The Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch Conteining the affectionate life, and vnfortunate death of Phillis and Amyntas: that in a pastorall; this in a funerall; both in English hexameters. By Abraham Fraunce. — Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch. Part 1-2

The Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch Conteining the affectionate life, and vnfortunate death of Phillis and Amyntas: that in a pastorall; this in a funerall; both in English hexameters. By Abraham Fraunce. — Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch. Part 1-2

Table of contents

Title page

To the right excellent, and most honorable Ladie, the Ladie Marie, Countesse of Pembroke.

Amyntas Pastorall. The first part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch.

The Prologue by Cupid in a Shepheards cloak.

1

The first Act, and first Scene,

The second Scene.

2

The second Act, and first Scene.

The second Scene.

The third Scene.

3

The third Act, and first Scene.

The second Scene.

4

The fourth Act, and first Scene.

The second Scene.

5

The fifth Acte, and first Scene.

The second Scene.

Phillis Funerall. The second part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch.

The first day.

The second day.

The third day.

The fourth day.

The fifth day.

The sixth day.

The seuenth day.

The eyghth day.

The nynth day.

The tenth day.

The eleuenth day.

The twelfth day.

The Lamentation of Corydon, for the loue of Alexis, verse for verse out of Latine.

The beginning of Heliodorus his Aethiopical History.

Errata.

§

§

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THE Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch.

Conteining the affectionate life, and vnfortunate death of Phillis and Amyntas: That in a Pastorall; This in a Funerall: both in English Hexameters.

By ABRAHAM FRAVNCE.

LONDON, Printed by Thomas Orwyn for William Ponsonby, dwelling in Paules Churchyard, at the signe of the Bishops head.

1591.

To the right excellent, and most honorable Ladie, the Ladie Marie, Countesse of Pembroke.

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[Page]

IF Amyntas found fauour in your gracious eyes, let Phillis bee accepted for Amyntas sake. I haue somewhat altered S. Tassoes Italian, & M. vvatsons Latine Amyntas, to make them both one English. But Tassoes is Comicall, therefore this verse vnvsual: yet it is also Pastoral, and in effect nothing els but a continuation of aeglogues, therefore no verse fitter than this. For such as generally mislike this reformed kinde of verse, as I spake before, so I say stil, I neuer heard better argument of them than this; Such an one hath doone but ill, therefore no man can doo wel: which reason is much like their owne rymes, in condemning the arte, for the fault of some artificers. For others, that like well of the thing, but not of my peculier labour herein, mine aunswere is the same it was: if there were anie penaltie appointed for him that would not read, hee might well complaine of mee that publish it to bee read: But if it bee in euerie mans choyce to reade it, or not to reade; why then not in mine also to publish or not to publish it? Hee that will, let him see and reade; hee that will neither reade nor see, is [Page] neither bound to see nor reade. If anie begin to reade, when hee beginneth to take no delight, let him leaue off, and go no further. If he folowe on in reading without pleasure, let him neither blame mee, that did what I could; nor bee angrie with the thing, which hath no sense; but reprehend him selfe, who would continue in reading, without anie pleasure taking.

Your Honours most affectionate, Abraham Fraunce.

Amyntas Pastorall. The first part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch.

[Page]

The Speakers.

Cupid in a Shepheards cloake.

Daphne.

Phillis.

Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

Elpinus.

A Satyre.

Fuluia.

Ergastus.

Chorus, all of Shepheards.

The Prologue by Cupid in a Shepheards cloak.

WHo would thinke that a God lay lurking vnder a gray cloake,

Silly Shepheards gray cloake, & arm'd with a paltery sheephooke?

And yet no pety God, no God that gads by the mountaines,

But the triumphantst God that beares any sway in Olympus:

Which many times hath made man-murdring Mars to be cursing

His blood-sucking blade; and prince of watery empire

Earth-shaking Neptune, his threeforckt mace to be leauing,

And Ioue omnipotent, as a poore and humble obeissant,

[Page] His three-flak't lightnings and thunderbolts to abandon.

And I beleeue, thus shap't, and thus with a mantle adorned

Lady Venus will scarce finde out her wily Cupido,

Mine owne mother, I hope, will skarce take mee for her owne son.

Shee makes me run away, and thus compells me to hide me,

For that still shee byds, and still commaunds as a mother

Boy, and bowe, and all: and still perswades as a woeman

Proud-harted woeman, that I bende my bowe to the Court still,

And, as a Lord, with Lords and Ladies still be a dwelling:

As for Parckes and woods, such woodden stuffe she referreth

Vnto the wanton wagges that waite on Lordly Cupido.

But let a woman talk, let boyes be afraid of a woeman,

Lord of loue's no boy, although that he seeme to be boylike:

I'le bestow myself, as best shall seeme to my owneself;

Doues be my mothers byrds, but desteny gaue to Cupido

All-inflaming lampe and golden bowe for a weapon.

Oftentimes doo I hide myself, and flie fro my mother

(Not that I owe any suite as a seruile slaue to my mother,

But that I can not abide to be dayly desir'de by my mother

For to renounce Hoblobs, and ayme at a King or a Kaisar)

Oftentimes doo I flie, and shroude my selfe in a thicket,

Leauing Christall throanes for bowres and rustical harbors:

But no sooner I can conuey myself from Olympus,

But she begins to demaund and aske for louely Cupido,

Wher's that wandring boy, that vile boy, louely Cupido?

Seeke and search my boy, my wagg, my louely Cupido:

Looke for a curldpate boy, his wings will quickly bewray him,

Looke for a boy with a lampe and bow and quiuer about him:

Whoso findes my boy, my ioy, my louely Cupido,

And brings back my boy, shall haue for a friendly remembrance,

Either a sweete sweete kisse, or somewhat more than a sweete kisse:

As though Louely Cupid to a fryend that loue's to be sylent,

Neyther could nor would allow for a fryendly remembrance

Eyther a sweete sweete kisse, or somewhat more than a sweete kisse.

And, I beleeue, my kisse, (if loue intend to be louely)

Wil be a sweeter kisse to a lasse then Queene Cytheraeaes.

Thus, many tymes in vaine shee seekes for louely Cupido,

Louing girles are loath to bewray their louely Cupido.

Yet, to be more secure, my curledlocks I doo curtall,

My wings are layde downe, my bowe and quiuer abandond,

[Page] Weapons all set aside; and yet loue stands not vnarmed.

For this staffe, that seemes but a toy, that I beare for a fashyon,

Is Loues lampe indeede, and beares but a shew of a sheephooke,

Lou'es transformed lampe, with most inuincible ardor,

Most inuisible heate, and secrete ardor abounding,

Though in forme but rude, and goldhead seemes to be wanting,

Whoso feele's his force shall finde it not to be poyntles,

Where it lights it workes, and leaues impression endles:

This blunt dart shall giue that cureles wound to the hartroote

Of loueles damsel, most loueles damsel amongst all

Those loueles damsels that wayte on mighty Diana.

Phillis (that's her name) disdainefulst wench of a thousand

Shall in her hardest hart conceaue as mighty a loues-wound,

As was that, that I made in tender brest of Amyntas.

Now many pleasant springs are past, since yong Lad Amyntas

And yong gyrle Phillis, themselues were woont to be sporting,

Now to be gath'ring flowr's, and filberds now to be cracking,

Now to be laying gyns for byrds, and now to be anglyng:

And yet, that this blow may make more forcible entrance

And more speedily pierce, ile stay and looke for a fit time:

When pyty moues her mynde, and makes her brest to be tender,

Then wil I stryke and wounde; and that this louely begynnyng

May as luckyly end, ile talk and walk as a heardsman,

And so insinuate my self to the company rurall

Of these iolly Shepheards which hether now be repayring,

All in a braue meryment dame Flora'es wakes to be keeping,

With theyr garlands greene, and boughs of Myrtle adorned.

Here, eu'n here wil I make that most incurable harts-wound

Which no mortall eye shall see: then louely Cupido

Louely Cupidoe's fame in these woods shalbe resounding,

These woods then shall feele a triumphant powre to be present,

And perceaue that I woork by my self, and not by my seruants:

Noble thoughts wil I send, and high conceipts wil I breath foorth

Into the lowli'est myndes, and frame theyr voice to a sweeter

And more sugred tune: for wheresoeuer I harbor,

Wheresoeuer I keepe, ile stil be the louely Cupido,

Aswel in Hoblobs heart, as in heart of a King or a Kaisar,

And as I list, I doe make an vnaequall mynde to be aequall:

And this is only my ioy, and herein most doo I glory,

That by the quyckning heate, by the fire of louely Cupido

[Page] Oaten pipe contends with learned Lute of a Lording.

Which if my Mother (who scorn's that I am thus a wandring

Here and there by the woods) can not conceaue to be wondrous,

Then shee's blinde her selfe, and not sweete louely Cupido,

Whom some blinde fooles haue blinde boy vnworthily called.

1

The first Act, and first Scene,

Daphne, Phillis.

WHat? Will Phillis then confume her youth as an anckresse,

Scorning daintie Venus? will Phillis still be a Modder,

And not care to be cal'd by the deare-sweete name of a Mother?

Will not Phillis ioy to beholde her selfe in a Phillis,

And her trueloues face in a yong boyes face to be shining?

Change this minde, fond wench, and this resolution alter.

Phillis.

Seeke the delltes of loue, who list, (if loue be delightfull)

This life is my loue, my bowe and shafts be my treasure,

Hunting is my ioy; with stubburne beasts to be striuing,

Vntil I fell them downe, and fearefull beasts to be chasing.

And, till woods want beasts, and quiuer feathered arrowes,

Phillis shall not want any sweete sports or prety pastimes.

Daphne.

Fine sweete sports indeede for a girle, and wise prety pastimes,

Still to be killing beasts, and still by the woods to be ranging.

This life, toylesome life, for a while doth seeme to be pleasant,

Only because as yet thou hast not tri'de any other.

So those simple soules that liu'd when Ioue was an infant,

Tooke for pleasant drinke, and meate well worthie a mans mouth,

Streames of purling brookes, and nutbrowne kernel of accorne:

But now, streames of brookes, and nutbrowne kernel of accorne

Are contemn'de as drinke and meate but fit for a beasts mouth,

Since that corne and grapes were once knowne how to be vsed.

If thou couldst, nay wouldst (and who would not, but a fonkin?)

Only but one time taste, and but taste onely the thousandst

Part of those pleasures and ioyes, which still be abounding

In true-louers soule, when he feeles himself to be loued,

Thou wouldst quickly repent, and quickly bewray thy repentance,

And say thus with teares; Each loueles life is a luckles

And accursed life: my best dayes vainly be ended,

[Page] Flowring time is gone, and age creepes hastily onwarde.

How-many fruyteles nights, poore foole, did I waste as a Wyddowe?

How-many ioyles dayes as a Nunne did I drawe to the eunyng?

Dayes, to be passed away with winged boyes prety pastymes,

Nights to be spent with toyes and ioyes of louely Cupido,

Pastimes, toyes, and ioyes, which more ioy'de breede me the more ioye.

Change this minde, fonde wench, and this resolution alter.

Phillis.

When that I seeme to repent, or seeme to bewray my repentance,

Or say so with teares; let floods run back to the fountaines,

Let Woolues fly fro the Lambe, and trembling Hare to the Greyhounde,

Let Beares range by the sea, and Dolphin swymme by the deserte.

Daphne.

See what it is to be yong; gyrles always vse to be peeuish:

Soe was I in tymes past, (Good tyme il past) when I wanted

Age and experience, and so did I trudg to the forrest.

Golden locks, cherylips, red-white face, yuory fingers,

Prowde as a praysd Peacock, and so did I trudg to the forrest.

Netts were then my delyte, and bended bow my reioycing,

Poynted dartes my ioy, and slaughtred beasts my triumphing.

If that I sawe myself (myself vnluckily selfwilde)

But by a glaunce, one glaunce of a Louers eye to be noted,

Downe did I hang my head, and bow myne eyes to my bosome,

Sore displea'sd forsooth, and, God wot, greately abashed

When my pleasing face to a loues looke brought any pleasure,

As though t' were some fault, or shame, or mock to my ownself,

For to be looked vpon, to be lou'd, and sought for of others.

But what can not tyme effect? What can not a louers

Continuall wooing, long seruyng, dayly deseruyng

Bring by degrees at length, at length, to a fortunat endyng?

Phillis, I must confesse, at last I began to be yeelding

Vnto a Loues conquest: and these armes made me be yeelding,

Long patience, kyndenes, sighs, teares, importunat askings.

Then did a night, one night, one shorte night teach mee a lesson,

Which many thousand dayes would neuer let me be learnyng:

Then did I quyckly repent, and quickly bewray my repentance,

And say thus with teares: Now farewel mighty Diana,

Bowes and shafts I renownce, and brutish life I abandon.

So, I doo hope, one day, thy gentle-mynded Amyntas

Shall with aboundant teares make thy hard hart to be tender;

[Page] And why should not I hope, when I see iust matter of hoping?

Is not Amyntas fayre? is hee not lou'd of many Lasses?

Dooth not hee loue Phillis? yet Phillis loue's not Amyntas:

And yet, alas, neyther thy hate, nor loue of an other

Can withdraw his loue: And, if thou looke to thy gentrie,

As sweete Cydippe is know'n to be truly thy mother,

Cydippe daughter to the sacred God that abydeth

In this syluer brooke; soe, father of haples Amyntas

Was good Syluanus, Syluanus son to the greate Pan,

Pan the shepheards greate God, that rul's and raign's by the forrest.

And, if Phillis chaunce to behould her face in a fountayne,

Phillis will not seeme more fayre then fayre Amaryllis:

And Amaryllis fayre lou's gentleminded Amyntas;

And Amaryllis loue is still contemn'd of Amyntas,

For that, Phillis loue still rests in soule of Amyntas,

Although Phillis alas hates her truelouer Amyntas.

Now suppose for a while (God graunt it proue but a suppose)

That Phillis sowre lookes dryue of this loue of Amyntas,

And Amaryllis loue draw on this loue of Amyntas,

And that Amyntas kisse, kisse and embrace Amaryllis,

And laugh at Phillis: what then wil Phillis imagin?

Phillis.

Well: let Amyntas deale as seemeth best to Amyntas,

And loue somewhere els; his loue hath made me to hate hym.

Daphne.

Loue breede hate? Sweete Syre of a most vnnatural ofspring

And vile degenerate bastard: but when wil a white swan

Hatch any coleblack crowe? or meeke sheepe foster a Tyger?

Phillis.

Daphne leaue this talk, or looke noe more for an answer:

His loue breedes my hate, when I hate to aford what hee loueth:

Hee's not a fryend, but a foe, that my virgynyty seeketh:

Daphne.

Why then, stifneckt bull is a foe, not a fryend to a heyfer,

And to a Turtledoue, not a fryend, but a foe is a Turtle.

Why then sweete springetyme breedes hate and works many mischifs,

Sweetesmyling spring-tyme, that wils each thing to be louing,

World and all in world; ô see how sweetly the Pigeon

There with a murmur sweete his copsemate sweete is a wooing.

Mark that Nightingale, which hops fro the bry'r to the hawthorne,

[Page] Harck, how brauely shee sings, I doo loue, and loue to be louely,

Nay eu'n sell serpents with cursed poyson abounding,

Strong and stoordy Lions, and Tygers fierce be a louing:

And yet Phillis alas Phillis more fierce than a Tyger,

Woorse than a wylde Lionesse, and more vnkyn'de than a serpent,

Phillis liues stil alone, and can not abyde to bee louely.

But strong stoordy Lions, fierce Tygers, slippery serpents

Haue sense and feeling, therefore noe wonder at all, if

Serpents, stoordy Lions, and Tygers fierce be a louing:

O then looke to the trees, and learne of them to be louely,

Looke to the senceles trees, and mark how dearely the vinetree

Lou's her louing elme, and clipps him fast with a thousand

Thousand embracements, and beech-tree cleaues to the beech-tree,

And wil'de ash to the ash, and pine-tree leane's to the pine-tree.

Yea that broadebrauncht oake which stands soe stoordyly pitched,

And seemes rude and rough, not moou'd with a storme or a tempest,

Yeelds to a kynde of loue; and, if thou were but a little

Tutcht with loue, thou mights perceaue his louely bewaylings,

And secreate groanyngs: and wilt thou then be for all this

Woorse then a senceles tree, and neuer learne to be louely?

Change this mynde, fond wench, and this resolution alter.

Phillis.

Well: when I see trees weepe, and heare theyre louely bewaylings

And secreate groanyngs, i'le frame myself to be louing.

Daphne.

Tis but a folly I see, to be wasting wyn'de on a prowd gyrle,

That knows nought her self, and wil not learne of another.

Thou that mak'st but a iest of loue, hereafter, I doubt not,

Wilt full sore lament, and fyn'de all true that I tell thee:

When thou shalt for shamesly back fro the watery fountayns,

Back fro the springs where now thou see'st thy face to be shynyng,

For very shame and griefe to behold thy beauty decayed

And face all wrynckled: that's bad, but that's but a common

Myschief, looke in tyme that a worse plague light not vpon thee.

I'le say nought; but I woe what news were truly reported

By sage Elpinus last day, to the louely Lycoris:

And he reported afore Corydon and Alphesiboeus

Twooe greatest maysters of loues lawes, and he reported

In fayre Auroraes greate Caue, whose bewtiful entrance

Hath these woords engran'd by the hand of louely Cupido,

[Page] (This place is sacred, for louers only apoynted)

There Elpinus sayd, and sayd that he heard it of ould tyme

Of that great pastor, (greate man, whose sweetly resoundyng

Pipe did passe fro the fyelds and sang of martial horrors,)

How that in hels deepe pitt, foule fyends haue framed a dungeon,

All as black as pytch, and all as darck as an ouen,

Hard by the ioyles bancks where smokes and foggs be arising

From wayling Acheron: and there these no-pyty-taking

Dames and scornefull gyrles are all condemn'd to be plagued,

All tormented there in dungeons ougly for euer.

There fitt place, fayre walkes for Phillis shalbe prepared:

There shall fogs, and mystes, and smokes, and palpable horror

Wring out teares from her eyes, and force her still to be wayling,

Whom no louers smart, no griefe could make to be weeping.

Phillis.

Good sweete Daphne peace, and tell this againe to Lycoris,

Terrifie babes with bugs: its tyme to be gone to the huntyng

Solempne great hunting which this same day is apoynted

In that pleasant parck, that sweetest parck of a thousand

Yuychurches parck, prety Yuychurch, that on hill topp

Flowring hill topp sitts, and looketh downe to the valleys,

There, ô there, I dooe heare (for soe Philoueuia tould mee)

There that Nymph, braue Nymph, that peareles Pembrokiana

Yuychurches Nymph doth meane herself to be present,

And with her owne person giue grace and life to the pastime.

Ile to my wonted well with Christall water abounding,

There wil I leaue this dust and sweate that I gate by my toyling

Yesterday, when I made that lightfoote Doe to be tumbling.

Daphne.

And i'le hoame, for an howre or twoo: and then to the huntyng,

Then to the parck wee'le goe: in meane tyme marck what I tould thee

More than parcks and wells, and, if symplicity blynde thee,

Know thy not knowing; soe, mayst thou know of an other.

The second Scene.

Amyntas, Thyrsis.

HOllowe caues, ragd rocks, waste hills, greene watery fountaynes

For pyty, sweetely reply, and aunswers make to my mournyng:

Strong oake, tall pinetree, greene laurell, bewtiful Yuy

[Page] For pity, sweetly reply, and aunswers make to my mourning,

Shake theyr leaues for grief, and bend theyr bowes to my groning▪

Only that one in whom my ioyes are only reposed

Yeelds no louely reply, no aunswer mak's to my mourning,

Phillis faire and fierce; Phillis more fierce to Amyntas

Than strong oake, tall pine, greene lawrell, bewtiful yuy,

Hollowe caues, ragd rocks, waste hills, greene watery fountaines.

When blackmantled night mak's euery thing to be silent,

Euery thing at rest, then wandreth restles Amyntas:

Siluer moone, bright starrs, you knew these heauy bewaylings,

And for grief your course and due reuolution altred:

But shee alas greeues not, tak's no compassion on mee,

Whose hart-chearing face, and sweete illuminat eisight

Siluer moone, bright starrs, and all your brauery stayned,

And made you for shame, your due reuolution alter.

Thyrsis.

Harmeles sheepe and lambs eate grasse: and greedy deuouring

Woolues eate harmeles sheepe and lambs: but surly Cupido

Surly Cupido feeds himself on streames of abounding

Teares, and's neuer fild, and yet stands euer a feeding.

Amyntas.

No, no, Thyrsis, alas: Loue lacks no teares of Amyntas,

Surly Cupido's full, stuftfull with teares of Amyntas,

And thyrsts now for blood, seeks blood of woful Amyntas,

And what he seeks, he shal haue; I'le quēch theyr thirst by my hartblood,

Blynde boy's, proud gyrles thirst: and glut theyr eyes with aboundant

Streames of purpled gore of too too wretched Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

O bloody word, fowle word, ô God forbid that Amyntas

Should or think, or woork any outrage vnto Amyntas.

Cast of these fancies, leaue these toyes, pluck vp a mans-hart:

If bony Phillis scorne, and make but a mock of Amyntas,

Yet shal Amyntas finde as braue gyrls as bony Phillis.

Amyntas.

Finde braue gyrls? ô griefe: if Amyntas finde not Amyntas,

How can he finde others? ô how shal he finde bony Lasses,

If that he loose himself? ô how shal I seeke any other,

Since my setled soule and hart are like to an aged

And well grounded tree, which now is come to the full groath,

And will rather breake, than bend, or yeeld to be turned.

[Page] Hate augments my loue; her frownes geue fyre to my fancy,

As gentle spaniel, whom beating makes to be louing.

Thyrsis.

Feare in a feareful man frets more than plagues that he feareth:

Hope, and haue, in time any man may gaine any woeman.

Long time mighty Lions at length hath brought to the brydle,

And wyldest Tygers at length are tam'de in a long tyme.

Amyntas.

Yea, but alas long tyme's too long for wretched Amyntas:

Death must speedely speede, noe wretch can abyde any long tyme.

Thyrsis.

Stay but a while, noe doubt these things will mend in a short time:

Thou knowst that woemen by kinde are mutable euer,

Soone hoate, and soone cold, like and mislike in a moment,

Change as a weathereock, and all as light as a feather.

But let Thyrsis now know more at large of Amyntas

His distressed state; for though thou touldst me a great while

Since, that Loue gaue first occasion vnto thy torments,

And that prowd Phillis gaue fresh increase to thy sorrowes,

Yet whence this loue sprang, who was that Phillis I knew not.

And sith soemany yeares w'haue liu'd so friendly togeather,

And apply'd ourselu's to the lores of learned Apollo,

Ther's cause why Thyrsis should know those things of Amyntas,

Which his Amyntas knows, and will shew only to Thyrsis.

Amyntas.

