Lauso repeated the sonnet, and Damon again asked him, if he had written anything else to his shepherdess, to repeat it to him, since he knew how pleasant his verses were for him to hear. To this Lauso replied: 'This will be, Damon, because you have been my master therein, and the desire you have to see what improvement you have wrought in me makes you desire to hear them; but let this be as it may, for nothing that I could do must be denied you. And so I tell you that in these same days, when I was jealous and ill at ease, I sent these verses to my shepherdess.' LAUSO TO SILENA. In this great wholeheartedness From the healthy purpose sprung, 'Tis Love guides the hand along And the thought thy loveliness; Love, Silena, in this hour, And thy loveliness so fair, Will account discretion rare What thou wilt deem folly sure. Love constrains, loveliness moveth Me to adore thee, and to write; Since my faith the twain upright Hold, my hand its courage proveth; And in this my fault so great, Though thy rigour threateneth, Love, thy loveliness, my faith, Will my error palliate. Since with helpers such as these, Though they blame me, ne'ertheless, I can well the bliss express Sprung from mine own miseries; And this bliss, full well I know, Is naught else, Silena fair, Save that I amid my care Should a wondrous patience show. No small pleasure makes me glad, For in patience lies my bliss; Were it not so, long ere this, Had my misery made me mad; But my senses all agree, All together join to cry, That I, though I needs must die, May die wise and patiently. After all, the jealous one, Whom none loveth, scarce will be Able to bear patiently, When he makes his love-sick moan; Since, amid my agonies, All my bliss is banishèd, When I see that hope is dead, And the foe before my eyes. Countless years, my shepherdess, Revel in thy blissful thought, For I seek no pleasure bought With thy sorrow or distress; Follow ever, lady fair, Thy desire, since 'tis thy pleasure, For I, for another's treasure, Think not e'er to shed a tear.