Montemayor's Diana

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And yet whose sight your comforts once presented.
But as this cruell fortune hath inuented
(Sweete ioy) to roote thee vp, where she had sowen thee,
So now (Seluagia) she hath ouer throwen thee:
Thy pleasures scarce begun, she hath tormented.
Let me to time or to his changing take me,
Let me with motions out of order leade me,
Then I shall see how free my hart is to me.
Then will I trust in hopes that not forsake me,
When I haue staide her wheeles that ouertread me,
And beaten downe the fates that doe vndoe me.

After that the Shepherdesse had made an end of her song, she came directly to the fountaine where the Shepherdes were, and while she was a comming, Syluanus, smiling, saide. Marke but those wo•…, and the burning sigh wherewith she ended her song, what witnesses they are of her inward loue and greefe. Thereof I haue no doubt, saide Syrenns, for I woulde to God I could so speedily remedie her sorrowe, as I beleeue (to my great greefe) all that she hath by dolefull song vttered. And talking thus together, Seluagia was by this time come, and knowing the Shep∣herds, curteously saluted them, saying. What doe you in this greene and pleasant medow, despised Shepherds? Thou saiest not amisse, faire Seluagia, by asking vs what we doe, saide Syluanus, for we doe so little in respect of that we shoulde doe, that we can neuer conclude and bring any thing to passe, that in our loues we desire to haue. Maruell not thereat, saide Seluagia, for there are certaine things, that be∣fore they ende, they that desire them, are ended. True, saide Syluanus, if a man puts his rest in a womans disposition, for she will first ende his life, before she will ende or determine to giue him any fauour, that he is still hoping to receiue at her handes. Vnhappy women are these, saide Seluagia, that are so ill intreated by your wordes: But more vnfortunate are those men, saide Syluanus, that are worse handled by your deedes. Can there be a thing more base and of lesse account, then that you are so ready for the lightest thing in the worlde to forget them, to whom you haue borne the greatest loue? For, absent your selues but a day from him whom you loue well, and then shall he neede to commence his suite new againe. Two things I gather, saide Seluagia, by thy speech, which make me wonder not a little. The one, to see thy toong goe so much awrie, and contrarie to that which I euer coniectured, and knew by thy behauiour and conditions. For I thought, when I heard thee talke of thy loue, that in the same thou wert a Phoenix, and that none of the best louers to this day came euer neere to the extreme that thou hadst, by louing a Shepherdesse, whom I knowe, a cause sufficient ynough not to speake ill of women, if thy malice were not greater then thy loue. The second, that thou speakest of a thing thou vn∣derstandest not; for to blame forgetfulnes, who neuer had any triall thereof, must rather be attributed to follie and want of discretion, then to any thing else. For if Diana did neuer remember thee, how canst thou complaine of her obliuion? I thinke to answere, saide Syluanus, both these pointes, if I shall not wearie thine eares with hearing me. To the first, saying, That I wish I may neuer enioy any more con∣tent then now I haue, if any (by the greatest example that he is able to alleage me) can with wordes set downe the force and power, that this thanklesse and disloyall Shepherdesse, whom thou knowest, and I would I knew not, hath ouer my subiected

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