this which when thou wouldst thou canst not These woods and beasts leaue foolish boy loue Sil. As though there were no life but that which nurst These amorous sollies and fond extasies Lin. Tell me if in this pleasant time now flowres renew And the world waxeth yong againe thou shouldst In stead of flowry valleyes fragrant fields And well clad woods see but the oake the ashe the pine Without their leauy heares graslesse the ground The meadowes want their floures Wouldst thou not say The world doth languish nature did decay Now that same horror that same miracle That monstrous noueltie thou hast thy selfe As loue in old men is ridiculous So youth without loue is vnnaturall Looke but about Siluio what the world hath Worthy to be admir'd Loue onely made The heauens the earth the seas themselues do loue And that same starre that the dayes breake foretells Tasteth the flames of her thrise puissant sonne And at that houre because perhaps she leaues The stolne delights and bosome of her loue She darteth downe abroad her sparkling smiles Beasts in the woods do loue and in the seas The speedie Dolphins and the mightie Whales The bird that sweetly sings and wantonly Doth she now from the oake vnto the ashe Then from the ashe vnto the mirtill tree Sayes in her language I in loue do burne Wou'd I might heare my Siluio answere her the same The Bull amid the heard doth loudly lowe Yet are those lowes but bidding to loues feasts The Lyon in the wood doth bray and yet Those brayes are not the voice of rage but loue Well to conclude all things do loue but thou Thou onely Siluio art in heauen in earth In seas a soule vncaple of loue Leaue leaue these woods these beasts and learne to loue Sil. Was then my youth committed to thy charge That in these soft esseminate desires Of wanton loue thou shouldst it nurse and traine Remembrest not what thou and what I am Lin. I am a man and humane me esteeme With thee a man or rather shouldst be so I speake of humane things Which if thou skornst Take heed least in dishumaning thy selfe A beast thou proue not sooner then a God Sil. Neither so famous nor so valiant Had bene that monster-tamer of whose blood I do deriue my selfe had he not tamed loue Lin. See blind child how thou erst where hadst thou bene Had not that famous Hercules first lou'd The greatest cause he monsters tam'd was loue Knowest thou not that faire Omphale to please He did not onely chaunge his Lions skin Into a womans gowne but also turn'd His knottie club into a spindell and a rocke So was he wont from trouble and from toyle To take his ease and all alone retire To her faire lappe the hauen of happie loue As rugged Iron with purer mettall mixt Is made more fit refin'd for noble vse So fierce vntam'd strength that in his properrage Doth often breake yet with the sweets of loue Well temper'd proueth truly generous Then if thou dost desire to imitate Great Hercules and to be worthy of his race Though that thou wilt not leaue these sauadge woods Doo follow them but do not leaue to loue A Loue so lawfull as your Amarillis That you Dorinda she I you excuse For t' were vnfit your mind on honour set Should be made hot in these amorous thefts A mightie wrong vnto your worthy spouse Sil. What saist thou Linco shee 's not yet my spouse Lin. Hast thou not solemnely receiu'd her faith Take heed proud boy do not prouoke the gods Sil. The gift of heauen is humane libertie May we not force repell that force receiue Lin. Nay if thou would'st but vnderstand the heauens Hereto do tye thee that haue promised So many fauours at thy nuptiall feast Sil. I 'm sure that gods haue other things to do Then trouble and molest them with these toyes Linco nor this nor that loue pleaseth me I was a huntsman not a louer borne Thou that dost folow loue thy pleasure take Exit Sil. Lin. Thou cruel boy descended of the gods I scarce beleeue thou wert begot by man Which if thou wert thou sooner wert begot With venome of Meger and Ptisifo Then Venus pleasure which men so commend Exit Lin. Sce. 2. Mirtillo Ergasto. CRuell Amarillis that with thy bitter name Most bitterly dost teach me to complaine Whiter then whitest Lillies and more faire But deafer and more fierce then th'adder is Since with my words I do so much offend In silence will I die but yet these plaines These mountaines and these woods shal cry for me Whom I so oft haue learned to resound That loued name For me my plaints shall tell The plaining fountains and the murm'ring windes Pittie and griefe shall speake out of my face And in the end though all things else proue dombe My verie death shal tell my martirdome Er. Loue deare Mirtillo 's like a fire inclosde Which straightly kept more fiercely flames at last Thou shouldst not haue so long conceald from me The fire since it thou couldst not hide How often haue I said Mirtillo burnes But in a silent flame and so consumes Mi. My selfe I harmed her not to offend Curteous Ergasto and should yet be dombe But strict necessitie hath made me bold I heare a voice which through my scared eares Woundeth alas my wretched heart with noise Of Amarillis nighing nuptiall feast Who speakes ought els to me he holds his peace Nor dare I further search as wel for feare To giue suspition of my loue as for to finde That which I would not Well! I know Ergasto It fits not with my poore and base estate To hope at all a Nymphe so rarely qualifide Of bloud and spright truly celestiall Should proue my wife O no I know too well The lowlinesse of my poore humble starre My desteny's to burne not to delight Was I brought forth but since my cruell fates Haue made me loue my death more then my life I am content to die so that my death Might please her