Know ô Thyrsis then, know this mine infinite anguish,

Which these hills well know, which these sweete watery wells know,

And yet no man knowes: my fatall howre is aproaching,

My death drawes so neare, that now its time to prouide some

Time to prouide some friend, which may and wilbe reporter

Of death and deaths cause, which wil for a friendly remembrance

Death and cause of death ingraue in barck of a beech tree,

Hard by the damned place, where corps of murdred Amyntas

Bloodles corps shall lie, that when that braue bony damsel

That pytiles Phillis shall chaunce that way to be passing,

Her prowde foote, and yet sweete foote may ioy to be treading

Treading and trampling these baleful boanes of Amyntas.

And that serpents tong, thus take a delite to be vaunting,

This death is my triumph, these bruysed boanes my trophaeum;

That such strange trauelers as this way chaunce to be wandring,

[Page] And forren Pastors that passe by the graue of Amyntas,

May know this conquest, and make it know'n to the countrey.

And perchaunce (ô noe, that's too too good for Amyntas)

Yet perchaunce one day may once come, when bony Phillis

When bony sweete Phillis, now moou'd with a louely repentance,

Louely remorse, may take some small compassion on mee,

And, when tis too-late, lament this losse of Amyntas,

Sheading some sweete teares for death of murdred Amyntas,

His death; whom when hee lyu'd, herself did cause to be dying;

Saying, O that hee were, that hee were not a murdred Amyntas,

O that he liued now, and were my louer Amyntas.

But now harck and marck of cares and woe the beginning.

Thyrsis.

Say on then, for I harck and marck perchaunce to a better

End, than thou thyself canst yet conceaue or imagin.

Amyntas.

When that I was but a wagg, yong wagg, soe yong, that I could scarce

Reach mine outstretcht arme to the bending bowes of a plumtree;

T'was my luck (ill luck) t'acquaint myself with a braue gyrle,

Brauest gyrle that spreades her golden locks to the tender

Wynde, faire Phillis I meane, but alas what meant I to meane her?

Phillis a flame to the soule, and Phillis a flowre to the forrest,

Phillis a Townish gyrls disgrace, and grace to the countrey,

Phillis a fame to the Parck, and Phillis a shame to the Pallace,

Phillis that first made Cydippe for to be mother,

Phillis that first made that rich Montanus a father:

With that Phillis I was (most woeful was, when I am not)

With that Phillis I lyu'd (ô luckles lyu'd, when I lyue not)

Phillis a turtle doue, and faithful turtle Amyntas:

Both our bowres were nye, which made vs both to be neighbours,

Both our mynds more nye, which causd vs both to be fryendly:

Both our ages lyke, which first was cause of a lyking,

Both our lyues more lyke, which stil gaue fyre to a fancie.

If that Amyntas were disposed for to be fishing,

Phillis a fishing went: if Amyntas meant to be fowling,

Phillis a fowling went: if Phillis longd for a filberd,

Yonker Amyntas clymbde: if Phillis would be a hunting,

Whoe but Amyntas then, but greene-coate Huntsman Amyntas?

Eithers sport was lyke, and eythers portion aequall.

But when Amyntas thus bestow'd himself on his angling,

[Page] Other bayts and hookes tooke secreate hould of Amyntas:

Whilst that Amyntas thus layd trapps and snares for a Redbrest,

White-brest layd new snares and hidden trapps for Amyntas:

Whilst that Amyntas I say ran pricking after a Pricket,

Farre more poysned darts haue prickt hart-roote of Amyntas.

For, by degrees there grew (as an hearb that grows of her owne self)

In my brest there grew, but I wist not whence, a desiring

Still to be with Phillis, poore foole, and stil to be gazing

On those burning lamps, whence stil stil I sucked a sweetnes,

Strange kinde of sweetnes which ended stil with a sowrenes.

Oftentimes did I sigh, yet knew no cause of a sighing,

And was a louer afore that I knew what t'was to be louing:

But now Thyrsis, I know, and mark, Ile tell thee the manner.

Thyrsis.

Say on Amyntas then; this matter's worthy the marking.

Amyntas.

Once on a day (ô day, ô dismallst day of a thousand)

Once on a sommers day (ô sommer worse than a winter)

Vnder a beech (ô beech of Amyntas woe the beginning)

Phillis sate her downe, and downe sate Cassiopoea,

And I betweene them both: when a Bee that gathered honny

Here and there fro the flowres, conueys herself in a moment

Vnto the red-rose cheeke of smiling Cassiopoea,

And there bytes and bytes faire cheeke of Cassiopoea,

Thinking sure, (as I think) her red-rose cheekes to be roses.

Bee bytes, byting smarts, and smarting Cassiopoea

Wringeth her hands and cryes: But, peace, qd my bony Phillis,

Cassiopoea, be stil, crye not sweete Cassiopoea:

Ile with a word or twoo soone cause thy paine to be ceasing,

Ile soone charme thy cheeke; this secreate lately I learned

Of beldame Sagane, for an yuory combe that I gaue her.

Then sh'applyes her lipps (life-geeuing lipps to a Louer,

And yet alas, yet alas life-taking lipps from a Louer)

Vnto the smarting cheeke of whyning Cassiopoea,

And with a sweete sweete sound her spells she begins to be mumbling:

By and by (strange thing) her payne was past in a moment,

Whether charming woords did woork so mighty a woonder,

Or that Phillis mouth (which rather may be beleeued)

Heales where it tutcheth by some great grace of Apollo.

Then then, whereas afore I desired but to be seeing

[Page] Hart-inflaming eyes, I desired but to be hearing

Soul-inuading voyce, sweete voyce, and like to the purling

Streames of a siluer brooke that creepes with a louely resounding

Murmur among small stones, or lyke to the dayntyly warbling

Noyse of a gentle winde, that makes greene leaues to be trembling,

Then then alas did I long and looke and wish to be ioyning

This my mournfull mouth to the mouth of my bony Phillis:

And in fine I deuisd (Loue fynds out wyly deuises)

How t' obteine my desire: for I faind, that a wasp fro the bushes

Flew to my face in a rage, and poore lipps all to be stinged;

And my dolefull lookes did looke and craue to be charmed,

Though my toong was afraid, and made no sute to the charmer,

Then simple Phillis, who tooke my tale for a Gospell,

Came of her owne accord and ioynd her lips to my sore-lipp,

Sore-sick lip God knowes: But alas, whilst Phillis a fained

Wound with sweete lipps heal'd, her sweete lips gaue mee a true-wound,

Gaue me a mortall wound that ran fro the lipps to the lyuer,

Nay, immortall wound that pierst fro the mouth to the marrow.

No busie Bee can suck more sweete and sugered honny

From sweet-smelling flowrs, than was distild fro the roses

Of chery-lipt Phillis by the boyling breath of Amyntas;

Although bashful feare was somwhat a curb to my kisses,

And restraynd my ioyes: which made me the more to desire that

Poisned bitter-sweete, and faine yet againe that I smarted,

That with Phillis lipps my lipps might freshly be charmed:

And soe charmed I was, soe sting'd, soe deadly bewitched,

So sore inchaunted with spill-soule spells, that I must needes

Either breake my hart, or breake my loue to my Phillis:

This breaking of loue was a loues-breake; better it had bene

Harts-breake or necks-breake to the sore hart-wounded Amyntas.

Once on a time when Nymphs and Pastors chaunc't to be sporting.

Standing all in a round, and each one whispred a secreat

Into an others eare, poore foole I began to be buzzing,

Phillis, I burne with loue, ô take compassion on mee,

Help or I dy Phillis: But Phillis straight with a lowring

Looke and frowning face, and downe-cast eyes to the ground-ward,

Blusht for spite and shame, and gaue not a woord for an aunswer,

But couueyd her away, and flew fro the place in a furie.

From that time, no time would Phillis abide with Amyntas,

Lend no eyes to the teares, no eares to the playnts of Amyntas.

[Page] And now flaxen wheate his ripened stalk to the syckle

Hath threetimes yeelded, now cheareful spring, to the forrest

Flowring bowes hath brought threetimes, and flowr's to the meddow,

And each thing but death long since was try'de by Amyntas

For t'appease Phillis; my death now only remaineth

For t'appease Phillis: which death should soone be procured,

So that I were once sure that I should by my deadly departure

Wring any teares from her eyes, or bring any ioy to her hard hart,

Make her weepe or laugh; and wheather should I be wishing?

Indeede Phillis teares and mynde with mercy relenting

Were far better amends for death of murdred Amyntas,

And more friendly reward for luckles loue of Amyntas,

But that I may not wish sweete Phillis minde to be greeued,

Nor Phillis faire face and eyes with teares to be blubbred.

Thyrsis.

And what man, madman, can thinke it possible, if that

Once shee doe heare these plaints, but that shee'le yeeld to be louing?

Amyntas.

O good Thyrsis, I doubt, for I neuer gin to be speaking,

But shee recoyls fro my words, as subtile snake fro the charmer.

Thyrsis.

Doubt not, I hope ere long, Ile cause her friendly to heare thee.

Amyntas.

If thou get that I speake, then nought shal I get by my speaking.

Mopsus alas Mopsus foretould me my desteny long-since,

Soothsayer Mopsus that knows what mysterie secreate

And hidden vertues in stones and hearbs be abyding,

And by the flight and chirpe of byrds can tell many wonders.

Thyrsis.

What? that coosnyng squyre, that brokes and sells to the ould wyues

Pelting pills in a box, and so scrapes coyne fro the countrey?

Hope yet Amyntas a while; for I know ther's matter of hoping:

Only because Mopsus say's there's no matter of hoping:

Hope, and meete mee againe in this same place: for I doubt not

But that in one halfe howre, I'le bring good newes to Amyntas.

Chorus.

O Sweete age of gold, not sweet, for that by the pastures

Euery brooke and bush with mylk and honny abounded;

[Page] Nor that fertile ground vntild, vntutcht was afording

Fresh increase of fruite to the pooremans dayly reioicing;

Nor that stingles snakes and harmeles slippery serpents

Slyded abroad by the fields and neuer breath'd any poyson;

Nor that clowdles skies seem'd euermore to be smyling,

And aeternall Spring her spring-time dayly renuing;

Nor that noe pyne-trees as yet cut downe fro the mountaines

Ranged abroad by the rocks with salt waues all to be dashed:

But sweete age of gold, for that this name of a noething,

Idle name of nought, and dayly deceauable Idoll,

Which fooles afterward, fine-fooles haue made to be Honnor,

Was nor nam'd, nor knowne, nor brought new lawes to the countrey

And poore countreymen, whose liues were onely directed

By sweete Natures law, sweete Nature taught them a lesson,

If you will, you may: and strait-lac't rules did abandon.

Then by the greene-mantled pastures and watery fountaines

Lou's yong wanton waggs were always woont to be singing,

And had noe light lampes, and had no dangerus arrowes.

Then braue iolly Shepheards and Nymphs sate sweetly togeather,

Tempring woords with smyles; and euery smyle with a kissing.

Nymphs were not so nyce, but that they yeelded a full view

Of their bared brests to the searching eyes of a louer.

Gyrles were not soe coy, but that they would with a yonker

Friendly together wash, and bathe themselues in a riuer.

Honnor first cou'red wel-spring of louely Cupido,

Honnor pluckt water from scorched mouth of a Louer,

Honnor taught fayre eyes theyr glittring beames to be hyding,

And to the darckned soule theyr light vnkindly denying.

Honnor caught in netts those golden locks, that in ould tyme

Were leaft loose to the wynde dispersed along by the shoulders.

Honnor mar'd our myrth, and louelayes turn'd to a silence,

And all our pastymes to a sollempne grauitie changed.

Honnor taught vs first our mouthes by art to be moouing,

Lookes by a looking glasse, and gate with skill to be framing.

Honnor cal'd it a theft, which first was counted a free guift,

Honnor made it a cryme, which first was thought but a pastyme.

But thou supreame Lord of Loue, thou onely Monarcha,

Which rul'st mighty Monarchs, what doost thou here in a corner,

For soe great a Godhead ô too too simple a corner?

Goe to a prowd Diademe, to a golden crown, to a scepter,

[Page] Breake those great mens sleepe; so shall thy fame bee the greater:

Disgrace not thy-self with poore contemptible abiects,

But let Countrey-fooles liue as they vsed to be lyuing,

Let them liue in loue, whilst they haue tyme to be louing.

Sun setts, and riseth; goes downe, and quickly reuiueth,

But mans light once out, aeternall darknes abydeth:

Then let Countrey-fooles liue as they vsde to be lyuing,

Let them lyue in loue, whilst they haue time to be louing.

2

The second Act, and first Scene.

The Satyre alone.

THis same foolish Bee's but a Bee, and Bee's but a small thing,

Yet this buzzing Bee with a small mouth maketh a great wound:

But what's lesse than Loue, that lurketh in euery corner,

Euery smal smal nooke; and hides himself as a false-thiefe

Sometimes vnder an hayre, and sometymes vnder an ey-lidd?

Yet this least least Loue, when he smiteth, maketh a great-wound,

Great great mortall wound, great cureles wound in a louer.

My flesh's nought but a mark all ouerprickt with her arrowes,

My body naught but a wound, my bowells naught but a bleeding.

O Loue, nay not Loue, that loue vnlouely requiteth,

Loue was as ill cal'd Loue, as this prowd paltery Phillis

Was well cal'd Phillis; (disdainfull Phillis an ill is,

Ill to her owne-self first, and always ill to an other:)

As this Mountaine-byrd, Montanus daughter I should say,

'Was well cal'd Phillis; since hill-borne Phillis a hill is:

Wylde waste hills and woods and mountaines serue for a harbor

Vnto the rau'nous brood of woolues, beares, slippery serpents;

And hillish Phillis makes her faire brest, as a lodging

For fowle pride, fell spite, and most implacable anger,

Woorse beasts, far more woorse, than woolues, beares, slippery serpents,

These with a pray are pleasd, but shee's not moou'd with a prayer.

If that I fetch her flowrs, fresh fragrant flowrs fro the forrest,

My fresh fragrant flowrs, ô spite, with a scorne shee reiecteth,

For cause her faire cheekes with fairer flowrs be adorned.

If that I bring in a dish queene-apples vnto my deare Queene,

Dish and queene-apples, ô griefe, with a mock shee renounceth,

For cause her bosome with fruite far sweeter aboundeth.

[Page] If that I range by the woods and fyelds, and gather her honny,

Honn' and honnyes combe, ô death, with a flout shee refuseth,

For cause her sweete mouth more sugered honny afordeth,

O then Phillis, alas, if my poore state can aford thee

Naught, but what thy self mayst haue more louely within thee,

Take myself for a guyft, ile geue myself to my Phillis,

And why should Phillis disdaine this guift that I giue her?

My face is not fowle, my lookes are not to be loathed,

Yesterday I beheld myself when I walkt by the seashore,

When seaes were calmed, when windes theyr rage had omytted

My sanguyne count'nance with moisture lyuely replenisht,

Bristled brest, braund armes, and shoulders stoordyly squared

Are all signes of strength, and marks of manlynes only,

And if Phillis doubt, let Phillis try what is in mee.

What should Phillis doo with a curld-pate paltery cockney?

What with a smooth-fac't foole, with a carpet squyre, with a mylksop?

What with a pyping goose, with a whistling boy, with a mynstrell?

Gyrles indeede, and gyrles in shew, effoeminat each way?

If perchaunce Phillis, (this chaunce may easyly happen)

Should encounter a Woolfe, or a fell shee Beare, or a wilde Boare,

Then farewell Mynyons, then bristled brests be the best men.

O but alas, Phillis dooth know right well, that I want not

Mans face or mans hart; but gold and syluer I haue not,

Gold and syluer I want, and this makes Phillis abhorr mee

Countrey learnes of towne to be bought, and euery Malkin

Lookes for a purse of sylk, or a ring, no lesse than a Lady.

Here is an age of gold indeede, gold only triumpheth,

Gold rul's and ore rul's from a mylkmayd vnto an Empresse.

Thou, thou wicked wight that first taughtst mayds to be Marchants,

'And mad'st gyrles sell loue; ô let thy graue be a dungeon

For foule sprytes and snakes; ô let thy damnable ashes

Feele both wynde and rayne, and bones ly all to be scattred

Here and there by the fyelds, bones bruysed of euery footeman,

Troaden of euery beast, accursed of all the beholders,

This wretch, noble loue did abase, when he made it a hireling,

Made it a slaue of gold, and made it a monsterus Hydra,

Monster of all monsters that land or water afordeth.

But what meane I to curse in vayne? since euery creature

Vseth such weapons, as nature gaue, to defend him?

Clawes to the greedy Lyons, and foaming tuske to the wilde Boare,

[Page] Winged eggs to a hart, and pleasing face to a woeman,

Why doel not then deale according vnto my nature?

Why doe I not shew force, since nature fram'es me to forcing?

Ile take by violence and rape those ioyes fro the proud gyrle

Which are due to my loue, and Phillis stoutly denyeth.

When shee begins herself in woonted well to be washing,

(Silen shewd me the well, fayre well, well worthy a fayre lasse)

Ile rush out from a bush (where first ile lye as in ambush)

And take her napping, when I see occasion offred.

If that I once can rowle my hand in her hayre, let her hardly

Scratch and byte and whine, shee'le neuer scape fro my clutches,

Till, for a woorthy reueng, her blood, my blade be a bathing.

The second Scene.

Daphne. Thyrsis.

Thyrsis, I know too well, that tender-mynded Amyntas

Hath long lou'd this gyrle; and long may loue her, I feare mee.

And, as I tould thee before, my helping hand did I alwayes,

And will now much more for thy sake, lend to Amyntas.

But more soone may one make gentle a Beare or a Tyger,

And tame yong wylde Bulls, then learne yong gyrls any reason,

Gyrls as fonde as fayre: whose rude symplycyty knows not,

How theyr eye-arrowes can pierce mens harts in a moment.

Thyrsis.

Symple? I neuer yet could see soe symple a woeman,

But was most expert, though but new crept fro the cradle,

In these cosn'ing tricks; and knew her face to be framyng,

Now with a smyle t'allure, and now to repell with a frownyng.

Daphne.

What skilfull Mystres taught them this mystery, Thyrsis?

Thrsis.

As though thou knewst not: that Mystres, which did in ould tyme

Take yong byrds fro the neast, and taught them for to be flying,

Bull to rebut with a horne, and skaled fish to be swymming,

And proudhart Peacock her paynted trayne to be spreading.

Daphne.

Whats her name? Thy. Daphne. Dap. Fy, that's impossible. Thy. And why?

Is not dame Daphne trow you, to be deemed a Mystres

Sufficient t'enstruct ten thousand such bony lasses?

[Page] Though in truth they want noe skill, nor neede any mystres,

Coy by kinde, and proud by byrth, and surly by nature.

Yet nource and mother contend this folly to further,

And soe make in tyme yong cockrell lyke to the ould crowe.

Daphne.

Well crow'd, gentle Cock: your song may chaunce be requyted:

But to the matter in hand, in truth, in truth I remember

One odd toy, Thyrsis, that makes mee scarcely resolued,

Wheather Phillis fayne and make but a shew of a symplesse,

Or for a truth doth meane as in outward shewe shee pretendeth.

For, last day when I went to the greene fyeld neare to the cytty,

Phillis sate her downe by the brooke that runs by the greene fyeld,

And soe her count'nance composd, as though she requyred

Counsayle from that brooke, and would, b'aduisd by the water,

How to be disposing, and how to be dayntyly ordring

Gold wyr'de hayre on her head, and how with skill to be setting

Call on gold wyr'de hayre, and how at last to be sticking

Flowres in a golden call, (her lap with flowrs was abounding)

And now takes vp a Rose, and straight way takes vp a Lylly:

And compares her cheekes to the Rose, and neck to the Lilly:

And then smyles for ioy, seeing her louly triumphant

Cheekes more red than a Rose, and neck more white than a Lilly,

And disdaigns poore flowrs, and thus seemes them to be scornyng,

Foolish paltery hearbs, your pyde coat's nought to my countnance,

Your flowr's naught to my face, your brauery nought to my beauty,

Foolish paltery weedes, I doo beare you often about mee,

For your owne disgrace, and not for a grace to my person,

That your fading flowrs may serue as a foyle for a Phillis.

As she was all this while pruning herself by the water,

Princking and prancking, at last by chaunce she reflected

Her bright beames sydeward, and then saw well, that I saw her,

And was asham'd and blusht, and let fayre Lilly be falling.

More that Daphne laught, more Phillis still was a blushing,

More that Phillis blusht, more Daphne still was a laughing.

Buy yet, her hayre half trest, half vntrest well she remembred,

And with a stealing eye to the waterglasse she repayred,

Spying whether I spyde; and see's herself to be vndrest,

And yet lykes herself, seeing herself to be seemely

Though vndrest, for I saw, yet would not seeme to bee seeing.

[Page]Thyrsis.

Peace, peace, good Daphne: this noe newes, come to Amyntas.

Daphne.

Noe newes? yes mary ist: for noe such matter in ould tyme

Euer afore was seene: When Daphne was but a Damsell

Dapne was not soe: but world now waxeth an ould world,

Growes to be wayward now, and peeuish like to an ould man.

Thyrsis.

In those dayes, Townebyrds flewe not soe fast to the countrey,

Nor countrey lasles did gad soemuch to the Cytty.

Now all's confounded, now fashyons all to be mingled

All to be mangled quyte, and euery Madg is a Mystresse,

All's turn'd vpsyde downe. But may not, may not Amyntas,

And bonylasse Phillis yet talk once fryendly togeather

By Daphnes good meanes, and condiscend to a parley?

Daphne.

Thyrsis, I am not sure; shee's too too flatly denying.

Thyrsis.

And hee, alas, poorefoole, is too too fondly desyring.

Daphne.

Then let him aske, intreate, importune, nay let him offer,

Yea offer violence, and take noe nay; for a woeman

Loues to be woo'd of a man: thou know'st well, Thyrsis, a woeman

Runs, and yet soe runs, as though she desyr'd to be orerun;

Says, noe, noe; yet soe, as noe, noe, seemes to be no noe;

Stryues, and yet soe stryues as though she desyr'd to be vanquisht.

Woeman's like to a shade, that flyes, yet lyes by the subiect,

Lyke to a Bee, that neuer striues, yf sting be remoued.

Thou se'st, Thyrsis, I talk as a playne wench vnto a playne fryend.

Thyrsis.

Then good playne Daphne, its more then tyme to be playne now,

Help me to help our fryend poore helples fryendles Amyntas.

Daphne.

Well to be playne indeede, and end this matter in one woord,

Phillis goes with mee now by and by to the braue well,

Mighty Dianaes well, where largearm'd ash to the hunting

Nymphs giu's cooling shade; there Phillis shalbe presented

Naked, starcknaked to the open view of Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

And what then? Daph. What then? then I thinck thusmuch to a wiseman

[Page] Will seeme sufficient, and is toomuch for a fonkyn.

Thrysis.

Now I doe know thy mynde: but I doubt least fearful Amyntas

Haue not soemuch hart, as boldly to offer an onset.

Daphne.

Then let Amyntas stay, til an other seeke to preuent hym.

Thyrsis.

If that hee were soe serud, he deserud wel soe to be serued.

Daphne.

But to thyself Thyrsis, wilt styl be a boy or a batchler?

Wer't not farr better to be husband or to be louer?

Thyrsis.

When that Thyrsis see's, that lou's not a plague to a louer,

Then shall Daphne see, that Thyrsis wilbe a louer.

