Then soft himselfe inclyning on his knee iii Downe to that well, did in the water weene (So loue does loath disdainfull nicitee) His guiltie hands from bloudie gore to cleene. He washt them oft and oft, yet nought they beene For all his washing cleaner. Still he stroue, Yet still the litle hands were bloudie seene; The which him into great amaz’ment droue, And into diuerse doubt his wauering wonder cloue. He wist not whether blot of foule offence iv Might not be purgd with water nor with bath; Or that high God, in lieu[492] of innocence, Imprinted had that token of his wrath, To shew how sore bloudguiltinesse he hat’th[493]; Or that the charme and venim, which they druncke, Their bloud with secret filth infected hath, Being diffused through the senselesse truncke, That through the great contagion direfull deadly stunck. Whom thus at gaze, the Palmer gan to bord v With goodly reason, and thus faire bespake; Ye bene right hard[494] amated, gratious Lord, And of your ignorance great maruell make, Whiles cause not well conceiued ye mistake. But know, that secret vertues are infusd In euery fountaine, and in euery lake, Which who hath skill them rightly to haue chusd, To proofe of passing wonders hath full often vsd. Of those some were so from their sourse indewd vi By great Dame Nature, from whose fruitfull pap Their welheads spring, and are with moisture deawd; Which feedes each liuing plant with liquid sap, And filles with flowres faire _Floraes_ painted lap: But other some by gift of later grace, Or by good prayers, or by other hap, Had vertue pourd into their waters bace, And thenceforth were renowmd, and sought from place to[495] place. Such is this well, wrought by occasion straunge, vii Which to her Nymph befell. Vpon a day, As she the woods with bow and shafts did raunge, The hartlesse Hind and Robucke to dismay, _Dan Faunus_ chaunst to meet her by the way, And kindling fire at her faire burning eye, Inflamed was to follow beauties chace[496], And chaced her, that fast from him did fly; As Hind from her, so she fled from her enimy. At last when fayling breath began to faint, viii And saw no meanes to scape, of shame affrayd, She set[497] her downe to weepe for sore constraint, And to _Diana_ calling lowd for ayde, Her deare besought, to let her dye a mayd. The goddesse heard, and suddeine where she sate, Welling out streames of teares, and quite dismayd With stony feare of that rude rustick mate, Transformd her to a stone from stedfast virgins state.