that 's the cause thereof And that she would but grace my latest gaspe With her faire eyes and once before she made Another by her marriage fortunate She would but heare me speake Curteous Ergasto If thou lou'st me helpe me with this fauour Aide me herein if thou tak'st pittie of my case Er. A poore desire of loue and light reward Of him that dies but dang'rous enterprise Wretched were she should but her father know She had bow'd downe her eares to her louers words Or should she be accused to the priest Her father in lawe for this perhaps she shunnes To speake with you that els doth loue you well Although she it conceales for women though They be more fraile in their desires Yet are they craftier in hiding them If this be true how can she show more loue Then thus in shunning you she heares in vaine And shunnes with pittie that can giue no helpe It is sound
thus offer force to Nimphs Aglaure Elisa treachours where are you become Let me alone Mir. Behold I let you go Ama. This is Coriscaes craft well keep you that Which you haue not deseru'd Mir. Why flie you hence Cruell behold my death behold this dart Shall pierce my woful brest Am. What wil you do Mir. That which perhaps grieues you most cruell Nimph. That any else beside your selfe should do Am. Oh me me thinkes I am halfe dead Mir. But if this worke belong alone to you Behold my brest here take this fatall dart Ama. Death you haue merited But tell me who Hath made you boldly thus presume Mi. My loue Ama. Loue is no cause of any villain-act Mi. Loue trust me t' was in me I made me respectiue And since you first laid hold on me lesse cause You haue to call my action villanie Yea eu'n when I by so commodious meanes Might be made bold to vse the lawes of loue Yet did I quake a Louer to be found Ama. Cast not my blind deeds in my teeth I pray Mir. My much more loue makes me more blind then you Ama. Prayers and fine conceits not snares and thefts Discreetest Louers vse Mir. Assauadge beast With hunger hunted from the woods breakes forth And doth assaile the straunger on his way So I that onely by your beauteous eyes Do liue since that sweet foode me haue forbad Either your crueltie or else my fate A starued Louer issuing from those woods Where I haue suffered long and wretched fast Haue for my health assaid this stratage me Which loues necessitie vpon me thrust Now blame not me Nimph cruell blame your selfe For praiers and conceits true loues discretion As you them call you not attend from me You haue bereau'd with shunning me the meanes To loue discreetly Ama. Discreetly might you to do To leaue to follow that which flies you so In vaine you know you do pursue me still What is 't you seeke of me Mir. Onely one time Daine but to heare me ere I wretched die Ama. T 's well for you the fauour that you aske You haue alreadie had now get you hence Mir. Ah Nimph that which I haue already said Is but a drop of that huge ample sea Of my complaints if not for pittie sake Yet for your pleasure now heare cruell but The latest accents of a dying voice Ama. To ease your mind and me this cumber rid I graunt to heare you but with this condition Speake small part soone and neuer turne againe Mir. In too too small a bundle cruell Nimphe You do ccommaund me binde my huge desires Which measure but by thought nought could containe That I you loue and loue more then life If you deny to know aske but these woods And they will tell and tell you with them will Their beasts their trees stones of these great rocks Which I so oft haue tender made to melt At found of my complaints But what make I Such proofe of loue where such rare beautie is See but how many beauteous things the skies containe How many dresse the earth in braue attire Thence shall you see the force of my desire For as the waters fall the fire doth rise The ayre doth flâ—e the earth lies firmly still And all these same the skies do compasse round Eu'n so to you as to their chiefest good My soule doth flie and my poore thoughts do run With all affection to your louely beauties He that from their deare obiect would them turne Might fast turne from their viuall course the skie The earth the ayre the water and the fire And quite remooue the earth from oft his seate But why commaund you me to speake but small Small shall I tell it I but tell you shall That I must die and lesse shall dying doo If I but see what is my turne too Ay me what shall I do which may out-last My miserable loue When I am dead Yet cruell soule haue pitie on my paines Ah faire ah deare I sometime so sweete a cause Why I did liue whilst my good fates were pleasd Turne hitherward those starry lights of loue Let me them see once meeke and full of pitie Before I die So may my death be sweet As they haue bene good guide vnto my life So let them be vnto my death and that Sweet loâ—ke which first begat my loue beget My death 〈◊〉 my loues Hesperus become The 〈◊〉 starâ—e of my decaying day But you obdurate neuer 〈…〉 Whilâ—â— I more humble you more haughtie are And can you heare me and not speake a word Whom do I speake too wretch a marble stone If you will say nought else yet bid me die And you shal see what force your words will haue Ah wicked loue this is a miserie extreame A Nymph so cruell so desirous of my death Because I aske it as a fauour scornes to giue it Arming her cruell voyce in silence so Least it might fauour mine exceeding wo. Ama. If I as well to answere as to heare You pronus'd had iust cause you might haue found To haue condemn'd my silence for vniust You call me cruell imagining perhaps By that reproofe more easily to drawe Me to the contrary No know Mirtillo I am no more delighted with the sound Of that desertlesse