The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia
(since so good a man he is) cannot be so low as I account my estate;
and in sum, the sum of all his courtesy may be to help me by some
means to seek my friend.”
They perceived he was not willing to open himself further, and
therefore without further questioning brought him to the house; about
which they might see (with fit consideration both of the air, the
prospect, and the nature of the ground) all such necessary additions
to a great house as might well show Kalander knew that provision is
the foundation of hospitality and thrift the fuel of magnificence. The
house itself was built of fair and strong stone, not affecting so much
any extraordinary kind of fineness as an honourable representing of a
firm stateliness. The lights, doors and stairs rather directed to the
use of the guest than to the eye of the artificer; and yet as the one
chiefly heeded, so the other not neglected; each place handsome
without curiosity, and homely without loathsomeness; not so dainty as
not to be trod on, nor yet slubbered up with good fellowship; all more
lasting than beautiful, but that the consideration of the exceeding
lastingness made the eye believe it was exceeding beautiful. The
servants not so many in number as cleanly in apparel and serviceable
in behaviour, testifying even in their countenances that their master
took as well care to be served as of them that did serve. One of them
was forthwith ready to welcome the shepherds as men whom though they
were poor their master greatly favoured; and understanding by them
that the young man with them was to be much accounted of, for that
they had seen tokens of more than common greatness, howsoever now
eclipsed with fortune, he ran to his master, who came presently forth,
and pleasantly welcoming the shepherds, but especially applying him to
Musidorus, Strephon privately told him all what he knew of him, and
particularly that he found this stranger was loth to be known.
“No,” said Kalander speaking aloud, “I am no herald to inquire of
men’s pedigrees; it sufficeth me if I know their virtues; which (if
this young man’s face be not a false witness) do better apparel his
mind, than you have done his body.” While he was thus {10} speaking,
there came a boy in show like a merchant’s prentice, who, taking
Strephon by the sleeve delivered him a letter, written jointly both to
him and Claius, from Urania, which they no sooner had read but that
with short leave taking of Kalander (who quickly guessed and smiled at
the matter) and once again (though hastily) recommending the young man
unto him, they went away, leaving Musidorus even loth to part with
them, for the good conversation he had had of them and obligation he
accounted himself tied in unto them: and therefore, they delivering
his chest unto him, he opened it, and would have presented them with
two very rich jewels, but they absolutely refused them, telling him
that they were more than enough rewarded in the knowing of him, and
without hearkening unto a reply (like men whose hearts disdained all
desires but one) gat speedily away, as if the letter had brought wings
to make them fly. But by that sight Kalander soon judged that his
guest was of no mean calling; and therefore the more respectfully
entertaining him, Musidorus found his sickness (which the fight, the
sea and late travel had laid upon him) grow greatly, so that, fearing
some sudden accident, he delivered the chest to Kalander, which was
full of most precious stones gorgeously and cunningly set in divers
manners, desiring him he would keep those trifles, and if he died, he
would bestow so much of it as was needful, to find out and redeem a
young man, naming himself Daiphantus, as then in the hands of Laconian
pirates.
But Kalander seeing him faint more and more, with careful speed
conveyed him to the most commodious lodging in his house, where being
possessed with an extreme burning fever he continued some while with
no great hope of life; but youth at length got the victory of
sickness, so that in six weeks the excellency of his returned beauty
was a credible ambassador of his health, to the great joy of Kalander,
who, as in his time he had by certain friends of his that dwelt near
the sea in Messenia set forth a ship and a galley to seek and succour
Daiphantus, so at home did he omit nothing which he thought might
either profit or gratify Palladius.
For, having found in him (besides his bodily gifts beyond the degree
of admiration) by daily discourses, which he delighted himself to have
with him, a mind of most excellent composition, a piercing wit, quite
void of ostentation, high erected thought seated in a heart of
courtesy, an eloquence as sweet in the uttering as slow to come to the
uttering, a behaviour so noble as gave a majesty to adversity; and all
in a man whose age could not be above one and twenty years; the good
old man was even enamoured with a fatherly love towards him, or rather
became his servant by the bonds such virtue laid upon him; once, he
acknowledged himself so to be by the badge of diligent attendance.
{11}
But Palladius having gotten his health, and only staying there to be
in place where he might hear answer of the ships set forth, Kalander
one afternoon led him abroad to a well-arrayed ground he had behind
his house, which he thought to show him before his going as the place
himself more than in any other delighted in. The backside of the house
was neither field, garden nor orchard; or rather it was both field,
garden and orchard: for as soon as the descending of the stairs had
delivered them down, they came into a place cunningly set with trees
of the most taste-pleasing fruits: but scarcely they had taken that
into their consideration but that they were suddenly stept into a
delicate green; of each side of the green a thicket, and behind the
thickets again new beds of flowers, which being under the trees the
trees were to them a pavilion, and they to the trees a mosaical floor,
so that it seemed that Art therein would needs be delightful, by
counterfeiting his enemy Error and making order in confusion.
