22

ROSADER'S THIRD SONNET

261Of virtuous love myself may boast alone,
Since no suspect my service may attaint;
For perfect fair she is the only one,
Whom I esteem for my belov{`e}d saint.
Thus, for my faith I only bear the bell,
And for her fair she only doth excel.262Then let fond Petrarch shroud his Laura's praise,
And Tasso cease to publish his affect,
Since mine the faith confirmed at all assays,
And hers the fair, which all men do respect.
My lines her fair, her fair my faith assures;
Thus I by love, and love by me endures.

263"Thus," quoth Rosader, "here is an end of my poems, but for all this no release of my passions, so that I resemble him that in the depth of his distress hath none but the echo to answer him."

264Ganymede, pitying her Rosader, thinking to drive him out of this amorous melancholy, said that now the sun was in his meridional heat and that it was high noon, "therefore we shepherds say, 'tis time to go to dinner; for the sun and our stomachs are shepherds' dials. Therefore, forester, if thou wilt take such fare as comes out of our homely scrips, welcome shall answer whatsoever thou wantest in delicates."

265Aliena took the entertainment by the end, and told Rosader he should be her guest. He thanked them heartily, and sat with them down to dinner, where they had such cates as country state did allow them, sauced with such content, and such sweet prattle, as it seemed far more sweet than all their courtly junkets.

266As soon as they had taken their repast, Rosader, giving them thanks for his good cheer, would have been gone; but Ganymede, that was loath to let him pass out of her presence, began thus:

267"Nay, forester," quoth he, "if thy business be not the greater, seeing thou sayest thou art so deeply in love, let me see how thou canst woo. I will represent Rosalind, and thou shalt be as thou art, Rosader. See in some amorous eclogue how, if Rosalind were present, how thou couldst court her; and while we sing of love, Aliena shall tune her pipe and play us melody."

268"Content," quoth Rosader, and Aliena, she, to show her willingness, drew forth a recorder, and began to wind it. Then the loving forester began thus: