Page:The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (IA b30323241).pdf/17

friendſhip between rituals, & beautie taught the beholders chaſtitie? He was going on with his praiſes, but Strephon bad him ſtay, and looke: and ſo they both perceiued a thing which floated drawing nearer and nearer to the banke; but rather by the fauourable working of the Sea, then by any ſelf induſtrie. They doubted a while what it ſhould be; till it was caſt vp euen hard before them: at which time they fully ſaw that it was a man. Whereupon running for pitie ſake vnto him, they found his hands (as it ſhould appeare, conſtanter friends to his life than his memorie) faſt griping vpon the edge of a ſquare ſmall coffer, which lay all vnder his breaſt: els in himſelfe no ſhew of life, ſo as the boord ſeemed to be but a beere to carrie him a land to his Sepulcher. So drew they vp a yong man of ſo goodly ſhape, & well pleaſing ſauour, that one would thinke death had in him a louely countenance; and, that though he were naked, nakedneſſe was to him an apparell. That ſight increaſed their compaſſion, and their compaſſion called vp their care; ſo that lifting his feete aboue his head, making a great deale of ſalt water come out of his mouth, they layd him vpon ſome of their garments, and fell to rub and chafe him, till they brought him to recouer both breath the ſeruant, and warmth the companion of liuing. At length opening his eyes, he gaue a great groan, (a doleful note but a pleaſant dittie) for by that, they found not onely life, but ſtrength of life in him. They therefore continued on their charitable office, vntil (his ſpirits being well returned,) he (without ſo much as thanking them for their paines) gate vp, and looking round about to the vttermoſt limits of his ſight, and crying vpon the name of Pyrocles, not ſeeing nor hearing cauſe of comfort, what (ſaid he) and ſhall Muſidorus liue after Pyrocles deſtruction? therewithall hee offered wilfully to caſt himſelfe againe into the ſea: a ſtrange ſight to the ſhepheards, to whom it ſeemed, that before being in appearance dead, had yet ſaued his life, and now comming to his life, ſhould be a cauſe to procure his death; but they ranne vnto him, and pulling him back (then too feeble for them) by force ſtickled that vnnaturall fray. I pray you (ſaid he) honeſt men, what ſuch right haue you in me, as not to ſuffer me to do with my ſelfe what I liſt? and what pollicie haue you to beſtowe a benefite where it is counted an iniury? They hearing him ſpeake in Greeke (which was their naturall language) became the more tender hearted towards him; and conſidering by his calling, and looking, that the loſſe of ſome deare friend was great cauſe of his ſorrow; tolde him, they were poore men that were bounde by courſe of humanitie to preuent ſo great a miſchiefe; and that they wiſht him, if opinion of ſome bodies periſhing bred ſuch deſperate anguiſh in him, that he ſhould be comforted by his own proofe, who had lately eſcaped as apparant danger as any might be. No, no (ſaid he) it is not for me to attend ſo high a bliſſefulnes: but ſince you take care of me, I pray you find meanes that ſome Barke may be prouided, that wil go out of the hauen, that if it be poſſible we may find the bodie farre farre too precious a food for fiſhes: and for the hire (said he) I haue within this caſket, a value ſufficient to content them. Claius preſently went to a Fiſherman, & hauing agreed with him, & prouided ſome apparell for the naked ſtranger, he imbarked, & the Shepheards with him: and were no ſooner gone beyond the mouth of the hauen, but that ſome way into the ſea they might diſcerne (as it were) a ſtaine of the waters colour, & by times ſome ſparkes & ſmoke mounting thereout. But the yong man no ſooner ſaw it, but that beating his breaſt, he cried, that there was the beginning of his ruine, intreating them to bend their courſe as neere vnto it as they could: telling, how that ſmoke was but a ſmall relique of a great fire, which had driuen both him & his friend rather to commit themſelues to the cold mercie of the