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out of my body, & euery hower in hazard to leese my forced patience before euery one. But after one moneth was past, Don Felix began to like so well of me, that he disclosed his whole loue vnto me from the beginning vnto the present estate and forwardnes, that it was then in, committing the charge thereof to my secrecie and helpe, telling me, that he was fauoured of her at the beginning, and that afterwards she waxed wearie of her louing and accustomed entertainment, the cause whereof was a secret report (whosoeuer it was that buzzed it into her eares) of the loue, that he did beare to a Lady in his owne countrey, and that his present loue vnto her was but to entertaine the time, while his busines in the Court were dispatched. And there is no doubt (saide Don Felix vnto me) but that indeede I did once commence that loue that she laies to my charge, but God knowes if now there be any thing in the world, that I loue and esteeme more deere and precious then her. When I heard him say so, you may imagine (faire Nymphes) what a mortall dagger pierced my wounded heart. But with dissembling the matter the best I coulde, I answered him thus. It were better sir (me thinkes) that the Gentlewoman should complaine with cause, and that it were so indeed, for if the other Ladie, whom you serued before, did not deserue to be forgotten of you, you do her (vnder correction my Lord) the grea∣test wrong in the world. The loue (said Don Felix againe) which I beare to my Celia will not let me vnderstand it so, but I haue done her (me thinkes) the greater iniu∣rie, hauing placed my loue first in an other, and not in her. Of these wrongs (saide I to my selfe) I know who beares the woorst away. And (disloyall) he pulling a letter out of his bosome, which he had receiued the same hower from his Mistresse, reade it vnto me, thinking that he did me a great fauour thereby, the contents whereof were these.

Celias letter to Don Felix.

NEuer any thing, that I suspected touching thy loue, hath beene so farre from the truth, that hath not giuen me occasion to beleeue more often mine owne imagination, then thy innocencie, wherein, if I do thee any wrong, referre it but to the censure of thine owne follie: For well thou mightest haue denied, or not decla∣red thy passed loue, without giuing me occasion to condemne thee by thine owne confession. Thou saiest I was the cause that made thee forget thy former loue: Com∣fort thy selfe, for there shall not want another to make thee forget thy second. And assure thy selfe of this (Lord Don Felix) that there is not any thing more vnbesee∣ming a Gentleman, then to finde an occasion in a Gentlewoman to leese himselfe for her loue. I will saie no more, but that in an ill, where there is no remedie, the best is not to seeke out any.
After he had made an end of reading the letter, he said vnto me. What thinkest thou Valerius of these words? With pardon be it spoken my Lord; That your deedes are shewed by them. Go to, said Don Felix, and speake no more of that. Sir, saide I, they must like me wel, if they like you, because none can iudge better of their words, that loue well, then they themselues. But that which I thinke of the letter is, that this Gentlewoman would haue beene the first, and that Fortune had entreated her in such sort, that all others might haue enuied her estate. But what wouldest thou counsell me saide Don Felix? If thy griefe doth suffer any counsell, saide I, that thy thoughts be diuided into this second passion, since there is so much due to the first.
Don Felix answered me againe sighing, and knocking me gently on the shoulder, saying. How wise art thou Valerius, and what good counsell dost thou giue me, if I