THYRSIS

Harmless sheep and lambs eat grass: and greedy devouring Wolves eat harmless sheep and lambs: but surly Cupido Surly Cupido feeds himself on streams of abounding Tears, and's never filled, and yet stands ever a feeding. Oh bloody word, fowl word, o God forbid that Amyntas Should or think, or work any outrage unto Amyntas. Cast of these fancies, leave these toys, pluck up a mans-hart: If bony Phillis scorn, and make but a mock of Amyntas, Yet shall Amyntas find as brave gyrls as bony Phillis. Fear in a fearful man frets more than plagues that he fears: Hope, and have, in time any man may gain any woman. Long time mighty Lions at length hath brought to the bridle, And wyldest Tigers at length are tam'de in a long time. Stay but a while, no doubt these things will mend in a short time: Thou knowest that Women by kind are mutable ever, Soon hot, and soon 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 toldst me a great while Since, that Love gave first occasion unto thy torments, And that proud Phillis gave fresh increase to thy sorrows, Yet whence this love sprang, who was that Phillis I knew not. And sith somany years w'haue lived so friendly together, And applied 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 show only to Thyrsis. Say on then, for I harck and mark perchance to a better End, than thou thyself canst yet conceive or imagine. Say on Amyntas then; this matter's worthy the marking. And what man, madman, can think it possible, if that Once she do hear these plaints, but that shee'le yield to be loving? Doubt not, I hope ere long, I'll cause her friendly to hear thee. What? that cozening squire, that brokes and sells to the old wives Pelting pills in a box, and so scrapes coin from the country? 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 meet me again in this same place: for I doubt not But that in one half hour, I'll bring good news to Amyntas. Simple? I never yet could see so simple a woman, But was most expert, though but new crept from the cradle, In these cosn'ing tricks; and knew her face to be framing, Now with a smile t'allure, and now to repel with a frowning. Peace, peace, good Daphne: this no news, come to Amyntas. In those days, Townebyrds flew not so fast to the country, Nor country lasles did gad soemuch to the Cytty. Now all's confounded, now fashions all to be mingled All to be mangled quite, and every Madg is a Mistress, All's turned vpsyde down. But may not, may not Amyntas, And bonnilass Phillis yet talk once friendly together By Daphne's good means, and condescend to a parley? And he, alas, poorefoole, is too too fondly desiring. Then good plain Daphne, its more then time to be plain now, Help me to help our Friend poor helpless fryendles Amyntas. And what then? Daph. What then? then I think thusmuch to a wiseman Will seem sufficient, and is toomuch for a fonkyn. If that he were so served, he deserved well so to be served. When that Thyrsis see's, that loves not a plague to a lover, Then shall Daphne see, that Thyrsis will be a lover. But while hateful love with tears and fears is abounding, Love who will for me: let another learn to be mourning, Thyrsis enough hath mourned. Daph. But he hath not joyed enough yet. No such joys I desire. Daph. But love can force the resister. No force; isle keep back. Daph. And then love hasteneth onward. I'll run. Daph. Love hath wings. Thyrs. But short wings in the beginning. But let my love rest, till again we chance to be meeting, And let Amyntas now, for he most needs, first be relieved. I'll seek him straight way and bring, if I can, the retiring Bear to the stake. Daph. I'll go, but this was far from my meaning. And, if I guess not amiss, lo yonder he coms, with a downcast Look, and wandering pace, pace and look fit for Amyntas. Leave of thy mourning: Thyrsis brings news to Amyntas. If that thy Phillis should wander alone in a desert, Desert walled about with rocks of monsterus hugeness, Where sharp-tusked Boars, and Tigers only resorted, Wouldst thou go to thy love by this so fearful a passage? If thy Phillis were with a thievish company compassed, And saw nought but Swords and glistering armour about her, Wouldst thou go to thy love through this same company thievish? Yet for such exploit, more courage will be required. Thy love sits by a well, sits naked, alone, by a wellspring. Phillis sits by a well, and stays for gentle Amyntas, Darest thou go to thy love, and wilt thou go to thy Phillis? None else but Daphne; and Daphne works for Amyntas, Otherwise she alone, and naked stays for Amyntas, Naked, but. Amynt. But what? this vile, But, murdereth Amyntas. But Phillis knows not that Amyntas coms to the wellspring. If thou mean to be ruled, thou mayest be a happy Amyntas. If thou couldst leave love, wouldst thou leave of to be loving, That by not loving, thou mightest please thy bony Phillis? Thou wilt love her then, though in despite of her own heart. What then? against her will. Amynt. Love wills so, if she be wilful. Take then against her will that, which though in the beginning Seems to be painful a while, yet proves to be joyful in ending. Why then, wilt not go? Amy. Yes. Thyr. Whither? Amy. Straight to my long home, If no help, but this, can bring any joy to Amyntas. And is this nothing? would Daphne send for Amyntas, Unless that Phillis seemed in some partly to be willing? And perchance Phillis does know herself, that Amyntas Coms to the well indeed, but will not seem to be knowing. Now if