Page 415

is put betweene hope and feare. That which the one denies him, the other doth promise him; and when the one doth cast him downe, the other lifts him vp againe. And in the ende, the wounds that feare makes in this contentious quarrell, hope heales againe, vntill one of the two remaines conqueror. And if it happen that feare ouercomes hope, the louer then becomes iealous; but if hope conquers feare, then the louer liues in a ioyfull and happie estate. But in the time of my good fortune I had euer so strong and sure a hope, that feare was vnable, not onely to ouercome it, but durst neuer attempt to assaile it; whereby, I euer enioyed so great delight, that in exchange of that, I neuer cared to be troubled with cōtinual griefes. And I was so greatly in her fauor, that I sustained my hope in such firmnes, that there was no grief that came from her part, that I accepted not for a singular ioy, & pleasure. I accoun∣ted her cruelties, courtesies; her disdaines, daliances; her angrie answers, amiable promises. Diana and Marcelius going on their waies, had these and diuers other speeches togither. And hauing passed ouer the greene meade in sweete communi∣cation, and going by the side of a little hill, they entred into a pleasant wood, where the thicke Sicamours did spread abroad fresh and coole shadowes. There they heard a passing cleere voice, which ioyned with the tune of a sweete harpe, sounded forth strange melodie; and comming neer to hearken to it, they might perceiue, that it was the voice of a Shepherdesse, that sung in maner following.

After that the Shepherdesse had sweetely sung, enlarging the raines of her bitter and dolefull complaint, she powred out such abundance of teares, and gaue so ma∣ny sighes, that by them, and by the wordes she spake, they knew that a cruell deceit of her iealous husband was the cause of all her greefe. But bicause they would know better what she was, and the cause of her passion, they went to the place where she was, and found her sitting al alone in the shadowe, which the thicke boughes made on euerie side vpon the fine and greene grasse, neere to a little spring, which rising out of the foote of an oke, ranne by diuers waies thorow that little woode. They cur∣teously saluted her, and she (although it greeued her that they had interrupted her lamentation, yet iudging by their countenances that they were Shepherds of good regard) was not greatly discontented at their comming, hoping to haue had the fruition of their good company, & therefore said vnto them. To my remēbrance