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the cause of such a sudden alteration. Tell me if thou hast any occasion to com∣plaine of Stela? For heere I will cause her to make thee amends without the consent of such a breach. The Gods be contrarie to me in all my desires, saide Delicius, if I haue any iust complaint of her, but onely of my hap. And by them I sweare vnto thee, that I do this, bicause I finde it most expedient for me. Wherefore if thou desirest my good, thou shouldst not speake to me about it. In faith Crimine, said I, thou art verie pleasant, how long I pray you, had you leaue to trouble your selfe with my mat∣ters, and such as like me not at all. Bicause it should like thee wel, said Crimine, I spake it. If such things liked me well, said I, smiling, there is Parthenius, who hath no lesse good parts in him to be loued then his friend, if they haue not both (perhaps) agreed togither about this matter. This did I speake but in iest, but loue did not iest with me at all. I would not make this agreement, said Delicius, if it were not for that, which I loue most in this life, which I wish thou wouldst loue, leauing him to saile with the greatest prosperitie in the seas of thy happie loue. Delicius laboured so much in the end, by shewing himselfe also so appassionate for Crimine (but truely but now) that Parthenius discouered himselfe the next day to be my open louer, and for Delicius his sake had kept it so long close, which was the cause (he said) why he could neuer be mooued to loue Crimine. I had not then beene a little proud and glad, as I should be now, if I had then knowen, or did now know, that I was equally beloued of them both, as I loue them both alike. Crimine had no end of her ioy and content, thinking that she was in good earnest beloued of Delicius, the which he cunningly shewed by words and deeds. But now she is not I thinke in such glorie and content bicause he is as cold in her loue again, although he euer makes her some shew thereof. The last day of respit, wherein Parthenius was to depart, was now come, when the night be∣fore, Delicius said to Parthenius. Since it is thy will (deere brother) to absent thy selfe from me (a hard and heauie chaunce) it shall be needfull for me to goe to morrow to Gorphorost, and speake to him in thy behalfe, bicause with the instructions that thou hast giuen me I may know from henceforth how to conuerse with him, and as thou shalt afterwards aduise me how I may entertaine his company. It may be he will keepe me till night: Thinke not therefore much if I stay so long. This agreement Delicius made with Parthenius, bicause he had now determined to goe and seeke out his parents, and to leaue Parthenius with me, for he neuer meant to goe seeke out Gorphorost, nor to speake with him at all; but onely to absent himselfe secretly, as afterwards he informed vs of it. He knew, or at the least suspected that Parthenius would not consent to haue him goe without him, and therefore thought it good to vse this dissimulation, bicause he would not haue him nor vs passe the hard traunce of his greeuous departure. Hereupon he went towards the riuer, and neere to the place, where he was wont to stay for Gorphorost, wrote this with a knife in an Elme, in letters that might be discerned a good way off.
My deere friende Parthenius, thou shalt feele by thy selfe, if thy absence will not breede an extreme sorrow in me; but bicause this is forced and necessarie, I thinke it best for thee to tarie still, since thou hast so great reason for it. That which I commende to thy charge (for the friendship betweene vs both) is to make no change of place nor of thy faire yoong Shepherdesse, for this shall be the greatest pleasure that thou maist doe me. And as for the rest, I promise thee to seeke out my father and thy mother with all diligence, carying so good tokens with me as I doe of them both. Within a yeere (if the Gods spare me life and health) I will returne and visit thee, with report of that which I haue done, and hath befallen vnto me. I