MENAPHON Camillas alarm to slumbering Euphues, in his melancholy Cell at Silexedra.  
Wherein are deciphered the variable effects of Fortune, the wonders of Love, the triumphs of inconstant Time.  
Displaying in sundry conceited passions (figured in a continuate History) the Trophies that Virtue carrieth triumphant, maugre the wrath of Envy, or the resolution of Fortune.  
A work worthy the youngest ears for pleasure, or the gravest censures for principles.  
Robertus green in Artibus magister.  
Omne tulit punctum.  
LONDON Printed by T. O. for Samson Clarke, and are to be sold behind the Royal Exchange. 1589.   

To the right Worshipful and virtuous Lady, the Lady Hales, wife to the late deceased Sir james Hales; Robert green wisheth increase of Worship and virtue.  
WHen Alexander (right worshipful) was troubled with hottest fevers, Philip the physician brought him the coldest potions; extremes have their Antidotes, & the driest melancholy hath a moistest sanguine; wise Hortenzia midst her greatest dumps, either played with her Children, or read some pleasant verses: such as sorrow hath pinched mirth must cure. This considered; hearing (madam) of the passions your Ladyship hath uttered a late for the loss of your husband, a Knight in life worshipful, virtuous, and full of honourable thoughts; discovering by such passionate sorrows the pattern of a loving and virtuous wife, whose joys lived in her husband's weal, and ended with his life, I thought it my duty to write this pastoral history, containing the manifold injuries of fortune, that both your Ladyship might see her inconstant follies, and bear her frowns with more patience, and when your dumps were most deep, then to look on this little treatise for recreation: wherein there be as well humours to delight, as discourses to advise. Which if your Ladyship shall vouch to accept, covering my presumption and faults which your wont courtesy; I have the wished end of my labours. In which hope resting, I commit your Ladyship to the Almighty.  
Yours in all humble service, Robert Greene..   

To the Gentlemen Readers, health.  
IT fareth with me Gentlemen, as with Batillus the over bold poet of Rome, that at every wink of Caesar would deliver up an hundred verses, though never a one plausible, thinking the Emperors smile a privilege for his ignorance: so I having your favour in letting pass my Pamphlets, fear not to trouble your patience with many works, and such as if Batillus had lived, he might well have subscribed his name to. But resting upon your favours I have thus far adventured to let you see Camillas alarm to Euphues, who thought it necessary not to let Euphues censure to Phylautus, pass without requital. If Gentlemen you find my style either magis humile in some place, or more sublime in another, if you find dark Aenigmaes or strange conceits as if Sphinx on the one side, and Roscius on the other were playing the wags; think the metaphors are well meant, and that I did it for your pleasures, whereunto I ever aimed my thoughts: and desire you to take a little pains to pry into my imagination. Wherein if you shall rest inine, I shall ever as I have done rest yours; and so I bid you farewell.   

In laudem Authoris, Distichon amoris.  

DElicious words, the life of want on wit,  
That do inspire our souls with sweet content;  
Why have your father Hermes thought it fit  
My eyes should surfeit by my heart's consent?   

Full twenty Summers have I fading seen,  
And twenty Flora's in their golden guise:  
Yet never viewed I such a pleasant green  
As this, whose garnished gleades, compare denies.   

Of all the flowers a Lily once I loved,  
Whose labouring beauty branched itself abroad;  
But now old age his glory hath removed,  
And Greener objects are my eyes abode.   

No country to the downs of Arcady,  
Where Aganippe's ever springing wells  
Do moist the meads with bubbling melody;  
And makes me muse, what more in Delos dwells;   

There feeds our Menaphons' celestial Mus●…,  
There makes his pipe his pastoral report;  
Which strained now a note above his use,  
Foretells, he'll near more chant of Choas sport.   

Read all that list, and read till you mislike;  
Condemn who can, so envy be no judge:  
Noreede can swell more higher, less it shriek.  
Robin thou hast done well, care not who grudge.   HENRY V●CHEAR Gentleman.  

Thomas Brabine Gent. in praise of the Author.  

COme forth you wits that vaunt the pomp of speech,  
And strive to thunder from a Stage-mans' throat:  
View Menaphon a note beyond your reach;  
Whose sight will make your drumming descant dote:  
Players avant, you know not to delight;  
Welcome sweet Shepherd, worth a scholars sight.   

Smirna is dry, and Helicon exhaled,  
Caballian founts have left their springing source,  
Parnassus with his Laurel stands appalled;  
And yet His Muse keeps on her wont course:  
Wont said I? I wrong his pains too much,  
Since that his pen before brought forth none such.   

One writes of love, and wanders in the air;  
Another stands on terms of trees and stones:  
When heavens compare yields but the praise of fair,  
And christ all can describe but flesh and bones:  
Yet country swains, whose thoughts are faith and troth,  
Will shape sweet words of wool and russet cloth.   

'mongst whom if I my Tityrus should choose,  
Whose warbling tunes might wanton out my woes;  
To none more oftener would my solace use,  
Than to his Pastorals their mortal foes.  
Sweet verse, sweet prose, how have you pleased my vain?  
Be thou still Green, whiles others glory wain.   
Finis.   

To the Gentlemen Students of both Universities.  
Courteous and wise, whose judgements (not entangled with envy) enlarge the deserts of the Learned by your liberal censures; vouchsafe to welcome your scholarlike Shepherd with such University entertainment, as either the nature of your bounty, or the custom of your common civility may afford. To you he appeals that knew him ab extrema pueritia, whose placet he accounts the plaudite of his pains; thinking his day labour was not altogether lavished sine linea, if there be any thing of all in it, that doth olere atticum in your estimate. I am not ignorant how eloquent our gowned age is grown of late; so that every moechanicall mate abhors the english he was borne too, and plucks with a solemn periphrasis, his ut vales from the inkhorn: which I impute not so much to the perfection of arts, as to the servile imitation of vainglorious tragedians, who contend not so seriously to excel in action, as to embowel the clouds in a speech of comparison; thinking themselves more than initiated in poet's immortality, if they but once get Boreas by the beard, and the heavenly bull by the deaw-lap. But herein I cannot so fully bequeath them to folly, as their idiot art-masters, that intrude themselves to our ears as the alchemists of eloquence; who (mounted on the stage of arrogance) think to outbrave better pens with the swelling bombast of a bragging blank verse. Indeed it may be the engrafted overflow of some kilcow conceit, that overcloieth their imagination with a more than drunken resolution, being not extemporal in the invention of any other means to vent their manhood, commits the digestion of their choleric encumbrances, to the spacious volubility of a drumming decasillabon. 'mongst this kind of men that repose eternity in the mouth of a player, I can but engross some deep read Grammarians, who having no more learning in their skull, than will serve to take up a commodity; nor Art in their brain, than was nourished in a serving man's idleness, will take upon them to be the ironical censors of all, when God and Poetry doth know, they are the simplest of all. To leave these to the mercy of their mother tongue, that feed on nought but the crumbs that fall from the translators tr●…ncher, I come (sweet friend) to thy Arcadian Menaphon; whose attire though not so stately, yet comely, doth entitle thee above all other, to that temperatum dicendi genus, which Tully in his Orator termeth true eloquence. Let other men (as they please) praise the mountain that in seven years brings forth a mouse, or the Italianate pen, that of a packet of pilferies, affordeth the press a pamphlet or two in an age, and then in disguised array, vaunts Ovid's and Plutarch's plumes as their o●…ne; but give me the man, whose extemporal vain in any humour, will excel our greatest Art-masters deliberate thoughts; whose invention quicker than his eye, will challenge the proudest Rhetorician, to the contention of like p●…rfection, with like expedition. What is he amongst Students so simple, that cannot bring forth (tandem aliquando) some or other thing singular, sleeping betwixt every sentence? Was it not Maros xii. years toil, that so famed his xii. Aeneidos? Or Peter Ramus xuj. years pains, that so praised his p●…ttie Logic? How is it then, out drooping wits should so wonder at an exquisite line, that was his master's day labour? Indeed I must needs say, the descending years from the Philosophers Athens, have not been supplied with such present Orators, as were able in any English vain to be eloquent of their own, but either they must borrow invention of Ariosto, and his Countrymen, take up choice of words by exchange in Tully's Tusculane, and the Latin Historiographers storehouses; similitudes, nay whole sheets and tractacts verbatim, from the plenty of Plutarch and Pliny; and to conclude, their whole method of writing, from the liberty of Comical fictions, that have succeeded to our Rhetoricians, by a second imitation: so that, well may the Adage, Nil dictum quod non dictum prius, be the most judicial estimate, of our latter Writers. But the hunger of our unsatiate humorists, being such as it is, ready to swallow all draff without indi●…erence, that insinuates itself to their senses under the name of delight, employs oft times many thread bare wits, to empty their invention of their Apish devices, and talk most superficially of Policy, as those that never ware gown in the University; wherein they revive the old said Adage, Su●… Mineruam, & cause the wiser to quip them with Asinus ad Lyram. Would Gentlemen & riper judgements admit my motion of moderation in a matter of folly, I would persuade them to physic their faculties of seeing & hearing, as the Sabaeans do their dulled senses with smelling; who (as Strabo reporteth) over-cloyed with such odoriferous savours, as the natural increase of their Country, (Balsamum, Amomum, with M●…rrhe and Frankincense) sends forth, refresh their nostrils with the unsavoury sent, of the pitchy slime, that Euphrates casts up, and the contagious fumes of goats beards burnt; so would I have them, being surfeited unawares with the sweet satiety of eloqu●…nce, which the lavish of our copious Language may procure, to use the remedy of contraries; and recreate their rebated wits, not as they did, with the scenting of slime or goats beards burnt, but with the overseeing of that sublime dicendi genus, which walks abroad for waste paper in each serving man's pocket, and the otherwhile perusing of our Gothamists barbarism; so should the opposite comparison of Purity, expel the infection of absurdity; and their over-rackte Rhetoric, be the Ironical recreation of the Reader. But so far discrepant is the idle usage of our unexperienst punies from this prescription, that a tale of John a Brainfords' will, and the unlucky furmentie, willbe as soon entertained into their libraries, as the best poem that ever Tasso eternisht: which being the effect of an vnde●…cerning judgement, makes dross as valuable as gold, and loss as welcome as gain, the Glow-worm mentioned in Aesop's fables, namely the apes folly, to be mistaken for fire, when as God wots poor souls, they have nought but their toil for their heat, their pains for their sweat, and (to bring it to our english proverb) their labour for their travail. Wherein I can but resemble them to the Panther, who is so greedy of men's excrements; that if they be hanged upin a vessel higher than his reach, he sooner killeth himself with the over-stretching of his windless body, than he will cease from his intended enterprise. Oft have I observed what I now set down; a secular wit that hath lived all days of his life by what do you lack, to be more judicial in matters of conceit, than our quadrant crepundios, that spit ergo in the mouth of every one they meet: yet those & these are so affectionate to dogged detracting, as the most poisonous Pasquil, any dirty mouthed Martin, or Momus eu●…r composed, is gathered up with greediness before it fall to the ground, and bought at the dearest though they smell of the friplers lavender half a year afetr: ●…or I know not how the mind of the meanest is fed with this folly, that they impute singularity, to him that slanders privily, and count it a great piece of art in an inkhorn man, in any tapsterlie terms whatso●…uer, to oppose his superiors to envy. I will not deny but in scholarlike matters of controversy, a quicker style may pass as commendable; and that a quip to an ass is as good as a goad to an ox: but when an irregular idiot, that was up to the ears in divinity, before ever he met with probabile in the University, shall leave pro & contra before he can scarcely pronounce it, & come to correct Common weals, that never heard of the name of Magistrate before he came to Cambridge, it is no marvel if every alehouse vaunt the table of the world turned upside down; since the child beats his father, & the ass whips his master. But lest I might seem with these night crows, Nimis curiosus in aliena republica. I'll turn back to my first text, of studies of delight; and talk a little in friendship with a few of our trivial translators. It is a common practice now a days amongst a sort of shifting companions, that run through every art and thrive by none, to leave the trade of Noverint whereto they were borne, and busy themselves with the endeavours of Art, that could scarcely latinize their neck-verse if they should have need; yet English Seneca read by candle light yields many good sentences, as Blood is a beggar, and so forth: and if you entreat him fair in a frosty morning, he will afford you whole Hamlets, I should say handfuls of tragical speeches. But o grief! tempus edax rerum, what's that will last always? The sea exhaled by drops will in continuance be dry, and Seneca let blood line by line and page by page, at length must needs die to our stage: which makes his famished followers to imitate the Kid in Aesop, who enamoured with the Fox's newsangles, forsook all hopes of life to leap into a new occupation; and these men renowncing all possibilities of credit or estimation, to intermeddle with Italian tran●…lations: wherein how poorly they have plodded, (as those that are neither provenz all men, nor are able to distinguish of Articles,) let all indifferent Gentlemen that have travailed in that tongue, discern by their two penny pamphl●…ts: & no marvel though their home-born mediocrity be such in this matter; for what can be hoped of those, that thrust Elysium into hell, and have not learned so long as they have lived in the spheres, the just measure of the Horizon without an hexameter. Sufficeth them to ●…odge upa blank verse with ifs and ands, & other while for recreation on after their candle stuff, having starched their beards most curiously, to make a peripatetical path into the inner parts of the City, & spend two or three hours in turning over French Doudie, where they attract more infection in one min●…te, than they can do eloquence all days of their life, by conversing with any Authors of like argument. But least in this declamatory vain, I should condemn all and commend none, I will propound to your learned imitation, those men of import, that have laboured with credit in this laudable kind of Translation; In the forefront of whom, I cannot but place that aged Father Erasmus, that invested most of our Greek Writ●…rs, in the robes of the ancient Romans; in whose traces, Philip Melancthon, Sadolct, Plantine, and many other reverent Germans insisting, have re-edified the ruins of our decayed Libraries, and marvelously enriched the Latin tongue with the expense of their toil. Not long after, their emulation being transported into England, every private Scholl●…er, William Turner, and who not, began to vaunt their ●…inattering of Latin, in English Impressions. But amongst others in that Age, Sir Thomas Eliots' elegance did sever itself from all equals, although Sir Thomas Moor with his Comical wit, at that instant was not altogether idle: yet was not Knowledge fully confirmed in her Monarchy amongst us, till that most famous and fortunate Nurse of all learning, Saint john's in Cambridge, that at that time was as an University within itself; shining so far above all other Houses, Halls, and Hospitals whatsoever, that no College in the Town, was able to compare with the tithe of her Students; having (as I have heard grave men of credit report) more candles light in it, every Winter Morning before four of the clock, than the four of clock bell gave stroak●…s; till She (I say) as a pitying Mother, put too her helping hand, and sent from her fruitful womb, sufficient Scholars, both to support her own weal, as also to supply all other inferior foundations defects, and namely that royal ●…rection of Trinity College, which the University Orator, in an Epistle to the Duke of Somerset, aptly termed Colona diducta, from the Suburbs of Saint john's. In which extraordinary conception, uno partu in rempublicam prodiere, the Exchequer of eloquence Sir John Cheek, a man of men, supernaturally traded in altongues, Sir John Mason, Doctor Watson, Redman, Aschame, grindal, Lever, Pilkington: all which, have either by their private readings, or public works, repurged the errors of Arts, expelled from their purity, and set before our eyes, a more perfect Method of Study. But how ill their precepts have prospered with our idle Age, that leave the fountains of sciences, to follow the rivers of Knowledge, their overfraught Studies, with trifling Compendiaries may testify: for I know not how it comes to pass, by the doting practice of our Divinity dunces, that strive to make their Pupils pulpit men, before they are reconciled to Priscian: but those years, which should be employed in Aristotle, are expired in Epitomes; and well too, they may have so much Catechism vacation, to rake up a little refuse Philosophy. And here could I enter into a large field of invective, against our abject abbr●…uiations of Arts, were it not grown to a new fashion amongst our Nation, to vaunt the pride of contraction in every manuary action: in so much, that the Pater noster, which was wont to fill a sheet of paper, is written in the compass of a p●…nnie: whereupon one merely affirmed, that proverb to be derived, No ponnie, no pater noster; which their nice curtalling, puts me in mind of the custom of the Scythians, who if they be at any time distressed with famine, take in their girdles 〈◊〉, & swaddle themselves straighter, to the intent no 〈◊〉 being left in their in●…ayles, hunger should not so much tirannnize over their stomachs; even so these men oppressed with a greater penury of Art, do ●…ound their capacity in barren Compendiums, and bound their base humours, in the beggarly straits of a hungry Analysis, least longing after that infinitum which the poverty of their conceit cannot compass, they sooner yield up their youth to destiny, than their h●…art to understanding. How is it then, such bungling practitioners in principles, ●…uld ever profit the Common wealth by their negligent pains, who have no more cunning in Logic or Dialogue Latin, than appertains to the literal construction of either; nevertheless it is daily apparent to our domestical eyes, that there is none so forward to publ●… their imperfections, either in the 〈◊〉 of gloze or translations, as those that are more unlearned than ignorance, and less conceiving than infants. Yet dare I not impute absurdity to all of that society, though some of them have set their names to their simplicity. Who ever my private opinion condemneth as faulty, Master Gascoigne is not to be abridged of his deserved esteem, who first beat the path to that perfection which our best Poets have aspired too since his departure; whereto he did ascend by comparing the Italian with the English, as Tully did Graecacum Latinis. Neither was Master Turbenile the worst of his time, although in translating he attributed too much to the necessity of rhyme. And in this page of praise, I cannot omit aged Arthur Golding, for his industrious toil in Engli●…ing Ovid's Metamorphosis, besides many other exquisite editions of Divinity, turned by him out of the French tongue into our own. Master Phaer likewise is not to be forgot in regard of his famous Virgil, whose heavenvly verse had it not been blemished by his haughty thoughts England might have long insulted in his wit, and corrigat qui potest have been subscribed to his works. But fortune the Mistress of change with a pitying compassion, respecting Master Stanihursts praise, would that Phaer should fall that he might rise, whose heroical Poetry enfired, I should say inspired, with an hexameter fury, recalled to life, what ever hi●…d barbarism, hath been buried this hundred year; and revived by his ragged quill, such carterlie variety, as no hodge ploughman in a country, but would have held as the extremity of clownery; a pattern whereof, I will propound to your judgements, as near as I can, being part of one of his de●…criptions of a tempest, which is thus  Then did he make, heavens ●…ault to rebound, with rounce robble hobble Of ruff ra●…e roaring, with thwick thwack thurlery bouncing 
Which strange language of the firmament never subject before to our common phrase, makes us that are not used to terminate heavens 〈◊〉, in the accents o●… any voice, est●…eme of their triobuiare 〈◊〉 preter, as of ●…me Thrasonical huff-snuff, for so terrible was his style, to all mild ears, as would have affrighted our peaceable Poets, from intermeddling 〈◊〉, with that quarreling kind of verse; had not sweet Master France by his excellent translation of Master Thomas watson's sugared Amintas, animated their dulled spirits, to such high witted endeavours But I know not how, their over timorous cowardice, hath stood in awe of ●…nuie, that no man since him, durst imitat●… any of the worst, of those Roman wonders in english, which makes me think, that either the lovers of m●…diocritie, are very many, or that the number of good Poets, are very small: and in truth, (Master Wa●…son except, whom I mentioned before) I know not almost any of late days that hath showed himself singular in any special Latin Poem, whose Amintas, and translated Antigone may march in equipage of honour, with any of our ancient Poets. I will not say but we had a Haddon whose pen would have challenged the Laurel from Homer, together with Car, that came as near him, as Virgil to Theocritus. But Tho. Newton with his 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 Harvey, with two or three other, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the store, that is left us at this hour. Epitaph●…, and position Poets have we more than a good many, that swarm like Crows to a dead carcase, but fly like Swallows in the Winter, from any continuate subject of wit. The essicient whereof, I imagine to issue, from the upstart discipline, of our refor●…atorie 〈◊〉, who account wit 〈◊〉, and poetry 〈◊〉; whose error, although the necessity of 〈◊〉 might confute, which lies couched most closely under dark fables profundity, yet I had rather refer it, as a 〈◊〉 plea to divines, than set it down as a 〈◊〉 p●…sition, in my unexperienst opinion. But how eu●…r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgements, should decree in their 〈◊〉 sessions of an sit, the private truth, of my discovered Creed in this controversy is this, that as that beast, was thought scarce worthy to be sacrificed, to the Egyptian 〈◊〉, who had not some or other black spot on his skin: so I de●…me him far unworthy of the name of a 〈◊〉, & so consequently, to sacrifice his endeavours to art, that is not a Poet, either in whole or in a part and here peradventure, some desperate quipper, will canuaze my proposed comparison plus ultra, reconciling the allusion of the black spot, to the black pot; which makes our Poets undermeale Muses so mutinous, as every stanzo they pen after dinner, is full pointed with a stab. Which their dagger drunkenness, although it might be excused, with Tam Marti quam Mercurio, yet will I cover it as well as I may, with that proverbial foecundi calices, that might well have been door keeper, to the kanne of Silenus, when nodding on his Ass trapped with ivy, he●… made his moist nosecloth, the pausing intermedium, twixt ●…uerie nap. Let frugal scholar's, and fine fingered novices, take their drink by the ounce, and their wine by the halpeworthes, but it is for a Poet, to examine the pottle pots, and gauge the bottom of whole gallons; qui bene vult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, debet ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. A pot of blue burning ale, with a fiery flaming toast, is as good as Pallas with the nine Muses on Parnassus' top: without the which, in vain may they cry; o thou my muse inspire me withsome pen, when they want certain liquid sacrifice, to rouse her forth her den. Pardon me Gentlemen, though somewhat merely I glance, at their imoderate folly, who affirm that no man can write with conceit, except he take counsel of the cup: nor would I have you think, that Theonino dente, I ●…rme my style against all, since I do know the moderation of many Gentlemen of that study, to be so far from infamy, as their verse from equality: whose sufficiency, were it as well seen into, by those of higher place, as it wanders abroad unrewarded, in the mouths of ungrateful monsters, no doubt but the remembrance, of Maecenas liberality, extended to Maro, and men of like quality, would have left no memory to that proverb of poverty, Si nihil at tuleris, ibis Homere foras. Tut says our English Italians, the finest wits our Climate sends forth, are but dry brained dolts, in comparison of other countries: whom if you interrupt with red rationem, they will tell you of Petrache, Tasso, Celiano. with an infinite number of others; to whom if I should oppose Chaucer, Lidgate, Gower, with such like, that lived under the tyranny of ignorance, I do think their best lovers, would be much discontented, with the collation of contraries, if I should write over all their heads, Hail fellow well met. One thing I am sure of, that each of these three, have vaunted their metres, with as much admiration in English, as ever the proudest Ariosto, 〈◊〉 his verse in Italian. What should I come to our court, where the otherwhile vacations of our graver Nobility, are prodigal of more pompous wit, and choice of words, than ever tragic Tasso could attain too: but as for pastoral Poëmes, I will not make the comparison, lest our countrymen's cred●…t should be discountenanst by the contention, who although they cannot far, with such inferior facility, yet I know woul●…d carry the bucklers full easily, from all foreign bravers, if 〈◊〉 subiectum circa quod, should savour of any thing haught●…e: and should the challenge of deep conceit, be intruded by any foreigner, to bring our english 〈◊〉 the tutcsthone of Art, I would prefer, divine Master Spencer, the miracle of wit to bandi●… line for line for my life, in the honour of England, 'gainst Spain, France, Italy, and all the world. Neither 〈◊〉, the only swallow of our summer, (although Apollo, if his Tripos were upagain would pronounce him his Socrates) but he being forborn, there are extant about London, many most able men, to revive Poetry, though it were executed ten thousand times, as in Plato's, so in Puritans common wealth; as for example Matthew Roydon, Thomas Atchelow and George Peele, the first of whom, as he hath showed himself singular, in the immortal Epitaph of his beloved Astroph●…l, besides many other most absolute 〈◊〉 inventions (made more public by every man's praise, than they can be by my speech) so the second, ●…ath more than once or twice manifested, his deep w●…tted 〈◊〉 in places of credit; & for the last, though not the least of them all, I dare commend him to all that know him, as the chi●…fe supporter of pleasance now living, the Atlas of Poetry, & primus verborum Artifex: whose first increase, the Arraignment of Paris, might plead to your opinions, his pregnant dexterity of wit, and manifold variety of 〈◊〉; wherein (me judice) he goeth a step beyond all that writ. Sundry other sweet Gentlemen I know, that have vaunted their pens in private devices, and triekt up a company of taffeta fool 〈◊〉 their feathers, whose beauty if our Poets had not peecte with the supply of their periwigs, they might have anti●…kt it until this time up and down●… the country with the King of Fairies, and di●…de ●…uerie day at the pease porridge ordina●…ie with Delphrigus. But Tolossa hath forgot that it was sometime sacked, and beggars that ever they 〈◊〉 their farthels on footback: and in tru●…h no marvel, when as the deserved ' reputation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is of force to enrich a rabble of counterfeits; yet let subjects for all their insolence, dedicate a De profundi●… 〈◊〉 morning to the preservation of their Caesar, lest their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 return them ere long to their mediocrity, and they bewail in weeping blanks, the wane of their Monarchy.  
As Poetry hath been honoured in those her forenamed professors, so it hath not been any whit dispa●…aged by William Warners absolute Albion's. And here Auhtoritie hath made a full point: in whose reverence insisting, I cease to expose to your sport the picture of those Pamphleteers, and Po●…ts, that make a patrimony of In speech, and more than a younger brothers inheritance of their Abcie. Read favourably, to encourage me in the firstlings of my folly, and persuade yourselves, I will persecute those Idiots and their heirs unto the third generation, that have made Art 〈◊〉 of her ornaments, and sent Poetry a begging up and down the Country. It may be, my Anatomy of Absurdities may acquaint you ere long with my skill in Surgery, wherein the diseases of Art more merrily discovered, may make our maimed Poets put together their blanks unto the building of an Hospital.  
If you chance to meet it in Paul's, shaped in a new suit of similitudes, as if like the eloquent Apprentice of Plutarch, it w●…re propped at seven years end in double apparel, think his Master hath fulfilled covenants, and only canceled the Indentures of duty. If I please, I will think my ignorance indebted unto you that applaud it: if not, what rests, but that I be excluded from your courtesy, like Apocrypha from your Bibles?  
How ever, yours ever: Thomas Nash.   

