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with Cupids inuincible flight, she dying no lesse in both their loues. And who this is, you may easily gesse, for she can be no other then Stela. And yet I sweare to you by all that a true louer can protest, that I neuer wished Stela any ill, though she is now, and hath euer beene the cause why I am not beloued of these two peerelesse Shepherds. For I could for mine owne part do no more in her cause then she doth in mine: and though I hated her besides, yet it stoode me in hand to be her friend, when by her meanes I enioyed Delicius sight, & hope by the same to see Parthenius. But bicause you may know how we lost our liberties, and they remained without theirs, I will onely tell you that, which maketh for this purpose.
The same day (as they afterwards tolde vs) that Stela by the ordinance of the Gods came to our company (for now you know that I am one of the Nymphes of the renowned and famous riuer Duerus) Parthenius, and Delicius did see Stela, and both of them equally loued her, though then it seemed not so; for Parthenius con∣cealed his affection, bicause Delicius had manifested his before: But when Delicius tolde, that he was enamoured of Stela, they agreed to stay in a forrest hard by, to see if somtimes comming out of the riuer they might haue some occasion to talke with her. But when she came out, and they offred to come towards vs that went in com∣pany of her, we fled away, and ran back againe to our riuer. Who perceiuing it was not possible to talke to her in that sort, concluded to deceiue vs by wearing Shep∣herds weeds, and leauing of their courtly apparell. Thus therefore attending dai∣ly for vs, Stela and I came foorth, and as they saw vs (though they made no shewe thereof) one of them plaied aloud on his Baggepipe, to inuite vs (I thinke) vnto their musicke: which when we heard, as it was a thing not vsed there manie daies before, we came somewhat neere, and hid our selues behinde a companie of thicke Sallowes. But they, who by stealth were looking on vs, perceiuing their deuise to haue a good beginning, made as though they had not seene vs, and betweene themselues praied one another to play or sing some song. In the end Parthenius getting the vpper hand, Delicius tooke his Rebecke, whereon he so sweetely played and sung to it, that we thought Apollo had committed some newe fault to become a Shepherd againe, and that it was euen he that made that sweete melodie. The song was of great sentence, the inuention wittie, and the forme of it curious, wherefore lend an attentiue care to the one and the other, if you desire to delight you with it.
The same day (as they afterwards tolde vs) that Stela by the ordinance of the Gods came to our company (for now you know that I am one of the Nymphes of the renowned and famous riuer Duerus) Parthenius, and Delicius did see Stela, and both of them equally loued her, though then it seemed not so; for Parthenius con∣cealed his affection, bicause Delicius had manifested his before: But when Delicius tolde, that he was enamoured of Stela, they agreed to stay in a forrest hard by, to see if somtimes comming out of the riuer they might haue some occasion to talke with her. But when she came out, and they offred to come towards vs that went in com∣pany of her, we fled away, and ran back againe to our riuer. Who perceiuing it was not possible to talke to her in that sort, concluded to deceiue vs by wearing Shep∣herds weeds, and leauing of their courtly apparell. Thus therefore attending dai∣ly for vs, Stela and I came foorth, and as they saw vs (though they made no shewe thereof) one of them plaied aloud on his Baggepipe, to inuite vs (I thinke) vnto their musicke: which when we heard, as it was a thing not vsed there manie daies before, we came somewhat neere, and hid our selues behinde a companie of thicke Sallowes. But they, who by stealth were looking on vs, perceiuing their deuise to haue a good beginning, made as though they had not seene vs, and betweene themselues praied one another to play or sing some song. In the end Parthenius getting the vpper hand, Delicius tooke his Rebecke, whereon he so sweetely played and sung to it, that we thought Apollo had committed some newe fault to become a Shepherd againe, and that it was euen he that made that sweete melodie. The song was of great sentence, the inuention wittie, and the forme of it curious, wherefore lend an attentiue care to the one and the other, if you desire to delight you with it.
NEuer a greater foe did loue disdaine,
Or trodon grasse so gay,
Nor Nymph greene leaues with whiter hand hath rent,
More golden haire the winde did neuer blowe,
Nor fairer dame hath bound in white attire,
Or hath in lawne more gracious features tied,
Then my sweete Enemie.
Beautie and chastitie one place refraine,
In her beare equall sway:
Filling the world with woonder and content:
But they doe giue me paine, and double woe,
Since loue and beautie kindled my desire,
And cruell chastitie from me denied
All sense of tollitie.
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