw their wordes against the most upright. "
## [2648] "Oh, of thy grace what endlesse pleasure flowes "
## [2649] "To whome feare thee! what thou hast donne for those "
## [2650] "That trust in thee, ev'n in most open sight! "
## [2651] ""
## [2652] "55 And when neede were, from pride in privie plight "
## [2653] "Thou hast hidd them; yet leaving them thy light, "
## [2654] ""
## [2655] ""
## [2656] ""
## [2657] "68 PSALM 31 "
## [2658] ""
## [2659] "From strife of tongues, in thy pavilions plast. "
## [2660] "Then praise, then praise I doe the Lord of us "
## [2661] "Who was to me more than most gratious: "
## [2662] "60 Farre farre more sure, than walls most firmly fast. "
## [2663] ""
## [2664] "Yet I confesse in that tempestious haste, "
## [2665] "I said, that I from out thy sight was cast: "
## [2666] ""
## [2667] "But thou didst heare when I to thee did moane. "
## [2668] "Then love the Lord all ye that feele his grace; "
## [2669] "65 Who paires the proud, preserves the faithfull race: "
## [2670] "Be strong in hope, his strength shall you supply. "
## [2671] ""
## [2672] "line 6 forteresse is trisyllabic, line 24 enlarg'd: liberated; ginn: "
## [2673] "trap, or snare, line 36 tredd: trodden, line 55 plight: fold, as of "
## [2674] "a dress, line 65 paires: prunes. "
## [2675] ""
## [2676] ""
## [2677] ""
## [2678] "69 "
## [2679] ""
## [2680] ""
## [2681] ""
## [2682] "PSALM 32 BEATI, QUORUM "
## [2683] ""
## [2684] ""
## [2685] ""
## [2686] "Blessed is hee whose filthy staine "
## [2687] ""
## [2688] "The Lord with pardon doth make cleane, "
## [2689] ""
## [2690] "Whose fault well hidden lieth; "
## [2691] "Blessed, in deede, to whom the Lord "
## [2692] "5 Imputes not sinnes to be abhord, "
## [2693] ""
## [2694] "Whose spirit falshood flieth. "
## [2695] ""
## [2696] "Thus I, prest down with weight of paine, "
## [2697] "Whether I silent did remaine "
## [2698] ""
## [2699] "Or roar'd, my boanes still wasted. "
## [2700] "10 For soe both day and night did stand "
## [2701] ""
## [2702] "On wretched me, thy heavie hand, "
## [2703] "My life hott tormentes tasted. "
## [2704] ""
## [2705] "Till, my self, did my faultes confesse, "
## [2706] "And opened mine owne wickedness "
## [2707] "15 Whereto my hart did give me: "
## [2708] ""
## [2709] "So I my self accus'd to God, "
## [2710] "And his sweete grace streight eas'd the rodd, "
## [2711] "And dyd due paine forgive me. "
## [2712] ""
## [2713] "Therefore shall every godly one, "
## [2714] "20 In fitt time, make to thee his moane, "
## [2715] ""
## [2716] "When thou wilt deigne to heare hym. "
## [2717] "Sure, sure, the flood of strayeng streames, "
## [2718] "How ever they putt in their claimes, "
## [2719] "Shall never dare come neere hym. "
## [2720] ""
## [2721] ""
## [2722] ""
## [2723] "JO PSALM 32 "
## [2724] ""
## [2725] "25 Thou art my safe and secrett place, "
## [2726] ""
## [2727] "Who savest me from troublous case "
## [2728] "To songs and joyfull biding. "
## [2729] ""
## [2730] "But who so will instructed be, "
## [2731] ""
## [2732] "Come, come the way I will teach thee; "
## [2733] "30 Guide thee by my eyes guiding. "
## [2734] ""
## [2735] "Oh, be not like a horse or Mule, "
## [2736] "Wholy devoide of reasons rule, "
## [2737] ""
## [2738] "Whose mouthes thy self dost bridle "
## [2739] "Knowing full well that beastes they be, "
## [2740] "35 And therefore soone would mischief thee "
## [2741] ""
## [2742] "If thou remained'st idle. "
## [2743] ""
## [2744] "Woes, woes shall come to wicked folkes. "
## [2745] "But who on God his trust invokes, "
## [2746] "All mercies shalbe swarmed. "
## [2747] "40 Be gladd, you good, in God have joy, "
## [2748] ""
## [2749] "Joy be to you who doe enjoy "
## [2750] ""
## [2751] "Your hartes with cleernesse armed. "
## [2752] ""
## [2753] ""
## [2754] ""
## [2755] "7i "
## [2756] ""
## [2757] ""
## [2758] ""
## [2759] "PSALM 33 EXULT ATE, JUSTI "
## [2760] ""
## [2761] ""
## [2762] ""
## [2763] "Rejoyce in God, O ye "
## [2764] "That righteous be: "
## [2765] "For cheerefull thanckfullnesse, "
## [2766] "It is a comly part "
## [2767] "5 In them whose hart "
## [2768] ""
## [2769] "Doth cherish rightfullnesse. "
## [2770] ""
## [2771] "O praise with harp the Lord, "
## [2772] "O now accord "
## [2773] "Viols with singing voice: "
## [2774] "10 Lett tenne string'd instrument "
## [2775] ""
## [2776] "O now be bent "
## [2777] "To wittness you rejoice. "
## [2778] ""
## [2779] "A new, sing a new song "
## [2780] "To him most strong, "
## [2781] "15 Sing lowd and merrily: "
## [2782] ""
## [2783] "Because that word of his "
## [2784] ""
## [2785] "Most righteous is, "
## [2786] "And his deedes faithfull be. "
## [2787] ""
## [2788] "Hee righteousnesse approves "
## [2789] "20 And judgment loves: "
## [2790] ""
## [2791] "Gods goodnesse fills all landes. "
## [2792] "His word made heav'nly coast, "
## [2793] ""
## [2794] "And all that hoast "
## [2795] "By breath of his mouth stands. "
## [2796] ""
## [2797] ""
## [2798] ""
## [2799] "72 psalm 33 "
## [2800] ""
## [2801] "25 The waters of the seas "
## [2802] ""
## [2803] "In heapes he laies, "
## [2804] "And depthes in treasure his: "
## [2805] "Lett all the earth feare God, "
## [2806] "And who abroad "
## [2807] "30 Of world a dweller is. "
## [2808] ""
## [2809] "For he spake not more soone, "
## [2810] "Than it was done: "
## [2811] "He bade, and it did stand. "
## [2812] "He doth heathen conncell breake, "
## [2813] "35 And maketh weake "
## [2814] ""
## [2815] "The might of peoples hand. "
## [2816] ""
## [2817] "But ever, ever shall "
## [2818] "His counsells all "
## [2819] "Through-out all ages last. "
## [2820] "40 The thinckings of that mind "
## [2821] ""
## [2822] "No end shall find, "
## [2823] "When Tymes tyme shalbe past. "
## [2824] ""
## [2825] "That Realme indeede hath blisse "
## [2826] "Whose God he is, "
## [2827] "45 Who him for their Lord take: "
## [2828] ""
## [2829] "Even people that, ev n those, "
## [2830] ""
## [2831] "Whom this Lord chose "
## [2832] "His heritage to make. "
## [2833] ""
## [2834] "The Lorde lookes from the sky: "
## [2835] "50 Full well his ey "
## [2836] ""
## [2837] "Beholdes our mortall race. "
## [2838] "Even where he dwelleth, he "
## [2839] ""
## [2840] "Through-out doth see "
## [2841] "Who dwell in dusty place. "
## [2842] ""
## [2843] "55 Since he their hartes doth frame, "
## [2844] ""
## [2845] "He knowes the same: "
## [2846] ""
## [2847] ""
## [2848] ""
## [2849] "PSALM 33 "
## [2850] ""
## [2851] "Their workes hee understandes. "
## [2852] "Hoasts doe the king not save; "
## [2853] "Nor strong men have "
## [2854] "60 Their help from mighty handes. "
## [2855] ""
## [2856] "Of quick strength is an horse "
## [2857] "And yet his force "
## [2858] "Is but a succour vaine: "
## [2859] "Who trusts hym, sooner shall "
## [2860] "65 Catch harmefull fall "
## [2861] ""
## [2862] "Than true deliveraunce gayn. "
## [2863] ""
## [2864] "But lo, Jehovas sight "
## [2865] ""
## [2866] "On them doth light "
## [2867] "Who him do truly feare: "
## [2868] "70 And them who do the scope "
## [2869] ""
## [2870] "Of all their hope "
## [2871] "Upon his mercy beare. "
## [2872] ""
## [2873] "His sight is them to save "
## [2874] ""
## [2875] "Ev'n from the grave, "
## [2876] "75 And keepe from famynes paine. "
## [2877] ""
## [2878] "Then on that Lord most kind "
## [2879] ""
## [2880] "Fix we our mynd, "
## [2881] "Whose shield shall us maintayne. "
## [2882] ""
## [2883] "Our hartes sure shall enjoy "
## [2884] "80 In hym much joy "
## [2885] ""
## [2886] "Who hope on his name just. "
## [2887] "O lett thy mercy greate "
## [2888] ""
## [2889] "On us be sett; "
## [2890] "We have no plea, but trust. "
## [2891] ""
## [2892] ""
## [2893] ""
## [2894] "PSALM 34 BENEDICAM DOMINO "
## [2895] ""
## [2896] ""
## [2897] ""
## [2898] "I, even I, will allwaies "
## [2899] ""
## [2900] "Give harty thancks to hym on high, "
## [2901] "And in my mouth contynnually "
## [2902] "Inhabit shall his praise. "
## [2903] ""
## [2904] "My soule shall glory still "
## [2905] "In that deere Lord with true delight: "
## [2906] "That hearing it, the hartes contrite "
## [2907] "May learne their joyes to fill. "
## [2908] ""
## [2909] "Come then and joyne with me "
## [2910] ""
## [2911] "Somwhat to speake of his due praise: "
## [2912] "Strive we, that in some worthy phraze "
## [2913] "His name may honor'd be. "
## [2914] ""
## [2915] "Thus I beginne: I sought "
## [2916] "This Lord, and he did heare my cry: "
## [2917] "Yea, and from dreadfull missery "
## [2918] "He me, he only, brought. "
## [2919] ""
## [2920] "This shall menns fancies frame "
## [2921] ""
## [2922] "To looke and runne to hym for aide, "
## [2923] "Whose faces on his comfort staid "
## [2924] "Shall never blush for shame. "
## [2925] ""
## [2926] "For lo, this wretch did call, "
## [2927] "And lo, his call the skies did clime: "
## [2928] "And God freed hym, in his worst tyme, "
## [2929] "From out his troubles all. "
## [2930] ""
## [2931] ""
## [2932] ""
## [2933] "psalm 34 7! "
## [2934] ""
## [2935] "25 His Angells armies round "
## [2936] ""
## [2937] "Aboute them pitch who hym do feare; "
## [2938] ""
## [2939] "And watch and ward for such do beare, "
## [2940] ""
## [2941] "To keepe them safe and sounde. "
## [2942] "I say but tast, and see "
## [2943] "30 How sweete, how gratious is his grace: "
## [2944] ""
## [2945] "Lord, hee is in thrice blessed case "
## [2946] ""
## [2947] "Whose trust is all in thee. "
## [2948] ""
## [2949] "Feare God, ye saintes of his, "
## [2950] "For nothing they can ever want "
## [2951] "35 Who faithfull feares in hym do plant: "
## [2952] ""
## [2953] "They have, and shall have, blisse. "
## [2954] ""
## [2955] "The Lions ofte lack foode, "
## [2956] "Those raveners whelpes oft starved be: "
## [2957] "But who seeke God with constancy "
## [2958] "40 Shall neede nought that is good. "
## [2959] ""
## [2960] "Come, children, lend your eare "
## [2961] "To me, and mark what I do say: "
## [2962] "For I will teach to you the way "
## [2963] "How this our Lord to feare. "
## [2964] "45 Among you, who is heere, "
## [2965] ""
## [2966] "That life and length of life requires, "
## [2967] "And blessing such, with length desires, "
## [2968] "As life may good appeare? "
## [2969] ""
## [2970] "Keepe well thi lipps and tongue, "
## [2971] "50 Least inward ills doe them defile; "
## [2972] ""
## [2973] "Or that by wordes, enwrapt in guile "
## [2974] "Another man be stong. "
## [2975] ""
## [2976] "Doe good, from faultes declyne, "
## [2977] "Seeke peace, and follow after it: "
## [2978] "55 For Gods own eyes on good-men sitt, "
## [2979] ""
## [2980] "And eares to them enclyne. "
## [2981] ""
## [2982] "Soe his high heavenly face "
## [2983] ""
## [2984] "Is bent, but bent against those same "
## [2985] "That wicked be, their very name "
## [2986] "60 From earth quite to displace. "
## [2987] ""
## [2988] ""
## [2989] ""
## [2990] "jQ psalm 34 "
## [2991] ""
## [2992] "The just when harmes approach, "
## [2993] "Do cry; their cry of hym is heard: "
## [2994] "And by his care from them is barr'd "
## [2995] "All trouble, all reproach. "
## [2996] ""
## [2997] "65 To humble, broken myndes "
## [2998] ""
## [2999] "This Lord is ever, ever neere; "
## [3000] ""
## [3001] "And will save whome his true sight cleere "
## [3002] ""
## [3003] "In spirit afflicted findes. "
## [3004] "Indeede the very best "
## [3005] "70 Most greate and greevous paines doth beare: "
## [3006] ""
## [3007] "But God shall him to safty reare, "
## [3008] ""
## [3009] "When most hee seemes opprest. "
## [3010] ""
## [3011] "His boanes he keepeth all, "
## [3012] ""
## [3013] "So that not one of them is broke; "
## [3014] "75 But malice shall the wicked choak "
## [3015] ""
## [3016] "Who hate the good shall fall. "
## [3017] ""
## [3018] "God doth all soules redeeme "
## [3019] "Who weare his blessed livery: "
## [3020] "None, I say still, shall ruin'd be, "
## [3021] "80 Who hym their trust esteeme. "
## [3022] ""
## [3023] ""
## [3024] ""
## [3025] "7: "
## [3026] ""
## [3027] ""
## [3028] ""
## [3029] "PSALM 35 JUDICA, DOMINE "
## [3030] ""
## [3031] ""
## [3032] ""
## [3033] "Speake thou for me, against wrong speaking foes: "
## [3034] "Thy force, O Lord, against their force oppose. "
## [3035] "Take upp thy shield and for my succour stand; "
## [3036] ""
## [3037] "Yea take thy launce, and stoppe the way of those "
## [3038] "5 That seeke my bane; O make me understand "
## [3039] ""
## [3040] "In sprite, that I shall have thy helping hand. "
## [3041] ""
## [3042] "Confounde those folks, thrust them in shamfull hoale "
## [3043] "That hunt so poore a pray as is my soule. "
## [3044] "Rebuke, and wrack, on those wrong-doers throw, "
## [3045] "10 Who for my hurt each way their thoughtes did "
## [3046] ""
## [3047] "And as vile chaff away the wind doth blow, [roule; "
## [3048] ""
## [3049] "Lett Angell thine a scattering make them goe. "
## [3050] ""
## [3051] "Lett Angell thine pursue them as they fly, "
## [3052] ""
## [3053] "But lett their flight be dark and slippery "
## [3054] "15 For, causless, they both pitt and nett did sett: "
## [3055] "For, causless, they did seeke to make me dy: "
## [3056] "Lett their sly witts unwares destruction gett, "
## [3057] "Fall in self pitt, be caught in their own nett. "
## [3058] ""
## [3059] "Then shall I joy in thee, then sav'd by thee "
## [3060] "20 I, both in mind and boanes, shall gladded be. "
## [3061] ""
## [3062] "Ev'n boanes shall say ( O God ) who is thy peere "
## [3063] ""
## [3064] "Who poore and weake from ritch and strong dost "
## [3065] ""
## [3066] "Who helpest those whose ruine was so neere, [free? "
## [3067] ""
## [3068] "From him whose force did in their spoiles appeere? "
## [3069] ""
## [3070] ""
## [3071] ""
## [3072] "PSALM 35 "
## [3073] ""
## [3074] "Who did me wrong, against me wittnesse beare, "
## [3075] "Layeng such things, as never in me were: "
## [3076] "So my good deedes they pay, with evill share; "
## [3077] "With cm ell mindes my very soule to teare. "
## [3078] "And whose? ev'n his, who when they sickness beare "
## [3079] "With inward woe, an outward sack-cloth wear. "
## [3080] ""
## [3081] "I did pull down my self, fasting for such, "
## [3082] ""
## [3083] "I praid, with praiers which my brest did touch: "
## [3084] "In summe I shew'd that I to them was bent "
## [3085] "As brothers, or as freendes beloved much. "
## [3086] "Still, still, for them I humbly moorning went, "
## [3087] "Like one that should his mothers death lament. "
## [3088] ""
## [3089] "But lo, soone as they did me stagg 'ring see, "
## [3090] ""
## [3091] "Who joy but thei, when they assembled be? "
## [3092] ""
## [3093] "Then abjects, while I was unwitting quite "
## [3094] "Against me swarme, ceaslesse to raile at me: "
## [3095] ""
## [3096] "With scoffers false, I was theyr feasts delight, "
## [3097] ""
## [3098] "Even gnashing teeth, to wittnesse more their spight. "
## [3099] ""
## [3100] "Lord, wilt thou see, and wilt thou suffer it? "
## [3101] ""
## [3102] "Oh! on my soule, let not these tumults hitt. "
## [3103] "Save me, distrest, from Lions cruell kind. "
## [3104] ""
## [3105] "I will thanck thee, where congregations sitt, "
## [3106] "Even where I do most store of people find, "
## [3107] ""
## [3108] "Most to thy laudes will I my speeches bind. "
## [3109] ""
## [3110] "Then, then lett not my foes unjustly joy: "
## [3111] ""
## [3112] "Lett them not fleere, who me would causless stroy; "
## [3113] "Who never word of peace yet utter would, "
## [3114] ""
## [3115] "But hunt with craft the quiett mans annoy, "
## [3116] "And said to me, wide mowing, as they could: "
## [3117] ""
## [3118] "A, ha: Sir, now we see you where we should. "
## [3119] ""
## [3120] "This thou hast seene: and wilt thou silent be? "
## [3121] "O Lord, doe not absent thy self from me: "
## [3122] ""
## [3123] ""
## [3124] ""
## [3125] "psalm 35 79 "
## [3126] ""
## [3127] "But rise, but wake, that I may judgment gett. "
## [3128] ""
## [3129] "My Lord, my God, ev'n to my equity, "
## [3130] "Judg, Lord: judge, God, ev'n in thy justice greate: "
## [3131] "60 Lett not their joy, upon my woes be sett. "
## [3132] ""
## [3133] "Lett them not, Lord, within their harts thus say: "
## [3134] ""
## [3135] "O soule, rejoyce, we made this wretch our pray. "
## [3136] "But throw them down, put them to endless blame, "
## [3137] "Who make a cause to joy of my decay. "
## [3138] "65 Lett them be cloth'd with most confounding shame, "
## [3139] "That lift them selves my mine for to frame. "
## [3140] ""
## [3141] "But make such gladd, and full of joyfullnesse, "
## [3142] "That yet beare love unto my righteousnesse: "
## [3143] "Yet, let them say, laud be to God allwaies, "
## [3144] "70 Who loves with good, his servaunts good to blesse. "
## [3145] ""
## [3146] "As for my tongue, while I have any daies, "
## [3147] ""
## [3148] "Thy justice wittnesse shall, and speake thy praise. "
## [3149] ""
## [3150] "line 5 bane: destruction, line 39 objects: despicable people, line "
## [3151] "50 fleere: gibe; stroy: destroy, line 53 mowing: grimacing. "
## [3152] ""
## [3153] ""
## [3154] ""
## [3155] "PSALM 36 DIXIT IN JUSTUS "
## [3156] ""
## [3157] ""
## [3158] ""
## [3159] "Me thincks amidd my hart I heare "
## [3160] "What guilty wickedness doth say "
## [3161] ""
## [3162] "Which wicked folkes doe holde soe deare: "
## [3163] "Even thus, it self, it doth display: "
## [3164] ""
## [3165] "No feare of God doth once appeare "
## [3166] "Before his eyes that soe doth stray. "
## [3167] ""
## [3168] "For those same eies, his flatterers be, "
## [3169] "Till his known ill doth hatred gett: "
## [3170] ""
## [3171] "His wordes, deceipt; iniquity "
## [3172] ""
## [3173] "His deedes: yea thoughts, all good forgett. "
## [3174] ""
## [3175] "A bedd, on mischief muzeth he; "
## [3176] "Abroad, his stepps be wrongly sett. "
## [3177] ""
## [3178] "Lord, how the heav'ns thy mercy fills, "
## [3179] ""
## [3180] "Thy truth above the cloudes most hy! "
## [3181] ""
## [3182] "Thy righteousnesse like hugest hills, "
## [3183] "Thy judgments like the deepes do ly. "
## [3184] ""
## [3185] "Thy grace with safty man fulfills, "
## [3186] ""
## [3187] "Yea beastes, made safe, thy goodenesse try. "
## [3188] ""
## [3189] "O Lord, how excellent a thing "
## [3190] ""
## [3191] "Thy mercy is; which makes mannkind "
## [3192] "Trust in the shadow of thy wing; "
## [3193] ""
## [3194] "Who shall in thy house fattnesse find, "
## [3195] "And drinck from out thy pleasures spring "
## [3196] ""
## [3197] "Of pleasures past the reach of mind. "
## [3198] ""
## [3199] ""
## [3200] ""
## [3201] "PSALM 36 8l "
## [3202] ""
## [3203] "25 For why, the well of life thou art "
## [3204] ""
## [3205] "And in thy light, shall we see light. "
## [3206] "O, then, extend thy loving hart "
## [3207] ""
## [3208] "To them that know thee, and thy might: "
## [3209] "O, then, thy righteousness impart "
## [3210] "30 To them that be in soules upright. "
## [3211] ""
## [3212] "Lett not proud feete make me their thrall; "
## [3213] "Lett not ill handes, disscomfit me; "
## [3214] "Lo, there, I now foresee their fall "
## [3215] "Who do ill workes: loe, I do see "
## [3216] "35 They are cast down, and never shall "
## [3217] ""
## [3218] "Have powre againe to raised be. "
## [3219] ""
## [3220] ""
## [3221] ""
## [3222] "82 "
## [3223] ""
## [3224] ""
## [3225] ""
## [3226] "PSALM 37 NOLI AEMULARI "
## [3227] ""
## [3228] ""
## [3229] ""
## [3230] "Frett not thy self, if thou do see "
## [3231] ""
## [3232] "That wicked men do seeme to flourish: "
## [3233] "Nor envy in thy bozome nourish "
## [3234] "Though ill deedes well succeeding be. "
## [3235] ""
## [3236] "5 They soone shalbe cutt down like grasse "
## [3237] ""
## [3238] "And wither like greene hearb or flower; "
## [3239] "Do well, and trust on heav nly power, "
## [3240] "Thou shalt have both good food and place. "
## [3241] ""
## [3242] "Delight in God, and he shall breede "
## [3243] "10 The fullnesse of thy own hartes lusting: "
## [3244] ""
## [3245] "Guide thee by him, lay all thy trusting "
## [3246] "On hym, and he will make it speed. "
## [3247] ""
## [3248] "For like the light he shall display "
## [3249] ""
## [3250] "Thy Justice, in most shining lustre: "
## [3251] "15 And of thy judgment make a mustre "
## [3252] ""
## [3253] "Like to the glory of noone day. "
## [3254] ""
## [3255] "Waite on the Lord with patient hope; "
## [3256] ""
## [3257] "Chafe not at some manns greate good fortune "
## [3258] "Though all his plotts, without misfortune, "
## [3259] "20 Attaine unto their wished scope. "
## [3260] ""
## [3261] "Fume not, rage not, frett not, I say, "
## [3262] ""
## [3263] "Least such thinges synne in thy self cherish; "
## [3264] "For those bad folks, at last, shall perish: "
## [3265] "Who stay for Godd, in blisse shall stay. "
## [3266] ""
## [3267] ""
## [3268] ""
## [3269] "PSALM 37 83 "
## [3270] ""
## [3271] "25 Watch but a while, and thou shalt see "
## [3272] ""
## [3273] "The wicked, by his own pride, banisht: "
## [3274] "Looke after him, he shalbe vanisht, "
## [3275] "And never found againe shalbe. "
## [3276] ""
## [3277] "But meeke men shall the earth possesse; "
## [3278] "30 In quiett home they shalbe planted: "
## [3279] ""
## [3280] "And this delight to them is granted, "
## [3281] "They shall have peace in plenteousnesse. "
## [3282] ""
## [3283] "Evill men work ill to uttmost right, "
## [3284] ""
## [3285] "Gnashing their teeth full of disdayning: "
## [3286] "35 But God shall scorne their moody meaning, "
## [3287] ""
## [3288] "For their short time is in his sight. "
## [3289] ""
## [3290] "The evill bent bowes, and swordes they drew, "
## [3291] "To have their hate on good soules wroken: "
## [3292] "But lo, their bowes they shalbe broken, "
## [3293] "40 Their swordes, shall their own hartes embrew. "
## [3294] ""
## [3295] "Small goodes in good men better is "
## [3296] ""
## [3297] "Than of bad folkes the wealthy wonder: "
## [3298] "For wicked armes shall breake asunder; "
## [3299] "But God upholdes the just in blisse. "
## [3300] ""
## [3301] "45 God keepes accompt of good menns daies, "
## [3302] "Their heritage shall last for ever: "
## [3303] "In perill they shall perish never, "
## [3304] "Nor want in dearth, their want to ease. "
## [3305] ""
## [3306] "Badd folkes shall fall, and fall for ay: "
## [3307] "50 Who to make warre with God presumed "
## [3308] ""
## [3309] "Like fatt of lambes shalbe consumed, "
## [3310] "Ev'n with the smoake shall waste away. "
## [3311] ""
## [3312] "The naughty borrowes, payeng not; "
## [3313] ""
## [3314] "The good is kind, and freely giveth. "
## [3315] "55 Loe, whom God blest, hee blessed liveth: "
## [3316] ""
## [3317] "Whom he doth curse, to naught shall rott. "
## [3318] ""
## [3319] ""
## [3320] ""
## [3321] "84 psalm 37 "
## [3322] ""
## [3323] "The mann whom God directs doth stand "
## [3324] "Firme on his way, his way God loveth; "
## [3325] "Though he doth fall, no wrack he proveth: "
## [3326] "60 He is upheld by heav'nly hand. "
## [3327] ""
## [3328] "I have been yong: now old I am, "
## [3329] "Yet I the man that was betaken "
## [3330] "To Justice, never saw forsaken; "
## [3331] "Nor that his seede to begging came. "
## [3332] ""
## [3333] "65 He lendes, he gives, more he doth spend, "
## [3334] ""
## [3335] "The more his seede in blessing flourish: "
## [3336] "Then fly all ill, and goodness nourish, "
## [3337] "And thy good state shall never end. "
## [3338] ""
## [3339] "God, loving right, doth not forsake "
## [3340] "70 His holy ones: they are preserved "
## [3341] ""
## [3342] "From tyme to tyme; but who be swarved "
## [3343] "To ill, both they and theirs shall wrack. "
## [3344] ""
## [3345] "I say, I say the righteous mindes "
## [3346] ""
## [3347] "Shall have the land in their possessing, "
## [3348] "75 Shall dwell thereon, and this their blessing "
## [3349] ""
## [3350] "No time within his limitts bindes. "
## [3351] ""
## [3352] "The good mouth will in wisdome bide, "
## [3353] ""
## [3354] "His tongue of heav'nly Judgments telleth; "
## [3355] "For Gods high law in his hart dwelleth: "
## [3356] "80 What corns thereof? he shall not slide. "
## [3357] ""
## [3358] "The wicked watch the righteous much, "
## [3359] "And seeke of life for to bereave him: "
## [3360] "But, in their hand, God will not leave him "
## [3361] "Nor lett him be condempn'd by such. "
## [3362] ""
## [3363] "85 Waite thou on God, and keepe his way, "
## [3364] "He will exalt thee unto honor "
## [3365] "And of the earth make thee an owner; "
## [3366] "Yea thou shalt see the evill decay. "
## [3367] ""
## [3368] ""
## [3369] ""
## [3370] "PSALM 37 85 "
## [3371] ""
## [3372] "I have the wicked seene full sound, "
## [3373] "90 Like lawrell fresh, him self out-spreading: "
## [3374] ""
## [3375] "Lo, hee was gon, print of his treading, "
## [3376] "Though I did seeke, I never found. "
## [3377] ""
## [3378] "Marke the upright, the just, attend: "
## [3379] "His ende shalbe in peace enjoyed: "
## [3380] "95 But straiers vile, shalbe destroied, "
## [3381] ""
## [3382] "And quite cutt off with helplesse end. "
## [3383] ""
## [3384] "Still, still, the godly shalbe staid "
## [3385] ""
## [3386] "By Gods most sure, and sweete salvation: "
## [3387] "In time of greatest tribulation "
## [3388] "100 He shalbe their true strength and aid. "
## [3389] ""
## [3390] "He shalbe their true strength and aid, "
## [3391] ""
## [3392] "He shall save them from all the fetches "
## [3393] "Against them us'd by wicked wretches: "
## [3394] "Because on him their trust is laid. "
## [3395] ""
## [3396] "line 10 lusting: desire, line 35 moody: obstinate, line 40 embrew: "
## [3397] "stain with blood, line 53 naughty: evil man. "
## [3398] ""
## [3399] ""
## [3400] ""
## [3401] "86 "
## [3402] ""
## [3403] ""
## [3404] ""
## [3405] "PSALM 38 DOMINE, NE IN FURORE "
## [3406] ""
## [3407] ""
## [3408] ""
## [3409] "Lord, while that thy rage doth bide, "
## [3410] "Do not chide "
## [3411] "Nor in anger chastise me, "
## [3412] "For thy shafts have peirc'd me sore; "
## [3413] "5 And yet more "
## [3414] ""
## [3415] "Still thy hands upon me be. "
## [3416] ""
## [3417] "No sound part caus'd by thy wrath "
## [3418] "My flesh hath, "
## [3419] "Nor my synns lett my boanes rest; "
## [3420] "10 For my faults are highly spredd "
## [3421] ""
## [3422] "On my hedd, "
## [3423] "Whose foule weights have me opprest. "
## [3424] ""
## [3425] "My woundes putrify and stinck, "
## [3426] "In the sinck "
## [3427] "15 Of my filthy folly laid: "
## [3428] ""
## [3429] "Earthly I do bow and crook, "
## [3430] ""
## [3431] "With a look "
## [3432] "Still in mourning cheere araid. "
## [3433] ""
## [3434] "In my Reynes hott torments raignes; "
## [3435] "20 There remaines "
## [3436] ""
## [3437] "Nothing in my bodie sound: "
## [3438] "I am weake and broken sore, "
## [3439] ""
## [3440] "Yea, I roare, "
## [3441] "In my hart such grief e is found. "
## [3442] ""
## [3443] ""
## [3444] ""
## [3445] "PSALM 38 87 "
## [3446] ""
## [3447] "25 Lord before thee I do lay "
## [3448] ""
## [3449] "What I pray: "
## [3450] "My sighes are not hid from thee, "
## [3451] "My hart pants, gon is my might, "
## [3452] "Even the light "
## [3453] "30 Of myne eyes abandons me. "
## [3454] ""
## [3455] "From my plague, kinne, neighbour, frend "
## [3456] "Farre off wend; "
## [3457] "But who for my life do waite, "
## [3458] "They lay snares, they nimble be "
## [3459] "35 Who hunt me, "
## [3460] ""
## [3461] "Speaking evill, thincking deceite. "
## [3462] ""
## [3463] "But I, like a mann become "
## [3464] "Deafe and dumb, "
## [3465] "Little hearing, speaking lesse, "
## [3466] "40 I, even as such kind of wight, "
## [3467] ""
## [3468] "Sencelesse quite, "
## [3469] "Word with word do not represse. "
## [3470] ""
## [3471] "For on thee, Lord, without end "
## [3472] "I attend: "
## [3473] "45 My God, thou wilt heare my voice "
## [3474] ""
## [3475] "For I said, heare, least they be "
## [3476] ""
## [3477] "Gladd on me, "
## [3478] "Whome my fall doth make rejoyce. "
## [3479] ""
## [3480] "Sure, I do but halting goe, "
## [3481] "50 And my woe "
## [3482] ""
## [3483] "Still my orethwart neighbour is. "
## [3484] "Lo, I now to moorne beginne, "
## [3485] ""
## [3486] "For my sinne "
## [3487] "Telling mine iniquities. "
## [3488] ""
## [3489] ""
## [3490] ""
## [3491] "But the while, they live and grow "
## [3492] "In greate show, "
## [3493] ""
## [3494] ""
## [3495] ""
## [3496] "88 PSALM 38 "
## [3497] ""
## [3498] "Many, mighty, wrongful! foes: "
## [3499] "Who do evill for good, to me "
## [3500] "Enimies be; "
## [3501] "60 Why? because I vertue chose. "
## [3502] ""
## [3503] "Do not, Lord, then, me forsake, "
## [3504] "Doe not take "
## [3505] "Thy deere presence farre from me, "
## [3506] "Haste, O Lord, that I be staid "
## [3507] "65 By thy aid, "
## [3508] ""
## [3509] "My salvation is in thee. "
## [3510] ""
## [3511] "line 16 crook: kneel down, line 51 orethwart: unfriendly. "
## [3512] ""
## [3513] ""
## [3514] ""
## [3515] "89 "
## [3516] ""
## [3517] ""
## [3518] ""
## [3519] "PSALM 39 DIXI, CUSTODIAM "
## [3520] ""
## [3521] ""
## [3522] ""
## [3523] "Thus did I thinck, I well will marke my way "
## [3524] "Least by my tongue I happ to stray; "
## [3525] "I musle will my mouth while in the sight "
## [3526] "I do abide of wicked wight. "
## [3527] "5 And so I nothing said, I muett stood, "
## [3528] ""
## [3529] "I silence kept, even in the good. "
## [3530] ""
## [3531] "But, still, the more that I did hold my peace, "
## [3532] "The more my sorrow did encrease, "
## [3533] "The more me thought, my hart was hott in me; "
## [3534] "10 And as I mus'd such world to see, "
## [3535] ""
## [3536] "The fire tooke fire, and forcibly out brake; "
## [3537] "My tongue would needes and thus I spake: "
## [3538] ""
## [3539] "Lord, unto me my times just measure give, "
## [3540] "Show me how long I have to live: "
## [3541] "15 Lo, thou a spanns length mad'st my living line. "
## [3542] "A sparine? nay nothing in thine eyne. "
## [3543] "What do we seeke? the greatest state, I see, "
## [3544] "At best is meerly vanity. "
## [3545] ""
## [3546] "They are but shades, not true things where we live: "
## [3547] "20 Vaine shades, and vaine, in vaine to grieve. "
## [3548] ""
## [3549] "Looke but on this: man still doth ritches heape, "
## [3550] ""
## [3551] "And knowes not who the fruite shall reape; "
## [3552] "This beeing thus, for what, O Lord, waite I? "
## [3553] "I wait on thee, with hopef ull ey. "
## [3554] ""
## [3555] ""
## [3556] ""
## [3557] "go psalm 39 "
## [3558] ""
## [3559] "25 O helpe, O helpe me; this farre yet I crave, "
## [3560] "From my transgressions me to save: "
## [3561] "Lett me not be throwne down, to so base shame, "
## [3562] ""
## [3563] "That fooles of me maie make their game. "
## [3564] "But I doe hush, why do I say thus much? "
## [3565] "30 Since it is thou that mak'st one such. "
## [3566] ""
## [3567] "Ah! yet from me lett thy plagues be displac'd, "
## [3568] "For with thy handy stroakes I waste. "
## [3569] "I know that manns fowle sinne doth cause thy wrath "
## [3570] "For when his sinne thy scourging hath, "
## [3571] "35 Thou moth-like makst his bewty fading be; "
## [3572] "Soe what is manne, but vanity? "
## [3573] ""
## [3574] "Heare, Lord, my suites, and cries: stopp not thine eares "
## [3575] "At these, my wordes, all cloth'd in teares: "
## [3576] "For I, with thee, on earth a stranger am, "
## [3577] "40 But baiting, as my fathers came. "
## [3578] ""
## [3579] "Stay then thy wrath, that I maie strength receave "
## [3580] "Ere I my earthly beeing leave. "
## [3581] ""
## [3582] "line 3 musle: muzzle, line 40 baiting: making a brief halt on a "
## [3583] "journey. "
## [3584] ""
## [3585] ""
## [3586] ""
## [3587] "91 "
## [3588] ""
## [3589] ""
## [3590] ""
## [3591] "PSALM 40 EXPECT ANS EXPECTAVI "
## [3592] ""
## [3593] ""
## [3594] ""
## [3595] "While, long, I did with patient constancy "
## [3596] "The pleasure of my God attend, "
## [3597] "He did, him self, to me-ward bend "
## [3598] "And harkned how and why that I did cry. "
## [3599] "5 And me from pitt, bemired, "
## [3600] ""
## [3601] "From dungeon he retired, "
## [3602] "Where I, in horrors lay: "
## [3603] "Setting my feete upon "
## [3604] "A steedfast rocky stone; "
## [3605] "10 And my weake stepps did stay. "
## [3606] ""
## [3607] "Soe in my mouth he did a song affoord, "
## [3608] ""
## [3609] "New song unto our God of praise: "
## [3610] "Which many seeing hartes shall raise "
## [3611] "To feare with trust, and trust with feare the Lord. "
## [3612] "15 Oh, he indeede is blessed "
## [3613] ""
## [3614] "Whose trust is so addressed; "
## [3615] "Who bendes not wandring eyes "
## [3616] "To greate mens pecock pride, "
## [3617] "Nor ever turnes a side "
## [3618] "20 To follow after lies. "
## [3619] ""
## [3620] "My God, thy wondrous workes how manyfold! "
## [3621] ""
## [3622] "What manne thy thoughts can count to thee? "
## [3623] "I faine of them would speaking be "
## [3624] "But they are more than can by me be told. "
## [3625] "25 Thou, sacrifice nor offring, "
## [3626] ""
## [3627] "Burnt offring, nor sinne offring "
## [3628] ""
## [3629] ""
## [3630] ""
## [3631] "Q2 PSALM 40 "
## [3632] ""
## [3633] "Didst like, much lesse did'st crave; "
## [3634] "But thou didst peirce my eare, "
## [3635] "Which should thie leassons beare, "
## [3636] "30 And wittnesse me thy slave. "
## [3637] ""
## [3638] "Thus bound, I sayd: loe, Lord, I am at hand "
## [3639] "For in thy bookes rowle, I am writt; "
## [3640] "And sought with deedes thy will to hitt. "
## [3641] "Yea, Lord, thy law within my hart doth stand: "
## [3642] "35 I, to greate congregation, "
## [3643] ""
## [3644] "Thou know'st, made declaration "
## [3645] "Of this sweete righteousness: "
## [3646] "My lipps shall still reveale, "
## [3647] "My hart shall not conceale "
## [3648] "40 Thy truth, health, gratiousness. "
## [3649] ""
## [3650] "Then, Lord, from me, draw not thy tender grace: "
## [3651] "Me, still, in truth and mercy save. "
## [3652] "For endlesse woes me compast have, "
## [3653] "So prest with synnes, I cannott see my case. "
## [3654] "45 But triall well doth teach me; "
## [3655] ""
## [3656] "Fowle faultes sore paines do reach me, "
## [3657] "More than my head hath heares, "
## [3658] "So that my surest part, "
## [3659] "My life-maintaining hart, "
## [3660] "50 Failes me, with ougly feares. "
## [3661] ""
## [3662] "Vouchsafe me helpe, O Lord, and helpe with haste: "
## [3663] ""
## [3664] "Lett them have shame, yea, blush for shame "
## [3665] ""
## [3666] "Who joyntly sought my bale to frame: "
## [3667] ""
## [3668] "Lett them be curst away that would me waste; "
## [3669] ""
## [3670] "55 Lett them with shame be cloied, "
## [3671] ""
## [3672] "Yea lett them be destroied, "
## [3673] ""
## [3674] "For guerdon of their shame, "
## [3675] ""
## [3676] "Who-so unpittious be "
## [3677] ""
## [3678] "As now to say to me: "
## [3679] ""
## [3680] "60 A ha! this is good game. "
## [3681] ""
## [3682] ""
## [3683] ""
## [3684] "PSALM 40 93 "
## [3685] ""
## [3686] "But fill their hartes with joy who bend their waies "
## [3687] "To seeke thy bewty past conceite; "
## [3688] "Lett them that love thy saving seate "
## [3689] "Still gladly say, unto our God be praise. "
## [3690] "65 Though I in want be shrincking, "
## [3691] ""
## [3692] "Yet God on me is thincking. "
## [3693] "Thou art my help for ay, "
## [3694] "Thou only, thou art he "
## [3695] "That dost deliver me; "
## [3696] "70 My God, O make noe stay. "
## [3697] ""
## [3698] "line 6 retired: led away, line 47 heares: hairs, line 53 bale: "
## [3699] "misery, suffering. "
## [3700] ""
## [3701] ""
## [3702] ""
## [3703] "94 "
## [3704] ""
## [3705] ""
## [3706] ""
## [3707] "PSALM 41 BEATUS QUI INTELLIGIT "
## [3708] ""
## [3709] ""
## [3710] ""
## [3711] "Hee blessed is who with wise temper can "
## [3712] "Judge of th' afflicted man, "
## [3713] "For God shall him deliver in the tyme "
## [3714] "When most his troubles clime. "
## [3715] "5 The Lord will keepe his life yet safe and sound "
## [3716] ""
## [3717] "With blessings of the ground; "
## [3718] "And will not him unto the will expose, "
## [3719] "Of them that be his foes. "
## [3720] ""
## [3721] "When bedd from rest becomes his seate of woe, "
## [3722] "10 In God his strength shall grow, "
## [3723] ""
## [3724] "And tume his couch, where sick he couched late, "
## [3725] ""
## [3726] "To well recovered state; "
## [3727] "Therefore I said in most infirmity, "
## [3728] "Have mercy, Lord, on me: "
## [3729] "15 O, heale my soule, lett there thy cure beginne, "
## [3730] "Where gainst thee lay my sinne. "
## [3731] ""
## [3732] "My foes evill wordes, their hate of me display, "
## [3733] "While thus, alas, they say: "
## [3734] "When, when will death oretake this wretched wight, "
## [3735] "20 And his name perish quite? "
## [3736] ""
## [3737] "Their curteous vissittings, are courting lyes: "
## [3738] ""
## [3739] "They inward evills disgise "
## [3740] "Even heapes of wicked thoughts, which streight they "
## [3741] "As soone as out they goe. [show "
## [3742] ""
## [3743] ""
## [3744] ""
## [3745] "PSALM 41 95 "
## [3746] ""
## [3747] "25 For then their hatefull heades close whispring be, "
## [3748] "With hurtfull thoughts to me. "
## [3749] "Now he is wrackt, say they, loe, there he lies, "
## [3750] ""
## [3751] "Who never more must rise. "
## [3752] "O, yea my frend, to whome I did impart "
## [3753] "30 The secretts of my hart, "
## [3754] ""
## [3755] "My freend, I say, who at my table sate, "
## [3756] "Did kick against my state. "
## [3757] ""
## [3758] "Therefore, O Lord, abandon'd thus of all, "
## [3759] "On me lett mercy fall; "
## [3760] "35 And raise me up, that I may once have might, "
## [3761] "Their meritts to requite: "
## [3762] "But what? this doth already well appeare "
## [3763] ""
## [3764] "That I to thee am deere: "
## [3765] "Since foes, nor have, nor shall have cause to be "
## [3766] "40 Triumphing over me. "
## [3767] ""
## [3768] "But triumph well may I, whome thou do'st stay "
## [3769] "In my sound rightfull way: "
## [3770] "Whom thou (O place of places all) do'st place, "
## [3771] "For ay, before thy face. "
## [3772] "45 Soe then be blest now, then, at home, abroad, "
## [3773] "Of Israeli the god: "
## [3774] "World without end, lett this his blessing flow, "
## [3775] "Oh soe; oh be it soe. "
## [3776] ""
## [3777] ""
## [3778] ""
## [3779] "96 "
## [3780] ""
## [3781] ""
## [3782] ""
## [3783] "PSALM 42 QUEMADMODUM "
## [3784] ""
## [3785] ""
## [3786] ""
## [3787] "As the chafed hart which braieth "
## [3788] "Seeking some refreshing brooke, "
## [3789] "So my soule in panting plaieth, "
## [3790] "Thirsting on my God to looke. "
## [3791] "5 My soule thirsts indeede, in mee, "
## [3792] ""
## [3793] "After ever-lyving thee; "
## [3794] "Ah, when comes my blessed beeing, "
## [3795] "Of thy face to have a seeing? "
## [3796] ""
## [3797] "Day and night my teares out-flowing "
## [3798] "10 Have been my ill feeding food; "
## [3799] ""
## [3800] "With their daily questions throwing: "
## [3801] "Where is now, thy God soe good? "
## [3802] ""
## [3803] "My hart melts, remembring soe, "
## [3804] "How in troupes I woont to goe: "
## [3805] "15 Leading them, his praises singing, "
## [3806] ""
## [3807] "Holy daunce to Gods howse bringing. "
## [3808] ""
## [3809] "Why art thou, my soule, soe sory, "
## [3810] "And in me soe much dismaid? "
## [3811] "Waite on God, for yet his glory "
## [3812] "20 In my songue shalbe displaid. "
## [3813] ""
## [3814] "When but with one looke of his "
## [3815] "He shall me restore to blisse: "
## [3816] "Ah my soule it self appalleth, "
## [3817] "In such longing thoughtes it falleth. "
## [3818] ""
## [3819] ""
## [3820] ""
## [3821] "PSALM 42 97 "
## [3822] ""
## [3823] "25 For my mynd on my God bideth, "
## [3824] ""
## [3825] "Ev'n from Hermons dwelling ledd, "
## [3826] ""
## [3827] "From the groundes where Jordan slideth, "
## [3828] ""
## [3829] "And from Myzars hilly hedd. "
## [3830] ""
## [3831] "One deepe with noise of his fall, "
## [3832] ""
## [3833] "30 Other deepes of woes doth call: "
## [3834] ""
## [3835] "While my God, with wasting wonders, "
## [3836] "On me, wretch, his tempest thunders. "
## [3837] ""
## [3838] "All thy floodes on me abounded, "
## [3839] "Over me all thy waves went: "
## [3840] "35 Yet thus still my hope is grounded, "
## [3841] ""
## [3842] "That, thy anger beeing spent, "
## [3843] ""
## [3844] "I by day thy love shall tast, "
## [3845] "I by night shall singing last; "
## [3846] "Prayeng, praiers still bequeathing "
## [3847] "40 To my God that gave me breathing. "
## [3848] ""
## [3849] "I will say, O Lord, my tower, "
## [3850] "Why am I forgott by thee? "
## [3851] "Why should griefe my hart devower "
## [3852] "While the foe oppresseth me? "
## [3853] "45 Those vile scoffs of naughty ones "
## [3854] ""
## [3855] "Wound and rent me to the bones, "
## [3856] "When foes aske with fowle deriding "
## [3857] "Where is now your God abiding? "
## [3858] ""
## [3859] "Why art thou, my soule, soe sory, "
## [3860] "50 And in me soe much dismaid? "
## [3861] ""
## [3862] "Waite on God, for yet his glory "
## [3863] "In my songe shalbe displaid. "
## [3864] ""
## [3865] "To him my thancks shalbe said, "
## [3866] "Who is still my present aid: "
## [3867] "55 And in fine my soule be raised, "
## [3868] ""
## [3869] "God is my God, by me praised. "
## [3870] ""
## [3871] "line 1 hart: deer; braieth: whinnies. "
## [3872] ""
## [3873] ""
## [3874] ""
## [3875] "98 "
## [3876] ""
## [3877] ""
## [3878] ""
## [3879] "PSALM 43 JUDICA ME, DEUS "
## [3880] ""
## [3881] ""
## [3882] ""
## [3883] "Judge of all, judge me "
## [3884] "And protector be "
## [3885] "Of my cause, oppressed "
## [3886] "By most cruell sprites; "
## [3887] "5 Save me from bad wights "
## [3888] ""
## [3889] "In false coullers dressed. "
## [3890] ""
## [3891] "For, my God, thy sight "
## [3892] "Giveth me my might, "
## [3893] "Why then hast thou left me? "
## [3894] "io Why walk I in woes? "
## [3895] ""
## [3896] "While prevailing foes "
## [3897] "Have of joyes bereft me? "
## [3898] ""
## [3899] "Send thi truth and light; "
## [3900] ""
## [3901] "Let them guide mee right "
## [3902] "15 From the pathes of folly, "
## [3903] ""
## [3904] "Bringing me to thy "
## [3905] "Tabernacles hy, "
## [3906] "In thy hill most holy. "
## [3907] ""
## [3908] "To Godds Alters tho "
## [3909] "20 Will I boldly goe, "
## [3910] ""
## [3911] "Shaking off all saddness, "
## [3912] ""
## [3913] "To that God that is "
## [3914] "God of all my blisse, "
## [3915] "God of all my gladdness. "
## [3916] ""
## [3917] ""
## [3918] ""
## [3919] "psalm 43 99 "
## [3920] ""
## [3921] "25 Then, loe, then I will "
## [3922] ""
## [3923] "With sweete musicks skill "
## [3924] "Gratfull meaning show thee: "
## [3925] "Then, God, yea my God, "
## [3926] "I will sing abroade "
## [3927] "30 What greate thancks I ow thee. "
## [3928] ""
## [3929] "Why art thou my soule "
## [3930] ""
## [3931] "Cast down in such dole? "
## [3932] "What ailes thy discomfort? "
## [3933] "Waite on God, for still "
## [3934] "35 Thanck my God I will, "
## [3935] ""
## [3936] "Sure aid, present comfort. "
## [3937] ""
## [3938] "line 6 coulters: heraldic insignia of a knight. "
## [3939] ""
## [3940] ""
## [3941] ""
## [3942] "The Psalms "
## [3943] ""
## [3944] "of "
## [3945] ""
## [3946] "The Countess of Pembroke "
## [3947] ""
## [3948] ""
## [3949] ""
## [3950] "(PSALMS 44-150) "
## [3951] ""
## [3952] ""
## [3953] ""
## [3954] "103 "
## [3955] ""
## [3956] ""
## [3957] ""
## [3958] "PSALM 44 DE US, AURIBUS "
## [3959] ""
## [3960] ""
## [3961] ""
## [3962] "Lorde, our fathers true relation "
## [3963] "Often made, hath made us knowe "
## [3964] ""
## [3965] "How thy pow'r in each occasion, "
## [3966] "Thou of old for them didst showe; "
## [3967] "5 How thy hand the Pagan foe "
## [3968] ""
## [3969] "Rooting hence, thie folke implanting, "
## [3970] "Leavelesse made that braunch to grow, "
## [3971] ""
## [3972] "This to spring, noe verdure wanting. "
## [3973] ""
## [3974] "Never could their sword procure them "
## [3975] "10 Conquest of the promist land: "
## [3976] ""
## [3977] "Never could their force assure them "
## [3978] "When theie did in danger stand. "
## [3979] "Noe, it was thie arme, thie hand, "
## [3980] "Noe, it was thie favors treasure "
## [3981] "15 Spent uppon thie loved band, "
## [3982] ""
## [3983] "Loved, whie? for thy wise pleasure. "
## [3984] ""
## [3985] "Unto thee stand I subjected, "
## [3986] ""
## [3987] "I that did of Jacob spring: "
## [3988] "Bidd then that I be protected, "
## [3989] "20 Thou that art my God, my king: "
## [3990] ""
## [3991] "By that succour thou didst bring, "
## [3992] "Wee their pride that us assailed, "
## [3993] ""
## [3994] "Downe did tread, and back did fling, "
## [3995] "In thy name confus'd and quailed. "
## [3996] ""
## [3997] ""
## [3998] ""
## [3999] "PSALM 44 "
## [4000] ""
## [4001] ""
## [4002] ""
## [4003] "25 For my trust was not reposed "
## [4004] ""
## [4005] "In my owne though strongest, bowe: "
## [4006] "Nor my scabberd held enclosed "
## [4007] ""
## [4008] "That, whence should my saftie flowe "
## [4009] "Thou, O God, from every foe "
## [4010] "30 Didst us shield, our haters shaming: "
## [4011] ""
## [4012] "Thence thy dailie praise wee showe, "
## [4013] "Still thy name with honor naming. "
## [4014] ""
## [4015] "But aloofe thou now dost hover, "
## [4016] "Grieving us with all disgrace: "
## [4017] "35 Hast resignd and given over "
## [4018] ""
## [4019] "In our Campe thy Captaines place. "
## [4020] "Back wee turne, that turned face, "
## [4021] "Flieng them, that erst wee foiled: "
## [4022] "See our goods (O changed case,) "
## [4023] "40 Spoil'd by them, that late we spoiled. "
## [4024] ""
## [4025] "Right as sheepe to be devowred, "
## [4026] "Helplesse heere wee lie alone: "
## [4027] ""
## [4028] "Scattringlie by thee out-powred, "
## [4029] "Slaves to dwell with lords unknown. "
## [4030] "45 Sold wee are, but silver none "
## [4031] ""
## [4032] "Told for us: by thee so prised, "
## [4033] "As for nought to bee forgone, "
## [4034] ""
## [4035] "Gracelesse, worthlesse, vile, despised. "
## [4036] ""
## [4037] "By them all that dwell about us, "
## [4038] "50 Tos'd we flie as balls of scorne; "
## [4039] ""
## [4040] "All our neighbours laugh and flout us, "
## [4041] "Men by thee in shame forlorne. "
## [4042] "Proverb-like our name is worne, "
## [4043] "O how fast in foraine places! "
## [4044] "55 What hed-shakings are forborne! "
## [4045] ""
## [4046] "Wordlesse taunts and dumbe disgraces! "
## [4047] ""
## [4048] "Soe rebuke before mee goeth, "
## [4049] ""
## [4050] "As my self doe daily goe : "
## [4051] "Soe Confusion on me groweth, "
## [4052] "60 That my face I blush to show. "
## [4053] ""
## [4054] ""
## [4055] ""
## [4056] "PSALM 44 105 "
## [4057] ""
## [4058] "By reviling slatmdring foe "
## [4059] "Inly wounded thus I languish: "
## [4060] ""
## [4061] "Wreakfull spight with outward blow "
## [4062] "Anguish adds to inward anguish. "
## [4063] ""
## [4064] "65 AH, this all on us hath lighted, "
## [4065] ""
## [4066] "Yet to thee our love doth last: "
## [4067] "As wee were, wee are delighted "
## [4068] "Still to hold thie cov'nant fast. "
## [4069] "Unto none our hartes have past: "
## [4070] "70 Unto none our feete have slidden: "
## [4071] ""
## [4072] "Though us downe to dragons cast "
## [4073] "Thou in deadly shade hast hidden. "
## [4074] ""
## [4075] "If our God wee had forsaken, "
## [4076] "Or forgott what hee assign'd: "
## [4077] "75 If our selves we had betaken "
## [4078] ""
## [4079] "Godds to serve of other kind "
## [4080] "Should not hee our doubling find "
## [4081] "Though conceal'd, and closlie lurking? "
## [4082] "Since his eye of deepest minde "
## [4083] "80 Deeper sincks than deepest working? "
## [4084] ""
## [4085] "Surelie Lord, this daily murther "
## [4086] ""
## [4087] "For thie sake we thus sustaine: "
## [4088] "For thy sake esteem'd no further "
## [4089] ""
## [4090] "Than as sheepe, that must be slaine. "
## [4091] "85 Upp O Lord, up once againe: "
## [4092] ""
## [4093] "Sleepe not ever, slack not ever: "
## [4094] ""
## [4095] "Why dost thou forgett our paine? "
## [4096] "Why to hid thy face persever? "
## [4097] ""
## [4098] "Heavie grief our soule abaseth, "
## [4099] "90 Prostrate it on dust doth lie: "
## [4100] ""
## [4101] "Earth our bodie fast embraceth, "
## [4102] "Nothing can the Claspe untie. "
## [4103] ""
## [4104] ""
## [4105] ""
## [4106] "106 psalm 44 "
## [4107] ""
## [4108] "Rise, and us with help supplier "
## [4109] "Lord, in mercie soe esteeme us, "
## [4110] "95 That we may thy mercie trie, "
## [4111] ""
## [4112] "Mercie may from thrall redeeme us. "
## [4113] ""
## [4114] "line 1 relation: account. "
## [4115] ""
## [4116] ""
## [4117] ""
## [4118] "107 "
## [4119] ""
## [4120] ""
## [4121] ""
## [4122] "PSALM 45 ERUCTAVIT COR MEUM "
## [4123] ""
## [4124] ""
## [4125] ""
## [4126] "My harte endites an argument of worth, "
## [4127] ""
## [4128] "The praise of him that doth the Scepter swaie: "
## [4129] ""
## [4130] "My tongue the pen to paynt his praises forth, "
## [4131] "Shall write as swift as swiftest writer maie. "
## [4132] "5 Then to the king these are the wordes I saie: "
## [4133] ""
## [4134] "Fairer art thou than sonnes of mortall race: "
## [4135] "Because high God hath blessed thee for ay, "
## [4136] ""
## [4137] "Thie lipps, as springs, doe flowe with speaking grace. "
## [4138] ""
## [4139] "Thie honors sword gird to this mightie side, "
## [4140] "10 O thou that dost all things in might excell: "
## [4141] "With glory prosper, on with triumph ride "
## [4142] ""
## [4143] "Since justice, truth, and meekness with thee dwell. "
## [4144] "Soe that right hande of thine shall teaching tell "
## [4145] "Such things to thee, as well maie terror bring, "
## [4146] "15 And terror such, as never erst befell "
## [4147] ""
## [4148] "To mortall mindes at sight of mortall king. "
## [4149] ""
## [4150] "Sharpe are thie shaftes to cleave their hartes in twaine "
## [4151] "Whose heads do cast thy Conquestes to withstand "
## [4152] ""
## [4153] "Good cause to make the meaner people faine "
## [4154] "20 With willing hartes to undergoe thie hand. "
## [4155] ""
## [4156] "Thie throne O God, doth never-falling stand: "
## [4157] ""
## [4158] "Thie Scepter, ensigne of thie kinglie might, "
## [4159] "To righteousness is linckt with such a band, "
## [4160] ""
## [4161] "That righteous hand still holds thie Scepter right. "
## [4162] ""
## [4163] ""
## [4164] ""
## [4165] "108 psalm 45 "
## [4166] ""
## [4167] "25 Justice in love, in hate thou holdest wrong, "
## [4168] ""
## [4169] "This makes that God, who soe doth hate and love: "
## [4170] "Glad-making oile, that oile on thee hath flong, "
## [4171] "Which thee exaltes thine equalls farre above. "
## [4172] "The fragrant riches of Sabean grove "
## [4173] ""
## [4174] "30 Mirrh, Aloes, Casia, all thy robes doe smell: "
## [4175] ""
## [4176] "When thou from ivorie pallace dost remove "
## [4177] "Thie breathing odors all thie traine excell. "
## [4178] ""
## [4179] "Daughters of kings among thie cortlie band, "
## [4180] "By honoring thee of thee doe honor hold: "
## [4181] "35 On thie right side thie dearest queene doth stand "
## [4182] "Richlie araid in cloth of Ophir gold. "
## [4183] "O daughter heare what now to thee is told: "
## [4184] "Mark what thou hear'st, and what thou mark'st obay "
## [4185] "Forgett to keepe in memory enrold "
## [4186] "40 The house, and folk, where first thou sawst the daie. "
## [4187] ""
## [4188] "Soe in the king, thie king, a deere delight "
## [4189] ""
## [4190] "Thie beautie shall both breed, and bredd, maintaine: "
## [4191] "For onlie hee on thee hath lordlie right, "
## [4192] ""
## [4193] "Him onlie thou with awe must entertaine. "
## [4194] "45 Then unto thee both Tyrus shall be faine "
## [4195] "Presents present, and richest nations moe, "
## [4196] ""
## [4197] "With humble sute thie Roiall grace to gaine, "
## [4198] "To thee shall doe such homage as they owe. "
## [4199] ""
## [4200] "This Queene that can a king her father call, "
## [4201] "50 Doth only shee in upper garment shine? "
## [4202] "Naie under clothes, and what she weareth all, "
## [4203] "Golde is the stuff e the fasshion Arte divine; "
## [4204] "Brought to the king in robe imbrodred fine, "
## [4205] "Her maides of honor shall on her attend "
## [4206] "55 With such, to whome more favoure shall assigne "
## [4207] "In nearer place their happie daies to spend. "
## [4208] ""
## [4209] ""
## [4210] ""
## [4211] "PSALM 45 109 "
## [4212] ""
## [4213] "Brought shall they bee with mirth and mariage joy "
## [4214] ""
## [4215] "And enter soe the pallace of the king: "
## [4216] "Then lett noe grief thie minde, O Queene, anoy, "
## [4217] "60 Nor parents left thie sad remembraunce sting. "
## [4218] ""
## [4219] "In steed of parents, children thou shalt bring "
## [4220] "Of partadg'd earth the kings and lords to bee: "
## [4221] ""
## [4222] "My self thie name in lasting verse will sing. "
## [4223] "The world shall make no ende of thanks to thee. "
## [4224] ""
## [4225] "line 1 endites: proclaims, line 62 partadg'd: divided, apportioned. "
## [4226] ""
## [4227] ""
## [4228] ""
## [4229] "no "
## [4230] ""
## [4231] ""
## [4232] ""
## [4233] "PSALM 46 DEUS NOSTER REFUGIUM "
## [4234] ""
## [4235] ""
## [4236] ""
## [4237] "God gives us strength, and keepes us sounde, "
## [4238] "A present help when dangers call; "
## [4239] ""
## [4240] "Then feare not wee lett quake the grounde, "
## [4241] "And into seas let mountains fall, "
## [4242] "5 Yea soe lett seas withall, "
## [4243] ""
## [4244] "In watry hills arise, "
## [4245] ""
## [4246] "As maie the earthlie hills appall, "
## [4247] ""
## [4248] "With dread and dashing cries. "
## [4249] ""
## [4250] "For lo, a river streaming joy, "
## [4251] "10 With purling murmur saflie slides, "
## [4252] ""
## [4253] "That cittie washing from annoy, "
## [4254] "In holy shrine where God resides. "
## [4255] "God in her center bides : "
## [4256] "What can this cittie shake? "
## [4257] "15 God earlie aides and ever guides, "
## [4258] ""
## [4259] "Who can this cittie take? "
## [4260] ""
## [4261] "When nations goe against her bent "
## [4262] ""
## [4263] "And kings with siege her walls enround: "
## [4264] ""
## [4265] "The voide of aire his voice doth rent, "
## [4266] "20 Earth failes their feete with melting ground. "
## [4267] ""
## [4268] "To strength and keepe us sound, "
## [4269] ""
## [4270] "The God of armies armes: "
## [4271] ""
## [4272] "Our rock on Jacobs God wee found "
## [4273] ""
## [4274] "Above the reach of harmes. "
## [4275] ""
## [4276] ""
## [4277] ""
## [4278] "PSALM 46 111 "
## [4279] ""
## [4280] "25 O come with me, O come and view "
## [4281] "The trophes of Jehovas hand: "
## [4282] "What wracks from him our foes pursue, "
## [4283] "How cleerly he hath purg'd our land. "
## [4284] "By him warrs silent stand: "
## [4285] "30 He brake the archers bow "
## [4286] ""
## [4287] "Made charretts wheele a firy brand, "
## [4288] "And speare to shivers goe. "
## [4289] ""
## [4290] "Bee still saith he; know, God am I: "
## [4291] ""
## [4292] "Know I will be with conquest croun'd, "
## [4293] "35 Above all nations raised high, "
## [4294] ""
## [4295] "High rais'd above this earthy round. "
## [4296] "To strength and keepe us sound "
## [4297] "The God of armies armes : "
## [4298] ""
## [4299] "Our rock on Jacobs God we found, "
## [4300] "40 Above the reach of harmes. "
## [4301] ""
## [4302] ""
## [4303] ""
## [4304] "112 "
## [4305] ""
## [4306] ""
## [4307] ""
## [4308] "PSALM 47 OMNES GENTES, PLAUDITE "
## [4309] ""
## [4310] ""
## [4311] ""
## [4312] "All people, to Jehovah bring "
## [4313] ""
## [4314] "A glad applause of clapping hands: "
## [4315] ""
## [4316] "To God a song of triumph sing "
## [4317] ""
## [4318] "Who high, and highlie feared stands, "
## [4319] "5 Of all the earth sole-ruling king; "
## [4320] ""
## [4321] "From whose allmightie grace it growes "
## [4322] "That nations by our power opprest; "
## [4323] "Our foote on humbled countries goes: "
## [4324] "Who Jacobs honor loved best, "
## [4325] "10 An heritage for us hath chose. "
## [4326] ""
## [4327] "There past hee by: hark how did ring, "
## [4328] "Harmonious aire with trumpetts sound: "
## [4329] ""
## [4330] "Praise, praise our God; praise, praise our king, "
## [4331] "Kings of the world your judgments sound, "
## [4332] "15 With Skillful song his praises sing. "
## [4333] ""
## [4334] "On sacred throne, not knowing end, "
## [4335] ""
## [4336] "For God the king of kingdomes raignes "
## [4337] "The folk of Abrahams God to frend "
## [4338] ""
## [4339] "Hee, greatest prince, greate princes games; "
## [4340] "20 Princes, the shields that earth defend. "
## [4341] ""
## [4342] ""
## [4343] ""
## [4344] "PSALM 48 MAGNUS DOMINUS "
## [4345] ""
## [4346] ""
## [4347] ""
## [4348] "He that hath eternall beeing "
## [4349] "Glorious is, and glorious showes "
## [4350] "In the cittie he hath chose, "
## [4351] "Where stands his holie hill. "
## [4352] "5 Hill Sion, hill of fairest seeing, "
## [4353] ""
## [4354] "Cittie of the king most greate, "
## [4355] "Seated in a northlie seate, "
## [4356] "All climes with joy doth fill; "
## [4357] "In each pallace shee containeth, "
## [4358] "10 God a well-known rock remaineth. "
## [4359] ""
## [4360] "One daie kings a daie appointed, "
## [4361] "There with joined force to be, "
## [4362] "See they it? the things they see, "
## [4363] "Amaze their mated mindes. "
## [4364] "15 Flyeng, trembling, disappointed, "
## [4365] ""
## [4366] "Soe theie feare, and soe they fare, "
## [4367] ""
## [4368] "As the wife, whose wofull care "
## [4369] ""
## [4370] "The panges of child-bed findes; "
## [4371] ""
## [4372] "Right as shipps from Tarshish going, "
## [4373] ""
## [4374] "20 Crusht with blasts of Eurus blowing. "
## [4375] ""
## [4376] "Now our sight hath matcht our hearing, "
## [4377] "In what state Gods cittie stands "
## [4378] "How supported by his hands "
## [4379] "God ever holds the same. "
## [4380] "25 In thie temples mid'st appeering "
## [4381] ""
## [4382] "Wee thie favoure, Lorde, attend: "
## [4383] ""
## [4384] ""
## [4385] ""
## [4386] "114 PSALM 48 "
## [4387] ""
## [4388] "Righteous Lord both free from end, "
## [4389] "Thie fame doth match thy name. "
## [4390] "Thie just hand brings Sion gladness "
## [4391] "30 Turns to mirth all Judaes sadness. "
## [4392] ""
## [4393] "Compasse Sion in her standing "
## [4394] "Tell her towres, mark her fortes: "
## [4395] "Note with care the statelie portes "
## [4396] "Her roiall houses beare; "
## [4397] "35 For that ages understanding, "
## [4398] ""
## [4399] "Which shall come, when wee shall goe, "
## [4400] "Gladd in former time to know, "
## [4401] "How manie what they were. "
## [4402] "For God, is our God for ever "
## [4403] "40 Us till death forsaking never. "
## [4404] ""
## [4405] "line 14 mated: confounded. "
## [4406] ""
## [4407] ""
## [4408] ""
## [4409] "H5 "
## [4410] ""
## [4411] ""
## [4412] ""
## [4413] "PSALM 49 AUDITE HAEC, OMNES "
## [4414] ""
## [4415] ""
## [4416] ""
## [4417] "World-dwellers all give heede to what I saie; "
## [4418] "To all I speake, to rich, poore, high and low; "
## [4419] "Knowledg the subject is my hart conceaves, "
## [4420] "Wisdome the wordes shall from my mouth proceed: "
## [4421] "5 Which I will measure by melodious eare, "
## [4422] "And ridled speech to tuned harp accord. "
## [4423] ""
## [4424] "The times of evil why should they me dismaie, "
## [4425] "When mischief shall my foote stepps overflow? "
## [4426] "And first from him whom fickle wealth deceaves, "
## [4427] "10 Which his (though greate) vaine confidence doth breed, "
## [4428] "Since no man can his brothers life out-beare, "
## [4429] "Nor yeeld for him his ransome to the Lord? "
## [4430] ""
## [4431] "For deere the price that for a soul must paie: "
## [4432] "And death his prisoner never will forgoe; "
## [4433] "15 Naie tell mee whome but longer time hee leaves "
## [4434] "Respited from the tombe for treasures meed? "
## [4435] "Sure at his sommons, wise and fooles appeare, "
## [4436] "And others spend the riches they did hoord. "
## [4437] ""
## [4438] "A second thinkes his house shall not decaie, "
## [4439] "20 Nor time his glorious buildings overthrow, "
## [4440] ""
## [4441] "Nam'd proudlie of his name, where folly reaves "
## [4442] "Exalted men of sence: and theie indeed "
## [4443] "A brutish life and death, as beasts they were, "
## [4444] "Doe live and die; of whom is no record. "
## [4445] ""
## [4446] ""
## [4447] ""
## [4448] ": n6 psalm 49 "
## [4449] ""
## [4450] "25 Yea these, whose race approves their peevish waie, "
## [4451] "Death in the pitt his carrion foode doth stow "
## [4452] "And loe, the first succeeding light perceaves "
## [4453] "The just installed in the greate mans steed; "
## [4454] "Nay, far his prince: when once that lovely cheere, "
## [4455] ""
## [4456] "30 Lovely in house, in tombe becomes abhord. "
## [4457] ""
## [4458] "But God, my God, to intercept the praie "
## [4459] "Of my life from the grave will not f oreslowe "
## [4460] "For he it is, hee only me receaves: "
## [4461] ""
## [4462] "Then though one rich doe growe, though glories seede "
## [4463] "35 Spring with encrease: yet stand thou free from feare, "
## [4464] "Of all his pomp death shall him nought affoord. "
## [4465] ""
## [4466] "Please they them selves, and think at happiest stay "
## [4467] "Who please them selves : yet to their fathers goe "
## [4468] "Must they to endless dark: for folly reaves "
## [4469] "40 Exalted men of sence, and they indeede "
## [4470] ""
## [4471] "A brutish life and death, as beastes they were, "
## [4472] "Doe live, and die, of whome is noe record. "
## [4473] ""
## [4474] "line 6 ridled: allegorical, line 21 reaves: deprives, line 29 far his "
## [4475] "prince: far above his lord. "
## [4476] ""
## [4477] ""
## [4478] ""
## [4479] "H7 "
## [4480] ""
## [4481] ""
## [4482] ""
## [4483] "PSALM 50 DEUS DEORUM "
## [4484] ""
## [4485] ""
## [4486] ""
## [4487] "The mightie God, the ever living lord, "
## [4488] ""
## [4489] "All nations from earthes uttermost confines "
## [4490] "Sommoneth by his pursevant, his worde, "
## [4491] ""
## [4492] "And out of beauties beautie, Sion shines. "
## [4493] "5 God comes, he comes, with eare and tongue restor'd: "
## [4494] ""
## [4495] "His garde huge stormes, hott flames his usshers goe: "
## [4496] "And called, their apparrence to record, "
## [4497] ""
## [4498] "Heav'n hasteth from above, earth from below. "
## [4499] ""
## [4500] "He sits his peoples judge, and thus commandes: "
## [4501] "10 Gather me hither that beloved line, "
## [4502] "Whome solemn sacrifices holy bandes "
## [4503] ""
## [4504] "Did in eternal league with me combine "
## [4505] "Then when the heav'ns subsigned with their handes, "
## [4506] "That God in justice eminentlie raignes: "
## [4507] "15 Controlling soe, as nothing countermandes "
## [4508] ""
## [4509] "What once decreed his sacred doome containes. "
## [4510] ""
## [4511] "You then, my folke, to me your God attend: "
## [4512] "Hark, Israeli, and hear thy peoples blame: "
## [4513] ""
## [4514] "Not want of sacrifice doth mee offend, "
## [4515] "20 Nor doe I misse thy alters daily flame. "
## [4516] ""
## [4517] "Too mee thy stall no fatted bull shall send: "
## [4518] "Should I exact one hee-goat from thy fold? "
## [4519] ""
## [4520] "I, that as fan* as hills, woodes, fieldes extende, "
## [4521] "All birdes and beasts in known possession hold? "
## [4522] ""
## [4523] ""
## [4524] ""
## [4525] "Il8 PSALM 50 "
## [4526] ""
## [4527] "25 Suppose mee hungrie; yet to beg thy meate, "
## [4528] "I would not tell thee that I hungrie were: "
## [4529] "My self maie take, what needs mee then entreate? "
## [4530] ""
## [4531] "Since earth is mine, and all that earth doth beare? "
## [4532] "But doe I long the brawnie flesh to eate "
## [4533] "30 Of that dull beast that serves the plowmans neede? "
## [4534] "Or doe I thirst, to quench my thirsty heate, "
## [4535] "In what the throates of bearded cattell bleed? "
## [4536] ""
## [4537] "no: bring God of praise a sacrifice; "
## [4538] "Thy vowed debts unto the highest paie: "
## [4539] ""
## [4540] "35 Invoke my name, to mee erect thy cries, "
## [4541] ""
## [4542] "Thy praying plaints, when sorow stopps thy waie; "
## [4543] ""
## [4544] "1 will undoe the knott that anguish tyes, "
## [4545] ""
## [4546] "And thou at peace shalt glorifie my name: "
## [4547] "Mildly the good, God schooleth in this wise, "
## [4548] "40 But this sharpe check doth to the godlesse frame: "
## [4549] ""
## [4550] "How fitts it thee my statutes to report? "
## [4551] ""
## [4552] "And of my covenant in thy talk to prate "
## [4553] "Hating to live in right reformed sort, "
## [4554] ""
## [4555] "And leaving in neglect what I relate? "
## [4556] "45 See'st thou a thief? thou grow'st of his consorte: "
## [4557] ""
## [4558] "Dost with adult'rers to adultrie goe: "
## [4559] "Thy mouth is slanders ever-open porte, "
## [4560] ""
## [4561] "And from thy tongue doth nought, but treason flow. "
## [4562] ""
## [4563] "Naie ev'n thy brother thy rebukes disgrace, "
## [4564] "50 And thou in spight diffam'st thy mothers sonne: "
## [4565] "And for I wink a while, thy thoughts imbrace: "
## [4566] ""
## [4567] "God is like mee, and doth as I have done. "
## [4568] "But loe thou see'st I march another pace, "
## [4569] ""
## [4570] "And come with truth thy falshood to disclose: "
## [4571] "55 Thy sinne, reviv'd, upbraides thy blushing face, "
## [4572] "Which thou long dead in silence didst suppose. "
## [4573] ""
## [4574] ""
## [4575] ""
## [4576] "PSALM 50 119 "
## [4577] ""
## [4578] "O laie up this in marking memorie "
## [4579] ""
## [4580] "You that are wont Gods judgments to forgett: "
## [4581] ""
## [4582] "In vaine to others for release you flie, "
## [4583] "60 If once on you I griping fingers sett. "
## [4584] ""
## [4585] "And know the rest: my dearest worship I "
## [4586] ""
## [4587] "In sweete perfume of offred praise doe place: "
## [4588] ""
## [4589] "And who directs his goings orderlie, "
## [4590] ""
## [4591] "By my conduct shall see Gods saving grace. "
## [4592] ""
## [4593] "line 7 apparrence: formal presentation at court to answer or prose- "
## [4594] "cute a suit or charge, line 32 bearded cattell: goats. "
## [4595] ""
## [4596] ""
## [4597] ""
## [4598] "120 "
## [4599] ""
## [4600] ""
## [4601] ""
## [4602] "PSALM 51 MISERERE MEl y DEUS "
## [4603] ""
## [4604] ""
## [4605] ""
## [4606] "O Lord, whose grace no limits comprehend; "
## [4607] ""
## [4608] "Sweet Lord, whose mercies stand from measure free; "
## [4609] "To mee that grace, to mee that mercie send, "
## [4610] ""
## [4611] "And wipe O Lord, my sinnes from sinfull mee "
## [4612] "5 O dense, O wash my foule iniquitie: "
## [4613] ""
## [4614] "Clense still my spotts, still wash awaie my staynings, "
## [4615] "Till staines and spotts in me leave no remaynings. "
## [4616] ""
## [4617] "For I, alas, acknowledging doe know "
## [4618] "My filthie fault, my faultie filthiness "
## [4619] "10 To my soules eye uncessantly doth show. "
## [4620] ""
## [4621] "Which done to thee, to thee I doe confesse, "
## [4622] "Just judge, true witness; that for righteousness, "
## [4623] ""
## [4624] "Thy doome may passe against my guilt awarded, "
## [4625] ""
## [4626] "Thy evidence for truth maie be regarded. "
## [4627] ""
## [4628] "15 My mother, loe! when I began to be, "
## [4629] ""
## [4630] "Conceaving me, with me did sinne conceave: "
## [4631] "And as with living heate she cherisht me, "
## [4632] "Corruption did like cherishing receave "
## [4633] "But loe, thy love to purest good doth cleave, "
## [4634] "20 And inward truth which hardlie els discerned, "
## [4635] "My trewand soule in thy hid schoole hath learned. "
## [4636] ""
## [4637] "Then as thy self to leapers hast assign'd, "
## [4638] ""
## [4639] "With hisop, Lord, thy Hisop, purge me soe: "
## [4640] "And that shall clense the leaprie of my mind; "
## [4641] ""
## [4642] ""
## [4643] ""
## [4644] "PSALM 51 121 "
## [4645] ""
## [4646] "25 Make over me thy mercies streames to flow, "
## [4647] ""
## [4648] "Soe shall my whiteness scorn the whitest snow. "
## [4649] "To eare and hart send soundes and thoughts of gladness, "
## [4650] "That brused bones maie daunce awaie their sadness. "
## [4651] ""
## [4652] "Thy ill-pleas'd eye from my misdeedes avert: "
## [4653] "30 Cancell the registers my sinns containe: "
## [4654] "Create in me a pure, cleane, spottless hart: "
## [4655] ""
## [4656] "Inspire a sprite where love of right maie raigne. "
## [4657] "Ah! cast me not from thee: take not againe "
## [4658] "Thy breathing grace! againe thy comfort send me, "
## [4659] "35 And let the guard of thy free sp 'rite attend me. "
## [4660] ""
## [4661] "Soe I to them a guiding hand wilbe, "
## [4662] ""
## [4663] "Whose faultie feete have wandred from thy way: "
## [4664] ""
## [4665] "And turn'd from sinne will make retorne to thee, "
## [4666] ""
## [4667] "Whom, turn'd from thee, sinne erst had ledd astraie. "
## [4668] "40 O God, God of my health, O doe away "
## [4669] ""
## [4670] "My bloody crime: soe shall my tongue be raised "
## [4671] ""
## [4672] "To praise thy truth, enough can not be praised. "
## [4673] ""
## [4674] "Unlock my lipps, shut up with sinnfull shame: "
## [4675] "Then shall my mouth, O Lord, thy honor sing; "
## [4676] "45 For bleeding fuell for thy alters flame, "
## [4677] ""
## [4678] "To gaine thy grace what bootes it me to bring? "
## [4679] "Burnt-offrings are to thee no pleasant thing. "
## [4680] "The sacrifice that God will holde respected, "
## [4681] "Is the heart-broken soule, the sprite dejected. "
## [4682] ""
## [4683] "50 Lastly, O Lord, how soe I stand or fall, "
## [4684] "Leave not thy loved Sion to embrace: "
## [4685] "But with thy favour build up Salems wall, "
## [4686] ""
## [4687] "And still in peace, maintaine that peacefull place. "
## [4688] "Then shalt thou turne a well-accepting face "
## [4689] "55 To sacred fires with offred giftes perfumed: "
## [4690] "Till ev'n whole calves on alters be consumed. "
## [4691] ""
## [4692] "line 17 cherisht: nourished. "
## [4693] ""
## [4694] ""
## [4695] ""
## [4696] "122 "
## [4697] ""
## [4698] ""
## [4699] ""
## [4700] "PSALM 52 QUID GLORIARIS? "
## [4701] ""
## [4702] ""
## [4703] ""
## [4704] "Tyrant, why swel'st thou thus, "
## [4705] "Of mischief vaunting? "
## [4706] ""
## [4707] "Since helpe from God to us, "
## [4708] "Is never wanting? "
## [4709] ""
## [4710] "5 Lewd lies thy tongue contrives, "
## [4711] ""
## [4712] "Lowd lies it soundeth: "
## [4713] "Sharper than sharpest knives "
## [4714] "With lies it woundeth. "
## [4715] ""
## [4716] "Falshood thy witt approves, "
## [4717] "10 All truth rejected: "
## [4718] ""
## [4719] "Thy will all vices loves, "
## [4720] "Vertue neglected. "
## [4721] ""
## [4722] "Not wordes from cursed thee, "
## [4723] "But gulfes are powred; "
## [4724] "15 Gulfes wherin daily bee "
## [4725] ""
## [4726] "Good men devoured. "
## [4727] ""
## [4728] "Think'st thou to beare it soe? "
## [4729] ""
## [4730] "God shall displace thee; "
## [4731] "God shall thee overthrow, "
## [4732] "20 Crush thee, deface thee. "
## [4733] ""
## [4734] "The just shall fearing see "
## [4735] "These fearefull chaunces: "
## [4736] ""
## [4737] "And laughing shoote at thee "
## [4738] "With scornfull glances. "
## [4739] ""
## [4740] ""
## [4741] ""
## [4742] "PSALM 52 123 "
## [4743] ""
## [4744] "25 Loe, loe, the wretched wight, "
## [4745] ""
## [4746] "Who God disdaining, "
## [4747] "His mischief made his might, "
## [4748] "His guard his gaining. "
## [4749] ""
## [4750] "I as an olive tree, "
## [4751] "30 Still green shall flourish: "
## [4752] ""
## [4753] "Gods house the soile shall bee "
## [4754] "My rootes to nourish. "
## [4755] ""
## [4756] "My trust on his true love "
## [4757] "Truly attending, "
## [4758] "35 Shall never thence remove, "
## [4759] ""
## [4760] "Never see ending. "
## [4761] ""
## [4762] "Thee will I honor still "
## [4763] ""
## [4764] "Lord, for this justice: "
## [4765] "There fix my hopes I will "
## [4766] "40 Where thy saincts trust is. "
## [4767] ""
## [4768] "Thy saints trust in thy name, "
## [4769] ""
## [4770] "Therin they joy them: "
## [4771] "Protected by the same "
## [4772] ""
## [4773] "Nought can annoy them. "
## [4774] ""
## [4775] ""
## [4776] ""
## [4777] "124 "
## [4778] ""
## [4779] ""
## [4780] ""
## [4781] "PSALM 53 DIXIT INSIPIENS "
## [4782] ""
## [4783] ""
## [4784] ""
## [4785] "There is no God, the foole doth saie, "
## [4786] ""
## [4787] "If not in word, in thought and will: "
## [4788] "This fancie rotten deedes bewraie, "
## [4789] "And studies fixt on lothsome ill. "
## [4790] "5 Not one doth good: from heavnlie hill, "
## [4791] ""
## [4792] "Jehovas eye one wiser minde "
## [4793] "Could not discerne, that held the waie "
## [4794] "To understand, and God to finde. "
## [4795] ""
## [4796] "They all have strafd, are cancred all: "
## [4797] "10 Not one I saie, not one doth good. "
## [4798] ""
## [4799] "But senslesness, what should I call "
## [4800] "Such carriage of this cursed brood? "
## [4801] "My people are their bread, their food, "
## [4802] "Upon my name they scorne to cry: "
## [4803] "15 Whome vaine affright doth yet appall, "
## [4804] ""
## [4805] "Where no just ground of feare doth ly. "
## [4806] ""
## [4807] "But on their bones shall wreaked be "
## [4808] "All thy invaders force and guile, "
## [4809] ""
## [4810] "In vile confusion cast by thee, "
## [4811] "20 For God him self shall make them vile. "
## [4812] ""
## [4813] "Ah! why delaies that happy while "
## [4814] ""
## [4815] "When Sion shall our saver bring? "
## [4816] ""
## [4817] "The Lord his folk will one daie free: "
## [4818] ""
## [4819] "Then Jacobs house shall daunce and sing. "
## [4820] ""
## [4821] "line 3 bewraie: reveal, expose. "
## [4822] ""
## [4823] ""
## [4824] ""
## [4825] "i»5 "
## [4826] ""
## [4827] ""
## [4828] ""
## [4829] "PSALM 54 DEUS, IN NOMINE "
## [4830] ""
## [4831] ""
## [4832] ""
## [4833] "Lord, let thy name my saving succor bee: "
## [4834] ""
## [4835] "Defend my wronged cause by thy just might. "
## [4836] "Lord, let my crieng voice be heard of thee, "
## [4837] ""
## [4838] "Lett not my heavie words be counted light; "
## [4839] "5 For strangers I against me risen see, "
## [4840] ""
## [4841] "Who hunt me hard, and sore my soul affright; "
## [4842] "Possest with feare of God in no degree. "
## [4843] ""
## [4844] "But God, thou art my helper in my right, "
## [4845] "Thou succour send'st to such as succour me; "
## [4846] "10 Then pay them home, who thus against me fight, "
## [4847] "And let thy truth cut downe their trechery. "
## [4848] ""
## [4849] "Soe I with offrings shall thy Alters dight, "
## [4850] "Praising thy name which thus hast sett me free: "
## [4851] ""
## [4852] "Giving me scope to soare with happie flight "
## [4853] "15 Above my evills: and on my enemy "
## [4854] ""
## [4855] "Making me see what I to see delight. "
## [4856] ""
## [4857] "line 12 dight: furnish, equip. "
## [4858] ""
## [4859] ""
## [4860] ""
## [4861] "126 "
## [4862] ""
## [4863] ""
## [4864] ""
## [4865] "PSALM 55 EXAUDI, DEUS "
## [4866] ""
## [4867] ""
## [4868] ""
## [4869] "My God most glad to look, most prone to heere, "
## [4870] ""
## [4871] "An open eare O let my praier find, "
## [4872] "And from my plaint turne not thy face away. "
## [4873] "Behold my gestures, harken what I say "
## [4874] ""
## [4875] "5 While uttering mones with most tormented mind. "
## [4876] ""
## [4877] "My body I no lesse torment and teare, "
## [4878] "For loe, their fearful threatnings wound mine eare, "
## [4879] "Who griefs on griefs on me still heaping laie, "
## [4880] "A mark to wrath and hate and wrong assignd; "
## [4881] ""
## [4882] "io Therefore my hart hath all his force resign'd "
## [4883] "To trembling pants, Deaths terrors on me pray, "
## [4884] "I feare, nay shake, nay quivring quake with feare. "
## [4885] ""
## [4886] "Then say I, O might I but cutt the wind, "
## [4887] ""
## [4888] "Born on the wing the fearfull dove doth beare: "
## [4889] "15 Stay would I not, till I in rest might stay. "
## [4890] "Far hence, O far, then would I take my way "
## [4891] ""
## [4892] "Unto the desert, and repose me there, "
## [4893] "These stormes of woe, these tempests left behind: "
## [4894] "But swallow them, O Lord, in darkness blind, "
## [4895] "20 Confound their councells, leade their tongues astray, "
## [4896] ""
## [4897] "That what they meane by wordes may not appeare; "
## [4898] ""
## [4899] "For Mother Wrong within their towne each where, "
## [4900] "And daughter Strife their ensignes so display, "
## [4901] "As if they only thither were confin'd. "
## [4902] ""
## [4903] "25 These walk their cittie walles both night and day, "
## [4904] "Oppressions, tumults, guiles of ev'ry kind "
## [4905] "Are burgesses, and dwell the midle neere; "
## [4906] ""
## [4907] ""
## [4908] ""
## [4909] "PSALM 55 127 "
## [4910] ""
## [4911] "About their streetes his masking robes doth weare "
## [4912] "Mischief, cloth'd in deceit, with treason lin'd, "
## [4913] "30 Where only hee, hee only beares the sway. "
## [4914] "But not my foe with mee this pranck did play, "
## [4915] "For then I would have bome with patient cheere "
## [4916] "An unkind part from whom I know unkind; "
## [4917] "Nor hee whose forhed Envies mark had sign'd, "
## [4918] "35 His trophes on my ruins sought to reare, "
## [4919] "From whom to fly I might have made assay. "
## [4920] ""
## [4921] "But this to thee, to thee impute I may, "
## [4922] ""
## [4923] "My fellow, my companion, held most deere, "
## [4924] "My soule, my other self, my inward frend: "
## [4925] "40 Whom unto me, me unto whom did bind "
## [4926] "Exchanged secrets, who together were "
## [4927] "Gods temple wont to visit, there to pray. "
## [4928] "O lett a soddaine death work their decay, "
## [4929] "Who speaking faire, such canckred malice mind, "
## [4930] "45 Let them be buried breathing in their beir. "
## [4931] "But purple morn, black ev'n, and midday cleare, "
## [4932] "Shall see my praying voice to God enclin'd, "
## [4933] "Rowzing him up; and nought shall me dismay. "
## [4934] ""
## [4935] "He ransom'd me, he for my saftie fin'd "
## [4936] "50 In fight where many sought my soule to slay; "
## [4937] "He still, him self, (to noe succeeding heire "
## [4938] "Leaving his Empire) shall no more forbeare: "
## [4939] "But, at my motion, all these Atheists pay, "
## [4940] "By whom (still one) such mischiefs are design'd; "
## [4941] "55 Who but such caitives would have undermin'd, "
## [4942] ""
## [4943] "Nay overthrowne, from whome but kindness meare "
## [4944] "They never found? who would such trust betray? "
## [4945] "What buttred wordes! yet warr their harts bewray; "
## [4946] "Their speach more sharp than sharpest sword or speare "
## [4947] "60 Yet softer flowes than balme from wounded rinde. "
## [4948] ""
## [4949] "But, my ore loaden soule, thy selfe upcheare: "
## [4950] ""
## [4951] "Cast on Gods shoulders what thee down doth waigh, "
## [4952] "Long borne by thee with bearing pain'd and pin'd; "
## [4953] "To care for thee he shall be ever kinde. "
## [4954] ""
## [4955] ""
## [4956] ""
## [4957] "128 PSALM 55 "
## [4958] ""
## [4959] "65 By him the just, in safety held allway, "
## [4960] ""
## [4961] "Chaunglesse shall enter, live, and leave the yeare: "
## [4962] "But, Lord, how long shall these men tarry here? "
## [4963] "Fling them in pitt of death where never shin d "
## [4964] "The light of life; and while I make my stay "
## [4965] ""
## [4966] "70 On thee, let who their thirst with bloud allay "
## [4967] "Have their life-holding threed so weakly twin d "
## [4968] "That it, half spunne, death may in sunder sheare. "
## [4969] ""
## [4970] "line 36 assay: attempt, line 49 find: (figuratively) paid a "
## [4971] "penalty. "
## [4972] ""
## [4973] ""
## [4974] ""
## [4975] "129 "
## [4976] ""
## [4977] ""
## [4978] ""
## [4979] "PSALM 56 MISERERE MEI, DEUS "
## [4980] ""
## [4981] ""
## [4982] ""
## [4983] "Fountaine of pitty now with pitty flow: "
## [4984] "These monsters on me daily gaping goe, "
## [4985] "Dailie me devoure these spies, "
## [4986] "Swarmes of foes against me rise, "
## [4987] "5 O God that art more high than I am lowe. "
## [4988] ""
## [4989] "Still when I feare, yet will I trust in thee: "
## [4990] "Thy word, O God, my boast shall ever bee; "
## [4991] ""
## [4992] "God shall be my hopefull stay, "
## [4993] ""
## [4994] "Feare shall not that hope dismay "
## [4995] "10 For what can feeble flesh doe unto me? "
## [4996] ""
## [4997] "I as I can, think, speake, and doe the best: "
## [4998] ""
## [4999] "They to the worst my thoughts, wordes, doings wrest. "
## [5000] ""
## [5001] "All their hartes with one consent "
## [5002] ""
## [5003] "Are to worke my ruine bent, "
## [5004] "15 From plotting which, they give their heads no rest. "
## [5005] ""
## [5006] "To that entent they secret meetings make, "
## [5007] "They presse me neere my soule in snare to take, "
## [5008] ""
## [5009] "Thinking slight shall keepe them safe. "
## [5010] ""
## [5011] "But thou, Lord, in wrathfull chafe, "
## [5012] "20 Their league soe surely linckt, in sunder shake. "
## [5013] ""
## [5014] "Thou didst, O Lord, with carefull counting, looke "
## [5015] "On ev'ry jorney I, poore exile, tooke: "
## [5016] ""
## [5017] "Ev'ry teare from my sad eyes "
## [5018] ""
## [5019] "Saved in thy bottle lyes, "
## [5020] "5 These matters are all entred in thy book. "
## [5021] ""
## [5022] ""
## [5023] ""
## [5024] "130 PSALM 56 "
## [5025] ""
## [5026] "Then when soever my distressed sprite "
## [5027] "Crying to thee, brings these unto thy sight, "
## [5028] "What remayneth for my foes? "
## [5029] "Blames, and shames, and overthrowes, "
## [5030] "30 For God him self I know for me will fight. "
## [5031] ""
## [5032] "Gods never-falsed word my boast shalbe, "
## [5033] "My boast shalbe his word to sett me free, "
## [5034] ""
## [5035] "God shall be my hopfull stay; "
## [5036] ""
## [5037] "Feare shall not that hope dismay, "
## [5038] "35 For what can mortall men doe unto me? "
## [5039] ""
## [5040] "For this, to thee, how deeply stand I bound "
## [5041] "Lord, that my soule dost save, my foes confound? "
## [5042] "Ah, I can no paiment make, "
## [5043] "But if thou for payment take "
## [5044] "40 The vowes I pay, thy praises I resound: "
## [5045] ""
## [5046] "Thy praises who from death hast set me free "
## [5047] "Whither my feete did, hedlong, cary me; "
## [5048] ""
## [5049] "Making me, of thy free grace, "
## [5050] ""
## [5051] "There agayne to take my place, "
## [5052] "45 Where light of life, with lyving men, I see. "
## [5053] ""
## [5054] ""
## [5055] ""
## [5056] "131 "
## [5057] ""
## [5058] ""
## [5059] ""
## [5060] "PSALM 57 MISERERE MEI, DEUS "
## [5061] ""
## [5062] ""
## [5063] ""
## [5064] "Thy mercie Lord, Lord now thy mercy show, "
## [5065] "On thee I ly "
## [5066] "To thee I fly "
## [5067] "Hide me, hive me as thine owne, "
## [5068] "Till these blasts be overblown, "
## [5069] "Which now doe fiercely blow. "
## [5070] ""
## [5071] "To highest God I will erect my cry, "
## [5072] "Who quickly shall "
## [5073] "Dispatch this all. "
## [5074] "10 Hee shall downe from Heaven send "
## [5075] ""
## [5076] "From disgrace me to defend, "
## [5077] "His love and verity. "
## [5078] ""
## [5079] "My soule incaged lyes with lions brood, "
## [5080] "Villains whose hands "
## [5081] "15 Are firy brands, "
## [5082] ""
## [5083] "Teeth more sharp than shaft or speare, "
## [5084] "Tongues farr better edge do beare "
## [5085] "Than swords to shed my bloud. "
## [5086] ""
## [5087] "As high as highest heav'n can give thee place, "
## [5088] "jo O Lord ascend, "
## [5089] ""
## [5090] "And thence extend "
## [5091] "With most bright, most glorious show, "
## [5092] "Over all the earth below "
## [5093] "The sunn-beames of thy face. "
## [5094] ""
## [5095] ""
## [5096] ""
## [5097] "132 PSALM 57 "
## [5098] ""
## [5099] "25 Me to entangle, ev'ry waie I goe, "
## [5100] "Their trapp and nett "
## [5101] "Is readie sett. "
## [5102] "Holes they digg, but their own holes "
## [5103] "Pitfalls make for their own soules: "
## [5104] "30 Soe Lord, O serve them soe. "
## [5105] ""
## [5106] "My hart prepar'd, prepared is my hart "
## [5107] "To spread thy praise "
## [5108] "With tuned laies: "
## [5109] "Wake my tongue, my lute awake, "
## [5110] "35 Thou my harp the consort make, "
## [5111] ""
## [5112] "My self will beare a part. "
## [5113] ""
## [5114] "My self when first the morning shall appeare, "
## [5115] "With voice and string "
## [5116] "Soe will thee sing: "
## [5117] "40 That this earthly globe, and all "
## [5118] ""
## [5119] "Treading on this earthly ball, "
## [5120] "My praising notes shall heare. "
## [5121] ""
## [5122] "For God, my only God, thy gracious love "
## [5123] "Is mounted farr "
## [5124] "45 Above each starr, "
## [5125] ""
## [5126] "Thy unchanged verity "
## [5127] "Heav'nly wings doe lift as hie "
## [5128] "As cloudes have roome to move. "
## [5129] ""
## [5130] "As high as highest heav'n can give thee place "
## [5131] "50 O Lord ascend "
## [5132] ""
## [5133] "And thence extend "
## [5134] "With most bright, most glorious show "
## [5135] "Over all the earth below, "
## [5136] "The sunn-beames of thy face. "
## [5137] ""
## [5138] ""
## [5139] ""
## [5140] "PSALM 58 SI VERE UTIQUE "
## [5141] ""
## [5142] ""
## [5143] ""
## [5144] "And call yee this to utter what is just, "
## [5145] ""
## [5146] "You that of justice hold the sov'raign throne? "
## [5147] "And call yee this to yeld, O sonnes of dust, "
## [5148] ""
## [5149] "To wronged brethren ev'ry man his own? "
## [5150] "5 O no: it is your long malicious will "
## [5151] ""
## [5152] "Now to the world to make by practize known, "
## [5153] "With whose oppression you the ballance fill, "
## [5154] ""
## [5155] "Just to your selves, indifTrent else to none. "
## [5156] ""
## [5157] "But what could they, who ev'n in birth declin'd, "
## [5158] "10 From truth and right to lies and injuries? "
## [5159] "To shew the venim of their cancred mynd "
## [5160] ""
## [5161] "The adders image scarcly can suffice; "
## [5162] "Nay scarce the aspick may with them contend, "
## [5163] "On whom the charmer all in vaine applies "
## [5164] "15 His skillfull'st spells: ay missing of his end, "
## [5165] "While shee self-deff, and unaffected lies. "
## [5166] ""
## [5167] "Lord crack their teeth, Lord crush these lions jawes, "
## [5168] "Soe lett them sinck as water in the sand: "
## [5169] ""
## [5170] "When deadly bow their aiming fury drawes, "
## [5171] "20 Shiver the shaft er past the shooters hand. "
## [5172] ""
## [5173] "So make them melt as the dishowsed snaile "
## [5174] "Or as the Embrio, whose vitall band "
## [5175] ""
## [5176] "Breakes er it holdes, and formlesse eyes do faile "
## [5177] "To see the sun, though brought to lightfull land. "
## [5178] ""
## [5179] ""
## [5180] ""
## [5181] "134 PSALM 58 "
## [5182] ""
## [5183] "25 O let their brood, a brood of springing thornes, "
## [5184] "Be by untymely rooting overthrowne "
## [5185] "Er bushes waxt, they push with pricking homes, "
## [5186] ""
## [5187] "As fruites yet greene are oft by tempest blowne. "
## [5188] "The good with gladness this reveng shall see, "
## [5189] "30 And bath his feete in bloud of wicked one "
## [5190] "While all shall say: the just rewarded be, "
## [5191] "There is a God that carves to each his own. "
## [5192] ""
## [5193] "line 8 indiffrent: impartial. "
## [5194] ""
## [5195] ""
## [5196] ""
## [5197] "135 "
## [5198] ""
## [5199] ""
## [5200] ""
## [5201] "PSALM 59 ERIPE ME DE INIMICIS "
## [5202] ""
## [5203] ""
## [5204] ""
## [5205] "Save me from such as me assaile: "
## [5206] ""
## [5207] "Let not my foes, "
## [5208] "O God, against my life prevaile: "
## [5209] ""
## [5210] "Save me from those, "
## [5211] "5 Who make a trade of cursed wrong "
## [5212] ""
## [5213] "And, bredd in bloud, for bloud doe long. "
## [5214] ""
## [5215] "Of these one sort doe seeke by slight "
## [5216] ""
## [5217] "My overthrow: "
## [5218] "The stronger part with open might "
## [5219] "10 Against me goe "
## [5220] ""
## [5221] "And yet thou God, my wittness be "
## [5222] "From all offence my soule is free. "
## [5223] ""
## [5224] "But what if I from fault am free? "
## [5225] ""
## [5226] "Yet they are bent, "
## [5227] "15 To band and stand against poore me, "
## [5228] ""
## [5229] "Poore innocent. "
## [5230] "Rise God, and see how these things goe: "
## [5231] "And rescue me from instant woe. "
## [5232] ""
## [5233] "Rise, God of armies, mighty God "
## [5234] "20 Of Israeli "
## [5235] ""
## [5236] "Looke on them all who spredd abrode "
## [5237] ""
## [5238] "On earth doe dwell "
## [5239] "And let thy hand no longer spare "
## [5240] "Such as of malice wicked are. "
## [5241] ""
## [5242] ""
## [5243] ""
## [5244] "136 PSALM 59 "
## [5245] ""
## [5246] "25 When golden sunn in west doth sett, "
## [5247] ""
## [5248] "Retorn'd againe, "
## [5249] "As houndes that howle their food to gett, "
## [5250] ""
## [5251] "They runn amaine "
## [5252] "The cittie through from street to street, "
## [5253] "30 With hungry maw some prey to meet. "
## [5254] ""
## [5255] "Night elder growne, their fittest day, "
## [5256] ""
## [5257] "They babling prate, "
## [5258] "How my lost life extinguish may "
## [5259] ""
## [5260] "Their deadly hate. "
## [5261] "35 They prate and bable voide of feare, "
## [5262] ""
## [5263] "For, tush, saie they, who now can heare? "
## [5264] ""
## [5265] "Even thou canst heere, and heering scorne, "
## [5266] ""
## [5267] "All that they say; "
## [5268] "For them (if not by thee upborne) "
## [5269] "40 What propps doe stay? "
## [5270] ""
## [5271] "Then will I, as they wait for me "
## [5272] "O God my fortresse, wait on thee. "
## [5273] ""
## [5274] "Thou ever me with thy free grace "
## [5275] ""
## [5276] "Prevented hast: "
## [5277] "45 With thee my praier shall take place "
## [5278] ""
## [5279] "Er from me past, "
## [5280] "And I shall see who me doe hate "
## [5281] "Beyond my wish in wofull state. "
## [5282] ""
## [5283] "For feare my people it forgett "
## [5284] "50 Slay not outright "
## [5285] ""
## [5286] "But scatter them and soe them sett "
## [5287] ""
## [5288] "In open sight "
## [5289] "That by thy might they may be knowne, "
## [5290] "Disgrac'd, debas'd, and overthrowne. "
## [5291] ""
## [5292] "55 No witness of their wickednesse "
## [5293] ""
## [5294] "I neede produce "
## [5295] "But their owne lipps, fitt to expresse "
## [5296] "Each vile abuse: "
## [5297] ""
## [5298] ""
## [5299] ""
## [5300] "PSALM 59 137 "
## [5301] ""
## [5302] "In cursing proud, proud when they ly "
## [5303] "60 O let them deare such pride a-buy. "
## [5304] ""
## [5305] "At length in rage consume them soe, "
## [5306] ""
## [5307] "That nought remayne: "
## [5308] "Let them all beeing quite forgoe, "
## [5309] ""
## [5310] "And make it playne, "
## [5311] "65 That God who Jacobs rule upholds, "
## [5312] ""
## [5313] "Rules all, all-bearing earth enfolds. "
## [5314] ""
## [5315] "Now thus they fare: when sunn doth sett, "
## [5316] ""
## [5317] "Retorn'd againe, "
## [5318] "As hounds that howle their food to gett, "
## [5319] "70 They runn amayne "
## [5320] ""
## [5321] "The city through from street to street "
## [5322] "With hungry mawes some prey to meet. "
## [5323] ""
## [5324] "Abroad they range and hunt apace "
## [5325] ""
## [5326] "Now that, now this, "
## [5327] "75 As famine trailes a hungry trace; "
## [5328] ""
## [5329] "And though they miss, "
## [5330] "Yet will they not to kennell hye, "
## [5331] "But all the night at bay do lye. "
## [5332] ""
## [5333] "But I will of thy goodness sing "
## [5334] "80 And of thy might, "
## [5335] ""
## [5336] "When early sunn againe shall bring "
## [5337] ""
## [5338] "His cheerefull light; "
## [5339] "For thou my refuge and my fort "
## [5340] "In all distress dost mee support. "
## [5341] ""
## [5342] "85 My strength doth of thy strength depend: "
## [5343] ""
## [5344] "To thee I sing "
## [5345] "Thou art my fort, me to defend. "
## [5346] ""
## [5347] "My God, my king, "
## [5348] "To thee I owe, and thy free grace, "
## [5349] "90 That free I rest in fearless place. "
## [5350] ""
## [5351] ""
## [5352] ""
## [5353] "138 "
## [5354] ""
## [5355] ""
## [5356] ""
## [5357] "PSALM 60 DEUS, REPULISTI NOS "
## [5358] ""
## [5359] ""
## [5360] ""
## [5361] "Thy anger, erst in field "
## [5362] ""
## [5363] "Our scattered squadrons brake: "
## [5364] ""
## [5365] "O God bee reconcil'd, "
## [5366] "Our leading now retake. "
## [5367] "5 This land at thee did quake, "
## [5368] ""
## [5369] "It chinkt and gaping lay: "
## [5370] "O sound her ruptures make, "
## [5371] ""
## [5372] "Her quaking bring to stay. "
## [5373] ""
## [5374] "Worse happes no hart could think, "
## [5375] "10 Than did thy wrath ensue: "
## [5376] ""
## [5377] "Dull horror was our drinck, "
## [5378] "We, drincking, giddy grew. "
## [5379] "But now an ensigne new "
## [5380] "Re-ehearing all dismaies "
## [5381] "15 To guide thy fearers view, "
## [5382] ""
## [5383] "Thy truth, our chiefe doth raise. "
## [5384] ""
## [5385] "Then sett thy loved free, "
## [5386] "Preserve mee when I pray: "
## [5387] ""
## [5388] "Hark, hark, soe shall it be "
## [5389] "20 God from his howse doth say. "
## [5390] ""
## [5391] "Then make a mery stay: "
## [5392] ""
## [5393] "And share we Sichems fields: "
## [5394] "The land in percells lay, "
## [5395] ""
## [5396] "That Sucoths valey yelds. "
## [5397] ""
## [5398] ""
## [5399] ""
## [5400] "PSAJ.M 60 "
## [5401] ""
## [5402] "25 Mine Gilead lo, by this, "
## [5403] ""
## [5404] "Manasse lo, mine own: "
## [5405] "My soldier Ephraim is, "
## [5406] "My law by Judah shown; "
## [5407] "My washpott Moab grown "
## [5408] "30 My shoe at Edom flong! "
## [5409] ""
## [5410] "Philistia overthrown: "
## [5411] "Sing now thy triumph song. "
## [5412] ""
## [5413] "But whom shall I attend, "
## [5414] "Till I these conquests make? "
## [5415] "35 On whose conduct depend "
## [5416] ""
## [5417] "Till Edoms fortes I take? "
## [5418] "O thine to whom we spake, "
## [5419] "But spake before in vayn: "
## [5420] ""
## [5421] "Thine God, that didst forsake "
## [5422] "40 Our troupes for warr to trayn. "
## [5423] ""
## [5424] "Against distressing foes "
## [5425] ""
## [5426] "Let us thy succour finde: "
## [5427] "Who trust in man repose, "
## [5428] ""
## [5429] "Doe trust repose in winde. "
## [5430] "45 In God lett hand and mind "
## [5431] ""
## [5432] "Their force and vallor show, "
## [5433] ""
## [5434] "Hee, hee in abject kind "
## [5435] "Shall lay our haters low. "
## [5436] ""
## [5437] "line 23 per cells: parcels (legal term for portions of land), "
## [5438] ""
## [5439] ""
## [5440] ""
## [5441] "140 "
## [5442] ""
## [5443] ""
## [5444] ""
## [5445] "PSALM 61 EXAUDI, DEUS "
## [5446] ""
## [5447] ""
## [5448] ""
## [5449] "To thee I cry, "
## [5450] ""
## [5451] "My cryeng heare. "
## [5452] "To thee my praying voice doth fly: "
## [5453] "Lord, lend my voice a listning eare. "
## [5454] "5 From country banished, "
## [5455] ""
## [5456] "All comfort vanished, "
## [5457] "To thee I runn when stormes are nigh. "
## [5458] ""
## [5459] "Up to thy hill "
## [5460] ""
## [5461] "Lord, make me clyme; "
## [5462] "10 Which els to scale exceeds my skill: "
## [5463] ""
## [5464] "For in my most distressed tyme "
## [5465] "Thy eye attended me, "
## [5466] "Thy hand defended me, "
## [5467] "Against my foe my fortress e still. "
## [5468] ""
## [5469] "15 Then where a tent "
## [5470] ""
## [5471] "For thee is made, "
## [5472] "To harbor still is my entent: "
## [5473] ""
## [5474] "And to thy wings protecting shade "
## [5475] "My self I carry will, "
## [5476] "20 And there I tarry will, "
## [5477] ""
## [5478] "Safe from all shot against me bent. "
## [5479] ""
## [5480] "What first I crave "
## [5481] "First graunting me, "
## [5482] "That I the roiall rule may have "
## [5483] "25 Of such as feare and honor thee: "
## [5484] ""
## [5485] ""
## [5486] ""
## [5487] "PSALM 6l 141 "
## [5488] ""
## [5489] "Let yeares as manifold, "
## [5490] "As can be any told, "
## [5491] "Thy king, O God, keepe from the grave. "
## [5492] ""
## [5493] "Before thy face "
## [5494] "30 Graunt ever he "
## [5495] ""
## [5496] "Maie sitt, and lett thy truth and grace "
## [5497] "His endless guard appointed bee. "
## [5498] "Then singing pleasantly, "
## [5499] "Praising uncesantly, "
## [5500] "35 I dayly vowes will pay to thee. "
## [5501] ""
## [5502] ""
## [5503] ""
## [5504] "142 "
## [5505] ""
## [5506] ""
## [5507] ""
## [5508] "PSALM 62 NONNE DEO "
## [5509] ""
## [5510] ""
## [5511] ""
## [5512] "Yet shall my soule in silence still "
## [5513] ""
## [5514] "On God, my help, attentive stay: "
## [5515] "Yet he my fort, my health, my hill, "
## [5516] ""
## [5517] "Remove I may not, move I may. "
## [5518] "5 How long then shall your fruitlesse will "
## [5519] ""
## [5520] "An enimy soe farr from fall, "
## [5521] "With weake endevor strive to kill, "
## [5522] ""
## [5523] "You rotten hedg, you broken wall? "
## [5524] ""
## [5525] "Forsooth, that hee no more may rise, "
## [5526] "10 Advaunced eft to throne and crown: "
## [5527] ""
## [5528] "To headlong him their thoughtes devise, "
## [5529] "And, past reliefe, to tread him downe. "
## [5530] "Their love is only love of lies : "
## [5531] ""
## [5532] "Their wordes and deedes dissenting soe, "
## [5533] "15 When from their lippes most blessing flyes, "
## [5534] ""
## [5535] "Then deepest curse in hart doth grow. "
## [5536] ""
## [5537] "Yet shall my soule in silence still "
## [5538] ""
## [5539] "On God, my hope, attentive stay: "
## [5540] "Yet hee my fort, my health, my hill, "
## [5541] "20 Remove? O no: not move I may. "
## [5542] ""
## [5543] "My God doth me with glory fill, "
## [5544] ""
## [5545] "Not only shield me safe from harme: "
## [5546] "To shun distresse, to conquer ill, "
## [5547] "To him I clime, in him I arme. "
## [5548] ""
## [5549] ""
## [5550] ""
## [5551] "PSALM 62 143 "
## [5552] ""
## [5553] "25 O then, on God, our certaine stay, "
## [5554] ""
## [5555] "All people in all times rely, "
## [5556] "Your hartes before him naked lay: "
## [5557] "To Adams sonnes tis vain to fly, "
## [5558] "Soe vain soe false, soe fraile are they; "
## [5559] "30 Ev'n he that seemeth most of might "
## [5560] ""
## [5561] "With lightnesse self if him you waigh, "
## [5562] ""
## [5563] "Then lightnesse self will waigh more light. "
## [5564] ""
## [5565] "In fraud, and force, noe trust repose: "
## [5566] "Such idle hopes from thoughtes expell, "
## [5567] "35 And take good heed, when riches growes "
## [5568] ""
## [5569] "Let not your hart on riches dwell. "
## [5570] "All powre is Gods, his own word showes, "
## [5571] ""
## [5572] "Once said by him, twice heard by me: "
## [5573] "Yet from thee, Lord, all mercy flowes, "
## [5574] "40 And each manns work is paid by thee. "
## [5575] ""
## [5576] ""
## [5577] ""
## [5578] "144 "
## [5579] ""
## [5580] ""
## [5581] ""
## [5582] "PSALM 63 DEUS, DEUS MEUS "
## [5583] ""
## [5584] ""
## [5585] ""
## [5586] "O God, the God where all my forces ly, "
## [5587] "How doe I hunt for thee with early haste! "
## [5588] ""
## [5589] "How is for thee my spirit thirsty dry! "
## [5590] ""
## [5591] "How gaspes my soule for thy refreshing taste! "
## [5592] "5 Wittnesse this waterlesse, this weary waste: "
## [5593] ""
## [5594] "Whence, O that I againe transfer'd might be, "
## [5595] ""
## [5596] "Thy glorious might in sacred place to see. "
## [5597] ""
## [5598] "Then on thy praise would I my lipps employ, "
## [5599] "With whose kind mercies nothing may contend; "
## [5600] "10 No, not this life it self, whose care and joy "
## [5601] ""
## [5602] "In prayeng voice, and lifted hands should end. "
## [5603] "This to my soule should such a banquet send, "
## [5604] "That, sweetly fed, my mouth should sing thy name "
## [5605] "In gladdest notes contented mirth could frame. "
## [5606] ""
## [5607] "15 And lo, ev'n heer I mind thee in my bedd, "
## [5608] ""
## [5609] "And interrupt my sleepes with nightly thought, "
## [5610] "How thou hast bene the target of my hedd, "
## [5611] ""
## [5612] "How thy wings shadow hath my safty wrought. "
## [5613] "And, though my body from thy view be brought, "
## [5614] "20 Yet fixt on thee my loving soule remaines, "
## [5615] ""
## [5616] "Whose right right hand from falling, me retaines. "
## [5617] ""
## [5618] "But such as seeke my life to ruinate, "
## [5619] ""
## [5620] "Them shall the earth in deepest gulph receave. "
## [5621] ""
## [5622] "First murdring blade shall end their living date, "
## [5623] "25 And then their flesh to teeth of foxes leave; "
## [5624] "As for the king, the king shall then conceave "
## [5625] ""
## [5626] "High joy in God, and that God adore, "
## [5627] ""
## [5628] "When lying mouthes, shall, stopped, ly no more. "
## [5629] ""
## [5630] ""
## [5631] ""
## [5632] "145 "
## [5633] ""
## [5634] ""
## [5635] ""
## [5636] "PSALM 64 EXAUDI, DEUS "
## [5637] ""
## [5638] ""
## [5639] ""
## [5640] "With gracious hearing entertain "
## [5641] ""
## [5642] "This voice, the agent of my woe: "
## [5643] "And let my life, O God, remain "
## [5644] "Safe in thy guard from feared foe. "
## [5645] "5 Hide me where none may know, "
## [5646] ""
## [5647] "That hatefull plotts contrive; "
## [5648] "And right to overthrow "
## [5649] ""
## [5650] "With tumult wrongly strive. "
## [5651] ""
## [5652] "For tongues they beare, not tongues, but swordes, "
## [5653] "10 So piercing sharp they have them ground: "
## [5654] "And words deliver, shaftes, not words, "
## [5655] "With bitter dint soe deepe they wound; "
## [5656] "Whose shott against the sound, "
## [5657] "And, harmlesse, they direct: "
## [5658] "15 In safe and fearelesse ground "
## [5659] ""
## [5660] "Embusht without suspect. "
## [5661] ""
## [5662] "Nay, obstinate to ill they are, "
## [5663] ""
## [5664] "And meeting, all their talk apply "
## [5665] "Who can most closely couch his snare, "
## [5666] "20 And who, say they, shall us discry? "
## [5667] "No guile so low doth ly, "
## [5668] "Nor in so hidden part, "
## [5669] "But these will sound and try, "
## [5670] "Even out of deepest hart. "
## [5671] ""
## [5672] ""
## [5673] ""
## [5674] "I46 PSALM 64 "
## [5675] ""
## [5676] "25 But thou, O God, from sodain blow "
## [5677] ""
## [5678] "Death, striking them, a shaft shalt send: "
## [5679] "And their own tongues to their own woe "
## [5680] "Shall all their wounding sharpness bend. "
## [5681] "Thus wounded shall they end, "
## [5682] "30 Thus ending shall they make "
## [5683] ""
## [5684] "Each mortall eye attend, "
## [5685] "Each eye, attending quake. "
## [5686] ""
## [5687] "Not one, I say, but shall behold "
## [5688] "This worke of God which he agayn "
## [5689] "35 Shall, as he can, in wordes unfold, "
## [5690] "If yet his feare he entertain. "
## [5691] "In who doth tymelesse raign "
## [5692] ""
## [5693] "The just shall joy and hope: "
## [5694] "The hartes uprightly playn "
## [5695] "40 Shall have their vaunting scope. "
## [5696] ""
## [5697] "line 12 dint: assault, violence, line 16 Embusht: lying in ambush. "
## [5698] ""
## [5699] ""
## [5700] ""
## [5701] "147 "
## [5702] ""
## [5703] ""
## [5704] ""
## [5705] "PSALM 65 TE DECET HYMNUS "
## [5706] ""
## [5707] ""
## [5708] ""
## [5709] "Sion it is where thou art praised, "
## [5710] ""
## [5711] "Sion, O God, where vowes they pay thee: "
## [5712] ""
## [5713] "There all mens praiers to thee raised "
## [5714] "Retorne possest of what they pray thee. "
## [5715] "5 There thou my sinns prevailing to my shame "
## [5716] ""
## [5717] "Dost turne to smoake of sacrificing flame. "
## [5718] ""
## [5719] "O he of blisse is not deceaved, "
## [5720] ""
## [5721] "Whom, chosen, thou unto thee takest: "
## [5722] "And whom, into thy court receaved, "
## [5723] "10 Thou of thy checkrole number makest. "
## [5724] "The dainty viands of thy sacred store "
## [5725] "Shall feede hym so he shall not hunger more. "
## [5726] ""
## [5727] "From thence it is, thy threatning thunder, "
## [5728] "Lest we by wrong should be disgraced, "
## [5729] "15 Doth strike our foes with feare and wonder: "
## [5730] "O thou on whom their hopes are placed, "
## [5731] "Whom either earth doth steadfastly sustayn, "
## [5732] "Or cradle rockes of restlesse wavy playn. "
## [5733] ""
## [5734] "Thy vertue staies the mighty mountaynes, "
## [5735] "20 Girded with pow'r, with strength abounding: "
## [5736] "The roaring damm of watry fountaines "
## [5737] ""
## [5738] "Thy beck doth make surcease her sounding; "
## [5739] "When stormy uproares tosse the peoples brayn, "
## [5740] "That civill sea to calme thou bringst agayn. "
## [5741] ""
## [5742] ""
## [5743] ""
## [5744] "I48 PSALM 65 "
## [5745] ""
## [5746] "25 Where earth doth end with endless ending, "
## [5747] "All such as dwell, thy signes affright them: "
## [5748] "And in thy praise their voices spending "
## [5749] ""
## [5750] "Both howses of the sunn delight them; "
## [5751] "Both whence he comes, when early he awakes, "
## [5752] "30 And where he goes, when ev'ning rest he takes. "
## [5753] ""
## [5754] "Thy eie from heavn this land beholdeth, "
## [5755] ""
## [5756] "Such fruitfull dewes down on it rayning, "
## [5757] "That, storehowse-like her lap enfoldeth "
## [5758] "Assured hope of plowmans gayning. "
## [5759] "35 Thy flowing streames her drought doe temper so, "
## [5760] "That buried seed through yelding grave doth grow. "
## [5761] ""
## [5762] "Drunk is each ridg of thy cup drincking, "
## [5763] ""
## [5764] "Each clodd relenteth at thy dressing: "
## [5765] "Thy cloud-born waters inly sincking, "
## [5766] "40 Faire spring sproutes foorth blest with thy blessing. "
## [5767] "The fertile yeare is with thy bounty crown'd: "
## [5768] "And where thou go'st, thy goings fatt the ground. "
## [5769] ""
## [5770] "Plenty bedewes the desert places: "
## [5771] ""
## [5772] "A hedg of mirth the hills encloseth: "
## [5773] "45 The fieldes with flockes have hid their faces: "
## [5774] ""
## [5775] "A robe of corn the vallies clotheth. "
## [5776] "Desertes, and hills, and feilds, and valleys all, "
## [5777] "Rejoyce, shout, sing, and on thy name doe call. "
## [5778] ""
## [5779] ""
## [5780] ""
## [5781] "M9 "
## [5782] ""
## [5783] ""
## [5784] ""
## [5785] "PSALM 66 JUBILATE DEO "
## [5786] ""
## [5787] ""
## [5788] ""
## [5789] "All lands, the lymms of earthy round, "
## [5790] "With triumph tunes Gods honor sound: "
## [5791] "Sing of his name the praisefull glory, "
## [5792] "And glorious make his praises story. "
## [5793] "5 Tell God: O God, what frightfull wonder "
## [5794] ""
## [5795] "Thy workes doe wittness, whose great might "
## [5796] "Thy enimies so bringeth under, "
## [5797] ""
## [5798] "Though frown in heart, they fawn in sight. "
## [5799] ""
## [5800] "All earth, and ev'ry land therefore "
## [5801] "10 Sing to this God, this God adore: "
## [5802] ""
## [5803] "All earth, I say, and all earth dwellers, "
## [5804] "Be of his worth the singing tellers. "
## [5805] "O come, behold, O note beholding, "
## [5806] ""
## [5807] "What dreadfull wonders from him flow: "
## [5808] "15 More height, more weight, more force enfolding, "
## [5809] "Than Adams earthy brood can show. "
## [5810] ""
## [5811] "The sea up-dried by his hand, "
## [5812] "Became a field of dusty sand: "
## [5813] "Through Jordans streames we dry-shod waded, "
## [5814] "20 The joy whereof not yet is faded. "
## [5815] ""
## [5816] "His throne of strength unmoved standeth: "
## [5817] ""
## [5818] "His eie on ev'ry coast is cast: "
## [5819] "The rebell who against him bandeth "
## [5820] ""
## [5821] "Of ruins cup shall quickly tast. "
## [5822] ""
## [5823] ""
## [5824] ""
## [5825] "150 PSALM 66 "
## [5826] ""
## [5827] "25 You folk his flock, come then employ "
## [5828] ""
## [5829] "In lawding him your songes of joy "
## [5830] ""
## [5831] "On God, our God, your voices spending, "
## [5832] ""
## [5833] "Still praying, praising, never ending. "
## [5834] ""
## [5835] "For he our life hath us re-given, "
## [5836] "30 Nor would he let our goings slide: "
## [5837] ""
## [5838] "Though for our triall neerly driven, "
## [5839] "Yea silver like in furnace tryde. "
## [5840] ""
## [5841] "For God thou didst our feete innett, "
## [5842] ""
## [5843] "And pinching sadles, on us sett "
## [5844] "35 Nay (which is worse to be abidden), "
## [5845] ""
## [5846] "Ev'n on our heads a man hath ridden. "
## [5847] ""
## [5848] "Hee rode us through where fiers flashed; "
## [5849] "Where swelling streames did rudely roare: "
## [5850] ""
## [5851] "Yet scorched thus, yet we thus washed, "
## [5852] "40 Were sett by thee on plenties shoare. "
## [5853] ""
## [5854] "I therefore to thy house will go, "
## [5855] "To pay and offer what I owe: "
## [5856] "To pay my vowes, my lippes then vowed "
## [5857] "When under grief my body bowed; "
## [5858] "45 To offer whole burnt sacrifices, "
## [5859] ""
## [5860] "The fatt of Ramms with sweete perfume: "
## [5861] "Nay goates, nay bulls, of greater sizes, "
## [5862] ""
## [5863] "And greater prices to consume. "
## [5864] ""
## [5865] "come, all yee that God doe feare, "
## [5866] "50 O come, and lend attentive eare; "
## [5867] ""
## [5868] "While by my tongue shalbe expressed, "
## [5869] "How blessed he my soule hath blessed. "
## [5870] ""
## [5871] "1 crid to him, my cry procured "
## [5872] ""
## [5873] "My free dischardge from all my bandes: "
## [5874] "55 His eare had not my voice endured, "
## [5875] ""
## [5876] "But that my heart unstained standes. "
## [5877] ""
## [5878] "Now as my heart was innocent, "
## [5879] "God heard the harty sighes I spent: "
## [5880] ""
## [5881] ""
## [5882] ""
## [5883] "PSALM 66 151 "
## [5884] ""
## [5885] "What I to praiers recommended, "
## [5886] "60 Was gratiously by him attended. "
## [5887] ""
## [5888] "Praise, praise him then, for what is left me, "
## [5889] ""
## [5890] "But praise to him: who what I praid "
## [5891] "Rejected not, nor hath bereft me "
## [5892] ""
## [5893] "My hopefull helpe, his mercies aid. "
## [5894] ""
## [5895] "line 1 lymms: limbs. "
## [5896] ""
## [5897] ""
## [5898] ""
## [5899] "15* "
## [5900] ""
## [5901] ""
## [5902] ""
## [5903] "PSALM 67 DEUS MISEREATUR "
## [5904] ""
## [5905] ""
## [5906] ""
## [5907] "God on us thy mercy show, "
## [5908] "Make on us thy blessings flow: "
## [5909] "Thy faces beames "
## [5910] "From heav'n uppon us show'r "
## [5911] "5 In shining streames: "
## [5912] ""
## [5913] "That all may see "
## [5914] "The way of thee, "
## [5915] "And know thy saving pow'r. "
## [5916] ""
## [5917] "God, the nations praise thee shall, "
## [5918] "10 Thee, shall praise the nations all: "
## [5919] ""
## [5920] "To mirth and joy "
## [5921] "All such as earth possesse "
## [5922] "Shall them employ: "
## [5923] "For thou their guide "
## [5924] "15 Go'st never wide "
## [5925] ""
## [5926] "From truth and righteousness. "
## [5927] ""
## [5928] "God, the nations praise thee shall, "
## [5929] "Thee, shall praise the nations all: "
## [5930] "Then ev'ry field, "
## [5931] "20 As far as earth hath end, "
## [5932] ""
## [5933] "Rich fruites shall yield: "
## [5934] "And God our God "
## [5935] "With blisse shall load "
## [5936] "Who of his blisse depend. "
## [5937] ""
## [5938] ""
## [5939] ""
## [5940] "PSALM 67 15 1 "
## [5941] ""
## [5942] "25 God, I say with plenteous blisse "
## [5943] ""
## [5944] "To enrich us shall not misse: "
## [5945] "And from the place "
## [5946] "The father of the yeere "
## [5947] "Begins his race, "
## [5948] "30 To Zephyrs nest, "
## [5949] ""
## [5950] "His races rest, "
## [5951] "All lands his force shall feare. "
## [5952] ""
## [5953] ""
## [5954] ""
## [5955] "PSALM 68 EXURGAT DEUS "
## [5956] ""
## [5957] ""
## [5958] ""
## [5959] "Lett God but rise, his very face shall cast "
## [5960] ""
## [5961] "On all his haters flight and disarray: "
## [5962] "As smoke in wind, as wax at fire doth waste, "
## [5963] ""
## [5964] "At Gods aspect th unjust shall flitt away. "
## [5965] "The just meane while shall in Jehovah's presence "
## [5966] ""
## [5967] "Play, sing, and daunce. Then unto him, I say, "
## [5968] "Unto our God, nam'd of eternall essence, "
## [5969] ""
## [5970] "Present your selves with song, and daunce, and play. "
## [5971] ""
## [5972] "Prepare his path, who throned on delightes, "
## [5973] ""
## [5974] "Doth sitt a father to the orphan sonn: "
## [5975] "And in her cause the wronged widow rights, "
## [5976] ""
## [5977] "God in his holy house late here begun. "
## [5978] "With families he empty houses filleth, "
## [5979] ""
## [5980] "The prisoners chaines are by his hands undone: "
## [5981] "But barain sand their fruitlesse labour tilleth, "
## [5982] ""
## [5983] "Who crossing him rebelliously doe runn. "
## [5984] ""
## [5985] "O God, when thou in desert didst appeare, "
## [5986] ""
## [5987] "What time thy folk that uncouth jorney tooke: "
## [5988] "Heav'n at the sight did sweat with melting feare, "
## [5989] ""
## [5990] "Earth bow'd her trembling knee, Mount Sinay shook. "
## [5991] "The land bedew'd; all wants by thee restored, "
## [5992] ""
## [5993] "That well thy people might the contry brook, "
## [5994] "As to a fold with sheep in plenty stored, "
## [5995] ""
## [5996] "So to their state thy shepherds care did look. "
## [5997] ""
## [5998] "25 They, taught by thee in this tryumphant song, "
## [5999] "A virgin army did their voices try: "
## [6000] "Fledd are these kings, fled are these armyes strong: "
## [6001] "We share the spoiles that weake in howse did ly. "
## [6002] ""
## [6003] ""
## [6004] ""
## [6005] "20 "
## [6006] ""
## [6007] ""
## [6008] ""
## [6009] "PSALM 68 15c "
## [6010] ""
## [6011] "Though late the Chymney made your beauties loathed. "
## [6012] "30 Now shine you shall, and shine more gracefully, "
## [6013] "Than lovely dove in cleare gold-silver cloathed, "
## [6014] "That glides with feathered oare through wavy sky. "
## [6015] ""
## [6016] "For when God had (that this may not seeme strange) "
## [6017] "Expeld the kings with utter overthrow: "
## [6018] "35 The very ground her mourning Cloudes did change "
## [6019] "To weather cleare, as cleare as Salmon snow. "
## [6020] "Basan, huge Basan, that soe proudly standest, "
## [6021] ""
## [6022] "Scorning the highest hills as basely low, "
## [6023] "And with thy top soe many tops commandest, "
## [6024] "40 Both thou, and they, what makes yee brave it so? "
## [6025] ""
## [6026] "This mountainett, not you, doth God desire: "
## [6027] ""
## [6028] "Here he entends his lodging plott to lay: "
## [6029] "Hither Jehova will him self retyre "
## [6030] ""
## [6031] "To endlesse rest, and unremoved stay. "
## [6032] "45 Here twise ten thousand, doubled twise hee holdeth, "
## [6033] ""
## [6034] "Of hooked Charretts, clad in warrs array: "
## [6035] "And hence more might, more majesty unfoldeth, "
## [6036] ""
## [6037] "Than erst he did from Sinay mount display. "
## [6038] ""
## [6039] "Ascended high, immortall God thou art, "
## [6040] "50 And captyves store thou hast led up with thee, "
## [6041] "Whose gathered spoiles to men thou wilt impart: "
## [6042] ""
## [6043] "Nay, late thy rebells, now thy tenants bee. "
## [6044] "Blest be the Lord, by whom our bliss encreaseth, "
## [6045] "The God of might by whom we safety see: "
## [6046] "55 God, our strong God, who us each way releaseth, "
## [6047] ""
## [6048] "And ev'n through gates of death conducts us free. "
## [6049] ""
## [6050] "God of his enimies the heads shall wound "
## [6051] ""
## [6052] "And those proud lookes that stiff in mischief go. "
## [6053] ""
## [6054] "From Basan safe, and from the deepe undround, "
## [6055] "60 I brought thee once, and oft I will do so. "
## [6056] ""
## [6057] "This said by hym, thy foote in bloud was stained, "
## [6058] "Thy doggs tongues dide in bloud of slaughtred fo: "
## [6059] ""
## [6060] "And God, my king, men saw thee entertained "
## [6061] "In sacred house with tryumphant show. "
## [6062] ""
## [6063] ""
## [6064] ""
## [6065] "a.56 psalm 68 "
## [6066] ""
## [6067] "65 In vantgard marcht who did with voices sing: "
## [6068] "The rereward lowd on instruments did play: "
## [6069] "The battaile maides, and did with tymbrells ring: "
## [6070] ""
## [6071] "And all in sweete consort did jointly say: "
## [6072] "Praise God, the Lord, of Jacob you descended, "
## [6073] "70 Praise him upon each solemn meeting day: "
## [6074] "Benjamyn, little, but with rule attended, "
## [6075] ""
## [6076] "Juda's brave lordes, and troupes in faire array, "
## [6077] ""
## [6078] "Stout Nephthaly with noble Zabulon: "
## [6079] ""
## [6080] "And sith our might thy bidding word did make, "
## [6081] "75 Confirme, O God, what thou in us hast done "
## [6082] "From out thy house, and that for Salems sake. "
## [6083] "So kings bring guiftes, so in thie check their ending "
## [6084] "These furious wanton Bulls and calves shall take, "
## [6085] "These arrow-armed bands, which us offending, "
## [6086] "80 Are now soe ready warr to undertake. "
## [6087] ""
## [6088] "They shall bring silver stooping humbly low, "
## [6089] ""
## [6090] "Egipts greate peeres with homage shall attend: "
## [6091] "And Aethiop with them shall not forslow "
## [6092] ""
## [6093] "To God with speed like service to commend. "
## [6094] "85 Then kingdoms all to God present your praises, "
## [6095] ""
## [6096] "And on the Lord your singing gladness spend: "
## [6097] "Above the heav'n of heav'ns his throne he raises, "
## [6098] ""
## [6099] "And thence his voice, a voice of strength doth send. "
## [6100] ""
## [6101] "Then of all strength acknowledge God the well, "
## [6102] "90 With brave magnificence and glory bright "
## [6103] "Shining no less on loved Israeli, "
## [6104] ""
## [6105] "Than showing in the cloudes his thundring might; "
## [6106] "Thou, from the shryne where Jacob thee adoreth, "
## [6107] "All folk, O God, with terror dost affright: "
## [6108] "95 He (prais'd be he) with strength his people storeth, "
## [6109] "His force it is in which their forces fight. "
## [6110] ""
## [6111] "line 79 offending: attacking, line 83 forslow: delay. "
## [6112] ""
## [6113] ""
## [6114] ""
## [6115] "15? "
## [6116] ""
## [6117] ""
## [6118] ""
## [6119] "PSALM 69 SALVUM ME FAC "
## [6120] ""
## [6121] ""
## [6122] ""
## [6123] "Troublous seas my soule surround: "
## [6124] ""
## [6125] "Save, O God, my sinking soule, "
## [6126] "Sinking, where it feeles noe ground, "
## [6127] "In this gulph, this whirling hoale. "
## [6128] "5 Waiting aid, with ernest eying, "
## [6129] ""
## [6130] "Calling God with bootlesse crying: "
## [6131] "Dymm and dry in me are found "
## [6132] "Eye to see, and throat to sound. "
## [6133] ""
## [6134] "Wrongly sett to worke my woe "
## [6135] "10 Haters have I, more than haires: "
## [6136] ""
## [6137] "Force in my afflicting foe "
## [6138] ""
## [6139] "Bettring still, in me impaires "
## [6140] ""
## [6141] "Thus to pay, and leese constrained, "
## [6142] ""
## [6143] "What I never ought or gained; "
## [6144] "15 Yet say I: thou God dost know "
## [6145] ""
## [6146] "How my faultes and follies goe. "
## [6147] ""
## [6148] "Mighty Lord, lett not my case "
## [6149] ""
## [6150] "Blank the rest that hope on thee: "
## [6151] "Lett not Jacobs God deface "
## [6152] "20 All his friends in blush of me. "
## [6153] ""
## [6154] "Thyne it is, thyne only quarrell "
## [6155] "Dightes me thus in Shames apparell: "
## [6156] "Mote, nor spott, nor least disgrace, "
## [6157] "But for thee, could taint my face. "
## [6158] ""
## [6159] ""
## [6160] ""
## [6161] "158 PSALM 69 "
## [6162] ""
## [6163] "25 To my kynn a stranger quite, "
## [6164] ""
## [6165] "Quite an alian am I grown: "
## [6166] "In my very bretherens sight "
## [6167] ""
## [6168] "Most uncar'd for, most unknown; "
## [6169] "With thy temples zeale out-eaten, "
## [6170] "30 With thy slanders scourges beaten, "
## [6171] ""
## [6172] "While the shott of piercing spight "
## [6173] "Bent at thee, on me doth light. "
## [6174] ""
## [6175] "If I weepe, and weeping fast, "
## [6176] "If in sackcloth sadd I mourn, "
## [6177] "35 In my teeth the first they cast, "
## [6178] ""
## [6179] "All to Jeast the last they turn; "
## [6180] "Now in streetes, with publique prating, "
## [6181] "Powring out their inward hating: "
## [6182] "Private now at banquetts plac't, "
## [6183] "40 Singing songs of wyny tast. "
## [6184] ""
## [6185] "As for me to thee I pray, "
## [6186] ""
## [6187] "Lord, in tyme of grace assign'd: "
## [6188] "Gratious God, my kindest stay, "
## [6189] ""
## [6190] "In my aid be truly kind. "
## [6191] "45 Keepe me safe unsunck, unmyred "
## [6192] ""
## [6193] "Safe from flowing foes retyred: "
## [6194] "Calme these waves, these waters bay, "
## [6195] "Leave me not this whirlpooles pray. "
## [6196] ""
## [6197] "In the goodness of thy grace, "
## [6198] "50 Lord, make answere to my mone: "
## [6199] ""
## [6200] "Ey my ill, and rue my case, "
## [6201] "In those mercies told by none. "
## [6202] ""
## [6203] "Lett not by thy absence languish "
## [6204] ""
## [6205] "Thy true server dround in anguish. "
## [6206] "55 Haste, and heare, come, come apace, "
## [6207] ""
## [6208] "Free my soule from foemens chase. "
## [6209] ""
## [6210] "Unto thee what needes be told "
## [6211] ""
## [6212] "My reproch, my blott, my blame? "
## [6213] "Sith both these thou didst behold, "
## [6214] "60 And canst all my haters name. "
## [6215] ""
## [6216] ""
## [6217] ""
## [6218] "PSALM 69 159 "
## [6219] ""
## [6220] "Whiles afflicted, whiles hart-broken, "
## [6221] "Waiting yet some frendshipps token, "
## [6222] "Some I lookt would me uphold, "
## [6223] "Lookt: but found all comfort cold. "
## [6224] ""
## [6225] "65 Comfort? nay (not seene before) "
## [6226] ""
## [6227] "Needing food they sett me gall: "
## [6228] "Vineager they fiTd me store, "
## [6229] ""
## [6230] "When for drinck my thirst did call. "
## [6231] "O then snare them in their pleasures, "
## [6232] "70 Make them, trapt ev'n in their treasures, "
## [6233] ""
## [6234] "Gladly sadd, and richly poore, "
## [6235] "Sightlesse most, yet mightlesse more. "
## [6236] ""
## [6237] "Downe upon them fury raine "
## [6238] "Lighten indignation downe: "
## [6239] "75 Turne to wast, and desert plaine, "
## [6240] ""
## [6241] "House and pallace, field and towne. "
## [6242] "Lett not one be left abiding "
## [6243] "Where such rancor had residing; "
## [6244] "Whome thou painest, more they paine: "
## [6245] "80 Hurt by thee, by them is slaine. "
## [6246] ""
## [6247] "Causing sinne on Synne to grow, "
## [6248] ""
## [6249] "Add still Cyphers to their summ. "
## [6250] "Righter lett them never goe, "
## [6251] ""
## [6252] "Never to thy justice come "
## [6253] "85 But from out the booke be crossed, "
## [6254] ""
## [6255] "Where the good men live engrossed: "
## [6256] "While my God, me poore and low, "
## [6257] "High shall mount from need and woe. "
## [6258] ""
## [6259] "Then by me his name with praise, "
## [6260] "90 Gladsome praise, shall be upborne "
## [6261] ""
## [6262] "That shall more Jehova please "
## [6263] ""
## [6264] "Than the beast with hoofe and home. "
## [6265] ""
## [6266] ""
## [6267] ""
## [6268] "l60 PSALM 69 "
## [6269] ""
## [6270] "With what joy, yee godly grieved "
## [6271] "Shall your harts be then relieved? "
## [6272] "95 When Jehova takes such waies "
## [6273] ""
## [6274] "Bound to loose, and falne to raise? "
## [6275] ""
## [6276] "Laud him then O heav'nly skies, "
## [6277] ""
## [6278] "Earth with thine, and Seas with yours: "
## [6279] "For by him shall Sion rise, "
## [6280] "100 He shall build up Juda's towres. "
## [6281] ""
## [6282] "There his servantes, and their races, "
## [6283] "Shall in fee possesse the places: "
## [6284] "There his name who love and prize, "
## [6285] "Stable stay shall eternize. "
## [6286] ""
## [6287] "line 22 Dightes: attires, equips. "
## [6288] ""
## [6289] ""
## [6290] ""
## [6291] "i6i "
## [6292] ""
## [6293] ""
## [6294] ""
## [6295] "PSALM 70 DEUS IN ADJUTORIUM "
## [6296] ""
## [6297] ""
## [6298] ""
## [6299] "Lord, hy thee me to save "
## [6300] "Lord, now to help me haste: "
## [6301] ""
## [6302] "Shame lett them surely have "
## [6303] "And of confusion taste, "
## [6304] "5 That hold my soule in chase. "
## [6305] ""
## [6306] "Lett them be forced back, "
## [6307] "And no disgraces lack, "
## [6308] ""
## [6309] "That joy in my disgrace. "
## [6310] ""
## [6311] "Back forced lett them be, "
## [6312] "10 And for a faire reward "
## [6313] ""
## [6314] "Their owne foule mine see "
## [6315] ""
## [6316] "Who laugh and laugh out hard "
## [6317] "When I most inly mone; "
## [6318] "But mirth and joy renew "
## [6319] "15 In them thy pathes ensue "
## [6320] ""
## [6321] "And love thy help alone. "
## [6322] ""
## [6323] "Make them with gladdness sing: "
## [6324] "To God be ever praise "
## [6325] ""
## [6326] "And faile not me to bring, "
## [6327] "20 My down-cast state to raise, "
## [6328] ""
## [6329] "Thy speedy aid and stay. "
## [6330] "In thee my succour growes: "
## [6331] "From thee my freedom flowes: "
## [6332] ""
## [6333] "Lord, make no long delay. "
## [6334] ""
## [6335] ""
## [6336] ""
## [6337] "162 "
## [6338] ""
## [6339] ""
## [6340] ""
## [6341] "PSALM 71 IN TE, DOMINE, SPERAVI "
## [6342] ""
## [6343] ""
## [6344] ""
## [6345] "Lord, on thee my trust is grounded: "
## [6346] "Leave me not with shame confounded; "
## [6347] ""
## [6348] "But in justice bring me aide. "
## [6349] "Lett thine eare to me be bended: "
## [6350] "5 Lett my life from death defended "
## [6351] ""
## [6352] "Be by thee in safty staid. "
## [6353] ""
## [6354] "Be my rock, my refuge tower, "
## [6355] "Show thy unresisted power, "
## [6356] ""
## [6357] "Working now thy wonted will: "
## [6358] "10 Thou, I say, that never fainest "
## [6359] ""
## [6360] "In thy biddings but remainest "
## [6361] ""
## [6362] "Still my rock, my refuge still. "
## [6363] ""
## [6364] "my God, my sole help-giver, "
## [6365] "From this wicked me delyver, "
## [6366] ""
## [6367] "15 From this wrongfull spightfull man: "
## [6368] ""
## [6369] "In thee trusting, on thee standing, "
## [6370] "With my childish understanding, "
## [6371] "Nay with life my hopes began. "
## [6372] ""
## [6373] "Since imprison'd in my mother "
## [6374] "20 Thou me freed'st, whom have I other "
## [6375] ""
## [6376] "Held my stay, or made my song? "
## [6377] "Yea, when all me so misdeemed, "
## [6378] ""
## [6379] "1 to most a monster seemed, "
## [6380] ""
## [6381] "Yet in thee my hope was strong. "
## [6382] ""
## [6383] ""
## [6384] ""
## [6385] "PSALM 71 163 "
## [6386] ""
## [6387] "25 Yet of thee the thankfull story "
## [6388] ""
## [6389] "Fild my mouth, thy gratious glory "
## [6390] "Was my ditty long the day. "
## [6391] ""
## [6392] "No not then, now age assaileth, "
## [6393] ""
## [6394] "Coradge, verdure, vertue faileth, "
## [6395] "30 Do not leave me cast away. "
## [6396] ""
## [6397] "They by whom my life is hated, "
## [6398] "With their spies have now debated, "
## [6399] ""
## [6400] "Of their talk; and lo the summ: "
## [6401] "God say they hath hym forsaken "
## [6402] "35 Now pursue, he must be taken, "
## [6403] ""
## [6404] "None will to his rescue come. "
## [6405] ""
## [6406] "O my God bee not absented: "
## [6407] "O my God, now, now, presented "
## [6408] ""
## [6409] "Let in haste thy succours be, "
## [6410] "40 Make them full disgraced, shamed, "
## [6411] ""
## [6412] "All dissmighted, all diffamed, "
## [6413] ""
## [6414] "Who this ill intend to me. "
## [6415] ""
## [6416] "As for me, resolv'd to tary "
## [6417] "In my trust, and not to vary: "
## [6418] "45 I will heape thy praise with praise "
## [6419] ""
## [6420] "Still with mouth thy truthes recounting, "
## [6421] "Still thy aides, though much surmounting "
## [6422] "Greatest summ that number laies. "
## [6423] ""
## [6424] "Nay, my God, by thee secured "
## [6425] "50 Where will I not march assured? "
## [6426] ""
## [6427] "But thy truth what will I hold, "
## [6428] "Who by thee from infant cradle "
## [6429] "Taught still more, as still more able, "
## [6430] ""
## [6431] "Have till now thy wonders told? "
## [6432] ""
## [6433] "55 Now that age hath me attainted, "
## [6434] ""
## [6435] "Ages snow my hed hath painted, "
## [6436] ""
## [6437] ""
## [6438] ""
## [6439] "164 PSALM 71 "
## [6440] ""
## [6441] "Leave me not, my God, forlorn. "
## [6442] "Let me make thy mights relation, "
## [6443] "To this coming generation, "
## [6444] "60 To this age as yet unborn. "
## [6445] ""
## [6446] "God, thy justice highest raised, "
## [6447] "Thy greate workes as highly praised: "
## [6448] ""
## [6449] "Who thy peere, O God, doth raign? "
## [6450] "Thou into these woes dost drive me: "
## [6451] "65 Thou againe shalt hence revive me: "
## [6452] ""
## [6453] "Lift me from this deepe againe. "
## [6454] ""
## [6455] "Thou shalt make my greatness greater, "
## [6456] "Make my good with comfort better, "
## [6457] ""
## [6458] "Thee my lute, my harpe shall ring: "
## [6459] "70 Thee my God that never slidest "
## [6460] ""
## [6461] "From thy word but constant bidest, "
## [6462] ""
## [6463] "Jacobs holy heav nly king. "
## [6464] ""
## [6465] "Soe my lipps all joy declaring, "
## [6466] "Soe my soule no honor sparing, "
## [6467] "75 Shall thee sing, by thee secure; "
## [6468] ""
## [6469] "Soe my tongue all tymes, all places, "
## [6470] "Tell thy wreakes and their disgraces, "
## [6471] "Who this ill to me procure. "
## [6472] ""
## [6473] ""
## [6474] ""
## [6475] "i65 "
## [6476] ""
## [6477] ""
## [6478] ""
## [6479] "PSALM 72 DEUS JUDICIUM "
## [6480] ""
## [6481] ""
## [6482] ""
## [6483] "Teach the kings sonne, who king hym self shalbe, "
## [6484] ""
## [6485] "Thy judgmentes Lord, thy justice make hym learn: "
## [6486] "To rule thy realme as justice shall decree, "
## [6487] ""
## [6488] "And poore mens right in judgment to discern. "
## [6489] "5 Then fearelesse peace, "
## [6490] ""
## [6491] "With rich encrease "
## [6492] "The mountaynes proud shall fill: "
## [6493] "And justice shall "
## [6494] "Make plenty fall "
## [6495] "10 On ev'ry humble hill. "
## [6496] ""
## [6497] "Make him the weake support, th'opprest relieve, "
## [6498] "Supply the poore, the quarrell-pickers quaile: "
## [6499] "Soe agelesse ages shall thee reverence give, "
## [6500] ""
## [6501] "Till eies of heav'n, the sunn and moone, shall faile "
## [6502] "15 And thou againe "
## [6503] ""
## [6504] "Shalt blessings rayne, "
## [6505] "Which down shall mildly flow, "
## [6506] "As showres thrown "
## [6507] "On meades new mown "
## [6508] "20 Wherby they freshly grow. "
## [6509] ""
## [6510] "During his rule the just shall ay be greene, "
## [6511] ""
## [6512] "And peacefuil plenty joine with plenteous peace: "
## [6513] "While of sad night the many-formed queene "
## [6514] ""
## [6515] "Decreas'd, shall grow, and grown again, decrease. "
## [6516] "25 From sea to sea "
## [6517] ""
## [6518] "He shall survey "
## [6519] ""
## [6520] ""
## [6521] ""
## [6522] "l66 PSALM 72 "
## [6523] ""
## [6524] "All kingdoms as his own: "
## [6525] "And from the trace "
## [6526] "Of Physons race "
## [6527] "30 As farr as land is known. "
## [6528] ""
## [6529] "The desert-dwellers at his beck shall bend: "
## [6530] ""
## [6531] "His foes them suppliant at his feete shall fling: "
## [6532] "The kinges of Tharsis homage guifts shall send; "
## [6533] "So Seba, Saba, ev'ry island king. "
## [6534] "35 Nay all, ev'n all "
## [6535] ""
## [6536] "Shall prostrate fall, "
## [6537] "That crownes and scepters weare: "
## [6538] "And all that stand "
## [6539] "At their command, "
## [6540] "40 That crownes and scepters beare. "
## [6541] ""
## [6542] "For he shall heare the poore when they complaine, "
## [6543] "And lend them help, who helplesse are opprest: "
## [6544] "His mercy shall the needy sort sustaine; "
## [6545] ""
## [6546] "His force shall free their lyves that live distrest. "
## [6547] "45 From hidden sleight, "
## [6548] ""
## [6549] "From open might, "
## [6550] "Hee shall their soules redeeme: "
## [6551] "His tender eyes "
## [6552] "Shall highly prise, "
## [6553] "50 And deare their bloud esteeme. "
## [6554] ""
## [6555] "So shall he long, so shall he happy live; "
## [6556] ""
## [6557] "Health shall abound, and wealth shall never want: "
## [6558] "They gold to hym, Arabia gold, shall give, "
## [6559] ""
## [6560] "Which scantness dere, and dereness maketh scant. "
## [6561] "55 They still shall pray "
## [6562] ""
## [6563] "That still he may "
## [6564] "So live, and flourish so: "
## [6565] "Without his praise "
## [6566] "No nights, no daies, "
## [6567] "60 Shall pasport have to go. "
## [6568] ""
## [6569] ""
## [6570] ""
## [6571] "PSALM 72 167 "
## [6572] ""
## [6573] "Looke how the woods, where enterlaced trees "
## [6574] ""
## [6575] "Spread frendly armes each other to embrace, "
## [6576] "Joyne at the head, though distant at the knees, "
## [6577] "Waving with wind, and lording on the place: "
## [6578] "65 So woods of corne "
## [6579] ""
## [6580] "By mountaynes borne "
## [6581] "Shall on their showlders wave: "
## [6582] "And men shall passe "
## [6583] "The numbrous grasse, "
## [6584] "70 Such store each town shall have. "
## [6585] ""
## [6586] "Looke how the sunne, soe shall his name remayne; "
## [6587] ""
## [6588] "As that in light, so this in glory one: "
## [6589] "All glories that, at this all lights shall stayne: "
## [6590] "Nor that shall faile, nor this be overthrowne. "
## [6591] "75 The dwellers all "
## [6592] ""
## [6593] "Of earthly ball "
## [6594] "In hym shall hold them blest: "
## [6595] "As one that is "
## [6596] "Of perfect blisse "
## [6597] "80 A patterne to the rest. "
## [6598] ""
## [6599] "O God who art, from whom all beings be; "
## [6600] ""
## [6601] "Eternall Lord, whom Jacobs stock adore, "
## [6602] "And wondrous works are done by only thee, "
## [6603] "Blessed be thou, most blessed evermore. "
## [6604] "85 And lett thy name, "
## [6605] ""
## [6606] "Thy glorious fame, "
## [6607] "No end of blessing know: "
## [6608] "Lett all this Round "
## [6609] "Thy honor sound, "
## [6610] "90 So Lord, O be it so. "
## [6611] ""
## [6612] ""
## [6613] ""
## [6614] "i68 "
## [6615] ""
## [6616] ""
## [6617] ""
## [6618] "PSALM 73 QUAM BONUS ISRAEL "
## [6619] ""
## [6620] ""
## [6621] ""
## [6622] "It is most true that God to Israeli, "
## [6623] "I meane to men of undefiled hartes, "
## [6624] "Is only good, and nought but good impartes. "
## [6625] ""
## [6626] "Most true, I see, allbe allmost I fell "
## [6627] "5 From right conceit into a crooked mynd; "
## [6628] ""
## [6629] "And from this truth with straying stepps declin'd. "
## [6630] ""
## [6631] "For loe, my boiling brest did chafe and swell "
## [6632] "When first I saw the wicked proudly stand, "
## [6633] "Prevailing still in all they tooke in hand. "
## [6634] "10 And sure no sickness dwelleth where they dwell: "
## [6635] ""
## [6636] "Nay, so they guarded are with health and might, "
## [6637] ""
## [6638] "It seemes of them death dares not claime his right. "
## [6639] ""
## [6640] "They seeme as priviledg'd from others paine: "
## [6641] ""
## [6642] "The scourging plagues, which on their neighbours fall, "
## [6643] "15 Torment not them, nay touch them not at all. "
## [6644] ""
## [6645] "Therefore with pride, as with a gorgious chaine, "
## [6646] "Their swelling necks encompassed they beare; "
## [6647] "All cloth'd in wrong, as if a robe it were: "
## [6648] ""
## [6649] "So fatt become, that fattness doth constraine "
## [6650] "20 Their eies to swell: and if they thinck on ought, "
## [6651] ""
## [6652] "Their thought they have, yea have beyond their "
## [6653] ""
## [6654] "They wanton grow, and in malicious vaine [thought. "
## [6655] ""
## [6656] "Talking of wrong, pronounce as from the skies I "
## [6657] "Soe high a pitch their proud presumption flyes. "
## [6658] ""
## [6659] ""
## [6660] ""
## [6661] "PSALM 73 169 "
## [6662] ""
## [6663] "25 Nay heavn it self, high heav'n escapes not free "
## [6664] ""
## [6665] "From their base mouthes; and in their common talk "
## [6666] "Their tongues no less than all the earth do walk. "
## [6667] "Wherefore ev'n godly men, when so they see "
## [6668] "Their home of plenty freshly flowing still, "
## [6669] "30 Leaning to them, bend from their better will: "
## [6670] "And thus, they reasons frame: how can it bee "
## [6671] "That God doth understand? that he doth know, "
## [6672] "Who sitts in heavn, how earthly matters goe? "
## [6673] "See here the godlesse Crue, while godly wee "
## [6674] "35 Unhappy pine, all happiness possesse: "
## [6675] ""
## [6676] "Their riches more, our wealth still growing lesse. "
## [6677] ""
## [6678] "Nay ev'n within my self, my self did say: "
## [6679] "In vain my hart I purge, my hands in vain "
## [6680] "In cleanness washt I keepe from filthy stayn, "
## [6681] "40 Since thus afflictions scurge me ev'ry day: "
## [6682] "Since never a day from early East is sent, "
## [6683] "But brings my payne, my check, my chastisement. "
## [6684] "And shall I then these thoughtes in wordes bewray? "
## [6685] "O lett me, Lord, give never such offence "
## [6686] "45 To children thine that rest in thy defence. "
## [6687] "So then I turn'd my thoughtes another way: "
## [6688] "Sounding, if I, this secrets depth might find; "
## [6689] "But combrous cloudes my inward sight did blynd. "
## [6690] ""
## [6691] "Untill at length nigh weary of the chase, "
## [6692] "50 Unto thy house I did my stepps direct: "
## [6693] ""
## [6694] "There loe I learn'd what end did these expect, "
## [6695] "And what? but that in high, but slippery place, "
## [6696] ""
## [6697] "Thou didst them sett: whence, when they least of all "
## [6698] "To fall did feare, they fell with headlong fall. "
## [6699] "55 For how are they in lesse than momments space "
## [6700] "With mine overthrowne? with frightfull feare "
## [6701] "Consum'd soe cleane, as if they never were? "
## [6702] "Right as a dreame, which waking doth deface: "
## [6703] "So, Lord, most vaine thou dost their fancies make, "
## [6704] "60 When thou dost them from carelesse sleepe awake. "
## [6705] ""
## [6706] ""
## [6707] ""
## [6708] "170 psalm 73 "
## [6709] ""
## [6710] "Then for what purpose was it? to what end "
## [6711] "For me to fume with malcontented hart, "
## [6712] "Tormenting so in me each inward part? "
## [6713] "I was a foole (I can it not defend) , "
## [6714] "65 So quite depriv'd of understanding might, "
## [6715] "That as a beast I bare me in thy sight. "
## [6716] "But as I was, yet did I still attend, "
## [6717] ""
## [6718] "Still follow thee, by whose upholding-hand, "
## [6719] "When most I slide, yet still upright I stand. "
## [6720] "70 Then guide me still, then still upon me spend "
## [6721] "The treasures of thy sure advise, untill "
## [6722] "Thou take me hence into thy glories hill. "
## [6723] ""
## [6724] "O what is he will teach me clyme the skyes? "
## [6725] ""
## [6726] "With thee, thee good, thee goodness to remaine? "
## [6727] "75 No good on earth doth my desires detaine. "
## [6728] ""
## [6729] "Often my mind, and oft my body tries "
## [6730] ""
## [6731] "Their weake defectes: but thou, my God, thou art, "
## [6732] "My endlesse lott, and fortresse of my hart. "
## [6733] ""
## [6734] "The faithlesse fugitives who thee despise, "
## [6735] "80 Shall perish all, they all shall be undone, "
## [6736] "Who leaving thee to whoorish idolls runn. "
## [6737] ""
## [6738] "But as for me, nought better in my eyes "
## [6739] ""
## [6740] "Than cleave to God, my hopes in hym to place, "
## [6741] ""
## [6742] "To sing his workes while breath shall give me space. "
## [6743] ""
## [6744] ""
## [6745] ""
## [6746] "171 "
## [6747] ""
## [6748] ""
## [6749] ""
## [6750] "PSALM 74 UT QUID, DEUS "
## [6751] ""
## [6752] ""
## [6753] ""
## [6754] "O God, why hast thou thus "
## [6755] "Repulst, and scattred us? "
## [6756] "Shall now thy wrath no lymmitts hold? "
## [6757] "But ever smoke and burne? "
## [6758] "5 Till it to Asshes turne "
## [6759] ""
## [6760] "The chosen folk of thy deare fold? "
## [6761] ""
## [6762] "Ah! think with milder thought "
## [6763] "On them whom thou hast bought, "
## [6764] ""
## [6765] "And purchased from endlesse daies: "
## [6766] "10 Thinck of thy birthright lott, "
## [6767] ""
## [6768] "Of Sion, on whose plott, "
## [6769] ""
## [6770] "Thy sacred house supported staies. "
## [6771] ""
## [6772] "Come, Lord, O come with speed, "
## [6773] "This sacrilegious seed "
## [6774] "15 Roote quickly out, and hedlong cast: "
## [6775] "All that thy holy place "
## [6776] "Did late adorne and grace, "
## [6777] "Their hatefull hands have quite defast. "
## [6778] ""
## [6779] "Their beastly trumpetts rore, "
## [6780] ""
## [6781] "20 Where heav'nly notes before "
## [6782] ""
## [6783] "In praises of thy might did flow: "
## [6784] ""
## [6785] "Within thy temple they "
## [6786] ""
## [6787] "Their ensignes eft display "
## [6788] "The ensignes, which their conquest show. "
## [6789] ""
## [6790] "25 As men with axe on arme "
## [6791] ""
## [6792] "To some thick forrest swarme, "
## [6793] ""
## [6794] ""
## [6795] ""
## [6796] "PSALM 74 "
## [6797] ""
## [6798] ""
## [6799] ""
## [6800] "To lopp the trees which stately stand: "
## [6801] "They to thy temple flock, "
## [6802] "And spoiling, cutt and knock "
## [6803] "30 The curious workes of carving hand. "
## [6804] ""
## [6805] "Thy most, most holy seate "
## [6806] "The greedy flames do eate, "
## [6807] ""
## [6808] "And have such ruthlesse ruyns wrought, "
## [6809] "That all thy house is raste, "
## [6810] "35 So raste, and so defast, "
## [6811] ""
## [6812] "That of that all remayneth nought. "
## [6813] ""
## [6814] "Nay they resolved are, "
## [6815] ""
## [6816] "We all alike shall fare, "
## [6817] "All of one cruell cup shall taste. "
## [6818] "40 For not one house doth stand "
## [6819] ""
## [6820] "Of God in all the land, "
## [6821] "But they by fire have laide it waste. "
## [6822] ""
## [6823] "We see the signes no more "
## [6824] "We wont to see before; "
## [6825] "45 Nor any now with sp'ryt divine "
## [6826] "Amongst us more is found, "
## [6827] "Who can to us expound, "
## [6828] "What tearme these dollors shall define. "
## [6829] ""
## [6830] "How long, O God, how long "
## [6831] "50 Wilt thou winck at the wrong "
## [6832] ""
## [6833] "Of thy reviling railing foe? "
## [6834] "Shall he that hates thy name, "
## [6835] "And hatred paintes with shame, "
## [6836] ""
## [6837] "So do, and do for ever soe? "
## [6838] ""
## [6839] "55 Woe us! what is the cause "
## [6840] ""
## [6841] "Thy hand his help withdrawes? "
## [6842] "That thy right hand far from us keepes? "
## [6843] "Ah lett it once arise, "
## [6844] "To plague thine enimies, "
## [6845] ""
## [6846] "60 Which now, embosom'd, idely sleepes. "
## [6847] ""
## [6848] ""
## [6849] ""
## [6850] "PSALM 74 173 "
## [6851] ""
## [6852] "Thou art my God, I know, "
## [6853] ""
## [6854] "My king, who long ago "
## [6855] "Didst undertake the chardg of me: "
## [6856] ""
## [6857] "And in my hard distresse "
## [6858] "65 Didst work me such release, "
## [6859] ""
## [6860] "That all the earth did wondring see. "
## [6861] ""
## [6862] "Thou by thy might didst make "
## [6863] ""
## [6864] "That seas in sunder brake, "
## [6865] "And dreadfull dragons which before "
## [6866] "70 In deepe or swamme or crawl'd "
## [6867] ""
## [6868] "Such mortall strokes appal'd, "
## [6869] "They floted dead to ev'ry shore. "
## [6870] ""
## [6871] "Thou crusht that monsters head "
## [6872] "Whom other monsters dread, "
## [6873] "75 And soe his fishy flesh did'st frame, "
## [6874] "To serve as pleasing foode "
## [6875] "To all the ravening brood, "
## [6876] "Who had the desert for their dame. "
## [6877] ""
## [6878] "Thou wondrously didst cause, "
## [6879] "80 Repealing natures lawes, "
## [6880] ""
## [6881] "From thirsty flynt a fountayne flow "
## [6882] "And of the rivers cleare "
## [6883] "The sandy beds appeare, "
## [6884] "Soe dry thou mad'st theyr chanells grow. "
## [6885] ""
## [6886] "85 The day arraid in light, "
## [6887] ""
## [6888] "The shadow-clothed night, "
## [6889] "Were made, and are maintain'd by thee. "
## [6890] ""
## [6891] "The sunn and sunn-like rays, "
## [6892] ""
## [6893] "The boundes of nightes and daies, "
## [6894] "90 Thy workmanshipp no lesse they be. "
## [6895] ""
## [6896] "To thee the earth doth owe, "
## [6897] "That earth in sea doth grow, "
## [6898] "And sea doth earth from drowning spare: "
## [6899] "The summers corny crowne, "
## [6900] "95 The winters frosty gowne, "
## [6901] ""
## [6902] "Nought but thy badge, thy lyvery are. "
## [6903] ""
## [6904] ""
## [6905] ""
## [6906] "174 psalm 74 "
## [6907] ""
## [6908] "Thou then still one, the same, "
## [6909] "Thinck how thy glorious name "
## [6910] "These brain-sick mens despight have borne, "
## [6911] "100 How abject enimies, "
## [6912] ""
## [6913] "The Lord of highest skies, "
## [6914] "With cursed taunting tongues have torne. "
## [6915] ""
## [6916] "Ah! give noe hauke the pow're "
## [6917] "Thy turtle to devowre, "
## [6918] "105 Which sighes to thee with moorning mones: "
## [6919] "Nor utterly out-rase "
## [6920] "From tables of thy grace "
## [6921] "The flock of thy afflicted ones. "
## [6922] ""
## [6923] "But call thy league to mynd, "
## [6924] "110 For horror all doth blind, "
## [6925] ""
## [6926] "No light doth in the land remayne: "
## [6927] ""
## [6928] "Rape, murther, violence, "
## [6929] ""
## [6930] "Each outrage, each offence, "
## [6931] "Each where doth range, and rage and raigne. "
## [6932] ""
## [6933] "115 Enough, enough we moume: "
## [6934] ""
## [6935] "Let us no more returne "
## [6936] "Repulst with blame and shame from thee, "
## [6937] ""
## [6938] "But succour us opprest, "
## [6939] ""
## [6940] "And give the troubled rest, "
## [6941] "120 That of thy praise their songes may be. "
## [6942] ""
## [6943] "Rise, God, pleade thyne owne case, "
## [6944] ""
## [6945] "Forget not what disgrace "
## [6946] "These fooles on thee each day bestow: "
## [6947] ""
## [6948] "Forgett not with what cries "
## [6949] "125 Thy foes against thee rise, "
## [6950] ""
## [6951] "Which more and more to heav'n doe grow. "
## [6952] ""
## [6953] "line 48 tearme: limit, boundary. "
## [6954] ""
## [6955] ""
## [6956] ""
## [6957] "175 "
## [6958] ""
## [6959] ""
## [6960] ""
## [6961] "PSALM 75 CONFITEBIMUR TIBI "
## [6962] ""
## [6963] ""
## [6964] ""
## [6965] "Thee, God, O thee, wee sing, we celebrate: "
## [6966] "Thy actes with wonder who but doth relate? "
## [6967] ""
## [6968] "So kindly nigh thy name our need attendeth. "
## [6969] "Sure I, when once the chardg I undergo "
## [6970] "5 Of this assembly, will not faile to show "
## [6971] ""
## [6972] "My judgments such, as justest rule commendeth. "
## [6973] ""
## [6974] "The people loose, the land I shaken find: "
## [6975] "This will I firmly propp, that straitly bind; "
## [6976] ""
## [6977] "And then denounce my uncontrolled pleasure: "
## [6978] "10 Bragg not you braggardes, you your saucy home "
## [6979] "Lift not, lewd mates : no more with heav'ns scorne "
## [6980] ""
## [6981] "Daunce on in wordes your old repyning measure. "
## [6982] ""
## [6983] "Where sun first showes; or last enshades his light; "
## [6984] "Divides the day, or pricks the midst of night; "
## [6985] "15 Seeke not the fountayne whence preferment springeth. "
## [6986] "Gods only fixed course that all doth sway, "
## [6987] "Lymits dishonors night, and honors day, "
## [6988] ""
## [6989] "The king his crowne, the slave his fetters bringeth. "
## [6990] ""
## [6991] "A troubled cupp is in Jehovas hand, "
## [6992] "20 Where wine and wyny lees compounded stand, "
## [6993] "Which franckly fild, as freely hee bestoweth; "
## [6994] "Yet for their draught ungodly men doth give, "
## [6995] "Gives all (not one except) that lewdly lyve, "
## [6996] ""
## [6997] "Only what from the dreggs by wringing floweth. "
## [6998] ""
## [6999] ""
## [7000] ""
## [7001] "176 PSALM 75 "
## [7002] ""
## [7003] "25 And I, secure, shall spend my happie tymes "
## [7004] ""
## [7005] "In my, though lowly, never-dying rymes, "
## [7006] ""
## [7007] "Singing with praise the God that Jacob loveth. "
## [7008] ""
## [7009] "My princely care shall crop ill-doers low, "
## [7010] ""
## [7011] "In glory plant, and make with glory grow "
## [7012] "30 Who right approves, and doth what right approveth. "
## [7013] ""
## [7014] "line 9 denounce: announce, proclaim, line 12 repyning: discon- "
## [7015] "tented. "
## [7016] ""
## [7017] ""
## [7018] ""
## [7019] "177 "
## [7020] ""
## [7021] ""
## [7022] ""
## [7023] "PSALM 76 NOTUS IN JUDEA "
## [7024] ""
## [7025] ""
## [7026] ""
## [7027] "Only to Juda God his will doth signify; "
## [7028] ""
## [7029] "Only in Jacob is his name notorious; "
## [7030] "His restfull tent doth only Salem dignify; "
## [7031] ""
## [7032] "On Syon only stands his dwelling glorious; "
## [7033] "5 Their bow, and shaft, and shield, and sword he shivered, "
## [7034] "Drave warr from us, and us from warr delivered. "
## [7035] ""
## [7036] "Above proud princes, proudest in their theevery, "
## [7037] ""
## [7038] "Thou art exalted high, and highly glorified: "
## [7039] "Their weake attempt, thy valiant delivery, "
## [7040] "10 Their spoile, thy conquest meete to be historified. "
## [7041] "The mighty handlesse grew as men that slumbered, "
## [7042] "For hands grew mightlesse, sence and life encombered. "
## [7043] ""
## [7044] "Nay, God, O God, true Jacobs sole devotion, "
## [7045] "Thy check the very carrs and horses mortifide, "
## [7046] "15 Cast in dull sleepe, and quite depriv'd of motion. "
## [7047] "Most fearefull God, O how must he be fortifide! "
## [7048] "Whose fearelesse foote to bide thy onsett tarieth, "
## [7049] "When once thy wrath displaied ensigne carieth. "
## [7050] ""
## [7051] "From out of heav'n thy justice judgment thundred "
## [7052] "20 When good by thee were sav'd, and bad were "
## [7053] ""
## [7054] "[punished, "
## [7055] "While earth at heav'n with feare and silence wondred. "
## [7056] ""
## [7057] "Yea, the most ragefull in their rage astonished "
## [7058] "Fell to praise thee: whom thou, how ever furious "
## [7059] "Shall eft restraine, if fury prove injurious. "
## [7060] ""
## [7061] ""
## [7062] ""
## [7063] "I78 PSALM 76 "
## [7064] ""
## [7065] "25 Then lett your vowes be paid, your offrings offered "
## [7066] "Unto the Lord, O you of his protection: "
## [7067] "Unto the fearefull lett your giftes be proffered, "
## [7068] ""
## [7069] "Who loppeth princes thoughts, prunes their affection, "
## [7070] "And so him self most terrible doth verify, "
## [7071] "30 In terrifying kings, that earth do terrify. "
## [7072] ""
## [7073] ""
## [7074] ""
## [7075] "179 "
## [7076] ""
## [7077] ""
## [7078] ""
## [7079] "PSALM 77 VOCE MEA AD DOMINUM "
## [7080] ""
## [7081] ""
## [7082] ""
## [7083] "To thee my crying call, "
## [7084] "To thee my calling cry "
## [7085] ""
## [7086] "I did, O God, adresse, "
## [7087] ""
## [7088] "And thou didst me attend: "
## [7089] "5 To nightly anguish thrall, "
## [7090] ""
## [7091] "From thee I sought redresse; "
## [7092] "To thee unceassantly "
## [7093] "Did praying handes extend. "
## [7094] ""
## [7095] "All comfort fled my soule: "
## [7096] "10 Yea, God to mind I cal'd, "
## [7097] ""
## [7098] "Yet calling God to mynde "
## [7099] ""
## [7100] "My thoughts could not appease: "
## [7101] "Nought else but bitter dole "
## [7102] "Could I in thincking finde: "
## [7103] "15 My sprite with paine appal'd, "
## [7104] ""
## [7105] "Could entertaine no ease. "
## [7106] ""
## [7107] "Whole troupes of busy cares, "
## [7108] "Of cares that from thee came, "
## [7109] ""
## [7110] "Tooke up their restlesse rest "
## [7111] "20 In sleepie sleeplesse eies: "
## [7112] ""
## [7113] "Soe lay I all opprest, "
## [7114] "My hart in office lame, "
## [7115] ""
## [7116] "My tongue as lamely fares, "
## [7117] "No part his part supplies. "
## [7118] ""
## [7119] ""
## [7120] ""
## [7121] "l80 PSALM J J "
## [7122] ""
## [7123] "25 At length with turned thought "
## [7124] ""
## [7125] "Anew I fell to thinck "
## [7126] "Uppon the auncient tymes, "
## [7127] "Uppon the yeares of old: "
## [7128] "Yea, to my mynd was brought, "
## [7129] "30 And in my hart did sinck, "
## [7130] ""
## [7131] "What in my former rimes "
## [7132] "My self of thee had told. "
## [7133] ""
## [7134] "Loe, then to search the truth "
## [7135] "I sent my thoughts abroade; "
## [7136] "35 Meane while my silent hart "
## [7137] ""
## [7138] "Distracted thus did plaine: "
## [7139] "Will God no more take ruth? "
## [7140] "No further love impart? "
## [7141] "No longer be my God? "
## [7142] "40 Unmoved still remayne? "
## [7143] ""
## [7144] "Are all the conduites dry "
## [7145] ""
## [7146] "Of his erst flowing grace? "
## [7147] "Could rusty teeth of tyme "
## [7148] ""
## [7149] "To nought his promise turne? "
## [7150] "45 Can mercy no more clyme "
## [7151] ""
## [7152] "And come before his face? "
## [7153] "Must all compassion dy? "
## [7154] ""
## [7155] "Must nought but anger burne? "
## [7156] ""
## [7157] "Then lo, my wrack I see, "
## [7158] "50 Say I, and do I know "
## [7159] ""
## [7160] "That chang lies in his hand, "
## [7161] "Who changlesse sitts aloft? "
## [7162] "Can I ought understand, "
## [7163] "And yet unmindfull be, "
## [7164] "55 What wonders from hym flow? "
## [7165] ""
## [7166] "What workes his will hath wrought? "
## [7167] ""
## [7168] ""
## [7169] ""
## [7170] "PSALM JJ "
## [7171] ""
## [7172] "Nay still thy acts I minde, "
## [7173] "Still of thy deedes I muse; "
## [7174] ""
## [7175] "Still see thy glories light "
## [7176] "60 Within thy temple shine. "
## [7177] ""
## [7178] "What god can any find "
## [7179] ""
## [7180] "(For tearme them so they use) "
## [7181] ""
## [7182] "Whose majesty, whose might, "
## [7183] "May strive, O God, with thine? "
## [7184] ""
## [7185] "65 Thou only wonders dost; "
## [7186] ""
## [7187] "The wonders by thee done, "
## [7188] "All earth do wonder make, "
## [7189] "As when thy hand of old "
## [7190] "From servitude unjust "
## [7191] "70 Both Jacobs sonnes did take; "
## [7192] ""
## [7193] "And sonnes of Jacobs sonne, "
## [7194] "Whom Jacobs sonnes had sold. "
## [7195] ""
## [7196] "The waves thee saw, saw thee, "
## [7197] "And fearefull fledd the field: "
## [7198] "75 The deepe with panting brest, "
## [7199] ""
## [7200] "Engulphed quaking lay: "
## [7201] "The cloudes thy fingers prest, "
## [7202] ""
## [7203] "Did rushing rivers yield; "
## [7204] "Thy shaftes did flaming flee "
## [7205] "80 Through firy airy way. "
## [7206] ""
## [7207] "Thy voices thundring crash "
## [7208] "From one to other pole, "
## [7209] ""
## [7210] "Twixt roofe of starry Sphere "
## [7211] "And earths then trembling flore, "
## [7212] "85 While light of lightnings flash "
## [7213] ""
## [7214] "Did pitchy cloudes encleare, "
## [7215] "Did round with terror role, "
## [7216] "And rattling horror rore. "
## [7217] ""
## [7218] ""
## [7219] ""
## [7220] "181 "
## [7221] ""
## [7222] ""
## [7223] ""
## [7224] "182 psalm jy "
## [7225] ""
## [7226] "Mean while through duskie deepe "
## [7227] "90 On seas discovered bed, "
## [7228] ""
## [7229] "Where none thy trace could view, "
## [7230] ""
## [7231] "A path by thee was wrought: "
## [7232] "A path whereon thy crue "
## [7233] "As shepherds use their sheepe, "
## [7234] "95 With Aron Moses ledd, "
## [7235] ""
## [7236] "And to glad pastures brought. "
## [7237] ""
## [7238] ""
## [7239] ""
## [7240] "183 "
## [7241] ""
## [7242] ""
## [7243] ""
## [7244] "PSALM 78 ATTENDITE, POPULE "
## [7245] ""
## [7246] ""
## [7247] ""
## [7248] "A grave discourse to utter I entend; "
## [7249] ""
## [7250] "The age of tyme I purpose to renew, "
## [7251] "You, O my charge, to what I teach attend; "
## [7252] ""
## [7253] "Heare what I speake, and what you heare ensue. "
## [7254] "5 The thinges our fathers did to us commend, "
## [7255] ""
## [7256] "The same are they I recommend to you: "
## [7257] "Which though but heard, we know most true to be; "
## [7258] "We heard, but heard, of who them selves did see. "
## [7259] ""
## [7260] "Which never lett us soe ungratefull grow, "
## [7261] "10 As to conceale from such as shall succeed: "
## [7262] ""
## [7263] "Let us the praises of Jehova show, "
## [7264] ""
## [7265] "Each act of worth, each memorable deede, "
## [7266] "Chiefly since he him self commanded so: "
## [7267] "Giving a law to Jacob and his seed, "
## [7268] "15 That fathers should this use to sonnes maintayne, "
## [7269] "And sonnes to sonnes, and they to theirs again: "
## [7270] ""
## [7271] "That while the yong shall over-live the old, "
## [7272] "And of their brood some yet shalbe unborn, "
## [7273] ""
## [7274] "These memories, in memory enrold, "
## [7275] "20 By fretting time may never thence be worn; "
## [7276] ""
## [7277] "That still on God, their anchor, hope may hold, "
## [7278] "From him by no dispairefull tempest torn; "
## [7279] ""
## [7280] "That with wise hartes and willing mindes they may "
## [7281] ""
## [7282] "Think what he did, and what he bidds obay; "
## [7283] ""
## [7284] ""
## [7285] ""
## [7286] "184 PSALM 78 "
## [7287] ""
## [7288] "25 And not ensue their fathers froward trace, "
## [7289] ""
## [7290] "Whose stepps from God, rebelliously did stray: "
## [7291] "A waiward, stubborn, stailesse, faithlesse race, "
## [7292] ""
## [7293] "Such as on God no hold by hope could lay; "
## [7294] "Like Ephraims sonnes, who durst not show their face, "
## [7295] "30 But from the battaill fearefull fled away: "
## [7296] ""
## [7297] "Yet bare, as men of warrlike excellence, "
## [7298] "Offending bowes, and armor for defence. "
## [7299] ""
## [7300] "And why? they did not hold inviolate "
## [7301] ""
## [7302] "The league of God: nor in his pathes would go. "
## [7303] "35 His famous workes, and wonders they for gate, "
## [7304] ""
## [7305] "Which, often hearing, well might cause them know "
## [7306] "The workes and wonders which, in hard estate, "
## [7307] ""
## [7308] "He did of old unto their fathers show: "
## [7309] "Whereof all Egipt testimony yeelds, "
## [7310] "40 And of all Egypt, chiefly Zoan fields. "
## [7311] ""
## [7312] "There where the deepe did show his sandy flore, "
## [7313] "And heaped waves an uncouth way enwall: "
## [7314] ""
## [7315] "Whereby they past from one to other shore, "
## [7316] "Walking on seas, and yet not wett at all: "
## [7317] "45 He ledd them so; a cloud was them before "
## [7318] ""
## [7319] "While light did last: when night did darkness call, "
## [7320] ""
## [7321] "A flaming piller glitfring in the skies "
## [7322] ""
## [7323] "Their load starr was, till sunne again did rise. "
## [7324] ""
## [7325] "He rift the Rocks and from their perced sides, "
## [7326] "50 To give them drinck, whole seas of water drew: "
## [7327] ""
## [7328] "The desert sand no longer thirst abides; "
## [7329] ""
## [7330] "The trickling springs to such huge rivers grew. "
## [7331] "Yet not content their furie further slides; "
## [7332] "In those wild waies they anger God anew. "
## [7333] "55 As thirst before, now hunger stirrs their lust "
## [7334] ""
## [7335] "To tempting thoughtes, bewraying want of trust; "
## [7336] ""
## [7337] "And fond conceites begetting fonder wordes: "
## [7338] "Can God, say they, prepare with plentious hand "
## [7339] ""
## [7340] ""
## [7341] ""
## [7342] "PSALM 78 "
## [7343] ""
## [7344] "Deliriously to furnish out our boordes "
## [7345] "60 Here in this waste, this hunger-starved land? "
## [7346] ""
## [7347] "We see indeed the streames the Rock affordes: "
## [7348] ""
## [7349] "We see in pooles the gathered waters stand: "
## [7350] "But whither bread and flesh so ready be "
## [7351] "For him to give, as yet we do not see. "
## [7352] ""
## [7353] "65 This heard, but heard with most displeased eare, "
## [7354] "That Jacobs race he did so dearly love, "
## [7355] "Who in his favoure had no cause to feare, "
## [7356] ""
## [7357] "Should now so wav'ring, so distrustfull prove; "
## [7358] "The raking sparkes in flame began appeare, "
## [7359] "70 And staied choller fresh again to move; "
## [7360] ""
## [7361] "That from his trust their confidence should swerve, "
## [7362] "Whose deedes had shown, he could and would "
## [7363] ""
## [7364] "[preserve. "
## [7365] ""
## [7366] "Yet he unclos'd the garners of the skies, "
## [7367] ""
## [7368] "And bade the cloudes Ambrosian manna rain: "
## [7369] "75 As morning frost on hoary pasture lies, "
## [7370] ""
## [7371] "So strawed lay each where this heav'nly grain "
## [7372] "The finest cheat that dearest princes prise, "
## [7373] ""
## [7374] "The bread of heav'n could not in fineness stain: "
## [7375] "Which he them gave, and gave them in such store, "
## [7376] "80 Each had so much, he wish't to have no more. "
## [7377] ""
## [7378] "But that he might them each way satisfle, "
## [7379] ""
## [7380] "He slipt the raines to east and southerne wind; "
## [7381] ""
## [7382] "These on the cloudes their uttmost forces try, "
## [7383] "And bring in raines of admirable kind. "
## [7384] "85 The dainty Quailes that freely wont to fly, "
## [7385] ""
## [7386] "In forced showers to dropp were now assign'd: "
## [7387] ""
## [7388] "And fell as thick as dust on sunn-burnt field, "
## [7389] ""
## [7390] "Or as the sand the thirsty shore doth yeeld. "
## [7391] ""
## [7392] "Soe all the plain, whereon their army lay, "
## [7393] "90 As farr abroad as any tent was pight, "
## [7394] ""
## [7395] "With featured rain was wat'red ev'ry way, "
## [7396] ""
## [7397] ""
## [7398] ""
## [7399] "l86 PSALM 78 "
## [7400] ""
## [7401] "Which showring down did on their lodgings light "
## [7402] "Then fell they to their easy gotten pray, "
## [7403] ""
## [7404] "And fedd till fullness vanquisht had delight: "
## [7405] "95 Their lust still fiam'd, still God the fuell brought "
## [7406] "And fedd their lust beyond their lustfull thought. "
## [7407] ""
## [7408] "But fully filld, not fully yet content, "
## [7409] ""
## [7410] "While now the meate their weary chaps did chew: "
## [7411] "Gods wrathfull rage upon these gluttons sent, "
## [7412] "100 Of all their troupes the principallest slew. "
## [7413] "Among all them of Israelis descent "
## [7414] ""
## [7415] "His stronger plague the strongest overthrew. "
## [7416] "Yet not all this could wind them to his will, "
## [7417] "Still worse they grew, and more untoward still. "
## [7418] ""
## [7419] "105 Therfore he made them waste their weary yeares "
## [7420] "Roaming in vain in that unpeopled place; "
## [7421] "Possest with doubtfull cares and dreadfull feares: "
## [7422] ""
## [7423] "But if at any time death show'd his face, "
## [7424] "Then lo, to God they su'de and su'de with teares: "
## [7425] "110 Then they retorn'd, and earely sought his grace: "
## [7426] "Then they profest, and all did mainly cry "
## [7427] "In God their strength, their hope, their help did ly. "
## [7428] ""
## [7429] "But all was built uppon no firmer ground "
## [7430] ""
## [7431] "Than fawning mouthes, and tongues to lying train'd: "
## [7432] "115 They made but showes, their hart was never sound: "
## [7433] "Disloiall once, disloiall still remain d. "
## [7434] "Yet he (so much his mercy did abound) "
## [7435] ""
## [7436] "Purged the filth, wherwith their soules were staind: "
## [7437] "Destroid them not, but oft revok'd his ire, "
## [7438] "120 And mildly quencht his indignations fire. "
## [7439] ""
## [7440] "For kind compassion called to his mynd, "
## [7441] ""
## [7442] "That they but men, that men but mortall were, "
## [7443] ""
## [7444] "That mortall life, a blast of breathing wind, "
## [7445] ""
## [7446] "As wind doth passe, and, past, no more appeare, "
## [7447] "125 And yet (good God) how ofte this crooked kind "
## [7448] ""
## [7449] ""
## [7450] ""
## [7451] "PSALM 78 187 "
## [7452] ""
## [7453] "Incenst him in the desert every where! "
## [7454] "Againe repin'd, and murmured againe, "
## [7455] "And would in boundes that boundless pow'r contain. "
## [7456] ""
## [7457] "Forsooth their weake remembrance could not hold "
## [7458] "130 His hand, whose force above all mortall hands "
## [7459] "To Aegipts wonder did it self unfold, "
## [7460] ""
## [7461] "Loosing their fetters and their servile bands: "
## [7462] "When Zoan plaines where cristall Rivers rold, "
## [7463] "With all the rest of those surrounded lands, "
## [7464] "135 Saw watry clearness chang'd to bloudy gore, "
## [7465] "Pining with thirst in middst of watry store. "
## [7466] ""
## [7467] "Should I relate of flies the deadly swarmes? "
## [7468] ""
## [7469] "Of filthy froggs the odious annoy? "
## [7470] "Grashoppers waste, and Caterpillers harmes, "
## [7471] "140 Which did their fruites, their harvest hope enjoy? "
## [7472] "How haile and lightning breaking of the armes "
## [7473] ""
## [7474] "Of vines and figgs, the bodies did destroy? "
## [7475] "Lightning and haile, whose flamy, stony blowes, "
## [7476] "Their beastes no less and cattell overthrowes? "
## [7477] ""
## [7478] "145 These were but smokes of after-going fire: "
## [7479] "Now, now his fury breaketh into flame: "
## [7480] "Now dole and dread, now pine and paine conspire "
## [7481] ""
## [7482] "With angry Angells wreak and wrack to frame. "
## [7483] "Nought now is left to stopp his stailesse ire; "
## [7484] "150 So plaine a way is opened to the same "
## [7485] "Abroad goes Death, the uttermost of ills, "
## [7486] "In house, in field, and men and cattell kills. "
## [7487] ""
## [7488] "All that rich land, where over Nilus trailes "
## [7489] "Of his wett robe the slymy seedy train, "
## [7490] "155 With millions of mourning cries bewailes "
## [7491] "Of evry kind their first begotten slain. "
## [7492] ""
## [7493] "Against this plague no wealth, no worth prevailes: "
## [7494] "Of all that in the tentes of Cham remayn, "
## [7495] ""
## [7496] ""
## [7497] ""
## [7498] "l88 PSALM 78 "
## [7499] ""
## [7500] "Who of their house the propps and pillers were, "
## [7501] "160 Themselves do fall, much lesse can others beare. "
## [7502] ""
## [7503] "Mean while, as while a black tempestuous blast "
## [7504] "Drowning the earth in sunder rentes the skies, "
## [7505] ""
## [7506] "A Shepheard wise to howse his flock doth haste, "
## [7507] "Taking nere waies, and where best passage lies: "
## [7508] "165 God from this mine, through the barrain waste "
## [7509] "Conducts his troupes in such or safer wise: "
## [7510] ""
## [7511] "And from the seas his sheepe he fearelesse saves, "
## [7512] ""
## [7513] "Leaving their wolves intombed in the waves. "
## [7514] ""
## [7515] "But them leaves not untill they were possest "
## [7516] "170 Of this his hill, of this his holy place, "
## [7517] ""
## [7518] "Whereof full Conquest did him, Lord, invest, "
## [7519] ""
## [7520] "When all the dwellers fledd his peoples face, "
## [7521] "By him subdu'd, and by his hand opprest; "
## [7522] "Whose heritage he shared to the Race, "
## [7523] "175 The twelve-fold race of godly Israeli, "
## [7524] ""
## [7525] "To lord their landes, and in their dwellings dwell. "
## [7526] ""
## [7527] "But what availes? not yet they make an end "
## [7528] "To tempt high God, and stirre his angry gall: "
## [7529] ""
## [7530] "From his prescript another way they wend, "
## [7531] "180 And to their fathers crooked by-pathes fall. "
## [7532] ""
## [7533] "So, with vaine toile, distorted bowes we bend: "
## [7534] "Though level'd right, they shoote not right at all. "
## [7535] ""
## [7536] "The idoll honor of their damned groves, "
## [7537] ""
## [7538] "When God it heard, his jealous anger moves. "
## [7539] ""
## [7540] "185 For God did heare, detesting in his hart "
## [7541] "The Israelites, a people soe perverse: "
## [7542] "And from his seate in Silo did depart "
## [7543] ""
## [7544] "The place where God did erst with men converse; "
## [7545] "Right well content that foes on every part "
## [7546] "190 His force Captyve, his glory should reverse: "
## [7547] "Right well content (so ill content he grew) "
## [7548] "His peoples bloud should tyrantes blade imbrue. "
## [7549] ""
## [7550] ""
## [7551] ""
## [7552] "PSALM 78 189 "
## [7553] ""
## [7554] "Soe the yong men the flame of life bereaves: "
## [7555] "The virgins live despair'd of manage choise: "
## [7556] "195 The sacred priests fall on the bloudy glaives; "
## [7557] "No widow left to use her wailing voice. "
## [7558] "But as a knight, whome wyne or slumber leaves, "
## [7559] ""
## [7560] "Hearing alarm, is roused at the noise: "
## [7561] "Soe God awakes: his haters fly for feare, "
## [7562] "200 And of their shame eternall marks do beare. "
## [7563] ""
## [7564] "But God chose not, as he before had chose, "
## [7565] ""
## [7566] "In Josephs tents, or Ephraim to dwell: "
## [7567] "But Juda takes, and to Mount Syon goes, "
## [7568] ""
## [7569] "To Syon mount, the mount he loved well. "
## [7570] "205 There he his house did castle-like enclose; "
## [7571] ""
## [7572] "Of whose decay no after times shall tell: "
## [7573] "While her own weight shall weighty earth sustain, "
## [7574] "His sacred seate shall here unmov'd remain. "
## [7575] ""
## [7576] "And where his servant David did attend "
## [7577] "210 A shepherds charge, with care of fold and field: "
## [7578] "He takes him thence and to a nobler end "
## [7579] ""
## [7580] "Converts his cares, appointing him to shield "
## [7581] "His people which of Jacob did descend, "
## [7582] "And feede the flock his heritage did yeld: "
## [7583] "215 And he the paines did gladly undergoe, "
## [7584] ""
## [7585] "Which hart sincere, and hand discreet did show. "
## [7586] ""
## [7587] "line 4 ensue: give heed to. line 6 recommend: commend again. "
## [7588] "line 20 fretting: gnawing, gradually wearing away, line -jj cheat: "
## [7589] "( 1 ) wheaten bread ( 2 ) booty, prize, line 195 glaives: swords. "
## [7590] ""
## [7591] ""
## [7592] ""
## [7593] "igo "
## [7594] ""
## [7595] ""
## [7596] ""
## [7597] "PSALM 79 DEUS, VENERUNT "
## [7598] ""
## [7599] ""
## [7600] ""
## [7601] "The land of long by thee possessed, "
## [7602] "The heathen, Lord, have now oppressed: "
## [7603] "Thy temple holily maintained "
## [7604] "Till now, is now prophanely stained. "
## [7605] "5 Jerusalem quite spoil'd and burned, "
## [7606] ""
## [7607] "Hath suffred sack "
## [7608] ""
## [7609] "And utter wrack, "
## [7610] "To stony heapes her buildings turned. "
## [7611] ""
## [7612] "The livelesse carcasses of those, "
## [7613] "10 That hVd thy servants, serve the crowes: "
## [7614] ""
## [7615] "The flock soe derely lov'd of thee "
## [7616] ""
## [7617] "To ravening beastes dere foode they be; "
## [7618] ""
## [7619] "Their bloud doth streame in every streete "
## [7620] "As water spilled: "
## [7621] "15 Their bodies killed "
## [7622] ""
## [7623] "With sepulture can no where meete. "
## [7624] ""
## [7625] "To them that hold the neighbour places "
## [7626] "We are but objects of disgraces: "
## [7627] "On ev'ry coast who dwell about us, "
## [7628] "20 In ev'ry kind deride and flout us. "
## [7629] ""
## [7630] "Ah, Lord! when shall thy wrath be ended? "
## [7631] ""
## [7632] "Shall still thine yre, "
## [7633] ""
## [7634] "As quenchless fire, "
## [7635] "In deadly ardor be extended? "
## [7636] ""
## [7637] ""
## [7638] ""
## [7639] "PSALM 79 191 "
## [7640] ""
## [7641] "25 O kindle there thy furies flame, "
## [7642] ""
## [7643] "Where lives no notice of thy name: "
## [7644] ""
## [7645] "There lett thy heavie anger fall, "
## [7646] ""
## [7647] "Where no devotions on thee call. "
## [7648] ""
## [7649] "For thence, they be who Jacob eate, "
## [7650] "30 Who thus have rased, "
## [7651] ""
## [7652] "Have thus defaced, "
## [7653] ""
## [7654] "Thus desert laid his ancient seate. "
## [7655] ""
## [7656] "Lord ridd us from our sinnfull cumbers, "
## [7657] "Count not of them the passed numbers: "
## [7658] "35 But lett thy pitty soone prevent us, "
## [7659] ""
## [7660] "For hard extreames have nerely spent us. "
## [7661] "Free us, O God, our freedome giver; "
## [7662] "Our misery "
## [7663] "With help supply: "
## [7664] "40 And for thy glory us deliver. "
## [7665] ""
## [7666] "Deliver us, and for thy name "
## [7667] "With mercy clothe our sinnfull shame: "
## [7668] "Ah! why should this their byword be, "
## [7669] "Where is your God? where now is he? "
## [7670] "45 Make them, and us on them behold, "
## [7671] ""
## [7672] "That not despised, "
## [7673] ""
## [7674] "But deerly prised, "
## [7675] "Thy wreakfull hand our bloud doth hold. "
## [7676] ""
## [7677] "Where grace, and glory thee enthroneth, "
## [7678] "50 Admitt the grones the prisoner groneth: "
## [7679] ""
## [7680] "The poore condem'd, for death reserved, "
## [7681] ""
## [7682] "Let be by thee in life preserved. "
## [7683] ""
## [7684] "And for our neighbours, Lord, remember "
## [7685] "Th'opprobrious shame "
## [7686] "55 They lent thy name "
## [7687] ""
## [7688] "With seav'n-fold gaine to them thou render. "
## [7689] ""
## [7690] "Soe we thy servantes, we thy sheep, "
## [7691] ""
## [7692] "Whom thy lookes guide, thy pastures keepe: "
## [7693] ""
## [7694] ""
## [7695] ""
## [7696] "192 PSALM 79 "
## [7697] ""
## [7698] "Till death define our lyving daies, "
## [7699] "60 Will never cease to sound thy praise. "
## [7700] ""
## [7701] "Nay, when we leave to see the sunn, "
## [7702] ""
## [7703] "The after goers "
## [7704] ""
## [7705] "We will make knowers "
## [7706] "From age to age what thou hast done. "
## [7707] ""
## [7708] ""
## [7709] ""
## [7710] "193 "
## [7711] ""
## [7712] ""
## [7713] ""
## [7714] "PSALM 80 QUI REGIS ISRAEL "
## [7715] ""
## [7716] ""
## [7717] ""
## [7718] "Heare thou, greate heardsman, that dost Jacob feed: "
## [7719] ""
## [7720] "Thou, Josephs shepheard, shine from Cherubs throne: "
## [7721] "In Ephraim, Benjamyn, Manasses need, "
## [7722] ""
## [7723] "Awake thy power, and make thy puisance knowne. "
## [7724] ""
## [7725] "Free us distressed, raise us overthrowne, "
## [7726] "Reduce us straid, O God, restore us banish'd: "
## [7727] ""
## [7728] "Display thy faces skies on us thine owne, "
## [7729] "Soe we shall safely dwell, all darknesse vanish'd. "
## [7730] ""
## [7731] "Lord God of hosts, what end, what meane appeares "
## [7732] ""
## [7733] "Of thy wrathes fume against thy peoples cry? "
## [7734] "Whom thou with teares for bread, for drink with teares "
## [7735] ""
## [7736] "So diettest, that we abandon'd ly, "
## [7737] ""
## [7738] "To foes of laughter, and to dwellers by, "
## [7739] "A field of brail; but God restore us banish'd "
## [7740] ""
## [7741] "Display on us thy faces cleered sky, "
## [7742] "So we shall safly dwell, all darkness vanish'd. "
## [7743] ""
## [7744] "A Vine thou didst translate from Zoan playnes, "
## [7745] ""
## [7746] "And weeding them that held the place of old, "
## [7747] "Nor planting care didst slack, nor pruning paines, "
## [7748] ""
## [7749] "To fix her rootes, whom fieldes could not enfold. "
## [7750] ""
## [7751] "The hills were cloked with her pleasing cold: "
## [7752] "With Cedars state her branches height contended: "
## [7753] ""
## [7754] "Scarse here the sea, the River there controld "
## [7755] "Her amies, her handes, soe wide she both extended. "
## [7756] ""
## [7757] ""
## [7758] ""
## [7759] "194 PSALM 80 "
## [7760] ""
## [7761] "25 Why hast thou now, thy self, dishedg'd this vine, "
## [7762] "Carlesly left to passengers in pray? "
## [7763] "Unseemly rooted by the woodbred swine, "
## [7764] "Wasted by other beasts that wildly stray? "
## [7765] "O God, retorne, and from thy starry stay "
## [7766] "30 Review this Vyne, reflect thy looking hither; "
## [7767] ""
## [7768] "This vineyard see, whose plott thy hande dyd lay, "
## [7769] "This plant of choise, ordained not to wither. "
## [7770] ""
## [7771] "Consum'd with flames, with killing axes hewne "
## [7772] "All at thy frown they fall, and quaile, and dy: "
## [7773] "35 But heape thou might, on thy ellected one, "
## [7774] "That stablest man in whom we may affy. "
## [7775] "Then we, preserv'd, thy name shall magnify "
## [7776] "Without revolt, Lord God restore us banish'd: "
## [7777] "Display on us thy faces cleered sky, "
## [7778] "40 Soe we shall safely dwell, all darkness vanish'd. "
## [7779] ""
## [7780] "line 6 Reduce: lead back, line 14 brail: brawl, noisy quarrel or "
## [7781] "struggle, line 36 affy: place trust. "
## [7782] ""
## [7783] ""
## [7784] ""
## [7785] "195 "
## [7786] ""
## [7787] ""
## [7788] ""
## [7789] "PSALM 81 EXULT ATE DEO "
## [7790] ""
## [7791] ""
## [7792] ""
## [7793] "All gladness, gladdest hartes can hold, "
## [7794] "In meriest notes that mirth can yeld, "
## [7795] "Lett joyfull songues to God unfold, "
## [7796] "To Jacobs god our sword and shield. "
## [7797] "5 Muster hither musicks joyes, "
## [7798] ""
## [7799] "Lute, and lyre, and tabretts noise: "
## [7800] "Lett noe instrument be wanting, "
## [7801] "Chasing grief, and pleasure planting. "
## [7802] ""
## [7803] "When ev'ry month beginning takes, "
## [7804] "10 When fixed tymes bring sacred daies; "
## [7805] ""
## [7806] "When any feast his peoples makes; "
## [7807] "Lett trumpetts tunes report his praise. "
## [7808] "This to us a law doth stand, "
## [7809] "Pointed thus by Gods owne hand; "
## [7810] "15 Of his league a signe ordained, "
## [7811] ""
## [7812] "When his plagues had Aegipt pained. "
## [7813] ""
## [7814] "There heard I, erst unheard by me, "
## [7815] ""
## [7816] "The voice of God, who thus did say: "
## [7817] "Thy shoulder I from burthen free, "
## [7818] "20 Free sett thy hand from baked clay. "
## [7819] ""
## [7820] "Vexed, thou my aide did'st crave; "
## [7821] "Thunder-hid I answer gave: "
## [7822] "Till the streames where strife did move thee, "
## [7823] "Still I did, with triall, prove thee. "
## [7824] ""
## [7825] ""
## [7826] ""
## [7827] "196 PSALM 8l "
## [7828] ""
## [7829] "25 I bade thee then attentive be, "
## [7830] ""
## [7831] "And told thee thus : O Israeli, "
## [7832] "This is my covenant that with thee "
## [7833] ""
## [7834] "No false, nor forrein god shall dwell. "
## [7835] "I am God, thy God, that wrought "
## [7836] "30 That thou wert from Aegipt brought: "
## [7837] ""
## [7838] "Open me thy mouth; to feede thee "
## [7839] "I will care, nought els shall neede thee. "
## [7840] ""
## [7841] "But ah, my people scorn'd my voice, "
## [7842] "And Israeli rebelled still: "
## [7843] "35 So then I left them to the choise "
## [7844] ""
## [7845] "Of f roward way and wayward will. "
## [7846] "Why alas? why had not they "
## [7847] "Heard my voice, and held my way? "
## [7848] "Quickly I their foes had humbled, "
## [7849] "40 All their haters headlong tumbled. "
## [7850] ""
## [7851] "Subdu'd by me who them anoi'd, "
## [7852] ""
## [7853] "Had serv'd them now in base estate: "
## [7854] "And of my graunt they had enjoy'd "
## [7855] "A lease of blisse with endlesse date. "
## [7856] "45 Flower of the finest wheate "
## [7857] ""
## [7858] "Had byn now their plenteous meate: "
## [7859] "Honny them from Rocks distilled "
## [7860] "Filled had, yea over filled. "
## [7861] ""
## [7862] ""
## [7863] ""
## [7864] "197 "
## [7865] ""
## [7866] ""
## [7867] ""
## [7868] "PSALM 82 DEUS STETIT "
## [7869] ""
## [7870] ""
## [7871] ""
## [7872] "Where poore men plead at Princes barre, "
## [7873] "Who gods (as God's viceregents) ar: "
## [7874] "The God of gods hath his tribunall pight, "
## [7875] ""
## [7876] "Adjudging right "
## [7877] "Both to the judge, and judged wight. "
## [7878] ""
## [7879] "How long will ye just doome neglect? "
## [7880] "How long, saith he, bad men respect? "
## [7881] "You should his owne unto the helplesse give, "
## [7882] ""
## [7883] "The poore releeve, "
## [7884] "Ease him with right, whom wrong doth greeve, "
## [7885] ""
## [7886] "You should the fatherlesse defend: "
## [7887] "You should unto the weake extend "
## [7888] "Your hand, to loose and quiet his estate "
## [7889] ""
## [7890] "Through lewd mens hate "
## [7891] "Entangled now in deepe debate. "
## [7892] ""
## [7893] "This should you doe: but what doe ye? "
## [7894] "You nothing know, you nothing see: "
## [7895] "No light, no law; fy, fy, the very ground "
## [7896] ""
## [7897] "Becomes unsound, "
## [7898] "Soe right, wrong, all your faultes confound. "
## [7899] ""
## [7900] "Indeed to you the stile I gave "
## [7901] ""
## [7902] "Of gods, and sonnes of God, to have: "
## [7903] ""
## [7904] "But err not, Princes you as men must dy: "
## [7905] ""
## [7906] "You that sitt high "
## [7907] "Must fall, and low, as others ly. "
## [7908] ""
## [7909] ""
## [7910] ""
## [7911] "198 psalm 82 "
## [7912] ""
## [7913] "Since men are such, O God, arise: "
## [7914] "Thy self most strong, most just, most wise, "
## [7915] "Of all the earth king, judg, disposer be; "
## [7916] "Since to decree "
## [7917] "30 Of all the earth belongs to thee. "
## [7918] ""
## [7919] ""
## [7920] ""
## [7921] "199 "
## [7922] ""
## [7923] ""
## [7924] ""
## [7925] "PSALM 83 DEUS, QUIS SIMILIS "
## [7926] ""
## [7927] ""
## [7928] ""
## [7929] "Be not, O be not silent still "
## [7930] ""
## [7931] "Rest not, O God, with endlesse rest: "
## [7932] "For lo, thine enemies "
## [7933] "With noise and tumult rise; "
## [7934] "Hate doth their hartes with fierceness fill, "
## [7935] "And lift their heades who thee detest. "
## [7936] ""
## [7937] "Against thy folk their witts they file "
## [7938] "To sharpest point of secret sleight: "
## [7939] "A world of trapps and traines "
## [7940] "They forge in busy braines, "
## [7941] "That they thy hid ones may beguile, "
## [7942] ""
## [7943] "Whom thy wings shroud from searching sight. "
## [7944] ""
## [7945] "Come lett us of them nothing make: "
## [7946] "Lett none them more a people see: "
## [7947] "Stopp we their verie name "
## [7948] "Within the mouth of fame. "
## [7949] "Such are the counsells these men take, "
## [7950] "Such leagues they link, and these they be. "
## [7951] ""
## [7952] "First Edoms sonnes, then Ismaell, "
## [7953] "With Moab, Agar, Geballs traine: "
## [7954] "With these the Amonites, "
## [7955] "The fierce Amalekites, "
## [7956] "And who in Palestina dwell, "
## [7957] ""
## [7958] "And who in tentes of Tyre remaine. "
## [7959] ""
## [7960] ""
## [7961] ""
## [7962] "200 PSALM 83 "
## [7963] ""
## [7964] "25 Ashur, though further off he ly, "
## [7965] ""
## [7966] "Assisteth Lotts incestious brood. "
## [7967] "But Lord, as Jabin thou "
## [7968] "And Sisera didst bow: "
## [7969] "As Midian did fall and dy "
## [7970] "30 At Endor walls, and Kyson flood: "
## [7971] ""
## [7972] "As Oreb, Zeb, and Zeba strong, "
## [7973] "As Salmuna who ledd thy foes: "
## [7974] "(Who meant, nay, said no lesse "
## [7975] "Than that they would possesse "
## [7976] "35 Gods heritage) became as donge: "
## [7977] "Soe Lord, O soe, of these dispose. "
## [7978] ""
## [7979] "Torment them, Lord, as tossed balls; "
## [7980] "As stuble scattred in the aire: "
## [7981] "Or as the branchy brood "
## [7982] "40 Of some thick mountain wood, "
## [7983] ""
## [7984] "To naught, or nought but asshes falls, "
## [7985] ""
## [7986] "When flames doe sindge their leavy haire: "
## [7987] ""
## [7988] "Soe with thy tempest them pursue, "
## [7989] "So with thy whirlewind them affright: "
## [7990] "45 So paint their daunted face, "
## [7991] ""
## [7992] "With pencell of disgrace, "
## [7993] "That they at length to thee may sue, "
## [7994] "And give thy glorious name his right. "
## [7995] ""
## [7996] "Add feare and shame, to shame and feare: "
## [7997] "50 Confound them quite, and quite deface; "
## [7998] ""
## [7999] "And make them know that none "
## [8000] "But thou, and thou alone, "
## [8001] "Dost that high name Jehovah beare, "
## [8002] "High plac't above all earthly place. "
## [8003] ""
## [8004] ""
## [8005] ""
## [8006] "201 "
## [8007] ""
## [8008] ""
## [8009] ""
## [8010] "PSALM 84 QUAM DILECTA! "
## [8011] ""
## [8012] ""
## [8013] ""
## [8014] "How lovely is thy dwelling, "
## [8015] ""
## [8016] "Greate God, to whom all greatness is belonging! "
## [8017] "To view thy Courtes farre, farre from any telling, "
## [8018] "My soule doth long, and pine with longing. "
## [8019] "5 Unto the God that liveth "
## [8020] ""
## [8021] "The God that all life giveth "
## [8022] "My hart and body both aspire, "
## [8023] "Above delight, beyond desire. "
## [8024] ""
## [8025] "Alas! the Sparow knoweth "
## [8026] "10 The house where free and fearelesse she resideth: "
## [8027] "Directly to the neast the swallow goeth, "
## [8028] "Where with her sonnes she safe abideth. "
## [8029] "O Alters thine, most mighty "
## [8030] "In warre, yea most allmighty: "
## [8031] "15 Thy Alters, Lord! ah! why should I "
## [8032] "' From altars thine, excluded ly? "
## [8033] ""
## [8034] "O happy who remaineth "
## [8035] ""
## [8036] "Thy houshold-man, and still thy praise unfoldeth; "
## [8037] "O happy who him self on thee sustaineth, "
## [8038] "20 Who to thy house his jorney holdeth! "
## [8039] "Me seemes I see them going "
## [8040] "Where mulberies are growing: "
## [8041] "How wells they digg in thirsty plaine, "
## [8042] "And Gesternes make, for falling Rayne. "
## [8043] ""
## [8044] ""
## [8045] ""
## [8046] "202 PSALM 84 "
## [8047] ""
## [8048] "25 Me seemes I see augmented "
## [8049] ""
## [8050] "Still troop with troop, till all at length discover "
## [8051] "Sion, wherto their sight is represented "
## [8052] "The Lord of hostes, the Sion lover. "
## [8053] ""
## [8054] "Lord, O God, most mighty "
## [8055] "30 In warre, yea most allmighty: "
## [8056] ""
## [8057] "Heare what I begg, harken I say, "
## [8058] "O Jacobs God, to what I pray. "
## [8059] ""
## [8060] "Thou art the shield us shieldeth: "
## [8061] ""
## [8062] "Then Lord, behold the face of thine anointed: "
## [8063] "35 One day spent in thy courtes more comfort yeldeth, "
## [8064] "Than thousands otherwise appointed. "
## [8065] ""
## [8066] "1 count it cleerer pleasure "
## [8067] "To spend my ages treasure "
## [8068] ""
## [8069] "Waiting a porter at thy gates, "
## [8070] "40 Than dwell a lord with wicked mates. "
## [8071] ""
## [8072] "Thou art the sunn that shineth, "
## [8073] ""
## [8074] "Thou art the buckler, Lord, that us defendeth: "
## [8075] "Glory and grace Jehovas hand assigneth: "
## [8076] "And good, without refusall, sendeth "
## [8077] "45 To him who truly treadeth "
## [8078] ""
## [8079] "The path to pureness leadeth. "
## [8080] "O Lord of might, thrice blessed he, "
## [8081] "Whose confidence is built on thee. "
## [8082] ""
## [8083] ""
## [8084] ""
## [8085] "203 "
## [8086] ""
## [8087] ""
## [8088] ""
## [8089] "PSALM 85 BENEDIXISTI, DOMINE "
## [8090] ""
## [8091] ""
## [8092] ""
## [8093] "Mighty Lord from this thy land, "
## [8094] "Never was thy love estrang'd: "
## [8095] "Jacobs servitude thy hand "
## [8096] ""
## [8097] "Hath, we know, to freedome chang'd, "
## [8098] "5 All thy peoples wicked parts "
## [8099] ""
## [8100] "Have byn banisht from thy sight, "
## [8101] "Thou on them hast cured quite "
## [8102] "All the woundes of synnfull dartes; "
## [8103] "Still thy Choller quenching soe, "
## [8104] "10 Heate to flame did never grow. "
## [8105] ""
## [8106] "Now then God as heretofore, "
## [8107] ""
## [8108] "God, the God that dost us save, "
## [8109] "Change our state, in us no more "
## [8110] "Lett thine anger object have. "
## [8111] "15 Wilt thou thus for ever grieve? "
## [8112] ""
## [8113] "Wilt thou of thy wrathfull rage "
## [8114] "Draw the threed from age to age? "
## [8115] "Never us againe relieve? "
## [8116] ""
## [8117] "Lord yet once our hartes to joy "
## [8118] "20 Show thy grace, thy help employ. "
## [8119] ""
## [8120] "What speake I? O lett me heare "
## [8121] ""
## [8122] "What he speakes: for speake hee will "
## [8123] ""
## [8124] "Peace to whome he love doth beare, "
## [8125] "Lest they fall to folly still. "
## [8126] ""
## [8127] ""
## [8128] ""
## [8129] "204 PSALM 85 "
## [8130] ""
## [8131] "25 Ever nigh to such as stand "
## [8132] ""
## [8133] "In his feare, his favour is: "
## [8134] ""
## [8135] "How can then his glory misse "
## [8136] "Shortly to enlight our land? "
## [8137] ""
## [8138] "Mercy now and truth shall meete: "
## [8139] "30 Peace with kisse shall Justice greete. "
## [8140] ""
## [8141] "Truth shall spring in ev'ry place, "
## [8142] ""
## [8143] "As the hearb, the earthes attire: "
## [8144] "Justices long absent face "
## [8145] ""
## [8146] "Heav'n shall show, and Earth admire. "
## [8147] "35 Then Jehova on us will "
## [8148] ""
## [8149] "Good in good in plenty throw: "
## [8150] ""
## [8151] "Then shall we in gladdness mow, "
## [8152] "Wheras now in grief we till. "
## [8153] ""
## [8154] "Then before him in his way "
## [8155] "40 All goe right, not one shall stray. "
## [8156] ""
## [8157] ""
## [8158] ""
## [8159] "PSALM 86 INCLINA, DOMINE "
## [8160] ""
## [8161] ""
## [8162] ""
## [8163] "Aeternall Lord, thine eare incline: "
## [8164] ""
## [8165] "Heare me most helplesse, most oppressed; "
## [8166] "This Client save, this servant thine, "
## [8167] ""
## [8168] "Whose hope is whole to thee addressed. "
## [8169] "5 On me, Jehova, pitty take: "
## [8170] ""
## [8171] "For daily cry to thee I make. "
## [8172] "Thy servantes soule from depth of saddness "
## [8173] "That climes to thee, advance to gladdness. "
## [8174] ""
## [8175] "O Lord, I know thee good and kind, "
## [8176] "10 On all that aske much mercy spending: "
## [8177] ""
## [8178] "Then heare, O Lord, with heedfull mynd "
## [8179] "These carefull suites of my commending. "
## [8180] "I only call when much I neede: "
## [8181] "Needes of thy help I then must speed: "
## [8182] "15 A God like whom (if gods be many) "
## [8183] ""
## [8184] "Who is, or doth, there is not any. "
## [8185] ""
## [8186] "And therefore, Lord, before thy face "
## [8187] ""
## [8188] "All nations which thy hand hath framed, "
## [8189] "Shall come with low adoring grace, "
## [8190] "20 And praise the name upon thee named. "
## [8191] ""
## [8192] "For thou art greate, and thou alone "
## [8193] "Dost wonders, God, done els by none: "
## [8194] "O in thy truth my path discover, "
## [8195] "And hold me fast thy fearing lover. "
## [8196] ""
## [8197] ""
## [8198] ""
## [8199] "206 PSALM 86 "
## [8200] ""
## [8201] "25 Lord, all my hart shall synge of thee: "
## [8202] ""
## [8203] "By me thy name shall still be praised, "
## [8204] "Whose goodnesse richly powr'd on me "
## [8205] "From lowest pitt, my soule hath raised. "
## [8206] "And now againe mine enimies "
## [8207] "30 Doe many, mighty, prowd arise: "
## [8208] ""
## [8209] "By whom with hate my life is chased, "
## [8210] "While in their sight thou least art placed. "
## [8211] ""
## [8212] "But thou, Jehova, swift to grace, "
## [8213] "On light entreaty pardon showest: "
## [8214] "35 To wrath dost goe a heavy pace, "
## [8215] ""
## [8216] "And full with truth and mercy flowest. "
## [8217] "Then turne and take of me remorse: "
## [8218] "With strength my weaknesse re-enforce: "
## [8219] "Who in thy service have attended, "
## [8220] "40 And of thy handmaid am descended. "
## [8221] ""
## [8222] "O lett some token of thy love "
## [8223] ""
## [8224] "Be eminently on me placed; "
## [8225] "Some Cognisance, to teach and prove, "
## [8226] "That thine I am, that by thee graced, "
## [8227] "45 To dye their cheekes in shamefull hue "
## [8228] ""
## [8229] "That now with spite my soule pursue; "
## [8230] "Eye-taught, how me thou dost deliver "
## [8231] "My endlesse aid and comfort giver. "
## [8232] ""
## [8233] ""
## [8234] ""
## [8235] "207 "
## [8236] ""
## [8237] ""
## [8238] ""
## [8239] "PSALM 87 FUNDAMENTA EJUS "
## [8240] ""
## [8241] ""
## [8242] ""
## [8243] "Founded upon the hills of holinesse "
## [8244] ""
## [8245] "Gods city stands: who more love beareth "
## [8246] "To gates of Sion, high in lowlinesse, "
## [8247] ""
## [8248] "Than all the townes that Juda reareth. "
## [8249] "5 City of God, in Gods decree "
## [8250] ""
## [8251] "What noble things are said of theel "
## [8252] ""
## [8253] "I will, saith he, hence foorth be numbered "
## [8254] ""
## [8255] "Egipt and Babell with my knowers: "
## [8256] "That Palestine and Tyre, which cumbered "
## [8257] "io The fathers, with the after-goers "
## [8258] ""
## [8259] "Shall joyne: soe Aethiope from whence "
## [8260] "The borne shall be, as borne from hence. "
## [8261] ""
## [8262] "Yea this, men shall of Sion signify: "
## [8263] ""
## [8264] "To him, and him it gave first breathing; "
## [8265] "15 Which highest God shall highly dignify, "
## [8266] "Etemall stay to it bequeathing. "
## [8267] ""
## [8268] "Jehova this account shall make, "
## [8269] "When he of his shall muster take: "
## [8270] ""
## [8271] "That he, and he who ever named be, "
## [8272] "20 Shall be as borne in Sion named: "
## [8273] ""
## [8274] "In Sion shall my musique framed be, "
## [8275] "Of lute and voice most sweetly framed: "
## [8276] "I will, saith he, to Sion bring "
## [8277] "Of my fresh fountaines ev'ry spring. "
## [8278] ""
## [8279] "line 9 cumbered: hindered. "
## [8280] ""
## [8281] ""
## [8282] ""
## [8283] "208 "
## [8284] ""
## [8285] ""
## [8286] ""
## [8287] "PSALM 88 DOMINE DEUS "
## [8288] ""
## [8289] ""
## [8290] ""
## [8291] "My God, my Lord, my help, my health; "
## [8292] "To thee my cry "
## [8293] "Doth restless fly, "
## [8294] "Both when of sunn the day "
## [8295] "5 The treasures doth display, "
## [8296] ""
## [8297] "And night locks up his golden wealth. "
## [8298] ""
## [8299] "Admitt to presence what I crave: "
## [8300] ""
## [8301] "bow thine eare "
## [8302] "My cry to heare, "
## [8303] ""
## [8304] "10 Whose soule with ills and woes "
## [8305] ""
## [8306] "Soe flowes, soe overflowes, "
## [8307] "That now my life drawes nigh the grave. "
## [8308] ""
## [8309] "With them that fall into the pitt "
## [8310] ""
## [8311] "1 stand esteem'd: "
## [8312] ""
## [8313] "IS Quite forcelesse deem'd, "
## [8314] ""
## [8315] "As one who free from strife, "
## [8316] "And sturr of mortall life, "
## [8317] "Among the dead at rest doth sitt. "
## [8318] ""
## [8319] "Right like unto the murdred sort, "
## [8320] "2,0 Who in the grave "
## [8321] ""
## [8322] "Their biding have; "
## [8323] "Whom now thou dost no more "
## [8324] "Remember as before, "
## [8325] "Quite, quite cut off from thy support. "
## [8326] ""
## [8327] ""
## [8328] ""
## [8329] "PSALM 88 209 "
## [8330] ""
## [8331] "25 Throwne downe into the grave of graves "
## [8332] ""
## [8333] "In darkness deepe "
## [8334] "Thou dost me keepe: "
## [8335] "Where lightning of thy wrath "
## [8336] "Upon me lighted hath, "
## [8337] "30 All overwhelm'd with all thy waves. "
## [8338] ""
## [8339] "Who did know me, whome I did know, "
## [8340] "Remov'd by thee "
## [8341] "Are gone from me; "
## [8342] "Are gone? that is the best: "
## [8343] "35 They all me so detest, "
## [8344] ""
## [8345] "That now abrode I blush to goe. "
## [8346] ""
## [8347] "My wasted eye doth melt away "
## [8348] "Fleeting amaine, "
## [8349] "In streames of paine "
## [8350] "40 While I my praiers send, "
## [8351] ""
## [8352] "While I my hands extend, "
## [8353] "To thee, my God, and faile noe day. "
## [8354] ""
## [8355] "Alas, my Lord, will then be tyme, "
## [8356] "When men are dead, "
## [8357] "45 Thy truth to spread? "
## [8358] ""
## [8359] "Shall they, whome death hath slaine, "
## [8360] "To praise thee live againe, "
## [8361] "And from their lowly lodgings clime? "
## [8362] ""
## [8363] "Shall buried mouthes thy mercies tell? "
## [8364] "50 Dust and decay "
## [8365] ""
## [8366] "Thy truth display? "
## [8367] "And shall thy workes of mark "
## [8368] "Shine in the dreadfull dark? "
## [8369] "Thy Justice where oblivions dwell? "
## [8370] ""
## [8371] "55 Good reason then I cry to thee, "
## [8372] ""
## [8373] "And ere the light "
## [8374] "Salute thy sight, "
## [8375] ""
## [8376] ""
## [8377] ""
## [8378] "210 PSALM 88 "
## [8379] ""
## [8380] "My plaint to thee direct. "
## [8381] "Lord, why dost thou reject "
## [8382] "60 My soule, and hide thy face from me? "
## [8383] ""
## [8384] "Ay me, alas, I faint, I dy, "
## [8385] "So still, so still "
## [8386] "Thou dost me fill, "
## [8387] "And hast from yongest yeares, "
## [8388] "65 With terrifying feares, "
## [8389] ""
## [8390] "That I, in traunce, amaz'd doe ly. "
## [8391] ""
## [8392] "All over me thy furies past: "
## [8393] "Thy feares my mind "
## [8394] "Doe fettring bind "
## [8395] "70 Flowing about mee soe, "
## [8396] ""
## [8397] "As flocking waters flow: "
## [8398] "No day can overrun their haste. "
## [8399] ""
## [8400] "Who erst to me were neare and deare "
## [8401] "Far now, O f arr "
## [8402] "75 Disjoyned ar: "
## [8403] ""
## [8404] "And when I would them see, "
## [8405] "Who my acquaintance be, "
## [8406] "As darknesse they to me appeare. "
## [8407] ""
## [8408] ""
## [8409] ""
## [8410] "211 "
## [8411] ""
## [8412] ""
## [8413] ""
## [8414] "PSALM 89 MISERICORDIAS DOMINI "
## [8415] ""
## [8416] ""
## [8417] ""
## [8418] "The constant promises, the loving graces, "
## [8419] "That cause our debt, eternall Lord, to thee, "
## [8420] ""
## [8421] "Till ages shall fill up their still void spaces, "
## [8422] "My thankfull songues unaltred theme shalbe. "
## [8423] "5 For of thy bounty thus my thoughtes decree: "
## [8424] ""
## [8425] "It shalbe fully built, as f airely founded : "
## [8426] "And of thy truth attesting heav'ns shall see "
## [8427] ""
## [8428] "The boundlesse periods, though theirs be bounded. "
## [8429] ""
## [8430] "Loe I have leagu'd, thou saist, with my ellected, "
## [8431] "10 And thus have to my servant David sworne: "
## [8432] ""
## [8433] "Thy ofspring kings, thy throne in state erected "
## [8434] "By my support, all threates of time shall scorne: "
## [8435] "And Lord, as running skies with wheeles unworne "
## [8436] "Cease not to lend this wonder their commending: "
## [8437] "15 Soe with one mind praises no lesse adorne "
## [8438] ""
## [8439] "This truth, the holy troopes thy Court attending. "
## [8440] ""
## [8441] "For who among the clouds with thee compareth? "
## [8442] ""
## [8443] "What angell there thy paragon doth raigne? "
## [8444] "Whose majesty, whose peerelesse force declareth "
## [8445] "20 The trembling awe of thine immortall traine. "
## [8446] ""
## [8447] "Lord God whom Hostes redoubt, who can maintaine "
## [8448] "With thee in powrfullness a Rivalls quarrell? "
## [8449] ""
## [8450] "Strongest art thou, and must to end remaine, "
## [8451] "Whome compleate faith doth armor-like apparrell. "
## [8452] ""
## [8453] "25 Thy lordlie check the Seas proud courage quailed, "
## [8454] "And, highly swelling, lowly made reside: "
## [8455] ""
## [8456] ""
## [8457] ""
## [8458] "212 PSALM 89 "
## [8459] ""
## [8460] "To crush stout Pharao thy arme prevailed: "
## [8461] "What one thy foe, did undisperst abide? "
## [8462] "The heav'n, the Earth, and all in bosome wide "
## [8463] "30 This huge rounde Engin clipps, to thee pertaineth; "
## [8464] "Which firmly based, not to shake, or slide, "
## [8465] "The unseene hinge of North and South sustaineth. "
## [8466] ""
## [8467] "For North and South were both by thee created, "
## [8468] ""
## [8469] "And those crosse points our bounding hills behould, "
## [8470] "35 Thabor and Hermon, in whose joy related "
## [8471] ""
## [8472] "Thy glorious grace from West to East is told: "
## [8473] "Thy arme all powr, all puisance doth enfold: "
## [8474] "Thy lifted hand a might of wonder showeth: "
## [8475] "Justice and Judgment doe thy throne uphold; "
## [8476] "40 Before thy presence Truth with Mercy goeth. "
## [8477] ""
## [8478] "Happy the people, who with hasty running "
## [8479] ""
## [8480] "Poast to thy court when trumpets tryumph blow: "
## [8481] ""
## [8482] "On pathes, enlighted by thy faces sunning, "
## [8483] ""
## [8484] "Their stepps, Jehova, unoffended goe. [soe: "
## [8485] ""
## [8486] "45 Thy name both makes them gladd and holds them "
## [8487] ""
## [8488] "High thought into their hartes thy justice powreth: "
## [8489] "The worshipp of their strength from thee doth flow, "
## [8490] ""
## [8491] "And in thy love their springing Empire flowreth. "
## [8492] ""
## [8493] "For by Jehovas shield stand we protected, "
## [8494] "50 And thou gav'st Israel their sacred king, "
## [8495] ""
## [8496] "What time in vision thus thy word directed "
## [8497] "Thy loved Prophet: ayd I will you bring "
## [8498] "Against that violence your state doth wring "
## [8499] "From one among my folk by choise appointed; "
## [8500] "55 David my servant: him to act the thing "
## [8501] ""
## [8502] "Have I with holy oile my self anointed. "
## [8503] ""
## [8504] "My hand shall bide his never-failing piller, "
## [8505] ""
## [8506] "And from myne arme shall he derive his might: "
## [8507] ""
## [8508] "Not closly undermin'd by cursed wilier, "
## [8509] "60 Nor overthrown by foe in open fight. "
## [8510] ""
## [8511] "For I will quaile his vexers in his sight: "
## [8512] ""
## [8513] ""
## [8514] ""
## [8515] "PSALM 89 213 "
## [8516] ""
## [8517] "All that him hate by me shall be mischaunced "
## [8518] ""
## [8519] "My truth my clemency on him shall light "
## [8520] "And in my name his head shall be advaunced. "
## [8521] ""
## [8522] "65 Advaunced so, that twixt the watry borders "
## [8523] "Of seas and flouds this noble land define, "
## [8524] "All shall obay, subjected to the orders "
## [8525] ""
## [8526] "Which his imperious hand for laws shall signe. "
## [8527] "He unto me shall say: thou father mine, "
## [8528] "70 Thou art, my God, the fort of my salvation: "
## [8529] "And I my first-born roome will him assigne, "
## [8530] "More highly thron'd than king of greatest nation. "
## [8531] ""
## [8532] "While circling time, still ending and beginning, "
## [8533] ""
## [8534] "Shall runne the race where stopp nor start appeares: "
## [8535] "75 My bounty towards him, not ever linning, "
## [8536] ""
## [8537] "I will conserve nor write my league in yeares. "
## [8538] "Nay more, his sonnes, whom fathers love enderes, "
## [8539] "Shall find like blisse for legacie bequeathed; "
## [8540] "A stedfast throne, I say, till heav'nly Spheares "
## [8541] "80 Shall faint in course, where yet they never breathed. "
## [8542] ""
## [8543] "Now if his children doe my lawes abandon, "
## [8544] ""
## [8545] "And other pathes than my plaine Judgments chuse: "
## [8546] ""
## [8547] "Breake my behestes, prophanely walke at randon, "
## [8548] "And what I bidd with froward hart refuse: "
## [8549] "85 I meane indeede on their revolt to use "
## [8550] ""
## [8551] "Correcting rodd, their sinne with whipps to chasten: "
## [8552] "Not in their fault my loves defect excuse, "
## [8553] ""
## [8554] "Nor loose the promise, once my faith did fasten. "
## [8555] ""
## [8556] "My league shall hold, my word persist unchanged: "
## [8557] "90 Once sworne I have, and sworne in holinesse: "
## [8558] ""
## [8559] "Never shall I from David be estranged, "
## [8560] ""
## [8561] "His seede shall ever bide, his seate no lesse. "
## [8562] "The daies bright guide, the nightes pale governesse "
## [8563] "Shall claime no longer lease of their enduring: "
## [8564] "95 Whome I behold as heav'nly wittnesses, "
## [8565] ""
## [8566] "In tearmlesse turnes, my tearmlesse truth assuring. "
## [8567] ""
## [8568] ""
## [8569] ""
## [8570] "214 PSALM 89 "
## [8571] ""
## [8572] "And yet, O now by thee abjected, scorned, "
## [8573] "Scorcht with thy wrath is thy anointed one: "
## [8574] ""
## [8575] "Hated his league, the crowne him late adorned "
## [8576] "100 Puld from his head, by thee, augments his moane. "
## [8577] "Raz'd are his fortes: his walls to ruine gone: "
## [8578] ""
## [8579] "Not simplest passenger but on hym praieth: "
## [8580] "His neighbours laugh: of all his haters none "
## [8581] ""
## [8582] "But boasts his wrack and at his sorrow plaieth. "
## [8583] ""
## [8584] "105 Takes he his weapon? thou the edge rebatest: "
## [8585] ""
## [8586] "Comes to the field to fight? thou makest him fly: "
## [8587] "Would march with kingly pomp? thou him unstatest: "
## [8588] "Ascend his throne? it overthrowne doth ly: "
## [8589] "His ages spring, and prime of jollity "
## [8590] "110 Winter of wo before the day deflneth; "
## [8591] ""
## [8592] "For praise, reproche, for honor, infamy "
## [8593] "He over-loden beares, and bearing pineth. "
## [8594] ""
## [8595] "How long, O Lord, what still in dark displeasure "
## [8596] ""
## [8597] "Wilt thou thee hide? and shall thine angry thought "
## [8598] "115 Still flame? O thinck how short our ages measure; "
## [8599] "Thinck if we all created were for nought, "
## [8600] "For who is he whom birth to life hath brought, "
## [8601] "But life to death, and death to grave subjecteth? "
## [8602] "From this necessity (let all be sought) "
## [8603] "120 No priviledg exemptes, noe ayde protecteth. "
## [8604] ""
## [8605] "Kind Lord, where is the kindnesse once thou swarest, "
## [8606] "Swarest in truth thy Davids stock should find? "
## [8607] ""
## [8608] "Show Lord, yet show thou for thy servant carest, "
## [8609] "Holding those shames in unforgetting mind, "
## [8610] "125 Which we, embosom'd, beare of many a kind: "
## [8611] ""
## [8612] "But all at thee and at thy Christ directed: "
## [8613] ""
## [8614] "To endlesse whom be endlesse praise assigned, "
## [8615] ""
## [8616] "Be this, againe I saie, be this effected. "
## [8617] ""
## [8618] "line 30 clipps: encompasses, line 32 hinge: axis, line 44 tm- "
## [8619] "offended: unhindered, line 75 linning: ceasing, line 97 abjected: "
## [8620] "cast off. "
## [8621] ""
## [8622] ""
## [8623] ""
## [8624] "215 "
## [8625] ""
## [8626] ""
## [8627] ""
## [8628] "PSALM 90 DOMINE REFUGIUM "
## [8629] ""
## [8630] ""
## [8631] ""
## [8632] "Thou our refuge, thou our dwelling, "
## [8633] ""
## [8634] "O Lord, hast byn from time to time: "
## [8635] "Long er Mountaines, proudly swelling, "
## [8636] ""
## [8637] "Above the lowly dales did clime: "
## [8638] "5 Long er the Earth, embowl'd by thee, "
## [8639] ""
## [8640] "Bare the forme it now doth beare: "
## [8641] "Yea, thou art God for ever, free "
## [8642] ""
## [8643] "From all touch of age and yeare. "
## [8644] ""
## [8645] "O, but man by thee created, "
## [8646] "10 As he at first of earth arose, "
## [8647] ""
## [8648] "When thy word his end hath dated, "
## [8649] ""
## [8650] "In equall state to earth he goes. "
## [8651] "Thou saist, and saying makst it soe: "
## [8652] "Be noe more, O Adams heyre; "
## [8653] "15 From whence ye came, dispatch to goe, "
## [8654] ""
## [8655] "Dust againe, as dust you were. "
## [8656] ""
## [8657] "Graunt a thousand yeares be spared "
## [8658] "To mortall men of life and light: "
## [8659] ""
## [8660] "What is that to thee compared? "
## [8661] "20 One day, one quarter of a night. "
## [8662] ""
## [8663] "When death upon them s torm-like falls, "
## [8664] "Like unto a dreame they grow: "
## [8665] ""
## [8666] "Which goes and comes as fancy calls, "
## [8667] "Nought in substance all in show. "
## [8668] ""
## [8669] ""
## [8670] ""
## [8671] "216 psalm go "
## [8672] ""
## [8673] "25 As the hearb that early groweth, "
## [8674] ""
## [8675] "Which leaved greene and flowred faire "
## [8676] "Ev'ning change with ruine moweth, "
## [8677] ""
## [8678] "And laies to roast in withering aire: "
## [8679] "Soe in thy wrath we fade away, "
## [8680] "30 With thy fury overthrowne "
## [8681] ""
## [8682] "When thou in sight our faultes dost lay, "
## [8683] "Looking on our synns unknown. "
## [8684] ""
## [8685] "Therefore in thy angry fuming, "
## [8686] ""
## [8687] "Our life of daies his measure spends: "
## [8688] "35 All our yeares in death consuming, "
## [8689] ""
## [8690] "Right like a sound that, sounded, ends. "
## [8691] "Our daies of life make seaventy yeares, "
## [8692] ""
## [8693] "Eighty, if one stronger be: "
## [8694] "Whose cropp is laboures, dollors, feares, "
## [8695] "40 Then away in poast we flee. "
## [8696] ""
## [8697] "Yet who notes thy angry power "
## [8698] ""
## [8699] "As he should feare, soe fearing thee? "
## [8700] "Make us count each vitall hower "
## [8701] ""
## [8702] "Make thou us wise, we wise shall be. "
## [8703] "45 Turne Lord: shall these things thus goe still? "
## [8704] ""
## [8705] "Lett thy servantes peace obtaine: "
## [8706] "Us with thy joyfull bounty fill, "
## [8707] ""
## [8708] "Endlesse joyes in us shall raigne. "
## [8709] ""
## [8710] "Glad us now, as erst we greeved: "
## [8711] "50 Send yeares of good for yeares of ill: "
## [8712] ""
## [8713] "When thy hand hath us releeved, "
## [8714] "\\ Show us and ours thy glory still. "
## [8715] "Both them and us, not one exempt, "
## [8716] "With thy beauty beautify: "
## [8717] "55 [ Supply with aid what we attempt, "
## [8718] "I Our attempts with aid supply. "
## [8719] ""
## [8720] "line 40 in poast: in haste. "
## [8721] ""
## [8722] ""
## [8723] ""
## [8724] "217 "
## [8725] ""
## [8726] ""
## [8727] ""
## [8728] "PSALM 91 QUI HABITAT "
## [8729] ""
## [8730] ""
## [8731] ""
## [8732] "To him the highest keepes "
## [8733] ""
## [8734] "In closet of his care, "
## [8735] "Who in th'allmighties shadow sleepes, "
## [8736] ""
## [8737] "For one affirme I dare: "
## [8738] "5 Jehova is my fort "
## [8739] ""
## [8740] "My place of safe repaire: "
## [8741] "My God in whom, of my support, "
## [8742] ""
## [8743] "All hopes reposed are. "
## [8744] ""
## [8745] "From snare the fowler laies "
## [8746] "10 He shall thee sure unty: "
## [8747] ""
## [8748] "The noisome blast that plaguing straies, "
## [8749] ""
## [8750] "Untoucht, shall passe thee by. "
## [8751] "Soft hiv'd with wing and plume "
## [8752] "Thou in his shrowd shalt ly "
## [8753] "15 And on his truth noe lesse presume, "
## [8754] ""
## [8755] "Than most in shield affy. "
## [8756] ""
## [8757] "Not movd with frightfull night "
## [8758] ""
## [8759] "Nor arow shott by day; "
## [8760] "Though plague, I say, in darknesse fight, "
## [8761] "20 And waste at noontide slay, "
## [8762] ""
## [8763] "Nay, allbe thousands here, "
## [8764] ""
## [8765] "Ten thousands there, decay: "
## [8766] "That Ruine to approch thee nere y "
## [8767] ""
## [8768] "Shall finde no force nor way. "
## [8769] ""
## [8770] ""
## [8771] ""
## [8772] "2l8 PSALM gi "
## [8773] ""
## [8774] "25 But thou shalt live to see, "
## [8775] ""
## [8776] "And, seeing, to relate, "
## [8777] "What reeompence shared be "
## [8778] ""
## [8779] "To ev'ry godlesse mate, "
## [8780] "When once thou mak'st the Lord "
## [8781] "30 Protector of thy state, "
## [8782] ""
## [8783] "And with the highest canst accord "
## [8784] "To dwell within his gate: "
## [8785] ""
## [8786] "Then ill, nay cause of ill, "
## [8787] "Shall farr excluded goe: "
## [8788] "35 Nought thee to hurt, much lesse to kill, "
## [8789] ""
## [8790] "Shall nere thy lodging grow. "
## [8791] "For Angells shall attend "
## [8792] ""
## [8793] "By him commanded soe: "
## [8794] "And thee in all such waies defend, "
## [8795] "40 As his directions show. "
## [8796] ""
## [8797] "To beare thee with regard "
## [8798] ""
## [8799] "Their hands shall both be spred: "
## [8800] "Thy foote shall never dash too hard, "
## [8801] ""
## [8802] "Against the stone misled. "
## [8803] "45 Soe thou on lions goe "
## [8804] ""
## [8805] "Soe on the Aspicks head: "
## [8806] "On Lionet shalt hurtlesse soe "
## [8807] ""
## [8808] "And on the Dragon tread. "
## [8809] ""
## [8810] "Loe me, saith God: he loves "
## [8811] "50 I therfore will him free: "
## [8812] ""
## [8813] "My name with knowledg he approves, "
## [8814] ""
## [8815] "That shall his honor be. "
## [8816] "He asks when paines are rife, "
## [8817] "And streight receiv'd doth see "
## [8818] "55 Help, glory, and his fill of life, "
## [8819] ""
## [8820] "With endlesse health from me. "
## [8821] ""
## [8822] "line 13 hivd: sheltered, line 16 affy: place trust, line 21 allbe: "
## [8823] "albeit, although. "
## [8824] ""
## [8825] ""
## [8826] ""
## [8827] "219 "
## [8828] ""
## [8829] ""
## [8830] ""
## [8831] "PSALM 92 BONUM EST CONFITERI "
## [8832] ""
## [8833] ""
## [8834] ""
## [8835] "O lovly thing "
## [8836] "To sing and praises frame "
## [8837] "To thee, O Lord, and thy high name; "
## [8838] "With early spring "
## [8839] "5 Thy bounty to display, "
## [8840] ""
## [8841] "Thy truth when night hath vanquisht day: "
## [8842] "Yea soe to sing, "
## [8843] "That ten string'd instrument "
## [8844] "With lute, and harp, and voice consent. "
## [8845] ""
## [8846] "10 For, Lord, my mind "
## [8847] ""
## [8848] "Thy works with wonder fill; "
## [8849] "Thy doings are my comfort still. "
## [8850] "What witt can find, "
## [8851] "How bravely thou hast wrought, "
## [8852] "15 Or deeply sound thy shallow'st thought? "
## [8853] ""
## [8854] "The foole is blind, "
## [8855] "And blindly doth not know, "
## [8856] "How like the grasse the wicked grow. "
## [8857] ""
## [8858] "The wicked grow "
## [8859] "20 Like fraile though flowry grasse: "
## [8860] ""
## [8861] "And, falne, to wrack past help doe passe. "
## [8862] "But thou not soe, "
## [8863] "But high thou still dost stay: "
## [8864] "And loe thy haters fall away. "
## [8865] "25 Thy haters loe, "
## [8866] ""
## [8867] "Decay and perish all; "
## [8868] "All wicked hands to mine fall. "
## [8869] ""
## [8870] ""
## [8871] ""
## [8872] "220 PSALM 92 "
## [8873] ""
## [8874] "Fresh oiled I "
## [8875] "Will lively lift my home, "
## [8876] "30 And match the matchlesse Unicorne: "
## [8877] ""
## [8878] "Mine ey shall spy "
## [8879] "My spies in spightfull case: "
## [8880] "Mine eare shall heare my foes disgrace. "
## [8881] "Like Cedar high "
## [8882] "35 And like Date-bearing tree, "
## [8883] ""
## [8884] "For greene, and growth the just shall be. "
## [8885] ""
## [8886] "Where God doth dwell "
## [8887] "Shall be his spreading place: "
## [8888] "Gods Courts shall his faire bowes embrace. "
## [8889] "40 Even then shall swell "
## [8890] ""
## [8891] "His blossoms fatt and faire, "
## [8892] "When aged rinde the stock shall beare. "
## [8893] "And I shall tell "
## [8894] "How God my Rock is just, "
## [8895] "45 So just, with him is nought unjust. "
## [8896] ""
## [8897] ""
## [8898] ""
## [8899] "221 "
## [8900] ""
## [8901] ""
## [8902] ""
## [8903] "PSALM 93 DOMINUS REGNAVIT "
## [8904] ""
## [8905] ""
## [8906] ""
## [8907] "Cloth'd in state and girt with might, "
## [8908] "Monark-like Jehova raignes: "
## [8909] ""
## [8910] "He who Earthes foundation pight, "
## [8911] "Pight at first, and yet sustaines; "
## [8912] "5 He whose stable throne disdaines "
## [8913] ""
## [8914] "Motions shock, and ages flight: "
## [8915] "He who endless one remaines, "
## [8916] ""
## [8917] "One, the same, in changlesse plight. "
## [8918] ""
## [8919] "Rivers, yea, though Rivers rore, "
## [8920] "10 Roring though sea-billowes rise, "
## [8921] ""
## [8922] "Vex the deepe, and breake the shore: "
## [8923] "Stronger art thou, Lord of skies. "
## [8924] "Firme and true thy promise lies "
## [8925] "Now and still, as heretofore: "
## [8926] "15 Holy worshipp never dies "
## [8927] ""
## [8928] "In thy howse where we adore. "
## [8929] ""
## [8930] "line 3 pight: pitched. "
## [8931] ""
## [8932] ""
## [8933] ""
## [8934] "222 "
## [8935] ""
## [8936] ""
## [8937] ""
## [8938] "PSALM 94 DEUS ULTIONUM DOMINUS "
## [8939] ""
## [8940] ""
## [8941] ""
## [8942] "God of revenge, revenging God, appeare: "
## [8943] ""
## [8944] "To recompence the proud, Earthes judge arise. "
## [8945] "How long, O Lord, how long, unpunisht, beare "
## [8946] ""
## [8947] "Shall these vile men their joyes, their jolities? "
## [8948] ""
## [8949] "How long thus talk, and talking tiranize? "
## [8950] "Cursedly doe and, doing, proudly boast; "
## [8951] "This people crush, by thee affected most? "
## [8952] ""
## [8953] "This land afffict, where thy possession lies? "
## [8954] ""
## [8955] "For these, the widow and the stranger slay: "
## [8956] ""
## [8957] "These work the orphans deadly overthrow. "
## [8958] "God shall not see, then in their thoughts they say, "
## [8959] ""
## [8960] "The God of Jacob he shall never know. "
## [8961] ""
## [8962] "O fooles, this folly when will you forgoe, "
## [8963] "And wisdome learne? who first the eare did plant, "
## [8964] "Shall he him self not heare? sight shall he want, "
## [8965] ""
## [8966] "From whose first workmanshipp the eye did grow? "
## [8967] ""
## [8968] "Who checks the world, shall he not you reprove? "
## [8969] ""
## [8970] "Shall knowledge lack, who all doth knowledge lend? "
## [8971] "Nay, ev'n the thoughtes of men who raignes above, "
## [8972] ""
## [8973] "He knowes, and knowes they more than vainly end. "
## [8974] ""
## [8975] "Then, blest, who in thy schoole his age doth spend, "
## [8976] "Whom thou O Lord, dost in thy law enforme, "
## [8977] "Thy harbour shall him shrowd from ruines storme, "
## [8978] ""
## [8979] "While pitts are dig'd where such men shall descend. "
## [8980] ""
## [8981] ""
## [8982] ""
## [8983] "PSALM 94 223 "
## [8984] ""
## [8985] "25 For sure the Lord his folk will not forsake, "
## [8986] "But ever prove to his possession true; "
## [8987] "Judgment, againe, the course of Justice take, "
## [8988] ""
## [8989] "And all right hartes shall God, their guide, ensue. "
## [8990] "See, if you doubt: against the canckred crue, "
## [8991] "30 Those mischief-masters, who for me did stand? "
## [8992] ""
## [8993] "The Lord, none els: but for whose aiding hand, "
## [8994] "Silence by now had held my soule in mew. "
## [8995] ""
## [8996] "But Lord, thy goodness did me then uphold, "
## [8997] "Ev'n when I said now, now I faint, I fall: "
## [8998] "35 And, quailed in mind-combats manifold, "
## [8999] "Thie consolations did my joyes recall. "
## [9000] "Then what society hold'st thou at all, "
## [9001] "What frendshipp with the throne of missery? "
## [9002] "Which law pretends, intends but injury, "
## [9003] "40 And Justice doth unjust vexation call? "
## [9004] ""
## [9005] "To counsell where conspired caitives flock "
## [9006] "The just to slay, and faultlesse bloud to spill? "
## [9007] ""
## [9008] "O no : my God Jehova is my Rock, "
## [9009] "My rock of refuge, my defensive hill, "
## [9010] "45 He on their heades shall well repay their ill: "
## [9011] ""
## [9012] "Jehova, loe! the God in whome we joy, "
## [9013] ""
## [9014] "Destroy them shall, shall them at once destroy: "
## [9015] "And what the meane? their owne malicious will. "
## [9016] ""
## [9017] "line 32 mew: confinement, line 48 meane: means. "
## [9018] ""
## [9019] ""
## [9020] ""
## [9021] "224 "
## [9022] ""
## [9023] ""
## [9024] ""
## [9025] "PSALM 95 VENITE EXULTEMUS "
## [9026] ""
## [9027] ""
## [9028] ""
## [9029] "Come, come lett us with joyfull voice "
## [9030] "Record and raise "
## [9031] "Jehovas praise: "
## [9032] "Come lett us in our safties Rock rejoyce. "
## [9033] "5 Into his presence lett us goe "
## [9034] ""
## [9035] "And there with Psalmes our gladdness show; "
## [9036] "For he is God, a god most greate, "
## [9037] "Above all gods a king in kingly seate. "
## [9038] ""
## [9039] "What lowest lies in earthy masse, "
## [9040] "10 What highest stands, "
## [9041] ""
## [9042] "Stands in his hands: "
## [9043] "The Sea is his, and he the Sea-wright was. "
## [9044] "He made the Sea, he made the shore: "
## [9045] "Come let us fall, lett us adore: "
## [9046] "15 Come let us kneele with awfull grace "
## [9047] ""
## [9048] "Before the Lord, the Lord our makers face. "
## [9049] ""
## [9050] "He is our God, he doth us keepe: "
## [9051] "We by him ledd, "
## [9052] "And by him fedd, "
## [9053] "20 His people are, we are his pasture sheepe. "
## [9054] "Today if he some speach will use, "
## [9055] "Doe not, O doe not you refuse "
## [9056] "With hardned hartes his voice to heare, "
## [9057] "As Masha now, or Meriba it were, "
## [9058] ""
## [9059] ""
## [9060] ""
## [9061] "PSALM 95 225 "
## [9062] ""
## [9063] "25 Where me your fathers, God doth say, "
## [9064] ""
## [9065] "Did angring move, "
## [9066] "And tempting prove: "
## [9067] "Yet oft had seene my workes before that day. "
## [9068] "Twise twenty times my poast, the sunn, "
## [9069] "30 His yearly race to end had runn, "
## [9070] ""
## [9071] "While this fond Nation, bent to ill, "
## [9072] "Did tempt, and try, and vex, and greeve me still. "
## [9073] ""
## [9074] "Which when I saw, thus said I, loe, "
## [9075] "These men are madd, "
## [9076] "35 And too too badd "
## [9077] ""
## [9078] "Erre in their harts; my waies they will not know. "
## [9079] "Thus, therefore, unto them I sweare: "
## [9080] "(I angry can noe more forbeare) "
## [9081] "The rest for you I did ordaine, "
## [9082] "40 I will soe work you never shall obtaine. "
## [9083] ""
## [9084] ""
## [9085] ""
## [9086] "226 "
## [9087] ""
## [9088] ""
## [9089] ""
## [9090] "PSALM 96 CANT ATE DOMINO "
## [9091] ""
## [9092] ""
## [9093] ""
## [9094] "Sing and let the song be new, "
## [9095] "Unto him that never endeth: "
## [9096] "Sing all Earth and all in you. "
## [9097] "Sing to God and blesse his name; "
## [9098] "5 Of the help, the health he sendeth, "
## [9099] ""
## [9100] "Day by day new ditties frame. "
## [9101] ""
## [9102] "Make each country know his worth; "
## [9103] ""
## [9104] "Of his actes the wondred story "
## [9105] "Paint unto each people forth. "
## [9106] "io For Jehova greate alone "
## [9107] ""
## [9108] "All the gods, for awe and glory, "
## [9109] "Farre above doth hold his throne. "
## [9110] ""
## [9111] "For but Idolls what are they, "
## [9112] ""
## [9113] "Whom besides madd Earth adoreth? "
## [9114] "15 He the Skies in frame did lay: "
## [9115] ""
## [9116] "Grace and Honor are his guides "
## [9117] ""
## [9118] "Majesty his temple storeth: "
## [9119] "Might in guard about him bides. "
## [9120] ""
## [9121] "Kindreds come Jehova give, "
## [9122] "20 O give Jehova all together, "
## [9123] ""
## [9124] "Force and fame whereso you live. "
## [9125] "Give his name the glory fitt: "
## [9126] ""
## [9127] "Take your Offrings gett you thither, "
## [9128] "Where he doth enshrined sitt. "
## [9129] ""
## [9130] ""
## [9131] ""
## [9132] "PSALM 96 227 "
## [9133] ""
## [9134] "25 Goe adore him in the place "
## [9135] ""
## [9136] "Where his pompe is most displaied: "
## [9137] "Earth, O goe with quaking pace, "
## [9138] "Goe proclaime Jehova king: "
## [9139] ""
## [9140] "Staylesse world shall now be staied; "
## [9141] "30 Righteous doome his rule shall bring. "
## [9142] ""
## [9143] "Starry roofe, and earthy floore, "
## [9144] ""
## [9145] "Sea, and all thy widenesse yeldeth: "
## [9146] "Now re Joyce and leape and rore. "
## [9147] "Leavy Infants of the wood, "
## [9148] "35 Fieldes and all that on you feedeth, "
## [9149] ""
## [9150] "Daunce O daunce, at such a good. "
## [9151] ""
## [9152] "For Jehova commeth loe! "
## [9153] ""
## [9154] "Loe, to raigne Jehova cometh: "
## [9155] "Under whome you all shall goe. "
## [9156] "40 He the world shall rightly guide: "
## [9157] ""
## [9158] "Truly as a king becommeth, "
## [9159] "For the peoples weale provide. "
## [9160] ""
## [9161] ""
## [9162] ""
## [9163] "228 "
## [9164] ""
## [9165] ""
## [9166] ""
## [9167] "PSALM 97 DOMINUS REGNAVIT "
## [9168] ""
## [9169] ""
## [9170] ""
## [9171] "Jehova comes to raigne "
## [9172] "Re Joyce, O Earthy maine: "
## [9173] "You isles with waves enclosed, "
## [9174] "Be all to joy disposed. "
## [9175] "5 Cloudes him round on all sides, "
## [9176] ""
## [9177] "And pitchy darknesse hides. "
## [9178] "Justice and judgment stand "
## [9179] "As propps on either hand, "
## [9180] "Whereon his throne abides. "
## [9181] ""
## [9182] "io The fire before him goes, "
## [9183] ""
## [9184] "To asshes turnes his foes: "
## [9185] "His flashing lightnings maketh, "
## [9186] "That Earth beholding quaketh. "
## [9187] "The mountaines at his sight, "
## [9188] "15 His sight that is by right "
## [9189] ""
## [9190] "The Lord of all this all, "
## [9191] "Doe fast on melting fall; "
## [9192] "As wax by fiers might. "
## [9193] ""
## [9194] "The heav'ns his justice tell, "
## [9195] "20 Noe lesse they all that dwell "
## [9196] ""
## [9197] "And have on earth their beeing, "
## [9198] "Are gladd his glory seeing. "
## [9199] "Shame then, shame may you see, "
## [9200] "That Idoll-servers be, "
## [9201] "25 And trust in Idolls place: "
## [9202] ""
## [9203] "But let before his face "
## [9204] ""
## [9205] "All Angells bow their knee. "
## [9206] ""
## [9207] ""
## [9208] ""
## [9209] "PSALM 97 229 "
## [9210] ""
## [9211] "When Sion this did here, "
## [9212] ""
## [9213] "How did her joyes appeare! "
## [9214] "30 How were to mirth invited "
## [9215] ""
## [9216] "All townes in Juda sited! "
## [9217] ""
## [9218] "For thou Lord rulest right: "
## [9219] ""
## [9220] "Thou thron'd in glory bright "
## [9221] "Sitt'st high: they all by thee "
## [9222] "35 Be rul'd who Rulers be, "
## [9223] ""
## [9224] "Thy might above all might. "
## [9225] ""
## [9226] "Who love God, love him still: "
## [9227] "And haters be of ill. "
## [9228] "For he their lives preserveth, "
## [9229] "40 Whome he as his reserveth "
## [9230] ""
## [9231] "Now light and joy is sowne "
## [9232] "To be by good men mowne. "
## [9233] "You just, with joyfull voice "
## [9234] "Then in the Lord rejoyce: "
## [9235] "45 His holynesse make knowne. "
## [9236] ""
## [9237] ""
## [9238] ""
## [9239] "^30 "
## [9240] ""
## [9241] ""
## [9242] ""
## [9243] "PSALM 98 CANT ATE DOMINO "
## [9244] ""
## [9245] ""
## [9246] ""
## [9247] "O sing Jehova, he hath wonders wrought, "
## [9248] ""
## [9249] "A song of praise that newnesse may commend: "
## [9250] "His hand, his holy arme alone hath brought "
## [9251] ""
## [9252] "Conquest on all that durst with him contend, "
## [9253] "5 He that salvation doth his ellect attend, "
## [9254] ""
## [9255] "Long hid, at length hath sett in open view: "
## [9256] "And now the unbeleeving Nations taught "
## [9257] ""
## [9258] "His heavnly justice, yelding each their due. "
## [9259] ""
## [9260] "His bounty and his truth the motives were, "
## [9261] "10 Promised of yore to Jacob and his race "
## [9262] "Which evYy Margine of this earthy spheare "
## [9263] "Now sees performed in his saving grace. "
## [9264] "Then earth, and all possessing earthy place, "
## [9265] "O sing, O shout, O triumph, O rejoyce: "
## [9266] "15 Make lute a part with vocall musique beare, "
## [9267] ""
## [9268] "And entertaine this king with trumpetts noise. "
## [9269] ""
## [9270] "Rore, Sea, all that trace the bryny sands: "
## [9271] "Thou totall globe and all that thee enjoy: "
## [9272] ""
## [9273] "You streamy rivers clapp your swymming hands: "
## [9274] "20 You Mountaines echo each at others joy, "
## [9275] "See on the Lord this service you imploy, "
## [9276] "Who comes of earth the crowne and rule to take: "
## [9277] ""
## [9278] "And shall with upright justice judg the lands, "
## [9279] "And equall lawes among the dwellers make. "
## [9280] ""
## [9281] ""
## [9282] ""
## [9283] "231 "
## [9284] ""
## [9285] ""
## [9286] ""
## [9287] "PSALM 99 DOMINUS REGNAVIT "
## [9288] ""
## [9289] ""
## [9290] ""
## [9291] "What if nations rage and frett? "
## [9292] "What if Earth doe mine threate? "
## [9293] "Loe our state Jehova guideth, "
## [9294] "He that on the Cherubs rideth. "
## [9295] ""
## [9296] "5 Greate Jehova Sion holdes, "
## [9297] ""
## [9298] "High above what Earth enfolds: "
## [9299] "Thence his sacred name with terror, "
## [9300] "Forceth truth from tongues of error. "
## [9301] ""
## [9302] "Thron'd he sitts a king of might, "
## [9303] "10 Mighty soe, as bent to right: "
## [9304] ""
## [9305] "For how can but be maintained "
## [9306] "Right, by him who right ordained? "
## [9307] ""
## [9308] "O then come Jehova sing: "
## [9309] "Sing our God, our Lord our king: "
## [9310] "15 At the footstoole sett before him, "
## [9311] ""
## [9312] "(He is holy) come, adore him. "
## [9313] ""
## [9314] "Moses erst and Aron soe, "
## [9315] "(These did high in Priesthood goe) "
## [9316] "Samuell soe unto him crying, "
## [9317] "20 Got their sutes without denying. "
## [9318] ""
## [9319] "But from cloudy Piller then "
## [9320] ""
## [9321] "God did daine to talk with men: "
## [9322] ""
## [9323] "He enacting they observing, "
## [9324] ""
## [9325] "From his will there was no swerving. "
## [9326] ""
## [9327] ""
## [9328] ""
## [9329] "232 PSALM 99 "
## [9330] ""
## [9331] "25 Then our God Jehova thou, "
## [9332] ""
## [9333] "Unto them thy eare didst bowe: "
## [9334] "Gratious still and kindly harted, "
## [9335] "Though for sinne they somwhile smarted. "
## [9336] ""
## [9337] "O then come Jehova sing: "
## [9338] "30 Sing our God, our Lord, our king. "
## [9339] ""
## [9340] "In his Sion mount before him "
## [9341] "(He is holy) come, adore him. "
## [9342] ""
## [9343] ""
## [9344] ""
## [9345] "233 "
## [9346] ""
## [9347] ""
## [9348] ""
## [9349] "PSALM 100 JUBILATE DEO "
## [9350] ""
## [9351] ""
## [9352] ""
## [9353] "O all you landes, the treasures of your joy "
## [9354] ""
## [9355] "In mery shout upon the Lord bestow: "
## [9356] "Your service cheerfully on him imploy, "
## [9357] ""
## [9358] "With triumph song into his presence goe. "
## [9359] "5 Know first that he is God; and after know "
## [9360] ""
## [9361] "This God did us, not we our selves create: "
## [9362] "We are his flock, for us his feedings grow: "
## [9363] ""
## [9364] "We are his folk, and he upholds our state. "
## [9365] "With thankfullnesse O enter then his gate: "
## [9366] "10 Make through each porch of his your praises ring, "
## [9367] "All good, all grace, of his high name relate, "
## [9368] ""
## [9369] "He of all grace and goodnesse is the spring. "
## [9370] "Tyme in noe termes his mercy comprehends, "
## [9371] "From age to age his truth it self extends. "
## [9372] ""
## [9373] ""
## [9374] ""
## [9375] "^34 "
## [9376] ""
## [9377] ""
## [9378] ""
## [9379] "PSALM 101 MISERICORDIAM ET JUDICIUM "
## [9380] ""
## [9381] ""
## [9382] ""
## [9383] "When, now appointed king, I king shall be, "
## [9384] "What mercy then, what justice use I will, "
## [9385] "I here, O Lord, in song protest to thee. "
## [9386] ""
## [9387] "Till that day come thou me the crowne shalt give, "
## [9388] "5 Deepe study I on vertue will bestow: "
## [9389] ""
## [9390] "And pure in hart at home retired lyve. "
## [9391] ""
## [9392] "My lowly eye shall levell at no ill: "
## [9393] ""
## [9394] "Who fall from thee, with me not one shall stand: "
## [9395] "Their waies I shall pursue with hatred still. "
## [9396] ""
## [9397] "10 Mischievous heads farre off from me shall goe: "
## [9398] "Malicious hartes I never will admitt: "
## [9399] "And whisp'ring biters all will overthrow. "
## [9400] ""
## [9401] "Ill shall I brooke the proud ambitious band, [swelle: "
## [9402] ""
## [9403] "Whose eyes looke high, whose puffed hartes doe "
## [9404] "15 But for truth-tellers seek and search the land. "
## [9405] ""
## [9406] "Such men with me my Counsailors shall sitt: "
## [9407] ""
## [9408] "Such evermore my officers shall be, "
## [9409] "Men speaking right, and doing what is fitt. "
## [9410] ""
## [9411] "Noe fraudulent within my house shall dwell: "
## [9412] "20 The cunning coyning tongue shall in my sight "
## [9413] ""
## [9414] "Be not endur'd, much lesse accepted well. "
## [9415] ""
## [9416] "As soone as I in all the land shall see "
## [9417] ""
## [9418] "A wicked wretch, I shall him hate outright; "
## [9419] "And of vile men Jehovas city free. "
## [9420] ""
## [9421] ""
## [9422] ""
## [9423] "235 "
## [9424] ""
## [9425] ""
## [9426] ""
## [9427] "PSALM 102 DOMINE, EXAUDI "
## [9428] ""
## [9429] ""
## [9430] ""
## [9431] "Lord, my praying heare: "
## [9432] ""
## [9433] "Lord, lett my cry come to thine eare. "
## [9434] ""
## [9435] "Hide not thy face away, "
## [9436] "But haste and aunswer me, "
## [9437] ""
## [9438] "In this my most, most misserable day, "
## [9439] "Wherein I pray, and cry to thee. "
## [9440] ""
## [9441] "My daies as smoke are past: "
## [9442] "My bones as flaming fuell waste: "
## [9443] ""
## [9444] "Mowne downe in me (alas) "
## [9445] "With Scythe of sharpest paine, "
## [9446] ""
## [9447] "My hart is withered like the wounded grasse, "
## [9448] "My Stomak doth all foode disdaine. "
## [9449] ""
## [9450] "Soe leane my woes me leave, "
## [9451] ""
## [9452] "That to my flesh my bones do cleave: "
## [9453] ""
## [9454] "And soe I bray and howle, "
## [9455] "As use to howle and bray "
## [9456] ""
## [9457] "The lonely Pellican and desert Owle, "
## [9458] "Like whom I languish long the day. "
## [9459] ""
## [9460] "1 languish soe the day, "
## [9461] ""
## [9462] "The night in watch I waste away; "
## [9463] ""
## [9464] "Right as the Sparow sitts, "
## [9465] "Bereft of spowse, or sonne: "
## [9466] ""
## [9467] "Which, irk'd, alone with dolors deadly fitts, "
## [9468] "To company will not be wonne. "
## [9469] ""
## [9470] ""
## [9471] ""
## [9472] "236 PSALM 102 "
## [9473] ""
## [9474] "25 As day to day succeeds, "
## [9475] ""
## [9476] "So shame on shame to me proceeds "
## [9477] ""
## [9478] "From them that doe me hate: "
## [9479] "Who of my wrack soe boast, "
## [9480] ""
## [9481] "That wishing ill, they wish but my estate, "
## [9482] "30 Yet think they wish of ills the most. "
## [9483] ""
## [9484] "Therefore my bread is clay, "
## [9485] "Therefore my teares my wine alay: "
## [9486] ""
## [9487] "For how else should it be, "
## [9488] "Sith thou still angry art, "
## [9489] "35 And seem'st for nought to have advaunced me, "
## [9490] ""
## [9491] "But me, advaunced, to subvert? "
## [9492] ""
## [9493] "The sunn of my life daies "
## [9494] ""
## [9495] "In clines to west with falling raies, "
## [9496] ""
## [9497] "And I as hay am dride: "
## [9498] "40 While yet in stedfaste seate "
## [9499] ""
## [9500] "Eternall thou, eternally dost bide, "
## [9501] "Thy memory noe yeares can freat. "
## [9502] ""
## [9503] "O then at length arise: "
## [9504] "On Sion cast thy mercies eyes. "
## [9505] "45 Now is the time that thou "
## [9506] "To mercy shouldst incline "
## [9507] ""
## [9508] "Concerning her: O Lord, the tyme is now, "
## [9509] "Thy self for mercy didst assigne. "
## [9510] ""
## [9511] "Thy servauntes waite the day "
## [9512] "50 When she, who like a carcasse lay "
## [9513] ""
## [9514] "Stretch'd forth on Ruines beir "
## [9515] "Shall soe arise and live, "
## [9516] ""
## [9517] "That Nations all Jehovas name shall feare, "
## [9518] "All kings to thee shall glory give: "
## [9519] ""
## [9520] "55 Because thou hast a new "
## [9521] ""
## [9522] "Made Sion stand, restor'd to view "
## [9523] ""
## [9524] ""
## [9525] ""
## [9526] "PSALM 102 237 "
## [9527] ""
## [9528] "Thy glorious presence there: "
## [9529] "Because thou hast, I say, "
## [9530] ""
## [9531] "Beheld our woes, and not refus'd to heare "
## [9532] "60 What wretched we did playning pray. "
## [9533] ""
## [9534] "This of record shall bide "
## [9535] "To this and ev'ry age beside: "
## [9536] ""
## [9537] "And they commend thee shall "
## [9538] "Whom thou a new shalt make, "
## [9539] "6g That from the prospect of thy heav nly hall "
## [9540] "Thy eye of earth survey did take, "
## [9541] ""
## [9542] "Harkning to prisoners grones, "
## [9543] "And setting free condempned ones: "
## [9544] ""
## [9545] "That they, when Nations come, "
## [9546] "70 And Realmes to serve the Lord, "
## [9547] ""
## [9548] "In Sion, and in Salem might become "
## [9549] "Fitt meanes his honor to record. "
## [9550] ""
## [9551] "But what is this? if I "
## [9552] "In the mid way should fall and dye? "
## [9553] "75 My God, to thee I pray, "
## [9554] "Who canst my praier give; "
## [9555] ""
## [9556] "Turne not to night the noonetide of my day, "
## [9557] "Since endlesse thou dost agelesse live. "
## [9558] ""
## [9559] "The earth, the heaven stands "
## [9560] "80 Once founded, formed by thy hands: "
## [9561] ""
## [9562] "They perish, thou shalt bide: "
## [9563] "They olde, as clothes, shall weare, "
## [9564] ""
## [9565] "Till changing still, full change shall them betide, "
## [9566] "Uncloth'd of all the clothes they beare. "
## [9567] ""
## [9568] "85 But thou art one, still one: "
## [9569] ""
## [9570] "Tyme interest in thee hath none, "
## [9571] ""
## [9572] "Then hope, who godly be, "
## [9573] "Or come of godly Race: "
## [9574] ""
## [9575] "Endlesse your blisse; as never ending he, "
## [9576] "3 His presence your unchanged place. "
## [9577] ""
## [9578] ""
## [9579] ""
## [9580] "238 "
## [9581] ""
## [9582] ""
## [9583] ""
## [9584] "PSALM 103 BENEDIC, ANIMA "
## [9585] ""
## [9586] ""
## [9587] ""
## [9588] "My soule, my hart, "
## [9589] "And every inward part, "
## [9590] "Praise high Jehova, praise his holy name: "
## [9591] "My hart, my soule, "
## [9592] "5 Jehovas name extoll: "
## [9593] ""
## [9594] "What gratious he "
## [9595] "Doth, and hath done for thee, "
## [9596] "Be quick to mind, to utter be not lame. "
## [9597] ""
## [9598] "For his free grace "
## [9599] "10 Doth all thy sinnes deface, "
## [9600] ""
## [9601] "He cures thy sicknesse, healeth all thy harme. "
## [9602] "From greedy grave "
## [9603] "That gaspes thy life to have, "
## [9604] "He setts thee free: "
## [9605] "15 And kindly makes on thee "
## [9606] ""
## [9607] "All his Compassions, all his mercies swarme. "
## [9608] ""
## [9609] "He doth thee still "
## [9610] ""
## [9611] "With flowing plenty fill: "
## [9612] "He eagle-like doth oft thy age renew, "
## [9613] "20 The Lord hys right "
## [9614] ""
## [9615] "Unto the wronged wight "
## [9616] ""
## [9617] "Doth ever yeld: "
## [9618] ""
## [9619] "And never cease to shield "
## [9620] "With Justice them, whom guile and fraude pursue. "
## [9621] ""
## [9622] "25 His way and trade "
## [9623] ""
## [9624] "He knowne to Moses made, "
## [9625] "His wonders to the sonnes of Israeli "
## [9626] "The Lord, I meane, "
## [9627] "Jehova; who doth leane "
## [9628] ""
## [9629] ""
## [9630] ""
## [9631] "PSALM 103 239 "
## [9632] ""
## [9633] "30 With mildest will "
## [9634] ""
## [9635] "To Ruth and mercy still; "
## [9636] "As slow to wrath, as swift to doing well. "
## [9637] ""
## [9638] "When he doth chide "
## [9639] ""
## [9640] "He doth not chiding bide: "
## [9641] "35 His anger is not in his treasures laide. "
## [9642] ""
## [9643] "He doth not serve "
## [9644] ""
## [9645] "Our synnes, as sinnes deserve: "
## [9646] ""
## [9647] "Nor recompence "
## [9648] ""
## [9649] "Unto us each offence "
## [9650] "40 With due revenge in equall ballance weighd. "
## [9651] ""
## [9652] "For looke how farre "
## [9653] ""
## [9654] "The Sphere of farthest starre "
## [9655] "Drownes that proportion earthly Center beares: "
## [9656] ""
## [9657] "Soe much, and more "
## [9658] "45 His never empty store "
## [9659] ""
## [9660] "Of grace and love "
## [9661] ""
## [9662] "Beyond his synnes doth prove "
## [9663] "Who ever hym with due devotion feares. "
## [9664] ""
## [9665] "Nay looke how farre "
## [9666] "50 From east removed ar "
## [9667] ""
## [9668] "The westerne lodgings of the weary sunne: "
## [9669] "Soe farre, more farre, "
## [9670] "From us removed are, "
## [9671] "By that greate love "
## [9672] "55 Our faultes from him doe prove, "
## [9673] ""
## [9674] "What ever faultes and follies we have done. "
## [9675] ""
## [9676] "And looke how much "
## [9677] ""
## [9678] "The neerly touching touch "
## [9679] "The father feeles towards his sonne most deare, "
## [9680] "Affects his hart, "
## [9681] ""
## [9682] "At ev'ry froward part "
## [9683] ""
## [9684] "Plaid by his child: "
## [9685] ""
## [9686] "Soe mercifull, soe mild, "
## [9687] "Is he to them that beare him awfull feare. "
## [9688] ""
## [9689] ""
## [9690] ""
## [9691] "240 PSALM 103 "
## [9692] ""
## [9693] "65 Our potter he "
## [9694] ""
## [9695] "Knowes how his vessells we "
## [9696] "In earthy matter lodg'd this fickle forme: "
## [9697] "Fickle as glasse "
## [9698] "As flowres, that fading passe, "
## [9699] "70 And vanish soe, "
## [9700] ""
## [9701] "No not their place we know, "
## [9702] "Blasted to death with breath of blustring storme. "
## [9703] ""
## [9704] "Such is our state; "
## [9705] ""
## [9706] "But farre in other rate, "
## [9707] "75 Gods endlesse Justice and his mercy stand, "
## [9708] ""
## [9709] "Both on the good, "
## [9710] ""
## [9711] "And their religious brood; "
## [9712] ""
## [9713] "Who uncontroFd "
## [9714] ""
## [9715] "Sure league with him doe hold, "
## [9716] "80 And doe his lawes not only understand. "
## [9717] ""
## [9718] "Jehova greate "
## [9719] ""
## [9720] "Sits thron'd in starry seate: "
## [9721] "His kingdome doth all kingdoms comprehend. "
## [9722] ""
## [9723] "You angells strong, "
## [9724] "85 That unto him belong, "
## [9725] ""
## [9726] "Whose deedes accord "
## [9727] ""
## [9728] "With his commanding word, "
## [9729] "Praises and thanks upon Jehova spend. "
## [9730] ""
## [9731] "Spirits of might, "
## [9732] "90 You that his battaills fight, "
## [9733] ""
## [9734] "You ministers that willing work his will: "
## [9735] "All things that he "
## [9736] "Hath wrought, where soe they be, "
## [9737] "His praise extoll: "
## [9738] "95 Thou with the rest, my soule, "
## [9739] ""
## [9740] "Praises and thanks spend on Jehova still. "
## [9741] ""
## [9742] ""
## [9743] ""
## [9744] "241 "
## [9745] ""
## [9746] ""
## [9747] ""
## [9748] "PSALM 104 BENEDIC, ANIMA MEA "
## [9749] ""
## [9750] ""
## [9751] ""
## [9752] "Make O my soule the subject of thy Songe "
## [9753] "Th'eternall Lord: O Lord, O God of might, "
## [9754] ""
## [9755] "To thee, to thee, all roiall pompes belonge, "
## [9756] "Clothed art thou in state and glory bright: "
## [9757] "For what is else this Eye-delighting light "
## [9758] ""
## [9759] "But unto thee a garment wide and long? "
## [9760] "The vaunted heaven but a Curtaine right, "
## [9761] ""
## [9762] "A Canopy, thou over thee hast hunge? "
## [9763] ""
## [9764] "The rafters that his Parlors roofe sustaine, "
## [9765] ""
## [9766] "In Chev'ron he on christall waters bindes: "
## [9767] "He on the windes, he on the cloudes doth raigne, "
## [9768] ""
## [9769] "Riding on cloudes, and walking on the windes. "
## [9770] ""
## [9771] "Whose winged blasts his word as ready findes "
## [9772] "To poast from him, as Angells of his traine: "
## [9773] ""
## [9774] "As to effect the purposes he mindes "
## [9775] "He makes, no lesse, the flamy fier faine. "
## [9776] ""
## [9777] "By him the earth a stedf ast base doth beare, "
## [9778] ""
## [9779] "And stedf ast soe, as tyme nor force can shake: "
## [9780] "Which once round waters garment-like did weare, "
## [9781] ""
## [9782] "And hills in seas did lowly lodging take. "
## [9783] ""
## [9784] "But seas from hills a swift descent did make, "
## [9785] "When swelling high by thee they chidden were: "
## [9786] ""
## [9787] "Thy thunders rore did cause their conduites quake, "
## [9788] "Hastning their hast with spurr of hasty feare. "
## [9789] ""
## [9790] ""
## [9791] ""
## [9792] "242 PSALM 104 "
## [9793] ""
## [9794] "25 Soe waters fledd, so mountaines high did rise, "
## [9795] "So humble Valleys deepely did descend, "
## [9796] "All to the place thou didst for them devise: "
## [9797] "Where bounding Seas with unremoved end, "
## [9798] "Thou badst they should them selves no more extend "
## [9799] "30 To hide the earth which now unhidden lies: "
## [9800] ""
## [9801] "Yet from the mountaines rocky sides didst send "
## [9802] "Springs whispring murmurs, Rivers roring cries. "
## [9803] ""
## [9804] "Of these the beasts which on the planes doe feede "
## [9805] "All drinck their fill: with these their thirst allay "
## [9806] "35 The Asses wild and all that wildly breede: "
## [9807] "By these in their self-chosen stations stay "
## [9808] "The free-borne fowles, which through the empty way "
## [9809] "Of yeelding aire wafted with winged speed, "
## [9810] "To art-like notes of nature-tuned lay "
## [9811] "40 Make earelesse bushes give attentive heed. "
## [9812] ""
## [9813] "Thou, thou of heav'n the windowes dost unclose, "
## [9814] "Dewing the mountaines with thy bounties raine: "
## [9815] ""
## [9816] "Earthe, greate with yong, her longing doth not lose, "
## [9817] "The hopfull ploughman hopeth not in vayne. "
## [9818] "45 The vulgar grasse, whereof the beast is faine, "
## [9819] ""
## [9820] "The rarer hearb man for him self hath chose: "
## [9821] "All things in breef, that life in life maintaine, "
## [9822] ""
## [9823] "From Earths old bowells fresh and yongly growes. "
## [9824] ""
## [9825] "Thence Wyne, the counter-poison unto care: "
## [9826] "50 Thence Oile, whose juyce unplaites the folded brow: "
## [9827] ""
## [9828] "Thence bread, our best, I say not daintiest fare, "
## [9829] ""
## [9830] "Propp yet of hartes, which else would weakly bow: "
## [9831] "Thence, Lord, thy leaved people bud and blow "
## [9832] "Whose Princes thou, thy Cedars, dost not spare "
## [9833] "55 A fuller draught of thy cupp to allow, "
## [9834] ""
## [9835] "Thus highly rais'd above the rest they are. "
## [9836] ""
## [9837] ""
## [9838] ""
## [9839] "PSALM 104 243 "
## [9840] ""
## [9841] "Yet highly rais'd they doe not proudly scorne "
## [9842] "To give small birdes an humble entertaine, "
## [9843] ""
## [9844] "Whose brickie neastes are on their branches borne, "
## [9845] "60 While in the Firrs the Storks a lodging gaine. "
## [9846] ""
## [9847] "Soe highest hills rock-loving Goates sustayne; "
## [9848] ""
## [9849] "And have their heads with clyming traces worne: "
## [9850] "That safe in Rocks the Connyes may remaine, "
## [9851] ""
## [9852] "To yield them Caves, their rocky ribbs are torne. "
## [9853] ""
## [9854] "65- Thou makest the Moone, the Empresse of the night, "
## [9855] "Hold constant course with most unconstant face: "
## [9856] "Thou makst the sunne the Chariot-man of light, "
## [9857] "Well knowe the start and stop of dayly race. "
## [9858] "When he doth sett and night his beames deface, "
## [9859] "70 To roame abroade wood-burgesses delight, "
## [9860] "Lions, I meane, who roreing all that space, "
## [9861] "Seeme then of thee to crave their food by right, v "
## [9862] ""
## [9863] "When he retornes, they all from field retire, "
## [9864] ""
## [9865] "And lay them downe in Cave, their home, to rest: "
## [9866] "75 They rest, man stirrs to win a workmans hire, "
## [9867] ""
## [9868] "And works till sunn hath wrought his way to west. "
## [9869] "Eternall Lord who greatest art and best, "
## [9870] "How I amaz'd thy mighty workes admire! "
## [9871] "Wisdome in them hath every part possesst, "
## [9872] "80 Wherto in me, no wisdome can aspire. "
## [9873] ""
## [9874] "Behold the Earth, how there thy bounties flow! "
## [9875] ""
## [9876] "Looke on the Sea extended hugely wide: [goe, "
## [9877] ""
## [9878] "What watry troops swymme, creepe, and crawle, and "
## [9879] ""
## [9880] "Of greate, and small, on that, this, ev'ry side! "
## [9881] "85 There the saile-winged shipps on waves doe glide: "
## [9882] ""
## [9883] "Sea-monsters there, their plaies and pastymes show: "
## [9884] ""
## [9885] "And all at once in seasonable tyde "
## [9886] "Their hungry eyes on thee their feeder throw. "
## [9887] ""
## [9888] ""
## [9889] ""
## [9890] "244 PSALM 104 "
## [9891] ""
## [9892] "Thou givst, they take; thy hand it self displaies, "
## [9893] "90 They, filled, feele the plenties of thy hand: "
## [9894] ""
## [9895] "All darkned lye deprived of thy Rays, "
## [9896] ""
## [9897] "Thou tak'st their breath, not one can longer stand. "
## [9898] "They dye, they turne to former dust and sand, "
## [9899] "Till thy life-giving Sp rit doe mustring raise "
## [9900] "95 New companies, to reenforce each band "
## [9901] ""
## [9902] "Which still supplied, never whole decaies. "
## [9903] ""
## [9904] "Soe may it, oh! soe may it ever goe, "
## [9905] ""
## [9906] "Jehovas workes his glorious gladdnesse be, [grow, "
## [9907] "Who touching Mountaynes, Mountaynes smoaking "
## [9908] "100 Who eyeing Earth, Earth quakes with quivering "
## [9909] ""
## [9910] "As for my self, my seely self, in me [knee. "
## [9911] ""
## [9912] "While life shall last, his worth in song to show "
## [9913] ""
## [9914] "I framed have a resolute decree, "
## [9915] "And thankfull be, till being I forgoe. "
## [9916] ""
## [9917] "105 O that my song might good acceptance finde: "
## [9918] "How should my hart in great Jehova joy! "
## [9919] "O that some plague this irreligious kinde, "
## [9920] ""
## [9921] "Ingrate to God, would from the earth destroy! "
## [9922] "Meane while, my soule, uncessantly employ "
## [9923] "110 To high Jehovas praise my mouth and mynd: "
## [9924] "Nay, all (since all his benefitts enjoy) "
## [9925] "Praise him whom bandes of time noe age can binde. "
## [9926] ""
## [9927] "line 58 entertaine: reception (as of a guest). "
## [9928] ""
## [9929] ""
## [9930] ""
## [9931] "^45 "
## [9932] ""
## [9933] ""
## [9934] ""
## [9935] "PSALM 105 CONFITEMINI DOMINO "
## [9936] ""
## [9937] ""
## [9938] ""
## [9939] "Jehovas praise, Jehovas holy fame "
## [9940] ""
## [9941] "O shew O sound, his actes to all relate: "
## [9942] "To him your songs, your psalmes unto him frame; "
## [9943] ""
## [9944] "Make your discourse his wonders celebrate. "
## [9945] "5 Boast ye God-searchers in his sacred name "
## [9946] ""
## [9947] "And your contracted hartes with joy dilate: "
## [9948] "To him, his arke, his face, lett be intended "
## [9949] "Your due inquest, with service never ended. "
## [9950] ""
## [9951] "Record, I say, in speciall memory "
## [9952] "10 The miracles he wrought, the lawes he gave, "
## [9953] "His servantes you, O Abrahams progeny "
## [9954] ""
## [9955] "You Jacobs sonnes, whome he doth chosen save. "
## [9956] "We first and most on him our God relye "
## [9957] "All be noe boundes his jurisdiction have: "
## [9958] "15 And he eternally that treaty mindeth, "
## [9959] ""
## [9960] "Which him to us, untearmed ages bindeth: "
## [9961] ""
## [9962] "A treaty first with Abraham begun, "
## [9963] ""
## [9964] "After againe, by oath, to Isaack bound, "
## [9965] "Lastly to Isaacks god-beholding sonne "
## [9966] "20 Confirm'd, and made inviolably sound. "
## [9967] "I give in fee (for soe the graunt did runne), "
## [9968] ""
## [9969] "Thee and thine heirs the Cananeian ground: "
## [9970] "And that when few they were, few, unregarded, "
## [9971] "Yea strangers too, where he their lott awarded. "
## [9972] ""
## [9973] "25 They strangers were, and roam'd from land to land, "
## [9974] ""
## [9975] "From Realme to Realme: though seatlesse, yet secure; "
## [9976] ""
## [9977] ""
## [9978] ""
## [9979] "24D PSALM 105 "
## [9980] ""
## [9981] "And soe remote from wrong of meaner hand "
## [9982] ""
## [9983] "That kings for them did sharp rebuke endure. "
## [9984] "Touch not I chardge you, my anointed band, "
## [9985] "30 Nor to my Prophetts least offence procure. "
## [9986] "Then he for Famyn spake: scarse had he spoken, "
## [9987] "When Famyn came, the staff of bread was broken. "
## [9988] ""
## [9989] "But he for them to Aegipt had foresent "
## [9990] "The slave-sold Joseph kindly to prepare: "
## [9991] "35 Whose feete if fretting Irons did indent, "
## [9992] ""
## [9993] "His soule was clog'd with steely boultes of care; "
## [9994] "Till fame abroad of his divining went, "
## [9995] ""
## [9996] "And heav'nly sawes such wisdome did declare "
## [9997] "That him a message from the king addressed "
## [9998] "40 Of bondage ridd, of freedome repossessed. "
## [9999] ""
## [10000] "Noe sooner freed, the Monark in his handes "
## [10001] ""
## [10002] "Without controll both house and state doth lay; "
## [10003] ""
## [10004] "He Rulers rules, Commanders he commands; "
## [10005] "Wills and all doe: prescribes and all obay. "
## [10006] "45 While thus in tearmes of highest grace he stands, "
## [10007] "Loe, Israeli to Aegipt takes his way, "
## [10008] ""
## [10009] "And Jacobs lyne from Holy Sem descended, "
## [10010] ""
## [10011] "To sojourne comes where Cham his tentes extended. "
## [10012] ""
## [10013] "Who now but they, in strength and number flowe? "
## [10014] "50 Rais'd by their god their haters farre above? "
## [10015] "For, chang'd by him, their entertainers grow "
## [10016] ""
## [10017] "With guile to hate, who erst with truth did love. "
## [10018] "But he with sacred Moses wills to goe "
## [10019] ""
## [10020] "Aron his choise, those mischief es to remove: "
## [10021] "55 By whose greate workes their senders glory blazed, "
## [10022] ""
## [10023] "Made Chams whole land with frightfull signes amazed. "
## [10024] ""
## [10025] "Darkness from day the wonted sunne doth chase "
## [10026] "(For both he bidds and neither dares rebell), "
## [10027] ""
## [10028] "Late watry Nilus lookes with bloudy face: "
## [10029] "60 How fisshes die, what should I stand to tell? "
## [10030] ""
## [10031] "Or how of noisome froggs the earth-bred race "
## [10032] "Croak where their princes sleepe, not only dwell? "
## [10033] ""
## [10034] ""
## [10035] ""
## [10036] "PSALM 105 247 "
## [10037] ""
## [10038] "How lice and vermyn heav'nly voice attending "
## [10039] "Doe swarming fall, what quarter not offending? "
## [10040] ""
## [10041] "65 Noe rayny cloude but breakes in stony haile: "
## [10042] ""
## [10043] "For cheerefull lightes dismayfull lightnings shine: "
## [10044] "Not shine alone, their firy strokes assaile "
## [10045] ""
## [10046] "Each taller plant: worst fares the figg and vyne, "
## [10047] "Nor, calFd, to come, doe Catterpillers faile "
## [10048] "70 With locustes more than counting can define: "
## [10049] "By these the grasse, the grace of fieldes is wasted, "
## [10050] "The fruites consumed by owners yet untasted. "
## [10051] ""
## [10052] "Their eldest-borne, that Countries hopefull spring, "
## [10053] ""
## [10054] "Prime of their youth, his plague doth lastly wound; "
## [10055] "75 Then rich with spoile, he out his flock doth bring; "
## [10056] "In all their tribes not one a weakling found. "
## [10057] "Aegipt once wisht, now feares, their tarrying, "
## [10058] ""
## [10059] "And gladdly sees them on their journey bound; "
## [10060] "Whome God in heate a shading cloude provideth, "
## [10061] "80 In dark with lamp of flamy piller guideth. "
## [10062] ""
## [10063] ""
## [10064] ""
## [10065] "Brought from his store, at sute of Israeli "
## [10066] ""
## [10067] "Quailes in whole Beavies each remove pursue; "
## [10068] ""
## [10069] "Him self from skies, their hunger to repell, "
## [10070] ""
## [10071] "Candies the grasse with sweete congealed dew. "
## [10072] "85 He woundes the Rock, the Rock doth, wounded, well: "
## [10073] "Welling affoordes new streames to Channells new, "
## [10074] ""
## [10075] "All for God's mindfull will can not be dryven "
## [10076] ""
## [10077] "From sacred word once to his Abraham given. "
## [10078] ""
## [10079] "Soe then in joyfull plight, his loved bands "
## [10080] "90 His chosen troupes with triumph on he traines: "
## [10081] "Till full possession of the neighboure lands, "
## [10082] ""
## [10083] "With painlesse harvest of their thancklesse paines, "
## [10084] "He safely leaves in their victorious hands, "
## [10085] ""
## [10086] "Where nought for them to doe henceforth remaines, "
## [10087] "95 But only to observe and see fullfilled, "
## [10088] ""
## [10089] "What he (to whome be praise) hath said and willed. "
## [10090] ""
## [10091] "line 84 Candies: encrusts, as with hoar-frost. "
## [10092] ""
## [10093] ""
## [10094] ""
## [10095] "248 "
## [10096] ""
## [10097] ""
## [10098] ""
## [10099] "PSALM 106 CONFITEMINI DOMINO "
## [10100] ""
## [10101] ""
## [10102] ""
## [10103] "Where are the hymnes, where are the honors due "
## [10104] "To our good God, whose goodness knowes no end? "
## [10105] ""
## [10106] "Who of his force can utter what is true? "
## [10107] "Who all his praise in praises comprehend? "
## [10108] "5 O blessed they whose well advised sight "
## [10109] ""
## [10110] "Of all their life the levell straight doe bend, "
## [10111] ""
## [10112] "With endlesse ayming at the mark of right. "
## [10113] ""
## [10114] "Lord, for the love thou dost thy people beare, "
## [10115] "Graunt thought of me may harbor in thy mind: "
## [10116] "10 Make me with them thy safeties liv'ry weare, "
## [10117] "That I may once take notice in what kinde "
## [10118] ""
## [10119] "Thy kindnesse is on thine elected showne: "
## [10120] "That I may gladdness in their gladdness finde, "
## [10121] ""
## [10122] "Boasting with them, who boast to be thine owne. "
## [10123] ""
## [10124] "15 Indeede we have as our fore-fathers done, "
## [10125] ""
## [10126] "Done ill, done wronge, unjustly, wickedly: "
## [10127] "For (that I may begin where they begun) "
## [10128] ""
## [10129] "Thy workes in Egipt wrought, they passed by, "
## [10130] "Quite out of thought thy many bounties fell, "
## [10131] "20 And at the sea they did thy pacience try: "
## [10132] ""
## [10133] "At the Red Sea, they did, I say, rebell. "
## [10134] ""
## [10135] "Yet God, (O goodness), saved from his name "
## [10136] "These Mutiners that this his might might show, "
## [10137] ""
## [10138] "For he the waters did rebuking blame, "
## [10139] "25 The waters left at his rebuke to flow "
## [10140] ""
## [10141] "On sandy deepe as on the desert sands; "
## [10142] "Unwett in waves he made his people goe: "
## [10143] ""
## [10144] "Setting them safe from all their haters hands. "
## [10145] ""
## [10146] ""
## [10147] ""
## [10148] "PSALM 106 249 "
## [10149] ""
## [10150] "For look how fast their foes did them pursue, "
## [10151] "30 Soe fast, more fast the sea pursu'd their foes: "
## [10152] ""
## [10153] "All drencht, all dead, not one left of the Crue. "
## [10154] ""
## [10155] "Then, loe, beliefe, then thankfullnesse arose "
## [10156] "In faithlesse, gracelesse hartes: but in a trice "
## [10157] "Oblyvion all remembraunce overgrowes "
## [10158] "35 Of his great workes, or care of his advise. "
## [10159] ""
## [10160] "For, gluttonous, they flesh in desert crave, "
## [10161] ""
## [10162] "That they forsooth might try th'allmighties might: "
## [10163] ""
## [10164] "As glutton fitts, they flesh in desert have, "
## [10165] "For fully fedd, yet far'd in pining plight. "
## [10166] "40 What should I utter how from Moses they "
## [10167] "And holy Aron, sacred in Gods sight, "
## [10168] ""
## [10169] "Through envy sought to take the rule away? "
## [10170] ""
## [10171] "The very earth such mischiefe griev'd to beare "
## [10172] "And, opning, made her gaping throate the grave, "
## [10173] "45 Where Dathan and Abiran buried were, "
## [10174] ""
## [10175] "Buried alive with Tentes and all they have; "
## [10176] ""
## [10177] "Whose complices the flash of angry fire "
## [10178] ""
## [10179] "Surprised soe, none could from burning save, "
## [10180] ""
## [10181] "In asshes rak'd they found their treasons hire. "
## [10182] ""
## [10183] "50 A molten god they did in Horeb frame, "
## [10184] ""
## [10185] "And what? forsooth, the suckling of a Cow; "
## [10186] "Their heav'nly glory chang'd to beastly shame, "
## [10187] ""
## [10188] "They, more than beastes, before a beast did bow. "
## [10189] "A Calfe, nay image of a Calfe they serv'd, "
## [10190] "55 Whose highest worshipp, hay they should alow; "
## [10191] ""
## [10192] "God was forgott, who had them soe preserv'd; "
## [10193] ""
## [10194] "Preserv'd them soe by miracles of might, "
## [10195] ""
## [10196] "Done in the plaines where fertile Nilus flowes "
## [10197] "And wondred workes, which fearefully did fright, "
## [10198] "60 The Oker bancks their passage did inclose. "
## [10199] ""
## [10200] "Therefore their wrack he meant; which while he meant, "
## [10201] ""
## [10202] "Moses, his chosen, in the gapp arose, "
## [10203] "And turn'd his wrath from wrackfull punishment. "
## [10204] ""
## [10205] ""
## [10206] ""
## [10207] "250 PSALM 106 "
## [10208] ""
## [10209] "What more? the land that well deserv'd desire "
## [10210] "65 With fond disdaine, mistrustfull, they reject: "
## [10211] ""
## [10212] "Their tentes doe flame with hott rebellious fire, "
## [10213] ""
## [10214] "Jehovas wordes receav'd with no respect. "
## [10215] "For which he in the desert overthrew "
## [10216] ""
## [10217] "Them selves, their sonnes, with fathers fault infect, "
## [10218] "70 Scattred, exil'd, no certaine Country knew. "
## [10219] ""
## [10220] "For they to Pehor, filthy idol, went, "
## [10221] ""
## [10222] "And what had bin to dead things sacrific'd, "
## [10223] ""
## [10224] "Forbidden foode, abhominably spent, "
## [10225] "Soe God with anger, mightely surpris'd, "
## [10226] "75 His hurtfull hand against their health did raise; "
## [10227] "But Phinees, justice done, their lives repris'd, "
## [10228] ""
## [10229] "And for that justice purchas'd endlesse praise. "
## [10230] ""
## [10231] "Could this suffice? Nay farther at the brooke, "
## [10232] "The brooke of brail, they did the Lord incense: "
## [10233] "80 Which then his name of their contention tooke; "
## [10234] "Where Moses self did smart for their offence, "
## [10235] ""
## [10236] "For inly angred that he rashly spake, "
## [10237] "Forgetting due respect and reverence, "
## [10238] ""
## [10239] "Which for his rashnesse God did angry make. "
## [10240] ""
## [10241] "85 After their sonnes came to that lovely land, "
## [10242] "Noe better minded, albe better blest, "
## [10243] "Would not roote out, as stoode with his command, "
## [10244] ""
## [10245] "The Pagan plants, who then the place possest, "
## [10246] "But grew together up, and did as they, "
## [10247] "90 In Idoll service forward as the best: "
## [10248] ""
## [10249] "In Idoll service roote of their decay. "
## [10250] ""
## [10251] "For they both sonnes and daughters offered "
## [10252] "Unto their gods; gods? no, they devills were: "
## [10253] ""
## [10254] "Whose guiltlesse bloud, which wastfully they shed, "
## [10255] "95 Imbru'd the Idolls Canaan did beare: "
## [10256] ""
## [10257] "The land defiled was with murthers done, "
## [10258] "Whiles they in workes no filthiness forbeare, "
## [10259] ""
## [10260] "And, in conceiptes, a whooring mainly run. "
## [10261] ""
## [10262] ""
## [10263] ""
## [10264] "PSALM 106 251 "
## [10265] ""
## [10266] "Soe God incensed grew against his owne, "
## [10267] "100 And plainly did his heritage detest: "
## [10268] "Left them to be by strangers overthrowne, "
## [10269] "Lorded by foes, by enimies opprest. "
## [10270] "Often he freed them by his force divine : "
## [10271] ""
## [10272] "But when their witts would give his wrath no rest, "
## [10273] "105 Left them at length in worthy plagues to pine. "
## [10274] ""
## [10275] "He left them long yet left them not at last "
## [10276] ""
## [10277] "But saw their woes, and heard their waylfull cries "
## [10278] ""
## [10279] "Which made him call to thought his cov'nant past. "
## [10280] "Soe chang'd, not only in him self did rise "
## [10281] "110 Repentant pitty of their passed paines: "
## [10282] "But their captives now relenting eyes "
## [10283] ""
## [10284] "His ruth of them to tender yelding traines. "
## [10285] ""
## [10286] "Goe on, O God, as them, soe us to save: "
## [10287] "Rally thy troopes that widely scattred be, "
## [10288] "115 That their due thankes, thy holynesse may have; "
## [10289] ""
## [10290] "Their glorious praise, thy heav'nly pow'r may see. "
## [10291] ""
## [10292] "O God, of Izrael our God, our Lord, "
## [10293] "Eternall thankes be to eternall thee: "
## [10294] ""
## [10295] "Lett all the earth with praise approve my word. "
## [10296] ""
## [10297] ""
## [10298] ""
## [10299] "252 "
## [10300] ""
## [10301] ""
## [10302] ""
## [10303] "PSALM 107 CONFITEMINI DOMINO "
## [10304] ""
## [10305] ""
## [10306] ""
## [10307] "O celebrate Jehovas praise, "
## [10308] ""
## [10309] "For gratious he and good is found; "
## [10310] "And noe precinct, noe space of daies, "
## [10311] ""
## [10312] "Can his greate grace and goodness bound. "
## [10313] "5 Say you with me, with me resound "
## [10314] ""
## [10315] "Jehovas praise with thankfulness: "
## [10316] "Whose bands of perill he unbound, "
## [10317] ""
## [10318] "When tyrants hate did you oppresse. "
## [10319] ""
## [10320] "How many, and how many tymes, "
## [10321] "10 From early East, from evening West, "
## [10322] ""
## [10323] "From thirsty wastes, from frosty clymes, "
## [10324] ""
## [10325] "Hath he dispersed, brought to rest! "
## [10326] "How many sav'd, who deepe distrest, "
## [10327] "And straying farre from path and towne, "
## [10328] "15 With want and drouth soe sore were prest, "
## [10329] ""
## [10330] "That drouth well neer their lives did drownel "
## [10331] ""
## [10332] "They cry'd to him in woefull plight; "
## [10333] ""
## [10334] "His succour sent did end their woe. "
## [10335] "From error, train'd, he led them right, "
## [10336] "20 And made to peopled places goe. "
## [10337] ""
## [10338] "Such then in song his mercies show, "
## [10339] ""
## [10340] "His wonders done to men display: "
## [10341] "Who, in the hungry, hunger soe, "
## [10342] ""
## [10343] "Soe doth in thirsty, thirst alay. "
## [10344] ""
## [10345] "25 How many fast imprisoned lye "
## [10346] ""
## [10347] "In shade of death, and horrors blind, "
## [10348] "Whose feete as Iron fetters tye, "
## [10349] ""
## [10350] "Soe heavy anguish cloggs their mind! "
## [10351] ""
## [10352] ""
## [10353] ""
## [10354] "PSALM 107 253 "
## [10355] ""
## [10356] "Whom though the Lord did Rebells finde, "
## [10357] "30 Despising all he did advise, "
## [10358] ""
## [10359] "Yet when their hart with grief declin'd "
## [10360] "Now helplesse quite and hoplesse lies. "
## [10361] ""
## [10362] "They cry to him in wofull plight; "
## [10363] ""
## [10364] "His succour sent doth end their woe. "
## [10365] "35 From death to life, from darke to light "
## [10366] ""
## [10367] "With broken boltes he makes them goe. "
## [10368] "Such then in song his mercy show, "
## [10369] ""
## [10370] "His wonders done to men display; "
## [10371] "The gates of brasse who breaketh so, "
## [10372] "40 So make the iron yeld them way. "
## [10373] ""
## [10374] "How many wantonly missled, "
## [10375] ""
## [10376] "While, fooles, they follow Follies traine, "
## [10377] "For sinne confined to their bed, "
## [10378] ""
## [10379] "This guerdon of their folly gainel "
## [10380] "45 Their lothing soule doth foode refraine, "
## [10381] ""
## [10382] "And hardly, hardly failing breath "
## [10383] "Can now his ending gasp restraine "
## [10384] ""
## [10385] "From entring at the gate of death. "
## [10386] ""
## [10387] ""
## [10388] ""
## [10389] "They cry to him in wofull plight: "
## [10390] "50 His succour sent doth end their woe, "
## [10391] ""
## [10392] "His word puts all their paine to flight, "
## [10393] ""
## [10394] "And free from sicknesse makes them goe. "
## [10395] "Such then in song his mercy show "
## [10396] "His wonders done to men display, "
## [10397] "55 Tell gladly of his workes they know "
## [10398] "And sacrifice of praises pay. "
## [10399] ""
## [10400] "How many mounting winged tree "
## [10401] "For trafBque, leave retiring land, "
## [10402] ""
## [10403] "And on huge waters busied be, "
## [10404] "60 Which bancklesse flow on endlesse sand! "
## [10405] ""
## [10406] "These, these indeed, well understand, "
## [10407] "Enform'd by their feare-open ey, "
## [10408] ""
## [10409] "The wonders of Jehovas hand "
## [10410] ""
## [10411] "While on the waves they rocking ly. "
## [10412] ""
## [10413] ""
## [10414] ""
## [10415] "254 PSALM 107 "
## [10416] ""
## [10417] "65 He bids, and straight on moisty maine "
## [10418] "The blustring tempest falling flies: "
## [10419] "The starrs doe dropp bedasht with raine, "
## [10420] ""
## [10421] "Soe huge the waves in combat rise. "
## [10422] "Now shipp with men do touch the skies: "
## [10423] "70 Now downe, more downe than Center falls; "
## [10424] ""
## [10425] "Their might doth melt, their courage dies "
## [10426] "Such hideous sights, each sense apalls. "
## [10427] ""
## [10428] "For now the whirlwinde makes them wheele: "
## [10429] "Now stop'd in midst of broken round "
## [10430] "75 As drunckard use, they staggring reele, "
## [10431] ""
## [10432] "Whose head-lame feete can feele no ground. "
## [10433] "What helpes to have a Pilot sound, "
## [10434] ""
## [10435] "Where wisdome wont to guide the sterne "
## [10436] "Now in dispairfull danger droun'd, "
## [10437] "80 Which wisdoms eye can nought discerne? "
## [10438] ""
## [10439] "They cry to him in wofull plight; "
## [10440] ""
## [10441] "His succour sent doth end their woe. "
## [10442] "Of Seas and winds he partes the fight: "
## [10443] ""
## [10444] "To wisshed port with joy they row. "
## [10445] "85 Such then in song his mercies show; "
## [10446] ""
## [10447] "His wonders done to men display: "
## [10448] "Make peoples presse his honor know, "
## [10449] ""
## [10450] "At princes thrones his praise bewray. "
## [10451] ""
## [10452] "How many whers doth he convert "
## [10453] "90 Well watred grounds to thirsty sand! "
## [10454] ""
## [10455] "And saltes the soile for wicked hart "
## [10456] "The dwellers beare that till the land! "
## [10457] "How oft againe his gratious hand, "
## [10458] ""
## [10459] "To watry pooles doth desertes change! "
## [10460] "95 And on the fields that fruitlesse stand, "
## [10461] ""
## [10462] "Makes trickling springs unhoped range! "
## [10463] ""
## [10464] "Suppose of men that live in want "
## [10465] ""
## [10466] "A Colony he there do make, "
## [10467] "They dwell, and build, and sow, and plant, "
## [10468] "100 And of their paines greate profitt take. "
## [10469] ""
## [10470] ""
## [10471] ""
## [10472] "PSALM 107 255 "
## [10473] ""
## [10474] "His blessing doth not them forsake, "
## [10475] ""
## [10476] "But multiplies their childrens store: "
## [10477] "Nay, ev'n their Cattaill, for their sake, "
## [10478] ""
## [10479] "Augmentes in number more and more. "
## [10480] ""
## [10481] "105 They stand while he their state sustaines: "
## [10482] "Then comes againe that harmefulle day "
## [10483] "Which brings the enterchange of paines, "
## [10484] ""
## [10485] "And their encrease turnes to decay. "
## [10486] "Nor strange; for he, exiled stray, "
## [10487] "110 Makes greatest kings scorn'd where they goe: "
## [10488] "The same from want the poore doth waigh, "
## [10489] "And makes like heards their houses grow. "
## [10490] ""
## [10491] "See this, and joy this thus to see, "
## [10492] ""
## [10493] "All you whose judgements judge aright: "
## [10494] "115 You whose conceites distorted be, "
## [10495] "Stand mute amazed at the sight. "
## [10496] "How wise were he, whose wisdome might "
## [10497] ""
## [10498] "Observe each course the Lord doth hold, "
## [10499] "To light in men his bounties light, "
## [10500] "120 Whose providence doth all enfoldl "
## [10501] ""
## [10502] "line 58 traffique: means of transport. "
## [10503] ""
## [10504] ""
## [10505] ""
## [10506] "256 "
## [10507] ""
## [10508] ""
## [10509] ""
## [10510] "PSALM 108 PARATUM COR MEUM "
## [10511] ""
## [10512] ""
## [10513] ""
## [10514] "To sing and play my hart is bent, "
## [10515] "Is bent God's name to solemnize, "
## [10516] ""
## [10517] "Thy service O my tongue, present: "
## [10518] "Arise my lute, my harp arise. "
## [10519] "5 My self will up with dawning skies, "
## [10520] ""
## [10521] "And so in song report thy praise, "
## [10522] ""
## [10523] "No eare but shall conceave my laies "
## [10524] "As farre as Earth extended lies. "
## [10525] ""
## [10526] "For, Lord, the heav'ns how ever high, "
## [10527] "10 Are lower fane than thy sweet grace: "
## [10528] ""
## [10529] "Thy truth on stedfast wings doth fly, "
## [10530] "Aspiring up to cloudy space. "
## [10531] "O then thy self in highest place "
## [10532] "Above the heav'ns, Jehova, show: "
## [10533] "15 And thence on all this earth below "
## [10534] ""
## [10535] "Display the sunn-beames of thy face, "
## [10536] ""
## [10537] "To sett thy dearly loved free, "
## [10538] ""
## [10539] "To helpe and heare me when I pray. "
## [10540] ""
## [10541] "Hark, hark, so shall, so shall it be, "
## [10542] "20 Him self doth from his temple say. "
## [10543] ""
## [10544] "Then make we heere a mery stay, "
## [10545] ""
## [10546] "And let me part out Sichems fields : "
## [10547] ""
## [10548] "The land that Succothes valley yelds, "
## [10549] "By Pearch and pole divided lay. "
## [10550] ""
## [10551] ""
## [10552] ""
## [10553] "PSALM 108 257 "
## [10554] ""
## [10555] "25 Myne Gilead is, Manashe mine: "
## [10556] ""
## [10557] "Ephraims