thou wouldst have her full consent to be uttered, And mind expressed, which every woman abhorreth, Where is then thy desire, thy Phillis still to be pleasing? And if Phillis will, that Amyntas joy, be Amyntas Theft, not Phillis guyfte; what further seeks Amyntas? And who knows for truth, that Phillis lyks not Amyntas? And in and aequal doubt, that partly is best to be taken, Which to the parties mind is most conformable always; Therefore come. Amy. Stay yet. Thyr. For what? time passes Amyntas. We'll consult by the way of things that seem to be needful. Who so thinks many things brings seaw to a fortunate ending. Mischief I fear indeed of Amyntas: show me Amyntas. Hate and Love. Chor. Two foes, th'one th'other deadly maligning Either sufficient, but both more mighty to murder: Yet make this more plain. Thyrs. To be too too heartily loving, And of a loved Lass to be too too spitefully hated. I'll show all indeed, for I should unjustly be dealing, If that I blaze not abroad 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 so fond a relator) That Daphn' and Phillis would wash themselves in a wellspring: Thither Amyntas went, but went very faintly thither, All unwilling went, and backwards oft he retired, But that I still still drove him most unluckily forward. Forward thus we went, and now came never to Diana's Well, when alas we herd some doleful found of a damsel, That still cried, Alas; and saw how woefully Daphne Wringed her hands and wept, and seeing us to be coming, Lifted her hands and voice; Oh run run quickly to Phillis, Phillis alas is forced, o run run quickly to Phillis. Lover Amyntas leapt, as a Rowe-buck pricked with and arrow, At these words, and flew, and quickly I hastened after: When we came, we saw fair Phillis bound to a willow, Naked, stark-naked, bound head hand foot to a willow. Her locks served for a cord, her gold-locks leapt in a thousand Knots, (no trueloves knots) were all tied fast to the willow: Her brave Belt, which first that pure virginity guarded, Bound both hands to to the trunk, and this fowl villainy furthered: And winding willow, unwilling foe to be winding, (And yet glad those legs with tender twigs to be touching) Lends her slips to be strings (each thing can further a mischief) Strings those trembling legs (o rueful case) to be binding. And that beastly Satire, which caused this monsterus outrage, Stood with lusting rage, and raging fury before her, And now, even joust now had left of fully to bind her. Phillis strove as as Phillis might be a striving, But for a naked girl with and armed foe to be striving, Booteles it had be sure, if sharpened dart of Amyntas Gainst that fleshly Satire had not been timely directed: And I myself mean while my lap with stones was a filling, Which made lusting beast at last for fear to be flying. When this flight gave leave to the loving eyes of Amyntas For to behold his joys, those lyms so daintily trembling, Trembling yet for fear; at last, at last he approached Unto the naked Nymph, and yet yet somewhat abashed: Pardon, fair Phillis, quoth Amyntas, pardon I pray thee This my too bold hand, which too too rashly presumeth, And to thy spotless lyms, lyms never tutcht yet, aprocheth, Sith so extreme need, so great a necessity forceth Forceth Amyntas his hands fair Phillis her hands to be losing Let not then this grace which fortune seems to afford them, Seem any fowl disgrace, or work any woo to my Phillis. Gentle Amyntas straight with these words myldely retired, And withdrew himself, not daring once to be lifting Up those lovesick eyes, himself unkindly denying Joys to his own poor self, that he might ease his bony Phillis Of that pain, small pain, of giving him the denial. All this I herd and saw, while under and oak I did hide me, All this I herd and saw, and once I began to be speaking For very grief; yet I stayed: But mark yet, mark yet a wonder. After long toiling her feet at last she released, And scarce, scarce her feet from bans at last she released, But those winged feet she bestyrs as fast as a young Hind, And to Amyntas gives no not soemuch as a farewell: Yet no cause of flight, for Amyntas made not and offer. That can I noeway guess; for I was so mad to behold this Scornful pride, that I ran to-have brought her back to Amyntas, Ran with might and main, in vain: for I feared her away still; And when I came backward to the well, then I missed Amyntas. Surely I fear he's dead, for I know that he fully resolved Ere that he came to the well, himself to-have speedily murdered. God grant it prove so in Amyntas. Chor. Doubt not. Thyrs. I fear it. Yet to the Cave I'll go, where sage Elpinus abideth: There, if he live, its Like, that Amyntas will be recounting His forepassed pains to the rocks and watery fountains, And with pleasant pipe, with voice so sweetly resounding Make those rocks to resound, and wring out tears from the fountains. As though thou knewest not: that Mistress, which did in old time Take young birds from the nest, and taught them for to be flying, Bull to rebut with a horn, and scaled fish to be swimming, And proudhart Peacock her painted train to be spreading. Life, love, bliss, joy to Amyntas, If that Amyntas dare joy, bliss, love, life be a meeting. But then he must be a man, not a mome, man fully resolved, And not shrynck with a shower, as a feint heart fool or a dastard. Harck then. Now I do know thy mind: but I doubt least fearful Amyntas Have not soemuch heart, as boldly to offer and onset.