many paces, when in a little thicket not farre from the path way, they heard the re∣sounding voices of certaine Shepherds, who sweetely sung to the tune of their mery Bagpipes, and bicause Diana was delighted much in musick, she praied Marcelius to go to the place where they were, who being come neere vnto the wood, Diana knew the Shepherds Taurisus and Berardus, two great corriuals in her loue, and common∣ly wont to go togither in company, and sing in emulation the one against the other. Whereupon Diana and Marcelius not entring into the place where the Shepherds were, but yet hiding themselues behinde certaine Okes so nigh, that they might heare the sweetenes of the musicke, listened to the Shepherds songs, being not per∣ceiued of them at all, who though they knew not the cause and effect of their songs, was so neere at hand, yet diuining (as it were) that their enimie was harkening vnto them, by cleering vp their pastorall voices, and making most delicate and different stops with them, they began to sing this Eglogue following.
Taurisus.
NOw that the sunne doth hide his golden beames
Behinde the hils, whose shadowes doe increase:
And labouring men vnyoke their wearie teames
And leaue of worke, their wearied lims to ease:
My sheepe forsake your pastures, and attend
Vnto my fainting voice and hollow cries,
Which without stint or pause of time, I send
Disorderly vnto the carelesse skies:
Harke how my poore and miserable hart
Is in the deepest of a burning flame,
And how my bowels and euery inward part
Are melted with the scorching of the same:
That flame I meane and heate, wherewith my sencelesse soule doth trace
Th’ Angelicall and peerelesse beautie of Dianas face.
Berardus.
Before the sunne in radiant Coche doth glide
Downe to the West, to leaue our Hemisphere,
And suffers not the deaw of euening tide
To fall vpon the meadowes any where,
Thou simple Sheepe that oft hast heard my voice,
And gentle lambes which all the sommer long
With merrie glee doe in these meades reioice,
Now lend a gentle eare vnto my song:
My ruthfull song and verse shall not intreate
(Though all the same within my brest I beare)
Of any flames, or coles, or burning heate:
But of that mortall cold and frozen feare,
Wherewith doth bridle and correct the sencelesse soule apace
Th’ Angelicall and peerelesse beautie of Dianas face.
Taurisus.
When that my painefull thoughts and pensiue minde
Doe but imagine of her comely graces,
