XVIII. But soone as he appeared to their vew, XIX. [learne. And first him greeting, thus unto him spake; "Haile, iolly Shepheard! which thy ioyous dayes "Here leadest in this goodly merry-make, "Frequented of these gentle nymphes alwayes, "Which to thee flocke to heare thy lovely layes; "Tell me what mote these dainty damzels be, "Which here with thee doe make their pleasantplayes? "Right happy thou, that mayest them freely see, "But why when I them saw fled they away from me?" XX. "Not I so happy," answerd then that swaine, "As thou unhappy, which them thence didst chace, "Whom by no meanes thou canst recall againe, "For being gone, none can them bring in place, "But whom they of themselves list so to grace." "Right sory I," saide then Sir Calidore, "That my ill fortune did them hence displace; "But since things passed none may now restore, "Tell me what were they all whose lacke thee grieves so sore?” XXI. Tho gan that shepheard thus for to dilate; "Then wote, thou shepheard, whatsoever thou bee, "That all those ladies which thou sawest late "Are Venus' damzels, all within her fee, "But differing in honour and degree : They all are Graces, which on her depend, "Besides a thousand more, which ready bee "Her to adorne, whenso she forth doth wend; "But those three in the midst doe chiefe on her at XXII. [tend: "They are the daughters of sky-ruling Iove, "By him begot of faire Eurynome, "The Ocean's daughter, in this pleasant grove, "As he this way comming from feastfull glee "Of Thetis' wedding with Aecidee, "In sommer's shade himselfe here rested weary; "The first of them hight mylde Euphrosyne, "Next faire Aglaia, last Thalia merry; "Sweete goddesses all three, which me in mirth do XXIII. [cherry. "These three on men all gracious gifts bestow, "Which decke the body or adorne the mynde, "To make them lovely or well-favoured show, "As comely carriage, entertainment kynde, "Sweete semblaunt, friendly offices that bynde, "And all the complements of curtesie: "They teach us how to each degree and kynde "We should ourselves demeane, to low, to hie, "To friends, to foes; which skill men call Civility. XXIV. "Therefore they alwaies smoothly seeme to smile, "That we likewise should mylde and gentle be; "And also naked are, that without guile "Or false dissemblaunce all them plaine may see "Simple and true, from covert malice free; "And eeke themselves so in their daunce they bore; "But two of them still froward seem'd to bee, "But one still towards shew'd herselfe afore, "That good should from us goe, then come in greater XXV. [store. "Such were those goddesses which ye did see; "But that fourth mayd, which there amidst them "Who can aread what creature mote she bee? [traced, "Whether a creature, or a goddesse graced "With heavenly gifts from Heaven first enraced? "But whatso sure she was, she worthy was "To be the fourth with those three other placed; "Yet was she certes but a country lasse, "Yet she all other country lasses farre did XXVI. passe; "So farre as doth the daughter of the Day "All other lesser lights in light excell; "So farre doth she in beautifull array "Above all other lasses beare the bell; "Ne lesse in vertue that beseemes her well "Doth she exceede the rest of all her race; "For which the Graces that here wont to dwell "Have for more honor brought her to this place, "And graced her so much to be another Grace. XXVII. "Another Grace she well deserves to be, "In whom so many graces gathered are, "Excelling much the meane of her degree; "Divine resemblaunce, beauty soveraine rare, "Firme chastity, that spight ne blemish dare; "All which she with such courtesie doth grace, "That all her peres cannot with her compare, "But quite are dimmed when she is in place; "She made me often pipe, and now to pipe apace. XXVIII. "Sunne of the world, great glory of the sky, "That all the earth doest lighten with thy rayes, "Great Gloriana! greatest maiesty, "Pardon thy Shepheard, mongst so many layes "As he hath sung of thee in all his dayes, "To make one minime of thy poore handmayd, "And underneath thy feete to place her prayse, "That when thy glory shall be farre displayd "To future age, of her this mention may be made." XXIX. When thus that Shepheard ended had his speach, Said Calidore," Now sure it yrketh mee, "That to thy blisse I made this luckelesse breach, "As now the author of thy bale to be, "Thus to bereave thy love's deare sight from thee; "But, gentle Shepheard! pardon thou my shame, "Who rashly sought that which I mote not see.” Thus did the courteous knight excuse his blame, And to recomfort him all comely meanes did frame. XXX. In such discourses they together spent Long time, as fit occasion forth them led, With which the knight himselfe did much content, Both of his words, which he with reason red, [share. But that envenim'd sting, the which of yore XXXII. So taking leave of that same gentle swaine, All dewfull service, voide of thoughts impure; Ne any paines ne perill did he shonne, By which he might her to his love allure, And liking in her yet untamed heart procure: K |