But whilst hateful loue with teares and feares is aboundyng,

Loue whoe will for mee: let another learne to be mournyng,

Thyrsis enough hath mournd. Daph. But he hath not ioyed enough yet.

Thyrsis.

Noe such ioyes I desyre. Daph. But loue can force the resister.

Thyrsis.

Noe force; ile keepe back. Daph. And then loue hasteneth onward.

Thyrsis.

Ile run. Daph. Loue hath wings. Thyrs. But short wings in the begynning.

Daphne.

Louers feele not loue, when loue is first a begynnyng,

And when lou's once felt, its too late then to be runnyng.

Thyrsis.

But let my loue rest, til againe wee chaunce to bee meeting,

And let Amyntas now, for he most needs, first be releeued.

Ile seeke hym straight way▪ and bring, if I can, the retyring

Beare to the stake. Daph. Ile goe, but this was far fro my meanyng.

Thyrsis.

And, if I gesse not amysse, loe yonder he coms, with a downecast

Looke, and wandring pace, pace and looke fit for Amyntas.

The third Scene.

Amyntas, Thyrsis.

THyrsis gaue good woords: Ile see what's doone for Amyntas;

And, if noe thing's done, then afore that I seeme to be vndone,

[Page] Myself-murdring hand shall reaue this breath from Amyntas

Eu'n in Phillis sight, that lyke as now she delyteth

Herself with this wound, loues wound, that cleaues to my hart roote,

Wound of her owne fayre eyes: soe may she be freshly triumphing

At this gaping wound with purpled gore that aboundeth

Wound of myne owne hands, last wound of murdred Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

Leaue of thy mourning: Thyrsis brings news to Amyntas.

Amyntas.

What news? life, or death?

Thyr.

Life, loue, blisse, ioy to Amyntas,

Yf that Amyntas dare ioy, blisse, loue, life be a meeting.

But then he must be a man, not a mome, man fully resolued,

And not shrynck with a showre, as a feynt hart foole or a dastard.

Amyntas.

And what greate cowrrage, or what resolution is this?

Thyrsis.

If that thy Phillis should wander alone in a desert,

Desert walled about with rocks of monsterus hugenes,

Where sharpe-tusked Boares, and Tygers only resorted,

Wouldst thou goe to thy loue by this soe feareful a passage?

Amyntas.

Yea, with a better will, than gyrles or boyes to the stooleball.

Thyrsis.

If thy Phillis were with a theeuish company compast,

And saw nought but sweards and glistring armor about her,

Wouldst thou goe to thy loue through this same company theeuish?

Amyntas.

Yea, with a greater ioy, than thirsting Hart to the fountayne,

Thyrsis.

Yet for such exployt, more courage wilbe required.

Amyntas.

Ile with a good will goe through scorching flames of a fornace,

Ile through swelling streames increast with snow fro the mountaynes,

Ile through damnable hell, through loathsome Styx, to my Phillis,

Yf that can be a hell where heu'ns-ioy Phillis abydeth:

But say, shew mee all.

Thyr.

Harck then.

Amynt.

Tell speedyly, Thyrsis,

Thyrsis.

Thy loue sits by a well, sits naked, alone, by a well-spring.

Phillis sitts by a well, and stays for gentle Amyntas,

Dar'st thou goe to thy loue, and wilt thou goe to thy Phillis?

[Page]Amyntas.

What? doth my deare life, doth my loue sit by a wellspring?

What? doth Phillis alone and naked stay for Amyntas?

Thyrsis.

None els but Daphne; and Daphne woorks for Amyntas,

Otherwise she alone, and naked stayes for Amyntas,

Naked, but. Amynt. But what? this vile, But, murdreth Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

But Phillis knows not that Amyntas coms to the wellspring.

Amyntas.

O wellspring of woe; this cold conclusion endeth

All my hope conceau'd, and draws confusion onward;

O pytyles Thyrsis, was sowl-tormented Amyntas

Not yet plagued enough, but thou must heape on a new plague?

Thyrsis.

If thou meane to be ru'ld, thou mayst be a happy Amyntas.

Amyntas.

How ru'ld? Thyr. Take that good, which opportunyty offreth.

Amyntas.

God forbid, that I take such opportunyty offred

As t'attempt any thing displeasing vnto my Phyills.

Yet did I neuer thing offensiue vnto my Phillis,

But that I lou'd her alas, yet alas she'enforc't mee to loue her,

That fault's hers, not myne, and beauty to blame, not Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

If thou couldst leaue loue, wouldst thou leaue of to be louing,

That by not louing, thou mightst please thy bony Phillis?

Amyntas.

That, wil I neuer say Thyrsis, nor neuer imagin,

Loue wil not consent, that I euer leaue to be louing.

Thyrsis.

Thou wilt loue her then, though in despyte of her owne hart.

Amyntas.

In despite? ô noe, yet needs needs must I be louing.

Thyrsis.

What then? against her will. Amynt. Loue wills soe, if shee be wilfull.

Thyrsis.

Take then against her will that, which though in the begynnyng

Seemes to be paineful a while, yet prooues to be ioyful in ending.

[Page]Amyntas.

Thy long experience, ô Thyrsis, maks the be talking,

Maks the be discoursing of loue: but freshman Amyntas

Is possest with loue, and loue must frame him an aunswer,

Loue, that cloggs hartty'd and tongty'd louer Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

Why then, wilt not goe? Amy. Yes. Thyr. Whether? Amy. Straight to my long home,

If noe help, but this, can bring any ioy to Amyntas.

Thyrsis.

And is this nothing? would Daphne send for Amyntas,

Vnles that Phillis seem'd in some part to be willing?

And perchaunce Phillis doth know herself, that Amyntas

Coms to the well indeede, but will not seeme to be knowing.

Now if thou wouldst haue her full consent to be vttred,

And mynde expressed, which euery woman abhorreth,

Where is then thy desyre, thy Phillis still to be pleasing?

And if Phillis wil, that Amyntas ioy, be Amyntas

Theft, not Phillis guyfte; what further seeketh Amyntas?

Amyntas.

O but alas whoe knows, that Phillis lyketh Amyntas?

Thyrsis.

And whoe knows for truth, that Phillis lyks not Amyntas?

And in an aequall doubt, that part is best to be taken,

Which to the parties minde is most conformable always;

Therefore come. Amy. Stay yet. Thyr. For what? tyme passeth Amyntas.

Amyntas.

O stay good Thyrsis, let's here consult for a whyle yet.

Thyrsis.

Wee'le consult by the way of things that seeme to be needefull.

Who soe thincks many things▪ brings seaw to a fortunat ending.

Chorus.

O Heart-ennobling great loue, where shall wee bee learnyng

These thy sacred lawes? in what schoole must wee be trayned

Vp to thy high conceipts? or what soe skilful a mayster

Possibly may vnfould those supreame thoughts of a louer

Which his soule possesse, whilst with thy wings in a moment

His mynde mounts to the skies, and Christall-mantled Olympus?

Neyther learned Athens, nor greate fame-worthy Lycoeus.

Could loues force expresse, or loues perfection vtter;

[Page] Neither Castalian Muses, nor great-God Apollo,

Nor rymewright singers could once aspyre to the thousandst

Part of those ioys, which in a louers brest be abounding:

Their voyce is not a voyce of fire, they sing but a cold song,

Song and voyce vnfit for loues vnspeakable ardor:

Soe then Loues owne voyce is a fittest voyce for a loues-lay,

So then Loue himself is best exprest by his owneself.

Loue learnes rurall witts, and base-borne brests to be reading

Hart-burning secreats and woonders, dayntily written

In faire-flaming eyes, by the hand of louely Cupido.

Loue (ô strange eloquence of Loue) with a sigh, with an half-speach,

Interrupted speach, confused speach of a Louer,

Sooner a Tygers heart to a true compassion vrgeth,

Better a secret smart and inward passion vttreth,

Than trope-turned tale, or ryming ditty, deryued

From foole-hardy Poets, or vaine-head Rhetoricasters.

Nay, those silent looks, and louely regards of a Louer

More, than a thousand words, expresse those pangs of a Louer.

Let those famous Clercks with an endles toyle be perusing

Socraticall writings; twoo faire eyes teach mee my lesson:

And what I read in those, I doe write in a barck of a beech-tree,

Beech-tree better booke, than a thousand Dainty deuises.

3

The third Act, and first Scene.

Thyrsis, Chorus.

O Extreame disdaigne, ô most vnmerciful hard-hart,

O vnthankfull gyrle, ô prowde, and no-pity-taking

Woemen, curst by kynde, vnkynd kinde, kyn to a Tyger,

Kyn to a poysned snake. O dame, nay rather a stepdame,

Bunglyng artificer Nature, which framed a woemans

Externall countnance, and outward parts to be chearfull,

But th'internall soule, and inward part to be spytefull.

O perchaunce, poore wretch, himself hath murdred his ownself.

Euery place doe I seeke and search out euery corner,

Euery bush, each caue, each banck, and euery fountaine

All these three howres long, by the well where lately I left him;

Yet noe sight can I get,, noe hearing, no not a footestepp

Wherein he troade of late, not a footestepp yet can I light on:

[Page] Sure hee's kild, hee's dead, himself hath murdred his owneself.

Ile ask these Pastors, if they can shew any tydings:

Good friends, haue you seene, doe yee know any newes of Amyntas?

Chorus.

Some bad misfortune thy minde seemes greatly to trouble:

What mean's this sweating and blowing? Fearst any mischif?

Thyrsis.

Mischif I feare indeede of Amyntas: shew mee Amyntas.

Chorus.

No-body here sawe hym, since you twoo lately departed.

But what mischif fearst? Thyrs. That Amyntas murder Amyntas.

Chorus.

Murder Amyntas. Why? What works so desperat outrage?

Thyrsis.

Hate and Loue. Chor. Twoo foes, th'one th'other deadly maligning▪

Either sufficient, but both more mighty to murder:

Yet make this more playne. Thyrs. To be too too hartily louing,

And of a loued Lasse to be too too spytefuly hated.

Chorus.

But shew all at large: this place is an ord'nary through-fare:

Here some man may passe that may bring newes of Amyntas,

And some wynde himself may hither chaunce to be driuing.

Thyrsis.

Ile shewe all indeede, for I should vniustly be dealing,

If that I blaze not abroade so shameful a fact to the whole world.

Wretched Amyntas knew, and knew by my only relating,

(Now I repent too late, that I was soe fonde a relator)

That Daphn' and Phillis would wash themselues in a well-spring:

Thither Amyntas went, but went very faintily thither,

All vnwilling went, and backwards oft he retyred,

But that I stil stil droue him most vnluckily forward.

Forward thus wee went, and now came nere to Dianaes

Well, when alas wee heard some dolefull sound of a damsell,

That stil cryed, Alas; and saw how woefuly Daphne

Wringed her hands and wept, and seeing vs to be comming,

Lifted her hands and voyce; O run run quickly to Phillis,

Phillis alas is forst, ô run run quickly to Phillis.

Louer Amyntas leapt, as a Rowe-buck prickt with an arrow,

At these woords, and flew, and quickly I hastened after:

When wee came, wee saw faire Phillis bound to a willow,

[Page] Naked, stark-naked, bound head hand foote to a willow.

Her locks seru'd for a cord, her gold-locks lapt in a thousand

Knotts, (noe true-loues knotts) were all ty'de fast to the willow:

Her braue Belt, which first that pure virginity guarded,

Bound both hands to to the trunck, and this fowle villany furthred:

And wynding willow, vnwilling foe to be winding,

(And yet glad those leggs with tender twiggs to be tutching)

Lends her slipps to be strings (each thing can further a mischif)

Strings those trembling leggs (ô rufull case) to be bynding.

And that beastly Satyre, which causd this monsterus outrage,

Stood with lusting rage, and raging fury before her,

And now, eu'n iust now had left of fully to bynde her.

Phillis stroue asmuch as Phillis might be a striuing,

But for a naked gyrle with an armed foe to be striuing,

Booteles it had bene sure, if sharpned dart of Amyntas

Gainst that fleshly Satyre had not been tymely directed:

And I myself meane while my lapp with stones was a filling,

Which made lusting beast at last for feare to be flying.

When this flight gaue leaue to the louing eyes of Amyntas

For to behold his ioys, those lyms so dayntily trembling,

Trembling yet for feare; at last, at last he aproached

Vnto the naked Nymph, and yet yet somwhat abashed:

Pardon, faire Phillis, qd Amyntas, pardon I pray thee

This my too bold hand, which too too rashly presumeth,

And to thy spotles lyms, lyms neuer tutcht yet, aprocheth,

Sith soe extreame neede, soe greate a necessity forceth

Forceth Amyntas his hands faire Phillis her hands to be loosing▪

Let not then this grace which fortune seemes to aford them,

Seeme any fowle disgrace, or woork any wooe to my Phillis.

Chorus.

Woords well woorthy to make any hart of flynt to be tender:

But what said Phillis? Thyrs. Not a woord; but scornfuly blushing

Looks downe, hyding all that bands would haue to be hidden.

Gentle Amyntas coms, and golden lockes he releaseth,

And as he vnknits knotts, thus golden-locks he beespeaketh,

Golden locks too good this senceles tree to be chayning,

What shal Louers haue, wherein they may be triumphing,

If loues-lace can abide to be stretcht from a Nymph to a willow?

Paltery willow breakes with rude and boysterus handling,

Golden chaine, which gaue such grace to the paltery willow.

[Page] Then those hard-held hands in such odd manner hee loosed,

As that hee wisht and feard hart-holding hands to be handling.

Lastly, to free her feete, himself he begins to be kneeling:

But when Phillis her hands from bands felt fully released,

His louing seruice with these proud words she refused,

Tutch me not, hence Pastor, mine owne hands shall be my owne leggs

Freedome, tutch not a Nymph, that's consecrat vnto Diana.

Chorus.

O graceles guerdon for seruice dutiful offred,

How can a Nymphs sweete brest harbor so fylthy a monster?

Thyrsis.

Gentle Amyntas straight with these woords myldely retyred,

And withdrew himself, not daring once to be lifting

Vp those loue-sick eyes, himself vnkindly denying

Ioyes to his owne poore self, that he might ease his bony Phillis

Of that paine, small paine, of geuing him the deniall.

All this I heard and saw, whilst vnder an oake I did hide mee,

All this I heard and saw, and once I began to be speaking

For very grief; yet I stayd: But marck yet, marck yet a woonder.

After long toyling her feete at last she released,

And scarce, scarce her feete from bands at last she released,

But those winged feete she bestyrs as fast as a yong Hynde,

And to Amyntas giues noe not soemuch as a farewell:

Yet noe cause of flight, for Amyntas made not an offer.

Chorus.

What did he then poore man, when Phillis leaft him alone thus?

Thyrsis.

That can I noeway gesse; for I was soe mad to behold this

Scornefull pride, that I ran t'haue brought her back to Amyntas,

Ran with might and mayne, in vayne: for I feard her away still;

And when I came backward to the well, then I missed Amyntas.

Surely I feare hee's dead, for I know that he fully resolued

Ere that he came to the well, himself t'haue speedily murdred.

Chorus.

That's but an ord'nary thing, for a louer death to be threatning,

But not an ord'nary thing any man for loue to be dying.

Thyrsis.

God graunt it proue soe in Amyntas. Chor. Doubt not. Thyrs. I feare it.

Yet to the Caue Ile goe, where sage Elpinus abydeth:

There, if hee liue, its like, that Amyntas wilbe recounting

[Page] His forepassed paines to the rocks and watery fountaines,

And with pleasant pipe, with voyce soe sweetely resounding

Make those rocks to resound, and wring out teares fro the fountaines.

The second Scene.

Amyntas, Daphne, Fuluia.

THy pity was pityles, Daphne, my dart to be plucking

From this dolefull brest, my paines and pangs be redoubled

By differring death: what meanst thou thus to be turning,

Turning and wynding my troubled minde with a thousand

Fruytles discourses? thou thinckst perchaunce that Amyntas

Will dispatch himself: if he dooe, that's best for Amyntas.

Daphne.

Fy for shame: leaue of these wicked words; for I know, that

Bashfulnes, not pryde, made Phillis run from Amyntas.

Amyntas.

Owretch; sole despaire, that dryues all hope from Amyntas,

Is my sole comfort: fonde hope first wounded Amyntas;

And fond hope, eu'n now (ô endles grief) is a budding

In my balefull brest, and only because that I liue yet,

Which is of all others the deuourïngst woorme to the wretched.

Daphne.

Lyue yet wretched a while, and keep thyself for a comfort;

Thinck thou see'st Phillis sitt naked still by the welspring.

Amyntas.

Had not fell fortune and lewd loue plagued Amyntas

With paines sufficient, but wel-springs must be presented

Vnto my eyes: and then to my scortched tong be denyed?

Fuluia.

What? shal I then be the Crow, whose neuer-lucky resounding

Still brings baleful newes? shal I first bring death to the aged

Father Montanus, whose gray-haires now be depriued

Of their chiefe comfort, fayre Phillis, braue bony Phillis?

Ould Father, chyldles Father, nay, now not a Father.

Daphne.

Some sad voyce I doe heare. Amynt. I doe heare most dolefuly sounded

Phillis dearest name, which eares and hart is a wounding:

Whoe's that which name's her? Daph. Fayre Fuluia, Fuluia dearest

Nymph to the high Huntresse of forrests mighty Diana.

[Page]Fuluia.

Know it he must▪ and shall, that he may with speede be procuring,

That those louely reliques of Phillis may be preserued;

If those louely reliques of Phillis yet be remaining,

Luckles Phillis. Amynt. Alas, what? yet more plagues for Amyntas?

Fuluia.

O Daphne. Daph. What's that? Say on, sweete Fuluia, what's that

Which thou spakst to thyself? What made faire Fuluia stil stil

After Phillis name our eares with sighs to be filling?

Fuluia.

How can I choose but sigh, soe ruful a sight to remember?

Amyntas.

O that rueful sight makes my colde hart to be ruefull:

Is my Phillis aliue? Daph. Good Fuluia kil not Amyntas

With soe long suspence, let's know what may be the matter.

Fuluia.

O God, why shal I tel such dead news? and yet I must tell.

Phillis came naked to my house, and tould me the cause of

Her comming naked: new drest, she desyr'd mee of all loues

Louing gyrle, that I would accompany her to the pleasaunt

Yuychurches parck, and frame myself to the hunting.

Both content, both went, and met with a company gallant

Of flowring damsells wayting on Pembrokiana,

With bowes and arrows on prince like Pembrokiana.

Much tyme with pastimes was past, sports drew to an ending,

And on a soddayne loe, where earst no woolf was abyding,

Rau'ning woolf runs forth with blood-red mouth fro the bushes,

And on a soddayne loe, whilst others bows be a bending,

Phillis sent her shaft from her owne eare vnto the woolus eare:

Soemuch wrought in her hart sweete sight of Pembrokiana,

Soemuch did she desyre to be praysd of Pembrokiana.

Wounded woolf to the wood, stout Phillis runs to the wounded

Woolf with a dart in her hand. Amynt. O dreadful dart to Amyntas,

How can a pleasant ende come from soe deadly begynning?

Fuluia.

And with an other dart to the self same place I repayred;

But Woolf and Phillis (grief spurd th'one, glory the other)

Were quyte out of sight: yet I trac't them both to the thickest

And most desert place: there, (ô deare dart to my Phillis)

There lay Phillis dart, and not far thence was a white lawne

[Page] Wherein Phillis locks enwrapped were by my owne hands.

And as I turned about, seu'n other woolus by the naked

Bones of a mangled corse, gore blood were greedily licking:

And as chaunst (would God such chaunce had Phillis) I saw them,

Yet they saw not mee, they were soe greedily gorging,

And soe bent to the pray: So thence for feare I retyred:

And this is all that I know: and here's that lawne, that I spake of.

Amyntas.

And is this not enough? ô lawne of my bony Phillis:

O bony Phillis blood, th'art dead my sweete bony Phillis.

Daphne.

O dooble deaths wound: dead Phillis murdreth Amyntas.

Fuluia.

Tis but a swowne; for he breath's; and loe, hee's quickly reuyued.

Amyntas.

Griefe, leaue of lingring: make quick dispatch of Amyntas:

Griefe, th'art too too slowe; if death be reseru'd for Amyntas

Hand, hee'le take it in hand. For alas, if nought be a wanting

Vnto the highest poynt of griefe, if nought's to be added

Vnto Amyntas woe, for what then stayeth Amyntas▪

O Daphne, Daphne, was Amyntas lately repelled

From death, sweete deaths dore by Daphnes meanes? Was Amyntas

Kept saulf for these ioyes? O, then, then I might in a good time

Haue dischargd myself of a huge and horrible Aetna:

But Daphne would not, but cursed Desteny would not,

Least that I might by death those plagues haue tymely preuented,

Which accursed Fates for Amyntas lately prepared.

But now, since my woes at last are come to a full groath,

Desteny and Daphne may well, well let mee be dying.

Daphne.

Yet differ thy death til certaine newes be receaued

Wheather Phillis lyue or dye; and then be resolued.

Amyntas.

Lyue or dye? whoe doubts? would God that were to be doubted.

Fuluia.

And would God my tongue had clou'n to my roofe, when I blabbed.

Amyntas.

Geaue mee the lawne, good Nymph, white lawne, which only remaineth

Of sweete-white Phillis, that I may in stead of a Phillis

Kisse my Phillis lawne, and soe my ioyes be prolonging,

[Page] Soe my shortned dayes with contentation ending.

Fuluia.

What? shal I giue or keepe? Lewd cause wherefore he desir's it

Wills me to keepe it still, least it bring fancy to fury.

Amyntas.

Nymph extreamely cruel, that thincks it much to be geuuing

One poore peece of lawne, eu'n at last gasp of Amyntas.

Well, then I yeeld to my death, and destiny noe-pity-taking:

Let lawne stay with you, and you stay here for Amyntas.

Daphne.

Harck, come back, here, take, ô stay, and run not Amyntas.

And yet Amyntas runs, enraged, desperat, headlong.

Fuluia.

Yea, and runs soe fast, that hee is not like to be outrun.

Therefore better I were to my iourneys end to be hasting:

And yet I greeue myself, Montanus minde to be greeuing,

Least these newes inflict as deadly a wound in a father,

As they gaue eu'n now to the feynting hart of a Louer.

4

The fourth Act, and first Scene.

Phillis, Daphne, Chorus.

BVt what a dart was that, which mightily flew fro the fingers

Of braue Lady Regent of these woods, Pembrokiana,

Vnto the forreine Beare, which came with greedy deuowring

Iawes to the harmeles game? Whose dying howre was a birth-day

Vnto her owne yong whelpes, whose groanes thus lastly resounded,

Deaths dart, (yet sweete dart, as throwne by Pembrokiana)

Make my wound more wyde, giue larger scope to my yong ones,

Geue them a free passage, herself hath geu'n them a pasport.

Daphne.

Phillis, for your sports I doe much ioy, but yet a thousand

Times more for yourself, sith you soe quickly reuiued

Lyue yet safe and sound: for Fuluia lately reported

Strange newes of your death: would God that Fuluia had beene

Dumme, or an other deafe: one mischif draws on an other.

Phillis.

And in truth iust cause had Fuluia for to beleeue soe,

Sith that I was not lyke from deaths dore soe to be scaping.

