The Faithful Shepherdess | Page 9

strong _Alexis , high and free,?Calls upon Cloe. See mine arms are full?Of entertainment, ready for to pull?That golden fruit which too too long hath hung?Tempting the greedy eye: thou stayest too long,?I am impatient of these mad delayes;?I must not leave unsought these many ways?That lead into this center, till I find?Quench for my burning lust. I come, unkind. [Exit Alexis.
Daph. Can my imagination work me so much ill,?That I may credit this for truth, and still?Believe mine eyes? or shall I firmly hold?Her yet untainted, and these sights but bold?Illusion? Sure such fancies oft have been?Sent to abuse true love, and yet are seen,?Daring to blind the vertuous thought with errour.?But be they far from me with their fond terrour:?I am resolv'd my Cloe yet is true. [Cloe within.?Cloe_, hark, _Cloe: Sure this voyce is new,?Whose shrilness like the sounding of a Bell,?Tells me it is a Woman: Cloe, tell?Thy blessed name again. Cloe. [within] Here.?Oh what a grief is this to be so near,?And not incounter!
Enter Cloe.
Clo. Shepherd, we are met,?Draw close into the covert, lest the wet?Which falls like lazy mists upon the ground?Soke through your Startups.
Daph. Fairest are you found??How have we wandred, that the better part?Of this good night is perisht? Oh my heart!?How have I long'd to meet ye, how to kiss?Those lilly hands, how to receive the bliss?That charming tongue gives to the happy ear?Of him that drinks your language! but I fear?I am too much unmanner'd, far too rude,?And almost grown lascivious to intrude?These hot behaviours; where regard of fame,?Honour, and modesty, a vertuous name,?And such discourse as one fair Sister may?Without offence unto the Brother say,?Should rather have been tendred: but believe,?Here dwells a better temper; do not grieve?Then, ever kindest, that my first salute?Seasons so much of fancy, I am mute?Henceforth to all discourses, but shall be?Suiting to your sweet thoughts and modestie.?Indeed I will not ask a kiss of you,?No not to wring your fingers, nor to sue?To those blest pair of fixed stars for smiles,?All a young lovers cunning, all his wiles,?And pretty wanton dyings, shall to me?Be strangers; only to your chastitie?I am devoted ever.
Clo. Honest Swain,?First let me thank you, then return again?As much of my love: no thou art too cold,?Unhappy Boy, not tempred to my mold,?Thy blood falls heavy downward, 'tis not fear?To offend in boldness wins, they never wear?Deserved favours that deny to take?When they are offered freely: Do I wake?To see a man of his youth, years and feature,?And such a one as we call goodly creature,?Thus backward? What a world of precious Art?Were meerly lost, to make him do his part??But I will shake him off, that dares not hold,?Let men that hope to be belov'd be bold.?Daphnis, I do desire, since we are met?So happily, our lives and fortunes set?Upon one stake, to give assurance now,?By interchange of hands and holy vow,?Never to break again: walk you that way?Whilest I in zealous meditation stray?A little this way: when we both have ended?These rites and duties, by the woods befriended,?And secrecie of night, retire and find?An aged Oak, whose hollowness may bind?Us both within his body, thither go,?It stands within yon bottom.
Daph. Be it so. [Ex. Daph.
Clo. And I will meet there never more with thee,?Thou idle shamefastness.
_Alex. [within] Chloe!_
Clo. 'Tis he?That dare I hope be bolder.
Alex. Cloe!
Clo. Now?Great Pan_ for _Syrinx sake bid speed our Plow. [Exit Cloe.
_Actus Tertius. Scena Prima.
Enter_ Sullen Shepherd _with_ Amaryllis _in a sleep.
Sull. From thy forehead thus I take?These herbs, and charge thee not awake?Till in yonder holy Well,?Thrice with powerful Magick spell,?Fill'd with many a baleful word,?Thou hast been dipt; thus with my cord?Of blasted Hemp, by Moon-light twin'd,?I do thy sleepy body bind;?I turn thy head into the East,?And thy feet into the West,?Thy left arm to the South put forth,?And thy right unto the North:?I take thy body from the ground,?In this deep and deadly swound,?And into this holy spring?I let thee slide down by my string.?Take this Maid thou holy pit,?To thy bottom, nearer yet,?In thy water pure and sweet,?By thy leave I dip her feet;?Thus I let her lower yet,?That her ankles may be wet;?Yet down lower, let her knee?In thy waters washed be;?There stop: Fly away?Every thing that loves the day.?Truth that hath but one face,?Thus I charm thee from this place.?Snakes that cast your coats for new,?Camelions that alter hue,?Hares that yearly Sexes change,?Proteus alt'ring oft and strange,?Hecate with shapes three,?Let this Maiden changed be,?With this holy water wet,?To the shape of Amoret:?Cynthia work thou with my charm,?Thus I draw thee free from harm?Up out of this blessed Lake,?Rise both like her and awake. [She awakes.
Amar_. Speak Shepherd, am I _Amoret to sight??Or hast thou mist in any Magick rite;?For want of which any defect in me,?May