Arcadia.  
The reports of the Shepherds.  
AFter that the wrath of mighty jove, had wrapped Arcadia with noisome pestilence, in so much that the air yielding prejudicial savours, seemed to be peremptory in some fatal resolution. Democles sovereign and King of that famous Continent pitying the sinister accidents of his people, being a man as just in his censures as royal in his possessions, as careful for the weal of his country, as the continuance of his diadem, thinking that unpeopled Cities were corrosives to Princes consciences, that the strength of his subjects was the sinews of his dominious, and that every crown, must contain a care, not only to win honour by fortayne conquests, but in 〈◊〉 dignity with civil and domestical insights: Democles grounding his arguments upon these premises, coveting to be counted Pater Patriae, calling a Parliament together, whether all his Nobility incited by summons made their repair, elected two of his chief Lords to pass unto Delphos, at Apollo's Oracle to hear the fatal sentence, either of their future misery or present remedy. They having their charge, posting from Arcadia to the Tripos where Pithia sat, the sacred Nymph that delivered out Apollo's Dylonimas, offering as their manner is their orisons & presents, as well to entreat by devotion, as to persuade by 〈◊〉, they had returned from Apollo this doom.  

When Neptune riding on the Southern seas  
shall from the bosom of his Leman yield  
Th' arcadian wonder, men and Gods to please:  
Plenty in pride shall march amidst the field,  
Dead men shall war, and unborn babes shall frown,  
And with their fawchens hue their foemen down.   

When Lambs have Lions for their surest guide,  
and Planets rest upon th' arcadian hills:  
When swelling seas have neither ebb nor tide,  
When equal banks the Ocean margin fills.  
Then look Arcadians for a happy time,  
And sweet content within your troubled Clime.   
No sooner had Pithia delivered this scroll to the Lords of Arcady, but they departed and brought it to Democles, who causing the oracle to be read amongst his distressed commons, found the Delphian censure more full of doubts to amaze, than fraught with hope to comfort; thinking rather that the angry God sent a peremptory presage of ruin, than a probable ambiguity to applaud any hope of remedy: yet loath to have his careful subjects fall into the baleful labyrinth of despair, Democles began to discourse unto them, that the interpreters of Apollo's secrets, were not the conceits of human reason, but the success of long expected enents; that Comets did portend at the first blaze, but took effect in the dated bosom of the destinies; that oracles were foretold at the Delphian Cave, but were shaped out and finished in the Counsel house. With such persuasive arguments Democles appeased the distressed thoughts of his doubtful countrymen, and commanded by proclamation that no man should prit into the quiddities of Apollo's answer, least sundry censures of his divine secrecy, should trouble Arcadia with some sudden mutiny. The King thus smoothing the heat of his cares, rested a melancholy man in his Courts; hiding under his head the double faced figure of janus, as well to clear 〈◊〉 skies of other men's conceits with smiles, as to furnish out his own 〈◊〉 with thoughts. But as other beasts level their looks at the countenance of the Lion, and birds make wing as the Eagle flies: so Regis ad arbitrium totus componitur orbis: the people were measured by the mind of the sovereign, and what storms soever they smoothed in private conceit, yet they made haye, and cried holiday in out ward appearance: insomuch that every man repaired to his own home, and fell either unto pleasures or labours, as their living or content allowed them.  
Whiles thus Arcadia rested in a silent quiet, Menaphon the King's Shepherd, a man of high account among the Swains of Arcady, loved of the Nymphs, as the paragon of all their country youngsters, walking solitary down to the shore, to see if any of his ewes and lambs were straggled down to the strand to browse on sea ivy, wherefore they take special delight to feed; he found his flocks grazing upon the Promontory Mountains hardly: whereon resting himself on a hill that over-peered the great Mediterraneum, noting how Phoebus fetched his Lavaltoes on the purple Plains of Neptunus, as if he had meant to have courted Thetis in the royalty of his robes: the Dolphines (the sweet conceipters of Music) fetched their carréers on the calmed waves, as if Arion had touched the strings of 〈◊〉 silver sounding instrument: the Mermaids thrusting their heads from the bosom of Amphitrite, sat on the mounting banks of Neptune, drying their watery tresses in the Sun beams. Aeolus forbore to throw abroad his gusts on the slumbering brows of the Sea-God, as giving Triton leave to pleasure his Queen with desired melody, and Proteus liberty to follow his flocks without disquiet.  
Menaphon looking over the champion of Arcady to see if the Continent were as full of smiles, as the seas were of favouts, saw the shrubs as in a dream with delightful harmony, and the birds that chanted on their branches not disturbed with the least breath of a favourable Zephyrus. Seeing thus the accord of the Land and Sea, casting a fresh gaze on the water Nymphs, he began to consider how Venus was feigned by the Poets to spring of the froathe of the Seas; which drove him strait into a deep conjecture of the inconstancy of Love: that as if Luna were his lodestar, had every minute ebbs and tides, sometime overflowing the banks of Fortune with a gracious look lightened from the eyes of a favourable lover, otherwhiles ebbing to the dangerous shelf of despair, with the piercing frown of a froward Mistress. Menaphon in this brown study, calling to mind certain Aphorisms that Auarreon had penodowne as principles of loves follies, being as deep an enemy to fancy, as Narcissus was to affection, began thus to scosfe at Venus' Deity.  
Menaphon thy minds favours, are greater than thy wealth's fortunes, thy thoughts higher than thy birth, & thy private conceit better than thy public esteem. Thou art a shepherd Menaphon, who in feeding of thy flocks findest out nature's secrecy, and in preventing thy lambs prejudice conceipt●…st the Astronomical motions of the heavens: holding thy sheep-walks to yield as great Philosophy, as the Ancients discourse in their learned Academies. Thou countest labour as the Indians do their Chrisocolla wherewith they try every metal, and thou examine every action. Content sitteth in thy mind as Neptune in his Sea-throne, who with his trident mace appeaseth every storm. When thou see●… the heavens ●…rowne thou thinkest on thy faults, and a clcere sky putteth thee in mind of grace: the summer's glory tells thee of youth's vanity, the winter's parched leaves of ages declining weakness. Thus in a mirror thou measur●…st thy deeds with equal and considerate motions, and by being a shepherd findest that which Kings want in their royalties. Envy overlooketh thee, renting with the winds the Pine trees of Ida, when the Africa shrubs wau●… not a leaf with the temp●…stes. Thine eyes are veiled with content that thou canst not gaze so high as ambition: & for love, and with that in naming of love, the shepherd fell into a great laughter. Love Menaphon, why of all follies that ever Poets feigned, or men ever faulted with, this foolish imagination of love is the greatest: Venus forsooth for her wanton escapes must be a Goddess, & her bastard a Deity: Cupid must be young and ever a boy to prove that love is fond and witless, wings to make him inconstant, and arrows whereby to show him fearful: blind (or all were not worth a pin) to prove that Cupid's level is both without aim and reason: thus is the God, and such are his Uotaries. As soon as our shepherds of Arcady fettle themselves to fancy, and wear the characters of Venus stamped in their foreheads, strait their attire must be acquaint, their looks full of amours, as their God's quiver is full of arrows; their eyes holding smiles and tears, to leap out at their Mistress favours or her frowns: sighs must fly as figures of their thoughts, and every wrinkle must be tempered with a passion: thus suited in outward proportion, and made excellent in inward constitution, they strait repair to take view of their Mistress beauty. She as one observant unto Venus' principles, first tieth love in her tresses, and wraps affection in the trammels of her hair; s●…aring our swains in her locks as Mars in the net, holding in her forehead Fortune's Calendar, either to assign dismal ●…fluence, or some favourable aspect. If a wrinkle appear in her brow, than our shepherd must put on his working day face, & frame nought but doleful Madrigals of sorrow; if a dimple grace her cheek, the heavens cannot prove fatal to our kind hearted lovers; if she seem coy, than poems of death mounted upon deep drawn sighs, fly from their master to sue for some favour, alleging how death at the least may date his misery: to be brief, as upon the shores of Lapanthe the winds continue never one day in one quarter, so the thoughts of a lover never continue scarce a minute in one passion; but as Fortune's globe, so is fancy's seat variable and inconstant. If lovers sorrows then be like Sisyphus turmoils, & their favours like honey bought with gall; let poor Menaphon then live at labour, and make esteem of Venus as of Mars his concubine; and as the Cimbrians hold their idols in account but in every tempest, so make Cupid a God, but when thou ar●… over-pained with passions, and that Menaphon will never love, for as long as thou temperest thy hands with labours, thou canst not fetter thy thoughts with loves. And in this Satirical humour smiling at his own conceits, he took his pipe in his hand, and between every report of his instrument sung a stanzo to this effect.  

Menaphons' Song.  
Some say Love  
Foolish Love  
Doth rule and govern all the Gods,  
I say Love,  
Inconstant Love  
Sets men's senses far at odds.  
Some swear Love  
Smoothed face Love  
Is sweetest sweet that men can have:  
I say Love,  
Sour Love  
Makes virtue yield as beauty's slave.  
A bitter sweet, a folly worst of all  
That forceth wisdom to be follies thrall.  
Love is sweet.  
Wherein sweet?  
In fading pleasures that do pain.  
Beauty sweet.  
Is that sweet  
That yieldeth sorrow for a gain?  
If loves sweet,  
Herein sweet  
That minutes joys are monthly woes.  
'tis not sweet,  
That is sweet  
Nowhere, but where repentance grows.  
Then love who list if beauty be so sour:  
Labour for me, Love rest in Prince's bower.   
Menaphon having ended his roundelay, rising up, thinking to pass from the mountain down to the valley, casting his eye to the sea side, espied certain fragments of a broken ship floating upon the waves, and sundry persons driven upon the shore with a calm, walking all wet and weary upon the sands, wondering at this strange fight he stood amazed; yet desirous to see the event of this accident, he shrouded himself to rest unespied till he might perceive what would happen: at last he might descry it was a woman holding a child in her arms, and an old man directing her as it were her guide. These three (as distressed wracks) preserved by some further forepoynting fate, coveted to climb the mo●…taine, the better to use the favour of the Sun, to dry their drenched ap●…araile; at last crawled up where poor Menaphon lay close, and resting them under a bush, the old man did nothing but send out sighs, and the woman ceased not from streaming forth rivulets of tears, that hung on her cheeks like the drops of pearled dew upon the riches of Flora. The poor babe was the touchstone of his mother's passions; for when he smiled and lay laughing in her lap, were her heart never so deeply overcharged with her present sorrows; yet kissing the pretty infant, she lightened out smiles from those cheeks, that were furrowed with continual sources of tears: but if he ●…ried, then sighs as smokes, and sobs as thundercracks, foreranne those showers, that with redoubled distress distilled from her eyes: thus with pretty inconstant passions trimming up her baby, and at last to ●…ull him a sleep, she warbled out of her woeful breast thi●… ditty.  

