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to know the meanes of their vnlooked for comming to that place, Felicia said. Defer this till further time: for I know these questions will not hereafter a little delight this companie. Come thou Crimine, and speake to all this companie, who will be verie glad of thine. They were a prettie while in congratulations and conuesies, wondering at Crimines beautie, and therefore at last thus said. Why did such a shi∣ning gemme as this (Ladie Felicia) goe hidden in such a base couerture: if her con∣panion be such another, do vs this fauour to make her wash her selfe? To auoide all danger by reason of their tempting beautie (said Felicia) and not to be molested like those, that haue suffered many inconueniences for theirs, they haue gone thus dis∣figured in apparell and face. As for the washing of this yoong Shepherdesse (pointing to Stela) it shall remaine at my pleasure, when I will request her to doe it, for dinner being nowe readie, I will deferre it till some other time, for feare I should giue you a dinner against your stomacke, for washing nowe her fowle face and handes, will not (perhaps) make you eat so much, as otherwise you would, and make you haue a lesse appetite, then to see them in the manner that nowe they be. But if you like not of her companie at dinner, she shall sit by her selfe, and dine with Parisiles, in whose eies she is nothing so soule, nor ill-fauoured. And then tur∣ning to her Nymphes, she commanded them to bring in dinner, who presently came in with it. But if you please good Lady (said Lord Felix) command Parisiles first to make an end of the tale he hath begun. Since you will haue it so (said Felicia) I will entreat, not command him. It were great reason sage Lady (saide Parisiles) to hold my peace, & not to shewe so great rudenes before your singular wisedome, if it were not more to obey your iust command. It is well (saide Felicia) leaue off this, and do that which all the companie heere requesteth thee. Parisiles then began thus. Obeying then most willingly (great Lady) what you haue giuen me in charge, and purposing to tell the cause why this Oke was planted betweene these two Lau∣rel trees, I haue touched the gifts, that Apollo gaue to the Laurell tree, when Daphne was turned into it: From whence this noble company did not suffer me to passe any further, though I alleaged some excuses to the contrary, but that I must needes from the beginning recount this transformation of Daphne into a Laurell tree. And so hauing told of the glorious victorie, that Apollo had of the serpent Python, and of the quarrell and contention betweene him and Cupid for carying both one wea∣pon, I went on along telling, how Apollo being proud of this conquest, by chance cast his eies vpon the faire and chaste Nymph Daphne: And when you came hither good Lady with Crimine, you gaue a gracious impediment to my tale. So that now (since it is your pleasure) I will proccede in it, beginning onely but with a worde or two recited before, to annexe that, and this that followeth the better togither.