Montemayor's Diana

Page 102

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Behold the Lady Mary Cannoguere,
Who wow is Lady of sure Catarasse,
Whose beautie, and sweete grace doth euery where
Conquer each hart with vnrepaired losse:
Fame on her wings th’row-out the world doth beare
Her vertues rare, that shine like gold to drosse.
Since each one them that sees her must commend her,
Who them can praise her well and not offend her?

The Lady Isabell Boja here doth stand
Perfect and absolute in euery thing
Behold her face, her fine and dainty hand,
Ouer whose head the nightingales doe sing.
Our age she honours, and th’ Hiberian land:
Of grace, and vertue she’s the onely spring:
And those, to whom nature did beautie giue,
She staines, as fairest that did euer liue.

She, that her haire hath hanging downe, and speed
Abroad, and tide with golden third behinde:
And that faire face, that hath so often led
So many harts to bondage of the minde:
Her Iuorie necke her ties in beautie bred,
Faire, modest, gray, not looking out of kinde:
Her famous name is Lady Iuliana,
That honours heere the Temple of Diana.

She, whom you there doe see, whom nature made
So curiously, at neuer like before,
Since that her beautie neuer seem’d to fade,
Nor that a faire one can desire more:
Whose great deserts, and wit, doth still perswade
Fame, to the world her praises to restore:
Is called Lady Moncia Fenollit,
To whom Loue yeelds himselfe and doth submit.

The song of renowned Orpheus was so pleasant in Felismenas eares, and in all theirs, that heard it, that it held them in such a suspence, as if they had passed by no other thing but that, which they had before their eies. Who now hauing particu∣larly viewed the rich chamber of estate with euery thing in it that was woorth the seeing (as all was) the Nymphes went foorth by a certaine dore into the great hall, and by an other out of the hall into a faire garden, the beautie whereof stroke no lesse admiration into their mindes, then the strange things which they had seene before: for amongst the fruitfull trees, and sweete flowers, were many sepulchers and tombes erected of diuers Nymphes and Ladies, which with great puritie had kept their chastitie (due to the Goddesse thereof) inniolate and vnstained. Some of the tombes were adorned with coronets of knottie Iuie; others with chapplets of sweete Myrtles; and some with garlands of greene Laurell. There were also manie

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