and disliked praise You to my beautie giue then discontent To heare you call me cruell and vniust I graunt this crueltie to any else a fault But to a louer vertue t 's and honestie Which in a woman you call crueltie But be it as you you 'd blame-worthy fault To be vnkinde to one that loues Tell me When was Amarillis cruell vnto you Perhaps when reason would not giue me leaue To vse this pitie yet how I it vs'd Your selfe can iudge when you from death I sau'd I meane when you among a noble sort of maides A lustfull Louer in a womans cloathes Banded your selfe and durst contaminate Their purest sports mingling mong kisses innocent Kisses lasciuious and impure which to remember I am asham'd But heauens my witnesse are I knew you not and after I you knew I scornd your deed and kept my soule vntoucht From your lasciuiousnesse not suffering at all The venome there to runne to my chaste heart You violated nothing saue th'out side Of these my lips A mouth kist but by force Spits out the kisse and kill the shame withall But tell me you what fruite had you receiu'd Of your rash theft had I discouered you Vnto those Nymphes The Thracian Orfeus had not bene So lamentably torne on Ebers bankes Of Bacchus dames as you had bene of them Had not you help 't her pittie whom you cruell call That pittie which was fit for me to giue I euer gaue For other t' is in vaine you either aske or hope If you me loue then loue mine honestie My safetie loue and loue my life withall Thou art too farre from that which thou desir'st The heauens forbid the earth contraries it Death
We ought to vse whilst it we haue Time flies Away and yeares come on our youth once lost We like cut flowres neuer grow fresh againe And to our hoary haires loue well may runne But Louers will our wrinkled skinnes still shunne Ama. Thou speakest this Corisca me to trie Not as thou think'st I am sure But be assur'd Except thou show'st some meanes how I may shun This marriage bonds my thought 's irreuocable And I resolued am rather to die Then any way to spot my chastitie Co. I haue not seene so obstinate a foole But since you are resolu'd I am agreed But tell me do you thinke your Siluio is As true a friend to faith as you to chastitie Ama. Thou mak'st me smile Siluio a friend to faith How can that be hee 's enemy to loue Co. Siluio an enemy to loue O foole These that are nice put thou no trust in them Loues theft is neuer so securely done As hidden vnder vaile of honestie Thy Siluio loues good Sister but not thee Ama. What goddesse is she for she cannot bee A mortall wight that lighted hath his loue Co. Nor goddesse nor a Nimph. Ama. What do you tell Co. Know you Lisetta Ama. She that your cattell keeps Co. Eu'n she Ama. Can it be true Co. That same 's his hart Ama. Sure hee 's prouided of a daintie Loue. Co. Each day he faines that he on hunting goes Ama. I eu'ry morning heare his cursed horne Co. About noone-time when others busie are He his companions shuns and comes alone By a backe way vnto my garden there Where a shadow hedge doth close it in There doth she heare his burning sighes his vowes And then she tells me all and laughes at him Now heare what I thinke good to doo Nay I Haue don 't for you alreadie You know the law That tyes vs to our faith doth giue vs leaue Finding our spowses in the act of perfidie Spite of our friends the marriage to denie And to prouide vs of an other if we list Ama. That know I well I haue examples two Leucipp to Ligurine Armilla to Turingo Their faith once broke they tooke their owne again Co. Now heare Lisetta by my appointment hath Promist to meet th'vnwary Louer here In thiâ—same Caue and now he is the best Contented youth that liues attending but the houre There would I haue you take him I le be there To beare you witnesse oft't for else we worke In vaine so are you free from this same noisome knot Both with your honour and your fathers too Ama. Oh braue inuentioÌ„ good Corisca what 's to do Co. Obserue my words In midst of this same caue Vpon the right hand is a hollow stone I know not if by Art or nature made A litle Caue all linde with Iuy leaues To which a litle hole aloft giues light A fit and thankfull receptacle for loues theft Preuent their comming and attend them there I le haste Lisetta forward and as soone As I perceiue your Siluio enter so will I Step you to her and as the custome is Wee le carry both vnto the Priest and there dissolue This marriage knot Ama. What to his father Co. What matter 's that Think you Montanus dare His priuate to a publike good compare Ama. Then closing vp mine eyes I let my selfe Be ledde by thee my deare my faithfull guide Co. But do not stay now enter me betime Ama. I 'le to the Tâ—mple first and to the Gods My prayers make without whose aide no happy end Can euer sort to mortall enterprise Co. All places Amarillis temples are To hearts deuout you 'le slacke your time too much Ama. Time's neuer lost in praying vnto them That do commaund the time Co. Go then dispatch Now if I erre not am I at good passe Onely this staying troubles me yet may it helpe I must goe make new snares to traine in Coridon I le make him thinke that I will meet him there And after Amarillis send him soone Then by a secret way I le bring Dianaes Priests Her shall they finde and guiltie doome to death My riuall gone Mirtillo sure is mine See where he comes Whilst Amarillis stayes Ile somewhat trie him Loue now once inspire My tongue with words my face with heau'nly fire Sce. 6. Mirtillo Corisca HEre weeping sprights of hell new torments heare New sorts of paine a cruell mind behold Included in a looke most mercifull My loue more fierce then the infernall pit Because my death cannot