Fawnia desiring one of her companions to beare her company went home by the flocke to see if they were well fowlded And as they returned it fortuned that Dorastus who all that day had beene hawking and killed store of game incountred by the way these two maides fraring that with Acteon he had seene Diana for he thought such exquisite perfection could not be found in any mortall creature As thus he stood in a maze one of his Pages told him that the maid with the garland on her head was Fawnia that faire Shepheardesse whose beauty was so much talked of in the Court Dorastus desirous to see if nature had adorned her mind withany inward qualities as she had decked her body with outward shape began to question with her whose daughter she was of what age and how shee had beene trained vp Who answered him with such modest reuerence and sharpnesse of wit that Dorastus thought her outward beauty was but a counterfeit to darken her inward qualities wondring how so courtly behauiour could be found in so simple Cottage and cursing Fortune that had shaddowed wit and beauty with such hard Fortune As thus he held her a long time with chat beauty séeing him at discouert thought not to loose the vantage but strucke him so déepely with an inuenomed shafte as he wholly lost his liberty and became a slaue to Loue which before contemned Loue glad to gaze vpon a poore shepheardesse who before refused the offer of rich Princesse For the perfection of Fawnia had so fixed his fancie as he felt his mind greatly changed and his affection altered cursing Loue that had wrought such a change and blaming the basenesse of his minde that would make such a choyce But thinking these were but passionate toyes that might be thrust out at pleasure to auoyd the Syren that inchanted him hee spurs his horse and had his faire Shepheardesse farewell Fawnia who all this while had marked the Princely gesture of Dorastus séeing his face so well featured and each limbe so perfectly framed began greatly to praise his perfection commending him so long till she found her selfe faulty and perceiued that if she waded but a little further she might slip ouer the shooes She therefore seeking to quench that fire which neuer was put out went home and faining her selfe not well at ease gother to bed where casting a thousand thoughts in her head shée could take no rest for if shée had waked she began to call to mind his beauty and thinking to beguile such thoughts with sléepe shée then dreamed of his perfection Pestered with these vnacquainted passions she passed the night as shée could in short slumbers Dorastus who all this while rode with a flea in his eare could not by any meanes forget the sweete fauour Fawnia but rested so bewitched with her wit and beauty as hee could take no rest He felt fancie to giue the assault and his wounded mind ready to yéeld as vanquished yet hee began with diuers considerations to suppresse his franticke affection calling to mind that Fawnia was a Shepheardesse one not worthy to be looked at of a Prince much lesse to be loued of such a Potentate thinking what a discredit it were to himselfe and what a griefe it would be to his father blaming fortune and accusing his owne folly that should be so fond as but once to cast a glance at such a Country slut And as thus he was raging against himselfe Loue fearing if she dallyed long to lose her Champion stept more nigh and gaue him such a fresh wound as it pierst him at the heart that he was faine to yéeld maugre his face and to forsake the company and get him to his chamber where being solemnly set he burst into these passionate termes AH Dorastus art thou alone No not alone while thou art tyred with these vnacquainted passions Yéeld to fancie thou canst not by thy fathers counsell but in a frenzie thou art by iust destinies Thy father were content if thou couldest loue and thou therefore discontent because thou dost loue O diuine Loue feare of men because honoured of gods not to be suppressed by wisedome because not to be comprehended by reason without law and therefore aboue law How then Dorastus why dost thou blaze that with praises which thou hast cause to blaspheme with curses Yet why should they curse loue which are in loue Blush Dorastus at thy Fortune thy choyce thy loue thy thoughts cannot be vttered without shame nor thy affections without discredit Ah Fawnia sweet Fawnia thy beauty Fawnia Shamest not thou Dorastus to name one vnfit for thy birth thy Dignities thy Kingdomes Die Dorastus Dorastus die Better haddest thou perish with high desires then liue in base thoughts Yea but beauty must be obeyed because it is beauty yet framed of the gods to féed the eye not to fetter the heart Ah but he that striueth against loue shooteth with them of Scyrum against the wind and with the Cockatrice pecketh against the steele I will therefore obey because I must obey Fawnia yea Fawnia shall be my fortune in spight of fortune The gods aboue disdaine not to loue women beneath Phoebus liked Daphne Iupiter Io and why not 3 then Fawnia one something inferiour to these in birth but farre superiour to them in beauty borne to be a Shepheardesse but worthy to be a goddesse Ah Dorastus wilt thou forget thy selfe as to suffer affection to suppresse wisdome and loue violate thine honour How sowre will thy choice be to thy father sorrowfull to thy subiects to thy friends a griefe most gladsome