Sephestias song to her 〈◊〉.  
Weep not my want on, smile upon my kn●…,  
When thou art old there's grief enough for the●….  
Mother's wag, pretty boy,  
Father's sorrow, father's joy  
When thy father 〈◊〉 did see  
Such a boy by him and me,  
He was glad, I was woe,  
Fortune changed made him so,  
When he left his pretty boy,  
Last his sorrow, first his joy.  
Weep not my want on smile upon my knee:  
When thou art old there's grief enough for thee.  
Streaming tears that never stint,  
Like pearl drops from a flint  
Fell by course from his eyes,  
That one another's place supplies:  
Thus he grieved in every part,  
Tears of blood fell from his heart,  
When he left his pretty boy,  
Father's sorrow, father's joy.  
Weep not my wanton smile upon my knee:  
When thou art old there's grief enough for thee.  
The wanton smiled, father wept;  
Mother cried, baby leapt:  
More he crowd, more we cried;  
Nature could not sorrow hide.  
He must go, he must kiss  
Child and mother, baby bliss:  
For he left his pretty boy,  
Father's sorrow, father's joy.  
Weep not my wanton, smile upon my knee:  
When thou art old there's grief enough for the●….   
With this lullaby the baby fell a sleep, and Sephestia laying it upon the green grass covered it with a mantle, & then leaning her head on her hand, and her elbow on her lap she fell a 〈◊〉 to pour forth abundance of plaints, which Lamedon the old man espying, although in his face appeared the map of discontent, and in every wrin●…kle was a catalogue of woes; yet to cheer up Sephestia, shrouding his inward sorrow with an outward smile, he began to comfort her in this manner.  
Sephestia, thou seest no Physic prevails against the gaze of the Basilisckes, no charm against the sting of the Tarantula, no prevention to divert the decree of the Fates, nor no means to recall back the baleful hurt of Fortune: Incurable sores are without avicen's Aphorisms, and therefore no salve for them but patience. Then my Sephestia sith thy fall is high, and fortune low; thy sorrows great, and thy hope little: seeing me partaker of thy miseries, set all thy rest upon this, Solamen miseris, socios habuisse doloris. Chance is like janus double faced, as well full of smiles to comfort, as of frowns to dismay: the Ocean at his deadest ebb returns to a full tide; when the Eagle means to soar highest, he raiseth his flight in the lowest dales: so fareth it with fortune who in her highest extremes is most unconstant: when the tempest of her wrath is most fearful, then look for 〈◊〉; when she beats thee with nettle, then think she will strew thee with roses; when she is most familiar with furies, her intent is to be most prodigal Sephestia. Thus are the arrows of Fortune feathered with the plumes of the bird Halcione, that changeth colours with the Moon, which howsoever she shoots them pierce not so deep but they may be cured. But Sephestia thou art daughter to a King, exiled by him from the hope of a crown, vanished from the pleasures of the Court to the painful fortunes of the country, parted for love from him thou caused not but love, from Maximus Sephestia, who for thee hath susfered so many dissavours, as either discontent or death can afford. What of all this, is not hope the daughter of time? Have not stars their favourable aspects, as they have froward opposition? Is there not a jupiter as there is a Saturn? Cannot the influence of smiling Venus, stretch as far as the frowning constitution of Mars? I tell thee Sephestia, juno foldeth in her brows the volumes of the 〈◊〉; whom melancholy Saturn deposeth from a Crown, she 〈◊〉 advanceth to a Diadem; then fear not, for if the mother live in misery, yet hath the ● sceptre for the son: let the unkindness of thy father be buried in the cinders of obedience, and the want of Maximus be supplied with the presence of his pretty babe, who being too young for Fortune, lies smiling on thy knee and laughs at Fortune: learn by him Sephestia to use patience, which is like the balm in the Uale of jehosaphat, that findeth no wound so deep, but it cureth: thou seest already Fortune gins to change her view, for after the great storm that rend our ship, we found a calm that brought us safe to shore; the mercy of Neptune was more than the envy of Aeolus, and the discourtesy of thy father is proportioned with the favour of the Gods. Thus Sephestia being copartner of thy misery, yet do I seek to allay thy martyrdom: being sick to myself, yet do I play the Physician to thee, wishing thou mayst bear thy sorrows with as much content, as I brook my misfortunes with patience. As he was ready to go forward with his persuasive argument, Sephestia fetching a deep sigh, filling her tender eyes with tears, made this reply.  
Sweet Lamedon, once partner of my royalties, now partaker of my wants, as constant in his extreme distress, as faithful in higher fortunes: the Turtle pearketh not on barren trees. Doves delight not in foul cottages, the Lion frequents no putrefied haunts, friends follow not after poverty, nor hath sinister chance any drugs from the Physicians, Nullus ad amissas ibit amicus opes: and yet Lamedon the misfortune of Sephestia abridgeth not our old contracted amity, thou temperest her exile with thy banishment, and she sailing to Styx, thou ferriest over to Phlegeton: then Lamedon, saying as Andromache said to Hector Tu Dominus, tu vir, tu mihi frater eris. Thy aged years shallbe the calendar of my fortunes, and thy grey hairs the Parallels of mine actions. If Lamedon persuade Sephestia to content, Portia shall not exceed Sephestia in patience; if he will her to keep a low sail, she will veil all her sheet; if to forget her loves, she will quench them with labours; if to accuse Venus as a foe, I will hate Cupid as an enemy; and seeing the Destinies have driven thee from a ●●owne, I will rest satisfied with the Country, placing all my delights in honouring thee, & nursing up my pretty wanton. I will imagine a small cottage to a spacious palace, & think as great quiet in a russet coat, as in royal habiliments: Sephestia Lamedon will not scorn with juno to turn herself into the shape of Semele's nurse, but unknown rest careless of my fortunes: the hope of times return shall be the end of my thoughts, the smiles of my son shall be the nourishment of my heart, and the course of his youth shall be the comfort of my years; every laughter that leaps from his looks, shall be the holiday of my conceits, and every tear, shall furnish out my grieves, and his father's funerals. I have heard them say Lamedon, that the lowest shrubs feel the least tempests, that in the valleys of Africa is heard no thunder, that in country rooms is greatest rest, and in little wealth the least disquiet: dignity treadeth upon glass, and honour is like to the herb Synara, that when it bloometh most gorgeous, than it blasteth: Aulica vita ●●●●ndida miseria, Courts have golden dreams, but cottages sweet slumbres: then Lamedon will I disguise myself, with my clothes I will change my thoughts; for being poorly attired I will be meanly minded, and measure my actions by my present estate, not by former fortunes. In saaying this the babe awaked and cried, and she fell to tears mixed with a lullaby.  
All this while Menaphon sat amongst the shrubs fixing his eyes on the glorious object of her face, he noted her tresses, which he compared to the coloured Hyacinth of Arcadia, her brows to the mountain snows that lie on the hills, her eyes to the grey glister of Titan's gorgeous mantle, her alabaster neck to the whiteness of his flocks, her tears to pearl, her face to ●●rders of Lilies interseamed with Roses: to be brief our shepherd Menaphon that heretofore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to love, and as the The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉, ●… he a 〈◊〉 of Venus, was now by the wily shaft of Cupid so entangled in the perfection & 〈◊〉 excellence of Sephestia; as now he swore no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Venus, no God but 〈◊〉, no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but love. Being thus 〈◊〉 with the pliant 〈◊〉 of fancy, impatient 〈◊〉 his new affections, as the horse that never before felt the spur, he could not 〈◊〉 his new 〈◊〉 aved amours, but watching when they should departed, perceiving by the 〈◊〉 of the old man, and the tears of the Gentle 〈◊〉, that they were 〈◊〉, thought to offer any help that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the compass of his 〈◊〉. As thus he mused in his new passions, Lamedon and Sephestia rose up, and resolved to take their course which way the wind blew: passing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mountain to go 〈◊〉 out some 〈◊〉, at last they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lamedon 〈◊〉 Menaphon: 〈◊〉 to know the course of the country, he 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉.  
Shepherd, for so far thy attire warrants me; courteous, for so much thy countenance imports: if di●…tressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath wronged, and the seas have 〈◊〉, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to live and want) may without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 aid as to know some place 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and weatherbeaten 〈◊〉, our 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his eye, stood staring still on Sephestias face, which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 ●… this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, at last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉, your 〈◊〉 I know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Fortunes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and Kings are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, are bound to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 ●… 〈◊〉 follow me, and you shall have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as a 〈◊〉 may affcord. Lamedon and Sephestia were passing glad, and Menaphon led the way, not 〈◊〉 only to 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 with the beauty of his new 〈◊〉, but thought also to infer some occasion of parley, to 〈◊〉 whether her voice were as melodious, as her face 〈◊〉, he therefore prosecuted his prattle thus. Gentlewoman, when 〈◊〉 I saw you sitting upon the Arcadian Promontory with your 〈◊〉 on your lap, & this old father by; I thought I had 〈◊〉 Venus with Cupid on her knee courted by Anchises of Troy: the excellence of your looks could discover no less than Mars his paramour, and the beauty of the child as much as the dignity of her wanton: at last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your child's shrieks, that ye were passengers 〈◊〉, I lent you 〈◊〉 to partake your furrows, and lukewarm drops to signify how I pity overcharged persons, in am whereof let me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, country, and parentage. Sephestia seeing by the shepherds passionate lookés, that the swain was half in love, replied thus; 〈◊〉 shepherd, if my blubbered checks did look like Venus at a blush, it was when the woeful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for her fair Adonis, my 〈◊〉 is no Cupid but the son of care, Fortune's 〈◊〉 in his youth, to be I hope her darling in his age: in that your looks saw our grief, & your thoughts pitied our woes, our 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 thanks (the 〈◊〉 of sorrows tenants) and our hearts pray that the Gods may be as friendly to your 〈◊〉, as you favourable to us. My 〈◊〉 is Samela, my country Cyprus, my parentage mean, the 〈◊〉 of a poor Gentleman now 〈◊〉: 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by shipwreck, 〈◊〉 inquire 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thee to hear it, and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it. The shepherd not daring displease his 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 threats hanging on her lips, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them home to his house: as soon as they were 〈◊〉 there, he began at the 〈◊〉 to en●…ertain them thus. Fair Mistress the flower of all our Nymphs that live here in Arcadia, this is my cottage wherein I live content, and your lodging, where (please it you) ye may rest quiet. I have not rich clothes of Egypt to cover the walls, nor store of plate to discover any wealth; for shepherds use neither to be proud nor covetous: you shall find here 〈◊〉 and milk for dainties, and wool for clothing; in every corner of the house Content sitting smiling, and tempering every homely thing with a welcome: this if ye can brook & accept of, (as Gods allow the meanest hospitality) ye shall have such welcome and far as Philemon and Bancis gave to ●…upiter. Sephestia thanked him 〈◊〉, and going into his house found what he promised: after that they had sat a little by the fire and were well warmed, they went to supper, where Sephestia fed well, as one whom the sea had made hungry, and Lamedon so plied his 〈◊〉, that all supper he spoke not one word: after they had taken their repast, Menaphon seeing they were weary, and that sleep chimed on to rest, he let them see their lodging, and so gave them the good night. Lamedon on his flock bed, and Sephestia on her country couch were so weary, that they slept well: but Menaphon, poor Menaphon neither asked his swains for his sheep, nor took his mole-spade on his neck to see his pastures; but as a man pained with a thousand passions, drenched in distress, and overwhelmed with a multitude of uncouth cares, he sat like the pictures that Perseus turned with his Gorgon's head into stones. His sister Carmela kept his house, (for so was the Country wench called) and she seeing her brother sit so malcontented, stepped to her 〈◊〉 and fetched a little beaten spice in an old bladder, she spared no evening 〈◊〉, but went amongst the cream bowls, and made him a posset. But alas, Love had so 〈◊〉 up the shepherds stomach, that none would down with Menaphon: Carmela seeing her brother refuse his spicte drink, thought all was not well, and therefore sat down and wept; to be short, she blubbered and he sightht, and his men that c●…me in and saw their master with a kercher on his head mourned; so that amongst these swains there was such melody, that Menaphon took his bow and arrows and went to bed: where casting himself, he thought to have beguiled his passions with some sweet slumbers. But Love that smiled at his new entertained champion, sitting on his beds head, pricked him forward with new desires; charging Morpheus, Phobetor, and Icolon the Gods of sleep, to present 〈◊〉 his closed eyes the singular beauty and rare perfections of Samela: (for so will we now call her) in that the Idea of her excellence, forced him to breath out scalding sighs smothered within the furnace of his thoughts, which grew into this or the like passion.  
I had thought Menaphon, that he which weareth the bay leaf had been free from lightning, and the eagle's 〈◊〉 a preservative against thunder; that labour had been enemy to love, and the eschewing of idleness an Antidote against fancy: but I see by proof there is no adamant so hard, but the blood of a 〈◊〉 will make soft; no fort so well defenced, but strong battery will enter; nor 〈◊〉 heart so pliant to restless labours, but enchantments of love will overcome. Unfortunate Menaphon, that a late thoughtst Venus a strumpet and her son a bastard, now must thou offer incense at her shrine, and swear Cupid no less than a God: thou hast reason Menaphon; for he that lives without love, lives without life; presuming as Narcissus to hate all, and being like him at length despised of all. Can there be a sweeter bliss than beauty, a greater heaven than her heavenly perfections that is mistress of thy thoughts? If the sparkle of her eyes appear in the night, the stars blush at her brightness: if her hair glister in the day, Phoebus puts off his wreath of diamonds, as overcome with the shine of her tresses; if she walk in the 〈◊〉, Flora seeing her face, bids all her glorious flowers close themselves, as being by her beauty disgraced; if her alabaster neck appear, than Hiems covereth his snow, as surpassed in whiteness. To be short Menaphon, if Samela had appeared in Ida, juno for majesty, Pallas for wisdom, and Venus for beauty had let my Samela have the supremacy: why shouldest thou not then love, and think there is no life to love, seeing the end of love 〈◊〉 the possefsion of such a heavenly Paragon? But what of this Menaphon, hast thou any hope to enjoy her person, she is a widow, true, but too high for thy fortunes; she is in distress, ah Menaphon, if thou hast any spark of comfort, this must set thy hope on fire. Want is the load stone of affection, distress forceth deeper than Fortune's frowns, and such as are poor will rather love than want relief, fortunes frowns are whetstones to fancy: and as the horse starteth at the spur, so love is 〈◊〉 forward with distress. Samela is ship wracked, Menaphon relieves her; she wants, he supplies with wealth; he sues for love, either must she grant, or buy denial with perpetual repentance. In this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor shepherd, and with that Menaphon laid head down the pillow and took a sounnd nap, sleeping out fancy, with a good 〈◊〉.  
As soon as the sun appeared the shepherd got him up, and fed fat with this hope, went merely with his men to the folds, and there letting forth his sh●…eepe, after that he had appointed where they should graze, returned home, and looking when his guests should rise, having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last night went roundly to his breakfast: by that time he 〈◊〉 ended his desiune, Lamedon was gotten up, and so was Samela. Against their rising Carmela had shown her cookery, & Menaphon tired in his russet jacket, his red 〈◊〉 of chamlet, his blue bonnet, and his round flop of country cloth, bestirred him, as every 〈◊〉 had been set to a sundry office. Samela no sooner came out of her chamber, but Menaphon as one that claimed pity for his passions, bad her good morrow with a firm lovers look: Samela knowing the fowl by the feather, was able to cast his disease without his water, 〈◊〉 that Cupid had caught the poor shepherd in his net, and unless he sought quickly to break out of the snare would make him a tame fool: fair looks she gave him, & with a smiling sorrow discovered how she grieved at his misfortune, and yet favoured him. Well, to breakfast they went Lamedon and Samela fed hard, but Menaphon like the Argive in the Date gardens of Arabia, lived with the contemplation of his Mistress beautie●… the Salamander liveth not without the fire, the Herring from the water, the Mole from the earth, nor the Chameleon from the air, nor could Menaphon live from the sight of his Samela; whose breath was perfumed air, whose eyes were fire wherein he delighted to 〈◊〉, whose heart the earthly Paradise wherein he desired to 〈◊〉 the essence of his love and affection: thus did the poor shepherd bathe in a kind of bliss, whiles his eye feeding on his mistress face, did surfeit with the excellency of her perfection. So long he gazed, that at length breakfast was ended, 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, first put her child to nurse, and then led her forth to see his folds; thinking with the sight of his flocks to 〈◊〉 her, whose mindehad r●…ather have chosen any misfortune, than have deined her eyes on the face and feature of so low a peasant. Well, abroad they went, Menaphon with his shéephooke fringed with cruel, to 〈◊〉 he was 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉, Lamedon and Samela after: plodding thus over the green fields, at last they came to the mountains where Menaphons' flocks grazed, and there he 〈◊〉 unto Samela thus; I tell thee fair Nymph, these Plains that thou seest stretching Southward, are 〈◊〉 belonging to Menaphon: there grows the ciutfoyle, and the hyacinth, the 〈◊〉, the primrose, and the 〈◊〉, which my flocks shall spare for flowers to make thee garlands, the milk of my ewes shall be meat for thy pretty wanton, the wool of the fat weathers that seems as fine as the fleece that jason fet from Colchos, shall serve to make Samela webs withal; the mountain tops shall be thy morning's walk, and the shady valleiee thy evenings arbour: as much as Menaphon owes shall be at Samelas' command, if she like to live with Menaphon. This was spoken with such deep effects, that Samela could scarce keep her from smiling, yet she covered her conceit with a sorrowful countenance, which Menaphon espying, to make her merry, and rather for his own advantage, seeing Lamedon was a sleep, took her by the hand and sat down, and pulling forth his pipe, began after some melody to carol out this roundelay.  

Menaphons' roundelay.  

When tender ewes brought ●…ome with e●…ening Sun  
Wend to their folds,  
And to their 〈◊〉  
The shepherds trugde when light of day is done.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
The Eagle Ioues fair bird did perch,  
There resteth he.  
A little fly his harbour then did search,  
And did presume (though others laughed thereat)  
To perch where as the princely Eagle sat.   

The Eagle 〈◊〉, and shook her royal wings,  
And charged the Fly  
From thence to high:  
Afraid in haste the little creature flings,  
Yet seeks again  
Fearful to pearke him by the eagle's side.  
With moody vain  
The speedy post of Ganymede replied;  
Vassal avant or with my wings you die,  
1st fit an Eagle seat him with a Fly?   