suffice to glut Her greedie will and that my life is but A multitude of deathes commaund me liue That to them all my life might liuing giue Co. I le make as though I heard him not I heare A lamentable voyce plaine hereabouts I wonder who it is oh my Mirtillo Mir. So would I were a naked shade or dust Co. How feele you now your selfe after your long Discourse with your so dearely loued Nymph Mir. Like a weake sick man that hath long desir'd Forbidden drinke at last gets it vnto his mouth And drinks his death ending at once both life thirst So I long sicke burn't and consumed in This amorous drought froÌ„ two faire fountains that Ice do distill from out a rockie braine Of an indurate heart Haue drunke the poyson that my life will kill Sooner then halfe of my desire fulfill Co. So much more mightie waxeth loue as from Our hearts the force is he receiues deare Mirtillo For as the Beare is wont with licking to giue shape To her mishapen brood that else were helplesse borne Eu'n so a Louer to his bare desire That in the birth was shapelesse weake and fraile Giuing but forme and strength begetteth loue Which whilst t' is young and tender then t' is sweet But waxing to more yeares more cruell growes That in the end Mirtillo an mueterate affect Is euer full of anguish and defect For whilst the mind on one thought onely beates It waxeth thicke by being too much fixt So loue that should be pleasure and delight Is turn'd to malancholy and what worser is It proues at last or death or madnesse at the least Wherefore wise is that heart that often changeth loue Mir. Ere I change will or thought chang'd must my life Be into death for though the beautious Amarillis Be most cruell yet is she all my life Nor can this bodies bulke at once containe More then one heart more then one soule retaine Co. O wretched shepheard ill thou knowst to vse Loue in his kind loue one that hates thee one That flies from thee fie man I had rather die Mir. As gold in fire so saith in griefe 's refinde Nor can Corisca amâ—rous constancie Shewe his great power but thorough crueltie This onely rests amongst my many griefes My sole content doth my heart burne or die Or languish ne're so much light are the paines Plaints torments sighes exile and death it selfe For such a cause for such a sweet respect That life before my faith
e're thou prou'dst Thy sunnes hotte fire take pitie then of mine Guide hither curteous goddesse that same swaine With swift and subtill feet that hath my faith And thou deare Caue into thy bosome take Me loues handmaid and giue me leaue there to Accomplish my desires Why do I stay Here 's none doth see or heare Enter secure Oh Mirtillo couldst thou but dream to find me here Sce. 8. Mirtillo WHat am I blind or do I too much see Ah had I but bene borne without these eyes Or rather not at all had I bene borne Did spitefull fates reserue me thus aliue To let me see so bad so sad a sight Mirtill thy torments passe the paines of hell No doubt no more suspend not thy beliefe Thine eies thine eares haue seene haue heard it true Thy loue an other ownes not by the lawe Of earth that bindes her vnto any one But by loues lawe that tyes her sole to thee O cruell Amarillis wa' st not inough To kill me wretch but thou must scorne me too That faithlesse mouth that sometime graâ—'t my ioies Did vomit out my hatefull name because She would not haue it in her heart to be A poore partaker of her pleasures sweet Why stay'st thou now she that did giue me life Hath ta'n't away and giu'n't an other man Yet wretch thou liu'st thou dost not die O die Mirtillo die to thy tormenting griefe As to thy ioy thou art alreadie dead Die dead Mirtillo finish't is thy life Finish thy torment too fleet wretched soule Through this foure constrain'd and wayward death T is for thy greater ill that thus thou liust But what And must I die without reuenge First will I make him die that giues me death Desire to liue so long I will retaine Till iustly I haue that Vsurper slaine Yeeld Griefe vnto Reuenge Pittie to Ragâ— Death vnto life till with my life I haue Reueng'd the death another guiltles gaue This Steele shall not drinke mine vnuenged blood My hand shall rage ere it shall pitteous bee What ere thou art that ioyst my comfortes all I 'le make thee feele thy ruine in my fall I 'le place me heere eu'n in this very Groue And as I see him but approach the Caue This Dart shall sodaine wound him in his side It shal be cowardlike to strike him thus I 'le challenge him to single combat I Not so for to this place so knowne and vsd Shepheards may come to hinder vs and worse May search the cause that moou'd me to this fight Which to deny were wickednesse to faigne Will make me faythlesse held and to discouer Will blot her name with endlesse infamiet In whom albeit I like not what I see Yet what I lou'd I do and euer shall But what hope I to see th'adult'rer die That robd her of her honor me my life But if I kill him shall not then his blood Be to the world a token of this deed Why feare I death since I desire to die But then this murder once made plaine makes plaine The cause whereby she shall incurre that infamie I 'le enter then this Caue and so assayle him I so that pleaseth me I 'le steale in softly So that she shall not heare me I beleeue That in the secretst and the closest part I gather by her wordes I shall her finde Therefore I will not enter in too farre A hollow hole there is made in a Rocke The left side couer'd all with Yâ—ie leaues Beneath th' other asscent there will I stand And tune attend t' effect what I desire I 'le beare my dead foe to my lyuing foe Thus of them both I shal be well reueng'd Then with this selfe same Dart I le