Page:The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (IA b30323241).pdf/29

but vpon the looking to their beaſts, they haue eaſe, the Nurſe or Poetrie. Neither are our ſhepheards ſuch, as (I heare) they be in other countries; but they are the verie owners of the ſheepe, to which either themſelues looke, or their children giue dayly attendance. And then truly, it would delight you vnder ſome tree, or by ſome riuers ſide (when two or three of them meet together) to heare their rurall Muſe, how pretilie it will deliuer out, ſometimes ioyes, ſometimes lamentations, ſometimes chalengings one of the other, ſometimes vnder hidden formes uttering ſuch matters, as otherwiſe they durſt not deale with. Then haue they moſt commonlie one, who iudgeth the priſe to the beſt doer, of which they are no leſſe glad, then great Princes are of Triumphs: and his part is to ſet downe in writing all that is ſaid, ſaue that it may be, his pen with more leaſure doth poliſh the rudeneſſe of an unthought-on ſong. Now the choiſe of all (as you may well thinke) either for goodneſſe of voice, or pleaſantneſſe of wit, the Prince hath: among whom alſo there are two or three ſtrangers, whom inward melancholies hauing made wearie of the worlds eyes, haue come to ſpend their liues among the countrie people of Arcadia; and their conuerſation being well approoued, the Prince vouchſafeth them his preſence, and not onely by looking on, but by great curteſie & liberalitie, animates the ſhepheards the more exquiſitely to labour for his good liking. So that there is no cauſe to blame the Prince for ſometimes hearing them; the blame-worthineſſe is, that to heare them, he rather goes to ſolitarineſſe, then makes them come to companie. Neither do I accuſe my maiſter for aduauncing a countriman, as Dametas is, ſince God forbid, but where worthineſſe is (as truly it is among diuerſe of that fellowſhip) any outward lowneſſe ſhould hinder the higheſt raiſing, but that he would needs make election of one, the baſeneſſe of whoſe mind is ſuch, that it ſinks a thouſand degrees lower than the baſeſt body could carie the moſt baſe fortune: which although it might be anſwered for the Prince, that it is rather a truſt he hath in his ſimple plainneſſe, then any great aduauncement, but being chiefe heardman; yet all honeſt hearts feele, that the truſt of their Lord goes beyond all aduauncement. But I am euer too long vpon him, when he croſſeth the way of my ſpeach, and by the ſhadow of yonder tower, I ſee it is a fitter time, with our ſupper to pay the duties we owe to our ſtomacks, then to breake the aire with my idle diſcourſes: and more wit I might haue learned of Homer (whom euen now you mentioned) who neuer entertained either gueſts or hoſts with long ſpeeches, till the mouth of hunger be throughly ſtopped. So withall he roſe, leading Palladius through the garden againe to the Parler, where they vſed to ſuppe; Palladius aſſuring him that he had already bene more fed to his liking, then he could be by the skilfulleſt trenchermen of Media.

But being come to the ſupping place, one of Kalanders ſeruants rounded in his eare; at which (his colour changing) he retired himſelfe into his chamber; commanding his men diligently to wait vpon Palladius, and to excuſe his abſence with ſome neceſſary buſineſſe he had preſently to diſpatch. Which they accordingly did, for ſome few dayes forcing thēſelues to let no change appeare, but though they framed their countenances neuer ſo cunningly, Palladius perceiued there was ſome ill-pleaſing accidēt fallen out. Whereupon, being againe ſet alone at ſupper, he called to the ſteward, and deſired him to tell him the matter of his ſudden alteration: who after ſome trifling excuſes, in the end confeſſed vnto him, that his maſter had receiued newes, that his ſonne before the day of his neare mariage, chaunſt to be at a battaile, which was to be fought betweene the Gentlemen of Lacedæmon and the