rough bonds durst presume to binde such white and delicate hands, whose beauties are fitter to binde tender and relenting harts. Accursed be such proude monsters, and ill befall to such senselesse and beastly men: but Ladies, they haue their hire, and I my desire, by hauing done you this small seruice, and comming in so good a time with speedie remedie for such an outrage, although these hardie Shepherdes, and faire Shepherdesse deserue no lesse thankes for hazarding their liues in your de∣fence, who woulde (no doubt) like my selfe haue thought them well emploied, and themselues well appaied, if in so good a quarrell, and for such woorthy personages they had ioyntly lost them. The Nymphes were no lesse amazed at her rare beautie and wisedome, then at the courage and force, that she had shewed in their defence, whereupon Doria with a gratious semblant answered her thus againe. Faire Shep∣herdesse, if thou art not (as by thy approoued valour and braue minde, thou seemest to be) the daughter of inuincible Mars, yet for thy beautie (which is celestiall) thou must needes be the daughter of louely Venus and faire Adonis; and if of neither of them, it cannot then otherwise be, but that Minerua must be thy mother, since such great wisedome cannot proceed from any other part, although it is most true that nature hath endowed thee with the principall of them all. And since for so strange a curtesie, and good turne that thou hast done vs, extraordinarie and great must the seruices be, wherewith they must be requited, we hope, that at somtime or other, oc∣casion may be offered, wherein thou maiest knowe, what earnest desire and entyre good wils we haue, to repaie so singular & woorthie a fauor. But bicause (it seemes) thou art wearie, let vs go to the fountaine of the Sicamours, neere to yonder wood, where thou maist rest and refresh thy selfe. Let vs goe ladie (said the Shepherdesse) not so much to ease my wearied body, as to talke of other matters, wherin my soules health and the summe of my content doth chiefely consist. That will we do with all possible diligence (said Polydora) since there is not any, whom we should with grea∣ter reason endeuor to content then thy selfe. But faire Cynthia turning to the Shep∣herdes, said. The debt (faire Shepherdesse, and stout Shepherds) wherein you haue perpetually bound vs to you, your selues know well ynough, which though we are neuer able to acquite, yet we will not cease to wish, that some occasion may heereaf∣ter fall out, wherein we may shewe the earnest will and affection we haue to dis∣charge it, according to our great desire. These thankes (faire Nymphes) answered Seluagia, and your gentle offers, are more due to these two Shepherds then to me, that could do no more then praie for your safe deliuerie. But is this the Shepherd Syrenus (said Polydora) so much beloued in times past, as now forgotten of the faire Diana? And is this other, his corriuall Syluanus? They are the same (saide Seluagia.) Then am I glad (said Polydora) that you are such kind of men, whom we may in some part recompence, the great good will you shewed, and the perill you passed to set vs free. Doria woondring at that she had heard, said. And is it true that this is Sy∣renus? I am very glad that I haue founde thee, and that there is an occasion mini∣stred me to seeke out some remedie (which (I hope) shall not be small) for thy great cares and sorrow. Nor sufficient ynough for so great griefe, if it be small (saide Syre∣nus.) Let vs go to the fountaine (saide Polydora) where we will at large discourse of these and other matters. To the which when they were come, the Nymphes, pla∣cing the Shepherdesse in the middes of them, sat them downe, and the Shepherds at the Nymphes requests, went to the next towne to prouide some victuals, bicause it was now somewhat late, and that they all had an appetite to eate. But the three Nymphes remaining all alone with the vnknowne Shepherdesle, faire Doria thus
