PANDORA

Avant sir sauce, play you the Questionest? Whats that to thee, if I be sick or sad? Either demean thy self in better sort, Or get thee hence and serve some other where. What throbs are these that labour in my breast? What swelling clouds, that overcast my brain? I burst, unless by tears they turn to rain. I grudge and grieve, but know not well whereat: And rather choose to weep then speak my mind, For fretful sorrow captivates my tongue. She plays the vixen with every thing about her. Rude knaves, what mean you thus to trouble me? What songs? what pipes? & fiddling have we here? Will you not suffer me to take my rest? Exit. Why what art thou? more then Utopian swains? Why then Pandora doth exceed the heavens, Who neither fears nor loves Jupiter. The words of Empress and of firmament, More please mine ears then Jupiter mine eyes: Yet if thy love be like to thy protest: Give me thy golden sceptre in my hand. But not as purchase of my precious love, For that is more then heaven it self is worth. What lack I now but and imperial throne, And Ariadna's starlight Diadem. Why know, Pandora scorns both Jove and thee, And there she lays his sceptre on the ground. Let Juno fret, and move the powers of heaven, Yet in her self Pandora stands secure: Am I not Nature's darling and his pride? Hath she not spent her treasure all on me? I tell thee Jupiter, Pandora's worth Is far exceeding all your goddesses: And since in her thou dost obscure my praise, Here (to be short) I do abjure thy love. And art thou clouded up? fare as thou list, Pandora's heart shall never stoop to Jove: Gunophilus, base vassal as thou art, How haps when Juno was in presence here, Thou didst not honour me with kneel and crowche, And lay thy hands under my precious foot? He powers down a number of courtesies. To make her know the height of my desert. Base pesaunt, humbly watch my stately looks, And yield applause to every word I speak: Or from my service I'll discard thee quite. Gunophilus on his kness. I now Gunophilus thou pleasest me, These words and curtsies prove thee dutiful. I now thou fittest my humour: Let them come. Although my breast, yet never harboured love, Yet should my bounty free your servitude: If love might well consort our Majesty, And not debase our matchless dignity. I please my self in your humility, Yet will I make some trial of your faith, Before I stoop to favour your complaints: For wot you well Pandora knows her worth, He that will purchase things of greatest prize, Must conquer by his deeds, and not by words: Go then all four, and slay the savage Boar, Which roving up and down with ceaseless rage, Destroys the fruit of our Utopian fields, And he that first presents me with his head, Shall wear my glove in favour of the deed. I, so, fair and far off, for fear of hurt, See how the cowards counterfeit a fray: Strike home you dastard swains, strike home I say, Fight you in jest? let me bestur me then, And see if I can cudgel ye all four. She snatches the spear out of Stesias hand & lays about her. My friends, base peasants, My friends would fight Like men: Avant, or I shall lay you all for dead. Exeunt, all saving Stesias. Base vassal how darest thou presume to speak? Wilt thou encounter any deed of mine, She beats him. How long have you been made a counseller? What tellest thou me of love and fancies fire? Fire of debate is kindled in my heart, And were it not that thou art all unarmed, Be sure I should make trial of thy strength, But now the death of some fierce savage beast: In blood shall end my furies tragedy, For fight I must, or else my gall will burst. Exit Pand. Tell me Gunophilus how does Stesias now? How fares he with his wound? unhappy me, That so unkindly hurt so kind a friend, But Stesias if thou pardon what is passed, I shall reward thy sufferance with love, These eyes that were Like two malignant stars, Shall yield their comfort with their sweet aspect. And these my lips that did blaspheme thy love, Shall speak thee fair and bless thee with a kiss, And this my hand that hurt thy tender side, Shall first with herbs recure the wound it made, Then plighted my faith to thee in recompense. And thou Gunophilus I pray thee pardon me, That I misdid thee in my witless rage, As time shall