SILVIA

Daphne, let others pleasure take in love, (If in such thraledome any pleasure be;) The life I lead contents me well enough; To chase the flying Dear over the lawn With Hound, or well-aym'de Flight, and while I find hafts in my quiver, and beasts for my pray, I'll want no sport to pass the time away. When I repent the thoughts I carry now, Or say such words as these thou feigning framest To sport thy self withal; the Floulds shall run Back to their Springs, the Wolf shall fearing fly The silly Lamb, and the young Leurett shall Pursue the speedy Grayhound over the plain, The Bear shall in the toiling Ocean breed, And finny Dolphin on the mountains feed. Be it to Aminta and his loves, as best Shall Like himself; I'm at a point for one; And so he be not mine, be' he whose he list. But mine he cannot be against my will, Nor yet though he were mine, would I be his. Why from his love. I hate his love, that does my honour hate; And lou'de him, while he sought what I could grant. I prithee Daphne either speak no more, Or somewhat else that I may answer to. Such and worse welcome they deserve, that ar These theenes of silly maids virginities, Whice you call lovers, and I enemies. When I hear trees sigh (as belike they do) I'll be content to be a lover too. But what did then Licoris (prithee tell me) What reply did she make to Elpine's words? How could she answer only with her eyes? But wherefore does not he then trust her eyes? Well thus we wast the time in idle chat, And I had half forgotten, that it's to day We did appoint to meet in oaken grove, To hunt and hour; I prithee if thou wilt, Stay for me till I have in yond fresh fount aid off the sweat and dust that yesterday soiled me with, in chase of a swift Do, That at the length I overtook, and kill'de. Indeed I scaped So narrowly, as I believe she might Full well suppose me dead. Why I in following A Wolf into the wood, had thickt with him So far, till I at length had lost his track; And as I stood thinking to turn again Back as I went, I spied him, and I knew him By' a shaft that stuck in's head near to his ear, Which I not long before had shot at him: He was accompanied with many more, About the body of some beast new slain; But what beast 'twas I knew not; the same Wolf I think knew me so well, that on he made Towards me with his head besmeared with blood. I boldly stood, and bent a Dart at him, And when I thought his distance fit for me, I threw, but (whither it was Fortune's fault Or mine) I missed him, as thou knowest I use Not oft to do; he fiercer then before Rushes upon me; and was come so near, That I, (my shafts now spent) found it too late To trust my bow, and took me to my heals: Away Tranne; he followed me as fast. See now my hap; a veil that I had tied My hair withal, was half undone, and flew At the winds pleasure loosely, that at length 'Thad wound it self about a bough; I felt That somewhat stayed me; but the fear I had, Redoubled so my strength, that though the bough Did all it could to hold me, I broke lose; And as I left my veil behind, I left Partly of my hair withal; and so had fear Lent my feet wings, that I outwent the Wolf, And came safe from the wood; when turning home I met thee thus amazed, and am no less Amazed my self to see thee so. What ailest thou? prithee art thou sorry then That I'm alive? How's this? for whose death? Aminta dead? alas how may that be? What's this thou tellest me? alas what might be Occasion of Aminta's death? Make me conceive thee. Fie, th'art deceived; and this thy thought will be As vain as was the news thou heardst of me; For surely no man will die willingly. Ay me what's this thou tellest me? But holdest thou this for certain? Ay me why didst thou not strait follow him? And stay him? ah let's seek, let's find him out; Since from my death, his death's desire is bred, He must live still because I am not dead. We must alas we must inquire him out Some way or other speedily, least he Through our slowness his own murderer be. Ah thou dost wound me; and thy every word Adds to the agony'e of my bleeding breast, Struck through with fear of him; and with the bitter Remembrance of the savage cruelty In me, which I called honesty', and so 'twas, But too seuereit was, and rigorous; I find it now, alas I now repent it. It's pity, it's compassion causes them. Oh that I Could with my love redeem his life again, Or with my life his life, if he live not. Ay me what says he? Ay me my heart fails Me; I dare not approach Unwelcome news which I of force must hear. Vild breast of mine, ohdurate heart of mine, What fear'fl thou now? go hard'ly, press upon The murdering knives that are in yond men tongue; And there display thy fierceness? friend, I come To bear my partly of all the woe thou bringest; Perhaps it does concern me more by much Then th'art aware of; It belongs to me; Grutch me not on't then. Ay me, ay me. Ay me, were I not made of stone indeed, This news would kill me. Ah if the false death Of me that cared no more for him, was cause Enough to end his life; Much more cause is there that the certain death Of him that loved me so, should be enough To end my life; and it shall end my life; And if grief cannot do't, the sharp steel shall; Or else this girdle here, which justly stays As loath to follow his sweet Master's ruins, Till it have done on me the endue revenge Of his sad death, and my ingratitude. Unhappy girdle (relic of a more Unhappy Master) ah do not disdain Abide a while with one so odious; For thou shalt stay but to be instrument Of his revenge, and of my punishment. I might have been, alas I should have been Yokefellow with Aminta here on earth; But since that cannot be, by thy help now I'll find him out among infernal shades, And there go bear him better company. Shepherd's why plain ye? if ye moan my woes, I do deserve no pity; that have been My self so pitiless; if ye wail the death Of the poor Innocent, ab 'tis too small; Grief is too poor to pay his deed withal. And Daphne thou I prithee dry thy tears; If for my sake thou weepest; for my sake cease. And for his sake that was a thousand times More worth then I; and go along and help me To find unhappy bones; and bury them; It's that alone that keeps me still alive, And that I do not even now kill my self. It is the least and last duty is left For me to do him, for the love he boar me; And though this vile hand of mine, might perhaps Blemish the pi'ety of so joust a deed; Yet he I know will Like the deed the better, For being done by it; for I am sure He loves me still; his death assures it me. Till now I've lived only unto my self, And my own wayward humour: for the rest, I vow it all to'Aminta; and if to him I may not, I'll live yet to his cold carcase, Till I have done it the last obsequies: So long I may; longer I will not live. But Shepherd set me in the way (I pray) Unto the valley at the high hills foot. Farewell Shepherd's, Nymph's farewell; Farewell woods, fields, and flocks; farewell, farewell.