[Page]Daphne.

But yet noe iust cause had Fuluia for to report soe.

Now let's heare at large, thy dangers and thy delyu'ries.

Phillis.

Whyl'st I ran after a woolf, I was all inclosd on a soddayne

With darck dens and groues, and forc't that chase to be leauyng:

But when I sought to retyre and company lost to recouer,

There did I see this woolf (for I knew this Woolf by an arrow

Which myself did shoote, and gaue her a wound by the leaft care)

There did I see this Woolf and more Woolus greedyly praying

On some beasts carkas late slayne by them, but I could not

Well discerne what beast: this wounded Woolf in a fury

Coms with a gored mouth, (it seemes my face shee remembred)

And soe makes onward, whoe had beene worthyly welcomd,

Had not a tree by a chaunce my dart vnworthyly hindred.

My dart mislighting, fell Woolf more fiercely aproching

Drew soe neare, that I saw 'twas booteles now to be shooting,

And darts were all spent: Therfore at last I retyred

And fled back for feare, but wyl'd Woolf hastened onward:

Now marck what chaunced, my lawne hang'd downe to my shoulders

And stooke fast to a bush, and stayd my flight, but I plucked,

Yet bush held it fast; at last my lawne I relinquisht

For to reserue my life, and tore it away with a greate part

Of my scattered hayre▪ and feare soe forcibly vrged

Lightfooted Phillis, that a fearefull death shee auoyded.

As to my house full glad for ioy I repayred, I met thee

Daphne, there full sad by the way, and greately amased.

Daphne.

Phillis alas is aliue, but an other's gone to be dying.

Phillis.

And what mean's this, Alas? am I now soe lightly regarded,

That my life with, Alas, of Daphne must be remembred?

Daphne.

Phillis, I loue thy life, but I lyke not a death of an other.

Phillis.

Whose death? Daph. Death of Amyntas. Phil. Alas how dyed Amyntas?

Daphne.

How? that I can not tell; nor yet well whether it is soe:

But noe doubt, I beleeue; for it is most lyke that it is soe.

[Page]Phillis.

What strange news doe I heare? what causd that death of Amyntas?

Daphne.

Thy death. Phil. And I aliue? Daph. Thy death was lately reported,

And he beleeus thy death, and therfore seeketh his owne death.

Phillis.

Feare of Phillis death prou'd vayne, and feare of Amyntas

Death will prooue vayne too: life eache thing lyuely procureth.

Daphne.

O Phillis Phillis, thou knowst not what be the torments

Of truelouers hart, hart made of flesh as Amyntas,

Not flynte hart, as thyne; els wouldst thou loue that Amyntas,

Which lou'd Phillis more than life or sowle of Amyntas.

Phillis, I know, for I saw, then when thou fledst from Amyntas,

Fledst, when by reason thou shouldst haue kissed Amyntas:

Then did Amyntas tourne his poynted dart to his owne brest,

And thrust brest on dart: and vile dart pierst in a moment

Through his coate, skyn, flesh; and would haue speedily pierced

That same hart, which thou hadst more vnluckily pierced,

But that I grasped his arme, and stayd that desperat outrage.

And now that smalle wound perchaunce wil serue for a first proofe

Of cursed courage, and mynde vnkindely resolued,

And that dart make way, and passage shew to a damned

Knife, or a balefull swoord, with freer scope to be murdring.

Phillis.

Is this true? Daph. Noe doubt. Phil. But alas would noebody stay him?

O let's goe, let's run, let's seek and search for Amyntas.

Yf that Amyntas dy'de, when Phillis seem'd to be dying,

Then, sith Phillis lyues, let Amyntas truly be lyuing.

Daphne.

Yes yes, quyckly Iran; But whoe can deale with a madman?

Rage and griefe fro my sight conueyd him away in a moment.

Therfore now too late, it's too late now to be runnyng,

And thanck thy running that it is too late to be running.

Phillis.

O, this fretts my soule Daphne, this deadly remembrance

Of my scornefull pryde, that I then my Chastyty called,

And it Chastyty was, but Chastyty noe-pyty-taking,

Now I repent it alas, but now too late I repentyt.

[Page]Daphne.

Good God, what doe I heare? can Phillis now be repenting?

Can she relent or yeeld? What playnt, what passion is this?

Can proud Phillis loue? Phil. Noe loue, but yet pyty-taking.

Chorus.

When pyty runneth afore, loue always hasteneth after:

And now Phillis loues, since Phillis now pyty-taketh.

Daphne.

But too late, Phillis, too late. O wretched Amyntas,

Thou (eu'n lyke to a Bee, that stings, yet dyes as hee stingeth,

And his wounding life doth leaue in place that he woundeth)

Hast by thy death at last pierst Phillis through to the hart-roote,

Whereas in all thy life thou couldst not possibly moue her.

Now if Amyntas soule from flesh and blood be released,

And here wandreth abroade (as I thinck it for to be wandring)

Let that sowle now see, and ioy her paynes to bee seeing,

Sowle, that lyuing lou'd, and by death, bought, to be loued.

Chorus.

Pryce to the buyer deare, and shamefull price to the seller.

Phillis.

O that my loue might once purchase life for Amyntas,

O that Amyntas life with my life might be redeemed.

Daphne.

When steedes are stollen, then Phillis looks to the stable.

The second Scene.

Ergastus. Chorus. Phillis. Daphne.

MY hart with pyty melts, my sowl's soe drowned in anguish,

That noe sight, noe sound obiects itself to my sences,

But drawes teares fro my eyes, and horror brings to my hearing.

Chorus.

What's this new mans news, that makes hym looke thus amased?

Ergastus.

News of Amyntas death. Phil. This deaths-newes brings mee to deaths dore.

Ergastus.

Most noble Pastor, that these woods lately frequented,

Gentle, loued of all, to the Nymphs deare, deare to the Muses,

And but a stripling dy'de, and what death?

Chor.

O, let vs heare it,

O, let vs heare it alas, that wee may all be a mournyng

His mischaunce, our grief. Phil. O deare God, I dare not aproach hym,

Least that I heare these news, yet these news must I be hearing.

Hart of stone, hard hart, curst hart, what maks thee be fearing?

[Page] Goe and encounter these kniues, these darts that he bringeth

In sowle-wounding tongue, there shew thyself to be stony.

Pastor, I come for part of thease news rightly belonging

Vnto my damnable hart, and due, more due to my hearing

Than thou canst conceaue; then spare not freely to geue it.

Ergastus.

Phillis, I surely beleeue, that I heard this wretched Amyntas

With thy name his life and lamentation ending.

Daphne.

Il news differring, is a plague as great as an ill news.

Ergastus.

Late as I mended netts on a hill, foretroubled Amyntas,

Horribly vext and chaft, in face and action altred,

Past by my side in a rage: but I stept and hastened after,

And ouertook him; for I mus'd what might be the matter.

Good fryend Ergastus, qd hee then, now doe me a pleasure,

Come with Amyntas now, and marck what hee dooe's as a witnes,

Stand as a witnes by; but first sweare, soe to be standing,

And my deedes soe marckt, in noe respect to be hindring.

Here I alas poore foole (for whoe would euer imagin

Such a detestable act, as he purposd then to be woorking?)

Rapt out horrible oathes straight way, and sware by the mighty

Nightwandring Hecate, Pallas, Pomona, Priapus,

And Pan Pastors God, that I would performe what hee wild mee.

Then did he leade me along to a steepe and horrible hill topp,

All abrupt and rough, and made soe feareful a downefall,

That my lyms all quakt, when I lookt fro the hill to the valley.

Here did he pause for a while, and somewhat seem'd to be smyling,

Which rather made mee noe mischif for to bee deemyng.

Then, qd he, what thou see'st, that tell to the Nymphs, to the Pastors,

And at last, these woords with a downe cast looke he resounded,

If that I could aswell commaund those greedy deuouring

Throates and teeth of Woolues, as I can soone leap from a hilltopp;

As my life did dye, ô then soe would I be dying;

Then should these my lyms and cursed corps be dyuyded,

As those tender ioynts, ô grief, were all to be mangled.

But since frownyng skies wil'd beasts now will not aford mee,

(Which yet I know in tyme wil come this flesh to be tearing)

This must serue, short death, though sharper death I deserued.

Phillis, I come straight way, Ile com to thy company, Phillis,

[Page] If thou doest not yet disdayne my company, Phillis.

If that I were but sure, that death brought end to thy anger,

And that my commyng would giue noe cause to molest thee,

Then should life with ioy leaue wel contented Amyntas;

Phillis, I come, scorne not, scorne not my company, Phillis.

Thus sayd, lightly he leapt, and headlong fell to the valley;

My soule quakt for feare. Daph. O griefe. Phil. O woeful Amyntas.

Chorus.

And why staydst him not? wast feare, thy oath to be breaking?

Ergastus.

O noe, for when I saw his mynde thus bent to that outrage,

Oaths (in such case vaine) I began to be lightly regarding,

And cought hould (naught hould) cought hould by a paltery gyrdle;

Paltery gyrdle brake by the swing, and weight of Amyntas:

Part with Amyntas went, and th'other part I reteigned.

Chorus.

O but wher's that corps, and bruysed bones of Amyntas?

Ergastus.

God knows; for by the fall my senceles soule was amased,

Neyther durst I behould his corps vnluckily quashed.

Chorus.

O strange news indeede, breakneck, breakheart of Amyntas.

Phillis.

O pytyles Phillis, wel may thy hart bee a stony

Hart, if breakeneck news can not yet breake it a sunder.

Yf false tales of death, her death, whoe hated Amyntas,

Tooke his life yet away; good reason then that Amyntas▪

True death, too true death, whoe my hate louely requyted,

Should take life from mee; and soe it shall, with an endles

Griefe of troubled sowle, or a too too slowly reuenging

Stroake of a murdring hande, or this same peece of a gyrdle,

Peece of a gyrdle alas: that left his mayster Amyntas

For good cause, that soe proud Phillis might be rewarded,

And his maysters death with Phillis death be requyted.

Luckles gyrdle alas of too too luckles Amyntas,

Take noe scorne for a while in a bosome vile to be lodged,

Sith to requyte, to reueng thou mean'st therein to be lodged.

Phillis should haue beene true turtle-doue to Amyntas

In this lightsome world, but Phillis prowdly denyed;

Therfore by thy meanes Phillis shall meete with Amyntas

[Page] In those darcksome dens, as Phillis rightly deserued.

Chorus.

Poore distressed soule, forbeare thyself to be plaguing:

His fact, not thy fault, drew his confusion onward.

Phillis.

Pastors, why doe ye mourne? What meane these heauy bewaylings?

Yf you mourne Phillis; Phillis noe mercy deserueth,

Sith this merciles hart to Amyntas mercy denyed:

If you mourne his death, whoe had noe cause to be dying,

Noe such mournyng can suffice for murdred Amyntas.

Dry those teares, Daphne, and wipe thy watery fountayns,

And come, yet come not for mee, but come for Amyntas,

Help mee to seeke and fynde, t'entombe those bones of Amyntas;

For this I stay yet aliue: this funeral obsequy only

Phillis can performe for balefull loue of Amyntas.

And though murdring hand pollute soe sacred an office,

Yet sith Phillis her hand performs soe sacred an office,

This wil Amyntas take as a most acceptable office.

Daphne.

Phillis, I yeeld my help his scattred bones to be searching,

But soe that Phillis make noe more talk of a dying.

Phillis.

All this whyle to myself did I lyue; but now to Amyntas,

Or to Amyntas bones, crusht bones soe long wil I liue yet,

And lyue noe longer; my life, his funeral ending.

Pastors: But yet wher's that way which leads to the downefall?

Chorus.

There: and t'hill stands thence but a lytle more than a furlong,

Daphne.

Come, let's goe, and search: Ile guyde thee; the place I remember.

Phillis.

Pastors al farewel; farewell fayre Pembrokianaes

Yuy churches parck, and fountaynes watery, farewell.

Chorus.

This Nymph taks her leaue, as though these soe many farewells

Were her last farewell, which should cause deadly departure.

5

[Page]

The fifth Acte, and first Scene.

Elpinus. Chorus.

Lou's aeternall lawes are most vnworthily blamed,

Vpright laws in deede, in shew though somwhat vnaequall.

And greate Lord of loue his men with mercy protecteth,

And yet▪ with iustice, with due moderation ordreth.

O by what strange meanes and wondrous ways, fro the dungeon

Of despayre, to the bowre of blisse doth he bring in a moment

His louing subiects? loe, gentle-mynded Amyntas

Eu'n to the highest poynt of ioy hath clymbd by a downefall,

Vnto a loues Paradise, by a hell ful of infynit horror.

Blessed Amyntas now; soemuch more blessed Amyntas

Now, by how much then more wretch more cursed Amyntas.

Now may Elpinus conceaue some matter of hoping

By thine example, that he shall haue fortunat ending

Of these loueles toyles, and most vnluckly begynnyngs.

Chorus.

Sage Elpinus coms, and speaks strange words of Amyntas,

As, that hee were yet aliue; and thinks his state to be happy,

For that he dy'de for loue, and by death, bought to be loued.

Bitter bowre of blisse, where monstrous murder aboundeth,

Louing fooles Paradise, that leaues his life to be loued.

What meanes Elpinus soe woeful an end to be wishing?

Elpinus.

Fryends leaue of mournyng: you heard false news of Amyntas.

Chorus.

What, did hee not leap downe? Elp. Yes downe to his only desyred

Ioyes, and past by the shade of a feareful death, to a heauen,

And now leaneth his head on brest of sweete bony Phillis,

Sweete bony Phillis now, more louing now by a thousand

Parts, then loueles afore; and sucks those sweetly beseemyng

Teares from Phillis her eyes, with a mouth with Nectar abounding.

And now nothing els is wanting vnto the full ioy

Of thease louing sowls, but that Montanus is absent;

And Montanus I seake, whose woord maks absolut ending.

Chorus.

Theyre yeares are aequall, and theyre affection aequall,

[Page] And both learned alyke: ô, now Montanus is happy

Happy to haue this stay and comfort vnto his ould age.

But shew yet, what luck, what God soe saued Amyntas.

Elpinus.

Heare, ô heare then that, whereof these eyes the beholders

Were, and whereof now this tong may well be reporter.

By my caue did I syt with Thyrsis down by the downe-fall,

Talking of my loue, loueles yet louely Lycoris:

When from an high wee saw some man fall downe on a soddayn.

There was a heape of thorns and bows compact on a cluster

Somewhat aboue our heads; 'twas his hap there first to be lighting:

Which although by the swing and weight it bursted a sunder,

And all came tumbling, and fell downe flatly before vs,

Yet by this encounter that fall prou'd not to be mortall,

Though sore and painefull, making him lye as amased

One whole howre and more, as vnable his eyes to be op'nyng.

Wee twooe, astonyed to behold soe feareful an obiect,

Stood starck dumme for a while, although wee knew t'was Amyntas;

But perceauing that this fall seem'd not to be mortall,

Our whole endeuours w'apply'de, his woe to be swaging,

And sent one forth-with, for cunnyng Alphesiboeus,

Alphesiboeus whom that greate God learned Apollo

Made to be skilful in hearbs, when he gaue mee the guyft to be singing.

But now in meane tyme, when Thyrsis gan to rehearse mee

All those secrete woes and forepast pangs of Amyntas,

Daphne and Phillis did meete vs there on a soddayne,

Daphne and Phillis, whoe sought bruysd bones of Amyntas

Whom they thought to be dead, as then was told mee by Daphne.

But when Phillis saw her longlookt louer Amyntas,

Discolored, bruysed, sorewounded then with a raging

Voyce, and beaten breast on Amyntas flatly she falleth,

Face to Amyntas face, and mouth to the mouth of Amyntas:

Chorus.

Was not Phillis abasht, vnseemely to ly on Amyntas?

Elpinus.

Shame to a feynthart loue doth sometimes serue for a brydle;

But true loue indeede contemns soe basheful a brydle.

Afterward with teares his bloodles cheeks she bewashed,

And those teares soe wrought that Amyntas quyckly reuyued,

Op'ned his eyes, and breathd; which breath soe luckily vttred

[Page] Encountring Phillis sweete breath was louely receaued.

With what an endles ioy these twooe lay sweetly togeather,

Eyther in others arms, and eyther sure of an others

Life and loue, louers may thinck, none els can imagin.

Chorus.

Is then Amyntas saulfe, that he needs not feare any danger?

Elpinus.

Saulfe and sound, but that those thornes haue partly defaced

His fayre cheekes, and sydes did somwhat chaunce to be bruysed:

But that's iust nothing, and woorks noe woe to Amyntas,

(Happy Amyntas now, that shew'd such signe of a louing

Hart, and soe at last obteynd to be lou'd of a louing

Soule, his passed paines, make present ioyes to be greater)

As yourselues shall see: for Phillis coms with Amyntas

Hytherward hard by: myself must first to the lodging

Of rich Montanus, perswading hym to be yeelding

Vnto the purposd match; and thyther they be apoynted

Shortly to com, this way: and now its tyme to be walking.

The second Scene.

Amyntas, Phillis.

DEare life, when shal I once haue full possession of you?

Phillis.

When tyme com's, Ile tell: fruyte too-soone pluckt, is a sowre-fruyte.

Amyntas.

If too-late, rotten.

Phill.

Then pluck when tyme is apoynted.

Amyntas.

Oyet, come sweete light of these myne eyes to the harbor,

And ten-thousand woes with a good-turne once be requyting.

Phillis.

What good-turne would you?

Amyn.

That which cost you not a dodkin,

And yet would content my minde much more than a treasure.

Phillis.

What's that? I vnderstand not yet what may be the meanyng.

Amyntas.

Harck in your eare then.

Phil.

Fy, noe: is that but a tryfle?

Amyntas.

Yet let's sleepe for a while; for your sake long was I watching.

[Page]Phillis.

Content. Amynt. O sweete Nymphe.

Phil.

But stay, and stir not a finger:

As you sleepe, Ile tell, what flowrs I doo keepe for a brydes-wayne.

Amyntas.

How can I heare in sleepe? Phil. What pleasure then can Amyntas

Take, when he sleepes by my side, if he feele noething when he sleepeth?

And yet I can not sleepe, for ioy, that I found my Amyntas.

Amyntas.

Then let's kisse: kist mouth is nothing woorse for a kissing:

Soe Bee sucks sweete flowrs, flowrs noething woorse for a sucking;

And you kisse roses, then thinck my lips to be roses.

Phillis.

Well: but these roses soe kist, ask not to be kissed:

Then let Amyntas stay, till Phillis meane to be kissing.

Amyntas.

Yf nought els, yet geue mee leaue those eyes to be kissing,

Those faire eyes, and soe shal I seeme fayre sowle to be kissing.

Phillis.

You would kisse myne eyes: which euer afore, with a thousand

Sighs and sobs you curst, for throwing darts at Amyntas.

Amyntas.

Now I desyre your eyes of purpose for to be kissing,

Thereby soe to declare by this soe louely a token,

That your murdring eyes, my cursing lips be for euer

Now made faithfull fryends, and all contention ended.

And, if Phillis thinck herself not fully reuenged,

Then let her owne teethe byte these lying lipps of Amyntas.

Phillis.

If that Amyntas cease myne eyes any more to be cursing,

Why should Phillis then for spyte his lips be a byting?

Amyntas.

If noe kynde of kisse from Phillis may be procured,

Yet let an embracement to Amyntas his arms be aforded.

Phillis.

With good will.

Amynt.

Most good; what better will to Amyntas?

Phillis.

But yet stay: Phillis must first get a boone of Amyntas.

Amyntas.

O what guyft shal I graunt? what boone seeks my bony Phillis?

Phillis.

Fowre or fiue apples fro the tree that growes by the hil-topp.

[Page]Amyntas.

How can I come to the tree for bry'rs and soe-many bushes?

Phillis.

Ile bring you soe neare, as you may easily tutch it.

Amyntas.

If that I may clasp it, then doubt not, Phillis, Amyntas

Will clymbe vp to the tree, or shake downe foemany apples.

Phillis.

Ist true? clypt Phillis must then looke soe to be serued.

Amyntas.

My life, geue me the leaue, this faire red rose to be putting

In this bosome, where my hart hath made his abyding,

Phillis.

O soe might you prick your hart with thorns of a red rose,

Or take it fro my brest perchaunce, and geue it an other.

Amyntas.

Graunt me this one grace yet: this fauour dooe me for all this,

Geue me thy snowe-white hand, to be clypt and kist of Amyntas.

Phillis.

Soe by the hard-gryping, hoate-kissing Louer Amyntas,

Phillis snowe-white hand may melt, or chaunce to be bruysed.

Amyntas.

What kinde of loue's this, that Phillis bear's to Amyntas.

Phillis.

Discreate and sober. Amynt. Well, then this shalbe my sober,

And yet louely request; Sit downe, that I may be beholding

That faire Phillis face, and heare her sweetly resounding,

Phillis.

Phillis must needs yeeld, when Amyntas duly demaundeth.

Amyntas.

They sing these Asclepiades.

Sweete face, why be the heu'ns soe to the bountifull,

Making that radiant bewty of all the starrs

Bright-burning, to be fayre Phillis her ornament?

And yet seeme to be soe spytefuly partial,

As not for to aford Argus his eyes to mee,

Eyes too feawe to behould Phillis her ornament?

Phillis.

First and lastly belou'd, only my only ioy,

Why hath not thy belou'd soemany lou'ly harts

As those Partriches haue of Paphlagonia?

One brest is not enough for to reteigne my ioy,

More harts would that I had for to receaue my loue,

As those Partriches haue of Paphlagonia.

Amyntas.

Let come fayre Helene, Troys tribulation,

Or braue Endymions sweete speculation,

Or Nymph Idalian friendly to passion;

[Page] None but Phillis alone holdeth Amyntas hands:

None but Phillis alone pleaseth Amyntas eyes:

None but Phillis alone woundeth Amyntas hart.

Phillis.

Let come that prety Boy, fonde of his owne image,

Or goddesse Mynion kylde by an ougly Boare,

Or youthfull Ganymede rapt by the Thunderer:

Phillis stretcheth alone hands to Amyntas hands▪

Phillis turneth alone eyes to Amyntas eyes,

Phillis ioyneth alone hart to Amyntas hart.

O, this Amyntas name enchaunts my soule, that I can not

Leaue this Amyntas name: my tonge stil runs on Amyntas,

And my harte, and mynde, and soule stil thincks on Amyntas:

And yet, Amyntas, I know, its more than tyme to be going:

Elpinus longe since hath made all known to my father,

And my father, I know, his new son longs to be knowing.

Amyntas.

Let mee help you vp: your hand is in hand of Amyntas

Now at last surprysde: yet I ask but a kisse for a ransome.

Chorus.

YF that such sowre sawce for sweetest meates be reserued;

Yf that Amyntas must serue, loue, weepe, dy for a Phillis,

Yf those great pleasures with greate payns must be procured,

Then, good loue, geaue those greate matters vnto the greate-men.

Let my Loue soone loue; let a sawdrey lace, or a thymble,

Or yong nightingale suffice my fancy to further:

Let not such torments and martyrdoms be requyred

My poore simple ioyes, and pleasures lowely to season:

But sweete-bitter woords, but kinde and louely repulses,

And such falling out, as may be a speedy renuing

And fresh increasing of loue: let such be the louing

Warres, and warres, as peace and truce may end in a moment.

