w that folly which tormented my inward
spirits, enuying to see what others possessed, that was a continuall
delight in pleasure and solace without any wearines in full cloying, and
thus diuers times my hart being set on fire by my eies, and extreemely
burning, my minde still fixed vpon delightfull pleasures and their
smacking kisses, and regarding with a curious eie the abounding guerdons
of the fethered god, me thought at that instant, that I did behold the
extreeme perfection of pleasure. And by this meanes I stood wauering and
out of measure amazed, and as one which had droonke an amorous potion,
calling into remembrance the ointments of the mischeeuous _Circes_, the
forcible hearbs of _Medea_, the hurtfull songs of _Byrrena_, and the
deadly verses of _Pamphile_, I stood doubtfull that my eies had seene
somthing more than humane, and that a base, dishonorable, and frail
bodie should not be where immortall creatures did abide.

After that I was brought from these long and doubtfull thoughts and
phantasticall imaginations, and remembring all those maruellous diuine
shapes and bodies which I had personally seene with mine eies, I then
knew that they were not deceitfull shadowes, nor magicall illusions, but
that I had not rightly conceiued of them.

And now with earnest consideration among these beholding the most
excellent Nymph fast by me, my eies filled with amorous darts ceased not
to wound my passionate hart, by means wherof incontinently all my
wandering thoughts were stirred vp, compact, and fixed vpon hir their
desired obiect, recalling my mortified soule afresh to be tormented in
his first flames, which most cruelly I suffered, in that I durst not be
bold to aske if she were my desired _Polia_, for she had put me in some
doubt thereof before, and now fearing to offend hir with my being ouer
bolde, and ore troublesome with my rude and vntilled toong, diuers times
when my voice was breaking out betwixt my lips, vpon that occasion I
suppressed the same. But what she should be, it was beyond my compasse
to imagine, and I stood as suspicious thereof, as the deceiued _Socia_
with the fained _Atlantiades_. Thus with diligent regards and cordiall
searches examining hir heauenly features inuaded with a burning desire
beyond measure, I said to my self: Oh that I might be, if it were
possible, a free man in such a place, for no sorrow shoulde greeue me,
nor imminent danger should make me afraid: although that frowarde
for