armes shall guard the king: "
## [10558] "My law shall Juda right define, "
## [10559] "While I my shoe at Edom fling. "
## [10560] "Thee, Moab, I will humbled bring "
## [10561] "30 To wash my feete in servile place: "
## [10562] ""
## [10563] "Thou Palestine, my late disgrace, "
## [10564] "Triumphed, shalt my triumph sing. "
## [10565] ""
## [10566] "But who shall cause us Edom take, "
## [10567] "And enter Edoms strongest towne; "
## [10568] "35 Who; but thou God, us'd to forsake "
## [10569] ""
## [10570] "Our troopes, and at our sutes to frowne? "
## [10571] "Then help us ere distrest we drowne: "
## [10572] "Who trusts in man doth vainly trust. "
## [10573] "In only God prevaile we must, "
## [10574] "40 He, he, shall tread our haters downe. "
## [10575] ""
## [10576] ""
## [10577] ""
## [10578] "line 24 Pearch and pole: measuring instruments (equivalent in "
## [10579] "length to 5^2 yards). "
## [10580] ""
## [10581] ""
## [10582] ""
## [10583] "258 "
## [10584] ""
## [10585] ""
## [10586] ""
## [10587] "PSALM 109 DEUS LAUDEM "
## [10588] ""
## [10589] ""
## [10590] ""
## [10591] "Since thus the wicked, thus the fraudulent, "
## [10592] "Since liers thus enforce my blame: "
## [10593] "O God, God of my praise, "
## [10594] "Be not in silence pent: "
## [10595] "5 For their malitious wordes against me raise "
## [10596] ""
## [10597] "Engins of hate, and causelesse battry frame. "
## [10598] ""
## [10599] "Causeless? ay me! quite contrary to cause "
## [10600] "My love they doe with hate repay: "
## [10601] "With treasons lawlesse spight "
## [10602] "10 They answer frendshipps lawes, "
## [10603] ""
## [10604] "And good with ill, and help with harme requite: "
## [10605] "What resteth now, but that to thee I pray? "
## [10606] ""
## [10607] "I pray then what? that lorded at command "
## [10608] "Of some vile wretch I may him see: "
## [10609] "15 That fittly still his foe "
## [10610] ""
## [10611] "To thwart his good may stand: "
## [10612] "That, judg'd, from judgment he condempn'd may goe, "
## [10613] "Yea to his plague, his praier turned be. "
## [10614] ""
## [10615] "That speedy death cutt off his wofull life, "
## [10616] "20 Another take his place and port: "
## [10617] "His children fatherlesse, "
## [10618] "And husbandlesse his wife, "
## [10619] "May wandring begg, and begg in such distresse, "
## [10620] "Their beggred homes may be their best resort. "
## [10621] ""
## [10622] ""
## [10623] ""
## [10624] "PSALM 109 259 "
## [10625] ""
## [10626] "25 That usurers may all he hath ensnare, "
## [10627] ""
## [10628] "And strangers reape what he hath sowne: "
## [10629] "That none him friend at all, "
## [10630] "None with compassions care "
## [10631] "Embrace his brood, but they to wrack may fall, "
## [10632] "30 And, falne, may lye in following age unknowne. "
## [10633] ""
## [10634] "That not his owne alone, but ev'ry cryme "
## [10635] "Of fathers and forefathers hand, "
## [10636] "May in God's sight abide: "
## [10637] "Yea, to eternall tyme, "
## [10638] "35 Synne of his mother and his mothers side, "
## [10639] "May in his mind, who is eternall, stand; "
## [10640] ""
## [10641] "That he and they soe farre may be f orgott, "
## [10642] "That neither print of being leave "
## [10643] "What humane nature will; "
## [10644] "40 For he remembred not, "
## [10645] ""
## [10646] "But sought a wretch inhumanly to spill "
## [10647] "And would of life an humbled hart bereave. "
## [10648] ""
## [10649] ""
## [10650] ""
## [10651] ""
## [10652] "He loved mischief; mischief with him goe: "
## [10653] "He did noe good; then doe him none, "
## [10654] "45 Be wretchedness his cloake, "
## [10655] ""
## [10656] "Into him soaking soe, "
## [10657] "As water dronken inwardly doth soake, "
## [10658] ""
## [10659] "As oile through flesh doth search the hidden bone. "
## [10660] ""
## [10661] "Be woe, I say, his garment large and wide "
## [10662] "50 Fast girt with girdle of the same. "
## [10663] "Soe be it, be it aye, "
## [10664] "Such misery betide "
## [10665] "Unto all such as thirsting my decay, "
## [10666] ""
## [10667] "Against my soule such deadly falshood frame. "
## [10668] ""
## [10669] ""
## [10670] ""
## [10671] "260 PSALM 109 "
## [10672] ""
## [10673] "55 But thou, O Lord, my Lord, soe deale with me "
## [10674] "As doth thy endlesse honor fitt: "
## [10675] "And for thy glories sake "
## [10676] "Let me deliverance see, "
## [10677] "For want and woe my life their object make, "
## [10678] "60 And in my brest my hart doth wounded sitt. "
## [10679] ""
## [10680] "I fade and faile as shade with falling sunn: "
## [10681] "And as the Grasshopper is tost, "
## [10682] "Place after place I leese; "
## [10683] "While fast hath nigh undone "
## [10684] "65 The witherd knotts of my disjoynted knees, "
## [10685] "And dried flesh all juyce and moisture lost. "
## [10686] ""
## [10687] "Worse yet alas! I am their scorne, their nod, "
## [10688] "When in their presence I me show; "
## [10689] "But thou, thou me uphold, "
## [10690] "70 My Lord, my gratious God: "
## [10691] ""
## [10692] "O save me in thy mercies manifold, "
## [10693] ""
## [10694] "Thy hand, thy work, make all men on me know. "
## [10695] ""
## [10696] "They curse me still, but blesse thou where they curse: "
## [10697] "They rise, but shame shall bring them downe. "
## [10698] "75 And this my joy shall be, "
## [10699] ""
## [10700] "As bad disgrace, or worse, "
## [10701] "Shall them attyre than ever clothed me, "
## [10702] ""
## [10703] "Trailing in trayne a synfull shamefull gowne. "
## [10704] ""
## [10705] "Then, then will I Jehovas workes relate "
## [10706] "80 Where multitudes their meeting have: "
## [10707] "Because still nigh at hand "
## [10708] "To men in hard estate "
## [10709] "He in their most extreamities doth stand, "
## [10710] ""
## [10711] "And guiltlesse lives from false condempners save. "
## [10712] ""
## [10713] ""
## [10714] ""
## [10715] "26l "
## [10716] ""
## [10717] ""
## [10718] ""
## [10719] "PSALM 110 DIXIT DOMINUS "
## [10720] ""
## [10721] ""
## [10722] ""
## [10723] "Thus to my lord, the Lord did say: "
## [10724] "Take up thy seate at my right hand, "
## [10725] "Till all thy foes that proudly stand, "
## [10726] ""
## [10727] "I prostrate at thy footestoole lay. "
## [10728] "From me thy staffe of might "
## [10729] ""
## [10730] "Sent out of Sion goes: "
## [10731] ""
## [10732] "As victor then prevaile in fight, "
## [10733] ""
## [10734] "And rule repining foes. "
## [10735] ""
## [10736] "But as for them that willing yeld, "
## [10737] "10 In solempne robes they glad shall goe: "
## [10738] ""
## [10739] "Attending thee when thou shalt show "
## [10740] "Triumphantly thy troopes in field: "
## [10741] ""
## [10742] "In field as thickly sett "
## [10743] "With warlike youthfull trayne "
## [10744] "15 As pearled plaine with dropps is wett, "
## [10745] ""
## [10746] "Of sweete Auroras raine. "
## [10747] ""
## [10748] "The Lord did sweare, and never he "
## [10749] "What once he sware will disavow: "
## [10750] "As was Melchisedech soe thou, "
## [10751] "20 An everlasting priest shalt be. "
## [10752] ""
## [10753] "At hand still ready prest "
## [10754] ""
## [10755] "To guard thee from annoy, "
## [10756] ""
## [10757] "Shall sitt the Lord that loves thee best, "
## [10758] ""
## [10759] "And kings in wrath destroy. "
## [10760] ""
## [10761] ""
## [10762] ""
## [10763] "262 PSALM 110 "
## [10764] ""
## [10765] "25 Thy Realme shall many Realmes containe: "
## [10766] ""
## [10767] "Thy slaughtred foes thick heaped ly: "
## [10768] "With crusshed head ev'n he shall dye, "
## [10769] "Who head of many Realmes doth raigne. "
## [10770] "If passing on these waies "
## [10771] "30 Thou tast of troubled streames: "
## [10772] ""
## [10773] "Shall that eclips thy shining raies? "
## [10774] "Nay light thy glories beames. "
## [10775] ""
## [10776] ""
## [10777] ""
## [10778] "263 "
## [10779] ""
## [10780] ""
## [10781] ""
## [10782] "PSALM 111 CONFITEBOR TIBI "
## [10783] ""
## [10784] ""
## [10785] ""
## [10786] "At home, abroad most willingly I will "
## [10787] "Bestow on God my praises uttmost skill: "
## [10788] "Chaunting his workes, workes of unmatched might, "
## [10789] "Deem'd so by them, who in their search delight. "
## [10790] ""
## [10791] "5 Endlesse the honor to his powre pertaines: "
## [10792] "From end as f arre his justice eake remaines, "
## [10793] "Gratious and good and working wonders soe, "
## [10794] "His wonders never can forgotten goe. "
## [10795] "In hungry waste he fedd his faithful Crue, "
## [10796] ""
## [10797] "10 Keeping his league, and still in promise true. "
## [10798] "Lastly his strength he caus'd them understand, "
## [10799] "Making them lords of all the heathens land. "
## [10800] "Now what could more each promise, doome, decree, "
## [10801] "Of him confirme sure, just, unmov'd to bel "
## [10802] ""
## [10803] "15 Preserved his folk, his league eternall fram'd: "
## [10804] "Quake then with f eare when holy he is nam'd. "
## [10805] "Reverence of him is Perfect wisdoms well: "
## [10806] "Stand in his lawe, so understand you well. "
## [10807] "The praise of him (though wicked hartes repine) "
## [10808] ""
## [10809] "20 Unbounded bides, noe time can it define. "
## [10810] ""
## [10811] ""
## [10812] ""
## [10813] "264 "
## [10814] ""
## [10815] ""
## [10816] ""
## [10817] "PSALM 112 BEATUS VIR "
## [10818] ""
## [10819] ""
## [10820] ""
## [10821] "O in how blessed state he standeth, "
## [10822] ""
## [10823] "Who soe Jehova feareth, "
## [10824] "That in the things the Lord commandeth "
## [10825] ""
## [10826] "His most delight appeareth! "
## [10827] ""
## [10828] "5 The branches from that body springing "
## [10829] ""
## [10830] "On the earth shall freshly flourish: "
## [10831] "Their pedigree from good men bringing "
## [10832] "The Lord with blisse will nourish. "
## [10833] ""
## [10834] "The happy house wherein he dwelleth "
## [10835] "10 Well stored shall persever: "
## [10836] ""
## [10837] "The treasure, justly got, he telleth, "
## [10838] "Shall bide his owne for ever. "
## [10839] ""
## [10840] "For he, when woe them over-cloudeth, "
## [10841] "The darkned hartes enlighteth: "
## [10842] "15 His mildness them and mercy shrowdeth "
## [10843] ""
## [10844] "His justice for them fighteth. "
## [10845] ""
## [10846] "He is both good and goodness loveth, "
## [10847] ""
## [10848] "Most liberall and lending: "
## [10849] "All business wherein he moveth "
## [10850] "2,0 With sound advice attending. "
## [10851] ""
## [10852] "He, firmly propt for ever falling, "
## [10853] "His name exempt from dying: "
## [10854] ""
## [10855] "Can heare ill newes without appalling, "
## [10856] "His hart on God relying; "
## [10857] ""
## [10858] ""
## [10859] ""
## [10860] "PSALM 112 265 "
## [10861] ""
## [10862] "25 Hys hart (I say) which strongly staid "
## [10863] ""
## [10864] "Is free from feare preserved: "
## [10865] "Till on his foes he view displaid "
## [10866] "The plagues by them deserved. "
## [10867] ""
## [10868] "He gives where needs, nay rather straweth, "
## [10869] "30 His justice never ending: "
## [10870] ""
## [10871] "Soe honors hand him higher draweth "
## [10872] "With glad applause ascending. "
## [10873] ""
## [10874] "Of good I meane: for wicked wretches "
## [10875] "Shall seeing fume, and fuming "
## [10876] "35 Consume to nought, their fruitless fetches "
## [10877] ""
## [10878] "To nought with them consuming. "
## [10879] ""
## [10880] "line 29 straweth: bestreweth. "
## [10881] ""
## [10882] ""
## [10883] ""
## [10884] "266 "
## [10885] ""
## [10886] ""
## [10887] ""
## [10888] "PSALM 113 LAUDATE, PUERI "
## [10889] ""
## [10890] ""
## [10891] ""
## [10892] "O you that serve the Lord, "
## [10893] "To praise his name accord: "
## [10894] "Jehova now and ever "
## [10895] "Commending, ending never, "
## [10896] "5 Whom all this earth resoundes, "
## [10897] ""
## [10898] "From East to Westerne boundes. "
## [10899] ""
## [10900] "He Monarch raignes on high; "
## [10901] "His glory treades the sky. "
## [10902] "Like him who can be counted, "
## [10903] "10 That dwells soe highly mounted? "
## [10904] ""
## [10905] "Yet stooping low beholds "
## [10906] "What heav'n and earth enfolds. "
## [10907] ""
## [10908] "From dust the needy soule, "
## [10909] "The wretch from miry hole "
## [10910] "15 He lifts: yea kings he makes them, "
## [10911] ""
## [10912] "Yea kings his people takes them. "
## [10913] "He gives the barren wife "
## [10914] "A fruitfull mothers life. "
## [10915] ""
## [10916] ""
## [10917] ""
## [10918] "267 "
## [10919] ""
## [10920] ""
## [10921] ""
## [10922] "PSALM 114 IN EXITU ISRAEL "
## [10923] ""
## [10924] ""
## [10925] ""
## [10926] "At what tyme Jacobs race did leave of Aegipt take, "
## [10927] ""
## [10928] "And Aegipts barbrous folk forsake: "
## [10929] "Then, then our God, our king, elected Jacobs race "
## [10930] ""
## [10931] "His temple there and throne to place. "
## [10932] "The sea beheld and fledd: Jordan with swift returne "
## [10933] ""
## [10934] "To twinned spring his streames did turne. "
## [10935] "The mountaines bounded soe, as, fedd in fruitfull ground, "
## [10936] ""
## [10937] "The fleezed Rammes doe frisking bound. "
## [10938] "The hillocks capreold soe, as wanton by their dammes "
## [10939] ""
## [10940] "We capreoll see the lusty lambes. "
## [10941] "O sea, why didst thou fly? Jordan, with swift returne "
## [10942] ""
## [10943] "To twinned spring, what made thee turne? "
## [10944] "Mountaines, why bounded ye, as, fedd in fruitfull "
## [10945] ""
## [10946] "The fleezed Rammes doe frisking bound? [ground, "
## [10947] ""
## [10948] "Hillocks why capreold ye, as wanton by their dammes "
## [10949] ""
## [10950] "We capreoll see the lusty lambes? "
## [10951] "Nay you, and Earth with you, quake ever at the sight "
## [10952] ""
## [10953] "Of God Jehova, Jacobs might, "
## [10954] "Who in the hardest Rocks makes standing waters grow "
## [10955] ""
## [10956] "And purling springs from flints to flow. "
## [10957] ""
## [10958] ""
## [10959] ""
## [10960] "line 9 capreold: capered. "
## [10961] ""
## [10962] ""
## [10963] ""
## [10964] "268 "
## [10965] ""
## [10966] ""
## [10967] ""
## [10968] "PSALM 115 NON NOBIS, DOMINE "
## [10969] ""
## [10970] ""
## [10971] ""
## [10972] "Not us I say, not us, "
## [10973] "But thine owne name respect, eternall Lord: "
## [10974] ""
## [10975] "And make it glorious, "
## [10976] "To show thy mercy and conflrme thy word. "
## [10977] "5 Why Lord, why should these nations say, "
## [10978] "Where doth your God now make his stay? "
## [10979] ""
## [10980] "You ask where our God is? "
## [10981] "In heav'n enthron'd, no mark of mortal ey. "
## [10982] ""
## [10983] "Nor hath, nor will he misse "
## [10984] "10 What likes his will, to will effectually. "
## [10985] "What are your idolls? we demand: "
## [10986] "Gold, silver, workes of workmens hand. "
## [10987] ""
## [10988] "They mouthes, but speechlesse, have: "
## [10989] "Eyes sightlesse; eares, no newes of noies can tell: "
## [10990] "15 Who them their noses gave "
## [10991] ""
## [10992] "Gave not their noses any sence of smell; "
## [10993] "Nor handes can feele, nor feete can goe, "
## [10994] "Nor signe of sound their throates can show. "
## [10995] ""
## [10996] "And wherin differ you, "
## [10997] "20 Who having made them, make of them your trust? "
## [10998] ""
## [10999] "But Israel pursue "
## [11000] "Thy trust in God, the targett of the just. "
## [11001] "O Arons howse, the like doe yee: "
## [11002] "He is their aid, their targett he. "
## [11003] ""
## [11004] ""
## [11005] ""
## [11006] "PSALM 115 269 "
## [11007] ""
## [11008] "25 All that Jehovah feare, "
## [11009] ""
## [11010] "Trust in Jehovah, he our aid and shield: "
## [11011] "He us in mind doth beare, "
## [11012] ""
## [11013] "He will to us aboundant blessings yeeld; "
## [11014] ""
## [11015] "Will evermore with grace and good "
## [11016] "30 Bless Jacobs howse, blesse Arons brood. "
## [11017] ""
## [11018] "Blesse all that beare him awe, "
## [11019] "Both great and small, the conduites of his store, "
## [11020] ""
## [11021] "He never dry shall draw, "
## [11022] "But you and youres enrich still more and more. "
## [11023] "35 Blest, O thrice blest, whom he hath chose, "
## [11024] "Who first with heav'ns did earth enclose. "
## [11025] ""
## [11026] "Where height of highest skies "
## [11027] "Removed most from floore of lowly ground "
## [11028] ""
## [11029] "With vaulted roofe doth rise: "
## [11030] "40 Him selfe tooke up his dwelling there to found. "
## [11031] "To mortall men he gratious gave "
## [11032] "The lowly ground to hold and have. "
## [11033] ""
## [11034] "And why? his praise to show: "
## [11035] "Which how can dead men, Lord, in any wise? "
## [11036] "45 Who downe descending goe "
## [11037] ""
## [11038] "Into the place where silence lodged lies? "
## [11039] "But save us: we thy praise record "
## [11040] "Will now, and still: O praise the Lord. "
## [11041] ""
## [11042] ""
## [11043] ""
## [11044] "27° "
## [11045] ""
## [11046] ""
## [11047] ""
## [11048] "PSALM 116 DILEXI QUONIAM "
## [11049] ""
## [11050] ""
## [11051] ""
## [11052] "The Lord receaves my cry, "
## [11053] ""
## [11054] "And me good eare doth give: "
## [11055] "Then love hym still will I, "
## [11056] ""
## [11057] "And praise him while I live. "
## [11058] "5 Fast bound in bonds of death, "
## [11059] ""
## [11060] "With deadly anguish thralled: "
## [11061] "When grief nigh stopt my breath, "
## [11062] ""
## [11063] "Upon his name I called. "
## [11064] ""
## [11065] "I call'd, and thus I said: "
## [11066] "10 O Lord my bands unbind. "
## [11067] ""
## [11068] "I found him prone to aid, "
## [11069] ""
## [11070] "I found him just and kind, "
## [11071] "The simples surest guard, "
## [11072] "By me of right esteem'd: "
## [11073] "15 Whom he distressed heard "
## [11074] ""
## [11075] "From hard distresse redeem'd. "
## [11076] ""
## [11077] "My soule turmoild with woes, "
## [11078] "Now boldly turne to rest, "
## [11079] ""
## [11080] "Such changes on thee showes "
## [11081] "20 Who greatest is and best. "
## [11082] ""
## [11083] "My life from death is past, "
## [11084] ""
## [11085] "Mine eyes have dried their weeping: "
## [11086] ""
## [11087] "My slipping foote stands fast, "
## [11088] "My self live in his keeping. "
## [11089] ""
## [11090] ""
## [11091] ""
## [11092] "n6 271 "
## [11093] ""
## [11094] "Beleeving as I spake, "
## [11095] ""
## [11096] "(Such woe my witts did blind) "
## [11097] "I said, when I did quake, "
## [11098] ""
## [11099] "I all men liers finde; "
## [11100] "Which, finding false, to thee "
## [11101] ""
## [11102] "What thancks, Lord, shall I render, "
## [11103] "Who showring blisse on me "
## [11104] ""
## [11105] "Dost me soe truly tender? "
## [11106] ""
## [11107] "My cup with thanks shall flow "
## [11108] ""
## [11109] "For freedom from my thrall: "
## [11110] "Which I in flames will throw, "
## [11111] ""
## [11112] "And on thy name will call. "
## [11113] "To thee my vowes will pay, "
## [11114] ""
## [11115] "Thy people all beholding: "
## [11116] "Who deare their deaths dost weigh, "
## [11117] ""
## [11118] "That are to thee beholden. "
## [11119] ""
## [11120] "This I, thy servant, taste, "
## [11121] ""
## [11122] "Thy slave, thy handmaids sonne: "
## [11123] "Whose bands thou broken hast, "
## [11124] ""
## [11125] "And fettring chaines undone; "
## [11126] "Who unto thee for this "
## [11127] ""
## [11128] "A sacrifice of praising "
## [11129] "To offer will not misse, "
## [11130] ""
## [11131] "Thy name with honor raising. "
## [11132] ""
## [11133] "Thou, whom no times enfold, "
## [11134] ""
## [11135] "Shalt have what I did vow: "
## [11136] "And they shall all behold, "
## [11137] ""
## [11138] "Who to thy scepter bow, "
## [11139] "The place, that holy place "
## [11140] ""
## [11141] "Before thy house extended; "
## [11142] "The very middle space "
## [11143] ""
## [11144] "In Sion comprehended. "
## [11145] ""
## [11146] ""
## [11147] ""
## [11148] "272 "
## [11149] ""
## [11150] ""
## [11151] ""
## [11152] "PSALM 117 LAUDATE DOMINUM "
## [11153] ""
## [11154] ""
## [11155] ""
## [11156] "P raise him that ay "
## [11157] "Remaines the same: "
## [11158] "A 11 tongues display "
## [11159] "Iehovas fame. "
## [11160] ""
## [11161] "5 S ing all that share "
## [11162] ""
## [11163] "This earthly ball: "
## [11164] "His mercies are "
## [11165] "Expos'd to all: "
## [11166] "L ike as the word "
## [11167] ""
## [11168] "io Once he doth give, "
## [11169] ""
## [11170] "Rold in record, "
## [11171] "D oth tyme outlive. "
## [11172] ""
## [11173] ""
## [11174] ""
## [11175] "*73 "
## [11176] ""
## [11177] ""
## [11178] ""
## [11179] "PSALM 118 CONFITEMINI DOMINO "
## [11180] ""
## [11181] ""
## [11182] ""
## [11183] "The Lord is good, you see and know; "
## [11184] "Acknowledg then and praise him soe: "
## [11185] "For soe his bounty it extendeth, "
## [11186] "Noe age can say, loe here it endeth. "
## [11187] ""
## [11188] "Thou chosen Israel allway, "
## [11189] "With me be prest the same to say: "
## [11190] "For soe his bounty it extendeth, "
## [11191] "Noe age can say, loe here it endeth. "
## [11192] ""
## [11193] "You that of sacred Aron came "
## [11194] "Be prest with me to say the same: "
## [11195] "For soe his bounty it extendeth, "
## [11196] "Noe age can say, loe here it endeth. "
## [11197] ""
## [11198] "And you his fearers all the rest "
## [11199] "The same to say with me be prest: "
## [11200] "For soe his bounty it extendeth, "
## [11201] "Noe age can say, loe here it endeth. "
## [11202] ""
## [11203] "I somtime straitned lay in thrall: "
## [11204] "So lying I on God did call, "
## [11205] "God answere gave me, when I called, "
## [11206] "And me unlarging, me unthralled. "
## [11207] ""
## [11208] "Jehova doth my party take; "
## [11209] "Should feare of man then cause me quake? "
## [11210] "Nay with my frends sith God is placed, "
## [11211] "How can my foes but be disgraced? "
## [11212] ""
## [11213] ""
## [11214] ""
## [11215] "274 PSALM ll8 "
## [11216] ""
## [11217] "25 More safe it is on God to stay, "
## [11218] "Than confidence on man to lay: "
## [11219] "More safe who God his refuge taketh, "
## [11220] "Than he who kings his succour maketh. "
## [11221] ""
## [11222] "Of enimies all sortes that be, "
## [11223] "30 On ev'ry part inviron'd me: "
## [11224] ""
## [11225] "But I their sinewes cut and quailed, "
## [11226] "Jehovas name soe much prevailed. "
## [11227] ""
## [11228] "They me inviron'd yet againe, "
## [11229] "Againe they did me straitly strayne: "
## [11230] "35 But I their sinewes cut and quailed, "
## [11231] "Jehovas name soe much prevailed. "
## [11232] ""
## [11233] "They me inviron'd yet anew, "
## [11234] "And swarming fast like bees they flew: "
## [11235] "As fire in thornes they quickly quailed, "
## [11236] "40 Soe to their wrack his name prevailed. "
## [11237] ""
## [11238] "Indeede thou sore at me did thruste, "
## [11239] "Yet by his succour stand I must. "
## [11240] "In him my strength, of him my ditty, "
## [11241] "He did my soule in thralldom pitty. "
## [11242] ""
## [11243] "45 You righteous troope with me rejoyce: "
## [11244] "Consort with myne your joyful! voice: "
## [11245] "Say prais'd his hand, yea double praised, "
## [11246] "Be his strong hand so highly raised. "
## [11247] ""
## [11248] "For be assur'd I shall not dy; "
## [11249] "50 But live Gods works to testify: "
## [11250] ""
## [11251] "Who though he sore did scurging paine me, "
## [11252] "He hath but scurg'd, he hath not slaine mee. "
## [11253] ""
## [11254] "Who opens to me Justice gate? "
## [11255] "I, entring, may Gods praise relate. "
## [11256] "55 This gate unto Jehova showeth "
## [11257] ""
## [11258] "By this to Him the righteous groweth. "
## [11259] ""
## [11260] ""
## [11261] ""
## [11262] "PSALM ll8 275 "
## [11263] ""
## [11264] "Here, here O Lord, I will thee praise, "
## [11265] "Who didst my life to saf ty raise : "
## [11266] "The stone the builders erst refused "
## [11267] "60 In corner now is laied and used. "
## [11268] ""
## [11269] "This workmanshipp in deed divine "
## [11270] "Doth in our eyes with wonder shine: "
## [11271] "God made this day, he did us send it, "
## [11272] "In joy and mirth then lett us spend it. "
## [11273] ""
## [11274] "65 O help us Lord, O help, we say, "
## [11275] "O prosper, prosper us we pray: "
## [11276] "Blest in thy name who comming rideth, "
## [11277] "Blest in thy house who dwelling bideth. "
## [11278] ""
## [11279] "Thy house, Lord mighty God, whence we "
## [11280] "70 Both have our light and sight to see: "
## [11281] "Tie fast the lambe on Alter lying, "
## [11282] "The cords to horned corners tying. "
## [11283] ""
## [11284] "God, my mighty God thou art, "
## [11285] "And I to thee will praise impart: "
## [11286] ""
## [11287] "75 O God thou art my God, and ever "
## [11288] ""
## [11289] "1 will extoll thee, ceasing never. "
## [11290] ""
## [11291] "The Lord is good you see and know: "
## [11292] "Acknowledg then and praise him soe, "
## [11293] "For soe his bounty it extendeth, "
## [11294] "80 Noe age can say, loe here it endeth. "
## [11295] ""
## [11296] ""
## [11297] ""
## [11298] "276 "
## [11299] ""
## [11300] ""
## [11301] ""
## [11302] "PSALM 119 BE ATI IMMACULATI "
## [11303] ""
## [11304] ""
## [11305] ""
## [11306] "An undefiled course who leadeth, "
## [11307] "And in Jehovas doctrine treadeth, "
## [11308] "How blessed hel "
## [11309] "How blest they be "
## [11310] "5 Who still his testimonies keeping, "
## [11311] ""
## [11312] "Doe seeke him still with hearty seeking! "
## [11313] ""
## [11314] "For whom in walke Gods way directeth, "
## [11315] "Sure them no sinnfull blott infecteth "
## [11316] "Of deede or word: "
## [11317] "10 For thou, O Lord, "
## [11318] ""
## [11319] "Hast to be done thy lawes commanded, "
## [11320] "Not only to be understanded. "
## [11321] ""
## [11322] "O were my stepps soe staid from swerving, "
## [11323] "That I me to thy hests observing "
## [11324] "15 Might wholy give: "
## [11325] ""
## [11326] "Then would I live "
## [11327] "With constant cheere all chaunces brooking, "
## [11328] "To all thy precepts ever looking. "
## [11329] ""
## [11330] "Then would I worshipp thee sincerely, "
## [11331] "20 When what thy Justice bidds severely "
## [11332] ""
## [11333] "Thou shouldst me teach: "
## [11334] ""
## [11335] "I would noe breach "
## [11336] "Make of thy law to me betaken: "
## [11337] "O leave me not in whole forsaken. "
## [11338] ""
## [11339] ""
## [11340] ""
## [11341] "PSALM 119 27 J "
## [11342] ""
## [11343] "B "
## [11344] ""
## [11345] "By what correcting line "
## [11346] ""
## [11347] "May a yong man make streight his crooked way "
## [11348] "By levell of thy lore divine? "
## [11349] "Sith then with soe good cause "
## [11350] "5 My hart thee seekes, O Lord, I seeking pray "
## [11351] "Let me not wander from thy lawes. "
## [11352] ""
## [11353] "Thy speeches have I hidd "
## [11354] "Close locked up in Caskett of my hart: "
## [11355] "Fearing to do what they forbid. "
## [11356] "10 But this cannot suffice: "
## [11357] ""
## [11358] "Thou wisest Lord, who ever blessed art, "
## [11359] "Yet make me in thy statutes wise. "
## [11360] ""
## [11361] "Then shall my lipps declare "
## [11362] "The sacred lawes that from thy mouth proceed: "
## [11363] "15 And teach all nations what they are; "
## [11364] ""
## [11365] "For what thou dost decree, "
## [11366] "To my conceit, farre more delight doth breed, "
## [11367] ""
## [11368] "Than worlds of wealth, if worlds might be. "
## [11369] ""
## [11370] "Thy precepts, therefore, I "
## [11371] "20 Will my continuall meditation make: "
## [11372] ""
## [11373] "And to thy pathes will have good eye; "
## [11374] "The orders of thee sett "
## [11375] "Shall cause me in them greatest pleasure take, "
## [11376] "Nor once will I thy wordes forgett. "
## [11377] ""
## [11378] ""
## [11379] ""
## [11380] "Conferre, O Lord "
## [11381] "This benefitt on me, "
## [11382] "That I may live, and keepe thy word. "
## [11383] "Open mine eyes, "
## [11384] "They may the riches see, "
## [11385] "Which in thy law enfolded lies. "
## [11386] ""
## [11387] "A Pilgrim right "
## [11388] "On earth I wandring live, "
## [11389] "O barre me not thy statutes light. "
## [11390] ""
## [11391] ""
## [11392] ""
## [11393] "278 PSALM 119 "
## [11394] ""
## [11395] "10 I waste and spill, "
## [11396] ""
## [11397] "While still I longing grieve, "
## [11398] "Grieve, longing for thy judgments still. "
## [11399] ""
## [11400] "Thou proud and high "
## [11401] "Dost low and lowly make: "
## [11402] "15 Curst from thy rule who bend awry. "
## [11403] ""
## [11404] "What shame they lay "
## [11405] "On me, then from me take: "
## [11406] "For I have kept thy will allway. "
## [11407] ""
## [11408] "Let princes talk, "
## [11409] "20 And talk their worst of me: "
## [11410] ""
## [11411] "In thy decrees my thoughts shall walk. "
## [11412] "All my delight "
## [11413] "Thy witnest will shalbe: "
## [11414] "My councell to advise me right. "
## [11415] ""
## [11416] "D "
## [11417] ""
## [11418] "Dead as if I were, "
## [11419] "My soule to dust doth cleave: "
## [11420] "Lord keepe thy word, and doe not leave "
## [11421] ""
## [11422] "Me here: "
## [11423] "5 But quicken me anew. "
## [11424] ""
## [11425] "When I did confesse "
## [11426] "My sinnfull waies to thee, "
## [11427] "As then thy eare thou didst to me "
## [11428] ""
## [11429] "Addresse: "
## [11430] "10 Soe teach me now, thy statutes true. "
## [11431] ""
## [11432] "Make that I may know "
## [11433] "And throughly understand "
## [11434] "What waie to walk thou dost command, "
## [11435] "Then show "
## [11436] "15 Will I thy wonders all. "
## [11437] ""
## [11438] "Very woe and greif "
## [11439] "My soule doe melt and fry; "
## [11440] "Revive me Lord, and send me thy "
## [11441] "Relief; "
## [11442] "20 And lett on me thy comfort fall. "
## [11443] ""
## [11444] ""
## [11445] ""
## [11446] "PSALM lig 279 "
## [11447] ""
## [11448] "From the lyers trace, "
## [11449] "From falshoods wreathed way, "
## [11450] "O save me Lord, and graunt I may "
## [11451] "Embrace "
## [11452] "25 The law thou dost commend. "
## [11453] ""
## [11454] "For the path ay right, "
## [11455] "Where truth unfained goes, "
## [11456] "My tongue to tread hath gladly chose: "
## [11457] "My sight "
## [11458] "30 Thy judgmentes doth, as guides, attend. "
## [11459] ""
## [11460] "Since therefore, O Lord, "
## [11461] "Still did I, still I doe "
## [11462] "So neerly, deerly cleave unto "
## [11463] ""
## [11464] "Thy word: "
## [11465] "35 All shame from me avert. "
## [11466] ""
## [11467] "Then loe, loe then I "
## [11468] "Will tread, yea running tread "
## [11469] "The trace which thy commandements lead: "
## [11470] ""
## [11471] "When thy "
## [11472] "40 Free grace hath fully freed my hart. "
## [11473] ""
## [11474] ""
## [11475] ""
## [11476] "E "
## [11477] ""
## [11478] ""
## [11479] ""
## [11480] "Explaine, O Lord, the way to me, "
## [11481] "That thy divine edicts enfold: "
## [11482] "And I to end will runne it right. "
## [11483] "O make my blinded eyes to see, "
## [11484] "And I thy law will hold: yea hold "
## [11485] "Thy law with all my hartes delight. "
## [11486] ""
## [11487] "O be my guide, O guide me soe, "
## [11488] ""
## [11489] "I thy commandments path may pace: "
## [11490] ""
## [11491] "Wherein to walk my hart is faine. "
## [11492] ""
## [11493] "O bend it then to things that show "
## [11494] ""
## [11495] "True wittness of thy might and grace, "
## [11496] ""
## [11497] "And not to hungry thirst of gaine. "
## [11498] ""
## [11499] "Avert mine eye, it may not view "
## [11500] "Of vanity the falsed face: "
## [11501] ""
## [11502] "And strength my treadings in thy trade, "
## [11503] ""
## [11504] ""
## [11505] ""
## [11506] "280 PSALM lig "
## [11507] ""
## [11508] "Lett doings prove thy sayings true "
## [11509] "To him that holds thy servants place, "
## [11510] "And thee his awe, his feare hath made. "
## [11511] ""
## [11512] "Thou then my feare, remove the feare "
## [11513] "20 Of comming blame from carefull me, "
## [11514] ""
## [11515] "For gratious are thy judgmentes still: "
## [11516] "Behold, to me thy precepts deare, "
## [11517] "Most deare, and most delightful be: "
## [11518] "O lett thy justice aid my will. "
## [11519] ""
## [11520] ""
## [11521] ""
## [11522] "Franckly poure O Lord on me "
## [11523] "Saving grace to sett me free: "
## [11524] "That, supported, I may see "
## [11525] "Promise truly kept by thee. "
## [11526] ""
## [11527] "5 That to them who me defame, "
## [11528] ""
## [11529] "Roundly I may answere frame: "
## [11530] "Who because thy word and name "
## [11531] "Are my trust, thus seeke my shame. "
## [11532] ""
## [11533] "Thy true word O do not make "
## [11534] "10 Utterly my mouth forsake: "
## [11535] ""
## [11536] "Since I thus still waiting wake, "
## [11537] "When thou wilt just vengaunce take. "
## [11538] ""
## [11539] "Then loe I thy doctrine pure, "
## [11540] "Sure I hold, will hold more sure: "
## [11541] "15 Nought from it shall me alure, "
## [11542] ""
## [11543] "All the time my time shall dure. "
## [11544] ""
## [11545] "Then as brought to widest way "
## [11546] "From restraint of straitest stay, "
## [11547] "All their thincking night and day: "
## [11548] "20 On thy law my thoughtes shall lay. "
## [11549] ""
## [11550] "Yea then unto any king "
## [11551] "Wittnesse will I any thing, "
## [11552] "That from thee can wittnesse bring: "
## [11553] "In my face no blush shall spring. "
## [11554] ""
## [11555] ""
## [11556] ""
## [11557] "PSALM 119 28l "
## [11558] ""
## [11559] "25 Then will I sett forth to sight "
## [11560] ""
## [11561] "With what pleasure, what delight, "
## [11562] "I embrace thy preceptes right, "
## [11563] "Whereunto all love I plight. "
## [11564] ""
## [11565] "Then will I, with either hand "
## [11566] "30 Clasp the rules of thy command: "
## [11567] ""
## [11568] "There my study still shall stand, "
## [11569] "Striving them to understand. "
## [11570] ""
## [11571] ""
## [11572] ""
## [11573] "Grave deeply in remembring mind "
## [11574] ""
## [11575] "My trust, thy promise true: "
## [11576] "This only joy in griefe I find, "
## [11577] ""
## [11578] "Thy words my life renue. "
## [11579] "5 Though proudly scorn'd, yet from thy lore "
## [11580] ""
## [11581] "I no way have declin'd: "
## [11582] "I hold for comfort what of yore "
## [11583] ""
## [11584] "Thy dooms, O Lord, defin'd. "
## [11585] ""
## [11586] "I quake to view how people vile, "
## [11587] "10 Doe from thy doctrine swerve: "
## [11588] ""
## [11589] "Thy just edicts ev'n in exile "
## [11590] "Did me for musick serve. "
## [11591] "I keepe thie learning and in night "
## [11592] "Record Jehovas stile: "
## [11593] "15 Observing still thy precepts right, "
## [11594] ""
## [11595] "Loe this I have the while. "
## [11596] ""
## [11597] ""
## [11598] ""
## [11599] "H "
## [11600] ""
## [11601] ""
## [11602] ""
## [11603] "High Jehova once I say, "
## [11604] ""
## [11605] "For my choice and lott I take, "
## [11606] "I will sure his wordes obay. "
## [11607] ""
## [11608] "Hott and harty sute I make, "
## [11609] "Praying thus evn to thy face: "
## [11610] ""
## [11611] "Pitty me for thy words sake. "
## [11612] "Ev'ry path, and every pace "
## [11613] ""
## [11614] ""
## [11615] ""
## [11616] "282 PSALM lig "
## [11617] ""
## [11618] "Taught by thee, observing well, "
## [11619] "To thy rule I frame my race. "
## [11620] "10 Least upon delaies I dwell "
## [11621] ""
## [11622] "But to keepe, contend with speed "
## [11623] ""
## [11624] "What to me thy precepts tell. "
## [11625] "By lewd robbers brought to need, "
## [11626] "From my losses, of thy lawes "
## [11627] "15 Never did neglect proceed. "
## [11628] ""
## [11629] "Midnights watch thy praises cause, "
## [11630] "While that me from bed and rest "
## [11631] ""
## [11632] "Thought of thy just judgments drawes. "
## [11633] "Felowship and frendshipps hest, "
## [11634] "20 With thy fearers all I hold, "
## [11635] ""
## [11636] "Such as hold thy biddings best. "
## [11637] ""
## [11638] "Lord the earth can scarce enfold, "
## [11639] "What thou dost benignly give: "
## [11640] "Let me then by thee be told "
## [11641] "25 In thy learning how to live. "
## [11642] ""
## [11643] ""
## [11644] ""
## [11645] "In all kindness, thou, O Lord, "
## [11646] "Hast to me perform'd thy word: "
## [11647] "This now resteth that I learne "
## [11648] "From thy skill a skillfull tast, "
## [11649] "5 Good from evill to discerne, "
## [11650] ""
## [11651] "On thy lawes whose trust is plac't. "
## [11652] ""
## [11653] "Yet unhumbled I did stray: "
## [11654] "Now I will thy words obay. "
## [11655] "Thou that art soe highly good "
## [11656] "10 Nothing can thy goodness reach, "
## [11657] ""
## [11658] "Thou where floweth bounties flood "
## [11659] "Willing me thy statutes teach. "
## [11660] ""
## [11661] "What if proud men on me lie? "
## [11662] "I will on thy lawes rely. "
## [11663] "15 Wallow they in their delights, "
## [11664] ""
## [11665] "Fatt in body, fatt in mind: "
## [11666] ""
## [11667] "I the pleasures of my sprightes "
## [11668] "Will unto thy doctrine bind. "
## [11669] ""
## [11670] ""
## [11671] ""
## [11672] "PSALM lig 283 "
## [11673] ""
## [11674] "Now I find the good of woe, "
## [11675] "20 How thy hests it makes me know: "
## [11676] ""
## [11677] "Of whose mouth the lectures true, "
## [11678] "Are alone all wealth to me: "
## [11679] ""
## [11680] "Millions then, and Mines adue, "
## [11681] "Gold and silver drosse you be. "
## [11682] ""
## [11683] "K "
## [11684] ""
## [11685] "Knitt and conformed by thy hand "
## [11686] ""
## [11687] "Hath been ev'ry part of me: "
## [11688] "Then make me well to understand, "
## [11689] "Conceiving all thou dost command: "
## [11690] "5 That when me thy fearers see, "
## [11691] ""
## [11692] "They for me may justly joy: "
## [11693] ""
## [11694] "Seeing what I look't from thee "
## [11695] ""
## [11696] "In thy word I now enjoy. "
## [11697] ""
## [11698] "O Lord, thy judgmentes just I know; "
## [11699] "10 When thy scurges scurged me, "
## [11700] ""
## [11701] "Thou, in that doing, nought didst show "
## [11702] "That might thy promise overthrow. "
## [11703] "Let me then thy comfort see "
## [11704] "Kindly sent as thou hast said: "
## [11705] "15 Bring thy mercies life from thee: "
## [11706] ""
## [11707] "On thy lawes my joyes are laid. "
## [11708] ""
## [11709] "Let blame and shame the proud betide "
## [11710] ""
## [11711] "Falsly who subverted me: "
## [11712] "Whose meditations shall not slide, "
## [11713] "20 But fast in thy commandments bide. "
## [11714] ""
## [11715] "So shall I thy fearers see "
## [11716] ""
## [11717] "On my part who know thy will: "
## [11718] ""
## [11719] "While I purely worshipp thee, "
## [11720] ""
## [11721] "Blott nor blush my face shall fill. "
## [11722] ""
## [11723] ""
## [11724] ""
## [11725] "Looking and longing for deliverance "
## [11726] ""
## [11727] "Upon thy promise, mightlesse is my mind, "
## [11728] ""
## [11729] ""
## [11730] ""
## [11731] "284 PSALM lig "
## [11732] ""
## [11733] "Sightlesse myne eyes, which often I advaunce "
## [11734] "Unto thy word, "
## [11735] "5 Thus praying: when, O Lord, "
## [11736] ""
## [11737] "When will it be I shall thy comfort find? "
## [11738] ""
## [11739] "I like a smoked bottle am become: "
## [11740] ""
## [11741] "And yet the wine of thy commandments hold. "
## [11742] "Ay me! when shall I see the totall summe "
## [11743] "10 Of all my woes? "
## [11744] ""
## [11745] "When wilt thou on my foes "
## [11746] "Make wronged me thy just reveng behold? "
## [11747] ""
## [11748] "Their pride hath digged pitts me to ensnare, "
## [11749] "Which with thy teachings, how doth it agree? "
## [11750] "15 True or more truly, Truth thy precepts are: "
## [11751] "By falshood they "
## [11752] "Would make of me their pray: "
## [11753] "Let truth, O Lord, from falshood rescue me. "
## [11754] ""
## [11755] "Nigh quite consunid by them on earth I ly: "
## [11756] "20 Yet from thy statutes never did I swerve. "
## [11757] ""
## [11758] "Lord, of thy goodness quicken me, and I "
## [11759] "Will still pursue "
## [11760] "Thy testimonies true, "
## [11761] "And all the biddings of thy lipps observe. "
## [11762] ""
## [11763] ""
## [11764] ""
## [11765] "M "
## [11766] ""
## [11767] "Most plainly, Lord, the frame of sky "
## [11768] ""
## [11769] "Doth show thy word decayeth never; "
## [11770] "And constant stay of earth descry "
## [11771] ""
## [11772] "Thy word, that staid it, staieth ever. "
## [11773] "5 For by thy lawes they hold their standings, "
## [11774] ""
## [11775] "Yea all things do thy service try: "
## [11776] "But that I joy'd in thy commandings, "
## [11777] ""
## [11778] "I had my self bene sure to dye. "
## [11779] ""
## [11780] "Thy word that hath revived me "
## [11781] "10 I will retaine, forgetting never: "
## [11782] ""
## [11783] "Lett me, thine owne, be sav'd by thee "
## [11784] "Whose statutes are my studies ever. "
## [11785] ""
## [11786] ""
## [11787] ""
## [11788] "PSALM lig 285 "
## [11789] ""
## [11790] "I mark thy will the while their standings "
## [11791] "The wicked take, my bane to be: "
## [11792] "15 For I no close of thy commandings, "
## [11793] ""
## [11794] "Of best things else, an end, I see. "
## [11795] ""
## [11796] "N "
## [11797] ""
## [11798] "Nought can enough declare "
## [11799] "How I thy learning love: "
## [11800] "Whereon all day my meditation lies; "
## [11801] "By whose edicts I prove "
## [11802] "5 Farre than my foes more wise, "
## [11803] ""
## [11804] "For they a wisdome never-failing are. "
## [11805] ""
## [11806] "My teachers all of old "
## [11807] ""
## [11808] "May now come learne of me, "
## [11809] "Whose studies tend but to thy wittnest will: "
## [11810] "10 Nay who most aged be, "
## [11811] ""
## [11812] "Thought therefore most of skill, "
## [11813] "In skill I passe, for I thy precepts hold. "
## [11814] ""
## [11815] "I did refraine my feete "
## [11816] ""
## [11817] "From ev'ry wicked way, "
## [11818] "15 That they might firmly in thy statutes stand. "
## [11819] ""
## [11820] "Nor ever did I stray "
## [11821] "From what thy lawes command, "
## [11822] "For I of thee have learned what is meete. "
## [11823] ""
## [11824] "How pleasing to my tast! "
## [11825] "20 How sweete thy speeches be! "
## [11826] ""
## [11827] "Noe touch of hony so affects my tongue. "
## [11828] ""
## [11829] "From whose edicts in me "
## [11830] "Hath such true wisdome sprong, "
## [11831] "That all false waies quite out of love I cast. "
## [11832] ""
## [11833] "O "
## [11834] ""
## [11835] "O what a lanterne, what a lampe of light "
## [11836] ""
## [11837] "Is thy pure word to me! "
## [11838] "To cleere my pathes, and guide my goings right. "
## [11839] "I sware and sweare againe, "
## [11840] "5 I of the statutes will observer be, "
## [11841] ""
## [11842] "Thou justly dost ordaine. "
## [11843] ""
## [11844] ""
## [11845] ""
## [11846] "PSALM ng "
## [11847] ""
## [11848] ""
## [11849] ""
## [11850] "The heavy weightes of greif oppresse me sore: "
## [11851] ""
## [11852] "Lord, raise me by thy word, "
## [11853] "As thou to me didst promise heretofore. "
## [11854] "10 And this unforced praise, "
## [11855] ""
## [11856] "I for an offring bring, accept O Lord, "
## [11857] ""
## [11858] "And show to me thy waies. "
## [11859] ""
## [11860] "What if my life ly naked in my hand, "
## [11861] "To ev'ry chaunce expos'd! "
## [11862] "15 Should I forgett what thou dost me command? "
## [11863] "No, no, I will not stray "
## [11864] "From thy edicts though round about enclos'd "
## [11865] "With snares the wicked lay. "
## [11866] ""
## [11867] "Thy testimonies, as mine heritage, "
## [11868] "20 I have retained still: "
## [11869] ""
## [11870] "And unto them my hartes delight engage; "
## [11871] ""
## [11872] "My hart which still doth bend, "
## [11873] "And only bend, to do what thou dost will, "
## [11874] ""
## [11875] "And doe it, to the end. "
## [11876] ""
## [11877] ""
## [11878] ""
## [11879] "People that inconstant be, "
## [11880] "Constant hatred have from me: "
## [11881] "But thy doctrine changelesse ever "
## [11882] "Holds my love that changeth never. "
## [11883] ""
## [11884] "S For thou, the closett where I hide "
## [11885] ""
## [11886] "The shield whereby I safe abide: "
## [11887] "My confidence expects thy promise just. "
## [11888] "Hence, away you cursed crue, "
## [11889] "Gett you gone, that rid from you "
## [11890] ""
## [11891] "10 I at better ease and leisure, "
## [11892] ""
## [11893] "Maie performe my Gods good pleasure: "
## [11894] "O Lord, as thou thy word didst give, "
## [11895] "Sustaine me soe that I may live, "
## [11896] "Nor make me blush, as frustrate of my trust. "
## [11897] ""
## [11898] "15 Be my Piller, be my stay, "
## [11899] ""
## [11900] "Safe then I shall swerve no way: "
## [11901] "All my witt and understanding "
## [11902] "Shall then work on thy commanding, "
## [11903] ""
## [11904] ""
## [11905] ""
## [11906] "PSALM lig 287 "
## [11907] ""
## [11908] "For under foote thou treadst them all, "
## [11909] "20 Who swerving from thy preceptes fall: "
## [11910] ""
## [11911] "And vainly in their guile and treason trust. "
## [11912] "Yea the wicked sort by thee "
## [11913] "All as drosse abjected be: "
## [11914] "Therefore what thy proof approveth, "
## [11915] "25 That my love entirely loveth. "
## [11916] ""
## [11917] "And such regard of thee I make, "
## [11918] "For feare of thee my flesh doth quake: "
## [11919] "And of thy lawes, thy lawes severely just. "
## [11920] ""
## [11921] ""
## [11922] ""
## [11923] "Quitt and cleere from doing wrong, "
## [11924] ""
## [11925] "lett me not betraied be "
## [11926] "Unto them, who ever strong "
## [11927] ""
## [11928] "Doe wrongly seeke to mine me. "
## [11929] "5 Nay, my Lord, "
## [11930] ""
## [11931] "Baile thy servant on thy word: "
## [11932] "And lett not these that soare too high "
## [11933] "By my low stoope yet higher fly. "
## [11934] ""
## [11935] "Eye doth faile while I not faile "
## [11936] "10 With eye thy safety to pursue: "
## [11937] ""
## [11938] "Looking when will once prevaile, "
## [11939] "And take effect, thy promise true. "
## [11940] "All I crave, "
## [11941] ""
## [11942] "I at mercies hand would have: "
## [11943] "15 And from thy wisdome, which I pray "
## [11944] ""
## [11945] "May cause me know thy law and way. "
## [11946] ""
## [11947] "Since thy servant still I stay, "
## [11948] ""
## [11949] "My understanding, Lord, enlight: "
## [11950] "So enlight it that I may "
## [11951] "20 Thy ordinaunces know aright. "
## [11952] ""
## [11953] "Now, O now "
## [11954] ""
## [11955] "Time requires, O Lord, that thou "
## [11956] "Thy lawes defence shouldst undertake: "
## [11957] "For now thy law they sorely shake. "
## [11958] ""
## [11959] "25 Hope whereof makes that more deere "
## [11960] ""
## [11961] "1 thy edicts and statutes hold, "
## [11962] ""
## [11963] ""
## [11964] ""
## [11965] "288 PSALM lig "
## [11966] ""
## [11967] "Than if gold to me they were, "
## [11968] ""
## [11969] "Yea than they were the purest gold; "
## [11970] ""
## [11971] "Makes that right "
## [11972] ""
## [11973] "Are thy precepts in my sight: "
## [11974] "Makes that I hate each lying way, "
## [11975] "That from their truth, may cause me stray. "
## [11976] ""
## [11977] "R "
## [11978] ""
## [11979] "Right wonderfull thy testimonies be; "
## [11980] ""
## [11981] "My hart to keepe them I, therefore, bend. "
## [11982] "Their very threshold gives men light, "
## [11983] "And gives men sight, "
## [11984] "5 That light to see: "
## [11985] ""
## [11986] "Yea ev'n to babes doth understanding lend. "
## [11987] ""
## [11988] "Opening my mouth: I dranck a greedy draught, "
## [11989] "And did on them my whole pleasure place. "
## [11990] "Looke then, O Lord, and pitty me "
## [11991] "10 As erst I see "
## [11992] ""
## [11993] "Ordain'd and taught "
## [11994] ""
## [11995] "By thee, for them whose hartes thy name embrace. "
## [11996] ""
## [11997] "Of all my goings make thy word the guide, "
## [11998] "Nor lett injustice upon me raigne: "
## [11999] "15 From them that false accusers be "
## [12000] ""
## [12001] "Lord, sett me free: "
## [12002] "Soe never slide "
## [12003] ""
## [12004] "Shall I from what thy statutes do ordayne. "
## [12005] ""
## [12006] "Shine on thy servant with thy faces beames, "
## [12007] "20 And thoroughly me thy commandments teach; "
## [12008] "From fountaines of whose watry eyes "
## [12009] "Doe welling rise "
## [12010] "Of teares huge streames, "
## [12011] ""
## [12012] "Viewing each where thy doctrines daily breach. "
## [12013] ""
## [12014] ""
## [12015] ""
## [12016] "Sure, Lord, thy self art just, "
## [12017] ""
## [12018] "Thy lawes as rightful be: "
## [12019] ""
## [12020] "What rightly bid thou dost, "
## [12021] ""
## [12022] ""
## [12023] ""
## [12024] "PSALM 119 289 "
## [12025] ""
## [12026] "Is firmly bound by thee. "
## [12027] "5 I flame with zeale to see "
## [12028] ""
## [12029] "My foes thy word forgett: "
## [12030] ""
## [12031] "Pure wordes, whereon by me "
## [12032] "A servantes love is sett. "
## [12033] ""
## [12034] "Though bare, and though debast "
## [12035] "10 I yet thy rules retainer "
## [12036] ""
## [12037] "Whose doomes do endlesse last, "
## [12038] "And doctrine true remayne. "
## [12039] "In presure, and in paine "
## [12040] "My joyes thy preceptes give: "
## [12041] "15 No date thy judgmentes daine; "
## [12042] ""
## [12043] "O make me wise to lyve. "
## [12044] ""
## [12045] ""
## [12046] ""
## [12047] "To thee my harty plaint I send, "
## [12048] ""
## [12049] "Lord turne thine eare "
## [12050] ""
## [12051] "My plainte to heare, "
## [12052] "For to thy law my life I bend "
## [12053] "5 Since I have envoked thee; "
## [12054] ""
## [12055] "Lett me, Lord, thy succour see: "
## [12056] "And what thy ordinaunces will "
## [12057] "I will persist observing still. "
## [12058] ""
## [12059] "My cry more early than the day "
## [12060] "10 Doth daily rise: "
## [12061] ""
## [12062] "Because mine eyes "
## [12063] "Upon thy promise waiting stay; "
## [12064] "Eyes, I say, which still prevent "
## [12065] "Watches best to watching bent: "
## [12066] "15 Esteeming it but pleasing paines "
## [12067] ""
## [12068] "To muse on that thy word containes. "
## [12069] ""
## [12070] "O in thy mercy heare my voice, "
## [12071] "And as thy lawes "
## [12072] "Afforde the cause "
## [12073] "20 So make me, Lord, revyv'd rejoyce. "
## [12074] ""
## [12075] "Lord, thou seest the gracelesse crue "
## [12076] "Presse me neere, who me pursue. "
## [12077] ""
## [12078] ""
## [12079] ""
## [12080] "290 PSALM 119 "
## [12081] ""
## [12082] "As for the doctrine of thy law "
## [12083] ""
## [12084] "They farre from it them selves withdraw. "
## [12085] ""
## [12086] "25 That Lord, thou seest, and this I see: "
## [12087] ""
## [12088] "Thou ev'ry where "
## [12089] "To me art neere, "
## [12090] "For true, nay, truth thy precepts be. "
## [12091] "Now, though not now first, I know, "
## [12092] "30 For I knew it long ago: "
## [12093] ""
## [12094] "That firmly founded once by thee "
## [12095] "Thy ordinance no end can see. "
## [12096] ""
## [12097] ""
## [12098] ""
## [12099] "View how I am distressed, "
## [12100] ""
## [12101] "And lett me be released: "
## [12102] "For Iooke what me thy word hath bidden "
## [12103] "Out of my mind hath never slidden. "
## [12104] ""
## [12105] "5 Then be my causes deemer: "
## [12106] ""
## [12107] "Be thou my soules redeemer: "
## [12108] "And as good hope thy word doth give me, "
## [12109] "Lett with good help thy worke relieve me. "
## [12110] ""
## [12111] "Where wickednesse is loved, "
## [12112] "10 There health is farre removed. "
## [12113] ""
## [12114] "For since thy sole edicts containe it, "
## [12115] ""
## [12116] "Who serch not them, how can they gaine it? "
## [12117] ""
## [12118] "Thy mercies are so many, "
## [12119] "Their number is not any: "
## [12120] "15 Then as thou usest, Lord, to use me, "
## [12121] "Revive me now, and not refuse me. "
## [12122] ""
## [12123] "Exceeding is their number "
## [12124] "That me pursue and cumber: "
## [12125] "Yet what thy wittnesse hath defined, "
## [12126] "20 From that my stepps have not declined. "
## [12127] ""
## [12128] "I saw, and grieved seeing "
## [12129] "Their waies, who wayward beeing, "
## [12130] "With guileful! stubborness withstanded "
## [12131] "What by thy speeches was commanded. "
## [12132] ""
## [12133] ""
## [12134] ""
## [12135] "PSALM lig 291 "
## [12136] ""
## [12137] "25 Since therefore plaine is proved "
## [12138] ""
## [12139] "That I thy lawes have loved: "
## [12140] "Looke Lorde, and here thy bounty showing "
## [12141] "Restore my life now feeble growing. "
## [12142] ""
## [12143] "This in thy doctrine raigneth "
## [12144] "30 It nought but truth containeth: "
## [12145] ""
## [12146] "This in thy Justice brightly shineth, "
## [12147] "Thy just edictes no date defmeth. "
## [12148] ""
## [12149] "W "
## [12150] ""
## [12151] "Wrong'd I was by men of might, "
## [12152] "Hottly chas'd and hard assailed: "
## [12153] ""
## [12154] "Little they my hart to fright, "
## [12155] "But, O much, thy words prevailed: "
## [12156] "5 Words to me of more delight, "
## [12157] ""
## [12158] "Than rich booty wonne by fight. "
## [12159] ""
## [12160] "Fraud doe I with hate detest, "
## [12161] "But with love embrace thy learnings, "
## [12162] "Seav'n times daily ere I rest, "
## [12163] "10 Sing thy doomes and right discernings. "
## [12164] ""
## [12165] "Whom who love, with peace are blest, "
## [12166] "Plenteous peace without unrest. "
## [12167] ""
## [12168] "Doing what thy precepts will "
## [12169] "I thy help have long expected: "
## [12170] "15 My soule by thy doctrine still, "
## [12171] ""
## [12172] "Loved most, is most directed. "
## [12173] ""
## [12174] "Thy edicts my deedes fullfill "
## [12175] "Who survaist my good and ill. "
## [12176] ""
## [12177] ""
## [12178] ""
## [12179] "Yeeld me this favour, Lord, "
## [12180] "My plaint may presse into thy sight, "
## [12181] "And make me understand aright "
## [12182] ""
## [12183] "According to thy word. "
## [12184] ""
## [12185] ""
## [12186] ""
## [12187] "PSALM lig "
## [12188] ""
## [12189] ""
## [12190] ""
## [12191] "5 Admitt to sight I say "
## [12192] ""
## [12193] "The praier that to thee I send, "
## [12194] "And unto me thy help extend, "
## [12195] "Who on thy promise stay. "
## [12196] ""
## [12197] "Then from my lipps shall flow "
## [12198] "10 A holy hymn of praise to thee: "
## [12199] ""
## [12200] "When I, thy scholer, taught shalbe "
## [12201] "By thee thy lawes to know. "
## [12202] ""
## [12203] "Then shall my tongue declare "
## [12204] "And teach againe what thou hast taught: "
## [12205] "15 All whose decrees to triall brought "
## [12206] ""
## [12207] "Most just, nay justice are. "
## [12208] ""
## [12209] "then reach out thy hand, "
## [12210] "And yeeld me aid I justly crave, "
## [12211] "Since all things I forsaken have, "
## [12212] ""
## [12213] "20 And chosen thy command. "
## [12214] ""
## [12215] "1 looke, I long, O Lord, "
## [12216] ""
## [12217] "To see at length thy saving grace: "
## [12218] "And only doe my gladdness place, "
## [12219] "In thy glad-making word. "
## [12220] ""
## [12221] "25 I know my soule shall live, "
## [12222] ""
## [12223] "And, living, thee due honor yeeld: "
## [12224] ""
## [12225] "I know thy law shall be my shield, "
## [12226] ""
## [12227] "And me all succour give. "
## [12228] ""
## [12229] "As sheep from shepherd gone "
## [12230] "30 So wander I: O seeke thy sheep, "
## [12231] ""
## [12232] "Who soe in mind thy precepts keep, "
## [12233] "That I forgett not one. "
## [12234] ""
## [12235] "line (G) 1 Grave: impressed deeply. "
## [12236] "line (I) 23 adue: Farewell. "
## [12237] "line (T) 13 prevent: anticipate. "
## [12238] ""
## [12239] ""
## [12240] ""
## [12241] "293 "
## [12242] ""
## [12243] ""
## [12244] ""
## [12245] "PSALM 120 AD DOMINUM "
## [12246] ""
## [12247] ""
## [12248] ""
## [12249] "As to th'Etemall often in anguishes "
## [12250] "Erst have I called, never unanswered, "
## [12251] "Againe I call, againe I calling "
## [12252] "Doubt not againe to receave an answer. "
## [12253] ""
## [12254] "5 Lord ridd my soule from treasonous eloquence "
## [12255] ""
## [12256] "Of filthy forgers craftily fraudulent: "
## [12257] "And from the tongue where lodg'd resideth "
## [12258] "Poison'd abuse, mine of beleevers. "
## [12259] ""
## [12260] "Thou that reposest vainly thy confidence "
## [12261] "10 In wily wronging; say by thy forgery "
## [12262] ""
## [12263] "What good to thee? what gaine redoundeth? "
## [12264] "What benefitt from a tongue deceitfull? "
## [12265] ""
## [12266] "Though like an arrow strongly delivered "
## [12267] "It deeply pierce, though like to a Juniper "
## [12268] "15 It coales doe cast, which quickly fired, "
## [12269] ""
## [12270] "Flame very hott, very hardly quenching? "
## [12271] ""
## [12272] "Ah God! too long heere wander I banished, "
## [12273] "Too long abiding barbarous injury: "
## [12274] "With Kedar and with Mesech harbour'd, "
## [12275] "20 How? in a tent, in a howslesse harbour. "
## [12276] ""
## [12277] "Too long, alas, too long have I dwelled here "
## [12278] "With frendly peaces furious enemies: "
## [12279] "Who when to peace I seeke to call them, "
## [12280] "Faster I find to the warre they arme them. "
## [12281] ""
## [12282] ""
## [12283] ""
## [12284] "294 "
## [12285] ""
## [12286] ""
## [12287] ""
## [12288] "PSALM 121 LEV AVI OCULOS "
## [12289] ""
## [12290] ""
## [12291] ""
## [12292] "What? and doe I behold the lovely mountaines, "
## [12293] "Whence comes all my reliefe, my aid, my comfort? "
## [12294] "O there, O there abides the worlds Creator, "
## [12295] "Whence comes all my reliefe, my aid, my comfort. "
## [12296] ""
## [12297] "5 March, march lustily on, redoubt no falling: "
## [12298] ""
## [12299] "God shall guide thy goings: the Lord thy keeper "
## [12300] "Sleepes not, sleepes not a whit, no sleepe no slumber "
## [12301] "Once shall enter in Israelis true keeper. "
## [12302] ""
## [12303] "But whome named I Israelis true keeper? "
## [12304] "10 Whome? but only Jehova: whose true keeping "
## [12305] "Thy saving shadow is : not ever absent "
## [12306] "When present perill his reliefe requireth. "
## [12307] ""
## [12308] "March then boldly, by day no sunne shall hurt thee "
## [12309] "With beames too violently right reflected. "
## [12310] "15 Feare no jorny by night: the Moony vapors "
## [12311] "Shall not cast any mist to breed thy grevaunce. "
## [12312] ""
## [12313] "Nay from ev'ry mishapp, from ev'ry mischief "
## [12314] "Safe thou shalt by Jehovas hand be garded: "
## [12315] "Safe in all thy goings, in all thy commings, "
## [12316] "20 Now thou shalt by his hand, yea still be guarded. "
## [12317] ""
## [12318] ""
## [12319] ""
## [12320] "295 "
## [12321] ""
## [12322] ""
## [12323] ""
## [12324] "PSALM 122 LAETATUS SUM "
## [12325] ""
## [12326] ""
## [12327] ""
## [12328] "O fame most joyfull! O joy most lovly delightfull! "
## [12329] "Loe, I do heare Godds temple, as erst, soe againe be "
## [12330] ""
## [12331] "[frequented, "
## [12332] "And we within thy porches againe glad-wonted abiding, "
## [12333] "Lovly Salem shall find: thou Citty rebuilt as a Citty, "
## [12334] "Late disperst, but now united in absolute order. "
## [12335] "Now there shalbe the place for Gods holy people "
## [12336] ""
## [12337] "[appointed "
## [12338] "First to behold his pledg, then sing allmighty Jehova. "
## [12339] "Now there shalbe the seate, where not to be justiced only "
## [12340] "All shall freely resort whom strife, hate, injury vexeth: "
## [12341] "But where Davids house and ofspring, heav'nly beloved, "
## [12342] "Shall both Judges sitt and raigne Kings throned in honor. "
## [12343] "Pray then peace to Salem: to her frends all happy "
## [12344] ""
## [12345] "[proceeding, "
## [12346] "Wish to her walls all rest, to her fortes all blessed "
## [12347] ""
## [12348] "[aboundance. "
## [12349] "This with cause I doe pray, since from these blisses a "
## [12350] ""
## [12351] "[blessing "
## [12352] "My brother and kinsman, my friend and contry deriveth; "
## [12353] "This I doe wish and more, if more good rest to be "
## [12354] ""
## [12355] "[wished, "
## [12356] "Since our God here builds him an howse, allmighty "
## [12357] ""
## [12358] "[Jehova. "
## [12359] ""
## [12360] ""
## [12361] ""
## [12362] "296 "
## [12363] ""
## [12364] ""
## [12365] ""
## [12366] "PSALM 123 AD TE LEVAVI OCULOS MEOS "
## [12367] ""
## [12368] ""
## [12369] ""
## [12370] "Unto thee, oppressed, thou greate commander of heaven "
## [12371] "Heav'nly good attending, lift I my earthy seeing "
## [12372] "Right as a waiters eye on a graceful master is holden; "
## [12373] "As the look of waitresse fix'd on a lady lieth: "
## [12374] ""
## [12375] "5 Soe with erected face, untill by thy mercy relieved, "
## [12376] "O Lord, expecting, begg we thy frendly favour. "
## [12377] "Scorn of proud scorners, reproach of mighty reprochers, "
## [12378] "Our sprights cleane ruined, fills with an inly dolor. "
## [12379] "Then frend us, favour us, Lord then with mercy relieve "
## [12380] ""
## [12381] "[us, "
## [12382] ""
## [12383] "10 Whose scornfull miseries greatly thy mercy needeth. "
## [12384] ""
## [12385] ""
## [12386] ""
## [12387] "^97 "
## [12388] ""
## [12389] ""
## [12390] ""
## [12391] "PSALM 124 NISI QUIA DOMINUS "
## [12392] ""
## [12393] ""
## [12394] ""
## [12395] "Say Israel, doe not conceale a verity "
## [12396] ""
## [12397] "Had not the Lord assisted us, "
## [12398] "Had not the Lord assisted us what tyme arose "
## [12399] ""
## [12400] "Against us our fierce enimies: "
## [12401] "5 Us all at once long since they had devoured up, "
## [12402] ""
## [12403] "They were soe fell, soe furious. "
## [12404] "If not, the angry gulphes, the streames most horrible "
## [12405] ""
## [12406] "Had drowned us: soe drowned us, "
## [12407] "That in the deepe bene tombed, at least on the deepe "
## [12408] "10 Had tumbled, our dead Carcases. "
## [12409] ""
## [12410] "But Lord, what honor shall thy people yeeld to thee, "
## [12411] ""
## [12412] "From greedy teeth delivered? "
## [12413] "Escaped as the f owle, that oft breaking the ginn, "
## [12414] ""
## [12415] "Beguiles the fowlers wilynesse. "
## [12416] "15 For sure this is thy work, thy name protecteth us, "
## [12417] ""
## [12418] "Who heavn, who earth hast fashioned. "
## [12419] ""
## [12420] "line 13 ginn: trap, snare. "
## [12421] ""
## [12422] ""
## [12423] ""
## [12424] "298 "
## [12425] ""
## [12426] ""
## [12427] ""
## [12428] "PSALM 125 QUI CONFIDUNT "
## [12429] ""
## [12430] ""
## [12431] ""
## [12432] "As Sion standeth very firmly stedfast, "
## [12433] "Never once shaking: soe, on high, Jehova "
## [12434] "Who his hope buildeth, very firmly stedfast "
## [12435] ""
## [12436] "Ever abideth. "
## [12437] ""
## [12438] "5 As Salem braveth with her hilly bullwarkes "
## [12439] "Roundly enforced: soe the greate Jehova "
## [12440] "Closeth his servantes, as a hilly bullwark "
## [12441] ""
## [12442] "Ever abiding; "
## [12443] ""
## [12444] "Though Tirantes hard yoke with a heavy pressure "
## [12445] "10 Wring the just shoulders: but a while it holdeth "
## [12446] "Lest the best minded by too hard abusing "
## [12447] ""
## [12448] "Bend to abuses. "
## [12449] ""
## [12450] "As to the well-workers, soe the right beleevers; "
## [12451] "Lord favour further; but a vaine deceiver, "
## [12452] "15 Whose wryed footing not aright directed "
## [12453] ""
## [12454] "Wandreth in error, "
## [12455] ""
## [12456] "Lord hym, abjected, set among the number "
## [12457] "Whose doings lawless, study bent to mischiefe "
## [12458] "Mischief expecteth: but upon thy chosen "
## [12459] "20 Peace be for ever. "
## [12460] ""
## [12461] ""
## [12462] ""
## [12463] "299 "
## [12464] ""
## [12465] ""
## [12466] ""
## [12467] "PSALM 126 IN CONVERTENDO "
## [12468] ""
## [12469] ""
## [12470] ""
## [12471] "When long absent from lovly Sion "
## [12472] "By the Lords conduct home we returned, "
## [12473] "We our sences scarsly beleeving "
## [12474] "Thought meere visions moved our fancy. "
## [12475] ""
## [12476] "5 Then in our merry mouthes laughter abounded, "
## [12477] "Tongues with gladdness lowdly resounded "
## [12478] "While thus wondring Nations whispered: "
## [12479] "God with them most roially dealeth. "
## [12480] ""
## [12481] "Most true: with us thou roially dealest, "
## [12482] "10 Woe is expired, sorow is vanished: "
## [12483] ""
## [12484] "Now Lord, to finish throughly thy working "
## [12485] "Bring to Jerusalem all that are exiles. "
## [12486] ""
## [12487] "Bring to Jerusalem all that are exiles, "
## [12488] "So by thy comfort newly refreshed "
## [12489] "15 As when southern sunn-burnt regions "
## [12490] ""
## [12491] "Be by cold fountaines freshly relieved. "
## [12492] ""
## [12493] "Oft to the plowman soe good happ hapneth, "
## [12494] "What, with teares, to the ground he bequeathed, "
## [12495] "Season of harvest timely retorning, "
## [12496] "20 He, before wofull, joyfully reapeth. "
## [12497] ""
## [12498] "Why to us may not as happly happen "
## [12499] "To sow our businesse, wo fully weeping: "
## [12500] "Yet when businesse growes to due ripeness, "
## [12501] "To see our businesse joyfully reaped? "
## [12502] ""
## [12503] ""
## [12504] ""
## [12505] "300 "
## [12506] ""
## [12507] ""
## [12508] ""
## [12509] "PSALM 127 NISI DOMINUS "
## [12510] ""
## [12511] ""
## [12512] ""
## [12513] "The house Jehova builds not, "
## [12514] "We vainly strive to build it: "
## [12515] "The towne Jehova guards not, "
## [12516] "We vainly watch to guard it. "
## [12517] ""
## [12518] "5 No use of early rising: "
## [12519] ""
## [12520] "As uselesse is thy watching: "
## [12521] "Not aught at all it helpes thee "
## [12522] "To eate thy bread with anguish. "
## [12523] ""
## [12524] "As unto weary sences "
## [12525] "10 A sleepie rest unasked: "
## [12526] ""
## [12527] "Soe bounty commeth uncaus'd "
## [12528] "From him to his beloved. "
## [12529] ""
## [12530] "Noe not thy children hast thou "
## [12531] "By choise, by chaunce, by nature; "
## [12532] "15 They are, they are Jehovas "
## [12533] ""
## [12534] "Rewardes from him rewarding. "
## [12535] ""
## [12536] "The multitude of infantes "
## [12537] "A good man holdes, resembleth "
## [12538] "The multitude of arrowes, "
## [12539] "20 A mighty Archer holdeth. "
## [12540] ""
## [12541] "Hys happiness triumpeth "
## [12542] "Who beares a quiver of them: "
## [12543] "Noe countenance of haters "
## [12544] "Shall unto him be dreadfull. "
## [12545] ""
## [12546] ""
## [12547] ""
## [12548] "301 "
## [12549] ""
## [12550] ""
## [12551] ""
## [12552] "PSALM 128 BEATI OMNES "
## [12553] ""
## [12554] ""
## [12555] ""
## [12556] "All happiness shall thee betide, "
## [12557] ""
## [12558] "That dost Jehova feare: "
## [12559] "And walking in the pathes abide, "
## [12560] "By him first troden were. "
## [12561] ""
## [12562] "The labours of thy handes "
## [12563] "Desired fruit shall beare, "
## [12564] ""
## [12565] "And where thy dwelling stands "
## [12566] "All blisse, all plenty there. "
## [12567] ""
## [12568] "Thy wife a vine, a fruitfull vine "
## [12569] ""
## [12570] "Shall in thy parlor spring: "
## [12571] "Thy table compasse children thine "
## [12572] "As Olive plants in ring. "
## [12573] ""
## [12574] "On thee I say, on thee, "
## [12575] "That f ear'st the heav'nly king, "
## [12576] ""
## [12577] "Such happinesse shall he, "
## [12578] "He shall from Sion bring. "
## [12579] ""
## [12580] "Yea, while to thee thy breath shall hold, "
## [12581] ""
## [12582] "Though running longest race, "
## [12583] "Thou Salem ever shalt behold "
## [12584] "In wealth and wished case: "
## [12585] ""
## [12586] "And childrens children view "
## [12587] "While Jacobs dwelling place "
## [12588] ""
## [12589] "Noe plagues of warre pursue, "
## [12590] "But giftes of peace shall grace. "
## [12591] ""
## [12592] ""
## [12593] ""
## [12594] "PSALM 129 SAEPE EXPUGNAVERUNT "
## [12595] ""
## [12596] ""
## [12597] ""
## [12598] "Oft and ever from my youth, "
## [12599] "Soe now, Israel may say: "
## [12600] ""
## [12601] "Israel may say for truth, "
## [12602] "Ofte and ever my decay "
## [12603] "5 From my youth their force hath sought: "
## [12604] ""
## [12605] "Yet effect it never wrought. "
## [12606] ""
## [12607] "Unto them my back did yeeld "
## [12608] ""
## [12609] "Place and paine (O height of woe) "
## [12610] "Where as in a plowed field, "
## [12611] "10 Long and deepe did furrowes goe. "
## [12612] ""
## [12613] "But O just Jehova, who "
## [12614] "Hast their plow-ropes cutt in two! "
## [12615] ""
## [12616] "Tell me you that Sion hate, "
## [12617] ""
## [12618] "What you thinck shall be your end? "
## [12619] "15 Terror shall your mindes amate: "
## [12620] ""
## [12621] "Blushe and shame your faces shend. "
## [12622] "Mark the wheate on howses topp: "
## [12623] "Such your harvest, such your cropp. "
## [12624] ""
## [12625] "Wither shall you where you stand; "
## [12626] "20 Gather'd? noe: but, wanting sapp, "
## [12627] ""
## [12628] "Filling neither reapers hand, "
## [12629] ""
## [12630] "Nor the binders inbow'd lapp. "
## [12631] "Nay who you shall reape or bind "
## [12632] "Common kindnesse shall not find. "
## [12633] ""
## [12634] ""
## [12635] ""
## [12636] "PSALM 129 303 "
## [12637] ""
## [12638] "25 Such as travail by the way, "
## [12639] ""
## [12640] "Where as they their paines imploy, "
## [12641] "Shall not once saluting say, "
## [12642] ""
## [12643] "God speed frendes, God give you joy: "
## [12644] "He in whome all blessing raignes, "
## [12645] "30 Blesse your selves, and blesse your paines. "
## [12646] ""
## [12647] "line 15 amate: dismay. "
## [12648] ""
## [12649] ""
## [12650] ""
## [12651] "304 "
## [12652] ""
## [12653] ""
## [12654] ""
## [12655] "PSALM 130 DE PROFUNDIS "
## [12656] ""
## [12657] ""
## [12658] ""
## [12659] "From depth of grief "
## [12660] ""
## [12661] "Where droun'd I ly, "
## [12662] "Lord for relief "
## [12663] "To thee I cry: "
## [12664] "5 My earnest, vehement, cryeng, prayeng, "
## [12665] ""
## [12666] "Graunt quick, attentive, hearing, waighing. "
## [12667] ""
## [12668] "O Lord, if thou "
## [12669] ""
## [12670] "Offences mark, "
## [12671] "Who shall not bow "
## [12672] "10 To beare the cark? "
## [12673] ""
## [12674] "But with thy justice mercy dwelleth, "
## [12675] "Whereby thy worshipp more excelleth. "
## [12676] ""
## [12677] "On thee, my soule "
## [12678] "On thee, O Lord "
## [12679] "15 Dependeth whole, "
## [12680] ""
## [12681] "And on thy word, "
## [12682] "Though sore with blott of sinne defaced, "
## [12683] "Yet surest hope hath firmly placed. "
## [12684] ""
## [12685] "Who longest watch, "
## [12686] ""
## [12687] "20 Who soonest rise, "
## [12688] ""
## [12689] "Can nothing match "
## [12690] ""
## [12691] "The early eyes; "
## [12692] ""
## [12693] "The greedy eyes my soule erecteth, "
## [12694] ""
## [12695] "While Gods true promise it expecteth. "
## [12696] ""
## [12697] ""
## [12698] ""
## [12699] "PSALM 130 305 "
## [12700] ""
## [12701] "25 Then Israel "
## [12702] ""
## [12703] "On God attend: "
## [12704] "Attend him wel, "
## [12705] ""
## [12706] "Who still thy frend, "
## [12707] "In kindness hath thee deere esteemed, "
## [12708] "30 And often, often, erst redeemed. "
## [12709] ""
## [12710] "Now, as before; "
## [12711] ""
## [12712] "Unchanged he "
## [12713] "Will thee restore "
## [12714] "Thy state will free; "
## [12715] "35 All wickedness from Jacob driving "
## [12716] ""
## [12717] "Forgetting follies, f aultes forgiving. "
## [12718] ""
## [12719] "line 10 cark: burden. \"If thou Lorde wylt be extreme to marcke "
## [12720] "what is done a mysse, Oh Lorde who may abyde it?\" ( Great Bible, "
## [12721] "1539). "
## [12722] ""
## [12723] ""
## [12724] ""
## [12725] "306 "
## [12726] ""
## [12727] ""
## [12728] ""
## [12729] "PSALM 131 DOMINE, NON EST "
## [12730] ""
## [12731] ""
## [12732] ""
## [12733] "A lofty hart, a lifted ey "
## [12734] "Lord thou dost know I never bare: "
## [12735] ""
## [12736] "Lesse have I borne in things too hygh "
## [12737] "A medling mind, or clyming care. "
## [12738] "5 Looke how the wained babe doth fare, "
## [12739] ""
## [12740] "O did I not? yes soe did I: "
## [12741] "None more for quiett might compare "
## [12742] ""
## [12743] "Ev'n with the babe that wain'd doth ly. "
## [12744] "Heare then and learne, O Jacobs race, "
## [12745] "10 Such endlesse trust on God to place. "
## [12746] ""
## [12747] "line 5 wained: weaned. "
## [12748] ""
## [12749] ""
## [12750] ""
## [12751] "307 "
## [12752] ""
## [12753] ""
## [12754] ""
## [12755] "PSALM 132 MEMENTO, DOMINE "
## [12756] ""
## [12757] ""
## [12758] ""
## [12759] "Lord call to mynd, nay keepe in minde "
## [12760] ""
## [12761] "Thy David and thy Davids paines: "
## [12762] "Who once by othe and vow did bind "
## [12763] "Himself to him who ay remaynes, "
## [12764] "That mighty one, "
## [12765] "That God in Jacob known. "
## [12766] ""
## [12767] "My howse shall never harbor mee, "
## [12768] ""
## [12769] "Nor bedd alow my body rest, "
## [12770] "Nor eyes of sleepe the lodging bee, "
## [12771] "Nor ey-lidds slendrest slumbers nest: "
## [12772] "Untill I finde "
## [12773] "A plott to please my mind: "
## [12774] ""
## [12775] "I find, I say, my mind to please, "
## [12776] ""
## [12777] "A plott wherin I may errect "
## [12778] "A howse for him to dwell at ease, "
## [12779] "Who is ador'd with due respect: "
## [12780] "That mighty one "
## [12781] "The God in Jacob known. "
## [12782] ""
## [12783] "The plott thy David then did name, "
## [12784] ""
## [12785] "We heard at Ephrata it lay: "
## [12786] "We heard, but bent to find the same, "
## [12787] "Were faine to seeke an other way: "
## [12788] "Ev'n to the fields "
## [12789] "That woody fear yeelds. "
## [12790] ""
## [12791] ""
## [12792] ""
## [12793] "308 PSALM 132 "
## [12794] ""
## [12795] "25 And yet not there, but heere O heere "
## [12796] ""
## [12797] "We find now settled what we sought: "
## [12798] "Before the stoole thy feete doth beare "
## [12799] "Now entring in, wee, as wee ought, "
## [12800] "Adore thee will, "
## [12801] "30 And duly worshipp still. "
## [12802] ""
## [12803] "Then enter, Lord, thy fixed rest, "
## [12804] ""
## [12805] "With Arke the token of thy strength, "
## [12806] "And let thy priests be purely drest "
## [12807] "In robes of Justice laied at length: "
## [12808] "35 Let them bee glad "
## [12809] ""
## [12810] "Thy gracefull blisse have had. "
## [12811] ""
## [12812] "For David, once thy servants sake "
## [12813] ""
## [12814] "Doe not our kings, his seede reject: "
## [12815] "For thou to him this othe did'st make, "
## [12816] "40 This endless othe: I will erect, "
## [12817] ""
## [12818] "And hold thy race "
## [12819] "Enthrond in Roiall place. "
## [12820] ""
## [12821] "Nay if thy race my league observe, "
## [12822] "And keepe the cov nants I sett down, "
## [12823] "45 Their race againe I will preserve "
## [12824] ""
## [12825] "Eternally to wear thy Crown: "
## [12826] "No lesse thy throne "
## [12827] "Shall ever bee their owne. "
## [12828] ""
## [12829] "For Syon which I loved best, "
## [12830] "50 I chosen have noe seate of change: "
## [12831] ""
## [12832] "Heere heere shall bee my endless rest, "
## [12833] "Heere will I dwell, nor hence will range: "
## [12834] "Unto the place "
## [12835] "I beare such love and grace. "
## [12836] ""
## [12837] "55 Such grace and love that evermore "
## [12838] ""
## [12839] "As blisse from gratious loving me, "
## [12840] "Shall blesse her vittaile, blesse her store, "
## [12841] "That evn the poore who in her bee "
## [12842] ""
## [12843] ""
## [12844] ""
## [12845] "PSALM 132 309 "
## [12846] ""
## [12847] "With store of bread "
## [12848] "60 Shall, fully, all bee fedd. "
## [12849] ""
## [12850] "In her my priests shall nought anoy: "
## [12851] "Nay cladd they shall with safty be. "
## [12852] "O how in her with cause shall joy "
## [12853] "Who there as tenants hold of mee! "
## [12854] "65 Whose tenure is "
## [12855] ""
## [12856] "By grace my fields of blisse. "
## [12857] ""
## [12858] "O how in her shall sprowt and spring "
## [12859] ""
## [12860] "The scepter Davids hand did beare! "
## [12861] "How I my Christ, my sacred king, "
## [12862] "70 As light in lantern placed there "
## [12863] ""
## [12864] "With beames devine, "
## [12865] "Will make abroad to shine! "
## [12866] ""
## [12867] "But as for them who spite and hate "
## [12868] "Conceave to him, they all shall down, "
## [12869] "75 Down cast by mee to shamefull state, "
## [12870] ""
## [12871] "While on him self his happy Crown "
## [12872] "Shall up to skies "
## [12873] "With fame and glory rise. "
## [12874] ""
## [12875] "line 57 vittaile: food. "
## [12876] ""
## [12877] ""
## [12878] ""
## [12879] "3io "
## [12880] ""
## [12881] ""
## [12882] ""
## [12883] "PSALM 133 ECCE QUAM BONUM "
## [12884] ""
## [12885] ""
## [12886] ""
## [12887] "How good, and how beseeming well "
## [12888] ""
## [12889] "It is that wee, "
## [12890] ""
## [12891] "Who brethren be, "
## [12892] "As brethren, should in concord dwell. "
## [12893] ""
## [12894] "S Like that deere oile, that Aron beares, "
## [12895] ""
## [12896] "Which fleeting down "
## [12897] "To foote from crown "
## [12898] "Embalms his beard, and robe he weares. "
## [12899] ""
## [12900] "Or like the teares the morne doth shedd, "
## [12901] "10 Which ly on ground "
## [12902] ""
## [12903] "Empearled round "
## [12904] "On Sion or on Hermons hedd. "
## [12905] ""
## [12906] "For join'd therewith the Lord doth give "
## [12907] "Such grace, such blisse: "
## [12908] "15 That where it is, "
## [12909] ""
## [12910] "Men may for ever blessed live. "
## [12911] ""
## [12912] ""
## [12913] ""
## [12914] "3ii "
## [12915] ""
## [12916] ""
## [12917] ""
## [12918] "PSALM 134 ECCE NUNC "
## [12919] ""
## [12920] ""
## [12921] ""
## [12922] "You that Jehovas servants are, "
## [12923] "Whose carefull watch, whose watchfull care, "
## [12924] "Within his house are spent; "
## [12925] "Say thus with one assent: "
## [12926] "5 Jehovas name be praised. "
## [12927] ""
## [12928] "Then let your handes be raised "
## [12929] "To holiest place, "
## [12930] "Where holiest grace "
## [12931] "Doth ay "
## [12932] "10 Remaine: "
## [12933] ""
## [12934] "And say "
## [12935] "Againe, "
## [12936] "Jehovas name be praised. "
## [12937] "Say last unto the company, "
## [12938] "15 Who tarryeng make "
## [12939] ""
## [12940] "Their leave to take: "
## [12941] "All blessings you accompany, "
## [12942] "From him in plenty showered, "
## [12943] "Whom Sion holds embowered, "
## [12944] "20 Who heav n and earth of nought hath raised. "
## [12945] ""
## [12946] ""
## [12947] ""
## [12948] "312 "
## [12949] ""
## [12950] ""
## [12951] ""
## [12952] "PSALM 135 LAUDATE NOMEN "
## [12953] ""
## [12954] ""
## [12955] ""
## [12956] "O praise the name whereby the Lord is known, "
## [12957] "Praise him I say, you that his servants be: "
## [12958] ""
## [12959] "You whose attendance in his howse is shown, "
## [12960] "And in the courtes before his howse we see, "
## [12961] "5 Praise God, right tearmed God, for good is he: "
## [12962] ""
## [12963] "O sweetly sing "
## [12964] ""
## [12965] "Unto his name, the sweetest, sweetest thing. "
## [12966] ""
## [12967] "For of his goodness Jacob hath he chose, "
## [12968] ""
## [12969] "Chose Israel his own Domain to be. "
## [12970] "10 My tongue shall speake, for well my conscience knowes, "
## [12971] ""
## [12972] "Greate is our God, above all gods is he; "
## [12973] ""
## [12974] "Each branch of whose inviolate decree "
## [12975] "Both heav'ns doe keepe, "
## [12976] "And earth, and sea, and seas unbounded deepe; "
## [12977] ""
## [12978] "15 From whose extreames drawne up by his command "
## [12979] "In flaky mists, the reaking vapors rise: "
## [12980] "Then high in cloudes incorporate they stand: "
## [12981] ""
## [12982] "Last out of cloudes raine flowes, and lightning flies; "
## [12983] "No lesse a treasure in his storehouse lies "
## [12984] "20 Of breathing blasts, "
## [12985] ""
## [12986] "Which oft drawn foorth in wind his pleasure wastes. "
## [12987] ""
## [12988] "He, from best man to most despised beast, "
## [12989] ""
## [12990] "Aegipts first borne in one night overthrew: "
## [12991] "And yet not so his dreadfull showes he ceas'd, "
## [12992] ""
## [12993] ""
## [12994] ""
## [12995] "f>SALM 135 313 "
## [12996] ""
## [12997] ""
## [12998] ""
## [12999] "But did them still in Aegipts mid'st renew: "
## [13000] ""
## [13001] "Not only meaner men had cause to rue, "
## [13002] "But ev'n the best "
## [13003] "Of Pharos court, the king among the rest. "
## [13004] ""
## [13005] "He many Nations, mighty Kings destroi'd: "
## [13006] ""
## [13007] "Sehon for one, who rul'd the Amorites, "
## [13008] "And huge-lim'd Og, who Basans crown enjoy'd, "
## [13009] ""
## [13010] "Yea all the kingdoms of the Cananites, "
## [13011] ""
## [13012] "Whose heritage he gave the Izraelites, "
## [13013] "His chosen train, "
## [13014] "Their heritage for ever to remain. "
## [13015] ""
## [13016] "Therefore, O Lord, thy name is famous still, "
## [13017] "The memory thy ancient wonders gott, "
## [13018] ""
## [13019] "Tyme well to world his message may fulfill, "
## [13020] "And back retorne to thee, yet never blott "
## [13021] "Out of our thoughts: for how should be forgo tt "
## [13022] ""
## [13023] "The Lord that so "
## [13024] ""
## [13025] "Forgives his servant, plagues his servants fo? "
## [13026] ""
## [13027] "What difference, what unproportion'd odds "
## [13028] "To thee, these Idolls gold and silver beare; "
## [13029] ""
## [13030] "Which men have made, yet men have made their godds! "
## [13031] "Who though mouth, ey, and eare, and nose they "
## [13032] ""
## [13033] "[weare "
## [13034] "Yet neither speake, nor looke, nor smell, nor heare. "
## [13035] ""
## [13036] "O Idolls right "
## [13037] ""
## [13038] "Who Idolls make, or Idolls make your might. "
## [13039] ""
## [13040] "But you that are of Israelis descent, "
## [13041] ""
## [13042] "O praise the Lord: you that of Aron came "
## [13043] ""
## [13044] "O praise the Lord; you Levies howse assent "
## [13045] "To praise the Lord: you, all his fearers, frame "
## [13046] "Your highest praise to praise Jehovas name. "
## [13047] ""
## [13048] "His praises still "
## [13049] ""
## [13050] "Salem resound, resound O Sion hill. "
## [13051] ""
## [13052] ""
## [13053] ""
## [13054] "314 "
## [13055] ""
## [13056] ""
## [13057] ""
## [13058] "PSALM 136 CONFITEMINI "
## [13059] ""
## [13060] ""
## [13061] ""
## [13062] "O praise the Lord where goodness dwells, "
## [13063] "For his kindness lasteth ever: "
## [13064] ""
## [13065] "O praise the God all gods excells, "
## [13066] "For his bounty endeth never. "
## [13067] ""
## [13068] "5 Praise him that is of lords the Lord, "
## [13069] ""
## [13070] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13071] "Who only wonders doth afford, "
## [13072] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13073] ""
## [13074] "Whose skillfull art did vault the skies, "
## [13075] "io For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13076] ""
## [13077] "Made earth above the waters rise, "
## [13078] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13079] ""
## [13080] "Who did the luminaries make, "
## [13081] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13082] "15 The Sunn, of day the charge to take, "
## [13083] ""
## [13084] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13085] ""
## [13086] "The Moone and Starrs in night to raign, "
## [13087] ""
## [13088] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13089] "Who Egipts eldest born hath slayn, "
## [13090] "20 For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13091] ""
## [13092] "And brought out Israel from thence, "
## [13093] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13094] ""
## [13095] "With mighty hand and strong defence, "
## [13096] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13097] ""
## [13098] ""
## [13099] ""
## [13100] "PSALM 136 315 "
## [13101] ""
## [13102] "Who cutt in two the russhy sea, "
## [13103] ""
## [13104] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13105] "And made the middest Jacobs way, "
## [13106] ""
## [13107] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13108] ""
## [13109] "Who Pharo and his Army droun'd, "
## [13110] ""
## [13111] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13112] "And led his folk through desert ground, "
## [13113] ""
## [13114] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13115] ""
## [13116] "Greate kings in battaile overthrew, "
## [13117] ""
## [13118] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13119] "Yea mighty kings, most mighty slue, "
## [13120] ""
## [13121] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13122] ""
## [13123] "Both Sehon king of Amorites, "
## [13124] ""
## [13125] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13126] "And Ogg the king of Basanites, "
## [13127] ""
## [13128] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13129] ""
## [13130] "For heritage their kingdoms gave, "
## [13131] ""
## [13132] "For his kindness lasteth ever: "
## [13133] "His Israeli to hold and have, "
## [13134] ""
## [13135] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13136] ""
## [13137] "Who minded us dejected low, "
## [13138] ""
## [13139] "For his kindness lasteth ever: "
## [13140] "And did us save from force of foe, "
## [13141] ""
## [13142] "For his bounty endeth never; "
## [13143] ""
## [13144] "Who fills with foode each feeding thing, "
## [13145] ""
## [13146] "For his kindnesse lasteth ever: "
## [13147] "Praise God who is of heavns the king, "
## [13148] ""
## [13149] "For his bounty endeth never. "
## [13150] ""
## [13151] ""
## [13152] ""
## [13153] "316 "
## [13154] ""
## [13155] ""
## [13156] ""
## [13157] "PSALM 137 SUPER FLUMINA "
## [13158] ""
## [13159] ""
## [13160] ""
## [13161] "Nigh seated where the river flowes, "
## [13162] ""
## [13163] "That watreth Babells thanckfull plaine, "
## [13164] ""
## [13165] "Which then our teares in pearled rowes "
## [13166] "Did help to water with their raine, "
## [13167] "5 The thought of Sion bred such woes, "
## [13168] ""
## [13169] "That though our harpes we did retaine, "
## [13170] ""
## [13171] "Yet uselesse, and untouched there "
## [13172] ""
## [13173] "On willowes only hang'd they were. "
## [13174] ""
## [13175] "Now while our harpes were hanged soe, "
## [13176] "10 The men whose captives then we lay "
## [13177] ""
## [13178] "Did on our griefs insulting goe, "
## [13179] ""
## [13180] "And more to grieve us, thus did say: "
## [13181] "You that of musique make such show, "
## [13182] "Come sing us now a Sion lay. "
## [13183] "15 O no, we have nor voice, nor hand "
## [13184] ""
## [13185] "For such a song, in such a land. "
## [13186] ""
## [13187] "Though farre I lye, sweete Sion hill, "
## [13188] "In forraine soile exil'd from thee, "
## [13189] ""
## [13190] "Yet let my hand forgett his skill, "
## [13191] "20 If ever thou forgotten be: "
## [13192] ""
## [13193] "And lett my tongue fast glued still "
## [13194] "Unto my roofe ly mute in me: "
## [13195] ""
## [13196] "If thy neglect within me spring, "
## [13197] ""
## [13198] "Or ought I do, but Salem sing. "
## [13199] ""
## [13200] ""
## [13201] ""
## [13202] "PSALM 137 317 "
## [13203] ""
## [13204] "£5 But thou, O Lord, shalt not forgett "
## [13205] ""
## [13206] "To quitt the paines of Edoms race, "
## [13207] "Who causelessly, yet hottly sett "
## [13208] ""
## [13209] "Thy holy citty to deface, "
## [13210] "Did thus the bloody victors whett "
## [13211] "30 What time they entred first the place: "
## [13212] ""
## [13213] "Downe, downe with it at any hand "
## [13214] "Make all flatt plaine, lett nothing stand. "
## [13215] ""
## [13216] "And Babilon, that didst us waste, "
## [13217] ""
## [13218] "Thy self shalt one daie wasted be: "
## [13219] "|$5 And happy he, who what thou hast "
## [13220] ""
## [13221] "Unto us done, shall do to thee, "
## [13222] "Like bitterness shall make thee tast, "
## [13223] ""
## [13224] "Like wofull objects cause thee see: "
## [13225] "Yea happy who thy little ones "
## [13226] "Shall take and dash against the stones. "
## [13227] ""
## [13228] ""
## [13229] ""
## [13230] "3i8 "
## [13231] ""
## [13232] ""
## [13233] ""
## [13234] "PSALM 138 CONFITEBOR TIBI "
## [13235] ""
## [13236] ""
## [13237] ""
## [13238] "Ev'n before kings by thee as gods commended, "
## [13239] "And angells all, by whom thou art attended, "
## [13240] ""
## [13241] "In harty times I will thy honor tell. "
## [13242] ""
## [13243] "The pallace where thy holiness doth dwell "
## [13244] "5 Shall be the place, where falling downe before thee, "
## [13245] "With reverence meete I prostrate will adore thee. "
## [13246] ""
## [13247] "There will I sing how thou thy mercy sendest, "
## [13248] "And to thy promise due performance lendest, "
## [13249] "Whereby thy name above all names doth fly. "
## [13250] "10 There will I sing, how when my carefull cry "
## [13251] "Mounted to thee, my care was streight released, "
## [13252] "My courage by thee mightily encreased. "
## [13253] ""
## [13254] "Sure Lord, all Kings that understand the story "
## [13255] "Of thy contract with me, nought but thy glory "
## [13256] "15 And meanes shall sing whereby that glory grew; "
## [13257] "Whose highly seated eye yet well doth view "
## [13258] "With humbled look the soule that lowly lieth, "
## [13259] "And, farr aloofe, aspiring things espieth. "
## [13260] ""
## [13261] "On ev'ry side, though tribulation greive me, "
## [13262] "20 Yet shalt thou aid, yet shalt thou still relieve me, "
## [13263] ""
## [13264] "From angry foe thy succor shall me save. "
## [13265] ""
## [13266] "Thou Lord shalt finish what in hand I have: "
## [13267] "Thou Lord, I say, whose mercy lasteth ever, "
## [13268] "Thy work begun, shall leave unended never. "
## [13269] ""
## [13270] ""
## [13271] ""
## [13272] "319 "
## [13273] ""
## [13274] ""
## [13275] ""
## [13276] "PSALM 139 DOMINE, PROBASTI "
## [13277] ""
## [13278] ""
## [13279] ""
## [13280] "O Lord in me there lieth nought, "
## [13281] "But to thy search revealed lies: "
## [13282] "For when I sitt "
## [13283] "Thou markest it: "
## [13284] "No lesse thou notest when I rise: "
## [13285] "Yea closest closett of my thought "
## [13286] "Hath open windowes to thine eyes. "
## [13287] ""
## [13288] "Thou walkest with me when I walk, "
## [13289] "When to my bed for rest I go, "
## [13290] "I find thee there, "
## [13291] "And ev'ry where: "
## [13292] "Not yongest thought in me doth grow, "
## [13293] "No not one word I cast to talk, "
## [13294] "But yet unutt'red thou dost know. "
## [13295] ""
## [13296] "If forth I march, thou goest before, "
## [13297] "If back I torne, thou com'st behind: "
## [13298] "Soe foorth nor back "
## [13299] "Thy guard I lack, "
## [13300] "Nay on me too, thy hand I find. "
## [13301] "Well I thy wisdom may adore, "
## [13302] ""
## [13303] "But never reach with earthy mind. "
## [13304] ""
## [13305] "To shunn thy notice, leave thine ey, "
## [13306] "O whither might I take my way? "
## [13307] "To starry spheare? "
## [13308] "5 Thy throne is there. "
## [13309] ""
## [13310] ""
## [13311] ""
## [13312] "PSALM 139 "
## [13313] ""
## [13314] ""
## [13315] ""
## [13316] "To dead mens undelightsome stay? "
## [13317] "There is thy walk, and there to ly "
## [13318] "Unknown, in vain I should assay. "
## [13319] ""
## [13320] "O Sun, whome light nor flight can match, "
## [13321] "30 Suppose thy lightfull flightfull wings "
## [13322] ""
## [13323] "Thou lend to me, "
## [13324] "And I could flee "
## [13325] "As farr as thee the ev'ning brings: "
## [13326] "Ev'n ledd to West he would me catch, "
## [13327] "35 Nor should I lurk with western things. "
## [13328] ""
## [13329] "Doe thou thy best, O secret night, "
## [13330] "In sable vaile to cover me: "
## [13331] "Thy sable vaile "
## [13332] "Shall vainly faile: "
## [13333] "40 With day unmask'd my night shall be, "
## [13334] ""
## [13335] "For night is day, and darkness light, "
## [13336] "O father of all lights, to thee. "
## [13337] ""
## [13338] "Each inmost peece in me is thine: "
## [13339] "While yet I in my mother dwelt, "
## [13340] "45 All that me cladd "
## [13341] ""
## [13342] "From thee I hadd. "
## [13343] "Thou in my frame hast strangly delt: "
## [13344] "Needes in my praise thy workes must shine "
## [13345] "So inly them my thoughts have felt. "
## [13346] ""
## [13347] "50 Thou, how my back was beam-wise laid, "
## [13348] "And raftring of my ribbs, dost know: "
## [13349] "Know'st ev'ry point "
## [13350] "Of bone and joynt, "
## [13351] "How to this whole these partes did grow, "
## [13352] "55 In brave embrodry faire araid, "
## [13353] ""
## [13354] "Though wrought in shopp both dark and low. "
## [13355] ""
## [13356] "Nay fashionless, ere forme I tooke, "
## [13357] "Thy all and more beholding ey "
## [13358] "My shapelesse shape "
## [13359] "60 Could not escape: "
## [13360] ""
## [13361] ""
## [13362] ""
## [13363] "90 "
## [13364] ""
## [13365] ""
## [13366] ""
## [13367] "LK: "
## [13368] ""
## [13369] ""
## [13370] ""
## [13371] "PSALM 139 321 "
## [13372] ""
## [13373] "All these tyme fram'd successively "
## [13374] "Ere one had beeing, in the booke "
## [13375] "Of thy foresight, enrol'd did ly. "
## [13376] ""
## [13377] "My God, how I these studies prize, "
## [13378] "65 That doe thy hidden workings show! "
## [13379] ""
## [13380] "Whose summ is such, "
## [13381] "Noe suume soe much: "
## [13382] "Nay summ'd as sand they summlesse grow. "
## [13383] "I lye to sleepe, from sleepe I rise, "
## [13384] ") Yet still in thought with thee I goe. "
## [13385] ""
## [13386] "My God if thou but one wouldst kill, "
## [13387] ""
## [13388] "Then straight would leave my further chase "
## [13389] "This cursed brood "
## [13390] "Inur'd to blood: "
## [13391] "; Whose gracelesse tauntes at thy disgrace "
## [13392] ""
## [13393] "Have aimed oft: and hating still "
## [13394] ""
## [13395] "Would with proud lies thy truth outface. "
## [13396] ""
## [13397] "Hate not I them, who thee doe hate? "
## [13398] "Thyne, Lord, I will the censure be. "
## [13399] "\\ Detest I not "
## [13400] ""
## [13401] "The canckred knott, "
## [13402] "Whom I against thee banded see? "
## [13403] "O Lord, thou know'st in highest rate "
## [13404] "I hate them all as foes to me. "
## [13405] ""
## [13406] "j Search me, my God, and prove my hart, "
## [13407] "Examyne me, and try my thought: "
## [13408] "And mark in me "
## [13409] "If ought there be "
## [13410] "That hath with cause their anger wrought. "
## [13411] "> If not (as not) my lives each part, "
## [13412] ""
## [13413] "Lord safely guide from danger brought. "
## [13414] ""
## [13415] "Iline 28 assay: attempt. "
## [13416] ""
## [13417] ""
## [13418] ""
## [13419] "322 "
## [13420] ""
## [13421] ""
## [13422] ""
## [13423] "PSALM 140 ERIPE ME, DOMINE "
## [13424] ""
## [13425] ""
## [13426] ""
## [13427] "Protect me Lord, preserve me, sett me free "
## [13428] "From men that be soe vile, soe violent: "
## [13429] ""
## [13430] "In whose entent both force and fraud doth lurk "
## [13431] "My bane to work: whose tongues are sharper things "
## [13432] "5 Than Adders stings: whose rusty lipps enclose "
## [13433] "A poisons hoorde, such in the Aspick growes. "
## [13434] ""
## [13435] "Save I say, Lord, protect me, sett me free "
## [13436] "From these that be so vile, so violent: "
## [13437] ""
## [13438] "Whose thoughts are spent in thinking how they may "
## [13439] "10 My stepps betray: how nett of fowle misshape "
## [13440] "May me entrapp : how hidd in traitor grasse "
## [13441] "Their conning cord may catch me as I passe. "
## [13442] ""
## [13443] "But this, O Lord, I hold: my God art thou: "
## [13444] ""
## [13445] "Thou eare wilt bowe, what time thy aid I pray, "
## [13446] "15 In thee my stay, Jehova: thou dost arme "
## [13447] ""
## [13448] "Against all harme, and guard my head in field. "
## [13449] ""
## [13450] "O then to yeeld these wicked their desire "
## [13451] ""
## [13452] "Do not accord, for still they will aspire. "
## [13453] ""
## [13454] "But yeeld O Lord, that ev'n the head of those "
## [13455] "20 That me enclose, of this their hott pursute "
## [13456] ""
## [13457] "May taste the frute: with deadly venome stung "
## [13458] "Of their owne tongue, loe, loe, I see they shall: "
## [13459] "Yea coales shall fall, yea flames shall fling them low, "
## [13460] "Ay unrestor'd, to drown in deepest wo. "
## [13461] ""
## [13462] ""
## [13463] ""
## [13464] "PSALM 140 323 "
## [13465] ""
## [13466] "25 For Hers, Lord, shall never firmly stand "
## [13467] ""
## [13468] "And from the land who violently live "
## [13469] ""
## [13470] "Mischief shall drive: but well I know the poore "
## [13471] "Thou wilt restore: restore th'afflicted wight, "
## [13472] "That in thy sight the just may howses frame, "
## [13473] "30 And glad record the honor of thy name. "
## [13474] ""
## [13475] ""
## [13476] ""
## [13477] "3M "
## [13478] ""
## [13479] ""
## [13480] ""
## [13481] "PSALM 141 DOMINE, CLAMAVI "
## [13482] ""
## [13483] ""
## [13484] ""
## [13485] "To thee Jehova, thee I lift my cryeng voice, "
## [13486] "O banish all delay, and lett my plaintfull noise, "
## [13487] ""
## [13488] "By thy quick-hearing-eare be carefully respected. "
## [13489] "As sweete perfume to skies lett what I pray ascend: "
## [13490] "Lett these uplifted hands, which prayeng, I extend, "
## [13491] ""
## [13492] "As ev'ning sacrifice be unto thee directed. "
## [13493] ""
## [13494] ""
## [13495] ""
## [13496] "Ward well my words, O Lord, (for that it is I pray) "
## [13497] "A watchfull Sentinell at my mouthes passage lay, "
## [13498] "At wickett of my lipps stand ay a f aithfull porter; "
## [13499] "10 Incline me not to ill, nor lett me loosly goe "
## [13500] ""
## [13501] "A mate in work with such, whence no good work dotlj "
## [13502] ""
## [13503] "[grow! "
## [13504] "And in their flattring baites, lett me be no consorter "
## [13505] ""
## [13506] ""
## [13507] ""
## [13508] "But lett the good-man wound, most well I shall it take "
## [13509] ""
## [13510] "Yea price of his rebukes as deerest balme shall make, "
## [13511] ""
## [13512] "15 Yea more shall for him pray, the more his words sha "
## [13513] ""
## [13514] "[grieve m< "
## [13515] "And as for these, when once the leaders of their crue "
## [13516] "By thee be brought to stoope, my wordes most sweetl "
## [13517] ""
## [13518] "[tru "
## [13519] "Shall in the rest so worke that soon they shall belie\\ "
## [13520] ""
## [13521] "[m "
## [13522] ""
## [13523] ""
## [13524] ""
## [13525] "PSALM 141 325 "
## [13526] ""
## [13527] "Mean while my bones the grave, the grave expects my "
## [13528] ""
## [13529] "[bones, "
## [13530] "20 Soe broken, hewn, disperst, as least respected stones, "
## [13531] ""
## [13532] "By careless Mason drawn from caves of worthless "
## [13533] ""
## [13534] "[quarry; "
## [13535] "But thou O Lord, my Lord, since thus thy servants ey "
## [13536] "Repleate with hopfull trust, doth on thy help rely, "
## [13537] "Faile not that trustfull hope, that for thy helpe doth "
## [13538] ""
## [13539] "[tarry. "
## [13540] ""
## [13541] ""
## [13542] ""
## [13543] "25 O soe direct my feete they may escape the hands "
## [13544] ""
## [13545] "Of their entangling snare, which for me pitched stands; "
## [13546] "And from the wicked netts for me with craft they "
## [13547] ""
## [13548] "[cover. "
## [13549] "Nay for these fowlers, once, thy self a fowler be, "
## [13550] "And make them fowly fall where netts are laid by thee; "
## [13551] "30 But where for me they lay, let me leap freely over. "
## [13552] ""
## [13553] ""
## [13554] ""
## [13555] "3*6 "
## [13556] ""
## [13557] ""
## [13558] ""
## [13559] "PSALM 142 VOCE MEA AD DOMINUM "
## [13560] ""
## [13561] ""
## [13562] ""
## [13563] "My voice to thee it self extreamly strayning, "
## [13564] ""
## [13565] "Cries praying, Lord, againe it cryeng praieth: "
## [13566] "Before thy face the cause of my complayning, "
## [13567] ""
## [13568] "Before thy face my cases mapp it laieth "
## [13569] "5 Wherein my soule is painted "
## [13570] ""
## [13571] "In doubtfull way a stranger: "
## [13572] "But, Lord, thou art acquainted, "
## [13573] ""
## [13574] "And knowst each path, where stick the toiles of danger. "
## [13575] "For me, mine ey to evry coast directed "
## [13576] "10 Lights not on one that will soe much as know me: "
## [13577] "My life by all neglected, "
## [13578] ""
## [13579] "Ev'n hope of help is now quite perish'd from me. "
## [13580] ""
## [13581] "Then with good cause to thee my spiritt flieth, "
## [13582] ""
## [13583] "Flieth, and saith: O Lord my safe abiding "
## [13584] "15 Abides in thee: in thee all-only lieth "
## [13585] ""
## [13586] "Lott of my life, and plott of my residing. "
## [13587] "Alas, then yeeld me hearing, "
## [13588] ""
## [13589] "For wearing woes have spent me: "
## [13590] "And save me from their tearing, "
## [13591] "20 Who hunt me hard, and daily worse torment me. "
## [13592] "O change my state, unthrall my soule enthralled: "
## [13593] ""
## [13594] "Of my escape then will I tell the story: "
## [13595] "And with a crown enwalled "
## [13596] ""
## [13597] "Of godly men, will glory in thy glory. "
## [13598] ""
## [13599] ""
## [13600] ""
## [13601] "3^7 "
## [13602] ""
## [13603] ""
## [13604] ""
## [13605] "PSALM 143 DOMINE, EXAUDI "
## [13606] ""
## [13607] ""
## [13608] ""
## [13609] "Heare my entreaty Lord, the suite, I send, "
## [13610] "With heed attend, "
## [13611] ""
## [13612] "And as my hope and trust is "
## [13613] "Reposed whole in thee: "
## [13614] ""
## [13615] "So in thy truth and justice "
## [13616] "Yeeld audience to me. "
## [13617] ""
## [13618] "And make not least beginning "
## [13619] ""
## [13620] "To judge thy servants sinning: "
## [13621] "For Lord what living wight "
## [13622] "Lives synnlesse in thy sight? "
## [13623] ""
## [13624] "rather look with ruth upon my woes, "
## [13625] "Whom ruthlesse foes "
## [13626] ""
## [13627] "With long pursute have chased, "
## [13628] "And, chased, at length have cought, "
## [13629] ""
## [13630] "And, cought, in tomb have placed "
## [13631] "With dead men out of thought. "
## [13632] ""
## [13633] "Ay me! what now is left me? "
## [13634] ""
## [13635] "Alas! all knowledg reft me, "
## [13636] "All courage faintly fledd, "
## [13637] ""
## [13638] "1 have nor hart, nor hedd. "
## [13639] ""
## [13640] "The best I can is this, nay this is all "
## [13641] "That I can call "
## [13642] ""
## [13643] "Before my thoughts, surveying "
## [13644] "Tymes evidences old, "
## [13645] ""
## [13646] "All deedes with comfort waighing, "
## [13647] "That thy hand-writyng hold. "
## [13648] ""
## [13649] ""
## [13650] ""
## [13651] "3^8 PSALM 143 "
## [13652] ""
## [13653] "Soe hand and hart conspiring "
## [13654] "I lift, no lesse desiring "
## [13655] "Thy grace I may obtayne, "
## [13656] "30 Then drought desireth raine. "
## [13657] ""
## [13658] "Leave then delay, and let his cry prevaile, "
## [13659] "Whom force doth faile: "
## [13660] ""
## [13661] "Nor lett thy face be hidden "
## [13662] "From one, who may compare "
## [13663] "35 With them whose death hath bidden "
## [13664] ""
## [13665] "Adiew to life and care. "
## [13666] ""
## [13667] "My hope, let mercies morrow "
## [13668] ""
## [13669] "Soone chase my night of sorrow. "
## [13670] "My help, appoint my way, "
## [13671] "40 I may not wandring stray. "
## [13672] ""
## [13673] "My cave, my closett where I wont to hide, "
## [13674] "In troublous tyde "
## [13675] ""
## [13676] "Now from these troubles save me, "
## [13677] "And since my God thou art, "
## [13678] "45 Prescribe how thou wouldst have me "
## [13679] ""
## [13680] "Performe my duties part. "
## [13681] ""
## [13682] "And lest awry I wander, "
## [13683] ""
## [13684] "In walking this Meander, "
## [13685] "Be thy right sprite my guide, "
## [13686] "50 To guard I go not wide. "
## [13687] ""
## [13688] "Thy honor, justice, mercy crave of thee "
## [13689] "O Lord that me, "
## [13690] ""
## [13691] "Reviv'd, thou shouldst deliver "
## [13692] "From pressure of my woes, "
## [13693] "55 And in destructions river "
## [13694] ""
## [13695] "Engulph and swallow those, "
## [13696] ""
## [13697] "Whose hate thus makes in anguish, "
## [13698] ""
## [13699] "My soule afflicted languish: "
## [13700] "For meete it is so kind "
## [13701] "60 Thy servant should thee find. "
## [13702] ""
## [13703] "line 48 Meander: winding course. "
## [13704] ""
## [13705] ""
## [13706] ""
## [13707] "3^9 "
## [13708] ""
## [13709] ""
## [13710] ""
## [13711] "PSALM 144 BENEDICTUS DOMINUS "
## [13712] ""
## [13713] ""
## [13714] ""
## [13715] "Prais'd bee the Lord of might, "
## [13716] ""
## [13717] "My rock in all allarms, "
## [13718] "By whom my handes doe fight, "
## [13719] ""
## [13720] "My fingers manage armes; "
## [13721] "My grace, my guard, my fort, "
## [13722] ""
## [13723] "On whom my safety staies: "
## [13724] "To whom my hopes resort "
## [13725] ""
## [13726] "By whom my realme obaies. "
## [13727] ""
## [13728] "Lord what is man that thou "
## [13729] ""
## [13730] "Should'st tender soe his fare? "
## [13731] "What hath his child to bow "
## [13732] ""
## [13733] "Thy thoughts unto his care? "
## [13734] "Whose neerest kinn is nought, "
## [13735] ""
## [13736] "No Image of whose daies "
## [13737] "More livly can bee thought, "
## [13738] ""
## [13739] "Than shade that never staies. "
## [13740] ""
## [13741] "Lord bend thy arched skies "
## [13742] ""
## [13743] "With ease to let thee down; "
## [13744] "And make the stormes arise "
## [13745] ""
## [13746] "From mountaines fuming crown. "
## [13747] "Let follow flames from sky, "
## [13748] ""
## [13749] "To back their stoutest hand: "
## [13750] "Lett fast thy Arrowes fly, "
## [13751] ""
## [13752] "Dispersing thickest band. "
## [13753] ""
## [13754] ""
## [13755] ""
## [13756] "PSALM 144 "
## [13757] ""
## [13758] ""
## [13759] ""
## [13760] "Thy heavnly helpe extend "
## [13761] "And lift me from this flood: "
## [13762] ""
## [13763] "Let mee thy hand defend "
## [13764] "From hand of forraine brood, "
## [13765] ""
## [13766] "Whose mouth no mouth at all, "
## [13767] "30 But forge of false entent, "
## [13768] ""
## [13769] "Wherto their hand doth fall "
## [13770] "As aptest instrument. "
## [13771] ""
## [13772] "Then in new song to thee "
## [13773] "Will I exalt my voice: "
## [13774] "35 Then shall, O God, with mee "
## [13775] ""
## [13776] "My tenn-string'd Lute rejoyce. "
## [13777] "Rejoyce in him, I say, "
## [13778] ""
## [13779] "Who roiall right preserves "
## [13780] "And saves from swords decay "
## [13781] "40 His David that him serves. "
## [13782] ""
## [13783] "O Lord, thy help extend, "
## [13784] ""
## [13785] "And lift mee from this flood: "
## [13786] "Lett mee thy hand defend "
## [13787] ""
## [13788] "From hand of forrain brood "
## [13789] "45 Whose mouth no mouth at all "
## [13790] ""
## [13791] "But forge of false entent, "
## [13792] "Whereto their hand doth fall "
## [13793] ""
## [13794] "As aptest instrument. "
## [13795] ""
## [13796] "Soe then our sonnes shall grow "
## [13797] "50 As plants of timely spring: "
## [13798] ""
## [13799] "Whom soone to fairest show "
## [13800] ""
## [13801] "Their happy growth doth bring. "
## [13802] "As pillers both doe beare "
## [13803] "And garnish kingly hall: "
## [13804] "55 Our daughters straight and faire, "
## [13805] ""
## [13806] "Each howse embellish shall. "
## [13807] ""
## [13808] "Our store shall ay bee full, "
## [13809] ""
## [13810] "Yea shall such fullness finde "
## [13811] "Though all from thence wee pull, "
## [13812] "60 Yet more shall rest behind. "
## [13813] ""
## [13814] ""
## [13815] ""
## [13816] "PSALM 144 33I "
## [13817] ""
## [13818] "The millions of encrease "
## [13819] ""
## [13820] "Shall breake the wonted fold: "
## [13821] "Yea such the sheepy presse, "
## [13822] ""
## [13823] "The streetes shall scantly hold. "
## [13824] ""
## [13825] "65 Our heards shall brave the best: "
## [13826] ""
## [13827] "Abroad no foes alarme: "
## [13828] "At home to breake our rest, "
## [13829] ""
## [13830] "No cry, the voice of harme. "
## [13831] "If blessed tearme I may "
## [13832] "70 On whom such blessings fall: "
## [13833] ""
## [13834] "Then blessed blessed they "
## [13835] "Their God Jehovah call. "
## [13836] ""
## [13837] ""
## [13838] ""
## [13839] "33* "
## [13840] ""
## [13841] ""
## [13842] ""
## [13843] "PSALM 145 EXALTABO TE "
## [13844] ""
## [13845] ""
## [13846] ""
## [13847] "My God, my king, to lift thy praise "
## [13848] ""
## [13849] "And thanck thy most thank-worthy name "
## [13850] ""
## [13851] "I will not end, but all my daies "
## [13852] ""
## [13853] "Will spend in seeking how to frame "
## [13854] "5 Recordes of thy deserved fame "
## [13855] ""
## [13856] "Whose praise past-praise, whose greatness such, "
## [13857] ""
## [13858] "The greatest search can never touch. "
## [13859] ""
## [13860] "Not in one age thy works shall dy, "
## [13861] ""
## [13862] "But elder eft to yonger tell "
## [13863] "10 Thy praisefull powre: among them I "
## [13864] ""
## [13865] "Thy excellencies all excell "
## [13866] ""
## [13867] "Will muse and marke: my thoughts shall dwell "
## [13868] "Upon the wonders wrought by thee, "
## [13869] "Which wrought beyond all wonder be. "
## [13870] ""
## [13871] "15 Both they and I will tell and sing "
## [13872] ""
## [13873] "How forcefull thou, and fearefull art: "
## [13874] "Yea both will willing wittness bring, "
## [13875] "And unto comming tymes impart "
## [13876] "Thy greatness, goodness, just desert: "
## [13877] "20 That all who are, or are to be, "
## [13878] ""
## [13879] "This hymne with joy shall sing to thee. "
## [13880] ""
## [13881] "Jehova doth with mildness flow, "
## [13882] ""
## [13883] "And full of mercy standeth he: "
## [13884] "Greate doubt if he to wrath more slow, "
## [13885] "25 Or unto pardon prompter be, "
## [13886] ""
## [13887] "For nought is from his bounty free: "
## [13888] ""
## [13889] ""
## [13890] ""
## [13891] "PSALM 145 333 I "
## [13892] ""
## [13893] "His mercies do on all things fall "
## [13894] "That he hath made, and he made all. "
## [13895] ""
## [13896] ""
## [13897] ""
## [13898] "Thus Lord, all creatures thou hast wrought, "
## [13899] "Though dumb, shall their Creator sound: "
## [13900] ""
## [13901] "But who can uttraunce add to thought, "
## [13902] ""
## [13903] "They most whom speciall bonds have bound, "
## [13904] "(For best they can, who best have found) "
## [13905] ""
## [13906] "Shall blaze thy strength, and glad relate "
## [13907] ""
## [13908] "Thy more than glorious kingdoms state; "
## [13909] ""
## [13910] "That all may know the state, the strength "
## [13911] "Thy more than glorious kingdom showes "
## [13912] ""
## [13913] "Which longest tyme to tymelesse length "
## [13914] "Leaves undefin'd: nor ages close "
## [13915] "As age to age succeeding growes, "
## [13916] ""
## [13917] "Can with unstedfast chang procure "
## [13918] ""
## [13919] "But still it must, and stedfast dure. "
## [13920] ""
## [13921] "Thou dost the faint from falling stay, "
## [13922] "Nay more, the falne againe dost raise: "
## [13923] ""
## [13924] "On thee their lookes all creatures lay, "
## [13925] "Whose hunger in due tyme alaies "
## [13926] "Thy hand: which when thy will displaies, "
## [13927] ""
## [13928] "Then all that on the aire do feede, "
## [13929] ""
## [13930] "Receave besides what food they neede. "
## [13931] ""
## [13932] "Each way, each working of thy hand "
## [13933] "Declare thou art both just and kind, "
## [13934] ""
## [13935] "And nigh to all dost alway stand. "
## [13936] ""
## [13937] "Who thee invoke, invoke with mynd, "
## [13938] "Not only mouth: O they shall fynd, "
## [13939] ""
## [13940] "He will his fearers wish fulfill, "
## [13941] ""
## [13942] "Attend their cry, and cure their ill. "
## [13943] ""
## [13944] ""
## [13945] ""
## [13946] "334 psalm 145 "
## [13947] ""
## [13948] "He will his lovers all preserve: "
## [13949] ""
## [13950] "He will the wicked all destroy. "
## [13951] "To praise him then as these deserve, "
## [13952] "60 O then my mouth thy might employ: "
## [13953] ""
## [13954] "Nay all that breathe, recorde with joy "
## [13955] "His sacred names eternall praise, "
## [13956] "While race you runne of breathing daies. "
## [13957] ""
## [13958] "line 31 who: i.e., they who. "
## [13959] ""
## [13960] ""
## [13961] ""
## [13962] "335 "
## [13963] ""
## [13964] ""
## [13965] ""
## [13966] "PSALM 146 LAUDA ANIMA MEA "
## [13967] ""
## [13968] ""
## [13969] ""
## [13970] "Upp, up my soule, advaunce Jehovas praise, "
## [13971] ""
## [13972] "His only praise: for fixed is in me "
## [13973] "To praise Jehova all my living daies "
## [13974] "And sing my God, untyll I cease to be. "
## [13975] "5 O lett not this decree "
## [13976] ""
## [13977] "A fond conceite deface, "
## [13978] ""
## [13979] "That trust thou maist in earthy princes place: "
## [13980] "That any sonne of man "
## [13981] "Can thee preserve, for not him self he can. "
## [13982] ""
## [13983] "10 His strength is none: if any in his breath: "
## [13984] ""
## [13985] "Which, vapor'd foorth, to mother earth he goes: "
## [13986] "Nay more, in his, his thoughts all find their death. "
## [13987] "But blessed he, who for his succour knowes "
## [13988] "The God that Jacob chose: "
## [13989] "15 Whose rightly level'd hope "
## [13990] ""
## [13991] "His God Jehova makes his only scope, "
## [13992] "So strong he built the skies, "
## [13993] "The feeldes, the waves, and all that in them lies. "
## [13994] ""
## [13995] "He, endless true, doth yeeld the wronged right, "
## [13996] "20 The hungry feedes, and setts the fett'red free: "
## [13997] "The lame to limbs, the blind restores to sight, "
## [13998] "Loveth the just, protects who strangers be. "
## [13999] "The widowes piller he, "
## [14000] "He orphans doth support: "
## [14001] "25 But heavy lies upon the godlesse sort. "
## [14002] ""
## [14003] "He everlasting raignes, "
## [14004] "Syon, thy God from age to age remaines. "
## [14005] ""
## [14006] ""
## [14007] ""
## [14008] "336 "
## [14009] ""
## [14010] ""
## [14011] ""
## [14012] "PSALM 147 LAUDATE DOMINUM "
## [14013] ""
## [14014] ""
## [14015] ""
## [14016] "Sing to the Lord, for what can better be, "
## [14017] ""
## [14018] "Than of our God that we the honor sing? "
## [14019] "With seemly pleasure what can more agree, "
## [14020] ""
## [14021] "Than praisefull voice, and touch of tuned string? "
## [14022] "5 For lo, the Lord againe to forme doth bring "
## [14023] ""
## [14024] "Jerusalems long ruinated walls: "
## [14025] "And Jacobs house, which all the earth did see "
## [14026] "Dispersed erst, to union now recalls. "
## [14027] "And now by him their broken hearts made sound, "
## [14028] "10 And now by him their bleeding wounds are bound. "
## [14029] ""
## [14030] "For what could not, who can the number tell "
## [14031] "Of starrs, the torches of his heav'nly hall? "
## [14032] "And tell so readily, he knoweth well "
## [14033] ""
## [14034] "How ev'ry starre by proper name to call. "
## [14035] "15 What greate to him, whose greatness doth not fall "
## [14036] "Within precincts? whose powre no lymits stay? "
## [14037] "Whose knowledges all number soe excell, "
## [14038] ""
## [14039] "Not numbring number can their number lay? "
## [14040] "Easy to him to lift the lowly just; "
## [14041] "20 Easy to down proud wicked to the dust. "
## [14042] ""
## [14043] "O then Jehovas causefull honor sing, "
## [14044] ""
## [14045] "His, whom our God we by his goodness find: "
## [14046] "O make harmonious mix of voice and string "
## [14047] ""
## [14048] "To him, by whom the skies with cloudes are lin'd: "
## [14049] "25 By whom the rayne from cloudes to dropp assign'd "
## [14050] "Supples the clodds of sommer-scorched fields, "
## [14051] "Fresheth the mountaines with such needefull spring, "
## [14052] "Fuell of life to mountaine cattaile yeeldes, "
## [14053] ""
## [14054] ""
## [14055] ""
## [14056] "psalm 147 337 "
## [14057] ""
## [14058] "From whom young ravens careless old forsake, "
## [14059] "30 Croaking to him of Almes, their diett take. "
## [14060] ""
## [14061] "The stately shape, the force of bravest steed "
## [14062] "Is farre too weake to work in him delight: "
## [14063] "No more in him can any pleasure breed "
## [14064] "In flying footman, foote of nimblest flight. "
## [14065] "35 Nay, which is more, his fearers in his sight "
## [14066] "Can well of nothing but his bounty brave; "
## [14067] "Which never failing, never letts them neede, "
## [14068] ""
## [14069] "Who fixt their hopes upon his mercies have. "
## [14070] "O then Jerusalem, Jehova praise, "
## [14071] "40 With honor due thy God, O Sion, raise. "
## [14072] ""
## [14073] "His strength it is thy gates doth surely barre: "
## [14074] ""
## [14075] "His grace in thee thy children multiplies: "
## [14076] "By him thy borders ly secure from warres: "
## [14077] "And finest flowre thy hunger satisfies. "
## [14078] "45 Nor meanes he needes: for fast his pleasure flies, "
## [14079] "Borne by his word, when ought him list to bid. "
## [14080] "Snowes woolly locks by him wide scattered are, "
## [14081] "And hoary plaines with frost, as asshes, hid; "
## [14082] "Gross icy gobbetts from his hand he flings, "
## [14083] "50 And blowes a cold too strong for strongest things. "
## [14084] ""
## [14085] "He bidds again and yce in water flowes, "
## [14086] "As water erst in yce congealed lay: "
## [14087] "Abroad the southern wind, his melter, goes, "
## [14088] "The streames relenting take their wonted way; "
## [14089] "55 O much is this, but more I come to say, "
## [14090] ""
## [14091] "The wordes of fife he hath to Jacob tolde: "
## [14092] "Taught Israeli, who by his teaching knowes "
## [14093] ""
## [14094] "What lawes in life, what rules he wills to hold. "
## [14095] "No Nation els hath found him half soe kind, "
## [14096] "60 For to his light, what other is not blynd? "
## [14097] ""
## [14098] "line 16 precincts: boundaries, line 26 Supples: softens. "
## [14099] ""
## [14100] ""
## [14101] ""
## [14102] "PSALM 148 LAUDATE DOMINUM "
## [14103] ""
## [14104] ""
## [14105] ""
## [14106] "Inhabitants of heav'nly land "
## [14107] ""
## [14108] "As loving subjectes praise your king: "
## [14109] "You that among them highest stand, "
## [14110] "In highest notes Jehova sing. "
## [14111] "Sing Angells all, on carefull wing, "
## [14112] ""
## [14113] "You that his heralds fly, "
## [14114] "And you whom he doth soldiers bring "
## [14115] "In feild his force to try. "
## [14116] ""
## [14117] "O praise him Sunne, the sea of light, "
## [14118] ""
## [14119] "O praise him Moone, the light of sea: "
## [14120] "You preaty stairs in robe of night, "
## [14121] "As spangles twinckling do as they. "
## [14122] "Thou spheare within whose bosom play "
## [14123] ""
## [14124] "The rest that earth emball: "
## [14125] "You waters banck'd with starry bay, "
## [14126] "O praise, O praise him all. "
## [14127] ""
## [14128] "All these I say advaunce that name, "
## [14129] "That doth eternall beeing show: "
## [14130] "Who bidding, into forme and frame, "
## [14131] "Not beeing yet, they all did grow. "
## [14132] "All formed, framed, founded so, "
## [14133] "Till ages uttmost date "
## [14134] "They place retaine, they order know, "
## [14135] "They keepe their first estate. "
## [14136] ""
## [14137] ""
## [14138] ""
## [14139] "PSALM 148 3391 "
## [14140] ""
## [14141] "25 When heavn hath prais'd, praise earth anew: "
## [14142] "You Dragons first, her deepest guests, "
## [14143] "Then soundlesse deepes, and what in you "
## [14144] "Residing low, or moves, or rests; "
## [14145] "You flames affrighting mortall brests: "
## [14146] "30 You stones that cloudes do cast, "
## [14147] ""
## [14148] "You feathery snowes from wynters nests, "
## [14149] "You vapors, sunnes appast. "
## [14150] ""
## [14151] "You boisterous windes, whose breath fullfills "
## [14152] "What in his word, his will setts down: "
## [14153] "35 Ambitious mountaines, curteous hills: "
## [14154] ""
## [14155] "You trees that hills and mountaines crown: "
## [14156] "Both you that proud of native gown "
## [14157] ""
## [14158] "Stand fresh and tall to see: "
## [14159] "And you that have your more renown, "
## [14160] "40 By what you beare, than be. "
## [14161] ""
## [14162] "You beastes in woodes untam'd that range: "
## [14163] ""
## [14164] "You that with men famillier go: "
## [14165] "You that your place by creeping change, "
## [14166] "Or airy streames with feathers row; "
## [14167] "45 You stately kings, you subjects low "
## [14168] ""
## [14169] "You Lordes and Judges all: "
## [14170] "You others whose distinctions show, "
## [14171] "How sex or age may fall; "
## [14172] ""
## [14173] "All these I say, advaunce that name "
## [14174] "50 More high than skies, more low than ground "
## [14175] ""
## [14176] "And since, advaunced by the same, "
## [14177] ""
## [14178] "You Jacobs sonnes stand cheefly bound; "
## [14179] "You Jacobs sonnes be cheefe to sound "
## [14180] "Your God Jehovas praise: "
## [14181] "55 So fitts them well on whom is found, "
## [14182] ""
## [14183] "Such blisse he on you laies. "
## [14184] ""
## [14185] "line 32 appast: food, repast. "
## [14186] ""
## [14187] ""
## [14188] ""
## [14189] "PSALM 149 CANT ATE DOMINO "
## [14190] ""
## [14191] ""
## [14192] ""
## [14193] "In an earst unused song "
## [14194] ""
## [14195] "To Jehova lift your voices: "
## [14196] "Make his favourites among "
## [14197] ""
## [14198] "Sound his praise with eheerefull noises. "
## [14199] "Jacob, thou with joy relate "
## [14200] "Him that hath refram'd thy state: "
## [14201] "Sonnes whom Sion entertaineth "
## [14202] "Boast in him who on you raigneth. "
## [14203] ""
## [14204] "Play on harp, on tabret play, "
## [14205] ""
## [14206] "Daunce Jehova publique daunces: "
## [14207] "He their state that on him stay, "
## [14208] "Most afflicted, most advaunces. "
## [14209] "O how glad his saincts I see! "
## [14210] "Ev'n in bed how glad they be! "
## [14211] "Heav'nly hymnes with throat unfolding, "
## [14212] "Swordes in hand twice-edged holding. "
## [14213] ""
## [14214] "Plague and chastise that they may "
## [14215] ""
## [14216] "Nations such as erst them pained, "
## [14217] "Yea, their kings, in fetters lay; "
## [14218] "Lay their Nobles fast enchained, "
## [14219] "That the doom no stay may lett, "
## [14220] "By his sentence on them sett. "
## [14221] "Lo! what honor all expecteth, "
## [14222] "Whom the Lord with love affecteth! "
## [14223] ""
## [14224] ""
## [14225] ""
## [14226] "34^ "
## [14227] ""
## [14228] ""
## [14229] ""
## [14230] "PSALM 150 LAUDATE DOMINUM "
## [14231] ""
## [14232] ""
## [14233] ""
## [14234] "O laud the Lord, the God of hosts commend, "
## [14235] "Exault his pow'r, advaunce his holynesse: "
## [14236] "With all your might lift his allmightinesse: "
## [14237] ""
## [14238] "Your greatest praise upon his greatness spend. "
## [14239] ""
## [14240] "5 Make Trumpetts noise in shrillest notes ascend: "
## [14241] ""
## [14242] "Make lute and lyre his loved fame expresse: "
## [14243] "Him lett the pipe, him lett the tabret blesse, "
## [14244] "Him organs breath, that windes or waters lend. "
## [14245] ""
## [14246] "Lett ringing Timbrells soe his honor sound, "
## [14247] "10 Lett sounding Cymballs soe his glory ring, "
## [14248] ""
## [14249] "That in their tunes such mellody be found, "
## [14250] ""
## [14251] "As fitts the pompe of most Triumphant king. "
## [14252] "Conclud: by all that aire, or life enfold, "
## [14253] "Lett high Jehova highly be extold. "
## [14254] ""
## [14255] ""
## [14256] ""
## [14257] "343 "
## [14258] ""
## [14259] ""
## [14260] ""
## [14261] ""
## [14262] ""
## [14263] ""
## [14264] ""
## [14265] ""
## [14266] ""
## [14267] ""
## [14268] ""
## [14269] ""
## [14270] ""
##
## [[8]]
## [1] "filename\ttr #\tauthor pid\tpub date\tfull text"
## [2] "fakewroth.urania.xml\tTR00223\tmwroth.zoq\t1621\tAnn Morris her Book: The Lord of Heavon upon her Look But when her passing bell doth towll The Lord of Heavon receive her sowll Amon 1723 Roger Jones his book 1725 A pair of columns form the left and right margins of the page. The two support a curving, ornamented archway for which a large elliptical frame serves as the center of the arch. The title and author of the piece appear within this frame. Directly below the frame appear a two-storied building with three windows on the second floor, in each of which appears a stylized figure. Rolling hills with interspersed farm and forest land spread out from this building and a roadway winds down to a second two-story edifice of which the second floor consists of a trio of domed towers topped with a spire. A second frame rests below this building and holds the publication information for the work. The engraver's name Sime Passus sculp. rests below and to the left of this second frame, and the date 1621 appears at the base of the right hand column. Sime Passus sculp. The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania. Written by the right honorable the Lady Mary Wroath. Daughter to the right Noble Robert Earle of Leicester. And Neece to the ever famous, and renowned Sr. Phillips Sidney knight. And to ye most exelent Lady Mary Countesse of Pembroke late deceased. London Printed for John Marriott and John Grismand And are to bee sould at theire shop pes in St Dunstons Church 1621 yard in Fleetstreet and in Poules Ally at signe of the Gunn. The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania. The First Booke. When the Spring began to appeare like the welcome messenger of Summer, one sweet (and in that more sweet) morning, after Aurora had called all carefull eyes to attend the day, forth came the faire Shepherdesse Urania (faire indeed; yet that farre too meane a title for her, who for beautie deserv'd the highest stile could be given by best knowing Judgements). Into the Meade she came, where usually shee drave her flocks to feede, whose leaping and wantonnesse shewed they were proud of such a Guide: But she, whose sad thoughts led her to another manner of spending her time, made her soone leave them, and follow her late begun custome; which was (while they delighted themselves) to sit under some shade, bewailing her misfortune; while they fed, to feed upon her owne sorrow and teares, which at this time she began againe to summon, sitting downe under the shade of a well-spread Beech; the ground (then blest) and the tree with full, and fine leaved branches, growing proud to beare, and shadow such perfections. But she regarding nothing, in comparison of her woe, thus proceeded in her griefe: Alas Urania, said she, (the true servant to misfortune); of any miserie that can befall woman, is not this the most and greatest which thou art falne into? Can there be any neare the unhappinesse of being ignorant, and that in the highest kind, not being certaine of mine owne estate or birth? Why was I not stil continued in the beleefe I was, as I appeare, a Shepherdes, and Daughter to a Shepherd? My ambition then went no higher then this estate, now flies it to a knowledge; then was I contented, now perplexed. O ignorance, can thy dulnesse yet procure so sharpe a paine? and that such a thought as makes me now aspire unto knowledge? How did I joy in this poore life being quiet? blest in the love of those I tooke for parents, but now by them I know the contrary, and by that knowledge, not to know my selfe. Miserable Urania worse art thou now then these thy Lambs; for they know their dams, while thou dost live unknowne of any. By this were others come into that Meade with their flocks: but shee esteeming her sorrowing thoughts her best, and choycest companie, left that place, taking a little path which brought her to the further side of the plaine, to the foote of the rocks, speaking as she went these lines, her eies fixt upon the ground, her very soule turn'd into mourning. Unseene, unknowne, I here alone complaine To Rocks, to Hills, to Meadowes, and to Springs, Which can no helpe returne to ease my paine, But back my sorrowes the sad Eccho brings. Thus still encreasing are my woes to me, Doubly resounded by that monefull voice, Which seemes to second me in miserie, And answere gives like friend of mine owne choice. Thus onely she doth my companion prove, The others silently doe offer ease: But those that grieve, a grieving note doe love; Pleasures to dying eies bring but disease: And such am I, who daily ending live, Wayling a state which can no comfort give. In this passion she went on, till she came to the foote of a great rocke, shee thinking of nothing lesse then ease, sought how she might ascend it; hoping there to passe away her time more peaceably with lonelinesse, though not to find least respit from her sorrow, which so deerely she did value, as by no meanes she would impart it to any. The way was hard, though by some windings making the ascent pleasing. Having attained the top, she saw under some hollow trees the entrie into the rocke: she fearing nothing but the continuance of her ignorance, went in; where shee found a pretty roome, as if that stonie place had yet in pitie, given leave for such perfections to come into the heart as chiefest, and most beloved place, because most loving. The place was not unlike the ancient (or the descriptions of ancient) Hermitages, instead of hangings, covered and lined with Ivie, disdaining ought els should come there, that being in such perfection. This richnesse in Natures plentie made her stay to behold it, and almost grudge the pleasant fulnes of content that place might have, if sensible, while she must know to taste of torments. As she was thus in passion mixt with paine, throwing her eies as wildly as timerous Lovers do for feare of discoverie, she perceived a little Light, and such a one, as a chinke doth oft discover to our sights. She curious to see what this was, with her delicate hands put the naturall ornament aside, discerning a little doore, which she putting from her, passed through it into another roome, like the first in all proportion; but in the midst there was a square stone, like to a prettie table, and on it a wax-candle burning; and by that a paper, which had suffered it selfe patiently to receive the discovering of so much of it, as presented this Sonnet (as it seemed newly written) to her sight. He all alone in silence might I mourne: But how can silence be where sorrowes flow? Sigh's with complaints have poorer paines out-worne; But broken hearts can only true griefe show. Drops of my dearest bloud shall let Love know Such teares for her I shed, yet still do burne, As no spring can quench least part of my woe, Till this live earth, againe to earth doe turne. Hatefull all thought of comfort is to me, Despised day, let me still night possesse; Let me all torments feele in their excesse, And but this light allow my state to see. Which still doth wast, and wasting as this light, Are my sad dayes unto eternall night. Alas Urania (sigh'd she)! How well doe these words, this place, and all agree with thy fortune? sure poore soule thou wert heere appointed to spend thy daies, and these roomes ordain'd to keepe thy tortures in; none being assuredly so matchlesly unfortunate. Turning from the table, she discerned in the roome a bed of boughes, and on it a man lying, deprived of outward sense, as she thought, and of life, as she at first did feare, which strake her into a great amazement: yet having a brave spirit, though shadowed under a meane habit, she stept unto him, whom she found not dead, but laid upon his back, his head a little to her wards, his armes foulded on his brest, haire long, and beard disordered, manifesting all care; but care it selfe had left him: curiousnesse thus farre affoorded him, as to bee perfectly discerned the most exact peece of miserie; Apparrell hee had sutable to the habitation, which was a long gray robe. This grievefull spectacle did much amaze the sweet and tender-hearted Shepherdesse; especially, when she perceived (as she might by the helpe of the candle) the teares which distilled from his eyes; who seeming the image of death, yet had this signe of worldly sorrow, the drops falling in that abundance, as if there were a kind strife among them, to rid their Master first of that burdenous carriage; or else meaning to make a floud, and so drowne their wofull Patient in his owne sorrow, who yet lay still, but then fetching a deepe groane from the profoundest part of his soule, he said. Miserable Perissus, canst thou thus live, knowing she that gave thee life is gone? Gone, O me! and with her all my joy departed. Wilt thou (unblessed creature) lie here complaining for her death, and know she died for thee? Let truth and shame make thee doe something worthy of such a Love, ending thy daies like thy selfe, and one fit to be her Servant. But that I must not doe: then thus remaine and foster stormes, still to torment thy wretched soule withall, since all are little, and too too little for such a losse. O deere Limena , loving Limena, worthy Limena, and more rare, constant Limena: perfections delicately faign'd to be in women were verified in thee, was such worthinesse framed onely to be wondred at by the best, but given as a prey to base and unworthy jealousie? When were all worthy parts joyn'd in one, but in thee (my best Limena)? yet all these growne subj ect to a creature ignorant of all but ill, like unto a Foole, who in a darke Cave, that hath but one way to get out, having a candle, but not the understanding what good it doth him, puts it out: this ignorant wretch not being able to comprehend thy vertues, did so by thee in thy murder, putting out the worlds light, and mens admiration: Limena, Limena, O my Limena. With that he fell from complaining into such a passion, as weeping and crying were never in so wofull a perfection, as now in him; which brought as deserved a compassion from the excellent Shepherdesse, who already had her heart so tempered with griefe, as that it was apt to take any impression that it would come to seale withall. Yet taking a brave courage to her, shee stept unto him, kneeling downe by his side, and gently pulling him by the arme, she thus spake. Sir (said she) having heard some part of your sorrowes, they have not only made me truly pitie you, but wonder at you; since if you have lost so great a treasure, you should not lie thus leaving her and your love unrevenged, suffering her murderers to live, while you lie here complaining; and if such perfections be dead in her, why make you not the Phœnix of your deeds live againe, as to new life rais'd out of the revenge you should take on them? then were her end satisfied, and you deservedly accounted worthie of her favour, if shee were so worthie as you say. If shee were? O God (cri'd out Perissus), what divelish spirit art thou, that thus dost come to torture me? But now I see you are a woman; and therefore not much to be marked, and lesse resisted: but if you know charitie, I pray now practise it, and leave me who am afflicted sufficiently without your companie; or if you will stay, discourse not to me. Neither of these will I doe (said she). If you be then (said he) some furie of purpose sent to vex me, use your force to the uttermost in martyring me; for never was there a fitter subject, then the heart of poore Perissus is. I am no furie (repli'd the divine Urania), nor hither come to trouble you, but by accident lighted on this place; my cruell hap being such, as onely the like can give me content, while the solitarinesse of this like cave might give me quiet, though not ease, seeking for such a one, I happened hither; and this is the true cause of my being here, though now I would use it to a better end if I might. Wherefore favour me with the knowledge of your griefe; which heard, it may be I shall give you some counsell, and comfort in your sorrow. Cursed may I bee (cri'd he) if ever I take comfort, having such cause of mourning: but because you are, or seeme to be afflicted, I will not refuse to satisfie your demaund, but tell you the saddest storie that ever was rehearsed by dying man to living woman, and such a one, as I feare will fasten too much sadnesse in you; yet should I denie it, I were too blame, being so well knowne to these senselesse places; as were they sensible of sorrow, they would condole, or else amased at such crueltie, stand dumbe as they doe, to find that man should be so inhumane. Then faire Shepherdesse, heare my selfe say my name is Perissus, Nephew I am to the King of Sicilie, a place fruitfull and plentifull of all things, onely niggardly of good nature to a great man in that Country, whom I am sure you have heard me blame in my complaints. Heire I am as yet to this King mine Uncle; and truly may I say so, for a more unfortunate Prince never lived, so as I inherit his crosses, howsoever I shall his estate. There was in this Country (as the only blessing it enj oyed) a Lady, or rather a Goddesse for incomparable beautie, and matchles vertues, called Limena, daughter to a Duke, but Princesse of all hearts: this starre comming to the Court to honour it with such light, it was in that my blessed destinie to see her, and be made her servant, or better to say, a slave to her perfections; thus long was I happie, but now begins the tragedie: for warres falling out betweene the people and the Gentlemen, the King was by the people (imagining he tooke the other part) brought into some danger, and so great an one, as rudenes joynd with ill nature could bring him into, being at last besieged in a strong hold of his, all of us his servants, and gentle subjects, striving for his good and safetie; in this time nothing appearing but danger, and but wise force to preserve mens lives and estates unto them, every one taking the best meanes to attaine unto their good desires. The Duke (father to the best, and truest beauty) would yet bestow that upon a great Lord in the Country, truly for powerfull command and meanes, a fit match for any, but the wonder of women, since none could without much flatterie to himselfe, thinke he might aspire to the blessing of being accounted worthie to be her servant, much lesse her husband. Shee seeing it was her fathers will, esteeming obedience beyond all passions, how worthily soe ver suffered, most dutifully, though unwillingly, said, she would obey; her tongue faintly delivering, what her heart so much detested; loathing almost it selfe, for consenting in shew to that which was most contrarie to it selfe; yet thus it was concluded, and with as much speed as any man would make to an eternall happines. While of this, and so my misfortune, I remained ignorant, till one day the warres being a little ceased, though not ended, the siege still continuing, I stole from mine uncle to see my heart, which she kept safe with her: but when I came thither, I found, or fear'd I found no roome for it. She who had it, being in the power of mine enemie (for so I accounted him, when he enjoyed my losse, my hopes being frustrate, my joyes lost and spoild, I grew from my selfe, my sences failed me, a trembling possessing my whole bodie, so as this distemper was marked, and pittied of all: but what did comfort me, was, that she did seeme to pitty me. Then did I blesse my torments, that had procured me such a favour. There were none, but carefully sought my health, especially her husband, whose diligence was as tedious, as his wives was my onely joy. Griev'd I was to stay and see my miserie, yet sad I was to goe from seeing her, who gave me (though a barr'd) delight in beholding her: but knowing passion the greater Lord over my strength, I tooke my leave, pretending busines, having onely taken the opportunitie that way afforded me to visite them, passing so neare by them; they all seemed sorry for my going, and Limena indeed was so; then by unus'd pathes I got backe to the King, often, as I rode, looking to that place where I left my soule prisoner. When I had been a while at home, remembring, or rather never letting the beautie of Limena be absent from me, I say remembring her, and my everlasting wretched state in missing her; calling my mischiefe by his gaine to account, I found so much cause to lament, as in short time I was but mournefull sorrow; my friends griev'd, and generally all did shew displeasure for me, only my selfe found nothing but cause to proceed in this dispaire, love having truly changed me to that most low, and still unluckie fate. Businesse of State I neglected, going about as in a dreame, led by the cruellest of hellish spirits, Despaire, till I was awaked by a command to goe and leade some troops which were gathered by the Kings friends together comming to raise the siege, yet desiring me to be their head. I went, and thus farre willingly, having so much hope left me, as to thinke I might by this meanes conclude my afflictions with my end; yet first I resolved to write unto her, that she might know, she had so unblest a creature to her Servant. When I had written my letter with shaking hands, and yet a more shaking heart, I gave it to a Page of mine, who was newly come unto mee, and never had been seene in her Fathers house, giving him besides directions how to carrie himselfe, which he discreetly did observe, and found as fit an opportunitie as could be wisht: for her husband being gone to see an ancient house of his, she walked alone into a little Grove below the place of her abiding; he perceiving her, knew straight it was she; wherefore he followed her, having before hid himselfe in the uppermost part of the thicket, expecting occasion whereby to performe his Masters commaund. He then seeing it offered, would not neglect it, though somewhat timerously, esteeming her for her excellencies rather some Goddesse of those Woods, then an earthly Creature: but remembring the infinite (yet not sufficient) praises I had giv en her, concluded, it could be none other then Limena; so as comming to her, he on his knees delivered the letter, saying these words; The wofull Perissus his Lord and Master presented that, with his service to her. This (though but little) was more then I could have said, if in his place: For Lord, how was I afflicted with millions of doubts how it might be delivered; then, whether she would accept of it; and most, what she would conceive of my boldnesse, quaking when I gave it him, knowing how wretched a creature I must bee, if it offended her, yet wishing I might have had the papers place once more to have been toucht by her, though, if it brought dislike, for that to have suffered martyrdome. But she for my happinesse tooke it, and with a pretty blush read it, which since I perceiv'd did spring from love, yet blusht to see it selfe so lively in her cheekes. When she had read it, Good youth (said she) commend me to your Lord: but for his letter, say, It needs no answer till he come himselfe, and fetch one. With this he return'd, and so with much comfort to me, hope being glad to build on any small ground, how much more then on so likely a possibility. I then, Hopes servant, as before onely slave to Despaire, made all haste I could to see her, having good and welcome meanes affoorded me, being able with convenience to take her Fathers house in my way to the new-rais'd Army. Thither I came, which though in a wild Forest, yet it was pretended, I left the great roads for my better safetie. Thus was a colour set upon my love, which but for her serv ice, and so the safelier to serve her, would suffer any glosse but truth in affection. Being there ariv'd, I was extreamely welcomed of all: her Father, a grave and wise man, discoursed with mee of businesse of State: after him, and so all supper time, her husband discoursed of hunting, an exercise fit for such a creature. Neither of these brought my Mistris from a grave, and almost sad countenance, which made me somewhat feare, knowing her understanding and experience, able and sufficient to judge, or advise in any matter we could discourse of: but modestie in her caus'd it, onely loving knowledge, to be able to discerne mens understandings by their arguments, but no way to shew it by her owne speech. This (and withall feare of discovering some passions, which she, though excelling in wit and judgement; yet could not governe, at least, guiltines forc'd her to thinke so) was the reason she held her gravitie; yet after she grew more merry. And I finding a fit time by her husbands going out of the chamber, with some companie that was there, humbly desired an answere of my letter. She blushing, and as if ashamed so much innocent vertue should be discovered with my Lover-like importunitie in her, though strong in constancie; yet womans affection gain'd so much by lookes, and sweet though-fearing words, as I was resolved, and assured of her love, which made me proud of such a treasure, begin to dispose part of it to my benefit, for looking about, and seeing every ones eyes carried their owne waies, I kist her; she, not offended, yet said; Let not my freedome make you dispose otherwise then virtuously of me: I vowed more then that libertie I would not aske, which I know, if I had offered, her vertue would have refused, nor truly would my deere and worthy affection permit mee to demaund, and this held our loves more firme, when tied by vertue. But not to hold you long with this (which yet to me is some ease for the present, although the bitterer the conclusion is that followes). We had as many such meetings as true, or fained meanes could compasse us, till our miserie was such, as this wild man her husband (whether out of true consideration of his great unworthines, or proceeding from his froward disposition, I know not) grew jealous (an humour following base minds as readily, as thunder doth the lightning, then had he rashnes to accompany the other, which fram'd a determination, which was soone altered from that name by performance, that she should stay no longer with her father, but go with him to his own house; this I had notice of, but all that we could doe, could not hinder the accomplishing his will, and save her honour, which to me, more deere then mine owne Life was esteemed. But the night before her going I came thither, where I found the accustomed entertainement, he using me with al shew of respect, which in that kind I embraced; our hearts being as farre from meaning truth in giving or accepting, as truth is from bare complement, but greatnesse in me made him use it; and care in me (of my better selfe) receive it; my heart swelling with hate and scorne, even almost to breaking, when I did see him. That night I saw her, and but spake to her, so curiously her husband watched us, yet could he not keepe our eies, but by them we did deliver our soules, he onely able to keepe her daintie body in his wicked prison. The next day they went, and so went all worth with this odd man to have her delicacy kept like a Diamond in a rotten box: yet she considering it to be to no purpose to contend, where she was miserably bound to obey, observed him, as well as she could bring her spirit to consent to; yet did he begin for her welcome to grow curst to her; with her Servants he first began, finding, or better to say, framing occasions to be rid of them all, placing of his owne about her, which she suffered, onely contenting her selfe with the memorie of our Loves: yet wanting the true content which was in our conversation, shee grew sad, and keeping much within, grew pale, her rosie cheekes and lippes changing to wannesse: but this was all the change, her noble heart free from such a sinne. This was but part of her affliction, still vexing her sweete disposition, with speaking slightly of me, and then telling her of her love to me; which brought her to that passe, as at last I was not named, but she would blush; then would he revile her, and vilely use her: but she patiently, and silently bare all, not suffering me to have notice of it, lest it might, as it should have done, move mee to revenge her wrong for my sake endured. Thus it rested, she restlesly bearing all the ills that froward Nature (mixt with peev ish and spitefull jealousie) could afflict upon the purest mind; using no other meanes, but gentle and mild perswasions, which wrought no more in him, but that still his madnesse increased. Now was his house not farre from the way which I must passe betweene the Campe, and the great Citie of Siracusa , being one of the chiefe of that kingdome; and which at that time had yeelded it selfe againe unto the King. I hearing Philargus (for so was this unworthie man called) was at his house, with his truly vertuous wife, whom my soule longed to see, I resolved to lodge there that night, not (alas) mistrusting the misfortune, but coveting to see her, whom more then my heart I loved, or lov'd my heart the better for being hers. So I went thither, where I was by him exceedingly well welcom'd in outward shew, though his meaning was contrary, which I should have found, had his divelish plots bin readie, Jealousie having now blinded him to all good nature or judgement. She poore Lady (poore onely in this fortune) sad and griev'd, all her smiles turn'd into sighes, and thinkings, which made me feare, and wonder, wondring at the change of her beauty, which yet in palenes shew'd excellency; and feare I did, lest my absence had offended her, but I was deceiv'd, while I lest thought of the true cause, or could imagine such villanie plotted against so rare perfections. Desirous to know the cause, I remain'd almost impatient, not venturing to speake to her before her husband, for hurting her: but he going out of the roome, after wee had supped, either to cover the flames which were ready to breake out in huge fires of his mistrust, or to have the company fitter for him, affecting stil to be chiefe, his absence, howsoever, gave me opportunitie to demaund the reason of her strangenesse: She sigh'd to heare mee call it so, and with teares told me the reason, concluding; and thus doe you see my Lord (said she) the torments I suffer for your love; yet do you more torture me with doubting me, who have no happines left me, but the knowledge of my faith to you, all afflictions being welcome to me, which for your sake I suffer. Betweene rage and paine I remain'd amazed, till shee, taking mee by the hand, brought mee more wofully to my selfe with these words. And yet am I brought to a greater mischiefe; with that fixing her weeping eyes upon mine, which affectionately answered hers with lookes and teares. I must my Lord (said she) intreate you to refraine this place, since none can tell what danger may proceed from mad, and unbridled jealousie ; Refraine your sight? Commaund me then to die (said I). Have I deserv'd to be thus punish'd? Shall his brutishnes undoe my blessings? yet this place I will, since you will have it so, hoping you will find some meanes to let me know Philargus house is not in all places. That I will doe, or die (said she). Miserable wretch (cry'd I), art thou borne to such fortune, as to have this Lady love thee, and her unmatched goodnes to suffer for one so worthlesse as thy selfe? No, no, my Lord (said she) in this you wrong me, and that judgement which heretofore you said was in me, since if you were unworthy then, my choice was unperfect: but you are worthie, and I worthily chose you; I lov'd you, and constantly lov'd you, and in this doe I best allow of my owne judgement. I hope that love is not cleane gone (cri'd I), (my speech by love directed to say thus), nor will you forget me, though from our most desired meetings, we must be barred. My love, my Lord (said she) had, and hath too sure a ground to know remove, I too truly lov'd, and doe love you, ever to forget it, or to let it have least shadow of lessening, though vailed in absence, but rather (if increase can be where all is already possest) it shall increase; Love living best where desert, and sufferance joyne together; and for witnes of it, take this (said she, bestowing her picture upon me, which is all the Limenas I shall now enjoy, or ever did, more then her lov'd, and best beloved sight. The case was blew, commanding me withall to love that color, both because it was hers, and because it self betokened truth. By this time her husband was come, who told us, 'twas time to goe rest. We obay'd: and this was the last time that ever I saw my deere, and most worthily accounted deere Limena: for the next morning I was by day to be at the Citie, and so from thence to returne to the Campe. Thus tooke I my leave, and my last leave of vertuous Limena, whose sad face, but sadder soule foretold our following harme, and succeeding ruine. For within few dayes after my returne to the Camp, there came a Messenger early in the morning, and (O too early for my fortune) whom I strait knew to be Limenas faithfull Servant. At first, it brought joy to me, seeing a letter in his hand; but soone was that turn'd to as much mourning, cursing my hands that tooke it, and eyes that read so lamentable a letter; the contents (nay that it selfe) being this, and the verie same my Mistris sent, and wo is me, the last she ere can send. Urania read it, while he with teares and groanes gave the true period to it. The Letter said thus. My onely Lord, thinke not this, or the manner strange I now send, knowing already some part of the undeserved course taken with me, only pitie her, who for your sake suffers patiently; accept these my last lines, and with them the sincerest love that ever woman gave to man. I have not time to speake what I would, therefore let this satisfie you, that the many threatnings I have heard, are come in some kind to end: for I must presently die, and for you; which death is most welcome, since for you I must have it, and more pleasing then life without you. Grant me then these last requests, which even by your love I conjure you not to denie me, that you love my poore memory; and as you will love that, or ever loved me, revenge not my death on my murtherer, who, how unworthy soever hee was, or is, yet hee is my Husband. This is all, and this grant, as I will faithfully die Yours. Alas, faire Shepherdesse (said he), is this a letter without much sorrow to be read? and is not this a creature of all others to be belov'd? Never let him breath, that will not heartily, and most heartily lament such a misfortune. Tis true, said Urania, reason and worth being companions: but yet I heare not the certaintie or manner of her death, then will I not faile to lament with you. Alas, said hee, heare it of mee, onely fit to tell that storie. After my departure from his house to the Citie, and so to the Campe, the jealous wretch finding my Ladie retired into a Cabinet she had, where she used to passe away some part of her unpleasant life: comming in, he shut the dore, drawing his sword, and looking with as much furie, as jealous spite could with rage demonstrate; his breath short, his sword he held in his hand, his eyes sparkling as thicke and fast, as an unperfectly kindled fire with much blowing gives to the Blower, his tongue stammeringly with rage bringing foorth these words; thou hast wrong'd mee, vild creature; I say thou hast wronged mee: shee who was compounded of vertue, and her spirit, seeing his wild and distracted countenance guest the worst, wherfore mildely shee gave this answere. Philargus, saide shee, I knowe in mine owne heart I have not wrong'd you, and God knowes I have not wrong'd my selfe: these speeches, said he, are but the followers of your continued ill, and false living; but thinke no longer to deceive me, nor cousen your selfe with the hope of being able, for in both you shall finde as much want, as I doe of your faith to me; but if you will speake confesse the truth: O me, the truth, that you have shamed your selfe in my dishonour, say you have wrong'd me, giving your honour, and mine to the loose, and wanton pleasure of Perissus; was I not great enough, amiable, delicate enough, but for lasciviousnesse you must seeke, and woo him? Yet Limena I did thus deserve you, that once better then my selfe I lov'd you, which affection lives in the extremitie still, but hath chang'd the nature, being now as full of hate, as then abounding in love, which shall instantly be manifested, if you consent not to my will, which is, that without dissembling speeches, or flattring finenes you confesse your shamefull love to the robber of my blisse: you may denie it, for how easie is it to be faultie in words, when in the truth of truth you are so faultie? but take heede, unfainedly answere, or here I vow to sacrifice your blood to your wanton love; My Lord, said she, threatnings are but meanes to strengthen free and pure hearts against the threatners, and this hath your words wrought in me, in whom it were a foolish basenesse for feare of your sword, or breath to confesse what you demaund, if it were true farre more did I deserve eternall punishment, if I would belye him, and my selfe for dread of a bare threatning; since sure, that sword, were it not for danger to it selfe, would, if any noblenesse were in it, or his master, choose rather to dye it selfe in the blood of a man, then be seene in the wranglings betweene us: yet doe I not denie my love to Perissus in all noble, and worthy affection, being I thinke nurst with me, for so long have I borne this respective love to him, as I knowe no part of my memory can tell me the beginning. Thus partly you have your will in assurance, that that unseperable love I beare him, was before I knewe you, or perfectly my selfe, and shall be while I am, yet alwayes thus in a vertuous, and religious fashion. O God, cry'd out Philargus what doe I heare? or what can you stile vertuous and religious, since it is to one besides your husband? hath shame possest you? and excellent modesty abandoned you? you have in part satisfied me indeed, but thus to see, that I have just occasion to seeke satisfaction for this injury: wherefore, resolve instantly to die, or obey me, write a letter straight before mine eyes unto him, conjure him with those sweete charmes which have undone mine honour, and content to come unto you: Let me truely knowe his answere, and be secret, or I vow thou shalt not many minutes outlive the refusall. Shee, sweetest soule, brought into this danger, (like one being betweene a flaming fire, and a swallowing gulfe, must venture into one, or standing still, perish by one) stood a while not amazed, for her spirit scorned so low a passion; but judicially considering with her selfe what might be good in so much ill; she with modest constancy, and constant determination, made this answer. This wretched, and unfortunate body, is I confesse in your hands, to dispose of to death if you will; but yet it is not unblest with such a mind as will suffer it to end with any such staine, as so wicked a plott, and miserable consent might purchase: nor will I blott my fathers house with Treason, Treason? Nay, the worst of Treasons, to be a Traytor to my friend. Wherefore my Lord pardon me, for I will with more willingnesse die, then execute your minde, and more happily shall I end, saving him innocent from ill, delivering my soule pure, and I unspotted of the crime you tax me of, or a thought of such dishonour to my selfe; I might have saide to you, but that this cruell course makes me thus part my honour from you; yet can you not part infamy, and reproach from you, nor me, said he: Prepare then quickly, this shall be your last; My Lord said shee, behold before your eyes the most distress'd of women, who if you will thus murder, is here ready: then untying a daintie embrodered wast coate; see here, said she, the breast, (and a most heavenly breast it was) which you so dearely loved, or made me thinke so, calling it purest warme snow; yet never was the colour purer then my love to you, but now 'tis ready to receive that stroake, shall bring my heart blood, cherish'd by you once, to dye it, in revenge of this my wrong revenge; nay, such revenge will my death have, as though by you I die, I pittie your ensuing overthrow. Whether these words, or that sight (which not to be seene without adoring) wrought most I knowe not, but both together so well prevaile as hee stood in a strange kind of fashion, which she (who now was to act her part for life, or death) tooke advantage of, and this your cruelty will more appeare when it is knowne you gave no time for consideration, or repentance, said she; you deserve no such favor from me, said he, but rather that I should with out giving care to that bewitching tongue have reveng'd my harme, but since I have committed this first, like faultie men, I must fall into another: Charity, but in no desert of yours, procures this favour for you: two dayes I give you, at the end of which be sure to content me with your answere, or content your selfe with present death. The joy she at this conceived, was as if assured life had beene given her, wherefore humbly thanking him, she promised to satisfie him so fully at that time, as he should (she hop'd) be pleased with it. Away hee went leaving her to her busie thoughts, yet somewhat comforted, since so shee might acquaint mee with her afflictions, for which cause grieving that I should be ignorant of the true meanes to her end, she so prettily gain'd that little time for the rarest lampe of excellent life to endure. Then called she a faithfull servant of hers, and the same who brought me the dolefull letter: First, she conjured him by the faith hee bare her, to obey what shee commaunded, and to bee secret; then related shee this soule rendring storie to him, which shee injoyn'd him truly to discover to mee, by his helpe getting pen and paper, and having written that dolorous, yet sweete, because loving letter, sent him to mee that day shee was to give her answere, which shee assured him should bee a direct refusall, esteeming death more pleasing and noble, then to betray me, who (for my now griefe mixt with that blessing) shee inricht with her incomparable affection, giving him charge to deliver it to mine owne hands, and besides, to stay with mee, assuring him I would most kindly intreat him for her sake, which shee might truly warrant him, being Commandresse of my soule. Hee found mee in my Tent, ready to goe forth; with a wan and sad countenance hee gave that and my death together; then telling the lamentable storie I now delivered you. With flouds of teares, and stormes of sighes hee concluded: And by this, is the rarest peece of woman-kinde destroyed. Had I growne into an ordinary passion like his of weeping, sobbing, or crying, it had not been fit for the excessive losse I was falne into; wherefore like a true Cast-away of fortune, I was at that instant metamorphosed into miserie it selfe, no other thing being able to equall mee, no more then any, except the owne fellow to a cockle shell, can fit the other. This change yet in mee, which to my selfe was so sudden as I felt it not, was so marked by my friends, and by all admired, as those who feared the least, doubted my end; which would it then had happened, since, if so the earth no longer had borne such a wretch, this sad place been molested with a guest perpetually filling it; and these places neere, with my unceasing complaints. Despaire having left mee no more ground for hope but this, that ere long I shall ease them all, death proving mercifull unto mee, in delivering this griefe-full body to the rest of a desired grave. My Lord Perissus (said Urania), how idle, and unprofitable indeed are these courses, since if shee bee dead, what good can they bring to her? and not being certaine of her death, how unfit are they for so brave a Prince, who will as it were, by will without reason wilfully lose himselfe? will not any till the contrarie bee knowne, as properly hope as vainely despaire? and can it bee imagined her husband (who, passion of love did in his furie so much temper) should have so cruell a hand, guided by so savage a heart, or seene by so pitilesse eyes, as to be able to murder so sweet a beauty? No my Lord, I cannot beleeve but she is living, and that you shal find it so, if unreasonable stubborne resolution bar you not, and so hinder you from the eternall happinesse you might enjoy. Only rare Shepherdesse (said the love-kill'd Perissus), how comfortable might these speeches bee to one, who were able to receive them, or had a heart could let in one signe of joy? but to me they are rather bitter, since they but cherish mee the longer to live in despairefull miserie. No, shee is dead, and with her is all vertue, and beauteous constancy gone. She is dead: for how can goodnesse or pitie be expected from him, who know nothing more, then desire of ill and crueltie? Thou art dead, and with thee all my joyes departed, all faith, love and worth are dead: to enjoy some part of which, in short time I will bee with thee, that though in life wee were kept asunder, in death we may bee joyn'd together, till which happie hower I will thus still lament thy losse. If you bee resolv'd (said the daintie Urania), folly it were to offer to perswade you from so resolute a determination; yet being so brave a Prince, stored with all vertuous parts, discretion and judgement, mee thinks, should not suffer you to burie them in the poore grave of Loves passion, the poorest of all other: these invite mee, as from your selfe, to speake to your selfe; Leave these teares, and woman-like complaints, no way befitting the valiant Perissus, but like a brave Prince, if you know shee bee dead, revenge her death on her murderers; and after, if you will celebrate her funeralls with your owne life giving, that will bee a famous act: so may you gaine perpetuall glorie, and repay the honor to her dead, which could not bee but touched by her untimely end. Her honour toucht, and toucht for mee? O immortal God (cride he), thou wilt not (I hope) let a slave live should touch on such a thought, nor me to live after it were borne, if not to sacrifice my bloud to wash away the staine. But I pray you since you undertake thus to advise mee, how can I doe this, and yet obey my Limena's commaund, in not revenging her death? Why that (replide the discreet Urania) proceeded whollie from the love shee bare you, which rather is another motive to stirre you, if you consider it, since the danger shee apprehended you would runne into, to right so delicate, yet unhappilie, injured a Ladie, and for you injured, forced her to use her authoritie for your safetie. But let not that prevaile, nor hinder a deadlie revenge for so detestable a fact. Thus shall you approove your selfe, a brave and worthie Lover, deserving her, who best deserv'd: but let it never be said, Perissus ended unrevenged of Philargus, and concluded his dayes like a Fly in a corner. These wordes wrought so farre in the noble heart of Perissus, as rising from his leavie Cabine, then thus said hee: Is Perissus the second time conquerd? I must obey that reason which abounds in you; and to you, shall the glory of this attempt belong: now will I againe put on those habites which of late I abandoned, you having gaind the victorie over my vowe. But I beseech you, tell mee who my Counsellor is, for too much judgement I finde in you, to be directly, as you seeme, a meere Shepherdesse, nor is that beauty sutable to that apparell. My name, said shee, is Urania, my bringing up hath been under an old Man, and his wife, who, till lately, I tooke for my Father and Mother but they telling me the contrary, and the manner of their finding me, makes mee find I am lost, and so in truth, is much of my content, not being able to know any more of my selfe: I delighted before to tend a little Flocke, the old paire put into my handes, now am I troubled how to rule mine owne thoughts. This doe I well credit, said Perissus, for more like a Princesse, then a Shepherdesse doe you appeare, and so much doe I rev erence your wisedome, as next unto Limena, I will still most honor you: and therefore, faire Urania, (for so I hope you will give mee leave to call you), I vow before heaven and you, that I will never leave off my Armes, untill I have found Philargus, and on him reveng'd my Ladies death, and then to her love and memory, offer up my afflicted life: but first shall you have notice of the successe, which if good, shall bee attributed to you; if ill, but to the continuance of my ill destinie. But if your fortune call you hence before you shall be found by them, I will imploy (since the world hath not a place can keepe the beautie of Urania hidden, if seene, then will it not bee adored), they shall not leave, till they have found you; nor will you scorne that name from mee, who shall now leave you the incomparable Urania. With these words they went out of the Cave, hee straight going to a large Holly tree (the place rich with trees of that kind), on which at his comming to that melancholy abiding, hee had hung his Armor, meaning that should there remaine in memorie of him, and as a monument after his death, to the end, that whosoever did finde his bodie, might by that see, hee was no meane man, though subject to fortune. Them hee tooke downe and arm'd himselfe, but while hee was arming, Urania entreated him to doe one thing more for her, which was to tell her how he came to that place. And that was ill forgot most faire Urania (said hee): then know that as soone as I had received that letter so full of sorrow, and heard all that miserable relation, I was forced, notwithstanding the vow I had to my selfe made (of this solitary course you have relieved mee from) to goe against the Enemie, who with new forces, and under a new Leader, were come within sight of our Army: I thinking all mischiefes did then conspire together against mee, with an inraged furie went towards them, hoping (and that onely hope was left mee) in that encounter to ende my life, and care together in the battaile, yet not slightly to part with it, in my soule wishing everie one I had to deale withall had been Philargus. This wish after made mee doe things beyond my selfe, forcing not only our company and party to admire me, but also the contrary to bee discouraged, so as wee got the day, and not onely that, but an end of the warres: for the chiefe Traytors being either kild or taken, the rest that outliv'd the bloudy slaughter, yeelded themselves to mercie, whom in my Uncles name I pardoned, on condition that instantly they disbanded, and everie one retire to his owne home. This done, and my Uncle quietly setled in his seate, in the midst of those triumphs which were for this happy Victorie, I stole away, leaving a letter with my new Servant, directed to the King, wherein I humbly asked pardon for my private departure, and with all the intreates that I could frame, perswaded him to entertaine that servant of mine, and to accept of him as recommended by mee, and accordingly to esteeme of him. Then tooke I my way first to her Fathers, to know the manner and certaintie, where I found unspeakable mourning and sadnesse, her Mother readie to die with her, as if shee had brought her forth to bee still as her life, that though two, yet like those eyes, that one being struck in a certaine part of it, the other unhurt doth lose likewise the sight: so she having lost her, lost likewise all comfort with her; the servants mourn'd, and made pitifull lamentations: I was sorry for them, yet gratefully tooke their mourning: for mee thought it was for mee, none being able to grieve sufficiently, but my selfe for her losse. When her Mother saw me, who ever she well lov'd, she cry'd out these words: O my Lord, see here the miserable Woman depriv'd of all joy, having lost my Limena, your respected friend. Full well do I now remember your words, when with gentle and mild perswasions, you would have had us stay her going from this place unto his house. Would we had then fear'd, or beleev'd: then had she bin safe, whereas now she is murdred. Murdred (cried I), O speak againe, but withall how? Her husband, said she, led her forth, where in a Wood, thicke enough to shade all light of pitie from him, hee killed her, and then burnt her, her clothes found in the Wood besmeard with blood, and hard by them the remnant of a great fire; they with such store of teares, as had been able to wash them cleane, and quench the fier, were brought to the house by those, who went to seeke her, seeing her long stay; not mistrusting harme, but that they had forgotten themselves. The rest seeing this dolefull spectacle, rent their haire, and gave all testimony of true sorrow: then came these newes to us; how welcom, judge you, who I see feele sorrow with us: her father & brothers arm'd themselves, and are gone in search of him, who was seene with all speed to passe towards the Sea. Thus heare you the Daughters misfortune, which must be followed by the mothers death: and God send, that as soone as I wish, my Lord and Sonnes may meet with that ungrateful wretch to revenge my miserable childs losse. This being done, she swounded in my armes, my selfe being still in my transformed estate, helpt her as much as I could, then delivering her to her servants, I tooke my leave, buying this armour to goe unknowne, till I could find a place sad enough to passe away my mournefull howres in. Many countries I went thorow, and left (for all were too pleasant for my sorrow), till at last I lighted on this happie one, since in it I have received as much comfort by your kind and wise counsell, as is possible for my perplexed heart to entertaine. By this time hee was fully armed, which made the sweet Urania admire him; and if more pitie had lodg'd in her then before, she had affoorded him; his goodly personage and dolefull lookes so ill agreeing, had purchased; for she did pitie him so much, as this had almost brought the end of some kind of pitie, or pitie in some kind love: but she was ordain'd for another, so as this prov'd onely a fine beginning to make her heart tender against the others comming. Now was he ready to depart, wherefore they came downe from the rock, when being at the bottome they met a young shepherd, whose heart Urania had (although against her will) conquered. This Lad shee entreated to conduct Perissus to the next town, which he most willingly consented to, thinking himselfe that day most happy when she vouchsafed to command him; withall she injoyned him, not to leave him, till he saw him shipt, which hee perform'd, comming againe to her to receive thanks more welcome to him, then if a fine new flock had bin bestowed on him. Perissus gone, Urania for that night drave her flock homeward, giving a kind looke unto the rocke as she return'd, promising often to visit it for brave Perissus sake, and to make it her retiring place, there to passe some of her melancholy howres in. The next morning as soone as light did appeare, or she could see light (which sooner she might doe then any, her eyes making day, before day else was seene) with her flocke she betooke her selfe to the meadow, where she thought to have met some of her companions, but being early, her thoughts having kept more carefull watch over her eies, thought it selfe growne peremptorie with such authority. She found none come, wherefore leaving the flocke to the charge of a young Lad of hers, tooke her way towards the rocke, her mind faster going then her feete, busied still, like one holding the Compasse, when he makes a circle, turnes it round in his owne center: so did shee, her thoughts incircled in the ignorance of her being. From this she was a little mov'd by the comming of a pretie Lambe towards her, who with pitifull cries, and bleatings, demanded her helpe, or she with tender gentlenes imagined so; wherefore she tooke it up, and looking round about if she could see the dam, perceiving none, wandred a little amongst bushes and rude places, till she grew something wearie, when sitting downe she thus began to speake: Poor Lambe, said she, what moane thou mak'st for losse of thy deare dam? what torments do I then suffer, which never knew my mother? thy misse is gt, yet thou a beast may'st be brought up, and soone contented having food; but what food can bee giv en me, who feede on nothing but Despaire, can that sustaine me? No, want of knowledge starves me, while other things are plentifull. Poore innocent thing; how doth thy wailing sute with mine? Alas, I pitie thee, my selfe in some kind wanting such a pitie. Then shee did heare a noise in the bushes, looking what it should be, she saw a fierce she-wolfe come furiously towards her: she, who (though a spirit matchlesse lived in her) perceiving her, wished the beast further, yet taking her wonted strength of heart, and vertuous thoughts together, she thus said; O heaven defend me miserable creature if thou please; if not, grant me this blessing, that I shall here end, not knowing any parents to sorrow for me, so those parents (if living) may never know my losse, lest they doe grieve for me. As shee thus religiously gave her thoughts, and her last, as shee thought to the highest, the beast running towards her of the sudden stood still; one might imagine, seeing such a heavenly creature, did amase her, and threaten for medling with her: but such conceits were vaine, since beasts will keepe their owne natures, the true reason being, as soone appear'd, the hasty running of two youths, who with sharpe speares, soone gave conclusion to the supposed danger, killing the wolfe as shee stood hearkning to the noise they made. But they not seeing Urania, who on her knees was praising God, said one to another, Alas, have we hasted to kill this beast, which now is not for our turne, little helpe can this give to our sicke father. Urania then looked up, hearing humane voices, which she so little expected, as onely death was that she looked for: but then percei ved she two young men, whose age might be judged to bee some seventeene yeares; faces of that sweetnesse, as Venus love could but compare with them, their haire which never had been cut, hung long, yet longer much it must have been, had not the daintie naturall curling somewhat shortned it, which as the wind mov'd, the curles so pretily plaid, as the Sunne-beames in the water; their apparrell Goates skinnes cut into no fashion, but made fast about them in that sort, as one might see by their sight they were wild; yet that wildnesse was govern'd by modesty, their skinne most bare, as armes and leggs, and one shoulder, with part of their thighes; but so white was their skinne, as seem'd the Sunne in love with it, would not hurt, nor the bushes so much as scratch; on their feete they had a kind of shooes, which came up to the anckle. Thus they were before the Prime of Shepherdesses, who comming to them, and saluting them, they stept back in wonder to see that beautie, which yet in the masculine they came neere to, then laying admiration so farre a part, as to keepe themselves safe from rudenesse in some kind, one of them began: Divine creature, pardon this our boldnesse, which hath brought us thus rudely to your presence, if we have offended, let our humilitie in sorrow excuse us; or if this beast we have kild was favour'd by you, take us who are rude men, to serve you in that stead: in the meane time accept our petition to bee forgiven our fault. Urania, who had before in their out-sides seene enough to be wondred at, hearing their speech, bred more admiration, she answered them; Your beauties mixt with so much mildnesse and sweetnesse, might pleade for you, if you had offended, which I saw not: but in hav ing given too much respect to me, the most miserable of women; nor any rudenes see I, but in that beast which you have so manfully destroy'd: if your habits shew wildnesse, your speech takes away that error; nor have you committed any fault, if not in saving mee to live to greater miseries. The young men then blushing, humbly thanking her, were taking their leaves, when she curteously desired them, that since they had rescued her, she might know the men that saved her, and the adventure brought them thither. They answered; Withall their hearts they would satisfie her demand, but for that time desired to be excused, since they were sent by their old weake father to get some food for him, which when they had done, they would returne to her. She hearing this; Alas (said she), shal you who have kept me out of the throat of a ravening wolfe, want what I may helpe you to? Goe to your father, I will accompanie you; this Lambe shall feed him, at this time sent of purpose without doubt, to cherish so good and blest a man, as is father to two such sonnes: and then may I know your storie and his together. They happy to see so fit a dish for his age, on their knees would have thanked her, but she hindred them; and so together they went towards the place where hee remain'd, which was in a Cave under a great rock neere to the sea; when they ari v'd at the place, the elder of the two went in, telling the old man of the faire shepherdesses comming, and her kindnes to him. Wherfore he sent out a yong maid, who was cloth'd in plaine (but neat) apparrell: of such beautie, as who had seene her alone, would have thought her incomparable, but Urania excelled her; meeting of her, knowing by the youth she was his sister, most sweetly saluted her, taking her by the hand, went in, where they found the old man so feeble, as he had but his tongue left to serve himselfe or them withall: and well did it then serve him for the good of the young men, thus beginning to Urania: Admired Shepherdes, and most worthy to bee so; since the inward beauty of your mind so much excells the peereles excellency of your outward perfections, as vertue excels beauty, see here a poore signe of greatnes, overwhelm'd with misfortune, and be as you are, all excelling, a happy meanes to aide an els destroi'd hope of rising; sit down here, and grudge not me that honor; for before the story be ended, you wil see more reason to pity then scorn, and you my sons & daughter come neere, for now shal you know that, which I have til this present kept from you, for feare I shuld not els have held you in this poore, but quiet living. They being ready to sit, & heare the story, a mans voice made them stay, & Urania intreated (as in lesse danger if seene then the other) to go forth, she perceiv'd a gentleman of that delicacy for a man, as she was? struck with wonder; his sweetnes & fairnes such, as the rarest painters must confes themselves unable to counterfeit such perfections, & so exquisit proportion. He had a mantle richly embroidered with pearle and gold, the colour of that and his other apparrell being watchet suitably imbrodered, his haire faire and shining, so young he was, as hee had but the signe of a beard; Armes he had none, save a sword to defend himselfe, or offend his enemies, hee came softly and sadly on towards the rocke, but his eyes to the seaward: she beholding him, said; O sweet Iland, how mai'st thou indeed boast thy self for being the harbour of all excellent persons. He whose mind was distant from him, held his eyes and thoughts as at first fixt, beseeching the sea, if shee had Amphilanthus in her power, shee would be pitifull unto him: after hee had concluded these words, he (whose soule was absent from him) lookt towards the Iland, when his eyes were soone called to admire, and admiringly behold the rare Shepherdesse, who in the same kind of wonder lookt on him. He rav ished with the sight, scarce able to thinke her an earthly creature, stood gazing on her. She who poore soule had with the sight of Perissus, given leave for love to make a breach into her heart, the more easily after to come in and conquer, was in so great a passion, as they seem'd like two Master-pieces, fram'd to demonstrate the best, and choisest skill of art, at last (as men have the stronger and bolder spirits) he went unto her, not removing his eyes in the least from hers, and with a brave, but civill manner thus spake unto her. If you be, as you seeme an incomparable Shepherdesse, let me bee so much fav our'd of you, as to be permitted to aske some questions: but if you be a heav enly person as your rarenesse makes me inagine, let me know, that by the humble acknowledging my fault, I may gaine pardon. Alas Sir, said Urania, so farre am I from a heavenly creature, as I esteeme my selfe the most miserable on earth; wherefore if any service I can doe may pleasure you, I beseech you command me, so may I receive some happinesse, which I shall obtaine in obeying you. What I will demaund, said he, shall be such things as you may easily grant, and by that make me your servant. I desire to know what this place is but most what you are: for never can I beleeve you are as you seeme, unlesse for the greater wonder all excellencie, should be masked under this Shepherdesse attire. For the perfections in me, as you call them, said Urania, were they not made perfect by so excellent a Speaker, would be of no more value, then the estimation I make of my poore beautie; touching your demaunds, I will as well as I can satisfie you in them. This Iland is called Pantalaria , govern'd by an ancient worthie Lord called Pantalerius, who having receiv'd some discontent in his owne Countrie, with his family, and some others that lov'd and serv'd him, came hither, finding this place unpossest, and so nam'd it after his owne name, having ever since in great quiet and pleasure remained here; himselfe and all the rest taking the manner and life of shepheards upon them, so as now this place is of all these parts most famous for those kind of people. For my selfe I can say nothing, but that my name is Urania, an old man and his wife having bred me up as their owne, till within these few daies they told me that, which now more afflicts me, then the pov ertie of my estate did before trouble me, making me so ignorant of my selfe as I know no parents. For they told me, that I was by them found hard by the sea-side, not farre from these rocks, laid in a cradle with very rich clothes about me, a purse of gold in the cradle, and a little writing in it, which warn'd them that should take me up to looke carefully to me, to call me Urania, and when I came to sixeteene yeeres of age to tell this to me, but by no meanes before, this they have truely performed, and have delivered me the mantle and purse, that by them, if good fortune serve, I may come to knowledge; injoyning me besides, not to keepe this my story secret from any, since this sweet place intising many into it, may chance to bring some one to release me from this torment of Ignorance. It could not be otherwise, said he, since such sweetnes, and peerelesse lovelynesse are match'd together. But now, said Urania, let me know I beseech you, who I have discover'd my selfe unto; Let us sit downe, said he, under these Rockes, and you shall know both who I am, and the cause of my comming hither: Nay, answered Urania, if it please you, let us rather goe into a Cave hard by, where I have left an olde weake man, ready to tell me his Story, having with him two of the finest youths, and a Maide of the rarest beauty that eye can behold, and desirous he is to speake, for long he cannot endure. So together they came into the Cave, the grave man reverently with bowing downe his head, saluting him thus; Brave Sir, for Majestie doe I perceive in your countenance, which makes me give you this title, Welcome to my poore abiding, and most welcome, since now I trust, I shall dispose of my Sonnes, according to my long wish and desire: sit I beseech you downe, and tell me who you are, that then I may discourse to you the lamentable fortune I and these my children are fallen into. The stranger sate downe betweene the old man and the excellent Shepherdesse, beginning his Tale thus. My name said he, is Parselius , Prince of Morea, being eldest Sonne unto the King thereof, which Countrie I left with a deare friend of mine, who besides the untying band of friendship we live linked in, is my kinsman, and heire to the Kingdome of Naples, called Amphilanthus, resolving not to returne, till wee had heard newes of a lost Sister of his, who in the first weeke after her birth was stolne away, since which time an old man, whether by divination or knowledge, assured the King her Father, shee is living. Wherefore the most brave of Princes, Amphilanthus, resolv'd to seeke her, my selfe loving him as well, or better then my selfe, would not be denied to accompany him: for hav ing bene ever bred in neerenesse of affections, as well as in conversation together, it could not be, but we must like the soule and body live, and move: so we betooke our selves to the Sea, leaving Morea, passing many adventures in divers Countries, still seeking the least frequented, and privatest places keeping to the West, for that way wee were directed by the wise man. At last we arriv'd in Sicilie, which Country we found in great trouble, warres being broke out againe after the departure of Perissus, Nephew to the King, who had setled the State in good peace and quiet. But their hearts either not fully reconcil'd, or only reconciled to him, after his departure, which as we heard was strange and sudden, being never since heard of, they rebelled againe; but we soone appeas'd the busines, setling the King in his seat with all quiet and safety. Then did Amphilanthus and I, though against my heart, part our bodies, but never shall our minds be parted, he in one ship, taking I know not justly what course, but I trust the happiest: my selfe guided by fortune, not appointing any one place to bend to, was brought hither, promising at our parting to meete at his Fathers Court in Italie within twelve moneths after. But shorter I hope now my journey will bee, since I verily beleeve, you most faire Shepherdesse are the lost Princesse, and rather doe I thinke so, because you much resemble Leonius, the younger brother to Amphilanthus, whose beautie in man cannot be equall'd, though surpassed by you. When he had concluded, the old man with teares thus said: O Almightie God, how great are thy blessings to me, that before I die, thou dost thus bring the most desired happinesse I could wish for, in sending hither that Prince, who onely can restore our good unto us. Most mighty and worthilie honourd Prince; see here before your royall presence, the unfortunate king of Albania, who in the warres betweene Achaya and Macedon, taking part with Achaya, was beaten out of my country, and forced to wander, seeking safetie far from the place, where my safety ought most to have been. I came to your fathers Court, it is true, poore, and unlike a Prince, which sight tooke away so much as pitie; Courtiers, rather out of their bravery, contemning, then compassionating extremitie: besides, your Mother, being Sister to the Macedonian king then living, would not permit me any favour, my kingdome in the meane while spoild, and parted among such, as could prevaile by strength and policy to get shares. When I found my selfe in this misery, with my wife and some few friends we went away, leaving Morea, and al hope of gaining any good in Greece, following what course our stars would guide us to, we came hither, where it pleased God to blesse us with these two boies, and this daughter, after whose being seaven yeares old, she died. Yet for all it is, and was a joy to me, to see of my owne for my posterity, finding that likelihood of princely vertues (as I hope) shal be one day manifested, it hath griev ed mee to thinke how I should leave them; but now my hopes are revived, since I trust that danger is past; your noble, and magnanimous vertues being such, as to take pitie of any, how much more then wil your honor be, to assist distressed Princes? And now may you well do it, since a servant of mine, who I have often sent thither, to see how things passe, doth assure me, your Uncle is dead, and a mighty Lord being next heire-male, which by the lawes of the country was otherwise, hath got the Crowne, having inclosed your faire young cosin, right heire to the kingdom of Macedon, being only daughter to the late king, in a strong tower til she be of age, & then to marry her; or if shee refuse, to keep her there stil, and this is the best she can expect. Wherefore sir, thus you are bound to rescue her: then I beseech you take these two young men into your protection, who till now, knew no other, then that they were meane boies, I not daring to let them know their birth, lest those great spirits which live in them, should have led them into some dangerous course: but still I have kept them under, making them know hardnes and misery, the better still to endure it, if so crosse their fortunes be; or if they come to enjoy their right, they may know the better to command, having so well learn'd to obey and serve. And most delicate Shepherdes, do you I pray accept of this young maid for your friend and companion, since if you bee the King of Naples daughter, or any other Princes, you need not scorne the companie of the Albanian Kings daughter. Parselius taking the old King in his armes; And is it my good fortune most famous King of Albania (said hee) to have it in my power to serve so excellent a Prince? Doubt not then but I will with all faithfull love and diligence (as soone as I have concluded this search, with meeting my dearest friend in Italie) goe into Morea, and from thence carry such forces as shall (with my other friends I will joyne with me) restore you to your right, and pull downe that Macedonian Usurper, were it but for wronging you. But since I have so faire an occasion to revenge such injuries offered so vertuous a Prince as your selfe, in keeping a kingdome, and usurping another from his rightfull Queene, I am doubly bound: your sonnes I accept to bee my companions, and as brothers to me will I be carefull of them; the like did Urania promise for the young Lady. Then the old king before over-charged with sorrow, was now so ravished with joy, as not being able to sustaine, bursting into flouds of kind teares, and his soule turn'd into a passion of joy unsupportable, being onely able to kisse the Prince Parselius and Urania, imbracing, blessing, and kissing his children, giving them charge faithfully and lovingly to observe, and love that brave Prince, and sweet Shepherdes, like a child for quiet ending, gave up the ghost in their armes, he best did love. Great sorrow was made among them for his death; but then growing almost night, Urania for that time went home, leaving the three to attend the Kings body till the next morning, directing Parselius to the sad abiding of the perplexed Perissus, promising to come to the Cave by Sunne rising to dispose of all things. Urania being come home, little meate contented her, making haste to her lodging, that there shee might discourse with her selfe of all her afflictions privately, and freely, throwing her selfe on her bed, she thus beganne: Alas, Urania, how doth miserie love thee, that thus makes thee continuallie her companion? What is this new paine thou feel'st? What passion is this thy heart doth entertaine? I have heard my imagined Father, and many more, talke of a thing called Love, and describe it to be a delightfull paine, a sought, and cherish'd torment, yet I hope this is not that: for slave am I enough already to sorrow, no neede have I then to be oppressed with passion: Passion, O passion! yet thou rulest Me. Ignorant creature to love a stranger, and a Prince, what hope hast thou, that because thou art not knowne, thou shouldst be knowne to love in the best place? I had rather yet offend so then in a meane choice, since if I be daughter of Italy, I chose but in mine owne ranke, if meaner, ambition is more noble then basenesse. Well then, if I doe love, my onely fault is in too soone loving; but neither in love, nor choice: Love pleade for me, since if I offend, It is by thy power, and my faults must, as made, be salv'd by thee. I confesse, I am wonne, and lost, if thou, brave Prince, pittie not, and save me. Sweet Chastity, how did I love, and honor thee? Nay, almost vowe my selfe unto thee, but I have fail'd, Love is the more powerfull God, and I was borne his subject: with that she rose up and went to the window to see if it were day, never knowing before, what it was to wish for any thing (except the knowledge of her selfe) now longs for day, watches the houres, deemes every minute a yeare, and every houre an Age, till she againe injoy'd Parselius sight, who all that night tooke as little rest; hope, love, and feare so vexing him, and tyrannizing over him, as sleepe durst not close, nor seaze his eyes to any the least slumber, all his content being in thinking on Urania; wishing from his soule shee were the lost Princesse, then they might happily injoy; which wish by love was chid, since love was able in him to make her great enough, and those wishes were but to adde to that which ought to be so perfect, as it selfe should of it selfe be sufficient to make happines, which is the greatest greatnes. Then did he resolve, whatsoever she was, to make her his Wife; his Father, Country, Friend, and all must love Urania. Thus all must yeeld to her, or lose him already yeelded. Hee whose youth and manlike conversation scorn'd the poore name and power of love is now become his Bondman, cries out on nothing but Urania; thinks of nothing, hopes for nothing, but the gaine of her perfections to his love: accusing this night for spitefully being longer then any other that ever he knew, affection and desire making it appeare tedious unto him, and why? because it kept Urania from him. O (would he say) how happy wert thou Parselius to land on this shore, where thou hast gaind the Goddesse of the earth to bee thy Mistris, Urania to be thy love? But then would a lovers feare take him, making him tremblingly sigh and say; But if she should not love again, wretch of all men, what would become of thee? Courage then joyning with hope, would bring him from that sad despaire, giving him this comfort; Yet sure (said he) her heart was not fram'd of so excellent temper, her face of such beauty, and her selfe wholly made in perfectnesse, to have cruelty lodged in her: No, shee was made for love, then she must love; and if so, pity will claime some part; and if any, or to any, who more deserves it then my selfe, who most affecteth her? With that he went to the mouth of the rocke, from whence he might discov er all the plaines, carefully and lovingly beholding them: You blessed Plaines (said he) which daily have that treasure, which the rest of the world wanting, confesseth sence of poverty; dull earth, ignorant of your riches, neither knowing, nor caring how to glory sufficiently for bearing, and continually touching such perfections, why dost not thou with all excellencies strive to delight her? sending forth soft and tender grasse, mixt with sweetest flowers when she will grace thee, suffering thee to kisse her feete as shee doth tread on thee? but when she lies on thee, dost thou not then make thy selfe delicate, and change thy hardnes to daintines and softnes? Happy, most happy in her sweet weight; and yet when she doth leave thee do not the flowers vade, and grasse die for her departure? Then hee perceiv'd her comming a farre off downe the plaines, her flocke some feeding but most leaping, and wantonly playing before her. And well may you doe this most lucky flocke (said hee) having such a Commandresse, and so faire a Guardian: well doth joy become you, shewing you sensibly doe know the blessing you inj oy. But what will you doe when she shall leave you? leave this pleasure, pine, starve, and die with so great miserie. Alas I pity you, for such a change will bee. And what wilt thou, sweet Iland, doe? let in the sea, be drown'd, and lose thy pleasant solitarines. Having thus said, he left the desolate rock, and went to meete her, who with equall love and kindnesse met him; such indeed was their affection, as can be expressed by nothing but it selfe, which was most excellent. When the first passion was past, which joy govern'd for sight, love taking the place of speech: Ah Urania (said he); how did the Sun show himselfe in his brightest and most glorious habits to entertaine thee in these meades, coveting to win thy favour by his richnesse triumphing in his hope of gaine? What mov'd thy sight then in my soule? Think you not it grew to ravishing of my sences? The Sunne (said she) shin'd (mee thought, most on you, being as if so fond, as he did give himselfe to be your servant, circling you about, as if he meant, that you should be the body, and himselfe serve for your beames. With that he tooke her hand, and with an affectionate soule kissed it, then went they together to the Cave where the two yong savage Princes, and their Sister attended them: then did they privately bury the old King, promising (if businesses went well, that they by Parselius favour might recover their right) to fetch his worthy body, and lay it with the other famous Kings of Albania. This being agreed upon they went out of the Cave, Steriamus and Selarina (for so the yong Princes were called) went first in their savage habits, which they resolved to weare till they came where they might fit themselves with apparell, and Armes befitting their Estates: Parselius then promising to knight them: Next after them went the Morean Prince leading Urania, and she holding Selarina by the hand. Being come into the Plaine, Parselius againe speaking to Urania, urged the likely-hood of her being the lost Princesse, besides, assuring her, howsoever, of no lower an Estate if she would goe with him. She made him this answer. A Prince, said she, can demand or promise but Princely things; I beleeve you to be so, because you say so; and that face, me thinkes, should not dissemble, out of this I credit you, and so consent to goe with you; then nobly and vertuously, as I trust you, dispose of me. He casting up his eyes to Heaven, Let me, nor my attempts prosper , said he, when I breake faith and vertuous respect to you; now let us to the Ship. Nay, I beseech you first, said shee, permit me to take my leave of my good friends, and formerly supposed Parents, lest my absence bring their death, if ignorant of my fortune: besides, wee will carry the mantle and purse with us. He soone agreed unto it, and so together they went to the house, the late abiding of the matchlesse Shepherdesse, where they found the good old folkes sitting together before the doore, expecting the returne of Urania. But when they saw her come so accompanied, they wondred at it; and though poore, yet were they civill, wherefore they went towards them, and hearing by the faire Shepherdesse who the Princes were, kneeled downe, and would have kissed the hand of Parselius: but he who respected them for their care of Urania, would not permit them to doe so much reverence, lifting them up, and imbracing them, told them the same story of his travell, and cause thereof, as he had done to Urania, and then concluded, that the likelihood of her being that sought for Princesse, was the reason why they agreed to goe together, he promising to conduct her safely into Italy, and if she prov ed the Princesse, to deliver her to her father, which verily he beleeved he should doe; and seldome doe mens imaginations in that kind faile, especially having so good grounds to lay their hopes upon. The old folkes sorry to part with Urania, yet knowing she was not ordain'd to tarry with them, would not seeme to contradict their wills: wherefore fetching the mantle and purse with the little writing delivered them to Urania, whose good disposition was such, as she could not refraine from teares when shee parted with them, they wishing their age would have permitted them to have attended her, but being feeble it was not for them to travell, especially to go so uncertaine a journey, but in their place they desired their daughter might serve her; which she willingly consented to. Thus every thing concluded, they tooke their leaves, and way to the Ship, which they found where Parselius had left her, but not as hee had parted from her; for much more company was in her, and a strange encounter, he found his Servants Prisoners, his Armes possess'd, and all his goods in the hands of a Pirat: yet had he govern'd it so, as this mis-adventure was not discover'd till they were aboord. Parselius alone in regard of his company and some women, would neverthelesse, have ventured his life to have kept Urania free, such was his love, by none to be surpassed: his compassion likewise was great on the other Princesse; in himselfe, feeling the just cause, as he thought, they had to mistrust him, and his promises to be valuelesse, this accident being the first of their hoped for joyes. But shee, whose truth in beliefe would not permit her to have the least part of suspition to enter, much lesse, lodge in her breast against him, hindered that brave (but doubtfull) attempt, using these speeches to him. Be satisfied, my dearest friend, said she, and hazard not your selfe in this kinde, seeking to alter what is ordain'd by Fate, and therefore not to be changed: but rather give us example, as confidently, and mildly to suffer this adversity, as happily we might have enjoyed the other we expected. He onely with a languishing, but (to her) loving looke, answer'd her, when the Pirat, contrarie to their expectation, came, and kneeling downe before Urania, used these words. Let not, fairest Princesse, this accident trouble you, since your imprisonment shall bee no other then the command of mee, and mine: neither most noble Sir, be you, or these other offended, for sooner will I doe violence on my selfe then any way wrong those that come with this Lady: Bee patient, and you shall soone see, the cause of my taking this noble prey; this said, he rose, and placing them all on fine seats in the Cabine, where lately the Prince had sate free from both the bands of love, and imprisonment, himselfe sitting before them began his discourse in this manner (while the ship under saile was guided the way which he directed the Pilat) My name (said he) is Sandringall, borne and bred in the land of Romania, being servant to the King thereof: this King lived long as one may say, the fav orite of fortune, being blest in his government with peace, and love of his people, but principally happy in two children, a son, and a daughter, yonger by some yeares then her brother, he being called Antisius, and she Antisia; promising in their youthes all comfort to succeed in their age: but destinie herein commanded, disposing quite other waies, and thus it was. The King my Master having in his youth been a brave and valiant Prince, giving himselfe unto the seeking and finishing adventures, a strict league of friendship grew between him, and the King of Achaia, for whose sake he left his country, with a great army asisting him against his Macedonian enemie: after returning with honor and content, the Achaian King gratefull for such a curtesie, being growne in yeares, sent Embassadours to demand his daughter in marriage for his sonne, and withall to have the Princesse sent unto him, to be brought up together, to the end, that conversation (a ready friend to love) might nurse their affections so wel, as she might as contentedly be his daughter, as it was affectionately desired of him. His sonne, as towardly a Prince as those parts had, called Leandrus, with whom few Christian Princes will compare, except the two Cousens Parselius and Amphilanthus: but to my discourse. My Master soone consented to the Achayan kings demand, which although for the farnesse of the country he might have refused; yet the neerenes of their loves was such, as he could not deny him, or his request, resolving instantly to send the one halfe of his happinesse to his old friend; and for this end he sent for me, but herewithal begins my miserie, caused by my treacherie, which heartily I repent, and am ashamed of. I being arrived at his Court, out of an ancient confidence which he had of my loialtie to him, committed this charge unto me, to see his Antissia carefully conducted and delivered to the king of Achaya: giving me directions, and counsel how to carry my selfe; besides sole authority and power in this embassage. Thus we departed, my wife attending on her person; accompanied we were with most of the nobility, their loves being such, as they parted not til they saw the yong Princesse shipp'd. Covetousnes (a dangerous sin in this time) bred in my wife (seeing the infinite riches the father had sent with his child); her perswasions besides (or rather joyn'd to the divelish sense of gaine) made me consent to detestable wickednes. Led by this wicked subtilty, we resolv'd not to take our way to Achaya, but to put in to some Island, there to sell the Jewels, and leave the Princesse in a religious house, not to bee knowne while her deare Parents should esteeme her lost, we using the gaine to our owne profits. More cunningly to carry this, we sent a servant of ours before into the ship, with such provision as our plot required, towards night, the sweete young Lady embarqued, with beliefe to go into Achaya; we purposing nothing lesse: for in the dead time of the night wee set the ship on fire, having before (when most slept) convaide the treasure into the long boate: then with as much amasement as any (nothing like the bellows of that fuell) I tooke the Princesse in mine armes leaping into the boate, calling to my wife to follow me, withall cutting the cord, lest others should leape in: she leaped, but short, her sin so heavy drowning her, and my trusty servant, with al the knights, in number twenty, and the Ladies sent to attend Antisia were drown'd, or burnd, or both. Then play'd I the waterman, making towards the next shore we could discover; day breaking gave us sight of one, yet only for flattring hope to play withall, not to be enjoy'd, for instantly were we set on by rovers, who kept about these coasts. The Princesse they tooke from me, and all the treasure, leaving me in the boate, and towing it by the ship in the midst of the sea, left mee with bread and water for two dayes, but without oare, sayle, or hope; yet such, and so favourable was my destinie, as within that time a Pirat scouring the seas tooke mee up, who not long after was set upon by another. But then did the first arme me to serve him, which in gratitude I did, and so well defended him, as we had the victorie by the death of the other, slaine with my hand: for requitall hereof, he bestowed the new won Barke upon mee, and men to serve me. Glad was I of this, having meanes to search for the Princesse, which I vowed with true and humble repentance to performe, nev er giving over, till I had found the lost Antisia, or ended my life in the serv ice. And this is the reason I took you, for having landed here, and by chance seene you, I straight remembred your face, wherefore I determin'd by some way or other to compasse the meanes to get you before my parting hence; and had not this happy occasion befalne mee, some other had not failed to atchive my purpose. Then tell me where have you been these ten yeeres? for so long it is since you were lost: and with all I beseech you let my submission and repentance gaine my pardon. Truly (said Urania) you have told so ill a tale, as if I were the lost Princesse, I should scarce forget so great an inj ury: but satisfie your selfe with this, and the hope of finding her, while you have in your power one, who (alas) is lost too. The Pirat at this grew much troubled and perplext, for so unadvisedly having discovered his former ill: thus they remaind, the Pirat vext, Urania griev'd, Parselius in soule tormented, the others moved as much, as respect in them to the other two, could move in noble minds, least, or not at all, thinking of themselves, in comparison of them: all sitting with arms cross'd, and eyes cast downe upon the earth, except the Pirat, whose mind was busied with higher thoughts, none knowing to what end they would have ascended, had not a voice awaked them, which came from a Sayler, who bad them prepare. This called not the rest from their sorrow, nor moved Urania so much as to heare it, who sate not tearelesse, though speechles, while her sighes accompanied the wind in loud blowing. Sandringal looking forth, saw the cause of the cry proceeded from the sight of the great Pirat of Syracusa, whose force was therabouts too well knowne: then did he take his armes, delivering Parselius his own into his hands, intreating his aide. Parselius lifted up his eies, and as he raised them, he placed them on Urania, as the sphere where they alone should move, using these words: Now have we some hope, since once more I possesse my armes: those (in shew) savage youths helping him. By this time was the other ship come to them, when there began a cruell fight betweene them: being grapled, Parselius encountred the chiefe Pirat, Sandringal a blacke Knight, who was so strong and valiant, as Sandringal gaind much honour so long to hold out with him. Parselius kild his enemy, when at that instant the black Knight strake the head of Sandringal from his shoulders; which Parselius seeing, Farewel Sandringal (said he), now are Antissia and Leandrus well reveng'd for thy treason. With that the black Knight commanded his part to bee quiet, himselfe throwing downe his sword, and pulling of his helme, ran and imbraced Parselius, who knowing him to be Leandrus, with as much affection held him in his armes: thus was the busines ended, all growing friends by their example. Then were al the prisoners brought forth of both the ships, amongst whom he knew one to be the Squire of his deare friend and Cousen, Amphilanthus , and two Gentlemen who had mortall hatred (as it did appeare) one unto the other: for no sooner came they together, but they would have buffeted each other, wanting weapons to doe more; the one of them Leandrus tooke into his custody, while the other began his story thus. My Lords (said he) first let me beseech pardon for this rudenes; next, claime justice on this villaine, who hath not only wrong'd me, but in his unmannerly discourse inj ur'd the bravest Christian Princes; and that you may know the truth, give me liberty to speake this to you. My name is Allimarlus, borne in Romania, and Page I was unto the King thereof; but being come to mans estate, and so much knowledge, as to see and commiserate my Masters misery, which had the floud from two springs; the first was the losse of his daughter Antissia, being sent under the conduct of his faithfull (as he esteemed) servant Sandringal (who so well hee trusted, as hee would have ventured his life in his hands; which appeared in putting the faire Antissia in his power, who as himselfe he loved) to be delivered to the King of Achaia, desiring a match betweene her and the kings sonne, called the hopefull Leandrus; but in the way the ship was spoild by an unlucky fire, and she (as it was conjectured) lost, which since proved otherwise, not being swallowed by the unmercifull sea, but betraide by her Guardian, and stolne againe from him by Rovers; since which time little newes hath been heard of her, saving hope of her living. The other, and greater affliction was, and is, a wicked woman he hath made his wife, after the death of his vertuous Queene, who died as soone as shee had seene her worthily beloved Sonne Antissius blessed with a Sonne, whom they called after his owne name, who having indured a long and paineful search for his Sister, at his returne tooke a sweet and excellent Lady, called Lucenia to wife; who, though she were not the fairest, yet truly was she beautifull, and as faire as any in goodnesse, which is the choisest beauty. But this second marriage made them first know miserie, the king old, and passionately doting on her: shee young, politique and wicked, being the widow of a Noble man in the Countrie, whose beastlines and crueltie cost the Prince his life, and bred the ruine of the State, as I have since my departure from thence, understood by a Knight of that Country. But to my discourse: The King one day after hee had banished his sonne Antissius the Court, and by her damnable counsell put such jealousie into his head, as hee now feared and hated him, that once was three parts of his joy. This and the losse of his other comfort Antissia, did so perplexe him, as one day being at dinner, he began with teares to speake of Antissius, blaming his unnaturalnesse to him in his age, who had so tenderly and lovingly cherished his youth: but little of that she would suffer him to discourse of, lest his deserved pitie might have hindred her ends, and so her plots have faild, or been discovered. Then spake he of his young friend and once hoped for son Leandrus, who in search of Antissia, was said to be slaine, by reason that his Squire return'd to the Court (after long seeking his Lord, who by misadventure hee had lost), bringing his armour shrewdly cut and tattered, which he had found in a meadow, but no newes of his Master; only this probabilitie of his losse a country fellow gave him, telling him, that gallant men in gay armours had not farre off performed a gallant fight, wherein some were killed, and one Knights body carried thence by a Lady, who followed the Knight, having but one more with her, whither they went, or more of the matter, he could not tell. With this and the armour he return'd to the old King, who the kindest of fathers, did accordingly suffer for this too likely disaster. From that he fell to the last and first of his misfortune, speaking of Antissia, and bewailing her losse: concluding, How miserable am I of all men, that doe live to lament for these many afflictions? one child dead by his living undutifulnes, the other lost by treachery in a man I most trusted; and to be besides, the occasion to bereave my dearest friend of his only comfort, which as one of my equall sorrowes I esteeme. I seeing his vexation, and just cause of mourning, offered my best service in seeking the Princesse, who not being dead, I might hope to find, and bring some content unto his age. Hee hearing mee say this, fell upon my necke, kissing my forehead, and yet weeping so, as they resembled the watry and parting kisses the sweet Rivers give the sweeter bankes, when with ebbing they must leave them: so did his teares, so did his kisses on my face, both meet and part; at last his joy-mixt sorrow let him speake these words: and wilt thou O Allimarlus doe this for me? shall I yet find so true a friend? a servant, and a faithfull one (said I) who will not live, if not to serve you, and so my faith to live in me. Then he tooke me up in his armes, and calling for a sword of his, which he had worne in most of his adventures, gave that with the honour of Knighthood to me; then kissing his hands and the Queenes, I took my leave. He, though glad to find my loyaltie, and hoping to heare some newes of his daughter, yet was sorry to part with me: so few were left that he could trust, his kind wife having taken care that her Minions and favorites should most attend his person. Long time was I not landed in Greece, in that part called Morea, before I met an old man, who told me something of the Princesse, but nothing of her certaine aboad: yet I rejoyced to heare of her, not doubting but to bring her to delight her grieved father, who never indeed tasted of true happinesse since her losse, that being the thread to his succeeding miseries. That old man likewise told me, I was in my way of finding her, if I held on to Laconia. I earnestly desired his company, which he affoorded me, and so we went together, resolving still to enquire, and to leave no likely place unsought in all Greece, till we had found her. A prettie space we thus continued, the old man passing away the time with good discourse, which made the way seeme shorter, telling me many adventures which had befalne him in his youth, hav ing led the life that most brave spirits use; but one I best remember (being his owne story, the place wherein we then were producing it), it was this, and in truth worthy of note. Whatsoever I now, faire Knight, (said he) appeare to be, know I am in birth quite contrary: poore, and alone now, once a Duke, and one of the mightiest, richest, ancientest, and sometimes happiest of these parts; this countrie wherein you are, being mine, onely subject in homage to the famous King of Morea; my education had been most in the court; my time, some spent there, some time abroad: but weary at last of either, as a hound wil be, who never so wel loving hunting, wil at last take rest: so did I lie downe at mine owne home, determining to end my daies in quiet plenteousnes, taking my own delight; to adde unto which, I brought with me a vertuous Lady, and such a one, as might for goodnes equal any of her ranke, and truly not unbeautifull: yet so much was I besotted on a young man, whom I had unfortunatly chosen for my companion, as at last all delights & pastimes were to me tedious and lothsome, if not liking, or begun by him. Nay, my wives company in respect of his, was unpleasing to me. Long time this continued, which continuance made me issue-les, wherfore I made him my heire, giving him all the present honor I could in my own power, or by the favor of the king (who ever grac'd me much) procure him. But he the son of wickednes, though adopted to me, esteeming possession far better then reversion, gave place so much to covetousnesse, as murder crept into credit to attaine the profit, wherefore he practised to make me away: my friends and kindred had before left me, expecting nothing but my ruine, seeing me so bewitch'd with my undoing. The plot was laid, and I thus betraide where most I trusted; the time being come for the execution, the hired man (being mine more for justnesse, then his for rewards) came unto me, and upon promise of secresie discovered the truth unto me, making me besides promise, to be perswaded by him; which was, for some time to retire my selfe, till a party were made in the Countrey strong enough to pull downe his pride, who had gained such power, as he was grown more powerfull then my selfe, then might I be my selfe, and rule in safety. I consented to the concealing, but never could be wonne, to thinke of harming him, whose ungratitude I belee v'd sufficiently would one day burden him. But how often did I entreat and beseech him to performe his part, and satisfie his Master in killing me? whose falsenesse and wickednesse more griev'd me, then ten deathes (could I have suffer'd so many) yet his honest care over-ruled me, and I submitted to his Counsel. Then tooke he my clothes, apparelling me fit for the change of my fortune: He, (poore man) returning to my Castle, for so till then it was, credibly reporting, that I going to swimme, as often I did in this sweet River which runnes along this Valley, I was drown'd (wee being then in that place, and indeed, the sweetest in the world.) This in some kind was true, said he, for drown'd I was in sorrow and teares: which, could they have made a streame for bignesse answerable to their swift falling, had questionlesse made his fram'd report true. This being told the Duke, as then by my imagined death, imaginarily he was, did make shew of insupportable griefe being so possest, as he seemed disposed of senses, furiously, and suddenly stabbing the good man, who for my life lost his owne: This was counted a passionate act, Love transporting him so much beyond himselfe, as he was not able to resist his owne furie, while his devillish cunning did both put a Glosse upon his brutishnesse, and keepe his Treason unreveal'd: the poore soule falling dead at his feet, while he said, take this for thy detested newes bringing. Then did he make a solemne funeral for my dead mind, though living bodie, He apparrell'd himselfe, and his Court in mourning, which gave much content to the people who loved me, while indeed, their black was but the true picture of his inward foulenes. My wife did presently retire to a house her selfe had built: but when he had (as he thought) sufficiently plaid with the people, he began to exercise his authority, beginning with my wife, picking a quarrell to bereave her of her estate, which he in short time did, turning her to seek her fortune: Patiently she tooke it, having yet some Jewels left her, she bought a little house in a thick and desart wood, where she was not long before I came unto her, discovering my selfe to both our equall passions of joy and sorrow. Privatly we there continued many yeares; God in our poverty giving us an unexpected blessing, which was a daughter, who grew up and served us; for a servant our meanes would not allow us, though our estates requir'd it. Seventeene yeares we thus concealed liv'd, but then, as joies, so tortures will have end; The Duke in all pleasure and plenty, I in miserie, and povery. One day the young Prince accompanied with his most noble companion Amphilanthus, (who for the honour of Greece was bred with him) and many other brave young Nobles who attended them, went forth to see a flight at the brooke; when after a flight or two the Princes Hawke went out at checke, which made them all follow her, and so long, as at the last (for rescue of my afflictions) they were brought to my poore abiding, which by reason of the farrnesse from the Court, and foulnes of the weather, (a sudden storm then falling) they accepted for their lodging: which although so meane as could be, yet they pleased to like it, rather looking into my heart for welcome (where they found it) then into the meannesse of the place. After they had refreshed themselves and discoursed freely with me, it pleased my Prince to say, that my estate and life, agreed not with my conv ersation: wherefore he would not be denied, but needes must know the truth; which out of obedience, more then desire, with heart-tearing griefe I discoursed to him. He gave few words for answer, but commanded me the next day with my Wife and Daughter to attend him to the Court, which faine I would have refused; foreseeing (that which soone after follow'd) the destruction of my once most loved friend: who, though hee had chang'd gratefulnesse to the contrary, and love to hate, yet my affection could not so much alter it selfe as to hate where once so earnestly I affected, or seeke revenge on him, whose good I ever wished. But we obeyed; then the sweet young Prince presented me to his Father, who instantly called me to minde, remembring many adventures, which in our youths We had passed together: pittying my fortune as much as he had in younger daies affected me, yet glad in some kind, to recompence my faithfull service to him; instantly sent for the Usurper, who by reason of a journey the King made to see his Realme, and shew it to his Sonne before his departure, who was to goe thence with his excellent Cousen in a search by them undertaken, was come neere to the place of the Tyrants abode. He refused to come, but soone by force he was brought before the King; who with milde fashion, and royall Majestie examined the businesse, which he confessed: but rather with a proud scorne, then repentant heart: wherefore the King with just judgement degraded him, committing him to a strong Tower, whereinto he was walled up, meate given him in at the windowe, and there to ende his dayes: which were not long, pride swelling him so with scorne of his fall, as he burst and dyed. The Dukedome after this sentence was restored to me: but truely, I was not able so to recover my former losse, wherefore humbly thanking the King, and his Sonne, besought them to give mee leave to bestow it on my Daughter; which was granted me, my wife thinking she had seene enough when I was my selfe againe, departing this life with joy and content. Besides, I made one suit more, which was, that since the Prince had with so much favour begun to honour mee, it would please him to proceed so far as to bestow one of his young Lords in marriage on my Daughter. The King and Prince both tooke this motion most kindely, wherefore choosing a hopefull young Lord, and him the Prince most loved, gave him to her: the marriage was with much honour celebrated in the Court, at which for their unspeakable honour, Parselius (for so the Prince is called) and Amphilanthus Prince of Naples, were made Knights; and bravely for the beginning of their succeeding glory began those sports of Field, as since have made them famous over the world. This ended, I went away kissing the Kings and Princes hands, undertaking a Pilgrimage: which performed, I returned to this place, where like an Hermit still I live, and will continue while life is in mee; this Valley, those steepie woody Hilles, and the Cave I rest in, shall bee all the Courts or Pallaces that these old eyes shall ever now behold. As thus we travelled on, determining to conclude that daies journey with the end of his story, and resting in his Cell that night, we were called from that resolution by a noise within the wood, of Horse, and clashing of Armour, which drew me to see what the matter was. Arriving at the place, we found two gentlemen cruelly fighting, and by them many more slaine: but that which most amazed us, was, that hard by them on the ground, was one of the Mirrours for beauty to see her selfe lively in, so faire indeed, is she, and such a fairenes hath she, as mine eyes never saw her equall, if not that rare Shepherdesse by you, or the incomparable Lady Pamphilia, Sister to the noble Prince Parselius, who I need but name, the world being sufficiently filled with his fame. This Lady lay along, her head upon her hand, her teares ranne in as great abundance, as if they meant to preserve themselves in making some pretty brooke of truest teares, her breath shee tooke rather in sighes and sobs, then quiet breathing, yet did not this alter the colour, or feature of her heavenly beauty: but resembling the excellent workmanship of some delicatly proportion'd fountaine, which lets the drops fall without hurting it selfe: or like a showre in Aprill, while the Sunne yet continues cleare and bright and so did she seeme to our eyes. As we were admiring her, there came a Knight in blacke Armour, his Shield sutable to it without any Device, who not seeing the Lady, step'd to the two Combatants, willing them to hold their hands, till hee did understand the cause of their enmitie; They refusing it, turn'd both on him, one stricking him forcibly on the shoulder, he seeing their rudenesse, and feeling himselfe smart, forgot parting, and made himselfe a party, sticking one of them such a blow as made him fall dead at his feet. Whereupon the other yeelded, delivering his Sword, and turning to the Lady, who now the Knight saw, with admiration for her fairenesse and sorrow, unbinding her and sitting downe by her, finding I was likewise a stranger, call'd me, and the good Hermit to heare the discourse which the vanquished man deliver'd in this manner. Two of these which here you see lye slaine were halfe brothers, Sonnes to one mother; the one of them my Master; who on a day, after a long chase of a Stagge, happened into a Merchants house, not farre hence, where this Lady did then remaine: They were civilly and courteously entertained for being Gentlemen well borne, and in their fashion pleasing, they were respected, and belov'd of most; never having attempted, or to mans knowledge imbraced, or let in a thought contrary to vertue till their comming thither, where they resolv'd of a course worse then man could of man imagine, if not proud by experience. For there they saw that Ladie, desir'd her, and plotted to obtaine her, purposing with all ill meaning to enjoy her, nothing being able to give other ende to their wicked mindes but this; whereto their beastlinesse, and true justice hath brought them: having made this place their bed of death, as it was meant for their lascivious desires. Great they did imagine her of birth, by the honour done unto her; this was another spurre to their devillish longing; yet to be certaine, with a good fashion dissembling their inward intent, (as well they could, for they were Courtiers) intreated the Merchant to tell who this Lady was, that they might accordingly honour and respect her. Hee told them her name was Antissia, and that she was daughter to the great king of Romania, betraied by her Guardian, taken from him againe by Rovers, and sold by them on this coast, at the Towne call'd S. Anzolo, where I a Merchant (said he) bought her; they not knowing who they sold, nor I what I had bought: till some daies after she her selfe (intreating me no more to suffer her to be made merchandize, but to carry her to her father, who would reward me sufficiently for my paines) told me the unexpected secret. The brothers hearing this, inflamed more then before, beauty first inticing them, then ambition wrought to compasse a kings daughter to their pleasure; much commending themsel ves for placing their loves so worthily, yet still forgetting how unworthie and dishonourable their love was. Desire makes them now politike, casting all waies how they might betray her; consulting together, they at last concluded, to get the Princesse into the Garden to walke, having before appointed these slaine men to attend at a doore, which opened into the field, which they opening, perswaded her to goe out a little into so sweet an aire: she fearing nothing went with them, when no sooner she was forth, but shee found she was betrayd; crying for helpe would not availe her, yet the pitifulnesse of it brought forth most of the house, who perceiving what was intended and neere acted, no fury could be compar'd to theirs (and furie indeed it was) for they but five, and unarmed, attempted to rescue her from us, being all these; and two of them so amorous, as they in that raging passion (love being at the best a mild frenzie) would have been able, or thought themselves so, to have withstood them, and many more, especially their Mistris being in presence. This noise also brought forth the good woman, wife to the honest merchant, where began so pitifull a monefull complaining betweene her and this Princesse, as truly mov'd compassion in all my heart I am sure weeping for them: yet the mad Lovers had sense of nothing but their worst desires. With these words the Princesse fell into a new sorrow, which the Knight perceiving (whose heart was never but pitifull to faire Ladies) perswaded the sad Antissia so well, as he proceeded; Then being possest of the Ladie, my Master led the way, bringing his brother and us to this banket; this place being set downe for her dishonor, but destin'd for their graves. Then grew a strife for the first enjoying of her, so farre it proceeded, as from words they fell to blowes, and so in short time to this conclusion: for they fighting, wee following our Masters example, followed them in death likewise all but my selfe, and I now at your mercy. He had but concluded his storie, when I pulling of my helmet, kneeling downe to the Princesse, told her who I was, and likewise my search for her, which she (with as much joy as on a sudden could enter into so sad a mind) receiv'd with gratious thankfulnes. Now had the black Knight in like manner discover'd his face, which so excellent in lovelines, I cannot say fairenes, as the whitest beauty must yeeld to such a sweetnes, and yet doth his mind as farre excell his person, as his person doth all others that I have seene, and so will all allow, for this was Amphilanthus; who with mild, yet a princely manner, told the Princesse, That she might leave her sorrow being falne into his hands, where she should have all honor and respect, and within short time by himselfe bee deliver'd to her father. But first hee was to performe his promise to his dearest friend and Cosen Parselius in meeting him in Italy, the time prefixed being almost expired, and his search utterly fruitlesse. But I pray sir (said Parselius) how came that brave Prince again into Morea? By a violent storme (said he), wherein he suffer'd shipwrack. This done, Amphilanthus, Antissia, the Hermit, and my selfe, tooke our waies to the Merchants house, whom we found return'd, but ready again to have left his house, fill'd with discontent and passion for the unhappy accident: his wife in that desperate griefe as hardly could shee have endured with life, had not the blessed returne of Antissia given comfort, like life unto her sorrowes. The servant to the slaine Knight guided us within sight of the house: but then with pardon and liberty of going his owne way, he departed. That night we rested there, the next morning parted our selves; Amphilanthus , Antissia, the Merchant and his wife, took their journy together towards the Court, there to leave her till he had found Parselius, and so end his vow; the old Hermit returnd to his private devotions, my self took my way to the next port, to ship my selfe for Romania, in the same ship was also this man, who hearing me discourse of my adventures with the Master of the ship, gave ill language of Amphilanthus, then of Parselius, saying, they were Cosoners, and not Princes, but some odde fellowes taking good names upon them, since it was very unlikely so great persons should be so long suffered abroad, and travell in such a sort alone, and more like runne-awaies, then Princes. These much moved mee: but to put mee quite out of patience, hee went on, giving vilder, and more curst speeches of my owne Lord: this made mee strike him, and so wee fell together so close, as one or both had dyed for it, had not the company parted us; and after wee had againe gon to it, but that this ship came and tooke us, and so made us Prisoners to save our lives. But now Sirs, if you doe not justice, you wrong your selves, in not revenging so great an injurie done to the bravest Princes. Parselius replide: Wee were not worthie to live, if wee did not right so worthy a Gentleman as your selfe, and revenge the wrong done to so great Princes, whose greatnesse yet cannot keepe ill tongues in awe sufficientlie, but that in absence they are often wronged; and therefore friends must revenge that, which they ignorant of otherwise may suffer. But herein wee may bee thought partiall; for this Knight you see is Leandrus , my selfe Parselius, one of the cousoning Princes (as it pleased his honestie to call mee): I would advise therefore, that this rare Shepherdesse should appoint him his punishment. The young Knight kneeled downe to have kissed the handes of the two Princes: they taking him up, gave him thankes for his discourse, commending him much for his loyaltie and valour. Urania, (who was as heartily angry as the Knight) seeing her Parselius thus wronged, could find no lesse punishment for him, then death. But then the Prince did with sweete perswasions mitigate her furie: but brought it no lower then to publike whipping, submission, and recantation: Lastlie, humbly on his knees to aske pardon of the Romanian Knight. All now satisfied but Urania, (who could not easilie forgive an inj urie done to her other selfe) sent him a shore to the next land they saw, Then did the knight againe speake: My Lord Parselius, with your leave, I beseech you permit me to take so much boldnes, as to beseech my Lord Leandrus to doe me so much honour, as to tell mee the adventure, which caused the report and suspition of his death: they both agreeing, Leandrus thus began. After I had left you most noble Parselius, I went to my owne countrie to visite my father, where still I heard the noise of Antissia's losse, the likelihood of her beauty, the griefe of Parents, and the wrong done to my selfe: these did not only invite, but command me to be diligent, in making al these pieces joyne again in the first body of content; which I perswaded my self able to doe, by seeking and finding of her. The one I resolv'd, the other I nothing doubted: then with my fathers consent I left Achaya, taking my way among the Greek Ilands, and passing the Archipelago. I left no Iland that had a league of land unsought, or unseene: then shipt I my self, and past into your Morea; so after I had seene all those places, I went againe to sea, resolving afterwards to take towards Italy, whither for farnesse it might bee the traytors had carried her; my companion then leaving me to go to his heart, which he had left in Cecillia. But being in the Iland of Cephalonia, there was a solemne and magnificent Feast held, which was by reason of a marriage betweene the Lords daughter of that Iland, and the Lord of Zante's sonne, a fine and spritefull youth; Justs, Tilt, and all other such warlike exercises being proclaimed. Hearing this, I would needs shew my selfe one, as forward as any stranger to honour the Feast. The first day (which was the wedding-day) Armes were laid aside, and only dancing and feasting exercis'd: after supper every one preparing for the dancing againe. With the sound of trumpets there entred one in habit and fashion like a Commander of horse, who deliver'd some few lines to the new married Paire, dedicated as to their honour and joy, which they receiv'd most thankfully, promising freedome and welcome to the whole company. Then entred in twenty Gentlemen presenting souldiers, and so danced in their kind, making a brave and commendable demonstration of Courtship in the bravest profession, honour abounding most, where noblenes in valour, and bounty in civilitie agree together. After they went to a rich banket: the brave Masquers discovering themselves, were found to be gentlemen of both Ilands, equally divided in number, as their affections ought to be to either, and therefore had put themselves into the evenest and perfectest number of ten, and ten. But to leave sport, and come to earnest; the manner of that place was, that from the banquet the Bride must be stolne away (to bed the meaning is), but she tooke to the fields. Most did misse her, for there wanted no respective care of her, but al were satisfied with the fashion, correcting such as spake suspiciously, and expecting to be call'd to see her in bed, waited the calling. But the time being long, some hastier then the rest went to the chamber, where they found she had not been. This was instantly blowne abroad; all betooke themselves to Armes who could beare any, the Ladies to their teares, every one amaz'd, and chiefly the Bridegroome perplext. The old fathers vext, the mothers tore their gray locks, such disorder in generall, as cannot bee exprest, but by the picture of the same accident, Some mistrusted the Masquers, but soone they clear'd themselves, putting on Armes, and being as earnest as any in the search. I a stranger, and loving businesse, would needs accompany them (which the favour of a Nobleman, with whom I had got some little acquaintance, did well aide me in) whose fortunes were in finding them, more happy then any others, overtaking them, when they thought themselves most secure, being together laid within a delicate Vineyard, a place able to hide them, and please them with as much content, as Paris felt, when he had deceiv'd the Greeke King of his beautifull Hellen; laughing at the fine deceit, and pitying in a scornefull fashion those, who with direct paine and meaning followed them, commending their subtilties and fine craftinesse, in having so deceiv'd them. Kissing and embracing, they joyfully remain'd in their stolne comforts, till wee rudely breaking in upon them, made them as fearefully rush up, as a tapist Buck will doe, when he finds his enemies so neere: yet did not our comming any whit amaze them, but that they were well able to make use of the best sence at that time required for their good, which was speech, uttering it in this manner. My Lords (said they), if ever you have knowne love, that will (we hope) now with-hold you from crossing lovers. We confesse, to the law wee are offenders, yet not to the law of love: wherefore as you have loved, or doe, or may, pity us, and be not the meanes that wee too soone sacrifice our blouds on the cruell altar of revenge, while we remaine the faithfull vassals of Venus . Let not your hands be soild in the bloud of lovers; what can wash away so foule a staine? You may bring us (it is true) unto our just deserv'd endes: but then take heed of a repentant gnawing spirit, which will molest you, when you shall be urg'd to remember, that you caus'd so much faithfull and constant love, to be offred to the triumph of your conquest, over a lover unarm'd, wanting all meanes of resistance, but pure affections to defend himself withall, and a woman only strong in truth of love. For my part, she wan me, my companion was by him gaind; so as promising assistance in place of arms, and helpe in stead of force, we sat down together, he beginning his discourse in this manner. To make long speeches, striving to be held an Orator, or with much delicacie to paint this storie, the time affoords not the one, our truth and love requires not the other; wherfore as plainely as truth it self demands, I wil tel you the beginning, successe, and continuance of our fortunate (though crost) affections. I lov'd this Lady before she had seene this yong Lord, she likewise had onely seene my love, and onely tide her selfe to that, before he saw her; love made me her slave, while she suffered as by the like authoritie. I sued, she granted; I lov'd, she requited; happinesse above all blessings to bee imbraced. Our eyes kept just measure of lookes, being sometimes so inchain'd in delightfull links of each others joy-tying chaine (for so wee made up the number of our beholdings), as hard it was to be so unkindly found, as to seperate so deare a pleasure. Our hearts held even proportion with our thoughts and eies, which were created, nursed, and guided by those, or rather one harts power. But Parents having (were it not for Christianity, I shuld say) a cruel & tirannical power over their children, brought this to us disastrous fortune: for discovering our loves, set such spies over us (scorning that I being the yonger brother to an Earle, should have such happinesse, as to injoy my Princesse) as we could never come to enjoy more then bare lookes, which yet spake our true meanings after it was discover'd. This course inrag'd us, vowing to have our desires upon any termes whatsoever, alwaies consider'd with true noblenesse, and vertue. Thus resolv'd, We continued, till her Father concluding this match, shut her up in a Towre, wherein he then kept (in her) his choisest Treasure, till this day of her Marriage: which opportunity we tooke, purposing; More he would have said, as it seemd, truely to manifest the vertuous determination they had, in their accomplishment of their desires, when he was hinder'd by the rushing in of others with their Horses. Rising, We discern'd the deceiv'd youth with some others in his company; Fate, like his Love, having guided him to that place. In charity wee could not leave our first professed Friends, nor could I part my selfe from such and so true Love: wherefore resolutely taking my companions part, defended the Lovers, pitty then taking the place of Justice in our Swords; the Husband being unfortunately slaine by my Companion, truly I was sorry for him, and glad it was not I had done it. But soone followed a greater and more lamentable misfortune: For one of the yong Lords Servants, seeing his Master slaine, pressed in, unregarded, or doubted, upon the unarmed Lov er, who was this while comforting his Mistris, and not expecting danger, was on the sudden thrust into the backe, as he was holding his onely comfort in his armes. He soone (alas, and so forever) left his deare imbracement, turning on him who hurt him, repaying the wrong with giving him his death: but then soone followed his owne, the wound being mortall which he had received, yet not so suddenly, but that he saw the destruction of his enemies. We being as fierce, as rage, and revenge could make us, then he remaining alone (besides my selfe) alive, and yet dying, giving me infinite thankes for my love, and willing rescue lent him, with many dolefull and (in affection) lamentable groanes and complaints, he tooke his leave of his onely and best beloved, then of me; to whom he committed the care of her, and his body, then kissing her departed. But what shall I say of her? imagine, great Prince, and all this brave company, what she did; You will say, she wept, tore her haire, rent her clothes, cri'd, sobd, groand; No, she did not thus, she onely imbraced him, kissed him, and with as deadly a palenesse, as death could with most cunning counterfeit, and not execute, She entreated me to conduct her to the next Religious house, where shee would remaine till she might follow him. I admird her patience, but since more wonder'd at her worth. O women, how excellent are you, when you take the right way? else, I must confesse, you are the children of men, and like them fault-full. The body we tooke with the helpe of a Litter which passed by (having before convayd a hurt Knight to the same Monastery next to that place) and in that we convayd it thither, where we buried him, and almost drownd him in our teares. Thinking then to have remov'd, she fell ill, not sicke in body, but dead in heart, which appear'd; for within two dayes she dyed, leaving this world, to meet, and once more joy in him, who more then a world, or ten thousand worlds she loved, and still desired; which made her choose death being her then greater joy, burying them together a little without the house (the order of that place not permitting them to be layd within it.) After this sad (but honest) performance of my word, I went on in my Journey, meeting within few dayes after, a Page belonging to my dead friend, who with his Masters Armour followed him, love and obedience bringing it into his mind. The armor was good, being that which I now weare, mine owne hackt and cut in many places. With much sorrow the youth receiv'd the wofull tidings of his Master, then obtained I so much, as to have those armes, which with violent sorrow he consented to, helping me to arme my selfe in them, though so, as had I been any but his dead Lords friend, he sooner and more willingly would have wound into his funerall shirt. He tooke my armour, and laid it together under a tree which grew in the mid'st of a faire and pleasant plaine: then (although against my will) he kist my hands, and with as much true-felt sorrow as could lodge in so young yeares, tooke his leave of me; only beseeching me, when I remembred my unfortunate friends, I would also with some pity thinke on his misery: this was my adventure. And then past I by sea, till on a rock I suffered shipwrack, being taken up by this famous Pirat whom you so valiantly have slaine, being I assure you, none of your least victories, he having had as much strength and skill, as in any one man need remaine: but knowing me, and some power I have with the king of Cecile, my deere and worthy friend Perissus his Uncle, whose excellent company I gain'd in Achaya, he then being there, and with whom I travelled many moneths, almost yeares, till I began this search: this man, on condition I would mediate for him to the King, or his Nephew, let me goe at libertie, and arm'd in his ship, till such time as we fortun'd to land; alwaies concluded, that while I was with him, I should defend him with my best meanes. This made me resist you till heaven told me my error, which I repent, and heartily aske pardon for: and this sure was the reason that my Page imagined my death, if hee found (as by all likelihood he did) my armes. Then did Parselius againe imbrace Leandras: turning to the Squire of Amphilantus he demanded what he knew of his Master. Truly (replide he) nothing but the joy I conceive to heare by this gentle Knight that he is living: I parted from him in a great storme, having been in Germany sent thither with an army from the Pope to assist the Emperour against the Duke of Saxony, who was slaine by his hand, and for this act was by the Emperour and the other Princes made King of the Romans, having protected the Empire against such an enemy; since till now never having heard newes of him: but he ment to seeke still for you, and therefore left Germany, and in the Mediterran sea, my selfe, ship, and all my Lords treasure was taken by this Pirat, whom your valour hath destroyed. Thus with prosperous wind and infinite joy for Amphilanthus his new title and honour, they sailed towards Italy, hoping to land not farre from the Towne where the king of Naples at that time kept his Court, which was at that great Citie: but being within the sight of the shore because it then was evening they resolv'd not to land till the next morning, and so take the day before them. This thought the best (like mens counsells) proov'd the worst; for in the night rose a terrible and fearefull storme, being so violent, as it tooke not away rest only, but knowledge from the Pilot, being onely able within some howers to assure them, that they were far distant from Italy. The tempest continued in as great (if not greater) furie, nor any more comfort had they, save that now they enjoyed light, and yet could that light scarce be counted day, being but as day-breake before the Sun-rising; so as it was but as to distinguish the time of day from night, or as if it were to hold a candle to them, the more to see their danger, so thicke, cloudy, and uncomfortable, as they could discerne nothing, but what was nearest them, which was perill. Cunning now prevail'd not, for the most skilfull confessed, that now he was artlesse, heavenly powers working above the knowledge of earthly creatures, which way they were by force carried, was utterly unknown to them; sailes, tackling were gone; the mast, either by force, or hope of safety cast over-board; thunder, lightning, wind, raine, they wanted not; none being able to expresse the desperatenes of this storme, but by saying, it was the picture of the last day for violence, but like the world for strangenes and uncertainty. Thus they continued in the day (having only the shadow of a day) and in the night feareful flames, which yet they thankt, because by them they could discerne themselves. When heaven did think this storme had lasted long enough crosse to those, though crost, yet still most loving lovers, it commanded the seas to be at quiet, which being perform'd, the Pilot againe began to use his skil, which first had meanes to let him know, that so farre they were from the place resolv'd on, as in stead of the coast of Italy, they were within sight of the Iland of Ciprus: this not onely amazed them, but much troubled them, considering the barbarousnes of the people who there inhabited, and their extremity such, as of necessity they must land to replenish their wants, caused by the rigor of the tempest: yet were they come to such a part of the country, as there was no harbor or port to ride or land at; wherfore they were forst to coast the country; night again like an evil spirit possessing them, almost all tired and weary with the length and violence of the storme. Some were laid down to see if rest would possesse them: others falne asleep, none enduring it like the excellent Urania, which brought comfort (though in sorrow) to the loving and noble Parselius, never shewing feare or trouble: incouraging all. And yet she did feare, but seeing his, she dissembled hers, in care of not further harming him, She, I say, when all were gone to rest, stood as Sentinel, but by her owne appointment, love commanding her soule to take no advantage of restfull houres; which she obediently did, sleep never but by loves liberty possessing her eies: which freedome her passion had not yet allowed her, but molesting her patient sweetnes caused her to walke up and downe in the maze of her trouble. The Moone (though coldly) smiling on her, and her love, she perceived a great fire, whereupon she called the company, demanding what their opinions were of it; they could not give her a direct answer, till being come somewhat neerer, they perceived it was a Ship was falne a fire in the midst of the Sea, and right against it a very good Harbour. Pitty, and noble compassion straight moved in them, so as they haled to the burning Barke, to know if there were any by ill fortune in her, and if so, to succour them, but hearing no answer, they concluded shee was empty: wherfore passing on they landed in the Island, which no sooner was done, but their former wonder was encreased, by the sudden falling a fire of their own Ship, which had but deliverd her self of them, and then as a Martyr suffer'd for the paine they had in her endur'd. But this past, admiration brought new sorrow to them, considering they were in a strange Country, among barbarous people, depriv'd of all hope to get thence any more, but there to continue at the mercy of unchristened creatures. Parselius wished, but stil found himselfe further from succour of any but his fruitles wishes: all his tormenting griefe being for Urania. Urania did as he did, justly requiting his paine, for all hers was for him. All lamented and pittied Urania, and the dainty Selarina, who mildly, yet with a more Woman-like manner suffered these afflictions, lov ing and pittying Urania, being an obligation they were all in their hearts, as they found, bound unto. Leandrus sorrowed for her, and bewail'd the two young Princes, whose Father had lost his Kingdome, for his love to his Father, which stirred in him a commiserate passion. Thus, all for others grieved, pittie extended so, as all were carefull, but of themselves most carelesse: yet their mutuall care, made them all cared for. Parselius with a brave courage, at last advised them to goe on, yet left it to their owne mindes, fearing to perswade, least harme might after follow, grieve, feare, perswade they did and all distractedly, so much they feared, and most was for Urania: so much can worth, sweetnesse, and Beautie worke in noble mindes. His advise was to goe on, and this was allowed, for what could hee propound that Urania liked not of? And if she consented, what spirit could deny? Thus, on they went (but as in a Labyrinth without a thrid) till they came within sight of a rare and admirable Pallace. It was scituated on a Hill, but that Hill formed, as if the world would needs raise one place of purpose to build Loves throne upon; all the Country besides humbly plaine, to shew the subjection to that powerfull dwelling. The Hill whereon this Pallace stood was just as big as to hold the House: three sides of the Hill made into delicate Gardens and Orchards: the further side was a fine and stately Wood. This sumptuous House was square, set all upon Pillars of blacke Marble, the ground paved with the same. Every one of those pillars, presenting the lively Image (as perfectly as carving could demonstrat, of brave, and mighty men, and sweet and delicate Ladies, such as had been conquer'd by loves power: but placed there, as still to mainetaine, and uphold the honour, and House of Love. Comming towards it, they imagined it some Magicall work, for so daintily it appear'd in curiositie, as it seem'd as if it hung in the ayre, the Trees, Fountains, and all sweet delicacies being discerned through it. The upper Story had the Gods most fairely and richly appearing in their thrones: their proportions such as their powers, and quallities are described. As Mars in Armes, weapons of Warre about him, Trophies of his Victories, and many demonstrations of his Warre-like God-head. Apollo with Musicke, Mercurie, Saturne, and the rest in their kind. At the foote of this Hill ranne a pleasant and sweetly passing river, over which was a Bridge, on which were three Towres: Upon the first was the Image of Cupid, curiously carv'd with his Bow bent, and Quiver at his backe, but with his right hand pointing to the next Towre; on which was a statue of white Marble, representing Venus, but so richly adorn'd, as it might for rarenesse, and exquisitenesse have beene taken for the Goddesse her selfe, and have causd as strange an affection as the Image did to her maker, when he fell in love with his owne worke. Shee was crownd with Mirtle, and Pansies, in her left hand holding a flaming Heart, her right, directing to the third Towre, before which, in all dainty riches, and rich delicacy, was the figure of Constancy, holding in her hand the Keyes of the Pallace: which shewed, that place was not to be open to all, but to few possessed with that vertue. They all beheld this place with great wonder, Parselius resolving it was some Enchauntment; wherefore was the nicer how they proceeded in the entring of it: while they were thus in question, there came an aged Man, with so good a countenance and grave aspect, as it strucke reverence into them, to be shewed to him, by them. He saluted them thus: Faire company, your beholding this place with so much curiosity, and besides your habits makes me know you are strangers, therefore fit to let you understand the truth of this brave Building, which is dedicated to Love. Venus (whose Priest I am) thinking her self in these latter times, not so much, or much lesse honour'd then in ages past, hath built this, calling it the throne of Love. Here is She dayly serv'd, by my selfe, and others of my profession, and heere is the triall of false or faithfull Lovers. Those that are false, may enter this Towre, which is Cupids Towre, or the Towre of Desire: but therein once inclosed, they endure torments fit for such a fault. Into the second any Lover may enter, which is the Towre of Love: but there they suffer unexpressable tortures, in severall kindes as their affections are most incident to; as Jelousie, Despaire, Feare, Hope, Longings, and such like. The third which is guarded by Constancy, can bee entred by none, till the valiantest Knight, with the loyallest Lady come together, and open that gate, when all these Charmes shal have conclusion. Till then, all that venture into these Towres, remaine prisoners; this is the truth. Now if your hearts will serve you adventure it. They thanked the old man for his relation, but told him they had some Vowes to performe first: which ended, they would adventure for imprisonment in so rare a prison. The old Priest left them, and they weary, laid them downe neere the Towre of Desire, refreshing themselves with some little meate, which Uranias mayde had in her Scrip: but wanting drinke, they all went to the River, whereof they had but drunke, when in them sev erall Passions did instantly abound. Parselius forgot all, but his promise to the dead King of Albania, for the setling his Sonnes in that Kingdome. Leandrus afflicted with the losse of Antissia , must straight into Morea to finde her, and take her from Amphilanthus; Steriamus and Selarinus would not be refused the honour of Knight-hood, Mars having so possessed them with his warlike disposition, as worlds to their imaginations were too little to conquer, therefore Albania was already wonne. Urania, whose heart before was onely fed by the sweet lookes, and pleasing conversation of Parselius, loves him now so much, as she imagines, she must try the adventure, to let him see her loyalty is such, as for his love, and by it she would end the Inchantment. Selarina, thought she saw within the Gardens, a young Prince with a Crowne upon his head, who beckned to her, wherefore she would goe at such a call. Urania's maide beheld as she beleev'd Allimarlus in the second Towre, kissing and embracing a Blackmoore : which so farre inraged her, being passionatly in love with him, as she must goe to revenge her selfe of that injurie. These distractions carried them all, as their passions guided them. Parselius having knighted the two Princes, tooke their way to the next Port: Urania now not seene or thought on. Leandrus hasting another way, to finde meanes for his Journey. Selarina to the Towre, and knockt with that fervent desire to accomplish her ende as the gate opened; all the three rush'd in, striving who should be first. But Selarina was then soone made to know shee should not contend with Urania, wherefore she was lockt into the first tower, burning with desire to come to that sweete Prince, which still she sees before her: hee calling, shee with uncessant desire striving to goe to him. Urania went on, when entring the second tower, guarded by Venus, she was therein inclosed, when as thus much sense came to her, as to know she had left Parselius, which strak her into a mourning passion, confessing that, an unpardonable fault, and what he in justice could not excuse. Then despaire possest her so, as there she remaind, lov ing in despaire, and despairing mourn'd. The shepherdesse her servant continuing her first passion got into that Tower too, where she stil saw her affliction, striving with as much spitefull jealousie, as that fury could vex her withall, to come at the Moore to pull her from her knight. Thus were the women for their punishment, left prisoners in the throne of Love. which Throne and punishments are daily built in all humane hearts. But how did the honest Allimarlus carry himselfe in all these changes? Alas, with much griefe and sorrow for this misfortune, he not having drank, being the onely sensible man left; wherefore fearing more the harme of Parselius and his companions then the Ladies, who were (without question) safe, though farre from being free, he followed them, lest harme might from those furious humors grow. They made such haste, as no rest could invite their stay, till they were tired with their owne minds travell, and then all three lying downe in one anothers armes, they yeelded unto sleepe. In which, new torments vexed them: for then did they come a little to themselves (or a little more from themselves in another kind) and as men long held in a trance, awaked. Parselius weeping for Urania's unkindnesse, who had (as hee dreamed) forsaken him, and left him sleeping, while shee went with another. The two Princes bewailing the death of their Sister, who they imagined taken violently from them, and sacrificed to Venus. Thus they againe fall into strange and new distractions, which griev'd the young Knights verie soule to see, but having no hope of seeing them restored, while they continued in that Iland: soothing them up in their owne opinions, knowing it dangerous and idle to crosse mad men, with gentle perswasions gain'd Parselius to goe with him, when hee promis'd to bring him where Urania with her new friend did abide, and then he might recover her, and kill his enemie. The other hee likewise gaind, promising they should have the meanes to kill their adversaries likewise. Thus he got them thence: travelling in this sort, till they came to the sea side where they found a small Barke, and in her two persons, an old man, and a little Boy being Fishers: and having taken some, had then newly put a shore to dresse, and so to satisfie their hungers with their gaine. The Romanian Knight saluted the old man, intreating, that that companie might goe into his boate, and time it was to prevent the comming harme, for then were they ready to runne into the sea; but by force they got them into the Barke, where no sooner they were, having freed themselves from the land (which was the nature of those charmes), but their good spirits againe possess'd them. Then did Parselius bewaile Urania, crie out of his miserable fortune in having lost her, beseech every one to pitie with him so great a mischiefe. The knight wept to see these changes, but then mildly told him all that had happened. Griev'd Parselius did remaine; but considering heavenly powers had caused this, he the more quietly endur'd it, yet not without a bleeding hart, and often showring eies: O Urania (would hee cry), how justly maist thou hate me, for leaving thee? Damn'd country, can it be that thou wert ordain'd for love to have a Throne in, and yet to be the hel of lovers? Much more he cri'd, and sorrowed out, while the old man had gain'd the knowledge of this adventure from Allimarlus, who was by him knowne, so as beseeching Parselius to lay by his mourning, or at least to give eare to this story, said hee, which will encrease compassion, and passion in you; with that the grave old man began thus. Lamentation (brave Princes) is that which I must treat of; but first I must tell you, as one of the parts of this story; I am called Selencius, brother I am to the king of Romania, Lord to this young knight: and thus from me (the most unfortunate of Princes) heare the wofull'st and most disastrous history, that ever Princely eares gave attention to. I was brother, and somtime heire to this unhappy king, being thought lost: but after found in such an adventure of enchantment as this seemes to be. Return'd, married, and was blest with two children, of whom I am sure this Gentleman hath already discoursed unto you, wherefore that part I wil leave, and come to the last. My Nephew Antissius being come from the fruitles search of his sister Antissia, my brother would needs marry him to a Lady in the country, which he (although never having bin in love) might have questioned; yet he ever loved to obay his father, and so they were married. O Antissius, worthy Antissius: with that the teares ran downe his long white beard, resembling drops in snow, stopping his breath, that scarce the last word could bee heard. In this time did all the Princes joyne, concluding it with sobs, and groanes, every one having equall feeling of sorrow, though for several things. At last he cry'd out these words: Pardon great Prince this sad interruption in my story, which I am forst to do, heart-rending sorrow making me ever doe so, when I think of (much more shame) my deerest Nephew, and his unfortunate losse; being such a wound to that country, as none can imagine but our selves, who daily feele the misery. He being married by his fathers command, who longed to see some fruit from so worthy a stock, his obedience having mastred his affection, which rather was to follow Armes, then fall into the armes of Love: he worthily lov'd his wife, and lovingly liv'd with her; within that yeare being blest with a Son, whom after his father they called Antissius: with this joy'd-at birth began the ruin of all (yet not because of his birth, for in him we have yet our last hope) but by reason that the Grandmother liv'd but to kisse her babe; after whose death the king again maried, and her, whose wickednes I am sure hath come unto your eares. This malitious creature, after she had caused Antissius to bee banisht, and most honest men to lose their lives, or places, she yet not satisfied with such sins, as never the earth sufferd in one body the waight of more treason, adultery, witchcraft and murder, were plentifully in her, yet while he liv'd she was not contented. Wherefore to bring this to passe, was now her only study. In this time some one or two honest hearts were left, who gave the king warning of her, ventring their heads to save his body from harme: her immoderate desires so much knowne, as they cried out against her; shee being a Queene salved not, nor covered her sin, which in her greatnes appeared the greater fault; a spot being more markt in a Diamond, then in an ordinary piece of glasse. Long time it was ere his honest and unspotted love would believe it, or hearken to it, while shee delighted her selfe in her owne shame, and his dishonor. At last (though extreame loath) he seem'd to see it, slaking his violent love to her, & oft refraining her bed, made her discerne it, though delighting her self so much with others, had somewhat blinded her from seeing, what but for policy, she cared little for. But then did shee never leave the poore man with her flatterings and dissembling falshoods, till she had gaind the cause and ground of his most just offence, and deserved mistrust, and unusuall strangenes, which at last (undone by her bewitching fawnings) she gained. Then had she enough, vowing to be revenged on al, and under this colour to execute her malice, and purge her spleene upon the famous Prince his son; which by her cruell practises, she at last unfortunately brought to passe. For first (by meanes as she pretended that she was slandred) she got her good honest husband to banish any, who had in the least, spoken of her lightnes; putting into that number those whom she hated, having suffred (as she alleagd) as much by their slanderous reports, as almost if it had been a truth shee had merited, wishing she had still continued widow, rather then to come to this height of honour; and having it, to fall so low as into the shame of dishonor: beseeching him throughly to revenge her, or to permit her to retire to the most lonely and private life, rather then there openly to sinke under shame and infamie: or if she could be found faulty, then to cut off her head, farre unfit to live wife to so vertuous and good a king. To satisfie her, whose dissemblings were of force to bring new heate into his aged heart, which like old wood will presently kindle, he strooke off the heade of those loyall servants, who had honestly (though undiscreetly) told him of her sinne, men, not lov ing that discourse of any. This done, he came to receive thanks: but she telling him this was nothing, and unlesse hee would doe more to right her, so shamefully wrongd, she would go away, and execute some mischiefe on her selfe; her spirit and conscience not being able to sustaine themselves induring such abuse: and then (if ever he lov'd her) he would be sorry, he had wrongd so true and faithfully loving a wife, while he did credit pickthanking Counsellors. He seeing this passion in his deere wife, vowed revengefull justice on all she could accuse. Upon this vow, and some other assurance which was given by execution, her holy Majesty seem'd somewhat satisfied, and then contented (as it were) to live, having new life given in her justice, and faithtrying honour. She came abroad, but oft-times blushing; modesty was the colour put upon it, when indeed it was affection to a young Lord in the Court: who after shee found she could not win with all inticements and love-showes, shee accused him for seeking her, and so with many more lost his head. Now was Antissius and his vertuous wife confind to a Castle, some twenty miles from the Court, he being accused of popularity, and aspiring to the Crowne. This was the power of that insatiable Monster, as shee could, and would banish from him his best, and onely true comforts. My Nephewes misfortune increasing, and his hate to live, growing every day stronger in him, he gaind for all this the Queenes leave to goe, and live with me. She willing to it, hoping his former ill usage would prov oke him to that hee might die for, else shee would finde a meanes to compasse it. But few plots needed, this being the beginning, and his soone following overthrow; for the people finding her government absolute, and that being bent to the ruin of the land, followed the vertuous Prince in great numbers, and at al times, which he as much as in him lay, did put off & avoid: yet not so, but that the Queene wrought cunningly enough upon it, to mixe jealousie with the fathers love to his sonne, shee never ceasing to wish the subjects love as great and firme to his Majestie, as shee, and all others saw their hearts were placed upon his worthy sonne, which though he for his affection to him, did not yet make use of, yet it is a fine thing, said she, to bee a king, and a terrible matter to be tempted: were you not safely blessed with so honest a son. And therefore you must trust more to the loyaltie of Antissius, then the faith of his people, who, he might perceive, regarded nothing lesse then their due respect to him. Sparingly she spake well of him, but freely to make suspition. Thus now was he falne into the path, which led to the court of her malice: for buzing these things in his old, and fearefull eares, shee at last brought to this fulnesse of ill. One day as she had appointed (being priv ately with the King in a Gallery) two of the Counsell came in, in hast, yet a dissembling feare in their faces, counterfeiting need, but doubt and unwillingnesse to discover what mov'd in them this sudden approch. The King urg'd them, when with teares they told him, that they had gaind knowledge of a dangerous conspiracy, which was plotted, & to be instantly executed upon the persons of his Majesty, and his most royal Queen, by Antissius and my self, the treason being this: to depose him, kil the Queen, banish the Counsell I make himselfe Monarch of Romania, dispose the offices, already disposed of, among his favourites, and the whole realme, as he best liked to his followers, and associats, and in this kind make a conquest of it. Then alas sir (said they), what will become of poore Romania, when your vertue and wisdome shall be put by, their government, and his greene capacity, and those young wild headed Counsellors shall rule over us, who were fitter at schoole to learne obedience and loyalty, then to sway a Scepter, besides the wrong and sin, of taking the lawfull Prince from among his people. This related and seconded by the Queen, who stil in a double maner clear'd, & condemn'd poore Antissius, whose just and vertuous heart never thought of such a treason, nor of her (if not with sorrow for her wickednes). It wrought so far in the jealous brest of the old man, as he manifested his crediting it, and with all the feare hee concei v'd of it, expressing as much hate to his son, as such a wicked practise might justly challenge. Then hastily (as feare is alwaies sudden) he demaunded adv ice, with the best and readiest way to avoide the danger. They yet having gone but halfe way of their divelish progresse, replied: That since it pleased him to have such confidence in them, as to aske their advice in so great a busines, they would as honestly discharge themselves, and this they held the safest, and the best course; which was, that the Prince (who they must still love and reverence, and whose fault cut their hearts to thinke of) should be sent for, but in such a manner, as he should have no cause to distrust, lest then he went about to gaine by force, what they before had been inform'd, he hoped to compasse by a private conspiracie. This advice, and the plot it selfe, he imparted to some more of the Counsell, who already were sufficiently instructed in their parts, and so accordingly agreed; consenting, nay commending the grave, carefull, and honest advice of the other two. Then was a Messenger straight dispatched to the Prince, (who like a brave, but innocent Hart came into the toile) with order to come himselfe, his wife, and Sonne unto the King, whose age, and weaknesse being great, and his affection only left strong in him, towards him, and his, would have them neerer to him, and for that he would recompence him, for the injuries in former times done to him: I was not at home, for had I bin, the journey surely had bin hindred, while Antissius doubting no treason, his noble heart being free from thinking any, in haste (hoping that way to expresse the joy hee felt by these unexpected glad tidings) posted to the Court, leaving word, that I (who was to returne in a very short time after) should with all convenient speed accompany his wife, and sonne to the King. Few daies he had rid, before he was encountred with a troope of horse, under the commaund of an ancient friend of his, and a friend indeed he was in this action, being betrayd as well as he, sent under colour of love to the Prince, who since hee had (or at least it being thought hee had) so much dislik'd his father, as hee had forbid him his once heeld-deerest sight, and that the people had taken notice of it in a dangerous kind: to prevent any bold or hazardus attempt might happen by a rude multitude, the Queene had sent this troupe to guard him, and that she knowing the love this Gentleman bare Antissius, had made choice of him to conduct his person thither. Antissius was somewhat troubled with this accident, wondring why she should be on the sudden so kind, knowing that there was none whose ruin she and her godly crew more shot at: yet could not he (who saw only with the eies of vertue) pierce into this plot. Mildly and gratiously hee saluted the Captaine and his men, yet telling them, his innocency had been guard enough for his person. They went on, but when they were within sight of the great Citie of Constantinople (the Court then being there) they perceived a farre greater number of Souldiers, with which sight hee saw his end, and soone heard the sentence of his death: for then did they set upon him, crying, Downe with that Traytor, that disobedient child, the incurable griefe of his lov ing father, the dishonour of our Countrie, and the Canker of the States . With these cries they rushed violently upon the Prince. The first troope seeing this Treason, did their best to defend Antissius; but their lives could not buy his safetie, in vaine striving to alter destiny: the period of his dayes being come with a blow given him by a trayterous villaine, which strake his head in two. Griefe of this accident turn'd to fury, his party fighting as if Antissius had beene in every one, and so to bee defended; but that was past, their loves onely living to him. Yet dyed it too, for none were left of the whole Troope, but the Captaine, and some tenne more. The Queenes men having gain'd almost what they sought, fully to give her satisfaction in his death; yet wanted part, since they could not get his bodie, to be made a present to her cruelty. For the Captaine perceiving their drift, hinder'd them of it, taking him up when he saw the unluky blow given, and in the heate of the fiight fled away with it, knowing this a better piece of service, then to have lost his life in revenge at that time: since to better purpose he might save it in serving his Sonne, to have a just, and fit requitall for such a wickednesse, on those shamefull murderers. They came with this body (of the most beloved Prince, while he lived, and the most pittied and honourd after death) to my house. Just as I return'd, did I encounter this sad and disastrous adventure; In stead of a brave, couragious, and (with it) pleasing presence, I met his bloudlesse, pale, and martyr'd body. There I saw the hope of our Country, and comfort of mine age, chang'd againe into our first being: So much it afflicted mee, as I stood amazed with griefe, speechlesse, and senselesse of sense, but sorrow: till sorrow being pleasd to make me have more feeling of her power, gave me leave to let these words come from me. O Antissius, hath life beene lent me to see this day! Miserable man, miserable Countrey, wretched age, wherein such cruelty doth raigne; O Antissius! but then by their honest good perswasions (telling me the necessity, and ensuing dangers, if not prev ented, that the rest living might fall into) I strove to endure this calamity with as much patience, as so miserable a man could let sinke into him, and indeed for this young youthes sake, who is the young Antissius, heire to these miseries, and the overthrowne estate of Romania. But then followed a second cause of griefe; For his vertuous wife came to us, who hearing such lowd cries, and distracted noyses, left her Chamber, following the cries till they brought her to that most lamentable spectacle. When she saw the cause of their wailing, she put them aside, going to the body, and kneeling downe by it, used these words; My deare, was it for this, that unnaturall Father, and monster of women, sent for thee? That no sooner thou shouldest see thy Fathers house, but with it thou must see thy house of death? Alas, wert thou too good, too hopefull, too full of all vertues to live among us, who can now but assist thee with our teares? But long shall not this worldly sorrow triumph over me in thy losse, for I must, and will be with thee; with that kissing the pale lips of her dearest love, and as it were breathing her (though not last, but fortelling) last breath into him, she rose, and rising, a little seemed to smile, joy within her (for assured going to him) having caused that Countenauce, which by some was disliked, not being, to their weake apprehensions, sad enough, for such a cause of woe. As soone as she had left the body, she came to me, earnestly entreating me, that I would suffer none to trouble her, shee having some private devotions to performe, which being ended, I should be welcome to her. For my part, I so little mistrusted her intent, or imagined a Woman had so strong a spirit, as to dye when shee would, granted what she asked, being confident, her goodnesse would keepe her from doing any violence on her selfe. Having left me, she went to the roome where her young Sonne lay, and then fast sleeping, when as weeping over him (as the Maides since tolde me) well maist thou sleepe, deare heart, said she, for long, I feare thy quiet will not last; thy being Sonne to so worthy a Father, and unfortunate a Mother, must cast some stormes on thee, it being fault enough in thee to have such Parents: at least, thy wicked Grandmother will thinke so, who hating truth will make thee suffer for thy Fathers sake. Sleepe then quietly, my sweet, and lost Antissius, nor now looke up to see thy woefull Mother, or to take her last farewell: but thus recei ve her blessing, which as the blessing of her owne soule, shee wishes may come, and stay upon thee, God sending thee a more happie life then thy valiant Father had: let his guifts of vertue, courage, and magnanimity live in thee, and his misfortunes take their grave in mee; Alas, Antissius, my onely sweet Babe, I must leave thee, then againe kissing him, shee said. This is the difference in affection, twixt a Husband and a Childe, otherwise no feare of misfortune should carry me from thee, but my sweetest I must goe, leaving Antissius, to flie to Antissius. And good maids, said she, have a kind, and just care of this young Prince, he may live to requite your paines, and revenge the wrongs done to his distressed Parents. They vowed all faith and dutifull service to him; then againe, as loath it must be the last, she kissed him, and so went to her Chamber: yet at the dore, turning backe, affectionatly, and with watry eyes, cast her last, and kindest fare-well looke on him. When she came into her Chamber, Shee lockt the dore, not suffering any to stay or come to her: where she continued till (I thinking her stay long, besides, having businesse with her concerning the dead Prince) I went to her Lodgings, where long I knocked, and indeed, so long as it vexed me: but after feare possessed mee, when I considered what the danger might be, and her freedome, and liberty, such as none had ever received that dishonor, of being barr'd her presence. Wherefore I sent for some of my Servants, who by my command brake open the dore. Entring the roome, We found her laid upon her bed, newely dead, yet her own accustomed sweetnesse in her, lying as straight, and unmov'd, as if death had onely then showne, he could in his panges be milde, yet receive his gaine: so as well it may be said, he depriv'd her of her life, yet left her owne beauty and grace to triumph over his fury. By the bed side stood a Table cover'd with a Carpet of Crimson Velvet, and on the board a Letter, which I tooke up, and seeing it directed to me, I read it, and here (brave Princes) you may see the very same, my dearest Neece left to me, which never will I part with, till time give end unto my dayes, or life to accomplish her desires. The Letter was this. Since it hath pleased God for the overthrow of this Land, and griefe of all good hearts, (among which you, and I, hold the neerest places in sorrow) to cut this thread of admiration in sunder, and leave the heavy burden of lamentation upon us, taking away our joy, our comfort, our onely Hope Antissius , I feele my selfe altogether unable to sustaine so great, and killing a losse, then let me crave this of you (which the assurance of your love to your dead Nephew, and dying Neece, imboldeneth me to aske) that you will grant these three things, and see them accomplished: Let the love you bare to your dead Nephew continue and live in the same strength to your living Nephew. Let nothing hinder you from seeking a deadly revenge on his Murderers. Lastly, let me be here privately buried with him. Let these requests be welcome to you my dearest Uncle, and not deny the dying Lucenia. No Stranger I thinke would have denied so just requests, proceeding from a Lady of her worth, and being dying; what then wrought in me, who wanted not love, or resolution of revenge? One of her desires I instantly performed, for I buried her with her husband, and then upon the Tombe, my selfe, the Captaine, and the Servants to the lost Antissius, tooke a solemne oath to have revenge: but by the bravest Princes, whose worths must needs abhorre so detestable practises; other meanes, though they diserv'd the worst, and basest, honest and noble hearts did detest them. This done, we parted every one a severall way, and to a severall King, to make our misery more manifest; out of Justice demanding their ayde, to pull downe wickednesse, and againe settle worth in Romania, my selfe remaining one whole yeare after, nere the Hellispont disguised, and almost begging my lyv ing, with this my last hope. Still they sought us while wee were among them, but then perceiving the continuall hazard, and ablenesse in this latter Antissius to travell; We left Greece, my selfe alone going with him: But how this was discover'd, or that this young man must inherite his Fathers misfortunes, we hardly did escape taking. Upon the missing of us, Ambassadours were sent in all haste to all the neere Princes, to whom with much falsehood, their false fault was covered with as foule a vaile, working so farre as beliefe, or feare of warre made shew of, so much as prevented the succour we had hoped for. Finding this, we tooke this Boate, coasting (not daring to stay any where) till we could be secure, Many places we have seene, but found none to rescue misfortune: not caring whither we went, so we were freed from her malicious power. Hither Fate hath brought us, and here we have found, and serv'd some Noblemen, and good Princes, who have promis'd their helpe: so as, if you (brave Prince) Parselius, and these with you will likewise assist us, I feare not, but assure my selfe of our hoped-for comfort. Thus if pitty dwell in you, you will pitty us, and this Allimarlus is your Lord, and Prince. Parselius then embraced him, so did Steriamus and Selarinus : all promising (their former vowes, and businesse ended) they would attend and rescue them, in the meane time, they would advise them to leave that shore, for feare of danger, considering the Charmes, which yet to any but such as adventured the Towres, or unfortunatly dranke of the River were nothing: yet that scarce knowne, made cause of doubt. So they resol v'd and betooke themselves to the Sea, when they saw floating upon the water, a man past sense or power to helpe himselfe, being now subject to the Sea, and the disposition shee might bee in to destroy him, or succour him. Parselius in Charitie willed them to goe towards him, the Tyde bringing him a pace (as in love of him) that way. Being neare, hee perceived the man to be his deare Friend Leandrus, who (in the same fury they had before falne into, but wanting such helpe as they had) ran into the Sea, missing a Boate to convay him, but not fury to cast away himselfe, crying out he would have Antissia in spite of the valiantest blacke Knight. But quickly was he cool'd with losse of strength, to save himselfe from losse, senses were come to him, but alas, too soone to lose them againe, and life with them, if this happy adventure had not come unto him. For then cry'd out Parselius, O take up that worthy body, save that noble person from such losse; with this they made to him, taking him up, and after much care, getting life againe, to put it selfe into the Cage of the body, when knowing his friends, but forgetting all things else, they embraced, as soules would (if not by a greater joy hinder'd) rejoyce in the other world, for encountring their best friends. On they rowed, sometimes Parselius and the other Princes ayding the old man; taking their turnes till they discover'd a Morean Ship, to which they haled. She comming, and her rulers knowing their Prince, with all joy and dutie receiv'd him, and his company into her. Then securely they sayled towards Greece where being landed in Morea, they determined, that since instant ayde could not be given them, they should there in a strong Castle remayne, not Prisoners, but Commanders of that place, being an impregnable Fort, and in such a place, as none could land without their favour; so might they use the opportunitie of place, and time. The Romanian Knight, after this place was by the Prince deliver'd to Seleucius and his Nephew Antissius (in the same ship had thither brought them) tooke againe to the Sea, intending to goe into Romania, and so hired them for Constantinople. But soone were they alter'd: for meeting another ship which desir'd to know something (the cause of that ships journey being for discoverie) hee found in her the ancient servant, and the same faithfull Captaine who had so loyally serv'd the first Antissius. Finding him (and by him, that the Prince was to be found) he with him returned to the Castle: where being receiv'd, and ready to make his discourse, I will leave him, and goe againe to Parselius, who tooke the directest way to the Court, which was then kept in Arcadia, being a time the King had in pleasure made a journey that way, to delight himselfe in that most delightfull Countrey. Being there arriv'd, no joy could be compar'd to the Kings and Queenes, seeing their deerest Sonne return'd: but little joy felt he, Urania being lost, which onely to Pamphilia he discover'd, who out of a deere and sisterly affection, the like bewayled absence. Sports and pleasures were every day offer'd, while he still knew of none, being in them as in another World; onely wherein his owne person was required, there his valour failed not, though his Soule which govern'd that, was otherwhere. Some dayes this lasted: but Parselius, whose love still urg'd him, could have no rest, colouring his paine with the losse of his friend and cousin, which indeed was the cause, but in the feminine gender. The King was the lesse displeas'd, because it was on so worthy a subject; yet he was sorry, being the lovingest of Fathers, that his deerest sonne should be displeas'd, and most troubled, when hee saw hee would not stay, but againe goe seeke his friend. Yet before his depart, he gayn'd the promise of his Father, to rayse men to assist Steriamus in his journey, to conquer his right: which was granted both for that just Cause, and likewise, because the faire young Princesse Mariana, Queene of Macedon, by right should be unto her right restor'd. Thus departed Parselius, leaving Steriamus and his Brother to attend their businesse, and see the men rays'd, himselfe promising within fit time to take their journey to returne. Leandrus likewise accompanying Parselius to the Court, gave his word to use his best power in gayning forces from his Father, to assist in this deserv'd occasion, they having suffer'd for their Parents loves. To which end he went into Achaya, giving his hand to Parselius, to be with him in Morea within six moneths, which was the time appointed for their marching forwards towards Macedon, or Albania, as at their next meeting they would agree on. Thus they parted: Parselius as his destinie would guide him, Leandrus to Achaya, and the other Princes remayning in Arcadia with the King, very much esteemed of. But soone after the Court remooved neerer to the Sea; while Amphilanthus , who had beene too long forgot, not being time enough remembred, being the most matchlesse Prince with the faire Antissia, being in the Merchants house as the Romanian Knight told Parselius, finding fit time, and longing to meete his friend, with the Princesse, and the honest paire, took their way towards the Court where the king lived: by the way it was Antissia's fortune, to marke (with so yeelding a heart) the lovelinesse, sweetnes, braverie, & strength of the famous Amphilanthus, which in many adventures hee made testimony of in her sight, before their gaining the Court, as this (alas) made her acknowledge, she had seene but him, who might be thought a Prince, shee had heard of none but him, all others vertues being single in them, but knit in one in him. This made her like, that made her love: and so she did (poore Lady) to her lost libertie; he, the more he saw her respect to him, answered it with his to her: kindnesse then betray'd them, she shewing it, he (as a kind-hearted Prince to Ladies) receiving it. By this time they were content to think they loved, and so to know those paines. He was not unexperienced, therefore soone saw remedy must be given: and cruelty hee imagin'd it would be in him, who discern'd he might by his art helpe her, if hee refus'd that good, to one so faire, and so kindly loving. This made him in charitie watch his opportunitie, or at least not to loose any, being most with her; and contentedly, because lovingly passing the time, entertaining themsel ves with fine discourse many howers together. The good people wearie with travelling or seeking other necessaries for them, necessarily leaving them then, not with much complaining of their absence. At last they came unto the Court, being two moneths after the departure of Parselius, and the next weeke after the secret departure of Steriamus, which was such, as hereafter you shall heare. His arrivall was as pleasing to the People and Prince, as faire weather is after a storme, or plenty following a great dearth: so generally and particularly was hee beloved; his enemies (for no great man, nor good man lives without) being forced in truth to confesse he deserv'd much admiration. Hee came pleasantlie thither, and for some dayes continued so: but after, whether misse of his friend Parselius, or some other private cause to himselfe mooved him, is not knowne: but sad hee grew, and shunning all other companie, would retire himselfe with Antissia into Pamphilia's chamber, where hee would, when hee speke, direct his speech to her; still blaming her brothers for so strangely leaving their Country, he could not offer speech to her, which she received not with much respect, yet was shee generally the most silent and discreetly retir'd of any Princesse. But one day as they were alone together, some discourse falling out of the beautie of Ladies, Amphilanthus gave so much commendations of Antissia, as she betweene dislike, and a modest affection, answered, hee had spoke sufficiently in her praise: for truly my Lord, said she, me thinkes there is not that beautie in her as you speake of, but that I have seene, as faire and delicate as shee; yet in truth shee's very white, but that extreame whitenesse I like not so well, as where that (though not in that fulnesse) is mix'd with sweete lovelines; yet I cannot blame you to thinke her peerelesse, who viewes her but with the eyes of affection. Amphilanthus gave this reply; That hee till then had never seene so much Womanish disposition in her, as to have so much prettie envie in her, yet in his opinion (except her selfe) he had not seene any fairer, Antissia with that came to them, which brought them into other discourses, til they were forced to part. They gone, Pamphilia alone began to breath out her passions, which to none shee would discover, resolving rather so to perish, then that any third should know shee could be subject to affection. Alas, would she say (weeping to her selfe) what have I deserved to bee thus tyrannically tortured by love? and in his most violent course, to whom I have ever been a most true servant? Had I wrong'd his name, scornd his power, or his might, then I had been justly censured to punishment: but ill Kings, the more they see obedience, tread the more upon their subjects; so doth this all conquering King. O love, look but on me, my heart is thy prey, my self thy slave, then take some pity on me. Being heav ie, she went into her bed, but not with hope of rest, but to get more libertie to expresse her woe. At last, her servants gone, and all things quiet, but her ceaselesse mourning soule, she softly rose out of her bed, going to her window, and looking out beheld the Moone, who was then fair and bright in her selfe, being almost at the full, but rounded about with blacke, and broken clouds. Ah Diana (said she) how doe my fortunes resemble thee? my love and heart as cleare, and bright in faith, as thou art in thy face, and the fulnesse of my sorrowes in the same substance: and as thy wane must bee, so is my wane of hopes in my love; affections in him, being as cold to me, as thou art in comparison of the Sunnes heate: broken joyes, blacke despaires, incirkling me, as those dissevered clouds do strive to shadow by straight compassing thy best light. When she had (as long as her impatient desires would permit her) beheld the chast Goddesse, she went to her bed againe, taking a little Cabinet with her, wherein she had many papers, and setting a light by her, began to reade them, but few of them pleasing her, she took pen and paper, and being excellent in writing, writ these verses following. Heart drops distilling like a new cut-vine Weepe for the paines that doe my soule oppresse, Eyes doe no lesse For if you weepe not, be not mine, Silly woes that cannot twine An equall griefe in such excesse. You first in sorrow did begin the act, You saw and were the instruments of woe, To let me know That parting would procure the fact Wherewith young hopes in bud are wrackt, Yet deerer eyes the rock must show. Which never weepe, but killingly disclose Plagues, famine, murder in the fullest store. But threaten more. This knowledge cloyes my brest with woes T'avoid offence my heart still chose Yet faild, and pity doth implore. When reading them over againe; Fie passion (said she) how foolish canst thou make us? and when with much paine and businesse thou hast gain'd us, how dost thou then dispose us unto folly, making our choicest wits testimonies to our faces of our weakenesses, and, as at this time dost, bring my owne hands to witnesse against me, unblushingly showing my idlenesses to mee. Then tooke shee the new-writ lines, and as soone almost as shee had given them life, shee likewise gave them buriall. And yet, said shee, love must doe thus, and sure we love his force the better for these fansies. Then putting out the light, lest that shuld too soone wast, beholding her passions, which in hotter flames continued (then the united one of the candle could aspire to comparison with the smallest of millions of them) turning her in her bed with a deepe love-sigh, she cried: O love, thou dost master me. Thus did the love wounded Princesse passe that night, or the greater part of it; convenient time for sports in the morning being come, the king sent for her to attend him and the Queene, to see a match which was made at the Justs onely, partly to please the king, but most to welcome Amphilanthus. Pamphilia and Antissia were plac'd together; Antissia dearely loving her for her cousins sake; whom so well she lov'd, as she gloried to have all eares and eyes partake the knowledge of it. Pamphilia did embrace her companie, being excelling in sweet conversation, as farre as pleasant and harmelesse mirth could extend: and fit was such a companion, for the melancholy which abounded in the Princesse. Being at the window, and all having once runne over, Amphilanthus gaind the first honour. Whereat Antissia being joyfull, Well may it be bestowed on him (said she), for sure none can in all brave exercises come neere your matchles Cousin, for delicate finenesse, and peerelesse power. 