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
THE PLEASANT HISTORIE OF Dorastus and Fawnia Wherein is discovered that although by the meanes of sinister Fortune Truth may be concealed yet by Time in spight of Fortune it is manifestly revealed Pleasant for age to avoyd drowsie thoughts Profitable for Youth to avoyd other wanton Pastimes And bringing to both a desired Content Temporis filia Veritas By ROBERT GREENE Master of Arts in Cambridge Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. LONDON Printed for Francis Faulkner and are to be sold at his shop in Southwarke neere Saint Margarets Hill 1636. THE HISTORIE OF DORASTVS AND FAWNIA AMongst all the passions wherewith humane minds are perplexed there is none that sogalleth with restlesse despight as that infectious sore of iealousie For all other griefes are either to be appeased with sensible perswasion to be cured with wholesome counsell to be relieued in wâ—nt or by tract of time to be worne out Iealousie only excepted which is sauced with suspitious doubts and pinching mistrust that who so séekes by friendly counsell to raze out this hellish passion it forthwith suspecteth that he giueth this aduice to couer his owne guiâ—tines Yea who so is pinched with this restlesse torment doubteth all disturbeth himselfe is alwayes frozen with feare fired with suspition hauing that wherein consisteth all his ioy to be the breeder of his misery Yea it is such an heauy enemy to that heauy estate of matrimony sowing betweene the married couples such deadly séeds of secret hatred as loue being once razed oâ—t by spightfull distrust there often ensueth bloody reuenge as this ensuing History manifestly proueth wherein Pandosto furiously incensed by a causeles iealousie procured the death of his most louing and loyall wife and his owne endlesse sorrow and misery IN the Country of Bohemia there raigned a King called Pandosto whose fortunate successe in Warrs against his foes and bountifull courtesie towards his friends in Peace made him to be greatly feared and loued of all men This Pandosto had to wise a Lady called Bellaria by birth Royall learned by education faire by nature by vertues famous so that it was hard to iudge whether her beauty fortune or vertue wâ—n she greatest commendations These two linked together in perfect loue led their liues with such fortunate content that their subiects greatly reioyced to sée their quiet disposition They had not béen married long but fortune willing to increase their happinesse lent them a Sonne so adorned with the gifts of Nature as the perfection of the Child greatly augmented the loue of the Parents and the ioy of their Commons in so much that the Bohemians to shew their inward ioyes by outward actions made Bone-fires and Triumphes thorowout all the Kingdome appoynting Iusts and Turneis for the honour of their young Prince whether resorted not onely his Nobles but also diuers Kings and Princes which were his neighbours willing to shew in their friendship they ought to Pandosto and to win fame glory by their prowesse valour Pandosto whose mind was fraught with Princely liberality entertained the Kings Princes and Noble-men with such submisse courtesie and magnificall bounty that they all saw how willing hée was to gratâ—fie their good wills making a generall feast for all his Subiects which continued by the space of twenty dayes all which time the Iusts and Turneis were kept to the great content both of the Lords and Ladies there present This solemne Triumph being once ended the assembly taking their leaue of Pandosto and Bellaria the young Son who was called Carinter was nâ—rsed vp in the house to the great ioy and content of their Parents Fortune enuious of such happy successe willinâ— to shew some signe of her inconstancy turned her whéele and darkned their bright Sunne of prosperity with the misty clouds of mishap and misery For so it hapned that Egistus King of Sicila who in his youth had béen drought vp with Pandosto desirous to shew that neither tract of time or distance of place could diminish their former friendship prouided a Nauie of ships and sailed into Bohemia to visit his old friend and companion who hearing of his arriuall went himselfe in person and his wife Bellaria accompanied with a great tâ—aine of Lords Ladies to meét Egistus esâ—ying him alighted from his horse embraced him very louingly protesting that nothing in the world could haue hapned more acceptable for him then his comming wishing his wife to welcome his old friend and acquaintance who to shew how she liked him whom her husband loued entertained him with such familiar curtesie as Egistus perceiued himselfe to be very well welcome After they had thus saluted and embraced each other they mounted againe on Horsebacke and rode towardâ— the City deuising and recounting how being children they had passed their youth in friendly pastimes where by the meanes of the Citizens Egistus was receiued with triumphs and shewes in such sort that he maruelled how on so small a warning they rould make such proparation Passing the Stréets thus with such rare sights they rode on to the Palace where Pandosto entertained Egistus and his Sicilians with such bâ—nqueâ—ing and sumptuous chéere so royally as they had all cause to commend his princely liberality yea the very basest flaue that was knowne to come from Sicilia was vsed with much curtesie that Egistus might