XVIII

The wooddy Nymphes, faire Hamadryades,[*]
  Her to behold do thither runne apace, 155
  And all the troupe of light-foot Naiades[*]
  Flocke all about to see her lovely face: 
  But when they vewed have her heavenly grace,
  They envy her in their malitious mind,
  And fly away for feare of fowle disgrace:  160
  But all the Satyres scorne their woody kind,[*]
And henceforth nothing faire but her on earth they find.

XIX

Glad of such lucke, the luckelesse[*] lucky maid,
  Did her content to please their feeble eyes,
  And long time with that salvage people staid, 165
  To gather breath in many miseries. 
  During which time her gentle wit she plyes,
  To teach them truth, which worshipt her in vaine,
  And made her th’ Image of Idolatryes[*];
  But when their bootlesse zeale she did restraine 170
From her own worship, they her Asse would worship fayn.

XX

It fortuned a noble warlike knight[*]
  By just occasion[*] to that forrest came,
  To seeke his kindred, and the lignage right,
  From whence he tooke his well deserved name:  175
  He had in armes abroad wonne muchell fame,
  And fild far lands with glorie of his might,
  Plaine, faithfull, true, and enimy of shame,
  And ever lov’d to fight for Ladies right: 
But in vaine glorious frayes he litle did delight. 180

XXI

A Satyres sonne yborne in forrest wyld,
  By straunge adventure as it did betyde,
  And there begotten of a Lady myld,
  Faire Thyamis[*] the daughter of Labryde,
  That was in sacred bands of wedlocke tyde 185
  To Therion, a loose unruly swayne;
  Who had more joy to raunge the forrest wyde,
  And chase the salvage beast with busie payne,
Then serve his Ladies love, and wast in pleasures vayne.

XXII

The forlorne mayd did with loves longing burne 190
  And could not lacke her lovers company,
  But to the wood she goes, to serve her turne,
  And seeke her spouse that from her still does fly,
  And followes other game and venery: 
  A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to finde, 195
        * * * * *
And made her person thrall unto his beastly kind.

XXIII

So long in secret cabin there he held
        * * * * *
  Then home he suffred her for to retyre,
  For ransome leaving him the late borne childe;
  Whom till to ryper yeares he gan aspire, 200
  He noursled up in life and manners wilde,
Emongst wild beasts and woods, from lawes of men exilde.

XXIV