LYDIA

That does require more time, we will apart Consult thereof, be you but ruled by me, And you shall find, I, yet, will set you free. IN what a mean regard are we now held, We active and laborious foresters? Who though our living rural be and rough, Yet heretofore were we for valour prized, And well esteemed in all good companies: Nor would the daintiest nymphs that valleys haunt Or fields inhabit, ever have despised Our sylvan songs, nor yet our plain discourse; But gracefully accepted of our skill, And often of our loves, when they have seen How faithful and how constant we have been. Now fily girl, how fondly do you talk? How have you lost your fame; what for a few Ill-favoured loving words, uttered in jest Unto a foolish youth? Cannot you say You did but to make trial how you could, If such a peevish qualm of passion should (As never shall) oppress your tender heart, Frame your conceit to speak, to look, to sighs Like to a heartstruck lover; and that you Perceiving him to be a bashful youth, Thought to put spirit in him, and make you sport. Are you so simple as you make your self? What did he see? a counterfeited show Of passion, which you may, if you were wise, Make him as easily to unbelieve, As what he never saw; and think his eyes Conspired his understanding to deceive. How many women, think you, being espied In nearer-touching cases by mischance, Have yet not only faced their lovers down For what they saw, but brought them to believe They had not seen the thing which they had seen, Yea and to swear it too; and to condemn Themselves? such means can wit devise To make men's minds uncredit their own eyes. And therefore let not such a toy as this Disease your thoughts: and for your lose of love, It is as much as nothing. I would turn A passion upon that should overturn It clean, and that is wrath; one heat Expels another. I would make my thoughts of scorn To be in height so much above my love, As they should ease and please me more by far. I would disdain to cast a look that way Where he should stand, unless it were in scorn, Or think a thought of him, but how to work Him all disgrace that possibly I could. Nay as for that he shall be so well charmed Ere I have done, as you shall fear no tales. Content you Phillis, stay & hear him speak: We may make use of him more then you think. The better use be sure, for being gross, Your subtler spirits full of their finesses, Serve their own turns in others businesses. Prithee Phillis stay And give him yet the hearing, in respect He loves you, otherwise you show your self A savage more then he. For that we shall, Phillis, do well enough When he begins, who seems is very long To give the onset, sure the man is much Perplexed, or he studies what to say. Some beasts do wear grey beards beside your goats: And bear with him, this suit bewrays young thoughts He comes indeed, and as me thinks does More trouble in his face by far, then love. Ah, would, belike he saw you Phillis, when This morning you did strive with Cloris boy To have your garland, which he snatched away, And kept it from you by strong force and might: And you again laid hold upon the same, And held it fast until with much ado He wrung it from your hands, and God away. And this is that great matter which he saw. Now fie Montanus fie, are you so gross, T'imagine such a worthy nymph as she Would be inloue with such a youth as he? Why now you have undone your credit quite, You never can make her amends for this So impious a surmise, nor ever can She, as she reason hath, but must despise your grossness; who should rather have come in And righted her, then suffer such a one To offer and indignity so vile, And you stand prying in a bush the while. But this, Montanus, will not now suffice. You quite have lost her, and your Hope's and all. Faith Phillis asit is fallen out, your case Is very crazy, and to make it whole There is no way but even to laugh it out, And set as good a face, as you can do Upon the matter, and say thus: How you Knew well enough it was no man whom you Affected so, who never could love man, Nor ever would, and that by mere instinct And sympathy of Sex, you fancied him. So put to off, and turn it to a jest, Are you here Cloris, you are blessed to day For being mistress unto such a boy: You may rejoice that ever this fell out. But Cloris, I would laugh with them, were I as you, And how soever felt my self within, Yet would I seem be otherwise without. Cannot you say, that you knew well enough How it was Silvia that you entertained, Although you would not seem to take such note; And thereupon employed her in that sort To Thyrsis, knowing who it was would give To him the greatest comfort upon earth. And thus fair Nymph's you fitly may excuse These simple slips, and know that they shall still Have crosses with their piles, who thus do play Their Fortune's with their loves, as you two did: But you must frame your countenance thereto And look with other faces then their own. As many else do here, who in their parts Set shining looks upon their cloudy hearts, And let us mix us with this company That here appears with mirth and jollity. She will command you nothing; but I wish You would a little terrify that boy As he may never dare to use her name But in all reverence as is fit for her. But do not you examine him a word; For that were neither for your dignity, Nor hers, that such a boy as he should stand And justify himself in such a case, Who would but feign untruths unto your face. And herein you some service shall perform, As may perhaps make her to think on you.