easily pereiue how both he and his were honoured for his friends sake Bellaria who in her time was the flowre of courtesie willing to shew how vnfainedly she loued her husband by her friends entertainemet vsed him like wise so familiarly that her countenance bewraied how her heart was affected toward him oftentimes comming her selfe into his bed chamber to sée if nothing should be amisse to dislike him This honest familiarity increased daily more and more betwixt them for Bellaria noting in Egistus a Princely and bountifull mind adorned with sundry excellent qualities and Egistus finding in her a vertuous curteous disposition there grew such a secret vniting of their affections that the one could not well be without the company of the other insomuch that when Pandosto was busied with such vrgent affaires that he could not be present with his friend Egistus Bellaria would walk with him into the garden there they two in priuate pleasant deuices would passe away their time to both their contents This custome still continuing betwixt them a certain emelantholy passion entrring the mind of Pondosto droue him into sundry and doubtfull thoughts First he called to mind the beauty of his wife Bellaria the comelines and brauery of his friend Egistus thinking that loue was aboue all Lawes therfore to be staied with no law that it was hard to put â—â—re flax together without burning that their open pleasure might bréed his secret displeasure He considered with himselfe that Egistus was a man and must needs loue that his wife was a woman and therfore subiect to loue and that
vnder her hand Fawnia thought Porrus had béene her father and Mopsa her mother for so was the Shepheard and his wife called and honoured and obeyed them with such reuerence that all the neighbours praised the dutifull obedience of the child Porrus grew in short time to be a man of some wealth and credit For Fortune so fauoured him in hauing no charge but Fawnia that hée began to purchase Land intending after his death to giue it to his daughter So that diuers rich Farmours sonnes came as wooers to his house For Fawnia was something cleanly attired being of such singular beauty and excellent wit that who so saw her would haue thought shée had béene some heauenly Nymph and not a mortall creature In so much that when shee came to the age of sixteene yéeres shee so increased with exquisite perfection both of body and minde as her naturall disposition did bewray that shee was borne of some high parentage But the people thinking she was the daughter to the Shepheard Porrus rested onely amazed at her beauty and wit Yea shee won such fauour and commendations in euery mans eye as her beauty was not onely praised in the Countrey but also spoken of in the Court Yet such was her submisse modesty that although her prayse daily increased her minde was no whit puffed vp with pride but humbled her selfe as became a country maid and the daughter of a poore Shepheard Euery day she went forth with her sleep to the field keeping them with such care and diligence as all men thought she was very painefull defending her face from the heat of the Sunne with no other vaile but with a Garland made of boughes and flowers Which attire became her so gallantly as she seemed to be the goddesse Flora her selfe for beauty Fortune who all this while had shewed a friendly face began now to turne her backe and to shew a lowring countenance intending as shée had giuen Fawnia a slender checke so shee would giue her a harder mate To bring which to passe she laid her trains on this wise Egistus had but one onely sonne called Dorastus about the age of twenty yéeres a Prince so decked and adorned with the gifts of Nature so fraught with beauty and vertuous qualities as not only his father ioyed to haue so good a sonne but his Commons reioyced that God had sent them so noble a Prince to succéed in the Kingdome Egistus placing all his ioy in the perfection of his sonne séeing that hee was now marriageable sent Ambassadours to the King of Denmarke to intreate a marriage betwéen him and his daughter Who willingly consenting made answer that the next Spring if it pleased Egistus with his sonne to come into Denmarke he doubted not but they should agree vpon reasonable conditions Egistus resting satisfied with this friendly answer thought conuenient in the meane time to break it vnto his sonne Finding therefore on a day fit opportunity he spake to him in these fatherly termes DOrastus thy youth warneth me to preuent the worst and mine age to prouide the best Opportunities neglected are signes of folly actions measured by time are seldome bitten with repentance Thou art young and I old age hath taught me thâ—t which thy youth cannot conceiue I therefore will counsell thée as a Father hoping thou wilt obey as a child Thou seest my white haires are blossomes for the Graue and thy fresh colours fruit for time and Fortune so that it behooueth me to thinke how to dye and for thee to care how to liue My Crowne I must leaue by death and thou enioy my Kingdome by succession Wherein I hope thy Vertue and prowesse shall be such as though my subiects want my person yet shall see in thee my perfection That nothing either may faile to satisfie thy minde or increase thy dignities the onely care I haue is to sée thee well married before I die and thou become old Dorastus who from his infancy delighted rather to die with Mars in