yield occasion be thou sure, I will not fail to make thee some amends. Stand up: Pandora is no longer proud, But shames at folly of her former deeds, But why stands Stesias Like a man dismayed? Draw near I say and thou with all the rest. Forgive the rigour of Pandora's hand, And quite forget the faults of my disdain. Now is the time if you consent all four, Wherein I'll make amends for old offence. One of you four shall be my wedlock mate, And all the rest my well-beloved friends: But vow you here in presence of the Gods, That when I choose, my choice shall please you all. Then love and Hymen bless me in my choice. You all are young and all are lovely fair, All kind, and courteous and of sweet demean, All right and valiant, all in flowering prime, But since you grant my will his liberty, Come Stesias take Pandora by the hand, And with my hand I plighted my spotless faith. Their sad depart would make my heart to earn, Were not the joys that I conceive in thee: Go, go, Gunophilus without delay, Gather me balm and cooling Violets, And of our holly herb Nicotian, And bring with all pure honey from the hive, That I may here compound a wholesome salve, To heal the wound of my unhappy hand. But first sweet husband, be thou ruled by me, Go make provision for some holy rites: That zeal may prosper our new joined love, And by and by my self will follw thee. I feel my self inspyrd, but wot not how, Nor what it is, unless some holy pour: My heart foretells me many things to come, And I am full of unacquainted skill: Yet such as will not issue from my tongue, But Like Siballa's golden prophecies, Affecting rather to be clad in verse, (The certain badge of great Apollo's gift) Then to be spread and soiled in vulgar words, And now to ease the burden of my bulk, Like Sibyl, thus Pandora must begin, Come my Pandora, Stesias stays for thee. Peace man, with reverence here & note my words, For from Pandora speaks the Lawreat God. Utopiae Stesias Phoenici solvit amorem, Numina caelorum dum pia praecipiunt. And backward thus the same, but double sense. Praecipiunt pia dum celorum Numina, amorem Solvit Phoenici Stesias Utopiae. He soberly repeating these verses, first forward and then backward, sayeth. Idaliis prior hic pueris est: aequoris Alt Pulchrior haec nymphis, & prior Aoniis. And backward thus, but still all one in sense. Aoniis prior, & nymphis haec pulchrior alti Aequoris est: pueris hic prior Idaliis. He soberly repeating these also, backward and forward, sayeth: Even now begins my fury to retire, And now with Stesias hence will I retire. Exeunt. Thus pretty Satyr will Pandora dance. I am a maiden wilt thou have me? What then? I care not. Then merely farewell my maiden head. These be all the tears I'll shed, Turn about and tryppe it. Venus. Cupid and Joculus, come leave her now. The boys are gone and I will follow them. I will not follow them they are to young. What honey thoughts are in Pandora's brain? Hospitis est tepedo nocte receptam sui. Ah I envy her, why was not I so? And so will I be, where is Iphicles, Melos, Learchus? any of the three? I cure the sick? I study Poetry? I think of honour and of chastity? No: love is fitter then Pandora's thoughts, Yet not the love of Stesias alone, Learchus is as fair as Stesias, And Melos loulier then Learchus far. But might I chosen, I would have Iphicles, And of them all Stesias deserves the least. Must I be tied to him? no I'll be lose, As lose as Helen, for I am as fair. Pretty Gunophilus, give me the herbs: Where didst thou gather them my lovely boy? I fear me Cupid danced upon the plain, I see his arrow head upon the leaves. Thou dost dissemble, but I mean good sooth, These herbs have wrought some wondrous effect, Had they this virtue from thy Lily hands? Lets see thy hands my fair Gunophilus. Such slender fingers hath Jove's Ganymede, Gunophilus, I am love sick for thee. I languish for thee, therefore be my love. I'll hide thee in a wood, and keep thee close. I'll say thou art a Satire of the woods. I so thou shalt, I'll give thee Stesias horns. But he may have shortly, Gunopilus: I'll have a banquet straight, Go thou provide it, and then meet me here. Then happy is Learchus, he is my guest. What of the banquet? Whats that to you? Go and prepare it. A