The Fly 〈◊〉 pity, still the Eagle 〈◊〉,  
The silly Fly  
Ready to 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉, displacte, fell groveling to the ground.  
The Eagle saw  
And with a royal mind said to the Fly,  
Be not in awe,  
I scorn by me the meanest creature die;  
Then seat thee here: the joyful Fly up flings,  
And sat safe shadowed with the eagle's wings.    
As soon as Menaphon had ended this roundelay, turning to Samela, after a country blush, he began to court her in this homely fashion; What think you Samela of the Eagle for this royal d●…eede? That he falsified the old Proverb Aquila non capit muscas. But I mean Samela are you not in opinion, that the Eagle gives instance of a princely resolution, in preferring the safety of a Fly before the credit of her royal Majesty? I think Menaphon that high minds; are the shelters of 〈◊〉, and Kings seats are coverts for distressed persons; that the Eagle in shrouding the Fly did well, but a little forgot her honour. But how think you Samela, is not this proportion to be observed in love: I guess no, for the Fly did it not for love, but for secure. Hath love then respect of circumstance: Else it is not love, but lust; for where the parties have no sympathy of Estates, there can no firm love be 〈◊〉; discord is reputed the mother of division, and in nature this is an vuresuted principle, that it falteth which faileth in uniformity. He that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flowers upon the Nettle marreth the smell; who 〈◊〉 to tie the Lamb and the Lion in one tedder maketh a brawl; equal fortunes are loves favourites, and therefore should fancy be always limited by Geometrical proportion; lest if young matching with old, 〈◊〉 and frost fall at a combat: and if rich with poor there hap many dangerous and braving objections. Menaphon 〈◊〉 nipt in the pate with this 〈◊〉, yet like a tall soldier stood to his tackling, and made this answer; Suppose gentle Samela, that a man of mean estate, whom disdainful Fortune had 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 to make her power prodigal in his misfortunes, being feathered with Cupid's bolt, were snared in the beauty of a Queen, should he rather die than discover his amours? If Queens (quoth she) were of my mind, I had rather die, than perish in base fortunes. Venus' loved Vulcan replied Menaphon: truth quoth Samela, but though he was polt-footed, yet he was a God. Phaon enjoyed Sappho he a ferry-man that lived by his hands thrift, she a Princess that 〈◊〉 invested with a diadem. The more fortunate quoth Samela was he in his honours, and she the less famous in her honesty. To leave these instances replied Menaphon, (for love had made him hardy) I sweet Samela infer these presupposed premises, to discover the baseness of my mean birth, and yet the deepness of my affection, who ever since I saw the 〈◊〉 of your perfection shining upon the mountains of Arcady, like the glister of the Sun upon the topless Promontory of Sicilia, was so snared with your beauty, and so 〈◊〉 with the excellence of that perfection that exceedeth all excellency, that love entering my desire, hath maintained himself by force; that unless sweet Samela grant me favour of her love, and play the princely Eagle, I shall 〈◊〉 the poor Fly perish in my Fortunes: he concluded this period with a deep sigh, and Samela grieving at this folly of the shepherd, gave him mildly this answer.  
Menaphon my distressed haps are the resolutions of the Destinies, and the wrongs of my youth, are the forerunners of my woes in age; my native home is my worst nursery, & my friend's d●…nie that which strangers preiudiciallie grant: I arrived in Arcady shipwrecked, and Menaphon favouring my sorrows hath afforded me succours, for which Samela rests bound, and will prove thankful: as for 〈◊〉, know that Venus standeth 〈◊〉 the Tortoise, as 〈◊〉 that Love creepeth on by 〈◊〉; that 〈◊〉 is like the Snail, which stealeth to the top of the lance by minutes: the 〈◊〉 hath his increase, yet never any seeth it augment, the Son 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 ●… 〈◊〉 like those should enter into the eye, and by long gradations pass into the heart; Cupid hath wings to fly, not that love should be swift, but that he may soar high to avoid base thoughts. The Topas being thrown into the fire burneth strait, but no sooner out of the flame but it freezeth; straw is soon kindled, but it is but a blaze; and love that is caught in a moment, is lost in a minute: give me leave then Menaphon first to sorrow for my fortunes, then to call to mind my husband's late funerals, then if the Fates have assigned I shall fancy, I will account of thee before any shepherd in Arcady. This conclusion of Samela drove Menaphon into such an ecstasy for joy, that he stood as a man metamorphozed; at last calling his senses together, he told her he rested satisfied with her answer, and thereupon lent her a kiss, such as blushing Thetis receives from her choicest leman. At this Lamedon awaked, otherwise Menaphon no doubt had replied, but breaking off their talk they went to view their pastures, and so passing down to the place where the sheep grazed, they searched the shepherds bags, and so emptied their bottles as Samela marveled at such an 〈◊〉 banquet: at last they returned home, Menaphon glorying in the hope of his success, entertaining Samela still with such courtesy, that she finding such content in the cottage, began to despise the honours of the Court. Resting thus in house with the shepherd, to avoid tedious conceits she framed herself so to country labours, that she oft times would lead the flocks to the 〈◊〉 herself, and being dressed in homely attire, she seemed like Ocnone that was amorous of Paris. As she thus often traced alongst the Plains, she was noted amongst the shepherds of one Doron next neighbour to Menaphon, who entered into the consideration of her beauty, and made report of it to all his fellow swains, so that they chatted nought in the 〈◊〉 but of the new shepherdess. One day amongst the rest, it chanced that Doron sitting in parley with another country companion of his, amidst other tattle, they prattled of the beauty of Samela. 〈◊〉 thou seen her quoth Melicertus, (for so was his friend called) I quoth Doron and sight to see her, not that I was in love, but that I 〈◊〉 she should be in love with such a one as Menaphon. What 〈◊〉 of woman is she quoth Melicertus? As well as I can answered Doron I will make description of her.  

Dorons description of Samela.  
Like to Diana in her Summer weed●…  
Girt with a crimson 〈◊〉 of brightest dye, goes fair Samela.  
Whiter than be the flocks that straggling 〈◊〉,  
When washed by Arethusa faint they lie: is fair Samela.  
As fair Aurora in her morning grey  
Decked with the ruddy glister of her love, is fair Samela.  
Like lovely Thetis on a calmed day,  
When as her brightness Neptune's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, shines fair Samela.  
Her tresses gold, her eyes like glassy streams,  
Her teeth are pearl, the breasts are 〈◊〉 of fair Samela.  
Her cheeks like rose and lily yield forth gleams,  
Her brows bright arches framed of ebony: Thus fair Samela.  
Passeth fair Venus in her 〈◊〉 hue,  
And juno in the show of majesty, for she's'is Samela.  
Pallas in wit, all three if you well view,  
For beauty, wit, and matchless dignity yield 〈◊〉 Samela.   
Thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melicertus made such a description, as if Priamus young boy should paint out the perfection of his Greekish Paramour. Me thinks the Idea of her 〈◊〉 represents itself an object to my fantasy, and that I see in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellence, the rare beauties of: and with that he broke off abruptly with such a deep sigh, as it seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should have broken; sitting as the Lapiths when they gazed on Medusa. Doron marveling at this 〈◊〉 event, was half afraid, as if some apoplexy had astonished his senses, so that cheering up his friend, he demanded what the cause was of this sudden conceit. Melicertus no niggard in discovery of his fortunes, began thus. I tell thee Doron before I kept sheep in Arcady, I was a 〈◊〉 else where, so famous for my flocks, as Menaphon for his folds; beloved of the Nymphs, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Country Damzells; coveting in my loves to use Cupid's wings, to soar high in my desires, though myself were borne to base fortunes. The Hobby catcheth no prey, unless she mount beyond her mark, the Palm tree beareth most bows where it groweth highest, & 〈◊〉 most fortunate where his courage is resolute, and thought beyond his compass. Grounding therefore onthese principles, I 〈◊〉 mine eye on a Nymph, whose parentage was great, but her beauty far more excellent, her birth was by many degrees greater than mine, and my worth by many descents less than hers: yet knowing Venus loved Adonis, and Luna Endymion, that Cupid had bolts feathered with the plumes of a Crow, as well as with the pens of an Eagle, I attempted and courted her, I found her looks lightening disdain, and her forehead to 〈◊〉 favours for others, and frowns for me: when I alleged faith, she 〈◊〉 me with Aeneas, when loyalty, she told me of jason; when I swore constancy, she questioned me of Demophoon; when I craved a final resolution to my fatal passions, she 〈◊〉 her brows full of wrinkles, and her eyes full of fury, turned her back, and shook me off with a Non placet. Thus in loves I lost loves, and for her love had lost all, had not when I near despaired the clemency of some 〈◊〉 star, or rather the very excellence of my Mistress 〈◊〉 salved my half despairing malady: for she seeing that I held a superstitious opinion of love, in honouring him for a Deity, not in counting him a vain conceit of Poctrie, that I thought it sa●…riledge to wrong my desires, and the basest fortune to enhance my fortune by falsing my loves to a woman, she left from being so rammage, and gently came to the fist, and granted me those favours she might afford, or my thoughts desire: with this he ceased and fell again to his sighs, which Doron noting, answered thus. If (my good Melicertus) thou 〈◊〉 enjoy th●…y loves, what is the occasion thou beginnest with sighs, and endest with passions. 〈◊〉 Doron there ends my joys, for no sooner had I triumphed in my favours, but the trophies of my fortunes fell like the herbs in Syria, that flourish in the morn, and fade before night; or like unto the fly Tyryma, that taketh life and leaveth it all in one day. So my Doron did it far with me, for I had no sooner enjoyed my love, but the heavens envious a shepherd should have the fruition of such a heavenly Paragon, sent untevocable Fates to deprive me of her life, & she is dead: dead Doron, to her, to myself, to all, but not to my memory, for so deep were the 〈◊〉 stamped in my inward senses, that oblivion can never raze out the form of her excellence. And with that he start up, seeking to fall out of those dumps with Music, (for he played on his pipe certain sonnets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrived in praise of the country wenches) but plain Doron as plain as a packstaffe, desired him to sound a roundelay, and he would sing a song, which he 〈◊〉 to this effect.  

Dorons jig.  
Through the shrubb●… as I can crack,  
For my lambs little ones,  
'mongst many pretty ones,  
Nymphs I mean, whose hair was black  
As the 〈◊〉:  
Like the snow  
Her fac●… and 〈◊〉 shined I ween:  
I saw a little one,  
A bonny pr●…ty one,  
As bright, buxom and as sheen  
As was she,  
On her knee  
That lulled the God, whose arrows warms  
Such merry little ones,  
Such fair faced pretty ones,  
As dally in loves chiefest harms,  
Such was 〈◊〉:  
Whose grey 〈◊〉  
Made me love. I 'gan to 〈◊〉  
This sweet little one,  
This bonny pretty one.  
I 〈◊〉 hard a day or two,  
Till she bade;  
Be not sad,  
Woo no more I am thine own,  
Thy dearest little one,  
Thy truest pretty one:  
Thus was faith and firm love shown,  
As behoves  
shepherds 〈◊〉.   
〈◊〉 like you this Ditty of mine own 〈◊〉, quoth Doron? As well as my music replied Melicertus; for if Pan and I strive, Midas being judge, and should hap to give me the garland, I doubt not but his Ass' ears should be doubled: but Doron so long we dispute of love, and forget our labours, that both our flocks shall be unfolded, and tomorrow our merry meeting hindered. That's true quoth Doron, for there will be all the shepherds Daughters and country Damsels, and amongst them fear not but Menaphon will bring his fair Shepherdess, there Melicertus shalt thou see her that will amate all our moods, and amaze thee, and therefore good Melicertus let us be going. With this prattle away they went to their folds, where we leave them, & return to Menaphon, who trium phing in the hope of his new loves, caused Samela to trick her up in her country attire, and make herself brave against the meeting: she that thought, to be coy were to discover her thoughts, dressed herself up in Carmelas' russet cassock, and that so quaintly, as if Venus in a country petticoat had thought to wanton it with her lovely Adonis. The morrow came, and away they went, but Lamedon was left behind to keep the house. At the hour appointed, Menaphon, Carmela and Samela came, when all the rest were readic making merry. As soon as word was brought, that Menaphon came with his new Mistress, all the company began to murmur, and every man to prepare his eye for so miraculous an 〈◊〉: but Pesana a heardsmans' daughter of the same parish, that long had loved Menaphon, and he had filled her brows with frowns, her eyes with fury, and her heart with grief; yet coveting in so open an assemblic, as well as she could to hide a pad in the straw, she expected as others did the arriwall of her new corrival: who at that instant came with Menaphon into the house. No sooner was she entered the Parlour, but her eyes gave such a shine, & her face such a brightness, that they stood gazing on this Goddess; and she unacquainted, seeing 〈◊〉 self among so many unknown swains, died her cheeks with such a vermilion blush, that the country maids themselves fell in love with this 〈◊〉 Nymph, and could not blame Menaphon for being over the shoes with such a beautiful creature. Doron iogde Melicertus on the elbow, and so awaked him out of a dream, for he was deeply drowned in the contemplation of her excellency; sending out 〈◊〉 of sighs in remembrance of his old love, as thus he sat meditating cn her favour, how much she resembled her that death had deprived him off: well her welcome was great of all the company, & for that she was a stranger they graced her to make her the 〈◊〉 of the Feast. Menaphon seeing Samela thus honoured, conceived no small content in the advancing of his Mistress, being passing jocund and pleasant with the rest of the company, insomuch that every one perceived how the poor swain fed upon the dignities of his Mistress grates. Pesana noting this began to lower, and Carmela winking upon her fellows, answered her frowns with a smile, which doubled her grief; for women's pains are more pinthing if they be girded with a frump, than if they be galled with a mischief. Whiles thus there was banding of such looks, as every one imported as much as an impreso, Samela willing to see the fashion of these country young frowes, cast her eyes abroad, and in viewing every face, at last her eyes glanced on the looks of Melicertus; whose countenance resembled so unto her dead Lord, that as a woman astonished she stood staring on his face, but ashamed to gaze upon a stranger, she made restraint of her looks, and so taking her eye from one particular object, she sent it abroad to make general survey of their country demeanours. But 〈◊〉 all this gazing, he that had seen poor Menaphon, how infected with a jealous fury, he stared each man in the face, fearing their eyes should feed or surfeit on his Mistress beauty: if they glanced, he thought strait they would be rivals in his loves; if they flatly looked, than they were deeply 〈◊〉 in affection; if they once smiled on her, they had received some glance from Samela that made them so malapert; if she laughed, she liked; and at that he began to frown: thus sat poor Menaphon all dinner while pained with a thousand 〈◊〉 passions, keeping his teeth garders of his stomach, and his eyes watchmen of his loves, but Melicertus half impatient of his new conceived thoughts, determined to try how the Damsel was brought up, and whether she was as wise as beautiful, he therefore began to break 〈◊〉 thus.  
The Orgies which the Bacchanals kept in Thessaly, the Feasts which the melancholy Saturnists 〈◊〉 in Danuby, were never so quatted with 〈◊〉, but on their festival days they 〈◊〉 frolic amongst themselves with many pleasant parleys: were it no a shame then that we of Arcady, famous for the beauty of our Nymphs, & the amorous 〈◊〉 of our 〈◊〉, should disgrace Pan's holiday with such melancholy dumps: courteous country Swains shake off this sobriety, and seeing we have in our company Damsels both beautiful and wise, let us entertain them with prattle, to try our wits, and tire our time; to this they all agreed with a plandite. Then quoth Melicertus; by your leave since I was first in motion, I will be first in question, & therefore new come shepherdess first to you: at this Samela blushed, and he began thus.  
Fair Damsel, when Naereus chatted with juno, he had pardon, in that his prattle came more to pleasure the Goddess than to ratify his own presumption: if I Mistress be over-hold, forgive me; I question not to offend, but to set time free from tediousness. Then gentle shepherdess tell me, if you should be transformed through the anger of the Gods, into some shape; what creature would you reason to be in form? Samela blushing that she was the first that was 〈◊〉, yet ●…gathered up her crumbs, and desirous to show her pregnant wit, (as the wisest women be ever tickled with self love) made him this answer.  
Gentle shepherd, it fits not strangers to be nice, nor maidens too coy; lest the one feel the weight of a scoff, the other the fall of a frump: pithy questions are minds whetstones, and by discoursing in jest, many doubts are deciphered in earnest: therefore you have forestalled me in croving pardon, when you have no need to feel any grant of pardon. Therefore thus to your question; Daphne I remember was turned to a bay tree, Niobe to a flint, Lampetia & her sisters to flowers, and sundry Virgins to sundry shapes according to their merits; but if my wish might serve for a 〈◊〉, I would be turned into a sheep. A sheep, and why so Mistress? I reason thus quoth Samela, my supposition should be simple, my life quiet, my food the pleasant Plains of Arcady and the wealthy riches of Flora, my drink the cool streams that flow from the concave 〈◊〉 of this Continent, my air should be clear, my walks spacious, my thoughts at ease, and can there none shepherd be my better premises to conclude my reply than these? But have you no other allegations to confirm your resolution: Yes sir quoth she, and far greater. Then the law of our first motion quoth he commands you to repeat them. far be it answered Samela that I should not do of free will any thing that this pleasant company commands: therefore thus; Were I a shecpe, I should be guarded from the folds with jolly Swains, such as was Luna's Love on the hills of Latmos; their pipes sounding like the melody of Mercury, when he lulled asleep Argus: but more, when the Damzells tracing along the Plains, should with their eyes like Sun bright beams, draw on looks to gaze on such sparkling Planets: then weary with food, should I lie and look on their beauties, as on the spotted wealth of the richest Firmament; I should listen to their sweet lays, more sweet than the Seaborn Sirens: thus feeding on the delicacy of their features, I should like the Tyrian heifer fall in love with Agenor's darling. I but quoth Melicertus, those fair faced Damzells oft draw forth the kindest sheep to the shambles. And what of that sir answered Samela, would not a sheep so long 〈◊〉 with beauty, die for love. If he die (quoth Pesana) it is more kindness in beasts, than constancy in men: for they die for love, when larks die with leeks. If they be so wise quoth Menaphon, they show but their mother wits; for what sparks they have of inconstancy, they draw from their female fosterers, as the Sea doth ebbs and tides from the Moon. So be it sir answered Pesana, than no doubt your mother was made of a 〈◊〉 cock, that brought forth such a wavering companion: for you master Menaphon measure your looks by minutes and your loves are like lightning, which no sooner flash on the 〈◊〉, but they vanish. It is then quoth Menaphon because mine eye is a foolish judge, and chooseth too basely: which when my heart censures of, it 〈◊〉 away as refuse. 'Twere best then said Pesana, to discharge such unjust judges of their seats, and to set your ears 〈◊〉 of your love pleas. I●… they fault quoth Melicertus, every market town hath aremedie, or else there is never a Baker near by seven miles. Stay courteous Shepherds quoth Samela, these jests are too broad before, they are cynical like Diogenes quips, that had large feathers and sharp heads, it little fits in this company to bandy taunts of love, seeing you are unwedded and these all maidens addicted to 〈◊〉. You speak well as a Patroness of our credit quoth Pesana, for in 〈◊〉 we be 〈◊〉, & addicted to virginity. Now quoth Menaphon that you have got a virgin in your mouth you will never leave chanting that word, till you prove yourself either a Vestal or a Sibyl. Suppose she were a Vestal quoth Melicertus, I had almost said a virgin (but God forbid I had made such a doubtful supposition) she might carry water with Amulia in a siue: for amongst all the rest of the virgins we read of none but her that wrought such a miracle. Pesana hearing how pleasantly Melicertus played with her nose, thought to give him as great a bone to gnaw upon, which she cast in his teeth thus 〈◊〉.  
I remember sir that Epicurus measured every man's diet by his own principles; Abradas the great Macedonian Pirate, thought every one had a letter of Mart, that bare 〈◊〉 in the Ocean; none came to knock at Diogenes tub but was supposed a Cynic; and fancy a late hath so tied you to his vanities, that you will think Vesta a flat figured conceit of Poetry. Samela perceiving these blows would grow to deep wounds, broke off their talk with this pretty digression. Gentlemen, to end this strife, I pray you let us hear the opinion of Doron, for all this while neither he 〈◊〉 Carmela have uttered one word, but sat as Censers of our pleas; 'twere necessary he told us how his heart came thus on his halfpenny. Doron hearing Samela thus pleasant, made presently this blunt reply; I was fair Mistress in a solemn doubt with myself, whether in being a sheep, you would be a Ram or an Ewe: An Ewe no doubt quoth Samela, for horns are the heaviest burden that the head can bear. As Doron was ready to reply, came in suddenly 〈◊〉 this parley four or five old shepherds, who broke off their prattle, that from that they fell to drinking: and so after some parley of their flocks, every one departed to their own home where they talked of the exquisite perfection of Samela, especially Melicertus, who gotten to his own cottage, and lain down in his couch by himself, began to ruminate on Samelas' shape.  
Ah Melicertus, what an object fortune this day brought to thy eyes, presenting a strange Idea to thy sight, as appeared to Achilles of his dead friend Patroclus, tresses of gold like the trammels of Sephestias locks, a face fairer than Venus, such was Sephestia; her eye paints her out Sephestia, her voice sounds her out Sephestia, she seemeth none but Sephestia: but seeing she is dead, & there liveth not such another Sephestia, sue to her and love her, for that it is either a self same or another Sephestia. In this hope Melicertus fell to his slumber, but Samela was not so content: for she began thus to muse with herself; May this Melicertus be a shepherd: or can a country cottage afford such perfection? doth this coast bring forth such excellence? then happy are the virgins shall have such suitors, and the wives such pleasing husbands; but his face is not inchacte with any rustic proportion, his brows contain the characters of nobility, and his looks in shepherds weeds are Lordly, his voice pleasing, his wit full of gentry: weigh all these equally, and consider Samela is it not thy Maximus? Fond fool away with these suppositions; could the dreaming of Andromache call Hector from his grave? or can the vision of my husband raise him from the seas? Tush stoop not to such vanities: he is dead, and therefore grieve not thy memory with the imagination of his new revive, for there hath been but one Hippolytus found to be Virbius, twice a man, to salve Samela than this suppose; if they court thee with hyacinth, 〈◊〉 them with roses; if he send thee a lamb, prese●…t him an ewe; if he woo, be wooed; and for no other reason, but, he is like Maximius. Thus she rested, and thus she slept, all parties being equally content and satisfied with hope except Pesana, who fettered with the feature of her best beloved Menaphon sat cursing Cupid as a partial Deity, that would make more day light in the Firmament than one Sun, more rainbows in the heaven than one Iris, & more loves in one heart than one settled passion: many prayers she made to Venus for revenge, many vows to Cupid, many orisons to Hymaeneus, if she might possess the type of her desires. Well poor soul, howsoever she was paid, she smothered all with patience, and thought to brave love with seeming not to love; and thus she daily drove out the time with labour, & looking to her heard, hearing every day by Doron who was her kiusman, what success Menaphon had in his loves. Thus Fates and Fortune dallying a doleful Catastrophe, to make a more pleasing Epitazis, it fell out amongst them thus. Melicertus going to the fields, as he was wont to do with his flocks, drove to graze as near the swains of Menaphon as he might, to have a view of his new entertained Mistress; who, according to his expectation came thither every day. Melicertus esteeming her to be some Farmer's daughter at the most, could not tell how to court her: yet at length calling to rembrance her rare wit discovered in her last discourses, finding opportunity to give her both bal and racket, se●…ing the coast was clear, and that none but Samela and he were in the flew, he left his flock in the valley, and stepped unto her, and saluted her thus.  
Mistress of all eyes that glance but at the excellence of your perfection, sovereign of all such as Venus hath allowed for lovers, Oenone's overmatch, Arcadies' comet, beauty's second comfort; all hail: seeing you sit like juno when she first 〈◊〉 her white heifer on the Lincen downs, as bright as silver Phoebe mounted on the high top of the ruddy 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attractive force drawn, as the adamant draweth the iron, or the ieat the straw, to 〈◊〉 your sweet self in the shade, and afford you such company as a poor swain may yield without offence; which if you shall vouch to deign of, I shall be as glad of such accepted service, as Paris first was of his best beloved Paramour. Samela looking on the shepherds face, and seeing his utterance full of broken sighs, thought to be pleasant with her shepherd thus. Arcadies Apollo, whose brightness draws every eye to turn as the Heliotropion 〈◊〉 after her load; fairest of the shepherds, the nymphs sweetest object, women's wrong, in wronging many with ones due; welcome, and so welcome, as we vouchsafe of your service, admit of your company, as of him that is the grace of all companies; and if we durst upon any light pardon, would venture to request you show us a cast of your cunning. Samela made this reply, because she heard him so superfine, as if Ephaebus had learned him to refine his mother tongue, wherefore thought he had done it of an inkhorn desire to be eloquent; and Melicertus thinking that Samela had learned with Lucilla in Athens to anatomize wit, and speak none but Similes, imagined she smoothed her talk to be thought like Sappho Phaos' Paramour. Thus deceived either in others suppositions, Samela followed her suit thus; I know that Priamus wanton could not be without flocks of Nymphs to follow him in the Uale of Ida, beauty hath legions to attend her excellence if the shepherd be true; if like Narcissus you wrap not not your face in the cloud of disdain, you cannot but have some rare Paragon to your Mistress, whom I would have you in some sonnet describe. Ioues last love, if jove could get from juno, my pipe shall presume and I adventure with my voice to set out my Mistress favour for your excellence to censure of, and therefore thus. Yet Melicertus for that 〈◊〉 had a farther reach, would not make any clownish description, chanted it thus cunningly.  

