Classic Poem

Actus Secundus. Scen: Secunda. Da :

Thirsis (as I have tolde thee) well I knowe
How well, Aminta Silvia loves; heav'n knowes
How many friendly offices I have,
And will do for him; and so much the rather
For that thou do'st intreate in his behalfe;
But I would sooner take in hand to tame
A Beare, or Tygar then a fond young wench;
The silly thing (simple as faire) sees not
How sharpe and burning be her beauties rayes,
But smiles or cries; yet wounds where ere she goe,
And fondly knowes not if shee hurt or no. Thi :

Tush there's no wench so simple but shee knowes
Soone as shee leaves the cradle, how to seeme
Spruce, and delightfull; and what armes to use
To' hurte, or kill outright, and what to heale
A wounded heart, and give it life withall. Da :

What Master is't that shewes 'hem all these arts? Thi :
He that instructs the birds to sing and flye;
The Fish to swimme, the Ramme to butt, the Bull
To use his horne, the Peacock to display
His many-ey'ed-plumes beautie to the day. Da :

How name you this same teacher? Thi :

H'has a name. Da :

Go trifler. Thi :

Why I pre' thee art not thou
Fitt enough to teach twenty girles their lessons?
I'le warrant thee, I; and yet to speake the troth
They neede no teacher; Nature teacheth them
Although the nurse and mother have a part. Da :

Come y'ar unhappy; but in earnest now
I'me not resolv'd Silvia so simple is
As by her words she seemes; for th' other day
One deede of hers put me in doubt of her:
I founde her in those broad fields neere the towne,
Where amongst drown'de grounds, lies a little Isle,
And round about, a water cleare, and calme;
There o're shee hung her head; and seem'd (me thought)
Full proud to see her selfe, and tooke advice
O' th' water, in what order best to lay
Her locks, and them about her brow display,
And over them her vaile, and over that
The flowers shee carried in her lapp; now heere
She hung a Lilly, there shee stuck a Rose;
Then layd them to her neck, and to her cheeke,
As to try whethers hew the other past;
At last, (as joyfull of the victory)
Shee smiling seem'd to say, the day is mine;
Nor do I weare you for my ornament,
But for your owne disgrace (counterfait floures)
To shew how much my beauty passeth yours.
But while shee thus stood decking of her selfe,
Shee turn'd her eye by chance, and soone had found
That I had noted her, and blusht a mayne,
Downe fell her flowres; I laught to see her blush;
And she blusht more, perceiving that I laught;
But, (for of one side of her face, the haire
Was hung abroad, and th' other not,) shee turnes
To th' water once or twice, to mend the fault,
And gaz'd as 'twere by stealth, (fearfull belike
That I too neerly ey'd her;) where she sawe
Her haire (though orderlesse, yet) hanging so,
As grac'd her well; I saw, and saw her not. Thi :
All this I will beleeve: guest I not well? Da :

Thou did'st; but yet I will be bolde to say
That I have seldome seene a Shepherdesse
Or Nimph what ever of her yeares discreeter;
Nor was I such when I was of her yeares:
The world growes olde, and of a troth I thinke
It growes as ill as olde. Thi :

True; heretofore
Those of the Cittie were not wont so much
To haunt these woods as now adayes they do,
Nor meaner people in the village bredd,
To come so much among the cittizens;
Their blouds are now more mingled, and their customes.
But leave we this discourse; and tell me now
Could'st thou not finde a time Aminta might
Either alone, or in thy presence come
To speake to Silvia? Da :

I cannot tell;
Silvia is nyce and strange beyond all measure. Thi :
And he nicely respestfull beyond measure. Da :

He's i' the wrong then, fye on such a lover;
Nice (quoth you?) counsel him to leave that vice,
If he will learne to love; he must be bould,
And urge with speeding importunitie;
Let him a little filtch; if that be vaine,
Then ravish: tush know'st thou what women ar?
They flye; but ev'ry step wish to be tane;
What they denie, they wish were snatcht from them;
They fight, but still wish to be overcome.
I tell thee this Thirsis, but in thine eare:
Blabb not what I' say to thee', I cannot speake
In rime (thou know'st) but if I could, I'de say
Somewhat more worth then rime to beare away. Thi :

Feare not, I will not speake
Ought from thy lips what ere they ope to me.
But gentle Daphne, for the deare dayes sake
Of thy past youth, helpe me to helpe Aminta
Poore wretch that dyes. Dap :

Ah what a propper stile
Of conjuration (foole) hast thou deviz'd
To moove me with; bringing my youth to minde,
The pleasure I have lost, and paine I finde.
But what would'st have me doe? Thi :

Th' art not to seeke of wit, nor yet of powre,
Do but dispose thy will, I'le aske no more. Da :

Well then, I'le tell thee; wee ar going now
Silvia and I together all alone
Unto Diana's fount, to wash our selves;
There where the planetree with his safer shade
Ore-spreds the coole streame, and is wont t' invite
The weary huntresses to rest, and coole them:
There she'll uncase her so-beloved limbs. Thi :