to thy foes Subdue then thy affection and cease to loue her whom thou couldest not loue vnlesse blinded with too much loue Tush I talke to the wind in séeking to preuent the causes I further the effects I will yet praise Fawnia honour yea and loue Fawnia and at this day follow content not councell Doe Dorastus thou canst repent and with that his Page came into the chamber whereupon hee ceased from complaints hoping that time would weare out that which fortune had wrought As thus he was pained so poore Fawnia was diuersly perplexed For the next morning getting vp very early she went to her shéepe thinking with hard labours to passe away her new conceiued amours beginning very busily to driue them to the field and then to shift the folds At last wearied with toyle she sate her downe where poore soule she was more tyred with fond affection For loue began to assault her insomuch that as she sate vpon the side of a hill she began to accuse her owne folly in these termes IN fortunate Fawnia And therefore infortunate because Fawnia thy Shepheards hook sheweth thy poore estate thy proud desires an aspiring mind the one declareth thy want the other thy pride No bastard Hawke must sore so high as the Hobby no fowle gaze against the Sun but the Eagle Actions wrought against nature reape despight and thoughts aboue fortune
disdaine Fawnia thou art a Shepheardesse daughter to poore Porrus if thou rest content with this thou art like to stand if thou climb thou art like to fall The hearbe Anita growing higher then six inches becommeth a weed Nilus flowing more then twelue cubits procureth a dearth Daring affections that passe measure are cut short by time or fortune Suppresse then Fawnia those thoughts which 〈…〉 shame to expresse But ah Fawnia Loue is a Lord who will command by power and constraine by force Dorastus ah Dorastus is the man I loue the worse is thy hap and the lesse cause hast thou to hope Will Eagles catch at flyes Will Cedars stoope at Brambles Or mighty Princes looke at such homely Truls No no thinke this Dorastus disdaine is greater then thy desire He is a Prince respecting his honour Thou a beggars brat forgetting thy calling Cease then not onely to say but to thinke to loue Dorastus and dissemble thy loue Fawnia For better it were to die with griefe then to liue with shame Yet in despight of Loue I will sigh to sée if I can sigh out Loue. Fawnia some what appeasing her griefes with these pithy perswasions began after her wonted manner to walke about her sheep and to kéepe them from straying into the Corne suppressing her affection with the due consideration of her base estate and with impossibilities of her loue thinking it were frenzy not fancy to couet that which the very destinies deny her to obtaine But Dorastus was more impatient in his passions for loue so fiercely assailed him that neither company nor Musicke could mitigate his martyrdome but did rather farre the more increase his malady Shame would not let him craue counsell in this case nor feare of his fathers displeasure reueale it to any secret friend but he was faine to make a secretary of himselfe and to participate his thoughts with his owne troubled mind Lingring thus a while in doubtfull suspence at last stealing secretly from the Court without either men or Page hée went to sée if he could espie Fawnia walking abroad in the field But as one hauing a great deale more skill to retriue the Partridge with the Spaniels then to hunt aster such a strange prey he sought but was little the better Which crosse-lucke draue him into a great choller that hee began both to accuse Loue and Fortune But as hee was ready to retyre he saw Fawnia sitting all alone vnder the side of an hill making a Garland of such homely flowers as the fields did affoord This sight so reuiued his spirits that he drew high with more iudgement to make a view of her singular perfection which he found to be such as in that Countrey attyre shee stained all the Courtly Dames of Sicilia While thus he stood gazing with piercing lookes on her surpassing beauty Fawnia cast her eye aside and espyed Dorastus Which sudden sight made the poore girle to blush and to dye her christall cheekes with the vermillion red which gaue her such a grace as she seemed farre more beautifull and with that she rose vp saluting the Prince with such modest courtesies as he wondred how a Country maid could affoord such comely behauiour Dorastus repaying her courtesie with a smiling countenance began to parle with her on this manner FAire maid quoth he either your want is great or a Shepheards life is very swéet that your delight is in such country labours I cannot conceiue what pleasures you should take vnlesse you meane to imitate the Nymphs being your selfe so like a Nymph To put me out of this doubt shew me what is to be commended in a Shepheards life and what pleasures you haue to counteruaile these drudging labours Fawnia with blushing face made him this answer SIr what richer state then content or what swéeter life then quiet We Shepheards are not borne to honour nor beholding vnto beauty the lesse care wee haue to feare fame or fortune We count our attyre braue enough if warme enough and our food dainty if to suffice nature our greatest enemy is the Wolfe our onely care in safe kéeping our flocke in stead of Courtly Ditties we spend the dayes with Country songs our amorous conceits