way you peasant. Learchus had I marked this golden hair, I had not chosen Stesias for my love, But now. Then come again: Now be as great as Jove. A husband? what a foolish word is that? Give me a lover, let the husband go. Are these the shepherd's that made love to me? They look Like water Nymphs, but speak Like men, Thou should be Nature in a men attire, And thou young Ganimayde Minion to Jove. Melos is loveliest, Melos is my love, Come hither Melos I must tell thee news, News tragical to thee and to thy flock. She whispers in his ear. Melos I love thee, meet me in the vale, She speaks aloud. I saw him in the Wolves mouth, Melos fly. He that would do all this, must love me well, And why should he love me and I not him? Wilt thou for my sake go into yond grove? And we will sing unto the wild birds notes. And be as pleasant as the Western wind, That kisses flowers and wantons with their leaves. I will and therefore follow Iphicles. What is he Jealous? come Gunophilus In spite of him I'll kiss thee twenty times. Imediately, prepare the banquet straight, Mean time I'll pray that Stesias may be here, Bring Iphicles and Melos with thee and tell them Of my husband. Descendit and inferos. No, let him live but had he Argos eyes, He should not keep me from Learchus love, Thus will I hang about Learchus neck: And suck out happiness from forth his lips. Wherefore dost thou break the glass. Gunophilus thou art too malepert. Think nothimg, for I can not shift him off, Sirrah provide the banquet you are best. Melos my love. Fit down sweet Iphicles. Hers to the health of Stesias my love, Would he were here to welcome you all three. I he ways more his flock then me. she weeps. And I love him. Knows not Melos I love him. Hath Iphicles forgotten my words. Learchus go thou knowest my mind. My husband heres you, will you strive for wine Give us a fresh cup, I will have you friends. Nay if you fallen out farewell, Now will I go meet Learchus. Exit Pand. Fence with her tongue, and guarded with her wit. Thus goes Pandora unto Stesias. Gunophilus, Pandora is undone, Her love, her joy, her life hath lost his wits, Offer a Kid in Esculapias fane, That he may cure him, least I die outright, Go I say. Then die Pandora: art thou in thy wits. And calste me wanton? She falls down. I cannot but forgive thee Stesias, But by this light, if. He that will win me must have Stesias shape. Such golden hair, such Alabaster looks, Wilt thou know why I loved not Jupiter? Because he was unlike my Stesias. It was to bring me in disgrace with thee, That they might have some hope I would be theirs. I cannot walk but they importune me. How many amorous letters have they sent. What gifts? yet all in vain to prove which true, I'll bear this slander with a patient mind, Speak them all fair and ere the sun go down, I'll bring thee where they use to lie in weight, To rob me of my honour in the groves, Go Stesias as simple as a sheep, And now Pandora summon all thy wits, To be revenged upon these long toungd swains, Gunophilus bear Iphicles this ring: Tell him I rave and language for his love. Will him to meet me in this mead alone, And swear his fellows have deluded him, Bear this to Melos say that for his sake, I stabbed my self, and hadst not thou been near, I had be dead, but yet I am alive. Calling for Melos whom I only love, And to Learchus bear these passionate lines, Which if he be not flint will make him come. That letter did I pen doubting the worst, And dipped the Napking in the Lambkins blood. For Iphicles were he compact of Iron, My ring is Adamant to draw him forth, Let women learn by me to be revenged. I'll make them bite their tongues and eat their words, Yea swear unto my husband all is false. My wit is pliant and invention sharp, To make these novices that injure me. Young Iphicles must boast I favoured him, Here I protest as Helen to her love: Oscula luctanti tantummodo pauca proternus abstulit: ulterius, nil habet ille mei. And whats a kiss? too much for Iphicles? Here will I fit till I see Iphicles, Sighing my breath, out weeping my heart blood, Go soul and fly unto my liefest love, A fairer subject then Elysium. But I will view thee my sweet Iphicles, Thy looks are physic, suffer me to gaze, That for thy sake am thus distempered. And mine to show my love: lovers are pale. And so Pandora let me kiss my love, And add a better colour to his cheeks. Who can be angry with one whom she loves? Rather had I to have no thoughts at all. Then but one ill thought of my Iphicles: Go unto Stesias and deny thy words, For he hath thrust me from his cabanet. And as I have done, I will love thee still, Delay no time, hast gentle Iphicles, And meet me on Enepeus sedgy banks. At midnight Iphicles, till then farewell. Thus will I serve them all, now Melos come, I love thee too, as much as Iphicles. 