Page:The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (IA b30323241).pdf/20

ſpeeches, though they had not a liuely entrance to his ſences ſhut vp in ſorrow, yet like one halfe aſleepe he tooke hold of much of the matters ſpoken vnto him, ſo as a man may ſay, ere ſorow was aware, they made his thoughts beare away ſomething els beſide his own ſorow, which wrought ſo in him, that at length he grew content to marke their ſpeeches, then to maruell at ſuch wit in ſhepheards, after to like their company, and laſtly to vouchſafe conference: ſo that the third day after, in the time that the morning did ſtrow roſes & violets in the heauenly floore againſt the comming of the Sun, the nightingales (ſtriuing one with the other which could in moſt dainty varietie recount their wrong cauſed ſorow) made them put off their ſleep, & riſing from vnder a tree (which that night had bin their pauilion) they went on their iorney, which by and by welcomed Muſidorus eyes (wearied with the waſted ſoile of Laconia) with delightfull proſpects. There were hilles which garniſhed their proud heights with ſtately trees: humble valleis, whoſe baſe eſtate ſeemed comforted with refreſhing of ſiluer riuers: medowes, enameld with allſortes of ey-pleaſing floures: thickets, which being lined with moſt pleaſant ſhade, were witneſſed ſo too, by the cherefull depoſition of many wel-tuned birds: ech paſture ſtored with ſheepe feeding with ſober ſecuritie, while the pretie lambes with beating oratorie craued the dams comfort: here a ſhepheards boy piping, as though he ſhould neuer be old: there a yong ſhepherdeſſe knitting, and withall ſinging, and it ſeemed that her voice comforted her hands to worke, and her hands kept time to her voices muſick. As for the houſes of the country (for many houſes came vnder their eye) they were all ſcattered, no two being one by th'other, & yet not ſo far off as that it barred mutuall ſuccor: a ſhew, as it were, of an accompanable ſolitarines, & of a ciuil wildnes. I pray you (ſaid Muſidorus, then firſt vnſealing his long ſilent lips) what countreyes be theſe we paſſe through, which are ſo diuers in ſhewe, the one wanting no ſtore, th'other hauing no ſtore but of want.

The country (anſwered Claius) where you were caſt aſhore, and now are paſt through, is Laconia, not ſo poore by the barrennes of the ſoyle (though in it ſelfe not paſſing fertill) as by a ciuill warre, which being theſe two yeares within the bowels of that eſtate, betweene the gentlemen and the peaſants (by them named Helots) hath in this ſorte as it were disfigured the face of nature, and made it ſo vnhoſpitall as now you haue found it: the townes neither of the one ſide nor the other, willingly opening their gates to ſtrangers, nor ſtrangers willingly entring for feare of being miſtaken.

But this countrie (where now you ſet your foot) is Arcadia: & euen hard by is the houſe of Kalander whither we leade you: this country being thus decked with peace, & (the child of peace) good husbandrie. These houſes you ſee ſo ſcattered are of men, as we two are, that liue vpon the commoditie of their ſheepe: and therefore in the diuiſiō of the Arcadian eſtate are termed ſhepheards; a happy people, wanting litle, becauſe they deſire not much. What cauſe then ſaide Muſidorus, made you venter to leaue this ſweet life, and put your ſelfe in yonder vnpleaſant and dangerous realme? Guarded with pouertie (anſwered Strephon) and guided with loue. But now (ſaid Claius) ſince it hath pleaſed you to aske any thing of vs whoſe baſenes is ſuch as the very knowledge is darknes: geue vs leaue to know ſomething of you, and of the yong man you ſo much lament, that at leaſt we may be the better inſtructed to enforme Kalander, and he the better know how to proportion his entertainment. Muſidorus (according to the agreement betweene Pyrocles & him to alter their names) anſwered, that he called himſelfe Palladius, and his friend Daiphantus; but till I hauehim