PHoebus awaked with the early sum­mons of Aurora, moūted his burning Chariot bathed in the Chrystalline cleare streames of aged Oceanus, while she moistning the earth with a showre of siluer pearled dewe, did se­lemnize with her morning teares, the neuer-ended obsequies of her dearest Memnon. But though the God con­pling his head-strong Stéeds, had begun his daies-taske in the Eclipticke, yet I, whose vnquiet thoughts affoorded no rest to my ouer-wearied senses in the silent night, resolued not to rise, til I had somewhat refreshed & repaird the decay­ing vigor of my dulled spirites. As thus I lay musing on sun­drie matters, gentle sleepe recompenced my oft-interrupted slumbers with a long repose, wherein mee thought I was transported into the blessed soile of heauenly Arcadia, the beauteous garnishing of whose fertile plaines, decked with the pride of Flora, which had there opened the royall Store­house of her pompous magnificence, did farre surpasse the tri­uiall pleasures of Thessalian Tempe. I cleane rauished with delight, solac'd my selfe in the viewe of that Celestiall plot, earths second paradise, whose pleasures thus briefly, though badly, I will expresse.

But to our purpose. As I wandred along, the swéet chan­tresse of the field, into whose gentle kind fair Philomele was earst transformed, did seeme to gratulate my arriuall with diuine melody, raising her harmonious laies in highest tunes. [Page] And not respecting the safetie of her tender charge scal'd with her wings the top of a lofty trée, where while she sate, a care­lesse contemner of worlds euer-changing chaunces, and plea­sed her selfe with the sweetnesse of her owne song, a Snake slilie créeping into the foolish birds late forsaken nest deuou­red the sillie yonglings not garded as before with the warie Mothers watchfull eie: They straining their tender brests, implor'd their wretched dammes vntimelie aid, who hearing the sad exclaimes of her betraied brood, and being the sorrow­full eie-witnesse of their miserie, turnd her ioyfull tunes into passionate laments, moaning so sweetly, that Nature vrged by fatall necessitie, seemed to excel Art: but complaints were bootlesse: for the cruell deuourer had alreadie engulfed the innocent yonglings in his venemous maw, whose deaths she celebrated with her mournfull cries, & framed their fune­rall song in heauenly notes. But while she bereft of her pre­tie little ones the hope of her future content, began fresh sor­rowes, a Fowler hauing espied the haplesse bird, and inten­ding her like misfortune, tooke his station and prepared the engines of his crueltie, throughly resoluing to embowell a small bullet in her guts, and so finish her hearts sorrow. But while he aimed at her, desirous to effect his cruell resolution, the Snake whose entrals were yet warme with the guilt­lesse bloud of those vnhappie young ones, did sting the gréedie birders foot, who grieued with the sodaine peine, left his for­mer interprise, and falling into a cholericke humor, diuided the mangled bodie of that cursed Serpents brood into manie péeces, imploying his death-bodening engine, the fatall re­ceptacle of consuming sulphur otherwise than hee had deter­mined. Thus he which made his bellie the childrens graue, did with remors-full recompence procure the mothers safety, satisfiyng her reuenge with his bloud, and sauing her life through his kinde attempt. I thought the strangenes of this chance worthy of recitall. But going forward, I discried a little thicket, a name well fitting the propertie of that place: for it was so thick & close, that it seemed rather despairs man­sion, then delights harbour. Nature moderating her lauish [Page] bountie seated there this onely blemish of Arcadiaes blisse, whose other groues haunted by the wanton Satyres, traced by the light foo [...]e Hamadriades, and hallowed with the sacred presence of the rurall Dimigods, hauing cleare springs to comfort the thirstie hunters, and sweet Arbours to refreshe the weary Nymphs, wanted no perfections of pleasure which Natures plentiful prouidence could affoord, or heauens kinde influence maintaine. But though this amasing obiect contra­rie to the rest, did somwhat daunt me, yet armed with a firme resolution, I bololy entered to search the secret corners of that affrighting place: Where what I saw, and how I saw, is plainely discouered in this following discourse, the sad record of a mournful Shepheards laments, which being the chiefest part of my dreame I noted so soone as I awaked, descanting on his estate in common verse, both before and after the passi­onate Eclogue. But being loth it should come abroad so na­ked, I haue thus meanly clothed it with the addition of other accidents to make it a perfect dreame, though an imperfect matter. But be it as it wil. I wil rather presume on the cour­tesie of your frendly censures, then lose time, & bestow labor in refining a toy, which I haue bene occasioned to publish. But they which haue by their owne mishappes experimented the force of Loue, and torturing troubles of enthrald affection, wil I hope gently censure of his Complaintes, if not for the worth of his desert, yet for his passions fake.