pierce this brest So shall there be three pier'st without reliefe First two with Steele the third with deadly griefe Fierse she shall see the miserable end Of her belou'd and her betrayed friend This Caue that should be harbour of her ioyes Of both her loues and that which more I craue Of her great shame may proue the happy graue And you the steppes that I in vaine haue followed Could you me speed of such a faythfull way Could you direct me to so deare a Bowre Behold I follow you O Corisea Corisea Now hast thou told too true now I beleeue thee SCE. 9. Satyre DOth this man then beleeue Corisea following her steps Into the Caue of Eriâ—â—aâ— Well hee 's mad He knowes her not beleeue mee he had need Haue better hold of her ingaged fayth Then I had of her heare But knottes more stranged Then gaudy guiftes on her he cannot tie This damned Whoore hath sold her selfe to him And here shee 'le pay the shamefull markets price Shee is within her steps bewray the same This falles out for her punishment and thy reuenge With this great ouerstuâ—ding stone close thou the Caue Goe then about and fetch the Priest with thee By the hill way which few or none do know Let her be executed as the law commaunds For breach of marriage troth which she to Coridon Hath plighted though she euer it conceal'd For feare of me so shall I be reueng'd Of both at once I 'le leese no farther time From off this Elme I 'le cut a bough with which I may more speedely remoue this stone Oh how great it is How fast it stickes I 'le digge it round about This is a worke in deed Where are my wonted forces Oh peruerse Starres in spight of you I 'le moou't Oh Pan Licciu helpe me now thou wert a louer once Reuenge thy loue disdaind vpon Corisea So in the name of thy great power it mooues So in the Power of thy great name it falles Now is the wicked Foxe ta'ne in the trappe Oh that all wicked Women were with thee within That with one fire they might be all destroyd Chorus HOw Puissaunt art thou Loue Natures miracle and the Worldes wonder What sauadge nation or what rusticke hart Is it that of thy power feeles no part But what Wit 's so profound can pull asunder That powers strength Who feeles those flames thy fire lightes at length Immoderate and vaine Will say amortall spright thou sole dost raigne And liue in the corporall and fleshly brest But who feeles after how a louer is Wak'ned to Vertue and how all those flames Do tremble out at sight of honest shames Vnbrid'led blust'ring lustes brought downe to rest Will call thee Spright of high immortall blisse Hauing thy holy receptacle in the soule Rare miracle of human and diuine aspectes That blind dost see and Wisedome mad corrects Of sence and vnderstanding intellects Of reason and desire confus'd affects Such Emperie hast thou on earth And so the heauens aboue dost thou controule Yet by your leaue a wonder much more rare And more stupendious hath the world then you For how you make all wonders yeeld and bow Is easely knowne Your powers do berthe And being taken from vertue of a woman faire O Woman guift of the
IL PASTOR FIDO OR The faithfull Shepheard Translated out of Italian into English LONDON Printed for Simon VVaterson 1602. To the right worthie and learned Knight Syr Edward Dymock Champion to her Maiestie concerning this translation of Pastor Fido. I do reioyce learned and worthy Knight That by the hand of thy kinde Country-man This painfull and industrious Gentleman Thy deare esteem'd Guarini comes to light Who in thy loue I know tooke great delight As thou in his who now in England can Speake as good English as Italian And here enioyes the grace of his owne right Though I remember he hath oft imbas'd Vnto vs both the vertues of the North Saving our costes were with no measures grac'd Nor barbarous tongues could any verse bring forth I would he sawe his owne or knew our store Whose spirits can yeeld as much and if not more Sam. Daniell A Sonnet of the Translator dedicated to that honourable Knight his kinsman Syr Edward Dymock A silly hand hath fashioned vp a sute Of English clothes vnto a traueller A noble minde though Shepheards weeds he weare That might consort his tunes with Tassoes lute Learned Guarinies first begotten frute I haue assum'd the courage to rebeare And him an English Denizen made here Presenting him vnto the sonnes of Brute If I haue faild t' expresse his natiue looke And be in my translation tax'd of blame I must appeale to that true censure booke That sayes t' is harder to reforme a frame Then for to build from ground worke of ones wit A new creation of a noble fit TO THE RIGHT VVORTHY and learned Knight Syr Edward Dymock Champion to her Maiestie SYr this worke was committed to me to publish to the world and by reason of the nearenesse of kinne to the deceased Translator and the good knowledge of the great worth of the Italian Author I knew none fitter to Patronize the same then your worthinesse to whom I wish all happinesse and a prosperous new yeare London this last of December 1601. Your Worships euer to be commaunded Simon Waterson The persons which speake in it Siluio the sonne of Montanus Linco an old seruant of Montanus Mirtillo in loue with Amarillis Ergasto his companion Corisca a Nymph in loue with Mirtillo Montanus high Priest Titirus a Shepheard Dametas an old seruant of Montanus Satir an old Louer of Coriscaes Dorinda enamoured of Siluio Lupino a Goteheard her seruant Amarillis daughter of Titirus Nicander chiefe minister of the Priest Coridon a Louer of Coriscaes Carino an old man the putatiue father of Mirtillo Vranio an old man his companion Nuntio Tirenio a blind Prophet PASTOR FIDO OR The faithfull Shepheard Chorus of Shepheards