DIANA

God speed fair boy. Why, are you no boy? But I see and unhappy boy. Pretty lad, do your sheep feed in the For rest, or are you strayed from you flock, or on purpose come you to mar Diana's pastime? What art thou neither Lad nor sheep heard? I will. Follow me without delay, or excuse, & if you can do nothing, yet shall you hallow the Dear. What news have we here Ladies, are all in love? are Diana's Nymph's become Venus won tons? is it a shame to be chased, because you be amiable? or must you needs be amorous, because you are fair? Oh Venus, if this be thy spite, I will require it with more then hate, well shalt thou know what it is to drib thine arrows up and down Diana's leys. There is and unknown Nymph that straggleth up and down these woods, which I suspect hath been the weaver of these woes, I saw her slumbering by the brook side, go search her & bring her, if you find upon her shoulder a burn, it is Cupid: if any print on her back Like a leaf, it is Medea: if any picture on her left breast Like a bird, it is Calipso; who ever it be, bring her hither, and spee dilie bring her hither. Go you Larissa and help her. Now Ladies, doth not that make your cheeks blush, that makes mine ears glow? or can you remember that without sobs, which Diana can not think on without sighs? What greater dishonour could happen to Diana, or to her Nymph's shame, then that there can be any time so idle, that should make their heads so addle? Your chased hearts my Nymph's, should resemble the Onix, which is hottest when it is whitest, and your thoughts, the more they are assaul ted with desires, the less they should be affected. You should think love Like Homers Moly, a white leaf & a black root, a fair show, and a bitter taste. Of all Trees the Cedar is greatest, and hath the smallest seeds: of all affections, love hath the greatest name, & the least virtue. Shall it be said, and shall Venus say it? nay shall it be seen, and shall wantons see it? that Di anam the goddess of chastity, whose thoughts are all ways answerable to her vows, whose eyes never glan ced on desire, and whose heart abateth the point of Cum pids arrows, shall have her virgins to become unchaste in desires, immoderate in affection, untemperate in love, in foolish love, in base love. Eagles cast their evil feathers in the Sun, but you cast your best desires v Pon a shadow. The birds Ibes loose their sweetness when they loose their sights, and virgins all their for tues with their unchaste thoughts, unchaste, Diana call leth that, that hath either any show or suspicion of lightness. Oh my deer Nymph's, if you knew how loving thoughts stain lovely faces, you would be as careful to have the one as unspotted as the other beau tiful. Cast before your eyes the loves of Venus truls, their Fortune's, their fancies, their ends. What are they else but Silenus pictures, without, Lambs & Doves, with in, Apes, and Owls, who Like Ixion embrace clouds for Juno, the shadows of virtue in steed of the sub stance. The Eagles feathers consume the feathers of all oh the, and loves desire corrupteth all other virtues. I blush Ladies that you having been heretofore patient of labours, should now become prentices to idleness, and use the pen for Sonnets, not the needle for Same plers. And how is your love placed, upon pelting boys, perhaps base of birth, without doubt weak of discretion. I but they are fair. Oh Ladies do your eyes begin to love colours, whose hearts was wont to loath them? is Diana's Chase become Venus Court? and are your holy vows turned to hollow thoughts? Foolish girls, how willing you are to follow that which you should fly, but here comes Telusa. How now sir, are you caught, are you Cum bid? And thou shalt see Cupid that I will show my self to be Diana, that is, Conqueror of thy lose & untamed appetites. Did thy mother Venus under the colour of a Nymph, send thee hither to wound my Nymph's? Does she add craft to her malice, and miss trusting her deity, practice deceit: is there no place but my Groves, no persons but my Nymph's? Cruel and unkind Venus, that spighteth only chastity, thou shalt see that Diana's power shall revenge thy policy, and tame this pride. As for thee Cupid, I will break thy bow, and burn thine arrows, bind thy hands, clyp thy wings, and fetter thy feet. Thou that fattest others with Hope's, shalt be fed thy self with wishes, & thou that bindest others with golden thoughts, shalt be bound thy self with golden fetters. Venus rods are made of Roses, Diana's of Briers. Let Venus that great Goddess, ransom Cupid that little God. These La die here whom thou hast infected with foolish love, shall both tread on thee and triumph over thee. Thine own arrow shall be shot into thine own bosom, and thou shalt be enamoured, not on Psiches, but on Circe's. I will teach thee what it is to displease Diana, distress her Nymph's, or disturb her Game. Are you prating? I will bridle thy tongue & thy power, and in spite of mine own thoughts, I will set thee a task every day, which if thou finish not, thou shalt feel the smart. Thou shalt be used as Diana's slave, not Venus son. All the world shall see that I will use thee Like a captive, and show my self a Conqueror. Come have him in, that we may devise apt punishments for his proud presumptions. Oh Neptune, hast thou forgotten thy self, or wilt thou clean forsake me? Hath Diana therefore brought danger to her Nymph's, because they be chased? shall virtue suffer both pain and shame which always deserves praise and honour? I say there is nothing more vain, then to dispute with Venus, whose untamed affections have bred more brawls in heaven, then is fit to repeat in earth, or possible to recount in number, I have Cupid, and will keep him, not to dandle in my lap, whom I abhor in my heart, but to laugh him to scorn, that hath made in my virgins hearts such deep scars. It is known Venus, that your tongue is as unruly as your thoughts, and your thoughts as un stayed as your eyes, Diana cannot chatter, Venus can not choose. I account not the choice harden, for had I twenty Cupid's, I would deliver them all to save one Virgin, knowing love to be a thing of all the vainest, virginity to be a virtue of all the noblest. I yield, La rissa, bring out Cupid: and now shall it be said, that Cupid saved those he thought to spoil. Yes, chastity is not within the level of his bow. Here take your son. And I am glad I am rid of him. Now things falling out as they do, you must leave these found found affections, nature will have it so, necessity must. Suppose all this Venus, what then? Is it possible? Not I. What are these that so malepartlie thrust themselves into our companies? Let them alone, they be but peevish. You sir boy shall also go.