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the Temple of Diana, whither we are now going. Whereupon thou maiest imagine what kinde of life I leade, being alwaies troubled with the iealousie of my husband, and tormented with the absence of my louer. Then Marcelius said. I cannot chuse but pittie thy greefe, nowe I know it (gracious Shepherdesse) and am sorrie that I haue not heard it till now. God grant I may neuer enioy any happie content, if I wish it not as well to thy hart as to mine owne. But bicause thou knowest how ge∣nerall Loues arrowes are, & with what small partialitie they hurt the stoutest harts, and most free and vertuous mindes, then blush not to manifest his wrongs, since it shall neuer the more be an empeachment to thy good name, but an occasion to make me esteeme the better of thee. And that which comforts me heerein is, that I knowe, that the torment of thy husbandes iealousie (a greater corsiue to the hart then the absence of the thing beloued) will suffer thee to take a little rest, since Deli∣us, who is following the flying Shepherdesse, shall now be separated from thy com∣panie. Enioy therefore the time, and occasion that Fortune presents thee, and com∣fort thy selfe, for it shall be no small ease vnto thee, to passe away the absence of Sy∣renus, being now free from the importunous trouble of thy iealous husband. I wold not esteem these iealousies so hurtful to me (said Diana) if Syrenus had them aswel as Delius, bicause I would then thinke that they had their foundation and beginning of loue. For it is manifest, that they that loue, would be glad to be loued againe, & must esteem the iealousie of the thing beloued, to be good & lawfull, since it is a manifest token of loue, springing from loue, incident to loue, & euer accōpanied with it. And for my selfe I am able to assure thee, that I neuer thought my selfe more in loue, then when I was a litle iealous, & neuer iudged my self to be iealous, but when I was ascer∣tained that I was most in loue. To the which Marcelius replied thus, I neuer thought that a pastoral plainnes was able to alledge such wise reasons, in so difficult a questi∣on; whereupon I must needes condemne that for an olde approoued errour, that maintaines, that onely in cities and in the court the finest wits, and exquisite con∣ceits do dwell, when I finde them as well to be amongst the thicke woodes, and in countrey and plaine cottages. Yet for all this I will gainsay thy opinion, whereby thou wouldst seeme to prooue that iealousie is the messenger and companion of loue, as if loue could not be where iealousie is not ioyned with it. For though there are fewe louers but are a little iealous; yet we must not therefore say, that the Louer that is not iealous, is not a more perfect and truer louer. For he rather sheweth (be∣ing exempt from iealousie) what valour and force he hath in loue, and the qualitie of his desire, which is pure and cleere, and not troubled with the miste of iealous imaginations. Such an one was I (with modestie be it spoken) in my most happie and passed times, and so highly then prised my good Fortune, that with my publike verses I did manifest the same. And amongst many other times that Alcida maruel∣led to see me so much in loue, and free from iealousie, I tooke in hand on a time to write this Sonnet to her to that effect.