'Tis true (said Pamphilia): yet if you saw my brother Parselius, you would (and indeed must) confesse, hee comes the neerest to him, and neerely matches him. I know not him (said Antissia), but if he do but second this, you may boldly say, no Princesse living can compare with you for a Cosin and a Brother. By this the match was ended, and the Knights comming to the king, hee gave them thankes, embracing his best beloved Nephew. Then went each one to his Mistris, to receive their opinions in the defence of their favours: Antissia telling Amphilanthus, that in her mind, hee alone deserv'd the honour of that day. He repli'd; Her wishes and favour did purchase him that honour, more power living in them, then in his arme or skill. Then did all returne, the Knights conducting every one his Ladie, Pamphilia went alone, for she not enjoying her love, lov'd be alone, as she was alone in perfect and unfortunate loving; thinking so slight a thing as a Knights leading her, might bee a touch in her thoughts to her spotlesse affection, nor would she ever honour any one, with wearing a favour in those sports; hav ing vowed, that onely one should enjoy all love and faith from her; and in her constancie (this not being knowne, her passions so wisely govern'd, as she was not mistrusted to love so violently) made her of many to be esteemed proud, while it was that flame, which made her burne in the humblest subj ection of Loves meanest subjects; yet was her choice like her selfe, the best. No day pass'd without some exercises on horseback, wherein Amphilanthus did still adde fame unto himselfe, by that to make Antissia the more his Prisoner: But now is the time for his depart in the search of his friend arriv'd; if it griev'd the Court to part with him? it surely heartily perplexed her, whose life depended on his sight; so it tormented her, as with the flowing of teares, her face was martyred so much, as she was not fit to come in company, having turn'd her delightfulnesse to sorrowes, faining her selfe ill, and so keeping her chamber, being seene of none but of Pamphilia, to whom shee had freely discoursed both her affection, and successe in her love; who like a worthy friend, accompanied her in this sorrow. The night before he was to go, he came into her chamber to bid her farewell, and to intreate her to remaine there till his returne; the king having given him his promise, that all honour and respect should bee us'd to her; the Princesse Pamphilia (he durst say) would doe the like; and for his owne part, care and diligence should not want in him to make his speedy returne. The poore Lady could but with a speechlesse mourning behold him, holding his hand fast in hers, at last sorrow brought foorth these words for her. My Lord, God knowes how I lament for your going, how much more must your absence afflict me? As you see the one, and may judge of the other, have pittie in hastning hither to her, who till then daily will finde a death-like life. So he tooke his leave of her, promising to performe her commands: then turning to Pamphilia (who had all this while beheld this so sad, but loving parting), Madam (said he) is there anything left to make me so happy, as that it may bee in my fortunes to serve you, and so to be blest with your imployments? My Lord (said she) it is sufficient to be commanded by one, and so beautifull a Lady: for my part, I will entreate your speedy returne, and that you bring my brother with you. With this he left the Ladies, one to lament, the other forc'd to comfort. His journey he tooke directly toward the sea, meaning at the first convenient Port to take shipping, and so to passe into Italie, whether, it might be his friend was gone, according to their first agreement. But comming into a place not the richest, but well distant from the worst of countries, in a part within some leagues from the sea, the least inhabited of any of those quarters, being somewhat hilly, and desert-like, he went among some of those hills to rest himselfe, chusing one, the side of it being a fine Wood, the foote of it beautified with a pleasant and swift River, before it a prety Plaine which went not farre, before another Hill proudly over-lookt her lowlinesse: his horse he gave to his Squire, himselfe walking downe into the Wood, and being taken with the pleasures of that place, hee laid himselfe among them on the ground, speaking these words: What destiny is this, unhappy man, that no time will bee permitted mee to endure happy in? How is the world decei v'd, in thinking happinesse consists alone in being belov'd? when as if it proceedes from other then their owne chosen love, it is a punishment; like as the being cramm'd, when one is full: Love then (I beseech thee) make me lesse happy in not being lov'd, or truly blest with enjoying her heart, who hath made mine her Captive. But O mee, I doe feare that shee doth love: wretch that I am, what then must needs befall mee? Death, I cruell'st death, when by a Love procured. More he was a saying, and surely had discovered his passions in a greater, and more exact manner, but that hee was call'd to attention by a delicate (yet dolefull) voyce, a Lute finely plaid upon, giving musicke to his Song, which was this. Adieu sweet Sun Thy night is neare Which must appeare Like mine, whose light but new begun Weares as if spun By chance not right, Led by a light False, and pleasing, ever wun. Come once in view Sweet heat, and light My heavy sp'rit Dull'd in thy setting, made anew If you renew, Daysies doe grow, And spring below Blest with thy warm'th, so once I grew. Wilt thou returne, Deare blesse mine eyes Where loves zeale lyes Let thy deere object mildly burne Nor flie, but turne 'Tis season now Each happy bow Both buds and blooms, why should I mourne? No sooner had he ended his song, but the same voice (though in a more plaining maner) brought forth these words: O life, O death? why am I cloyd with one, & slave for the other, much more of me desired? False joyes, leave, forc'd pleasure fly me, musick why abide you? since joy, pleasure, and true musick (which is love) abandons me, shuns me; alas true piece of misery: I who am despis'd, hated, scorn'd, and lost. Are these my gaines ungrateful love? take here thy conquest, and glory in thy purchase, while I live loathing my selfe, and all, but her by whom I remaine a wretched forlorne slave: yet some comfort I have to sustaine mee, that I suffer for the rarest and most excellent of women, and so long Cupid use thy force, and tyrannize upon my slaughtered heart. These words were to the brave Italian, so just the image of his owne thoughts, as they were as if his, or like two Lutes tun'd alike, and placed, the one struck, the other likewise sounds: so did these speeches agree to his incumbred thoughts. Willing he was to comfort him, but loth to disquiet him, knowing in this estate lonelines, and disburdning of some part of the like griefe doth ease one: wherefore he remain'd in a doubt what to doe when as the young man (for so he perceiv'd from such a one the voyce did come) not caring which way he did take, or seeing any direct path, but that his phantasies led him in, came hard by the place where Amphilanthus lay, who viewing his youth and delicate beautie, admired and pittied him. He passed on towards the River, his eyes, as it were, imitating the swift running of that streame, his Lute he held in his hand, till againe having some more Verses fram'd in his minde (perfect lovers never wanting inv ention) he againe played, and sung; having done, O Love, said he, once ease me, or let death seaze me, giving conclusion to my dolorous daies. What doe I gaine by being a Prince? What availes it me to hope for a Kingdomes Government, when she who is my Kingdome to me, and my Princesse doth reject me? Woe is me that ever I knew Morea; Woe is me that ev er I beheld Pamphilia; O Pamphilia, would I were but so much honour'd, as thou wouldst but thinke me worthy to kisse thy hands, that would revive me, and for that favour would I thinke my selfe sufficiently requited for all my torments bearing. Amphilanthus hearing his Cousen named, and the young man discover himselfe to be a Prince, wondring in his travels he had never seene him, desirous to be resolv'd of his estate, and name, with all the true cause of his desperate griefe, went towards him curteously, and with respect due to him, saluted him thus. Sir, let not, I pray you, my boldnesse in this interrupting your more pleasing thoughts, be displeasing to you, since it is my fortune (not desire to trouble you) which brought me hither, wherefore, I hope, I shal obtaine pardon of you. The young Prince soberly, and a little blushing, answered. No fault can I find with your being here, or any thing except my owne fortune, which thinkes it selfe never curst enough to me; but since, as I assure my selfe, you have heard my Passions, till now never knowne to man, let me know by whom I am discover'd? Upon promise to have the like curtesie from you; replyed the valiant King, I wil not hide my selfe from you: He consenting, the stranger Prince began: Then Sir, know I am called Steriamus, Prince and rightfull King of Albania, brought unto this countrey by the vertuous and noble Prince Parselius, who hath undertaken to assist me in recovering the Kingdome lost in my Fathers daies, but what talke I of a Kingdome, having lost the power of my content and happinesse; now Sir, performe your word: I am said the other, Amphilanthus King of the Romans. Steriamus knowing him to be that famous Prince, in whose search his friend was gone, fast held him in his armes, crying; yet am I happy to see the most renowned Prince breathing before I dye; for now may I ending say, I have seene the worth of the world, and feele her greatest cruelty. Amphilanthus blush'd to heare his vertue so extold, but lovingly embracing in like manner the Albanian Prince, was againe sollicited by him, to tell him all his story, which in this manner (sitting downe by the River side) he did discourse. My selfe and my brother being brought by that worthy Prince to his Fathers Court, were there left, he first having receiv'd promise, and command being given for mens raysing, to restore me (miserable me) to my kingdome, as I before told you, he tooke his leave, being gone in the search of you, but promised returne within six monthes into Morea, being now gone into Italie, hoping to meete you there. I remaining, griev'd to part with him, but more afflicted with an incurable wound, which in that Court I recei v'd. But before I goe any further, I pray tell me whether you have lately seene the Princesse Pamphilia, for surely then shall I finde one paine troubles us, and one cure onely for us; I saw her very lately, repli'd Amphilanthus being but almost now come from her Fathers Court, but for all that you may safely goe on with your discourse. Then, said he, it was my happinesse to see her, but my misery to fall in love with her, (cruell she) who if she prove not mercifull to me, I must for her, thus ever suffer: besides, it hinders my going on, in the regaining of Albania; for, what is a Kingdome to me, being subject to a greater power of the minde? What can that Realme prove to me, if Pamphilia martyr mee? What is a Court to one cast downe to the lowest of Loves slaveries? No Selarinus, thou art worthy, and free, and therefore fit to rule; and God send thee that, and all other good fortunes, and this among the rest, that thou never come to the knowledge of thy miserable Brothers end, whose misery did thus begin. One day as the King and Queene were walking in the Garden, attended on by all the Princes, Ladies, and Knights of the Court, every one discoursing as best pleased them, Pamphilia walked alone, none daring to present himselfe to her: such was the respect all bore unto her, and feare of displeasing her. I saw her, and with that sight lost my selfe; Love then emboldned me so, as arm'd with his fire, I went to her, and tooke the boldnesse to walke by her, and offering discourse (I confesse unworthy of her hearing) shee entertain'd me modestly and gravely: Love for me finding this hope, forc'd me to use the time, and to speake something of it selfe to her: which shee perceiving (yet out of pitty not willing too curstly to deale with me) shewd me in her countenance dislike of my speeches. And yet not to put mee too much besides my selfe, called other to her, to adde (as she faign'd) to her company: With a bleeding heart I suffered this disgrace, which yet was by her so handled, as none but my owne soule could witnesse it to any. Thus that day past, sorrow increasing in me, and little mirth growing in her. Oft times would she be ready to sigh, but loving that breath, which shee drew for so loved a cause, she did strive to fetch it backe againe; or else it was to cover her long breathing. Many daies this continued, till one night standing in a round window in a great Galerie, a Lady who did much use to accompany the Princesse (though she be of the Queenes Chamber) standing by her. Madam, said she, did you ever see so silent a Prince as this is? Surely if he were to winne his Kingdome by words, as it must be done by swords, the Countrey might remaine a long time without the lawfull King. Pamphilia looked (O me a deadly wound that sweetest looke did prove) pleasingly upon me, saying, My Lord, you see this Lady finely begs discourse from you. Alas Divine Princesse, said I, what discourse can proceed from a dead man? I never heard till now, said shee, that dead men walk'd, and spake. Yes Madame, cry'd I, as you have seene trees continue greene in their branches, though the heart be quite dead, and consum'd away, hollownesse onely remayning: And so is nothing left in me but empty hope and flourishing despaire. Is there no cure, said she? Yes, that there is, said I. Shew it, said she: I looking about, and seeing the other Lady parted from me, besides hard by a faire Glasse (many hanging as ornaments in that Gallery) I tooke it up turning it to her, mine eyes onely speaking for me. She (with seeing her face, saw my cause of torment) said as little as I: onely taking the Glasse turn'd the other side, which was dull like my gaines, and with as much scorne and contempt, as could appeare in so much beauty (like as if the Sun would in spite shew himselfe in a storme), she turnd from me. I stood still, for indeed I could not move, til for my last comfort, sense came to mee, to shew me, I was in no fit place so to betray my passions: wherefore getting so much strength (although no more, then as men after a long sicknes gaine, when they goe with feeble joynts, the length of a roome; so much had I), and that little with much ado, brought me to my chamber, where I opened my brest to al sorrow, and let mine eies make ful sea of teares. Thus I remaind, till this resolution took me, to wander I car'd not whither, so it were far from knowledge of any, and to leave that most cruell beauty to her owne content; which yet I feare she hath not, though I truly wish shee had. I call'd my brother to me, telling him he must be secret to me, as he did hope for love from mee: which hee vowed, not mistrusting what I meant, till 'twas too late to goe backe. With sobs and teares hee besought mee to alter: but I told him there was no remedie, nor must he breake his oath. Then against his heart he said, he must obay. My charge was this; never reveale my manner of going, nor ever to seeke after me, or suffer any that he could hinder. Then went I to Pamphilias chamber, where I humbly desired to speake with her; shee gave me leave: but when I was ready to say something she prevented me. If you have, said she, any busines, I shalbe ready to do you any service in it: but if it be concerning your glasse discovery, know this, you shall doe best to bee silent; for a greater offence you cannot doe mee. Alas Madam (said I), have you no pitie for me? I have pity for any (said she), leave this folly, and I shall wish you well. That was so cold a favour for my desires, and my dutifull affection such to her, as not to give her the least cause of dislike, besought her, she would honour me but so much, as I might kisse her hands before my departure, which was forc'd by an adventure, calling me away: she nobly granted that, and said, she wisht me good fortune. I told her, my fortune could only be made by her. Then can it prove little, said she. With trembling and death-like palenes I left her lodgings, having yet the favour which my lips receiv'd, in touching her fairest hand; which kisse shall never part from me, till these my lips doe kisse with death. Then wandred I away, till I came hither; never finding any place to please me, nor, alas, doth this, or can any thing but her pity please; only this is lesse distastefull, then those where greater noises be. Here I am quiet, but for my owne quiet, but for my griefe, which never gives mee rest. In a little cave in the ground is my lodging, one Squire attending mee, who from a Towne not farre hence fetcheth me provision: this Lute (a quality I learnd in the Court since my comming thither) misfortune, and my Mistrisses disdaine, my discourse and companions: and thus lives, and daily dies the rejected Steriamus. Having finished his tale, his eies flowed againe with teares, as if it were their office to give the full stop of his discourse. Amphilanthus embracing him; Steriamus (said he) leave these lamentations; for a fury in one (who how worthy soever, yet being a woman), may change. How many have bin condemnd for cruely, that after have prov'd kind enough? yet speak I not this of Pamphilia, who hath still kept a constant resolution to her selfe. But sure some strange occasion makes her (so full of judgement and sweetnesse) carrie so strict a course in your affections: yet let not that make you forget your selfe. The poore Albania (poore in missing you) calls upon you, the rest of the world hath need of such Princes, then let not passion overthrow a brave spirit: absence can bring no hope, presence and desert may, if any thing. Or say she never love you, there are other faire Ladies, who will be liker themselves, pitifull and loving. Never shall other love possesse my heart (cride he), and that O heavens still witnesse for mee, and behold this vow, That when I change, it shall be unto death. Then shutting his hands one fast within the other, he groaning said; Nor ever let these hands part, if I part from this my love. Time (said he) will give you (I trust) unexpected cause of comfort, in the meane time, let us talke of somthing els. Then Steriamus invited Amphilanthus to the Cave, dearely loving him for his brave advice, but most for his cosins sake. There they sat together, lay together, & pass'd some dayes together, till the Albanian was overcome with the Italians (never-fayling) perswading speeches; so as they tooke their course towards the sea, falling into that way which brought them directly to the Castle, where young Antissius and his Uncle were by Parselius left. There they found them, and met the honest Captaine, who was brought thither by the Romanian Knight, who after the whole discourse was told to Amphilanthus, as before it had been to Parselius by the old Prince, and young Knight, continued the story thus. After that (devill of women) the Kings wife had wrought the ruine of Romania, Proclamations out for the bringing of either or both of you, for which large summes of money were offered: but if you could be deliver'd in alive, those summes, and great honours with brave possessions: you my Lord made a Traytor, and you Sir having your head at sale. Then obtained she, that her sonne was made heire apparant to the Crowne; and that if the King happned to die, while the new Prince was under yeares, that then she would governe as Protectresse, till hee came of age. This sure, shee grew wearie of the old man, whose age, and dotage (she having imploy'd them to her use, was now cloy'd with them) troubled her; to bee rid of him was then her study. At last finding an easie way (as she thought) shee cald one of her servants to her (being one who ambitiously sought to win the honour, of being her favourite) leading him into a private Cabinet, where she plotted al her wickednes: there she began with false and forged flattrings to intice him to her purpose; dissimulation, and protestation of her affections she wanted not, to draw him into the yoke of her witch-craft. And what (said she) though the world doe taxe me for loving many? doe not you accuse me, my onely deere; for sooner will I die, then wrong your love. If my fashion, which is free and familiar, make you doubt me? consider why it is, since it were neither wisdome, nor safety for us, to use you only kindly in al sights. The graces others have, is but to blind their eies, which els would be cleere sighted to our ill, and this ever by the love you beare me, I conjure you to believe; and this should you well find, were I at liberty and free. What freedome would you aske? To be my selfe, said shee, and so to take a husband I could love, as I love you; and so would make you, were the old man dead. Is that the bar, cride he, deere Lady? He is dead, or even as good, for two daies is his longest terme of life. That done, enjoy me, who am onely thine; and verily the thing is easie, safe; and doubtlesse doe it then, and by it purchase me. He long time bewitcht with her craft, allur'd by her beautie, and continued in error by her falsehoods, belee v'd she spake unfained from her heart, letting himselfe covet that, which with murder (and treacherous murder) they must gaine from the true owner But he lookt no further then his love, to compasse which, no meanes seem'd ill, so partiall was he to his vild desires. Thus was his word engaged, and the kings life limited; which end of time being come, they inticed the grave man into a Parke, where they murdred him, bringing home the old body besmear'd in his owne bloud, coverd with their mantles (as the fault was with their fained talles), which were, that in the Wood certaine men, hired as it was likely by you, set upon him, killed him, and wounded them; shewing some slight wounds which they had (for the greater shew of truth) given themselves. The Queene being brought to this sad sight, tooke on strangely, rending her clothes, crying, and even howling so, as most did pitie her, and few or none accuse her guilty of the crime, so cunning was she in her deepe deceits. Then was the Councel cald, who came, in shew sad, but in harts joyfull, wicked men, loving nothing more then change; they brought also the young king to his mother. The people being assembled, and the false report of the kings death deliverd, wherwith they were satisfied, pitying the wounded body, yet crediting the murderers. Thus was the poore doting King rewarded for his fondnes. A funerall was made with all ceremonious cost and pompe, the young unlawfull king being that day crowned, as soone as the body was interred. This was yet but one part of the play, the other soone followed. She thinking her selfe no way secure (so many knowing of her sin) to avoide punishment on earth, would run yet faster to meet more punishments cause, in the other world, by heaping murders upon murders: for inviting all those except her Minion) to a private banquet, she poison'd them, reserving the favourite for some other vertuous purpose; who being in the pride of his desires, expecting when he should be made her husband, often urg'd it: but shee put it off with pretence of feare, least that the too sudden marriage might give occasion to the world to doubt, what was most true, and what their guiltinesse made them mistrust. Thus it past a while like a calme tide after a tempest: her sonne and shee being in full possession of all, the neighbour kings sent to condole the death of the king, and to congratulate the other, whether out of love, or desire of peace (a sweete thing to spritelesse Princes). Among the rest came one, who accompanied the Embassadour of Morea, a Gentleman of excellent parts, winning the love of all that conversed with him, having a modest government over a strong and daintie wit: but as hee was in this happie, hee was crost with the violent love of the chastlesse Queene, who affected him after her wonted fashion, but so fondly and intemperately, as shee caus'd most to looke with gazing eyes on her: hee was not of the highest stature, though farre from being low; his haire faire, and that beard hee had, something inclind to yellow. Shee saw this Gentleman (who since I learnd, was Sonne to the Duke of Mantinea, and Captaine of a troope of Horse, which was part of the Kings Guard, and the Noblest part; because that Companie must ever bee choice men, and all Gentlemen) : Shee wooed him, plainely said, Shee loved him. Yet could not this prevaile, wroth in him, withstanding all her baites: which being meant as refusals, prov'd inticements to bring her on; like a Spaniell, that fawnes on the mans crueltie. Her passions then growne immoderate, and ungovernable, yeares increasing in her, and strength of judgement failing her more then in her youth, gave such open testimonie of her love, as her latter servant (but companion in mischiefe) perceiv'd it; his confidence having been such, as that blinded him long time, giving libertie and assurance in that to her, and her ends, which never were but either politike, or lascivious. But he as having new sight given him to see her shame, and his owne together; hate taking the place of love, his desires flew to the ruine of her, as before to the continuance of their dayes in their owne pleasures never enough enjoy'd. Hee plotted to undoe her, and watched the opportunity, which he obtaind by his diligent prying; that, bringing him to discover her going into her Cabinet with this stranger, pretending there to shew him some jewels. They were no sooner within the roome (shee having but put the doore a little to, not close), but her inraged enemy came, and finding meanes of discerning what was to be seene, lost it not, but stood still looking in. She (whose thoughts caried her to higher points then care) took no heed of that which most concern'd her: for there hee saw her with all passionate ardency, seeke, and sue for the strangers love; yet he unmoveable, was no further wrought, then if he had seene a delicate play-boy acte a loving womans part, and knowing him a Boy, lik'd onely his action; then with much adoe he brought forth these words: Alas, Madam, why seeke you at my hands your dishonour and my shame? How dare you venter your honour in the power of a stranger, who likely would use it to his glory, and your reproch? Besides you know I love one, whose worth and truth must not be hurt, or blotted in my fault, my life not worthy to satisfie the crime, should her unspotted loyaltie suffer for my sinne. Yet satisfie my desire (said she) and then love whom you will. Love whom you will (cry'd out the furious forsaken) rushing into the roome as much unexpected, and unwelcome, as thunder in winter, which is counted prodigious. The Queene stood amazed while hee used these speeches; Fie faithlesse Woman, verifier of that fault whereof I hoped, women had been slandred, and not subject unto: have I obeyed you in your wicked and abominable treasons, thus to be rewarded? She finding hee had not onely found her, but also had discovered her false-hood, withal considering his rage, she fell at his feet, asking pardon. Pardon your selfe, said he, if you can, and me who want it, as drought doth water: Be your protestations, vowes, and daily given oathes come to this? With that most furiously hee ran towards her, but the Morean in humanitie sav'd her from hurt by him; but to hinder that, he was forc'd to struggle with him, who was a strong man, and then had double power. This noyse cal'd in some that waited without, others ran to tell the king, either to shew forwardnesse in service, or indeed busines, not caring what they carry, so it be newes, wanting the chiefest part, which is judgement, to know, where, when, and what to tell. But in briefe, the king came, and finding this unfortunat disorder, not being able to win from them by faire meanes the truth, (to avoyde all ill) committed them to prison, from whence (for the speedier, and so more secure proceeding) the next morning they were brought to publike arraignement: but the King was not present, fearing those things (which after brake forth) would then be blowne forth. And indeed it was so, for the accused being demaunded what he could say in his owne defence; said, Nothing but wherein he must accuse himselfe. Being urged to that, hee confest all, finishing his speech thus; For her sake, by her consent, knowledge, and command, I slew the King; shee having given mee her faith (which as a faith I esteemd; but alas, it was a shadow put in a false light) that she would marry me; this added to a naturall ambition I had to greatnesse, not judicially weighing, how heavy in justice this weight of honor should bee so divellishly sought for, or attained. For this hee was condemned to die, the manner by foure wild horses: but before his execution she was examined, with whom few words were used, before she confest her selfe guilty. She was likewise condemned (for being a subject, shee was under the law), and so had her head struck off, the stranger was delivered free againe. Many pitied her, to whom she had done good (for none can be found so ill, that some will not commiserate); yet the most (like the base world) left her, having held with her while her power shin'd, but now set with her light, running to the rising strength, not to the declin'd: few said, shee was wrongfully put to death, either for love to her, or to make busines: for no sooner was she dead, but one of her antienter favorites rose in rebellion, the people apt to take any occasion to stirre new afflictions: but a great party he hath gotten, and so much gaind, as the King is now shut up in the great City of Constantinople, the Rebell (as the unlawfull king doth call him) besieging him, and vowing never to lay downe Armes, till he hath gotten him in his power: and now do they all cry out for Antissius, honouring the very name as a god; wishing for you Sir, and vowing if they can recover you, to make you their King. Thus have I left them, the Generall (for so he is called) having injoyned me to find you out; they are infinite strong, and want but you, and some brave men to governe them. Goe now I beseech you; never had Romania more need, nor shall you ever finde a fitter time. The Princes sat a while in consultation, at last they resolv'd presently to take the journey in hand, not holding it good to loose so fit an opportunitie. The Squire of Amphilanthus was sent to find Parselius in Italy, and to acquaint him with their affaires, withall to entreat his company. This concluded on, all went to rest, Steriamus desiring, that because his name was not yet knowne by desert, it might be still kept secret; and most he desired it, by reason of his vow. They agreed to it, and he was only call'd, The true despis'd, which was all the device in his shield. Amphilanthus did desire to be held unknowne too: but his reason was, that it was not so safe for so famous a man to be commonly knowne, in so great & imminent dangers; besides, the renowne of him, might make many refuse the combate with him, who else hee might for sport or profit encounter: hee had Love painted in his shield, and was call'd, The Knight of Love. Towards Romania with prosperous winds they sailed, chusing the way by sea as the shortest, and lesse troublesome. In a fit and short time they arriv'd in Romania, landing a little from the Towne, for feare of unknowne dangers, and so they past to the Armie, where Antissius and his Uncle being knowne, unspeakable joy was made, the Generall yeelding all into his hands, and taking his authority from him. Upon this the Usurper sent for a Truce, but that was denied: then hee desired (rather then to continue immur'd in that kind, besides, ready to bee famisht), that they would bring three Knights into the field, the which number hee would also bring, himselfe being one, and those sixe to end the businesse, which side overcomming, the other should depart with peace, and never make more warre, one against another. This was accepted, Amphilanthus and Steriamus being two, the third they had not yet appointed, nor would, till the day of combate; still expecting some famous Knight, or Parselius himselfe, might come to fill the number: if none, then the young Knight their first acquaintance should be the man. The day come, when as the Lists were made without the Towne, the Judges appointed, old Seleucius, Uncle to Antissius, and the honest Captaine Lisandrinus, were the Judges for their side: on the other, were the Admirall, and Marshall of Romania. The Gates were all set open, and free libertie given everie one to passe where hee listed, onely injoyn'd to goe unarm'd. The first that entred into the field was the King, on each hand of him his two Companions in fight; before him six men bare-headed, one carrying his Helme, three other his Speares, the two last his Sword and Sheild: his Armour was greene, floured with Gold; the furniture to his Horse of the same colour, cut into Garlands of Laurell, and embroidered with Gold; but so artificially joynd together, as they seemd when the Horse stird, to rise as ready to crowne each part of his conquest. In his Shield he had a crowne of Bayes, held up by a Sword; Word he had none, so as it seemd he staid for that, till his hoped for victorie had provided one for him. The other Knights were both alike in Watchet and Gold; their devices a blew Cloud, out of which sparkled fire. But then came the honour of his sexe, never enough admired, and belo v'd Amphilanthus, his Armour was white, fillited with Rubies; his furniture to his Horse Crimson, embroydred with Pearle; his Shield with the same-device, from which hee tooke his name. Steriamus according to his fortune was in Tawny, wrought all over with blacke. As they were entring, a brave Gentleman in a murry Armour, fillited with Diamonds, his furniture richly wrought with Silver and Gold, came to Amphilanthus, using these words: My Lord, your worth cannot bee hid, though you have obscured your name; they both (but the former most) ties mee to be your serv ant, and as the first favour I shal receive, beg the honor of being third in this brave exploit; not that I am so ignorant, as to think my selfe worthy of being your Companion, but wholly out of ambition to serve you. Amphilanthus looking upon him, seeing the richnes of his Armes, and the braverie of his Personage, being as comely and strong set, as ever hee had seene any, made him this answer. Sir, the honor is mine, to gaine so brave a Companion and friend, wherein I rejoyce; and in place of your love to me, give you mine, which is and shall be firme unto you, and with all my heart embrace your offer to bee the third, not now doubting of the victorie, having so happy a beginning. Then they imbraced, and taking him on the left hand of him, and Steriamus on the right, they went on to the Judges: and all sixe meeting together, speaking some few wordes one to another, they parted to meete, never more to part on some sides. Amphilanthus encountred one of the Watchet Knights, Steriamus the King; and the Forest Knight (so being called, because of his Device, which was a great and pleasant Forrest, most pleasantlie set forth, as the cunning of the rarest Painter could devise) met the other watchet knight. The first Knight lost his Stirrop, else there was no advantage on any side, and thus they continued the three courses; then lighting and drawing their swords, there grew the cruellest, and yet delightfullest Combate, (if in cruelty there can be delight) that Martiall men ever performed, or had been seene by judging eyes: for never was courage, magnanimity, valour, skill, and nimblenesse, joyn'd better together; so as indeed a Kingdome was too low a prize for such a Combate. Long it continued, till the Knight of Love, disdaining one man should hold out so long with him, gave him such a wound in the head as therewith he fell downe dead at his feete. At the same instant the King gave Steriamus, a great hurt in the body, but he was quickly paid with a wound in the belly, which gave him his discharge, and freed him from any more trouble of ruling or obeying. The Knight of the Forrest seeing his Companions good fortune, knew it his part to accompany them, so as with a surely given stroke, the head of the other, and last knight fell to kisse his feete. Steriamus was carried presently into the Towne, where by the helpe of a good Chyrurgion, he was soone recovered. The Judges all in face glad, (howsoever some of their hearts were affected) came to them, who with the rest, presently proclaymed Antissius King, who was by the people received with much joy at the Coronation, which was within short time. Antissius created the Generall, Duke of Neapolis, and Lysandrinus Duke of Selybria. All things being in quiet, the Knight of Love would needes returne into Morea, to see things fitting for Steriamus, and to accompany him in his Conquest. With him went the Knight of the Forrest, betweene whom grew so strict a bond of Friendship, as was never to be broken, they two lying together in one roome, Steriamus in another, by reason of his hurt. Amphilanthus in the night often turn'd, and turning, still did end with sighes. The Forrest Knight perceiv'd it, yet let him alone till the morning, when being ready to rise; My onely friend, said he, Your last nights ill rest made mine unpleasing to me, and most, because mine ignorance hinders me from being able to serve you. I cannot be yet so bold to demand the cause, since what proofe have you of me, that I should thinke you might esteeme mee worthy of such a favour? Yet this you may be confident of, that death shall ceaze me, before I refuse to venter life to obtaine your desires; and lose it rather, then reveale any secret you shall impart to me. Amphilanthus answer'd, that he saw unexpected good happen to him in al things (especially in this blessed friendship) but in that which he most sought for, nor would I conceale the cause of this my paine from you, were it once discover'd to her from whom I suffer it, but till then I must conceale it; and you, I hope, on this occasion will excuse me: and for proofe of your accepting this for that which it is, being truth, tell me your love, and fortune in it, which shall binde me to confidence, and ingage me to the relation of mine. My Lord, said he, to satisfie you (which is the all of my wishes) understand, that my poore selfe (onely rich in the honour of being your friend) hunting one day in a great forrest, my Father, the king of Bohemia, and many other Princes of Germanie, being assembled; It was my fortune following the sport more eagerly then the rest, to goe so farre from my company, as I was left in the woods all night: there I tooke my lodging, resting free from passion, if not rage, for wanting judgement so to be lost. In this night, and middest of it (for I wak'd with the dreame, and found it was not day) me thought I saw a Creature, for shape a woman, but for excellencie, such as all the rarenes in that sexe, curiously, and skilfully mixed, could but frame such an one; and yet but such a one in shew, like a Picture well drawne, but the subj ect more perfect, apparelled in greene, her haire hanging carelesse, nothing holding it, but a delicate Garland, which she wore upon her head, made of Pansies, and Wood-binds. Her face bare, boldly telling me, not I onely, but all hearts must burne in that purenesse: Eyes like the perfect'st mixtures of heavenly powers, not to be resisted but submitted to. Lipps fully commanding the plenty of duty, when they seem'd to demaund obedience: Her neck the curiousest pillar of white Marble, breast of Snow, or smooth waves of Milke, swelling, or falling, as the sweet gale of her most sweet breath did rise, or slacke. All other parts so exquisite as none, save onely she, can be so excelling. This I found in her, who me thought, came to me using these words. Arise, leave Bohemia, and rescue me from the hands of Rebels. I cride out, stay, O stay, and tell me how, and where? In Hungaria, said shee, with that I wak'd having her Image so perfect in my breast, as nothing can remoove it from me. A pretty while I lay still, wishing to sleepe againe, so once more to have beheld her; but she was too rich a Jewell slightly to appeare to such worthlesse eyes. Contented with that I had seene, I lay feeding on that and my resolution which was to seeke her. When day began to appeare, what joy was it to me? But for my greater comfort I found hard by me this Armour laid with this Shield, and Sword. I staid not but put it on, thinking with my selfe how to attaine to the honour of Knight-hoode, my Father having refused it to me, because my elder Brother, being weake and sickly, had not demanded it; resolving I should attend his encrease of strength, my Fathers whole content being in that Sonne. Considering this, I knew it no way to goe to him: wherefore arm'd, (my Squire carrying my Sword, I passed unto the Emperours Court, who without delay gave me what I demanded, honoring me with the gift of an excellent Horse, and furnishing me with all conveniencies. Then tooke I my way for Hungarie, which Kingdome I had no sooner entred, but I mett the newes of a great rebellion made by the uncle Kings Bastard sonne, called Rodolindus, against the Daughter and Heire of the second brother, called Melasinda, who was Crowned Queene, after the decease of her Uncle and Father. But hee envying her greatnesse, and ambitiously seeking the honour himselfe, claym'd a contract betweene the King and his mother, with all vowes and protestations of marriage. Witnesses he produced, true or false they made a terrible stirre, and brought the fairest Malasinda into great danger. Troopes I continually mett, some with the Queene, some against her: with much difficultie I pass'd till I came to an ancient Lords Castle, within two leagues of the City of Buda, where she was inclosed; this nobleman held with his Soveraigne, and after much discourse of those affaires, he led me into a Gallery where he shewed me the picture of that distressed Princesse; truely, I will not say, so well drawn as that which remaines figur'd in my heart, but so well, as none but her Counterfeit could appeare so beautifull, and such, as I knew it to be the same which in that blessed night in the Forrest shewed her selfe to me. This made me conclude, the adventure was reserv'd for me: wherefore carefully examining all things that had passed, and curiously and affectionatly weighing the businesse, and meanes to atchieve the finishing, not leaving any thing unask'd, that might availe, concluding to adventure what ere came of it. The good Lord advised me, (perceiving my purpose) to bee ruled by him: which I consented to, when I found hee meant honestly for his Princesse good, and circumspectly for my safety, by no meanes suffering me to enter the Towne, as my selfe, (by reason of a great hate had been betweene our Parents) but as an adventrous Knight, who hearing of her troubles offerd my service to her. She most faire, most lovely shee, accepted me into her service, where I performed what was put into my trust: in two dayes killing two of the mightiest, and strongest knights of all his party. In the ende, the Councell of both sides, and the people weary of war, advised, and agreed upon a peace, on those conditions, that he should lay downe all claime to the Crowne, yeelding it wholly to her; but in requitall, shee should take him for her Husband. This was bitter to her, but this she must doe, or be left alone, people-lesse, and kingdome-lesse. I was but one, and unable to set the Crowne, and keepe it on her head against the whole state: wherefore loving her so much, as not daring to thinke of any harme to her, in giving ill advise, (nor could my soule allow her lesse then the kingdome) with the rest, I perswaded for him; till shee told me; She was sorry she no better deserv'd my love, but that I would thinke another fitter for it, or she unworthy of mine. I swore (and truely) the world had not that treasure I more covetously sought, then her enjoying; she urg'd the unkindnesse betweene our Parents, made me doubt: I firmely vow'd, her love made me secure, and happy: but what I did, or said in this, was onely for her good and safety. With much adoe, and long perswasions I wonne (her love to mee) her yeelding for the other; so the match was concluded, and peace on all sides, I leading her the day of her marriage to her wedding Chamber, where I left her to her husband; the next morning shee came downe into a little Garden, whereinto no window looked, but that in her Cabinet, nor key could open but her owne. Into this place I was convay'd by her woman a little before, where meeting her, we passed some houres together. Thus was I the blest man, injoying the world of riches in her love, and hee contented after, having what he sought. Thus I lived a while, till I found him alter'd, and the face of the Court a little chang'd towards mee (for former causes they pretended, forgetting me, and what was done by mee for them) which made me, fearing her harme, leave the Country for a while, which little time to me already seemes ages, being yet but moneths, and few in number, though in love innumerable. She was sad, and griev'd for my going; I playd the woman too, and wept at our departing, but soone I hope againe that we shall meete, howsoever I will see her, though in priv ate, and venter life for it. After that I left Hungary, I came through many Countries, till I came in to Italie, and so hoping to meete you there; but hearing of your being in Morea I went crosse the Sea into that Countrey, and so had mist you, but that I fortunately met your Squire; who seeking Parselius enquired of me, for him, and I for you of him. Wee resolv'd each other, I telling him where I had left him, which was in Elis, after a delicate and strange adventure finishing, and being directed by him how to know you, I was the better instructed to present my service to you, which the fame of your worth had long since dedicated to you. Leave complements deere friend (said Amphilanthus), it is not now time to use them, our loves having sealed them up in truth; give such delicate phrases to your next Mistris. My next: why, thinke you I will change? If you bee wise (said Amphilanthus), and would my fate would change, then were I happy; one such minute, whereof it seemes you have had seasons, would be more welcome to me, then the Crowne of Naples; yet would I have her chaste still, and then I hope I should with truth and service win her. Is shee yet to be won (said the Bohemian)? Yes, (said the Italian), by me she is: and what tormenteth me is, I feare she loves my friend. He is no friend that wil not yeeld to you (said he). I should not love him (said Amphilanthus), if his love to mee should exceed that to so incomparable a creature. How know you she doth love (said the Prince)? I only feare (said he), and dare not hope it is my selfe: but surely she doth love. Hope and beleeve (said he) and that will make you bold to shew yours to her, and then who can refuse you? Would this were true, and then had I the only victory I seeke. Adventure brave Prince (said the Bohemian), never yet faild your conquest on men, and women are the weaker and gentler: besides, you are (the world sayes happy in those wars) so fortunate and so loving, as you cannot faile, nor she resist. I am no coward, though mistrust my strength in her sight; her lookes (said Amphilanthus) are to me (if frowning) more terrible then death: yet come what will, I must adventure; if I obtaine, I will be as free with you, as you have been with me, else keep my disgrace, my fortune, and affliction from discovery made by my tongue. Will not your face declare it thinke you? therefore to avoide such inconvenience, woe bravely, and resolutely, and then win joyfully, and blessedly. Morning being somewhat spent, they rose, and so tooke on their way, Steriamus having yeelded to Amphilanthus earnest perswasion, to goe with him into the pleasant Morea. Parselius, after he had left his Fathers Court and friends together, with his sad thoughts, he betook himselfe to Elis, and so to ship for Italy, to fetch his friend to assist the two Princes, and after to goe and redeeme his heart out of the enchantment: as he past along in the country of Elis, one day being so busied, as his thoughts had changd him into themselves, his horse carying him which way he best lik'd he was cald upon by a rude voice, which wild him, to know himselfe better, then so proudly to carry himself before a Princesse. Looking up to see what, and who this was, he perceived close by him a troope of Ladies, all on horseback, and many Gentlemen and Knights attending them, but one who had adventur'd to instruct him a little more then the rest, to whom he thus spake; Truly sir (said he) this fault was caused by melancholy, not by rudenes; for I have bin too wel brought up to be uncivil to Ladies. It appeares so indeed, said he, that thus you stand prating to me, and do no reverence to her who best deser ves it. The Prince angry at his boldnes, but unwilling to wrangle with him, only turnd to the Ladies, & made a reverence to them, offring to passe by them; but the first Knight seeing that: Stay Sir (said he) you have not done all, 'tis not a curtesie shall serve, for we must see if your valour be equall to your manners. They have commonly gone together (said Parselius): but where are your Armes? Hard by (said the other); and that you will too soone find. I'm sure (said he) I have found words enough, which may make me hope to scape the better from your blowes. He went and arm'd himselfe, the like did all the rest, while the Prince stood beholding the Lady, who was of great beauty and bravery; apparreld in a hunting garment of greene cut with red, the upper and lower part of her gowne embroydred with gold, and red, a feather of red and greene in her head; the furniture to her horse of the same colour and richnes, to whom Parselius thus spake: Madam, if I had offended you, the least of your corrections had made me submit, without the furie of your Knights, who me thinkes were very confident of the due respect you may challenge, els unarm'd they would not have bin so forward to the combate. Sir (said she) you are deceiv'd in this, for such is their valour, as none yet ever equall'd them, especially him that first spake; nor have they reason to trust any further on me, then their owne swords will warrant them in; but indeed the cause of all this, is a vow which I have made, which is this; My selfe being daughter to the Prince of Elis, which Countrie is in homage subj ect to the King of Morea, it was my ill fortune to fall in love with the scornefull and proud Prince of that Countrie, called Parselius, who did not content himselfe with disdaining me, but boasted of my subjection, and to my selfe, when I with humilitie besought his favour; he told me, he was no subject to Love. This hath made me vow revenge, to which end I keepe these knights about me, and never meete any stranger, that they encounter not, nor shall, till we meete him; and if good fortune fall, that we win him by combate, I will then win him by love, or obtaine my will by force. By this the Knights were come, who setting on the brave Prince one after the other, he overthrew them all, and left them, most not able to goe thence, some starke dead, the best, leggs or armes broken. This done, the Lady againe spake: Sir, since fortune and your power, hath left mee guardlesse, I hope you will conduct me to the Towne, besides, let me know who you are. Madam (said hee) as I take it, by the course of Armes you are mine; for if you were to win mee by their conquest, by the same reason you must be lost, if they be vanquished. Tis true Sir (said she) and such indeed were the conditions; yet I had hop'd you would never have called that in question. Nor truly Madam (said he) doe I it, with any meaning to keepe you, though my victory gives you to me: but to shew I am civill, and not unmannerly, I will deliver you here to your Ladies and Pages; that I am not proud or scornfull, I kisse your hands: but to let you see I disdaine an unworthy love, or a forc'd one, Parselius bids you thus farewell, and will yet pray, that your senses may tell you, a lower choice, and an humbler mind will prove more fit and happie for you; and such I wish you, since for mee you have been distempered. Thus hee departed, leaving her amazed and afflicted, with hate, disdaine, scorne, and all other shee accused him of, till shame overcame, and forst her to returne to a good old man her father; whose mild and good example, brought her to follow the counsell of Parselius, who held on his journey, taking ship for Italy, he landed in the kingdome of Naples; those very parts, making him remember that, which too well still continued in his mind, which was the sweet and delicate Iland, wherein he found the sweetest, and delicatest of Shepherdesses; the thought of whom brought forth these words, his heart bleeding as fast, as before his eyes had shed sad drops. O sweet Iland, cride he, and yet desolate Pantalarea, how doe our afflictions suit as one, and so our destinies? Urania hath left thee, and thou mourn'st; Urania hath left mee, and I pine. Deerest Urania, deere unto me still; why wouldst thou for novelties leave thy faithfull Parselius? why wouldst thou not be as well then advised, as till that time be governd by my counsell? Yet foole, most blame thy selfe: for why didst thou permit her dainty lips to touch that charmed Brooke? nay, still adde unto thy folly; why wouldest thou drinke so hastily thy selfe, and so have no meanes left to helpe or save? Accursed Spring, from whence did run the ruine of my blisse. Bewitching streame, to charme me to the losse of my soules joyes; spitefullest of the gods, or goddesses; was it for revenge, because wee would not trie your charmed house, that yet their cruell triall should be made upon us? Unlucky tempest, constraining us to land on that much more unlucky shore. Leaving his ship, he went a land, commaunding his servants to goe to the Court, and if they came before him thither, there to attend till his comming, but secretly; himselfe going along the sea-side, his mind as unrestingly running on Urania, as a hurt bird, that never leaves flying till he falls downe: no more did hee rest, till death-like sleepe did force him to obay; yet were his dreames oft of her, his mind then working, and presenting her unto his imagination, as in day his thoughts did to his heart. so did the eyes of his loving soule, ever behold her, accusing himselfe for his folly, fearing the power of the charmes, whose wicked might, might alter her; assuring himselfe, shee must be deceiv'd by them, if ever she did change. In this violent feaver of sorrow hee went on, till he discern'd a man come from under the rocks that proudly shewed their craggie faces, wrinkling in the smiles of their joy, for being above the Sea, which strove by flowing to cover them; but for all that ambition, was forc'd to ebbe in penance for that high desire. He came arm'd at all points, leading in his hand as beautifull a Lady as Nature could frame, and sorrow suffer to appeare so; being such an one, as both had us'd their best art to frame, and suffer to shew excellent; had she bin free, how much more rare must she then of necessity appeare, who in misery shew'd so delicate? The Morean Prince staid to behold, & beholding did admire the exquisitenes of that sad beautie, but more then that did the cruelty of the armed man seeme wonderful, for leading her to a pillar which stood on the sand (a fit place that the sea might stil wash away the memorie of such inhumanity) he tied her to it by the haire, which was of great length, and Sun-like brightnesse. Then pulled hee off a mantle which she wore, leaving her from the girdle upwards al naked, her soft, daintie white hands hee fastened behind her, with a cord about both wrists, in manner of a crosse, as testimony of her cruellest Martyrdome. When shee was thus miserably bound to his unmercifull liking, with whipps hee was about to torment her: but Parselius with this sight was quickly put out of his admiration, hasting to revenge her wrong, setting spurres to his horse, hee ran as swift as Lightning (and as dangerous this happned to the Knight) towards them, yet sending his voyce with more speede before him, crying, vilde Traitor, hold thy hands and turne thy spight on mee, more fit to encounter stripes, hoping thus to save her from some, which if but one, had beene too much for such delicacie to endure. But hee (whose malice was such, as the neerer he saw her succour, the more was his fury encreased) looking up and seeing a brave knight accompany that voice, casting his hatefull looke againe on her, and throwing away the Whips, drew his Sword, saying, nor yet shall this newe Champion rescue thee; then ready to have parted that sweet breath from that most sweet body, Parselius came, and struck downe the blow with his Sword, though not so directly, but that it a little rased her on the left side, which shee perceiving, looking on it, and seeing how the bloud did trickle in some (though few) drops, Many more then these, said shee, have I inwardly shed for thee my deare Perissus; but that last word she spake softlier then the rest, either that the strange Knight should not heare her, or that she could not affoord that deere name to any, but her owne eares. Shee being thus rescued, the Knight strake fiercely at Parselius, who met him with as much furious strength, giving him his due in the curstedst kind, and fullest measure, making such proofe of his valour (justice being on his side, which best guides a good sword in a noble hand) as in short time hee laid him at his feete, pulling off his helme to cut off his head. But then the Ladie cride unto him, beseeching him to stay that blow; the like did another Knight newly arriv'd, who untide the Lady. Whereat Parselius was offended, thinking himselfe highly injured, that any, except himselfe, should doe her that service, telling him, Hee much wondred at his boldnesse, which had made him offer that wrong unto him. I did it (said the new Knight) but to give her ease, and so to bring her, that wee both might acknowledge humble thankfulnesse for this brave and happy reliefe, which hath brought her blessed safety. Parselius hearing this curteous answere, was satisfied: then looking on the vanquished Knight, hee demaunded, Why hee had used that cruelty to so perfect a Lady? As he was answering, the stranger Knight knew him, casting his eye upon him, and without any word, would as soone have deprived him of his life: but Parselius stayd him, blaming him for seeking the death of a man already dying. He confessing his fault, askt pardon; and pulling off his helme, told him, that there he stood ready to receive punishment for twice so offending him. Parselius, though not knowing him, yet seeing his excellent personage, and princely countenance, imbraced him, telling him, That honour might gaine, nay challenge pardon for a greater fault, then was possible to bee committed by such a brave Knight, he likewise taking off his helme. When Limena (who was this sad tormented Lady) saw her Perissus (for Perissus it was), the joy she conceiv'd was just such, as her love could make her feele, seeing him her soule had onely loved; after so many cruell changes, and bitter passions in their crost affection. This being past, the wounded Knight began thus. First (said hee) let mee know by whose hand I have received this worthie end, and indeed, too worthy for so worthlesse a Creature, who now, and but now, could discerne my rash, and wicked error: which now I most heartilie repent. Now are mine eyes open to the injuries done to vertuous Limena, her chastity appeares before my dying sight, whereto before, my eyes were dimme, and eares deafe, seeing and hearing nothing, but base falshoods, being govern'd by so strong and undeserved Jealousie. Next, I must aske pardon of you my Lord Perissus, deny not these Petitions, I humbly beseech you, both unto a dying man, who in his life, did offer you too foule, and too unpardonable an injury. Perissus seeing his speedy end approaching, having the noblest and freest heart, forgave him that offence, which proceeded from the same ground that his crosses came from, both taking roote from Love, and yet Love in that kinde chang'd nature with madnesse, when attended on with so much jealousie; then with a milde voice, he spake. Philargus, said he, I am glad your punishment is accompanied with so happy and true repentance; I doe freely forgive you, and thinke no more of that past, then if never done. But this I desire you will demand the like of your excellently vertuous wife, who hath beene the patient of all your fury. That I doe, said Philargus, and let my soule enjoy no happinesse, if I wish not her as well as it. Then deare Limena, have you pardon'd me? if not, O doe, and forgive unfortunate, and ill-deserving Philargus My Lord, said she, I most sincerely and heartily forgive you, and so I pray, doe you the like for me; my dearest then, said he, I happily, and thrise happily now shall welcome death. For your other demand, said the brave Prince, my name is Parselius, Prince of Morea: Philargus kissing his hand, gave him thankes, and weeping for joy said. Most fortunate end, how doe I embrace thee, comming so luckily, and brought thee by such royall hands? Then taking Perissus by the one hand, and Limena by the other, he said, I have yet one request more to make, which granted, I shall dye with all content, and this is only in you two to consent to, they promised that then he should not be refused. These misfortunes, said he, which now are past, and I hope shall have buriall in mee, have neverthelesse (it is most likely) left some false conceipt remaining in the hearts of some people: which to remedy and utterly take away, desiring Limena's honor (which without question remains spotted) might flourish as deservedly, as the clearenesse of it selfe is, without so much as the shadowe of a thought to the contrary. I beseech you, for your owne best fortunes, and my quiet departing, to promise mee that after my death you will marry each other. One more worthy (my Lord), more loyall, more chaste, the world holds not; and this are you bound to doe for her, who for you hath been wrongd; and Limena deny not this to your dying husband, being the last he can ever aske you. He needed not urge them much to what they most coveted, and purposed in their hearts before: yet to give him full satisfaction (though on her side with bashfull and fearefull consenting) they yeelded to him. Then my Lord (said he) take her, and my hearts prayers with best wishes to you; and my best belov'd Limena, in witnesse of my love to you, I bestow on you this most worthy Lord, far better befitting you, and my whole estate: with that, embracing them, kissing her; and lastly, lifting up his eyes to heaven, he departed, they like true friends closing his eyes. Being now growne late, for that night they went into the Cave, which but lately had been the prison of sweet Limena: with them they caryed the body, laying it in the further part of the hollownesse. Then did Parselius tell them how infinitly happy he esteemed himselfe in having come so luckily to serve them, of whom, and whose unfortunat affection hee had heard, having had it from the rare Shepherdesse. Name her he could not, his breath being stopp'd with sighes, and his teares falling down in all abundance, sent from his heart, which dropp'd like the weeping of a Vine, when men without pitty wound it. Perissus seeing his sorrow, made hast to ask the cause, fearing some great harme had befalne that Divine Creature, of whom he gave such praises, as Limena thought they were too much, which hee perceiving left, with demanding of her safety, and why his greeving was; which Parselius having passionatly, and truely related, he desired most earnestly, to heare the rest of Limena's story; which she thus began. My Lords, after I sent the Letter, and the time expired, Philargus came for my answer, or to performe his vowe, which with desire I attended, although he contrary to my wishes prolonged it. When hee had what I resolud to give him for satisfaction, which was a direct deniall, being in these words: I know, as your wife, I am in your power to dispose of; then use your authority, for so foule a staine will I never lay upon my bloud as to betray the Prince: name you in truth I durst not, least at the last that might moove my affections. Then did he command me to goe with him, (to my death I hoped) when he brought me into a great Wood, in the midst whereof he made a fire, the place being fit, and I thinke, sure had been used in former time to offer sacrifice in to the Silvan Gods. Then hee made mee undresse my selfe, which willinglie, and readily I did, preparing my selfe to be the poore offring, but the richest, that richnesse of faith in love could offer. When I had put off all my apparrell but one little Petticote, he opened my breast, and gave me many wounds, the markes you may here yet discerne , (letting the Mantle fall againe a little lower, to shew the cruell remembrance of his crueltie) which although they were whole, yet made they newe hurts in the loving heart of Perissus, suffering more paine for them, then he had done for all those himselfe had received in his former adventures; therfore softly putting the Mantle up againe, and gently covering them, lest yet they might chance to smart, besought her to goe on, longing to have an end of that tragicall historie, and to come againe to their meeting, which was the onely balme could be applied unto his bleeding heart. She joyfull to see this passion, because it was for her, and sorry it was Perissus did sorrow, proceeded: And after these, threatning many more, and death it selfe, if yet I consented not. But seeing nothing could prevaile, hee tooke my clothes, and with them wip'd the bloud off from me, I expecting nothing but the last act, which I thought should have been concluded with my burning; his mind chang'd from the first resolution, so as taking me by the haire, and dragging me into the Wood among the bushes (whose cursenesse seconded their masters furie) tearing my skinne, and scratching my bare leggs, to a tree he there tied me: but not long I continued there, for he going a little from me, returned with a Pastors coat, which he tooke from a poore man, that was in that Wood, seeking a lost Beast; with this he disguised me, and also having taken the mans Horse, tooke me behinde him, putting a gag in my mouth, for feare I should speake for helpe, posting unused waies through the desart to the Seaside, where he got a boate, and so passed over to this place, where ever since we have remained; for my part, with daily whippings, and such other tortures, as pinching with irons, and many more so terrible, as for your sake (seeing your griefe my deerest Lord) I wil omit, declaring only this I must speak of, belonging to my story. Once every day hee brought mee to this pillar where you found me, and in the like manner bound me, then whipt me, after washing the stripes and blisters with salt water but this had been the last (had not you thus happily arriv'd); for he determined as he said, after my tormenting had been past, in stead of washing me with the sea-water, to cast me into her, and so make a finall end of his tormenting, and of my torments. To this end he likewise went yesterday to the Towne, and bought this armour, arming himselfe, to the intent, that after his purpose was accomplisht, he might take his journey which way best he pleased. Thus my Lords have you heard the afflicted life of poore Limena, in whom these tortures wrought no otherwise, then to strengthen her love, and faith to withstand them: for could any other thought have entred into my hart, that would have been a greater affliction to my soule, then the curst stroakes were to my body, subject only to his unnaturalnesse, but now by your royall hand redeemed from misery, to enjoy the only blessing my heart can, or ever could aspire to wish, and here have you now your faithfull Love Limena. Perissus embraced her with the love, his best love could expresse, and then speaking to the Morean Prince, he said: The thanks most brave Prince, for this happinesse belongs unto you; which is so much, as my life shall ever bee ingaged to pay the due unto you, and my sword imployed to the best of my power to serve you, vowing, that when I (and the same I professe for my deerest here) prove ungratefull, wee will no more see light: nay let us be as wretched as ever we were, if that sinne know us. Parselius with much affection requited their protestations, making the like for himselfe in his love to them; so for that night they went to rest. The next day taking their journey to Naples, to provide such things as were necessary for them; thence went they into Sicily, having a brave ship, which the Governor of that Towne (knowing Parselius) provided for them; going himselfe, and many more brave Gentlemen, to conduct them over: whither being come, they found the Country in great trouble, the King being dead, and an Usurper in his stead: but quickly were those stirres appeased by the presence of Perissus, well helped by the Company which came out of Naples with him; but most, and indeed chiefly compassed by the valour of Parselius, who with his owne hands (in a battell which was fought betweene the usurper, and an army that came to aide Perissus, as soone as his arrivall was published) kild the false king and his two sons, being counted the valiantest men of all Sicily, and in stature were little lesse then Giants. This being finished Perissus was crowned King, and soone after was the last promise performed in the marriage, which was solemnely, and with great state accomplished. Then did Parselius take his leave of the King and Queene, returning to Naples, and so to the Court of that King, where with all joy and welcome hee was received, the triumphs and feastes making testimonie of it; Yet was his sorrow such for Urania, as all those sports were rather troublesome, then pleasing unto him. Some few daies after the triumphes began, the Squire of Amphilanthus found him there, to whom he deliver'd his Message; with much joy did the old King receive the Squire, bringing him such joyfull newes of his Sonnes being well, though much more welcome had he beene, if he could have told any thing of his returne thither. Parselius demanded of the Squire how hee found him out; Why Sir, said hee, My Master going away from Morea, with Antissius, and that company, sent mee by Sea, to seeke you in this Countrey, by chance our Shipp sprung a leake, so as we were forced to put in againe to mend her: after we had beene a day at Sea, before she was throughly mended, came a brave Gentleman, called Ollorandus, younger Sonne to the King of Bohemia, who seeking my Lord, to whom he hath vow'd his Love, and service, knowing mee to bee his serv ant enquired of me for him; I told him, where at that time he might find him. Having done this I tooke the boldnesse to aske him, if hee heard any newes of you, and withall the cause why I asked; he answered me that hav ing past Italie, in search of Amphilanthus, and hearing he was cast upon Morea by Shipwrack, hee followed after him till hee came to the Court, which at that time was in Arcadia, there hee heard that he had beene there, but was againe gone into Italy to seeke you, and that hee would with you soone returne againe into that Countrey, to goe into Albania; wherfore he desiring to see something in those parts passed up and downe, sometime to Morea, where in Elis he met with you, having (as hee merrily tolde me) passed a pretty adventure, with a Lady and her Knights. From thence hee came to that part of the Kingdome, where I was put in by that chaunce, meaning there to ship once more for Italy: but I telling him of my master's journey to Romania, he with all speed followed him, there to deserve his friendship by his service, and thus came I to be so fortunate to meet you. Then did Parselius acquaint the King with his entent, which was to follow Amphilanthus; so taking his leave, he went with as much fortunate speede as might be to ouertake his friend, promising the old King, to hasten his Sonnes comming, withall, letting him know the hope he had of Urania's being his Daughter; which hope was as comfortable to him, almost, as if hee had already enjoyd her. Parselius in his journey travelled with great paine of mind, the like sufferd Pamphilia, who all this while continued her Love, and life in Morea, who by loves force was, it seemed, transform'd into the same passion; her lovesicke Companion still accompanying her, till one morning, her deare (though unquiet) affections calling her to attend them, made her see day sooner, then otherwise she had by many houres, and seeing it to make use of her light: for though the sight which she desired, was hid from her, she might yet by the light of her imaginations (as in a picture) behold, and make those lights serve in his absence. Even as the morning seemes for cleerenes, fairenes, and sweetnesse: so did she rising, that daintinesse wayting on her, that the greatest light could say, he excelled her, onely in heat, but not in brightnesse; and in some kind, he gain'd at that time advantage on her, whom absence held in cold despaire. Quickly was she ready, and as soone left her Chamber, going into the Gardens, passing out of one into another, finding that all places are alike to Love, tedious. Then opened she a doore into a fine wood, delicately contriv'd into strange, and delightfull walkes; for although they were fram'd by Art, neverthelesse they were so curiously counterfeited, as they appeard naturall. These pleased her onely to passe thorow into a little Grove, or rather, a pretty tuft of Ashes, being invironed with such unusuall variety of excellent pleasures, as had she had a heart to receive delight from any thing but Love, shee might have taken pleasure in that place: for there was a purling, murmuring, sad Brooke, weeping away her sorrowes, desiring the bankes to ease her, even with teares; but cruell, they would not so much as stay them to comfort, but let them slip away with as little care, as great ones doe the humble Petitions of poore suitors. Here was a fine grove of Bushes, their roots made rich with the sweetest flowres for smell, and colour. There a Plaine, here a Wood, fine hills to behold, as placed, that her sight need not, for natural content, stray further then due bounds. At their bottomes delicate Valleyes, adorn'd with severall delightfull objects. But what were all these to a loving heart? Alas, meerely occasions to increase sorrow, Love being so cruell, as to turne pleasures in this nature, to the contrary course, making the knowledge of their delights, but serve to set forth the perfecter mourning, tryumphing in such glory, where his power rules, not onely over mindes, but on the best of mindes: and this felt the perplexed Pamphilia, who with a Booke in her hand, not that shee troubled it with reading, but for a colour of her solitarinesse, shee walked beholding these pleasures, till griefe brought this Issue. Seeing this place delicate without, as shee was faire, and darke within as her sorrowes, shee went into the thickest part of it, being such, as if Phoebus durst not there shew his face, for feare of offending the sadd Princesse; but a little glimmeringly, as desirous to see, and fearing to bee seene, stole heere, and there a little sight of that all-deserving Lady, whose beames sometimes ambitiously touching her, did seeme as if he shin'd on purest gold, whose brightnesse did strive with him, and so did her excellencie encounter his raies: The tops of the trees joyning so close, as if in love with each other, could not but affectionatly embrace. The ground in this place, where shee stayed was plaine, covered with greene grasse, which being low and thicke, looked as if of purpose it had beene covered with a greene Velvet Carpet, to entertaine this melancholy Lady, for her the softer to tread, loth to hurt her feet, lest that might make her leave it; this care prov'd so happy, as heere shee tooke what delight it was possible for her to take in such kinde of pleasures: walking up and downe a pretty space, blaming her fortune, but more accusing her love, who had the heart to grieve her, while shee might more justly have chid her selfe, whose feare had forc'd her to too curious a secrecie: Cupid, in her, onely seeking to conquer, but not respecting his victory so farre, as to allow so much favour, as to helpe the vanquished, or rather his power being onely able to extend to her yeelding, but not to master her spirit. Oft would shee blame his cruelty, but that againe shee would salve with his being ignorant of her paine: then justly accuse her selfe, who in so long time, and many yeares could not make him discerne her affections, (though not by words plainely spoken;) but soone was that thought recalled, and blamed with the greatest condemnation, acknowledging her losse in this kinde to proceed from vertue. Then shee considered, hee lov'd another, this put her beyond all patience, wishing her sudden end, cursing her dayes, fortune, and affection, which cast her upon this rocke of mischiefe. Oft would shee wish her dead, or her beauty marr'd, but that she recall'd again; loving so much, as yet in pitty shee would not wish what might trouble him, but rather continued according to her owne wish; complaining, fearing, and loving the most distressed, secret, and constant Lover that ever Venus, or her blind Sonne bestowed a wound or dart upon. In this estate shee stayed a while in the wood, gathering sometimes flowres which there grew; the names of which began with the letters of his name, and so placing them about her. Well Pamphilia, said she, for all these disorderly passions, keepe still thy soule from thought of change, and if thou blame any thing, let it be absence, since his presence will give thee againe thy fill of delight. And yet what torment will that prove, when I shall with him see his hopes, his joyes, and content come from another? O Love, O froward fortune, which of you two should I most curse? You are both cruell to me, but both alas are blinde, and therefore let me rather hate my selfe for this unquietnesse; and yet unjustly shall I doe too in that, since how can I condemne my heart, for having vertuously and worthily chosen? Which very choice shall satisfie mee with as much comfort, as I felt despaire. And now poore grasse, said shee, thou shalt suffer for my paine, my love-smarting body thus pressing thee. Then laid shee her excelling selfe upon that (then most blessed ground) and in compassion give me some rest, said shee, on you, which well you may doe being honor'd with the weight of the loyallest, but most afflicted Princesse that ever this Kingdome knew: Joy in this and flourish still, in hope to beare this vertuous affliction. O Morea, a place accounted full of Love, why is Love in thee thus terribly oppressed, and cruelly rewarded? Am I the first unfortunate Woman that bashfulnesse hath undone? If so, I suffer for a vertue, yet gentle pitty were a sweeter lot. Sweet Land, and thou more sweet Love, pardon me, heare me, and commiserate my woe, Then hastily rising from her low greene bed; nay, said shee, since I finde no redresse, I will make others in part taste my paine, and make them dumbe partakers of my griefe; then taking a knife, shee finished a Sonnet, which at other times shee had begunne to ingrave in the barke of one of those fayre and straight Ashes, causing that sapp to accompany her teares for love, that for unkindnesse. Beare part with me most straight and pleasant Tree, And imitate the Torments of my smart Which cruell Love doth send into my heart, Keepe in thy skin this testament of me: Which Love ingraven hath with miserie, Cutting with griefe the unresisting part, Which would with pleasure soone have learnd loves art, But wounds still curelesse, must my rulers bee. Thy sap doth weepingly bewray thy paine, My heart-blood drops with stormes it doth sustaine, Love sencelesse, neither good nor mercy knowes Pitiles I doe wound thee, while that I Unpitied, and unthought on, wounded crie: Then out-live me, and testifie my woes. And on the rootes, whereon she had laid her head, serving (though hard) for a pillow at that time, to uphold the richest World of wisdome in her sex, she writ this. My thoughts thou hast supported without rest, My tyred body here hath laine opprest With love, and feare: yet be thou ever blest; Spring, prosper, last; I am alone unblest. Having ended it, againe laying her sad perfections on the grasse, to see if then some rest would have favourd her, and have thought travel had enough disturbed her, she presently found, passion had not yet allowed time for her quiet, wherefore rising, and giving as kind a farwell-looke to the tree, as one would doe to a trusty friend, she went to the brooke, upon the banke whereof were some fine shadie trees, and choice thorne bushes, which might as they were mixt, obtaine the name of a prety Grove, whereinto she went, and sitting downe under a Willow, there anew began her complaints; pulling off those branches, sometimes putting them on her head: but remembring her selfe, she quickly threw them off, vowing how ever her chance was, not to carry the tokens of her losse openly on her browes, but rather weare them privately in her heart. Further would she have proceeded, but that she heard behind her a rushing in the bushes. Looking backe, shee perceiv'd Antissia close by her; who having noted the sadnesse in the Princesse, and her solitary retirednesse, imagined (by her owne passions) the cause must needs bee love: but that imagination growing to beliefe, beliefe brought feare, feare doubt, and doubt the restlesse affliction, suspition; her excellencies making the assurednes of her no lesse excellent choice, so as the more perfect she confest them both to be, the more did those perfections make her perfectly jealous. This was the reason that shee came thus forth, and in as private sort as she could, that so she might by chance over-heare her secret complaints, and so (though for a certaine vexation) bee sure of her most troubled knowledge. But herein she was deceived: for although she heard much of her sorow, yet got she no assurance for whom the sorrow was, never in all her extremest sufferings, once naming the mover of her paine, which kept her love in as much secresie, as that, secretly after brought tormenting paine, proceeding from unhappy ignorance. But Pamphilia perceiving her, smiling, yet blushing, doubting her passions were discovered, and her love betray'd to her Companion; she neverthelesse to make the best of it; How came you hither faire Antissia (said she)? I did not thinke this sad place, could have invited so much happinesse to it, as your presence; who being happy, must make all places partake with you? This place (said shee) hath her blessing already in you, the saddest being forc'd to deserved joy, enjoying so good fortune, as to have Pamphilia in it. But I pray, if I may be so bold to aske such a question of you (which the confidence of a friend makes me venture upon) why are all these grievous complaints? for never heard I greater, neither was sorrow ever richlier apparreld, then lately you have drest her: If it be for love, tell me who that blessed creature is, that doth possesse such a world of treasure as your heart? and deny not this to your friend, and servant, who will faithfully serve you in that, or any other you will impose upon her, though sure in this little paine, will serve to win your ease, if you will suffer your selfe to have ease, no man breathing that will bee so void of judgement, or can have power to resist, what you in love might demaund, but must bee so farre from denying, as hee will without question venture his life, to gaine so pretious a prize. Your owne worth (said Pamphilia) makes you thus confident, and your happie fortune, in meeting an answerable affection, thus feareles: but alas for me, I that know worth (greatnes, nor the truest love can bring ones desire, if destinie have otherwise appointed) can never let so much flattring hope blind me with conceit of mine owne deserts (which it may be are seene but by my owne eyes), as to imagine their merits may gaine my ends. No sweet Antissia, love is onely to be gaind by love equally bestowed, the giver, and recei ver reciprocally liberall, else it is no love; nor can this be, but where affections meete; and that we must not all expect, nor can it reasonably bee demanded. Since how should the power of love be knowne, but by his severall usage of his subjects? If all were us'd alike, his justice must be examined. but be it as it will, some must and do suffer; yet speake I not this of my self, or in confession that I am pinch'd with these tortures, for Lord knowes, how farre am I from these like vanities, then how can I satisfie your loving demand, and friendly promise? You cannot thus dissemble (replied Antissia), your owne hand in yonder faire Ash will witnes against you. Not so (said Pamphilia) for many Poets write as well by imitation, as by sence of passion; therefore this is no proofe against me. It is well said (answerd Antissia) in your owne defence: but I pray, why did you but even now with sighes and teares (as I judged by your voyce) blame both love, and absence? Many reasons there are to accuse both (said Pamphilia): but let mee bee so much bound to you, as to know the reason of your inquisitivenes? If it were only for my good, mee thinks you grow too neere me; bare friendship not being able so cunningly to sift one, therefore it makes me thinke some other cause moves this care in you; if so, freely speake it, and I will as freely satisfie you. Well (said Antissia) then confesse you love, and I will soone follow with the other. It were to small purpose (replide Pamphilia) to deny it, since you have discovered mee; I confesse it, and am no whit ashamed of it, though grieved by it. My curiositie (said the other) was, and is, lest it should bee hee whom I affect. Alas (cride Pamphilia), can so base an humour as suspition creepe into so brave a heart as Antissia's? and to gaine such power there, as to make her mistrust her friend? Truly I am sorry for it; and would advise you for honours sake, quickly to banish that Devill from you, which otherwise will daily increase new mischiefes. I know (said Antissia) it is the worst of Monsters: yet this is no answere to my question. Tis true (said Pamphilia): but I being innocent of it, forgot first to cleere it. But I pray Antissia, what doe you see in mee, that I should love Amphilanthus more, then respectively? This (said she) that all perfections having joynd, and united their strengths to make you wholly excellent, it cannot bee, but you in all things must manifest it, and in judgement are you not cald to expresse it? And if in judgement, wherein can there be more discern'd, then in the choice of friend or Love? If so, can you chuse other, then the most deserving? and then, must it not bee the most excellent of men? and is not Amphilanthus that most excelling Prince? In truth (answered Pamphilia) I confesse this latter part to be true: for assuredly there lives not his equall for all vertues, which well might make me (if I were such a one as you say) to have that ambition in mee, to affect the worthiest; but so much perfection I want, as that part hath faild also in me: yet this I will say, I love him as hee merits, long conversation as from our youthes; besides, our bloud claiming an extraordinary respect. You will not deny you are in love with him then? Why should I not (said shee)? I'm sure I know my owne heart best: and truly so farre is it from suffring in this passion, as it grieves mee you mistake mee so much. but Lord what strange and dangerous thoughts doth this bring into our brests? Could any but a Lover have so troublesome a conceite? Why sweet Antissia when did this opinion first possesse you? or what gave you occasion to concei ve it? Hath my speech at any time betray'd mee? Hath my fashion given you cause to suspect it? Did I ever enviously like a Lover, seeke to hinder your enjoying him? Did I unmannerly presse into your companies? Some of this surely I must have done, or you unjustly accuse me. None of these could you faile in (cride shee); so great a wit, and matchlesse a spirit would governe themselves better, then to offend in such fond parts: but the reason I have already given, being equall excellencies; and the beliefe proceeds from this, that mee thought you did with as feeling an affection accompany my sorrow when he went away, and more neerely I imagined by your fashion it toucht you, then pity of my griefe could have procured. Then I considered my eyes had been so fortunate, as to looke upon the best, why then should not the best of our sex also looke on the rarest object; and looking so, must not the same conclusion be, that beholding as I did, love must come in and conquer; as on me, so then looking with my eyes, of force you must love him. What a progresse (said Pamphilia) hath your troubled imagination made to find a poore cause, to forge a poorer vexation? If all these things were true, and that I lov'd Amphilanthus, what then? were it any more then my extremest torment, when I should see his affections otherwise placed? the impossibility of winning him from a worthy love, the unblessed destiny of my poore unblessed life, to fall into such a misery; the continuall afflictions of burning love, the fier of just rage against my owne eies, the hatred of my brest for letting in so destroying a guest, that ruines where he comes; these were all, and these alone touching me in all disquiets. What need should they have to molest you, since so perfectly you are assur'd of his love, as you need feare no occasion, nor any body to wrong you in that, wherein he will not wrong his worthy choice and constancy? What harme then could it be to you, if you should love him? The losse of my content; since that your love (said Antissia) must not be refus'd, but sought; and if obtaind, wo be to any other that aspires to that place; better never to be borne, then know the birth of so much folly, as to adventure to be a rivall with the rarest Princesse Pamphilia; therefore knowing this harme, I had rather you did not love him. Well, then be satisfied (said the sweet, but sad Pamphilia), my love to him proceeds from his never enough praised merits, but not for love otherwise, then I have already exprest. Antissia was with this answer thorowly satisfied, taking the Princesse in her armes, protesting her life too little, to pay for requitall for this royall freedome she had found in her, and the favour received from her; expressing then her love in the best manner she could, plainely making confession of all to her; concluding, that had not her incomparable vertue bound her best respects to her, yet the resemblance which shee had in her face of that famous Prince, and her onely beloved, would have forced her to love her. The delicate Lady told her, shee could not better please her, then in telling her she did resemble him, since then she was sure she was like to true vertue; for he was of that the onely body: but this love, and his dependances doe so vex us, as they take away all other societie; to amend which, let us returne to the Court (said she). I am contented, said Antissia. So rising, and holding each other by the arme, with as much love, as love in them could joyne, they tooke their way backe towards the Palace; but in the great Garden they met the King and Queene; so they attended backe on them into the Hall, whither they were no sooner come, and setled in their places, but they were entertained with this adventure: Tenne Knights comming in russet Armours, their Beavers up, their Swords in their hands; who comming more then halfe way to the State, making low reverence, stood still, parting themselves to either side of the Chamber, to let the followers better be discerned. Then came tenne more, but in blacke Armours, chain'd together, without Helmets or Swords. After them came sixe armed like the first, three carrying Speares of infinite bignesse; one, the Sheild, and the other two the Sword and Helmet of a Knight, who for countenance seem'd no lover; his colour like a Moore; his fashion rude and proud, following after these sixe, who, as the first, divided themselves. Then came this man to the State, leading by the hand as sweete a Ladie, as hee was ugly; shee as milde in countenance, as hee insolent; shee as fearefull, as hee bold: on the other hand of her, another Knight sad, but it seem'd amorous. The King and all the Court beholding, and expecting the issue of this busines, when the stout man in a hollow and hoarse voice delivered these words. King of Morea, I am Lansaritano, whose fame I doubt not, hath spread it selfe to your eares: Lord I am of the Ilands of Cerigo, Dragonero, and other lesser circkling my chiefe Iland, as subjects to my greatnes. This Lady you see here, is my vassall by birth, but by my choice honour'd with my love, which she foolishly refuseth, judgement so farre failing her, as not to be able to discerne the happinesse, and unspeakable good, blind Fortune hath given her, in letting my high & noble thoughts abase themselves so low, as to looke on her my creature, and favour her with my liking. She whom I might command, I have bin contented to woe; she who shuld obay, ignorantly refuseth: yet I (Master of worth) will not force her, but have compell'd my selfe to consent to satisfie a fond request she hath made to me, which is, to come into this Court with her, and this knight my Cosen whom she loves, and is the barre from my enjoying her: and here if she can find a Knight, who for her sake will enter into this quarrel (which she calls, The defence of true Love) he must observe this, to give her to one of us, and fight with the other: if it happen he chuse him (as well it may be he wil defend Ladies, he will dispose of her to her beloved), he must combate me: if he overcome, shee shall bee free; else yeelded to me: which I make no question of, since I never yet knew any had the fortune, how stout, valiant, or hardy, could hold out with me. These bound men are Knights, and her Brothers two of them, the rest her friends and kindred, who upon her vaine complaint, fearing violence would have been by me justly us'd upon her, made an insurrection, which soone I appeased, and for the love of her would not yet put them to death, but have brought them with mee likewise on this condition; that when I have fought and vanquisht that bold and fond man whosoever, that will adv enture to combate with me, I shall strike off all their heads. This Sir is the cause of my comming, wherefore I desire leave of you that shee may have one, if any Knight will undertake it, or dare maintaine her cause, which shee accounts so faire and good. The King was sorry for the Ladies sake, his Court was so unprovided of those brave Knights which were wont to honour it, especially that his famous Nephew, and brave Sonnes were all absent, who he knew would defend a Ladies cause, especially a loving Lady, as she seem'd; wherefore hee made this answere. Lansaritano, I am troubled, so brave a man should fight in so ill a matter, since if I were as you, shee that would not by my worth bee wonne, should not be thought worthy to be gaind by the hazard of my self, into which you must run, if you encounter Knights of my Court; for surely no brave man will give her from her owne affection: but now indeede is your fortune good, in comming when the Worthies of our parts are absent; yet doubt I not but I have still some here, who honour Ladies so much, as they will venter to deliver them from force in love; therfore I give you free liberty to pronounce your challenge. I am sorry (said he) that all your Worthies be not here, that I might for my glory overcome them one after another; but since they are absent, any one here take her part that will, or give her to mee, if none will adventure combate, otherwise I am ready to meete him with the Launce three courses, and then end the Combat with the sword; if no one dare undertake it, you must sweete Lady bee mine for want of a knight for your Champion. Shee lookt sadly, and wept so love-likely, as all pittied her, but none offered their service, the valour being knowne, and the strength much feared of Lansaritano; till Selarinus disdaining such a man should have, though so little, a cause to adde more fuell to the fire of his pride, stept forth and said: Most mighty King, may it please you to honour mee so much, as to permit mee the libertie of this adventure, wherein I doubt not, but to doe justly, and to lay Lansaritano's pride as low, as the earth will suffer his body to lie upon it. The king glad to see the fine young Prince so forward, but loth to venture him in so dangerous a businesse, told him, That the true noblenesse and bounty of the kings of Albania his Predecessours did againe live in him, to maintaine which, hee was very willing to grant his request, but his tender yeares made him loth to adventure him alone. Then Sir (said hee) should I both shame my selfe, and the brave Princes before by you mentioned: but as I am alone left here of my bloud, I will alone adventure. Then hee asked the Lady if shee would accept him, and stand to his censure? Shee answered; Most willingly shee would. Hee then gave her to her beloved, saying; Prepare your selfe, and know Lansaritano, that you shall finde enough to doe, when you encounter Justice and resolution, which are the two I take with mee in this Combate against you. The furie of the vaine man was such, to see so young a man answer him; as hee could scarce give one word againe; but at last his breath smoked out these words: Alas, poore Boy, I pitie thee; wherefore pray thee be adv ised, and hereafter when thou hast a Beard come, and it may be I will grace thee, with fighting with thee; unlesse thou dost hope I should have some pity on thy faire face, and so forbeare to hurt thee in the fight. But since you have no braver Knights, Great King of Morea, farewell, I will returne: and now faire Lady, what thinke you of your servant my selfe? will you love me, or let this smug Youth be your Champion? The king was infinitely offended with the proud speech of Lansaritano, the like was all the company; yet none adventured to answer but brave Selarinus himselfe, who againe couragiouslie, yet mildlie told him; That hee neede not learne; to know words were not the weapons to bee used in fight, therefore hee would answere him no further in that kinde, but hee should give him satisfaction with his Sword and Speare for the Ladies sake, before his parting thence, whether hee would, or no; and then have occasion to speake better of him, if hee left him to speake at all. The King embraced the young Prince, and straight sending for an Armour, which was the first that ever Amphilanthus had worne, hav ing left it there, taking another which was brought him from Italy, after his first Victorie of fame, which was there performed against two Knights, in the defence of an injured Ladie; this hee put on, which was all White, save just against the Heart hee had the figure of a heart wounded curiously made, and so artificially, as one would have thought his heart had been seene to bleed through the Armour: with these Armes Selarinus was arm'd, the King girting the sword to him, and kissing him, wisht as good fortune to him, as the first Lord of those Armes had, and to proove as worthy to weare them. Hee on his knee humbly gave him thankes; then turning to the Lady, will'd her to take her loved Servant, if shee accepted him for her Knight. Shee joyfully beholding him, and smiling on her love, who equally exprest his joy, followed him, who now appeared a young Mars; yet was her joy mixt with feare, of falling againe into his hands; till which time shee, and this she told him, esteem'd her selfe the happiest woman breathing, in such a Defendant. Then went they into the Lists, the King and all the Court taking places fit to behold the fight, Lansaritano cursing his destinie that brought him the dishonour to meete a childe (as he tearm'd him, though after hee proved otherwise unto him) in the field. Lansaritano was conducted into the field by his owne knights in the same manner, as they enter'd the hall. The Lady who was cald Nallinia, and her late distressed, but now revived associats were plac'd in a seate by themselves, to see, and to bee seene as the prizes of the combate. Then came Selarinus into the field, attended on by the Marshall, Master of the Horse, and the chiefe officers of the kingdome of Morea, the Marshall being a grave old man, but in his youth one of the best knights of that Countrie, gave him his first Speare. The King of Pamphilia (brother to the King, who was newly come thither to visit him, but principally his Neece, who by his gift was to enjoy that kingdome after his decease, and therefore bore that name likewise given by him) was one of the Judges, the Prince of Elis the other for Selarinus; and these two did Lansaritano accept also for him, doubting no wrong in so just a kings Court. They bravely encountred, running the two first courses without any advantage; the third, Selarinus received so strong a Counter-buffe on his breast, as beate him backe upon his saddle, being a pretie while before hee recovered againe: but Lansaritano having more strength, but as great a blow, shewed no moving in himselfe, though the blow was so forcible, as the girts brake, and hee came over his horse, by the slipping of his saddle. Selarinus looking back, saw him on foote, which comforted him much, fearing that hee had, till then, received the worst: but being satisfied, with new courage hee leapt from his Horse, scorning any advantage, and drawing his sword, went towards his enemy, who met him pufft up with as much furie, as a ship runs upon a rock withall, and alike did he prosper. A long time did this combat endure, Lansaritano so bravely and valiantly behaving himselfe (as how could he doe other, fighting before his Lady, to win his Lady, as it won unexpected fame to the brave Albanian, who still continued with the better: for though Lansaritano as valiant as most, and as strong as any, yet had his enemy this advantage over him, that in valour hee equal'd him; and what in strength hee faild of, in nimblenesse and cunning hee exceld him, which brought him the victory with the others death, being given by a thrust in the face, his Beaver by chance flying up, the pin being cut in the last blow before. Then were the Knights and the Lady set at libertie by the brother of Lansaritano, who was one of those, and the same that carried his Helmet. He now being to succeede his brother in his commands, tooke his leave of the King and the Court. The Lady had ever affected this Knight, and was married before her parting to him, given in marriage by the Brother, who was called Sarimatto; they returnd, and shee lived after with much content with her husband, who was no way like his Cosin, though big, and strong, and as valiant, but milde, curteous, and honest; proving a true friend and servant to the Court of Morea. With infinite joy the Prince was conducted to the Palace, there entertaind by the King and Ladies, who all joynd in honoring him, who had so much honourd the sex, letting his first adventure bee in the defence of a woman; then carried him to his chamber, where his wounds were drest, which were many, but none dangerous; yet had the losse of much bloud made him fainter then hee was. This was his first adventrous tryall of Armes, and accordingly did he proceede bravely and happily. But now to Leandrus, who was left in his way to Achaia, to get forces to assist the Princes. Long he rid not without an adventure, those places affording many, and pleasant ones, yet was his scarce one of that number: for after he had left the court, he took his directest way to that part, which was neerest for him to passe thence into Achaia; as he went thinking of his friends, but most of his love, his heart having receiv'd a cureles wound by the never fayling commanding eyes of Pamphilia, sometimes purposing to ask her in marriage, another time hoping first by his desert to win her love, then promising himselfe the furtherance of Parselius, the labour of Rosindy, the favour of Amphilanthus , the earnestnesse of his owne affection, and lover-like importunity; these hee resolv'd should woe for him, and thus hee meant to have her: yet wanted hee her consent, the better part of the gaining, and the harder to bee gaind: yet these conceits pleased him, as mad folks delight in their owne odde thoughts: and so was this little lesse then madnesse, had hee had sense to have considered her worthie selfe not to bee given, but to her owne worthie choice, and by it. But thus hee satisfied himselfe, till wanting this happinesse of selfe-fram'd delight also, hee fell into such despaire, as proved farre worse then many hells unto him. As he past (yet in his pleasure) along a way, which divided it selfe (neere a delicate fountaine) into three parts, hee sat downe on the side of that Fountaine, drinking first of the Spring, and then taking out a paper wherein hee had written some sad verses, hee read them to himselfe; they were these. Drowne me not you cruell teares, Which in sorrow witnes beares Of my wailing, And Loves failing. Flouds but cover, and retire Washing faces of desire Whose fresh growing Springs by flowing. Meadowes ever yet did love Pleasant streames which by them move: But your falling Claimes the calling Of a torrent curstly fierce Past wits power to rehearse; Only crying, Or my dying May in stead of verse or prose My disasterous end disclose. When hee had read them, and was putting them up againe, having first kist them, because they should goe to his Mistris, hee heard the wayling of a man, and looking up, saw a Knight (as hee seem'd to bee) lie by the side of the Fountaine on the other part from him, and besides, heard him use these speeches. I wonder when time will permit mee ease, and sorrow give conclusion to my dayes, or to it selfe; if not wearied, yet for pities sake, tormenting mee, the most afflicted soule breathing; miserable Clarimatto, accursed above all men, and abus'd beyond all men, and more dishonour'd then any creature, and by whom, but by the most esteemed creature, a woman, and a faire woman; but the cage of a foule mind, and the keeper of a corrupt soule, and a false heart, else would she not, nor could she have given her selfe (once mine) to any other. She was mine by vow, by solemne profession, but now an others: fickle sex, unsteady creatures, worse I will not call you, because indeed I love her, though abus'd by her, and sham'd in her. Leandrus went to him, and kindly offerd his service, if he needed it. Hee casting up his weeping eyes, in teares thankt him, but said; One man was enough to suffer in so slight a cause, and so undeserving a creature. He desired to know the matter. He answerd, he had lov'd a Lady, she had done the like to him, or made him thinke so: but having what shee would, she had changed, and not only so, but given her selfe to his enemy, being first betrothed unto him, and in that time he was providing for the marriage, married the other; and this is the cause of my torment; hither I am come to revenge my selfe of him and in him of her, if shee love him still. They are in a strong Castle of his where they merrily live, while I am miserably vexed with tortures, and dishonour, the worst of torments. What was the originall cause of his malice? Truly Sir, this cruelty hee useth but to mee, as belonging to my destiny. Neglected I have been of my friends for bearing this disgrace from mine enemy, and the hater of all my Countrie, the reason of his hatred to us proceeding from this. The King of Morea in his youth was a brave man at Armes, and followed, and finished many adventures, by chance at a great Just held in Achaia for joy of the birth of the Kings son, cald Leandrus, as after I heard he was, and proov'd a Prince worthily deserving the joy, then shewed for receiving of him. This Lords father was likewise there, and encountring the King was by him throwne to the ground, which disgrace hee took so heavily, as he would have revenged it with his sword, but that being forbidden (the end of those triumphes, reaching no further then sport) discontented, and burning in rage, hee went thence, watching when the King returnd in his journey, in this very place he set upon him troopes of his comming all these severall waies, and at once charging him, who onely for his pleasure had sent his greatest company before him, following with two Knights and their Squires; but in this conflict the King got so much of the victorie, as hee slew his Enemie with his owne hands, but could not keepe himselfe from being taken prisoner, and carried almost to the Castle; whither if hee had gone, without doubt hee had thence never returnd. But the Squires seeing his distresse, and the death of the other two, their Masters, ran everie one a severall way, till they got a good number of the traine together, who with all speed, and fury pursued them, overtaking them hard by the Castle, and taking their Lord from them, most being kill'd, some few got into the hold, where relating their unlucky adv enture, the wife of the slaine Lord, and Mother to this Lord (having as great a spirit as any woman breathing) made a vow to bee revenged of all the Court of Morea, of the King and his posterity especially. And this she hath hitherto performed with great cruelty, her sonne having beene nursed in this hatred doth likewise continue it with more violence, as his spirit is so much greater, as commonly a mans is, in respect of a womans: and this is the cause why hee hateth all the Moreans, of which countrey I am, borne in Corinth, my heart truely scorning him for his other inj ury done mee, am invited hither for these two reasons, to bee revenged on him. Leandrus thank'd him for his discourse, but told him hee had by it made him long, to try if hee could bee made a Prisoner also for so just a cause, or deliver those so unjustly inclosed, and the rather said hee to serve one so much injuried as your selfe, whose quarrell lay on mee, and doe you defend the honor of your King and Country, shee not being worth fighting for. Hee answered that was true, yet his honor hee esteemd worth cleering, and that calld upon him. While they were thus discoursing, the Lord and the false Lady came lov ingly hand in hand together downe one of the paths, shee smiling in his eyes and wantonly courting him, seeking to give him occasion of mirth, but hee went on like a man to whom ill was succeeding, hee had some servants with him arm'd, and his owne armour was likewise carried by him, if hee should have any occasion suddenly to use it: hee was of a cleere and pleasing complexion, a person amiable and lovely, curld hayre, fayre eyes, and so judiciall a countenance, as might have made the worthiest woman like him, and so well hee deserv'd as it was pitty hee fell into her hands, who undid both his minde, and bodie, making him as wicked as her selfe which was the worst of her sex. He looked upon her with love; but his speech was sparing, either that naturally he had not store of words, or his inward heavinesse at that time made him silent. When he came neere the fountaine, Clarimatto approched to him; My Lord, said he, I am sure you know the cause of my comming into these parts, if not, examine your heart, and that will tell you the injuries you have done me, or if that be so impure, or partiall, as it will not, for offending, bee true to so false a master, behold this creature by you, your shame, and mine, and in her forehead the faire field of our disgrace, you shall see it written in spots of infamy and wrong. The Lord knew his face, and with it the offence, therefore answered him thus. Sir, said he, if on these conditions, I acknowledge the understanding of your rage, I should make my selfe guilty of what I am free from; to my knowledge I never wronged any, if unwillingly, I made amends, and am ready so to doe. Can you give mee my honour againe, throwne to the ground by you, and your insatiable Love, cride he? You wrong us both, said he, and this shall be the Ground of my revenge and answer to you; with that he arm'd himselfe, shee crying to him, not to adv enture his deare selfe against that stranger, whom she knew full well; shee kneeled to him, held him by the leggs, kissed them, gazed on him, in termes call'd him dearest. All would not serve, he encountred his enemy, and truly was he justly made so by his owne ill deserving. They fought, like two, one having got, and earnest to keepe a Mistris, the other having lost, and revengfull to gaine his honour, and kill his Rivall, and Undoer in his Love; at last, the true cause got the upper hand, and the Lord came to the lower side of Victory; which the servants perceiving, rushed all upon Clarimatto. Leandrus finding the wrong they offer'd, and the other was like to suffer, stepp'd in to his rescue. A fight was among these performed fit, and onely the prize of Love fit to be the end of it. Clarimatto nimble, valiant, and having Justice on his side, fought accordingly, and so as the Lord having lost much bloud out of two wounds given him by his foe, nor had he escaped free, but was hurt in some places, the Lord then gave back a little, his men cirkling Clarimatto about like busie Bees when anger'd, using their best (or better to say, more malicious) meanes to hurt him, who protected by a brave spirit, and undaunted courage layd about him without feare, but not without such hurt to them, assisted bravely by Leandrus, as they began to flee. Their Master seeing that revil'd them, vowing to hang who ever saved himselfe by base flight, and kill those that fought not better, though he by that meanes let the hatefull enemy passe. This urged them againe to perplexe them, but could not now compasse him, hee having to prevent that danger, got the Fountaine at his backe, there defending himselfe; but alas much like a Stagge at Bay, that must for all his courage, yeeld to the multitude and force of many Doggs: and so was he like to doe, (Leandrus having a new supply set on him) for having receiv'd a wound in the thigh, he bled, so fast as almost his powers faild him, his eyes beginning with faintnesse to dazle, and his strength so fast to decrease, as he leand himselfe against the Fountaine, holding his Sword straight out, meaning he that first seazed him should also meet his owne end; and with this resolution stood the brave revengefull Lover, his soule bidding his friends and all farewell: Leandrus being but in a little better case, when as an unexpected good hap befell them by the comming of a Knight in blacke Armour, who seeing this cruell fight, and unmanly combating of many against two, came happily and speedily to their succour, even when one had done his last for that time to defend himselfe, which the Lord perceiving, pressed in upon Clarimatto, although almost as weake as hee with losse of bloud (spite procuring that, lest he might else want his will in having his end some way) so as both valiant, both strong, were now without ability to shew valour, if not in dying with their Swords in their hands, and without strength having no more then hatred at that time, allowed to both in those weake limbes, which was no more, then insteed of running one at the other, they reeld and fell one upon the other, in the fall, the Sword of Clarimatto finding a way into an unarmed part of his Rivals body, which a blow at the first encounter had left open, but till then well guarded by the skill and courage of his Master, whose Sword missed him, who else with that had with him taken a grave, both agreeing (by disagreeing) to death. The new-come Knight made a quicke dispatch of the rest, some by death, some by yeelding. Leandrus, though weake, going with much care to Clarimatto, and who had in all the fight behaved himselfe so worthily not fearing any thing but continuance of disgrace, and freeing all in true worth, and love to truth. The businesse ended, the stranger and Leandrus tooke up the wounded Clarimatto, and having, with untying his Helme, given him some ayre, hee came a little to himselfe, but so besmeer'd with bloud as at first hee was not knowne to the Knight, whose Helme was likewise off; but when discover'd, Clarimatto, said he, happy I am to helpe thee, but unhappy to finde thee thus, my dearest friend, What destiny brought thee hither? What happinesse in unhappinesse met, to make me meet thee thus? Accursed, yet now blest occasion, if thou outlive this victory. If I had conquered, said hee, death yet might have honour'd me, but to live vanquished, rather wish I to dye. Thou hast brave Clarimatto, said hee, overcome, and slaine thine enemy with thine owne hands. Then am I contented, said hee, though straight I die, and most that I shall yet end in your armes, whom of all men I most love, none but your selfe could have had the destiny to helpe me, who onely was, and is best beloved of me, and herein hath Destiny blessed me. Then came the Lady, who with as much contempt of them, as sorrow for her lover, looked upon them both, the one dead, the other dying, she said nothing, but kneeled downe by her latter loved friend, and kissed him, rose againe, and looked with infinite hate upon Clarimatto, and then taking a knife she held under her Gowne, stabb'd her selfe, falling betweene them both. The blacke Knight went to the Castle whither Clarimatto was carried, and soone after died; the bodies of the others were buried in the place where the fight was, the keyes were delivered to the blacke Knight, who delivered many brave and valiant Knights, caught by treason, and unfortunate spite, and all Greeks. Then was Leandrus brought into a rich Chamber, and the blacke Knight, who had taken possession of that Castle, for the King of Morea, bestowed the keeping of it on Clorimundus his Esquire. With many teares and sighes Clarimatto was buried, who was extreamly belo ved of this blacke Knight, which was Rosindy, with whom hee had beene bred, and nursed. This being done, and Leandrus, past danger, though not for weakenesse able to remove, Rosindie left him in the custody of the new Governour, and other Knights, who loved him so well, as there was a question, which they more affected their delivering joy, and happy injoying, or his safety who had beene the first cause to bring them the other; herein their worths appeared, and in better hands Leandrus cannot be left, till his ability call him againe to service in other parts. But now Rosindy, must be a little accompanied, who taking on his journey, still resolv'd to performe the command of his Mistris, which was to passe all Greece, and accomplish such adventures as might make him worthy of her love, and yet not to discover the ende of his travell, or himselfe, to any without extraordinary occasion. To obser ve this, he put on those blacke Armes, bearing no Device in his Shield, because his desire was onely to be called the unknowne Knight; the cause why she had thus commanded him was, that the more his honor was known, the more he might be feared when time might serve for him to deliver her from her Prison, and bondage wherein she lived, from whence as yet shee could not be released. Thus unknowne he passed among his best friends, and meaning so to continue he passed from this place to his Fathers Court, there to see what adv enture would happen to adde to his fame; besides, to know the certaine time of the pretended Journey for Albania, but especially when they appointed to free Meriana the chiefe end indeed of his journey. So he came to the Court, and sending one Squire of his, who well knew all the parts of it, came to Pamphilia's Chamber, who hearing who it was that desired to speake with her, shee straight sent for him, from whom shee learned that her dearely beloved Brother was hard by, but resolving not to be knowne, had intreated her to come into the pleasant Grove there to conferre with him, which she with much willingnesse, and desire performed. Now this Squire was not knowne of many besides Pamphilia, nor any whit of Antissia, whose jealousie infinitely upon this increased, and the more meanes were sought to alter it, the greater did the heate grow; like a Smith that puts water into his Forge, to make the fire more violently hot. The sweet (but sad) Princesse not mistrusting this, went (as appointed) into the Grove, the suspitious Lady, whose heart now lay in her eies to discover her, soone and secretly followed her, where she discern'd (being in the Evening) a knight so like in proportion to hers, or so had the power of doubt made him, as shee ever believed it to be himselfe: but when she saw their affectionate imbracements, then was her heart like to breake, not being able to sustaine, but for feare of discovering, as softly, but lesse quietly, being confident, her confidence in his love, which had before but flattered her to his own ends, and not for love, had beene a bayt to draw on her destruction. With this dolorous opinion shee retired into her Chamber, where she fell into the most grievous complaints that ever poore afflicted suspitious Lady had endured. The Princes continuing in the Wood,with all love and kindnesse the black Knight beginning his discourse. My best, and onely deare Sister know, that after my departure hence, I past thorow most part of Greece to seeke adventures, till I came into Macedon, where I found the King dead, and an Usurper strongly placed and setled in his roome: the fame of Meriana's beauty I likewise encountred, but (alas) shee was shut up in prison by that Traytor, and so close kept, as none could gaine a sight of her, but with much danger. The Villaine (though her neere Kinsman) keeping her thus, with intent to marry her, if he can gaine her consent; if not, so to hold her inclos'd during her life. But by a blessed chance, as it may happen, I got the sight of her, truely so rare a creature, as my commendations, which cannot with all worldly eloquence, if with best art, imploid to set forth the neerest of her praise come neere to the lowest degree of her perfections; what then should I venture to commend her, whose delicacie may receive wrong by my unperfect tongue, not sufficient to extoll her? Let it suffice, my eyes saw that, which made my heart her slave; and thus I compassed my joy. I lay in a house, the Master whereof had served her Father and Mother, wayting in the Queenes chamber. and now hath libertie to see her when hee will, or hath any businesse with her, as to bring her new apparrell, or such necessarie things, hee being Master of the Wardrobe. This man with whom I often conferred concerning the Princesse, finding my longing to behold her, and heartily wishing her libertie, brake with mee about it; I hearkned to him, and so wee grew so farre, as wee were fast enough to each other, for betraying our purpose. Then hee caused mee to put on a suite of one of his servants, who was just of my stature, and taking new apparrell to carrie her, sent it by mee, withall, his excuse, that hee was not then able himselfe to come, I went with it, imagining my selfe more then a Prince, in being so happie to be his Servant to such an end. When I came, the Maides that attended her, told her of my comming, and of my selfe, being a stranger, and never there before; shee sent for me demaunding many things of me, which (as well as so much amazednesse, as I was in, beholding her, could permit me) I answered. Shee tooke delight to see me so mov'd, imagining it had been out of bashfulnes, which she made sport with. Thus for some time it continued, till one day my Master went himselfe, with whom the Princesse had much discourse concerning me, and among the rest, shee very much prest to know what Country man I was, and at last directly who I was: for (said shee) either hee is a verie foolish fellow, or some other then he seemes to bee, which I rather doe imagine; therefore faile not, but tell mee by the respect and love you beare mee, what you know of him? Hee who loved mee as his Sonne, was loath to discover mee directlie, for feare of danger; yet considering, that if at all, hee were much better tell who I was, and the cause of my disguise, which would purchase mee more good, then dissembling. Upon promise of her being no way offended, nor discovering it, which if knowne, would cost my life; he told her all, and withall added my extreame affection to her. When shee at first heard it, shee seemd offended, yet after said, she was contented to keepe counsell, upon condition that I presently went thence, and never more attempted to come where shee was, in so disguis'd a habit to wrong her. When I receiv'd this message of death, I knew not whether I should thank or blame my friend: in an agonie I was afflicted to the highest, perplexed in soule; in briefe, I was but torment, and with it tormented my selfe. Words I had none, nor other action, but going straight to my chamber, throwing my selfe on the bed, and there lay I sencelesse, speechlesse, and motion-lesse for some houres, as they told mee, in which time hee went to her againe, telling her how hee had left mee, and that shee had kild a brave Prince, and her hopefull kinsman; adding, How doe you thinke Madam ever to bee freed, when you use such as would venture for your freedome with this scorne? long enough will you remaine here, and bee a Prisoner for any hope you can have of deliverie by these fashions: but it may bee you affect this life, or meane to marrie Clotorindus; if so, I have done amisse, for which I beseech you pardon me, and him, with whom I will likewise leave Macedon: for what shall I doe here, where worth is contemned, and slaverie esteemed? When shee heard the honest speech of my Master, and saw the likelihood of loosing him, in whom onely shee could have assurance of truth and trust, shee told him, his love and truth had gaind his pardon; for shee would not have him goe by any meanes. For mee, shee would have mee sent to her, with whom shee would speake (since shee could not believe, such a Prince would take such a course for her love), and direct me what I should doe, if shee found I was the man he spake of. Hee reurning, told mee of it; and the time being come, I resolv'd (though for it I did die) since shee did mistrust mee to goe like my selfe; so as putting on my owne clothes, and my Sword by my side, but my Masters cloake upon them, I past into the Garden, and so into a Gallerie, the honest man directing mee there to tarrie, till shee came unto mee. When shee appeared, it was like a blazing Starre, foretelling my lost life and liberty, if she did still persever in her crueltie. But when shee spake, my heart was so possessed, as I had not one word to answere her; onely throwing off my disguise, kneeling downe, and gazing on her, was the manner of my suing to her. Shee came then nearer, and taking mee up, shee said: My Lord (for so my Servant telles mee I may call you), much doe I wonder, why disguis'd till this time you have continued? If for love, your judgement much erred, to thinke I could affect so low as a Servant; if for other ends, my selfe would never doe my selfe the wrong, to thinke of any unnoble course: and if the first, why did you not seeke to discover it? Divine Lady (said I), farre be it from me to have a thought to injure that vertue, which admiringly I love, and loving, honour; the reason why I remaind disguis'd and unknowne, was the happinesse I conceived in seeing you, and the feare I had to loose that happinesse, no way so much flattering my selfe, as to have a hope to attaine to that, whereto my best thoughts ambitiously did flee: feare kept me silent, love made me feare. Now you have it, dispose of mee mercifully, else soone after this discoverie, bee pleasd to heare of my sad end. She it seemd had pitie, but not so much as to expresse it, wherfore she only answered thus. To assure me of your love, and you of pity, this is the course you must take; instantly leave this place, nor returne unto it, untill such time as your fame by your noble deeds may prove such, as shall make you worthy of my love; then returne, release mee with your owne hands; make me perfectly know, you are Prince Rosindy, and I wil give my self unto you. I with all joy promised those conditions should be performd. She smil'd, and said, a Lover would promise any thing. I will die (said I) but accomplish these. Then will I be yours (said she). That gave me a full heaven of joy; so kneeling downe againe, and taking her hand, I kist it, and on it seald my vow. But one thing more (said she) I would have you doe; let all these deeds be done, while you still keepe your name of the Unknowne, and so bee cald till you returne, unlesse some great occasion happen to reveale your selfe. I promisd likewise this, and so by that name of Unknowne, I have past these ten moneths, never discovering my selfe to any, but lately to Leandrus, and a brave Gentleman (then told he her the whole adventure), and now unto your selfe. With promise of her love, my vow anew solemnely made, I took my leave, my hart fild with sorrow to part, and my soule ready to leave this earthly cage, grieving so much to leave my better self: she in like sort was sorry, and pretily exprest it; yet would not let too much bee seene, lest it might stay me, so we parted. I happie, and sorry; she sorry, and most happy in her owne noble vertues. But now mee thinkes the time is so long, as desire makes me haste homewards, accounting that my home where my soule remaines: but to this place I came first of purpose, to heare what resolution was taken for the conquest of Albania, but most for the reliefe of Macedon. To obay my Ladies commaund, I came secretly, and so will remaine unknowne, but to you my dearest Sister: now tell me what you heare, and keepe my knowledge to your selfe? Pamphilia with infinite joy hearing this story, and the brave fortune like to befall her deare brother, tooke him affectionately by the hand, using these words: Most worthy to bee held dearest brother; the happinesse is much greater which I conceive, then able to expresse, seeing the likelihood of your worthily merited fortune: What I know, I were a poore weake woman, if I would conceale from you, or reveale of you. Therefore, know the intent was to conquer Albania first: but whether the absence of Steriamus will hinder it or no, I yet know not; but this I beleeve, that such meanes may be wrought as to preferre Macedon before the other, and since your content, and fortunes lie that way, if you will trust me, I will order it so, as that shall bee first. Bind mee more if you can, sweete Sister, and to make mee happy, enj oy the authoritie over mee and mine (said hee). Then did shee entreate him, that hee would for a while tarrie there, which hee graunted, till such time as they could order their affaires according to their owne minds. While this content lasted to Pamphilia, as much griefe increased to Antissia , which griefe at last grew to rage, and leaving sorrow fell to spite, vowing to revenge, and no more complaine; this thought did so farre possesse her, as her countenance bewrayed her heart, shunning the sight of Pamphilia who with love and respect did covet hers. This change made the sweet Princesse infinitely admire, what the reason should bee that now mooved her, she seeming to have remaind satisfied. But those who know that languishing paine, also know, that no perfect satisfaction can be, unlesse the humor it selfe with satisfaction doe quite leave the possessed: for as long as one sparke lives though never so little, it is able with the least occasion, or signe of occasion, to make a great fire, and so did it now prove. Pamphilia desirous to have no unkindnes betweene them, sought all waies to please her: this was as ill a course, as if of scorne she had done it, or in pitie (having deceiv'd her) would shew the most despised, and contemptible friendship, which is pitie. Madnes grew so upon this, as she burst out into strange passions, especially one day, when as Embassadours came from the young King of Romania, to give thanks to the King of Morea, for his royall curtesie to his Aunt. who by the Knight of Love, he understood to be in his Court, giving withall such infinite praises of him, to the unspeakable joy of the old King, and all the Court, knowing him to bee Amphilanthus, as mirth liberally shewed her selfe in all faces but Antissia's. The Embassadour having delivered letters to her, both from Amphilanthus, and the King, wherein she was intreated to come into Romania to him, and by her servant advised, not to refuse the Kings demand, but to goe with the Embassadour, which was the new Duke Lizandrinus, whither in short time himselfe would also come: but the more sweet and kind language hee us'd in his letter, the greater was her conceite, it was used to flatter her, complement never being used in the time of her happinesse, especially when she came to the point of going, she directly concluded, that he had laid that tricke upon her, to be rid of her sight, and the freelier to enjoy his new Mistris, and this she angerly told Pamphilia, whispering in her eare, withall adding, that he might aswell have told her thus much himselfe, considering she saw him, and you brave Lady (said she) last night in the Gardenwood. Pamphilia between feare to have her brother discoverd by her malice & disdaine so unjustly to be accused, her bloud scorning to lie stil when it was wrongd, boldly shewd it self in her face with thretning anger: but this mov'd a contrary effect then feare, increasing base jealousie in stead of noble thoughts & assurance of that she falsely conceived, proving this to be true, that mistrust which is most times built upon falshood, gaines greatest assurance from the falsest grounds. She seeing her blush (as she cald it) by that judging guiltines, and that, working spite, went away laden with scorne, & her own suspition, which now wrought to fury. Into her chamber she went, where throwing her selfe upon her bed, careles of ease or hansomnes, she brake into these speeches. Accursed day that first knew Antissia breathing, why was not the aire pestilent, the milk poyson, the armes that held me serpents, and the breasts that gave me suck venom'd? and all these chang'd from their proper goodnesse to have wrought my destruction? Miserable fate that brought me to bee lost, and found by him who now ruines me, Treacherous Love, but more treacherous Lover; I might (wretch that I was) have taken heed by others, and not have runne into the same danger my selfe; now I am well requited, and payed in the same kind, for glorying at them, and in my gaine, while they waild under the waight of his forsaking them; now must I tread with them in the path of that miserie. Fond creatures that joy in this, beware, this must at last bee your owne; your turne 'twill bee (though last) to leade the dance. False creature; was it not enough to deceive mee of my liberty, and honour, but to overthrow me utterly? to destroy my quiet content, which in the smart of your love I enjoyed? Cursed bee the time I admired your sweetnesse, and familiar kindnesse, your loving care, and tender respect, which made my heart too soft, yeelding to the power of your allurings. Is it come to this? Was all your fondnesse for this purpose? Did you only strive to win, to cast away at pleasure? Were all your desired meetings for this, to make me the more miserably end with neglective forsakennesse? If any man could be true, I assured my selfe it must be you. O that I had enough considered, there was doubt justlie made of mans truth in love; then had I more safely defended my selfe from this disaster. Amphilanthus , thou wert Noble, just, free: How is this change? Can noblenesse bee, where deceit rules? Can justice be where cousonage governs? can freedome bee, where falshood lives? Those were: but these are now in thee. Was thy sadnesse for this new wound? Alas, I assured my selfe it was for parting from mee, that so much change did grow. Could not I (blinde foole that I was) have markt his often frequenting Pamphilia's Chamber? his private discourse with her? his seeking opportunitie to bee in her presence? his stolne lookes? his fearefull but amorous touching her hand? his kissing his owne hand, rather comming from hers, then going to hers? Loving it more for having touch'd that beloved hand, then for being his. Oft would hee doe this, and looke on mee, then did I beleeve, all was meant to mee, which he did to her, and wisht it had been I, his eyes betraid mee, my beliefe bewitched mee, and his falshood must kill mee. Churlish affection, why torture you me alone? make him likewise smart, make her likewise vexe. But I need not curse her, since (poore Lady) she is but entring into her following perplexitie. Alas Pamphilia, I pitie thee, and indeed love thee no whit lesse then before; I cannot, nor may not blame thee for loving him, since none can resist his conquering force in love, nor for seeking him: for whose soule would not covet him? but I blame him for spoyling poore hearts to his glorious triumph. Unnaturall man that preyes on his owne kind, nourishing his life with the ruine of simple innocent Lovers; a cruell foode, but crueller devourer of them: which hath wrought this hardnesse in mee, as from hence to love thee, but till I can bee reveng'd of thee; and such a revenge will I have, as thy hard heart shall melt for it, if any goodnesse bee left in it; for over the world will I seeke thee (my journey to Romania once ended) to bee thus quit with thee, that thy false eyes, and flattring tongue, shall bee no longer able to deceive, or betray thy selfe or others, but behold the true end of me, who gaine my death by thy falsehood, and in thy presence will I conclude my life with my love to thee. I wondred, yet never had wit to doubt, why so much Ceremonie lately came from you; ceremonie indeede, being a shadow, not substance of true love. Change wrought it, and change put on the habit of that which once was love: for once I know you loved me, and was fond of me; fond, I fondnesse it may most properly be cald; for love is eternall, but this changeable. Many wee see fond of sports, of horses, of doggs; and so was it my dogged fortune, to have you fond of me: but the immortall part, the soule, is not fond, but loving, which love fo ever lives; and this love wanted I, onely enjoying his fond, and fondly proov'd desires, which are remov'd, and have left nothing behind, but the sad remembrance of my once great and highest esteem'd blessing; now remaine I, throwne downe into the darknesse of despaire, and losse, by losse of his affection. Thus discoursing, tossing upon her Bed, she remain'd; fed not, nor slept all that night: the next morning early going to the Garden Woods, whither she sooner came then Pamphilia, where being a while, and sitting under the same Ashe, wherein the other affectionate afflicted Princesse had written the Sonnet, shee was invited, either by her owne passion, or the imitation of that excellent Lady, to put some of her thoughts in some kind of measure, so as shee perplexed with love, jealousie, and losse as shee belee v'd, made this Sonnet, looking upon the Sunne, which was then of a good height. The Sunne hath no long journey now to goe While I a progresse have in my desires, Disasters dead-low-water-like do show The sand, that overlook'd my hop'd-for hyres. Thus I remaine like one that's laid in Briers, Where turning brings new paine and certaine woe, Like one, once burn'd bids me avoid the fires, But love (true fire) will not let me be slow. Obedience, feare, and love doe all conspire A worth-lesse conquest gain'd to ruine me, Who did but feele the height of blest desire When danger, doubt, and losse, I straight did see. Restlesse I live, consulting what to doe, And more I study, more I still Undoe. Undoe (cride she), alas I am undone, ruind, destroyd, all spoild by being forsaken, restlesse affliction which proceeds from forsaking: yet would I bee beholding to this Enemie of mine, if forsaking in my torments would possesse me, so I might remaine forsaken by them: but that must not bee, I must onely know pleasure, happinesse, and the chiefe of happinesses love, from my beloved forsake mee; but paine, torture, and shame will still abide, and dwell with me. Then went shee a little further towards the River, where by the banke under the Willow lay the supposed Amphilanthus, the cause of all this businesse; his Helme was off, by reason of the heate, and securenesse from being discovered, not indeed being possible for any, except Antissia, who had by Pamphilia's leave a key to those walkes to come within them of that side of the River: shee had gone to him rashly, had not his voyce staid her, whereat she started at first, and then trembled with feare and joy, thinking by that likewise it had beene her Love: Jealousie had so transform'd her, as it was impossible for her to heare, or see, or know any thing but Amphilanthus , and her sorrow for him; when at another time shee would have laught at her selfe for making such unlikelinesse vexe her; hee spake but low, as it were whispering to himselfe these words. O my deare, when shall I (wretch) againe injoy thy sight, more deare, more bright to me then brightest day, or my owne life? Most sweet Commandresse of my only blisse, when, oh when shall I againe be blessed? Canst thou leave me thy loyall servant, here or anywhere, but with thy best deserving selfe? Shall I lye here in secret, complaining, when they selfe maist succour me? Quickly, alas, releeve me, never more neede, never more love sought it. These words gave her full assurance 'twas he, and jealousie told her they were spoken to Pamphilia. Rage now outgoing judgement, shee flew to him; ungratefull man, or rather monster of thy sexe, said she, behold before thee, thy shame in my dishonour wrought by my love, and thy change? Rosindy was amazed, and fear'd betraying, wondring his Sister was so carelesse of him: shee seeing her rash and unpardonable fault, in having thus wrong'd her Love, stood in such a depth of amazednesse, and torment (all affections working at once their owne waies in her) as she was a meere Chaos, where unfram'd, and unorder'd troubles had tumbled themselves together without light of Judgement, to come out of them. The blacke Knight beheld her, wondring more at her manner, and former speech, then now heeding his being knowne, admiring at her passion, and not understanding her words, to his thinking never having seene her, and therefore not guilty of her blaming him. But now was shee a little come to her selfe, but so as feare, and modesty causd so much bashfulnesse as scarce shee could bring forth what she desired; but with eyes cast downe and a blushing face, shee with much adoe, said thus. Sir, I beseech you as a Lover (for so I perceive you are) hide the imperfections of one of that number, my selfe unfortunatly having fallen into the worst extremity, which is Jealousie, and worse, if may bee worse, without cause as now I perceive, but falshood which hath caused it. I mistooke you, and more have mistaken my selfe, or indeed my better selfe: conceale I beseech in this, and if I may serve you in any thing, for requitall command, and I will obey you. Faire Lady, said he, I cannot but exceedingly pitty your estate, and wish the happiest amendment to it: My humblest suit unto you shall be onely this, that you will conceale my being heere, not esteeming me so worthy as once (after your going hence) to remember you saw me, till such time, as it may fortune, I may doe you service, or that I come to acknowledge this favour from you, and I shall in the like obey you. As shee was answering, and promising that, Pamphilia came, but with infinite discontent against Antissia for being there, when as shee without dissembling, but withall unfaigned love, and shame, fell at her feet, beseeching her pardon, crying out, that never liv'd there a more unbless'd Creature then her selfe, who had now liv'd to wrong the two perfect mirrours of their Sexes, with the base (and most worthy of contempt) humour of suspition. Pamphilia tooke her up, and quickly was the peace made, the one seeking to give all satisfaction, the other willing to receive any, rather then for that businesse to make more stirring. Then with promise of her secret holding, the Knights being there, not so much as desiring to know his name, lest that might make suspition, she desired to know, to discover. Againe she departed contented, and as happy as before she had beene disquieted; onely now grieved that she had wrong'd Amphilanthus. She gone the deare Brother and Sister sate downe together, Pamphilia speaking thus. My long stay (said shee) might have marr'd your promise and my desired care of keeping you secret, had not this good chance of acknowledgement wrought the contrary; but howsoever it had brought little harme to you, since long, I feare, you will not here abide, after you understand the newes I bring, which is this. My Father was this morning in Councell, where it was set downe that Macedon is fittest to be first releev'd, and the rather, beause it is more easie to gaine the Kingdome out of one Usurpers hand, then out of many. My Mother hath beene infinite earnest, and as earnest as if she knew your mind, her reason being, that the young Queene is her Neece, as you know, and Macedon once quieted, Albania will be the sooner won. Selarinus the younger Brother likewise hath desired the businesse of Albania may be layd aside till Steriamus be heard of, not willing to bee thought hasty in winning honour, and love in his owne Countrey in the absence of his Brother: and in truth, I must say, he doth like himselfe in it, and that is like one of the finest Princes I know, for so he is, and the like will you say when you once knowe him, and know him you must, his ambition (as he termes it) being to gaine the honour of your friendship, and to be your Companion in your travels. I have promis'd him to be the meanes for him; and beleeve me brother, you will thank me for it, since a sweeter disposition match'd with as noble a minde, and brave a courage, you never (I beleeve) encountred. Rosindy was so joy'd with this discourse, as he knew not almost what this last part of her speech was: wringing her hand, O said he, the blessed Messenger of eternall happinesse; but what Forces shall go to redeeme her? The number from hence, said she, are fifty thousand, from Achaia twenty, from Romania twenty, the Achaians are to be demanded by Ambassadors now appointed; that Army to be lead by Leandrus, the Romanians by Lysandrinus , the same Duke who is here now with us, and who certainly assures my Father, that number will not be refus'd by his Master, but rather more forces added to them. Now doth my Father wish for you to lead his men, desiring you should have the honour of this brave attempt, by strong working of divine knowledge, I thinke, understanding your minde. Choose now whether you will breake promise or no, to your Mistris; yet doe I not see, but the liberty she gave you, will permit you to doe this; No, said he, deare Pamphilia, counsell me not to be unjust, and in the greatest to mine owne vow, and that vowe to my Love? But thus you may helpe mee, assure my Father that you know where to finde me, and let him reserve the honour of the charge for me, and you bring mee to receive it, in which time I will post to Macedon, and get leave to returne, and take the charge: This they agreed upon, so being somewhat late she left her Brother there, promising to come againe to him after Dinner, and then to let him know the Kings answer, and so take leave of each other. She return'd when as she found the King and the whole Court assembled to see, and heare a strange adventure. An aged man of grave and majestick countenance, haire white as snow, and beard downe to his girdle, bound in strong chaines of Iron; a young man likewise enchaind with him, foure Squires leading them, the old man with teares, and pitifull groanes telling his story thus. Most famous King, behold before you the distressed king of Negroponte, brought into this misery by my owne folly, so much doating on a daughter of mine, as I suffered my selfe to fall into the sinne of forgetfulnesse to this my sonne, too worthy I confesse for me, deserving a farre better title then my sonne, unlesse I had been a more natural father; For such was my affection to that ungratefull child of mine, as I disinherited my sonne cald Dolorindus, whose vertues appeare by the blacke sinnes of his sister, who I even now grieve to name: but why should my sorrow bee increased with the sight of your noble compassions? or better to say, Why should so worthlesse a creature move sorrow in such royall minds? to avoide which, I will as briefly, as my miserable relation will give me leave, discourse my tragick storie to you. After I had unnaturally disinherited Dolorindus here present, I gave the kingdome (which came by my wife, and she dead) to Ramilletta, my ungratious daughter, who requited me, as Vipers doe their Dam; for no sooner had shee the possession, but she fell into such ill government, and indeed beastly living, as the report wounded my honour, and staind my blood: I ashamed, grieved at it, told her of it, perswaded her to leave it, telling her, how cruell a blow it was to my soule; to see her shame. Shee made mee no answer, but with her eyes cast downe, left the roome where I was. I thought confession and repentance had caus'd this countenance: but alas, I was deceived, for it was rage, and scorne procured it, as soone I found: for instantly came in a number of her servants, who tooke me, and cast mee into a darke terrible prison, where they kept me one whole yeare: then came Dolorindus, and strove with al his wit and power to release me; but finding it could not be wrought by other meanes then good nature; desiring, that as he had life from me, hee might have death also with me. She taking some pitie of him, or rather not willing to shed his bloud her selfe (though shee cared not who did) told him, that if hee could overcome two knights, which shee would appoint to encounter him, hee should have his owne, and my liberty, else to be at her dispose. This hee agreed unto, glad that hee had a shadow of hope (for no more it proved) for my release, undertaken by him. The day was appointed, when as I was brought into a little place, made of purpose for seeing the combate; shee, and her servants hoping this would be the last day of my trouble to them, when I should see Dolorindus slaine, and her cruelty increase, both which must (as they did trust) end my life with breaking of my heart; and so indeed it neerely had, and would assuredly, had my soone been kild, whose love to me, did make my fault so foule before me, as affection proved curster then affliction. But to the matter: so bravely did my Dolorindus behave himselfe for our deliveries, as although the other were such, as still if a challenge were made, they were chosen; if any valiant man had been named, they had bin instantly commended with him; nay, such confidence all had of their strength, as if the kingdome had bin in danger to be lost, and only to be saved by combate, these would have been set for the Defendants, yet were these two overcome by Dolorindus, and in our presence had their lives ended by his brave arme, who yet had sufferd his bloud to accompany their deaths, trickling downe as fast, as the teares from a mothers eies, for the losse of her dearest sonne: so much indeed he lost, as he was for faintnes forced to bee carried away to Chirurgions (I thought) and so to safetie. In some kind this was true, but not to libertie; for she seeing the honour he had got, and fearing the love of the people would fall upon him, seeing his worth, she kindly in shew brought him into a rich chamber, and had his wounds drest, taking infinite care of him: but as soone as he recoverd, hee was for safetie shut into a strong Tower, where he remaind till within these few moneths, my selfe carried backe againe into my prison, where I was vext with the continuall discourse of her bravery, of Dolorindus death, and of her marriage with an undeserving man, who in my life of government I ever hated, no worth being at all in him, that he should deserve mention; but that he had no worth in him meriting mention; never so detestable a Villaine breathing. This creature she fell in love withall, and lived withall; but now I thinke is partly wearie of, because shee doth expose him to fight for her honour, being before so fond of him, as she was afraid the wind should almost blow upon him: but him shee hath brought, and three more his brothers; and if these fower can bee overcome, by any Knights in this Court, wee shall bee set at libertie, else remaine Prisoners, which wee have consented unto. Now Sir, if you please to give us such knights, they shall enter. The King answered, that such unnaturalnesse deserved a farre sharper punishment, and that there was no sense, a Combat should end so foule a businesse. Hee replide, that hee was contented, and therefore desired but the knights, and for the matter, it was already determined. Then stept Selarinus forth, desiring to bee one; Pamphilia likewise intreated, shee might have the favour to bring another, who shee would undertake for, meaning the Prince of Corinth; the Prince of Elis would not bee denied to bee the third; and Lisandrinus humbly besought in such a businesse he might be the fourth. This was agreed upon, so Pamphilia went to the Wood, and there discoursing the businesse to her brother, hee instantly resolved to be one, and whether she would or no, came with her, his Beaver close for feare of disco very, doubting nothing else but his face to betray him; for so much was hee growne in height and bignesse, as hee could not be taken for Rosindy. The fower Defendants being there met, the rest entred, Ramiletta going in the midst of the fower Challengers, two before her, two behind her, but so farre asunder, as they made from corner to corner the fashion of a Saltier crosse. So terrible were these to behold, as few could indure to looke upon them, onely her servant was a little milder in his countenance, and somewhat lesse then the others. Their haire was of a browne red colour; and bristled; their eyes of answerable bignesse to their bodies, but furiously sparkling fier. When Pamphilia saw these Monsters, shee would as willinglie have had her Brother thence, as hee ambitiously wisht to have the Combate begin: then followed fifty knights without swords, but their Beavers close, being such, as the old King told the Court, were taken, seeking to deliver them from bondage, and who were brought along with them for witnesse of their valour and power. These huge men, who were cald the terrible and unconquered Brethren, nor the Lady, made any reverence, but gazed upon the company and Ladies, who there stood to behold them: then were they carried to the Lists, the old man againe speaking: Sir, these are the Challengers; may it please you that the Defendants likewise go. The King was sorry for the Knights, & in his mind more troubled, then long time before he had bin, once being of the mind to have hindred it: but considering his honor was ingaged, in that, he went on, commanding his great Marshall nevertheles to have some other number of Knights ready arm'd upon any occasion. This was done, and so being all in the Lists, the Judges plac'd, and the Trumpets sounding, Ramiletta was brought in her Chariot of pale greene Velvet, made of an unusuall fashion, and those fiftie knights standing round about her, the old man and his son being in a seate behind her in the same Chariot. The Justs beginning, the Unknowne Knight encountred the greatest of the foure; Selarinus the next in bignesse and fiercenesse, almost his equall; Lisandrinus the third, and the Prince of Elis the fourth. The first encounter was strong and terrible, for the mourning Knight was struck flat upon his backe, and his adversaries horse was with the blow strooke dead, his Master by that meanes falling to the ground; Selarinus and his enemie both unwillingly saluting the earth with their heads, the rest had likewise that fortune: then bravely began the fight with the swords, which continued one whole howre, no advantage being seene, till the Prince of Elis with extreame losse of bloud, and a wound in his leg, fell to the earth; at that instant had the unknowne Knight given his enemy a wound in the thigh, which was so great, and besides given crosse, as he could not stand, but like a huge mast of a ship, with the storme of this blow laid his greatnes along; the other going to strike off the Prince of Elis his head, was by the blacke Knight hindred, striking off that arme, which was depriving the Prince of his life. At this he cried out, giving the watchword which was among them, so as the other, who had now even wearied their foes, left them, running to the place where the Princes sat, catching Pamphilia in their armes, and straight carrying her into the Chariot; the other fifty at the instant got Swords for the accomplishing of their wills, privately hid in the Chariot, a place being made under the seate for them, the Hilts onely out, which were taken to bee but artificially made to seeme Swords, and placed for ornaments round about the body of the Chariot, being all painted about, and carv'd with Trophies, and such like devices. Then did the old man as soone as they had their prey, turne Chariot man, driving the Horses with great swiftnesse, the King cride for helpe; but alas, in vaine as it seem'd, tearing his haire for this oversight. But soone was this businesse ended, for Selarinus marking their treason, leapt up upon his horse againe, pursuing them, and overtaking them, kild the former horse, the rest running, fell over him, so as the Chariot was staid. Then came two strange Knights, who by chance were going to the Court, to whom the Traytor cride for helpe, saying, That that Knight by force would take his Lady from him, beseeching even with teares to have their help, for (said he) here is the famous Princesse Pamphilia, whom this Villaine would take from mee, and abuse. With that the strange Knights began to prepare, but Selarinus told them, they were best take heed, for (said hee) this is all false that he reports, and hee hath stolne by treason this Lady from the Court, where there is yet a cruell fight, I having left them to rescue this Princesse. One of them straight knew his voice, so as drawing their swords on his side, as before they were ready to doe it against him, they drew to the Chariot, demaunding of the Princesse if this were true? She answered, Yes; and therefore (said she) assist this worthy Prince. Then they tooke the old man and youth, and as before they were in counterfeit chaines; they made them sure in true ones, tying them with the false Ramiletta to the hind end of the Chariot, so putting their Squires to leade the horses. With this brave Princesse they returnd, and most fortunately for the other distressed Knights at the Court, who were so tired with the terrible Brothers, and fifty other, as they were almost at their last, the poore unarmd Courtiers lying as thicke slaine, as if they had strewed the place with their bravery, in stead of flowers. the Marshal came with his troop: but so little could he availe, as only taking the King, and carrying him away to safetie with the Queene, and such as did run with them, left the two brave Combatants to defend themselves, who did so bravely, as they had slaine two of the Brothers out-right, Rosindy hav ing kild one, wounded the other in the thigh, and now was fighting with him, whom Selarinus had first encountred, but very weake with wearines, and losse of bloud, the fierce man prest sorely on him, when Selarinus again came, and finish'd his begun worke, giving him a blow on the head, which made him stagger, and seconding it, laid him on the earth: then leapt he from his horse, lifting the blacke Knight up in his stead, and so strake he off the head of that Traytor. Now was there but one left, and he wounded, yet the number of Knights were little decreased, so as if the two new knights had not come, they would have been in a farre worse case, who so bravely behaved themselves, as soone the victory was clearely theirs. Rosindy bestirring himselfe in such manner, as who ever had seene him, and told the Queene his Mistris of it, that alone, without any other Conquest, had been enough to win her. By this all was quiet, then tooke they some of those Knights, who had yeelded and demaunded mercy, the wounded Brother, and the traiterous old man, Ramiletta, and the youth, going with this troope into the Pallace; the body likewise of the Prince of Elis they carried with them, which yet seemd but his body, no breath stirring, nor any shew of life appearing, till being laid in his bed, and carefully lookt unto, his old Father being there griev ed in heart, yet the better contented, since if he died, it would be to his honour for ever, to end his daies in so noble an adventure; life againe possessed him, but weakely expressing itselfe for many daies, yet did he recover. When this company came into the Hall, straight came the King unto them, running to Pamphilia, and weeping with joy to see her free againe, so as in a pretie space he could not speake unto her, but when, O my deere heart (said he) what treason was there here against mee, to deprive mee of thy sight? Shee comforting him, and letting some teares fall, as dutifully shed to wait on him, besought him, since shee found that blessednesse, as his so great affection to her, that he would thanke those, who restored her to him; then taking them all one after another in his armes, he desired to know the blacke Knight. Pamphilia then answerd. Sir, said shee, this Knight is so ingaged by a vow, as he can hardly let his name be knowne; yet since, this liberty was giv en, that upon extraordinary occasion hee might reveale himselfe, I will undertake the discovering, and fault (if fault there be in this) upon mee, and then turning to him, Brave Brother, said shee, comfort our Fathers age with the happinesse of the sight of such an incomparable Sonne, with that Rosindy pulling off his Helme kneeled downe. But when the King beheld him, he fell upon his necke, with such affection kissing him, as if all his love were at that instant in him, and joynd together to expresse it to him. Then was command given for a rich Chamber for him, whither he was lead, Selarinus accompanying him, being lesse hurt then he, yet had he not escaped free from remembrance of that divellish creature. All now at peace, no discourse was but of the valour of the defendants, but especially the honor of Rosindy was blazed abroad, having with his own hand kil'd one of the Brothers, wounded another, and wearied the third to death, slaine many of the Knights, and by his example done so much, as incouraged the weake bodies of the rest, whose hearts never faild. Then Selarinus was commended exceedingly, and indeed with great cause, for his valour was equall with most, his care that day exceeding others. Pamphilia being saved from imprisonment by him. Lisandrinus with all honour respected, who made manifest proofe of his valour, and affection to the Court. The Prince of Elis did so well, as made all assured of his being a brave Knight, this the first of his adventures having so manfully performed: for had not an unlucky blow in the legge hindred him from standing, he had also slaine his foe. The two last Knights were of the Court, one, Sonne to the Marshall, cald Lizarino ; and the other, Tolimandro, Prince of Corinth. The Traytors were all carried to a strong Tower, where they remaind till the Knights were well againe recovered, which in short time was to the great joy and comfort of every one. Now did Pamphilia thinke it fit to acquaint the King with her Brothers businesse; wherefore first asking leave of Rosindy, shee did; the King being infinite glad of this newes, went straight unto his lodging, whom he found alone, but for Selarinus, who never left him, as strict and firme an affection growing betweene them, as ever lived in two mens hearts, one unto another. Then did the King impart unto him, what Pamphilia had told him, which was confirmed by Rosindy, the match liked, and commended by the King: the resolution was, as Pamphilia before had told him, and hee chosen Generall of the Morean forces, Selarinus his Lieutenant; and thus with preparing for these wars, and every one contented (except the loving Ladies); Love must againe be a little discoursed of. Parselius (who making haste after Amphilanthus) tooke his way thorow Morea; but after not as hee was directed by the Squires, but along Achaia, crossing the Gulfe of Lepanto, which course might make him misse the King, if hee came short of the Combate; they resolving to take their course backe againe by sea to Morea, as well to trie adventures in the Islands, as to hasten the forces, that being a shorter way: but here did Parselius, as destined for him (for till now hee still obeyed the other) meete a greater force then hee imagined, being in a Forrest benighted, and having none with him except his Cousins Squire, and his owne. In that solitary place they layd them downe for that night: The next day going on in that Desart till they came to a strong and brave Castle, situated in a litle Plaine, a great moate about it, and over it a draw Bridge, which at that time was downe, and some Servants upon it, looking upon the water which was broad and finely running: when the Prince came neere the place, they turnd their eyes to him, who courteously saluted them, and demaunded, whose Castle that was; they replied, it was the Kings, and that there liv'd within it his faire Daughter Dalinea. Is shee, said the Prince, to be seene? If so, I pray let her know that heere is a Knight desires to kisse her hand, well knowne to her Brother, and who had the honour to bee his Companion. One of the servants instantly ranne in, others went to take their horses, while Parselius lighted, and put off his Helme, wiping his face with his delicate white and slender hand, rubbing his haire, which delicatly and naturally curling made rings, every one of which were able to wed a heart to it selfe. By that time the Messenger returnd: leading him first into a stately Hall, then up a faire paire of stone staires, carv'd curiously in Images of the Gods, and other rare workmanship: at the topp they came into a brave roome richly hang'd with hangings of Needle-worke, all in Silke and Gold, the Story being of Paris his Love, and rape of Helen; out of that they passed into another roome, not so big, but farre richer, the furniture being every way as sumptuous if not bettering it; but what made it indeed excell, was that, here was Dalinea sitting under a Cloth of Estate, of Carnation Velvet, curiously and richly set with Stones, all over being Embrodered with purle of Silver, and Gold, the Gold made in Sunnes, the Silver in Starres, Diamonds, Rubies, and other Stones plentifully and cunningly compassing them about, and plac'd as if for the Skye where they shin'd; but she standing appeard so much brighter, as if all that had been, but to set forth her light, so farre excelling them, as the day wherein the Sunne doth shew most glorious, doth the drowsiest day. Her Ladies who attended her, were a little distant from her in a faire compasse Window, where also stood a Chaire, wherein it seemed she had been sitting, till the newes came of his arrivall. In that Chaire lay a Booke, the Ladies were all at worke; so as it shewed, she read while they wrought. All this Parselius beheld, but most the Princesse, who he so much admir'd, as admiration wrought so farre, as to permit him to thinke that she equal'd Urania; this was a sudden stepp from so entyre a Love, as but now hee vowed to his Shepherdesse, being an Heresie, as he protested, for any man to thinke there liv'd a creature like his Love. But into this hee is now falne, and will lead the faction against her. Uncertaine Tyrant Love, that never brings thy Favourits to the topp of affection, but turnes againe to a new choice; Who would have thought any but Urania's beauty, could have invited Parselius to love? Or who could have thought, any might have withdrawne it, till this sight? Which so much mov'd as he loves Urania, but for being somewhat like to Dalinea, but her, for her owne sake. He was not so struck with wonder when he first saw Urania, (though with it he lost his liberty) as he was now wounded to death, loosing life if no compassion succeeded; this first sight wonne him, and lost his former Bondage, yet was he freed, but to take a new bond upon him. He went towards her, who with a Maj esticke, yet gracious fashion met him, who saluted her thus. My fate leading me (I hope for my greatest happinesse, I'm sure yet for my best content, bringing me thus to behold your excellencies) from farre places, unlooking for pleasures, am brought to the height of them most incomparable Lady, in comming thus into your presence, whereto I was emboldned by the love I bare your Brother, by the curtesies of your servants, the honour your selfe granted me in licencing my approach: but most by my owne soule, which told me I must not passe without paying the tribute of my best service, to the Princesse of all women; for how would my conscience accuse me in such a neglect? How would my heart blame me for such an omission? But how might brave Leandrus chide Parselius, if hee yeelded not himselfe at the feete of his worthily admired Sister? Dalinea hearing him call himselfe Parselius, with a sweet and pleasing blush, desired pardon, that she had so farre forgot her selfe, as not to doe him sufficient reverence; but yet a little blame your selfe, great Prince, said she, who unknowne, and undiscovering your selfe to any, you come among us: pardon this rudenesse, and be pleas'd to accept my submission for it; to deserve which favour, I will strive in giving you the best welcome to deserve it. He took her hand, aud kissed it, which although she could in respect have hindred, yet so delicate was his hand, as shee was content to let him hold and kisse hers. Then she brought him under the State, where two Chaires being set, they passed away some time, discoursing of adventures, and of the sweet content the Companion Princes enjoyd in their youthes, shee infinitely delighting in those stories, especially when they touched on her brother, whom entirely she loved. Parselius finding which way her affection lead her, made his attend her, and all his stories, either beginning, or ending with the praise of Leandrus. Thus one pleas'd, and the other contented, that it was in him to content her; they passed some dayes love creeping into the heart of Dalinea, as subtilly as if he meant to surprise, and not by open force take her: Discourse procur'd conversation, sweet conversation, liking of it selfe; that liking, desire to continue it; that desire, loving it, and that the man that affoorded it: and thus farre come, I should wrong her if I should not say, shee yeelded in her heart to love his person, whose discourse had made his way, by taking first her eares prisoners, now her eyes likewise execute their office, brings his excellent shape, his beauty, his absolute brave fashion: then her understanding besets her, tells her how excellent his wit is, how great his valour, how matchlesse his worth, how great his descent, and royall possessions; all these, alas, joynd, and made a curious, and crafty worke to compasse that, which love himselfe without halfe, or any in comparison of these assistants, could have made his subject. But as the rarest Jewell is not to be had but at the highest rate: so her peerelesse perfections must have all this businesse to gaine her; but now she is wonne, and he almost lost, not daring to thinke so, or ventring to winne it: He would with his eyes tell her his heart, with kissing her delicate hand, with a more then usuall affection, let her feele his soule was hers: She found it, and understood what hee would have her understand, nay, shee would answer his lookes with as amorous ones of her part, as straightly, and lovingly would she hold his hand, but knowing modesty forbid, shee would sigh, and in her soule wish that he would once speake; but bashfulnesse with-held him, and woman modestie kept her silent; till one afternoone, walking into a most curious and dainty Garden, where all manner of sweets were ready in their kind to entertaine them; Flowers of all sorts for smell and colour; Trees of all kinds of fruits, and walkes divided for most delight, many Birds singing, and with their notes welcomming them to that place: At last, a payre of innocent white Turtles came before them, in their fashion woing each other, and so wonne, enjoying their gaine in billing, and such like pretty joy. Parselius taking advantage on this, how blessed (said he) are these poore Birds in their owne imaginations, thus having one anothers love! Tis true, said Dalinea, but more blessed are they, if the story bee true, that they never change. Having once, said he, made a perfect choice, none sure can after change. I never heard man accuse himselfe, said she, but rather when he had runne into that fault, finde something amisse in his former love. I am sorry, replide the Prince, you have so ill an opinion of men, since that I feare, will hinder you from honouring any with your love. Why should you feare that answerd shee? Because (sigh'd hee) I would not have such admirable Beauties unaccompanied, but joyn'd to a worthy associate. These must, said shee, for any thing I see remaine as they doe (if such as you say) long enough, before they wil be sought; feare (cryde he) makes men speechlesse, and admiration hinders the declaring their affections. A poore lov er, said shee, such a one must be, who wants the heart of one such little Bird as this. I see most perfect Lady, said he, then, that this bashfulnesse is neither profitable nor commendable, wherefore I wil now, incouraged by your words, rather commit an error in honest plainnesse, then in fine Courtship, and if it be an error, take this with it, it is not meant amisse, though it may be rudely performed, as what but rudenesse can come from a wandring Knight? Not then to colour that which is most cleare, and perfect in it selfe, with fine and delicate Phrases, or to goe too farre about from the right way of discovering, give me leave, most excellent Princesse, to say, that so excelling was your power over me, when I first saw you, and so strongly hath continued the honour in keeping the conquest, as I am, and ever must bee your devoted Servant, my love being wholly dedicated to you; and this would faine long since have said, but I feared your displeasure, nor had I now ventured, but that me thought you bid me bee bold, taking your discourse wholly to my selfe. Then did you take it right, said shee, for I confesse; with that shee blush'd so prettily, and look'd so modestly amorous, as shee neede have said no more, to make him know she lov'd him: Yet he covetous to have the word spoken, taking her in his armes, be not so cruell my onely life said he, to barre me from the hearing of my blisse: Why then, said shee, I must confesse I love you. Blessednesse to my soule cryd he, these words are now; my dearer selfe canst thou affect poore me? I honor your worth, and love your selfe, said shee, but let your love be manifested to me in your vertuous carriage towards me. Vertue, said hee, made choice for me, then can she not abuse her selfe; and vertue in you made me most to love you, then assure your selfe, that onely vertue shall governe me. Thus they lovingly and chastly liv'd a while, only pleas'd with discourse; but that grew to leave place to more enjoying it selfe, being loath that any time should be spent without it, envying the night that kept them so long absent; to avoid which he so earnestly sued, and she so much lov'd, as she could not refuse, what hee desired for their equall contents: so as making two of her maides, and his Squire onely acquainted, one morning they stole out of the Castle by a back doore, which opened just upon the Mote, and having a bote there, wherein they used to row for pleasure, they crost the water, and so walked unto an Hermitage hard by, where after they had heard Prayers, the Hermit plaid the Priest and married them. With infinite joy they returnd, to come to the height of their desires, where wee will leave them a little, and speake of Berlandis, Squire to Amphilanthus, who longing to see his Lord, and seeing little hope of getting Parselius thence, resolv'd to try how he might get him from that lazie life, and win him againe to follow Armes: but alas, this was as impossible, as it was for Urania to believe, that Parselius would forsake her. Many times he urg'd him, many times he told him of adventures, which himselfe and his Cosen had past, to their eternall fames; oft hee remembred him of the promises hee had made, and vowes which ought to bee performed: but these wrought nothing, vowes he remembred not, but this last holy one, which was most religiously to bee observed: promises hee had made, but those might stay till some other time, or till he had longer solaced himselfe in these new delights. To conclude, Berlandis concluded to leave him, and so telling; and taking his leave of him, departed with this message to Amphilanthus, that he would in short time come unto him; in the meane time, intreated to bee pardoned, since in his time hee had a little absented himselfe from him upon a like, though not so just an occasion. Then hee charged Berlandis, not to let any know where hee had left him, except his owne Lord, and to intreate likewise his secrecie to all others to denie his finding of him. Thus Parselius obscured himselfe for some time, while the fame of his Brother bravely fild the world, and had shind alone like the greatest light, had not one eclips'd it with his greater power, which was, and is, Incomparable Amphilanthus, who with his two companions left Romania, intending to goe to Morea, as I before said, hasting thither, as in pretence of the Albanian businesse. After they had taken ship, they came downe the Archipelago, and amongst those Islands staying at Sio for fresh water, and to take in some passengers, left by that ship there, at her going to Constantinople; into the which Iland, the Knight of the Forrest would needes perswade the rest to enter, seeing it delightfull, and loving naturally to see novelties, and venture as farre, and oft-times as happilie as any: this motion was agreeable to Steriamus, whose heart yet faild him, for all Amphilanthus did warrant him to goe where his soule was Prisoner, for feare of offending her, though so much hee loved, as if hee had been sure to see her, and with that sight to die instantly, rather then live, and not see her, he would so have suffered death. But Amphilanthus was loath to loose time, yet hee was contented to content his Friend, so as they passed up a good way into the Iland themselves alone, without any other, not so much as their Squires with them: long they had not gone, before they met three fine young Maides, apparreld after the Greeke manner, carrying each of them a basket, wherein were severall delicate fruites; the knight of the Forrest went to them, desiring to bee resolv'd of the manner of that place, and whether they could let them understand any adventure. The maides with much sweetnes, and modest fashion replied; They were but of meane Parentage, and not accustomed to such businesses, but (said they) this last night a brave Gentleman lay at our Fathers house, much complaining of the losse of a young Prince, called Dolorindus, Prince of Negropont, who landed here, and since was never heard of; much hee seemd to doubt his danger, and especially to feare Treason, the Lord of this Iland being indeed the most cruell, and treacherous man breathing; old, and yet so ill, as his white haires have gaind that colour from black, since he practised villany, for these fortie yeares plotting nothing, but the destruction of brave Knights, and delicate Ladies, of which hee hath store in his Castle, where in darke and ugly prisons he continues them, onely letting them have light when he sends for them, and sports himselfe in their torments: and this proceedes from no other cause, but out of a generall hate to all, where vertue lives, and beautie dwells. His wife of as sweet a condition, who is worne away to bare bones with meere hatefull fretting, to heare that any should live inricht with goodnesse. From this paire are brought a forth couple of as hopefull branches, as can proceede from so good stocks; their parents ill, which they have bin many yeares practised in to come to perfection, being fully flowing in them, so as they in this kind excell, having so many yeares fewer, and yet as much sinne in them, falshood, and all treason abounding, with ill nature in them: one of them being a Daughter, and the elder called Ramiletta, the most cunning, dissembling, flattering, false Creature that ever sweete ayre suffered to breath in, without corrupting it with her poysonous treasons; the other a Sonne vilde, craftie, and beyond measure luxurious. These three are now gone a journey, whither I cannot tell you, but surely to some villanous purpose, bravely they are attended on, and richlie set forth, the old woman onely left behind with her practises to helpe if occasion serve, or by as much ill to rescue, if harme befall them. It was a glorious sight to see the brave furniture they had, delicate Horses and gallant troopes of Knights to the number of fiftie, besides foure, who were the fiercest and strongest of this Country, ugly and fearefull to behold, being Brothers, and called the terrible, being of stature little lesse then Giants; and indeed such, as surely for being so much above ordinarie stature were anciently termed so: a joyfull sight this also was, for every one rejoyced so much at their going, as in great troopes the people followed them to the sea, heartily wishing never to see them returne any more. Hath there been no newes of them since (said the Knight of Love. None (answered the Maides), nor will be we hope. But are there any prisoners remaining in his Castle (said he)? So the knight told my Father (said one of them) and wee are all certaine of it, if he put them not to death before his going, which I the lesse thinke, because his wicked mate so much affects the like pleasure in torturing, as she holds them surely living of purpose to delight her selfe. Will you favour us with the guiding us to the Castle said Amphilanthus? withall our hearts, said they, if we were sure to bring you safe backe againe, but fearing that, we rather desire pardon, then to bee the meanes of bringing hurt to such Gentlemen. Let the hazard of that lye on us, said the Knights, and the content to this Countrey, especially to your selves, when you shall see it freed from such Tyranny. Much adoe they had to perswade the Maides, to conduct them; yet at last, they prevaild, and altogether went to the house of the Traytor, by the way eating of those fruits they had in their Baskets: within fewe houres they arriv'd within sight of the Castle, and drawing neerer they saw two Gentlemen fighting on the Bridge, but presently they lost the sight of one being falne. Then another advanc'd himselfe who by that time that they came neere enough, to descry any thing done on the Bridge, they saw likewise betrayd by a false place in the Bridge, which they but comming on it strait opened, and as soone as they were fallen, shut againe; they of the house so well acquainted with it, as they easily avoided it. They seeing this treason, hating deceit of any thing, stood conferring what they might doe to avoide this tricke, when as the man that combated the other two, came unto them, curteously intreating them into the house, if it pleased them to enter without blowes: or if they would trie their forces, as all yet had done, he was the man that first would waite upon them in that exercise. They assuring themselves no good could be in that creature, who had betraid any, as curstly replied, as he had mildly (but craftily) spoken; telling him, that curtesie in Traytors must be as dangerous, as his kindnesse would prove, if they were so ignorant as to trust him, who they saw before their faces, had betraid two, who fought with him: wherefore they were resolv ed to be so farre from receiving his complement, as they would make him bring them to the surest entring into the Castle; which if hee refused, they would cut off his head. With which words they laid hands on him, and that but done, when with a loud and terrible voyce, hee gave notice to them within of his danger, which brought out many to his succour, that place never being without some alwaies arm'd. They rushed all on the Knights, who bravely behaved themselves, making quicke worke amongst them: but then came more, and such numbers, as with their freshnesse and companies, they put the Knights more to their skill, then in long time they had been: yet they whose hearts were filled with true worth and valour, would not thinke themselves in hazard, but stil confident of victory, pursued their Enemies to the Bridge, who seeing their want of strength to master the three, gave backe of purpose to win them to their snare: but soone did they find their deceit, so as avoiding the bridge, they scapt the plot, and got the knowledge of it; for they fearefull, and some unskild, runne upon the false place, which opened, they falling in: and the three knights seeing the place opened, discover'd the breadth to bee no more, then one might stride over, so as they bravely ventur'd leaping over it and entred the gate. Presently was a great cry and noise in the Castle, all now that could beare Armes running upon the knights; and so did they perplex them, as they forced them to take the benefite of putting their backs to a brave fountaine, which was in the midst of a square Court wherein they were. This gave them ease and safetie, being sure to have no hurt, but what they saw; thus they fought till none were left that durst fight with them. Then stood they a while to breathe, and rest them, when showers of arrowes came upon them out of the windowes, and from the battlements; these vexed them more then any thing, not knowing what to doe against them, but onely covering themselves with their Sheilds, made them their defences, while they rested a little. But no sooner had they gained breath, but they ranne up the stayres, and finding most of them women, yet cruell in that kind, and skilfull in shooting, they would not contend with them with their Swords, but running forcibly (in spite of their skill and continuall shots) within them, knowing no meanes to bee secure, the number being so great, were forced, for all their charitable mind, to begin at home with that vertue, and for their owne good to hurt them; which in this manner they did, throwing such as they could lay hands on out of the windowes, pursuing the rest, who running from them, yet still gall'd them with their arrowes, such was their nimblenesse and cunning, as they would shoote when they ran fastest. But at last they got the end of their travell, with the end of them, most kill'd or brused with the fall, the rest throwing downe their bowes, and craving mercie. But now came they to the place, where the spring of all mischiefe sate, the Mistrisse of wickednesse, and that Castle, in such distresse, because they were not distressed; as malice and all vices mixt together, could hardly bee the figure of this woman: but what could shee doe? All cunning now faild her, though she began with humilitie, fawning and flattringly begging life, succeeding with cursings, revilings and threatnings: but all prospered alike for they taking her, commaunded her to bring them where the Prisoners were. When shee saw no craft would prevaile, shee cast her hatefull looks upon them, and by an unlucky chance espying a Dagger at Ollorandus back, stept to him hastily, drawing it out, and as suddenly being unmarkt, strake Amphilanthus (who was then looking from herward, carelesse of her) under his Armour, giving him such a wound, as the bloud fell in great abundance from him: but soone was that well revenged, if her life were answerable for such a mischance; yet did they keepe her alive, till the Castle was setled, one drop of his bloud being more worth, then millions of lives of better people. Then she was terribly tortured, and yet kept long in paine for her more lasting punishment, and lastly burn'd. By this were most dead or yeelded, all being safe, Amphilanthus was carried into a rich chamber, where his wound was searched and drest by the three Sisters, who were now come into the Castle, brought in by Steriamus of purpose to dresse the Prince. Ollorandus being so perplext that it was his unlucky fate to have the weapon, that hurt his friend, as he was truly sorrow it selfe, even being ready with it to have parted his owne life from him had not Amphilanthus conjured him by all loves, and friendships, and protestations to forbeare. Quickly did the Sisters assure them of his safety, which as a blessing came unto them. After he was dress'd he sent his friend to fetch the Prisoners all before him, which was done, where were of Knights and Ladies such store, as (if in health and strength) there had beene a fit number for the furnishing a brave Court, but as they were, it was a sight of commiseration, so pale, and weake they were with want of foode, and their bodies so abused with tortures, as they appeard like people of purpose made to shew miserie in extremitie. Among them was Dolorindus, whose owne minde, and this usage, had brought him into a fit estate to answer his name. Amphilanthus knowing him, first tooke care of him, calling for his owne apparell which was brought, and causing delicate foode to bee brought him, cheerished him so, as by that time that he was able to travell for his wound, Dolorindus was likewise fit to accompany him, which in few daies came to passe by the diligence and care of the three Sisters, who were next in true succession by the Mothers side, to the ancient Lords of Sio: their Father came unto them with the Squires, to the Princes, and those of the Ship. Then prepared they for their departure, Amphilanthus bestowing the Castle and the Island upon the Sisters, his kinde Chyrugions, promising to send his faithfull and best esteemed servant Berlandis to marry the eldest, as soone as he could finde him, and on the other two, Steriamus and Ollorandus bestowed their Squires, giving them the Order of Knighthood, who well deserv'd it, proving worthy of such Masters, making the world see, that such example as dayly their Master shewd them, must needs make bravemen leaving that place in quiet, having taken the oathes of all the Inhabitants in Berlandis name, and his wives. Then tooke they Ship againe for Morea, but passing along the Aegean Sea, they entred many Islands, seeking and finding adventures, but in one, being (though little) yet plentifull, as a greater, delicately compassed with Snow white Rocks, yet mixt with small fine trees, whose greenenesse gave them hope to see, but pleasure gave them heart to goe into it; when they found it within such a place, as a Lover would have chosen to have passed his tune in, and this did urge the foure Knights all amorous, and yet in severall kindes to expresse their passions sev erall waies. Amphilanthus left the other three, taking the direct way to the heart of the Land, as ever ayming at that place, having the best, and most power continually over that part. Steriamus tooke on the right hand; Ollorandus to the left, but Dolorindus who never knew difference of fortune (still having liv ed in a constant state of her displeasure) went away betweene them all, his thoughts (as ever in action) better being able to utter forth his passions being alone, which in this kinde he did: when he came into a dainty fine wood of straight high Oakes, and young Beeches, mingled with a fewe Ashes, and Chestnut trees; in the midst of the Wood was a Mount cast up by nature, and more delicate then Art could have fram'd it, though the cunningest had undertaken it, in the mid'st of it was a round Table of stone, and round about it Seats made of the same Stone, which was blacke Marble, some Letters, or rather characters he found ingraven in the upper part of those seates, and on many of the Trees, which curiously incompassed it; & many Ciphers, although but one for meaning, though in number many; Lovers had done these as he thought; lovers made him remember he was one, and that oft he had carv'd his Mistrisses name upon Bay trees, to shew her conquest, which shee had requited, cutting his name in Willowes, to demonstrate his fate. This afflicted him, and moved so much in him, as hee could not but frame some verses in his imagination, which after were given to Amphilanthus, and his other companions; the lines were these, place and fortune procuring them. Sweete solitarines, joy to those hearts That feele the pleasure of Loves sporting darts, Grudge me not, though a vassall to his might, And a poore subject to curst changings spite, To rest in you, or rather restlesse move In your contents to sorrow for my love. A Love, which living, lives as dead to me, As holy reliques which in boxes be, Plac'd in a chest, that overthrowes my joy, Shut up in change, which more then plagues destroy. These, O you solitarinesse, may both endure, And be a Chirurgion to find me a cure: For this curst corsive eating my best rest Memorie, sad memorie in you once blest, But now most miserable with the weight Of that, which onely shewes Loves strange deceit; You are that cruell wound that inly weares My soule, my body wasting into teares. You keepe mine eies unclos'd, my heart untide, From letting thought of my best dayes to slide. Froward Remembrance, what delight have you, Over my miseries to take a view? Why doe you tell me in this same-like place Of Earths best blessing I have seene the face? But maskd from me, I onely see the shade Of that, which once my brightest Sun-shine made. You tell me, that I then was blest in Love, When equall passions did together move. O why is this alone to bring distresse Without a salve, but torments in excesse? A cruell Steward you are to inrole My once-good dayes, of purpose to controle With eyes of sorrow; yet leave me undone By too much confidence my thrid so sponne: In conscience move not such a spleene of scorne, Under whose swellings my despaires are borne. Are you offended (choicest Memorie), That of your perfect gift I did glorie? If I did so offend, yet pardon me. Since 'twas to set forth your true exclencie. Sufficiently I thus doe punish'd stand, While all that curst is, you bring to my hand. Or, is it that I no way worthy was In so rich treasure my few dayes to passe? Alas, if so and such a treasure given Must I for this to Hell-like paine bee driven? Fully torment me now, and what is best Together take, and mem'ry with the rest, Leave not that to me, since but for my ill, Which punish may, and millions of hearts kill. Then may I lonely sit downe with my losse Without vexation, for my losses crosse: Forgetting pleasures late embrac'd with Love, Linck'd to a faith, the world could never move; Chain'd with affection, I hop'd could not change, Not thinking Earth could yeeld a place to range: But staying, cruelly you set my blisse With deepest mourning in my sight, for misse And thus must I imagine my curse more, When you I lov'd add to my mischiefs store: If not, then Memory continue still, And vex me with your perfectest knowne skill, While you deare solitarinesse accept Me to your charge, whose many passions kept In your sweet dwellings have this profit gaind, That in more delicacie none was paind: Your rarenesse now receive my rarer woe With change, and Love appoints my soule to know. When he had made this, and committed them to that keeper, who yet would not be perswaded to set him at liberty, but continued the more to molest him, like a soare that one beates to cure, yet smarts the more for beating. So did Memory abide with him: Then walk'd hee on to meete his friends, who were all in their kinds as much perplex'd as himselfe. Amphilanthus alone, and so the abler to be bold in speech, began thus, walking (with his armes folded, lovingly for love, one within the other) along a sweet River. Unhappy man, sigh'd he, that lives to bee vexed with the fame that once most delighted thee; who could have thought inconstancy a waight, if not to presse me on to more delight? Left I till now any wherein change brought not unspeakable content? When I tooke Antissia , thought I not I was happy in the change? When I before had altered from and to that love, did it not bring a full consent of blisse? But now that I have changed, and for, and to the best, alas, how am I troubled? How afflicted? How perplexed? Constancie I see, is the onely perfect vertue, and the contrary, the truest fault, which like sinnes, intices one still on, of purpose to leave one in the height: as the height of enjoying makes one leave the love to it. I have offended, all you powers of love pardon me, and if there be any one among you, that hath the rule of truth, governe mee, direct me; and hencefoorth assure your selfe of my faith, and true subjection, error makes me perfect, and shewes me the light of understanding. But what talke I of truth? Why commend I faith when I am uncertaine, whether these will winne? She alas, shee doth love, and woe is mee, my hope's in this quite lost, shee loves, and so I see my end; yet never shall that come without a noble conclusion, and that, her eyes and eares shall witnesse with my losse. Dearest once pitty, my sad lookes, shall tell thee I doe love, my sighes shall make thee heare my paines, my eyes shall let thee see (if thou wilt but see me) that onely thy sight is their comfort; for when from thee they stirre, they must finde a new seat to turne in, and a head to dwell in, and so now they have, for nothing see they but thy delicacy, nothing viewe but thy perfections, turne from all to thee, and onely turne unto thee; My soule hath also eyes to see thy worth, Love hath now fram'd me wholly to thy Lawes, command then, heere I breath but to thy love, from which when I doe swarve, let me love unrequited; but dearest be thou kinde, and then have I all blisse. Why shouldest not thou leave one, since for thee Ile leave all? Be once unconstant to save me as 'twere from death, who for it will be true, I vow, and this vow still will keepe, that onely thou art worthy and alone I will love thee. Then casting up his eyes, he saw before him a rare meadow, and in the midst of it a little Arbour, as he so farre off tooke it to bee, but drawing neerer he found a delicate Fountaine circled about with Orenge, and Pomgranet trees, the ground under them all hard sand, about the Fountaine (as next adjoyning) was a hedge of Jesamnis mingled with Roses and Woodbines, and within that, paved with pavements of divers colours, plac'd for shew and pleasure; on the steps he sate downe beholding the worke of the Fountaine which was most curious, being a faire Maide as it were, thinking to lade it drie, but still the water came as fast, as it past over the dish she seem'd to lade withall: and just thus said hee, are my labours fruitlesse, my woes increasing faster then my paines find ease. Then having enough, as hee thought, given liberty to his speech, he put the rest of his thought into excellent verse, making such excelling ones, as none could any more imitate or match them, then equall his valour: so exquisite was he in all true vertues, and skill in Poetry, a quallitie among the best much prized and esteemed, Princes brought up in that, next to the use of Armes. When he had finished them, he sate a while still, then looking on the Fountaine, he said, Deare hopes spring as this water, flow to injoying like this streame, but will not till my life doth wast in me; nay dye, runne to my Love, and tell her what I feele; Say, and say boldly, till I knew her selfe I was but ignorant and now doe know, that only she, and she alone, can save or ruine me. Many more, and far more excellent discourses, had he with himselfe, and such as I am altogether unable to set down, therfore leave them to be guessed at by those who are able to comprehend his worth, and understanding: such may expresse his passions, all else admire, and admiringly esteeme so incomparable a Prince, who for a little while continued thus, but then leaving the Fountaine he went strait on, and followed on his way till he came unto a Hill, the sides appearing rocky, the topp hee might discerne greene and some trees upon it; he by little and little climb'd to the topp, where the middle of it he saw a hole, and looking in at that hole perceiv'd fire a pretty way below it, and that fire as if it were stir'd by some hands, whereupon hee concluded, that this was some poore abode of some miserable people, either made so by want or misfortune, which likewise might bee want, that being the greatest misery. Round about the top hee sought, but at last thought with himselfe, that there was no way to see the Inhabitants but by some way in the side of this Rocke, wherefore he went downe againe, and halfe about the Hill, when he found a little doore of stone, the even proportion of the opening making him knowe it to be so, else nothing could have disordered it, so close it was, appearing but like chinkes or clifts. He pull'd at it, but it would not stirre; then he knock'd, when straight a little window was opened, and out of it an ugly old Dwarfe looked, whose face was as wrinkled as the rocke, his complexion Sand colour without so much red as to make a difference 'twixt his lips, and face; his haire had beene blacke, but now was growne grisled, yet still kept the naturall stubbornnesse of it being but thin, and those few haires desirous to be seene stood staring, neither were they of any equall length, but like a horses maine, new taken from grasse, which by the wantonnesse of some of his companions had beene bit, and natch'd in divers places. Beard he had none, to distinguish his sexe, his habits being forc'd to speake for him to that purpose; onely a wart he had on his right cheeke, which liberally bestowed some haire according to the substance, for the sight of such as saw him. He was not onely a Dwarfe but the least of those creatures, and in some sort the ill-favoured'st; this youth seeing Amphilanthus , straight cryd, alas wee are betray'd, for heere is an armed man that will assuredly destroy us. The Prince promised on his word, he, nor any there should have the lest harme, if he would let him but come in unto him; the olde Dwarfe scarse knew how to trust, having before beene in his trust deceiv'd, wherefore he desired first to know who he was that gave his word. The King answered, I am called, and knowne by the name of the Knight of Love, but mine owne name, said he, is Amphilanthus. Praysed be heaven, said he, that you are landed here, for alas my Lord, I am your Subject, miserably perplexed, by a cruell and tyrannicall man, Lord of the Island of Strombolli, and who hath undone me, and my children; then leap'd he from the window, and opened the dore which was made fast with many bolts of yron: the doore open the King went in, though with some difficulty at the entring, by reason the place was low, & fitter for such a man as the Host, then the Romanian King. In the roome he found a woman, in height and lovelinesse answerable to the man, and three younger men then himselfe, but all of his proportion, who seem'd to be his Sonnes. Then did Amphilanthus desire to know the cause of his complayning against the Lord of Strombolli, which the old Dwarfe began to relate in this manner. May it please you, great Prince, to understand, I am called Nainio borne in Strombolli to pretty possessions, the which I enjoyed some yeares after my Fathers decease, but the Lord of the Iland, (or better to say, the Governor) passing that way, and seeing my living pleasant and delightfull, groves of Orange, and Lemmon Trees, all other fruites plentifully yeelding themselves for our uses, grew in love with the place, and in hate with me; first, hee peremptorily commanded mee to bring my wife, and these tall men my sonnes, to attend him, his wife and children. I that was borne free would not bee made a slave; wherefore (I must confesse unadvisedly) I gave too rough an answere, that bred dislike, and gave just occasion against mee. Then sent hee for mee, made mee a scorne in the eyes of all men, and when hee had gloried enough in my miserie, scoffing at my shape and stature, saying, I would make a fit Commander against the Infidels, hee put mee, and my family into a little boate, and when shipping went for Greece, sent mee along with them: but such kindnesse I found among them, as they indeede carried mee, but brought mee backe againe; this was discovered, whereupon I was to die: but my pardon was got by the Lady, wife to the Lord, a vertuous and sweet Lady, on condition if ever I were found in Strombolli, or any part of Italy, I should die for it. Then went I away, and with the first mentioned Saylers got into this sea, and so unto this Iland, where I have remaind but in continuall feare; for considering the danger I was in for my life, it so with the memorie frights mee, as I had rather have sterv'd here, then gone hence for feare of harme, everie one that I heare or see in this place being as a Sprite unto mee, and so did you appeare, till you told me who you were, so much doe I yet stand in awe of the cruell Iland Lord. The King smil'd to heare his discourse, but most to see his action, which was so timerous and affrighted, as never any man beheld the like; and as he did, so did his Sons, like Munkeys, who imitating one another answer in gestures as aptly and redily as one Ecco to another, and as like, and so the sport was doubled. Great delight did hee take in these little men; wherefore gently and mildly hee gaind so much of them, as they would with him leave that place, conditionally that hee would not carry them into Italy, where they more feared their first enemie, then trusted to the power of the King, such a Lord is coward feare over base minds, as understanding gaines small place in their hearts, as by this appeared, else might they have been assured in his company in Strombolli it selfe. But consents agreeing on both sides, they went out of the rocke to meete the other Princes, the Dwarfes quaking at every leafe that shook, and fainted when they heard the Armour a little clash in his going; but directly they lost life for a while, when they met the other Knights, not being able to believe they were their Lords friends. But after they grew more valiant, like a coward, who against his mind being brought into the middle of a battaile, can neither runne, nor his cries bee heard, and therefore of force must abide that hell torment: So were these brought to it by sight of fights, when death could only have relieved them from feare. Amphilanthus following on, came to a great Cave, into which hee went, putting the Dwarfes before him; a great way they passed into it till hee came to a River, which either was blacke, or the darkenesse of that shadowed place made appeare so: the vault was of height sufficient for him without trouble to walke in, and of breadth for three to goe a front, paved and covered round with free stone, when he came to the River he desired to passe it, but at first saw no meanes; at last he discovered (or feare in his Dwarfes discoverd for him, they being able to discerne, having been long in the darke, which though at first it blindes like Love, yet it gives at last sight to get out of it); so they found a board, which was fastned with chaines to the top of the Vault, and two pines of yron that held the chaines, being stuck into the wall; those being pulled out, the chaines let the Planke fall gently downe, just crosse over the water, which was not above six yards over, but being on it, they might see a great way up and downe the streame. Then passed they on to a doore which they opened, a pretie way along the same vault from the brook, and the end of it, thorow which they entred into a dainty Garden, and so into a faire Pallace of Alabaster, incompassed with Hilles, or rather Mountaines, of such height, as no way was possible to bee found to come at it, but thorow the same vault the King came. Divers Gardens and Orchards did surround this pallace: in every one was a fountaine, and every fountaine rich in art, and plentifully furnished with the vertue of liberalitie, freely bestowing water in abundance. These places hee past, staying in a large stone Gallerie, set upon pillers of the same stone; there hee sat downe, complaining still of his Mistrisse, whose heart was stored with paine and love, equally oppressing her. O (cride he) my dearest love, the sweetest cruell that ever Nature fram'd, how have I miserable man offended thee? that not so much as a looke or shew of pity will proceede from thee to comfort mee: are all thy favours lockt up, and onely sad countenances allotted mee? Alas, consider women were made to love, and not to kill; yet you will destroy with cruell force, while I changed to a tender creature, sit weeping and mourning for thy crueltie, which yet I can hardly terme so, since thou knowest not my paine. Further hee would have proceeded, when a doore opened into that roome, and out of it came a grave Ladie, apparreld in a black habit, and many more young women attending her; shee straight went to him, saluting him thus. Brave King, welcome to this place, being the abiding of your friend, and servant. Hee looking upon her, perceived wisdome, modestie, and goodnesse figured in her face; wherefore with a kind acceptance hee received this salutation, desiring to bee informed of the place, but most to know how he came knowne to her. Sir (said shee) my name is Mellissea, and having skill in the Art of Astrologie, I have found much concerning you, and as much desire to doe you service. Can you find good Madam (said hee), whether I shall bee happie in my love, or not? In love my Lord (said shee) you shall bee most happy, for all shall love you that you wish: but yet you must bee crost in this you now affect, though contrarie to her heart. But shall I not enjoy her then? miserable fortune, take all loves from me, so I may have hers. Shee loves you (said Mellissea), and it will proove your fault if you lose her, which I thinke, you will and must; to prevent which, if possible, beware of a treacherous servant. For this place, it is that anciently reverenced, and honoured Iland of Delos, famous for the birth of those two great lights, Apollo and Diana; the ruines of Apollo's and Latona's Temples remaining to this day on the other side of that mountaine, called Cynthus ; once rich and populous, now poore and peoplelesse, none or very few inhabiting here, besides this my family; the sharpe and cruell rockes which girdle this Iland, guarding it selfe and us from dangerous robbings. But must I loose my Love (said Amphilanthus)? Accursed fate that so should happen. I yet doe hope, if I may be assured shee loves mee, this will never bee. Well my Lord (said shee) to let you see, that hope is too poore a thing in comparison of truth to trust to, I wil give you these tokens, to make you truly see my words are true; you have lately had a wound by a woman, but this a greater and more dangerous you must suffer, which will indanger your life farre more then that last did; yet shall the cause proceede from your owne rashnesse, which you shall repent when 'tis too late, and when time is past, know, the meanes might have prevented it: but to doe what I may for your good, I advise you to this; alter your determination for your journey to Morea, and in stead of it, goe straight to Ciprus, where you must finish an Inchantment, and at your returne come hither, and with you bring the company that you release there, then shall I bee more able to advise you, for this doth yet darken some part of my knowledge of you. Hee remaind much perplext with those words; yet as well as such affliction would permit him, hee made shew of patience. Then did Mellissea send one of her Maides to bring his companions to him, hoping their sights, and the discourse of their fortunes would a little remove his melancholie from him: in the meane time hee with crossed armes walkt up and downe the Gallerie, musing in himselfe, how hee should so farre and deadlily fall out with himselfe, as to be the cause of his owne miserie, not being able, though hee had the best understanding, to reach into this misterie. Sometimes the Lady discoursed to him, and he for civilitie did answere her; yet oft-times she was content to attend his owne leisure for his replie, so much power had his passions over him. Thus hee remaind molested, while Steriamus following his right hand way, was brought into a fine plaine, and thence to the foote of a mountaine, where hee found rich pillers of Marble, and many more signes of some magnificent building, which sight wrought pitie in him, remembring how glorious they seem'd to have been, now throwne downe to ruine; And so (said hee) was my fortune faire, and brave in shew, but now cast low to despair and losse. O Pamphilia, Goddesse of my soule, accept mee yet at last, if not for thy servant, yet for thy Priest, and on the Altar of thy scorne will I daily offer up the sacrifice of true and spotlesse love: my heart shall bee the offering, my teares the water, my miserable body the Temple, and thy hate and cruellest disdaine, the enemy that layes it waste. Once yet consider, greatest beautie, mightiest riches, sumptuousest buildings, all have some end; brightest glory cannot ever dure; and as of goodnesse, must not ill have so? grant this, and then thy rage must needs conclude. Yet thus, did not his paine find conclusion, but a little further hee went among those ruines, where hee laid himselfe not downe, but threw himselfe among those poore and destroyed reliques of the rarest Temples, where hard by hee heard Ollorandus likewise complaining. My Melasinda (said hee) how justly maist thou blame thy Ollorandus, who still travels further from thee, who strove to bring thy love still neerest to him? Canst thou imagine thy immaculate affection well bestowed, when so great neglect requiteth it? Wilt thou, or maist thou thinke the treasure of thy love, and richest gift of it well bestowed, when absence is the paiment to it? If against mee and these thou do'st but justly except, yet what doth hold thee from killing that slave, and setting thy deare soule at libertie? No, thy vertues will not like a murderer, it must bee as it is, Destiny must onely worke, and despairing sorrow tyre it selfe in me. Steriamus wanting pitie, knew the misse, and therefore would bee as charitable as hee could: to shew which goodnesse, he rose, and went to Ollorandus to put him from his mourning, who was then againe entring into his waylings, telling him, they were too long from Amphilanthus. As hee start up, behold Dolorindus, who came sadly towards them, whom they called to them, and so together went from that place, meaning to ascend the mountaine: but then came the servant of Mellissea to them, intreating their companies from her Mistrisse to the Pallace, where they should meete their companion. They soone consented to that invitation; whither being come, they told all their adventures one to another; then were they brought into a faire roome, where after they had eaten, Mellissea againe thus spake. My Lords, the time calls upon you, occasions being such, as your presences are required in severall places: wherefore first to you my Lord Steriamus I must say, you must haste hence, and as you desire your owne happie ends in love, observe what I advise you. Goe from hence into Arcadia, feare not, for nothing shall encounter you of harme. Dolorindus , doe you the like, for much is your being there requisite: from thence goe to Saint Maura, and in a rocke which lies just against it towards Cephalonia, privately remaine till fortune call you thence by helpe, which shall appeare death; this may seeme hard and terrible, but feare it not, since it shall bring your happinesse; then goe into Greece againe, and helpe your friends, and your selfe in the Conquest of Albania. They tooke her hand, and kist it, on it swearing to obey her Counsell. Amphilanthus was sorry for his vow, especially that his journey was staid to Morea: but hee made the cause of his griefe, for parting with his friends. Then to Ollorandus shee thus spake: The good that shall come to you must proceede from this brave King, who shall give unto you both securitie of life, and your onely love: life hee shall venture for you, and save yours by the hazard of himselfe: keepe then together, and still be your selves firme and constant, assisting one another; for a time will bee, when you shall merit this from Amphilanthus, giving him as great a gift. And credit what I say; for it is as true, as by my meanes you received the Armour in the Forrest, when you were fast sleeping, it being laid by you, from which you have taken the name of Knight of the Forrest. For you my Lord, thinke not but I am as carefull, or more of you then any, though I have left you last; for as yet I can say little: but feare nothing except what I have already warnd you of; my Art shall attend you, and I never faile to serve you, make haste then to Cyprus, and be carefull. Then all promising to performe her will, with teares in their eyes they tooke leave of each other. Steriamus and Dolorindus demanding what service Amphilanthus would command them. He answered, They should honor him much in remembring him to the King and Queene, to whom by Steriamus hee sent the olde Dwarfes, and the youngest Sonne called after his Fathers name, hee desired Dolorindus to present to Pamphilia from him. Thus they parted, and Amphilanthus, Ollorandus, and the other two dwarfes who serv'd them for Squires, tooke their way for Cyprus. Quicke was the journey of the other two, arriving in Laconia, and so hasting to Mantinea, where then the King was; but being neere, Steriamus began to faint, fearing the sight of her, he most desired to see, yet incouraged by Dolorindus to performe what he had ingaged his word to doe, they went on, comming to the Court, when the King, and all the Princes were assembled to judge the Traytors. But Steriamus whose fame was now farre spread for his noble Acts at Constantinople, and divers others, was soone knowne in the Hall, and as soone with great joy brought before the King, to whom he delivered the Present, and service of Amphilanthus. The King infinitly rejoyced to heare of his brave friend, and taking the Dwarfe (the Queene with as much love accepting the other) desired before they passed to the Judgement to heare of their adventures. Then did Steriamus openly relate all, that had happened him after his depart, untill their comming thither, in so good words and Princely a maner, as all admired, and loved him; especially, for doing it with such affection, and truth, to the eternall renowne of incomparable Amphilanthus. Then presented he Dolorindus to the King, whose name and presence was welcome to at that time; especially, assuring himselfe now to have an end and true knowledge of the Traytours, who were lead (at their comming in) aside, so as they neither sawe them, nor heard the relation of the adventure at Sio, which was extreame strange, and wondred at by all, the more the cause of admiration was, the more still increased their honours that atcheived it. Then went the Princes to Pamphilia, who much commended Steriamus for his discourse, kindly of Dolorindus, accepting the Dwarfe, promising to love him for his Lords sake: then were all placed againe, Rosindy taking Steriamus , and setting him betweene him and his friend Selarinus, who was true joy it selfe to see Steriamus againe, the traytors then entred, to whom the King thus spake. Without any more falshood, truly declare unto me who you are, and your true names, for those you tooke upon you, I know are false: then discover the cause of taking my daughter, deale truly, if any pitie be expected by you, to be shewed unto you. The old man curstly replied, Hee wondred a King should have so ill a conceit of another of his owne ranke, as to thinke falshood could be in a royall breast, and more did he admire that the King of Morea who before had beene counted just, would offer that injustice to the King of Negropont, who having beene ill used by an ungratefull Childe, and comming thither for succour should be made a Prisoner like a Traitor, and used like theeves. Then answered the King, behold my Lords before you the vildest of men, and falsest of Traitors; to prove which Dolorindus stand forth and witnesse against him; Dolorindus indeed came foorth, the Traytor seeing him straight too well knew him; wherefore roring out hee cryed, I am undone, for now all is betray'd. Then did Dolorindus againe tell the manner of his trecherous taking, and imprisoning him, and withall the winning, and destroying of the Castle, and his servants; the burning of his wicked wife, and the bestowing of the Island upon Berlandis, and the other two their Squires, whom they had matched to the three Sisters. These creatures being past helpe to be saved, fell downe on their faces, confessing the truth, which was this. The Sonne to this wicked man seeing the picture of Pamphilia, which was sent some two yeeres before by Pamphilia to her Uncle, but taken away by Pirats who after landed at Sio, and among other things sold that. He fell in love with it, and so longed to enjoy her, as nothing but death appear'd in him; which the devill his Father perceiving, plotted all waies hee could; to which end, he invented that false Bridge, hoping to get some of her brothers or friends, if not, some that might bring them meanes to finde a tricke to gaine her. Tenn monethes this continued, then came the poore Dolorindus, who by Treason they got, and having heard his Story, which almost was the same he told for himselfe, onely this differing, that the Kingdome was not given by affection to the daughter, but by right, as being a gift given by the Grandfather to his Daughter, and her first borne, which happened to be a Daughter, and so shee elder, put Dolorindus by. The rest was true of her ill deserv ing, but the Father righted by his Sonne, by a Combate against two mightie men was delivered from prison, she put downe from government and committed to his Prison, where shortly after she died. This Story the wicked man made his owne, and his Sonne tooke the name of brave Dolorindus, forging the rest, and making that deceitfull Chariot of purpose to betray the Princesse whom they purposed to have carried with them to Sio, and to keepe her by that Treason against all, at least the amorous Lover should have had his desire. This being confess'd, and hee no Prince, but an usurping Lord of other mens rights, and a Kings, and Princes honour, they were all condemn'd and executed according to the Archadian Law. Now is the time of Steriamus departing come, and also for Dolorindus who taking their leaves of the King, and Court, promised Rosindy, and Selarinus to meete them soone after in Macedon; kissing Pamphilia's hand once more to blesse his lips with the last affectionate kisse, hee can ever have from her, or give to her, hee departed with his friend towards Snt. Maura, perplexed in soule, love working more terribly, now then ever, like that killing disease which parts not but with life: and so was this sicknesse come now to the height in him. A little lesse ease felt Antissia, who now must soone leave Morea; the Ambassadour reco vered of his hurts, and others chosen to goe in Commission with him concerning the forces, being the two brave Princes of Corinth, and Elis, Brother to the proud lover of Parselius, who hee met as you have heard. More honourably Antissia could not be accompanied, and since shee must goe, 'twas thought fit she went with them. The day before she was to goe, not having all night taken any rest, she rose earlyer then shee was accustomed, and sooner then any was stirring shee came into Pamphilia's Chamber, who she found sweetly sleeping, but drawing the curtaine she awaked, and seeing her, wondred what occasion had call'd her up so soone, and at that houre to bee dress'd, wherefore shee said, why, what disturbance, sweet Antissia, hath thus rais'd you? What disquiets molested you? Can your thoughts affoord you no more rest? Or, is it joy for your departure, makes you thus early, and takes away that dull humour of sleepe from your spirits? Joy to part? O me, reply'd she weeping. No Pamphilia, my heart doth breake to thinke of it, my soule is tortur'd so, as it enjoyes no peace for griefes additions. The losse of your company is much more to mee, said the Princesse; for you gone, who shall I have the blessing to converse withall? With whom, or to whom may I freely say my minde? To whom speake my paine? To whom waile my misfortunes? Thus is the losse most in me; for you goe to your Nephew, where you soone will see your love, while I lamenting, spend my time I am to tarry here; which since you goe will seeme ages to mee. Why will you be thus cruell, most sweet Pamphilia said shee, to add unto my torments, by the expression of your favour to me? I shall goe 'tis true, to my Nephew, rather to content him then my self, since what wil his Court be to mee, when I shall bee in the Dungeon of Despaire? For seeing my Love, much hope I have, when he favours me not so much, as by these Princes to send one poore remembrance, to let me know hee thinkes on such a soule; a soule indeede, wonne, and lost by him, who now despises the memory of her, who disdained not to love, and serve him, and who I know, suffers in honor for him: but let her suffer, and be he as ungratefull as he will, I yet must love so much as to lament his losse. But me thought you touch'd even now of parting, whither, rare Lady, will you goe? Or what quarell have you to poore Morea, to leave it desolate, as so it must be when you forsake it? I shall leave it but for a while, said she, and then it will be freer, and safer from afflictions, when the most afflicted shall bee absent from it. Goe I must with mine Uncle, to be seene to the Pamphilians, and acknowledged their Princesse; which Countrey my Uncle in his youth (being as brave and valiant a man as ever breathed) wonne from the subjection of Tyrants; in requitall whereof the people chose him their King, their love being then so great, and still continuing, as they have given him leave to choose his Successor, which by reason he never marryed, had else falne to them againe for choice. He long since chose me, and to that end gave mee that name: but hee growing old, or rather weake, and they desirous to know me, gain'd of him to make this voyage for me, with whom I doe returne speedily, and now rejoyce in the soone comming of it, since you and I must part. O name not that word, great Princesse, sigh'd shee, but rather spend this little time in such content as our hearts can permit us, disposing these houres to a more pleasing purpose, pray therefore rise, and goe into the solitary wood, where we may unheard, and unperceiv'd, better discourse our woes, saddly, and freely complaining. I will ever yeeld unto your desires, said Pamphilia: then goe you before, and I shall soone follow you. Antissia left her, taking the way to the Walkes. Pamphilia got up, and as shee was making her ready, her passionate breast scarce allowing her any respite from her passions, brought these Verses to her mind, wherein shee then imprinted them. Deare Love, alas, how have I wronged thee, That ceaselesly thou still dost follow me? My heart of Diamond cleare, and hard I find, May yet be pierc'd with one of the same kind, Which hath in it ingraven a love more pure, Then spotlesse white, and deepe still to endure, Wrought in with teares of never resting paine, Carv'd with the sharpest point of curs'd disdaine. Raine oft doth wash away a slender marke, Teares make mine firmer, and as one small sparke In straw may make a fier: so sparkes of love Kindles incessantly in me to move; While cruelst you, doe onely pleasure take, To make me faster ty'd to scornes sharpe stake, Tis harder, and more strength must used be To shake a tree, then boughes we bending see: So to move me it was alone your power None else could ere have found a yeelding hower Curs'd be subjection, yet blest in this sort, That 'gainst all but one choice, my heart a fort Hath ever lasted: though beseig'd, not mov'd, But by their misse my strength the stronger prov'd Resisting with that constant might, that win They scarce could parly, much lesse foes get in. Yet worse then foes your slightings prove to be, When careles you no pitie take on me. Make good my dreames, wherein you kind appeare, Be to mine eyes, as to my soule, most deare. From your accustomed strangenesse, at last turne; An ancient house once fir'd, will quickly burne, And wast unhelp'd, my long love claimes a time To have aid granted to this height I clime. A Diamond pure, and hard, an unshak't tree A burning house find helpe, and prize in mee. Being ready, she went into the Garden Woods, where shee saw Antissia sadly walking, her eyes on the earth, her sighes breathing like a sweet gale claiming pitie from above, for the earth she said would yeeld her none, yet she besought that too, and at last passion procured alteration from mourning, she began to sing a Song, or rather part of one, which was thus. Stay mine eyes, these floods of teares Seemes but follies weakely growing, Babes at nurse such wayling beares, Frowardnesse such drops bestowing, But Niobe must shew my fate, She wept and griev'd her selfe a state. My sorrowes like her Babes appeare Daily added by increasing; She lost them, I loose my Deare, Not one spar'd from woes ne're ceasing: She made a rock, heaven drops downe teares, Which pitie shewes, and on her weares. Assuredly more there was of this Song, or else she had with her unframed and unfashioned thoughts, as unfashionably framd these lines. But then Pamphilia came to her, saying; Sweete Antissia, leave these dolorous complaints, when wee are parted, let our hearts bleed teares: but let us not depri ve our selves of this little comfort; at least, let us flatter our selves, and thinke wee now feele some; and when absence makes us know the contrary, then mourne. Alas (said Antissia) I foresee my harme; my Spirit tells mee once being gone, gone will my joyes bee altogether: sadnesse will presage any thing (said Pamphilia), especially where that may procure more sadnesse; melancholy, the nurse of such passions being glad, when her authoritie is esteemd, and yeelded to: and so much hath it wrought in me, as I have many houres sate looking on the fire, in it making as many sad bodies, as children, do varietie of faces, being pleased, or displeased, or as mine owne fancies have felt paines, and all this was but melancholy, and truely that is enough to spoile any, so strangely it growes upon one, and so pleasing is the snare, as till it hath ruind one, no fault is found with it, but like death, embraced by the ancient brave men, like honour and delight. This I have found and smarted with it; leave it then, and nip it in the bud, lest it blow to overthrow your life and happinesse, for my sake bee a little more chearefull, and I will promise you, when you are gone, I will as much bewaile absence. Antissia tooke her hand, and though against her will kissed it, saying; Admired Princesse, let your poore unfortunate friend and servant, bee in absence but sometimes remembred, with a wish to see her with you, and that will bring an unspeakable content to that distressed creature, on whom fortune tries her curstest power in despitefull rage, and cruelty. Doubt not me more deare Antissia (said shee), for those wishes shall bee, and attended with others for your happinesse, then distrust not me for Pamphilia must bee just. Thus in kind discourse they continued, promising to each other, what was in love demaunded to demonstrate their affections, till it was time to retire. Little meate that Dinner served them, whose hearts had filled their Stomacks with love and sorrow: after Dinner, going againe to that sad place that night being the last, lying together, and with sad, but loving discourse passing those darke houres day being loath to see Antisius teares, but greiv'd, and afraid to see Pamphilia weepe, did hide her face till the Sunne greedy of so pretious, and sweete a dew looking red, with hast came into the roome, where they blushingly ashamed so to bee surprized, put on their clothes, not to be in danger of his heate. No sooner were they ready, but Antissia was call'd for, who the sweetest Lady accompanied to her Coatch with maine teares, and sad, because parting kisse, taking leave of each other, Antissia by her sorrow foretelling her comming, or indeed but shewing her already befallen losse, Pamphilia was sorry for her going, because she was now assured of her love: the Court did in generall lament, such love and respect she had gain'd by her courteous and sweete behaviour, many wishing her married to Parselius, that so they might still keepe her with them, so many well wishes she had, as surely made her journey more prosperous, for safety; and speedily (considering the way) shee arrived at Constantinople, being lovingly, and kindly entertayned by the King, and affectionatly by her Uncle, whose joy was greatest knowing what hazard she had suffer'd, ayming now at nothing more then how to get the brave Leandrus to performe what before was determined betweene their Parents. She gone, preparation was made for the journey of Pamphilia, rich Chariots, Coaches, furniture for Horses, and all other necessary things that could bee demanded for service, or state; the Liveries for her servants being of the same colours the Chariots, and other furnitures were, and them all of her owne chosen colurs, which were Watchet and Crimson, as the Chariots were Watchet, embroydred with Crimson and purle of Silver, one with Pearle, all the rest alike. The King and Queene did accompany her to the sea-side, al the other Princes bringing her aboord, and there kissing her hands. Thus away she went sailing with gentle and pleasant wind, till the Pilate told the king, that a great fleet followed them, by their colors, and the shapes of the ships, shewing they were Italians. Wherefore they not knowing the businesse prepared for the worst; when they perceived out of the greatest and fairest of these ships, Knights unarmd, and Ladies armd with beauty, able to conquer worlds of hearts, to issue, and enter a delicate Galley, which straight made way by oares towards them. The King seeing it, and Pamphilia being above any Princesse courteous, commanded their ship to strike saile, least harme might befall them in their comming aboord. Straight came they into the ship, the first and chiefe of those Knights with a grave, and manly fashion, delivering these words holding a Lady (most exact in all perfections) by the hand. Most incomparable Princesse, the fame of whose worth the world is fild withall, and yet wants aother to be able to comprehend the fulnesse of it. Be pleased to know, that this Lady and my selfe are your devoted Servants, Perissus and Limena of Cecillia , rescued and saved from ruine and death by your magnanimious brother Parselius, to whom we were now going to manifest our gratefulnesse to him, but hearing by a ship which came from Morea, just as we were putting a shore, that the Prince is neither there, nor hath been of sometimes heard of, withall of your journey, we resolved to attend you, and to you doe the serv ice we owe him, which by him I know will be a like taken, as to himselfe; such is his affection to you, such admirable perfections living in him, as love, and affection to his friends are plentifully flourishing in him; wherefore we beseech you to accept of our affectionate services, which shall ever (next to Parselius) bee most devotiouslie observing to your commands. Him wee love for his vertues, and the benefits wee have received from him; you wee love for him and your owne merits, whose name doth duly claime all eies, and hearts to love and admire. Pamphilia, whose modesty never heard her owne commendations without blushing, pretily did now expresse a bashfulnesse, but her speech deliv ered with confidence shewed those words, nor the speaker of them neede for them blush, they were these. Brave and renowned King, of whose vertues mine eares have long since been witnesse; bee pleased to heare your servant say, shee doth blesse her eyes, that presents such worth unto them, and esteeme this as my chiefest happinesse, that for the first encounter in my journey, fortune favours mee with the meeting of such excellent Princes, in whom are all the powers of true worthinesse, that can be in either, or both sexes; and in you most happy Queene, the rare vertue of matchlesse and loyall constancy; and much doe I blesse my destine thus to enjoy your companies, which Parselius shall thanke you for, and I him for you. Then she presented them both to her Uncle, who kindly welcom'd them, being glad such royall company would attend his Neece to honour her Coronation, which he meant should be with all speed after their arrivall, he determining to retire to a religious house, he had built to that purpose. Thus with happy and pleasant content she sailed towards Pamphilia, while Parselius all this while continuing in sweet delight, it is now fit time to let him see his fault committed in the greatest kind of ill, being breach of faith in love. One night in his sleepe, Urania appeared unto him, seeming infinitely perplexed, but as if rather fild with scorne, then sorrow, telling him, hee was a Traytor to love, and the subtillest betrayer of truth. Now my you joy said she in your shame and change, your cruell falshood having undone my trust, but thinke not this troubles me farther, then for vertues sake; so farre are you now from my thoughts, as I study how I never more may heare of you; and to assure you of this, you shall see me give my selfe before your face, to another more worthy, because more just. This in soule so grieved him, as he cried, sobd, groand, and so lamentably tooke on, as the kind Dalinea lying by him awaked, having much adoe to bring him out of his wofull dreame. But when he recovered his sences, they were but to make him more truly feele paine, continuing in such extremitie of weeping, as she feared his heart would breake withall, which made her heart even rend with compassion. Much shee intreated, and even besought him to tell her the cause, but this of any secret must bee kept from her; shee begged, hee continued in laments, till at last he saw hee must not leave her thus in feare. Wherefore after hee had a little studied how to bee more deceitfull, or as equally as he had bin before, weeping still, and she accompanying him in teares seeing his fall so fast; which hee finding made him weepe the more, both now kindly lamenting each other, they remayned the most perfect soules of affliction, that ever had earthly bodyes about them. Compassion he had in great fullnesse to Dalinea, torment for Urania's scorne, affliction for her losse, hatefull loathing his fault, condemning himselfe more cruelly then she would have done, all joyning as it were for his utter destruction; yet remain'd hee in his bed, framing this excuse to satisfie his wife, telling her that he imagined hee saw all Arcadia on fire, the earth flaming, and in the mid'st his father burning, who with lamentable cryes demanded helpe of him; wherfore said he, certainely some ill is befallen, or befalling him, which makes me resolve instantly to goe unto him. O take me with you, said she. My deere, said he, pardon at this time my leaving you, for should I carry you where troubles are? no, Sweet, remayne you here, and be assur'd, you soone shall heare of your Parselius, and if all be well, in short time Ile returne for you; besides, our mariyage not yet knowne may wrong you if not carefully carryed: then deere love bee patient, and stay heere. She could not deny, for words fail'd her, only she sob'd, and washed his face with her teares, who was as much afflicted. Then rising he sent her Maides unto her, and so departed to his chamber, where he arm'd himselfe: then being ready to goe to her, hee thought the word or shew of farwell, would but give new wounds, wherfore writing some few lines, he deliver'd them to the Steward, & so with charge to give the letter to her owne hands, he tooke his horse, hasting he knew not whither, regarding neither way nor any thing else; then came he to the Sea side, his Squier nor daring to speake one word to him all that journey; when he sent Clorinus (so was he cald) to provid a boat for him, he thought it not fit to deny, nor durst he venture to councell. In the meane time came a little Barque, into which he went, turning his horse loose, not considering what griefe & trouble might come for his misse. But he who sought for death, thought of no earthly content: he being in, they put againe from the Land, and at Clorinus returne, were quite out of sight. He finding his Masters horse without his Lord, fell into pittifull complayning not being able to guesse other then the worst mishappe: long he was resolving what to doe, but in conclusion hee vowed to spend his life in solitary search of him, and so to dye; but by no meanes to goe to Dalinea, nor to bee an ill newes bringer to his Parents. Heavily and afflictedly hee pass'd on by the Sea side, till hee mette the Squier of Leandrus, who joyfully asked him for his Lord, hee as sadly replied, he had lost him; then followed Leandrus who knowing the youth asked for his friend, but to him hee could make no answer but in teares. Straight feare possessed him, the youth still wept, Leandrus sigh'd, and taking him aside conjured him to tell what he knew of his Lord. Then did hee relate all unto him, hiding onely what might touch Dalinea; this much mooved the Prince, yet he sought to comfort Clorinus , telling him, he did not see by this, any other harme likely to follow but some privat grief had made him take this course, and therfore willed him by any meanes to make no busines of it, but goe and seek him as carefully as hee could; advising him by reason of his love, which he knew he bare to Urania, to goe to Ciprus, least thither hee were gone to try the enchantment. Thus they parted, Leandrus much greived for Parselius, not indeed being able to judge of the matter, yet tooke hee a good courage to him, as a happie foretelling of his friends safetie, and so tooke his way to Dalineas Castle, whom he found in as much molestation, as ever loving, and faithfull wife, felt for the absence of her husband. But when shee saw her Brother, the joy of that, and her judgment contending with her passion, made her hide it so well, as he only beleeved she had beene ill of a feaver, which was true, but twas the Hectique feaver of love; Some dayes hee tarryed there, all which time she held in good order: but he once gone, she fell into the most dolorous, and unsufferable passions, that violence in violent love could produce. Parselius with a hartlesse body and wounded soule, never asking whither they carryed him, nor speaking one word, held on till they landed him in an Iland which they knew, so going away from them, he sought the most obscure place he could, but finding now none sad enough desiring to outgoe Perissus in his desolate living, which made him againe remember the happinesse he had in the finding Urania, for whom he now suffers, was assaulted with a new kind of sorrow, yet all but running to the end of torturing him, embracing memory for telling him all her perfections, as if the fault, the