louest thy selfe faire Crimine, proceede in this historie of your loue and fortune, for I am partaker of some of the paine, wherein thou leftest the solitarie and sorrowfull Shepherdes. To comfort them in their great greefe, saide Crimine, I reasoned with them with some apparant and consolatorie wordes, but the afflicted Shepherdes ceased not to powre out abundance of teares, with no small quantitie of burning sighes: whereupon blaming them sometimes, and sometimes incouraging them, I endeuoured to cheere them vp, but all was not ynough to disburden them of de∣spaire in that sorrowfull place, if I had not armed them with an apparant hope to restore Delicius to Stelas fauour againe, by enioying it more then euer he had before, though he would not haue meanely contented him with that alone, whereof he was depriued without requesting any more. But thinking it was now, more then conuenient time to goe my waies, I tooke my leaue of the Shepherdes, promising them to doe what possibly I could in their affaires, in the which I onely commended patience vnto them for a few daies, telling them that a hard impostume in the be∣ginning could not be cured, vntill by time, and plaisters laide thereunto, it be first mollified and made tender; and that in the meane while I would not with other Nymphes forget to visit them, though not so often as I desired, not to leaue Stela all alone, as also for auoiding of suspicion. In this space of time bicause Delicius and Parthenius did leade so sad and vncomfortable a life, which by no kinde of pastime could be cheered, and also bicause the vowed time of Gorphorosts comming abroade was neere at hand, all our company was dissolued. Parthenius, who was not onely carefull for that which touched him, but especially for that which was needefull for his friend, went sometimes walking vp and downe along the riuer bankes, and by singing many amorous and sorrowfull sonnets, practised to enter into familiaritie & friendship with fierce Gorphorost, bicause they might by these meanes (whilest hee kept him companie, and tolde him many things to please his louing humour) with∣out any danger continue still in that forrest; and also, bicause holding him other times with tales and discourses, Delicius, my selfe and Stela (if Stela perhaps grewe afterwards to be more gentle) might in the meane time be secure in mutuall com∣pany togither. Parthenius therefore beginning his walkes in this sorte, fierce Gor∣phorost came downe from a high hill, whom when Parthenius beheld, he sat him downe vpon a round banke made by the water, and plaied on his Baggepipe so loud that Gorphorost might heare him. But scarce had the sound thereof pierced his eares, when step by step (which any other Shepherd with running very fast could not out∣goe) he came to the riuer bankes on the other side: when Parthenius sawe him nigh at hande, he left his Baggepipe, and taking his Rebecke, began to sing in the praise of loue (for afterwards he told vs all the matter) the which, for that it made for his purpose, as also for the sweetnes of the song, delighted not a litle the fierce shepherd, who had foorthwith passed to the other side where Parthenius was, if he had not fea∣red by cōming vpon him vnawares, to haue made him run away, though he was now somewhat assured to the contrarie: when hee sawe Parthenius (being so nigh vnto him) not once begin to stir, nor to leaue of his singing, whereon presuming a little, he spake thus vnto him aloude (for the distance of the place by reason of the great riuer being betweene, & the noise which the waters running with great force conti∣nually made, were an impediment that he could not be so well heard.) So may this God be euer fauourable vnto thee (iolly Shepherd) if thou wilt giue mee leaue to come to thee, to enioy part of thy sweete musicke and songs: for by her, that hath sole power ouer my hart I sweare, thou shalt not nowe, nor at any time heereafter