Melicertus' description of his Mistress.  

Tune on my pipe the praises of my Love,  
And midst thy eaten harmony recount  
How fair she is that makes thy music mount,  
And every string of thy heart's harp to move.   

Shall I compare her form unto the sphere  
Whence Sun-bright Venus' 〈◊〉 her silver shine?  
Ah more than that by just compare is thine,  
Whose Crystal looks the cloudy heavens 〈◊〉 clear.   

How oft have I descending Titan seen  
His burning locks couch in the Sea-queenes' lap,  
And beauteous Thetis his red body wrap  
In watery robes, as he her Lord had been.   

When as my Nymph impatient of the night  
Bade bright Atraeus with his train give place,  
Whiles she led forth the day with her fair face,  
And lent each star a more than Delian light.   

Not jove or Nature should they both agree  
To make a woman of the Firmament,  
Of his mixed purity could not invent  
A Sky borne form so beautiful as she.    
When Melicertus had ended this roundelay in praise of his Mistress, Samela perceived by his description, that either some better Poet than himself had made it, or else that his former phrase was dissembled: wherefore to try him thoroughly, and to see what snake lay hidden under the grass, she followed the chase in this manner.  
Melicertus, might not a stranger crave your Mistress name. At this the shepherd blushed, and made no reply. How now quoth Samela, what is she mean that you shame, or so high as you fear to bewray the sovereign of your thoughts? Stand not in doubt man, for be she base, I read that mighty Tamburlaine after his wife Zenocrate (the world's fair eye) past out of the Theatre of this mortal life, he chose stigmatical trulls to please his humorous fancy. Be she a princess, honour hangs in high desires, and it is the token of a high mind to venture for a Queen: then gentle shepherd tell me thy Mistress name. Melicertus hearing his goddess speak so favourably, breathed out this sudden reply; Too high Samela, and therefore I fear with the Syrian Wolves to bark against the Moon, or with them of Scyrum to shoot against the stars; in the height of my thoughts soaring too high, to fall with woeful repenting Icarus: no sooner did mine eye glance upon herbeautie, but as if love and fate had sat to forge my fatal disquiet, they trapte me within her looks, and haling her Idea through the passage of my sight, placed it so deeply in the centre of my heart, as maugre all my studious endeavour it still and ever will keep restless possession: noting her virtues, her beauties, her perfections, her excellence, and fear of her too high born parentage, although painfully fettered, yet have I still feared to dare so haute 〈◊〉 attempt to so brave a parsonage; lest she offensive at my presumption, I perish in the height of my thoughts. This conclusion broken with an abrubt passion, could not so satisfy Samela but she would be further inquisitive. At last after many questions, he answered thus; seeing Samela I consume myself, & displease you; to hazard for the salve that may cure my malady, & satisfy your question, know it is the beauteous Samela. Be there more of that name in Arcady beside myself quoth she. I know not qd Melicertus, but were there a million, only you are Melicertus Samela. But of a million qu●…th she, I cannot be Melicertus Samela, for love hath but one arrow of desire in his quiver, but one string to his bow, & in choice but one aim of affection. Have ye already quoth Melicertus set your rest upon some higher parsonage? No quoth Samela, I mean by yourself, for I have heart that your fancy is linked already to a beautiful shepherdess in Arcady. At this the poor swain tainted his cheeks with a vermilion die, yet thinking to carry out the matter with a 〈◊〉, he ●…tood to his tackling thus; Whosoever Samela descanted of that love, told you a Canterbury tale; some prophetical full mouth that as he were a cobblers eldest son, would by the last tell where another's shoe wrings, but his sowterly aim was just level, in thinking every look was love, or every fair word a pawn of loyalty. Then quoth Samela taking him at a rebound, neither may I think your glances to be fancies, nor your greatest protestation any assurance of deep affection: therefore ceasing off to court any further at this time, think you have proved yourself a tall soldier to continue so long at battery, and that I am a fau●…rable foe that have continued so long a parley; but I charge you by the love you own your dearest Mistress, not to say any more as touching love for this time. If Samela quoth he, thou hadst enjoined me as juno did to Hercules, most dangerous labours, I would have discovered my love by obedience, and my a●…fection by death: yet let me crave this, that as I begun with a Sonnet, so I may end with a Madrigale. Content Melicertus quoth she, for none more than I love Music. Upon this reply the shepherd proud followed this Ditty.  

Melicertus Madrigal●….  

What are my sheep without their wont food?  
What is my life except I gain my Love?  
My sheep consume and faint for want of blood.  
My life is lost unless I grace approve.  
No flower that sapless thrives:  
No Turtle without fere.   

The day without the Sun doth 〈◊〉 for woe,  
Then woe mine eyes unless they beauty se●…:  
My Sun Samelaes' eyes, by whom I know  
Wherein delight consists, where pleasures be.  
Nought more the heart revives  
Than to embrace his dear.   

The stars from earthly humours gain their light,  
Our humours by their light possess their power:  
Samelaes' eyes fidde by my weeping sight,  
Ensues my pain or joys by smile, or lower.  
So wends the source of love.  
It feeds, it fails, it ends.   