FINIS.

Phillis Funerall. The second part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch.

[Page]

The first day.

NOw bonylasse Phillis was newly betroathd to Amyntas

By rich Montanus consent; whoe yet, for a long tyme

Wedding day differd, til his owne byrth day was aproaching:

That twooe solempne feasts ioynd fryendly togeather in one day

Might with more meryment, and more concurse be adorned.

Soe men on earth purpose, but Gods dispose in Olympus:

For, when as each thing was by the Father duly prepared,

And byrthwedding day now nere and nearer aproached,

Wedding by brydes death was most vntymely preuented,

And fathers byrth-day, deaths-day to the daughter apoynted;

Deaths-day lamented many dayes by the woeful Amyntas,

Deaths-day which hastned deaths-day to the mourneful Amyntas.

Whose mournyng all night all day, did weary the Mountaynes,

Weary the woods, and winds, and caues, and weary the fountayns.

But when he saw in vayne his cheeks with teares to be watred,

Cheeks all pale and wan, yet could not fynde any comfort;

Comfortles then hee turns at length his watery countnance

Vnto the water streames; and there his playnts he begynneth:

Heare, ô Brooke, these playnts, heare, ô sweete brooke, my bewaylings,

And conuey them downe to thy kinsmans watery kingdome,

[Page] Downe to the world-washing main-sea with speedy reflowing:

World-washing mayne-sea will then conuey to the worlds-end

This greeuous mournyng by the shore, by the sands, by the desert,

Desert, sands, and shore fit witneses vnto my mournyng.

And greate God Neptune perchaunce his mightyly-thundring

Triton will commaund to recount what I feele, what I suffer,

Raging heate of loue passing outragius Aetna.

Soe th'infamous fame of wretched louer Amyntas,

Blowne from th'east to the west by the sounding tromp of a Triton,

Through deepe seas passing, at length may pierce to Auernus

And fyelds Elysian, where blessed sowles be abyding;

And there meete Phillis, sweete sowle of Phillis among them,

Sweete sowle of Phillis, stil stil to be mournd of Amyntas.

O what a life did I leade, what a blessed lyfe did I leade then,

Happy Shepheard with a louing lasse, while desteny suffred?

Vnder a Beech many tymes wee sate most sweetly togeather,

Vnder a broade Beech-tree, that sunbeames might not anoy vs,

Eyther in others arms, stil looking eyther on other,

Both many tymes singing, and verses both many making,

And both soe-many woords with kisses soe-many myngling:

Sometymes her whyte neck, as white as mylk, was I tutching,

Sometymes her prety papps and brests was I bould to be fingring,

Whilst Phillis smyling and blushing hangd by my bosome,

And these cheeks of myne did stroake with her yuory fingers.

O ioyfull spring-tyme with pleasures wished abounding,

O those blessed days, whilst good luck shinde fro the Heauens.

But since Phillis, alas, did leaue most cursed Amyntas,

Paines haue plagued, alas, both flesh and bones of Amyntas,

Noe day riseth, alas, but it hears these groanes of Amyntas,

Noe night commeth, alas, that brings any rest to Amyntas,

Night and day thus, alas, stil Phillis troubleth Amyntas:

Now if northern blasts should sound theyr feareful alarum,

And boistrous tempests come thundring downe fro the Heauens,

Soe that I were compeld with Sheepe and Kidds fro the pastures

Down to the broade-brauncht trees & thick-sett groaues to be skudding,

There to remayne for a whyle, and all for feare of a scowring,

Phillis then doe I want, then my sweete Phillis is absent,

Phillis then doe I want, whose woont was then to be harcknyng

All that I could of loue, or goddesse louely remember:

Songs or lusty Satyrs, and Fauni fryends to the Mountayns,

[Page] And cherefull Charites; such songs, as none but I only,

Only Amyntas made, for none compar'd with Amyntas.

But now Phillis I want; and whoe shall now be my Phillis?

Whoe shall marck what I sing, what I say, forsaken Amyntas?

Yf that I prayse Phillis, these hills giue prayse to my Phillis,

And Phillis, Phillis from rocks with an Eccho reboundeth.

Yf that I groane, these trees with bending, yeeld many groanyngs,

And very ground for griefe shews her complexion altred:

Soe this ground, these trees, these rocks, and Eccho resounding,

All that I heare, that I see, geu's fresh increase to my sorrow.

Let those happy Shepherds keepe company fryendly togeather,

And I alone, yeelding due mournyng vnto my Phillis,

Ile now wander alone, stil alone by the rocks, by the Mountayns,

Dwelling in darck dens, by the wylde beasts only frequented,

Where noe path for man, where noe man's seene to be passing:

Or to the woods ile goe soe darck with broad-shadoe braunches,

That noe sunne by the day, noe moone by the night doe behould mee▪

And that I heare noe voyce but Goblyns horrible outcries,

Owles balefull skrikings, and Crowes vnlucky resoundings.

There shal these myne eyes be resolud in watery fountayns,

There shall these fountayns flow ouer a long by the pastures.

There wil I make such playnts, as beasts shall mourne by my playnyngs,

Such playnts, as strong trees shall rent and ryue fro the rooting,

Make wylde Panthers tame, and mollyfy lastly the flynt stone.

And, if I needs must sleepe, ile take but a napp by my sleeping,

On bare and could ground these lyms all weary reposing:

Noe greene turfe to my head shall stand in steede of a pillow,

Noe bows or braunches geeue cou'ring vnto my carkas,

That some fowle serpent may speedyly geue my deaths-wound,

That this poore sowle may from flesh and blood be released,

And passing Stygian waters, may come to the fayre fyelds

Elysian fayre fyelds, and dayly resort to my Phillis.

Meane while, fryendly Shepherds & plow-men, marck what I tel you;

Disdaigne daynty Venus, geue noe ground vnto the yong Boy,

Yong Boy, but strong Boy, take heede, take heede by Amyntas,

Th'one with a fyre hath burnt, and th'other pierst with an arrow

Flesh and blood and bones, what's worse than a fyre, than an arrow?

O bitter fortune of too too wretched Amyntas.

[Page]

The second day.

AS soone as mornyng her shynyng rayes fro the Mountaynes

Had shewne foorth, and driu'n all starr-light quyte fro the heauens,

Then that vnhappy shepherd still plagu'd with vnhappyly louing,

Left those barren bancks, and waters noe pyty-taking:

And on a crookt sheephooke his lyms all weary reposing,

Clymed aloft to the hills, but, alas, very fayntyly clymed,

Kydds, and Goates, and Sheepe, dryuing, good man, to the Mountayns,

For Sheepe, Goats, and kyds, with pastures better abounding,

Then by the way thus he spake, to the Sheepe, to the Goats, to the yong Kydds.

O poore flock, it seems you feele these pangs of a Louer,

And mourne thus, to behould your mournefull mayster Amyntas.

Your woont was, some part to be bleating, some to be skipping,

Some with bended browes, and horned pates to be butting,

Sheepe to be gnapping grasse, and Goates to the vines to be clymyng,

But now noe such thing, but now noe lust to be liuely,

Sheepe and sylly Shepherd with luckles loue be besotted:

You for Amyntas mourne, for Phillis mourneth Amyntas;

O with what miseries poore mortall men be molested?

Now doe I know right wel what maks you thus to be mournyng,

Thus to be tyred, thus to be quayled, thus to be drooping;

Phillis, whyle she remaynd, mylkt my Goats euer at eunyng,

Goats that brought home duggs stretcht with mylk euer at eunyng.

Phillis brought them flowrs, and them brought vnto the wels-prings,

When dogg-dayes raigned, when fyelds were all to be scortched,

Whilst that I lay sleeping in cooling shade to refresh mee.

Phillis againe was woont with Amyntas Sheepe to be washing,

Phillis againe was woont my sheepe thus washt to be shearing,

And to the sweete pastures my Sheepe thus shorne to be dryuyng,

Then from Fox and Woolf my Sheepe thus driu'n to be keeping,

And in fyelds and coates my flock thus kept, to be closing;

Least by the Northerne wynds my Sheepe might chaunce to be pinched,

Least by the frost or snow my Kyds might chaunce to be greeued:

Phillis lou'd you soe, soe Phillis loued Amyntas,

Phillis a guyde of yours, and Phillis a fryend of Amyntas.

But sweete Sheepe, sweete Goats, spare not to be lyuely, for all this,

[Page] Looke not vpon my weeping face soe sadly, for all this,

Harcken not to my plaints and songs all heauy, for all this.

Harcken not to my pype, my pipe vnlucky, for all this,

But sweete sheepe, sweete goats, leaue of your mayster Amyntas,

Leape and skyp by the flowring fields, and leaue of Amyntas,

Clymbe to the vynes, and tender trees, and leaue of Amyntas;

Clymbe to the vines, but run for life for feare of a mischif,

When th'ould Silenus with his asse com's laesyly trotting.

Let mee alone, mee alone lament and mourne my beloued,

Let me alone celebrate her death by my tears by my mourning:

Lyke to the siluer Swan, whoe seeing death to be comming,

Wandreth alone for a whyle through streames of louely Caister;

Then to the flowring bancks all feynt at length he repayreth,

Singing there, sweete byrd, his dying song to Caister,

Geuing there, sweete byrd, his last farewell to Caister,

Yeelding vp, sweete byrd, his breath and song to Caister.

How can Amyntas lyue, when Phillis leaueth Amyntas?

What for fyelds, for woods, for meddows careth Amyntas,

Meddows, woods, and fyelds, if my sweete Phillis abandon?

Mighty Pales fro the fyelds, fro the meddows learned Apollo,

Faunus went fro the woods, when Phillis went from Amyntas;

Noe good sight to my eyes, noe good sound came to my hearing.

But let Phillis againe come back, and stay with Amyntas,

Then shal woods with leaues, and fields with flowrs be abounding,

Meddows with greene grasse to the poore mans dayly reioycing,

Mighty Pales to the fields, to the meddows learned Apollo,

Faunus coms to the woods, if Phillis come to Amyntas;

Noe bad sight to my eyes, noe bad sound coms to my hearing.

Come then, good Phillis, come back, if Desteny suffer,

Leaue those blessed bowres of sowls already departed;

Let those sparckling eyes most like to the fire to the christall,

Ouercome those haggs and fiends of feareful Auernus,

Which haue ouercome those starrs of cheareful Olympus.

And by thy speech more sweete than songs of Thracian Orpheus,

Pacify th'infernall Furies, please Pluto the grim God,

Stay that bawling curr, that three-throate horrible Hellhound.

Sweete hart, come to thy friend, to thy friend come speedily sweetehart,

Speedily come, least griefe consume forsaken Amyntas.

Phillis I pray the returne, if prayers may be regarded,

By these teares of myne from cheeks ay rueful abounding,

[Page] By those arms of thine which sometime clasped Amyntas,

By lipps thyne and myne ioyned most sweetly together,

By faith, hands, and hart with true syncerity pledged,

By songs, by wedding with great solempnity vowed,

By iests, and good-turns, by pleasures all I beseech thee,

Help and succor alas thy forlorne louer Amyntas.

Or, by thy teares intreate those Nymphs of desteny fatall,

Noe-pity-taking Nymphs intreate that I lyne not alone thus,

Pyn'de thus away with griefe, suffring vnspeakable anguish:

But let death, let death come speedily giue me my pasport,

Soe shal I finde faire fyelds, faire seates, faire groues by my dying▪

And in fields, in seats, in groues faire Phillis abyding.

There shal Phillis againe in curtesie striue with Amyntas,

There with Phillis againe in curtesie striue shal Amyntas,

There shal Phillis againe make garlands gay for Amyntas,

There for Phillis againe gay garlands make shal Amyntas,

There shal Phillis againe be repeating songs with Amyntas,

Which songs Phillis afore had made and song with Amyntas,

But what alas did I meane to the whistling windes to be mourning▪

As though mourning could restore what Desteny taketh?

Then to his house; full sad, when night approacht, he returned.

The third day.

ANd now since buriall of Phillis louely the third day

At length appeared, when poore distressed Amyntas

Loost his Kidds fro the fould, and sheepe let forth fro the sheeepecoate,

And to the neighbour hills full set with trees he resorted:

Where, as amidst his flock, his Lasse thus lost, he bewayleth,

And maks fond wishes with deepe sighes interrupted,

And he relenting ayre with his outcries all to be beateth;

Eccho could not now to the last woord yeeld any Eccho

All opprest with loue, for her ould loue stil she remembred,

And she remembred, stil, that sweete Narcissus her ould loue,

With teares all blubbred, with an inward horror amazed.

When she begins to resound her sobbs stil stay the resounding,

When she begins her speech, her griefe stil stoppeth her halfe-speech,

[Page] With which her woont was with louers sweetly to dally.

During these her dumps, thus againe complaineth Amyntas,

During his complaynts she with all compassion harkneth.

O what a warre is this, with loue thus stil to be striuing?

O what a wyld-fyre's this conueyd to my hart by the blynd-boy?

That neither long tyme can bring any end to my striuing,

Nor teares extinguish this wylde-fyre throwne by the blynde boy?

Then then, alas, was I lost, ô then then, alas, was I vndoone,

When the coral-colored lips were by me greedily viewed,

And eyes like bright starrs, and fayre browes dayntily smyling,

And cherefull forehead with gold-wyre all to be decked,

And cheeks all white-red, with snow and purple adorned,

And pure flesh swelling with quick veynes speedily mouing,

And such fine fingers, as were most lyke to the fingers

Of Tithonus wife platting th'ould beard of her husband.

What shal I say to the rest? each part vnited in order,

Each part vnspotted, with long roabs couered each part.

What shal I say to the rest? many kisses ioynd to the sweete woords,

And many woords of weight in like sort ioynd to the kisses,

Vnder a greene lawrell sitting, and vnder a myrtle,

Myrtle due to Venus, greene lawrell due to Apollo.

That lytle earthen pott these ioys hath now fro me snatched,

That lytle earthen pot where Phillis bones be reserued:

O thrice happy the pot, where Phillis bones be reserued,

And thrice happy the ground, where this pot shalbe reserued.

Earth and earthen pot, you haue the belou'd of Amyntas,

Natur's sweete dearling, and only delyte to the Countrey,

And sunne of this soyle, of these woods only Diana.

O thryce happy the earth, but much more happy the earth-pot.

O thrice happy the grasse, that grows on graue of a Goddesse,

And shooting vpwards displays his top to the heauens.

Sweete blasts of Zephyrus shal make this grasse to be seemly,

Noe sythe shal tutch it noe serpent craftily lurking

With venymous breathing, or poyson deadly shal hurt it;

Noe Lyonesse fowle pawes, Beares foote, beasts horne shal abuse it,

Noe byrds with pecking, noe vermyn filthy by creeping,

Noe winters hoare frost, no night-deaws dangerus humor,

Noe rage of Suns-heate, noe stars, or power of heauens.

Noe boistrous tempest, noe lightnings horrible outrage;

Dryue hence, good plow-men, driue hence your wearied oxen,

[Page] And you friendly shepherds, keep back your sheep fro the graues grass,

Least your sheepe vnwares may chaunce by my Loue to be harmed,

Least by the bulls rude rage her bones may chaunce to be bruysed,

Whilst with foote and horne hee the graues-ground teareth asunder.

Make haste you yongmen, make haste all you prety damsells,

With sacred water this sacred place to besprynkle,

Burne piles of beech-trees, and then caste on the Sabaean

Spyce to the pyles burning, send sweete perfumes to the heauens,

Cynnamon, and Casia, Violets, and loued Amomum;

Red-colored Roses, with Beare-breech cast ye togeather.

And then on euery side set tapers sacred in order,

And beate your bare brests with fysts all weary with anguish,

And sing sweete epitaphs, lifting your voyce to the heauens,

Sing sowre-sweete epitaphs in death and praise of a Goddesse.

Wanton fleshly Satyrs, and Fauni friends to the mountains,

Nymphs addict to the trees, and in most gracius order

Three Graces ioyning, shall beare you company mourning.

And I myself will dresse, embalme, and chest my beloued,

And, folowing her coarse, all pale, and wan as a dead man,

Weary the woods with plaints, and make new streames by my weeping

Such streames as no banck shall barr, streames euer abounding,

Such streames as noe drought shall drye, streames neuer abating.

With mee Parnassus, with mee shall mourne my Apollo,

And Venus, all chafed, that Desteny tooke my beloued.

And that same vile boy, which first did ioyne me to Phillis,

His lamp shall lay downe, and paynted quyuer abandon,

And with his owne prety teares trickling, and sweetly beseeming,

Help me to mourne, although that he gaue first cause to my mourning.

But, what alas doe I meane to repeate these funeral outcries,

Stil to repeate these plaints, and stil too late to repeate them?

Thrice hath Phoebus now displayd his beames fro the mountains,

Thrice hath Phoebus now descended downe to the mayn-sea,

Since my belou'd was dead, since our good company parted,

Since Phillis buryed, since all solempnities ended,

Since my delytes, poore wretch, were all inclosd in a coffyn.

Yet doe I mourne here stil, though noegood come by my mournyng,

Adding teares to my teares, and sorrows vnto my sorrows,

And noe stay to my teares, and noe rest coms to my sorrows.

O strong boy, strong bow, and ô most dangerus arrow.

[Page] Now doe I fynde it a payne, which first did seeme but a pleasure,

Now doe I feele it a wound, which first did seeme but a smarting,

When strong boy, strong bow shot first that dangerus arrow.

Thus did Amyntas mourne, and then came home by the Sun-set,

¹

The fourth day.

THrice had shining Sunne withdrawne his face fro the heauens,

And earth all darckned since Phillis friendly departed;

And, when fourth day came, then againe true-louer Amyntas

Myndeful of ould loue stil, tooke noe ioy flock to be feeding,

But stil alone wandring through fyelds, to the bancks, to the waters,

Leaned his head on Bank, and eyes cast downe to the waters,

With teares incessant his cheeks full watery washing.

What now resteth▪ alas, to be doone of woeful Amyntas?

Noe sence, noe knowledge in these vnsensible ashes,

In graue noe feeling, in death ther's noe-pity-taking.

[Page] Phillis maks but a iest, dead Phillis mocketh Amyntas,

Phillis breaks her faith, and plays with Pluto the black-Prince,

Pluto the black-Prince now enioys those ioys of Amyntas.

Speake on, good sweete Nymphs, if you can shew any tydings,

Whether among those trulls that wayte on Queene of Auernus,

My Queene and Empresse, my Phillis chaunce to be spinning?

Speake, for I feare, for I feare, shee'le neuer come to Amyntas.

Father Syluanus, Syluanus good to the mountains,

And flocks on mountains, ô help most helples Amyntas,

Help by thyself by thy friends thou God, cause Gods to be helping:

For my relligion, for my deuotion help mee,

Either let Phillis be returned back to Amyntas,

Or let Amyntas dy, that death may succor Amyntas.

And thou naughty Cupide, yet say on, geue mee thy counsail,

What shal I dooe? shal I dy? shal Amyntas murder Amyntas?

Dy then Amyntas: death will bring Phillis to Amyntas.

O hard-harted Loue, thou see'st what I beare, what I suffer,

Hart with flames, and eyes with mourneful water abounding,

Head with cares possest, and foule ful of horrible anguish:

This thou see'st, and sure I doe know, it greeues thee to see this,

Though they call thee tyrant, though soe thou iustly be called,

Though thy nature passe Busiris beastly behauyour:

For, what makes me to mourne, may cause thee to yeeld to my mourning:

One rude rock, one winde, and one tempestuus outrage

Batters, breaks, and beats my ship, thy ship to the quicksands;

Our harmes are aequall, thy shipwrack's like to my shipwrack;

Loue did loue Phillis, Phillis was lou'd of Amyntas,

Phillis Loues dearling, Phillis dearling of Amyntas;

Deearling, crowne, garland, hope, ioy, health, wealth of Amyntas,

And what more shal I say? for I want woords fit for Amyntas.

And thou churlish ground, now cease any more to be fruitefull,

Cease to be deckt with flowrs and all in greene to be mantled:

Thy flowre is wyth'red, my garland lately decayed,

Phillis thyne and myne with death vntymely departed.

Whose sweete corps thou bar'st, whose footesteps in thee be printed,

And whose face thou didst admyre for bewry renowmed.

Belch out roaring blasts with gaping iawes to the heauens,

That those roaring blasts may scowre by the skies, by the heauens,

And foule strugling stormes cast downe fro the clowds, fro the heauens,

For such fowle weather will best agree with a mourner.

[Page] Howle and mourne thou earth, and roare with an horrible outcry,

Howle as then thou didst, when mountains were to the mountains

Put, by thy cursed broode, to be clyming vp to Olympus,

When great flakes of fire came flashing downe fro the heauens,

When thy crawling sons came tumbling downe from Olympus.

Howle as Lady Ceres did then when Prince of Auernus

Stole her daughter away from fields that ioyned on Aetna,

Vnto the dungeons darck, and dens of his hellish abyding.

Thou ground, forgetfull what was by duty requyred,

Shouldst send vnbidden, with Phillis, teares to Auernus.

Her blessed burden thou wast vnworthy to beare vp,

Therefore tender gyrle in flowring age she departed.

O frowning fortune, ô starrs vnluckily shyning,

O cursed byrth-day of quyte forsaken Amyntas,

Phillis, alas, is chaungd, Phillis conuerted in ashes,

Whose prety lipps, neck, eyes, and haire soe sweetely beseeming,

Purple, snow, and fyre, and gold-wyre seem'd to resemble.

Tithonus faire wife coms always home by the Sun-set,

Euery night coms home to that ould Tithonus her husband,

Sweete Cephalus leauing, and gray-beard hartily kissing:

But my Phillis, alas, is gone, is gone to Auernus,

Gone too-far to returne, and this tormenteth Amyntas.

White is black, and sweete is sowre to the sense of Amyntas,

Night and day doe I weepe and make ground moyst by my weeping,

Mourne, lament, and howle, and powre forth plaints to the heauens:

Soe doe the Nightingales in bushes thorny remaining,

Sing many dolefull notes and tunes, sweete harmony making,

Theyr yong ones mourning, their yong ones dayly bewayling.

Phillis, alas, is gone, shee'le neuer come to Amyntas,

Neuer againe come back, for Death and Desteny stay her,

Stay her among those groues and darcksome dens of Auernus,

Where's noe path to returne, noe starting hole to be scaping;

Desteny, Death, and Hell, and Cerberus horrible Hel-hound,

Loathsome streames of Styx, that nyne times compas Auernus,

Stay her amongst those Haggs in dungeons ougly for euer:

Only the name and fame, and her most happy remembraunce

Stil shal abyde, shal lyue, shall floorish freely for euer.

Thus did Amyntas plaine, and then came faintily homeward.

[Page]

The fifth day.

SInce Phillis buriall with due celebration ended,

Phoebus againe aduanc't his blazing face fro the maine-sea,

And with morning starre dispelling night fro the heauens,

Quickly the fifth tyme brought broade day-light vnto Amyntas:

But yet Phillis in hart, in mynde, and fowle of Amyntas

Stil did abyde, and stil was Phillis mournd of Amyntas.

