CHARINUS

Would! have I found you? Hoh! Nerina, stay, Your father calls you; was not that my daughter That made away so fast? Is't possible? I durst have sworn that she had been my daughter, What made she here? It'll never be otherwise; Young women will be chatting with young men, What ere their father say. It was not so When I was young, a boy, as you are, shepherd's. We never durst keep company with women, Nor they with us, each one did carefully Attend his charge: And when the time was come That we grew ripe in years, and were stayed youths, Our Father's would provide us wives: we did not Carve for our selves, as now a days they do: But now our children think themselves as wise, Nay wiser then their Father's, and will rule they: They can no sooner peep out of the shell, But they must love forsooth; I would feign know, Whither 'twere fit a Maid should be in love, (I speak now of that skittish girl my daughter Before she ask her Father's leave and liking? Son, son, she shall be yours: why? am not I Her Father, she my daughter; may not I Bestow her where I please? What? she bestow herself without my leave? No, no, Mirtillus, you mistake my daughter. I cannot get her once to think of marriage, And truly I do muse to see a wench, That in all other things (although I say it) Has wit at will, can pin her sheep in fold As well as any, knows when to drive them home: And there she can do twenty things as well: Yet when I speak to her of marriage, She turns the head, shee'le be a Dryade, she Or one of those found Nymphs of Dians train. Well, we will think of this: Come Daphnis, come, I see you love my daughter, and you only Shall have her, it is I that tell you so, That am her Father. Do not tell me of reason; I would hear Of her obedience, therefore I say, be wise, And do as I would have you. I will have her answer To what I now demand, that is, to marry Daphnis, and I will have her love him too. Why should she wish or hope for any thing, But what I'de have her wish or hope for only? Come, to be short, answer me, and directly; Are you content to marry Daphnis, say? You do not hear It seems, but what you list; I ask you once Again, if you will marry Daphnis, speak? I know you shall do that which I command. A fine devotion, is it not? to make A vow, and never ask your Father leave; The Laws will not permit it to be so. Do not tell me of vows, I'll have her marry; And marry Daphnis: Is he not rich and handsome? No, Daughter, do not you believe, you can Catch me with shifts and tricks: I see, I tell you, Into your heart. Yes, you have made a vow I know, which is, While you are young, you will have all the Youth To follow you with lies and flatteries. Fool, they'le deceive you, when this colour fades, Which will not always last, and you go crooked, As if you sought your beauty lost i'th' ground: Then they will laugh at you, and find some other Fit for their love; where if you do as I Command you, I have one will make you happy. Look now, as if the Fates would have it so, He comes just in the neck of my discourse: Come, use him kindly now, and then you shall Redeem what you have lost, my good opinion. Daphnis, you're welcome, very welcome to me, And to my Daughter: what is that you have there? See but how true a lover Daphnis is; His hand is never empty when he comes: Welcome him Daughter, look what he has for you. I am and old man, I, and therefore care not To see my withered face, and hoary hair: Give it that young thing, she knows what to do with it. Daughter, come hither, use him courteously, And kindly too: (Be sure you take his gift.) Daphnis, I'll leave you both together here; My sheep are shearing, I can stay no longer. Do what thou wilt sweet heart: see my poor child How charitable she is, being half dead Her self, she pities others. Ay me! my daughter, hadst thou lived, perhaps, I might have seen thee married to Daphnis, Now we must see thee buried: Ay me! See her good Nature: I child, it's enough, Thou always Wertenberg obedient. I, do my child, speak freely. It's true, Nerina, How she remembers what her father said! I am, with any thing that pleases thee. You have, it is in vain now to deny it: You see, Dorinda, what her vow's come to. Look to the shepherd there: o my Nerina! Then there is no hope left: Pray help us shepherd's now to bear her hence; You'll come I hope to see her in her grave. Who makes this outcry? My daughter here? was she not buried? Away foul spirit, away; let's partly these shepherd's. She is alive indeed: how camest thou hither? By what strange means, Nerina? Can it be? Can Daphnis do this? he had little reason. Here Hylas, take my daughter, For she is thine: you Daphnis, I did further In all I could, till you would find a trick To put your self beside her. Come shepherd's, lets away, And solemnize these nuptials.