In the midst of all the place was a fair pond whose shaking crystal
was a perfect mirror to all the other beauties, so that it bare show
of two gardens; one in deed, the other in shadows. And in one of the
thickets was a fine fountain made thus: a naked Venus of white marble,
wherein the graver had used such cunning that the natural blue veins
of the marble were framed in fit places to set forth the beautiful
veins of her body. At her breast she had her babe Aeneas, who seemed,
having begun to suck, to leave that to look upon her fair eyes, which
smiled at the babe’s folly, meanwhile the breast running.
Hard by was a house of pleasure built for a summer-retiring place;
whither Kalander leading him he found a square room full of delightful
pictures made by the most excellent workmen of Greece. There was Diana
when Actaeon saw her bathing; in whose cheeks the painter had set such
a colour as was mixed between shame and disdain, and one of her
foolish nymphs, who weeping, and withal lowering, one might see the
workman meant to set forth tears of anger. In another table was
Atalanta, the posture of whose limbs was so lively expressed, that if
the eyes were only judges, as they be the only seers, one would have
sworn the very picture had run. Besides many more, as of Helena,
Omphale, Iole: but in none of them all beauty seemed to speak so much
as in a large table, which contained a comely old man, with a lady of
middle-age, but of excellent beauty, and more excellent would have
been deemed, but that there stood between a young maid, whose
wonderfulness took away all beauty from her, but that which it might
seem she gave her back again by her very shadow. And such difference
(being known that it did indeed counterfeit a person living) was there
between her and all the other, though {12} goddesses, that it seemed
the skill of the painter bestowed nothing on the other new beauty, but
that the beauty of her bestowed new skill on the painter. Though he
thought inquisitiveness an uncomely guest he could not choose but ask
who she was, that bearing show of one being indeed could with natural
gifts go beyond the reach of invention. Kalander answered, that it was
made by Philoclea, the younger daughter of his prince, who also with
his wife were contained in that table: the painter meaning to
represent the present condition of the young lady, who stood watched
by an over-curious eye of her parents; and that he would also have
drawn her eldest sister, esteemed her match for beauty, in her
shepherdish attire, but that rude clown her guardian would not suffer
it; neither durst he ask leave of the prince, for fear of suspicion.
Palladius perceived that the matter was wrapped up in some secrecy,
and therefore would, for modesty, demand no further; but yet his
countenance could not but with dumb eloquence desire it. Which
Kalander perceiving, “Well,” said he, “my dear guest, I know your
mind, and I will satisfy it: neither will I do it like a niggardly
answerer, going no further than the bounds of the question; but I will
discover unto you as well that wherein my knowledge is common with
others as that which by extraordinary means is delivered unto me;
knowing so much in you (though not long acquainted) that I shall find
your ears faithful treasurers.” So then sitting down in two chairs,
and sometimes casting his eye to the picture, he thus spake:
“This country Arcadia among all the provinces of Greece, hath ever
been had in singular reputation; partly for the sweetness of the air
and other natural benefits, but principally for the well-tempered
minds of the people who (finding that the shining title of glory, so
much affected by other nations, doth indeed help little to the
happiness of life) are the only people which, as by their justice and
providence give neither cause nor hope to their neighbours to annoy,
so are they not stirred with false praise to trouble others’ quiet,
thinking it a small reward for the wasting of their own lives in
ravening, that their posterity should long after say they had done so.
Even the Muses seem to approve their good determination by choosing
this country for their chief repairing place, and by bestowing their
perfections so largely here that the very shepherds have their fancies
lifted to so high conceits that the learned of other nations are
content both to borrow their names and imitate their cunning.
“Here dwelleth and reigneth this prince (whose picture you see) by
name Basilius; a prince of sufficient skill to govern so quiet a
country, where the good minds of the former princes had set down good
laws, and the well-bringing up of the people doth serve as a {13} most
sure bond to hold them. But to be plain with you, he excels in nothing
so much as the zealous love of his people, wherein he doth not only
pass all his own foregoers but, as I think, all the princes living.
Whereof the cause is, that though he exceed not in the virtues which
get admiration, as depth of wisdom, height of courage, and largeness
of magnificence, yet is he notable in those which stir affection, as
truth of word, meekness, courtesy, mercifulness, and liberality.
“He, being already well stricken in years, married a young princess,
named Gynecia, daughter to the king of Cyprus, of notable beauty, as
by her picture you see: a woman of great wit, and in truth of more
princely virtues than her husband; of most unspotted chastity; but of
so working a mind and so vehement spirits that a man may say, it was
happy she took a good course for otherwise it would have been
terrible.
“Of these two are brought into the world two daughters, so beyond
measure excellent in all the gifts allotted to reasonable creatures