the field then to dally with Venus in the chamber fearing to displease his father and yet not willing to be wed made him this reuerend answer SIr there is no greater bond then duty nor no stricter Law then Nature disobedience in youth is often galled with despight in age The commend of the father ought to be a constraint to the child so parents wills are lawes so they passe not all Lawes May it please your grace therefore to appoint whom I shall loue rather the by deniall I should beappeached of disobedience I rest content to loue though it be the onely thing I hate Egistus hearing his sonne to flie from from the marke began to be some what chellericke and therefore made him this answer What Dorastus canst thou not loue Commeth this Cinicall passion of proud desires or péeuish frowardnes What dost thou thinke thy selfe too good for all or none good enough for thee I tell thee Dorastus there is nothing sweeter then youth nor swifter decreasing while it is increasing Time past with folly may be repented but not recalled If thou marrie in age thy wiues fresh coulours will bréd in thée dead thoughts and suspition and thy white haires her loathsomnes and sorrow For Venus affections are not fed with Kingdomes or treasures but with youthfull conceits and swéet aâ—ours Vulcan was allotted to shake the trée but Mars allowed to reape the fruit Yéeld Dorastus to thy fathers perswasions which why preuent thy perils I haue chosen thée a wife faire by nature Royall by birth by vertues famous learned by education and rich by possessions so that it is hard to iudge whether her bounty or fortune her beauty or vertue be of greates force I meane Dorastus Euphania daughter and heire to the King of Denmarke Egistus pausing here a while looking when his sonne should make him answer and séeing that he stood still as one in a trance he tooke him vp thus sharpely VVEll Dorastus take héed the trée Alypa wasteth not with fire but withereth with dew that which loue nourisheth not perisheth with hate If thou like Euphania thou bréedest my content and in louing her thou shalt haue my loue otherwise and with that he flung from his sonne in a rage leauing him a sorrowfull man in that he had by denyall displeased his father and halfe angry with himselfe that he could not yéeld to that passion whereto both reason and his father perswaded him But see how fortune is plumed with times feathers and how she can minister strange causes to bréed strange effects It hapned not long after this that there was a méeting of all the Farmors daughters in Sicilia whither Fawnia was also bidden as the mistresse of the feast who hauing attired her selfe in her best garments went amongst the rest of her companions to a merry meeting there spending the day in such homely pastime as Shepheards vse As the Euening grew on and their sport ceased each taking their leaue of other
that the presence of his men broke off their parle so that hee went with them to the Pallace and left Fawnia sitting still on the hill side who séeing that the night drew on shifted her Folds and busied her selfe about other worke to driue away such fond fancies as began to trouble her braine But all this could not preuaile for the beauty of Dorastus had made such a déepe impression in her heart as it could not be worne out without cracking so that she was faine to blame her owne folly in this wife AH Fawnia why dost thou gaze against the Sunne or catch at the wind Starres are to be looked at with the eye not reached at with the hand thoughts are to be measured by fortunes not by desires falls comes not by sitting low but by climing too high What then shall all feare to fall because some hap to fall No lucke commeth by Lot and Fortune windeth those threeds which the Destinies spin Thou art fauoured Fawnia at a Prince and yet thou art so fond to reiect desired fauours Thou hast deniall at thy tongues end and desire at thy hearts bottome A womans fault to spurne at that with her foot which she greedily catcheth at with her hand Thou louest Dorastus Fawnia and yet seemest to lowre Take heed if he retire thou wilt repent for vnlesse he loue thou canst but dye Dye then Fawnia for Dorastus doth but iest The Lion neuer preyeth on the Mouse nor doe Fawlcons stoop to dead stales Sit downe then in this sorrow cease to loue and content thy selfe that Dorastus wiâ—l vouchsafe to flatter Fawnia though not to fancy Fawnia Heigh hoe Ah foole it were séemlier for thée to whistle as a Shepheard then to sigh as a Louer and with that she ceased from these perplexed passions folding her shéep and hying home to her poore Cottage But such was the vnconstant sorrow of Dorastus to thinke on the wit and beauty of Fawnia and to sée how fond he was being a Prince and how froward she was being a begger that he began to lose his wonte dappetite to looke pale and wan in stead of mirth he fed on melancholly for Courtly dances to vse cold dumps Insomuch that not onely his owne men but his father and all the Court began to maruell at his sudden change thinking that some lingring sicknessehad brought him into this state Wherefore hée caused Physicians to come But Dorastus neither would let them minister nor so much as suffer them to sée his vrine but remained still so oppressed with these passions as hee feared in himselfe a further inconuenience His honour wished him to cease from such fosly but loue forced him more to follow fancy yea