Huntsmen Nymphes Priests The Scene is in Arcadia Scene 1. Act. 1. Siluio Linco GO you that haue enclos'd the dreadfull beast And giue the signe that 's vsuall to our hunting Go swell your eyes and harts with hornes and shoutes If there be any swaine of Cinthia's troupe In all Arcadia delighted in her sports Whose generous affects are stung with care Or glory of these woods let him come forth And follow me where in a circle small Though to our valure large inclosed is The ougly Bore monster of nature these woods That vast and fierce by many harmes well knowne Inhabitant of Erimanthus plague to the fields Terror to country clownes Go then preuent Not onely but prouoke with hornes shrill sound Blushing Aurora out Linco wee 'le goe And worship first the Gods for there t' is best We any worke begin Lin. Siluio I praise Thy worshipping the Gods but yet to trouble them That are their ministers I do not praise The keepers of the temple are a sleepe They cannot see the day break for the mountaines top Sil. To thee perhaps that art not yet awake All things do seeme a sleepe Lin. O Siluio Did nature on these youthfull yeares of thine Bestow such beautie to be cast away Had I but such a ruddie cheeke so fresh Farwell to woods I 'ld follow other sports I 'ld weare my dayes in mirth all sommer tide In daintie shades winter by the fire side Sil. Thy counsell Linco is like vnto thy selfe Lin. At other pleasures would I aime were I Siluio Sil. So would I were I Linco but I Siluio am Therefore I Siluioes deeds do like not Lincoes Lin. O foole that seekst so farre for hurtfull beasts And ha'st one lodg'd so neare thy dwelling house Sil. Art thou in earnest or dost thou but iest Lin. Thou iests not I. Sil. And is he then so neare Lin. As neare as t' is to thee Sil. Where in what wood Lin. Siluio thou art the wood the ougly beast That 's harbour'd there is this thy beastlinesse Sil. Was 't not well gest of me thou didst but iest Lin. A Nymphe so faire so delicate but tush Why do I call her Nymphe a Goddesse rather More fresh more daintie then the morning rose More soft more purely white then swanny downe For whom there 's not a shepheard mongst vs all so braue But sighes and sighes in vaine for thee alone Reserues her selfe ordaind by heau'n and men And yet thou neither thinkst of sighes or plaints O happie boy though most vnworthily Thou that mighst her enioy still sliest her Siluio Still her despisest Is not then thy heart Made of a beast or or of hard Iron rather Sil. If to relinquish loue be crueltie Then is it vertue and I not repent That I haue banisht loue my hart but ioy That thereby I haue ouercome this loue A beast more daungerous then th' other farre Lin. How hast thou ouercome that which thou neuer prou'dâ— Sil. Not prouing it I haue it ouercome Lin. O if thou hadst but prou'd it Siluio once If thou but knewst what a high fauour t' were To be belou'd and louing to possesse A louing hart It'am sure thou then wouldst say Sweet louely life why hast thou staid so long These woods and beasts leaue foolish child and loue Sil. Linco I sweare a thousand Nymphs I 'le giue For one poore beast that my Melampo kills Let them that haue a better taste then I In these delights possesse them I wil none Lin. Dost thou tast ought since loue thou dost not tast The onely cause that the world tasteth all Beleeue me boy the time wil one day come Thou wilt it taste For loue once in our life Will show what force he hath Beleeue me childe No greater paine can any liuing proue Then in old limmes the liuely sting of loue Yet if in youth loue wound that loue may heale But come it once in that same frozen age Wherefore oftentimes the disabilitie More then the wound we plaine O mortall then And most intollerable are those paines If thou seekest pittie ill if thou findst it not But if thou findst it ten time worse do not Protract it til thy better time be past For if loue do assaile thy hoary heares Thy silly flesh a double torment teares Of
father am Of a deare onely child and if 't be lawfull so to say A worthy child and by your leaue of many sought Mon. Titirus if the Destenies haue not ordain'd This marriage yet the faith they gaue on earth Bindes them vntoo 't which if they violate They violate their vow to Cinthia Who is enrag'd gainst vs how much thou knowst But for as much as I discouer can The secret counsailes of th' eternall powers This knot was knit by th' and of Desteny All to good end will sort be of good cheere I 'le tell you now a dreame I had last night I sawe a thing which makes my auncient hope Reuiue within my heart more then before Tit. Dreames in the end proue dreames but what saw you Mon. Do you remember that same wofull night When swelling Ladon oueâ—flowd his bankes So that the fishes swam where birds did breed And in moment did the rauenous floud Take men and beasts by heapes and heards away Oh sad remembrance in that very night I lost my child more deare then was my heart Mine onely child in cradle warmly laid Liuing and dead dearely belou'd of me The Torrent tooke him hence ere we could prooue To giue him succour being buried quite In terrour sleepe and darknesse of the night Nor could we euer find the cradle where he lay By which I gesse some whirlpit swallowd both Tit. Who can gesse otherwise and I remember now You told me of this your mishap before A memorable misaduenture sure And you may say you haue two sonnes begot One to the woods the other to the waues Mon. Perhaps the pitious heauens will restore My first sonnes losse in him that liueth yet Still must we hope now listen to my tale The time when light and darknesse stroue together This one for night that other for the day Hauing watcht