May their ewes that barren were, Fruitful prove, and may they double By their fruitfulness their flock. May the busy bees prepare 'Midst the threshing floor and stubble, Of sweet honey plenteous stock. May they ever find their seed, In the town and in the mead, Plucked at fitting time and hour, May no grub their vines devour, And their wheat no blighting weed. In good time with children twain, Perfect fruit of peace and love, May the happy pair be blest. And when manhood they attain, May the one a doctor prove, And the other a parish priest. May they ever take the lead In both wealth and goodly deed. Thus they gentlemen will be, If they give security For no gauger full of greed. May they live for longer years E'en than Sarah, hale and strong, And the sorrowing doctor shun. May they shed no bitter tears For a daughter wedded wrong, For a gambling spendthrift son. May their death be, when the twain Shall Methusaleh's years attain, Free from guilty fear; the date May the people celebrate For ever and aye, Amen. With the greatest pleasure Arsindo's rude verses were listened to, and he would have gone on further with them, had not their arrival at Daranio's house hindered it. The latter, inviting all who came with him, remained there, save that Galatea and Florisa, through fear lest Teolinda should be recognised by Thyrsis and Damon, would not remain at the wedding banquet. Elicio and Erastro would fain have accompanied Galatea to her house, but it was not possible for her to consent to it, and so they had to remain with their friends, and the shepherdesses, wearied with the dances of that day, departed. And Teolinda felt more pain than ever, seeing that at Daranio's solemn nuptials, where so many shepherds had assisted, only her Artidoro was wanting. With this painful thought she passed that night in company with Galatea and Florisa, who passed it with hearts more free and more dispassionate, until on the new day to come there happened to them what will be told in the book which follows. BOOK IV.