them, who was wont many times to visit one an other. Dom Diego vpon his mother’s words, sent to intreat the Lady and fayr Gineura, that it woulde please them to do him the honour to come into his house: to which request she so willingly yelded, as he was desirous to bid them. At the appointed day Dom Diego sought al meanes possible honourably to receyue them: In meates whereof there was no want, in Instruments of all sortes, Mummeries, Morescoes, and a thousand other pastymes, whereby he declared his good bringing vp, the gentlenesse of his Spyryte, and the desire that he had to appeare sutch one as he was, before hir, which had already the full possession of his liberty. And bicause he would not faile to accomplyshe the perfection of his intent, hee inuyted all the Gentlemen and Gentlewomen that were his neighbours. I will not here describe the moste part of the prouision for that feast, nor the diuersity of Meates, or the delycate kyndes of Wines. It shall suffise mee to tell that after dynner they daunced, where the knight tooke his mistresse by the hand who was so glad to see hir selfe so aduanced, as he was content to be so neare hir, that was the sweete torment and vnspeakable passion of his mynd, whych hee began to discouer vnto hir in this wyse: “Mistresse Gineura I have ben alwayes of this Minde, that Musike hath a certeine secrete hydden vertue (which wel can not be expressed) to reuiue the thoughts and cogitations of man, be he neuer so mornfull and pensiue, forcing him to vtter some outward reioyse: I speake it by my self, for that I liue in extreme anguish and payne, that al the ioy of the World seemeth vnto mee displeasaunt, care, and disquyetnesse: and neuerthelesse my passion, agreeing with the plaintife voice of the Instrument, doth reioyce and conceiue comforte, as well to heare insensible thinges conformable to my desires as also to see my self so neere vnto hir, that hath the salue to ease my payne, to discharge my disease, and to depryue my Mynd from all gryefs. In like maner reason it is, that she hir selfe do remedy my disease, of whom I receiued the prycke, and which is the first foundation of all mine euil.” “I can not tell” (sayd the Gentlewoman) {“}what disease it is you speak of, for I shoulde bee very vnkinde to gieue him occasion of griefe, that doth make vs this great cheere.” “Ah Lady myne,” (sayd the knight, fetching a sigh from the bottome of his heart,) “the intertaynement that I receyue by the continuall contemplation of your diuine Beauties, and the vnspeakeable brightnesse of those two Beames, which twinkle in your Face, bee they that happily doe vex me, and make me drink this Cup of bitternesse, wherein notwithstanding I finde sutch sweetenesse as al the Heauenly Drincke called Ambrosia, fayned by the Poets, is but Gall in respect of that which I taste in mynde, feeling my deuotion so bent to do you seruice, as onely Death shall vnty the knot wherewith voluntarily I Knyt my selfe to be your Seruaunt for