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Syrenus being very glad for the contentment of their companie, and to see them both loue one another with such mutuall and great affection, and knowing that it belonged to the dutie of friendship, and (though he had refused) that they woulde entreate him in the end to sing, without more ado, tooke his Rebecke and sung thus.

The Shepherds hauing made an end of their sweete songs, rose vp, and casting their hairy scrippes on their shoulders, staying themselues vpon their knotty sheep∣hooks, began to go on their way. Who being comen out of that pleasant place into a faire meade, to passe the time away, and lighten their trauell and length of their way, went inuenting and exercising diuers pastorall sports, of which they made Seluagia iudge betweene them both; sometimes throwing with their slings at some white or marke, that they could espie within their reach vpon the side of some hill or tree; sometimes trying with great dexteritie the goodnes of their slings, to see, who coulde giue the greatest cracke with them; sometimes striuing who coulde throwe his Sheepehooke farthest; sometimes contending to pitch them neerest to some white, or Daisie in the way before them, and whether of them with the strength of his arme could come nighest to some other marke, as farre as they could reach; and sometimes striuing who could smite a stone fardest with them. In this sort they passed the time and wearines of their way, vntill the broade mantell of the darke night beginning to ouerspred those plaines and fieldes, made an ende of their sports, and warned them to take their rest, where they lodged that night. The next day in the morning betimes, when the prety birdes with their warbling notes filling the aire (not yet fully cleere) with harmonie, foretold the comming of the Vermillion morning, they began to make an end of their former iourney. And now did the sunne cast downe his beames hotter vpon their heads, and with greater heate shewing his forces, when the three Shepherds came in sight of their knowne fieldes, and plaines, so often troden of them before. Whereupon they now began to know their wandring flockes, and amongst those Dianas sheepe, although they were mingled with the flockes of her vnwoorthy husband Delius: And so as Sylua∣nus was saying, (These are the flockes of the vngratefull and disdainfull Shepher∣desse Diana, and of the Shepherd Delius, happie without desert) Seluagia saide. It is not good to go by and not salute Diana, if we finde her there: And so they went that way to seeke her out, where they had not gone farre, but they sawe her standing