are homely thoughts delighting as much to talke of Pan and his country pranks as Ladies to tell of Venus and her wanton toyes Our toile is in shifting our folds and looking to the Lambes easie labours of sitting and telling tales homely pleasures our greatest wealth not to couet our honour not to climbe our quiet not to care Enuy looketh not so low as Shepheards Shepheards gaze not so high as ambition we are rich in that we are poore with content and proud onely in this that we haue no cause to be proud THis witty answer of Fawnia so inflamed Dorastus fancy that he commending himselfe for making so good a choyse thinking if her birth were answerable to her wit and beauty that shee were a fit mate for the most famous Prince in the world Hee therefore began to sift her more narrowly on this manner FAwnia I sée thou art content with country labours because thou knowest not Courtly pleasures I commend thy wit and pitty thy want But wilt thou leaue thy fathers Cottage and serue a Courtly mistresse Sir quoth she beggers ought not to striue against fortune nor to gaze against honour least either their fall be greater or they become blind I am borne to toyle for the Court not in the Court my nature vnfit for their nature better liue in meane degrée then in high disdaine Well said Fawnia quoth Dorastus I gesse at thy thoughts thou art in loue with some country Shepheard No sir quoth she Shepheards cannot loue that are so simple and maids may not loue that are so young Nay therefore quoth Dorastus maids must loue because they are young for Cupid is a child and Venus though old is painted with fresh colours I grant said she age may be painted with new shadowes and youth may haue imperfect affections but what art concealeth in one ignorance reuealeth in another Dorastus séeing Fawnia hold him so hard thought it was vaine so long to beate about the bush therefore he thought to haue giuen her a fresh charge but he was so preuented by certaine of his men who missing their matter came posting to seeke him séeing that he was gone forth all alone yet before they drew so nigh that they might heare their talke he vsed these spéeches Why Fawnia perhaps I loue thée and then thou must néeds yeeld for thou knowest I can command and constraine Tush Sir quoth she but not to loue for constrained loue is force not loue And know this Sir mine honesty is such as I had rather dye then be a Concubine enen vnto a King and my birth is so base as I am vnfit to be a wife vnto a poore Farmor Why then quoth he thou canst not loue Dorastus Yes said Fawnia when Dorastus becomes a Shepheard And with
that he could take no rest but cast into his old head a thousand new deuices at last he fell into these thoughts HOw art thou desired Pandosto with fresh affections and vnfit fancies wishing to possesse with an vnwilling mind and a hot desire troubled with a cold disdaine Shall thy mind yéeld in age to that thou hast resisted in youth Peace Pandosto blab not out that which thou maist be ashamed to reueale to thy selfe Ah Fawnia is beautifull and it is not for thine honour fond foole to name her that is thy captiue and another mans concubine Alas I reach at that with my hand which my heart would faine refuse playing like the bird Ibis in Aegypt which hateth serpents yet féedeth on their egges Tush hot desires turne oftentimes to cold disdaine Loue is brittle where appetite not reason beares the sway Kings thoughts ought not to climbe so high as the heauens but to looke no lower then honour better it is to pecke at the starres with the young Eagles then to prey on dead carcasses with the Vulture it is more honourable for Pandosto to dye by concealing loue then to enioy such vnfit Loue. Doth Pandosto then loue Yea Whom A maid vnknowne yea and perhaps immodest stragled out of her owne Country beautifull but not therefore chaste comely in body but perhaps crooked in minde Cease then Pandosto to looke at Fawnia much lesse to loue her be not ouertaken with a womans beauty whose eyes are framed by Art to euamour whose heart is framed by nature to inchant whose false teares know their due time and whose swéete words pierce déeper then sharpe swords Here ceast Pandosto from his talke but not from his loue for although he sought by reason and wisdome to suppresse this franticke affection yet he could take no rest the beauty of Fawnia had made such a déepe impression in his heart But on a day walking abroad into a Parke which was hard adioyning to his house he sent by one of his seruants for Fawnia vnto whom he vttered these words FAwnia I commend thy beauty and wit and now pitty thy distresse and want but if thou wilt forsake Sir Meleagrus whose pouerty though a Knight is not able to maintaine an estate answerable to thy beauty and yéeld thy consent to Pandosto I will both increase thée with dignities and riches No Sir answered Fawnia Meleagrus is a Knight that hath wonne me by loue and none but he shall weare me this smister mischance shall not diminish my affection but rather increase my good will thinke not though your Grace hath imprisoned him without cause that feare will make me yéeld my consent I had rather be Meleagrus wife and a begger then liue in plenty and be Pandosto's Concubine Pandosto hearing the assured answer of Fawnia would notwithstanding prosecute his suite to the vttermost séeking with faire words and great promises to scale the