Kind looks clear to your joy behold her eyes,  
Admire her heart, desire to taste her kisses;  
In them the heaven of joy and solace lies,  
Without them every hope his succour misses.  
Oh how I love to prove  
Wheretoo this solace tends.    
Scarce had the shepherd ended this Madrigale, but Samela began to frown, saying he had broken promise. Melicertus' alleged if he had uttered any passion, 〈◊〉 sung, not said. Thus these Lovers in a humorous descant of their prattle espied a far off old Lamedon and Menaphon coming towards them; whereupon kissing in conceit, & parting with interchanged glances, Melicertus stole to his sheep, and Samela sat her down making of nets to catch birds. At last Lamedon and her Love came, and after many gracious looks, and much good parley, helped her home with her sheep, and put them in the folds. But leaving these amorous shepherds busy in their loves, let us return at length to the pretty baby Samelas' child, whom Menaphon had put to nurse in the country. This infant being by Nature beautiful, and by birth noble, even in his cradle expres●… to the eyes of the gazers such glorious presages of his approaching fortunes, as if another Alcides (the armstrong darling of the doubled night) by wrestling with snakes in his swaddling clouts, should propherie to the world the approthing wonders of his prowess; so did his 〈◊〉 looks reflect terror to the weak beholders of his engrafted nobility, as if some God twice born like unto the Thracian Bacchus, forsaking his heaven borne Deity, should delude our eyes with the alternate form of his infancy. Five years had full run their monthly revolution, when as this beauteous boy began to show himself among the shepherds children, with whom he had no sooner contracted familiar acquaintance, but strait he was chosen Lord of the May game, king of their sports, and ringleader of their revils; insomuch that his tender mother beholding him by chance mounted in his kingly majesty, and imitating honourable justice in his game 〈◊〉 exercise of discipline, with tears of joy took up these prophetical terms; well do I see, where God and Fate hath vowed 〈◊〉, no adverse fortune may expel prosperity. Pleusidippus thou art young, thy looks high, and thy thoughts haughty; sovereignty is seated in thy eyes, and honour in thy heart; I fear this fire will have his flame, and then am I undone in thee my 〈◊〉; my country life (sweet country life) in thy proud soaring hopes, despoysed and disrobed of the disguised array of his rest, must return 〈◊〉 weeds to the folds where I left my fears, and hast to the court my hell, there to invest me in my wont cares. How now Samela, wilt thou be a Sibyl of mishap to thyself: the angry heavens that have eternisht thy exile, have established thy content in Arcady. My content in Arcady, that may not be no longer than my Pleusidippus stays in Arcady, which I have cause to fear, for the whelps of the Lion are no longer harmless than when they are whelps, and babes no longer to be awed, than while they are babes. I but nature, & therewith she paused, being interrupted by a tumult of boys, that by young Pleusidippus command fell upon one of their f●…llowes, and beat him most 〈◊〉 for playing false play at nine holes: which she espying through her lattice window, could not chose but smile about measure. But when she saw him in his childish terms condemn one to death for despising the authority bequeathed him by the rest of the boys, than she bethought her of the Persian Cyrus that deposed his Grandfather Astyages, whose use it was at like age to imitate majesty in like manner. In this distraction of thoughts she had not long time stayed, but Lamedon and Menaphon called her away to accompany them to the folds, whiles Pleusidippus hasting to the execution of justice, dismissed his boyish session till their next meeting: where how imperiously he behaved himself in punishing misorders amongst his equals, in using more than jesting justice towards his untamed copesmates, I refer it to the Annuals of the Arcadians that dilate not a little of this ingenious argument. In this sort did Pleusidippus draw forth his infancy, till on a time walking to the shore, where he with his mother were wracked, to gather cockles and pebble stones, as children are wont: there arrived on the strand a Thessalian Pirate named Eurilachus', who after he had foraged in the Arcadian confines, driving before him a large booty of beasts to his ships espied this pretty infant; when gazing on his face as wanton jove gazed on Phrygian Ganymede in the fields of Ida, he exhaled into his eyes such deep impression of his perfection, as that his thought never thirsted so much after any pray, as this pretty Pleusidippus possession: but determining first to assay him by courtesy before he assailed him with rigour, he began to try his wit after this manner. My little child, whence art thou, where wert thou borne, what's thy name, and wherefore wanderest thou thus all alone on the shore. I pray ye what are you sir quoth Pleusidippus, that deal thus with me by interrogatories, as if I were some run away. Wilt thou not tell me then who was thy father: Said he, Good sir, if ye will needs know go ask that of my mother. Hath said well my Lord quoth Romanio who was one of his especial associates, for wise are the children in these days that know their own fathers, especially if they be begotten in Dog days, when their mothers are frantic with love, & young men furious for lust. Besides, who knows not, that these Arcadians are given to take the benefit of every ●…odge, when they will sacrifice their virginity to Venus, though they have but a bush of nettles for their bed; and sure this boy is but some shepherds bastard at the most, howsoever his wanton face importeth more than appearance. Pseusidippus eyes at this speech resolved into fire, and his face into purple, with a more than common courage in children of his years and stature, gave him the lie roundly in this reply; Peasant, the bastard in thy face, for I am a Gentleman: wert thou a man in courage, as thou art a Kowe in proportion, thou wouldst never have so much impaired thy honesty, as to derogate from my honour. Look not in my face but level at my heart by this that thou seest, and therewith let drive at him with such pebble stones as he had in his hat, insomuch that Romanio was driven to his heels, to shun this sudden hail shot, and Eurylochus resolved into a laughter, and in terms of admiration most highly extolled so exceeding magnanimity in so little a body; which how available it proved to the confirmation of his fancy, that was before inflamed with his features, let them imagine, that have noted the imbecility of that age, and the unresisted fury of men at arms. Sufficeth at this instant to unfold (all other circumstance of praise laid apart) that Eurylochus being far in love with his extraordinary lineaments, awaited no farther parley, but willed his men perforce to hoist him a shipboard, intending as soon as ever he arrived in Thessaly, by sending him to the Court as a present, to make his peace with his Lord and Master Agenor, who not long before had proclaimed him as a notorious Pirate throughout all his dominions. Neither swerved he one whit from his purpose, for no sooner had he cast auker in the Port of Hadrionopolis, but he arrayed him in choice silks and Tyrian purple, & so sent him as a prize to the King of that Country, who walwalking as then in his summer garden with his Queen the beauteous Eriphila, fell to discourse (as one well seen in Philosophy) of herbs and flowers, as the savour or colour did occasion; and having spent some time in disputing their medicinable properties, his Lady reaching him a Marigold, he began to moralise of it thus merely. I marvel the Poets that were so prodig all in painting the amorous affection of the Sun to his Hyacinth, did never observe the relation of love twixt him and the Marigold: it should either seem they were loath to incur the displeasure of women, by propounding it in the way of comparison any servile imitation for head strong wives, that love no precepts less, than those pertaining unto duty; or that that flower not so usual in their gardens as ours, in her unacquainted name did obscure the honour of her amours to Apollo; to whose motions reducing the method of her springing, she waketh and sleepeth, openeth and shutteth her golden leaves, as he riseth and setteth. Well did you forestall my exception quoth Eriphila, in terming it a servile imitation; for were the condition of a wife so slavish as your similitude would infer, I had as leave be your page as your spouse, your dog as your darling. Not so sweet wife answered Agenor, but the comparison holdeth in this, that as the Marigold resembleth the Sun both in colour and form, so each man's wife ought every way to be the image of her husband, framing her countenance to smile, when she sees him disposed to mirth; and contrariwise her eyes to tears, he being surcharged with melancholy: and as the Marigold displaieth the orient ornaments of her beauty to the resplendent view of none but her lover Hyperion, so ought not a woman of modesty lay open the allurements of her face to any but her espoused fere; in whose absence like the Marigold in the absence of the Simne, she ought to shut up her doors, and solemnize continual night, till her husband her sun making a happy return, unsealeth her silence with the joy of his sight. Believe me, but if all flowers (quoth Eriphila) afford such influence of eloquence to our adverse orators, He exempt them all from my smell, for fear they be all planted to poison. Oft have I heard (replied Agenor) our cunning Physicians conclude, that one poison is harmless to another; which if it be so, there is no cause why a 〈◊〉 should fear to be stung of a nettle. I can tell you sir, you best were beware, least in wading too far in comparisons of thistles and nettles, you exchange not your rose for a nettle. If I do quoth Agenor, it is no more, but my gardeners shall pluck it up by the roots, and throw it over the wall as a weed. To end this jest that else would issue to 〈◊〉. what purple flower is this in form like a hyacinth (quoth Eriphila) so cunningly dropped with blood, as if Nature had intermeddled with the Peralds' art to emblazon a bleeding heart. It is the flower into the which Poets 〈◊〉 saigne Venus' dyiug Adonis to be turned, a fair boy but passing infortunate. Was it possible quoth Eriphila, that ever Nature should be so bounteous to a boy, to give him a face in despite of women so fair: feign would I 〈◊〉 such an object, and then would I best beauty, for imparting our excellency to any inferior abject. In saying these words (as if Fortune meant to present her fancy with his desired felicity) Romanio conducted by one of the Lords came with young Pleusidippus in his hand into the pri●… garden: where discoursing unto the king the intent of Eurylochus in presenting him with such an inestimable Jewel, the manner of his taking in the Strand of Arcady, with other circumstance of vowed allegiance; all which being gratefully accepted of Agenor, he sealed their several par●…ons, & so gave them leave to departed. But when be had thoroughly observed every perfection of young Pleusidippus, he burst into these terms of passion; Pad seaborn Pontia then an appliable ear in our idleness, that to testiste her eternal deity, she should send us a second Adonis to delude our senses: What ever may deserve the name of fair have I 〈◊〉 before, beauty have I beheld in his brighest orb, but never set eye on immortality before this hour. Eriphila likewise in no less ecstasy, seeing her eyes to dazzle with the reflex of his beauty, and her cheeks tainted with a blush of disgrace by too too much gazing on his face, said; that either the Sun had left his bower to beguile their eyes with a borrowed shape (which could not keep in his brightness) or Cupid dismounted from his mother's lap, left his bow & quiver at random, to outbrave the Thessalian dames in their beauty, In this contrariecie of thoughts, being all plunged 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 speechless astonishment, the fair child Pleusidippus not used to such hyperbolical spectators, broke off the silence by calling for his victuals, as one whose empty stomach since his coming from sea, was not overcloyed with delicates, whereat Agenor revived from his trance, wherein the present wonder had enwrapped him, demanded such questions of his name and parentage as the Pirates ignorance could not unfold; but he being able to tell no more than this, that his mother was a shepherdess, & his own name Pleusidippus, cut off all their further interrogatories by calling after his childish manuer again for his dinner. Whereupon Agenor commanding him to be had in, and used in every respect as the child of a Prince, beganin his solitary walk by his countenance to calculate his Nativity, and measure his birth by his beauty, contracting him in thought heir to his kingdom of Thessaly, and husband to his daughter, before he knew whence the child descended, or who was his father.  
But leaving young Pleusidippus thus spending his youth in the Thessalian Court, protected with the tender affection of such a courteous Foster-father as Agenor; return we where we left back unto Arcady, and meet his Mother the fair Samela returning from the folds: who having discoursed by the way as she came home to Lamedon and Menaphon what she late saw and observed in her son, they both conjoined their judgements to this conclusion, that he was doubtless borne to some greater fortunes than the sheep-coates could contain, and therefore it behoved her to further his Destinies with some good and liberal education, and not to detain him any longer in that trade of life, which his fortune withstood: but by the way to rebuke him for tyrannising so Lorlolie over the boys, lest the neighbour shepherds might happily intrude the name of injury on them being strangers for his insulting over their children. With this determination came she home, & calling for Pleusidippus according to their former counsel, he would in no wise be found. Thereupon inquiry was made amongst all the shepherds, diligent search in every village, but still the most carefullest post returned with Non est inventus. Which Samela hearing, thinking she had utterly lost him whom Fortune had saved, began in this manner to act her unrest; Dissembling heavens, where is your happiness? unconstant times, what are your triumphs? have you therefore hethertoo fed me with honey, that you might at last poison me with gall? Have you fatted me so long with Sardenian smiles, that like the wrack of the Sirens, I might perish in your wiles? Cursed that I was to affy in your courtesy, cursed that am to taste of your cruelty. O Pleusidippus, livest thou, or art thou dead? No thou art dead, dead to the world, dead to thy 〈◊〉, dead to Cyprus, dead to Arcady, dead to thy mother Samela; and with thee dies the world's wonder, thy kinsfolks comfort, Cipres soul, Arcadies hopes, thy mother's honours. Was this the prophecy of thy sovereignty, to yield up thy life to death so untimely? wretched was I of all women to bring thee forth to this infancy. O cruel Themis that didst revolve such unevitable fate; hard hearted death to prosecute me with such hate. 〈◊〉 we therefore escapce the fury of the seas, to perish on the land? was it not enough that we were exiled from higher prosperity, but we must all of us thus suddenly be over whelmed with the overflow of a second adversity? my husband and thy father to be swallowed in the fury of the surge, and now thou to be (and therewith her eyes distilled such abundance of tears, as stoyt the passage of her plaints, & made her seem a more than second Niobe, be wailing her seven fold sorrow under the form of a weeping Flint.) Menaphon who had over heard her all this while, as one that sought opportunity to plead his unrest, perceiving her in that extremity of agony for her sous supposed loss, stepped to her presently, & cheerde her up in these terms; Fair shepherdess, might the tears of contrition raise the dead from destruction, than were it wisdom to be wail what weeping might recall; but since such anguish is fruitless, and these plain bootless; comfort yourself with the hope of the living, and omit the tears for the dead. Why quoth Samela how is it possible a woman should lose him without grief, whom she hathconceived with sorrow: he was sweet Menaphon; the divided half of my essence, soul to my joys, and life to my delights; as beauteous in his b●…irth, as is our bright bow-bearing God, that played the shepherd awhile for love, amidst our pleasant Arcadian Downs. What ere he was in beauty quoth Menaphon, proceeded from your bounty; who may by marriage make his like when you please: therefore there is no cause you should so much grieve to see your first work defacde, that of a new mould can form a far better than ever he was. Ah Menaphon, near more may his like proceed from my loins; I tell thee he made the chamber bright with his beauty when he was born, and chacte the night with the golden rays that gleamed from his looks: near more may I be the mother of such a son. Yes Samela (quoth the frolic shepherd) think not but if thou wilt list to my loves, I will enrich thee with as fair increase as ever he was. Alas poor swain said she, thou hopest in vain, since another must reap what thou hast sown, and gather into his barns what thou hast scattered in the furrow. Another reap what I have sown: therewith he scratched his head where it icht not, and setting his cap he could not tell which way, in a hot sustian fumes 〈◊〉 uttered these words of fury; Strumpet of Greece, repaiest thou my love with this lavish ingratitude? have I therefore with my plenty supplied thy wants, that thou with thy pride shouldst procure my woe? did I relieve thee in distress, to wound me in thy welfare with disdain? deceitful woman (and therewith he swore a holiday oath, by Pan the God of the Shepherds) either return love for love, or I will turn thee forth of doors to scrape up thy crumbs where thou canst; and make thee 〈◊〉 for thy poùertie, that erst while wert honoured in tuerie man's eye. through the supportance of thy beauty. Belike then quoth Samela, when you entertained me into your house, you did it not in regard of the laws of hospitality, but only with this policy to quench the flames of your faucie: then sir have I 〈◊〉 your honesty, and am less indebted to your courtesy. Nay I thought no less said Menaphon, when your straggling eye at our last meeting would be gadding throughout every corner of our company, that you would prove such a kind kistrell; but if you will needs be starting, I'll serve ye thereafter I warrant you: then see which of our beardless youngsters will take ye in, when I have cast you forth. Those quoth she that countenance Menaphon and his pelf, and are better able than yourself: but howsoever I find their favour, I hence forth defy you and your fellowship. And there with in great rage she 〈◊〉 away into the next chamber, where her uncle Lamedon lay a sleep; to whom complaining of Menaphons' 〈◊〉, he strait invented this remedy; there was a shepherd called Moron (brother to Doron) that not long before died of a surfeit, whose house and flock being set to sale after his decease, be bought them both forth with for Samela with certain remainder of money he had, and therein 〈◊〉 her maugre the fury of Menaphon; who when he saw she was able to support her state without his purse, became sick for anger, and spent whole Eclogues in anguish. Sometime lying comfortless on his bed he would complain him to the winds of his woes, in these or such like words; Forlorn, and forsook since Physic doth loath thee; despair be thy death, Love is a God and despiseth thee a man; Fortune blind, and can not behold thy deserts: die, die, fond Menaphon, that ungratefully hast abandoned thy Mistress. And therewith stretching himself 〈◊〉 his bed, as thinking to have slept, he was restrained by cares that exiled all rest from his eyes: whereupon taking his pipe in his hand, 〈◊〉 playing and singing he plained him thus.  

Menaphons' Song in his bed.  

〈◊〉 restless cares companions of the night,  
That wrap my joys in folds of endless woes:  
tire on my heart, and wound it with your spite,  
Since Lone and Fortune proves my equal foes.  
Farewell my hopes, farewell my happy days:  
Welcome sweet grief, the subject of my lays.   

Mourn heavens, mourn earth, your shepherd is for lost;  
Mourn times and hours since bale invades my bower:  
Curse every tongue the place where I was borne,  
Curse every thought the life which makes me 〈◊〉.  
Farewell my hopes, farewell my happy 〈◊〉,  
Welcome sweet grief the subject of my 〈◊〉.   

Was I not free? was I not fancies aim?  
Framed not desire my face to front disdain?  
I was; she did: but now one silly maim  
Makes me to droop as he whom love hath 〈◊〉.  
Farewell my hopes, farewell my happy 〈◊〉,  
Welcome sweet grief the subject of my lays.   

Yet drooping, and yet living to this death,  
I sigh, I sue for pity at her shrine,  
Whose fiery eyes exhale my vital breath,  
And make my flocks with parehing heat to pine.  
Farewell my hopes, farewell my happy days,  
Welcome sweet grief the subject of my lays.   

Fade they, die I, long may she live to bliss  
That 〈◊〉 a wanton fire with fuel of her form,  
And makes perpetual summer where she is;  
Whiles I do cri●… 〈◊〉 with envies storm,  
Farewell my hopes, farewell my happy days:  
Welcome sweet grief, the subject of my lays.    
No sooner had Menaphon ended this ditty, but Pesana hearing that he was lately fallen sick, and that Samela & he were at mortal jars; thinking now to make hay while the Sun shined, and take opportunity by his forelockes, 〈◊〉 into his chamber under pretence to visit him, fell into these terms; Why how now Menaphon, hath your new change driven you to a nightcap? Believe me this is the strangest effect of love that ever I saw, to freeze so quickly the heart it set on fire so lately. Why may it not be a burning fever as well quoth Menaphon blushing? Nay that can not be said Pesana, since you shake for cold, not swelled for heat. Why if it be so it is long of cold entertainment. Why quoth Pesana, hath your hot in●…ertainment cooled your courage? No, but 〈◊〉 undeserved hate quite hindered my conquest. You know quoth Pesana where you might have been let in long ere this, without either assault or any such battery With this the shepherd was mute, and Pesana ashamed: but at length regathering his spirits to be wray his martyrdom, and make his old Mistress some new music, he strained forth this ditty.  

