Diana of George of Montemayor :: :: University of Virginia Library

Parisiles, thy dolefull song and playning,
Thy piteous sighes, and weeping without measure
(To comfort thee) haue made this goodly quire
Leaue their aboades, and stately seates of pleasure.
Afflict not then thy selfe, but cease thy paining,
And let thy wearied soule to rest aspire:
Let plains begun, retire,
And be in ioy, and happy gladnes ended:
And be not now offended
Parisiles, or carefull for thy daughter;
For hither we haue brought her
In good estate, for thee to see her, knowing,
That more then this to both we all are owing.

If that the Gods are iust in any wise,
Then are they bound to helpe those that doe pray
To them for helpe, and in their seruice liue.
Then since that you your selues did euer giue
To follow them, and choose the better way
In honouring vs by deede and sacrifice,
The best we can deuise
Of all good turnes, that may your loue requite,
Belongs to you of right:
Parisiles, the Gods in heauen doe knowe
In sea, and earth belowe
Thy things, and haue of them a greater care,
Then thou maist thinke, and of thy happy fare.

For which thing, they themselues had first ordeined
That Stela, the most monstrous Shepheard flying,
Should cast her selfe into this cleerest riuer,
For knowing, what her fates and stars would giue her,
Their influence with all their helpe denying
By secret meanes her fortune, they restrained,
And such a signe that rained
Ouer her head, that threat'ned to destroy her,
And present to annoy her:
They therefore will she liue within our bowres,
Vntill these lucklesse howres
Doe passe, and while this signe and fate expires,
Vnwoorthy her deserts, and high desires.

The Sonne of Goddesse Cytherea shall
Heereafter be the cause of her despaire:
(The cruell) wounding her with doubtfull loue:
And so this loue, that shall so doubtfull fall,
Great strife in her, and many wars shall moue,
Not knowing which to choose, that is most faire,

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Her brest (loues sweete repaire)
Continually shall wauer on two men,
Inclining now and then
Her loue to one, then to another straight:
Poore soule she shall await
In this suspence, not knowing to define
To whether of them both she should incline?

And thinke not that th' immortall Gods intended
To bar these loues, that heere I am declaring,
Nor their successe would euer haue denied:
For being to a vertuous end applied,
Either of both they would not haue suspended:
Alas, it is their fate such woes preparing,
Not one nor other sparing.
Both for one cause in one loue shall be chained,
And both alike be pained:
But yet the Gods shall euer be procuring,
That, Stela then enduring
These hardest haps shall not with those be placed,
Whom Fortune alwaies checkes, and hath disgraced.

But thou must comfort thee aboue the rest,
If of these three, the hard and cruell fate
Cannot be shunn'd; their ioies that must adiourne:
After these woes Fortune shall make them blest,
Shewing her face milde and propitiate,
Gentle, and sweete: Then shall they cease to mourne,
For she her wheele shall turne:
Annoyes to ioyes, their sighes to sweetest songs
Shall turne, and all their wrongs
Shall cease: Their woes, their miseries, and teares,
Their sorrowes, greefes, and feares
Shall be one day conuerted into ioy,
Which neuer after Fortune shall destroy.

Thy daughter then (Parisiles) imbrace,
And so restore her to this place againe,
The heauens must haue their race:
Then let them run: And cease to mourne in vaine.