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After Syrenus had made an ende of his song, faire Diana knewe him by his voice, and so did the two enamoured Shepherdes Syluanus and Seluagia. They cal∣led to him, telling him, that if he was minded to passe away the heate of the day in the field, there was the fresh fountaine of the Sicamours, and faire Diana, both which should be no small allurements to inuite him thither. Syrenus answered him, that be must needs stay all day in the field, vntill it was time to go home againe with his sheepe to the towne, and comming where the Shepherd and Shepherdesses were, they sat round about the cleere fountaine, as they were commonly woont to do. But Diana, (whose life was so sorrowfull, as one may imagine, that euer sawe a Shepherdesse, the fairest and wisest that was then knowne, married so greatly to her greefe) went day by day seeking out new occasions to entortaine the time, and to passe her life away, and studying often to preuent her continuall and sorrowfull thoughts. But the Shepherdes sitting and talking of other matters touching the feeding of sheepe, and their profite, Diana brake off the substance of their talke, say∣ing to Syluanus. It is a proper thing, Shepherd, that, sitting before thy faire Seluagia, thou talkest of other impertinent things, and not of praising her beautie, nor of the great loue, that she beares thee: Let the field and lambes alone, the good or ill suc∣cesse of time and fortune, and enioy the good hap that (Shepherd) thou hast nowe, by being beloued of so faire a Shepherdesse, for where there is so great reason to haue continually such contentment of minde, thou need’st not care for that, which Fortune doth but sometimes giue. How much I am beholding to thee Diana (an∣swered Syluanus) none can expresse but he, that knowes what great reason I haue to acknowledge this debt, bicause thou didst not onely then teach me to loue well, but now also shewest me the way to vse the contentment, that my loue affoordes me: The reason thou hast to warne me, not to talke of any other matter (my Mi∣stresse being in presence) but onely of the content that by her sight I receiue, is great & infinite, the which I promise thee (faire Diana) to do, while my happy soule shall be conteined in this ioyfull body. But I maruell at one thing, to see how thy Syrenus doth cast his eies another way, when thou speakest vnto him, it seemes thy wordes please him not, or that he is not satisfied with thy answers. Blame him not (said Diana) for carelesse men & enimies to their own good will do more then this. Enimy to mine own good (said Syrenus?) If I was euer such an one, let death punish me for my error. This is a prety shift to excuse thy fault. To excuse my fault (said Di∣ana?) If I haue not yet the first offence to do thee, I pray God I may neuer haue any other cōtent, then that, which I now enioy: It is wel that thou dost finde fault with me for being married hauing parets. But it is wel (said Syrenus) that thou didst marry hauing another Loue: And what power had that Loue (saide Diana) where obedi∣ence