do. Thou must therefore vnderstand, that he loues and serues a Ladie heere in this Citie named Celia, and therefore weares and giues for his liuerie an azure blew, which is the colour of the skie, and white and yellow, which are the colours of his Lady and Mistresse. When I heard these words, imagine (faire Nymphes) in what a plight I was, but dissembling my mishap and griefe, I answered him. This Ladie certes is greatly beholding to him, bicause he thinkes not enough, by wearing her colours, to shew how willing he is to serue her, vnlesse also he beare her name in his liuerie: whereupon I gesse, she cannot be but very faire and amiable. She is no lesse indeede (saide Fabius) although the other, whom he loued and serued in our owne countrey, in beautie farre excelled this, and loued and fauoured him more then euer this did. But this mischieuous absence doth violate and dissolue those things, which men thinke to be most strong and firme. At these wordes (faire Nymphes) was I faine to come to some composition with my teares, which if I had not stopped from issuing foorth, Fabius could not haue chosen, but suspected by the alteration of my countenance that all was not well with me. And then the Page did aske me, what countrey-man I was, my name, and of what calling and condition I was: whom I answered, that my countrey, where I was borne was Vandalia, my name Valerius, and till that time serued no Master. Then by this reckoning (saide he) we are both countrey-men, and may be both fellowes in one house if thou wilt: for Don Felix my Master commanded me long since to seeke him out a Page. Therefore if thou wilt serue him say so. As for meate, drinke, and apparell, and a couple of shil∣lings to play away, thou shalt neuer want, besides pretie wenches, which are not daintie in our streete, as faire and amorous as Queenes, of which there is not anie, that will not die for the loue of so proper a youth as thou art. And to tell thee in secret (because perhaps we may be fellowes) I know where an old Cannons maide is, a gallant fine girle, whom if thou canst but finde in thy hart to loue and serue, as I do, thou shalt neuer want at her hands, sine hand-kerchers, peeces of bacon, and now and then wine of S. Martyn. When I heard this, I could not choose but laugh, to see how naturally the vnhappie Page played his part, by depainting foorth their properties in their liuely colours. And because I thought nothing more commodi∣ous for my rest, and for the enioying of my desire, then to follow Fabius his coun∣sell, I answered him thus. In truth I determined to serue none, but now, since fortune hath offered me so good a seruice, and at such a time, when I am constrained to take this course of life, I shall not do amisse if I frame my selfe to the seruiee of some Lord or Gentleman in this Court, but especially of your Master, because he seemes to be a woorthy Gentleman, and such an one, that makes more reckoning of his seruants then an other. Ha thou knowest him not as well as I (said Fabius) for I promise thee by the faith of a Gentleman (for I am one in deede, for my father comes of the Cacho∣pines of Laredo) that my Master Don Felix is the best natured Gentleman that euer thou knewest in thy life, and one who vseth his Pages better then any other. And were it not for those troublesome loues, which makes vs runne vp and downe more, and sleepelesse, then we woulde, there were not such a Master in the whole worlde againe. In the end (faire Nymphes) Fabius spake to his Master Don Felixas soone as he was come foorth in my behalfe, who commanded me the same night to come to him at his lodging. Thither I went, and he entertained me for his Page, making the most of me in the worlde, where, being but a fewe daies with him, I sawe the messages, letters, and gifts that were brought and caried on both sides, greeuous wounds (alas & coruiues to my dying hart) which made my soule to flie sometimes
