how much thou art bound vnto them. And with this, she suddenly flang out of my sight with so many teares, that mine were not of force to staie her. For in the grea∣test haste in the worlde she got her into her chamber, where locking the dore after her, it auailed me not to call and crie vnto her, requesting her with amorous and sweete words to open me the dore, and to take such satisfaction on me, as it pleased her: Nor to tell her many other things, whereby I declared vnto her the small rea∣son she had to be so angrie with me, and to shut me out. But with a strange kinde of furie she saide vnto me. Come no more, vngratefull and proud Valerius in my sight, and speake no more vnto me, for thou art not able to make satisfaction for such great disdaine, and I will haue no other remedie for the harme, which thou hast done me, but death it selfe, the which with mine owne hands I will take in satisfac∣tion of that, which thou deseruest: which words when I heard, I staied no longer, but with a heauie cheere came to my Don Felix his lodging, and with more sadnes, then I was able to dissemble, tolde him, that I could not speake with Celia, because she was visited of certaine Gentlewomen her kinsew omen. But the next day in the morning, it was bruted ouer all the citie, that a certaine trance had taken her that night, wherein she gaue vp the ghost, which stroke all the court with no smal woon∣der. But that, which Don Felix felt by her sudden death, and how neere it greeued his very soule, as I am not able to tell, so can not humane intendement conceiue it, for the complaints he made, the teares, the burning sighes, and hart-breake sobbes, were without all measure and number. But I saie nothing of my selfe, when on the one side, the vnluckie death of Celia touched my soule very neere, the teares of Don Felix on the other, did cut my hart in two with greefe: And yet this was no∣thing to that intollerable paine, which afterwardes I felt. For Don Felix heard no sooner of her death, but the same night he was missing in his house, that none of his seruants, nor any bodie else could tell any newes of him.
Whereupon you may perceiue (faire Nymphes) what cruell torments I did then feele, then did I wish a thousand times for death to preuent all those woes and my∣series, which afterwards befell vnto me: For Fortune (it seemed) was but wearie of those which she had but till then giuen me. But as all the care and diligence which I emploied in seeking out my Don Felix, was but in vaine, so I resolued with my selfe to take this habite vpon me as you see, wherein it is more then two yeeres, since I haue wandred vp and downe, seeking him in manie countryes: but my fortune hath denied me to finde him out, although I am not a little now bounde vnto her by con∣ducting me hither at this time, wherein I did you this small peece of seruice. Which (faire Nymphes) beleeue me, I account (next after his life in whom I haue put all my hope) the greatest content, that might haue fallen vnto me.
When the Nymphes had heard faire Felismenas tale, and vnderstoode what a great Lady she was, and how loue had made her forsake her naturall habite, and taken vpon her the weedes and life of a shepherdesse, they were no lesse amazed at her constancie and zeale, then at the great power of that cruell tyrant, who abso∣lutely commands so many liberties to his seruice. And they were mooued besides to no small pittie, to see the teares and burning sighes wherewith the Ladie did so∣lemnize the historie of her loue. Doriatherefore, whose tender soule Felismenas greefe did most transpierce, and who was more affected to her, then to any woman, with whom she had ouer conuersed before, tooke her by the hand, and began to say to her in manner follwing. What can we do (saire Lady) against the blowes of For∣tune, what place is there so strong, where one may be safe from the mutabilities of