Fair fields proud Flora's vaunt, why is't you smile when as I languish?  
You golden meads, why strive you to beguile my weeping anguish?  
I live to sorrow, you to pleasure spring: why do you spring thus?  
What will not Boreas tempests wrathful king take somepitie on us?  
And send forth Winter in her rusty 〈◊〉, to wait my 〈◊〉;  
Whiles I distressed do tune my country 〈◊〉 unto my 〈◊〉.  
But heaven, and earth, time, place, and every power have with her conspired  
To turn my blissful sweets to baleful sower, since fond I 〈◊〉  
The heaven whereto my thoughts may not 〈◊〉: ay me unhappy.  
It was my fault t'embrace my 〈◊〉 the fire that forceth me die.  
Mine be the 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 the cruel ca●…se of this strange torment:  
Wherefore no time my banning prayers shall pause, till proud she repent.   
Well I 〈◊〉 quoth Pesana, for all she hath let you fly like a Hawk that hath lo●…t her tire; yet you mean to follow suit and service, though you get but a handful of smoke tò the bargain. Not so quoth Menaphon, but perhaps I seek to return an ill bargain as dear as I bought it. If you do so, you are wiser than this kercher doth show you quoth Pesana. Much idle prattle to this purpose had Menaphon with Pesana in his sickness, and long it was not, but that with good diet and warm broths, (and especially by her careful attendance) he began to gather up his crumbs, and liften by little and little to the love he late scorned. Leave we them to their equal desires, as surfeiting either of others society; and let us look back to Thessaly, where Samelaes' stripling (now grown up to the age of sixteen years) flourished in honour & feats of arms above all the Knights of the Court, insomuch that the echo of his Fame, was the only news talk on throughout every town in Greece: but Olympia the Mistress of his prowess, (for so was the King's daughter named) was she that most of all exalted in the far renowned reports of his martial perfections, to whose prasse he did 〈◊〉 all his 〈◊〉, to whose exquisite form he did dedicate all his adventures. But hellborn Fame, the eldest daughter of Erinys, envying the felicity of these two famous Lovers, dismounted 〈◊〉 from her brass sounding buildings, and 〈◊〉 herself of her secrets in the presence of young Pleusidippus, among whose catalogue she had not forgot to discover, the incomparable beauty of the Arcadian shepherdess; whereof the young Prince no sooner had received an inkling, but he stood upon thorns till he had satisfied his desire with her sight. Therefore on a time 〈◊〉 with his Mistress at supper, when for table talk it was debated amongst them, what Country bred the most accomplished Dames for all things? After strangers and others had delivered up their opinions without partiality, one amongst them all who had been in Arcady, gave up his verdict thus freely; Gentle women (quoth he) be it no disgrac●… for the Moon to 〈◊〉 to the Sun, for the stars to give place when Titan appears; then I hope neither the Thessalians will be moved, nor ●…he Grecians 〈◊〉, if I make Apollo's Arcady beauties Meridian. Neither will I proceed herein as our Philosophical Poets are wont, that musler every mover in the Zodiac, every 〈◊〉 star in the firmament, 〈◊〉 elemental word of art in an Almanac, to prove that Country for beauty most Canonical where their Mistress abideth; when as God 〈◊〉, had they but learned of Appelles, Ne suitor ultra crepidam, they would not have aspired above their birth, or talked beyond their sowterly bringing up. Our Areadian Nymphs are fair & beautiful, though not 〈◊〉 of the Sun's bright rays; whose eyes 〈◊〉 loves armory to the view, whose 〈◊〉 faces are to the obscure earth in steed of a Firmament: view but this counterf●…ice (and therewithal he showed the picture of Samela) and see is it be not of force to draw the Sun from his sphere, or the Moon from her circle to gaze as the one did on the beauty of Daphne, or all night contemplate as the other 〈◊〉 the form of 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 while heard his 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the radiant 〈◊〉 of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man already installed 〈◊〉 eternity, he exclaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, O Arcady, Arcady storehouse of Nymphs, and 〈◊〉 of beauty. At which words Olympia starting up 〈◊〉, as if she a second juno, had taken her jove in 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉: & overcasting the chamber with a 〈◊〉 that was able to mantle the world with an 〈◊〉 night, she 〈◊〉 passage to her choler in these terms of 〈◊〉; 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 of I know not 〈◊〉, have the favours of my bounty (not thy desert) entered thee so 〈◊〉 in over 〈◊〉 presumption, that thou shouldst be the foremost 〈◊〉 of our dignity; and 〈◊〉 of my beautie●… I tell thee 〈◊〉, I 〈◊〉 thy clownish Arcady with his inferior comparisons, as one that prizeth her perfection above any created constitution. Pleusidippns upon this speech stood plunged in a great perplexity whether he should excuse himself 〈◊〉, or take her up roundly: but the latter being more level 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former, he begun 〈◊〉 to rouse up his fury; 〈◊〉 dame that upbraidest me with my birth as it were base, & my youth as it were boyish, know that although my parents and progeny are envied by obscurity, yet the s●…erkes of renown that make my Eagle minded thoughts to mount, the heavenvly fire imprisoned in the pannicles of my crest, inciting me to more deeds of honour, than stout Perseus effected with his falchion in the fields of Hesperia, assertaineth my soul I was the son of no coward, but a Gentleman: but since my inequality of parentage, is such an eye sore to thy envy, hold take thy favours, (and therewith he threw her her glove) and immortalize whom thou wilt with thy toys; for I will to Arcady in despite of thee and thine affinity, there either to seek out mischance, or a new Mistress. With this in a great rage he rose from the board, & would have mounted himself to departed in that mood, had not the Lords & gentlemen there present dissuaded him from such an unadvised enterprise. 〈◊〉 was this vnkindne●… kept 〈◊〉 secret, 〈◊〉 it came to the King's care as he was new ri●… from 〈◊〉; who for the 〈◊〉 he bore to Pleusidippus whom he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Knighthood n●… long before, and for the to●… 〈◊〉 he saw in 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 pains to go to the chamber where they were; 〈◊〉 finding his daughter in strange manner perple●…ed with the though of Pleu●…dippus departure, her eyes red, and her cheeks all to be blubbered with her jealous ieal●…us, he took her up in this manner. Daughter, I thought I had chose such a one to be the object of your ●…ie, as you might have every way loved and honoured as the Lord of your life, and not have controlled as the slave of your lust. Did I therefore grace him with my countenance, that you should dissaine him with your taunts; peevish girl, I advise thee on my 〈◊〉, either reconcile thyself betimes, and reform thy unreverent terms, or I will disclaim the love of a Father, and deal by thee no more as a daughter. Olympia who already had sufficiently bitten on the bridle, took these words more ●…indly than all her former bitterness, which she digested but sourly; nevertheless making necessity the present times best policy, she humbled herself as she migh●… with 〈◊〉, and desired the best interpretation of what was passed; Pleusidippus whose courteous inclination could not withstand this submission, in ●…gn of reconcilement gave her a 〈◊〉 des labies: yet was he not so reconciled, but he kept on his purpose of going to Arcady; whereat Olympia (although she grudged inwardly, yet being loath to offend) ●…lde her peace, and determined to bestow upon him a remembrance, whereby he might be brought to think upon her in his absence; which was the devise of a bleeding heart floating in the sea, waves curiou●…ie stamp in gold, with this Motto about it, P●…rtum aut m●…rtem; alluding as it seemed to the devise in his shield, wherein (because he was taken up by Eurylochus on the shore) was cunningly drawn in a field argent, the sea waves with Venus sitting on the top, in token that his affection was already 〈◊〉. Here hold this 〈◊〉 she my 〈◊〉 Plensidippus, and hang it about thy neck, that when thou art in Arcady it may be ever in thine eye; so shall these drops of ruth that paint out a painful truth, ●…ithdraw thy fancy from attracting strange beauty: which said, the tears gushed from her eyes, and good Agenor's likewise, who gave him nothing so much in charge, as to make ha●… of his 〈◊〉. Pleusidippus although he could have 〈◊〉 content to have done the like for comp●…, yet he had such a mind on his journey, that he broke off such ceremonies, and hasted a 〈◊〉; and in a Bark bound for Arcady, ha●…ing the wind favourable made a short cut, so that in a day and nights sailing, he arrived on the shore adjoining to the 〈◊〉 where he, his mother, and his v●…ckle Lamedon were first 〈◊〉.  
Leave we him wandering with some few of his train that came with him alongst the sea side, to seek out some town or village where to refresh themselves; and let us awhile to the Court of Democles where our History began: who having committed his daughter with her tender 〈◊〉, her husbands Maximius, and Lamedon his uncle without o●…re or marriver to the fury of the merciless waves, determined to leave the succession of his kingdom to vnce●…aine chance: for his Queen with Sephestiaes' loss (whom she deemed to be dead) took such thought, that within short time after she died. Democles as car●…lesse of all weathers, spent his time Epicure-like in all kind of pleasures that either art or expense might afford; so that for his dissolute life he seemed another Heliogabalus, deriving his security from that grounded tranquillity, which made it proverbial to the world, No heaven but Arcadi●…. Having spent many years in this variety of vanity, Fame determining to apply herself to his fancy, sounded in his ears the singular beauty of his daughter Samela; h●…, although he were an old colt, yet had not cast all his wanton teeth, which made him under the brute of being ●…icke of a grievous apoplexy, steal from his Court secretly in the disguise of a shepherd, to come and seek out Samela; 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new flock, 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 been Queen of Arcady; and M●…cer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a little that she was part●… from M●…phon, used every day to 〈◊〉 her without dread, and 〈◊〉 her in such shepherds 〈◊〉 as he had; which he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…sed her I lean●… to you to imagi●…, when 〈◊〉 not long after she vowed marriage to him solemnly in presence of all the shepherds, but not to be solemnized till the 〈◊〉 was fulfilled, mentioned in the beginning of this History. Although this penance exceeded the limits of his patience; yet hoping that the Oracle was not ●…ttered in vain, and might as well (albeit he knew not which way) be accomplished in him as in any other, wa●… contented to make a virtue of necessity, and await the ●…emost of his destiny. But Pleusidippus, who by this time had perfected his policies, exchanging his garments with one of the heardgroomes of Menaphon, tracing 〈◊〉 the Plains in the habit of a Shepherd, chanced to meet with Democles as he was new come into those quarters; 〈◊〉 mistaking for an old shepherd, he began many impertinent questions belonging to the Sheepe-coates, at last he as●… him if he knew Samelas' sheepfold; who answering doubtfully unto all alike, made him half angry: and had not Samela passed by at that instant to fill her bottle at a spring 〈◊〉 the foot of the Promontory, he should like enough have had first h●…sell of our new shepherds shéepehooke. But the wonder of her beauty so wrought with his wounded fancy, that he thought report a partial spreader of her praises, and fame too base to talk of such forms. Samela espying this fair shepherd so far over-gone in his gazing, stepped to him, and asked him if he knew her that he so●…uerlookt her. Pardon me ●…ire shepherdess (quoth Pleusidippus) if it be a fault, for I cannot choose being Eagle sighted but gaze on the Su●…e the first time I see it. And truly I cannot choose but compare you to one of Aesop's Apes, that finding a Glowor me in the night, ●…ke it for fire; and you seeing a face full of deformities, mistake it for the Sun. Indeed it may be mine eyes made opposite to such an object may fail in their office, having their lights rebated by such brightness. Nay not unlike quoth Samela, for else out of doubt you would see your way better. Why quoth Pleusidippus I cannot go out of the way, when I meet such glistering Goddesses in my way. How now si●… Paris, are you 〈◊〉 of your Arithmetic, I think you have lost your wits with your eyes, that mistake Arcady for Ida, and a Shepherdess for a Gods. How ever it please you (quoth Pleusidippus) to derogate from my prowess by the title of Paris, know that I am not so far out of my Arithmetic, but that by Multiplication I can make two of one, in an hours warning, or be as good as a cipher to fill up a place at the worst hand; for my wit sufficeth be it never so simple to prove both re and voce that there can be no vacuum in rerum natura, and mine eyes (or else they deceive me) will enter so far in art, as niger est contrarius albo, and teach me how to discern twixt black and white. Much other circumstance of prattle passed between them, which the Arcadian Records 〈◊〉 not show, nor I remember; sufficeth be pleaded love, and was repulsed: which drout him into such a choler, that meeting his supposed shepherd, (who lying under a bush, had all 〈◊〉 while ●…uer heard them) he entered into such terms of indignation, as jove shaking his earthquaking hair, when he 〈◊〉 in consultation of Lycaon. Wherefor●… Democles 〈◊〉 Pleus●…dippus repulsed, who was every way gracd●… with the ornaments of Nature, began to cast his bad pennyworths, in whose face age had furrowed her wrinkles; except he should lay his cro●… at her feet, and ●…ell her he was King of Aread●…; which in Common wealths respects, seeming not co●…dious, he thought to turn a new leaf, and make this ●…ng shepherd the means to perfect his purpose. He had not far from that place a strong Castle, which was inhabited as then by none but 〈◊〉 and heardgroomes: thither did he persw●… Pleusidippus to carry he●… persorce, & effect that by 〈◊〉, that he could not 〈◊〉 by entreaty; who li●…ning not a little to this counsel, that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his advantage, preseutly put in practice what he of late gave in precepts, and waiting till the evening that Samel●… should fold her sheep, having given his men the watch word, maugre all the shepherds adjoining he mounted her behind him; and being by Democles directed to the Castle, he made such havoc among the stubborn herdsmen, that will they nill they, he was Lord of the Castle. Yet might not all this prevail with Samela, who constant to her old shepherd, would not entertain any new love; which made Pleusidippus think all his harvest lost in the reaping, and blemished all his delights with a mournful drooping. But Democles that looked for a mountain of gold in a Mole hill, finding her all alone, began to discourse his love in more ample mauner than ever Pleusidippus, telling her how he was a King, what his revenues were, what power he had to advance her; with many other proud vaunts of his wealth, and prodigal terms of his treasure. Samela hearing the name of a King, & perceiving him to be her Father, stood amazed like Medusa's Metamorphosis, and blushing oft with intermingled sighs, began to think how injurious fortune was to her shown in such an incestuous father. But he hot spurred in his purpose, gave her no time to deliberate, but required either a quick consent, or a present denial. She told him, that the Shepherd Melicertus was already entitled in the interest of her beauty, wherefore it was in vain what he or any other could plead in the way of persuasion. He thereupon entering into a large field of the baseness of Shepherds, and royalties of Kings, with many other assembled arguments of 〈◊〉, that would have fetched Venus from her sphere to disport: but Samela whose mouth could digest no other meat save only her sweet Melicertus, ashamed so long to 〈◊〉 p●…ley with her father about such a matter, fling a way to her withdrawing chamber in a dissembled rage, and there after her 〈◊〉 manner be wailed her mi●…ortunes.  
Democles plunged thus in a Labyrinth of restless passions, seeing Melicertus' figure was so deeply printed in the centre of her thoughts, as neither the resolution of his fancy, his Metamorphosis from a King to a traveler, Crowns, Kingdoms, preferments, (batteries that soon overthrow the fortress of women's 〈◊〉) when Democles I say, saw that none of these cold remove Samela; hearing that the Arcadian shepherds were in an uproar for the loss of their beautiful shepherdess, his hot love changing to a bird of coy disdain; he intended by some revenge, either to òbtaine his love, or satisfy his hate: whereupon thoroughly resolved, he stole away secretly in his shepherds apparel, & got him down to the Plains; where he found all the swains in a mutiny about the recovery of their beautiful Paragon. Democles stepping amongst the rout, demanded the cause of their controversy. Marry sir quoth Doron bluntly, the flower of all our garland is gone. How mean you that sir, quoth he: We had answered Doron, an Eaw amongst ou●… rams, whose fleece was as white as the hairs that grow on father Boreas thin, or as the dangling deawlap of the silver Bull, her front curled like to the Erimanthian Boar, and spangled like the worsted stockings of Saturn, her face like Mars treading upon the milk white clouds: believe me shepherd, her eyes were like the fiery torches tilting against the Moon: this paragon, this none such, this Eaw, this Mistress of our flocks, was by a wily Fox stolen fro●… our folds; for which these shepherds assemble themselves, to recover so wealthy a prize. What is he quoth Menaphon that Doron is in such debate with? Fellow canst thou tell us any news of the fair shepherdess, that the Knight of Thessaly hath carried away from her fellow Nymphs. Democles thinking to take opportunity by the forehead: and seeing Time had feathered his bolt, willing to assay as he might to hit the mark, began thus.  
shepherds, you see my profession is your trade, and although my wandering fortunes be not like your home borne favours; yet were I in the groves of Thessalian Tempe, as I am in the plains of Arcady, the swains would give me as many due honours, as they present you here with submiss reverence. Beauty that drew Apollo from heaven to play the shepherd, that fetched jove from heaven to bear the shape of a Bull for Agenor's daughter, the excellence of such a Metaphusicall virtue, I mean shepherd the fame of your fair●… Samela, bovering in the ears of every man as a miracle of nature, brought me from Thessaly to feed mine eyes with Arcadies' wonder: stepping alongst the shore to come to same sheepcoate where my weary limbs might have rest, Love that for my labours thought to lead me to fancy's pavilion, was my conduct to a castle, where a Thessalian knight lies in hold, the Portcullis was let down, the bridge drawn, the Court of guard kept, thither I went; and for by my tongue I was known to be a Thessalian, I was entertained and lodged: the Knight whose years are young, and valour matchless, holding in his arms a Lady more beautiful than loves Queen, all blubbered with tears, asked me many questions, which as I might I replied unto: but while he talked, mine eye surfeiting with such excellence, was detained upon the glorious show of such a wonderful object; I demanded what she was of the standers by, & they said she was the fair shepherdess whom the Knight had taken from the swains of Arcady, and would carry with the first wind that served into Thessaly: This shepherds I know, and grieve that thus your joves should be overmatched with Fortune, and your affections pulled back by contrariety of Destiny. Melicertus hearing this, the fire sparkling out of his eyes began thus; I tell thee shepherd, if Fates with their forepointing pencels did pen down, or Fortune with her deepest variety resolve, or Love with his greatest power determine to deprive Arcady of the beautiful Samela, we would with our blood sign down such spells on the Plains, that either our Gods should summon her to Elysium, or she 〈◊〉 wi●…h us quiet & fortunate: thou seest the shepherds are up in arms to revenge, only it rests who shall have the honour and principality of the field. What needs that question quoth Menaphon, am not I the King's shepherd, and chief of all the bordering swains of Arcady. I grant quoth Melicertus, but am not I a Gentleman, though tired in shepherds skincoate; superior to thee in birth, though equal now in profession. Well from words they had fallen to blows, had not the shepherds parted them; and for the avoiding of farther troubles, it was agreed that they should in two Eclogues make description of their love, and Democles, for he was a stranger, to sit Censor, and who best could decipher his Mistress perfection, should be made General of the rest. Menaphon and Melicertus condes●…uded to this motion, & Democles sitting as judge, the rest of the shepherds standing as witnesses of this combat Menaphon began thus.  

Menaphons' Eclogue.  

Too weak the wit, too slender is the brain  
That means to mark the power and worth of love;  
Not one that lives (except he hap to prove)  
Can tell the sweet, or tell the secret pain.   

Yet I that have been apprentice to the grief,  
Like to the cunning seaman from a far,  
By guess will talk the beauty of that star,  
Whose influence must yield me chief relief.   

You Censors of the glory of my dear,  
With reverence and lowly bent of knee,  
Attend and mark what her perfections be:  
For in my words my fancies shall appear.   

Her locks are plighted like the fleece of wool  
That jason with his Grecian mates atchi●…,  
As pure as gold, yet not from gold derived;  
As full of sweets, as sweet of sweets is full.   

Her brows are pretty 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉,  
Where Love his records of delight doth 〈◊〉,  
On them her dallying locks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
As Love full oft doth 〈◊〉 upon the 〈◊〉.   

Her eyes, fair eyes, like to the purest lights  
That animate the 〈◊〉, or cheer the day,  
In whom the shining Sunbeams brightly play  
Whiles 〈◊〉 doth on them divine delights.   

Her cheeks like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in wine,  
Or fair 〈◊〉 kernels washed in milk,  
Or snow white threads in nets of crimson silk,  
Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the 〈◊〉 decline.   

Her lips are roses ●…uerwasht with dew,  
Or like the purple of Narcissus flower:  
No frost their 〈◊〉, no wind doth waste their power,  
But by her breath her beauty's 〈◊〉 renew.   

Her crystal chin like to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
Enchac'de with 〈◊〉 daisies soft and white,  
Where fancies fair 〈◊〉 once is pight,  
Where as 〈◊〉 his beauties be doth hold.   

Her neck like to an 〈◊〉 shining 〈◊〉  
Where through with azure veins sweet Nectar runs,  
Or like the down of 〈◊〉 where Senesse 〈◊〉,  
Or like delight that doth itself 〈◊〉.   

Her paps are like fair apples in the 〈◊〉,  
As round as orient pearls, as soft as down:  
They never 〈◊〉 their fair through 〈◊〉 frown,  
But from their sweets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

Her body beauties best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
Delicious, comely, 〈◊〉, without 〈◊〉  
The thought whereof (not touch) hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Whose fair, all fair and beauties doth 〈◊〉.   

Her maiden mount, the dwelling house of pleasure;  
Not like, for why no like surpasseth w●…nder:  
O blest is he may bring such beauties under,  
Or search by suit the secrets of that treasure.   

Devoured in thought, how wanders my deuic●…,  
What rests behind I must 〈◊〉 upon?  
Who talks the best, can say but fairer none:  
Few words well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most content the wise.   

All you that hear; let not my sillis style  
Condemn my zeal: for what my tongue should 〈◊〉  
Serves to enforce my thoughts to seek the way  
Whereby my woes and cares I do beguils.   

seld speaketh Love, but sighs his secr●…t 〈◊〉;  
Tears are his truce-men, words do make him 〈◊〉.  
How sweet is love to them that can dissemble  
In thoughts and looks, till they have reaped the gains,   

Alonely I am plain, and what I say  
I think, 〈◊〉 what I think tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
Sweet Censors take my silly worst for 〈◊〉  
My faith is 〈◊〉, though 〈◊〉 be my lay.    
After the hapless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discourse shadowed his heavenly delight, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after some pause began in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  

Melice●… Eclogue.  

What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeds comp●…re?  
Who draws his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
Their pomp and greatest glories doth 〈◊〉,  
And mounts loves heaven with over leaden wings.   

Stones, 〈◊〉 and flowers, the foolish 〈◊〉 of earth,  
Floods, metals, colours, 〈◊〉 of the eye:  
These show conceit is stained with too much dearth:  
Such abstract fond compares make cunning die.   

But he that hath the feeling taste of Love  
Deri●…es his essence from no 〈◊〉 toy;  
A weak conceit his power cannot 〈◊〉,  
For earthly thoughts are subject to 〈◊〉.   

Be whist, be still, be silent Censers now;  
My fellow swain has told a pretty tale  
Which modern●… Poets may perhaps allow,  
Yet I condemn the 〈◊〉; for they are stolen.   

Apollo when my Mistress first was borne  
Cut off his locks, and left them on her head,  
And said; I plant these wires in Nature●… scorn,  
Whose beauties shall appear when Time is dead.   

From forth the Christ all heaven when she was made,  
The puritis thereof did taint her brow:  
On which the glistering Sun that sought the shade  
'Gan set, and there his glories doth 〈◊〉.   

Those eyes, fair eyes, too fair to be describ 〈◊〉,  
Were those that 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 did ref●…rme:  
To whom the 〈◊〉 their beauti●…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
That fashion life in man, in beast, in 〈◊〉.   

When first her fair delicious cheeks were wrought,  
Aurora brought her blush, the Moon her white:  
Both so combinds as passed Natures thought,  
Compiled those pretty or 〈◊〉 of sweet delight.   

When Love and Nature once were proud with play,  
From both their lips her lips the Coral drew:  
On them doth fancy sleep, and 〈◊〉 day  
Doth swallow joy such sweet delights to view.   

〈◊〉 while Venus' Son did seek a 〈◊〉  
To sport with Psyche's his desired 〈◊〉,  
He chose her chin; and from that happi●… 〈◊〉  
He never stints in glory to appear.   

Desires and joys that long had served Love,  
Besought a Hold where pretty eyes ●…ight 〈◊〉 them:  
●…Loue made her neck, and for their ●…est 〈◊〉  
Hath shut them there, whence no man can 〈◊〉 the●….   

Once Venus dreamt upon two pretty things,  
Her thoughts they were affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉:  
She 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her in the 〈◊〉,  
And when she waked they were my Mistress breasts.   

Once Cupid sought a hold to 〈◊〉 his kisses,  
And found the body of my best beloved.  
Wherein he 〈◊〉 the beauty of his blisses.  
And from that 〈◊〉 can never be 〈◊〉.   

The Graces erst, when Alcidelian springs  
Were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, perhaps did finds her fountain  
Within the vale of bliss, where Cupid's wings  
〈◊〉 shield the Nectar fleeting from the mountain.   

No more fond man: things infinite I see  
Brooke no dimension: Hell a foolish speech;  
For 〈◊〉 things may never talked be.  
Then let me live to honour and beseech.   

Sweet Nature's pomp, if my deficient phrase  
Hath stained thy glories by too little skill,  
Yield pardon though mine eye that long didgaze,  
Hath left no better pattern to my quill.   