Noe care of dryuing his kydds and goats to the mountains,

Noe care of folowing his sheepe and lambs to the pastures,

But daye-light loathing, and dayes woork wonted abhorring,

Straight to the woods doth hee walk, in noe mans company walking,

Where he the weeping flowre making all weary by weeping,

Vntuned speeches caste out, and desperat outcryes.

Where with sighes, to the windes, with teares, increase to the waters

Stil did he geue, and stil vaine loue most vainly bewayled.

As louing Turtle seeing his lately beloued

Turtle-doue throwne downe from a tree with a stone or an arrow,

Can not abyde Sun-beames, but flies fro the fields, fro the meddows,

Vnto the darkest woods, and there, his desolat harbor

Maks in a Cypresse tree, with lyghtning all to be scorched,

Or with Winters rage and black storms fowly defaced:

Where, on a rotten bowe his lyms all heauy reposing,

Stil doth he grone for griefe, stil mourne for his onely beloued:

Then consum'd with greeuous pangs, and weary with anguish,

Downe to the ground doth he fall with feynting wings fro the bare bow,

Beating dust with wings, and feathers fowly beraying,

Beating brest with beck, till blood come freshly abounding:

Soe did Amyntas mourne, such true-loue made him a mourner.

O what a vile boy's this, what a greeuous wound, what a weapon?

O what a dart is this that sticks soe fast to my hart roote,

Lyke as a roote to the trunck, or lyke as a vyne to the elme tree?

O pityles loues-god, poore Louers how be we plagued?

O strong dart of Loue, which each thing speedily pearceth.

This dart God Saturne, God Mars, and great God of all Gods

[Page] Ioue hymselfe did wound vnles that fame doe bely them:

Although God Saturne were ould, and lyke to a crusht crabbe,

Although Mars were arm'd with try'de Vulcanian armor,

Although Ioue with fyre and thunder maketh a rumbling.

Yea thine owne mother, thine owne inuincible arrow

Hurt, and prickt those papps which thou wast wont to be sucking,

Neyther spar'st thou him that raigns in watery kingdome,

Neyther spar'st thou him that rules in feareful Auernus:

Pluto knows what it is, with a paltery Boy to be troubled,

Neptune knows what it is, by a blynde boys check to be mated:

Then since heauens, seas, and hells are naught by thee spared,

Earth and earth-dwelling louers must looke to be pinched.

O what gaping earth will Amyntas greedyly swallow?

O what gulf of seaes and deepes wil quyckly deuoure him,

And bring him lyuing to the dead-mens sowls in Auernus?

God of skies (for loue hath pierst oft vp to the heauens)

If pyty moue your harts, if you from stately Olympus

Can vouchsauf to behold these inward wounds of Amyntas,

Free this troubled sowle from cares and infynit anguish,

End these endles toyles, bring ease by my death to my deaths-wound.

O that I had then dyde, when Phillis lyu'd with Amyntas,

In fyelds, when Phillis sang songs of loue with Amyntas,

In fyelds, when Phillis kist and embraced Amyntas,

In fyelds, when Phillis slept vnder a tree with Amyntas,

Blest had Amyntas beene, if death had taken Amyntas.

Soe my Phillis might haue sitten downe by my death-bed,

Closing these eye-lidds of dead, but blessed Amyntas,

Blest, that hee dy'de in her arms, that his eyes were closd with her owne hands.

But what alas doe I meane for death thus stil to be wishing

Foole that I am? for death coms quyckly without any wishing.

Inward grief of troubled sowle hath brought me to deaths-dore,

Woonted strength doth fayle, my lyms are faynty with anguish;

Vitall heate is gone, like vnto a smoke or a vapor,

Yesterday but a boy, and now gray-headed Amyntas▪

O luckles louers, how always are we bewitched,

What contrarieties, what fancies flatly repugnant,

How-many lyues, deaths, hopes, feares, ioyes, cares still doe wee suffer?

O that I could forget Phillis many tymes am I wishing,

O that I had dyde for Phillis many tymes am I wishing,

Thus distracted I am ten thousand tymes by my wishing,

[Page] Lyke to a shipp, through whirling gulfes vnsteedyly passing,

Floating here and there, hence thence, with danger on each syde,

Fearing Scylides iawes, and mouth of greedy Charybdis,

Whylst by the rage of sea, bruysde shipp sticks fast to the quyck-sands,

And by the mighty rebounding waues is lastly deuoured.

But what alas doe I meane myne ould loue still to be mourning,

Forgetting pastures, and flocks, and vines by my mourning?

My naked pastures with floods are lyke to be drowned,

My fyelds vntilled with thorns are lyke to be pestred,

My poore Sheepe and Goats with could are lyke to be pinched,

My prety black bullock will come noe more to my white cowe,

And by the swines fowle snowt my vines are lyke to be rooted,

For want of walling, for want of customed hedging.

Rank bows in vine-tree there's nobody now to be cutting,

Cutt bows with withy twiggs there's nobody now to be bynding,

Pecking Pyes from grapes there's nobody now to be keeping.

You rocks, help me to mourne; rocks, pinetrees loftyly bearing,

You woods, help me to mourne; woods always woont to be sylent,

You wells, help me to mourne; wells cleare and lyke to the Christall.

Vines forelorne, forsaken shrubs, lament with Amyntas.

On you rocks many tymes Phillis was woont to be walking,

In you woods many tymes Phillis was woont to be sitting,

With you wells many tymes Phillis was woont to be smyling.

And you vines and shrubs Phillis was woont to be fingring.

Now t'was iust darck night, and home came seelly Amyntas.

The sixth day.

SInce Phillis buryall, sixtymes sprang light fro the Mountayns.

Six tymes had Titan brought back his coach fro the mayn-sea,

And flying horses with-salt waues all to be dashed,

With puft-vp nosthrils greate fyre flames lustyly breathing.

When to the wyld woods went careles, yet careful Amyntas,

Leauing flock in fould, noe creatures company keeping,

[Page] Beating brest with fist, with teares face fowly defacing,

Filling ways as he went with such and soemany waylings,

As were sometymes made by the sweete Rhodopeïan Orpheus,

When by the rocks of Thrace, by the fatall water of Haebrus,

His sweete Euridice with most sweete voyce he bewayled,

When sweete voyce, sweete harpe ioyned most sweetly togeather,

Made both byrds and beasts, both stocks and stones to be mournyng.

Euery beast in fyeld wisheth day-light to be comming,

Mornyng starr by the byrds in fylds is sweetly saluted,

As soone as shee begins by the breake of day to be peeping;

Euery beast in fyeld wisheth darck night to be commyng,

Eu'ning starr to the kydds well fed, coms hartyly welcome,

As soone as she begyns by the nights approach to be shynyng,

Neyther day nor night can please displeased Amyntas,

All day long doe I mourne, and all night long am I playnyng,

Noe day's free fro my playnts, and noe night's free fro my mourning.

Whosoe thincks it strange, that thus tormented Amyntas

Can thus long endure, who thincks it strange, that Amyntas

Lyues, yet taks noe rest, but stil hus, stil to be dying;

This man knows not alas, that loue is dayly triumphant,

Loue can abyde noe law, loue always lou's to be lawles,

Loue altreth nature, rules reason, maystreth Olympus.

Lawes, edicts, decrees: contemns Ioue mightyly thundring,

Ioue, that rules and raigns, with a beck that bendeth Olympus.

Loue causd Hippolitus with bryr's and thorns to be mangled,

For that he had fowle loue of lusting Phaedra refused.

Loue made Absyrtus with systers hands to be murdred,

And in peeces torne, and here and there to be scattred.

Loue forc't Pasiphae mans company long to be loathing,

And, for a whyte Bulls flesh, Bulls company long to be lusting.

Loue and luring looks of louely Polixena, caused

Greekish Achilles death, when he came to the Church to be wedded.

Loue made Alcides, that greate inuincible Heros,

Master of all monsters, at length to be whipt by a Mystres.

Loue drownd Laeander swymmyng to the bewtiful Hero,

Vnto the towne Cestos from towne of cursed Abydos.

Loue made loue, that's ruler of earth and ruler of heauen,

Lyke to a selly Shepherd, and lyke to the fruytful Echidna,

Lyke to a fyre, to a Swan, to a Showre, to a Bull, to an Eagle,

Sometymes Amphitrion, sometymes Dyctinna resembling.

[Page] But what neede I to shew this blynde Boys surly behauyour,

Lewd prancks, false policies, sly shifts, and wyly deuises,

Murdring mynde, hard hart, dead hand, bent bow, bloody arrowes?

Nobody knows better what bitter grief is abounding

In lou's lewd kingdome, than luckles louer Amyntas.

Whether I goe to the groaues, or whether I clymbe to the Mountayns,

Whether I walk by the bancks, or whether I looke to the fountayns,

Loue stil wayts at an inch, and neuer leaues to be pinching,

Euery thing complayns, and aunswereth vnto my playnyngs,

Euery thing geus cause and fresh increase to my mournyngs.

If that I mourne in woods, these woods seeme al to be mournyng,

And broade-brauncht oake trees their vpright topps to be bowing.

Yf that I sigh or sob, this pine-tree straight by the shaking,

This peareses pine-tree for company seem's to be pyning,

As though himself felt th'enduring pangs of Amyntas.

And that byrde o! Thrace, my woeful company keeping,

Cry's and calls for Itys, with monstrous villany murdred,

Murdred alas by the merciles hart and hands of a Mother,

Eaten alas by the cursed mouth and teeth of a father.

And poore Turtle-doue, her mates good company myssing,

Sits on a naked bowe, and keepes mee company mournyng.

When that I clymbe to the ragged rocks, & creepe to the Mountayns,

Staying feeble knees with a staffe, for feare of a falling,

If that I then curse death, and rayle on desteny fatall,

For marring that face, those cheeks, those yuory fingers

Of my sweete Phillis; Phillis coms back with an Eccho,

Eccho returns Phillis, fyue tymes fro the rocks, fro the Mountayns.

Euery beast which hears these woefull playnts of Amyntas

Coms and setts him downe twixt leggs of woeful Amyntas,

Sustring back to be stroakt with staff of mourneful Amyntas:

As that good Lyonesse, which first was cur'de by a Romayne,

In Romayne theater gaue life for lyfe to the Romayne.

O, if such pyty were in Desteny noe-pyty-taking,

Phillis I should not mysse, nor Phillis mysse of Amyntas.

Yf that I come to the bancks, and cast myne eyes to the waters,

Waters augmented by these my watery fountayns,

Then these fowle-mouth'd froggs with iarring tunes doe molest mee:

Soe that I am compeld with bowing knees to be praying,

Praying vnto the Nymphs in bowres of water abyding,

That they would vouchsafe to receaue my carkas among them,

[Page] And fro the sight of man, fro the light of sunne to remoue it,

As that loued Hylas they sometymes fryendly receaued.

But yet I wish in vayne, and nought can I get by my wishing,

And of my wishing these lewd windes make but a whistling,

Soe noething contents poore malcontented Amyntas,

Clogd with an heape of cares, and closd in a hell ful of horror.

Then to his homely Cabin, by the moone light hasted Amyntas.

The seuenth day.

SIx nights now were past, aud seu'nth day hastened onward,

When, with fretting cares all spent and wasted Amyntas,

Went to the wood starkwood with greate extremyty weeping,

And to the dull deaff wynds his late losse freshly bewayling.

O how much this Amyntas is altred from that Amyntas,

Which was woont to be capten of euery company rurall?

Noething nymble I am with willow staff to be threshing,

Nor with toothed rake round hey-cocks for to be making.

Noething nymble I am my branched vines to be cutting,

Nor with sharp-edg'd suck my fruytefull soyle to be plowing.

Noething nymble I am my scabbed Sheepe to be curing,

Nor with leapping lads, with tripping trulls to be dancing.

Noething nymble I am sweetete rymes and songs to be making,

Nor sweete songs and rymes on pleasant pipe to be playing.

My sence is dulled, my strength extreamely decayed,

Since that fayre Phillis my loue did leaue me for euer,

Whoe was worthy to liue, and worthy to loue mee for euer.

Phillis, fayre Phillis, thou dearling deare of Amyntas,

What lasse durst compare with dearling deare of Amyntas

For witt, for learnyng for face, for seemely behauyour?

My sweete lasse Phillis was noemore lyke to the graygownes,

And contrey mylk-mayds, than Nightingale to the Lapwing,

Rose to the greene willow, or syluer Swan to the Swallow.

Phillis amydst fayre mayds did fayre mayds company countnance,

[Page] As ripe corne doth fyelds, as clustred grapes doe the vinetrees,

As stout Bulls doe the droues, as bay leaues bewtify gardens.

Phillis name and fame, which is yet freshly remembred,

Passed abroade soe farr, soe farr surpast Amaryllis,

As that it yrckt and greeu'd disdanigeful prowd Amaryllis,

Whoe stil thought herself for bewties prayse to be peareles:

But let her hart ful of hate stil pyne, let her eyes ful of enuy

Stil be resolud in teares, Phillis surmounts Amaryllis,

Phillis dead is alyue, and soe shall lyue to the worlds end,

Phillis prayse shall scape from death and graue to the worlds end.

But what auayls it alas, dead Phillis now to be praysing?

Phillis alas is dead, its too late now to be praysing,

And to renew ould thoughts and fond conceipts by my praysing.

Better it is to be low, and neuer clymbe to a kingdome,

Than fro the scepter againe to be tumbled downe to the dunghill.

For what auayles it now, that Phillis lulled Amyntas

Luld him a sleepe in her arms, and slept herself with Amyntas,

Vnder a cooling shade from scorching beames to defend vs,

Which sight made Aeglon, and Mopsus teeth to be watry?

Or what auayls it now t'haue gathred ioyntly togeather

Fragrant hearbs and flowrs by the mantled fyelds, by the meddows,

Daffadil, and Endyue, with mournyng flowre Hyacinthus,

Thyme, Casia, Violets, Lillies, and sweet prety Roses,

For Nymphs and wood-gods gay garlands duly preparing?

Or what auayl's it now, t'haue pluckt at Strawbery brambles,

Blackbery bryr's t'haue spoyld, t'haue bared Mulbery branches,

With such contrey fruyte our basketts heauyly loading?

Or what auayls it now, t'haue geu'n her soemany kisses?

Or t'haue taken againe in lyke sort soemany kisses?

Or what auayl's it now, t'haue drawn our talk to the eu'nyng?

Or t'haue made our names with boxtree barck to be growing,

Names and vowes which nought but death could cause to be broken?

Woeful wretch that I am, Phillis sorsaks mee, for all this,

And forsaken of her, death hath possest mee, for all this.

And yet I am not sick (vnles that loue be a sicknes)

But death coms creeping, and lingring lyfe is a flytting,

And this differring of death is woorse than a dying.

Lingring fyre by degrees hath spent and wasted Amyntas,

As Meleager of ould, whose life was left in a fyrebrand,

Fyrebrand cast to the fyre by the murdring hands of a mother,

[Page] When fatall fyrebrand burnyng did burne Meleager.

Euery day doe I weepe and euery howre am I wayling,

Euery howre and day dismall to the wretched Amyntas,

Yea mutch more wretched, than that poore silly Prometheus,

Whoe, for his aspyring, for stealing fyre from Olympus,

Was by the Gods decrees, fast bound with chaines to the mountayne

Caucasus, huge and cold, where hee's compelled an Eagle,

Eagle still feeding, with his owne hart still to be feeding.

O Pan, ô Fauni, that loue with mayds to be lyuely,

Leaue your pipes, your songs, your dance, leaue of to be lyuely,

Ioyne your teares with Amyntas teares, and mourne with Amyntas,

And mourne for Phillis, for Phillis leaueth Amyntas.

Phillis for your sake fine wafers duly prepared,

Phillis pleasd your eyes, whilst Phillis dayntyly danced.

Phillis amydst fayre mayds was deemed stil to be fayrest,

And gaue grace to the rest with her eyes and comely behauyour,

As fayre lawrell trees be adornd with bewtiful Iuye,

As fine gold is adornd by the shynyng light o a Iasper.

Since death of Phillis, noe ioys enioyeth Amyntas,

Euery good thing's gone, Phillis tooke euery good thing,

Contrey soyle laments, and Contrey-men be a weeping.

And thou garden greene now powre foorth playnts with Amyntas,

Phillis thy sweete bancks and beds did water at eu'nyng,

Phillis amydst thy flowrs always was woont to be walking;

But now noe walking, but now noe water at eu'ning,

Now best flowre is dead, now Phillis gone fro the garden.

And you Christall springs with streames of syluer abounding,

Where fayre Phillis sawe fayre Phillis face to be shynyng,

Powre foorth floods of teares from those your watery fountayns.

Phillis will noemore see Phillis sit by the fountayns,

Phillis will noemore her lipps apply to the fountayns,

Lipps, to be ioynd to the lipps of Ioue that ruleth Olympus.

And you darcksome dales and woods aye wont to be silent,

Where she amydst the Shepherds and toyling boisterus Heardsmen

Her mylk-white shee-goats many tymes was woont to be feeding,

Lament and mourne for this Nymphs vntymely departure.

But Pan, and Fauni, but garden greene of Amyntas,

But you springs and dales, and woods ay woont to be sylent,

Leaue of your mournyng, ile geue you leaue to be silent,

Leaue to be silent stil, geue you mee leaue to be mournyng,

[Page] Leaue to be mournyng stil, let this most heauy departure

This death of Phillis bring wished death to Amyntas,

Here did he pause for a while, and home at night he returned.

The eyghth day.

NOw since fayre Phillis was chested duly, the eighth tyme

Night gaue place to the light, and eu'ning vnto the mornyng:

Whē to the woods so wilde, to the wilde beasts dangerus harbors,

Forsaking hye ways, by the bye wayes passed Amyntas:

And there setts hym downe all wearyed vnder a Myrtle,

For grief stil groanyng, with deepe sighs heauyly pantyng,

Stil Phillis namyng, stil Phillis fayntyly callyng.

And must one wench thus take all the delyte fro the contrey?

And must one wench thus make euery man to be mournyng,

Euery man whose flocks on these hills vse to be feeding?

And must Aeglon weepe? and must that fryendly Menalcas

Weare his mournyng roabe, for death of my bony Phillis?

And must good Corydon lament? must Tityrus alter

His pleasant melodies, for death of my bony Phillis?

And must Damaetas for grief leaue of to be louing?

Must Amaryllis leaue, for death of my bony Phillis?

And must drooping bull consume as he goes by the meddow,

Must Sheepe look lowring for death of my bony Phillis?

And must sighs seeme wyndes, must teares seeme watery fountayns?

And must each thing change for death of my bony Phillis?

O then what shal I doe for death of my bony Phillis?

Syth that I lou'd bony lasse Phillis more dearly than all these,

Syth that I lou'd her more than I loue these eyes of Amyntas,

O then what shal I dooe forlorne forsaken Amyntas,

What shal I doo but dy, for death of my bony Phillis?

Phillis whoe was woont with bowe and shafts to be shooting,

[Page] Phillis whoe was woont my flock with care to be feeding,

Phillis whoe was woont my mylch shee-goates to be mylking,

Phillis whoe was woont (most handsome wench of a thousand)

Either clowted creame, or cakes, or curds to be making,

Either fine baskets of bul-rush for to be framing,

Or by the greene meddowes gay dancing dames to be leading:

Phillis whose bosome filberds did loue to be filling,

Phillis for whose sake greene lawrell lou'd to be bowing,

Phillis, alas, sweete Lasse Phillis, this braue bony Phillis,

Is dead, is buried, makes all good company parted.

O how oft Phillis conferd in fields with Amyntas?

O how oft Phillis did sing in caues with Amyntas,

Ioyning her sweete voyce to the oaten pipe of Amyntas?

O how oft Phillis clypt and embraced Amyntas?

How many thousand tymes hath Phillis kissed Amyntas,

Bitten Amyntas lips, and bitten againe of Amyntas,

Soe that Amyntas his eyes enuy'de these lipps of Amyntas?

O sweete soule Phillis, w'haue liu'd and lou'd for a great while,

(If that a man may keepe any mortall ioy for a great while)

Lyke louing turtles, and turtle-doues for a great while,

One loue, one lyking, one sense, one soule for a great while,

Therefore one deaths-wound, one graue, one funeral only

Should haue ioyned in one both loue and louer Amyntas.

O good God, what a grief is this that death to remember?

For, such grace, gesture, face, feature, beauty, behauiour

Neuer afore was seene, is neuer againe to be lookt for.

O frowning fortune, ô death and desteny dismall;

Thus be the poplar trees that spread their tops to the heauens,

Of their flowring leaues despoyld in an howre, in a moment:

Thus be the sweete violets, that gaue such grace to the garden,

Of theyr purpled roabes despoyld in an howre, in a moment.

O how oft did I cry, and roare with an horrible howling,

When for want of breath Phillis lay faintyly gasping?

O how oft did I wish, that Phoebus would fro my Phillis

Driue that feauer away, or send his son from Olympus,

Whoe, when Lady Venus by a chaunce was prickt with a bramble,

Healed her hand with his oyles and fine knacks kept for a purpose?

Or that I could perceaue Podalyrius order in healing,

Or that I could obtaine Medaeaes exquisit oyntments,

And baths most precious, which ould men freshly renued:

[Page] Or that I were as wise as was that crafty Prometheus,

Whoe made pictures liue with fire that he stole from Olympus,

Thus did I call and cry, but no-body came to Amyntas:

Then did I rayle and raue, but nought did I get by my rayling:

Whylst that I cald and cryde, and rag'd, and rau'd as a mad-man,

Phillis, alas, Phillis by the burning fits of a feuer,

Quickly before her daye, her dayes vnluckily ended.

O dismal deaths-day, with black stone stil to be noted,

Wherein noe Sun shinde, noe comfort came fro the heauens,

Wherein clustred clowds had cou'red lightsom Olympus.

Wherein noe sweete byrd could finde any ioy to be chyrping,

Wherein loathsome snakes from dens were loath to be creeping,

Wherein fowle scritch owles did make a detestable howling,

And from chymney-top gaue woefull signes of a mischif.

O first day of death, last day of life to Amyntas,

Which noe day shall dryue from soule and hart of Amyntas,

Til Neptune dryde vp, withdraw his flouds fro the fishes,

And skaled fishes liue naked along by the sea-shore.

For since Phillis went and left forsaken Amyntas,

Ioyes and pleasures went, and left forsaken Amyntas:

Perplexed speaking and vayne thoughts only remained,

Immoderate mourning, and mad loue only remained.

Thou Ioue omnipotent, which doest with mercy remember

Mortall mens myseries, which knowst what it is to be louing:

And thou God Phoebus, that sometymes dryu'n from Olympus,

Feeding sheepe didst loue, help luckles Louer Amyntas

Feeding his poore sheepe, help poore man, yong man Amyntas:

Thou that abridgest breath, and mak'st our light to be darknes,

Cut this threede of life, dispatch and bring me to darknes

Infernall darknes, fit place for mourner Amyntas.

Soe shal Amyntas walk and talk in darksom Auernus,

Soe shal Amyntas loue with Phillis againe be renued,

In fields Elysian Phillis shall liue with Amyntas.

Thus doe I wish and pray, this praying is but a pratling,

And these wishing woords but a blast, but a wynde, but a whistling:

Dy then, Amyntas, dye: for dead is thy bony Phillis.