all the night before with thought To bring this marriage to a happie end At last with length of wearinesse mine eyes A pleasing slumber closde when I this vision sawe Me thought I sat on famous Alfeus banke Vnder a leauy plane tree with a bayted hooke Tempting the fishes in the streame in midst Whereof there rose me thought an aged man His head and beard dropping downe siluer teares Who gently raught to me with both his hands A naked childe saying behold thy soone Take heed thou killst him not And with that word He diued downe againe When straight the skies Waxt blacke with cloudes threatning a dismall showre And I afraid the child tooke in mine armes Crying ah heauens and will you in an instant then Both giue and take away my child againe When on the sudden all the skie waxt cleare And in the Riuer sell a thousand bowes And thousand arrowes broken all to shiuers The body of the plane tree trembled there And out of it there came a subtill voyce Which said Arcadia shal be faire againe So is the Image of this gentle dreame Fixt in my heart that still me thinkes I see 't But aboue all the curteous aged man For this when you me met I comming was Vnto the temple for to sacrifize To giue my dreames presage prosperous successe Tit. Our dreames are rather representments vaine Of Idle hopes then any things to come Onely daies thoughts made fables for the night Mon. The mind doth not sleepe euer with the flesh But is more watchfull then because the eyes Do not lead it a wandring where they goe Tit. Well of cur children what the heauens disposed haue Is quite vnknowne to vs but sure it is Yours gainst the law of nature feeles not loue And mine hath but the bond of his faith giu'n For her reward I cannot say she loues But well I wot she hath made many loue And t' is vnlike she tastes not that she makes So many taste Me thinkes shee 's alter'd much From that she was for full of sport and mirth Shee 's wont to be But t' is a grieuous thing To keepe a woman married and vnmarried thus For like a Rose that in some garden growes How daintie t' is against the Sunne doth rise Persuming with sweete odours round about Bidding the humming bees to honey feast But if you then neglect to gather it And suffer Titan in his middayes course To scorch her sides and burne her daintie seat Then ere Sun-set discoloured she falls And nothing worth vpon the shadow'd hedge Euen so a maid whom mothers care doth keepe Shuâ—â—ing her heart from amorous desires But if the piercing lookes of hungry louers eyes Come but to view her if she heare him sigh Her heart soone ope's her breast soone takes in loue Which if for shame she hide or feare containe The silent wretch in deepe desire consumes So fadeth beautie if that fire endure And leesing time good fortune 's lost be sure Mon. Be of good cheare let not these humane feares Confound thy spright let 's put our trust â—'th ' Gods And pray to them t' is meet for good successe Our children are their off-spring and be sure They will not see them lost that others keepe Go'w let vs to the Temple ioyntly goe And sacrifize you a hee Goat to Pan I a young Bull to mightie Hercules He that the heard makes thriue can therewithall Make him thriue that with the profits of his heard Hallowes the Altars Faithfull Dametas Go thou and fetch a young and louely Bu'l As anie 's in the heard and bring it by the mountaines way I at the Temple will attend for thee Tit. A he Goat bring Dametas from my heard Exeunt Mon. Titt Da. Both one and other I will well performe I pray the Gods Montane thy dreame do sort Vnto as good an end as thou dost hope I know remembrance of thy sonne thou lost Inspires thee with a happie prophecie Sce. 5. Satir alone LIke frost to grasse like drought to gentle flowres Like lightning vnto corne like wormes to seeds Like nets to deere like lime to silly birds So to mankind is loue a cruell foe He that loue lik'ned vnto fire knew well His peâ—fidous and wicked kind For looke But on this fire how fine a thing it is But touch it and t' is then a cruell thing The world hath not a monster more to dread It rauens worse then beasts and strikes more deepe Then edged steele and like the winde it slies And where it planteth his imperious feet Each force doth yeeld all power giueth place Eu'n so this loue if we it but behold In two faire eyes and in a golden Tresse Oh how it pleaseth oh how then it seemes To breathe out ioy and promise largely peace But if you it approach and tempt it once So that it creepe and gather force in you Hircane no Tigres Liby no Lyons hath Nor poisonous wormes with teeth or stings so fierce That can surpasse or equall loues disease More dreadfull then is hell then death it selfe Sweete pitties foe the minister of rage And to conclude loue voyd
of any loue Why speake I thus of loue why blame him thus Is he the cause that the whole world in loue Or rather loue-dissembling sinneth so Oh womans treacherie that is the cause That hath begotten loue this infamy How euer loue be in his nature good With them his goodnesse suddenly he leeseth They neuer suffer him to touch their hearts But in their faces onely build his bowre Their care their pompe and all their whole delight Is in the barke of a bepainted face T' is not in them now faith with faith to grace And to contend in loue with him that loues Into two breasts diuiding but one will Now all their labour is with burnish'd gold To die their haire and tye it vp in curles Therein to snare vnwary louers in O what a stinking thing it is to see them take A Pencill vp and paint their bloudlesse cheekes Hiding the faults of nature and of time Making the pale to blush the wrinkled plaine The blacke seeme white