tressed Marryner, in a
stormy, darke, and tempesteous winter night: nor the wished and oportune
fall of rayne, at the prayer of _Cr[ae]sus_, as the louing consent of
this daintie Nymph: more welcome to mee, then bloody broyles to warlike
_Mars_, or the first fruites of _Creta_ to _Dionisius_: or the warbling
Harpe to _Apollo_: and yet more gratefull, then fertill grounde, full
eares, and plentifull yeelding, to the labouring Husbandman.

And thus in most contented sort, passing on and pressing down the
thicke, greene, and coole grasse: sometime my searching and busie eyes,
woulde haue a cast with her pretty & small feete, passing well fitted
with shooes of Red leather, growing broader from the instept, narrowe at
the toe, and close about the heele; and sometimes her fine and moueable
legges, (her vesture of silke beeing blowne about with the winde, vppon
her virgineall partes) discouered themselues. If I might haue seene
them, I do imagine that they did looke like the finest flower of
_Peloponesus_, or like the purest milke, coagulated with Muske.

By all which most delectable thinges, tyed and bounde in the harde and
inextricable knots of vehement loue, more vneasie to vndoe then that of
_Hercules_, or that which _Alexander_ the great did cut in sunder with
hys sworde: and amorously masked in rowled nettes, and my subdued heart,
helde downe withe grieued cogitations and burning desires, leading mee
whether they would, I founde in it more pricking torments then faythfull
_Regulus_ in Aphrica. So that my sorrowing spirites exasperated with an
amorous desire and extreame vexation, continually burning in my panting
breast, coulde by no meanes bee asswaged, but with supping vp of
continuall sobbings, and breathing out of their flying losse. And thus
drowned in a mist of doubts, and seeing me vyolently taken in her loue,
I saide thus to my selfe.

O _Poliphilus_, howe canst thou leaue at any tyme thy inseperable loue,
kindled towardes thy sweete _Polia_, for any other? And therewithall,
from this Nymph, thus close and fast bounde, more strongly then in the
clawes of a Creuise or Lobstar, endeuouring to vntie my selfe, I found
it no easie peece of worke, so that I coulde not choose but greeuously
binde my troubled hart, to the loue and affecting of this by all
likelihoodes, hauing the true shape, sweete resemblance, and gratious
behauiour of my most beloued _Polia_. But aboue all thinges, this came
more neere vnto mee and g