Phoebus went to the sea: to the poore house hasted Amyntas.

[Page]

The nynth day.

SInce Phillis buriall, now faire Aurora the nynth time

Shewd her shining face, and Phoebus lightned Olympus:

When, from couch all wet with teares, confounded Amyntas

Raysd his crazd carkas, with minde stil abroade to be wandring

Vnto the wylde beasts dens, and feareful vnhospital harbors,

Where was noething els, but certaine death to be lookt for.

But whilst naked lyms with roabes all ragged he cou'red,

Oft did he call and cry for Phillis, for bony Phillis,

With deepe sighs and greanes stil Phillis, Phillis, he called:

And then drest, vp he gets, and gets himself to the desert,

Desert dens, mans sight and Suns light euer abhorring.

There, by the woods wandring, and loue vnlucky bewayling,

More and more did he feede that wonted wound of a louer;

Lyke as a trembling Hart, whose hart is pierst with an arrow,

Runs, and yet running, his death stil beareth about him,

Runs to the thickest groaues, yet bleeds and sweats as he runneth,

Runs, and soe with toyle and griefe, death hasteneth onward:

Then with teares doth he seeke Dictamus flowre by the desert,

Seeks, but can not finde Dictamus flowre by the desert:

Lyke to the trembling Hart, went hartles louer Amyntas;

And thus againe at length (his cheekes with water abounding)

From sullen silence, abruptly began to be raging.

Since Phillis lockt vp that starr-light liuely for euer,

Since faire Phillis slept that long sleepe, what shal Amyntas

Thinke, conceaue, contryue, or what shal Amyntas imagin,

What shal Amyntas dooe, that Amyntas goe not a begging?

For noe care is of health, no care of wealth in Amyntas,

Noe ioy, noe comfort, but Phillis abydes in Amyntas.

Whoe wil fodder now in winter geue to my bullocks?

Whoe wil now any more bring my white Bull to my Heyfer?

[Page] Whoe wil goats and kyds to the ragged rocks be a driuing?

Whoe wil sheepe and lambs from rau'ning woolues be defending?

Whoe wil looke to my rams, and wash theyr fleece in a riuer?

Whoe wil anoynt scabd sheepe, least-that contagius humor

Once get strength, make way, and spoyle whole flock of Amyntas?

Whoe wil let them blood, when raging fire of a feuer

Runneth along by the bones, and marrow quickly deuoureth?

Whoe wil tender sheepe dryue vp fro the fields, to the mountains,

When deepe brooke (increast with raine or snow from Olympus)

Driues downe wonted walls, and banks all beateth asunder,

Ouerflowing fields, and pastures fowly defacing?

O poore flock, poore heard, ô life and loue of Amyntas,

Phillis life and loue is gone, ô wretched Amyntas.

Eu'n as a Merchant man, whoe lost his ware by a shipwrack,

And ship left on sands with blynde rocks broken a sunder,

Swym on a boord staggring, with salt-waues all to be dashed,

Dryu'n hence thence with wyndes, and knows noe place to be landing,

Wandring here and there, and sees noe starres to be shyning:

Soe twixt hope and feare, twixt life and death doth Amyntas

Dayly delay his dayes, yet deaths wound beareth about him.

For since Phillis alas in a dead sleepe slipt from Amyntas,

Inconstant, wandring, distracted, moydred Amyntas

Rangeth alone by the rocks, by the woods, by the dens, by the deserts,

Deserts, dens, and woods, and rocks, where no-body walketh,

No-body dare approach for feare of slippery serpents,

And crawling adders with baleful poyson abounding:

And yet I cannot fynde, what I seeke, what I looke, what I long for,

Phillis I meane, by the rocks, by the woods by the dens, by the deserts.

Since that time, that time of griefe and woe the beginning,

Neither Sun by the day, nor Moone by the night did Amyntas

Euer see sleeping though weake and weary by watching.

And no foode I desire, for I feede too fast on a fancy,

Loue fills fainty stomack, and euery part of Amyntas:

And I desire noe drinck, for I drinck vp watery fountains

Fountains of salt teares still trickling, euer-abounding,

Lyke showres in wynter, driu'n downe with wyndes from Olympus.

O most mighty Pales, which stil bar'st loue to the countrey

And poore countrey-folk, hast thou forgotten Amyntas

Now when as other Gods haue all forsaken Amyntas

Thou on whose feast dayes Bonefires were made by Amyntas,

[Page] And quyte leapt ouer by the bouncing dauncer Amyntas?

Thou for whose feast dayes great cakes ordayned Amyntas,

Supping mylk with cakes, and casting mylk to the bonefyre?

And thou surly Cupid, thou churlish dame Cytheraea,

With, whose prayse I did once, whilst Phillis aboad with Amyntas,

Make these fields to resound, make beasts and men to be wondring,

On pitiful poore wretch is noe care, noe pity taken?

What? shal I noething get for making soemany offrings,

Soemany sweete persumes, for saying soemany prayers,

All with a garland greene, with leaues of Myrtle adorned?

Are Gods vnthankfull? can noe grace come from Olympus?

Are Gods vnmindefull? why then, what meane I to worship,

Worship I knowe not what for a God, when it is but an Idoll?

For, noe guerdon, alas, noe good thing's left for a good man.

Poore foole, what did I meane, on Gods or starrs to be rayling,

As though stars or Gods could alter Destenies order?

Poore, foole, what did I meane incessant teares to be sheading,

Stil to the hills, to the woods to the fields, to the floods to be wayling,

Since these hills, these woods, these fields, these floods to my weeping

Can lend noe feeling, can aford noe sence to my wayling?

Yet wil I call Phillis, though noe-body come by my calling,

And weepe for Phillis, though noegood come by my weeping:

Thus wil I dooe: Many men, many mindes; this pleaseth Amyntas.

And yet I cannot abide any more by the woods to be ranging,

And this liuing death, this dying life to be leading:

Dy then Amyntas, dy, let Amyntas murder Amyntas;

Soe shal that grym Syre, and fowle-fac't Prince of Auernus

Some pity take, when he sees this wound of murdred Amyntas,

This wound wide and large; and losse of grau's but a smal losse.

Soe shal Amyntas walk, and Phillis walk with Amyntas

Through those pleasant groaues, and flowring fields of Auernus.

But yet againe to his house with doubtfull mynde he returned.

[Page]

The tenth day.

SInce that fatall day and howre vnlucky, the tenth time

Faire Aurora betymes by the dayes breake, rose from her husband

Husband old and cold, and droue darck clowds from Olympus,

Making way to the Sun, taking her way to the yonker

Braue yonker Cephalus, whom faire Aurora desired.

Aeolus, of purpose Auroraes fancy to further,

Sent forth sweete Zephyrus with tender breath to be blowing,

And moyst dew by the fields with whistling blast to be drying,

Least nights colde moysture might stay theyr louely proceedings,

Stay braue Aeolides, stay fayre Aurora fro kissing.

Euery thing did smile, woods, fields, ayre, watery fountains,

Euery Larck did sing, and made sweete myrth to the Morning,

And chereful Charites with gold-locks gayly bedecked,

Daunced along by the fields in due and gracius order;

And th'vnruly Satyrs by the sound of a paltery piper,

Leapt and skipt by the woods in most lasciuius order.

Only Amyntas loath'd these sports and these prety pastimes▪

Only Amyntas mournd, and owld grifes only remembred,

Leauing house and home, and deserts only frequenting,

Scratching face with nayles, and Phillis freshly bewayling.

O what meanes Phillis? can Phillis cast of Amyntas?

O consider, alas, consider careful Amyntas,

And forget not, alas, forget not faithful Amyntas,

Whoe for Phillis sake, for loue and fancy to Phillis

Beares this fire in his hart, and stil this fire is a feeding.

What meanes Phillis, alas, in those fayre fields to be walking,

[...] those Elysian faire fields, and leaue me behinde her?

What's there noemore care of flock in Phillis abyding?

What? noe care of loue, noe care of louer Amyntas?

O vnthankfull wench, if this thing come by thy causing,

[Page] And accursed Fate, if Desteny cause thee to leaue mee.

See what a strange effect these cares haue wrought in Amyntas▪

Needles cares haue driu'n all needful cares from Amyntas.

Noe care, no comfort in driuing goats to the mountains,

When rising Phoebus displays his beames in a morning;

Noe care, noe comfort in bringing sheepe to the sheepe-coates▪

When sitting Phoebus withdraws his face in an eu'ning.

Rimes are quite set aside, and seu'n-hoald pipe is abandond,

Rimes that I playd on pipe; pipe vsed at euery dauncing:

Leather bottel's lost, and tarr-box broken asunder,

Shoone and myttens gone, and sheepehooke cast in a corner,

And litle ould Lightfoote hath lost his Maister Amyntas

Whose watchfull barking made woolues afraid to be byting.

See how Phillis death doth make my Goates to be dying:

Noebody giues them Thyme and other flowrs to be gnapping,

Noebody giues them drinck and water fresh to be sipping,

Noebody brings them back to the sold, or shade to refresh them.

See how Phillis death doth make my sheepe to be dying,

Whil'st th'vnlucky Shepheard neglects his sheepe to be feeding,

Lambs in woefull wise by the woolues are dayly deuoured,

Eawes in loathsome sort with scabbs are fowly molested,

And theyr wooll with dust and durt is filthily fowled.

O but, alas, poore foole, whil'st thou thus rayl'st on Olympus,

Phillis faire, perchaunce, in pleasant fields of Auernus

Keepeth better goates, and better sheepe is a feeding,

Leauing this poore flock, and theyr poore master Amyntas.

And must only my death cause endles plagues to be ended?

And shal I neuer dy, til time that Desteny poynted?

O, what a life is this, with life and death to be striuing?

And yet I loue this life, this strife, and euery moment

Reason yeelds to my rage, and rage giues place to my reason:

And whil'st breath shal abyde in burning breast of Amyntas,

Perpetuall sobbing shall make these sides to be smarting,

Perpetuall plaining shal make this mouth to be sounding,

Perpetuall weeping shal make these eyes to be swelling.

As soone as Titan with face all fyry returneth,

With violent clamors great clowds wil I cast on a cluster.

As soone as darck night doth spread her mantle among vs,

With teares stil trickling, Ile make springs euer abounding:

What loue's lyke to my rage, what fancie's lyke to my folly,

[Page] That not a day, not an houre, not a moment scapeth Amyntas,

But stil Amyntas mourns, since Phillis graue was a making?

That lewd Lord of Loue drew my destruction onward,

That boy bred my bane, my death vntimely procured,

When by the sight of a Lasse, by the flaming eyes of a Virgin,

Fire did pierce by my flesh, to my soule, to my bones, to my marrow,

And there burns and boyls lyke scalding sulphur of Aetna.

Whoe would thinke thou Loue couldst beare such hate to a louer?

Or wouldst woork such harme to a countrey-man that is harmeles?

But bloody boy thou art, thou bearst bloody minde, bloody weapons.

And thou most spitefull Nemesis, whose hasty reuenging

Hands are euer at hand, whose mynde is mutable alwayes,

At miseries laughing, at mens felicity grudging,

Why durst thou deale with, what didst thou meane to be medling

With louing Phillis, with Phillis Louer Amyntas?

If that Phillis I kist, or Phillis kissed Amyntas,

If that Phillis I clypt, or Phillis clipped Amyntas,

If that I spent many howres in talking vnder a Myrtle,

Wast any greate offence, any greate disgrace to a goddesse?

Wee were contrey folk, twooe seeliest sowles of a thousand;

Those golden Diadems, that state of a King or a Kingdome

More fitt for Nemesis: Phillis more fitt for Amyntas:

Who would thinck thou couldst on beggers thus be triumphing?

Why should silly Shepheards be molested thus by a Goddesse?

Nay godlesse Nemesis: for thou doost noe-body goodnes,

And where's noe godnesse, whoe thinks there can be a Goddesse?

And thou most hellish Lachesis, more fierce than a Furie,

What reason foundst thou such mischif for to be working,

That by the gryping paines, by the cold-hoate fits of an ague,

Phillis fit for a man, shuld dy thus afore she be fitted?

O why shouldst thou take all comfort quite fro the countrey,

And make countreymen thus comfortlesse to be mourning?

Could not that sweete face, nor that most seemely behauyour,

Nor that league of loue stil lasting leade thee to mercy?

But thy delite is death, and blood thou only desirest,

Therefore bring me to death, take liuing blood from Amyntas,

For my delite is death, death only desireth Amyntas,

And to procure quick death, its fully resolu'd by Amyntas,

That faire Phillis againe may loue her louer Amyntas.

And yet about eu'ning with staggring stepps he retyred.

[Page]

The eleuenth day.

NOw th'eleuenth day from death of Phillis aproached,

Which to the former rage that long possessed Amyntas,

Dogged new conceipts with more resolution added.

And shal I stay, qd he, now? shal I wayte for greater aboundance

Of sowle-tormenting horrors? shal I stil be a dying,

And yet liuing stil? Did I thrust my brest on a poynted

Dart, when Phillis liu'd, though Phillis fled from Amyntas?

Yea, did an vntrue tale, did a heare-say woork in Amyntas

Soe, that he threw himself fro the hill topp desperat, head-long,

Hearing Phillis death by Fuluia falsly reported?

And shal Amyntas now, when he knows, when he sees, when he looks on,

Lookes on Phillis alas, and see's her fayntyly gasping,

Lookes, and sees her alas, her last, last breath to be yeelding,

Lookes, and sees those eyes with fathers hands to be cloased,

(Eyes by Amyntas his hands more worthyly for to be cloased)

Lookes, and sees, (dead sight) her sacred face to be cou'red,

And corps embalmed; shal hee now, now feare to be dying?

Daphne stayd darts-wound, and causd it, not to be deaths-wound,

Desteny made downefall for that tyme not to be mortall;

But neyther Daphne, nor cursed Desteny hencefoorth

Shall withdraw this knife from bleeding brest of Amyntas.

Yf Daphne could not, nor cursed Desteny would not

Keepe Phillis from death; why should they keepe me fro Phillis?

Once it was my chaunce my naked louely Diana

For to behould by the well; but alas my louely Diana

Her poore Actaeons true loue vnkyndely requyted,

And freed Phillis did fly from freer Amyntas.

Afterwards, forsooth, our wedding day was apoynted;

[Page] Apples tutcht my chyn, to my lipps streames louely aproached;

But when Tantalus hoapte his fruyte and streames to be tutching,

Apples fled fro my chyn, fro my lipps streames louely retyred,

Brydall by buryall was most vntymely preuented.

Now, if woorse doe remayne, let come, let come to Amyntas

Ere that Amyntas dy, for he meanes noemore to be trifling,

But this self-sacrifice to the sweetest Saint to be offring.

Goe poore Sheepe and Kydds, sometyme the delite of Amyntas,

Seeke now somewhere els both boughes and grasse to refresh you,

Make your way by the fyelds, and neuer staye for Amyntas,

Lodg your selus at night, and neuer looke for Amyntas:

Some pytyfull goodman wil take compassion on you,

And feede you wandring, and bring you home by the eu'nyng:

Now shal I neuer more your hornes with flowrs be adornyng,

Now shal I neuer more yourselus to the fyelds be a dryuyng,

Now shal I neuer more see you creepe vp to the Mountayns,

Now shal I neuer more sitt downe and sing in a valley.

Thinck it noe strange thing if Woolus dooe chaunce to deuoure you,

Sith that Woolues are lyke to deuoure your master Amyntas,

Vnles some good man this carkas chaunce to be cou'ring.

Goe poore louing dogg ould Light-foote, seeke thee a master.

Get thee a new master, since thyne ould master Amyntas

Gets hym another dogg, fowle Cerberus horrible helhounde.

Now shal I neuer more geue Light-foote bones to be gnawing,

Now shal I neuer more cause Light-foote glooues to be fetching:

Yf, for thy feeding from a whelp, thou meane to be thankfull,

Then keepe rau'nyng Woolus from wounded corps of Amyntas.

Pype, fitt for meryment, vnfitt for mourner Amyntas,

Hang on this myrtle, til good luck send the a master,

More blessed master, than tentymes cursed Amyntas.

Roses fayre and red, which Phillis lou'd to be wearing,

Keepe stil fayre and red, keepe fresh and louely for euer,

My red blood shal stil geue new supply to the rednes.

Yuychurch farewell; farewel fayre Pembrokianaes

Parck and loued lawndes; and, if fayre Pembrokiana

Scorne not my farewel, farewell fayre Pembrokiana.

Hills and dales farewell, you pleasant walks of Amyntas,

Floods and wells farewell, sweete looking glasse of Amyntas.

Now shal I neuer more my sorrows vtter among you,

Now shal I neuer more with clamors vaynly molest you.

[Page] Handkercher farewell, sweete work of my bony Phillis,

Handkercher many tymes made moyst with teares of Amyntas,

Now shal thy Gelyflowrs; which wanted nought but a rednes,

Proue perfect Gelyflowres; my blood shal geue them a rednes,

Soe shal Phillis woork in part be the woork of Amyntas.

Hart of gold, farewell, which Phillis gaue to Amyntas,

Signe of a louing hart, which greeues my heart to be leauing:

And would neuer leaue, vnles that I meant in a moment,

This my liuing hart, and hart of gold to be leauing.

Wedding ring, farewell, shee's gone, whose yuory finger

Should haue been thy grace: full well did I cause to be grauen

In thy golden round, those words as true as a Gospell,

Loue is a bitter-sweete, fit woords for bitter Amyntas.

Farewell knife at last, whose poynt engrau'd in a thousand

Barcks of trees that name, sweete name of my bony Phillis,

And hard by that name▪ this name of Louer Amyntas:

Soe that in euery ash, these names stood, Phillis Amyntas,

And each Beech-tree barck, bare these names, Phillis Amyntas:

Pastors dayly did ask, what folk are, Phillis Amyntas?

Nymphs did dayly demaund, who wrote this, Phillis Amyntas?

But now, loued knife, thy paine is somwhat abridged,

Now write Phillis alone, and noemore, Phillis Amyntas:

Now write Phillis alone, but let not an ash, or a beech-tree

Beare soe blessed a name, which only belongs to Amyntas:

My brest shalbe the barck, write Phillis name in Amyntas:

And since sharpned poynt shal finde soe tender a subiect,

Strike, engraue, cut, launse, spare not to be mightily wounding▪

Let faire Phillis name to the eyes of louely beholders

With blood-red letters in Amyntas his hart be apearing.

Yet this murdring stroake to an other time he referred.

[Page]

The twelfth day.

ANd now since Phillis dead corps was layd in a coffyn

Twelfth day came at last, when weake, yet wakeful Amyntas

Spy'de through tyles of his house fayre Phoebus beames to be shynyng▪

Which when he saw, then in haste hymself he began to be stirring,

And with trembling knees, with mynde extreamely molested;

Passed along to the fyelds where graue of Phillis apeared,

Meanyng there to the graue, to the ghost, to the scattered ashes

His last lamenting in woeful wise to be making.

But when he saw fresh flowrs and new grasse speedyly start vp,

And Phillis sweete name ingrau'n by the hande of Amyntas,

Then did he stay, and weepe, with an inward horror amased:

And at length his knees on graue there fantyly bowing,

With dolorous groanyngs his fatall howre he bewayled.

This day, this same day, most blessed day of a thowsand,

Shall be the first of ioy, and last of anoy to Amyntas,

This shall bring mee myself to myself, and bring mee to Phillis.

Let neyther father nor mother mourne for Amyntas,

Let neyther kinsman, nor neighbour weepe for Amyntas,

For Venus, only Venus doth lay this death on Amyntas,

And Phillis sweete sowle in fayre fyelds stays for Amyntas.

Yf you needs will shew some signe of loue to Amyntas,

Then when life is gone, close vp these eyes of Amyntas,

And with Phillis corps lay this dead corps of Amyntas,

This shal Phillis please, and Phillis louer Amyntas.

And thou good Thyrsis, dryue foorth those Sheepe of Amyntas,

[Page] Least that Amyntas Sheepe dy with theyr master Amyntas.

And thou good Daphne, when soe thou gang'st to the Mountayns,

Dryue on Phillis Goates, fayre Phillis Goates to the Mountayns;

For now, now at length, ile leaue this life for a better,

And seeke for mending in a most vnnatural ending.

Must then Amyntas thus but a stripling murder Amyntas?

O what an imperious princesse is Queene Cytheraea?

For, stil-watching loue would neuer let me be resting,

Nor neuer sleeping since Phillis went from Amyntas.

And noe longer I can susteigne these infynit horrors

And pangs incessant, which now are freshly renued

And much augmented; therfore am I fully resolued

Of lingring loues wound to be speedily cur'd by a deaths-wound.

Thus when he had contryu'd in his hart this desperat outrage,

And meante fully to dy, with an hellish fury bewitched,

What doe I stay, qd he, now? tis losse of tyme to be lingring:

Then with a fatall knife in a murdring hand, to the heauens

Vp did he looke for a while, and groan'd with a deadly resounding,

With thease woords his life and lamentation ending.

Gods and ghosts forgiue, forget this fault of Amyntas,

Pardon I craue of both, this knife shall bring me to Phillis,

And end these myseries, though desteny flatly deny it.

Eu'n as he spake these woords, downe fell deepe-wounded Amyntas,

Fowling hands and ground with streames of blood that abounded.

And good-natur'd ground pytying this fall of Amyntas,

In most louing wise, very gently receaued Amyntas,

And when he fell, by the fall, in mournefull sort, she resounded.

Iupiter in meane-tyme, and th'other Gods of Olympus,

When they saw this case (though greate things were then in handling)

Yet lamented much, and then decree'd, that Amyntas

Sowle should goe to the fyelds where blessed Phillis abydeth,

And bloody corps should take both name and forme of a fayre flowre

Call'd Amaranthus then, for Amyntas fryendly remembrance.

Whil'st these things by the Gods were thus decree'd in Olympus,

Senses were all weake, and almost gone from Amyntas,

Eyes were quyte sightles, deaths-pangs and horror aproached.

Then with his head half vp, most heauyly groaned Amyntas,

And as he groan'd, then he felt his feete to the ground to be rooted,

And seeking for a foote could fynde noe foote to be sought for,

[Page] For both leggs and trunck to a stalk were speedily changed,

And that his ould marrow to a cold iuyce quickly resolued,

And by the fame could iuyce this stalk stil lyuely apeared.

Which strange change when he felt, then he lifted his arms to the heauēs,

And, when he lifted his armes, then his arms were made to be branches;

And now face and hayre of Amyntas lastly remayned;

O what meane you Gods to prolong this life of Amyntas?

O what meane you Gods? with an hollow sound he repeated,

Vntil his hollow sound with a stalk was speedily stopped,

And fayre face and hayre bare forme and shape of a fayre flowre,

Flowre with fayre red leaues, fayre red blood gaue the begynnyng.

Then with bow and shafts, and paynted quyuer about hym,

Vprose Lord of loue from princelyke seate in Olympus,

And, when t'was too late, laments this losse of a louer,

Speaking thus to the Gods of this new flowre of Amyntas.

