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and so nigh to blesse me with these happy newes? I will tell thee how possible it is (saide Polydora) if thou wilt go with me, for before we come yonder to those three hedges, which thou seest before thee, I will shew thee the man, that shal restore thy decayed hope, and restore thee thy life againe. O soueraigne Deities (said Belisa) what words do I heare? That the renuing of my ioyes & felicitie is so apparant, and that my Arsileus is there? Why dost thou not leade me (faire Nymph) to the place, where I may see him, and die at his feete with ioy of his happy sight? Ah thou dost not loue me (Polydora) so much as thou saiest. This did the faire Shepherdesse speake with an vncertaine kinde of ioy, and doubtfull hope of that, which she so much de∣sired. But Polydora rising vp, and taking her by the hand, and the Nymphes Cynthia and Doria, who for ioy also to see Belisas good happe, would not stay behinde, went to the brooke, where Arsileus was: And before they came, a temperate aire, that came from the place where he sat, rauished their sences with the sweete voice of the enamoured Shepherd, who had not yet left off his musicke, but still began a fresh to sing vpon this old prouerbe.
Good fortune come and tarrie.
With the glosse that he himselfe did descant vpon it to his owne purpose.
The Glosse.
WHat motions, times and changes,
What waies, what vncouth ranges,
What slights, what disillusions,
What gladnes (in conclusions)
Haue risen of such sorrowes?
One faith yet all these borrowes,
And one goodloue assureth,
And my misfortunes cureth.
And since from greefe they varie,
Good fortune come and tarie.
Good hap thou still dost mooue thee,
So light as not behooues thee,
And if, thus to content me,
Thou thinkest to repent thee?
Then better is my smarting:
My sense and wits forsake me:
But if (more sure to make me)
Thou com’st, my soule to marrie,
Good fortune come and tarrie.
But if I come in vaine heere,
Or liue deceiu’d, to plaine heere:
For, wretched men what feare not?
To loose my life, then weare not
The same more safe each hower?
O feare, strange is thy power.
For th’ill thou figurest euer.
But since such beautie neuer
Did any falshood carrie,
Good fortune come and tarrie.
When Belisa heard Arsileus his musicke, she felt such inward ioy, as the like did neuer any, whereupon resoluing with her selfe to shake off all former sorrowe that had appalled that surpassing beautie, which nature had bountifully bestowed on her, and decaied those pleasant lookes, and comely fauour (the onely source of Arsi∣leus his teares and sighes) in her sweete and alluring face, now on a sudden with a renewed grace and excellent beautie (whereat the Nymphes were not a little ama∣zed) she spake in this sort, saying. This is, without doubt, the voice of my Arsileus, if I doe not deceiue my selfe by calling him mine. When the Shepherd did see the cause of all his passed cares, and present contents before his eies, the ineffable ioy that he conceiued thereat was so great, that his hart vnable to comprehend it, was troubled in such sort, that at that instant he could not vtter a word: To whom the
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