LEauing this comfortlesse harbour of the despairing shep­heard, I wandred halfe dismaied through the spatious [Page] plains, couered with mulitudes of grasing flocks: at last I dis­cried a little hill, whose shadie top was thick set with Myr­tle Trees: approaching, I perceiud a little valley vnderneath, and therein a pleasant spring: and at the foote of the hill I beheld a faire Shepheardesse, sitting and making a prettye Garland of odoriferous Floures, to crowne her Swaine which sate somewhat belowe, and euer as he durst, did cast vp his eyes the admirers of her beautie, yet fearefully, as not assured of her fauour. Thus while the one was busie with her hands, the other with his eyes: a yong Heyfer, whose neck was not yet tamed with the heauy yoake, did in the valley sport her selfe now frisking, then leaping wan­tonly, sometimes tumbling her bodie in the grasse, and wal­lowing on the ground, suddenly leaping vppe, as if glutted with the fruition of Floraes benefits: thus still she played, yet neuer wearie with play. The faire Shepheardesse smild at this sight, as partaker of like fréedome: the Swaine séemd to sighe, as depriued of like libertie: she renude her smiles, as triumphing in his thrall, yet crownde him with the Gar­land which she made, as loth he should despaire, hauing re­ceiued so faire a token of her fauour.

The Shepheard comforted with this vnexpected courtesie, did resume his lost courage, and began thus to descant on his fortune.

The Shepheardesse glad to heare her swaine in this plea­sant moode, could not dissemble her discouered affection, nor conceale that which she had already opened: thus therefore she did replie, consorting with him in one key, and consenting in one thought.

Thus with her kinde conclusion, knitting liues sweetnesse with loues solace, she relieud the fainting Swaine, which be­fore halfe dismaide, was doubtfull of her fauour, and droupt discontent. How happie had the siluer-tongud Shepheard bene, if coye Amaryllis had pitied his extreames, and with [Page] lyke kindnesse conuerted his moane into mirth, his care into comfort, his despaire into hope: whose heauenly muse, sweete secretarie of his diuine conceit, would haue exprest the summe of loues happines in matchlesse lines, and encreased the num­ber of conceitfull Arcadians, whose wits sharpned with loues pleasures, imploying their pennes in dooing homage to loues Altar, and publishing their Nymphes praises with neuer-dy­ing blazons of their beauties worth.

Both true and oft tryed is that saying: Amor melle & felle foecundissimus. Which I will thus English, following ra­ther the sence then the sentence: Loues sweete is oft mixed with sowre. The truth of which assertion is by his misfor­tunes largely prooued: who though wanting no deserts which loue might challenge, yet could not compasse that whereto he aymd his desires: how iustly then might he set this Lenuoye at the end of his sorrowfull complaint?

But this other Shepheard, whose fortune made him ow­ner of his eyes choise, would haue contradicted his saying if he had heardit, accusing him of impatience, because hee pend his iniurious censure in too cholericke a veine: and doubtlesse would thus haue turnd these disparaging lines, and annered them to the end of all his deuises, as the summe of his whole opinion.

