imagine) will not be vnpleasant vnto thee; and then shall Syrenus sing that which best likes his fancie. Whereunto Firmius condescending, and euery one playing on their instruments, he began to sing this Sonnet.
THe fearefull Bat that lurks in stonie wall,
Flies heere and there assured of her sight,
When that she sees the signes of darksome night
Approching on, contented therewithall;
But when she spies the sunnie beames so bright,
Her fault she doth acknowledge and recall.
So novv of late to me it did befall:
For I did thinke there vvas no other light
Nor beautie then in her, vvho did inuite
My senses first to loue: but (to my thrall)
When I beheld Diana so bedight
With beauties, and such grace Angelicall,
Then by and by I knevv that heeretofore
I plainly err’d: but neuer could doe more.
The time was once, when Syrenus could not haue beene better pleased, then to haue replied vpon Firmius in Dian’as praises. But being now free, he thought there was not any thing, whereon he might best employ his song, then in giuing the fieldes and Shepherdes to vnderstande of the comming of Syluanus, and Seluagia his deerest friends, who therefore with a friendly note began to sing as followeth.
THe open fieldes, the meadovves fresh and greene
Their colour and their signe of hope had lost,
Hauing not Syluan. and Seluagia seene,
With vvhose svveete presence they did alvvaies bost.
The goodly vales and hils vvere hard and dried,
Without the steps, that novv doth make them glad,
Shepherds and sheepe in me lancholie died,
Depriued of their songs, that once they had.
Now all with pride will shew their ioies againe,
All will reioice, as once they did before:
The hill, the vale, the field the, meade, and plaine,
For merry spring and sommer they restore:
Welcome Seluagia then, your ioyfull spring,
And her Syluanus, that doth sommer bring.
Syluanus and Seluagia would gladly haue answered him, had they not beene hin∣dered by the confluence and flocking of Shepherdes and Shepherdesses, that came running togither at Syrenus voice (so well knowne amongst them) and to the wel∣come of the Shepherdes, so welbeloued of them all. And bicause it was now about that time of the day, when they should defend themselues from the glowing sunne, they were a good while in the towne, hauing left their gentle sheepe vnder the