miserie of her rage, the misfortune of her losse, were not enough to perplexe him, but he must needs add memory as a plague of his owne bringing, and cherishing. Then did he wish he were in that Iland, and that he might spend his daies in the same rocke, and that it might likewise include his miseries, cursing his indiscretion, that suffered the Ship to goe away before shee had convayd him thither; then seeking for some other Barque that might doe it, he ranne to the Sea againe, where he found a little boate, and in her an old Hermitte, with him he would goe, nor could the old Father disswade him. To a Rocke they came being a prettie way within the Sea, where being landed, the old man ledd the way up to the toppe, where it seem'd there had beene anciently a Temple of great state, and bignesse, as yet by the ruines did appeare: among those sad places the Cell of this good man was made, with this religious man, & in this solitary place he resolv'd to end his daies thinking he could not doe better then hide his face, which even himselfe was ashamed of, for having committed so execrable an offence. Then sate they downe together, the old Hermitt consenting to his stay at last, but something against his will, at first he tooke him, and he happy (if that word may be used in that miserie, where happines, nor content, or any thing but afflictions are) but use what terme you wil to this, here he stayd, & being set they tould their owne stories to each other, Parselius beginning. Aged and grave Father, give mee leave by way of confession to tell you my wofull life, which being so delivered claymes secresie of it selfe, did not your goodnesse otherwise warrant mee that from you. My name is Parselius, borne (in an unhappy houre, and under a cursed plannet) in Morea, Prince therof, and of all miseries, my possessions so largely extending in that continent, as none hath a more mightie inheritance. I was bred much at Athens, yet could I learne no way to avoyd misfortune, but how to bee subject to it I was most apt, humilitie to subjection raigning more in mee then rule. My travells I beganne (as likewise all my good) with a Cosin of mine, also bred there, and for the only happynesse I ever tasted, We went sometime together in the search of one, who I assure my selfe I have found, and with the finding lost my selfe, having before that parted from my friends, to the most excellent (and in that my sinne the more excelling) I came into an Iland where I found, her, whose beauty excelled all things but her mind, which yet beautified that; else matchlesse body, with her I fell in love, and loved her earnestly: villaine that I say, I lov'd, and so prove by the change, my fault, much more that I must say I ever lov'd her who (sweetest Creature) beleeving me, that then was just, went with leaving that Iland where she was bred, trusting me who have deceived her. Many dangers we pass'd, she in all of them fearing nothing but my harme, who since have brought the greatest to her: at last a storme tooke us when wee were as we thought safe, and in sight of Italy, and wherin we might have landed, but desteny otherwise appoynted for us. This tempest brought us from joy and comfort to despaire and losse; for wee were carryed (in the many daies that it endured) to Ciprus, where landing, by wicked charmes our shippe burned; and wee were forced to goe up into the Iland for succour. Then arrived we at an inchaunted Palace, made of purpose for my destruction, wherein Urania is inclosed, shee whom once I did best love, who ought still to have beene best loved, and shee for whose losse in my falshood thus tormenteth mee, thence parted I deprived of all sense, but, by leaving that Land came againe into them to bee more vexed with them; a while (and wretch, too small a while,) lamenting her imprisonment, and my want which willfully, I caus'd to be no longer want, but direct losse. O fault unpardonable, why doe I live to confesse it? and shame in mee, not quite devouring me: but I who was borne to ill, ledd by the servants of Hell, or Hell it selfe conspiring my ruine, brought me into Achaia, and so into the power of vild change. There I saw Dalinea daughter to the King of Achaia, shee blinded not alone mine eyes with admiration, but my judgement, blotting out & forceing my memory to bee treacherous to me, made me forget all thoughts of my more deserving love, and truth it selfe: letting mee see nothing but desire of her love, she vertuous (and too perfect for such a worthlesse Creature as my selfe) could but allowe of vertuous yeelding, I to enjoy, granted any thing, and so I marryed her, with whom I remain'd some while as happy as any blessing in a wife could make mee, and yet in that am most unblessed, not being able to continue in that happy state of still enjoying her, too great a portion of good for mee, (wretched man) to have. For one night I saw Urania in my sleepe appeare unto me, or better to say, my conscience taking the advantage of my bodyes rest, the hatefull enemie to the soules blisse, and in that quiet shewed unto mee, my deerest shepherdesse justly accusing me, and condemning mee. I had no way to escape, if not by this meanes; I rose, I left Dalinea for Urania's fury, whose sweete substance I lost for Dalinea's love, I have now left both, both injur'd, both afflicted by me. Why should I then continue such an affliction to the rarest of women? and a vexation to the worst, as I am unto my unblessed selfe, Assist me, good Father, in my misery, this is truth I have told you, and more then ought to live on earth or I hope can be found againe; wherfore that as all ill is in mee, I desire, nay, covet to end, that the world may be no longer infected with that plague, but as knit in me, that knot may never be unty'd, but end, and conclude with me. Then wept he, as if it had beene to satisfie a drought with rayne, sheding teares in such abundance, as they left that name, to be more properly tearmed little streames. Well, it was that the Sea was the place of receiving those springs, which from the Rocke ranne into her, which in madnesse of despaire hee would once have followed, offring to tumble into her; the old man striving with him, stayd him, who had lost all power to resist, greife having taken away his strength, and in place of it given him only might, in weakning passions, working for their glory to destroy. Then did the aged Hermitte comfort him, chiding him for his wilfull sinne, in seeking to murther himselfe. Religiously hee wrought upon his fury, so as he brought him to a more peaceable bearing his afflictions, but not to any more easie. This storme a little quieted (as after a tempest of Thunder, a shower of raine is thought little) the good man to passe the time began his story, the relation wherof gave some liking to Parselius. But because the Drums beate, and Trumpets sound in Morea for the releife of Macedon, and the brave conquest of Rosindy, the Hermitts discourse must a little stay, while warrs, the noblest, because profess'd by the noblest, take a little time for them. The time come for the Armies marching, brave Rosindy tooke his journey with his most noble companions: hee Generall, Selarinus Generall of the Horse, the Prince of Corinth and Elis, had their places reserved for them, as Serjeant Major, & Commander of the Archers; Many brave Knights and bold men went along some out of love, some for ambition, some for honor, many for preferment. The rendevous was at Cariapaiary in the Confines of Macedon, not farr distant from the River Dev oda, where they met the Romanian Armie led by Lisandrinus as desired, but with it came Antissius to see the brave warrs, and to receive Knighthood of Amphilanthus, who not being there, hee soone left the Army to find him out, promising when he had from him received that honor, (and only from him would he have it) he would returne to them, where ever they were. Thus marched they on with all the bravery that might be, every one striving who should be most sumptuous, to expresse their loves and respects to their Generall: who was more generally beloved then any Prince, except his Cousen, and Brother, every one wearing his Colours in honor to him, which was Oring-tawny and white. Thither came to the place of meeting, also the Achaians ledd by Leandrus, who after hee had visited his Sister, and once againe seene his aged Father, followed the Armie gone before, and overtooke them before their comming to the Towne. With them (and much true affection in himselfe to the Generall) hee came to Rosindy, of whom hee received most loving welcome; who ever could imagine glorie, might heere have seene it at the height of perfection: magnanimous spirits, brave and unconquered men, undaunted souldiers, riches of all gallantry in every respect, and what was most and best, all excellent souldiers, and true souldiers, the excellentest men. Thus then was all that could be wisht in this Army together joynd: none refused passage, but willingly yeelded it to be rid of their force, so as love or feare, made free and open way for them, till they came within the skirts of Macedon, there they met some, but poore resistance, till they came to a great Plaine, neere the river of Devoda. There they saw a great Army, and by intelligence, knew the Usurper was there: they went as neare him, as discretion would permit them, considering night grew on, and as judicially provided for the Army, the Generall himselfe going to settle every Quarter in his right place, being so expert in the learning of the Art of a Souldier, as hee could justly tell what compasse of ground would serve from one hundred to thousands. When hee had setled them, he returned to his Tent, where hee with the Princes and Commanders supped, after consulting what would be fittest to bee done the next day; many opinions were given: some to set upon the King and his Army, but that Selarinus liked not, for (said hee) wee are but strangers, and all our hope and power in the Armie, if wee be overthrowne, all is lost for us; if hee loose the day, hee is in his owne Country, and may have aide instantly brought to him: therefore I thinke fitter to let him urge us, then for us to presse him to fight; besides, no question but hee will doe that, why then should wee bee so forward? Let us patiently goe on with temper, and the greater will bee our benefit. Rosyndie much commended his advise, and resolved to bee perswaded by it. While thus they sate, came a Trumpet from Clotorindus with a defie, and challenge to fight the next morning. This was accepted, the hower appointed, eight of the clocke; thus every one betooke themselves to rest, hoping for the next dayes victorie. As soone as day appeared, Rosyndie tooke his Horse, and rid through all the Armie, advising, intreating, commanding, and using faire words, intreaties, peremptorie authoritie, and all in their kinds, as hee found the subjects, on whom they must bee used, with such judgement, as bred not onely love and feare, but admiration in all hearts, to see so great understanding and unusuall excellencie in so few yeares. But now all are ready, his Armie hee order'd thus; the foote hee divided in three bodies, the Vanguard led by himselfe, accompanied with Leandrus; the Maine battel by Selarinus accompanied with Lisandrinus, the Reare, by the grave Marshall, who went with him out of love to his person, with him was his sonne Lesarino: some of the Horse (by reason of advantage was found in that place) were put on either side as Wings; the right-hand Wing given to Tolimandro, the left to the Prince of Elis, some Foote placed to flanke the Horse, and some Horse put in each division. Clotorindus had put his men much in this kind; so they charged the Vantguard of the Macedonians, led by a brave and valiant Gentleman, called Thesarenus, Prince of Sparta, who did so bravely, as had there been but few more of his spirit, the day had hardly bin lost, at least not so soone wonne. Rosyndie with the vantguard charged the Macedonians where there was a cruell fight, the Morean Horse first defeated, then the Vantguard broken and disordered, which Selarinus perceiving, came with the Maine-battaile to the succour, where so bravely hee found Rosindie fighting as hee had made walles of dead men of his owne killing round about him, as if they had been cast up of purpose for his safetie: or as a List roped in for the combate, which hee was in, with the young Phalerinus , Prince of Thessalonica, who more delicately and bravely held out, then any hee had yet encountred: but what with wearinesse, and besides, seeing the new succour come, was forced to yeeld; Rosindy taking him in his armes, in stead of disarming him, taking his word, in stead of his Sword, which noble act bred such love in the young Prince towards him, as hee after prooved a true and faithfull subject unto him. Then did Rosindy, and Selarinus haste to the battaile, which was now by the overthrowne of the Vantguard, required to come up, and the Reare with the strangers to advance against the Macedonian Horse. A great while the Moreans had the worst, but at last by the valour of Selarinus, Leandrus (who had changed his white Armours, innocent cullour, to rev engefull bloud), Lisandrinus, the Princes of Corinth and Elis, and the Marshall with his sonne, but especiallie by the judgement mixt with true vallour, and the care, matched with excellent skill of Rosindy, the Victorie came on their side, with the shamefull flight of Clotorindus; the execution was great, and indured long, the Conquest greater, the bootie verie rich, and thus with the losse of tenne thousand on the one side and thirtie on the other, the retreit was sounded: the next day, the dead of both sides buried, and Rosindy with his brave troope marched on toward Thessalonica, where the Queene was, and into which Towne the Usurper was got, of purpose, if not by strength, yet by tricks to save himselfe, and keep the Crowne; but neither he must doe. Then did the brave Generall set downe before Thessalonica, and incompassing it round, cutting off all victuall by land, and blocking the sea and ships, hindred all good from their aide; so making it a rare and cruell siege. Nor did Rosindy endure the length of this with much paine, longing in his very soule, to see his Lady, which within some time after hee did, but so, as the great longing hee had satisfied by her sight, was turnd to sorrow for it: his desire and joy to see her changed to griefe, and wishing hee had not seene her, the cause, and his affliction as hee termed it, prooving terrible. Thrice were their sallies made forth by the besieged, but to as little purpose, as if they meant only to come forth to be honourd with wounds, and being vanquished by their mightie Enemies. One day they saw a white Flag upon the Wall, which gave them to understand, a Parly was demanded by the beating likewise of a Drum, which Rosindy did in the same manner answere, they came upon the Wall, the Prince and his companions to the Wall, then did Clotorindus speake thus. Great Prince Rosyndie, and you brave Princes his Companions, what injustice doe you goe about in seeking to deprive mee of mine owne, who never wronged you, nor would have denied to have served any of you with my owne person and meanes, if you had requird it? now for you to seeke to take a Kingdome from mee, lawfully my right, both by being next heire male, and besides mine now by marriage with Meriana, daughter and heire, as you terme her, to the Crowne, what exceptions can you now take? Let me then as a Friend, and Kinsman (as by marriage I now am to you) gaine peace; I that have been by your owne will made your Enemie, desire an end of these cruell warres. Let me be accepted as a Cosin, and my frendship taken as proferd by a friend, rather then thus continue shedding of bloud, let the conclusion be welcome, and the trumpets and drummes turnd to Musick of joy. This I demand for my selfe as your friend, if you please, and for my wife your Cosin, who infinitely is grieved to have her owne bloud seeke to shed the bloud of her deare husband. Husband, false Traytor, repli'd Rosindy, she whose matchlesse worth so well knowes it selfe, cannot abuse that knowledge of truth, to yeeld the treasure of it to so base a place, and which never had staine, but by this thy wronging her, who cannot live to undoe that, with bestowing it on one so vild and treacherous as thy selfe. For thy friendship I refuse it, and so I answere for my friends here present contemning thy basenesse, so as wee should hate our selves, if a thought of thy submission (if not to punish thee) could come into our hearts. Thy false tale of marriage we loath to heare of, since as falshood wee hate that, and thee for it. Thou sayst, wee have no just quarrell; O Monster, what Justice more can bee required, then taking Armes to the putting downe a Rebell and a Traytor to his rightfull Princesse? Alliance thou claimest, I acknowledge none: and had there been no other cause, this had been enough to have made us ruine thee, for framing so false a report, and wronging (with thy filthie tongue) thy Queene, and the Queene of true vertue, and of Macedon. Therefore recant and deliver her, or here I vow to fire the Towne, and breake open the gates, to let in our just revenge to thee, and on thee. Is this the requitall of my kindnesse (said Clotorindus)? farewell, doe thy worst proud Prince, and all thy fond companie: but take this with thee before the Towne bee wonne, thy heart shall ake more, then ev er any wound could come neare thee to bring it, or the wound of thy fond love. With that he went from the wall, and in stead of the white Flag, presently a bloudy one was hung forth, which continued till the next day, when as to the same place Meriana was brought, with an infinite number of armed men, dressed as to her Wedding, a Crowne on her head, and her haire all downe. To this sight was most of the Army drawne, but Rosindy, with most hast greedily beholding her beauty, and hearkning to her speech, which was this. Clotorindus, thou hast now (I confesse) some pittie in thee, since thou wilt free mee from my miserable living, I thanke thee for it, and Rosindy I hope shall requite it, to whom I commend my best and last love; farewell brave Prince, but bee thus confident that I am just. With that they inclosed her round in a cricle, often before seeking to hinder her last speech. Presently was shee out of Rosindies sight, and presently againe brought into it to his extreamest miserie, for onely that peerelesse head was seene of him, being set upon a pillar, and that pillar being upon the top of the Pallace, the haire hanging in such length and delicacie, as although it somewhat covered with the thicknesse of it, part of the face, yet was that, too sure a knowledge to Rosindie of her losse, making it appeare unto him, that none but that excellent Queene was mistrisse of that excellent haire. His soule and heart rent with this sight, and the seeing it a farre off, rising with such speed, as it seemd a Comet to show before their ruine, or like the Moone, having borrowed the Sunnes beames to glorifie her pale face with his golden rayes. All the Armie made a most pitifull and mournefull crie, as if every one had lost a love, the Princes cry'd upon revenge, that word wrought most upon Rosindy, the rest being before but a time to lull his passions in their rest, which were restlesse afflictions. Long it was before hee spake, at last hee cryed, Arme and assault this wicked Towne. Then went hee in the head of the Armie to the Gates, which with Engines that they had, and guided with furie, by the next morning, they broke open, not before when judgement governed, being able to perswade themselves they could have compassed it. The Gate open, they with furious rage, and mercilesse crueltie, proceeded, sparing not one creature they met, hasting to take downe the Head of his dearest love, and hopes. But when hee came thither, hee saw that taken away also. O crueltie unjust (said hee), wilt thou not suffer mee to see her once more? Wretched Fate, that I must now bee barred from taking yet the last kisse from thy deare, though pale dead lipps, on them to seale the last part of my life? Hee complained thus, yet his griefe increased his rage, so as hee came into the Pallace, where hee found Clotorindus in the Hall, with a Dagger in his hand, who as soone as hee saw him, with a hellish countenance, hee looked on him, and in a curst voyce, said, Thy Victorie shall yet never bee honoured by my death, which but with mine owne hand shall bee brought mee: then stab'd hee himselfe in many places of his bodie, and so fell. The Prince scorning to touch him, commanded the Souldiers to take him, and throw him into the Ditch, esteeming that too good a buriall for him. Then went hee on further, hoping in despaire to know how his soule was parted from him, and where the bodie did remaine, meaning on that place to make his Tombe, and in it to consume, pine, and die. With this hee went into many roomes, but found no bodie: then went hee to the Gallerie where hee first spake with her, throwing himselfe upon the ground, kissing the place, and weeping out his woe. Selarinus staid with him to hinder anie rash, or sudden attempt, hee might make upon himselfe; Leandrus and the rest made safe the Towne, and tooke all the people that were left (which were but few) to mercie in Rosindies name, who lying thus, at last start up, crying, hee heard his Lady call for helpe. Selarinus doubting it had been but some unrulie passion, mistrusting more his friend, seeing the vehemency of his passion, then hoping the truth of this, followed him, till hee came into a Tower at the end of the Gallery, where hee also heard a voice pitifully complaining, at last hearing it bring forth these words. O Rosindy, how justly hast thou dealt with me, and royally performd thy word? but wretch that I am, I shall not doe soe with thee, for heere must I consume my dayes unknowne to thee, and wald up with misery, and famine die. This was enough for the two brave men to make new comfort, in new strength to relieve her, wherfore Rosindy cry'd out, dost thou live my Meriana ? heere is thy faithfull love, and servant to rescue thee. O my Lord, said she, never in a happyer time, quickly then give me life with your sight. Then ran Selarinus downe with joy to call for helpe, Rosindy examining every place, where he might find the fittest to come to throw downe the wall; but then a new feare tooke him, how they might doe that, and not hurt her; but the greater danger must be avoyded, and the lesse taken, so the soldiers came and threw downe the wall, Rosindy still crying to her to take heed; and when they came to the last blow, that there was a place appear'd (though small) into the roome, none then must worke there but himselfe, least dust, or any the least thing might offend her. But when the wall was so much downe as she was able to come out, with what joy did he hold her, and shee embrace her love? Imagine excellent lovers, what two such could doe, when after the sight of one dead, the other wall'd to certaine death, seeing both taken away, and mett with comfort, what could they say? what joy possess'd them? heavenly comfort, and all joyes on earth knit in this to content them. Then did Rosindy as much weepe with joy, as hee did before with mourning, and she weeped to see his teares, so as joy not being to expresse it selfe, was forced to borrow part with sorrow to satisfie it. Selarinus chid them for that passion, and so brought them out of it, bringing them into the Hall, whither by that time the other Prines were come, and the cheife of the Armie. In that brave and most warlike presence did Meriana give her selfe to Rosindy, being there betroathed: then were the others of the people taken to Meriana, the Macedonians from all parts comming with expresslesse joy unto her, yeelding themsel ves as her loyall Subjects, and taking others to her, and Rosindy of alleageance. Then sent hee new Governours and Commanders to all the frontier Townes, and into the cheife strength within the Land, requiting the Moreans with the estates of those that were lost in the battaile, and the Towne; the strangers with the booty, which was infinite, and other such rewards as bound their loves to him for ever, not being able to hope to thrive so well in the next businesse, which now must be for Albania. The Queene Meriana, and Rosindy in this content, the counterfeting was found, and the device discover'd; which was told by a servant of Clotorindus used in the businesse, which was, that pillar had bin made & set there by her Father, a man excellently graced in all arts, and especially in prosepecti ves, to try his skill he made this, which though so big, as one might stand in it, yet so farr, it seemd but as a small piller, of purpose made to hold a head uppon, and so had they rais'd her within it, as no more appeard above it then her chinne coming over it, it was as if stucke into her throat the just disstance and art in the making being such and so excellent as none could but have thought it had beene her head cut off, besides the greife and her owne complection naturally a little pale, made her seeme more then usually, and so nearer death, the intent being to make Rosindy beleeve shee was dead, which conceit, he hoped would leade him thence; she being gone, for whose sake he came thither, which if it had taken effect, then she should have lived as she had done before, but seeing neither his false tale, nor this tooke the way hee wished, he walled her up, purposing that since hee could not winne, nor keepe her, none should else enjoy her; but now all is ended with the blessing of enjoying, in a better estate who can be left? Amphilanthus following his way to Ciprus with his friend Ollorandus, quickly landed there, taking their way as they were directed by passengers, (the Countrey now full of people, that came to see the end of this businesse) to the throne of love, the plaine before it, being all set with Tents, and cov ered with Knights and Ladyes. The first Tent Amphilanthus knew to be some Italians, wherfore hee went into that, and finding it belonged to the Duke of Millan, whose opinion of his owne worth, and the beauty of his Mistresse had made him adventure the enchantment, was therein inclosed, hee discoverd himselfe unto his servants, who presently made offer of it to his service; which hee accepted, yet did hee charge the men not to let him be knowne by any but themselves: there they rested for that night, the next morning going among the Tents, finding many brave Princes, and excellent Ladyes, some come to adventure others, only to behold the adventures of others: many of these the two excellent Companies knew, but they keeping their beavers downe were not knowne of any. One Lady among the rest, or rather above the rest, for exquisite wit and rare spirit, so perfect in them, as she excelled her sexe so much, as her perfections were stiled masculine. This Lady (as her judgment was greater then the rest, so her observation was likewise more particular) cast her eyes upon these strangers, but most on the Italian: shee sigh'd at first sight, after grew sad, wondring why shee was so troubled, not knowing the face of her trouble, never then resting till she had got the truth of whence he was, and so the meanes to see him; hee having inquired of every ones name and title, came also to know her to bee called Luceania Daughter to a noble man, who was Brother to the famously vertuous, but unfortunate Lady Luceania, wife, and Mother to the first, and this last Antissius King of Romania. Wife she was to a great Lord in the same Countrey, who though unable to flatter himselfe with conceit of worth, sufficient to end so rare an adventure, yet partly for novelties, and most to please his spiritfull wife, hee came thither, loving the best company, for these reasons. The Prince was glad to here this, because he was now sure of acquaintance quickly there. As soone as his name was knowne, shee studying to have her ends by his knowledge, watched the next fit opportunitie, which was offered the next day by a generall meeting of all the Knights and Ladies. Hee seldome bashfull, put himselfe among them: Luceania must needs know him, wherfore shee asked those that accompanied her, who that stranger was, they all answered they knew him not, nor could they learne of any who hee was. Is it possible, said she so brave a Prince should be unknowne? many desiring to doe her service, she being for noble behaviour, courtesie, wit, and greatnesse of understanding loved, and admired of all such as could bee honord with her conversation; to please her, every one indevored, and one forwarder then the rest (as more bound in affection) went to him, telling him, that a faire Lady much desired to know his name. Can it be answered the King, that any faire Lady should so much honor mee, as to desire so worthlesse a thing as my name? There is one Sir, said hee, who curiously desireth the knowledge of it, which must bee more worthy then you doe accound it, otherwise could she no covet in, and such an one is shee, said he, as if you can deserve beauty, you will acknowledge, only deserves honor, and service. They belong, said the King to all such excellent creatures, yet Sir, (said hee), it is my ill fortune at this time that I am not able to satisfie her desires, although this grace shall ever make me her servant. The Knight acquainted with such vowes went back to Luceania, truly telling her all that hee had said, which although delivered by a farre worse Orator, yet gaind they more favour for him: shee esteeming witt beyond outward beauty, but both there joyned, it is necessary for to yeeld as she did, for before shee desir'd his name only, now finding judgment and brave Courtshipp, shee long's for his society, and these accompanied with seeing his excellently sweete, and ever conquering lovelinesse, did joyne as to the conquest of her, for shee who before had knowne love rather by name then subj ection, now shee finds her selfe loves Prisoner, affection before, but companion like now mastring, and now she finds it expedient to know that delightfull cruell, who had with so pleasing a dart, wounded, and ceazed her (till then commanding) heart. The next evening was resolv'd of for her gaine of knowledge, and rather then misse, there shee would employ the same lovesicke Knight againe, who to bee graced with her commands would doe any thing. The evening come, and Amphilanthus, his companion assuring themselves they were unknowne, freely came into the company. Shee who now was by the art of love taught to watch all opportunities, and never to loose any, was walking with her husband forth, to passe away the time in the coole ayre: Amphilanthus and his friend discoursing of their owne passions, finding the greatest misse ever in most company, their Ladyes being absent, were so transported with their passions, as they were close to this amorous Lady, and her Lord before they discoverd it, which when they found, asked pardon for their rudnesse, they would have returnd: but shee who was now, not to put of her hopes till the next meeting, resolvd to make use of this, so with as inticing a countenance, as Cæsar understood Cleopatras to be, shee told them shee saw no error they had committed, that place being free to all, but turning her selfe towards her husband, she smiling said. Would you thinke my Lord, this Knight were ashamed of his name? I see small reason that hee should, said hee, why thinke you that he is? because hee refuseth too tell it said shee. Although (excellent Lady) answered Amphilanthus, it may be my name is not so fortunate as to have come to your eares with any renowne, yet am I not ashamed of it, a vow onely having made mee conceale it. May not that vow bee broken, said shee? This may, and shall (said hee) to satisfie your desire, though some vowes are so deare, as nothing, nor any force may prevaile against them. With that shee saw Ollorandus had undertaken her husband, which gave her more libertie in her desires, againe urging with fine and amorous countenances the breach of his vow. The commanding power (said he) which your perfections carrie with them must prevaile; then bee pleased to know I am Amphilanthus, King of the Romans. Pardon mee my Lord, (said shee) that I have been thus bold with you, which was caused by (with that shee blushing held her peace, desiring to bee thought bashfull, but more longing to bee intreated for the rest). Nay, speake on, excellent Lady (said hee), and barre not mine eares from hearing what you surely once thought mee worthy to know. Well then my Lord (said shee) you shall have it, my desire to know you, was caused by an unresisting power, your excellencies have over my yeelding affections to you; the first time I saw you, I received the wound I now perish in, if you favour not. Amphilanthus was rather sorrie, then glad to heare this speech, being to him, like as where the law is that a man condemned to die, may bee saved, if a Maide begge him for her husband: so hee may bee saved from death, but wedded against his heart to another; affection before having wounded him, hee can scarce entertaine this: but considering gratefulnesse is required as a chiefe vertue in everie worthie man, he curteously replied, that till that time fortune had never so honoured him, as to bring him to the height of so much happinesse as to be graced with such an affection. Shee who loved, and desired, tooke the least word hee spake for a blessed consent, was about to answere againe, when they saw Ollorandus come with her husband to them, who with much adoe (as he counterfeited) had told who they were; the good man hearing that these were two of them reliev'd, and won Romania to quiet by their owne valor, but especially rejoycing that Amphilanthus (of whom the world was fild with fame) was there, came to welcom him, nor would be deny'd, but they must lodge with him in his tent. Luceania was not greev'd at this motion, though Amphilanthus would willingly have gone backe to his Milan Tent, where he might have comforted himselfe, with discoursing to his owne thoughts; But the Lady now keepes him prettily well from those passions with continuall discourse of other things. Much he enquired after the manner of ending the enchaunment, which hee longed for, that then hee might againe see what he only coveted: Love still increasing in her, as longing grew in him to see his deerest Love. Hee kindly entertain'd her favours, and courtuously requited them, and one day the more to expresse his respect to her, hee tooke this course, which in his owne minde was plotted rather to get more freedome, and to make proofe of his valour, his friend and hee onely acquainting Luceania and her Lord with it, changing their armors and colors, the better to be unknowne, came in the morning with Trumpets before them, challenging every one that desired to trie his strength, to the Just, to breake sixe staves a piece, and this to continue sixe dayes, in defence of their Mistrisses beauty. Amphilanthus was in Watchet and White; Ollorandus in Orange colour, hee having no favour; and therefore in spite wore that colour: the other had a scarfe which Lucenia sent him the night before, which hee wore on his right arme. This challenge brought forth all the knights, and they the Ladies; the first was an Italian, and encountred Ollorandus (who was to hold the first three dayes, if so long hee could without foyle, by Amphilanthus appointment, if not, then he to come in). This Italian was strong, and the stronger, for that he was in love; and more, because his Mistrisse at that time made him the bolder, being favourd with her sight, and blessed with her loving wishes. But these could not prevaile against the Bohemian, who had the stronger spirit waiting on him of perfect love, which overthrew the Italian, lying on the ground, flatly confessing his overthrow. Two dayes he thus kept the field, without shew of loosing the honor to any: but then came one, who encountred him with such cleane strength and valour, as he was forc'd to confesse, hee matched him; nor did it turne to any dishonour to him, when it was knowne who it was, being Polarchus, Bastard sonne to the king of that Iland: but soone did Amphilanthus revenge his friend, and so by conquest kept the field, though hee confest, hee had seldome felt such an encounter as the last of the sixe courses, the other five hav ing lasted without any advantage: this with the losse of his stirrops, but the falling back of the other upon his horses backe, and tumbling downe, striv ing to recover his saddle. Thus he redeemd his friends mischance, maintaining the field against all commers, in the defence of his mistrisses beauty. Two dayes hee held it, in which time hee woone the fame of the bravest Knight. The last day they were a little hindred from that sport, by the comming of a great, and brave troope of knights, having with them two of the beauties the world could hold excellent; they rode in a Chariot of watchet Velvet, embroidred with crimson silke, and Pearle the inside, the outside with purle of silver: and yet that riches poore, in comparison of the incomparable brightnesse and clearenesse of their owne beauties. Soone were they knowne: for who could be ignorant of the perfections of Pamphilia and Limena: for hee that never saw Pamphilia but by report, seeing this unspeakable beauty, said, it could be no other then that peerelesse Queene, none else could so excell in true perfection. Two Knights rid on each side of the Chariot, one in armour of Gold, enameld with leaves of Lawrell; the other all blacke: thus they came with great magnificence and state, when Amphilanthus was ready to encounter a new knight, that would needs have the fav our to be throwne downe by the conquering Prince, who soone receiud the honour, his vanquishing power gave all other, kissing his mother without desire or pleasure. Then did the Prince looke about him, casting his eyes by chance towards the troope, at which sight hee straight knowing the never enough exalted Princesse, he went towards her, his eies meeting the unresisting power of her eies, who was soveraign of al harts; telling the new Queen, that certainly now the charmes must have conclusion, she being come to adventure for them. I hope my Lord (said she) there will be an end of them, since I know I am able to bring one part to the conclusions demand, being that, I thinke you have not been much troubled with all, and in truth I cannot blame you much, since libertie is an excellent profit. But what colour shall wee have next: the last I saw was Crimson, now Watchet and White; do you adde to your inconstancy, as fast as to your colours? None can bee accused deere Ladie (said he) for their change, if it bee but till they know the best, therefore little fault hath yet been in me: but now I know the best, change shall no more know mee. Every change brings this thought (said shee): but here is the Queene Limena, whose noble vertues were rescued by your friend, and my brother from crueltie and death, though not of them, but her person dying, they must (if not for him) have remaind the outward tombes of her honor. Then kist he her hands, and so conducted the two Queenes to the fittest place to see those begun sports, and to be beheld of the Knights. Amphilanthus continuing his still enjoyed victories, none parting from him without flat falles, or apparant losse of honour. Then the Knight of Victorie, and the Black Knight came unto him with these words: Victorious Sir, we see how bravely and happily you have carried your selfe in this challenge, and so as we should bee too bold flatterers of our selves, if wee would hope to get the better of you: yet being knights and servants to faire Ladies, we are ingaged in honour to try our fortunes with you, defending that these two Ladies are fairer, and more truly worthy then your mistrisse. I said the Knight of Victory defend the Queene Limena: and I (said the other), the incomparable Pamphilia. Your demaund (said Amphilanthus) shall bee answered, although I must confesse, it rather should bee yeelded unto without blowes; yet will I proceede in the begun challenge, though against beauties matchlesse; and first answere you, who defend the Queene Limena. All eyes were fixed upon these two, one knowne powerfull, and not to bee vanquisht, the other outwardly appearing excellent, and so did he prove himselfe: for never were six courses runne more finely, then these were; so as every one said, that none but another Amphilanthus could have performed them so delicately; yet a little difference there was betweene them, which made a question to whom the whole honour did belong. Amphilanthus lost his stirrops, and the other was struck flat upon his horse: but the Prince himselfe ordered the businesse thus; that hee would make an end of that mornings triumph, and the other should have the after noones triall. This was agreed on by all, and hee much commended for his royall curtesie; when noone came, Amphilanthus lighting from his horse, came to the stranger, who stood ready to receive him with his right Gauntlet off, but his Beaver downe, to whom the Prince with a grave and sweet countenance delivered the Speare, and liberty for the free accomplishing the rest of that exercise. The stranger with al respect, and indeed affection, received that fav our, wishing the happinesse to conclude the time with as much bravery and good fortune, as Amphilanthus had done the daies past. Then did the Prince boldly shew himselfe to all, many there knowing him, and comming humbly to acknowledge their loves and gratefulnesse unto him, for infinite favours received by them from him: for indeede no man was ever inrich'd with a more noble, free, and excellent disposition, then this exquisit Prince had flowing in him: after dinner this most honored and beloved Prince, with the admired Queenes, Ollorandus, and the rest came againe to see the conclusion of that brave sport, in which time the Knight of Victorie so stoutly behaved himselfe, as thereby hee gaind exceeding great fame, but now was evening beginning to threaten him with her power to overcome his victories, which yet remaind whole unto him, few being left that were not by Amphilanthus, Ollorandus, or himselfe, taught how to adventure in such like businesses. He now having a little time left him to breathe in, none comming against him, hee looked about, and cast his eyes on her, whose beauty he so bravely defended with such affection, as hee stirred not them, nor his mind from that beloved object, till a boy in shepheards apparrell delivered these words to him, almost pulling him, before hee gave him hearing. My Lord said he (for so my master bid me call you), I come from yon man, one, who not skill in armes, but truth of his Ladies beauty brings forth, and by me sends you word, that your Mistrisse Limena is not one halfe so faire, as his Queene Pamphilia: it is (hee sayes) no bouldnesse to defend her, whose beauty is without compare; wherefore hee desires you to prepare your selfe: but take heed Sir, hee is mighty strong. Good Boy (said the Knight), tell your Master I will attend him, and I pray thee advise him as well for the love I beare thee. Then came the Shepheard knight (for so they cald him) all in Ash colour, no plume nor favour, onely favourd with his Ladies best wishes (the best of favours). The encounter was strong and delightful, shivers of their speares ascending into the aire, like sparkes of a triumph fire: fowre courses they ran, without any difference for advantage; the fift, the knight of Victorie lost both stirrops, and a little yeelded with his body; the other passing with the losse of one stirrop; the sixth and last, being (if it were possible) a more strong, and excellent course: their ambitions equall to honour, glorious to love, and covetous of gaine before their Ladies, scorning any place lower then the face. Both hit so luckely and equally, as their beavers flew up, the knight of Victorie being knowne to be Perissus, the other Amphilanthus, who confident that now he had truth on his side, and desirous once more to trie the strength of the other, while most eyes were on the Champion, he stole away, and arm'd himselfe. Amphilanthus at first knew not Perissus, many yeares having past since their last meeting: but when he heard Perissus nam'd, with what joy did he embrace him, being the man, who from his youth, hee had like himselfe loved, admiring his vertues, and loving his person. This done, they went to Pamphilia's tent, where shee gave Amphilanthus infinite thanks for the honour hee had done her: but yet my Lord (said she) I must blame my poore beauty for the delay you had in your Victory, which I confessed, when I saw so long differring of your overcomming grieving then for that want, which brought your stay in winning. Detract not from your beauty, which all judgements know without equall (said hee), nor from the bountie of the renowned and famous Perissus, but give the reason where it is, which is want in my fortune to obtaine any thing that most I desire, or seek, such crosses hitherunto accompanied my life. Then did Pamphilia intreat him to take knowledge of the other knight, whose name was Millisander, Duke of Pergamus and her subject, whose father, though newly dead, and therefore wore that mourning armour, yet would not stay, but attend her thither; then Amphilanthus desired to know how it came about, that she honoured that place with her presence. The Queene willing to satisfie his demand began her discourse in this manner. Mine Uncle King of Pamphilia, comming for me to carry me into his Country, and there to settle me (as long since he resolv'd) by the consent and leave of my father, I went with him, by the way winning the happines of the companies of these excellent Princes, Perissus and Limena: after our arrivall I was crowned, and being peaceably setled, mine Uncle retired into a Religious house, where he will end his dayes: I heard still the fame of this enchantment, of which I had understood by my brother Parselius, who had himselfe got some unfortunate knowledge of it; I desired to adventure it, being assured that I was able for one part to conclude it, since it is to be finished by that vertue I may most justly boast of. Thus resolved (honoured with the presence likewise of this excellent King, and vertuous Queene, with the consent of my people, leaving the goverment for this time with the Councell) we came to adventure for the Throne of Love. Which (said Amphilanthus) I am also to trie; wherefore let me be so much favoured, as I may bee the Knight to adventure with you, and you shall see, I want not so much constancy, as not to bring it to end, though it pleased you lately to taxe me with it. My Lord (said she) I taxed you onely for Antissia's sake, who (poore Lady) would die, if shee thought that you had chang'd, shee so entirely loveth you. Hath she spoken to you to speake for her (said hee)? in truth shee did well, since love much better suites with your lippes then her owne: but shall I have the honour that I seeke? You shall command my Lord (said shee), and wee will surely bring an end to it; your valour, and my loyalty being met together. He made no other answere then with his eyes, so for that night they all parted, every one expecting the next mornings fortune, when the Throne should be so bravely adventur'd for. All that would trie their fortunes had free libertie; so six couples ventur'd before the peerelesse payre; but all were imprisoned, to be honord the more, with having their delivery by the power of the most excellent, who being ready to adventure, they were hindred a little by the comming of a Gentleman in white armour richly set forth, and bravely accompanied, who comming directly to Amphilanthus desired the honour of Knighthood, telling him hee had sought many places, and passed many Countries to receive that favour from him, which, but from him hee would not accept, withall pulling off his helme, which presently made him to be knowne to be Antissius King of Romania. Amphilanthus with due respect to him welcomd him, protesting he could never merit so high an honor as this was unto him, wherefore without delay in the sight of all that Princely company, he girt the sword to him, and he with Perissus put on his spurs; then came Allimarlus to kisse his hands, who most kindly he received; and now my Lord (said hee), you are very fitly come to see the Throne of Love wonne (I hope) by this surpassing Queene, and your servant my selfe. Antissius went to salute the Queene, so together they passed towards the Bridge. Antissius and Ollorandus going together, twind in each others armes Pamphilia being thus apparreld in a Gowne of light Tawny or Murrey, embrodered with the richest, and perfectest Pearle for roundnesse and whitenes, the work contrived into knots and Garlands; on her head she wore a crowne of Diamonds, without foiles, to shew her clearenesse, such as needed no foile to set forth the true brightnesse of it: her haire (alas that plainely I must call that haire, which no earthly riches could value, nor heavenly resemblance counterfeit) was prettily intertwind betweene the Diamonds in many places, making them (though of the greatest value) appeare but like glasse set in gold. Her necke was modestly bare, yet made all discerne, it was not to be beheld with eyes of freedome: her left Glove was off, holding the King by the hand, who held most hearts. He was in Ash colour, witnessing his repentance, yet was his cloake, and the rest of his suite so sumptuously embroidred with gold, as spake for him, that his repentance was most glorious; thus they passed unto the first Tower, where in letters of Gold they saw written, Desire . Amphilanthus knew he had as much strength in desire as any, wherefore he knocked with assured confidence at the Gate, which opened, and they with their royall companions passed to the next Tower, where in letters of Rubies they read Love. What say you to this, brave Queene (said hee)? have you so much love, as can warrant you to adventure for this? I have (answerd shee) as much as will bring me to the next Tower, where I must (I belie ve) first adventure for that. Both then at once extremely loving, and love in extremity in them, made the Gate flee open to them, who passed to the last Tower, where Constancy stood holding the keyes, which Pamphilia tooke; at which instant Constancy vanished, as metamorphosing her self into her breast: then did the excellent Queene deliver them to Amphilanthus, who joyfully receiving them, opened the Gate; then passed they into the Gardens, where round about a curious Fountaine were fine seates of white Marble, which after, or rather with the sound of rare and heavenly musick, were filled with those poore lovers who were there imprisoned, all chain'd one unto another with linkes of gold, enamiled with Roses and other flowers dedicated to Love: then was a voyce heard, which delivered these wordes; Loyallest, and therefore most incomparable Pamphilia, release the Ladies, who much to your worth, with all other of your sexe, yeeld right preheminence: and thou Amphilanthus , the valliantest and worthiest of thy sexe, give freedome to the Knights, who with all other, must confesse thee matchlesse; and thus is Love by love and worth released. Then did the musick play againe, and in that time the Pallace and all vanished, the Knights and Ladies with admiration beholding each other. Then Pamphilia tooke Urania, and with affection kissing her, told her, the worth which shee knew to bee in her, had long since bound her love to her, and had caus'd that journey of purpose to doe her service. Then came Perissus, bringing Limena to thanke her, who heartily did it as shee deserved, since from her counsell her fortunes did arise. Amphilanthus likewise saluted her, having the same conceit of resemblance between her and Leonius, as Parselius had, and so told her with exceeding joy all after one another comming to her, and the rest. Antissius casting his eye upon Selarina, fixed it so, as it was but as the setting of a branch, to make a tree spring of it: so did his love increase to full perfection. Then all desir'd by Pamphilia tooke their way to her Tent, every one conducting his Lady, Amphilanthus Pamphilia, Perissus, his Limena; Ollorandus, Urania; Antissius, Selarina, the King of Cyprus his Queene, his brave base Sonne Polarchus, the Lady hee only lov'd, who was Princesse of Rodes. Many other great Princes, and Princesses there were, both Greekes and Italians; Allimarlus for old acquaintance leading Urania's maide: thus to Pamphilia's tent they came, where most sumptuously shee entertain'd them: then did all the great Princes feast each other, the last being made by the King of Ciprus, who out of love to the Christian Faith, which before he contemned, seeing such excellent, and happy Princes professors of it, desired to receive it, which Amphilanthus infinitly rej oycing at, and all the rest, Christned him with his wife, excellently faire daughter, and Polarchus his valiant Sonne, and so became the whole Island Christians. Then came he unto Amphilanthus, humbly telling him that the disgrace he had from him receiv'd, he esteemed as a favour, and honour sufficient, to be overcome by the valiantest King, who none must resist; to manifest which, he besought him to accept him unto his servant, and friend, with whom hee resolved to end his daies. Amphilanthus replied, the honor was his, to gaine so brave a gentleman to his friendship, who should ever finde him ambitious to expresse his love to him: but said he, assuredly you never adventured the throne, but that you were in love. He blushing, told him it was true, but (alas) my Lord, said he, I have no hope now to winne her. Then told he the King, the whole story of his love, beseeching him to assist him, which he promised to doe, and for that purpose to take their way by Rodes, and so at the delivering of her to her Father, to sollicit his suit for him, she extreamly loving him, hee kissed the Kings hands for it. And thus every one remain'd contented, Urania , longing to see Parselius, and yet not daring to demand any thing of him, till one day, (and the first of their journey) shee prettily began with Pamphilia , taking occasion upon her owne discourse as you shall heare. But now that every one resolves of going homeward, what can bee imagin'd of lov ing Lucenia? whose heart is now almost burst with spite, and rage, which she shewed to the King himselfe, when he came to take leave of her, telling her that it must be his ill fortune to part with her, that being finished which brought him thither. She answer'd, it was true, it was finished now to her knowledge, which she doubted not had had many ends with such foolish creatures as her selfe, els said she, had I never beene deluded with your flatteries. I never said he, protested more then I perform'd. It was my folly then, said she, to deceive my selfe, and wrong mine owne worth, with letting my love too much expresse it selfe, to give advantage for my losse, when as if you had first sued, your now leaving mee might have beene falshood, where as it is onely turnd to my shame, and losse. I am sorry said hee, I shall part thus much in your displeasure, since I know I once was more favour'd of you. You cannot right me more, said shee, then to goe, and gone, never more to thinke of me, unlesse your owne Conscience call upon you. It will not I hope reply'd Amphilanthus, be overburdened with this weight, since I will (now as ever I did) obey you, and so brave Lady farewell. Shee would not wish him so much good, who now shee hated, so as onely making him a small reverence they parted, the Prince going to the Kings and Queenes who attended for him, the King of Ciprus bringing them to the Sea, the morning before their taking Shipp, presenting them with the Shepherds, and Shepherdesses of those Plaines, who after their manner sang and sported before them, to the great delight of all, especially Pamphilia, who much loving Poetry, liked their pretie expressions in their loves, some of which she caused to be twise song, and those that were at the banquet, (which was made upon the Sands, they being serv'd by those harmelesse people) to be written out, which were two songes, and one Dialogue delivered betweene a neate, and fine Shepheard, and a dainty loving Lasse, it was this. Sh. Deare, how doe thy winning eyes my senses wholly tye? She. Sense of sight wherein most lyes change, and Variety. Sh. Change in me? She. Choice in thee some new delights to try. Sh. When I change or choose but thee then changed be mine eyes. She. When you absent, see not me, will you not breake these tyes? Sh. How can I, ever flye, where such perfection lies? She. I must yet more try thy love, how if that I should change? Sh. In thy heart can never moove a thought so ill, so strange. She. Say I dye? Sh. Never I, could from thy love estrange. She. Dead, what canst thou love in me, when hope, with life is fledd? Sh. Vertue, beauty, faith in thee, which live will, though thou dead, She. Beauty dyes. Sh. Not where lyes a minde so richly spedd. She. Thou dost speake so faire, so kind, I cannot chose but trust, Sh. None unto so chaste a minde should ever be unjust. She. Then thus rest, true possest, of love without mistrust. An other delicate Mayd, with as sweet a voyce, as her owne lovely sweetnes, which was in her, in more then usuall plentifulnesse, sang this Song, being as it seemd same out with Love, or having some great quarell to him. Love what art thou? A vaine thought, In our mindes by fancy wrought, Idle smiles did thee beget, While fond wishes made the nett Which so many fooles have caught. Love what art thou? light, and faire, Fresh as morning, cleere as th' ayre: But too soone thy evening change, Makes thy worth with coldnesse range, Still thy joy is mixt with care. Love what art thou? a sweet flowre, Once full blowne, dead in an houre, Dust in winde as staid remaines As thy pleasure, or our gaines, If thy humour changes to lowre. Love what art thou? Childish, vaine, Firme as bubbles made by raine: Wantonnesse thy greatest pride, These foule faults thy vertues hide, But babes can no staydnesse gaine. Love what art thou? Causelesse curst, Yet alas these not the worst, Much more of thee may bee said, But thy Law I once obay'd, Therefore say no more at first. This was much commended, and by the Ladies well liked of, onely Amphilanthus seem'd to take Loves part, and blame the mayde for accusing him unjustly, especially, for describing him with so much lightnesse. Then to satisfie him, a spruce Shepherd began a Song, all the others keeping the burden of it, which they did begin. Who can blame me if I love? Since Love before the World did move. When I loved not, I despair'd, Scarce for handsomenesse I car'd; Since so much I am refin'd, As new fram'd of state, and mind, Who can blame me if I love, Since Love before the World did move. Some in truth of Love beguil'd Have him blinde and Childish stil'd: But let none in these persist, Since so judging judgement mist, Who can blame me? Love in Chaos did appeare When nothing was, yet he seemd cleare: Nor when light could be descride, To his crowne a light was tide. Who can blame me? Love is truth, and doth delight, Where as honour shines most bright: Reason's selfe doth love approve, Which makes us our selves to love. Who can blame me? Could I my past time begin, I would not commit such sin To live an houre, and not to love, Since love makes us perfect prove, Who can blame me? This did infinitely please the brave King; so cunningly, and with so many sweet voyces it was sung: then the banquet ended, they tooke leave of the kind King of Ciprus, and his company, all the rest taking ship with Pamphilia, sailing directly to Rodes, where they received unspeakable welcome, being feasted there eight dayes together, and for show of their true welcome, the Duke of that Iland bestowed his consent for marriage of his daughter, with her long beloved friend Polarchus, whose joy and content was such, as the other amorous Knights wisht to know. Then tooke they their leaves of the Duke, and all the Rodean Knights and Ladies, taking their way to Delos, Polarchus promising within short time to attend them in Morea. The end of the first Booke. The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania. The Second Booke. All this journey did Urania passe with much griefe inwardly suffered, and so borne, desirous to know where her love was, yet bashfull, durst not aske, till one day Perissus sitting betweene her and Limena, tooke occasion to speake of his first finding her, and so of the obligation they remaind tied unto her in, for all the fortunes they enjoyd; and so from that, to speake of the rescue Parselius brought Limena at her last breathing, as shee thought. I wonder (said Urania) where that Prince is, since so many brave men being here, mee thinkes hee should not bee absent; nor could I have thought any but himselfe might have ended this adventure. Truly (said Perissus ) when we parted with him, I never saw a more afflicted man then hee was (except once my selfe), and all was for the losse of you. I thought rather (said she) he had been offended with us for adventuring; which well he might, considering by that folly we lost him. Nay, said Allimarlus (who was then come to them), hee had no cause to blame you, having committed as great an error, and the same, himselfe, then told hee all the story to her, of what had past after the drinking the water, and so much as he knew, or heard by others of him, while he was heard of. Then came Pamphilia and Amphilanthus , who went on with the discourse, that now Urania was resolved, and assured of his affection, which so much joyd her, as the absence of him grew the more terrible to afflict her. Then to Delos they came, whose milke-white rockes looked smooth with joy to receive within their girdle, the worlds treasure of worth, now being in their presence richer, then when most treasure was within her: then tooke they directly to the Pallace, at the entring into the vault meeting the grave Melissea, who with her maides carrying torches of white waxe, conducted the Prince through that into the Gardens, all now in hope or feare to know their fortunes. Urania desiring to know her selfe; Pamphilia to be resolved, whether she should gaine by her loyalty. Amphilanthus when he should enj oy, and Antissius longing to be assured, if hee should have Selarina, who as much desired the same knowledge of gaining him, such affection had growne betweene them, he being (as shee did verily perswade her selfe) the selfe same little King, that beckned to her out of the enchanted Garden. Allimarlus must by any meanes be gaind by the Shepheardesse. Thus they all expecting, and Perissus happily enjoying, they continue in the Pallace, while the grave Hermit must next have time to tell his story to distressed Parselius, in this manner beginning. My loving and afflicted sonne, heare your poore friend say, his name is Detareus , borne in Dalmatia, and Lord of Ragusa: I was bred a Courtier, and accordingly thrived; repentance being at last their best fortunes. In that Court I lived in good favour with the king, and honoured with the office of Steward of his house: Children I had, and all other contents: but at last my wife died, and so did the best of my happinesse; for alas, soone after fell my miseries to increase; and for the greater sharpnes of them, to be thus springing from my owne best remaining comfort: for I call'd to my chamber my dearest daughter, (Bellamira by name) to be with me, and to governe my serv ants, but she having such beauty, as to be a fit bait to catch misfortune, and bring it to me, the king liked her; which I perceiving, hasted to bestow her, and so I did on a great heire, who was called Treborius, with whom she happily lived. But this King still loving her, and as a lover seeking all meanes to gaine his mind, never spared feastings, and all occasions, to draw company to the Court; yet all was because she must be there, otherwise were none in his opinion present: her husband also was extreamely favoured by him in outward show, and his house often visited by his Majesty. He saw it: but seeing his wives vertue spotlesse, over-lookt the temptations, which were but as two Glasses, set to see both sides of her noblenesse, and worthy chastitie. Much adoe there was, all eyes beheld it, all spake of it, all admired her. I discerning this, at last gave over the Court, scorning to bee used in the slights, which were for her dishonour, and mine in hers: I retyrd, she then having no fit occasion to visit the Court, did likewise so. No country sports faild to give delight, I oft-times with her, and her loving husband; they oft with mee. But now must these bee crost, not being fit for subjects to live in content, when the Prince is not pleased; to break which, he sent me Embassador to Italy , to the king of Naples, father to the glory of Princes, your matchles cosin; her husband he employed another way, hoping to win her in our absence: but herein he was deceived, for she would not have the shadow of such times afforded him, wherefore she went with her husband, thereby that plot was hindred, and the kings immoderate affection crossed; but whereby my misery most increased was, that in my Embassage I fell in love with a Lady, whose sweetnes and delicacie was able to have made Troylus false. This Lady I loved, this Lady (happiest destiny as I then unwisely conjectured loved me) but alas, she had a husband, a terrible and wretched barre in the way of those loose and wicked enjoyings which we coveted yet so we ordered our affaires, as wee came to have private conference, and many severall meetings. This Lady was of Apulia, and one, who if the enjoying her were death, and life the missing it, death had bin sweeter, and more to have bin prised. As I went to the Court, I saw her, she after came thither, at the assemblie which was for my entertainement. Wee liked, loved, and enjoyed: then did I not faile, to seeke all meanes to win, and keepe her husbands favour, which was the way for my blessing: hee embraced it, and truly I must confesse, used mee so well, as had any other matter been the end of my deceiving, but what was, I should have been sorry, so to have abus'd his trust. But what shall I say; you know love, and therefore brave Sir pardon it, or rather the relation of that which was in mee; so much power had this affection in mee, as I drew out the time of my stay to last, weaving the longest web that faining occasions could allow mee, the spider love working for me. But now comes my affliction in love, and yet happinesse in the end, for time grew for my departing, which word I may justly use, since it was like death (or that it selfe) to mee, or any passionate servant. To his house I was invited in my way home (wee yet having remaind at Rome) thither wee went, and made as many dayes journeyes as wee could, still to win of time: at last wee there arrived, where want was none, if fault; onely I found the continuall company of her good man, that which I disliked, yet wee conversed freely (as well wee might) before him, hee being as free, as noble courtesie could desire expression in: but we were not fully contented with this, wherefore wee would venture for more, which cost all; for hee lying from his Wife that night, by reason of care to her, lest continuall businesse might disquiet her. I having notice of it, when all were in their beds, and sweete silence spread with sleepe over all the house, I rose out of my lodging, and softly went unto her Chamber, where I found her sleeping, at my comming to the bed side; shee awaked, but how did shee blame mee? (and yet truly I believe, it was the hazard I had put my selfe in, shee more accused, and chid, then my selfe): for shee did not too cruelly reject mee, though earnestly she intreated, nay conjurd my sudden retyring, which I after some howers yeelded unto, taking my leave of her with as sad and dying affection, as if I had foreseene the ensuing harme, which thus happened. I had at my rising lighted a Candle, which careleslie (my mind onlie on my adventure) I left burning on the Cubbord in my Chamber; this light by miserable mischance wasting it selfe to my ruine, burned so into it selfe, as not being able to sustaine, or in mallice falling downe to throw mee to the bottome of all destruction, tooke hold of the Carpet, so setting that on fire (the blaze aspiring to my ende), fired the hangings, they hating the injurie, the guest they honoured had done to their owne Lord, in angrie flames made testimony of their loyaltie to their Master, giving him knowledge by their light to see my fault, and to bee as torches for the conducting him unto my misery. The fire great, the smoke greater, and which more hastily flew about to call witnesses of their innocencies, raised the servants; they, their Master; he carefull of me, sent to my chambers to call me to safetie, but more respecting his wife (as dearest to him) went himselfe to save her, when at the doore, how unwelcome a meeting had he, encountring in mee, the robber of his honor? Hee stood still, and in truth I must ever say, hee beheld mee rather with sorrow then fury, nor would he suffer any to be witnesse of his ill, but seeing me unarm'd, and onely in my Cloake, he intreated me to passe into the next roome, which I did, and seeming cheerefull enough to all els, tooke care of his House to preserve it if possible. Then brought he unto me a suit of Cloathes, and having caused me to make my selfe ready, together we went forth unnoted by any, (as well wee might, considering the businesse they had to save the place from destruction.) When wee came into a faire Field, he with teares, thus said. Till now had I never the misfortune to be acquainted with the worst of offences; which is breach of the true law of Friendship, but since I am falne into the wretchedest experience of it, I must, like the most miserable, seeke a way out of it. You cannot deny but you have deserv'd death, and in the worst kind; yet though I may have it, yet will I leave the fault where it is, and in the bravest manner, wipe away the staine, which cannot be washed but with your bloud, or cleansed by my ende. Take then this Sword (throwing one to mee) and said he, defend your selfe. I besought him not to put me to such a triall; I had deserv'd no favour, nor wishd I any to my selfe, onely that hee would honor me with giving me my death, and spare his wife, who was (for all my shamefull attempt) vertuous, and untouch'd. He onely shooke his head, and fetching a deepe groane, bid me leave speach, and goe to the conclusion, which must bee death. Wee fought (for my part) with so much foule guiltinesse, as me thought, strength, cunning, all good, and understanding had abandon'd me: hee furious, rev engefull, (and as I preceiv'd, greedy of ende) pursued me, who onely held my Sword, not to offend, but to defend me, till some (who I descern'd not farre off) could come to part us; but he likewise seeing them, ran so fiercely at me, as I must either lay my selfe open to take death, or holding but my Sword out, give him his end, which I most unwillingly did, forc'd to it by the frailty of the Flesh, which in the apparent dangers, is alwaies kindest to it selfe. Those I saw, came, and just to take up his body, and who (alas) followed them, but the poore Lady? extremity of shame bringing her to shew her shame: She seeing him slaine, cry'd out, O spare not me, who am the wofull cause of all this misery, let me at last be thus farre blessd, as by your hand to be sent againe unto him, from whom your sinne and mine have parted me, never let so detestable an offence rest unpunished? Shame calls upon you, and calls to me for satisfaction. The servants amazedly beheld us, till she never ceasing accusing her selfe, nor urging death, seeing she could not get it, kneeled downe, and taking a cold kisse from his lips, that were to her doubly dead in affection, and pale death, suddenly rose up, and in rising taking his sword, with furious and hatefull spite to her selfe, and wrong done him, threw her selfe upon it, falling downe upon him, joyning in that manner her broken vow againe in a new one, with their ends. Then did the servants finde the cause, whereupon they set on me, for I would not yeeld to goe with them, choosing, and desiring rather to dye with them, then outlive them in such shame; but too happy, and contrary to my wish was my destinie, for I slew them. Being then left with the two dead bodies, I fell into such complaints, as sorrow, and shame, could procure in me, crying out, where affliction hath judg'd it self in being excell'd, as in my misery; why should it not have end in death? then gave I my selfe many wounds, never ceasing wounding, while my wounded soule abided in my body; at least the soule of humane sense, for so it onely prov'd, for others following their Master and Mistris, found us all in the entertainment of wounds, palenesse mixt with bloud in the outside, in stead of the more naturall habitations, the veines having made open flouds to drowne themselves in, as a river may swell against it selfe, to loose her owne name, and yeeld it to a greater by her owne Pride. Their bodies they carried away, mine remain'd like a tatter'd Ensigne, rather a glory of gaine then losse, and so poore a thing was I: but a charible man more loving goodnesse then me, and yet loving me for goodnesse sake, (to make me have a better ending then in bloud) tooke my martyr'd body away: with bathings, and many more fine curiosities he brought mee to know I liv'd, to be more knowing my dayly dying. In a little Cell hee recover'd me, but to no more health, then to be able to goe thence, for longer I would not stay, then I had ability to goe away. I discover'd nothing of my selfe to him, but by him all that had passed after I left sense till his recovering me; the generall report was, I was burn'd, some fewe said murdred, all agreed I was lost, and in that was true agreement, for so I was, and am. Then left I Apulia, and in Hermits Cloathes roam'd up and downe, till I lighted on this place, never finding any that could content mee but this: What since became of my poore Daughter, her misfortunes, or blessings, I can give no account of, but I feare the worst, since one day, one instant, and one Planet governd, and gave our births, onely 24. yeares differing in time; here have I since remaind, and till now, never disclosed my selfe, nor would have done to you, had not your freedome first ingag'd me: repentance hath beene my blessed delight, having enjoyed that, as plentifully, and comfortably as ever joy was to soules. Now sir, you see before you, where misery hath not beene sparing, where afflictions have not faild their greatest bounty in excessivenesse, and where only comfort of a happy repentance rules, and gives a sweeter consolation, then worldly pleasures could with all glorious paintings give liking. Then did Parselius againe grieve for him, and yet comfort sprung; as after a hard Frost, flowres though dead, may appeare living, retaining some warmth in the roote, as in his breast: that he might, with gray haires know a change from misadventures to a pure content. Thus they continued, sometimes Parselius wayling, sometimes the Hermit relating his Stories past, hee bent to comfort, the other to Dispaire, though sometimes a little moov'd to hope, but with as small strength, as life hath in the last gaspe. But now must Steriamus, and his companion find their way to their destined reliefe, following the course ordained for them; they took to the Sea, & so toward St. Maura: Steriamus ever bringing into his sight, the sweetnesse and bravenesse of Pamphilia, blessing Mellissea for sending him to such a heav en of joy as to see her, and with her favour to speake to her, and for his happinesse to kisse her hand, shee mildly permitting him. O (said he) Steriamus now shalt thou end happily (if so thy Destiny bee) since thou hadst a kind parting from thy better selfe. Then beheld he the Sea, which calme and smooth gave them quiet passage: so, said he, appeard my Mistris, gently letting my good come unto me, to passe me unto an unlooked for content. Dearest Love, how doth sweetnesse better sit with you, where truest sweetnesse dwels, then harsh cruelty? Then did night possesse them, but so still an one, and so brightned by the favour of the faire Moone, who seem'd chastly to behold her selfe in the smooth face of the Sea, which yet sometimes left her plainnes, rising, as catching at her face; or, as with love to embrace it, or rather keepe her in her dwellings, wherein shee was deceiv'd: for favours are not ever so free, as though lent, to be possess'd for ever, and thus greedy was I (said he) but she as chastly refused me, yet did their sight bring some Verses into his minde, which were these. Pray thee Diana tell mee, is it ill, as some doe say, thou think'st it is, to love? Me thinks thou pleased art with what I prove, since joyfull light thy dwelling still doth fill. Thou seemst not angry, but with cheerefull smiles beholdst my Passions; chaste indeed thy face Doth seeme, and so doth shine, with glorious grace; for other loves, the trust of Love beguiles. Be bright then still, most chast and cleerest Queene, shine on my torments with a pittying eye: Thy coldnesse can but my despaires discry, and my Faith by thy clearenesse better seeme. Let those have heat, that dally in the Sunne, I scarse have knowne a warmer state then shade; Yet hottest beames of zeale have purely made my selfe an offring burnt, as I was wonne. Once sacrific'd, but ashes can remaine, which in an Ivory box of truth inclose The Innocency whence my ruines flowes, accept them as thine, 'tis a chast Loves gaine. Having done them, he said them to Dolorindus, whose thoughts were as busily employd in the same kinde; now were they come within sight of St. Maura, wherefore Steriamus demanded of the Marriners, if they knew the white Rocke, they did, and so in the long Boate carried them unto it, where landing them they departed; the Princes taking to the topp of it, viewing it, and the ruines, admiring what they should doe in that desolatnesse, where they found no man, no place for man to bide in save one little Cave, whereinto they went, and sitting downe they afresh discoursed of their Fortunes: Steriamus relating to his companion, the manner of his living in Pantaleria, in the little Cave, and so his youth, but when he touched of Pantaleria, he could not passe it over without some passionate remembrance of it, where he only lived free, and therefore as hee called it happy. Delightfull Pantaleria (would he crie), when I remaind in thee, how was I Lord of my selfe, and so of all quiet content? dayes were then past in hunting, or some other countrie delights, which now waste in being hunted by afflictions: no paine knew I, if not by surfetting of pleasure, yet proved I a man esteeming change my greater happinesse, when brave Parselius with the rarest of women, except my Lady released me from ignorance, bringing me into the world, to be the riper in miseries fruite, what happinesse (in comparison of the woe we Princes suffer) doth remaine in a country life? O Pantaleria would I had still remaind in thee, or would I had never knowne delights, which were still springing in thee, like thy dainty flowers, and tender grasse which increased in plenty of sweetnes, being corrected for the little height it some times got, by the tender sheep, as my sorrowes abound by the cruelty of my dearest love. Cruell love, Ah cruelst of cruelties, why end you not your tyrannies, or let tyrannie end, with ending me? Cursed be the time I ever suffered the unrightfull Monarchy of love to governe me, & thus to soveraignize over me, giving wounds, and a little easing them, as to make one hope, the danger of death were past, of purpose to make them more intollerable in the suffering, els why brought you me from joy to misery? then a little to enjoy a glimmering hope to be put into a darker night of sorrow with parting from it, els might you have left me in the sweet Morea, when Pamphilia smiled on me? Love you invited me, but sterv'd me, you againe feasted mee, but poyson'd me, forcing me to drinke of absence. You (said Dolorindus) doe lament, as if alone you were appointed to suffer, or alone did indure affliction, when too covetously you hoard unto your treasure, what belongs to other men; you call love a tyrant, when you are a greater, taking away the inheritance of others, as from me your friend, who have as much right to misery as any, liv ing in as great excesse of it, and having as large possessions in that government: then spare me liberty to complaine with you, permit mee to say misfortune is as much mine as yours, and then like fellow subjects let us bewaile the weight of that unjust tyranny. Pardon mee deare friend (said hee), if I would wholly take ill to my selfe, since it is to free you, and all worthy people from that, which I am fittest to beare, as a creature fram'd for the vassalage of Love, and his crueltie: but since you aske liberty to bewaile, take it, and let that bring your freedome, while it redoubles on my breast, as being mine and yours, tell mee then all your woe, and know you speake to woe it selfe in speaking unto me. Then Dolorindus (beginning with the set order of lovers, which is with sighes and teares) began his discourse thus. Free from the knowledge of harme, it was my hap to meete a Lady, hunting in a great Forrest, attended on by many brave Gentlemen and Knights; but being more then woman-like excellent in riding, she had left her Ladies, or rather they had left her, not able to attend her in that surpassing quality. I young, and affecting sport, fell into the company, marking more that brave Diana then the chase shee followed, which was of a Stagge, who though hee tooke pride in being so pursued, and that it was in him to make her follow, stoutly commanded her attendance, yet cowardly flying from her, thinking it better to trust to his speed then her mercy, yet was he rewarded at last fit for his merit, for standing at bay, as if to threaten her doggs, and even before her face gazing on her, she stroke him with a Crossebow to the heart; then weepingly hee fell downe at her feete, groaning for her unkindnesse: yet was not this the cruelst blow she gave, for (O me) shee did likewise wound my breast. Then came they all about her, admiring the hurt, while I admired, any seeing her, could live unwounded. Some prais'd the hounds that so truly hunted: I prais'd mine eyes that never were at fault, till they brought home the honor of the day, which was the losse of my poore heart, hunted by mine eyes unto that bay. When all the rights were done, and doggs rewarded (I alone unsatisfied for my great gift), shee nobly intreated the company to goe with her unto her house, which all agreed unto, and my selfe unknowne to any there, tooke my way with them, boldly adventuring on that invitation. We sat downe at dinner, all the discourse was still upon the sport that morning, the Stagge afforded them, to which I gave a poore assistance, for having been bred abroad to learning, and to armes, I was an unexperienced hunts-man, which she marked, and accordingly made use of, telling mee, that sure the hunting was not pleasing to me, or the want of that exercise had made me unskillfull in the discourse. I said, the latter was the true reason, for till that day I never saw that sport, though I had knowne the field delights in many sorts. Then fell she to discourse of martiall things, being excellently learned in all the Arts, knowledge no way scanting her. Thus dinner past, when horses againe were brought forth, and she waited on by us, went forth to see Haukes flee, spending the after-noone in that delight, inviting us againe with her, when before supper, choyce of musique was bestowed upon us: all these did well, and best to serve her best beloved selfe; but these (alas) prov'd but more hurts to mee, making mee by them see my greater losse, love like a serpent poysoning my joyes, and biting my best daies, venomd all my blisse, making my new pris'd wound death to my hopes, and sorrow to my soule. Pitie I wanted, pitie I sought, but pity durst not ask; and thus did griefe take me, & in me make abiding: commiseration was the mark I aimed at, but feare held my hand: I saw her faire and delicate, and therfore imagined soft pity to be within so sweet a cage; yet had her eies such powerful might, as gave command, that none should dare to claime so rich a blisse; overwhelmed with the cruelst spite that Nature could inflict upon a man, I remaind, which was fild with a youthfull bashfulnesse, which overswaied my humblest heart, disasters glorying in my patient suffering, excessivenesse of sorrow flowing in me, for now was the time to part; or if I would remaine, I must not hide my selfe, or longer stay unknowne; for then was her husband to returne from a journey made unto the neighbour Ile, wherefore I thought it not amisse (the company all gone) to take my time, and thus I spake unto her. If that which I must say should turne to give offence, accursed would I thinke the time, and words I go about to utter; but comming from a man wholly devoted to your service, I hope they will produce such ends, as they are now directed to, and so may make me blessed, if blessing can descend on one so much unblest yet as my self: this time wherin I have enjoied the full of outward joy beholding you, hath yet brought loves attendants, losse & feare with it, losse of my libertie tyed wholly to your wil, & feare in my heart, if you despise my love; cause of affection I can challenge none for me, if not in gratitude to me, who give my self for it, a strangers name may make you scorne me, not knowing worth in me, but boldnesse, fitting all contempt; these yet you may cast by, for this stranger, your servant, am sonne to the King, and your humblest lover Dolorindus. She (who before did in her lookes manifest the breeding of a curst reply) a little smoothed the tempest of her rage, and with sober reverence, demanded pardon for her using me with no more respect; and yet my Lord (said she) the fault may sooner be pardoned, since 'twas you which were the cause of it. Then did I againe solicit: she modestly, but confidently much refus'd. Her husband then arrived, who knowing mee gave free and noble welcome; I sought how still to induce the man to love my company, and to seeke it, which hee did also, having his ends, which surely he might gaine, so I might compasse mine; to which (for all her chast replies, and curious preserving of her honour in her words), at last I did obtaine, and so her love, in as equall measure, as mine was to her, which was without compare, had hers not equald it. Thus it continued for some yeeres; all the mirth and sports that were in Negropont, were still at her Castle; Maskes, Justs, Huntings, nothing can bee thought on, that was not in plenty at her house. My selfe (though sonne unto the king, yet my sister being to inherit the kingdome) was not so much lookt after (if not by noble minds) as shee who was to rule; so as I gain'd by that meanes, both more freedome, and lesse over-seers of my actions. To a Maske that wee had there, wherein I was, a Lady came, whose ill 'twas to fal in love me, and so violently did it flame, as it grew dangerous; if she were refus'd, a womans hate (which is the deadliest) I was to expect; if I consented, just disdaine from my deare selfe I was to merit. Hate could not stirre mee to such ill, but feare (lest it would blaze unto her hurt) made me yeeld some content. In these two straites I was: if I would have asked leave, and told the cause, it yet might purchase doubt: if I denied, certaine hurt ensued. To avoid both, I did kindly use her, and such words spake before my onely love, as I did wish, that she should understand, while still the other tooke them to her selfe. Thus it was well: but how could well long last with me? from this well grew my worst ill, and that ill, all my woe; for my loves husband grew to doubt his wife, which well he might: for though she were assured, or truly might be of my faith to her; yet could shee not but sometime shew dislike, that she sought to win me, or that she should aspire to be her rivall love; this made that secret deare affection seen, which so long had laine close, wrapped up alone in knowledge of our soules. Hee had no sooner found this, but hee straight studdied by skill to be reveng'd, and yet to seeme still ignorant of the plot; and thus his wicked practise he began. A solemne feast hee made, which was to last for twelve whole dayes, the reason he alleaged was this: an old man once did say (whose skill was very great in the Art of Divination, as 'twas held), that he should never live to fiftie yeares of age; which time being then expired, this feast for that cause was appointed. Many Ladies thither were invited with their Lords, and many knights, who were to win faire Ladies, and with the rest this amorous Lady came, whose welcome to my love was like hers unto me. I grieud that shee was there, because I saw shee did displease her eyes, who firmely held my heart. The Lord (whose name was Redulus) never shewed better cheere, his heart never more foule, nor thoughts more sulled with base fram'd tricks. At the first show, which was by candle light, and neither Masque nor properly any one thing, but a mingle of divers sorts; I sate betweene those two, whose loves in severall kindes I held: my Ladies in truth mix'd with a little feare, the other in violence heated with dislike. I had but one love, yet of force shew'd two; faith and sincere affection to my choyce dissembled: and a faign'd respect to her had chosen me. The husband watching all and catching with as many severall watches, our close looks, as spiders flyes, with numbers of her webs: then did his wit begin to play that part allotted to it selfe, which was to throw a spitefull jarre among us three, which was effected by this divilish meanes; flouting the Lady whom my soule best loved, telling her how shee had made such a choyce hee could not blame her for, since hee a Prince, a dainty youth, a neate and courtly Knight, delicate, amorous, how can hee bee seene without admiring, and then loving? yet truely wife, said he, I better doe deserve your love, since I have loved but you, and you have many partners in his love: I speake not this for jealousie, nor am I angry with it, or displeased, but onely pitty you who are deceiv'd. Courtiers you know will love choyce of Mistresses, alas what lucke have you to fall into this snare? to love, and to be couzened of your love, by one you make your friend, and sweet companion? justly yet this is done, that you afford your friend a part in all. Selinea (for so was she, deere shee my, Lady cal'd) knew not at first with what face, or in what kind to receive these words; the husband first was the informer, the businesse his dishonour, the losse hers, the fault her lovers, these call'd her sharpest and best pleased wits to ayde, at last shee thus did say. My Lord, you say you pity me in this kinde; were I guilty, you had more just cause to hate me, for truth in men (except your selfe) their truths and falshoods are indifferent to me, having no further reason to commend, prize, or dislike them, but for vertues sake, and so am I in my owne opinion blessed in your love, as I should despaire of blessing if I deserv'd it not in the same height of loyalty: for the Prince, he hath (it is true) many noble parts able to win womens affections, but yet none such where true worth remaines, as to divert them from a vertuous life, since that leaves the name & property when it runs to change. If I were single, it might be I should as soon like him as any other; but I lov'd you, and love you, never to change from that love: therefore I pray you take home your beforegi ven pitty, and bestow it where it wants, since I have yet no use of it, and continue that love you did beare me, which shall be requited with as lasting a faith in me. He who expected rather a curst and sharpe answer, then so milde an one, tooke her in his armes, and kissing her, swore, hee lov'd her well before, but now his heart was wholly hers: thus shee, as shee hop'd, had satisfied him, who seem'd contented, but his minde was no more then before quieted; for then he went to Melinea, and talking with her, discoursed how infinitely hee was afflicted with the wrong that Dolorindus did him in his reputation and honour, courting of his wife so publikely, and striv ing to discredit him unto the world, and so undoe his happinesse at home, which hee enjoyed while Selinea lov'd him: but now such power had the earnest and importunate love of the Prince gained over her weake powers to resist, as hee had made her his. But yet sayd Melinea he loves her not assuredly, as you imagine. Bee not deceiv'd sweet Melinea, said Redulus; for never did man more passionately affect then Dolorindus doth, did you but see his sleights, nay his passions if they faile, you would sweare no man did violently love but hee; his sighs, with folded armes, and stealing lookes, discovers what hee feeles. How have I seene him when he talk'd with you, and kis'd your hand, throw even his soule out at his eyes to her? Surely, my Lord said shee, you cannot see this, but you doe speake it onely to trye if I would prove so unworthy as to joyne with you in doubt of her, who is as good as faire. No I protest said hee, I speake as I believe and know; but yet I am assur'd that his love is the greater, and the cause that shee did ever bend to thinke of love: A Princes name is able to attract a chast-borne maide to know loves heate and force; what then can love and strong affection joyn'd win on a woman? Take you heede faire maid, love is a power that will, though once gainsaid, the second time come in with armes, and make your chastest thoughts contribute to his taxe, had you beene in the chamber, or but mark'd the piercing darts hee sent by lookes of love, such as had beene enough to burne a heart that would contend, but yeelding, make joy glory in greater pride, then ever joy did know. I found some verses too, which hee hath made, and given his mistresse; by them you may ghesse in what estate his restlesse burning soule continues flaming to my utter shame, and ruine of my name. Then tooke hee forth some verses which indeed I doe confesse I made and most unfortunately lost; those lines gave full assurance of the truth, and bred as true a hate in her to us, which though she strove to cover and dissemble, (with show of sorrow onely for my griefe) yet hee perceiv'd, as having eyes of Art, and those directed by a divellish wit, these found what hee did seeke; then wrought hee still on that, and so at last came to his practise end; which happened the day before the feast had full conclusion in this haplesse kind. The jealous and despightfull Melinea, when dancing did begin, of purpose let the paper fall, but so as Selinea must bee next to take it up, which soone she did, and opening it, discerned it was my hand, and that the subj ect of those lines was love, which was most true, but alas falsly held from her, to whom they, and my firmest thoughts, were onely bent and dedicated, with affections zeale, and zealous love; these and my negligence in not seeking to confirme her trust, confident of her love, made her alas belive too soone. The paper was with faigned anger snatched quickly away from my mistris, shee with blushing said, Why Melinea, I thought you had not beene one so much given to Poetry till now? I made them not said shee; No, (sighing said the other) I know that, with which shee looked on mee, but with so cruell eyes, (and yet affection went with them, though shadowed with her scorne, which might be pitty call'd.) These strake my heart in sunder with their sight: (O mee, cryed I) have I fram'd these to spoyle my fortunes which should have procur'd my blisse, by telling what I could not utter? speach tyed by a power of a greater might. Alas that ever I did take a penne in hand to be the Traytor to my joy; this griefe made me as guilty seeme by shame and silence, which did then possesse my most distracted senses, as if I had been as false as they made me appeare. The dauncing went still on, but she (who was the best) like to her heart she rul'd her feete, in sad and walking pace; now was the plot well forward, hee wrought still, and finding fault there was no nimbler sports, came and intreated me to take his wife, and so begin a more delightfull daunce. Hee saw my griefe, she found his drift, two hated mee to death, all were disorderd, but I onely lost; thus pass'd the night, the morning come, to part we were directed by our words given at the meeting. Faine I would have spoken, but shee who thought me false, avoided it, and gave but liberty to say farewell, which even with teares I did: She loath now to behold me, who of late she lov'd, cast downe her eyes, not gracing me with one poore looke, which though disgracefull, yet as hers, had beene more welcome then the sweetest smiles that ever lover joyed in from his Love. Thus we were parted to dispaire and losse, yet meant I not to leave my mistris so, but quickly found a meanes to visit her, when she continuing still her cruell frownes to mee, I got yet liberty by my cares watch, to speake with her, although against her minde; but then more cruell then the fiercest Lyons enrag'd by famine, did bring forth these words. False man (said shee) have you not yet enough, that your deceipt hath come unto mine eyes? For, false you are, else had you lov'd me still, you would have diligently cleer'd this doubt: but O you thinke this not enough, nor I sufficiently afflicted with your fault, but more you would intice me for more paine, glory in your injustice, and make triumphes for your ill, blaze to the world the sinne of your ingratitude, and change, and that once done, hope then to winne againe; but who? none but so lucklesse, and unblessed a soule as I was, who did trust you, cruell you, the worst, and falsest of your changing sexe. This being said, but force could hold her; wherefore for feare of further rage, I let her goe, remaining like the Creatures Metamorphos'd into stones. Yet at last, I went into my Chamber, and there framd some lamentable lines, to let her see, how cruelly shee had with scorne, and strange mistaking, martyr'd mee. When I delivered them, shee tooke them with these words, Ile reade them, said shee, onely to perceive how well your vaine continues in this change; or, if you please, Ile be you messenger and give them Melinea from your selfe. These wounded mee more then the sharpest Sword, but more alas, grew my mishapp: for she hating so much, as once before she lov'd, desir'd me to love my selfe so well, as to refraine to shew my eyes to her, where so much false ingratitude did dwell, and for my sake, shee would not onely doe the like for mee in keeping from my sight, (least I with seeing her should see my shame) but would for my foule fault, hate all mens loves; this I besought her to recall, she said, it fixed was: then went I thence and mourned a while unseene; at last, my Fathers miserie called me to succour him, that done, againe, I sought to gaine her pardon, but alas, in vaine, for she resolvd to nothing but my griefe, shunn'd as she promisd my then loathed sight. After her husband dyed, I then did woe her, offered marriage, sought with more then Vassal-like desire, but nothing moovd her, untill love did againe take anew the conquest of her heart, making her contrary to all her likings, (which shee till then had publish'd) choose a brave yong Lord, in truth a worthy man, but contrary in all the outward markes which heretofore she said could winne her love. When I saw this, I knew there was no hope, I left her, and the Countrey, blaming fate that thus had made me causelesly accursed. Farewell (said I) deere Lady of my soule, and farewell all love to your wayward sex, where judgement lives but in the shallow being of an outward sight; curst is that man that puts least trust in you: more certainely the ficklest weather hath, more staidnesse feathers, and more profit drops of raine in Snow which melts with it, while you spoile onely me: thus I departed when she married last, and then for her sake vowed, as she had done, but with more manly constancy, to hold a true and a loyall oath, never to love, or chuse a Creature of so light a kinde, as generally all women bee, the best alone being good, that while she's pleas'd she will give equall love; suspitious sexe, and fondly ignorant, that will not know the truth, least truth should shew the fault, in base suspecting without cause. Stay, stay, said Steriamus, you grow curst against the lovelyest, sweetest, happiest birth, that ever earth did beare; your mother was a woman, and you must be favour'd by an other, to be blessed with brave posterity. Women, why blame you them, the dearest soules, and comforts of our soules? Love in aboundance made you too farre crost, blame Love then, not her scorne, which surely was not scorne but perfect griefe. Be charitable, and aske pardon for this sinne, for never will I give it other name, nor suffer those blessed creatures to sustaine so great abuse, as your rage layes on them. As thus they were in deep, and almost collerick dispute, against, and for the worth of women kinde. Parselius and the Hermit did arrive, who went that day together for some foode, but when they heard mens voyces, and both lowde, they went into the Cave, and so did end their argument with kind conclusion: for straite Parselius was discovered to his deare and loving friend, who likewise was with teares of joy embraced, where altogether they remain'd, with love relating still their fortunes, which did passe away the time with pleasant sweet content; for such was paine to them so truly borne, as joy had gain'd that name if offer'd them. But now Pamphilia hasteth homeward, and the greatest Lady must dispatch her guests. The Queene of all brave beauty, and true worth, Pamphilia , thinking it long to heare her fate in Love, yet daring not for modesty to aske, what most she coveted to understand, faign'd a desire to returne againe unto her People, who expected her, this also was a truth, and therefore just excuse. The Lady knowing most things, also found this drift, yet did as finely strive to cover it; wherefore one day dinner newly done, she tooke her company into a roome, the fairest and best furnish'd of that place, and by a witty sleight divided them into the windowes, and some pretty places every one a sunder from their friend, each one imagining she was with 'tother, then came shee to Pamphilia and thus spake: Rarest of women for true loyalty, I know your longing which proceeds from love, and grieve I doe, that I cannot be blessed with power to tell that happinesse you seeke, but Destiny that governes all our lives hath thus ordain'd, you might be happy, had you power to wedd, but daintinesse and feare will hinder you: I cannot finde that you shall marry yet, nor him you most affect many afflictions you must undergoe, and all by woman kinde, beware of them, and so the better speed. Pamphilia onely sigh'd, and turnd her blushing face unto the window, while the Lady went unto Urania, to whom she thus discours'd. Fayrest, and sweetest, leave off your laments for ignorance of your estate, and know that you are daughter to a mighty King, and sister to the bravest living Prince, the honour of all Knights, and glory of his Country, renowned Amphilanthus ; the manner, and the reason for your losse, shall bee brought to you in a fitter place. Now for your love, alas that I must say, what Destinie foretels, you shall be happy, and enjoy, but first, death in apparance must possesse your daintie bodie, when you shall revive with him you now love, to another love, and yet as good, and great as hee. Bee not offended for this is your fate, nor bee displeased, since though that must change, it is but just change, bringing it from him alike disquieted. The Lady left her, who impatient of her ill went to Pamphilia, whom shee found still without speech, and as (if one would say) fix'd like the heaven, while the world of her thoughts had motion in her griefe. Urania likewike vex'd in her soule, shew'd in her face the small content shee knew; they both stood gazing in each others face, as if the shining day Starre had stood still to looke her in a glasse, their bloud had left their cheeks, and sunke into their hearts, as sent in pitty downe to comfort them; at last assured confidence did come and plead for part, and so they sate and spake; while Mellissea pass'd unto the King, to whom shee onely told that faire Urania was his sister, and that although so deare to him, yet to make her live contentedly, he, and none else must throw her from the Rocke of St. Maura into the Sea; feare not, but doe it (said shee) for this must make her live, and forget her unfortunate love, (which vertue that water hath.) For his Love, she did assure him hee was bless'd in that, if being certaine of her heart, could bring it him; but yet said she; Nay, say no more, cry'd he, this is enough, and let me this enjoy, Ile feare no ills that Prophesies can tell. Then went he to the window, where hee found the sad sweet couple, whom he comforted, kissing his Sister, and with eyes of joy, telling Pamphilia , he was happy yet: then Ollorandus came, and so Perissus with his Queen, who Mellissea had assuredly foretold, the constant being of their happy dayes. Antissius was the joyfull'st man alive, for he had such a lucky fortune given, as to love well, and to bee well belov'd, and what was most, to gaine that he most sought, and happily still to continue so; the like had Selarina, so as well it might be said, these of all the others had the happiest states. Good Allimarlus, and his loving love had promise to obtaine, so all are bless'd but those to whom best blessings did belong. All thus resolv'd, they thinke of their returne; Pamphilia homewards needs would take her way, but Amphilanthus gain'd so much at last, with helpe of faire Urania, and the rest, as she resolv'd to see Morea first, & therfore sent Mellisander unto Pamphilia to satisfie the Councell of her course, and to assure them of her speedy comming to them, after she had seene her Fathers Court; so with kind farewells they left Delos, soone after landing in Messenia, and with all this royall troope came to the aged King, whose joy was expresselesse grown, to see this company, the glory of those parts. Much did he welcome faire Urania, glad in his heart to see her, who he knew would bring such comfort & content unto her father, his beloved friend. Feasts were proclaim'd throughout the kingdom, Justs, and all exercises were brought forth to welcome these brave Princes to the Court, Pamphilia's honour, honouring all the rest; yet could not that, or any other joy (though all joyes were so plentifully there, as bare accepting had injoyed them) give least delight to her, whose wounded heart did feede upon the sore, was lately given by cursed fore-telling of her loosing fate. Into the garden woods (her old sad walke) she therefore went, and there as sadly did againe complaine. Alas Pamphilia, said shee, lucklesse soule, what cruell Planet governd at thy birth? what plague was borne with thee, or for thee, that thou must but have a vertue, and loose all thereby? Yet 'tis all one, deere love, maintaine thy force well in my heart, and rule as still thou hast: more worthy, more deserving of all love, there breaths not then the Lord of my true love. Joy then Pamphilia, if but in thy choice, and though henceforth thy love but slighted be, joy that at this time he esteemeth me. Then went shee to the Ash, where her sad sonnet was ingraved, under which she writ: Teares some times flow from mirth, as well as sorrow, Pardon me then, if I againe doe borrow Of thy moist rine some smiling drops, approoving Joy for true joy, which now proceeds from loving. As she past on, she heard some follow her, wherefore looking backe, she discernd Urania and Amphilanthus, to whom she straight returnd, and with them walked a while up and downe the wood, til Amphilanthus advised them to sit downe, so laying his Mantle on the grasse, the two incomparable Princesses laid themselves upon it, the king casting himselfe at their feete, as though the only man for truth of perfection that the world held, yet that truth made him know, that they were so to be honourd by him; then laying his head in Urania's lap, and holding Pamphilia by the hand, he began to discourse, which they so well liked, as they past a great part of the day there together, Pamphilia still desiring him to tell of his adventures, which hee did so passing finely, as his honour was as great in modestly using his victories in relation, as in gaining them: but when hee spake of Steriamus, his finding him and his passions, he did it so pretily, as neither could procure too much favor for him, nor offend her with telling it, yet still did she hasten the end of those discourses, which he no whit dislikt; but Urania desird stil to heare more particularly of him, as if she had then known what fortune they were to have, together; at last the king proceeded to the comming to the Iland, now cald Stalamine , anciently Lemnos, where (said he) the Lady is called Nerena, a woman the most ignorantly proud that ever mine eyes saw; this Ladies ill fortune was to fall in love with Steriamus, who poore man was in such fetters, as her affection seemd rather a new torture, then a pleasure to him: yet left she not her suite, telling him she was a Princesse descended from the kings of Romania , absolute Lady of that Iland, and for his honor (if he knew truly what honour it was to him) his love. He told her, 'Twere more credit he was sure for her, to be more sparingly, and silently modest, then with so much boldnesse to proclaime affection to any stranger. Why (said shee) did ever any man so fondly shew his folly till now, as to refuse the profferd love of a Princesse? and such an one, as if a man would by marriage bee happy, should bee onely chosen as that blessing? I am (said hee) truly ashamed to see such impudent pride in that sexe most to be reverenced: but to let you know, that you too farre exceede the limits of truth and understanding, by vainely ov er-esteeming your selfe, I will assure you that I love a Princesse, whose feete you are not worthy to kisse, nor name with so fond a tongue, nor see, if not (as the Images in old time were) with adoration; nor heare, but as Oracles; and yet this is a woman, and indeed the perfectest, while you serve for the contrarie. How call you this creature, said she? Steriamus was so vext that plainly she cald you so, as he in very fury flung out of the house, nor for the two daies which wee staid there, afterwards ever came more in; shee perplexing him still, leaving him in no place quiet, till she got your name. Then made shee a vow to see you, and follow him, till shee could win him, letting her proud heart bow to nothing but his love, wherein the power of love is truely manifested. I would be sorry (said Pampilia) to see her upon these termes, since she must (fild with so much spite against me) with all malice behold me. I wish she were here (said Urania), since it is a rare thing surely to see so amorous a Lady. Thus pleasantly they passed a while, till they thought it time to attend the King, who about that houre still came forth into the Hal, where they found him, and the adventure soone following, which he last spake of: for the kings being set, there entred a Lady of some beauty, attended on by ten knights, all in Tawny, her selfe likewise apparreld in that colour; her Pages, and the rest of her servants having that liverie. The knights being halfe way to the State, stood still, making as it were a guard for the Princesse to passe through, who went directly to the king; then making a modest, but no very low reverence, she thus spake. Although your Majesty may well wonder, first at my comming, then at the cause, yet (I hope) that excuse I bring with it, will pleade for my justification. It is not (I am most assured) unknowne to you, although one of the greatest Christned Kings, that loves power is such, as can command over your hearts, when to all other powers, you scorne so much as yeelding. This hath made me a subject, though borne absolute; for whatsoe ver I seeme here to be, yet I am a Princesse, and Lady of the sweet, and rich Stalamine: but alas to this Iland of mine, came three knights (knights I call them, because they honor that title, with esteeming it higher then their own titles, for Princes they were, & the rarest some of them of Princes, as when you heare them namd, you wil confesse with me). One of these, my heart betraying me, & it self never before toucht unto the subjection of his love, wherof if he had bin so fortunat as to be able to see the happines was fallen unto him in it he might have justly boasted of it. But hee slighting what his better judgement would have reverenc'd, refused my affection, mine, which onely was worthy of gaine, being so well knowing as to dispise liberty in giving it selfe to any of meaner qualitie then Steriamus, whose proud refusall, yet makes me love him, and take this journey in his search, comming hither where I hop'd to find him, both because I heard he lived much in this Court, and that hee had bestowed his love upon your surpassing daughter Pamphilia; these brought me assurance to win him, having given my selfe leave to show so much humility as to follow him: next to see that beauty which he so admired, and as if in scorne contemned mine in comparison of it, which I thinke, Sir, if you well behold, you will judge rather to merit admiration then contempt. Fair Lady said the King, that Prince you speake of hath been much in my Court, and not long since, but now indeed is absent, nor have we heard any thing of him, since his departure: for your love, it is so rare a thing to bee found in one of your sexe in such constant fury, as to procure, and continue such a journey, as that of it selfe (without the mixture of such perfections as you see in your selfe) were enough to conquer one, that could be overcome: but for his love to my daughter, there she is to answer you if she please, and cleare that doubt, since it is more then ever I knew that the Albanian Prince did love her, more then in respect unto her greatnesse. Nereana turning to Pamphilia, earnestly, and one might see curiously, and like a rivall, therefore spitefully beholding her, thus spake. Well might hee (brave Princesse) bestow his affections where such unusuall beauties do abide; nor now can I blame him for prostrating his heart before the throne of your excellent perfections. Pamphilia blushed, both with modesty, and anger, yet she gave her this answer. Madam (said she) I know you are a Princesse, for before your comming hither, I heard the fame of you, which came swifter then your self, though brought by love: and in truth I am sorry, that such a Lady should take so great and painefull a voyage, to so fond an end, being the first that ev er I heard of, who took so Knight-like a search in hand; men being us'd to follow scornefull Ladies, but you to wander after a passionate, or disdainefull Prince, it is great pitie for you. Yet Madam, so much I praise you for it, as I would incourage you to proceede, since never feare of winning him, when so many excellencies may speake for you: as great beauty, high birth, rich possessions, absolute command, and what is most, matchlesse love, and loyaltie: besides, this assurance you may have with you, that to my knowledge hee loves not me, and upon my word I affect not him, more then as a valiant Prince, and the friend to my best friends. Thus are you secure, that after some more labour you may gaine, what I will not accept, if offered me, so much do I esteeme of your affectionate search. These words were spoken so, as, though proud Nereana were nettled with them, yet could she not in her judgement finde fault openly with them, but rather sufferd them with double force to bite, inwardly working upon her pride-fild heart, and that in her eyes she a little shewed, though she suffered her knees somewhat to bow in reverence to her. Answere shee gave none, scorning to thanke her, and unwilling to give distaste; having an undaunted spirit, she turned againe to the King, using these words. For all this (said she) great King, I cannot thinke but Steriamus loves this Queene, for now doe I find a like excellent mind inclosed within that all-excelling body, such rarenes I confesse living in her beauty, as I cannot but love his judgement for making such a choice and the rather do I believe he loves her, because he affects hardest adventures, and so impossible is it I see to win her heart, as it may proove his most dangerous attempt, yet bravely doth he, in aspiring to the best. Then brave king, and you faire Lady, pardon me, and judge of my fault or folly with mild eyes, since neither are mine wholly, but the Gods of love, to whom I am a servant. The King told her, more cause he had to commend, and admire her, then to contemne her, since for a woman it was unusuall to love much, but more strange to be constant. After this, and some other passages, Amphilanthus and Ollorandus came, and saluted her, giv ing her many thankes for their royall welcome: she kindly received them, desiring them to give her some light how to find Steriamus: they answered her, that from Delos, he was directed to an Iland, called St Maura, but more they knew not, nor heard of him since his going thither with another good Prince, calld Dolorindus. Having this little hope of finding him, she gave them thankes, and so took her leave, nor by any meanes could they perswade her stay, in her soule hating the sight of her, who though against her will had won, and then refused that, which shee for her onely blessing did most seeke after, yet would she honour her worth, which openly she protested, but never affect her person. Thus the strange Princesse departed, neither pleased nor discontented, despising any passion but love should dare think of ruling in her: but because she must not be left thus, this story shall accompany her a while, who tooke her way to the sea, thinking it better to trust her selfe with Neptune , then the adventures which might befall her, a longer journey by land. She taking ship at Castanica, meant to passe among the Ilands, and by power commanded the Saylers to bend their course for St. Maura, which they did, but in the night the wind changd, and grew high, turning (towards day) to a great storme, not meaning to be curst, but when the fury might be seene; thus were they with the tempest carried another way then they intended, and at last safely (though contrary to their wils) being in the Mediterran sea, were cast upon Cecily, at a famous place cald Saragusa. Then she, who saw there was no way to contend against heavenly powers, would not in discretion chase, though blame her fortune: on land shee went to refresh her selfe, and so passed toward the Citie of Seontina, where shee determined to stay some dayes, and then proceede, or rather returne in her journey, the weather being hot, and travell tedious. One dayes journey being past, shee wild her servants to set up her tents, hard by a Wood side, where shee had the benefit of that shade, and before her a delicate greene Playne, through the which ran a most pleasant River: shee liking this place, which (as shee thought) humbly by delights sought to invite her stay in it, as a Woman that would take what content shee could compasse, for that time laid aside State, and to recreate her selfe after her owne liking, went into the Wood, pretending, her thoughts would not bee so free, as when shee was alone, and therefore bid her servants attend her returne: they willing to obay her, and best pleased when twas for their ease, let her goe, who taking the directest way into the heart of the Wood, and so farre, (not for the length of the way, but the thicknes, and the likenesse of the paths, and crossings) as she wandred in amaze, and at last quite lost in her selfe, straying up and downe, now exercising the part of an adventurous lover, as Pamphilia in jest had call'd her, a thousand thoughts at this time possessing her, and yet all those as on a wheele turnd, came to the same place of her desperate estate. One while she curs'd her love, then dislike of her folly, for adventuring, and rashly leaving her Country: she raild at the uncareful people who permitted her to have her fond desires without limiting her power, but that she check'd againe, for said she, rather would I be thus miserable, then not absolute. Blame her Desteny she extreamely did, reviling her birth, and all that ever she had gloried in, except her selfe, with whom her owne over-valuing conceipt, would never let her quarrel; she wish'd Steriamus unborne, or that her eyes had never seene him, spitefully imagined Pamphilia had bewitched her: in summe, often times cursing all, seldome or never speaking, or thinking good of any, all good thoughts wholy bent to her owne flattery, which by that, were made ill. Vow she did to turne away all her servants and take new Sycillians to attend her, but that was as quickly corrected, wishing she had her old ones with her, only now desiring to bee at Lemnos, where shee might freely speake ill of that Enchantresse Pamphilia, who hath (said she) with her beauty overthrowne my love, and lastly forespoken my journey and the finding of Steriamus. Thus chafing, rayling, cursing, and at last crying for anger or feare, shee straglingly continued till night shewed her sad face, threatning more cruelty for her punishment. Her servants sought her, but in vaine, so as halfe the night being wasted, they gave over till the next morning, concluding then to devide themselves, and so looke for her, none fond of finding her, so proud and curst she was: but dutie told them shee must bee sought, lest shee finding her selfe neglected, might bring their greater harme; so some taking charge of her tent, and other, provision, the rest, with part of her Damsels went in search of her; they travelled, while she at night being weary, laid her downe, and having finished her exclamations, with meere wearines of envious thoughts fell asleepe, resting till break of day, when she was awaked by one, who gently pulling her by the sleeve, and then folding her in his armes, used these words. Liana (said hee) why alas thus long hast thou tormented thy poore slave Allanus? O looke but lovingly now upon mee, and for that love-looke, all former ills shall bee forgotten, thy scorne shall bee no more thought on, thy cruell strangenesse, and causelesse suspition no more presented to mine eyes, nor shall thy leaving me be mentioned, nor thy flying from mee, put againe in remembrance, all shall rest uncald, as bills cancelled; throw off then thy curstnesse, and now embrace mee with thy pardoned love? hold mee in thy favour, as I doe thee in my breast: strive not anew to abandon me, who liv'd but in thy search, and will to please thee now die, rather then living, give offence unto thee. Shee whose pride could hardly permit the embracing, if Steriamus had offered it, before she loved him, seeing (the day now broke) a man thus bould, and what was more for her vexation all tatter'd, and torne, his rayments like one, who in contempt of handsomenes had put on those misshapen, and ill suited cloathes, and for newnes raggs, in great dispite. Villiane said she, touch me not, nor dishonor my habits with thy rude handling them, strugling with all her power to get loose from him, who mildely said hee would not offend her. Thou dost offend me sayd shee. Thou hast long afflicted me sayd hee: let me goe hence Villiane cry'd she: O pitty me sayd Allanus? I hate thee sayd Nereana. These curst words being to a madde man, as indeed this ragged creature was, distractedly fallen into that miserable estate by mistaken love. he fell into his old fits, and then forgetting himselfe, his finding her, Liana, and all, grew to apprehend, that this was the Goddesse of those woods, who had put on that habit to disguise her selfe. O pardon me divine Goddesse sayd hee, who have thus farr forgotten my selfe towards you, but blame your outward shew rather then my neglect? She, the more he spake, grew the more distemperd, at last with rage growing almost as madd as he, who now, fully perswaded shee was that Goddesse, whether she would or noe, would worship her, and that he might be sure of her stay, hee tide her to a tree; then to have her in her owne shape out of those vestures, which he imagined made her unwilling to abide with him: hee undress'd her, pulling her haire down to the full length; cloathes hee left her none, save onely one little petticoate of carnation tafatie; her greene silke stockins hee turn'd, or rowld a little downe, making them serve for buskins; garlands hee put on her head, and armes, tucking up her smockslee ves to the elbowes, her necke bare, and a wreath of fine flowers he hung crosse from one shoulder under the other arme, like a belt, to hang her quiv er in: a white sticke which he had newly whittled, he put into her hand, instead of a boare speare: then setting her at liberty he kneeled downe, and admired her, when she almost hating her selfe in this estate fled away, but as fast as his sad madnesse would carry him, he pursued her. The more he followed, the greater was her speed, till both weary, and shee breathlesse, cast her selfe downe by a cleere spring, (into it she was about) but the picture of her owne selfe did so amaze her, as she would not goe so neere unto her metamorphos'd figure. This spring was in the middest of a faire meadow, the ground painted over with all sorts of dainty flowers: the weeping of it running waste, seeming merry tears, or a pleasant mourning; but she past the pleasure of those delicacies, sense having out-gone her, or at least (in great weaknes ready to depart) lay unvaluing as ignorant of those sweete delights, till night being againe come, she yeelded unto the just demaund of sleepe, her body being too weake for such a spirit. The madd man in like maner rested, but a prety distance from her; towards day she was awak'd, and cal'd from her rest, by a songe which was sunge by one not farre from her, who in like manner had there taken his lodging; day was a little breaking forth, like hope to enjoying, which made her see, the voyce belong'd to a Knight of excellent proportion, for so much she might discerne, with a soft (but sweete) voyce hee brought forth these words. How doe I finde my soules extreamest anguish, With restlesse care my harts eternall languish? Torments in life, increasing still with anguish, Unquiet sleepes which breed my senses languish. Hope yet appeares, which somewhat helpes my anguish, And lends a sparke of life to salve this languish: Breath to desire, and ease to forgone anguish, Balmes, but not cures, to bitter tasting languish. Yet strait I feele, hope proves but greater anguish, False in it selfe, to me brings cruell languish. Could I not hope, I suffer might my anguish At least with lesser torture smart and languish. For (Rebell hope) I see thy smiles are anguish Both Prince, and subject, of e'relasting languish. O Nereana, said she, what luckles chance is befallen thee? how art thou lost, abused, neglected and forsaken? yet these thou art not altogether fallen into, since thine owne royall spirit shall never leave thee, and if once thou canst but get free from this place, thy worth and deserts shall shine more glorious over these mishaps, and thy power reward thy servants disloyalty: and now it may be, nay I assure my selfe, here is a meanes presented to me for my deli very; with that rising, she went where the Knight lay, who after the song remained a little quiet, (I meane in show) comming to him, shee used these wordes. Sir, welcome to this place, since I assure my selfe you are of purpose sent to doe me service. The said Knight looking up, and seeing her strange odde attire, gessing her by her speech to be as vaine, as her apparell was phantasticall, rising from the ground, hee said. If my service (which would prove to my perpetuall griefe) were alotted to madnesse, I cannot finde where better to bestow it, then on you; otherwise, I trust I shall not attend your follies. My follies, cryde she; I tell thee greatest Princes may esteeme themselves honour'd, if I command them. If distraction rule them, I believe they cannot finde a fitter mistris, answer'd he. O God said Nereana, when was vertue thus abused? I tell thee base Knight, I am a Princesse. I am not base, said he, nor can I thinke you are a Princesse, since so unprincely termes come from you. Why, what are you said shee? I am not ashamed of my name said hee; wherefore (if you can, and have such understandings as to be sensible of it,) know that I am cal'd Philarchos, youngest sonne to the King of Morea, and brother to Parselius and Rosindi, and to finde Parselius, (whom wee have lost) I am now going. I thought you were said shee descended of some insolent race, for much do you resemble that highly admired Lady, your proud Sister Pamphilia. Hee who was naturally melancholly, and sadder now, because in love, grew extreamly angry, yet moderating his fury hee onely replyde thus. A woman and being madde, had liberty to say any thing: whereupon hee went to his horse, and leaping on him made as great haste as if he had fear'd infection, leaving her in all the disorder that might be imagined, the trampling of his horse awaked the mad man, who being now out of his former fit, but still distempered rose, and going to the spring to drinke, found Nereana sitting by the side of it in such a passion as shee perceived him not till hee was close by her; then rising in a chase, she would have left the place; but hee staying her, faire Nymph said hee, flee mee not, I meane no harme unto you, but rather wil beseech you to be mercifull to the most haplesse of men, and to this pitty I conjure you by the true and earnest affection that Alfeus bare you: by his love I say, I sue to you to have compassion of mee, turne this sweet water into a spring of love, that as it hath beene ever called by that blessed name of Arethusa, you now having taken againe your owne shape, and resumd your naturall body from that Metamorphosis, taking name, and a new beeing againe unto you, having by this gain'd a God-head for ever, blesse, and inrich this water with that gift, that when my cruell (but still beloved) Liana, shall drinke of it, the vertue of it may turne her heart to sweetest pitty. Nerena, as much affraid as her proud spirit would permit her, remembring how hee had used her the day before, amazed with what hee said, never having heard of any such thing as a Metamorphosis, her wit lying another way, scorning his sight, disdaining his speech, and yet forced to suffer it; in few wordes, doubting that silence might inrage him, she made this answer. I am not a Nimph Arethusa, nor a Goddesse, but a distressed woman. Then said hee, are you the fitter for me to keepe company with: not so neither, said shee, for I am a Princesse. Can Princes then bee distressed, said hee? I thought they had beene set abo ve the reach of misery, and that none but Shepheards and such like, could have felt that estate. O yes, said Nerena, and I am heere a spectacle of the frowne of fortune; wherefore let mee intreate you to give mee some ease in my affliction, which is to leave mee, since your company is one of my troubles. Would my sorrowes were as soone to bee helped, as your request might be granted, then should I bee in hope to bee, said hee, happy: but alas, mine can never have end, yours may and shall; for I will no longer trouble you; with that hee sadly went from her, leaving her, whose intolerable pride was such, as shee would not let him stay so much as in her presence, though after shee wished for him, and would gladly have had his conversation, pardoning his meane estate and madnesse. So long was shee in that place, as famine, cold, and want wrought kindnesse in her, who else despised, and contemned all, and all thinges; from hill to hill shee went, loving them for imitating the height of her minde, and because shee might by their helpe see if any passengers pass'd that way, besides to hide her selfe among the bushes, even as it were from her owne selfe. Now berries and such poore food was her richest fare, and those esteem'd, since they held her life with her: thus was truth revenged of ignorance, shee continuing thus. While Philarchos held on his course till hee came to the City of Syracusa, where standing upon the haven, there arriv'd a great troope of Ladies, and brave Knights; but one Lady (seeming the onely one for delicacie, and to bee the mistresse of the rest) passing by him, cast her eye on him, viewing his rich armour and brave stature, instantly staying, saluted him thus. Sir, your outward countenance tels me, that in so excellent a body, as brave a mind inhabits; from you therefore I beseech pitty and assistance, being like to perish otherwise, under the disfavour of my father; if you will aid a distressed Lady, and thereby gaine honor to your selfe; grant this unto your servant Orilena, Princesse of Metelin, and some other neighbouring Ilands which lye in the Archepelago. Hee whose spirit was wholly guided by worth, stedily beholding her, replide, that his greatest happinesse (and that whereto he onely did aspire) was to serve Ladies, to defend them from inj uries, and to bring them to their best content: wherefore although hee had promised himselfe another way (or indeed no perfect knowne way, since it was in search of a brother of his) that, and all other occasions should be laid aside, to relieve such a creature as her selfe; and in this he spake truth, for this was the Lady he loved, she yet ignorant of it. Then she intreated the knight to goe aboard with her, not desiring to delay time; hee was soone intreated to such a blessing: wherefore he consented, and being in the ship, she began her discourse thus. A Gentleman in Mitalen, being son to the richest, and noblest man for descent in all the Country, my father hath chosen to bestow on me; this man might (I will not deny) more then merit me, were his conditions answerable to his meanes; but as he is rich in all worldly treasure, so he is the treasure of all hellish properties: the best of his qualities which are smooth fashion, and eloquent speech, turnd, and imployd to no other use, then flattery, and deceitfull glozings. These worke on my father, and so have they their pare in me; hee beleeves, and loves him; I perceive, and hate him; but which workes most with my father is, that he so much seemes to desire me out of affection (as he sayes) that hee will take mee with nothing; such affection and fondnesse my father beares, and carries over a young sister of mine, as to make her Princesse of his Ilands, he consents to give mee to this Prince of wickednesse; I having no meanes to save my selfe from the destruction this loathed match would bring me, I went to this Lord mine Uncle, to whom I declared my misfortune and ensuing ruine, if I did marry so. Hee taking pitie on me, conveyed me thence with these Knights and Ladies, whose affections to me are such, as not to leave me in such distresse, but accompany mee rather in adventure of ill, then assured ill: but alas what shall I say? I am the miserablest of women, if I fall into his hands againe, which I hope you will keepe me from. I was by the advice of these my friends, put into the search of Amphilanthus, the honour of Knights, of Parselius, Rosindy, Perissus, Steriamus, or Selarinus, all which are famous men, whose honours shine equally, and either of whose assistance had been assured gaine: but some of them are (as I perceived by one I met) so farre off, and there in such imployment, as I ventur'd not to obtaine their favours: after I met a knight, who told mee, Amphilanthus and Perissus, with the valliant Ollorandus, were gone into Morea, wherefore thither I purposed to goe, but a storme tooke me, casting me upon this place, where I have gaind this happinesse (as I hope it to my selfe) by finding you; wherefore I pray honour me, with telling me who you are. Most worthie Ladie (said hee), since you had desire to have some of these named Knights, you may thinke your fortune the worse in finding mee, and putting confidence in mee, so farre short of those Princes: wherefore I would desire to conceale my name, till my actions may allow the bold discoverie of it; let mee then (I beseech you) bee so favoured by this second honour, as to give mee leave, onely to bee called your Knight, till I merit by my service to you, your knowing more of mee. Shee granted his request, verily imagining him to be some of them by his speech, and thereupon her comfort increased. Then did she bestow a very rich and costly armour on him, his owne having been but hardly us'd, by a curst, but overthrowne enemy, which hapned in this manner. After he had left Athens, and at his returne received the honour of knighthood, it was his determination to seeke his brother Parselius, and to that purpose he pass'd through his fathers Countries unknowne, not leaving any adventure unattempted, wherein hee might make triall of his force, which hee made so good testimony of, as he was feared in all those parts, being calld the Knight of the Speare, by reason he carried the figure of one in his sheild, as he did that shape on his arme: but hearing no newes of his brother, hee tooke to the sea, and among the many Ilands, it was his fortune in Metelin to win and loose, where his greatest honour he obtaind, his freedome hee lost, happening thus. Passing by a strait way into a faire meadow, hee saw a marvellous rich, and costly Pavillion placed, about it many Tents, and before them all, a shining Pillar of Gold, whereon were written these words: The worthiest Knight, and Servant to the fairest Lady, defends this, and the honour of themselves, against any bold man that dares gaine-say the worth or beauty of them. He scorning such presumption, strake upon the Pillar: whereupon one came to him, telling him, his Lord would soone encounter him. Straight came he forth, being one of the cruellest, and hard-favoredst men, that could be a man, and no monster; his bignes extraordinary, his fiercenesse such, as could not be withstood with ordinary strength: armed he was with plates of yron, and his horse answerable to his master in all things, so as an excellent choice was made, as if both framd for one another, and never were two beasts better matched; none fit to ride the one, but he who was fittest to be master of the other. This creature came (with a troope of his vassals before him, for so he calld them) into the field, each of them carrying the Sheilds and Helmets of those knights he had conquered before that Pillar, all which they placed in order as they were wonne, but for his greater glory, on the ground. Then advanced he to the Greeke Prince, scornefully pitying him, who so boldly ventured his youth against such an experienced conquerour. But hee in whom vertuous modesty liv'd, mixt with manly strength, only desired the fight, rather then discourse; so they ran one against the other with such comlinesse, fiercenesse, and strength, as in either part was seene rightly placing those properties. The Prince had his Helme strooke off; the other was run thorow the shoulder, part of the staffe staying in him; withall he fell from his horse, but being recoverd, and seeing the danger the other was fallen into by losse of his Helme, he in regard of that, forgot his hurt, and with furious rage set upon the Prince, who covering himselfe with his Sheild, as nobly and bravely defended himselfe; they fought till the bloud ran as fast from their wounds, as dropps from a lovers eyes, comming from as heartbleeding a cause; for at last the Monster was killed, and the Prince taken out of the field for dead; but who except love could be such a Chirurgion; for whether was hee brought but to the Princesse, who lay but one league thence, an excellent Chirurgion, and as excellent a Ladie, who so carefully tended him, as hee in short time recovered, but to a more lasting paine (for favour and cures bringing tormenting wounds), shee put balme to the hurts given by the enemy, but shee a friend foe-like did make much deeper, and more harmefull ones, piercing the heart which in the fight kept it selfe secure, now fallen into the extremitie of losse: but what was gaind besides this? danger, and threatning ruine: for the younger sister cald Erinea fell inamord with him, and so passionate was she of him, as she ran to her father, cast her selfe at his feete, besought him to get that stranger for her, or to see her soone buried. He whose fondnesse was, and is without expression, vowed to satisfie her. The Prince got notice of it, and so privately stole away, his affections being gratefully, and passionately placed on the other, kindnesse wounding, and bringing love. Then passed he, where he heard still of the flourishing fame of his kindred: lastly, his Brothers losse, which hee gaind by the meeting of the Squire Clorinus: then vowed hee a search for him; but finding her, for whom hee had lost himselfe, hee left the former to follow her, and find himselfe; so stormes sometimes proove blessings, for one tempest brought them in one place to meete. Thus passed they together, he freely (because unknowne) beholding her; she kindly, because hee was to serve her, entertaining him: then at last they arriv'd at Metelin, where they met for their first welcome this encounter; a Pillar of red Marble, as threatning bloud, on which hung in bloudy letters these words, written in white Marble, seeming like drops of bloud in snow; The true Servants of Erinea maintaine this with Sword and Speare against all, that doe defend the trayterous Knight of the Speare. He, whom this did most concerne (yet having power to performe his former resolution) inly fretted, but otherwise made no other show, then in demanding of the Lady, who this Knight of the Speare was. She sighing, made this answer: Alas my Lord (said she) you laye too hard a taxe on me, since I cannot pay it, without yeelding as tribute many teares, and even the breaking of my heart to say he is, and is not now here: but yet to deny nothing to you, who so freely have granted my request, I will say what I know of him; He was, and (I hope) is the true image, or rather masculine vertue it selfe; the loveliest that Nature framd, the valiantest that followed Mars and his exercises, the wisest that wisdome dwelt in, the sweetest that noblenesse grac'd with sweet mildnesse, and the mildest that sweetnesse honourd: excellent in eloquence, true in profession, and making his actions still the same with his word; truth gov ernd him, and he truth, honord by being so true in worth: but for his name, or birth, I can say nothing, since but after a cruell combat I first saw him brought halfe dead to mee; yet so much spirit had that decaied fire left, as burnt my heart. I might blush to say I lov'd, because a maide should not thinke of, much lesse acknowledge such a passion: but Sir, to deny that which is truth, I should wrong you, and most abuse my love, which grew from an unusuall ground, when pale wan lipps won kisses, where dispaire made hope, and death affection: but from these sprung my desires, which lie as deadly wrapt up now in folds of losse, no expectation of any good remaining, but that my faith which still lives shall breathe justly in that love, till life to death give new possession. How came your hopes so to despaire (said hee)? Alas Sir (said she) the sight of his wounds, and image of death, made me at first feare in love; then having recoverd him, I hoped in love; but then my younger sister (of whom I have spoken, still being the barre in my joyes) fell in love with him, as meaning to disinherit me in all possessions of very thoughts, and the deare enjoying of them, for yet my love aspired no higher then to thinke of him, not adv enturing to let him see I lov'd, so she gaind thus much of me, shee spake to my father, she wooed for her selfe, she vowed, she plotted, she did al to gaine, and ruine me. But he, whether pitying me: for surely Sir, he could not chuse but know I lov'd him, since my fashion shew'd it, though my speech not daring boldly to say it, flatteringly demonstrated, some thing made those faultrings in my talke, my blushings said, I surely feared, or loved, and feare must of necessitie be barr'd, since he was rather prisoner unto me, though I indeed was subject to his love. But are you freed (said he)? O no (cride she) nor ever will, nor was my lothnesse to discourse for that, but for this desperate affliction; he finding he was sought, and not consenting to bee made by force to yeeld, to other then his owne made choice, he stole away; and truly say I so, since he robbed mee of my best and chiefest part. Oft have I curst my selfe, that I ne're followed him, or did mistrust that he would so depart; which though in love I would not have gainsaid, yet with my Love I would have gone along: a Pages habit for his sake would I have prized more, then Princes Roabes at home. But he did goe, and I unblest maid remaind behind, unhappy, dispossest, and disinherited of all, if you doe not relieve me to some good, which I expect alone from you to have. Doe you not know the Knight (said he) who thus you doe affect? Thus farre, said she, his face is so ingraven in my thoughts, his picture drawne so lively in my heart, as soone his knowledge would come unto me, if I might be happy with his deare sight. Deare Lady (said hee) I can thus much say, he loves as much as you have here expressed, and yet that is so fully to make him plainely discerne the heaven of true content, as if ought might make him more deere appeare before your eyes, he would attempt to gain that, though the losse of life must attaine it; love then still him, who is your best beloved, and loves you best, and only, and thus take unto your service that so wisht for Knight, more happy, in this exprest love, then in a million of possessed Iles. I am the man you doe inrich with love, I am the blest borne man to such a fate, and I the true unfaigned loving man, who loves love truly for this happie love. She blushed to see she had first told her tale, but he did kisse away that blush, for then had he throwne off his helme, and held her in his armes, boldly possessing what she freely gave. She saw him, knew him, and so knew al joy. Then put he on his helme, and strake the Pillar thrice; straight from a Wood, a little distant off, tenne knights arriv'd, the formost of the which thus spake. Fond man be gone, this worke is not for thee, unlesse thou be that Traytor we expect. I am no Traytor (said he), yet the man you falsely have call'd so, and written too. Many have fondly said as much, said he, who after have recanted, and yet lost their heads, for taking falshood to themselves. Falshood ne're liv'd, or had a spring in me, I am Philarchos, Knight of the Speare, said he, sought for by Erinea, but disdaining her, am hither come to right her sister Orilena, wrongd, and abusd by her. With that they parted, soone againe they met: but he who now knew twas no time to spare, aimed fully at his hart, which hee did, parting it to devide the former wrong among the rest, who followed him in fate. The second at the encounter lost his horse, and brake his thigh, with meeting with the earth; the third his ribs: then did they surely finde this was the Knight. The fourth did breake his arme, and shoulder both, the fift had but a fall and found his legges to runne away, and call more company, while all the other five at once, (and contrary to the law of armes) assayled him. He now was to win his prize for honour and love, wherefore couragiously he withstood them all, though the blowes that met at once, given by foure speares, were terrible, yet hee like the pillar of true worth stood unmoovd; the fift kill'd his horse, so as hee was forced to fight on foote, leaping nimbly from him, as disdayning to have a fall, any way, or on any termes, they rudely assayl'd him, keeping their horses: but soone had hee brought two of them more humbly to yeeld, and respectively to encounter him: for wounding the horse of one of them, he ran away with his Master, madd with the hurt, and casting him, he hanging by the stirrop, never left running and striking, till he had torne him in peeces; the other he stroke off his arme, with the anguish of which blow he fell from his horse, the Prince quickly leaping upon him. Now were there but three left, and he againe mounted, fear'd not what their forces could doe unto him, and soone made he an end of them; one hee wounded in the body to death, the other with a blow on the head, the blood springing out of his eyes, nose, and eares in greatest aboundance choked him, he having no time nor means, to pull off his helme, so neere the brave Knight followed him, nor had it beene to any other end, if he had gayn'd the opportunity, then as if he would with good manners have stood bare headed, to have his head cut off with more respect, and ease to the Conqueror, who now had but one left to withstand him, who seeing his fellowes fate, would not indure, but turned his horse and fledd; yet before he went, the Knight perceiving his intent, (not caring to hinder him,) cut the bridle, and raines of his horse, which gave him such liberty, as the poore distressed runaway, knew not how to governe him, nor himself: if he leap'd from him, he fell into the hands of his enemy, whose fury he durst not trust; if he kept the saddle, he was in as great danger, going where the madnes of the beast would carry him, but soone was hee out of those feares: for Tolimargus (the sweet youth the Lady had described to her Knight, seeing the flight of the poore Knight) encounterd him, and his Knights in number twelve, made a ring about him, while Tolimargus strake off his head. Then spurd they al towards the brave Philarchos, who had now in this space pulled off his helme, and so taken a little breath, besides drunke a pretious drink Orilena gave him, which did so refresh him, as he was wel able to have a second encounter, which quickly hapned, and a sharper then the first: for all those thirteene, desiring either to kill, or take the Prince, ranne upon him, who fearcelerly attended them, and with his Speare killd the first, with his Sword the second, and then encountred Tolimargus, who he knew to be the cheif by his armor, to whom he thus spake. If worth be in thee, or so much sence to be sencible of the shame thou dost to the honor of Knighthood, let thy knights stand stil, & end the combat with my self, who am as good a man as thou art, and therfore no disgrace, but an honor to fight with me. What art thou (said he) that thus darest compare with me? I am (said he) Philarchos of Morea. If (said he) thou hadst not thus butcherd my knights, and the rest of my Countrimen, I could find in my heart to grant thy request, nay save thy life, for I have no quarrel to any, but to the Knight of the Speare, that Traytor, who hath won my love, and mistrisse from me, and cowardly run away when he had done. Villaine (said he) he run not away from any man, but from the fond affection of Erinea: and to shew thee the better that hee feares none, nor thy force, here I am, the same Knight of the Speare, to punish thy presumption for aspiring to my love. Then set they all upon him, but what with fury and hate to him, who was his rivall, he did such acts, as in short time he left none to revile him; the last was Tolimargus, who held among his men, as farre from blowes as he could, till (they were all kild) hee was forst to conclude the combat himselfe with the losse of his head, which Philarchos cut off, and presented to Orilena, who commanded it to be set upon the top of the Pillar, and all the other bodies laid about it, as the trophies of that victorie. This being done, they hasted to a Castle of her Uncles (that good man who had carried her away from her harme) and there they shut up themsel ves (that place being of good strength) till they could get forces to assist them, or peace with the Duke. While the bruit of this victorie spread it selfe over all Meteline, comming to the Dukes eares, and also to Erinea's, shee fell downe at his feete againe, beseeching that shee might bee favoured so farre, as to have permission to destroy this rebellious companie, who would (she said) else ruine them. The father old, and doting, graunted it; then she at last brought forth this plot, to proclaime, that whosoever could bring in Orilena, dead or alive, should have the Castle of the Sunne, (which was the fayrest in that Country, and had beene Apollo's temple) and all the royalties thereto belonging; but he that could bring her alive, with her servant the Knight of the Speare, should have the honour, and Isle of Samos, to him and his for ever. This promise was imagined to be of such force, as to bring in either of them or both: lastly shee layd another, which was by promising her selfe to any one, who could bring in his head. This was spread abroad, which made much danger, and hazard to the brave Prince, and his friend; yet such a spirit had hee, as aspir'd to nothing, but the noblest, and most difficult adventures. Certaine notice the Duke and his amorous daughter got of the Knights beeing there, and his Daughters returne, by the first Knight that fledde, and who was the cause of Tolimargus comming, though hee discover'd not to him the name of the Knight. Then gain'd they notice of their being at the Castle so as not having a readier way, they rais'd men, and violently beseig'd the place, and so straightly, as at last famine grew to be as cruell, and curst a threatner, as the Duke; yet they resolv'd to end there, famished for want of foode, rather then yeeld, and so be famished with want of each others company. Then went they into the Chappell, and there together pray'd, together wept, at last together married, vowing to dye religiously, vertuously, and lovingly together. At there returne, they went to eate that poore remaining that there was left them, and having done, they went againe to pray; then returned into their chamber, where they spent the night in mournefull discourse, yet so full of love, as love seem'd to please it selfe in excellent sorrow: teares, and sighs were the banquets for their nuptialls, complaints of cruelty their enjoyings, and what could be wished to give true delight, contrarily wrought against them. The morning come they rose, and as one, parted not, but together went to the top of the Castle, whence they saw their ruine, then kissing her, and gently weeping on her face, hee said. My deere, mistake not you these tears, which now I shedd onely in tendernesse unto your state, and for you, who was saver of my life; How can life better be disposed of, then to her service who did once preserve it? when I a stranger, hurt, and mangled, was conducted to your house, how was I there relieved, and cherished by your care? this was but to this end, and this end is more welcome then a life, which without you I otherwise had gained. Farewell deere love, more kind, and sweete then blessings in distresse; Ile fight for thee, and this must be my last, yet feare I not, for doe but see my end, and that will make me live with joy in death, when I see thee beholding me from hence, my courage will increase, and make my blowes more terrible, and fatall, then the harme which falls in stormes from high. Farewell once more my deere, my life, my joy, and my last comfort: sweete weepe not for me, nor marre those deere eyes, which wound mee more to see them harme themselves, then stroaks that from the enemie can come, and bee assured the victory will turne to us, if you but let their cleernes shine on me; but dimme them, and I die. The sweetest soule did weepe, yet wip'd away the tears to favour him, and shew them bright; farewell my life, said shee, if thou dost die, for after thee Ile never more see day: then kiss'd they once againe, and so did part; hee to the gate, whereout he sallied, then arm'd in dd: his sheild with the old device, which was an Azuer Speare, upon his arme a scarfe of Azuer colour, given him by his love, and thus against the enemie he came, who never stay'd to meete him, but with troops incompassing him round, who fought with rage against all hope, more then a hope to dye like to himselfe, and to renowne his blood, that though shedd by such force, yet so well shedd, would write his fame eternally to times, and witnesse worth with valour joyn'd, made love the crowne whereat they lei'd still. To say what courage he did show, how many slew, what wounds, what stroaks, it were but tedious, and most vaine; but so much did hee there, as made a way through the thickest, & so pass'd in spite of what their furyes, or their numbers could doe to hinder him. A path he made of men, and pav ed the ground with bodyes, while their bloods sought how to bath them cleane, and wash their wounds: which given on so ill grounds, did blush for shame. Hee beeing pass'd, and on the other side, cast up his eyes, to see if shee beheld; which when he saw, and that she made a signe to him, to scape, and even with hands held up, and knees bent downe shee did beseech, hee bravely answered, (with his sword wav'd round about his head, as who ould say) no heere Ile dye, or set my Lady free. With that, behind him came a gallant Knight, and fifty more, who never speaking word; as he againe did charge his enemie, charg'd in with him, and did so bravely helpe, as in short time, the conquest was dispos'd to brave Philarchos, and his new come friends; then did they seeke among the prisoners, where they might finde the spring of all this ill; at last they got the Duke; and then with guards brought him into the Castle, when kind Orilena came unto her Knight, and holding him fast in her tender armes, wellcomd him to his owne, and her command; but as she did embrace him, she perceav'd the blood to runne along his arme, wherefore shee went, and speedily did fetch an excellent baulme, and then disarming him, did dresse his wounde: but when his helme was off, the stranger Knight caught him with all true love into his breast, and lovingly thus said. My Lord, how bless'd am I to see the Prince I seeke? he also having pulld off his helme, but young Philarchos knew him not; wherefore my Lord said he, the honor you have done this day, is to your selfe, in rescuing a poore distressed Lady, and restoring her unto her birth-right, which shee else had lost: for me, this favour, and the aide I had from your brave selfe and these your followers, shall ever binde me to be still your friend, and faithfull serv ant, when you shall dispose of me, and mine, which still you freely may, and shall command; yet let mee know I doe beseech you, who you are, and how that you knew me? My name (said he) is honoured most by this brave title of your friend, my selfe am calld Antissius King of Romania, setled, and restored by your excellent cousen, (and the worlds greatest worth) Amphilanthus; the knowledge that I have of you is this: I saw your picture in the famous Court of your father the Morean King, and withall your name, and many of your acts were there related, while you passd unknowne, but as the bare Knight of the Speare; joyes infinitly did possesse the Court, to heare the fame which all parts holds of you: besides, so like you are to that brave King, whom heaven doth favour for the earths best good, as for his sake, (if for no other cause,) I should affectionatly love you. The honour which you lay on me (said he) great King are such, as I but weake in worth can hardly beare the waight of, yet the last affects me most, that I am something like that matchlesse King, whose worth, ambitiously I seeke to imitate though sure to come as much below the reach of it, as 'tis from me unto the cleerest starre. Then did they bring the King into a roome, where they disarmed him, and then went backe unto the Duke, whom they had put into a gallerie well guarded, and respected like himselfe: him they found, not overthrowne with griefe, for neither was hee sad, nor any way dismay'd, but seem'd to beare his overthrow patiently, to him Philarchos thus began. My Lord, for so you are to mee, since I am husband to your elder child, who fondly, and no way humanely, for love to Erinea, you forget, and would disinherit; but shee, (borne to more good) was first releivd by me; lastly, and most, by this great King, heaven so much favoring her, as to have succour sent her from farr parts; before his comming we were marryed, determining to die (if such our fates) in holy wedlock. Now you may discerne what wrong you did, and if you please, accept me for your sonne, and pardon what without your knowledge, wee in love, and great extremity have done; nor thinke shee hath dishonored her selfe, or you, in making me her husband, for I am a Prince, and sonne unto a mighty King: my name Philarchos, my Country Morea, third sonne unto the King thereof. Then did the Duke embrace him, speaking thus: What hath been done, I do confesse was hard, and most unjustly against mine owne child; but she hath married unknowne unto me, in that she hath done like offence; so set them just in sight, and hers the greater will appeare: yet since her choice is such, & where such worth is, as I truly speak, more cannot flourish in so tender yeares, I love her, and commend her: thus worth doth governe, where rule els would shew. Then kist he his new sonne, and presently his daughter was brought forth, whom he did kindly welcome, and so did conferre that Iland straight upon the new maried couple, making him Prince of fruitfull Metelin, and other Ilands which were also his: but himselfe and Erinea left the joyfull payre, and went to Samos, where they lived, she studying how to vexe or hurt her sister: thus ill natures breath but in malice, and feede still on spite. Then did the young Romanian King take leave, first telling how he came unto that place, which was by chance; for leaving the Morean Court, upon the comming of the happy newes of Victorious Rosindy, hee desired to returne for his owne Countrie, and there he would raise more men (but as he travelld, he would still inquire of Parselius and Philarchos, whom he long'd to meete), and goe himselfe to succour and redeeme Albania (Love, what a Lord art thou, commanding over all; for Selarina was the cause of this)? Then going back, hee fell upon this Ile to take in water, and by meerest chance, meeting a Peasant of that Country, learn'd the state at that time, that the place was in; this brought him to the happy succour of the lovingst paire that ever lov'd, and did enjoy their loves. All well, the Duke departed, and they safe, Antissius tooke his leave, with Allimarlus, Steward of his house, and many more who did attend on him; a little before whose leaving Morea, Leandrus hasting to his heart, desired to be the messenger of that so happy successe of brave Rosindy , and so there arriv'd, to the infinite content of all the Court; relating the dangerous attempts, but then concluding with the happy end of joy and marriage, delivering letters from the King and Queene, who gave precedence in place, and government to her husband: for (said she) he won the kingdome by his sword, me by his love; both his, none but himselfe can here beare rule. A little after Leandrus did arrive, Amphilanthus tooke his leave, and with his Sister went for Italy (as he pretended), but St. Maura was the shrine hee bent his pilgrimage unto. The night before, great sorrow was, to part, betweene Pamphilia and Urania; yet time grew on, the king came in, and so with kind and sad farewels, he left the Court, promising to returne with speed, and to conduct Pamphilia to her kingdome, from whence, he by his perswasions had yet detaind her. The way he and his sister tooke, was straight unto the sea, none going with him, but his deare and faithfull friend Ollorandus; the evening after his depart, Leandrus remaining in the Court, and his passions more violently increasing to the height of discovering, looking out at his window, saw Pamphilia alone in a faire garden, walking in such a manner, as he could hardly give it that title; for so stilly did she moove, as if the motion had not been in her, but that the earth did goe her course, and stirre, or as trees grow without sence of increase. But while this quiet outwardly appear'd, her inward thoughts more busie were, and wrought, while this Song came into her mind. Gone is my joy, while here I mourne In paines of absence, and of care: The heavens for my sad griefes doe turne Their face to stormes, and shew despaire. The dayes are darke, the nights oprest With cloud'ly weeping for my paine, Which in shew acting seeme distrest, Sighing like griefe for absent gaine. The Sunne gives place, and hides his face, That day can now be hardly knowne; Nor will the starres in night yeeld grace To Sun-robd heaven by woe o'rethrowne. Our light is fire in fearefull flames, The ayre tempestious blasts of wind: For warmth, we have forgot the name, Such blasts and stormes are us assind. And still you blessed heavens remaine Distemperd, while this cursed power Of absence rules, which brings my paine, Lest your care be more still to lower. But when my Sunne doth back returne, Call yours againe to lend his light, That they in flames of joy may burne, Both equall shining in our sight. Leandrus now growne resolute not to loose for want of attempting, would not let this opportunitie passe, nor let slip so pretious an advantage, went into the garden to her, and indeed it was properly said so, for such businesse had her passions, as til he interrupted them with words, she discerned him not, his speech was this. Is it possible (most excelling Queene) that such a spirit, and so great a Princesse, should be thus alone, and adventure without guard? My spirit my Lord (said she) as well guards me alone, as in company; and for my person, my greatnesse, and these walls are sufficient warrants and guardians for my safety. Yet your safety might bee more (said hee) if joyned with one, who might defend you upon all occasions, both with his love and strength, while these dull walls can onely incompasse you: but if traitors assaile you, their helpe will bee but to stand still, poorely gaine-saying. Love is oft-times as slacke (being treacherous) answered Pamphilia, from assistance, thus are these walls more secure: and for strength I had rather have these, then ones power I could not love. Such is your discretion (said Leandrus , as to know, that love with discretion is the truest love; and therefore to a brave Princesse, and especially to you, whose vertue and beauty cannot be demanded by any, whose defects might challenge meriting of them, discretion should adventure to perswade you to make choyce of some one you might affect for a husband, since you were not onely fram'd the most incomparable Lady of the world, but also a woman, and so to be matched with one fit for your estate, in birth and greatnesse, and so judgement will continue affection betweene you. Discretion in love, I must confesse (said she) as discretion it selfe is best. but if love come wholly to be governd by it, that wil have so great a power, as love will loose name, and rule, and the other for riches, or other baser things, shall prevaile against the sweetest passion, and only blisse, which is enjoying; therefore my Lord Leandrus, by your favour, I must say, I thinke you erre in this, and in the truth of love, which is a supreme power, commanding the eyes, and the heart: what glory were it to him to have a cold part of wisdome to rule with him? No, his honor is to be alone, and therefore doth he oft expresse it, in making proud and great ones, desperately affect meaner ones, in respect of them, and all to yeeld to his law; they then that truly understand great Love, must so observe, as their merits may purchase from him so great a grace, as to be able to choose fittest loves; his power must not be limited, nor his government mixed, as if he had a counsell set about him, or a protector over him, his knowledge wanting no advice, his knowledge never knowing partner, who is in truth all wisdome all knowledge, all goodnesse, all truth; he must not have it said, that love with discretion is the truest love, since in truth of love, that is but a bastard, brought up at home like a right borne child: and yet is his judgement such, as hee makes discretion shine through all his acts; but how? as a servant to his greater power; as if your heart should command your tongue, to deliver what it thinkes, but discreetly to doe it so, as offence may not proceede from it: here is discretion, and yet the tongue is but the hearts messenger. Leandrus, whose end was to procure favour, not to contend, wittily tooke hold of this last speech, thinking it better to make this the introduction to his love, then any longer to waite or expect, occasion offered, which if once but let slip, seldome comes againe, so as letting her lovelinesse, and her owne words to be the beginning and meanes for his affections knowledge, he answered thus. Madam (said he) it is most true, that the tongue is but the hearts messenger, yet messengers from such a part, are to have, and carry credence; then let my tongue bee the deliverer to you of the most fervent affection that ever heart bare to Princesse, with the truest and unfaigned love; disdaine not then my affection, since I will with loyalty and service deserve your favour, as wel or better then any man breathing: a Crowne I will adde to yours, and the soveraigne command of Leandrus: but what talke I of a Crowne to her, who weares the crowne of all vertues? My Lord (said she) I cannot but thanke you for your princely offer; but it must bee my fathers liking, with the consent of my nearest and dearest friends that can set any other Crowne on my head, then that which my people have already setled there; and the consent of so great a people, and so loving to me, must not be neglected; what vertues are in me, shall appeare through the obedience I owe, and will pay to his Majesty, and the rest: therefore I am altogether unable to give you satisfaction any further then this. It is you that must, & may say all, said he. Then can you have no answer, said she. Why? are you not (cryd Leandrus) soveraigne of your selfe by Judgement, yeares and authoritie, unlimited by fortunes, by government, and the love of your Parents, which will goe with you in my choice. These still are but the threads that tie my dutie, replide the Queene: but if they consent (said he) wil you eternise my happinesse with your agreeing. Give me leave first (said Pamphilia) to know their minds; and that can be no hinderance, nor furtherance of your affaires, nor shall my answere bee more displeasing to you, then now it might be. Your doubtfull answer will breede despaire in me, cryd he. It were much safer (said she) to doubt, then vainely to nurse hope. Then bent she her walke homeward, which he durst not withstand, though fearelesse of any man, or monster, yet trembled hee in her presence; both they went, and so continued both loving: both complaining, and neither receiving comfort; he beholding her, and in her seeing no affection, nor cause of hope, shee seeing him, but with eyes of thankefull respect without love; yet went he further, and so still made the greater distance. Yet was not this all, for her love was set not to be stirred, or mooved to other course, then whether the fortune of her choice did guide her. She sigh'd, he thought it did become her, and so sigh'd too: she grew pale, and sad, so did he, wanting what he sought. Shee oft-times would discourse of love: he thought it was the prittiest theame, and answerd her in that. Shee would complaine of men, accuse their fickelnesse, and change, hee joyned, though contrary in sexe to speake of women, and their slightings. Thus they agreed, though in a different kind, and both did please, because they both did love. He strove by some pleasing talke in a third person to bewaile his case, she would not know his meaning, yet with wit would let him see she loved, and not himselfe. Cruell it was to understand her affection was else-where placed, yet sometimes would hee flatter himselfe, and give his fawning hopes leave to dissemble, and cast a glasse of comfort on him, but glasse-like was it brittle, although faire, faire in hope, broken to dispaire. Love violentest storme, that can bring shipwrack to a quiet heart, why doe you travell thus to bring home gaine onely of losse? Bee favourably kinde, love should be mild, while love you are most curst; and this did poore Leandrus know, whose spring-time joy, was turned to winter-griefe; yet still hee did pursue, and so unfortunately must proceede. Pamphilia loyall, loving, and distressed, because passionate, that night after this discovery, which though kind, yet to her was displeasing; when each retired to their rest, shee went unto her watch of endlesse thoughts: into her chamber she hasted, then to bed, but what to doe? alas not within that to sleepe, but with more scope to let imagination play in vexing her; there did shee call his face unto her eyes, his speech unto her eares, his judgement to her understanding, his braverie to her wit; all these but like that heape of starres, whose equall lusture makes the milky way. One while shee studied how to gaine her love, then doubt came in, and feared her in that plot; his lookes shee weighed, if out of them she might but gaine a hope, they did assure her joy, then did her heart beate quick unto that blisse, but then againe remembrance threatned losse, how he had lov'd, & might again chuse new. False traitor, cryd she, can thy basenes be so vild & wicked, in bringing thus in mind, what thou in goodnes shouldst have cast away? what if one errd, must that bee registred? what vertues hast thou laid aside, which in him dwell, and thus uncharitably bringst his worser part in sight to harme him, but thou faylest now I know his worth, and doe excuse that fault, and here I vow to live a constant love, and lover of his matchlesse excellence: then turnd she to the window, poore dull night said she, keepe still thy sadnesse till thy Sun appeare, and mine together, shineing as light, Darke art thou like my woes, dull as my wits; with that she laid her downe to rest, but it's not granted her, it must not yet bee, shee must more endure. Then rose she and did write, then went shee to bed, and tooke a Candle, and so read a while; but all these were but as lime-twiggs, to hold fast her thoughts to love, and so to all unrest which govern'd her, for till the day did breake, shee thus did wander in her raving thoughts: then did sleepe covet place, but she was calld to goe a hunting with the King and Queene, which she obayed, and as her manner was, as soone as the Stagge was roused, and Doggs let in unto his overthrow, she followed them, and left the rest, (that either were not so well hors'd, or lese affecting such a violent sport) behind, and bravely in followed the pleasant chase, which did continue till the Sun was set. Then did they with much glory view their spoyles, joying as in a conquest of great gaine, but what did most content the fairest Queene, was the sweete evening, in which she injoyed all the content the dainty Ayre could give, which was as cleere, as her cleere heart in love, and that as cleere, as cleerest sweetest ayre. But as she rode softly to coole her selfe, a delicate sweete voyce invited her to stay, and so to see the owner of that musique, the voyce did draw them to a pleasant Grove, and then unto a swift, sweete Riv ers side, where on the brinke amonst the seges, sate a Nimph of all perfections that were chast; hard by her on the banke her quiver lay, her bow by that, and she undressing was to bath, and wash her in that pleasant streame. Pamphilia was almost amas'd, to see so rare, and exquisite a creature as shee was, wherefore commanding all the men to stay, shee and her Ladyes only went to her, whose modesty and bashfullnes was such, as she even quaked to see those women there, and well might shee, who never saw her selfe in shaddow, but shee dived to hide her selfe from her owne eyes, yet had shee lov'd. The Queene perceiving that she was afraid, most mildly spake thus to her. Sweete Nimph bee not thus dismaid, wee are none such as will give cause of any harme to you; wee are your friends, and following the sport which you oft do, by chance, or hunters fortune are benighted: going unto the Court wee heard your voyce, which hath a power sufficient to attract all creatures, like the sweete youths Harpe, that drew dumbe things to admire his choysest tunes: let me not now disturbe you sweetest Nimph, nor barre us from such heavenly harmony; then did shee sweetly make this fine replye; Great Princesse pardon I beseech this rudnesse in mee, which hath made me dumbe, till now unable to give answer, but my lipps unseald by your great Grace, my speech made free to satisfie your will, I must confesse, when I did see you first I was amas'd, and did wish my selfe againe in this faire River, so to hide my worthlesse selfe from your all judging eyes. Oft have I seene you hunt in these faire plaines, and somtimes taste of this (then blessed) brook; behinde the seges, I did once lye hid, when you dry, and farre from all places fit to entertaine your vertues in, sate downe, and drank of this cleere water. O said I, how blessed wert thou if thou coulddest but know into what happinesse thou shalt arrive; first to bee touched by those best deerest lipps, and so to passe into her royall breast? How did I thinke I saw the streames which were below, haste as for sorrow they had miss'd that fate, and those above come hastely to catch, if not to touch yet one kind looke on them? this while I lov'd, and so was sencible, but since Dispaire had marryed mee, and I wedded my selfe to chast Dianas life. Let me intreat you sweete Nimph said the Queene, to tell me all your story, and this night will be more pleasing to me, if so spent, then any that my fortunes yet have knowne, she then with reverence due to her state, thus did beginne her tale. My name (great Queene(said shee) is Allarina, a Sheepheardesse by birth, and first profession, and so had still beene, had I not lucklesly profess'd a Lovers name, and left my former happy (because contented) life. At fourteene yeares of age I first felt paine, but young, and ignorant, I scarce did know what was my torment; I distempered was, slept not, nor fed, my coulor waxed pale, my mirth decayed, and sighs did wholy breath my breath, admire my change the Sheepheards generally did, bewaile my ill the sheepherdesses would, my parents grieved for me, I for my part knew only that I knew not what I ayld, till one day walking to a pleasant wood, which was upon a hill, I did consider with my selfe, what was the first originall of all this paine; I could not suddenly find out the ground, till at the last considering well each thing, I found his name most pleasing was to mee, and so as I did in my heart ever thanke the meanes that did bring him to bee but spoken of. None in my thoughts, appeard so excellent, none spake like him, none sung like him, nothing could hee doe, that did not seeme best, and nothing done by others but did shew dull, and quit voyd of any pleasingnes, so excellent appeard he unto mee. When this came to my mind, then straight I sight, blush'd, and layd my hand upon my panting heart, and then cryd out, I hope this is not love; but love no sooner was (by poore me) nam'd, but as if cald, he straight possess'd my heart, alas I yeelded then to know I lov'd, and love joy'd, I confess'd I was his slave, and such a slave was I alas soone growne, as but that slavery I did affect: my health then alterd, and my mother put me into the hands of a Phisitian to bee recovered (as shee hop'd) by him, but all in vaine, it was not in his power, the cure was not ordaind for him. Then came my love to visite me, which gave me life, and comfort: thus I did remaine, and five yeares loved him, yet hee ignorant that my affection so was placed on him. I surely borne for this conclusion, could not permit my selfe to say, or shew I lov'd more then in poore sad lookes, blushing when he did aske me of my sheepe, unsteddily, and with a downe cast looke, not daring to behold what most I loved, for feare of burning what was scorched before. I gave my answers unresolvedly; hee by all this perceived that I lov'd, for twas not sillines he saw, that made that innocent-like fashion shew in me, wherefore he meant to watch me, and so find where my love was; but then it was too late, for not imagining it was himselfe, hee marryed. After this I grieved, and almost dyed, but remedy was past, and I undone; yet one night, (blessed night for me, & my desires) he came, & fetched me to his sisters house, where being set betweene us two, hee fell into discourse of many pretty things, and all of love, and all as I did finde, to gayne by arte, to know were I did like; at last we fel unto a foolish sport, which was, to tell truly what we were asked, and so to draw a lot who should demand; it fell to him, who pretily to cover his intent, he first demanded of his sister, what life shee thought the pleasantest & best. She said, the shepheards. Then he asked, if ever she did wish in love, and gaine it to her full content? She said, she never could obtaine so just a satisfaction, for her wish was still above the benefit she gaind. Then was it come to me to be his servant, his question was, Which was the blessedst halfe houre I ever knew? I said, a time I followed a poore bird to shoote at it, and as I thought (O mee the dearest thought) a thought which joyed my soule, I hit the bird. Who did you thinke of (said he)? Then I blusht, he urg'd, and swore I marr'd the Play, and must bee punisht for so foule offence. I pardon askt, and said I would confesse: but when I came to say but these few words, It was your selfe, my speech againe did faile, my spirits fainted, I looked pale, and red, and sigh'd, and smild, and all in instant space; love never had more strange diversitie then in me at that present; I was dumb, then spake a little, halfe what I should say, and turned the rest to comfort my poore hart: then did he take me in his armes, and strictly did conjure me to say out. Why then (said I) I thought on him I loved: this made him yet more curious, holding me still, perceiving I was not displeased, sweetely perswading me to say the rest; when I with soft and feareful words, afraid to heare my selfe say, I did love; 'Twas you, said I: he then 'twixt joy and greefe, wept, the like did I. This pass'd, continually he tended my poore flock, forsooke his owne, if they did stray from mine, his songs were of mee, and my thought on him. Many sweete, pleasant, and delightfull games he did invent to give content to us, at last his sister grew to malice his respect to me, and to discerne all was for my delight, which hee did studdy, or present to us: she had much pride, and such as Sheephardesses seldome know, yet flow'd it in her, who else was like us, milde, and sufficiently witty. This her malice flew unto the height of slighting me, which I perceaving, let her go alone unwaighted on, or yet accompanied by mee. Two yeares this did indure, when all plagues grew, for then his wife did likewise did likewise stomacke me, and out of the poore witte she had, (which scarce was sense) did manifest her rage. I was in troth most sorry for her hate, so much I loved him, as I loved all was his, and her, though not so well as the worst beast he had, since shee alone I saw my barre for blisse. Hee saw my patience, which was oft times moovd even into spite, yet cover'd, and suppresd with the deere power of my deerer love. Then was there entertayn'd at brave Mantinia, a great Embassador, whether we were call'd, among the strange delights, to represent our innocent pastimes, in which, my love and I were placed for the cheife, for he at wrestling, and those sports of strength, did farre excell the others of these plaines; my selfe for pastorall songs, dances, and such like had the first place among the maids, and so came I, great Princesse, to be blessd with seeing you, which sight still lives ingrafted in my breast. But what became then of your love, said the Queene? Why that alas was al my sorrow, and my change cride she, grew from his change, which in this sort befell: hee having thus in pure and spotlesse sort gaind my best love, could not yet be content with such enjoying, but did covet more, which to prevent, I found convenient meanes and slights still to avoyd, which he perceav'd, yet then affected me so much, as nothing could withdraw him from my love: arguments hee would frame, even against his owne desires, and sweare, that where true love was, loose desires were distant, and unknowne, nor could a man so much affect, where hee had once gaind all, as when he knew there did from him lye hid, a richer treasure then hee had possest, and more devoutly, and with greater zeale did he love, where he still was so refused, then if hee had by yeelding obtained all. I did beleeve, and much commend his mind, and what I prais'd, or lik'd he likewise seem'd to be affected with; but what in men can last in certaine kind? there was a meeting amongst us, and thither on May day every yeere (beeing the day we celebrated feasts) the rarest, and the choycest beautyes came, among the rest one, who in truth I must confesse, was faire above the common beautyes in our time, but of the meanest parentage and ranke, being a servant to a Shepherdesse, who was of greatest place, for there is difference, and distinction made of their degrees, (though all below your sight) as well as in the great ones, and as much curious choyce, and shame to match below their owne degrees, as among Princes, whose great bloods are toucht, if staind with basenesse in the match they make. This woman yet allur'd my love to change, and what was worse, to scorne me; long I was, before I would perceive it, yet at last too cleerely it discovered was: she then attended on the May Lady, of purpose there inticed, where he for his wished ends might her behold. The heardsman then, who kept the Cattell both of his sisters & his owne, did grow enamour'd of this beautious Lasse; at last, love gaind the hand of judgement, and so privately they marryed, then did he grow more sure, and surely did injoy, for who could with much cruelty refuse, especially not borne to chastity: then were his looks all cast on her, his speeches wholy bent to her, her wit admir'd, her jests told, wondred at, into all company she must bee admitted, all respect her, and I quite cast off; my soule was wounded with it, and my heart wasted, and dryed up; that truely I was growne a woman, worthlesse for outward parts to be looked on; and thus tormented, I desired oft to speake with him, but hee did more shunne mee, then ever once he coveted my sight. If I came in, where he alone did stand, instantly he went out, or would turne his backe, in sharpest scorne unto my loving eyes. Aye me, cryd I, am I come to this passe? have I lost all my liberty for this? have I adventured death, and shame, to come unto this shamefull end in love? my parents have I left, and they displeasd have rated mee, for my immoderate love, and all to be requited with gaine, at last of fowle disdaine, for fervent truth? The world was fild with my constancy, all with broad eyes saw his disloyalty; some pitied me, others flouted me; I grieved, & yet at last resolv'd either to speak or write; speake alas I could not, for I did feare to give offence, still fondly loving him: when I was in my bed, and thought of all my woes, I could resolve to speake my mind, and frame my speeches in as moderate kind as might be, rather demanding pittie, then to discover, that I did dislike him for his change; but when I saw him, and did view his eyes, if on me, cast but in a cruell sort, so farre I was from any power, or true ability, to touch of wrongs, or to beg poore compassion, as I stood amazed, trembling, and even as one cast unto death. Then did I silently lament this harme, and mournefully bewaile my misery, speaking unto my selfe, as if to him, and frame his answers like unto his lookes, then weepe, and spend whole nights in this distresse, my heart almost unable to sustaine so curst a Dialogue, as I had framd millions of times to vexe my soule withal, at last I writ a letter, I remember these being the contents, and almost the same words. If what I write may proove displeasing unto you, I wish my hand had lost the use to write, when I writ this, my eyes, sight for seeing it, and my heart, had then rent with sorrow for punishment, in so offending you, who for al your cruelty, can do no other then love you still. But the affliction that I am fallen into by your change, makes me send these lines unto you, & to beseech you by the love you once bare me, to let me know the cause of your great strangenesse towards me; if proceeding from my part, be just; and tell it me, who will not onely curse my selfe for doing it, but with all true humilitie demand a pardon for it; my soule is purely yours, in love untoucht, unstaind of any blame or spot; faith was the ground whereon I placed my love, loyalty, the hope I held it with, and my selfe your most unfained lover, the poore creature to bee looked upon with reward for these: but you give scorne, alas once looke on me, that beautie which decayed now in me, once pleas'd you best; when wasted it, but in those yeares I still was true, and chast to you? if my face be not so faire, my mind is fairer, cloath'd in truth, and love, and thus will I ever deserve you more then any: pity me, alas I crave it, and most justly from your hands. Did I neglect at any time, what I did owe, to pay unto your will? if so, my confidence might make me erre, but never did I willingly commit such fault, blame then the trust I had, and just assurance of my confidence in you: will you reject me, since I pine for you, the teares which still for you I shed, have marr'd, and dull'd mine eyes, and made me worthlesse to behold; looke then but on my faith, and pitty me, who will die as I was, and am, which is sincerely yours. This I read, this I corrected, and often staind with blots, which my true teares in falling as I writ had made. I sent it by a youth, who still had lov'd me, and did serve my love; he gave it him one morning as he waked: his answere was, that he would speake with me. The next day he did come, and found me in my bed, bathing my self in my poore, yet choice teares; he most unkindly onely sat him downe, not once so much as looking on my woes, or me, speaking these words, with eies another way, & voice displeasd: You writ a hansom letter, did you not, said he? Alas said I, what should I do opprest? I am half mad, distracted with your scorne; I could not silent be, nor yet could speake. You wrong'd your self, said he. Wherein, cri'd I? With that he rose, & not giv ing me so much as kind, or unkind looks, spake to another whom he cald in, and so together left me and my woe. After that time hee strove by all plaine waies, and craftie slights, and all to make me see, how I was cast away, and left by him. I patiently did seeme to beare my losse: but oh my heart could not let me doe so, though in the day I strove to cover griefe, in night time I did open all the doores, and entertaine each servant that woe had. Once I remember after many moneths that this disaster had befallen mee, hee merrily did speake among us all, and also to me, as one among the rest, and the greatest stranger to his thoughts: I joyed that so he favoured me, for though he used mee, as but if in triall of my truth, I earnestly loved him, and joyed to see him: my poore cold heart did warme it selfe to thinke of what had past, and leapt when I saw him; but yet that leape was like, or did resemble a strong convultion at the latest gaspe, for then it fell downe dead in my despaire: but being thus together, hee was pleased to say some verses to mee, which were good, and truly such as I did much affect. I thought they were his owne, and so was vext, because to me they did not then belong, as once all that he made, or framed were. He did commend them very much himselfe, and said, he liked the strength that was in them. I said they were most good, and like him, which made them much the better, so discoursing on, I tooke the boldnesse to say something to him, knowing that they might speake in kind for me, and yet my selfe not beg againe, they were these. When I with trembling aske if you love still, My soule afflicted lest I give offence, Though sensibly discerning my worst ill; Yet rather then offend, with griefe dispence. Faintly you say you must; poore recompence When gratefull love is force, I see the hill Which marrs my prospect love, and Oh from thence I tast, and take of losse the poison'd pill. While one coale lives, the rest dead all about That still is fire: so your love now burnd out Tells what you were, though to deceiving led. The Sunne in Summer, and in Winter shewes Like bright, but not like hot, faire false made blowes You shine on me, but you loves heate is dead. He made no answere, but onely said, they were very fine ones: after this he continued in his peremptory course of hating me, and I in my poore way of suffering all, till so ill I did grow, as though not in him, yet in each one els, I did obtaine, what I did claime from him, for they did sorrow for my miserie, and he still triumph, as if in a gaine to overthrow a soule given to his will. At last, extremitie of griefe and paine, brought me unable to doe any thing: those that best did consider my mishape, justly did know the cause; others smile, and say, 'twas, for I was forsaken; others laugh, and say, I was growne dull: some said, my prose was gone, and that I onely could expresse my selfe in verse. These I did heare, and this in truth had troubled me, if greater matters had not shut my eares and heart from weighing such slight things as these. I gave my selfe then wholly to the fields, nor kept I any company but with my flocke, and my next kindred which would visit me. With my poore sheepe I did discourse, and of their lives make my descipherd life: rockes were my objects, and my daily visits; meekenesse my whole ambition, losse my gaine; and thus I liv'd, and thus still ranne to death. But one day as I past among the rocks, which were both steepe, yet easie to ascend; the countrie hilly, the earth blacke, the mourning onely coverd with Heath and stones, to expresse the ill nature of that soile: I went still in it, till at last descending one of the steepest, and most ragged of those hills, the top of which was crownd with milke white rocks, in bignesse strange, and fashion farre more rare; I sat downe in a stone of mighty height, which like a chaire in just proportion, did give mee roome and ease. Yet some thing unsafe it was to looke downe (for those whose eyes will dazell if on any high place) for the height was great, and that stood, as if onely framd to sit, and see the bottome directly under. Looking a while, I saw some folkes below, and as it were, a Spring where they did drinke: I left the rocke then, and did straight descend unto the Plaine, the descent was not tedious, but slippery. When I thither came, of all the company, one man was able to declare any thing of the nature of it, for the rest were strangers, and not the same Countrimen. I civilly demanded, if that spring were medicinable, or what made them with so much affectionate ceremony to drinke, and as it were, adore it. That man made answere, it was that divine and sacred water, which did cure all harmes. I blamd him, knowing he had said too much, since only one was fit to bee termed so; but he, more servant to adoration then divinity, told me many strange works that water had performd. I did for novelties take of the streame; drinking of it, I found it did me no harme. Then I demanded, what it would procure? he said, Quiet of spirit, comfort in this life. How long I demanded ought we to drinke thereof? Seven times (he replied), and thrice seven dayes. I living not farre off, resolv'd the task, and dranke, and found such good, as soone I was alterd in al things but my truth, which now alone to me remaines unharmd; my whole condition alterd, I grew free, and free from love, to which I late was slave. Then finding this true vertue in my selfe, and my poore selfe returnd to me againe, I did embrace it in the same true sort that love held me, and so we did agree. I love my selfe, my selfe now loveth me. But after to av oid all new delights, or to bee sued too, or intised againe, I put on these habits, hoping by purenesse, and vowed chastity, to win Diana's favour, which now is all my ambition, and my hope. Thus here I live in expectation, not assurance of her acceptance: into this Brooke I oftentimes doe goe, and now was going just as you did come; remembrance of my faith I keepe, and joy alone in that, without desire, or thought of loves varietie. My daies remaining, I have given to truth, and as a Nimph I still will here remaine; my name I also changed with my life, from Allarina to Silviana, these habits keepe me from discourse with men, my vow from yeelding; so I now live free, and uncontrold of Fortunes selfe. My Mistrisse I adore, I keepe her Feasts devoutly, and thus I doe remaine your humblest Vassall, mighty Princesse, else sole Mistrisse of my thoughts, and freedomes rule. Happy you are (said the excellent Queene) so to bee able to master your selfe: but did you never see him since you wore these habits? Oft-times great Princesse (said she) I have seene him, and so perceived desire new in him to win me back, but now it is too late. I must confesse, who once had told me, I could have beheld his face without my soules affection to it, I should hardly have believed it, much more to find my heart so free from love, as now it is, and as he made himselfe to me, even a meere stranger; so are now mine eyes and thoughts as farre, from touch of love, as if I had been borne never to know love, or such passions, when as once my eyes hung after him, as sterv'd without his sight, my soule lov'd him as a blessing, and I was indeed only his, now am I free my selfe, void of those troubles, love provoked in me; I can with quietnes heare all his acts, see him this day intolerably fond of one I hated, then change to a new; all that mooves not me, save only that I out of pity, pity their ill haps. Once I was jealous, vext if hee did throw by chance a looke on any, but my selfe, that fault he punisht with his sterne neglect, & plagueing me in the sharpest kind, striving to make me see his change, and scornefully expressing to my sight, disdaine of me, and fondnesse in such loves. These are requited now, he growne to pitie, when I scorne to take it, he to love me, when I am vowed else-where: thus love rewarded is with scorne, and scorne, with pitilesse regard returning home. I cannot yet believe (said Pamphilia) but you love him still, for all this liberall and excellent discourse. I never will live houre (said Silviana) to hate him, though I am made free from bond of vaine affection; & thus much truly I doe still remaine his friend and servant, to defend him from all harmes, I may by my respect make void, and were it in my way to doe him, though a just ill turne, and many leagues off, I might doe him good, that journey I would take, yet love I not ought, but faire chastitie. This sweet discourse concluded, the brave Queene tooke leave of the fine Nymph, and so returnd, with promise, when she hunted in those parts, she would find her: then going to the Court, she went into her chamber to take rest; little of that sufficed her, for though great as any, yet in love was as much subject, as the meanest borne. Pamphilia (said she) can thy great spirit permit thee to bee bound, when such as Allarina can have strength to master, and command even love it selfe? Scorne such servilitie, where subjects soveraignize; never let so meane a thing ore-rule thy greatest power; either command like thy self, or fall downe vassall in despaire. Why should fond love insult, or venture in thy sight? let his babish tricks be priz'd by creatures under thee, but disdaine thou such a government. Shall blindness master thee, and guide thee? looke then sure to fall. Shall wayward folly rule thee? looke to be despis'd. Shall foolish wantonnes intice thee? hate such vice. Shall children make thee follow their vaine tricks? scorne then thy selfe, and all such vanities. Yet when all this is said, and that the truest knowledge tells me these are true, my wounded heart with bleeding doth professe vassalladge to the great and powerfull might of love. I am a prisoner, guard me then deere love, keepe me but safely free from yeelding, and keepe me, as thou hast already made me, thine. Much of the time, she had to be at rest, she thus imploy'd: then rysing, the day telling her all brightnesse waited on her; she rose, and went to the sweete Limena, who accompanied her, into her sad fine walkes, being there alone, (save with her second selfe,) surely said she, you that so perfectly and so happily have loved, cannot in this delightfull place, but remember those sweete (yet for a while curst) passages in love, which you have overgone: speake then of love, and speake to me, who love that sweete discourse, (next to my love) above all other things, if that you cannot say more of your selfe, then your deare trust hath grac'd me withall, tell of some others, which as truly shall be silently inclosed in my breast, as that of yours; let me but understand the choice varieties of Love, and the mistakings, the changes, the crosses; if none of these you know, yet tell me some such fiction, it may be I shall be as lucklesse as the most unfortunate; shew me examples, for I am so void of hope, much lesse of true assurance, as I am already at the height of all my joy. Limena beheld her, both with love, and pitty, at last; my dearest friend (said shee) fall not into despaire, before joy can expresse, what surely is ordain'd for you. Did ever any poore drop happen to fall but still for love? Will you be poorer then the poorest drop of raine, which for the love to earth, falls on it? raise up your spirit, that which is worthy to Monarchise the world, drowne it not, nor make a grave by sad conceits, to bury what should live for royalty; yet if you doe desire to heare, of Love, and of loves crosses, I will tell you a discourse, the Sceane shall be in my Countrey, and the rather will I tell it, since in that, you shall see your selfe truly free from such distresse, as in a perfect glasse, none of your true perfections can be hidden, but take not this tale for truth. In Cicilie (not far from the place which gave my Father birth, and where I much was bred) there liv'd a Lady, mother to many, and delicate Children; but, whether her fortune fell with the losse of her Husband, (as many, wofully have with that felt their undoing) or that misfortune (so great a Prince) ought not to be unattended, I know not, but she affecting her friends, as friendship could challenge, a young Lord came with one of her neerest allies to visit her; this visitation made him see her daughter, elder then three more, that at that same time were in her house: he receiving welcome, tooke it, and occasion to come againe, those againe commings brought mischevous affection, that affection, mischiefes selfe, for thus it happ'ned. The Lady lov'd him, hee liked her, he sued, she innocent could not deny, but yeares did passe before they did enjoy. At last, three yeares almost worne out, he found a time, or rather her, much unprovided for refusall; both extreamly loving, nothing was amisse as they imagin'd, nor was ought denyde, some yeares this passed too, in all which time, shee who did onely love, for Loves sake, not doubting least that might bee a touch unto her affection, or spot in so much clearenesse, as her heart held to him, let busie speeches pass unregarded, smil'd when friends bid her beware, esteeming her constant opinion of his worth, richer then truths which she thought falshoods while they were against him. Thus the poore Lady was deceiv'd, & most miserably undone, he falling in love with one so inferior to her in respect of her qualities, compar'd with hers, though of greater ranke every way, as his neerest friends condemn'd him for so ill a choice; but she was crafty, and by art faire, which made him looke no further. At last, it shewed so plainely as she must (if not wilfully blinde) see with the rest; but how did she see it? alas with dying eyes, all passions compar'd to hers were none, the ordinary course of sorrow abounded in her, rising to such a height, as out flew dispaire; melancholy was her quietest companion, while monefully she would sit, dayes without words, and nights without sleepe. Oft would she tell these paines before him, though not to him, pittifully would she lament, and hee take no more notice of it, then if he heard it spoken of an other. Alas would she cry, I am no more worthy to live, I am a shame to my house, a staine to my sex, and a most pittifull example of all mischeife; shamefull creature, why livest thou to disgrace all thy friends? poore soule, (poore indeed, but in true goodnes) leave this unhappy body, take thy selfe away, and when thou hast left me, it may be thou mayst be better, and win pittie: hence foorth must blame infould me, now must shame cover me, and dispaire with losse destroy me; yet hadst thou chang'd to a better, and constanter, it would not so much have vext mee, but when I see my deserts, my love, and my selfe cast off, onely by subtiltie betrayed, and in so vild a place, alas it rents my heart, both with losse, and your fault. Can worth procure no more favour? must all yeeld to outward fairenes? she is faire I confesse, so once you thought I was, and if not so perfect, thanke your owne strangenes, and my teares shed for your falshood, which have furrow'd, & worne wrinkles, (where smoothnesse was) with their continuall falling. Had you no way to shun me, or my love, but by your change? you might have justly dealt yet, and but say'd, I can no longer love you, I had then sate downe alone with losse, but now doubly afflicted, as loosing, and being deceavd; your want of truth, is a greater plague to me then my misery, in that I lov'd you better then my selfe, so much is your unworthines my extreamest torment. Oft was I told that I would hurt my selfe in trusting. I reply'd, I had rather bee wretched in losse, then unhappy in suspition; these now befall me, yet suspect I not, for apparent truth tells me I am forlorne. Once I remember I was to speake to him, and (foole) I tooke the time when she was by, with what scorne did he put me off, and slightnesse heare the businesse, which concernd himselfe, yet comming from me, was unpleasing: would yet I could be more lucklesse, so it came not from thy worthlesnesse, for 'tis that, not my misfortune, tortures me. While yet shee thus continued in her woes, her beauty dying, as her fortune wasted, he carelesse man of any good, or respect, save of his owne desires, would many times come to her, rather as I conjecture, thinking to betray her, then for any affection hee then bore to her, while she (poore haplesse lover) never deny'd what he commanded. Poore soule, how glad would she be to receive one looke; one word gave her new life againe, but a smile made her hope, which lasted to make her the stronger, to suffer againe the misery he allotted her. Well, so it continued, and she was undone, imagine then, brave Queene, in what misery she was, and most, when he that should have comforted her harme, held still his curst neglect: Till being neere her end, as it was thought, rather (and onely sure for his owne honour) then her safety, hee sent often to her; this made her take joy, assuring her selfe, he now felt, he was bound to love her, since thus she was neere death for him; this made her hope, he would be gratefull in affection, though not passionate. Much did he flatter then, and protest respect of her, above his life, and that her life and safety were more deare to him, then his owne heart bloud. Expresseles consolation were these vowes, but broken, greatest plagues; what should we trust, when man the excellentest creature, doth thus excell in ill? No sooner was she amended, but he sent againe with all shew of affection, his comming he excused, as out of care to her, lest others would have visited her too, and so might trouble her in weakenes, & bring danger to her health. These glosses were to her like faith, beleeud, & cheerish'd, til soone was she made to know, mens words are onely breath, their oathes winde, and vowes water, to begin with her ensuing griefe, her new borne hopes soone died, those tyes she had knit up were broken asunder, in more violence, which death brought heavy misery unto the mother of these misadventures; for soone after fell his direct leaving her, not scanting any contempt or scorne, but turning all shew of favour to her; after that fell a new change, for then this dainty woman must yeeld her fortunes to a new choyce in him, and to an other, whose beauty wins him from her craftinesse. Then did she likewise fall to new dislikes, crying out 'gainst disloyalty, complaind of her misfortune, cursd her credulity, and fond hopes, never ceasing complaints, nor revilings, for her thoughts, chusing the first forsaken lover, to heare her accuse him even unto her face, he who had from her chang'd lately to her, and now from her unto an other love; cruell this needs must bee to see him blamd, and for that fault which she had suffered for, alas then would she say, what hap have I to accuse my Fate, and still to heare the accusation from an other to the same purpose: Disloyall Lincus, hath thy poore lover Alena deserv'd this hate? canst thou without shame consider my wrongs? thinke on my deserts, I challeng none, but leave them to thy selfe to judge. I am your lost forsaken, I am yet your truest love, and I am indeed the unhappiest sufferer of your blame. Pelia complaines of your disloyalty, and to mee, from whom you flew to her, if shee dislike, what shall I doe, who beare the marks of shame, and losse for you? my reputation marr'd, my honour in the dust; are these requitalls to be scornd, despised, and hated at the last? unkind man, for worse I cannot call you, yet turne backe againe, and look on my desearts, if not on me, and you shal find cleerenes in them, to discerne these other faults by purenes to tel you, none but it self deserves you, griefe to moove all your compassions to it, lastly, just claimes to make you gratefull; but you I see despise all vertuous wayes, goe on your course then while I mourne for you, and my extreamest crosse. Thus did she oft complaine, yet never shund his sight, least he should thinke his change could alter her. the more he saw her patience, the more, and insolentlyer did hee presse on it, striving of purpose to afflict her most, which the sight of his alteration needs must bring, when she beheld him kisse his new loves hand, with melting heart, and passionate respect, smile in her eyes, begge for her grace, write to her praise, and expression of his love; these alas cryd shee were the baites that first betrayed me, thus once he did to me, thus fond was hee of mee, thus careles of all else, but now transformed, as is his truth, and faith. Many perswaded her to keepe away, to scorn as much as he, to hate as much as he; no would she cry, his fault shal never make me il, nor wil I chang though he so fickle bee, yet bee assured I love him not, nor can bee more decei ved by him, or any other, onely thus far the remnant of my love extends, that I would take any course, though painefull, dangerous, and hazard my life, to keepe him from least harme. Thus did a loiall lover live, and this is commonly the end of loyaltie to men, who never knew but the end of their owne wills, which are to delight (only Perissus excepted). And to satisfie you, I have given you this short example of true love, faigned I confesse the story is, yet such may be, and will bee lov ers Fates. Pamphilia gave great attention to it, and the more, because her last adventure, and this discourse did somewhat neere concurre as ending in misfortune. why (said she to her selfe), should all chuse: these or such like wofull histories, of purpose to torment me with feare, that I may live to see like woes? alas, Love sheild me from such harme; I now behold cleere joy, so did Silvania, and Alena, and Pelia, yet what conclusion have they? utter ruine and distresse for reward. These thoughts so inwardly afflicted her, as she sat still, her colour not changing, nor any motion in her outward part, while the soule onely wrought in her, & yet, not to let the world be ignorant of her operation, sent teares from out her eyes, to witnesse the affliction that she felt; teares which did fall with such lovelynes, as lovelines did fall and bide with them. So much did Limena love her, as she greev'd for those teares, and with cryes gave testimony of her sorrow, while she unstirr'd, still let them slide upon her softest cheeks, as if she did consent to honour her true teares, with touching that earths-heavenly place; her heart did beate with paine, and I thinke greefe, that her eyes should be more happy in ability to demonstrate her paine, then that which best knowing her mind could attaine unto; I feele said it the torment, they shew it, like players of an others part, and so did it swell, as Limena was forced to helpe, and with comfort and perswasions appease the rage. Thus they continued till Nanio the dwarfe came to them, telling his Lady the happy tydings of Rosindy's arrivall, with Selarinus, this awaked her, and made her melancholy companion, yeeld to her better friend, joy; back they went together, and with much content met the King Rosindy and his companion in the Hall, where the King and all the Court were assembled, joy plentifully disposing it selfe to every one. Amphilanthus holding his course towards St. Maura was thither brought safely, and speedily, then going to the Rocke, he tooke Urania in his armes using these wordes. My dearest Sister, and the one halfe of my life, Fortune (never fav ourable to us) hath ordain'd, a strange adventure for us, and the more cruell is it, since not to be avoyded, nor to be executed but by my hands, who best love you; yet blame me not, since I have assured hope of good successe, yet apparent death in the action, I must (not to prolong time, or amaze you with discourse, alas that I must say these words) deerest Urania, I must throw thee into the Sea; pardon me, Heaven appoints it so. My deerest brother sayd she, what neede you make this scruple? You wrong me much to thinke that I feare death, being your sister, or cheerish life, if not to joy my parents; fulfill your command, and be assured it is doubly welcome, comming to free me from much sorrow, and more, since given mee by your hands: those hands that best I love, and you to give it me, for whose deare sake, I onely lov'd to live, and now as much delight and wish to die. Kinde teares proceeded from them both, and mournfull silence did possesse their tongus, till she againe besought, and hee refused; but yet at last resolving, if she perish'd to ende with her: he tooke her in his armes, and gently let her slide, shewing it rather to be her slipping from him, then his letting her fall, and as shee fell, so fell his heart in woe, drownd in as deepe an Ocean of despaire; but soone was he call'd to wonder, and all joy; for no sooner had she suncke into the water, but the waves did beare her up againe, to shewe the glory they had in bearing such perfections; but then the Deepes, ambitious of such a prize, sought to obtaine her, opening their hearts to let her sincke into them, when two men in a boate came rowing towards her, and one who lay in a craggy part of the Rocke, furiously threw himselfe unto her, she only saying, Live happy Amphilanthus, and my onely deare Parselius , farewell: that calld him, who leaping in, cry'd; Parselius will never outli ve Urania; and sunke straight with her, then were both pulled up, and safely brought to land, by the help of the other two, who leaping out of their boat into the sea, spared not danger, or life it selfe; all foure then soundly washed, came a shoare, where Amphilanthus embraced them, and with teares of joy welcom'd his sister, and his friends, who now well understood the operation of that water; for Parselius knew nothing of his former love to her, onely the face of Urania, and being assured of her neerenesse to him in bloud, rejoyced with them, the others did the like. Now was Steriamus released of his unfortunate love, esteeming Pamphilia wholly for her worth, not with passion thinking of her. Urania's desires were no other, then to goe into Italy to see her father: and Dolorindus to accompany his friends whither they would goe. Thus happily were all delivered of the most burdenous tormenting affliction that soules can know, Love, and Love was pleased, because now he might have new worke in new kinds. Parselius longs to see his Dalinea: Urania wisheth it also without jealousie, or anger, but loves her heartily for her Cosins sake: most happy Princesse to be deliverd from such a hell, as loving him, who had (although so neere to her) been so farre from truth to her. Amphilanthus was so overcome with comfort and joy, discerning this fortunate and blessed issue of the adventures, as kindnesse now wrought like sorrow: then embracing all, they tooke to the boats, the Hermit going with them to the Iland, where with kind loving perswasions, they invited him to leave that place, and to accompany them thence: but hee excused himselfe, promising to be ready at any time to doe them service, but his vow he could not breake: then he intreated them, that if by chance in their travels they happened into Dalmatia, they would enquire for his unfortunate daughter Bellemira, and by some meanes to let him understand of her. They promised this: so with more kind farewels, they parted from the Hermit, and at Amphilanthus earnest intreaty went together for Italy, where they arrived, and so past unto the Court. But what joy? what content did all hearts feele, in seeing the Princesse of true worth and admiration returnd? Then did the old king, whose haire and beard like snow make a true resemblance of it, joy (like the Sun) heating and melting; so did joy melt his hart into teares, & they like a thaw, dropping on the lower snow, he held them in his armes; they kneeld, he kist them, but could not speake, so was he wrapped and overwhelmed with joy. At last Amphilanthus spake, beseeching him to salute the other Princes, which he did, and then turnd to them, and againe kissed, and embraced them. This being past, they were conducted to their lodgings: Urania having rich robes fit for her birth brought unto her, till then having worne her Shepherdesse attire, which she resolv'd to doe, as long as she liv'd unseene of her father, & only to receive them from his hands. Now was Italy fild with delight, being the pleasing'st and delightful'st of any; sports are new invented to give welcome, and Justs proclaimed, wherein these Knights must also shew their skil, the Ladies came from al parts to see Urania, the Knights to honor Amphilanthus : the first day of the Justs, the King being ready to go forth of the Hall to the lists, there entred an old man, in habit like a Pilgrim, with a staffe of that fashion in his hands, bare-footed, and with all demonstration of that life, he spake lowd, and besought the King to stay till he had deliverd some things fit for his knowledge, then all placing themselves, he began thus. Most happy King, receive these speeches from me (a miserable man, if you pitie not), a Prince I am by birth, but a Villaine by nature; Prince I was of Istria, and brother to the King of Dalmatia, proud I was, and accompanying that vice, I had malice, and all ill abiding in mee, which causd a detestable treason in me, for hearing many prophesies, & likelihoods of the greatnes, & worth of Amphilanthus, I studied how I might any way crosse the successe, he then being but of tender yeares, scarce having attained to seven yeares of age; but that which most moov'd me, was, that a learned man said, he should rule over the greatest part of the world, and live to be Lord of my Country also; to avoid this, I vowed to loose no meanes or opportunitie; wherefore I went to the Court of my brother, where there then liv'd a great, and a wise man; this man confirm'd, what before I had heard, adding more unto it for his increase of honour, for he had cast his nativitie, having gaind it from one, who was at the birth of the worlds wonder, your sonne. Upon this I disguised my selfe, and hither I came into your Country and Court, where I found the Queene newly brought to bed of a daughter; this I thought might be a meanes for my safety, for no magicke could withstand the happy fortune of Amphilanthus (though a danger he should fall into uncertaine to recover it, and by a woman). So determining to have my ends some way, having some skill in Magicke, I cast a sleepe upon all the attendants where the babe lay, and being in an evening, tooke the child, and conv eyed it away with me, purposing to keepe her to protect me from danger, while I would practice the ruine of the Prince by any devilish plot, and to be the cause of as much hurt as might be to his worthinesse: but otherwise, and better for the good of all these parts it happened, I being in all my charmes and spells, prevented by a greater power, yet was I glad I had the child, with whom I tooke my way to the sea, where sitting downe, and looking on the sweetenesse and delicacie of the babe, unawares by Robbers I was set upon, no helpe being left me by learning, or art, to relieve me in that adventure, death being onely expected by me, they prooved more mercifull, saving my life, but took what I had from me, and the child, which most of al I esteemd; then wofully did I returne to mine owne Country, there I fell to my books, and called others of that art unto my aide: but doe what I, or they could, we were barrd from knowledge or guesse, what was become of the child, or what course it should run, heavenly powers hiding it from mee, to keepe her safety neerer to her, till this yeare it was discovered to mee, that shee was safe in the conduct of a great Prince, her estate unknowne to her selfe, and him, nor was her inprisonment hid from me, though the place and manner was; her disguise was shewed mee, being Shepherdesses attire, since which time I have bestowed my time and labour in seeking her, and now Sir, where I stole her; here I find her, this being your daughter, and I, (Sir,) the Traytor. This then being done, they all againe embraced her, but Urania desired to know one thing more, which was how the Mantell, and Purse was left unto her. That (said the old man) was done by him or her I know not which, that protected you, nor can you know that, till you finish an adventure, which is onely left for you to end. Then did every one adjudge the old Prince to no lesse then death; but the King nor Amphilanthus would consent to it, saying, Their joyes and welcomes should not bee mixed with bloud: then did he professe repentance, and for that, and their great mercies, he received pardon, and so returned towards his country, halfe way in his journey he died: thus the adventure concluded, they went forth to the Justs which were ready to begin with their presence. The first day was concluded by a match made of twelve to twelve, with sword & speare, which were to their renownes performed: then the Princes determined to manifest their valours, yet every one privately taking this resolution, made a shrewd mistaking among them: for the King and Queene being placed, there entred a Knight in black armour, his devise, the World burning, and Cupid hovering in the flame; this Knight was straight encountred by a Prince of Apulia , a brave and valiant Gentleman, but too weake for him: then the Princes of Vihin, of Milan, Savoy, Florence, Mantua, Modina, and many others met him, and so the earth, as his Livery. Amphilanthus seeing this, stole away, hoping to revenge his Country men against this stranger; so taking a white armour, like a young Knight came in, and fitly; for then did the black knight want worke: but long he did not complaine of that, for this encounter was strong and furious, the black Knight taking him for some such an one, as the other kind-hearted Princes were, which made him sit the more carelesly, and so gave the Prince the advantage to shake him shrewdly; which he meaning to mend the next time, with great rage met him, who never yet was overthrowne, or neere the hazard of it: but so terrible was the meeting, as both their horses were strooke upon their buttocks, yet againe recovered; three courses they ran thus without advantage, wherefore by the lawes of those Justs, they were to end it with the sword, which they did, fighting without mercy or feare, the white armour of Amphilanthus looking pale with rage to see his bloud, while the other mourned for his masters hurts, which were many. Long they fought on horseback, then both agreeing (their horses being spent) they lighted, and so continued the fight, till the King sent downe Urania to intreate them, that they would give over, since they hoped the quarell was not deadly, besides the greatest pitie such Knights should bee lost at the time, when pleasure, not warre, should be exercised. They at her desire yeelded, while all judgements gave them the honour, of the most worthy to be admired Combatants, Italy had ever knowne. Faint they were, and so sat downe, taking one another by the hand, as witnesse their malice was ended, and so might every one truly believe, when they beheld their faces, for the black Knight was Parselius, who faigned himselfe not well, of purpose to bee the abler to combat all commers. The two friends did then condemne each one himselfe for hurting the other (but these chances often happen among Knights): so they went to the King, whose grief was great to see their hurts; but knowing by his Chirurgions none of them were dangerous, though painfull, his content was infinite to see their valors. Urania was sorry for Parselius, but tended Amphilanthus wholly, till he came abroad, which was some two daies after; strange happines wrought by divine power to work such change, who once would have left all friends for Parselius. During which time, the sport ceased, and began again with his presence: the other Princes every one had their trials in full manner, and Steriamus for his honour had this adventure befall him. The fame of this meeting, and the Justs being noised over all those parts, there came most Knights and Princes, to whose eares the tidings came, among which was the Prince of Piemont, as proud and insolent, as those vices could corrupt man withall: this man pufft up with ambition in the worst kind, aspired to love Urania, and therefore put himselfe to the bold discovering of it, and not content with that, demanded a favour of her to weare, which she refusd, hating vice so much, as for that, shee abhorred him. He scorning to be denied, when hee should have hated himselfe for such an attempt, gave some speeches not befitting her to take, and withall snatched a glove from her, which hee sware to weare; yet mildly she tooke small notice of either of them, but her spirit made her colour shew, she was offended; this was in the chamber of Amphilanthus in the window. Steriamus standing by, and seeing it grew offended, and so much, as it making his eies give testimony of the furie he had boyling within him, he spake these words; Presumption hath causd in you this unmannerlinesse, but truth in mee provokes these words; lay downe the glove againe, and your selfe at her feete, humbly submit and yeeld your life to her disposing, for having done so unpardonable an act, and leave your hopes to her mercy, or here receive this from me, that you shall have my heart, or I yours to satisfie her right. He laughed, and said, the glove did well become his hart (having put it into it in that time), and that there he would weare it in despite of him, or the best Knight. Steriamus strake his hat off, with all giving him such a blow in the face, as he made him stagger; then took the glove, and kissing it, Urania, that thereby hee had the happines to begin his service to her, being long before ingaged unto it: if she would take it from him, she had the power to doe that, and what else she pleasd, since he desired to be but accounted her humblest servant; yet his desire was so much to be honourd, as to bee permitted to weare it as her fav our, till he brought him humbly to submit for so great a presumption. She who had ever loved Steriamus from his youth, and by this was ingaged, besides his adventuring to save her in the sea, to gratifie him, yet tender of being cause of harme to him, she only spake thus: My Lord (said she) your merits so farre beyond my deserts, make me amazed, in what manner to carry my selfe, I am doubtfull; yet I will rather offend in the good, then ill; weare not this I beseech you, too meane for you, since taken from so ill a place, but let me have it, and accept from me a more worthy, and a fitter favour, and one untoucht by any hands, but those that present it with all true respect unto you, He gave her the glove, and tooke from her a scarfe, which with infinite content, he tyed (assisted by her also) about his arme; then went she to the fire, into which she threw the glove, wishing that there the danger of Steriamus might end, with the consumption of that leather. Then did the disgraced Prince goe out, and instantly send to Steriamus, to give him satisfaction, which he presently did yeeld unto, and kissing Urania's hand, went downe to arme himselfe in a private place, and in an armour not known, being russet, and as plaine an one as could be, his riches consisting in his worth, and his Mistrisses favour. Straight was the Court fild with the newes, that two brave combatants were entring the Lists; the King, Amphilanthus, (though weake) and all the Court came, except Parselius, who could not so well stirre abroad as Amphilanthus, by reason he had lost much more bloud; his staying within, made Steriamus not missed; so all assembled, the proud Prince comes in, suted to his humour, his attendants many, and shewed they had received their education from him; the other had none with him, but carried his speare himselfe; the Judges were made, the Prince of Savoy his Cosin-german, chosen by him; and Amphilanthus, desired by the other, the Trumpets sounded, and they encountred; Steriamus was struck backe on his horse, and the other his horse fell with him, so they fought on foote; fierce and cruel was the fight, lamentable was the sight of it, for except those choice Princes, none could equall this Piemountois, and that he knew, which did incourage, or made him more prize his power then his worth, as one might say, a Horse were a braver Creature then a man, because he draweth, or beareth more. Steriamus fought for honor, and that to be received from Urania, tho other, to repaire his honour, touch'd for Urania: thus they past no fury, no strength, no harme shun'd, or spar'd which was not calld to the highest accompt, nor any skill wanting, which was not, (if a little stirr'd) renewed, and payed with judgement, and discretion. Most sayd, no combate, (except the last) could compare with this, yet in some sort did this exceed, as being one more bloudy, ground hate, and all curst additions being joyned together in them, to be at the heigth and governe, nay, spend themselves in the furious and deadly conclusion. At last, much care was had to save them, when even their eyes dasled, and their legges grew false to their bodies, no longer willing to support them. Then fell the Piemount Prince, and Steriamus upon him, not of purpose, but by weakenesse; his helme he puld off, and would have killed him, but his spirit ended (in shew) with his fury, for then he fell off from him in a swound, appearing as dead as he. The Judges came in, and finding it was the brave Prince, Amphilanthus fell downe by him, the King came from the window, Urania ran to him, and wiping his face, rubbed his temples with her hand, when life againe possest him, and how could it be otherwise, being in her armes, where life of love did dwell? When he beheld where he was, and remembring what hee had began for her, fearing he had lost his honour by the others victory, he offerd to get up, and being on his knees, scarce able to rise higher, crying out, Miserable Steriamus to live to see thy shame, and before her, where honour strives to be, and from whom all my honor must proceed; he cast his eies, and saw where the other lay dead, then was he satisfied, and well might he bee so, since this was none of his smallest, but one of his chiefest victories, the strength, valour and skill of the other being so well knowne, as none could yeeld him conquered, but by an unconquerable spirit. Steriamus gaind the victory, and so, as great honor as could be given to any in a single fight; he was not the strongest, but as valiant as any, and (except the cosin and brothers) equall with any. This past, they were taken up, in the raising them, the Prince breathed, and looked up, wherupon Steriamus would stay, and heare him speake; he unwilling, yet by him before he would be drest, was forst to confesse his folly, and in as humble maner as he demanded, asked pardon for presumption to Urania; then he forgave him, and kindly reconciled themselves, so embracing the proud Prince, departed, proud now that he had lived to goodnesse, shaking off the other pride with his life. Steriamus was conducted to his lodging, where Urania visited him often: the body of the other to a place appointed, till his buriall; the Prince of Savoy taking order for him, not with excessive sorrow for his death, who in his life time never cared for him, nor any that had so much vertue; for this was a fine young Gentleman, vertuous, and valiant, and now by his cousins death, Prince likewise of Piemount. Every day were new showes, and triumphes, and by reason these brave Princes could not be any of the number, martiall exercises were for a while layd aside, and the Court sports gain'd the place; Amphilanthus, Parselius, and (within few dayes) Steriamus beeing spectators: but one afternoone, with sound of Trumpets, there entered into the hall a brave Knight, and with bravery unusuall, hee was attended with many servants, all in one colour livery, which was Sea greene and crimson, as coats of seagreene velvet, embroderd with crimson silke, in the fashion of hearts, stroke through with darts; twenty of these he had, every one of them carrying a picture, then came two richer then the former, holding one fayrer then the rest (or he was deceiv'd) for this was the picture of his mistris, the Knight then commanded them to set them downe, which they did on both sides of the chamber, the faces to the States, he standing in the middle with his mistrisses thus speaking. Famous King of Naples, and no more famous, then truely meriting that fame; I am hither come upon command, sent by a power that onely hath soveraignty over me, else free, my name is Polarchos, sonne to the King of Ciprus, but subject by love to the Lady of Rhodes; I went to the Court of her Father, desirous to see all places, there did love surprize mee, and I sacrifice my liberty on the altar of her commands; Oft times I went afterwards to see her, and was (like the fulfilling of wishes) welcome to her, though not to her father, after hee discoverd our loves, which though his dislike could not alter our affections, being strong, and young, yet it opposed our oft delightfull meetings, subtilty was then to come into freedom's place, and danger, where safety was wont to dwell, we only secure in our loves tryals, I had many put upon me, but I passd them all, the more to increase her liking, and her fathers hate to mee. Then was there an inchantment, wherein faith in love, and valour was to be shewed, and approved; but since the rarest living Prince, your most excellent son, had the power, as justly deserving it, to conclude those charms; I will let the description of that passe, since how impossible is it, but that you have heard the whole relation of it by him. Then to proceed, I was so much honord, as to be carryed to Rhodes, and peace made with her father, and his consent gaind for our marriage: then departed he with his royall company, leaving me assured, and so certaine of all content, as then I imagined; but after there departure, some two dayes before the solemnizing of the marriage, we were discoursing of many things, among the rest, of the adventures at Ciprus, which brought on the pleasant Just we had there: begun by matchlesse Amphilanthus, and his worthy companion Ollorandus, with whom I did well enough, but was by your Son layd on the ground; this I tooke for no disgrace, but as a due, when I presumed to meete him, who was to be yeelded to by all: but though I thought this no dishonor, the hearing it bred disdaine in my mistris, wherefore she told me, that unles I would wipe away this staine, she would never looke upon me, and though she could marry no other, yet she would not performe it with me, this greeved me, and so much was I vexed with the teller of this to her, as to begin, I could have found in my heart to kill him; but what would that availe? She was angry, and wilfull in her resolution, and being Princesse of that Iland, I had but a small party there, to force her to performe her word, and faith ingaged; yet thus farre I brought it, I undertooke to carry her picture through all Greece, and Italy, and Just with all, that would venture their Mistresses Pictures against mine, if I overcame, I was to have her instantly upon my returne, and all their Pictures, as my gaine to present her withall, only I excepted, Amphilanthus and Ollorandus whom I had before beene so much ingaged to. Shee was contented with this, and so I tooke my way; Most of Greece I have passed, and all good fortune hath yet attended me, never receiving the worst of any, but I must confesse, my Destiny hath yet held mee, from meeting the renowne of Knighthood, the three Brothers, and their Companions; the last I mett withall, was a Romanian Knight, and he brought, as assured gaine, this Ladies, the Princesse Antissia, but hath courteously left her to grace the other Ladies; Now Sir, my humble request to your Majestie is, that I may have permission to try my fortune here. The King rose up, and embraced him, giving him welcome, and liberty; so did Amphilanthus, Parselius, Steriamus, Ollorandus, and lastly, Dolorindus came unto him, but not with so loving a countenance, for he was resolved to encouter him, so much had the resemblance of Antissia wrought on his minde; then the King desired to have the orders of the Justs proclaimed, which were, That no man must come into the Field to Just, without his Ladies Portraiture. That if he were overcome, hee must leave it behinde him, as his signe of losse. That he must not offer to defend that with the Sword, which he lost with the Launce. That they were to runne six courses, if done equally, to continue till the Judges decided it. And lastly, if the Challenger were overcome, the Defendant had free liberty to dispose of all the Pictures before conquerd; this being done, for that night they parted, Polarchos to his Tents, which were set up at the end of the Lists, being infinit rich, and beautifull. The princes brought him thither, though faine they would have had his company in the Court, but that was contrary to her command, who he must wholly obey. The morning come, there assembled all the Court, the Judges were the foure first named Princes, then came in the Prince of Milan, attended on, like himselfe, two Knights of Milan carrying his Ladies Picture, which was, indeede, as lovely as any could be, but browne of complexion, Daughter shee was to the Duke of Florence, and who at that time he was extreamely passionate, of being to be his wife, within fewe weekes after; this Prince ranne finely with an excellent grace, and delicate Horsemanship; but Polarchos had runne with Amphilanthus, with equall strength, for some courses, wherefore this young Prince must be contented to leave his picture behinde him, which he did at the fourth course, and thus did his misfortune bring in many, for that day he gain'd seven to the number of his Victories, & the second day, almost as many. Now was he to stay but sixe daies in every Kings Court, not as long as he found Knights to Just with, but those that would, must within that time doe it, or not else. The third day he had but few, by reason the Knights were unprovided, but the fourth and fift, he had enough to doe, to conquer so many as came. The sixt day, there entred a Knight in gold armour, his plumes, furniture to his horse, liveries all yellow and gold, so as he was called the jealous Knight; before him was carryed the picture of Antissia, so he came to the Judges as the custome was, but they refus'd him liberty, saying, that since the Princesse had beene once before brought in, it was not lawfull to bring her againe, since so it runne to infinitnesse; yet he much urging, and the challenger beeing as curteous, as valerous, consented on this condition, that this should be the last example, so they parted, and encountred with great force, and finenesse, the yellow Knight had a while the worse, but hee recoverd himselfe prettily wel again, and brought it to that passe, that in five courses, there was little advantage; but then Polarchos knowing his conclusion was neere an end, like a man that in earnest, desird to win his Ladyes love, encounterd him, and stroke him flat on his backe, passing only with the losse of his stirrops, so the honour was given him, and the other unknowne, got away as hee came, but with somewhat lesse reputation, yet no shame; since he did best of forty that Justed of that Court. Thus the Justs had end, and Polarchos with much honor, was brought into the Court, wher he continued some daies, & having now finished his charge departed for Rhodes, with all lovely triumphant trophies. At Rhodes he was received kindly of all, except his mistris, who examining al that he had done, and finding none of the famous women among them, told him that those were nothing to her, unlesse he had brought Pamphilias, Uranias, Selarinas, and Limenas pictures, or that he had overthrowne, Parselius, Rosindy, Steriamus , Selarinus, Perissus, Leandrus, or such Knights, looking with so despightfull a contempt on him, as it a new moved his passions, into a still continuing hate, for he seeing this, and all his labour no more esteemd, grew to abhorring that, which before he sought, and scorne, what he ador'd. Is all my labour (said he) requited thus? the travells, the hazards I have runne into, rewarded with this slightnesse? Farewell, fond unworthy woman, and when Polarchos next seekes thee, use him thus; now I hate thee, and will no more ever see thee, or thinke of thee, if not with scorne. With that hee flung out of her presence, and straight went to his lodging, where he meant to stay that night onely, and the next day take his journey homeward, but he was thus prevented; for she seeing his minde alter'd, and how like she was to fall into this losse, she call'd her trustiest servants to her, and gave them charge how to fulfill her commands, which they accomplish'd; for in the dead time of the night, when hee slept secure from Love passions, which were wont to hold his eyes open, and busie his soule, hee now freed from them, enjoyed quiet rest, till he was disturb'd by the rude rushing in of certaine men into his Chamber, who taking him unprovided, layd hold of him, and binding him with cords, and yron chaines, carried him into a strong towre, which was on the topp of the Castle, the windowes bard thicke with yron, nothing else to keepe Sunne or cold from him, no bed but the hard floore, nor meate, but bread and water. Thus he liv'd a while, true spectacle of misfortune, in unfortunate love, those hands that lately defended her beauty, now bound for maintaining so false a shadow, and all the honour he gaind for her, turnd to disdained hate, surely a just punishment, when worth carries a sword against worth to defend the opposite, Poore Polarchos, into what affliction art thou brought? how will thy friends lament thy misfortune, and redresse thy wrongs, if they may attaine but the knowledge of it? but thus thou must yet continue tortured for thy too great goodnesse. Amphilanthus having now recoverd his strength pretily well, came unto his father one day, telling him what promise he had made unto his cosin, the Queene of Pamphilia, to conduct her home, and therfore besought his leave to depart, and also permission for Urania's going; besides, Steriamus was now to proceed in his businesse concerning the recovery of his kingdome; these he said, and no other should have carried him from his presence. This indeed was true, and so gaind he the libertie he demanded, though with hearty grief to part with them: the Queene was also sorry, for he was their dearest child; yet his honour was more deare to them. Then tooke he leave of all the court, and, and with his brave companions, and sweet Urania, tooke shipping for Morea. Perissus having all this while continued in Arcadia with the King, faine would take leave of them, but the happy newes of their arrivall did stay him. If the Morean King were upon this, even ravished with joy, none can blame him, since he had at that time the whole worth of the world in his presence. Pamphilia never more contented, having her two dearest brothers with her, whither also soone came Philarchos to fill up their joyes, bringing with him his beautifull, and chastly loving Orilena; all were full of comfort, all comforted with this happinesse: bravery of Knighthood shin'd there, the onely beauty of vertue, and vertuous beautie was there assembled. As thus the Court was florishing in glory, despising any sorrow, a sad spectacle cald them one morning a little to compassion, a Lady in mourning attire, attended on with numbers of Knights and Ladies likewise in that habit, came into the Hall, the Ladies face covered with a blacke Vaile; next to her followed an other Lady, carrying a most sweete and dainty child in her armes, shee comming to the State, did not kneele downe, but threw her selfe at the Kings feete, crying out with such pitifull moane, as all hearts did joyne as in love to condole with her. Long it was before shee could bring forth any thing; at last, O my Lord (said she), as ever you had compassion of an afflicted creature, verifie it in favour shewed to mee. I am a Lady, and a miserable soule, forlorne by fortune, and my love: I was resolute, but alas, what woman can see my yeeres, and still continue so? I was deceived, and am, and this now grieveth me. Assist me gratious Prince, it is alone in you to redresse my harme: then doe it, and doe it to her, who suffers by your bloud. The King was amazed, not beeing able to guesse at the businesse; yet taking her up, desired to know more of it, promising his best power and aide in it. The businesse then my Lord (said shee) is this: I am dishonoured if you helpe not; one of your Knights travelling in search of a friend of his, unfortunately (for mee) lighted on my house, where I with civility, and courteous manner intertaind him: so well hee liked the place (and then my selfe) as hee never ceased continuall importunity, woing, and sparing no meanes to win his end, till hee procured this end for me: yet being chastly bred, and honouring vertue above all respects, or passions, I would not consent till he married me: then wee kept together some times, he leaving all other courses, contented to obscure himselfe, his name and estate, to be in my armes; happinesse to me like assurance of heaven, for as heaven I lov'd him, and would not refuse any danger, his love might expose me unto. But he having enjoyed his desires, and seeing I had no hidden beautie more for varietie to delight him with all, hee left mee with a faigned excuse, never since having so much as looked after me, or let me know hee liv'd. What torment this was to me (Great King) consider? but most, finding my selfe with child; then came the hazard of my honour in mind, the danger of my disgrace, the staine I might bring to my house: for few will belie ve us, poore women, in such extremity, but rather will increase our infamy. What paine ever was suffered by woman, I indur'd in soule and body, till the time of my delivery came, when God sent me this babe: having gaind some little strength, I left my Country, and hither am I come unknowne to any, humbly to crave your favour; one of your Knights hath done me this abuse, and therefore from your hands I implore right. Sweete Lady (said the King), I pitie much your fortune: but tell mee who this Knight is, and I vow he shall not stay in my Court, or favour, if hee doe not before me satisfie you, so as this can be verified against him. Sir (said she) if one of these words I have spoken bee false, let shame, and perpetuall losse requite me: no Sir, I have spoken onely truth, and desire but to be justified; yet wish I not so great an ill to befall him, for God knowes my soule is purely his, loving him as it selfe, and but for him, would have so much tried the sincerenesse of it. Then call (I beseech you) your Knights together, and of them demaund, what they will alot me; I will be disposd of by your selfe and them, for justly may I put my selfe to you, since he is no other that hath abused me, but your owne sonne, the winning and forsaking Parselius. The King at this grew infinitely troubled, not knowing what to say, or doe in it; at last he cald his sonne, who was all this while talking with Leandrus about Pamphilia: he comming to him, the king demanded of him, if he would upon his Honour, resolve him directly of one thing he would demand; nay more, he charged him on his blessing, not to conceale that from him which he was to aske. He vow'd, nothing should make him answere false. Then tell me (said hee), have you a child, or are you married to any without my knowledge? He fell straight on his knees; If ever (cry'd he) I gave my word to marry any, or had any child by any, let Heaven (blesse you, said the Lady, staying him from further proceeding). Vow not (said she); for never knew I man but you, and you are husband to me, and father to this babe. Her voyce he then began to know, yet being impossible (as hee thought) for Dalinea to come hither, he desired to see her face. Nay (said she), first promise to bee just before your father, and this royall presence, confirme what privately before only shee you vow'd in sacred marriage. What did I vow (said he) I nev er will deny: then royall Father (said hee) heare mee with patience and favour; and yet before I speake, call Leandrus hither: so he was cald, when Parselius with eyes fild with teares thus began. Wretch that I was, wandring in search of my friend Amphilanthus (as I pretended, but indeede that onely was not my voyage), I fell into the confines of Achaya, where I met Berlandis, who came to seeke me from his Lord, and to intreat my company in finishing the warre for Antissius; I consented: but passing through that Country, I chanced to come to the Castle of Dalinea, your faire and vertuous Sister; her I fell in love withall, forgot all former vowes, and truths in love; her I sought, flatter'd, wept to, protested what loves art could instruct me in: but all in vaine, vertue in her was a strong rocke against my vehement suite, till at the last pitie procured reward; to me shee granted, on the making her my wife: I did that willingly, and as my only happinesse. But long I had not thus enjoyed her, but one sad night I dream'd of my first Love, who furiously revild me for my change, then sent revenge in scorne, and worst contempt. I waked distracted; shee, deare shee, my wife was grieved with my paine, asked the true cause, complaind with me, griev'd with mee, wept with me, who wept to cousen her; yet I was forc'd to it. At last I made a faignd excuse, and by that meanes liberty to goe. From thence I parted, after lost my Page, flying from all but sadnesse, which did live, fed by my sorrow, pressed with the heaviest weight of soule-felt-mourning, I got unto the sea, and so shipt and saild to St. Maura, where with an Hermit grave, and poore, I wasted out some time, till sweet divine Urania was by her deare brother throwne into the sea. I saw her fall, and heard her cry, farewell; I leapt unto her, and so came a shore by helpe of Steriamus, and his friend, good Dolorindus. Straight I found the good, for then all fortunes pass'd in my cross'd love; I quite forgot, nay, that I had e're lov'd, so farre was passion from me; yet the love, chaste love of Dalinea as my wife, I yet retaine, and onely she doe I affect and love. This Sir is true, and humbly I aske pardon for my fault, which I had meant more privately to have confess'd; and you Leandrus pray now pardon me, your Sister hath lost nothing by this match, nor shall have reason to complaine of me, if true affection, and a loyall love, can merit loves requitall from her breast. I know she lov'd me, and I love but her. For you sad Lady, if you be not she, you wrong your selfe extreamely; and I vow, that (but her selfe) I never yet did touch, nor ever will; then seeke another husband, and a father for your child. I'le seeke no other (answered shee), then take your loyall Dalinea to your selfe: and this was Dalinea, whose firme love, but violent, had brought her to that place, despairing of Parselius and his love. Parselius tooke her in his armes, and scarce could satisfie himselfe with joy, to see his dearest Dalinea. The King forgave them, and with fatherly affection wept, and kiss'd her, and the babe: then did Leandrus embrace them both, shee asking pardon, and Parselius too he did forgive, and so all were content. Urania as untouch'd with love or anger likewise welcomd her, so did all else; the mourning was cast off, and all the joy express'd, that clothes or Triumphs could produce: but Pamphilia admiringly beheld Urania and her Brother, at last, O love (said shee), what strange varieties are here? assuredly none but thy servants can let such waverings possesse them; protect mee yet from such distresse, and let me be ordaind, or licensed to be the true patterne of true constancy, and let my love be loyall to me. These passions oft did vexe her, and perplexe her soule, one day especially when all alone in the Woods shee thus did complaine. Never at quiet tormenting passion, what more canst thou desire? What, covet that thou hast not gaind? in absence thou dost molest me with those cruell paines, in presence thou torturest me with feare and despaire, then dost burne with desire to obtaine, yet sealest up my lipps from discovering it; leave these contrarieties, and make me live peaceably, and so happily: scorch'd I am with heate of doubt, my hopes are burnd to ashes, and onely the smoake of suspition fuming of my whole selfe, now consumed by this fire. Could I believe those sighes were for me? Could I hope his sadnesse proceeded from this ground? Could I thinke his lookes on me were love? Could I imagine, when hee provokes me to discourse of such like passions, it were to find my affections seate? I might then be so fortunate as to discover that, which hidden, ruines me: but passion, thy ends are onely to afflict, never to helpe; thou do'st still worke against thy selfe, as if thine owne mortall enemy. What ill spirit but thy selfe, would find causes to hurt? what nurse would not feede her babe rather with milke, then weane it, to starve it, if not able else to sustaine it? but you a cruell nurse denie me foode, and famish mee with despaire, a leane liv ing, and a miserable fate; unnaturall this is to murder, what your selfe did breed; you bred me to this woe, will you forsake me now in necessitie? you have given me education, brought up in the learning of love; was it to be after condemned, for being so ill a scholler? or have I learnd now enough, and so must make use of it? Teach me a little more, and onely to know this, the Pelican lets out her bloud to save her young ones: but passion, you let mee with all your childrens affections pine and starve; one drop of life-bloud, hope would cherish me, but hope abandons mee, and I remaine an unfortunate witnesse of your tyrannies. Welcome my teares (cry'd shee) you are more tender and more kind, striving to ease mee by your carefull meanes; then wept she, sigh'd, sobd, and groand in her anguish; but when the spring had run it selfe even dry, she rose from off the grasse, which a while had been her bed, when these extreamest weights of heavinesse oppressed her: and to make her the trulier deliverd of her sorrow, Amphilanthus came unto her, and straight followed Urania and Limena. This brave Prince discernd her eyes some-what sweld, whereat his heart did melt with pitie, and kindly askt the cause: she that now might have had her wish, yet refusd that happy proffer for her delivery; modesty and greatnesse of spirit over-ruling her, so as shee made a slight excuse; and yet that enough to make him know, she desired not to reveale her secret thoughts. This taught him civilitie not to urge, that gave her time to know she did amisse in being so secret, as lockt up her losse, in stead of opening her blessing. Then sat they all downe together, Amphilanthus laying his head on Pamphilias Gowne, which she permitted him to do, being more then ever before she would grant to any: then fel they into discourse of many things, and as all must come to conclusion, so they concluded with love, as the end of al sweet pleasure. Then variety of love came among them, I meane the discourses in that kind, every one relating a story, Urania was the last, and hers was this. In Italy as once I went abroad into some Woods, where a dainty river wantonly passed, it was my chance, walking up and downe, to call to mind the sweete Iland wherein I was bred, and all those pleasant passages therein, so farre those thoughts possest me, as they mooved sadnesse in me, and that, passion, and passion, attendance on that power; so as I threw my self upon the ground, there a while remaining as in a trance, lulld into it by those charmes. Awak'd I was out of this sweete sleepe by a voyce, which I heard most lamentably to complaine, sadnesse never being sadder then in her; this brought mee to other of passions companions, desire, and longing to assist that afflicted creature, who by the words was spoke, appeard a woman and a lover. I drew neerer to gaine a sight if I could of her, when I perceiv'd her lie upon the earth, her head on the roote of a weeping willow, which dropped downe her teares into the Christalline streames, hanging part of her faire armes over it, to embrace it selfe in that cleare glasse. Shee lay betweene the body of that sad tree, and the river which passed close by it, running as if in haste to carry their sorrowes from them, but sorrow in them had too sure abiding: shee was in the habit of a Shepherdesse, which pleased me to see, bringing my estate againe in my mind, wherein I lived first, that had bin enough to call reliefe from me; wherefore I was going to her, when she brake forth into these speeches, being mixt with many sighes, and fearefull stopps: Poore Liana (said shee) is this thy fervent loves reward? have I got the hate of my friends, the curse of my parents, and the utter undoing of my selfe, and hopes, to bee requited with falshood? Alas unkind shepheard, what have I deserved at thy hands, to be thus cruelly tormented, and undeservedly forsaken? never can, or may any love thee better then I did, and doe, and must, though thou prove thus unkind. That word (unkind) brought a kind company of teares to second it; which I seeing, stept unto her, who sorrowfully, and amazedly beheld me, feare and griefe joyning together in her face, offering at first to have gone from me; but I would permit her to have her mind in that, no more then fortune would suffer her to enjoy; she staid, when I us'd these words: Seeke not to leave me, who have been pincht with these torments, having lovd, and somtimes wanted pity as much as you; shun not me experienced, since you cannot be better accompanied, then by me, who am not ignorant of such paines, and have as much lamented absence, as you can dislike falshood, but now I have gained freedome. Would all could find that cure (said she): but since you command, who seeme most fit to be obayd, I will not flee from you, nor had I at first offerd it, if not out of shame, to have my follies discoverd by any except wild places, and savage mountaines, as gentle and tender-hearted as my love. It is no blame (said I) to love, but a shame to him, who requites such constant and worthy love with no more respect; nor think you do amisse, or shal do, if you relate to me the whole story of your (as you call it) ill fortune, since meanes are allow'd in al businesses for redresse, and that you may chance to find here, at least some ease, the very complaining giving respit from a greater sorrow, which continual thinking, & plodding on, wil bring you. You shal have your wil (said she) and be by me denied nothing, since I see you governe or master Fate; and most I am ingaged to refuse none of your commands, since I have once seene a face like yours, and no way inferior to your beauty, as much tormented, as I am now afflicted; her name was Urania, her dwelling in an Iland where I was borne, & my misery for me, though the place is cald, the pleasant Pantaleria. I more curiously beholding her, called her to mind, having bin one of my best companions; wherfore embracing her, I told her she said right, and that I was the same Urania, afflicted then for ignorance of mine estate, now known to be daughter to the King of Naples, but hers proceeding from love, I againe intreated the understanding of it: she then rose up, and with sober, and low reverence she began her discourse thus. Most excellent Princess, poore Liana your servant, being (as you know) Daughter to the chiefe Shepheard of that Iland, who had the title of Lord over the rest, being indeed a Noble man, and a great Lord by birth, in his owne Countrey, which was Provence; but misery glorying to shew in greatnesse, more then in meaner sorts of people. It happ'ned so, as the Earle of Provence tooke dislike with him, and that growing to hate, he so farre prosecuted his spight, as he ceased not till he had undone him, (an easie thing for a Prince to compasse over a Subject.) Then having nothing left him but life, and misfortune, hee left his Countrey, seeking to gaine some solitary place to ende his daies in, he happened into that sweet Iland, and (as you have heard I am sure very often) with his few friends, that would not forsake him, else left by fortune, inhabited in it, and call'd it by his name; nor did I till after your departure, know my Father to be other then the chiefe Shepheard. But my misfortune brought that knowledge, and makes me desire a speedy end; for thus it was. I being his onely child, and so heire to all his estate, (which was great for a Shepherd) was by many sought, indeed most, if not all the young, and best Shepherds of the Countrey; those youthes all striving for me, made me strive how to use them all alike, and so I did likeing none, but courteously refusing all, till (as every one must have a beginning to their misery) there came a Shepherd, and a stranger he was in birth to that place, yet gained he a neerer, and choycer acquaintance with my heart, and affection, then any of our home-bred neighbours. He call'd himselfe Alanius, and so if you have heard part of my discourse, I am sure you have already with that understood his name, being the head-spring to my calamitie; for, Alanius I affected, and onely lov'd; and to say truth, most desperatly did love him, (O Love, that so sweet a name, and so honour'd a power, should bring such disasters; ) secretly I lov'd somewhile unknowne unto himselfe, but not before his heart had made it selfe my prisoner, little imagining, mine had beene so much his subject. But so it continued, till his paine made him discover his love, and that pittie I held over his paine, mixed with mine owne affection, compelld me to yeeld to my misfortune; yet, was Alanius then worthy of my love, for hee loved me, and I must ever love him still, though he be false. False, murdering word, which with it selfe carries death, and millions of tortures joyned with it; yet thou art so, and I unfortunate to call thee so, else no worth wanted in thee. But this is too sadd a relation, I will proceed with the continuance of our Loves; which was for a pretty space, when another, who had before Alanius his comming thither, sought me for his wife, being of good estate, and of equall hope, to rise in his fortunes, given to husbandry, and such commendable qualities as Countrymen affect, and so it was my fathers minde to breed me too, and therefore had given his consent, looking to the towardlinesse of the man, and the great blessing hee had received, in more then usuall increase of his stocke. These were allurements to him, while they were scarce heeded by me, the riches I looked unto being fortune in our Loves, till one day, my Father call'd me to him, telling mee, what a match he had made for me, and not doubting of my liking, shewed much comfort which he had conceivd of it, and so went on with joy, as if the mariage had beene straight to bee consummated. I was, truely, a little amazed withall, till he finding I made no answere, pulling me to him, told mee, hee hop'd my silence proceeded from no other ground, then bashfulnesse, since he assur'd himselfe, I would not gainesay what he commanded, or so much as dislike what he intended to doe with me, wherefore hee would have mee joyne my dutifull agreement to his choice, and order my love to goe along with his pleasure, for young maides eyes should like onely where their Father liked, and love where he did appoint. This gave me sight to my greater mischiefe, wherefore I kneeld downe, words I had few to speake, onely with teares I besought him to remember his promise, which was, never to force me against my will, to marry any. Will (said he) why your Will ought to be no other then obedience, and in that, you should be rather wilfull in obeying, then question what I appoint; if not, take this and bee assured of it, that if you like not as I like, and wed where I will you, you shall never from me receive least favour, but be accompted a stranger and a lost childe. These words ran into my soule, like poyson through my veines, chilling it, as the cold fit of an Ague disperseth the coldnesse over all ones body; for not being Alanius whom he meant, it was death to me to heare of marriage, yet desirous to seeme ignorant, and to be resolvd, who it was, I desired to know, who it was it pleased him to bestow upon me. Hee reply'd, one more worthy then thou canst imagine thy selfe deserving, then naming him; that name was like a Thunder-bolt to strike my life to death, yet had I strength, though contrary to judgement, to doe this. I kneeld againe, and told him, that if he please to kill me, I should better, and more willingly embrace it, else, unlesse he did desire to see me wretched, and so to conclude my daies in misery, I besought him to alter his purpose, for of any man breathing I could not love him, nor any, but. That But, I staid withall, yet he in rage proceeded: But, cryd he, what, have you setled you affections else where? Who is this fine man hath wonne your idle fancie? Who hath made your duty voide? Whose faire tongue hath brought you to the foulenesse of disobedience? Speake, and speake truely, that I may discerne what choice you can make, to refuse my fatherly authoritie over you? I truely trembled, yet meaning to obey him, as much as it was possible for me to doe, in my heart, loving the expression of dutie, I told him it was Alanius. Alanius, a trimme choice truely (said he) and like your owne wit, and discretion; see what you have done, choose a man, onely for outside; a stranger, and for any thing we know, a run-away from his countrey, none knowing him, nor himselfe being able to say, what he is? I weeping implor'd a better opinion of him, since I assured my selfe, that if I could come to the blessing of enjoying him, all happinesse in this world would come with it, else desird he would wedd me to my grave, rather then to any, but Alanius, whom onely I did, or could love, and one whom I had not placed my affections upon alone, but life, and all hope of comfort. How he was moov'd with this (alas sigh'd shee) imagine you, truely so much, as (being by nature cholericke) I verily thought, he would have kill'd me, his eyes sparkled with furie, his speech was stopp'd, so as not being able to bring foorth one word, he flung out of the roome, locking mee fast up for that night, without hope, or comfortable company, but my owne sorrow, and teares, which never left me; and those were more pleasing to mee, when I said to my selfe, thus doe I suffer for Alanius. The next morning he sent one of his servants to me, a young Ladd who he loved me well, (but was faster tied in service to your command, said she to me, once overjoy'd, when you sent him to attend a Knight, and after your going away, also left that Iland, whether to seeke you, and so to serve you, or hating the poorenesse of that place when you were absent,) but this youth being sent by my Father, to know if I continued in the same disobedience, I was in the night before, I sent him word, that I should hate my selfe, if my conscience should ever be able to accuse me of such an offence; but true it was, my love continued as firme, and unremovable to Alanius, as it did: for alas, what can change a constant heart, which is fixed like Destiny? I could not let any thing come neere me, which might be mistrusted to lead one piece of change, or carry one ragg of it abroad, my heart like the Woole the briars catch, torne, and spoil'd, rather then pull'd from it. O intolerable servitude, where fast holding is a losse, and loosing a gaine, yet rather had I lose, while I keep vertuous constancie. With the answer I gave, return'd the youth, wherupon without seeing me, he sent me to a Sisters house of his to bee kept (and sorry I am, I must call her his Sister, or keepe this memory of her, for a more divellish creature never liv'd) there I was halfe a yeare, without meanes to let Alanius know of my imprisonment; he sought (guided by love) for mee, but having no truer a director found me not, till one day comming with his Flocks, as hee was accustomed to doe, into the faire Plaine, where we were wont to meet, he mett this Ladd, who seeing him sadd, asked what he ayl'd. Alanius replide, how can he choose but mourne, whose heart is kept from him? Indeed (said he) I cannot blame you having such a losse, and yet sure you have a heart in place of it, else could you not live to feele, and discover the want of yours; but did you know what tormenting sorrow she feeles for you, you would yet be more perplexed. Wretch that I am (cryed he) can shee bee tormented, and for me? and live I to heare of it, without redressing it? Yet what talke I (foole that I am?) Can my cries ayde her? Can the baying of my Lambes assist her? Can my poore Flocke buy her freedome? Can I merit her release? Or can, indeed, my selfe thinke I am worthy, or borne to such blessednesse, as to releeve her, vext, and harm'd for me? What power hast thou but over thy teares to flow for her? What assistance, but sheepe, innocent, as thy selfe, and loyall passion? What Armes but thy Sheepe-hooke, which can onely catch a beast, while thou (unworthy creature) art not able to helpe her? The poorest thing can assist a friend of the same kinde, but thou canst neither helpe her, nor thy selfe, worst of things created; end, and rid the World of such corruption, for why should I breath, if not to serve Liana? You may serve her, and relieve her, said the youth, if you will heare, and but take advise: and more will I doe for you, then I would for any other, since I find you love her (as indeed you ought to doe). Then be satisfied thus farre (if you will trust me, who will never be but true), I will tell you where she is, and give you all assistance towards her deli very. She is in yonder house, upon the top of that hill, which shewes it self as boldly boasting in the cruelty is committed there, by warrant of a cruell father: with her Aunt she is (yet still your Liana) so close kept, as none, save my selfe, may see her, who from her fathers visits her once a day, though not for love that he sends, but to trie, if by his unfatherly tortures, shee may bee wrought to leave loving you: but so much he failes in this, as it is impossible by famine to make one leave to wish for food, but rather with the want, to increase the longing to it: which he seeing, threatneth the forsaking her. Oft have I carried this message, and as oft returnd sorrowfull, receiving his doome, but direct deniall to his demaunds; and truly it hath even griev'd my soule, to see how terribly she hath been perplext and handled, by those rude and merciles executors of his will, who can no way alter her, if not to blame them for their curstnes, who never was but mild to them, and this morning did I see her, when she uttered these words. Alas (said she) unhappy Liana; how art thou afflicted for thy constancy? yet this tell my father, his kind commands had more wrought in me, then his cruelty, yet neither against my loialty in love; but now so hardned I am against paine, with use of paine, as all torment, and millions of them added to the rest, shall have no power to move, the least in my affection to unworthy change, for then should my soule smart, as onely now my body is subject to these torments. This I told truly to my Master, who nothing was mov'd by it, but to more rage, sending another of my fellowes to his sister, conjuring her, that since neither perswasions, not the begun tortures would prevaile, she