fort of her chastity swearing that if shee would grant to his desire Meleagrus should not onely be set at liberty but honoured in the Court amongst his Nobles But these alluring baites could not intice her mind from the loue of her new-betrothed mate Meleagrus which Pandosto séeing he let her alone for that time to consider more of the demand Fawnia being alone by herselfe began to fall into these solitary meditations AH infortunate Fawnia thou séest to desire aboue fortune is to striue aboue gods and fortune Who gazeth at the Sun weakeneth his sight They which stare at the skie fall of into déep pits hadst thou rested content to haue béen a shepheardesse thou néedest not to haue feared mischance better had it béen for thée by sitting low to haue had quiet then by climing high to haue falne into misery But alas I feare not mine own danger but Dorastus displeasure Ah swéet Dorastus thou art a Prince but now a prisoner by too much loue procuring thine own losse haddest thou not loued Fawnia thou hadst béen fortunate Shall I then bee false to him that hath forsaken kingdomes for my cause â—o would my death might deliuer him so mine honour might be preserued With that fetching a deepe sigh she ceased from her complaints and went againe to the Palace enioyning a liberty without content and proffered pleasure with small ioy But poore Dorastus lay all this while in close prison being pinched with a hardrestraint and pained with the burthen of cold heauy yrons sorrowed sometimes that his fond affection had procured him this mishappe that by the disobedience of his parent he had wrought his owne despight another while cursing the gods and Fortune that they would crosse him with smister chance vttering at last his passions with these words AH vnfortunate wretch borne to mishap now shyfolly hath his desert art thou not worthy for thy vase mind to haue bad fortune Could the destinies fauour thée which hast forgot thine honour and dignity Will not the gods plague him with despight that paineth his father with disobedience Oh gods if any fauour or iustice be left plague me but fauour poore Fawnia and shrowd her from the tyrannies of wretched Pandosto but let my death frée her from mishap and then welcome death Dorastus pained with these heauy passions sorrowed and sighed but in vaine for which he vsed more patience But againe to Pandosto who broyling in the heat of vnlawfull lust could take no rest but still felt his minde disquieted with his new loue so that his Nobles and Subiects maruelled greatly at his sodaine alteration not being able to coniecture the cause of this his continued care Pandosto thinking euery houre a yéere till he had talked once againe with Fawnia sent for her secretly into his chamber whither Fawnia though vnwillingly comming Pandosto entertain'd her very courteously vsing these familiar spéeches which Fawnia answered as shortly in this wise Pandosto Fawnia are you become lesse wilfull and more wise to preferre the loue of a King before the liking of a poore Knight I thinke ere this you thinke it is better to be fauoured of a King than of a subiect Fawnia Pandosto the body is subiect to victories but the mindes not to bée subdued with conquest honesty is to be preferred before honour and a dram of faith weigh downe a tunne of gold I haue promised Meleagrus my loue and will performe no lesse Pandosto Fawnia I know thou art not so vnwise in thy choyce as to refuse the offer of a King nor so vngratefull as to despise a good turne thou art now in that place where I may command and yet thou séest I intreat my power is such that I may compell by force and yet I sue by prayers Yéeld Fawnia thy loue to him which burneth in thy loue Meleagrus shall be set frée thy Countrey-men discharged and thou both loued and honoured Fawnia I sée Pandosto where lust ruleth it is a miserable thing to be a virgin but know this that I will alwayes preferre fame before life and rather choose
where fancy forced friendship was of no force These suchlike doubtfull thoughts a long time smothering in his stomacke began at last to kindle in his minde a secret mistrust which increased by suspition grew at last to flaming iealousie that so tormented him as he could take no rest He then began to measure all their actions and misconstrue of their too priuate familiarity iudging that it was not for honest affection but for disordinate fancy so as hee began to watch them more narrowly to sée if he could get any true or certaine proofe to confirme his doubtfull suspition While thus he noted her lookes and gestures and suspected their thoughts and meanings they two silly soules who doubted nothing of thishis treacherouas intent frequented daily each others company which draue him into such a franticke passion that he began to beare a secret hate to Egistus and a lowring countenance to Bellaria who maruelling at such vnaccustomed frownes began to cast beyond the Moone and to enter into a thousand sundry thoughts which way shee should offend her husband but finding in her selfe a cleere conscience ceased to muse till such time as shee might find opportunity to demand the cause of his dumps In the meane time Pandostos mind was so farre charged with iealousie that he no longer doubted but was assured as he thought that his friend Egistus entred a wrong point in his tables and so had played him false play Whereupon desirous to