faults mending with farre worse Then with a paire of pincers do they pull Their eye-browes till they smart againe But this is nothing though it be too much For all their customes are alike to these What is it that they vse which is not counterfeit Ope they their mouthes they lie mooue they their eyes They counterfeit their lookes If so they sigh Their sighes dissembled are In summe each act Each looke each gesture is a verie lie Nor is this yet the worst T' is their delight Them to deceiue eu'n most that trust them most And loue them least that are most worthy loue True faith to hate worser then death it selfe These be the trickes that make loue so peruerse Then is the fault faithlesse Corisca thine Or rather mine that haue beleeu'd thee so How many troubles haue I for thy sake sustaind I now repent nay more I am ashamed Louers beleeue me women once ador'd Are worser then the griefly powers of hell Strait by their valure vaunt they that they are The same you by your folly fashion them Let go these baseâ— sighes praiers and plaints Fit weapons for women and children onely Once did I thinke that praiers plaints and sighes Might in a womans heart haue stirred vp The flames of loue but rush I was deceiu'd Then if thou wouldst thy mistresse conquer leaue These silly toyes and close thou vp all loue Do that which loue and nature teacheth thee For modestie is but the outward vertue of A womans face Wherefore to handle her with modestie Is a meere fault she though she vse it loues it not A tender-harted Louer shalt thou not Corisca euer find me more but like a man I will assaile and pierce thee through and through Twise haue I taken thee and twise againe Thou hast escap'd I know not how my hands But if thou com'st the third time in my reach I 'le fetter thee for running then away T'hart wont to passe these woods I like a hound Will hunt thee out Oh what a sweet reuenge I meane to take I meane to make thee proue What t' is vniustly to betray thy Loue. Exit Chorus Oh high and puissant law writ rather borne Within loues mightie brest Whose euer swet and louely louing force Towards that good which we vnseene suborne Our harts doth pull and wills doth wrest And eu'n natures selfe to it doth force Not onely our fraile corpce Whose sence scarce sees is borne and dies againe As daily houres waxe and waine But eu'n inward causes hidden seeds That moues and gouernes our eternall deeds If great with child the world do wondrous frame So many beauties still And if within as farre as Sunne doth see To 'th mightie Moone and starres Titanian fame A liuing spright doth fill With his male â—alew this same vast degree If thence mans of spring bee The plants haue life and beasts both good and bad Whether the earth be clad With floures or nipt haue her ill-feathered wing It still comes from thine euersting spring Nor this alone but that which hopes of fire Sheds into mortall wights From whence starres gentle now strait fierce are found Clad in good fortunes or mishaps attire From whence lifts frailest lights The houre of birth haue or of death the bound That which makes rise or else pullâ— downe In their disturbd affects all humane will And giuing seemes or taking still Fortune to whom the world would this were giuen All from thy soueraigne bountie is deriuen Oh word ineuitably true and sure If it thy meaning is Arcadia shall after so many woes Finde out new rest and peace new life procure If the fore-told on blisse Which the great Oracle did erst expose Of the faire fatall marriage rose Proceed from thee and in thy heau'nly minde Her fixed place doth finde If that same voice do not dissemble still Who hinders then the working of thy will See loues and pitties foe awayward swaine A proud and cruell youth That comes from heauen and yet with heau'n contends See then another Louer faithfull in vaine Battring a harts chast truth VVho with his flames perhaps thy will offends The lesse that he attends Pittie to 's plâ—ints reward to his desart More straungely flames in faith his hart Fatall this beautie is to him that it high prizeth Being destenied to him that it despizeth Thus in it selfe alas diuided stands This heauenly power And thus one fate another iustles still Yet neither conquered is neither commaunds False humane hopes that towre And plant a siege to th' Elementall hill Rebellious vnto heauens will Arming poore thoughts like giant fooles againe Louers and no Louers vine VVho would haue thought loue and disdaine blind things Should mount aboue the soueraigne starry wings But thou that standst aboue both starres fate And with thy wit diuine Great mouer of the skies dost them restraine Behold we thee beseech our doubtfull state VVith desteny combine And fathers louing zeale loue and disdaine Mixe flame and frozen vaine Let them that shund to loue now learne to loue Let not that other mone Ah let not others blindest folly thus Thy gently promisde pittie take from vs. But who doth know perhaps this same that seemes An vnauoydable mischieuous estate May proue right fortunate How fond a thing it is for mortall sight To search into the Eternall sunnes high light An end of the first Act. Act. 2. Scene 1. Ergasto. Mirtillo HOw I haue searcht alongst the riuers side About the meadowes fountains and the hils To find thee out which now I haue the gods be prais'd Mir. Ah that thy newes Ergasto may deserue This haste But bringst thou life or death Er. This though I had I would not giue it thee That do I hope to giue thee though I haue it not As yet But fie thou must not suffer griefe To ouerthrow thy sences thus Liue man and hope But to the purpose of my comming now Ormino hath a sister knowst her not A tall big wench a