But ceasing to destant on their thoughts, whose for­tunes I haue not tryed, I wyll proceede to recount what else I sawe.

Na [...]e, loues wondrous stratagems deserue a déeper me­detitation, and cannot be thus sleightly conceited. I wan­dred therefore, musing more then earst I did, on the effects of loue, not knowing howe to terme so strange a passion, whose diuerse successe did cause seuerall motions in their hearts, which were enthrald by fancie, and captiuated by af­fection, yet all ending in extreames. I thought then that Po­ets had reason to inuest him with the title of Deitie, whose powerfull shafts had not onely pierced the yéelding hearts of mortall men, but made a forcible entrance into the relenting thoughts of immortall gods: Iupiter himselfe Hominum sa­tor atque deorum, felt the force of his aspiring Nephewes fa­tall weapons, else would he not haue courted Leda in the shape of a Swanne, wafted Europa in forme of a Bull, des­cended into Danaes lap like a goulden showre, besides his o­ther prety sleights, which the amorous God did oft practise to beguile his iealous Queene.

Nor was Apollo ignorant of loues power, who being ouermatched by Cupid, to whome he durst equall himselfe, was forced to ease his ouerburthened heart, and vtter his passion, exclaming thus in an impatient humor.

Physicks God knew no salue to cure such a sore, whose incurable vehemencie is proued by his most passionate com­plaints, recorded by Loues Herault in his volume of trans­formed shapes. But whether am I carryed? it be séemes not me to descant on loues powerfull souereigntie, but to imploy [Page] my pen, in relating that which I saw or séemd to sée in my morning vision. Passing along, and viewing many trees, whose gorgeous branches garnished with rurall pompe, and the pride of Syluanus, did somewhat darken the ground with a spatious shade: not farre from the rest, I espied a Myrtle tree, and approching did read written neere vnto the top, thus:

And a little vnderneath that, thus:

And vnderneath that againe, thus:

And on the other side of the tree thus:

The seate vnderneath the tree was worne with their oft sitting on it: for it seemed to be much frequented by Phyllis and her beloued Swaine.

[Page]Héere by I gathered, that all Arcadians were not vnhappie, but the most, fortunate in loue: what though Ouid censured thus:

Tush, that is an imperfection incident to some fewe, not a fault common to all. Amaryllis was coy, Helen had a gad­ding humour: yea but Penelope was chast, Laodamia loyall, Artemisia louing, Lucretia chast: thus haue we many proofes to answere any instance of feminine imperfection: yet nothing which is mortall, can bee absolutely perfect: Virgils saying is most true.

Euridice, which liuing could not bee accused of inconstan­cie, was after death blemished with vnkindnesse, because for­getting the couenant of her returne from hell. she fondly loo­ked backe. The siluer-tongued Thracian, whom Apollo had endued with a double gift of musicke and poetrie, beeing moo­ued with this, hated and with hatefull disgrace disparadged the woorth of that scxe which before hee had honoured by his matchlesse Art: but if I proceed in this vaine, I shall fall into a Labyrinth more intricate than the first.

Scarse had I left that place, when I heard a loud noyse of Pipes: & looking forward, I saw a great troupe of mourners, towardes whome I paced: and drawing néere, behelde God Pan formost of this assemblie, who sounded a dolefull note on his Oat en pipe: Next him came Syluanus, Pomona, Faunus and all the rurall powers, whome the light-foote Satyres fol­lowed piping all, though harshly, yet heauilie. Next after these, the swift-pacing Wood-Nymphes came, whose golden lockes staining the beautye of Titans beames, hoong loose about their shoulders: these did strewe flowers on the ground as they went, hauing their lappes full, and with their voyces agreeing in one sound, made a sorrowfull, yet sweet consort.

[Page]Next these, a coarse couered with a faire hearse curiouslie embrothered, and ouer-spredde with choyce plenty of swee­test flowers was carried by foure shepheards: on it this short Epitaph in red letters.

