Nor hart that is with paine so much contented:
Loue doth inforce my fainting breath, that striueth
The better to endure my hard reiection,
And yet with hope my suffrance, and affection,
And life will not consume, that yet re•tueth:
O vainest hart, sad eies, whose teares haue spent me,
Why in so long a time, and with such anguish,
End not my plaints, and spirits deadly languish?
O woes, sufficeth it not what you haue sent me?
O Loue, why dost thou thus my torments nourish,
And let Alcida in her freedome flourish?
The Shepherd had scarce ended his song, when Alcida knowing who he was, trembled like an Aspen leafe in euerie part of her bodie; wherefore she rose vp in great haste to be gone before he came to them, requesting Delius and Diana not to tell him that she had beene there, since it was as much as her life was worth, if that Shepherd whom she hated more then death, did either finde or had any knowledge of her. They promised her so to do, though verie sorie for her sudden and hastie departure. Alcida as fast as she could hye her, recouered a thicke wood not far from the fountaine, and fled with such celeritie and feare, as if she had beene pursued by some hungrie and cruell Tygre.
Immediately after the Shepherd wearied with extreme trauell and trouble, came to that place, which Fortune (it seemed) condolent for his griefe, had offered him, and that cleere fountaine, and Dianas companie for some lightning of his paine: who being faint after his painfull iourney, and seeing the Sunne in the pride of his heat; the place verie pleasant; the trees casting forth coole shades; the grasse fresh and greene; the fountaine cleere & cristalline, and Diana passing faire; thought good to rest himselfe a while, though the earnest care and haste of that he went see∣king, and the ceaselesse desire he had to finde it, gaue his wearied bodie no place of rest, nor ease to his afflicted minde: The which Diana perceiuing, shewed her selfe as courteous towards him, as Delius iealous eie (who was present) would giue her leaue; and yet entertained the strange Shepherd with sweete words, as well for his owne deserts, which she deemed not small; as also for that she perceiued him tor∣mented with the like grief that she was. The Shepherd cheered vp by Dianas friend∣ly welcome and seemely fauours, of a miserable man, thought himselfe happie by finding out so good a chaunce. But they being thus togither, Diana by chaunce ca∣sting her eie aside, could not see her husband Delius, who newly surprised in Alcidas loue, when Diana tooke least heed of him, and while she was entertaining the newe Shepherd, pursued amaine the Shepherdesse that fled away, and tooke the verie same way with a strong resolution to follow her euen to the other part of the world. Diana not a little perplexed to see her husband wanting so on the sudden, called and cried a good while togither on the name of Delius, but all in vaine to get an answere from him in the wood, or to make him leaue of his fonde pursuite, who rather run∣ning after her as fast as he could, thought at the last to sease vpon his beloued Alcida. Whereupon when Diana perceiued that Delius appeared in no place, she shewed her selfe a most sorrowfull woman for him, and lamented in such pitifull sort that the Shepherd to comfort her, said thus vnto her.
Afflict not thy selfe thus without reason (faire Shepherdesse) and beleeue not
