persons we were brought vp: I, with a yoong and courteous Shepherd; he, with an old and reuerend Shepherdesse. I (who am called Delicius) was brought vp in a lit∣tle village in Tinacria, in the corner called Pachinus, and in the house of a Shepherd (called Carpostus) my friend (whose name is Parthenius) in another village in the se∣cond corner of one of the three which that Iland hath (called Pelorus) in the house of another Shepherd called Sarcordus. From this base estate fortune lifted vs vp on high, wherein we liued a while: but bicause you may heare the braue and strange meanes, whereby our good or ill hap did guide vs to it, I will now tell it you, wherein I must aduise you to carrie the names of my deere friend and mine in memorie, as also of our nurses, if you will delight you with the rare accident. It happend that Carpostus my nune (I being then but three yeeres old) went about certaine busines to the place where my Parthenius was nursed, who seeing him play with other chil∣dren in the street, stood halfe amazed, thinking it was I (so like were we to one ano∣ther) and that from out some Cannon I had beene shot into that place: but yet he maruelled more, when the child (after he was come to him, & had kissed him against his will) with his weake forces endeuored to winde himselfe from him. At the crie that Parthenius gaue, his nurse came out, and with sharpe wordes blamed Carpostus, who not so patiently endured her, but that he had offered (had it not beene for some of the townesmen which came running out at that noyse) to haue rudely intreated her. But he still affirmed obstinately that it was his child, and made such adoe about it, that of all of them there he was reputed for a man out of his wits. In the end Car∣postus held his peace, seeing it was no point of wisedome to be opposite against the whole towne, who affirmed with one voice, that it was the child of that woman: and seeing moreouer, that the child ranne away from him (which more perswaded him to the contrarie of that, which he thought in his minde) he was content to be quiet. But the more he viewed the childes face, handes, qualities, gesture, age, and stature, the more he found himselfe incredulous: And so much, that he could not otherwise thinke, but that the woman had bewitched them al, or that he was surely in a dream. To be briefe, he returned as soone (as he could) to his owne towne in great feare and doubt not to haue found me there. But the ioy, that he conceiued in seeing me (when he came home) and with what a glad countenance I ranne vnto him, as I was wont to doe, made no lesse alteration in his minde: the which my nurse Carpostus percei∣uing, with a moderate laughter said vnto me. It is not long since (my childe) thou didst denie me: for children & sons our nurses called vs, requested by them so to do, that did first put vs to them to be brought vp. And comming to his wife, he asked her if I had beene at any time from home since his departure, who answered no but some little while, when I went to play with other children abroad. But why said she? Carpostus then told her all that had happened, at which strange noueltie she won∣dred not a little, and more when he told her of the great resemblance of vs both. And who would indeed haue laughed hartily at the deceite, but that her husband grew verie pensiue and sad: which she considering well with her selfe, asked him if any other thing had happened vnto him, or what the matter was; for if it were no more but that, he might haue greater cause to be glad (she said) then sorrie. Carpo∣stus answered, that he had made so great adoe in the towne, affirming it was his childe, that they might iustly iudge him for a sencelesse and drunken foole. After my nurse Calasta (for so she was called, who was euer accounted suttle and wise) had thought a little vpon the matter, she resolued vpon this which you shall now heare. And thus it was. My nurse Carpostus and his wife carried me closely (bicause