and in despight of honour Loue won the conquest so that his hot desires caused him to find new deuices For he presently made himselfe a Shepheards Coate that hée might goe vnknowne and with lesse suspition to prattle with Fawnia and conueied it secretly into a thicke Groue hard adioyning to the Palace whither finding fit time and opportunity he went all alone and putting off his Princely apparell got on those Shepheards robes and taking a great hooke in his hand which hée also had gotten hée went very anciently to finde out the Mistresse of his affection But as he went by the way séeing himselfe clad in such vnséemely rags hée began to smile at his owne folly and to reproue his fondnesse in these termes VVEll said Dorastus thou kéepest a good decorum base desires and homely attires thy thoughts are fit for none but a Shéepheard and thy apparell such onely as becomes a Shepheard A strange change from a Prince to a Peasant What is it thy wretched fortune or thy wilfull folly Is it thy cursed Destinies or thy crooked desires that appoint thee this penance Ah Dorastus thou canst but loue and vnlesse thou loue thou art like to perish for loue Yet fond foole chuse flowers not wéeds Diamonds not Pebbles Ladies which may honour thée not Shepheards which may disgrace thée Venus is painted in silkes not in ragges and Cupid treadeth on disdaine when he reacheth at Dignity And yet Dorastus shame not at thy Shepheards wéed the heauenly gods haue sometime earthly thoughts Neptune became a Ram Iupiter a Bull Apollo a Shepheard they gods and yet in loue and thou a man appointed to loue Deuising thus with himselfe hée drew nigh to the place where Fawnia was keeping her sheepe who casting her eye aside and seeing such a manerly Shepheard perfectly limmed and comming with so good a pace shée began halfe to forget Dorastus and to fauour her pretty shepheard whom she thought she might both loue obtaine But as she was in these thoughts she perceiued then it was the young Prince Dorastus wherefore the rose vp and reuerently saluted him Dorastus taking her by the hand repayed her courtesie with aswéet kisse and praying her to sit downe by him hee began thus to lay the battery IF thou maruell Fawnia at my strange attire thou wouldst more muse at my vnaccustomed thoughts the one disgraceth but my outward shape the other disturbeth my inward senses I loue Fawnia and therefore what loue liketh I cannot mislike Fawnia thou hast promised to loue and I hope thou wilt performe no lesse I haue fulfilled thy request and now thou canst not but grant my desire Thou wert content to loue Dorastus when hee ceast to be a Prince and became a Shepheard and sée I haue made a change and therefore not to misse of my choyce TRuth quoth Fawnia But all that weare Cowles are not Monkes Painted Eagles are pictures not Eagles Zeuxis Grapes were like Grapes yet shaddowes rich cloathing make not Princes nor homely attire beggers Shepheards are not called Shepheards because they weare hooks bags but they are borne poore and liue to keepe sheepe so this attire hath not made Dorastus a Shepheard but to séeme like a Shepheard WEll Fawnia answered Dorastus were I a Shepheard I could not but like thée being a Prince I am forced to loue thee Take héede Fawnia bee not proud of beauties painting for it is a flower that fadeth in the blossome Those which disdaine in youth are despised in age Beauties shadowes are trickt vp with times colours which being set to dry in the Sunne are stained with the Sunne scarce pleasing the sight yet they begin not to be worth the sight not much vnlike the hearbe Ephymeton which flourisheth in the morning and is withered before the Sunne setting If my desire were against loue thou mightest iustly deny me by reason but I loue thée Fawnia not to misuse thée as a Concubine but to vse thée as my wife I can promise no more and meane to performe no lesse Fawnia hearing this solemne protestation of Dorastus could no longer withstand the assault but yéelded up the fort in these friendly termes AH Dorastus I shame to expresse that thou forcest me with thy sugred spéech to confesse my base birth causeth
the one and thy high dignities the other Beggers thoughts ought not to reach as farre as Kings and yet my desires reach as high as Princes I dare not say Dorastus I loue thée because I am a Shepheardesse but the gods know I haue honoured Dorastus pardon if I say amisse yea and loued Dorastus with such dutifull affection as Fawnia can performe or Dorastus desire I yeeld not ouercome with prayers but with loue resting Dorastus hand-maid ready to obey his will if no preiudice at all to his honour nor my credit DOrastus hearing this friendly conclusion of Fawnia embraced her in his armes swearing that neither distance time nor aduerse fortune should diminish his affection but that in despight of the destinies hee would remaine faithfull to death Hauing thus plight their troth each to other seeing they could not haue the full fruition of their loue in Sicilia for that Egistus consent would neuer be granted to so meane a match Dorastus determined as soone as time and opportunity would giue him leaue to prouide a great masse of mony and many rich and costly Iewels for the easier carriage and then to transport themselues and their Treasure into Italy wherethey should lead a contented life vntill such time as either hée could be reconciled to his father or else by