I will no more, no more will I detain  
Your listening ears with dalliance of my tongue:  
I speak my joys, but yet conceal my pain;  
My pain too old, although my years be young.    
As soon as Melice●… had ended this Eclogue, they expected the doom of Democles, who hearing the sweet description, wherein Melicertus described his Mistress, wondered that such rare conceits could be harboured under a she pheards' grey clothing, at last he made this answer.  
Arcadian Swains, whose wealth is content, whose labours are tempered with sweet loves, whose minds àspyre not, whose thoughts brook no envy; only as r●…ualls in affection, you are friendly emulators in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: sith fortune (as enemy to your quiet) hath rest you of your fair shepherdess, (the world's wonder, and Arcadies' miracle) & one of you as champion must lead the rest to revenge, both desirous to show your val●…ur as your forwardness in affections, and yet (as I said) 〈◊〉 to be sole chiestaine of the train, I award to Mclicert us that honour (as to him that hath most curiously portrayed out his Mistress excellency) to bent the sole rule and supremacy. At this Menaphon grudged, and Melicertus was in an ecstasy for joy; so that gathering all his forces together of stone headstrong clowns, amounting to the number of some two hundred, he appareled himself in armour, colour sables, as mourning for his Mistress, in his shield he had figured the waves of the sea, Venus sitting on them in the height of all her pride. Thus marched Melicertus forward with old Democles the supposed shepherd till they came to the castle, where Pleusidippus and his fair Samela were resident. As soon as they came there, Melicertus begird the Castle with such a siege, as so many sheepish Cavaliers could furnish: which when he had done, summoning them in the Castle to parley, the young Knight stepped upon the walls, and seeing such a crew of base companions, with Jackets and rusty bills on their backs, fell into a great laughter, and began to taunt them thus.  
Why, what strange Metamorphosis is this? Are the Plains of Arcady, whilom filled with labourers, now overlaid with lances? Are sheep transformed into men, swains into soldiers, and a wandering company of poor shepherds, into a worthy troup of resolute champions: No doubt, either Pan means to play the God of war, or else these be but such men as rose of the teeth of Cadmus. Now I see the beginning of your wars, and the pretended end of your stratagems: the shepherds have a m●…dding humour like the Greeks to seek for the recovery of Helena; so you for the regaining of your fair Samela. Hear she is Shepherds, and I a Priam to defend hit with resistance of a ten years siege; yet for I were loath to have my Castle sack●… 〈◊〉 Troy, I pray you tell me which is Agamemnon?  
Melicertus hearing the youth speak thus proudly, ha●… the sparks of honour fresh under the cinders of pouer●…, 〈◊〉 with love and valour (two things to animate the most 〈◊〉 Thersites to enter combat against Hcrcules) answered thus.  
Unknowen youngster of Thessaly, if the fear of thy hardy deeds, were like the Diapason of thy threats, we would think the Castle of longer stege, than either our ages would permit, or out valour adventure: but where the shelf is most shallow, there the water breaks most high; empty vessels have the highest sounds, bollowe rocks the loudest echoes, and prat●…ing gloriosers, the smallest performance of courage; for proof whereof, seeing thou hast made a rape of fair Samela, one of her vowed Shepherds is come for the safety of her sweet self to challenge thee 〈◊〉 single combat; if thou overcome me, thou shalt freely pass with the shepherdess to Thessaly; if I vanquish thee, thou shalt feel the vurthen of thy rashness, and Samela the swéetuesse of her liberty. Pleusidippus marveled at the resolution of the shepherd; but when Democles heard how if he won, she should be transported into Thessaly, a world of sorrows tumbled in his discontented brain, that he hammered in his head many means to stay the fair Samela; for when Pleusidippus in a great choler was ready to throw down his gauntlet, and to accept of the combat. Damocles stepped up and spoke thus: Worthy mirrors of resolved magnanimity, whose thoughts are above your fortunes, & whose valour more than your revenues, know that Bitch's that puppy in haste bring forth blind whelps; that there is no herb sooner sprung up than the Spattarmia, nor sooner fadeth; that fruits too soon riye are quickly rotten; that dée●…es done in haste are repent at leisure: then brave men in so weighty a cause, and for the conquest of so excellent a Paragon, let not one minute begin and end the quarrel, but like Fabius of Rome use delay in such dangerous exploits, when honour fits on wreaths of Laurel to give the vistor his garland: defer it some three days, and then in solemn manner end the combat. To this good motion not only Pleusidippus and Melicertus agreed, but all the companis were consenting, and upon pledges of truce being given, they rested. But Democles seeing in covert be could not conquer, and that in despairing loves, secrecy was no 〈◊〉, he dispatched letters to the Nobility of his court, with strait charge that they should be in that place within thr●… days with ten thousand strong. This news no soover came to the General of his Forces, but levying so many approved soldiers, he marched secretly by night to the place Democles in his letters had prescribed; and there 〈◊〉 entertained by the King, they were placed in ambush ready when the signal should be givento issue out of the place, and perform their Sovereigns command. Well, the third day being come, no sooner did Titan arise from the watery Couch of his Leman, but these two champions were ready in the lists, accompanied with the rout of all the Arcadian shepherds, and old Democles whom they had appointed for one of the Judges. Pleusidippus seeing Melicertus abvamce on his shield the waves of the sea with a Venus sitting upon them, 〈◊〉 what the shepherd should be that gave his arms, & Melicertus was as much amazed to see a strange Thessalian Knight vaunt his arms without difference; yet being so fraught with direful revenge, as they scorned to salute each other so much as with threats, they fell toughly to blows. Samela standing on top of the turret, and viewing the combat; the poor Lady grieving that for her cause such a stratagem should arise in Arcady, her countenance full of sorrow, and flonds of tears falling from her eyes, she began to breath out this passion.  
Unfortunate Samela born to mishaps, and forepointed to 〈◊〉 fortunes, whose blooms were ripened by mischance, and whose fruit is like to whither with despair; in thy youth sat discoutent pruning herself on thy forehead, now in thine age sorrow hides herself amongst the wrinkles of thy face: thus art thou infortunate in thy Prime, and crossed with contrary accidents in thy Autwnne; as hapless as Helena to have the burden of warts laid on the wings of thy beauty. And who must be the champion? whose sword must pierce the helm of thine enemy? whose blood must purchase the freedom of Samela, but Melicertus? If he conquer, than Samela triumphs, as if she had been chief victor in the Olympiades'; if he lose, every drop falling from his wounds into the centre of my thoughts, as his death to him, so shall it be come the end of my loves. my life, and my liberty. As still she was about to go forward in her passion, the trumpet sounded and they fell to fight in such furious sort, as the Arcadians and Democles himself wondered to see the courage of the Shepherd, that tied the Knight to such a sore task. Pleusidippus likewise feeling an extraordinary kind of force, and seeing with what courage the Knight of the shepherds fought, began to conjecture diversly of the 〈◊〉, and to fear the event of the combat. On the contrary part, Melicertus half wearied with the heavy blows of Pleusidippus, stood in a maze how so young a wag should be so expert in his weapon. Thus debating diversly in their several thoughts, at length being both weary, they stepped back, and leaning on their sword took breath, gazing each upon other. At last Pleusidippus burst into these speeches.  
Shepherd in life, though now a Gentleman in armour, if thy degree be better, I glory I am not disgraced with the combat: tell me, how darest thou so far wrong me, as to wea●… mine Arms upon thy shield:  
Princocks (quoth Melicertus) thou liest, they be mine own, and thou contrary to the Law of Arms bearest my Crest without difference, in which quarrel, seeing it concerns mine honour, I will revenge it as far as my loves; and with that he gave such a charging blow at Pleusidippus helm, that he had almost overturned him: Pleusidippus 〈◊〉 not the blow unrequitted, but doubled his force; insomuch that the hazard of the battle was doubtful, and both of them were feign to take breath again. Democles seeing his time, that both of them were sore weakened, gave the watchword, and the ambush leapt out, slaughtered many of the shepherds, put the rest to flight, took the two champions prisoners, and sacking the Castle, carried them and the fair Samela to his Court: letting the Shepherdess have her liberty, but putting Melicertus and Pleusidippus into a deep and dark dungeon.  
Where leaving these passionate Lovers in this Catastrophe, again to Doron the homely blunt shepherd; who having been long enamoured of Carmela, much good wooing passed betwixt them, and yet little speeding; at last, both of them met hard by the Promontory of Arcady, she leading forth her Sheep, and he going to see his new yeaned Lambs. As soon as they met, breaking a few quarter blows with such country glances as they could, they geerde one at another lovingly. At last Doron manfully begun thus.  
Carmela by my troth God morrow, 'tis as dainty to see you abroad, as to eat a mess of sweet milk in July: you are proud such a house dove of late, or rather so good a housewife, that no man may see you under a couple of Capons; the Churchyard may stand long enough ●…re you will come to look on it, and the Piper may beg for every penny he gets out of your purse: but it is no matter, you are in love with some stout Ruffler, and yet poor folks, such a I am, must be content with porridge: and with that, turning his back, he smiled in his sleeve to see how kindly he had given her the bob: which Carmela seeing, she thought to be even with him thus.  
Indeed Doron you say well, it is long since we met, and our house is a Grange house with you: but we have tied up the great Dog, and when you come you shall have green rushes you are such a stranger: but 'tis no matter; soon hot soon cold, he that mingles himself with draff, the ●…ogges will eat him: and she that lays her love on an unkind man, shall find sorrow enough to eat her sops withal. And with that Carmela was so full stomached that she wept.  
Doron to show himself a natural young man, gave her a few kind kisses to comfort her, and swore that she was the woman he loved best in the whole world, and for proof quoth he, thou shalt hear what I will praise: and you quoth she, what I will perform. ●…nd so taking hand in hand, they kindly sat them down, and began to discourse their loves in these Eclogues.  

Dorons Eclogue joined with Carmelas'.  

Sat down Carmela here are cubs for kings,  
sloes black as 〈◊〉, or like my Christmas shoes,  
Sweet Sidar which my leathren bottle brings:  
Sat down Carmela let me kiss thy toes.   Carmela. 

Ah Doron, ah my heart, thou art as white,  
As is my mother's Calf or brinded Cow,  
Thine eyes are like the slow worms in the night,  
Thine hairs resemble thickest of the snow.   

The lines within thy face are deep and clear  
Like to the furrows of my father's wain,  
Thy sweat upon thy face do●th oft appear  
Like to my mother's 〈◊〉 and Kitchen gain.   

Ah leave my toe and kiss my lips my love,  
My lips and thine, for I have given it thee:  
Within thy cap 'tis thou shalt wear my glove,  
At foot ball sport thou shalt my champion be.   Doron. 

Carmela dear, even at the golden 〈◊〉  
That Venus got, such are thy goodly eyes,  
When cherries 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 withal,  
Thy breath is like the steam of 〈◊〉 pies.   

Thy lips resemble two Cucumbers fair,  
Thy teeth like to the tusks of fattest swine,  
Thy speech is like the thunder in the air:  
Would God thy toes, thy lips and all were mine.   Carmela. 
Doron what thing doth moon this wishing grief.  Doron. 

'tis Love Carmela ah 'tis cruel love.  
That like a slave, and caitiff villain thief,  
Hath cut my throat of joy for thy behove.   Carmela. 
Where was he borne?  Doron. 

In faith I know not where.  
But I have had much talking of his dart.  
Ay me poor man, with many a trampling tear,  
I feel him wound the 〈◊〉 of my heart,   

What 〈◊〉 I love? O 〈◊〉, I 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉.  
What shall I die for love? O no, not so.  
What am I dead? O no my tongue doth walk●….  
Come kiss Carmela, and confound my 〈◊〉.   Carmela. 

Even with this kiss, as once my father did.  
I seal the sweet in●…tures of delight:  
Before I break my vow the Gods forbidden,  
No not by day, nor yet by 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉.   Doron. 

Even with this garland made of Holly-hocks  
I cross thy brows from every shepherds kiss.  
Heigh ho how glad am I to touch thy locks,  
My frolic heart even now a free man is,   Carmela. 

I thank you Doron, and will think●… on you,  
I love you Doron, and will wink on you.  
I 〈◊〉 your charter patent with my thummes,  
Com●… kiss and part for fear my mother comes.    
Thus ended this merry Eclogue betwixt Doron and Carmela: which Gentlemen if it be stuffed with pretty Similes and far fetched 〈◊〉; think the poor Country Lovers knew no further comparisons, than came within compass of their Country 〈◊〉. Well, 〈◊〉 a good world when such simplicity was used, says the old women of our time, when a ring of a rush would tie as much Love together as a 〈◊〉 of gold: but Gentlemen since we have talked of Love so long, you shall give me leave to show my opinion of that 〈◊〉 fancy thus.  

Sonetto.  

What thing is Love! It is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
That rains in us: or else a 〈◊〉 law  
That dooms our minds to beauty to incline:  
It is a star whose influence doth draw  
Our hearts to Love dissembling of his might,  
Till he be master of our hearts and sight.   

Love is a discord and a strange divorce  
Betwixt our sense and reason, by whose power  
As mad with reason we admit that force,  
Which wit or labour never may devour,  
It is a will that brooketh no consent:  
It would refuse, yet never may repent.   

love's a desire, which for to wait a time,  
Doth lose an age of 〈◊〉, and so doth pass  
As doth the shadow severed from his prime,  
Seeming as though it were, yet never was.  
Leaving behind nought but repentant thoughts  
Of days ill spent, for that which profits noughts.   

It's now a peace, and then a sudden war,  
A hope consumed before it is conceived,  
At hand it fears, and menaceth a far,  
And he that gains is most of all deceived:  
It is a secret hidden and not known,  
Which one may better feel than writ upon.    
Thus Gentlemen have you heard my verdict in this Sonetto, now will I return to Doron and Carmela, who not seeing her mother come, fell again to a few homely kisses, and thus it was.  
After they had thus amorously ended their Eclogues, they plighted faith and troth; and Carmela very briskly wiping her mouth with a white apron sealed it with a kiss, which Doron taking marvelous kindly, after a little playing loath to departed, they both went about their business. Leaving them therefore to their business, again to Democles; who seeing no entreaties would serve to persuade Samela to love, neither the hope of the Arcadian Crown, nor the title of a Queen, lastly assayed with frowns and threats, but all in vain: for Samela first restrained by nature in that he was her Father, and secondly by love in that Melicertus lay imprisoned only for her sake, stood still so stiff to her tackling, that Democles changing love into hate, resolved to revenge that with death, which no means else might satisfy: so that to colour his frauds withal, he gave Samela free licence to visit Melicertus: which she had not long done, but that by the instigation of the old King, the jailor confederate to his treachery, accuseth her of adultetie: whereupon without further witness they both were contemned to die. These two lovers knowing themselves guiltless in this surmised faction, were joyful to end their loves with their lives, and so to conclude all in a fatal and final content of minds and passions. But Democles set free Pleusidippus, as afraid the King of Thessaly would revenge the wrong of his Knight, entertaining him with sumptuous banquets, as befitted so brave and worthy a Gentleman. The day came prefixed wherein these parties should die; Samela was so desirous to end her life with her friend, that she would not reveal either unto Democles or Melicertus what she was; and Melicertus rather chose to die with his Samela, than once to name himself Maximius. Both thus resolved, were brought to the place of execution; and●… Pleusidippus sitting on a scaffold with Democles, seeing Samela come forth like the blush of the morning, felt an uncouth passion in his mind, and nature began to enter combat with his thoughts; not love but reverence, not fancy but fear began to assail him, that he turned to the King, and said: Is it not pity Democles, such divine beauty should be wrapped in cinders: No quoth Democles, where the anger of a King must be satisfied. At this answer Pleusidippus wrapped his face in his cloak and wept, and all the assistants grieved to see so fair a creature subject to the violent rage of fortune. Well Democles commanded the deathsman to do his devoir; who kneeling down and craving pardon, ready to give Melicertus the fatal stroke, there slept out an old woman attired like a Prophetess, who cried out; Villain hold thy hand, thou wrongest the daughter of a King. Democles hearing the outcry, and seeing that at that word the people begun to mutiny and murmur, demanded the old woman what she meant: Now quoth she, Democles is the Delphian 〈◊〉 performed; Neptune hath yielded 〈◊〉 the world's wonder, and that is young Pleusidippus nephew to thee, and son to fair Sephestia, who here standeth under the name of Samela, cast upon the Promontory of Arcady with her young son, where she as a shepherdess hath lived in labours tempered with loves; her 〈◊〉 playing on the shore, was conveyed by certain Pirates into Thessaly, where (when as he was supposed every way to be dead) doing deeds of chivalry, he fulfilled the prophecy: your highness giving the Lion, were guide unto the lambs in dissembling yourself a shepherd: planets resting upon the hills, was the picture of Venus upon their crests: & the seas that had neither ebb nor tide, was the combat betwixt the father and the son, that gave the waves of the seas in their shields, not able to vanquish one another, but parting with equal victory. For know Democles this Melicertus is Maximius, twice 〈◊〉 to Sephestia, and Father to young Pleusidippus: now therefore the Oracle fulfilled, is the happy time wherein Arcady shall rest in peace. At this, the people gave a great shout, and the old woman vanished. Democles as a man ravished with an ecstasy of sudden joy, sat still, and stared on the face of Sephestia: Pleusidippus in all duty leapt from his seat, and went and covered his mother with his 〈◊〉, craving pardon for the fondness of his incestuous affection: & kneeling at his father's feet submiss in that he had drawn his sword, & sought his life that first in this world gave him life. Maximius first looked on his wife, and seeing by the line aments of her face that it was Sephestia, fell about her neck, and both of them weeping in the bosom of their son shed tears for joy to see him so brave a Gentleman. Democles all this while sitting in a trance, at last calling his senses together, seeing his daughter revived, whom so cruelly for the love of Maximius he had 〈◊〉 out his confines, Maximius in 〈◊〉, and the child a matchless paragon of approved chivalry, he leapt from his seat, and embraced them all with tears, craving pardon of Maximius and Sephestia: and to show that the outward object of his watery eyes, had a sympathy with the inward passion of his heart, he impald the head of his young nephew Pleusidippus with the crown and diadem of Arcady: and for that his brother Lamedon had in all distress not left his daughter Sephestia, he took the matter so kindly, that he reconciled himself unto him, and made him Duke in Arcady. The success of this forerehearsed Catastrophe growing so comical, they all concluded after the Festival solemnizing of the Coronation (which was made famous with the excellent deeds of many worthy Cavaliers) to pass into Thessaly, to contract the marriage twixt Pleusidippus, & the daughter of the Thessalian King. Which news spread through Arcady as a wonder, that at last it came to Menaphons' ears; who hearing the high parentage of his supposed Samela, seeing his passions were too aspiring, and that with the Syrian wolves he barked against the Moon, he left such lettuce as were too fine for his lips, and courted his old love Pesana, to whom shortly after he was married. And le●…t there should be left any thing unperfect in this pastoral accident, Doron smudgde himself up, and iumpde a marriage with his old friend Carmela.  
FINIS.