And her amorous aspect and louely presence, was no sooner brought by the message of mine eyes to my inward partes, but my recording and watchfull remembrance, stirring and waking vppe my heart, presenting and offering her vnto the same: it is become her shoppe; the quiuer for her piercing arrowes and wounding regardes, and the dwelling place and conseruable mansion house, of her sweete picture. Knowing that this was shee which had tædiously consumed my tender yeeres, in her hotte and prime loue,
[v] not to be resisted. For I felt the same leaping and beating against my breast, without ceasing, like as one that striketh vpon a hoarse Taber. And still me thought by her louely and delightfull countenance, by her fayre tresses, and the curling and wauing haire, playing vp and downe vppon her forheade, that it should be Polia, whome so greatly I had loued and desired, and for whom I had sustained so many & sundry griefes, without intermission, sending out scalding sighes, the outward reporters of my inwarde flames. But her rich and Nymphish habite, vnaccustomed, and the place vnknowne and strange, made mee still doubtfull and suspicious.
Shee (as beforesaide) carried in her snowe white left arme, close to her body, a kindled and burning Torch, somewhat higher then her heade a good deale, and the lower ende growing smaller and smaller, shee helde in her hande: and stretching foorth that which was at libertie, more white then euer had Pelopea, wherein appeared the thinne smoothnes of the skynne, and the blewnesse of the veynes lyke Azure streames, vppon the faire and whitest paper. Shee tooke me by the left hande with a sweete and louing countenance and smiling grace, and with an eloquent speech, shee pleasantly saide in this manner.
Poliphilus, I thinke my selfe to come in saftie, but it seemeth that you stand doubtfull. Heereat I was more amazed, and my sences in a manner gone to imagine howe she should knowe my name; and al my inward parts vanquished, and hemmed in with burning amorous flames, my speech was taken from mee with feare and reuerent bashfulnesse.
In this sort remayning, I knewe not vppon the suddaine what good aunswere I might make, or otherwise doe her reuerence, but to offer her my vnworthy and vnfit hande; Which when it was streined in hers, me thought that it was in hot snowe and curded milke, and me thought indeede, that I touched and handled something which was more then humaine; which when I had so done, I remained moued in minde, troubled and doubtfull, vnaccustomed to such a companion, not knowing what to say, or whether to followe her, in my simple apparell and homely bringing vp, not agreeable with hers: and as a foole, vnworthy and vnfit for her fellowship, perswading my selfe, that it was not lawfull for a mortall and earthly creature to enioy such pleasures. For which cause, my
collour red and blushing, with reuerent admiration, being grieued at my basenesse, I setled my selfe to followe her.
At length,and yet not with a perfect recalled minde, I beganne to reduce and sommon together, my fearefull and distempered spirites: perswading my selfe, that I must needes haue good successe, being neere so faire and diuine an obiect, and in such a place; And so followed her on with a panting heart, more shaking than the birde Sisura, or a Lambe carryed in the mouth of a Wolfe.
And thus touched most feruently with pleasant heates, growing & encreasing more & more, they began to boyle & kindle my colde feare, and dispositiuely to adopt my altered heate to sincere loue. Which being thus brought to thys passe, by a prouoked inward desire, yet inwardly as I reasoned with my selfe, it was wonderfully variable and doubtfull. Oh most happye Louer of all Louers, that in requitall of hys, might bee sure to participate of hers.
On the other side, I perswaded my selfe, that if I shoulde offer vnto her my amorous heart and loue, hauing no better thing to bestow vpon her, or present vnto her, it might be that she would not refuse it: like Artaxerxes, the King of the Percians; who hauing water presented to hys handes, accepted of it bowing downe himselfe. Heerewithall, me thought yet that a fearefull and chill trembling inuaded mee, infusing it selfe ouer all my body and breast, renewing the force of the extreame fire, euen like dry reede: which being once kindled, is enflamed and nourished with the fresh ayre, vntill at length it is increased so mightily, that it consumeth all to ashes.
And in like sorte, I fully founde in my selfe, an increase and flashing abroade of my inwarde flames, in their prepared subject, so effectually, that her amorous regardes gaue me mortall and deadly woundes: euen as lightning and thunder, among the stronge and mightie oakes, suddainely with a great force, scorching & tearing them. And therefore I durst not looke vpon her bright eyes, because that dooing so, (being ouercome with the incredible beauty of her gracious aspect) if peraduenture her radious beames did reincounter mutually with myne, for a little while euery thinge seemed two vnto mee, vntill I had closed the lyddes together, and restored them to theyr former light.