Page:The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (IA b30323241).pdf/22

But Kalander ſeeing him faint more and more, with carefull ſpeed conueyed him to the moſt commodious lodging in his houſe: where being poſſeſt with an extreame burning feuer, he continued ſome while with no great hope of life: but youth at length got the victorie of ſickneſſe, ſo that in ſixe weeks the excellencie of his returned beautie was a credible Embaſſador of his health, to the great ioy of Kalander; who, as in this time he had by certaine friends of his, that dwelt neare the ſea in Meſſenia, ſet forth a ſhip and a galley to ſeeke and ſuccour Daiphantus: ſo at home did he omit nothing which he thought might either profite or gratifie Palladius.

For, hauing found in him (beſides his bodily gifts beyond the degree of admiration) by daylie diſcourſes, which he delighted himſelfe to haue with him, a mind of moſt excellent compoſition (a piercing wit quite voyd of oſtentation, high erected thoughts ſeated in a heart of courteſie, an eloquence as ſweet in the vttering, as ſlow to come to the vttering, a behauiour ſo noble, as gaue a maieſtie to aduerſitie: and all in a man whoſe age could not be aboue one and twentie yeares) the good olde man was euen enamoured with a fatherlie loue towards him, or rather became his ſeruant by the bonds ſuch vertue laid vpon him; once, he acknowledged himſelfe ſo to be, by the badge of diligent attendance.

But Palladius hauing gotten his health, & only ſtaying there to be in place, where he might heare anſwere of the ſhips ſet forth, Kalander one afternoone led him abroad to a well arrayed ground he had behind his houſe, which he thought to ſhew him before his going, as the place himſelfe more then in anie other delighted. The backſide of the houſe was neither field, garden, nor orchard; or rather it was both field, garden, and orchard: for as ſoone as the deſcending of the ſtaires had deliuered them downe, they came into a place cunningly ſet with trees of the most taſt-pleaſing fruits: but ſcarcely they had taken that into their conſideration, but that they were ſodainly ſtept into a delicate greene, of each ſide of the greene a thicket, and behind the thickets againe new beds of flowers, which being vnder the trees, the trees were to them a Pauillion, and they to the trees a Moſaicall floore: ſo that it ſeemed that Arte therein would needs be delightfull, by counterfeyting his enemie Errour, and making order in confuſion.

In the middeſt of all the place was a faire pond, whoſe ſhaking chriſtall was a perfect mirrour to all the other beauties, ſo that it bare ſhew of two gardens; one in deede, the other in ſhadowes: and in one of the thickets was a fine fountaine made thus: A naked Venus of white marble, wherein the grauer had vsed ſuch cunning, that the natural blew veines of the marble were framed in fit places, to ſet forth the beautifull veynes of her bodie. At her breaſt ſhe had her babe Aeneas, who ſeemed (hauing begun to ſucke) to leaue that, to looke vpon her faire eyes, which ſmiled at the babes follie, meane while the breaſt running. Hard by was a houſe of pleaſure built for a ſommer retiring place, whither Kalander leading him, he found a ſquare roome full of delightfull pictures, made by the most excellent workeman of Greece. There was Diana when Acteon ſaw her bathing, in whoſe cheeks the Painter had ſet ſuch a colour, as was mixt betweene ſhame and diſdaine; and one of her fooliſh Nymphs, who weeping, and withall lowring, one might ſee the workman meant to ſet forth teares of anger. In another table was Atalanta; the poſture of whoſe limmes was ſo liuely expreſſed, that if the eyes were the only iudges, as they be the only ſeers, one wold haue ſworn the very picture had run. Beſides many mo, as of Helena, Omphale, Iole: but in none of them all beautie ſeemed to ſpeake ſo much as in a large table,which