'Tis not Learchus, nor that Iphicles, That grieves me, but that Melos is unkind, Melos for whom Pandora strained her voice, Playing with every letter of his name: Melos, for whom Pandora made this wound, Melos, for whom Pandora now will die. So Melos swears, but 'tis a lovers oath. Nor I suspect thee more, mistrust me not, Learchus never touched Pandora's lips, Nor Iphicles received a friendly word: Melos hath all my favours and for all, Do only this and I'll be only thine, Go unto Stesias and deny thy words, And as the sun goes down I'll meet thee hear. A pretty swain worthy Pandora's love, But I have written to Learchus I, And I will keep my promise though I die, Learchus pardon me. Unto the sea side, and take shipping straight. Gunophilus, for thee I have done this. For thee I'll beg and die Gunophilus. I prithee be not so churlish. Gunophilus, setting this mirth aside, Dost thou not love me more then all the world? I cannot go no faster, I must rest. Why dost thou waken me isle remember this. No with my self for loving such a swain, What fury made me dote upon these looks, Like winter's picture are his withered cheeks, His hair as ravens plumes, ah touch me not. His hands are Like the sins of some foul fish, Look ehow he mows Like to and aged ape, Over the chain Jack, or isle make thee leap. Now he swears by his ten bones, down I say. But shall I have a gown of oaken leaves, A chaplet of read berries, and a faun. Made of the morning dew to cool my face. How often will you kiss me in and hour, And where shall me fit till the sun be down, For Nocte latent mendae. I will not kiss thee till the sun be down, Thou art deformed, the night will cover thee, We women must be modest in the day, Oh tempt me not until the evening come. Callest thou me Thais? go and love not me, I am not Thais I'll be Lucretia I, Give me a knife and for my chastety, I'll die to be canonized a Saint. No but I will not. No I, I saw thee not till now. I and loath thee. A spirit, a spirit, whither may I fly. And I see Stesias welcome Stesias. He need not for I'll run away with him, And yet I will go home with Stesias, So I shall have a white lamb coloured black, Two little sparrows, and a spotted fawn. No, no, I will not dance, but I will sing, Stesias hath a white hand, but his nails are black, His fingers are long and small, shall I make them crack. One two and three, I love him, and he loves me. Beware of the shephook, I'll tell you one thing, If you ask me why I sing, I say ye may go look. Give me a running stream in both my hands, A blue kings fisher, and a bible stone, And I'll catch butter flies upon the sand, And thou Gunophilus shalt clip their wings. Shall I not stamp upon the ground? I will, Who say Pandora shall not rend her hair? Where is the grove that asked me how I did? Give me and angle for the fish will bite. I'll have the Ocean put into a glass, And drink it to the health of Stesias. Thy head is full of hediockes Iphicles, So shake them of, now let me see thy hand, Look where a blazing star is in this line, And in the other two and twenty sons. Thine arms are firebrands, wheres Gunophilus, Go kiss the echo, and bid love untruss, Go fetch the black Goat with the brazen heel, And tell the Bellwether I hear him not. Not, not, not, that you should not come unto me This night, not at all, at all, at all. Have I offended thee? I'll make amends. Fair Nature let thy hand maid dwe'l with her, For know that change is my felicity, And fickleness Pandora's proper form, Thou madest me sullen first, and thou Jove proud, Thou bloody minded, he a Puritan. Thou Venus madest me love all that I saw, And Hermes to deceive all that I love, But Cynthia made me