Myrtle's due to Venus, greene laurel's deare to Apollo,

Corne to the Lady Ceres, and vines to the yong mery Bacchus,

But thou fayre Amaranthus, gentlest flowre of a thowsand,

Shalt be my flowre henceforth, and though thou camst from a bleeding,

Yet blood shalt thou staunch, this guyft wil I geue the for euer:

And by the pleasant parke where gentlemynded Amyntas

Lately bewayld his loue, there thy leaues louly for euer,

Boyes and gyrls and Nymphs, shall take a delite to be plucking,

Take a delyte of them theyr garlands gay to be making.

And now in meane tyme whylst these things were thus a working,

Good louing neighbours for a long tyme myssed Amyntas,

And by the caues of beasts, by the dungeons darck, by the deserts,

And by the hills and dales, by the wells and watery fountayns,

Sought for Amyntas long, but neuer met with Amyntas.

Downe in a dale at last, where trees of state, by the pleasant

Yuychurches parck, make all to be sole, to be sylent,

Downe in a desert dale, Amaryllis found Amaranthus,

(Nymph, that, Amyntas lou'd, yet was not lou'd of Amyntas)

Founde Amaranthus fayre, seeking for fayrer Amyntas;

And with fayre newe flowre fayre Pembrokiana presented.

Who, by a strayte edict, commaunded yearely for euer

Yuychurches Nymphs and Pastors all to be present,

All, on that same day, in that same place to be present,

All, Amaranthus flowre in garlands then to be wearing,

[Page] And all, by all meanes Amaranthus flowre to be praysing,

And all, by all meanes his Amyntas death to be mournyng.

Yea, for a iust monyment of tender-mynded Amyntas,

With new found tytles, new day, new dale she adorned,

Cal'd that, Amyntas Day, for loue of louer Amyntas,

Cal'd this, Amyntas Dale, for a name and same to Amyntas.

FINIS.

Notes

1

In these verses,

Eccho could not now to the last woord yeeld any Eccho

All opprest with loue, for her ould loue stil she remembred,

And she remembred stil that sweete Narcissus her ould loue, &c.

Some litle men fynde great fault, that this word, stil, being twice vsed, is but an idle repetition to make vp the verse. Where, if they could see, that in the first place it is an Aduerb, & an Adiectiue in the second, they might aswel bee stil, and not speake any thing, as stil talk, and yet say noething.

The like reprehension was that of him, whose wits were soe weakened with passions, that he fell downe of his horse, with singing, Downe a Downe. This man, first moued by the peremptory Preface of the Lawyers Logike (which yet could tutch none but the galled back) and reading there in the Analysis of Stanfords Crowne Pleas, that in Homieidijs, &c. although in times past Voluntas reputabatur pro facto, yet it was not soe vsed in these dayes, but only in the Princes case, and certaine special and honorable personages mencioned by Statute in H. 7. time: thought it a wondrous fault, that I did but Digitum ad fontem intendere, and not literally repeate euery word at large out of Saunders case in Plowden, where I bring in his mynistring of poyson with a murdring intent, as a medium in framing of a Syllogisme: whereas alas euery chylde knowes, that Saunders action did effect death, euen to his owne confusion. Better might hee haue reprehended the misprysion of the Printer, whoe Pag. 74. should haue left out Higgs, and put in Mynshew, the very lyuing image of Syr Philip Sydneys Damaetas.

↵

The Lamentation of Corydon, for the loue of Alexis, verse for verse out of Latine.

[Page]

[Page]

SIlly Shepherd Corydon lou'd hartyly fayre lad Alexis

His masters dearling, but saw noe matter of hoping;

Only amydst darck groues thickset with broade-shadoe beech-trees

Dayly resort did he make, thus alone to the woods, to the mountayns,

With broken speeches fond thoughts there vaynly reuealing.

O hard-harted Alexis, I see my verse to be scorned,

Myself not pytyed, my death by thee lastly procured.

Now doe the beasts eu'n seeke for cooling shade to refresh them,

And now greene Lyzards in bushes thorny be lurking,

And, for faynt reapers by the suns rage, Thestilis hastnyng,

Strong-smelling wylde tyme and garlyck, beates in a mortar:

But whil'st scorcht Corydon doth trace his louely Alexis,

Groaues by the hoarce-chirping Grashoppers yeeld a resownding.

Wast not farr better t'haue borne with surly Menalcas,

And sore displeased, disdaigneful, prowd Amaryllis,

Although thou white were, although but swarty Menalcas?

O thou fayre white Boy, trust not too much to thy whytenes:

Fayre whyte flow'rs fall downe, black fruyts are duely reserued.

Thou car'st not for mee: my state thou knowst not Alexis,

What flocks of white Sheepe I doe keepe, of mylk what aboundance▪

On Sicil high Mountayns my Lambs feede more than a thowsand;

New mylk in summer, new mylk in wynter I want not:

[Page] My song's like Thebane Amphions song, when he called

His wandring bullocks on Greekish mount Aracynthus.

Nor soe fowle be my lookes; for I saw myself by the sea-shore,

When seas all calme were: Ile orecome Daphnis, I doubt not,

Eu'n by thy owne iudgement, vnles my face doe deceaue mee.

O let this be thy will, to frequent my rustical harbors,

And simple cotages, sticking in forcks to vphould them,

And driue on forward our flock of Kidds to the mallowes.

Wee wil amidst wylde woods contend Pans song to resemble;

Pan was first that quills with wax tyde ioyntly togeather,

Pan is good to the sheepe, and Pan is good to the sheepesman.

Neither think it a shame to thyself t'haue playd on a corne-pipe▪

For, that he might doe the same with skil, what did not Amyntas?

Damaetas long since did geue me a pipe for a token,

Compackt of seu'n reedes all placed in order vnaequall:

And thus said when he dy'de; one vsed it only before thee:

Thus said Damaetas; this greeued foolish Amyntas.

Also twooe prety kidds doe I keepe, late found in a valley

Dangerus, and theyr skins with milk-white spots be bedecked,

Of dams milk not a drop they leaue, and for the I keepe them:

Thestilis of long tyme hath these kydds of me desired:

And they shall be her owne, for that thou scorn'st what I geue thee.

Come neare, ô faire boy; loe, Nymphs here bring thee the Lillies

With full stuft baskets, faire Naïs, loe, to thy comfort

White Violets gath'ring, and Poppies daintily topping,

Daffadil adds to the same, and leaues late pluckt fro the sweete Dill:

Then mingling Casia, with diuers sauory sweete flowres,

With yealowish Marigold she the tender Crowto bedecketh.

Ile pluck hoare Quinces with soft downe daintily cloathed,

And Chessnutts which were lou'd of my sweete Amaryllis:

Add wil I wheate plumbs too, for this fruite will be regarded:

And you, Lawrell leaues, wil I pluck, and next to the Lawrell

Leaues, Ile pluck Myrtle; for soe plac't, yeeld yee the sweete sent.

Th'art but a foole Corydon; for first, guifts moue not Alexis,

Then, though thou giue much, yet much more giue wil Iolas.

But what alas did I meane? I doe let goe madly the Southwinde

Into the flowrs, and boars send foreward into the cleare springs.

Whom sli'st thou, fond boy? Many Gods haue gladly resorted

And Paris of Troy-towre, to the woods: let towres by Minerua

Built, by Minerua be kept, and woods of vs only regarded.

[Page] Grimme Lionesse runneth to the Woolf, and Woolf to the yong-Goate,

And wanton yong-Goate to the flowring Tetrifol hastneth,

And Coridon to Alexis; a self-ioy draweth on each man.

But loe, Plow coms home hangd fast by the yoke to the bullocks,

And shadoe, by Phoebus declining, dooble apeareth,

Yet doe I burne with loue: for what meane can be to louing?

Ah Coridon, Coridon, what mad rage hath thee bewitched?

Thy vine's scarce half cut, pestred with leaues of her elmetree▪

Leaue this churlish boy; and bend thyself to thy busnes;

With twiggs and bulrush some needful thing be a making:

Thou shalt finde others, though th'art disdaign'd of Alexis.

FINIS.

The beginning of Heliodorus his Aethiopical History.

[Page]

[Page]

ASsoone as Sun-beames could once peepe out fro the mountayne

And by the dawne of day had somewhat lightned Olympus,

Men, whose lust was law, whose life was stil to be lusting,

Whose thryuing theeuing, conueyd themselues to an hil-top,

That stretched forward to the Heracleotical entry

And mouth of Nylus: looking thence downe to the maine-sea

For sea-faring men; but seeing none to be sayling,

They knew 'twas booteles to be looking there for a booty:

Soe that straight fro the sea they cast theyr eyes to the sea-shore;

Where they saw, that a ship very strangely without any shipman

Lay then alone at roade, with cables tyde to the maine-land,

And yet full-fraighted, which they, though farr, fro the hil-top,

Easily might perceaue by the water drawne to the deck-boords▪

But men on euery side lay scattred along by the sea-shore,

Some dead, some dying, some whose corps heauily panting

Shewed a late fighting, though noe iust cause of a fighting:

Onely a man might gesse, there had been some bloody banket

Which to the guests quaffing gaue such vnfortunat ending.

For bancks with tables, tables with daynty deuises

And delicate dishes were there well stored, amongst which

Some seru'd as weapons in this soe desperat onset,

Weapons with pale hands of dead-men greedily clasped:

Some lay as cou'rings on such as feare had amazed,

Cou'rings for feint harts whoe thither seem'd to be creeping,

Cupps were all throwne downe; some fell fro the greedy carowsers

Hands feint and feeble; some flew like stones fro the fingers

Of them, whoe new shifts for deadlifts quickly preparing,

Vsd' bowles for bullets, and caused pots to be pellets.

Of them, whose carkas lay mangled along by the sea-shoare,

Some with fire were burnt, and some were brusde with a leuer,

Some with an axe were knockt, and some were hurt with a shel-fish,

With shels of sea-fish, by the sea-shore euer abounding,

Some this way, some that; but most with feathered arrowes.

[Page] Soe blood brewd with wyne, soe buffets ioyn'd to the banquets,

Killing with swilling and beating vnto the eating,

Caused a strange wonder to the theeues, whoe saw fro the hil-top

Men kyld, noe killers; many dead, noe conqueror extant,

Victory, noe spoyling, shipp fraughted, yet not a shipman.

But, notwithstanding for a time they stood thus amazed,

Yet for greedy desire of gaine they hastened onward

And drew nere to the place, where men lay all to bemangled,

And ship-full-fraughted; thinking themselues to bee victors.

But, good God, what a sight, what a strange sight, yea, what a sweet fight,

And yet a woeful sight, to the theeues vnlookt-for apeared?

There was a maide soe made, as men might thinck her a Goddesse,

There was a sweete-fac't maide, that sate on a rock by the sea-shore,

Sate on a rock full sad to behold this desperat outrage,

Sad, yet not dismaid to behold this desperat outrage,

For that a maidens face was there well matcht with a mans-hart.

Lawrel crowned her head, but her head gaue grace to the lawrell:

Left hand arm'd with a bow, and back with a quyuer adorned,

Right hand held vp her head; her thye was a stay to the right hand:

Head neuer mouing, eyes euer fixed on one thing,

Fixed on one yong man sore wounded downe by the sea-shore.

Sore-wounded yongman now lifted his eyes to the heauens

Heauily, like to a man that's wak'ned late from a dead sleepe,

And yet he seemed faire and looked louely for all that;

And though some bloody spots his face had lately defaced,

His whitenes by the red more fresh and liuely apeared.

Sore-wounded yongman for grief now closed his eye-lidds,

And yet he causd this mayd very steedily stil to behold him,

Stil to behold his wounds and face very steedily, soe that

Whosoe lookt to the mayd must alsoe looke to the yongman;

Whoe, when he came t'himself, these woords very faintily vttred:

And art thou yet saulf, thou sweetest soule of a thousand,

Or by thy death hast thou augmented this bloody slaughter?

Whether death doe triumph, or whether life be prolonged,

Whom Loue hath ioyned, noe death shall cause to be seu'red.

In thee alone doe I ioy, and for thee alone am I liuing,

On thee alone doe I see my wealth to be wholly depending.

And thee alone I doe loue, that sweete Nymph quickly replyed,

On thee alone I relye: therefore was I fully resolued,

With this knife, loe here, t'haue speedily giu'n mee my deaths-wound

But that I lookt for life, and hoapt for a tymely recou'ry.

[Page] Thus said, lightly she leapt fro the stone; which made the beholders

Like men lately amazd with a lightning, run to the bushes,

And there hyde themselues for feare and wonder among them.

For, standing vpright, this mayde more stately apeared,

And much more diuine, and farr more lyke to a Goddesse.

Her shafts on shoulders did clash by her hasty remouing,

Her gold-wrought garments by the Sun-beames glystred about her,

And fro the greene garland her fayre hayre sweetly beseeming

Scattred abroade by the wynde, fell dayntily downe to the gyrdle:

Which princelyke marching of a mayden greatly apaled

Those timorous vagabonds, whoe peeping out fro the bushes

Saw thus a strange wonder, but knew noe cause of a wonder.

Some said, Sure this Nymph must needs be the mighty Diana▪

Some rather thought her that great Aegyptian Isis

Whom those men worshipt; and some were flatly resolued

That some Priest of Gods inspyr'd with fury from heauen

Had causd that bloodshed; soe euery man was a gessing,

Noeman gessed aright, noeman came nere to the matter.

But shee away gan fly, and ran forthwith to the yongman,

Weeping sore for his hurts, his wounds very daintily wiping,

Kissing, embracing, pitying, and greatly bewayling

His late misfortune and griefe; which causd the beholders

Quickly to change their minde and former opinion alter.

And are these, said they, such wondrous woorks of a Goddesse?

What? can a Goddesse kisse, can a Goddesse clip thus a dead-man?

What? can such loue-tricks and fancies fly to the heauens?

Nay, then downe lets goe, and see what may bee the matter:

Soe then downe they goe to behold what might be the matter,

Goe to the mayde; whoe then this yongmans wounds was a dressing.

When they came to the mayde, they stopt and staid on a soddaine,

And not a woord, for life, was there once vttred among them,

And not a deede, for life, was there attempted among them,

But like stocks or stones they stoode very ghastly beside her.

When she beheld the shadoes of men stand rightly before her,

And perceaued a sound and noyse of somewhat about her;

Thereat somewhat mou'd, herself shee remoued a litle,

And lookt back for a while, but againe very speedily stouped

Downe to the yongmans wounds, and them with care was a dressing,

Noething troubled at all to behold that company theeuish,

Which there gapte for a pray, and glistred in armor about her.

Such is true-loues force, that where it taketh a lyking,

[Page] There noe payne is felt, noe pleasure can be regarded

In respect of that which is soe dearely beloued.

But when those Rakehells gan march on bowldly before her

With fowle black visages, making some shew of an onset,

Vp then againe, poore wench, herself shee began to bee lyfting,

And thus spake, theyr lookes, and countnance ougly beholding.

Yf that you be the ghosts of such as lately departed,

Then doe yee vs greate wrong with such strange sights to molest vs:

For moste parte of you your selus haue fylthyly murdred,

And wee for our sauegard, God knowes, were forc't to be fighting

Syth force and violence were offered vnto my person:

Yf not ghosts but men, then sure yee bee theeues, as apeareth

By your night-walking; and wee shall thinck it a pleasure,

If you cause our death, our death cause griefe to be dying.

Thus shee bewayld her woe; but alas those barbarus outlawes

Vnderstood noe woord, noe part of her heauy bewayling;

But there left them alone as noething lyke to be starting;

And ran straight to the ship with treasures wished abounding,

With precious diamonds, gold, syluer, curius arrace

Cloathes, and finest sylk themselus all heauyly loading,

Other wares, that were of lesse price, lightly regarding.

When that enough was brought, and pray pleasd greedy desyring,

All was caste on a heape, and then they fell to dyuyding

And parting booties, by the greatenes, not by the goodnes,

Thincking afterwards, of those poore sowles to determyne,

Pooreman, poore mayden. But now whilst this was a working,

Other theeues gan aproach, whose foremen lustyly praunsing

Were two stout horsemen, resolute, and fram'd for an onset.

First theeues feare last theeues (one robber robbeth an other)

Feare, and fly for feare; and leaue theyr booty behynde them,

Least by a quyck pursuyte theyr pray might chaunce to betray them

Into the hands of these last theeues, in number abounding,

They ten, these thrice ten. Now, now that louely Virago

Was captyued againe, poore sowle, and yet not a captyue.

For these last rouers, though greedyly bent to the booty.

Yet somwhat fearefull (theeues always vse to be fearefull)

And with wonder amasd (such sight might well be a wonder)

Paused a whyle, and thought those former theeues to be autors

Of this fowle outrage: but when they lastly reflected

Theyr distracted sight to the braue and glorius obiect

Of sweete Nymph, with strange attyre yet costly adorned,

[Page] Stowt-hart Nymph, that styrd not a foote nor feard any danger,

(And yet well, too well shee might haue feared a danger)

Constant Nymph, whose eyes, hart, hands were bent to the yongman,

Louing Nymph, pytying this youngman more then her owneself,

(And yet most pytyfull, God knows, shee seemed her ownself)

Theeues themselus, rude theeues were eu'n compeld to be wondring

At this mayds courage, nothing dismayd at a myschif,

At this mayds persnage, noething empayrd by a myschif,

At this man, though sore, yet tall and comely apearing

Eu'n as hee lay on ground; for now was hee somwhat amended,

And had strength at length and former beauty recou'red.

After much gazing, theyr guyde and capten aproaching

Caught poore mayde by the hande, and bade her for to bee rysing

And accompany hym: poore mayde surprysde by the capten

Vnderstood not a woord, (as borne in a contrary countrey)

And yet gest what hee ment: and cleaued fast to the yongman,

And held yongman fast, and euery way shee declared;

Vnles yongman went, shee neuer meant to be going,

Vnles yongman went, herself shee meant to be murdring,

And with a knife in her hand to her hart shee begins to be poynting.

Which when theyre capten (with some compassion harcknyng)

Partly by her wyld talk perceau'd, but chiefly by gesture,

And saw this yongman, though wounded, yet to be manly,

And very lyke to be fitt for some greate noble auenture

If that he once might chaunce his former strength to recouer,

Hymself dismounting commaunds his squyre to be lighting,

And yongman youngmayd to the horses straight to be lyfting,

Then byds his fellowes take opportunyty offred,

And make haste after, when spoyles and booty be gathred:

Himself by theyr sydes stil runs as a page or a lackey,

Staying wounded-man, weake mayde for feare of a falling.

Thus was a Lord at last made vassall vnto a vassall,

Thus was a braue capten made captyue vnto a captyue;

Soe doth Noblesse woork, and soemuch bewty preuayleth,

That very theeues themselus it some cyuylyty teacheth,

And theyr bruytish breasts to a new humanyty frameth.

Thus for two forlongs they passed along by the sea-shore;

Then leauing Neptune, they turn'd theyr course to the left-hand

Ouer a hill to a poole, which there lyes downe in a valley,

Valley growne to a lake and standing poole by the swelling

And ouerflowing of Nilus downe to the valley:

[Page] Poole very huge and deepe, whose vtmost bryms by the marshes,

As salt sea by the shore, enclosd, was a notable harbor

Of rogues and robbers and all Aegyptian outlawes.

Theyr floating whyrries are soe contryued in order,

That they serue these theeues aswell for coates to be dwelling,

As for boates, by the poole, that rogish sea, to be passing:

Since each part of land lyes ouerspred by the water,

But some smale angles and nookes, that chaunce to be peeping

Here and there by the poole: whereon these raskaly scapethriftes

Patch vprude cotages, fitt bowres for such an asembly.

In these boates theyr trulles and wyues keepe vsual howshold,

Here theyr bratts are borne and bred, fit neast for a poole-byrde.

Poole-byrde first brought foorth, sucks mothers mylk for a season,

Then feeds on fishes, when sucking dayes be determynd,

Fishes caught in poole, and rosted a whyle by the sun-beames.

But when hee fynds his feete, and gyns by the boate to be creeping,

One legg's tyde to a cord, for feare of a fall or a ducking:

Soe this yong crackrope, by a corde is traynd to a halter,

And scapes from drownyng, that hee may growe fit for a hangyng.

Euery yonker that fro the poole thus takes a begynnyng,

In this poole stil keepes, and there doth he make his abyding:

Poole is his howse and home; in poole his lyfe hee reposeth

Poole is a trusty refuge which poole-babes strongly protecteth.

This makes wandryng squyres that lyue by the spoyle of an other,

Shyfters, nyght-walkers, rouers, and all the detested

Pack of rogues to the poole, tag, rag, to be dayly repayring,

As Lords and Ladies of a lake, securely triumphing.

For this marsh with reedes, this poole with water abounding,

Water seru's as a wall, and reedes insteede of a bullwarck.

And for a further strength to the place, they craftyly framed

Dyuers blynde by wayes and crooked walks with a thousand

Turnyngs and wyndings, aswell known vnto the autors

And marshmen themselus, as not known vnto a stranger.

Soe that on euery syde they thick theyr fort to be fenced,

And noe danger at all, and noe pursuyte to be feared.

Now had fyery Phlegon his dayes reuolution ended,

And his snoring snowt with salt waues all to bee washed,

When to the Poole with spoyles, &c.

Carmen amat, quisquis carmine digna gerit.

FINIS.

Errata.

[Page]

B. 29. He that will, may for those verses,

Ile soone charme thy cheeke, this secreate lately I learned

Of Beldame Sagane, for an yuory combe that I gaue her.

Reade these,

Ile soone charme thy cheeke: this charme did Aresia teach mee,

For myne yuory horne, with gold all brauely adorned.

D. 14. In most part of the impression, by too much haste, bastneth went foorth, insteede of, hasteneth. l. 2. 29. For sloodes, reade floodes. K. 3. 17 For eorps, reade corps.

Information about this book

Title statement

The Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch Conteining the affectionate life, and vnfortunate death of Phillis and Amyntas: that in a pastorall; this in a funerall; both in English hexameters. By Abraham Fraunce.Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch. Part 1-2

Fraunce, Abraham, fl. 1587-1633.

Edition statement

1591

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2004-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01227

ID [STC]

STC 11340

ID [STC]

ESTC S105635

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99841362

ID [PROQUEST]

99841362

ID [VID]

5939

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01227)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 5939)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 241:18)

Source

— The Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch Conteining the affectionate life, and vnfortunate death of Phillis and Amyntas: that in a pastorall; this in a funerall; both in English hexameters. By Abraham Fraunce., Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch. Part 1-2, Fraunce, Abraham, fl. 1587-1633., Watson, Thomas, 1557?-1592. Amyntas. English., Tasso, Torquato, 1544-1595. Aminta., Virgil. Bucolica. 2. English., Heliodorus, of Emesa. Aethiopica. English. Selections..

Extent

[96] p.

Printed by Thomas Orwyn for William Ponsonby, dwelling in Paules Churchyard, at the signe of the Bishops head,. London :: 1591.. (In verse.) (The first part is adapted from "Aminta" by Torquato Tasso; the second is a revision of Fraunce's translation of "Amyntas" by Thomas Watson. Followed by translations of the second Bucolic of Virgil (first published in Fraunce's "The lawiers logike"), and of the opening of "Aethiopica" by Heliodorus.) (Signatures: A-M⁴.) (A third part was published the following year.) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

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