Montemayor's Diana

Page 003

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halfe so iocund as it was woont to be, at what time he was in Dianasfauour, and began to sing that which followeth.

HAire in change what libertie,
Since I sawe you, haue I seene?
How vnseemely hath this greene
Bene a signe of hope to me?
Once I thought no Shepherd might
In these fieldes be found (O haire)
(Though I did it with some feare)
Worthy to come neere your sight.
Haire, how many times and tydes
Did my faire Diana spie,
If I ware or left you by
And a thousand toyes besides.
And how oft in weeping sort
(Of deceitfull teares O springs)
Was she iealous of the things,
Which I spake or did in sport?
Those faire eies which wrought my woe,
(Golden haire) tell me what fault
In beleeuing them I caught,
When they did assure me soe?
Saw you not how she did greeue,
Spilling daily many a teare,
Vnto her till I did sweare,
That I did her words beleeue?
Who more beautie euer knew
In a subiect of such change,
Or more sorrowes or more strange
In a loue so perfect true?
On the sand her did I see
Sitting by you riuer bright,
Where her finger this did wright
Rather dead then changed be.
See how loue beares vs in hand,
Making vs beleeue the wordes,
That a womans wit affordes,
And recorded in the sand.

Syrenus had not so soone made an end of his sorrowful song, if that his teares had not bene at hand, for such an one was he, from whom fortune had cut off all the waies and meanes of his remedie. Sorrowing thus, his Rebecke fell out of his hand, and taking vp the golden haire he put them in their place againe, saying, O pledges of the fairest and most disloyall Shepherdesse that humane eies may behold, how with your owne sasetie haue you beguiled me? Woe is me, that I cannot choose but see you, my whole greefe consisting in hauing seene you. And pulling his hande out of his scrip, he found a letter, that Diana in time of his prosperitie had sent him,

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