idle, mutable, forgetful, Foolish, fickle, frantic, mad, These be the humours that content me best, And therefore will I stay with Cynthia. Thus must Pandora exercise these swains, Commanding them to dangerous exploits: And were they kings my beauty should command, Sirrah Gunophilus bear up my train. Exit Pandora and Gunoph. Begun I say, before I strike again. Prithee be quiet wherefore should I dance? Had he not spoke I should have courted him: Wilt thou not say Pandora is to light, If she take thee instead of Stesias? Then shepherd this kiss shall be our nuptials. None but Learchus: Now sweet love begone, Least Stesias take thee in this amorous vain, But go no farther then thy bower my love, I'll steal from Stesias and meet thee straight. Now have I played with wanton Iphicles. Yea and kept touch with Melos, both are pleased, Now were Learchus here? but stay me thinks here is Gunophilus I'll go with him. Where is my husband speak Gunophilus. I but he shall not. His fellow swains will meet me in this bower, Who for his sake I mean to entertain, If he knew of it he would meet them here. Ah where so ere he be, safe may he be, Thus hold I up my hands to heaven for him, Thus weep I for my deer love Stesias. No, only thee, yet let them sit with me, Gunophilus, where is Gunophilus? Give me the knife thou pulledst from my breast: Melos is gone, and left Pandora here, Witness ye wounds, witness ye silver streams, That I am true, to Melos only true, And he betrayed me unto Stesias. I that solicit thee which loves me not. Then give me leave to desemble. 'Tis not thy sorrow that can make amends, Were I amam thou shouldst repent thy words. Ah Stesias leave: you shall not fight for me, Go, go Learchus I am Stesiasses. Learchus meet me straight, the time draws nigh. Come hast thou all his Jewels and his pearls? When I forsake thee, then heaven it self shall fallen. where is the larks, come weel go catch some straight? No let us go a fishing with a net? With a net? no, and angle is enough: And angle, a net, no none of both. I'll wade into the water, water is fair, And stroke the fish under neath the gilles. But first I'll go a hunting in the wood, I Like not hunting, let me have a hawk What wilt thou say and if I love thee still? I, if he be a fish, for fish is fine, Sweet Stesias help me to a whiting mop. I'll not be fair why call you me your love. Love is a little boy, so am not I. Where be all these. Streams with pearl? birds with golden feathers? Musk flies, and amber berries? white Squirrels, And singing Popinjays? a boat of deer skins? Come I'll go, I'll go. Not with old Saturn for he looks Like death. Nor yet with Jupiter least Juno storm. Nor with thee Mars, for Venus is thy love, Nor with thee Solemnizing, thou hast two Parramours. The sea born Thetis and the rudy morn. Nor with thee Venus least I be in love, With blindfold Cupid or young Joculus Nor with thee Hermes, thou art full of slights, And when I needs thee Jove will send thee forth. Say Cynthia, shall Pandora rule thy star, And wilt thou play Diana in the woods? Or Hecate in Plutos regiment? What is he come then shall my tongue declaim, Yet am I bashful and afeard to speak. I can but smile to think thou wast deceived, Learchus thou must to my husband straight, And say that thou art sorry for thy words, And in the evening isle meet thee again, Under the same grove where we both sat last. Oh I am faint and weary, let me sleep. What means my love to look so pale and won. Though rancour now be rooted from my heart I feel it burdened in and other sort: By day I think of nothing but of rule, By night my dreams are all of Empery. Mine ears delight to hear of Sovereignty, My tongue desires to speak of princely sway, My eye would every object were a crown. If Nature wild, then do attend on me, But little service have I to command, If I my self might choose my kind of life, Nor thou, nor any else should stay with me, I find my self unfit for company. Here take thou Melos favours, keep it close, For he and Iphicles will straight be here, I love them not, they both importune me, Yet must I make as if I love them both. Here they come. Welcome Learchus to Pandora's feast. Learchus whist my husbands in this cave, Thinking to take us together here.