Page:The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (IA b30323241).pdf/21
him againe (ſaid he) I am indeed nothing, and therefore my ſtorie is of nothing, his entertainment (ſince ſo good a man he is) cannot be ſo low as I account my eſtate: and in ſumme, the ſumme of all his curteſie may be to help me by ſome meanes to ſeeke my friend.
They perceiued he was not willing to open himſelfe further, and therefore without further queſtioning brought him to the houſe; about which they might ſee (with fit sonſideration both of the aire, the proſpect, and the nature of the ground) all ſuch neceſſarie additions to a great houſe, as might well ſhew, Kalander knew that prouiſion is the foundation of hoſpitalitie, & thrift the fewell of magnificence. The houſe it ſelfe was built of faire and ſtrong ſtone, not affecting ſo much any extraordinarie kind of fineneſſe, as an honourable repreſenting of a firme ſtatelineſſe. The lights, doores and ſtaires, rather directed to the vſe of the gueſt, then to the eye of the Artificer; & yet as the one chieflie heeded, ſo the other not neglected; each place handſome without curioſitie, and homely without lothſomneſſe; not ſo dainty as not to be trode one, nor yet ſlubbered vp with good felowſhip; all more laſting than beautiful, but that the conſideration of the exceeding laſtingneſſe made the eye beleeue it was exceeding beautifull. The ſeruants not ſo many in number, as cleanly in apparell, and ſeruiceable in behauious, teſtifying euen in their countenances, that their maiſter tooke aſwell care to be ſerued, as of them that did ſerue. One of them was forthwith ready to welcome the ſhepheards, as men, who though they were poore, their maiſter greatly fauored; and vnderſtanding by them, that the young man with them was to be much accounted of, for that they had ſeen tokens of more then common greatneſſe, how ſoeuer now eclipſed with fortune: he ran to his maiſter, who came preſently forth, and pleaſantly welcomming the ſhepheards, but eſpecially applying him to Muſidorus, Strephon priuately told him all what he knew of him, and particularlie that he found this ſtraunger was loth to be knowne.
No ſaid Kalander (ſpeaking aloud) I am no Herald to enquire of mens pedegrees, it ſufficeth me if I know their vertues; which (if this young mans face be not a falſe witneſſe) do better apparel his mind, thē you haue done his body. While he was thus ſpeaking, there came a boy, in ſhew like a Marchāts prentiſe, who taking Strephon by the ſleeue, deliuered him a letter, written iointly both to him and Claius from Vrania: which they no ſooner had read, but that with ſhort leaue-taking of Kalander (who quickly gueſſed and ſmiled at the matter) and once againe (though haſtily) recommending the yong man vnto him, they went away, leauing Muſidorus euen loth to part with them, for the good conuerſation he had of them, and obligation he accounted himſelfe tied in vnto them: and therefore, they deliuering his cheſt vnto him, he opened it, and would haue preſented them with two verie rich iewels, but they abſolutely refuſed them, telling him, that they were more then enough rewarded in the knowing of him, & without harkening vnto a reply (like men whoſe harts diſdained all deſires but one) gat ſpeedily away, as if the letter had brought wings to make them flie. But by that ſight Kalander ſoone iudged, that his gueſt was of no meane calling; & therfore the more reſpectfully entertaining him, Muſidorus found his ſickneſſe (which the fight, the ſea, and late trauell had layd vpon him) grow greatlie; ſo that fearing ſome ſodaine accident, he deliuered the cheſt to Kalander, which was full of moſt precious ſtones, gorgeouſlie and cunningly ſet in diuerſe maners, deſiring him he would keep thoſe trifles, and if he died, he would beſtow ſo much of it as was needfull, to find out and redeeme a young man, naming himſelfe Daiphantus, as then in the hands of Laconia pirats.