should use any other means, with what affliction she could to alter her, sparing none (so her limmes were not harmd by them) which no doubt shall bee executed. Wherefore you must thinke speedily to aide her, who indures for you, still resolud to beare misery for you; and assure your self she wil indure al can be laid upon her, rather then faile in one title to you, or Loves fealty; and no way I know more sure and speedy, then to write her a letter, which I will deliver, and therein let her know, the true and constant affection you beare her (which will bring sole comfort to her dolefull heart), and that (if she wil venture) to bring her selfe to happines in freedom, and to make you mutually contented, she must meet you in the little wood, next below the house, where you will not faile her, & carry her from these miseries into all delight and pleasure. Ah my deare friend (said he), how hast thou bound me by thy friendship, and loving care to us both? but how canst thou performe this? If that be all (said he) let mee alone, nor take you care, for it shall be my charge, which I will honestly discharge, and deliver it with mine owne hands, as if it came from her father, which shall be the meanes to have the roome private for our discourse: what shal then hinder me, from discovering your desires, and her happines? This agreed upon, they parted for that time, the youth to his flock, Alanius to his pen & paper, that evening meeting again, according to appointment; and then leaving Alanius to prepare al things ready against my comming, to convey me to the next town, there to be maried, himself comming to me, leaving the fals shepherd, who fairly like the falsest betraier of blis, promised to be in readines for us: the honest lad did his part, telling my aunt that he was to speak with me presently, and in great private. She mistrusting little (and glad to let any of my fathers men see how circumspectly she kept his orders), brought him up, instantly after, she had afflicted me with iron rods. When I saw the Youth, Alas (said I), are you come with more torments? for pities sake let me now have an end, and take my life, the best and last prize of your tirannies. His answer was, he could not alter his Masters will, nor be a messenger of other, then he was intrusted with all, as hee was with a secret message unto me; wherefore intreating mine Aunt, and the rest by, to leave the roome, they left us together; they gone, and wee free from danger, he began thus: Thinke not sweet Liana that I am now come with any matter of griefe, but with the welcome tidings of the long desir'd blisse of enjoying, if you wil not your selfe marre your owne content. Is it possible (cry'd she) that I can live to see happinesse? Reade this (said he), and then tell me, whether you may resolve to be happy or no, or so refuse it. I tooke the letter, and with excessi ve joy(said shee) I opened it, finding in that his firmenesse: for what was there wanting, which might content me? loyalty professed in large protestations, affection expressed in the dearest kind, and sweetest manner; besides a meanes for our happinesse most of all believed, and sought. What can you imagine then Madam (said she) that I did? I kist the letter, wept with joy, too soone fore-telling the greater cause, which for his sake I suffered, teares prooving then but slight witnesses for my far deeper suffering; when I found all this contrary, and my Alanius false, the heavens I thought would sooner change, and snow lie on Ætna, then he would break his faith, or be ungratefull to me, who then for him ventured life and fortunes; for, to fulfill his desire, I went with the Youth, cald Menander, having gotten such things as were necessary for my escape, assisted by a maid in the house, who much pitied my estate, but more loved Menander, who made use of it that night for my benefit. In a disguise which he had brought thither, under colour of necessaries, we left the house, and soone arriv'd at the appointed Grove, which was at the Hilles foote. All the way feare possessed me, lest I had too long staid, and so given him cause of unkindnes, that I no faster hasted to him, who alone could truly give me life in comfort, and desire to see him, made me accuse my selfe of long tarrying, especially when I saw him there; but what saw I with that? death to my joy, and martirdome to my poore heart: for there I saw him in anothers armes, wronging my faith, and breaking his made vowes. I stood in amaze, not willing to believe mine eyes, accusing them that they would carry such light to my knowledge, when to bring me to my self, or rather to put me quite from my selfe, I heard him use these speeches: It is true; I lov'd Liana, or indeed her fortune, which made me seeke her; but in comparison of thee, that affection borne to her, was hate, and this onely love, rather esteeming my self happy in enjoying thee, and thy delights, then if endowed with this whole Iland. What is riches without love (which is in truth the only riches)? and that doe I now possesse in thee. These words turnd my amazednes to rage, crying out; O false and faithlesse creature, beast, and no man, why hast thou thus vildly betrayd thy constant Liana? Hee looking up, and perceiving me, and his fault, said nothing, but as fast as guiltines stor'd with shame could carry him, hee fled, his delight (or wanton) following him, which way they tooke, when out of the Grove, I know not, nor the honest Lad, who would not leave mee, bearing part with mee in griefe, and I with him of shame, infinitely molested, that hee was made an instrument in my betraying. When I had endured a little space (like a Cabinet so fild with treasure, as though not it selfe, yet the lock or hinges cannot containe it, but breake open): so did the lock of my speech flie abroad, to discov er the treasure of my truth, and the infinitenesse of his falshood, not to bee comprehended, Passions grew so full, and strong in mee, I swounded, and came againe to feele and increase misery: hee perswaded, I was willing to heare him, who I saw had been in goodnesse to me, cosned as I was. We left the Grove (accursed place, and in it my cause of curses) comming into a faire meadow, a dainty wood being before it, and another on the side of it; there did my unfortunate eies againe meete with Alanius, unlucky encounter where I saw such falshood, which yet boldly venturd towards mee, hee running with greatest haste after me, but sending his voyce before him, conjuring me by the love I bare him, to heare him, calling mee his Liana: but as I saw him, so did his error appeare unto me, and yet did griefe rather then hate hold the glasse to me; for though he had neglected, and deceived me, and so forsaken my truth, to joy in the loose delights of another, yet I mournd that he was deceitfull, for (God knowes) I love him still. I fled from him, but sent my hearts wishes for his good to him, like the Parthian arrowes, which by his cries seemd to wound him, and my words (though few) to strike him, which as I ran from him, I threw back to him; It is true, I was yours, while I was accounted so by you; but you have cut the knot, and I am left to joine the pieces againe in misfortune, and your losse of love: all happinesse attend you, the contrary abiding in me, who am now your forsaken, and so, afflicted Liana. With this I got the Wood to shelter me, and the thickest part of it, at my petition to grant me succour, coveting now the greatest shade to hide me from him, to whom, and into thick shades, I lately ran. In this manner I liv'd a while there, never seeing company, or light, but against my will, still haunting the privatest places, and striving to gaine the sea, which soone after I obtaind, getting the opportunity of a youths passing into Italy, who had sought Perissus, to bring him notice of his Uncles death, the King of Sicily; with him I passed, and so came into this country, where ever since I have romingly endured, never in any one place setled. The youth Menander and I, parted at the sea, he (I thinke) going to seeke his Master, or rather you, then did shee close her speech with multitudes of teares, which truly moovd mee to much compassion, beginning then to hold her deare to me. I perswaded her to leave that life, and live with me, who would accompany her sorrowes, rather then afflict her with mirth; and besides, it might bee, in my company shee might gaine remedy for her torture. No remedy but death (said shee) can I have, and too long (O me) have I sought that; yet to obay you, I will abide some time here, and but here in these woods, beseeching you not to urge me to the Court, when the poorest place, much better doth agree with my estate. I to enjoy her conversation, granted to any thing, concluding that I should often visit her, and so passe our times together in loving discourse. This, said Amphilanthus, (by your favour sweete sister) prooves you love; the water it seemes, hath not so thorowly washed away your affection, but reliques remaine of the old passion. No truly dearest brother (said shee) all those thoughts are cleane droun'd; but yet; I will goe on with my story. Doe deare Sister (said he) and begin againe at (But yet). She blusht to find he had taken her, and yet daintily proceeded. That promise most religiously was kept betweene us, every day visiting my Shepherdesse. But one day as we were together discoursing and walking in the wood, we heard one not farre from us, sadly to sing an od kind of song, which I remember, getting afterwards the coppy of it, and if I bee not deceiv'd sweet Cosin (said she) you will like it also; the song was this, speaking as if she had by him, and the words directed to her, as his thoughts were. You powers divine of love-commanding eyes, Within whose lids are kept the fires of love; Close not your selves to ruine me, who lies In bands of death, while you in darkenesse move. One looke doth give a sparck to kindle flames To burne my heart, a martyr to your might, Receiving one kind smile I find new frames For love, to build me wholly to your light. My soule doth fixe all thoughts upon your will, Gazing unto amazement, greedy how To see those blessed lights of loves-heaven, bow Themselves on wretched me who else they kill. You then that rule loves God, in mercy flourish: Gods must not murder, but their creatures nourish. Pamphilia much commended it, which pleased Urania infinitely, touching (as she thought) her one estate, while a proper song, and well composd: truly (said Amphilanthus) is this to be so much liked? but my cosin only doth it to please you. No in truth, said Pamphilia, it deserves in my judgement much liking; he smild on her, Urania going on, you seeme Brother, said she, a little willing to crosse me this day, but I will proceed in discourse. The song (you are pleasd to jest at) being ended, the same voyce againe did begin to lament in this manner: If scorne be ordaind the reward for true love, then I am fully requited? if firme affection must be rewarded with contempt, and forsaking, I am richly pay'd? but if these deserve a sweet payment, which alone consisteth in dear love, then am I injured, and none more causelesly afflicted, or cruelly rejected? Love, suffer what thou wilt, faith indure all neglect, but ever be your selves pure and unspotted. Unkind Liana, yet pardon me for calling thee so, since my heart grieves at that word unkind, yet give me leave to tell thee, I have not deserv'd this punishment from thee, nor merited this rigor, if anothers offence may make me faulty, I am most guilty, els as free as my love still is to thee, from blame, or thought of staine in it: art thou not then unjust (sweete Judge of all my harmes) to punish me without a fault committed: Pitie me yet, and recall the censure wrongfully given on me, condemned without a cause, and still led on towards execution in daily tortures without merit. Did any man die for anothers act? then I must also suffer that tiranny, else consider, false judgement is a shame unto the Judge, and will lie heavy on his conscience: call backe then e're I die, this unmerited verdict, since my truth with-stands thy cruelty. I would with Liana have gone to see who this was that thus accused her, but that we heard him againe say some Verses, which being concluded, we went to him; but as wee went, we heard another speake unto him thus. Alanius, why doe you thus accuse Liana, and torment your selfe with that, which were shee certaine of, shee would, and must pitie you? nor can you blame her for flying you, seeing as we both believed your unkindnesse and foule error. Alas, said Alanius, farre be it from me ever to blame her, nor can my soule permit me to love her lesse, though she were curst; nay, were she false, I yet should love her best; but being by you assured of her truth, give me leave to blame her rashnes, and curse my owne ill fortune, and unluckie life, which gave, and gives such dislike and smart unto my dearer selfe, and my sad daies. Liana now knew not what to doe, when she was certaine this complainer was Alanius, and the other (as she did imagine) Menander: but I willing to reconcile such broken fortunes, made her goe towards him, accompaning her sorrowes my selfe. When being neere him, and he looking up, perceiving her (without ceremony, or regarding me) ran unto her, and kneeling downe, cry'd out these words. Alas my deare Liana, what hath your unhappy slave Alanius deserv'd to be thus pitilesse tortured? heare but the truth, and before you rashly censure me, consider my great wrongs, which I still suffer by mistakes in you. Liana, who lov ed as much as he, and was as equally perplexed yet now a little more, if possible bearing her owne, and his sorrow; for her affliction as being his, and caused by her, she lifted him up from the ground, and with teares said: Think not my Alanius thy Liana can be other to thee, then thou wilt have her be, yet blame me not directly for these things, since here Menander can resolve thee of the cause. yet let that passe, and now bee confident, thy love hath such command mee, as hadst thou been (false she would not say) as we imagined thy repentance, and thy loved sight should have destroyd all those thoughts, where in offence might have been borne to thee, and so forgetfulnes in mee had governd with the memory of thy love. Then rising, with a kisse the lov ers reconcil'd themselves, and cast away their mourning: but the story being strange where on their mistaking did arise, you shall heare that some other time. Nay sweet Urania (said Amphilanthus) let us heare it now, where can we be better then here? what company so pleasing, or dearer to us? If Pamphilia be agreed (said she) I will continue it. Take no care of me (said she), for belie ve it, I am never so happy, as when in this company; eyes then spake, and shee proceeded. Wee sat then downe, and Alanius kneeling before us, began: The first part of my life (and the happy part I am sure) this Shepherdesse hath related, and brought it to the full period of it, nay to the height of my misery; wherefore I will begin with the succession of that, and as I imagine where shee left, which was with her leaving mee in the plaine, or better to resolve you of the deceit, with the night before wee were to meet; she comming before me to the place appointed, saw (as she imagined) my selfe her lover, wronging my love, and her: well, and ill for me she might conceive of it so, but thus in truth it was. There liv'd a Shepherd then, (and my companion he was) who bewitched with a young maydes love, that unluckily had plac'd her love on me, plotted to deceive her, and in my shape to winne, what his owne person could not purchase him; wherefore that (in that) unlucky night, he came unto my lodging, and stole away my clothes, I usually on solemne dayes did weare; in these habits he went into the Grove, being so like in stature, speech, and favor, as he oftentimes was taken, even for me. Knowing her walke in the evening, to be towards those woods, in the Plaine he saw her, and followed her into the Grove, overtaking her, just in the same place appointed for our blisse; being a little darkish, she mistooke him, and hoping it was I, was content to be blinded: but wherein I doe most accuse him, was, he used some words (to give her true assurance 'twas my selfe) concerning deare Liana. These unhappily shee heard, and these, I must confesse, gave full assurance of my faulsest fault. I cannot blame thee sweet, love made thee feare, and feare inraged thee, and yet (my heart) thou mightest have heard thy poore Alanius speak, yet, as this honest Ladd told me, thou didst never hate my person, though condemne my disloialtie, which in my greatest misery, gave yet some easie stopp unto my paine, and that thou didst assure me of, for in all thy fury and flight, thou seemedst to wish me bless'd. She having made more hast then I, came thither first, and so perceiv'd (as shee mistrusted) my amisse. I following my first directions, likewise came, but in her stead, onely I discernd the footesteps of a woman having gone in hast; I had no thought, nor end of thinking but of Liana, fear'd some danger to her selfe, or harme which had ensued, as the night and unfrequented places might produce. Not dreaming on this harme, I followed those steps, (for hers I knew they were, her foot so easie was to be discerned from any others, as a dainty Lambs from any other sheepe) long had I not persued, and even but newly in the meadow, when I did see my deare, but she as much offended therewithall, as I was joyd at first, fledd from me, giving mee such language, as my fate appear'd by that, to be undone. I cry'd to her, shee fledd from me, accus'd me, and yet did wish all happinesse attend me; this was comfort in despaire. I followed still, till I lost, not my selfe, but my witts, growing as madd, and doing as many tricks, as ever creature distracted did or could committ. From Pantaleria I got into Cicilie, in a boat taken up by a Pyrat, for a booty, but finding in what estate I was, he landed me at Naples. There I passed some time, where yet the fame lives of my madnesse; distemper'd as I was, I fell in company with a loving Knight, (as since I understood by this my dearest friend) who was in the next degree to madness, loving overmuch, and with him came into this kingdome, where I have lost him, but heere gained my friend Menander, who conducted me unto a vertuous Lady, skilfull in Physicke, who never left with curious medicines, and as curious paines, till I recover'd my lost wits againe. Then being sensible (and most of my distresse) I tooke my leave, and with Menander, came unto this place, being directed by as sadd a man, as I then was, now come againe to life by you, my deare forgiver, and my onely joy. What man directed you so neere the Court, said Liana? an unlikely place to finde my sorrow by. A poore, and miserable Lover too, said Alanius, who we found laid under a Willow tree, bitterly weeping, and bewailing the cruelty of a Shepherdesse who had unwillingly made her selfe mistris of his heart. We went to him, to demand some things of him, which as well as griefe would suffer him, he answered us, but so strangely, as appear'd, he desired to speake of nothing but his Love, and torture for it; telling us, that he was a man, whose Destiny was made to undoe him, loving one, who no griefe, teares, praiers, or that estate they held him in, could bring to pitty, having setled her love so much upon another, as shee hated all that sought, (though for their good) to worke her thoughts to change. By the discourse, and description, we soone found, it was no other then your sweetest selfe, my deare Liana, that brought us hither, where wee are assur'd of you, and what we hoped for before; under that tree we left him, where he vowes to remaine while he hath life, and after, there to be buried, that being his bed, and then shall be his Tombe. Liana modestly denied the knowledge of any such matter, so with much affection, and such love, as I yet never saw the Image of the like; they welcom'd each other, hearts, eyes, tongues, all striving to expresse their joyes. Then did they returne with me to the Court, and were those two strangers, you deare brother, commended so in the Pastorall. Menander I tooke to waite on mee, who confess'd, hee had (as Liana told me) left Pantaleria to finde me, and now is hee here attending in my Chamber. This sweet discourse ended, they rose and went into the Court, the Princes liking this which so kindly concluded with enj oying. But that being so blessed a thing, as the name is a blessing without the benefit, must be now in that kinde, onely bereft some, who deserves the richest plenty of it. Ollorandus continuing in the Morean Court, newes was brought unto him of his Brothers death, by which hee was now Prince of Bohemia, and besides desired by his old Father to returne, that he might see him, if possible, before his death, which, both for age, and griefe of his Sons death, was likewise soone to befall him. The Prince met Amphilanthus just at his returne from the walks, having left the Ladies in their chamber, and was going to seeke him, to discourse some of his passions to him, but he prevented him thus. Most deare, and onely worthy friend, read this; I dare not beseech your company from this place, but see my necessity, and so weigh my fortune; you know that I have beene enjoyned not to leave you, you know likewise, what good I must receive from you, when is that likely to come but now? Amphilanthus read a letter which he gave him, and thereby saw he was to accompany his friend, and leave his better friend (because more deare) behinde. In great perplexitie he was, divided twixt two loves, and one to be dissembl'd, yet he answer'd thus. The happinesse befalne to Bohemia in you, I joy for, and yet in comparison of you, it is but little, your merits being more then that Kingdome can pay, or many answer; but are you resolv'd to goe straight thither? What needs such a journey, since passion is strongest at the first? and if it would have causd your Fathers death, that before now happened; never bee so doubtfull of his safety, but bee confident he is well, or if other, you may (time enough) goe thither: the Countrey so much loves you, as they will never let your absence wrong you; the fame of your valour is such, as none dare goe about to usurpe your right: your cares then, thus may bee settled for home businesses, and you resolve to heare once more from your Countrey, before you goe thither. Your promises here infinitely ingage your stay. How will you answere the going your selfe, and carrying mee, (who I must not leave) from the succour, you formerly promised Steriamus? The time growes on, and the Army will bee together within this moneth, ready to martch; besides, his confidence is as much in you, and mee, as in a good part of the Troope, how can wee dispence with this? Put it off I beseech you, if you will favour us so much, and yet, thinke not I speake this to deny going with you, or to show unwillingnesse, but in truth, out of these reasons. And one more (deare friend) said Ollorandus, the Queene Pamphilia I heare, is shortly to returne into her owne Kingdome, whither you promisd to conduct her. That is true, said Amphilanthus, yet I preferre my friendly respect to you before such a service, and to such an one whose judgement is mix'd with that noblenesse, as she will not binde one to anothers harme, to performe a complement to her; yet I must confesse it would grieve mee to faile her, who on my promise came hither from Cyprus, nor would I leave her unguarded, or guarded by any but my selfe, if not to goe with you; whose love, and company, I esteeme above all mens, or any fortune. My love, said Ollorandus shall waite upon yours, equall it, I dare not say, my selfe being so much inferior to you in all perfections, as all parts of me must yeeld to you; but to my ability, mine shall approve it selfe, and ever be faithfull; but let me say this to you, that these reasons are nothing to hinder me, your commands hath more force, and ever shall bee of power, to alter and rule my courses. For Steriamus, I love him next to you, and above mine owne Kingdome, which else is most to me; if alone, that call'd upon me, I would stay: but I am summon'd by my Father, duty herein obligeth me, nor is there such present neede of my going into Albania; it will bee a moneth, you say, before the Army be joyned, it may bee two, well then, How long will they be martching? Besides, you have no certainety which way you must passe: through Epirus, you shall not without fighting, the brave and faire Queene of that Countrey hath alreadie refused it, Wherefore I say, by that time every thing being ready, and the Army neere Albania, we may meet it, and come time enough to serve Steriamus. You said, answered Amphilanthus, I had one reason more then I alleadged to you, but I will sweare you want not another cause to invite you that way; must not I be favourd by you to see your Melysinda, this is the kingdome you provide for, and this is the true ende of your obedience. If you have gessed right, part then? Not so, said Amphilanthus, I will goe with you, especially if you entend to goe into Hungaria. I intend that, said he, if I live; then must I break all appointments, and attend you: they embraced, and so parted, resolving with all speed to take their voyage. Ollorandus promising himselfe much good in it, Amphilanthus heartily mourning; but the grave Melissea had conjur'd them not to part, and therefore he must obey. When Supper was done, Amphilanthus and Selarinus, (according to their custome) brought the Queene of Pamphilia to her Chamber, with whom Urania lay by her intreaty, and Selarina in the next roome, being then likewise there. When they were thither come, Amphilanthus countenance changed from the wonted manner of mirth, and excellent discourse turn'd into silence, and sighes: It made the Ladies sadd to see it, and desirous to know the cause, Urania therefore began to aske the reason of this alteration. Hee casting his eyes with true sadnes where his heart was prisoner, (Selarina standing just before him) onely said, that till that time he was never so afflicted. Whereby my Lord, said Pamphilia, if I may aske the reason why, being with desire to serve you, if my service may avayle you? Alas Madam, said he, it is in you to make me happy. Then can you never misse happinesse, said she. With that Urania and Selarinus, and his Sister, left them together sitting on the bed, they walking to the window, and finding their discourse long, went into the next roome, which was a Cabinet of the Queenes, where her bookes and papers lay; so taking some of them, they passed a while in reading of them, and longer they would have done so, but that they heard excellent musick, which cald them to hearken to it. It did consiste of Lutes and Voyces, and continued till the end of the discourse betweene the matchlesse Princes; which being finished, they came to them, and Amphilanthus told them, hee was now at liberty to goe: To goe, whither (said Urania)? a tedious, and unwilling voyage (said hee), but Destiny will have it so; yet shall I goe better contented then I feard I should have done, and yet with that more perplex'd, because I goe. Some other speeches passed, Urania extreamely bewailing his going, and more grieving, when she knew the resolution taken by Pamphilia also to depart. These sorrowes tooke away their attention from the song, and now being late, Amphilanthus and Selarinus tooke their leaves for that night, going downe a back-way through a Garden where this musick was; being to passe by them, and unwilling to be seene, they threw their cloakes over their faces, and so purposed to passe. But the Master of that company hating any man that received favor from his Lady, when he wanted it (not imagining Amphilanthus had been one) rudely pull'd the cloake of Selarinus downe. Amphilanthus instantly drew his sword, and strake him on the head, the other likewise struck, but they were parted quickly, and making no more noise, the offence giver knowing Selarinus retird, they passing on without more hinderance into their chambers. Amphilanthus come to his, indured the night with much impatiency, the day being as he thought spiteful to him, and therfore would not appeare; when she did, he kindly forgave her stay, & instantly made himself ready to attend her. Into the Garden walks hee went, knowing the Ladies would not be long from thence; but wandring up and downe, as his thoughts were restlesse, he came to the Willow tree, where Antissia found Pamphilia: under that he lay where not being long, he heard the voices of men, on that other side of the river, & hearkning a little, understood what they said, & by their voices who they were. He marveled infinitly at the discourse, when he found it was Leandrus whom he had struck, & was as sory for it, as if he had willingly hurt his brother: but remembring the maner, he knew he was not to be blamd, for the man who puld his friends cloake downe, had drawne his owne hat so low over his eyes, as although hee was able under it to see him, yet it hindred the discovery of himselfe. Well Leandrus (said he) thanke thy selfe for this; and though thou didst offer the injury, I am sorry for thee, and glad I did no more harme to thee. But the other pursuing their discourse, he heard it resolv'd, that if Pamphilia did refuse him, he would use all meanes possible to win her by her friends, the last meanes he would use, should be by Amphilanthus, who hee would intreate to be a mediator for him, if he denied, he might take unkindnes to him for it, if Selarinus married her, he might have a just quarrell to him for seeking her, when he was a profest suiter to her. These things troubled the Prince, and most to see such ill nature in Leandrus , for the other he knew he should have time enough to bee revenged of him at his pleasure. Having heard thus much (and soone is enough found, when ill is discernd where goodnesse should be seene) he went back into the Woods, and there met Pamphilia, Urania, Rosindi, Steriamus, and Selarinus, comming together, and saying, they had sent Philarchos to seeke him. He reply'd, those Woods and walkes could give the onely account of him since day. Pleasantly they passed a while together, when Parselius and his Dalinea also came unto them, and passing downe towards the river, Amphilanthus turnd them backe, they wondring at it, but hee intreating them, they obayd. Surely (said Rosindy) it is because he will not see the place where hee had so great an injury done him, as to have me taken for him. Amphilanthus never having heard of that before, would not be denied, till hee had all the story, which the brother and sister deliver'd to him. And have you sufferd (said he) thus much for me? alas that I might live and be worthy to deserve it. They then turnd againe towards the company, but the place being devided into many severall walkes, the troope had devided it selfe, every couple having taken a different walke: which Rosindy seeing, and besides perceiving Orilena comming alone; I will not sure (said hee) be out of fashion, wherefore I will leave you two together, and take yonder Lady to walke with me; then were they wel placed; for Steriamus had Urania, Parselius his Dalinea, Rosindy his sister, and Selarinus was before gone in, to call forth Selarina. Thus they passed the morning, and then returnd to dinner, where they found Leandrus full of discontent, but this company made him dissemble it. After dinner the King call'd his daughter Pamphilia to him, telling her what an earnest suiter Leandrus was to him for his consent to have her in marriage, which he liked very well of considering his worth, and the fitnesse of his estate, alleaging all the reasons that a wise and carefull father could make unto himselfe, or perswade with, to a beloved daughter. To which she humbly made this answere; That all those things his Majesty had said, she confessed to be true, and that he was worthy of the greatest fortune the world had in a wife: but his Majestie had once married her before, which was to the Kingdome of Pamphilia, from which Husband shee could not bee divorced, nor ever would have other, if it might please him to give her leave to enjoy that happinesse; and besides, besought his permission, for my Lord (said shee) my people looke for me, and I must needs be with them. Why, said the King, that is but as if it were a portion given you to your marriage? Not to Leandrus my Lord (said shee) I beseech you, for I cannot love him; nor can I believe he loves in me ought besides my kingdome, and my honour in being your daughter; Antissia better fitteth him, who was appointed for him. The King knew she had reason for what she said, and so assuring her, that he would not force her to any thing against her mind, though he should be glad of the match, if it could content her, they fell into other discourse, and then the King going in, the young Princes every one discours'd where they liked best. Amphilanthus was gone forth with Ollorandus, the rest altogether; Selarinus comming to Pamphilia, and telling her what an accident happened to him the night before, when (said he) I was likely to have been well knockt (but for Amphilanthus) for being honourd in your presence so late. The Queene who bore dislike enough before to Leandrus, was even inraged now against him, yet her discretion told her, the lesse that were spoken of, the much better it would bee, wherefore she said little of it, but discoursed with Selarinus, as she us'd to doe finely and plainely, being the man she only trusted as a friend, and who indeed ever proov'd so unto her, as in many actions she had triall of. Now was Selarinus in love desperately with Philistella, the second daughter of the King of Morea, a young princesse so excelling in fairenes, as snow & roses could but equall the white, and red in her face: never was seene so excellent a beauty for whitenesse, for though Pamphilia had the fame for the onely Princesse living, yet was she not so white in the face as Philistella; her beauty being in sweetenesse and lovelinesse, most excelling, and in the richnesse of her mind, which beautified her person, and yet the purenesse of her skinne (for as much as was seene as necke and hands) did farre surpasse her sister, which yet was thought to bee, but because the younger Ladies face, was without all comparison so pure and faire, as made her other skinne (though excellent) shew duller by it: her haire was whiter than the Queenes, but hers was brighter, having a glasse upon it, matchlesse for rarenesse of colour, and shining. This Philistella had conquered the hearts of many, but Selarinus was the man, that sought her with most hope, the others either not daring, or knowing they were not fit for her, contented themselves with beholding her, and knowing they fruitlesly did languish in that love. Now had Selarinus broken this secret to Pamphilia, who at this time tooke occasion to speake againe of it, which was such content to him, as nothing could be more; and moov'd that passion in him, as his face and eyes spake for his heart, that it was upon the rack of hope and feare. Leandrus seeing this, believed it had been for Pamphilia, which mooved him to greater hatred against him, verily thinking it to be this Prince whom she affected, seeing how willingly shee did embrace his company. Amphilanthus then came in, whom Leandrus straight went unto, desiring him, that he would give him one thing that he would demand of him. Aske (said hee) any thing of mee whereto I am not engaged, and I will grant it you. I know not how I may secure my selfe in that (said hee) for if you have a mind to refuse under this, you may deny me all. Nay (said he) mistrust not me causelesly, nor touch me with such basenesse, for never yet dealt I but truly with all men. Pardon me my Lord (said hee) and I will take your word, if you will first except some number of things whereto you are ingaged. Only two (said he), and on my word I wil grant any other. Then said Leandrus; My suite to you is, that since I have been a long, earnest, and passionate suiter to your faire (but cruell) Cosin, & now having got the consent of her father, her mother, her brothers, and most of her friends, that you will likewise joyne with them, and speake unto Pamphilia for mee; I know she respects you much, and will be as soone directed by you, as by any friend she hath: wherefore I beseech you grant me this favour, and by it tie me perpetually to your service. The King replied, that it was true, they had all seene his affection to her; they confessed his worth and deserts to bee equall with any Prince, and to merit any wife, whose answering love might meete his: but for his Cosin, she was of her selfe, and as farre as he could understand by her, she purposed not to marry: if he had gaind the consent of her parents and brothers, hee had purchased the surest to prevaile with her: but for himselfe, although he confessed in that his happinesse, that shee did so much esteeme of him, and found that she would heare him as soone as any other; yet it was his misfortune in this, that he could not doe him that service he desired to doe, to make manifest his love unto him, for he had now lighted on one of the excepted things, since but this last night (said he) speaking of marriage, shee said, shee was already bestowed upon her people, and had married her selfe to them. I urging her youth, and the pitie it would be she should die, without leaving some pictures of her self, so excellent a piece. She said, her friends (she hop'd) would keepe her memory, and that should be enough for her. But I striving further to perswade her to the altering of that determination; My Lord (said she) it is settled, and as you will ever make mee see you love mee, and would have me confident of your well-wishings to me, let mee begge this of you, that you will never speake to me of any husband. I swore it, and seal'd my vowes on her faire hand. Wherefore my Lord Leandrus, you see how I am bound, otherwise believe it, I would not deny your noble request, but speake for you (I protest truly) as soone, or sooner then for any other living. The Prince Leandrus was contented with this answere, believing him, as justly he might doe, for he had said but onely truth to him. Then parted they, Leandrus giving him many thankes for his noble freedome, going to Philistella, who with Selarina was passing the time, Pamphilia bringing Selarinus to them, and so pretily did discourse, while Steriamus earnestly did pursue his affection to Urania; which although she willingly entertain'd, yet she meant to be as wary as she could (having been once deceived), wherefore with much modesty and mildnesse, she denied; and yet with her sweetnesse in denying, gave him hope and heart to proceed, which at that time they being together, he gave witnesse of, having gaind the favour of her standing alone with him in a window, protesting all the true and zealous affection, that a man could beare unto a woman. She told him, that these protestations hee had so often before used to Pamphilia, as hee was perfect in them; for (said shee), my brother hath told mee, and many other, what a power her love had over you, though shee never received it, or did more, if so much as pitie you. It is most true (said hee) that your brother found me a miserable piece of mankind, made anew by love, to be lesse then any of my sex, and yet his greatest slave: shee rejected mee; I now thanke Heavens for it, since I was kept for this happinesse, shee for a greater then my selfe, which I wish shee may enjoy, and I bee blessed with your favour, which as my onely blessing I doe wish for, and aske as my onely blisse. But what let can my former love bee to your receiving mee? I am not the first that hath lost my Love? What blame then can that bee to mee, my choice being so good? did not (I pray you) Parselius your Cosin, love before he married Dalinea? and Urania (I thinke) liked, before shee was throwne from the Rock. Cast away then all former faults, and burie them in the Deepes, where those loves were cured, and take a perfect one, new borne unto you, and with you. Shee blushed, and told him, hee grew bitterer then lovers use to be. He smild, and told her, none that had a spot should find fault with anothers, unlesse theirs were cleane washed away, and the other remaining. But I feare (said shee) you will not now bee true. Nothing (said hee) but that water could have cleansed my heart from that ranckling wound, nor now shall any thing alter my truth to you. Another charme may cure you, said she? Never (said hee) nor helpe if not your love. It grieves mee (said shee) that I cannot then present you with my first affection; yet truly may I in a kind; for I liked you before I loved the other. Give mee this second (said hee), which as the first I will esteeme, and cherish it, for a new created one it is, and so shall live in me, never more blessed then now, never truer shall any love be to one: nor more just then mine, said she. Thus they giving these prety assurances of eithers affections, he presented her with a Bracelet of Diamonds. She the next day requiting it with a much more pretious one to his thoughts, being a brede of her haire. No day passed that some sweet delightfull passages passed not betweene them. The Court now fild with love, Parselius perceived their loves, and was as well contented with it, as Urania had been with his, and as freely did they before him shew it. Amphilanthus infinitely glad of it, and seeking all meanes for the continuance of it, so as each day Pamphilia's chamber swarmd with lovers: Steriamus and Urania, Selarinus and Philistella, Parselius and his wife, Philarchos and his Orilena, the Queene her selfe beholding them, while her heart was as true a patient, as any of theirs, but must not shew it. Leandrus with the rest had leave to visit her, but to see his passions, to one that were sure never to be in such a snare, it were sport, else a terrible feare to fall into such a Laborinth. The Queen gratiously respected him, but when he spake of love, she then was deafe & ever found occasion to discourse of somthing els, or to some others. Amphilanthus graced Selarina most with his discourse, which made the whole Court judge his affection was placed there, & in truth she did deserve it, for she was an excellent fine Princesse; but from al these amorous delights the brave Prince must go, & betake himself to the field, and adventure with Ollorandus; the next day was the time for their depart, and also for Pamphilia's going, who over night tooke her leave of the court, not willing (as she said) to be seene so much a woman, as to weepe for parting. Yet Urania was witnes of it, both getting up earely, and Amphilanthus, with Ollorandus comming to them before they were ready, stayed with them till they went downe, Urania bringing her to her Coach, with the other two Princes, when with teares they parted on some sides: Urania wept to part with her deare brother, and cousen. Pamphilia's heart was pierced with like sorrow, or greater, but stop'd her teares, as having a stronger spirit, till beholding the water in Amphilanthus eyes ready to fall, and waite upon the least summons her eyes would give; she then let some few slide, and drop, and so saluted him, love smiling in their teares, to see so kind, and affectionate parting, glorying in his owne worke, as proud in such a conquest. Part they did, taking their leave without saying, farewell, which their hearts and eyes did for them, making them then, and as long as they could, attend and behold each other, which was not long, for the waies being contrary, the sight was soone lost. Pamphilia went alone, save for her owne Traine of Knights, which were come out of Pamphilia, to attend her thither, and quickly, with the haste she made, arriv'd at the Sea, where shee shipped, and so passed to her Kingdome, where with infinite joy, and troopes of people, shee was received, and conducted to her chiefe City of Perga; where shee remain'd in plenty of all things, but the delicate conversation she used to have in Morea, which want, made her for a while melancholly: but afterwards shee comforting her selfe, with hope, and resolution, shee came abroad, and followed those delights shee was wont to affect, which was, Hunting and Hawking, and such like. The two brave Companions holding on their way, hating the land, chose the Sea, and tooke Shipp at Sornesse, and so passing by Zants, and Setalonia, went up the Gulfe of Venice, and landed in Triale, from whence without any one adventure, worthy the rehearsing, they came into the confines of Bohemia , when they met two knights, of whom they demanded the newes of that place; they resolv'd them, that the King was dead, and that they (as many more) were going in search of their Prince, and Lord Ollorandus. Then did he discover himselfe unto them, which they infinitly rejoyced at; so passing on, they came unto a Castle, where they would (as they said) lodge that night, but the two Knights tolde them, that by no meanes they should doe so, for there dwelt the cruelest man that was in all those parts, his name Severus, and was next of the bloud to Ollorandus, wherefore by no meanes they would advise him, (none being left but himselfe of the Stocke) to adv enture into his doores. The new King imagining this a disgrace unto him, to let any such thing passe for feare, would not be perswaded, saying, Hee was assured that hee durst not attempt any thing upon his person; but Amphilanthus disswaded what he could, yet all in vaine, for hee was resolv'd. When nothing could prevaile against staying him, yet they obtain'd of him, that he would hold himselfe unknowne, hee repli'd they neede not call him Ollorandus, but he would never leave that happy name of the Knight of the Forrest, with which he had pass'd through so many adventures; thus rashly would he runn into danger, and which was worst, hazad the bravest Prince. To the Gate they came, and presently were bid welcome, with many servants who attended on them, and tooke their Horses, some of them conducting them into the Hall, where the old Duke Severus sat in a Chaire, with a little staffe in his hand, his thumbe on his staffe, and his mouth on his thumbe, which ever was his fashion, when his minde was set upon any plots; Their comming in call'd his minde a little to him, and looking on them, seeing such rarenesse in their persons, and lovelinesse in their countenances, imagined them to be of great quality, especially Amphilanthus, to whom he went, and welcom'd him with the rest, desiring to know who they were, that thus courteously had honour'd his house. Amphilanthus told him that he was an Italian, and hearing of his bounty, by some of the Country, made him take the boldnes to visit him, hoping by him, also to understand the manners of that place, to which as yet, he was a meere stranger. The olde Duke told him, that he had done him an especiall favour in it, and that (wherein he could doe him courtesies) he should finde him most ready, in requitall of this honour. Then he demanded who the others were, and their names. Amphilanthus reply'd, that his friend, and himselfe, upon a certaine vow to their Mistresses, till they saw them againe, were not to disclose their names, but were only known by the titles, of the Knight of Love, which was himselfe; and the other, the Knight of the Forrest, and thus they had passed most parts of the world. Whence came you last, I beseech you, said he? From Morea, said the Knight of Love. And what newes there, I pray you, said the olde Duke? have you not heard of Ollorandus our Prince, and now our King, by his fathers, and brothers death? I heard of him, said Amphilanthus, for no eares can (unlesse deafe) but have notice of his valour, and excellent goodnesse, and much have I desired to be honoured with his sight, accounting it one of my misfortunes, that I am not knowne to so famous a Prince. Hath his Acts (replied the Duke) made his name so well knowne? I am heartily glad of it, for now shall this Kingdome againe flourish, when it shall be governed by so brave a King. But what is become of him, I pray, that you having such a desire to see him, could not compasse it? Truely (said the Knight of Love) I was going to finde him, but an accident unlooked for, call'd me from Morea, and so much against my heart, as never any thing was more, when I could neither goe, into Albania, where they say, he must be shortly, nor stay where I most desired. With that hee sigh'd indeed, and so passionatly, as they all pittied him. Then the Duke demanded who the others were. He answered, strangers they encountred upon the way, but it seem'd good Knights; so the Duke tooke the Knight of Love on his right hand, and the Forrest Knight on his left, desiring the others likewise to sit: so sitting downe altogether, Amphilanthus besought him to let him know in what estate the Country stood, for (said he) I desire to goe to the Court, and see it; but hearing the King is dead, I would most willingly be ordered by you, what I should doe. Truely (said he) Sir, I can direct you no better way, then to stay heere, till such time as we heare of our King, nothing to be seene, nor safety much in this Countrey; for an Army is providing, men raysing, and much businesse toward. By whom, I pray Sir, said the Knight of the Forrest, are these men rays'd? The chiefe yet, repli'd he, hath not declared himselfe, but there are foure Great men, that call these Troops together, yet none of them having right or claime: it is thought they have some other, who yet will not discover himselfe. What is the next in bloud, said he? Marry that am I, said he, being the last Kings Unkle, Brother to his Father. Will not you Sir then be pleas'd, said hee, to withstand these forces in the Kings right? Alas Sir, said he, you see I am old, nor ever was I a Souldier, borne deformed as you see, not for Armes but Carpets; these shoulders crooked, and mishapen, were not ordained but to be kept from eyes, which would rather bring contempt, then respect; my Stature low, my body weake, all fram'd to be a Chamber-keeper, rather then a Knight at Armes: but I have a Son, who I hope, wil be worthy of his bloud. Where is he, I pray, said he? Truely, now I am not certaine, but I thinke he will be here this night, answered the Duke. These things netled Ollorandus, yet he cover'd his rage as well as he could; and thus they pass'd the time till Supper, when the old Duke desired them to goe to their lodgeings, and unarme themselves, which they did, and returning, sate to meale. The Duke all Supper time, curiously beholding the Knights, especially Ollorandus , who, he imagined by his complexion, and the favour of his face, to be the King, though it was long since he had seene him; but the ground he had in malice made him discerne that, which otherwise had laine hidden (envy having sharpnesse in discovering.) Thus the night grew on, and Supper ended, the Knights were brought to their severall lodgings. Amphilanthus desired to lye with his friend, but the Duke, out of complement, (as desiring-they should see their welcome, by the respect done them) would not permit them to lodge, but alone: the other two were carried to an other Towne farre from them; they being in their Chambers, Ollorandus safe, as he thought from discovery, went to bedd taking his rest very soundly, his Dwarfe lying in the next roome to him. Amphilanthus, had not so much liberty, or freedome by rest granted to him, wherefore he went not to bedd, but walked up and downe his Camber in his old posture, armes acrosse, and breathing in sighes, wishing his eyes might be once more blessed with seeing, what his soule ever beheld with fervent love, that never deviding it selfe no more then heate from fire: Passion growne such a commander over him, as he was an Image of Loves torments, curiously carved to the life of passionate distresse. Measure some of his thoughts hee did, and delicately expresse his paine in Verse, but so dainty was he, as few, save himselfe, (which was his Mistris) ever saw them, especially those which were for his parting, and those hee made that night. But his Muse had no more then finished that conceit, when she, and hee, were call'd to attendance, summon'd by a fearefull and terrible noise, mixt with voyces and armour, at last hee heard his friend say, O traytors, thus betraying a stranger, and Villiane to doe it in thine owne house; farewell deare friend, let misfortune wholly be, and end in me. Those words, and the knowledge of the speaker, quickly made the King prepare for rescue, wherefore arming himselfe, he ran towards the Chamber where Ollorandus lay, but by the way he saw him fetter'd, and leading to a Gate, where it might appeare, a Prison was. He quickely came to him, crying to those, who led him, to stay; they refused, but he, who fear'd not many more then they were, set upon them; they devided themselves, and some of them held him play, while the rest went away with the King, taking the advantage of his busie fighting: but his hands were not so imployed but his eyes also used their office: and so well did he consider the traitors, as he never let them be, but in his eyes, which made him soone perceive this villany, and as readily prevent it; for they thinking to steale him away, were staied, and made in streames of bloud to deliver their confession, and lives to his victory. The Dwarfe in this time had so roared about the Castle, as the other two Knights awaked, and came to the rescue (Amphilanthus throwing a Sword and Sheild of one of the vanquished to Ollorandus), and in time they came, for hee was then readie to bee slaine; the old Duke and his sonne comming together, and incouraging their servants by promises, and commanded by threatnings to kill him; but those Armes protected him, and then furiouslie did he flie among them, the old monster reviling his people for letting them escape death, till Amphilanthus got to him, and as he was opening his mouth to speake hatefully to them, he thrust his Sword into it, hindring those villanous words which hee had else deli vered. The other two also came, and saved the brave Prince from killing such a worme, dispatching that ill naturd man out of the way, of molesting any more good creatures. But his sonne revenged his fathers death, killing the elder of those brothers, whose death Amphilanthus quickly pay'd, with the young mans end, striking off his arme, whereof he died; then getting close to Ollorandus, they set backe to backe, and so fought, till they gaind the stepps which went up to the Hall, and getting even into it, they pressed to that doore; but some who continued fight with them, kept so neare, as they got betweene Ollorandus and the doore, so as Amphilanthus hoping in the croud, his friend was come in, locked the doore, but shut Ollorandus out, where he was ingirdled with his enemies, and past hope; but the never daunted King espying his error, soone amended it, yet was he forced to leape out at the window, which was but low, to aide him, the dore opening outward, was held so close by the enemy, but when he was got among them againe, he was like a thunder-bolt, piercing and killing all resisted him, who but like poore feeble dogges, that snarld for their best defence could not bite him. Once more he rescued his friend from apparent death, and thus performed the prophecy Mellissea had made, with double joy to save him, and thus soone to be at liberty to returne to his heart, for he found that now he might be priviledged to part. This businesse done, the old, and young Dukes kild, the two honest brothers slaine, having gaind the fame, to die, and be laid in the bed of honor, allotted such as die in the Kings sight and quarrell; they staid a while in the Castle, seeking for any such unfortunate man, or creature, as had fallen into the cruel power of this man. Many they found, and among them some of their acquaintance, then setting them all at libertie, they departed towards Prage, the chiefe towne of Bohemia, attended by all those released prisoners; Ollorandus then openly discovering himselfe, troops of his subjects came daily in to him, and so within few daies he was crownd, sending some forces against those scatterd troopes were raised by the dead traytor and his confederates to oppose the Kings quiet possession: who now setled, and all solemnities past, he sent his Dwarfe into Hungary with a letter to his love. The Dwarfe knowing his Lords mind, as wel he might (if by nothing but that hast gesse it) performed his part, being feareles of al things now but the Lord of Strombolly as he arriv'd in Hungary, and so by inquiry got to Buda: thence hee was directed to a Castle some ten leagues off in a Forrest, whither the Queene was gone to take her pleasure, the King staying at Buda: the Dwarfe being benighted, was glad to take his lodging in a poore house, and happy so to find one in a wild place, having lost his way. The next morning hee had no sooner taken his horse, and rode halfe a league, but he met some Knights, and others riding with great speed, and apparreld all in greene, demanding of him, if he met not the Stagge: hee told them, he met nothing except themselves, since he tooke horse. They passed on, and still he met more, who made the same inquirie. A last hee saw a Lady comming at full speed, attended on by many more, whose riding, and horses shewed, they could more willingly have heard of the Staggs fall, then any other tidings. But this Dwarfe, witty, and carefull of his charge, imagining this Lady (by her selfe, more then her attendants, though many, and bravely clad) to be the Queene, hee stay'd, and of one who came within some two or three of her person, desired to know, if that were not Melisinda: hee answered, it was: whereupon hee stay'd, and so just in her way, as shee must stay too. She offended, began to correct him: but he kissing the letter, deliverd it unto her. Soone she knew the hand, and so commanded him to stay, and attend her answer. Love, now expresse thy selfe; is the hunting pleasing, the sport she most delighteth in, is it not now tedious and wearisome? was it feared but now the Stagge would fall too soone? Is it not now required, and wished for? Rude Beast (would shee say to her selfe) that knowes nothing but bruitishnesse, canst not thou finish thy dayes with my best wishes to thee, for favoring me? Faine she would see what was in it, and sometimes a little slacke her speede: but then fearing the company would know why her stay was, guiltinesse over-ruld her, and she went on, sometimes meaning to mend her seate, and so counterfeit cause of stay; then not liking that, againe in furie against the beast, pursuing him. Thus she rid, and traveld her thoughts irresolutely, till just before her, as if to claime a pardon for the former offence, hee fell, yeelding himselfe, and life into her power. Quickly shee alighted, and performing those Rights required by the Huntsmen, in honour of Victorie and Funerall, shee walked into a little Groave, while her horse was stirring up and downe, being hot and sore ridden. When shee was there, shee kissed the letter, then opened it; but hav ing read it, kissed it often. O deare Paper (said shee), welcome as heav enly blessings to mee: thou bringest mee word my Ollorandus lives; and more that hee thinkes of his poore Melysinda: live still dearest love, and let honour glorie in honouring thee. Happie newes to heare my Deere is a King, but most happie that hee crownes himselfe with constancy, the perfect lawrell for lovers. Doest thou (most loved) remember wretched mee? Nay, make mee see thy mindfulnesse by writing to mee, and such sweete lines, where expressions rather want then love; and yet such loving expressions, testifying nothing but absence makes the want. Blessed bee my Destenie, that brought me thus to hunt, mine eyes thrice happy that have seene these words written by the best of men, and yet sigh'd she, when al is done the fire must consume you, that is the cabinet must hold your truths, and you most loved, must to my belov ed and mee, proove a sweet sacrifice for our safeties. O jealousie that spreads it selfe so farre, as onely memory can bee safe, but no reliques save ashes remaine safe in keeping; thy ashes yet shal be preserv'd, and as most sacred, still continued. Then came shee forth, and so returnd unto the Castle, many examining the Dwarfe from whence he came, what hee would have, and to whom he came, or whether he would goe. Hee had his errant well, and told them he was a wandering youth, once servant to a knight, who now imprisond, he was free, but from joy bard for the losse of him he lov'd. Many desired to have him, but he refused all, saying, he would now returne into his owne Countrie, and there end his daies, if so his Master could not bee set free. Thus hee put them all off, till a day past he was dispatched by the Queene, whose letter was no sooner ended, but with teares with the same light shee sealed hers, she also gave the death to the other, or rather the safer life, sacrificing it unto their loves, carefully putting the ashes up in a daintie Cabinet, and inclosing them within; these Verses she then made, witnessing the sorrow for the burning, and the vowes she made to them burned. You pure and holy fire Which kindly now will not aspire To hot performance of your Nature, turne Crosse to your selfe and never burne These Reliques of a blessed hand, Joynd with mutuall holy band Of love and deare desire. Blame me not dearest lines, That with loves flames your blacknesse twines, My heart more mourning doth for you expresse, But griefe for sorrow is no lesse. Deepest groanes can cover, not change woe, Hearts the tombe, keepes in the showe, Which worth from ill refines. Alas yet as you burne, My pitie smarts, and groanes to turne Your paines away, and yet you must consume Content in me, must beare no plume, Dust-like Dispaire may with me live, Yet shall your memory out-drive These paines wherein I mourne. You reliques of pure love To sacred keepe with me remoove, Purg'd by this fire from harme, and jealous feare, To live with me both chast and cleare: The true preserveresse of pure truths, Who to your grave gives a youth In faith to live and moove. Fameus body's still in flames, Did anciently preserve their names, Unto this funerall nobly you are come, Honour giving you this tombe. Teares and my love performe your rights, To which constancie beares lights To burne, and keepe from blame. This did not satisfie her, grieving for the losse of those kind lines, but each day did shee say the Letter to her selfe, which so much shee loved, as shee had learned by heart; then looking on the Ashes, wept, and kissing them, put them up againe; and thus continued shee, till Ollorandus himselfe came, to whom these daylie offerings were made; for hee, after hee had settled his Kingdome, longing as much to see her, as shee desired his presence, put the Government to the charge of a president, and his Counsell, assuring them, that nothing should have so soone parted him from them, but that hee must now performe his part of friendship to Amphilanthus, which was required of him, who had so lovingly, and bravely accomplished his. None were against that, all honouring and loving him so much, as hee had much adoe, but with kind quarrels to leave the Countrie, without some of them to attend him; yet by his mild perswasions, and the new Kings commanding power, they two tooke their journey, the Dwarfe againe returning the very day before they left Prage. Towards Hungarie they then haste, passing through Moravia, where they met a strange encounter, and a sad spectacle, which was a company of men all on foote, being apparrel'd in long mourning Gownes; and after them a Chariot, beeing drawne by sixe Horses, they beeing covered with blacke; and in the Chariot was a bodie, beeing cover'd with a blacke Velvet covering; and at the feet of this Body sate a Ladie, her face beeing towards it, and most pitifullie weeping; many more in mourning likewise walking by the Chariot, round about it, and behind it. This lamentable and dolefull spectacle mooved the hearts of the Knightes, who beeing verie passionate, quickly felt pitie, and riding presently to one of the followers, desiring to bee resolv'd of this matter; the Gentleman courteously answered, that the businesse was of so long a times discourse, as would demaund more leysure, then hee thought their businesse would well allow them; therefore hee besought to bee excused, unlesse they meant to succour that distressed Lady, who most justly might claime assistance, and revenge, for a murdered Knight, unjustlie, and treacherouslie slaine for love. Love their Master commanded their service, so as they said, they would willingly doe their best, to redresse such an injurie. Then the Gentleman going to the Lady, told her what the Knights said; she casting up her eyes, which before she held on the Coarse, the body and soule of her affections. Alas Sirs (said shee) what misfortune hath brought you to ingage your selves to true misery, as in joyning with me you must do, for a more wretched never lived to die so. Our fortunes (said Ollorandus, speaking in her owne language) is the best we could covet, if they may proove availeable to you, nor doe we desire any more, then to know how we may serve you. Then Sir (said shee) let mee bee so bold, as to demaund first, who you are, that I may discover my estate the more freely, and willingly to you. My name (said hee) is Ollorandus, King of Bohemia; and this is Amphilanthus, King of the Romans. Happinesse beyond all hope (cry'd shee). Alas my Lord, this is the King that of all the World I have desired to meete, and now travell to seeke in Italy: then kneeled shee unto him, beseeching him to graunt her, what hee had of himselfe so nobly promised. Hee vowed to performe any thing whatsoever that lay in his power to doe: then comming forth of the Chariot, and they lighting, they retired into a little tuft of Thornes by the way side, shee beginning her storie thus. Most brave and renowned of Kings, and you great King, bee pleased to give eare to the saddest storie, that ever love, and lovers end hath produced. I am that miserable unfortunate woman Sydelia, passionately loving, and being beloved of the excellent and vertuous Antonarus; long wee loved, but a hate betweene my brother, called Terichillus, and my love growne in their youth, hindred our enjoyings; my brother so curiouslie watching mee, himselfe, or others, never or seldome from mee, as I was able onely to see my afflictions and wants, but not the Sunne of my content: for my Brother being the Heire of Moravia, and the other the Prince of Silesia, that kept him from venturing into his Countrie, knowing the infinite malice hee bare unto him, alas, no way deserving it. But at last, my brother was to marry Orguelea daughter to the Duke of Bav aria, and going thither to performe it, left mee guarded by his servants, whom in his absence so well I wrought with, as I compassed the sight of my Deare, who in the habit of a Hunts-man came unto me; we married privatly, and so enjoyed the time till my brothers returne with his new Ladie, as full of spite, and ill nature, as a Spider with poyson: to her he had disclosed this matter, with his hate to Antonarus, and to her gave the charge of mee, my Father having before given over the world, and was retyred into a religious house, having left me, and all his estate to my brother, yet during his life, my brother would not take the title upon him, but the authority of the County of Moravia. Now was my Hunts man to returne, small safetie being where such hatefull spies inhabited, no more surety then a poore hare hath in the hands of the hounds, who have long hunted to prey upon it: so did they seeke to ruine us, the extreame hate my brother bare to Antonarus, rising from this cause. When they were youthes, and both in the Emperous Court, there liv'd at that time, a young Lady of the house of Austria, excellently faire, and as fairely condition'd, whose vertues were such, as most prizing worth, for Vertues sake, she made choice wholy of worthinesse in conversation, choice of companions, and the whole course of her life ranne that way, which made her chooce Antonarus, and so much to affect him, as nothing but death, could be ender of her affection, and yet I know not how I can say so, since dying, shee express'd her affection to him she loved, and no question but his goodnesse requited it in his wishes to serve her, but friendship wrought so in him, as he would not seeme to receive it, my brother being so passionately in love with her, as Antonarus saw, if he accepted her love, he must with that, kill his friend, rather then to doe so foule an act, hee would seeme cruel, and wrong, and harme himselfe, sooner then hurt him: yet oft hath he told me, that he hath from his soule, wish'd my brother had never discov er'd his affection to him, for then ignorantly hee might have made himselfe happy in her, whose happinesse onely consisted in him, and yet was denied, because he loved his companion. O friendship, excellent vertue to be embraced, and cheerished, yet herein would such friendship had not beene. Still did Terichillus tell Antonarus how he lov'd, and how he saw she slighted him, and yet cri'd he, she loves; would I were the Dogge she so kindly treats, and playes with all, or that little bird, which she still kisses, and carries in her breast, or any thing save wretched me my selfe, so loath'd, and hated by her. Then did he comfort him, telling him, patience and constancy might solicit for him, and his still presenting himselfe in her eyes, might win, if any thing could prevaile by love. At last my brother plainely discerned the love she bare to Antonarus, then he grew furious, and for all these former passages mistrusted this firme friend; hee finding it, and no way to kill this Cancor, tooke leave of the Court, and my brother, at his parting telling him, that whatsoever he imagined of him, he should finde him true to him. To the Lady he went not, but privately in the morning he stole away, and pass'd many Countries with much honor, but now comes the wofull part of this Story. She seeing him gone, and Terichillus stay, quickly guess'd the matter: then grew rage in her, and whereas, before she would use him civilly, for Anotonarus sake, now she plainely shew'd the hate, she bare him, who she beleeud to be the cause of his going; that beliefe told her she must not suffer such an injury, that injury being above all, where love was by it barr'd: his sight grew odious to her, when she remembred that with him Antonarus us'd to come, now she saw nothing but the foule Coppy of an excellent worke, his presence, made her see the absence of her sole content, as the bare shelfes do of the ebbed Tyde: and as bare without liking did he seeme: yet could she not beware of the flowing ill, which followed by his spite; nor did shee strive to shunne any thing but his presence, he infinitly loving; she terribly hating, let her passion grow to such violence, as it grew infectious, and he that but now sought, still continued in search, but of what? Not of love, but meanes to be revenged of her, whose love he could not compasse, but whose overthrowe he meant to gaine. Eyes which lately serv'd to bring his comfort to him, in seeing her, are employd to be curious spies over her affections: howres spent wholly in examining her worth, and vertues, chang'd to plott her ruine; admiration of her goodnesse, to admiring, why hee could affect such a body of disdaine; alteration so beyond expectation, as understanding when this happened, was to seeke, yet did he dissemble still, and made love (the honour of noble hearts) the colour for his wickednesse, making his malice spring and overgrow his love, as Nettles doe Violets, or Hemlock Pincks: yet did his counterfeit affection grow with it. At last, he wrought so cunningly, as hee intercepted a Letter which shee sent to Antonarus, which having opened, and read, he made the answer, counterfeiting his hand so well, as none could discover it, or know it to bee other then his; the messenger he made safe for telling tales, making bloud accompany his Treason. Thus he continued, heaping more ills upon his soule, then shels in number are upon the Sea-shore; alas that he were not my brother, since I must thus speake of him, or rather I would his last act, had not made me the unwilling, and unfit relater of his ill. The poore Lady, still loving him, writ, and with all the zealous affection shee could, perswaded his returne, with whom she would goe and bring him to the famous Duke her father, where all honour should be done him. He still answerd with delayes, at last, (or indeed, his unappointed Secratatary) made this answere, that good manners had made him thus long answer respectively, but since he found, that nothing but his company, and marriage would satisfie her, shee must be contented to be plainly told, that he despised her forwardnesse, and as much her selfe, his heart being set already on one, farre more deserving then her selfe, who deserved nothing of him, to alter his former affection, nor could merit any thing of the world, if not by marrying Terichillus, who affectionatly loved her, and thus she might honor her self in requiting him, and that if she desired to have so much as a good thought from him, shee must performe this, or else to bee assured of a mortall hater of her selfe, and house. She (alas) whose heart love had made tender, and tendernesse, pitifull, could not but so much pitie it selfe, as to breake with this unkindnesse; yet died shee not speedily, but which was worst (yet in a kind, happy for her) her woman wrought such meanes, as a brother of hers found Antonarus, to whom he discovered the pitifull estate of the Lady, and what complaints she indured the absence, and cruelty of him, who sought to murder her, for faithfully loving him. This discourse made him resolve to see her, and if it might be, to save her, dying, or shame of it working more in him, then living love could purchase; so as he went to the Court, where he found her ready to depart, yet not past sense, but that shee knew him; or rather having only sense of love, tooke quick apprehension, so as she looked up, and spake chearefully to him, desiring all else to avoid the chamber, when that was done, she took him by the hand, and weeping, thus spake. Antonarus what fault have I committed, that hath brought this cruelty from thee? If extreame, and loyall affection can offend, then have I infinitely offended? But alas, blame your selfe, your vertues made me choose you, your winning eies, made me your subject; your worth, commanded my fidelity; you onely I lovd, and you onely murder me with unkindnesse; yet pardon me that I speake thus boldly, since I feare my former boldnesse made you despise me. Chide Love, alas, it was he offended, and I did but by directions, write those Letters so rejected, and despised by you. He hearing her speake thus, and touch upon Letters, desired to be resolv'd of that; she admiring at his seeming ignorant of that, yet loath, even at the last to seeme harsh to him, told him of his curst answere, and to satisfie him, shew'd him the Letters themselves, with the Copies of hers, which (said shee) I had burnt, had you not come as you did. When he saw them, no man could manifest more furious sorrow, for he could not speake, but wept and sob'd, toare his haire, and remained like a distracted creature, till she urging him, and he desiring to satisfie her, swore they were none of his, nor that ever he received any from her; O miserable man said he, thus to be betrayd, what have I done to be thus plagued, and insufferably afflicted? Alas, my deerest, I never heard from thee, never writ to thee, but if I had, sweetnes, and love, should have beene the subject, and not this. False Terichillus, this I feare, comes from thee, for this is thy hand, I know it is the same in jest, that thou wert wont to counterfeit, and hast thou practisd it for this? unkind, and cruell man. Shee seeing his sorrow and his clearenesse, received much comfort, and taking him againe by the hand, happy am I, my Lord, (said shee) that shall now ende contented, blessed in your love, and cleare from the end, I fear'd, you had sent me; be happy my onely deare, and live with all content, let that Lady, whosoever you shall choose, love you no lesse then I doe; let her be as just, and loyall, but so much more fortunate, for your sake, as to live to enjoy you longer. Had you beene cruell, as you were accused falsely, my love had pardoned it, and welcommer had my death beene to me (sent by you) then life, if in dislike of you. My soule lov'd you, and loves you, nor ever suffer'd it shewe of dislike against you, I had cleerly passed into the other world without blameing you: yet am I happy to see you, and your truth before I part. I must leave you, my onely love I must goe, and yet this I will beseech you to keep of me the memory of your truest love, and let that memory bee put with love, and not moov'd with rage to revenge these wrongs; he hath done you a favour it may be, in keeping you for a worthyer, but never can you have a truer. He weeping told her, he tooke that last ill, that shee would say, hee could have a worthier. O no, said he, that cannot be, thy worth cannot be equal'd, no more then my wrongs reveng'd sufficiently. They both wept, then spake a little, and so tooke their leaves, shee seeing his sorrow, was afflicted for it, he finding it, sought to cover it, so he kissed her, and went out of the chamber, with as dying a heart as she had almost, no sooner was he gone, but she calling her woman to her, willed her to burne those papers, then taking a ring from off her finger (which was a pointed Diamond she ever wore, & had vowed to doe so, till she died or married) charged her to give it Antonarus, then turning her to the other side, tell him (said she) I bequeath this my truest love, and last love to him, & so I conjure him to keepe these. She went to performe her command, he instantly with the rest of the company came in, but there they found her dead. It was (alas) too late to recover her, but not to give a more happy end: how he tooke it, onely such a love can expresse, which began but when she was dying, and enjoyed but in death. He instantly left the Court and hearing Terichillus, had stollen away upon his comming, guiltinesse condemning him, he went in search of him, putting on an armour, as blacke as his sorrowes: & so he travelled, cloathed in sorrow, accompanied with remembrance of her chast and loyall love, her death, the treason that caused it, the injury done him, yet her spotlesse affection. All these were motives, the more he ran from one to the other still the first held him, and wrapt him fast in all. Thus he went, caught in himselfe, till hee met Terichillus, in a plaine betweene two hills to whom he sent his Squire, who was all his company, not to discourse with him, but to call him to answere the wrongs done to him and his love; when the Squire came to him, hee made no answer but this, he had cause to call him to account, and he would satisfie him, so he prepared himselfe, and they met, where they fought a cruell fight; but Antonarus hav ing justice on his side, got so much the better, hee had Terichillus under him, and at his mercy, which when he had confest, asked pardon of him for his fault, he tooke him up with these words; Rise Terichillus, thy shame and conscience are sufficient revengers, I will not shed thy bloud, which cannot cleanse so foule a fault, or satisfie for losse of her so chaste and immaculate; make it more cleare, and purer if thou canst with true repentance, while mine eyes, and heart drops, fulfill and serve for her funerall. Then leap'd he upon his horse leaving my brother hurt, and wounded, more with scorne, and hate of himselfe so to be saved, then kindly thanking him that had done it. Away Antonarus posted, and came into Moravia, to visit me, who indeed was onely his servant, Infant Love on my side haveing made me so; he stayd not long but told me all this story, for which I lov'd him better then before, gratefulnesse having large command over my hart. Hee never by my words had knowledge of my love to him, till two yeares after passing by that way, and privately desiring to see me, (unfortunately for us both) I did confesse it, hee embraced it, and so wee lov'd, my brother still continuing his hate, but in my Fathers time of life, did make no publique shew of it. Upon the death of him he tooke the title, and first began with open proclamations of his hate, and the first forbidding me his company, yet where were these proclaimd, but in his house, and to his private friends? yet I went further, and did warne my love of him; this was the cause hee came not in his sight, nor to his knowledge: and in hunts-mans habit was the last time I did see him; for my brother returned with his wife, the watches were made new, and stronger over me, yet love made them fruitles, for on a time appointed we met, and meant to keepe together; then boldly I writ to my brother, telling him what I had done, and that I hoped he would excuse me, since I had taken him for my husband, whom love and youth had chosen for mee, and now was gone with him, whom most I loved to live with, and whom I now was happily to obay. My brother grew infinitely inraged with this, and straight sent out many horses to stay, and interrupt our passage; but in vaine, for we were passed, and had laid such spies for them, as kept us free. Into Selesia we came, finding, and bringing with me all content, in having my owne hearts desire with me. Antonarus welcommed me with gift of all his estate; I returned that to him againe, taking a farre greater (as I esteemd it) which was himselfe and his true love, my best and only fortune. Terichillus this while imagined himself highly injured, wherefore he sent Antonarus word, that so ill he tooke this affront, as he would with armes regaine his honour touched. He replied, that he had rather in his opinion, done him honor to match with him, nor did he do it for other cause then his affection, which begun in our youths, had growne to this perfection; therefore he intreated him rather with love, then Armes to end the businesse; if not, hee would prepare to attend his comming, as hee pleased. Within some few moneths, Terichillus with an army entred Selesia, but onely enterd it, when an army led by Polisander brother to Antonarus, met him, giving him battaile, and life also, for he in an encounter might have killed him, but mercy more then judgement governd him, so as he spared him, on condition the warres should cease, which he promised, and a firme league should be made between us, which Polisander should have the glory of. Thus agreed, hee came with him where wee were; Armes dismist, and swords laid downe, he was nobly entertaind, and received by Antonarus, who ment truth; and after some dayes were passed, an oath of friendship was taken of both sides. Then Terichillus returnd into his Country of Moravia, Polisander bringing him to the confines thereof, there committing him to his owne safetie. Antonarus was glad of this conclusion, because it joyed me, and I for his quiet did rejoyce. One whole yeare this lasted, in which time we had a sonne, after whose birth, and my recovery againe, Terichillus invited us unto his Court with all love (or better to say, show of it) we believing, went thither, trusting, as not meaning to bee false. Into Polisanders hands my Lord put the government of the State, and also to him gave the charge of his sonne; and well might he doe it, for a more noble honest man lives not, then he is. Into Moravia we went, met we were in the confines by noble men and Ladies, and still by more, and greater, till wee arrived at the Court, where at the gate my brother and his wife met us; no state, nor welcome wanted, which outward testimony could expresse, nor doubted we; but like the silly birds, who hearing the sweet singing of other birds set for stales, thinking by that mirth they had no imprisonment, fall by innocent beliefe into the nets: so did we, seeing smiles, and hearing nothing but welcome and joy speake, grew confident and bold upon our harmes. Some daies wee staid there, Feasts, Tiltings, and all braverie that the Court could yeeld, shewed it selfe unto us. After those sports were past, Terichillus would have us goe a hunting, which we did, for two daies having excellent good, & great variety of sport; the third day we also were to goe and conclude our delights, which indeede wee did: for in a great Wood (and the same where my Antonarus was accustomed, when hee was a Huntsman to bide in, and from whence I heard his Horne, which was the signe of his being there, and of call for me to him) this unnaturall man Terichillus (for longer I cannot call him brother) had laid traytors in ambush, with command to execute his will, he in the meane time telling us, that a mighty Stagge was within, harbored of purpose for us. Then carried he us into the thickest of it, placing the traine on the out-side, farre enough from helpe or hinderance; with him wee went to rouse the Deere, and so we did the too costly beasts that murdered my content, for then they shewd themselves, suddenly rushing on Antonarus, who had onely a little hunting sword by his side, with which he killed one, but they many soone possest themselves of his sword and him. Then Terichillus reviled, and scoffed at him and me, telling us, that here was a youth, had wont to walke those Woods, and call a Nimph unto him by his Horne: but Satyrs found their wantonnesse, and so had vowed revenge, and thus doe we said he. Then those men, who were disguised in that shape (and the fittest for so savage an act) murdered him, making mee behold the cruelty for the greater torture. When all was done (which ended with his life) they went away, lifting the body only up upon a horse, and setting me upon mine owne againe, gave me the bridle of the other to leade with me, as the substance and demonstration of my miserie. Out of the Wood I went with this pitifull, and yet my belov ed companion; excessive sorrow had so shut up my senses, as I wept not at the instant, nor till I was to tell the Tragedy, which was presently after my comming into the Plaine, meeting some of the Selesians, who accompanied me in mourning, little else we could doe, for in the County, where the murderer ruled (and alas our company a handfull, in comparison of his people), what could we doe but weepe and wish? Then got we our small troope together, and with as much haste, as our heavinesse could allow us, wee gained the Country of Selesia; to Polisander we related this villany, whose sorrow and sadnesse was such, as hee was not able to give or take counsell, sometimes hee did purpose to revenge this treachery himselfe, cursing himselfe for sparing the murderer, when he might have killed him, blaming his Fortune that let him live to slay his brother: lamenting the time he made the reconsiliation, accusing himselfe as much as Terichillus, for having been the unfortunate instrument of this mischiefe. Alas (said he) how happy had Selesia been, if I had been slaine in the battaile, and how more blessed I, that had not lived to see this day: deare Antonarus, hath thy brother, beloved so much of thee, been the cause of thy losse? accursed creature that I am, yet pardon mee deare brother, I lament thy death as much as heart can doe: Selesia, yours is the losse unrecoverable in loosing such a Prince, punish me then, I am ready: and dearest Sister (cry'd he) take this life from mee, how can you see mee, who brought your worthy Lord this misfortune? O Antonarus my soule dies for thee. His infinite griefe was such, as most were forced to watch him, lest he made himselfe away; yet such was, and is his vertue, as I hope will protect him from using violence on himselfe. Much adoe we had to perswade him from going into Moravia, to revenge his brother: but at last I gained thus much of him, to leave the reveng to mee, whose losse was greatest, and cause demaunds most pitty, to gaine some brave Prince to right me; upon counsell, and my petition he granted it, whereupon I put on these robes, he prov iding this Chariot, and all other things necessary for our journey, appoynting the mourning in this kind. The same day that I tooke my journey, hee proclaimed my sonne, heire and Prince of Selesia, himselfe protector, and so have I traveled now two months, Terichillus giving me leave to passe through this part of his Country, to goe to finde a Knight, whose vallour and pitty will assist me. To find you most brave and excellent King, I tooke my way, with hope to beg such a favor of you, whose compassion and worth all toungs speake of, and harts admire; none but magnifying Amphilanthus for true noblenesse, excellent goodnes, perfect vertue, and matchlesse valour. Wherfore I beseech you, as you may be, or are a lover, in that regard, aide me, as a King, asist me against a murderer of a Prince, and as the best of Knights, against such treachery. The cause is strange, and the businesse, it may be, will to some seeme nice, since a sister urgeth revenge of a brother; but weigh with all, that my love, and husband is murder'd, and by my brother's owne hands, that will wipe away all doubts, and cleere me to implore your aid. The King, and Amphilanthus much pittied, and admired the Lady, who had related this story, with as much passion, and fine expression of witty sorrow as could be; Amphilanthus moved so much with it, as he presently consented, and gave his promise to asist her: so they pass'd to the Court in the same manner as she before had travel'd, for she had vowed never to leave the body, nor to bury it, till she had his death reveng'd. When they came where Terichillus was, she sent unto him, to let him know she had brought a Knight to defend her wrong, and to call him to account for his Treason, hee made his wonted slight answers: but the List, and all things were prepared; then entred the Lady with the body, and the two Knights accompanied with the mourners; the Princesse of Moravia, because her husband was one, would not be present, the other Ladyes were plac'd to see the fight. Then it was proclaymed, that if the Knight were overcome, hee should loose his head, and the Lady should be at Terichillus disposing, if the Knight overcame, then the Prince, if vanquished and alive, should be disposed of by the Lady, and the Knights, with all the troope, should have safe passage, without stay, or disturbance in returne. Thus all agreed on, the Trumpets sounded; Terichillus furious, and ambitious of victory and peace, encountred Amphilanthus with such strength, as he made him bow backwards on his horse, but the King strooke him flat on his backe upon the ground, having meanes by this, to aske pardon from heav en for his offence: but he least thinking of so good a matter, quickly got up, and with his Sword in his hand, did attend Amphilanthus, whose noble curtesie was such, as not to take advantage of him, lighted also to fight on foote. Terichillus was valiant, strong, and now to fight for life, and honour, so as hee held Amphilanthus longer play, then many had done; yet at last he acknowledged with all others, the King to be fittest to be yeelded unto, and so percei ving his life at an end, curstly set his sword on the ground, and brake it, desirous as it seemd to die unarmd, rather then disarmd by Amphilanthus; which was to no purpose, he making him openly make confession of his fault; ask pardon, direct, that al should obay his sister as their Lady and Princesse; weep and lament his fortune without compulsion, and according to his ill life, hee frowardly and peevishly concluded his daies, leaving behind him this certaintie, that such treasons are never any more left unpunished, then Countries without Princes: for straight was his Sister proclaimed, and he as soone forgot, as she speedily received. The King of Bohemia, and the King of the Romans were carried into rich chambers, but they since the last busines in the Castle, would never lie alone, so as they were lodged together, and as soone as Amphilanthus was recoverd of some slight wounds, he received in this combat, they took their leaves, following on their journey for Hungary. But as they were even ready to leave Moravia (hard by a Wood which grew from the bottom of a hill to the top, the hill steepy, craggy, and ful of rocks, and places where stones had been cut for building of a stately Abby, which was among meadowes, not farre from the foote of this hill, betweene two dainty rivers, but then decaied by warre) they met a Lady running, her haire loose, covering her face, her cries loud and fearefull, her cloathes halfe on, and halfe off, a strange disorder in her words, she spake as if danger pursued, and helpe requisitly demanded; a little from her were some men, who hastily followed her, one especially from whom it seemd, she sought to be delivered. Amphilanthus willing to aide, and she seeming to beseech it, rid to her, to demand the cause; she fled, he pursued till they came to the bottom of a great quarry, there in some thicknesse she offerd to cover her self; but he lighting, desired to know the cause of her flight and danger. She, as if her enemy had been at hand, amazedly, and frightfully answered; Alas Sir? what meane you? what injury have I done you, that you should thus follow me? I never wrongd you, why seeke you my dishonour? He reply'd, that she was deceiv'd, and therefore intreated her to looke up againe upon him, & she would see her error. Then beholding him wishly, as if she had been till then in the wrong; Pardon me my Lord (said she) for I mistooke you, my misery being such, as hath quite destracted me, I am a poore Lady dwelling here, not farre hence, in yonder old Abbey, Lady thereof by the death of my Husband, since which time a young Lord hath been an earnest suter to me; but my love and fortune dying with my husband, or but liv ing to his memory, I refused him, as many other that have sought me, wherupon he vowed to have me by force, since no other meanes would prevaile, and this day to performe his vow; he came, found me but slightly guarded, and newly out of my bed, tooke me out of my house, bound my servants, and thus farre on the way hath brought me: but when I saw this thicke Wood, and being acquainted with the hidnest parts of it, I slipt from behind his serv ant that carried mee, and with all speed possible ran (as I thinke you must needs see me) towards this wildernes, here I hope I am secure, and shall assure my selfe of it, if it might please you, to take me into your protection. He curteous beyond expression, promised to defend her. I pray Sir (said she) let me yet ask some things more of you, which are, what your name is, and how long you have been in this Country? My name (said he) is Amphilanthus, my being here, hath bin some time, being brought hither by the Princesse Sydelia . Let me be so bold, I beseech you, to demand one favour more, which is, Whether you were one of those two that came with her, to revenge her quarrell? I am indeed (said hee), and the same who fought with Terichillus. Then am I blessed, said she, for I may assure my selfe of the valiantest man alive. While they were thus discoursing, an other Lady, with as fearfull cries, & shricks passed by, running from the Wood-ward, with such haste, as her feare had made her so light, as shee left no print, so much as pressing the grasse whereon she ranne, the impression it seem'd being in her, and no weight but switnesse allowed her feet. Ollorandus followed her, shee fledd still, till shee had lead him a good distance from his freind. Oh Ollorandus, what misfortune now befalleth thee? What Witchcraft made thee forget thy vowe, and Melissea's command? Thy friend was carefuller of thee, and with more constancy accomplish'd thy desire, how hast thou abandon'd him in greatest neede? For he sitting by the Lady, as she had done speaking, out of the deep part of the Quarry came many armed men, and all set upon the King. He thinking they had beene her enemies, defended himselfe, and willed her to take heede, take that counsell thy selfe, cride shee, thou hatefull murderer of my Husband, and dye for killing Terichillus. Then he found he was betrai'd, wherefore taking the best courage he could, (and that was the best of the world) he resolutely withstood their fury; but at last their company still increasing, and his wounds, and weakenesse growing with them, the place besides ill to fight in, being uneven, full of bushes, and all disadvantages that might be to him, he was brought into infinite danger, and so much, as giving himselfe lost, he recommended his last love, and best wishes to his deere selfe, and so resolv'd, bravely meant to end. But what did Ollorandus all this while? He was held with discourse by a like deceiver, as his friend had mett, till he heard the noyse of the Dwarfes, who calld him to that place with fearefull, and lamentable cries; where he found Amphilanthus, now ready to fall among the bodies of those he had slaine, as if he had kild them, to lye the hansommer on their bodies, in that ill favored place, and to have an easier bed in death. When he saw this sadd sight, how did he curse himselfe? Then remembred he what he had been warn'd to doe, then sawe he the fault committed in beleefe, and their treacherie; all these togeather made such a full consent of fury, as hee flew amongst them with blowes, like shame for villany, heavy, and thicke, and such good did he, as what with his valour, and the new courage his presence brought Amphilanthus, his weake lims, they gave a little respite to him, who sate downe within the clift of the Quarry; but then an other mischiefe followed, for that divellish causer of all this, beholding him, and having the power as she thought to hurt him, shee rolled a stone (which was loose, of great weight, and bignesse, staying but upon the edge of a clift) downe upon him, which gave him (though falling not directly, upon him, but a little part upon his shoulder) such a cruell stroak, especially to his weakenesse, as he fell with it on his face. Ollorandus seeing it, verily thought hee had beene dead, whereupon he cried out; damn'd Countrey, that must be the death of that, which all the world envied Italy for, the blessing of nursing brave Amphilanthus , farewell, and farewell all worth with thee. Then did his fury encrease, and to that height, as but two being left of all the number, the Neapolitan Prince having brought them from many, to almost none, yet fewe; too many then for him sore wounded, he dispatched the rest, one onely surv iving, who much molested him, & soarely handled him, going as he thought to take up that unmatched King, he saw him stirre, and rise. With greater joy he then ranne to him, who embraced him, and welcomd him as the saver of his life; but the other craved pardon of him even upon his knees, acknowledging his unpardonable fault. Amphilanthus quickly forgave him, and seeing the one surviving man againe, set on them, finish'd that noble dayes worke, and kill'd him with his owne hand. Then did Ollorandus looke about, and with wonder admire that exploit, wondring that such a multitude set upon the King, and that his strength and courage had withstood, and overthrowne so many; this indeed being one of the greatest victories, and without comparison, the most hazardous and dangerous that ever he fell into. As they were thus beholding the slaughter and thinking how to goe thence to cure their wounds, they heard one speake these words; Accursed fortune, that still hath crost my desires, now will I not be more crossed in this wicked world; farewell cruell men, all mischiefs attend you both, and curst be your best wishes. With that shee threw her selfe from the topp of that huge Quarry, into the place where Amphilanthus sate, when she (for this was the Princesse) threwe the stone upon him, and against the same stone, stid she breake her necke. Then did they strive to bring some of them that lay on the ground to life, if but to tell the plot, but in vaine for they were all dead, yet for their better fortune, the same woman who had lead Ollorandus away, they saw againe, wherefore he ridd unto her, and not purposing to be any more abused by her, brought her to Amphilanthus, then did she confesse all the villany, but yet not till she saw her Lady dead; the Treason was when the Princesse saw her Husband dead, kild by Amphilanthus, she one of the wickedest living, set some to enquire what course these Knights would take, and so gaining notice that they were to goe into Hungary, shee appointed one of her servants, (a fit creature for such a mistresse) to offer his service to them. They not knowing the way, were very glad of such a conveniency, and so entertain'd him, who brought them to this place, where they mett this terrible encounter, the Princesse her selfe contented to act a part, for the getting of her devillish purpose, and as a perfect actor did performe the last act best of her Tragedy. Then did she warne them of passing on that way, for (said shee) an other ambush is layd for you, but if you will credit me, though (I confesse) I may be ashamed to expect it, having beene already one that deceiud you, yet as I have any faith, I tell you now but truth, and will advise you to the best, goe not this plaine way, for by yonder Abbey, is as dangerous a troupe layd for you, but crosse this Hill, which though rough and uneasie, yet is the way secure and safe. They thanked her, and for her punishment onely appointed her to goe to the new Princesse, and to her discourse all this businesse, and then if shee could turne good from so much ill, as she had been bred in, they should be glad, and so they parted; the false and treacherous Princesse having no other Tombe then the Quarrey, nor rights but her owne actions, nor monument but the carkasse of her wicked serv ants. The Knights following the Gentlewomans directions, passed with much difficulty the hill, and craggy rocks, getting on the other side, which was a fine and pleasant Country, to a grave Knights house, where they continued, till they were cured of their wounds. The Gentlewoman performing their command, arrived at the Court, where she related the whole treason, danger and successe of it, telling withall, how that was the onely punishment allotted her. The kind Sedelia grieved in her soule for this mischance, yet was comforted when she was assured of their safeties; then sent shee some to visit them, but they could not meet them, though they found the noble memories of them in the slaughter, but heard by a Pastor that they were wel, & gon from the old Knights house perfectly whole, and recoverd. At their returne, the Princesse rejoyced, and in remembrance of Amphilanthus, and his friend, set up a piller in that place, of excellent richnesse, and bignes, in which was curiously engraven that famous victory: the Abby being daintely seated, & having al delights of pleasure, either solitary or otherwise, she built anew, & much more glorious then before, wherin she made the tombe for Antonarus, laying his body there, leaving a place for her selfe, and as soone as her Son came to yeares, fit for government, she put the whole rule into his hands, retyring her selfe to this place, where with loyall love, and sincere faith, she ended her dayes, beeing after buried with him, from whom living, shee would not be parted, nor dead, severed. The noble companions beeing recovered, tooke leave of their kinde host, who would not be contented, till Amphilanthus entertained his onely Son for his Squire, which he did, and so they pass'd towards Hungary; ryding by a faire and pleasant rivers side, which Ollorandus knew, and welcomd each drop which passed by him, knowing, the place where his Mistris most commonly lived at, was seated on this streame, his thoughts were busied on her, and Amphilanthus as passionately contemplated his love: thus they rid together, yet their thoughts so farre asunder, as might have made them strangers. As thus they passed among some Osiers, which grew by the side of that River, some of them within it, or the water in love with their rootes, chastly embraced them, making pretty fine ponds betweene each other, the armes, and bodyes of the trees, lying so kindly to each other, as with much ease, and fine coolenesse, one might passe from one to the other. A dainty Maide among the trees, had taken up her abiding, having made a kind of bed among them, upon their boughs, which twind within one anothers armes made the lodging secure. She had an Angle in her hand, and lay as if fishing, but her mind plac'd on a higher pleasure; she little regarded the byting of the fish, beeing her selfe deceived with a cunninger baite, the hooke of love having caught her so fast, as nothing could release her, and as she sate, she would make pretty, and neate comparisons, betweene her betraying the poore silly fish, and her owne being betrayed by the craft of love, which some times she commended; and yet againe would condemne. At this time she was in a reasonable good conceit of love, & favorable enough to him, as appeard by this song she sung, the voyce beeing the cause of their seeking any body in that place. Love peruse me, seeke, and finde How each corner of my minde is a twine woven to shine. Not a Webb ill made, foule fram'd, Bastard not by Father nam'd, such in me cannot bee. Deare behold me, you shall see Faith the Hive, and love the Bee, which doe bring, gaine and string. Pray desist me, sinewes daines Holds, and loves life in those gaines; lying bare to despaire, When you thus annottomise All my body, my heart prise; being true just to you. Close the Truncke, embalme the Chest, Where your power still shall rest, joy entombe, loves just doome. The Song ended, they went towards her, desiring to discourse with her, she curteous and excellently witty, gave them entertainement, her apparrell was such, as said for her, she was of the best sort of women: her Gowne was of greene Satten, with long sleeves to the ground; they, and her gowne buttoned to the bottom, with buttons of Diamonds, so were her wearing sleeves; but by reason the weather was warme, they were left open in spaces, through which her cut worke Smock appeared, and here and there, her delicate skin was seene; shee held her angle as neglectively, as love the ill causer of her paine held her, when the poore little fish did plaie with the baite, or offer to swallow it, too big for them, yet made the corke stirre: so (would she say) doth Love with me, play with me, shew mee pleasures, but lets me enjoy nothing but the touch of them, and the smart of the hooke that hurts me without gaine, and only gives as light a good to me, as the hope this floting corck did give me of the fishes prison. But these imaginations were laid aside by the two Princes comming, to whom she presently rose up, and with fit and excellent respect she saluted them, throwing downe her rod, wherewith she had thretned, but executed little hurt, & passing over her transparant bridge, went unto them, whom she used according to their merits, when shee understood who they were, conducting them along that river to a most curious garden, and so into another, and then into as rare a place for building, as they in all their travels had ever seene, being a house of white Marble. Varietie of all delights were there, and shee desirous that they should enjoy them, giv ing all the free and noble welcome that could be afforded. After they had been a while in the house, shee desired them to be pleased to unarme themselves, which they did, being brought into a rich chamber, wherein there were two marvellous faire beds, they having before intreated to lodge together. Then did she leave them till supper time, comming then againe to attend them; but when she beheld them, she could not but extreamely admire the lovelinesse of Amphilanthus, for no woman, were shee never so passionately in love with any, but confessed him fittest to bee beloved, though such were his worth, as few had the honour of his affection, and most of them gratefulnesse woed more for, then his owne choice. Thus they went together to the roome where they were to eate, the King of Bohemia using all respect unto the Lady, who he thought did much resemble his Mistris: but as a true lover thought shee came farre short of her perfections. At supper there were many Knights more that came to visit this Lady, she being much honoured, and beloved of all: her husband was likewise there, but such a man to bee her mate, as if hee were made for a punishment to her, for being so excellently perfect above the common rate of her sexe, her fashion such, as no stranger could but commend to be full of modesty, and judgement towards him; but as it was discreet and observing, so was it to be discernd distant enough from affection, yet as farre from neglect as fondnesse, his likewise to her, as if shee governd both parts of love. He entertained these Princes with much kindnes keeping them company, and shewing them al the rare delights he had about his house, which were many: but the greatest rarenesse they saw, was the Lady, who so much Amphilanthus marked, as he discoverd her to be one of their fellow prisoners in the Castle of love; wherefore desirous to heare that discourse, especially loving to heare love described, and related by a woman, out of whose lipps those sweet passions more sweetely proceeded, hee gave occasion for it, as they walked along a dainty pleasant brooke, the bankes whereof were of such sweetnesse, as the plenty of the most delicate smelling flowers could yeeld unto them, being shadowed from the Sunnes parching by Mirtle, and that Mirtle preserved by high, and brave trees, whose breadth and large boughs spread to give content to those, who under them would submit to solitarinesse. This place (said Amphilanthus) were fitter much for lovers, then such free Princes as live here. Is there any free from that passion my Lord, said she? Only such (said hee) as you are, whose sence of love doth rather from you command harts to your service, then presume to bring you into the fetters, being rather his commandres, then subject. An untoward government (answered she) assuredly I have yet had, I never having enjoyed quiet minut, since I knew this state, but that rebellious passions have ever tormented me. Can that be, cry'd Amphilanthus?? I am sensible of them, said she. Alas, said Amphilanthus, that I might be so fortunat to merit so great a happines, as to understand the way, that bold love takes to conquer such perfection. That may soone be gaind (said shee) for requite me with your story, and I will truly discourse my fortunes to you. Never let mee bee rewarded for my paine (said hee) if I refuse this noble offer. Begin you Sir (said shee). I will obay in that also (said he): and then did he tell her the whole story of his affection, onely keeping her name secret, because Ollorandus knew her, and had mistrust of it, but no assurance; after which she began thus. My Lord, so ill it seemes love hath carried himselfe, as it is a kind of fault in a woman to confesse any such matter; yet I knowing my selfe innocent of ill, and now ingaged by your freedome to make a requitall, I will venture to speak of this Lord, Love. My father had a sister married to one of the noblest and greatest Princes of this Countrie, as rich in possesions as any, yet possessed he not so much treasures, as hee did vertues, being richer in them, then any other of this land, true noblenesse and noble hospitalitie abounding in him. He had to inherit his estate, two Sonnes and one Daughter, children fit for such a father, truly and lawfully being heires to both his estates of riches, and vertuous qualities. Many yeares this good Lord lived, but age claiming the due belonging to time, and a sore disease taking him, hee dyed, leaving his honours, vertues and chiefe estate to his eldest sonne, called Laurimello, who had been much in my fathers house, his father putting that trust in his brother in Law, as to leave his dearest part of comfort with him: besides, my Fathers estate lay neare to the Citie of Buda, which was a conveniency, by reason of the Courts lying there, for his seeing, and frequenting that: by reason whereof, after his fathers death he brought his sister likewise thither, betweene whom and my selfe, there grew an entire friendship. She being great, and her brother beloved, and honoured above any other Prince, many sought her for wife: but shee knowing her perfections and greatnesse, was nice in accepting any, nor indeed had shee much mind to marry, loving her liberty more then marriages bondage. Among others that offered their service to her, there was one called Charimellus , who by his friends and parents, was sent to sue for her favour; thither hee came; but I comming with her into the roome where her suiter was, and her brother, with many more, hee cast his eyes on mee, which brought him that misfortune, as to bee so suddenly surprised, as he knew not scarce how to salute her, which made her scorne him, laughing at his bashfulnesse, which caused so much blushing and trembling in him. I regarded not his traunces, beginning so much as to thinke from whence it proceeded, but out of good nature was sorry for the man, who in troth deserved much pitie, and merited great respect: but my heart else where placed, held mine eies in their set way, not marking any thing but mine own fortunes, no more then one starre troubles it selfe with anothers course: but my cosin, who would not keepe her thoughts from imparting them to her friends liberally used her wit on him, whose part I tooke, ignorant of the cause I had, till some dayes being passed, in which she gave him refusall; he discovered his love to me, and withall, protesting how he was surprised at my first sight. I told him, I could not believe one sight on such an instant could worke such an alteration; nor if it were true, that I would so soone accept of a refused suiter, since my fortunes I trusted would not be such, as to bind me to take my cosins leav ings. This answer griev'd him, yet did it no way allay his affection, but rather like snow, which plaid with all, doth make ones hands burne: so did the cold despaire of my words make his hart hot, & glow in love towards me, my friends liked and lov'd him, he being of a sweet and mild disposition, valiant, and accompanied with many brave, and noble conditions; and such a one, as none, I thinke, could have disliked, that had been ordaind to marry with judgement onely, or had not their heart before settled as mine was. Long he pursued his love, at last he gained my fathers consent, my mothers, and most of my friends, the estate, and antiquitie of his house, besides his person, meriting any subject for wife. When I saw this, and the danger I was in to bee bestowed; I then wholly employd my time, in studying how I might gaine mine owne desires, and finely put this off. While this was in my mind, a third businesse came in, which was another match offerd my father for me, whose estate was greater, and neerer to our dwelling: to which my father (being more then ordinarily affectionate to me) quickly harkned, and willingly embraced. Then was I in more danger then before, my heart so perplexed, as I knew not what I did. Poore Charimellus came unto me, wept to me, presented his affection to my memory and eies: I pittied him, and truly had as much compassion upon him, as I, or any other (whose soule was in anothers keeping) could have of him; and so much favour I did grant him, as to promise to speake with my Father, and directly to refuse the new proffered match. This contented him, hoping my refusall had been onely for his good: I performed my promise, and spake with my father, telling him, how much he was afflicted, how passionately he loved me, what reasons I had rather to accept of him then any other, how the world had taken such notice alreadie of his two yeares suite, as it would be a disgrace to him, and a touch to me, to take this new one; nor did I find that I could affect him, therefore I besought him to graunt me that blessing, that I might not be thus yeelded to every great match, but that the businesse might be carried more to my honour and content. My father I confesse was vext with these words; yet being as kind as any man, he moderated his furie something, more then I might expect, bringing forth at last these words. The confidence I have had in you, I hope may still continue in that strength, since I cannot thinke, you dare for goodnesse sake commit so great a fault, as to deceive, especially your father; therfore I doubt not, but your freedome is as ever sure; yet I must needs say, the suite of Charimellus continued thus long, hath given occasion of discourse, I dislike not your care of that, nor be you afraid more, then reason wills of the worlds reports, which are like the discharging of pieces of Ordinance, where fire, smoke, and noise, are the companions, but one bullet hurts but in one place, and often times misses: so may harme by loud talking people misse hurting you, although the bruite flie; yet doe I not condemne, but prise your care, honour being as necessary to a womans happy life, as good Lungs to a healthfull body: but yet I trust you are not ingaged by promise. I assured him I was not, though I could not deny, but my affection was setled. My father imagined hee knew the place, thereupon proceeded in the former match; then was I to worke my end, having no meanes, save mine owne industrie, and strength of mind busied like a Spider, which being to crosse from one beame to another, must worke by-waies, and goe farre about, making more webs to catch her selfe into her owne purpose, then if she were to goe an ordinary straight course: and so did I, out of my wit weave a web to decei ve all, but mine owne desires. The last plot I had, was to make Charimellus intreate my Cosin, to bee his meanes to me for him, which he (good man) fulfilled; the discreet and brave Laurimello speaking to me as earnestly, and affectionately, as if for himselfe: I received his words, and accepted his counsell, as a patient doth the advise of his Phisition: and so wrought it in me, for he was able to cure me, and only he, yet not weighing what, and whereto my answers were directed, hee let them passe, my accounted servant remaining secure, as it was imagined in my opinion and love, but contrary it proved; for soone after he seeking to have assurance from me of my grant to be his wife, I refused it, telling him I had privately vowed unto my selfe, never to be betrothed, nor assured, untill the time I married. He was troubled with my refusall, yet so civilly I used him, as he was reasonably contented there withall; never were Bees so busie in a Swarme, as my thoughts were how to set my mind, and ends aright; sometimes I resolv'd to speake, but bashfulnes with-held mee, casting before mine eyes the staine, that justly might be laid on me, a maid, and of so tender yeeres to wooe a man: then how often I had heard him say, that hee hated forward woman, and could love none but such an one, who he must win by suite and love, and who would love him so, as though most earnestly, yet pretily to make him thinke, neglect did governe her, which would be like Cordials to his heart, or a diet to increase the stomack of his love. These hindred me, and I continued like a branch placed to the wall of faithfull affection, while the blasts of desire did move the leaves to speake, or shew so much, as might be called love. While these doubts rul'd, Charimellus fell sicke, being then many miles distant from me. for his estate lay in Austria. I hearing of it, sent to visit him, but so late, as my messenger could onely deliver, as to his last senses my message, and he for his last words returne me thanks, and so he died, sending me a token, which he tooke from about his arme; with that, and the newes, my servant came, in troth I was sorry for him, and found that I could weepe for him, and did so too; yet was there no roome left for any, but my first chose love to inhabit. After his death, the second came againe, and with his friends, and all apparent meanes, did set his rest to win me; but I freed, meant so to hold my self, nor could there be left color for them so soone to move me; hope began then to flatter me, & I saw (or that deceitful thing did see for me) that no bar now did lie between my joies, & the obtaining, save a little nice, & childish modesty, which would a vertue prove in shewing modest love. But so long did I feed my selfe with baby fancy, till the truth was lost, for he not once imagining my end, married another Lady, rich, and therefore worthy. This misfortune past repaire, and falne on mee, I privately lamented, moan'd my state, griev'd and still quarrel'd with my self, and then when all was lost, and hope of joy quite dead, I yeelded to my second suiters mind, with the consent of all my friends, and publique feasts, I marryed him, with whom I now (thanked be Heaven) happily have liv'd these many yeares. But doe you not sometimes said Amphilanthus, see your best chosen friend? Oft times said she, and in that am I bless'd, for heere wee have all pleasures we can wish, content, and love, and happines in that. No happinesse can bee compar'd to that, said Ollorandus, where love meets, and mutually is blessed with one, and the selfe kinde. But how doth the good-man like of this? so wel said she, as if he made the choyce, being secure in my chastity, yet this I needs must say, I liv'd an ill, & froward life with him, for some two yeares, while ignorance held me, and willfulnes lived in him; but when wee came to know, or better, to bee cleane deceived, wee grew good friends, and like kinde mates, have lived these last three yeares. Humors hee had of jealosie, which I could not blame him for, my fashion beeing free, and such as having still beene bred in Court, I carryed with me, but since he discerned, that more innocency lyes under a fayre Canope, then in a close chest, which lock't, the inward part may be what it will. Hee accused himselfe, and is now growne so free, as I doe rather doubt my selfe then him, and in truth I needs must say, I am so much a servant unto love, as I discover more in outward shew, then grave discretion can permit me with, yet alwayes have I, and still will rule my affection by vertue. By this they were arrived at the wall of the garden, having still followed that pleasant brooke, which was an arme of the large and brave Danubia; being enter'd the Garden, they met her Husband, and with him the sweete enjoyer of her free given joyes, none neede to tell the Princes who hee was, for who but hee could hold her eyes so fast? so eagerly did they behold each other, as if they fear'd one part of sight had fail'd to make a full conclusion of their blisse, or as if they through them would looke into their hearts, to see the setled dwelling of each others faith: there was affection discovered at the height, and as true love would wish, freely given and taken. Most blessed paire said Amphilanthus, sighing in him selfe; alas, may I not live to see such good? may not my deere behold me with such lookes, such smiles, such loving blushes? may not her vertue freely grant this to me? yes I have seene such, but accursed man must not enjoy, but what curst Desteny wil allow my wants. Then made he some excellent verses, the subject being desire, and absence, and so much was he transported, as he stood not like a beholder, but as an Actor of loves parts: Ollorandus talking this time with the husband, returning all into the house, Amphilanthus passing in his accustomed manner, the brave Laurimello leading his beloved Lady by the hand, after supper they walked abroad againe, and so till bed time, pass'd those houres in pleasant sweete discourse, the Lady making her owne words true, for never did any woman make such free, yet modest shew of love as she did, yet exprest with such fine judgement, & sweet chastity, as that love, was in her deem'd a vertue, and his wanton faults commended by the witt, and dainty manner of her earnest love. The next day the two Princes tooke there leaves, and so for Buda tooke their journey, Ollorandus contenting himselfe, with the hop'd for joyes he should receive in the conversation of Melisinda, and Amphilanthus thinking how to returne unto his deerer selfe, blaming, and condemning himselfe, for being so long absent, and accusing fortune for such cruelty, as not onely to make him loose the comfort others had, but also to make him witnesse of their gaine, & by that to behold his perpetuall harme, and unbearable want. To Buda at last they came, where they were entertained. Amphilanthus as his merit, and dignity required; Ollorandus with such affection, as all the schoole of love, could instruct Melysinda with: Rodolindus with triumph, and feast, giving them testimony of their welcome. Many dayes the feasts continued, and still increased the banquet of love, betweene the King and his Mistris, when Amphilanthus was intreated to shew his skill in armes, which he did in a just, wherein he encountered the King Rodolindus then unknowne for the manifesting of his vallour, would disguised meete the incomparable Prince, who not understanding any reason why to spare him, but to adde to his honor, gave him such unkind greetings, that although hee were as valiant, and strong as any in Hungary, yet at the fift course, he was throwne to the ground much brused: which hurt he never recover'd, but within some few months after deceased, leaving his delicate wife, as perfect and excellent a widdow. These justs being done, Amphilanthus desired liberty of Ollorandus to returne, who, though infinitely griev'd to yeeld unto it, yet judging by himselfe the causes that mov'd him, he consented, telling him he would also accompany him, but by no means would he consent to that, no more loving to part, then to be parted from his love. Alone he resolv'd to goe, but for his dwarfe, who attended him, sending his new Squire unto his Mistris, to advertise her of his safty, and of his speedy repayring to her. The first dayes journey, the Queene, with the two Kings accompanied him, then parting, Amphilanthus tooke toward Stiria, and so, that way to goe into Italy, in which Country, hee mette a very fine, and strange encounter, in a delicate meadow, (being newly entered Stiria) there was a fountaine, about which were many Ladyes sitting, all apparrel'd after that Country manner, but in one colour, which was willow colour, imbrodered with gold, neately, but not extraordinarily rich; they were, (as hee perceived being neere them) some singing, some playing with the water, others discoursing one to an other, all busied; and yet none busie, but in play. They hearing his horse, look'd up, hee saluted them, and alighting came to them, with whom he had many pretty passages of witt; at last he disired to know who they were? they answer'd servants, as their livery might testifie, and Ladyes of honor to the Princesse of Stiria, who was absolute Lady of that Country, being subject to love, and yet not free. Where is that Princesse said Amphilanthus? not farr hence, answered one of them, being walked into yonder wood, where she is the sadest, and most discontented of any Princes living. May the cause be knowne said he? To such an one as will offer his helpe, said the first of them. I will doe my best said he, else shall I forsweare armes, when I am so unworthy a man, as not to serve brave Ladyes. Then Sir, answered she, I will tell you the matter as well as I can, but not so passionately, as my Lady her selfe would doe, if she were to relate it. Emilina (for so is the Princesse cal'd) having beene sought of most of these Princes, which are neighbours to this Country, and many more neighbours to love, refus'd them all, some of them so loving, as love might have pleaded, and won for them, others have conquer'd by their valour, some have gaind pitty by their afflicted passions, but all were as one thing, a lover rejected: she having wholy resolv'd within her selfe, to give her possessions, her heart, and all to the renowned Prince of Naples, and lately King of the Romans, Amphilanthus, whose fame had won more in her, though in person then to her never seene, then all they with their continuall petition. At last this Prince came, whose name had so sov ereignis'd, as she stood not to behold, or examine what causes might in him moove her affection, but as Amphilanthus she lov'd him. He subtill above all men, and as any, faulse, flatter'd her, and so much wrought with her, as he gain'd what he desir'd, and what he most esteem'd: for had she given him les, she had, as she beleeved, wronged her fervent love: hee seem'd as passionate as she, and surely was so, but unconstant creature he did change, and so will all you doe. While he lov'd, none loved more earnestly, more fondly, none more carefully, but how can loyalty be where varyety pleaseth? scarce cold hee indure any to looke upon her, much lesse, suffer or permit her to use any but himselfe familiarly; which hee need not finde fault withall, for so did shee love, as she never look'd on other, with the eyes of more then civill curtesie. Some while this continued, the marryage was expected, hee gaind her promise, to have onely him; she never doubting, prest not for his vowes, more crediting his word, which she assured her love of, then seeking by desire of stricter vowes, to make him thinke she did mistrust, least action of his, gave her steddy trust, and so she trusted, till shee was deceived, for after hee had gain'd her firmest love, and so by vowes obtained what he sought, most vildly he beganne to change, and fell inamour'd of a Princes maide, who being neere allied unto my Lady, often came to visite her at Court; this Gentlewoman truly was most faire, and I thinke good till then, if not then too; we sawe it, and were vex'd with it, yet knowing that no curster cor'sive can bee to a lover, then to be dispised, especially by him that once did love; at last she found it, (miserable knowledge,) how then was she grieved? if I should offer to discover, I must say I am a lover, and forsaken to, otherwise can none or ought any to presume to tell a farlorne creatur's woe. First, in silence she did beare her paine, and with attendance, and continuall kindnes, strive to win him back, or rather, that he might not thinke she did mistrust, she strove to hold his love, But that ungratefull man, (which name is more then her gentle affection will yet permitt her to give him,) discerning her respect and love, would seeme to see neither, yet faild he not in all outward shewes, to manifest his change. She writ unto him, she wept before him, she complayed, she bewailed others that were forsaken; he heard, and not regarded, he answer'd but slighted, he joyned in pittying them, but neglected her that most wanted; she lost her beauty with sorrow, with weeping whole nights, and sobbing, that I have my selfe come in, uncalled but by those sorrowes to her, the greatenesse of her heart, though able in the day to cover them, yet was forced at night, to borrow assistance of breathing out what her spleene was over charg'd withall, and what, save teares, sobs, and silence would shee trust for her associates? Forgetfull man that so abused her, who wrong'd her selfe alone in trusting him, nay wrong himselfe in such a base unworthy change. I adventured to advise, when I saw all misery over take her; shee tooke my counsell, which was, to urge the marriage. He slighted her, and told her she was growne old, and her beawty alter'd, willed her to recover that, and when he return'd from a journey that he had in hand, he would be as he was. Alas, what torment was this to her, who was only his? she tooke it to the heart, though hee smilingly delivered it, as if in jest, till all considered it aprooved true; then faign'd he an excuse, that the King his father sent for him, and that at his returne he would not misse to performe what hee had promised, so he found her as he expected. His leave he tooke of her, which went as neere her heart, as marrow to the bones, yet staid he afterwards with the other wench som certaine daies. We used al meanes to hold her ignorant of that, and many more his passages: but what more cleare and perfect sighted, then true love? She knew all, and yet knew her faith so cleare to him, as she would blind her sight, rather then touch his truth. O faithles Amphilanthus , accursed man, that brought this hard insufferable wrong and harme unto the faithfullest and the worthiest lover, that ever love did wound. But to proceed, he went and left my Lady quite forsaken and forlorne, who since (unhappy woman) lives in groanes, and daily sorrowings. But where now is the Prince, said Amphilanthus? Truly Sir (said she) where the falsest, ficklest, waveringst, and unworthiest man doth live, and there is hee, and else where know I not. No such unworthinesse lives in that Prince, I know him well said he, and lately saw him, but I will not say 'tis the same you speake of, for it may be, some such creature hath abused his name, and for these ends given out to be the man. Know you the Prince then, said she? if you doe, hee is a faire false man, a treacherous well shap'd man, not tall, though high in mischie vous ill nature, slender, but full in wickednes, curld haire, and thicke; yet auld in vertue, and this is Amphilanthus, as he cald himselfe. The Prince knew straight it was another man she meant, yet grieved to heare his name so much abused, and that a Princesse should beare wrong for him. This, besides his owne interest in the matter, made him vow revenge, wherefore hee desired to see the Princesse, the first Lady told him, that if hee would attend her comming forth of the Wood, hee should be admitted to her sight, he would not further urge, and so with them sat downe, while one of them sung this song, telling him it was made by her Lady, who was as perfect in all noble qualities, as subject to love, and so to bee for too much faith decei ved. From victory in love I now am come Like a commander kild at the last blow: Instead of Lawrell, to obtaine a tombe With triumph that a steely faith I show. Here must my grave be, which I thus will frame Made of my stony heart to other name, Then what I honor, scorne brings me my tombe, Disdaine the Priest to bury me, I come. Cloath'd in the reliques of a spotlesse love, Embrace me you that let true lovers in; Pure fires of truth doe light me when I moove, Which lamp-like last, as if they did begin. On you the sacred tombe of love, I lay My life, neglect sends to the hellish way, As offering of the chastest soule that knew Love, and his blessing, till a change both slew. Here doe I sacrifice worlds time of truth, Which onely death can let me part with all, Though in my dying, have perpetuall youth Buried alone in you, whereby I fall. Open the graves where lovers Saints have laine, See if they will not fill themselves with paine Of my affliction, or strive for my place, Who with a constant honour gaine this grace. Burne not my body yet, unlesse an Urne Be fram'd of equall vertue with my love To hold the ashes, which though pale, will burne In true loves embers, where he still will move; And by no meanes, let my dust fall to earth, Lest men doe envy this my second birth, Or learne by it to find a better state Then I could doe for love immaculate. Thus here, O here's my resting place ordain'd, Fate made it e're I was; I not complaine, Since had I kept, I had but blisse obtain'd, And such for loyalty I sure shall gaine. Fame beares the torches for my last farewell To life, but not to love, for there I dwell, But to that place, neglect appoints for tombe Of all my hopes; thus Death I come, I come. Did Emilina (said the Prince) write this, sure Amphilanthus could never be false to such a creature. He was, and is (said she), and truly doth hee make good his name, that signifieth the lover of two. That name (said he) was giv en him, e're he knew what love was, or himselfe. The latter sure he knowe not yet, said shee. You will I doubt not shortly have a better opinion of this Prince. Neither of him, nor those that be his companions, said she, unlesse I grow so unfortunate, as to be a lover of all variety, and so for that, I may like changing men, or delight in Camelions. With this the Princesse came, a Lady not of highest stature, nor low; so hansome, as one well might see, there had bin excellent beauty, but decay'd, as love was withered to her, who now resembled the ruines of a fair building; her countenance grave, but curteous, shewing rather retirednes, then much given to conversation; her pace, slow, and her apparell careles: her clothes were of Tawny, cut with Willow color, and embroidered with Willow garlands of that color, and gold to shew the forsaken part was noble. She came towards them, and with a modest gesture saluted the Prince, who with his helmet off, presented the true Amphilanthus to her eyes; she desired to know of whence he was, and what adventure brought him thither. He told her, he was of Italy, and that his blessed fortune had brought him, where he might repaire an injury done to a wronged Prince, and serve her in the busines. Alas, said she, what service can I have in that, since none lives wrongd so much as I? nor can one of that countrie, or all that Nation, right the injurie received by one, and yet deare one to me. That one that wronged you (answered he) shall right you, or my life shall pay for it; tell me where you thinke he is. If I did know (said she) and with all understood a danger to him by revealing him, for all the harme I have received, I would conceale him, and thus haplesse live, rather then be a meanes to harme his person, which still I hold deare. How happy is that Prince (said he)? and yet unfortunate to be so injured, as to be defamed by a suborner, and a traiterous man, falsely assuming thus a Princes name. Wrong him not with that taxe (said she), for sure I could not love a meaner man, not any but that Prince, and so the bravest Amphilanthus. But you it seemes, have heard of his light love, his change and falshood. Alas heare, with that; what man, nay, even your selfe hath lov'd and never changed? may not then Amphilanthus doe the like? What a perplexitie this was to him, judge bravest lovers: but she did proceed; What shame then is it to him? and to whom can harme insue, save to us wretched trusting women. Madam (said hee) I seeke to cleare the Prince, and to let you discerne the wrong he beares, that one so base and so perfidious, hath taken his name on him. She was speaking, when a Knight, who newly there arriv'd, kneeled to him, telling him he was most glad to find him so neare home, but sorry for the newes hee brought, which was, he must repaire with all the speede hee could into his Country, for otherwise he could not enjoy the blessing of his aged fathers sight, who then was ready to yeeld unto death; withall hee gave him letters from the Lords, and from his brother. While hee thus discoursed, the Prince tooke them, and then the Lady askt of the stranger, who this Prince was, to whom he had used such reverence. He answered; Amphilanthus of Naples, Prince, and now he thought, the King. She then turning to him; My Lord (said she) I must needes blame your name, that hath brought me my discontent, yet honor your person, though the love to that, was the sweet betrayer of my blisse. Then did she freely confesse, what the Lady before had related, which being heard by the young Prince of Venice (for it was he that came unto him with the newes), he assured Amphilanthus, that hee had met the Knight, and by him had been overthrowne; so as truly Sir (said he) he is valiant, and as strong as a man need bee, to maintaine so bold a charge, as to counterfeit your strength; he hath also now got a companion, who calls himselfe Ollorandus; and thus they passe, your fame makes few, except strangers, meddle with them. But I seeing his face, and with that his falshood, ventured to fight with him, having justice on my side, which I hoped would bring me victory; but I see, that a good arme must hold the ballance, else sometimes truth may fal (as I did) to the ground. Amphilanthus confident of the truth of the deceit, took his leave of the Lady, who earnestly desired his presence to her house, but he taking the occasion of the Venetians comming, would excuse himselfe, and keepe him free from temptations, till hee saw the perfect commandresse of his dearest love. The Lady was troubled, yet at last, like other crosses, shee did beare with that, but in the night she thus lamented. Wretched woman, above all accursed, must my affection first be placed on worth, & that worths name abuse me and my trust? which were I better hope of, that I was betraid and cousned by a false and treacherous man, then by the Prince? No sure I was deceived, for none but he that did betray me, spake of him; here one cals him away unto his country. O I was deceiv'd, and am, and shall be, haplesse Emilina, borne to ill, nursed to misfortune, and must die by change. Alas Amphilanthus , I did love thee most, best, and my youngest love, and most innocence was given to thee. I knew not love, when I did find, that I loved thee; my heart was thine, before I knew it was mine owne to give: thou tookest it, I thought did prize it too; thou calledst it thine, thine owne best heart, didst cherish it, and kindly made of it; said, I did arme the God of love himselfe, giv ing him sight and power; and when in Verse I once did waile a little absence, which I was to suffer by thy going for one weeke from mee, in that small space thou didst repay my lines, calling me sweet more kind; & telling me, if I did harme mine eyes, I should disarme love, and undoe the throne of him and his; and yet all this is false, and thou (O thou) untrue. Deceived I am; yet why didst thou plot for my ruine? If to gaine by me, why didst thou not make all the Country thine, as well as me? No, I doe see thy conquest was but me, and I was only for a prey to satisfie thy will; variety of loves, not faire possessions, are thy aimd at-games. Yet Amphilanthus true or false, I must still love thee best, and though thou wrong me, I must love thee still. What torments have I alas for thee indurd? How have I searched my heart, and found thy Image, as if lim'd in each small corner of it; but all joyn'd in that service, made it round, and yours, yet are you false; O me that I must live and say, Amphilanthus is proved false, and unto me; yet this brave Stranger saies, hee is abused; well, bee it so, I loved him as that Prince, and so my crosses came. Is it not possible, O cruel man, Prince, or whatsoever els, that thou wilt back returne? Come home againe, and be thy first sweete selfe, kind, loving; and if not a Prince, I'le make thee one; and rather would I wish thou wert not one, but with that title throw thy fault away, and bee a lover, just and excellent; thou maist be so, for where doth lodge more abilitie of good, of valor, vertue, and all else, but constancy, which I wil pardon: come unto me, I forget that ever I was left, that thou wert false, unkind, and will remember onely our first joyes, thinke all this other time was absence, or a dreame, which happines likely contrary to what appeares. O let this be so, my deare, and (only deare) I doe forgive thee: I invite thee, come accept my state, a gift laid at thy feet, my selfe thy vassall, these are worthy thanks, and these I will performe. Leave those inticing beauties, and great wits, that snare-like catch, & hold for meere advantage to them, and their ends; ticing thee by fine Brades of vowed locks, and plaited haire, a dainty shew; nor didst use with me, my haire unworthie of the honor to be worne by thee: thou thinkst I know not this; yes, and do grieve for it, yet will be silent to thee. I am a woman free, and freely offer, I not begge, but give, and aske but love for principality, and rule of me: many I know doe seeke thee, and thy gentle disposition (apt to bee deceived, as I was when I loved) will be abused. Beware, cast those deare eyes that wonne my freedome on my faith and zeale, and then discover what a difference there is betwixt fervent love, whose ends are love; & such, where only use & gaine attends desier. But if thou wilt continue thus, be yet still safe, let their loves to thee, bee as firme as mine; let dangers flie from thee, saftie bee neere, and all ill shun thee, blessings prosper with thee, and bee thou blessed with them. Then turnd she sighingly within her bed; al night she thus did passe those houres, with such distracted passions: and so full her mind was stor'd with memorie of him, as shee did call all actions into mind, and as new done, did lively make presentment to her eyes, and so of all past happinesse shee knew. Then mixt she them with her new discontents, and so comparing them, make her poore selfe the stage, where joy and sorrow acted divers parts, her heart the sad sceane where the storie lay; oft did shee call him false, then love inraged, made her recall that, and complaine of spite, concluding still, I cannot yet but love, though thus forsaken, and forelorne I live. Amphilanthus gone, he fell into discourse with the young Venetian, who related unto him what he had heard of the counterfet Prince, then did hee proceed, how hee understood, hee had taken his way by sea into Greece, and thence for Asia, and there no question (said he) the dainty Pamphilia will be; the kingdome he'le first visit, and good welcome surely (said Amphilanthus ) he'le find there. Thus they rid on, the King contemplating his Mistrisse, beholding her as present, as if by; and the Venetian plotting how to gaine the loving Emelina to his wife, but that was difficulter to bee gaind, then their arrivall without more adventures into Italy; so as being thither come, the King was met with many, who were going, some to seeke, and some from seeking him, were return'd. At last he came to Naples, where he found his father sicke, and past recovery, yet so much comforted to see his sonne, as life in the last power did expresse it both with face and smile: but that as joyfull newes crost by the next unlucky messenger, is as a greater crosse, then if at first time knowne: so did his death more heavily incounter the good hope his sonne did then recei ve. He dead, the Lords and Commons all with one consent (and that consent accompanied with gladnesse in their good) received Amphilanthus for their King. A marvelous brave funerall was then prepared, within which time the Princes neere and farre, as fast as notice came, sent their Embassadors to condole and congratulate his happy beginning. The funerall once passed, straight followed the Coronation, where the Embassadours did assist of Morea , France, great Brittany, Bohemia, Romania, and the sweet, and delicate Pamphilia; all being done, the Embassadours tooke their leaves, the King presenting them with presents rich, and fit for him to give, and them to take: then the next businesse was, to settle all his estate in good or quiet government, to which end he did appoint the Prince his brother to be Regent, and setled such a grave and honest Counecll, as he was secure (though absent) of his Kingdomes good. Then went hee with some forces hee had raised, which were in number twentie thousand Foote, and five thousand Horse to the place appointed, to ship them for Epirus, directing them the time of putting forth, which way he resolved, the rest would passe into Albania: the Princes of Florence, Milan, Ferrara, Naples, Modina, Apulia, and many more officers of this Field in this brave army went: but he trusting the army with these commanders, himselfe accompanied onely with the Prince of Venice, landed in Morea, from thence being able easily to meet his men, and time enough, for any service. Being landed, hee heard nothing but Drums, and Trumpets, and such warlike musique, which well pleas'd his eares; much hast hee made, till he came to the Court, where he found great sadnes for an unhappy accident befalne Selarinus, which was this, going (as hee thought safe enough because disguis'd) into Epirus, the proud Queene of that Country, who had denyed passage for the Armie, got notice of him, and that notice gave danger of his life, for her Mother beeing Daughter to one of the Kings, or Lords of Albania, treachery, and falshood, having devided it into five parts, he and the other Townes, had made a combination, never to suffer eyther to be harm'd, but contrariwise to harme any should molest the other, and to seeke all meanes to ruine the two brothers, whose fame had, though with honor, unluckely come to their eares, vertue in them, having brought the worlds companion, malice, with her. This was not only agreed of among this wicked confederacy, but also taught as a necessary lesson to their Children; this Daughter, having marryed her selfe to the like vow, else a maide, and faire, but proud, insolent, and as those creatures, are commonly ignorant enough. She first to give occasion of offence, denyed passage for the Armies, having so much foolish pride about her, as she was blinded from knowledge, that those forces could passe with her losse of her Realme, if they pleased; but she, who saw but as through a prospective glasse, brought all things neerer or farther, as shee pleas'd to turne the ends to her sight: so she drew danger to her, and put assurance with judgement, and goodnes from her, laying waite through all her Country for either of those Knights, or any other who belonged to the united kings, that by chance, or hope of disguises, surely might offer to passe that way. It was Selarinus his mishape, first, and onely at that time to adventure, and having rid two dayes journey without let, or any kind of hazard, the third day, he unfortunatly hapned into a house belonging to a Keeper, and standing in a great Forrest: this Keeper, had in his youth beene an Esquire to an Epirean Knight, slaine at Mantinia, at a great just there held, after whose death he return'd, and putting himselfe unto the Queene, hee gain'd the keeping of this Forrest: this man fell into discourse, being crafty, and so fitt for so ill an imployment, as he was used in; by discourse hee gain'd knowledge, that this was one, belonging either in place, or affection to the Morean Court; then having enough to worke upon, as if he had eaten much poyson, hee must breake, so brake he into the open way of destroying Selarinus; for sending his boy to the Court, which was then but ten miles off, by the next morning he had forty Knights to secure him, and conduct the Prince, trecherously made a prisoner, to the Queene, who mistrusting no Treason under greene clothes, nor falshood, where so faire language and welcome dwelt, at night being weary, unarm'd himselfe, and went to bed, where hee slept, till hee was awaked with the paine, which hard cords cast about his armes brought him, he did after confesse he heard some noise, but thought it had only beene his Squire puting up his Armour, or making it ready, and fitt against the morning; but when he saw how he was deceiv'd, and heard his poore servant cry also out against them, he only with Princely patience said this; suffer imprisonment with mee, poore boy, said he, as well as thou hast enjoyed freedome, and content, witnessing that Fidelius can serve Infortunius in all estates faithfully. By that the youth knew his Lord, would not be knowne by other name then Infortunius, wherefore hee resolv'd to dye, rather then betray him. Till morning he was thus held, then delivered to the Knights, who straight carryed him to their Queene; shee hating all that had but seene Morea, or any of those Countryes belonging to them, she cal'd enemies, went into her Hall, and with all magnificent state sate to behold, & so to scorne the unfortunate Knight, who was brought in chaind; the Queene sitting with a setled resolution, to manifest hate, scorne and contempt, but seeing his sweetnesse, and lovelynesse, his tender youth, his modest countenance, tryumphing as it were over his misery: with noble patience, only shewing stoutnesse in bold suffering, and giving way to Fortune, as subject in that tyranny, yet inwardly his estate molested him, & shame to see those brave armes fetterd, and bound, brought some blood into his face, which though shewed upon such an occasion, yet it provoked an other conclusion, for he being naturally some what pale, this made his beauty appeare more delicate, as if of purpose to purchase his libertie; thus was hee forced to be beholding to that womanish part, to restore his manly power to liberty, that working for him, which his worth held least worthy in him, for the Queene (though most ambitiously, raised in conceit of her selfe) now found there was a greater Prince, and a higher authority, which might, and would command. She gazed on him, shee blam'd the small respect their rudnesse had shewed to a Knight, to bring him like a theife, chain'd, shee caused his bands to be taken off, and strictly corrected them, (who expected thanks) telling them the disarming had beene an honor, but their taking him naked was a shame unto them, and to all brave spirits. Then called shee the Prince to her, desiring to know his name, and Country, kindly smiling on him, holding him by the hand, the softnesse, and fairenesse, of which she grieved should handle a sword, or be used in fights, fitter to bee held by her like-loving selfe; withall she assured him, his imprisonment should be no other then content, if he would but yeeld to her desires. Hee answered, his name was Infortunius, nephew to the Lord of Serigo, who was killed at the King of Morea's Court, in his presence and many more, having thither brought a faire Lady, whose love he was to winn by fight, but he was slaine by Selarinus, younger brother to Steriamus, for whom the great preparations were now made to winn Albania. Are you of their party said she? Truely Madam said he, I wish good to all just causes, otherwise, I being but one, am little able to asist any, therfore dare I not venture to say I am of any side, but I did intend to see the warrs. If you did but intend that, you may said she still continue to that purpose, nor will I hinder you, yet I must enjoyne you to some things for my sake. Hee answered her, his life was in her hands to command. Not but to save, and cherish it, replied she: therefore goe with this Gentleman, who shall direct you, and convey you to a chamber fitt for you; then did one of her cheife officers conduct him to a marvellous rich roome, which she had appointed him to carry him unto, where hee had all things necessary, and brave, save his armes, then did he leave him there, and his owne Squire to attend him, with many more, whose respects, and officiousnesse was such, as mov'd trouble, and proved such liberty, a true imprisonment, yet at night he had freedome, for by the Queen's appointment they were not to lye in his Chamber, but in an other roome, where for his safety, & no way to trouble him, they might conveniently remaine. Supper was servd unto him, with all servicable duty, infinite rich, and sumptuous fare, glorious plate, and nothing wanting, that so proud a woman could to satisfie that humour, thinke of; to gloryfie her selfe, and obleige him. He fed, and after supper went to bed, the doores were shut, and hee layd downe to rest, but what quiet could he enjoy? fearing all these faire beginnings would turne to his greater harme, for no end could he see, but dishonour to him, as himselfe, and certaine danger, as Infortunius abuse; and what was most as Philistella's servant, shame, and just reproach if hee falsified her trust, or his affection. Tormented thus, he did remaine til towards midnight, when a doore opened at his beds head, out of which came sixe Ladyes, each carrying two white wax candles, which they set downe upon a cupbord, placed of purpose before the bed; then they returned, when the Queene, as rich and glorious as Juno, came in, her mantle was Carnation sattine embroder'd with gold, and round pearle, fastned with a faire Ruby; her wastcoate of the most curious worke could bee made with needle, her pettycoat suitable to her mantle, her head dressed with a dressing fram'd of the same worke with her wastcoate, through which, her haire was delicately drawne in many places; daintely she was apparrel'd, able to winne any, but such a spirit as Selarinus: for never did curious carelesnesse better adorne creature, then it did this Queene, who with care sought to bee neglective in her apparrell; To the bed side she came, and sitting downe upon it, so as the light might serve to shew her beauty, she thus spake. Your name, and comming into my power, so nearely agreeing, cannot give you other hope, then to follow them, who have before runne into this danger of breaking my commands, which are not without death to be satisfied, especially, if you, like those wilfull men, will not obey me: yet this favor you have to lead you to happinesse, that I never honourd any before with thus much kindnes, which in an other (if not so great a Queene) might be called love. But I, that scorne subjection, cannot allow such a power, only confesse my liking you, hath made me pitty you, and pitty, brought mee to offer you an unusuall honor, for till this time, did never any thought wherin ill might lurke inhabit, nor ever was I mov'd to thus much shew of immodesty; yet flatter not your selfe with thought, of over much gaine, since my attendants witnesse my truth, and such boldnes, as durst not bee matched with loosenes. But indeed, I must say, I did like you, when I saw you first, and so well, as I then resolv'd to be courteous to you, that hath made mee willing to speake with you, and to be truely resolv'd of you; the night time I chose by reason my spirit having hitherto ever commanded, and not in the least, yeelded to any authority, I should now be ashamed to give occasion of the contrary conceit, either by my countenance, or fashon, which I doubted would be so much more alter'd, as my desires to faor you, might purchase mee; yet hope not more then your duty, and respect to me, may lawfully challeng, least you fall into as great a hazard, as a Larke doth, who to shun the Hobby lyes downe, till the nett be laid over her, and so is caught by her owne folly, or base yeelding. But if you yeeld to me, it shall bee noble, if you refuse death: honour will not permit mee to demand ought but noble things, honour likewise ties you to obedience, you a Knight, I a Queene, able to crowne you with the title of a King, as it may bee with the honour of my love; feare not, noblenesse dares adventure any thing that's noble. I come not to you with threatning Armes or weapons to indanger you, only with love arm'd fully, and so I would conquer. What needs Armes (replied the distressed Prince), where such unmatched power raignes? weapons where beautie dwells: or can refusall live, where such perfections authorise yeelding? Command mee great Queene, I am your servant, your prisoner; what use of words when the heart submits? or speech, when I am in your royall hands a Vassall at command? She was pleased, and well liked this answere, her pride and power satisfied, yet out of pride ordering her actions, so as calling her maides, she went away, assuring her selfe, that his love must bee answerable to her ambitious coveting it, and servile to her will: but her maids comming to her, they brought a marveilous lovely banket of severall sorts of fruites, both preserves, and other as that time afforded, and the delicatest wines Greece did know. Then tooke she him by the hand, with a countenance of majesty and love mix'd, neither too high in state, nor with shew of submisse affection. She was no sooner gone, but Selarinus shut the doore, grieved to the hart, that he should be so tempted to injure Philistella, whose love was so ingraven by truth in his breast, as he vowed to die, rather then consent to any greater kindnes, then that night he had yeelded unto. The rest of which time hee spent in thinking of his love, and weeping out compassion on his woes, that were remediles; yet such were his teares, as they made prints in his soule, for every one shed seem'd like a drop throwne on fire, that makes it blacke, but quencheth it not: so did those spots of falshood (as hee tearmed them) disgrace, not disanull his vowed faith. Deare Starre (said he), which onely gives me light, how maiest thou darken thy selfe from favouring me? and how justly may I condemn'd demand no pardon? My dearer life, hadst thou heard my words, or seene my manner, mightst not thou too justly censure me? I am unworthy of thy smallest grace, and unable to excuse my error; yet this consider, I must get liberty to serve thee, and how but by deceit? if each one may use deceit, it will be surely permitted, if not allowed, to enjoy their loves; then for that purpose beare with me, but let me deceive her, to bee true to thee, and to bee with thee. Pardon then this ill, and give leave to use Art to be more plaine with thee; my bodies liberty lies in her to graunt, my heart's in thine to kil or save, sweet now be like thy like, gentle, and sweet, and be assurd, I will not live to be untrue unto thy loved selfe. Then turnd he in his bed, sigh'd, and wept, and so continued till the day appeared, then rose, and drest himselfe, his Page, and the attendants first appointed by the Queene waiting upon him. When he was ready, he walk'd about the roome, at last he looked out at the window, not to see, but to be unseene to lament, breathing his private sighs into the aire; the chiefe of his attendants, thinking hee had stood admiring those sweet fine delights, told him, if it pleased him, hee might goe into that Garden, for such leave he had. Hee willing to have any signe of freedome, quicklie gave consent, so little a place as a Garden being like fresh-water, comfortable to stenched fish: so this to a prisoner. Downe they went, the walkes were extreame high, and no way to bee climb'd, gave them certaine assurance of his safety, wherefore they left him. When he was alone, he threw himselfe upon the ground, beate his breast, and still cried out; O me wretched of all men, why am I thus punished for ambitions choice? Love, thou didst choose, or say I did, why Love, I doe that more deserve thy favour, when choice and love are honourd in the choice. Where he had cast himselfe, it was under a faire shade of Oranges, a purling brooke whispering close by him, which still he thought, said; Philistella see, see; I see my wrong, cry'd he, but better consider my true love to thee; avoid temptations poore distressed Selarinus, and proud lascivious Queen, forbeare thy shame, and mine. Then came she in, for from her cabinet, she might behold that garden plainely, and perceiving him, she said within her selfe, my love is there, my love commands, my love invites, the time allowes, and all things with my longings now agree. As she was thus resolud, she left her Cabinet, and hasted towards the Garden, to win, assure, and so enjoy him, whom she found enjoying as much griefe, as absence, and imprisonment could bring a loyall lover. He saw her not, till she threw her selfe downe by him, he started up, and with humilitie demanded pardon for his boldnesse, in not rising to her Majestie, which fault might be excused, by not perceiving her, till shee downe was laied. Your fault is greater (said she) in rising, since that witnesseth your desire of leaving me, no ill proceeding from kind love and stay. He then kneeled down, and so they did discourse, she making love, he coldly answering it, yet covering still his backwardnesse with feare, and his respect unto her greatnes, not daring to have an aspiring thought to rise so high, till almost shee was forced plainely to wooe, which hardly he did understand, wherefore ignorance, and duty begge his pardon: which so liked her, being assured to hold him till she had what shee desired, and then might dispose of him according to her mind and will. She bravely wooed, he humbly entertained, and thus that day passed. Night againe was come, when he afraid of such a loving visitant, lay musing, and beseeching love it selfe to keepe her from him. This his prayer was heard, for shee came not, but in the morning sent to speake with him, who was conducted to her chamber by many Gentlemen through brave Galleries, and stately roomes. When he was arrived at the place where shee was to give audience. I sent (said shee) for you about a businesse, which may bring good to you, and which is more, liberty if you performe it. My life Madam (said hee) is in your power, command, I will obay. There is (said shee) a proud vaine man, so over-esteeming himselfe, as he dares thinke himselfe a match for mee, a subject, and what more, is my Vassale: this arrogant creature hath often sued to mee, now threateneth (if I refuse) the winning mee by force, how hee will bring the Army that is going to Albania through my Country, which I have gain-said, and sent refusall to the admired brothers, whose part hee boasts that hee will take, and by their helpe I shalbe made his wife. These, though only threatnings, yet are much unfit for me to suffer; wherefore I desire that you will undertake the quarrell for mee, and defend my state against the insolent subject. Selarinus was loath to fight with one, who he found by her relation was his friend; yet liberty, the comfort of ones soule, went beyond all other considerations, so as he undertooke the businesse. She comforted with that, answered the letter he had sent, which was this. Terenius of the Castle, to Olixia, Queene of Epirus, sends this word, that if my affection bee thus still slighted, and forgetfulnesse rule, where fondnesse once remaind, I will no longer endure wrong'd, but by force obtaine right. I have lov'd you, proud Queene, these many yeares; you lov'd mee likewise, or told me so, expressions some I had, as my chamber and yours can witnesse. I honour you too much yet to defame you, if faire meanes may prevaile, happinesse may succeed to both, if not, expect sudden shame, and cruell force. Olixia of Epirus, to Terenius. Presumtius Vassall, abuse not my chastitie with thy foule reports, which cannot be hid under the few touches you give me, of your chamber and mine, where God can witnesse, no thought of my side tended, or looked towards ill; the only offence I have committed, being the good usage I gave to so base a deserving creature. Your threatnings I feare not, and scorne your unworthy selfe so much, as I almost hate my selfe for answering you, which honour you never should receive, were it not to let you know, that I will have men ready, to bring you, and your rebellious company captive to me, as soone as I heare you dare moove in armes: or if your pride will let you defend your honor alone without an army, I have a Knight here shall defend me from you, and make you confesse you were insolent, but by his might, and my justice, againe my vassall. This letter was sent, whereupon Terenius conceived such disdaine, as giv ing order for his raised men to attend Steriamus (what ever became of him) he went to the Court, where hee found the Queene like her letter towards him, telling him, that were it not for the honor she bore to Armes, he should have bolts, and a hard prison, rather then liberty of combat, for his presumption; but comming upon her summons to defend his unjust cause, he should have leisure to fight. Then was Selarinus preparing for the busines, his armour being brought him, likewise his good sword, whereof he was infinitely glad: but comming downe into the lists, as soone as he saw Terenius, he knew him, having seene him doe very bravely in Morea, in a Just there held for the arriv all of Amphilanthus, and his friends after the enchantment. This, and besides the love he heard he bore his brother, and himselfe, troubled him to fight against him, yet no remedy there was as he could yet perceive, which afflicted him, till Terenius saying, that he for many yeares had not fought with any, but he spake some few words with him, upon a vow made after encountring his owne father; he desired therefore to see the Knights face, and to say somthing to him. The Judges gave leave, so comming together, Terenius knew him, then wept he for griefe, and unkindnes, that hee should forget him, and fight for her, who hated him, and true worth, especially against his friend and servant. Selarinus told him, hee was there a prisoner, not knowne, but would faine get liberty, for if he were once discoverd, nothing could save him from death. Be ruld by me (said he) in the fight I will make shew to run away, follow me close, and I will leade you out of the lists, being content to be held a coward for your service and good, what then shall hinder us, till wee come to my men, which are but sixe leagues hence, armd, and armd for you. Hee consented to it, but then speaking aloud; Villiane, said he, dost thou thinke to make me betray my Queene, and Mistris? With that the Queene smild, thinking her selfe secure, and assur'd of her servant. They met with the sound of trumpets, but both missed breaking their staves, though so fairely they ran, as had it not been meant to be in earnest, they might have given content with great shew of fury: they threw away their Speares, and drew their swords, fighting most eagerly to show, but the blowes falling flat-long, did no harme, like clouds threatning stormes, but in pitie breakes up againe to clearenes. Then did Terenius retire a little, and Selarinus presse much on him, and so much, as being neere over-comming (as the people judged, and all laughing at Terenius) he turnd his back to the Princes, and fled, who with all speed, and loud cries will'd him to stay; but he heard not, the other still followed. The company attended the returne of the Victor, till he staying longer then the custome was, a certaine place being limited for one that fought on such tearmes, to returne with honour from slavery, some ran after him, to let him know the fashion, and the acknowledgement of the victorie, with intreaty to come, and receive thanks from the Queene, for the honor he had done her: but all this needed not, for they that went, might see the two late seeming enemies appeased, their swords put up, & riding together, as fast as their horses could carry them towards Terenius Castle. The messengers returnd with this ill newes, the Queene stormd, tore her haire for meere anger and vexation, men were presenty raised to raze his Castle to the ground, and summes of mony offerd by proclamation to any could bring in Terenius, or Infortunius his head. Thus, was Selarinus deliverd, by the vertue of worth, from inticement, and by love from danger to be tempted, to wrong a constanter lover of him. Philistella, how art thou ingaged to praise Terenius, and his fortune, to bring freedome to thy love? but how much more to honour that chast affection in him? which could not be wrought to wrong thee, nor to give consent so much as to it. Thus he free, the Queene in her rage and fury sent for the Youth his Squire, who she threatned to execute, if hee did not vow, and performe it, to deliver Infortunius into her hands againe, dead or ali ve; or if she had his head, it would be sufficient satisfaction. Hee swore hee would, and so tooke his leave, following his Lord, till hee gaind the Castle, where he remaind some dayes to consult upon the affaires of Albania, where it was concluded, that the army should passe that way, and joyne with them, and if they had resistance to begin there. Thus they concluded, by which time infinite numbers of men came unto them. The Squire to performe his promise, got a head made to the life for Selarinus, which so justly resembled him, as none at first could thinke it was other then his fleshly, pale, death-like was the complexion, the eyes settled, the mouth a little opener then usually, the haire of the same colour, but so much wanting the cleare brightnesse, as a dead mans haire will want of a living mans, the bloud as trickling downe out of the vaines, some spinning, and so naturally was all done to the life, as cunning could not performe more. When this was ready, and the army marching to the confines of that kingdom, to welcome the Moreans, the Squire tooke this head, and wept to see it, being so like, though he knew the contrary, and saw his Lord by. Into a coffer of Ciprus, of purpose made, he shut it up, with some lines written by his Lords directions; then gave he charge for the delivering of it, to a yong desperate fellow, who cared not for his life, or had so much wit, as to know how to save himselfe, withall, some mony hee gave him, gold blinding all sight of danger from him. This mad man went to the Court, when he arriv'd there, and demanded for the Queene, answere was made, she could not be seene. Shee must be seene by me, cry'd he, and so tell her, for I have brought her a token she wil joy to see. This being told her, she rosse, and sending for the man to her, he deliverd the present, naild and sealed as it was given him. She demanded what it was? The head you desird, said he, sent by the Squire; then claimd he his reward, she granted it, and having discharg'd him, he departed, glad of his good fortunes, & so hasted away for feare of recall. She straight cald the Court together, and being al assembled in the hal, she came in, two of her greatest Lords carrying the coffer before her; then she made a solemne speech, telling them what wrong she had sustaind by the cosenage of the stranger, and yet that none of them would (to right her) take so much paines, as a meere stranger had done for her, faithfully discharging his word unto her, for here (said she) is Infortunius his head, the head of that traitor, who betrayd my love and content. Then was the coffer opened, one of the Ladies (who attended her that night of her loving visit) holding a bason of pure gold to receive it in, framd of purpose to hold it for ever, shee determining to keep it, as a testimony of falshood, to be shewed to all men, and the cruell example for it. All at the first sight imagined it his, but handling it, found the deceit, which she did not so soone as others (yet durst none be the discoverers, but her owne eies which proceeded in cosening her) for shee was busily reading some lines, which were laid upon the face of him, which were to this purpose. To witnes faith is eternal, I performe this part, in part of your commands, the head of Infortunius I send you, which may be cald so, since he is dead, and that brave body gives to the honour of the earth, and Albania's good, famous Selarinus. The first name as counterfeit, so is this head, the other true, will let you and Epirus know, the wrong he suffered by imprisonment. How now (cryd she) nothing but treason and deceit? Infortunius turnd to be Selarinus, and my shame for rashly loving discoverd to mine enemy? then flung she away into her chamber, vowed to make no shew of revenge, since said she, nothing can come to me but misfortune. Vext & angry she remaind, fed on her owne curstnes and scorne, hated food, as being too meane a helpe for her to receive after such an affront; in sum, she pind with meere ill nature and disposition of body & mind, so as she fel into a fever, and willfully would not be ruld, who she said, was borne to rule, and so brought her selfe to the last act: then beholding deaths uglines, she would not die, nor could she hansomly, for she would have lived, if possibly; but 'twas too late, & so too soone by her owne desire, and yet unwillingly she ended her daies, just as the armies met; but Selarinus had in the meane time assur'd Philistella of his safety, which was so welcome to her, as the other was contrary to Olixia. Now had Epirus anciently belonged to the Kings of Albania, being annexed unto that Crowne by a match, which the good and honest Terenius alleaging, and none standing for the Crowne, nor heire being left of those, who unjustly held it, the Crowne was by Steriamus consent, and the whole Armie, set upon Selarinus his head. Then went they to the cheife Citty, and after marched toward Albania, all wishing for Amphilanthus, and none being able to tell what was become of him; most conjecturing, that hee was gone to release Selarinus, but then he must have beene heard of in those parts; others that hee was calld away upon some adventures, because the night before, a strange Squire delivered him a letter, since which time hee was not heard off. Steriamus was loath to beginne without him, the rest advised not to stay, being assured hee would make all hast after them. Then met they with the Italian Army, and so joyn'd; then likewise came the Romanian Army, led by the King himselfe, who told Parselius, that Antissias was gone to visite Pamphilia, wherof hee was very glad, since his sister might enjoy so good company. With him came Dolorindus, for after hee had beheld her picture which Polarchos brought, hee was never free from her affection, he being the yellow Knight, that had the ill fortune to receive the worst in the Court of Morea; yet was that service a meanes to bring him to Antissias favor, for hee taking that occasion to let her know his affection, she entertained him, being assured of her first loves losse, yet vowed she to see him once againe, or write to him, before shee would wedde Dolorindus. Besides, shee had engaged him by oath, to performe one service shee would employ him in when shee demanded it, and that done shee would marry him. He contented himselfe with that hope, which proved as empty as it selfe; without gaine, so farr as that promise did ingage her, yet hee after enjoyed her. All the famous Princes met, the question was, who should command in cheife over all. Parselius had the Moreans, Amphilanthus was to command his Italians, which without comparison were the bravest, and best order'd, Rosindy the Macedonians, Leandrus the Achaians, Selarinus the Epireans , Antissius his Romanians, Dolorindus those hee brought from his Kingdome of Negropont, wherof hee now raigned King. Other troops there were, wherof the chiefe of their owne Country commanded, but over all, as it was then resolv'd, Steriamus, for whom all these were joyn'd, should have the power, and name of Generall. Hee was loath to take it upon him, so many Kings there, and himselfe having no army of his owne. All his arguments were turn'd to his honor, and gaine of that place, which he with much respect, and care accepted. Imagine how brave a Prince he now is, and what joy this would be to his Urania, to see her Steriamus command five Kings, besides innumerable Princes, Dukes, Earles, and valiant Knights. But the first and bravest King her brother, was not yet come, nor could there be just guesse where he was; yet on the Army marched, newes being brought them that Plamergus had taken a strong passage, to defend, and hinder their passing further into the Country. This Plamergus was one that enjoyed a part, and that part of Albania, hav ing in times past beene a servant to the last true King: but ingratitude, of all faults the greatest, beeing such as it reacheth to a sinne, he was infected, and possessed with. The brave Steriamus call'd his magnanimious Councell together, where it was resolv'd that he should be fought withall, and that Antissius with the Romanians should have the honor of the Vantguard, and so it was agreed upon. The next daies march brought them within sight of their enemy, but together they could not com, a great River parting them, and he having throwne downe the bridge in spight. On the other side the Country was hilly, (if not more properly to say mountaynous) and not one, but many straight wayes, so as judgement was heere required to equall valour and direct it. Their first resolution therfore was alter'd, & as there were five wayes, so they devided themselves into five devisions. The Italians Steriamus tooke, joynings Dolorindus with him, and so determined to take the middle way. The King of Macedon was to take the first way on the right hand, and Parselius on the left. Antissius to goe on that side with Parselius; and Selarinus with Leandrus, were put to the last on that side with Rosindy. Much did Leandrus grudge at this, that his rivall (as he deem'd him) should bee matched with him, whefore he began to repine at it, till the rest told him, that he was joyned with him, only out of respect that he was one of those two, for whom all this quarrell was. Hardly this could prevaile with him, wherfore Steriamus discerning it, chang'd the order, taking the forces which Selarinus had there of Epirus into his division, and sent those of Negropont to Leandrus: but because Dolorindus was a King, his Leiuetenant went with them, and himselfe stayed with the Generall. The next care was how to passe the River, which might have beene the first, considering that was like the barr, let downe at Barryers to stay the combat, and such a barr was this, as all their judgements were called to councell, how to avoyd the danger, and passe the water, on the other side wherof was the desired fruit. At last Steriamus gave this advice, that they should cut downe part of a wood, along the side of which they had marched, & lay those trees close together, then fasten them with chaines one to another, and so lastly all together, and passe over some first in the night, who might both helpe to fasten the trees on that side, and if they were discovered, hold some play with them till the army pass'd. This was well liked, and his advice applauded, so was the practise instantly put in hand, and by morning (many making quick worke) the Army passed. At breake of day the Enemie disco vered them, which amazed them, for so many they went in front as they covered the trees and so thicke they came, as if they had walked on the water; the enemie apprehended feare, which was as terrible to them, as if a wife went out with confident to meete her husband, to joy with him, and incounters him slaine: so were they wedded to assurance of safety, and unmarryed by this stratageme. But Plamergus gathered his spirits together, and so drew his men into the heart of the straights, where he could compell them to fight, and most wrong our men, not being able to goe above three in front; besides his horse he placed on the side of the hills, most advantagiously for them, but harmefull to us, had not fortune favored, and made Antissius the instrument; for hee something forwarder then the rest, having got his Army over, and put them in battell, marched on, and comming to the entry of the passage, percei ved the place filled with the planks, & posts of the bridge, which they had enviously pull'd downe, those hee tooke up, and as a certaine foretelling of their successe, made use of the benefit, commanding his soldiers to carry them to the River, and laying them upon the tree-made-bridge, made a reasonable way for the horse to goe on; now was there noe want, horse, and foote being placed. Then were the horse likewise divided, and the hills given them, so as on hills, and in the valleyes, the enemy was answered with forces. But now it is time to leave these affaires to Mars, and let his Mistris have her part awhile who alwayes, and at all times hath some share in businesses, Pamphiliia in her owne Country contented, because as shee thought safe in the happinesse of her love, though tormented with the burthen of absence, one day walked into a Parke she had adjoyning to her Court; when shee was within it, shee commanded her servants to attend her returne, her selfe taking a path which brought her into a delicate thicke wood, a booke shee had with her, wherin she read a while, the subject was Love, and the story she then was reading, the affection of a Lady to a brave Gentleman, who equally loved, but being a man, it was necessary for him to exceede a woman in all things, so much as inconstancie was found fit for him to excell her in, hee left her for a new. Poore love said the Queene, how doth all storyes, and every writer use thee at their pleasure, apparrelling thee according to their various fancies? canst thou suffer thy selfe to be thus put in cloathes, nay raggs instead of vertuous habits? punish such Traytors, and cherish mee thy loyall subject who will not so much as keepe thy injuries neere me; then threw she away the booke, and walked up and downe, her hand on her heart, to feele in there were but the motion left in the place of that shee had so freely given, which she found, and as great, and brave an one in the stead of it, her servants dwelling there, which more then hers she valued, and deerely held in her best dearest breast, which still sent sweetest thoughts to her imagination, ever seeing his love, and her's as perfectly, and curiously twined, as Ivye, which growne into the wall it ascends, cannot but by breaking, and so killing that part, be sever'd: not like the small corne that yeelds forth many staulks, and many eares of wheat out of one, making a glorious bunch of divers parts: this affection was but one in truth, and being as come from one roote, or graine of matchlesse worth, brought forth but one flower, whose delicacy, and goodnesse was in it selfe. Many flowers shewes as faire as a Rose to the eye, but none so sweete: so were many loves as brave in shew, but none so sweetly chast, and therefore rich in worth; this inhabited, and was incorporat in them both, who as one, and as it were with one soule both did breath and live. Sweete wood said she beare record with me, never knew I but this love. Love, answered the wood being graced with an Echo. Soft said she, shall I turne blabb? no Echo, excuse me, my love and choyce more precious, and more deere, then thy proud youth must not be named by any but my selfe, none being able to name him else, as none so just, nor yet hath any eare (except his owne) heard me confesse who governs me; thy vast, and hollow selfe shall not be first, where fondest hopes must rest of secresie in thee, who to each noise doth yeeld an equall grace. As none but we doe truly love, so none but our owne hearts shall know we love. Then went shee a little further, and on a stub, which was between two trees, she sate downe, letting the one serve as the backe of a chayer to rest upon: the other to hold her dainty feete against; Her armes she folded on her breast, as embracing his brave heart, or rather wrapping it within her armes. Deere hart said shee, when shall I live againe, beholding his loved eyes? can I in possibility deser ve ought? he not here, am I alive? no, my life is with him, a poore weake shadow of my selfe remaines, but I am other where. Poore people, how are you deceived, that thinke your Queene is here? alas tis nothing so, shee is farre off, it may be in the field performing famous acts, it may be on the Sea passing to fetch more fame, or indeed speaking with thy selfe, as I discourse to him, his time employed in thoughts of love like mine, and so he thinking of me, brings us both together in absence, present when distance is, and absent oft in greatest companies. But dost thou thinke on me deare love? thy heart doth tell me so, and I believe it as tis thine and mine. Sweet hope to see him flatter mee, but pay for such an error, and make good the joy I take in thee; blesse my poore eyes with seeing his, that make mine lowest slaves to his commands, yet greatest Princes since so prised by him; Let these hands once be blessed againe by touching his, and make this Kingdome rich by bringing him, the truth of riches to her; let mee enjoy those loving lookes, which in me force content beyond it selfe, smile in those eyes, which sparkle in desire, to make me see, they strive to expresse, what flames the heart doth hold of love to me. Doe I not answere them? let me then straight be blind, depriv ed of that joy of sight, and happinesse of joy, for that alone in him, and from him can I have. And thou most kind and welcome memory, adde to my soule delight, the sweete remembrance of our perfect loves, bring to the passionate eyes of my imaginary sight those pleasures wee have had, those best spent houres, when we each other held in sweet discourse: what wanted then but length of deare enjoying, when his deare breath deliverd unto me, the onely blessing I on earth did covet, telling me he was mine, and bid me be assured when he was other, he must not be living, death must only alter him from mee, and me from him, for other can I not, or will I be. Sweete memory tis true, hee vowed this, nay tooke mee in his armes, and sware, that he embracing me, had all the earthly riches this world could afford him; so thought I by him: thus still you see one thought, one love still governs him and me, are wee not most properly one? and one love betweene us, make us truly one? Further she had proceeded and run on, to infinitenesse of content in these imaginations, but from them she must be taken, to be honord with the presence of her bravest Cosin, for then came one of her servants (who knew, that breach of obedience in such a kind would bee pardoned) telling her, that the King of Naples was come to visit her. She quickly rose, nor did shee chide the man, who surely had been sorely shent for troubling her, had any other cause brought him, and so disturbd her amorous thoughts. As shee returned, Amphilanthus met her, their eyes saluted first, then followed all the other ceremonies that do befit so fit a welcome. To the Palace they came, where nothing wanted to manifest the certaine governement that hee held there, hee being the Prince shee most respected; but whom shee loved, shee never would to any other once confesse. With delicate discourse they passed the time, shee never satisfied with hearing of his acts, yet never ungrieved when she heard of danger, although past, still curious of his good. Some daies they thus remained, when newes was brought, Antissia was arriv'd. My Lord (said shee), are you not happy now, that in this place you shall behold your love? The assurance of that happines (said he) did bring me hither from that royall Campe. She was no whit displeased with this reply; the next morning Anitssia came to the Court; the King holding the Queene by the hand, met her at the gate. Antissia was so much joy'd, as she was but that cosening thing it selfe, ravished with false delight; she triumphed in the blaze, while the true fire burnt more solidly, and in another place. She was conducted to the Palace, Pamphilia with her left arme embracing her, holding Amphilanthus with the right hand. Into the Hall they came, where choice of musick entertaind them: Antissia never more pleased, Pamphilia seldome so well contented, and Amphilanthus enjoying too his wish. Antissia gazed on him, and happy was when she could catch one looke cast on her, out of which shee found millions of sweet conceits, conjecturing, that by that looke he told her, she had still the whole command of him, as once she had. Dissembling enemy to perfect rest, vaine hope thou art, why didst thou cousen her, and after thy deludings, let her fall from that height to cruellest despaire? As the variety was great, and pleasing of the musick, so were their thoughts every one mooving in their owne Spheare. Antissia as her joy was most excessive, as more unruly to bee governd, by how much her strength of judgement was inferior to the other two, she could least keepe silence, but began discourse, and still continued so, as she contented them exceedingly, who while shee talked, discoursed with eyes and hearts, her over-esteemd good fortune, taking most of her judging sences from her. Amphilanthus with gratefull respect carried himselfe to her liking sufficiently, whose belief was such of him, as she tooke all to her selfe, and so tooke the injuries for courresies. Some dayes this continued, but now the time for the Kings departure drew neere, the day before which hee spake to Pamphilia for some Verses of hers, which he had heard of. She granted them, and going into her Cabinet to fetch them, he would needs accompany her; shee that was the discreetest fashiond woman, would not deny so small a favour. When they were there, she tooke a deske, wherein her papers lay, and kissing them, delivered all shee had saved from the fire, being in her owne hand unto him, yet blushing told him, she was ashamed, so much of her folly should present her selfe unto his eyes. He told her, that for any other, they might speake for their excellencies, yet in comparison of her excelling vertues, they were but shadowes to set the others forth withall, and yet the best he had seene made by woman: but one thing (said he) I must find fault with, that you counterfeit loving so well, as if you were a lover, and as we are, yet you are free; pitie it is you suffer not, that can faigne so well. She smild, and blusht, and softly said (fearing that he or her selfe should heare her say so much) Alas my Lord, you are deceived in this for I doe love. He caught her in his armes, she chid him not, nor did so much as frowne, which shewed she was betrayd. In the same boxe also he saw a little tablet lie, which, his unlooked for discourse had so surpressed her, as shee had forgot to lay aside. He tooke it up and looking in it, found her picture curiously drawne by the best hand of the time; her hair was downe, some part curld, some more plaine, as naturally it hung, of great length it seemd to bee, some of it comming up againe, shee held in her right hand, which also she held upon her heart, a wastcoate shee had of needle worke, wrought with those flowers she loved best. He beheld it a good space, at last shutting it up, told her, he must have that to carry with him to the field. She said, it was made for her sister. Shee may have others said he, let me have this. You may command, my Lord, said she. This done, they came forth againe, and so went to find Antissia, who was gone into the Parke, they followed her, and overtooke her in the Wood, where they sat downe, every one discoursing of poore Love, made poore by such perpetuall using his name. Amphilanthus began, but so sparingly he spake, as one would doe, who would rather cleare, then condemne a friend. Pamphilia followed, and much in the same kind. Antissia was the last, and spake enough for them both, beginning her story thus. I was still sixteene yeares of age so troubled, or busied with continuall misfortunes, as I was ingrafted into them; I saw no face that me thought brought not new, or rather continuance of perplexity, how was libertie then priz'd by me? envy almost creeping into me against such, as felt freedome; for none was so slavish as I deemd my selfe; betraid, sold, stolne, almost dishonored, these adverse fortunes I ranne, but from the last you rescued me, and sav ed your servant Antissia, to live fit to be commanded by you; yet gave you not so great a blessing alone, but mixt it, or suffered mixture in it: for no sooner was I safe, but I was as with one breath pardoned, and condemned againe subject, and in a farre stricter subjection: you brave King deliverd mee from the hands of Villians, into the power of Love; whither imagine you, is the greater bondage, the latter the nobler, but without question as full of vexation. But to leave these things, love possessed me, love tirannized, and doth command me; many of those passions I felt in Morea, and whereof you most excellent Queene have beene witnesse, but none so terrible, as absence hath since wrought in me, Romania being to me like the prison, appointed to containe me, and my sorrowes. One day among many other, I went to the sea side through a Walke, which was private and delicate, leading from the Court at Constantinople to the sea; there I used to walke, and passe much time upon the sands, beholding ships that came in, and boates that came ashoare, and many times fine passengers in them, with whom I would discourse as an indifferent woman, not acknowledging my greatnes, which brought mee to the knowledge of many pretty adventures, but one especially, which happened in this kind, A ship comming into the Harbor, but being of too great burden to come ashoare, in the long boat the passengers came, and landed on the sands; I beheld them, among whom was one, whose face promised an excellent wit and spirit, but that beauty she had had, was diminished, so much only left, as to shew she had been beautifull. Her fashion was brave, and confident; her coutenance sweet, and grave; her speech mild and discreet; the company with her were some twenty that accompanied her, the number of servants answerable to their qualities. Thus they came on towards us; I sent to know who they were, and of what Country (for their habits said, they were not Greekes). The reply was they were of Great Brittany, and that the chiefe Lady was a widdow, and sister to the Embassador that lay Leigeir there for the King of that Countrey. I had heard much fame of the Ladies of that Kingdome for all excellencies which made mee the more desire to bee acquainted with her, yet for that time let it passe, till a fitter opportunity, which was soone offered me, for within few dayes she desired to bee permitted to kisse my hands. I willingly granted it, longing to heare some things of Brittany ; when she came, I protest, she behaved her selfe so excellently finely, as me thought, I envied that Countrey where such good fashion was. After this, shee desirous of the honour to be with me often, and I embracing her desire, loving her conversation, we grew so neere in affection, as wee were friends, the neerest degree that may be. Many times we walked together, and downe the same walke where first we met with our eyes; one day wee fell into discourse of the same subject we now are in, freely speaking as wee might, who so well knew each other, she related the story of her love thus. I was (said shee) sought of many, and beloved (as they said) by them, I was apt enough to beleeve them, having none of the worst opinions of my selfe, yet not so good an one as aspired to pride; and well enough I was pleased to see their paines, and without pitty to be pleased with them: but then love saw with just eyes of judgement that I deserved punishment for so much guilty neglect, wherefore in fury he gave me that cruell wound with a poysoned dart, which yet is uncured in my heart; for being free, and bold in my freedome, I gloried like a Marygold in the Sun. But long this continued not, my end succeeding, like the cloasing of that flowre with the Sunnes setting. What shal I say, brave Princess? I lov'd, and yet continue it, all the passions which they felt for me, I grew to commiserat, and compare with mine; free I was in discourse with my rejected suiters, but onely because I desired to heare of it, which so much rul'd me, like a Souldier that joyes in the trumpet which summons him to death. Those houres I had alone, how spent I them? if otherwise then in deare thoughts of love, I had deserved to have beene forsaken. Sometimes I studied on my present joyes, then gloried in my absent: triumphed to thinke how I was sought, how by himselfe invited, nay implor'd to pitty him, I must confesse not wonne, as most of us by words, or dainty fashion, rich cloathes, curiositie, in curiousnes, these wonne me not; but a noble mind, a free disposition, a brave, and manly countenance, excellent discourse, wit beyond compare, all these joyned with a sweete, and yet Courtier-like dainty Courtshippe, but a respecti ve love & neglective affection conquered me. He shewed enough to make me see he would rather aske then deny, yet did not, scorning refusall as well he might; free gift was what he wished, and welcom'd, daintynes had lost him, for none could winne or hold him, that came not halfe way at the least to meete his love, I came much more, and more I lov'd, I still was brought more to confirme his by my obedience. I may boldly, and truly confesse, that what with his liking, and my observing, I lived as happy in his love as ever any did, and bless'd with blessings, as if with fasts, and prayers obtain'd. This happines set those poore witts I have to worke, and so to set in some brave manner forth my true-felt blisse, among the cheifest wayes I found expression in verse, a fine and principall one, that I followed, for he loved verse, and any thing that worthy was or good, or goodnes loved him so much as she dwelt in him, and as from ancient Oracles the people tooke direction, so governd he the rest by his example or precept, & from the continuall flowing of his vertues was the Country inriched, as Egypt by the flowing of the Nile gaines plenty to her fields: But I a poore weake creature, like the Ant, that though she know how to provide, yet doth it so, as all discerne her craft: so I, although I sought the meanes to keepe this treasure, and my selfe from sterving, yet so foolishly I behaved my selfe, as indaingered my losse, and wonne all envy to mee; I considered not, I might have kept, and saved, but I would make provision before such, as might be certaine of my riches. This undid mee, carrying a burthen, which not weightyer then I might wel beare, was too much seene, an empty trunke is more troblesome then a bag of gold; so did my empty wit lead me to the trouble of discovery, & changing the golden waight of joy to the leaden, and heavy dispaire; but that came many yeares after my happines, for seaven yeares I was blest, but then, O me, pardon me great Princesse cryd shee, I must not proceed, for never shall these lipps that spake his love, that kiss'd his love, discover what befell me. Speake then said I, of these sweete dayes you knew, & touch not on his fault; mine deere Lady cryed she, it of force must be, hee could not err, I did, hee was and is true worth, I folly, ill desert; he bravenesse mixt with sweetnesse, I ignorance, and weakenesse; hee wisdoms selfe, I follyes Mistris. Why what offence gave you said I, speake of your owne? I cannot name that, but it must (replid she) bring the other on, for how can I say I saw the clowd, but I must feele the showre, therefore O pardon mee, I will not blame him, I alone did ill, and suffer still, yet thus farre I will satisfie you. Having search'd with crurious, and unpartiall judgement, what I did, and how I had offended him, I found I was to busie, and did take a course to give offence, when most I hoped to keepe, I grew to doubt him to, if justly, yet I did amisse, and rather should have suffered then disliked. I thought by often letting him behold the paine I did endure for being blessd, tooke away al the blessing, wearying him, when that I hoped should have indeered him: but that though somtimes is away, yet not alwayes to be practised, too much businesse, and too many excuses, made me past excuse. I thought, or feard, or foolishly mistrusted, hee had got an other love; I under other mens reports as I did faigne did speake my owne mistrust, whether he found it, or being not so hot in flames of yong affection, (growne now old to me) as once he was, gave not such satisfaction, as I hoped to have, but coldy bidde mee be assur'd, hee lov'd mee still, and seem'd to blame me, said I slact my love, and told mee I was not so fond. This I did falsly take like a false sier, and did worke on that, so as one night hee comming to my Chamber as hee used, after a little talke hee was to goe, and at his going stoop'd and kiss'd, mee. I did answere that so foolishly, (for modestly I cannot call it, since it was a favour I esteem'd, and nere refus'd to take:) hee apprehended it for scorne, and started back, but from that time, unfortunate I, lived but little happier then you see me now. Pamphilia smild to heare her come to that; the King was forc'd to cov er his conceits, and wish her to proceed. She tooke her selfe, pray God said shee, I doe not play the Brittaine Lady now. They both then did intreate to heare the rest; that soone you may said shee, for this was all, only in a finer manner, and with greater passion shee did then conclude. They found she was not pleas'd, therefore they sought some other way to please, and rising walked into an other wood, and so unto a pond, which they did fish, and passe the time with all, while poore Antissia thought herselfe each fish, & Amphilanthus stil the nette that caught her, in all shapes, or fashions she could be framed in. Then came his going, all the night before, his whole discourse, and manner was to purchase still more love, greedy, as covetous of such gaine; hee wished not any thing that he enjoyed not, all was as hee wished. At supper poore Antissias eyes were never off from him, she did lament his going, her heart wept; hee looked as glad to see she lov'd him still, (for what man lives, that glories not in multitudes of womens loves?) so he, though now neither fond nor loving to her, yet seem'd to like her love, if only that his might be the more prized, wonne from so brave and passionate a Lady; and thus she often caught his eyes, which on what condition soever, yet being on her, were esteem'd, and gave content, as debters doe with faire words, to procure their Creditors to stay a longer time,: so did she, but prolonging the time in her torments to her greater losse. Amphilanthus being to depart, offer'd to take his leave, but Pamphilia refused it, telling him she would bee ready the next morning before his going, which she was, and with Antissia, brought him a mile or more from the Court into a Forrest, then tooke leave, hee making all hast to the Campe. The Ladyes to avoyd idlenesse, the Queene especially to prevent frivolous discourse, called for her hounds, and went to hunt a Stagg; it was a sport shee loved well, and now the better, presenting it selfe so fitly to her service. The Rainger told her of a great Deere, which he saw in a wood as hee came to her; she followed him, and so uncoupling the Dogs, put them into the wood. The Stagge came forth with as much scorne, and contempt in his face, and fashion as a Prince, who should rather be attended then pursued, hating that such poore things as hounds should meddle with him, as if hee were rather to be attended then hunted. But quickly he was made to acknowledge that he was Pamphilias subject, and by yeelding his life as a sacrifice for his presumption, shewed if hee had not beene a beast, he had sooner acknowledged it, both in dutie to her, and for his honor, which he could receive but by letting her delicate hand, cut open his breast, there to see it written. But during the hunting he was yet more unhappy, for the most excellent Queene after one round, scarce made him happy with pursuing him, taking into a Grove, faigning an excuse, and there lighting, pass'd most part of the time in calling her thoughts into strict examination, which when she had done, she found them so true, as she could see none to accuse the least of them, or the busiest, for being a thoughts time sever'd from her love. When shee found them so just, Deere companions in my solitarynes, said she, furnish me with your excellency in constancy, and I will serve you with thankfull loyalty. Then tooke she a knife, and in the rine of an Oake insculped a sypher, which contained the letters, or rather the Anagram of his name shee most and only lov'd. By that time the Stagge came by, grieved at her unkindnesse, that shee would not honor his death with her presence; which shee by his pittifull countenance perceiving, tooke her horse againe, and came in to his death. As shee returned, Antissia told her she was much alter'd, for once she knew her so fond of that sport, as she loved it more then any delight: shee desired her to have a more noble opinion of her, then to thinke she was subject to change, which was a thing she so infinitely hated, as she would abhorr her owne soule, when it left loving what it once had loved. That was not hunting sure said Antissia, for you love not that so well as first you did. Enter not into my love sweete Princesse said she. I will never offend you answered the other; so home they went each going to her Chamber, Antissia in as great a rage as when she mistrusted Rosindy to bee Amphilanthus, but more discreetly she now carried it, Pamphilia to her lodgings where shee remain'd till they were called to dinner; the Queene with the greatest respect in the world entertaining Antissia, whose heart now fill'd with envy, received it with no more delight, then one would doe a bitter potion, yet was her fashion sweetned with discretion: for the time shee stayed which was not long, taking her way to Romania: whither being arri ved, she cald her sad but froward thoughts together, thanking her Fate, that brought her to see Amphilanthus, but cursing her Desteny that gave her assurance of his change. Oh my heart said she, how canst thou beare these torments, and yet hold, continually furnished with new discontents? accursed eyes that made thee subject to so excellent falshood, & so pleasing deceit. Pamphilia, I confesse that thou art most excellent, and meriting all, but yet not comparable (were thy selfe only vertue) to make up the losse, that Amphilanthus hath lost, and broken in his faith, and worth, Faire, and deere gaining eyes, why smile you still in your disguising love, betrayers of my liberty? why joyne you hope together with your selves not to be seene, much lesse beheld with freedome? only like the fauning Crocadile to win, and kill? deere lips that seem'd to open but to let the hearts desirs to come unto mine eares, severd you deceitfully your selves to ruine me? that onely excellent, and loved breath, could it be thought it should prove poyson to my choycest blisse? far-well delights, the truest flatterers, and thou dispaire infold me, I am thine. Then writ she certaine verses, they were these. I Who doe feele the highest part of griefe, shall I be left without reliefe? I who for you, doe cruell torments beare, will you alasse leave me in feare? Know comfort never could more welcome bee, then in this needfull time to mee, One drop of comfort will be higher prized then seas of joyes, if once despiz'd, Turne not the tortures which for you I try upon my hart, to make me dye. Have I offended? 'twas at your desire, when by your vowes you felt loves fire. What I did erre in, was to please your will can you get, and the offspring kill? The greatest fault, which I committed have is you did aske, I freely gave. Kindly relent, let causlesse curstnes flye, give but one sigh, I bless'd shall dye. But O you cannot, I have much displeas'd striving to gaine, I losse have seaz'd. My state I see, and you your ends have gain'd I'me lost since you have me obtain'd. And since I cannot please your first desire I'le blow, and nourish scorners fire As Salimanders in the fire doe live: so shall those flames my being give. And though against your will, I live and move, forsaken creatures live and love Doe you proceed, and you may well confesse you wrong'd my care, while I care lesse. With great spleene against him, and affection to her selfe for her bravenesse, she read these lines over againe; but then whether judgment of seeing them but poore ones, or humble love telling her she had committed treason to that throne, moved her, I cannot justly tell, but some thing there was that so much molested her as she leap'd from her stoole, ranne to the fire, threw in the paper, cryd out, pardon me great Queene of love I am guilty. I plead no other; mercy take on me thy poorest vassall, I love still, I must love still, and him, and only him, although I be forsaken. The sweete Rivers she visited and on their banks continually did lye, and weepe, and chid her eyes because they wept no faster, seeing them but drop unto the streame. My heart said she yeelds more plentifull & deere shed teares then you. Alas Antissia how doe I pitty thee? how doe I still lament thy hap, as if a stranger? for I am not she, but meere disdaine, yet then she stayd, soft fury, cry'd she, I must not permit your harshnesse to creepe into my heart; no I shall never hate, I lov'd too much, and doe to alter now. Then tooke she forth a picture hee had given her willingly when she did aske it; that she wept on, kiss'd it, wip't it, wept, and wip't, and kiss'd againe. Alas that thou alone said she the shadow should be true, when the true substance is so false; cold Cristall, how well doth thy coldnesse sute his love to mee, which once was hot, now colder then thy selfe; but were it chast like thee I yet were bless'd, for 'tis not losse alone but change that martyrs me. The picture she then shut, and put it where it was, which was upon her heart, she there continually did cherish it, and that still comfort her, when by it shee did see hee had loved her, and though now quite bereaved of happines in that, yet did that cleere her from the folly, idle love without reward had else condemned her in. Oft would shee read the papers she had gaind from him in his owne hand, and of his making, though not all to her, yet being in that time she did not feare, shee tooke them so, and so was satisfied. Read them she did even many millions of times, then lay them up againe, and (as her greatest priz'd and only blessing left) kept them still neere, apt many times to flatter her poore selfe with hope he had not cleane left her, who did so kindly let her keepe those things, contrary to his manner with others, as he reported to her self, for from them he tooke at varying all they had of his; as from Lucenia, who hee told, shee could not esteeme of his shadow, so little prizing the substance; but then as many bold assurances told her, she was deceived. The Meads she much frequented, walking in their plaines, especially shee did affect one, more then all the rest, a Willow tree growing in the midst, and plentifully spreading branches, witnessing forsakennes round about, so as she might be held in that sad shade from the heat of Sun-hope-joy. Miserable Antissia (waild she her selfe), in how few yeares hast thou made a shift to see the whole world of misfortune? yet of the worst, and the only worst, is disdaine and losse in love. Then carv ed she in the trunke of that tree, till she had imbroiderd it all over with characters of her sorrow: in the crowne of this tree she made a seat big enough for her selfe to sit in, the armes, and branches incompassing her, as if shee were the hat to weare the Crowne of Willow, or they were but the flowers of it; and her selfe the forsaken compasse, out of which so large and flourishing a crowne of despised love proceeded, so as take it either way, shee was either crownd, or did crowne that wretched estate of losse, a pitifull honor, and griefefull government: but this was the reward for her affection, and which most poore loving women purchase. Melysinda was yet more fortunate, for within some two moneths after Amphilanthus his departure, her husband by a bruise he received at the Justs held there, had an Impostume bred within him, which was not discoverd, till helpe was past, so as he died, leaving her a brave and faire Widdow. Good nature made her sorry for him, but shee tooke it not so heavily (though teares she shed) as to give cause to the world to lament the marring of so excellent beauty for the losse of a husband, who if he could have been by sorrow brought againe, there had been reason for it, but otherwise shee must have run into the danger of being thought unreasonable too much to sorrow, and as if dislike, what heavenly powers willd: wherefore obediently to them, and discreetly to the world, she grieved sufficiently for him, keeping as strict a course of mourning as the most curious could not thinke it in any place or manner too little. She saw no man in two moneths after his death, the first were the Counsell, in which time they had governd; then came shee forth to them into a private roome, where they onely were, her face coverd below the eyes with a Scarfe throwne carelessely over (not a Vaile, for so much finenesse had been much, and too little mourning) another piece of mourning came, and covered her chinne to her lippes, and a little past: her Gowne made with a wide long sleeve to the ground, was of blacke Cloth, a Mantle over it of the same, to which was a Traine, carried by two Ladies of her Bed-chamber likewise in cloth, but their faces bare; the whole Court hung with Cloth; no Roome that mourned not, as if each had a particular losse, no people of the Court, or that came to the Court, but were in that dolefull livery, Embassadours from all kingdomes to condole. And thus she lived, till Ollorandus came unto her six moneths after, which hindred his going to the army in Albania, love ever having, or taking the liberty to command, scorning then but to be obayd, which the faire cosins, Urania, and Philistella made experience of, to whom the newes of Selarinus his imprisonment came, and presently after the happy delivery, and Coronation of him to mitigate the fury of her sorrow, which was such as tormented Urania to see, whose heart was perplexed especially for parting and absence, often bursting into passions like these. Can you tell mee, you poorest eyes where my loyall heart remaines? have you not perceived it in his loving, and still answering lookes; from which, and in which truest beauty smiles? did it not there descry the joy it selfe, striving to let you knowe the place it happily obtained; playing, and making baby pastimes as it lay closed in that shrine of glory? but much more triumphed it, when you might knowe his breast embraced it, surprising the run away, as by sweet force made his, while greatest hearts for pitty cries, and wailes neglected nay, so dyes. If thus you then be placed, no marvell sure you leave my poore afflicted body desolate, where nothing but distemper, or loves paines inhabite; yet cast your lookes this way, see my petition for your safe returne, heare mee make vowes that none but you can bring content, your absence mastring mee, your presence bringing blisse; yet absent, your loved Image, and your dearest selfe remaines infigured in my chastest breast, and myrrour-like presents you to my sight, yet coldly, like a Statue made of stone: or as the picture, while loves sweetest race runs to the warmth of sight. If then remembrance, or the perfect memory of you be but a picture, whereof I am made the lively case, faithfully keeping that rich portraict, still from change or thought that relique to displace, nourishing, and with it living, as oyle, and lampes doe simpathise in life: each looke alluring wishings to our joyes. Restore that life-peece now and make me bless'd, crowne my soules longing with thy grant, and come to see mee triumph in thy dearest sight, my onely selfe, my onely love. These passions was she in when Philistella found her in the walkes, speaking unto her selfe, and walking with so fast, and unused a fashion, differing from her grave and discreet manner, as if love had lay'd a wager with discretion, yet hee would make her at that time (to fulfill his will) forget her selfe and wholly serve him; he won that, and judgement made her asham'd, when Philistella came unto her, and told her shee wonder'd to see her so. Love, love faire Philistella (cryed shee) can doe this, and more, but happy you can keepe your paines more secret, and more close; that is not, not e'er yet hath beene my hap (said she) for no eye hath beheld mee, but together sawe my love. No sweetest Cousin saide Urania, wrong not your great wit with taxing it unjustly, have I not seene how prettily and with an excellent disdaine you did refuse his humble suite in love? his eyes have beene even ready to burst out in teares, when you have smiled, and changed your first discourse, as if of purpose to deny his plaints. Alasse, would I thinke happy Philistella, how art thou above thy sexe most fortunate? poore me, had I but one such, or the like content, it were for mee eternall happinesse while she rejecteth love; did Steriamus love like as his brother doth, were I not of all women blessed? but his affections, are in an other seate enthronised; these thoughts, (while you like Summer florish'd) nipp'd my dayes, yet now I praise my desteny nothing except sad absence grieveth mee, while you, whether not griev'd, or not so loving I cannot well judge, feele not, or shew not that you have the sence, which absence brings us lovers. Sweetest Urania answerd she, my soule can tell you I dissemble not, nor did my manner, or my face cover yet my flames, when I did heare my deare and only Lord imprisoned was, did I not faint, and loose my strength, as hating that, since not sufficient to release my love? Was not the Court distempred, and my Parents grieved, fearing my comming danger, when the harme was neerer to mee, then they could imagine? Wept I not, when the mastring griefe was passed? sighed I not still, & cryd against proud, and curst treacheries? how did I hide the boyling heate of sorrow I containd? Wav'd I not with each passion up and downe, as boughs blowne with the wind, some times resolv'd to die, other times to live for a revenge, and still distracted? more I sought to turne, more fast tied still, my heart like leade in fire, melting with the heate of fury call you this discreete, and wise behaviour? could love no better bee dissembled, or the sparkes no finelier raked up in discretion? But now I see you smile at me, while you indeed doe better, and more curiously, like cunning workemen best beguile our eyes. Its well sweet, daintiest Princesse, you may flout your friends. But said Urania, when did you see me one whole day, and not sigh, or weepe, or steale away to do them? I heere vow unto Love, which vow I will not break, that never creature felt more paine, nor ever any more discoverd it; I doe confesse it as a weaknesse in me, but I cannot helpe it; if I did see him one poore instant space alone, me thought it was my duty to goe to him, if he spake to another, was I not, nor am I not thinke I as worthy, or as fit to talke with, as her selfe. Almost suspition oft-times grew in me, but absolute fondnesse never was away, I doe not thinke in houres, while I have stood at audiences, which the King hath given, I have been one minute altogether joyned with my eyes held from him, I have looked off tis true, but like a Deare at feede, start up for feare, but straight againe returnd unto the food, which from his eyes I tooke, yet I am secret, and discreet in love. Never credit mee deare Cosin, if I speake not truth, I found not that you did requite his love, till your owne lippes to honour me delivered it. I shall the better credit this, and love my fashion so much more (said Philistella), since you commend me, but in troth I spake as guiltinesse forced mee: but now wee are so free, let me be bold to aske this question; In this heate of love, did not your former passion never come glancing into your eyes? could you behold Parselius with freedome, and Steriamus with affection? I will, said Urania (as to my confessor) tell you the truth; it was mee thought a wonderfull odde change, and passing different affection I did feele, when I did alter: for though I were freed from my first love, and had a power to choose againe, yet was I not so amply cured from memorie, but that I did resemble one newly come out of a vision, distracted, scarce able to tell, whether it were a fixion, or the truth; yet I resol ved, and so by force of heavenly providence lost the first, and live in second choice, and this deare soveraigne good received I from Leucadia. But when I had thus far proceeded, then did feare accompany my change, lest Steriamus should despise my second love, not having given him my first as the best, which in troth in some sort he had obtaind, for I liked him, before I loved the other. Oft did I study, how I might compasse my blessing, when for my most, and future happinesse, hee was as much engaged unto me, and so was Melisseas Prophecy performed, for wee from death in shew rose unto a new love; he feared likewise, that I would scorne his gift, and after many vehement and affectionate suings, hee presented me with a little booke of Verses, among which were many to excuse himselfe, and to commend a second love, I remember one Sonnet, being this. Blame me not dearest, though grieved for your sake, Love mild to you, on me triumphing sits, Sifting the choysest ashes of my wits, Burnt like a Phœnix, change but such could shake. And a new heat, given by your eyes did make Embers dead cold, call Spirits from the pits Of darke despaire, to favour new felt fits, And as from death to this new choice to wake. Love thus crownes you with power, scorne not the flames, Though not the first, yet which as purely ries As the best light, which sets unto our eyes, And then againe ascends free from all blames. Purenesse is not alone in one fix'd place, Who dies to live, finds change a happy grace. These I did learne, for these did fit mee best, and from that time contented was to let him see, I entertaind his sute, which was his kingdome wonne in sweet delight; then was that as an Empire to my gaine, when I first saw him rudely, yet innocently clad, like a Lamb in wool for colour and softnesse to the eye, or touch his face blushing like modesty, after his arme had showed manly power, his delicacie asking pitie, but his commanding absolutenes, disdaining it as much, as the bright Moone, if we should say wee were sorry in a frostie night, to see her face in the water, least she might bee cold: rather might I say, I feard the Sunne would burne him, when hee enamourd of his dainty skinne, did but incloase him with his power from other harme, touching him not to hurt, but to make difference twixt his favours, shind, and shielded him, while others he did burne, kinde in embracements, and soft in his force. The language he did speake, was milde, so were his lookes, love shadowing all himself within his eyes, or in his face, keeping his greatest Court, because most gaining. Ah sweet Philistella, had you seene the un-relatable exquisitenesse of his youth, none could have blam'd me, but even chid me, for not instantly yeelding my passions wholly to his will; but proud ambition, and gay flatterie made me differ, and love your brother: thus if I changd, twas from sweete Steriamus to Parselius, for his excellency wonne me first; so this can bee no change, but as a booke layd by, new lookt on, is more, and with greater judgement understood. You need not (said Philistella) strive to make me see your love, and cause thereof to Steriamus, since (I truely speake) I thinke none worthyer to bee truely loved (except my Lord) then I imagine him, nor can I much, or any way defend my brother, who, (had you still continued loving,) I should have blam'd he proving so unjust, yet this only salve and good excuse is left, Desteny did, and ever still must rule. Now for mee deere Urania, all I aime is love, if I discourse, what is it of but love? if I walke out, what travell in but love? if I sit still, what muse I on but love? if I discoursed be withall, what answere I but love? so as being made, maintaind by love, and in love shaped, & squared only to his rule, what neede excuses but plaine truth? and say if I doe speake from purpose, or extravogantly fly from the matter we were talking of, if cleave to other subject divert the proferd speech, say this, and only this, Love who is Lord of all brave royall minds, hath like the heavens beheld my lowly breast, and in it taken lodging, gracing it with humbling his great Godhead, to embrace a true, and yeelding heart, in comparison of his supreame authority most meane, should I not thus without excuse be freed, nay even respected when love is adored? As if hee spake from me, so heare me now, love dwels in me, hee hath made me his hoste; then if I only doe remaine (as sure I shall) wholly affection, and his humblest slave, scorne mee not, but still reckon mee a serv ant nearest wayting on great Love. Others like Painters better can set him forth in his coulers; Kings we see have pictures drawne to be eternised by, but tis them selves for which the picture is drawne, not for the workemans skill: so favor me for Love, nor blame me though an ill peece, 'tis the best though by an ill hand drawne; tis to the life, others may smoother bee, and fairer, none more like, nor just unto the perfect true resemblance of pure love; & thus see you before your royall selfe, the humblest vassall Cupid cherisheth. Urania in her soule commended the pretty confession, faire Philistella made, admiring her sweetnesse of disposition, as much as before she wondred at the beauty of her person, embracing her, my deere companion in true love said she, now shall we with more ease, and freedome serve our Master; dayes must not passe without our service done to him; nor shall, my deere Urania said the other, let our most private thoughts be to each other plaine and open, seacrysie to all others held, and only love, and we, know what we think, thus they did live and love, and love, and live. Nerana still remaining in Cicely, now growne as humble, as before proud, and ashamed as before scorning, living in a Cave alone, and feeding on hearbs, roots, and milke of Goats which fed on those rocks: playing the milke-mayd better then before the Princesse, extremity forcing her, contented with patience, and patiently contented, nothing troubling her but her love, which was, and is enough to vex the greatest, and best governd Spirits, hers being none of those the exactliest ruld. To bring her from her misery, (Love having sufficiently tyrannised) the King Perissus came thither, who in love to his friends, the brave, and matchles Princes, meant to assist them; journying towards them, hee happned to that place where he beheld the sportfull exercise of Fortune, a Princesse without a Country, cloathes, or servants, a Lady that must tell her selfe to be one, else not to be mistrusted, a miserable woman, and the more so because she felt it, experience, and sufferance making her sencible of misfortune. She sought to shunne the King at first, but afterwards considering her good might come from him, her hurt likely if kept close to abide with her, she came unto him, and with much humility made her aproach, who beheld her with a gratious, and pittying eye, seeing in her more then ordenary behavior, and a countenance that might carry greatnes with it, and had in it, though shadowed under poverty. Perissus tooke her to him, and demanding some things of her, shee answered with these like words. Said she, this estate may justly merit contempt, and scorne from you, or so great a Prince as you appeare to be. I am a creature living by ill chance able to relate my misery, which if you please to give an eare unto I shall tell you. I am cal'd Neræna Princesse of Stalamina, made in myne owne Country, and in the most perfect time of my rule, subject to a stranger, both to me, and I feare good nature so far scorning me, as it brought me to this estate you see me in; for after with curst, and scornfull words, he had refusd my love, and loving petition for pitty, left me, and with his friends as courteous, as he was proud, and kind, as he cruell, the renowned Princes Amphilanthus and Ollorandus tooke shippe. I could not but pursue in folly, as in love, and so tooke a troublesome, and tedious journey; to Morea I came of purpose to see her who was my undoer, for hee loved Pamphilia, and shee, would I behold, desiring or so gayning my end, no more contented with hearing it, but like Procris, would seeke it, and gaine it. There I had entertainement, like my search, smiles in scorne, and losse in hope; for in that Princesse I confesse worth to conquer hearts, and thus I yeeld his choyce most perfect. But this could not hold me from accusing my want of judgment in going thither to behold her, as if I would wash mine eyes the cleerer to see my ill. What folly said I, led me to this Rocke of mischeife, to be cast downe, and ruin'd on the ground of scorne? yet did not this hinder my journey, for me thought I was more deserving him, then the rare Princesse, so partiall are we to our selves, that I could almost have belived she seemed excellent, because mine eyes, like a flattring glasse shewed her so, yet againe thought I, why should I commend her, who undoes my blisse? My spleene then swell'd against her, and I was sicke with anger, that I as abruptly left Morea, as Steriamus did Stalamina; thence I was by the brave Amphilanthus directed to Saint Maura, but a storme brought me hither, where with a greater tempest I was molested, falling into the hands of a mad-man, who dress'd me as you see, and with diversity of franticke fits, perplexed me. I have since lived in these places, and seene Winter in cold despaires, and Sommers heat in flourishing misery: nor saw I any, of whom to demand favour these many months, first shuning all, till now; wherefore from your hands I implore it, let not my outward meanes hinder your noble mind from pitty, but rather shew it where most want claimes it. I confesse contempt is likelyer to bee my reward, whose pride was such, as that punishment best fitteth me, but I am humbled, and my former fault looks more odious to me, then thought of this fortune would have done, in my height of greatnes. The King had before heard of her, and tooke compassion of her, carrying her to the Towne, where that night she was to lye, in his owne Charriot which was led spare, she rid thither, where he cloathed her according to her dignity. But when she had her greatnes againe in good clothes put about her, she began to grow to her wonted accustomed humours, like a garden, never so delicate when well kept under, will without keeping grow ruinous: So over-running-weedy pride, in an ambitious creature proves troblesome to governe, and rude to looke on. Feare to see her poorenes, held her from looking in either the face of a fountaine, or River, but now her eyes tels her, shee is her selfe, which is enough to make her remember, she was, and must bee againe as she was directly. Shall I said shee, change from lownes to noblenes, and not come to my noble spirit? then were I more unfortunate to have such an alteration, then if held in raggs; the mind is above all but it selfe, and so must mine bee. Ought I not to glory in my good, that I am redeemed from a private life? nay must I not love my selfe, who I see Heaven hath such care of, as not to let me be obleiged to other then one of mine owne ranke for the fav our, as esteeming none other worthy to serve me? Steriamus, would thou didst but see this, and thy disdainefull Mistris behold my honor, it might worke good upon you both, and teach you, how to esteeme of those, (or indeed her) who the highest powers observe, and reverence. Alas, what a foole was I to be molested with my former fortune; had I beene able but to see what I now discerne, I should have rejoyced at it, since without question, it was done for my greater honor, and of purpose to shew me, how much the highest would expresse affection, nay respect unto me. Marke but the whole carryage, did not all adore me? the mad-man were his fits other then worshipping me, as Sheephardesse, Nimph, or any thing? did he not humble himselfe most respectively unto me? Then bee thy selfe absolutely bless'd Neræna, all creatures made to secure thee, and of all kinds, command then, and shew thou art worthy of such happy authority; Soare like the Hobby, and scorne to stoope to so poore a prey as Steriamus, who now looks before mine eyes, like a Dorr to a Faulcon; my mind preserved for height, goes upward, none but the best shall have liberty to joyne with me, none Master me. Ignorant Prince what glory did'st thou shunne, when thou didest dispise the most reverenced of women, the favorite of the loving Gods, and Goddesses? Dull man to love any but Neræna, the most love-worthy of her sex, and her whom all may glory in for affecting, and that judgement I discerne in this King, who was even at first sight ravished with beholding me; true love that only regards beauty, not apparrell, & to that end did love cloath me in ragges to conquer a King. Poore Perissus I pitty thee, that thy constancy must loose the strong power it had till now, and yeeld to my victory, who cannot requite thee; yet faine would he cover his affection, but tis plainely seene, how doth he steale looks on me? cast up his eyes, then sigh? these tell me that his heart is my prisoner, and the contention is twixt his difficulty to part from so long a fixed affection, and feare of my refusall, which he must finde, if hee pursue in it. Alas, I faine would helpe it if I could, but constancy (though a fruitlesse vertue) governs me. With that the King came to her, whom she used after the same manner, as if he had beene in love (as she imagined) which was nothing so, but made him conjecture that she had beene with good feeding growne into her fury againe, and fullnesse had renewed her madnesse; he was sorry to see her so, that she accounted passion, which was pitty of her, hee being the worthylest constant, and who would not let one spot come to touch, or blemish that purenes which remayned in him: like the fixed Starrs, shining with joy, and giving light of purest content unto his excellent soule; but at last he found her false imagination grow troublesome, to avoyd which, hee meant to bee rid of her, wherefore at the Port where he was to take Shipping, he appointed a Barque of purpose for her, to carry her to her owne Country, and some servants to attend her, besides some of her owne who came unto her, when her finding was noysed abroad, and upon submission were received. When shee saw her selfe thus slighted, as she term'd it, because the King her new servant as she called him, did not attend her in his owne person; shee froun'd; Hee found she disliked it, and therefore sought to excuse himselfe, the more he proceeded in that, the greater grew her insolency, so as at the last she answered his complements, with unmannerly replyes, and in the end, flat revilings. Hee noble, and courteous, would not be seene to wrangle with her, nor suffer her follies to offend him, wherefore he Ship'd himselfe and his company, commanding the Mariners to saile for Greece. When she was with all her greatnes thus left on the Shoare with a trayne of twenty, instead of a King, and five hundred Knights, which she flatterd her selfe should have waighted on her, she storm'd extremly within her selfe, having such a tempest of rage, as it could not be told, whether prid, or scorne blew highest in her fury; but time brought a little calme to her, so as cursing Ceicili, Perissus, and all men, but such vassals as were to serve her, and almost her selfe, for having neede of such vassals, she ship'd with resolution to exercise her just anger upon her people, where she found a new businesse; for being landed in Lemnos, and going to the Citty where she expected solemne entertainment, bon-fires, and such hot triumphs for her welcome, contrarywise she encounterd the cold face of neglect, and losse of her Country, being possess'd, and governd by a younger sister of hers, who she had so contemned in times past, as she disdaind to let her appeare before her presence, but held her inclosed in a strong Tower, many times to molest her, making her prepare her selfe to dye. This had so temperd her, (who it may be had some sparks of the fire of pride which flamed in Neræna) as she was as humble, and mild, as her sister excelld in the opposite, and so had she wonne the harts of the people, who after Neræna was lost, quickly fetched out the other, and as soone acknowledged her their Princesse. But now she is return'd, what diversity of opinions were among them, some out of honest dispositions, and good plaine conscience would have their true Lady restored; others for feare wished the same, but all joyning together, and every one having spoken, the chosen resolution was, shee should no more governe; pride could not gaine obedience, nor scorne, command, but what most urged against her, was the pollitique feare they apprehended of her revenge on them, who had given them selves to an other Gov ernesse in her absence, so as they chose rather to commit a fault unpardonable, then to venture under her pardon, as if one should burne all the furniture of a House, because one Roome was infected with the Plague. Now Neræna, where is thy greatnesse, but in miserie? where the so often named title of Princesse but in bondage? where all thy glorie but in subjection? and where thy subjection, but in thy brave Stalamina, and under thy dispised Sister? punishment justly allotted for such excessive over-weening: but how shee was imprisoned in the same place she had made her sisters abode, attended on but by one Jaylor, fed neately, and poorely to keepe downe her fancy, told still shee was mad, and threatned to bee used accordingly, if shee raved, accused of fury, and that made the cause to satisfie the people, who ignorant enough, had sufficient cause to believe it, seeing her passions, which though naturall to her, yet appeared to their capacities meere lunatick actions; how these things proceeded and increased, after some time was expired, shall bee related. The end of the second Booke. The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania. The Third Booke. Amphilanthus being now to be spoken of, after he had left Pamphilia, past along the sea, purposing to goe to Morea , and so to Albania; but one in the Ship advised him rather to take a nearer course, and undertooke to be his guide, so he resolved, knowing him to be of Macedon, and one who knew all those parts perfectly wel, besides, a servant to his Cosin, the King and Queene thereof, gave credit and trust unto him, and so they sailed, directed by him: yet Amphilanthus remembring the adventure in Cyprus, called to mind his acquaintance and friend Polarchos, wherfore he would needs put into Rodes to visit him, and take him along (if he could) with him. This was a happy thought for that poore Prince, who all this while continued in the Iron Cage weather-beaten, and almost starved by the crueltie and ingratitude, of his once best, and only beloved. When the King landed, he demanded of one that hee met, where Polarchos was; he being of a good nature (though a Rodian) answered, Alas Sir (said hee) where hee hath been ever since his returne from Greece, in an Iron tower prisoner. The King admired at that, never having heard one touch of it, so as desiring to bee resolv'd, hee particularly demanded the causes and reasons; hee as freely answered, so as the truth and manner being knowne, the King altred his purpose of going like himselfe, and a Visitor, changing it to goe as a Knight of Ciprus, and one of purpose come (hearing of his imprisonment) to release him upon any condition. Then changed he his Armor, taking one of Azure colour, his Plume Crimson, and one fall of Blew in it; the furniture to his horse being of those colours, and his Device onely a Cipher, which was of all the letters of his Mistrisses name, delicately composed within the compasse of one, and so was called, the Knight of the Cipher. Being arrived at the Court, and his comming made knowne to the Princesse, she gave him hearing, and after some words delivered with neglect enough, she told him, that he should have the honor to encounter a Knight of her appointing, whom if he could overcome Polarchos should be deliverd him free out of prison; if not, hee should yeeld himselfe, if vanquished to her power, and that I rather believe (said she) will happen, and that my Knight will make you as little, and of as little account, as your Devise and name signifieth. He made her answere, that although a Cipher were nothing in it selfe, yet joyned to the figures of her worth, whose name was therein, it was made above the valew of her selfe or Country. She was mad to heare him so bold with her, yet having given licence before to his demand, shee could not by the lawes of that Country, doe him an affront: so as shee was forced to content her selfe with hope of his ov erthrow, and vow of the cruellest revenge, that might bee inflicted on any (who had so much offended a vaine woman). The day come which was the next that followed, the night she had passed with so many frets, and distempers against the stranger, as she thought him, who had been once so neare of her acquaintance, as shee confessed onely from him to have received her content, and happinesse, when he gaind her fathers liking to Polarchos , now her enemy, then her friend. She came forth in all the magnificence that Country could afford to serve her foolish pride with all; the Court as glorious, as if going to a wedding, not a funerall, as that was likely to proove. Poore Polarchos was led forth in his chaines, and by them fastned to a Pillar, not having so much favour allowed him, as to be permitted to sit or lie, to ease himselfe, griefe onely shewed in his face to be predominant. Amphilanthus beholding him; Alas brave Prince, said he, must those excellent armes and hands be bound to her cruell ingratitude, and inhumane with kindnesse? must thy worth bee chained by her unworthinesse? and thy excelling selfe, a prisoner to her pride? Then hasted he the combat, wherein he encountred a valiant and strong Gentleman, being one fit to defend of ill cause, by reason that strength is most required, when weakenesse governed by Justice will be strong enough; but his strength, though Justice had been joyned, would have faild against this King, who had so soone ended the businesse, as it appeared rather a thought of a combate, then the executing of one. The Princesse in infinite furie flung from the window, commanding that the strangers with their gaine, quickly left her Country, least they obtained Polarchos Cage. The King was offended with her arrogancy, yet being slightly attended to oppose a whole Country, went quickly thence, glad of his happy adventure to have his friend with him, and in that manner redeemed by his hand from such a bondage. On they passe toward Greece, determining to hold that name, the Princesse had been so bold with all, having had so great fortune with it in the beginning, and so to goe unknowne towards the Army, where with some prety fine adventures, they arrived, one being this. Not farre from Athos where they landed by a delicate Woods side, they saw a Forrest Nimph lie on the ground, and hard by her a youth, who as he beheld her (with as much amorosnesse as his young yeares could entertaine, or love be pleased to inrich him with all) sang this Song. Love among the clouds did hover Seeking where to spie a lover: In the Court he none could find, Townes too meane were in that kind, At last as he was ripe to crying, In Forrest woods he found one lying Under-neath a tree fast sleeping, Spirit of Love her body keeping, Where the soule of Cupid lay Though he higher then did stay, When he himselfe in her discrying, He hasted more then with his flying. And his tender hand soft laying On her breast his fires were playing, Wak'd her with his baby game, She who knew love was no shame With his new sport; smild as delighted, And homeward went by Cupid lighted. See the shady Woods bestowing That, which none can aske as owing But in Courts where plenties flow, Love doth seldome pay, but owe, Then still give me this Country pleasure, Where sweet love chastly keepes his treasure. She was faire, and he lovely, being apparreld in greene made so neately, and fit to him, as if he had been a Courtier, or one of those finer people had had his cloathes, might have been calld curious; his legges straight, and of the curiosest shape, were in white stockins, Garters he had none, his Hose being fastned above his knee; under his Girdle stuck his Arrowes, his Bow he held in his left hand; in stead of a Scarfe he had the line and coller, where with he was to leade his hound baudrick-wise athwart his slender body, the Dog lay at his feete, waiting on him, it appear'd willingly he attended, for he needed no bands to tie him to his service; his haire was thick, somthing long and curld, the Sunne had made it something yellower, then it naturally was, as if he would have it nearer his owne beames, so much hee loved the Lad, & used to hold him neare, for he had kist his cheekes too hard, leaving the remembrance of his heate, which yet did well with him, manifesting the better his manner of life, and the practice of hunting, wearing that liverie. Such quicknesse he had in his eyes, which were full, and blacke, as they looked like sparks of Diamonds set in Jet; his lipps red, his teeth white, and such an one, as might truly bee called a lovely youth. She every way meriting such an one, being as delicate, as he hansom; she was partly in Greene too, as her upper garment, white Buskins she had, the short sleeves, which she woare upon her armes, and came in sight from her shoulders were also white, and of a glistering stuffe, a little ruffe she had about her neck, from which came stripps which were fastned to the edges of her gowne, cut downe equally for length, and breadth to make it square; the strips were of lace, so as the skinne came stealinglie through, as if desirous, but afraid to bee seene, knowing that little joy would moove desire to have more, and so shee might bee wooed to show her necke more bare. Shee was as curiouslie proportioned, as all the Artists could set downe to make excellent. Her haire was not so white or yellow as others, but of a dainty, and lovelike browne, shining like gold, upon blacke, her eye browes thick, and of so brave a compasse, threatning, that the arrowes which those bowes would shoote, were not to be resisted, but yeelded to, as a Deere, shot to the hart, falls downe, and dyes: so they must overthrow, and conquer; her eyes gray, and shining like the morning, in each of which a Venus Starr did rise, and dwell; her lipps as delicate, and redd, as if they were angry at him, and would have no other satisfaction but by meeting, for shee did love as much as hee. So fine a couple these were, as Love did glory in them, and they joy in him, happines beyond all others, loving, and blessedly being beloved againe. When he had finished his song, she smild upon him, asking him how he came to be acquainted so perfecty with loves wants, or gaines; My heart saith he hath so long served him, as that tels me what my Master doth, when he conquers, when he failes, as not being able to subdue your breast, he cryes for want of power, but martyrs me in fierce revenge of his unwinning force. Yeeld then deere Nimph, if but in pitty, and that pitty will proceede to love. Love then did speake so lively in his eyes, and made it selfe come forth of such deere lipps, as she, (poore she) could not, though armd with womans greatest strength resist so good a charme; she look'd, and blush'd, and was about to speake, then cast her eyes upon the ground, but straight look'd up againe, and faine would say, I must requite your love, but loath shee was to speake it, and yet kind pitty mooved, and so at last with pitty, love, and Mayden blushing modesty, shee said. If you prove just, I will yeeld to your love; but bee so, since I leave this habit, and the chastest life to live with you, and in a forrest state. Those eyes that first had won her, hee cast up to heaven, before which he did vow truth, and pure love then brought them to his blisse, beholding her as timerous, as loving, not knowing what she had done, innocent and passionate, was betweene those two, a delicate unknowing creature. Nature taught her to be carefull, and yet kind; thus she beheld him now with love, and such respect, as she must beare him, whom she had made her Lord (for Lord the husband is in all estates from Shepheards unto Kings). Then did the pleasing difference begin, each striving how to shew the most respect, she to maintaine what she had gaind, he to requite what shee had given. Amphilanthus and Polarchos admiring them as much, as either had in former times themselves, when first in love, calling their passions round about them, wrapping themselves in them, as in their mantles, but closer did they fit to them; Amphilanthus being so much love it selfe, as he might be compar'd to be it selfe, as neere as a round glasse made of the clearest temper, and fild full of the clearest water; turne it any way, you see thorow it, yet both seeme one colour, and clearenesse in agreeing; so did the clearenesse of his love shew through him, or was it selfe onely love, and purely cleare, no vacant place, least turning of the glasse might make a bubble to appeare a change; no, he was round and true. Poore Polarchos, hee stood like a blasted tree, the blossome of his affection killed, and withered; yet hee called to minde how hee had loved, and how shee used him. No more expression had this daintie Lasse given to her forrest Lad, then shee had made to him, but now decayed, and all her favours dryed, and wrinckled like the last yeares fruite: poore Prince turnd to the lowest slavery, of Loves meanest cast-awayes, hee wept, while the other smil'd, the Forrester joyning in present gaine. Amphilanthus feeding on the knowledge of his absent loves affection: heere did love play his part in divers kinds, & made himselfe this mirth, sporting like wantons with the babye, loves of these poore prisoners. Amphilanthus pulled off his helme, and went unto them, who with a fashion not rude, nor Courtly, but fine, and civill received him; the like they did unto Polarchos; Amphilanthus giving them the welcome salutation of the first wished joyes, being (as hee did tell them) witnesse of their vowes: they both seemd glad, that such brave witnesses they had unknowne til then obtained; the Forester replying thus. Sir, never could a better or a richer gift be given me (except her selfe) then this wish, which from you doth bring the joy we hope to find & keep, and which two yeares affection hath ambitiously desired, now by her grant enjoyed; but may it please you to grace us with this a second honour, wee shall have just reason to acknowledge our poore selves your servants, and our lives your owne to be commanded. 