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what sweete and gracious wordes she manifested her loue vnto me? Didst thou not see, how she could neuer goe with her flockes to the riuer, or take her lambes out of the folde, or in the heate of the day driue her sheepe into the shades of these Sica∣mours without my companie? But for all this, I wish I may neuer see the remedie of my greefe, if I euer expected or desired any thing at Dianas hands that was re∣pugnant to her honour, or if any such thing did euer passe my thought. For such was her beautie, her braue minde, her vertue, and such vnspotted puritie in her loue to me againe, that they admitted no thought into my minde, which in preiudice of her goodnes and chastitie I might haue imagined. I beleeue it well (saide Syluanus sighing) for I can say as much by my selfe, and thinke moreouer that there was neuer any, that casting his eies on Dianaspeerelesse beautie, durst desire any other thing, then to see her, and to conuerse with her. Although I knowe not, whether such rare and excellent beautie might in some mens thoughts (not subiect to such a continent affection as ours) cause an excessiue desire: and especially, if they had seene her, as I did one day sitting with thee neere to you little brooke, when she was kembing her golden haire, and thou holding the glasse vnto her, wherein now and then she be∣held her diuine figure, though neither of you both did (perhaps) knowe that I espied you from those high bushes, neere to the two great okes, keeping (yet) in minde the verses, that thou sungest vpon the holding of the glasse, whiles she was addressing her resplendant tresses. How came they to thy handes, saide Syrenus? The next day following (saide Syluanus) in that very place I founde the paper wherein they were written, and reading them, committed them to memorie: And then came Diana thither weeping for the losse of them, and asking me, if I had found them, which was no small ioy and contentment to me, to see my Mistresse powre foorth those teares, which I might speedily remedie. And this I remember was the first hower, that euer I had a gentle and curteous word of her mouth (how greatly in the meane time stood I neede of fauours) when she saide vnto me, that I might highly pleasure her, to helpe her to that, which so earnestly she sought for: which wordes, like holy relikes, I kept in my minde; for in a whole yeere after I tooke no regarde of all the woes and greefes that I passed, for ioy of that one onely word, which had in it but a small apparance of ioy and happinesse. Now as thou louest thy life (saide Syrenus) rehearse those verses, which, thou saidst, I did sing, since thou hast them so well by hart. I am content, saide Syluanus: and these they were.

FOr a fauour of such woorth
In no doubt I doe remaine,
Since with selfe same coyne againe
(Mistresse) thou art paide right foorth.
For if I enioy with free
Pleasure, seeing before me
Face and eies, where Cupid stands:
So thou seeing in my hands,
That which in thine eies I see.

Let not this to thee seeme ill,
That of thy beautie diuine
Thou see’st but the figure shine,
And I natures perfect skill: