University of Virginia Library

Scene. 1.

Ergasto. Mirtillo.
[Ergasto.]
How I haue searcht alongst the riuers side,
About the meadowes, fountains, and the hils,
To find thee out: which now I haue, the gods be praisd.

Mir.
Ah that thy newes Ergasto may deserue
This haste. But bringst thou life or death?

Er.
This though I had I would not giue it thee.
That do I hope to giue thee, though I haue it not
As yet. But fie, thou must not suffer griefe
To ouerthrow thy sences thus. Liue man and hope.
But to the purpose of my comming now,
Ormino hath a sister, knowst her not?
A tall big wench, a merry-countnaun'st Nymphe
With yealow haire, somewhat high-coloured.

Mir.
What is her name?

(Er.)
Corisca.

(Mir.)
I know her well,
And heretofore haue spoke with her.

Er.
Then know that she (and see withall your lucke)
Is now become (I know not by what priuiledge)
Companion to your beauteous Amarillis.
I haue discouered all your loue to her,
And this which you desire, and readily
She me hath giu'n her faith to bring't about.

Mir.
O happie Mirtillo if this same proue true:
But said she nothing of the meanes whereby?

Er.
Nothing as yet, nor would she that conclude
Vntill she knew the manner of your loue.
How it began, and what hath hapt therein,
That she might easilier spie into the hart
Of your beloued Nymphe, and better know
How to dispose by praiers or by fraud
Of her request. For this I came to you,
And make me now acquainted from the head,
With all the historie of your deare Loue.

Mir.
So will I do, but yet Ergasto know
This memorie (a bitter hopelesse thing)
Is like a fire-brand tossed in the winde,
By which how much the fire increaseth still,
So much the brand with blazing flame consumes
O piercing shaft made by some power diuine!
The which the more we seeke to draw it out,
The faster hold it takes, the deeper roote.
Well can I tell you, that these Louers hopes
Are full of vanities and falshoods still,
Loues fruit is bitter, though the roote be sweet.
In that sweet time when dayes aduantage get
Aboue the nights, then when the yeare begins:
This daintie pilgrim, beauties bright new sunne,
Came with her count'nance like another spring,
T'illuminate my then thrise happie soyle
Of Pisa, and Eglidis faire. Brought by her mother
To see the sacrifices and the sports
That celebrated in those solemne daies
Were vnto Ioue. Where while she ment to make
Her eye-sight blest with that same spectacle,
She blest the spectacle with her faire eyes,
Being loues greatest miracle beneath the skies.
No sooner had I seene that face, but straight
I burnt, defending not the formost looke,
Which though mine eies into my brest directed
Such an imperious beautie, as me thought did say,
Mirtillo yeeld thy hart for it is mine.

Er.
Oh in our brests what mighty power hath loue?
Ther's none can tell, saue they the same which proue

Mir.
See how industrious loue can worke eu'n in
The simplest brests. A sister which I had
I made acquainted with my thoughts, who was
By chaunce companion to my cruell Nymphe.
The time she staid in Pisa and Elide,
Shee faithfull counsell, and good aide me gaue,
She drest me finely in one of her gownes,
Circling my temples with a periwig,
Which gracefully she trimmed vp with flowres.
A quiuer and a bowe hung at my side,
She taught me furthermore to faine my voice
And lookes, for in my face as then there grew no haire.
This done, she me conducted where the Nimphe
Was wont to sport her selfe, and where we found
A noble troupe of maydens of Megara,
By blood or loue allyed to my goddesse.
Mongst them she stood like to a princely Rose,
Among a heape of humble Violets.
We had not long bene there before vprose
One of the maydens of Megara, and thus bespake,
Why stand we idly still in such a time,
When palmes and famous trophees are so rife?
Haue not we armes counterfait fights to make
As well as men? Sisters be rulde by mee:
Let's proue among our selues our armes in iest,
That when we come to earnest them with men,
We may them better vse. Let's kisse, and striue
Who can kisse sweetliest among our selues:
And let this garland be the victors gaine.
All at the proposition laught: and all
Vnto it strait agreed. Straightway began
A fight confused, no signall we attended.
Which by her seene that first ordaind the sport,
She saies againe. Let's make her worthy iudge
That hath the fairest mouth. All soone agreed,
And Amarillis chose. Who sweetly bowing downe,
Her beauteous eyes in modest blushing staind,
Did show they were as faire within as th'were without.
Or that her face her rich-clad mouth enuyed,
And would be cloath'd in pompous purple too,
As who should say, I am as faire as it.

Er.
In good time did you chaunge into a Nymphe,
A happy token of good lucke to come.

Mir.
Now did the beautious iudge sit in her plate,
According as the Megarence prescrib'd.
Each went by lot to make due proofe of her
Rare mouth, that heauenly paragon of sweetnesse.
That blessed mouth that may be likened to
A perfum'd Indian shell of orientall pearle,
Op'ning the daintie treasure, mixt with hony sweet
And purple blush. I cannot (my Ergasto) tell
Th'inexplicable sweetnesse which I felt
Out of that kisse. But looke what Cypres caues
Or hiues of Hybla haue, are nothing all
Compar'd with that which then I tasted there.

Er.
Oh happy theft sweet kisse.

(Mir.)
Yea sweet,
But yet not gracious, for it wanted still
The better part: loue gaue it, but loue not
Return'd it backe.

(Er.)
But then how did you
When it was your lot to kisse?

(Mir.)
Vnto those lips
My soule did wholy flie, and all my life
So shut therein, as in a litle space
It waxed nothing but a kisse. And all
My other limmes stood strenghlesse trembling still,
When I approached to her lightning lookes,
Knowing my deed was theft and deceit,
I feared the maiestie of her faire face,
But she assures me with a pleasing smile:
And puts me forward more, loue sitting like
A Bee vpon two fresh and daintie Roses close.
Kissing, I tasted there the honey sweet,
But hauing kist, I felt the louely Bee
Strike through my hart with his sharp piercing sting.
And being wounded thus, halfe desperate,
I thought t'haue bitten those manslaught'ring lips,
But that her odoriferous breath like aire diuine,
Wak'ned my modestie and still my rage.

Er.
This modestie molesteth Louers still.

Mir.
Now were the lotts fulfild, and eu'ry one
With heedfull minds the sentence did attend:
When Amarillis iudging mine the best,
With her owne hands she crownes my tresses, with
The gentle garland kept for victorie.
But neuer was shadelesse meadow drier parcht,
Vnder the balefull fury of the heauenly dog,
Then was my hart in sunshine of that sweet,
Neuer so vanquisht as in victory.
Yet had I power to take the garland off,
And reach it her, saying to you belongs
Alone the same. T'is due to you, that made
Mine good, by vertue of your mouth.
She gently took't and crownd her selfe therewith.
And with an other that she ware crownd mine.
T's this I weare thus dried as you see,
It will I carry to my graue with mee.
In deare remembrannce of that happie day.
But more for signe of my dead hopes decay.

Er.
Thou pittie more then enuy dost deserue,
That wert another Tantalus in loues delights,
That of a sport a torment true didst make.
Thou pai'st too deare for thy stolne delicates.
But did she ere perceiue thy pollicies?

Mir.
That know I not (Ergasto) yet thus much I know,
That in the time she made Elidis blest
With her sweet count'nance, she liberall was
Of pleasing lookes to mee. But thereof did
My cruell fates robbe me so sodeinly,
That I perceiu'd it not till they were gone.
Whē I drawne by the power of her beauteous look:
Leauing my home came hither, where thou knowst
My father had this poore habitacle.
But now the day that with so faire a spring began,
Come to his western bound, thunders & lightes out,
Ah then I saw these were true signes of death.
Now had (alas) my tender father felt,
My not-foreseene departure, and orecome
With griefe, fell sicke nigh hand to death,
Whereby I was constrained to returne.
Ah that returne prooued the fathers health,
But deadly sicknesse to the sonne: for in short time
I languished and pined quite away.
Which held me from the time the sunne had left
The bull, vntill his entry into Capricorne.
And so had still, had not my pitious father sought
For counsaile to the Oracle, which said,
Onely Arcadia could restore my health.
So I returnd to see her that can heale
My bodies griefe (O Oracles false lye)
But makes my soule sicke euerlastingly.

Er.
Strange tale thou telst (Mirtillo) though't be true,
The onely health to one that's desperate,
Is to dispaire of health. And now t'is time
I goe communicate witth our Corisca.
Go to the fountaine you, there stay for me,
Ile make what haste I can.

(Mir.)
Goe happily,
The heauens (Ergasto) quith thy curtesie.