'Tis the manner heere that when a Nimph doth change from that strict life, to be a happy wife, if shee bee such an one, as length of time, or honor hath ingaged, shee must by two brave Knights, be brought unto the Temple of Diana, where shee must remaine that night alone in prayers, and then cast off her weeds, and offer them: and leave them with the Priest; the Knights then come unto the doore, and call her, with whom she comes forth, they then do give her to her chosen mate, and so conduct them to the Temple of Venus, where they are recei ved, and there by Himen's Priest are marryed. This if wee may obtaine of you, so fitly come to us, brought by that Fortune which hath made me bless'd, aptly to give conclusion to our woes, and faire beginnings to our happinesse, you shall make us the happiest to pray for your enjoyings that ever lovers had; and sure you must be one Sir, for love shines in you. The King made answer hee would doe that kindnesse, and any other to so fine a payre; then tooke he the sweete Nimph, who now must change her name, and gaine the best, and blessedst estate. Unto the Temple they directly went, and there without the gate attended, till the time of going in; till she must returne, which at the ringing of a little Bell, did summon them to call her; her they tooke, and Amphilanthus gave her to her love, wishing even from his soule the time were come, to have the deerest gift hee most did long for, given so freely to him. Then to the other Temple straight they went, which was not farre, but in a dainty wood, this other standing in a plaine, hard by a coole, and christall River, there she was received with joy by Venus Priests, and Hymens Priests came, and cloathed her in wives weeds, and so even laded with content they left the Temple, and went to his Lodge, which was in a Forrest, whereof he had the charge under the King, who loved the desarts, and those sports most of any thing, the first, and cheife cause being his affection to a Lady living in a Forrest, and wholy affecting that life: every man seeking to please him, tooke the estates of Forresters on them, and so made a delightfull kind of wildnesse please them, and him, who thus enjoyed pleasures, and his ends, coveting to appeare like their living, but the true roote of vertue, and good breeding shun'd savagenes, and only made roome for a little neglectivenes to cover them with all, so as the great men were but Courtly Forresters, and civill wild-men. The Lodge was a faire house built on a Hill, at the foote whereof ranne a River, over which was a bridge; from thence they passed through a delicate walke made by Art, and at the end of that (which still ascended) was a garden, through which they came unto the House, furnished with furniture fit for a Court, the servants all in greene, and in good number, shewing fellowshippe in their apparrell, but obedience in their fashions. There the Knights were welcom'd like themsel ves, and then the brave young Forrester desired to bee so much graced, as to know their names, nor would I said hee aske this favour untill now, that you might see your servant my selfe could entertaine you for the honours done, and to be worthier of them Ile first tell you who I am, although appearing outwardly more meane. I am the third sonne to an Earle, who is cheife Forrester unto the Prince of this Country; this Forrest is the daintiest, and the best beloved of any by his Majestie, being calld by him selfe his garden: this hath hee given mee as my charge, and heere I serve him, and doe please him well, by leading of this life; this Lady is the Daughter of a Lord, neere neighbour to this place, but being thought too worthy for me, as I must confesse they err'd not in that, though did commit high treason unto love, seeking to barre us from our wished joy, they gave her to Diana, being then under the yeares which they might rule her in, shee was constrained to doe as they commanded, and was sworne a Nimph, dedicated to the chast Goddesse by her friends, but when she came of yeares, by the lawes of this Country, she might choose whether shee would continue so or no. Two yeares shee wanted of the age of freedome, in which time they hop'd she would forget, and by example love faire chastity; but she never ordain'd for such a dull concluding of her dayes, by the example which was shewed of stricktnes she loved freedome, for Chastity affection, and so wee met, and still increas'd our flames, till now that you were brought to our eternall good to see us joynd, and to knit our blisse. Now Sir I doe beseech you tell me who you are. My name (brave Sir) answered the King, is Amphilanthus, this Knight Polarchos; my Lord said hee, I humbly crave pardon for my rudenesse, yet may you the better pardon it, since but that, you could expect from wild men, and Forresters: but I have not so lived, that your fame hath not come, and spread it selfe into each corner of these parts, as the sweete west-wind doth grace each flower with a kisse: so live you honord by each hart, and lov'd as hee, who glories mankind with his excellence. The King replid, those words did shew his inside still remaind most noble, and like so delicate a Prince he was; then hee did salute the Lady, who feasted them with all delicates, staying them two dayes, in which time the marriage was divulged, and all his neighbour Forresters came in to joy with him; his friends, and hers now met, were forced on all sides to shew great content. Then Amphilanthus left them, and pass'd on toward the Campe, the brave Forrester bringing him through his command to the next towne from whence he had a guide. O love said Amphilanthus, how pretious a Prince art thou, that thus command'st over all, mak'st Kings Forresters, Forresters Kings in happinesse, and leavest us to travell up and downe neglected, roami ng like Beggars, still asking of thee: but thy gifts are slow, and sparing, one ves sight, or one poore houres discourse with much petition thou wilt grant mee, and to others, lives-time of comfort. Why didst thou not make me a Forrester, or a Shepheard, or any thing, so I might enjoy my love? What life would I despise to undergoe, or danger shun, so she might like, and love in her eyes; for in her heart I know I doe, and thus am doubly grieved much for my want, and her deare, yet impatient suffering, my absence working in her, as upon my heart with sorrow for both parts. Pitie us, great King of hearts, we will beseech and beg of thee; if not, most cruell let mee justly call thee. Thus perplexed hee rode, not speaking all that day to any of his companie. Polarchos was content, as well with silence as the King, so they rid, as if they had vowed not to speake, or to trie how they could performe such a vow, yet still did they dispute with love, and all for loves deare sake. Many pleasant adventures they passed, finding one evening a delicate Lady following a Hauke, attended, or accompanied with many brave Gentlemen, and as gentle in behaviour, as bloud, being the chiefe and principall of that Countrie; the Lady affecting pleasures, they loving her for that, and her fashion, which was full of spirit, sweete, and mild discourse, temperat and respective: by her they passed, and so by many more such meetings; they staying no where, till they came to the skirts of Albania, where they encountred two Knights, of whom they demanded newes; they told them, that they could give them no certaine notice of any thing, since the last battaile which was fought against Plamergus, wherein he was slaine, and his onely sonne; Steriamus having behaved himselfe so bravely, and judicially, as he had gotten imm ortall praise; the other kings and Princes deserving to be eternised for their valour and judgements. Were you there (I pray Sir) said Amphilanthus? Yes indeed Sir, said the first, we were both there, and hardly escaped the fury of that day. How was the battaile, I beseech you, said Amphilanthus? Marry Sir (said he) the place was first troublesome, and very full of disadvantage to the strangers, Hilles and little Bottoms betweene them, wherein Plamergus the king of those parts had placed his men, a great River before him; the bridge he had pull'd up leaving no possiblitie for the army to come to him; but they by meanes and advice of Steriamus, passed the water, deviding themselves in fine parts, as the passages were in number. It was Steriamus his fortune with the Italians, whose skill and valour was matchlesse, and guided by such a Commander, who did well, and best in the absence of their Lord, not to bee resisted, he met Plamergus; Rosindy and the Macedonians encountred his sonne, the rest the other troopes; it was my happe to be where the furious Italians met us, but they made quicke worke with us, running through us, and over us, as Lightning, killing as they went so fast, as I had but speede enough to runne away, not resolution, or heart to stay, for it seemed to bee more then humaine force, or speed they came with all. Parselius with his Moreans did as bravely, Antisius and Leandrus no lesse, and Selarinus as well. Then got wee over a Hill, and joyned with the kings sonne, who was fighting with Rosindy, but soone saw wee an end of him and his army; so as away againe we went, as if but to behold our party lost, which when I saw, and the battaile won, Trumpets sunding the retreit, we went away, resolved in my heart, never to draw Sword against the rightfull King. Steriamus was proclaimed King, and so by that name now is calld; but though I will not fight against him, yet I will not take his part, till I see the next encounter pass which will be more terrible, by how much the army is greater, led by brave and stronger men, and the other army something lessned by the last, and many of their best men hurt. How shall we gaine so much favour of you, brave Knights, said he, as to direct us the nearest way to them? Truly Sir (said he) by this I believe they bee met, but if you will goe and trie your fortune, I will bring you within sight of them. He gave him many thanks, and so he conducted them according to his promise. Steriamus after the battaile, had cald his Commanders together, and too a certaine note of the number lost, and hurt in the battaile, which in comparison was nothing to their gaine and victory. Then marched they on towards the second let, and King of the middle Albania, called Pollidorus, and who was a brave man for courage and force, Antissius gaining the honour leade the Vantgard, as it was at first granted him, but altred by reason of the place to fight in. With great courage they march on, and with as much solution the other attend them; for except strengths were equall, no glorie by victorie can be esteem'd. The strange Knight performed his promise, and brought the King with his friend to a great Lakes side, the armies being on the other side, he desired to passe that, and to bee able to assist (if neede were), the Knight then guided him by the bankes of it, and brought him to a hedge, where were many high trees which shadowed them well; they standing up to the bodies of them, there they saw the charge given: but as he was beholding them, another Knight was seene by him on the other side of the hedge, wearing his owne Colours; whereupon Amphilanthus demanded of him, who he was, and to what end he stood close in that manner. To see the battaile, replide he, and to doe as you doe, spare my selfe from fighting. It may be, said Amphilanthus, wee doe the better, since there is no jesting (as they say) with those Ladds. Tis not for feare I assure you (said hee) that I am not among them. I believe that (answered Amphilanthus) nor is that the cause of my being here, but to see what service I may doe my friends if occasion serve, else stand as I doe. The better and the nobler side (said the other), will hardly want your company, or mine, unlesse wee were able to equall their valours, which I make doubt of. It were modestly spoken of your selfe (said Amphilanthus), but if I bee not mistaken, you might have had better manners, then to compare those together which you know not. Why? what chollerick Knight are you, said hee, that takes this exception, Parselius, Rosindy, Steriamus, Selarinus, Leandrus and Dolorindus, besides the brave King of Romania being there: but since you now know who I meane, I must bee satisfied by you, who you are, that dare compare with them. I make no comparisons with them, but only answer you, wherefore tell me your name, and I will satisfie you with the like, and something else to make you know, curteous answers better fit Knights. I am not said he, ashamed of my name, therefore know, I am Philarchos of Metilin, newly from thence come to serve my friends. I see (answered the King) that your extreme affection rather mooved your care and haste, then ill nature, therefore pardon me, and take this satisfaction for the other, which I threatned, that Amphilanthus loves Philarchos, and will be his servant. With that they both saluted with such love, as Cosins ought to beare one to another, and such who were so like, as they were. Then stood they ready to behold what happned, which was this. Antissius with his troopes charged the enemy, but they were led by a young man, who rather rash then valiant, came with such violence against them, as he disordered the ranck, and brake Antissius order, whereupon their men were in routs, and Antissius in some danger, whereupon the three Knights ran in, and rescued him, Amphilanthus fighting, while Philarchos remounted Antissius. Then came to them twenty thousand, led by Leandrus, which were encountred by as many, led by the Kings favourite, who was Martiall of his Kingdome. The two Commanders met, and Leandrus was unhorsed, whom Amphilanthus (killing first the Martiall) againe mounted, and told him, hee was sorry Pamphilias servant had so ill fortune. He knew his voice, and replide, that the honor was greater, to bee aided by him, then if he had kept his horse, and won the day; these men shroudly set to, so as the brave Princes stood at last all on foote, like the towers of a mighty Castle, the rest of the wals ruind, and throwne downe: so the dead bodies lay round about them in rude heapes. Then came up the rest of the Albanian army in grosse, which Steriamus perceiving, went downe with all the forces and Princes. The encounter was terrible betweene them. Rosindy came with some horse, and helped the other five to fresh horse, and so together charged in, but such was their force and cunning, compassing their enemy, and charging on all sides, as they brake them, and put them in the like disorder, they had brought that part, which Antissius had: all brave men, all equally resolved to fight for victorie, resolutely made proofe of their wills and powers, as had not the last three, come in happy time, the victorie had been doubtfull. Twise Amphilanthus was unhorsed, by the death of his horses, and once helped by Rosindy, whom he requited in a greater measure (though almost the same kind) taking him from under his horses belly, ready to be smotherd by the multitude, that were pressing on him; the other time hee was furnished with a Horse, which Selarinus brought him; he saved Parselius and Steriamus besides from death, one having his Helme strooke off, hee covering him with his Sheild, till a new one was brought him. The other hee rescued from many mens hands, having broke his Sword. Antissius hee horsed, and many brave acts hee did, so as all attributed the happinesse of that dayes Victory (which then was gained) to him, who unknowne, they came to salute, but hee not willing to hide himselfe from them, besides wanting ayre quickly discovered himselfe; then, if any env y were in them before to the deserving stranger, when Amphilanthus was the man, all was roooted out, and supplanted by true affection to him. The Princes of Italy, and his souldiers were over-joyed at their Kings arrivall, and ravished with his magnanimous valour and courage: then the Trumpets were sounded, and all retyred to a Plaine close by, keeping the field that night to witnesse their Conquest. The King was taken alive, but hurt to death, dying within five dayes after, but hee heard Steriamus againe proclaimed by the Army, as a salve for his wounds. This was a sharpe and terrible fight, wherefore they went to the next Towne, which was the chiefe, and yeelded to their force: there they rested their men and themsel ves, never an one having escaped without some hurt or other: the Usurper died, and was buried. When all were refreshed, they began to thinke of marching forwards, and the two Knights which had guided Amphilanthus, undertooke to bee the guides to the Army, putting themselves dutifully and affectionately under Steriamus, serving him with all loyaltie. Amphilanthus and Selarinus with as much comfort, as absence could afford them, got by themselves, to give account to each other of their passions; for none else were made fortunate to know their sufferings, nor did Amphilanthus for all his trust in him, impart his Mistrisses name, holding that too deare, even for his friend to heare. Into a Garden they went, but that, because the chiefe windowes of the house were upon it, was thought not private enough, they went into an Orchard beyond it, in which was a place raised with three ascents like, a triple Crowne, the trees being Orange and Lemond trees, then in their pride, having blossoms, unripe, and ripe fruite upon them. In the midst of this place was a stone, not unlike a Tombe of red Marble, as high from the ground, as a large chest, and of that proportion; round about it, or better to say, on three full sides incompassed with Ciprus; on the other side was a Ring of Gold, as if to open the Tombe, like the Ring to a Latch. The amorous Kings sat downe upon it, being so inriched with their passions, as other thoughts were too meane for them to suffer. Amphilanthus relating the blessed content he felt in his fortunate enjoying, truly and affectionately discovering the expresse knowledge of her love, by the sincerest expression made unto him, and such, as Selarinus grew to be jealous hee should never compasse; for it seemd unpossible, that any more then one woman could bee so excellent and perfect a lover. As hee was ready to make reply in that kind, they heard a voice (as if within the Tombe) bring forth some words, which made them at the first hearing it, start up, afraid of discoverie, or as if troubled that they had hurt her; the speech betraying the heart to suffer excessivenesse in misery. Unfortunate woman (said it) that cannot die, having such occasion. Is it possible deare Tombe, that thou canst hold, and inclose my woes, yet keepe them safe in thee, and with the multitudes of them? at last conclude my griefe, let my sorrowes swell against themselves in justest rage, and with their furies choke my breath that serves to speake them, and to bee drawne contrary to my onely desires, to save my weary and afflicted life; tedious, unpleasing time, finish thy labour, and my woes, let this bee my last minute of unquietnesse, redeeme me from the cruell slavery of living, and bring mee to the excellent libertie of dying; for how can life be pleasing, when Polidorus is not? My dearest, and alone deare Lord, I know that thou art dead, else were I fetched by thee, to joy with thee, where as now I remaine in my liv ing death. Would I did know the truth, then might I give thee my last farewell, and with that joyne my soule with thine, but twixt these violent despaires how am I tortured? Then was shee quiet a little space, while they perused the place: but long continued she not so, like to women spinning, staid but to fasten the thread to begin againe to turne, and twine her sorrowes: but now she had spun them into Rime, like the Swan in a most weeping Verse: they hearing her, stayd from the releasing her out of the Tombe, till she had said her Verses, being these. Infernall Spirits listen to my moanes, From Cavy depths, give hearing to my groanes Great Pluto, let thy sad abiding move With Hellish fires, to flame for fires of love; Let Charon passe my woes unto thine eares: His boate if empty they shall load it well, With tortures great, as are the paines of Hell, And waightier then the Earth this body beares. Take downe my spirit, cloyd with griefe and paine Conjure the darkest Pits, to let me gaine Some corner for a rest; if not, let mee O Pluto wander, and complaine to thee: Nor corsive can make wounds have torture more, Nor this disfavor vex a forelorne soule; (If all thy furys were put in a role) Then Love gives me; ah bitter eating sore. Call thy great Counsell, and afflicted Sp'rits, Examine well their woes, with all their nights, And you shall find none there that are not mine, Nay, my least, with their greatest joyntly twine. Let saddest Echo from her hollow Cave, Answere the horrid plaints my sorrow gives, Which in like mournefull, and vast caverne lives; Then judge the murdering passions which I have. My Judge is deafe, then, O thy justice prove, Mend thou the fault of proud forgetfull love, Release me from thy Court, and send me out Unto thy Brother Jove, whose love and doubt Hath oft transform'd him from his heavenly kind: So now from thee transforme my killing care To blessing, and from Hell into the Ayre, Darke griefe should not a loving fancy bind. Yet, love thus binds me even unto my death, and welcomest were that, might I obtaine it, but yet that must not bee. What joy did I ever know? yes I did love unknowne, then knowne enjoyed; enjoyed, how long? the quarter of the time I lov'd in vaine, and that poore quarter how oft cross'd, afflicted, and tormented with all varyeties of paines? yet my deere Lord thou ever wert most kind, and so true loving, as one death is too too little now to have for thee, although a wasting lingring end. Would tenne times more I might beare, so thou wert safe; unfortunate, but bravest Prince to bee embraced in such a busines, where not only honours, Crowne, possessions, but thy life, must bee a sacrifice, unto the pleasure of two young men. My sweetest love, thou must bee the poore Lambe, offered for others faults. O my deere Polidorus, thou didst merit fame, and love, not trouble, and revenge; thou didst not erre, but if thy Father did, must his sinnes lye on thee, and thou be punished for his pride? yet deere thou hast required my best love, and made provision for thy other selfe, for after thee, none should ere have had my love, since with thee it ought to have, as first creation, lasting buriall, and that assurance thou hast given: but keepe thy promise, which was, if with victory thou didst returne to bring mee unto thee, if thou wert killd, to be brought unto mee, that in this vault we might have our graves, and that red Marble serve for such a Tombe, as might best witnesse, blood did cause our ends. Thou art ore-throwne, I find it deere, and hindred I am, confident else, none could keepe thee from remembring thy poore love; but if thou wert so hindred, cursed be the causers, and my Desteny, to barre my last enjoying of my best lov'd Lord, & let those never joy in happines of love that be the parters of our bodyes; a poore gift it had beene to give a chosen grave, alas he must be buried, and if so, where easier, and with lesser paines, or fitter then with her, that lives to dye, when shee's certaine what becomes of him? Deere Polidorus, heere I live to thy deere memory, feed on the sweetest word thou gavest mee when we parted, but will live no longer then thy end bee knowne to mee. If thou beest living quickly come to me, if dead, assoone the tydings, then shall I witnes my constant woe, and pay to thee what thou deservedst, and only unto thee will I commend my love, and dying paines; others to others yeeld their last made vows, my first, and last were dedicated, and so given to thee, and thus a dying life doe I continue in, till thou or thine release me unto thee. When she had ended these lamentable speeches, they tryed to open the Chest, which easily they did; she seeing it open, her heart even opened with it, as embracing the joy her loved Lord should bring her, ready as it were to take, or love, or death, equally fit for either; the place by opening, being fit to be discovered, they found the stone to be like an upper box in a Cabinet lesser then the other, but part of it as the light to the ancient Halls in Princes houses: but this was darke; the lower part was a bed of gold, upon which she lay; her apparell a Roabe of purple, imbrodered as the Kings Roabes use to be, under that a petticoate, or round kirtle of Crimson; her armes, fingers, and necke, adorn'd with the richest Jewels; her buskins were of white, laced up with Rubies, her hayre comb'd downe, and a Crowne of infinite valew on her head; a Scepter in her hand, which at the opening of the Tombe she cast downe, raysing her selfe a little up, and throwing her armes abroad, ready to welcome her heart unto her, as if before gone thence. The sudden light to so much darkenesse, at the first daseled her eyes, but when she recover'd and saw instead of Polidorus, two strangers, she crossed her armes, lay downe againe, seeming so like a dead body, as they were afraid, they had but heard a voyce which caused their search, but that she had beene dead, that spirit which shee once had, had guided them to her. But soone were they put beyond that amazednes by her speech. If said she, you be of Polidorus servants, directed by him to bring me his death, quickly give me mine likewise, and then most welcome, or doe but favour me so much, as to shut me up againe; this is the Throne, and Tombe which I must have, and only will enjoy. The Kings, whose hearts were mollified with love, were so tempered to pitty, as they were not able to know what to doe, but gazed on her, who appeard the most peerelesse Tombe their eyes had ever beheld, and the strangest; they saw shee lay still, like her owne monument curiously cut. Alas said Amphilanthus, what comfort can a victory bring, that finds such a conclusion to accompanie it selfe with all: A victory cryed shee, then raised she her sweete saddest selfe a little on one arme; I beseech you both, or either said she, bee so charitable to tell me the truth, they loath to tell her what must bring her death, yet still besought, and that implor'd with teares, they look'd on one another, sigh'd, and with their eyes intreated each to speake; at last brave Amphilanthus as kind, as excellent in all other vertues gave these words. Madam said he, to obay you, whom we must after sue to for a favour, I will discover that, which my soule, (as for you, doth grieve for.) The Army is overthrowne, and your beloved Lord, who wee have heard you so much speake of. slaine, said shee, I see it in your face, though you will not in pitty speake it. Charitable Sir, how am I bound to you? but I beseech you, add one favour more unto your first, and then an other as the last to that, where is his body? Laid said he in the cheife Church among the other Kings, by Steriamus owne command. It was an noble act of him said shee, whom Heavens protect for it, mercy in Conquerors being as excellent as their fortunes: the last request Ile make Sir is this, that by your favours I may bee layd by him, since I will not aske to have him brought to mee, I am, and was his wife, deerely beloved of him, and heere for safety, and by mine owne petition left by him. I was Daughter to a King, the unfortunate Plamergus, but my greatest happinesse I ever gloryed in, was his true love, lay me then brave Sir, with my Lord, and only deere Polidorus, and thus my deere, my soule to thine doth flye. Amphilanthus did beseech, Selarinus weept to her; all would not serve, shee stretched her selfe straight out, and by curious Art laid her selfe forth, fit to be carryed to her buriall, dying as if the word dead had kild her; excellent griefe, and most excellent strength of passion, that can bring so resolute, and brave an end. The Kings then chang'd their discourse from love to sorrow; they stayed by her, seeking all means to recover her, but finding she was gone, and so all hope of life in her, they went into the Court, where they found the King new risen from Councell, and all his Princes, and Lords about him. He went to meete them, but seeing such sorrow in their faces, wondred, and a little feard, but soone he was brought out of that, they telling him the cause, and sad adventure. Then he sent for the Guard, who had kept the late King Polidorus, of whom he understood, how he with teares intreated to be laid in a Tombe made by himselfe in the Orchard; but they, though he besought them to goe to the Conqueror, (as he calld Steriamus ) and beseech that honor from him, to performe a vow which hee had made, they unwilling to busie themselves, fearing to distast the King, had never let his last request knowne; some said they thought his wounds, and paines of them, had made him rave, others, that being dead, what matter was it where his body lay? comparing him unto himselfe, who being gone said he, what care I where my body is bestowed? But these things Steriamus liked not, being so infinitely offended with them, as had it beene a fault, they might have dyed for, they had surely payd their lives for such neglect, but not ascending to that height, he banished them, hating neglect to any creature dying, imagining his soule that dyes unsatisfied, must part with trouble from the body, and for that was grieved; and this Justice did he unto love, for which, love must be just to him. Then made he Proclamation for their banishment; and straight himselfe went with the whole assembly of Kings, and Princes fetching her, and went as the cheife mourner with her, weeping to her grave; the other Kings did carry her, and were as they thought, honourd with the waight of such worth, and constancy, she seeming on their shoulders like her Efigie, carryed to her owne Funerall. The Tombe was graced that night with her lying on it, the next morning with solemne state opened, and she layd by her Lord; this noble act did Steriamus as the first in Albania, & the beginning to his famous life. This being past, and a Commander left in that towne, which was the chiefe seate of the Kings of those parts, and from whence all the Auncesters tooke their claime, the new and rightfull King, marched againe towards the third king, guided by his new servants, and followed with many great men of Albania, who like the world ranne with the streame of Fortune, and left the overthrowne party, as soone as it was made miserable with that knowledge. Antissius had had his time for leading: Leandrus now desired to have the next; it was granted him, and so they marched; Amphilanthus, now in the head of his owne troups, Steriamus having a Guard of them, next his person, as their Country woman guarded his heart safe from hurt, or change: the Albanians next to them, which were in number that went forth with him after the two victories as many as were lost, so the Army was of the same bignesse, as when it came into Albania. Perissus after hee had left Nereana in all her rages for his neglect, yet salving it, as desirous to deceive her selfe, with saying that the danger hee found him selfe in of change, to his first, and only love, made him for feare leave her, not being able to withstand her power in love; but hee in the contrary part pittying her, and weary of her frantique discourse left her, and with five hundred Knights tooke Shipping, landing in Epirus, where he mette the glad tydings of the victoryes, and winning Princes: then hasted he, guided by many, every one desirous to doe service to him, or them that came to serve their King; he passed on quietly, for there was no resistance, but desirous to bee with them, he commanded the rest of his trayne to come with more leasure after him, he posting away only with his Squire, and two guids. As he rid, it was his chance to meete two armed men, and two Squires, carying each of them a great Sword, and Speare, they came to him with these words. Sir said they we be two young Princes, sons to the Duke of Corinthia, desirous we are of Knighthood, but such hath our fortunes beene, as not being able to gaine it as we desired, we resolved to take this course, and from the first Knights hands we met, (that was fit to give it us) to demand it; you looke like such an one, wherefore from you we require it, yet wee beseech you, tell us who we shall have it from. My name said he, it may be, will rather make me seeme unworthy of the honor you offer mee, being scarce knowne in these parts, yet because you so civilly desire the knowledge of it, you shall have it, I am Perissus of Sicily; That name said they is come with wonder to our eares, and happinesse to us to gaine this honor from so royall hands; then lighting all on the ground Perissus tooke their swords, and girt them to them, putting on their Spurrs, and so finishing their Knighthood, kiss'd them, being two delicate, and lovely youths. Now Sir said they, let us beseech one honor more from you, which is to run one course with each of us, not that we will seeme ungratefull for this fav our, but only to see what wee may bee able to doe against you before wee fall, since that wee are to encounter the bravest man of the World, as hee is esteemed, and for that cause we demanded Knighthood. Truly (said Perissus) I should bee wonderfull loath to harme you, so much I affect you; but first tell mee who that brave man is, and if hee bee none of my best friends, I will serve you against him. That wee doe not desire (said they) for hee having kild our father, wee must revenge it our selves, or die in the quarrell; therefore wee beseech you first, let us bee graced for our first triall to runne with you, and wee shall esteeme it a happinesse, though throwne by you: but to satisfie you, the Knight which wee must fight with, is Amphilanthus, who comming to my fathers house, used himselfe so insolently, as he a grave man could not like it, boasting of what gaine he had of the honours of Ladies, in that dishonouring many, one amongst that number being the Princesse of Stiria, a Lady my father honored much, and was his Neece, whose honor he could not leave touched unrevenged. But he ancient, the other strong and young, got the better so much, as he slew my father: we being then too young to carrie armes (for it is three yeeres since we were with poore & miserable patience, forced to be at quiet). Now we have travelled, halfe a yeare wee have spent to find some worthy Prince, at last by storme were cast on shore in this Country, where we heard of these brave warres, & now we were going to receive the honor from one of those Kings, and straight to challenge Amphilanthus, who we heare is there. Truly (said Perissus) you have undertaken a very hard task, but I pray tell me what manner of man is that Prince you speak of. He is, said he, much of your stature, faire, and curled haire hee hath, and in troth such an one, as may well win Ladies, and such is his fame, as wee desire to die by his hand, for wee cannot hope to overcome him. To this end said Perissus, you shall excuse mee from running with you, and assure your selves, you are infinitly mistaken in him, for the true Amphilanthus is neither of the stature nor complexion you speake of, but as excellent a creature, as can, or hath beene framed by Nature, free from these things, hee is accused of, therefore be perswaded by me, goe into the Army with me, if when you see him it proove to bee hee, I will then not onely fulfill your desire in this, but bring you to call him unto account; yet trust me on my honour it is not he, for he is as wise as valiant, and just as wise. Thus satisfied they ridd together towards the Army, which then was marching, and making hast to the third encounter, which was to bee had with Nicholarus, an other partaker of Albania's miserie, and Steriamus injury. As they rode, Perissus thinking of his Limena, the two young Knights of nothing more then how to attaine to some encounter to trye their valour, it was one of their chances (being the elder, and riding neerer a wood side then the others did) to heare two within discoursing in this manner. I wonder said the one, that Amphilanthus, the worthyest, bravest Prince for all noble vertues should let ingratitude live in him, (a thing I have so often heard him despise) especially to a Lady, who (as by her letter you may see) for his sake hath refused all matches offered her, wholly reserv ing her selfe for him, now to forsake her, and not onely so, but in her fight striving to let her see her losse, and to use her with such scorne, as her affection is forced to change love to a friend, to an enemy; Yet to move me to revenge her, who am most bound unto him, I more marvell at; for hee onely hath set my Crowne upon my head. Must I be made to fight with him, who fought for mee? Shall I feele to take that life from him, which was so willingly and bravely ventur'd to keepe mine? Or to make mine fortunate; from a Run-away and poore Fisher-boy he made me a King, for one whose head was at sale, he brought a Crowne unto it, and royall dignity to the poorest Subject. Shall I (I say) turne against this man, as if the longer I knew vertue the more I should dislike it? No Antissia, love is full of variety of Passions, and many false conceits will arise; which, when discovered, sorrow is the period, but repentance may follow this. Besides, Love tells me I must love these Kings, else how shall I obtaine my wished blessing to enjoy sweet Selarina; but indeed truth saies, I must not be unthankefull. I would venture farre for thy good sweet Antissia, and preferre thy gaine equall with mine owne, but neither must make me ungratefull. From Amphilanthus I have got my life, and fortune, to him they both belong, and they shall be payed to serve him, not to offend him, my Sword to attend him, not to hurt him. Shall this bee requitall for his last care of me in the battaile against Polidorus, where he rescued me, and hors'd me againe? That had beene enough to winne respect, and truth in love, both together set as obligations never to be broken, nor shall bee touched by me. I love my Aunt well, but my honour more; then must she pardon me, I will not fight with him for her. Amphilanthus, reply'd the other, hath beene so blessed with fortune, as hee hath obliged the best to bee his servants by his favours done them; who lives of all these Princes in the Army, that hath not (at some one time or other) directly taken their lives from him; the bravest hee hath saved, and the valiantest rescued, my poore selfe released from cruell, close, and dangerous imprisonment. These I consider and allow, but then comes love, and tells me, he must be obeyed, my vow unto your Aunt commandeth me, and that I must obser ve; she wills me to kill Amphilanthus, and then she will marry mee. And this you wil attempt, said Antissius? Attempt, win or die in it, said Dolorindus. You must first begin with me, said Antissius, if you bee resolute in it, and will suffer the canker, ingratitude, to rule: but thinke againe; for rather had I do any reasonable matter, then breake friendship with you, yet rather that, then where I am so infinitely bound, and more contentedly die thus, then live to have a thought to hurt that Prince. I love Antissia, said he, yet must I consent to withstand you, since you leave the due respect to Antissia, which bloud and her affection to you may claime, it frees me who loved you most for her sake; nay it commands, and threatens me; wherefore I am ready to encounter you first. As they were going to venture an end to their lives, two Knights more arrived, and seeing them ready to fight, stepped in betweene them. They furious, and inraged with their let, demanded who they were. I am, said one of them, Ollorandus: and I, said the other, Amphilanthus. With that Dolorindus turnd on him; And you (said he) are the man I looked for: with that they fell to blowes, his Companion did the like, but Antissius a little paused, and having asked a question or two more of him, was assured by his voyce and gesture, it was not his friend Ollorandus. Dolorindus so furious, as his senses had left him to ignorance of voice or knowledge. Then hoping the other was that counterfet Amphilanthus, he willingly entertained the combat, which was sharpe. Dolorindus did well, but had the worse; for how could it other be, that name being enough to vanquish without force. Hee fell, and his enemy being ready to cut off his head, the brave Perissus came to the young Knight, who had heard all this, and stepped in; Nay Amphilanthus said he, hold your hands, here is another hath as much to say to you for killing his father, Prince of Carinthia. He remembred that, and hee turned unto him, and a new fight began, wherein the young Knight did so well (helped too a little by his enemies wearinesse, the which gave advantage to him, who had otherwise been too hard for him) as hee brought him to the like passe Dolorindus was in: but when hee had him thus, less favour was shewed in more speed, for hee had got off his Helme and Head, before helpe could come in, although Perissus hearing the name, made all the meanes hee could to save his life for names sake onely, hee came to heare the young Prince say, Farewell Amphilanthus, I am now revenged of thee; and I, said Antissius for the abominable treason, in taking such Princes names upon you. The Prince of Carinthia held the head in his hand, which when Perissus saw, hee was sorry, because it had carried that name, but could not but much praise Fortune, who had so cunningly wrought the satisfaction to the Princes, the punishment for falsehood, and the revenge of love. They tooke up Dolorindus, who was wounded with shame, as much as with the Sword, weaknesse from fury getting place; he wept, and petitioned for favour from Antissius, hee confest his fault to be fouler then sinne. Antissius replied, he must first satisfie Amphilanthus, then he should answer him. Hee vowed never to fight with him. The brave young King told him, hee was contented with that, so he submitted to the king of the Romans, and that should be the satisfaction he would take. Perissus in the meane time had gotten the slaine Knights Squires to him, to be resolv'd of this cosenage, they had not full knowledge of it, but the other Knight not being dead, hee conjured him to relate it, and why? to have as he told him the happinesse to end in more quiet, when hee might with a clearer conscience depart. Hee yeelded unto him, and made a true and plaine confession to him in this manner. My friend (said hee) being in love with the excellent Princesse of Croatia, neither having meanes by estate to gaine her, nor hope to win her by his love or service, she having resolv'd to love none but Amphilanthus, love having conquerd an unusuall way on her, when only fame, not sight, or knowledge, but by reports had grounded such an affection in her. Hee obtained to know where that brave Prince remained, hee was certified, that he was in a search for a Sister of his, some time unheard of. In this unlucky season hee tooke his name upon him; after hearing of his Companion, Ollorandus, hee injoyned me to take his name likewise on me; truly I must confesse it was an unexcusable fault, and the greater, because those names, especially his, was so honored, as wheresoever we passed, we had our owne wills. Knights refused to combat with us, Ladies soone yeelded, believing they ought not to refuse what hee demanded, who commanded all hearts. I also had my share in this pleasure, as now in death. He won the Princesse of Croatia, left her afterwards, keeping the same name, finding such sweetnes in it: but now being here, and the true Amphilanthus his fame flourishing for his incomparable glory, we purposed not to tarry, knowing it would proove too hot a busines for us, if once it came to his eares. Wherefore we made what haste we could to get to the Sea, and so meant to leave these parts to his true light, and carry a few flashes with us in farther remote places. Into great Brittany we meant to passe, but now are stayd by your force, we were Gentlemen of noble houses, but such hath been our ill living, as I desire for him, and my selfe we may be privately buried here, never more enquired after, nor if you please to fav our your owne worth so much henceforth mentioned, letting our shames die, and be inclosed in the earth with us. Perissus promised to fulfill some of those requests, the rest were not in his power, such a businesse depending upon their knowledge, as the reconciling of such Princes. There they were buried, and the three Kings tooke their way to a little house in the Wood, where they more freely discussed of the matter, which was this. Antissia after her returne, filled with hate in stead of love, never left plotting for revenge, till this came (as often it doth in her sexe) into her mind; whereupon she writ to her Nephew; but if that failed, shee trusted on her servant, and therefore likewise did she write to him: a letter from her was a comfort sufficient, but a command, his honour, and happinesse. This was the cause, and nothing but death would satisfie her, as at that time her furie was nothing being so revengefull as a forsaken woman, shame like love prov oking her; and that he freely granted her, though it had fallen out to be his owne to have paid her. Antissius mistrusting as much by his distemper, led him foorth of the Towne to this place: the same day the Army marched thence toward Nicolarus; there they had remained till Perissus his finding them; Antissius striving to diswade Dolorindus persisting in his resolution, which had end by this adventure. They stayed there till he was something recovered, in which time the Sicilians arrived with whom they all followed the Army, but Dolorindus afflicted doubly left them to their will, hee following a course to redeeme his honor quenched. They arriv ing found the Kings ready to give battell, the Army was ordered before their comming, wherefore those troops stood by them selves to watch when they might assist, and not trouble them. Antissia after shee had fedde her selfe with this fury, was more then satisfied, for Envy being a little appeas'd, shee came to her good nature again, or love, or feare, or, and indeed all passions, whirling about like a wheele they draw wyer out with all: so drew shee painefull thoughts, longer then before, lengthned, with dispaire; for now said shee, wretched Antissia, what hope can be so flattering, as to shew it selfe in any colour like it selfe to helpe thee? Amphilanthus must for ever hate thee, and all his friends dispise thee. Thou hast engaged a loving King, who will (I am assured) bee so oreruled by thy commands as hee will loose his life for thee. How can Negropont forgive mee? but most I have offended mine owne Country deere Romania, in seeking to make thee a widdow by loosing her King, who if hee meete Amphilanthus in the field, is sure to dye for it; if not, yet have I sought to murther his honor, in desiring to make him ungratefull: either way I am a Traytor to my Country, and deserve the sharpest punishment. Yet I hope they will consider what unquiet passions may produce, and like men, have stayder judgments about them, then on my request to indanger themselves, or let their honors perish for my wil. This hope pleaseth me, but now againe, I doubt; O fond Antissia, wicked Antissia, to let so vilde a thought inhabit in thee: it had beene too much to bee nourished, and brought to the ripenesse of so much mischiefe. Alas sweetest Pamphilia, how maist thou curse me, for having a thought to hurt thy love? much more to plot his ruine, and so thine in his; yet thou art the cause; for had hee not changed from me to thee, all had been safe, yet I may wrong thee this way too: how know I that hee loved mee first, may it not bee, that hee did love thee long before I saw Morea? His fashion at the first encounter 'twixt you, when wee came to Mantinea, expressed a deare respect, and familiar love, then I wrong'd thee, to purchase him. If from thee he did change, the blame is there, and I aske pardon for it; but pardon cannot bee, where so much ill remaines. What shal I do most miserable creature, wretched beyond all women, and not fit to live? How ever businesses passe, thou art a meere shame to thy sex, and the disgrace of lovers. Die cruel Antissia, and abuse not this place with thy vild living in it. How can this earth beare without swallowing thee up? considering that he brought quiet peace, the blessing of a Country unto it. But thy hate is such to me, as thou wilt not let mee lodge within thee, but rather doth cast mee out, like the worst weeds, to ease thy selfe of the poyson I am fild'd withall, and to expose me to the end, worst serpents are brought to, which ought to be destroyed, least they infect the earth; and should I bee slaine for my venomous practice, and have no buriall, I were justly used, who could not bury a little losse without the grave were lined with murther. A little losse said I, noe sure it is the greatest; yet love should still be love, & not let malice be the Hyæna to so sweet a Prince. Perplexed wretch, what shall I doe? wander away? abide not heere for shame, the ayre cannot afford thee breath, the grownd rest, nor thine ownelost selfe quiet. Curs'd be thy dayes, and thou the most accursed soule living; end, or be transformed to miserie it selfe, and be any thing rather then Antissia. Sought I to make Antissius ungratefull? curs'd was the act, and I accursed in it. Would I have Dolorindus kill Amphilanthus? why did not that desire murther, or indeed justly execute me? Hate is above all, and highlyest to be hated, and if that to be misprized, what must the Nurse bee that nourished it? As a mother of a brave good sonne, is reverenced, and sought: so may I be hated, and shun'd for this birth. Romania I am a Traitor to thee, thou canst not but abhor me. I am guilty, accuse my selfe, and know what thou must doe in Justice to bee revenged on me. I will flye from thee, and ever blame my selfe. Then went she downe out of her chamber, taking to the walke she had describ'd to Amphilanthus, and Pamphilia, there shee walked like a hurt Deere, staying no where, vexed, and tormented, thinking stirring, and running would helpe, but all proov'd contrary, she must yeeld to her hurt, and lye downe with her harme. There she pass'd up and downe till a boat came in: she asked of what place they were; they said of Metelin: when they returnd, they answer'd instantly when they had unladed. In conclusion, shee agreed with them, and so return'd better quieted, because businesse employed her. She was now resolv'd to goe, who to take with her she must thinke of, what manner to goe in, what provision to carry with her. These employd her wits, so as shee grew to be a little pacified, and these things to put the other out of minde, at least the mindes trouble with perpetuall vexation. But when she was ready to take her journey, many great Ladies came to visit her, as if sent to hinder her; she tooke it so, and although a Princesse who loved noble conversation, yet comming unwished for, it now perplexed her; her judgement commanded, and she entertained them, discharged her Bark, and staid with them. Her sorrow she cover'd, or masked, with the absence of her Nephew; but Lucenia was one, and one bred in Loves Schoole, she knew her paine, and the cause of it, and wrought so well on it, as she had what shee came for, and left Antissia, a more unquiet woman then shee found her adding to the aptnesse of her amorous nature, correcting her thoughts, and making dangerous additions to her passion; if one womans hate bee harmefull, what must two bee, and specially two such? for she had merited ill, though Lucenia revenged not. Amphilanthus I pittie thee, who for all noble parts oughtest to be admired, and at reverenced of all, being matchlesse in all vertues, except thy love; for inconstancy, was, and is the onely touch thou hast, yet can I not say, but thou art constant to love; for never art thou out of love, but variety is thy staine, yet least is that blame of any, were not perill to ensue, plots laid to destroy thee, yet wilt thou passe them all, and be thy selfe; Women are ominous to thee, shunne them, and love her firmely who onely loveth thee. Her secret journey, or pilgrimage thus put by, she remain'd like a Nettle, hardly scaping the weeders hand, but growing on, turnes to seede, and from thence springs hundreds as stinging: so did she, (scaping out of good Natures corrections) overgrowe by envious absence, to the feeding plenty of all mischiefes growth, Now she commends her first action, prayes for the proceeding: loves Dolorindus if hee performes her command, vowes hatred to him if hee attempt it not, and so farre it spread it selfe, as when she confessed him too weake to encounter her Love-growne-enemy, she suffered Treason to say he ought to be employed, and that hee should revenge her wrong, so as she was so farre from fearing his harme, as she studied waies how to harme him, & having found them, wished them al presenting themsel ves before Dolorindus, that he might chuse the most mischeving & most speeding hurt for him. Sometime Lucenia staid with her, and so bewitched her with her witty person now, as she would returne with her; vertuous friendship never linked so fast, as those conditions tied themselves together, and all employd against the worthiest man the earth carried, the true summe for excellent light of his time, and for whose sake the Sunne would hide himselfe, in griefe hee could not shine so bright as his glory did; Fame spreading like his beames about him, rich, faire, clear, and hott equally, and surpassing him, Lucenia and Antissia knew this, this encreased love to breed envy, and malice, because they enjoyed him not, and so in the end, all his vertues were but waies for their ill to travell in, the more to hate him; for, the braver they confessed him, the greater worth to be in him, the fuller happinesse shee was blest with that held his love, made them to see their losse, and as from twilight to Sunne rising they increased in fury, and so built their ill, upon his excellent deservings; thus may goodnesse be a ground to ill, and thus wrought they. They that before heard not his name without heart-leaping, now with scorne to thinke that cruell thought of being left, his remembrance is with cursings as with prayers, with blames as with joyes, and all chang'd like Snow to durty water, wherein they drown'd their amorous thoughts, and brought forth cutting Sedges of hatred against the exquisite Prince, springing out of the foule mud of their devilish dispositions. At last it was agreed on, that if he escaped from their hands, hee should be inv ited, or trayned thither, (being assured of the secret carriage of their plots) and to some other place where they might have their ends. Envy, what canst thou bring forth more in abundance, then the richest roote of goodnesse? like a staulke on which diverse colours, and severall flowers grow: not like a pure Lilly of chaste, and vertuous love. Pamphilia in this flourished, who longed for nothing but power, or meanes to expresse her love by; She now in her Country, alone spent her time as a faithfull lover doth, never but thinking of him, calling all delightfull times they had enjoyed, to mind, joying in them, as in blessings, never thinking of blessednes, but when shee might thinke of seeing him; to which end, and to cover her longing with some probable occasion of bringing her neerer to him, shee calld her people, and after she had gained their consents for a journey to visite her aged father, being mooved unto it, both by reason of his weaknesse, and the desire he had once to see all his children together, which hee should doe, at their returne from Albania; besides to meete her most honord friend, the widdow Queene of Naples, whom in many yeares she had not seene; these were faire motives, had there not been a fayrer, and more deere one, which darkned these with the greater light of love. Well, she prepares for the journey in infinite pompe, she goes attended on by the best of the Kingdome; a grave, and good Councell she left behind her, to governe in her absence. As she was ready to Shippe, there arrived Orilena, of purpose come to visit her, but finding her ready to leave Pamphilia, she consented to accompany her into Morea. As they sayled, all their discourse was of love, Orilena being as fit a companion as might bee for the sad Queene: both their loves absent, both extreamly loving. While they were at Sea, they made verses, comparing the evening to the coolnesse of absence, the day break, to the hope of sight, and the warmth to the enjoying, the waves to the swelling sorrowes their brests indured and every thing they made to serve their turnes, to expresse their affections by. By the Sun they sent their hot passions to their loves; in the cold Moones face writ Characters of their sorrowes for their absence, which she with pale wan visage delivered to their eyes, greev'd as to the death, she could not helpe those amorous Ladyes; yet Pamphilia was most to be pittied, because her love was most, and most painefull to endure, as being haunted with two hellish Spirits of keeping it secret, and bearing the waight it selfe. The other Lady had more libertie, so more ease, for she might boldly say she wanted Philarchos, and bewayled his absence, yet never did shee so, but Pamphilia sighed with her, and so sister-like condoled with her, as she exceld her in passion, which made some eroniously say, that counterfeting was more excellent then true suffering, because judgment governs where passions are free, when fully possest they master beyond, and so expresse not so well, as if ruld with discretion; for an Actor knowes when to speake, when to sigh, when to end: a true feeler is as wrapped in distempers, and only can know how to beare. Many of these passages there were in dispute, none scaping censure, how great, or good soever. These Ladyes standing one day upon the Hatches, they saw a little Barque come towards them; Pamphilia commanded the Boat to be called to them, which was done, when out of her came a well knowne Squire from him, she most lov'd, he kneeld, and presented her with letters, and in them a token from him; she tooke them with such joy, as her heart, did like the waves, swell: her colour came into her face, and she was so surprized with content, as she could not tell what to say unto him; at last she remembred that she was not alone, but that she must consider all, eyes were not her servants, she corrected herselfe, yet could not blame that passion for so deserving a cause. My deere said she, I cannot hide my happines, nor am I sorry for it, since it is for thee, I suffer this, unlesse that holding it so deere, I may grudge any should partake of it. Yet calling her sences more about her, to avoyd suspition, she demanded how Parselius, Rosindy, and Philarchos did, and Amphilanthus said she, I hope also doth well. That came out so sweetely, and lovingly, as one might judge, shee asked for the rest for his sake, because she would name him, or named him last, as more to sticke in memory. Orilena was so desirous to know, how her Philarchos did, as shee nere heeded how Pamphilia carried her selfe. Surpassing passion, excellent, still governe, how delicate is thy force? How happie thy rule, that makes such excellent women thy subjects? made so by thy government, instructed by thy skill, taught by thy learning, and indeed made by thee. Bee thou still, and worthily adored, and this Pamphilia doth agree to; excellent Queene, the true paterne of excellent affection, and affections truth. Shee then called the Messenger, and having called her Spirits to her, asked particularly of the estate of Albania. Hee related the whole discourse, as instructed to set forth his Lord to his owne love; shee needed not much inviting to that banquet, this discourse fed her day and night. They talked of the warres, and of the brave Champions, whose honours were never greater, then when extolled by her. At last to Morea they came, the King and Queene comming two dayes journey to meete her, the most perfect Queene her Cosin, joying in her sight, as in heavenly happinesse, for so she held her Deare. Great joy was made for her comming, and still augmentations of that by the newes from the Army ever bringing good. Urania rejoyced, and Philistella was overcome with content: sweete Selarina was as glad as any, but her passions were moderate, and discreetelie held themselves within, yet shee would finely (though in shew carelessely) inquire how Antissius prospered. The other Ladies would smile at it, and sometimes to make sport so pretily anger her, as was delightfull pastime; every one envious to have each others passions knowne; not doubting but their owne were equally discovered, jealous onely of each others power, for being better able to conceale their flames then themselves; here did Love truly, and royally triumph. Pamphilia gotten alone, looked as often on the token, as her hearts eyes looked on the sender; it was his picture: shee kissed it, shee laid it and wore it continually in her breast; carefull shee was, least her Chamber-maide might see it, because it was more then her reservednesse did warrant, yet rather had shee all should know and see it, then bee one minute hindred from the enjoying it so neare; My deare selfe (would shee say) what happinesse find I in thee? how am I blessed alone in thee? and above all by thee? Deerer part of my soule, take the other to thee, pure love calles thee to acceptance, and thou doest, I hope, take what I so firmely give thee. What shall I say? thou sayst thou wilt not bee ungratefull, I assure my selfe of that, and blame my selfe extremely, if I said any thing might make thee thinke I doubted thee; thou knowest I never urged so much, as by question to know, if thou diddest love mee. I saw it, what needed I to aske, much lesse to feare. No sweetest love, I love too much to mistrust, and love thee more then to demaund assurance. which needes not, where such confidence remaines, nor is fit, since if man-like thou shouldest once live to change, thy change would grieve my heart, but kill my soule to know, thou wert both changing and forsworne, falsehood were double here, and single even enough to murder me: but those deare eyes allure mee, those lippes swell in anger I should thus dispute then, and grow dearest, take mine unto thine, which with whispering let my breath say, I doe long onely to see them move againe, and tell mee of thy love, soules comfort; how I see in my soule spirit-like cleare, and bodilesse from corruption, governe and command like love; a thing adored and reverenced, but not seene, except to lovers: so art thou to me, my spirit, and my All. While she was thus in loves best clothes apparreld, the bravest of Ladies of her time came to her, finding her in her ancient loving walk; she met her with joy and respect, knowing her so worthy, as she was onely fit to bee mother to such a sonne, who alone deserved so matchlesse a mother. To her shee went, who in her armes entertained her, that humbly tooke her favour with a low reverence, which love made her yeeld her. No time was lost betweene them, for each minute was fild with store of wit, which passed betweene them, as grounds are with shadowes where people walke: and the longer they discoursed still grew as much more excellent, as they, to nightward seeme longer. Among other speech the Queene of Naples asked Pamphilia what shee heard of the warres in Albania. Shee discoursed it all unto her, but the last busines seemd the strangest, & unusuallest, said she, although Polidorus his fortune in his wives affection was rare, the discourse was this. Nicholarus (being one of the Kings of Albania, as they falsely termed themselves) a Gentleman indued with all vertuous parts of learning, courage, and in truth, al that could be required in a brave man, yet was encountred with a stronger enemy then his judgement could resist, which was love, and love of one, who for his misery loved another. Nicholarus came oft where she was, oft shewed his affection, the other came with him, as if to glory in his mastery, or to enjoy with triumph what was refused this King, as a prisoner led, is a more glorious spectacle, then to know he is in a Tower: so are injoyings before refused more happy, and prized, then if by stealth, or kept in private, though love can bee held as deare and best. The poore Prince having a Scarfe by cunning love throwne over his eyes, never misdoubted anything, still loving and cherishing him more then any, because he saw she respected him. Once to her house he came, where they were entertained, as their places and dignities required, but the lover as love commanded. The Prince, or King, or what you will call him, because in his Neighbours Countrie, watched as hee thought an opportunitie, and in the morning when they were to meete the other Kings who were neare to that place, assembled about an especiall businesse of hunting: her husband loving that sport wel, was soonest up and called the King; hee employed him in some other businesse, while hee went unto his wife, whom hee found in her chamber in bed, attending (not his Majestie) but the King of her heart. Shee rose up in her bed, and opened the Curtaine with love, and joy in her face and eyes. Hee tooke it meant to him when hee perceived it, for hard was such a joy as shee expected, to bee drawne backe on the suddaine; but when, like violence followed, for her smile was frowning, her joy displeasure, her rising to embrace him, to turning her face from him, her speech to welcome him, to crying out, I wonder (said shee) my maids have thus betrayed me, leav ing the Chamber open to my shame. Alas, my Lord, I wonder what you meane to come this way, it is an ill one, and unfit for you. I have not mistaken, said hee, I come to visit you, and to intreate you. What to doe my Lord, said she? To pittie mee, said hee. To dishonour my selfe, cryd she. Why? if you can but pittie mee, you may, answered hee. Pittie of my selfe makes mee refuse you, replyed shee. What can your pittie in your selfe, said hee? to denie mee for? The honour (answered shee) which calls to mee for respect, and care, which borne with me, is my fathers, and my brothers, and my houses, these claime my care and pitey. None neede know your favour to mee, but your selfe and my selfe, who with all affection aske it, and with all truth will keepe it close. I cannot, nor will not trust mine owne soule with unworthinesse, lest accusation justly merited, fall on mee, and inwardlie afflict mee; therefore my Lord I beseech you (said shee) bee satisfied, and as you protest to love mee, make demonstration of it, and leave mee pure from touch of any ill, but your discourse, which so farre hath troubled mee, as I truly sweare, I never was more molested in my dayes. Hee with that drew his sword, whether to threaten her with harme, if shee consented not, or to make her yeeld, by offering violence on himselfe, I know not, but shee was distemperd with the manner, and wished her love, or husband, the worse of the two by much, had been present. The better happened, for her servant came at the instant, hindred it seemed onely by higher powers to stay, to serve her, his affection else bringing him usuallie rather before, then after time, and so soone some times, as hee hath been forced to use his best wits for his excuse, yet now hee came late, but in best time for her. His comming in, made the King start, and straight put up his Sword, making some kind, and so idle cause for drawing it. Hee straight left the roome, and the other attended him, till hee saw him horsed; then returning to his love, came to excuse, and to bee certaine; excuse himselfe for stay, and to bee resolved of his being there in that sort. She wept for both, telling him, that hee had betrayed her, hee grieved to bee taxed so, yet with much adoe gaind the truth; then was hee joyed, and tormented, joyed with her loyaltie, vexed that his negligence had given such adv antage to his Rivall. All or both causes of trouble at last were ended, and concluded with the summe of blessednesse, content in affection. The King yet left it not thus, but pursues with faire words, and letters what hee sought; Shee with as faire (but not so kinde) replies, gain'd that hee troubled her not in some moneths with such importunitie. At last hee writ some Verses to her, wherein hee commended varietie in love, as inviting her unto it, being the most pleasing and fruitfull, telling her whom hee could love, on all causes and reasons, as either beauty, greatnesse, wit, or for varieties sake it selfe could move him. The coppie of his I have not, but most excellent Madam (said shee) by hers you may see what hee hath said, and hers bee these, and these your most excellent Sonne hath sent me, for Nicholarus is his prisoner, taken, and saved by him in the last Battaile, that Countrie wholly by the matchlesse King of Naples conquered, and won, for by his comming, Polidorus was vanquished, and Nicholarus quite overthrowne, now remaining but one more to be subdued, and then Steriamus hath all, and for that, all must thanke Amphilanthus. And hee your love (said the Queene) who thus commendeth him. She blushed to heare her judgement so free with her. She kissed her, and willd her not to feare, though she discoverd her, but proceed sweet Neece, said shee. The Verses Madam (said she) were these. The joy yon say the Heavens in motion trie Is not for change, but for their constancy. Should they stand still, their change you then might move, And serve your turne in praise of fickle love. That pleasure is not but diversified, Plainely makes proofe your youth, not judgment tried. The Sunnes renewing course, yet is not new, Since tis but one set course he doth pursue, And though it faigned be, that he hath chang'd, Twas when he from his royall seate hath raing'd: His glorious splendor, free from such a staine, Was forc'd to take new shapes, his end to gaine. And thus indeed the Sunne may give you leave, To take his worst part, your best to deceive. And whereof he himselfe hath been ashamd, Your greatnesse praiseth, fitter to be blamd, Nothing in greatnes loves a strange delight, Should we be governd then by appetite? A hungry humour, surfetting on ill, Which Glutton-like with cramming will not fill. No Serpent can bring forth so foule a birth, As change in love, the hatefullst thing on earth. Yet you doe venture this vice to commend, As if of it, you Patron were, or Friend. Foster it still, and you shall true man be Who first for change, lost his felicitie. Rivers (tis true) are clearest when they run, But not because they have new places won; For if the ground be muddy where they fall, The clearnesse with their change, doth change with all, Lakes may be sweet, if so their bottoms be; From rootes, not from the leaves our fruit we see. But love too rich a prize is for your share, Some little idle liking he can spare Your wit to play withall; but true love must Have truer hearts to lodge in, and more just, While this may be allow'd you for loves might, As for dayes glory framed was the night. That you can outward fairenesse so affect, Shewes that the worthier part you still neglect. Or else your many changings best appeares; For beauty changeth faster then the yeares: And that you can love greatnesse, makes it knowne, The want of height in goodnesse of your owne. Twas not a happinesse in ancient time To hold plurality to be no crime, But a meere ignorance, which they did mend, When the true light did glorious lusture lend. And much I wonder you will highly rate The brutish love of Nature, from which state Reason doth guide us, and doth difference make From sensuall will, true reasons lawes to take. Wer't not for Reason, we but brutish were, Nor from the beasts did we at all differ; Yet these you praise the true stile opinion, By which truths government is shroudly gon. Honor by you esteemd a title, true, A title cannot claimd by change as due. It is too high for such low worth to reach, Heaven gifts bestow'th as to belong to each. And this true love must in revenge bestow On you, his sacred power, with paine to know: A love to give you fickle, loose, and vaine, Yet you with ceaselesse griefe, seeke to obtaine Her fleeting favours, while you wayling prove, Meerely for punishment a steddy love: Let her be faire, but false, great, disdainefull, Chast, but to you, to all others, gainefull, Then shall your liberty and choice be tide To paine, repentance, and (the worst sinne) pride. But if this cannot teach you how to love, Change still, till you can better counsell prove: Yet be assur'd, while these conceits you have, Love will not owne one shot (you say) he gave. His are all true, all worthy, yours unjust, Then (changing you) what can you from him trust. Repentance true felt, oft the Gods doth win, Then in your Waine of love, leave this foule sin: So shall you purchase favour, bannish shame, And with some care obtaine a lovers name. These Verses being sent to Nicholarus, by the same messenger that brought his, he fell into so violent a despaire, and hate of himselfe, as being more subj ect to passion, then strength of judgment, or power of vertue, he grew distracted, or indeed stark mad, so as care was had of him, and governors set about him, as over his estate; til at last by dilligence, & faithful Phisitions, & servants, he recoverd; but how; only to be made more miserable, or to have juster cause to be mad, as if the other were not sufficient; for then succeded the invasion and he gaind his wits to see his Country lost, and feele his weaknes in estate, as before in sence, yet was he happier then, for that want, made him not want it, this finds it. In his mad fits hee once writ to her, and would needs conv ey it by a Romanian, who then wayted on him. He honestly delivered it but more honestly wept, and bewailed his Lords misfortune. She caried it bravely, and that is all can be said; for what should shee, or could shee doe loving an other? She was (no question) sorry in a noble sort, but not in respect, that had he beene other she must have runne a greater danger in hazard of her honor, and breach in faith to her beloved. This made her imagine the other the lesse, and her fortune the better. The same Lady, and her lover likewise, (but at severall times) were brought to the victorious King, whose pardons he gaind, being as mercifull, as brave; and this relation have I from the Prince of Savoy, a Gentleman excellently bred, and discreetely living, good as any, learned above ordinary Princes, and delicatly skill'd in Poetry. This discouse hee hath put in verse, which is that I meant hee sent me, and daintily expressed all the passions: The Queene of Naples desired to see it, shee promise the performance; then walked they a little farther, still taulking of love, the brave Queene longing to heare the young Queene confesse, shee willing enough if to any shee would have spoken it, but hee, and shee must only bee rich in that knowledge. In the evening the other Princesse came unto them, and so all attended the rare Lady into the Palace, who was as perfect in Poetry, and all other Princely vertues as any woman that ever liv'd, to bee esteemed excellent in any one, shee was stor'd with all, and so the more admirable. Within a short time after the King of Morea intending to meete the Princes, who hee imagined would bee in that time upon their returne, determined to encounter them, (more cleerely to see his love) for hee tooke a journey towards them, and so resolved to remove his Court to Corinth, that famous, auncient, and fayre Citty; there hee purposed to stay, and to have the fitter opportunity to entertaine them: how happy a resolution in shew this was for the amorous Ladyes, lovers can well, and best conjecture. Being arrived at that beautyfull place, the young loving Princesses must needs see the Sea, and not only that, but goe upon it; Pamphilia went to the shoare with them, but then considered her gravity was too much in the opinion of the world to enter into so slight an action, wherefore desired pardon. They would not allow it her, but with sweete perswasions, and inticements got her a bord with them; they sayled some leagues from the shoare with pleasure, (and as they cald it) content, Pamphilia and Urania discoursing, Philistella, and Selarina: Orilena was at that time with the Queene of Naples, whom they would not call, least their journey might bee hindred; thus they plotted to deceive themselves, and ranne from safety to apparent danger, for what is the Sea but uncertaintie. Why should Pamphilia, (unlesse on necessity) venture her constant selfe in such a hazard, as if to tempt her enemy? which surely shee did, for she grew angry to see she was made to serve her perfections, & in fury waxed inraged, the Shippe grew kindly with bending her selfe to each wave to aske pitty, and bowing with reverence to demaund safety, and returne. But shee the more fought to, like a proud insolent woman, grew the more stout, and haughty, regarding nothing more then her owne pride and striving to molest those beautyes. The Ladyes cry'd; the Sea unmercifully stubborne, was deafe to their laments. They besought, she came up to the very sids of the Ship, as if to harken, but then slid downe, and smild at their feare, and rose againe in glorious height to behold more of their sorrowes. O said Pamphilia, when did I ever play so foolish a part? justly may I bee condemned for this error, and blamd for so much lightnes; how she despisd her selfe, and complaind to her love, how she accused all but him, how she wept, and as it were saw by the course, a comming harme to her soule, which then, and after, for a long space best knew the hurt, wayling in condemning her. The storme continued, the winds calling loud to the Sea, to assist, or continue her fury. To the shoare of either side they could not get; Fortune would not permit ought but misfortune to governe; at last they were quite carried out of the Gulfe, and being in the Adriatike Sea, the Shippe was tossed as pleased Destiney, till at last she was cast upon a Rocke, and split, the brave Ladyes saved, while she a while lay tumbling, and beating her selfe, as hoping to make way into the hard stone, for those, who could pierce the stoniest heart with the least of their looks. When they were got upon the Rocke, and seeing no place but it selfe, (which appear'd to be at first but small) they were in an excessive perplexity, wishing rather in the storme to have beene swallowed, then brought thither to some hope, and then cast into the depth of Dispaire, except it were to be famished there. Pamphilia mostly patiently tooke it, at least most silently: She climbing the Rocke till at the top she discover'd a fine Country, and discerned before her a delicate plaine, in the midst whereof was a most sumptuous building, of Marble, shee joyfully cal'd to the other, who followed her, and viewing it, I feare this storme, and adventure said Urania ever since I was carried to Ciprus; if it be an inchantment, woe be to us, who may be bewitched to the misery of never seeing our desires fulfil'd, once was I made wretched by such a mischeife. Let it be what it will said Pamphilia, I will see the end of it, led as in a dreame by the leader, not with bewitching dull spirit but craft. You may said Urania, having had such successe in the last, yet take heed, all adventures were not framed for you to finish. Not for you to be enchanted in, answered shee. So they went on, the two other marking what they did, who sent some one, or two of their servants to discover what this was. They found a round building like a Theater, carved curiously, and in mighty pillars; light they might in many places discerne betweene the pillars of the upper row, but what was within, they could not discover, nor find the gate to enter it. With this they returnd, the Ladyes proceeded, and arriving there, found it just as the servants had described; but more curiously beholding it, they found in one of the pillars, a letter ingraven, and on an other, another letter. They understood not the meaning, while Pamphilia (more desirous of knowledge then the rest) went as far behind that pillar as she could, and there perceived a space, as if halfe of the pillar, and then a plaine place, & so halfe of the other behind it had left a passage through them. She came backe and finding her imagination likely, she look'd upon the middle plaine which made the space, while the foure pillars making a square, and therein found a key-hole. She looked for the key, while the other three did likewise busie them selves in such search, having found in every plaine such a place, Pamphilia at last found the key, at the foote of one of the pillars. She tooke it, and tryd to open it, which presently it did, as if opening it selfe willingly to her power, or renting it selfe asunder, to let her goe into it. Instantly appeard as magnificent a Theater, as Art could frame. The other Princes seeing it open came to Pamphilia and all of them stood gazing on it; there was a Throne which nine steps ascended unto, on the top were fowre rich chayers of Marble, in which were most delicate, and sumptuous imbroider'd cushions, a Carpet of rich embrodery lying before, and under them. Needs this richnes must be neerer beheld, and (like women) must see novelties; nay even Pamphilia was inticed to vanity in this kind. In they goe, and venture to ascend the Throne, when instantly the sweetest musicke, and most inchanting harmony of voyces, so overruld their sences, as they thought no more of any thing, but went up, and sate downe in the chayers. The gate was instantly lock'd againe, and so was all thought in them shut up for their comming forth thence, till the man most loving, and most beloved, used his force, who should release them, but himselfe be inclosed till by the freeing of the sweetest and loveliest creature, that poore hahits had disguised greatnesse in, he should be redeem'd, and then should all bee finished. To say these brave princes were in paine, I should say amisse, for all the comfort their owne hearts could imagine to them selves, they felt there, seeing before them, (as they thought) their loves smiling, and joying in them; thus flattering love deceiv'd the true, and brought contrary effects to the most good, and this those brave Princes felt, when at the concluding of the last battel, just as they had taken possession of the greater townes of that Kingdome, and setled all things in quiet, received the people into subjection, taken their oaths to Steriamus, crownd him as their manner was in the Army, and so returnd to the cheife Citty, resolving thence to send newes to Morea, and every one to their loves, of their brave and happy successe, there arrived a messenger with the heavy tidings of the losse of the whole worlds beauty. Steriamus fell into such passion, as none thought he would have enjoyed the Kingdome, longer then one doth their love in a vision, crying out, have I lost the Kingdome of my hearts content, to gaine a poore Country of earth, and durt? have I gain'd to loose more then earth can give mee? must I bee crowned King to dye a begger? never was man in such perplexity; nor any so molested as Amphilanthus, who wisely covered his passions, much condemning their indiscretions that went with them to Sea, lamented, and hartily greeved for the misadventure, and so resolv'd to goe instantly in search of them. Olorandus had arrived there some weekes before, and well, for the last battaile was hard, and terrible, as being the last the Rebells could hope on, all but this last overcome; He helpd well, and so had Perissus in the former, without whose asistance, the businesse had not so cleerely pass'd, yet did they not fully end with their victory, but with the losse of almost as many men as the other partly lost in that battaile: so as only their gaine was by the noble valour of the peerelesse Kings, but now must they undergoe a more dangerous busines. Amphilanthus and Ollorandus went together, Steriamus and Selarinus parted, Antissius going with him, Steriamus would goe alone, and by none could be disswaded; Leandrus with Parselius; Dolorindus was gone before, never shewing his face after his folly concerning Amphilanthus . Perissus and Philarchos joynd companions. Excellent care was taken in the choice of the Lieutenants, the two first met Knights by Amphilanthus had the charge as principall of the Counsell of Albania, being of great bloud, and Tireneus of Epirus, Philarchos, and Perissus went to Morea, to comfort the King and Queene, and to see Orilena. Rosindy and Polarchos tooke together, but first went to Macedon, to see Meriana. Thus all devided, Amphilanthus must first be attended, who having the part allotted him to goe to the Sea (as if the businesse most concerned him, and the hopefullest) shipped in Epirus as soone as he could, and came all along the Coast, visiting every Iland, and searching in all ships for tidings, complaining in himselfe, that such misfortune should be, and at so much an unlooked for time, when all happinesse appeared ready to embrace them. As hee passed, his heart on a sudden leaped within him, but straight againe teares followed, to see how he was void of all comfort, yet did it truly offer him helpe, but he must not take nor give it, for by the fatall Rocke, he passed, when that joy was in him, and no sooner passed, but was possessed againe with sorrow. Alas Pamphilia his helpe was neare thee, but thou must not have it lent thee, but loose more. A ship at last came towards him, to demaund newes, and if they came from Greece, of Amphilanthus . He made answere himselfe, that he was the man they sought. My Lord said he, your brother by me salutes you, and desires your speedy returne, the cause you shall by these letters understand. He tooke them, and found that a great warre was begun betweene two famous, and great houses in Italy, by reason that the Duke of Milans younger sonne, had stolne away the Duke of Urbins onely daughter; the businesse at first was but betweene themselves, then grew further, all neighbours taking part with them, so as Italy was all on fire, and the Regent no more respected, then as their kings brother, but power he had none, or very little, so as hee remained at Rome in the Castle, and thence sent to his brother to returne and governe, whose sight they all thought would appease the fury. He was grieved to goe from seeking her, and them he loved so dearely, yet this was an occasion to bee looked unto, nor could it bee long that it was likely to hold him; wherefore by Ollorandus his advise, and the care hee had of his poore Countrie, for her sake more then his owne to prevent the ruine, hee bent his course that way. Alas unfortunate Lady, what will become of you? this is the last time for some moneths, hee shall come so neare, but yeares before his affection bee so much. Unluckily did Fortune provide for thee, when blessings only kisse like strangers, but have their dwellings other where. Hee arrived in Italy, presently letting his comming be knowne, all flocked unto him, and as when a civill warre in a Country hath made parties, yet when a common enemy comes, they all joyne against him: so did they flee now from the partakings, but runne to happinesse and welcome. He examined the cause, found matters ill on both sides, yet at last with power, love and judgement, appeased them all, and setled Italy in as brave peace and quiet as ever it was, flourishing now doubly, as in riches, and the joy of such a King. While he remained there, much people frequented thither, and the fame of his acts, brought most eyes to behold him, and as he returned, so flew the report of his being there with them; whereupon the King of Dalmatia sent Embassadors to treat of a marriage, twixt his daughter, and Amphilanthus , a thing long before spoken of, and wished, but his father would never heare of it during his life, now revived againe, and with much earnestnesse pursued. The King made a courteous, and civill answer to the Embassadour, but said, for marriage, hee did desire to be excused, till he knew by his owne labour certainely what was become of his Sister and Cosin, then hee would come himselfe into Dalmatia, and satisfie the King to his full content. This answer was sufficient for the time; thus resolved he to goe in the search appointed, and to that end (having called the Princes together, who were all met, and those from Albania returnd) gave charge of his estate to the Counsell making an old grave man of much reverence in the Country, and of the house of Florence, President of the Counsell; his brother he would have setled againe, but he desired to bee excused, and to have the order of Knighthood, that with the rest of the brave Princes, hee might seeke his sister, and Cosins. The King refused him not, but himselfe gave him the order, and then parted he one way with Ollorandus, the young Leonius another way by himselfe, having none but an Esquire with him. Amphilanthus changed his armour, and colours, making all tawny, as if forsaken, which was but the badge of the Liverie hee gave her soone after, who best deserved from him, and therefore least merited that reward; he also gave himselfe another name, as cald the Lost Man. Ollorandus must likewise alter, else one would make the other knowne, wherefore he contrariwise cald himselfe, the Happy Knight, carrying in his Sheild Victory, crownd with Love. Thus they travelled uncertainely where to stay, or land, letting the Marriners guide them as they pleased, who were strangers to them, and of Dalmatia, whither they carried them; they asked no more questions, but landed, and so went up into the Countrie, comming into a Wood, which was great, and every way thicke and desart; they yet traveld, when they came to a way that parted in three, they stood in question what to doe, at last they resolved to take the middle way, and by no meanes to devide themselves. The course they tooke, brought them to a mighty Hill, whose curled sides were so thick with trees, as no possibility was to go downe, being so steepe, as they must hope to do a miracle, and walke on the crownes of trees, or els fall to their ruine, like Icarus, melted for presumption: so they might bee bruised for proud hope, and broken in their fall. They lighted from their horses, to trie if so they might goe on, but all was in vaine, so as they kept the Hill, till they came to a place where trees had bin cut; this was little better for their horses, yet some thing more easie for them. Here with much difficulty and paine (which to adventurous Knights is called pleasure, their life being a meere vexation, wilfully disguised to content) they got downe, and then came into a most lovely Vally, which had been the perswasive part to their descending, lovelinesse being as attractive, as the Adamant, having a property in love to Iron: so lovelinesse hath to affection. In this vally they rid a prety space, but not one word past betweene them; to a River they came, fierce, and violent in the streame; no way might bee found to passe it in many miles riding, till at last they came unto a Bridge, which was defended by two Knights. They would passe; the Guarders refused, unlesse they would fulfill the orders there. They desired but to know what they were, and they as willingly would obey, as they demand. The orders (said they) are these: you must just with us two, one after another; if you ov ercome the first, you must proceed to the next, and if vanquish both, the passage is free, but one must venture first: nor his companion helpe, but stay his turne, and so fight with both. The unmatchable King would take that taske on him, his companion standing by, he began, and bravely concluded it with the Victorie. Then seeing no more to be done, he tooke the Swords of the vanquished, and hung them on a Pillar hard by, commanding them not to touch them, but to goe to the King of that Country from him, and to tell, what had befallen them, and sweare to carry no swords for two yeares, nor ever more to defend so slight a cause. They desired first to goe to the Lady, who had set them there, and tell her, then to doe the rest; desiring to know who had overcome them. Hee answered, the Lost Man; they found some thing was in that name, wherefore they would not presse, but left him, promising to observe his commands. The two Companions rid, till they came againe to a Wood, but not so thicke as the other, but of great huge trees, and such a place it was, as offerd delights, to most hearts to stay, and receive it there. The bodies white as snow, testifying innocency; and their tops so large, and thickly spread, as expressed glory for their purenesse. In this place they lighted, giving their horses to their Squires, and the very content of that solitarinesse brake their silence. Here (said Amphilanthus) is a place fit for such a creature as my selfe to dwell in; here alone am I fit to inhabit, and leave all government to him that can rule, shunning that, when I cannot rule my selfe. When did I euer see you my dearest friend (said Ollorandus) in this tune? What have you done with your spirit? where drownd your judgement? and how buried your selfe? What if you live to bee crossed in your desires? believe it, it is not to other end, then to make you happier with the sweet meeting, of what she misse will make dearer to you, when passed. Pamphilia cannot bee lost Urania drowned, Philistella cast away, or Selarina stolne. What vexeth you, if they bee carried to a farre place; if the worst, as those parts are full of enchantments? Enchanted (cryd Amphilanthus) deare friend, tis we that are enchanted from finding the truth of their losse: they are lost, and wee led by the same Devill in ignorance, the more to torture and scorne us. Ollorandus perswaded, and spake houres to him, but he was deafe, or speechlesse, for not a word could he get of him; his sighes were his answers, his groanes his speech, and thus they walked, till they met a Lady (as she seemd to be) in mourning attire, her faire eyes shewing more griefe, then her apparrell sadnesse, yet had they red cirkles about them, threatning revenge for their sorrow; her traine was only one Page, who shewd as little mirth, as his Mistris did content; they came one a little before the other, as if sorrow could have most liberty in lonelines, and therefore although but two, would goe asunder. Amphilanthus sad, found, or sadnes found for him, that distresse in her demanded his helpe; wherfore he went to her, curteously demanding, if his service might av aile her. Sir, said she, your tawny livery so wel suits with my fortune, as if I saw, but that I might from thence ask help; but alas Sir, my misery is but one way to be redrest, my woe no way equald, nor can my afflictions see end, but by the end of me. Miseries face, said he, is so perfectly (yet in delicacy unfortunately) presented in you, as would make one wish, rather to be thus miserable, then free otherwise affected; but as in you excellently are these perfections, so in me are as excelling crosses. I knowing these, can with more feeling understand yours, and with a more revengefull mind serve you, having that abounding in me; for behold here before you, the man, who never saw morning joy, that was not nipt by cold evenings malice. Comparing griefes, said the Lady, are but to augment sorrow, without helpe comming to extremity, but in your discourse I find by you, that you want helpe as well as I. And help only of one like your selfe, said hee, can make me blessed. I will not touch on that, said she, though thus I might, since if she were like mee, shee would bee much more pitifull. How can I know that, said he, but thus I may gesse it, that none being able to compare with her, except her owne excellencies, they gov ernd by her selfe can suffer no comparisons. This shewes you to bee a lover said she, and for that, I bewaile likewise your fortune, for hell cannot inflict a more terrible torment on a heart, then loves power settles in him. Do yours spring from that ill, said he? I thought only my starrs had directed me to such distresse. They spring and flow, cryd shee, increase and dwell in this subject. May I know the cause said he? Yes said the Lady, if you will promise me pardon for my boldnes, and tedious discourse which it will prove, and other assistance I need not. Alas (cryd he) that shal be most willingly lent you, though I may feare as little to helpe you, or my patience being a poore, though neces sary vertue. Tell me who you are, said the Lady? I am (reply'd he) cald the lost Man, my name little famous here, not having done any thing, but against two Knights at a Bridge, from whom I won passage. If you have done that answerd shee, the more assurance have I of your worth and valor, for they were two, counted the strongest, and most valliant of this Kingdome, and part of my story toucheth on them, but now have I cause to be ambitious of your knowledge, and by the want of it, reason to distrust the continuance of mine own unblessed destiny, which increase in harmes, pursuing and following me. Alas, said the lost Man, what hope is there left, where two such fortunes encounter. Onely this said she, that the extremity may change to good out of that confidence, you shall know the unkind fortune that governs me. This image of griefe, or rather true griefe, my selfe am called Bellamira, my father was called Detareus, a great Lord in this Country, and Steward of the Kings house, favoured by him, but at last sent in an Embassage, wherein he was lost, wherewith my misery ran on to this height. He had many children, but most borne to misfortune, my self being his first, as sent the sooner to taste of miserie; for being much at the Court with my father, before I knew what love was, I was his prisoner. I pined, sigh, wept, but knew not what the paine was, till at last the Tyrant shewed from whence the danger came, but with it shewed the impossibilitie of obtaining, hee having setled his affections in another place, nor had I pride enough to thinke my selfe able to win him from the Princesse, for she it was, hee did affect, a Lady deserving the title of excellent, had not her pride, and other defacing imperfections, throwne a blacke Scarfe over her outward fairenes. This Lady hee loved, but (as afterwards I found) no more constantly then your sex useth, not meaning to bee a Phænix among men-lovers, for feare of envy. When I perceived his eyes somewhat favourably to bend themselves to me (unhappy foole that I was) I held and valued it, my certaine comming fortune, giv ing mee such hope, as perswaded mee without feare to see the end; which brought mee to the ambition, to bee at a great marriage, which was at the Court, the King gracing a young Lord so farre, as to have his Nuptials performed there. Then did I more plainely see his respect to me, his shifts and meanes to bee neare mee (certaine proofes of love), his alluring eyes tel mee, his heart appointed them the messengers, to discover what he sought, which was, that I should understand, I believed them, and blame mee not brave Sir, for never was man Lord of so many womens soules, as this my Lord had rule of, who without flatterie, did deserve it, never being unthankfull for their loves. Thus my beliefe gave my faith, I ever after constantly loving him, hee shewed as much to me: thus we loved, or thought we loved, which no sooner had possession, but freedome followed, as the second to love, and this brought mee to my onely playing part of miserie. For being young, and full of joy, inriched with the treasure of his affection, I fell into a snare, closely covered, and so more dangerous, being caught by the craft of one, whose wit was to strong for mee, being as plentifull in wickednesse, as excesse could make, or execution demonstrate in fulnesse. I so true a lover, as I thought on nothing else, if ought, it was how to indeare my selfe in his favor, by respecting and loving those hee loved (a way much used, and to some profitably practised) this yet threw me into the Gulfe of mischiefe, giving welcome to that Wretch, who under shew of respect, spoild my only comfort, stealing like rust, and eating my heart, with as marring, and harmefull deceits. The love I saw my Lord bare him, was the chiefe cause that made me like him, trusting his choice above mine owne judgement, for I knew him once thanklesse enough to another, from whom my Lord tooke him, to bee his companion-like servant. His discourse was delicate, and so unusuall his wit, not lying the same way, that other good ordinary ones did, and so excelling; for what pleasinger then varietie, or sweeter then flatterie? which hee was filled with all, and made mee give, or credit to a treacherous deceit, which perswaded mee, hee was full of honest plainenes, so prety, and familiar his discourses were, as shewed a pleasing innocency, yet indued with admirable learning. This moved me to trust, considering that the greater his knowledge was, the more he should know truth, but contrariwise, he was the breach to my misery. My Lord imploid him in some occasions abroad, whether by his own desire to see, or his wil to be certaine of some forraine knowledge, he went away, leaving me secure, and happiest in my Lords affection. Many letters I received from him, wherein he witnessed his truth, which indeed did wel, for only paper and inke said it, not being worthy, or honest enough to blush for his shame; but in the time of his absence, my loved love, did (like all men) alter: it may bee caused by greater beautie, it may bee provoked to it by my imperfections; but some thing it was, (I dare not say a naturall inconstancy, but rather taxe my selfe with the blame, then touch him,) made me unfortunate. This unworthy man found it; and as vildly pursued it, smoothing me with flatteries, while he glos'd with him, and her, to whom he had chang'd, as long as ever hee discernd curtesie in him towards me, (which at last most cruelly was likewise taken from mee) hee followed mee, but then look'd on me as a rainy day doth on the earth, after a flattering morning: I was deceived, and indeed undone, but twas by him, and for him whom I lov'd, yet after some respect I found, therefore I pardon, & forgive him? Sometime this lasted, succeeding as I should have told you, the death of my husband, and sonne, by him; for marryed I was, and having ambition enough to hold mee from that, in hope of obtayning him for my husband, while the King still favour'd mee, and (if I might with arrogancy say) loved me. But my love to my chosen, refus'd all others, and he at last refus'd me; which, when the crafty unhonest man directly saw, hee not only (as I told you) left observing mee, but proudly sought my love; if I scornd his basenesse, a thing raised by my Father to be knowne, but made by my Lord to shew in light. Consider you, who needs must know, what can be yeelded by a spirit true to noble birth, and more noble love to a worme boldly crawling before the best, and lifting up an unvalued head as if a brave beast; but a beast indeed he was, and I the misfortune had to be a taster of his Villany, under colour of visiting me after my losse, he gaind still in my true heart a confidence of his renewing respect to mee, which I prized him for, confessing still, and purely all the flames I felt for his Lord, and soone after this, he shewed his dishonesty, and such neglect, as if I were a blab, or one desirous to doe ill, I might yet mischeefe him. But I am farre from that, and will doe well, let all other ills succeed that can, for goodnesse and truth shall governe me; yet because all his falshood shall not remaine hid, or be unknowne. I will tell you some what that hee did, for some-thing it concearns this story. Hee came to me, and found me apt, or tooke occasion to thinke so, for hee spake of love, and proceeded so farr, as he brought it to my fortune. I answered moderatly, yet so home to my owne hart, as he saw, I was the same, how ever he was changed, for whose change my affliction was, and so I discover'd my paines, and sorrowes, as he said, I complain'd fitly to be commiserated, and that he pittied me. Doe not so said I, for I contemne pitty; from thence hee grew to aspire to winne me, and so boldly, and saucely at last carryed himselfe, as if my deerest knew it, (though he now shunns me) he much more would scorne him, that durst attempt to winne her, whom he had once loved, and yet holds as his owne, though in despised sort: And more to shew his villany, he only serves, and seekes, and sues to have her grace, who hee perceiveth keeps my love from me, thinking himselfe (base villaine) good enough for me, who now doe weare the wretched livery of losse, & what is ever shun'd I have in store, forsaken and forlorne in love. Yet be it as it is, and they continue as they doe, I am, and ever will be my selfe. But what, (said Amphilanthus) is the cause of this extreamity of griefe? Have I not told you Sir, said she, being forsaken and despised? and why? only for loving. Dull I have beene called, for constancy is now termed so, and his assurance of my faith made him leave mee, a thing hee thinks soone wonne, or rather held at pleasure, confident assurance of firmnesse, growing to contempt; & this course doe unfortunate poore constant lovers run. What is become, said Amphilanthus of this man? He lives said she I hope to shame himselfe. Where is your love said he? Fixed truely in my heart, other where I can give a small account of: but as I have heard, living with a new love, bewitched sure with some charmes, else could he not continue closed alone within her armes, while armes, and all true noblenes is buried in his losse: for lost he is, since hee fell to her power. Why did those Knights maintaine the passage said hee? To defend poore mee cryd shee, who since now left ungarded on that side, I beseech you will convey me to my house, which when you see, you will find likewise cause of pitty there. Then brought she them unto her dwelling, which was in a Cave, of great bignesse, and large proportion, a Monument in the mid'st of it, of the most pretious stone of that time wherein shee lived, being the Tombe of her sweete, and last deere love, her sonne. Devided the Cave was into pretty roomes, finely furnished, but such as seemed rather to affect delicate cleanlines, then sumptuous ornament yet were they rich enough. Her attendants few, but their service shewed them sufficient for that place; with a modest, and sad kindnesse shee bad them wellcome thither, and instantly asking pardon that she must leave them for such a tyme, as she might performe her vow of mourning over the Tombe, which having finished with numbers of sigh's, groanes, and teares, she returnd to them againe. Amphilanthus, was not yet satisfied with the discourse, wherefore againe he urg'd her; Then Sir said she you shall have all: I was borne to be betraye'd, for before this cunning ill man came, I was undone in former hops by one, that had beene with my Lord almost from his birth, who with flutterings had seald up my heart to his use, never hiding any thing, (not my love it selfe from his knowledge, he making the greatest shew of obligation to me for my confidence, that might bee expressed by so rare a witt: striving by subtill meanes to make me thinke hee usd all wayes hee might to make me happy; still urging me, who needed no inticement to thinke how worthy the love was, how fit the match, and then shewed me the liknesse of it, our loves being so perfectly, and reciprocally embraced: the strong bond of friendship, twixt our fathers, and the continuance of that, betweene him, and my father, as inheriting it from him; lastly of our breeding together, which though in our infancies, yet the more naturally bred love, and increased it, adding to love, as the smalest sticks doe with momber to the fiers of triumph: but what above all indeed was the earnestest moover, (as he treacherously protested) was the true, & even consent of our dispositions, which seem'd so neere being one, as though by birth made two, yet created so, as to be joyned in one, for the more direct, and unpartiall strength of perfectnesse ; and thus were you made to be one said hee, in all fortunes and beings. Heaven I confesse I held his love; Father, Mother, friends, all were strangers to me, in respect of the nearnesse of my affection to him, and next to that did I thinke my best spent time was with those he most affected, in his absence, in that kinde serving him. Fortunate I thought my selfe and honour'd, when his companions accompanyed me, and so much I loved him, as being forsaken, I now the more am tortur'd with just cause of complayning. This Creature, (loath I am to name by other title, and yet grieved to give him his due, and to call him spoyler of my blisse) too diligently attended me, never left me, when any time might be permitted for man to see me in, I embraced his conversation, but it chang'd to my affliction, and contents destruction seeing oft times my passions, which were too vehement for mee to hide, or my weakenesse cover, hee advised, yet still inticed mee on. At last a match was offered me, many had beene so before, but all refused, my conscience being such, as never to marry any, that I could not love, especially knowing it before, yet was this more earnestly pursued then any other before, the Gentleman himselfe too much, and unhappily affecting mee. My Parents (looked without loves eyes) or rather saw, (while that child was blind) the goodnes, and greatnesse of his estate, the hopefullnesse of the man, his vertues, and noble conditions, much perswaded mee unto him, yet could not more moove me, then it is possible to stirr the most renowned Albion Rocks: and in as much chast whitenesse, remain'd my love to my Lord, while this Divell who promis'd his helpe, aymed at a farre fowler end, beeing gaind, (I will not say by bribes) to the friends of a great Heire, whose estate might make one, how unworthy soever before a covetous minde, seeme beautifull. This was his fire, and by this hee wrought, destilling the offence of Villanie, through the Limbeck of his wickednesse, and this was the beginning. My only love being gon a journey with the King, loved infinitely by Deterius my father, and hee staying had left his chamber, and servants to his dispose, and command; a stranger came in, (the plot ordained so by this Villaine) while my Lord was dressing him, hee desired to speake with the Traytor; he went unto him, comming in againe with a paper in his hand, & amazednes in his face, which made my deerer selfe demand the cause, he tenderly loving the wretch, because he had instructed him from, & in his tender youth. He counterfetted loathnes to speake, as if unwelcome newes would follow his words, the more he was troubled, & silent, the more perplexed was my deere; wherefore he privately called the messenger to him, of whom he demanded the newes; he answered he knew none, but that with much joy, and content, Bellamira was betrothed to her long loving friend, though not till then beloved of her, he then loved, and so may you the better judge of his paine. When he heard I had given my selfe to another, yet thus discreetly hee caryed it, that hee spake not any thing unto it, though some while after he demaunded of his favour'd servant, as if but by chance, if he heard any thing of Bellamira, he would not answere but with a sigh, and these words; It is impossible I now find for any woman to be true. Why said my Lord, is Bellamira marryed? No answered hee, but as ill, for shee is betrothed. O women, O love, how fickle and false are you both? My deere hearing the death of my love confirmed in this (likely but untrue) manner, said little, only turned himselfe to a window, where some teares he shed; yet hav ing the noblest spirit in the world, would not suffer himselfe too long to be governd under sorrow, turned againe, and so walked into an Orchard where they conferred, and at last he gained his consent to his desired end. I ignorantly lived, not daring to make other expressions then by looks, or humble, and willing services offered him, which with as much affection were embraced; yet was I grieved I heard not of him, which still, till then I did by every one that saw him, he as willing to send, as I to receive kindnesse. The earnest suiter, and falsely supposed betrothed man, still did pursue, and so hotly, as at last I resolved to stretch the limits of modesty, and to acquaint my Lord withall by letter, and so ambitiously hoped to gaine one from him; but considering many dangers, I fell into the greatest, fearing the delivery of my letter, I sent it to him, who was the only bar of the delivering of it, or then I sent, as at his death I found in a Cabinet, delivered by his owne hands unto mee with teares, and humble petition for pardon, that so hee might die quietly, which as he lamentably protested, hee could not doe, nor peaceably leave this world, I forgave him, and in that Cabinet found three of my letters, which close me in the misery I now suffer; thereby I saw manifestly I was betrayed, loosing the enjoying of what the losse brought my utter ruine: for I assuredly confident in him, sent my letters still to him, trusting him contrary to judgement, never receiving answere of them, but excuses from him selfe, as since I find were framed by him, sometime saying he could not then write, but in short time he would send one of purpose to me. I remained as lovers enjoying their like quiet. But many weekes having passed, I writ againe, setting downe, how I was solicited by him hee knew of, almost threatned by my parents, yet had they, nor should they gaine more then this, that he like all others should be refused for his sake, if it would please him to accept of me, and my truest affection, wholly dedicated to him. This unfortunately I sent, as the others, and so kept, comming the same morning, before hee was by his Villany contracted to the greate Heire of the Forrest. Twise I was sending it by a trusty servant of my mothers, but Desteny prevailed and I destined to mischiefe could not withstand my ills. Perplex'd I was with my fortune, when I saw, or thought I saw my faith rejected: mad at my patience that forced me to beare such injuries, cursed the harme, yet loved the harme maker, till one night my father, and many of his friends at supper, the procurer of my miserie came in, who was beloved, and respected by my father for his learning, and for his service to his friend, and so was entertained by him, placing him next unto himselfe, while I with uncertaine lookes, and doubtfull blushings cast mine eyes on him, yet stayed them not long there, lest they might bee understood my heart guiltie of the love my soule bare to his Lord, causing such a mistrust of discoverie in my owne conscience, as that modestie hindred mee from discovering my harme, which his countenance had else been ready to bewray (as since I understood by some that marked him, as they sat at meate). My father asked how his most noble Lord did fare. Well, my Lord (said he) but growne of late too cunning for us al; for would you thinke it? he hath finely got a wife. This made me boldly to looke up, for what would not such a deadly wound cause in one, if it were but only to look boldly on their end: life lasting in mee, but to know certainely my death, being so eager of it, as I my self had demanded it, had not my father soone prev ented me, asking who it was. Why, said hee, the sly Youth hath got the mighty Heire of the Forrest. I hearing it, discernd my hast to bee like theirs, that run to the top of the highest Rock, to throw themselves from thence: & so did I; for those words strake me dead, my spirits falling, and failing me, encountred with the depth, and bruise of fortune adverse to me, I fell from the table in a swound. All ran to me, or about me, none (because none thought I loved) being able or willing to guesse the reason, except the Serpent, whose poyson strake me. I was with care and diligence brought to my selfe againe, which when I had sense to know, I blamd that sense that brought that knowledge to me, condemning fortune, who would not permit one of her owne sex, so much favour as to die, having such cause. Then came my speech againe, which I onely employd to this purpose, to desire some of the servants to leade me to my chamber, beseeching the company not to stirre, assuring them that there was no danger, for usually I had had such fits; my father and mother, especially whose loves were most unto me, and dearest to me, would have gone with mee, but I prevaild; the moover of my torment looking on me with as much pitie, as the Master of a good Dog doth on him, when he is hurt by his owne setting on, upon either Bull or Beare. When I came to my Chamber, I pretended a desire to rest, which made me abler to dwell in any unrest. Sir, if ever you have felt love so perfectly, as to deserve your name, imagine to your selfe what I felt, seeing scorne, disdaine, presented to mine eies, nay (what of all is cruelst) unkindnes. Unkindnes to a perfect loving heart, is indeed said he of all miseries, the cruellest, and most murthering. Have you (alas Sir said she) felt that griefe? That only said he perplexeth me, I cannot say I was disdain'd, for I was cherished, I was not scorned, but received, I lov'd, and was beloved, but now I feare she is unkind. Let not feare without assurance said shee molest you, lest it make you indeed loose by mistrust, what is yet but mistrusted to be lost. I beseech you (said hee) proceede, and let my misfortunes remaine in me, by none else thought on. Yet (said shee) being forsaken, is a greater miserie, for such a losse, is losse of all hope, or joy in life; the other may bee helped againe with kindnesse, and this I finde; for had I not enjoyed a heavenly happinesse, I never had complained. But to goe on, being come to my chamber, and having liberty by privatnesse to exercise my sorrow in the absence of all but it selfe, I thus began to mourne. O love, cride I, was it not enough that thou didst win mee to thy power, and that thou didst possesse me in those yeares, when first it was possible for maiden thoughts to entertaine thee, to make mee chuse, guiding mine eyes to the choice of one, where perfections linked themselves to chaine my powers, and envy from all such, that thinking I loved thee, maliced my happinesse, as if I had enjoyed? Yet cruell you cannot thinke all that I suffered by passion, hatred of others, envy, paine, torment, and all miserie sufficient, but you must turne crosse, and find a greater to afflict me. Why did you grant me Paradise of hope, to throw me downe to bottoms of despaire? Why did you glory to invite my heart, to yeeld unto the winning power of eyes? eyes which were able to gaine more, then hearts thrice doubled could repay with love? Fie intising eyes, why wan you mee? onely of set purpose to kill me with your frownes? this was pretended murder, your sparkling conquest seemd to gaine, by unresistable darts, soules to your will; and their smiles promised to save when won, but triall proves, you win alone to spoile. Was it a victory sufficient to get, and worthlesse of keeping? It seemes so, since you leave me: leave me, smarting affliction, scourge to loyall hearts, yet leave you hold me, being left by him, who onely holds my love. Thus passed I part of the night, the rest in an exercise mine undoer taught mee, putting my thoughts in some kind of measure, which else were measurelesse; this was Poetry, a thing hee was most excellent in. That night, and many more were ended in that manner, till at last, taking a resolution, which was made by necessity, I came abroad againe, meeting at my fathers chamber one day with my still deere, though forsaken. He wished me much joy; I told him hee might best wish it, having caused so much sorrow to me: hee told mee, my chosen love (hee hoped) would bring content unto mee. Then had you been more kind, and true, said I. Treborius is the man must hold your affection, said he. The Forrest Heire (cryd I) hath made you change, and mee forsaken, living thus unhappily, made free. Free, said hee, and betrothed? Pardon mee my Lord, said I, I neither am, nor will bee till I wed. Will you begin, said hee, to use that vice you ever till now contemned, dissembling a thing protested against by your vertue? It is that thing I most abhorre, answered I: but if I would use it, my faith should hinder it from you. Heaven then beare witnesse of my wrong, cryd hee: and pitie mine, said I. With this the company came about us, so as for that time wee said no more; then did hee seeke meanes how to regaine my affection, which he feared was lost to him, while alas my labour was how to cover that, which so truly was his, as I doubted my selfe for being a safe keeper of it from him, determining all chastitie in love, not so much as entertaining his outward complements, farther then civilitie commanded. Treborius followed his sute, my father urged mee, and I, cast away by fortune, threw my fortunes at his feete, to bestow them, truly then not worth the accepting: yet love in the man, made him seeke me, and with as much joy receive me. The time was appointed, all our friends and kindred invited, and as a principall guest my lost love was intreated to come: who obayed, but his sad demeanor shewed, it was no pleasure to him, to see me given to another: if hee were troubled, how was I afflicted? In the morning before I was quite dressed (according to the manner of our Countries libertie) the chiefe strangers came into my chamber, permitted by custom to see the Bride dresssed; among the rest, or before the rest, he came in, yet said nothing, onely lookes spake for him. I was to the soule perplexed, and being ready to enter into my miserable estate, I went into a great window, which had a curtaine over it. A Lady whom I most respected (and so did all those, whose happines was to know her worth, being for all noble vertues, and excellent parts to be admird) would not be denied to go with me. Before her I performd a vowed sacrifice, which was of a lock of haire that I had worne constantly many yeares; this haire was his, though not given to me by himselfe, but by an ancient servant of his, unknown to his Lord. The vow was, that if ever I should be so unfortunate, as to marry any but himselfe, that morning before my marriage to burne it to my losse and love. This next my heart I ever carried, and with the losse of that, finished my vow that fatall day before the perfectest of women, not without teares, as since that noble Lady hath told me, when with her favour shee would give libertie to her selfe, to speake with me unworthy of her judgement, making mee often call my selfe to mind, yet I thinke rather to bee resolved, of what shee could but conjecture, then to renew my torment with memorie of my distresse. But this finished, the marriage followed: what torture was it to mee, standing betweene my love, and Treborius, when I was to give my selfe from my love to him? How willingly would I have turned to the other hand: but contrary to my soule I gave my selfe to him, my heart to my first love. Thus more then equally did I devide my selfe: within a short time after I went with my husband to his house, wishing never more to see any light or company, which in some sort I enjoyd for one whole yeare: but then the King going to see his Country in Progresse, my husbands house was found fit in his way, so as he lay there, and was by him freely, and bravely entertained, he being as bountifull in his house, as any man: but this brought further trouble, for such a liking the King had to the place, as often in the yeare he visited it; much his Majestie was pleased to grace mee, I thinke for my friends respect, but howsoever, mine eyes ascended no higher then a subjects love. Many times by the Kings command, I was after at the Court, once I remember, being at the entertainement of the King of Slavonia, brother to his Majestie, there was tilting, course of field, and many such brave exercises, but so farre short all the Gallants (and the King himselfe being one) came of my loves perfectnesse, as they seemd but foyles placed, to set forth the lusture of his excellence. The sports brake up, and the King, Queene, and Court accompanied the Slavonian King to the Sea, who was from thence to take a further voyage; with my husband I returned, my heart so filled with love, as nothing but it selfe could find biding, or entrance there. Treborius out of love to me, loved my friends, and those he saw I most respected, which made me so willing to requite his affection, as I studied how to content him, ever saving my first love perfect to the owner; and truly such I found his kindnes, as I have been sorry I had no love left for him, yet could I not in the kindest humour spare him any from the other. By the way as we returnd, how would the good man praise his person, his fashion, speech, horse-manship, conversation, pleasing mirth, concluding still, he was the only exact piece of man-kind, and framed alone without equall, and as if hee were made to honour all vertues, and they framed to serve him. I tooke such joy in these, as still I bore him up in them, seeing in his words the picture of my heart and thoughts lively drawne; he maintained them to content me, while I best satisfied seemed to commend his witty descriptions, as if they, and not the subject pleased me. Thus did I dissemble, and thus onely for my love, and with him that loved me, yet this may be pardoned (if pardon may bee given for such a fault) since love did warrant mee, and I obayd my Lord. Other times (though for it I blamd my selfe, because I wrongd his kindnes) I would commend his ordinary talke, when hee praised rude sports, or told the plaine Jests of his Hunts-men, yet the best their vocation could afford, laugh and bee merry with them, but why? because oft-times they brought discourse of my best love, who delighted in those sports. Thus I continued, firmly, and chastly loving, but then pleasure envying my good, call'd misfortune into company, for my husband dyed, and not long after, my only sonne slaine in this unfortunate Grove, following those sports his father loved. This was not all my losse, for afterwards succeded my last, and greatest; for he, whom I so much esteemed prooved false; all the paines I suffered left unrewarded, not thought on. What hazards I had runne for his love, what dangers pass'd? and never shun'd, to satisfie his mind, his owne soule shall demonstrate, my tongue never relate; but this he must give me leave to say, that never man was more unjust, nor causlesly unkind; Into this Cave I then confined my selfe, and hence I have not stirred, further then you finde me, nor will, heere purposing to end, and with my deerest son be laid, who only was to me constant in affection; & to him, daily doe I perform those rights belonging to the dead, after the manner of our country; In these parts you can finde no more then now you see, my miserable spectacle, and this Cave, but at the end of the plaine you shall finde an other Bridge kept by two strong Knights, as any this Kingdome yeelds, yet I think, to you, will be but like the others, if they try them selves, which I desire they should not doe, but that you will for my sake passe them. So I may doe that with honor answered the King, I shall willingly doe this, or any other serv ice you shall please to command: but in requitall, I must beg one favour of you, which must not be denyed. She protested she would obay him in anything. Then said he, leave this sad abiding for a while, and your dead love, to goe to a living friend; nor will I urge you to goe from sadnesse quite, having such cause of sorrow, but to a sad abyding, yet a joyfull meeting. Your father Detereus is not, (as you imagined) lost in his Ambassage, though lost to all content, but lives an Hermits life on a Rock, before Saint Maura; much he desires to know of your safety, and injoyned me to enquire of you, if ever I hapned to this Country. I promised him I would, not being able to perswade him from that place: goe you then to him, and carry comfort with you to his age; if you cannot bring him thence, you may abide with him, and thus not leave sorrowing, having still so sad a subject before you, as to behold so worthy a mans low state, but if true judgment rule in either, to over rule passion, I hope to see you both, againe your selves. She was strook with amazement to heare this newes; but so perfectly hee discoursed of her fathers affaires, and so truly described him, as shee knew hee spake but truth: whereupon shee resolved to goe thither, and upon that, sent for her Knights that kept the other Bridge, to attend her, while Amphilanthus againe desired to heare more of the sad story; then Sir said shee, heare the last. When I was a Widdow, and suffered so many crosses, my poore beauty decayed, so did his love which though he oft protested to bee fixed on my worth, & love to him, yet my face's alteration gave his eyes distaste, or liberty from former bands, to looke else where, and so he looked, as tooke his heart at last from me, making that a poore servant to his false eyes, to follow still their change. I grieved for it, yet never lessned my affection blaming such cruelty, and cruelty for lodging in him, not himselfe for being cruell; so as my love grew still, and in a strange manner, to affect where losse was, where unkindnesse, ungratefulnesse, scorne, and forsaking dwelt, (odd moti ves to love) yet lov'd I the keeper of these wrongs, lamented the sense of them, pined in my misery; and yet Sir, truly can I not hate this man, but love him stil so wel, as if he could look backe on me with love, all former ills should be forgotten, but that cannot be, such an unfortunate strangnes hath beene betwixt us, as wee never meete or if we did, what can this wrinckled face, and decayed beauty hope for? yet were I blessed, if hee did but thus much, speake kindly to mee, pittie me, and use mee courteously, who have suffered enough to merit this respect: but I thinke selfe accusing falshood makes him shunne me. Alas doe not so, for I forgive all, and affect thee still, and dye will in this love. You did (said Amphilanthus in your discourse) touch upon a quality rare in women, and yet I have seene some excellent things of their writings, let me be so much bound to you, as to heare some of your Verses. Truely Sir said she, so long it is since I made any, and the subject growne so strange, as I can hardly cal them to memory which I made, having desired to forget all things but my love, fearing that the sight, or thought of them, would bring on the joyes then felt, the sorrowes soone succeeding. This is but an excuse said he; Truly Sir said she, it is truth, yet I thinke I can say the last I made, which were upon this occasion; one time after he had begun to change, hee yet did visite mee, and use mee somtimes well, and once so kindly, as I grew to hope a little, whereupon I writ these lines lying in an Orchard, under a great Quince tree, the weather being as if it did threaten my teares to follow, the drops then following; they were these. As these drops fall: so Hope drops now on me sparingly, coole, yet much more then of late, as with Dispaire I changed had a state yet not posses'd, governe but modestly. Deerest, let these dropps heavenly showers prove and but the Sea fit to receive thy streames, in multitudes compare but with Sun beames, and make sweete mixture, twixt them, and thy love. The Seas rich plenty joynd to our delights, the Sunn's kind warmth, unto thy pleasing smiles, when wisest hearts thy love-make-eyes beguiles, and vassell brings to them the greatest Sprites. Raine on me rather then be drye; I gaine nothing so much as by such harmeles teares, which take away the paines of loving feares, and finely winns an everlasting raigne. But if like heate drops you do wast away glad, as disburden'd of a hot desire; let me be rather lost, perish in fire, then by those hopefull signes brought to decay. Sweete be a lover puer, and permanent, cast off gay cloathes of change, and such false slights: love is not love, but where truth hath her rights, else like boughs from the perfect body rent. And perfect are you sweet Bellamira, said the King in this Art, pittie it is, that you should hide, or darken so rare a gift. His commendations brought the fruite of gayning more, and so they pass'd some two dayes, till shee was ready to take her journey; the Kings then parting from her, and following their search, being discoverd to the Lady by unlook'd for meanes; for Amphilanthus at his first comming into the Cave, being confident of not being knowne, pulld off his Helme, while Bellamira was gone to the monument, at her returne seeing his face, she fell on her knees, blushing at her errour: My Lord said she, the afflictions which make me ignorant of all things but themselves, have caused my forgetfullnes unto you, which I most humbly crave pardon for. He admired how she knew him, desiring to bee made certaine of the cause, and meanes of her knowledge, (being extreamely sorry to be discovered.) Be not displeased great Prince said she, that your servant (my poore selfe) knowes your excellency, since heere you shall command, what it shall please you, and be knowne but as you name your selfe; only give me leave to expresse what joy my afflicted heart did little expect in beholding in this my sad dwelling, the most matchlesse Prince the earth carryes, and may glory in bearing. But Madame said hee, how doe you I beseech you know me? My Lord said she, I attended on the Kings Neece, in a journey she was pleased to make, out of too much pride, and conceit of her beauty, being enough to be liked, but too little to be defended in field. Into Italy (among other places) shee went, and then it was my happines to see you, and the honor of chivalry in you, which the poore Prince my Ladies servant found; for after you had cast him to the ground, she cast him out of her favor, scorning any after but your selfe, yet not loving you, because you wonne the prize from her beauty to your Mistris. The King did very well remember that accident, and so discoursing a little more to that purpose they concluded, with her promise not to disclose him, or to know him to be other then the Lost Man, and that was the reason she so freely disclosed her passions to him. She tooke her way towards Saint Maura, the two Kings higher into the Country, though no way likely to finde the Ladyes, yet first for them who could lay those memories apart, travelling through the delicate parts of Greece, till they came to Romania, passing many adventures under the name of the Lost Man, one being necessary to be remembred. On the skirts of Romania they came into a place, Rockey, and hilley nothing but Heath, and some small shrubs to shelter rayne, Sunne, or any thing from one; the mighty Rocks which shewed their swelling sides, appeard like Swannes in their neasts, when breeding, and angry at passengers for troubling them: white as they, and fringed with Holly trees, the wayes stony, and troublesome, so as they walked on foote, and their Squires led their Horses. Desirous to see rarities, Olorandus went among them, Amphilanthus keeping on in a path. The brave Bohemian seeking among them, at the last hapned to one, which was wonderfull to behold, a Rocke of great height and bignesse; the midst of which, was cleft to the bottome, so even, and just as if cut by hands, yet was it impossible for hands to doe it. Nature shewing how neere she can come to Art, and how far excell it. Beyond this was an other Rocke, in which was a little Cave, and in that a man lying, it was so shallow in the body of it, as he might discerne him to lye on his left side, his face from the light, in Pilgrims cloathes, his staffe and bag by him, and to add to this sad sight, his voyce agreed to make him knowne miserable, breaking into these complaints. Ungratefull wretch, monster of man-kinde, why live I still to poyson the sweete Aire with my vild breathing? what wickednesse is there, that I abound not in, and have committed false, trecherous, and ungratefull I have beene; dye then with shame, wrap'd round about thee: dye Dolorindus, and never let thy unworthy face be more beheld, nor thy false eyes behold the light; let darkenesse, (not so blacke as thy sinne) infold thee, and be as thou art, a creature unfit for Heav en to looke upon; Olorandus knew he had beene lost strangly, the manner, and cause was unknowne, the other Kings keeping his councell til they could finde meanes to worke for his good; He stole away softly, and calld Amphilanthus , who presently came with him, where they heard him continue in his moanes, crying out, O Villaine that had a thought to wrong thy worthyest friend, to be ungratefull to al-deserving Amphilanthus, nay more, to plot his ruine, and conspire his death. Antissia, thou art the cause of this, and I the more miserable to be brought by a woman to be a Beast. Amphilanthus pardon me, my soule begs it, & let the fault be where it is laid justly, on unj ust commands in love. But what excuse can I make? say Antissia bad mee kill Amphilanthus, is that enough? O noe, truth tels me that he saved mee from ruine, from starving, from death; shall a woman then make me forget these benefits, and only because I loved her? love should not extend to hurt, or procure murther. I have offended beyond pardon, mercy must be shewed if I continue, but mercy cannot I aske, so far having forgone truth, as my offence flyes higher then any hope can ascend to. Antissia, I now hate thee more, then once I loved thee, and more justly, for thy love hath made me worth-lesse, and spoyled my name, honor, and content; shame is the reward I have gain'd for my love to thee, and the heavy waight of ungratefulnesse lyes on my heart. They were both amazed to heare these words, not being able to conjecture whence they came; the voyce they knew, and the name, but how this sorrow was, could not imagine. In the end they concluded to speake to him, and Olorandus began: Repentance said hee merits pardon for the greatest ill; if you truely repent, doubt not but you shall recei ve what you seeke, and the neerest way to that, is to confesse freely your fault, and then pardon will follow. Pardon cry'd he, I cannot be pardon'd, I cannot hope, I cannot be forgiven. You may said he; And for that, I will ingage my honour, if you will be ruld said Amphilanthus. With that hee rose, and looking on them, knew them, which so much oppressed his weake body, as he fel to the ground in a swound. Amphilanthus took him up, and Ollorandus went to the next Spring for water, wherwith they rubd his temples, and brought him to himself; but to what end? only to die again, for so was he afflicted, as impossible it was for him to live, as they doubted: then Amphilanthus vowed unto him (at his second comming to himselfe) that whatsoev er he had done, or thought against him, was then forgiven, desiring onely to be resolved of the griefes cause. My Lord (said he) how shall I dare to tell you what I have done, when no shame is so great, so infinite, so ill, as my fault? I am a Traitor to you, take revenge, or let me give it you. Stay Dolorindus (said he), fall not from one ill to a greater, speake to me, plainely tell me what perplexeth you, and had you sought my life, I doe forgive you. You have (brave King, cry'd hee) said, what I grieved to name, it was your life I aimed at, commanded by Antissia to kill you, and then to take her for my wife: love made me undertake this hateful practise, now you have it, use me as I merit, and nev er pardon so foule an act. Love Antissius, and hate me, for he was likewise solicited by her to murder you: but he refused, and would needs hinder mee, whereupon we should have fought, but then were stayd by two, who told us they were Amphilanthus, and Ollorandus. Antissius more in sense then I, knew they had taken your names upon them, and were not your selves; he undertooke the named Ollorandus, I the other, whose name had that power, as he overcame me, laying me as low, as my sinne hath puld me. Wounded I was taken up, but saw his death given him by a young Gentleman, whose father he had killed in a quarrell concerning the Princesse of Croatia, whom he had under your name abused. With the sight of his death, shame straight possessed me, and selfe-accusing infolded mee: for then your noblenes came into my mind, your clearenesse shewing my foulenes, your worth my blame; my heart I cannot say brake, but clove in sunder: never lived any man to say, he was afflicted, that more truly left affliction. Soules that condemned are, cannot be more tortured, my soule feeling what can be felt of miserable torture. Antissius, with whom I would but a little before have fought withall, I threw my selfe at his feete, I petitioned Perissus never to think of me, nor name any name might sound like mine, that you especially might not know my falshood, lest your condemning mee might proove worse, and a heavier punishment, then all other torments: for your blaming me, and so justly would bee more terrible, then condemnation from any other. As he spake those words he sunke againe, and they againe recovered him; but then Amphilanthus chid him, that he would not believe him. Why, said he, can Dolorindus think that any wrong can be done Amphilanthus, which he cannot forgive; and by Dolorindus whom he loves, and for loves sake: be patient deare friend, and grieve not thus, for that is not to be grieved at. Love commanded you, when you were his subject, twere treason to have disobeied, or refused to kill a traitor to his Crowne (as I was esteemed). Comfort your selfe I am free from anger, or spleene; I will not say I forgive, I say you erred not, nor I remember ought, but our first meeting, and our friendship, let all other (like Phansies) passe, I am thy friend, and will cherish thee, and love thee as I did; yet must I blame Antissias forgetfulnesse, and causeles fury. When did I offend her so much, to be so irreconciliably displeased? how did I vex her, to bee unsatisfied with ought, but my life? or what could my death bring her? Dolorindus as much over-waighed with joy, and kindnes, as before pressed with sorrow, could with as little power withstand the fury of the kind passion, so as with teares, and deare love, he fell at Amphilanthus his feete, kissing them with such affection, as hee was forced to throw himselfe by him, to make him leave, and in his armes hold him as fast, as his love tied him to him. O Amphilanthus, cri'd he, why doe you thus exceede all possibilitie for man, how noble soever, to be a shadow to you, much lesse to equall you? will you gather together all perfections in you to be admired, and envied by men? or indeed be as you are, fit, and only deserving to bee eternized for magnanimious, and glorious spirit. Your kindnes exceeds my act, said he, and such expressions of love find I in you, as I am glad rather of this accident, whereby I enjoy them, then of the want of this cause, should I have missed the truth and knowledge of your love. Never was more kindnesse shewed in offering and accepting, in confessing and forgiving, then betweene these two. Ollorandus (when they had for a while continued their discourse, and all former businesses razed like Castles belonging to Traitors) desired to know who they were that had taken their names upon them. Truly, said Dolorindus, I know not, for one kild, the other dying, desired that he might be so much favord, as never to be spoken of, nor his companion, being something neare mee in shame: but as his fault was lesse, the lesse sensible. Speake no more of this, said Amphilanthus. I have done, said Dolorindus, for little joy can it bee to mee, if not by that to see your gratious favour. But so he died, saying onely they were Gentlemen, and had taken those names for their honour, and his companions gaining the Princesse of Croatia, whom after he vildly left, and forsooke. Then did Amphilanthus relate his finding that Princesse, her discourse to him and his conference with her women; which much pleased Ollorandus, especially when he heard what gaine they had by those names, being glad to heare such reverence was done to them. Amphilanthus was contrary, for though hee loved best to doe well, yet he cared not how little he was told of it, hating flattery, as much as hee loved worth, and that was best of any man; nay so nice he was, as he would rather doubt flattery, then let himselfe thinke he heard but truth of himselfe. He left not till he had made Dolorindus leave his habits of a long Gowne and Staffe, to change them (as come home againe) to a sword and armour, his travaile on foote to horse-backe, and contrary to his expectation, or resolution to be once more a warrior. But this he gaind, to be licensed to travell unknowne with them, which they also were resolved to doe, and so from this rude Rockey place, as from despaire to comfort, they took towards Constantinople. Into the Towne they went priv ately, and furnished themselves according to their humors: Amphilanthus in Tawny, embroidred with Black and Silver; Ollorandus in Grasse-greene, and Gold; Dolorindus in Haire colour, or a kind of dead leafe colour, and Gold, they hapned there just at a time, which was solemnly kept every yere, which was the day of the Coronation of Antissius, and the restoring of their Countries liberty. Here they saw their honors blazd, and remembred fame to flourish: among the strange Knights they put themselves, and as Macedonians, whereof there were some good number; they came to the Justs, having made their habits after their fashion. The Presidents was present with al the Nobility; and the other brave men that returnd from Albania, the King himself having sent them home, when he tooke his journey in the search: what Amphilanthus, and the other two did in these exercises, may be imagined, by the knowing they were Actors, else his acts as impossible to be expressed, as the starres numbred. Much inquirie was made after him and his companions, but unknowne they passed, and took their way from the Court, after they had seene the fashion of it, and well understood, where, and how Antissia lived in greatest distresse, for the report of the false Amphilanthus his death came to her eares, which attribute shee imagined to be given him for his falshood to her, whereupon shee put on mourning, and all her servants were clad in that Livery, leaving the Court, and betaking her selfe to a Castle, not farre from the sea, where she beheld nothing but Rocks, hills of Sand, as bare as her content: Waves raging like her sorrow, and indeed little but companion-like Spectacles, shee thinking her selfe those solitarie places, and looking on Antissia, as she in her sadnes looked on them; and thus had she continued from the time of the newes comming. Amphilanthus, and Ollorandus with Dolorindus passed farther into the countrie, and tooke their way by Amphilanthus direction towards Neapolis, where they were to visit the faire Musalina, who by meanes made by Allimarlus was reconciled to Amphilanthus, betweene whom an ancient quarrell ceased thus. With all delicasie they were entertained, and feasted, shee being so excellent a Lady for spirit, wit, rare discourse, and the most unusuall vertues for women, as she merited affection from any man, and some yeares before had injoyed his, and such an one indeed she was, as Pamphilia could not but confesse, fit to be beloved, and therfore never blamed her, but Amphilanthus for leaving her, not for againe loving Musalina. Hither it was appointed, that Antissia and Lucenia should come, and give him satisfaction by repentance and submission; Musalinas husband being Duke of Tenedos, and where Amphilanthus had spent much time, loving her; but after leaving her, destiny so commanding, and his obeying to those powers sometimes against himselfe. They came, and he as soone forgave, as they heartily asked pardon, yet did he but conditionally forgive Antissia, being for that to marry Dolorindus, who with her sight forgot his hate conceived before, and with much love embraced the match, Musalina must not be questioned. The marriage was performed at Constantinople. Amphilanthus comming thither then as himselfe, her old Uncle gave her to Dolorindus with good content, who soone after tooke their journey to Negropont, she discreetly loving him, but he doting of her. Amphilanthus was like the King, received and followed by all men, acknowledging their peace, gaine, and liberty to come from him. Then backe againe to Neapolis he, and Ollorandus went to conduct Musalina, one of his first Loves in his youthfull travailes, where some time they spent in all sweet and studied for delights, the search being quite forgot, or left to them, whose memories were better of the enchanted Ladies, Pamphilia being left to the times deciding of her deserving, Ollorandus like his friend lived and loved. Rosindy and his companion making what haste they could, arrived at Thesalonica , where his dearest Meriana was, who with as much love, as hee had affection, met him: but when he told her of the misfortune, and losse of his Sisters and Cosin, shee grew sorrie for it, and had been sad, if hee had not been there, resolving to goe with him to Corinth, where the Kings and Queenes had determined to stay, till they got tydings of their children; but it being impossible for Knights and Ladies to travell without adventures, this befell them. A Lady of beautie sufficient, but of behaviour insolent, they encountred in a Chariot of blew Velvet, embroidered with Gold: sixe browne-bay horses drew this Chariot, covered with clothes, and trappings suteable, set forth with feathers for the greater state, and for bravery one each side went eight Foote-men in those colours. She rid alone, as being beyond companions, having two Chariots more following with her Women, a troope of knights and Gentlemen attending, answerable in all points to this beginning of pompe, and meetenesse agreeable to waite on such a Mistris. Bare face shee rid, threatning all beholders, and as if contemning the Sunne, or being so well assured of his respect to her, as she carelesly slighted his heate, as either not being able, or not daring to harme her. Disdainefully she cast her eyes upon the other more excellent company; her horses not so much for fast going, as with pride stamping, and trampling, raised the dust in passing by, so as Meriana and Rosindy drew the curtaine, this proud woman seeing it; What (said she) is the nicenes of that poore troope, such as our dust may not come neere them? draw backe the curtaine againe, calling to one of her foot-men, and let them see their error, with the honour to behold me. Meriana started at the suddennesse, Rosindy was angry at that rudenesse, that troubled his Love, but seeing it was a footeman, bad one of his men knock him, which hee did whereupon the Troopes began to bussell, the Knights belonging to the other Company, being so peremptorily commanded by their Lady, as they flew towards Rosindy, and from her, as if her words had stung like Vipers; but Rosindy quickly getting on his horse, made them know, their haste was but to an ill end, and with as much speed, sent those that escaped, backe againe to their Lady, who seeing their turning, began to revile them; but they now fearing his blowes, more then her tongue, stood round about her Chariot. She infinitely perplexed with it, calld to Rosindy, who comming a little nearer to her, gave her ill manners the hearing of these words. Pride and neglect being the beginners of this action, me thinks submissive satisfaction should ensue from you that caused it, to mee, before whom you presumed to attempt it; wherefore let mee see that, and I shall fav our you so farre, as to leave you, and account you a valiant and civill man. Madam (said hee), had that fault been mine, which proceeded from the rashnesse of your␣servant, set on to (I believe) by your commands, I might have seene more reason to yeeld to your demand, then now I find; howsoever having the Victory, I am to give no satisfaction, but have it in my power to receive it, or force it from you; yet I am content, so you acknowledge your error to this Queene, that you shall passe, and withal I shal esteeme you a discreet Lady. Acknowledge my errour, as if I can erre, said she? Alas poore man, how hath a little gaine made thee over-value thy selfe, and dis-esteeme her, whom thou art not worthy to looke on, if not, as the Ethiopians doe the Moone whom they worship. And such an uncertaine thing is Pride said Rosindy, which it appeares governs so much in you, as will make with many Changes, the Waines of your fortunes equall with your increasings, but take heed the conclusion happen not in that quarter. Shee was infinitely offended with him, so as turning her face from him, and swelling with anger, shee bid her Chariot-man drive on, which Rosindy forbad, and whether she would or no, brought her out of her seate, and to the ground, Meriana beholding her at such alike distance, as her former pride looked on her withall; then did shee say (but terribly against her heart) shee was sorry shee had given them that distaste; other Phrase shee would not use. Then did shee take her Chariot againe, but discharged all her Knights as unworthy to attend her, and with her Women, and Footemen continued her journey to the next towne, where she entertained new servants, one of her old ones travelling with Rosindy, telling him this story. This Lady you saw, and once my Mistris is Queene of Bulgaria, but Empresse of Pride; shee is married to a Prince, who only out of affection sought her, being a discreet brave Gentleman, and for his vertues chosen King of Bulgaria: shee was daughter to a Duke in that Country, no lesse arrogant then shee, so as it is a successive ill hanging over, and inheriting in that Family. She at first loved the Prince shee married very well, or seemed to doe so, and shee still doth use him kindly, but often have they quarrels, shee no way yeelding to him, accounting her selfe farre above him in birth, though his honour have gained the precedence; hee is infinitely fond of her, nothing being too deare for her, but lately hee hath been abroad in Hungary, and other parts that way, going to visit Ollorandus, when he came to the faire Melisinda , in which time she carried her selfe farre better, then in his presence, shewing what shee can doe, rather then what shee would doe; for wee all know shee loves the Prince of Jambolly much better, then the King; and introth for my part, I excuse her, since no greater difference can bee betweene men for outward beautie and sweetnesse, then is twixt them; yet on my conscience shee is untouched, and just to her Husband, it may bee Pride holding her honest, for much she is laid unto. At the Kings going away, she got leave of him to goe into Morea, to visit an excellent Lady there, being her Cosen-german, and married to the Prince of Elis, there shee hath been, till within a short time, and now is returning with all speed to meete her Lord, and if shee can perswade him to goe with her, to trie the Inchantment of the Rockie Island, whereall the beauties of this part of the World (except her selfe) are said to be enchanted. Where is that Iland I pray Sir, said Meriana? Madam (said hee) in the Gulfe of Venice, not farre from the mouth of the Gulfe of Lepanto. Who are all there, said shee? and how are you certaine of their being there? He nameth them; and the certainty of their being there (answered hee) was brought by some of their servants, who after they had seene them inclosed, came stored with griefe to the Sea side againe, where they stayd til a ship came by, and in the Cock-boat took them aboard, landing them at Corinth, where the king of Morea is, and al his Court, attending the end, which he hopes for as soone as his sons and cosins returne from Albania , who he purposeth to intreat, and command to adventure for their deli very. Doe you know the manner of it, said the Queene? Truly Madam replyd hee, onely, as I have heard my Mistris speake it, it is a place by their relation of Marble, built like a Theater, round and curiously wrought, at their comming thither they discerned nothing on the gate, but now there is an inscription which shewes it an inchantment, and the end how to bee gained, which must be by the man most loving, and most beloved, hee shall partly doe it, for hee shall release them from their charmes that holds their senses as it were sleeping, but cannot bring them forth till the fairest creature in disguise come, and she shall finnish all: many are gone thither, and some put on disguises of purpose, but that will not serve, surely Fate hath no deceit. My Lord said Meriana, surely you may end the one part? I beleeve you thinke so said he, but shall I try it? I cannot consent to that cryd she, for so I may be (God knowes how long) bard from you, no my deere heart we must not so be parted, Charmes shall not try our loves, we are assured, what need we farther venture. Thus they rid till they came to a plaine where they found one peece of Armour, then an other, so many, at last a sheild which was presently knowne by Polarchos, who tooke it up and cryd out, alasse said hee heere is Parselius his shield, and armour, what is become of him? Rosindy was instantly call'd up with that voyce from the lipps of his Meriana, and seeing it, also knew it, then tooke he his horse, and kissing his deere wife gallop'd along the plaine, following the tract of horses and some blod which hee found in the way: to a wood he came, by the side thereof were some horsemen, Polarchos demanded of them if they could give them any notice of a wounded Knight, or of any combat that lately had beene fought in the place behind them. They said they were not to yeeld account to any, but if they desired to try them selves, they were Lads would shew them sport. Rosindy replyed that they were strangers there, and ingaged to attend some Ladyes, therefore they were not hasty of fight, only having found an armour which they knew, they desired to know what was become of the Master of it. Why he Sir, said one of them is hurt, and his companion likewise, both of them being carryed into a Castle within this wood, where they are likely to remaine a while, for their wounds are great & held dangerous. May we see them said they, at least heare of the adventure? You may doe both if you please Sir, said one of them, but know and remember I told you so, for there is hazard in it. I feare nothing said Rosindy to serve my friends; be they of your acquaintance and friends said the Knights? yes indeed answered Rosindy; then said hee you shall heare the story first, and after you may the better resolve, so they lighted, and sate under a Tree, the stranger Knight (the rest leaving them) beginning thus. I doe never use to tell a story to any, but I first know to whom I discourse, wherefore I pray Sir let me be so much favored by you, as to have your name, and you shall have the relation: Rosindy began to doubt, therefore meant not to trust too much, wherefore he answered, his name was Caudalus a Bulgarian, the other his companion Larchos. Then proceeded the other, this wood is called the Forrest Gulfe, that plaine you pass'd, the pleasant way, for there doe all delight to ride, and yet none but are swallowed up when past that plaine, and arrived heere within this devouring throat, a Lady dwelling within heere, who maintaines her selfe and her pleasures, with the overthrow and death of such miserable Creatures as passe this way, being ambitious of the destruction of all that call themselves, or are called vertuous, but she is my Mistris, and I am one of her unfortunate servants, held in a manner a prisoner, a Guard still on mee, yet I am appointed one to guard her, I was of Morea, and the worse doe I thrive for that, since she hates all of that Country, for having beene refused her desires by the brave Prince thereof, on whom shee will now bee fully revenged, having got him in her custody, and no hope is there of gayning him out alive, for she will hold him close prisoner in such a place as no force can get him thence till shee have her ends, and at last his death; the Castle is impregnable, and she unwinable, and thus his misfortune fell; passing along this way, in search as it seemed of his Sisters and Cousen, hee met some of our troops who encounter'd him, having demanded first who hee was, then knowing him, and how acceptable a present hee might bee to their Lady, set all upon him, and finding them selves too weake, blew a Horne, at which came many more to their succour, and so at last with numbers, and his faintnesse loosing bloud he fell, and into their unmercifull hands, his companion was taken before him, and both caryed into the Castle; with welcome they were received, because shee was glad in her malicious heart shee had him, and there hath hee remained now some ten dayes; his Armour they threw about they card not where, taking care only of his person to bring him alive, which was all they could doe, yet I heare since by a wayting woman of hers, that hee is yet living, and some (though little) hope is of him. Is there no way said the King to come at him, or to purchase his deli very? mee thinkes you being of his Country, and his fathers Subject, should study how to doe him service. Truly Sir said hee I love him as my Prince, and admire him as his worth meriteth, and could I but tell how to gaine his liberty, were it with the losse of mine owne life, I would venture it. Have you no power answered Rosindy, with that wayting woman you before named? she might assist you. It is true said hee, shee may, and will, I assure my selfe, but Sir said he, I am but one, and this Castle is full of strong men, and so dangerous it is to acquaint any with such an enterprize, as death were all wee could expect, and shamefull death, in such a sort as would be inflicted without gaine, but assured harme to him, if it were discoverd, it were plotted for his release; besides, so weake the two Princes are, as they cannot performe any thing in their owne defence, and if wee stay till they be strong, it may bee (for my Lady is extreame suddaine) they may be dead before our helpe come. For their assistance said Rosindy were they but able to travell I would aske no more, nor I Sir said the other, were you two Amphilanthus and Steriamus. I am neither of them said hee, but if I may without boasting say I have tryd my selfe in their companies, and have come away without any shamefull affront; and for my companion he is little inferiour to any living. The Knight began to mistrust something, yet being indeede honest, and meaning what he said, desired to see his face, Hee not once fearing any thing from him, who so freely had discoursed to him, lifted up his Bever, but instantly let it fall againe, whereat the Knights heart even leaping with joy, Ah my Lord said he, now shall we release the Prince, but you must venture a great hazard for it, you must goe to the Castle, offer your service to my Lady, court her, refuse her nothing, which fondnes will worke infinitely on her, and so much as you may by that meanes win the sight of them, and let me alone then for the rest. I cannot doe this answered hee, being a harder matter for me then winning the Castle, for I cannot be unjust to my owne deerer selfe, but deerest friend you may, you are not ingaged but to hate all women, what neede you care then what you doe to hinder their sexe. Must I make love to her said Polarchos? Yes Sir said the other. But if when this is done and I have playd my part, we should faile, I should hate my selfe, and vexe incessantly at my fortune. Never doubt it Sir replyd the other, but be sure you make enough of her, and then prevaile, for although she be crafty and devilish, yet so much she loves her pleasure, as she will rather be made a foole in enjoying them, then misse of them, and so passionate she will be, as you may have any thing of her, and but satisfie her minde. Polarchos undertoke the busines, and Rosindy went but as his friend; this agreed upon, they went to the Castle, the Knight being Nephew to the great Marshall of Morea, held there as a prisoner to serve her, conducting them, telling the rest that this was one of purpose come to serve their Lady hearing of her rare beauty, and vertues. Being arrived at the Castle, they went up into the Hall, every place seeming stronger then other, & so the harder to win. In a withdrawing roome abo ve stayres this Venus sate, dressed as an inviter to those pleasures useth to bee, her necke all bare as low as her brests could give her leave for too much immodestie to shew, her sleeves loose, and as she stir'd her armes they woud rise up and discover their nakednesse, and surely white, otherwise she shewed too much for an ill skinne, although never so much delicasie, wanting chastity will make men distract, for how ill soever men be in their discourse, or living, yet they love modesty best, and most prize it in their breasts, though their tongues say other. She had her haire curled, and dress'd up with Jewels, and Rings, and many pritty devises, as wantonly, and phantastically placed as her eyes, which laboured in twinckling to moistnesse, giving occasion for beliefe, that that humor was most ruling in her. Unsteady she was in her fashion, her head set upon so slight a necke, as it turnd like a weather-cocke to any vaine conceit that blew her braines about: or like a staulke of Oates, the eare being waighty: her feete never but mooving, as not willing to stand, or sit still; her gate wagling and wanton, businesse she had perpetually in her selfe, and with her selfe, the looking-glasse being most beholding to her for stay; this woman (thought Polarchos) is fit to bee the subject for this enterprize, hee saluted her, and most affectionately looked upon her, shee straight imagined shee saw love in him, and felt as much in her selfe for she never wanted that, amorously she entertained his salutation, her servant whispering to her that hee was a fit servant to bee employed by her, shee knew he knew her, and therefore gave credit to him, after she cast her eyes upon Rosindy demanding who he was. They replyde his name was Cautulus, & that he was of Bulgaria comming only in company with Larchos: if ever love did soveranize at first sight, heere it was, for so passionat was she of the new guest as she even almost hung upon him to beg pity He refused no favour shee asked, but so temperately carried himselfe as she sought and he granted; when he had done sufficient to make her sure, and finding himselfe so deare to her, hee tooke occasion to demand many things of that Countrey, and of her Castle. She to indeare her selfe to him told him of her power, and at last, all her secrets concerning the Prisoners; he counterfeited an admiration of her witt, and seem'd so highly to esteeme of it, as if it rather were a miracle to be told then found in a woman, shee to make him assured of it, carried him into the Caves, and Prisons, where she shewed him many so miserable, as they appear'd their owne Ghosts, their bodies quite consum'd. In a Cave a little lightsommer, but no more pleasant was the worthy Parselius, and his friend Leandrus, both chain'd togeather in chaines, and in each others armes, complaining and weeping their sorrowes to those walles, and dismall roomes. O Parselius said hee, how wretched art thou thus to be held, not onely in fetters, but from thy sweetest love, what will become of her, when she shall heare that I am lost? What will my friends say of me? how will all accuse me? yet, how can I right my selfe or they succour me? Brave Rosindy would thou didst but know my estate, I know thou wouldst free me, or if not, thou wouldst yet certainly comfort my wife, thou art to succeede me, likewise be mine heire in loving Dalinea , & cheerishing her dearest soule, my affliction is nothing to me, must not she suffer too? I could beare all & more if thou wert not likewise to endure; paine unsufferable, to know that Dalinea must be afflicted, death were nothing, nor these dying paines, if I could be sure she, dearest she, could but be patient, when I consider her affection to me, the torments and violent passions she breath'd in my first absence, doe not they make me see her death? Oh my sweet soule, I would rather forgive thee for forgetting me, then for dying for me: yet the latter were the worthier, and none indeed is worthy of thee, for none but I can so firmely love thee, must this body so lovingly embraced, and kindly held within her purest armes, be bound in yrons like a thiefe? must I cherished and daily tended by her, lye here naked on the bare stones, and die like a vassell? these armes that have conquer'd, be sham'd like a murtherer? these eyes that have seene all the world's beauty, nay, Dalinea, & have bin kiss'd by her, must these eyes now gaze on dead walls, & expect sight but to see death instead of all my former happinesse? O Leandrus, had I died, and by it kept thee free, my soule would have rejoyced, and Dalinea bin better contented; but to die here, and thee with mee, shee can never absolve me. Deare brother said Leandrus comfort your selfe, and if it be but to be the abler to die bravely, what neede we lament, our fortunes doth that for us? be patient, and death, if not dislik'd will seeme enough pleasing; make it to us desired, it will then be welcome, and beleeve it, the more we pitie our selves, the more we shall hate that which we shall goe to, and therefore the more to be sought; thinke but how fine a thing it is to be free from all vexation when wee shall neither travell, nor feare misadventures, neither be taken by misfortune, nor shaken with the harmes of others, when neither love nor hate afflicteth us, where all things are at one stay, no fall to hurt us, nor rysing to corrupt us, when friends shall neither discontentd, nor contented, but in death Dalinea wil be held from me cry'd he, else I like al the other wel. Could you wish her here with you said Leandrus? No cursed were I then sigh'd he, but I would faine once more behold her ere I died. To be more torture to her saide Leandrus , content your selfe dearest Parselius said he, and be confident, the Heav ens ordaine all things for the best, then doe not repine, you have made your selfe already famous sufficient to gaine sorrow for your end and revenge; be then brave and resolute, and make bold Death (by your constant suffering) quake to assaile you. O my Dalinea doest thou thinke of me thy poore, but loyall Parselius said he, thus did he waile, and Leandrus discreetly, comfort being in equall misery. Polarchos and his Mistris harkning to them, she glorying in their distresse, he in soule lamenting them, but must counterfet till fit oportunity was offer'd, which in short time he gain'd, for so fond hee had made her of him as she gave him the keyes of the Prison, and what else hee demaunded; Then did he provide armours for them, and one night, in the dead time of the night, when all save his carefull eyes, and Rosidi's were shut, stole downe into the vault, and there discoursed with them, letting them see both hope and joy in them. Soone did this worke so with them as they recov er'd strength, and after some time were fit to goe with them; the night being come for their escape, the honest Morean (who yet without his Wench would not goe) and Rosindy went for them, & carried them into an Orchard thicke & close where they were to tarry his comming, which was about some houre before day. She loth to part with him as being the last time of enjoying, her soule foretelling some harme: but being so ill, not able to tell her any good to her selfe, or to prevent hurt, was onely troubled; he as willing to stay for the same reason of being the last, for she was pleasing; but when he rose and put on his mantle and other cloaths, he againe sat down on the bed, and taking her hand kiss'd it, she tooke him in her armes and kiss'd him, farewell deare Lady said hee; my better selfe cry'd she farewell. Hee presently went downe (having the keyes) a back-way into the Garden and Orchard where they stai'd with his Armor, then arming himselfe he toke his way with them to their horses which attended them at the further gate. A litle sad he was to goe, though glad considering the cause; but so long had hee dissembled, and so feelingly acted his part, as he was caught indeed, such were her allurements, her sweetnesses, lovingnesses, delicasies, and pleasures, as shee was fit for any servant, and yet such her changing she deserv'd none that had worth in him & yet had he plaid himselfe almost into love with her. Being farre enough, the rest made sport with their companion to see his passions, and he truely confessed he could willingly have stayed with her, but if ever said he one more be made such a stale as I have beene, love will bee undone, for it will turne that way, more delight lodging by halfe in this sort then in twenty marriages. They were glad he had his content, and they by that their liberty, so they posted till they overtooke Meriana, who was much molested with Rosindi's stay, and well contented when she saw him, and happily did esteeme of her comming that way which brought such good as the delivery of Parselius, who at her intreaty delivered the misfortune he ran into in this manner, Most excellent Sister after we had devided our selves to followe in search of the lost Ladies, it was our ill chance to take that way that led us hither (into this country I meane) where first we met a pretty adventure, a lively Shepheardesse blaming a lusty Lad for falsehood, she chid him, he answered for himselfe, and so cunningly, as though he surely were faulty, yet he cleared himselfe so finely as she grew patient, but then he waxed surly, so as introath some houres we were pleased with their discourse: especially to see that when they had used their best wits, they concluded with kissing, and friendship. After that, wee met a Lady extreamely amorous, and of her wee had a story, whom afterwards we conducted to the town, from thence wee fell into the plaine where you found my Armour, and where wee lost our selves, for nothing doe I remember after I fell, till I saw my selfe in the cave, where I was visited by the chast Lady of the Castle finding me so weake as she pitied me she said, for me she knew, and after Leandrus. I had, I confesse, once before merited her displeasure, but now surely had died in it, had not your husband succour'd me, the manner was this. I in my youth passed this country, and was brought with much kindnesse to that place where as shee dwels, entertained I was like any King, and cherished like a Lover, shee invited me to love by lookes, and alwayes that an amorous woman can intice withall, but I requited not: she yet more charitable to mee then I merited, would perswade her selfe it was want of experience made me so slacke in not understanding her, wherefore at night she came unto my chamber, the doore I had made fast on the inside, she pulled hard at it, and was no question angry to be deceived in her hopes. At last I waked and suddenly asked who was there, but in such a voyce, as she conjectur'd some other had also laine in her chamber, whereupon she went backe, and the next day told mee of it. I answered, I was sorry for such a losse, but it ever was my fashion to have one of my Squires to lye by me in the roome where I slept. Truely my Lord saide shee, had I imagined that I should not have attempted, but love urged me, and the better may you thinke of that love which never before was offered, nor till that time had I ever any ill thought. I saide I trusted she did not blame her selfe for that favour shee had shewed to me her servant, but I had cause to curse the ill custome which caused my losse, shee tooke that well, and so kindly as I might have received recompence for the former misse; but I was honest, and after kept my doore fast for two nights more that I lay there, brought thither by a Cousen of hers, with whom I got thence, but since I heard how she ever railed at me, saying, I had dishonour'd her with telling the story of her, and thereupon vowed revenge, which now she had taken. Meriana smiled to heare Parselius tell the tale so hansomely, and all but Polarchos liked, who cried out for his part he liked her forwardnes nothing ill; give me such a Lady still said he that needs no busines to woe her, but merrily yeelds love for love, and rather before then after it is asked. This love matter held them all that day with talke, making good sport with Polarchos and his opinion of loving, while the Lady was in all the disorder in the world; for first she wanted her woman, then rising and going into her chamber finding her bed made and unus'd, she grew somewhat troubled, sent another of her servants to call her Morean Knight, his chamber doore they found lock'd, then they thought she might be there, for they had perceived love betweene them, they call'd, she vow'd to put them both to publike shame if shee found them together, the fault consisting in not well ordering their affections from sight not in affecting, but the doore broke open there was onely found on the table a letter to the Lady, and in it nothing but this, live better, and speede better; search then was every where for him, when it grewe towards Noone shee went her selfe to the roome where Polarchos had laine to tell him of this businesse (being loth to awake him any sooner) there she found losse, and so in the Cave, and every where missed what shee sought, and found what shee shunn'd, which was want: then she tore her haire, called her Knights, sent them all abroad sev erall wayes till they got knowledge which way they went, and with so brave a troupe; then all was discovered, the Bulgarian knowne and the other, she was as madde as rage could make her, vowing nothing but death should satisfie her. Meriana held on her journey and all happily arrived at Corinth, where they were with as much joy as that sad time could afford entertained; the Queene being so excellent a woman as she won all to love her, and strive to deserve her favour. Dalinea grieved and joyed, and all at once, as her passions present and passed rann about the round of her thoughts. Orilena wished for Philarchos, who with Perissus had taken likewise their way in search, but made some hast to Corinth, knowing it was bootlesse to travell in those further Countries to seeke them, who no question were either carried by Sea to some remote place, or Kingdome farre off, or else by shipwracke cast upon some Iland neere the Gulfe. As they came towards Corinth they met a Lady much distressed, complaining of a Knight that had abused her, Philarchos was willing to ayde her, and so demanding what the matter was, she thus told it unto him, (demaunding, and being satisfied who he was) I am saide she Wife to a Knight married against my will unto him by my brothers command, whom I obayed having no father; he was a man of great estate, but no way hansome: neither was he deformed but in his disposition which was crooked, with him I lived an unpleasing and discontented life, suffering his jealousie and all other froward humours which tooke away the litle show of love I bare him. I fell then into the way that discontented, (and so unfortunate women often doe) for not able longer to abide his fury I parted with him, hee being forced in recompence of my portion to allow me a certaine stipend during my life, which hee at last was brought to with willingnesse as hee saide. Some yeeres wee passed in this manner, I going to a friends house where I remained some time, and was kindly intreated by him, but his courtesie was at last discovered, and finding to what end it tended, I purposed to leave his house, and did so; yet like a woman did not so much dislike his love making which was the cause I tooke against him, as I flatteringly commended my selfe for being able to winne a heart, hee frequented my company after vowing all respect, and begging liberty to see mee which should be without touch to me, or my honour. Under this civill demaund I perished, for then did his second Act please better then the first, and I yeelded though he asked not, and so I was made an unfortunate creature, for what danger such love could procure I fell into; I neede say no more, I'me sure by this you understand me, I was carefull of my reputation to the world, though to my selfe I knewe how it was wracked, all possible meanes to avoide reproach I tooke, as I thought, safely and cunningly I carried the matter, yet walked I in net, or like the fowle, that when the head is hid thinkes all is safe, though his body lye open to sight: So did I blinde my selfe, while my action was brought to light, trusting an unworthy woman, who for covetousnesse undid mee, leaving others unsatisfied, that for meere revenge spred my shame, which came to my husbands eares, and to my brothers, who inquired the businesse and found it so likely, or it may bee true as hee left mee; yet I writ to him, and so faire a letter for likelihood, and comming from a Sister as might have got credit; but it prevailed not otherwise then to bee forsaken of him. Then did my husband take a disgracefull course against mee, that Country being very strict in punishment for such offences, I was condemn'd, and censur'd, and indur'd my punishment, but then I thought how this man for my paines suffered for his sake, I should have found affection or continuance of his love, hee also left mee, and in such case as I have no money or meanes, but to starve for want, my estate being againe seased on by my husband and yeelded him by censure. I writ to Amphilanthus to assist mee, which his noblenesse I make no question, in tendernesse to Ladies, would have done, but hee was call'd away, and I feare informed of my fault, which now I am doubly asham'd of, and griev'd for: Alas Sir, I have made a free though a briefe confession to you. I am the wofull'st woman living, of a good house, but ill life, of noble parentage, but meane disposition; yet, O Sir, for mercy sake pitty mee. Philarchos beheld her, of personage tall and well shaped, faire of complexion, good eyes, sweet favour, and of so modest a behaviour, as if her owne tongue had not accused her, she had passed unblam'd for any show of ill in her fashion, or lightnesse in her countenance. Hee pittied her, and demanded what he might doe to helpe her. Shee told him that if he would ride with her to her brothers Castle, which was within a leaugue, she doubted not but hee might obtaine her peace; yet dare not I adventure within his gates said shee, until you have prevailed: towards the Castle they went, being within sight of it, Philarchos spake to Perissus to goe first. Nay said he, since you have undertaken the matter, I will not be so hasty to take it out of your hands, therefore do what you thinke best: on he went, and met the Lord of the Castle her brother, with whom he spake a good space, a civil fine Gentleman he seem'd, learned and stored with noble qualities, unmarried; but a Cousen germane liv'd in his house to governe as Mistris: Shee was not so young nor beautifull, as one might imagine any other cause then to order his houshold was the motive of her living there; yet she was a brave Lady, more manly in her demeanour, and discourse, then the modestest of her sexe would venture to be, and so much that fashion affected her, as she was a little too unlike a well governed Lady. Shee had beene hansomer, (a cruell word) but is true; and yet she might well beseeme a faire houses gov ernment: the Lord was courteous, and so kinde, to his Sisters honour, which likewise was his, as hee tendred it above the rate his Cousen would have him, who out of care of all womens credits, as shee pretended raild bitterly against her, reviling her for immodesty, for dishonouring her house, shaming her bloud; more adoe shee kept, then he who it did more neerely concerne, yet at last so fairely Philarchos spake, and Perissus so well wrought with him, as they got his favour so farre, that he was contented to see her; but by no meanes in some time to have her abide with him: they satisfied themselves with that for the first, and so brought her in to him; the next day all parted, some one way some another, the two companions together, till they came to the neerest part of Achaia, to Corinth; then Philarchos meant to crosse the Gulfe, but Perissus advised by no meanes to venture it, yet he prevaild; and so they got a little Barque which was no sooner under sayle, but with great speed made way, till they were encountred by a Ship, which would needs take them as prisoners. They were not made to yeeld as they thought, never having beene bred to any such thing, wherefore they bravely fought, and at the boarding got into their ship, fighting with such valour, as they amazed all that saw them, and made their party good a great space; at last they were so hardly laid unto as they found yeelding must bee their best defence, but contrarily it hapned, for another Ship made towards them boarding them likewise, the fight now anew begun, the strangers fierce, and the others a little wearied; yet what most troubled them was that the two first encountred Knights got new heart againe, and fought as freshly as at first. Discouraged with that, and vexed with the blowes of the last succourers, they would have shewed them a trick by sudden falling off from them; but the device was discovered, and they for their deceipt punished with no lesse then death. The two last were knowne to be Selarinus and Antissius, so the foure tooke their course to Corinth, where they were bravely entertained. Now were all the eight Champions together, none missing but Amphilanthus, and Ollorandus, and Steriamus, who was alone, who will in short time likewise arrive; Rosindy and Selarinus the two deare friends, having beene long (as their love made them thinke) asunder, renewed their kindnesse, and manner of friendly conv ersation; into a walke private and sweete they passd, where love possessed Selarinus so farre, as hee brake into these passions. Alas Rosindy, said hee, did ever heaven thus punish lovers? was any soule tortur'd like mine, or so unjustly condemned to death? what did that chast deare soule merit, to bee taken away and carried from his brest that held it dearest? Why was sweet and dainty Philistella deprived mine eyes, and all my sense of hearing of her, accursed Sea that brought this misfortune, dambn'd Barque that betraid her, and wicked vanity that inticed them to such harme. Was ever beauty so treacherously handled? Did ever eyes see such mischiefe? or eares have hearing to so wofull a misfortune? O Philistella treasure of the truest sweetnesse; why art thou lost and I in thee? Why was ever cruell fortune turned on thee, and why alone wert thou made excellent to bee fallen into this misery? Deare love, canst thou not yet send thy spirit to mee, to tell mee where thou art? I feare thou hast long since parted from it, and too highly is it prized where it remaines to bee permitted mee. I mourne for thy losse, I dye for thy want, and assure thy selfe will indeed end, when I shall know that thou art not, which yet, I trust I shall not doe, nor live to that hearing. Why waile you thus, said Rosindy since shee is but inchaunted? But enchanted, why call you that nothing? Shee is your Sister, and you should thinke it a hard fortune for her to suffer such a mischance; but to mee it is death; but inchaunted, and but for ever for any thing wee know what old fables blind you, left by enchauntments? when shall the best lover and best beloved be found? till then which will be never, never being able to decide it, she must live inclosd in dull walls. Were not my loving armes fitter to embrace her? Am not I a more proper Keeper for such excellencies then a marble house? and is not Epirus a more convenient place for her to passe her time in, then a stone Theater? where should shee play her part, but with her love; where live, but in his brest? and yet you make nothing of this but an enchantment. When Meriana was injur'd, it was something, when her head appear'd, then there was cause of mourning: but now that Philistella the earths star is lost, she is but enchanted, This passion said Rosindy, so well fits your love, as I must commend it, and be no way angry with your choller, your constant affection to my sister, moves in mee as much love as I desire to have from my best friend; yet I would have you temperate in your sufferings. Why should not the best lover be found? Nev er was any such thing made (for I dare not name it againe for feare of displeasing) but to be ended: was not that at Cyprus concluded by Amphilanthus and my Sister? Yes, said Selarinus, but there bee now both your Sisters in this, and Urania and my Sister, who shall fetch them out? never think of it, there lives none now they are there that hath worth enough to venture to have a thought of gaining end to it. A disguised creature, I sure disguis'd fortune hath caused all this, let me not live if I beleeve this tale. Wil you for more certainty goe and see it, said Rosindy? With all my heart, said hee, if I were sure to be shut up where I might but still behold Philistella. That you may doe if you please, and I will carry Meriana to adventure it. Ah, said he, now doth truth in friendship shine in thee most brave Rosindi, when shall we go? as soon as I can provide said he, then went they back into the court, where Rosindy acquainted the Queene Meriana with his purpose. She, who would not refuse any thing he lik'd or mov'd, gave consent, and so appointed habites of purpose, disguising her selfe into the shape of a Forrest-Nymph; to Sea they went, and by the directions given by the servants, arriv'd at the rocky Iland, the Pylot knowing the place, being able to bring them the safelier to it without danger. To the Pallace they went, and round about it, beholding it with all curiosity and care, at last came to the gate againe, which as soone as Meriana touch'd, opened to her, who no question, had ended it for all points but the disguise which was forced. Rosindi and she passd to the Throne and Selarinus with them, who would not be shut out, nor can any be that will venture though alone, he strait ran to Philistella, who met him, and together fold in each others armes, sate downe upon one of the ascents right before the other, Rosindi and Meriana in her new habits hard by them. No content can be compared to these happy people, because they esteeme themsel ves so. Polarchos would not attempt alone for feare he should sit likewise alone within, therefore he wish'd for his sweet Lady he last parted from, or any other would be alike to him, so she were faire and kind, he walk'd up and downe alone in the Iland til he saw another ship arive, then he went towards her to see what company she had in her, he found many, & all determined to try their fortunes; glad he was of that, and they rejoyced to finde one could direct them, but among these, who should be one but his old love and late enemy the Princesse of Rhodes: shee was asham'd and grieud to see him, he was angry & as much displeas'd to see her, and therfore was leav ing the company, almost ready to forswear the adventure, because he should behold her too long in one hower, for his hate. She sought by meanes of her selfe and friends there, to purchase some discourse with him, he shun'd it, and despised the humblest intreaties shee made; hee saw her weepe, and smil'd at the falling of those teares, shee quak'd for feare of his frownes, hee said he shooke so long time in his iron Cage for colde: she sigh'd, and pittifully beg'd with eyes and heart for pitty. He scornefully said there was not a more foolish thing breathing then a loving woman, nor lesse to be pittied; for, said hee, their sorrowes are but like exhalations in a hot evening, odde to behold, but neither hurt nor burne like lightening: no more should womens passions touch our hearts to scorch them, or turne them to any pitty. Shee confessed her fault to bee unpardonable. Hee answer'd, it was strange then her judgement would let her aske impossibilities; hee alone, shee cryde, might absolve her; shee alone, hee said, deserud no good from him. Shee offer'd to throw her selfe at his feete for pardon. Hee said hee would take her up, but to no commiseration from him. Shee protested her heart had suffer'd innumerable stormes of passionate sorrow since his departure. Hee answer'd, his body and heart both had suffered by her tyranny. Shee repented, and implor'd pitty. He slighted and denyed what ever shee petition'd for. Could there bee such cruelty imagined against such a Suiter? none but cruell man could doe it, and yet was not hee to be blam'd, for what punishment could bee sufficient to bee inflicted upon a woman, that not only left loving, but hated to that extremity: none can be enough; and yet surely shee now beares the greatest this world can let her know. The other Ladies that were with her, were the Princesse of Samos, (the refused love to Philarchos) and the Lady of Stalamina Sister to Nereana, all Iland Ladies, and of purpose joyn'd to try their fortunes: the Princesse of Rhodes was like a Pilgrime, of Lemnos like a Pastora, and the other like a Shepheardesse, they had servants or lovers as you men call them, who by their mistresses favours aspired to hope of winning; but the Rhodian Lady must trye alone, Polarchos flatly refusing her, who wish'd shee might for ever bee shut up, and from all light, having such unhappinesse. They adv entur'd and Polarchos sees them all like the others inclos'd. Now hee begins to bee desirous to see the manner of it, and how they sit within; yet alone hee feares to goe, lest he must bee placed with the so much despised Lady. Dayes hee stayed and none came, then he resolved to trye his fortune, and so comming to the gate, finds there a young Lady in whose face hee saw love, for hee will that his government should bee seene, and little cause to doubt the refusing of it to one that kindly would aske it, hee taking the boldnesse of the long knowledge of that place, began to discourse with her of it. Shee, free in discourse, and as willing to answer as hee to demand, they grew so well acquainted as they left the adventuring the adv enture for that night, and the next day made themselves believe they lov'd enough to try for the winning of it, which they did, and very lovingly were together placed in the row below the other two paire; but so, as his forlorne Lady still beheld their kindnesse to her heart-renting torment. Parselius, having now long enough solaced himselfe, would needs bring his Dalinea to adventure, and Antissius, who had drown'd himselfe almost in sorrow, having visited each place where he had beene happy with seeing Selarina, and kiss'd the windowes with his eyes, where she had wont to grace his love with her looking on it, would needs goe with Parselius. Dalinea, she put on the habits of a religious woman and so tooke her journey. Philarchos and his Orilena likewise went, she in habite of a Country lasse; at the Rocke they arriv'd, and as the rest were receiv'd and shut up in the inchauntment; Antissius taking his Selarina to him, Pamphilia and Urania sitting in the throne, beheld by the rest, as fittest to be admired. Perissus went to Sicily to fetch his Limena, resolving to try, and with as much cause hee thought as any. Steriamus who was alone in his travels, hapned on a fine and unusuall adventure; for hee having taken shipping, came downe the Gulfe, and passing by a Rocke, casting up his eyes, he saw, as he imagined, Urania sitting upon the top, in a Pastours habite; whereupon he willed the Pylot to goe to the Rocke, which hee did, and he landing at the foote of it, scrambled up till hee came to the top, where hee found an excellent fine woman, her staffe and bagge lying by her side, and shee combing her hayre, her thoughts busied so as she tended nothing but themselves, and as she comb'd her hayre, she sung this Song. You, who ending never saw Of pleasures best delighting, You that cannot wish a thaw. Who feeles no frost of spighting, Keeping Cupids hand in awe, That sees but by your lighting. Bee not still too cruell bent against a soule distressed, Whose heart love long since hath rent, And pittilesse oppressed: But let malice now be spent, And former ills redressed. Grieve I doe for what is past, Let favour then be granted, Theeves by judgement to dye cast, Have not of mercy wanted; But alone at feasts I fast, As Thiefe of pleasure scanted: You accuse me that I stole From you your hearts directing, All your thoughts at my controule, Yet passions still rejecting; But you place me in the roule Of left loves new electing. Though I kinder was to it, My heart in place bestowing, To make roome for yours more fit, As just exchange truth flowing, Till you fondly gain'd the bit, And flying, left love owing. Which debt resting still unpaid, Let this at last be gained, When your new loves have you staid, With welcome choyce obtained: Let change on your brest be laid, While I live still unstained. By the voyce hee knew it was not his Urania, neither was her hayre, though faire, long and bright like hers, nor so delicately shining as it selfe once had beene, hee was sorry and griev'd his hopes were fruitlesse, yet he spake to her, and shee putting her hayre aside with her delicate fine soft hand discovering a beauty fit to be belov'd and pittied, that it was no more cherished, as by her song it appear'd by him on whom she had bestowed it, mildly made this answer. Sir, said shee, this place so sad and desolate should not, me thinks, invite such a stranger unto it, which is onely acquainted with sorrowe, and distant from all joy. My arrivall, said he was caus'd by seeing you, a power able to command all passengers to stay, and pay tribute to your deservings: and this you may beleeve I speake for truth, since I was invited to land by a strange beliefe, that you were a Princesse whom I seeke, once in Shepheards attire, once lost before, and now againe fallen into that ill fortune, I thought shee might againe put on such disguised habits, and so excellent a creature she is, as you must needs be so too, or could I not have mistaken. She look'd upon him, and seeing his teares run downe his cheekes, when hee spake of losse she pittied him and finely made this reply. Alasse Sir, such is your sorrow, as I must (were it but onely for that) wish I were as you are pleas'd to say I am; for then I should hope to have something in me to serve you: but so unfortunate a woman I am, and a long time have beene, as I can but lament with those I would doe service to, nor, except with my teares, assist those I most honour. How came this fortune to you, said he, for no doubt but you were borne of better ranke then the estate you appeare in shewes you to be: Love, said shee, hath tyranniz'd over me, as well as plaid with you. His sports, if but such as I yet feele, cryde he, are rather racks and tortures then delights, unlesse you will call them playes, as Dogges and Horses are taught by stripes and blowes, and such pastime I have in love, and so love playes with mee: she that time that he discoursed, wound up her hayre in strings of tawny, to shew her chance; then as if to hide it a little, or rather her selfe from the Suune, shee put a dainty strawne hat on her head, appearing like Ceres crownd with her owne plenty. Hee was desirous to know the place, the name of it, and under whose rule it was; but loth he was to trouble the sweet Pastora too much, who understanding his minde, led him all about the Rocke, which was some halfe a mile in compasse: in the middest was a pretty fine house, or rather a Tower built round; she had therein three roomes one over another, the top was covered with lead, and there shee used to walke and view the Sea, she had two maids that attended her, and a Heard of Goates, which shee for her pleasure, or rather to passe her time withall, bestowed looking to; it was for the quantity very pleasant & sweet, flowers naturally growing there among the stones, as Pancies and Violets, and others, what could be there shewed him concerning the place, she willingly let him see, and told him it did belong to the Lord of Corfu, an Iland not farre off, but within sight of it, more it seem'd she was unwilling to tell, but this the truth of the story was; shee was by birth a great Lady in the before-named Iland, belov'd and wooed by many, but shee lov'd onely one, who lov'd her as much for many yeares; she was married to a Knight, but her affections were wedded to her owne choyce. He whom shee lov'd was also married; but, like her, to one he car'd not for: Their love (for what love can be kept secret where such barres bee for enjoying) was seene and spoken of by many, yet few blam'd them, but wish'd they were free, and married together; there was another Lady in the same Country, with whom shee did much keepe company, and at her house had the happinesse to meete her love; shee being acquainted with their affections, for what could shee hold from this Lady, who was her chosen friend? carefull shee was to keepe their counsels, desirous to aid them in their desires, and as kinde a friend as a true one; but heere began the harme to smother like wet hay in fire, smokes, but the flame was longer in breaking forth. This Lady call'd Silvarina had a cousen whom shee did dearely love, deserving from her what love could bee express'd from one to such a kinsman, who was both that, and a loyall friend to her, nothing so deare to him as her love, nor of what did hee take care in comparison of her: but being young, (and young men bee wanton) he fell in liking with a servant that belonged to the Lady, where they lay, cald Diania, shee had others fairer; but this was by him chosen for lovelinesse, shee was of as passionate a disposition, as hee apt to receive, which was to the height of love, he gaining as it seem'd, that he required as it also was found he did not sparingly demaund. After this, he was perswaded by his friends to go see a Lady, a great marriage, and to wooe her; he consented to it, and brake with his Cousen about it, she very wel liked of it, & incourag'd him in it: the spiteful woman seeing that, thought she would have her time to act her part, & therfore having got a false key, one night when the lovers had appointed a meeting, (as many they had, though full chast) she opened the dore, and going into the chamber, being certaine by the watch she made that she was gone forth, tooke the lampe which hung on the wall at the beds feete, and hung it in a chayre hard by the beds side, of purpose to give her at her returne occasion to looke on the removing of it, and to take a paper which she had laid at the bottome of it, wherin she had written the most vilanous letter for threatnings & revilings of her for her sin, as she cal'd it, as it a little troubled Silvarina, though she had a great spirit, but that told her she had a husband, and so the knowledge would be dangerous, she had honour that would she be overthrowne: lastly, her love might suffer, which most greev'd her; for if all the harme had fallen on her, shee had the lesse cared: to avoid this and keepe all safe, she resolv'd to speak with her the next morning, for the hand she knew; but first her servant comming into the room to see her before he went a journy he was determined to make for some daies, she shewed him the paper. Hee was vexed, withall being afflicted that she should be in hazard for him, and in such a kinde, as his paines and stirring in it, would bee the worse for her reputation. Shee was more griev'd to see him perplexed then with the businesse, wherefore shee did comfort him, and assur'd him shee would finde a meanes to salve all. Hee tooke his leave of her, enjoyning her to send him word how things passed; Shee promised that, and willingly would shee doe it, had it beene for no other cause then so to heare from him whom so dearely she lov'd. Hee gone, she rose, and being ready sent for the Gentlewoman to her, to whom she brake forth into these words. What offence did I ever give you? or what cause of malice have you against me to worke such a treacherous practise seeking to ruine me and my honour? She replyed that her Cousen was assur'd to her, and therefore she did it, that you, said shee, having such power with him, should not seeke to marry him to the Lady mention'd to him, or to any but my selfe; which if you doe, assure your selfe I will not spare you either to your husband or any els, but the whole world shall bee fill'd with your shame. Threaten not base woman, said shee, I feare not; nor thinke thou shalt make mee so neere thy selfe wicked, as to wrong my Kinsman or bloud so much, as to let him fall to such mischiefe as to bee thy husband: I know you wrong him, for he cannot have that litle worth to be so fond of so vile a creature, or forget himselfe so farre as to thinke of marrying you, or were it so, never thinke tricks can fright mee; of any ill knowne by you that I have committed, I am as cleere as ayre, onely suspition you may urge, and that was brought to light by you, and the cause knowne to be malice, who will beleeve you? my life hath gained a settled opinion in the world, not to be stirr'd by your ill tongue; my husband is so just, as when he shall heare you and me, he wil, I know, right me so farre, as you shall be punished and whipp'd for slandering me: What good then can you hope for; if you doe talke? which doe if you have a minde to it, and beleeve it you shall bee no more spar'd then you threatned me; What witnesse can be brought against me? an envious railing woman your selfe onely: What will that worke against me, when differences will be justly made betwixt you, and me, and malice overbalance the report? Shee hearing her so fearelesse, and knowing those things she spake to be true, found shee was deceiv'd in her plot, and Diania in her invention, encountring another manner of woman then she look'd for: shee therefore turn'd her speech, protesting how much she had ever honour'd her, that there should be nothing to the value of her life neglected to serve her withall, desiring pardon for what she had said, excusing her selfe with madnesse that possessed her for feare her Cousen would forsake her. Thus they parted, shee carelesse of her danger in outward show to her in whom the danger lay; yet wished she for all her great spirit, that shee were fairely dead, and so her honour safe: it continued thus, her servant returning backe againe, and meeting her at the same place, Silvarina having in the meane time visited her husband, and her Kinsman the Lady hee was to court, at her lovers returne, they discoursed of all the passed businesse: shee contented because hee was pleas'd, and hee to finde her faith and affection best contented, the Gentlewoman affraid, who thought to bring the brave Lady under her power, but her spirit was onely to submit to love; happy she accounted her selfe even to blessednesse in her loves requitall, but within one yeere after, whether fully satisfied with her love, or inamoured (which if I might speake what I thinke was the truer cause) of another in that place led him astray from his first, and fell into the other as violently, if not lesse discreetly. Shee sweete Lady first condemned the choyce, but when she saw she could not by strong hand hold him, she fell to petitioning his returne of love to her; she writ to him, she spake to him; she did all that a perplexed woman could doe, but all prospered alike. To her companion and friend she complained, she wept to her, she comforted her, nor would she beleeve a long time that it was so, but chid her, as if guilty of false accusing, but when she sawe it as plainly as all others did, she then pitied her, but could not helpe her; when she found no hope nor helpe, she vow'd to die a constant, though unfortunate lover: griefe made her loose all rest, that made her distemper'd and so sicke, as none had hope of her life, her husband was tender over her, and tooke such paines, as hee himselfe fell as sicke or worse then she, who recovered, but he died; then did she sorrow for him whom before she scarce cared for, but noblenesse made her gratefull, and to have that vertue in her selfe, the want of which at that time in her other selfe caused her torment. When she had performed those rights belonging to her dead husband, and held her selfe according to the manner unseene for such a time, she was visited, and by her friend and lover who came together, bringing likewise his new love, & her Rivall, who neverthelesse she used well though she loved her not in that respect, but as her selfe she held a kind opinion of her, but her losse made her seeme unpleasinger in her eyes, especially to see him as if in cruelty so cherish her before her face, which he continued in to the height of neglecting, and scorning her who best deserved him before the other, as if to merrit the more from her, but herein was his fault, not for loving (that being a passion cannot be resisted) but for hating where he was sought, beloved, and had loved, for if he had not, he could not have used that fashion he did; some will say it was to make himselfe free from her importunity; he might have sued from that, and have dealt more justly and plainely, told her what he strove by fashion to expresse publikely, yet when some time he came to visit her privately he used her better, showing by that he would not loose any thing though he did esteeme of it as nothing, this more then cruelty, and she suffered with more then patience, a rare but ill example, that a woman who could contemne all passions, must yet be such a slave to one, and one that slavishly used her. What could be lost she parted from, content, quiet, honour, rest, reputation, fortunes to succeed, for no match was offered her that was not resolved of refusall, nor at last any, all agreeing her love was so fixed, as it was but vanitie to seeke to remove it or gaine it from the place. She being in this estate setled, what meanes she had by friends, and her owne suite to the Lord of Corfu, this little Island or Rocke was bestowed upon her, whither she came, & there lived in solitarinesse once, & not long before Steriamus his arrival, her stil loved, though not loving Lord by a storme was cast there, she not at first knowing it to be him, tooke him up halfe dead, tumbled with the Sea and wracke, she restored him to life and health againe, bringing him home to her house, and with her wonted affection, as forgetting all unkindnesse, or rather to make her vertue in constant loving approved, she cherished him, and without showe of discontent entertained him, but nice she was to speake or touch of love. He used her with all respect, and much kindnesse seeing her fashion to him, and having (as he might well doe) seene her teares for his harmes which she with care repaied; he staied there till he was well, but thence was fetched by another Lady, who hearing of his being there, and the danger hee had escaped, came thither; she was kindly made welcome to her, although that she knew she at that time was his Mistris, and this knowledge she had from her traine-layer, who out of hate I imagine rather then love told it her, but the storme of her torment was passed, & now loved this Lady for loving him, her quarrell being but to her, that had wonne him immediately from her, so as this Lady was embraced by her, and as a friend received; for so she counts all that loves him, or that he loves, a strange expression this is of a love, yet true it is, for this the Lady doth; she brought them to the Boate, bid them farewell, cheerefully he told her the former strangenesse should be no more, she said then should she forget it ever had beene, thus without passion, but with true friendship they parted, who could not in times pass'd have said farewell but in teares, and such end hath likely so hot and passionate beginnings to end in ashes, what began in flames; and therefore this last is the surest love which will hold while the truth of friendship is esteemed. This Steriamus got knowledge of by peeces from her who would not complaine, nor tell the story her selfe for feare of misconstruction of the hearers, least the relation so rare should have beene taken for an Allegory, and not a story wherein her vertue should be painted, and not found: or indeede the true cause was, that although she had with all earnestnesse, care, and study striven to forget her love, and miserable fortunes, having at last obtained all but hating him which her soule would never consent to, so wel she still loves him, as she will not let her tongue accuse him; nay, it is so to be feared she will rather blame her selfe then him, were it not for making her selfe by that unworthy, and so that way likewise wrong his judgement, the eare she hath is to preserve his worth, no revenge in her but what her owne heart indured, certainly she resolves to love and respect him most, she did with excellent discourse, and respective fashion use him, who told her all the adv entures of the lost Ladies which he gained by the servant of Rosindy, who was sent to tell him of it, and after as just as he landed also arrived to his great comfort, perswading her so perfect a lover to goe also and try it, but she excused it with her vowe to live and die in that place, concluding her dayes with her former resolution. He parted thence, and so left he Lady Pastora on the Rocke as hard as her fortune, and as white as her faith. Steriamus holds on his way, and at last is within sight of the Rocke whither he must goe, being there arrived he came to the house, and at the gate he found Leandrus fearefull to attempt, least he should not gaine the honour of concluding, but he hartened him, and so together adventure, Steriamus absolutely thinking it belonged to him, and Urania who had beene disguis'd, and therefore that might be enough to answer those things, that like Oracles are never without antiquitie: As soone as they entered Steriamus like the other his Leaders ran to the Chaire and tooke Urania, who with him went to the others, a place being reser ved for her; now were all almost in couples as they wished, Rosindy and Meriana, Selarinus, and Philistella, Antissius, and Selarina, the rest as they would, and came coupled, Polarchos and his soone wonne Lady, Parselius and Dalinea, Philarchos and Orilena, but still Pamphilia sits leaning her cheeke on her hand, her eyes lifted upwards as asking helpe, at her feete lay Leandrus gazing on her, and as much imploring pity from her, as she begged it from another, with whom her heart was, her eies not in the absence of her heart turning to any other lower then the top of the roome, and there staied by the roofe, not with desire to behold any thing but her love, and now his memory; all joyed in others loves, and a fine sight it was to see them in their various habits, yet all to one purpose, imitating the world, which for all the changes and varieties she hath, must have but one conclusion, and one end. Perissus arrives in Sicely without any adventure, and with as constant a love as he brought Limena met him, to whom he related all his fortunes, and the accidents in the late warr, there he encountred the two young Princes of Corinthia , to whom they came of purpose to shew their thankfulnes for the honor done unto them, both in Knighting them, & bringing them to the knowledge of the wrong doer, and to be esteemed & accounted friends to the true and excellent Amphilanthus; He feasted them, & with great kindnes intreated their stay & company to the inchantment, which they consented to, & before their going thence (which was not in three months) were fit for the adventure, being both surprised by that secret serpent Love; the elder falling in love with a sister to Limena, borne many yeeres after her, and by a second Wife whom her father tooke after the death of her mother; she was a most delicate young Lady, and worthy of a brave servant which he proved, both loyall, and for his valour deserving fame. The other with a Lady neare of kin to the King who as an heire, and willingly bestowed upon him with consent of all, especially liked by Perissus, who by this meanes held him alwaies there with him, giving him great preferments and offices about his person, proving a Gallant Gentleman, and a faithfull servant to him and his Crowne, fighting a hard and cruell combat in defence of the Kings honour against a Traytor in that Country, whose head he brought and presented to the King. This he did in the journey towards the Rocke passing by the Castle where the ill man lived, who came forth, and chalenged the King, but the youth of Corinthia begg'd the liberty of the combat, and bravely performed it; in the end they came to the Island, and there with the rest were shut up, the places being almost full, for daily some or other came. By this was newes of the inchantment come to Amphilanthus, who with Ollorandus were newly returned from their journey going into Hungary to visit Melysinda ; they had raised some pretty adventures in their travels, and had a more pleasing time of it, then in any they had made before; being free, and better disposed, and having got againe some of their old passions, or memories of them about them, which made Amphilanthus willinger to try the adventure, and release Pamphilia, of whom he had let in a more courteous opinion then he had when he first blamed her, or thought she had done amisse, yet no further it passed. Musalina must needs see this inchantment, with her went Lucenia to see this also, and to be an Actor in it, so like an Amason Musalina attires her selfe, though unfit habits for her, who was no hater of mankind; Lucenia like an Ægyptian, and towards the place they travell, Lucenia used among them like a countrey Lady in the progresse having on to see, but little respected, meeting with the proud Queene of Bulgaria; but now Leonius must be spoken of, who going directly into Greece, met nothing there for many dayes but the sorrow for the lost Ladies, hee had no disposition to sorrow, therefore meant not as yet to visit the Court, but as others did, he being as much as many ingaged in good nature to follow the search, determined upon that, but then he came into a part of Arcadia, not taking the directest, but pleasantest way to the Sea; at the entring into this Paradice on Earth for sweetnes, delicasies springing there as plentifully as Primiroses in other poorer places, he liked, and wonder'd, not sufficiently as he thought, being able to contemplate the fulnes, and richnes of the bounty of that Province, riding sometimes, sometimes walking, beholding the rarenes of it, yet when he had seene all the varieties encrease in varying to pleasure, he was yet set uppon by a more admirable sight which was the most delightfull object for man to like, and this as well to be liked as any, being a faire and daintie woman, appearing a Shepheardesse, but such an one as Ænona was in her time framed as if but to be remembred, and set as a foile to the excellency of the perfections in this creature, so much surpassing description as conceit doth commonly excell expression. The young Knight beheld this shining Starre with amazednes, while she past not farre off from him, her aparrell a gowne of gray, cut square, a fine ruffe about her necke: a litle before it was open, the rest covered with pure white strips, but a more pure whiteness appeared when the skinne was seene as white and soft as Swannes downe on the breast, her haire carelesly throwne up, neither tiyde, nor untyde, but cast into a delightfull neglectivenes, some pretty flowers, and knots of ash-colour ribon, being here and there placed between the loose fastenings of her haire; gloves she wore none, shewing the innocent vertue she was inriched withall, her legges and feete so delicately shaped, as they would rather seeme fram'd for showe then use; yet were they but fine enough to carry the body they were made to serve. She went with a modest, but cheerefull pace, and being a litle pass'd looked backe againe, with which he was (alasse) strooke, and all his senses ravished, his love onely a senselesse passion, especially when so suddenly surprising, and at best but a sportfull madnesse possessing, and taking the place his better wits till that instant dwelt in, her bright and faire gray eyes looking as if the Moone in all her glory of brightnesse could have a companion, together her commanding beauty wrought so in the Prince, as he was a new creature, yet part of the olde man, which was boldnesse got so farre into him as he followed her, knowing that a man who ment to followe adventures must not feare any thing: especially a woman, and so sweete an one. They passed the plaine, and so entered into a litle Grove, where he heard as at her comming exquisite Musique, drawing neerer hee discerned a Fountaine made in the fashion of an Emperiall Crowne with a Globe on the toppe, out of which like a full shower of raine the water came so plentifully, and showringly, as it resembled such plenty, so finely was it counterfeited, and the trees grewe so, as who hadde stood in the wood would not suddenly have knowne whether it had rayned or no, so powringly high, and sweetely it fell like an Aprill shower and so farre, as it came upon the boughs of the circkling trees, ratling among them to second the musicke. Underneath was the place where many sat round, the water falling beyond them, as if ordained for a coole Canopy to shelter them from heate, and not to offend with one teare-like drop, lest that might make sadnesse thought on: there did she with her companions in that life place themsel ves, the Grove was much of Sicamore trees, the rootes of which, and betweene which were set with Roses, and other sweete Flowers, Violet, Pinck, and many such; without this was a fine circle, paved with severall coloured stones, into which the water fell, and made a pretty murmuring brooke, the waste of which devided it selfe into two lesser, running as with paine to part from those excellencies, in teares kissing the bankes for parting from them. Mirtle and Lawrell was also flourishing, to shew them, that although Venus were Lady there, yet Apollo was often called, and for his sake his tree was honoured among those beauties. Many faire Maides were sitting about her, and such as had shee been away, might have been commended highly; such possession had this sight gaind on the Prince, as he gazed even to blindnes, like one too long looking on the Sunne: he admired, till he lost sense to admire, yet went his senses but round, for comming to the first place, hee had sense againe to love in wonder, but out of that he was put, for the heate a little slacked, she rose, and the rest attended her, shee leading them, and one more then her wonted troope, the Italian Prince prisoner. He durst not follow neere, yet did his eies kisse every step she took, while he imboldned with love, yet a little with-held by feare, went sadly and softly on, a prety young Shepherd came smiling to him, using these words. If Sir (said hee) this sight hath any way displeased you, the same may make you amends, for surely you see not such every day; or if a former cause molesteth you, looke on these Lasses, and assuredly you will be cured? There can (said hee) be little hope of cure from them, where such danger dwells. You should not me thinks (answered the Lad) doubt, nor is it for a man of your profession to feare, especially Beauties; yet indeed I cannot blame you since al eies that have seene these, have yeelded their hearts as slaves to them. Leonius made no answere, the Shepherd proceeded; But Sir be not afraid, for believe me, they are not more faire then courteous. Alas (cryd he) how can I who am a Stranger, yet a possessor of a lost liberty, and imprisoned hart, presume to come where such perfections rest? Who dares approch lightning, no more dare I into her presence, neerer then to admire and behold her. I must needs say, replide the Youth, it is the lesse strange that you are touched, since all our hearts are subjected to the lowest of despaire. I would I were but touched cryd he, then might I scape, but I am wounded unto death, would I had beene a Shepheard as you are, and tended flockes, so I had not knowne the torment of lost joyes, or so happy as to have beene borne among you, or destined to live for eternall good with you. Why may you not, said the Shepheard; many good Knights have after great honors gain'd retird, and taken our lives upon them. It is true, answerd he, and had I done any thing yet to answere my birth, or now taken order I would doe so too. Heere are (said hee) many occasions to exercise your strength in, wee have games which when you trie, you will say, cleare force must bee found in the best performancers of them; besides wild beasts that often spoile, and vexe our flocks; nay, the last day, that rare creature you (I am sure) most and only admire was in danger of a fierce Beare by misfortune let loose. This stirred up his thoughts, O said he, why was I so unfavoured by fortune, as not to be here, and being here, to deserve by my service, at least one kind looke from her, who holds my soule, and it should seeme yours: but if so, be not angry that I adventure to confesse my selfe your Rivall, you have already a little encouraged me, in telling me, all hearts yeeld, then I trust I shall not fall into your displeasure for being one of the Company. In all true respect I confesse I am (said the Lad) her serv ant; but such are her perfections, as teach us not to aspire higher, then to behold, and obay her, other thoughts wee are not permitted, but banish as treasons; and no more able are wee to give birth to so high desires, then to looke on the Sunne, without having our harts throwne downe condemned, as our eyes cast wateringly for presumptuous gazing, begging pardon for such attempt. Dare you not love her (said he)? can feare appeare before bold love? My hardinesse (said the Lad) ascends to serve her with my life, my hopes, to be accepted as her creature, and this will be farre beyond my merit, if I gaine so much; and that I feare, as something makes you doubt. I doubt indeed (said he) and feare to give offence, because I love; I likewise love (said he) and love you for your love; for had I not been a lover, I could not so soone have found your disease; I judged you straight by my selfe, I pittied you as I doe my selfe, who fell in love directly as you did, the first sight strake me, I was wounded with the first dart her killing eyes did shew towards me, alas, she meant me as she vowes, no harme; but what wretch could I do when I was hurt? I durst not aske ought but pardon: she granted that, and weekes did passe, before I sought her favour, and moneths ere I did venture for reward; but all this makes you (I perceive) run further in your error, therfore not to hold you any longer in this doubt, it is the Shepherdesse that sat on the right hand of the fairest that I seeke to gaine, and now I hope shall win, for she lookes kindly on me, takes my presents, smiles upon my flockes, cherisheth my Dog when he fawnes on her, who as if he knew his Masters mind, stil waights on her, lyes at her feete, when God knowes I could be he, and oft do envy his good luck, when she doth stroke him on the backe, and playes with him; she takes my Songs, and sings them, happy lines that ever gaind such blisse, to kisse those sweet lippes passing into ayre, as scorning other place then her breast, when she will expose them unto eares should harbour them; she sometimes likewise will give mee some of her making, and commends my voice, makes me sing to her, which I doe, and yeeld her owne words to her best knowing judgement. She requites mee presently, and sings mine unto me; then I say they are only good, when she doth grace them so; she answers best our songs befits our mouthes, and eares, these are not onely signes, but I doe thinke, or much doe flatter my poore selfe, they are assurances, and thus Sir now I hope that you are satisfied. I am ( said he) doublie tide to you for your relation, which doth speake just truth, and for your love which in this shews to me. While they were thus discoursing, they heard a pitiful cry, & as it were the shriks of women, which made them hie to the Plaine, where they saw the same fierce Beare hastily pursue the glory of those parts, ready almost to close her in his jawes, the rest of the women crying, and assisting her onely with their lamentable voyces, the onely helpe that sex can yeeld in such a danger, yet now came it wel, for the noise brought Leonius to her aide, who only sought to save her selfe by flight, but cryde not like the women. No neede there was to desire, or intreate him to assist, for carried by the wings of love, he flew to her succour; she seeing him runne to helpe her, turned her course that way, as shee ran, her dainty leggs were seene, discovering such excellency in shape, and swiftnes, as that had bin enough alone to conquer; she passed by him, hee standing still to encounter her enemy, yet did his eyes cast amorous wishes after her, his spirit raised in hope to meete the Beast, who gaped, as wanting breath to hold the joy hee had in expectation, to devoure that sweete portion of excellent daintinesse; furious to be deceived, he sought to execute his furie on him, from whom he got a sharpe, and sower encounter, Leonius his sword passing into his throate, wherewith he fell, then strake he off his head, for having let a presumptuous thought enter to hurt the delicatest Shepherdesse, now Urania had left that habit. This blow being given, the before flying beauty returnd, but in a more quiet and soft pace, which let the Italian with more leisure behold her, crying within himselfe; Oh that she had but as much affection, as I have love, then would she with as sweet swiftnes run to me, as from the Beare, which sight did in feare yet content so much, as he could have found in his heart (but for her harme) to have indured the Beast, and have clasped her in his armes as she ran by him, her danger hindred his attempting pleasure, and so shee was saved, taking her sight into his heart, in stead of her longed-for selfe into his breast, passions were as full in him, as Motes in the ayre, flying up and downe like flies in a hot day; buzing and swarming like Bees, that for all their profitable hony bring stings with them: or like a neast of Waspes, that one time beset one with their fury, and give no profit if shund or overcome, except their owne poore bodies, worthlesse and gainelesse: those thoughts hee gathered together, as like a Fisherman, that in his net catcheth all that comes within it, yet pickes hee out the choicest, and appoints some to keepe, some to sell, some to give, and some to throw in againe, as not fit for keeping: so did he cull his severall passions, some he chose to present her withall, some to hold in himselfe, to please her withall, others not to be seene by her, he cast away into the floud of his forgetfulnesse, whence none should arise to give her distaste; a commendable vertue in Youth, to shun what may by Youth shame to offend; hee loved, and therefore was curious not to displease his best belo ved, his highest desire being to content her, by whom hee must only bee contented, hee shunnes all else, as she did the Beare, which yet he loves, because hee brought him meanes to doe her service. When hee had killed the Beast, hee tooke the Head, Paw, and Heart to present her withall; Speeches hee framed to deliver to her with those won reliques, Prose and Verse hee summoned, doubtfull which should please, he stood as if musing what hee might doe to please her best; hee feared one while the hideous face of the Beast would fright her, therefore thought the heart fittest, and enough to shew her, as her prey, the Paw hee thought fit, because it was lifted up against her, and if that, the Head as necessary which hatched the treason, of these three, and with these three he danced the Hay in discourse, and still ended just as uncertaine and apt to begin againe, as to conclude; a faire victorie made him thinke a fairer acceptance must be yeelded him, a bold attempt to save her, boldnes might be waranted in that respect to speake to her, desert then claimes reward, how should the claime be answerd if not made? he must then adventure, and aske it, refusall cannot bee, where knowledge, and instant sight sayes, it is requisite. Valor must be adored, and love cherished. Tremblingly hee stood, as if afraid of that dead which hee kild, his hands shook that held the head, his other hand strake off, his eies uncertainly rold, that were fixt to his ruin, his leg shakes under him, that against his enemies like pillars, uphold his strength and courage: and this is love that made him seeme so weake a piece, and it was love that made him so fierce against her enemy, he looked towards her, and sigh'd within himselfe these lamentations. Alas, said he, that that face the heaven of mildnes and sweetnesse, should carry with it such cruell force, as with delicacy to destroy; why should those eyes my soules only comforts looke, and not with as much love as mine, since they are fairer, mine more loving, they more beloved? those dearest lipps, let them not sever, if not to speake requitall to me, let them not tel my bane, yet rather then not suffer me to heare that voice speak any thing, but if possible O speake but love; those feete and leggs, the rich, and matchlesse supporters of this our heaven, bring her not to murder mee, lade your selves with pitie and compassion, then come apace, and give life to the most perplexed lover. All this while she was comming, while he attended, as a passionate man doth the breaking of the day, when he is to visit at that time his love. Dawning and leasurely shee came, hee thought shee made small haste, yet came too fast if love did not accompany her, and that love to him like a delicate young Courtier, who is to make his estate by the marriage of a greate heire; when hee comes before her, is at first timerous, loth to offend, yet dressed up in all richnes and finenes: so was hee, his Helme hee tooke off, rubd up his Haire, wiped his face, set on his most manly, yet amorous countenance, knowing women love not childish men, how much soever they commonly like lovelines, and the choicest beauties. Poore man to see what a busines he kept with himselfe were strange, that hee who but newly come to know passion, should bee in so much variety, and skilfull manner of learned knowledge to win, as those who after their naturall inclination change, and wooe daily, but to such it is pleasure and delight, to this young man torture. He sighed, he looked, he prayed, he wished, he did all, and yet nothing that might helpe him, for so long he was in these distempers, as either ignorance, neglect, or ill manners were like to be laid to his charge, who indeed was an exact fond lover taken, and spoild at first sight; the loving Country of Italy could never make him thus passionate, the beauties there were as ones owne Country, esteemed nothing so pleasing to one, as the thought of others, till they be tried, Arcadia is the place can onely captivate his heart, and there must he tast the paines, makes him wish to be in Italy with freedome. O sweet place, heavenly Paradice (said he) what delights be in thee, but what serpents keepe them from enjoying? stories I have heard of waters; and trees kept by Monsters, but what rarenes was ever thus kept, as love keepes her, and mee from asking pity, while he stood letting his imagination twine out the time, which he might, if acquainted with love, or bred in his cunning Schoole, have used to farre more gainefull purpose. She past feare of danger, secured by the death of the Beare, her before threatner, turned back, and came to thanke him; but what with her sight and words, he stood in as still a Posture, as if the Beast in death had also wounded him, which made that excellent Shepherdesse take him by the hand, and kindly demaund how he felt himselfe; but the touch of her dainty skin, with the rare softnes, gave a more cruell hurt to his heart, then the hard sword had given (though death) unto the Beast. Hee could not answer but with sighs, his eies raining showers of teares, and yet as through a wet cloud gazed on her: She was sorry for his sorrow, and wished her helpe might pleasure him, it was she alone that could doe it, but he durst not hope for it, nor adventure to demand it; then were the rest come unto them, who stirred not, but looked like metamorphosed creatures, their hands fast in one anothers, she pittying, and hee that had what he could wish, yet fearing it, enjoyed it not, which the Shepheard Youth perceiving, loving Leonius as much, as man could love another with no more acquaintance, stepped to him, Sir, said he, it appeares that the sudden joy of this brave victory, with the releasing of this rare beauty before you from such danger, doth too much possesse you, or else the same fit which this day I found you in, hath againe overcome you. He now who shame instructed to be carefull, starting as children doe at Bugbeares, told him, that it was true, his fit had taken him, and held him worse then it had done before, which had caused that stilnesse in him, for which he asked pardon of the most faire Shepherdesse, and kissing her hand, assured her, that nothing was more comfort to him, then the rescuing of her; nor anything more grievous, then that he had been so rude, as not to acknowledge the favour she did in comming back to thanke him for that, wherein he did but the due of any one to serve, and preserve such beauty, thinking himselfe most fortunately borne, and brought thither at that time so to doe her service. She mildly and modestly blushing told him, the good fortune was hers, which had gained not onely safety, but that from the noblest hand and heart; so taking away her hand (which was a death-like blow to him) courteously bid him farewell, with millions of kind thanks, and sweet words unto him, every one of which were wounds unto his soule, because with them she left him. They gone, he alone but for the Shepherd, began his complaints, partly to himselfe, partly to his new friend in this manner. Is it possible O Arcadia, the most sweet and delicate of all these Provinces, that in thee there should live so dangerous a creature, as at first sight should wound, and kill with the first touch? alas my friend, what peril doth abide in these most dainty dwellings? were these places ordained excellent, and alluring to draw men to their ends? are you made happy with seeing delicasies only to see them, but to taste none other then sharp murders? O my father, how hast thou left thy son in thine owne friends dominions to bee slaine, and by a woman? how will you bravest brother, disdaine my bloud vanquished by a looke? O Arcadia in your sweetnes I am martyrd, and one of your Kings blood thus you kil, are you not then guilty of treason? The Shepheard who now perceived this Knight to bee a Prince, and by his words an Aliance of that Country, hee kneeled downe, and thus spake, My Lord said hee, blame not this place for that, for which I doubt not but you shall have cause to love it, accuse not your friends, since if they saw your vallour and brave destroying that fierce Beast, they would without question glory in your vertue, nor be displeased with your fortune, or love, since fortune hath brought you to love one the most love-worthy, and I beseech you what cause have you thus to complaine, not knowing whether you may be favourd, or disgraced, I see no reason you should bee discontented if not, that you would not receive kindnesse, she so mildly, and sweetly affording it. Love; Love it was, and is cryd he, makes mee thus wretched, what can I doe when my senses in her sight faile me? how can I have comfort when deadly dispaire makes me not dare to hope? what shall I joy in, when I scarce may venture to looke on her, who must deliver mee from this bondage? noe I see no remedy when I am not able to aske, or take it. I am lost and only found by dispaire, and desperate love. Then did his teares follow those words, and groanes those teares, till the Sheephard began againe. My Lord said hee yet heare me, there is a way whereby you may let her see your love, and yet not speake it, your teares thus continually shed, your sigh's still breathing out your passions, your groanes foretelling death, will all truly witnesse your affliction, and sue for you; pull off these habits unfit for these passions, & put on such as I wil provide for you, so well agreeing to your humour as the cloathes, and the action shall make her unable to withstand so much pitty as must breed love, and that love if you then discreetly governe it, will procure your happinesse. Direct me deere friend said hee, and let me enjoy her love, and be assured I will make thee see I am not ungratefull. Then my Lord said hee, you shall put on the habit I will tomorrow morning bring to yonder Grove, but be sure you be there before the Sunne appeare, least they be there before us, and after follow my advice, so shall you I feare not come to your wishes end, but withall you must promise, and performe assistance to me. Leonius could but with kind teares, and straightly embracing him, give him thankes, and promise; thus they resol ved, the youth went to the next towne to buy things fit for the Prince, while he with sad thoughts, uncertaine wishes, and wrestlesse passions spent the time till his returne. The Sheepheardesse who (poore soule) before knew but her owne beauty, now found anothers to master her, I would said she the Beare had dev oured me, rather then this torment should perplexe me. Why did this Stranger succour me? of purpose was he sent to torture mee, must I be made a subject to one I know not? and suffer afflictions for one I shall no more behold? fie upon this strange love, which makes me so strangly love as to affect impossibilities, but I see I am but justly punished for disdaining all the Youths of these parts, thinking none worthy of me, now I must love one that knowes me not, will no more see mee, and surely loves an other. Pride, it is you have undone mee, I confesse my fault, I sorrow for it, yet Venus helpe me, Pan our Sheapheard-God assist mee, let not one of your servants, nay poore me your servant thus distressed live; I recall my former scornings, I repent my disdaines, I accuse my selfe more then you can blame mee; O ayd me then. Thus she pass'd the night in millions of such like complaints, till morning being come she rose, and hastely dressing her, raysed her flocks before their usuall time, as shee was raised by this unusuall passion; to the plaine she went, there awhile she stayed, yet rested no where, sometimes shee walked apace as if she would leave that paine behind her, but seeing it so closely follow her lay downe embracing it, yet blushing would turne her face on the ground, and seeme ashamed of her owne thoughts. O Chastity said shee, why doe you wholy possesse mee? deere Diana take me to thee, but then did Venus as in rage increase her flames, making her forget all but her affections. Then rising, to the next tree shee went which was a Willow, and of those branches she puld, and with them crowned her selfe, casting off her strawne hatte, her Sun-beame haire falling downe at the full length, which with a little fine, and naturall curling reched to the small of her leg, and the rich thicknesse spread it selfe over her shoulders; there awhile she stayed, graving some few words in the Barque of the tree, agreeing to the paines shee felt, and condition of that tree, whose softnesse concurd with the yeelding hearts of lovers, but the Fate given it to be forsaken, and made it to be the Garland for such haplesse creatures. Well poore Willow said she, thou shalt yet be my companion: and I will honour thee, though happier folks despise thee; then went she into the Grove, but as little stayd shee there, flying the company she saw there assembled, seeking new places, as all doe that seeke ease, and hope for it by travell; so shee pass'd along the side of one of the little Brooks, her eyes still fixed upon it, speaking sometimes, at last shee said these words. Poore Brooke said shee, how like my paines are yours, I seeke to flye from the Spring of my sorrowes, so fall you from your head: how fast sweete Brooke you runne in hope of ease, so fast doe my poore hopes flye from my hart: stay, turne your course, and I shall hope to live, no twill not be, you runne, and I continue in my paines. As she went on sadly bemoning her solitary thoughts, she heard as pittifull a voyce utter these unperfect joyn'd words, Leonia poore Nimph said it, where is thy vowe? must Venus make thee change? O love, coward love to steale thus to my heart, couldest thou not have come bravely, and contended with me in the Chase, or taken me in the time when I did revile thee, and scorne thy power, but to set upon me when I was quiet, and safe as I thought, treacherously to lye in wait and betray mee when I was unarm'd, naked, and without power to resist, and more for my shame when I had sworne to Diana, what punnishment will that chast Goddesse lay upon me for this offence? But foole why talke I of these poore things which in comparison of my woe are but blossoms. I love, and must love, what then? I will love, and die in love, then shall that Cruell see written in my heart that murther thus committed, unkind, alasse my soule melts as these teares, and yet to thee my paines are no more waighed then bubbles, my hart weepes blood, pitty me then, say you do pitty and save me, pitty said the Sheepheardes is that I want; what new companion in my woe have I found heere? with that she went towards the place from whence as shee imagined that sad voyce did proceede, when as little from the banke under the shade of mirtle trees, which made as it were a Cabine of them selves, lay a Forrest Nimph, her apparrell of colour and fashion like Diana, buskins upon her leggs of white, her haire tyed up, only some of the shortest, and about the temples curled, crowned with Roses, Hyacinths, she lay with her head toward her, who with a soft pace went on till she came just behinde her, then viewing her earnestly, her eyes being so full of love, as all loving creatures found a power in them to draw them to her call, especially those eyes which were so much hers as they could not stirre but to her will, commanding them so, as shee could with her looking on them with loving force, bring them to her owne; and so it now prooved, for those eyes which full of teares were seeing themsel ves in the streame, shewing their watry pictures to each other, her earnest viewing the Nimph with a naturall humblenesse to hers, drew her lookes to her, joy then appear'd in the Nimphes face, yet straight was that clowded with sorrow; She rose, and with a timerous (though she imagin'd bashefull) countenance and fashion, saluted her. I did thinke faire Nimph, said the loving Shepherdesse, that it had been impossible for me to finde any so like my selfe unhappily wounded. Why are you hurt faire Shepherdesse, said shee? alas I am sorry for you, and wish your remedy, for none knowes the torment of dispaire like to my selfe, and therefore in charity would have none else afflicted with it, but it is very strange that such beauty should complaine. Alas said shee, oft times perfection is turnd to the contrary, and so is it in me, if in me be that you spake of: but I pray sweet Nimph, let me take boldnesse to demand of you, of whence you are and what hath brought you hither. Love said she, for this must be the first, and last of my discourse, all other matters how great soever, being but dependances of this. My name (said shee) is Leonia, my profession was what my habits tell me to be, but love hath altered me, no more must I abuse my Mistris who I served, since I have left her and an new one now have gain'd, a poore change, (yet the fruit of change) when for liberty and pleasure I get beggery and slavery: Then this passion, rare Shepherdesse, for nothing but misery followes it. Alas it is too late, said shee, you give this counsell out of time, for I am in the prison too fast locked, by any meanes, but by love to bee freed. Are you in love then said Leonia? Oh haples me, why, said the Shepheardesse, doth that grieve you? It grieves me that such sweetnesse should be vexed. It grieves me more (crid shee) that I love in despaire. Thus both afflict me, said Leonia, and on these doe I plaine, and in them die. Let us sit downe and tell our woes said she? Mine are all endlesse said the Nimph, yet I will not refuse to doe what you command, for you may helpe me if you will but pitty mee. I pitty you, said shee, and love you, for in you I see (O deere remembrance) many things which report sent my love unto mine eyes; with that the Nimph did blush, the Shepherdesse went on: Be not offended sweetest Nimph, said she, for he was excellent whom I did love, and doe love, rare for true beauty and valour, and O too brave for me; none can be so (sigh'd shee) faire Shepherdesse, for the fairest, and bravest must sue to you for grace: but I did blush to heare that I should seeme so favourably blessed in your all-conquering eyes, as to bee thought but to resemble him that happy man whom your great goodnesse loves. But to goe on, I was by my own sute to my parents chosen a Nimph, and accepted into the number and service of Dianas servants, being given to all those sports that Goddesse did affect, but especially, to throwing my Dart at markes, and shooting in my bow at beasts, or any thing, so cunning I was in that exercise, as I could hit a bird at great distance; oft times I would take my Grayhounds, and course the Deare, or Haire, being so nimble, as I could follow them where ere they went; these, and many other harmelesse delights I lived in, till one day sacrifising to Diana, unhappily for mee, there came a Youth, who having kild a terrible Beast, offered it to the Goddesse, as the Princesse of the Woods and Desarts, this offering prooved strange, making my heart the Victim bleeding, and lying on the Altar, dedicated to his love, thus doubly had hee conquerd, I fainted, fearing the chast Goddesse, yet I was rescued by Venus, who promisd her assistance, but not so well armd by her, as not afraid of Diana, I fled from those parts, and since have I roamed about, directed by mine owne despaire, for never since have I seene my love; the forgetfull Goddesse having enough in winning, but scorning too much care hath I feare forgotten me, contented with my yeelding, but carelesse of my proceeding; I seeke still, but I know not with what hope, I have wept, and grieved, and so I feare still must, and thus lives, and perpetually laments the poore unblessed Leonia. The Shepherdesse catching her in her armes, Ah my companion in my woes (said she), let us still live together fittest for our fortunes, let our teares be shed together, our sighs breathed together, and let us never part, but alwaies keepe together. This was what the Nimph desired, being so glad of that embracement, as she could have found in her heart to have forgot her habits, but danger of loosing all, if not governd with modestie, till apter time gaine fitter opportunity of discovery, she only with an affectionate kisse, and that shee would not suffer her selfe to misse, being such an one, as liked Veralinda (for so the Shepherdesse was called) better then any of her fellows kisses, for this seemd more passionatly kind, gave liberty to that, and then began her owne discourse thus. My name is Veralinda, daughter I am to the Kings Shepherd, who dwels upon yonder Hill, his place, estate in goods, and some kind of thing in me, which these people here call beauty, hath made me to be sought by many, but I have still refused all, truly I must say with some neglectivenesse; for which I am punished, and if I flatter not my selfe above my merit, the paine being more then the offence, for I am made to love in dispaire, to hope in losse, and affect one I know not, or can aspire to thought of ever seeing him againe, Destiny prevailing in this, & I am left a poore example of the Fates tyranny: for how can I hope, that if I meet him, hee could fancy mee: he a Knight, I a poore Maide; he a Prince it may be, and surely is, for Princely vertues dwell in him, beautie unexpressable, and such as but in you I never saw any like him, and so like are you, as I love you for his sake so much, as love can command love to the Image of their Deare. Valiant hee is above expression, and mild, and curteous; but what doth grieve my soule most is, hee surely loves. And surely would love you (said the Nimph) if he could bee but happy with the knowledge, in the meane space grace mee with your favour, which I will strive like him to merit, let mee enjoy those sweete embracements you would yeeld to him and thinke I am your love, which I will doe by you, and in that thought till wee bee blessed with perfecter enjoyings, we shall have some ease. She condescended, and so they kissed againe, wishing, and loving, they remained, passing many such pleasant times, till at last the wonder of such affection twixt women was discovered, and it may be, had then bin brought to light, had not the Shepherdesses arrived to his griefe, and no way to her content, who truly loved the sweete conversation and discourse of this Nimph: to the Fountaine they then altogether tooke their way, the Nimph setting her selfe so, as she might both see and touch the loved Shepherds, all the rest beholding this stranger with as much admiration, as shee did their Mistris, thinking no difference betweene them in beauty, save that the new guests fairenesse seemed more masculine, as fitted with her estate, yet full of grave, modest, and seemely bashfulnesse. Thus they beheld each other, the Shepheards passionately beholding Leonia in memory of her love, and the Nimph amorously gazing on her in her owne passions, till the musick a little awaked them, making their eares prove traytors to their hearts, for letting in any thing to them but love. Love is a subject so delightfull, and alluring, as it not onely winns, but commands the very soule to the hearing, or writing of it, so wholly possessing, as it caused this amorous accident, and yet will not permit a resting here, but proceedes to Amphilanthus, and his company, who lived in all pleasure outwardly, yet fed sometimes with a bare hope, as others were, and this oft they felt, and after learned to know; they passing along a prety time without adventure, it was their chance to meete the same proud Queene of Bulgaria, whom Rosindy had encountred, but upon fairer termes, for she knew Lucenia, and she did (as she was an excellently wel fashioned woman) give her respect answerable to her heart. Amphilanthus beheld her, and thought her as faire as she was, yet not a woman (at least as hee protested) to worke wonders on him; yet shee doubted not, nor was afraid, to shew, that shee thought, he was her servant, if shee pleased: but wrong hath been done to that famous and excellent Prince in that kind, many times by a noble free fashion hee had, which gave ignorant or bold people liberty to speake of him: but to our purpose. After they had discoursed some dayes together, much intreaty having prev aild, they obtained her company to the Enchantment, the noble Amphilanthus assuring her, that the King would not be offended, when he should be told, with her journey, that shee had taken it upon his request; they came downe still, till they were neere the Gulfe of Lepanto, where they meant to ship, and so to goe for the Rocke: but as they were one hot afternoone sitting in a shade, a lovely sweet creature as those parts yeelded, apparelled as that Country fashion was, for the better sort to weare, passed by them. Musalina would not let her goe so, but walked to her, who with much civilitie staid, and attended her commands. Shee demanded some questions of her, shee answered them with sweet and pleasing truth, at last good breeding made her know, that curtesie was not to be contemned by the greatest, wherefore she invited her, and her company to rest them in her house, which she said was hard by; and though not worthy of them, yet better then that place. She took her invitation, and went for the rest, who straight came, and accompanied her to her abiding, which was a faire house moated about, but strong and hansome, Gardens and Orchards within the moate delicate and pleasant, a Bote to goe over it into dainty Meades, Woods, and Groves, so pleasant this place was, and so kind her entertainement, as quickly they agreed to her civill request, which she seeing the day far passed, made to them, for lying there that night, Musick they had of divers kinds, and such mirth possessed them, that place having ever been blessed with that fortune, as few or none could be melancholy in it, except the Mistris, whom commanding all there, appointed that passion wholly to attend her, who not naturally, but accidentally was the saddest noble Lady in those parts. Dance they did, and al other things that orderly mirth would permit; yet still the Lady walked up and downe, as if her soule were absent, and the body guided but by a Deputy, who did not so well governe. Musalina marked it, for the brave Queene marked little but her selfe, and the glory she tooke in that, she asked the cause; but with much fine and cunning respect, not so finely insinuating her selfe into her, but that she found her, yet meant not to be too curious, wherefore she answered her thus. Madam, if the cause of my sadnes were worthy to be heard, or knowne by you so perfect a Lady, I would not bee the delayer of the happinesse to that, and my selfe in holding it from you; yet some part, as all, is too long to tire you with all, I will say I loved, and was beloved; I chose, and am forsaken; I love, and I thinke shall dying say so, and do so: I lived a while nourished with the bewitching foode of hope, but that hath now left me to the opposite partie, Despaire; despaire, the spring of all love-lost teares, and the Tombe of constant lovers, whither I haste as fast, as my ill fortunes can carry me. By this they were got a prety way from them, and hard by the Moate side where Musalina would lie downe, and heare more of her plaining: then said she; Madam you shall heare some more, by that judge the rest, for my lippes shall not speake all, though truth of him; I dare not call him any thing, for his name makes me still love him, and ready to forget all injuries, and that love will not let me give him any curst title; but I went one day a journey from his house, with a Cosin of his, he not being able to goe with me, his eyes then fild with water, mine as full, hearts being equally stored with love; words we had few, his being these; Farewell my Deare (said hee) speaking this on my lippes, and carry my heart with thee in thy journey. I will (said I) both keepe it, and cherish it, doe the like for mine that I leave with you: his eyes told me hee would; I thanked them with mine, and so parted, not fearing that, which now too strictly holdeth me, but since I never will trust man, that when he will can weepe; my soule did at the parting strangely misgi ve me, that some ill would follow, but I guessed not what, though I confesse a little while before, I had somewhat been touched with care, I wil not call it Jealousie, though 'twas as violent a paine, but how did he seek to cleare himselfe, and satisfie me? I came in once, when they two all alone were sitting on a bed, shee looked angerly, as having hindred her, and red with fury, he I thinke with shame, that so I found him, yet I went away, nor did I challenge him for that, though hee did seeke to make mee thinke no hurt was meant, or harme unto our loves, this made mee more suspect, suspition bred more griefe, the noblier he strove to give mee satisfaction, the more I was enaged to believe, and did at last truly repenting, as if I had erred, and as clearely loved as at first, and as fervently. Oh what eyes could with freedome looke on him? could any heart hould out against the siege of his alluring sweete beguiling love? no 'twas impossible, all were created to be made his prey, and hee too pittifull, and so by pitty to receive, and then to ruine, and such chance befell mee, come now remembrance helpe to molest me in thine owne distresse, and please this Lady with my misery, tell her the sweete, and amorous words hee gave me, and wonne mee with, when hee did meete mee in that sad fine Grove, the third time my sad eyes were blessed with seeing him, with what finenesse, and yet subtiltie did he expresse sorrow for me, and my passions, yet comfort mee because they were for him? how did hee conquer me with love, and his respect which I saw so curiously sought for my yeelding love, yet still preserved mine honor; this made mee so willingly his prisoner, as I tooke care how to expresse it. What witch-craft lay hidden in those smiles that so inchanted mee? and what power had those instruments sweete speach, more sweete and unrefusing conversation over my heart? tell me poore heart, did I take joy in ought else but his love? did I not dispise all other things campared with the high rate of his sight? thought I of any happinesse if distant from his presence? did I not thinke the Court a Jayle, whither wee were committed, till his sight gave me liberty, with blessednesse in his returne, whose absence if but for the space of one dayes hunting, did shut up all delight in that time from poore mee? did I apparell my selfe but with neglect, if he were not with mee? none but himselfe though a full Court I did behold, (for Madame I have beene a Courtier,) and if he miss'd I saw none there, and thus much hath he sworne to mee; such was my love, and is, and being such, far bitterer is the losse. More the faire Musalina would have heard, but shee was unwilling to say more, and therefore shee urged no more, then went they to the others who were pleasantly talking; Amphilanthus welcomed Musalina, taking her by the hand, and so they sate, the Lady beholding them, thus said she, have I sate too, once blessed with such like kindnesse, now cast into a hellisher distresse, Musalina tooke occasion againe to heare her speake, shee granted it, and proceeded. Madame said shee, you neither now have, nor ever had such happines that mine equalld not, tis I confesse bouldly, but I thinke truely said; What did a Lover in passion ever vowe, and sweare, and after breake, that hee hath not done the like? none ever more amorous, none more unkind. Have you not seene him lately said Musalina? yes said shee, I see him often, but his scorne hath so longe ruld, and I have with such care, and paines sought to put his neglect, and disdaine (because it was a fault in him) from mee, as now I am in a kinde free, I confesse not altogether, but indifferently, for I can with lesse violent griefe suffer his loving, and courting others before my face then at first I could, but yet I had rather mee thinkes still have those favours; the beginning of my miserie had truely almost killd mee, and the more greevous it was when I perceived hee gloried in my paines, I have bin about then to call him ungratefull, but my love stayed my tongue, and yet but like an intermitting Pulce, beat doubly on my heart. One night especially I was afflicted with it, when I was (with his beloved Mistris, who was a greater Lady, though not a more true Lover then I was, (and himself) invited to a supper; there all he could doe, was to expresse his affection to her, and his scorne to mee, I was in an Agony to see it, my bloud rise, and all my senses were sensible, but of disorder; I sweat with very vexation, and for all this at our parting, this cruell man smild, and bid mee take heede, I caught no cold. It vexed me to heare that slighting, and before mine enemie, yet my hate turned more on her, whom I was content rather to accuse in mine owne heart for bewitching him, then consent to truth, or confesse him ungratefull, for I had deserved, and that hee begins to professe. What if hee should sue againe to you (said Musalina) would you not recei ve him? That were unlikely surely Madam, said she, and I have studdied so long to bee out of love, and gaine liberty by forgetting, as I thinke it would bee as hard a thing for mee to love, or rather trust (for indeede I dare scarce trust my selfe with loving him) as it was to hate, yet so neere I was once to it, that there was scarce the breadth of the finest spunne haire betweene me and that curst humour, but good, fond ignorant, kind disposition came crosse the way, and so I came no further, then to leave loving in shew, but never could attaine to hate, or to leave truth in love; this was, and is my state, take heed brave Lady, trust not too much; for believe it, the kindest, lov ingst, passionatest, worthiest, loveliest, valiantest, sweetest, and best man, will, and must change, not that he, it may bee, doth it purposely, but tis their naturall infirmitie, and cannot be helped. It was laid to our charge in times passed to bee false, and changing, but they who excell us in all perfections, would not for their honours sake, let us surpasse them in any one thing, though that, and now are much more perfect, and excellent in that then wee, so there is nothing left us, that they excell us not in, although in our greatest fault. Amphilanthus heard her, but answered not to it, thinking an ill matter better left then stirred. Lucenia was touched to the quick with this, yet dissembled it, and so they rose, resolving to goe thence, the Lady bringing them through the walkes, and over the Mote, being the pleasanter way to their Horses and Chariots; but by the way, Musalina againe mooved her to discourse, asking her, if it were possible for her to hold any correspondency with that Lady her servant loved, and left her for. Yes truly Madam, said she, I have brought my selfe to it; wee doe often meete now adayes together, and hunt together, and eate, and converse. Doth she know you loved him, said Musalina. The whole Country did (said she) and therfore she could not be ignorant; shee knew it Madam, and knew a bracelet of haire shee saw once about mine arme (against my will) to be his, though I would have excused it, by saying, twas my husbands, whose was something of that colour, but as much difference betweene them, as betweene silke and woollen. What satisfaction can she give you for entertaining him? Embracing and cherishing his affection (answered the Lady) for which I can love her. Did she never urge any discourse concerning it? Yes (said shee), and lately tooke occasion to speake, I am sure shee meant of that, but cover'd it with the third person, an ordinary course in such businesses, and this she said, that so much she could love a woman friend as if she should be in love with the same man that shee loved, and had no other meanes to obtaine, but by her leaving him, she would to doe her a pleasure, and ease her torments yeeld him to her, at least leave him at liberty to take her: I found what she aym'd at, and told her it was a new and an excellent manner of expressing friendship but I should thinke she seemd a very ignorant woman that would trust in that kind, and should shew more indiscretion then perfect friendship in trying it, thus she could not catch mee; by this they came to their Chariotts, and so they parted. Musalina asking her, if she had a husband, I had Madam, said shee, which was none of my least afflictions or molestations, then kissing her, the rest likewise tooke leave and so went on their journey, the Lady returning to her house, they directing their Voyage towards the Gulfe, where they shipp'd, and sail'd towards the Island Rocke, the Ladies in their disguises. Musalina an Amazon, the Queene a Persian, but they were hindred a while by an other Ship, the manner was this. One standing upon the Hatches, sawe and knew Amphilanthus, who was discoursing with the two brave Ladies, and commending the Queene of Bulgaria for her choice of habit, becomming her so well, as it was a great pitty, he said, she was not sole Lady of those parts, that dressing so well befitting her; she tooke it like her owne conceit, and so as shee loud him better for commending her, then for his owne worth, prising her selfe above any worldly treasure, which he as finely made sport withall; by this Gentleman causd his ship to lye aboard of the other; kneeling down to the King he presented him with letters, then standing up delivered these words. The earths glory, and Italys blessing, famous Amphilanthus, receive these from your friends, and Allies in Germany, it hath pleased Tyme to give period to the Emperours daies, since whose decease many have made themselvs competitors for the Crowne, but Ollorandus your worthy friend, having the greatest stroake in the election, making all the assembly remember your right hath chosen you, and truely Sir not only hee, but all, as soone as you were named gave an equall consent, as if borne and made of one temper to serve you, having justly chose you to it. Olorandus called me, who have the honor to bee his kins-man, and in my youth his companion, but more honourd mee in the Ambassage to bring this newes unto you, with all injoyns you by the love betweene you two, not to refuse this gift, and Crowne; he told me where I should finde you, and according to his directious I have ordered my course, he feares the former made vow will carry you to the performance of that; if so, he assures you he will hold the Empire safe for you till you come, and therefore himselfe will not adventure the inchantment, but if love doe not over-rule, he could wish you to leave all vaine attempts, and come to Prague where he will attend you, and so waite on you to your Coronation, if otherwise, you shall be secure, and hee your humble servant, and loyall friend; my selfe Sir, am fortunate to bee commanded in this serv ice to you, whom above all men, I most honour, your own true vertue causd that respect in me. Then did the King with much kindnesse use the Prince of Transilvania, who he understood this Embassador to be, by the letters he brought, hee accepted the Crowne, but with a little nicenesse, professing himselfe not to bee capable of such a dignity; but in conclusion, his answers being but complements, he tooke the title given him, and gloried in nothing more, then that he was so contentedly, and without one opposite voice chosen, onely he desired to be permitted to conclude his first vow, which finished, he would repaire into Germany, and to that end dispatched the Prince of Transilvania againe, telling him, that love it was true did force him to this attempt, but what love was it, except the desire he had to constant truth in holding vowes, and besides, to have those famous Princes his friends, and Allies that were there inclosed, to accompany him in his journey, for his greater honour, and the glorie to the Empire. This satisfied the Prince, and so with letters of credence, acceptation, and promise of his presence, hee returned a happy man; and so had those parts reason to esteeme the like happinesse, when the excellent Amphilanthus was to rule over them, who proceeded in his enterprise, and landed on the Rocke, passing directly to the Theater, which opened to them, and as he was the man most loving, and best beloved, so was part of the Charme ended, al at his comming receiving their best senses, like their owne cloaths about them, they ranne to welcome him, and begann to be ashamd of their follies for being in disguise: but shee, whose minde knew onely truth, rose likewise to salute him, and with such loyall love as joy of his sight sprang like spring time in her face, before pale and Winter-like in sorrow. He complementally saluted her, heeding none, but with civility used all, and her little kindlier, though more respectively then the rest; then againe they tooke their places being brought into a worse Charme then the first, because now they perfectly saw and knew, misery to them that were subjects to it, and such did Pamphilia feele, who returning to the seate, she had before sate in, not only as she did alone, but viewed by all to be so. They infinitely wished for the finall end, and she for hers; directly before her sat Musalina, and the halfe fulfiller of the Adventure, a sad spectacle, but she must and did indure it, though how, with such unquietnesse, affliction, and multitudes of teares as what succeeded? losse of so much beauty, as made many have cause (I meane slight lovers) to see her lesse amiable, then lesse love-worthy, and so she was left, and this is the truth of mans affection, yet did hee not imagine, or rather would not consider this was caused by his leaving her, she poore Lady beholding nothing but affliction, and making her selfe the true subject to it, yet did shee not, nor would accuse him, who was altogether so faulty as condemnd to be, though more then she deserved unkind. Next to Amphilanthus sate the Queene of Bulgaria, and by her, her husband who arrived there just at their landing, glad without expression to see her, her servant likewise of Jamboli came thither the next day, and according to the manner sat downe on her other side between Amphilanthus and her selfe, she would not, or might not, it may be, shew too much kindnesse to her beloved in his presence, who though he were as loving a Husband as any, yet his love was mixed with discreete care over her actions, and the more discretion she was bound to use; she was not displeased to have her servant sit by her, and because he should have no reason to remoove, shee still itcht neerer her husband, holding him by the hand, which he took to be done out of perfect or fond love, while her head was prettily toss'd first to one side, then to an other, as if she were choosing a looking-glasse, betweene two, which to have, wherein she might see her faire follies best, yet if ever prid were to be commended, it was there to be esteemed, for certainely that held her vertuous, and so by that meanes one of the greatest sinnes grew like a vertue, but no neerer being one, then the shadow of the purest Lilley in the water, is one; neither having colour or sweetenesse of the Lilley, only shape but blacke, and nothing of it selfe: no more good is in pride, but as it is sometimes, and here, especially used, for a shadowed vertue. Ollorandus when Amphilanthus resolud to adventure this place, did likewise thinke to doe so too, for such a friend he was, as he imployd himselfe wholly to be his imitator, & then did he best in his own opinion, when he did any thing, or said any thing, like Amphilanthus; but yet he kept an unviolable affection to his Melysinda, whom he went to fetch to the adventure, but as he went, he met the newes of the Emperours death, which hastned him home faster if it could be, or if wings can be given of more speed then those of love with which hee flew, yet hee had the fortune that travelling Princes have, for this chanced to him. A Gentleman he met all in mourning, his face more expressing it then his cloathes, though in the exactest fashion for shape, and blacknes: armes he had none, but his owne armes foulded within each other, his hat downe in his eyes, his pace slow, his sighs many, his teares had spent themselves so liberally before, as now he had none left to shed, the spring dry, and stop'd with heavy sorrow, his speech when urg'd by Ollorandus to speake, was as if frozen, and only melted, or thawed by good manners to give answere, though but no deeper the thawe peirced then to make a little moistnes to freeze the harder on it, for so few was his words, and so long before gain'd, as it was almost like a hope of great content a lover promiseth himselfe when he thinkes, after a long absence he shall enjoy his loves sight a whole day, when that day comes his fed imagination, in conceit is so soone made to sterve againe with the speedy passing of that time, as it is worse then if not had, and indeed scarce is it had, because the expectation so much excells the enjoying: so did the King in this, for when he had got him to answere once, he provoked him with such discourse, as he thought should procure a large scope of replye, but he only looked on him, sigh'd, & cry'd; I am the perfect scorne of fortune, what neede I, or can I say more? The Bohemian would not thus be satisfied, but stil urged, the Gentleman stood still bare-headed in respect to him, but more words hee got not of him for a great space, at last fearing that too great incivility would bee layed to his charge, hee thus spake. Sir said hee, what offence have I given you, that you should seeke this revenge on mee, to make mee wound my selfe with my owne miseries relation? Alasse, consider when misfortune is befalne on, how doth every one that loves him strive to keepe his discourse from his friends eares, if hearing bee painefull? what is the telling it when the soule every word that is spoken feeles torment? insencible tasting the harme, knowing every corner of it, as an Architecture doth in the framed building his imagination casteth: yet seeing their satisfaction can be obtained but by this, I will speake what I am loath any but my owne heart should know, out of two reasons being so deare to me; one, because my dearest deare was the Actor; the other, that the fulnesse of the griefe stor'd up, might choake and kill my heart, and so send me to her; but your importunity hath prevaild, and I have now set open the two gates of my silence to the ruine, the enemy speech will bring to my soule. I was borne to honour and dignity; wealth, and what men most esteeme, I had plenty of; I was favoured by the King, imploy'd by his Majesty in office and command; but what did I governe, when I was overrul'd by love? A Lady I affected, she loved me, and spar'd not to give me all testimonies of it, another sought me, I grew proud of it, and accepted her affection likewise; the former saw it, wept to me, and tax'd me for it, I protested against it and yet was guilty: shee at last (by my unpardonable offence) being certaine of it, for I neglected her; this second I doted on, bewitch'd by her charmes, she onely had power over me, shee could onely make mee doe any thing: I left the Court almost for her, never thinking my selfe at rest, but when I was with her; businesses were tedious to me, sought before by mee, for I did love imployment til I imployed my selfe so ill, as to bee her serv ant; shee, as I thought, as fond of mee, I joyed in that, and to satisfie her, left all the world unsatisfied of me, and as many to scorne my weaknesse, as in former time admir'd and loved my readinesse; my poore true love liv'd this while disdaind, forsaken, and almost contemn'd, more wretched creature I, who was ordain'd to doe that ill to spoyle my selfe with all. In this time of my blindnesse another got my place in my masters brest growing so powerfull and dangerous, as I was forced to oppose him; for hee spared none to worke his owne ends on: I was unfortunate in that likewise; for then was hee so mighty, and besides so ill, as hee forgetting all but himselfe brought many into the Kings displeasure. I repin'd at that, and seeing at last no remedy, tooke armes with many other, my friends, but too weake wee were, and I taken by composition in mine owne Castle, yeelding on condition all the rest should bee spard, that was granted, and I alone carried to the Prison the greatest Traytors are carried unto, being called the Kings Prison, there I lay ten dayes till every thing was ready for my arraignment, then was I brought forth, and after by the great men condemn'd. I could not say they did unjustly; for a subject ought not upon any termes to weare armes against his rightfull King: I was contented with the censure, setled my selfe to dye, and was grieved for nothing but that I should not kisse my love before my death. The night before my appointed execution, when I was meditating on my end, my Keeper came unto me, and with teares told me the compassion he had of my estate; I desired him to forbeare putting me into thoughts that might withdraw me from those more necessary & befitting me at that time. He would not (as having a furder purpose) give over, but proceeded till at last I found by him he had some plot for my delivery: then I was more troubled between two doubts, one of the truth of this thing, whether it were for my good, or only a trap to take me in, & so to make my death more terrible & ignoble, when joyed with feare and base stealing a life, or if he meant really, how it might be effected. These contrarieties put me into a great perplexity; yet I stil held convenient discourse with him, who finding me uncertaine in my answers, and suspitions of my selfe, brake out in these termes. I see, my Lord, my fortune to be so ill, as you (whom I most desire to serve) mistrust me; alas, if love moov'd mee not, what plot should I have to put my selfe into so eminent a danger? it is onely that hath wrought mee to this, and yet I am mistrusted by you. I sought to appease his passion, he then went on: I have, my Lord said he, layd the way, and a youth of my acquaintance stayes below with the cords, shall (if you please) deliver you from death and this place, it is more then time wee were about it, therefore resolve what you will doe, and that speedily. I, hearing this, and looking on a clocke was in my chamber, found it past midnight, straight led by a bold beliefe, gave consent to goe up and downe at all houres, went forth, telling the watch hee was sent for a Gowne for mee to weare the next day at my death; under colour of this, within a long robe hee brought the ropes, which hee fastened to the barres of the windowes, which were not so thicke placed, but one might easily get out; the reason was the heighth made the feare of getting thence nothing: At the bottome stood the youth hee spake of, and made the lower ends fast; out hee went, first to shew mee the way and try if the cordes were fast, then came up againe and helpd mee forth, staying till I was safely on the ground, then untyed the cordes, and the youth loosed them below, so hee drew them up, and in a fire in my chamber burn'd them, shutting the window, and himselfe comming downe the ordinary way againe without suspition: to any Gate hee durst not bring mee, for they were all so strongly guarded, as no safety would be there; but, knowing all the passages, brought mee to a little Garden then upon the wall, and there was a Posterne doore low, and little, but bigge enough; but then another danger was how to goe downe on the outside, the Castle standing on a maine Rocke; but the danger wee soone passed, for with some scrambling wee got down holding by one another; the youth, though weake, yet having a strong heart to save mee, help'd beyond expectation: this man, my keeper, had a brother dwelt hard by this place, thither he led us, and telling his brother hee was sent of earnest busines concerning the State, got horses of him, and so wee posted, the youth riding behinde me, holding me with so much affection as I imagin'd it had beene his care for feare of slipping, but I injur'd him in that, for his worthy selfe could never slip. Wee rid thus, till wee arriv'd at a Castle of mine; but that not being of strength sufficient, wee left it, and our wearied horses, furnishing our selves better: the youth rid well, and I was carefull, though hee still besought mee to heede my safety, hee weary, as weake, his horse being little lesse, they fell, wherein hee was hurt; but at last hee sure wounded and tyred, I pittied him, and more, when I saw his teares, which were not for his approching end, as after I saw, letting some from mee to accompany his: hee seeing them, my Lord, said hee, weepe not for mee, nor shed those deare teares for one who once might have had a life given by one of them; but those dayes are passed, and now my ending as fast as may bee, the bruise and death this fall brings mee, not being yet so cruell to mee as the fall of your favour was; nor unwelcome, since chanced to mee in your succour, I am to tell now the cause of my service: Love (my Lord) hath brought me to this, and all other miseries, your scorne never having had power sufficient to make mee leave loving you which procur'd this action, censure me then a lover and not immodest, no disguise could ever disguise me, but still I lov'd you, nor put I any on but for your good, and so forced to alter my habits, what have I taken but habits of the much worthier Sexe? the noblier to serve you, not out of any wantonnesse, which heav en can witnesse; for had I escaped this harme and you once safe, you should not have knowne mee but as a poore youth affectionate to your safety, I would againe have returned after the time of your imprisonment; I tooke this resolution, putting my selfe to waite on one of the guard, and never left prying up and downe to finde how I might assist you, till happy fortune brought me to this man, whose affection I saw such towards you, as I ventur'd, and hee likewise to attempt what now I joy to see perform'd; and more, that my end is brought by so loving an occasion: farewell my Lord, and I beseech you mourne not for mee, whom you thought so little worthy of your love; cover any fault in this I have committed, with the vaile of fervent affection; then shall I bee secure, and you noble. Weepe not (deare Lord) for mee, I must bee gone, and in going shall bee molested to see you sorrow for mee; bury mee, I beseech you, not heere, but in some of your owne commands, that as I am yours, my dust may bee also held in your ground; and then, lest you shall grieve for mee, I can now give you leave to forget mee; then did shee faint, for this was my first and truest Love. I got her with much paine againe to life; shee blam'd mee for it, yet told mee, such kindnesse had preserved us both if timely given: then with many prayers for my safety, wishing all the blessing that heaven granted to any, to bee powred on me, shee dyed in mine armes, breathing her last into my breast; for I kiss'd her when her breath left her. I buried her, as she desir'd, at a Castle of mine, whither we rid that night, and there remained till my peace was made with the King, which hee was willing to, and honour'd me so much, as I had satisfaction of my enemy; but what was this to my losse, having lost the wonder of her Sexe for loyalty? Besides, my second Lady, for whom I had left the faire patterne of vertuous love, did shew me my ill by requiting me according to my merit; but not from her, for of her I had deserved well, she never sent to me, never seem'd, as I heard by all, sorry for me, but superficially, quickly chose another, and like the worst of her Sexe, thought sorrow would hurt her complexion, and so she might live unlov'd, grew merry, and thought no more of me, though at the first she wept; but why? onely to shew how sweetly shee could looke in teares, not shedding more then became her, & were safe from hurting her; though every one, because they were hers, had, if seene, wounded mee. When I came abroad againe with my pardon and the Kings favour, I met her; shee, as not guilty, cheerefully and smilingly saluted mee: but I that could leave the worthiest for her without a cause, could justly bee offended; so as I spake not to her, nor since have looked on her, truely hating her very sight, and in these habits have I continued, in this place doe I live this life, if a life you will call it; yonder is the Castle shee lies buried in, with whom I have buried all content, and with whom I will also lye, the Court I have left, and all company, joying in nothing but my misery, and this I never related before, nor have I spoken so many words since I first suffered this unhappines, nor will any more: therefore Sir now I beseech you permit mee to bee silent, and to passe to my dying living. The King, who was a perfect lover, could not but lament with him, and sorrow that so they should part; but necessity compell'd, and he granted his demaund: the sad man going in his wonted maner, and the King holding his journey, still thinking and musing of this adventure, till another put him out of it and brought him to a little more mirth: A dainty young wench came led betweene two hansome young men, one browne and lovely, the other faire and beautifull, many Lads and Lasses attending them, some carrying flowers, others Garlands, some fruite, some wine, every one having something to doe, and extreame busie in that businesse, because it was love. When they saw Ollorandus they ran to him and desired him to alight; for hee was by the agreement to give judgement and end to this adventure: hee wondred why they had chosen him, they said it was to be finished by the next Knight they met, and that was himselfe; then they set a kinde of Chayre up, which they carried with them, having joynts, and with engines to bee placed any where, over his head they hung the flowers and garlands, except one that was held for him to whom the prize was given; the grownd they also strewed with flowers. Ollorandus sate still, admiring what they would do with him, smiling within himselfe to thinke what Amphilanthus would judge of him, if hee should finde thus attended and set up so like a May-game Lord; but patiently he suffer'd them: When they had done, the Speaker appointed, which was hee that held the Garland, began thus. Excellent Judge may it please you to understand, this businesse consists of divers matters, yet all the matter is love; a thing possessing all, a vaine passion afflicting most; and yet this Gentleman M. Love hath no abiding, but a meere run away when hee hath done mischiefe, and if followed, where is hee found but in hearts? and there such straying harbours hee hath, as hee is fortified even with strength against the masters of them. This youth who will never bee old, hath wounded these two youths with one arrow, for they love this Lasse: her hee hath wounded; but it seemes loving women better then men hath taken more paines with her, and bestowed two of her, for she loves them both; not being able to say whether she affecteth most: it is no strange thing for a woman to love two or many; but the rarenesse is that one of that nimble loving kinde, cannot take both and use them after her own phantasie: to say women can love often is no wrong to them; for who would not please themselves? and what greater pleasure then variety? Is it possible for one to bee contented to live his whole life in one roome, to heare but one speake, to converse but with one, to feede but on one thought: if this bee hard, where is womens fault that delighteth her selfe with change of Lovers? being but for that whereto wee were borne to seeke our owne happinesse, and surely in that are they most happy; for variety is their servant, waiting on them so diligently, and so cherished by them, as they are the excellent Mistrisses of that excelling pleasure: To prove this Sir, heere is a dainty example in a dainty subject; rare in all parts, because rarest in it selfe, here is a woman loves so equally, as shee cannot chuse betweene these, if beauty want in one, lovelinesse chalengeth her liking; if beauty abound in the one, sweetnes speakes for the other, she loves both, and so much as shee wishes (if it were not for extreame losse) they were but one, and then shee could satisfie her selfe, and that one; her's yet a greater wonder, these two Rivals are friends, not to say friends as not being enemies, but affectionate friends, and such as it is almost hard for either of them to tell whether hee loves her or his friend better, yet both are enamoured of her; This hath continued two yeeres: now it is agreed on that the matter shall be judged by the first Knight, you Sir are the man, and to whom you give her she shall be contented with him, and leave the other. Ollorandus made answere that the matter was nice, and a busines he no way desired to meddle in lest hee might offend, not being able to judge to please all parties, but hee thought that such mutuall affections were better held still as they were, lest division might divide the perfect love betweene those friends; for said hee, a wound given in the arme, or body will heale, and grow together if the sides be kept close, but kept open, it will (though heale) yet be in sundry parts; So if shee be given to one, and from the other, it will breede a division in love, if not still to be as at first enjoyed, They all then spake and desired judgement, being resolute to stand to his censure, Then must I said Ollorandus, require one thing more for my perfecter ability, you must each of you speake for your selves, and tell what you can claime to merit her, and what proofes you can alleadge of her affections to you, and she must likewise tell her opinion , they consented, and the fairer youth beganne thus. As I was one day after hunting somewhat hott, and weary, having laide my selfe upon the grasse under a large Oake, this beloved soule came tripping with such daintines and sweete carelesnes, as I was surprised with her finenes; she cast her eyes on me, but so, as if chance, not purpose of favour had procured mee that grace, but howsoever, as dearely was her looke prized by me, and my eyes as gladly met hers, as in old time the Gentiles held, the Sunne did kisse the lippes of Osiris; she held her course, I rose, and followed her, shee turned, and started a litle like a fearefull dainty Deere, and my deere she prov ed, I tooke occasion to offer her my service seeing her alone least any rudenes might be offered, she accepted it, and so I attended her home, she thanked me, I tooke those thankes so kindly, as they bound mee I told her to waite on her after to deserve the favour, not then having merited so much. She disliked not of it, but welcommed me till she robb'd mee wholly of my heart, and then was I forced in good nature to goe still to visit that which I had kept close, and untouched till that time in my breast, cherished I thinke of purpose to make the perfecter, and purer sacrifice of it unto her love. Then grewe we much more familiar, till at last I found I was her friend, for she trusted me, and I was not curious to give her meanes to let her see I had confidence in her; then would she ride, and sometimes as the seasons were, goe a hunting, and made me beleeve she loved that sport for me. I was apt enough to credit any thing that pleased me, and so I turned a very Novice in love, and a blab to my fortunes, for I could not be contented with my happinesse, being nothing me thought, if onely by my selfe enjoyed, and that it were not likewise knowne to some friend of mine, who with mee might likewise rejoyce. What were the stolen and sweet delights we had, if a third did not also heare of them, and the discourse make the memory as deere as the sweete obtaining? joy for enjoying at the instant is so full as wraps up all sense in content, but absent a litle the consideration comes, and presents these blessings so perfectly before our eyes, as then is the enjoying of what with blisse was before gained; to give my selfe likewise this contentment I discover'd all these passages to this my friend, hee at first smiled at my follies as he call'd them, being free from passion. I was tormented to see his dulnes, and could have chid my selfe for bestowing so many passionate expressions, and pleasing discourses on him, at last he desired to see the Tree from whence these loving branches grew. I brought him into a grove, where I