MESSENGER

I bring the sad news of Aminta's death. Aminta noblest Shepherd of these woods; That was so comely and so gracious; So deer unto the Nymphs, and to the Muses; And dead but eu'ne a lad. Nymph I do believe thee; For eu'ne upon his death, I herd the wretch Call still upon thy name to his last breath. I was upon the mids of yond high hill, Where I had spread abroad some nets of mine To dry them, when not far off from me, came Aminta by, with a sad cloudy look, And altered much from what he wont to be Both in his face and fashion; which I spying Ran after him; and staying him, quoth he Ergastus thou must do a courtesy For me of much importance and avail; It's to go with me but a little hence, For witness of a deed I have to do; But first I'll have thee bind thy faith to me By a strict oath to stand aloof from me And not approach to let or hinder that That I shall do: I (that could never have dreamt Of such a furious madness in him) yielded To's will; and made desperate invocations Calling to witness Pan, and Priapus: Pales, Pomona', and nightly Hecate, Which done, he led me higher up the hill: Where, clambering through wild rocky passages, (By ways never found, and never trodden before) We gained the top, that overhung a valley, betwixt which and us was a steep precipice, And there we stayed; I casting down mine eye, Began for fear to tremble, and shrunk back. After a little pause, he smiled me thought, And seemed more cheerful then he was before; And that made me misdoubt him less then ever: After that; (quoth he to me) see thou tell The Nymph's and Shepherd's what thou shalt behold; Then looking down, Ah that I had (said he) So ready at my will, the throat and teeth Of those same greedy Wolves, as these rocks be; I would not die of other death, then she Who was my life; nor have my carcase torn But by those teeth that tore those delicate And beauteous limbs of hers; but since that heaven Denies so great a blessing to me, I Must be content some other way to die; And though a worse way, yet a speedier. Silvia I follow thee, Silvia I come To bear thee comapny, If thou disdain me not; Oh I should die Much more contentedly; were I but sure My follow'ing thee would not disquiet thee, And that thy hate had ending with thy life: Silvia I follow thee, I come. Which said, Down from the place he headlong threw himself, And I turned ye to see't. Not so; for setting all such oaths at nought, (Vain doubtless in such cases) when I saw Whither his found and heady madness tended, I reached at him; and (as ill hap would have it) Laid hold but of this thin scarf, wherewithal He girded himself; which (all too weak to bear His bodies weight, that rested all vpon't) Remained broke in my hand. I know not; For I was so dead strucken at the sighed, As my heart would not suffer me, to look And see him dashed to pieces. There O'that hand it's, and not far from hence. This maiden speaks me thinks in such a strain, As if she went never to return again.