reuenge so great an iniury he thought best to dissemble the grudge with a faire and friendly countenance so under the shape of a friend to shew him the tricke of a foe deuising with himselfe a long time how he might best put away Egistus without suspition of treacherous murther concluded at last to poyson him Which opinion pleasing his humour he became resolute in his determination the better to bring the matter so passe hee called to him his Cup-bearer with whom in secret he brake the matter promising him for the performance thereof â—to giue him a thousanâ— Crowns of yeerely reuenue His cup-bearer either being of a good conscience be willing for fashions sake to deny such a 〈◊〉 request began with great reasons to perswade Pandosto from his determinate mischiefe shewing him what an offence murther was to the gods how much vnnaturall actions did more displease the heauens then men and that causelesse cruelty did seldome or neuer escape without reuenge hée laid before his face that Egistus was his friend a King and one that was come into this Kingdome to confirme a league of perpetuall amity betwixt them that hee had and did shew him a most friendly countenance how Egistus was not onely honoured of his owne people by obedience but also loued of the Bohemians for his courtesie And that it hee now should without any iust or manifest cause poyson him it would not only be a great dishonour to his Maiesty and a meanes to sow a perpetuall enmity betwéen the Sycilians and the Bohemians but also his own subiects would repine at such trecherous cruelty These and such like perswasions of Franion for so was his cap-bearer called could no whit preuaile to diswade him from his diuellish enterprize but remaining resolute in his determination his fury so fixed with rage as it could not be appeased with reason he began with bitter taunts to take up his man and to lay before him two baits preferment and death saying that if he would poyson Egistus hée would aduance him to high dignities if he refused to doe it of an obstinate minde no torture should be too great to requite his disobedience Franion séeing that to perswade Pandosto any more was but to striue against the streame consented as soone as opportunity would giue him leaue to dispatch Egistus wherewith Pandosto remained somewhat satisfied hoping now hee should be fully reuenged of such mistrusted iniuries intending also as soone as Egistus was dead to giue his wife a sop of the same sauce and so to be rid of those which are the cause of his restlesse sorrow while thus he liued in this hope Franion being secret in his chamber began to meditate with himselfe in these termes AH Franion treason is loued of many but the traytor hated of all vniust offences may for a time escape without danger but neuer without reuenge Thou art seruant to a King and must obey at command yet Franion against law and conscience it is not good to resist a tyrant with armes nor to please an vniust King with obedience What shalt thâ—u doe Folly refused gold and frenzy preferment wisdome séeketh after dignity and counsell looketh for gaine Egistus is a stranger to thée and Pandosto thy Soueraigne Thou hast little cause to respect the one and oughtest to haue great care to obey the other Thinke this Franion that a pound of Gold is worth a Tunne of leade great gifts are little gods and preferment to a meane man is a whet-stone to courage There is nothing swéeter than promotion nor lighter than report care not then though most count thée a traytor so all call thée rich Dignity Franion aduanceth thy posterity and euill report can but hurt thy selfe Know this where Eagles build Faulcons may prey where Lions haunt Foxes may steale Kings are knowne to command seruants are blamelesse to consent feare not thou then to lift at Egistus Pandosto shall beare the burthen Yea but Franion conscience is a worme that euer biteth but neuer ceaseth That which is rubbed with the stone Galactities will neuer be hot Flesh dipped in the Sea Aegeum will neuer be swéete The Herbe Trigion being once bit with an Apsis neuer groweth and conscience once stained with innocent blood is alwaies tyed to a guilty remorse Preferre thy content before riches and a cleare minde before dignity so being poore thou shalt haue rich peace or else rich thou shalt enioy disquiet FRanion hauing muttered out these or such like words séeing either he must die with a cleare minde or liue with a spotted conscience hée was so cumbred with diuers cogitations that hée could take no rest vntill at last he determined to breake the matter to Egistus but fearing that the King should either suspect or heare of such matters hée concealed the deuice till opportunity would permit him to reueale it Lingring thus in doubtfull feare in an Euening he went to Egistus lodging and desirous to speake with him of certaine affaires that touched the King after all were commanded out of the Chamber Franion made manifest the whole conspiracy which Pandosto had deuised against him desiring Egistus not to account him a traytor for bewraying his Masters counsell but to thinke that hée did it for conscience hoping that although his Master inflamed with rage or incensed by some sinister reports or slanderous spéeches had imagined such causelesse mischiefe yet when time should pacifie his anger and try those tale-bearers but flattering Parasites then he would count him