intreated him to lye close and not stirre upon any occasion, hee did so, then came my Mistris, and my selfe alone together, and properly may I say alone, for we were but one, though like two staulkes, or flowers of one roote. We sate downe, we kissed, and he beheld us so well contented, as he did wish himselfe the like, and I thinke the same fortune, which wish he after gained; when he saw me take her hand and play with it, Oh said he that I might but doe so while hee may have her lippes to doe him a pleasure, I was as familiar with her as modestly I might, I intreated to see her legge, she refused not, he being just before us saw it too, then did his love increase, while I ignorantly and foolishly strove to make him see excellencies to robb my selfe of them, yet he very discreetly covered his passion a pretty while, still commending her, and so cunningly working into me, as I brought him like mine heire to see my possessions; she beholding him lovely, and so winning, as he fail'd not to win her, she as crafty as a woman ought to be that will deceive, made much of him for my sake, and as my friend did make shew of kindnes to him, I tooke it so, and this tyde me doubly to her. What I thought would please her I studied and obtained, she commended Songs, I am no Poet, but my friend is excellent, said I, then did I desire him to say some of his owne Verses, he did so, shee desired to heare more, hee still did please her so, and at last made some to her, telling me he made them as from me, and I most innocently gave them to her, and still did make him say them, sounding sure farre sweeter in his mouth then any others. Her heart being changed, or changing, but craftely she grewe more fond of me, and so as I was me thought then too happy; strangely her love grewe to him, and so violent, as he must either yeeld or be unkind, an odde occasion offered to trye friendship, but love above all must have rule or wrong ever, he loved as much as shee, shee loved as much as I, we both loved her, shee loved us both, yet long acquaintance, and conversation having rooted affection twixt us two, would not allow so foule a treason in a friend, wherefore he told me of it, and withall confessed how much he loved her, yet said hee I will leave what I love, and may obtaine, rather then my truth to you. I loved his faith so much, and prized his worth so farre beyond my owne particular, as I did freely condescend to his enjoying her if she would yeeld; alasse, she had done so in her heart long before, and now with gladnes did embrace his love, but still she held me on, and with as much delight accepted me as ever. We had both what we desired, and she was free to both, at last we spake but in the third person before her of such a woman, she discoursed as we did, & concluded as we did, that one woman might love two men lawfully, and constantlier then one, and that it were much safer for a man to have his friend his Rivall then to be alone. From this we came to particulars, and so we were agreed, and then most friendly did continue loving, but lately we desired to have our loves each onely to himselfe, for a litle suspition is fallen between us that she doth not so equally carry her love as heretofore, yet we will not fall out, but have put it to judgement, both resolved to stand to the doome shalbe given us, and the other to leave her for ever to his friend if he can keepe her so, he that hath her given to him shall have this Garland with her as the triumph gained, she cannot her selfe decide the businesse, her equall affection she sayes is the cause, but I beleeve she is still willing to hold both, now Sir you see what my love was, and the beginning, the middle, and almost the end, the other then with a pretty sweetnes beganne. Sir, said he, my friend and Rival hath truely related to you most part of our loves, he was the cause of my affection, and my love-tye continues as firme to him as ever; 'tis true I fel in love after him, and by his bringing me, but 'twas his fault, for he told me his blessing with such feeling as me thought he took paines to teach me to seek the like, and how nearer could I come to the likenes, then to the same, like might faile therefore because my friend should see no error in my choice, or carriage of my love, but to appeare as cleare unto his eies of judgement as before when he made me his friend, I chose as he did lov'd as he did, and with her consent & his, enjoyed as he did, the wonder of this businesse consisting in this, but herein is no strangenes as I conjecture, for we were so directly one in friendship, as we were but one, and therefore though she had us both, she had but one, so excellent a woman lover she also is, as she can bring her eyes, and heart to looke on both as one, and one as both. I was against this I confesse in other times, but now thinke no such love as when we may discourse of it, and in our discourse know how she beha ves her selfe, and so be able to discover which she most affects, and so strive to gaine the others part: but she most loving, most discreet, judicially carried her hand evenly, when he kissed one, I had the other, shee sate betweene us still, and ever gave us even and indifferent graces, but now being cloyde I thinke with this blessing we must divide, and she take one which she cannot doe, therefore Sir, you must decide the question, shee sayes she will take either with equall love, we will with equall content take or misse. She then was to say something for her selfe, who thus did speake. My Lord said she, you heare by these two the story related of my love. I cannot but confesse it is true, onely I beseech you not to thinke any lightnesse was more in these affections then in the indifference of my choice, I loved this faire man I confesse first, I had not then seene the other, but when I perceived his lovelines, beauty me thought was more ordinary, and therefore I prized him dearer, but when the faire youth came againe, brownnes appeared nothing so pleasing, both together mee thought they were both fit to be beloved, and the ther both, because different complexions would hold one still to love one of them; when affection to sweetnesse and delicatenesse possessed me I looked on him, when love to fairnes, and whitenes claymed place, I turned to the other, thus mee thinkes I loved equally, and so it was but one love being still to one end, content and to be contented with those had made themsel ves one in all things, even love to me. It is most true, I am now brought to choose one, for my father will have me marry, I cannot find in my heart to refuse either, or have power to choose whether, I hope this freedome which hath continued with us will not be a cause now to make mee lesse esteemed, my love is the same it was, and therefore Sir, which you will allot me to I must take. The first then spake againe, doe not (great Judge) I beseech you favour me, although I first did tell my tale, and first did love, to wrong my friend, hee more deserves her then my selfe, and him she chose, I did choose her, therefore bestowe her Sir on him. No said the other, I lov'd her for your sake, and love to you made my affection grow to her; therefore Sir, as hee first did love, and chose for loves sake onely of her selfe, be not so cruell to bestow her from him, he most, and best deserves her, let him have her. This while she cast her eyes between them as they spake so amorously, as it seem'd she cryd within her selfe, sweet Judge, adjudge mee both; hee sate a while still, at last, he brought forth this judgement. Both loving, both beloved, treason it were to part such blessednes, nor am I able to cut so evenly by a threed, as to goe just in the middle way between these affections: to give her to either, I can hardly doe it, since they beg for either; You faire indifferent creatures, are not it seemes to bee displeased, nor will I offend either, therefore this shall be my judgement. Take the Garland, and you who hold it now, tye her scarfe over her eyes, then both shall come at once to you, and to which you give the Garland hee shall bee your husband, blinde Love made this equality, blinde fortune is onely fit to decide it. She tooke the Garland, when the other two both at once kneeld to the Judge, and at once spake these words all one, and so justly deliver'd, as shewed their hearts one, beseeching him, that since the Garland did so well in her hand, she might keepe it still, and crowne her selfe as Lady of the oddest passion, they would as before passionatly loving, equally leave her, and now faire Mayde said they, to avoid your trouble in choyce, or after choosing, we will both leave you; seeke and take a third, and crowne him with a single love if you can. Ollorandus liked the oddnes of this best of all, she blush'd and faine would have spoken, but they went away, and left her like all-changing women to glory in her owne folly, or to cover her selfe with her owne shame, yet shee tooke a changers boldnesse on her. My Lord, said she, I humbly thanke you for your judgement, and your noble care of me, I am no more troubled with their leaving, then I should have joyed in having them; onely I am sorry that you must be a witnesse, that the fault lyes on your sexe, when you come (if ever) againe to censure Lovers, be more pittifull to us, and this is all, I liv'd before I loved them, and shall (I trust) live, and love againe without them: So they parted, Ollorandus having had sport for his paines in sitting so long, and the standers by satisfied with uncertainty, and so all parted: The King towards Prague, he met his Melysinda three daies journey neerer, having knowledge of his comming, by the messenger that brought him the newes of the Emperours death. Then they together went to that ancient brave City, thence to a place where all the Princes by a generall consent met, and chose Amphilanthus their Emperour, who by being King of the Romanes might claime it; not one voice was against him, but all like one cracke of Thunder sounded his name. Then was the Prince of Transilvania dispatched to him, who met him as is before said, and returnd with the answere, whereupon Ollorandus was his Deputy till his arrivall, which was not long after: the fine Nimph, and delicate Veralinda lived together this time, passing the heate of the day at the Fountaine, and in the shadow, the rest abroad, never weary of any time but night, which they accused of too great cruelty in holding them asunder, which faire Veralinda often would have helped in her wish, but her Father would not permit it. One day as shee was sitting alone, expecting her deare companion, the grave Shepherd, her Father, came unto her, and looking steedily on her, wept; she was amazed, and sweetest soule weept too, to see his teares; he then embracing her, my dearer heart (said he) I must leave thee, and this makes my teares. Alas Sir (said shee) let mee never see that day, or heare those bitter words againe. It is most true, said he, I am commanded and I must obey, the God that gave mee thee, appointeth this, grieve not for this, it will (I hope) bee for eternall joy to you. I am warned in my sleepe to send you hence unto an Island, where you shall be blessed with happiest successe, goe then and take this Cabinet with you, but open not the Boxe untill the adventure you shall see be ended, then open it, and remember me. She was amazd but he did comfort her. How shall I goe, said shee, alone unguided? Will you cast me out? Have I deserved so ill, thus to be throwne away? O Father, keepe me with you, or else let me stay but by you, that I may but see your face, and therein shall I be most blessed. Alas sweet, and deare Veralinda, I must not agree to thy demand, but yet beleeve me, you will not repent, alone you need not goe, you shall have servants who you will, besides, the Nimph will goe with you, she met me now, and I acquainted her, and shee is gone a litle hence, to send the Shepheard, her deare friend, to provide horses for you; now lament no more, nor grieve to see my teares which are to part with you, not that they can fortell least harme to you, but losse to me of your loved sight. Veralinda wept againe, other faire Shepherdesses came, but none of them she would so farre grace as to tell her fortune to, save onely to Melantha the same Lasse the Shepheard lov'd. Shee straight resolv'd to leave Archadia and all else, to goe with her, so this concluded, they staid in the Grove till fine Leonia, and the Shepheard came, with whom they went away, and straite to Corinth tooke their journey, there they Shipp'd, and passd unto the Rocke, where landing, she went to the Theater, and looking up she read the words, Leonia reading in her eyes, at that instant the Gate opened, but with such Musicke as amazed them all, as wel those at the entring, as the troopes within, all they at that time falling into a sweet slumber with the delicacie of the charming Musicke. Leonia went in with her, and passed along viewing each one, and knowing most, pittying some, and grieving for their Fates, not knowing what should come when Apollo appear'd, commanding Veralinda to touch them with a rod he threw her down; she did so when they all awaked, and held each one his lover by the hand, then stood they up, and as amazed gazed on the Shepherdesse, and Nimph. Amphilanthus at his waking tooke Musalinas hand, but quickly let it goe againe. Pamphilia rose, and Leandrus from her feete, but touched her not, though gazed on her face, Musalina did the like on Amphilanthus. When this was done, and all the couples stood round as the roome was, suddenly the Chaires were vanished, and a Pillar of Gold stood in their stead, on which hung a Booke, every one there strove to take that down, but none could gaine it; Pamphilia and Urania came, they both resolved to try, but the first place was given by their consents unto Urania, who tooke it downe, wherewith the inchantment partly ended as the Musique and charme, but the house remayning and the Pillar of Gold, as memory of the bravest inchantment that inclosed the number of the worthiest the world did ever know. The Booke Amphilanthus tooke and tryed to open, but though Urania had got it, she must have Veralindas help to open it, which being lent her she got, the house then vanished, & they found in the Booke the whole story of Urania, and how that after shee was stollen by the Duke as before was confessed by himselfe, and then from him by robbers. This wise man who had made this inchantment preserved her, tooke her from those robbers, left the purse and mantle with her to be the meanes for those that took her up to cherish her, & then being Lord of this Island, framed this inchantment, whither he knew she should come and give part of the conclusion to it, & so appeare fit to deserve his care, which she might thanke him for; the next story was of Veralinda, which was this. The King of Frigia had many children by his first wife, then married he againe, and by his second onely had one daughter, whose nativity being cast, it was found shee should rule a great people, and weare a Crowne; this made doubt that she should governe over that Kingdome, that bred jealousie, & jealousie hate, so as her brothers when she suck'd, laid a plot to destroy her, & brib'd a servant of theirs to kil the Infant. He undertook it, but was prevented likewise by the same divine power Urania was protected by, for he that should have murther'd her, onely tooke her from her Nurse, whom he had enticed forth into a wood to walke, there he left her bound & muffl'd that she could not speake, and so fled with the Babe unto the Sea shipping himselfe, and with the reward he had for the supposed act, he desyring to have it before hand, that he neede not tarry after the execution, hee got into Morea, and so into Arcadia, warned in a dreame to doe so; for the Kings Shepheard hee inquired, and to him gave the childe, which hee (having no childe) willingly tooke, all things agreeing so well, as plainely shewed the divine providence ordained it. Hee bred her up untill that time that hee was also in his sleepe appointed to send her thence to the Island, the Lord of this Island a learned man knewe all this, and made the delicate adventure for her discovery, and the tryall of love. When this was discovered, all they that before envied, and almost hated her, who appearing meane, had the power they wanted, came and saluted her; the Nimph knowing her to bee a Princesse likewise came, and with a pretty blush discovered himselfe, shewing that hee was ashamed of his habite, and yet that habite became that blush. Amphilanthus was glad to heare that his brother hadde shewed his valour upon so cruell a Beast, and in the defences of so excellent a creature, but could have chid him els for disguising himselfe, had not Love, and as hee saw Destiny appointed it so; but Leonius in his mans habits, againe came with more feare to Veralinda then before, to whom he spake in this manner. Fairest Princesse, I hope your estate will not make you forget the estate you lived in love, I am the Knight you loved as a Knight, I am the man, who for feare you lov'd me not, to move your love made my selfe a woman, and the same man that loves if you cheerish, else dies if you forsake. I am (my Lord) said shee, the woman that loves you as much, or more, if possible, then I did, having so many more bonds to tye me unto it; my life I owe you, I will pay it you, by spending it in being yours, and now I know my selfe to be a Princesse, the freelyer will I say this, being the fitter for you; then opened she the Cabinet wherein she found a writing in the Shepherds hand, made betweene him and the other who should have kild her, therein had she conditioned, that he should bring her up most carefully, call her Veralinda , not to discover this secret to her, but when shee was to leave the place, not to suffer her to marry any but a Prince. These conditions he kept, and so gave her the Cabinet, the Nimph he knew made to confesse himselfe to him, out of care of her, and then he consented to the journey, thus was she preserved and in her true love had a faire dwelling. Pamphilia was glad of her being her neighbour by Pamphilia, and glader her Cousen should have such a fortune, for now they knew her to bee heire, for her brothers having envy more abounding then good nature, fell out, first with their mother in law, then with one another, lastly with their Father, tooke armes against him, imprisoned him, then in two battailes one against another, some taking part with the Father, they were all kill'd, the old man outliving them, and shame him, grieving that he was their Father, though their faults were nothing a kinne to him, for he was vertuous. The Lord of the Island, a grave old man, came to the royall company, to every one he gave his blessing at their parting, and to Pamphilia, he promised to assist her when she should have most need, so they parted, shee thinking she had already neede enough of him, but most of anothers ayde. All returned to Corinth where triumphs were made for their comming, Amphilanthus presently after taking his journey towards Italy, and so to Germany, accompanied with all the men Princes, the Ladies appointed to stay there with the King of Morea till their returne, when as all the lovers should be made happy with their long desired loves in marriage, for the Parents and friends of all were agreed, onely Pamphilia was unpromised, for she was her owne, but as she had unfortunately given her selfe. They being all departed, the Queene of Naples, & her Cousen the Pamphilian Queene walked abroad, she sad, her noble friend comforting her, not being able on such a sudden to mistrust the cause of her griefe which she onely attributed to parting, and so wholly touch'd on that string she was loth to satisfie her, because her spirit disdained to say she was lost, but most because she could not say so, but the saying blemished his worth; this made her more carefull then any other respect. Much the excellent Queene admired at her sadnes, and uncertaine answeres, oft she was about to urge her, but againe she let it passe, purposing by circumstance rather then plaine dealing to worke it out of her, or by some other to gaine the knowledge, which at last by the Queene of Bulgaria who but newly was come amongst them, and onely had hard of Pamphilia, but never seene her till the conclusion of the Charmes, speaking of many things came out with Amphilanthus his especiall respect to Musalina. This judiciall Queene had enough then, and too much, having a wound, for shee loved Pamphilia, who, poore Lady went up and downe like the shadow of her selfe; into saddest walkes which were there shee often went, and with her owne thoughts discoursed, What have I done, said she, that makes me thus unfortunate? Dearer then my selfe to me deale yet but thus kindly, or if it be too much for me, all kindnesse being bereft me, doe justly, and therin like your selfe, and let me know my fault. Alas, is it I, by you once made blessed, was not, or am not fit to enjoy it? if so, slake, but not deprive me (wretched me) quite of your favour, and in so curst a sort as gives folkes leave to say, I am abandoned, and shun'd. I have beene more esteemed. Cruell remembrance will you also add to my misery: flye me, or if you stay, serve then to vexe me while I accuse onely you; then shee cast some Verses Sonnet-waies in her thoughts, which were these. Cruell Remembrance alas now be still, Put me not on the Racke to torture me: I doe confesse my greatest misery Lives in your plenty, my last harme your skill. Poyson, and Venome onely once doe kill, While you perpetually new mischiefes see, To vexe my soule with endlesse memory, Leaving no thought that may increase my ill. Els have you neede to tell me I was blest, Rich in the treasure of content, and love, When I like him, or her had sweetest rest But passd like daies, you stay and vexings prove. Chang'd from all favours you add unto despaire Who under these waights grone, most wretched are. Most wretched indeed, cry'd she, and such an one am I; cruellest (yet worthy still for all your scorne) What have I deserved to be thus tormented, and forsaken? Tell me, and use mee crueller if that may be, so you then make an ende, and againe receive me into favour: my soule vowes I am ignorant of any offence willingly committed: did my slight going to the Sea offend you? Alas, I went but with others, and drawne against my will, my heart still remaining cleare: no, it was not that, but thither I was carried to be absent for wicked change to worke in that time in your heart, and so to ruine mee. Urania then came to her when shee seemed to cease her complaints, but shee found her sorrowes, and strove to adv ise her. She still put it off, and would not (unto her) confes, but dissembled; Urania would many times give occasion, as then she did, to discover her melancholy. I would (said Pamphilia) we were gone from hence I hate this Corinth, and long to see Arcadia againe. Soone said Urania, you will be there as I heare; but will your sadnesse end then? No, said shee, I should hate my selfe as ill as I doe this place, if I should doe so, change cannot nor must not aspire to worke such effect in mee. Change (said Urania) deserves no honour; but discretion may make you discerne when you should bee constant, and when discreete, and thus you doe not change but continue, judiciall as alwayes you have beene. Were you so discreet, said Pamphilia? when time was, as I remember, you were forced to bee wash'd before you could manifest your judgement in leaving: but (sweet Urania) doe not you prove an enemy to mee, though mine owne eyes and heart have turn'd to my destruction, bee still a noble friend, and make proofe of it by pittying, not by striving to make mee more unhappy, which I shall bee, if I let in that worthlesse humour change, which I can never doe till I can change my selfe, and have new creation and another soule; for this is true and loyall. Urania did grant her request in her heart before shee asked it; for shee did, and had pittyed her ever since shee saw her misfortune grow upon her, but feare lest it would too deepely root in her, made her (though against her owne minde) advise, for that thing her excellent selfe ever hated, love made this in her to strive to preferre a servant she would not entertaine; but severall bodies must have severall cures, yet this is no cure; for Pamphilia will not change. As they were thus discoursing, came Musalina and the selfe-loving Queene. Urania was glad, because shee hoped company would assist her desire in her Cousens good; but shee was deceiv'd, for Pamphilia was in company, and alone much one, shee could bee in greatest assemblies as private with her owne thoughts, as if in her Cabinet, and there have as much discourse with her imagination and cruell memory, as if in the presence. Musalina with great respect and shew of love, did put her selfe often into her company; shee, after her sad fashion, did entertaine her, few wordes serv'd her turne, and yet because shee would not bee thought too covetous, shee gave them store of sighes to counterpoise the want of speech. The Queene of Bulgaria one day would needs tell Musalina, Pamphilia of so much an admired Lady, was the dullest shee ever saw. Musalina desired her for her owne sake to speake that but to her, for (said she) the world will doubt much of that judgement, that taxeth her for dulnesse; so she againe urg'd discourse to the sad Lady, shee answer'd short but smartly enough: at last Musalina ask'd her what was become of the Rhodian Lady? return'd, said shee, with sorrow and sufficient shame, if there can bee sufficient for such a fault. Then did Musalina desire to know the story, which so daintily and sharply Pamphilia related to her, as in it she made her see, she understood love in all fortunes perfectly; this discourse might have made the Queene see her error, but shee never went so farre as to weigh the excellency of the discourse, but heeded only the tale fitter for her capacity. Then came Meriana, who but newly acquainted with Pamphilia, yet had given so full a love to her, as if growing many yeares, and with her best lovers pittied her: with her Pamphilia often discours'd, and with a younger and halfe Sister of hers, who was a Lady of that sweetnesse and delicacie, as she was indeed the most delicatest of that time for admirable beauty, having a minde answerable for excellency to that body, which was without compare for exquisite perfection. They two were the onely Ladies (except Urania) that she would keepe company withall; for these were so discreet, and free from the vanities of other women, as were onely fit to accompany so much worth in sadnesse. Musalina would come in for one; but Pamphilia would seeke them if absent. One night after supper, Meriana and Pamphilia went from the company by themselves into the Garden, the Moone shin'd, and the evening was sweet and pleasing, both were (if pleasure could be to either one of them, troubled with absence, the other with losse) pleased with that time, and walke, Meriana intreated Pamphilia to favour her so much as to say some verses to her; for, said shee, I heare deare Sister, you are excellent in Poetry: I have written something, said Pamphilia; but so sad they are, as onely fit me to heare, and keepe: Not so deare Pamphilia, said she; for, beleeve it your Sister hath no joyfull heart, what face soever I show, therefore saddest verses will please me best: you shall have such said shee, but I seldome make any but Sonnets, and they are not so sweet in rehearsing as others that come more roundly off; but if you will heare some, I that can denye you nothing, will say one to you which I made not long since, and so is the freshest in my minde. Unquiet griefe, search further in my heart, If place bee found which thou hast not possest; Or so much space can build hopes smallest rest: Take it, 'tis thine, mine is the lodge of smart. Dispaire, dispaire hath us'd the skilfulst art, To ruine hope, and murther easefull rest: O me, dispaire, my Vine of hope hath prest, Ravish'd the grapes, the leaves left for my part. Yet Ruler griefe, nor thou Despaire deny, This last request proclaimes 'twas not suspect Graffed this bud of sorrow in my brest: But knowledge dayly doth my losse descry. Cold love's now match'd with care, change with respect, When true flames livd, these false fires were supprest. Meriana lik'd them extreamly well commending them above measure, and earnestly desiring the Copy, the other promised her it and many more; so they walkd on a while, when the delicate Ladyes Perselina and Philistella came unto them, and telling them it grew late, they went in for that night, the two Sisters together, and Pamphilia with her Sister to her lodging, where likewise they parted, Philistella to rest, but the distempered Pamphilia to her nightly complaints, to teares, sobbes and groanes, and this was her quiet: Seldome would these brave Ladies let her bee alone in the day time, and Veralinda would bee much with her, all indeed seeking her contentment, but she must not have it; the Queene of Naples as earnestly as any, or above any wishing it. Dancings and all Court sports were daily in action among them, while she sate with much adoe beholding them, but her selfe none of the number, shee that before was excelling in her apparrell more delicate then any, and none comming neere her for daintinesse in that kinde, now wore only black, and in wearing that as carelesse, as before extreame curious, her hayre that was before, but with greatest care dressed, shee onely kept cleane, and neglectively wore it, no jewels came about her; so as she was a mourner in stead of the most sumptuous habits shee was wont to honour the Court withall: with her trusty servant the Duke of Pergamus she did only converse, for the men kinde, and would sometimes let him see her weepe, who did heartily pitty her and best might; for hee had seene her bless'd, and knowne the time shee was as much happy as now distressed. When she did sigh and grieve, he would also mourne; never (would he say) could I have imagined to see this change, had beauty wonne him, worth inv ited him, beyond either in you, more tollerable had this beene; but pray thee torment me not, cryed she, with this; she is (I confesse) as worthy as any, and deserves as much as woman can doe to be belov'd, and so much, as were I a man, I should love her; no fault is in the choyce, but in his unkindnes to me, unkindnes, which is the only murderer of my blisse; had he done any thing but so unkindly leave me, I had been satisfied; had he by degrees given me my death, more easily I had gain'd it; or, had he plainly told me his determination to love no longer, it had more justly come; but suddenly and undeservedly to cast me off; in stead of love, to give me frownes; for smiles, scornes; for respect, contempt; and all unlook'd for, or, unmistrusted; it wounds my very soule. I innocently like my love went towards him, smil'd with the same true joy I alwayes felt in his sight; hee held his countenance grave, and saluted me like a Queene, but not as a friend or lover: this was strange, as I at first thought, it strooke me to the heart, yet would I not see it, but spake as I was used, telling him I hoped that poore Pamphilia should be honour'd with his presence once againe. He soberly, I am loth to say, curstly, replyed, it was too late, my soule shook with those words, and too soone did they shew my misery. Who did, or could ever thinke to see him thus cruell? what did he seeme to delight in more then me, or in comparison of me? did he take comfort in any thing else? this is the crueller to me now he is changed, & like given to the heart, strikes sure for curing; yet is this, though most true, vanity in me to remember I have done. Thus shee would complaine, but only to him who knew the continuance of her love, and had seene her once to be coverd; but like flames, the more pressed to rise the higher, and now blowne elsewhere by a wavering winde. The Ladies had every day letters from the travelling Court, Pamphilia had some from her brothers and Cousen Leonius, but else shee heard no newes. Amphilanthus had forgot to write; but she at last gain'd one letter from him, by one from her which was respective, and yet sad; his answer was short, but complementall; this, said she, was not wont to be his stile, but I must be content: nothing did she see or heare, but still of his glory and his love. This was once, said shee, belonging unto me, but I was not worthy of them, sure else he had not alter'd. Meriana likewise to make her discourse, & passe away the time, would often tell her stories she had knowne of his affection. Alas, would she say, would some good body would tell her he was once, and but lately as kindly mine; for it grieves me more to heare her speak of it (since each word wounds my soule) then if all should only talke of it, because I know she loves me, & unwillingly will hurt me: she is deceiv'd and betrai'd in this course, she would not be a meanes to cut my life-strings with this cruelty; some noble body tell her how hee lov'd me, how I still love him, and then she will no more molest me, nor abase our loves. Sweet Meriana, those dayes now are pass'd of my best delights, be not you an increaser of my woe, but curst remembrance, for no new act of his in this change presents it selfe, but gives a deaths blow to our ancient loves. I could almost be brought to tell it her my selfe, and would, were it not to discover his forgetfulnes and cruelty; but rather then my lips shall give the least way to discover any fault in him, I wil conceale all though they breake my heart; and if I only could be saved by accusing him, I sooner would be secret and so dye: no, my love will not let me use thee ill; then be it as it is, Ile live forsaken and forlorne, yet silently I will indure this wrong, nor once blame him to any others eare, for deare (alas) he is to me, deare to my eyes, deare to my thoughts, and dearest to my heart; since he will ravish that poore part of all the joy and sweet content it ever had, converting it to bitter lasting paine. Cruelly she thus remain'd perplex'd, and cloathd in the wofull'st robe of griefe: what a miserable spectacle was this, to see her, once the comfort of the Court, the starre that guided all the sweet delights, now the poore testimony of another creature, griefe having so decayed her, as she seem'd scarce so like her selfe as an ill picture to the life, her chamber & her thoughts were only bound to her, or rather she to them, and thus did she remaine the sad example of forsaken love. The other Ladies loving in mirth and happinesse, wanton with it like Kids in the Sunne, for blessing shin'd on them, and that, this afflicted Lady did (she said) once know. The Emperour and all his Kings and Princes held their way for Italy; at last ariving at Rome, where the Pope sent the whole Clergy, and Nobility to meete him without the Towne, and with great pompe and joy conducted him to the chiefe Church to give thanks, & then unto the Castle. Triumphs began that night, and the next day continued, and many dayes, to expresse the content of the Emperours arrivall; but by his command, all dangerous sports of the field were forbidden, because he would have no bloud mixed with his entering. Just they did, but their speares had burs at the points for feare of piercing: after Supper they had Barriers, and all imitation of that brave warre they had lately bravely beene in, and the Concluders of it. To Naples he went to see his owne Country and People, where hee was affectionately and sumptuously entertain'd, surpassing all other places in magnificence, as in affection to their owne Prince: thence hee went to most parts of Italy that were in his way, or not much out of it, till he came to the neerest part of Germany, and so passd without any adventure, carying the keyes as one may say, of all those places to open his passage which way hee pleas'd, never so pleasant a journey, all hearts contented, leaving discontent as an unprofitable thing at home; Buda, Prague, Vienna, all places he saw that were of worth, & traveld over the most part of Germany to see the strengths, & sometime for pleasure visited others. At Franckford he was crown'd with the greatest applause & content that ever Emperor was, & with the best reason, for he was the most worthy, and famous that ever reign'd over them; but to all this joy, a little sorrow, would needs come in, for Leandrus after the Coronation, whether with heate, or over-exercising himselfe at these triumphs, striving to excell all in shew of love, fell sicke of a Plurisie, a disease little known then, which not being seene time enough, or then taken, he died thereof, before his death writing a letter to Pamphilia, and inclosing an infinite rich Ring within it, which he besought her, although he believed, shee cared not for it; yet to keepe in memory of him, who most affectionately and loyally loved her; so as though her love should not suffer in his death, but as he loved her, yet she might, when she looked on that, say, the Master of this loved me. These he gave in charge to Leonius to send her, which hee did, comming to her one morning, after she had endured a sad and unquiet night; for she having got away from the company, shut her doore, pretending to sleepe; but poore Lady little rest did shee enjoy, carrying the enemy within her selfe, that held her eyes unclosed: her heart oppressed, and befriended her in nothing, except furnishing her with teares, and new cause still to shed them. O Pamphilia (cride she) was thy creation for thy ruine? was thy birth given thee, to have a life wholly in affliction? were all contrarieties to pleasure joyned together for thee to possesse, and vertues given thee to be undone by? else why was this rare excellent qualitie of constancy alotted thee? was judgement given me, to make the worthiest choice, wholly to discerne; I chose well, but to bee rewarded with that leane benefit, and losse to bee my gaine. Did I reject the firme, and spotles love of that excellent Prince Steriamus , the humble suites of all the greatest subjects, and neighbour Princes, slighted the earnestnesse of the noble Prince Leandrus, refused all, and made myselfe a Vassell in affection to him, that weighes neither mee, nor these expressions of love? I have done all this, and I yet have not done enough; for, O how worthy is he? though unkind to mee, you might yet most cruell man have shewed more gratefulnesse, and I had been contented, no colour you have to excuse that with all, for you knew my love, you seemed to cherish it, all eyes saw it too, for my face shewed it, I strove for nothing more then meanes to declare it, mine eyes did looke but for meanes, to shew how they and I were won by you, my lipps have parted from themselves to let my tongue make true confession of that you then seemd with expressefull joy, and content to entertaine. Where is that love now gone? where is that content you embraced, departed, and with that instant forgotten? the Heav ens will yet for me witnes my unchanged heart, and unstained affection: the aire hath been, and is so fild with my complaints and protestations, as I wonder it doth not like Ordinance rattle in your eares: the Sunne hath blushed for you, the Moone been pale, and wan, nay hid her face from my teares which I have shed for your inconstancy. All things heavenly and earthly pitie me, except your selfe, from whom onely good by pitie may arise. Why did I open my heart alone to your love, shutting it to all other motions to be thus carelessely throwne off? but I am well enough requited, since had I fortunatly held these passions in me, the fiercenes of them might by this have rid me of these during torments, & have left this poore body a loyall sacrifice to love, & the love of the most ungrateful. Ungrateful, why do I cal him so? pard on me dearest, though despising deere, I wrong you more in this title, which is the worst that can be given to man, then you have injur'd me though with unmerited deceit; it was a certaine and too great confidence, joyned with assurance, of what I most desired, that betrayed mee, and my joyes with it, else I might sooner have seene, if not maskt with innocent belief, and abusd with trust, or am I punished for aspiring to the joy, soules on earth can best, and chiefliest covet, as blest with injoying, in having your fixed love. Oh confidence, I feare tis you that I must curse, you are the honest, though unfortunat chanced-ill that have untied my hope. Was it good nature made him so refraine my sight and presence, nay, unlesse by force my words, and that because you cannot love still, nor wil say so in charitie, you will avoide all, if so be yet more mercifull, and multiply your pitie with this free increase, kil me at once for all; torture me not with sorrowes, I will truly and religiously confesse, I am not worthy of you; but it is not my fault, I wish I were so fit, as you might ever love, and such an one as all the world might thinke fit for you, then I know you would be just: nor wish I this for any benefit, but for your love; for else in the comparison of other gaine unto my selfe, or any other then your loved selfe, I rather would wish to be a Black-moore, or any thing more dreadfull, then allure affection to me, if not from you; thus would I be to merit your loved favour, the other to shew my selfe purer, then either purest White or Black: but faith will not prevaile, I am forsaken and despised, why dye I not? it is not fit, no, tis not fit, I still must live, and feele more cause of woe, or better to say, to see my cause of woe. Cruell forsaker, looke but once on mee, or rather on my love, there you shall find if unremoveable affection, and zealous truth can seeme deserts, I will, and doe deserve you in them better then any, and more then any, if not, my selfe againe shall doe; my ceaselesse plaints may some way claime reward, my nights spent wholly in salt floods of teares, eyes turned to swelling Rivers, may lament that they and I should thus regardlesse passe: some other motives, which your selfe best knowes, might tie you in a bond more kind and gratefull: but these I urge not, be your owne best selfe, and as once you were, then will you still be free from cruelty, if not accused by Justice selfe, and then too large a punishment will second the offence. Offence, alas I cannot call it one, for I am yours, and may not you dispose of yours, as best doth like your selfe? Yet is there meanes to helpe, if you please to assist, if not condemned, I will remaine, till I may have my end, which most I wish, and speedily I trust to gaine, then if your once most vallued, vertuous gratefulnesse be sent, twill be too late, only this good I may receive, or my cold ashes for mee, that when my death shall come unto your eares, your matchlesse heart may be content to let a sad thought hold you for a while, and if so, too too much for mee, who still do wish your blessednesse. In this manner unluckie Princesse, shee passed that night, till day appeared; Ay mee sad night, said shee, have you now left mee too? shall light afresh perplex mee? my waylings fitter were to bide in you, afflictions sounded best in you, darke, blacke and terrible, as you were; is my state, uncomfortable, and affrighted howers, suted better with my woes, my fortune like your face, my hopes blacker then your saddest Mantle, whose dulnesse changeth them into despaire, yet liked I you farre better, then this flattering approaching day: you truely shewed my selfe unto my selfe, you were mine eyes to make mee see my selfe, and how farre distant I remaind from comfort in my want. Then turned she in her bed, and put her sad afflicted face into the pillow to hide day from her, which she needed not, her eyes labouring so fast to deliver themselves of her teares, as their shewers were sufficient clouds, to dim all sight with them. As she thus lay, her Maide that waited next unto her, came in, but not daring (though so bold as to come into the chamber, being more then without extraordinary businesse she durst doe) to speake to her, a little opened the curtaine, and laid a letter by her, shee started at it, and asked from whom it came: from the Prince Leonius, said she. With that she instantly went out againe. Pamphilia opened it, and finding another within, her heart rise a little in deluding hope; but by the little day that was (her bed standing to the window) she saw quickly what it was. And is it come to this (said she) most true Leandrus? I could (me thinks) for thy sake blame my selfe, for being cruell to thee; yet maist thou rather thanke me, who would not dissemble with thee, not having any love for thee, that I would not deceive thee. This token of thy earnest faith and love Ile keep for thee, and weare it for thee, nor ever part with it, untill I die, and then bequeath it to that Person I shall most affect, and make my choicest friend, these teares I shed for thee, and pay them as the offerings to thy death. O love, O crueltie; see how you governe mee. Then came the King and Queene, and all the brave Ladies, some to comfort, some to advise, some and many to gaze; most verily believing, her sadnesse before had been for absence, now expressed for his death, but that death-sorrowing-cause was before happened, that molested her, yet she took this upon her, though in respect of his faith to her, shee was sorry to set a colour of deceit upon any thing that concerned him, but this businesse never concerned her self, and yet her noble gratefulnesse chid her for it. She wept, they comforted, they counselled, shee lay silent, and grieved beyond their helpe; her parents most lovingly and kindly advised, she shewed both humilitie in the suffering, and humble thankefulnesse for their cares; yet did modestly, and respectively let them see, twas lonelines she desired, which they granted her. No sooner were they out of the doore, but they were called againe by a shrike her woman gave, for she with violence of passion held in before them, having no vent, would burst, overcame her: they strove to recover her; Father, Mother, Friend, Sisters, Urania, al did their best, at last they brought her out of her swound, when she sighed, groaned, and cri'd, O cruell; then againe fainted, and thus did shee thrice; but at last comming to her selfe, shee was saying more; but her senses comming apace to her, she found it unfit, and too many Counsellors by; wherefore she againe desired to be alone, and that was all she required of them, which for her satisfaction was allowed her, and being alone she thus began, or rather continued her complaints which could have no new beginning never having end. What have I done but sorrow? nay, what shall I ever else doe? salves I can have none to ease me, nor so much as give me shew of it. O Urania, how maist thou in thy heart chide the murderer of thy affectionate, but miserable Cosin? Parselius how wilt thou deny acquaintance, and friendship with so wavering a creature? did not he say, and write he loved me? did not his still winning eyes assure me, and his sweete charming speech confirme me in this beleife? I am not then deceived; deceived, O yes, but not in judgment, but by faulshood. O faulshood, what pitty is it that thou shouldest invest thy selfe in so sweete, and delicate attyre? once I remember I told him of his change when he left Antissia, he denyed it not, but excused it with having chosen better, and so to chuse was no fault, but it seemes the best is not found, unhappy I, must behold these dayes, and be left, who most unchangeably love him. Then came Urania againe unto her, whose hand Pamphilia tooke, and wringing it, wept, and sighed, having scarce breath left her to breath her sighs with; Urania seeing her passion, and the assurance of her end if thus she continued, whom as her selfe she loved, like such a friend, and a discreet, Counsellor joyned in commission with her friendship, she thus spake. My deerest Cousen said shee, let neither my presence (having put my selfe contrary to your seeming desires of lonelynes into your company) nor my speech wholy proceeding from affection be displeasing to you: Stoppe these teares which else will find no stay but in your end, give not occasion for love to see so much his victory, and to tryumph over your brave, and matchlesse spirit, or for Man to glory, that our weaknes meeting their faulshood can submit so low as to their tyranny. Where is that judgment, and discreet govern'd spirit, for which this and all other places that have beene happy with the knowledge of your name, hath made you famous? will you now fall under the low groanes of the meanest esteemed passion? Where is that resolution, which full of brave knowledge, despised the greatest Princes when they wore loves livery; must this sinke, while his tossing follies swimme? shall your excellent vertues bee drowned in the Sea of weaknesse? call your powers together, you that have been admired for a Masculine spirit, will you descend below the poorest Femenine in love? If he be dead you loved, love his memory discreetly: how would he grieve, if he could into that joyfull place where he is, see you torment your selfe; nay, sorrow infinitely to see such inability in her, whom he had chosen to rule himselfe and his? if your people knew this, how can they hope of your government, that can no better governe one poore passion? how can you command others, that cannot master your selfe; or make laws, that cannot counsel, or soveraignise over a poore thought? yet it may be you are not in some kind faulty altogether in this, since it may bee a living love perplexeth you, if so, it is worse, for will you lie here wasting your dayes and hopeful time in this tormenting fashion, keeping that secret, which told, it may be would helpe you? let passion since possessing you, breathe it selfe forth; and though you will not demand helpe; yet if the blessing of your affection were knowne to him, who it may be, lives ignorant of the happinesse, all content without question would be offered you: speak then, and as to your selfe if you will not trust mee, and I will but by chance over-heare you, I am sure you cannot affect impossibilities. If hee be false, will you vex your selfe, when you may rather bee glad you discover it before too far misfortune assayled you, as longer ingagement would produce? if cruell, were it not better he matched else-where, then that you had fallen into that unhappinesse? if unconstant (which is a thing familiar with men) take a good heart, and hate that humour by your owne worthy constancy, and seeke to preserve your excellent beauty, and let not so uncertaine a qualitie hurt you: beautie is besides a vertue counted among men of that excellent worth, as it wil draw their hearts as Adamants doe Iron: yet in this the comparison is not so proper, their hearts too tender to resist an easier invitement, but I say beauty will sooner compasse ones desires in love, then any other vertue, since that is the attractive power, though worth is often made the glosse of their change, which they are in many places forced to take such paines to find, & found is scarce enough to be called so, not being more then just will serve turne to be termed worth, not worth the travell of seeking, yet if some, better then no shadow for their fault. Preserve your health, then that must continue your beauty, let not the world blame you with just cause, you have grieved enough for men everlastingly to curse themselves, that one of their kind should give occasion of sorrow to the most deserving woman; all is yet well, you may with care, recover what is something touched, and in time see his repentance which you may pity, or bee more wise, and respect in stead of loving him, who how worthy in all else, deserves not one of these teares, if false to you, let him goe and rejoyce, you see his imperfections before you were tyed to them, yet bee sure you mistake him not, or unmeritingly condemne him, for then the falshood will be laid to your charge, and his clearenes will make you more blame worthy. This I advise as my selfe would be advised if in such extremity, and this I say to you my dearest Cosin, and would say, though I knew it were mine owne brother had caused this mischiefe. Your brother (said Pamphilia) if faulty, might yet challenge more care from you, and testimonie of love, who ought as a sister rather to hide, or cover his imperfections. So I would to any, but to you (said Urania) who suffer I perceive so extreamely for him. Pardon me, said she, I accuse him not, farre is it from my heart to blame him, which causelesly I should doe. You therefore conclude too briefly on my words, but for me my onely friend and dearest Cosin, this world hath no helpe left for mee in store, but a speedy end, which all that love me, with me should soone wish it to me; yet I must say some thing in loves defence, whom you so much condemne that I have read in all stories, and at all times, that the wisest, bravest, and most excellent men have been lovers, and are subject to this passion. I grant you that (said Urania) but have you not withall found by just observation, that it was a blemish to their other excelling vertues? Why sweet Urania (said she) what hath love done to you, to make you thus bitter against him? do you not happily enjoy what you desire? are you ambitious to any thing within his authority, which hee brings not to your wishes end, yet you revile and despise him, who but plaid with you in hurts, and cloyes you with his favours, while I tormented with his fury, prove not ungrateful. I am not ungrateful, said Urania, but fortunate, I am not his slave. I love Love, as he should be loved, & so deare Lady do you, and then you will plainly see, he is not such a Deity, as your Idolatry makes him, but a good child well use flattred, an insolent thing comming over our harts, as children over the poore birds they catch before they can flie, thinking they master them, when indeede it is their want of wings makes their bondage; and so deare Cosin it is our want of courage and judgement makes us his slaves: take heart to your noble, and knowing selfe, and let him bee as he is now a proud, then puling Babe. Alasse my friend said she, how sorry am I your excellent counsell is bestowed on one so little deserving it, as not being able to right it by following it, which I am not able to doe, but some answere I must make to you, I am so wholy his as it is past mistaking, the wound being given mee deepely by his unkindnes which martyrs mee, not that I am forsaken doe I lament, but my true loyall forlorne heart within me, bewailes the misfortune it undergoes, by being displaced from that most loved, being which was in his breast, once cherisht, or flattered there; now to returne to this miserable prison my body, which is nothing but dispaire. Thus you see it is truth, and such truth as only shall have end by my miserable dayes conclusion. To leave him for being false, would shew my love was not for his sake, but mine owne, that because he loved me, I therefore loved him, but when hee leaves I can doe so to. O no deere Cousen I loved him for himselfe, and would have loved him had hee not loved mee, and will love though he dispise me; this is true love, and if not this the contrary, should I rejoyce for misse of any ill might from trusting, or being true to his amisse, in such bond had my blessing beene, and my curse the fayling of them, or had they hapned. Pamphilia must be of a new composition before she can let such thoughts fall into her constant breast, which is a Sanctuary of zealous affection, and so well hath love instructed me, as I can never leave my master nor his precepts, but still maintaine a vertuous constancy. Tis pittie said Urania, that ever that fruitlesse thing Constancy was taught you as a vertue, since for vertues sake you will love it, as having true possession of your soule, but understand, this vertue hath limits to hold it in, being a vertue, but thus that it is a vice in them that breake it, but those with whom it is broken, are by the breach free to leave or choose againe where more staidnes may be found; besides tis a dangerous thing to hold that opinion, which in time will prove flat heresie. Rise now deere Cousine, and if not to receive, yet to give comfort to the King and Queene who are afflicted excessi vely with your sorrow; dissemble not with me, for you may see by my discourse I know the roote of your distemper, yet this satisfaction I will give your mind, that so secret I will be in my knowledge, as I will not speake of it to your selfe if not to serve you with all, yet I will ever accuse, and blame unworthy inconstancy. To fulfill your desire, and obay your counsell as much as I can, I will rise, answered Pamphilia, but only to content my Parents, and please you, else little joy or pleasure can I take in this world, but when you have me with you, you must permit me to complaine unto my selfe, I will never trouble any eares but those of mine owne soule with my sorrowes, otherwise should I deale unkindly with mine owne heart, come abroad and doe what you will said Urania, nor will I hinder, or seeke to alter you from griefe so it be moderated with judgment, expressing in some sorrowing your matchles goodnes, and noble disposition. Thus did the divine Urania againe by her excellent wit conquer, having brought Perissus from a desolate and sad life to a fortunate, and now Pamphilia to let the Court bee happy with seeing her though in sadnes, yet a joy to all harts. The Emperour being at Prage, Leonius desired leave to returne to Corinth, and thence to carry his beautyfull, and beloved Veralinda to her father, not doubting but to gaine his consent for their hoped-for marriage, and so to bring her bake into Morea against the other marriages, where his might make up one of the blessed number. His request was granted, and so he tooke leave, desiring to travell alone, trusting to doe something fit for his birth and bloud, to make his meeting more welcome to his friends. He parted as hee desired, onely one Squire attending him, hee pass'd the rest of Germany without adventure, those parts so wrapt in joy, and content, as an adventure durst not appeare, for feare of beating; but in Bulgaria he had one sufficient to answer, for all the rest of his quiet passage. Riding through a great Forrest, for many daies he met no man, or creature, but heard wild beasts roare, and make hideous noyses; his Squire and he pass'd on, he thinking of his Love, the other how to avoid the danger of that place if suddenly surprised by those fierce inhabitants. As thus they travelled, a Gentlewoman came riding very fast towards them, her countenance shewed distresse, her apparell good, and comely, but her face sad, and perplexed, shewing frightfulnesse so perfectly, as shee was (one might say truely) disturb'd, or a very exact dissembler. When she came nere Leonius, she cast her eyes upon him, O cry'd shee, that courtesie were lodging equall to beauty in this Knight; hee hearing her, Faire Gentlewoman, said hee, what reason have I given you to doubt my desire to serve you, should not answer any outward person? Truely Sir, said shee, my owne misfortune makes me doubt, which hath beene such hitherunto, as never any could so justly say, lived forlorne of happinesse, and this makes me suspitious of any, but misery. Alas said he, how can it be, that you should bee made faire, to fall into so foule mischance? I am (said shee) the most afflicted living, and will let you see it, although you assist me not, for you shall heare my story, and if that may moove, I may be bless'd; but first, I beseech you tell mee your name. I am call'd (said hee) Leonius, Sonne to the King of Naples, and brother said she, I hope to the famous Emperour. Yes indeed (said he) it is my happines to have that honour. You are most happy in that, said she, and now have I a little share, me thinkes, of content, that I have mine eyes bless'd with the sight of his brother, who wants no harts, but tongues sufficient to set out his praise, having all that are created already to the full that blessing can enjoy. My fortune Sir (said shee) is this, I had a Father, and he many children, but in the number had, as Merchants have among their wares, some good, some bad, mixed as the mothers were of disposition, which being many had severall heires: for foure wives he had, my mother the last, by whom he had my selfe, and one brother, who lives and is all (if any) comfort I have; this youth and I bredd together increased affection and love most betweene us, so as we loved more then any other two: the elder scorning us, what for our young yeares, and so want of discretion fit to accompany them, or for being but halfe in bloud, had but halfe affection shewed towards us. I know not the truth, but sure I am, I feele the hurt and want. At last my father died, leaving us to the eldest sonne, who used us well and kindly, but hee died soone after, leaving the second to succeed him; which he did for the estate, but not for goodnesse, hee being as unkind and curst, as the other was affable and lov ing; he kept us, tis true, but how? only from starving; for plenty wee were scanted both of meanes and content, while frowardnes and ill natures was in aboundance. Then did this brother marry, and wed more ill humours, for she was richer in ill nature, then he that was like a sacke of woole, stuffed with wickednes. A third, and then second Brother lived, whose ill out-sprung (though an after plant) the elder; hee went so far as hee left no ill unpractised, not so much as that he ventur'd not once to attempt the staine of my chastity, and his shame in me. This indeede made my hate uncurable, and like a fire hapned, where Oyle, pitch, rosin, flax, and all such cumbustable matters are together, can be quenched with nothing till the ruine shewes the tryumph: so my wrong can be heal'd by nothing but the deadliest rev eng. This I was not able to obtaine my selfe, but I was forced to demand helpe, and acquaint my deere brother withall, who twise met him in the feild, but both brought home hurt alike, and like resembling death, none knowing the quarrell but my selfe, or had all beene assured of it, none like me could have grieved; now perceiving that thus no end would be of the injury, we alone but for our selves travelled from that place to a Castle not far hence, the desertnes of it, and this place only furnished with wild beasts, making it abandoned of them, and most that love pleasure. We were suffered to be quiet heere, whether out of love to themselves, or hate to us, hoping to heare daily of our ruine, but contrary to their wish we have continued heere three yeares unhurt, yet not unharmd, because I have beene the cause of hurt too many brave Gentleman like your selfe who have honour'd me, and truth with adventuring cheering yet have perished, my brothers being infinite strong, and lucky in their adventures. This I confesse hath so much perplexed me, as I have almost resolved never to entreat any more to favour me rather then that they should dye to revenge me so worthles a creature; yet Sir you are of so brave a Stocke, and brother to so happy a King, as I may me thinkes hope on you, yet as you are bound most for these, besides the hopes your owne person may give, I will not urge you least I should be so luckles as to procure least harme to you, for Sir there is no pitty, nor good to be expected from them if you fall into their hands, wherfore I will sooner, & more willingly consent to remaine thus wronged, dishonor'd, & overthrowne, then seeke to be ayded by your harme; Leonius the more cunningly, and finely she insinuated by intreating, and denying, won more on him, so as he told her if it pleased her to put that confidence in him, he would lay that life at her feete, and the feete of Justice which she seemed so much to respect, and that he would encounter her brother to right her honour touched by him. She humbly thanked him, and so led him towards a Castle standing in the middest of the wood, where he was received with much respect by him who was her Lord, and brother to her as she said; into the Castle they went, the gate shut againe, and a Mote being about the Castle, a Bridg was drawne up, Leonius liked it not extreamely well, yet she telling him twas for their safety, he pass'd on satisfied with her answere; the Lord with al respect, & kindnes in a friends part acted, welcom'd him: at supper delicate, and fine fare was set before him, no truth in affection, nor exact counterfetting could better be acted; sad Leonius was, whether foretelling his danger, or the hideous noyses and roaring of the Beasts, made as melancholly a passion on his minde, as their voyces were to the eares of the hearers. After supper he walked up and downe, seeming just the picture of his brave brother, who seldome was other then a noble retired spirit to it selfe, demanded. To his chamber he then was carried by the Lord and Lady, there found he a brave roome furnished with stuffe, and Plate fit for a Prince his lodging, he weary, and willing to see the time when he might againe be blessed with Veralindas sight, he went to bed, folding his armes, wishing his Mistrisse instead of her imagined selfe, had been betweene them; he sighed, and turned as if from vaine hopes, and put himselfe within the clothes to cover his folly, as impossible wishes ever are. Long he had not rested, when from that he was cald, as a little being too much for him, many men came in, the first carrying Candles, the rest a Banket; he sat up in his bed admiring the maner, when the Lady came to him, & drank to him, willing him to be merry, and (said she) rejoyce, for now you are fallen into the hands, with that making a signe, & his eies being fixt on her, besides a little heavy, so quickly discernd not the treason, as otherwise he had; cords were throwne over his armes, and he made prisoner. Vilanous treason, cryd he, of any, and most destable of any other, what is the cause, what is the meaning of this? I am indeed falne, but how? by treachery and falshood in a faire Counterfetter, but foulest in the being false. She laughed to see him tide, and told him, she never saw chaines better become a Knights armes, then his, especially they ought to sit best on the Emperours brother next himselfe, whom she wished in his place, though he were on that condition free. He said no more, but was tormented inwardly as much, as so noble a spirit could be, but he with all careful and desirous to free himself, if he could catch opportunity. They careles desird him to rise and go with them, heedles of his watch, which they repented; for he rising, found the chaines so loose, as he slipt out of them, and getting his sword which lay ever with him drawne, such a busines he made among them, as many were hurt, and some kild, the Lady he kickt over, & with al contempt told her, that he would die like a Prince, hating her abominable trechery, & scorning more her falshood, then plot. Some of the servants ran to their Lord, to let him know the accident, and to know what should bee done; hee in his Gowne and only his shirt under it, his sword in his hand following the serv ants, who when they came to the chamber, let him (as being their Master) have the place to enter, they indeede not daring to venture againe into the roome. He went in, finding Leonius then upon one of his men, and him he best loved, ready to strike off his head; Hold your hand, said he, brave Prince, and end your quarrell on me more meriting the blow. All of you, said he, equally merit punishment for disloialty, but you indeed most, being the greatest, and therfore most unfit to be ill, but ill beeing most punish-worthy, still holding his sword over the man. What may I do (said the Lord) to satisfie you? To give me liberty (said Leonius) although it be my due, being brought hither to serve your faithlesse Sister: I will not bee so poore to aske; yet if I must make my choice, I will be content with this, let us two as we are in our shirts fight for liberty or imprisonment, if you overcome, I will remaine willingly your gaine, if I vanquish, let me have liberty to depart, and on these conditions I will save the life of this creature. I am content, said the Lord. With that he threw his Gowne off. Nay stay (said the favourd man), my safty shal not prove harme any more to him that gives me life, call your sonne, and your other servants, conjure him and them to performe this condition; well was this liked, and so performed. Then did Leonius, and the Castle Lord fight so daintily and valiantly, as nev er was any combat like it, naked men bravely performing, what discourses or Romancies strive with excellentest witty descriptions, to expresse in Knights armed, curious in their arming, and carefull. Here is no defence but vallour, and good fortune; armour, but delicate shirts, and more delicate skinnes; sheilds, but noble breasts of steele sufficient, being strong in worth yet the noblest must overcome, so did Leonius, who having kild the Lord, hav ing himselfe received some wounds, but none very dangerous, stood still looking on the young Lord, who with teares beheld his father dead, and casting his eyes like a noble Gentleman on Leonius, Sir (said he) you have now the conquest, and shall have the conditions kept with you, which were made by my father. In weeping he cald for a Chirurgion, who dressed his wounds, seeking first for helpe for his father, but there was no hope; he nobly deliv erd the Armes againe belonging to Leonius, to him: when he had received them, and saw all things justly performed, which was by the mankind promised, he desired one thing more of the Gentleman, whose harme brought him good, which was, to know the truth of the busines. My Lord (said he) the truth is this, there is nothing true which she related unto you but faigned, a divers others have been to worke her end: She is not sister, nor any thing that good is to my dead Lord, but a creature kept by him, this my young Lord being sonne by his vertuous and worthy wife, whose heart was broken by his immoderate affection to this woman; she hated all worth, and now surely was cloyd with him, striving by all meanes to put him into dangerous adv entures, not caring what shee did, so she had her pleasure. No weeke had passed, that she hath not had one, or two of such like businesses, faigning falshoods, and discourses as she found their Persons shee met withall, especially hating the Emperour for his, and your fathers sake, who gave offence to her, by having in his youth a while liked her mother, and for necessity of the place surely more then affection having enjoyed, after left her. This (as leaving is a hatefull thing to women upon what termes soever) and she doubting her end would grow unto it, vowed all hurt to your illustrious family, and to the end she laid this trap for you. Leonius took his leave of the young Lord, who brought him out of the Castle to see him safe, permitting his Chirurgion to goe with him, turning the vild creature out of his gates alone, and unprovided of any thing but her wickednesse, wherewith she was plentifully furnished, and all that with her selfe enjoyed by the wild beasts. Noble was this act, for a brave enemy gaines equall fame by nobly using his enemy as by cherishing his friend. Leonius tooke his journey, and way still, as he pretended to his Mistrisse; he passed Bulgaria, hating it for this mischiefe, and without any save neate adventure, which was this, gaind right against Corinth. A passionate man walked up and downe the Sands, being upon the Strand of the Gulfe of Lepanto, somtimes viewing Heaven, craving aide from thence, then the earth blaming her cruelty; alas, cryd he pitiles Heaven that could view, and permit such extremity, to suffer so chastly loyall a Love to end in so sad a sort. Who could (but you) have beheld her dying, and not succour her? With that the Prince went to him, desiring to heare the whole discourse, who having urgd, the passionate Man spake thus. I am not tied (said he) to make the relation; but I must know one thing before I speake, which is, whether you bee a lover or not, if you bee, I shall the more willingly speake, because you will understand mee, else I shall bee loth to bestow much passionate breath so much in vaine, to one that will no more esteeme of it, then of an old tale. The Prince gave him full satisfaction of his being a lover, when the Man said thus. This unfortunate piece of mankind you see here, is called Cilandrus. I am of Corinth borne, and bred a Merchant; a Knight in that City had a daughter cald Lendrina, of admirable beauty, and such as by the just admiring it brought many, and most to be her servants, all gazing on her, as on a Meteor, she knew her perfections, otherwise she had not deserved them; but being too exact in knowledge was proud of their rarenesse, and so farre as she thought them not fit to be bestowed on any, none being worthy of them. Men of all sorts sued unto her, she had answers of all kinds answerable to their estates to bestow on them; but the Prince he saw her, and liked her, she thought he must not for her owne honour being an assured credit, as shee esteemed it, or bee sought by him, who shee falsely imagined might command all, entertained him, but how? not fondly, nor so kindly, but as she used him respectively, yet she made him sue, and labour for his ends. She would meete him at places appointed, but as if she were without him to have gone to them, & by chance met him. Out of the Towne she would goe to a house of her fathers, thither would he goe to visit her, and to see how the aire (the pretended cause of her going) agreed with her. She accepted of his visits, and tooke them as graces to her, and would favour him so farre, as to come to the Towne with him, so as he attended her to her house, for she loved the noise of love, as wel as love it selfe, thinking it a brave thing to heare it said, the Prince visits Lendrina, the Prince seekes, and sues to her, the Prince is in love with Lendrina. This folly puft her up, so as she in time grew like a Rose over-blowne, loosing her more in youth exquisite beauty, yet her mind was as full of ambition, and pride. I yet reverenced her, for surely she was honest, folly and vanity rather working, then want of vertue, though stoor'd with those vices. A Nobleman also of that Towne fell enamoured of her, although he would not have had it, said so, because a brave, but unfortunate Lady lov'd him to that height of expression, and length of time, as gratefulnesse boldly challenged love, but that she scarce had being forced to be contented with a few good words seldome visits, and cold promises, she poore Lady loving so fervently, as if nothing else did moove. That made Lendrina proud to have his love from her, but when her beauty began to fade, the Prince his affection grew like a coole evening after a hot day, yet still showing love; this discoverd, how did shee jumble up her wits, and not only hers, but also the best braines of her friends, or helps in her affections busines? What poasting was there up an downe? what consultations, plots for meetings, but with whom? with the other Lord, and he (brave Gentleman abused by their crafts) made believe her affection was such to him, as for him she would leave the Prince, and in comparison of her love to him, hated all else. Hee began to believe it, and some reason hee had, because shee made her high mind stoope to come to places where shee might encounter him; his true lover heard of it, and so farre it wrought in her kind heart, as she fell sicke almost to death: but something he did comfort her, although so faint his words were, and weake his protestations, as but that she willing to cosen her selfe with good opinion of him, shee might have thought them dissemblings, which for the good I beare her, and deserved honour she meriteth, God grant she find not so, and this should all Lovers wish, for when she dyes, love will never find so certaine an habitation, and that want he will shortly have, for the noble Lady cannot long sustaine with this induring, and this grieves me, for I honour, and love her most of any woman, except her for whom these my sorrows are; deep, and remedilesse are the wounds unkindnesse brings in love, grievous the cruelty ungratitude brings forth, but these are as usuall now among us, as faire seasons in Sommer: He came one day into a roome where she remained, and woare a colour which she had procured him once for her sake (hating it) to leave, and never more to weare, she looked on it as he doth on the Axe, whose head is to be taken off with it: her heart smarted, and shee was perplexed, yet durst she not find falt, but sadly told him, she had not seene him weare that colour in many yeares before. No quoth he, nor now but a little, it is in great request (said she) at this time; is it, said he? Why, who doth love it? She feared to tell him whom she doubted, and was well assured affected it, but put it off, and laid it on another. Alas, poore and pure love, what governours hast thou, and fond commanders, that thou canst not bee just unto thy selfe for feare of overseers? and yet what overseers feare you? but those that oversee their true respect, and makes you blind to truth? I saw her another time (for being a lover like her, I loved solitarinesse) alone laid by a River side the most pleasant place that my eyes ever saw, and fittest for passion to gaine libertie in, having all such delicasies in sight, and varietie, as these her speeches will let you understand to be sweet, but silent hearers of her paines. O Heavens, Earth, Plaines, Mountaines, Hills, Forrests, Rivers, Springs, Caves, Feilds, Hearbs, Vines, Woods, Groves, Flowers, Masse, Rocks, Trees, witnesse my faith and love, and say for me that you grew not, spring not, runne not, flow not, sencibly increase, nourish, graze, prosper, and inrich but these, and they oft told have bin in me, and my estate; I have been happy like your best rich yeere, I have despaird, and do like dearth I have flowed, and swom in pleasure, I am dried in sorrow and despaire, I have bin all, and now am nothing but a poore sad thing to say I was; force me not deare remembrance to these harmes, if you helpe not I shall waste enough, and doe. These tooke I to my selfe, and paraleld my fortunes with her woes: but what availd? shee cryd, and grieved remedilesly, so do I too. My thinks, said Leonius, you rather, or as willingly set forth her sorrowes, as your owne, the strangenesse of her worthines in truth makes me to speake so much of hers, mine being but as shadowes to them, though true substances of miseries, and the more perfect in being like hers, who is the perfectest lover, she I say (said he) who never yet saw storme to stirre her thoughts, though Shipwrackt in his scorne; no wind blew her to change, nor change had gliding neare her, much lesse stay, but to my paines, Sir this it is. The Lady beloved and sought, had a Gentlewoman attending on her, who had, and hath full rule of mee, shee faire and delicate, knew shee might bee, or ought to bee beloved, looked like a Princesse secure in her estate, where all hearts were hers, so shee smiled on mee, as on a subject, I tooke it more kindlie, and so wrapped my selfe willingly into the Snare; for when I came to her, and out of hope imboldned craved her favor, she told me she was not Marchandise, nor to bee gaind that way, but her love was free, and freely should be given. I quaked at that instant like a child before the rod; but after I tooke courage, and againe persued, but yet prevailed not, for her affections were placed on a Gentleman Steward of the house, a fine man, and such an one as meriteth the title, delicate in his apparell, Courtly in his discourse, and as a young man passionate in shew, and curious in his behaviour like a Courtier, these prev ailed with her; his perfumes ascended above my desearts, his neatnes beyond my estate, and his fairenes exceeded my merits, but I envy not his fortune, nor did I hate any thing but my misfortune, nor have I reason, for hee enjoyed her not so much as to marriage, which would he had though I had ever lost, and gaind but only sight of her, deerer to me then millions of inj oyings of Kingdomes were they offer'd me, while I must still want her, who being too too rich a prize for man, or Earth, is calld away, and only Heaven fit for her, she doth injoy that place, Hells tormenting furyes lying still in me, shee's dead, deere love and perfect beauty ending with her. But by your fav our said Leonius, I should lesse lament her losse since she was an others, then had shee beene mine owne in part, what is an others treasure to mee? but more, what is the griefe to see that which my selfe most loveth and coveteth, to be possest by an other? the possession would so much afflict me, as the second losse would never trouble me. You assuredly Sir (said he) are no lover, if one, but a faint one, and such an affecter as gaine is your love, nor can losse trouble you, for you being a selfe lover, love but for your owne ends, if they be denyed the love removes to an other place, as we of our profession, if our Trade faile in one Country, we transport, and transplant to an other; but love can have no such liberty, removes are not suffered there, one place containes the scope of one mans love, and my hart is the staple of fruitlesse Constancy. Thus he lamented, telling Leonius that that place pleased him best, because he could from thence view Corinth, or part of that where his affection lived in life, and death. The Prince then tooke his leave of him, and taking Shipping arrived on the other side, and shortly at the Court, which was held at Corinth; great content was shewed generally in all mens eyes, and their hearts did answere it, the Ladyes were glad because they all love'd him as a brave young Prince, and received from him the assurance of their servants well-fare, but long he stayed not, carrying Veralinda his deerest selfe to her father into Frigia; this gave fit opportunity to Pamphilia to desire leave also to visit her Country, which with much importunity was granted her, but first she resolved to goe into Arcadia to find Silviana, drinke the water with her, and then visite Pamphilia. These delicate, and matchles Ladyes tooke their way leaving the Court like the Skye when the Starrs only shine, and the nights fairest light appeareth not: in this voyage they shall be left, being time for Bellamiras journy to be spoken off. After she had provided her selfe of all necessaries fit for her, she travelled towars Saint Maura, arriving there within short time being neither hindred by wind nor adv enture; her Father shee found, and her finding him gave such joy to the aged Lord, as he thought all those passed yeares renued againe in youth in him. Quickly she got him thence leaving that place only possess'd with the richnesse of well wishes, both of his and all that know it, especially those who had received the excellent benefit of forgetfulnes in it. At their returne into Dalmatia, the King hearing of his arrivall sent unto him, intreating his presence, which he obayed, his Daughter going with him, and both recei ving all honour from his Majestie; hee looking on her, as one would doe on a faire field after the Corne is reaped, so was the harvest of his affection to her passed. There she met a Gentleman in good place then under the King, who had formerly served and beene Gentleman of the horse to her yet loved love; this Gentleman out of old acquaintance and beloved familiarity, brake somewhat boldly with her concerning her affection, the continuance of it, and lastly whether she would bee so kind as to accept of his love againe if he offered it, assuring her that hee was in far better estate for his affections returning to her, then she seemed to credit. Much shee marv elled at this discourse, and his new boldnes, who had never before adventured to speake of it in all his time of happines; feare shee might have done but that she weighed his honesty, never in any thing touched, being al waies held, and found a sinceere man, and just; yet so finely she carried her selfe as she found by him he had commission to say what hee did, yet not to let it be knowne, she would not be too busie, but answered them as she thought fittest, concluding upon much urging, that no earthly blessing could bee such to her as his love, and the returne of it. He only smild, and bid her take heed she was not the losse of it. She was so wary, and her former beloved, and loving Lord so passionate, as quickly they were as once they were, no injuries pass'd remembred, no recounting of pass'd unkindnesses, but as if only absence had held them assunder, so meeting made their loves as at the beginning, happines above it selfe, and this shee felt, going soone after to her owne house, whither her father went, and her love, with many others, no joy nor content like theirs. Her Father was called againe to serve the King, and made Marshall of Dalmatia, thus Dettareus is againe a Knight, and Bellamira once more contented, which she shall continue, but Dettareus must be yet punnished for his former fault and offence. Pamphilia being in Arcadia went to seeke her friend and companion as she call'd her in her sorrowes, but as she pass'd along those pleasant plaines, remembring that she had seen them in her flourishing time of fortune, and when she was richer in blessings then they in plenty, fuller of happines then they of sweetnes, more joyfull, and hopefull then they delightfull or greene, O Playnes cry'd shee, how doth constancy protect, and gard you in delicasie? how doe miseries change, and wither me? deere Arcadia I love you yet because my constancy suits with yours, pitty me then that pines in that vertue, and if ever I see you decaying I will waile with you. Alasse, heere have I breath'd my blessings among you, now must I reveale my losses, yet continue as you were, and I shall thinke misfortune only reser ved for mee as best, or fittest to deserve mischeife; yet deere, I love thee still, though faine would blame (as justly) thy unkindnes, but love forbids me, & I must for truths sake in love suffer all without condemning; cruell yet I may call thee, and thou hast no cause to blame mee for that, for thine owne soule tels thee I speake truth, mend then or kindly with more violence end me. The grove she then arrived at, where sitting downe hard by, where first she met Silviana, here said she once lived a poore true forsaken lover to, her I come to finde, and with her conclude my dayes, then behoulding those places, and her thoughts more perfectly setting them selves before her eyes, which as the streme she made her glasse, she with many sorrowfull sighs, and deepe groanes uttered this Sonnet. Losse my molester at last patient be, And satisfied with thy curst selfe, or move Thy mournefull force thus oft on perjurd love, To wast a life which lives by mischeifes fee. Who will behould true misery, view me, And find what wit hath fain'd, I fully prove; A heaven-like blessing chang'd throwne, from above, Into Dispaire, whose worst ill I doe see. Had I not happy beene, I had not knowne So great a losse, a King depos'd, feeles most The torment of a Throne-like-want, when lost, And up must looke to what late was his owne. Lucifer downe cast, his losse doth grieve, My Paradice of joy gone, doe I live? Yes I doe live, cry'd she, but to what end? only to mourne, lament, and moane a state all pitty wants, since musing in that place from whence it claymed is by due. Would I could not accuse thee, yet my love is such, as I would rather blame my selfe then thee, deere, this I must not doe, for then my merrit so small could not aske reward, I still am just, and purely love thee. O wert thou but unstaind for thine owne worths sake, my soule doth wish it thee, 'though thou were cruell still. Among the trees and bushes then she walked plucking of flowers which adorned their roots, and then as a little higher thoughts did rise, she saw inscriptions in the barke, and under them left some of hers, to witnesse her distresse, where she found the letters intwined of Alatina, and her love, she under them set hers, and her deere love: thus spent she some howers till a pleasant tune, and joyfull voyces called her a little from her sadnesse; going to the edge of the Grove, shee perceived a great troupe of Shepherds of all ages, the young men with flowers on their heads, the old with Ivy, then came a dainty creature shee might thinke to be Silviana, but loathe she was to imagine, she, or any worthy woman would change, nor indeed was willing to thinke her the same, but some other delicate Lasse, but at last she was forced to confesse it was Alarina, and so she thought Silvianas vow was still unviolated. This woman came crowned with Roses, led between two fine Shepherd youths, after her followed all the Shepherdesses apparelld neatly, & finely after their custome. She admired them, and gazed like men on a miracle, yet resolv'd not to stir, nor discover her selfe, commanding only one of her trusty servants, to watch what the conclusion would be, who brought her word that they were all entred the Temple, and that it was for the solemnizing of Alarinas wedding. Alasse said she, can there not live two canstant women all at one time? yet Pamphilia be thou still just, and though but thy selfe, and so alone to suffer glory in such martyrdome. Home shee then went, thinking Alarina no companion for her, when she was in her Chamber looking out of her window upon the Gardens she had used to breath her passions of joy, as often as of paine in, alasse cry'd she, why doe all my old friends as it were turne the hand of my wretched Dyall, to make me see my unfortunate houres by? I will said she, leave these enemy-turnd-friends, and goe into my owne Country, where at least I may finde new, and unknowne places, though perhaps no more easefull, yet before I goe, I will see Alarina, and so what change that change hath wrought in her. Then gave she order to the officers to provide for her journey to Pamphilia, and commanded the same serv ant of hers, to find out Alarina, and desire her to attend her in the Garden walks. This was performed, & the sweet Shepheardesse attended the Queen, who taxing her for her lightnesse in change, thus answered her. Brave Queen said she, I confesse this most true that you have said, if onely truth in steadfastnes lived heere, but if you will vouchsafe me the hearing, you shall see I am not faulty, though the appearance to your judging eyes may judge me so; had I broke my vow, and my vow to truth in leaving Diana, and loving a new love, I had unpardonably err'd, but Madam I am free from touch of fault in this, and only Fortune is guilty of all. I was beloved, and lov'd againe devoutly, I was forsaken, and for it grieved unmeasurably; I changed my state in dispaire, tis true, heere was I faulty to change at all, but you imagine my fault is this alteration, no Madam, this is no changing, but a happy returne to my first blessed estate, for had I taken a new love, I could not have beene pardoned any more then for refusing my old one when he offered his affection againe: thus am I free, and once more fortunate, for now I have my love tyed by his owne, and marriage vowes, never such content as requitall of love brings forth, but yet returning love exceeds it, and so you will say when you shall find this happinesse, of which I make no question. Would your promises would prove true said Pamphilia, though I then were taxed as I did you with change, but I expect it not, yet sweete Alarina, how did hee prevaile against your resolution? By strong force of love said shee, for Madam, let us flatter our selves never so much with thought of power, to resist, and set determinations to refuse while wee are alone, or absent from the sight of him, whose charms bewitcheth us, his sight againe gives life to our first passions, and turnes the strength of our imaginations to powerful servants of his will; as the strength of ones body in a hot disease works against it self: thus experience, the truth of knowledge teacheth us. I once thought what a foole am I to seeke, where I am rejected, to sue where I am scornd, and petition where I am disdaind; shall I sink to this basenes? shal I forget my own merits, and beg of an ungrateful creature, who triumphs in my wrongs? no, I wil let him see, scorne can have children as truly borne as love, & those are bred in me. I wil make him see my sencible disliks, and his false eies by my despising them, shall find his error in my truth, and resolutenesse. These brave conceits I liked, and meant to practise: but when I saw him, O me, I was like a thiefe caught in the act, I hung downe my head, asham'd of mine owne thoughts; I hated my selfe, and pleaded guilty, ready standing to be condemn'd, as I was in his opinion: wee are fine creatures alone in our owne imaginations; but otherwise poore miserable captives to love. Flatter not your selfe deere Princesse, for believe it, the greater your minde is, and the braver your spirit, the more, and stronger are your passions, the violence of which though diversly cast, and determined, will turne still to the government of love; and the truer your subects are to you, the firmer will your loyalty be to him. I grant all this, said Pamphilia, but these things concerne not me further then the gladnesse I have for your good; since I protest truely that no scorne, nor any cruell course whatsoever he can use, or hath used, though to the extremity of ill, could, or shall alter my heart from being his, or from fulnesse of content with all true and affectionate acceptance of his love, if hee would blesse me againe with it. But I cannot hope, my despaire out-weighs all such thoughts, and makes me dryer in losse then blasts doe trees, though they kill them. Alarina strove to comfort her, assuring her that she could not have more cause to sorrow & lament then she had had, nor be further from hope or colour of it then she once was; yet said she, now I have pass'd all those sad misadventures, and am arriv'd at the happy harbour of enjoying. Long may you so be blessed, said Pamphilia, and soone may like blessings befall you said Alarina: from this they grew to discourse of Poetry, the Shepheardesse saying merry songs of her making, since the turne of fortune, the Queenes continued in the same straines they were of lamentation. Some dayes were thus passed, till her journey call'd her thence, when taking leave of Alarina, the Queene went towards the Shipping all the next Port, and soone after arriv'd in Pamphilia, where no sooner the newes of her arrival was spread; but the people from all parts came to see her, and joy in her presence, while she joyed in nothing, nor communed with any but her owne sad selfe, which she cal'd her losse, and passions for it: the saddest places were the most pleasing to her, the solitariest Caves or Rockes her chiefe abiding places, yet she lost not her selfe; for her government continued just and brave, like that Lady she was, wherein she shewed her heart was not to be stirr'd, though her private fortunes shooke round about her. Leonius this while with his faire Veralinda travel'd towards Phrygia; where being arriv'd, they sent unto the King as strangers, to beseech liberty to see him, and to present some things that they knew would be most acceptable to him. He was an excellent wise Prince, and as any, courteous: wherefore he soone consented, and they apparel'd her after the manner of Italy as his Country, and she according to the Greeke fashion for Shepheardesses as hav ing had her breeding there, and from those habits would not be altered, till she was received as a Princesse. They enter'd the Hall where the King was, being a brave old man, holding as majesticke a countenance as his state requir'd: Leonius beheld him curiously, then made this speech unto him, holding his eyes fix'd on him, & the Lady of his soule by the hand. Great K. of Phrigia , whose renown hath spread it selfe unto all eares, give your servant leave to say this unto you. I am a stranger borne farre hence, son unto the King of Naples, and brother to Amphilanthus, Emperour of the Romanes, of whom after I had received Knighthood, I gained leave to goe abroad to try my fortune. Into Morea I went to visit the King thereof, who for my honour, I have the grace to be his neere Cousin, but in Arcadia, it was my happines (as I hope) to meete this Shepheardesse whose true and loyall serv ant I vowed to be, for her sake I chang'd my habits, and from a Knight became a Nimph, with her I conceald, liv'd, she nor any other mistrusting me for other then my outward shew gave them cause to thinke me to bee. Still my affection increased, and the daily conversation made this beautifull creature affect my company, at last she was by the Kings Shepheard, (whom she had till then taken for her father) sent thence, my selfe discovered to him only went with her into an Iland in the Gulfe of Venice wherein were inchanted the greatest, bravest, valiantest men, and the excellentest Ladies of the whole world, by this divine creature they were released, & the charmes finished. At the conclusion of them, a book of gold upon a Pillar of the same appear'd, which being taken down & read, therin was found the whole story of this rare Shepheardesse, which brought her to the knowledge that shee is your daughter, & I am hither come as hers, & your humblest servant to conduct her to your presence. The King rose and with moderate joy kiss'd them both, joyfull of the newes; yet having had so much misfortune, could not but doubt the truth of what was so much desird. She then on her knees deli ver'd the Booke unto him, wherein he found what Leonius had related to be true: the Prince deliver'd likewise unto him letters from his brother the Emperour, to desire the marriage. The grave old King heartily rejoyced at this blessing, but bore it, as he had done his afflictions, with equall temper; then tooke he Leonius by the one hand, and his daughter by the other, calling his Lords round about him, to whom hee delivered these glad newes, withall, the Emperours desire, concluding, that his consent was gained, and therefore demanded their allowance to the marriage. They consented, and ratified it with full joy and contentment; then joyn'd he their hands in that assembly, contracting them, and promising himselfe to accompany them back to Morea, where they should be married as Amphilanthus had intreated, for the honour of the other great Kings and Princesses. Robes of state were soone brought to Veralinda, in which she appear'd like Venus when she won the Apple from the other two Goddesses. Triumphs were presently made, and she proclaim'd heire apparant to the Crowne. Thus was Leonius and Veralinda made happy with that they most on earth required. A brave Fleete of Ships were straight prepared for their Voyage; feasts continuing till that time in all the Kingdome, joy now like the Summer flourishing bravely among them. Amphilanthus having bin long enough in Germany, & so lawful an occasion offer'd him for his return into Morea, established Ollorandus, whom he made his Deputy with the Princesse to governe in his absence, which hee promised should bee but short, and his returne speedy, his way he tooke of purpose through Dalmatia, to see the King and the Lady had been offer'd him for wife, being after many adventures arrived, there hee was entertain'd like himselfe, which is expression enough for the rarest entertainments. Dauncing there was among the Ladies, one appearing as much excelling, as she deserv'd admiration for her beauty and that quality. All the Kings and Princes beheld her with one favourable opinion; but Amphilanthus did enquire who she was, and how bestow'd in marriage. He was informd that she was Daughter to the Master of the horse, married to a great man, but wedded in affection to a young noble-man in the Court, who also had a brother that lik'd her, they both loved her, shee us'd them both so indifferently, as they could not in two yeares tell whether she loved: The elder doubted the younger, he feard his brother, both were affraid to offend her, and so remain'd unsatisfied: till at last whether more boldnes, or truer, and cleerer affection grew in the elder, having beene beloved, and likewise loving one another, though desiring this Lady out of a covetous humour of enjoying all that worthy was in love, he found it was himselfe shee affected: he embraced it, she then liberally declared her selfe, and so they were both happy. The younger from the first doubting could not be more then formerly, since now he saw but what hee fear'd, and by this might the better avoid a further danger, which he did choosing an other leaving this couple most contented in themselves, though discontented with many others; for his other Mistris grew spitefull, his wife froward, and suspitious, her husband jealous and troublesome; yet what were all these? only meanes to make them love the better, & their loves to be the more pleasing, like stoln fruit, which is alwayes sweetest. In this estate they then were, but the question may be asked, how these secrets were knowne? it may be easily answer'd, and not unjustly said, that surely it came from the happy lover, who with fulnesse of joy and content could not be so neere miserablenesse, as to keepe such a treasure hid to kimselfe, and thus doe many times such discoveries come. The Emperour commended them all, and especially the Lady, whose part he was apt to take: the newes of his being there brought Dettareus to kisse his hands, and to see his fellow-Hermite Parselius, with the other two his good companions; but one of them he miss'd, for Dolorindus was gone to Antissia againe. He had not beene long there; when one day the royall assembly being in the Hall, and ready to see dauncing, there came in a grave old man of good fashion and birth, as he after proved, his beard and hayre white, his face something with sorrow and age wrincled, resembling a faire tree in frost: he kneeled unto the King beseeching justice; hee promised it, and bound it with an oath, being urg'd unto it by this Gentleman; then rising, Sir (said he) hee that hath done me injury, and the man I secke revenge of, is Dettareus, who I know will not, nor can forget the wrong he did me, which although I will not particularly name, not loving to take up the ashes of the dead, or staine a long quiet grave with guilt or infamy: I will onely touch thus farre as to remember him of the breach of hospitality, and the noblest band of friendship, in trust; this is that I call revenge for, and these I must bee satisfied in. The King call'd Dettareus forth, who covered with shamefull sorrow, appear'd like the sonne had rob'd his father of his greatest treasure holding his eyes on the ground, as justly condemn'd: The King was sorry to see him so dejected, but his word was ingaged; wherefore hee demanded of him what he would answer to this. He replied, that is life was not sufficient to satisfie so foule a fault as he confessed himselfe guilty in; yet he was to answer none for that businesse, since the wrong'd was dead. Dead indeed cryed the other to all content, and yet saw his honour dye before him, otherwise Dettareus I am the man injur'd by you, not kil'd, as you imagin'd, but recovered againe by skilfull Chirurgions from all your blowes, but one which cannot be cured, but by the balme of your heart bloud or mine: I therefore desire that you will in the presence of these brave Princes (then before whom none can have a noblier end) fight with mee and honour mee with death, which I assure you shal be as welcome to me as your overthrow; we are neither so young as to undertake a rash businesse, our age hath made us perfect and free from that, nor are we so old, that death should claime our suddaine yeeldings; let then the life and strength wee have bee spent before this royall company, and let Justice at last have sway. Dettareus casting his eyes up, beholding him, knew him and wept; yet would not deny what the other demanded; so they went forth and arm'd themselves: the King and all the Court did greatly pitty them, and especially Dettareus, who appeared already dead to their eyes, kil'd by his owne foretelling ill. In stead of dancing they went into the lists where the strangest Combat was fought that ev er in Dalmatia was seene; yet did they seeme but like brave old armes of trees, whose fruite was yet faire and good: so was their strength, and the maner of their fight so exact and perfect, as young men had more cause to admire and learne then scorne their skill or courage: but Dettareus though in sight and fight continued a good space with the better; yet a conscience he had gnawed within him, and made his outward powers like an inward taken poyson, shake and faint, so as the other got the victory and life of Dettarreus. This had been hard and much to be lamented, if Justice came not in to tell us 'twas her act, and right, which made the Court satisfied, yet did they lament and mourne for his losse, the Emperour, and the other Princes his old friends going with his body to the grave. The other with as much content as could be for such an accident, where honour was gain'd from the death of an once loved friend, return'd with liberty from the Court; but soone after in Apulia, from whence he strayed, after the certaine tidings of Dettareus living was discover'd, and never stayed any where till hee learn'd where he remain'd, hearing his religious life he would not molest him, nor call him out of charity from his Beads to the sword, but like him lived in that manner in S. Maura on a mountaine till he was advertised by the people who dwelled at the foote thereof, and whence hee fetched his food, of his going thence with his daughter, and of his taking armes againe. Then did he againe prove his imitator, and like him use steele, and so followed his tract, tracing him as men doe hares in the snow, till hee found him at the Court, the end of which journey is related, and his own end soone followed, having got enough as he thought, in having honour restored, and satisfaction to his minde. From Dalmatia Amphilanthus and his friends tooke their way towards Morea, where being happily arriv'd, they found the King and his beautifull Court at Corinth, from whence they tooke their journey to Mattinea, sending to Pamphilia to meete them; but shee humbly excused it to her father, and for the rest, they must beare with her absence. What joy Meriana, whose heart was only her husbands, felt for his comming, such another, if such there be can onely expresse? Urania, as a meere lover, Philistella, Selarina, Musalina and Lucenia, was also come from the inchantment to accompany Musalina home (who was the best knowing & practis'd servant in passions court) did make testimony of their affections, though severally, yet all amourously & contentedly to their servants, longing only now for the day of happines which soon follow'd: Leonius & his new father with the beautifull Veralinda comming soon to them. All now but Musalina & Lucenia married women must have matches by lawfull vowes; but an unfornate match held her from a more blessed one, and so she must live. Amphilanthus thought Morea was also the Empire of Germany, such a Court he found, and so brave company, as nothing was missing that might yeeld, or nurse content; but except Musalina, the Ladies had little conversation with him, sometimes his Sister who was as much, and willingly entertained by Steriamus, yet would he, and all of them, speake often of Pamphilia, most wishing her there, while she onely spent her daies in sorrows, which was the Court shee gloried in, her delights, were sadde thoughts, her companions, teares, and groanes, and these lived, and yet still decaied the unblessed Pamphilia. Haste was made of the marriages, which were performed with all joy, and content, such tryumphs being there, as never had before beene seene in Morea. Perselina carrying away the honour for the delicatest, sweetest, and bravest Lady of her time; the others, though excellent above relation, yet had their times before her, shee being but a blossome sprung late, but as rare, and exquisite as ever any had beene. The Queene of Bulgaria grew a little better, as company workes on all creatures, and makes the wildest indure mens sight, as Staggs will be tamed, and Lyons abide handling: yet her own nature remain'd with her, and that was an honour to her, for in nothing, nor for any thing one ought to leave their old familiar acquaintance, till they leave them, and yet not then neither, for worthynesse is onely ones owne, and as neerely toucheth one, as the bone doth the marrow that lyes within it: so this assures her vertue. She used all civilly, but Amphilanthus respectively, and the Prince her serv ant, who excceeded all the other of his rancke in dauncing, kindly, and generally all friendly. But now comes the time for their depart, the Queene of Naples stayed to be conducted home by her Sonne, who first with the Romanian Ladies, Lucenia having her old minde to Amphilanthus, went to Negropont to see Antisia , Steriamus, and his most deare Urania went towards Albania, Selarinus and his most beloved Philistella to Epirus, Antissius and Selarina to Constantinople , Rosindy and his chastly loving, and truely beloved Meriana, with Perselina to Macedon, Parselius with Dalinea to their new Kingdome of Achaia, which (by Leandrus his death, and after his Fathers, who with his losse ended his daies) was falne to them: Philarchos and Orilena to Mytelin, Perissus and Limena stayd with the Queene of Naples by her entrety, till shee went to her Coutrey. Polarchos was made Chamberlaine of the House to the Emperour, and so attended him, the King of Bulgaria and his great Queene also tooke for Bulgaria, the rest, every one as their occasions call'd them, so as Morea remain'd bare like a roome after a great feast, the guests being gone, looking as unfurnished, the brave rich furniture gone out of it: and thus was poore Morea. The Queenes of Naples and Cicely kept alwaies together, and never failed walking in the sweet woods, once inriched with Pamphilia, and her love; there they passed the time together, telling stories of themselves, and others, mixed many times with pretty fine fictions, both being excellently witty, and the Queene of Naples rare in Poetry, which Limena loved though she were none of the writing number her selfe. But one day they would needes have Perissus with them into the Forrest to hunt after their manner which was but in a Charriot, while sometimes with crossing they met the Deere. In this dayes sport it happened to them that they lighted on the same Grove, and place, where Pamphilia had first found Silv iana, the place invited them to stay in it, the stay procured dainty imaginations, they as delicate expressions, which made, and gave birth to these Verses framed by the most incomparable Queene, or Lady of her time, a Nightingale most sweetly singing, upon which she grounded her subject. O That I might but now as senselesse bee Of my felt paines, as is that pleasant Tree, Of the sweet musique, thou deare Byrd dost make, Who I imagine doth my woes partake. Yet contrary we doe our passions moove, Since in sweet notes thou dost thy sorrowes proove. I but in sighs, and teares, can shew I grieve, And those best spent, if worth doe them beleeve. Yet thy sweet pleasures makes me ever finde That happinesse to me, as Love is blinde, And these thy wrongs in sweetnesse to attire, Throwes downe my hopes to make my woes aspire. Besides, of me th'advantage thou hast got, Thy griefe thou utter'st, mine I utter not. Yet thus at last we may agree in one, I moure for what still is, thou, what is gone. Perissus protested that he never had heard any like them, and in so saying, he did right to them, and her who knew when she did well, and would be unwilling to lose the due unto her selfe, which he gave her, swearing he never heard any thing finelier worded, nor wittilier written on the sudden. Limena would onely desire to have them, for shee yeelded in that, as in all other things to her Lords judgement. Up and downe they walked, the Grove being so delightfull as gave content to all, and all sorts of Lovers. Going along the Spring they found many knots, & names ingraven upon the trees, which they understood not perfectly, because when they had decipher'd some of them, they then found they were names fained and so knew them not. But Perissus remembred one of the Ciphers, yet because it was Pamphilias hee would not knowe it. As they pass'd they saw a handsome, and well cloathed woman, neither walking, running, or staying, but as if she had made a motion of them all, and imployd them to her vanity; shee one while cryed, another chafed, smil'd, scratch'd her head, stamp'd, rail'd, and all at Love; blind foolish thing, said she, be thou for ever hated and abandoned, have I not better deserv'd of thee then thus to be handled? Must I be a miserable Testimony of thy cruelty, when I merited thy best favours? I hate thee froward Childe, and will never leave reviling thee, till thou doest requite mee, if never shame light on thee, and thy Baby government. Have I beene a quiet patient of all thy follies; Suffered my selfe to fall under thy Tyranny to serve thy wilfulnesse, and obey thy vaine employments? Are these tollerable, or am I not fit to be rewarded? Peevish Boy, either speedily requite and pacifie me, or be sure to be set forth in thy colours; no Bird beares so various, or severall calourd a Plume as thou dost in changeablenesse, which shall not be neglected but set foorth to the life; then Sir it may, you will say I am bitter, but the world shall see that you are unjust. Waiward Babe, I admire thou hast a face to doe all this withall; 'twas well faign'd at first, that thou hadst no eyes, which indeed is the true face, for thou canst neither see truth, nor be seene truly by it. Unworthy creature, an invention fram'd, a thought lighter then thought, a Bubble made by breath in a Shell, blowne by a straw, fired with a frowne, revived by a smile, and ruin'd by an neglect, a stately and constant building that breath can destroy, that looke can establish, or the least of dislike sacke. In this fury shee would have persisted, but this Troope had beene, and were Lovers, wherefore they went to her, who seem'd like a mooving, or stirring water-worke: she turn'd to them, and from them againe, shee cryd, and groan'd, then scornfully seem'd to defie passion, and with a faint forged countenance would have appeared sociable. No greater diversity is there in womens dispositions, (who are richer in that vanity then men) then she had in her selfe, so as good women might hope all the superfluous vanity of that sexe had beene collected, and setled by uncertainty in her. The Queene of Naples intreated Perissus to speake to her, he did so, she answred just like her demeanour, at last the Queenes drew neerer to her, and demanding some questions of her, she answer'd them thus. I am said shee a Gentlewoman, though ungently used by Love, my name not worthy of Knowledge, my estate overthrowne by misfortune, my friends not to be named as being unfit to consanguinate with miserie, and indeed, such a wretched forlorne soule as I am, onely the shaddow of that, kind men most contemne, but for their owne sakes, and necescities sometimes respect. I have most of my time beene among those of highest ranke, but meanest requitall, else I had not thus suffered; I am a cast-downe-wretch, not worthy of life, or your presence, let me then on these reasons petition departure, you shall be noble in granting, and I happy in being permitted my owne course. Limena well liked this odd manner in her, and would not license her to be freed from them, but desired to heare more; for, said shee, I have beene as you are afflicted, and never felt more felicitie then in discoursing my woes, besides, I see you are apt to discover your passions to these places, why not then as well to us, who are, and ever will be sensible of passion? She lookd upon her, and with a noise betweene sighing, and long breathing scorning directly to sigh, she answered her, that shee should have what shee sought. Then said the Queene, I desire to know your losse, your despiser, and yet dislike. It is this said she, I loved a Gentleman, who was brother to the Dutches I serv'd, hee loved me, and swore it, (perfidious man) I believed him, and granted what he asked; he made of me as we doe of the best fortunes, and was contented with nothing so much as with my Love, nor did I joy, or indeed glory, in any thing but his affection: this undid mee, and I a poore yeelded creature, and spoiled by him, remaind the poore Trophy of his victory, and my losse. I sought yet long time, after I writ to him both in Verse and prose, but alike to his understanding, and alike taken and receiv'd. Hee remembred my kindnesses and thank'd me, but yet rewarded them no further, like a King that takes a Present and likes it, but thinks it was his Subj ects due to present it, and so meanes not to reward the bringer, scarse the giver: no more did he, for I was both giver, and bringer, and yet as one cast off, and forlorne. I urg'd Faith, and constancy, hee confest it with faire words, but alas, his rewards were miserable and dry. I then after a long and most laborious suit and toyle to winne, or rather keepe but part what I once had had, recover'd not so much as dammages, but all lay still on me. I then writ some Verses to him, which I have in memory, having made them upon the subject of many unhappy Women, but bringing them all to my sadd estate, the Verses are long and teadious, therefore if you please, I will let them passe, and continue my discourse. Nay I pray (said the Queene) let us have them, and the story too, we have time enough for both, and no time being able to be better spent, we can affoord the evening into the bargaine, rather then misse such a relation. Then Madam, said shee, when I saw no merit, no love, no remembrance, nor any thing could worke against a newe choice which he had made, I framd these lines as my last peece, resolving, if they prevailed not to let all goe, and fall to the resolution, or indeed, more properly, distraction I am now in, the Lines be these. Deare, though unconstant, these I send to you As witnesses, that still my Love is true. Receive these Lines as Images of Death, That beare the Infants of my latest breath, And to my tryumph, though I dye in woe, With welcome glory, since you will it so, Especially, my ending is the lesse, When I Examples see of my distresse. As Dido, one whose misery was had By Love, for which shee in Deathes robes was clad; Yet lost shee lesse then I, for I possest And love enjoy'd, she lik'd, what was profest Most cruell, and the death-lik'st kind of ill, To lose the blessing of contentments will Faire Ariadne never tooke more care, Then I did how you might in a safety fare, Her thrid my life was to draw you from harme, My study wholly how I might all charme That dangerous were, while pleasures you optain'd, And I the hazard with the labour gain'd: Yet shee this his life sav'd, he her honor lost, That false Prince Theseus flying, left her crost With his abandoning her truth, and love Leaving her desolate, alone to prove His Love, or ended, or but given for neede, Caus'd her with misery to gaine that meed. I Ariadne am alike oppress'd, Alike deserving, and alike distress'd: Ungratefull Demophon, to Phillis faire A Thracian Lady, causs'd by like dispaire, Or greater farr, for after fervent love, In which bless'd time he freely still did prove: What is desir'd, or lov'd, he left this Queene And bliss, for a lesse Kingdome which had beene Before his fathers, and by reason right, For Theseus for his Sire that King of spight. Thus did he both inherit state, and ill, While Phillis selfe, her lovely selfe did kill, Making a Tree her Throne, a Cord the end Of her affections, which his shame did send. I strangled am, with your unkindnes choak'd While cruelty is with occasions cloak'd. Medea Witch, with her enchanting skill Did purchase what was craved by her will, Yet was by Jason left at last, which showes Love only free from all bewitching blowes. But his owne witchcraft, which is worst of ills, Never absenting till all joy it spills. Charms it may be, with-held you now from me, Breake through them, leave that Circes so oft free, The Syrens songe, Calypsoes sweete delights And looke on faith, which light is of true lights. Turne backe the eyes of your chang'd heart, and see How much you sought, how fondly one sought me, What travell did you take to win my love? How did you sue that I as kind would prove? This is forgot as yester dayes lik'd sport, Love winning lasting long, once won proves short. I like Penelope have all this time Of your absenting, let no thought to clime In me of change, though courted, and pursu'd By love, perswasions, and even fashons rude Almost to force extending, yet still she Continued constant, and as I am free. Ten yeares a cause was for Ulisses stay While Troy beseiged was, but then away Was homeward bent by all, save him who stayd, And ten yeares more on forraine beautyes pray'd. Against his will, he oft his will enjoyed. And with variety at last was cloy'd. Chainge wearyed him, when weary he return'd, And from his wandring then to staydnes turn'd. Come you now backe, I thus invite you home, And love you, as if you did never roame: I have forgot it as if never done, And doe but thinke me a new to be wone. I shall appeare, it may be, as I did, And all passd falts shall in my breast be hid, Try me againe, and you shall truely find, Where fairenesse wanteth, clearenes of a minde; Fairer, and richer then the masse of all Their persons, which from me have made you fall, If joyn'd together, and from thence to frame A minde of beauteous faith, fit for the name Of worthy Constancy inrich'd with truth, Which gave me to you, and so held my youth In young desires, still growing to your love, Nourish them now, and let me your love prove. Leave the new powerfull charms of strangers tongus, Which alwayes truth with their faire falshood wrongs. Come backe to me, who never knew the plot To crosse your minde, or to thy will an nott: Come, I say, come againe, and with Ulisses Enjoy the blessings of your best blisses; Happy the comfort of a chaste loves bed, Blessed the pillow that upholds the head Of loyall loving, shame's the others due, Leave those for me who cannot be but true. Come, and give life, or in your stay send death To her that lives in you, else drawes no breath. What bands had you to tye you this much, said the Queene of Naples? bands of faith in me, and vowes from him of zealous truth said she, privately made to me, and for greater satisfaction given before witnesses for marriage, which made me (foolish, & confident) trust, & yeeld, & now wander, lament, and pine. The Queenes pittied her, and promised their helps to assist her. She thank'd them, but answerd, none but love had injur'd her, and none els could, or should helpe her: so she as strangely went on, and from them as wildly she had come to them, they returning home, she walking & breathing in distembers. At last resolving to go to Pamphilia, offer her service to the Queen, who ever from her infancy lov'd and trusted her, & was hindred from her company, & attendance; by reason, or rather this folly in affection which had power to make her dissist from all resolutions how fit or worthy, to please that, the most vaine, and troublesome of any. Now she could discerne her errour, but how? as if she lookt into a glasse, and behinde her saw her miserie, which to her face abusd her: so her passed time had wrong'd her, never to be righted or cleered, if not by death, forgetfulnes, or charity. The Queen Pamphilia recei ved her with all kindnes, & with her she livd as in her former daies in much respect, and us'd with all courtesie, the better being joyned, and more acceptable, because neerest agreeing with her passions, and miseries, as shee calld them, and indeed were, for none can be compared to forsaken love. Nerena was left in miserable state, imprison'd in a Towre, locked up in conceit of maddnesse, and made a poore, imagined distracted creature where she was absolute Princesse; little Justice was in this; yet she as a woman must suffer, although in time be released, as shee at last was, and now is the houre come for her safety. Her Sister, as you heard, went to try the Inchantment, in her absence, desire of change, and so hope of liberty (as most times is gain'd in absence of the Prince) grew among the people, but most lay in the breast of a noble man, whose conscience, one may well say, slept quietly from troubling his businesse till now hee had awaked it, protesting that the wrong done to Nerena concern'd them all, and lay alike, to his imagination, in their hearts as in his, which moov'd him to urge restitution, and submission, with establishing her in her former government, their latter Princesse being but to succeed her Sister, and the injury done to her who ought to reigne, besides, what follies did live in her, more, and not as amply abounding as in the elder, & their rightful Lady; besides, as a woman, why should she not be permitted both her vanity, & the nature of her Sexe, their fidelity to their late Master was lost, their loyalty to Succession forgot, the oath to truth broken. & they guilty to all foule Treasons, having deposd their Princess, and established another, whose merit were not far beyond their own Mistrisses, nor whose staid worth ought to claime too strickt an obedience, wher right challenged the contrary. He was a great man welbeloved, infintly followed, feared, & therefore cheerish'd, he swayed much, and so far proceeded, as hee with the rest of the Counsel, fetched Nerena forth, solemnly againe establish'd her had pardons for all things past, & all was made up with a kind & gratious conclusion, she by her poore living, and neglect being now invested in so staid an habitation of gravity, as she was fit for the honour they recalld her to; her sister shee provided for, but she returnd no more, but with a young Prince shee grew so enamourd of, although a married man, stole away & ended, so as her friends did desire all good people should forget her, or that she never had bin; thus may you see that none can run so far that shall not have some time to returne, nor any how much soever condemn'd but may live to be fit of commiseration, and respect; this was verified in her, & she deservd their due restoring her prooving an excellent Governess, and brave Lady, being able to overrule her old passions, & by them to judge how to favor, licence, & curb others, & this experience, though late, is most profitable to Princes. Amphilanthus with the brave, & once hating, now loving Ladies, comming to Negropont, were by Dolorindus & Antissia infinitly welcom'd and feasted, yet Antissia was not wellplesed, for although she had directly lost the love she most prized, yet so much she lov'd him still, as she was sorry he should do amisse, which she did confes he did in leaving Pamphilia for Musalina. Alas, said she, the most excellent Lady did not I fortell your harme; yet I protest I am truly sorry for this, and wish I had said false, so you had still beene bless'd, it was not my fortune to be happy in what I most sought, yet wish I you had injoyed what your worth and constancy had merited; no envy I beare to you, nor ever did, but to my destiny which would not favor me. Of purpose shee would urge discourse of her, which the Emperor tooke wel enough, and was contented so far with it, as to think of her, and at last resolv'd to see her; but one day walking alone in a delicate walk of Birches, set by art upon the top of a hil, both sides being sowed with wheat. Harvest not yet being come, though the corn ripe for it, hee beheld the even & perfect growing of them. Can we (said he) possibly be as even in our owne brests to truth as these things which are sowed, or set by our hands? No, and for our shame our own works, must wittnesse against us; for, I confesse, I have done amisse, and against her, deserved best of me for love, and constancy, and yet none have I payed with so much neglect, I am faulty, but I will mend, and she I hope wil pardon. Sweet Corne (said he) when the wind stirrs, how doe your heads bend humbly that way you are blowne? how evenly, equally, and patiently hath she borne my neglects? I will give satisfaction, and she shall bee requited. As he walked thus, he heard a Ladd pipe meerily, on a Pipe he had made of one of the stalkes of Oates, not farre off growing: he stayd to heare him, and when he thought he had done, went toward him, desiring to heare some thing; which, though low in respect of his understanding, yet would now be pleasing to his passions, as he drew neerer to him, he heard him use these words. Love, since thou art thus gratefull, be thou ever blessed, I now am sorry I did call thee ill, I doe repent that I did thinke thou hadst beene wayward or ungratefull: all is passd, and I doe pardon crave. Ile sing unto thy praise, as I did cry against thee; Ile make songs, in thy honour, as I did in reviling thee; Ile sweare thou art alone worthy, and fit to be honour'd, as I lately vow'd thou wert the onely Serpent, and hatefull humor to be cheerished: If humble submission can merit favour, I will gaine it of thee; if not punish me and spare not, for I must, and doe confesse I am guilty, and deserve more ill then thy noblenesse will inflict on any, give me my freedome from thy favours, and I wil ever be thy vassell for it. Then tooke he up his sling & walked a litle farther, that being his weapon to defend himself, and to molest the Birds or other enemies to his charge in that delicat Corne. Amphilanthus thus followed a farre off, as hope doth despairing Lovers: when he saw him sit downe againe, and take up his Pipe, then againe proceede in his commendations of Love, and then sing. The Emperour liked that humor well, wishing he might have the like cause to praise that passion; upon which hee was pleased to make most excellent Verses, and then return'd to the Court. Musalina and Lucenia whose humble submission had gain'd pardon and love in some kinde had them, as they had most he had written, but still his minde ran on his journey, not doubting of his welcome, yet knowing his fault wished the first encounter passed. Musalina took her leave to returne into Romania, much sorrow was for parting, but those things are so usuall, as the relation were like telling a tale so often till all eares were tyred with it. Musalina in her journey had as many severall thoughts a love could bring forth; sometimes suspition came, then anger, and revenge followed, yet these were salved againe with hope, and trust; She was grown likewise a Poet as being a necessary thing, and as unseparable from a witty lover as love from youth: When she arriv'd at home, the poore trees felt the cruelty which she said was inflicted on her; sad rimes came often into her thoughts, some of her own, others of Amphilanthus his making on parting, and of divers others, contenting her selfe, or rather forcing content to be shewed, when no remedy was, her love being gone, and which was worse in a kinde never to returne, which gave forme to these lines following a great drought being in that Country, and ev ery one wishing for raine. Why doe you so much wish for raine, when I, Whose eyes still showring are, stand you so nigh? Thinke you that my poore eyes now cannot lend You store enough? alas, but rightly bend Your looks on me, and you shall see a store Able to moisten Earth, and ten earths more: Sighs to make Heaven as soft as tender wooll, And griefe sufficient to make up the full Of all despaires, then wish not, since in me, Contained are teares, griefe, and misery. Many times she would goe to the solitary woods, and grieve there freely crying out her woes; but all return'd alike to her for gaine or reward; for how can helpe be now expected? only absence will assist, and that at last in this distrest Lady prevailed, wherein she was happy, though many sad daies and nights passed before the cure could be wrought, Time being for this disease the best Phisition. Amphilanthus tooke his way towards Pamphilia, taking with him only twelve Knights, whom hee chose, and his and their Squires; them he injoyned not to disclose him, nor cal him any other then the Just in hope: Pamphilia, not hoping for any redresse, was one day in certaine walkes with her ancient friend, and servant the Lady, who the Queenes met in such disorder for love, and was the same Lady that was so pleasant with Steriamus when he was passionate for Pamphilia, she was called Dorilina, then who there was not a discreeter, though a true lover. As they walked, discoursing of their loves and torments of it, Dorolina besought the Queene to honour her with the repeating of some of her verses. Shee answer'd, she was growne weary of rime, and all things but that which wearied her life; and yet for cruelties sake would not take it. Shee would not bee answer'd so, but urg'd her againe, hoping to take her this way something from her continuall passions, which not utter'd did weare her spirits and waste them, as rich imbroyderies will spoyle one another, if laid without papers betweene them, fretting each other, as her thoughts and imaginations did her rich and incomprable minde: but as yet Dorolina could not prev aile for the part of Poetry; yet she gain'd so much, as Pamphilia sate downe and told her this tale, faigning it to be written in a French Story. There was, said she, in France for many years, many Kings, that Country being divided into severall Kingdomes, severall Nations there were likewise which spake different languages, some of these had Kings, the others onely Princes; but in successe of time, all came happily under the rule and government of one King, care onely had then by marriages to make a perpetuall union, which onely length of time could doe: among these marriages there was one, from which grew both good, and ill, a brave young Lord of the Ile of France, second sonne to a famous Nobleman, and one who had great imployment under the King, being counted the bravest man of the Kingdome, was by the meanes of a brother in Law of his, married to a great Heyre in little Brittany, of rich possessions. This Lady was wooed & sought by many, one she affected and so much loved, as she was contented to thinke him worthy to be her husband, and so for worth, hee was. Miserably hard her father kept her, and close; yet so much liberty she gain'd, as she had almost tyed her selfe never but by death to be released; yet her fortunes were not meant thus to be disposed of; for her father dying, and she thinking she was a little, or much neglected by her first servant, who came not according to appointment to attend her, she chang'd her minde, and gave her selfe to valiant & lovely Bersindor the Frenchman, leaving the other, as he had her at home to learne better breeding. Into France she came, where she was by Bersindors father and mother cherished with all affection, and love; her husband kinde, and as respective as she merited, many faire and sweet children they had to their comforts and their friends, and so bred they were, as all companies coveted their presence, being like sweet delights to sad eyes. The eldest daughter was called Lindamira, shee was so much favour'd by the Queene of France, as by no meanes she must be absent from the Court, which indeed was the fittest place for her, being a Lady of great spirit, excellent qualities, and beautifull enough to make many in love with her; but shee lov ed onely one, and that one she had loved many years before any mistrusted it, or himselfe knew it. Hee was likewise favoured by the Queene Mother, whose husband dead, had leysure to bestow her eyes upon the loveliest obj ect, and this Lord was well enough contented, spending his time after his owne desire. Lindamira served the Queene faithfully, and so affectionately, as she had no love but them two of either Sexe; yet was she carefull to give no dislike to her mistris, whom she would not injure, or indeed at that time her selfe, for she was married, he not thinking that it was himselfe she loved, though he knew she was somewhere bound in those fetters. A carefull eye he carried over her, not that it appear'd he loved her much more then as her deserts, which her noble and free carriage deserved; yet he was desirous to finde her love. Once he thought it was the husband of a Lady, she had made her chosen friend; but after he found the contrary, to his owne comfort; for the Queene, how well assur'd soever she was, or rather might have beene of her fidelity; yet love she knew had commanded her, who borne a Princesse, and match'd to a King, yet could not resist his power, might with greater ease soveraignize over a subject: but in Loves Court all are fellowsub jects; and thus her Majesty was deceived in her greatnesse, which could not, as she thought, be subject: and therefore, though others must be Vassals when they are all companions and serve alike. This suspition was first put into her minde by a malicious Lady, who envyed sweet Lindamira; but so was it beleeved and follow'd by the Queen, as all her favour was withdrawn as suddenly and directly, as if never had: Lindamira remaining like one in a gay Masque, the night pass'd, they are in their old clothes againe, and no appearance of what was; she yet was grieved to the heart because she truly lov'd her mistris, as her disgrace went further then only discontent for the losse, or the note the world might take of it, which must like their reports be wiped away, or washed like linnen, which would bee as white againe as ever. But these pierced her heart, and she was inly afflicted, at all times shee neverthelesse attended, never failing her duty, yet desirous to know the cause of this her misfortune: She imploy'd many to move the Queene, only to know why she was offended, that if she were guilty she might aske forgivenesse, and make humble submission, but this would not serve, she poore Lady ignorant of the cause, desired the Lord for whom she suffer'd to doe the like for her; hee did, but return'd as the others did to her, telling her the Queenes answer was, that she should not know the cause, therfore willed her to be satisfied with that, & with knowledge that she was, and had just cause to bee offended. Lindamira then asked leave to retire, she had permission, and withall her Majesty, when she gave her her hand to kisse (which favour she was contented to allow her) she told her she should doe well to stay till she was sent for. She humbly, & with teares in her eyes answer'd she would obey, and so shee departed going home, and soon after with a husband like her last fortune, went to live with him, whither soone came all her friends to visite her, and by him were nobly entertain'd. The Lord, whom she so much loved, and was accused for, likewise came with that Lady her deare friend: among many discourses they fell upon this of her disgrace; Lindamira saying, that the thing it selfe did not now so much afflict her, as the ignorance of it: None (said he) that dares tell you the cause, knowes it, and some that do, dare not. What should feare them said she? if mistrust of my secresie, I will give them cause to take away that suspition of weaknes in me, other reason I cannot guesse: if I should goe further , said he, you might imagine me one could tell. I am verily perswaded of that, said she. But I feare your displeasure, said he. Why (said Lindamira) concerning none but poore me, how can any thing trouble you? It may be, said he, it toucheth others, and so much as you will hate them for suffering for them. I have no reason for that, said shee, though it may be I shall bee angry with my selfe for giving cause. Then (said he) with your pardon, I will tell you that, I am injoyned not to let you of any know, to secrecie I will not binde you, for the businesse it selfe hath power to do that, wherewith the friend Lady rose, and he proceeding told her all that had passed, but now (said he) I feare you will hate me for this. Pardon me my Lord, answer'd she, I am onely sorry that you should suffer for me, so unworthy of your fav our, but for being offended, I protest I love her displeasure, since shee hath honour'd me with this worthy opinion, rather then I lov'd her greatest grace, & more noble is my fall, then my time of favor was, he did not it seemed lose that opportunity, nor was she nice to let him know her long love, expressions of it, and embracing affections wanted of neither side; what happines this was to sweet Lindamira that constant woman, if such an other there be who lov'd five years undiscover'd, & then on such an unlook'd for occasion revealed so great a secret, may judge, this shewed a strange happines to befal them, that a jealous woman whose doubt of losse brought her losing & Lindamira's gain: thus you may see the effects of that base humor: but alas, what succeeded all this? your fortune, deare Dorilena, and mine, for after she had lost the Queens favour, indured an unquiet life, & miserable crosses from her husband possessed with like, or more furious madnes in jealousie, her honor not touched, but cast downe, and laid open to all mens toungs and eares, to be used as they pleas'd. Lastly, after fourteen years unchang'd affection, she cast her off contemptuously and scornfully, she complain'd, which complaint, because I lik'd it, or rather found her estate so neere agree with mine, I put into Sonnets, this course I might call ungratefulnesse in him, and give all ill names to it; but I will with the story conclude my rage against him; for thus the Booke leaves her, the complaint is this divided into seaven Sonnets, Lindamira's Complaint. 1. Deare eyes farewell, my Sunne once, now my end, While your kinde willing grace I felt, all joy In soule I knew withdrawne, you now destroy. The house that being gave to loves best friend. You now alas to other objects bend That warmth of blisse which best delights enjoy, Striving to win an oft won idle toy, By falshood nurs'd, such creatures seldome mend. Try your new loves, affect the choyce of store, And be assur'd they likewise will choose more, Which I yet grieve; for though the losse I beare. I would have none with you to challenge right; But beare you must for making choyce so light: Yet still your beames Ile love, shine you elsewhere. 2. Odeadly rancour to a constant heart, Frownes, and neglect, my only favours be: Sometimes a cold respect is granted me; But hot flames to those eyes joy in my smart. Once yet for Justice sake weigh my hard part, In gratefulnesse I should kinde usage see; For being tied alone to you, els free, Till by your wrongs now joynd with heart-broke smart. A glorious triumph you no doubt shall have, To crowne your victory on murders grave, While falshood beares the armes my life hath won. I onely for twise seaven yeares love shall gaine Change, worse then absence, or death's cruelst paine: The last yet got, you have your labour done. 3. Asurgeon I would aske, but 'tis too late, To stay the bleeding wound of my hurt heart: The roote is toucht, and the last drops depart As weeping for succeeding others fate. Alas that my kild heart should waile my state, Or leisure have to thinke on ought but smart, Nor doth it, but with pitie beare a part, With her embrac'd yours like a loving mate. But now unmarried by a new disdaine Cold death must take the body from her love And thou poore heart must end for my unworth. Conscience is lost, and outward fairnes gaines The place where worth did, or else seemd to move, Thus world like change new triall still brings forth. 4. O Memorie, could I but loose thee now, At least learne to forget as I did move My best, and onely thoughts to waite on love, And be as Registers of my made vow. Could I but let my mind to reason bow, Or see plaine wrongs, neglects, and slightings prove In that deare Sphear, whcih as the Heavens above I prizd, and homage to it did allow. Canst thou not turne as well a Traitor too Since Heaven-like powers teach thee what to doo? Canst not thou quite forget thy pleasures past; Those blessed houres, the onely time of blisse, When we feard nothing, but we time might misse Long enough to enjoy what's now off cast. 5. Leave me vaine Hope, too long thou hast possest My mind made subject to thy flattring skill, While Aprill mornings did my pleasures fill, But cloudy dayes soone changd me from that rest; And weeping afternoones to me adrest, My utter ruine framd by Fortunes will, When knowledge said Hope did but breed, and kill, Producing only shadowes at the best. Yet Hope this true, thy faults did faire appeare And therefore loth to thinke thou counseldst me Or wilfully thy errors would not see But catch at Sunne moates which I held most deare Till now alas with true felt losse I know, Thy selfe a Bubble each faire face can blow. 6. Though you forsake me, yet alas permit I may have sorrow, for my poysn'd crosse; Thinke not, though dead, to joy I cannot hit Upon a torture, for my soule-pierc'd losse. Or if by chance I smile, I hopes ingrosse, Nor for I die not, I doe bliss admit, Most griefe will oft give leave for show to toss Upon the waves, where Shipwrack'd comfort split. Thinke then your will, and left, leave me yet more Vexe not my loathed life, to ruine bent; Be satisfied with glut of your bad change: Lay me unthought on, in the love-kill'd store, My griefe's my owne, or since for you 'tis sent, Let me have that part from you while you range. 7. Some doe, perhapts, both wrong my love, and care, Taxing me with mistrust, and Jelousie, From both which sinnes in love like freedome, free I live, these slanders but new raised are. What though from griefe, my soule I doe not spare, When I perceive neglect's slight face on me? While unto some the loving smiles I see, I am not Jealous, they so well doe fare. But doubt my selfe lest I lesse worthy am, Or that it was but flashes, no true flame, Dazl'd my eyes, and so my humour fed. If this be jealousie, then doe I yeeld, And doe confesse I thus goe arm'd to field, For by such Jealousie my love is led: Dorelina admired these Sonnets, and the story, which shee thought was some thing more exactly related then a fixion, yet her discretion taught her to be no Inquisitor, so home againe they went, the Queene giving order the next day to hunt a Stag, but she was hindred from that by unlookt for news, which was, that the young and proud King of Celicia, being her neighbour, her Wooer, and refused by her, would not as it seemd endure the scorne, or goe without her, wherefore he with an invincible Army, was come neare the confines of her Country, by force to win, what he could not by love, or faire meanes gaine. But how much was he deceived in this? for force must not prevaile against such a spirit, if not to bring death for hate, but no affection or submission, threats can worke with her no more, then to command men to give resistance. Into a strong Fort by the Sea-side she put her selfe, one Army attending her, another sent to encounter him, led by Melysander. Her Counsell admired her magnamity, she was no more troubled, then if no such thing were, nor could any thing but unkindnesse, nor from any but him much molest her. She dispatched a Messenger to her father for aide, another to Mitelin , and all her friends that were within compasse of helping suddenly; for sudden was the matter, thoughts of love for all this had their place, as wishes that Amphilanthus would come, but as much was that wish to see him as for helpe, though she was confident to have had victory by his presence. The end of the third Booke. The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania. The Fourth Booke. One of the Messengers lighted upon his ship as he came from Negropont, relating the newes; haste was then made to the succour, but still he must be unknowne. At his landing hee met some people sad, and their countenances telling some misfortune; he was loth to aske, till one of his company desirous to know, and perceiving the Emperour wished the knowledge, yet would not aske, demanded the businesse; answere was made, that the first Army was overcome, the Duke Melisander taken prisoner, and the King marched with all speed towards the other Army, and Pamphilia: Alas Sir (said he) if you saw how our poore Country is already spoiled, defaced, and ruined, where the Army passeth, it would grieve your hearts, and most, that the wofullest end of warre is likely to happen; for the other Army are all young men, who though bold and valiant, yet raw and unexperienced; tis to be doubted, the Queene will fall by this ill fortune into the Kings hands, wanting all forraine aide: for could her Brothers, or Cosins know of it, and but some of them here, we should not feare. Why is the warre, said Amphilanthus ? Because our Queene will not marry the King. What is her reason, said the Emperour? Want of love in her, replide he; and as it is believed by most, and is the generall opinion, her affections being placed on some other, but who it is, we are ignorant of, yet would he were here; for surely she cannot love but worthily, and so like her most worthy selfe. Amphilanthus was glad of this, and so got him to guide them to the Army, where they were wel received, as all shall be on such a necessitie in time of warre, if they come to helpe and succour. The King of Celicia puffed up with pride for this Victory, came on with speede and joy, till he came within sight of the Army: Amphilanthus perceiv ing that, and having discovered himselfe onely to the Counsell and Commanders, sent forth a Drum to desire a parly: it was granted, then went forth one of purpose chosen by the Emperour to deliver this message, that since the King had already obtained the Victory over one Army, to the great hurt of that Country, he desired to have as his own, out of that respect, and no other it was fit as they held it to offer him this (not chalenge) but humble intreaty to encounter in person one single man of the Qu. side, who shuld be in birth, honor, & al other dignities, fit to wait upon him, and bravely before the wall to fight with him, who if he overcame, he should have the Queen deliverd to him; if not, he and his army should depart as they came, having had enough in the bloods of so many brave men, and true subjects, al which might have bin his, if this offer had bin time enough made, the rest now spared if accepted. The king, whose own pride could not wish a more respective challenge, answerd, that he desird to know the man should meet him. The messenger answerd, that his name was conseald from most, and was known by no other, then the Just in Hope. The king replied, that he must know more, or he might, and would be excusd from ventring his roial person against one nameles man: the messenger then kist a little paper, & deliverd it, wherin he found a plainer chalenge, but as nobly curteous, and therto the Emperors own most honord and feared name. The king took it wel, and was glad he should (as he told the messenger) combatwith him in the sight of his Lady, both for the honor he should gaine in overcomming Amphilanthus, and that he was assured he was the only obstacle in his way; for these two reasons he would fight with him with hope of conquest; the houre should be left to him, if he pleasd, or as being his due to chuse. In the morning following, about nine of the clock, the messenger returnd with much comfort to Amphilanthus, who now had another, and the best part of the busines to doe, which was, whether she would consent, that her giving or freeing should be left to his fortune in the combat, how to compas this, he doubted the accomplishing, and feared infinitely how shee would take the bold offer, which had bin made without her knowledge; at last he did resolve, that he would adventure, and so with the Counsell entred the Castle where she was; but thus he orderd it, that they should move it to her, & have her resolution, as if yet it had not bin determined. Amphilanthus this while should stand where he might heare al, & when he pleased, to shew himselfe. Thus it hapned, they came to the Queen, where she was in the Gallery under a Cloth of Estate, sitting as sadly, as her fortunes told her it was fit for her; yet of all fortunes, his losse was the greatest. When she saw them, she smild, and askt how matters went: they told her the worst, because she should agree to their desire. If that happen, said she, I shall be sorry to leave you in danger, to whose loves and respects I am so much bound, nor is there need of that, since peace may be made for you, but none for me, on such conditions as he offers; for never wil I be unjust unto my former vow, nor to my selfe, and such as wil go with me, shalbe usd no worse then my selfe. They humbly thankt her, but protested, that no other fortunes should satisfie them, then her service & attendance; yet was there a way, they said, how she might save her self, free her realm & them from ruin. She repli'd, such a course she would with al willingnes undertake; then they told her their opinion, naming the Champion only by his framed name: if (said she) my brothers were here, or either of the kings of Albania, I might put my fortunes in any of their hands: but alas what speak I of that, I merit such a happines. Could no other please you, said they? with that she sigh'd, Yes God knows, said she, blushing, & turning her self from them. They went on; how if Amphilanthus, said they, were here? If he, said she, were here, there were no question, but life, estate, & al might be put into his hands: but this I protest truly and sincerely, that I had rather perish, then bee the cause of the losse, or danger of the losse of one drop of his blood, or of my brothers, so much I love, and respect them. With that Amphilanthus step'd out, and presenting him selfe to her, told her that while he had blood, and life they should serve her. She was amazed, surprized, with joy and feare, blush'd, and looked pale, passion working so in her as she could not tell how to looke, how to speake, or expresse the blessed comfort possessed her. Heaven-like joy to her it was to see him, Death-like smart so to see him to his danger, her heart bled to thinke that hee might bleed in her quarrell, and yet his quarrell caused in love, had withered hers with sorrow, till now refreshed with this balme, like a body furnished by the perfectnes of a sound Liver with blood, and so life; He was troubled with her countenance, least it had beene out of offence taken against him, when God knowes it was but the violence of her passion, which when happy or crossed, could never suffer her to utter it selfe. She could imagine what to say, and resolve of it, but never could when time was offered to performe it, timorousnes ruling in her towards him, when over all others she could soveraignize: divers the sorts, divers the passages, and gevernments of love. Hee tooke her by the hand, shee affectionately beheld him, at last telling him that shee would rather petition him to let any end befal her, (but yeelding to Asdrusius) rather then he should venture his life for her deliverie. Hee said there was not in the world, next her selfe that hee respected more, or in any degree of comparison with her liberty, and pleasure, therefore she might assure her selfe, that her honor, and safety should command his life, which could never be so well imployed as in serving her. They then together sate under the cloath of State, shee beholding him with as greedy eyes, as one at the last doth the Haven in a terrible storme, driving from that whither they desired to goe, and well could she in her mind have consented to have dyed in that blessednes. He as lovingly beheld her, and thought hee saw her former beauty lately decayed renuing as his favour was to, and in her againe. Thus they were till supper, which being past she conducted him to a delicate chamber, where he lodged all night, resting well till time was for his going to the field; the excellent Lady lay all that darke time like one wrapd into the third Heaven, her soule only working, she knew not how to beare her joy accusing prosperity, for being more unsupportable then affliction, a Feaver of contentment held her in a fit without intermission, and thus she remained till day, or her care of him, or thoughts, or joy, or altogether called her up, and so she appareld her selfe to be ready to blesse her eyes with his sight before he went forth, for no suite, perswasion, or any petition of hers could diswade him from the combate, telling her at last that hee must doubt by her importunity, and feare shee seem'd to have of him, that her opinion of his worth or vallour was deminished. She was then forced to be patient, and all her refuge was to her teares and prayers for his deli very, and safety, he is determined to vanquish, the other opinionated to have the victory, the honour, and the Queene, both are now ready to try it out, Pamphilia attending her Knight to his horse, her soule wayting on him with all her strength of spirit, and good to assist him, so as thus hee that needed no helpe, had two spirits joyned together in and against one, and one of them maliciously bent against him and perfect love, bound to his ruine; Urania, Philistella, Steriamus and Selarinus, on their way in Epirus met a dainty troope of Ladyes, and Knights in a Meddow, the Knights to passe away time till they met the Kings, and Queenes which was the cause of their journey, had found out a pretty pastime to please their Mistrisses withall; unarmed, only with the Launce they were to take a ring of gold which was hung to a staffe, and which side (having devided themselves into the number of twelve, and twelve) did oftnest take the ring, was to win a Jewell which the Ladyes was to give, and then the whole side that had wonne the prize must run sixe courses a peece, and which Knight oftnest tooke it, was to have the Jewell free to himselfe, the Ladyes to draw lots who should pay for it, and shee that lost it was to accept the winning Knight for her Servant. It was agreed on by all, as contented, till the lots being to be drawne, and the chance lighted, the Lady who was to loose or winne, grew into an infinite rage, cursing Desteny, reviling the blind Lady Fortune, crying out against unjust lucke, and rayling at all men, and mankind: in that chasing at her selfe as furiously as at any other thing; Urania was desirous to know the cause of this her dislike and fury. May it please your Majesty said she, I should hold it, an undeserved favour received from you, to be let alone to my passions, and not forced to relate that which must be most displeasing to mine owne eares, and as harsh as my lucke hath beene cruell, yet if there bee no remedy, I wil not disobay you, although I desire that my story may bee rehearsed but to your selfe, and our Queene your sister. This was agreed on while the Kings went to see horses ridden, and to ride themselves, the Lady then tould her discontents thus. This Knight whom I have now by Fortune given mee, I have many yeares since given my selfe, I meane my best, and truest affections unto; hee did so amorously, and with such just, and even love receive me, as I cannot tell whither of us loved most though I knew I lovest as much, and fervently as any woman; expressions I could make of his deernesse to me, and mine to him, were it not for feare of seeming too vaine, and boasting of my happines, therefore I will with your permission overpasse them, and follow the high way to my misfortune. Hee loved a farr greater Lady then my selfe, when I aspired to winne him, I prevailed, & she grew infinitely despised, but I was blessed, and with little pitty at last compassion beheld her, though with much respect, joying to thinke I had compass'd my desires, & crossed my Rivall, after this had con tinued some time, & I thought I saw my selfe cheife, how was I joyed, and how triumphed I in my victory? but then as a brave Hauke having seazed the prey after a delicate flight is taken off from it, as if she gained but for another: so did I but get him from another, and to another must leave him; yet held I chiefe a while, and thought I had got a preferment in being the Lady, his respects were shewed unto, the rest but as I had been second, and to receive favours by stealth, which are surest, and heartilest given from the soule, as I too well know, which grieved mee to see any other have; but I was to be patient, and obedient, love taught me observance, this was an affliction, but nothing to that which followed, for then hee fell in love againe with one, to whom either his affection so subjected him, or her peremtorie power abased him, as he quite left me, and looked upon me, if by chance I came in his way like a Judge on a Thiefe, or offender, sternly and curstly: I melted with sorrow, I pined and starved with unkindnesse; but all this prevailed not, I then gave Hope quite over, and embraced Despaire, and with much adoe got quiet in unquietnesse. Into the Country I retyrd, leav ing the brave City, resolving never to see Court or company more: but one time a neare Kinsman of his, and one most inward with him came to my house where I dwelt, I bid him welcome after my old manner, but hee found sadnesse in me suteable to my state, he disliked it not, yet after supper sought to perswade me from such melancholly, and retirednesse, which (he said) was not onely hurtfull to me, but to my honour, the world speaking, and guessing strangely about it. What is that to me, said I? Is it not as fit the world should see my sorrow for my losse, as my content for enjoying? I never was sparing to manifest the one, I will not bee ashamed, or afraid to suffer for the other with as much confidence as sorrow (which truly felt) will licence me. He said refraining the Towne and my Parents would bee too meane a part for mee, therefore it were much better and nobler to shew it, if I desired that, then to sit at home, as if I would cover it, for thus my bravery in bearing appeared not. I finding him presse me so farre, began to draw so neere to hope, as to thinke it might be he was set on; then my thought I saw he had commission, and heard directly the words of my love delivered by him as a Bird taught, repeating his lesson; yet I dissembled a while, till so long we had discoursed, as I was forced to discover my conceit, which thus I did. If (said I) these speeches have proceeded only from your well-wishes to mee, I must be sorry for them, since they tie me in a stricter band, then I willingly would bee oblieged in my merits, or power, being so small, as I shall alwaies be forced to remaine indebted for it, and so much, as I shall not hope to be able to pay the due; but if they come from another, favour me so much to let me understand whence they are, that I may make my resolutions according. He that had not bin nice to declare what concerned me, especially if good, plainely told me, that hee could not be just in this to us both; yet because he would begin, as he wished the succeeding might be happy; therefore Madam (said he) I was commanded by my friend, and Cosin to perswade you to come up, and he will if you please, to accept of his service deserve by love to be yours againe. May I belei ve this, cryd I: as you will believe any thing spoken by your truest friend and servant. I gave credit to him, and with him as onely to visit my Parents, and taking the opportunitie of having his company went to the Citie; as soone as I came to my fathers house, I saw a well knowne serv ant of the Knights I loved, I felt instantly my blood even spring in my breast, as warming mee with hope, and almost joy, soone after he came, and supped there, carrying so fine, and curteous a fashion to me as might have wonne a new heart, but mine was his before, and if ever I was sorrie it was bestowed, it was at that time when my thought he deserv ed the noblest, and best heart to bee given him for that gentle returne of love, which as my onely content and hoped for blessing I most willinglie embraced; then did I forget not onely all my sorrowes before, and my paine, but was an new creature made of joy. All perceived the alteration, and joyed with mee, some seeing the cause, others that knew not the first chance admired me, and grew merry at my pleasures, but long had not they this cause of mirth, nor I the happines, for after a confident and setled beliefe of his constancy, not then ever to remove, he grew a little slacke again, & by degrees, as one that dies with bleeding, looseth the outward sense of sight, & so by little & little growes to death: so did his favors to my death of parting with them. I finding this, grew to my late estate again and sorrowed, at last fell sick, in which sicknes he came unto me, I then spake some thing to him, not so freely I confesse, as I thought to have done, but so much as hee I saw understood me sufficiently, but so coldly he answered me, his fashion being so different from love, as if he had but heard a tale, not the truth, nor so much as looking on me like the complainer, or suter. At last he said, that I should have no cause to doubt him. I made my selfe (for all mine owne eies & judgement strove against me) believe he meant justly, which indeed I cannot say he then did, but after proved it true, for he tooke away all doubt, and gave me certaine knowledge, but of what? alas my perpetuall misery; for such a stranger he grew, as hee seemd either ashamd to know mee, or disdaind the knowledge of me. One day I found him with his love, I comming to visit her, Lord what a poore salutation he gave me, yet at last as I was going away hee spake to mee, taking occasion of doing something neare the place, where I stood. I answerd him, but thought I to my selfe, am I, or must I ever be the Vicar of the Empire to his love, never enjoying but in a second place, unlesse the first be gone, and then in the interim raigne, but by a new creation fall to my old place againe? These and some other open disgraces truly changed my heart, or wrought so much in me, as I grew to love lesse, then not to love, and now am come to be more careles of him, and faine almost would shun him, yet I cannot directly do that, though I hate the fortune I am fallen into, and this is the cause I am vext with having this Lot. Urania and Philistella pitied her, especially when she cryd; Alas, said she, why was love so cruell, or rather to clothe love in such cruelty, as to give hope of purpose to ruine? as if one would give a delicate banket, and poyson the Guests when he had done; els might hee have left mee despaire for charities sake, and not luld me with hope to martyr me againe. The Queenes perswaded much with her, and so at last she was pacified so farre, as to give him the Jewel, and accept the name of his Mistrisse, as other faire Ladies doe the like name; further, their friendships increased not so long as this story lasted. Philistella was left heere with her deare Selarinus, shee being crowned with all solemnitie, as hee had been before. Steriamus and his Urania journied on to their Kingdome, where likewise shee was crowned, and lived the rest of their dayes in all happinesse and joy: the like did Selarinus and Philistella . Antissius and Selarina in their voyage by Sea, met a fine Adventure in a sweet and dainty Iland, where they staid, the Queene not well brooking the Sea, in which time they walked up into the land, comming into a delicate Pallace, built curiously of white stone, a brave River, or arme of the Sea running a little on the other side of it, Gardens were round about it, or walkes, which made it appeare the Pallace of delight and much perfecter had it bin but the Lord of it was called by lifes concluder to obedience, dying, and leaving two sonnes, and one most faire Daughter, with his noble Lady, whose vertues were such as shinned in her for the honor of all other women, and examples to Maydes to live Virgins, and wives, and widdowes as she had done, and did. She met the King and Queene at the first Gate, being enformed who they were, & with all reverent respect welcommed them, attending them into the Gardens, shewing them the pleasures of them, and giving them such fruits as that time yeelded, then waited on them into the house, which they admired for curiositie, sitting downe to rest them in a brave Gallery, which delighted them infinitely, by reason of the sweete prospect, which though not so far as others, yet was it as pleasing beeing able to judge of what they beheld, which was one way delicate meadowes, and that great River, beyond it fields, and hills, downe the River an ancient, and famous Citie, well built, and of many miles compasse; up the River pasture grounds and fine inclosures, thus were all sorts of delights round about, and in sight of this place, but the richest, and finest sight was the grave Widdow, the sweet youthes, and the excellent young Lady, whose perfections were such as no description can come neere, or anything but admiration tell, whose fulnesse will not permit expression. Her stature was of the brav est, and best chosen height, her skinne (although her hayre was browne) white as milke, soft as downe, and fine as silke: her eyes black, as if mourning for the murders they would commit, yet so spritefull, as gave comfort, and blessed content to him should bee honourd with their favours, and hope of life to the dying, if they repented their ambition. She was sixteene yeares of age, but of such beauty as if each minute had bin employd to fetch excellencies to her; a grave and brave fashion she had, which to strangers seemd pride, but to them that knew her true noblenes abounded in her, which they published, else she had bin undeservingly condemned. With the King there was a brave Lord, but somewhat in yeares exceeding her, he yet had a young and new desire to obtaine her, his worth would not seeke her, but as her worth warranted him, a strangers name hee feared would be distastfull, yet he was so neare a home borne man in affection, as that might speake for him; he was an experienced man, and therfore knew time the most pretious of any thing, wherefore he applyd himselfe unto her. Her fashion was discreet like her self, respective according to his owne hart, which was not the meanest, but such an one as might have dwelt for noblenes in a king, but being in him, made him a king for bounty. A Cosin-german shee had, who travelling with this Lord, was so imped into the quills of his love, as he was himselfe, and so wooed for him; she was confident of her Cosins love, and trusted his judgement, & so received the Romanian, as on trust from him; he was in great favour with the King, who spake for him, and of purpose stayed in that Island (belonging unto his Crowne) till his servant had gaind his desire, the weather so temperat and pleasing, as his Majesty resol ved to stay there, and lodge in tents for pleasure, and the more commodiously to let his Favourite court his Mistris, although the Lady most earnestly besought his gracing her house with lodging in it; but the delightful Island carryed him about to view it, and so left him to woe, and win if he could. In his Progres he met many fine adventures, the Island being large, and plentifull of all delicacies, but the king fel to sports, the Queene affected only prety delights, & none so violent as hunting; the house where they then kept court was a large and auncient house belonging to an Noble-man, built square of stone, standing rather upon a flat then a Hill, for the highest of the ascents was scarce sencible. There ranne behind the Garden, and Orchard wall, a sweete Brooke, on each side whereof fine and enamiled Meadowes lay, shewing their finesses to each eye, in this place Selarina tooke delight, and heere walked, but she was with-drawne a little from the Brooke, and plaine, to a little hill, which had some few trees to grace it selfe withall, and helpe others from the scorching heate; a voice to this place invited her, whither being arrived, she found two men in Shepheards weeds, their countenances spake for them, that they were not borne to that estate, yet their complexions shewed that they had not beene curious to preserve them selves from the Sun, but followed their fortunes, or choyce, as men ought to doe any profession they take: they were not so young as it might bee said, they had wantonly taken that life, the ripnes of their yeares tooke away that suspition, for they were towards forty, so as judgment to content them selves, or discontent one might see had brought them to it; they were together when the Queene first saw them, but they seeing her soone parted, one as if flying company, the other remayning to yeeld account of his going. Selarina drew neere to the Shepheard, who with low reverence welcomed her. She demanded many things of him, he gave her true, and witty satisfaction, at last she desired to know the cause of the Shepheards shunning her, hee answered that he did the like, when he discerned any company, being urged unto it by a violent melancholly, which would not permit him time for recreation, if any but himselfe came neere him. She asked the reason. He replyed that secret was his friends, and therefore besought pardon, if mine owne said he, I should be happy in having such royall eares to give hearing to my story; she still urged, & so much, as he was forced to obay. Then Madame said he, since your Majestie will have it, I must yeeld, one's Princesse having power to search all Subjects hearts. This man my companion, and my selfe, were sonns to two of the best men in this Island, he was called Sirelius, my selfe Procatus, we were bred together at Schoole first, after we went to the Court of your Lords Grandfather, where we lived, and in good reputation, hee meriting all mens good oppinions by his owne noblenes, and excellent parts, my selfe I thinke for his sake was respected, expecting something in me, who was friend to so much worthines. At last he fell in love with a young Lady, the only daughter of her father, & mother, a great marryage she was likely to be, but the true riches he sought, was her love, answerable to his affections. She was very young, having so few yeares as her Parents were loath she should heare of a husband, yet at last his deserts, and store of friends brought the marriage about, and some honours were given to the father in requitall of his consent. The Lady grew on, and the time of marryage came, which was solemnized by the Kings command at the Court, where great tryumphs were, Masques and banquets, and such Court delights, never man with greater joy received a wife, nor any woman expressed more comfort in a match; but where such violence is, seldome is their love lasting, for within lesse then two yeares after the marryage, whether his fondnes ran to Jealousy, or her youth, and love to change gave occasion I dare not judge, but discontents grew, & disliks of all sides spread them selves, the father tooke part with the Son in law, the Mother with the Daughter; to that extremity this flew, as no fire flamed or sparkled higher. Most mens eyes were upon them, to see whither this would come, and for whom all this storme was raised; it was discoverd, that this stir was about a young Lord, who deserv'd alas not the least suspition for any goodnes, that for himselfe could invite love from any above a common creature, such an one he might purchase, or shee, because hee was a Lord take upon trust to find more then promised, his pride was such, as he would loose rather then beg, his ignorance such, as none that had understanding of worth would or could accept, his uncertainty such, as he was alwaies making love, and his fortune such, as he was still refused, and his insolency requited with scorne; yet of this fine Gentleman my noble friend was mistrustfull, his wife I must confesse carrying a little too much respect to the other, and yet on my conscience it was more out of her spirit, that disdaind to be curbd, then extraordinary liking of him, and that often is seene, and proves the way to make truth of mistrust. He forbad him his house, and her his company, she refused to obay, if by chance shee might meete him. Her Cabinets hee broke open, threatned her servants to make them confesse; letters he found, but only such as between friends might passe in complement, yet they appeared to jealousie to be amorous. He was so distemperd, as he used her ill; her father a phantastical thing, vaine as Courtiers, rash as mad-men, & ignorant as women, would needs (out of folly, ill nature, and waywardnesse, which hee cald care of his honour, and his friends quiet) kill his daughter, and so cut off the blame, or spot, this her offence might lay upon his noble bloud, as he termed it, which by any other men must with much curiositie have been fought for, and as rarely found, as Pearles in ordinary Oysters: but what time chose he to execute his fury in, but before her husband? whose love though crackt, was not quite broken, nor so much crusht, but that hee held his hand, which with a Dagger was giving her a cruel & untimely end, yet a little scratch he gave her just on her hart, which otherwise had laine open to the disgrace of an unmerciful & unworthy father. She cryd out, the husband held his wife, who poore Lady was ready to fall under the weight of unkindnes and danger. It was a strange sight to behold a father incensed for a husbands sake against an onely child, & that husband to be the shield of her defence, from whom, if at al the wrong was to rise. This at last with much ado was appeased, & a seeming content sprung out of these blusters among them, the Lord left to his pride, wherwith he pufft himself up, & was fild with it like a dropsie, or a blader blowne with wind: the quarrel was taken up too between them, & easily might it be, for my friend could not by any meanes provoke him to fight, chosing rather to give satisfaction by oath, & promise never of seeing her more, & to be tide to any conditions, then drawing his sword. Matters thus pacified, God blessed them with a son and daughter, after which she died, leaving them as witnesses of her love, and to speake for remembrance of her after her death. A widdower he continued long, his children bred with much care and affection with the Grandfather; travel he did both out of his own love to it, and imployment from the State, but all this could not roote out the aptnesse of his disposition to love, so as hee fell enamoured of a beautifull young Lady, daughter to a great Duke in Romania, whose perfections and yeares called al eyes to admire her, and his to be her Vassels. With much sute and meanes he Courted her, employing all his friends to his assistance of gayning her, shee was not allowed the greatest liberty, but affected it as much as any, shee saw how brave his former wife had lived, and in what liberall fashion she might also with him continue, these were sweete motives to a great minde, and a low estate of meanes, where honour call'd for plenty to supply what she was indued with. Her father was against it vehemently, and shut her up; but these courses prevaile no more with a lover, then to increase loves force in fetters, as any Creature for keeping close, growes the more furious when libertie comes: and so did her love grow to that heate, as wheras mild perswasions might at first have beene acceptable, now nothing but marryage will content her, which so much gayned in my friends breast, as he vowed she should have what his fortune would allow her, and himselfe a loyall and affectionate servant and husband to her. This was agreed on, and they marryed with such joy as none can expresse but lovers, who meete with equall affections, and so lived sometime; but now three yeares being pass'd, the heate resonably cooled, other passions have crept in like Mothes into good stuffe: and discontents have risen, so as he hath left her attended on like her selfe, meanes to the height of his estate, and all things according to her owne mind, himselfe only retyring to lament his misfortune, living to out live her love as he feares, although I am confident of the contrary, & tooke his life likewise on me to divert him if I could from this course, which I trust I shall doe, and have prevailed thus far as he hath promised to weare this Summer out only in his sorrowes, and then to returne, but company he will not yet admit of, so as I feare when he come abroad againe, hee that before was the most absolute fine Courtier will be a new learner in that Art, but let it be as it will, so he come forth of these woods, and plaines, put on Court apparrell instead of this Sheephards coate, a scarfe for this Scrip, and a sword for this hooke, and I trust we shall be gallant once more, for my part I am tired with rurall mirth, and passionate ditties, I had rather heare a horse neigh, then all the Sheephardesses in this Island sing; quarrells have also risen in our absence as I heare, all which will breed ill blood if wee stay out, wherfore I pray for returne. The Queene smiled at this Story, thinking how fit it was to be compared to the grave Suter they had left at the Widdowes house, and how likely such a conclusion was to happen, which some sayes did afterwards fall out of their great discontents, but againe concluded with love, and more love then ever had beene before, at least in outward shew, so as these storyes may bee called one. Selerina left the Sheephard intreating him to use his best meanes to comfort his friend, and to carry him backe to his wife, which she desired as a woman, and hee premised to performe. To the Court shee returned, meeting the King as hee came from hunting, to whome she related this discourse, Antissius knew them both, and resolved to cal them to the Court as soone as he return'd, for he had ever lov'd them, and then had employment for them. The Progresse ended he return'd againe to his first welcome, where he did find his amorous servant a fortunate man, wanting nothing but his Majesties presence for the whole consummation of his blessing, which was concluded by his marryage before the Kings going thence, he assisting at the wedding, and thus was he happy in having what he most coveted. To Constantinople the King and Queene soone after went, where Selarina was with all joy, and ceremony by her deerest loving Antissius crowned Queene, living as happily as ever Queene did. Antissia, and Lucenia came, only to visit her, the other stayed, and attended her daily in the Court, being cheife of the Chamber. Parselius with his Dalinea, being got into their owne Country of Achaia, once more remembred the sweete, and pleasant time they at first injoyed, when Parselius grew a lover, and shee as passionate a receiver of his affection; they called to minde many more passages, as his sadnes, and parting, yet neither of them they stucke long upon; the cause, one not desiring the remembrance since for that occasion, the other for feare of offending let it passe, nothing appeered before them but content, he striving for nothing more then to please her, nor she ambitious of any thing more then his affection: both thus equally bent to love, and satisfaction, happines must needs be the end. If she had a mind to goe abroad, he could never know cause to stay him from accompaning her; if hee liked any sport, or pleasure abroad that she chose to please her selfe withall, his desire was her will, and her will desire to serve him. Thus was love observed, and served by these, who one day going into a greate Desart, after their manner in that Country to take delight, carrying Tents where places so desolate would not afford conveniencie or civill lodging, in a faire plaine the Pavillions were placed, hard by a wood, a dellicate brooke running before them, over which was only a ford but no bridge; there the Queene fished, while the King hunted. As she was at her sport, an ancient fine woman appeared on the other side smiling, and calling her by signes unto her, the Queene was at first carlesse of her, but she still following right against her, calling as shee went with her Angle fit for the streame, shee at last marked her, and was so intised as she resolved to goe with her, sending straight for her Horse, and so with some few in her trayne, one of her servants taking the old woman behind him, rod into the wood, and a great while in the Desart-like wildernes, till comming within a place thicke, and scratching, ful of bushes and thornes, catching as longing to hould her, and so into a little round place, greene as fresh grasse could make it, and as circular as those places faigned to be made by the Fairy company to daunce in, she leaped from behinde her guide, and comming to the Queene besought her to doe so likewise; she obeyed as led by Fortune; then alone, save with the old woman, she went into the thicke, from thence into such another little round, in the midst wherof was a Stone, white as white could be, a Ring of silver on the top wherby it seemed to bee lifted up; the Queene looked on it, and admired it, when the old woman bad her lift it, she seeing the bignes thought it impossible, yet as come by her desire she would not disobay her will, wherefore lifting at it, she easily tooke it up, and then appeared a rich, sumptuous, and brave Staire of stone, carved and guilt with gold. Those Staires she was to descend, which she did, entering then into a delicate fine Gallery, as curious and costly all on Pillars of Gold; out of this into a Garden, such as the perfectest was described to be, thence into a Tarras, the railes, pillars, and all of the same continued richnes, out of that into a large, and spacious Hall, the inside for ingraving, and curiosity like, or surpassing the others, the very Benches, and Thresholds being pure Gold, the walls inriched, & adorned with pretious Stones. In the midst of this, or rather at the upper end, was an Altar, or the proportion of one, sixe Candlesticks with wax lights in them upon it but not burning; a Booke in the mid'st lay open which she tooke up, and reading in it, instantly a delicate sound of Musicke was heard, and then appeared an ancient gravefull old man speaking these words. Great and rightfull Queene of Achaia, blessed be your dayes, and happy may your issue be; know from me, that you were here foretold us many years since, to witnes which: this booke shall give you understanding, (takeing that on the Altar, in his hand) but till your owne, and by your selfe chosen Lord come, I must not discover the secrets unto you. As thus they were in discourse, a strange noyse of severall sorts of Trumpets, and other wind Instruments were heard, whereat entred the king Parselius, who hunting was brought by a like traine into that place. He beheld her, and she him, but as two Statues, set with their eyes one upon the other without power to speak: so stood they, admiration filling them as they were but wonder. The old man thus said, since my Lord the King is now likewise present, I may lawfully goe forward, and fullfill the charge left unto me, which hath laine in my hands these many yeares. Your Grandfather brave Queene, had a Brother named Distantes, he was a brave, and valliant Gentelman, as this Kingdome ever knew, but his misfortune was to fall in love with a Lady, wife to another man, whose deserts especially for love and truth to him, (worthynes abo ve all to be prized) merrited what? so much love as was in him, (and that was as much as ever man carryed, or suffered for woman) could demaund, and she had such requitall from him: he had loved her before her marryage, she had likewise deerely loved him, and gave so lively proofes of it, as he was made possessor of what was most desired by him, and the other only made a colour for their loves, losing what was by marriage his due, but the others by the right of love, so as he was the right Husband, the other the servant that had but by stealth, Distantes possessing freely. This proceeded, & she was with child, the good man rejoyced at it, she was hartily glad, and the Prince thought himselfe blessed, who at the same time also had his wife with child, who dyed in child-bed, leaving a faire and delicate daughter as yeares after manifested; his Mistris had a sonne who were brought up together, the Prince desiring her as a friend to bring up his daughter, having by that a faire occasion to visit her whom hee loved more then any other, or himselfe which is easily to be beloved, since himselfe, he, nor any lover will spare in comparison of love to the beloved. These children continually nourished, fed, and conversing together, did breed, feede, and discourse affections by this meanes, growing like trees incensible yet to perfection, and florishing: such rootes they had planted, as could not without perishing both branches be decayed, yet time made them fearefull, by reason that she was so much greater, & above him; in her it made her love the stronger, thinking it an honour to her, to advance by her favour a man fit in worth, though below her in dignity, the other being above all degrees. One day she was in the Garden by a delicate Fountaine, combing her haire, and braiding it into severall breads, tying at each end a delicate rich pearle, hee came neere her enough to behold her, but not so neere (for his owne happines) to hinder her, or make delayes from so delicate a worke, with which shee knotted, and tyed up his heart in as many bonds as her fingers made plats, and wound them at last all round to crowne her victory, and his bondage. When shee had done, hee went to her, shee with smiles and pleasant discourse welcom'd him, with such sweet and familiar affection, as had him boldly sit by her, take her hand, kisse it, and so discourse of love: so farre he proceeded, and so willingly shee imbraced his desires, as shee yeelded as farre as chast love did warrant, promise of marriage passing betweene them. This continued till the Prince having provided a fit marriage, for her, came and propounded it unto her, little imagining what had pass'd betweene his children: glad hee was to see their loves, which nature told him was necessary; but not (alasse) the least misdoubting the mischiefe committed, til she seem'd so nice, and unwilling to bee perswaded, as hee grew offended, yet feared not such a misadventure: then did hee set his Mistris, her husband, and the youth their sonne to worke with her; they all promised their helpes, except the young man, who modestly excused it as well as hee could, confessing his want of power with her, and unwillingnesse to offend her. This did not dislike the Prince, who went away hoping for all that, to winne her in time, which hee was resolv'd not by force to purchase; but if by perswasions not els to compasse. The love increased between the two young ones, as warmth in the Spring: but the misery at last grew to their losse; yet gaine in this kinde by sad discourse making them know the ill they had runne into, and the sinne they had committed, which by this chance happened unto them. The Lady, Mother to the youth, and Governesse to the Princesse, began to discerne they lov'd, then doubted where, then guessed, and so griev'd, and more was perplexed, not being able to finde a way out of this maze of trouble, nor an end to winde the skeine upon any bottome, but destruction and ruine: shee could not finde a friend to trust with it, to reveale her suspition to her belov ed, not being sure of the ill, shee thought it not fit, since a just taxe might bee laid upon her judgement, and an uncurable wound given to him to thinke of the offence, and deepe, though deserved punishment on him and her, whose sinnes had bred flowers to poyson themselves with all, and brought forth joyes to be their overthrowes. In these perplexities shee remain'd till a night or two before the Prince was to come againe, in the evening, or rather so late as might be called night: shee went into the Garden to breath her complaints in the sweet and silent ayre: but what hower can be so late or early, that (if profitable) Lovers will not finde convenient? Shee had not walk'd one Alley, but in a close delicate cover'd walke, she heard a whispring which made her stand still, and not unmannerly, but onely for knowledge sake listen who they were, when against her will, (as often that happens) shee heard these words. My deare, said one of them, what strange mistrust is this, that lately is fallen into my mothers breast, to make her so curiously watch, and as it were strive to deprive us of our loved meetings? Can shee bee unkinde to her owne sonne? or thinkes shee that I am not worthy of thee? Can shee which cherished mee with such hearty love, envy, or seeke undeservedly to barre my chieftest blessing? the earth holds not that treasure I prize like thee, the Heavens but in themselves can give mee such content as thy presence fills me withall: joy is not but in thy sight, nor am I ought if not with thee, barre mee thy conversation and imprison mee; let mee bee banished thee, and murther mee; let mee not injoy thee, and let mee perish in perpetuall accursednesse. What shall I say? I cannot say I am worthy of thee; then should I flatter my selfe, and wrong thee. I cannot thinke I merit speech for mee; yet since thou gracest mee, why should any els envy or grudge my fortune? As thou art matchlesse, so are thy favours; and I am blessed, inriched, and enobled with them: why then should purblind chance or fond policie hinder me? tricks of state, as being tricks, are to bee condemn'd; I am true, thou excellent; I loyall, thou affectionate: what Crocodile treason should howle to bewray, and destroy our contents; weepe not deare eyes, with that hee kiss'd the teares, and like Nectar dranke them, corsives to see her shed them, but cordials as shed for him, and hee permitted to take them. O my deare life, cryed hee, teare not my soule with thy sorrow, let mee not see thee mourne unlesse I may with that dye: hee still kiss'd her, I know not whether more molested with her paine, or joyed with that liberty of kissing, shee at last kissing his eyes which likewise accompanied hers in showres. My joy, said shee, why make you these questions? may there be any accident that can hinder our loves? our wills and desires, 'tis true there may, but be confident no further then absenting can gaine; for never shall I bee in heart and soule but yours: the least thing that belongs to you is deare to me, how infinitely deare then is your selfe; mine eyes are not so deare, my heart so well belov'd (but that you cherish it) as is your sight and dearest selfe to me. I thinke not of a fortune which is not with you and for you, I dreame not but of you, I joy not but in you, nor am I ought els but your selfe metamorphosed wholly into you, and your love. Then sate they downe by a delicate Fountaine at the side of that walke, there they wailed againe, there testified their woes in sighes, and teares: at last (cryed shee) but if my Father take mee hence, will not you forget mee? shall not absence worke in you? Yes (said hee) in admiration of thee, to think how chast, how excellent thou art, how happy I was in thy loved sight, and so by that, see more and more cause alwaies to lament: other effects when absence brings to me, let ruine follow, or come joyntly with it; if roome be found for foule forgetfulnesse, let mee of Heaven bee unremembred; thy beauty printed in my heart, shall still before my soule call thoughts of love: mistrust not me sweet life unlesse thou meane to martyr me, I can love none, I nere lov'd any, or ere will live to think so shamefull & detestable a thought, as change in love procures: no, I was borne just, I am just, and will dye just. Shee wrung his hand, and these am I, cryed shee, they then embraced, with which the Mother came unto them, who seem'd like a great showre in harv est, grievous to their covetous desires of being by themselves: the Moone shin'd so as all things appear'd as cleare as in the day. They were in innocence asham'd to bee heard and found alone, yet love made them onely desire that, affection in a Mother made teares to fall for feare, and love for him; respect unto the other, as childe of him she most loved, made her weepe also for her; both brought passions, as for both shee suffer'd, shee could not speake, her breath was stopped, and shee was choaked with kindnesse, shee fell upon their necks as they together kneeled unto her, their eyes did say they faine would speake, and they begged for them, hers promised will to grant, and sorrow to deny; all three were in an extasie, not knowing what to doe, speech failed, senses lost their use, and they were like the Images, that in resemblance of the substances implored good, but dumbe as they were, gain'd little, and thus did they remaine till hee spake. Madam (said hee) the bringer of me forth, the kinde nourisher of me in youth, and till this time; undoe not your first worke, nor make mee wish I never had beene borne, which I must doe if I bee hindred from injoying this sweet Lady, Mistris of my life. You have tenderly bred me with affection, and can bee as tender over me still, then let my sufferings in love be as the dangers you sought to prevent, and so protect me still; I did amisse in beginning without your knowledge, but she loves me (Madam) that speakes for me, and therein am I richer then in Kingdomes, if els where; she wishes what I seeke, and desires what I wish; you have charity to strangers, let not your sonne bee a greater stranger to you; his life lies on it, and so yours; if you doe hold mee but as deare as you did lately protest I was: you have power and meanes to effect this. What can you desire of my Lord that he will not consent to? what intreat of her father that he will refuse? we both petition, both beseech your ayd, you may assist and save ys, els let us faint and perish in dismay. The Lady then grew more passionate at his speeches, then before the plaine sute, & confession being delivered by his own tongue, desirous she was to helpe, and succour him; but assured she was it lay not in her power; nor had she use of speech, only teares freely serv'd her, so as if one would dreame of the ancient changes, one might think she had been instantly ready to be transform'd into a Fountaine; her silence gave the young Lady opportunity, who thus discoursed her passions. Mother, said she, to my perfecter selfe, disdaine, no nor refuse the petition of my heart thus made, while that is prostrate to you, heare and grant my sute, use the power of love that no question you have imployed by your own sufferings judge mine, and for them both command redresse; Love dares not deny you, who can, and have in my hearing given proofes of his respects due unto you, let him now show what is your due; and allow it you, but imploy it to our profits; seeing thus before you, the two purest Lovers his power ever touch'd, or brought under his obedience; behold our pains as yours, for so they are since joyntly his, and pitty mine as hers, bred by your hand, like a Lambe, till seazed by the wolfe of Love, which (though fierce) yet kind and sweet are those clawes that hold me fast to him; he hath told you your power, I can but beseech your favour, and beg it for love, & your own Love's sake; thinke how miserable the death of Lovers will be, & how unfortunate when caused by a mother, & a friend to love? A friend to love, cryd the old woman, and a mother? 'Tis true I am both, & they have brought my miserie. O my children how miserable am I in this? I might (did not my own guiltines condemne me) think my selfe, & call my selfe your mother, but my shame makes my sorrow, and your losse must proceed from my infamy; griev'd I am in soule to tell the truth, for you must and cannot choose but hate me, when I shall say, what yet my heart, loth to let me speake? my eyes will waste themselves in streames before I can utter it, and my soule rend when I must say, you cannot bee blessed in love, your wofull and sinfull mother being the cause, and roote of all this mischiefe. I blush in foule guiltinesse, I mourne in the knowledge of my sinne, I am more faulty then ever woman was, and a meere staine to my sexe: you cannot, my dearest heart, enjoy this Lady, nor you (sweet Lady) have your love: I am the Monster that keepes the gates against you, and the Serpent that deserves death from you for double injury. Then kneel'd shee downe; pardon mee, cryde shee, you perfectest and best, though most unfortunate Lovers, I am the wretch that hath undone you and my selfe; your love's unlawfull, I am the shamefull cause thereof; your loves cannot imbrace, I am the Divorcer; your wishes, if granted, would bee wickednesse, and I am the ground brought forth this poyson; wonder not, but shun me as the Pestilence. I am not to bee neerer suffer'd then the Plague; for such I am to you, to you (deare two) the life of my poore life: the reason of all this was love, and your love by this sinfull love is cross'd; you are, poore soules, deceiv'd and couzened; turne your affections now to chast and just desires, for you are (ah that I must say so) Brother and Sister, children to one man. They, miserable soules, could not looke upon each other, the ground was their highest object, swell and almost burst they did with griefe, their senses shut up as in an Apoplexie: at last, all rose from the earth, into which they rather would have gone, the old woman to her chamber, where falling into passions her weaknes could not sustain: but she with heart afflicted, oppressed with shame and unsufferable woe, dyed, being found in the morning in her bed a pittifull corps of an afflicted minde. The youth and his Sister wept, and sate that night together wringing their hands, as their hearts and soules smarted for this harme: In the morning, for feare of spies, they parted their misery, being to shew themselves as carefull as before, their honours and the Parents lying on it, though their wofull fortunes might have given liberty, which was their greatest Prison, liberty they before did covet, now had, is onely hated. Sobs and groanes were the words they said farewell withall, their eyes so fill'd with cloudes of teares, as if yet pitty were had, not to let them see their extreamest misery, but through a scarfe of love shed water. The noise of the Ladies death was soone spread abroad the house, comming to the young Lords eares, who with much sorrow, which hee dissembled not (his supposed father being absent) tooke order for her buriall, himselfe soon after went thence privatly, like Caunus from Biblis; yet the comparison holds not clearly, because these Lovers were chaste and pure after the secret was disclos'd. Wandring about, hee happened on this Desart, and into a little round place in proportion, like this you came from, where you descended the stayres: Shee follow'd him, or fortune whither she would guide her, who was so kinde as to bring her to this place where they continued some short space, life not allowing too much sorrow, to such unfortunate though worthy creatures, but would, to assist them, loose it selfe, parting with them, leaving their bodies cleare reliques of spotlesse truth, and cross'd affections malice. They saw each other, and bewail'd their chance, but to favour each other, came no neerer then through those bushes to behold their wofull selves, as in Mooneshine glimmering, and as colde: At last, as they had justly at once begun their loves, they justly at one instant died a little before meeting, pitty not letting the one outlive the other; or love covetous, would receive both parts at once a gaine into possession loth to spare any part of such perfection. The bodies by divine providence kept safe, the woefull Prince, Father to them, by destiny brought to them, having searched, and all his servants for them. Under a great Cyprus Tree which grew where the stone is now, they lay intwined in each others armes, dying with as chast, and in as chast embracements as they had lived; her groanes of death called him, who had as little life, yet some thing more strength, finding her end comming, hee kissed her hand, and dying lippes, then tore some of those branches downe, honouring againe poore Caparissus , wearing his Funerall memory, making two Coronets, one for her, another for him selfe, and so Crowned, but most with loyall spotles love, they ended, leaving no staine but misfortune to touch them withal, & much honour to be rendred to their loves. The Prince finding them thus, fell downe on them, and as it were breathing his last likewise into them, but hee was to out live them, and to grace their Funeralls: he therefore rose commanding that stately Tree to be cut downe, whose pride had beene such, as not to let any tree grow within the compasse of his armes; of the body hee made a Coffin, into which with precious balmes he layd the bodies as one; then did hee get the rarest workman, and by his directions make this place, the comming to it he would have this way, as most unusuall, and strange as their lives, the place els on the other side would have suffered another, and finer comming to it, though painefull, the ascent being so highe, for indeed, it was a place as cut out of the maine Rocke, and wrought into the heart of it, all of one side having light in aboundance, but hee had, as it were, made his way in the middest thereof, as if to pierce the Center, as that part in their hearts had beene sealed. When this stately and sumptuous building was finished, he went into Chios, where dwelt an ancient and rare Magitian, this man he made his instrument to fulfill his intent, who did so well performe it, as hee accomplished what Art could frame; my selfe, my Wife, the old woman that conducted your Majesty and my Sonne that brought you hither, were heere established by them; this booke hee gave mee to deliver to you when you came, and the time appointed when a woman should raigne heere, loving as well, as much deserving, but more happily enjoying to her comfort, which is your selfe. I was commanded to tell this story to none els, nor deliver this Booke, wherin this is more exactly expressed, and yet all this in the presence of the King your chosen mate These I have observed, and now have but two things more to do, which are these, to shew you the Tombe; then opened he that place which seem'd like an Altar, wherein lay the two Lovers adorn'd as they dyed, with the same Garlands whose honour was to continue greene still, as hopefull of their memory. The candles hee then lighted, telling them that hee and his were ordain'd to doe that office, while any of them remained alive. The King and Queene lamented the Lovers, pittying their miserable estates, and unfortunate adventures, giving large allowance to the place to maintaine lights for ever over them, and the keeping of the place to them and their heyres. All charmes were now finished, and yet the memory of the charme of such a love never could be but extant. Thus Parselius and his Queene were made happy with the rarest accident of love, and the richest Tombe Love in the world had, they return'd with all content, honouring above all other places the Tombe of Love, returning soone after to their setled Court. Rosindy, Meriana and Perselina hav ing left the Court, and returning with their best and convenientest speed, passing through a part of Achaia, which was pleasant, but slightly inhabited. Perselina by reason of the heat, intreated them to stay a while in those places; they agreed to her demand: Rosindy and Meriana like two new married people for fondnesse and affectionate kindnesse, walking in the woods which were but small heighth, though thicke, being like Copsies all of Birch, save heere and there an Oake would shew himselfe in pride, and peremptorily tell them hee commanded; in this place the King took great delight, so as they sate downe where fearnes grew, as if of purpose to bee their cushions, and then with sweet and loving discourse they let the time steale away, delight increasing while that little addition of age grew on them unfelt or thought on. The delicate young Lady went by her selfe, her thoughts farre higher then that solitarinesse, could have rais'd them, had shee not carried a more aspiring and brave minde continually about her then ordinary women, or the most extraordinary had, her fortunes were so farre short of her spirit, as shee suffered that to descend, to wish an increase, and sufficiency of estate though shee bought it with her marriage, and so grow subject to an Husband, which, though loath shee was to doe, yet rather then want meanes, shee would venture her limits of absolute freedome; yet such her conceit of her owne judgement was, in which shee erred not much, as shee thought shee should doe well enough with such a Husband as she would choose for free living; many had beene named, but one onely shee liked, who had but one barre to hinder his desires, which was that hee was a stranger, and no Macedonian; besides, of that Nation which in former times had beene enemies, though neighbours; and this was the chiefe obstacle, her Father a man of infinite spirit, and having had her by the widdow Queene of Macedon, after whose birth shee soone dyed, hee thought none worthy of her, especially, an Achayan, but acquaintance with Rosindy, and service to Parselius had brought him so neere, as shee resolv'd in her selfe, if hee remained constant, what ever came of it to bee his wife. In this resolution shee walked up and downe the Cops, plotting as many severall waies to compasse her desires as plentifull love could furnish her withall, at last an highway being through the Cops, and shee heard by that way, heard some comming downe towards her, and one to sing this Song. From a long way, and Pilgrimage for Love, I am return'd weary'd with Travels paine, Not finding ease, or those vexations moove: First, to my soule they are, where to remaine They vow to setle; then alas, can I Thinke of a rest, but travell till I die. When she had finished her song, Perselina standing among the bushes by the way side saluted her, who was a delicate, but distressed creature, in habits of a Pilgrime, but carying a countenance that said for her, shee was noble, her traine halfe a dozen servants of all kindes, two Gentlewomen, and foure men, all on foote with staves in their hands, bare footed and carrying their owne provision in baggs at their backs, she onely had hers carryed for her. When she saw the Princesse (who in apparell Greene, and among the bushes appeard like Diana when in greatest perfection) she stayd, and with a modest salutation, according to her estate, answered the honour shee had received, by her saluting her. The Princesse desired her to rest her selfe a while with her. Madam said shee, then should I hope for that which yet I have beene denied, rest never knew I any, one stop or other crossing me in it. I would not said she, have you stand upon the word, but agree to my desire and meaning, which is, that you should stay with me, and so a little desist from travell. She humbly gave thankes, but said, her habits admitted but journeys. Eate and drinke said she, you must, let me but have that time, and lawfully may I demand it, since your song tells mee your Pilgrimage is finished. Madam said she, in a kind it is indeede, but not perfectly, for till I finde my selfe in mine own home, I shall not think it done. Are you far from that? No indeede, answered the Stranger, within a league, and this my ground. Perselina againe urged, and civillity made her consent, so as thus she proceeded. Madam, said she, to whose commands can bee no refusall, say what you will have your servant, my selfe, performe for satisfaction to your will, I must and will observe you, come in said shee into this thicke, and there let us conferre. She obeyd, and willed her servants to attend for her in that place, shee attending Perselina. Both in the thickest part as close as their sufferings were to themselves, they sate downe, the Princesse desiring to know the cause of her travell. She with as much desire of keeping that secret, which must bee knowne, answered thus: Alas Madam, cryd shee, what torture doe you put me, a poore vassell to your authority, and love, to rehearse that, which every word strickes to my heart like daggers; hath my first sight given you such, dislike as you purpose to molest me? Or my little conversation such distaste, as you resolve to afflict me? Otherwise, why should you lay this waighty Crosse upon me? Not to bring any of these, faire Pilgrime, (said the Princesse) but to know exactly what I already mistrust, led to it by your exellent speech, and manner; then said she, like a woman I will be pleased with your commendations, and as fond of them, follow your requests, I will yet by your favour reserve some things to my selfe, and they are these, my name and Parentage, onely I beseech you let me call my selfe as I appeare. Poore Pelarina your creature lived in this Countrey when it was in that happinesse, and innocency, as those dayes were, when Satirs, Nimphs, and Shepheards liv'd free with one another, fearelesse of harmes; Wolves, Foxes, Sheepe, and Lambes, fedde, liv'd, and were as one Flocke, neerer in familiarity then Goates are with the tamest now. Plenty grewe for men to reape, and they reap'd but what grewe for them. In this time I found my selfe made, mee thought, unto love, and I did love, accursed bee this Grove for it; for heere, O heere, I lost my liberty, heere I walk'd, and discoursed with my selfe how happy I was, and all these parts that liv'd in that liberty where none felt straitnesse from the best man to the lowest flower, not so much as that the Cowslip look'd one whitt yellower in suspition; that the Rose, Violet, or Lilly, were sweeter, delicater, or beautifuller then themselves: all were good companions, and strove but for society without suspition, the true and perfect golden age was then, when riches consisted in truth, since skipt to the hard cold Iron where rusty disquiets eate, and spoyle, devouring like Vipers their owne kinde, and now doth love imitate that ill. New come from hunting, in a Castle not farre hence, I first saw my first, & last love; he was tall and slender, not so curiously shap'd, as extreame lovely, and amiable, his haire browne he wore in good length, his apparell hansome, not to curious, nor so neate, that discoverd not, hee rather affected ease, then fond Courtly vanities; hee was neither forward to discourse, nor sparing, when hee was acquainted to honour the company where hee was with his wit, which was incomparable, and so pleasing a way hee had in conversation as made all hearts and eares his owne; what perfection was in all that sexe hee had united in him, and yet to this excellency as necessary to make him perfect man, hee had the most usuall humous of change, and falsehood; woe is me that I must say so, but it is truth, and that can neither blush nor looke pale. He came thither with a Lady hee seemd much to respect, and so much, as I was angry, and envied her, before I knew I loved him, but that gave mee cause to thinke it, and that thought to beleeve, and beliefe served to condemne me, to the chaines. I was young, and some said hansome, but that was not it I hoped upon, desert I meant should bee my meanes, and on that ground would I lay my foundations, which proud so good, as I gaind his love; and truely may I say so, for he did affectionatly love me, and cheerish mee as his eyes, which never were so well pleased, as when looking on mee, where hee said, and joyed for it, that hee sawe as pretty expressions of love, as women could discover. Visitations hee caused to bee betweene his brothers wife and my selfe, and why but to the ende of our meetings? Were I not forced to tell this, the more to shewe his disloyalty I would not mention it; both to avoide doubt of vanity, and austentation, and my owne torment to say this was, and should I leave it out, how should you know what you desire, which is truth, and my story? This conversation wrought a love, and untyed affection betweene us two; so as we were, and are called the true loving women friends, a rare matter (as men say) to bee found amongst us. Journeyes to our severall kindred and friends wee made together, when feasts were made, wee three were invited as not to bee seperated, and so much his love and mine was noted, as none would at any time in Coaches, or at the Table devide us, love being a thing so beloved, as every one loves it for it selfe, in what place soever it be found to bee setled: so much I saw it marked, as had not my entire affection beene so violently raigning, I might my selfe have beene nice to have it so publike; but what did I heede save his love, the embracing of it in equall flames as given to mee, and so wee gave the world cause to admire us, rather then after their fashion, to accuse, of scorne us. If hee were missing from Court, or any place where he had occasion to be, to mee they would come for him, and then was I best able indeede to yeeld accoumpt of him; but what shall I say? All things growe, and live to change, not my selfe, but am changed from youth to yeares, from beauty to decay, from blessing to all miserie: what I or the World held strange but yesterday, this day makes us know, and taste; Plaines are where Woods were, Sand onely, and barrennesse in the fruitfullest places. Asia is barren that flowed in much plenty, Cities wasted, ruin'd, and lye desolate that were the Earths glory, and for mine owne particular, I am undone that once was highest in Fortunes Paradise. What shifts would hee make to hold us together, or if a day absent to meete againe? How unkindly would hee take the least looke of mine, if sadd, lest it had beene to him? And how kinde was he to me, never quarelling, if not, that I was not as hee thought fond enough, or some time lesse fond of him then I was, which I never knew, nor could, unlesse I would, or were able to leave loving my owne soule, for little lesse dearer was he to me, or yet is. One night he came unlook'd for to our house, but not unthought on by me, nor undesired by him: How did he joy in his countenance to see me, and I rejoyce to have his sight? I was strooke with so much content as I was speechlesse, he blush'd with kind affection, I with agreeing love, all Supper our eyes fed on one anothers lookes, writing our mindes in them as with Diamonds in Glasse, and no more permanet did his proove. After Supper he would needes (onely to have me with him neerer then he thought hee could in the roome) goe walke into a Garden to heare the Nightingale, I obeyed with as much willingnesse as he desired, and so calling the Lady, my friend, with us, we passed away the time till night calld us to rest, but a little rest tooke we, for our Chambers being neere, we sate and discoursed all night in a little Gallery betweene the Lodgings; the morning comming we parted, but like the first part of it with dewye teares, though but for some houres as we thought, yet it proved longer in a kinde, for many weekes passed, before we could enjoy so much happinesse as that night wee had, yet were our eyes blessed with each others sight, and our hands made happy with being linked within each others sweet, and softest prison, loving so much the bandes, as they would almost in kindnesse hurt, with hard, but kindest holdings. O me, how blessed was I then, and now how haplesse? Hunt we did together, and Hawke with such pleasure as drew envy on us both, but what did we except our owne contentments value? He delighted in my company, I would have dyed but hee should have had it, nothing thought I on but to please him, my study onely bent that way, nor tooke hee liking to any thing more then how to delight mee; thus agreede, what happinesse did wee live in? Favourites in their Princes eyes are not so great, nor happy as we were. This continued (alas, why use I that word continue, having experience of the contrary?) but this blessing was for foure yeares space; then, I know not what Devill, but the great one himselfe, Change, put in a spell, and wicked power against mee, bringing Beauty and Youth in excellency before his eyes, to make mee excellingly unfortunate; hee was caught with those faire allurements, and I tyed to mischiefe by that taking. Woe is mee, I lost all my comfort, all my joy by that; but at last a greater ill tooke mee, for another got him from us both, who had long sought it, but while he held fast to me, she could not gaine him, beauty was the untying of my blisse, and wit her losse, yet I had the fairer share in loosing that, a faire creature was my undoer, like the fortune of Paris, she a terrible harme to have her joy, and hopes bereft her by a witt, which gaining disco ver'd her want. But I pittied her, though shee had robbed mee, as if I should have compassion of a Thiefe that another causeth to be executed, who hee had before stolne from me, and was forgiven: so I forgave her, and was sorry for her, who long outlived not her losse. Was shee a marryed woman, said Perselina, when shee dyed? Shee was answered Pelarina. Did shee much love, said the beautifull Princesse? Like Women that love the ordinary way of love said the other, whose affection, greatnesse, gifts, or such ends entice, not the vertue of love it selfe; after her death hee used mee a little better then before, as if againe casting his eyes on me, for love, or use. Why, said Perselina, could you have patience to endure him after hee had used you so vildly, as to change? Patience Madam said she, yes, and a greater wonder, in me affection continued strong towards him, and doth, though his Mistresse call'd it dulnesse, when I told her, good natures would have given it the title of patience, but I excusd her for it; to witnesse my patience, I have beene with her in companies abroad, nay at her owne house, and seene all what I had once enjoyed given to her, my eyes looked not on as if blear'd, my hand untouched as if poysonous, hers kist, babies look'd in her eyes, smiles flowing to her, frownes plentifully shewing themselves on me. I have hunted with them, I have gone (as one day I must needs remember above the rest) a Fouling with them, where so much favour I received from him who was once mine, as she being a little parted from us to shoote at a Fowle, he went as fast from mee as hee could without running, while his scorne rann to me. An other Gentleman was there, and none els, he was of his Family and kindred, and as true lover of me, as I was of his cousens, but him I as much shunn'd, and rather then goe softly with him. I went apace after my flyer, the way of necessity leading me to follow my disdainer. When they met, with what love did he take her hand and kisse it? I following unmarkt, but weary, and dabled like a hunted Hare in Winter, tyred with my disgrace, and weary of my wrongs, sweeting with passionate paine, and durted in despaire, yet loved I still. A bracelet he wore of her haire braided and tyed about his left arme, a peice of it one day hung out, I saw it, and griefe with it, and yet a little joy tooke me when I discern'd he knew it should not be seene by me, and that he had so much shame, or pitty as hee turn'd from me, blushd, and put it up out of sight, I would faine have said, your newe favours too much discover themselves, but I fear'd, or rather was loth to displease him; at first, he was a little, or much more strange, but after he grew sociable, and I continued humble, finding fault with nothing, but embracing all small curtesies, or the lookes like them as welcome, and so used them; yet so much it was marked, and I discern'd my losse publikely noted, as I grew sensible of it, and so a small deale wiser, for needes I would be free. I tried all meanes possible, but what force can pervaile against an impregnable strength, or steely heart of Faith, and love? Yet I used all instrumentall meanes that could be thought on, I look'd off as oft as my heart could let me, I look'd then when I could not choose, with resolutoin to dislike, saying in my selfe, have I suffered this for you that scorne mee? I would faine have found fault with his shape, his fashion, or any thing, blaming my selfe for doting on such an one, but these would not serve, for the more I looked, I saw more cause of Love, gazing though to death; willingly I absented my selfe, and in absence, had got so much heart, as warranted me to see him againe, and have my desire of carelessenesse; I ventured, assured as I thought, but couzened I was meerely; for though I came in like a Giant swolne with pride of my owne power, and assurance of my conquest, the true Knight Love came armed against mee in armes of fire, and truth, I yeelded, and could but like a poore miserable Poet confesse my selfe in Rime, thus finding my error, with the blisse (I confesse) of seeing him who I found I could not but love forall other resolutions. Did I boast of liberty? 'Twas an insolency vaine: I doe onely looke on thee, and I captive am againe. And so indeed I was, for I never knew love stronger in me, as then of necessity it ought to bee, contending with judgement; multitudes I could reherse of his favours, and disgraces to mee, of his mistresses feares, and smiles, but to what ende? All can but shew I was blessed, and am unfortunate, my face and life say that for mee, onely this appertaines to the Story. I at last was againe made beleeve he loved me, and I was (ever in that wav ering religious) glad of it, proud of it, joyed with it, and utterly ruin'd by it. He was in shew as he was wont to be, I saw it, gladed at heart for it, others told me of it, I was like a Birde nice, and blusht, yet receiv'd it willingly; ad so, as I had cause, after finding his neglect againe, to grow with shame, and teares to repent my credulity, and to manifest it with my true penitence. I therefore tooke this Pilgrimage upon mee, which now I have in a kind ended: I have seene Hiersalem, confest my sinnes, asked forgi venesse, and remission, which I hope my desire of pardon, though not my merits, hath purchased mee, and thus I am returnd? But are you free from love, said Perselina? In troth no Madam, said the other, I love him stil, but I hope it is now but charitably, yet I am afraid to try my selfe lest I should finde my spirit like my selfe, fraile. The Princesse smiled at her pretty innocent confession, thinking that shee had learned so truly to confesse as shee could doe no other, yet in that shee was deceiv'd, for unlesse shee would, shee could bee silent. But was your journey and vow wholly made upon this, wherin you were faulty but in vertue, or beliefe to it? Mix'd Madam, said shee, I professe, and mixture made it, I did so farre beleeve, as I granted what I may lawfully repent, and necessarily also, but Love my ruler commanded, and I obeyed. I could in my selfe say, why should I yeeld, I must deny; but when I saw him, my soule flew to him, he but asked, and I yeelded, yet this I repent not, but a vanity I had about mee, which because once liked by him, and admired by our Sexe, or those, of them that I durst make my follies seene unto, a fond humour of writing, I had set downe some things in an idle Booke I had written, which when hee saw, hee thought touched, or came too neere, or I imagine so, because in some places he had turnd downe leaves, and onely at such as he might if hee would dislike, and were those I thought hee would take notice of, yet he neither did by word nor writing, not honouring me so much, who was his slave, as to finde fault, or to seeme pleasd. I was me thought left to conjecture, and the further I went in such conjecture I runne into feare and sorrow that I had offended, yet I can cleare my selfe if I might come to answere, but I cannot, not could, so as finding my selfe thus miserable, I tooke my Pilgrymage willingly. What could you say to offend? In troth Madam, said shee, I discover'd how neere I was to bee an ordinary lover after losse, which is to grow neighbour if not inhabiter with hate; and some two Poeticall and neate expressions I made of it, yet I came off, though hurt as it seemes in the action; but let him make the case his owne, and I doubt hee will rather cut the cord then untye the knots: but I have done, I forgive all, and wish hee will also doe so with mee; I pray for him, and truely without faigning I love him for all this, firmely, and shall doe; let him use his worst in scorne, which he hath prettily practis'd: I thinke hee can neither shew, nor, assure my selfe, study that cruelty which can make me hate him; nay, in earnest leave loving, though it may bee I have err'd in saying so, boasting rather then having such strength; for which, great love and you dearest beloved, pardon mee, I aske it with a repentant and clensed heart, and (if it please you) remember what cause you gave; if not, nobly forgive. Perselina found in her selfe she should never come to that excellency of constancy; wherfore she admired, thogh scarce commended her richnes, in that plenty, and fulnesse, & being call'd by Rosindy, left the constant Lady to her vertuous vowes, and religious truth, who lived the rest as she had begun her dayes in fervent zeale and affection. The King and Queene with the delicate Princesse arriving soone after in Macedon, where they rul'd both with power and love, loved with feare, because they fear'd they could not love enough; the young Princesse soone after tooke her minde and former resolution, marrying her selfe with her chosen love: some busines there was before it could bee effected; but the effect came happily to their owne resolutions conclusion, & peace, the Nurse of love was among them. Philarchos with Orilena going for Mytelin, met a Ship riding, or rather floating, for unguided she was, unrul'd, and unman'd, tumbling up and downe, like the Boates boyes make of paper, and play withall upon little brookes: onely a Dogge, to shew some live creature was in her, came on the hatches, and walk'd with much gravity, like an officer or kinde of watchfull servant, he bark't not, nor fawningly sought ayde, by leaping, whining, shaking his head, or wagging his tayle, or other such dog-like expressions, but look'd soberly, & entertainingly, like a steward on the strangers: the Prince came and laid the Ship aboord; when Philarchos saw none but this guardian, he leap'd into her, and some of his Knights with him, the Dogge look'd on them, and as one might say, discreetly went before them, (as their guide) into a Cabin where a Lady lay on the ground weeping and wringing her hands, all in mourning, and more sorrowfull yet in her illustrious expression then the mourning could shew mournfull, and therefore shee more then their habits mourn'd. Shee onely look'd up, and cast her eyes downe againe, and her face against the ground, crying, Alas, have I not beene miserable enough? must I in this assured quiet bee molested? can I not have a restfull dying time allow'd me? shall not the Sea nor a cast-away Barque have power to let mee dye in peace? then yet endure more, and know thou must (poore woman) dye, as live in perturbation. Philarchos went to her, tooke her by the arme, and gently lifted her up a little, using these wordes: none heere purposeth to molest you, wee are, and will bee rather your servants then disquieters, by chance we came to succour you, and now by resolution will, if you please to accept of it. Sir (said she) your noble disposition appeares in this, and God (I hope) will reward you for it, I am so lamentable a soule, and so unable to thinke of ability (though gratefulnesse rules mee) as I am onely able to pray for you, and that I will not faile to doe; but Sir, you must leave mee, for I am appointed to dye, and by him that hath power to doe it, if he had but onely commanded me, without leaving me to this assurance. There is no necessity (saith Philarchos) in obeying you in this, who though condemn'd (as it seemes) by a power ov er you, governes not us, nor can, though soveraignize over you, subject us to his law: therefore I will not obey him nor you in this; fortune brought me fortunately to the finding you, shee shall likewise bring you to life, for wee will save you, you are our prey, we will not in complement let you destroy your selfe, it seemes you are dead to those condemn'd you, you may yet lawfully live to us that redeeme you, howsoever, bee confident wee will conduct you hence and place you somewhere where you shall bee safe from a certaine ruine. That will more ruine mee (cryed shee) when I shall bee bar'd from obeying him whom I must ever observe. What obligation binds you, said hee: Soveraignty of Love, said she, and loyall subjection to his will. Tyes, said Philarchos, fit to bee durable, and affection indure, but else a bargaine is not to bee made onely of one side, you are free when hee breakes: to dye, said shee, never to live disobedient to him who is my Lord. The Prince knew such things as love and loyalty were or had beene, yet hee was willing to divert her from those courses because running to perill, and therefore hee replyed, these were the expressions of purest zeale in love: but love was never ordained to be such a monster as to destroy, if hurt by change, tryall judicially should helpe, not harme directly pursue. Shee sigh'd and lamented. Hee comforted and disputed, at last tooke her up, partly by will, partly by force from the ground, and carried her to his dearest Orilena, who kindly, like a brave noble Lady, welcom'd her: her Dogge would not part from her, but still attended her, lying when shee sate or lay on the ground at her feete; when shee stir'd, hee followed (servant-like) her motions. When shee was out of her Prison, which should have beene after her death, and buriall, like one come forth of a fainting fit; shee look'd about and star'd like a Hauke that had beene hooded when shee comes first to sight againe: a decent and yet Princely salutation shee gave to Orilena, which was repayed her with the like, and much courtesie. Philarchos commanded to put off from the other Barque. Two of his Knights that were brothers begged her, and went away in her upon an adventure with his consent, while they sailing towards Mytelin, gained so much of the sad true Lady, as shee brake silence so long as to deliver this discourse. My native Land (though unnaturall, because such cruelty was in the Countrey) is the sweet Iland of Nycaria, my parentage of the best bloud, next the chiefe Lord and his children, and of his house I am, though not of the same name. I fell in love with a young Noble-man, much esteemed, and as any, honour'd for his bravery and courage; no spirit in the Island excelling his, if equalling, no wit comparable to his; nor no Nobleman endued with more vertues, as learning, horsemanship, and what els can bee required in such an one, whose noble descent answer'd or demanded these excellencies. Hee loved mee like wise as passionately, and fondly, which at last was and is my overthrow. I liv'd with my father most commonly, but oftentimes I went to the Court, more (I confesse) to see him and joy in his presence, then to see any vanity there; yet I both saw those sports the Court affects, and are necessary follies for that place, as Masques and Dauncings, and was an Actor likwise my selfe amongst them, though never affecting them further then to content him I lov'd, who I saw well pleased with all: many banquets I was the cause of when we met, and to my Fathers hee ordinarily did come, a strict friendship betweene them: never was hee, if absent quiet, if still one or other of my servants were not with him, nor was I without some of his perpetually with mee; not that I thought or could let so wronging a concept come into mee that hee mistrusted mee; but out of sincere affection to have ever some of his followers wth mee, to give occasion when I durst not else to speake of him: none neede bee kept to make mee thinke of him; for my thoughts never strayed from him, or staid one minutes space. At my Fathers, (which was as fine pleasant and sweet a seate as any in that Countrey, there ran a delicate wanton River, twining it selfe into ev ery dainty meadowes armes; not deepe but fit for Dianaes Nymphes to have used: in imitation of whom, my selfe and Sisters often went into it. this River came favourably to grace the place, close under the Orchard wall: A backe way wee had through the Gardens, out of which wee went, and there bath'd our selves: an old Gentleman, a servant to my Lord, watched us, and so neatly carried his businesse, as wee never doubted him: but not being able to continue truer to himselfe then to us, hee told mee of it, describing so truely all our fashions (being eight of us) maner, wordes, and actions, as I knew hee spake truth, and (said hee) had it not beene for one thing, I could have wish'd my master in my place. I ask'd him what that was? He said because one of us kept her smocke on them, he would, he was sure most have wish'd to see, I knew her whom he ment; for none but my selfe did so, and privately I said in my heart I did beleeve him, and wish'd it too, so it had beene by the like chance. This old man whose thoughts were young, and toung-nimble in such a kinde, loving the remembrance of what he was then past, at his Lords next comming told him of it: Hee straight wish'd his fortune. So did I, said hee, wish it for you, and told my Lady (for so hee call'd mee.) What, said she, answer'd my Lord? Nothing, replyed hee, but smil'd, and walk'd on. Hee came imediatly to mee, telling mee what hee had heard, and urging mee to know what I thought when I smil'd. I truely confest, and hee as truely lov ingly tooke it, loving joyfull thankfulnesse shining in his eyes. Twenty of these passages wee had, and as many severall Ladies, and of as severall complections and dispositions almost fell in love with him, in that time hee lov ed mee: thousands of curses I had among them; but as long as I prosper'd in his love I cared for none of them, but sped (mee thought) the better, rather wishing so still to bee prayed for, so I enjoyed the righter way. Such pretty testimonies hee gave mee, as I must have beene (unlesse I had beene unreasonable) forc'd to bee assur'd of his love, shewing almost contempt to all others. I was so, and with all faith imbrac'd and cherish'd it; so modest hee was besides, as I lov'd that in him, and saw it there a greater vertue then it is ordinarily esteemed. Proofes I had of it, for being alone, hee never was uncivill, nor did offer what I as willingly consented not unto; yet at last my father finding (as easily hee might of any, having beene a great Lover) that I was intirely his; hee conjecturd, that I could deny nothing, therefore would rather seeme to trust him, or els it was to binde him to him, if any such bonds can serve, or prevaile where true love is. As one day when hee was to goe a journey leaving him with me, farewell daughter, said he, and the like to you my Lord, and I pray you bee honest. Hee blush'd, what did I then? conjecture noble Lord and Lady, truely I was heartily asham'd; and yet soone got courage againe, when I remembred wee were not guilty: but the word honest made mee thinke of the contrary, that thought moov'd my blood into my cheekes, and stir'd occasion in him to discourse with mee of it; so as I feare that did more harme, which should have prevented, if but in thought then before was thought on; for beleeve it, it is a dangerous matter to bee forbidden a sweet in love, as I have heard it credibly said, and know it in some kind exercised; but wee did fulfill his desire, and hee found us as hee left us, chast, but affectionately loving, which all forbiddings could never have hinder'd or lessened, my father himselfe even envying us, for his love, (though to many) had never brought him so true an one as I was. This lasted as long as it was possible for a man to bee just, and longer then (except few) any have beene; and yet I thinke truely hee had slip'd sometimes, but I knew it not, or had no cause, out of want, to mee to finde fault: But this fault came on his side, how easie was it for him then to take exceptions, who before would be readier to answer for mee, or my friendes, then our selves; yet hee did not absolutely in two yeares give over his former fashion, though (alasse) his love was dryed, and like Roses by mee kept for the colour they had, and sweetnesse, the remembrance still held, but wither'd, and not themselves to bee knowne by sight. At last such a quarrell hee had against himselfe (as if for ever loving mee) as hee grew discontented in my company; snapt mee up, if I adventur'd to speake; frown'd, if hee caught mine eyes on him, and withall plotted disgrace, carryed himselfe to mee, that his brother and his owne friends said it was too much. I bore it, and truely for all that left not loving nor grieving for it; yet at last I got so farre, as my sorrow exprest it selfe, not so openly in show, though as neere in acquaintance; for it was an houshold guest with mee. But so it happened at last, that this Lady hee had taken, and cast mee off for, loved another, which was to him discover'd; hee liked it not, yet made no show of it, because hee had said, when ever hee mistrusted his love hee should hate her, and that might hee, for heere hee was assur'd, or might bee: but other reasons held them together, yet it gave him leave to look on me a little again, and to me those lookes were like the sweet evenings wherein the Larke delights her selfe so much, as shee flyes into it, nev er satisfied with the delicacie, till at the height shee is forced to retire, bidding that farewell: So did I, for I was forced to part againe from that; but in that halfe day of blisse hee tooke occasion to speake of old matters. I was as willing to that as hee, and so wee discoursed temperately, in the end, hee said, for that cause, said hee, (speaking of a frivolous and unwaighty businesse God knowes) I lost you all, You had left us, said I, before that time, with that hee sate a little neerer to mee, and (it seem'd) would have proceeded, which I wish'd, for I made no question then of satisfying him if ever wee came to speake: but one of the wicked Ministers of my overthrow, as destin'd to spoyle mee, had such a spell, as in absence shee had a spirit able to ruine mee, sent for him, hee went, but promised to come againe. I attended, as resolv'd never to give cause of dislike; but hee was stayed, and I in a mighty fret return'd to my lodging. Another time he tooke occasion being invited, (which then he must have beene, if he were desir'd at my fathers, which before had been his ordinary table) to a dinner my father made to many of his friends, and hee esteemd by him so, hee was solemnly invited. He came, and at dinner sitting by me, fell into discourse of love, and of womens inconstancie, as if I had beene guilty: I, knowing my innocencie, spake like that, and so understood him not in shew. Then hee fell to other kindes, yet on the same theame, and at last hee came to say, how poore Paris was us'd for choosing well; for (said he) Juno because a Queen would be belov'd. Pallas, a boystrous woman would fight, if not chosen, poore Venus onely loved, and for Loves sake wan the Aple, thus was he punished for love. I thinke not for that so much (replyed I, by your Lordships favour) that he was distresse, but for being false before to Enona. He said no more, and by that I saw he understood me; yet after againe he had another Jerke at it, but in another sort speaking of love, and returning to their former loves. There may be hope then, said I. Introth little, said he: for if ever, I shall come tatterd and torne, not worth looking on. Yet then said I, if to me you come, I will welcome, and cloath you. He looked pleased with me for yet, it opportunitie gained by the other, lost by mee, held him as shipps tossing in a Haven, but winde-bound. Well, I grew desperate and indeed heeded nothing that befell me; in the conclusion I spake something, or something was said for me, which brought me under the compasse of the law, as farre as life came to. I was condemned, but he though an Officer, sat not on my Judgement: some thought out of pitie, yet I tooke it not so, for his presence (in such a cause, wherin I protest I was altogether wrongd) might have ayded me, at least his sight would have comforted me in the condemnation, so much I loved him; but he was absent, and my misfortune so present, as I was adjudged to death; yet the Prince of Nicaria being mercifull, would not take my life according to the Countrie Law, but after another fashion would have it as hee meant; for hee censured me to this, from whence you have relieved me. When I was to be put into this Tombe, as was meant me, the chiefe Lords and Officers came to see me (according to the Prince his order) committed to the Sea, into the Ship they put me with meate for three dayes, no man nor creature with me but my Dog, which would not forsake me, and they allowed with me, not for love, but hope of harme to me; for my Victuals they imagined he would have share of, and at last devoure mee, being one of the fiercest in all the Country. But in this they deceived themselves, for since wee came aboard, which is now eight dayes, he hath satisfied himselfe with very little, and never troubled me. A Fisherman came by, and would have had the Dog, he entised him, but his faith to me (more then I ever found in man) his distressed Mistris, held him with me; hee threw him then a large piece of meate, which though stale, was good enough for a Dog, he tooke that, and fed a little on it, but as if weighing his estate, left part for other times; the man also gave mee something, pittying my case, but not daring to helpe mee, left me. Among the Officers that came to my living execution, my Lord was one, though he stayed not to see it performed, but came among us hastily, stept to me, whispered, and bad me farewell, and be like your selfe (said hee) resolute, die confidently, and cherfully, this will comfort you, and honour your end. I heard him, but could not answere him, onely I looked upon him, and with teares told him, his censure was harder, then the Prince his, for I loved him, the cause of all my miserie: but he scarce looking on me, as hastily went away againe, leaving mee to the favour of the Windes his constant Rulers, to the Seas furie, and Fortunes hazard, yet all kinder then hee, have joyned for my good: and I am saved by you brave Princesses, yet would I beseech you again to let me obay his commands, which because his, I would doe. They refused that, yet so neare they came to fulfilling it, as they left her on a Rock in a little Iland with an old religious father, there shee remained, and spent the rest of her dayes in prayer, her Dog still garding her, which at her death brought her (who out-lived the old man) to have a Christian buriall by his howling and crying, calling passengers in, and buried her, but could not win the Dog from the grave, but there he died. Philarchos and his deare held on their way for Mytelin, where with joy, and feasts they were welcomed, and lived ever, till their ends happily, but Philarchos thought his end the crueller, because faire Orilena was taken from him, desiring to die together. The King of Bulgaria with his brave Queene, as sumptuously as their owne minds required, and their minds were no lower then such Princesses should be, but as much higher as ambition, and all the dependances of that folly could carry them, and that was high enough to make them above judgement proud; such Coaches, Liveries, furnitures for horses were never seene before, yet they but poore as her Majestie esteemed them, who surely would have been contented to bee starved, so all shee had touched had been Gold and Diamonds. In this magnificence they tooke leave of the King and Queenes in Morea, and so tooke their journy towards Bulgaria, they only riding in one Coach, two other went spare, one for each, the traine so richly provided for, as ordinary Kings and Queenes, would have been well contented with that furniture, but yet these were scarce good enough for their servants. Out of Morea they went without adventure, and so passed, till in Livadia this fine accident befell them. A young Gentleman attended on by six Pages, apparreld in coates of Grasse-greene Velvet, laid with gold Lace, and twelve footemen in the same colours, all with Plumes of greene and yellow in their Hatts, the young Gentleman in a sute of those colours imbroidred with Gold, the trappings for his Horse, and all furniture answerable, came towards the most glistering troope of Bulgaria, then being instructed accordingly, he presently allighted, and on foote presented himselfe to the Queen, humbly making a reverence to her liking, the like he did to the King, then he delivered these words. Great, and most happy King enjoying such a treasure, as having the worlds riches composed in this unestimable Jewell, the Earths admired Starre, and mans wonder, your Queene, I am sent unto you both; but if I faile in performance of my message, blame your owne glorious aspects, that take from mee the true abilitie of speech and boldnesse, a Messenger should be armed with all; but who can without trembling speake to the Gods, or touch the Sunne, if he descend within reach? no more can I speake to you, whose Majesties strike me dumbe, or make me (to say better) faulter like an unperfect Schoole- Boy saying his lesson. They heartned him with joy, flattering pride nourishing their proud hearts, when he proceeded. Pardon and grace (said he) from you so heaven-like creatures gives life with speech to me againe. I am sent from the Prince of Livadia my Master, who hearing of your comming this way, doth desire the blessing I his Vassaile have already enjoyed, humbly beseeching you to honor him with your royal presence in his fathers Court, an old Prince, but good, where hee is within two dayes to have a Triumph, by meanes of manie strangers, and happie he is to have such an occasion at this time to be the fitter to give entertainement to such persons, he earnestly desires not to be refused, and I pray I may not be sent, but with the soules-like comfort of blisse, which is your grant. The King was the finest speaker in Court language of the World, and so complemented, as the youth had enough to doe to returne halfe his good language to his Lord; for the Queene, shee soone had granted to shew her beauty, and scarce could hold within the bounds of expressing what she felt of joy, knowing shee must bee admired, but at last said, she would obey her Lord, and accompany him to waite on his Prince; thanks she returned none, for she esteemed this honour but due to her, and knew it should be offered her. Forwards they passe, till within the sight of the Court, where the Prince, and many Noble-men attending him, met them in arming suites, and conducted them to the Court: but yet there wanted, though all this honour was done, that whereto her Pilgrimage was made, her Saint was not among them, and yet unproperly that is said, for she respected him but for adoring her; it was but earely in the day, being scarce foure in the afternoone, wherefore the Prince asked her, if she pleased to goe first into a rich Pavillion, raised from the ground at one end of the Lists, and see them practise, for that was their houre. She was very willing, yet stayd till her husband with curious words and phrases had consented; so they went in, from whence at the other end they discernd the old Prince and Princesse, with the grave Lords with them; then did the Prince arme himselfe, and the Prince of Jambolly, as not thinking of the good fortune to see her, but as if by chance led thither, came into that place to arme. She would needs goe forth, and leave the roome to him, but so she did it, as al eyes might see, good manners, not wil to leave him, made her offer it. He as curteous would rather (he said) arme in the field, then be so rude. She blusht, and smiled & simperd, & all to avoid expression, expressed what hee desired, and she granted. Her husband was gone with the Prince, and so saw not this encounter. Well, he at last got another roome, right over against that, and armed, came downe into the lists his Beaver open; but to see how he stood gazing on her, and she in what perplexity shee was, to the window shee would come, and a while stand still, looke on him, he stare on her, then retire; red with content, and yet finding fault with the heate as that the cause of her distemper. Many Ladies were there likewise to see the sport, who lost not that better pastime in marking her, yet took no notice of it, lest offence might follow, but shrewd wits there were, that after made pretie mirth at it. To the place againe she would come, and looke though over them, and see in spite of seeing, and as if whether she would or no take content. The Prince came also, and stood there beholding as the rest did, while some others ranne; at last came a great man of that Country, and desired one of the Ladies there to bestow a favour on him. She did so; Now you are engaged (said the Prince) to runne well, else your favour will be shamed, and you for not better maintaining it. I will doe gallantly, replyd he. The Jambollian then cast his eyes cravingly towards her, she onely lickt her lipps, that when they returned to sight, they might looke like cherries after raine, red, and plumpe, and totterd her head, which made a feather shake she had on it. Hee with that it seemed understood her, and lifting up his Bases a little of one side, as if to take out his Handkercheif, shewed her his points were of same the colour. Then shee smiled, and he most joyfully put downe his Beaver, and prepared to run, casting up his eyes first to her, from whom he hoped to have gained strength; but she was so weake in bearing passion, as againe she had retyred, and so often she did it, and so tumble her selfe up and downe, wallowing in pleasure, and unsufferable content, as she was in such a heate, as that angred her, because she thought she looked not well, having too much colour; then did that heate her with chafing, so as betweene those two fires of love and pride, shee burnt so much, as all the Ladies warmd themselves at her fire, and rubd up the remembrance of their old passions, so as it might have been dangerous, and the heate so great, and spreading, as might have fired many hearts not to bee quenched againe. Fairely he ran, and fairely and friendly shee beheld him, which made him never wearie, nor would he have given over, but that the Prince went in, and night grew on. Then came hee up to her, and kissed her hand, which she told him by her love bestowing eyes, she willingly yeelded him. Stay shee did as long as was fit, and after most in that place, wishing I thinke to have been his Armorour to unarme him, else she might have gone with the rest: at last away shee went, and was by Lords, appointed by the Prince, conducted to her lodgings, where shee was visited by him, and her servant. The next day the Justs in earnest was to bee, against which, how gloriously was she attired? Lyvadia never saw such a starre for brightnesse. In that place she would needs againe sit, and there she was placed, where shee might best see, and bee seene, the windowes being so framed, as the Knights heads on horse-backe were as high as they, so as conveniently they might behold and speake, as if together, a brave advantage for Lovers. But how did the neate King of Bulgaria take this? truly discreetly, as hee was a most discreet Gentleman, setting aside a little vanitie of selfe love, which it may be so well concurred with his Ladies disposition, as that tempred him, being as it were of one nature to suffer, and agree with her. Fault it was certaine hee found none with her publikely, how they privately did, let them speake that know; fondnesse appeared to open shew, why should any inquire further? But be it so, such a passion well acted againe, and by such delicate creatures, for the excellency of it would get liking, even of her Husband sure, who lov ed curiosities so well, as he must like that, though curiously he might discerne he was touched in it. But what then? he might joy in it thus, it was his owne, as she was. Many great Ladies, and indeed the greatest of that Kingdome sat with her in the same place, but not so much as looked upon by her, nor why should they expect it? shee was a stranger, a Queene; more, a beautifull Queene, and most, a most proud Queene, shee therefore claimed it as their parts to observe, and marke her, who had businesse enough in her selfe upon such a day, in such a place, and such a presence, to heed, and study her selfe. How if any part of her haire had been out of order, her gowne rumpled with turning to them, her ruffes and delicate inventions disordered with stirring? had not the least of these been a terrible disaster? Yes, and to her a heart griefe; who would wish so sweet a soule as she to be sad or troubled? especially since trouble as such a conceit of any displacing, or disordering her finenesse might move in her, would stirre her bloud, and make her complection not so exact, rather sure should all civilitie be laid aside, and the contrary excused, then beauty should suffer; and this, if the cause, who will that loves their faces, that regards their habits, and their servants love, blame her who neglects for these all others. This I take the Queenes case to bee, and thus I thinke I excuse her, especially being knowne to love nothing but her selfe, her Glasse, and for recreation, or glory (as some accounts it) to have a servant, the Prince of Jambolly, whose greatnesse and finenesse made al well, especially to lovers eyes. The old Prince invited her and the King to a feast, where roially they were feasted, and she as magnificently carried, and shewed her selfe, her servant joyed in it, and then looked on her, as poore people doe on pranckt up Images: she sometimes casting a looke on him, but not too many, lest such favours might make him surfeite, and so be harmefull to him, an excellent care in a carelesse Mistris. The King of Bulgaria, and the Prince of Jambolly were very great and familiar, in so much as they would whisper, and embrace one another, the Jambollian assuredly more, because those armes had intwined hers, then for any affection to him, wishing sure he might as freely have done the like with his wife, who how kind soever she might be to him in private, had he offerd to touch her publikely, that touch had burnt his fingers, so commandingly, and peremptorily did she order, and rule his love, as adoration shewed to bee all his ambition and gaine, her graces being but still to hold, and draw him on in hope, rather then to consent, and satisfie him, for he once satisfied, shee was sure to bee left, men desiring but their ends, and with them conclude that love flying to another, as from one worke done to begin in another place. Stayed creatures, and luckie they that put confidence in them, and of any this Prince was one that least troubled himselfe with constancy, all women were pleasing to him, after a tall woman, a little one was most pleasing, after faire, browne, white, blacke, all came to his staidnesse welcomly, and varietie he had sufficient, for many refused not, nor was he nice to demand of more, so as he had plenty, and was plentifull in love to them; yet here hee stayed a prety while, because it was thought hard to win her, or impossible to gaine her love, for her so excellent beauty and greatnesse, but most, because as yet he had not surely compassed his desires. At dancing, because hee would not give offence, he seldome tooke her out, but his eyes still attended on her, and when he danced, she more heeded that dance then any; shee was good her selfe in that exercise, and gained great commendations in Lyvadia. The time being come for the breaking up of the company, the King and Queene tooke their leaves of the old Prince, and so did all the other Princes, many being there assembled, as a place much honoured, and hee a Prince admired over the World, for judgement, learning and goodnesse; beside at that time many came neare him from the Enchantment. The Prince of Jambolly would needs attend the King of Bulgaria (being his neighbour) home to his Court, but his daintie wife was the Attraction; his company was embraced and also the Prince of Thiques, who was to returne to his owne Country, a fine young Gentleman, and who had in curtesie conducted the Lady of Rodes after her cruell fortune in the refusall of Polarchos, and being intreated by the soveraignizing Queen to make relation of her end, having heard part before by Pamphilia; he did it in this sort. Love, or rather the ill flower of Love, which you most incomperable Queene can know, neither being so much in power above the highest reach of his passions, which are rather your Subj ects then molesters, so over-ruled in that miserable Lady, as after Polarchos was with all his curtnes gone, she tooke her way also, but whither shee much cared not, nor look'd she for any company to attend her, those that came with her, dispearsed some one way, some another, leaving her, as her fortune had done, in all dispaires, for who ever alone indures one mischeife? I tooke pitty on her, and although my way was contrary, and I then almost at home, yet rather then she should be distressed in such a kind of want, I offered my selfe, and she, though not very willingly to company, accepted of my service; most I thinke, because she would have some body to discourse withall, and well had she happened on mee, for shee could say nothing against men, that I had not as much, or more to speake against women. She could not say Polarchos had beene curst, or unkind, but I cold have said my Mistris had beene false, and so most cruell: if Polarchos left her upon cause, mine forsooke me causlesly. She could not complaine, but I was neere rayling, so as with all the wranglings, and dislikes of both Sexes we travel'd, yet the better I ever had of her, (though in losse) for shee was forced to confesse her's was the fault, and with that so often done penitently, at last agree'd with mee, that Man was the constanter of the two uncertainties. When wee had pass'd the Gulfe of Lepanto, and the necke of land betweene Morea, and Achaia, that we were got againe to Sea, into the Archepelago , in one of those little Islands we were forced to stay, for she grew so weake, what with travell, want of food, (for she would take no sustanance,) and her perpetuall sorrow which wrought incessantly in her, so as she could no longer without rest sustaine, nor so, but to her eternall rest, for there shee dyed desiring mee to bury her there, and then to let Polarchos know her end for his unkindnes, to whom she gave her Country for due she said to him, beseeching him to accept of it, as the gift of his repentant Love, making so loving an end, as Cupid was surely forced upon that to pardon all things past, and place her in one of his highest ranckes of his Court. Just as she dyed came thither an other Lady discontented likewise, but in a marvelous strange sort; my eares were now open to all complaints, and complayners, wherefore I gave her the hearing, who discoursed in this manner. I was borne said she, in Pantaleria, bred in the service of Urania, now Queene of Albania, the most excellent, and famous of women, I was with her enchanted in Ciprus, and in her service, being Daughter to her supposed Father; I fell in love with one Allimarlus of Romania, a man fit for a greater womans love, but my fortune it was to winne it, and surely if I flatter not my selfe too grosly, I deserved it; but indeed I did commit some faults, but what were they? only out of Love, and feare of losse from whence they proceeded, such errors were rather to be commended then condemned, but where love failes, a little matter is made great, and nothing pleaseth when distast is taken. I cannot truely for all this, taxe him of much inconstancy, yet so far he was faulty in it, as I know he had a Lady in chase, whether his love to her, or gratefulnes in him to her had beene the cause of it, I cannot guesse; I was tormented in soule withall, I cryd to him about it; He mildly, and coldly enough told me my suspitions made my disquiets, and bad me be satisfied for he lov'd me still, and thus I could gaine no more of him, nor durst I urge, for intruth besides love I was in awe of him, fearing his very frowne, though on others; no Lover ever longed more for the sight of his love then I did stil to see him if absent but one day, yet when I saw him I was in paine, and knew not scarce what I did, I was so desirous to please, as I was amazed, and distemper'd, not being able resolutly to call for any thing, to eate any thing, to speake any sence, blush, and then looke pale, and be in such a case, as many dayes after scarce recover'd me. Lord, how have I accused my selfe for it? but what remedy? passion overruled my judgement, and when I should have beene best, and looked best, the very extreamity of my love, made me worse then ordenarily I was; then that troubled me, and trouble made me worse, so as I was oft times in a straight, whither I were best be a meanes to see him often, or let his visitations, and meetings be by chance. But when I considered he might take that amisse, and so I should runne into just dislike, for our parts (as women Lovers) are to observe, so as I continued like one ready still to goe to execution, condemn'd, but repriv'd; more then I studied how I might gaine his love sure to me, of purpose I went, and made my selfe so deere with the Lady, who had sure testimony of his liberall affections, as I was made of her Counsell, and used in carrying the busines so, as her honour might bee saved, (for shee was in that kind of danger,) I tooke such a course, as shee was delivered of that care: this I did, conveied away by diligence all suspition, I know not what name this service merited me, but all things were as they should bee, and so secretly as no mistrust at all was of her. The Lady in troth I could not but so much love, as I was sorry, as shee likewise was at any time to part with mee: in the face of parting, me thought I saw my Allimarlus his leaving me, whom he loved, and after I accused for slighting her, as much as I did before for being restrained in this manner to me, for desert should ever merrit reward in what place soever, but men care no longer then their desires be answered, said shee, otherwise I had bin better rewarded; I have had cause to give trial of my faith, and he hath found it, yet am but more and more wretched. When I felt my selfe with such neglect coupled,(as after I did) I tould him of it, he sate upon my bed side, but awhile gave me not a word, at last he spoke some few, as drawne by necessity from him, and bid me be carefull of my selfe, and not bring more harme. I told him I would be so, were it but for that command's sake, which must bee (as his) above all things else most deere to me. This mooved him no farther, not so much as to looke on mee, but sate still as if he repented I had ever received such lies from him, although his betrothed Wife. Some men would kisse their wives when they heard such patient replyes, and almost all joy in it: but hee temperately heard me, as not much concerning him. I was afflicted at it, and did stomacke it as much as my love would permit me, but what availed it? I carryed it with infinite paine secret from knowledge, suffering what Beasts never doe, yet Christian like, I ever strove to turne my selfe from violent hurt, but being so great with rage as no longer able to conceale it, I retired to some land of an Uncles of his given him for his attendance; there I remained, but being neere the Towne, I was so often visited, as it was troblesome to mee, and dangerous for my griefes discovery (for he would have it conceal'd) I was sometimes forced to keepe my chamber, he desirous not to have it knowne I was any way his wife, I obeyed, and made many excuses while he joyed in my paine, thinking it a brave, and dainty thing to be such a sole Lord, and free from encombrance, for I durst not meddle, nor finde fault with any his actions. He came also, and would bee as ready to jest, as any to cleere himselfe, for hee thought the contrary dicover'd; I was forced to be contented, yet with a full resolution to speake with him about it, & to know why his grave looks, and countenance was used to me. I went to him one night, but rightly was I serv ed for such boldnesse, and presumption, for backe I came with so much scorne, neglect, and contempt, as I was almost mad withall, yet I strove to make no shew of it, nor I thinke did, although I truely confesse I was much disquieted withall, and so netled, as I slept not all the night after. Could he not said she have kissed me, bad me welcome, and kindly have used me, but thus? thus to let me returne? never more shall he be visited by me, nor did I come then to invite him wantonly, or to crave Lovers reward, but chastly to discourse of things I could not at other times speak of; yet chastly or other, all was one, I was coldly sent home, to warme my selfe in choller for disdaine, nothing so much fretting me as that I staid so long, and waited on his crueltie, as to practise obedience; Not to offer but when I should, nor to come uncall'd I was taught, and these things I think I shall put in use now; I have beene heere these two Months with some trustie friends, landed here for fresh victualls as I pretended, though neither confin'd by his command, but sent the shippe then away; he likewise hath beene with his Master the King Antissius, but by this time he will be upon returne, and I will not faile attendance as soone as I can; in Romania, againe relieved by his power, and will. Then did she as one distracted, fall from one passion into another, leauing complaining, and chasing, and from crying fell to singing, and twenty of those passions had she, having profited but little in her Mistrisses service for loving exactly well, so as little pittie needed to grow for her, unlesse that one should not long enough enjoy such follies to passe away time withall, yet in her case shee mooved more compassion, because greatly distressed. Songs said the Queene, doe often times discover sadnes. Not such said hee, for I have beene acquainted with passions as well as any, and know of those kinds of passages. Was she not marryed to Allimarlus said the Queene? Introth said the Prince I cannot directly tell, she spake not of it much, but by her words I found she was assur'd, yet how did she come then to bee trusted by his Mistris? It may be said the Queene, that was before they were married, or know to be assured, or such a respect there was to be used to her, as she might serve her for all she was his wife. I know not said he, but that went very farre. No way (though endlesse replide she) but will be adventured, by a firme lover, as I have learned lately by discourse with some, and of some, though I confesse I should never be such an one, but scorne and contemne, such humility. None can expect from you such a harme said hee, where benefit is sufficient, if you grace him with accepting his service, in which his life should bee spent, rather then you in the least feele smart. She liked his flattery, & he knew it, but very seldome used it, because hee was vertuous; then she urged extreamely to know his discourse; he seemd not able to refuse at last, and therefore told it thus. When I was a very young man, I was likewise very foolish in being passionate; Love was such a Lord over me, as I did as he pleased, looked as hee did guide me, sighed when hee compelled mee, wept when he let mee fall into despaires, sonnetted when hee inspired mee with it, woare colours for sakes, if hee privatly told me, I ought so to doe, for fond women loved vaine expressions. I could sit a day but to see her passe by me, and thinke that time happily bestowed if she then cast a look on me, if she passed carelesly by, or worse, accompanied with others she shewed more favour to, then to mee, I returned molested, and presently put my thoughts into sad Verse, presented them to her, and if thankes came, I was blessed, and most fortunate. Thus I lived, spoild good paper with vild Rimes, lost my time, and wits almost, till I was happily disinchanted by this meanes. The Lady whom I lov'd being told by me of her neglect, counterfeited that she looked strangely upon me, out of no other end then pollicy, and afterwards priv ately sent for me many times, where I enjoyed what I desired, and with that reward Novice like returned so contented, as if I had gained a kingdom, and gave her by that meanes liberty more freely to abuse me in my confidence, which she did. Another Lady that was daily with hee, and a kind of servant of hers (for she I loved was great enough, had she been as good) loved mee exceedingly well, and (whether out of that only, or a little malice mixt with it, I know not) discovered to me, that I was wronged: You (said she) keepe a busines, and make all men see your passions, bring your selfe in danger, if her husband heare of it, sigh, and keepe a quoile, while others gaine your due, blinding your selfe with blind Love against all reason, thinking you are blessed, when you are abused; as yesterday I saw what an happy man you tooke your selfe to be, because while Musick was, she leaned on you: alas, shee did that to colour and deceive you, for all that while her eyes were fixed so amorously on another, as would have, I feare, made you mad to have seene it, and truly it distemperd me, because I wish you wel: she talked, it is true, to a third, who was as well cousoned as your selfe, for he thought she favourd you with leaning, to have the freer liberty unsuspected to speake to him, and so smild at you, while he that indeed had the affection laughed at you both. Leave your fond love, but not loving her, if you find shee requite you, but bee not a stale for others gaine; open your eyes, and see her beauty fit to be admired, her person loved; but if her mind bee not answerably white, bee not caught like Birds in a greene net: I have truly seene you so much injured, as I cannot hold from telling you, take it as you please, but one day you will say, I was your friend. When she had said this, she went againe to waite, and I remained pensive, doubting what to doe, till I was sent for by one of my Ladies Chamber to her; there how did she cherish me, and make of me? my picture she must needs have, because continually she could not have mee, Verses I must needs make to a tune she then had heard, & lov'd, for no writer pleasd her but my self, so prity, so fine, so passionat my lines were, and so truly from my hart, that she most truly lov'd them. Then she wrung my hand, hung upon mee, I embraced her with the other arme, she even yeelding her self into my breast; Alas, thought