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and sister) that I know somthing of your aduentures and accidents, since last I saw you, bicause seeing not your Father Eugerius, nor your sister Alcida in your company, it makes a great alteration in my hart, not knowing the cause thereof. To whom Polydorus answered.
Bicause this goodly place might not be iniured (me thinkes) with reports of dole and sorrow, and that these Shepherds with hearing of our hard haps might not be also greeued, with the fewest words (that possible may be) I will report the many miseries and disgraces that we haue receiued of Fortune.
After that I was hindered by the mariners from leaping into the sciffe, hauing attended fit time and occasion haue deliuered my father Eugerius (being faint and halfe dead) out of the dangerous ship, and that of force I was constrained to re∣maine (to my great griefe) with my fearefull father in it, the sorrowfull olde man was ouercome with such bitter anguish and paine, as may be imagined of a louing father, who in the end of his aged yeeres, seeth the violent perdition of his owne life and of his louing children. He tooke no heed now to the maine blowes, which the cruell waues did beate against the ships sides, nor to the rage of the angrie windes that did bluster on euerie side, but casting his eies to the little boate wherein thou wert Marcelius with Alcida and Clenarda (which at euerie flote of the hoisting bil∣lowes seemed to turne ouer) the more he saw it going from the ship, the more his hart burst in peeces. And when he lost sight of you, he was in danger of yeelding vp his decaied spirits. The ship driuen on by the crueltie of Fortune, went floating vp and downe the maine seas fiue daies togither, after that we parted; at the ende of which time, the Sunne going downe towards the West, we were in ken of lande. At sight whereof the Marriners were verie glad, as well for recouerie of their lost hope, as also for knowing the coast whither the ship was driuen. For it was the most fertill countrey and most abounding in all sorts of pleasures, as far as the Sun doth heate with his beames: In so much that one of the Marriners taking a Rebecke out of a chest, with the which he was wont to cheere vp himselfe in long and dangerous voiages, began to play and sing to it in manner following.
Bicause this goodly place might not be iniured (me thinkes) with reports of dole and sorrow, and that these Shepherds with hearing of our hard haps might not be also greeued, with the fewest words (that possible may be) I will report the many miseries and disgraces that we haue receiued of Fortune.
After that I was hindered by the mariners from leaping into the sciffe, hauing attended fit time and occasion haue deliuered my father Eugerius (being faint and halfe dead) out of the dangerous ship, and that of force I was constrained to re∣maine (to my great griefe) with my fearefull father in it, the sorrowfull olde man was ouercome with such bitter anguish and paine, as may be imagined of a louing father, who in the end of his aged yeeres, seeth the violent perdition of his owne life and of his louing children. He tooke no heed now to the maine blowes, which the cruell waues did beate against the ships sides, nor to the rage of the angrie windes that did bluster on euerie side, but casting his eies to the little boate wherein thou wert Marcelius with Alcida and Clenarda (which at euerie flote of the hoisting bil∣lowes seemed to turne ouer) the more he saw it going from the ship, the more his hart burst in peeces. And when he lost sight of you, he was in danger of yeelding vp his decaied spirits. The ship driuen on by the crueltie of Fortune, went floating vp and downe the maine seas fiue daies togither, after that we parted; at the ende of which time, the Sunne going downe towards the West, we were in ken of lande. At sight whereof the Marriners were verie glad, as well for recouerie of their lost hope, as also for knowing the coast whither the ship was driuen. For it was the most fertill countrey and most abounding in all sorts of pleasures, as far as the Sun doth heate with his beames: In so much that one of the Marriners taking a Rebecke out of a chest, with the which he was wont to cheere vp himselfe in long and dangerous voiages, began to play and sing to it in manner following.
WElcome thy friendes from swelling seas that rore
With hideous noise, and tost by Neptunes toile,
O fortunate and faire Valencia shore,
Where nipping frost doth neuer hurt thy soile,
Nor Phebus with his woonted parching beames
Doth burne thy meades, nor heates thy christall streames.
Thrise happy he, who liuing without feare
In swallowing seas and billowes to be drownd,
Enioies thy golden beauties euery wheare,
Of thy sweete meades greene banks and fruitfull ground,
Thy ground bedeckt with flowres so fine and faire,
Maintainde with heauenly deaw and pleasant aire.
With greater toile the ship doth cut the seas,
Then wearie plowmen doth thy gentle fieldes,
Then happy Earth, the ioy and wished ease
Of traueled soules, that to thy succour yeeldes,
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