But what I was, it irkes me to reherse; xv Daughter vnto a Lord of high degree; That ioyd in happy peace, till fates peruerse With guilefull loue did secretly agree, To ouerthrow my state and dignitie. It was my lot to loue a gentle swaine, Yet was he but a Squire of low degree; Yet was he meet, vnlesse mine eye did faine, By any Ladies side for Leman to haue laine. But for his meannesse and disparagement, xvi My Sire, who me too dearely well did loue, Vnto my choise by no meanes would assent, But often did my folly fowle reproue. Yet nothing could my fixed mind remoue, But whether willed or nilled friend or foe, I me resolu’d the vtmost end to proue, And rather then my loue abandon so, Both sire, and friends, and all for euer to forgo. Thenceforth I sought by secret meanes to worke xvii Time to my will, and from his wrathfull sight To hide th’intent, which in my heart did lurke, Till I thereto had all things ready dight. So on a day vnweeting vnto wight, I with that Squire agreede away to flit, And in a priuy place, betwixt vs hight, Within a groue appointed him to meete; To which I boldly came vpon my feeble feete. But ah vnhappy houre me thither brought: xviii For in that place where I him thought to find, There was I found, contrary to my thought, Of this accursed Carle of hellish kind, The shame of men, and plague of womankind, Who trussing me, as Eagle doth his pray, Me hether[120] brought with him, as swift as wind, Where yet vntouched till this present day, I rest his wretched thrall, the sad _Æmylia_. Ah sad _Æmylia_ (then sayd _Amoret_,) xix Thy ruefull plight I pitty as mine owne. But read to me, by what deuise or wit, Hast thou in all this time, from him vnknowne Thine honor sau’d, though into thraldome throwne. Through helpe (quoth she) of this old woman here I haue so done, as she to me hath showne. For euer when he burnt in lustfull fire, She in my stead supplide his bestiall desire. Thus of their euils as they did discourse, xx And each did other much bewaile and mone; Loe where the villaine selfe, their sorrowes sourse, Came to the caue, and rolling thence the stone, Which wont to stop the mouth thereof, that none Might issue forth, came rudely rushing in, And spredding ouer all the flore alone, Gan dight him selfe vnto his wonted sinne; Which ended, then his bloudy banket should beginne.