I, is it possible this woman shuld dissemble, her eies overflowed with love, laboring to shew suffering, for what I shuld believe. I was amased, & so perplext, as she swore I loved her not, began to lament her selfe, wept, and cryd; O unconstant men, faulty above expression; then fainted she, and seem'd to swound. I bestirred my selfe then, being in a roome I durst not call for helpe, lest her husband should come in, who was suspicious enough: I kissed her, and with my breath fetched her againe. She againe fainted, I againe revived her. At last, Ah my heart, said she, canst thou be cruell? I vowed I was not; with oathes and protestations I satisfied her, comming away after some howers a fine deluded Foole. The other Lady I went to find, to whom I meant to speake my mind, and chide her for such tricks to abuse her Mistris, with full intent so to revile her, as to be free ever afterwards from her advising. As I went along the priv y Garden, I saw a man come muffled in his Cloake, stealing as it were along the wall. I knew the fashion (said he) would not be seene, and the place none came into but her Favorites, therefore to her he must goe, none having keyes but by her permission; there was in that Garden a large Mulberry tree, under which I closely clapt my selfe, with my back to it, but face so, as I might see which way he tooke; he slunke along still, till hee came to a doore which opened to a staire led up to her chamber; there he stood a while, at last a window opened above, then he hemd, presently came down her excellent unchast selfe, opened the doore, and tooke him in, locking it fast againe. I seeing this had the Spleene, and sweld, yet held on my determination to seeke the Lady, though the discourse must now be altred. Quietly for any noise (except that in my heart, where there were stormes, and all maner of disquiets) I went out of the Garden, Alas, said I, could not shee bee satisfied for a little time, but must make me see my misery? this is double vexation. I passed on, and to my chamber I went first, there I fell to complaints, and grievously tooke on, but all availed not; I cald my selfe unfortunate, her ungratefull; I accursed, she unnaturall; I bewitched, she the Sorceres: I cryd out against my birth, mine eyes, mine owne life, my judgement, my beliefe, wished I had bin borne an Heritick to love; all these, and what of these? they made me but stil a greater Foole, and lesse to be pitied. Then I rose in a chase, vowed to love her no more, to tell her so, to let her know her offence & breach in love. This I liked, and instantly would put it in practise, and if I found him there to kill him in her presence. These were brave resolutions to dreame on, and as well contented me, as if executed, like him that dreames hee hath his Mistris in his armes, and wakes with such pleasure, as he is merry all the day after: so these alike pleased me, as I was joyed at heart, and thought all effected, while the time it should have been effected in, slipt away; which when I found, as by the evening I gessed, I went up againe into the Lodgings, where I met the just Lady my friend, she had discerned the tricke, being wise, and as carefull as a Lover will be, she came to me, I took her by the hand, which was more then I had ever (till then) done, fearing such a thing might have offended my Mistris, who I knew something given to that suspition, makes men see womens love by, else if carelesse, what should be thought they esteemed. My Lord said she, you have been wonderously made on this After-noone; What think you, was not I extreame faulty to put any such thing into your head, considering how true shee is to you, and how kind? Can you ever looke on mee that have thus deceived you? Take pitie on mee, sigh'd I, I am alas abusd, and injured, let not your true tongue be sullied by your selfe, you are and were most just in telling mee, what I could not else believe; then did wee discourse a little longer of it, at last forth came the great wicked woman, with as bold a countenance as ill could set upon one, smild on me, saluted al the rest, and came to me, laying her hand on mine, and after her manner talking to us, I seemd neither fond, nor neglective of her favours. This is well acted, said she, then cald shee for Musick, which came, and indeed was exceeding rare, songs there were of all kinds, and in severall languages, an houre this continued, or more, then she retird again to supper, saying, shee would come afterwards abroad againe. We every one took our own waies, I to my chamber, purposing soone after to depart for my own country again, my Youth in trauell having led me to such folly, which nothing but woful experience could bring me to know, or shun; yet me thought I was bound to let her know her ill before my going, lest shee with continuall practise ran too farre in it, and so might at last be dangerous unto her. As I resolved on this, and was going to her, I met her Lord in a mighty fury, his sword in his hand, and bloody; I started at it, my Lord (said I) what is the busines? can my sword or life serve you in any thing? No, said he, I have done already, only sir if you please call my Guard to me. I went forth and cald the Guard, who straight went as he directed, bringing forth the dead bodies of my Rivall, and the Lady; in truth I was sorry for her, because she had been friendly and kind to strangers, and whose bloud I would have revenged, but mine told me, her husband had but righted himself. Then came her women, crying and tearing their haire, them he took and sent to prison, only I got liberty for my friend; and when all this stir was over, I took my leave, and left the Country, and loving also, for the good man telling me how he was wrongd, made me see her damnable falshood, so as he was but the chiefe of many abused by her, we al his followers, and alike used; for in the very abusing him, he seased on them, & kild them both. This (great Queene) is a story scarce fit for your Excellency to heare; but this is the truth which you desired, and thus you have it; now if men be faulty, you see women can be so likewise; if wee erre, your sex will not let us passe unrequited. The Queene said little to it, but on they went in their journy, much kindnesse, affection, and respect used, and increasing among them; at last in Bulgaria they arrived, where at the first entry they were entertaind with multituds of people to welcome them, the King liked it well, so did the Queene for the part of humilitie, but shee could not indure their rudenes in pressing, which she said made her hot, and the smell of the folkes troubled her, whose daintines could not brooke any savour but perfumes; with little patience therefore she sufferd this hearty welcome. To their great citie they came, there they were againe met with the chief, and people, but she was now used to it, and so a little the easelier boare it. Then the King feasted the Prince of Jambolly, and triumphs were made, which lasted sixteene daies, in which time the servant and proud Mistris had many prety fine passages. A hunting they went, he attending her, who sometimes would bee fierce upon it, another while rid softly, as if onely to make him learne to ride fast, or slow, as her pleasure was, but still to bee her attendant, it was his principall lesson to observe. At her comming backe to see her ride betweene her husband and her servant, what a sight it was? but what a glory to her? onely her imaginations which were above any height of pride could tell; but he must goe now to his owne command, a pitifull thing, yet necessary, he could not dissemble, but shewed with a sad or dull countenance he was sorry; she with Majestie and greatnesse, but no mirth, gave testimonie shee rejoyced not, if in this time hee had no strickt assurance of her love, none will pitie his parting: howsoever, she carried her selfe like a brave and commanding Queene over her owne and his passions. The King brought him some part of his way, then parting lovingly, and some thought most willingly on the Kings side. The Prince, with the Prince of Thiques going together, who after, never, or seldome parted: the King returned, and with his wife lived as such a couple could doe. Leonius and his beautifull Veralinda returning towards Frigia, first going to Argos by the Kings directions, wherein they met a delicate Adventure, as they were within some few leagues of the Sea, a Lady on horseback, attended on with many other Ladies, and as many Knights, but by her side rode one, who seemed to be the chiefe, and yet his countenance sad, and melancholly said for him, that he commanded not himselfe, how ever hee did the rest, his Hat off, freely left to view a delicate curld head of haire, browne, but bright in delicacy, a faire forehead; amorous, though then sad eies, which yet in sadnes soveraignized: his mouth not needing to speake, but only seene allured unto it what hearts it pleased, to take and refuse; enough he had of each sort, his lips being so lovely, and lovingly joyned, as one may believe, would not willingly part from their mutuall kissing. The Lady was great, and therefore faire, full of spirit, and intising, pleasing and richly shee was attired, and bravely serv'd, an excellent hors-woman, and hunts-woman she was, though these be no properer commendations, as some have said, then to say, a man is a fine Semster, or Needle-man, yet qualities that were, and are commended at this day, allowed of, and admired. When they came nearer to them, they sent to know, if they might bee so bold to present themselves unto them, whom by inquiry they had obtained knowledge of. The new loving couple admitted them, Veralinda kissing the Lady, and Leonius embracing the Knight. Veralinda then soone after askt the Lady, what those many Doggs and Bowes were for, which she perceived amongst them. She answered, they were her Hounds, and that shee was going to hunt, when her better fortunes brought her to her presence; the Bowes were either if a Stag came fairely to her, to shoot at him, or to save the Dogs from death at a bay, by giving his death to him. Veralinda had never seene hunting, and therefore was desirous to enjoy that sport. Leonius was as well pleased, because hee was best pleased when giving her content; the old King travelled on, the young folkes promising soone after to overtake him. The Lady then brought these dainty Princes to a large Wood, about the sides they placed themselves, the Doggs and Hunts-men were put into it to beate, and bring forth the Deare, which in short time the Hounds came forth with a mighty Stagge, the Hunts-men following, incouraging their Doggs with Voyce and Horne, that Veralinda thought, this Consort was the delightfulst that ever her eares had heard; and such life it put into her, as she spared neither horse nor way, but followed with great affection the sport through Woods, over Plaines; through Thicks, Brakes, over Hills, no place staid her. The Lady kept with her, and commending her even unto a fury for riding: at last by a Pond side, where the Stagge had taken soile, he gave a bay to the Doggs, then came in the sweete sad Gentleman, and with so temperate a bravery, shot the Beast, as even his hurt rejoiced him, turning his face to him fully beholding him, and as his last piece offerd himselfe a sacrifice unto him, falling by degrees as a great house will doe, but yet runnes to the place it came from: so to the earth fell hee, Veralinda was then cald to take the say, shee was ignorant of those ceremonies, yet apt to learne, and willing to instruction, she did as she was directed. Then the Hounds must bee rewarded, and the Hunts-men give him a peale of Hornes melody, in stead of Bells harmony, for his funerall. All which ended, the Lady besought the Prince and Princesse to honour her so much, as to goe with her to her house, which, not farre off, was fit to lodge in, night being growne upon them. They consented, and rode thither, where they found an ancient house hansome, great, and where it seemd good hospitalitie was kept, but little curiositie observed, for all roomes appeared, as still visited with company, and gave by the favours testimony of quantity of victuals, which well ordred, had been noble, now a little troublesome; but it pleased reasonably well this company, who free, and having rid hard, had gaind good appetites, it appearing to them like a Garden full of fruite, when the hot weather troubleth them, they sat downe, the Lady most kindly, freely and busily bestirring her self, entertaining them the fine Gentleman civilly discoursing with them; Leonius at last growing so farre in with him, as he got him to tell this story. I am great Prince (said he) called Curardinus, borne of a good Family in this Countrie, beloved and served; but as all things must see conclusions, so did Fate appoint our greatnesse to conclude thus. My father lived after his fathers death many yeares, will esteemed of by the King of these Countries, emploid in office by him, and held among the best in ranke of his favour, but matching himselfe (after the death of his first wife) with a young Lady of a great and noble family, but too great as the King imagined, or was perswaded by his enemies, suspition grew into his heart, or rather shewed it selfe (for few Kings are without that servant to attend them) against my father, who to avoide all cause giving left the Court, and retird himselfe to his owne home, where he lived pleasantly, and was for an addition of his happinesse blessed with children, a blessing to a father, what ever the being borne, prove after to the children. I was his first, and after some yeares before I came to perfect ablenesse to governe his estate, at least according to the lawes of this place; hee died, leaving mee heire to his fortunes, honors, and dislikes of the King: I then desired leave to travaile, that was refused me, and all things as offices, commands, and places soever my father held of the Crowne, given away to others. This was a disgrace, and truly a vexation unto me, and most, that hee would not permit mee the favour granted to every subj ect, but obedience taught mee patience, and I was contented by necessitie. In this forst pleasure, I went up & down among my friends where I was desird, and so liv'd a solitary and private travelling life, where removing imitated travell; and each odde accident an Adventure. By my mothers side I had, and have many noble, and brave friends as any man can have, the men equally, or above any valiant, and wise, the woman in that height of excellency for beauty and witt; among them I have much lived, who have found the like favour, so as we are not only neere it in blood, but allyed in thwart fortune, kept backe by all meanes from any advancement, or honor, unlesse the imployment were such as might give a blow, if not a certaine ruine to any of us, (a comfortable estate when Subjects live in such dislike with their Prince:) yet did he use us openly well; let us come to waite upon him, wee shall be welcom'd, and smil'd upon sometimes, but aske any thing, and bee surely denyed, & after, not for a good space look'd on: this hath cast us much downe, and greeved us more than hurt us. Are you a single man said Leonius? No Sir, replyed the dainty melancholy, I am married, and have beene long, the more my misfortune in some kind, because I have with that marryage lost one, loved me more then I could aspire to hope of requitall, and love's me still; I was not altogether to blame indeed, for I knew not her affection so great to me, she not adventuring to speake it, I not thinking my selfe so happy, daring to imagine it, but after some time she tould me of it. How did I then curse all my fortunes, and yet at last chid my selfe for it? since said I, I was borne to be wretched, and all other crosses have beene but as forerunners of my misery; this the only Master peece of affliction, wee met, & wept many times together, and yet those teares produced pleasure, because so shed, and then we could be merry, and never but in the highest griefe contented, because together, for therein our last happinesse consisted. But her father marryed her (whose judgement told her, obedience was requisite) to a rich, but worthlesse fellow; this was an other vexation to her, and doubly by that meanes it wrought in me, to see her greeved, and such a Clowne to posses what I most loved, and held deere, he no more esteeming her, nor indeede understanding her worth then a Beast, or one of his Goats. Miserable Lady, but most miserable I, that saw, and could but grieve for it; besides this, he grew yet more brutish, and used her ill, growing so intirely jealous, as none went away unsuspected, her worth, beauty, and noblenes, invited all eyes, and hearts to her service, but so chast, and just she was, as but with courteous requitall any prevailed; but her worthlesse Mate thought so ill of himselfe, as that made him thinke well enough of any to wrong her withall, Jealousie's roote being selfe knowledge of unworthynes. Thus most sweete Creature she lived, discontents brought her to many harmes, bringing diseases, and (the worst) sicknes of mind, finding still additions to her first disquiet, and miserable losse, as her affection was pleased to call the missing of me, which surely she could never have know, had I but guessed her thoughts. A good space I held in with him, but at last fell like the rest, and most dangerously; in that time I met her, my hearts joy, and soules delight; at her fathers, she was sad, but most loving to me, I sad to see her so, but most glad to see her love, holding her (I remember) by the hand, if said I thou wert unmarryed, wouldst thou not marry againe? No I protest said she, but live wholy to be directed by you, which I had ever don, had I knowne how to live with honour, and fit to be your servant. Yet should you bee free, you would not doe so much. Yes I vow said I, and bound it with a kisse upon her fairest hand; deerest remembrance, how dost thou yet please me, to bring before me these pass'd, yet sweete delights? to make tryall of her faith, and word keeping, she was by heavenly assistance untyed from her bond, and freed from her clog, the rude and brutish Thing, her Husband, being taken from her, no hand, but the hand of the best, and highest parting her; as from above seeing, and commiserating her estate; all that were unmarryed in the whole Country, came and sought her; shee refused all; Widdowers, Batchelers, all were alike to be denyed; old, young, middle-aged runne one race of being refused. Her father much disliked it, her friends, and kindred, and such perswaded, but endlesly her resolution, was like the Earth fixed, and her constancy like the Sunne certaine, and richly faire: some also came to me, (seeing the grace I had with her) to get mee to preferr them; alasse how far they went astray? yet I answer'd all of them alike, that she had resolved to marry (if ever) one of her owne affections chusing, so what with my slight answers, and her direct refusalls, she, and I were left quiet, and so in truth we were, for her Husband left her happily, both by his losse, and a faire estate hee gave her at his end, to make amends partly for the ill she had indured. To her I often went, and stayed as long as I could, and never found her displeased but for my parting, what blessing can any on Earth wish to equall such a blisse? and this I injoyed, and might still have done, but; With that he sigh'd, and look'd so deadly pale, as if that But had beene the Axe to take away his life. Leonius desired him to proceede. He turned his face (they before both leaning against a Table) to the Boord, and hung downe his head over it, groaning as if his breath had beene in contention with his body to goe, or to be stay'd; at last Leonius likewise leaning downe, and earnestly perswading with him, he lifted up his eyes on him,(eyes that would conquer in what looks so ever they pleased to attyre themselves,) and putting his hands together, Oh my Lord said he, be contented with this you have. As they were thus in intreatyes, and excusings, Veralinda came, and the Lady, so as they were now brought to a conclusion, and for that night parted, the Lady with much Ceremony (as excellent she was at it) bringing the Princes to their Chamber, then all parted to their rests, but the swetest sadnes, who remained all night as his expressions of his fortunes shewed he had beene troubled. When day came he rose, and went downe into a Garden, there he walked, and let the hower slip away unthought on as his steps, Leonius longing for the end, sought him out, and finding him, would needes have him goe on. Then Sir said he, I must beginne againe with But such was my misery, as I fell into a great, and strict acquaintance with this Lady, which she did dislike, though not me, as since I understand, but then did believe, by reason of some slight carriages she shewed me, but causlesly I did mistrust her, and openly leave her. She that had none of the lowest, but rather highest spirit of the World, yet humbled it selfe to seeke me, ungratefull I, accepted it not; a Journey I was then to goe, in which shee writ to mee affectionately, and kindly as ever, which I tooke well, and writ to her a letter that she liked, upon which she made a perfect answere, and as amorous an one as she had ever written, and they were excellent as any in that kind could be: but this came not to my hands till tenne Months after, and then by the meerest accident in the world. When I read it, I saw her love, and the crosse fortune still that attended it, I was sorry I had abused such noblenes, and resolved if shee would receive me to offer my selfe againe. In this resolution I went where she was with a friend, and kinswoman of hers, I met her abroad walking, and striving to make my selfe acceptable, looked with my old lookes upon her, she with the same I had bin blessed with, received me; then I told her I had received a Letter from her, but it boare a long date, shee said shee was sorry I had not had the meanes by that, sooner to have knowne her mind, I smild as glad of her love, she even rejoyced at it, but yet such habit I had got of strangnes as I could hardly get my selfe out of it. But to assist mee in this busines, a Feaver tooke me, what kindnes did she then expresse? leaving all businesses, her owne house, and all, suffering where she was (though most welcome) many inconveniences, and all for me, tending me her selfe, and being so loving a Nurse to me, as I recovered within short time; since wee have beene good friends, and shee so perfectly good, as shee let all pass'd faults on my side dye, and unremembred passe; taking the new returne in the place of it, and satisfaction in that for the other, without questioning of it. Thus it continued, and doth, but I have beene lately with her, and left her not so well as I desire she should be, but such accidents have befallen us both, as I am forced not to shew how much I love her, nor she how willing to embrace it; counterfeit awhile we must, though I cannot in my countenance but shew what my heart feeles. Discover said the Prince likewise that, and you will be better eased. I will sooner dye said he, leaving my selfe a pure offering to her trust, then betray her, she hath commanded and I will obay, and in that merrit some favour justly from her, shortly I hope to heare what most I covet from her, and if I be happy, most brave Prince you shal know it, for I will attend you at your owne Court, and if the contrary happen, I hope yet you will permit my sadnes a receite, the one shall bee an honour, the other a charity. The Prince would not urge any more, having so noble, and free a promise from him unasked, but told him hee trusted he should finde those sad lookes turned into as much joy, which hartily he wished, and the time came when he should be freed from sorrow, and himselfe made happy with the story'es end, which he much, and infinitly desired the knowledge of. The two Ladyes came into the Garden also, to recreate themselves a little before dinner, the delicate Princesse having libertie, granted to the Lady her demand, in her story of her pass'd Adventures, the Lady being to requite her, told her thus. I am said she that unhappy Lisia, who was by birth, and greatnesse of estate, sought before I had knowledge, and given before discretion was appearing in me, to a great Lord; I thought it (as most women doe) a gay matter to be great, a Duches me thought was a rare thing, and a brave busines: but all that while I marked not the Duke, who was, and is, as dull a piece of flesh, as this, or any Country neede know; besides he hath had such unsufferable passions, and passages with me, as truely if I had not given my selfe to hunting, and such delights abroad, to take away the trouble I had at home, I must have suffered like a Martyre under his churlishnes, but I resolved to alter him likewise if I could, and so I wrought my selfe to worke with him, as I got the hand with much a doe over his Sycofants, all of them I turnd away, having liberty to use my will, for I had gained him by perswasions, oathes, and justifications sufficient for his capacity, to right my selfe against those had injured me, and so to continue a kind wife, as he would be an husband to me: these conditions gave me such liberty, as twenty foure servants in one day I put away, and placed such of mine owne, or friends as I best liked, and knew, would and must be just to me, their friends being ingaged for them. Then I reclaimed him from ill company, I meane inferiour to him, which he naturally had best loved; and as if anew molded him, so as in troth he deserved (and doth) respect from me, and that hee shall have; the Court I confesse I loved well, I brought him (though not to like it himselfe) to let me be there when I would, and privately he would come unto me; the Princesse I served, a Lady faire and loving, but something variable and changing, as her favour was to me, for I being of her chamber, in great favour and grace, fell into the most bitter dislike, and disgrace, that ever any did. Causes she alleaged, but an easie thing it is to frame such; yet the worst thing she did to me, and which I tooke indeed to the heart, was, shee mistrusted I loved a brother of hers, who she neither much cared for, nor esteemed my honour; shee made a young brave Lady likewise acquainted with all, whom she did command to attend on her, and in the last part of the evening, or rather in the night they came into the Garden, where if I had been gone to his chamber, as shee imagined, I must needs to my owne lodging passe through in my returne. All the doores they locked double, and bolted the others that had not such locks on them, walking up and downe to catch me, who surely they imagined a very kind woman, to goe so farre to a servant, whose part it had rather been to come to me; but they watched, and the truth is, I was in another garden on the other side, but not with him, yet being that way, suspition said, I was guilty, so upon likelihoods I was condemnd. To the doore I came, and thinking to find the place as I left it, I boldly put my key to unlock it, but it would not doe, mine was but single, my enemies double. I at first found it not, but seeing I could not open it, I tried againe, and then plainly discernd, some had been there after me, yet I did not dreame of the Princesse. Presently (my tampering having given them the allarum) I might heare them whisper, the Lady spake a little louder, as of purpose that I should speak to her. I did just as she desired, and fell into the trap as they wished, for I cried, Who is there? Tis I, said she. I pray open the doore, said I. I will do you more service then that, said she: where with she opened it, the Princesse of this plot and place standing close by her. I started when I saw her. How doth my Brother , said she? I told her, her Highnes was deceived in me. I am not, answered she, but I have been; for I tooke you to have been good and vertuous, the contrary this action shewes you to be. I protest (cryed I) I am innocent of ill, and free from this wrong you accuse me of. The way, time, & your attire condemnes you (said she), why should you undrest in night habits, at this late houre, and alone walk abroad, & just this way towards his lodgings, none els lying in those parts, were it not to him? the world besides had such a conceit, and you knowing it, your part had bin to avoid al cause, or shadow of cause to mistrust you, rather then to runne into the open mouth of danger, and plaine discoverie. I saw her so violent, I besought her yet in mercy and pity of womens honour, which could be no fame to her to ruine, whatsoever she conceited of me, yet to spare me to the world. Shee smild scornefully, and said, she was not of the trade of my counsellkeepers, who knew of my going to him in mans apparrell before that time, and so flung away. I was in truth troubled exstreamely with it, and spake to the Lady to bee my friend in it. Shee protested freely, and bravely shee would doe me any service in that, or any other thing, and that it was first unknowne to her what the pretence was, onely dutie taught her to obay, after utterly against her will to proceede in it. But what mends had I? the Princesse told it to every one, and which madded mee most to this brave Gentleman you saw with me, who at that time, and by her meanes wholly, had not so good an opinion of me, as now he hath, nor had I so much respect to him, yet I loved him ever, shee I thinke did so too, and in no better a kind, then shee thought I did her brother. But I am charitable, and I thinke no ill was done, for I am sure he is noble and good. Upon this I left the Court, and with me, or presently after me fearing tricks (for who how vertuous soever can prevent so odde, and devillish a plot as this was) all, or the greatest part of the Ladies went from thence, even she, who then was so deare unto her in little more grace, then my selfe, leaving her attended on with her chamber, and those enough to be used ill. She then grew melancholly, and at last sought company, some she got together, but of what sort? those that were of the age before, who having young minds rumbled up their old carcases, and rubd over their wrinckling faces like old wainscot new varnished: and little sweeter was some of their beauties. But these served to fill up places, and adorne a chamber of state, like ill Pictures, yet bravely guilt and set forth make as good a shew, though but glassed, as the cunningst piece of worke, if not to judging eies: an noise they also made of mirth, banqueting and inviting company, but all would not serve, the glaringst signe, or greatest bush, drawes not in the best company: no more did they make the Court much the fairer. Dance they did, and all ridiculous things that ancient, but young made women could invent to do. I came again, having liberty to behold them, but never any more to serve in ordinary. Lord how I admird the alteration, and the place, being changd from what it was, as much as from a Court to a Playhouse: She usd me indifferently wel, and I took it so, envying none but the Lady whom I was a little in aw of, but not for that I did grudge at her, but repined to see her blest, as I imagind, since I have gaind what I fear'd she had, or if she had, I have gaind it from her; yet alwaies brave Princesse be confident I am chast, and untoucht of ill action, how ever they have laid my reputation low, but I forgive them now, nor judge amisse of my liberall discourse, your freedome having invited me to it My Lord (good man) was glad of my disgrace, because it brought me home as he thought, yet I so tampred with him, as he thought at last it was not in earnest, but a plot betweene us; so to the Court I went when I pleased, or told him I would go, though sometime another way I went, yet lately I have lived most at home, and stil resolve to doe, though with little content in him; and because you shall see I have not too much cause to be fond of him, when you come into the house, seeme earnest to see him (for that he loves) and then shal your highnes on my word behold a man fit only to make a good husband of, & so far to be belov'd, as not contemnd. They went in, the Princesse having her lesson, desiring earnestly to see the Master of the Horse before her going. He came, but such a creature twas, his pace so uncertaine going towards her, but looking backe, as if asking his men if he did well, or no; a wide smile he had, which if a little noise had been added to it, might have been a plaine laugh. When he was close by her, he took her hand, and put it to his mouth, but his teeth instead of lippes met it; shee gave him many thankes for her entertainement, he tooke her thanks it seemd well, but replyd onely with his former girning: at last with a great businesse and champing, as if on the Bit, he brought out as many words, as he askt her, how she liked Hunting. She answerd, very well, and best of any sport; hee was so joyed with that, as he laughed right out, and with gladnesse driveld, that none could blame the Lady, if she liked not much to kisse that Ganimead. As thus they were, some beholding him, the Princesse admiring his foolish ignorance, and ill-favordnesse, some others marking the power she had over her selfe, to hold from so little scorne, as to smile at him, a great noise was heard below in the Hall, and an Esquire of the old Frigian King came in, crying out for helpe, his Lord was taken prisoner, and carried towards the Sea. Leonius cald to arme, Veralinda for her horses, the delicat disquieted would at tend them, till they saw freedom on al parts flourishing again; the Lady of the house tooke her leave of them there, and so they past, Leonius poasting after the King, the Princesse accompanied with her Knights, and the Noble Disc ontent held on towards the sea to gaine her ships: but being to passe a thickest wood, it was their fortunes first to light upon the Adventure, for in the thick of that place they heard voyces, and Veralinda led by perfect knowledge, or naturall affection, knew her fathers tongue, when upon the telling her fine sad companion, he with some five or six of her Knights rushed in, they found the King bound, a great ring of armed men about him, and some sixe or seven women (for Gentlewomen I cannot call those, used such cruelty) with great rods whipping him, having stripped his upper part; he complaining, and pitifully crying, the strips being sore, and painefull to his royall body. This timely rescue flew in among them, who were much amased at the surprise, yet being many, & bolder on their number, then any other cause they had to hope of their victory, encountred our daintie distressed so rudely, as he was put to his best in armes; but then so bravely did he behave himselfe, as he had with his own hands disarmd and overcome three, but his five assistants were overthrowne, he then himselfe fought against the rest, not without great hazard, but such were the blowes, and fury among them, as they cald helpe, assisted with the Kings cryes, who all this while the fight lasted, was tormented excessively with those Furies, as meaning to take their full revenge, or as much as they could. Leonius was brought in to the place, but what fury came he possest with all? those women altogether could not imitate, much lesse equall (yet women inraged they say are Devils. Happy this arrivall was to the valiant as exquisite Solitary, both being joynd, the rest fainted, and so the victory came on their side. Then Leonius and his to be admired companion went to the King, raking away his Baiters and Chaines, clothing him againe, and dressing the stripes he had received, which had wept blood for unkindnesse, both pulling off their Helmets to take aire the sad Knight shewing so delicate a hand, as if his blowes had not been witnesses of his strength, one would have fear'd, so Ladi-like, a beautifull, and dainty shapt hand could not have sufferd such stresse, but the wonder was taken away then, when conclusion was made, that the noblest hart commanded the fairest, and fiercest hand; he had such a hart, and so valiant and happy a hand to execute his commands with al. Veralinda came in also, and with teares manifested the sorrow she had for her fathers mishap, covering his stripes with soveraign ointments she nev er went without: then they examind the cause of this outrage. One of them (the chiefe it seemd among them) telling her story thus. I am (said she) of this Country, and have a Castle hard by, whither this ungratefull King should have gone, had not your accursed succor, and my too rash beginning of his justly merited punishment hindred me; he knowes my name and quarrell; yet some part I wil tel you to avoid thought of unreasonablenes in me. I lov'd this king (not I do protest for his being a king, but mearely out of affection) my love growing to him, at my being in his Court at a great triumph there, whither the Princes of this country went, & I waited on. He cast his eies unluckly on me also, and gave me such invitations to his love, as I could not but accept and yeeld; opportunity yet served not, I being to wait so neare my Lady, and she who liked the king as well, but not so truly as I did, watching me, fearing that, she desird to have her self. Thus unfortunatly I was again to part, and so without any more then amorous looks, & such manifestings as outward shew could give, we were devided; when I came back, how did I curse my fortune? for my love was run beyond the tye of chastity, and I was a meere lover; I accusd my self, for thus thought I, I might have enjoyed him, by this meanes I could (if I had not bin a natural foole) have compast my desires, none could have prevented this plot, had I not bin a ranke coward; the night was left me, why did I loose so many, and gain nothing but restles times, tossing and tumbling in my own fansies? and so many did I then get together, as made a mas of vanity, calling infinites of conceits together. In al these unquiets, a match was offerd me, I was mad, and knew nothing but mine owne passions; in that distemper I gave consent, and was maried, but stil my affection was tied, and wedded to this king, this king of ungratefulnes and cruelty. A wife I lived, and yet a maid, my husband somtimes chafing, somtimes telling me, he thought I kept that Juell for another: many suspitions this bred in him, and furnished as many crosses for me, at last at the end of three yeeres, this unconstant, and unworthy king came hither, he was feasted and welcomd by the Prince and Princesse, who saw not me with strait looks; doubting me still; but I refrained not the Court for al that, my hart telling mee a dram of joy in his sight was more cordiall, then vialls ful of her disgraces could be hurtful to me. He liked my sight as well, and then being resolvd to loose no opportunitie, but rather make and find meanes, wee met, and I did freely let him have knowledge of my constancy. He was (it seemd) ravisht with joy, and beyond al others, love fond of me, never being at rest, but when with me. A Gentleman there was in his company who had lik'd me wel, and as far as he durst had sought mee, for he was bashfull, and I must confesse I was proud, besides loving another. To this man the king (not being able to hide or conceale his happines) tels al. When he had it (guessing as I believe it was, and am confident he knew it to be me) he came to me, and after discourse of him, and how good, and firme a Lover he was, besides his earnest, and passionate pursuing, he brake out into how happy and fortunate a man he was in his choice, telling me my whole story, and all that had passed; with all (said he) when he told it me, O (cryd I) that I might but know such a Love to mee, though presently I had died; and surely so I should, for I were not able to enjoy such a ful blessing. Did he tell you this story (said I) sure there is no such thing? Yes certainely, answered he; & he is so wrapt in the heaven of it, as he cannot contain himself: but who it is, I know not; for he only termd her a wench he lov'd, & who so dearely lov ed him, as for his sake she had liv'd a Maiden-wife, & would have ever, had she not enjoyed him. I was angry at it, yet then so much I lov'd him, as though resolved to let him know, how ill I tooke his discovering my secrets to any, though in a third person: yet when I was him I forgave it, and pitied him for loving me so much, I not being able, as I imagind, and undervalued my poore self, to deserve such an affection, nor truly shuld I have altred my mind for any thing, had he not cruelly, vildly, & scornfully usd me; that changd me indeed, and hath turnd my hart so much against him, as ever since I have fully assured of his disdaine, vowed revenge, and plotted for it, though I had gone into his country to execute it, which I was prevented of by notice of his comming hither, where I way-laid him at his comming, but I grew tender again, and let him passe; yet when he was past, I repented, and as love increaseth love, so the hate I had, conceivd, & grew increasing in me with every touch of memory of those passages, & now without al purpose of kindnes I took him, & with all cruelty meant to have continued tormenting him, privatly keeping as I purposed his Majesty for my recreation to see him torturd, who so uncharitably cast me off, defamd, & forsook me; the last, being to us indeed the sharpst blow but telling, with that she flew at him again to scratch him, other hurt she could not do him, To tel, cryd she, & forsake me to? They held her, & with much ado after by the kings permission, but earnestly conjuring Veralinda to pardon her, she had her liberty, and so returnd to her Castle. The King like al men, at sometimes, or other for such injuries whipt, though inwardly with as bitter strips held on his journey for Frigia, where he most safely arrived, and with all content and happinesse hee with his daughter, and sonne in law passed their dayes together. The valliant, and discreete Gentleman returned to the Lady againe, with whom he spent most of his pretious time attending what he desired, which was accomplished to his minde, and left to him to make his owne use of, so as he might be pleased if he pleasd. Amphilanthus being in the morning up, & ready to goe to his long'd for busines, to add by that, new, & more honor, as kingdoms to his crown, the Qu. Pamphilia with her counsell, & Noble men came unto him, whom she found attended on by his Princes, who were all, or most known to her, the rest made her servants by his respect unto her; there she saw provision for the fight, while she had as cruel a combat within her, & more terrible, because her feare proceeding from her love made more dangers then blowes could be stroken between them. She saw not one peece of his armour that was not cut through in tendernes of her heart, and that bleeding for it. The Prince of Transilvania was looking on his sheild, which she casting her eyes upon. O said she that that were as true, & firme in mettle, as my hart is in truth, then would it nere be pierced. Polarchos was curiously overlooking the armour, to see it secure, every piece shee blessed with her soules wishes, and every pinn had a prayer for the strength of it so much goodnesse wishing it well, danger must needs be farre off. The Emperour marking her, had inwardly new power, and might given him by her constancy, and strong affection, forth they went, excellent, and rich Barges being ready to convey them over the Lake, being on the other side: they parted, the Queene backe againe to her Castle, where she might (if deerenes in love would permit her) see the combate, which was not doubted, but assured she could not suffer her eyes though loving them best when they saw him, at this time given them liberty to doe, but certainely her soules eyes in prayer beheld him more profitable surely at this time, for he had no child to play withall. The Emperour tooke his horse, the State and Counsell of Pamphilia wayting on him, as he mounted on horse-backe, whether by chance, or of purpose the horse trampled, and turned up, and downe so, as his face towards the Lake, and Castle, he sent kind lookes after her, which that while (her eyes wayting on him) with comfort brought unto her, and made hers melt, because they parted so; he rode into the field unarm'd, his twelve Princes carrying his armes. Polarchos being his Chamberlaine, came next his Person, and the Prince of Transilvania carryed his Crowne, the Duke of Branswike, Bavaria, Lorraine, Savoy, Sax, Millan, the Prince of Venice, and the rest carried the Armour, Launce, and led the spare horse. Into the head of the Army he rode, which stood in battaile, hee saluted them, they exprest ther joy to see him in all Souldier-like fashion, before them he stood ready to arme, when they discern'd from the other side the King, with as much magnificence as was possible for him to shew; when they were thus in the head of each Army, he sent to intreate some speech of the Emperour, he courteous, and yet bold as any, granted it, and so they came towards each other, taking one a peece with them, the Emperour, Polarchos ; the King, the Master of his Horse. They beheld each other like Lyons, stirring no way, but their eies followed as part of their Armes, and then the most curious part. The King of Celicia first put up his hand to his hat, but that motion was enough to make the noble Amphilanthus ready as soone as hee, to give, and take salutation. The King said it was not unknown unto him, he was sure why he came, and in that sort, but the desire, and reason of this meeting was, that he might see his Person before the fight, who was held the bravest Prince living, and his Rivall, but with greater happines because beloved by her. If this be true replide the Emperour, your cause is the more unjust, since you would force so excellent a Queene to take you contrary to her owne affection as you confesse, and mine must needs be more irreconciliable, since heere you pronounce a quarrell never to be taken up, seeking to take my Mistris from me, therefore if this be your end of meeting, let us part to meete on surer tearmes. The King gave consent, having now said he seene the man so much admired, I am satisfied till I have conquered him. With that they turn'd, and arm'd them selves, the Drums, and Trumpets making such harmony, as were enough to lift the hearts of Cowards up to spirit, this little needing to the Emperour, whose heart and body was all worth, and valour: the King was likewise soone arm'd, and the Armies by order commanded to unarme, being left only as Court beholders, no shew of warr, except in the fashion of their cloathes, and bands. The King of Celicia was in Oring couler, the Emperour in crimson, Spite on the one side, Revenge on the other. The encounter was faire, and terrible, both their horses at the breaking shrinking under them, but the Celician after falter'd, and reel'd, so as hee leap'd from him. Amphilanthus lighted, and so they met on foote, when no Art, or vallour procured by just disdaine, and rage was wanting. The King had with a blow cloven the Emperour's sheild, so as unusefull he threw it from him, in requitall, making such a breach in his armour on the right side, as there sprang out so much blood, as might wash away the others losse. Both fearelesly, and furiously fighting, for themselves, not fearing, only tending the cause that brought them thither. At last Amphilanthus found an advantage by the Kings lifting up of his right arme, to give him a deadly blow, which though he failed of, the Emperour missed not the oportunitie, but ran his Sword into him crosse-wayes through his body; the King stood still with the blow, the Emperour beheld him, sorry he had kill'd him, as his sword goar'd he perceived hee had, then suddenly, and reelingly he ran with his last fury upon him. Amphilanthus could have avoyded him, but he only strake downe the thrust, and caught him in his armes, casting him selfe downe with him, in the falling. Yeeld said Asdrusius; thou art deceived poore man said Amphilanthus, with that Asdrusius lifted his arme up, as to have one blow more, but death then ceased on him, so as embraced with an enemies curtesie he dyed. Amphilanthus rysing, and putting the body from him, the Princes of both sides came in, and the victory easily judged, the body was delivered to the Celicians, with liberty to depart, Melisander being delivered, the Emperour with all honor conducted towards the Queene, who with more then joy, or gladnes, met him where she parted from him with delicate musique, and tryumphant glory, bringing him into the Castle, and so to the Galleryes, where he was unarm'd, and his wounds most gently, tenderly, and affectionately looked on by her selfe; they were some in number, none either dangerous, or troblesome to his liberty of walking abroad. When they were dressed, the Councell standing all before them, and his Princes with her Nobility, they two sate downe under a cloath of estate, love expressing it selfe, not only lively but perfectly in their eyes: he tooke her hand, kiss'd it, beheld her earnestly, as amorously ready to make expression of what was expected and hoped for, she as yeelding sate ready to grant, while he still holding her hand in his, and as passionately gazing in her affectionately requiting eyes, and such were his excellent expressions, and her loving entertayning those passions, as command needed not to his followers, who by outward sight, (knowledge by long acquaintance growing in the degree with experience) knew their masters mind, and so left him to expresse what his eyes promised, leaving the place as free as their soules desired to be, which would be granted only by rest, and what rest on earth like the quiet enjoying them selves, which but with them selves they could doe, her servants by her respect to the Emperour learnt obedience, and so to their owne happyest wishes left them. They all gone, Amphilanthus Master of the greatest part of the Westerne World, and once as he assured him selfe, Monarch of her heart before shee knew Asia, or much more, or scarce so much as her selfe, much lesse her power over him, would like a confident man, and commanding lover, never shewing as if an account were to be had from him for former faults, use the time, and take the opportunity offer'd him so as his eyes fixt as they were, and shee observing his, he most lovingly, or rather passionately caught, (like a man drowning, catching at the next thing to him to save himselfe) the Queene in his armes, and as no offender, (except in boldnesse) embraced her. She would have violently, refused any other, nay his neglect in an other person had forc'd the curstest punishment, but heere shee onely blushd, and receiv'd his love, as at first without expostulation: discourse they also familiarly did, & the wonted phrases of kindnesse in sweet familiarnesse were as free, as if never laid aside. Thus that day passed, night being come, and all retyred to rest, the Queene most happy and blest being againe enriched with his love, or the show it had before, although the true fire was clearer, and warmer; this now suffised, and was insteed of the truth filld up to the like heate by the unexpectednes of it. Being in her bedd, what Pamphilia said shee? Is it possible that thou hast lived to see Amphilanthus kind againe? Can he smile on these wrincles, and be loving in my decay? When hee told mee I was alterd for the worse, and sleightly regarded me, I fear'd, but when he quite forsooke mee, wretch what did I, yet is he returning? Truely I must confesse this to be as strange as his other change, which I could not but like a blinde man be ledd to belee ve, it was sung in my eares, and blazed in mine eyes, ere I could take off the Scarfe of credulity, and unblinde my hopes to see plainely my despaire, and just cause thereof, when I have sate sighing, nay weeping for his disdaine, wishing he might but see my teares, which from strangers have gain'd compassion: He hath come in, then how have I cheerd up my heart, or rather my love to him done it for me? Wiped my eyes, and from him hid my sorrowes, to whom for my redresse they should have beene discovered; policie it was not that bred this in me, but pure love, and unfortunate subjection, yet I love my selfe for it, and will still strive to continue it, and more now, since I see that pleades for me, and pitty, or favour shines againe to me. It is impossible to be Lone, but reward that now hee goes about to give mee, that yet shall be welcome, and what else soever comes from him, except frownes, nay they two if hee allot them me, so hartily I am his. The next morning they went to hunt, and after noone in the evening, walked foorth along a Rivers side till they came to a little rysing; at the bottom the water continued the wanton course it had begun, upon the top of this rising there was a Rocke, and on the top of that a young shepheard playing upon a Rebecke', the Ayre playing with his curled locks, and hee singing this Songe. Love farewell I now discover Thee a Tyrant o're a lover, All thy promis'd sweets prove crosses, Thy rewards are only losses. A pritty thing I did deeme thee, Innocent, and mild esteeme thee, But I find thee as curst matter As a swelling high wrought water. Cupids name a pleasant folly Hath beguiled hearts most holly, Even to sacrifize in homage, Life and soule unto their domage. Mine an offering once I profferd, Happily refusd when offerd, Ile keepe now but to revile thee, From the craft which did beguile me. The wiser man, said Amphilanthus. The liker to your mind, said Pamphilia, if hee love varities: hee looked upon her, but seeing shee smild, when shee spake it, hee did so likewise, and so she went to the shepheard, who was comming downe from the Rock, and seeing them, was amased, yet with a good civill country manner saluted them, which they gratiously requited. The Queene then demanded, of what place he was; he replied, he was servant to the Queenes Shepheard. Doe you know the Queene (said she). No indeed, replide hee. What heare you of her, said Amphilanthus? Much joy for her safetie, and that she is a brave and a good woman, said he. Nothing else, said she? Yes, answered he, I have heard more, but we must not speake all least we heare of it againe to our cost. I dare assure thee (said she) the Queene shall nev er heare of any thing thou sayest to us any more, then now she doth, nor bee any more offended with thee. But if I come in question, where's your assurance, I may be assuredly hanged, and you never the wiser. Trust me (said she) I have such power with her Majesty, as thou shalt be secure. Why then (said hee) Ile tell you; but first let me see your face. Wherefore, said the Queene? Ile tell you if you be a maid, said he. With that she puld off a Mask O heavens what a sweete face is there, and what pitie it is you should bee so long a Maid? The Lovers both blushed, and smild, then the Shepherd proceeded. I can guesse by the face indifferently well at the disposition, and I learnt this experience by marking my sheepe, and seldome now doe I faile in chusing the sweetest natured and mildest to breed on, I can see by the countenance whether they will be tractable, or not, and so I cull the best from the other. But this is nothing of the Queene, said she. Why, she is (said he) a Lady loved, and well thought on by all that ever I heard speake of her, curteous, affable, no pride dwells in her, to the meanest she will speake; yet the greatest feare her, which is her judgement and goodnesse that breedes that respect to her; shee is upright and just, in her government mild, and loving to her subjects, shee loves all good exercises as well abroad, as at home; shee hath indeed they say, a brave and manlike spirit, and wonderous wise shee is; yet for all these good parts, shee could not keep out of Cupid's clawes, but was mightily in love, and is still as it is mutterd about with a gallant man, a brave fighting man, for whose sake shee refused all others, and lately the King of Celicia her next neighbour; but for all her wisdome, there I believe she was ill advised to refuse him, for he came with such an Army against her, to have her by force, as had like to have marrd all; I am sure they frighted us (no sword men) and our sheep likewise, yet at last hither came that brave man her love, though some say he had before forsaken her, wherupon she grew melancholly, & came seldome abroad, she might by that have seene how foolish a thing love was, and have left it, and looked to her owne busines, but now they say, shee is lively againe, and jolly, and well shee may, for he did gallantly to release her, yet hee dwells so farre off, and having as it is said, a prety humour of changing, wee doe not wish him to her, least wee should loose her. What doe you call him, said the Emperor? Amphilanthus, answered the Shepheard, Emperour of the West, a mighty man assuredly he is, and hath but that fault as ever I heard, and yet for mine owne part I would the Queen were of our mind (whereat they both laughed); for I protest (said he) I thinke varietie the sweetest pleasure under Heaven, and constancy the foolishest unprofitable whining vertue. Thou art an honest fellow, said Amphilanthus, I warrant thee. Pray God you prove so (said he) else I may bee in a wise case. Feare nothing, said the Queene, I will protect thee from any harme, but now you have spoken thus freely of the Queene, tell us as particularly of your loves, for it appeares you have been a lover. In a kinde (said hee) and you shall heare what I have done since my infancy, for since tenne, I have looked after Wenches, and loved them since foureteene, and now am I sixe and twenty. The first unruly flames that bred in mee, were at fourteene, towards a pretty Maid of my mothers, much about that age, who, what with my importunitie, prettie presents of fruites and flowers, quaint wordes, the love shee bore her Mistris, whom shee might feare would bee angry, if shee crost mee to make mee sicke, or it may bee wanton, and young, found as much aptnesse in her selfe as in mee, or what other cause or power it was, I know not, shee would not refuse long, nor was I long in accepting, but kindly and amorously wee lived a whole yeare, and I pray was not that a long time to bee in love with one woman? I thinke by that I merrited never to bee by other denied. Then came a fine Brownetta, an neighbours daughter of ours crost my sight, and so my former love, shee daily came to milke in the next grounds to us: I then thought on nothing but how to winne her; the other followed mee, and perpetually watched mee, that I durst not goe neare her: but love is never without invention, I would steale out in the night, and make bracks and holes in the Hedges that parted our grounds, and then when my Sheepe being droven, as of purpose I would drive them that way, would for change (loving it as well as their Master) get into her Fathers fields, I must goe fetch them forth againe, and so I saw her, and spake to her, telling her shee should advise her father to keep his fences better, this was my introduction, and at last wan her by discourse and conversation as wrangling at first wrangled our selves one. But when I had enjoyed her, I thought the other like stale bread: shee told me of it, I truly confest I was weary of her; she said we were well met to part on equall tearmes, and so she quickly after chose another, and another, for already I have seene her have three besides my selfe, and I commend her for it. Some moneths, which were the Spring and Summer, and as long as faire weather lasted, I loved this second; but when cold came on, my bloud grew chill, and so my hart grew faint, onely to be recovered with the next Spring, which it was, and sprang unto another love, who was as faire as Diana her selfe at the full, but for my contentment not so cold nor chaste. She was a Neatresse, and in truth an neate one; her I gaind by curtesie, fetching, and driving her cattle to her, and for her, the sweete and secret Woods could onely accuse us, none else mistrusted, and so sweetly and kindly did we passe our times; but shee after a while being but as the former were, and no varietie in her, I began to thinke how I might purchase some creature more like my disposition which I gained; for walking in the Woods, I found a dainty Forrest Nimph hunting, I forsooke her, left home, father, and all betaking me to the Woods: she was long before she could be wonne to like, longer to love; but at last for my joy, shee liked, loved, and yeelded, then was I a blessed man, for in this delicate Creature I was fully happie, shee so well incountred my humour with her fashion, and divers, and severall expressions of love she gave, which as still being new, she was an new woman to mee, and so I continued with the varietie on her side, and I so contented with all, as I loved her five yeare without change, yet not wholly so constant, but I thinke I slipt aside in that time. Sometimes it may be she thought so, and would be sad; but when I came, and saw her so, how did I thinke that did become her, and idlenesse; or mirth misbeseeme others; then I grew sad to imitate her, learnt her fashions, walked crosse armd, sighed, cast up mine eyes, spake little, looked much on her, else on nothing to say, I looked on any thing but as unmarked. This passion pleased me as different from the other; then so well I pleased her in this kind, as she the next time would be merry. I liked that beyond the other, for then me thought I saw life, spirit, and mettle in her; I then embraced that with joy and delight, finding that she did all these to make me hers, by still contenting me; I was contented to be hers, as much as it was possible for mee to bee anyes, and this brought me into such reputation, as I had the good looks, nay, thoughts of many faire maides (without pride I speake it, though I confesse I love to tell it), among the rest there was another Nimph, who hearing of mee, or seeing how my Mistris made of mee, thought it a fine thing to love; but a finer to bee loved, yet did shee not consider how to chuse without offence to others, and gaine to her selfe, for her ill fortune was to chuse mee, who though so naturally kind to women, as I would hardly let one of that sweete sexe sigh, much lesse weepe for mee, but that I would requite her; yet shee had not that winning power to make mee differ, nor indeede did shee take mee right, for shee mistooke both in the time and place, happening to bee at the Nimphs house, whither I often resorted with other Forresters, shee welcomming mee as a friend, that had done her service in a hunting which shee had, the house was little, and therefore the roomes were neare together, my Mistris lodged this other, her rival companion, in a roome within her selfe, mistrusting nothing, but bolting the doore betweene them, sure for her comming to her, secretly went to bed, and when all was quiet according to our agreement, she came to mee; as we were together embracing, and lovingly discoursing, wee heard a noise something nearer us, as in the next roome; love at first made us heedlesse, till comming neare, and continuing with increase of lumbring, and as if wood falling or slipping from those rowes, or the order it was laid up, as in rankes, in wee startled, and I feared, because of my Mistris; but shee knowing the place, which was not above five foote broad, and alwaies filled with cleft wood for the chambers, stept out and shut a doore, which was to goe in, or to come out of that place. When shee had made it safe for opening on the other side, shee softly returned to mee, and then with much delight wee stayed a while together, till day being ready to breake, shee parted from mee to bee in her owne bed, when her maides came to seeke her, which soone after they did, and shee being ready, called mee, and sent for Orileda, for so the other was called, but she having (as shee told me afterwards, to make me know her love, the violence whereof had made a more unchast thought in her, then ever before she had) broken her shin with climing over the wood, cursing it yet more for the hindrance, then the harme, barring her from letting me see what power I had to make her, other then ever her modestie till then would permit. Shee was unable to follow Dianaes sports, as well in person, as her chaste courses in thought. I seemed to pitie my owne ill fortune in missing of her, and to lament her hurt, which more hurt mee, for after shee perplexed mee with haunting of mee, Lord what a life led I? shee troubled mee, my Mistris grew a little suspitious of me, that grieved mee, both strove for mee; but such difference there was betweene them, as I had been blind and accursed, if I had left one for tother. But then came the Queene into those Woods to delight her self, being at her first comming into this Country, in her Traine she had many brave and fine women, among the rest, one prety little Lasse, who for her pretinesse, mee thought, commanded largely over hearts, I am sure shee made mine faint and faile, when it had been strong; then did I thinke a Forrest life the toylesomst, and wearisomest in the world: I plotted how to bee released of it, and why? onely to bee where I might see her I most loved. Long I studied, at last I fell upon a resolution, which was, to put my selfe into the Court, to serve some Officer or Courtier, the Queene affecting hunting, I was soone accepted, and taken by the chiefe Huntsman to be one of her Majesties servants, being excellent in blowing a Horne, and in the chase, and so loving infinitely, and hoping as much, for I never loved without that especiall comfort about me, to spoile me, and to crosse my old companion Hope, the Queene went to try Enchantments, I never having seene her but one horse-back, and still masked: I know not how her Majestie carried her selfe, or what shee did, but as reports are by all, to her most meriting honour that might bee, though likewise to her losse, for shee returned after some yeares, the most discontented woman in the world, and hath continued so, till now within few dayes, when (God bee thanked) she hath recovered her spirits, which long may they be (I beseech Heaven)␣continued to her, & al hapines attend her, yet I was angry with her going for she caried my love with her, yet farre she could not carry it, it was either so heavy as it sank, or so light, as the first contrary wind brought it me again, and then I forswore hunting, court, and al, betaking me to be a Shepherd, and here I live under the Queens Shepheard quiet, love for my pleasure, never to paine, have a Lasse now that will have mee love, or serve her, whether I will or no, her violence making mee truer, or rather more observant then anie others worth could do; and thus I live (I must say truly) fondly, ignorantly, and condemned by all men; yet it pleaseth mee, because I avoid by this meanes, importunities, and businesses. I am heere served and observed, nothing to vexe mee, if not what I like well enough, which is her overmuch fondnesse: her fairenesse troubles mee not, for shee is no Helena, her vertue denies me little; for I command that, and her, her humble and busie love mixt with fine discourse likes mee well enough, or I suffer my selfe to thinke so; yet O me the Nimph was a dainty Lasse. Ah (said Pamphilia), it seemes you have some reliques of that love. In truth (said he) I have, and my conscience moves me that way many times, knowing she undid her selfe for me, and yet firmely loves mee still, and unchangeably ever did. Returne then (said Amphilanthus) and bee now againe more happy then ever enjoying so long loved, and loving a Creature, the first passions were but flashes, these pure and true fiers. I feele them so (said hee), and I will doe so, and yet in so doing justly, and continue my old affection to varietie too, for now she will be new againe to me. The Lovers smil'd upon each other, and taking the fine Shepheards offer, which was to drinke of his poore drinke, they each dranke of his bottle, and returned, pleased much with his discourse, but most with his resolution to returne to his old Love. The next Morning shee went to Fish, and so after dinner to Hauke, and everie day had new delights, till they had past invention, and then like the Sheepheard returned to what they had had: so one morning to hunt they went, when after one hours chase the hounds running merrily, the stag comming neere them, the Emperour with the rest had his spirits mooved with the pleasure, and not sparing his horse followed with such speed into a great and desart wood, as hee had in the thicknesse lost the Stagge, hounds, all the company, and himselfe; the Queene having a guide, and coasting came in to the death, for the Hounds soone brought the Deere out of the wood, but at the fall of him the Emperor was miss'd, the Queene missing in that misse all joy and content, her heart being so much his, as still partooke of his fortunes, and that faithfully tould her hee would not quickly be heard of againe, shee grew sad, and instead of honoring her Dogges, or Deere with their last rights, tooke her horse againe and went her selfe to seeke him, sending all her traine severall waies in the same quest, taking only with her two Ladies that had held out the chase with her, and ten Knights. She continued the search till night, then came she to a house in the midst of the wood, where she resolvd to rest her that night, and the next day betimes pursue her search. When she came into the house she found servants ready, and willing to entertaine her, but their Mistris was not as then come from hunting; the Queene weary and sad, sate downe on a bed, or rather neglectively threw her selfe upon one, her Ladies in the meane space taulking with the servants concerning their Mistris, till she returned in a garment of blacke Damaske, which reached to her knees, and another below that, that came to the small of her leg, of Sattin, buskins she had of the finest leather laced and tyed with pretty knots of ribbin, but al blacke, and so had she gone ever since her love left her. On her head shee wore a hat, but her haire under it, tyed and braded so finely, as shee might throw off her hat at pleasure, and remaine finer then before. She seemed to have beene excellent, and yet she appeared lovely, though her face said shee was not in the youthfullest time of her yeares, yet her Sommer was not quite done; she had strength, and spirit in place of delicasie and sinnes, and wholesome healthfulnes for dainty beauty, altogether shee was farre from being comtemptible, though not merriting to be admired, if not for constancy, and patient suffering which shee had brought her selfe unto, and to so perfect a kind of them, as she no way wanted her former happines. An excellent Creature she was without question in her kind, and as such are oft times abused with excelling change; She understanding the Queene was in her house, was much joyed withall, but not so ravished with it, as it made her any whit forget her duty, as others have done, rashly overcome with joy, to grow unmannerly withall, but stayed attending the good fortune when she might see, and welcome her Majestie, which should be done when she cal'd, that tim came soone after, for the Q. having tumbled awhile, and cast her thoughts into millions of various conceits, she with wearynes fell asleepe, and so continued an howre, which space the sweete Nimph stayd for her. As soone as the Ladyes had told the Queene of her being without, shee was admitted in to her, who with as much humillity, as the Queene with kindnes saluted her, using her best language (as she had as good as any of her sort,) to expresse her gladnesse in seeing, & having her Majestie in her house. Pamphilia hearing her speak, and beholding her manner and fashion, besides the furniture of the roome being of delicate and rich silke, both hangings and bed, which till then she regarded not, did beleeve she was of noble kinde, and so used her, taking her gently from the ground, and telling her shee was not to kneele to her guest. To my Soveraigne Lady (said she) I am bound, and your worth claimes this, and more respect from all strangers, then kissed she the Queenes hands, and rose, beholding the Queene with admiration of her beauty and sadnes; her eyes having been employed to other use then sleeping, as by the red circles did appeare. Delicate discourse passed betweene them a good space, till the Queene found she might be bolder with her, then she yet had, and so began to aske her some questions, the first, why shee woare Blacke, being a Huntresse? Shee replyd, shee had lost her Deare, and mourned for it. Then must I weare Blacke also (said shee) for I am parted unfortunately from my deerest Deere, for which my heart allready is in mourning. The sweete Nimph with a low reverence & a sigh, seemd to lament for her; the Queene then proceeded, as longing to know the end, which the other perceiving, to give her all content, yeelded unto it, and proceeded thus. Since I see the desire you have to know all my story, may it please your Majestie to understand, I am called Mirasilva, a Forrest Nimph by my manner of life, but not profest to Diana, though a servant to her delights; unmarryed I live, but wedded to a vow I made to one, whose breach of his, like- made-one to me cannot yet unmarry me; he was called Sildurino, as faire, but as false as any, his life was wholy in the Country, and after that manner though he was nobly discended, but his Grandfather falling into an unfortunate action overthrew their house, his father and his children, ever after living privatly, and but plentifully, yet is there no reason to use them with the lesse respect, or to contemne them, or thinke basely of them, who suffer for others offences, not their owne; yet such was the greatnes of their spirits, as of fowre sonns the Grandfather left none, but his father did marry who was betrothed before his fall, and she nobly would after continue her love to her Spouse, living happily together; and as contented as if they had all the possessions, and honours they were borne unto, which was as much as most, or any in this Kingdome. The other three brothers lived with them, but so vexed, & stomacking their povertyes, yet having vertuous hearts would not consent to thinke of ill courses, they perplexedly lived, and at last dyed, their hearts broken with their owne swellings, and rent with their owne furious passions, their overthrow came in this manner. The King who unquietly reign'd next before your most worthy Uncle, was a mighty Tyrant, and had purchased the Kingdome by treachery, and blood-shedding of many, lastly of the right King, his children and kinsmen, to the last he could finde that durst say he had one drop of Royall blood in him, and many suffered for this, having so much royall vertue as to strive to overthrow such a beast. When hee had done this, and none left to withstand him, he yet thought himselfe not secure, unlesse he ruin'd those that knew his villany, least they bloodded in ill would practise on him: all those he likewise made away, nay those deere friends of his that had set the Crowne upon his head, truely, and worthily requited them for so Devilish an act: with the same they fedde the poore King his predesessor, who had no falt but that he was too good, too honest, too just, & two religious, shewed faults in Princes in these dayes. When the king had thus gained his mind, and free'd himselfe from the danger of being betray'd, who had beene trecherous to so many, and none left that he could feare, or say that man knowes my ill, so as now he might surely walke if not for his owne conscience; yet what good got he by this? he had not only rid himselfe of those he might mistrust or dislike, to see if any remorse were in him, but of friends, so as hee stood alone, and like a Tree in the midst of a plaine his branches cut off, every wind hath power on him; So stood he apt to be shaken with every storme which was seene, and considered by many, and at last resolv'd upon that hee should reele or fall. A plot was layd, and most of the remayning Nobility, and especially all the auncient Lords by desent, though many were young men among them agreed together; but the King as he was wicked, so he was very wise, or politique, quickly discernd there was something more then was for his good, wherefore like an old Foxe when he meanes to get a dwelling which he will not take paines to make himselfe, layes baits, and wiles to gaine his neighbours house, and deceives the poore Badger; so did this Devill, laying such ginns for them, as he caught them when they lest thought of it, thrusting into their counsells, and companyes, instruments of his, who were content to sweare and forsweare any thing, nay their owne soules to winne his favour, such a Tyrant is ambition over man to get the grace of Kings, who being king it is enough, and no matter what Kings they are. These men did not only joyne with the rest in that they advised, but added of their owne inventions, leading them on by traines into the snare. When time was ripe for the action, and the discovery, the King called an assembly of all his Lords, and as it were to rectifie some things that were amisse, and to give satisfaction to his people, if any thing troubled them, besides to propound warr against Celicia, their ancient and new growne enemie. These friends (for too honest the maine part were to be called conspirators) came with the rest, and so obeyed the orders and commands of the King who help'd some things, but their cheife grievances were not brought in, at last these poore betrayed Lords were, when earnestest for their Country, cross'd and cut short by the King, which mooved them so much, as rather then suffer dishonour they flew out; many of the Commons tooke part with them, but such is the bacenes of common people, as they left them as soone as they heard one Proclamation against them; they were soone taken, some kild that would withstand, but Sildurino his Grandfather was taken, and not denying the determination held among them, was executed, his sonns not being of the confederacy were degraded, their houses razed, and their name utterly forgotten by command of never being mentioned more then by their Christian names, their goods confiscated, & lands forfited to the King, themselves confined to one house the poorest their father had, where they were bound to live without titles, or meanes, but from starving, and if they broke the command, death ensued. Many other noble families fell also, my Grandfather likewise sufferd for this busines, but so great a fall it was, not to us, since there was none left but my selfe to inherit his estate, and I so unblessed a woman as merrit no other then a most unfortunate being. We two as borne to ill, and misfortune, fell as unluckily to love each other, love I thinke I may say we did, I am sure he liked, at least much dissembled, and I dare sweare I loved, yet as a conclusion must come to all things, so did there one fall, and a desperate one for me, for he left me, alas unkindly left me, who intirely loved him, and mourne in heart and soule still for him, and my losse. Alas (said I to my selfe) what made him leave me? he told me, I was growne an old Wench, he hath chosen an elder whom he adores, and worships like a Saint, and well may he doe so, for shee seemes rather an Image then a fleshly body, or rather a relique of what had been to bee reverenced, then a substance to be beloved. But if I speake much in this kind, your Majestie may thinke, envy speakes in mee, though this is but truth, and most true, that she hath the advantage of winning, and keeping a love above all other women, for so powerfull shee is in the gaining, sparing neither estate, honor, nor travell to accomplish her desires; then so diligent, and carefull in the preserving her gaine, as it is impossible to get one backe againe that shee hath gotten. She will not neglect occasions, services, duties, that servants were fitter to doe; nay, so busie shee will be in her house to have any thing shee imagines will please, as shee appeares to strangers, rather an Hostesse, then a Mistris: but such a Mistris shee hath ever been, for he is but one of a great summe of servants which shee hath past her time with all, but now decayd and growne old as I and others are, she holds only him, (at least as he thinks, though God forgive me if I believe it not, or that hee is alone) and him by Inchantment surely; for shee is now at this present the most contrary woman to his former choyces that can be inv ented, nay, to his opinions, as his owne hand can witnesse; but he hath forgotten them as me, and we must suffer to satisfie his varietie and love to it. But how if he returne to your love, will he be received or slighted, said the Queene? me thinkes these weeds promise pardon, since none would mourne for that they care not for. The care of him and for him made me first weare them, answered Myrasilva, but now I mourne for mine owne misfortune, and I assure my selfe may still for any hope of his alteration; no alas Madam, he is left, and I undone may see it. I confesse hee did many times about the time of his change, speak in a kind, as if it had beene my fault and neglect, that made the alterations, but my soule and his know the contrary: I saw him going, I sought to prevent it, but when I found such private meetings, such plots to cousen himselfe by deceiving me, and my trust in him, I could not sue for impossibilities, nor seeke where I was refused and wrongd. Some said (as I remember one that followed, or haunted him I thinke) that surely twas my lasinesse, and her activenesse that won him; Ah (said I) if he were to be wonne, I could not loose him, now I know I cannot keepe him, nor could I almost keepe my wits for the affliction of it, since I find he was, and is but a man that I so much reverenced, no God but in my Idolatry; a Divell to my rest and quiet content, of which I have not tasted since his leaving me, but so well, or much acquainted with these, as I thinke joy, or they would bee distastefull to me. Be not of that opinion (said Pamphilia), but thinke how to embrace him with the former affection, and love as you were wont; love him and forget what is past, remember it not so much as to question it, wrap up the former crosses and misfortunes all in a sheet of forgivenes, and drowne them in the Sea of your patience, and renued love, smile on him and his repentance as on his love, and first sute, welcome his returne as his first profession, and embrace his second love in the armes of your truest and dearest thoughts, as you did his vowes, and loving protestations; be resolute to forget, and in forgiving, receive him a new man yet the same lover he was when perfectest. If his perfections were not blotted with change (said the Nimph) I could doe them, for in troth Madam, my heart and soule rej oyceth when I thinke, or heare of him; therefore I feare I cannot refuse, which is the cause I pray daily to hold me out of his sight, since I cannot see him, but to my deadly torment in anothers possession, then how may I hope to see him returne, I find no possibilitie to enjoy, or hope for it. Trust me (said the Queene) hee is recanting, and ere long you will see it, but be carefull in accepting, lest the others importunitie, and your slacknesse marre not all againe. Then did the Queene tell her all that had passed betweene her, the Emperour and the Shepheard, which made her a most joyfull woman, and glad besides for his sake, that the Queene took his talke so well, touching her Majesties selfe so nearely. Their discourse ended, and Myrasilva having given her word to be kind againe, or rather to continue so as well in expression to him, as in her heart she still had been, entreated Pamphilia to sup, and accept of such fare, as Forresters had in those Desarts. She gave her many thanks, and went out with her, so they eat, and after the Queen went to bed, desiring to be alone, the freelier to thinke of her other selfe; and though she enjoyed not his sight, to see him lively in her soule, where he was ingraven by faithfull memory. O Amphilanthus (said she) why hast thou left thy poore Pamphilia thus, newly raised from death of despaire, to the life of hope and happinesse, to be cast downe lower, then before in misery? My better and dearer selfe, I know it was not thy meaning to leave mee thus soone, nor in this manner. What Devill is risen now to undoe, and murder my content? Accursed bee this Wood, the Day we went an hunting, the motion to that rude savage exercise, and all appurtenances that brought, or aided to my losse. My sweetest life, how doe I perpetually dye in thy absence? My dearest heart, returne and restore me, else come to see me die; and close my dying eyes with thy all- conquering and beloved hands; or if it would grieve thee, yet be content to spare me wishes in thy absence, and live thou as happy, as thou art most worthy. Let these eyes be blessed (if possibly I may aske and obtaine such a blessing) with seeing thee againe: let me be the fortunate finder of thee, and let me find thy favour still to me, then most luckely and eternally happy search. With these, and many more such passionate words, shee spent most time of the night, till being tired, sleepe would have his share of the royall Queene, and so she slept, but not long before she started, cryed out, O stay, and live with me, follow not her, that loves thee not like me, forsake me not againe; Oh stay; with that she stayd her speech, for then she came out of her dreame, and seeing it was but a dreame, was a little better satisfied, yet so it stuck in her, as the abiding of it so fresh in her thoughts, foretold an extraordinary matter in it. Shee dreamt, that shee had him in her armes, discoursing with him; but hee sad, and not speaking, of a sudden rose, and went to the doore, where shee thought shee saw Lucenia calling to him, to whom hee went, and downe the staires with her, then tooke Coach and fled away with her, which made her crie with that haste and loudnesse, but hee went still with Lucenia, never looking towards her, and so she lost sight of them, Coach and all; an odde Omen, considering all that happned afterwards. Well, shee rose as soone, as day appeared, and taking her leave of that kind Nimph, shee tooke her horse, and went into the Wood, travelling till shee came into the Desartest place, and most obscure of that part, riding up and downe as well as shee could for the thicknesse of it, shee perceiued at last upon a white Bone that lay there (which had beene of some beast that had been killed, or died there, and the rest consumed, or then away) one drop of blood fresh, and then a little from that more, and so following it, came to a place where there was a prettie quantitie, and only the tract of one horse to be seene, she feared, and tracking the blood till shee came to a place made round like a Crowne of mighty stones, in the mid'st one greater then all the rest, and on that the Armour of Amphilanthus, his Sheild, and Sword, but that was stroke with such force & strength into the stone, and as if runne halfe way in it, as none could stirr it, that, and the armour was hacked, and cut in many places, besides all bloudy, and the blood as fresh, as if but newly shed, on the other side his horse lay dead, and hard by an infinite and huge Boare slaine, yet so terrible to behold, as it almost amased the beholders, a little from thence a Gentleman of excellent proportion dead also; but the Queene looked on nothing but her Deares Armour and Sword; after she saw the Knight, and knew him not being unarmd, standing as still as the stone, and as unmoveable, till at last she sunke to the ground in a swound; her women helpt to unlace her, and her Knights fetched water and such things to bring her to life againe, as they could get there. In the meane time came a Knight in gilt armour, and seeing this miserable spectacle, hee kneeled downe by the Queene, and assisted her poore Ladies, whose griefe and amasement was such, as they were scarce able to doe the service required at their hands. At last she breathed, and then sighed, looked up, cryd, O my deare Amphilanthus, I come, I come, then fainted againe, and againe they fetched her. When she saw she had not power to die, as she hoped, and found her selfe in the armes of an armed Knight, she said; Sir, I beseech you what authoritie have you over mee in my misery, that you venture to hold me from my resolution? either I pray leave me presently to my owne will, or more kindly send me to him, after whom I will not live. What account can I give the world of his losse, whom all the world admired and loved? What will Germany, Italy, and all say of me? what curses lay upon me, and my Country, when they shall know that with me, and in this place they have lost him? Accursed Country, but more accursed woman, for whose sake the Earths glory and happinesse came into it, and here, Oh here is? More shee would have said, but her speech and voyce faltred. The Knight had puld off his Helme, and then as passionatly weeping and lamenting as they did, hee spake, being knowne to be Polarchos. Alas Madam (said he) how comes this misfortune, be like your selfe, and tel me, that I may, and your other servants redresse this wrong as neare as wee can, and know what is become of that royall man. O Polarchos (said shee) how can I looke on thee, and say, thy Lord is dead, and so my heart departed. Never let mee heare those words, cryd he: but where is his body, or how know you he is dead? What can be hoped, for else, said she? see you not his sword that made so many bow, and yeeld? his armes that served him in so many conflicts, his horse that never failed, while he had life, how can it be otherwise, but he is dead since, what else could seperate him from these Jewels. Then afresh they lamented and cryd; but Pamphilia at last remembred (calling his sweetnesse, and love as freshly, and affectionately to her sight as if present, but most grievously, because parted) that hee was not armed, when he parted from her, that gave a Spring to hope, and made her stay her teares, till she was resolved, which soone shee was by Polarchos, who told her, that hee having romed up and downe the Forrest, at last returned to the Tents, where hee with the rest of the Officers staied with their provisions, expecting them to come to rest, and feede on those things they had provided, and so returne to the City. But as he came, and lighted, instantly a young fellow like a Forrester, came crying, That your Majesty was taken away by Theeves, and carried into the thickest part of the Wood, whereupon hee armed himself, and speedily tooke the way he directed him; wee with as much speed as we could followed him, but in the Woods we lost sight of him, and all (as if led by severall Spirits) are scattred and lost. Lost indeed, said she, we all are, since he is lost, more worth then the whole Earth, and lost by treason, as now it plainely appeares; then they fell to their lamentations againe, but Polarchos tooke the Armes, and would have put them up. No, said she, these shall here remaine, none being worthy to touch, much lesse to weare them after him. Then they hung them up, putting in pinnes of Gold into the great stones, and on every stone hung a piece, inriching that Crowne with more rich ornaments (having then the Armes of the most magnanimious Prince of the World) then if the costliest Diamonds had been inchased in them; the Sword they also thought to hang up with his Sheild, but Polarchos could no more moove that, then Pamphilia; the Scaberd they hung with the Sheild, and under-writ some lines, Pamphilia both making them, and ingraving them, as shal be told hereafter. Polarchos began to be a little better in hope, when he saw the Sword in that order, trusting it was but some Inchantment, from which he might be deliverd, though held some time from them, which was a new griefe to thinke upon. When they were going away, the Queene to lament and mourne, which she vowed during her life to doe, and Polarchos to live in some remote place, never to see man nor creature more, the excellentest being gone, they saw out of holes in the stones, smoake, and fire suddenly to flie out with it. Pamphilia adventured, and pulling hard at a ring of iron which appeared, opned the great stone, when a doore shewed entrance, but within she might see a place like a Hell of flames, and fire, and as if many walking and throwing pieces of men and women up and downe the flames, partly burnt, and they still stirring the fire, and more brought in, and the longer she looked, the more she discernd, yet all as in the hell of deceit, at last she saw Musalina sitting in a Chaire of Gold, a Crowne on her head, and Lucenia holding a sword, which Musalina tooke in her hand, and before them Amphilanthus was standing, with his heart ript open, and Pamphilia written in it, Musalina ready with the point of the sword to conclude all, by razing that name out, and so his heart as the wound to perish. Faine she would, nay there was no remedy, but she would goe in to helpe him, flames, fier, Hell it selfe not being frightfull enough to keepe her from passing through to him; so with as firme, and as hot flames as those she saw, and more bravely and truly burning, she ran into the fire, but presently she was throwne out againe in a swound, and the doore shut; when she came to her selfe, cursing her destinie, meaning to attempt againe, shee saw the stone whole, and where the way into it was, there were these words written. Faithfull lovers keepe from hence None but false ones here can enter: This conclusion hath from whence Falsehood flowes: and such may venter. Polarchos attempted likewise, but could only (for being unconstant) passe the flames, but not come within reach of the Emperour, but then was cast out also. The Queene then perceived what this was, and so as sadly as before resolved, shee returned to the Court, where more like a religious, then a Court life, she lived some yeares. Polarchos presently provided long gray Roabes, like a Hermit, and on the outside of the Armes-crowned Crowne he made a Cell, where he lived daily beholding the Armes, and lamenting for his Lord, kissing the stone wherein he thought he was inclosed, and thus lived he, guarding the Armes of his Lord, till the adventure was concluded. The other eleven Princes that came with Amphilanthus into Pamphilia, and were as Polarchos hath told you scatterd, and devided in the Desart, it was the fortune of the Prince of Transilvania to come within two daies after to the same Lodge, where the Queene had laine with the dainty sad Nimph; but hearing of Pamphilias being well and safe, onely perplexed for the want of Amphilanthus, staied not, but followed the search of them both, till hee came to the sea-side, where beholding the waves, and comparing mens fortune to the rising, falling, and breaking of them, he saw a little Bote come towards the land, and in it a faire Damsell, weeping and pitifully complaining. The Prince tooke great compassion of her, demanding the cause of her sorrow. Alas Sir (said she) shall I tell you, and you proove like other Knights, I may well then accuse my forwardnesse, and paine; but if you will promise to succour my Lady, who is so faire, worthy and great, as will take away the shew of my imperfections, perfect in nothing but duty to her, I will then tell you what you aske. Speake faire, and sad Lady (said he) and I vow to serve your Lady, and your selfe with my best indeavours, although I must tell you, I am in search of such, as unwillingly I would be diverted, but compassion compells me to serve you. She thanked him, and thus proceeded. Blessed may you, and all your enterprises be, who for a distressed Ladies sake will lay aside your own occasions, and let me know I beseech you, to whom she is thus much ingaged. I am (said he) Prince of Transilvania, servant to the Emperour Amphilanthus, from whom I was parted in yonder Desart, and have since sought him, and was yet in the quest of him, and the Queene of this Country, with eleven Princes more his servants, all severed from one another, and seeking each other; God send they may happily meete said she; and you brave, and courteous Prince be for ever happy for you noblenesse. The businesse which urgeth mee to demand your helpe is this, my Lady and Mistris is the Princesse of Lycia, only daughter to the King of that Country, next neighbor to this place, so as your stay shall not bee very long from your search; with this Lady the Lord of the Mountaines called Taurus (an unworthy man, rude, proud, ill-favourd, savage and rough as well in person, as in maners, but wonderfull powerfull, and mighty of body, meanes and people) fell in love; shee being as delicate, as hee abominable, which made her hate him as much, as he sought her, but her father a good Prince, loving peace, would not provoke warre, but rather yeeld her to him. This brought the sweete Princesse into desperate melancholly, and dispaire, but a Noble man as well in truth of vertue, as descent and honour to defend her from so much harme, tooke her into his protection the same day she should have beene given to the Mountaine Lord, venturing life, honors, and estate to keepe her free. This being discerned by the cruell proud man, and her father, the good old King troubled withall, utterly disclayming any knowledge of it; they raised men to take her backe by force, and catch him, who should certainely suffer for such an attempt: but the place is strong, the cause good, and the defence just, and honest, so as none I hope will doe other then pitty her, and seeke to redresse her wrongs; this hath continued eight moneths, and now the King hath sent directly to her, to yeeld her selfe into his hands to be bestowed to the feirce Montaltanus, or to bee forsaken for ever of him, and disinherited. This message was heavily received by the poore Princesse, yet she resolv ed to dye disinherited, and be the poorest in estate, rather then the unhappiest by marryage; wherefore after an humble answer, and dutifull refusall of yeelding to be wife to Montaltanus; she demanded one request of her father, which was to let it bee lawfull for her to send forth in search of some Knight, who would defend her quarrell against him, whom if he overcame, she should be yeelded unto his Majestie, if her Knight got the victory, then she should be free, and inherit what she was borne unto, and this to be performed in two months, and peace in the interim. These things were agreed on, and granted with much vaine-glory on the assured Champions side; then did the Lady send foure Damsells abroad, of which number I am one, three are returned without finding any, and now are but three dayes left of the perfixed time, the Nobleman hath also his pardon granted on the conditions of conquest by the strange Knight, else at the Kings dispose. Now Sir, if you please to undertake the quarrell, you shall make an noble brave (but unfortunate) Princesse bound unto you, and hers, all your servants. Is the Noble man said the Prince, in whose hands shee is, marryed, or ambitious by his service to obtaine her? He is married truely Sir said she, & hath a vertuous Lady to his wife, as forward, & ever was as himselfe to serve the Princesse, and only pittifull respect brought him to venturne upon this danger; I will be their servant answered the Prince, and venture my life to release and save him: Together they went, shee the happiest woman living, in that she thus should serve her Mistris, and the Campe they gained, the night before the expecting time of Combat, hee pass'd by the Campe, and through some part of it, having license as it was appointed, and agreed on, those that saw him, commended him much, for a brave and personable man, likely, and promising much in him: but when hee came to the Castle, the pleasure the Princesse, and her friends felt, cannot be expressed, especially in the Lady her selfe, who imagin'd at first sight it had beene Amphilanthus, and indeed she might easily bee deceived, for he somewhat (and much for his honour) resembled him, but hee wanted much of well marked, for he was short of him in stature, more in shape, and colour being blacker, and most in sweetenes, and perfect lovelynes, yet this was a very brave Gentleman, his greatest faults being to high an opinion of his owne worth, which was lessned by his over valuing of that, which otherwise had beene more valued; but this businesse hee undertooke, and bravely performed the next day, encountering his enemie in a List, made of purpose betweene the Campe, and Castle, the Lady being placed by her Kingly Father, in a Throne raysed of purpose for them. Then entred the great arrogant Mountaine Lord, to meete no lesse a selfe esteeming Prince, who was mounted on a brave stirring horse, the coulers he wore were straw couler, and haire couler: the Caparisons were cut into the shape of leaves, dead the couler shewed them, and being set on straw couler cloath of Gold, they seemd as if fallen on sand, and mooving with the Ayre which the horses motions made likely, and so pretty: On his sheild he had a dead Tree painted, save in the midst of the naked body, there was as it were one little knot of leaves budding forth, & seeming greenish with a word in his language, which interpreted, was understood that there yet was some hope. These Armes, and furniture were new, which might have distasted the young Lady, but the losse of his Emperiall Master coulered that sufficiently. The feirce Montaltanus was in blood red, like his cruell disposition: Plume he had none, nor devise, saying those were only things propper to Feasts, and younge men, who thought more on fashion then busines; a great, and much stirring Horse he also had, which well he govern'd, for a very good Horse man he was, and full of valliant courage. The place, spectators, Judges, and themselves ready, the Trumpets sounding, they encounter'd, in which encounter they shewed all that could be required of strength, skill, and rage, yet the last so much govern'd, as made the best judging eies say, that shewed it selfe more then dainty, and exquisite cunning would have permitted, running something to the conceipt of boisterousnes, but they meant to fight, not to play: Then drew they their swords, after the breaking their staves, without any advantage on either side, and fiercely fought while one houre lasted, & past before any advantage was seene, till the Transil vanian casting his eies on his hope, and Lady, gained so much force, as hee strooke the proud Mountaner such a blow on his Helme, as hee made him stoope to the Earth, and then strake off his head, taking off the Helme, he by the hayre which was long, carryed it to the Princesse, presenting it unto her, which she received with thanks, and so much gratefulnes, as in requitall, and with consent of her Father, and friends she gave her selfe to the Conqueror, as the best part of his Conquest, and what hee as affectionatly, as fortunately embraced; yet love to his Master made him stay but a smalltime there, though he might thus have beene excused, but he was forced to bee accompanied in some part of his journey, for he going into the Kingdome of Pamphilia , his new wife and deerest love, would not be denyed to goe thither with him, most for company, but much to see the admired Queene, so as soone as the King had made the People sweare faith unto them, as his successors they departed for Pamphilia, Ten yet are left in search of the Emperour, but it was the Bavarian Duk's fortune to meete the next Adventure, which was this; having travelled long in the Desart, weary with paine, and fruitlesse search, hee came unto the skirts thereof, which were high Hills towards Lycia, at the bottoms hee beheld faire, and pleasant Meadowes, and delicate streams running through them, he descended, and comming into them, hee found many folks there mowing the grasse, and some making it up for their winter provision, shewing thriftyer People they were then those that prodigally spent the present time without care of the future. He spake unto them kindly, and they respecti vely gave him answere. He demanded if they knew of any strange Knights passing that way; they answered that two in faire Armours, the one blew, flowred with Gold, the other russet and silver, (by which hee knew them to be of his companions, the one the Duke of Wirtenberg, the other of Brunswicke) passed by in great hast, inquiring after an old man and a young Damsell, who it seem'd had done some ill Act, or pretended some against them. The Duke courteously thanked them, and so hasted after them, being directed the way they tooke, he passed till hee came to the head of a River, whose sweetnes at the begining could not content it selfe, but it must wilfully runne in Pride, so farre till it looseth it selfe in the Lycian Sea; like such ambitious men as never thinke they have the full of preferment, by honors, riches, or any other benefit, till they swallow themselves up in the Gulfe of merrited Death. From this not farre off hee espied a Towne, and a brave Country about, sweete, rich, and every way delicate, called Myra; he rode still towards it, comming among dainty Meadowes, and fruitfull plaines, admyring this place, he had a greater cause given him of admiration, for he saw a Pyramede justly before him curiously made, and as richly adorned with rare Trophies belonging to Love, which shewed that it was dedicated to that God, but one thing seemed strangest to him, which was a Garland hanging on the one side of it, of flowers dead, & withered, some fallen off, others decayed, following them that were gone before, and under it these lines graven in a peece of Brasse. Egypts Pyramid's inclose their Kings, But this farr braver, nobler things; Vertue, Beauty, Love, Faith, all heere lye Kept in Myras Tombe, shut from eye: The Phoenix dyes to raise another faire, Borne of her ashes, to be heire; So this sweete Place may claime that right in woe, Since heere she lyes, Heaven willing so. The brave Knight beheld it very wishly, conjecturing by it, that it was the Tombe of some famous woman, and that Monument made for her by her servant, which made him lament (though a stranger) for them both; for her, as a losse to those parts, never to be repayred; for him, as never to be relie ved having such a losse. Then he called to mind his owne fortune which made him light, and laying, or rather throwing himselfe upon the grasse, at the foote of the Pyramede, letting his horse goe at his owne pleasure, while his Master felt none of that part, groaning out these words, and weeping he delivered them. How fit is this Adventure befallen me to be brought to this place where I may freely, and sadly without interruption breath out my myseries? Unfortunate Peryneus, what is Bavaria, or all the world to thee, hav ing lost thy onely delight, and for that which thou didst love them? O thou Mirror of thy time and sexe: Dearest Elyna, was thy Spring and young Summer too sweet, and pleasing for us; nay, such as we did not, or could not bee worthy of it? was thy tendernesse too delicate, or thy delicacie too tender to suffer it selfe with us: thy exquisite sweetnesse, such as wee like Bees would greedily have sucked, thy daintines to inrich our pleasures; and therefore fearing wee should surfet, would take away all, lest part might hurt. Dearest Elyna, yet though thy goodnesse was beyond our merit, why wouldest thou for ever leave thy faithfull Peryneus, why dyes in thy losse, and lives but in thy memory: Then turn'd hee himselfe on his backe, crying out, O Heavens, why did you behold her end without fatall-killing thunder, and all stormes that could be thought on, or executed by you? nev er let such cruelty againe bee indured, plagues being their companions, noysome smells and dangerous infections; but the greatest plague could come depriving the Earth of her, hath yet brought but this, that with her last breath shee sweetned for ever the ayre, and left the most delicate odour of her most sweet breath to blesse the Countrey, as if of purpose, that all may say, this was Elyna's breath, and wee must breathe to her memory. My onely companion Memory, assist mee now, and let mee to thee, and with thy helpe, relate againe our loves. Thou knowest when, young, wanton and idle, I liv'd at the Emperours Court, courting, and oft times received of the not refusing Ladies: Elyna appeard like the happy signe of no more destruction in that kinde, for I had before felt paine and pangs of love, but shee tooke away all, giving mee life and comfort; for shee requited me, nay deserv'd more then I could give her, so as I remaind wanting, but not in want of love faulty. Thou canst with mee remember how I lov'd a Maide belonging to the Empresse, faire and fond shee was, and so her fortune continued with the latter; but her I left. Thou canst call to minde that a Widdow lov'd mee, and I received her affection; for who would denye beauty and kindnesse? But shee was not for mee, though for the satisfaction of her fondnesse I fondly ventur'd danger. Thou wilt (it may be) say I was led astray with the liking of a Dutchesse, wife to a great Duke, I cannot denye that: but both of us must joyne, and truely say, Elyna came like a faire chaste cloud, and wrapt up my heate in her snowy armes, keeping it onely to warme her requiting breast, but hid the bright hot beame from harming her, or making others either warme with delight, or hot with fury for it. Sweetest Elyna, my soules joy is thinking of thee, wert thou not yet unkinde a little in leaving mee, yet diddest thou leave mee the worthiest way, and noblest; nothing but death tooke thee from mee, no other threed broke; nor any but that cruell fatall Sister, could have dissevered our twined loves; nor hath death done that, for dying thou diddest bequeathe thy love to mee, and met and equall'd by mine owne, it remaines joyntly mix'd; not two, but one, and such an one since compounded with them, as now I may boldly say, I hold inclos'd in mee the richest treasure of love and faith that ever mans brest had, being the glory of both Sexes, hers for worth, mine for humility and loyalty. I remember kinde Memory, when shee told me shee fear'd our loves were discover'd to the suspitious Empresse, how sweetly and carefully shee spake unto mee, wishing my care of my selfe, but expressing her love in the height of kindnesse to mee, fearing shee could not enough let mee know both, or feare both without a lesse love then passion would permit; yet thus shee was cleer'd from suspition that passion never had more force, nor yet more regular power then in her, Shee as passionately loving as any, yet with that discretion temper'd it, as none so discreetly shewed passion. She forbad mee not speaking to her, comming to her chamber, looking on her, writing to her, (as idle humorous Lovers doe) startling at every motion, Love being in them but like Hunny kept in the Hives, many stings of trouble to hold one from injoying: but in her love and care were reall, and so used; no lesse was her fashion noble, kinde, and free, then when no suspition was, not although the Empresse tooke her about the necke, led her to a window which looked on a Tarras, bad her looke forth, and tell her who that was who walked with his back towards them; shee answering, it was Peryneus. Is hee not (said shee) the hansomest man you ever saw? Truely (said shee) Madam, his minde joyn'd to his person, makes him appeare excellent, and such I dare presume your Majesty thinkes him to bee; shee answer'd nothing, but frownd. Elyna retyr'd, yet never stir'd from her former brave carriage to mee, love in her (indeed) being most excellent. O Elyna, Elyna, what shall I say more, or can say lesse, and speake truth, but that thou wert living, and dead art the worthiest example of thy Sexe. That is enough, & too much said one, who lay on the other side of the Pyramide; for Myra was and is beyond her, take life or death which you will: I will venture both and take the worser, answer'd hee, rather then heare Elyna wrong'd. They both were angry, both vex'd: but hasty in choller, tooke not the hurtfullest, though the readiest way to hurt; for they flew one upon the other with great fiercenesse, but small harme could insue, for no weapons they used but their hands, the one having none, the other at first for haste using none, and after finding the others want in honor to his Mistresse, would not contend with an unarmed man, not (as hee deemed him) worthy to bee medled withall in so noble a quarrell, unlesse hee came like a man to maintaine such a businesse of so great weight; wherefore stepping from him, hee thus resolutely spake to him. Unfortunate man (said hee) see thy error in double kinde made plaine unto thee; tell not mee of plaine shewing errors, but rather plainly confesse your presumptuous fault, or let us trye it out with the sword: Thou art (said Peryneus) unarm'd, and yet arm'd with the greatest insolencie in the world, to use these speeches, and venture to cal me to account for a truth, while thou must maintain a falshood in defending thy first foolishly bold words. A sword I have said hee, and for other Armes, I have forsworne wearing any; therefore if thou wilt keepe on thine doe, and I make no doubt but to overthrow thee and thy armed pride together. With that he took down a sword which hung on the same side of the Pyramide, over the place where hee lay: the brave Duke would not take any advantage of him; besides, assured that his cause was just, unarm'd himselfe, and so they were going about to conclude the difference with the end of their lives, to sacrifice their bloods to their dearest and onely Loves memories. But happier for them and the honour of Lovers it fell out; for three delicate Nymphes came by comming from hunting with their bowes in their hands, and Quivers at their backes, their apparell greene, white buskins and delicate Garlands on their heads; to these two angry Lovers they came, and with sweet perswations (mix'd with threatnings to shoot him that first strake a blow) pacified them, desiring to know the ground of the quarrell, and withall the discourse of their fortunes. They consented to the one, but would not promise the other, which was to bee friendes till the Stories were ended, lest new dislike in the relations might arise, if none, they would then obey them; if any, the first was the fittest to bee answer'd. The Nymphes then to bee no cause of dislike commanded them to draw lottes who should beginne, lest the preheminence might bee a new stirring. They lik'd that well, for therein they thought their Mistresses had honour; the chance fell on the defender of the Pyramide, for so hee call'd himselfe, who began thus. Sweet Nymphes, and you Sir, will you bee plas'd to know I am called Alarinus of this Countrey, this accursed Countrey, poore beggar'd Countrey, having lost all that rich was, worthy or good in it: I was the chiefe of command heerein, but Myra, who commanded all, and all of mee; but she gone, I am no more but lesse then any thing, and now the most miserably ov erthrowne and ruin'd: Shee (I say) was sole Lady of this place, which is honour'd with her name, and the holding those sacred reliques her bones and ashes in her bosome where shee is interr'd. A Lady shee was of infinite parts, wanting in nothing but good fortune, which shewed much neglectivenesse to her, envying surely her worth, and jealous shee should have had her place and ruled the wheele whereon shee turn'd her to the lowest part, and thus it was. O thus: can I say thus, and not just then depart? I can and must; yet O unjustly shee was thus punished surely for my too great offence. Deare, nay, divinest Myra, thus thy end and my succeeding end did happen, then wrung hee his hands, wept and tumbled on the earth, as weary of all life, shee being gone, then sitting a little up, his hands upon his knees, and his head hanging downe dejected, eyes on the ground, and his teares falling from them, as from two stilles, shee was, groned, hee, most faire, lovely, and winning, yet wonne to her selfe a stayed constancie, which made all but my selfe lose, or rather want what they sought. Shee lov'd (in that all-happy man) my selfe; to say I lov'd her, it is too little, all lov'd her, but I serv'd her: many then envyed mee. I joyed in her favour (which was my blessing,) and regarded nothing else, poore men; said I, that trouble themselves, labouring for the harmefull knowledge of the disdaine allotted them, or to heare of me the man that inrich'd with this havenly treasure, scornes all other wealth: But the King of Lycia had a Nephew, who would have her whether she would or no; dislike him she did, refuse him with civility and faire language she often did, at last, flatly deny him she did; upon this hee laid baites for her, betray her he sought to do, bribe her servants hee did, corrupt her counsell hee did, gaine her women by guifts and promises to work his ends he sought, and did; in conclusion, nothing that was ill, false, and harmefull to her, he left undone; but all treachery and wickednesse hee plotted and did against her, the innocent Dove of vertue: what shee propounded to her counsell, hee knew by them, what shee trusted to her servants, they deliver'd to him, what shee confidently put into her womens hands, they instantly gave him intelligence of, so as shee was betraid like Pidgeons, by a flattering Glasse inticing them to beleeve all was for their good, and so shee was betrayd. The King of Lycia then came to visite her, taking the occasion as hee pretended of being so neere her countrey, which a Progresse had brought him to; hee was entertained answerable to his minde, and for her estate to give; hee brought also with him a delicate fine young Lady his onely daughter, whom hee put upon Myra, to perswade for her Cousen; but she was young and her judgement though good, and great for her yeares, which were but small and came short of hers, to whom shee was to speake, and whom shee should worke by her wit and sweetnesse: but Myras wit was without compare, her judgement sollid, and infinite her knowledge, her experience having setled the Monarchy of her excellent parts, so as the Princesse did well, but Myra much better. Shee perswaded prettily, but Myra judicially refused. The King then return'd troubled, but not expressing it, his disposition being naturally gentle, and milde, soft and not so much as the hardnesse of contradiction in him; grieve hee would sooner then quarrell, and so went home, his Nephew with him puft up with malice, scorne, and treachery, that sweld as poyson in his brest: but soone did he come againe with all his ill about him (wherewith hee was fill'd like a nut with the kernell, no place void so much in him, as where ayre of vertue might pierce, or be:) Shee seeing him returne vowed to forbid him boldly; but this, as she thought to have done, was before the act came abroad, privately deliver'd him by his instruments, but her servants, which infinitely harmed her; for he to prevent his banishment, and equall her disgracing him, raysed a most detestable slander on her, and how? or by whom? but alas, by me saying she had: Rather (I beseech you) imagine, if you can let any ill imagination enter into your thoughts of so excellent a creature, then put mee to rehearse it, or boldly thinke any ill with this consideration, that it was the roote of it selfe, that the Devill invented it, and then pitty her and mee, who unjustly suffered, or indeed onely her, since shee alone deserves pitty, being injur'd, and for one so unworthy, yet to her just: This was none of my least aflictions, since it was the course whereby her fate was govern'd, leading her to her end, and making me part of the mischiefe. The State on this imprison'd me, shut her up in her lodgings, suffering no accesse to her but such as they permitted; hee might and would against her will have liberty, this so gall'd her sweet nature, a staine in reputation, being so terrible to her, as shame to another was not neere it, besides knowing my imprisonment: And lastly, seeing how shee was and had beene betrayed, none being neere her that shee had not found farre from faith to her, overpressed with griefe, and grieved with oppression, shee writ unto the State, finding meanes to have it deliver'd safely, looking often to that end out of her window, and at last seeing a Gentleman, whose faith shee thought untouch'd, threw the letter to him, not commanding but beseeching him to deliver it the next Sunday, when the Counsell sate, and not to give it to any one, but to them all, nor to nominate the person so unfortunate that sent it, lest the knowledge of the sender might hinder the reading of it. The Gentleman promised to doe it, and with honest care and carefull honesty performed it, as shee could have wished. Much dispute there was about it, the Counsell were divided and severall opinions held; the insolent wooer (who would, hee said, for all the knowledge of her ill, take her to wife if shee would bee good and true to him afterwards) was much against the granting her request: but most voyces carried it, and her desire was consented to in part, which was, that being accused, and as she protested, falsly and shamefully wrong'd by slander, none being able to accuse her but by wicked surmises, shee might have the law that no ordinary subject was deny'd, which was that shee might bee clear'd by Combat, that he whosoever it were who would maintaine that shee was guilty, might bee encountred by one whom shee should nominate, which was my selfe: but that was refused, for they said, so it might bee but a too honourable concluding of my dayes who had so injur'd the State in her dishonour, as no punishment could bee sufficient for mee; but if shee could finde one who would defend her, shee should have leave to send in search of one, whom, if by the Champion overcome, shee should be left to his disposing, and I should bee delivered to him, to have what severe punishment hee should inflict on mee: these were hard conditions; yet shee yeelded unto them, rather then still remaine in the ill opinion of the world, and both of us as prisoners. Three Gentle-women were then sent forth to seeke a Knight that would venter in her defence, none in the Countrey would, either so frighted they were with the strength of the Prince, or doubtfull of the cause, he having made it so foule on her side, so as abandoned of her servants, strangers must relieve her, and from such must her good as her hope proceed. The time grew on, halfe being expired, when one of the women fortunately met the valiant (but proud) King of Celicia, a young man, haughty and ambitious of honour. And who lately dyed for his ambitions (said Perineus if I bee not deceiv'd) seeking the Starre of women, the Queene of Pamphilia for wife. It may bee so (said Alarinus;) but this was some yeares before that misfortune could befall him being in the spring of his adventures, the blossomes but appearing, scarce blowne, of his valour; or the discovering of it, this being the first great tryall of his strength: But is he then dead (said he?) Yes truly said Peryneus, I saw him slaine by my Master the Emperour Amphilanthus being in Pamphilia, and in the sight of the Queene whom hee much loved, or seemd to doe so, but I pray goe on. This King comming, and hearing the truth still spread by every good tongue undertooke the businesse, partly for Justice, partly for gaine of honour. Being arrived at the Court, the insolent wretch, the robber of my Ladies honour, and my blisse; made little account openly of him, though I understood afterwards he wished any other of those parts had undertaken the quarrell, and indeede hee had reason, for hee was a brave Gentleman for strength, valour, and all things required in a Prince, no fault in him but that he had too much, for his pride might have beene spared. The day was appointed, and the two Combatants came foorth, my Lady and Mistris was in a strong Towre placed onely to see, my selfe right over against her, able to see, but not discerne her perfectly, though such were our loves, as our eyes pierced further then any others could have done, so as wee sawe each other, and clearely discern'd our miseries with open eyes to misfortune; the Combat beganne betweene them, while imprisonments, our eyes beheld each other as greedily, and earnestly the continuall Combate indured in our hearts against our unjust as those did, who contended for victory: we striving but to give expression her due. I saw me thought in her imprisonment, Unjustice, Wrong, Inj urie, Slaunder; nay, all wickednesse, and so I call'd them all by their names, and reviled them, but what answere had I? Wickednesse is strong, and hath a more powerfull command in this age, then honesty, or worth. O me cryd I, must I live, and onely hope that this man shall give us life, or shamefull death? her honour already is dead, killed by that, yet living, Villaine, whose death can never re-give life or recovery to that murdered honour. O deare Honour, how nice art thou, and precious, yet how soone harmd? Like the daintiest skinns soonest Sunne-burnd: Shall these Lockes, cryde I, combat for such a Jewell? Can shee not, or may shee not live without these rude helps? Must her sacred vertue bee tryed like other questionable, or, shee be named as if in a Romancy, that relates of Knights, and distressed Damosells, the sad Adventures? O Myra, thou art, and wert ev er without compare, wherefore should thy honour bee calld on, but for Honours sake, thy deare breast being the richest tabernacle for it? but what availed this? Alas nothing, I might sigh, and grieve, they fight, and bleed, but what of all? all came at last to one ende, the Villaine was kill'd by the brave King, but my Lady dyed also, for such a device they had, as the battell being hard and questionable who should have the victory: the King fell, but soone recovered, at which instant it seem'd that I threwe my selfe out of the windowe, which was high, and the Ditch infinite deepe into which I was to fall, so as no hope could be of escaping for any that fell there. Myra might, and did see it, but as most it concernd her, so did it worke in her, for shee instantly withdrew her selfe from the windowe, threw her selfe upon her bedd, cryed out onely against misfortune, and so brake her heart, and dyed, her last words being, yet though honour, and life bee lost, I dye just, and truely thine, my onely deare Ala-: and this Ala: was all, for all my name shee spake, death either then wholly possessing her, or shee desirous still to hold mee neere her, kept that last part in her, for her to ende with, and mee to live by; yet truely had I like to have gone with her, with her (though asunder) I may say, for our soules united had gone together: but alas, I was not so happy, though had I had a spirit like hers, or weapons suffered mee, I had soone overtaken her, or came to her as her soule parted, but I was hindred, and she had all my powerfull spirit, the shew of my falling, and the truth of her death, was thus. The Villaine had dressed mee, and a stuff'd-man-like thing in sutes alike, his intent being this, (and such was the performance in some kinde though too hasty they were) that if the King overcame, I should bee throwne downe, if the other, the counterfeit piece should bee cast foorth, that all hope being taken from her shee might the sooner yeeld to him: but the Executioners seeing the King downe, threw out the framd Alarinus, which brought as much mischiefe as all ill could doe, for shee seeing it, imagining it to be mee, dyed, and left all misery to dwell with us, especially in me. I fell from the window in a swound, thinking the day lost, they heeded not any thing more, but confident of the Champions victory, tended mee, striving to save me to this misery. The doores within a little while after were opened, and I fetch'd foorth to death, I thought, but so it happened not, nor neere so much good befell mee, for I no sooner saw liberty with the King who came for mee, but I mette the cruellest of deaths encountring her death. O Myra, my best, and last Love, thy memory lives in mee, and I live but to remember thee; now let mee know, if so much love, so much misfortune, chastity, and deare true Love rested in your Mistresse, else I must not yeeld? Hee then twin'd his handes one in another, wrung them, and sighing wept, then lay downe on his side, leaning his elbow on the ground, and his face on his hand, when the Bavarian followed thus. Love (I confesse) you have had plentifully shewed unto you; yet as griefe is felt but by one's selfe, none being able to compare with the knowledge, unlesse hee felt the equall weight: no more can I yet see, but that my losse is the greater. My selfe am called Peryneus Duke of Bavaria, but vassell to misfortune, my Lady was called Elina daughter to the Duke of Saxony that now is, brother in law to the Emperour that then was, she was brought up with the Empresse, and there I fell in love with her, she asmuch did affect me, although at that time there were three of us fiercely wooing her, the other two were the Dukes of Brunswicke, and Wertenberge, the one infinite rich, but as poore in naturall perfections, for hee in weake in judgement and discourse, else faire and white. The other as lovely as a man can bee, or indeed, a woman for delicate clearenesse, and sweetnesse, but wanting in estate as the other in wisedome. My selfe the third, and such as you see gained the love from the other two, and the hate of the one while shee was living, now hee useth mee well, but so shee had beene still, would I had still beene hated. My ill fortune it was also that the Empresse liked mee, shee was not so true a wife as Ulisses had, but yet shee was, and had a brave Woman, and belov'd of many, shee nobly requiting most, for gratitude is a great matter in Lovers. This sweet Bird of beauty, and vertue, Elyna, saw the Empresse Love, as clearely as her owne could make it transparent, through which shee saw likewise sorrow, and was sad, as dispayring; I having that countenance as carefully beholding her, as her love cared for mee; I fear'd shee lov'd, I sawe shee lov'd, and grieved because shee loved; For O me, I durst not thinke it was my selfe: the King of the Romans then, now my Lord the Emperour, (after his receiving that Title, for overthrowing the usurping Duke of Sax; in whose place and to whose honour, and estate, my Ladies Father, by the Emperours and Princes favours succeeded) came to Prage where the Court was; to entertaine him all triumps were provided, none thought enough to welcome him who had saved the Empire from ruine. Sports of Field were most in use, the King most affecting them, at those excercises I was one, and then called the servant to the Dutchesse, she pleased to honour me with a favour, but the greatest honour was, that she sent it by Elina, who comming into the Chamber of Presence, having layd it on her Fardingale, I approached like the rest, but above all others in affection, to her, shee that day honoured me more then usually, wee was wont, turning from the rest and looking on mee, bashfully for feare of them, sadly because imployed against her selfe as for another, sweetly, but slowly bringing foorth these words. I am said shee (O dearest shee) entreated by many to give favours this day, but my Lord I am determined to deny all, because not able to content all, yet to you who have not asked, I must present this Scarfe, giving me a marvellous rich one of Crimson Tafaty, embrodered with gold, silver, and dainty coloured Silkes, even to the height of richnesse, and delicacy, but the delicatest delicacie was, that shee presented it mee. I kissed my hand to take it, and kissed that part where shee had touched it, blush I did, and tremble with joy, and wonder, till shee looking on me; my Lord (said shee) are you amazed, me thinkes you should know the Sender, this shee spake so low, as none but I heard it, and I was sorry I then had hearing, rather would I have beene deceived, and thought graced by her, then assuredly honour'd by the Dutchesse, I bowed lowe unto her, saying, I had been richer in content if she had given me a Shooe-string of hers. She starled, smil'd, and with her eyes kindly shewed, shee liked my words, but gave no answer; so I departed, and with the rest of the Court performed what was expected of us: oft times, I confesse, I looked up to the window where shee stood, and thence tooke spirit, and hope grew then, and still increased when I sawe shee entertained, and not rejected my humble affection. Thus were wee fortunate, but how much longer can that word last then it is spoken? Alas, no longer, for no sooner were wee truely assured of what our soules called blisse, enjoying hearts wishes in loves happy remembrance, that yet said, this is, and was, when (miserable Fate) her Aunt discerned it, wearing quickely then glasse eyes to make every mote seeme thousands, and so in a solid body appeare beames to her mistrust, stumbling on all occasions that might bee harmefull to us. Elyna then grew sickly, what with griefe, and this jealosie, faint and weake, unable to suffer both the weights of love and suspition; the former the Empresse tooke to be the cause, and so told her walking in a Garden, and through a hedge spying me, told her, who was saying, she must take phisick, There is the Phisitian (said shee) that best can cure you. The sweetest soule blushed, guiltinesse and feare (seeing her stearne lookes) mooving her bloud. Her Majestie seeing that, still built upon the first ground, and so suddenly in a fret flung out of the Garden. I attented Elyna into her Lodgings, where she related this. I was sorry, and glad at one instant, for still this increased assurance of my happines, but being for her trouble, I was grieved. The Empresse then disgraced her; and used her with that scorne, as her hart, greatnes, and freenesse could not suffer: But what could shee doe? remedie she had none, her Father demanded the cause, troubled that shee had lost her Mistrisses favour, shee could not give him account without infinite wrong to both; the Empresse being besought by her friends, who all tooke notice of her fall, could gaine but what the rest had that shee was offended, and justly, but the cause none should know. At last to some Ladies, who were mortall enemies to Elyna, and her house, shee said, that the cause was such, as out of love to the honour of her Familie and Blood, shee was sorrie, and unwilling to tell it, although her owne bacenesse merited no other, then publishing for it; for would you thinke it (said shee) all her pride, hautinesse, scorne of Lovers, disdaine of Dukes and Princes, despising any estate of a lesse man then a King, thinking her selfe worthie of the Emperours successor; all these (I say) are fallen, and how fallen? not slipt, or leant aside, or crackt, that hope might bee of mending, but quite sunke under the bace burden of love, or lust rather; and of whom? no better, nor other, then Tolmulundus my Gentleman Usher. They (though hating Elyna) not loving the Empresse, believed her not nor could have so meane a conceit of her, whose worth had increased their dislike, joyned with the succession of their Spleenitike passions, answered (as after wee came to knowledge) prettily well for her: but this madded the Empresse, when shee saw that friends and enemies, and all were for Elyna, who when shee heard by these Ladies, who instantlie acquainted her with all, either for hate to her, or her Mistrisse, she was afflicted with this more, then with any thing, crying out, O divelish fortune, cannot my miserie bee sufficient to glut her withall, but my honour must bee her prey? Well, yet your Majestie is happie that I know the true reason, and that so much I love the Bavarian Duke, whose safetie I preferre above all other fortunes, as I will perish thus in silence rather then to speake to your ruine, which is in my hands to draw on you, since so I might harme him. Was not this an expression of true love? What greater, since what greater wrong can bee, then for a great Lady to be Slandred, and by so bace a vilany, and so much untruth? honor is to noble heartes esteemd beyond life, so it was by her, who dearest of all to me held that so pretious, as the touch of it strake so deepe into her, as the biting of a Viper, taking away all hope of recoverie by present fainting, or safety to returne to her: for womens honours especially theirs most admired (the admiration working against it selfe) are so nice to be touched, as they are like little Sluses, that but opened, let in Rivers, and Oceans of discourses, and so blots never to be salved any more then a Floud can be withstood, or turned backe. This she apprehended, and this molested her; yet (said she to me) my Lord, all these in this kind are comforts and joyes to me, since for you I suffer, rather chusing, as she protested, injurie for me, then same without me; and that which onely vexed her was, that she did not rightly accuse her, and say, it was I shee loved; that (said shee) had been honour, this shame. At last shee obtained leave to leave the Court, and so retired; but then though free, and bravely living, yet this was a corsive to her: many came to her at first, but the report blowne abroad of her love to mee, made all give over suing; yet a young Count of Germany (and a true Germaine he was in face and fashion) would needs make himselfe believe he loved her, and her, that hee desired her, but hee spake not, and shee would not understand his signes. He would gaze on her, have fits of sighings, and almost swoundings before her, shee would like a charitable creature gave him Cordials, but the true Cordiall Love she only gave to me. Poore man, would shee say, what doth make him cosen and hurt himselfe, to trouble mee? At last shee told a tale before him of himselfe, his wooing so dully, her scorne, and affection to another, all in the third parsons, but so plainely and finely, as he left her to her pleasures. The Empresse, whose malice grew as her heart, filled with rancor for being left by me, for her, who was more loathsome then plagues to her, then to thinke upon, since the robber of her choice, hearing how finely she lived, envied that, because she was contented, plotted al she could; & at last she told the Duke her father of the love betweene us: he inraged, knowing we could not marry, I being contracted in my youth to another, flew into such furie, as he made the whole Court ring of the noise of his dislike, and the injury he thought he received, and his whole Family, by her dishonoring her selfe and him; this which he called dishonour being his owne indeed, because hee blazed that, which was not but by his owne bawling thought on, never committed. A foule bustle he kept, and shrewdly threatned me behind my back: but I went to him, and satisfied him so far, as we parted friends, and he grew to his old good opinion of her; yet he advised, playing then the Counseller, as before the Champion, that I should refraine my often comming to her; which to please him I did, because I saw my Elyna desired, her father should be pleased, but alas not in that kind, for my absence grieved her, and molested mee; shee pined with love and griefe, grew pale and weake, I lamented for it; but so farre it grew, as she fell sicke: I cherished her, shee tooke it so; I watched with her, shee was glad of it, as loving to enjoy mee; I never left her, till life left her, which by a cruell Feaver deprived her dainty body of her daintier breath, which was the richest treasure, and which for my joy then; but eternall sorrow now shee breathed into mee, I kissing her as she departed, giving me that, and her love for the most incomparable Legacy that any man can or could receive; thus, thus shee died, and thus yet doth shee live in me, I breathe her breath, I love her love, I live but for her sake, and I hope shall ere long die to serve her, and goe to her. Then hee threw himselfe flat on the ground, the other looking on him, rose, and lay downe by him, tooke him in him armes, and said, Never let strife be betweene us, whose fortunes so neare concurre, none can be nearer, nor none so like, unlesse it could bee that Elyna and Myra were but one woman, and you and I one man: we are both equally unfortunate in losse, they equal in perfections, yours onely somthing more happy in a quieter death, and dying in your armes, mine in a speedier end; thus the difference none, let no difference be betwixt us. I am as ready to embrace this, as you have been to urge it (said Peryneus), none liker Patience of misfortune, none fitter to agree together; wayle you your worthy chaste Myra, I will lament my chaste and worthy Elyna; sigh you, Ile do so, complaine, Ile answere you, and both conclude as the Period, Never lived worthier creatures, never unhappier soules out-lived worth. Thus they embraced, thus twined, past some time, and after lived together, attending the Piramede, where twise every yeare funerall solemnities were done by them: after the first yeare the Bavarian returned home, and there lived in sorrow, never marrying, but still loving his loved Loves memory. The Nimphs returned, glad of the peace and agreement, while the two Knights (the people spake of in faire armours) went on in the search, being (as Peryneus guessed) the Dukes of Wertemberg, & Brunswicke, who had this accident to bring them into that Country and enquirie. They, as the other Princes, did seeke the Emperour, and the Queene, and fortunately for the one, the Duke of Brunswick, such a youth as Peryneus described him, in a Castle in the Desart, being there received civilly by the Lord and Lady of that place, the Lord a very old man, the Lady of middle age; he having married her when hee was aged, and shee young, had one daughter then about fourteene yeares, able to heare of Cupid, though not (it may be) experienced by wound of his force. This young innocent Maide never having understood any thing in that kind of making love offerd her, nor knowing how to deny, when so kind an offer was made, as profession of being a servant, and but desiring her favour, not understanding what such a favour as a Lover asketh, meant, when the Duke courted her, kissed her hands, vowed his service, flattred her innocent eares with faire beguiling words, when his face could not but invite liking, his smiles won yeelding, his body though low and thicke, his speech was sweete, and being little, like it selfe, little troublesome but more pleasing, then the more kinder Youthes she had ever heard: want of wit was covered with being a Duke, greatnesse being much with many women; his face it is certaine was blush-burnt, but his words delightfull, his countenance mild, his fashion, protestations, amorous entertainement, gentle, daintie, winning; so as one may say in him, the want in his braines were repayed, by the goodnesse and gentlenesse of his fashion, and spirit. Pretty honest hee was, something valiant, above most merry, and the pleasingest company that might bee, true in a kind to his friend (a reasonable vertue), loyall to his Prince, courtious to his Blood, and beloved for these little parts of all that knew him, so as his outward beautie and these qualities, being enriched with a smooth flattering way of loving women, made him gaine well. These I cannot say out of judgement in her, wunne her, but by fate it fell on her at first, and after she used his vertues but for a mask for her liking him, or an excuse for her choice, when it should have been a commendations to her understanding, to find so much in the inward part, as to oversee the ordinary way for womens love, which is outward beauty, and that in some measure he had, that being joyned with delicate apparrell, being the most usuall attractive powers to their affections, as if rather they would love Pictures, then the wisest or worthiest man in old cloathes, or ill made; Ruffes and Bands being more to a faire Lady, then valour or learning, the one accounted poore and heavy, the other boisterous and troublesome, neate suites better then hacked (though by that) rich armours. O the ignorance of women, or rather the misfortune of such misunderstanding women; for of that delicate sexe there are excellent creatures, and among those, many Pictures, good Pieces, and in truth this was a pretty one, who willingly, and (alas) gladly received the Dukes sute, smiled on his blushing lookes, yet as faire as he could make them: for borne bashfull, hee could not find love powerfull enough to warrant his face with boldnesse, though to crowne it with obedience. Hee finding her comming, how did he leape like a wanton into the River of joy, swimming, and so embracing comfort in his armes, yet wanting the chiefe part, let slip the flattering hope; againe yet taking the streames in his armes, and striking forward to his ends. Alas what needed this? shee was won, he onely wanted opportunitie, will and consent failed not, which hee finding also, found this meanes to compasse it. The Duke of Wertenberg was lodged so, as his chamber looked into the Garden, which was betwixt his Chamber and hers, the windowes opposite, and so crosse, as they were so farre asunder, as they could not doe any more, then see one another, neither perfectly discerne lookes or smiles, nor let speech make their eares beneficiall to them; but lovers will make benefit of small things, so did they of this: for heere (hee gaining the helpe of his friend to the good hee sought) hee brought this profit to his love. The Duke of Wertenberg was a brave Gentleman, but sometimes sickly, so as hee used to lie warmer in his bed, and weare such things as appeared a little woman-like, and withall, something curious he was in his Chamber, which not exceeding the limits that became himselfe, he was never blamed for it, but now it brought him praise, because it served his friend, who thus procur'd his ends. The weather hot, evenings faire, & nights light by the Moones aide, hee perswaded his companion to put on his Wastcoate, and night-wearing, and walk into the garden, having a faire Mantle on his body, he not so much higher then the Page which waited on the Duke, who was a young man, or great boy, took his garment, which was a Horsemans coate of cloth, garded with Velvet, that those who might by chance else see them, might thinke they meant not to bee seene, but walked there to passe the evening. Admirably he played on the Lute, and carried one of purpose with him, his Cap hee wore low over his face, and came softly and passionately as lovers doe, and might appeare, because otherwise they must have beene discover'd: the Duke of Wertenberge acted his part extreamely well, for going, playing, and singing: and well he might, for often he had loved; being crosse the Garden, and almost under her window, hee spake in great passion these words. Unhappy man, loving unlov'd, serving unregarded, affecting without helpe, honouring without esteeme, and smarting unpittied: Turne your fav orable eyes O Heavens on me, and you faire Moone, who it is said governe women, and perswade, command not (for she must ever rule) my cruell Mistris to thinke on me, requite me I seeke not, but chastly as you doe, and as fairely, and kindly smile on me: I begge this of you, nor aske but what your cold brightnes, and chast coldnes may grant me; alasse you frowne, and pull a scarsie Clowd over your divine face to hide your favour from me, and shew your displeasure to me, What shall I doe wretch that I am? all powers earthly have deny'd me succour, and now the Heavens refuse mee countenance? nothing is left me but dispaire, and thou poore Lute, toucht on then speake unto me, and let thy musique speake to her, and hold mee if possible so long in quiet, as attention may make a respite from sorrow, as admiring a change of times, not fortune, for to that I must returne. The Lover-boy-like Duke, gave him againe his Lute, for he carryed it when he play'd not, and being close under the window that hee could not be seene, but perfectly heard, he played, and so rarely as might justly have brought eares, and they loving eares unto the player, but heere there did want little drawing her, who was runne before to the window, having heard the doore open, and her heart withall, which told her he was comming, for none else could come but themselves, or other, but her soule told who; some were with her, else shee had come downe; impatient she was, yet a little doubtfull, and therefore a little more troubled, but the rest young as she was, made the good motion to open the windowes and see who these were, she soone yelded to that, and not only opened them, but threw them from her: upon that noyse the Lord and his supposed servant appeared; the Duke of Wertenberge demanding pardon, the other only comming so farre as to see her, who put her selfe so cleane out of the casement as shee might easily see him, and bee sure of him, and none else descry them. She then gratiously granted the Dukes demande of pardon, but on these conditions, that hee or his servant should play againe, and sing said shee if please you. She desired but what was granted, an other Lady standing lower, and looking out of the other Casement, so much liked, and looked on Dorrileus of Wertenberge, as she was surprised with his Love: the Lady loved not her servant so much, as she did equall in feircenesse, or exceede in her flames, so as hee stood as but the traine to fire, and blew up the strength of her heart with every looke, or word hee gave. The other amorous Duke seeing this came well on, able to play and sing allso, like a Duke help't by Art, sung these verses in manner or imitation of Saphiks. If a cleere fountaine still keeping a sad course, Weepe out her sorrowes in drops, which like teares fall; Marvell not if I lament my misfortune, brought to the same call. Who thought such faire eyes could shine, and dissemble? Who thought such sweete breath could poyson loves shame? Who thought those chast eares could so be defiled? hers be the sole blame. While love deserv'd love, of mine ctill she fail'd not, Foole I to love still where mine was neglected, Yet faith, and honor, both of me claim'd it, although rejected. Oft have I heard her vow, never sweete quiet Could once possesse her while that I was else where, But words were breath then, and as breath they wasted into a lost Ayre. So soone is love lost, not in heart imprinted, Silly I, knew not the false power of changing, Love I expected, yet (ah) was deceived, more her fond ranging. Infant Love tyed me not to mistrust change, Vowes kept me fearelesse, yet all those were broken: Love, faith, and friendship by her are dissolved, suffer'd unspoken. The young Lady was now directly lost, and so gone as she hated her patience, for not throwing her selfe out of the winddow to him. They finding this, lost not the meanes offered them, wherefore the Duke of Wertenberge mooved to her the sweetnes of the ayre, the delicasie of the place, the temperatnes of the weather, the brightnes of the night, and all, and more then needed to intice her downe, so as willing of her selfe, and annimated by her companion she went with her, none else offering to stirre, but promising to attend their returne. Being come into the Garden they saluted the Duke of Wertenberg, he talking a little while with her, then falling into discourse of Musique, she turned to the youth who they said by reason of a sicknes hee lately had, was forced to keepe on his Cap, commonly for feare of cold, yet he stirred it a little before his face, she on a lesse matter might have blinded her friend, who was already strooke blind with love, so as she let her assosiate and Cousine (as she was) doe what she would, and use her discretion, she would take her time, and no sooner did her love turne towards her, but shee tooke that turne as to her, and as powder takes fire, burnt, and flash'd with hast unto his receving: skipping, to his looks, and words like the lacks in Virginalls touched with the keyes; and such sudden and ready sound did she give, answering so soone, as some would have thought they had agreed before of their speech, and repeated but too hastily. After some such passages, he said that they had commended his servant so much, as he wished he could play, and sing like him, since so well pleasing. Alasse my Lord said she, I lik'd you best, and yet what neede you wish for more winning powers, since thus you conquer where you come? He understood her, and his friends, so as he tooke her hand, & walked with her into a faire Arbour: not unwillingly she went with him, who though a Lover, he was not so dully constant, but in absence he could gratefie faire Ladyes whose kindnes demanded it, yet retaine himself firme in his choyse to love, and to bee kind againe if she pleas'd; and thus he was the perfectest lover, who loved love, and for love's sake served and saved love from hurt, thus truely was he a true lover, reserving still thus much for his only Mistris, as when hee was most contented with them he still thought on her, and wished her in thir place, so was he mindfull of her without exception, affectionate without measure and kind to them for her remembrance sake. What the other two did I leave to consideration, for to expresse two such passages would tyre you, but this I may say, they were till morning allmost together, they met the next night againe, and all were well pleased, and sigh'd no more but for parting which soone hapned, for what happy estate in love hath any abiding? As the first night seem'd bright, and delicate, this alasse had all the clowds of dislike upon it; That gave not their hearts so much pleasure; as this did dolorous complaints, That had not sweete disguise in it to give testimony of love; but this had open shew of blackest, and grievousest sorrow; They embraced not with such greedines, as now with terror of never meeting more; They met not the sharpe edges of desire with more delight, then now with affectionated torment; and these alasse were their fortunes, and this their sufferings. Dorileus yet bare it like such a lover as he was, not more loving then he needs must, nor caring more then would please himselfe, nor greving in all his life so much, or little as might hurt him, yet as one of that number he sigh'd, and said, he wished to stay still there, but his there, was every where, if he found handsome women, and kind entertainment, he remooved not, but to such like pastures, so as he but (as one might say) dined, and supped at severall places, but lay still at his owne home of change, a pleasant bed no question where severall delights embraced, and lulled his wanton appetite in the soft Cradle, or armes of variety; his friend was so much more troubled then he, by that he used to doe all things seriously, love seriously, grieve as seriously, and change as often, and seriously; earnest in that he was doing, and no more constant then others, and in his inconstancy none so serious. At his parting (disguises after the first night layd aside) he presented his Lady with a Sonnet of his owne, hee said, but the truth is his friend made it for him, and so was his Secretary justly; She liked it, and admired it, after his going, singing it continually to please her selfe, it was thus. That which to some their wishes ends present, Is counted day, which former crosses mend, Yet night-like day my blessings do prevent, And brings that losse, whereto my mischeifs tend. By dayes approach, alasse, that light doth end, Which is the only light of my content, And more I see, day strive her light to lend The darker am I, by sad parting rent. Like one long kept in prison, brought to light; But for his end, condemned nere to bee Freed from his Dungeon, till that wretched hee, Conclude his living with his latest sight. So now with griefe, doth day appeare to mee, And Oh! too early since we parting see. This she sange, and even ware it out of breath with singing, kis'd the originall Coppy because in his owne hand, and never thought it neere enough, nor ever deerer was a paper to a Lover: great pitty it was not his owne worke, but as it was, it was liker a Lovers present, counterfeite as his vowes, & protestations, yet true beguilers of welbeleeving women, who were happier to be Hereticks, then such beleevers. Thus wit, and well followed courting, gained his desires, who with his friend having taken leave of the Lord, and all the house travelled their way on in their search, till one day in a small valley betweene two little Hills, they met an old man, and a young Damsell (as she seem'd) together, he ryding on a Mule, she on a fine Palfrey, but so fine her Beast was, and so disloyall his Mule to their hast, as they both tyred, and went no faster then as he beate one, and the other for feare of that example, (a curious, at least profitable observation) nodded on, so as with the most melancholly, but discreet pace that Creatures, not rasionall, could use, they came (like one against the wind) towards these Princes; who beholding them were pleased, yet troubled like courteous Knights, for their ill haps were purposed to demand of them when they met, the cause of their mischances, but in the meane time he might heare them sing, though like Swanns before their ends, for so was this end of their journey, or ther horses ends, being they could goe no farther; the manner of their Song was as odde as their adventure, singing Dialogue-wise as if agreed, yet contrary to the ones wishes, the Woman began, at lest to their hearings thus. Wo. Fond aged man, why doe you on me gaze, Knowing my answer? resolution take Follow not fondly in an unusd Maze As if impossibilities to shake. For know I hate you still, and your poore love Can mee as soone as Rocks to pitie move. Man. Alas my dearest soule, too long I knew I lov'd in vaine, your scorne I felt likewise, Your hate I saw; yet must I still pursue Your fairest sight, though you doe me despise; For love is blind, and though I aged be, I can nor part from it, nor it from me. Wo. What blame dost thou deserve, if thou wilt still Follow my hate, who will not breath to change, And strive to gaine as if from scorne, or ill Loving disdaine as Juels rich, and strang: Or canst thou vainely hope thy wailing cries Can move a pitty? no let this suffice. Man. Pitie, alas I nere could looke to see So much good hap; yet Deere be not to cruell, Though you thus young hate aged love in me, My love hath youth, or you shall see loves fuell Deserving your reward, then not denie, Let me now see those eyes kind, or I die. Wo. These eyes of mine thou never shalt behold, If clouds of true disdaine may dim desire, They shall as blacke be as thy faults are bold, Demanding what's unfit: a poore old fire Wasted like Triumphs, sparcles onely live, and troubled rise from embers which outlive. Man. I doe confesse a boldnesse tis in me Ought to resist, if your sweet selfe command; Yet blind me needs you must, for if I see, Mine eyes must rest on you, and gazing stand: Heaven not forbids the bacest worme her way, Hide that deare beauty, I must needs decay. Wo. My beauty I will hide, mine eyes put out, Rather then be perplexed with thy sight, A mischiefe certaine worse is, then a doubt, Such is thy sight, thy absence my delight; Yet mine the ill, since now with thee I stay. Tyred with all misfortune cannot stray. Man. Thy beautie hide? O no, still cruell live To me most haplesse: dim not that bright light Which to this Earth all lights and beauties give. Let me not cause for ever darkest night, No, no, blessed be those eyes and fairest face, Lights of my soule, and guides to all true grace. My sweet commanderesse shall I yet obay And leave you here alas unguarded? shall I not then for sorrow ever stray From quiet peace, or hope, and with curst thrall Sit downe and end? yet if you say I must Here will I bide in banishment accurst: While you passe on as cruell, happy still That none else triumph may upon mine ill. When they had concluded, she fell into an extreame laughter, saying, we have indeed neede to neglect, and I take the authoritie of banishing you, while our beasts are so beastly naturall, as to love one anothers conversation so well, as not to be willing to part, so as though tyred with your suite, and wearied with the noise of your love, yet I must by a tired beasts fault, longer remaine to weary my selfe withall. I know not (said hee) whether I shall thanke your beast now, or no, since against your will I have this favour; but I see, I may chide, and blame mine justly, whose lasie or unfortunate body keepes me here to offend you. I see not (said the young Duke of Wirtenberg) why you should be uncontent with beeing still together, since I never saw in contrarietie so much agreement. Wee have these two yeares lived thus (said the old man, and for all I see, must weare out more time in wrangling. The Lady seemd wondrous strange, and would scarce looke on them outwardlie; yet she leared vildly under her Hat at the smug Youth, shee thought his daintie round, pretty mouth deserved kisses; and when he spake, imagined they parted but to procure kisses, and so they did, for they kissed kindly at returne to meeting. Shee was faire, and as wanton as beautifull, and as beautifull as would intice most to her wantonnesse; shee was in fashion as chaste, as in minde and bodie lascivious, and lascivious as a wicked soule could bee in a damnable body, so as a rare example, shee was of the worst kind of an ill woman: dissembling excellent in, craftie beyond measure, false beyond expression, and what not, that might make a woman change nature with a beast: Another mans wife shee was, yet a wife, or worse to all men that would, hunting after them as Nimrod did after Deare, and more deare were they to her, and indeed, to many of them, when they payed for their courtesies, or ambition to meddle with such a creature, who was not onely great in birth, but as great in ill. This disguise shee had put on to trie Adventures, not being any other waies knowne, then to bee a franke Gentlewoman: this old man she had with her, had been her servant, made elder by her service then his yeares called him unto, and so much hers, as shee made him an instrument to bring in others to her service. Nations she had knowne many yet not so many as shee desired, wherefore she would yet travell a little farther, and learne, though not by experience, yet familiar knowledge, her worst ends. Lord how shee smircked on the young sweet Youth, but he in whom before beliefe of favor sprang, would yet not shew to love if not mooved handsomly to it, so he saw it not, or regarded it not, but Clauterino more heeded her eyes, and as them his owne fickle mind, which soone thought shee was worth winning to his purpose which was but for discourse, and never held Constancy in absence worth observation, wherefore hee began to complement with her. She (rather then misse both, would take either,) accepted of his fav our, and after some busines of his intreaty, and her modest-like bashfulnes, she told her story thus: shaking her head like a bowgh in a storme of wind, or nodding like and old wife sleeping in an afternoone, licking her lips, and glaring like a Cat in the darke: Sir said she, alasse what shall I say? I am as you see a woman, but as I know an unfortunate one; I was marryed by my owne consent, though little knowledge of my friends, to a young Gentleman I chose for love, but little I found in him since, so as I feare he had only the face of Venus, but not the affections, much busines I had to get him, and great ones used in it for my sake, and some whom I could for all my love to him, have wished they would a while have kept me, rather then given mee away, yet willingly for one end or other I studied to gaine, and got him, but alasse it prooved the beginning of the marryage betweene Ifis, and Inath. He was a Youth, tis true, and not a man (for which I married him) but this was my Destiny: which finding, and the want of what I hoped for, I complained, and justly I thinke; some of my owne Sex spake loudly of mee for it, but were it their cases, I assure my selfe they would doe as I did, but this was my ill, and heereupon I seeing my friends (what with matching without their consents, and since taking this course) leave me. I undertooke a journey into Pamphilia, where it is said, there is a water, that will reco ver all diseases, ease all griefes, especially take away all melanchollies; I chose a Troope fit for mee; but I met some few dayes, since an unruly consort, who mooved with my beauty, as they pleased to call this poore part of mee, would needs have that, and all; but my men defended mee so well, as they left mee not but for death, and in death, so as I could not blame, but only pitie them; there remained none of them neither but this old man, who loving more then having reason for, undertooke to ride with mee to the next Citie, where I meane to provide my selfe of company; and in truth I must needs say of the poore man, hee hath carried himselfe honestlie, but foolishly loveth mee, who cannot requite him. So it seemed by your Dialogue (answered the Dukes: but (said the Brunswick Duke) though you love not him, you may in time, and by desert, like another. That is not forbid mee (said shee.) While they were thus discoursing, came another Damsell riding fast, and looking with as much haste, who indeed needed succour. The Duke of Wirtenberg seeing her, demanded what shee so earnestly and speedily sought. Helpe Sir (said shee) a thing wee may all want, and I at this present stand in great neede of. What troubles you, said hee? The life of a Villaine that seekes my dishonour. How, said hee? Hee hath long sued to mee, but refused (replide the Damsell) sought to betray mee, and this day laid an Ambush for me, but with the speed of my horse and the assistance God gave mee out of his mercie, I fled hither, more spirit then being in mee, then I could ever have thought I should have found in my selfe; and pray Sir even now for honours sake assist mee, at least keepe mee from the danger of those Creatures. You are I see by your habits a Stranger heere, yet let not justice or pitie be set as strangers from you: you seeme a brave worthy Gentleman, I can appeare but a miserable creature, that I hope or beseech to gaine compassion. Faire Damsell (said hee), guide mee to these men, and I will loose my life, or save you. Nay Sir (said shee) that needeth not; for let mee by your favour be safely at home, and I desire no more, nor so much as that you should meete them, or I ever see them againe. Direct mee, and I will conduct you (said hee): so together they went, shee telling part of her tale to him, while the other three tooke another way to this deluding womans House, who was called Lycencia: with much pleasure the wanton Duke went with her, amorous as any love, but at last used by her like an Ape fed, and knockt by her wit. The true worthy couple held on, till they came to a Wood side, there shee told him was the danger. In the midst was her house, but betweene were the Traytors, that the nearest way to the house, but as so to perill, wherefore shee desired to goe more about. Nay (cryd hee) never let us shunne the true way, for feare or what wee see not, that harme may with selfe knowledge bee fled hence, of if not, though you may very well misdoubt my valour, having had no triall of it; yet I dare warrant to carry you to your house, if there were more then you have named; this you may thinke a bravery to speake, but I hope to let you see it; so they went on, shee still proceeding in her story, till comming into a part of the Wood, whence they might see, as through a walke the house, which stood though below, that Hill whereon they were, on a Hill also, and she lifting up her eyes to see, and shew the place, first telling him, Now (said shee) I shall soone shew you my poore habitation; then looking that way, Poore indeed (cryde shee) alas my Lord I am ruined, my Castle burnes, and I chill with cold dispaire. Hee looking up, saw it true, whereupon hee was a little amazed, yet not willing to shew it to her, spake bravely, and advisedly to goe on, which shee consented unto, and comming nearer, they discerned onely the first Gate on fire, and the assalliants with their Master being twentie gathering faggots, and other provisions together to fire the rest. They labouring had put off their Armes, onely the chiefe had his armour on; the Duke did never use to loose opportunities in any sort, especially fairely offerd; wherefore hee intreated the Damsell to stay in the Wood, so as she might see what past, while he went downe to them. She obayed, and he spurring towards them, demanded, why they were so cruel to burne so delicate a place. Twere much more delicate (replyed they) if the Mistrisse were in it, and you, as faggots to burne to our triumph. That were too hot worke (said hee): but honest men, I hope you are but in jest with me, and that you seeke rather to helpe, then destroy this place. We seeke to preserve it? Yes sure, said they (scornefully laughing at him) wee desire that, and so you shall find if wee catch you medling, or ayding the Lady thereof. If she demand aide (said hee) I cannot refuse a Lady. No, then take this, said one, and this, said another, throwing stones, cudgles, and other heavy, and unhappy harmefull things at him, some of them lighting on him, and making him smart; hee liking not that, tooke up a strong Pole, and feld many, but some killed. Then came their Master, and he inraged like a hunted Bull, drue his sword, reviling the Prince, and threatning more, then after he gained though death. Dorileus brave and good, heeded not his words, but flang away his Pole drawing his sword; thou art armd, said he, doubly with sin and yron; therefore my sword shall now be used to cut them both from thee, and thee from the world, though it scornd to shew it selfe to thy servants; so they fought, and to the cost of the Traytor, whose head Dorileus cut off, and presented it to the Lady, who staying behind a tree in the Wood beholding the issue, and praying for the successe. Some of the servants fearing when the sword glistered (joyfully shining for her truth) fled away into the Wood, and came neere where she was, but she quickly considering her danger, staid not to discourse, but with raines let loose, ran downe towards the Combatants, the one for her welcome, presenting her with the head of her enemy, which hee then cut off, and gave unto her, who like Tomeris of Sithia, held it by the haire, but gave it quickly another conclusion, for she threw it into the midst of the flaming Tower, which then as being in it selfe enemy to good, because wasting good, yet hotly desiring to embrace as much ill, and so headlongly and hastily fell on it, either to grace it with the quickest and hottest kisses, or to conceale such a villanous, and treacherous head from more, and just punishments: the fire proceeded no farther, the bodies for sweetnes sake were all throwne into it, and together there consumed, too honourable a buriall for such creatures, but thus it was. Then past they that place, and entred the Pallace, which was of Alabaster, white as it selfe can be, and pure as the Mistrisse, whose heart never had spot of ill, nor her body of disproportion: chaste as the Goddesse, true as truth, for she never lov'd but once, and so ever, milder then the sweetest calme, & sweeter then the sweetest Violet: constanter then that vertue, and purer then her complexion, which never was for excellency equald, or could be counterfeited, that would not shew like it self vile, & unworthy to presume to immitate such excellency. Free & noble was her affection, discreet & brave her conversation, excellent her discourse, & so the Duke witnessed, who after his returne related her story given to him by her selfe, both in words, and in one kind in verse. Hee remained there but two nights, going to his Companion who had bin courting the little, or never refusing Lady, and had conducted her by her appointment to a Castle neere at hand. Welcome, nay most welcome was this Duke unto them, she one as a friend glading in his presence, the other as a longing and desiring lover; good countenance she shewed the Suter, but her heart, and eyes sued to the other, happy she seemed to be in his presence, and rather then to be out of it, or bard his sight, shee would indure to heare him tell of his Loves, and his being beloved, when he said a Lady had honoured him so much as to like him, to love him, and take him as hers; could shee otherwise chuse said she in her self, would not I runne to such a fortune? When he told how kindly a Lady had granted her love to him, would shee not rather flee to him, then refuse cryd shee? I blame her not, but curse my fortune that cannot embrace him as my wishes lead mee. When he told his owne tyes to a Lady unimitable, beyond commendations, and expressions, faith in him only being able to come neere that worth in her; alasse, sigh'd she, this only touch'd mee, that hee loves, otherwise I might hope, but love grounded in any place, faire, or other, carryes the power with it. Out of this discourse she was willing to put him, so as although contrary to her best wishes, she put him to speake the story of the Lady that fetched him to her ayd, which in the same verse she delivered to him, he thus delivered it reading it to her, but for the perticulars they were intrusted to him, and he would not for loves sake breake a trust, but as passionatly for his Lady, as this for her love, read the pretty Pastorall thus, in Sheapardesse names, to cover her owne ill fortune the better. 1 A Sheephard who no care did take. of ought but of his flock, Whose thoughts no pride could higher make, Then to maintaine his stock, Whose sheepe his love was, and his care, Their good, his best delight: The Lambs his joy, their sport his fare, His pleasure was their sight. 2 Till Love (an envier of mans blisse) Did turne this merry life To teares, to wishes which nere misse Incombrances with strife. For whereas he was best content, With looking on his sheepe: His time in woes, must now be spent, And broken is his sleepe. 3 Thus first his wofull change beganne, A Lamb he chanc't to misse, Which to finde out, about hee ran, Yet finds not where it is. But as he past (O fate unkind) his ill led him that way, Whereas a willow Tree behind, A faire young Maiden lay. 4 Her bed was on the humble ground, her head upon her hand, While sighs di'd shew, her heart was bound In Love's untying band. Cleere teares her cleerest eyes let fall, Upon her Love-borne face: Which Heavenly drops did sorrow call, proud witnes of disgrace. 5 The Shephard stay'd, and fed his eyes, no farther might he passe, But there his freedome to sight tyes, His bondage, his joy was. His Lambe he deemes not halfe so faire, Though it were very white: And liberty he thinkes a care, Nor breath's but by her sight. 6 His former life is alter'd quite, His Sheepe feede in her eyes, Her face his feild is of delight, And flocks he doth despise. The rule of them he leaves to none, His Scrip he threw away: And many he forsakes for one, One, he must now obey. 7 Unhappy man whose loosing found, What better had bin lost: Whose gaine doth spring from such a ground, Whereby he must be crost. The worldly care he now neglects, for Cupids service tyes, Care only to his fond respects, where wave-like treasure lyes. 8 As this lost man still gazing stood, Amaz'd at such a sight: Imagining no heavenly food To feede on but her sight; Wishing but her beames to behold, Yet greiv'd he for her griefe, When mournfully he did unfold Her woes without reliefe. 9 His new Sun rose, and rysing said, Farwell faire Willow tree, The roote of my estate decay'd, The fruit for haplesse me: What though thy branch, a signe be made, Of labour lost in love? Thy beauty doth no sooner vade, Then those best fortunes prove. 10 My songs shall end with willow still, Thy branches I will weare: Thou wilt accompany my ill, And with me sorrow beare. True friend said she, then sigh'd, and turn'd, Leaving that restlesse place, And Sheephard, who in passions burn'd Lamenting his sad case. 11 Ths Maid now gone, alone he left, Still on her footsteps gaz'd, And heartlesse growne, by love bereft of mirth, in spirit rais'd, To satisfie his restlesse thought, He after her will hye, His ruine to be sooner brought, And sooner harme to try. 12 Then thus his latest leave he tooke, My Sheepe (said he) farwell, Let some new Shepheard to you looke Whose care may mine excell. I leave you to your freedome now, Loves-lawes so fast me bind, As no time I can you allow, Or goe poore flock, and find 13 The Maid whom I so dearely love, Say it was her deare sight, Which from your keepe doth me remove, And kills my first delight. Goe you my Dog, who carefull were To guard my Sheepe from harme, Looke to them still, no care forebeare, Though love my senses charme. 14 But you my Pipe that musick gave, And pleasd my silent rest, Of you I company will crave, Our states now suteth best. For if that Faire no pity give, My dying breath shall cry, Through thee the paines, wherein I live, Whereby I breath to dye. 15 Madly he ran from ease to paine Not sicke, yet farre from well, Heart robd by two faire eyes, his gaine Must proove his worldly Hell. After his heart he fast doth hie, His heart to her did flie, And for a biding place did crie, Within her breast to lie. 16 She that refusd, when he her spide, Her whom he held most deare, Lie weeping by a Rivers side Beholding papers neare. Her ruling eyes must yet be dimbd, While pearle like teares she shed, Like shadowes on a Picture limbd; At last these words she read. 17 When I unconstant am to thee Or false doe ever prove, Let happinesse be banisht me, Nor have least taste of love. But this alas too soone, cryd she, Is O by thee forgot, My hopes and joyes now murtherd be, And falsehood is my lot. 18 Too late I find what tis to trust To words, or oathes, or teares, Since they that use them proove unjust And colour but our feares. Poore fooles ordaind to be deceiv'd And trust to be betrayd, Scornd when our hearts are us bereav'd Sought to, a while delayd. 19 Yet though that thou so false hast been, I still will faithfull be; And though thou thinkst to leave no sinne, Ile make my loyalty To shine so cleare, as thy soule fault To all men shall be knowne, Thy change to thy changd heart be brought, My faith abroad be blowne. 20 This having said, againe she rose The papers putting by, And once againe a new way chose Striving from griefe to fly: But as she going was along That pleasant running streame, She saw the Sallow trees among, The Shepheard Aradeame. 21 For so this wofull Lad was call'd, But when she him beheld, What witchcraft hath thee now inthral'd, And brought thee to this field? What can the cause, or reason be, That thou art hither come: Where all must tast of misery, And mirth with griefe intombe? 22 If mirth must heere intombed be, Faire Sheephardesse, said he? This place the fittest is for me, If you use cruelty: For know I hither come, to see Your selfe, wherein now lyes My life, whose absence martir'd me, Whose sight my power tyes. 23 Give me but leave to live with you, It is the life I crave: To you I bound am to be true, My life to you I gave; When first I did behold you lye, In shade of willow tree: That time my soule did to you tye, Those eyes did murther me. 24 Is this the reason (ah cryd she?) The more I waile your case, Who thus partaker, needs will be In griefe, and in disgrace, I pitty you, but cannot ayd You, nor redresse your ill, Since joy and paine together pay'd, Scarce satisfies the will. 25 If I doe tye you, I release The bond wherein you are, Your freedome shall not find decrease, Nor you accuse my care. The paine I have is all my owne, None can of it beare part, Sorrow my strength hath overthrowne, Disdaine hath killd my heart. 26 And Sheepheard if that you doe love, This counsell take of me, This humor fond in time remove, Which can but torture thee; Take it from her who too too well Can witnesse it is so: Whose hope seem'd Heaven, yet prov'd a Hell, And comfort chang'd to woe. 27 For I was lov'd, or so I thought, And for it lov'd againe, But soone those thoughts my ruine brought, And nourish'd all my paine, They gave the milke that fed beleife Till wean'd, they proved dry: Their latter nourishment was griefe, So famish't I must dye. 28 Then see your chance, I cannot change, Nor my affection turne, Disdaine which others moves to range, Makes me more constant burne, My sighs I'me sure cannot you please, My griefe no Musicke proove, My flowing teares your passions ease, Nor woes delight your Love. 29 If my sight have your freedome wonn, Receive it backe againe; So much my selfe I finde undone, By gifts which prove no gaine. As I lament with them that love, So true in Love I am, And liberty wish all to prove, Whose hearts waste in this flame. 30 Yet give me leave (sigh'd he with teares) To live but where you are, My woes shal waite upon your feares, My sighs attend your care: Ile weepe when ever you shall waile, If you sigh, I will cry, When you complaine, Ile never faile To waile my misery. 31 I will you guard, and safely keepe From danger, and from feare, Still will I watch when you doe sleepe, And for both, sorrowes beare. Make me not free, I bondage crave, Nor seeke else but to serve, This freedome will procure my grave, These bonds my life preserve. 32 For life, and joy, and ease, and all Alasse lyes in your hands: Then doe not cause my only fall, I ty'd am in such bands. Part hence I cannot, nor love leave, But heere must ever bide: Then pitty let my paine receive, Doe not from mercy slide. 33 If that (said she) you constant are, Unto your comming ill, Ile leave this place, yet let all care Accompany me still: And Sheepheard live, and happy be, Let judgment rule your will, Seeke one whose hart from love is free, And who your joy may fill. 34 For I love's bond-slave am, and ty'd In fetters of Disdaine: My hopes are frozen, my Spring dry'd, My Sommer drown'd with paine: I lov'd, and worse, I said I lov'd, Free truth my ruine brought, And so your speech the like hath mov'd And losse for gayning bought. 35 With that away she hasted fast, Left him his cares to holde, Who now to sorrow make all hast, Woes drive his hopes to fould: Now he can see, and weeping say His fortune blind he finds, A heart to harbour his decay, A state which mischeife binds. 36 This now he feeles, and wofully His birth, and life he blames, Yet passions rules, when reasons lye in darke, or quenched flames: That place he first beheld her in, his byding he doth make: The Tree his liberty did win, He cals his Martyr stake. 37 And pleasingly doth take his fall, his griefe accoumpts delight: Freedome, and joy this bitter thrall, His food her absent sight. In contraryes his pleasures be, While mourning gives him ease, His Tombe shall be that haplesse Tree, Where sorow did him ceaze. 38 And thus did live, though daily dy'd, The Sheephard Arideame, Whose causlesse teares which never dry'd were turnd into a streame, Himselfe the head, his eyes the spring Which fed that River cleere, Which to true harts this good doth bring When they approch it neere, 39 And drinke of it, to banish quite All fickell thoughts of change, But still in one choyce to delight, And never thinke to range: Of this sweete water I did drinke, Which did such faith infuse, As since to change, I cannot thinke, Love will death sooner chuse. She that was before wonne, what wrought this in her, seeing love, seeking love, expression mooving admmiration, and that so much as to admire him in her choyce at first sight, so well to chuse, but the truest worke, or weft of her Loome was to doe, which was to winne him, winne shee would, and at last as nothing, or very little is hard to purchase in a mans breast a kind pitty or rewarding love, as if but exchanging, and the latter part of that their marchandize. She compassed her desires like her selfe the worst way, for she made the poore loving Cauterino be the meanes to his losse; urging very much and earnestly, shee replied that if hee loved so much as hee said, hee should expresse it by bringing Dorileus to speake with her, framing the cause to be concerning a Sister of hers in the house whom she said was farre gone in love with him. Hee gladdest of this, that thus hee might serve her severall wayes, went straite to his friend, and most friendly brought him unto her, into a Garden appointed for it, going away as kindly as shee wished, leaving them together, who then private, she began. My Lord said she, you may well taxe me of boldnes, but impudence I beseech you cleere me off, since Love the powrefull god of hearts commands mee to this adventure, in which yet I blush, least you should otherwise judge of me, then of fervent affection, which hath stirred this unusuall manner, contrary to a womans modesty in seeking you; but my Lord my love is so violent to you, as that blinds me to any course but this, which is to beg pitty of you, and compassion for my paine. The hardest heart could hardly denye such a request, much lesse his, which was never in that kind cruell; wherefore he went the neerest way to content her, granting her request, and appointing that night to waite upon her, what a busines shee kept then? her Chamber was so perfumed, and sweetely furnished, her selfe so delicate to entertaine, as when hee came hee thought it a brave Journey, and dainty conquest of himselfe, for shee wooed, and he had now the labour saved of Courting, loving, and all other troubles, but yeelding, which is easie on such conditions for the best of that Sexe to doe. The night is come, and hee prepared went to his Mistris; the other amorous Duke being extremely molested with his passion, could not sleepe, but vexed with doubt and love, rose from his bed, and went to his friends chamber to discourse, and so ease his burdned burning breast, but thither arrived, he found only a light burning, his Page asleepe in the chayre at the beds feete, and the Duke absent; this strake him into a jealous passion, as thinking none so worthy as his Mistris, none so likely therefore to be served, and so concluded none other then this wrong to him. Then he complained against his friend for breach of friendship, since hee knew how much he loved, but straite came this againe, that that tye without breach might be broken, for love cannot be resisted, and none can command that power, so as force, not will, did heere offend; but all women for this tricke he reviled, and cursed himselfe for being the meanes, and helpe for thus betraying him, making him the instrument (as in scorne) for her satisfaction in love, and contempt. This being entred into his thought, he ran into the Garden, meaning to goe to her Chamber, find them and revenge himselfe with rayling at her, but the doores which went to that way were shut, so as he cal'd to her, scoulded as no man ever did like him in that kind, and many women, (though most are perfect in that lowd faculty) could not equall him, few surpasse him. No answere being made him, he threw stones at the windowes, beate downe the glasse and made such a coyle, as would have distemper'd any but lovers, on all sides to have heard it. But they would not be mooved for all his bawlings, nor he long indure this lonely, but violent roring passion, so as he returned with as much fury, and shame, as Vulcan did when he saw his Rivall Mars: Much this nights worke stuck in his stomacke, but what remedy? patience got a little roome, and she (as he after said) gave him all satisfaction so as he gayning too, and then commanded to silence, he had his desire every way satisfied also, cousening him who had bin before hand with him, and thought he had her to himselfe, while she laughed at both to see them so finely dealt with all, and she having full content; but here they must not now stay, so as telling her they must goe in search of the Emperor, shee gaind one day more of them which they granted. The night before the morning for their parting, having at severall howres taken leave of them, both they in their lodgings should have beene surprized, and made prisoners, by men let into their chambers armed, but they valorous, never sleeping though they were in bed, quickly rose, and bravely defended themselves, scaped their hands, and arming themselves, came out of their chamber to seeke the Devill, and head of this action; but she (hearing how the busines went) with her old wicked companion were fled. They followed in search of them, so as now in two Quests they travelled, till they met an noble, and brave Lady, to whom telling their fortunes, shee assured them of the wickednes of that woman, being the most notorious for ill, of any of her Sex, & how that in her flight with her old Squire, she met a man equall to her, (if two such peeces could be squared to equall proportion in ill,) who having beene trecherous, and beyond mischeif's skill abused by her, finding the advantage, tooke her from her old Guard, tyed him to a Tree fast for helping himselfe, where he starved, and dyed, being but within two dayes found, and for her, he carryed her to the top of a mighty, steepe, and craggy Rocke, there tooke his wicked revenge of her, for thence he threw her downe, but as she fell loving all mankind, she held him so fast as he went unwillingly with her, breaking their necks, and so past the same way of unfortunate end, yet fittest for ill so to go together. This was seene by some, who tooke up the bodies too late to be helped, but hee being knowne to them, the cause was soone knowne to us, who had understood both their lives, and could but hardly sorrow for their ends, onely in that they were Christians. This heard, and having past a little time with this noble Lady, they tooke their leaves, taking their way to their owne Countries, having search'd, but in vaine, for their Lord, return'd; they lamented for him, and remained in soules afflicted. The Prince of Venice is the next to be spoken of, who having done as his other companions did, at last met with the Duke of Savoy, and the Duke of Florence, all sad, distress'd, and beyond measure griev'd; yet some kinde of joy or touch of it they felt in meeting each other: then seeing all hope lost, they resolv'd together to returne into their Countries perpetually to mourne and lament their losse, giving over Armes, Trauells and all, living sad and retyr'd lives, wayling that, they and all Christians were bereaved of, which was happines; now seeing, feeling, tasting nothing but distresse: to the Sea they tooke, and shipping themselves, hoysed saile for Italy, cursing Asia, and all in it save the poore afflicted Pamphilia, whom they left in all desperate sorrow; for having miss'd finding of him, they return'd to her Court, and with unspeakable griefe found her possest; with sorrowfull and lamentable demeanours they parted from her, wordes they had but few, but teares, sighes, and groanes in full plenty; now spake they one to another, but scarcely till they had beene some two dayes at Sea, their eyes only acting speeches part, and assuring each other of their true loves to their Prince and themselves. At Sea the Florentine saw a Ship lying neere the Greeke shore, as at Anchor, many men and some women upon the hatches; drawing neerer, they might discerne mourners, and among all, none armed: ah (said he) that company surely are of our assotiates, their livery tels them at least so to be. Their outsides indeed, said the Venetian, counterfeits our inward griefe. The Savoyan looking stedfastly on them, said, he was of their opinion, and the rather because he thought he saw Selarinus among them; they then haled to her, which shee answer'd, and as they were sending some to her to know the newes, they perceived a Squire to put out the long Boat and make towards them; they then attended his comming: now did the winde rise, (a calme having been before) and the waves began to swell, answering the boyling in their brests. The Squire could but bee at their ship when it was so rough, as without perishing he could not board her, especially being under sayle as she was; so as he only cal'd to them, who said, his Lord Selarinus desir'd to know if they were of Asia, and if they knew how Pamphilia did, if rescued, and by whom. They could not answer more, then that she was set free by Amphilanthus, but now he was lost, as with grief for the remembrance of him, and the word lost, so filling them, and partly for the noyse the Sailors made, and for the distance that the Boate was by the tempest in that time carryed from them. The Ship likewise was growne a Traitor to them, and their governours, taking new Commanders, the winde and the Sea, yet they contending made a rough dispute and distempered gov ernment, so as soone they lost sight of Selarinus, Greece, Italy and all being carried into the Brittain Sea; long they roamed at Hul, for advice or Art now helped not till the storme so soone ceased as it had begun, and they perceiv ed for their comforts, (as beauty is comfortable to all good eyes) the faire Rocks of Brittany, anciently called Albion; but by happinesse after many misfortunes againe called Brittany. The windes and Seas appeased, they landed neere a Cliffe of infinite height and danger if not knowne: when they were a shore and arm'd, two purposed to travell and alter their names, but the third overrul'd them, and by any meanes would not consent to goe, but as their owne selves, and in their owne persons, not seeking to hide the noblenesse of their search and truth of their duties. At the place where they landed they got horses to the next Towne, which was twelve miles off, according to the reckoning of that Countrey: then came they to a very faire Towne, large, but not any way curiously built, though the houses were of stone, but they low and ill cover'd made them seeme poore. There were women of marvellous beauty; for Brittany had the name to have the fairest Creatures in her of all women, and that part the honor to have the fairest of Brittany; many they saw as they past by, but as variety they pass'd them, gazing as on wonders; but a wonder it had beene to have staid them, whose thoughts flew on still to the finding the happines of their Masters recovery, beauty was not now the Shrine they offer'd to, yet at other times that would willingly have stay'd them, now love & affection were two things, or one so mix'd, as no other thing, or part could enter, but the finding of Amphilanthus , to bee either, and so both. On in the Country they pass'd till they came to a Desart that prov'd onely rich in Ayre, and that in greatest bounty, in few places it was inhabited, the rest all Desart, and as wilde as any civ ill Country could bee. Many places, they passed, stony, wooddy, rocky, and as odde as could bee, lamentable travelling in it, the people rude and churlish, so as with much difficulty, but to them good fortune, they happened on a Noblemans house; antiquity they saw in all things there, in house, age of furniture, of servants, building, and situation, which was such, as certainly were not, nor could bee under hundreds of yeares; the Master of the house was not there then, travel'd upon occasion into another Countrey, but the Mistris there, and shee the most ignorant proud woman living, caring for, nor respecting any but her selfe and hers, as rude and ill manner'd a company, and as vaine as her selfe were about her, though much opinionated to bee well-behaved creatures, and so they seem'd to bee bred no other then such which were of her owne being, and who could have that only way of good fashion, as shee said, to bee admir'd, and to all other eyes the worst of fashions. Of her blood, she had some who equal'd, nay exceeded her, so as shee may be excused thus, that shee woman-like had ambition to bee chiefe of her blood, which shee said was the best, and would rather excell in ill, then not be the most excelling: neglect she did all people but her chosen assotiats, so as one might justly say they were strangers that came to her house; for none were familiar with her but her private (& somtime too foolishly exprest) humours. The friends her husband best lov'd in his absence were us'd like others, it may bee sometimes sooner had the ill fortune to see her proud person, els no more priviledged when in his presence, shee would like his Dogge fawne on him, and them: then there came thither a wondrous brave Lady, who was a Kins-woman of her La: to whom as much respect as shee could let slide from her selfe was used, and who yet looked for as much as either, or both had, nay as well could have been exprest to such like Ladies, and neere of bloud to all vanity and proud folly. These Ladies the Princes met one field from the house, by good fortune to them, els they might have stayed for admittance longer then their haste would permit them; sad they were and pensive, proud they were and insolent, the Knights did them Princely respect, they gave unmanerly acceptance, with much humble maner they presented themselves to them, they fleering one on the other most rudely entertain'd them, looking on them carelessly, as who would say, wee honour you with this, but who would rather doe well, would doe otherwise. The Florentine was haughty, and where hee found neglect hee could repay it, els most noble; but not knowing the nature of the Brittaines, was so discreete as not to bee rash, therefore hee rather to beare then provoke ill entertainment, spake with his hat in his hand, in this manner. Wee are Travellers and strangers; yet more strangers to the sight of such beauty, as till this instant I never did behold; and which doth so amaze mee with content, as I am rapt into the cloudes of pleasure, not being able to expresse your excellencies but by my infinite admiration; beholding you like so many Sunnes contented to distribute your equall beames to let us be the abler to behold you: heere I see the excellentest excellency of the rarest perfections; excuse then most excellent Ladies, if my Companions, or my selfe have overslip'd any due respect unto you, since the fault wholly lies in your over-ruling powers, and we must excuse our selves by that fault, if you close up all powers in amazement, you must pardon the amazed, and if you show beauties beyond expression or ability to be suffer'd, no more then flames can be to a naked person: how should one, especially my strooken selfe, be able to doe what I am call'd unto by respect unto such divine soules? Hide your conquering beauties, and then our great weaknesses will get some strength to speake, if but in a maner of admiration; but so short of your deserts, as I shall still remaine a poore, and an ashamed speaker for my selfe and companions, who cannot speake thus much for themselves as I do. The Ladies left him in his speech, and taking handes walked away, as who would say, by that time the Oration is done, wee will come againe, smiling on themselves and their uncivilnesse. The other two Princes laugh'd at the Florentine, who was so angry and ashamed, as hee (being very black) look'd betweene fury and blushing like a Night-piece: what to doe he could not resolve; but the other two did for him, which was to goe to the Towne and rest them till the next day morning, and so proceed in their journey, in this uncomfortable Country where their first entertainment was so strange. When they came to the Inne, there they found a second or rather a perfect Hell, there were Knights and Squires, but all fellowes, and most fellowlike drunke: some were singing, some dancing, some quarelling, others fidling, some calling for more drinke, in which they all like the burthen of a Song agreed, and called more. These Princes fell into this second misad venture, the first had too little curtesie, this as farre exceeding in too much aboundance; for every one had a severall humour, and they must indure them all: but an advantage they had in this kinde, though to their losse of sleepe, for they being well on their way before their comming, a very little more satisfied them, and sent them to rest, some to bed, some under the tables, some on benches, one in the Garden on a Lavender bed, while the Princes againe tooke their horses and rid some miles further, and in the Desart in a most poore (but for quiet, rich) house, they spent the rest of the night, the next day taking their way towards the Court, where then liv'd the King, but they not destined to see so much happines met this Adventure. Passing along a most craggy and stony Lane, they came at the end of it, to a tripartite divided way, a stone in the mid'st, and the way so justly parted, as it made them imagine it was a place fit to bee accepted and to part themsel ves equally to take their offer'd favours: Upon the stone they laid their hands, sware there within three Moneths to meete againe, without strange accidents befell them, to declare their losse, and search to all, their names never to conceale, and so at the conclusion, to returne every one to his owne Countrey, to lament their Lord and friend. It was the Florentines fortune to encounter the first adventure, which was, after hee had rid in that stony way sometime, hee came to a large Commune, spreading it selfe broader still unto his sight, as comming out of a River, the Sea appeares boundlesse: So did this Land extend it selfe, having no bound to comprehend, or limit sight; sheepe there were in aboundance, and some Cattle, people hee saw none, so as it appear'd there was little danger of losing them, or that the trust was great in those parts. At last a Countreyman hee met driving a Cart which had carried wood (a commodity in those parts) of him hee demanded what that place was, and the name of that part of the Countrey. He replyed, the place hee was on was called the Forrest Champion, that part of Britanny being full of Forrests and Chaces, anciently called the deserts of Brittany; a little way from thence hee told him was a faire house, where a noble Knight and his Lady lived within a part of the same Forrest, which they had inclosed, and made like an orderly civill place, from the others wildnesse, and shut themselves within a Pale; woods were within this place, the rest all Heath and Rocks, scarce a Bush, but no tree that could shelter one from a small shower. The Prince desired to be directed to that place, which the honest man did, waiting on him till hee came within sight of it; now Sir, said hee, you cannot loose your way, except you will of purpose; so hee tooke leave of him, who arriv'd within a short time there; the Knight had at that time much company with him, and one Lady who in her younger time had the fame for one of the fairest (if not the fairest) of that Countrey. But Love (the Ruiner of beauty when curst had decayed her beames of outward perfection, though her inside by the vertue of constancie shined the cleerer. Black had her fortunes beene so were her habits, sad her face, and her countenance not heavy, but grave: the Knight was a brave Gentleman, for his inward parts learned and honest, but lame by blowes in his youth when hee travel'd, as hee had in most parts of Christendome; his Lady a young woman, cheerefull and pleasant, the daughter of a great Lord, and Sister to as fine a Gentleman as was in that Kingdome: but the Prince most marked the sad Lady, of whom hee enquired, after some complements and a little acquaintance of the Knight, who would needs stay the Prince there that night, the Lady went away, having not above some sixe or seaven miles to ride to her fathers. After her going, there came to the same place a Knight, not a youth, nor a stayed man, forward in speech, and so valiant and bountifull of it, as he would (where ever hee came) have all the talke; some being angry at him for it, who thought they could speake as well, and it may be better, but hee carried it with his boldnesse, and unlesse any would fight with him hee would doe so still. Some laugh'd at him, and said hee rung such peales of discourse, as were sufficient to bee reckoned among those rung for triumph, or joyes for Nuptialls; others pittied him, as fearing it a disease, or Palsie in his tongue, but all admir'd hee held out so long with matter, unlesse hee had as strange a faculty in his braines of perpetuall working, and so made that motion in his tongue to rid her burthen. The Prince much wondred at him, thinking hee was led thither to see the Prince of contrarieties, the first Lady as silent, as he talkative, the others in a reasonable good meane like himselfe, thinking them both strange; at last, as the round of this most dicoursing Knights thoughts, came to the height, hee began to speake of the Lady. Did you ever, said hee, see a sweet Lady so much changed as shee is? I knew her, and so did you, a faire, dainty, sweet woman, noble and freely disposed, a delicate Courtier, curious in her habites, danced, rid, did all things fit for a Court, as well as any brave Lady could doe? what can change her thus? they say shee is in love: would that man were hang'd would suffer such sweetnesse to decay by his curstnesse: but I thinke and believe it is so; for I have made love to her my selfe, and shee refused mee, who never before heard the word of deniall. I offer'd her Horses, though shee wanted good ones at that time, yet shee would not take mine, nor presents from any for feare of offending him, who presented her with nothing but scorne. I made Verses to her, said them to her, who commended them faintly, and instead of thanks, said some of his to mee, as to let me see, that as hee was most deare to her; so was all that hee did or belonged to him. I have a Brother was in my case for her love, but more griev'd; for she usd him scarce civilly, mee shee ever did respectively, and that wrought so much with mee, as I hate the woman hee loves, and is the cause of her trouble for her sake; but for mine owne part, I can beare her denying mee well, by reason I can love as often as I see cause, and stay no longer on it; nor staid hee there, but with this last word tooke his leave, onely saying, hee would follow the Lady, if but to vexe her, as easily hee might doe, or any other discreet person, if hee continued his talking travell, which was more wearisome then travell it selfe to a quiet Spirit. When hee was gone, the Roome was like a calme after a storme, or as after foule weather the Ayre is silent, and sweet: so all being quiet, they pleas'd themselves as Birds in the Spring, with their owne tunes: but then did the Florentine desire to heare more of the Lady, which the Knight with much respect to him, and honour for her, deliverd thus. Noble Prince, said hee, if I goe about to tell you her Story, I must undertake to tell you the most unfortunate, of the most deserving woman that ever was, and venter to relate a businesse which I shall bee unable to deliver to her worth, or the excellency of the matter; but this I may say for her, shee was the vertuousest and fairest Maide in this Kingdome, the unfortunateliest married, and unhappiest wife this Countrey had, the most desolate and grieved Widdow; for in all estates that ever shee was in, if shee had a shew of good, shee had substances of ill and mischiefe to succeed. In her youth, or (indeed) infancy, shee loved a brave Knight, who deserv'd all love and respect: but yet hee had a fault, as most men have. I was his companion, and knew as much of him for some time as any did; yet that was a secret, and I never (intruth) mistrusted it, till I was gone into a retyr'd life, and a change growne among us all, being divided severall wayes, and scattered like Hayle: Shee call'd to the Court, continued her begun love, hee fell in love with her, and so much as hee raged almost with passion till hee discover'd it, being for a while (as hee vowed himselfe neere madnes; but as passions are hot, and in youth more flaming, then afterwards mature judgement will permit, hee grew slacker, shee griev'd, lost her content, and yet thinking to please him, as that being her onely end, refrain'd (fearing as seeing his dislike and scorne to her) his presence, hoping to content him with giving liberty to his new choyce. This, whether offending, or (as hee tooke the matter) making it seeme an offence, she lost his love; and not onely that, but hee made it appeare that hee loath'd her: Shee (sweet Creature) whose heart to him, was but as the softest part of his to his new Mistris, so grievously tooke this curst hap, as shee melted into griefe, as Virgins waxe with the heate of fire will into water, and yet thereby the coldnesse of that Element grow hard, as frozen by coldnesse: So was shee clos'd in cold despaire; yet not hardened, but with that, not with hate, or dislike, suffering as patiently, as a dead body permits handling, by any rude standers by; shee onely felt paine of love, and into that was metamorphosed. All delights shee cast from her, all exercises left, cover'd her misfortune with the losse of her Husband, when as, if her love had continued true, shee had in the other losse beene happy; but as it fell out, a most unhappy creature shee was, and is. An ancient Lord, old in age and antiquity of honour, made love unto her; shee was not only perplex'd with him, but with her friends and Parents, hee being infinitely rich; but shee finding that her heart (as shee cal'd him, and as that was subject to him cal'd it selfe his) would not consent, shee refus'd, and with great joy that hee lov'd her so well, as hee could not thinke of imparting her to any other, though sure enough, that hee could not hold her long, Death being gaping for him. After she denied men of all sorts for age, and fortune, who durst take the boldnesse to sue to her; Lately a young Duke of this Countrey made profer of Love to her, but shee not willing to entertaine him, would not belee ve hee meant it, and so perswaded him out of it; yet he lookes after her, followes her when hee may, meets her where hee can have opportunity, smiles on her, seekes to please her in all he may, and in some things doth, for he never speakes to her (but by lookes) of Love; his company she allowes of out of noblenesse, and out of true love will not heare of his love. An ancient Lord also, and a mighty rich man for estate, (but in yeares) seekes her, shee will not understand it; He sends to her, invites her to his dwellings. Shee finds still excuses, and neglects civilly. Hee vowes to finde her out, and court her. She flyes, and takes journeys unthought on to shun him, and al this is for love, that so she flyes Love, willing to warme her hands at the fire of honour, but dares not come neere the love-fire for feare of scorching, while shee burnes in her owne flames; never any more belov'd woman breath'd, nor ever will or can breath so true a loving woman. What hath shee left unexprest to manifest her affection in all kindes? life shee hath ventur'd, honour lost, beauty and all happinesse dead, while shee growes old in her truth of love, and hath but that for her owne satisfaction to content her selfe withall, and that is riches unspeakable, when in her owne soule shee can say, I am just; yet suffer for it, as if a fault, what is then a vertue, when such perfections are errors? One pretty tale shee now, as you came, told me, her still beloved friend came into her company by Adventure, having with him a deare companion of his, newly growne into that league of friendship, and brought by him into the same with all his friends. This Gentleman, seeing her discreet, grew into discourse with her, she loving all that loved her; lov'd, even his Mistris for his sake, was well pleas'd with his conversation, and so neere they grew, as he spake freely to her, and she confidently to him: so much she saw in him, as she knew he knew most of her fortune; she grudged not his knowledge, for a nobler man breathes not, as shee sayes, except her owne friend, and hee must before her have no Competitor nam'd, for worth or any goodnesse, though shee suffer for his ill, so excellent hee yet appeares to her. But this brave Gentleman at last with freedome began to perswade her to leave her constancie, which would but hurt her, and continue no other wayes true then truely to say shee had lov'd longer, and justlier then hee: but seeing no returne nor hope, no longer to bee a slave, when she might bee free, nor to him who deserv'd so ill from her, as if shee lov'd ill so well as to bee bound to it; yet did hee never name his friend, though by discourse said, he knew him, ever protesting to name none in such kindes. Shee only answerd this, that so much she lov'd and honour'd truth, as shee desir'd shee might live in that (if a fault) and grow old with such a vertue, whose worthines would give her youth, and eternity in comfort, and honor to the world, her wrincles by truth would bee closed, and shee seeme as faire as ever; her palenesse and losse of complexion restor'd by the rarenesse of such a vertue; and her Age, as by Medeas charmes turn'd to infancy in the cleerenesse and ablenesse of such worth. Hee lamented her misfortune, shee smil'd to heare him so much mistake, and told him 'twas her perfection: this is the error, said he, of women, and yet not generally doe they erre in this kinde; so as I may only say of a woman, and of one of the best, and therefore the more to be pittied. The Florentine did naturally love strange things, and such as could hardly be compass'd, wherefore hee had a great desire to see this Lady againe, and to court her, and so resolv'd to trye his fortune, hav ing as he thought, as much boldnesse and winning power as any man. To helpe him on, the same talking Knight came againe the next day, being the most absolute endlesse Visitor in Brittany; he confidently promis'd to bring him thither where she was, and to put them together, and then said he if thou dost win her, thou hast better luck then all the brave bold Brittaines have yet attaind unto. This familiarity seem'd od, yet the Florentine had his end also, and bore with his (as he heard it in his language) rudenes; so they tooke their leaves of the lame Knight, and went the neerest way to her abiding; but before they arriv'd there, the Florentine had so much of his companions tongu, as he would have given a great part of his hopes to have been rid of him. At the last they came to the Castle, shee was not at home, but rid forth to take the Ayre; they being Knights never were out of the way; so they follow'd her and found her sitting in a great wood reading some papers, which were Verses her love (in the time of his affection to her) had made, and given unto her: she read them, wept, kiss'd them, wrapt them up, put them into her brest, to print the stampe on the outside, as they were ingraven in the inside, sigh'd, wiped her eyes, and yet some bold teares had kiss'd her quaking lips, ready, but affraid to part, & say he was unjust; for the very unjustnes matyr'd her, and the saltnesse of those drops made her taste her curst fortune. They approach'd, she changing her countenance and now almost ashamed to seem so good, he proving so contrary, whom she thought the best, almost doubting if it were not ill to bee good among so many ill, and such as contemned goodnes; yet bold in her selfe, arm'd with the rarest vertue, and knowing that enough to justifie her, and defend her, she met them; they with reverence fit to give and to be taken by her, saluted her, then the everlasting Speaker, who never ceased talking, no more then Brookes on Pebbles leave murmurring, told her the desire they had to kisse her hands. Shee said they had much honour'd her with that visit; the Florentine with delicate language spake, she with much modesty and respective fashion entertain'd him: much he admir'd her grave and yet courteous manner, the eloquence she spake such, as made him thinke she was the best spoken woman he had ever heard, and the greatest part of her eloquence was the plainnes, but excellently well plac'd words she deliverd, her speech was as rare and winning, as the Knight troublesome, and most times idle; yet such he esteem'd his wit, and the continuance of his babling was so usuall, as he could not hold, but interrupted them, and fell into his old fit of gabling. The afflicted Lady look'd sadly on him; but when she saw how grievously the Prince tooke his interrupting of them, she smil'd, and to her selfe said; would my paines could bee thus partaken, then would my suffering be the lesse; but oh, none are fit to know mine but my selfe, none then to suffer them. The Florentine he chaf'd so much, as hee could not frame with patience any one thought, but with a confusion of dislike, stood gazing on him, who talk'd on, and regarded, or not, said Verses, spake Prose, and rime againe, no more heeding answers (so hee heard himselfe) then if he had rav'd or talk'd in his sleepe: Yet at last there was no remedie but shee must heare some lines the Knight lately made in commendations of his Mistresses eyes, and blaming her being sleepy in the morning, when shee should have beene up to entertaine him; the Verses were these. Rise, rise from sluggishnes, fly fast my Deere, The early Larke prenents the rising lights: The Sunne is risen, and shines in the rights Of his bright glory, till your eyes appeare. Arise, and make your two Sunnes so cleare show; As he for shame his beames call backe againe, And drowne them in the Sea for sorrowes paine; That you, Commandresse of the light may know, The dutie Sunne, and all must yeeld to you Where richnesse of desert doth lie imbracd, Night by your brightnes wholly now defac'd, And Day alone left to you as lights due. Yet be as waighty still in love to me, Presse me with love, rather then lightly flie My passions like to women, made to tie Of purpose to unloose, and oft be free. Thus may your lightnesse shewing ruine me, I cannot live if your affections dye, Or leave off living in my constancy Be light and heavy too, so wee agree. These I protest before God (said he) I made at the instant, when I saw shee was not up, nor reddy, and many more I made to her, an others, on the sudden. I seldome thinke of them, but naturally they come unto me; many of my Ancestors hath been Poets, and so I succeed in that qualitie, and I like it well, it passes away the time well, and some of my songs I have set, and song them. But when he talked of singing, the Florentine was then ready to die, for halfe dead hee was with the noise of speaking, singing added to it would utterly have ruined him, so as he was forced to say, My Lord, we came hither to visit this excellent Lady, and short time I have to enjoy the happinesse of her sight; let us therefore I beseech you, gaine so much favour, and honour from her, as to heare her say some thing of her selfe. It is well said, cryd he, and since the Prince desires to heare your story, I pray let him have it. I have not (answered she) ready, or perfect delivery of speech so well as you; therefore if it please you, especially of the Prince, I desire to be excused, since I can onely when I have said all, but conclude, I am as you see me, the most unhappie, unfortunate, miserable, lost woman, that can be found breathing. Then did the teares againe fall from her eyes, but so lovely she appeared in sorrow, as it was almost equall in sweetnesse, and winning, to joy, and as powerfull in command, for it fully conquered the Florantine, never after being cured but by death, living many yeares, and loving constantlie to his death, a rare, and seldome knowne thing among men, of his ranke especiallie. Night now grew on, so as they tooke their leaves; faine the Prince would have staid, but she never, or wondrous seldom invited any, though if they came and staid, she did welcome brave, or needing men; two tortures were he now fallen into, parting from her, & going with him, whose noise would make him mad, his heart being opprest with melancholly, & but justly was he punisht for aspiring ever till that time to love, and win this, he saw the Emperour loved: as if being his servant, he were bound to like as he liked, and love as he loved, which did not please his Master, nor got him much gaine, if not where no gaine was by winning. Once more he must see her, and rather then misse his desire, he perswaded his silent companion to accompany him, which he did, and taking Hounds with them, as if both to visit, and shew pleasure, they tooke their journey. They came where she lay, and with much adoe got her abroad, who rid daintily, and which qualitie did more (if more could be) intice, and inflame the brave Prince, who still attended her, she as little, as hee infinitely fond, still accompanied her, who finding it, meant to put him, beside his ordinary Knightly pace, and if he would be with her, take paines like a good honest Forrester; wearier he had been with this chase, which was of a Stagge, then of three dayes travell, but she was there, as his heart told him, fainting would never win such a spirit; so hee spurred on, and she rid from him; at last the Stagge fell, and so the hunting ceased with the death mote. Home they al returnd, and with much glory and losse, glory for victory, losse of hearts: backe to the Knights house the Companions went, whence the next morning the Prince of Florence was called by an Adventure of some joy, an Esquire came unto him, who had been in many Countries to seeke him, and by meere chance cast upon this shoare as they were, was informed that three brave Knights were there lately arrived, being in the West part of the Country of Brittany, by their description they seemed to bee some of those he sought, and so finding him, was much comforted with hope of the others. He was sent from the Duke of Burgundy, whose good hap it was to goe the right way, and find the Emperour after some time, and much trauell; this gave great content to the Prince, yet grieved he was to part out of Brittany, but necessitie did compell him, so as away he went, taking his leave of the Knight, who was most kind, and freely noble, leaving him in trust to doe a friends part in remembring his service to the Lady. With the Squire he posted with as much speed, as that Country would give him leave, taking first to the place, where his two Companions parted from him. There arriv ed (as hee did) at that instant, but unarmed, and all in Willow colour; the Prince of Venice, who had fallen on this Adventure, riding downe the way allotted him, he came at the end of three dayes travell to the side of a most delicate and sweet River, being indeed one of the best of Brittany; at that place there was a passage to crosse to the other side, hee tooke boate there, and landing, came into very rich grounds, but not much pleasant, that soyle being rather for profit then pleasure; but passing that, he found a most delectable Country, being a Forrest, and the daintiest of all those parts, seeming rather an exact piece of curiositie, then an habitation for wild Beasts, woods, plaines, corne grounds, and delicate Springs, many brave dwellings, and faire and fine houses in abundance, so as they seemd as the Banquetting-houses to so many excellent Gardens: the Woods were not great, but pleasant, every field as it were fringd, and laced about with trees. The Prince rode on, much in admiration of this place, following a prettie Brooke, which with the sweete murmuring and pleasing passing invited him to follow him, as if by loving whispers hee had intreated him, he understood it so, and so rid beholding him with as much kindnes, till at last hee brought him into a faire Meddow, there hee grew as if angrie, he had not said some thing in his commendations, to swell and grow high with spite, but calme still, and faire, and well might he be so, for close by on the banke lay such a Shepheardesse as Urania was, and that is sufficient expression for her perfections, her Hooke and Scrip lay by her, her bright and delicate haire looked like straw in the Sunne, when his glistering beames shine on it, and that receives, and payes equall lusture: yet shee to grace the straw more (or fearing her parcialitie should bee by the Sunne corrected for wearing other beames then his, or else punished for being neere equall) had to defend his blowes a Hat of that matter, on her more radient rayes, shunning the Sunnes hot kisses, or envious touches. She was tying flowers together, the rest lying in her Lap, and she picking out those she best liked, casting some others into the River, which smild in thanks to her for those favours. As she thus playd, so did her Sheepe and Lambs by her: as free in joy, as shee was from love, or any such vexation: full were her eyes, and full of commanding power, her forehead was most covered with her Hat, as in pity for feare of murdring with the clearenesse, and azure veined purenesse, yet her smoth cheekes, plumpe soft lipps, and delicate fine chin, shewed a field of conquest, where still they held the victory, her hands bare (making up her Nosegay) said by their unmatched whitenesse, that they were to be adored, not put to use, unlesse to cherish hearts, their softnesse knowing no hard worke, could not be cruell, but gentle to wounds, by themselves especially given. Were not here allurements sufficient to draw the Venecians heart to servitude? certainely farre lesse would have had power to melt the most iron breast of any Italian, whose hearts are all apt enough to love, but here his admiration staid his love to wonder, yet wonder brought at last resolution to love, and goe unto her, had not he a little been interrupted by the comming of a Lady towards the Shepheardesse. This Lady came, as it seemd, from an house on the top of a Hill, which wel might thither, and many miles further he discride, a Grome some halfe a mile below it on the descent of the Hill, out of which she did seeme immediately to come. She came alone accompanied onely with a Booke to the Rivers side, but on the contrary side of them, and chearefully (affection gloriously shining in her eyes) saluted the Shepheardesse, who instantly arose, and with as kind and loving lookes answered her salutations. The Lady said, that the water was now prooved to be as dull an Element, as the earth which joyned with her here in heavy thwartnesse to hold them asunder, ignorant of such spirit, as love had in their hearts in desire of meeting. Here is a Bridge (said the Shepheardesse) if you will venture. I am ill at such a businesse, said the Lady, and you little better, we may both fall in. With that the Prince drew neare, and offerd his service to them: they accepted it, and he pulling off his Gauntlet, tooke the Lady by the hand, and safely led her over; then did the two (lover-like) women kisse, and embrace each other: when their owne passions were a little satisfied, then they both thanked the Knight, desiring to know what accident brought him thither, especially armed, where little Armes was required, or used; blessed Peace, the comfort of soules, having only government in that place. He said, he was a stranger, & but lately arived in those parts, being the Prince of Venice, by chance cast on the Brittan shore, whence he came, he had bin much out of fashion if he had not been in Armes, and being so, you are as much out here, said they, and therein is our happinesse. Have you no Knights Adventurers in this Countrie, said he? Knights we have (said the Lady) good store, and adventures; but they seldome are put together, our Knights leaving the adv enturing part, unlesse out of necessitie, none loving a happy, and worthy peace better, and none abler, or braver in warre, when occasion calleth on them: but if you will trie adventures, here are many in this place, severall Inchantments, and divers hard waies to attempt them; Charmes are here in abundance also. So it appeares, saith he, for you doe carry charmes enough about you to overthrow Armies of hearts, then making so many yeeld, how can you be but in peace, when none dare warre against such powers. Wee are armed with strong resolutions, said the Shepheardesse, and defended by our owne vertue, so as wee feare no enemy, if not lurking in our owne breasts, which yet have not appeared, I am certaine have not had the boldnesse to adv enture in my sight. How free you are (said the Lady) while I that live in the same State, am yet environed with enemies: I had the same subject-like freedome which you had, yet I have yeelded to another Prince, and in that am a Traytor; for alas I have another Monarchy ruling in me, then the true one of this Country. This is a strange confession, said the Shepheardesse: but for Loves sake, how long hath it governed, and what is it? The same Lord, in whose name you conjure me. How, cryed the Shepheardesse? why dearest Lady, can your incomparable wit, matchlesse spirit, unparalleld judgement, unspeakable discretion, unusuall knowledge, pearelesse learning, and most admirable vertue yeeld to the poore, meane, wayward, foolish and weakest passion; you that have conquered hearts, and millions of them, while you have gloried in your owne strength and power, rightly to be made an example to all your sexe for constant worth and worthy confidence, will you fall lower then my companions, poore and weak Shepheardesses, let your spirit awake, and open your eies to vertue, it is she calls upon you. It is shee shall rule me, said the Lady; for none but a vertuous love will I take, or yeeld unto, and in such is vertue requisite to be called to counsel. You will all flatter your selves said the Shepheardesse, and Love that blind Devill which deludes you, bringing you on, as men doe children by Plums, to have them doe as they desire; so this false God will abuse you with his crafty delusions, he will make all faults shew as faire, and rich as Diamonds; but the richest of them taken inwardly, are poyson; hee will paint over his worst cousenages with vertue to intice you; but won, hee will appeare in other colours: hee will guild his bitterest pills with golden promises, rich hopes, and all falshoods, and when; You have said your worst, replied the Lady, and wee considered all, I must love, and so I hope shall you deare friend, if but for loves honours sake, since an enemies gaining is more honour, then the conquest of hundreds of us that are profest his enemies. A goodly profession certainely (said she), and a great purchase you have yet to enrich your selfe withall, who had lately the richest stocke, and treasure of true, noble, and vertuous freedome. The Lady tooke her in her armes, and smiling kissed her, Chide me not dearest Celina, I cannot helpe nor alter my fortunes, run not on the errour that I can withstand the power, commands from Kings to your companions; for who are (unlesse your selfe) free; what man ever lived, that loved not, or woman breathed, who had not some affection; not your selfe but love, if but this life; I love where I may gaine happinesse, and the truest end for which we are, and to which I hope you will come: then Oh doe not you afflict me with blaming me, my love to you shall be no lesse, but rather more, since the better I know how to love, the better, I shall love you. A fine and rare conclusion truly, said Celina, and just lover-like to deceive your selfe; in troth Love hath played her part well in so short a time to instruct you thus perfectly: but if you pardon your loving, I can scarce doe so for your cursing me, since wishing me to be a lover is a flat curse; pardon me thus you may (said Rossilea), since I wish you as my selfe. With that the Prince, who was taken with the Shepheardesses love, came in to part the loving, yet for love disputing friends, little needed any peace-maker betweene them, whose affections to each other were so twined in union, as could not be unwoven by any workeman but death, yet he loving and pleading for love, they all sat downe joyntly lovers, he loving her, the Lady her Servant, the Shepheardesse her liberty. The Prince then looking on her, who so much scorned lov: and speaking to the other subject of affection, entreated hee might be so bold, as to beseech the favour of her, to know who she was, and the manner of her love, she answered, she would not deny that request, but tell her story with so much truth and passion, as shee could, hoping by it to win the Shepheardesse to bee her fellow in service, as her chosen friend in love. You must use strange eloquence (said she) to perswade me to such a servitude; but if ever I fall into it, it will be to keepe you company, yet dearely should I buy such a friendship. As they were thus going about to relate their stories, the Shepheardesse started up, saying, she saw her sheepe disturbed, and frighted at something by the banke, as they were going to drinke; shee ran thither, and looking to see what it was, found a man drowned, as she thought; she with that cried out, and the other two came hastily to her, and altogether helping her, lifted him up, no sooner had she (faire and loving Lady) seene his face, but she forgot the delicatenesse of her greene Velvet Gowne, the richnesse of her faire carnation, imbrodred peticote, her white shooes, and rich laced shooties, all was cast aside, and he being laid on the banke, she laid her selfe in the wet, and on the ground by him, rubd his pale face, wept, cryd for helpe, did all that a friend, a servant, but most a lover could doe for his recovering. Elina saw the care her friend had of him, & with what affection she sought his saving, she thought it charytie, she liked the vertne, she seemed to lament with her as her friend, she counterfeited not but in truth sorry, yet at first she immitated Rossalea, first knew not alasse how to greive, but so she played till it was so perfectly counterfeited, as she acted beyond that part, and in earnest greived; palenes heere wonne more then beauty, that to her was the greatest beauty, wannes and dead lookes, more then chearefull colour, cold lips more then warme living ones, heate yet in them to burne her: shee who could not like a living Prince, or any man, falles in love with a dead man; can such fire rise out of ashes if not kindlied by love the truest fyre; she who hated love, loves in the most miserable sort, she who contemned affection, affects an image of a man; nay, she who chid her friend for this fault, as she calls it, falls into a greater, and more to be disliked, for she doth not only love, but loves hopelesly, not only a man, but a stranger, and not but which was above all a man fittest to be for his worth beloved, but her friends chosen love; here is love just in powre and punishment: Now may Rossalea not only blame her friend but her selfe, for had she not instructed her, and wisht her captivity she had never thought of it, had shee not commended love shee had still continued an enemy unto it, but had shee not so passionatly loved, and shewed the way by her affectionate and deare expression, shee had not knowne how to entertaine those flames, or practise the use of them. Now Rossalea sigh's, rubs his temples, layes her lips to his as if to feele if he breathed. Celina doth so also, but when she toucheth his lips shee finds a new paine, and yet she stayes on them, and thinkes, nay sweares, Love was a fine powre, and that she infinitly offended while she did not love, and then vowes if life come againe to him she will love him, and needs must I said she, for if in death he be thus lovely and winning, how rare will hee be in life? then shee considers he may be the man, her friend loves, seeing her unusuall griefe for him, and care of him; frendship then comes in, but love prevailes, and to give her due punishment deluds her as she before told, and described the truth of loves falshood, and in the same kind she had told Rossalea he used her, thus she falleth into the snare she perswaded her to avoyd, being fedde with hope by this blinding spirit, that this might be the much admired brother of that Lady, but hope had not heere so setled a ground, but that some other of loves followers came in also; jealousie appeares in yellow mantles drest against Rossaleas kissing him: why, said shee, if hee bee her brother doth she so affectionatly kisse and imbrace him, with such deerenes as I doe who love him; and if her love, why should shee doe this before mee who so much affect him? Or why should shee be so unkind to her friend, to manifest her passions before my face to vexe me; at last so full of raging love she was, as shee would scarce let the Lady touch him, who poore woman could hardly doe it, griefe so abounding in her, and what ease shee had was only that she saw she should want nothing, Celina her friend being so carefull of him, this care she imputed to love, love indeed it was, but not as shee tooke it to her only, but meerely to him, here did that little, though great conquerour play a master prize; the poore Venetian strove as much by way of helping as either, and at last searching about him, found a wound in his left side, whereout issued into his cloathes much blood, the wound hee stopped and bound neatly up, then with the continuall rubbing him, and throwing water in his face, he came a little againe to himselfe, breathed, and in a smal space looked up, and seeing his life in his Mistresse before him, strove to expresse his joyes, what could shee doe, weepe and wash his face with her teares, holding each other in their armes twined like bowes wee call twins; one dying, the other but a little flourishing, hee weake, and his armes though shaking, yet withall her affections power held her, shee loving as much as hee, with her armes incircled him, and withall tendernes and love closed him in her breast; Celina embraced both, loving both as their kinds were; in excesse on the other side the Venetian held all three, so as the foure made in their crosse embracements a truelovers knot, and so it was on some parts; poore Celina, I pitty thee, but what helpe can be found for thee? alasse none, insolent thou wert to love; scornfully, peevishly reviling him, and now but deservedly thou art pained, and he justly revenged: this is scarce the enterance, what will be the successe? paine, torment, losse, affliction, mourning, lamenting, pining, nay, dying, and this will be the conclusion; wofull profits, but such as revengefull love allotteth thee; let never woman (especially hereafter) be so bold to contest, nay contemne so powrefull a godhead; when this small remainder of life had a little stayed, and gained some other poore addition to it, the Lady with all love and care entreated Elina to call some boy of hers (as some she had to looke to her flocks) and send him to her house for her Coach to carry him thither, she called a lad but loath she was to goe on the message, both for going from him, and by that meanes to have him carryed from her; but the Venetian tooke his horse, and being directed by them to the safest foord, rode to the house and speedily with the Coach returned, bringing a bed in it the easelier to carry him without shaking, or opening his wounds, the faire sheepheardesse mourned much at this parting; but one must suffer, and now it is her part and time; being come to the house, Chirurgions are presently sent for, and soone brought, for a great Citty was not far off; life was then assured him, but a long time they thought it would be before he recovered, so much blood he had lost, and the long lying in the water had hurt the wound and would hold it something longer from healing, mother never was so tender of a child, as Rossalea of her love; the Venetian as ready as a frend to expresse care, yet was he amorous, and in the morning after he had seene the Gentleman had taken rest, he walked forth to find his heart hovering about the body of the Sheepherdesse, passing downe the walke which went to the Grove, he heard not far from him, two discoursing earnestly, the one as repenting, the other threatning; he harkened, though scorning that trick if upon any occasion but profit to his friend, wherein he was most just and observant, this besides leading him by their owne inducing speeches on, saying did I consent to so detestable a fact led by thy wickednesse. Oh Framincus, that not only thy selfe may curse, but I already find the hellish tortures for it, my soule boyles and burns in the flames of my offence, yet thou wickedly sayest thou hast but revenged thy selfe, and done but right in that, my breast swells with sorrow, and I pine in dispaire of pardon, a religious poore thing said hee thou art, and as religion tyes me I must not suffer thee too long to languish; then did he with a Dagger in many places stabb him, the youth (for so the Prince after saw him to bee) patiently, yet sadly taking his ende, committing himselfe to God and admonishing the other to thinke, to whom hee had committed himselfe, and his last hopes. With that the Venetian called Leurenius, step in, and not after the ordinary way taking the hurt body, but the hurter he caught, and using these words held him. Villaine, said he, thus to murther one, whose all and least drop of bloud being staind by thee should so have beene cheerish'd: What canst thou then say in thy defence, or on thy part, to excuse this cruelty? this youth is not onely slaine by thee but tyed to suffer the slaughter having no defence for himself, not only so but as your speeches argue made ill and guilty of bloud, this but annimated and imboldned him having no more order or bounds then the Sea hath in a storme on rotten and yeelding ground: wicked soule what canst thou say to answere thy wickednes? better then you replyed hee, this bold and sawcy inquisition; who authorized you in this examination? who made you inquisitor or judge? truth and pitty said Leurenius: neither ever ruled or had power in mee said Vicianus; I am Lord of my selfe, and much good lands hereabout, I owe now nothing to any, I did, and was indebted to the great keeper of the Forrest, whose command greater then mine I could not suffer, but after many contentions and controversies betweene us, he not the man that would submit or yeeld, I layd a plot for revenge, that being my refuge, and yesterday finding my advantage tooke it, and now am satisfied, for his life I have, and now am free, this creature being my only Counsellor, who hurt dangerously by him, who intruth was valiant and had many good parts, yet drowned them all in the brooke of dislike to my orders which were not to be corrected by him, I so ordered him as wee two I say had his life, and least that should come out, I have now made away with him, so will I doe with you (for in such bussinesses I love no Counsell-keepers, with that he let flye at him with a waighty club of Iron, but Leureneus was nimble, and well used to escape such perrils, so as slipping aside he avoyded it, but withal stept in like a younger brother to possession, & closing with him threw him downe; then possest he himselfe with his armes, and forced him to tell him he had done this ill, he confest it was done by treasons compact, more hee would not say, but by chance watching opportunity, catched the Princes dagger and would have stabbed him, but he quickly prevented it, and made the actor better act his part, shunning the blow, and catching him unprovided, for resistance armed only with mischeife got the dagger from him, and throwing him downe on his knees, made him acknowledge his fault, and make his confession; the cheife Forrester is a great Lord and infinitely powerfull in love of friends and people, but most inricht with the affection of the Lady of the Forrest whom I affected, and who had by the Lords appoyntment, that honour done to her, that title being given her, which madded me as much as her refusing me, which proudly she had done, yet sought I not so much revenge of her, as of her servant, and our Forrest Lord, her affection I hop'd to winne by love or force, he gone whom she affected, and to be rid of him I resolved, and yesterday I dispatched it. This youth, my then in shew cherisht-Lad, slew him with an arrow as hee alone rid to see his walke, and to bee suer of him when wounded, I threw him into the Brooke, where if any seeke they may find him; his wound is on the left side, the instrument a Bow, the weapon abroad arrow, so as now if I dye I have this satisfaction, he goes, and is gone before me. You are said the Prince, much deceived in this, for though hurt, he lives, and to recover wee make no question, but to assure you of it, you shall goe with me, and from him, and his deerest only beloved receive your punishment. Backe hee led him by force, and delivered him unto them, he was by the Officers of that part the Lord being a party having no power to punish him) sent unto the Citty into a sharpe prison, whence hee was conducted to such punishment as the Judges, and Officers appointed for him. Leurenius againe going downe towards the Meddowes to find his heart which in Celinas breast he saw craving love, or pitty, she lying on the ground, carelesse of order, or modesty, allmost distracted, and lying in the most disordered Posture that could be, for so discreet and curious a woman, tumbling on the ground, clapping her breast, sobbing, weeping, crying, all passionate joyned to her masterie: one while she tore her haire, and thrust her face, as it were, into the ground, another time she rated her passions by sufferance, and so challenged reward: then she confest the reasons, and so recald her claime; then she blamd her folly, but quickly commended her love: thus by contrarieties she gained respit, but not ease from her paines, flying like downe in the ayre; miserable bondage, and most so, because to a late free heart. O servitude insufferable, and slavery not to bee endured. Wretched Celina, cryd shee, that have these unmeasured thoughts, and want of power to expresse them but in patience, some lines she put together, but so few, as could make no kind of verse, not having proportion, or number: these indeed, said she, are fit for my making, unmeasurable thoughts leave me, as hope & help abandons me. Then she again vexed to the soule rold on the grasse, and with her teares to the earth, and on it, Receive me deare Mother, said she, into thee, and let me be as I am, once againe with thee. The Prince was grieved to see his soule, which in her was thus perplext, he cryed against his ill, lamented as for her, and in as much distresse as any that ever loved, he governed under the weight of his affliction; he heard her complaine of unfortunate love, he said he might as justly doe so to: she said it was strangly fatall to love so violently at first sight: He shrug'd, and said it was his fate; no complaints she would make that he had not the same cause to dislike, for no payne was in her that hee was not a patient of, yet strong it was, the paines one, the accident one, and cause one, they were by two equall sufferings made divers, and severall. She complayn'd shee could not measure her passions. He, that he could not please her by putting them in measur'd feete, yet to passe the time, having a fine voyce, and skill fit for a Prince, he sung this Songe. 1 Have I lost my liberty, And my selfe, and all, for thee O Love? Yet wilt thou no favour give In my losse thy blame will live; Alas remove. 2 Pitie claimes a just reward, But proud thoughts are thy best guard Once smile: Glory tis to save a life When deceivers are in strife Which to beguile. 3 Your gaine hath my paine begot, But neglect doth prove my lot, O turne, Say it was some other harme, And not your still sought for Charme Did make me burne. 4 Thus may you all blame recall, Saving me from ruins thrall Then love Pitie me, Ile no more say You to cruelty did sway, But loyall prove. 5 Else be sure your tricks Ile blaze, And your triumph Castle raze Take heed, Conquerours cannot remaine Longer then mens hearts they gaine, Worse will you speed. 6 You a King set up by love, Traytors soone may you remove From hy, Take this counsell serve loves will And seeke not a heart to kill, Least both doe cry. She heard him, and liked neither, his tune nor words, her heart another way flying, or staying but to flie further, as taking breath for a longer journey. He looked towards her, she from him, he went as to her, she rose and walked towards the Grove; he followed and sigh'd, she went on, and was deafe to his sorrow; he cried to her, she was silent, and answered not, as not taking his words to her. He overtooke her, and with teares told her his paine; she was sorry for him, and could be so, her owne being so great. Hee said her sight had killed him: she answered, he lived yet (and she hoped should) to be cured of that wound. He said, none but she could cure him. She replide, shee was an ill Chirurgion, else she would not be uncured. Alas, said he, pity me. O pitie, said she, have compassion on me. It is you deere Shepheardesse (sigh he) can and must pitie me. Pitie, said she, hath so little acquaintance with mee, as I cannot inv ite her to me, how then shall I spare so much to you? Your first sight (said he) murdred mee. Alas that first sight, said she, should hurt us both; it is my case, and certainely this is but a charitable paines you take, to helpe me to disco ver my paine, which is so intollerable, and past remedie, as both with our best (and I thinke addition of) wits cannot relate or discover. I but saw you, and my heart was made subject to you. I but saw him, and I was his slave, cryd shee. Would I were that He, said he. So would not I, said she, for then I should not have this pleasure in grieving nor tormenting you. Why, hate you me because I love you? No, answered she, but because I am rejected; I love to see others tortured. I will suffer all tortures, crid he, so you will at last commiserate my woe. I shall in a generall kind, said she; for I shall lament, mourne, and feele my torment, such as I shall pitie all that smart, and so may pity you, but with no more favour, then a privat man may take a Kings thanks, when thousands crie, God save him. Will you permit me to liv, and serve you here, said he. I neede no defendants, said shee, and for servants I have those fitter for my command then you can bee: but Sir let not falshood, or beguiling hopes abuse you, this is no life for you, this no place for your abiding, be your selfe, and fruitlesly follow not what you shall never gaine, proceede in your profession, and as armed against enemies, arme your selfe against this fond affection, I wish you well, but am unable to aide you, my heart is disposed of, you a brave Knight may better fit your selfe with a deserving, and gallant Lady; I wish you all good fortune, but that now you seeke, and as a friend advise you to leave this sute endlesse, and gainelesse. With that she came to a Gate which opened into a fine Grove, she had the key, and opening it, went in; yet at the entring turnd, and with a sigh, a scornefull looke to him, and a slight curtesie bad him farre-well, shutting the doore after her. He (as in that Country they have a Phrase) returned with a cold fire to warme himselfe, if not with his owne flames; yet straight hee went not thence, but a while looked after her, when hee perceived her cast her selfe on the ground at the roote of a Hauthorne, speaking to her self, but the words he directly heard not, at last shee sang with a sad voice, a song the delicate Rossalea had once made, she being perfect in Poetry, it was but finished, when an other Shepheardesse came to her, as sad, and grieved as she was, no difference, but that the former had the greater, and curster spirit; this as much, but milder, and softer; she wept, and had done so long, this distressed Maid did so too, at last they came nearer to speake, and thus they discoursed. What accident, said Celina, hath brought you hither? Sadnesse and mischance said the other. What procured them, said the first? Love, cryd the second, the Lord of hearts, and of yours too I hope, and so should seeme by your lookes. Mine eies and lookes are but true to my heart, said Celina. If they tell you so, they are but the glasses which I see my selfe in, said the other drawne to misery. We are all picturd in that piece, said she, a large cloth, and full of much worke. While they were in this discourse, a third came singing a song merrily, and carelesly of either being heard, or the power of love, it was this, Love growne proud with victory, Seekes by sleights to conquer me, Painted showes he thinks can bind His commands in womens mind. Love but glories in fond loving, I most joy in not removing. Love a word, a looke, a smile, In these shapes can some beguile, But be some new way must prove To make me a vassell love. Love but &c; Love must all his shadowes leane Or himselfe he will deceive, Who loves not the perfect skie, More then clouds that wanton flie. Love but &c; Love, yet thus thou maist me win, If thy staidnesse would begin Then like friends w' would kindly meete When thou proov'st as true as sweete Love then glory in thy loving And Ile joy in my removing. Finely sung (said Celina), but it is an idle subject you sang of, because tis love (said shee), because it is not loving, said the other. Loving (cryd the new come Lasse) then I would sweare 'twere idle indeed: why sweet Celina (said shee) I hope you are none of those poore Vassels, his baby Kingdome consists of; I am one, if you call his royall government such, and I thinke one of his truest servants. Now in troth I lament your mischance (said she) it is a fortune I would not wish mine enemy: yet your friend, said Celina, is fallen into it: then pitie her, and pray for her I thinke, I were best (said shee) for sure all his subjects are in miserable case. I am in it above helpe, or hope of returning; then, said she, both we see nothing is impossible. I rejoyce in your company smilingly, said the first come Lasse, and I lament for you both cryed the last: And I thanke you both, said Celina, and for you I hope ere long by such an occasion, or some worse, you may fall into my fortune. The Prince seeing all the three thus free in discourse, intreated, that hee might be admitted, Celina was perswaded by them, and so they cald him in: then began they againe to talk, at last they went to prety playes, as chusing of Kings and Queenes; the lot fell on Celina, who commanded the Venetian to stay no longer in those parts, but to goe unto his friends, and in witnesse of his captivitie, to travell unarmd, till he met them, or was forced by injurie to put them on. This was more then sport, yet hee obayed, and having liberty to take his leave of the Lady, hee kissed her hand, and departed. The last Shepheardesse that so reviled love, being called Lemnia sigh'd at this parting, loving good company, or him who had gaind from her a more kind conceit, then she had had formerly of mankind, as if the spring to the summer of her love, which increased by a strange heat, growing in absence to the height of flaming, as if the fire of love were so universal, as the warmth like that of the Sun, would heat worlds at a time: so his force serv'd in absence to scorch, nay burne her heart. Shee looked after him as long as shee could see him, and marking his loving lookes backe cast, and sad on Celina, she liked, pittied and lov'd his manner, so him, and at last stole in to be a lover before shee was aware; a crafty Ladd this Cupid is, poore creatures how you are beguiled by him. Celina, and Derina had enough now to please themselves, and vexe her withall, yet sometimes, and often the latter part fell to them, while she pleased her selfe with her passions; these three now soundly captive might daunce the trickes of Love to the tune of Sorrow. Celina loves one whose heart and soule was her friends. Lemnia a Prince stranger, and loving Celina. Derina a brave youth, but married to the Forrest Lords Sister, poore soules, and the poorest, loving thus hopelessely; All they could doe in their best humours, was to lament absence, in the curstest, and worst to raile at Love, and their misfortune, curse sight, hearing, beleeving, and all that were assistants, instruments, or sufferers to these passions; but the Venetian having (as the rest had at first done) sworne to obey what ever he was commanded, went with sad steps up the Hill, his heart falling faster into despaire, then his feet ascended. When he came into the Garden hee met the Lady, who told him some were with her Lord about businesse, therefore intreated him to stay, hee obeyed her, and being loth to have his ill known, which might be imputed to folly in him, to avoyd her question, intreated to heare her story, which thus shee related. My name (said she) is Belizia, daughter to the Earle Marshall of this Countrey, neere allied I am to the greatest of this Land, but onely tyed to this Forrest Lord, for whose sake, I have forsaken all, and live heere a lonely life with him; much my friends, and Kindred were displeased withall, his meanes being small, though his honour and worth great, which I looked on, & loved and so to them gave my heart, and had not this misfortue hapned, the celebration of my gift had beene perform'd to our onely joyes this next weeke, but now must be deferrd, though I trust to be one day happy for all this misery; never man hath beene so loving, nor so constant; nor if I may speake for my selfe, never any woman hath beene so firme and passionate, none yet so secret; for many yeares I loved before I acknowledged it, nay, before any thought I could thinke on such a flame, yet when discover'd, some remembred I had beene a good friend to his pretty godhead, never suffering him to be abused when my power could helpe his honours defence. One of his Sisters was the first mistrusted me, and telling me of it, I denied it, but so blushingly, and faintly, as that was a perfect confession. She loved me so well, as she was glad of it, being sure to have a perpetuall tye on me by this meanes, which though shee might have assured her selfe of beefore, yet Lovers love strictest tyes to bind their loved to them; so much indeed wee loved, as but the faire Celina I affected her onely, and best of woman kinde. The ill man you tooke yesterday, my friends had rather have bestowed me on, but he was contrary to my heart to like, would so I had been to his, then had not my deere beene wounded, nor hee come to so untimely an end, for this last night (before his time for execution, by the Lawe appointed) hee strangled himselfe in the Prison, having nothing but his garters to execute his wicked enterprise: withall when this Story was thus telling, one came unto the Lady, to let her know, that many Ladies were come to visit her, shee then, though unwillingly, tooke leave of the Venetian, whose good, and faire behaviour gave content where ever he did come, but he said, hee was compell'd by necessity, so hee tooke his way, first taking leave of the Lord, his Squire carrying his Armes, he not being to weare any, while hee was in Brittany, by his cruell Loves command. Hee travelled till he came to London, admiring the bravery, and sumptuousnesse of the Citty, but most of the Court, arriving just against a mighty tryumph was to made in honour of the King, and some strange Princes who came of purpose to honour themselves, with kissing his hands. Nobly, and courteously was hee received at the Court, much was hee perplexed with passion, much pittied by all, and as much hee was troubled, that hee was barred from exercising himselfe in those sports, which by reason of his promise to Celina hee could not doe, not being able to weare armes while he was in Brittany, if not for defence, yet at the Ring he ranne, and did it so finely, as the King and all admir'd him; heere hee stayed the conclusion of the tryumphs, then remembring his friends, and oath, he took his leave, taking towards that place where he arrived, just as the Florentine did, but when he saw Leurenius in a Court Suit of Willow colour Sattin embrodered with Gold, his Armour trust up, & carried on a Horse after him, What Metamorphosis is here, cry'd he? Is this Leurenius the brave Venetian Prince, and my friend? While I was worthy, I was so, but now am nothing, reply'd he, but sorrow and despaire. What is the cause said he, & what makes you travell contrary to our vow, unarm'd? Overcome (cryd hee) by the power not equallable of a Shepherdesse, and by her command to leave this Countrey, and to travell unarmed till I met with you, having heard my story, and my former ill fortune, she added this to me the worst of ills. Brittany, said the Duke of Florence, hath beene counted the most pleasant, delightfull, and happiest Countrey in the world, being for all bounty of contents a world it selfe, nothing missing or wanting to the full plenty of happinesse. Yes said Leurenius, pitty wants in the heart of Celina, and in a Lady whom I met, sigh'd the Florentine, and who hath tyed me as fast as you are in the bonds of Love, but not of slavery, for you are a little to far gone, but Leurenius here is good newes, the Emperor is found, and we must straight repaire unto him, Celina to be thus causlesly cruell alas, but is the Emperour found? and you utterly lost, cryd his friend I feare: feare not deare friend, (said he) she will not yeeld, her heart made of these Rocks cannot be pierced, her soule hath no compassion, nor will heare more to pitty, then fire will by supplication when it is ruining the rarest buildings, then feare not I shall goe with you; but said the Florentine you are much alter'd in your speech, your discourse differs, nor is so certaine. All is in mee uncertaine, but my love, that is fixt cry'd hee, I am Love, I love, and will love. His friend beheld him with infinite griefe, cursing the accident that parted them, on the ground hee cast himselfe, a banke by chance being there greene, and cleane, rouled on it, wept, and groveling on the ground, wiped his face againe with it, thus, thus, cryed hee, would I have done at Court, cursing the order that held me from it; my heart swelled with bearing my paines, and all the honours done me were but corsives to my soule, shee, she Celina having banished me. Leave these vain passions said his friend. I must leave my selfe first cryed he. I love deare friend, and if you could love so, you would not wonder at mee but envy my happinesse in being such an one. Such an one, cryed hee, God forbid, I love, and this Countrey I may thanke for it also: this charming Countrey; for no better, shee is fil'd with inchaunting beauties fram'd to tye, and ruine men: revile not this blessed Realme, the flower of peace, beauty, honour, vertue, happinesse, and most of Shepheardesses. I love this Countrey, and I love, did not the valiant Hercules love? Yes, said the other, and spin almost as wise a web as you goe about to doe, certainly (deare friend) I shall in my extremity gaine helpe by seeing your affliction; but man what thinke you of the Emperour? God blesse him, said Leurenius, and make Celina knde, els I dye. His companion was discreet and loving, so he urg'd him no further, but made the Squire tell the story of the Emperour, as his Master the Duke of Burgundy had related it to him, and commanded him to deliver it to the Princes, and as hee found any of them to send them still home. When that unfortunate hunting was past, wherein Amphilanthus was lost, the Queene distrest, and all the Princes scatter'd, the Emperour having got his armes, followed in search of Pamphilia , who was (as he by a villaine was inform'd) stollen away by Theeves, in the wood, hotly pursuing the quest, rage and revenge boyling in his brest, hee hapned on a strange place for thicknesse and obscurenesse; yet the undaunted and loving Prince proceeded till he found a Crowne of stones, of infinite and huge bignesse; weary with travell, he allighted, and thinking to rest, tyde his horse to one of those stones, no sooner was it done, but a terrible, fierce and mighty boare, issued out of the wood, running mainly at Amphilanthus, but he thinking to shun the encounter, and take advantage of the Beast, in his passing, the Horse unruly at the sight of him, did his best likewise, striking at him, but missing him, the Boare with his tuske strake the Horse into the body, so he died. The Emperour troubled as well for the love hee bore the horse, as for his want and danger hee remain'd in with this cruell beast, watch'd opportunity, with vow of revenge, and so as the Boare ran at him, hee step'd aside, and nimbly skipping in againe, thrust him to the heart before he could turne. This was no sooner done, but many men arm'd set upon him, he valiantly, like himselfe, defended his honour and life, one young man unarm'd, but above all most harming him, and pressing more then the rest upon him, he slew, the rest all at the instant vanish'd, and with a blow given that was on the head, which cut him to the eyes, a voyce cryed, Farewell Amphilanthus; the voyce he knew, and presently in stead of that young man, hee saw to his thinking Pamphilia slaine, and by his hand; hee threw himselfe on the ground, striving to helpe her, but shee was carried into a stone which lay in the middest of the Crowne, by whom hee could not see: but how did he labour to hold her backe or keepe her with him, who living never sought, but to be with him, nor now left him, deceipt onely abusing him by this inchauntment; intreat, pull, all would not serve, stronger powers had her, as hee beleeved, and made her inocently offend, and part from him shee intirely and loyally lov'd, and from whom she never slid: into the stone shee was carried, up hee then rose, with his sword striking at the stone, as to hew it asunder, and take her out, but his sword stuck therein: wilt thou leave mee too said he? then his armour he pul'd off which with the blowes those inchanted men strake was much hacked, and blood thrown of purpose, as if shed by him upon it (when hee was unarm'd he laid the pieces on the stone, vowing that should be his monument, being the richest, her heart inclosing him, and there would he dye, a Ring of iron hee then saw, which pulling hard, opened the stone; there did hee perceive perfectly within it Pamphilia dead, lying within an arch, her breast open and in it his name made, in little flames burning like pretty lamps which made the letters, as if set round with diamonds, and so cleare it was, as hee distinctly saw the letters ingraven at the bottome in Characters of bloud; he ran to take her up, & try how to uncharme her, but he was instantly throwne out of the Cave in a trance, and being come againe to himselfe, resolving to dye, or to release her since he found her loyalty, he saw these words onely written in place of the entrance. This no wonder's of much waight, 'Tis the hell of deepe deceit. Admiring it and the words he was called to for helpe by Musalina, her hee saw, she must be followed, Pamphilia is forgotten, and now may lie and burne in the Cave, Lucenia must bee rescued also, her hee saw madly carried by a savage man, he ran towards the place hee saw them goe into, as he thought, then were they there rudely handled, and they carried severall wayes, all that night in the wood he lay, three passions distract him, tyred with running, and laded with griefe, in sleepe Lucenia wan him, all passions now but how to recover her having abandoned him; three dayes hee did wander thus, till at the end of them towards night hee came unto the Sea, there hee saw a savage man take her up in his armes and throw her into a Boate, leaping himselfe after, and when she would have throwne her selfe into the Sea, crying still to Amphilanthus to succour and have compassion of her, the rude wretch tyed her by the hayre, to his leg, and so road away with her. Musalina from the wood againe claming ayd, with her hayre rudely cast about her, and lowdest cryes; the divine powers held him for all this witchcraft, from hurting himselfe, else certainly hee had beene much in danger, what passions hee suffered then cannot be told, a furnace of fiery torments blazing & burning in him, then came on other boats, as standing doubtfully whether to returne to Pamphilia, or follow Lucenia, but force of charmes prevaile, so hee called to that and those in it, offer'd money, pray'd, besought, used all meanes to gaine passage, at last the barke put in, and tooke him aboard, a storme then rose, or as by charmes he beleeved not, yet being free from those divellish witchcrafts, till he arrived at Tenedos, on the shore hee saw Musalina and Lucenia walking, and safe; Musalina having by divellish Art beene the cause of all this. Now had he almost forgot all had past by the inchantment, that being almost finisht, but all things before happening were fresh in his memory, his sword, armour and horse hee had hee thought use of, and now blames himselfe for going so madly and foolishly unarmed, but they saluted him, welcomd him, cherish'd him, hee told his fortune, how pleasant and deare was this to them, and now, said hee, I am disinchanted, and to us most affectionatly welcome said they; no more shall charmes now trouble you, from them, and through them said hee, I have broken, and am come to you, and there is hee still living in much pleasure, the Duke my Master, by his travelling that way, after adventures many and dangerous, landing in Tenedos, where hee happily (because the search ended) found the Emperour, but seeing his resolution tooke his leave of him, and the Princes of Denmarke and Swethland, whom he met and rescued in a cruell fight at Sea against Pyrates, with noble victory, are all returned and gone into their severall Countryes, sending me hither to seeke you, being adv ertised by the ships that brought you hither, asking of all ships and men still for you, that you were by her landed heere, am I faulty said Leurenius to be charmed by love? since the earths glory, and such a Ruler as Amphilanthus can be charmed, Love said the Florantine hath in this greatest triumph; the Duke of Savoy the next day arrived, who told his story thus: after they had to him related the Emperours fortunes, his discourse being of the rescuing of a distressed Lady set on by theeves, who finding advantage by her staying a little behind her company, had ceazed on her, robbed her of her Jewels, and would have shipped her, she lamentably complayned, he comming by heard her, so he relieved her, and her servants wanting her also, came in to her succour, many thankes he had for his noble favours, and most when she knew that he was a great Prince, and a stranger, and would be so free and courteous to a strange Lady: after that adventure being a brave one, sav ing the modest honor of a Lady, he returned with little more knowledg of Brittany, the time short of stay, the places desart and wanting of adventures, Knights none to encounter, peace having with true honor and conquest, taken away those rude troubles, and travels, all these met, they resolved, to goe to their owne homes, and thence send to know what the Emperour would doe, and so resolved, home they went: The Florentine being so free as to leave his heart with the sad loving Lady, the Venetian so mad to give his unrewarded to Celina, but the Savoyan, graver and more stayd, as his yeares were some more then theirs, carryed his home to bestow it in his owne ayre. Amphilanthus having stayd in Tenedos, sometime walking abroad alone, many severall thoughts possessing him, he saw a Nymph sitting by a Brooke side, being in the evening, besides a private and unfrequented place, each Angle and wanton winding embanked with trees, and flowres, reeds, rushes, all other water commodyties richly abounding there, for the service and pleasure of such like her selfe, she stood still behind a large willow tree, while she undressed her, and pulled off her fine aparell, as her upper garments and ruffe, her necke then remayning bare, so as more fine and delicate she seemd, and merrily did she this, singing a dainty song concerning chastity; so pure and mild is the streame neare her thoughts, and actions such as made the Emperour jealous if he could be so, being royally free from such folly, yet tender he was least the Brooke with his cold (and her unused to cold) armes might make her start and so molest her with such unpleasing imbracements, therefore to preserve her from such hazard, and her honor from the danger, her naked simplicity might bring her to, in any hands but his, he spake to her, now was she amazed, bashfulnes, modestie, feare, trembling and all possessing her, yet so prettily in such danger she looked, and such commanding in petitioning lookes she cast, as humility and submission directly governed, but he who was by them, only put in mind of such as once pleased him, he in place of taking, or thinking, of taking these, asking favour, or using power, told her she neede not feare him, who only sought to gaine quiet rest to his thoughts which were wandring to his heart, distant thence by much; then with teares in his eyes, casting them up as unwilling to let such passions gov erne in him, or seeme to doe so in his bravest parts, though he must thus be subject to passion, he walked away toward the house againe, more perplexed then ever; sigh she did, & so, as made every good heart groane to heare them, strangly alterd he grew, the cause none knew, many, most, nay al that saw him, admired, after supper some two dayes being past, the Duke of Saxsony , arriving there, having heard of his being in that Iland, he told the Ladyes that the Squire had bin long without him, and that hee must confesse himselfe extreame negligent, and unworthy of that dignity no more prizing the care of it, wherefore hee resolved with the Duke of Saxony the next morning to take his way towards Germany, and because the wayes were tedious, long, and besides filled with such noble friends of his, as would make him stay longer then he was willing, he would goe by Sea. Musalina and Lucenia were much grieved at this, but reason, and there auncient knowledge of his resolutions if once resolutly taken, not to bee removed, were forced to give consent; Lucenia came with him to the waters side, so to passe over into Romania to the Queene againe to serve her, Musalina so farre brought him and her, there they tooke their leaves. The Emperour and his frendly servant, sayling along the Archipelago, Amphilanthus willed him to tell him his adventure, which he did, having all hapned in Pamphilia, lead therein by marvellous, rare, and unheard passages, then hee told him as occasion brought in, his being at the Nimphs house, where the Queene had laine, her recovering her first love by their meanes and discourse, with the Queenes passion and griefe for him, and his losse, and all the sorrow which after these Adventures were finished he found, and left Pamphilia in, directly assuring him, that in such miserable griefe she remained, as long she could not sustaine. Lastly, how Polarchos kept the crowned Stones, none at his departure being assured of the Emperours life, or being, but within the Stone. These things wrought in him, like drops falling on soft stones, they weare in to them at last, though in the beginning touch & slide off; more &