A great troupe of Shepheardes followed this breathlesse coarse, which made mee muse the more, thinking that it was some rare creature, at whose perfections that angry Goddesse did repine, as fearing that the report of hir worth would bring her deity into contempt: yet destrous to bee throughly resol­ued, I demaunded of him which was the last of the company, what this solemne pompe did signifie: he courteouslie shaped me this answere. Stranger, (for so thou seemest) know, that these are the obite rites of faire Amaryllis, whome fewe could match in beautie, none in pride. She refusing the loue and ser­uice of the best deseruing Shepheard that euer was bred in Arcadia, bestowed her fauour on a clownish Swaine, his in­feriour in all perfections: hee it was whome thou sawest fol­lowing the hearse clad in mournfull attire: but sodainelie re­penting her choice, she did coldly entertaine him, thinking him to bee honoured enough, and her selfe too much abased by such sleight fauors which she affoorded him yet such, as they might haue prolonged the other shepheards life, which could not ob­tein the least courtesie, though worthy of the most. But proud Amaryllis, déeming her selfe better than any mortal creature, durst attempt comparisons with the immortal powers, mat­ching her selfe in the height of her owne conceit with matchles Diana, the soueraigne of these Groues: who though sprong of heauenly race, yet deignes to blesse Arcadia with her sacred presence. The Goddes iealous of her honor aimed at her one of those shafts, where with she wounds the flying beasts: and depriued the coy girle of life, which would haue bereaued her of renowne. Thus being slaine by diuine iustice, she is hono­red in her death, and her bodie accompanied to the earth with [Page] the rusticall musicke of the rurall Dimi-Gods, and the celesti­all notes of the louely Nrmphes, which tune their voyce in a funerall song, they purpose to conuey her body to the darke­some Oroue, where it is said, the fore-lorne Shepheard by her desdeigned leads a solitarie life: who if he yet liue, may see his wrongs reuenged, and the cause of his complaints, on whome before he durst not looke, lying by his side a breathlesse obiect, on whome he may now looke his fill. If he be dead, her bodie shall be interred where he spent his daies in sorrowe: But the losse of Niobe, the metamorphosis of wretched Arachne, or the death of Marsias might haue warned her to auoyde like pre­sumption.

Thus hast thou heard the cause of this solemnity brieflie vnfolded: but now stranger thou must pardon me, I can spend no longer time in these discourses, but must hast after my companie. This said, he left me in a déepe meditation, musing at the ineuitable lot of destiny, whose successiue chances knit togeather with the chaine of necessitie, followe each the other in fatall course: the last finishing what the former left vneffe­cted, and all discharging the most certain ordinances of diuine prescience. But sleepe could not furnish my fancy with such high thoughts, as my troubled conceit did affect: therefore a­midst my dumps, I sodainly awaked, & thus ended my dream, which if you vouchsafe to peruse with fauourable censure, I shall rest fully satisfied: and though I can performe nothing else, yet of this I wil be sure, not to trouble you with tedious toyes: nor manifest mine owne insufficiency in long discour­ses, for then misliking the subiect, you would cast it away be­fore yee read halfe, or if you bestowed a fewe idle houres in perusing it all, you would curse mee that helde you so long in reading a trifle, sith you might haue employed that vacant time in viewing matters of more moment, and greater plea­sure.

But where Apolloes Lute is silent, Pans harsh Pipe may supply a roome, which else would blush at the sound of his own musicke. You know the saying of Horace.

[Page]They which are not sufficiently furnished with matchlesse perfections, wrought in them by vertue of a diuine Entheos, may yet talke of Parnassus, thirst for the siluer streames of Helicon, and honour the Muses in wordes, whose high con­ceited seruants they cannot match in worth. A Scholers A­liquid, is better than whole Uolumes of Clownishe lines. drawne from the muddie fountaines of Mechanicall braines.

But seeking freely to excuse, I doe fondlie accuse my selfe. I wil therfore rest on the hope of your courteous acceptance.