And what of that? Da :

What of that? silly th' art
Or else thou would' st not aske me what of that. Thi :

Suppose I hit thy meaning, who knowes yet
If he will dare to meete her there or no? Da :

No? Why then truely let him stay till shee
Come to wooe him; and when will that be trow yee? Thi :

Do shee or not, he does deserve shee did. Da :

But now let's leave this theame; and talk a word
Or two of thee; say Thirsis, wilt not thou
Resolve at last to be a lover too?
Th' art not yet olde; fewe more then thirty yeeres
Have over-slipt thee, and I well remember
Thy infancie; wilt thou live joylesse still?
For only' a lovers is the happy life. Thi :

The joyes of Venus he injoyes as well,
That shunning lovers painfull miseries,
Tastes of the sweet, and lets the sowre alone. Da :

O but that sweet growes dull, and gluts betime
That is not seas' ned with a little sowre. Thi :

Better 'tis to be glutted (of the two)
Then pine before one feedes, and after two. Da :

But if the foode be pleasing, and possest,
'Tis good before; and in the tasting best. Thi :

No man can so possesse what he desires,
As just t' injoy it then when's hunger craves it. Da :

Who hopes to finde, that never meanes to seeke? Thi :

'Tis dangerous to seeke that which once found,
Pleases a little, but not found, torments
Much more; no, no, I'le go no more a wooing;
Cupid shall triumph over me no more;
I know a little what those suffrings be,
Let others proove them if they list for me. Da :

belike th' hast not injoy'd loves pleasure yet: Thi :

Nor do I wish to buy the plague so deare. Da :

You may perhaps be forc'd against your will; Thi :

Who keepes himselfe farr off, cannot be forc'd. Da :

Who can be far from love? Thi :

Who feares & flies. Da :

But what avayles to flye from him hath wings? Thi :

Love but new borne, hath wings but short & small.
And hardly strong enough to flye withall. Da :

Be'ing young, we know him not; but after, long;
And when we feele him once, he's growne too strong. Thi :

Not if we never felt him grow before. Da :

Well; yee shall hav't; wee'll see how well you will
Bridle your eye and heart; but I protest
Since thou canst play both Hound and Hare so well,
If ere I heare thee call and cry for helpe,
I will not moove a foote, nor yet a finger,
Nor stirr an eye, nor speake a word for thee. Thi :

Would'st have the heart (cruell) to see me dye?
If thou wouldst have me love, why love thou mee,
And lett's now make a loving bargaine on't. Da :

Away' you mock me now; well well, perhaps
You do not merit such a love as mine.
I've seene many a ladd as fine as you
Deceiv'd with a faire seeming painted face. Thi :

I doe not jest nor mock thee; this is but
A couler now to barr me loving thee,
As 'tis the custome of you all to do:
But if you will not love me, I'm content,
To live still as I do. Da :

I, live so still,
Happyer then twenty others; live in ease;
Perhaps unwares ease may ingender love. Thi :

O Daphne, a God this ease hath bred mee; he
That hath appear'd a second god to mee
By whom so many heards and flocks ar fedd
From th' one to th' other Sea, upon the faire
And fruitfull Plaines, and on the craggy backs
Of the steepe Apenines : he said to mee,
When as he made me his; Thirsis (quoth he)
Let others chase the Wolfe, and Thiefe, and keepe
A watchfull eye over my walled sheepe;
Let others care be to reward, or punish
My Ministers; let others feede and tende
My flocks, and keep the accoumpt of milke & wooll;
And take, and pay: take thou thine ease, and sing,
Wherefore 'tis reason good, I let goe by
All looser straines, and vainer carrolings;
And sing his Auncesters, and their high praise,
Who is to me Jove , and Apollo both;
Since in his lookes and deeds he both resembles
Issue of Saturne and of Heav'ne. Poor Muse
To meane for such a taske; and yet how e're
Horce voic'd, or clere she sings, he not contemns her.
I sing not him, too high for my lowe rimes,
Whom silent adoration onely can
Worthily honour; but still shall his altars
Be sprinckled with my floures, and he' re without
My humble Incense fuming all about.
Which simple (yet devoute) religion in me
When it shall leave my heart, the Harts shal feede
In th' ayre on ayre; and so the flouds shall change
Their bedd, and course; that Sone shall Persia greete,
And the large Tigris beat the French- Alpes feete. Da :

O thou fly'st high; pre' thee descend a little,
And to our purpose. Thi :

Then heere lyes the poynt;
That as thou go'st with her unto the fount,
Thou use thy best cunning to make her comming,
And heare Aminta speake; meane time my care
Shall be to make Aminta meete you there.
I feare my taske will be the hard'st of both.
Onn then o' Gods name. Da :

Yes, I goe; but Thirsis,
Wee were discoursing of an other matter. Thi :

If mine eye faile me not, yon same should be
Aminta, that comes hitherward; 'tis he.