succession come to the Kingdome This deuice was greatly praised of Fawnia for shee feared if the King his father should but heare of the contract that his fury would be such as no lesse than death should stand for payment Shée therefore told him that delay bred danger that many mishappes did fall out betwéene the cup and lip and that to auoyd danger it were best with as much spéede as might be to passe out of Sicilia least fortime might preuent their patience with some new despight Dorastus whom loue pricked forward with desire promised to dispatâ—h his affaires with as great haste as either time or opportunity would giue him leaue and so resting vpon this point after many embracings and swéet kisses they departed Dorastus hauing taken his leaue of his best beloued Fawnia went to the Groue where he had his rich apparell and there vncasing himselfe as secretly as might be hiding vp his Shepheards attyre till occasion should serue againe to vse it hée went to the Palace she wing by his merry countenance that either the state of his body was amended or the cause of his minde greatly addressed Fawnia poore soule was no lesse ioyfull that being a Shepheardesse fortune had fauoured her so as to reward her with the loue of a Prince hoping in time to be aduanced from the daughter of a poore Farmour to be wife to rich a King So that she thought euery houre ayéere till by their departure they might preuent danger not ceasing still to goe euery day to her sheepe not so much for the care of the flocke as for the desire she had to sée her Loue and Lord Dorastus who oftentimes when opportunity would serue repaired thither to feed his fancy with the swéet content of Fawnia's presence And although hée neuer went to visite her but in these Shepheards ragges yet his oft repayre made him not onely suspected but knowne to diuers of their neighbours who for the good will they bare to old Porrus told him secretly of the matter wishing him to kéepe his daughter of home lest shee went so long to the field that she brought him home a young sonne For they feared that Fawnia being so beautifull the young Prince would allure her to folly Porrus was stricken in a dumpe at these newes so that thanking his neighbours for their good will he hyed him home to his wife and calling her aside wringing his hands and shedding forth teares hee brake the matter to her in these termes I Am afraid wife that my daughter Fawnia hath made her selfe to sinne that she will buy repentance too déere I haue newes which if they be true some will wish they had not proued true It is told me by my neighbours that Dorastus the Kings sonne begins to looke at our daughter Fawnia which if it be so I will not giue her a halfe-peny for her honesty at the yéeres end I tell thée wife now a dayes beauty is a great staâ—e to trap young men and faire words and swéet promises are two great enemies to maides honesty and thou knowest where poore intreat and cannot obtaine there Princes may command and will obtaine Though Kings sonnes daunce in nets they may not bee séene yet poore mens faults are espied at a little hole Well it is a hard care where Kings lusts are lawes and that they should bind poore men to that which they themselues wilfully breake Peace husband quoth his wife take heed what wee say Speake no more then you should least you heare what you would not Great streames are to be stopped by sleight not by force and Princes to be perswaded by submission not by rigour Doe what you can but no more then you may least in sauing Fawnia's maiden-head you lose your owne head Take heed I say it is ill iesting with edged tooles and bad sporting with Kings The Wolfe had his skin pulled ouer his eares for but looking into the Lyons den Tush wife quoth he thou speakest like a foole If the King should know that Dorastus had gotten our daughter with child as I feare it will fall out little better the Kings fury would be such as no doubt we should both lose our goods and liues necessity therefore hath no law and I will preuent this mischiefe with a new deuice that is come into my head which shall neither offend the King nor displease Dorastus I meane to take the chaine and the Iewels that I found with Fawnia and carry them to the King letting him then to vnderstand how shee is none of my daughter but that I found her beaten vp with the water alone in a little boat wrapped in a rich mantle wherein was inclosed this treasure By this meanes I hope the King will take Fawnia into his seruice and wee whatsoeuer chance shall be blamelesse This deuise pleased the good-wife very well so that they determined as soone as they might know the King at leisure to make him priuy to this case In the meane time Dorastus was not slacke in his affaires but applied his matters with such diligence that he prouided all things fit for their iourney Treasure and Iewels he had gotten great store thinking there was no better friend then mony in a strange Countrey Rich attire he had prouided for Fawnia and because hee could not bring the matter to passe without the helpe and aduice of some one he made an old seruant of his called Capnio who had serued him from his child hood priuy to his affaires who séeing no perswasions could preuaile to diuert him from his setled determination gaue his consent and dealt so secretly in the cause that within short space he had gotten a
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